Sylrae
First Post
Adventurer Base Class (My Take)
The Adventurer is a jack-of-all-trades; Having a diverse range of functions, from basic thief to amateur fighter. Not nearly as specialized as the core classes, the adventurer can learn many skills that wouldn’t be assembled together, or they can specialize differently than base
classes normally would, such as a tougher rogue who has more combat skills and doesn’t have a sneak attack, or many other possibilities.
Adventures: Adventures are suited for the life of the adventurer. They pay for food and shelter and want some-thing amazing to do with their life.
Alignment: Although an adventurer can be of any alignment, opportunities are usually seen as better than stability, so the adventurer favors Chaotic alignments over Lawful.
Background: Adventurers usually don’t come from wealthy backgrounds, because most beginning adventurers don’t have very much to lose, unless they became adventurers for some greater purpose, such as revenge.
Races: Any race can become an adventurer, although the mantle is most often taken up by humans, often in search of wealth. Other Classes: As the adventurer is such a diverse class, different adventurers are in need of other classes for different things. However, no adventurer is a spellcaster, so characters with magic are always in demand, and some of the special training undergone by other classes just isn’t attainable by the adventurer (such as a rogue’s sneak attack).
Game Rule Information
Adventurers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Which abilities are best for an adventurer depend heavily on what kind of role the adventurer is going to play. If the adventurer is a ranged combatant, dexterity will be important. If they are a hunter, wisdom will be important for tracking, and if they are a melee combatant, they will make use of strength. Constitution makes the adventurer tougher, and Charisma makes the character a better leader. For an adventurer, many abilities could be important, depending on adventurer type.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
BAB: 7/8
Saves: 5/12
Class Skills:The adventurer’s class skills are flexible. They (and the key ability for each skill) are: Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Heal(Wis), Jump(Str), Knowledge(Geography)(Int), Handle Animal(Cha), Listen(Wis), Perform(Cha), Ride(Dex), Search(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Spot(Wis), Swim(Str), Use Rope(Dex)
Additionally, at first level, the Adventurer chooses 2 Other class skills from the following: Gather Information(Cha) or Survival(Wis), Knowledge(Any but Arcana)(Int) or Appraise(Int), and any two from the following: Hide(Dex), Move Silently(Dex), Tumble(Dex), Sleight of Hand(Dex), Escape Artist(Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6+Int Modifier)X4
Skill points at Each Additional Level: (6 + Int Modifier)
Revised from 1 behind fighter BAB and good fort/ref
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the adventurer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Adventurers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and either medium armor, shields, or an exotic weapon.
Acrobatic Charge: An adventurer of 7th level or higher can charge in situations where other characters cannot. They may charge over difficult terrain or allies blocking their path. This ability enables them to run down steep stairs, leap over a balcony, or tumble over tables to get to their target. Depending on the circumstance, they may still need to make appropriate checks (jump or tumble checks, in particular) to successfully move over the terrain.
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, an adventurer gets a bonus feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The fighter gains an additional bonus feat at 4th level and every 4 adventurer levels thereafter. These bonus feats must be drawn from the list of feats included with this class. An adventurer must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums. These feats are in addition to those that all characters get every three levels, and an adventurer is not limited to the list of adventurer feats when choosing those feats.
Endurance: An adventurer gains the bonus feat Endurance at 3rd level, which gives a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage(p84 PHB), Constitution checks made to continue running (p84 PHB), Constitution checks to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march (p164 PHB). Constitution checks made to hold your breath (p84 PHB), Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst (p304 DMG), Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments (p302-303 DMG), and fortitude saves to resist damage from suffocation (p304 DMG). Also you may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.
Evasion: At 4th level and higher, an adventurer can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), they instead take no damage. Evasion can only be used if the adventurer is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless adventurer (such as one who is unconscious or paralyzed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Fast Movement: Upon reaching level 17, an adventurer’s land speed is faster than the norm by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when they are wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the adventurer’s speed because of any load carries or armor worn.
Favored Enemy: At 2nd level, an adventurer may select a type of creature from among those given in table 3-14: Ranger Favored Enemies, in the PHB 3.5, or if applicable, the favored enemy can be an organization instead of a creature type. Due to their extensive training in the proper techniques in combating such foes, the adventurer gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against enemies of this type. Likewise they get a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 6th level, 11th, and 15th level, the adventurer may select an additional favored enemy, or they may select a favored enemy and increment the bonus by +2. This differs from the Ranger Favored enemy in that you have to choose whether to increase the a bonus or select another favored enemy.
