[3.5e] Secret Keeper (PRC) PEACH

[Cadian 9th]

Secret Keeper
A Wu Jen Prestige Class.

Notes: Basically, I wanted to show Wu Jens some love and give them a sort of Incantatrix/Archmage style class, where they sacrifice a little bit of spells per day but master " being a Wu Jen ". It's similar to my other PrC on these forums, the Familiar Mage (Linked in Sig), in that it emphasizes a secondary class feature.

Prerequisites: Spell Secret Class feature, ability to cast 3rd level arcane spells, Extra Spell Secret, Spellcraft 8 ranks.

Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, Craft, Knowledge (All Skills, taken individually), Proffesion, Sense motive and Spellcraft.


Skill points each level: 2 + Intelligence Modifier
Weapons and Armor Profficiencies: No new.
Hit Dice: d4.

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

1st|

+0

|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|Spell Secret Keeper, Secret of Body and Mind|+1 level of Wu Jen
2nd|

+1

|

+0

|

+0

|

+3

|Secret of Force|+1 level of Wu Jen
3rd|

+1

|

+1

|

+1

|

+3

|Secret of Lore|+1 level of Wu Jen
4th|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Secret of the Elements|+1 level of Wu Jen
5th|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Secret of Protection, Secret Mastery 1/day|+1 level of Wu Jen
6th|

+3

|

+2

|

+2

|

+5

|Secret of Haste|+1 level of Wu Jen
7th|

+3

|

+2

|

+2

|

+5

|Secret of Tenacity, Secret Mastery 2/day|+1 level of Wu Jen
8th|

+4

|

+2

|

+2

|

+6

|Secret of Power|+1 level of Wu Jen
9th|

+4

|

+3

|

+3

|

+6

|Secret of Time, Secret Mastery 3/day|+1 level of Wu Jen
10th|

+5

|

+3

|

+3

|

+7

|Secret of Eternity, Secret Keeper|+1 level of Wu Jen [/table]

Class Features:
Spells per day/Spells Known: At each level gained in the Secret Keeper except 1st and 10th, you gain new spells per day and spells known as if you had gained a level in the Wu Jen class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a Wu jen would have gained such as Element Mastery. You are still required to select Taboos.

Spell Secret Keeper (Ex): At each level gained of Secret keeper, beginning at 1st level, you gain a new spell secret. The maximum level of spell you can apply these spell secrets to is your class level. These Spell Secrets follow the rules outlined in the Spell Secret class feature of the Wu Jen, with exceptions as you gain levels, detailed below.

Secret of the Body and Mind (Ex): At 1st level, you gain the option to enhance a spell affecting a physical or mental aspects of a creature through a spell secret choice. If the spell gives a bonus to an ability score, increase the bonus by 4 and also grant the target a +2 on ability checks related to that score. If the spell grants a bonus to multiple ability scores, increase each bonus by 2 points and grant the target a +2 bonus on all ability checks relevant also. If the spell inflicts a penalty to an ability score, increase the penalty by 4 and inflict also a -2 penalty on ability checks related to that score. If the spell inflicts penalties to multiple ability scores, increase the penalty for all ability scores involved by 2 and inflict also a -2 penalty on ability checks related to that score. If the spell heals damage, it heals an additional 2 points per caster level, heals an additional 2 points of ability damage, or removes one additional condition chosen by the caster (The choice is made once the spell secret is selected, or if it is a spontaneous secret application, when the spell is about to be cast). If it deals damage by means other than energy or force or physical damage such as piercing, then increase that damage by 2 per caster level, or deal an additional 2 points of ability damage, or inflict Sickened, Shaken or Fatigued on the target. (Chosen as per the healing aspect, above). If the spell changes the targets form, add 4 to the save DC.

Secret of Force (Ex): At 2nd level, you gain another option with your spell secrets. In addition to the metamagic feats you can apply, you can also choose to permanently change the damage type of the spell, if it deals damage, to force damage, allowing it to affect incorpereal creatures and bypass most damage reduction.

Secret of Lore (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain the option to enhance a specific divination spell when applying a spell secret to it. A spell affected by the Secret of Lore lets you roll two dice and pick the best one when casting a spell requiring a roll to determine the results.

Secret of the Elements (Ex): At 4th level, you gain the option to apply Energy Substituition (Fire, Electricity, Sonic or Acid) with your Spell Secrets. You can choose to prepare a spell without the spell secret if you wish, in essence you simply gain another option when preparing the spell. In addition to the spells changed energy type, you gain a +1 bonus on damage per damage dice, or +2 damage per caster level if the spell doesn't deal damage dice.

Secret Mastery (Ex): Starting at 5th level, once per day you can apply the effect of any spell secret you know except for the Secret of Eternity to a spell you are about to cast. At 7th level, and again at 9th level, you can use this ability an additional time per day.

Secret of Protection (Ex): At 5th level, you gain the ability to augment a spell providing a direct bonus to AC (That is, not shapechange or Cat's grace), through a spell secret choice. You can choose to permanently enhance a spell providing a direct bonus to AC by increasing the total bonus of the spell by 4.

