Homebrew request: Warrior of the Dawn

[emulord]

Hi there gitp! First post!

So I'm DMing a 3.5e game in a few weeks and I want a NPC faction to interact with the PCs

Basics: Warrior of the Dawn
LG Paladin PRC
Abilities: When they're in sunlight/Daylight very difficult to kill or incapacitate (ideas: fast healing, energy resistances, improved saves, auto-resurrect in 1d4+1 rounds, things like that)

Fluff: They march out at dawn to kill evil and return in the afternoon. Generally secretive, but Neutral and Good societies tend to let them act without interference. The PCs might need their help, and they might need the PCs help if its night. In areas where they keep the peace, daytime is much safer than nighttime.

I'm looking for it to be balanced in case a PC wants to join later and so I'm not just making up stats. Can someone help?

[Jormengand]

Sure. Consider it a thing that is happening.

I need to go in like twenty minutes, tops, but even if I can't do it now it'll probably be tomorrow morning.

[Just to Browse]

You'll probably get more views if you try the Request a Homebrew thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?219438-Request-a-Homebrew-Thread-2!). If Jorm changes his mind I can do it quick. If you'd like, it can be a paladin variant class or a feat instead of a prestige class -- the only reason I suggest it is because your desired scope is fairly restrictive for a prestige class. Having a character spend several levels on a tactic that only works 50% of the time (and possibly not indoors) isn't usually a good thing.

[Seerow]

You'll probably get more views if you try the Request a Homebrew thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?219438-Request-a-Homebrew-Thread-2!). If Jorm changes his mind I can do it quick. If you'd like, it can be a paladin variant class or a feat instead of a prestige class -- the only reason I suggest it is because your desired scope is fairly restrictive for a prestige class. Having a character spend several levels on a tactic that only works 50% of the time (and possibly not indoors) isn't usually a good thing.

Actually it sounds like something to replace Special Mount with. It suffers the same drawbacks more or less in terms of where it is useful, and you could template it against the progression path the Divine Spirit ACF uses.

[Jormengand]

Well, here goes nothing:


Warrior of the Dawn
LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
Spellcasting
1st+1+2+0+2Aura of Light
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
2nd+2+3+0+3Photosynthesis
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
3rd+3+3+1+3Grace of the Light
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
4th+4+4+1+4Speed of Light
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
5th+5+4+1+4Illumination
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
6th+6+5+2+5Flares
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
7th+7+5+2+5Improved Photosynthesis
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
8th+8+6+2+6Sunburst
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
9th+9+6+3+6Blinding Glory
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting
10th+10+7+3+7Dying of the Light
+1 level of Paladin spellcasting

Prerequisites: Special mount class feature.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Hit Die: 1d10

Class Skills:
The warrior of the dawn’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

Weapon and Armour proficiency
The warrior of the dawn gains no proficiency with any weapons or armour.

Spellcasting
The warrior of the dawn improves her caster level, spells per day and other spellcasting-related variables at each level as though she had taken a level as a paladin. She also adds the following spells to her spell list:

1st: Light
3rd: Searing Light

Further, she adds her paladin and warrior of the dawn levels together to determine her special mount's abilities. Other abilities, such as turn undead and smite evil, are not advanced in this manner.

Also, it is possible to multiclass freely between warrior of the dawn and paladin, should she desire to do so.

Aura of Light (Su)
The warrior of the dawn can never quite be in total darkness. She sheds an area of shadowy illumination with a 20 ft radius about her if the light conditions aren't already greater.

The Aura of Light won't work in darkness effects unless the warrior of the dawn's level is at least double the spell level.

Photosynthesis (Su)
From second level the warrior of the dawn has fast healing equal to her level while in a properly-lit area.

Grace of the Light (Su)
From third level, the warrior of the dawn doubles her save bonuses from Divine grace when in a well-lit area.

