Blackguard

[Ponce]

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/DnD_InWorksApril_Blackguard.jpg

Blackguard

Requirements
Any Evil.
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Skills: Hide 5 Ranks.
Able to cast level 2 divine spells or use level 2 martial manoeuvres as a result of a martial adept class

Hit dice: d10.
Skill points per level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Religion), Move Silently, Profession, and Ride.

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Special Progression

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Aura of Evil, Detect Good, Poison Use|

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Dark Blessing, Smite Good 1/day|+1 level of existing divine class or martial adept class

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Fiendish Servant|+1 level of existing martial adept class

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Sneak Attack +1d6|+1 level of existing divine class or martial adept class

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Smite Good 2/day|

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Quiet Shell|+1 level of existing divine class or martial adept class

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|Sneak Attack +2d6|

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2||+1 level of existing divine class or martial adept class

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Smite Good 3/day|+1 level of existing martial adept class

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Sneak Attack +3d6, Deathblow|+1 level of existing divine class or martial adept class[/table]

Proficiencies
The Blackguard is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Evil (Ex)
The Blackguard emits an aura of evil equal to her character level.

Detect Good (Sp)
The Blackguard can use the spell Detect Good as a spell-like ability at will.

Poison Use
Blackguards can use poisons without risking harm to themselves.

Progression
Depending on what the Blackguard used to meet his requirements, the Blackguard may choose to advance either his martial manoeuvres and stances, or his divine spellcasting ability. At every even-numbered level, he may add one level to one of these classes for the purposes of divine casting or martial abilities. If he has selected his martial adept abilities, he gains additional progression at levels 3 and 9.

He must use the ability set that originally allowed him to qualify for the class. If two or more ability sets allowed him to qualify at his first level, he must select one upon taking this class. This choice cannot be changed.

Dark Blessing (Su)
Starting at second level, the Blackguard may add his charisma bonus to all saving throws.

Smite Good (Su)
Starting at second level, the Blackguard may make a Smite Good attack once per day. The attack is a melee attack, and it receives a bonus to attack equal to the Blackguard's charisma score, and a bonus to damage equal to twice his blackguard level. He gains an additional use of this ability at levels 5 and 9.

Fiendish Servant (Sp)
At third level, the Blackguard gains the service of a Fiendish Servant. This works exactly as the Paladin's special mount ability, excepting that you use the Blackguard's character level in place of Paladin level, and the creature selected also gains the Fiendish template. Additionally, the mount resides in either the Abyss or the Hells, as opposed to the Celestial realms.

Sneak Attack
This works exactly as the Rogue ability of the same name, stacking with any other sources. The Blackguard gains sneak attack damage of 1d6 at level 4, 2d6 at level 7 and 3d6 at level 10.

Quiet Shell
Starting at level 6, the Blackguard may treat any armor he wears as having an armor check penalty of 2 lower than its actual value, to a minimum of 0.

Deathblow (Su)
At level 10, the Blackguard gains the Deathblow ability. Once per day, the Blackguard may take a full round action to make a single melee attack. If it hits, the target must succeed on a will save or die instantly (DC equal to 10 + Blackguard's cha mod + half the Blackguard's class level). This is a death effect.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

I do like this, but I would do one thing different. I would make two different variants, one that gave it it's own martial progression chart and another that advanced spellcasting. The half progression for the cleric I think is dead on, but for a class like the blackguard it needs a slightly higher progression for initiator level.

[Sightless]

Should the requirement be evil? or any non-good?

[Ponce]

I do like this, but I would do one thing different. I would make two different variants, one that gave it it's own martial progression chart and another that advanced spellcasting. The half progression for the cleric I think is dead on, but for a class like the blackguard it needs a slightly higher progression for initiator level.

Agreed, though I would like to keep the bookkeeping down, so I will add additional initiator progression.


Should the requirement be evil? or any non-good?

Yes, of course. I forgot to add it. Thanks.

Thanks for your responses.

[Catch]

It seems to me that you could advance both maneuver / stance progression and spellcasting while still keeping the class balanced. The Ruby Knight Vindicator does it pretty well, as I recall.

[Ponce]

It seems to me that you could advance both maneuver / stance progression and spellcasting while still keeping the class balanced. The Ruby Knight Vindicator does it pretty well, as I recall.

You probably could, but I'm not sure the Blackguard ought to be a theurge class. The whole divine/initiator thing is to allow multiple routes of entry, allowing two Blackguards to be very different and still be effective. I'd rather not require them to be both a martial adept and a divine caster.