Sohei Core Class and Variants

[bhu]

Class List
Sohei
Sou
Yamabushi

Note: If any class/feat requires levels in a Buddhist casting class, or references being a 'holy man', levels in these three classes qualify.  Yamabushi are also considered a Shinto casting class.

[bhu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%8Dhei

SOHEI

   
"Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts."

 The Sohei are lay members of Buddhist monasteries.  They handle various secular activities such as construction and defense of the temples.  The Sohei are also responsible for making the monks thoughts known about political appointments of Abbots and other priests via demonstrations, riots, and occasionally armed rebellion.  Most of the monastic orders vie for riches and political power as much as any noble, and they don't like the member of a different order being placed as an Abbot of their own.  Or perhaps they belong to different sects of Buddhism.

MAKING A SOHEI
 Sohei are often fanatic warriors devoted to their particular order more than Bushido.  In fact they generally fought more with rival sects of Buddhists for political and social power than they did the Samurai (especially since the few times they did interfere in secular politics they paid a heavy price for it with the burning of their temples.  Many relied on the superstitious fears of the commoners to intimidate them based on their 'holy' status, as opposed to the Samurai's more straight forward ability to simply murder them at any time.  Also, unlike the Samurai you are expected to behave as Monks instead of being accomplished warriors/artists.
 Abilities: Unlike most Samurai your Wisdom plays a more important role as your Ki abilities work off of Wisdom alone.  Particularly the few Divine abilities you will be getting.  As you are also a warrior and required to fight you will need physical Abilities to be in good condition as well.
 Races: Sohei are members or Buddhist monasteries, so only races with he Buddhist religion will have them. 
 Alignment: In keeping with Buddhism most Sohei are Neutral, or at least strive to be.  They can be oddly passionate in defending their monasteries and faith considering Buddhism's rejection of personal desire.
 Starting Wealth: +(1d3+1)
 Reputation: +1
 Starting Age: Same as a Fighter.
 Edo Period Caste: Technically the Sou are reputable Hinin, but their penchant for trouble making makes the Shi distrustful.

Class Skills
 The Sohei's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana, History, Local, Nature, Nobility & Royalty, Religion, War)(Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skills Per Day at 1st Level : (4 + int) x4
Skills Per Day at Each Additional Level : 4 + int

Hit Dice: d10

Code: [Select]

[b]   BAB  Fort    Ref    Will  Abilities[/b]
1. +1    +2     +0     +2    Military Training, Ki Pool, Ki Abilities
2. +2    +3     +0     +3    Iron Will
3. +3    +3     +1     +3    Holy Man
4. +4    +4     +1     +4    Military Training
5. +5    +4     +1     +4    Iron Will
6. +6    +5     +2     +5    Holy Man
7. +7    +5     +2     +5    Military Training
8. +8    +6     +2     +6    Iron Will
9. +9    +6     +3     +6    Holy Man
10.+10   +7     +3     +7    Military Training
11.+11   +7     +3     +7    Iron Will
12.+12   +8     +4     +8    Holy Man
13.+13   +8     +4     +8    Military Training
14.+14   +9     +4     +9    Iron Will
15.+15   +9     +5     +9    Holy Man
16.+16   +10    +5     +10   Military Training
17.+17   +10    +5     +10   Iron Will
18.+18   +11    +6     +11   Holy Man
19.+19   +11    +6     +11   Military Training
20.+20   +12    +6     +12   Abbot
Weapon Proficiencies: Sohei are proficient with Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor.  They also have proficiency with any 6 weapons from the Sohei List, and any 2 Exotic Weapons.
 
Ki Pool (Ex): At 1st level the Sohei first begins to learn to channel his Ki to perform acts he would be otherwise unable to do.  He may use his Ki a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom Modifier  plus once more per day for each level of Sohei he takes.

