Author Topic: [3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]  (Read 3150 times)

Offline Argent Fatalis

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[3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]
« on: April 02, 2016, 09:59:49 AM »
The Moonwarden

A moonwarden is a powerful lycanthropic spellcaster, most often a werebear or weretiger, who wields divine magic bestowed upon them by the moon and from within to destroy corruption and evil. Using their amalgamation of physical force through their many forms and their magical talent, they are capable of undoing many of the most fiendish or wicked works of a realm, even in plain sight. Their shapechanging nature makes them capable of easily posing as anything from but feeble priests to knightly crusaders and often somewhere in between before erupting into grand, savage forms to compliment their moon blessed spells.

Most often, moonwardens bear elegant blades made of lunar energy and surround themselves in burning supernatural power, operating in the hours of night and places of darkness where others might fear to dare tread.

Becoming a Moonwarden
The mantle of a moonwarden is no small burden, as it is their charge to conceal their true nature in the presence of mortals just as it is their ordained role as champions of the moon. Some are born into their power, being chosen by means unforeseen to fulfill great destinies steeped in mysticism and tremendous supernatural power. Others begin afflicted and lost, brought only into the fold by a willing mentor who still sees within them the glimmer of hope. Regardless of their individual origin, all moonwardens are sworn to combat evil lycanthropes and undead monstrosities as well as cruelty, malice and sadism wherever it is found be it of mortal origin or otherwise.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Alignment: Any non-evil.
Skills: Knowledge (Nature) 5 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 5 ranks, Knowledge (The Planes) 2 ranks
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 2nd level divine spells.
Feats: Eschew Materials
Race: Any lycanthrope.
Domain: Must have the Moon or Transformation domain.
Special: Must be a natural lycanthrope whose first class level was a divine spellcasting class or must be an afflicted lycanthrope who studies with a willing moonwarden mentor.

Class Skills
The moonwarden's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Control Shape (Wis)*, Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (The Planes), Listen (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).
* Control Shape (Wis) is a class skill only for afflicted lycanthropes.

Skills Points at Each  Level 4 + Int

Hit Dice: d8


Level
Base
Attack Bonus
Fort
Save
Ref
Save
Will
Save

Special
Spells per Day/Spells Known
1st+0+2+0+2Darkvision, Domain, Turn Undead+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
2nd+1+3+0+3Blessing of the Moon, Lycanthropic Magic+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
3rd+2+4+1+3Lunar Empowerment +1+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
4th+3+4+1+4Moonblade+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
5th+3+4+1+4Empower Spells+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
6th+4+5+2+5Lunar Empowerment +2+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
7th+5+5+2+5Silver Magic+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
8th+6/+1+6+2+6Moonshroud+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
9th+6/+1+6+3+6Lunar Empowerment +3+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
10th+7/+2+7+3+7Maximize Spells+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Moonwardens gain no weapon or armor proficiencies.

Darkvision (Ex): A moonwarden is blessed with the uncanny talent of seeing in darkness where others cannot. As such, she can see in the dark out to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but is otherwise like normal sight, and a moonwarden can function just fine with no light at all. This ability is inherent to all of her forms.

Domain: Upon becoming a moonwarden, the character gains access to the Moon domain if she lacked it or the Transformation domain if she instead already has the Moon domain. She gains the granted power associated with the acquired domain and can choose the spells in that domain as her daily domain spells. If she already has both these domains, she may select a domain based upon her alignment instead.

Turn Undead: The moonwarden's class levels stack with any cleric levels she might have for the purpose of turning undead. This benefit applies even if she has multiple sources of turning undead, such as by having both cleric and paladin levels, applying its effect to both.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: A moonwarden continues advancing her previous divine spellcasting ability through her lunar affiliation. Thus, when a new moonwarden level is gained, she gains new divine spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in whatever divine spellcasting class she belonged to before she added this prestige class. The moonwarden does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, more frequent remove disease, and so on unless specified). This means that she adds the level of moonwarden to the level of another divine spellcasting class she has, then determines her spells per day accordingly.

If the moonwarden had more than one divine spellcasting class before she entered this prestige class, she must decide which class to assign each level of moonwarden for the purpose of determining her divine spells per day and spells known.

