Fable Wright
2010-11-12, 07:24 PM
Knight of the Forbidden Gate
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs16/i/2007/183/e/0/G_E_N_E_R_A_T_I_O_N_by_ravenousdarkhart.jpg
My mind is the gate.
Through it, madness unbidden
Comes forth, seeping doom.
My lance is the key;
A focus to restrict it,
And to grant passage.
I, The Gatekeeper,
Control the flow of madness,
Though it controls me.
-Elissa, Scion of the Mad,
Knight of the Forbidden Gate
Ages ago, when the Elder Elves first came to pierce a hole from this realm to the far realms, they doomed themselves. By drawing the attention of the denizens of that realm, they opened a permanent gate between the worlds. It cannot be sealed, for as long as knowledge of the far realms exists, it is linked to our multiverse. However, most contact with the far realms had ceased. Most who know of it attribute it to spectacular feats of magic, and the race sacrificing itself in order to seal the portal. This was a lie. The race was wiped from the multiverse by their curiosity, and the beings from the far realms came into our worlds in greater and greater numbers. The thing that truly closed the portal was the establishment of the Order of the Knights of the Forbidden Gate. They were normal humans and elves who had been touched by the far realms; they retained their sanity, for the most part, and lived. But in their brains, a cyst connected to the far realms was created, and these poor souls were used as secondary gates. However, people with these cysts within them eventually built up a resistance to the powers. By focusing their will, they were able to restrict the flow of energy from the far realms. Eventually, a group of these people who had managed to control the flow of energy, called True Xenotheurges, got together. They wanted to seal the gate to the far realms once and for all, but their individual wills were barely able to contain the small portal within their own minds. After much deliberation and experimentation, they realized a startling fact- that they didn’t have to bear all of the madness seeping into their minds by themselves. Rather, they were able to turn objects into foci to store the energy from the far realms. The bigger the object, in general, the more energy it was able to contain. It was decided that they would use lances, being amongst the largest weapons that could be wielded, to be the standard weapon for the organization. Able to finally restrict the flow of energy from the far realms from within their own minds, they used their newly-found abilities to store the powers of the aberrations in their lances, weakening the connections between the beings and the multiverse itself. Over time, the denizens of the far realms were unable to maintain a connection with the plane once they were on it, and it became harder and harder for them to cross through the portal. Eventually, they were unable to maintain a presence in the multiverse altogether, and soon lost interest.
The Order remained though, albeit in reduced numbers. The threat had passed, and many of its members returned to their old lives. However, some of them remained as stewards of the knights. A certain number of knights always had to remain in the world in order to prevent the portal from ever reopening. Speaking through dreams, the stewards found promising new recruits, and trained them in the art. They would pass on the techniques, and the lore of the Order. Through these new trainees, the order would be maintained even after the death of the elder members. Ideally, this way, the Order would be preserved, and the multiverse kept safe, in addition to allowing new ideas and abilities to influence the Order. One such innovation was the idea of creating additional foci. While a knight might only ever have one lance-focus, it was possible for them to attain additional foci. Eventually, they found that they were able to use other animals, even people, as foci. However, the most efficient creature was the dragon. Most other beings would go insane after just a few days after being converted into a focus, but dragons had the same willpower as the knights. Over time, the Order adopted the idea of using dragon companions as additional foci, although not so much as the lance was. Even with this added later of protection, motes of energy would occasionally seep through into this multiverse, although the knight’s combined will is enough to block out the largest entity of the far realms.
However, in practice, the Knights were actually mentally damaged. Although the foci negated the brunt of the impact, many of the Knights would, over time, become mentally unstable. Many avoided this fate, but most members broke down at some time or other. Their connection to the portals earned them a perilous position: they were able to control the flow of energy to and from the far realms. This connection worked in two ways: They could keep the energies and creatures out of the world, or they could invite them in. The more the Order drew upon the will of any particular Knight, the larger the entity that knight could draw through. They obtained the position of gatekeeper, able to determine what can and cannot cross the boundaries between the far realms and this realm. With their lance-foci, they were able to pierce into the fabric of nature, allowing energy and entities to enter the world. They also were equipped to block them. The gate between this world and that of the far realms is entrusted in the hands of a group of mentally unstable warriors whose numbers dwindle every year, who constantly allow more and more energy from the far realms to enter the multiverse as their faith in their original principles begins to fade.