Ki Abilities (Su): By tapping the power of his Ki a trained Sohei can enhance his abilities in battle, in art, and in life.  A Sohei learns one new use for his Ki Pool at each level if he meets the prerequisites.  If a Sohei multi classes into a PrC that allows him to continue to learn Ki Abilities, he may still choose Ki Abilities from the Sohei Class list if he meets the prerequisites.  At 1st level he may expend up to 1 daily use of his Ki Abilities per round, and the benefits from the Ability last for 1 round.  This increases to twice per round at level 6 (with a duration of the entire encounter), and 3 times per round at level 13 (with a duration of 1 day).  Ki abilities are skills the Sohei has trained to perfection, and despite being more than natural, they are not vulnerable to Antimagic Fields and as such are Exceptional Abilities unless it is noted otherwise.  They generally either reflect specific combat maneuvers from a school of martial arts, an enhanced use of a skill, or an enhanced use of a Feat.  A Sohei may choose from the following School Ki Abilities:

Ki Casting (Su): A Sohei may choose from the following Magic School Ki Abilities: Exorcist, Geomancy, Nazoraeru, or Tantra.  Ki casting works a little differently than normal Ki abilities.  To start with the key stat for Ki casting varies depending on what magical school you are using (and is listed with said schools).  When they can choose a new Ki Ability they can choose from the usual lists like other classes or choose a Ki Spell you meet the prerequisites for from a School their Class has access to.  While you can only use one Ki Spell Ability per round you may expend as much Ki as you would like (normally you only do this if you have Feats or Class Abilities that let you modify Ki Abilities by expending extra Ki).  Duration and all other effects are the same as the regular spell the Ki Spell mimics.  Save DC's are based off of the Key Stat of whichever School of Magic the Ki Spell belongs to, and Caster Level is equal to your Hit Dice.  In other words if you're a first level Samurai, 4th level Sohei, you're a 5th Level Caster.


Military Training (Ex): The Sohei is a military occupation primarily, and players can receive training at various military skills as long as they remain Sohei.  It gives you Bonus Feats at levels 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 from the following list you meet the prerequisites for (your Sohei Levels are considered levels in Fighter for purposes of acquiring Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, and related Feats).

Iron Will (Ex): At 2nd level the Sohei gains Iron Will as a Bonus Feat.

At 5th level the Sohei gains Indomitable Soul as a Bonus Feat (see PHB II).

At 8th level gains Mind over Matter.  Once per round when targeted by an effect that requires a Fortitude or Reflex Saving Throw, the Sohei may opt to use a Willpower Save instead.

At 11th level the Sohei can make a Concentration Check to temporarily ignore any Mind-Affecting effect for a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom Modifier.  The Check DC is equal to the original Save DC of the effect.

At 14th level the Sohei gains a +4 Resistance Bonus on Willpower Saves against Mind-Affecting Effects.  If a Mind-Affecting Effect would cause him to break his monastic vows (for example a Charm or Compulsion spell was cast on him, and he was ordered to commit an act that society would object to) he gains a second Saving Throw to escape the effect.

At 17th level the Sohei is immune to Fear and Morale based penalties.

Holy Man (Su): You are protected by the Gods, and those who attack you risk curses or even death.  Each time you choose to use your Holy Man ability you expend one daily use of your Ki Pool as a Swift Action.  The effects last 3 rounds.

At 3rd Level anyone attacking the Sohei with a melee or ranged attack must make a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Wisdom Modifier) or be affected as if by a Blindness/Deafness spell. 

At 6th Level anyone attacking the Sohei with a melee or ranged attack must make a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Wisdom Modifier) or be affected as if by a Bestow Curse spell.  The Sohei can use an effect from a lower level instead if he wishes.

At 9th Level anyone attacking the Sohei with a melee or ranged attack must make a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Wisdom Modifier) or be affected as if by a Feeblemind spell.  The Sohei can use an effect from a lower level instead if he wishes.

At 12th Level anyone attacking the Sohei with a melee or ranged attack must make a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Wisdom Modifier) or be affected as if by a Harm spell.  The Sohei can use an effect from a lower level instead if he wishes.

At 15th Level anyone attacking the Sohei with a melee or ranged attack must make a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Wisdom Modifier) or be affected as if by a Symbol of Death spell.  The Sohei can use an effect from a lower level instead if he wishes.

At 18th Level anyone attacking the Sohei with a melee or ranged attack must make a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Wisdom Modifier) or be affected as if by an Energy Drain spell.  The Sohei can use an effect from a lower level instead if he wishes.

Abbot (Su):  At 20th Level the Sohei can extend your Holy Man Ability as a Standard Action for 3 rounds plus a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom Modifier.  This costs one daily use of your Ki Pool.  You may also opt to extend this protection to an Ally within 30 feet by expending one daily use from your Ki pool as a Swift Action after he has been successfully attacked.

