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Diovid
2013-08-10, 04:15 AM
Ritualist

Design background and points of improvement
It's sort of a combination of the Shaman (Oriental Adventures), the Spirit Shaman (Complete Divine) and the Ritualist (http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Ritualist).

Change log

August 12:

- Changed hit die from d4 to d6.
- Added Appraise, Heal, Listen and Spot as class skills.
- Changed skill points from 4+int to 6+int.
- Changed weapon proficiency to all simple weapons.
- Added the Summon Familiar and Spirit Lore abilities.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Ritualist's have the following game statistics.
Abilities: The Ritualist uses wisdom for spellcasting and charisma for some of his abilities. Constitution helps with staying alive and focusing on his spells.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: As cleric.
Starting Gold: As druid.

Ritualist Skills
The ritualist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis)

Skill Points at First Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Ritualist
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Chastice Spirits, Spirit Lore

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Detect Spirits

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Spirit Sight

4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Blessing of the Spirits

5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Summon Familiar

6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Ghost Warrior

7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Warding of the Spirits

8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|

9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Spirit Form (1/day)

10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Ghost Familiar

11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Recall Spirit

12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|

13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Exorcism

14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|

15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Spirit Form (2/day)

16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Weaken Spirits

17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Spirit Journey

18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|

19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Favored of the Spirits

20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Spirit Form (Unlimited)[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ritualist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The ritualist is proficient with all simple weapons. The ritualist is not proficient with armor nor with shields.

Spells
A ritualist casts divine spells, which are drawn from the ritualist spell list (see below). Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells, below. A ritualist must choose and prepare her spells in advance (see below).

To prepare or cast a spell, the ritualist must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a ritualist's spell is 10 + the spell level + the ritualist's Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a ritualist can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on the table below. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. She does not have access to any domain spells or granted powers, as a cleric does.

A ritualist prepares and casts spells the way a cleric does, though she cannot lose a prepared spell to cast a cure spell in its place. A ritualist may prepare and cast any spell on the ritualist spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A ritualist can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Chastise Spirits (Su)
A ritualist can use divine energy granted by her patrons in the spirit world to damage hostile spirits (see the What is a Spirit? sidebar).

Chastising spirits is a standard action that deals 1d6 damage/ritualist level to all spirits within 30 feet of the ritualist. The affected spirits get a Will save (DC 10 + ritualist + Cha modifier) for half damage.

When using this ability against incorporeal creatures, a ritualist does not have to roll the normal 50% miss chance—the effect hits the spirits automatically. A ritualist can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier.

At the DM's discretion this ability may be used to qualify for items, feats and prestige classes instead of Turn Undead.

Spirit Lore (Su)
The spirits whisper words of wisdom to the ritualist. This ability is identical to the bard's bardic knowledge class feature, using the ritualist's class level in place of the bard level.

Detect Spirits (Sp)
At will, a 2nd level ritualist can use detect spirits as a spell-like ability. It functions just like detect undead, except it detects creatures that are considered spirits.

Spirit Sight (Su)
A ritualist of 3rd level and above can see ethereal creatures (including spirits) as easily as he sees material creatures and objects. The ritualist can easily distinguish between ethereal creatures and material ones, because ethereal creatures appear translucent and indistinct.

Blessing of the Spirits (Sp)
Starting at 4th level, a ritualist can perform a special rite to gain a special blessing. The ritualist goes into a meditative state in which she travels to the spirit world. Performing the rite requires 10 minutes; the ritualist can only ward herself with this ability and cannot perform the rite for anyone else. The blessing functions just like protection from evil, except it protects against spirits and lasts until it is dismissed or dispelled. If this ability is dispelled, the ritualist can recreate it simply by taking 10 minutes to do so.

Familiar
At 5th level a ritualist can obtain a familiar in exactly the same manner as a sorcerer can, except that he applies the Ghost template to his familiar. If the ritualist gains access to an alternative familiar, such as through the Improved Familiar feat, it also gains the ghost template.

