The Aristocrat (3.5, P.E.A.C.H.)

[Arstense]

The Aristocrat

Alignment: Aristocrats may be of any alignment.
Hit Die: d6

{table=head]Level|

BAB

|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+0

|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|Aristocratic Birth

2nd|

+1

|

+0

|

+0

|

+3

|Favors, Bribes & Cash

3rd|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+3

|Boon

4th|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Connections

5th|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Servant

6th|

+4

|

+2

|

+2

|

+5

|Charismatic

7th|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|

+5

|Connections

8th|

+6/+1

|

+2

|

+2

|

+6

|Boon

9th|

+6/+1

|

+3

|

+3

|

+6

|Connections

10th|

+7/+2

|

+3

|

+3

|

+7

|Connections

11th|

+8/+3

|

+3

|

+3

|

+7

|More Favors, Bigger Bribes & Tons of Cash

12th|

+9/+4

|

+4

|

+4

|

+8

|Boon

13th|

+9/+4

|

+4

|

+4

|

+8

|Retinue

14th|

+10/+5

|

+4

|

+4

|

+9

|Boon

15th|

+11/+6/+1

|

+5

|

+5

|

+9

|Sovereign

16th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+5

|

+5

|

+10

|Mighty Keep

17th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+5

|

+5

|

+10

|Mighty Keep

18th|

+13/+8/+3

|

+6

|

+6

|

+11

|Mighty Keep

19th|

+14/+9/+4

|

+6

|

+6

|

+11

|Mighty Keep

20th|

+15/+10/+5

|

+6

|

+6

|

+12

|Sovereign Supreme[/table]


Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Survival (Wis)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6+ Int modifier) x 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

Spoiler

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Many of the Aristocrat's class features are based on a character's "class level". All mentions of "class level" refer exclusively to a character's total levels in this Aristocrat class.

Aristocratic Birth
Your noble birthright gives you an advantage over those common plebs. Select one of the following:

Educated
You gain an additional number of skill points equal to your Int bonus plus 10. These skill points must be spent in the Knowledge skills. In addition, you gain one extra skill point per class level, to be spent on any class skills.

Legacy
You gain one Heritage feat for which you qualify. You gain another Heritage feat for the same Heritage at levels 9 and 15.

Martial
You gain an additional 2 HP per class level.

Wealthy
Each time you gain a class level, you immediately gain an amount of gp equal to one-tenth the recommended Wealth-By-Level (DMG, Table 5-1) for that level.


Favors, Bribes & Cash
You gain a gp pool containing your class level x 100 gp. This pool is replenished each month. The gp in this pool may only be spent on services, drink, food, lodgings and transport.


Boon
When you're in power, good things just seem to fall into your lap. Pick one of the following:

Bodyguard Team
When residing in a building or estate owned by yourself or your family/organisation, you have a personal bodyguard team. This team periodically canvasses the building or estate with wands, casting Mind Blank on guests, residents and staff, casting Arcane Lock on all windows and doorways and casting Alarm spells across the grounds. Four Fighters of one-half your class level form a 'response group' that reacts to any triggered Alarm spell or an alarm raised by you or a member of your group. These Fighters are equipped with studded leather armor, masterwork short swords.

Mount
You gain a mount with a value no higher than your class level x 50 gp. If this mount is killed or lost, you gain another mount at the next appropriate opportunity.

Personal Servants
When residing in a building or estate owned by yourself or your family/organisation, you and guests you invite are attended to by personal servants. Whilst being attended to in this way, a character's natural healing rate is doubled.

Title Deed
You gain ownership of a single building, as determined by the GM. You may take this boon multiple times, gaining a new building each time.

Windfall
You gain your class level x 1d6 x 100 gp. You may take this boon multiple times.


Connections
You have friends in many, many places. Each time you gain this class feature, you gain one of the following:

Information Network
You may take 20 with a Gather Information check in the same time as a single regular check and without suffering the consequences of failed checks.

Merchant Connections
When purchasing mundane or magic items, you may make a DC20 Gather Information check to gain a 10% reduction in cost. (You may use Information Network with this Connection.)

Royal Connections
You may gain an audience with a local noble within 1d4 minutes of asking, with a greater noble within 1d4 hours or with a member of royalty within 1d6 hours. At the GM's discretion, you may freely gain immediate membership in any private member's club.

Shady Connections
After spending at least two full days in one location, you can automatically pass any DC20 or lower Gather Information check to learn about illegal activities in that location.

Spy Ring
You may direct your spy ring to infiltrate a country, government or organisation. A roll of a natural one in this check results in your spy ring being discovered and rooted out. It takes 3d6 weeks for your spy ring to reform.

Traveller's Aid Society
You may gain one night's lodging of Good or lower quality for your group for free. You may not claim this free lodging again at the same establishment for a week.


