DrakeRunner
2007-04-19, 10:32 PM
Hi there, my very first post on the Playground. I was recommended here since the WotC forums have the life of a lethargic beached whale.
This is a fairly serious Prestige Class I've been tinkering with for a long long time. I know there's power imbalances in it, needs work, and many many books have come out since I played with it last, but I wanted some feedback on it before I started work. ..Hell, I'm fairly certain that most of the terms are out of date too... >.> But hopefully I'm not violating the community standard, and hey, this is what posting on forums is for, advice and comments!
I'd say PEACH too, but I know its got a lot of faults >.< Thank you for looking, and I look forward to posting a lot more :)
Sentinel of the Loving Souls
When we love someone, we will do anything for them. Help them, share their burdens, and if we really care for them, give our lives for them. And a few people take it even further.
Sentinels of the Loving Souls are individuals that focus and manifest the souls of people who love them that continue to watch over them after they died. The rituals used to let them manipulate these souls are difficult, but the masters of this class, unstable they might be, are bastions of defense.
A member of this class doesn't have far too different motives than they had before, but are usually much more defensive, emotionally and tactically. A character of any alignment and race can become a Sentinel, and although being Good increases the chances you will form the required bond, many evil characters relish the chance to use something so blindly devoted indiscriminately. Barbarians pick this class often with such an extreme case of ancestor worship. Clerics tend to shy from this class since the soul interaction makes the ignorant think of the undead. Paladins are the greatest champions and greatest obstables to this class. They form the bond most often and understand the power of defense, but the more frothing zealot type Paladins find it blasphemous and consider it a form of necromancy. Wizards and Sorcerers often embrace this class without considering the reparations in their thirst for more power and defense.
Prequistes:
To qualify to become a Sentinel of the Loving Souls, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Any
Feats: Shield Profiency
Skills: Knowledge: Religion 7 ranks, Listen 2 ranks
Special: Must have had a person who loved the character a great deal die recently, in such a fashion that his/her soul is free from any soul-trapping status as greater undead status or any spells. Must also have knowledge of the Guardian Soul ritual.
Gameplay Info
All of the following are features of the Sentinel of the Loving Souls prestige class.
Hit Dice: d8
Base Attack Bonus: As Rogue (Average BAB)
Saving Throws: Good Will, Poor Ref, Poor Fort.
Skill List: Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Knowledge: Religion(Int), Listen(Wis), Search(Int)
Skill Points Per Level: 4
Weapon and Armor Profiency: No new profiencies
Loving Soul(Su) This ability is required for all Sentinel abilities. This is the soul of a being who loved the character deeply(In any true sense of the word, not just intimately), and would have been willing to give their life for the character. Obviously, they would have to have a Helpful reaction to the character upon death. Their soul must also be free of any effects, such as greater undead status, soul affecting special abilities, or soul effecting spells. Attracting the Loving Soul to the Sentinel requires a ritual that takes 100 gp's worth of spell components, 2 weeks, and knowledge of the ritual. The Sentinel must make 3 Will Saves during the ritual, DC 10, DC 15, and DC 30 respectively. The first one attracts the Loving Soul and explains the situation in terms the soul can understand. The second check grants the soul access to the Sentinel's plane required to use the other Sentinel abilities. Once these two checks have been completed, the Sentinel is considered fully functional. The last check, made at the very end of the ritual, is required to maintain the mental health of the Sentinel, due to the drain of the ritual and the mental stress of the death of the person combined with continued interaction with their soul. If the Sentinel fails this check, they still retain the Loving Soul and all abilties, but suffer -1 to all social checks, take twice as long for time-based things such as crafting that take place over several days, and are obviously twitchy, distressed, and otherwise not happy. This condition cannot be healed, mundanely or magically for more than a week's time. If the Sentinel should at any time be affected by a soul-trapping/soul-destroying effect or spell, the Loving Soul will immeadiately sacrifice itself wether the Sentinel wishes it or not. If the Sentinel cannot free the Loving Soul/it was destroyed, then the Sentinel is either powerless, or must summon the soul of another person who loved them via the ritual. Either way, the Sentinel retains all mental damage.
