Metastachydium
2022-11-24, 09:36 AM
Years ago, I've visited a 15th century walled church, well-preserved, if with the usual modifications reflecting the passage of ages. In a lesser belltower, I found a tidy bronze plaque, quite evidently much more recent than the rest of the structure, bearing the following inscription:
Vivos voco,
Mortuos plango,
Fulgura frango!
It would translate to something like
I call the living,
I mourn the dead,
I break the lightning!
It stuck with me, this little snippet succintly summarizing some major, traditional functions of the church bell including its widespread apotropaic use. It is a tightly knit theme, existing in close association with the sphere of the clerical. I figured I might as well make a class out of it. And here it comes!
The Sexton
Hit Die
d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a sexton, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment
Any nonchaotic.
Skills
Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks, Perform (bell) 4 ranks
Special
A cleric with access to the Air, Destruction, Storm or Weather domains cannot become a sexton.
Class Skills
The sexton's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level
2+Int modifier
Table: The Sexton
LevelBABFortRefWillSpecialSpells
1st+0+2+0+2Sound the bell+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
2nd+1+3+0+3Call the living+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
3rd+2+3+1+3Mourn the dead
4th+3+4+1+4Break the lightning+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the sexton prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Sextons gain no proficiency with any weapons or armour.
Sound the Bell (Su)
All sextons possess a special divine focus, a handbell, usually made of bronze with a wooden handle. A sexton carrying such a bell casts all abjuration spells at a caster level one higher than normal and receives a +1 sacred bonus on caster level checks made to penetrate spell resistence. Additionally, a sexton of 2nd level or higher may ring his bell a number of times per day equal to his character level plus his Charisma modifier to produce various effect.
Spellcasting
At each level excepting the 1st, a sexton new spells per day and an increase in caster level (as well as spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. A sexton does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a sexton, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.
Call the Living (Su)
A sexton of 2nd level or higher gains the ability to duplicate the effect of a Rouse spellPHB2 cast by a wizard of the sexton's character level through ringing his bell once as a free action. Furthermore, once per encounter, he can expend a use of his Sound the Bell ability as an immediate action to duplicate the effect of a Regroup spellPHB2 cast by a wizard of the sexton's character level.
Mourn the Dead (Su)
A sexton of 3rd level or higher can expend a use of Sound the Bell to rebuke (but not command or bolster) undead and deathless creatures as an Evil cleric of his character level. Moreover, once per round as a standard action he can ring his bell to target a single undead or deathless creature within 40'. If the creature's number of HD equals or is lower than the sexton's character level, it must make a Will save or be destroyed immediately. The save DC is Wisdom-based.
Break the Lightning (Su)
Once per round, a 4th level sexton can ring his bell as an immediate action to disrupt a spell or spell-like ability that produces a weather-based effect (such as Fog Cloud, Sleet Storm or Whirlwind) or which has the Air, Electricity or Water descriptor as if counterspelling it. Once per day, he can also expend five uses of his Sound the Bell ability spaced out evenly in the span of twenty rounds to duplicate the effect of a Control Weather spell as cast by a druid of his character level.
♣
I'm kind of happy with it overall; what I'm not sure about is the prerequisites. Is level 6 to early for an entry? Should I add tighter thematic restrictions?
Comments on other aspects, needless to say, are also more than welcome (especially given my track record with PrC design).
Vivos voco,
Mortuos plango,
Fulgura frango!
It would translate to something like
I call the living,
I mourn the dead,
I break the lightning!
It stuck with me, this little snippet succintly summarizing some major, traditional functions of the church bell including its widespread apotropaic use. It is a tightly knit theme, existing in close association with the sphere of the clerical. I figured I might as well make a class out of it. And here it comes!
The Sexton
Hit Die
d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a sexton, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Alignment
Any nonchaotic.
Skills
Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks, Perform (bell) 4 ranks
Special
A cleric with access to the Air, Destruction, Storm or Weather domains cannot become a sexton.
Class Skills
The sexton's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level
2+Int modifier
Table: The Sexton
LevelBABFortRefWillSpecialSpells
1st+0+2+0+2Sound the bell+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
2nd+1+3+0+3Call the living+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
3rd+2+3+1+3Mourn the dead
4th+3+4+1+4Break the lightning+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the sexton prestige class.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
Sextons gain no proficiency with any weapons or armour.
Sound the Bell (Su)
All sextons possess a special divine focus, a handbell, usually made of bronze with a wooden handle. A sexton carrying such a bell casts all abjuration spells at a caster level one higher than normal and receives a +1 sacred bonus on caster level checks made to penetrate spell resistence. Additionally, a sexton of 2nd level or higher may ring his bell a number of times per day equal to his character level plus his Charisma modifier to produce various effect.
Spellcasting
At each level excepting the 1st, a sexton new spells per day and an increase in caster level (as well as spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which he belonged before adding the prestige class level. A sexton does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a sexton, he must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.
Call the Living (Su)
A sexton of 2nd level or higher gains the ability to duplicate the effect of a Rouse spellPHB2 cast by a wizard of the sexton's character level through ringing his bell once as a free action. Furthermore, once per encounter, he can expend a use of his Sound the Bell ability as an immediate action to duplicate the effect of a Regroup spellPHB2 cast by a wizard of the sexton's character level.
Mourn the Dead (Su)
A sexton of 3rd level or higher can expend a use of Sound the Bell to rebuke (but not command or bolster) undead and deathless creatures as an Evil cleric of his character level. Moreover, once per round as a standard action he can ring his bell to target a single undead or deathless creature within 40'. If the creature's number of HD equals or is lower than the sexton's character level, it must make a Will save or be destroyed immediately. The save DC is Wisdom-based.
Break the Lightning (Su)
Once per round, a 4th level sexton can ring his bell as an immediate action to disrupt a spell or spell-like ability that produces a weather-based effect (such as Fog Cloud, Sleet Storm or Whirlwind) or which has the Air, Electricity or Water descriptor as if counterspelling it. Once per day, he can also expend five uses of his Sound the Bell ability spaced out evenly in the span of twenty rounds to duplicate the effect of a Control Weather spell as cast by a druid of his character level.
♣
I'm kind of happy with it overall; what I'm not sure about is the prerequisites. Is level 6 to early for an entry? Should I add tighter thematic restrictions?
Comments on other aspects, needless to say, are also more than welcome (especially given my track record with PrC design).