[3.5] Prestige Class - The Discordian Librarian

**nxwtypx** · 2010-02-05, 02:18 PM (ISO 8601)

This is essentially a 'divine gish' kind of prestige class, using Fax Celestis' wonderful Librum, as with a distinct generic-greyhawk D&D/D20 flavor.

Anyway, PEACH and tell me what you think? I'm a bit nervous about inevitable destruction, but it looks balanced at first glance. I'll kitbash a tektek avatar art for this guy later.

DISCORDIAN LIBRARIAN
"Submit before the wisdom of Hextor, lest I beat it into your foolish mind!"
- Gavyon

A small sect of Hextor's priesthood concerns themselves with chronicling battles as they occur. Being priests of a god with the portfolio of war, a subsect of this sect belive in experiencing these battles first hand for later genuflection upon. It is these hands-on scribes who train in the arts of war who defend the Black Libraries, a temple complex where the Hextorite Order stores its records of every battle on prime material.

The signature mark of the Discordian Librarian is the Librum, an iron-shod tome, swung on a chain much like Hextor's own favored flail. The pages of this book are magic scrolls, which are triggered when the weapon strikes true.

BECOMING A DISCORDIAN LIBRARIAN
The erudite bookishness of the scribe must meet the martial discipline and skill of the warrior and the dedication of the Hextorite priest inside of the candidate if he desires to become a Discordian Librarian. He must learn to wield the deadly librum, and how to fill it with devastating magic for ultimate subjugation of Hextor's enemies and the preservation of the records of battle.

Prerequisites
Alignment: Lawful Neutral, Lawful Evil, Neutral Evil.
Patron Deity: Hextor.
Base Attack Bonus: +6.
Skills: Knowledge (Religon) 8 ranks, Profession (Scribe) 8 ranks.
Spells: Must be able to cast 2nd level divine spells.
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Librum), Scribe Scroll.

Class Skills
The Discordian Librarian's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier
Hit Dice: d8

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

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Librarian's Puissance|

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Dark Scribe|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet +1|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Shorthand, As The Flail|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Dark Judgements

6th|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet +2|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

7th|

+7

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Cleaving Tome|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

8th|

+8

|

+6

|

+2

|

+6

|Improved Shorthand, True Scrolls|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

9th|

+9

|

+6

|

+3

|

+6

|Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet +3|

10th|

+10

|

+7

|

+3

|

+7

|Inevitable Destruction|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting
[/table]

Weapon Proficiencies: An Discordian Librarian gains no proficiency in either weapons or armor.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: A Discordian Librarian continues advancing in divine spellcasting ability as well as learning the skills of the hospitalers. Thus, when a new hospitaler level is gained (except for 1st, 5th, and 9th levels), the character gains new divine spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had gained a level in the a divine spellcasting class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, greater damage with the smite evil ability, and so on). If the character had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a hospitaler, the player must decide to which class to add each hospitaler level for the purposes of determining spells per day and spells known.

Librarian's Puissance (Ex): As devotees to the Scourge of Battle, combat practice is a religious act for the Discordian Librarian. Levels of of Discordian Librarian stack with (and count as) levels in the fighter class for purposes of qualifying for fighter-only feats such as weapon specialization and greater weapon focus.

Dark Scribe (Ex): Skilled at penning prayers to Hextor for a manifestation of the Herald of Hell's benevolence (or mavolence to his enemies!), the Librarian is able to create scrolls for 75% of the cost in gp and xp. This ability stacks with the reduction provided by the Magical Artisan feat.

Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet (Ex): Through his career, the Discordian Librarian becomes increasingly adept at striking telling blows with his libram. Starting at 3rd level, the Librarian extends the critical threat range of his libram by one. This occurs after any multiplications of critical threat range, such as by an impact enhancement or by the improved critical feat. The Librarian also gains a +1 bonus to critical confirmation rolls when wielding a libram. The Librarian gains an additional point of critical threat range and bonus to confirmation rolls at 6th and 9th level.