Soul Shield(Su): The basic and signature ability of the Sentinel, he/she can form the Loving Soul into a metaphysical shield. It is considered a Heavy Steel Shield, but has no Armor Check Penalty. It can be willed into existance and readied as a free action, as long as the Sentinel's hand is free. It cannot be Disarmed or otherwise removed except by the Sentinel willing it away. It may be Sundered, but the Sentinel can still will it back into existance and ready it at the next turn. This ability may not be used at the same time as Soul Barrier or Soul Manifest.
Shield Aptitude(Ex): The Sentinel Of Loving Souls gains the Improved Shield Bash feat for free, and can use it without having the prerequisites.
Soul Manifest(Su): When the Sentinel gains this ability, he can allow his/her Loving Soul to appear in the form of a small bright white flame. This flame can move about, but never goes more than a few inches from the Sentinel. It provides 10 feet of bright illumintation, and 20 of shadowy illumination. The guardian soulcan pass through solid matter with no ill effect, and the Sentinel can hide it at any time by willing it to disappear or willing it to fly into solid matter. This ability may not be used at the same time as Soul Shield or Soul Barrier.
Improved Soul Shield(Su): With this ability, the Soul Shield becomes a +3 Ghost Touch Heavy Shield with no ACP or weight.
Soul Empathy(Su): With this ability, the Sentinel gains a small amount of empathy with his/her Loving Soul, which is always watching out for the Sentinel's safety. The Sentinel gains a +2 bonus to Search, Spot, Listen, and Sense Motive checks when opposed.
Soul Barrier(Su): This ability allows the Sentinel to focus the Loving Soul into a barrier that floats around him/her, independant of his body. It creates a semitransparent shell around the Sentinel. The Sentinel designates one side of the square he/she is standing in, and gains DR5/- and ER/5- from attacks coming from that direction. The Sentinel can redirect the barrier as a free action at the end of his/her turn. This ability cannot be used at the same time as Soul Manifest or Soul Shield.
Greater Soul Shield(Su): Upon 8th level the protectiveness of the Loving Soul nears its peak, and the Soul Shield undergoes a luminous transformation, and is considered a weightless, indestructable +5 Ghost Touch Heavy Shield with no Armor Check Penalty. This ability may not be used at the same time as Soul Barrier or Soul Manifest.
Second Soul(Su): At 9th level, the Sentinel's relation with his/her Loving Soul starts to regulate. A Sentinel must choose either this ability or Come to Terms upon gaining 9th level, and cannot use the other. Second Soul allows a Sentinel to go through the ritual again, should a soul be available, and gain the advantages of having 2 Loving Souls to protect him/her. With this ability, the Sentinel goes through the Loving Soul ritual again, and with the second Loving Soul, can use Soul Barrier with Soul Shield at the same time.
Come To Terms(Su):At 9th level, the Sentinel must choose either this ability or Second Soul. This grants the Sentinel inner peace with the interaction of his souls, and is now permanently healed of the mental damage of the ritual, suffering a random bout of melancholy at worst.
Improved Soul Barrier(Su): The final and greatest ability of the Sentinels, the Improved Soul Barrier empowers the defensive abilities of the Barrier, granting the Sentinel DR10/- and ER/10- from any attacks in a direction of the Sentinel's choosing, otherwise it acts like Soul Barrier. This ability cannot be used at the same time as Soul Manifest or Soul Shield.
Saves
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Class Ability
1. +0 +0 +0 +2 Loving Soul, Soul Shield, Shield Aptitude
2. +1 +0 +0 +3 Soul Manifest
3. +2 +1 +1 +3 Soul Empathy
4. +3 +1 +1 +4
5. +3 +1 +1 +4 Improved Soul Shield
6. +4 +2 +2 +5 Soul Barrier
7. +5 +2 +2 +5
8. +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Greater Soul Shield
9. +6/+1 +3 +2 +6 Second Soul, Come To Terms
10. +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Improved Soul Barrier
This is a fairly serious Prestige Class I've been tinkering with for a long long time. I know there's power imbalances in it, needs work, and many many books have come out since I played with it last, but I wanted some feedback on it before I started work. ..Hell, I'm fairly certain that most of the terms are out of date too... >.> But hopefully I'm not violating the community standard, and hey, this is what posting on forums is for, advice and comments!
