The Aesthetic, a Martial Duskblade (3.5 Class, Peach)

[eftexar]

The Aesthetic (3.5)
inspired by cipherthe3vil's Aesthetic Sage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207331) class

Abilities: Charisma is the aesthetic's most important score. It determines the saves for her maneuvers and spells. Dexterity and Strength will aid in combat, while Constitution will increase survivability.

Organization: Aesthetics rarely organize. If they do it devolves to showing off and possibly even fighting (tourneys are so much more noble) to see who is the most elegant.

Alignment: An aesthetic may be of any alignment. Neutral aesthetics are rare however, because of their tendency towards having extreme personalities.

Religion: Aesthetics will either worship gods of art, but just as often decide they should have to bow beneath nobodies feet.

Background: Aesthetics come from all different walks of life. They only hold one thing almost universally in common, their arrogance.

Races: Humans are the most common race to pick up levels in this class, especially if they are of noble dissent. Elves can be just as arrogant however.
Dwarves and Orc see aesthetics as being overly flashy, especially when a hammer would get the job done just as well.

Other Classes:
Wizards and aesthetic will often butt heads, much as aesthetics compete with one another.
Aesthetics are likely to appreciate the elegance of nature magic that druids use, although the respect isn't usually returned.
They do however usually get along with Bards, if their jealously doesn't get the better of them.
Aesthetics will look down on most other classes as brutes, and are absolutely disgusted by the barbarian.

Role: The aesthetic is much like martial initiators, but lacks the martial prowess they have. They make up for this with an added flourish in the form of their spell channeling ability.
The aesthetic should focus on melee combat, augmenting her maneuvers with spells, unless she is low in hit points. In which case flinging spells from a range might be a better idea.

Class Features

Hit Die: d6

Starting Gold: As Rogue

Skills: Appraise (???), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any 3) (int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points: 2 + Int mod (x 4 at first level)

{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Maneuvers Known
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Spell Channeling, Perfect Form | -
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Martial Study, Evasion | 1
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | | 2
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Uncanny Dodge | 2
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Arcane Boost 1/day | 3
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Flourish | 3
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Signature Move | 4
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Mettle | 5
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | | 5
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Arcane Boost 2/day | 6
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | | 6
12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Flourish, Signature Move | 7
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Spell Channeling | 8
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | | 8
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Arcane Boost 3/day | 9
16th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +10 | +10 | | 9
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Signature Move | 10
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Flourish | 10
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | | 11
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Exceed, Arcane Boost 4/day | 12
[/table]

Weapons and Armor Proficiencies: The aesthetic is proficient with all simple weapons as well as one martial or exotic weapon of her choice. The aesthetic is not proficient with any armor or with shields.

Class Abilities

Spells:
The aesthetic knows how to cast a small number of arcane spells. The aesthetic begins knowing 4 spells and gains 1 spell every even level of aesthetic. For this purpose she may choose any arcane or divine spell that she has access to the level of.
The aesthetic may cast these spells a certain number of times per day (see spoiler below) and gains bonus spells for a high charisma. She uses her charisma score instead of her charisma modifier for this purpose.Spells Per Day*
{table=head]Level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th
1st | 3 | - | - | -
2nd | 3 | - | - | -
3rd | 4 | - | - | -
4th | 4 | - | - | -
5th | 4 | - | - | -
6th | 4 | 3 | - | -
7th | 4 | 3 | - | -
8th | 4 | 4 | - | -
9th | 4 | 4 | - | -
10th | 5 | 4 | 3 | -
11th | 5 | 4 | 4 | -
12th | 5 | 4 | 4 | -
13th | 5 | 4 | 4 | -
14th | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3
15th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4
16th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4
17th | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4
18th | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5
19th | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5
20th | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5
[/table]*if you use the unearthed arcana spell point variant, it is suggested you use the bard progression, albeit with a +5 bonus from the start.

