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Codemus
2012-07-22, 05:26 PM
The Gloom Blade

Its never just the darkness that makes people afraid, its what it could be hiding that is the real terror.


Entry Requirements:
Alignment: Any Nongood
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Hide and Move Silently 5 ranks


Hit Die
d8.

Class Skills
The Blade's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (str), Craft (int), Disguise (cha), Gather Information (cha), Hide (dex) Intimidate (cha), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (dex), Profession (wis), Ride (dex), Swim (str).

Skill Points
4 + Int modifier.


{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1|+1|+0|+2|+0| Aura of Gloom, Stealthy
2|+2|+0|+3|+0| Blade in the Dark, Sneak Attack +1d6
3|+3|+1|+3|+1| Greater Aura of Gloom, Superior Senses
4|+4|+1|+4|+1| Blade in the Dark, Sneak Attack +2d6
5|+5|+1|+4|+1|Grand Aura of Gloom, Supernatural Senses[/table]

Aura of Gloom (Sp): The lynchpin of a Blade’s martial prowess, the unique power that their combat style depends upon. The aura can easily strike fear in those who understand what the approaching darkness entails. As a swift action usable (Con modifier + Class level) times per day, the Blade can project an Aura of Gloom. This counts exactly like the Darkness spell centered on himself, with a caster level equal to his Class level. The Blade's vision is not impeded by his own aura, and while within the aura the Blade gains both Darkvision and Low-Light vision out to the edge of the aura.

Stealthy: The Blade gains Skill Focus (Hide) and (Move Silently) as bonus feats.

Blade in the Dark (Ex): While in complete darkness, the Blade gains a +2 morale bonus to his AC and attack rolls. This bonus increases by an additional +2 at 4th level.

Sneak Attack (Ex): As the Rogue ability. Stacks with any sneak attack damage the Blade already has.

Superior Senses (Ex): Through rigorous training and a touch of magic, the Blade mystically enhances his senses. His five senses cannot be impeded in any way. This means he is immune to spells/powers such as Blindness/Deafness and other similar effects. However, this does not extent to effects such as illusions and spells/powers such as Synesthete (which only swap around the senses, not cutting them off).

Greater Aura of Gloom (Su): The aura now counts as Deeper Darkness (though it retains Darkness's duration). In addition, the Blade now treats any magical darkness as if it were his own aura (his vision is un-impeded, he is treated as having darkvision and low-light vision, ect.).

Supernatural Senses (Ex): The Blade‘s senses have grown sharp enough to perceive minute changes within his aura. While he is projecting his aura, the Blade gains Blindsense with a range equal to his aura.

Grand Aura of Gloom (Ex): The aura now grants Total Concealment (a 50% miss chance). Additionally, the area within the aura now actively dulls the senses of other creatures. Creatures other than the Blade within the aura recieve a -5 penalty to Listen skill checks, and any extraordinary or supernatural sensory abilities (such as Smell, Blind sight, Blindsense, Tremorsense, and lifesight) do not work within the boundaries the Blade's aura.

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All right, I've been kicking this idea around for a while, and now I have finally put pen to proverbial paper and posted it. Tell me what you think, is it any good? Perhaps too good with that sneak attack? Maybe I should drop the sneak attack and throw some other gimmick in there.

NeoSeraphi
2012-07-22, 06:07 PM
As written, Grand Aura of Gloom negates a devil's See in Deeper Darkness (Su) ability, which strikes me as odd, as that ability should be able to counter this class quite effectively (it's different than Blindsight, Tremorsense and the others because See in Deeper Darkness is designed specifically to counter deeper darkness and because unlike the other sensory abilities, it just lets you see completely normally in deeper darkness rather than relying on scent or hearing because you can't see).

Codemus
2012-07-22, 06:40 PM
As written, Grand Aura of Gloom negates a devil's See in Deeper Darkness (Su) ability, which strikes me as odd, as that ability should be able to counter this class quite effectively (it's different than Blindsight, Tremorsense and the others because See in Deeper Darkness is designed specifically to counter deeper darkness and because unlike the other sensory abilities, it just lets you see completely normally in deeper darkness rather than relying on scent or hearing because you can't see).

I am fine with this. I didn't think about devil's ability to see in magical darkness when I wrote the power, but thats okay because it still has the intended effect.

I guess you could say its some new spell or something, and not actualy Deeper Darkness. Super Ultra Darkness. Darkness from the Plane of Darkness (no relation to the Plane of Shadow, its darker than that). :smallbiggrin:

nonsi
2012-07-23, 01:38 AM
Since it doesn't seem thematically appropriate for darkness to ever impede a Gloom Blade, I'd add the clause that a Gloom Blade can benefit from eyesight within his Aura of Gloom regardless of the actual lighting conditions.
I'd also make Greater Aura of Gloom modify any magical darkness to act like Aura of Gloom.
Finally, I'd label Grand Aura of Gloom (Ex), so that it'll no longer be susceptible to dispelling and A-M.

Codemus
2012-07-23, 07:18 AM
Since it doesn't seem thematically appropriate for darkness to ever impede a Gloom Blade, I'd add the clause that a Gloom Blade can benefit from eyesight within his Aura of Gloom regardless of the actual lighting conditions.

Hey, nice call. I can tack that on right at the end, like:


The Blade's vision is not impeded by his own aura, and while within the aura the Blade gains both Darkvision and Low-Light vision out to the edge of the aura.


I'd also make Greater Aura of Gloom modify any magical darkness to act like Aura of Gloom.

Hmm.. do you mean if the Blade comes into contact with any other magical darkness, then he gains the benefits as if it were his own aura? That makes a certain amount of sense. I think I'll tack on at the end of Greater AoG:


In addition, the Blade now treats any magical darkness as if it were his own aura (his vision is un-impeded, he is treated as having darkvision and low-light vision, ect.).


Finally, I'd label Grand Aura of Gloom (Ex), so that it'll no longer be susceptible to dispelling and A-M.

Yeah, I haven't gotten around to adding nomenclature to the abilities. I'll be sure to throw that on when I get around too it. It will probably build up as well, starting at Spell Like, then Supernatural, and finally Extraordinary.