Servant
A loyal servant accompanies you on your adventures. Your servant does not gain Starting Gear from his or her class, but carries his or her own equipment and may be further outfitted at your own expense. Your servant's pay is handled by your family, house or estate and has no appreciable game effects. If your family, house or estate has collapsed or is unable to pay, a well-treated servant will remain loyal to you. If a servant is killed, you may replace him or her with another servant; this servant may be of a different type.

You must pick the type of servant who is accompanying you:

Butler
This servant is an Aristocrat of a level two less than your class level. A Butler may not gain a Servant, nor does he or she gain gp from any Aristocrat class features. A Butler's presence allows you to reroll a failed skill check, taking the best result, a number of times per day equal to one-half your class level (rounding down).
A Butler's starting ability scores are as follows: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12.
He or she is equipped with a courtier's outfit.

Consultant
This servant is an Expert of a level one less than your class level.
An Expert's starting ability scores are as follows: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 10.
He or she is equipped with a courtier's outfit.

Man-At-Arms
This servant is a Fighter of a level two less than your class level.
A Consultant's starting ability scores are as follows: Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
He or she is equipped with masterwork half-plate, a masterwork heavy steel shield and a melee weapon costing no more than 20gp.

Priest
This servant is a Cleric of a level four less than your class level.
A Priest's starting ability scores are as follows: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12.
He or she is equipped with a cleric's vestments and a holy symbol.

Retained Arcanist
This servant is a Wizard of a level four less than your class level.
A Retained Arcanist's starting ability scores are as follows: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 10.
He or she is equipped with a scholar's outfit and a spellbook.

Spy
This servant is a Rogue of a level three less than your class level.
A Spy's starting ability scores are as follows: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 12.
He or she is equipped with a courtier's outfit, a dagger and doses of poison with a total value of your class level x 10 gp.


Charismatic
You may gain the effects of the Eagle's Splendor spell a number of times a day equal to your Cha bonus (minimum 1/day). This is an Immediate action. The effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to your class level.


More Favors, Bigger Bribes & Tons of Cash
Your monthly gp pool increases by 2d6 x 100 gp per month. This amount is rolled anew each month.


Retinue
You may have a number of Servants with you equal to your Cha bonus. You may have multiple servants of the Consultant, Man-At-Arms and Spy type. You may not have multiple servants of any other type.


Sovereign
You gain an appropriate amount of land, a mighty keep from which to rule, 150,000gp and a number of lackeys and servants.


Mighty Keep
Whilst you have been adventuring, your mighty keep has been undergoing further construction. Your mighty keep gains one of the following features:

Armory - Your Armory is stocked with 40 masterwork weapons and 10 magic weapons or sets of ammunition, each of a value equal to or less than 4000gp. You may add to this at your own expense.

Exotic Stables - You can safely keep any monstrous or exotic mounts you tame within these stables without further cost or problem.

Feasting Hall - With only three hours notice, you can host a Feast. This feast grants the benefits of a Hero's Feast spell to 100 individuals.

Grand Library - Whilst in your keep, you can use the Grand Library to gain a +5 equipment bonus to any Knowledge check.

Magical Location - Your keep gains a Magical Location on or within it's grounds. You may select this feature more than once, choosing a different Magical Location each time.

Steward - Your keep gains a level 14 Aristocrat to command and defend it whilst you are away.

Temple - Your keep serves as a temple to a particular god. It is led by one 10th level Cleric of that god, staffed 3 4th level Clerics and maintained by 8 1st level Clerics.

Unscalable Walls - Your mighty keep is surrounded by vast walls. These walls are 50ft high and 5ft thick. high You must pick a material (which may entail an extra cost): Adamantine (+100,000gp), Alchemical Glass (+15,000gp), Deep Crystal (+100,000gp), Iron (+35,000gp), Mithral (+50,000gp), Mundane Crystal (+30,000gp), Obsidian (+15,000gp), Steel (+40,000gp), Stone (+0gp)

Wonderous Architecture - Your keep gains one piece of Wonderous Architecture from the Stronghold Builders Guide. You may select this feature more than once, choosing a different piece of Wonderous Architecture each time.


Sovereign Supreme
You gain supernatural powers from your lands. Whilst on land you can be considered to own or control, you gain immunity to all diseases and poisons (including those that are magical or supernatural in nature), Fast Healing 10 and a continuous Mind Blank effect.

Starting Gear: 6d8 x 10 gp worth of equipment. It is expected that you purchase noble garb and signet ring (175gp), or at least a courtier's outfit with jewellery (80gp).

---

This is just a first draft of a PC Aristocrat class (although I'm sure it's been done before). It gets ridiculous from level 15+, but then what campaign doesn't?

