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DiscipleofBob
2008-01-24, 10:44 PM
Posting this for a friend so he can get some review and constructive criticism on the class.

Arcana Knight


{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+0|Read (Single). Influence, Code of Conduct

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+0|-

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+1|Influence +1

4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+1|-

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+1|Read (Triangle), Influence +1

6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+2|-

7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+2|Influence +1

8th|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+2|-

9th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+3|Influence +1

10th|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+3|Read (Path)

11th|
+8|
+3|
+3|
+3|Influence +1

12th|
+9|
+4|
+4|
+4|-

13th|
+9|
+4|
+4|
+4|Influence +1

14th|
+10|
+4|
+4|
+4|-

15th|
+11|
+5|
+5|
+5|Read (Cross), Influence +1

16th|
+12|
+5|
+5|
+5|-

17th|
+12|
+5|
+5|
+5|Influence +1

18th|
+13|
+6|
+6|
+6|-

19th|
+14|
+6|
+6|
+6|Influence +1

20th|
+15|
+6|
+6|
+6|Worldly Access[/table]

Abilities: Wisdom decides the amount of Influence Points an Arcana Knight gains, as well as the DC of his Spell-like abilities. Due to his low saves and skill points, all other abilities are equally important.

Alignment: An Arcana Knight can have no allegiance to any mortal or deity, only to the forces of destiny itself. Destiny shows them how- for good or ill- fate is to play out, and they must see to it that these events take place properly. As a result, Arcana Knights must be Neutral. Lawful or Chaotic Arcana Knights are considered renegades (referred to as "Reverse Arcana Knights”, and will be hunted by the remainder of the clan.

Hit Dice: d8

Class Skills:
Skill Points: (2+Int Modifier)x4
Skill Points per Level: 2+Int Modifier
An Arcana Knight’s Class skills are Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All, taken individually), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int).

Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arcana Knights are proficient with all light armor, no shields, all simple weapons, short swords and longswords.

Spells: Some of the Arcana Knight’s special features allow him to mimic a sorcerer or cleric of his current class level. When using this ability, they gain only the base spells per day with no bonus spells for high ability scores, and have no domains. Additionally, their Wisdom is always applied to the save DC of his spells, instead of (for example) Intelligence for a Wizard.

Reading: Every morning, an Arcana Knight spends one hour to perform a Reading, which grants them their abilities throughout the day.
At 1st level, he draws a single card.
At 5rdst level, he performs a Triangle Reading, drawing three cards.
At 10th level, he performs a Path reading, drawing five cards.
At 15th level, he performs a Cross reading, drawing seven cards.
For every draw, roll a d20. Each result is the card he draws, and whichever cards he draws are usable for the remainder of the day. If the same card is rolled twice in one reading, re-roll the duplicate until three different cards are drawn.
An Arcana Knight may use Influence Points (see below) to change the result of their Reading.
An Arcana Knight may not perform another Reading until the following morning, and may not ‘keep’ the results of the previous day’s reading on the following day.

Influence: Arcana Knights are so in tune with fate that they have some small amount of influence over daily events in the interest of seeing destiny fulfilled. At first level, an Arcana Knight gains influence Points per day equal to 1+Wisdom Modifier. These points may be used for several purposes:
-Adding/Subtracting from a Reading die roll.
-Adding to any Skill Check or Attack Roll they make. (If this ability is used, the attack roll cannot threaten a critical, and a natural 1 can be increased in order to negate it.)
-Increasing the save DC of their Arcana Knight Spell-like abilities.
Arcana Knights gain an additional influence point per day at every 2 levels beyond the first (3, 5, 7, etc.)

Code of Conduct: An Arcana Knight will maintain neutrality in all matters and in his personal life, perhaps even putting him in direct opposition with the aims of the party.

The Deck:

0 – The Fool
The Fool grants unlimited access to the following Lv. 0 spells, of both the Arcane and Divine type.
Lv. 0 Arcane – Detect Magic, Light, Prestidigitation
Lv. 0 Divine – Cure Minor Wounds, Guidance, Purify Food/Drink.
Unlike other cards, The Fool may be drawn automatically by sacrificing one Reading roll.

1 – The Magician
The Magician grants an Arcana Knight the ability to cast up to Level 4 Arcane spells as a Wizard of his current class level, from the following spell list.
Lv. 1 Arcane – Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Comprehend Languages, Identify, True Strike, Charm Person, Hypnotism, Sleep, Burning Hands, Shocking Grasp, Cause Fear.
Lv. 2 Arcane - Detect Thoughts, Locate Object, See Invisibility, Hypnotic Pattern, Mirror Image, Misdirection, Scare, Owl’s Wisdom, WhisperingWind, Darkvision.
Lv. 3 Arcane – Dispel Magic, Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Nondetection, Arcane Sight, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Tongues, Heroism, Suggestion, Illusory Script,, Secret Page
Lv. 4 Arcane – Dimensional Anchor, Remove Curse, Arcane Eye, Detect Scrying, Locate Creature, Scrying, Charm Monster, Confusion, Crushing Despair, Lesser Geas.
This ability does not stack with the abilities of the Emperor or The Hermit. Only the highest card applies.

