PrC: Need redemption

Some background: I recently begain playing in an Age of Worms campaign. I'm playing a Lawful Neutral (border-line evil) cleric of Hextor. My goal, over the course of the campaign, is to eventually redeem my character and become a devout cleric in thye service of Heironeous.

My DM has suggested I try creating a prestige class to represent the path of redemption my character will go through. I've come up with a few ideas, presented below. What I'm looking for are suggestions/criticisms on the class, prerequisites, or anything else.

Where I'm particularly stuck are ideas for the abilities at level 4. Since the class only has partial spell-casting advancement, I was thinking at level 4 he should get one major and one minor ability, but I can't think of what would be appropriate.

And if someone has a different name suggestion, I'm all ears.

SEEKER OF REDEMPTION
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Hit Die: d8
CLASS SKILLS
The seeker of redemptions class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (relgion) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURES
As they advance in levels, Seekers of Redemption improve both their martial and spellcasting abilities.

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: You gain no proficiency in any weapon or armour.

Tainted Soul (Ex): Your soul continues to carry the taint of evil from your previous patron deity. Despite the alignment of your current patron deity, or your own alignment, you continue to detect as evil in the same way a cleric does. You add any levels of cleric to your levels of Seeker of Redemption in order to determine the strength of your aura. For example, Mathias was an 8th-level evil cleric when he converts to the worship of a good god. He takes three levels in the Seeker of Redemption prestige class. If subjected to a detect evil spell, he would radiate Overwhelming evil.
In addition, any spell with the good alignment descriptor treats you as though your alignment were evil.

Spellcasting: At 2nd, 3rd, and 5th levels, you gain spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit of a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a seeker of redemption, you must decide which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level and spells known.

Embrace the Light (Ex): As a result of the atonement spell that you are subjected to in order to qualify for this prestige class, you must change your alignment to good. You must take the exact alignment as your patron deity. Unlike other clerics of your new god, you are not allowed to deviate even a single step away from your deity’s alignment.

Continued Advancement (Ex): Levels in seeker of redemption stack with levels of other classes for the purposes of turning undead, level-dependant domain powers and a paladin’s smite ability. If you previously channelled negative energy (rebuked undead) you now channel positive energy (turn undead).

Resist Temptation (Su): The seeker of redemption’s desire to change is so strong, he is resistant to any external influences on his mind. For each level in this prestige class, you gain a +1 sacred bonus to any will saves to resist compulsion/mind-affecting enchantments.

Imbue Weapon (Su): Any weapon you hold in your hand is treated as though it were good-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damager reduction. Ranged weapons impart this property upon their ammunition.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a seeker of redemption gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws. This bonus does not stack with previous Divine Grace features the character may possess.

Reject the Old Faith (Ex): Upon reaching 3rd-level, a seeker of redemption has so completely turned their back on their old faith, they gain bonus’ when combating the faithful of their old patron deity. When in combat against any worshipper of their former patron deity, they gain a +2 competence bonus on all attack and damage rolls against them, and a +2 competence bonus saving throws from effects they create. This bonus increases to +4 at level 5.

Ability A: Need suggestions here
Ability B: Need suggestions here

Purified Aura (Ex): Upon reaching 5th-level as a seeker of redemption you have completed your path to redemption. You no longer radiate evil (see Tainted Soul ability above). Instead, your cleric and seeker of redemption levels stack for determining the strength of your good aura. Spells with the good-alignment descriptor no longer treat you as though your alignment were evil.

Code of Conduct: A seeker of redemption must be of good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act.
Additionally, a seeker’s code requires that he adheres to the tenets and beliefs of his new god with the utmost discipline. There is no room for wavering on the path to redemption. Even a single misstep can result in the seeker losing all class features.

Associates: Unlike a paladin who may only associate with characters of good or neutral alignment, a seeker of redemption is allowed to associate with someone of evil alignment. However, they must do so for the express purposes of leading that individual on the path of redemption. If the seeker ever determines that the evil character is not repentant, than he must immediately cease association with that individual. Followers or cohorts must either be good or neutral, or seeking redemption if of an evil alignment.

EX-SEEKER OF REDEMPTION
A seeker of redemption who ceases to be good, who wilfully commits an evil act or violates the tenets of their patron deity immediately loses all spells and class features (not including any existing weapon or armour proficiencies). He may no longer progress any farther in levels as a seeker of redemption. If he atones for his actions he may regain his class features, but may still no longer progress any farther in levels as a seeker of redemption.

