Author Topic: [3.5] A class fit for a hero (paladin rework)  (Read 3647 times)

Offline Prime32

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[3.5] A class fit for a hero (paladin rework)
« on: November 05, 2011, 10:30:38 PM »
Following on from this thread - a proper level progression now, with some tweaks.



Paladin

HD: d10

BAB: Full
Saves: Fort good, Ref poor, Will good
Class skills (2+Int): Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Jump, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), Perform (oratory), Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Swim.

1    Martyr, Oath, Smite Evil, Will of the Hero
2    A Hero Never Dies, Body of Good
3    Body as a Shield, Legacy
4    Do the Impossible (shattering strike), Well of courage
5    Second Wind I
6    Do the Impossible (dispelling strike)
7    Death Lock, Tempered
8    Do the Impossible (legend slayer), Well of Courage (inspiration)
9    Binding Smite
10   Do the Impossible (improved shattering strike), Second Wind II
11   Vivacious Surge
12   Do the Impossible (stuff of miracles)
13   Eternal Rest
14   Do the Impossible (greater shattering strike, unbound)
15   Second Wind III
16   Do the Impossible (unstoppable)
17   Greater Body of Good
18   Do the Impossible (greater dispelling strike, snake eater)
19   Immortal Hero
20   Last Stand


Martyr: If he dies under certain circumstances, a paladin receives "martyr bonuses". A paladin with martyr bonuses does not lose a level the next time he is returned to life. If he is returned to life by true resurrection he gains no additional benefit. In addition to the scenarios presented, the DM may grant martyr bonuses for particularly selfless deaths at his option.

Will of the Hero: A paladin's class features stem from his personality and cannot be copied or stolen by others. Any creature attempting to do so must make a Will save (DC = 10 + half your paladin level + your Cha modifier) or take Wisdom damage; this is 1 point for a good creature, 1d4 points for a neutral creature, and 2d4 points for an evil creature. If the paladin has the Legacy class feature he also leaves an impression on them (see below).
Likewise, a paladin loses his class features if he ever becomes non-good.

Smite Evil (Su): A number of times per day equal to his paladin level plus his Wisdom modifier, a paladin can Smite Evil with one attack. He gains a bonus to the attack and damage roll equal to his Cha modifier, and can strike incorporeal and ethereal creatures as if they lacked those traits. In addition, the target takes additional damage equal to double his paladin level if it is evil, or equal to his paladin level if it is neutral.

Oath (Ex): As a move action, a paladin may swear an oath to perform or avoid some task, placing himself under a permanent nonmagical geas/quest compelling him to do so (caster level equals his character level, increasing if he gains levels after the oath is sworn). This effect can be removed by the normal methods, but while it lasts he cannot be magically compelled to knowingly act contrary to his quest (eg. killing a person he has sworn to protect). The DM should feel free to disallow trivial oaths ("I swear I will not buy the party's beguiler a beer") or force the player to make more sweeping statements ("I swear I will not allow anyone to drink beer").

Body of Good (Su): At 2nd level, all of a paladin's attacks are treated as good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction, and he gains DR 1/evil per two class levels. At 17th level this improves to DR/evil and epic.

A Hero Never Dies (Ex): At 2nd level a paladin receives Diehard as a bonus feat, and his negative hitpoint threshold is increased by his paladin level (i.e. a 3rd-level paladin would die at -13hp rather than -10). Whenever any effect would reduce him below this threshold, kill him outright, or leave him in a death-like state (eg. flesh to stone or trap the soul), its effects are delayed for 1 round. During this time, the paladin may use Smite Evil and derived abilities without expending daily uses. After this point the paladin dies as normal. If the paladin kills his killer with Smite Evil within this round, he gains martyr bonuses. If the paladin's death is prevented within this round (eg. he receives healing or equips an item which grants immunity to the effect which would kill him) he loses access to his free uses of Smite Evil until his life is placed in danger again.

Body As a Shield (Ex): At 3rd level, when one of your allies is attacked you may expend a use of Smite Evil as an immediate action. Make a d20 roll modified by your Smite Evil damage (calculate damage as if you had smote the attacker). If it exceeds the enemy's attack roll or save DC you may redirect the effect to yourself. You are automatically struck by the attack and fail all saving throws against it. If redirecting an area effect which affects both you and your ally, you are affected twice but only automatically fail once. If the effect was capable of killing your ally you gain martyr bonuses.

Legacy (Ex): At 3rd level, whenever a paladin succeeds on a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person he leaves a lasting impression, gaining a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks made against them in future. The paladin may have a total number of impressions at one time equal to his Charisma score, but no more than one per creature. If one of these characters witnesses the paladin die in a manner which would earn a martyr bonus, they must make a Will save (DC = 10 + half your paladin level + your Cha modifier) or have their alignment shift one step towards Good over the course of a week. If the affected character is your cohort, you may choose to make them your new PC (you cannot gain multiple PCs by having multiple cohorts in some manner). In this case, they gain two levels in paladin over the course of a week, bringing them to the level of the paladin before death. If the paladin is returned from the dead at a later date, one of the two becomes an NPC (player's choice); the paladin may then gain a new cohort. At the DM's option, you may take control of an NPC of equal or lower level instead of a cohort, in which case they gain enough levels to match the paladin's level (at least 2 of which must be paladin levels if possible).

