Yitzi
2012-03-14, 08:56 PM
Since there are two threads on the front page on the topic, I've decided to give it a try. I called it the hero, but an evil-aligned version can be an archvillian instead.
The Hero
Starting Age: As fighter
Starting Gold: as fighter
HD: d12
Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill points per level:6+int mod
Weapon and Armor proficiencies: A Hero is proficient with all weapons, all types of armor and all shields.
{table=head]Level|BaB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1|+1|2|2|2|Heroic Focus, Retraining, Heroism, Bonus Feat
2|+2|3|3|3|Evasion, Prayer
3|+3|3|3|3|Mettle, Determination
4|+4|4|4|4|Bonus Feat, Manipulate Device, Uncanny Dodge
5|+5|4|4|4|Hero's Ally
6|+6/+1|5|5|5|Escape Restraints, Hero's Passion
7|+7/+2|5|5|5|Bonus Feat, Hero's Insight
8|+8/+3|6|6|6|Improved Determination
9|+9/+4|6|6|6|Sworn Foe, Improved Uncanny Dodge
10|+10/+5|7|7|7|Bonus Feat, Heroic Prowess
11|+11/+6/+1|7|7|7|Improved Evasion
12|+12/+7/+2|8|8|8|Weaponmaster
13|+13/+8/+3|8|8|8|Bonus Feat, Improved Mettle
14|+14/+9/+4|9|9|9|Listen to Me!
15|+15/+10/+5|9|9|9|Improved Insight
16|+16/+11/+6/+1|10|10|10|Bonus Feat, Weaponmaster
17|+17/+12/+7/+2|10|10|10|Eternal Hero
18|+18/+13/+8/+3|11|11|11|Greater Sworn Foe
19|+19/+14/+9/+4|11|11|11|Bonus Feat, Indomitable Spirit
20|+20/+15/+10/+5|12|12|12|Weaponmaster, Greater Prowess
[/table]
All abilities are (Ex) unless otherwise noted. Abilities found in other classes (e.g. evasion and mettle) are not explained.
Heroic Focus: Each hero has a slightly different approach to solving problems. A hero may choose from one of four foci:
Athlete: A hero with this focus adds the skills Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Tumble to his class list. In addition, he may use his BAB instead of his ranks in any of these skills if such is advantageous to him. (Other bonuses to the roll, such as ability bonuses, apply normally.) He may also choose to ignore the maximum DEX bonus to AC from his armor, shield, or encumbrance and instead apply his Armor Check Penalty (or equivalent from his shield or encumbrance) to the DEX bonus to AC.
Trickster: A hero with this focus adds the skills Bluff, Disguise, Forgery, Perform, and Sleight of Hand to his list of class skills.
Sage: A hero with this focus adds Decipher Script, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Speak Language, spellcraft, and psicraft to his list of class skills.
Scout: A hero with this focus adds the skills Hide, Move Silently, Spot, and Listen to his list of class skills. His land speed also increases by +10, and increases by another +10 at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20.
Retraining: Not all situations call for the same abilities, but a hero can rise to match any challenge. By spending a full day training, a hero may change his Heroic Focus and skill point allotment. He may also spend a full day training to change his bonus feat selection, his selections for the Weaponmaster ability, and Heroic Prowess selection. Finally, he may spend a full week training to change both of those as well as his ability assignments. Regardless of his choice, he may not give up anything that is a prerequisite for another ability that is not being given up.
Heroism: A hero is immune to all fear effects. In addition, he may use his BAB instead of ranks in Concentration for Concentration checks caused by damage (but not those caused by other distractions.)
Bonus Feats: A hero gains one bonus feat at first level, and one more every 3 levels afterward. These feats must either come from the list of bonus fighter feats or be Skill Focus for a skill that the hero has on his class list. A hero may count hero levels as fighter levels for purposes of qualifying for feats.
Prayer (Sp):Even a hero requires aid from a higher power once in a while. Once per day a hero may pray for a single cleric spell granted by his deity (including domain spells) with a spell level of no more than half his class level. This prayer takes 10 minutes, during which the hero must not be threatened or distracted. The hero may not pray for more than twice his class level in spells per week.
A hero who does not follow a deity, or whose deity does not provide the spell he wants, may pray to one whose followers or goals he has aided in the past, but each such instance of aid allows him to use only a total number of spell levels equal to 5 times his character level (at the time of the aid) before the debt is paid. In no circumstance will a deity provide aid that interferes with its own goals.
There is no ability score requirement for the Prayer ability, and the save DC is equal to 10+(1.5Xspell level), as though casting from a scroll or wand.
