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Tanuki Tales
2011-12-01, 02:18 PM
Lead Jacket Saint


http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u98/The_Logos/DivineEye.jpg

”12 pieces of silver? Forget that! Get me 12 silver bullets!”

-Kansas, Lead Jacket Saint.

The existence of militant arms of churches or religious individuals who choose a more proactive expansion of their ideology's interests is not a concept that is even remotely new. But it is the addiction to the tantalizing scent of burning gunpowder, the thundering peal after the hammer hits home and the thrilling tremor going up the arm from the kick that sets a Lead Jacket Saint apart from a simple Paladin, Monk or Cleric.

A Lead Jacket Saint has learned quite frankly that while honor is great and meeting your foe face to face in deadly melee combat is the way of the world, the progress they are making is both exhilarating and leads to a much larger kill to death ratio.

Lead Jacket Saints are daring holy men who skirt the very edge of both the laws of men and the laws of their faith, fueling their thrill seeking with courage and steadfast piety. Even those who are more of the mind to go out on missions of mercy would espouse the virtues of a "chicken in every pot and a cap in every ass".



BECOMING A LEAD JACKET SAINT

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Knowledge (Religion) 5 ranks, Perception 5 ranks.
Feats: Pious Stranger*.
Spells: Ability to cast 2nd level Divine spells.
Special: Deeds and Grit class features.
*New Feat described in next post.


Class Skills
The Lead Jacket Saints's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex) and Spellcraft (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + Intelligent modifier.

Hit Dice: d10


{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|
Special|Spellcasting

1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|
Weapon of God|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|
Deeds, Nimble +1|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|
Bonus Feat, Channel Energy +1d6|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|
Channel Energy +1d6, Deeds|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|
Nimble +1|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

6th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+5|
+5|
Channel Energy +1d6, Deeds|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

7th|
+7/+2|
+2|
+5|
+5|
Bonus Feat, Sword or Plowshare|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

8th|
+8/+3|
+2|
+6|
+6|
Channel Energy +1d6|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

9th|
+9/+4|
+3|
+6|
+6|
Nimble +1, Six Chamber Confession|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+3|
Channel Energy +1d6, Deeds, Faith of Crisis|
+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class [/table]

Weapon Proficiencies
Lead Jacket Saints gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Weapon of God (Su)
Lead Jacket Saints need not rely on physical ammunition or gunpowder, able to strike their enemies down with pure faith. As a standard action, a Lead Jacket Saint may sacrifice a prepared spell slot of at least 1st level. The Lead Jacket Saint is then treated as having ammo and gunpowder sufficient to make an amount of attacks equal to five times the sacrificed spell's level. The Lead Jacket Saint does not need to reload their firearm after using this ability, the gun always treated as ready to fire as long they possess ammo from this ability. Multiple uses of this ability stack but all unspent ammunition is lost when the Lead Jacket Saint next regains their spells.

The Lead Jacket Saint may also use any gun it wields as a holy symbol for any purpose that previously required a holy symbol.

Deeds
Lead Jacket Saints gain access to a new deed at every level as noted on the table above. A Lead Jacket Saint may also select one of the following deeds in place of one of the deeds given by the Gunslinger class.

Deeds
Weight of Faith (Ex)
As a swift action, the Lead Jacket Saint can spend 1 grit point to gain a bonus on all firearm damage rolls equal to their Wisdom modifier (minimum 1) with all firearm attack rolls they make until the end of their turn. If the Lead Jacket Saint uses this deed along with the dead shot deed they multiply this bonus by the number of hits they made with the dead shot.

Divine Guidance (Su)
The Lead Jacket Saint, when making an attack roll, can spend 1 grit point and sacrifice one prepared spell slot of at least 1st level. The attack roll then receives a sacred bonus (profane if evil and neutral may select either or) equal to the level of the sacrificed spell. If this deed is used during a multiple attack routine the bonus is split amongst the attacks as the Lead Jacket Saint chooses.


Nimble (Ex)
The Lead Jacket Saint gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC while wearing light or no armor. Anything that causes the Lead Jacket Saint to lose their Dexterity bonus to AC also causes the Lead Jacket Saint to lose this dodge bonus. This bonus increases by +1 at every level as noted on the table above.

Bonus Feat
At every level as noted on the table above, the Lead Jacket Saint gains a bonus feat. These bonus feats must be either combat feats or grit feats.

Channel Energy (Su)
Lead Jacket Saints receive an increase to the amount of damage dealt or healed by their Channel Energy class feature at every level as noted on the table above.

Sword or Plowshares (Su)
The Lead Jacket Saint's faith in their ideology and their sharpshooting skills has lead to an epiphany concerning their ability to channel energy. The Lead Jacket Saint, as a standard action, can sacrifice one of their daily usages of Channel Energy and make an attack roll with a firearm against one creature.