PLAYING A SOHEI
 The peasants (and to some extent the less reasonable Samurai) can be intimidated by your status as a holy man.  Claims of people being struck dead by the Buddha for simply daring to oppose you are common, and you do your best to inflame those rumors.  After all they may come in handy when you need to pull your behind from the fire, or convince the peasantry to hide you from the Samurai by not mentioning which way you left town if asked.
 Religion: Sohei are Buddhists, but there are conflicting monastic orders, as well as conflicting versions of Buddhism (Pure Land vs Zen being the best known).  Most Sohei are fairly devout (at least if they want to keep their divine powers), and are required to be fairly fanatic in their allegiance to remain within the temples favor. 
 Other Classes: The Samurai and the Sohei often do not get along as they have differing (sometimes opposing) goals, and usually they try to co-opt or murder one another.  Also the Sohei are allowed to associate publicly with people the Samurai can't, so they are a bit more accepted in some areas (or perhaps less accepted depending on their religious beliefs and their intensity).  In general the nobility wants to either befriend or extinguish them, other religions are considered enemies (along with associated classes), and they don't get along with gaijin anymore than any other Japanese.
 Combat: Much like the Ashigaru you gravitate towards new or exotic weaponry, both as a means of keeping up with the times and to intimidate others.  Generally each temple has a specialty along with the ever present Naginatas they favor.   
 Advancement: Advancement for you depends on what your order needs you to do.  After all besides being a monk, you are also a lay brother responsible for many day to day chores, and for defense of the monastery.  What you become depends on their needs, unless you're willing to strike out on your own (which could be deadly for you). 

SOHEI IN THE WORLD
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
 The common folk do not see you much since you spend all your time training at temples, usually in the mountains.  The nobility send you gifts in attempts to curry favor, but they rarely leave their own power bases to do so.  Generally you interact with the peasantry for sundry means such as getting supplies, and the Samurai when fighting with or against them. 
 Daily Life: Your daily life is composed of prayer, training, and chores.  You are expected to do well at all of them.  If not your daily routine consists of punishment.  Whenever the temple needs to be defended, or trouble stirred up, or people killed you may also be called upon.
 Notables:
 Organizations: All Sohei belong to a Buddhist monastery and the brotherhood of monks within, even if they themselves are lay members. 

NPC Reaction
 NPC's are generally terrified of you.  They have no idea what you're up to or what you want when you appear, and acting against you may be prohibited by the Gods.  Also the Samurai may want you dead, so your mere appearance is a possible harbinger of death and chaos.

SOHEI IN THE GAME
 This class can monkey wrench campaigns depending on what the other PC's are, as the Sohei's orders may conflict with the parties goals (especially if the rest of them are Samurai).
 Adaptation: This is probably best for campaigns with a focus on a Buddhist temple, as opposed to the court intrigues of the Samurai.
 Encounters: Sohei are encountered in riots and protests when their order feels it has been wronged, when their temples go to war with one another (or with the Samurai), or in most monasteries with any political power.



EPIC SOHEI

Hit Die: d10
Skills Points at Each  Level : 4 + int
Ki Pool The Epic Sohei gains 1 additional daily use of his Ki Pool for every Epic Level.  He does not gain new Ki abilities except as Epic Feats. 
Bonus Feats: The Epic Sohei gains a Bonus Feat every 3 levels higher than 20th

[bhu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamabushi

http://shugendo.fr/main.html

YAMABUSHI


   
"A single sincere prayer moves heaven. You will surely realise the divine presence through sincere prayer."

 Yamabushi are adherents of a spiritual religion known as Shugendo, a fusion of Shinto animist beliefs, Tantric Buddhism, Taoist magic, Shamanism, and other practices.  They are wandering ascetics who meditate and study on lone mountains, usually alone or in small groups that go on pilgrimages.  Early in their formation the Yamabushi had extensive contact with the early precursors of the Ninja clans, and are said to have remained in close contact with them forever after, and even hired them for protection.  They are also known as Shugenja or Shugyosha.  They seek long life, magical power, and enlightenment (not always in that order).

