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The Demented One
2008-03-16, 02:18 PM
Maverick Templar

Every Paladin walks a fine line. Though they are champions in the fight against evil and all its minions, warriors tasked with defending all that is good, they are also bound by their vows of virtue and nobility. Should they step beyond their restraints in their crusade against evil, then they are stripped of their powers by the gods they serve. However, there are some for whom the restraints of good are just a burden, a needless restriction of their strength in the fight against all evil. With sheer willpower and determination, they are able to draw on divine energy from the world around them, not needing any god to empower them. These rogue paladins, known as Maverick Templars, have ceased caring for good–only the destruction of evil has any meaning to them.

Hit Dice
d10

Requirements
To qualify to become a Maverick Templar, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB: +5
Special: Smite Evil class feature
Special: Must have willingly killed an evil creature that was powerless to defend itself.

Class Skills
The Maverick Templar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Nobility) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Skill Points per Level
2 + Int modifier.

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

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Maverick Paladin, Smite Evil

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Stalwart

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Templar Smite

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Soulsense

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Crusader’s Mantle

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+2|Templar Smite

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+2|Maverick Vigor

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+2|Unbound Champion

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+3|Templar Smite

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+3|Beyond Good and Evil[/table]


Class Features
All the following are class features of the Maverick Templar prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

Maverick Paladin
A Maverick Templar is not bound by the Paladin’s code. He has no need of a god, or even the force of good, to act as a source for his divine power. With sheer force of will, he can draw divine energy from the world around him, tapping the reserves of divine power that lie within each living soul. Violating the Paladin’s code, committing evil acts, or having a non-Lawful Good alignment no longer causes you to lose your Paladin abilities, and if you had previously lost them, you regain access to them.

Smite Evil (Su)
Your Maverick Templar levels stack with any Paladin levels you may have for determining how many times per day you may use your smite evil ability, and for determining the amount of extra damage dealt.

Stalwart (Ex)
At 2nd level, your body and mind are bolstered by divine power, allowing you to shrug off the power of evil. If you make a successful Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, that effect is instead negated. Only effects with the evil descriptor or used by evil creatures are subject to this ability.

Templar Smite (Su)
At 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, you gain access to a special form of the smite evil attack, known as a templar smite. These special attacks confer additional bonuses on your smite evil attempts. You may apply only one templar smite to a single smite evil. In addition, you may use each individual templar smite only once per day. The list of templar smites you may choose from is:

Domineering Smite
A creature hit by a domineering smite must make a Will save, DC 10 + your Maverick Templar level + your Charisma modifier, or be shaken for 10 rounds.

Hunter’s Smite
A hunter’s smite ignores an amount of damage reduction up to twice your class level.

Keen Smite
A keen smite automatically threatens a critical hit.

Smite of Avenging Flames
A smite of avenging flames deals an additional 1d6 fire damage for every two Maverick Templar levels you have. In addition, a smite of avenging flames can set fire to a creature struck by it. A creature successfully damaged by a smite of avenging flames must make a Reflex save, DC 10 + your Maverick Templar level + your Charisma modifier, or take half as much fire damage again in the next round.

Stunning Smite
A creature hit by a stunning smite must make a Fortitude save, DC 10 + your Maverick Templar level + your Charisma modifier, or be stunned for 1 round.

Vicious Smite
A vicious smite deals an additional 1d4 Constitution damage.

Soulsense (Su)
At 4th level, you can feel the very presence of evil. You gain blindsense out to 30 ft. However, you can only perceive evil creatures with this blindsense.

Crusader’s Mantle (Su)
At 5th level, your manic will lets your resist evil magics. You gain spell resistance equal to 12 + twice your Maverick Templar level. This spell resistance applies only to spells with the evil descriptor or cast by evil creatures.

Maverick Vigor (Su)
At 7th level, you can draw strength from the evil around you, healing yourself by drawing the evil into your soul. Whenever your stalwart class feature allows you to negate a spell-like or supernatural ability, or your crusader’s mantle class feature allows you to resist a spell, you gain fast healing 3 for a number of rounds equal to your class level.

Unbound Champion (Su)
At 8th level, you can use your powers against any who hinder your crusade against evil, even if they are not evil themselves. Your smite evil attacks work against even creatures that are not evil. In addition, your stalwart, soulsense, and crusader’s mantle class features are no longer restricted to affecting only evil creatures, effects, or spells.

Beyond Good And Evil (Su)
At 10th level, you are beyond the realm of morality, understanding that the only way to truly fight evil is to draw on all of evil’s strengths. Once per day, you may take on a fiendish form, transforming into either a Hamatula or a Hezrou, as the polymorph spell. This transformation lasts for 10 rounds.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2008-03-16, 03:35 PM
I like this class. It has an interesting concept, that opens many roleplaying opportunities, and has simple mechanics that work. It looks pretty balanced to me.

dyslexicfaser
2008-03-16, 04:02 PM
Awesome concept. When Blackguard just doesn't cut it thematically - there is now the Maverick Templar.

A thought - why not change the prerequisite to something more vague than just killing a helpless evil guy, like 'Broke the Paladin Code in the pursuit of evil'?

Xuincherguixe
2008-03-16, 05:04 PM
Seems nice. Not every Paladin that falls should all of the sudden become dedicated to evil. (Or at least to retain their supernatural power)

Something like this could even still be more or less good, but not quite good enough.

Or, maybe a Paladin that no longer can tolerate working with the gods for whatever reason (most of these cases are likely to be either that they're either too merciful, or not merciful enough for the Paladin in question).

edit: Nevermind, seems like this mostly is for the Paladins who "go too far".

The Demented One
2008-03-16, 05:19 PM
Or, maybe a Paladin that no longer can tolerate working with the gods for whatever reason (most of these cases are likely to be either that they're either too merciful, or not merciful enough for the Paladin in question).

edit: Nevermind, seems like this mostly is for the Paladins who "go too far".
It actually does work pretty well for the "doesn't work with gods" paladin ability. In that case, I'd just swap out Unbound Templar and Beyond Good and Evil for these two abilities:

Blade of the Templar (Su)
At 8th level, your weapon has become a channel for the divine energy you draw into yourself. Whenever you make a smite evil attack, your weapon gains the evil outsider bane and holy special abilities for the duration of that attack.

Transcendant Maverick (Su)
At 10th level, you are can shed your mortal form, becoming nearly a divinity in your own right. Once per day, you may take on a fiendish form, transforming into either an Astral Deva, a Hound Archon, or a Leonal, as the polymorph spell. This transformation lasts for 10 rounds.

mockingbyrd7
2008-03-16, 05:42 PM
I love this idea. Miko comes to mind, actually. All I can say is, "really cool". I like it.