If the creature is an ally they take no damage from the attack, heal 1d6 points of damage and make a renewed saving throw against any negative effect they are currently being afflicted by at the original saving throw it required.

If the creature is a foe they take the normal weapon damage for the firearm and an additional 1d6 damage. The creature must then make a DC (10+1/2 the Lead Jacket Saint's class level+the Lead Jacket Saint's Wisdom modifier) Will save or be treated as under the effects of the Bestow Curse spell.

Six Chamber Confession (Su)
A Lead Jacket Saint has discovered that their beloved firearms are an indispensable tool in spellcasting. As a standard action, a Lead Jacket Saint can cast any spell with a range of "Touch" and a casting time of no longer than "1 standard action" in their firearm; the Lead Jacket Saint does not provoke an attack of opportunity for casting in this manner. The weapon holds this charge for a number of rounds equal to the Lead Jacket Saint's levels in this class. Any creature hit by the next attack(s) made with the charged gun are affected as if by the cast spell. The spell's effect end after 1 round, in the case of a touch spell that lasts longer than 1 round.

Faith of Crisis (Su)
A Lead Jacket Saint has learned the final and greatest secret of their faith. Any time that a Lead Jacket Saint would regain grit for accomplishing a "daring act" they may instead forgo regaining the grit. If they choose to do so they may select one spell that they have already expended and spend an amount of grit points equal to the spell's level-1. The Lead Jacket Saint then regains the spent spell.



PLAYING A LEAD JACKET SAINT
Lead Jacket Saints are a solid "gish", a class that combines martial prowess with spellcasting ability to create a character who is more potent than most combat oriented classes and sometimes more capable than a straight spellcaster. Lead Jacket Saints are rewarded for doing actions that would be considered insane and suicidal, making them generally of the devil-may-care and courageous sort, or at the very least leading lives that are full of dramatics and risk. As such, Lead Jacket Saints easily develop into having "larger than life" personas, even the ones who are more muted when it comes to going around about it.

Lead Jacket Saints always start their careers as either Clerics or Gunslingers, following those paths until something from the other side of the fence catches their eyes. Maybe they are lone gunmen who have a personal crisis and discover a path to enlightment in religion or maybe they are devout cleric who find a bewitching siren call from the clap of exploding gunpowder.

It is possible for other divine casting classes that gain the Channel Energy class feature to qualify to be a Lead Jacket Saint but Clerics are the most geared towards it.
Combat: Lead Jacket Saints find themselves either on the fringes of combat or in the thick of it, depending on their choice of style with ranged combat and with their selection in regards to the types of spells they prepare.
Advancement: Lead Jacket Saints who learn every secret that their path can teach them either return to one of the two classes that propelled them down this route originally or take up the learning of a new path.

Any class that progresses spellcasting and martial prowess is a good choice for a Lead Jacket Saint who doesn't mind shirking their Gunslinger abilities.

Lead Jacket Saints who wish to continue their skill with firearms may find themselves delving into the Sublime Way, learning the secrets of the Black Rain discipline.
Resources: Lead Jacket Saints, by default, do not belong to any specific organizations through sheer virtue of this class. But it is not uncommon for a Lead Jacket Saint to either represent or to have been trained by a more militant minded church. Such Lead Jacket Saints would have resources and contacts as would be customary to their actions within and in the name of the church that sponsors them.



LEAD JACKET SAINT IN THE WORLD
”That boy is going to put me into an early grave, I swear. Every time I hear anything from him, be it an official report or one of his "surprise visits", I can feel the ulcer in my stomach growing. His expenses get higher and higher and the pile of apology and condolence letters gets larger and larger.

Why, why in the name of benevolent Pelor can he not exercise restraint and caution in his holy mission?

Just last week he destroyed an entire dam and flooded the low laying farmlands and all he has to say for himself is that a landslide was the only way to purify the area of the cult and its demonic master.

Sigh....


Huh? What's this?


.............


KANSAS!!!”

-Sister Constance, Head Priest of the Church of Pelor

Those who recognize a Lead Jacket Saint for who and what they are find themselves quickly stuck between a rock and a hard place. Yes, they are divine missionaries for a higher power who work great miracles and can bring otherwise impossible salvation to the troubled brows of a populous., but they also tend to be quite reckless. Not to mention their favorite way of dealing with things tend to leave large explosions in their wake.
All one can do is bow their head and pray that the problem that brought the Lead Jacket Saint's attention is solved expediently and that the collateral damage is manageable.
Daily Life: A Lead Jacket Saint's daily life is in no major way any different from the life of a cleric or a gunslinger.
Notables: Lead Jacket Saints are not so much famous heroes of yore as infamous scoundrels who's heroics are only remembered as completely wondrous if white washed liberally. Even those who don't rack up the destruction common to the class are remembered as strange and dangerous.
Organizations: Lead Jacket Saints possess no organization unique to themselves but are likely to belong to any religious organization attached to a church that they worship from.