Ghost Warrior (Su)
Beginning at 6th level, a ritualist confers the ghost touch special ability (see Magic Weapon Special Ability Descriptions, page 223 of the Dungeon Master's Guide) to any weapon she holds for as long as she holds it. She also becomes resistant to the touch attacks of incorporeal creatures, and may use her normal Armor Class (not her touch AC) against any touch attack delivered by an incorporeal creature.

Warding of the Spirits (Sp)
Starting at 7th level, a ritualist can perform a special rite once per day to ward herself and her companions against hostile spirits. Performing the rite requires 1 minute. The warding lasts for 10 minutes per level and otherwise functions like magic circle against evil, except it protects against spirits.

Spirit Form (Su)
At 9th level and higher, a ritualist learns how to temporarily transform herself into a spirit. Once per day, as a standard action, she can make herself incorporeal for up to 1 minute.

While incorporeal, a ritualist gains all the advantages of the incorporeal subtype (see the Glossary of the Monster Manual), including immunity to all nonmagical attack forms, a 50% chance to ignore damage from any corporeal source, and the ability to enter or pass through solid objects. The ritualist loses any armor or natural armor bonus to AC, but gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum +1).

She has no Strength score against corporeal creatures or objects and cannot make physical attacks against them, but she gains the ability to make a melee touch attack (add the ritualist's Dexterity modifier to her attack roll) that deals 1d6 points of damage to a corporeal target. This effect is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

At 15th level and higher, a ritualist can use her spirit form twice per day.

At 20th level, the duration of this ability becomes infinite and there is no limit to the amount of times it can be used per day. Changing back from spirit form is a standard action.

Recall Spirit (Sp)
At 11th level, a ritualist gains the ability to call back the spirit of a dead creature before the spirit of the deceased has completely left the body. Once per week, she can reconnect a spirit to its body, restoring life to a recently deceased creature. The ability must be used within 1 round of the victim's death. This ability functions like raise dead, except that the raised creature receives no level loss, no thus may survive a blow that otherwise would have killed her. The rite's protection is discharged once it is triggered.

Exorcism (Su)
Starting at 13th level, as a full-round action, a ritualist can force a possessing creature or spirit out of the body it inhabits (for example, a ghost with the malevolence ability). To exorcise a possessing creature, she makes a class level check (also adding her Charisma modifier, if any), against a DC of 10 + the possessing creature's HD + its Charisma modifier (if any). If her result equals or exceeds the DC, she succeeds in forcing the possessor from the body, with the normal results based on its method of possession. A spirit so exorcised cannot attempt to possess the same victim for 24 hours.

Weaken Spirits (Su)
At 16th level and higher, a ritualist can choose to strip spirits of their defenses instead of damaging them with her chastise spirits ability. When a spirit is weakened, it loses its spell resistance and any damage reduction overcome by magic weapons, silver or cold iron weapons, and aligned weapons (but not damage reduction overcome by adamantine weapons or not overcome by anything). In addition, an incorporeal spirit loses its immunity to nonmagical attack, its 50% chance to ignore damage from corporeal sources, and its ability to move into or through objects.

To weaken spirits, a ritualist uses her chastise spirits ability but chooses to do less damage in exchange for weakening the spirits for a short time. For each 3d6 of chastise spirit damage the ritualist foregoes, the affected spirits are weakened for 1 round. For example, a 16th-level ritualist chastising two dread wraiths deals 16d6 points of damage to each dread wraith, but she could choose to deal 7d6 points of damage to each wraith and weaken them for 3 rounds. Spirits that make their Will save against the chastise spirits damage are unaffected by the weakening effect (but still take half the damage).

Spirit Journey (Sp)
A ritualist knows how to vanish bodily into the spirit world beginning at 17th level. This ability functions like the spell shadow walk, except that a ritualist can only transport herself. She need not use the ability in a shadowy area, and she travels through the Plane of Spirits, not the Plane of Shadows. A ritualist can use this ability once per day.