May the Gods help us all.
Becoming a Knight of the Forbidden Gate
One being chosen to become a Knight of the Forbidden Gate is an extraordinarily rare event. Those who are connected to the Far Realms, such as those with the curse of Xenotheurgy, and have the will to combat it's powers, rather than submitting to them, are often called into service. Those who have proficiency with the lance, the chosen weapon of the Order's Knights, and the ability to use it while retaining speed, mobility, and defence are also chosen, as they have the skill needed to face the horrors of the far realms in single combat. Those who are chosen by the Order receive messages through their dreams; teaching them how to control the power of the far realms, or how to square up against them in single combat. Those who heed these dreams and become proficient with both the lance and powers of the far realms are drafted into the service of the Order as Knights of the Forbidden Gate.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Feats: Iron will
Skills: Jump 6 ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks
Special: Subverted Insanity 1/day, Lancet + 2d6, Must own a Lance
(Note: The first two requirements are class features from the Xenotheurge (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122103) class and the Limit Dragoon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168962) class.)
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (DEX), Bluff (CHA), Concentration (CON), Craft (INT), Diplomacy (CHA), Intimidate (CHA), Jump (STR), Listen (WIS), Knowledge (arcana) (INT), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (INT), Knowledge (history) (INT), Knowledge (the planes) (INT), Ride (DEX), Search (INT), Spot (WIS), Survival (WIS), Tumble (DEX), Use Magic Device (CHA).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Limit Breaks/Xenotheurgy
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Lesser Breaks, Catalyst +1 |+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Pierce +1d6, Open the Gate (Amoebic Crawler)|+1 Limit break level
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Catalyst +2, Mutation, Surge of Madness, Reduce the Gates|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Greater Breaks, Pierce +2d6, Between the lines|+1 Limit break level
5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Catalyst +3, Store the Madness, Restrict the Aether|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Pierce +3d6, Mutation, Open the Gate(Kaortic Hulk)|+1 Limit break level
7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|Dark Breaks, Catalyst +4, Close the Gate|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
8th|
+6|
+6|
+2|
+6|Pierce +4d6 Space between the seconds|+1 Limit break level
9th|
+6|
+6|
+3|
+6|Catalyst +5, Mutation, Reverse the Gate|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
10th|
+7|
+7|
+3|
+7|Gate of Madness, Pierce +5d6, Open the Gate (Nightseed)|+1 Limit break level[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A Knight of the Forbidden Gate does not gain any proficiency with any weapons or armor.
Class Features:
Breaks/Murmurs: A Knight of the Forbidden Gate adds his class level to his Limit Dragoon level for the purposes of determining the maximum number of limit breaks they know, the highest level limit break they can use, their effective limit dragoon level for the purposes of calculating the damage and duration of their limit breaks, and the maximum size of their limit gauge. In addition, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate adds ½ their class level (rounded up) to their Xenotheurge level for the purposes of determining the highest level breach that the Xenotheurge can use, their effective level when determining damage and other effects caused by breaches or incursions, and the number of murmurs and disturbances possessed by the character.
Catalyst: At first level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate bonds with one lance that he owns. This lance must be a +1 or higher magic item. The Knight may, during a ritual that lasts for 24 hours, choose to bond with his lance and imbue his weapon with magical properties. At the end of this ritual, the Knight sacrifices an amount of XP and grants the weapon a magical enhancement bonus and/or special abilities, as seen on the table below. At any time, they may choose to imbue more properties within their lance. In this case, they must pay a number of experience points equal to the difference between the points already paid and the number of experience points needed for the next augmentation of the lance. (For example, if a Knight of the Forbidden Gate wanted to increase the bonus of his weapon from +2 to +3, he would pay 200 exp points; 360-160 points.)
{table=head]Class level | Weapon Bonus | Minimum XP cost
1st|+1|40
2nd|+1|40
3rd|+2|160
4th|+2|160
5th|+3|360
6th|+3|360
7th|+4|640
8th|+4|640
9th|+5|1000
10th|+5|1000
[/table]
However, the powers come at a cost. As this lance is the focus to control the energy from the far realms, each day that the knight does not have it, each active murmur that the Knight possesses is increased by one, and he suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to all will saves each day he does not have access to his lance. These penalties stop accumulating when he reacquires his weapon, and the penalty to will saves is reduced by one every 24 hours after he regains control of his lance. If the lance is destroyed, each active murmur possessed by the Knight’s level is increased by 3. When this occurs, the Knight may choose to bond with a different lance.
