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View Full Version : Need a Prestige Class looked over.



Keylac
2012-07-20, 12:57 AM
Hey there folks. I just finished (more or less) a prestige class for a game I'm playing in, set in the Forgotten Realms. I needed a warrior-ish class that, rather than being tied down to one area like most in the FR, was a traveling type. This is what I came up with. :smallsmile:

I've got some ideas of my own as to what doesn't work too well, or what needs to be changed, but I figured I would ask you fine folks to take a peek yourself. If you do, please keep in mind a couple things:


It's more or less a Ranger prestige class, and it is meant to be a bit of a scatter-gun, adaptable to whatever the player wants.


I'm not going to be terribly upset if it's a bit powerful, since it's designed for a character in a party with a Gish, a Wizard, and a Druid.



I would appreciate thoughts both on how powerful it is a whole, how well the individual options compare, how well the concept hangs together, and any comments anyone who knows the realms has about the choices I made for each ability.

That's about it. If you care to take a look and leave a comment, thanks much! And I apologize in advance if the formatting is a bit bad, it was pretty before I put it up here. :smalltongue:

The Realmswalker


Faerun is a continent filled with different lands; many are well known and established kingdoms, but even more common are those that fell into dust, vanishing in the endless march of time. Moving amongst the settled lands, seeking out the lost places of the world, is the Realmswalker.
Driven to travel the world around them, the Realmswalker is an explorer and guide. Whether motivated by wanderlust or by dreams of hidden riches, he's never truly happy with staying in once place. Instead, he is always on the move, meeting new people, visiting new lands, and spreading the knowledge and customs of these lands far and wide.
Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To become a Realmswalker, a character must fulfill the following criteria:

Race: Any non-lawful.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Skills: Knowledge: Geography 8 ranks, Knowledge: Nature 4 ranks, Listen 4 ranks, Spot 4 ranks, Ride 4 ranks.
Special: Must have visited at least 3 different regions in his lifetime.


Class Skills

The Realmswalker's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Dungeoneering (Int), Knowledge: Geography (Int), Knowledge: History (Int), Knowledge: Nature (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Speak Language (NA), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int Modifier.

Class Features

Realmswalkers gain the following Class Features.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Realmswalker gains no proficiency with any weapons or armor.

Spells: A Realmswalker can cast a limited number of spells, drawn from the Realmswalker Spell List (below). These spells are considered Arcane Spells. They may be cast while wearing light or medium armor with no chance of spell failure; if he is wearing heavy armor or casting Arcane Spells gained from a different source, such as sorcerer levels, the Realmswalker incurs an Arcane Spell Failure chance like normal. He can cast any spell he knows without preparation, like a bard or sorcerer.
To learn or cast a spell, a Realmswalker must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level (Cha 11 for 1st level spells, Cha 12 for 2nd level spells, and so forth). The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Realmswalker's spell is 10 + the spell level + the Realmswalker's Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, a Realmswalker can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1.1: The Realmswalker. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score (see Table 1–1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8 PHB). As noted above, a Realmswalker need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.

Realmslore: The backbone of a Realmswalker is his ability to learn from the different peoples he meets on his wide-ranging travels. He might hunt with barbarian tribesmen one season, only to find himself part of a tea ceremony in a royal palace, in a land 1,000 leagues away, the next. As a result, the Realmswalker acquires a wide range of skills and knowledges during his travels. At 1st level and every level thereafter, the Realmswalker selects one of the following bonuses:

Ancient Faith - The eldest of the Old Empires, Mulhorand was created when slaves, brought from a different world by mighty magic, rebelled with the aid of their God-Kings. Since it's founding, the nation has been steeped in religion. The recent departure of the gods from direct rule and the conquest of Unther, it's greatest and oldest rival, haven't changed the essential nature of perhaps the most enduring and religious folk in Faerun.
Whenever you are the recipient of a Cure spell, you gain an additional 2 Hit Points per caster level of the spell; you also gain a +2 bonus to the Knowledge: Religion skill.