Blessing of the Moon (Su): At 2nd level, the moonwarden is supernaturally anointed by the moon's graces to be at peace and as one with the predator within. She gains a competence bonus to her Control Shape checks equal any racial Hit Dice she has by virtue of her lycanthropic heritage plus her level in this class. A moonwarden may always assume her animal or hybrid form without forcefully changing her alignment, regardless of the circumstance of her change, and she may always attempt to revert to her humanoid form, even if she had already previously failed to do so.

The natural and unarmed attacks of a moonwarden are treated as though they were both magic and silver weapons for the purpose of overcoming a creature's damage reduction. This benefit applies for any moonwarden, regardless if she is an afflicted or natural lycanthrope.

Lycanthropic Magic (Ex): A 2nd level moonwarden has established a personal spiritual link between her lycanthropic nature and the moonborne magic she wields. She may cast divine spells in her animal and hybrid forms, and any racial Hit Dice she has by virtue of her lycanthrope heritage stack with her moonwarden class levels when determining her effective divine caster level. Thus, a human 3rd-level cleric/6 Hit Dice weretiger/2nd-level moonwarden has the effective caster level of an 11th level cleric.

Lunar Empowerment (Su): At 3rd level, the moonwarden inherently draws upon the ambient magical power of the moon. At night, or when she is in places of darkness no brighter than shadowy illumination, she gains a +1 bonus to her caster level and a +1 deflection bonus to her Armor Class. These bonuses increase to +2 at 6th level, and to +3 at 9th level in this prestige class.

Moonblade (Su): Upon reaching 4th level, a moonwarden may call upon the inner moonlight of her lycanthropic nature and wield it as an elegant weapon. She may duplicate the Moonblade spell as a standard action, using her divine spellcasting level to determine its effectiveness. She may only manifest her moonblade while she is not in an animal or hybrid form, and her moonblade instantly disperses should she assume another form or if she relinquishes the weapon.

Empower Spells (Ex): At 5th level, a moonwarden converts excess lunar energy around and within her into pure magical power to alter her Cure and Inflict spells. Whenever she casts a Cure or Inflict spell that could be affected by the Empower Spell feat, that spell is automatically empowered. A so empowered spell does not use up a higher-level slot.

Silver Magic (Ex): A 7th level moonwarden has developed particular means to combat creatures that are uniquely influenced by the moon's radiance. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a spell cast by a moonwarden is increased by +2 if the targeted creature is in an alternate form, a shapechanger, or is undead. At night, or when she is in places of darkness no brighter than shadowy illumination, the saving throw's Difficulty Class is instead increased to +4 against such creatures.

Moonshroud (Su): Upon reaching 8th level, a moonwarden may radiate from her person pure, unfettered lunar energy. She may engulf her body and the space she occupies in a corona of very faint, heatless silver flames that create dim light as a standard action. When using her shroud, she temporarily negates the effects of darkness around her and dims any bright light within her square, even if its source is magical, to shadowy illumination for the duration of this ability. While so protected by the aura's effects, she also gains spell resistance against hostile spells and magical effects equal to 12 + her divine caster level.

Any creature that strikes her with its body or a handheld weapon deals normal damage, but at the same time the attacking creature suffers 1d6 points of damage +1 point per two divine caster levels she has (to a maximum of +10) to any type of creature except undead. Undead who strike her instead take 2d6 points of damage +1 point per divine caster level (to a maximum of +20) per blow they inflict.

A moonwarden may use her Moonshroud for a total number of minutes per day equal to her moonwarden level, but she does not have to use it all at once and may instead divide its uses up into one minute increments.

Maximize Spells (Ex): At 10th level, a moonwarden greatly amplifies and transforms the lunar magic she embodies to her supreme benefit, making her Cure and Inflict spells even more powerful. Whenever she casts a Cure or Inflict spell that could be affected by the Maximize Spell feat, that spell is automatically maximized. A so maximized spell does not use up a higher-level slot. This ability works together with her Empower Spells class feature to both empower and maximize her Cure or Inflict spells cast.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2016, 07:54:09 PM by Argent Fatalis »

Offline Argent Fatalis

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Re: [3.5] Moonwarden [Class]
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2016, 10:03:17 AM »
All spur of the moment and result of my frustration with the Moon Guardian class from Complete Divine, which really does nothing at all.

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2016, 02:06:47 PM »
As the owner of the board's Lycanthropy guide I feel obligated to review this.   :p

I think you can bump the skills up to 4+Int.  I'm sure the base class only has 2, but with the large skill list I'd go with 4 while you're making changes anyway.

Darkvision: What happens if the Moonwarden already has darkvision?