2 – The High Priestess
The High Priestess grants an Arcana Knight the ability to cast up to Level 4 Divine spells as a Cleric of his current class level, from the following spell list.
Lv 1 Divine, Bane, Bless, Command, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Good/Evil/Law/Chaos, Doom, Inflict Light Wounds, Magic Weapon, Remove Fear, Sanctuary
Lv 2 Divine – Aid, Align Weapon, Augury, Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Make Whole, Lesser Restoration, Shield Other, Status
Lv. 3 Divine – Blindness/Deafness, Contagion, Cure Serious Wounds, Glyph of Warding, Inflict Serious Wounds, Obscure Object, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Speak with Dead
Lv 4 Divine – Cure Critical Wounds, Death Ward, Discern Lies, Divination, Freedom of Movement, Imbue with Spell Ability, Inflict Critical Wounds, Lesser Planar Ally, Restoration, Poison, Neutralize Poison
This ability does not stack with the abilities of the Empress or the Hierophant. Only the highest card applies.

3 – The Emperor
The Emperor grants an Arcana Knight the ability to cast up to Level 8 Arcane spells as a Wizard of his current class level, from the following spell list (As well as those of the Magician)
Lv. 5 Arcane – Break Enchantment, Dismissal, Leomund’s Secret Chest, Lesser Planar Binding, Teleport, Contact Other Plane, Prying Eyes, Dominate Person, Hold Monster, Sending
Lv. 6 Arcane – Antimagic Field, Greater Dispel Magic, Planar Binding, Analyze Dweomer, Legend Lore, True Seeing, Geas, Greater Heroism, Mass Suggestion, Contingency
Lv. 7 Arcane – Banishment, Sequester, Spell Turning, Drawmij’s Imstant Summons, Plane Shift, Greater Teleport, Greater Arcane Sight, Greater Scrying, Vision, Limited Wish
Lv. 8 Arcane – Mind Blank, Sympathy, Antipathy, Maze, Greater Planar Binding, Discern Location, Moment of Prescience, Greater Prying Eyes, Temporal Stasis, Mass Charm Monster
This ability does not stack with the abilities of the Magician or The Hermit. Only the highest card applies.

4 – The Empress
The Empress grants an Arcana Knight the ability to cast up to Level 8 Divine spells as a Cleric of his current class level, from the following spell list (as well as those of the High Priestess).
Lv. 5 Divine – Atonement, Greater Command, Commune, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Dispel Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Disrupting Weapon, Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Raise Dead, Mark of Justice, Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Sleep
Lv. 6 Divine – Banishment, Mass Cure Moderate Wounds, Find the Path, Greater Glyph of Warding, Harm, Heal, Mass Inflict Moderate Wounds, Planar Ally, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Persuasion
Lv 7 Divine – Mass Cure Serious Wounds, Destruction, Mass Inflict Serious Wounds, Refuge, Regenerate, Repulsion, Greater Restoration, Resurrection Symbol of Stunning, Symbol of Weakness
Lv. 8 Divine – Cloak of Chaos, Mass Cure Critical Wounds, Dimensional Lock, Holt Aura, Greater Planar Ally, Mass Inflict Critical Wounds, Shield of Law, Symbol of Death, Symbol of Insanity, Unholy Aura
This ability does not stack with the abilities of the High Priestess or The Hierophant. Only the highest card applies.

5 – The Hierophant
The Hierophant grants an Arcana Knight the ability to cast all Divine spells as a Cleric of his current class level, from the following spell list as well as those of The Empress and High Priestess)
Lv. 9 Divine – Energy Drain, Mass Heal, Miracle, Soul Bind, True Resurrection
This ability does not stack with the abilities of The High Priestess or The Empress. Only the highest card applies.

6 – The Lovers
The Lovers grants an Arcana Knight the spell-like ability to charm those who would oppose them. This operates like the spell Dominate Person, the Save DC equal to 10+Wisdom Modifier+1/2 their Class Level. This effect only lasts until his next Reading, until voluntarily dispelled. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to the Arcana Knight’s Wisdom Modifier.

7 – The Chariot
The Chariot grants an Arcana Knight the spell-like ability to summon a monster as a mount or guardian. The effect is a Free-action which operates like Summon Monster, cast as a sorcerer of their Class level.
Using this effect, only one monster may be summoned at a time. A new monster cannot be summoned using this effect until the first is slain or voluntarily dismissed.
This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to the Arcana Knight’s Wisdom Modifier.