In addition, while his lance is within 5ft of him, for each die of lancet or pierce a Knight possesses, they gain a +1 bonus to their Xenotheurge level for the purposes of determining the maximum level of breaches they can use and for the purposes of calculating their effective Xenotheurge level when determining damage and other effects caused by breaches or incursions.
Breaks: At first level when taking this class, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate gains direct mental access to the far realms. While his lance absorbs most of the massive tide of energy, it can leak through his defenses in a moment of weakness. Whenever a Knight uses a limit break, he makes a fortitude save (DC = 10 + Murmur level + Breach level). If he succeeds, he resolves the ability as normal. However, if he fails, in addition to the normal effect of the limit break, he uses one lesser break, selected from the list below. He may only select a lesser break from a murmur he has active.
At fourth level, when he uses a limit break of third level or higher, if any of his active murmurs is level 3 or above, instead of selecting a lesser break from those murmurs, he uses a greater break instead.
At seventh level or higher, when he uses a limit break of fifth level or higher, if any of his murmurs is level 5 or above, instead of using a medium break from those murmurs, he uses a dark break instead.
While empowered, as per the True Xenomancer ability, he suffers a -4 penalty on this save, and each break gains additional powers, as noted in their entries.
Pierce: At 2nd level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate learns his signature power- the ability to pierce a hole in the fabric of reality. When they make a lancet attack, they add number of pierce dice on the above table to the number of lancet dice they may use in an attack. In this manner, pierce dice are completely identical to lancet dice. However, they have another property: whenever the Knight would make a lancet attack, he may instead make a pierce attack. This is, in all ways, identical to a lancet attack, except that they may ‘use’ a number of dice, up to twice their pierce dice, but no more than the sum of their pierce and lancet dice, on this attack. Upon using the attack, they choose one active murmur. They use that murmur’s pierce ability (From the list on the next post). However, they must make a will save (DC 10 + breach bonus + murmur level), or increase the murmur level by one. Even if you succeed, your breach bonus increases by 1. However, this power is hard to control. When a Knight of the Forbidden Gate would make a lancet attack without a pierce effect, they must make a will save (DC 10 + breach bonus), or be forced to make a pierce attack using a number of dice equal to the number by which they failed the DC. E.g., Rose the Knight of the Forbidden Gate made a lancet attempt, but failed her will save by 5 points. She makes a pierce attack using 5 dice.
Open the Gate: At 2nd level, you gain the ability to open a small portal to the far realm; just largeenough for stray thoughts to come in. 1/day, you can summon 1d4+1 amoebic crawlers (Dragon Magazine #330, page 32). You gain an additional use of this power at 6th and 10th levels. However, when you use this ability, you must make a will save (DC 14+breach bonus), or increase the level of one murmur of your choice by one.
At 6th level, 1/day, you can summon a Kaortic Hulk (Dragon Magazine #330, page 35). You gain an additional use of this ability at 10th level. However, when you use this power, you must make a will save (DC 16+breach bonus), or increase the level of one murmur of your choice by one.
At 10th level, 1/day, you can summon a Nightseed (Dragon Magazine #330, page 36). However, when you use this ability, you must make a will save (DC 18+breach bonus), or increase the level of one murmur of your choice by one.
Mutation: At second level, and every 3 levels thereafter, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate selects one of the mutations from the following list. This choice may not be changed later.
Steel-Winged: Your dragon companion gains 2 HD, and their fly speed it reduced by 20ft. However, they gain a +4 armor bonus to armor class, and 2 natural primary attacks. These deal 1d6 points of slashing damage + ½ their strength modifier. This damage increases to 1d8 + Str mod damage if the dragon is medium sized, and 2d6+1.5 x str mod if they are large. In addition, you gain a +4 armor bonus to armor class, and a pair of vestigial steel wings. Whenever you would take falling damage, calculate it as if you had fallen 20ft less than you actually did. In addition, each round, you may spend a number of limit points no greater than 10x your class level. You gain a fly speed equal to the number of points expended in this way for 1 round.
