More NPC Classes You Didn't Know You Didn't Need [Persian Plum]

[Metastachydium]

NPC classes are curious things; while easier to produce than normal classes, they offer an interesting challenge: they have to be utterly unappealing garbage and yet fill a certain niche succesfully. The niche I'm going after today is "sneaky dispenser of precision damage"; there isn't, so far as I know, an NPC class with good Ref on the prairie anyway. So, best employed as a lowlife goon haunting the back alleys, here comes the humble

Cutthroat
Alignment: Any nongood.
Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The cutthroat’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis) and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Cutthroat


LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
1st+0+0+2+0Sudden strike +1d6
2nd+1+0+3+0
3rd+2+1+3+1
4th+3+1+4+1
5th+3+1+4+1
6th+4+2+5+2Sudden strike +2d6
7th+5+2+5+2
8th+6/+1+2+6+2
9th+6/+1+3+6+3
10th+7/+2+3+7+3
11th+8/+3+3+7+3Sudden strike +3d6
12th+9/+4+4+8+4
13th+9/+4+4+8+4
14th+10/+5+4+9+4
15th+11/+6/+1+5+9+5
16th+12/+7/+2+5+10+5Sudden strike +4d6
17th+12/+7/+2+5+10+5
18th+13/+8/+3+6+11+6
19th+14/+9/+4+6+11+6
20th+15/+10/+56+12+6


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the cutthroat.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Cutthroats are proficient with the dagger, punching dagger, club, dart, kukri, short sword, hand crossbow and dart thruster. Cutthroats are proficient with light armour, but not with shields.

Sudden Strike (Ex)
If a cutthroat can catch an opponent when she is unable to defend herself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Whenever a cutthroat's target is denied a Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the cutthroat deals an extra 1d6 points of damage with his attack. This extra damage increases by 1d6 points for every five cutthroat levels thereafter. A cutthroat can't use sudden strike when flanking an opponent unless that opponent is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC.

This damage also applies to ranged attacks against targets up to 30 feet away. Creatures with concealment, creatures without discernible anatomies, and creatures immune to extra damage from critical hits are all immune to sudden strikes. A cutthroat can't make a sudden strike while striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are out of reach. A cutthroat can't use sudden strike to deliver nonlethal damage. Weapons capable of dealing only nonlethal damage don't deal extra damage when used as part of a sudden strike.

The extra damage from the sudden strike ability stacks with the extra damage from sneak attack whenever both would apply to the same target. For the purpose of qualifying for feats, prestige classes, and similar options that require a minimum number of sneak attack extra damage dice, treat the cutthroat's sudden strike ability as the equivalent of sneak attack.

[Metastachydium]

Another thing, or, rather, set of things WotC didn't bother to develop "lesser", i.e. NPC classes for are the game's subsystem's from outside the core. Among other things, this means that a purpose-built class for NPC invokers is not currently available in official sources. Below, I will make an attempt at partially remedying that with a shady, flashy stage magician class that I've almost named the Conjuror of Cheap Tricks, the

Imposter
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Hit Die: d6.


Class Skills
The imposter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana)(Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perform (Cha), Sleight of Hand (Dex) and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.


Table: The Imposter


LevelBABFortRefWillSpecialInvocations Known
1st+0+0+0+20
2nd+1+0+0+3Arcane invocations (least)1
3rd+1+1+1+31
4th+2+1+1+41
5th+2+1+1+42
6th+3+2+2+52
7th+3+2+2+52
8th+4+2+2+6Arcane invocations (lesser)3
9th+4+3+3+63
10th+5+3+3+73
11th+5+3+3+74
12th+6/+1+4+4+84
13th+6/+1+4+4+84
14th+7/+2+4+4+9Arcane invocations (greater)5
15th+7/+2+5+5+95
16th+8/+3+5+5+105
17th+8/+3+5+5+106
18th+9/+4+6+6+116
19th+9/+4+6+6+116
20th+10/+56+6+127



Class Features
All of the following are class features of the imposter.


Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Imposters are proficient with darts, quarterstaffs and any one further simple weapon of their choice. Imposters are not proficient with any armour, nor are they proficient with shields.


Arcane Invocations
An imposter does not prepare or cast spells as true wielders of arcane magic do. Instead, he possesses a repertoire abilities known as arcane invocations that allow him to focus and control ambient magical energy. An imposter can use any invocation he knows at will.

An imposter's invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting. An imposter is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use an invocation if he is hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be. An imposter can choose to use an invocation defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. An imposter's invocations are subject to spell. An imposter's caster level with his invocations is equal to his imposter level.

