RFLS
2012-06-03, 01:37 AM
Below is a class I've designed for the campaign I'm running. It is absolutely not intended for player use. It's intended to be able to take on a t3 party of 5 and have a decent shot at winning. I know that as written, it's somewhere between fairly and stupidly powerful; however, I'd very much appreciate some mechanics advice. This is the first class I've put together from scratch, and I'm not entirely confident that it will function as intended. It's supposed to be a self-buffing, melee oriented, battlefield controlling absolute monster, and, as previously said, capable of taking on a t3 party all by itself. PEACH away.
EDIT: The complement to this class may be found here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246757) It's a mage class with much the same theme, done because I didn't like the shadowcaster/needed something more powerful.
The Dark Paladin
{table=head]Level | BAB | Will | Ref | Fort | Abilities | Rages/Day
1st | +1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Umbric Rage, Darkness, Darkvision (60), 1st level Mysteries | 1
2nd | +2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Keen Senses, Shadowfire Weapon | 1
3rd | +3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | Shadowy Haste, 2nd level Mysteries | 2
4th | +4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Mettle, Shadow Armor | 2
5th | +5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3rd level Mysteries | 2
6th | +6/+1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Shadowjump | 3
7th | +7/+2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Improved Shadowfire Weapon, 4th level Mysteries | 3
8th | +8/+3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | | 3
9th | +9/+4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | Improved Shadow Armor, 5th level Mysteries | 4
10th | +10/+5 | 7 | 3 | 7 | | 4
11th | +11/+6/+1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | Piercing Gaze, Greater Umbric Rage, 6th level Mysteries | 4
12th | +12/+7/+2 | 8 | 4 | 8 | Improved Mettle | 5
13th | +13/+8/+3 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 7th level Mysteries| 5
14th | +14/+9/+4 | 9 | 4 | 9 | | 5
15th | +15/+10/+5 | 9 | 5 | 9 | Ultimate Shadow Armor, 8th level Mysteries | 6
16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | 10 | 5 | 10 | | 6
17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | 10 | 5 | 10 | True Seeing, 9th level Mysteries | 6
18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | 11 | 6 | 11 | Tireless Umbric Rage | 6
19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | 11 | 6 | 11 | | 6
20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | 12 | 6 | 12 | Mighty Umbric Rage, Infinite Shadow | 6
[/table]
Class Information
Hit Die: d10
Alignment: Any
Class Skills: Balance, Concentration, Craft, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge(Arcana), Knowledge(The Planes), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Tumble
Skills at First Level: 4 x (4 + Int modifier)
Skills at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Starting Gold: As Paladin
Abilities
Proficiencies: A Dark Paladin is proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor. He is also proficient with all simple and martial weapons.
Umbric Rage (Ex): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin may enter an Umbric Rage once per day, for a number of rounds equal to 3 + his Con modifier. During this time, the Dark Paladin gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and +4 Dexterity. He also gains a +2 morale bonus to his Will saves. During this time, he may not cast any spells or spell like abilities known to him, nor may he use magical items that take conscious effort from the user. Additionally, he may not use the Concentration skill, or any Cha or Int based skills. Upon ending his rage, the Dark Paladin loses his ability bonuses, but regains the ability to use all skills. He may not use spells or spell-like abilities for a number of rounds equal to the duration of his Rage.
At the start of the second round of his rage, and every two rounds after, a medium shadow elemental is summoned. It is not under the Dark Paladin's control, although it attacks his enemies to the best of its ability. At 12 level, it grows to a large shadow elemental, and at 18th it grows to a huge. At the end of the Dark Paladin's rage, he suffers a stacking -1 circumstance penalty to all saves for every elemental he summoned.
Darkness (Sp): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin may cast the darkness spell on himself as a spell-like ability. The spell lasts for 10 minutes/class level, and may be cast at will.
Darkvision (Ex): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin gains darkvision out to 60 feet.
Mysteries (Su): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin gains the ability to cast mysteries from the list below. Full descriptions are found in Tome of Magic. He casts these mysteries spontaneously. His mysteries per day progress as a Wizard's spells per day, and he uses his Wisdom modifier to determine bonus Mysteries per day. The DC of his mysteries is 10 + the mystery level + Wisdom modifier. He gains access to the next level mystery at every odd level.