Favored of the Spirits (Sp)
At 19th level, a ritualist learns how to perform a special rite that guards her from death. Performing the rite requires 8 hours, and the ritualist must bargain away part of her life force, expending 1,000 experience points. The rite's effect lasts until it is dismissed or discharged.

While under the protection of this rite, a ritualist instantly receives the benefit of a heal spell (caster level equal to her ritualist level) if she is reduced to 0 hit points or lower or has any ability score reduced to 0. The ritualist receives the spell's effect immediately, even if reduced to —10 hit points or lower by an enemy attack, and thus may survive a blow that otherwise would have killed her. The rite's protection is discharged once it is triggered, and the ritualist must perform a new rite to use this ability again.


WHAT IS A SPIRIT?
Several of the ritualist’s abilities affect spirits. For purposes of the ritualist’s ability, a "spirit" includes any of the following creatures:
- All incorporeal creatures
- Creatures in astral form or with astral bodies (but not a creature physically present on the Astral Plane)


Ritualist's spells per day
{table=head]Spells Per Day
{table=head]Level | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
1st | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
2nd | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
3rd | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
4th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
5th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
6th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
7th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
8th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
9th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
10th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
11th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
12th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
13th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
14th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
15th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
16th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
17th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
18th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
19th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
20th | - | - | - | - | - | - | -
[/table][/table]

The ritualist's spell list


0
Deathwatch
Detect Ghost (Ghostwalk)
Detect Magic
Disrupt Ectoplasm (Ghostwalk)
Ghost Sound
Preserve Ectoplasm (Ghostwalk)
Read Magic

1
Create Ectoplasm (Ghostwalk)
Detect Incarnum (Magic of Incarnum)
Detect Vestige (Tome of Magic)
Ectoplasmic Armor (Libris Mortis)
Ghoul Light (Libris Mortis)
Ghost Light (Complete Arcane)
Pleasant Visage (Ghostwalk)
Protection from Incarnum (Magic of Incarnum)
Protection from Possession (Ghostwalk)
Trance (Oriental Adventures)

2
Ancestral Vengeance (Oriental Adventures)
Charm Person or Ghost (Ghostwalk)
Commune with Lesser Spirit (Complete Arcane)
Delay Manifestation (Ghostwalk)
Divest Essentia (Magic of Incarnum)
Ethereal Alarm (Ghostwalk)
Ghost Companion (Ghostwalk)
Ghost Lock (Ghostwalk)
Ghost Touch Armor (Libris Mortis)
Hail of Ectoplasm (Ghostwalk)
Invisibility to Spirits (Oriental Adventures)
Protection from Spirits (Oriental Adventures)
Soul Blight (Magic of Incarnum)

3
Corpse Candle (Oriental Adventures)
Deathlock (Ghostwalk)
Detect Curse (Oriental Adventures)
Dispel Magic
Ectoplasmic Decay (Ghostwalk)
Ectoplasmic Feedback (Libris Mortis)
Ectosplasmic Web (Ghostwalk)
Forced Incorporeality (Ghostwalk)
Forced Manifestation (Ghostwalk)
Ghost Lantern (Complete Mage)
Ghost Venom (Ghostwalk)
Hold Person or Ghost (Ghostwalk)
Incorporeal Enhancement (Libris Mortis)
Permeable Form (Libris Mortis)
Persuade to Manifest (Ghostwalk)
Possess Animal (Oriental Adventures)
Speak with Dead
Wall of Ectoplasm (Ghostwalk)
When Two Become One (Oriental Adventures)

4
Essentia Lock (Magic of Incarnum)
Ghost Bane Weapon (Ghostwalk)
Ghost Touch Weapon (Libris Mortis)
Proper State (Ghostwalk)
Raise Ghost (Ghostwalk)
Remove Curse
Spirit Ally, Lesser (Oriental Adventures)
Spirit Binding, Lesser (Complete Arcane)
Spiritual Advisor (Complete Champion)
Unshape Souldmeld (Magic of Incarnum)