She is not, however, as adept at casting spells as most spellcasters. Treat her caster level as half her aesthetic level (to a minimum of 1, plus half of any granted by prestige classes that advance her caster level),* except for making opposed caster level checks. All of her spells have a save DC of 10 + her aesthetic caster level + her charisma modifier.
If any spell forces a skill check she applies her spell save DC to the check, instead of the normal check, if it is higher. Similarly, if any spell forces an ability check she applies 1/2 her aesthetic level + twice her charisma modifier, instead of the normal check, if it is higher.
Spells cast by the aesthetic never have material or verbal components, but always require somatic components and an object to be used as a focus. The aesthetic must choose a single object, usually her weapon, for this focus. If it is lost or destroyed she may choose a new object of the same type (if it was a longsword, then the new object must be a longsword) by meditating with it for 4 hours to re-attune herself.
*effects that increase her caster level treat her aesthetic level as if it were only half of what it is for qualifications and limitations (nice try though) and increase her caster level by half their normal total

Lv1 > Spell Channeling:
The aesthetic may channel any single spell that has a range of touch or ranged touch as part of a standard action melee attack, as long as it's casting time does not exceed a single partial action. The spell does not require an attack roll, but has no effect if the attack misses.
The aesthetic may, alternatively, use this with any maneuver she knows. If the aesthetic chooses to use a maneuver with spell channeling, it extends the attack into a full round action (if it wasn't already).
Meta-'whatever' feats may not be applied to any spell while it is being used with the spell channeling ability. Additionally she halves the effective caster level of any spell channeled from a class other than the aesthetic; if this would make her caster level lower than the class level normally needed to access the spell, she may not cast it with spell channeling.
At level 13 this improves allowing the aesthetic to channel any spell, with a casting time of a standard action or less, that she knows through a melee attack. She still may not channel any effect with a range of personal.
Regardless of its original effects it only targets the caster and/or the melee targets space. If, however, it has secondary targets (aka targets affected after the primary target has already been struck (ie chain lightning)) they are still targeted.

Lv1 > Perfect Form:
The sight of the aesthetic fighting is breathtaking. She seems to dance across the battlefield wading in the blood of her foes.
As long as she isn't wearing medium or heavy armor the aesthetic gains an insight bonus to her AC and to reflex saves, tumble checks, and balance checks equal to her charisma modifier.

Lv2 > Evasion:
The aesthetic gains the evasion ability, as the rogue ability of the same name.

Lv2 > Martial Study:
At each level indicated the aesthetic acquires a new maneuver, from any discipline, that she qualifies for. She may use each maneuver she knows once per an encounter. The aesthetic is not, however, considered an initiator and so does not gain initiator level equal to her aesthetic level (instead receiving the normal half-initiator level).
The save for any aesthetic maneuver she knows is instead a DC of 10 + half her aesthetic level + her charisma modifier.

Lv4 > Uncanny Dodge:
The aesthetic gains the uncanny dodge ability, as the rogue ability of the same name.

Lv5, 10, 15, 20 > Arcane Boost:
The aesthetic may cast any spell (or use any power) as if her caster level were equal to her full aesthetic level (plus any other caster levels she may have) instead of half. She may only do this a number of times per day as detailed (see table).
Special: This ability may be used with spell channeling.

Lv6, 12, 18 > Flourish:
At each level indicated the aesthetic acquires a new feat. She may choose any aesthetic, tactical, or reserve feat that she qualifies for.

Lv7, 12, 17 > Signature Move:
At each level indicated the aesthetic creates a signature move. She selects a single maneuver and a single channel-able spell for this purpose. Her signature move consists of using that maneuver and channeling that spell through it (as detailed in spell channeling).
Whenever she uses a signature move she gains her charisma modifier as bonus to any attack rolls or skill checks involving it.
Additionally, she may use each of her signature moves without using the spell and without expending the maneuver once per day.

Lv8 > Mettle:
The aesthetic gains the mettle ability. This functions as the rogues evasion ability, but instead applies to will and fortitude saves.

Lv20 > Exceed:
When using arcane boost to improve her caster level, the aesthetic may bypass damage caps (die or numeric) by a number up to her charisma modifier or her aesthetic caster level (whichever is lower).
These 'extra' caster levels are applied only to aesthetic spells, and are applied before all other caster level bonuses.

