Muggins
2016-12-01, 12:26 PM
After a (very brief) discussion with another forumite, I decided to take a crack at adapting (and improving!) the forsaker to D&D 3.5e. Cues were taken from the lackluster abilities of the original prestige class ("Oh boy, this fast healing 3 to a maximum of 50 hit points per day was totally worth nine levels and forsaking all magic!"), from the ill-fated Spellfire Wielder (who never quite hit the mark), and generic wit.
This is my first attempt at homebrewing something as major as a prestige class within the grounds of 3.5e, but I'm only going to know how bad things are if I show people the result of my own tinkering first. Comments and criticism welcome, but keep it constructive; insults aren't exactly helpful.
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The Forsaker
Magic is evil. Magic tempts. Magic perverts. Magic corrupts. Anyone who cannot embrace these basic truths has no business considering the path of the forsaker.
The forsaker rebels against the magic of the fantastic world around him. It's not that he doesn't believe in it; he knows full well that magic is real. He has felt its all to tangible power burn over his skin or wrest control of his mind from him. However, while others might ignore the dangers of magic and succumb to its siren call of power, the forsaker stays pure. He rejects sorcery, knowing it to be nothing but a crutch that coddles and weakens its users. In doing so, the forsaker becomes stronger, tougher, smarter, and more nimble than any of his companions - even those who invoke magic to their own selfish ends.
Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Spellcraft 4 ranks OR Psicraft 4 ranks.
Feats: Great Fortitude OR Iron Will OR Lightning Reflexes
Special: The character must have once been the victim of a magical attack that seriously wounded him or threatened his life. He must also sell, give away, or destroy all his magic items (including magic weapons, armour, and potions) and renounce the use of any spellcasting and spell-like abilities he previously used or had access to.
Hit Die: D12
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fortitude Save
Reflex Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+2
+2
+2
Ability Bonus +1, SR 12, Fast Healing 1, Forsake Magic, Transparency
2nd
+2
+3
+3
+3
Ability Bonus +1, SR 14, Fast Healing 2, Damage Reduction 3/-, Forsaken Talent
3rd
+3
+3
+3
+3
Ability Bonus +1, SR 16, Fast Healing 3, Tough Defense, Unnatural Weapons
4th
+4
+4
+4
+4
Ability Bonus +1, SR 18, Fast Healing 4, Damage Reduction 6/-, Forsaken Talent
5th
+5
+4
+4
+4
Ability Bonus +1, SR 20, Fast Healing 5, Slippery Mind, Scrutinous Gaze
6th
+6
+5
+5
+5
Ability Bonus +1, SR 22, Fast Healing 6, Damage Reduction 9/-, Forsaken Talent
7th
+7
+5
+5
+5
Ability Bonus +1, SR 24, Fast Healing 7, Haste, Agility
8th
+8
+6
+6
+6
Ability Bonus +1, SR 26, Fast Healing 8, Damage Reduction 12/-, Forsaken Talent
9th
+9
+6
+6
+6
Ability Bonus +1, SR 28, Fast Healing 9, Antimagic Field
10th
+10
+7
+7
+7
Ability Bonus +1, SR 30, Fast Healing 10, Damage Reduction 15/-, Forsaken Talent
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Gather Information, Handle Animal (Wis), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).
Class Features
The following are class features of the forsaker prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Forsakers gain no weapon or armour proficiencies.
Forsake Magic: In addition to avoiding all use of spellcasting, spell-like abilities, and magic items, the forsaker must also refuse any benefits from others' magic - including magical healing. Thus, he must attempt a saving throw against any spell that allows one. For most beneficial spells, such as displacement or neutralise poison, a successful save negates the spell's effects; for a cure spell, it halves the benefit. If a forsaker fails to do so, he falls, as described below (see Ex-Forsakers).
A forsaker must maintain his purity and his hatred for magic if he is to continue to hone his craft. As such, at every level, the forsaker must destroy magic items whose combined market prices total at least 1000gp per forsaker level. He cannot progress any further as a forsaker until he does so.
Transparency: The forsaker always treats magic and psionics as identical. Therefore, his spell resistance also applies to powers, and he can use spellcraft and psicraft interchangably. This effect functions even in settings and campaigns wherein magic-psionics transparency is not present.
Ability Bonus (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, the forsaker gains a +1 inherent bonus to any desired ability score for each forsaker level he possesses.
Fast Healing (Ex): The forsaker's body is unnaturally fast to recuperate from damage taken. At 1st level, the forsaker regains a number of hit points per round equal to his Forsaker class level, as per the fast healing ability described in the monster manual.
Spell Resistance (Ex): At 1st level, the forsaker gains spell resistance equal to 10 + twice his Forsaker class level, up to a maximum of SR 30 at level 10. This stacks with any other applicable spell resistance he has.
Damage Reduction (Ex): At 2nd level, the forsaker gains damage reduction 3/-. This value rises by 3 for every two forsaker levels he gains thereafter, up to a maximum of DR 15/- at level 10. This does not stack with any other source of damage reduction.
Forsaken Talent: Every forsaker's aversion to magic manifests in different ways. Beginning at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter (4, 6, 8, 10), choose a talent for which the forsaker qualifies (see Talents, below).
Tough Defense (Ex): At 3rd level, a forsaker gains a natural armour bonus equal to his constitution bonus (if any).
Unnatural Weapons: Beginning at 3rd level, the forsaker can fight as though he and his weapon were one, allowing him to cleave through even the toughest of hides. His attacks with any weapon are always treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 6th level, his attacks are also treated as silver and cold iron. At 9th level, his attacks are also treated as adamantine.
Slippery Mind (Ex): At 5th level, the forsaker can wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. He gets the rogue ability slippery mind (PH 51).
Scrutinous Gaze (Ex): At 5th level, the forsaker becomes immune to all figments and glamers, such as invisibility. In addition, he can see ethereal and incorporeal creatures as if they were corporeal.
Haste (Ex): At 7th level, the forsaker becomes supernaturally quick. He continually receives the benefits of the haste spell.
Agility (Ex): At 7th level, the forsaker gains a fly speed of 30ft (Perfect maneuverability). If he does not end his movement on a solid surface which can support him, he falls to the ground but takes no damage.
Antimagic Field (Ex): At 9th level, the forsaker exerts an antimagic field out to 20ft. He can suppress or enable ability as a free action once per round. This otherwise functions as per the spell.
Talents
A forsaker cannot choose a talent more than once. All of these talents are extraordinary abilities unless otherwise stated.
Redact: A forsaker with this talent can use his knowledge of magic to disrupt spells as they are being cast. If a forsaker successfully identifies a spell as it is being cast, he can attempt to quell it as an immediate action. The caster of the spell must then make a concentration check (DC 10+the forsaker's class level + the spell's level). On a success, the spell is unaffected. On a failure, the spell is lost and the caster takes damage equal to twice the level of the spell.
Drain Magic: A forsaker with this talent can drain magical energy with a touch. By making a successful touch attack as a standard action, the forsaker can produce the effects of a targeted dispel magic effect with a caster level equal to his class level (maximum +10). The forsaker receives a +5 bonus on the dispel check. At 6th level, this improves to a targeted greater dispel magic effect, except that the forsaker's caster level equals twice his class level (maximum +20). At 10th level he may, once per day, cast mage's disjunction targeting a single magical item or character (though he still has to make a successful touch attack).
Guarded Mind: A forsaker with this talent becomes more difficult to locate through divinations such as clairaudience/clairvoyance, locate object, and other detection spells. This protection is equivalent to a nondetection spell, with a caster level equal to the forsaker's combined class level and constitution modifier. At 6th level, he instead becomes immune to all divination spells cast against it, and he immediately learns the name, appearance, and location of any spellcaster who attempts to do so.
Signature Weapon: A forsaker with this talent can grant one of his weapons powerful antimagic boons. At the start of each day, he selects a number of weapon properties from the following list with a total value equal to half his forsaker level. For the rest of the day, his attacks with one masterwork weapon of his choice are treated as if they have the chosen weapon properties. 1: Dispelling, Ghost Touch, Revealing. 2: Magebane, Psibane, Binding, Incorporeal Binding. 3: Greater Dispelling, Impedance, Mindcrusher. 4: Brilliant Energy.
Greater Unnatural Weapons: The forsaker's attacks with any weapon are treated as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, his attacks are also treated as evil, good, lawful, and chaotic. At 10th level, his attacks are also treated as epic. Minimum level 4th.
Resolute: A forsaker with this talent receives the benefits of both evasion and mettle, but only against magical effects. If exposed to any spell or spell-like ability that would normally allow him to attempt a fortitude, reflex, or will save for a partial or half effect (such as fireball, slay living, or inflict wounds), the forsaker instead suffers no effect with a successful saving throw. At 8th level, he receives the benefits of both improved evasion and improved mettle, and instead takes only the partial or half effect on a failed save (and no effect on a successful save, just as with evasion and mettle). Minimum level 4th.
Destructive Blows: A forsaker with this talent can make attacks which drain the very essence of magic from their foes. On a failed fortitude save (DC 10+the forsaker's class level+constitution modifier), the foe loses a number of spell slots with a combined level equal to the forsaker's class level if they are a spellcaster, or a number of power points equal to twice the forsaker's class level if they are a manifester. The forsaker chooses what combination of spell slots are lost. This effect only occurs once per round per foe struck. Minimum level 6th.
Disruptive Presence: The very aura of a forsaker with this talent is distracting to most foes capable of casting spells. When a foe within 60ft of the forsaker attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability, they must make a concentration check (DC 10+the forsaker's class level+the spell's level) or else the spell fizzles to no effect. Minimum level 6th.
Ex-Forsakers
Forsakers can multiclass normally, as long as they continue to abide by the strictures of the prestige class. Any forsaker who willingly violates those strictures by using magic items or casting spells loses all special abilities of the prestige class and can progress no further as a forsaker.
If he thereafter remains pure and uses no magic for an entire week, he may perform a ritual involving an hour of meditation and the destruction of a single magic item with a market price of at least 2500gp per forsaker level. If he does, his abilities are reinstated at their previous levels and he may once again progress in the prestige class.
This is my first attempt at homebrewing something as major as a prestige class within the grounds of 3.5e, but I'm only going to know how bad things are if I show people the result of my own tinkering first. Comments and criticism welcome, but keep it constructive; insults aren't exactly helpful.
-----
The Forsaker
Magic is evil. Magic tempts. Magic perverts. Magic corrupts. Anyone who cannot embrace these basic truths has no business considering the path of the forsaker.
The forsaker rebels against the magic of the fantastic world around him. It's not that he doesn't believe in it; he knows full well that magic is real. He has felt its all to tangible power burn over his skin or wrest control of his mind from him. However, while others might ignore the dangers of magic and succumb to its siren call of power, the forsaker stays pure. He rejects sorcery, knowing it to be nothing but a crutch that coddles and weakens its users. In doing so, the forsaker becomes stronger, tougher, smarter, and more nimble than any of his companions - even those who invoke magic to their own selfish ends.
Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Spellcraft 4 ranks OR Psicraft 4 ranks.
Feats: Great Fortitude OR Iron Will OR Lightning Reflexes
Special: The character must have once been the victim of a magical attack that seriously wounded him or threatened his life. He must also sell, give away, or destroy all his magic items (including magic weapons, armour, and potions) and renounce the use of any spellcasting and spell-like abilities he previously used or had access to.
Hit Die: D12
Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fortitude Save
Reflex Save
Will Save
Special
1st
+1
+2
+2
+2
Ability Bonus +1, SR 12, Fast Healing 1, Forsake Magic, Transparency
2nd
+2
+3
+3
+3
Ability Bonus +1, SR 14, Fast Healing 2, Damage Reduction 3/-, Forsaken Talent
3rd
+3
+3
+3
+3
Ability Bonus +1, SR 16, Fast Healing 3, Tough Defense, Unnatural Weapons
4th
+4
+4
+4
+4
Ability Bonus +1, SR 18, Fast Healing 4, Damage Reduction 6/-, Forsaken Talent
5th
+5
+4
+4
+4
Ability Bonus +1, SR 20, Fast Healing 5, Slippery Mind, Scrutinous Gaze
6th
+6
+5
+5
+5
Ability Bonus +1, SR 22, Fast Healing 6, Damage Reduction 9/-, Forsaken Talent
7th
+7
+5
+5
+5
Ability Bonus +1, SR 24, Fast Healing 7, Haste, Agility
8th
+8
+6
+6
+6
Ability Bonus +1, SR 26, Fast Healing 8, Damage Reduction 12/-, Forsaken Talent
9th
+9
+6
+6
+6
Ability Bonus +1, SR 28, Fast Healing 9, Antimagic Field
10th
+10
+7
+7
+7
Ability Bonus +1, SR 30, Fast Healing 10, Damage Reduction 15/-, Forsaken Talent
Class Skills (2 + Int modifier per level): Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Gather Information, Handle Animal (Wis), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).
Class Features
The following are class features of the forsaker prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Forsakers gain no weapon or armour proficiencies.
Forsake Magic: In addition to avoiding all use of spellcasting, spell-like abilities, and magic items, the forsaker must also refuse any benefits from others' magic - including magical healing. Thus, he must attempt a saving throw against any spell that allows one. For most beneficial spells, such as displacement or neutralise poison, a successful save negates the spell's effects; for a cure spell, it halves the benefit. If a forsaker fails to do so, he falls, as described below (see Ex-Forsakers).
A forsaker must maintain his purity and his hatred for magic if he is to continue to hone his craft. As such, at every level, the forsaker must destroy magic items whose combined market prices total at least 1000gp per forsaker level. He cannot progress any further as a forsaker until he does so.
Transparency: The forsaker always treats magic and psionics as identical. Therefore, his spell resistance also applies to powers, and he can use spellcraft and psicraft interchangably. This effect functions even in settings and campaigns wherein magic-psionics transparency is not present.
Ability Bonus (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, the forsaker gains a +1 inherent bonus to any desired ability score for each forsaker level he possesses.
Fast Healing (Ex): The forsaker's body is unnaturally fast to recuperate from damage taken. At 1st level, the forsaker regains a number of hit points per round equal to his Forsaker class level, as per the fast healing ability described in the monster manual.
Spell Resistance (Ex): At 1st level, the forsaker gains spell resistance equal to 10 + twice his Forsaker class level, up to a maximum of SR 30 at level 10. This stacks with any other applicable spell resistance he has.
Damage Reduction (Ex): At 2nd level, the forsaker gains damage reduction 3/-. This value rises by 3 for every two forsaker levels he gains thereafter, up to a maximum of DR 15/- at level 10. This does not stack with any other source of damage reduction.
Forsaken Talent: Every forsaker's aversion to magic manifests in different ways. Beginning at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter (4, 6, 8, 10), choose a talent for which the forsaker qualifies (see Talents, below).
Tough Defense (Ex): At 3rd level, a forsaker gains a natural armour bonus equal to his constitution bonus (if any).
Unnatural Weapons: Beginning at 3rd level, the forsaker can fight as though he and his weapon were one, allowing him to cleave through even the toughest of hides. His attacks with any weapon are always treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 6th level, his attacks are also treated as silver and cold iron. At 9th level, his attacks are also treated as adamantine.
Slippery Mind (Ex): At 5th level, the forsaker can wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. He gets the rogue ability slippery mind (PH 51).
Scrutinous Gaze (Ex): At 5th level, the forsaker becomes immune to all figments and glamers, such as invisibility. In addition, he can see ethereal and incorporeal creatures as if they were corporeal.
Haste (Ex): At 7th level, the forsaker becomes supernaturally quick. He continually receives the benefits of the haste spell.
Agility (Ex): At 7th level, the forsaker gains a fly speed of 30ft (Perfect maneuverability). If he does not end his movement on a solid surface which can support him, he falls to the ground but takes no damage.
Antimagic Field (Ex): At 9th level, the forsaker exerts an antimagic field out to 20ft. He can suppress or enable ability as a free action once per round. This otherwise functions as per the spell.
Talents
A forsaker cannot choose a talent more than once. All of these talents are extraordinary abilities unless otherwise stated.
Redact: A forsaker with this talent can use his knowledge of magic to disrupt spells as they are being cast. If a forsaker successfully identifies a spell as it is being cast, he can attempt to quell it as an immediate action. The caster of the spell must then make a concentration check (DC 10+the forsaker's class level + the spell's level). On a success, the spell is unaffected. On a failure, the spell is lost and the caster takes damage equal to twice the level of the spell.
Drain Magic: A forsaker with this talent can drain magical energy with a touch. By making a successful touch attack as a standard action, the forsaker can produce the effects of a targeted dispel magic effect with a caster level equal to his class level (maximum +10). The forsaker receives a +5 bonus on the dispel check. At 6th level, this improves to a targeted greater dispel magic effect, except that the forsaker's caster level equals twice his class level (maximum +20). At 10th level he may, once per day, cast mage's disjunction targeting a single magical item or character (though he still has to make a successful touch attack).
Guarded Mind: A forsaker with this talent becomes more difficult to locate through divinations such as clairaudience/clairvoyance, locate object, and other detection spells. This protection is equivalent to a nondetection spell, with a caster level equal to the forsaker's combined class level and constitution modifier. At 6th level, he instead becomes immune to all divination spells cast against it, and he immediately learns the name, appearance, and location of any spellcaster who attempts to do so.
Signature Weapon: A forsaker with this talent can grant one of his weapons powerful antimagic boons. At the start of each day, he selects a number of weapon properties from the following list with a total value equal to half his forsaker level. For the rest of the day, his attacks with one masterwork weapon of his choice are treated as if they have the chosen weapon properties. 1: Dispelling, Ghost Touch, Revealing. 2: Magebane, Psibane, Binding, Incorporeal Binding. 3: Greater Dispelling, Impedance, Mindcrusher. 4: Brilliant Energy.
Greater Unnatural Weapons: The forsaker's attacks with any weapon are treated as bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, his attacks are also treated as evil, good, lawful, and chaotic. At 10th level, his attacks are also treated as epic. Minimum level 4th.
Resolute: A forsaker with this talent receives the benefits of both evasion and mettle, but only against magical effects. If exposed to any spell or spell-like ability that would normally allow him to attempt a fortitude, reflex, or will save for a partial or half effect (such as fireball, slay living, or inflict wounds), the forsaker instead suffers no effect with a successful saving throw. At 8th level, he receives the benefits of both improved evasion and improved mettle, and instead takes only the partial or half effect on a failed save (and no effect on a successful save, just as with evasion and mettle). Minimum level 4th.
Destructive Blows: A forsaker with this talent can make attacks which drain the very essence of magic from their foes. On a failed fortitude save (DC 10+the forsaker's class level+constitution modifier), the foe loses a number of spell slots with a combined level equal to the forsaker's class level if they are a spellcaster, or a number of power points equal to twice the forsaker's class level if they are a manifester. The forsaker chooses what combination of spell slots are lost. This effect only occurs once per round per foe struck. Minimum level 6th.
Disruptive Presence: The very aura of a forsaker with this talent is distracting to most foes capable of casting spells. When a foe within 60ft of the forsaker attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability, they must make a concentration check (DC 10+the forsaker's class level+the spell's level) or else the spell fizzles to no effect. Minimum level 6th.
Ex-Forsakers
Forsakers can multiclass normally, as long as they continue to abide by the strictures of the prestige class. Any forsaker who willingly violates those strictures by using magic items or casting spells loses all special abilities of the prestige class and can progress no further as a forsaker.
If he thereafter remains pure and uses no magic for an entire week, he may perform a ritual involving an hour of meditation and the destruction of a single magic item with a market price of at least 2500gp per forsaker level. If he does, his abilities are reinstated at their previous levels and he may once again progress in the prestige class.