5
Contact Other Plane
Commune with Greater Spirit (Complete Arcane)
Dispel Posession (Ghostwalk)
Haunt Shift (Libris Mortis)
Incorporeal Nova (Libris Mortis)
Leech Ghost Skill (Ghostwalk)
Magic Jar
Posess (Oriental Adventures)
Spirit Self (Complete Arcane)

6
Anti-Ectoplasm Shell (Ghostwalk)
Contingent Spell Lock (Ghostwalk)
Dominate Person or Ghost (Ghostwalk)
Dispel Magic, Greater
Dream Sight (Complete Divine)
Ethereal Jaunt
Ghost Trap (Libris Mortis)
Hindsight (Complete Adventurer)
Repel Ectoplasm (Ghostwalk)
Spirit Ally (Oriental Adventures)
Spirit Binding (Complete Arcane)
Spirit Needle (Oriental Adventures)
Wrathful Doom (Magic of Incarnum)

TKXapathy
2013-08-10, 05:26 AM
A few comments: Your spells per day table is incomplete. Your description of the Ritualist's spellcasting is a little confusing. Why not just state that they cast divine spells and need to prepare these spells? Also, is it only meant to have 6 spell levels? Because that does seem harsh for a class with such low BAB.

I'll reserve my other comments regarding the Ritualist's spellcasting after I can see its spell progression.

I like the class's flavour, but I can't help but feel like it is incredibly focused on dealing with spirits to the extent of ignoring all else. This is most apparent in the spell list, which is full of extremely situational spells.

I could see this class working in a campaign in which ghosts are central antagonists, but not anywhere else.

A way to fix this would be to include class features that use the spirit flavour but have more varied uses. For example, perhaps the Ritualist is able to call upon ancestral spirits to grant him bonuses to skill checks?

Diovid
2013-08-10, 05:56 AM
A few comments: Your spells per day table is incomplete.
Yes, because I wasn't sure what it should look like.


Your description of the Ritualist's spellcasting is a little confusing. Why not just state that they cast divine spells and need to prepare these spells?
You're right, changed.


Also, is it only meant to have 6 spell levels? Because that does seem harsh for a class with such low BAB.
I agree but, as explained in the spoiler, I had trouble finding enough 7th, 8th and 9th level spells. Suggestions on either spells or making it better as a bard-like class are welcome. Keep in mind though, that it's not aiming at being as good as tier 1 and tier 2 classes.


I like the class's flavour, but I can't help but feel like it is incredibly focused on dealing with spirits to the extent of ignoring all else. This is most apparent in the spell list, which is full of extremely situational spells.

I could see this class working in a campaign in which ghosts are central antagonists, but not anywhere else.

A way to fix this would be to include class features that use the spirit flavour but have more varied uses. For example, perhaps the Ritualist is able to call upon ancestral spirits to grant him bonuses to skill checks?
Agreed. Again, any suggestions are welcome, it's a Work In Progress for a reason. The skill bonus thing is a good idea, I'll think about it.

TKXapathy
2013-08-10, 06:35 AM
If you're having trouble with finding spells beyond 6th level, then perhaps giving the Ritualist a similar spell progression and BAB to the Bard would be a good idea.

One suggestion I do have is having a Ritual Magic class feature that allows it to make use of spirits for a variety of purposes, in much the same way as the Bardic Music class feature. Some possible uses could be:

- Calling upon ancestral spirits to grant an insight bonus to skill checks.
- Some combination of Clairvoyance and Speak With Dead.
- Summoning spirits to aid you.

Diovid
2013-08-12, 03:50 AM
Alright, I made the following changes:

- Changed hit die from d4 to d6.
- Added Appraise, Heal, Listen and Spot as class skills.
- Changed skill points from 4+int to 6+int.
- Changed weapon proficiency to all simple weapons.
- Added the Summon Familiar and Spirit Lore abilities.

What do you think?

Diovid
2013-08-13, 08:42 AM
No one else has anything to say about the ritualist?

Does anyone have any suggestions for the spells per day for example?