Bedine Desert Dwelling – The Anarouch Desert has swallowed entire nations, their people and cities disappearing into the sand. Here, the Bedine tribesmen survive in this wasteland of heat and sand. Their continued survival is a testament to their knowledge of the desert and hardy constitutions.
You gain +10 Resistance to Fire and are no longer affected by hot temperatures, as per the Endure Elements Spell.

Berserker Toughness - Rashemen is a land astride the line between civilization and barbarism, populated by fierce berserkers, mysterious witches, and plentiful nature spirits. The native Rashemeni disdain live in cities, viewing city dwellers to be soft, and live a primarily rural live. They constantly strive to test themselves against each other and the environment, ensuring their continued survival in this inhospitable land.
You gain +1 Hit Points per character level and a +2 bonus to the Knowledge: Nature skill.

Blooded in the Reach – The birthplace of Chondathians, the Vilhon Reach boasts fine traders, eager explorers, and sturdy farmers. Troubles have plagued the reach for centuries, reducing mighty Chondath to a shadow of it's former glory. These days, the people of the Reach rely on adventurers and mercenaries rather then militias or armies, resulting in steady work or great opportunity to sword ready folk throughout Faerun.
You gain a +2 bonus to Initiative and a +2 bonus to the Intimidate skill.

Chessentan Battle Training - Chessenta is a land of great feasts, fierce competition, and proud warriors. The constant struggles and wars between the city states that make up this land have led to a population of some of the finest warriors in Faerun. Folks here learn well that glory is found through strength and skill in battle, and successful warriors are accorded the utmost respect.
You gain a bonus feat, chosen from the list of Fighter Bonus Feats.

Chultan Resistance – The Jungles of Chult are well known for the legions of poisonous and creatures and strange diseases that fill them. You're knowledge of these jungles has taught you much about poisons and diseases, knowledge you use to grow your resistance to them.
You gain a +4 bonus to your Fortitude Save versus Poisons and Diseases.

Cosmopolitan Populace - No where in Faerun do cultures meet and mix as much as Waterdeep, the City of Splendors. Here, folk from all over Faerun come to engage in every activity under the sun, and even many best hidden from the light of day. It's also the leading trade city of the North, rivaled only on the Sea of Swords by lands far to the South, such as Amn. This has led to the city becoming the most cosmopolitan place in Faerun.
You gain a +2 bonus to any skill of your choice, and this skill is now always considered a class skill for you.

Daggers of Westgate – The foremost city of the Dragon Coast, Westgate is a city of gold and lies, where anything is for sale, including your life. It's position as a center of trade and adventure draws many travelers, but the wise keep their dagger handy, their wits sharp, and never expose their back, even to a friend.
You gain Sneak Attack +1d6 and a +2 bonus to the Sense Motive skill. If you already have a Sneak Attack from a different source, this bonus stacks.

Dreams of Peace – The Silver Marches are an alliance founded on cooperation, unity, and a hope for a better future. Here, humans, elves, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes live and work together, united in defense of each other and their lands. The center of all this is Silverymoon, a city of learning and magic, the North's beacon of hope where all goodly peoples are welcome, spreading understanding of the other races.
You gain a +2 bonus to the Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Sense Motive skills. In addition, you learn one of the following languages: Illuskan, Chondathian, Tethyrian, Elven, Dwarven, Halfing, Gnome.

Dwarven Defense – Dwarves live across, and under, the length and breadth of Faerun, but no where are they as numerous as the Great Rift. Unlike their Shield Dwarf cousins in the North, the Gold Dwarves of the rift have maintained their unity and their numbers, representing a dwarven culture that hasn't been on the edge of survival for centuries. This doesn't mean that they don't fight for what's there's of course; they are dwarves after all.
You gain a +1 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Knowledge: Architecture and Engineering; you also learn to speak Dwarven.