The save DC for an invocation (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent spell level + the imposter's Charisma modifier. Since spell-like abilities are not actually spells, an imposter cannot benefit from the Spell Focus feat. He can, however, benefit from the Ability Focus feat, as well as from feats that emulate metamagic effects for spell-like abilities, such as Quicken Spell-Like Ability and Empower Spell-Like Ability.

The three grades of arcane invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser and greater. An imposter begins with knowledge of one invocation, which must be of the lowest grade (least). As an imposter gains levels, he learns new invocations, as summarized on Table: The Imposter. A list of available invocations can be found below.

Finally, unlike other spell-like abilities, invocations are subject to arcane spell failure chance as described under Weapon and Armor Proficiency above. Imposters can qualify for some prestige classes usually intended for spellcasters just as a warlock does.

Arcane Invocations (with equivalent spell levels)

Least:
Animate Rope (2nd)
Dancing Lights (1st)
Flare (1st)
Ghost Sound (2nd)
Mage Hand (2nd)
Open/Close (1st)
Prestidigitation (1st)
Summon Instrument (1st)
Silent Image (2nd)
Snuff the Light (1st)


Lesser:
Cheat (3nd)
Darkness (3nd)
Detect Thoughts (4th)
Disguise Self (4th)
Halt (4th)
Hypnotism (4th)
Friendly Face (3nd)
Instant Diversion (4th)
Minor Image (4th)
Phantom Trap (4th)
Stand (3nd)
Ventriloquism (3rd)


Greater:
Blink (5th)
Devil's Eye (5th)
Ghost Lantern (6th)
Illusory Script (6th)
Invisibility (6th)
Levitate (5th)
Phantom Guardians (6th)
Pyrotechnics (5th)
Shrink Item (5th)
Vertigo (6th)


♣

Those who would say… Well, something (be it hot or cold) about it, are more than welcome to do so!

[noob]

Illusory script at will is strong.
However getting it at level 14 means that no player character will aim for it.

[Metastachydium]

I wasn't sure about it either, honestly, but yeah, that's what I figured. I mean, actual warlocks get greater invocations 3 levels earlier and Devil's Whispers is one of those…

[Metastachydium]

I don't suppose I have to introduce the Warrior (like the Fighter, but even worse!) to anyone. The next addition to this dumpster fire is (to an extent) balanced against the Warrior, while ultimately deriving from the Barbarian. The question I asked was this: how to give an NPC class d10s, full BAB and actual class features without making the already miserable Warrior even more so? My answer to the question is the true ultimate thug, a professional heavy on the wrong side of the law, the

Ruffian
Alignment: Any nonlawful.
Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills
The ruffian’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Swim (Str) and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Ruffian


LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
1st+1+2+0+0Illiteracy, flex 1/day
2nd+2+3+0+0
3rd+3+3+1+1
4th+4+4+1+1
5th+5+4+1+1
6th+6/+1+5+2+2Flex 2/day
7th+7/+2+5+2+2
8th+8/+3+6+2+2
9th+9/+4+6+3+3
10th+10/+5+7+3+3
11th+11/+6/+1+7+3+3Flex 3/day
12th+12/+7/+2+8+4+4
13th+13/+8/+3+8+4+4
14th+14/+9/+4+9+4+4
15th+15/+10/+5+9+5+5
16th+16/+11/+6/+1+10+5+5Flex 4/day
17th+17/+12/+7/+2+10+5+5
18th+18/+13/+8/+3+11+6+6
19th+19/+14/+9/+4+11+6+6
20th+20/+15/+10/+5+12+6+6


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ruffian.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Ruffians are proficient with all simple weapons, light and medium armour, and shields (except tower shields).

Illiteracy
Ruffians do not automatically know how to read and write. A ruffian may spend 2 skill points to gain the ability to read and write all languages she is able to speak. A ruffian who gains a level in any other class automatically gains literacy. Any other character who gains a ruffian level does not lose the literacy he or she already had.

Flex (Ex)
A certain number of times per day, a ruffian can exert herself to show even more strength than she normally possesses. While flexing, a ruffian temporarily gains a +2 bonus to Strength and a +2 bonus to Constitution, but she takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases the ruffian’s hit points by 1 point per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when her Constitution score drops back to normal. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While flexing, a ruffian cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist and Intimidate), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can she cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. She can use any feat she has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A ruffian can continue flexing for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A ruffian may stop flexing at any point before the duration runs out, but afterwards she loses the modifiers and restrictions derived from flexing and becomes fatigued (–2 penalty to Strength, –2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for as long as the current encounter lasts.