NPC Reaction
Most NPCs are at least slightly on edge when around a Lead Jacket Saint. Even if they aren't aware of what the newcomer is, the normal reverence and joy they may feel at the coming of a divine agent is partially poisoned by the loud and dangerous weapon that they have holstered at the hip.



LEAD JACKET SAINTS IN THE GAME
Lead Jacket Saints blend a dabbling in gun-fighting with a stronger anchor in divine magic. They give up the gun training class feature of the Gunslinger to gain more esoteric power that allows them to fill a similar role to the Paladin or Crusader. They also handicap themselves in regards to being a gun fighter for their careers because there are more attractive divine gish options or martial initiating options once finishing this class than just going back to taking levels in Gunslinger.
Adaptation: Lead Jacket Saints are not very easily adapted into settings that do not allow Gunslingers or gunpowder weaponry. These both are essentially required for the class to be used and thus would more require the setting being adapted to it rather than the other way.
Encounters: Encounters with Lead Jacket Saints can occur in the same vein as wandering Clerics, Paladins or Crusaders. They may also be encountered as part of a church, working with their fellow worshipers to repel the party or aid them or what have you.



Change Log
12/2/11 - Added rules text to Weapon of God concerning reloading.



Comments

I've made this class to ease things up in my IRL homebrew campaign setting group. I realized the other day that the party had rolled up 2 gunslingers, a rogue, a monk and a ranger, leaving them woefully missing any kind of healing/restoration, magic or tank. One of the players said they'd work in a Cleric level in order to help alleviate this missing void but was only willing to toss in a single Cleric level to his build because of how it would disrupt his build long term.

So, in order to facilitate him and his wish to help the group so that it wasn't...well, to put it bluntly...like shooting a water pistol at an inferno, I've made this prestige class.

Tanuki Tales
2011-12-01, 02:19 PM
Character Options



Feats



Pious Stranger
Prerequisites: Channel Energy 1d6, Nimble +1
Benefit: Your cleric and gunslinger levels stack for the purpose of determining the damage dealt/healed by your Channel Energy class feature and for determining the save DC against it.

Your cleric and gunslinger levels stack for the purpose of determining your dodge bonus from the Nimble Class feature and for determining the highest level deed you may select.

Tanuki Tales
2011-12-01, 02:20 PM
Reserved for later use.

Tanuki Tales
2011-12-01, 02:45 PM
And the deed is done.

EdroGrimshell
2011-12-01, 09:09 PM
okay two things i'd like to say:

1) Like the class, how it's described, and the use of a rather unused combination. Overall it seems interesting and i would use this if i played divine casters.

2) What anime is this based on!?!? (Also, you may want to look at Trigun, there's a priest gunner with a giant cross-shaped gun)

Tanuki Tales
2011-12-01, 10:20 PM
okay two things i'd like to say:

1) Like the class, how it's described, and the use of a rather unused combination. Overall it seems interesting and i would use this if i played divine casters.

Thank you kindly. One of my biggest fears with this class, even though I wasn't making it for any other reason than to shoe-horn in some PC Cleric-ing, was that the class would be boring and not something someone would take.


2) What anime is this based on!?!? (Also, you may want to look at Trigun, there's a priest gunner with a giant cross-shaped gun)

Ah, Wolfwood. Good times. Good times.

It's been a while since I read the manga, but I thought the whole thing was just a front that his mentor used as an assassin.

The anime/manga the image is from is called Black Lagoon. It's an amazing series that I recommend and anyone who loves series like Hellsing will love it.

Codemus
2011-12-02, 01:47 AM
This looks pretty cool, there is just one thing though. This is a Pathfinder prestige class right? If it is, maybe throw Pathfinder or PF up in the title of the thread to designate the system its ment for.

A minor nit pick I know, but meh. Only bad thing I could find. I love the ability to expend spells for bullets, and casting touch spells at range. But I do have a question about the holy bullets thing, are they just there in the gun (so no need to reload, just keep shooting), or does it still require reloading and the bullets just appear after you clear the chamber(s)?

Tanuki Tales
2011-12-02, 10:42 AM
A minor nit pick I know, but meh. Only bad thing I could find. I love the ability to expend spells for bullets, and casting touch spells at range. But I do have a question about the holy bullets thing, are they just there in the gun (so no need to reload, just keep shooting), or does it still require reloading and the bullets just appear after you clear the chamber(s)?

That completely slipped my mind. I'll go add some rules text.

EdroGrimshell
2011-12-02, 03:29 PM
The anime/manga the image is from is called Black Lagoon. It's an amazing series that I recommend and anyone who loves series like Hellsing will love it.

Heh, i've actually heard of Black Lagoon before but have never been able to find it. I actually used a pic of Revy for one of my characters before i even knew about the Anime.