MAKING A YAMABUSHI
 Yamabushi are devoted to finding enlightenment (and in some cases magical knowledge).  In either case you will need to avoid the temptations of the secular world for the spiritual.  But your seclusion means you will need to be self-sufficient and capable of defending yourself against troubles.  And you will find much to trouble you in your travels.
 Abilities: Wisdom is of importance to all Yamabushi as their powers derive from it.  Physical abilities will be necessary if you are also to be a warrior, and Charisma will be helpful for bluffing your way out of trouble.  Given their focus on physical Endurance Con should be high.
 Races: Yamabushi are usually human, though some can be found among other species that are capable of solitude as well.
 Alignment: Yamabushi strive for Neutrality as most Buddhists do, but their magic studies often expose them to powers that may cause them to stray from that path.
 Starting Wealth: +(1d4)
 Reputation: +1
 Starting Age: Same as Cleric.
 Edo Period Caste: The Yamabushi are Hinin.  Whether or not they are considered reputable varies greatly.

Class Skills
 The Yamabushi's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcane, History, Local, Nature, Religion)(Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skills Per Day at 1st Level : (4 + int) x4
Skills Per Day at Each Additional Level : 4 + int

Hit Dice: d8

Code: [Select]

[b]   BAB  Fort    Ref    Will  Abilities[/b]
1. +0    +2     +0     +2    Martial Studies, Ki Pool, Ki Abilities
2. +1    +3     +0     +3    Iron Will
3. +2    +3     +1     +3    Shugendo
4. +3    +4     +1     +4    Martial Studies
5. +3    +4     +1     +4    Iron Will
6. +4    +5     +2     +5    Shugendo
7. +5    +5     +2     +5    Martial Studies
8. +6    +6     +2     +6    Iron Will
9. +6    +6     +3     +6    Shugendo
10.+7    +7     +3     +7    Martial Studies
11.+8    +7     +3     +7    Iron Will
12.+9    +8     +4     +8    Shugendo
13.+9    +8     +4     +8    Martial Studies
14.+10   +9     +4     +9    Iron Will
15.+11   +9     +5     +9    Shugendo
16.+12   +10    +5     +10   Martial Studies
17.+12   +10    +5     +10    Iron Will
18.+13   +11    +6     +11    Shugendo
19.+14   +11    +6     +11    Martial Studies
20.+15   +12    +6     +12    Holy Ascetic
Weapon Proficiencies: Yamabushi are proficient with Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor.  They also have proficiency with any 6 Weapons from the Yamabushi list and any 2 Exotic Weapons.
 
Ki Pool (Ex): At 1st level the Yamabushi first begins to learn to channel his Ki to perform acts he would be otherwise unable to do.  He may use his Ki a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom Modifier x2, plus once more per day for each level of Yamabushi he takes.

Ki Abilities (Su): By tapping the power of his Ki a trained Yamabushi can enhance his abilities in battle, in art, and in life.  A Yamabushi learns one new use for his Ki Pool at each level if he meets the prerequisites.  If a Yamabushi multi classes into a PrC that allows him to continue to learn Ki Abilities, he may still choose Ki Abilities from the Yamabushi Class list if he meets the prerequisites.  At 1st level he may expend up to 1 daily use of his Ki Abilities per round, and the benefits from the Ability last for 1 round.  This increases to twice per round at level 6 (with a duration of the entire encounter), and 3 times per round at level 13 (with a duration of 1 day).  Ki abilities are skills the Yamabushi has trained to perfection, and despite being more than natural, they are not vulnerable to Antimagic Fields and as such are Exceptional Abilities unless it is noted otherwise.  They generally either reflect specific combat maneuvers from a school of martial arts, an enhanced use of a skill, or an enhanced use of a Feat.  A Yamabushi may choose from the following School Ki Abilities:

Ki Casting (Su): A Yamabushi may choose from the following Magic School Ki Abilities: Diviner, Exorcist, Geomancy, Jugondo, Kuji-Kiri, Nazoraeru, and Tantra.  Ki casting works a little differently than normal Ki abilities.  To start with the key stat for Ki casting varies depending on what magical school you are using (and is listed with said schools).  When they can choose a new Ki Ability they can choose from the usual lists like other classes or choose a Ki Spell you meet the prerequisites for from a School their Class has access to.  While you can only use one Ki Spell Ability per round you may expend as much Ki as you would like (normally you only do this if you have Feats or Class Abilities that let you modify Ki Abilities by expending extra Ki).  Duration and all other effects are the same as the regular spell the Ki Spell mimics.  Save DC's are based off of the Key Stat of whichever School of Magic the Ki Spell belongs to, and Caster Level is equal to your Hit Dice.  In other words if you're a first level Samurai, 4th level Yamabushi, you're a 5th Level Caster.



