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Seraph
2007-02-03, 12:19 PM
Not all of life is happy. many people suffer tragedies. Some are shattered. Some come out of it sronger than before. Others take the hate and anger resulting from the tragedy and channel it to hurt those who stand for all that hurt them. such are Dark Knights, masters of combat who have foxcused cold rage into combat and magical prowess.


Prerequisites:

Alignment: Any Non-good
BAB: +8
Feats: Weapon Specialization in any two-handed Weapon, Power Attack
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 6 Ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks
Special: Must have suffered a personal crisis and subsequently shifted one step towards Evil


Dark Knight
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Darksider|0

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Reckless Assault|1

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Aura of Fear|2|0

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Quivering Weapon|3|1

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Dark Wave|3|2|0

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|Drain 1/Day|3|3|1

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Dark Burst|3|3|2|0

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Drain 2/day|3|3|3|1

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Soul Eater|3|3|3|2

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Drain 3/day, Feedback|3|3|3|3[/table]
Hit Die: D10

Class Skills

skill points per level: 2 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Spellcraft (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Concentration (Con), Decipher Script (int)



Class Features:


Spellcasting: a Dark Knight studies the Arcane, and learns to cast arcane spells at 2nd level. The Dark Knight uses Intelligence as his dependent skill for spellcasting, and learns and prepares spells in the manner of a wizard. However, they may only learn and cast spells from the Evocation and Necromancy schools.

Darksider (Su): The Dark Knight has learned how to turn their own life energy into entropic power, and can use their own life force to power a melee attack. As a Standard Action, the Dark Knight may make a single Melee attack against an enemy. This does damage as normal, plus 2d8+con Entropic damage. In return, the Dark Knight takes 2d6 untyped damage that cannot be negated in any way, including damage reduction. The Entropic damage bonus increases by 1d8+ 1/2 Con bonus (rounded down) every odd level, totaling as 6d8+3x Con bonus at 10th. at 5th level, the Dark Knight may add Dark Strike damage to a Power Attack.

Reckless Assault (Ex): a Dark Knight sometimes cares less for their own safety as they do for the death of the enemy. A Dark Knight may sacrifice AC for a bonus to attack rolls. The attack bonus is equal to the sacrificed AC, but cannot exceed the Dark Knight’s Class Levels.

Aura of Fear (Su): a Dark Knight exudes a kind of unsettling intensity that unbalances foes. Enemies with HD lower than the Dark Knight must make a Will Save (DC 10 + DK Class Level + CHA Mod) to attack the Dark Knight, though they may attack allies normally, as well as a Penalty to will saves equal to Half the Dark Knight's level. While Aura of Fear is active, the Dark Knight gains a +5 Morale Bonus to Intimidate Checks. Activating the Aura is a standard action, and it may be dispelled as a free action on the Dark Knight’s turn.

Quivering Weapon (Ex): the Dark Knight is familiar with the heft and balance of their chosen weapon to the point that they may make extremely delicate motions with it. Whenever the Dark Knight has their weapon in their hands, they do not suffer ASF when using spells they have learned as a Dark Knight. However, if the Dark Knight loses their weapon or it is destroyed, they must familiarize themselves with a new weapon before they may use this ability again. Adjusting to a weapon takes 1d4 days.

Dark Wave (Su): the Dark Knight gains even greater knowledge of Entropic energy as they gain power, and the Dark Wave is a perfect example. As a Full Round Action, the Dark Knight generates a 40’ cone of Entropic energy that deals Dark Strike damage to all enemies in the area. In return, the Dark Knight takes 4d6 unblockable damage.

Drain (Su): the Dark Knight can, eventually, harness life force that has recently been released, such as when someone is wounded. Once per day, when the Dark Knight makes a melee attack, the Dark Knight is healed an amount of HP equal to the damage dealt. The Dark Knight gains an additional use of this every other level after 6th, totaling at three uses at 10th.

Dark Burst (Su): the Dark Knight has learned a penultimate form of Life Force manipulation. As a full attack, the Dark Knight may release almost all of their life force in a burst of Entropic energy. The Dark Knight is reduced to 0 HP automatically, and all enemies within 50’ of the Dark Knight must make a fortitude save (DC 20 + DK Class Level + CON Mod) or die. all plantlife within the area of effect immediately withers and dies, and the area is affected as by an Unhallow spell for 24 hours. Passing the save means permanent loss of one level, which may only be restored via a wish or miracle, as well as 6d6 points of Entropic Damage.

Soul Eater (Su): the Dark Knight has become a magnet for the souls of those they have killed. Whenever a Dark Knight kills an enemy, the soul is absorbed by the Dark Knight, healing them 2 points of HP per HD of the slain enemy. Souls taken this way cannot be resurrected unless the Dark Knight frees them or the soul is removed via a wish spell. All collected souls are freed if the Dark Knight is killed. The Dark Knight gains a +1 bonus to damage rolls for every soul absorbed in the last 24 hours. the Soul Eater ability does not apply when using Dark Burst.

