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NoseFeratu
2015-03-18, 10:00 PM
Inner Peace: The Mystic


http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zfB6rMGWQe4/0.jpg
This man doesn't have to lose it to demonstrate his superiority.


I have read over the Barbarian class several times, and survived the Tomb of Horrors as one. However, I think that a whole new class would have to be developed in order to capture a different kind of Barbarian-Well, actually not a Barbarian at all, but a master of emotion who is adept at shutting he world out as he achieves a higher form of consciousness. This, my good readers, is the Mystic.

Role: The Mystic is first and foremost a master of inner peace. He chooses what he feels, and in doing so can always keep calm, even in imminent danger. This trance makes him more resilient, as well as physically stronger. The Mystic is in a way the polar opposite of the eternally pissed-off Barbarian, but at the same time, bears an uncanny resemblance.

Alignment: Any nonchaotic.
Hit Die: d12.

Class Skills
The Mystic's class skills are as follows: Acrobatics, Climb, Craft, Knowledge (Any), Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Perception, Ride, Sense Motive, and Survival.
Skill Ranks per Level: 4+Int modifier.

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A Mystic is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, as well as shields (excluding tower shields).

Fast Movement: A Mystic's base speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. his benefit applies only when wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor, and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this before modifying the Mystic' speed because of any load carried or armor worn. This bonus stacks with all other bonuses to the Mystic's base speed.

Trance: Starting at 1st level, a mystic can enter a trance for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier. At each level after 1st, he can trance for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Constitution, such as those gained from trance and spells like bear's endurance, do not increase the total number of rounds that a mystic can trance per day. A mystic can enter a trance as a free action. The total number of rounds of trance per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive. While in trance, a mystic gains a +4 morale bonus to his Strength and Constitution, a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, as well as immunity to all emotion effects, save for morale bonuses. In addition, he takes a –2 penalty to his Charisma score, as well as a -2 penalty to Reflex saves. The increase to Constitution grants the mystic 2 hit points per Hit Dice, but these disappear when the trance ends and are not lost first like temporary hit points. While in trance, a mystic cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride). A mystic can end his trance as a free action and is fatigued after trance for a number of rounds equal to 2 times the number of rounds spent in the trance, as well as taking a -2 penalty to all Charisma-based checks for 10 minutes/round spent in trance. A mystic can enter a new trance while fatigued or exhausted, and may enter trance multiple times during a single encounter or combat. If a mystic falls unconscious, his trance immediately ends, placing him in peril of death.

Trance Powers: As a Mystic gains levels, he learns to use his trance in new ways. Starting at 2nd level, a Mystic gains a rage power. He gains another trance power for every two levels of Mystic attained after 2nd level. A Mystic gains the benefits of trance powers only while raging, and some of these powers require the barbarian to take an action first. Unless otherwise noted, a Mystic cannot select an individual power more than once. A Mystic may use any Barbarian Rage Powers in place of a Trance Power, so long as that power does not involve any emotion-based bonuses.

Uncanny Dodge: At 2nd level, a Mystic gains Uncanny Dodge, as the Barbarian ability.

Great Stamina: At 3rd level, a Mystic gains a +1 bonus on Fortitude saves, as well as any save against pain. This bonus increases by 1 at every three Mystic levels thereafter.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: At 5th level and higher, a Mystic gains Improved Uncanny Dodge, as the Barbarian ability.

AC Bonus: At 7th level, a Mystic adds a bonus equal to 1+ his Wisdom modifier to AC. This bonus increases by 1 at 10th, 13th, 16th, and 19th level.

Greater Trance: Starting at 11th level, the Mystic's Strength and Constitution bonuses from Trance increase to +6, and the bonus to Will saves increases to +3.

Eternal Mind: Starting at 14th level, a Mystic becomes immune to mind-affecting spells. This ability may be suppressed (and later resumed) as a move action.

Meditative Vigor: Starting at 17th level, the Mystic no longer becomes fatigued after a trance, nor does he take a Charisma penalty after his trance ends.

Serene Trance: At 20th level, the Mystic's Strength and Constitution bonuses from Trance increase to +8, and his bonus to Will saves increases to +4.

Ex-Mystics:
A mystic who becomes chaotic loses the ability to enter a trance, but retains all other class abilities. He can no longer gain levels in Mystic until he reverts to a nonchaotic alignment.


Image taken from the Dio's Holy Diver music video. I do not own.

Deepbluediver
2015-03-19, 10:17 AM
Still reading through the abilities, but my first reaction is that from the lore and description this sounds a lot more like a monk rather than a barbarian.

Edit: Yeah, it really just seems like a reflavored Barbarian. That's neither good nor bad, necessarily, it's just fairly straightforward. Pathfinder does this a lot with the Archetypes.

NoseFeratu
2015-03-21, 05:38 PM
My main inspiration was the Antipaladin. I thought the Monk doesn't really fit what I was going for, so I wanted a decent alternate class that would capture a fearless stoic as opposed to an angry berserker. The Fighter has a bit of that, but they get their power from experience, as opposed to concentration. The AC bonus instead of DR was meant to balance out the immunity to mind-affecting spells and emotion-based debuffs.