My 3.5 group has been working on a new base class for the last year--the professional. This class is basically a rogue variant or a PC-quality expert class intended for a group/campaign where politics, investigation, and knowledge can be as important as combat.
I did some research before this and saw that there were a number of very good, similar classes posted here already. But I'd still like some feedback on how well we designed and balanced the class we already created.
Thanks for any feedback. Without further ado...
The Professional
A professional is alternatively a variant of the rogue class or a PC-quality version of the expert NPC class. A professional is a product of the stable and entrenched social structures of the Alexandrian Mainland. The nations of the mainland are extremely well-defined, the political systems varied and complicated, and the major cities are deeply international. As a result, there are many opportunities for someone who is knowledgeable and well-spoken. However, the reality is that the world is also still home to brigands, monsters, savage humanoids, and criminals, and a pure academic is still seen as very weak and an easy target. As a result, professionals also have a passable level of martial training, bolstered by their sharp wit, competent anticipation, and strategic prowess.
The professional, like the rogue, is a blanket class that describes any number of possible backgrounds. A professional may be a savvy merchant adept at moving goods, finding deals, and traveling long distances with valuable cargo. He may also be a privileged child of a wealthy noble family, educated in fine universities and trained by capable guardsman and elite soldiers in his parent's palatial estate. He may be a regional governor in a border territory, with a sharp eye for trouble, a silver tongue for keeping the peace, and a strong arm when all else fails. There is no blanket background for the professional, and their training may come from travel, adventure, education, or simple necessity. The only thing that can be said is that every professional is a cunning and resilient character who uses his knowledge and wit to advance himself in the political and social circles of Alexandrian life.
Class Features
I'll update this to be a little prettier if I can figure out how to format a table.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Professionals are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. They are also proficient with light and medium armor, and shields (except tower shields)
Bonus Feat: At 1st level, a professional gets a bonus skill-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The professional gains an additional bonus feat at 3rd level and every two professional levels thereafter (5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th). A professional must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat. Bonus feats may be drawn from the following list (some are homebrew feats, but all are skill and save related):
Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Cross-Class Learning, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Greater Fortitude, Investigator, Iron Will, Knowledgeable, Lightning Reflexes, Negotiator, Open Minded, Persuasive, Prodigy, Self Sufficient, Skill Focus, Track, Luck of Heroes, Forceful Personality, Improved Aid Another, Hindering Opportunist.
Insightful Defense: When wearing light or medium armor, a professional adds 1 point of Intelligence bonus (if any) per two professional class levels to her Dexterity bonus to modify Armor Class. If a professional is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied her Dexterity bonus, she also loses this bonus.
Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 4th level, a professional can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a professional already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
Leadership Training: At 6th level, the professional's social and intellectual training have made him an effective administrator and leader. He gains the leadership feat. If he already had the leadership feet, then he gains the Improved Leadership ability from the Professional Development class feature below.
Tactical Competence : In a full attack action, the Professional may substitute any number of his attacks for Aid Another actions.
Professional Development: At 10th level, and again at 14th, 18th, and 20th, the professional gains a special ability of his choice from the following options:
Improved Leadership: The professional has refined his leadership skills beyond those of a normal character his level. He gains a +2 bonus to his leadership score for the purpose of computing cohort level and number of henchmen. This ability may be taken multiple times, and it effects stack.
Mettle: The professional can withstand physical and mental attacks through force of will and strategic reactions. If he makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack or ability that normally has a partial effect on a successful save, the attack has no effect. A helpless professional does not gain the benefit of mettle.
Skill Mastery: The professional becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that he can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, he selects a number of skills equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, he may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent him from doing so. A professional may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
Slippery Mind: This ability represents the professional’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If a professional with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
Feat: The professional may take a feat in place of a special ability.
Information Network : Choose an number of cities equal to one plus your CHR modifier. In those cities, you have managed to build up a network of informants, spies, and information brokers, such that the heavy lifting of gathering information is done for you. A Gather Information check made in one of the selected cities takes only one hour, instead of twenty four hours.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: With this feat, a professional can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the professional by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has professional levels. If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank the character.
I did some research before this and saw that there were a number of very good, similar classes posted here already. But I'd still like some feedback on how well we designed and balanced the class we already created.
Thanks for any feedback. Without further ado...