Shorthand (Ex): The Discordian Librarian becomes able to quickly create unholy writs. At 4th level, a Discordian Librarian can create four scrolls in an eight hour period, compared with the one that a creator could typically make. At 8th level, the Librarian can craft eight scrolls in an eight hour period. Scrolls still take the nominal amount of materials, less any discounts (such as the one granted by the Dark Scribe ability).

As The Flail (Ex): At 4th level, the Discordian Librarian learns the tricks practiced by Hextor's templars, who wield his favored weapon, the flail. Being a large weight on a chain, the librum can be used much as a flail can - and the Librarian learns to wield his librum as a flail, gaining a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an enemy (and the roll to avoid being disarmed if such an attempt fails). Furthermore, the Librarian can use his libram to make trip attacks. If you he is tripped during his own trip attempt, he can drop his libram to avoid being tripped.

Dark Judgements (Su): At 5th level, the Discordian Librarian adds Order's Wrath and Unholy Blight to the spell list of one of his divine spellcasting classes, if he was previously unable to cast them. Furthermore, the Librarian gains a +2 profane bonus to the save DC of any spell with the [Law] or [Evil] descriptors. This bonus extends to spell completion and spell trigger items crafted by the Librarian.

Cleaving Tome (Ex):At 7th level, the Discordian Librarian learns how to follow through on particularly punishing blows with his librum. Any time the librarian confirms a critical hit with his librum, he gets an immediate, extra melee attack against any creature in reach. The librarian can use this ability once per round.

True Scrolls (Ex): At 8th Level, the Discordian Librarian learns how to make a special enhancement to the librum he wields. When the Librarian scores a critical hit with his librum, the librum no longer needs to make a caster level check to activate a scroll.

Inevitable Destruction (Ex): At the apex of his studies of the wielding of the librum, the Discordian Librarian has learned to wield the steel tome with incisive, punishing accuracy, delivering sledgehammer blows with pin-point precison. Whenever a Librarian successfully hits an opponent with his librum without resulting in a critical hit, he extends the critical threat range of his librum by one. This ability will continue to stack until the Librarian scores a successful critical hit against an opponent, whereuppon the critical threat range bonus from Inevitable Destruction resets to zero.

PLAYING A DISCORDIAN LIBRARIAN
A Discordian Librarian is no thug with a strange contrivance of an armament. He is warrior, a scribe, and a priest. His dedication to Hextor, to combat, and to the the exultation of battle drive him forward

Combat: The Discordian Librarian has strong melee pretensions, and cleric spellcasting to boot. As such, the Librarian is a flexible character, able to mix it up in melee and provide spellcasting support. The true power of the Discordian Librarian lays in mixing the two - swinging a book of scrolls on a chain, setting them off when the book strikes true.
Advancement: All Discordian Librarians had training in the arts of channeling the powers of the Champion of Evil at some point before starting the path of the librum. After scaling the capstone of the Discordian Librarian prestige class, most Librarians choose whether to keep advancing as a divine spellcaster, or as a warrior, all for the glory of Hextor.
Resources: As a member of an order of scribes of one of the world's most powerful, organized, religions, the Discordian Librarian has access to most resources already under the plated boot (black gauntlet) of the Church of Hextor. Within his order, there is a trade in books and accounts of battles in the past, and on other planes - from the winner's side and the loser's side - for the continued chronicling of strife. Returning such a book to a higher level Librarian is bound to be good for a Librarian's reputation, if not an outright reward.

DISCORDIAN LIBRARIANS IN THE WORLD
"The Hextorite attack on Burrowfort was horrifying. Well-coordininated and intense, those blasted book-priests crushing skulls. I have spent many days healing wounded gnomes, and I fear I may lose some of them." -Keir Petr, Radiant Servant of Pelor

Discordian Librarians are a less-well-known order in the Church of Hextor, less than the famous Fists of Hextor, for example. The average Librarian spends his time in a barracks chapel, ministering to the troops when not researching the divine records of war or serving alongside them in battle.

**JoshuaZ** · 2010-02-05, 02:55 PM (ISO 8601)

This seems interesting. One thing that bugs me is the title: Discord is the goddess of chaos. So making a class with name not allowed to be chaotic seems a bit strange. Indeed, I can think of some other ideas for a class of that name that would make more sense.