If a creature falls under more than one category of favored enemy which the adventurer has, the bonuses do not stack. The bonus of the adventurer’s choice will be the one that applies.
Lucky: Once per day, an adventurer of 8th level or higher may reroll any failed attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw. The character must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll.
Slippery Mind: When an adventurer reaches 20th level, their mind becomes more difficult to control. If the adventurer fails their save against an enchantment spell or effect, they can attempt the save again 1 round later at the same DC (assuming they are still alive). They only get this one extra chance to succeed at a given saving throw.
Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 9th level, an adventurer can react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so. They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Specialities: Adventurers can specialize in a number of areas. below are defaults, but feel free to make dm approved specialties as well. An adventurer who specializes loses class features (usually bonus feats) for the benefits of the specialization.
"Slayer of (Creature type - from Favored Enemy table)"
Does not need to be the same type as favored enemy.
At level 1 the Slayer can sense when the appropriate target type is nearby as if they had scent, and ignoring all attributes of wind or environmental effects.
At level 4 a Slayer gets a +4 dodge bonus to AC against the chosen creature type due to knowledge of how that race functions. This increases by +4 every 4 levels afterward (so 4, 8, 12, up to +20 ac at level 20). If the slayer loses their dex bonus this AC does not apply.
A slayer cannot be caught flat footed by a creature of the appropriate type if they are close enough to be detected by the slayer sense.
At level 8, it takes an additional creature to flank the slayer if they are all of the chosen type.
A Slayer does not get their level 1 bonus feat or their level 4 bonus feat.
"Minor Magical Dabbler"
Use Magic Device becomes a class skill
Use Wand: The ability to use Wands and Staves as any base caster class (chosen at 1st level) of their Minor Magical Dabbler level. They increase the wands' and staves' effective caster level by one-third their class level.
Minor Spellcasting - say L1: Select 3xL0, each usable once per day (may select the same one more than once, choose from any list, may swap out one spell per level gained). L4: 4/2. L7: 5/3. L10: 5/3/1. L13: 6/4/2. L16: 7/5/3, and L19+: 7/5/3/1 (thus getting a single L3 spell). Characters who limit themselves to a particular list get bonus spells based on the relevant attribute, so minor clerics or druidic initiates can use wisdom, arcane casters can pick charisma or intelligence, and so on. Spell books are not needed.
The Minor Magical Dabbler does not get bonus feats at level 1 or 4. They also lose either evasion or endurance, but they may add whichever one they lose to the list of bonus feats they can select at later levels.
"Winter Huntsman"
Snow Mobility: The ability to move on ice and snow without slipping or leaving tracks at Level 1
Cold Tolerance: 5 cold resistance at level 5, 10 cold resistance at 9, 15 cold resistance at 13, and 100% immunity to cold at 17
A Winter Huntsman does not get the Bonus Feats at level 1 or 4.
"Planar Adventurer"
Attune Self: At level 3, the Planar Adventurer can make themself a native of the plane they're on (Outsiders become native outsiders, etc). This has the benefit of stopping banishment spells, and possibly altering spells which may attempt to planar bind you. The process takes a week and is comprised mainly of meditation, during which time, they can do no strenuous activity in which the concentration is lost, or the process must begin anew. This lasts until dismissed by the planar adventurer, at which point their native plane reverts to its original plane. At level 5 the planar adventurer can do this as a standard action once per month, but if done as a standard action it only lasts 1 day. The standard action uses increase to once a week at level 10. This also adapts the planar adventurer to the conditions of the plane, so poisonous air or any other side-effects of the plane effect them the same as the natives of the plane.
Components: None
Casting Time: 5 rounds
Target: Self, or up to eight willing creatures joining hands (including self).
Destination: 10 to 1000 miles from intended destination (Decreases to the standard 5 to 500 miles at level 12 planar adventurer, and to 2 to 200 miles at level 15)
Gate: At level 15, the Planar Adventurer can use Gate as a spell-like ability, expending 2 daily uses of Plane shift. You can hold the gate open for 1 round per Planar Adventurer level. There is no calling effect. It also does not have a destination miss chance like Plane shift does.
The Planar Adventurer loses their Bonus feats at level 1, 4, and 8.
*Rangers may not select “humanoid” or “outsider” as a favored enemy, but they may select a more narrowly defined type of humanoid (such as goblinoids, humans, or reptilian humanoids) or outsider (such as devils, efreet, or slaadi). See the Monster Manual for more information on types of creatures. A ranger can only select his own race as a favored enemy if he is evil.