The Professional
A professional is alternatively a variant of the rogue class or a PC-quality version of the expert NPC class. A professional is a product of the stable and entrenched social structures of the Alexandrian Mainland. The nations of the mainland are extremely well-defined, the political systems varied and complicated, and the major cities are deeply international. As a result, there are many opportunities for someone who is knowledgeable and well-spoken. However, the reality is that the world is also still home to brigands, monsters, savage humanoids, and criminals, and a pure academic is still seen as very weak and an easy target. As a result, professionals also have a passable level of martial training, bolstered by their sharp wit, competent anticipation, and strategic prowess.
The professional, like the rogue, is a blanket class that describes any number of possible backgrounds. A professional may be a savvy merchant adept at moving goods, finding deals, and traveling long distances with valuable cargo. He may also be a privileged child of a wealthy noble family, educated in fine universities and trained by capable guardsman and elite soldiers in his parent's palatial estate. He may be a regional governor in a border territory, with a sharp eye for trouble, a silver tongue for keeping the peace, and a strong arm when all else fails. There is no blanket background for the professional, and their training may come from travel, adventure, education, or simple necessity. The only thing that can be said is that every professional is a cunning and resilient character who uses his knowledge and wit to advance himself in the political and social circles of Alexandrian life.
Class Features
- Alignment: Any
- Hit Dice: d8
- Skill Points (at first level): (8 + int modifier) * 4
- Skill Points (at each additional level): 8 + int modifier
- Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (any) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex)
I'll update this to be a little prettier if I can figure out how to format a table.
- BaB: 3/4 advancement
- Fort Save: poor
- Ref Save: good
- Will Save: good
- Special Abilities:
- Bonus Feat
- Insightful Defense
- Bonus Feat
- Uncanny Dodge
- Bonus Feat
- Leadership Training
- Bonus Feat
- Tactical Competence
- Bonus Feat
- Professional Development
- Bonus Feat
- none
- Bonus Feat
- Professional Development
- Bonus Feat
- none
- Bonus Feat
- Professional Development
- Bonus Feat
- Professional Development
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Professionals are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. They are also proficient with light and medium armor, and shields (except tower shields)
Bonus Feat: At 1st level, a professional gets a bonus skill-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The professional gains an additional bonus feat at 3rd level and every two professional levels thereafter (5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th). A professional must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat. Bonus feats may be drawn from the following list (some are homebrew feats, but all are skill and save related):
Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Cross-Class Learning, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Greater Fortitude, Investigator, Iron Will, Knowledgeable, Lightning Reflexes, Negotiator, Open Minded, Persuasive, Prodigy, Self Sufficient, Skill Focus, Track, Luck of Heroes, Forceful Personality, Improved Aid Another, Hindering Opportunist.
Insightful Defense: When wearing light or medium armor, a professional adds 1 point of Intelligence bonus (if any) per two professional class levels to her Dexterity bonus to modify Armor Class. If a professional is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied her Dexterity bonus, she also loses this bonus.
Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 4th level, a professional can react to danger before his senses would normally allow him to do so. He retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a professional already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
Leadership Training: At 6th level, the professional's social and intellectual training have made him an effective administrator and leader. He gains the leadership feat. If he already had the leadership feet, then he gains the Improved Leadership ability from the Professional Development class feature below.
Tactical Competence : In a full attack action, the Professional may substitute any number of his attacks for Aid Another actions.
Professional Development: At 10th level, and again at 14th, 18th, and 20th, the professional gains a special ability of his choice from the following options:
Improved Leadership: The professional has refined his leadership skills beyond those of a normal character his level. He gains a +2 bonus to his leadership score for the purpose of computing cohort level and number of henchmen. This ability may be taken multiple times, and it effects stack.
Mettle: The professional can withstand physical and mental attacks through force of will and strategic reactions. If he makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack or ability that normally has a partial effect on a successful save, the attack has no effect. A helpless professional does not gain the benefit of mettle.
Skill Mastery: The professional becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that he can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, he selects a number of skills equal to 3 + his Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, he may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent him from doing so. A professional may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
Slippery Mind: This ability represents the professional’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If a professional with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. He gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
Feat: The professional may take a feat in place of a special ability.
Information Network : Choose an number of cities equal to one plus your CHR modifier. In those cities, you have managed to build up a network of informants, spies, and information brokers, such that the heavy lifting of gathering information is done for you. A Gather Information check made in one of the selected cities takes only one hour, instead of twenty four hours.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: With this feat, a professional can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the professional by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has professional levels. If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank the character.