Spell Focus, Detect Chaos, Smite Chaos, Lay on Hands, Turn Undead (Instead of Rebuke)

It's an interesting concept, but I don't think it's really needed, mechanically. A cleric can already repent and switch deities. In fact, because of tainted soul, someone who wants to focus on his redemption enough to take the PrC will actually seem less "redeemed" than someone who doesn't: he'll get hit by holy smite and detected by detect evil, when a single-class cleric (once of Hextor, now of Heironeous) won't.

To me, a new class with abilities like these (evil-tainted warrior against evil) would make more sense if it were intended to model the concept of an ex-villain turned ambiguous (anti?) hero: you were once a Hextor worshipper, than turned against them and joined Heironeous' crusade, but old habits die hard, and the way you skirt the edges of what's allowed sometimes makes people wonder where your heart and the source of your powers truly lie.

For someone who turns from Evil into truly unimpeachable Goodness, it seems to me a simple cleric or paladin (with a history) probably works better.

jasin said:

It's an interesting concept, but I don't think it's really needed, mechanically. A cleric can already repent and switch deities. In fact, because of tainted soul, someone who wants to focus on his redemption enough to take the PrC will actually seem less "redeemed" than someone who doesn't: he'll get hit by holy smite and detected by detect evil, when a single-class cleric (once of Hextor, now of Heironeous) won't.

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While true in most games, in our campaign a simple case of switching deities and an atonement spell would not be enough. My DM feels (and I do agree with him) that changing gods should be a long and difficult process. My other option would be to switch deities and spend several levels as a cleric without any clerical class features. The concept behind this prestige class is to retain those class features while working towards redemption, while at the same time, emphasizing the concept of an individual working towards good, while tainted by an evil past.

While I agree that being effected by a spell such as Holy smite would hurt, the idea is that it becomes a trade off for the abilities of the prestige class. Perhaps the Tainted Soul feature is too harmful? Or should there be additional compensation for it?

jasin said:

For someone who turns from Evil into truly unimpeachable Goodness, it seems to me a simple cleric or paladin (with a history) probably works better.

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Again, the idea isn't that this character immediately turns from evil to good, but struggles to reach that point over many levels. Hence the Tainted Soul ability that is only removed at the final level of the prestige class.

Thanks for the input anyway.

Flame_Excess said:

Spell Focus, Detect Chaos, Smite Chaos, Lay on Hands, Turn Undead (Instead of Rebuke)

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Spell Focus [Good] might be a good ability to add in there. I don't think Smite Chaos and Detect Chaos work since I was hoping this prestige class would be more generic on the Law/Chaos axis (for example, it could work for an ex-cleric of Nerull converting to Pelor as well), but maybe it should be more specific for Hextor/Heironeous conversion.

The Continued Advancement feature already provides the switch from rebuke to turn undead.

thanks

Frozen DM said:

While true in most games, in our campaign a simple case of switching deities and an atonement spell would not be enough. My DM feels (and I do agree with him) that changing gods should be a long and difficult process.

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Ah, fair enough. If just atonement + reselect deity and domains, as in PHB, cannot be done in the campaign, the class makes much more sense.

If it's not, though, does that mean you'd have to go straight from cleric of Hextor into seeker of redemption back into cleric, this time of Heironeus? What happens if a Clr5 decides to turn away from Evil? What does he do for the two levels until he gets concentration 10 and knowledge (religion) 10? Just grin and bear it, or do you expect some other option to be available...?

While I agree that being effected by a spell such as Holy smite would hurt, the idea is that it becomes a trade off for the abilities of the prestige class. Perhaps the Tainted Soul feature is too harmful? Or should there be additional compensation for it?

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No, not really. I was just objecting to it with the assumption that the standard deity switch option is also available, in which case it doesn't make sense that focusing on your redemption means you're redeemed more slowly than if you don't focus on it.

But since that option isn't there, the ability itself is great. It's a disadvantage which gives you a bit more room to maneuver with beneficial abilities, without being too dangerous, since the heroes won't routinely get hammered on with anti-Evil effects.