Psionic Soul: Your dragon companion gains 1 HD. In addition, it gains a psionic manifesting progression as a psion of a level equal to ½ their HD +2. In addition, they gain arcane spellcasting as a wizard of ½ their HD +2. Whenever they cast a spell, they may spend a number of power points equal to or less than ½ their HD. Their caster level, for the purposes of that casting, is increased by the number of power points expended in this way. In addition, you gain 1 power point, and you gain a +2 bonus on will saves when psionically focused.
Form of Madness: Your dragon companion gains 2 HD and the pseudonatural template (C. Arc p. 160). In addition, they gain 2 secondary natural tentacle attacks. These deal 1d3 points of bludgeoning if the creature is small, 1d4+ ½ their strength modifier if medium, and 1d6+ their strength modifier if they’re large. In addition, you gain a pair of secondary natural tentacle attacks that deal 1d4+ ½ strength modifier points of bludgeoning damage. This damage increases to 1d6+ your strength modifier damage if you have the powerful build racial trait.
Bloated with Power: Your dragon companion gains 3 HD and increases by one size category. They gain +4 STR and +2 CON, and a +2 bonus to natural armor. You gain the powerful build racial trait.
Untouched by Magic: Your dragon companion gains 2 HD. In addition, you and your dragon companion gain spell and power resistance equal to 15+ your class level, and a +2 bonus on all saving throws against spells, powers, spell-like abilities, and psionic-like abities.
Surge of Madness: Once per day, at third level, you may choose to gain the benefits and drawbacks of empowerment for one round.
Reduce the Gates: The Knight of the Forbidden Gate, at 3rd level, has learned how to reduce the potency of spells that summon extraplanar beings. They gain an aura that causes all spells that summon monsters from a list based on spell level (e.g., summon monster spells, summon nature’s ally spells, summon undead spells), they summon creatures from the list one level lower than the actual spell slot used (e.g., if Tardek the Sorcerer attempts to cast Summon Monster 3 within this aura. Rather than selecting a monster to summon of the Summon Monster 3 list, he summons a monster from the Summon Monster 2 list). A Knight of the Forbidden Gate may activate or deactivate this aura as a swift action.
Between the Lines: At 4th level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned how to apply the non-Euclidean geometry of the far realms to this world, for a brief moment. Once per day, they may use Dimension Door, as the spell, on themselves.
Store the Madness: At 5th level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned how to store the insane whispers within his mind into his lance. Once per day, he may choose to store a murmur level in the lance; the murmur level is decreased by one, and there is one murmur stored in the lance. For each murmur stored within the lance, it suffers a -1 penalty on all attack and damage rolls, as the energy from the far realms corrupts its structure. At any time thereafter, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate may choose to extract a murmur level from there; he adds one level to the murmur he originally took it from. If that murmur is not active, he instead increases the level of any murmur he possesses by one. Only one level/3 class levels can be stored in this manner.
Restrict the Aether: At 5th level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned how to reduce the number of creatures allowed into this world. They gain an aura that causes all spells that summon multiple creatures to only summon one creature of that kind. For example, if Tardek the Sorcerer tried to summon 1d4+1 Celestial eagles with his summon monster 4 spell, it instead only summons 1 Celestial eagle. This does not affect spells that summon swarms of creatures. Activating or deactivating this ability is a swift action.
Close the Gate: At 7th level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate learns how to prevent any extraplanar beings from entering the world. They gain an aura with a radius of 10ft/class level. Within that radius, no creatures can be summoned or called, and each creature within the area is affected by a Dimensional Anchor spell. This aura may be activated or deactivated as a swift action.
Space Between the Seconds: At 8th level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned to see time as an object, and is able to move through it as one of the creatures of the far realms can. 1/day, as an immediate action, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate may take a full round of actions.
Reverse the Gate: At 9th level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned not only how to block the extradimensional travel of creatures, but also how to reverse it. At will as a move action, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate may use Dismissal, as the spell.
Gate of Madness:
Playing a Knight of the Forbidden Gate
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Knights of the Forbidden Gate in the World
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Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
------------------------------------------------
AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
------------------------------------------------
Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
-----------------------------------------------
Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs16/i/2007/183/e/0/G_E_N_E_R_A_T_I_O_N_by_ravenousdarkhart.jpg
My mind is the gate.
