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melchizedek
2007-02-18, 06:22 PM
Note: This is the first class I have designed. The class isn't fully finished. I think it needs more class abilities at higher levels. Unfortunately, I can't think of any. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Also, I'd like to hear what people think. Is it balanced? Is it even useful? Thanks for your input.

Subduers are those who focus on leaving their enemies alive. They usually are more interested in capturing or restraining the enemies than in killing them. Sometimes this is so that they can be brought back for trial; other times it is so that they can be sold into slavery; sometimes it is just to make them easier to rob.

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d10

Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), Use Rope (Dex)
Skills Points: 4 + Int modifier

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

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Improved Nonlethal Strike, Ideal Strike

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Hold Person (1/day)

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Improved Grapple

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Endurance

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Observant Interaction

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+2|Hold Person (2/day)

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+2|Improved Knotsmith

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+2|Stabilize Other

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+3|Staggering Strike

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+3|Hold Person (3/day)

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+3|Hogtie

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+4|Diehard

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+4|Expert Knotsmith

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+4|Hold Person (4/day)

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+5

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+5|

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+6|Hold Person (5/Day)

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+6|

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+6|[/table]

Weapon/Armor Proficiency: The Subduer is proficient with all light and medium armor, with shields (except tower shields,) and with the following weapons: Light Mace, Club, Heavy Mace, Morningstar, Quarterstaff, Sling, Light Hammer, Sap, Flail, Warhammer, Greatclub, Heavy Flail, Whip, Bolas, and Net. A Subduer wearing heavy armor loses access to several of his class abilities.

Improved Nonlethal Strike: A first level Subduer may choose to deal nonlethal damage with any Bludgeoning weapon without penalty. He may deal nonlethal damage with any slashing weapon at a -2 penalty on his attack role. A piercing weapon retains its usual -4 penalty on attack roles. A weapon that does both Bludgeoning and Piercing damage takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls. A Subduer wearing heavy Armor may not use this ability.

Ideal Strike: A Subduer is highly skilled in observing the ideal place to strike a target for the most nonlethal damage. When a Subduer hits an opponent doing nonlethal damage he may add his Wisdom modifier as a bonus to his damage. This modifier stacks with the bonus from his Strength modifier. A Subduer wearing heavy armor may not use this ability.

Hold Person (Sp): At second level, a Subduer may use Hold Person, as the spell, once per day. This increases by one time per day every four levels, reaching five times per day at eighteenth level. The spell lasts a number of rounds equal to one half the Subduer’s level plus his Wisdom modifier. The difficulty class to resist the spell is 12 plus the Subduer’s Wisdom modifier. A Subduer wearing heavy armor may not use this ability.

Improved Grapple: At third level, the Subduer gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat even if he does not qualify for the feat.

Endurance: At fourth leve,l the Subduer gains Endurance as a bonus feat.

Observant Interaction: The Subduer notices things about people that most people don't usually notice. Starting at fifth level, he can effectively use these to his advantage when interacting with others. When using the Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Intimidate skills, the Subduer may use Wisdom as the governing atribute.

Improved Knotsmith: The Subduer is used to using ropes to tie up his opponents. At seventh level, when making a Use Rope check to tie someone up, the Subduer gains a +2 competence bonus on the check.

Stabilize Other (Ex): At eight level, Subduer has gained experience in preventing his targets from dying. This often requires treating those who are on the verge of death. A Subduer may stabilize anyone who is dying. This ability is used in the same way as the heal skill would be, but it always succeed without a check.

Staggering Strike (Ex): Starting at ninth level, the Subduer may make a Staggering Strike a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier. The Subduer must combine a Staggering Strike with an attack dealing nonlethal damage. He must declare the use of the ability before he makes the attack. If the attack misses, the ability is wasted. If the attack succeeds, the target is treated as if it were staggered. This ability lasts a number of rounds equal to the Subduer’s Wisdom modifier, or until the target is the subject of a DC 15 Heal check or any magical healing that restores at least one point. A Subduer wearing heavy armor may not use this ability.

Hog-Tie: When a Subduer of eleventh level or higher successfully pins an opponent while grappling he can attempt to hog-tie the opponent in addition to his other options. A Subduer must have rope, chain or manacles in one hand in order to use this ability. He may use this ability on a character up to one size category larger than he is. He may only use this ability against humanoid-shaped characters. An attempt to hog-tie is resolved with an opposed check. The Subduer may make a Use Rope check instead of a normal grapple check, while the opponent makes either a grapple check or an Escape Artist check. If the Subduer succeeds, the opponent is hog-tied. If the opponent succeeds the hog-tie attempt fails and the grapple continues. If the Subduer successfully hog-ties an opponent, that opponent is considered bound and helpless. A Subduer wearing heavy armor may not use this ability.

Diehard: At twelth level, the Subduer gains Diehard as a bonus feat.

Expert Knotsmith: At thirteenth level, the Subduer has become even more adept at tying up his opponents. The bonus granted by Improved Knotsmith is increased to a +4 bonus. The Subduer's knowledge of knots also gives him a +2 bonus on Escape Artist checks to escape when tied up using rope.

Tengu
2007-02-18, 06:33 PM
Do bullets count as bludgeoning weapons?

melchizedek
2007-02-18, 06:34 PM
Yes, sling bullets count as bludgeoning weapons.

Glooble Glistencrist
2007-02-19, 03:46 PM
Good start, and an interesting concept. My first thought is I'd try and come up with a little cooler sounding name - Merciful Master or something. Second critique is there are too many dead levels - no one is going to want to go all the way in a class where you don't really get anything new after level 13 (At least I wouldn't.)

melchizedek
2007-02-19, 04:18 PM
I like that name. I was trying to come up with something more interesting, but I couldn't think of anything. The dead levels were actually something I wanted help with. Can you think of any useful abilities for the higher levels?

Magi_Ring_O
2007-02-19, 05:31 PM
Maybe give him endurance and diehard as free feats- after knocking so many people out, he must have learned a bit about resisting his own combat style.

melchizedek
2007-02-20, 03:20 AM
Would an ability that allowed him to use a Coup de Grace to knock out an opponent be useful?

Caelestion
2007-02-20, 09:35 AM
How about "Pugilist" or "Subduer"?

melchizedek
2007-02-20, 05:46 PM
I like the "Subduer." I've now changed the name. I also added Endurance at fourth level and Diehard at twelth level. I have a couple ideas for more abilities, but they still need some work. I'll post them when I finish them.