Martial Studies (Ex): The Yamabushi need to study the martial arts to defend themselves due to their solitude, and players can receive training at various military skills as long as they remain Yamabushi.  It gives you Bonus Feats at levels 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 you meet the prerequisites for (your Yamabushi Levels are considered levels in Fighter for purposes of acquiring Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, and related Feats).

Iron Will (Ex): At 2nd level the Yamabushi gains Iron Will as a Bonus Feat.

At 5th level the Yamabushi gains Indomitable Soul as a Bonus Feat (see PHB II).

At 8th level gains Mind over Matter.  Once per round when targeted by an effect that requires a Fortitude or Reflex Saving Throw, the Yamabushi may opt to use a Willpower Save instead.

At 11th level the Yamabushi can make a Concentration Check to temporarily ignore any Mind-Affecting effect for a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom Modifier.  The Check DC is equal to the original Save DC of the effect.

At 14th level the Yamabushi gains a +4 Resistance Bonus on Willpower Saves against Mind-Affecting Effects.  If a Mind-Affecting Effect would cause him to break his monastic vows (for example a Charm or Compulsion spell was cast on him, and he was ordered to commit an act that society would object to) he gains a second Saving Throw to escape the effect.

At 17th level the Yamabushi is immune to Fear and Morale based penalties.

Shugendo (Su): At 3rd Level you may expend a daily use of your Ki Pool as a Standard Action to cast Resist Energy (Caster Level is equal to Hit Dice).  You also permanently gain the benefits of the Endure Elements spell.

At 6th Level you may expend a daily use of your Ki Pool as a Standard Action to cast Fly (Caster Level is equal to Hit Dice).

At 9th Level you may expend a daily use of your Ki Pool as a Standard Action to cast Commune (Caster Level is equal to Hit Dice).

At 12th Level you may expend a daily use of your Ki Pool as a Standard Action to cast Control Weather (Caster Level is equal to Hit Dice).

At 15th Level you may expend a daily use of your Ki Pool to convert an opponent to Buddhism through speech.  This requires expending a Daily use of your Ki Pool as a Standard Action, and is language dependent.  If the target fails a Willpower Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Wisdom Modifier) you change his or her Alignment to Neutral or Neutral Good.  Many Yamabushi use this to convert Oni.

At 18th Level weapons refuse to kill you.  Any time a weapon would do enough damage to kill you, you get a Sunder Attack against it as a Free Action.  You do not provoke an Attack of Opportunity, and Size Modifiers are not included (nor are modifiers due to weapon type).  You get your Wisdom Modifier instead of Dex or Str for the roll, and if successful you take no damage from the weapon, and your Sunder attack does 2d6 plus your Wisdom modifier in damage, and ignores the weapons Hardness.  This only uses a daily use from your Ki Pool if the Sunder is successful.

Holy Ascetic (Su):  Your Divine Powers are such that you are now Immortal.  Your Alignment changes to Neutral and may not be altered and you become an Outsider with the Native Subtype.  You no longer require, air, food, or water, do not sleep, and do not age (and are immune to age and sleep effects).  You are immune to all Diseases and Poisons.

PLAYING A YAMABUSHI
 You are a mountain ascetic, little understood by others.  The government occasionally views your religious beliefs and tenuous collusion with Ninja clans as a threat of some sort, and they do not like you.  Banning of your religion is a common problem, as well as misunderstandings and accusations of sorcery.  This only drives you further into seclusion, as the company of others is not necessary for enlightenment.
 Religion: A decent discussion of Shugendo would be too long to post here, but there is a pantheon of deities, and all Yamabushi are required to be members of the religion.
 Other Classes: The other Samurai classes will be deeply suspicious of you at best considering your sects occasional cross training with the Ninjas.  You may be more open to associating with foreigners than the other Samurai style classes.
 Combat: You prefer the Naginata like the Sohei, but you use swords and knives as much as any other Samurai class, and one group of Yamabushi were even famous for using rifles.  Your particular mix of faiths still tells you killing is wrong, but you have a more pragmatic side as well.
 Advancement: Yamabushi can go in more than a few directions.  They can end up becoming spirits or achieving Enlightenment, specializing in some form of magic or martial arts, or spend their entire lives treading an uneasy path between these extremes.