Eastern Magic – The East of Faerun is a land apart from the central Heartlands. The dominant feature of these lands are the powerful mages; the Witches of Rashemen, the With-Queen of Aglarond, the powerful druids of the Great Dale, and the Red Wizards of Thay. Especially in Thay, knowledge of magic, and how to defend oneself from it, is the difference between slavery and death or survival.
You gain a +2 bonus on saves versus spells and a +2 bonus to the Knowledge: Arcana skill.

Elven Grace – Since the retreat, Evermeet has become the home of the majority of Faerun's Elves. This island nation, inhabited solely by surface elves of all types, is a shining example of the glories of the elven people; glories lost to the march of time, and humanity, on the mainland.
You gain a +1 bonus to your Reflex Save and a +2 bonus to the Knowledge: Nobility and Royalty skill; you also learn to speak Elven.

Forest Walker – The folk of The Dalelands walk among the mighty forest of Cormanthor, bound by a centuries old compact to preserve and respect the ancient woods. As a result, almost all of these hardy folk learn some measure of skill as foresters from a young age.
You no longer suffer penalties to movement through forest terrain and underbrush and gain a +2 bonus to the Survival skill.

Frontier Spirit – Faerun has become progressively more settled over the centuries, but parts still defy the march of civilization and dreams of empire. The Western Heartlands are known for this, with small settlements and city states existing in among untamed wilderness. Countless ruins dot the land, remnants of failed kingdoms and empires of the past. These factors have led in to a land full of self-sufficient farmers and traders, always willing to greet you with a smile, secure in the knowledge that they can handle whatever challenge you provide.
You gain a +1 bonus to your Will Save and a +2 bonus to the Knowledge: History skill.

Halruaan Arcana - In Halruaa, magic is the most important measure of position. Most of the population can cast at least a few bare cantrips, and mighty wizards rule and study here. In this land of magic, even the humblest of folk can receive training in the Art.
You may activate spell trigger items as if you had 1 level of Wizard; you also gain a +2 bonus to the Knowledge: Arcana skill.

Honor of Tethyr – The Kingdom of Tethyr is known for three things: the fine craftsmanship of it's people, the nobles and knights who live in this feudal nation, and the strife which always seems to plague this land. The most recent example of this strife was a generation long civil war, only recently brought to an end after hundreds of thousands of deaths.
You gain the Weapon Focus (Longsword) or Weapon Focus (Lance) feat and a +2 bonus to a Craft skill of your choice.

Icy Endurance - The lands beyond the Spine of the World are harsh beyond belief. Known as the Frozenfar, they're a frozen wasteland that puts even the great desert of Anarouch to shame for sheer desolation. Yet even here, people make their homes and survive. Icewind Dale is the best known inhabited area, famous for it's harshness, scrimshaw, and heroes.
You gain +10 Resistance to Cold and are no longer affected by cold temperatures, as per the Endure Elements spell.

Island Hopping – The Island Kingdoms, scattered up and down the west coast of Faerun, are as diverse a group of nations as you'll find in the realms; the inventors land of Lantan, the pirate lairs of Nelanther, and the wild lands of Moonshae share only one thing in common: the sea. To travel from these islands is to put your fate at the mercy of wind and wave.
You gain a swim speed equal to one-half your land speed and a + 2 bonus to the Profession: Sailor skill.

Life in the Shadows – As famous as Amn is for it's love of wealth, they are perhaps better known as the home of the Shadow Thieves. Possibly the premier thieves guild in Faerun, this band of rogues and assassins operates not simply as criminals, but as a secret police, maintaining the power of Amn's elite through it's work in the shadows.
You gain a +4 bonus to the Hide and Move Silently skills.

Lurien Cooperation - The Halflings of Lurien, or Hin as they call themselves, are some of the finest, most helpful folks you'll find in the realms. They live their peaceful lives in a constant state of movement and change, nomads one moment, city dwellers the next. The truest constant among them is their willingness to pitch in and lend a hand to polite folk who ask.
When using the Aid Another action, you add a bonus of +4 instead of +2 to the person you're aiding; you also learn to speak Halfling.

