{opening fluff}
Haha, I like the idea here. It's slightly silly and mostly awesome.
BECOMING A LUNATIC LANCER
Arcane casters can follow this path whitout much trouble if they dedicate some effort into the martial ability of skwewering their enemy to strike another behind.
Martial adepts can also become Lunatic Lancers if they're willing to dabble into other classes to gain the necessary skill in Spellcraft to create and shape their own Thunder Lances. Swordsages in particular are already adept at learning mystic maneuvers.
More esoteric Martial Adepts like the Eternal Royal and Scholar can easily become Lunatic Lancers as well.
Interesting. So, a gish prc designed to be entered from either side (or both, I suppose). Nice idea!
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
:Able to cast at least 4th level arcane spells, at least three of which must be [Force] OR Able to initiate 4th level maneuvers, at least three of which must be Supernatural.
:At least 10 ranks in Spellcraft.
:Cleave Feat
:Must have impaled at least seven sentient creatures into polearms under a full moon in the same night, and disposed them in a circle.
OK, cool. 7th-level entry. Love the last requirement, it's awesome.
u]Class Skills[/u]
The Lunatic Lancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance(Dex), Bluff(Cha), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha),Gather Information(Cha), Handle Animal(Cha), Intimidate(Cha), Knowledge (Int, any), Perform(Cha), Spellcraft(Int)
Skills Points at Each Level : 4 + Int
A relatively small list of skills for 4 skill points... maybe Tumble? Hide? Desert Wind and Shadow Hand are both swordsage Su disciplines.
{game rule info}
Straightforward gish chassis with full BAB, d8 HD, good Will saves. I wonder why you didn't just add a "Spellcasting or Maneuvers" column to the table... my preference is not to fill up the Special column with Advancement-style increases, you know? But that's just a stylistic thing, feel free to keep it as-is. 8/10 progression is my favorite balance point.
Soul Spear (Su): The first ability learned by a Lunatic Lancer, to focus her inner energies in a deadly lance of force.
At 1st level a Lunatic Lancer can, as an immediate action, create a Thunderlance effect as the spell on herself with CL=HD. Using this ability demands either expending a 4th level spell slot/prepared spell or a 4th level maneuver. If you activated this ability by expending a spell it lasts 1 minute/CL instead of the normal duration. If you activated this ability by expending a maneuver, it ends earlier if you recover or unready said maneuver.
I like the way you dealt with the shortening duration for the maneuver... though note that you don't actually give a starting point for said duration (probably 1 minute/level, right?).
In addition, since you draw the Soul Spear from your very core, you can atempt to activate/maintain it even inside an AMF or similar effect, by suceeding on a CL check against the CL of the AMF. Once you've suceeded once you don't need to check anymore for the duration of this Soul Spear, and you add your Charisma modifier to this check (minimum +1).
All Lunatic Lancer abilities that mention news uses for the Soul Spear need you to have one created to use them.
Nice. Might say instead that "many abilities below require the use of your Soul Spear ability to function" or something.
A thought: can you make strikes with the thunderlance?
Killing Zone(Su):As she grows in power and skill, a Lunatic Lancer can make her unique weapon reach farther. For every Lunatic Lancer level, her Soul Spear can grow an extra 5 feet, up to an extra 50 feet at 10th level.
I shall attack you from
around the world!
Lunatic Break:At 2nd level, the Lunatic Spear can dispel any defensive spell on the target as if it was a Force effect. "Defensive" meaning any spell that makes it harder for the creature to be hit by physical attacks.
In addition the Lunatic Lancer can dispel specific magic area effects whitin reach of her Soul Spear as an attack action. She may also attempt to dispel a specific spell she has identified on an enemy whitin reach of her Soul Spear as an attack action, whitout needing to hit the creature itself. She must expend a prepared spell or maneuver of the same level or higher to attempt this.
Ability type? Does she have to expend a maneuver or spell for the first effect? Does it require a dispel check?