YAMABUSHI IN THE WORLD
"What's he doing in town Ezo?  Follow him and report back to me."
 With Yamabushi being hermits and loners they are not always well thought of, and misfortune is often blamed on them unfairly.  Many are accused of collusion with Ninjas in committing assassinations or practicing black magic in order to provide an excuse for their execution or arrest.  But they are also heavily consulted for good luck charms written on papers or in the form of amulets, divinations, to talk with spirits, or to exorcise the same.
 Daily Life: The Shugendo religion stresses physical endurance as being necessary to the path to enlightenment.  Devotees fast, meditate under freezing waterfalls, chant sutras in the snow, or perform other daily acts of endurance to pray and show religious observance.  Much of their time is spent in religious ritual or study, or practicing the martial arts to defend themselves.
 Notables: Daizu Hirono (Yamabushi 12) is a lone wanderer seeking spiritual enlightenment.  Tsuruko (Yamabushi 6/Shamaness 6) is a local seer and allows herself to be possessed by Spirits for those asking advice.
 Organizations: While they are an religious organization, the Yamabushi are so loosely organized they are not considered a true physical presence (which is intended).  If people thought they were organized enough to be a threat they might be put down.

NPC Reaction
 NPC's are terrified yet perversely attracted to the Yamabushi.  They have helpful abilities, such as exorcising demons and spirits, but they also have many ugly rumors spread about them that put people off.  Many Yamabushi associate with supernatural beings like the Tengu, or have been seen in the company of those outside society like the ninja clans.

YAMABUSHI IN THE GAME
 The Yamabushi are loners, and tend to invite trouble which could make their presence in a party difficult.  The Yamabushi will resent having to take time from his studies to do other things even if only subconsciously.  He will also attract unwelcome attention to the group.
 Adaptation: This is obviously intended for an oriental campaign with a strong Japanese influence.
 Encounters: Yamabushi can be found on pilgrimages, on mountain temples, or as lonely hermits in the middle of nowhere. 



YAMABUSHI

Hit Die: d8
Skills Points at Each  Level : 4 + int
Ki Pool The Epic Yamabushi gains 1 additional daily use of his Ki Pool for every Epic Level.  He does not gain new Ki abilities except as Epic Feats. 
Bonus Feats: The Epic Yamabushi gains a Bonus Feat every 3 levels higher than 20th

[bhu]

can anyone think of a warrior/mage, warrior/priest idea ive overlooked?

[bhu]

SOU


   
"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. "

 The Sou are Buddhist monks (nuns are called Ama).  Buddhism is very diverse in Japan running from the harsh Zen philosophy preferred by the Samurai to the evangelical Pure Land Buddhism preferred by commoners since it allows them the possibility of salvation.  A Buddhist monk wishes to achieve Nirvana (freedom from suffering), but how to go about doing so can vary from temple to temple, or even from priest to priest.  It is in most ways a much more difficult and lengthy concept to introduce than Shinto and I would direct you here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism
Even wiki can probably do a better job of it than me.

MAKING A SOU
 You will need willpower in spades to avoid the many temptations placed before you.  You should always consider the potential end results in a long term sense before taking any action to avoid creating bad karma (i.e. a seed of cause which leads to an effect.  In other words make sure your actions don't cause misery and tie you to this world preventing you from achieving your goal).  You do not have the freedom to be foolish or impulsive that others do.  Like some other mystic classes you will have many vows or taboos which you must not break.
 Abilities: Wisdom will be absolutely necessary.  If you study the martial arts to remain in shape you should have decent physical stats, scholarly monks may have Int, but neither are absolutely required.  If you become involved in politics or wish to be a converter you may require Charisma.
 Races: As with Shinto Buddhism is a human religion, but it is known for having many converts among traditionally Evil Outsiders or races.
 Alignment: A Buddhists goal is to be true Neutral.  Many start as Lawful or Good, but they eventually purge their alignment of those thoughts.  Chaos and Evil are rare unless a monk falls.
 Starting Wealth: +0
 Reputation: +2
 Starting Age: Same as Monk.
 Edo Period Caste: Technically the Sou are reputable Hinin, but their penchant for trouble making makes the Shi distrustful.