Caster Level: A Dark Paladin’s caster level is equal to his class level.
Mysteries
Cloak of Shadows
1 Steel Shadows: Gain +3 armor bonus and +3 shield bonus to AC.
2 Sight Eclipsed: Hide even when observed.
3 Sharp Shadows: Foes striking you take piercing
damage.
Dark Terrain
1 Carpet of Shadow: Transform the ground into shadowstuff, impeding movement.
2 Black Fire: Create fire in several squares that deals cold damage.
3 Clinging Darkness: Root foes in place.
Shutters and Clouds
1 Dusk and Dawn: Create an area of shadowy illumination.
2 Shadow Skin: Thicken your flesh with the power of shadow.
3 Dancing Shadows: Make subjects harder to hit.
Black Magic
4 Warp Spell: Steal the energy of another caster’s mystery or spell.
5 Echo Spell: Repeat a mystery or spell cast in the previous round.
6 Flood of Shadow: Casting in area is difficult; shadow mysteries and spells are empowered.
Body and Soul
4 Bolster: Grant subject temporary hit points.
5 Languor: Shadows weigh subjects down.
6 Shadow Investiture: Grant subject cold resistance 15, evasion, and ability to see in darkness.
Elemental Shadows
4 Aura of Shade: Subject is protected from cold and deals cold damage with attacks.
5 Dark Air or Water: As the spell control winds or control water.
6 Shadow Storm: Arcs of cold and electricity strike multiple targets.
Gained at 16th level:
7 Ephemeral Image: Create a shadow duplicate through which you can cast your magic.
8 Umbral Body: Transform into an incorporeal being of shadow.
9 Shadow Time: Act freely for 3 rounds.
Shadow Calling
7 Summon Umbral Servant: Summon shadow elementals to serve you.
8 Shadow Plague: A cloud of shadow energy deals 4d6 cold damage/round.
9 Army of Shadow: Summon shadow elementals to serve you.
Keen Senses (Ex): At 2nd level, and every 3 levels after until 17th, a Dark Paladin gains a +2 competency bonus to Spot and Listen checks. This stacks up to a total of +12 at 17th level. A Dark Paladin’s Piercing Gaze and True Seeing are extensions of this, and are denied to him should he be denied this ability.
Shadowfire Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a Dark Paladin may imbue his weapons with shadowy fire as a swift action. On hit, they deal +1d6 of cold damage. This ability improves at 7th level, and they deal +1d10 of cold damage on a successful critical hit. This damage stacks with the on-hit damage. This ability lasts as long as desired, and persists during an Umbric Rage, although it cannot be activated during one.
Shadowy Haste (Ex): At 3rd level, whenever a Dark Paladin has concealment due to darkness, normal or magical, he gains the benefits of being under the haste spell.
Mettle (Ex): At 4th level, when a Dark Paladin makes a Will or Fort save that would normally result in reduced damage, he instead takes no damage. A failed save still results in full damage. At 12th level, this ability improves. A successful save still results in no damage, but a failed save results in half damage.
Shadow Armor (Su): At 4th level, a Dark Paladin may imbue his armor or skin with Shadow Armor as a swift action. He gains an AC bonus equal to 1 + his Wisdom modifier as the shadows about him become tangible. At 9th level, this ability improves. The shadows begin to absorb blows to his person, and he gains DR 4/magic. At 16th level, it improves once more, and he gains SR equal to 10 + his class level, rounded down. This ability lasts as long as desired, and persists during an Umbric Rage, although it cannot be activated during one.
Shadowjump (Su): At 6th level, a Dark Paladin gains the Shadowjump ability. This ability allows him to step between shadows as the dimension door spell, though it counts as a move action instead of a full round. You may use this ability for a total of distance of 10 feet per class level per day, and may split the distance traveled as desired.
