[PF] A Martial Leadership class (PEACH)

[KutuluKultist]

The idea here is to have a class that picks up the buffing role of the bard, while using a different mechanic. Unlike the bard it is neither a skill monkey, nor a magic user, but squarely a martial class. None of the class feature really impact the combat prowess of the character himself, but in general only affect others in a variety of ways. The main class feature is designed to advance quickly in opening up more options, but more slowly in regards to power. The bonus granted is a morale bonus and modeled after the bard's inspire courage ability. At higher levels, the class gives the ability to use aid another as a move action and at a higher bonus, which opens up the option of using some of the feats that work off of aid another. There is also some debuffing (in the shape of demoralize) and some healing.
I'm not overly happy with the name, in part due to the fact that there is a 3.5 class with the same name but very different mechanics. I'm considering Lord or Warlord.

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http://images.epilogue.net/users/kizalon/aleksander_the_great_08.jpg

Knight
Many know how to fight, but some stand out on the field of battle and inspire those around them to give their all and give more than they thought they had. These are the knights, inspiring exemplars of both prowess in battle and correct conduct, whichever philosophy they have taken as their own.
Role: Knights are warriors which inspire their allies both on and off the battlefield. The are not the strongest individual combatants, instead relying on their allies while infusing them with greater power.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10
Starting Wealth: 3d6 × 10 gp (average 105gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills:
The knight's class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Ride (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str)
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Knight
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Inspirational Example, Back to the front

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Inspirational Example, Shouted Orders

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Inspiring presence

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Inspirational Example

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Intimidating Command

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Inspirational Example

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Enduring Inspiration, Leadership

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Inspirational Example

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Shouted Orders (move action)

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Inspirational Example, Snap Out of It! (will)

11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+7|Shouted Orders +3

12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+8|Inspirational Example

13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+8|Snap Out of It! (fort)

14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+9|Inspirational Example

15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+9|Shouted Orders +4

16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+10|Inspirational Example

17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+10|Improved Intimidating Command

18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+11|Inspirational Example, Undying Fervor

19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+11|Shouted Orders (free action)

20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+12|Persistent Inspiration[/table]
Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A knight is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light, medium and heavy armor, and with shields (but not tower shields).

Inspirational Example (Ex):
The knight's actions on the battlefield serve to inspire his allies. Under certain conditions, he can grant his allies advantages in combat. If he grants a bonus to a roll or to armor class, this bonus is a morale bonus and is +1 at first level and improves by +1 at level five and every five levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at level twenty. At first level, second level and every two levels thereafter, the knight can pick a new way in which to inspire his allies up a maximum of 10 at level 18. He can pick from the following inspirational examples:

Once more into the breach
If the knight is at zero negative hit points and is healed back to a positive amount of hit points, as an immediate action, the knight can heal all allies who can see or hear him and who have half their maximum hit points or less an amount of hit points equal to the knight's level.
Inspiring evasion
If the knight and one or more of her allies are subject to the same spell or effect requiring a saving throw, the knight can, as an immediate action, grant any allies who can see or hear him a bonus to this saving throw if he succeeds at her own saving throw.
Inspiring strike
If the knight successfully hits an opponent, he can spend an immediate action to grant all allies that can see or hear him an attack or damage bonus until the beginning of her next turn. Each affected ally chooses whether to receive a bonus to attack or damage.
Turn the tide
If the knight drops an opponent to negative hit points, she can spend a swift action to allow one adjecent ally to spend an immediate action to make a melee attack.
Inspiring defense
If the knight uses the fight defensively or full defense options or uses the combat expertise feat, he can spend an immediate action to grant all allies who can see or hear him an AC bonus until the beginning of his next turn.
Furious vengeance
If the knight is reduced to negative or zero hit points, all allies within 30 ft gain a bonus to attack rolls and weapon damage for 1 round per 4 knight levels plus his charisma bonus.
Served on a plate
If the knight succeeds at a saving thrown againt a spell cast by an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to grant one ally a bonus to spell penetration rolls against that particular opponent until the beginning of the knights next turn.
He's all yours
If the knight successfully deals weapon damage to an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to grant one ally a bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against this opponent until this opponent is defeated. This effect ends and that opponent becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours if you attack this opponent or use this ability on another opponent.
Inspiring Maneuver
If the knight successfully performs a combat maneuver against an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to grant one ally a bonus on combat maneuver rolls and the ability to attempt the same maneuver without provoking attacks of opportunity until the beginning of his next turn.
Call to Arms
If the knight can act in the surprise round, he can grant a bonus to initiative to one ally. That ally can act in the surprise round, even he normally could not.