Through it, madness unbidden
Comes forth, seeping doom.
My lance is the key;
A focus to restrict it,
And to grant passage.
I, The Gatekeeper,
Control the flow of madness,
Though it controls me.
-Elissa, Scion of the Mad,
Knight of the Forbidden Gate
Ages ago, when the Elder Elves first came to pierce a hole from this realm to the far realms, they doomed themselves. By drawing the attention of the denizens of that realm, they opened a permanent gate between the worlds. It cannot be sealed, for as long as knowledge of the far realms exists, it is linked to our multiverse. However, most contact with the far realms had ceased. Most who know of it attribute it to spectacular feats of magic, and the race sacrificing itself in order to seal the portal. This was a lie. The race was wiped from the multiverse by their curiosity, and the beings from the far realms came into our worlds in greater and greater numbers. The thing that truly closed the portal was the establishment of the Order of the Knights of the Forbidden Gate. They were normal humans and elves who had been touched by the far realms; they retained their sanity, for the most part, and lived. But in their brains, a cyst connected to the far realms was created, and these poor souls were used as secondary gates. However, people with these cysts within them eventually built up a resistance to the powers. By focusing their will, they were able to restrict the flow of energy from the far realms. Eventually, a group of these people who had managed to control the flow of energy, called True Xenotheurges, got together. They wanted to seal the gate to the far realms once and for all, but their individual wills were barely able to contain the small portal within their own minds. After much deliberation and experimentation, they realized a startling fact- that they didn’t have to bear all of the madness seeping into their minds by themselves. Rather, they were able to turn objects into foci to store the energy from the far realms. The bigger the object, in general, the more energy it was able to contain. It was decided that they would use lances, being amongst the largest weapons that could be wielded, to be the standard weapon for the organization. Able to finally restrict the flow of energy from the far realms from within their own minds, they used their newly-found abilities to store the powers of the aberrations in their lances, weakening the connections between the beings and the multiverse itself. Over time, the denizens of the far realms were unable to maintain a connection with the plane once they were on it, and it became harder and harder for them to cross through the portal. Eventually, they were unable to maintain a presence in the multiverse altogether, and soon lost interest.
The Order remained though, albeit in reduced numbers. The threat had passed, and many of its members returned to their old lives. However, some of them remained as stewards of the knights. A certain number of knights always had to remain in the world in order to prevent the portal from ever reopening. Speaking through dreams, the stewards found promising new recruits, and trained them in the art. They would pass on the techniques, and the lore of the Order. Through these new trainees, the order would be maintained even after the death of the elder members. Ideally, this way, the Order would be preserved, and the multiverse kept safe, in addition to allowing new ideas and abilities to influence the Order. One such innovation was the idea of creating additional foci. While a knight might only ever have one lance-focus, it was possible for them to attain additional foci. Eventually, they found that they were able to use other animals, even people, as foci. However, the most efficient creature was the dragon. Most other beings would go insane after just a few days after being converted into a focus, but dragons had the same willpower as the knights. Over time, the Order adopted the idea of using dragon companions as additional foci, although not so much as the lance was. Even with this added later of protection, motes of energy would occasionally seep through into this multiverse, although the knight’s combined will is enough to block out the largest entity of the far realms.
However, in practice, the Knights were actually mentally damaged. Although the foci negated the brunt of the impact, many of the Knights would, over time, become mentally unstable. Many avoided this fate, but most members broke down at some time or other. Their connection to the portals earned them a perilous position: they were able to control the flow of energy to and from the far realms. This connection worked in two ways: They could keep the energies and creatures out of the world, or they could invite them in. The more the Order drew upon the will of any particular Knight, the larger the entity that knight could draw through. They obtained the position of gatekeeper, able to determine what can and cannot cross the boundaries between the far realms and this realm. With their lance-foci, they were able to pierce into the fabric of nature, allowing energy and entities to enter the world. They also were equipped to block them. The gate between this world and that of the far realms is entrusted in the hands of a group of mentally unstable warriors whose numbers dwindle every year, who constantly allow more and more energy from the far realms to enter the multiverse as their faith in their original principles begins to fade.
May the Gods help us all.