♣

Now, I believe flex is a quite fitting as the name of a Rage-light ability like this, i.e. a bully trying to look cool rather than an anger management issue. But it feels off. Any help with handling that issue (or any other issue with the class, needless to say) would be appreciated!

[Metastachydium]

Now, invokers did not constitute the only subsystem WotC didn't feel like outfitting with a lesser form, suited for use on NPCs. There's also… Well, every other subsystem, which would include psionics (well, Divine Mind might clear the first criterion, but probably not the second). Luckily, it's not devilishly difficult to remedy that. Below, I'll present but one option to achieve that end, the

Graced
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d4.

Class Skills
The class skills of the graced (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: The Graced


LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial]Power Points/Day]Powers Known]Maximum Power Level
1st+0+0+0+0Psychic daze011st
2nd+1+0+0+0111st
3rd+1+1+1+1211st
4th+2+1+1+1321st
5th+2+1+1+1422nd
6th+3+2+2+2522nd
7th+3+2+2+2632nd
8th+4+2+2+2732nd
9th+4+3+3+3833rd
10th+5+3+3+3943rd
11th+5+3+3+31043rd
12th+6/+1+4+4+41143rd
13th+6/+1+4+4+41254th
14th+7/+2+4+4+41354th
15th+7/+2+5+5+51454th
16th+8/+3+5+5+51564th
17th+8/+3+5+5+51665th
18th+9/+4+6+6+61765th
19th+9/+4+6+6+61875th
20th+10/+5+6+6+61975th


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the graced.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The graced is proficient with one simple weapon. He is not proficient with any other weapons, nor is he proficient with any type of armor or shields.

Power Points/Day
The ability of a graced to manifest powers is limited by the power points he has available. His base daily allotment of power points is given on Table: The Graced. In addition, he receives bonus power points per day if he has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Power Points). His race may also provide bonus power points per day, as may certain feats and items.

Powers Known
A graced begins play knowing one wilder power of your choice. Every three levels thereafter, he unlocks the knowledge of new powers. Choose the powers known from the wilder power list. The total number of powers a graced can manifest in a day is limited only by his daily power points. A graced simply knows his powers; they are ingrained in his mind. He does not need to prepare them (in the way that some spellcasters prepare their spells), though he must get a good night’s sleep each day to regain all his spent power points.
The Difficulty Class for saving throws against graced powers is 10 + the power’s level + the Charisma modifier of the graced.

Maximum Power Level Known
A graced begins play with the ability to learn 1st-level powers. As he attains higher levels, he may gain the ability to master more complex powers.
To learn or manifest a power, a graced must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the power’s level.
Psychic Daze (Ex)
It takes significant effort for a graced to manifest powers, and he can only do so safely if he's willing to take his time. Unless a graced spends a full-round action on manifesting powers with a manifesting time of a standard action or less, there is a 20% chance that he loses the action and becomes dazed until the end of his next turn. This chance of failure decreases to 15% at level 5, and by a further 5% every five levels thereafter to a minimum of 5% at level 15. Powers available to a graced from other sources, such as feats and levels in psionic classes other than this one can be manifested freely, at no risk of resulting in a psychic daze.


♣

(And in case you were wondering: yes, this is really just the Commoner with two class skills swapped out and a meager complement of powers slapped on. That is entirely intentional, of course: this is a Commoner who wake up with a tad more crazy mind powers than the feller next door with Wild Talent – and it shows.)

[noob]

Psychic Daze (Ex)
It takes significant effort for a graced to manifest powers, and he can only do so safely if he's willing to take his time. Unless a graced spends a full-round action on manifesting powers with a manifesting time of a standard action or less, there is a 20% chance that he loses the action and becomes dazed until the end of his next turn. This chance of failure decreases to 15% at level 5, and by a further 5% every five levels thereafter to a minimum of 5% at level 15.

Does it applies to psionic powers from sources other than this class?

[Morphic tide]

Dazed is a flavorful limitation for it being Wilder-like, at least, but that is nowhere NEAR enough PP/day to justify running on an active detriment to the actions when you compare to how much spellcasting the Adept and Magewright have with occasionally-useful features. Divine Mind's PP progression would fit quite fine for "mirroring" the kind of gimping that those two have of just being really limited access to the subsystem, no novel restriction appended to the usage. If you insist on it, have it be low Manifester Level with Wild Surge being required to use their top-level Power.

[Metastachydium]

Does it applies to psionic powers from sources other than this class?

Good catch, thanks! It doesn't, and as of now, that's explicitly spelled out.