Determination: A hero gains a bonus equal to half his class level to any Fortitude or Will save to resist an effect that would render him dead or helpless (by means other than damage) or would reduce his actions per round or would directly or indirectly add a penalty of -3 or more to any roll.
Manipulate Device: A hero can put his weaponry skills to other uses as well. As long as he is wielding a light weapon with which he is proficient, he may use his BAB instead of ranks in Disable Device or Open Lock.
Hero's Ally: At level 5, a hero gains a trustworthy ally. He may choose one of the following three options:
Mount: A hero who has befriended an intelligent being within one step of his own alignment which is capable of serving as a mount may (with the prospective mount's agreement) take that creature as his mount. The hero does not require a Handle Animal check to train the mount (but still requires the normal time), and the gains hit dice if necessary to match the hero's character level. In addition, while the hero is riding the mount, the mount may use the hero's DEX bonus instead of its own for AC, and gains the Evasion, Mettle, and Determination abilities as well as Improved Determination, Improved Evasion, and Improved Mettle once the hero acquires them.
Item: A hero who has acquired an intelligent item whose alignment is compatible with his own may take the item to be his ally. If he does so, he may use a Diplomacy check instead of a Will save for personality conflicts, and even if the item has an ego score of 20 or more it does not create a personality conflict unless the hero violates the item's goals or purpose. In addition, the item is considered to have double the enhancement bonus (if applicable) and grants double the normal amount of all other bonuses granted due to being a magic item (but not bonuses granted by intelligent item powers.)
Companion: A hero may gain an animal companion as a first level druid; this ability does not improve with level and a hero with levels in druid gains a second companion rather than an improvement to his existing one. Only small and tiny animals may be chosen. In addition to the usual benefits, the hero may use his class level instead of his ranks in Handle Animal when handling his companion.
A hero who loses his ally, or chooses to abandon or lessen the relationship, cannot choose another ally for 1 week.
Escape Restraints: When using the Escape Artist skill to escape ropes, manacles, or other restraints, a hero may add his class level to the check. He also may take 10 when under time pressure or when distracted, but not when immediately threatened.
Hero's Passion: Heroism is clearly visible to those who know how to see it. At level 6, a hero may make it visible to all, gaining +10 on Diplomacy checks with any character that shares his alignment, +5 on Diplomacy checks with any character that has an alignment that shares one axis with his and is not opposed on the other axis, +5 on Intimidate checks with a character whose alignment is opposed to his on one axis and not the same on the other, and +10 on Intimidate checks with a character whose alignment is opposed to his on both axes.
Hero's Insight: A hero is always on guard against the trickery of magic, and can make use of the slightest mistake to detect the deceit. Whenever a hero is subject to an illusion (e.g. if an character that would otherwise be seen by the hero is invisible), he may make a class level check, plus either his WIS modifier or INT modifier (whichever is higher) to detect the illusion. Concealment benefits still apply, but the hero is aware of the location of an invisible character and may attack him. (Many heroes take the Blind-Fight feat in order to attack more effectively.)
Improved Determination:A hero is entitled to a Fortitude or Will save against any effect that would allow him to apply Determination, even if it does not normally allow a save. The save granted is determined by the school of the spell: Abjuration, Enchantment, and Illusion effects allow a Will save, while Necromancy and Transmutation and Psychoportation powers allow a Fortitude save. Conjuration, Divination, and Evocation effects do not require a save; any effect from one of those schools that would be subject to Determination automatically fails.
Sworn Foe: A hero may declare a single enemy to be his sworn foe. Against this enemy, he treats any weapon as having a magical enhancement bonus 5 higher than its actual bonus (turning normal weapons into magical ones, and magical weapons into epic), does double damage, and gains +1 to his critical multiplier and critical threat range. Against all other enemies not interfering with his pursuit of the sworn foe, however, he takes a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls. These effects last until the foe is slain or the hero receives an Atonement spell (with no XP cost) to annul the oath. A hero may only declare one sworn foe at a time.
Heroic Prowess: At 10th level, a hero may choose one of four powerful abilities:
Lethal Strike: If the hero is not detected by an enemy, or his enemy is flat-footed, the hero may make a Lethal Strike. This strike is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity from everyone but the target. It requires an attack roll as normal (although the target will be unable to apply his DEX bonus to AC unless he has Uncanny Dodge), but if successful it functions as a Coup De Grace.
Whirlwind of Death: As a full-round action, the hero may move up to his speed without provoking attacks of opportunity, making a full attack against every enemy within his reach at any point in the move (including the starting and ending positions). This attack ignores concealment.