Becoming a Knight of the Forbidden Gate
One being chosen to become a Knight of the Forbidden Gate is an extraordinarily rare event. Those who are connected to the Far Realms, such as those with the curse of Xenotheurgy, and have the will to combat it's powers, rather than submitting to them, are often called into service. Those who have proficiency with the lance, the chosen weapon of the Order's Knights, and the ability to use it while retaining speed, mobility, and defence are also chosen, as they have the skill needed to face the horrors of the far realms in single combat. Those who are chosen by the Order receive messages through their dreams; teaching them how to control the power of the far realms, or how to square up against them in single combat. Those who heed these dreams and become proficient with both the lance and powers of the far realms are drafted into the service of the Order as Knights of the Forbidden Gate.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Feats: Iron will
Skills: Jump 6 ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 4 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 ranks
Special: Subverted Insanity 1/day, Lancet + 2d6, Must own a Lance
(Note: The first two requirements are class features from the Xenotheurge (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122103) class and the Limit Dragoon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168962) class.)
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (DEX), Bluff (CHA), Concentration (CON), Craft (INT), Diplomacy (CHA), Intimidate (CHA), Jump (STR), Listen (WIS), Knowledge (arcana) (INT), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (INT), Knowledge (history) (INT), Knowledge (the planes) (INT), Ride (DEX), Search (INT), Spot (WIS), Survival (WIS), Tumble (DEX), Use Magic Device (CHA).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Limit Breaks/Xenotheurgy
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+2|Lesser Breaks, Catalyst +1 |+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+3|Pierce +1d6, Open the Gate (Amoebic Crawler)|+1 Limit break level
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+3|Catalyst +2, Mutation, Surge of Madness, Reduce the Gates|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Greater Breaks, Pierce +2d6, Between the lines|+1 Limit break level
5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+4|Catalyst +3, Store the Madness, Restrict the Aether|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+5|Pierce +3d6, Mutation, Open the Gate(Kaortic Hulk)|+1 Limit break level
7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+5|Dark Breaks, Catalyst +4, Close the Gate|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
8th|
+6|
+6|
+2|
+6|Pierce +4d6 Space between the seconds|+1 Limit break level
9th|
+6|
+6|
+3|
+6|Catalyst +5, Mutation, Reverse the Gate|+1 Xenotheurge level/+1 Limit break level
10th|
+7|
+7|
+3|
+7|Gate of Madness, Pierce +5d6, Open the Gate (Nightseed)|+1 Limit break level[/table]
Weapon Proficiencies: A Knight of the Forbidden Gate does not gain any proficiency with any weapons or armor.
Class Features:
Breaks/Murmurs: A Knight of the Forbidden Gate adds his class level to his Limit Dragoon level for the purposes of determining the maximum number of limit breaks they know, the highest level limit break they can use, their effective limit dragoon level for the purposes of calculating the damage and duration of their limit breaks, and the maximum size of their limit gauge. In addition, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate adds ½ their class level (rounded up) to their Xenotheurge level for the purposes of determining the highest level breach that the Xenotheurge can use, their effective level when determining damage and other effects caused by breaches or incursions, and the number of murmurs and disturbances possessed by the character.
Catalyst: At first level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate bonds with one lance that he owns. This lance must be a +1 or higher magic item. The Knight may, during a ritual that lasts for 24 hours, choose to bond with his lance and imbue his weapon with magical properties. At the end of this ritual, the Knight sacrifices an amount of XP and grants the weapon a magical enhancement bonus and/or special abilities, as seen on the table below. At any time, they may choose to imbue more properties within their lance. In this case, they must pay a number of experience points equal to the difference between the points already paid and the number of experience points needed for the next augmentation of the lance. (For example, if a Knight of the Forbidden Gate wanted to increase the bonus of his weapon from +2 to +3, he would pay 200 exp points; 360-160 points.)
{table=head]Class level | Weapon Bonus | Minimum XP cost
1st|+1|40
2nd|+1|40
3rd|+2|160
4th|+2|160
5th|+3|360
6th|+3|360
7th|+4|640
8th|+4|640
9th|+5|1000
10th|+5|1000
[/table]
However, the powers come at a cost. As this lance is the focus to control the energy from the far realms, each day that the knight does not have it, each active murmur that the Knight possesses is increased by one, and he suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to all will saves each day he does not have access to his lance. These penalties stop accumulating when he reacquires his weapon, and the penalty to will saves is reduced by one every 24 hours after he regains control of his lance. If the lance is destroyed, each active murmur possessed by the Knight’s level is increased by 3. When this occurs, the Knight may choose to bond with a different lance.
