Zaraithe
2010-11-12, 12:28 PM
Hey Homebrewers! Forthcoming is my first attempt at homebrewing a PrC (so I apologize if there any newbie mistakes or etiquette violations), and I thought I would post it for public perusal.
A big disclaimer, this PrC was dreamed up out of some hair-brained scheme to combine two of my favorite classes, Monk and Spellthief, and was hastily generalized for other arcane casters, so there could be some things that are just utterly terrible and in need of reconsideration. I'm currently playtesting this in a campaign with a Spellthief 5/Monk 2 entry, but currently I'm only 9th level, so there's not much room for seeing the midlevel class features in action.
My goal is to make a PrC that makes a melee unarmed spellthief type character viable, and give spellthief as a class more options than Master Spellthief or 20 levels, just because I like the idea of the class being used for a more varied potential. I'm sure there's plenty wrong with this PrC, but I'm willing to tweak the class for what's best, whether that means nerfing it to all hell or buffing it because it turns out to be useless under more scrutinizing minds. Thank you for your time!
Spellswipe Fist
[Picture forthcoming]
"The currents of magic flow at my will."
-Garrett Eldrithev, Human Spellswipe Fist.
Becoming a Spellswipe Fist
The easiest route to Spellswipe Fist is through Spellthief and Monk, as this combination has the easiest time with the requirements. The class progresses their abilities to their full extent, though other martial-arcane class may enter through use of the Master Spellthief feat.
Prerequisites:
Skills: Knowledge Arcana 10 Ranks, Spellcraft 5 Ranks,
Feats: Stunning Fist, Improved Unarmed Strike
Spells:: Ability to cast 1st level spells as spellthief or 3rd level arcane spells otherwise
Sneak Attack: Sneak Attack +2d6
Other: Must be able to steal 2nd level spells
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills (4+Int Skill points per level): Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Disable Device, Hide, Jump, Knowledge Arcana, Move Silently, Listen, Profession, Open Lock, Spot, Search, Spellcraft, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells
1|+0|+0|+2|+2|Monk abilities, Spellthieving|
2|+1|+0|+3|+3|Aesthetic Spelltheft|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
3|+2|+1|+3|+3||+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
4|+3|+1|+4|+4|Spelltheft Strike|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
5|+3|+1|+4|+4||+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
6|+4|+2|+5|+5|Dispelling Strike|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
7|+5|+2|+5|+5|Spellnull Strike|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
8|+6|+2|+6|+6||+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
9|+6|+3|+6|+6|Improved Spelltheft Strikes|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
10|+7|+3|+7|+7|Spelltheft Flurry|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
Spells: At every level but 1st, a Spellswipe Fist gains spells known/per day as if she had taken another level in a previous arcane caster class.
Spellthieving: Levels in Spellswipe Fist stack for determining the power of a spellthief's stealing abilities; the level of spell she can steal and hold, the amount of energy/spell resistance she can steal, the level of spell like abilities she can steal, and the level spell she can absorb. This ability does not grant the abilities of the spellthief, only progresses them. For example, a character with 5 levels in spellthief and 5 levels of this class steals spells, SLAs, spell effects, and energy resistance like a 10th level spellthief, but does not have the ability to absorb spells as a 10th leve spellthief would from the 7th spellthief level class ability. If you have no spellthief abilities, this ability does nothing.
Monk Abilities: Levels in Spellswipe Fist progress unarmed strike damage, unarmored speed bonus, unarmored AC bonus, number of stunning fist attempts, and flurry of blows. If a character has no levels in monk, they are granted abilities as a monk of their Spellswipe Fist level, though they do not gain their wisdom bonus to AC, only the additional AC bonus as a monk.
Ascetic Spelltheft: At 2nd level, a Spellswipe Fist gains Ascetic Mage (Cadv) as a bonus feat applied to their previous spellcasting class. Additionally, the Spellswipe Fist's Stunning Fist DC becomes Cha-based.