Thoughts?
If youre all wondering how I have so much stuff going up at once, I have made quite a bit of D20 stuff, and its all sitting on my HD.
- Revised to be more easily readable
The Adventurer is a jack-of-all-trades; Having a diverse range of functions, from basic thief to amateur fighter. Not nearly as specialized as the core classes, the adventurer can learn many skills that wouldn’t be assembled together, or they can specialize differently than base
classes normally would, such as a tougher rogue who has more combat skills and doesn’t have a sneak attack, or many other possibilities.
Adventures: Adventures are suited for the life of the adventurer. They pay for food and shelter and want some-thing amazing to do with their life.
Alignment: Although an adventurer can be of any alignment, opportunities are usually seen as better than stability, so the adventurer favors Chaotic alignments over Lawful.
Background: Adventurers usually don’t come from wealthy backgrounds, because most beginning adventurers don’t have very much to lose, unless they became adventurers for some greater purpose, such as revenge.
Races: Any race can become an adventurer, although the mantle is most often taken up by humans, often in search of wealth. Other Classes: As the adventurer is such a diverse class, different adventurers are in need of other classes for different things. However, no adventurer is a spellcaster, so characters with magic are always in demand, and some of the special training undergone by other classes just isn’t attainable by the adventurer (such as a rogue’s sneak attack).
Game Rule Information
Adventurers have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Which abilities are best for an adventurer depend heavily on what kind of role the adventurer is going to play. If the adventurer is a ranged combatant, dexterity will be important. If they are a hunter, wisdom will be important for tracking, and if they are a melee combatant, they will make use of strength. Constitution makes the adventurer tougher, and Charisma makes the character a better leader. For an adventurer, many abilities could be important, depending on adventurer type.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
BAB: 7/8
Saves: 5/12
Class Skills:The adventurer’s class skills are flexible. They (and the key ability for each skill) are: Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Heal(Wis), Jump(Str), Knowledge(Geography)(Int), Handle Animal(Cha), Listen(Wis), Perform(Cha), Ride(Dex), Search(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Spot(Wis), Swim(Str), Use Rope(Dex)
Additionally, at first level, the Adventurer chooses 2 Other class skills from the following: Gather Information(Cha) or Survival(Wis), Knowledge(Any but Arcana)(Int) or Appraise(Int), and any two from the following: Hide(Dex), Move Silently(Dex), Tumble(Dex), Sleight of Hand(Dex), Escape Artist(Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6+Int Modifier)X4
Skill points at Each Additional Level: (6 + Int Modifier)
Revised from 1 behind fighter BAB and good fort/ref
Code:
[U]Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special[/U]
1 0 1 1 1 Bonus Feat
2 1 1 1 1 Favored Enemy Creature Type or Organization
3 2 2 2 2 Endurance
4 3 2 2 2 Bonus Feat, Evasion
5 4 3 3 3
6 5 3 3 3 Favored Enemy Bonus
7 6/1 3 3 3 Acrobatic Charge
8 7/2 4 4 4 Bonus Feat, Lucky
9 7/2 4 4 4 Uncanny Dodge
10 8/3 5 5 5
11 9/4 5 5 5 Favored Enemy Bonus
12 10/5 6 6 6 Bonus Feat
13 11/6/1 6 6 6
14 12/7/2 6 6 6
15 13/8/3 7 7 7 Favored Enemy Bonus
16 14/9/4 7 7 7 Bonus Feat
17 14/10/5 8 8 8 Fast Movement
18 15/11/6/1 8 8 8
19 16/12/7/2 8 8 8
20 17/13/8/3 9 9 9 Bonus Feat, Slippery MindClass Features
All of the following are class features of the adventurer.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Adventurers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor, and either medium armor, shields, or an exotic weapon.
Acrobatic Charge: An adventurer of 7th level or higher can charge in situations where other characters cannot. They may charge over difficult terrain or allies blocking their path. This ability enables them to run down steep stairs, leap over a balcony, or tumble over tables to get to their target. Depending on the circumstance, they may still need to make appropriate checks (jump or tumble checks, in particular) to successfully move over the terrain.
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, an adventurer gets a bonus feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The fighter gains an additional bonus feat at 4th level and every 4 adventurer levels thereafter. These bonus feats must be drawn from the list of feats included with this class. An adventurer must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums. These feats are in addition to those that all characters get every three levels, and an adventurer is not limited to the list of adventurer feats when choosing those feats.