Back To The Front (Ex):
Any ally who rests in the same camp or building as the knight heals an extra hit point per level during resting.

Shouted Orders (Ex):
Starting at second level, a knight can use aid another on any ally that can hear him. At eleventh level, whenever the knight uses aid another, he grants a +3 bonus, at fifteenth level, the bonus becomes +4. At ninth level, he can use aid another as a move action if he shouts his orders. At nineteenth level he can use aid another as a free action but he cannot use it more than once per round.

Inspiring Presence (Ex):
Starting at third level, allies of the knight gain a +2 bonus on saves against fear as long as they can see or hear him.

Intimidating Command (Ex):
Starting at fifth level, whenever the knight uses the inspirational example ability, until the end of his next turn, he can make an attempt to demoralize an adjacent enemy as a move action. He can only use this ability to make one demoralizing attempt per use of inspirational example.

Enduring Inspiration (Ex):
Starting at seventh level, a knight's inspiring examples last for one aditional round.

Leadership (Ex):
At seventh level, the knight gains leadership as a bonus feat. If the leadership feat is not allowed in your campaign, the knight can instead select any combat feat as a bonus feat.

Snap Out of It! (Ex):
At tenth level, the knight can use a standard action to allow an ally who can hear him to instantly make a save against any effects affecting him, which normally allow a will save. If the save is successful, the effect ends. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to two plus his charisma modifier. At thirteenth level, the knight can use this ability to help an ally break an effect, which allows a fort save. At fifteenth level and every five levels after that, he can use this ability one additional time per day.

Improved Intimidating Command (Ex):
Starting at seventeenth level, the knight's intimidating command ability affects all enemies within 10 ft.

Undying Fervor (Ex):
As a full round action, the knight can grant an ally who is at zero or negative hit points 100 temporary hit points for 10 rounds. He can use this ability twice per day.

Persistent Inspiration (Ex):
When he reaches level twenty, the knight chooses either armor class, attack rolls, damage or saving throws. He now permanently grants a +5 morale bonus to the roll or feature he chose to all allies within 30 ft who can hear or see him. Once this choice is made, it is permanent.

[motionmatrix]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A knight is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light, medium and heavy armor, and with shields (but not tower shields).

That's fine, he is supposed to be in the front lines.


Inspirational Example (Ex):
The knight's actions on the battlefield serve to inspire his allies. Under certain conditions, he can grant his allies advantages in combat. If he grants a bonus to a roll or to armor class, this bonus is a morale bonus and is +1 at first level, +2 at fifth level, +3 at tenth level and +4 at fifteenth level. At first level, second level and every two levels thereafter, the knight can pick a new way in which to inspire his allies up a maximum of 9 at level 16. He can pick from the following inspirational examples:

I will go over the particular choices separately. This should cap at a +5 and grow in an even pattern (every odd level or every even). For the sake of epic growth, if for no other reason. It's also a morale bonus, which is pretty common, which means it will not stack with many different buffs/abilities your party will have on themselves.

If you want this to start at level 1, then the next one should be at 3, since the character will be fine waiting one level and makes everything more organized.

Just shift the level 2 inspirational example to 3, and it will grow all the way to level 17.

You can add a capstone ability at level 19 or simply add an extra one. Perhaps now he can use two inspirational examples per turn/action (since some of the inspirational examples have the same activation method).


Once more into the breach
If the knight is at zero negative hit points and is healed back to a positive amount of hit points, as an immediate action, the knight can heal all allies who are at zero or negative hit points an amount of hit points equal to the knight's level.

If the knight is at/below zero hit points, chances are the situation is not great. This guys is supposed to take a decent amount of punishment. Let the healing go to all allies, not just those near death as well.

Yes turning a cure spell into a mass cure is pretty powerful, but this guy is at the front lines, and he has to be dying to make it happen. If you do that, then the group may have a bit more survivability early on, but it won't make as much of a difference later on.

Also he should not have to use an immediate action for this particular one, even if you use the changes.

How far away are the allies who benefit from this ability?


Inspiring evasion
If the knight and one or more of her allies are subject to the same spell or effect requiring a saving throw, the knight can, as an immediate action, grant her allies a bonus to this saving throw if she succeeds at her own saving throw.

again, how far away are the allies? is there a limit to how many allies can receive this bonus?


Inspiring strike
If the knight successfully hits an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to grant her allies an attack bonus until the beginning of her next turn.

cool, just about what I figured would fit into this class. To counterbalance Inspiring defense, I would add a power attack clause and give the option of a bonus to damage instead of to attack. User's choice.