Merchant Savvy – Other realms may be richer and conduct more trade, but nowhere is trade as important as the land of Sembia. Here, bargaining is raised to an art form, and a bargain made is a bargain kept. Many Sembians are shrewd merchants, but even simple farmers learn how to get the most for their wares.
When selling an item, the base amount you receive is 60% of the value; you also gain a +2 bonus to the Appraise skill.

Moonsea Ruthlessness - The city states that surround the Moonsea are perhaps the most openly wicked lands of Faerun, filled with hard folk, ruled by ruthless tyrants. Zhentil Keep, home of the Zhentarim Brotherhood, is here, locked in in a struggle for dominance with cities no less pitiless, though perhaps less cruel. To survive in this land requires a certain ruthlessness from even the best of folks.
You gain a +4 bonus to the Diplomacy skill when dealing with Evil creatures and a +1 to saves versus Death Effects and Level Drain.

Race the Sun – The Shaar is a massive grassland that stretches across southeast Faerun. Populated only by monsters and roving nomads, it's a place of vast distances and endless horizons, a land where you could travel alone for days, never seeing another human.
You gain a +10 feet bonus to your land speed and a +2 bonus to Constitution checks to continue running and avoid non-lethal damage from a forced march. The bonus to movement speed stacks with bonuses from other sources.

Resolve of the Cold Lands – Great wealth lies in the mountains of Damara and Vaasa, side by side with great danger. The recent demise of the Witch King has only alleviated the danger; the folk of the Cold Lands must still stand fast against evil to pry wealth from these lands.
You are Immune to Fear and gain a +2 bonus to the Appraise skill.

Riding the Storm – The Hordelands is a place of fierce weather and fiercer people. The Tugian Nomads once threatened all of Faerun from astride their swift horses. Defeated and driven back to their steppes, these proud folk are still the greatest horsemen in the realms, with a skill at riding that puts noble knights to shame.
Your mount gains +10 feet bonus to movement and you gain a +2 bonus to the Ride skill. The bonus to movement speed stacks with bonuses from other sources.

Shifting Fortunes – The cities around the Lake of Steam are used to foreign conquerors. Great heroes or nations stride onto the stage of history, declaiming their rule and greatness, and are pushed aside by the next group. Throughout, the regular folk of the land endure. This has led to an appreciation of how ones fortune can change, in the blink of an eye.
You gain the Change of Fortune ability. This allows you, once per day, to re-roll any attack, save, or skill check you have just rolled. You must choose to use this ability before you know the result of the first roll. You must accept the result of the second roll, even if it is worse then the first roll.

Sunless Lands – Many would prefer to never think of the Underdark, much less enter that massive network of caves and tunnels. Experienced travelers know that there is frequently no choice but to traverse those winding tunnels, and brave explorers seek to unearth the secrets hidden under the earth. Some of these develop near magical senses to compensate for the lack of light.
You gain Blindsense out to 60 feet.

The Purple Dragons – The Purple Dragons are the army of Cormyr, the Forest Kingdom. They are among the greatest knights in the realms, trained, and trained well, in the art of war and battle. Despite their recent devastating losses against the Devil Dragon, they will continue to defend Cormyr to the last.
You gain the Mounted Combat feat and a +2 bonus to the Diplomacy skill. If you already have the Mounted Combat feat, you may choose any feat for which Mounted Combat is a prerequisite that you qualify for.

Two Worlds – Calimshan is an ancient land, filled with age old custom and great riches, ruled by intrigue. Under the light of day, this land is ruled by the emperor and the pashas, dominated by the merchants that pack the streets. In the darkness of night, the masters of thieves guilds and assassins reign. Unsurprisingly, many of these are one and the same.
You gain a +2 bonus to the Bluff, Gather Information, and Intimidate skills. In addition, you learn Alzhedo and one other language of your choice.