Design Notes:
This class was inspired by cipehrthe3vil's aesthetic sage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207331). One thing led to another though and it ended up more of a martial duskblade. I was aiming for a tier 3 class, balanced with martial adepts, which is hopefully what I have created.
The class ended up more anime-ish than I had intended (the signature move ability lends to this in particular), but that's fine.

[eftexar]

Feats
Aesthetic feats are only available to a player with levels in aesthetic, much in the same manner as some fighter feats are only available to fighters.

Stealthy [Aesthetic]
The aesthetic may choose a single rogue special ability each time she chooses this feat.

Extra Signature Move [Aesthetic]
Requires the Signature Move class ability
Each time this feat is taken beyond the first it grants an additional signature move.

Favored Enemy [Aesthetic]
Requires the Extra Signature Move feat
The aesthetic gains a single favored enemy similar to the ranger (see ranger's chart). She does not gain the same bonuses as a ranger however.
Instead, 3/day, she may deal maximized hit point damage when she uses a signature move on the type of target in question.
The aesthetic may take this feat multiple times, granting an additional use each time.

Wildshape [Aesthetic]
Requires at least 10 class levels, at least 4 of which much be from aesthetic
The aesthetic may change shape druid's wild shape ability, once per day, as a 5th level druid, except she is limited to minutes instead of hours.
She may take this multiple times to gain extra uses per day.

Semi-Epic Spells [Aesthetic, Epic]
Requires the aesthetic be able to cast 4th level spells, which must be granted from the aesthetic class
The aesthetic gains a single spell slot of a level higher than the highest level of spells she can cast (to a maximum of 9th). Additionally she may study under a spellcaster for 8 hours to learn a single spell (per each time taken) of that level that the mentoring spellcaster knows.
Each time the aesthetic takes this feat beyond the first she may choose to learn another spell of any level she can cast (as detailed above), or, if she has at least two spells of the previous level, may choose to gain its benefits as normal for the next level of spells.

Aesthetic Strike [Aesthetic]
Requires a charisma score of at least 16
Anytime the aesthetic initiates a maneuver, she gains a +2 to attack rolls and skill checks associated with it.

[Keeper of Starlight]

Wow, I don't really know about this one. Depending on how people build it, I think it could be anywhere from low tier 3 to middling tier 2.

You give it, at a much lower level, the capstone of the Swordsage, which I think shouldn't be there, while this class has no real capstone of its own.

You say they can choose mysteries or powers, but there is no chart to them, and I would recommend only letting them take arcane spells and nothing else.

I like the idea of a combination of maneuvers and spells, but when they get into higher levels I don't think the spells are really going to help as much, although a Black Tentacle Enervating Strike would be rather amusing.

I don't know what else to say. I think it sounds like a flavorful class, but it's just not something I would ever really consider using myself.

[eftexar]

Combined Double Post:

Removed the Duel abilities, and changed flourish to progress through those levels. It hadn't occurred to me how strong those abilities were, even with the half caster/initiator level progressions.
Removed access to powers and mysteries (i guess they are kind of awkward with this class), but left in divine and arcane (i think we can afford some choices with the lower number of less-powerful spells).
Will shortly edit Channel Spell to only include spells that are granted from this class (to prevent abuse, as this class is stronger than the duskblade).
As far as the spells go, they don't need to do as much. The idea is that when they are combined with maneuvers, they reach the same strength as a full martial adept classes attacks. At least I hope that's whats happening.

Edit >
Channel Spell is restricted to half caster level to prevent multiclass abuse.
Added the capstone called Exceed. Is it too much? I think it might be... But I was also hoping to bridge the epic problem a little better than most spell casting classes usually do.
I was also thinking about removing aesthetic strike. It might be too much to give a BaB bonus to the class. Removed aesthetic strike.
Will be replacing the flourish ability with something cooler as soon as I manage to think of something. Added some flavorful bonus feats.
Thanks for the comment too.
Any other suggestions? Anyone?

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*casts raise dead*