8 – The Justice
The Justice allows an Arcane Knight to use the Eldritch Blast ability as a Warlock equal to his class level. Additionally, this blast deals an additional d6 damage to Neutral creatures, or an additional 2d6 damage to Evil creatures.

9 – The Hermit
The Hermit grants an Arcana Knight the ability to cast all Arcane spells as a Wizard of his current class level, from the following spell list (As well as those of the Magician and the Emperor).
Lv. 9 Arcane – Time Stop, Teleportation Circle, Foresight, Dominate Monster, Wish
This ability does not stack with the abilities of the Emperor or The Hermit. Only the highest card applies.

10 – The Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune allows an Arcana Knight to reverse a particular individual’s path, in the interest of preserving destiny overall.
An Arcana Knight can force a re-roll of any d20 roll, a number of times per day equal to 1 + half their wisdom modifier (rounded down) as a spell-like ability.

11 – The Strength
The Strength allows an Arcana Knight the ability to Rage as a Barbarian of their Class Level.

12 – The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man allows an Arcana Knight to sacrifice their own life force to ensure fate’s plan is followed.
As a swift action, an Arcana Knight may sacrifice any number of their own Hit Points, and heal one ally within 30’ the same amount. This is treated as a Spell-like ability.

13 – The Death
The Death allows an Arcana Knight the spell-like ability to eliminate all magical and psionic advantage on either side, allowing a clean beginning to an encounter.
This spell-like ability is treated as an Area Dispel, as though Greater Dispel Magic had been cast in this fashion.

14 – The Temperance
The Temperance grants an Arcana Knight the Flurry of Blows ability as a Monk of their Class Level, regardless of the weapon they are using.

15 – The Devil
The Devil allows an Arcane Knight to use the Eldritch Blast ability as a Warlock equal to his class level. Additionally, this blast deals an additional d6 damage to Neutral creatures, or an additional 2d6 damage to Good creatures.

16 – The Tower
The Tower allows an Arcane Knight to use the Eldritch Blast ability as a Warlock equal to his class level. Additionally, this blast deals an additional 2d6 damage to Constructs, and affects single targeted objects as per the Shatter spell.

17 – The Star
The Star grants all allies within 30’ of the Arcana Knight a morale bonus on Attack and Damage rolls equal to and for the duration of his Wisdom Modifier, usable once per combat.

18 – The Moon
The Moon allows an Arcana Knight to Wild Shape as a Druid of their Class Level.

19 – The Sun
The Sun grants all allies within 30’ of the Arcana Knight Fast Healing equal and for the duration of the caster’s Wisdom Modifier, usable once per combat.

20 – The Judgment
The Judgment allows an Arcane Knight to use the Eldritch Blast ability as a Warlock equal to his class level. Additionally, this blast deals an additional 2d6 damage to non-neutral Outsiders.

21 – The World
The World can only by “drawn” after every other card in the deck has been drawn at least once. At this point, an Arcana Knight may choose to use the effect of The World during a Reading.
Instead of drawing normally, the Arcana Knight selects the cards they draw.
Afterward, the Arcana Knight is treated as having drawn no cards, and must start from the beginning before being able to use The World again. At level 20, you are always treated as being able to access the World.

Ex Members: Arcana Knights whose alignment becomes Good or Evil lose the benefits of the Reading and Influence abilities, and cannot regain them until an Atonement spell is cast upon them by another Arcana Knight.
An Arcana Knight who changes to another class loses all benefits of the Reading and Influence abilities.
Arcana Knights cannot participate in Gestalt class training.

Additional Note: Feats
For the purposes of Metamagic, Bardic, Divine, and other feats, an Arcana Knight is treated as always having access to every ability they could gain from their Reading ability (For example, because they could potentially draw the Hermit, they always meet the prerequisite of being able to cast 1st-9th level Arcane spells, and can take feats that require such. However, unless he meets the feat's prerequisites when he performs his Reading draws, he cannot make use of the feats).

SofS
2008-01-25, 01:02 AM
This class is perhaps over-specific in its restrictions, but there's a lot of commendable style here. "Preparing" abilities through semi-random drawing of cards is way more flavourful than the usual system, and it's a concept that could easily be extended to other base and prestige classes. You get bonus points for not taking the easy (and inaccurate, symbolically speaking) way out on the Death card.

That said, putting a clause in the class itself stating that members of the class will often act in direct opposition to their allies is a dangerous thing to do. Players will do that anyway. Also, the heavy restrictions on multiclassing are sort of odd and lend the class a weird flavour, as most members will be through-and-through Arcana Knights from womb to tomb. If multiclassing is disfavoured in your settings anyway, that doesn't really mean anything, but it's strange otherwise.

Finally, they should get at least one good save, in my opinion. I'd say Will to go with flavour.

Overall, it's quite engaging. Nicely done.