Class Skills
 The Sou's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana, Geography, History, Local, Nature, Religion)(Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (N/A), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skills Per Day at 1st Level : (6 + int)x4
Skills Per Day at Each Additional Level : 6 + int

Hit Dice: d6

Code: [Select]

[b]   BAB  Fort    Ref    Will  Abilities[/b]
1. +0    +2     +2     +2    Religious Training, Ki Pool, Ki Abilities
2. +1    +3     +3     +3    Iron Will
3. +2    +3     +3     +3    Enlightenment
4. +3    +4     +4     +4    Religious Training
5. +3    +4     +4     +4    Iron Will
6. +4    +5     +5     +5    Enlightenment
7. +5    +5     +5     +5    Religious Training
8. +6    +6     +6     +6    Iron Will
9. +6    +6     +6     +6    Enlightenment
10.+7    +7     +7     +7    Religious Training
11.+8    +7     +7     +7    Iron Will
12.+9    +8     +8     +8    Enlightenment
13.+9    +8     +8     +8    Religious Training
14.+10   +9     +9     +9    Iron Will
15.+11   +9     +9     +9    Enlightenment
16.+12   +10    +10    +10   Religious Training
17.+12   +10    +10    +10    Iron Will
18.+13   +11    +11    +11    Enlightenment
19.+14   +11    +11    +11    Religious Training
20.+15   +12    +12    +12   Buddha
Weapon Proficiencies: Sou are not proficient with Armor or Shields.  They may choose 6 weapons from the Sou list, and 2 Exotic Weapons.

Ki Pool (Ex): At 1st level the Sou first begins to learn to channel his Ki to perform acts he would be otherwise unable to do.  He may use his Ki a number of times per day equal to either his Wisdom Modifier (whichever is greater) plus twice more per day for each level of Sou he takes.

Ki Abilities (Su): By tapping the power of his Ki a trained Sou can enhance his abilities in battle, in art, and in life.  A Sou learns one new use for his Ki Pool at each level if he meets the prerequisites.  If a Sou multi classes into a PrC that allows him to continue to learn Ki Abilities, he may still choose Ki Abilities from the Sou Class list if he meets the prerequisites.  At 1st level he may expend up to 1 daily use of his Ki Abilities per round, and the benefits from the Ability last for 1 round.  This increases to twice per round at level 6 (with a duration of the entire encounter), and 3 times per round at level 13 (with a duration of 1 day).  Ki abilities are skills the Sou has trained to perfection, and despite being more than natural, they are not vulnerable to Antimagic Fields and as such are Exceptional Abilities unless it is noted otherwise.  They generally either reflect specific combat maneuvers from a school of martial arts, an enhanced use of a skill, or an enhanced use of a Feat.  A Sou may choose from the following School Ki Abilities:

Ki Casting (Su): A Sou may choose from the following Magic School Ki Abilities: Diviner, Exorcist, Geomancy, Jugondo, Nazoraeru, Ofuda, or Tantra.  Ki casting works a little differently than normal Ki abilities.  To start with the key stat for Ki casting varies depending on what magical school you are using (and is listed with said schools).  When they can choose a new Ki Ability they can choose from the usual lists like other classes or choose a Ki Spell you meet the prerequisites for from a School their Class has access to.  While you can only use one Ki Spell Ability per round you may expend as much Ki as you would like (normally you only do this if you have Feats or Class Abilities that let you modify Ki Abilities by expending extra Ki).  Duration and all other effects are the same as the regular spell the Ki Spell mimics.  Save DC's are based off of the Key Stat of whichever School of Magic the Ki Spell belongs to, and Caster Level is equal to your Hit Dice.  In other words if you're a first level Samurai, 4th level Sou, you're a 5th Level Caster.

 
Religious Training:

Iron Will (Ex): At 2nd level the Sou gains Iron Will as a Bonus Feat.

At 5th level the Sou gains Indomitable Soul as a Bonus Feat (see PHB II).

At 8th level gains Mind over Matter.  Once per round when targeted by an effect that requires a Fortitude or Reflex Saving Throw, the Sou may opt to use a Willpower Save instead.

At 11th level the Sou can make a Concentration Check to temporarily ignore any Mind-Affecting effect for a number of rounds equal to his Wisdom Modifier.  The Check DC is equal to the original Save DC of the effect.

At 14th level the Sou gains a +4 Resistance Bonus on Willpower Saves against Mind-Affecting Effects.  If a Mind-Affecting Effect would cause him to break his monastic vows (for example a Charm or Compulsion spell was cast on him, and he was ordered to commit an act that society would object to) he gains a second Saving Throw to escape the effect.

At 17th level the Sou is immune to Fear and Morale based penalties.