Turn the tide
If the knight drops an opponent to negative hit points, she can spend an immediate action to allow her allies to spend an immediate action to make a melee attack.

This is pretty powerful. Especially since I have no clue how far away the allies must be for this to work. Perhaps instead you call out one specific enemy, any allies who are threatening that enemy get a free attack on it.

I would make this a swift action so it is only used in the knight's turn.


Inspiring defense
If the knight uses the fight defensively or full defense options or uses the combat expertise feat, she can spend an immediate action to grant her allies an AC bonus until the beginning of her next turn.

this is perfect.


Furious vengeance
If the knight is reduced to negative or zero hit points or dies due a spell or attack, her allies gain a bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls and saving throws (if it was due to a spell) or armor class (if it was due to an attack) until the end of the encounter or until the knight is no longer at zero or negative hit points or dead, whichever comes first.

I would give the bonus to all four (attacks, damage, saving throws and ac). I mean, come on, I have to be dead or dying for you to get this at all. The moment I am back up, its gone.

I would make it a floating bonus, either your choice when you drop, or the user's, when it happens they choose a bonus to one of the above. And then make it last for your levels worth of Knight, so that way the healer still feels inclined to heal you rather than just watch you die and everyone else is running around like enhanced beasts.

also, what type of damage is it? does it apply to magical damage as well? how does it apply to them? only once, or to every target hit?


Served on a plate
If the knight successfully deals weapon damage to an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to grant an ally a bonus to spell penetration rolls against that opponent until the beginning of the knights next turn.

I would change the activation method, make it more fitting (and also use something other than an attack from the knight). Probably any time the knight saves against a spell, he can grant one ally a bonus to spell penetration rolls against that particular opponent.


He's all yours
If the knight successfully deals weapon damage to an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to grant an ally a bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against this opponent until this opponent is defeat. This effect ends and that opponent becomes immune to he's all yours for 24 hours if the knight attacks this opponent or uses this ability on another opponent.

I like this power, you just have a grammatical error and the last sentence makes no sense as written.

If the knight successfully deals weapon damage to an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to grant an ally a bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls against this opponent until this opponent is defeated.

This effect ends and the opponent becomes immune to he's all yours {abilities} for 24 hours if you attack this opponent or uses this ability on another opponent.


Inspiring Maneuver
If the knight successfully performs a combat maneuver against an opponent, she can spend an immediate action to let her allies attempt the same maneuver without provoking attacks of opportunity until the beginning of her next turn.

What are the chances my allies (remember, that most likely include main casters) be any good at the same combat maneuver I use? This is PF where combat maneuvers are actually harder to do.

Grant your allies a bonus to the combat maneuver as well, or just grant one ally the ability to use a combat maneuver of his or her choice.


Back To The Front (Ex):
Any ally, who share at least one alignment aspect with the knight and rests in the same camp of building as the knight heals an extra hit point per level during resting.

nowhere else do you use alignment, so I don't understand the alignment clause for an ability that is useful, but not really incredibly impactful in the long run.

This becomes almost completely pointless when you throw in extra dimensional rest situations.


Shouted Orders (Ex):
Starting at second level, a knight can use aid another on any ally that can hear him. At eleventh level, whenever the knight uses aid another, he grants a +3 bonus, at fifteenth level, the bonus becomes +4. At ninet level, he can use aid another as a move action if he shouts his orders. At nineteenth level he can use aid another as a free action but he cannot use it more than once per round.

At nineteenth or seventeenth? level, he can use aid another as a move action if he shouts his orders.


Inspiring Presence (Ex):
Starting at third level, allies of the knight gain a +2 bonus on saves against fear as long as they can see or hear him.

Make it better. Its a save bonus to something that with a a low level spell or two you can make yourself immune.


Intimidating Command (Ex):
Starting at fifth level, whenever the knight uses the inspirational example ability, he can make an attempt to demoralize an adjacent enemy as a move action.

Many of his abilities happen outside of his control (i.e. not on his turn) so what move action is used?


Enduring Inspiration (Ex):
Starting at seventh level, a knight's inspiring examples last for two rounds instead of one round.

Specify it last an extra round, since some of the inspiring examples have longer than one round duration.


Leadership (Ex):
At seventh level, the knight gains leadership as a bonus feat. If the leadership feat is not allowed in your campaign, the knight can instead select any combat feat as a bonus feat.

no comment =)


Snap Out of It! (Ex):
At tenth level, the knight can use a standard action to allow an ally who can hear him to instantly make a save against any effects affecting him, which normally allow a will save. If the save is successful, the effect ends. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to two plus his charisma modifier. At fifteenth level he can use this ability one additional time per day.
At thirteenth level, the knight can use this ability to help an ally break an effect, which allows a fort save.

lets see, switch the position of the last two sentences, they specify level in a chronological manner.

also rather than just getting an extra use at level 15, just say he gets one extra use per day for every 5 levels above 10.