Turn Undead: You should probably have some text about what happens if you enter the class without having the ability, just for completeness sake.

Lycanthropic Magic makes me happy.

Moonblade: I think you could just make this an unlimited use thing without any issues.  It isn't really that powerful in the grand scheme of things.

Empower Spell and Maximize Spell are good class abilities but they seem a little out of place flavor wise.

Silver Magic's text and table disagree about what level you get it.

Everything else looks decent.


Ideas:

Silver Fang as a bonus feat (Champions of Valor, makes your natural weapons count as silver and you can't infect others with lycanthropy).
Bring back the Voluntary Change class feature from Moon Guardian, maybe negating the need for Control Shape checks altogether since the class is about concealing their true nature (and control shape is just a sucky skill).


Offline Argent Fatalis

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Re: [3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2016, 09:47:50 PM »
I am glad to hear you felt compelled to pay this prestige class a visit, but moreover, I am glad to see some of my earlier thoughts on the matter were more accurate than those I resolved myself to.

Changes:
- Increased skills to 4 + Int.
- Moonblade now has no limit on its uses per day.
- Silver Magic is not correctly given at 7th level rather than 9th. It also now affects all creatures in an alternate form and shapechangers, in addition to undead.
- Turn Undead now uses more normal wording for it, relying on "effective cleric level".
- Blessing of the Moon has been added. It grants a bonus to Control Shape checks and mostly removes any penalties of the skill. For both afflicted and natural lycanthropes, their natural and unarmed attacks are now treated as though they were magic and silver.

Comments:
- Darkvision is just a free bonus. I did not count it against the class' abilities.
- Empower Spells and Maximize Spells was mostly to keep it in line with the Radiant Servant prestige class, and because I felt the conceptual thematics of freely casting empowered and maximized Cure or Inflict spells paired well with the "light and dark" theme. Mechanically, it is present to help also even the greatly slowed spellcasting from the lycanthrope template.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2016, 09:55:28 PM by Argent Fatalis »

Offline Nanshork

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Re: [3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2016, 10:07:01 PM »
I like all the changes, and I think the buff to silver magic makes it much more useful while still fitting the flavor you're going for.

I mentioned Darkvision because some classes that grant darkvision let it stack with existing and others don't.

Ahh, okay.  I see where you're going with the free metamagic.

Offline Garryl

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Re: [3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2016, 10:26:24 PM »
- Empower Spells and Maximize Spells was mostly to keep it in line with the Radiant Servant prestige class, and because I felt the conceptual thematics of freely casting empowered and maximized Cure or Inflict spells paired well with the "light and dark" theme. Mechanically, it is present to help also even the greatly slowed spellcasting from the lycanthrope template.

Radiant Servant applies to a very limited set of spells, those of the Healing domain, which is mostly cure spells, which are notoriously weak numerically. It also only applies to domain spells, so general Cleric spells don't get the boost, only those from the 1 slot per spell level you get for domain spells. What you've got here is way broader on all levels (any spell, every slot). Free +5 level metamagic is Incantatrix-level broken.

Edit: Any reason natural lycanthropes need exactly their first class level to be a divine spellcaster class?

Otherwise, looks good.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2016, 10:32:59 PM by Garryl »

Offline Argent Fatalis

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Re: [3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2016, 12:23:03 AM »
Radiant Servant applies to a very limited set of spells, those of the Healing domain, which is mostly cure spells, which are notoriously weak numerically. It also only applies to domain spells, so general Cleric spells don't get the boost, only those from the 1 slot per spell level you get for domain spells. What you've got here is way broader on all levels (any spell, every slot). Free +5 level metamagic is Incantatrix-level broken.

Edit: Any reason natural lycanthropes need exactly their first class level to be a divine spellcaster class?

Otherwise, looks good.

That Radiant Servant does only apply to a narrow band of subpar spells, but would Empower and Maximize still be really that powerful in comparison to having higher levels of spellcasting? Something best left to Cure and Inflict only? I would like to find a way to still make the class and its archetype appealing, especially to its intended audience, as otherwise there'd be little reason but to use it as a dip.

The reason natural lycanthropes need it as their first class level is entirely thematic, mostly having to do with the fluff of "this is a destiny based aspect for you".

Offline Argent Fatalis

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Re: [3.5] Moonwarden [PrC]
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2016, 07:55:16 PM »
Taking Garryl's advice, the spells affected are now Cure or Inflict spells only.