Hear Me Out: As a full-round action, the hero may attempt a diplomacy check DC 20 to get enemies to stop attacking him long enough to try to improve their attitude. If successful, the enemies stop attacking for one minute or until the hero or an ally indicates hostile plans. If the original check fails, the hero may retry, but if it succeeds and the effect is ended, no retry is possible with those enemies.
Demoralize: When using the Intimidate action to demoralize an opponent, the hero targets all enemies able to perceive him. In addition, the effects last until the combat ends or the hero is slain or made helpless. Finally, if the hero wins the opposed roll by 5 or more against a particular enemy that enemy is frightened, and if he wins by 10 or more the enemy is panicked. This ability may be retried as often as desired, but is a standard action each time.
Weaponmaster: At 12th level, and every 4 levels after, the hero may choose one type of weapon. When wielding that weapon, he gets +10 to his attack roll, does triple damage, and gets +2 to his critical multiplier and threat range.
Listen to Me!: Great heroes arise to counter great threats, and often those in power fear the news of such threats and react negatively. A hero rises to this challenge, as he does to all others, resorting to threats if necessary. Beginning at 14th level, a hero required to make a diplomacy check with a circumstance penalty may first make an intimidate check against the target of the diplomacy check. All circumstance bonuses and penalties to the diplomacy check apply to the intimidate check. If the intimidate check is successful, circumstance penalties to the diplomacy check are removed, with the exception of circumstance penalties arising from a desire to see the hero's actual goals fail.
Improved Insight: At 15th level, a hero may ignore all miss chances due to concealment.
Eternal Hero (Su): Beginning at 17th level, a hero may defy death itself. If the hero is slain, a DC 40 Diplomacy check may be used to bring him back to life, as though True Resurrection had been cast (although the body is still required). If an appeal is made to values that the hero treasured in life, or by members of a group that the hero treasured in life, the hero's class level is added as a circumstance bonus to the check; if both conditions hold, add twice the hero's class level.
Greater Sworn Foe: Beginning at level 18, a hero who threatens critical damage against his sworn foe automatically does bonus damage as a successful critical. If he succeeds on the confirmation roll, he automatically kills the foe. In addition, he gains a bonus equal to his class level on all attacks against the foe, and ignores all damage reduction and regeneration possessed by the foe.
Indomitable Spirit: Beginning at level 19, a hero automatically succeeds on all saves against mind-affecting effects.
Greater Prowess: At level 20, a hero may choose a second ability from the list for Heroic Prowess.
Thoughts?
The Hero
Starting Age: As fighter
Starting Gold: as fighter
HD: d12
Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Psionic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill points per level:6+int mod
Weapon and Armor proficiencies: A Hero is proficient with all weapons, all types of armor and all shields.
{table=head]Level|BaB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1|+1|2|2|2|Heroic Focus, Retraining, Heroism, Bonus Feat
2|+2|3|3|3|Evasion, Prayer
3|+3|3|3|3|Mettle, Determination
4|+4|4|4|4|Bonus Feat, Manipulate Device, Uncanny Dodge
5|+5|4|4|4|Hero's Ally
6|+6/+1|5|5|5|Escape Restraints, Hero's Passion
7|+7/+2|5|5|5|Bonus Feat, Hero's Insight
8|+8/+3|6|6|6|Improved Determination
9|+9/+4|6|6|6|Sworn Foe, Improved Uncanny Dodge
10|+10/+5|7|7|7|Bonus Feat, Heroic Prowess
11|+11/+6/+1|7|7|7|Improved Evasion
12|+12/+7/+2|8|8|8|Weaponmaster
13|+13/+8/+3|8|8|8|Bonus Feat, Improved Mettle
14|+14/+9/+4|9|9|9|Listen to Me!
15|+15/+10/+5|9|9|9|Improved Insight
16|+16/+11/+6/+1|10|10|10|Bonus Feat, Weaponmaster
17|+17/+12/+7/+2|10|10|10|Eternal Hero
18|+18/+13/+8/+3|11|11|11|Greater Sworn Foe
19|+19/+14/+9/+4|11|11|11|Bonus Feat, Indomitable Spirit
20|+20/+15/+10/+5|12|12|12|Weaponmaster, Greater Prowess
[/table]
All abilities are (Ex) unless otherwise noted. Abilities found in other classes (e.g. evasion and mettle) are not explained.
Heroic Focus: Each hero has a slightly different approach to solving problems. A hero may choose from one of four foci:
Athlete: A hero with this focus adds the skills Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Tumble to his class list. In addition, he may use his BAB instead of his ranks in any of these skills if such is advantageous to him. (Other bonuses to the roll, such as ability bonuses, apply normally.) He may also choose to ignore the maximum DEX bonus to AC from his armor, shield, or encumbrance and instead apply his Armor Check Penalty (or equivalent from his shield or encumbrance) to the DEX bonus to AC.