Intimidating Command, Greater (Ex):
Starting at seventeenth level, whenever the knight uses the inspirational example ability, he can make an attempt to demoralize all enemies within 10 ft. as a move action.

See intimidating command above.


Undying Fervor (Ex):
As a full round action, the knight can grant an ally who is at zero or negative hit points 100 temporary hit points for 10 rounds. He can use this ability twice per day.

You are granting temporary hit points that can only show up when they are down. I don't recall all the rules on temporary hit points at the moment, but it might just be easier if you simply give him the Heal spell twice per day.


Persistent Inspiration (Ex):
At level twenty, the knight chooses one of his inspiring examples. He now permanently grants the bonus granted by that example to all allies within 30 ft., including himself.

Does the knight choose in the morning? before entering battle? as soon as he is level 20? you may want to specify.

Also, when you say he permanently grants the bonus, do you mean when the conditions are met it happens automatically, or that the positive bonus from an inspirational example is always on? because I would totally walk around with Inspirational Vengeance (spell). +4 bonus to attacks, damage, and saves all the time? hell yeah!


So all in all, this is a pretty cool class. You need to clean up some abilities, specify others, (maybe) change a few so they make more sense, and clean up the writing. I like the class.

[KutuluKultist]

Thanks a lot for the very helpful comment! I'll limit my reply to where I disagree with your assessment and silently adopt the changes you proposed where I agree.



If you want this to start at level 1, then the next one should be at 3, since the character will be fine waiting one level and makes everything more organized.

Just shift the level 2 inspirational example to 3, and it will grow all the way to level 17.

I wanted to give the player some options as quickly as possible, so I went with the pattern of the fighter's bonus feats, which seems front loaded enough for this.



You can add a capstone ability at level 19 or simply add an extra one. Perhaps now he can use two inspirational examples per turn/action (since some of the inspirational examples have the same activation method).


I've added a tenth ability and now he gets another option at 18th level.
The extra example:
Call to Arms
If the knight can act in the surprise round, he can grant a bonus to initiative to one ally. That ally can act in the surprise round, even he normally could not.



If the knight is at/below zero hit points, chances are the situation is not great. This guys is supposed to take a decent amount of punishment. Let the healing go to all allies, not just those near death as well.

I made the condition being at half or less of their maximum hit points. I want to make it more difficult to abuse this ability to do free out of combat healing.



Also he should not have to use an immediate action for this particular one, even if you use the changes.

I don't really see why. Please explain your reasons.



How far away are the allies who benefit from this ability?

I've added this condition. Mostly I used "all allies who can see or hear him", with some exceptions.



This is pretty powerful. Especially since I have no clue how far away the allies must be for this to work. Perhaps instead you call out one specific enemy, any allies who are threatening that enemy get a free attack on it.


I've limited it to one ally, but they can use the attack on any enemy they are fighting.



I would make it a floating bonus, either your choice when you drop, or the user's, when it happens they choose a bonus to one of the above. And then make it last for your levels worth of Knight, so that way the healer still feels inclined to heal you rather than just watch you die and everyone else is running around like enhanced beasts.

also, what type of damage is it? does it apply to magical damage as well? how does it apply to them? only once, or to every target hit?

I changed it to this:
Furious vengeance
If the knight is reduced to negative or zero hit points, all allies within 30 ft gain a bonus to attack rolls and weapon damage against the opponent who reduced the knight to negative or zero hit points for 1 round per 4 knight levels plus a number of additional rounds equal to his charisma bonus.

Among other things, suicide or killing the knight themselves will not help the party any more and, as you suggested, it keeps on running even after the knight is healed back into action, but not for all that long.


This becomes almost completely pointless when you throw in extra dimensional rest situations.


I'm not sure I understand. I suppose a rope trick would count as the same camp. All it does is ease the burden on healing resources a little bit and add some flavour. It would probably be much more useful when the allies are not an adventuring party but an army.



At nineteenth or seventeenth? level, he can use aid another as a move action if he shouts his orders.

It's ninth level actually.




Make it better. Its a save bonus to something that with a a low level spell or two you can make yourself immune.

Again, I do think its fine to have a minor ability. It's roughly on the level of the paladin's aura of courage and better than the fighter's bravery, which, as an aside, I would up to start at +3, if I had anything to say about it ;).