Now more constructive suggestions: I'd drop or improve Resist Temptation. These are clerics who have Iron Will, +1 to Will under limited circumstances is just enough to mean a little extra bookkeeping, and not enough to be a really cool ability.

Another ability you might want to work in is an ability to use anti-Good effects on Evil folks. For example, an seeker of temptation wielding his unholy flail back from his days as a Hextorite would add +2d6 to damage against Evil creatures. This does give the whole a bit darker tone, though. Not sure if you'd like that.

I'd also include some sort of social skill bonuses in Reject the Old Faith. As an ex-Hextorite, you should know their dogma, you should know their tricks, you should know the way they think. It would be cool if that could help you convert them (diplomacy), shake their confidence (intimidate), see through their deception (sense motive), not just kill them.

Finally, making it Hextor/Heironeus specific might be easier. It will make it less reusable, but you're obviously not averse to making a new PrC if a concept requirese it, so that's not too bad. And it lets you be more specific with the abilities. After all, it stands to reason that a Hextorite warlord turned noble champion of Heironeus would have significantly different abilities than a Vecna-worshipping schemer turned investigator of St. Cuthbert. Further, the Hextor-Heironeus pairing is more than just a random Evil god-Good god pick: they're archenemies with much similarity in their philosophy, and it would make sense that a larger than usual number of LN waverers switch sides at one point.

jasin said:

If it's not, though, does that mean you'd have to go straight from cleric of Hextor into seeker of redemption back into cleric, this time of Heironeus? What happens if a Clr5 decides to turn away from Evil? What does he do for the two levels until he gets concentration 10 and knowledge (religion) 10? Just grin and bear it, or do you expect some other option to be available...?

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No this is pretty much the case. Basically if a low-level cleric were to try and switch deities he would be out of luck. I could always lower the skill pre-requisites however, since taking levels in this class would be more a result of role-playing elements than the mechanical restrictions.

jasin said:

But since that option isn't there, the ability itself is great. It's a disadvantage which gives you a bit more room to maneuver with beneficial abilities, without being too dangerous, since the heroes won't routinely get hammered on with anti-Evil effects.

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My thoughts exactly. It would restrict my cleric from using certain spells (Holy Word for example), but it's not too much of a killer.

jasin said:

Now more constructive suggestions: I'd drop or improve Resist Temptation. These are clerics who have Iron Will, +1 to Will under limited circumstances is just enough to mean a little extra bookkeeping, and not enough to be a really cool ability.

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Good point. I was also tempted to give the bonus to other spells, but min-affecting compulsions seemed the best fit, but then again, you're point is valid that this kind of cleric won't be failing those will saves too often.

jasin said:

Another ability you might want to work in is an ability to use anti-Good effects on Evil folks. For example, an seeker of temptation wielding his unholy flail back from his days as a Hextorite would add +2d6 to damage against Evil creatures. This does give the whole a bit darker tone, though. Not sure if you'd like that.

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Actually I like this a lot. It's not an over-powered ability, and it would be an interesting image. My concern would be the loss of the Weapon Focus feat from the War domain, but that might be something I could address as well.

jasin said:

I'd also include some sort of social skill bonuses in Reject the Old Faith. As an ex-Hextorite, you should know their dogma, you should know their tricks, you should know the way they think. It would be cool if that could help you convert them (diplomacy), shake their confidence (intimidate), see through their deception (sense motive), not just kill them.

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Again, good idea. Make it something akin to the Ranger's favoured enemy ability. I like the social slant as well. It would fit well into the style of campaign our DM has planned.

jasin said:

Finally, making it Hextor/Heironeus specific might be easier.

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jasin said:

Further, the Hextor-Heironeus pairing is more than just a random Evil god-Good god pick: they're archenemies with much similarity in their philosophy, and it would make sense that a larger than usual number of LN waverers switch sides at one point.

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True. I think I will focus it more on the concept of turning from Hextor to Heironeous specifcially. I might even work with the DM if we could add a social aspect to the prestige class, perhaps an order of ex-Hextorite clerics now serving Heironeous. Even if I didn't do that, I can also tailor a few abilities/pre-requisites to fit that concept.

thanks for the advice

Frozen DM said:

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a seeker of redemption gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all saving throws. This bonus does not stack with previous Divine Grace features the character may possess.

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This should be one pip per level, to a max of the Charisma bonus. But why is it granted in the first place? Thematicaly, it doesn't fit.