Trickster: A hero with this focus adds the skills Bluff, Disguise, Forgery, Perform, and Sleight of Hand to his list of class skills.
Sage: A hero with this focus adds Decipher Script, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Speak Language, spellcraft, and psicraft to his list of class skills.
Scout: A hero with this focus adds the skills Hide, Move Silently, Spot, and Listen to his list of class skills. His land speed also increases by +10, and increases by another +10 at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20.
Retraining: Not all situations call for the same abilities, but a hero can rise to match any challenge. By spending a full day training, a hero may change his Heroic Focus and skill point allotment. He may also spend a full day training to change his bonus feat selection, his selections for the Weaponmaster ability, and Heroic Prowess selection. Finally, he may spend a full week training to change both of those as well as his ability assignments. Regardless of his choice, he may not give up anything that is a prerequisite for another ability that is not being given up.
Heroism: A hero is immune to all fear effects. In addition, he may use his BAB instead of ranks in Concentration for Concentration checks caused by damage (but not those caused by other distractions.)
Bonus Feats: A hero gains one bonus feat at first level, and one more every 3 levels afterward. These feats must either come from the list of bonus fighter feats or be Skill Focus for a skill that the hero has on his class list. A hero may count hero levels as fighter levels for purposes of qualifying for feats.
Prayer (Sp):Even a hero requires aid from a higher power once in a while. Once per day a hero may pray for a single cleric spell granted by his deity (including domain spells) with a spell level of no more than half his class level. This prayer takes 10 minutes, during which the hero must not be threatened or distracted. The hero may not pray for more than twice his class level in spells per week.
A hero who does not follow a deity, or whose deity does not provide the spell he wants, may pray to one whose followers or goals he has aided in the past, but each such instance of aid allows him to use only a total number of spell levels equal to 5 times his character level (at the time of the aid) before the debt is paid. In no circumstance will a deity provide aid that interferes with its own goals.
There is no ability score requirement for the Prayer ability, and the save DC is equal to 10+(1.5Xspell level), as though casting from a scroll or wand.
Determination: A hero gains a bonus equal to half his class level to any Fortitude or Will save to resist an effect that would render him dead or helpless (by means other than damage) or would reduce his actions per round or would directly or indirectly add a penalty of -3 or more to any roll.
Manipulate Device: A hero can put his weaponry skills to other uses as well. As long as he is wielding a light weapon with which he is proficient, he may use his BAB instead of ranks in Disable Device or Open Lock.
Hero's Ally: At level 5, a hero gains a trustworthy ally. He may choose one of the following three options:
Mount: A hero who has befriended an intelligent being within one step of his own alignment which is capable of serving as a mount may (with the prospective mount's agreement) take that creature as his mount. The hero does not require a Handle Animal check to train the mount (but still requires the normal time), and the gains hit dice if necessary to match the hero's character level. In addition, while the hero is riding the mount, the mount may use the hero's DEX bonus instead of its own for AC, and gains the Evasion, Mettle, and Determination abilities as well as Improved Determination, Improved Evasion, and Improved Mettle once the hero acquires them.
Item: A hero who has acquired an intelligent item whose alignment is compatible with his own may take the item to be his ally. If he does so, he may use a Diplomacy check instead of a Will save for personality conflicts, and even if the item has an ego score of 20 or more it does not create a personality conflict unless the hero violates the item's goals or purpose. In addition, the item is considered to have double the enhancement bonus (if applicable) and grants double the normal amount of all other bonuses granted due to being a magic item (but not bonuses granted by intelligent item powers.)
Companion: A hero may gain an animal companion as a first level druid; this ability does not improve with level and a hero with levels in druid gains a second companion rather than an improvement to his existing one. Only small and tiny animals may be chosen. In addition to the usual benefits, the hero may use his class level instead of his ranks in Handle Animal when handling his companion.
A hero who loses his ally, or chooses to abandon or lessen the relationship, cannot choose another ally for 1 week.
Escape Restraints: When using the Escape Artist skill to escape ropes, manacles, or other restraints, a hero may add his class level to the check. He also may take 10 when under time pressure or when distracted, but not when immediately threatened.
Hero's Passion: Heroism is clearly visible to those who know how to see it. At level 6, a hero may make it visible to all, gaining +10 on Diplomacy checks with any character that shares his alignment, +5 on Diplomacy checks with any character that has an alignment that shares one axis with his and is not opposed on the other axis, +5 on Intimidate checks with a character whose alignment is opposed to his on one axis and not the same on the other, and +10 on Intimidate checks with a character whose alignment is opposed to his on both axes.