Enlightenment (Su):

Buddha (Su): Your Divine Powers are such that you are now Immortal.  Your Alignment changes to Neutral and may not be altered and you become an Outsider with the Native Subtype.  You no longer require, air, food, or water, do not sleep, and do not age (and are immune to age and sleep effects).  You are immune to all Diseases and Poisons.

PLAYING A SOU
 Your goal is Nirvana, an end to suffering.  The path to this means giving up earthly desires (or as your opponents will accuse you of, becoming an emotionless robot).  This is not an easy path, and is very perilous given the likelihood of your encountering all manner of supernatural beings who will wish to see you fail.  The quote 'Life is suffering' will most definitely apply to you, as you will suffer in abundance to achieve your goal.
 Religion: You regard Buddhism as the only true path, though you can see that other faiths have their moments and reasons for being.  In general though you do not participate in any religion but your own, and even then beliefs vary even within your own temple.  Theological argument is a common pastime among monks.
 Other Classes: You get along perfectly well with Buddhists of your own sect (in theory), particularly your own temple.  Other mystics are considered possibly dangerous, and the more secular classes (Samurai, Shinobi, Yakuza) are to be pitied for their inability to give up desire.  Not that you'd ever be foolish enough to say this to their faces.  You remain perfectly polite to everyone if you can regardless of your true thoughts.
 Combat: Combat results from desire, and is to be avoided.  You may know forms of combat but this is from exercising in the temple to keep fit and prevent your body from becoming frail and unhealthy.  You can use it in self defense if you have to, but you prefer to not have to, and if at all possible you do not kill.  Killing is a sin, one that can create monsters in the world others will have to deal with.
 Advancement: While you live within the temple you are expected to support yourself by means of alms (begging), and you must steadfastly observe all it's rules.  If not you must give up your vows and be expelled.  You may return to your vows later if the temple is willing to allow you to be forgive but you will likely be tested to ensure you are serious.

SOU IN THE WORLD
"Not knowing is Buddha."
 You pretty much only interact with fellow monks except for funerals, festivals, and similar large public events.  Most people only see you when they need a priest or when you are begging.
 Daily Life: Your days are spent in religious ritual and learning, and maintenance of the temple and it's gardens.  You have some small personal time to devote to perfecting a skill or knowledge of some sort with which you can use to focus and occupy yourself.  You will be called upon for aid against the Supernatural if it should come calling.
 Notables:
 Organizations: Almost all Sou belong to a temple of a particular sect of Buddhism.  Due to vying for political money and influence most of the temples disagree with one another, which suits the Court fine as it keeps them from rallying the peasants to a common cause (i.e. abolishing the tyranny of the Court).

NPC Reaction
 NPC's generally respect you (or at least they grudgingly respect the effort you put forth if they don't share your beliefs).  Supernatural beings tend to take a dim view of you and regard you as meddlesome as you generally deal with them in less diplomatic ways than the Miko do. 

SOU IN THE GAME
 This class may end up tying you to a specific temple depending on the demands of it's head monk.  DM's will need to find ways to keep you in the game if travel is required.  There are always pilgrimages to test one's faith, but you'll want to come up with something else so as not to make that one become cliche.
 Adaptation: Japanese fiction has Buddhist priests in virtually every genre.
 Encounters: Sou are encountered at temples, begging in the streets, at funerals or marriages, etc.  Basically all the instances in which you would normally expect to find clergy of some sort.



EPIC SOU

Hit Die: d6
Skills Points at Each  Level : 6 + int
Class Ability
Class Ability.
Bonus Feats: The Epic Sou gains a Bonus Feat every x levels higher than 20th

[veekie]

RE: Sohei
Holy Man is a little on the lethally strong side, since it delivers a SoD as a counterattack, at early levels AND you have enough uses to use it every single fight. Also traditionally, spiritual defenses like those work even better against supernatural forces than mundane assaults.

Possibly if you started off with Holy Man granting Protection from Evil, then Magic Circle, then retaliatory debuffs, before moving on to the actual save or lose counters?

[bhu]

I based the ability off their rumored ability to have the gods smite dead whoever attacks them.  I can change the effects or limit them more but I'd like to keep it's retaliatory nature.
Maybe limit it's use to effecting an opponent once per encounter?

[veekie]

Not the retaliatory nature of it being a problem, its the scale of the retaliation. A low level one might cause Sickening or Shaken for example, then move up to more debiliating status effects at higher levels. It shouldn't end the fight right there until the teen levels(and then possibly indirectly) at the least.