Do the Impossible (Ex): A paladin may expend a use of smite evil as a swift action to gain one the following benefits; he must make use of this benefit within 1 round.
Shattering Strike: At 4th level he may have his next attack ignore damage reduction, energy resistance and hardness. At 10th level his attack also ignores cover and concealment. At 14th level his attack ignores immunity to damage (meaning that he could attack a swarm with a sword among other things).
Dispelling Strike: At 6th level he may have his next attack carry a nonmagical greater dispel magic effect (CL = his paladin level). At 18th level this instead functions as a touch-range Mordenkainen's disjunction.
Legend Slayer: At 8th level he may have his next attack halve his target's fast healing or regeneration for 1 minute; if it has a value of 1 it is negated instead. Multiple uses of this ability stack (eg. a creature with fast healing 8 who was struck twice would be reduced to fast healing 2)
Stuff of Miracles: At 12th level he may treat his next use of a Supernatural or Spell-like paladin class feature (or an ability powered by one) as an Extraordinary ability. Alternately he may apply this to a non-instantaneous ability already in use, making it Extraordinary for the remainder of its duration.
Unbound: At 14th level he may gain the benefits of a nonmagical freedom of movement effect for 1 round, or replicate an iron heart surge effect.
Unstoppable: At 16th level he may have his next use of a paladin class feature (or an ability powered by one) ignore immunities of its targets. Alternately he may use this ability immediately after one or more creatures negated the effects of one of his paladin class features via immunities, causing it to take effect retroactively.
Snake Eater: At 18th level he may have his next attack permanently strip its target of the Manipulate Form ability and all abilities gained from it. The target may never again gain or benefit from Manipulate Form.

Well of Courage (Ex): At 4th level, whenever a paladin would gain a morale bonus that bonus is increased by 1. In addition, whenever a creature within 30ft spends a full-round action giving him encouragement he gains the benefits of Inspire Courage as if used by a bard of his paladin level. If two creatures give him encouragement the range is doubled to 60ft, if four creatures the range is multiplied by four, and so on.
At 8th level the paladin may inspire courage in others. This functions as the Inspire Courage ability of a bard 7 levels lower, except that it always uses Perform (oratory), does not affect the user, and inflicts a penalty on enemies equal to the bonus granted to allies. If the paladin gains the ability to modify his uses of Inspire Courage (eg. the Dragonfire Inspiration feat) he may also modify the bonuses he gains from encouragement.

Second Wind (Su): At 5th level, a paladin may expend a use of Smite Evil as a standard action to gain the benefits of a lesser restoration spell and recover 2 hit points per paladin level. In addition, any enemy viewing this event must make a Will save (DC = 10 + half your paladin level + your Cha modifier) or become shaken for 1 minute. At 10th level he gains the benefits of restoration and 5 hit points per paladin level, and enemies become frightened on a failed Will save. At 15th level this instead acts as a heal effect targeting the paladin, and enemies become panicked on a failed Will save.

Death Lock (Ex): At 7th level a paladin may activate this ability by expending a use of Smite Evil as part of a grapple. You gain a bonus on grapple checks equal to your Smite Evil damage for a number of rounds equal to your Cha modifier. You must use all your actions to maintain the grapple or attempt to pin. Both you and your opponent are treated as helpless against other creatures while this ability lasts, but any effect targeted against him also affects you. (so that if an ally performed a coup de grace, you would take equal damage and would have to make the same Fort save as your enemy). If you die as a result of an attack aimed at the enemy by your allies, you gain martyr bonuses.

Tempered (Ex): At 7th level, whenever a paladin fails a saving throw against a special attack he gains a +4 bonus on future saving throws against the same special attack used by the same creature. This ability does not stack with itself.

Binding Smite (Su): At 9th level any non-good creature struck by the paladin's Smite Evil must make a Fort save (DC = 10 + half your paladin level + your Cha modifier) or be targeted by a slow effect. The CL equals your paladin level if the target is evil, or half your paladin level if the target is neutral.

Vivacious Surge (Su): At 11th level whenever a creature attempts to drain energy from the paladin in some fashion the paladin may expend a use of Smite Evil as a free action to deal damage to it equal to his smite evil damage, regardless of distance. Any spell or magic item used to do this is then targeted by a greater dispel magic effect (CL = his paladin level). He may also use this ability when he becomes possessed by another creature (or it otherwise enters his mind in some fashion, eg. via the nightmare spell), in which case the affected creature must make a Fort save (DC = 10 + half your paladin level + your Cha modifier) in addition to taking damage or be expelled from his body and become dazed for 1 round; he may use this ability while unconscious, in which case he may immediately regain consciousness if he wishes. Finally, a paladin of this level no longer takes negative levels from carrying evil magic items.