Hero's Insight: A hero is always on guard against the trickery of magic, and can make use of the slightest mistake to detect the deceit. Whenever a hero is subject to an illusion (e.g. if an character that would otherwise be seen by the hero is invisible), he may make a class level check, plus either his WIS modifier or INT modifier (whichever is higher) to detect the illusion. Concealment benefits still apply, but the hero is aware of the location of an invisible character and may attack him. (Many heroes take the Blind-Fight feat in order to attack more effectively.)
Improved Determination:A hero is entitled to a Fortitude or Will save against any effect that would allow him to apply Determination, even if it does not normally allow a save. The save granted is determined by the school of the spell: Abjuration, Enchantment, and Illusion effects allow a Will save, while Necromancy and Transmutation and Psychoportation powers allow a Fortitude save. Conjuration, Divination, and Evocation effects do not require a save; any effect from one of those schools that would be subject to Determination automatically fails.
Sworn Foe: A hero may declare a single enemy to be his sworn foe. Against this enemy, he treats any weapon as having a magical enhancement bonus 5 higher than its actual bonus (turning normal weapons into magical ones, and magical weapons into epic), does double damage, and gains +1 to his critical multiplier and critical threat range. Against all other enemies not interfering with his pursuit of the sworn foe, however, he takes a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls. These effects last until the foe is slain or the hero receives an Atonement spell (with no XP cost) to annul the oath. A hero may only declare one sworn foe at a time.
Heroic Prowess: At 10th level, a hero may choose one of four powerful abilities:
Lethal Strike: If the hero is not detected by an enemy, or his enemy is flat-footed, the hero may make a Lethal Strike. This strike is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity from everyone but the target. It requires an attack roll as normal (although the target will be unable to apply his DEX bonus to AC unless he has Uncanny Dodge), but if successful it functions as a Coup De Grace.
Whirlwind of Death: As a full-round action, the hero may move up to his speed without provoking attacks of opportunity, making a full attack against every enemy within his reach at any point in the move (including the starting and ending positions). This attack ignores concealment.
Hear Me Out: As a full-round action, the hero may attempt a diplomacy check DC 20 to get enemies to stop attacking him long enough to try to improve their attitude. If successful, the enemies stop attacking for one minute or until the hero or an ally indicates hostile plans. If the original check fails, the hero may retry, but if it succeeds and the effect is ended, no retry is possible with those enemies.
Demoralize: When using the Intimidate action to demoralize an opponent, the hero targets all enemies able to perceive him. In addition, the effects last until the combat ends or the hero is slain or made helpless. Finally, if the hero wins the opposed roll by 5 or more against a particular enemy that enemy is frightened, and if he wins by 10 or more the enemy is panicked. This ability may be retried as often as desired, but is a standard action each time.
Weaponmaster: At 12th level, and every 4 levels after, the hero may choose one type of weapon. When wielding that weapon, he gets +10 to his attack roll, does triple damage, and gets +2 to his critical multiplier and threat range.
Listen to Me!: Great heroes arise to counter great threats, and often those in power fear the news of such threats and react negatively. A hero rises to this challenge, as he does to all others, resorting to threats if necessary. Beginning at 14th level, a hero required to make a diplomacy check with a circumstance penalty may first make an intimidate check against the target of the diplomacy check. All circumstance bonuses and penalties to the diplomacy check apply to the intimidate check. If the intimidate check is successful, circumstance penalties to the diplomacy check are removed, with the exception of circumstance penalties arising from a desire to see the hero's actual goals fail.
Improved Insight: At 15th level, a hero may ignore all miss chances due to concealment.
Eternal Hero (Su): Beginning at 17th level, a hero may defy death itself. If the hero is slain, a DC 40 Diplomacy check may be used to bring him back to life, as though True Resurrection had been cast (although the body is still required). If an appeal is made to values that the hero treasured in life, or by members of a group that the hero treasured in life, the hero's class level is added as a circumstance bonus to the check; if both conditions hold, add twice the hero's class level.
Greater Sworn Foe: Beginning at level 18, a hero who threatens critical damage against his sworn foe automatically does bonus damage as a successful critical. If he succeeds on the confirmation roll, he automatically kills the foe. In addition, he gains a bonus equal to his class level on all attacks against the foe, and ignores all damage reduction and regeneration possessed by the foe.
Indomitable Spirit: Beginning at level 19, a hero automatically succeeds on all saves against mind-affecting effects.
Greater Prowess: At level 20, a hero may choose a second ability from the list for Heroic Prowess.
Thoughts?