In addition, while his lance is within 5ft of him, for each die of lancet or pierce a Knight possesses, they gain a +1 bonus to their Xenotheurge level for the purposes of determining the maximum level of breaches they can use and for the purposes of calculating their effective Xenotheurge level when determining damage and other effects caused by breaches or incursions.
Breaks: At first level when taking this class, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate gains direct mental access to the far realms. While his lance absorbs most of the massive tide of energy, it can leak through his defenses in a moment of weakness. Whenever a Knight uses a limit break, he makes a fortitude save (DC = 10 + Murmur level + Breach level). If he succeeds, he resolves the ability as normal. However, if he fails, in addition to the normal effect of the limit break, he uses one lesser break, selected from the list below. He may only select a lesser break from a murmur he has active.
At fourth level, when he uses a limit break of third level or higher, if any of his active murmurs is level 3 or above, instead of selecting a lesser break from those murmurs, he uses a greater break instead.
At seventh level or higher, when he uses a limit break of fifth level or higher, if any of his murmurs is level 5 or above, instead of using a medium break from those murmurs, he uses a dark break instead.
While empowered, as per the True Xenomancer ability, he suffers a -4 penalty on this save, and each break gains additional powers, as noted in their entries.
Pierce: At 2nd level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate learns his signature power- the ability to pierce a hole in the fabric of reality. When they make a lancet attack, they add number of pierce dice on the above table to the number of lancet dice they may use in an attack. In this manner, pierce dice are completely identical to lancet dice. However, they have another property: whenever the Knight would make a lancet attack, he may instead make a pierce attack. This is, in all ways, identical to a lancet attack, except that they may ‘use’ a number of dice, up to twice their pierce dice, but no more than the sum of their pierce and lancet dice, on this attack. Upon using the attack, they choose one active murmur. They use that murmur’s pierce ability (From the list on the next post). However, they must make a will save (DC 10 + breach bonus + murmur level), or increase the murmur level by one. Even if you succeed, your breach bonus increases by 1. However, this power is hard to control. When a Knight of the Forbidden Gate would make a lancet attack without a pierce effect, they must make a will save (DC 10 + breach bonus), or be forced to make a pierce attack using a number of dice equal to the number by which they failed the DC. E.g., Rose the Knight of the Forbidden Gate made a lancet attempt, but failed her will save by 5 points. She makes a pierce attack using 5 dice.
Open the Gate: At 2nd level, you gain the ability to open a small portal to the far realm; just largeenough for stray thoughts to come in. 1/day, you can summon 1d4+1 amoebic crawlers (Dragon Magazine #330, page 32). You gain an additional use of this power at 6th and 10th levels. However, when you use this ability, you must make a will save (DC 14+breach bonus), or increase the level of one murmur of your choice by one.
At 6th level, 1/day, you can summon a Kaortic Hulk (Dragon Magazine #330, page 35). You gain an additional use of this ability at 10th level. However, when you use this power, you must make a will save (DC 16+breach bonus), or increase the level of one murmur of your choice by one.
At 10th level, 1/day, you can summon a Nightseed (Dragon Magazine #330, page 36). However, when you use this ability, you must make a will save (DC 18+breach bonus), or increase the level of one murmur of your choice by one.
Mutation: At second level, and every 3 levels thereafter, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate selects one of the mutations from the following list. This choice may not be changed later.
Steel-Winged: Your dragon companion gains 2 HD, and their fly speed it reduced by 20ft. However, they gain a +4 armor bonus to armor class, and 2 natural primary attacks. These deal 1d6 points of slashing damage + ½ their strength modifier. This damage increases to 1d8 + Str mod damage if the dragon is medium sized, and 2d6+1.5 x str mod if they are large. In addition, you gain a +4 armor bonus to armor class, and a pair of vestigial steel wings. Whenever you would take falling damage, calculate it as if you had fallen 20ft less than you actually did. In addition, each round, you may spend a number of limit points no greater than 10x your class level. You gain a fly speed equal to the number of points expended in this way for 1 round.