Many of his abilities happen outside of his control (i.e. not on his turn) so what move action is used?


Here is the new version:
Intimidating Command (Ex):
Starting at fifth level, whenever the knight uses the inspirational example ability, until the end of his next turn, he can make an attempt to demoralize an adjacent enemy as a move action. He can only use this ability to make one demoralizing attempt per use of inspirational example.



You are granting temporary hit points that can only show up when they are down. I don't recall all the rules on temporary hit points at the moment, but it might just be easier if you simply give him the Heal spell twice per day.
I do not want to give him any non-extraordinary abilities and I can't really imagine justifying a full heal effect without resorting to magic. Hence the temporary hit points, which might simulate pushing onward due to sheer determination. The knight only enables his ally to mobilize these deep reserves. As far as I know, temporary hit points should work basically like healing when applied to a dying target, with the exception that they go away after a time.




Does the knight choose in the morning? before entering battle? as soon as he is level 20? you may want to specify.
Also, when you say he permanently grants the bonus, do you mean when the conditions are met it happens automatically, or that the positive bonus from an inspirational example is always on? because I would totally walk around with Inspirational Vengeance (spell). +4 bonus to attacks, damage, and saves all the time? hell yeah!

Here's the new version:
Persistent Inspiration (Ex):
When he reaches level twenty, the knight chooses either armor class, attack rolls, damage or saving throws. He now permanently grants a +5 morale bonus to the roll or feature he chose to all allies within 30 ft who can hear or see him. Once this choice is made, it is permanent.

It should be clear now and since it's also a morale bonus, it will not stack with inspirational example.



So all in all, this is a pretty cool class. You need to clean up some abilities, specify others, (maybe) change a few so they make more sense, and clean up the writing. I like the class.

Thanks again. You have been extremely helpful.

[motionmatrix]

Thanks a lot for the very helpful comment! I'll limit my reply to where I disagree with your assessment and silently adopt the changes you proposed where I agree.

You are very welcome.



I've added a tenth ability and now he gets another option at 18th level.
The extra example:
Call to Arms
If the knight can act in the surprise round, he can grant a bonus to initiative to one ally. That ally can act in the surprise round, even he normally could not.

that is really cool.



I don't really see why. Please explain your reasons.

Because that is his thing, to help out his allies. Any ability that requires someone to drop in order for it to work in the first place is a pain.

You are more likely to see it at very early levels, but that is it. Most healers don't wait for someone to be in the negatives to heal them.

Think of it like this, the biggest problem with this would be out of combat healing. Out of combat healing does not care about that immediate action.



I changed it to this:
Furious vengeance
If the knight is reduced to negative or zero hit points, all allies within 30 ft gain a bonus to attack rolls and weapon damage against the opponent who reduced the knight to negative or zero hit points for 1 round per 4 knight levels plus a number of additional rounds equal to his charisma bonus.

Among other things, suicide or killing the knight themselves will not help the party any more and, as you suggested, it keeps on running even after the knight is healed back into action, but not for all that long.


Great, perfect.



I'm not sure I understand. I suppose a rope trick would count as the same camp. All it does is ease the burden on healing resources a little bit and add some flavour. It would probably be much more useful when the allies are not an adventuring party but an army.


I meant that the ability is more useful earlier on. Once you start to incorporate things like magnificent mansion, its usefulness diminishes, but its not completely lost.



I do not want to give him any non-extraordinary abilities and I can't really imagine justifying a full heal effect without resorting to magic. Hence the temporary hit points, which might simulate pushing onward due to sheer determination. The knight only enables his ally to mobilize these deep reserves. As far as I know, temporary hit points should work basically like healing when applied to a dying target, with the exception that they go away after a time.

Okay, I think I know how to solve this:

Eliminate this altogether. Instead, the knight has an aura around him, 30 ft. probably. when he first gets it, between level 2 and 4, he grants his allies fast healing 1. That is his ability to make people heartier in the midst of battle, he gives them the capacity to keep fighting longer than they knew they could.

then make it grow, either capping somewhere in the fast healing 5 or fast healing 10 range, As he gets better at making people keep fighting.

Healing someone for 100 hp in one shot is inherently magical; this is not.



Here's the new version:
Persistent Inspiration (Ex):
When he reaches level twenty, the knight chooses either armor class, attack rolls, damage or saving throws. He now permanently grants a +5 morale bonus to the roll or feature he chose to all allies within 30 ft who can hear or see him. Once this choice is made, it is permanent.

It should be clear now and since it's also a morale bonus, it will not stack with inspirational example.

awesome, nice capstone.



Thanks again. You have been extremely helpful.

you are welcome ^.^