[Benly]

But what do they call their act?

[Havvy]

You gain a gp pool containing your class level x 10 gp. This pool is replenished each month. The gp in this pool may only be spent on services, drink, food, lodgings and transport.

This becomes negligible at level 2 where you are supposed to have 900gps. Also, have you looked at the cost of the higher end services, drinks, food, lodgings, and transport? This paltry amount of cash doesn't pay for most of them even once per month. But sure, if you want to buy lots and lots of the cheap low-value stuff, its enough, but this is an Aristocrat!

[Arstense]

This becomes negligible at level 2 where you are supposed to have 900gps. Also, have you looked at the cost of the higher end services, drinks, food, lodgings, and transport? This paltry amount of cash doesn't pay for most of them even once per month. But sure, if you want to buy lots and lots of the cheap low-value stuff, its enough, but this is an Aristocrat!

Typo. It was always supposed to be 100gp, not 10.

[Amnestic]

I like this idea. It's pretty cool. Few things:

Spoiler

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Information Network - You may take 20 with a Gather Information check in the same time as a single regular check and without suffering the consequences of failed checks.

Merchant Connections - When purchasing mundane or magic items, you may make a DC20 Gather Information check to gain a 10% reduction in cost.

Can you use Information Network for Network Connections? Probably should note yes/no.

Charismatic
You may gain the effects of the Eagle's Splendor spell a number of times a day equal to your Cha bonus (minimum 1/day). The effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to your class level.

Is this an Immediate action? Swift?

Retinue
You make have a number Servants with you equal to your Cha bonus. You make have multiple servants of the Consultant, Man-At-Arms and Spy type. You may not have multiple servants of any other type.

Not sure about the bolded bits.. "May have"? Just "have"? Either way, the grammar doesn't feel right.

Like I said, just a few things really.

[Arstense]

Those minor omissions and proof-reading error are sorted out. I'm glad it's a cool class.


I'm wondering if the current options for Boon, Connections and Servant are sufficient.

[Amnestic]

I'm wondering if the current options for Boon, Connections and Servant are sufficient.

At the start, getting an additional Level 1 Mage or Cleric might not seem like much, but once you hit 13th you get a Level 9 Wizard, Level 9 Cleric, a Level 11 Fighter and a Level 10 Rogue assuming you got 18 Charisma on your way up to 13th.

At that point you're a slightly lower level adventuring party unto yourself with two Tier 1 casters, which will 'respawn' when killed. So it might be a bit weak at first, but upon hitting 13th it'll really come into its own I think.

[Lix Lorn]

I approve! Although I've no idea how well this would actually balance. Maybe I can persuade someone to let me try it.

[Pyromancer999]

I like this. I'm not sure about the balance, but it's got some pretty good class features.

[Merk]

Considering that you get clerics and wizards as class features, I'd say it gets pretty powerful.

[EdroGrimshell]

I'd suggest switching it to getting Leadership and Leadership feats (found in Heroes of Battle) as well as the Land Owner (not sure on the actual name) feats from the Stronghold guide. Just add class features that modify it and set some limits (such as limiting wizards to only 3 schools of magic, only allowing NPC classes for followers, etc.)

Other than that i like it, but maybe have the gp pool be a resource pool and let them replenish mundane gear using the pool as well as the other things. Just have it function when you get into a town.

[Lix Lorn]

The four level drop should stop them breaking the game TOO early... :/

[Unrest]

I'd suggest switching it to getting Leadership and Leadership feats (found in Heroes of Battle) as well as the Land Owner (not sure on the actual name) feats from the Stronghold guide. Just add class features that modify it and set some limits (such as limiting wizards to only 3 schools of magic, only allowing NPC classes for followers, etc.)

I doubt that you can create a good class by simply making it just a skeleton BAB/Saves-progression with bonus feats. I'd flip the page in a second upon seeing it

[Lix Lorn]

Also, leadership is broken-er than this.

[EdroGrimshell]

I doubt that you can create a good class by simply making it just a skeleton BAB/Saves-progression with bonus feats. I'd flip the page in a second upon seeing it

I didn't mean just feats, class features would be included.

Take a look at the Noble class from the Dragonlance campaign setting, you can get some inspiration from that.

[Kobold-Bard]

This seems like as appropriate a place as any to subtly promote my Sovereign class, a PrC for Aristocrats (the DMG one, not this one).

I am meant to be making another version that isn't reliant onthe Leadership & Landlord Feats as that one is, thanks for reminding me

[Goober4473]

Wait, so you can get up to 40 bonus hit points over 20 levels (useful, balanced), or three feats spread out over your levels (useful, balanced), or 10 + int modifier skill points once (weird, powerful at level 1, not as good later), or 300 gp (entirely useless after 1st level)?