Psionic Soul: Your dragon companion gains 1 HD. In addition, it gains a psionic manifesting progression as a psion of a level equal to ½ their HD +2. In addition, they gain arcane spellcasting as a wizard of ½ their HD +2. Whenever they cast a spell, they may spend a number of power points equal to or less than ½ their HD. Their caster level, for the purposes of that casting, is increased by the number of power points expended in this way. In addition, you gain 1 power point, and you gain a +2 bonus on will saves when psionically focused.
Form of Madness: Your dragon companion gains 2 HD and the pseudonatural template (C. Arc p. 160). In addition, they gain 2 secondary natural tentacle attacks. These deal 1d3 points of bludgeoning if the creature is small, 1d4+ ½ their strength modifier if medium, and 1d6+ their strength modifier if they’re large. In addition, you gain a pair of secondary natural tentacle attacks that deal 1d4+ ½ strength modifier points of bludgeoning damage. This damage increases to 1d6+ your strength modifier damage if you have the powerful build racial trait.
Bloated with Power: Your dragon companion gains 3 HD and increases by one size category. They gain +4 STR and +2 CON, and a +2 bonus to natural armor. You gain the powerful build racial trait.
Untouched by Magic: Your dragon companion gains 2 HD. In addition, you and your dragon companion gain spell and power resistance equal to 15+ your class level, and a +2 bonus on all saving throws against spells, powers, spell-like abilities, and psionic-like abities.
Surge of Madness: Once per day, at third level, you may choose to gain the benefits and drawbacks of empowerment for one round.
Reduce the Gates: The Knight of the Forbidden Gate, at 3rd level, has learned how to reduce the potency of spells that summon extraplanar beings. They gain an aura that causes all spells that summon monsters from a list based on spell level (e.g., summon monster spells, summon nature’s ally spells, summon undead spells), they summon creatures from the list one level lower than the actual spell slot used (e.g., if Tardek the Sorcerer attempts to cast Summon Monster 3 within this aura. Rather than selecting a monster to summon of the Summon Monster 3 list, he summons a monster from the Summon Monster 2 list). A Knight of the Forbidden Gate may activate or deactivate this aura as a swift action.
Between the Lines: At 4th level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned how to apply the non-Euclidean geometry of the far realms to this world, for a brief moment. Once per day, they may use Dimension Door, as the spell, on themselves.
Store the Madness: At 5th level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned how to store the insane whispers within his mind into his lance. Once per day, he may choose to store a murmur level in the lance; the murmur level is decreased by one, and there is one murmur stored in the lance. For each murmur stored within the lance, it suffers a -1 penalty on all attack and damage rolls, as the energy from the far realms corrupts its structure. At any time thereafter, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate may choose to extract a murmur level from there; he adds one level to the murmur he originally took it from. If that murmur is not active, he instead increases the level of any murmur he possesses by one. Only one level/3 class levels can be stored in this manner.
Restrict the Aether: At 5th level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned how to reduce the number of creatures allowed into this world. They gain an aura that causes all spells that summon multiple creatures to only summon one creature of that kind. For example, if Tardek the Sorcerer tried to summon 1d4+1 Celestial eagles with his summon monster 4 spell, it instead only summons 1 Celestial eagle. This does not affect spells that summon swarms of creatures. Activating or deactivating this ability is a swift action.
Close the Gate: At 7th level, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate learns how to prevent any extraplanar beings from entering the world. They gain an aura with a radius of 10ft/class level. Within that radius, no creatures can be summoned or called, and each creature within the area is affected by a Dimensional Anchor spell. This aura may be activated or deactivated as a swift action.
Space Between the Seconds: At 8th level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned to see time as an object, and is able to move through it as one of the creatures of the far realms can. 1/day, as an immediate action, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate may take a full round of actions.
Reverse the Gate: At 9th level, the Knight of the Forbidden Gate has learned not only how to block the extradimensional travel of creatures, but also how to reverse it. At will as a move action, a Knight of the Forbidden Gate may use Dismissal, as the spell.
Gate of Madness:
Playing a Knight of the Forbidden Gate
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Knights of the Forbidden Gate in the World
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Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0, Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
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AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +, Ref +, Will +
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Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +, Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
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Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions