Xeran
2007-10-03, 12:44 AM
Hi everyone, tell me if this class is balanced. Also any help on making a table that works in this forum would be greatly appreciated, I don't know how to do it. Also I know this class looks a lot like the Chaos Knight PrC Lord_Gareth presented here: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58244&highlight=sanity. Not exactly the same and not really keeping up with what he was trying to do, but enough similarities that I PMed Lord_Gareth before making this class and already obtained permission to do so.
Chaos Knight
There is always one person who wants to be different. In some this merely means making choices others do not. In a few, their desire to be unique goes so far that they want to be unique each and every day. These are the Chaos Knights.
Adventures: Chaos Knights may adventure for many reasons, but the most common one is a pure chaotic feeling that makes them want to do a variety of things. In adventuring, the one career choice that can let you do anything, the Chaos Knight can do this.
Characteristics: Chaos Knights are unlike any other class. Almost everything about them is touched with the maddening insidious power of chaos, distorting and changing all it touches.
Alignment: The Chaos Knight must be chaotic. They are so influenced by its sway that should they ever all into the realm of order the consequences can be dire. While they may be either good or evil, the vast majority of Chaos Knights are Chaotic Neutral.
Religion: While some Chaos Knights worship their respective racial Gods, many owe their allegiance to no particular deity. They cannot muster up the conviction and devotion to worship one deity. Those who do often worship chaotic deities like Xal.
Background: A Chaos Knight is usually a Chaos Knight from birth. One cannot simply become a Chaos Knight unless they were always able to become one. To become one a person must be touched by the spark of pure elemental chaos.
Races: The ineffable spark of elemental chaos that infuses the Chaos Knight can appear in any race, regardless of it’s intelligence, attributes, or power.
Other Classes: Many find the Chaos Knight to be strange at best. Working with an insane agent of Chaos can be trying at times. It can at times be hard to count on the Chaos Knight, and this especially irks the more planning oriented classes, like Wizards or Paladin’s.
Class Skills
The class skills for the Chaos Knight are determined randomly. When the player takes his first level in this class they roll 5d10. Each time you roll you correspond that number to one of the 45 class skills listed in the PHB. A roll of eleven would grant you Escape Artist as a class skill, since it is the eleventh class skill on table 4-2 on the sixty-third page of the PHB. A roll of 46-50 means the player can choose a class skill from the list. This process is repeated 5d4 times, until the player has a total list of class skills.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2+ Int modifier.
Class Features
Abilities: Charisma is an important ability for any Chaos Knight, as it will provide the basis for many of their abilities. Strength can be important due to the Chaos Knights role in combat and Constitution can provide extra hit points.
Alignment: Any Chaotic.
Hit Die: d10.
Starting Gold: 6d4x10 (150 gp)
Level Base Attack Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Chaos Blessing, Insane, Chaotic Smiting 1/Encounter
2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Mind of Chaos (+2), Chaos Mantle 1/Day
3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Grip of Chaos
4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Student of Chaos
5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Chaotic Smiting 2/Encounter
6 +6/1 +5 +2 +2 Mind of Chaos (re-roll), Variance 1/Day
7 +7/2 +5 +2 +2 Banish Law
8 +8/3 +6 +2 +2 Chaos Mantle 2/Day
9 +9/4 +6 +3 +3 Variance 2/Day
10 +10/5 +7 +3 +3 Greater Chaos Blessing, Chaotic Smiting 3/Encounter
11 +11/6/1 +7 +3 +3 Wildstrike
12 +12/7/2 +8 +4 +4 Variance 3/Day
13 +13/8/3 +8 +4 +4 Chaos Transcendence
14 +14/9/4 +9 +4 +4 Mind of Chaos (Immune)
15 +15/10/5 +9 +5 +5 Variance 4/Day, Chaotic Smiting 4/Encounter
16 +16/11/6/1 +10 +5 +5 Wildsurge
17 +17/12/7/2 +10 +5 +5 Touch of Instability
18 +18/13/8/3 +11 +6 +6 Variance 5/Day
19 +19/14/9/4 +11 +6 +6 Chaos Mantle 3/Day
20 +20/15/10/5 +12 +6 +6 Touch of Chaos, Chaotic Smiting 5/Encounter
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Chaos Knight is proficient with simple and martial weapons, all types of armor, and with shields.
Chaos Blessing: At the beginning of each day, roll 1d6 and consult the following table - the Chaos Knight gains the result.
1: Fire Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
2: DR 5/Lawful (+1/Lawful per level of this class)
3: Sonic Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
4: Acid Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
5: Electricity Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
6: Cold Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
Insane: At the beginning of each day the Chaos Knight must roll a d10. On a natural roll of 1 the Chaos Knight’s inherent insanity is brought out in the open. He becomes temporarily insane. Roll on table 4-3 on page 66 of Heroes of Horror. On levels 1-10 the effect is Mild, whereas on levels 11-20 the effect is moderate. The Wildsurge class ability might also induce insanity of different degrees. The Chaos Knight is always treated as having the necessary Taint score for any PrC, Spell, or Feat, regardless of his actual Taint Score.
Chaotic Smiting: Starting at first level the Chaos Knight gains the ability to smite random alignment a certain number of times per encounter. After deciding that he wishes to use this ability he rolls a d4. On a roll of one his smite affects good, on a 2 it affects evil, on 3 it affects law, and on 4 it affects chaos. If the person smitten does not possess the alignment indicated, the smite does nothing and it is wasted. Should it succeed however the attack gains a bonus equal to the Chaos Knights charisma modifier, and a damage bonus equal to the amount of Chaos Knight levels he has.
Mind of Chaos: The Chaos Knight’s mind is constantly fracturing under the weight of his chaotic tendencies. This makes his mind particularly difficult to control or influence. At second level he gains a +2 circumstance bonus to any save vs. mind affecting spells or effects. At sixth level whenever such an effect affects him, he is allowed a second saving throw one round later at the original DC to try to break the control or effect. At fourteenth level, he is immune to all mind affecting spells or effects.
Chaos Mantle: As an immediate action the Chaos Knight can shift the laws of probability and chance to protect him. Should he activate this in response to a melee attack or melee touch spell the attacker must roll his attack again, taking the worse result. In response to a targeted spell or ranged touch spell the spell instead affects any random target within 20 feet of the Chaos Knight, including both the Chaos Knight and the spells originator in the spells new list of targets, provided he is in the new range.
Grip of Chaos: Starting at third level, any creature that strikes the Chaos Knight in melee rolls 1d12 and consults the following table, immediately suffering the result (no save, all bonuses/penalties cumulative). This effect lasts for one round.
1: +2 Strength
2: -2 Charisma
3: -2 Constitution
4: +2 Wisdom
5: -2 Dexterity
6: +2 Dexterity
7: -2 Strength
8: +2 Intelligence
9: -2 Wisdom
10: +2 Charisma
11: +2 Constitution
12: -2 Intelligence
Variance: The Chaos Knight is the source of constant eddies in fate and probability. As such a certain amount of times per day the Chaos Knight can choose to attempt to alter a roll he has just made. He is allowed an immediate re-roll, but must take the second result, even if it is worse. The Chaos Knight can choose to enact Variance even after he found whether his original roll was successful or failed. The Chaos Knight can only ever affect a single roll once with Variance, though he may use it in conjunction with any other ability that allows a re-roll, including but not limited to Student of Chaos or the Luck Domain ability.
Student of Chaos: Whenever a Chaos Knight of fourth level or higher uses a magic item that offers a randomly determined effect (like a Rod of Wonder or a Bag of Tricks) he may roll twice and choose whichever roll he likes better. If a random roll is made only once to determine an item’s properties (like an Iron Flask or a Robe of Bones) then this ability does not apply.
Banish Law: Starting at seventh level the Chaos Knight puts out an aura of pure chaos. He is surrounded by a Dispel Law effect with a thirty-foot radius. This effect is as if a cleric of the Chaos Knight’s level had cast it. The second effect of the spell automatically applies to all within its range, but once affected a creature cannot be subject to dismissal again for 24 hours. By concentrating he can use the final effect of the spell, but should this be successful the Chaos Knight’s aura is lost for the remainder of the day.
Greater Chaos Blessing: This functions exactly as Chaos Blessing, except you roll on the table provided below. These effects are in addition to the effects of Chaos Blessing.
1: Fire Immunity
2: Fast Healing 1 (+1 for every three levels in this class)
3: Sonic Immunity
4: Acid Immunity
5: Electricity Immunity
6: Cold Immunity
Wildstrike: Once a day at eleventh level the Chaos Knight can infuse one of his melee attacks with the taint of pure chaos. After finding out if the attack hits but before you roll damage you can choose to apply a Wildstrike. The attack then does no damage, but instead wreathes your foe in a haze of shifting chaotic colors and lights. The creature is then dazzled and whenever they attempt to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability the intended action fails. Instead they roll as though they activated a Rod of Wonder. This effect lasts 2d6 rounds.
Chaos Transcendence: At thirteenth level, the Chaos Knight gains the Chaotic subtype, as well as one randomly determined subtype from the list of all available subtypes (such as shapechanger, tanar'i, archon, cold, etc.).
Wildsurge: After reaching sixteenth level the Chaos Knight can turn his body into what is practically a Rod of Wonder. At any time he can use a standard action to roll as if he activated a Rod of Wonder. As a result he immediately becomes insane. If he was already insane for the day the old effects are gone. He now must randomly roll on the Severe Depravity table on page 66 of Heroes of Horror. When rolling on the Rod of Wonder effects his Student of Chaos ability applies, even though there is no actual magical item.
Touch of Instability: At seventeenth level the power of chaos is so strong in the Chaos Knight that he can harness it and affect others with it. Once a day he may make a melee touch attack to influence another with this gift. Should it succeed the target must make a Fortitude save (DC=10+the Chaos Knights Charisma score, not modifier). If the target fails to make the save it causes a terrible transformation turning the creature into a spongy amorphous mass. An affected creature is unable to hold or use any item. Clothing, armor, rings, and helmets become useless. Large items worn or carried—armor, backpacks, even shirts—hamper more than help, reducing the victim’s Dexterity score by 4. Soft or misshapen feet and legs reduce speed to 10 feet or one-quarter normal, whichever is less. Searing pain courses along the nerves, so strong that the victim cannot act coherently. The victim cannot cast spells or use magic items, and it attacks blindly, unable to distinguish friend from foe (-4 penalty on attack rolls and a 50% miss chance, regardless of the attack roll). Each round the victim spends in an amorphous state causes 1 point of Wisdom drain from mental shock. If the victim’s Wisdom score falls to 0, it becomes incurably tainted and no magic can ever restore it. A victim can regain its own shape by taking a standard action to attempt a fortitude save with a DC equal to the original save against this ability. A success reestablishes the creature’s normal form for 1 minute. On a failure, the victim can still repeat this check each round until successful. The instability is not a disease or a curse and so is hard to remove. A shapechange or stoneskin spell does not cure an afflicted creature but fixes its form for the duration of the spell. A restoration, heal, or greater restoration spell removes the affliction (a separate restoration is necessary to restore any drained points of Wisdom).
Touch of Chaos: Starting at tenth level, the Chaos Knight has been blessed - or cursed - by ultimate chaos. His mind fractures into four separate entities - the original and three others. Each persona has different mental ability scores, but all use the same equipment and physical ability scores. Treat them otherwise as entirely separate characters, with their own alignments and class progressions, feats, skill points, etc. Each time the character gains a new level all the other personalities do as well. At the beginning of each day, roll 1d4 to determine which personality is in control for the day. All the Chaos Knights personalities receive the benefit of Mind of Chaos, though they all must gain the penalties associated with the Insanity ability as well.
Ex-Chaos Knights
A Chaos Knight who ceases to be Chaotic loses all Chaos Knight abilities (including the Insanity penalties, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). He may not progress any farther in levels as Chaos Knight. He regains his abilities and advancement potential if he atones for his violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.
Chaos Knight
There is always one person who wants to be different. In some this merely means making choices others do not. In a few, their desire to be unique goes so far that they want to be unique each and every day. These are the Chaos Knights.
Adventures: Chaos Knights may adventure for many reasons, but the most common one is a pure chaotic feeling that makes them want to do a variety of things. In adventuring, the one career choice that can let you do anything, the Chaos Knight can do this.
Characteristics: Chaos Knights are unlike any other class. Almost everything about them is touched with the maddening insidious power of chaos, distorting and changing all it touches.
Alignment: The Chaos Knight must be chaotic. They are so influenced by its sway that should they ever all into the realm of order the consequences can be dire. While they may be either good or evil, the vast majority of Chaos Knights are Chaotic Neutral.
Religion: While some Chaos Knights worship their respective racial Gods, many owe their allegiance to no particular deity. They cannot muster up the conviction and devotion to worship one deity. Those who do often worship chaotic deities like Xal.
Background: A Chaos Knight is usually a Chaos Knight from birth. One cannot simply become a Chaos Knight unless they were always able to become one. To become one a person must be touched by the spark of pure elemental chaos.
Races: The ineffable spark of elemental chaos that infuses the Chaos Knight can appear in any race, regardless of it’s intelligence, attributes, or power.
Other Classes: Many find the Chaos Knight to be strange at best. Working with an insane agent of Chaos can be trying at times. It can at times be hard to count on the Chaos Knight, and this especially irks the more planning oriented classes, like Wizards or Paladin’s.
Class Skills
The class skills for the Chaos Knight are determined randomly. When the player takes his first level in this class they roll 5d10. Each time you roll you correspond that number to one of the 45 class skills listed in the PHB. A roll of eleven would grant you Escape Artist as a class skill, since it is the eleventh class skill on table 4-2 on the sixty-third page of the PHB. A roll of 46-50 means the player can choose a class skill from the list. This process is repeated 5d4 times, until the player has a total list of class skills.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2+ Int modifier.
Class Features
Abilities: Charisma is an important ability for any Chaos Knight, as it will provide the basis for many of their abilities. Strength can be important due to the Chaos Knights role in combat and Constitution can provide extra hit points.
Alignment: Any Chaotic.
Hit Die: d10.
Starting Gold: 6d4x10 (150 gp)
Level Base Attack Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Chaos Blessing, Insane, Chaotic Smiting 1/Encounter
2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Mind of Chaos (+2), Chaos Mantle 1/Day
3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Grip of Chaos
4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Student of Chaos
5 +5 +4 +1 +1 Chaotic Smiting 2/Encounter
6 +6/1 +5 +2 +2 Mind of Chaos (re-roll), Variance 1/Day
7 +7/2 +5 +2 +2 Banish Law
8 +8/3 +6 +2 +2 Chaos Mantle 2/Day
9 +9/4 +6 +3 +3 Variance 2/Day
10 +10/5 +7 +3 +3 Greater Chaos Blessing, Chaotic Smiting 3/Encounter
11 +11/6/1 +7 +3 +3 Wildstrike
12 +12/7/2 +8 +4 +4 Variance 3/Day
13 +13/8/3 +8 +4 +4 Chaos Transcendence
14 +14/9/4 +9 +4 +4 Mind of Chaos (Immune)
15 +15/10/5 +9 +5 +5 Variance 4/Day, Chaotic Smiting 4/Encounter
16 +16/11/6/1 +10 +5 +5 Wildsurge
17 +17/12/7/2 +10 +5 +5 Touch of Instability
18 +18/13/8/3 +11 +6 +6 Variance 5/Day
19 +19/14/9/4 +11 +6 +6 Chaos Mantle 3/Day
20 +20/15/10/5 +12 +6 +6 Touch of Chaos, Chaotic Smiting 5/Encounter
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Chaos Knight is proficient with simple and martial weapons, all types of armor, and with shields.
Chaos Blessing: At the beginning of each day, roll 1d6 and consult the following table - the Chaos Knight gains the result.
1: Fire Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
2: DR 5/Lawful (+1/Lawful per level of this class)
3: Sonic Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
4: Acid Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
5: Electricity Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
6: Cold Resist 5 (+1 per level of this class)
Insane: At the beginning of each day the Chaos Knight must roll a d10. On a natural roll of 1 the Chaos Knight’s inherent insanity is brought out in the open. He becomes temporarily insane. Roll on table 4-3 on page 66 of Heroes of Horror. On levels 1-10 the effect is Mild, whereas on levels 11-20 the effect is moderate. The Wildsurge class ability might also induce insanity of different degrees. The Chaos Knight is always treated as having the necessary Taint score for any PrC, Spell, or Feat, regardless of his actual Taint Score.
Chaotic Smiting: Starting at first level the Chaos Knight gains the ability to smite random alignment a certain number of times per encounter. After deciding that he wishes to use this ability he rolls a d4. On a roll of one his smite affects good, on a 2 it affects evil, on 3 it affects law, and on 4 it affects chaos. If the person smitten does not possess the alignment indicated, the smite does nothing and it is wasted. Should it succeed however the attack gains a bonus equal to the Chaos Knights charisma modifier, and a damage bonus equal to the amount of Chaos Knight levels he has.
Mind of Chaos: The Chaos Knight’s mind is constantly fracturing under the weight of his chaotic tendencies. This makes his mind particularly difficult to control or influence. At second level he gains a +2 circumstance bonus to any save vs. mind affecting spells or effects. At sixth level whenever such an effect affects him, he is allowed a second saving throw one round later at the original DC to try to break the control or effect. At fourteenth level, he is immune to all mind affecting spells or effects.
Chaos Mantle: As an immediate action the Chaos Knight can shift the laws of probability and chance to protect him. Should he activate this in response to a melee attack or melee touch spell the attacker must roll his attack again, taking the worse result. In response to a targeted spell or ranged touch spell the spell instead affects any random target within 20 feet of the Chaos Knight, including both the Chaos Knight and the spells originator in the spells new list of targets, provided he is in the new range.
Grip of Chaos: Starting at third level, any creature that strikes the Chaos Knight in melee rolls 1d12 and consults the following table, immediately suffering the result (no save, all bonuses/penalties cumulative). This effect lasts for one round.
1: +2 Strength
2: -2 Charisma
3: -2 Constitution
4: +2 Wisdom
5: -2 Dexterity
6: +2 Dexterity
7: -2 Strength
8: +2 Intelligence
9: -2 Wisdom
10: +2 Charisma
11: +2 Constitution
12: -2 Intelligence
Variance: The Chaos Knight is the source of constant eddies in fate and probability. As such a certain amount of times per day the Chaos Knight can choose to attempt to alter a roll he has just made. He is allowed an immediate re-roll, but must take the second result, even if it is worse. The Chaos Knight can choose to enact Variance even after he found whether his original roll was successful or failed. The Chaos Knight can only ever affect a single roll once with Variance, though he may use it in conjunction with any other ability that allows a re-roll, including but not limited to Student of Chaos or the Luck Domain ability.
Student of Chaos: Whenever a Chaos Knight of fourth level or higher uses a magic item that offers a randomly determined effect (like a Rod of Wonder or a Bag of Tricks) he may roll twice and choose whichever roll he likes better. If a random roll is made only once to determine an item’s properties (like an Iron Flask or a Robe of Bones) then this ability does not apply.
Banish Law: Starting at seventh level the Chaos Knight puts out an aura of pure chaos. He is surrounded by a Dispel Law effect with a thirty-foot radius. This effect is as if a cleric of the Chaos Knight’s level had cast it. The second effect of the spell automatically applies to all within its range, but once affected a creature cannot be subject to dismissal again for 24 hours. By concentrating he can use the final effect of the spell, but should this be successful the Chaos Knight’s aura is lost for the remainder of the day.
Greater Chaos Blessing: This functions exactly as Chaos Blessing, except you roll on the table provided below. These effects are in addition to the effects of Chaos Blessing.
1: Fire Immunity
2: Fast Healing 1 (+1 for every three levels in this class)
3: Sonic Immunity
4: Acid Immunity
5: Electricity Immunity
6: Cold Immunity
Wildstrike: Once a day at eleventh level the Chaos Knight can infuse one of his melee attacks with the taint of pure chaos. After finding out if the attack hits but before you roll damage you can choose to apply a Wildstrike. The attack then does no damage, but instead wreathes your foe in a haze of shifting chaotic colors and lights. The creature is then dazzled and whenever they attempt to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability the intended action fails. Instead they roll as though they activated a Rod of Wonder. This effect lasts 2d6 rounds.
Chaos Transcendence: At thirteenth level, the Chaos Knight gains the Chaotic subtype, as well as one randomly determined subtype from the list of all available subtypes (such as shapechanger, tanar'i, archon, cold, etc.).
Wildsurge: After reaching sixteenth level the Chaos Knight can turn his body into what is practically a Rod of Wonder. At any time he can use a standard action to roll as if he activated a Rod of Wonder. As a result he immediately becomes insane. If he was already insane for the day the old effects are gone. He now must randomly roll on the Severe Depravity table on page 66 of Heroes of Horror. When rolling on the Rod of Wonder effects his Student of Chaos ability applies, even though there is no actual magical item.
Touch of Instability: At seventeenth level the power of chaos is so strong in the Chaos Knight that he can harness it and affect others with it. Once a day he may make a melee touch attack to influence another with this gift. Should it succeed the target must make a Fortitude save (DC=10+the Chaos Knights Charisma score, not modifier). If the target fails to make the save it causes a terrible transformation turning the creature into a spongy amorphous mass. An affected creature is unable to hold or use any item. Clothing, armor, rings, and helmets become useless. Large items worn or carried—armor, backpacks, even shirts—hamper more than help, reducing the victim’s Dexterity score by 4. Soft or misshapen feet and legs reduce speed to 10 feet or one-quarter normal, whichever is less. Searing pain courses along the nerves, so strong that the victim cannot act coherently. The victim cannot cast spells or use magic items, and it attacks blindly, unable to distinguish friend from foe (-4 penalty on attack rolls and a 50% miss chance, regardless of the attack roll). Each round the victim spends in an amorphous state causes 1 point of Wisdom drain from mental shock. If the victim’s Wisdom score falls to 0, it becomes incurably tainted and no magic can ever restore it. A victim can regain its own shape by taking a standard action to attempt a fortitude save with a DC equal to the original save against this ability. A success reestablishes the creature’s normal form for 1 minute. On a failure, the victim can still repeat this check each round until successful. The instability is not a disease or a curse and so is hard to remove. A shapechange or stoneskin spell does not cure an afflicted creature but fixes its form for the duration of the spell. A restoration, heal, or greater restoration spell removes the affliction (a separate restoration is necessary to restore any drained points of Wisdom).
Touch of Chaos: Starting at tenth level, the Chaos Knight has been blessed - or cursed - by ultimate chaos. His mind fractures into four separate entities - the original and three others. Each persona has different mental ability scores, but all use the same equipment and physical ability scores. Treat them otherwise as entirely separate characters, with their own alignments and class progressions, feats, skill points, etc. Each time the character gains a new level all the other personalities do as well. At the beginning of each day, roll 1d4 to determine which personality is in control for the day. All the Chaos Knights personalities receive the benefit of Mind of Chaos, though they all must gain the penalties associated with the Insanity ability as well.
Ex-Chaos Knights
A Chaos Knight who ceases to be Chaotic loses all Chaos Knight abilities (including the Insanity penalties, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). He may not progress any farther in levels as Chaos Knight. He regains his abilities and advancement potential if he atones for his violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.