Flat gold as a class feature seems like a bad idea, but I like the monthly gold for non-equipment. It fits the concept very well.

Why is the bodyguard always level 4 only?

[Silverscale]

Wait, so you can get up to 40 bonus hit points over 20 levels (useful, balanced), or three feats spread out over your levels (useful, balanced), or 10 + int modifier skill points once (weird, powerful at level 1, not as good later), or 300 gp (entirely useless after 1st level)?

Flat gold as a class feature seems like a bad idea, but I like the monthly gold for non-equipment. It fits the concept very well.

Why is the bodyguard always level 4 only?

All good points

For the Skill points I would give them the extra indicated at 1st lvl and an additional 1or2 at each additional level.

For the xtra GP you need to figure out a way to scale it with level while making sure it's consitently more then the character would normally get from the Boon, and Bribes feature.

For the Body Guard how is s/he different from the Man-at-arms? Yes s/he has a Wand of Mind-Blank but other then that it's a fighter. You need to find another way to differentiate him/her from the Man-at-arms and make it so that the body guard scales with level.

General rule of thumb, if it doesn't scale with level or at least go up steadily with level then it's eventually going to become useless.

[Arstense]

Considering that you get clerics and wizards as class features, I'd say it gets pretty powerful.

The four level drop should stop them breaking the game TOO early... :/

My thought is that by the time your wizard or cleric servant is breaking the game, the party wizard and/or cleric has already been breaking the game for four levels.

Wait, so you can get up to 40 bonus hit points over 20 levels (useful, balanced), or three feats spread out over your levels (useful, balanced), or 10 + int modifier skill points once (weird, powerful at level 1, not as good later), or 300 gp (entirely useless after 1st level)?

Educated was an idea that didn't get fleshed out fully. An extra skill point per level (as Silverscale suggested) should make it more of an option.

Wealthy certainly needs an overhaul. Maybe just class level x 300gp at each level increase?

Why is the bodyguard always level 4 only?

Perhaps the Boon should simply change to the following -

Bodyguard Team - When residing in a building or estate owned by yourself or your family/organisation, you have a personal bodyguard team. This team periodically canvasses the building or estate with wands, casting Mind Blank on guests, residents and staff, casting Arcane Lock on all windows and doorways and casting Alarm spells across the grounds. Four Fighters of one-half your class level form a 'response group' that reacts to any triggered Alarm spell or an alarm raised by you or a member of your group. These Fighters are equipped with studded leather armor, masterwork short swords.

It's a little wordy, but the Servant class feature already handles extra manpower. This mainly one just gives you a defensive advantage when sleeping at your elaborate Aristocrat pad.

[Tacitus]

With wealthy, the problem is that wealth scales exponentially, and making it a linear progression with the class makes it pale in comparison and become useless anyway, it just takes longer. 300gp at first level is amazing. 6000gp at 20th is a joke. If you could find a way to make it scale according to WBL, thats the ticket.

[Lix Lorn]

Why not...
At each level, you gain gp equal to half the WBL for that level?

[Arstense]

That's as good an idea as any.

[Tacitus]

+50% isn't quite what I meant. +50% over regular WBL swings in the other direction, and vastly overshadows the other options.

[Silverscale]

+50% isn't quite what I meant. +50% over regular WBL swings in the other direction, and vastly overshadows the other options.

How about +10%? Not quit as game altering as +50%.

[Arstense]

Yeah, 10% sounds good.

[Amnestic]

Also, one could just dip the first level of Aristocrat to get the Wealthy class feature, and become filthy rich AND a wizard.

It could be clearer, but I assume the intention was that it only activates each time you gain an Aristocrat class level, meaning a one-level Aristrocrat dip would get you...about 100gp? Hardly filthy rich.

But it's a touch ambiguous, I agree.

[Combat Reflexes]

Also, one could just dip the first level of Aristocrat to get the Wealthy class feature, and become filthy rich AND a wizard.

And it doesn't say Aristocrat level. Just class level, or is that the same?

[Amnestic]

And it doesn't say Aristocrat level. Just class level, or is that the same?

I can't speak for Arstsense's intention, but having it apply to any class level seems a touch ridiculous, while having it only apply to Aristocrat levels makes a lot more sense otherwise - as you said - it'd make an exceptional first-level dip.

[Arstense]

It was my understanding that 'class level' referred to your level in a particular class, whereas your character level referred to your total class levels. I'll change it to 'Aristocrat class level' though, just to clarify. Added an initial clarification to the class features section.

Really though, is the extra cash worth losing a caster level for?

[PetterTomBos]

When it comes to the servant fighters, the bodyguards and so on:

What about using the premade NPCs in the DMG, and let their EQ be the property of their guild, your family, w.e. ?