Dazed is a flavorful limitation for it being Wilder-like, at least, but that is nowhere NEAR enough PP/day to justify running on an active detriment to the actions when you compare to how much spellcasting the Adept and Magewright have with occasionally-useful features. Divine Mind's PP progression would fit quite fine for "mirroring" the kind of gimping that those two have of just being really limited access to the subsystem, no novel restriction appended to the usage. If you insist on it, have it be low Manifester Level with Wild Surge being required to use their top-level Power.

Hm. A valid concern, certainly! Adding full-on Wild Surge capabilities to the class, nonetheless, would complicate it too much for my liking; I mean, NPC-classes are supposed to be user-friendly in their simplicity. So, like I said, hm.

Do you think upgrading their power point pool to Divine Mind level, while keeping the Daze as is could help?

[Morphic tide]

Hm. A valid concern, certainly! Adding full-on Wild Surge capabilities to the class, nonetheless, would complicate it too much for my liking; I mean, NPC-classes are supposed to be user-friendly in their simplicity. So, like I said, hm.

Do you think upgrading their power point pool to Divine Mind level, while keeping the Daze as is could help?
The point is really that strict downside to subsystem use just isn't an apparent thing in NPC classes. Psychic Daze doesn't seem to fit with how NPC classes are "supposed to be" bad. All of them just lack the "good" stuff that makes the PC class in terms of options, WotC didn't do novel limiters.

Closest is the Magewright's mandatory Spell Mastery, but that still reuses an existing mechanic. This would compare to Overchannel or Body Fuel to use, or Psychic Chirurgy as an access mechanic... The latter of which would actually give an important niche as the source for all those arguments about just paying people to give you very specific off-list powers without piles of Epic Telepaths and friends, but is very much a different "version".

[Metastachydium]

I mean, that's not untrue and fair to boot. But that's the thing: I want these to work as NPC classes, i.e. classes that do stuff that PC class archetypes do, but worse, in a preferably simple and staightforward way. Yes, I could have done this WotC's way, which is to say, I could have compiled a 5 level special subpar power list for the Graced and called it a day. I just… Kind of didn't want to do that?

You see, WotC NPC classes are bad, but most of those have something interesting going for them, even Aristocrat with its skill lists and proficiencies, but more importantly, Expert with its high skill point count and "choose your own skills" shtick or Adept with its mixed spell list it casts from the divine way. What I was trying to do here was not quite as interesting as either of those, but certainly less boring then "has PP, has powers, end of story": a Commoner with access to the lower reaches of Psion/Wilder powers in its integrity, but at the cost of not being built for combat (which makes sense to me fluffwise). Yes, I initially intended to simply give them P. Enervation (already a thing) without Wild Surge, but those two are far too closely linked for that, whence my improvised solution. Is it really that bad beyond being unusual in terms of design philosophy?

[Morphic tide]

Is it really that bad beyond being unusual in terms of design philosophy?
The official NPC classes are "remixes", not novel. Even the Expert's personal skills, the most unique thing, were eventually put into the Factotum. Much more importantly, Psionics and Vancian are essentially tied at the hip in 3.5, with extremely thorough analogies, so diverging from the Magewright and Adept as "limited subset of good thing" breaks the "mirror" the subsystems are openly stated to expect. Shadowcasting's the one other case of a "total" Not!Spellcasting subsystem (same 1st-9th scheme at the same levels with blatantly-intended-to-be similar power) to share this.

It isn't that it's a fundamentally bad concept, but that it's terrible relative to its obvious peers in the Adept and Magewright, when the Wilder and Sorcerer are on pretty close to exactly the same page.

[Metastachydium]

The official NPC classes are "remixes", not novel. Even the Expert's personal skills, the most unique thing, were eventually put into the Factotum.

And Savant. And Human Paragon, I think. Yeah. (Commoner, on the other hand is perfectly unique in its limitations!)


Much more importantly, Psionics and Vancian are essentially tied at the hip in 3.5, with extremely thorough analogies, so diverging from the Magewright and Adept as "limited subset of good thing" breaks the "mirror" the subsystems are openly stated to expect. Shadowcasting's the one other case of a "total" Not!Spellcasting subsystem (same 1st-9th scheme at the same levels with blatantly-intended-to-be similar power) to share this.

ToB too, after a fashion. (Yes, Crusaders and Swordsages are gishes and I'll die on this hill.)


It isn't that it's a fundamentally bad concept, but that it's terrible relative to its obvious peers in the Adept and Magewright, when the Wilder and Sorcerer are on pretty close to exactly the same page.

I've always felt that low level Wilders are not quite on par with Sorcerers, but I see your point there and thanks for bearing with me. I don't think I care to build a special, low-octane power list for this to work more like NPC casters, so let's say I'll just put up an invisible DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT BALANCED AGAINST EXISTING NPC MAGIC USERS tag and call it a day.