Spelltheft Strikes: At 4th level, a Spellswipe Fist may expend Stunning Fist attempts to activate spellthief abilities through touch attacks once per round without having sneak attack dice. These attacks deal the Spellswipe Fist's unarmed strike damage, and allow the Spellswipe Fist to steal spells, effects, spell-like abilities, and resistances from creatures normally immune, though sneak attack damage may also be forgone when dealing with creatures vulnerable to sneak attack. The Spellswipe Fist may expend a total of 1 Stunning Fist Attempt two class levels per attack to use different spellthief abilities. At 9th level, this extends to multiple attacks per round.
Dispelling Strike: At 6th level, a Spellswipe fist may expend a stunning fist attempt to perform an unarmed strike which also functions as a targeted Greater Dispel on their target. The target must succeed on a fortitude save equal to the Spellswipe fist's Stunning Fist DC or have their spell effects be dispelled and their magic items suppressed as if affected by a Greater Dispel Magic. The Spellswipe Fist's caster level is used for this attack.
Spellnull Strike: At 7th level, a Spellswipe Fist gains the ability to expend a Stunning Fist attempt to perform a spellnull strike. If an enemy fails a fortitude save equal to the Spellswipe Fist's stunning fist DC, If the Spellswipe Fist succeeds on an unarmed strike against their target, the enemy is surrounded by a skin-tight antimagic field which prevents any casting for 1d4 rounds. At 10 level this time increases to 1d8 rounds.
Spelltheft Flurry: At 10th level, a Spellswipe Fist gets the ability to perform a full attack with flurry of blows and channel spellthief, including Spellnull and Dispelling Strike abilities through each attack without needing sneak attack or stunning fist attempts, though normal sneak attacks or stunning fists may be applied for additional uses of thieving. The Spellswipe Fist may use any number of any spellthief abilities that they possess, but they may not store more spell levels than they are otherwise capable. This ability functions twice per day.
***
Some considerations I have include floundering about the BAB/Spellcasting progression of this class (IE, up it to Full BAB and drop spellcasting to 8/10), and about giving a fort save on Spellthreft strikes. Part of me wonders if just expending the Stunning Fist strike is enough resource dedication to leave the fort save requirement out. Of course, this is all assuming that my fear that the prestige class is too lackluster are unfounded. :P
A big disclaimer, this PrC was dreamed up out of some hair-brained scheme to combine two of my favorite classes, Monk and Spellthief, and was hastily generalized for other arcane casters, so there could be some things that are just utterly terrible and in need of reconsideration. I'm currently playtesting this in a campaign with a Spellthief 5/Monk 2 entry, but currently I'm only 9th level, so there's not much room for seeing the midlevel class features in action.
My goal is to make a PrC that makes a melee unarmed spellthief type character viable, and give spellthief as a class more options than Master Spellthief or 20 levels, just because I like the idea of the class being used for a more varied potential. I'm sure there's plenty wrong with this PrC, but I'm willing to tweak the class for what's best, whether that means nerfing it to all hell or buffing it because it turns out to be useless under more scrutinizing minds. Thank you for your time!
Spellswipe Fist
[Picture forthcoming]
"The currents of magic flow at my will."
-Garrett Eldrithev, Human Spellswipe Fist.
Becoming a Spellswipe Fist
The easiest route to Spellswipe Fist is through Spellthief and Monk, as this combination has the easiest time with the requirements. The class progresses their abilities to their full extent, though other martial-arcane class may enter through use of the Master Spellthief feat.
Prerequisites:
Skills: Knowledge Arcana 10 Ranks, Spellcraft 5 Ranks,
Feats: Stunning Fist, Improved Unarmed Strike
Spells:: Ability to cast 1st level spells as spellthief or 3rd level arcane spells otherwise
Sneak Attack: Sneak Attack +2d6
Other: Must be able to steal 2nd level spells
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills (4+Int Skill points per level): Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Disable Device, Hide, Jump, Knowledge Arcana, Move Silently, Listen, Profession, Open Lock, Spot, Search, Spellcraft, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spells
1|+0|+0|+2|+2|Monk abilities, Spellthieving|
2|+1|+0|+3|+3|Aesthetic Spelltheft|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
3|+2|+1|+3|+3||+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
4|+3|+1|+4|+4|Spelltheft Strike|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
5|+3|+1|+4|+4||+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
6|+4|+2|+5|+5|Dispelling Strike|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
7|+5|+2|+5|+5|Spellnull Strike|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
8|+6|+2|+6|+6||+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
9|+6|+3|+6|+6|Improved Spelltheft Strikes|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
10|+7|+3|+7|+7|Spelltheft Flurry|+1 Existing arcane spellcaster class
Spells: At every level but 1st, a Spellswipe Fist gains spells known/per day as if she had taken another level in a previous arcane caster class.
Spellthieving: Levels in Spellswipe Fist stack for determining the power of a spellthief's stealing abilities; the level of spell she can steal and hold, the amount of energy/spell resistance she can steal, the level of spell like abilities she can steal, and the level spell she can absorb. This ability does not grant the abilities of the spellthief, only progresses them. For example, a character with 5 levels in spellthief and 5 levels of this class steals spells, SLAs, spell effects, and energy resistance like a 10th level spellthief, but does not have the ability to absorb spells as a 10th leve spellthief would from the 7th spellthief level class ability. If you have no spellthief abilities, this ability does nothing.
Monk Abilities: Levels in Spellswipe Fist progress unarmed strike damage, unarmored speed bonus, unarmored AC bonus, number of stunning fist attempts, and flurry of blows. If a character has no levels in monk, they are granted abilities as a monk of their Spellswipe Fist level, though they do not gain their wisdom bonus to AC, only the additional AC bonus as a monk.
Ascetic Spelltheft: At 2nd level, a Spellswipe Fist gains Ascetic Mage (Cadv) as a bonus feat applied to their previous spellcasting class. Additionally, the Spellswipe Fist's Stunning Fist DC becomes Cha-based.
Spelltheft Strikes: At 4th level, a Spellswipe Fist may expend Stunning Fist attempts to activate spellthief abilities through touch attacks once per round without having sneak attack dice. These attacks deal the Spellswipe Fist's unarmed strike damage, and allow the Spellswipe Fist to steal spells, effects, spell-like abilities, and resistances from creatures normally immune, though sneak attack damage may also be forgone when dealing with creatures vulnerable to sneak attack. The Spellswipe Fist may expend a total of 1 Stunning Fist Attempt two class levels per attack to use different spellthief abilities. At 9th level, this extends to multiple attacks per round.
Dispelling Strike: At 6th level, a Spellswipe fist may expend a stunning fist attempt to perform an unarmed strike which also functions as a targeted Greater Dispel on their target. The target must succeed on a fortitude save equal to the Spellswipe fist's Stunning Fist DC or have their spell effects be dispelled and their magic items suppressed as if affected by a Greater Dispel Magic. The Spellswipe Fist's caster level is used for this attack.
Spellnull Strike: At 7th level, a Spellswipe Fist gains the ability to expend a Stunning Fist attempt to perform a spellnull strike. If an enemy fails a fortitude save equal to the Spellswipe Fist's stunning fist DC, If the Spellswipe Fist succeeds on an unarmed strike against their target, the enemy is surrounded by a skin-tight antimagic field which prevents any casting for 1d4 rounds. At 10 level this time increases to 1d8 rounds.
Spelltheft Flurry: At 10th level, a Spellswipe Fist gets the ability to perform a full attack with flurry of blows and channel spellthief, including Spellnull and Dispelling Strike abilities through each attack without needing sneak attack or stunning fist attempts, though normal sneak attacks or stunning fists may be applied for additional uses of thieving. The Spellswipe Fist may use any number of any spellthief abilities that they possess, but they may not store more spell levels than they are otherwise capable. This ability functions twice per day.
***
Some considerations I have include floundering about the BAB/Spellcasting progression of this class (IE, up it to Full BAB and drop spellcasting to 8/10), and about giving a fort save on Spellthreft strikes. Part of me wonders if just expending the Stunning Fist strike is enough resource dedication to leave the fort save requirement out. Of course, this is all assuming that my fear that the prestige class is too lackluster are unfounded. :P