Piercing Gaze (Ex): At 11th level, a Dark Paladin gains the Piercing Gaze ability. This ability allows him, when confronted with an illusion or disguise spell, to make a Will save to see through it. Additionally, it grants a +4 competency bonus to Spot checks against disguises. This is an extension of the Keen Senses ability, and is denied the Dark Paladin if Keen Senses is denied to him, as well.
Greater Umbric Rage (Ex): At 11th level, a Dark Paladin’s Umbric Rage ability is improved. His ability bonuses are increased to +6, and his Will bonus to +3.
True Seeing (Ex): At 17th level, a Dark Paladin gains the ability to see all things as they actually are. He sees through normal and magical darkness, notices secret doors hidden by magic, sees the exact locations of creatures or objects under blur or displacement effects, sees invisible creatures or objects normally, sees through illusions, and sees the true form of polymorphed, changed, or transmuted things. Further, he can focus his vision to see into the Ethereal Plane (but not into extradimensional spaces). The range of true seeing is 120 feet.
Tireless Umbric Rage (Ex): At 18th level, a Dark Paladin’s Rage becomes tireless. He no longer suffers the -1 circumstance penalties from his elementals, and may cast a number of spell like abilities equal to his Constitution modifier during the period they would normally be denied to him.
Mighty Umbric Rage (Ex): At 20th level, a Dark Paladin’s Umbric Rage ability is again improved. His ability bonuses increase to +8, and his Will bonus is increased to +4.
Infinite Shadow (Su): At 20th level, a Dark Paladin may use Infinite Shadow once per day. The area surrounding him out to a distance of 100 feet is cast into total darkness, for a number of rounds equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier. This area is treated as though under the effects of the 'darkness' spell, cast as a 9th level spell. All creatures, even his allies, are subjected to a fear effect once per round for the duration of the spell. A successful Will save produces no effect on a creature, but failing one causes them to become panicked. Each creature also takes 10d6 cold damage each round, with a Fortitude save halving the damage. Both saves are class level + Wis modifier.
A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a -2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Changelog:
10/16/12- Regularized progression of mysteries. Also significantly altered the capstone; upping the damage and making the saves more in line with similar abilities.
EDIT: The complement to this class may be found here. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246757) It's a mage class with much the same theme, done because I didn't like the shadowcaster/needed something more powerful.
The Dark Paladin
{table=head]Level | BAB | Will | Ref | Fort | Abilities | Rages/Day
1st | +1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Umbric Rage, Darkness, Darkvision (60), 1st level Mysteries | 1
2nd | +2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Keen Senses, Shadowfire Weapon | 1
3rd | +3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | Shadowy Haste, 2nd level Mysteries | 2
4th | +4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | Mettle, Shadow Armor | 2
5th | +5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3rd level Mysteries | 2
6th | +6/+1 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Shadowjump | 3
7th | +7/+2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Improved Shadowfire Weapon, 4th level Mysteries | 3
8th | +8/+3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | | 3
9th | +9/+4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | Improved Shadow Armor, 5th level Mysteries | 4
10th | +10/+5 | 7 | 3 | 7 | | 4
11th | +11/+6/+1 | 7 | 3 | 7 | Piercing Gaze, Greater Umbric Rage, 6th level Mysteries | 4
12th | +12/+7/+2 | 8 | 4 | 8 | Improved Mettle | 5
13th | +13/+8/+3 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 7th level Mysteries| 5
14th | +14/+9/+4 | 9 | 4 | 9 | | 5
15th | +15/+10/+5 | 9 | 5 | 9 | Ultimate Shadow Armor, 8th level Mysteries | 6
16th | +16/+11/+6/+1 | 10 | 5 | 10 | | 6
17th | +17/+12/+7/+2 | 10 | 5 | 10 | True Seeing, 9th level Mysteries | 6
18th | +18/+13/+8/+3 | 11 | 6 | 11 | Tireless Umbric Rage | 6
19th | +19/+14/+9/+4 | 11 | 6 | 11 | | 6
20th | +20/+15/+10/+5 | 12 | 6 | 12 | Mighty Umbric Rage, Infinite Shadow | 6
[/table]
Class Information
Hit Die: d10
Alignment: Any
Class Skills: Balance, Concentration, Craft, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge(Arcana), Knowledge(The Planes), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Tumble
Skills at First Level: 4 x (4 + Int modifier)
Skills at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier
Starting Gold: As Paladin
Abilities
Proficiencies: A Dark Paladin is proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor. He is also proficient with all simple and martial weapons.