Secret of Haste (Ex): At 6th level, you gain the ability to augment a spell that makes a creature act faster through a spell secret choice. The spell's movement bonus increases by a further 20 feet, if it grants a bonus to speed, or the movement speed granted increases by 20 feet, if it grants a new movement speed. Targets of the spell gain a free partial action each turn, being able to take a 10ft move at the end of their turn.

Secret of Tenacity (Ex): At 7th level, you gain the ability to make a spell harder to dispel and counter through a spell secret choice. The spell has its dispel or counter DC increased by 10, and has a chance of working in areas where magic shouldn't function. This requires a Caster Level check with a DC of 11+the originator's caster level or HD, or 20 for a dead magic zone or similar. If the check suceeds, the spell works normally.

Secret of Power (Ex): At 8th level, you gain the ability to permanently increase the power of a spell through a spell secret choice. When you cast the spell, you count your caster level as 4 higher for determining effects based on caster level, including the check to overcome Spell Resistance or the Secret of Tenacity's caster level check. You bypass the normal limits for the spell using this secret. For example, a 19th level Wu Jen casts a fireball spell. The spell would normally deal 10d6 damage, but in this instance it deals 14d6 damage instead. Additionally, the spells effective level increases by 2, similar to Heighten Spell's effect, and the Save DC, if any, increases by 4.

Secret of Time (Ex): At 9th level, you gain the ability to apply the Quicken Spell and Rapid Spell to a spell through a spell secret choice. In addition, the spell does not count towards your Swift action if it would normally consume one.

Secret of Eternity (Ex): At 10th level, you gain the ability to make a spell you can last forever through a spell secret choice. The spell must have had a non-instantaneous duration is treated as Instantaneous spell regardless of any previous durations. Any mentions in the spell's description of a time period or limit that would normally cause the spell to stop functioning instead are extended to permanent. Additionally, the spell is forever treated as part of you and is passed on to your offspring, and their offspring, and so on. Treat it as a Supernatural ability unless the DM rules it is an Extraordinary effect, such as the Fins to Feet spell which doesn't exactly have a supernatural component. If it matters, your offspring automatically have a level adjustment - +1 for a 1st-3rd level spell, +2 for a 4th to 5th level spell, +3 for a 6th to 7th level spell, +4 for an 8th or 9th level spell. If the spell is any higher than 9th level the level adjustment stops at +4. Epic Spells cannot be enhanced with this Spell Secret.

Secret Keeper (Ex): Finally, at 10th level, you are now considered a Master Secret Keeper. You gain a +2 bonus on charisma checks to interact with other Secret Keepers. Wu Jens of your alignment begin with an attitude two steps closer to friendly than they would otherwise, and Wu Jens of an alignment one step away on up to both axes are one step friendlier.

You can spontaneously cast any spell you have a Spell Secret applied to by swapping out spells of the same level or higher. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your wisdom modifier.

Note: When you select more Spell Secrets, such as through gaining more levels in the Wu jen class or taking the Spell Secret feat, you can select any of the secrets you have through this class as well as the standard options.

Table coming soon. Done! What do we think? (Oh, BaB poor, Good Will, poor fort, poor ref, you know the drill for arcane PrCs.)

[silphael]

The secret of force is very powerfull, bringing blast to "having some uses" from useless.

[JoshuaZ]

you know the drill for arcane PrCs

Actually, whether an arcane PrC has full caster advancement or not is really important for balancing, and this isn't clear. I presume from your comment about archmage you intend for full advancement.

This could lead to some potentially interesting shennanigans, such as only taking a single level in Wu Jen and using the PrC to advance wizard casting. I'm not sure how effective that would be.

[Cadian 9th]

The secret of force is very powerfull, bringing blast to "having some uses" from useless.

Yes. Wu Jens also have a more limited spell list than other casters, and they DO have a fair amount of force spells. Basically, you'd be applying this to fireballs and burning hands in terms of power level, which really is best because, unlike a Wizard for example, you can't simply prepare a different spell. I also thought it was flavorful for the Wu Jen to be able to interact better with Spirits/Ghosts.

Actually, whether an arcane PrC has full caster advancement or not is really important for balancing, and this isn't clear. I presume from your comment about archmage you intend for full advancement.

This could lead to some potentially interesting shennanigans, such as only taking a single level in Wu Jen and using the PrC to advance wizard casting. I'm not sure how effective that would be.

It's just after the Skills/HD line, they don't get 1st or 10th level but 2-9 all advance Wu Jen casting.

To be honest, I haven't playtested this, only rigged up some random builds and theorized. If anyone tries it out, please let me know how it goes!

[Cadian 9th]

Table added. Thinking of reducing the power level of the earlier spell secrets... I just realized how accelerated the aquisition of Spell Secrets (ignoring the ones you get from the PrC) is, maybe I'll change it, but that means cutting down on the numbers of spell secrets...