**jiriku** · 2010-02-05, 03:03 PM (ISO 8601)

Very stylish!

A couple of grammatical quibbles before I dive into the class features:
genuflection, pretensions: these words don't mean exactly what you think they do.
Hospitaler: wrong class, probably a copy/paste error
Malevolence, Libram: typo alert
Discordian: Has a very unfortunate resemblance to the word "accordian". Be prepared to have your players ridicule the name.

Overall: This class is interesting and flavorful, but the abilities granted are not worth the loss of three caster levels. Additionally, the concept (talented in the use of a specific exotic weapon) is really too narrow for a ten-level PrC. Mechanically, a lot of the class features are rather ho-hum, with a few exciting gems buried amid the dross. I'd recommend you solve all those problems at once by discarding the minor abilities, buffing the good ones, and compressing everything into a 5-level PrC providing 3/5 or even 4/5 casting progression.

Hit Dice: a gish should have better hit points than the expected base caster class. Increase HD to d10.

Skill: Decipher Script would seem a logical skill option.

Librarian's Puissance: While this ability is small, I'd actually recommend you remove it. It infringes on the uniqueness of the fighter class, which already has so little to call its own. Let the fighter have his toys!

Dark Scribe: Good choice. Necessary for a heavy libram-user.

Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet: I like the name! The ability is very thematic as well. If you compress the class, grant this benefit at 1st, 3rd, and 5th level.

Shorthand: Also necessary for a libram-user. If compressing the class, it should be granted at 2nd and improve at 4th.

As the Flail: A nice thematic ability, although pretty lightweight. I'd recommend adding an actual bonus to trip and/or disarm checks, perhaps +1 per level for a 5-level class.

Dark Judgements: This doesn't really fit the theme. Yeah, I know this is a Hextor prestige class, but 90% of the class abilities center around the weapon, not the deity. Just drop this so you can focus more tightly on your theme. Your DL can always get these spells via domain choices anyhow.

Cleaving Tome: Sort of sucks. The Cleave feat is better. I'd skip this, or just grant Great Cleave as a bonus feat without having to meet the prerequisites, but only when wielding a libram.

True Scrolls: Great improvement for the libram.

Inevitable Destruction: Pretty nice, but not overwhelming. I don't know about you, but I kind of wish that as a capstone, rather than proccing more often (you can already pull a 15-20 crit range with +3 to confirm crits pretty easily), I'd like the scroll to use my normal caster level for all purposes. This would save me a bundle on scribing costs and make the crits as impressive as my regular spells. Doing both might not be a bad deal either.

If you take all my recommendations, it might look something like this:

d10 Hit Die
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Spellcasting

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet +1, As the Flail|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Dark Scribe, Shorthand|

-

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet +2|+1 Existing Divine Spellcasting

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Great Cleave, True Scrolls I|

-

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Heavy Strikes the Black Gauntlet +3, Inevitable Destruction, True Scrolls II|+1 Existing Divine Casting[/table]

**DracoDei** · 2010-02-05, 03:30 PM (ISO 8601)

I prefer the line of thought that says "The fighter is dead, let his wealth be distributed to his heirs." although I think that is limited to fighters above a certain level, which is why I still design PrCs meant for fighter or fighter multi-class entry (Society Member, and Leap Dragoon are the ones that come to mind.)

Compressing the class limits this, though, and I agree that that option is very much worth considering (I don't really know one way or the other).

**nxwtypx** · 2010-02-05, 05:24 PM (ISO 8601)

Originally Posted by JoshuaZ

This seems interesting. One thing that bugs me is the title: Discord is the goddess of chaos. So making a class with name not allowed to be chaotic seems a bit strange. Indeed, I can think of some other ideas for a class of that name that would make more sense.

That's true, Discord is a greek goddess of conflict, flitting about starting wars of the trojan variety. However, I stand against your prosecution - Hextor's holy symbol is known as the Symbol of Hate and Discord, per an older dragon magazine - googlefu fails to provide an issue number though.