Uthgardt Battle Training – The North may boast grand cities such as Waterdeep, Silverymoon, and Neverwinter, but it's the Savage Frontier that dominates this part of Faerun. It is a cold, harsh land, stalked by orcs, giants, and dragons; these are stalked in turn by the Uthgardt. Proud barbarian warriors of the North, the Uthgardt are nomads who live for battle, especially against their hated foe the orcs.
You gain a +1 bonus to Fortitude Saves and the Favored Enemy: Orc ability.


Local Knowledge : As the Realmswalker travels Faerun and studies the peoples he meets, his knowledge and understanding of them increases. For each Realmslore the Realmswalker has selected, he gets a +1 bonus on all Diplomacy, Knowledge, Sense Motive, and Survival checks about that region or it's people. At level 5, this bonus improves to +2, and at level 10, it improves to +3. The Realmslore bonuses and their respective regions are given below.

Ancient Faith – Mulhorand, Unther.
Bedine Desert Dwelling – Anarouch.
Berserker Toughness – Rashemen.
Blooded in the Reach – Chondath, Sespech, Turmish, The Vilhon Reach.
Chessentan Battle Training – Chessenta.
Chultan Resistance – Chult, Chultan Peninsula, Tashalar.
Cosmopolitan Populace – Waterdeep.
Daggers of Westgate – Dragon Coast.
Dreams of Peace – Silver Marches.
Dwarven Defense – The Great Rift, Dwarves.
Eastern Magic – Aglarond, Thay, The Great Dale, Thesk.
Elven Grace – Evermeet, Elves.
Frontier Spirit – Western Heartlands.
Forest Walker – The Dalelands, Cormanthor.
Halruaan Arcana – Halruaa.
Honor of Tethyr – Tethyr.
Icy Endurance – Icewind Dale, Frozenfar.
Island Hopping – Lantan, Moonshae Isles, Nelanther Isles, Nimbral, Ruathym.
Life in the Shadows – Amn.
Lurien Cooperation – Lurien, Halflings.
Merchant Savvy – Sembia.
Moonsea Ruthlessness – The Moonsea.
Race the Sun – The Shaar.
Resolve of the Cold Lands – Damara, Vaasa.
Riding the Storm – The Hordelands.
Shifting Fortunes – The Lake of Steam.
Sunless Lands – The Underdark.
The Purple Dragons – Cormyr.
Two Worlds – Calimshan.
Uthgardt Battle Training – The Savage Frontier.


Navigator : Traveling among the realms can be difficult; maps are not always available, and navigational tools do not always function correctly. This doesn't deter the Realmswalker; instead, to compensate, he develops an almost magical sense of direction. Beginning at 1st level, the Realmswalker can cast Know Direction at will, as per the spell. At 5th level, the Realmswalker can no longer become lost; he always knows exactly where he is.

Note: I had a nice Level Progression table, but the forum didn't like it, and I don't want to remake it. So here's the base:
Base Attack Bonus: +1/Level
Fort Save: Good
Ref Save: Good or Poor (undecided)
Will Save: Poor
Spells Per Day: Starts out at 1 first, never gets above 3 for any level.

Realmswalker Spell List

The Realmswalker doesn't get a wide selection of spells. The ones he gets concentrate on improved moment and some divinations to aid him in his travels.

Level 1 – Accelerated Movement, Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Detect Snares and Pits, Expeditious Retreat, Longstrider, Surefoot, Traveler's Mount.

Level 2 – Easy Trail, Find Traps, Lively Step, Locate Object, Snowshoes, Spider Climb, Surefooted Stride, Swim.

Level 3 – Analyze Portal, Haste, Lay of the Land, Safe Clearing, Tongues, Water Breathing, Water Walk.

Level 4 – Air Walk, Mass Snowshoes, Mass Surefooted Stride, Mass Swim, Treasure Scent.

Notes

- The spell list is taken from the Player's Handbook and the Spell Compendium. I was going to take spells from the Players Guide to Faerun and Magic of Faerun as well, but it turns out that all the relevant ones were already reprinted in the Spell Compendium.