Umbric Rage (Ex): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin may enter an Umbric Rage once per day, for a number of rounds equal to 3 + his Con modifier. During this time, the Dark Paladin gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and +4 Dexterity. He also gains a +2 morale bonus to his Will saves. During this time, he may not cast any spells or spell like abilities known to him, nor may he use magical items that take conscious effort from the user. Additionally, he may not use the Concentration skill, or any Cha or Int based skills. Upon ending his rage, the Dark Paladin loses his ability bonuses, but regains the ability to use all skills. He may not use spells or spell-like abilities for a number of rounds equal to the duration of his Rage.
At the start of the second round of his rage, and every two rounds after, a medium shadow elemental is summoned. It is not under the Dark Paladin's control, although it attacks his enemies to the best of its ability. At 12 level, it grows to a large shadow elemental, and at 18th it grows to a huge. At the end of the Dark Paladin's rage, he suffers a stacking -1 circumstance penalty to all saves for every elemental he summoned.
Darkness (Sp): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin may cast the darkness spell on himself as a spell-like ability. The spell lasts for 10 minutes/class level, and may be cast at will.
Darkvision (Ex): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin gains darkvision out to 60 feet.
Mysteries (Su): At 1st level, a Dark Paladin gains the ability to cast mysteries from the list below. Full descriptions are found in Tome of Magic. He casts these mysteries spontaneously. His mysteries per day progress as a Wizard's spells per day, and he uses his Wisdom modifier to determine bonus Mysteries per day. The DC of his mysteries is 10 + the mystery level + Wisdom modifier. He gains access to the next level mystery at every odd level.
Caster Level: A Dark Paladin’s caster level is equal to his class level.
Mysteries
Cloak of Shadows
1 Steel Shadows: Gain +3 armor bonus and +3 shield bonus to AC.
2 Sight Eclipsed: Hide even when observed.
3 Sharp Shadows: Foes striking you take piercing
damage.
Dark Terrain
1 Carpet of Shadow: Transform the ground into shadowstuff, impeding movement.
2 Black Fire: Create fire in several squares that deals cold damage.
3 Clinging Darkness: Root foes in place.
Shutters and Clouds
1 Dusk and Dawn: Create an area of shadowy illumination.
2 Shadow Skin: Thicken your flesh with the power of shadow.
3 Dancing Shadows: Make subjects harder to hit.
Black Magic
4 Warp Spell: Steal the energy of another caster’s mystery or spell.
5 Echo Spell: Repeat a mystery or spell cast in the previous round.
6 Flood of Shadow: Casting in area is difficult; shadow mysteries and spells are empowered.
Body and Soul
4 Bolster: Grant subject temporary hit points.
5 Languor: Shadows weigh subjects down.
6 Shadow Investiture: Grant subject cold resistance 15, evasion, and ability to see in darkness.
Elemental Shadows
4 Aura of Shade: Subject is protected from cold and deals cold damage with attacks.
5 Dark Air or Water: As the spell control winds or control water.
6 Shadow Storm: Arcs of cold and electricity strike multiple targets.
Gained at 16th level:
7 Ephemeral Image: Create a shadow duplicate through which you can cast your magic.
8 Umbral Body: Transform into an incorporeal being of shadow.
9 Shadow Time: Act freely for 3 rounds.
Shadow Calling
7 Summon Umbral Servant: Summon shadow elementals to serve you.
8 Shadow Plague: A cloud of shadow energy deals 4d6 cold damage/round.
9 Army of Shadow: Summon shadow elementals to serve you.
Keen Senses (Ex): At 2nd level, and every 3 levels after until 17th, a Dark Paladin gains a +2 competency bonus to Spot and Listen checks. This stacks up to a total of +12 at 17th level. A Dark Paladin’s Piercing Gaze and True Seeing are extensions of this, and are denied to him should he be denied this ability.