Fate Continued (Sp) At second level and every other following level except sixth, a Lunatic Lancer gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) or new maneuvers/stances known and readied as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting/initiating class to which she belonged before adding the prestige class level. She does not, however, gain any other benefi t a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or destroying undead, a bonus feat, and so on). This must be the class which allowed her to qualify for this Prc.
In addition all Lunatic Lancer levels but first and sixth either advance your CL for the chosen class or grant full IL instead of just half for the maneuvers granted by the chosen class.
Straightforward. So 9/10 IL progression, sweet.
Focused Spear(Su):Advanced Lunatic Lancers can further enanche their Soul Spears by investing even more of their inner energy on it. At third level the Lunatic Lancer can create her Soul Spear by expending a 5th level or higher spell/maneuver. If she does so, her Soul Spear gains an enanchment bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to the excess level of the expended spell/maneuver.
OK, cool... though almost certainly not worth it in any way. Except... I should really read on. Lol.
So for example by expending a 5th level spell/maneuver, the Thunderlance would get a +1 enanchment bonus to attack and damage rolls, while expending an 8th level spell/maneuver would grant a +3 enanchment bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Plus the Soul Spear can now dispel Force effects up to the level of the expended Spell/maneuver.
In addition for each level of enanchment, the Soul Spear gains one of the following special properties-Keen, Defending, Vicious, Merciful, Thundering, Mighty Cleaving.
If you expended at least a 6th level Spell/maneuver or higher, you may swap two of those basic abilities for one of the following-Holy, Unholy, Anarchic, Axiomatic, Wounding.
If you expended at least a 7th level Spell/maneuver or higher, you may swap three of those basic abilities for the Speed Property.
If you expended at least a 8th level Spell/maneuver or higher, you may swap four of those basic abilities for the Dancing or Brilliant Energy Property.
The abilities are chosen when the Soul Spear is created and cannot be changed for its duration, but you may pick new ones when you create a new Soul Spear.
Alright, that's cool. I was going to suggest being able to swap enhancement bonus for abilities, but this is even better. Maybe a little clearer to say you can choose up to the enhancement bonus in special abilities, and then give a table of allowed abilities with their + values?
Lunatic Thrust(Ex):A Soul Spear allows the wielder to perform all kind of fancy maneuvers when one starts to get the hang of it.
At fourth level whenever the Lunatic Lancer hits in melee an enemy with her Soul Spear, she may perform a trip, bullrush, disarm or sunder attempt as a free action whitout provoking attacks of opportunity. Add the soul spear's enanchment bonus (if any) to any opposed checks.
Pretty cool, I like it. Does Lancer risk being tripped/disarmed/etc. in return? However, I have to point out: Improved Trip + Lunatic Thrust = infinite attacks.
Seeking Spear (Ex): Soon enough the Lunatic Lancer's weapon seems to be drawn itself towards the enemy inner energies, which happen to be near their vital organs.
At fifth level the Soul Spear ignores cover and concealment smaller than total. In addition it can be throwed as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 40 feet, ignoring adverse wind conditions and instantly returning to the Lunatic Lancer's hand whetever it hits or misses. It ignores adverse wind conditions, even magic ones like Wind Wall.
Wow, best thrown weapon ever!
Force Break (Ex):A soul spear grows with its owner to become able to pierce the strongest defenses, in particular ones based on force energy.
At sixth level you can now add the highest of your Str/Int/Cha modifier to dispel checks performed by your Soul Spear and the number of Aoos you can make per round. You may also as a free action declare one attack per round made by your force Spear to be a touch attack, but you must do so before rolling the attack.
In addition when attacking an enemy protected by a Force effect, you may attempt to dispel it as part of the attack before you check if you hit or not.
Finally if there's a static force effect in your reach such as a Wall of Force or Forcecage, you may attempt to dispel it as an attack of opportunity.
