The Dvergar (Racial PrC)

[Grimsage Matt]

Long ago, and deep below, they toiled. As they forged the weapons and devices of yore, the gods looked down on them and scowled. The Dvergar had grown mighty, freely mixing physical toughness with great minds, and were a cunning people. But, as they did not worship the gods, instead seeking their own way, the gods grew... fearful.

At the first, they had laughed, thinking that those who followed none of the divines would perish in the dark birth of the world. But the Dvergar? They thrived. Their bodies were the stuff of the earth, and healed swiftly. They did not die of old age, but grew wiser and more enduring as the long ages wore on, creating great citadels and wonders.

But at last the gods had enough. These mortals did not know their place! They sought to overthrow the gods! They must be destroyed!

They never wanted to overthrow the gods, and in fact were content to just make heir own way, but the gods, even those of good, would not hear it. They threatened the way things must be, or at least the gods version of what must be.

And so they made war on them.

And a war it truly was, as the lorewise and mighty Dvergar had devloped weapons of power that even a god could not ignore, burning even to the spirit, and disoving the soul. Frightful blasts of light, and the distortion of the very world.

In the end, the gods worked one mighty curse. The Dvergar would lose that which granted them their greatest power. They would be as beasts, mindless brutes. And so the Dvergar became Trolls, near mindless brutes, tormented by the dim recollation of what they lost....

Required;
Base Will; +2
Special; All levels of Troll

HD; d8
Skills; 4+Int mod
Class Skills; Craft, Knowledge and any four skills.

{table]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1|+0|+2|+0|+2|Curse, Lore of the Dvergar, +1 Con, +1 Str
2|+1|+3|+0|+3|Warded From Rot, +1 Con, +1 Int
3|+2|+3|+1|+3|Retributive Curse, Graveward, +1 Con, +1 Int[/table]

Class features;

Curse(SU); The Dvergar have lost almost everything. One of the few pieces of magic they have left is their curse. However, it has no range, requires no line of sight, but has one limitation. The Target must have wronged them. At first, this only has the effect of a bestow curse spell. At 14HD, it increases in power, becoming a Greater curse.

Lore of the Dvergar (SP); As their memory returns, they grasp small bits of the lore they once pocessed. While not as powerful as it used to be, it bears a close resemlbence to their spiritual desendants, the Warlocks.

They gain the listed SLA's at the HD noted. DC's are Int based.

{table]HD|SLA|Fequency|Level of Dvergar Required
1-4|Agury|At Will|1
5-7|Scrying|2+Int mod per day. At 15HD, at will|1 (3 for at will)
8-10|Contact Other Plane|1/day|1
11-13|Probe Thoughts|At will|2
14-16|Greater Scrying|1+Int mod per day|2
17-19|Polymorph (Self)|HD/day|3
20|Wish|1/Year|3[/table]

Stat Boosts(EX); As they awaken the power of their oldest selves, they get tougher and smarter. Total stat gain, +1 Str, +3 Con and +2 Int.

Warded From Rot (EX); As the mystic essence wells in them, their physical forms become even harder to harm. They are immune to poison and disease, even magical ones.

Graveward (EX); Even death has a hard time finding the Dvergar. They gain a EX Deathward effect that is always active.

Retributive Curse(SU); Considered one of the mightist magical powers of the Dvergar, they may force attackers to feel their pain. After they are the target of a spell, attack or hostile action, they may curse those responsible for the attack. They may make a DC (10+1/2 Dvergar's HD+Int mod) Will save, or they take half the damage they would inflict, intill either they repent to the troll, the curse is removed or they die.

[Grimsage Matt]

Reserved for feats.


Plus, ready for PEACHing. Come and get your mystic troll on

[Grimsage Matt]

Please, give my Troll feedback

[Grimsage Matt]

I beg of thee, o people who veiwed and did not comment, PEACH this troll!

[Eldan]

Why the name Dvergar? Why not something more related to trolls, instead of dwarves?

[Grimsage Matt]

According to this, trolls took over the classic duities. Plus, it reads/sounds cool. Also, a point was to make the Trolls seem a lot more mystical, rather then the post-christian versions. So, hence the name. Also, there are less awesome sounding old norse words for trolls and the like

[Eldan]

I don't see that mentioned there, but I suppose they are similar enough, mythologically.

As to the actual rules...
Curse sounds quite strong, If I'm reading this correctly. You can get into this class at level 7. At that level, you suddenly gain a level 4 spell (and ont a bad one), with unlimited range, no line of sight and as a supernatural effect? Too good, I'd say. Needs more limits and probably a times/day limitation. Otherwise, why not start every fight by hiding and casting seven or eight curses on your enemy, each targeting a different stat?

Retributive curse isn't very clear. What kind of action does it require? And I'm not sure I get the last sentence at all. The target gains half the damage it deals to the troll, plus the curse? Am I reading that correctly? And they can not heal that damage until they repent? Or at least I think that's what you mean, because you can not really take damage until a certain point, taking damage is an immediate event, after which you have fewer HP.