Feedback (Su): At the peak of a Dark Knight's power, they learn how to turn a creature's own life force against them. Once a week, as a Full round action, the Dark Knight may make a single melee attack against one opponent. if the attack connects, the foe must make a Will Save(DC=25+Dark Knight class levels+Cha mod). if they fail the save, they take damage as if they had rerolled their Hit Points (HD plus Con Mod for each HD). after this attack, the Dark Knight takes 6d6 Unblockable damage, and is treated as Fatigued for 1d8 rounds.



felt like taking this class out and polishing it up a bit. basically, the idea is to turn a character into a damage-dealing monster that kills anything in its way.

Rama_Lei
2007-02-03, 12:28 PM
You may want to change the entropic damage to +2d6, +3d6, and so on. I like it, though Aura of fear is a bit weak. Maybe a penalty to will saves?

Fizban
2007-02-03, 10:48 PM
I still think he takes too much damage from using the dark strike abilities. They aren't even that strong. One attack with some d8's, or some d8's in a cone? He tops out at 6d8 damage, and takes either 2d6 or 4d6 to do it? Not so hot.

Consider the Order of the Bow Initiate: it gets 1d8/2 levels, at range (though it is precision), and of course takes no damage. It's considered a weak class, because it doesn't deal enough damage to make up for the loss of full attack. The cone would be better, but a 10d6 fireball isn't all that hot, and he's only dealing 6d8, and hurting himself for an average of half that.

The capstone is kinda cool, but again too much sacrifice on the knights part. Wail of the banshee with a really bad negative level on a succesful save? Not worth it. Oh, it unhallows the place? Doesn't matter: if there's anything left to care about the unhallow penalties, you're a dead man and it doesn't matter.

I still like the idea, I still dislike the execution.

Seraph
2007-02-08, 03:22 PM
I still think he takes too much damage from using the dark strike abilities. They aren't even that strong. One attack with some d8's, or some d8's in a cone? He tops out at 6d8 damage, and takes either 2d6 or 4d6 to do it? Not so hot.

I guess I didn't make it clear. a Dark Knight only takes the 2d6 damage no matter how much Darksider damage they deal.

also, perhaps I'll up the DC on the capstone to mkake it more powerful.

elliott20
2007-02-08, 03:36 PM
the dark burst seems just a tad too dangerous to be even worth while. I can understand if the dark burst brings the dark knight down to 0 hitpoints where he is effectively incapacitated. But to -9? that's suicidal.

on the other hand, the soul eater thing, because you didn't name the conditions required to activate the soul eater power, means that he could dark burst, and use the soul eater ability at the same time, absorbing everybody on the battlefield.

And because you didn't name a bonus type that he recieves for absorbing the souls, that means they all stack. So god forbid you unleash one of these guys into a large skirmish with a bunch of weenies, he could dark burst, absorb, and for the next 24 hours his attack will be at a +30 or however many weenies he just took down with him in the blast.

Seraph
2007-02-08, 09:02 PM
The Soul Eater ability does not apply when using Dark Burst.

you missed that.

Fizban
2007-02-08, 09:42 PM
I guess I didn't make it clear. a Dark Knight only takes the 2d6 damage no matter how much Darksider damage they deal.

also, perhaps I'll up the DC on the capstone to mkake it more powerful.
I didn't say different. But dealing less damage than a weak class, costing yourself hp to do it, and being in melee combat is a combination that leads to death. Besides, even if it was usable at will with no damage to self, it would still be weak. Giving up full attacks is bad unless you're using a leap attacker build, and those builds can deal twice what the Dark Strike can put out easy.

Upping the DC for the capstone won't matter either. A natural 20 always succeds, and there are plenty of monsters with ridiculous enough saves to survive.

I have a new idea:
First, using Dark Strike deals 1 con burn (only heals naturally), and using the Dark Wave deals 2 con burn. Then, deal a whooole lot more damage with them. Like, deal con damage to the enemy. This way, the damage the dark knight takes always matters, and he's actually dealing significant damage to the enemy. The Dark Burst can still be a save or die, but it deals more con burn to the Knight.

Seraph
2007-02-22, 09:46 PM
made a few changes. it's still HP drain rather than con burn, as the point isn't to hobble them mid-combat - they're meant to get in the middle of fighting and suck up healing as fast as the can burn Hit points.

Fizban
2007-02-22, 10:23 PM
I still think it takes too much damage, but everything else is good. If you left off the extra damage to self based on con modifier I would be satisfied.