So you get your Dex mod (if you have Combat Reflexes) + your Str/Int/Cha? This would make a ridiculous Karmic Robilar build, especially with Lunatic Thrust and Improved Trip.
Scarlet Spear (Ex):You know what good are spears for? Sticking them into other people. Making the sharp end come out from the other side. And then sticking them into yet another body. And another And...
At seventh level as a standard action the Lunatic Lancer can perform a special melee attack where she affects all opponents in a line with length up to her reach. Roll once and compare to each target's AC.
In alternative as a fullround action she can grow her soul spear to a massive size and throw it! Perform a thrown attack against all enemies in a line up to 400 feet long. Roll once and compare to each target's AC.
Why would you ever NOT do the thrown attack? I mean, I guess sometimes it's not necessary, but still.
Lunatic Impale (Su): Tales of Lunatic Lancers making gardens of skewered enemies held in mid-air by their weapons are clearly just propaganda from envious rivals.
At eight level, whenever you damage an opponent with your Soul Spear, you may choose to let it go as a free action. If you do, enemies damaged by your last Soul Spear attack(including Scarlet Spear) count as grappled by you as they remain skwered by your Soul Spear, except you don't need to spend any actions or take any grappling penalties, and can actually go to your life.
Enemies may attempt to escape as from a regular grapple, except that failed attempts deal them damage as if they were hit by a basic attack from your Soul Spear. You add the Soul Spear enanchment bonus to such opposed grapple checks. If they suceed, the part of the Soul Spear where they were impaled shatters, freeing them. Enemies stuck by a Lunatic Impale cannot use dimensional travel, neither can them auto-escape with Freedom of Movement, because they're with a force stick inside them.
A Soul Spear used for a Lunatic Impale persists indefenetely, altough it will solidify into common rock or metal(your choice) after 24 hours, if not broken before.
Once you've used Lunatic Impale, you can't use that Soul Spear anymore, but can create a new one for combat as normal. You can perform multiple Lunatic Impales in a single enemy.
How do you get it back? Or you just make a new one? Also, does it use all your bonuses to grapple? That makes this class a better grappler than most dedicated grappler builds.
Fated Strike (Su):A Soul Spear never stops growing more hungry for your enemy innards. At 9th level as an immediate action your next attack with your Soul Spear whitin 1 round benefits from a True Strike effect, ignores all DR and hardness and automatically confirms critical hits. Against enemies normally immune to critical hits, it instead threatens and confirms as normal.
Once you've used Fated Strike, you can't use it again for 1d4+1 rounds. No Immediate or free actions may be taken against a
Fated Strike.
Wow... bye bye Abrupt Jaunt! Though, you have to define better what "taking an immediate action against a Fated Strike" actually means. Can you use an immediate action to do something unrelated to the Lancer?
Spear Bomb (Su): The Ultimate tecnhique of a Lunatic Lancer overloards her Soul Spear with energy before throwing it for a massive blast of searing power!
As a fullround action 3/day make a ranged touch attack. If you hit, you deal normal Soul Spear damage to your target, then automatically dispel all Force effects whitin a radius up to 70 feet, creatures whitin that radius take 1d8 force damage per CL/IL (whichever's higher) you have and must make a Fort, Reflex and Will save with DC 10+1/2 HD+Str/Int/Cha modifier, whichever's higher.
The first target of your Soul Spear takes a -2 penalty on all those saves.
If they fail one save they receive one negative level and can only take one standard, swift or move action next round as they stagger to recover from the flast.
If they fail two saves they receive two negative levels and cannot act at all next round. Even enemies normally immune to energy drain receive one negative level.
If they fail three saves they're instantly destroyed or three negative levels and incapacitated for 24 hours, your choice.
Using Spear Bomb consumes your Soul Spear. You cannot use it again unless you've spent at least two rounds with a new Soul Spear.
This last part is confusing. You can't use the Soul Spear again unless you use a new Soul Spear? Also, what happens to the negative levels? Do they go away at any point?