Shadowfire Weapon (Su): At 2nd level, a Dark Paladin may imbue his weapons with shadowy fire as a swift action. On hit, they deal +1d6 of cold damage. This ability improves at 7th level, and they deal +1d10 of cold damage on a successful critical hit. This damage stacks with the on-hit damage. This ability lasts as long as desired, and persists during an Umbric Rage, although it cannot be activated during one.
Shadowy Haste (Ex): At 3rd level, whenever a Dark Paladin has concealment due to darkness, normal or magical, he gains the benefits of being under the haste spell.
Mettle (Ex): At 4th level, when a Dark Paladin makes a Will or Fort save that would normally result in reduced damage, he instead takes no damage. A failed save still results in full damage. At 12th level, this ability improves. A successful save still results in no damage, but a failed save results in half damage.
Shadow Armor (Su): At 4th level, a Dark Paladin may imbue his armor or skin with Shadow Armor as a swift action. He gains an AC bonus equal to 1 + his Wisdom modifier as the shadows about him become tangible. At 9th level, this ability improves. The shadows begin to absorb blows to his person, and he gains DR 4/magic. At 16th level, it improves once more, and he gains SR equal to 10 + his class level, rounded down. This ability lasts as long as desired, and persists during an Umbric Rage, although it cannot be activated during one.
Shadowjump (Su): At 6th level, a Dark Paladin gains the Shadowjump ability. This ability allows him to step between shadows as the dimension door spell, though it counts as a move action instead of a full round. You may use this ability for a total of distance of 10 feet per class level per day, and may split the distance traveled as desired.
Piercing Gaze (Ex): At 11th level, a Dark Paladin gains the Piercing Gaze ability. This ability allows him, when confronted with an illusion or disguise spell, to make a Will save to see through it. Additionally, it grants a +4 competency bonus to Spot checks against disguises. This is an extension of the Keen Senses ability, and is denied the Dark Paladin if Keen Senses is denied to him, as well.
Greater Umbric Rage (Ex): At 11th level, a Dark Paladin’s Umbric Rage ability is improved. His ability bonuses are increased to +6, and his Will bonus to +3.
True Seeing (Ex): At 17th level, a Dark Paladin gains the ability to see all things as they actually are. He sees through normal and magical darkness, notices secret doors hidden by magic, sees the exact locations of creatures or objects under blur or displacement effects, sees invisible creatures or objects normally, sees through illusions, and sees the true form of polymorphed, changed, or transmuted things. Further, he can focus his vision to see into the Ethereal Plane (but not into extradimensional spaces). The range of true seeing is 120 feet.
Tireless Umbric Rage (Ex): At 18th level, a Dark Paladin’s Rage becomes tireless. He no longer suffers the -1 circumstance penalties from his elementals, and may cast a number of spell like abilities equal to his Constitution modifier during the period they would normally be denied to him.
Mighty Umbric Rage (Ex): At 20th level, a Dark Paladin’s Umbric Rage ability is again improved. His ability bonuses increase to +8, and his Will bonus is increased to +4.
Infinite Shadow (Su): At 20th level, a Dark Paladin may use Infinite Shadow once per day. The area surrounding him out to a distance of 100 feet is cast into total darkness, for a number of rounds equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier. This area is treated as though under the effects of the 'darkness' spell, cast as a 9th level spell. All creatures, even his allies, are subjected to a fear effect once per round for the duration of the spell. A successful Will save produces no effect on a creature, but failing one causes them to become panicked. Each creature also takes 10d6 cold damage each round, with a Fortitude save halving the damage. Both saves are class level + Wis modifier.
A panicked creature must drop anything it holds and flee at top speed from the source of its fear, as well as any other dangers it encounters, along a random path. It can’t take any other actions. In addition, the creature takes a -2 penalty on all saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. If cornered, a panicked creature cowers. A panicked creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.
Changelog:
10/16/12- Regularized progression of mysteries. Also significantly altered the capstone; upping the damage and making the saves more in line with similar abilities.