Eternal Rest (Ex): At 13th level, any evil creature slain by a paladin cannot be returned to life by mortal magic.

Immortal Hero (Ex): At 19th level the effects of the paladin's A Hero Never Dies ability last for 2 rounds. In addition, a paladin of this level ceases to age and can no longer be magically aged or die of old age. He does not take penalties to his ability scores for aging, but bonuses still accrue - if he had already taken ability score penalties due to aging then they are removed. He is also immune to death effects.

Last Stand (Su): At 20th level a paladin may create a transcend mortality effect once per day. He gains the benefits of A Hero Never Dies while under this effect, as well as automatic martyr bonuses. Alternately he can create a miracle effect, but this use kills the paladin instantly. If a paladin dies with a use of this ability remaining he may expend it at any point in the next minute to create a true resurrection effect targeted on himself, but immediately dies again (this death is delayed by A Hero Never Dies, as normal).
« Last Edit: December 21, 2011, 12:50:57 PM by Prime32 »

Offline Prime32

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Re: [3.5] A class fit for a hero (paladin rework)
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2011, 10:31:01 PM »
New Feats
Blaze of Glory [General]
Prerequisites: Second Wind class feature
Benefit: Whenever you use Second Wind you may choose to be surrounded by a blazing aura for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier, shedding light as a daylight spell heightened to half your character level. At ?th level this light is treated as natural sunlight.
Special: You may treat this feat as Nimbus of Light for the purposes of prerequisites. You may have both this feat and Nimbus of Light.

Blaze of Justice [General]
Prerequisites: Second Wind class feature
Benefit: Whenever you use Second Wind you may choose to gain the Aura of Menace ability of an archon for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.
Quote
Aura of Menace (Su): A righteous aura surrounds archons that fight or get angry. Any hostile creature within a 20-foot radius of an archon must succeed on a Will save (DC = 12 + half the archon's HD + the archon's Cha modifier). Those who fail take a -2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the archon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same archon’s aura for 24 hours.

Divine Performance [General]
Prerequisites: Well of Courage (inspiration)
Benefit: You may use any Perform skill in conjunction with Well of Courage, and your effective bard level is equal to your paladin level.
Normal: You may only use Perform (oratory) for Well of Courage, and you inspire courage as a bard of your paladin level -7.

Lay on Hands [General]
Prerequisites: Second Wind class feature
Benefit: By expending a use of Smite Evil you may use your Second Wind class feature on another creature with a range of Touch. Your Second Wind does not carry a fear effect when used in this manner.

Overwhelming Blow [General]
Prerequisites: Shattering Blow class feature
Benefit: When you use Dispelling Blow or Legend Slayer your attack also gains the effects of Shattering Blow.

Offline Prime32

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Re: [3.5] A class fit for a hero (paladin rework)
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2011, 10:31:17 PM »
Arcane Knight
Quote
Prerequisites
Feats: Ability Focus or Heighten Spell
Spellcasting: Arcane caster level 1st
Special: Smite Evil, Legacy

HD: d10
BAB: Good
Saves: Fort good, Ref poor, Will good
Class Skills (2+Int): Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Perform, Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Swim

1    Advancement, Heroic Spell (caster level)
2    +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3    +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4    Heroic Spell (Heighten), +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5    +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
6    +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7    Heroic Spell (spell-like ability), +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8    +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9    +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
10   Heroic Spell (metamagic)


Advancement: An arcane knight counts his levels in this class as paladin levels for determining the strength of his paladin class features (but not which class features he gains) and his daily uses of Smite Evil. At every level other than 1st and 10th, an arcane knight gains additional spells per day, spells known and caster level as if he had gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class to which he belonged before entering this PrC.

Heroic Spell: An arcane knight can expend a use of Smite Evil as a move action to improve the next spell he casts. His caster level for this spell becomes equal to his character level, and he may treat it as an attack or a paladin class feature for the purposes of Do the Impossible.
At 4th level, a spell modified by this ability is heightened to a level equal to half his character level, even if he could not normally cast spells of that level.
At 7th level, a spell modified by this ability becomes a spell-like ability (though he must still provide material, focus and XP components).
At 10th level he may apply metamagic feats to the spell instead of heightening it, as long as the final spell level does not exceed half his character level.


Warlock Arcane Knights
It is possible for warlocks to enter this PrC. In this case, increases to caster level should also increase the warlock's eldritch blast damage as if had gained the same number of levels in warlock. Rather than turning spells into spell-like abilities, a 7th-level arcane knight can turn invocations into supernatural abilities.