I'd say PEACH too, but I know its got a lot of faults >.< Thank you for looking, and I look forward to posting a lot more :)
Sentinel of the Loving Souls
When we love someone, we will do anything for them. Help them, share their burdens, and if we really care for them, give our lives for them. And a few people take it even further.
Sentinels of the Loving Souls are individuals that focus and manifest the souls of people who love them that continue to watch over them after they died. The rituals used to let them manipulate these souls are difficult, but the masters of this class, unstable they might be, are bastions of defense.
A member of this class doesn't have far too different motives than they had before, but are usually much more defensive, emotionally and tactically. A character of any alignment and race can become a Sentinel, and although being Good increases the chances you will form the required bond, many evil characters relish the chance to use something so blindly devoted indiscriminately. Barbarians pick this class often with such an extreme case of ancestor worship. Clerics tend to shy from this class since the soul interaction makes the ignorant think of the undead. Paladins are the greatest champions and greatest obstables to this class. They form the bond most often and understand the power of defense, but the more frothing zealot type Paladins find it blasphemous and consider it a form of necromancy. Wizards and Sorcerers often embrace this class without considering the reparations in their thirst for more power and defense.
Prequistes:
To qualify to become a Sentinel of the Loving Souls, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment: Any
Feats: Shield Profiency
Skills: Knowledge: Religion 7 ranks, Listen 2 ranks
Special: Must have had a person who loved the character a great deal die recently, in such a fashion that his/her soul is free from any soul-trapping status as greater undead status or any spells. Must also have knowledge of the Guardian Soul ritual.
Gameplay Info
All of the following are features of the Sentinel of the Loving Souls prestige class.
Hit Dice: d8
Base Attack Bonus: As Rogue (Average BAB)
Saving Throws: Good Will, Poor Ref, Poor Fort.
Skill List: Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Knowledge: Religion(Int), Listen(Wis), Search(Int)
Skill Points Per Level: 4
Weapon and Armor Profiency: No new profiencies
Loving Soul(Su) This ability is required for all Sentinel abilities. This is the soul of a being who loved the character deeply(In any true sense of the word, not just intimately), and would have been willing to give their life for the character. Obviously, they would have to have a Helpful reaction to the character upon death. Their soul must also be free of any effects, such as greater undead status, soul affecting special abilities, or soul effecting spells. Attracting the Loving Soul to the Sentinel requires a ritual that takes 100 gp's worth of spell components, 2 weeks, and knowledge of the ritual. The Sentinel must make 3 Will Saves during the ritual, DC 10, DC 15, and DC 30 respectively. The first one attracts the Loving Soul and explains the situation in terms the soul can understand. The second check grants the soul access to the Sentinel's plane required to use the other Sentinel abilities. Once these two checks have been completed, the Sentinel is considered fully functional. The last check, made at the very end of the ritual, is required to maintain the mental health of the Sentinel, due to the drain of the ritual and the mental stress of the death of the person combined with continued interaction with their soul. If the Sentinel fails this check, they still retain the Loving Soul and all abilties, but suffer -1 to all social checks, take twice as long for time-based things such as crafting that take place over several days, and are obviously twitchy, distressed, and otherwise not happy. This condition cannot be healed, mundanely or magically for more than a week's time. If the Sentinel should at any time be affected by a soul-trapping/soul-destroying effect or spell, the Loving Soul will immeadiately sacrifice itself wether the Sentinel wishes it or not. If the Sentinel cannot free the Loving Soul/it was destroyed, then the Sentinel is either powerless, or must summon the soul of another person who loved them via the ritual. Either way, the Sentinel retains all mental damage.