Speed of Light (Su)
From fourth level, the warrior of the dawn is under a constant haste effect (CL equal to her character level) while in a well-lit area. Even if it is dispelled, it instantly reinstates itself so long as the lighting is bright enough; it ends when the light is gone.

Illumination (Su)
From fifth level, the warrior of the dawn gains a greater understanding of nearly everything, to the effect that while in a well-lit area, she gets a bonus equal to her class level on all skill checks.

Flares (Su)
At sixth level, the warrior of the dawn can fire a number of flares per day equal to 3, plus her charisma modifier. She can fire a flare in lieu of an attack - meaning that she can charge at no-one in particular with a melee weapon and then fire a flare afterwards. Anyone thereby struck not only takes 1 point of fire damage per level, but also shed bright light 10 feet about them and shadowy illumination a further 10 feet about them, for 1 round per level. This allows a warrior of the dawn in combat with them to use her special abilities.

Using a flare on her ally or an innocent in order to gain a tactical advantage is against the warrior of the dawn's code of conduct, and they are useless on herself.

Improved Photosynthesis
From seventh level, the warrior of the dawn benefits from photosynthesis even while only in shadowy illumination (such as that of her own aura of light); if she has proper light she heals twice as fast.

Sunburst (Sp)
A warrior of the dawn of at least eighth level can use sunburst once per day as a spell-like ability.

Blinding Glory (Sp)
At ninth level, the warrior of the dawn can cast blinding glory (BoED) once per day as a spell-like ability.

Dying of the Light (Su)
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

If the warrior of the dawn would die, if she is in bright light, she doesn't. Instead, she draws forth all the light around her into her own body, removing the effects of any negative conditions and restoring her to full health. However, this completely removes all light for 1 mile around her, and prevents any more than shadowy illumination entering the area for 1 hour. Light sources wholly within range are extinguished.

Assuming she can escape the area of darkness, there is no limit to how often she can use this ability, but while she will only fall by using this ability deliberately and obtusely (Dying to cause darkness across the land is both deliberate and obtuse, but not dying to cure her day-long nauseated condition), it is probably not something that she enjoys doing.

Code of conduct
A warrior of the dawn who uses her Dying of the Light ability deliberately and obtusely, or who fires flares at her allies or innocents for her tactical advantage, or breaks her paladin code of conduct, loses both her warrior of the dawn and her paladin abilities, which are restorable in the normal manner that a paladin might do so.

She is free to take levels in both classes until she takes a level in another class which does not allow a similar manner of multiclassing with paladins. When determining whether or not she can multiclass out of paladin, warrior of the dawn levels are treated as paladin levels.

[emulord]

Thanks! This looks good. Their toughness really ramps up if you take a few levels in it. Light spell allows pretty great self-buffing. Im glad that you made it have lvl 6 as a entry point, I'm looking for lower leveled paladins needing assistance.
Levels 4 and 5, just wow, should be tempting for a PC to take :). ECL 11, Perfect power point for most campaigns lol

Seerow, I can't find a link to the Divine Spirit ACF. Can you post or link it?

[Solaris]

That's a really cool class, Jormengand. Nice work. My favorite part of it is the speed of light ability.

[Jormengand]

That's a really cool class, Jormengand. Nice work. My favorite part of it is the speed of light ability.

Whee, thanks. I don't usually do PrCs (I (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332782) may (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=332972) possibly (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?334130-Base-Prestige-classes-(Assassin)&p=17087974#post17087974) have (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=335955) a (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=336538) pretty (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=336159) big (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=336737) hate-on (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=336743) for (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=337159) PrCs (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=337176) in (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=337181) any (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?338566-Base-Prestige-classes-(Cosmic-Descryer)) case. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?351287-Base-prestige-classes-(The-Divine-Emissary))) but I'm glad you liked it. :smalltongue:

[Just to Browse]

This (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a) is the divine spirit ACF. Instead of getting mount abilities, you get to summon spirits which act as power-ups.

I agree with Seerow that the mount-replacement is probably best, but personal preference goes a long ways in this game so you may like a PrC more.