Soul Shield(Su): The basic and signature ability of the Sentinel, he/she can form the Loving Soul into a metaphysical shield. It is considered a Heavy Steel Shield, but has no Armor Check Penalty. It can be willed into existance and readied as a free action, as long as the Sentinel's hand is free. It cannot be Disarmed or otherwise removed except by the Sentinel willing it away. It may be Sundered, but the Sentinel can still will it back into existance and ready it at the next turn. This ability may not be used at the same time as Soul Barrier or Soul Manifest.
Shield Aptitude(Ex): The Sentinel Of Loving Souls gains the Improved Shield Bash feat for free, and can use it without having the prerequisites.
Soul Manifest(Su): When the Sentinel gains this ability, he can allow his/her Loving Soul to appear in the form of a small bright white flame. This flame can move about, but never goes more than a few inches from the Sentinel. It provides 10 feet of bright illumintation, and 20 of shadowy illumination. The guardian soulcan pass through solid matter with no ill effect, and the Sentinel can hide it at any time by willing it to disappear or willing it to fly into solid matter. This ability may not be used at the same time as Soul Shield or Soul Barrier.
Improved Soul Shield(Su): With this ability, the Soul Shield becomes a +3 Ghost Touch Heavy Shield with no ACP or weight.
Soul Empathy(Su): With this ability, the Sentinel gains a small amount of empathy with his/her Loving Soul, which is always watching out for the Sentinel's safety. The Sentinel gains a +2 bonus to Search, Spot, Listen, and Sense Motive checks when opposed.
Soul Barrier(Su): This ability allows the Sentinel to focus the Loving Soul into a barrier that floats around him/her, independant of his body. It creates a semitransparent shell around the Sentinel. The Sentinel designates one side of the square he/she is standing in, and gains DR5/- and ER/5- from attacks coming from that direction. The Sentinel can redirect the barrier as a free action at the end of his/her turn. This ability cannot be used at the same time as Soul Manifest or Soul Shield.
Greater Soul Shield(Su): Upon 8th level the protectiveness of the Loving Soul nears its peak, and the Soul Shield undergoes a luminous transformation, and is considered a weightless, indestructable +5 Ghost Touch Heavy Shield with no Armor Check Penalty. This ability may not be used at the same time as Soul Barrier or Soul Manifest.
Second Soul(Su): At 9th level, the Sentinel's relation with his/her Loving Soul starts to regulate. A Sentinel must choose either this ability or Come to Terms upon gaining 9th level, and cannot use the other. Second Soul allows a Sentinel to go through the ritual again, should a soul be available, and gain the advantages of having 2 Loving Souls to protect him/her. With this ability, the Sentinel goes through the Loving Soul ritual again, and with the second Loving Soul, can use Soul Barrier with Soul Shield at the same time.
Come To Terms(Su):At 9th level, the Sentinel must choose either this ability or Second Soul. This grants the Sentinel inner peace with the interaction of his souls, and is now permanently healed of the mental damage of the ritual, suffering a random bout of melancholy at worst.
Improved Soul Barrier(Su): The final and greatest ability of the Sentinels, the Improved Soul Barrier empowers the defensive abilities of the Barrier, granting the Sentinel DR10/- and ER/10- from any attacks in a direction of the Sentinel's choosing, otherwise it acts like Soul Barrier. This ability cannot be used at the same time as Soul Manifest or Soul Shield.
Saves
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Class Ability
1. +0 +0 +0 +2 Loving Soul, Soul Shield, Shield Aptitude
2. +1 +0 +0 +3 Soul Manifest
3. +2 +1 +1 +3 Soul Empathy
4. +3 +1 +1 +4
5. +3 +1 +1 +4 Improved Soul Shield
6. +4 +2 +2 +5 Soul Barrier
7. +5 +2 +2 +5
8. +6/+1 +2 +2 +6 Greater Soul Shield
9. +6/+1 +3 +2 +6 Second Soul, Come To Terms
10. +7/+2 +3 +3 +7 Improved Soul Barrier