Endurance: An adventurer gains the bonus feat Endurance at 3rd level, which gives a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage(p84 PHB), Constitution checks made to continue running (p84 PHB), Constitution checks to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march (p164 PHB). Constitution checks made to hold your breath (p84 PHB), Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst (p304 DMG), Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments (p302-303 DMG), and fortitude saves to resist damage from suffocation (p304 DMG). Also you may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.
Evasion: At 4th level and higher, an adventurer can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), they instead take no damage. Evasion can only be used if the adventurer is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless adventurer (such as one who is unconscious or paralyzed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Fast Movement: Upon reaching level 17, an adventurer’s land speed is faster than the norm by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when they are wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the adventurer’s speed because of any load carries or armor worn.
Favored Enemy: At 2nd level, an adventurer may select a type of creature from among those given in table 3-14: Ranger Favored Enemies, in the PHB 3.5, or if applicable, the favored enemy can be an organization instead of a creature type. Due to their extensive training in the proper techniques in combating such foes, the adventurer gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against enemies of this type. Likewise they get a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.
At 6th level, 11th, and 15th level, the adventurer may select an additional favored enemy, or they may select a favored enemy and increment the bonus by +2. This differs from the Ranger Favored enemy in that you have to choose whether to increase the a bonus or select another favored enemy.
If a creature falls under more than one category of favored enemy which the adventurer has, the bonuses do not stack. The bonus of the adventurer’s choice will be the one that applies.
Lucky: Once per day, an adventurer of 8th level or higher may reroll any failed attack roll, skill check, ability check, or saving throw. The character must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll.
Slippery Mind: When an adventurer reaches 20th level, their mind becomes more difficult to control. If the adventurer fails their save against an enchantment spell or effect, they can attempt the save again 1 round later at the same DC (assuming they are still alive). They only get this one extra chance to succeed at a given saving throw.
Uncanny Dodge: Starting at 9th level, an adventurer can react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so. They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.
Specialities: Adventurers can specialize in a number of areas. below are defaults, but feel free to make dm approved specialties as well. An adventurer who specializes loses class features (usually bonus feats) for the benefits of the specialization.
"Slayer of (Creature type - from Favored Enemy table)"
Does not need to be the same type as favored enemy.
At level 1 the Slayer can sense when the appropriate target type is nearby as if they had scent, and ignoring all attributes of wind or environmental effects.
At level 4 a Slayer gets a +4 dodge bonus to AC against the chosen creature type due to knowledge of how that race functions. This increases by +4 every 4 levels afterward (so 4, 8, 12, up to +20 ac at level 20). If the slayer loses their dex bonus this AC does not apply.
A slayer cannot be caught flat footed by a creature of the appropriate type if they are close enough to be detected by the slayer sense.
At level 8, it takes an additional creature to flank the slayer if they are all of the chosen type.
A Slayer does not get their level 1 bonus feat or their level 4 bonus feat.
"Minor Magical Dabbler"
Use Magic Device becomes a class skill
Use Wand: The ability to use Wands and Staves as any base caster class (chosen at 1st level) of their Minor Magical Dabbler level. They increase the wands' and staves' effective caster level by one-third their class level.
Minor Spellcasting - say L1: Select 3xL0, each usable once per day (may select the same one more than once, choose from any list, may swap out one spell per level gained). L4: 4/2. L7: 5/3. L10: 5/3/1. L13: 6/4/2. L16: 7/5/3, and L19+: 7/5/3/1 (thus getting a single L3 spell). Characters who limit themselves to a particular list get bonus spells based on the relevant attribute, so minor clerics or druidic initiates can use wisdom, arcane casters can pick charisma or intelligence, and so on. Spell books are not needed.
The Minor Magical Dabbler does not get bonus feats at level 1 or 4. They also lose either evasion or endurance, but they may add whichever one they lose to the list of bonus feats they can select at later levels.
"Winter Huntsman"
Snow Mobility: The ability to move on ice and snow without slipping or leaving tracks at Level 1
Cold Tolerance: 5 cold resistance at level 5, 10 cold resistance at 9, 15 cold resistance at 13, and 100% immunity to cold at 17
A Winter Huntsman does not get the Bonus Feats at level 1 or 4.
"Planar Adventurer"
Attune Self: At level 3, the Planar Adventurer can make themself a native of the plane they're on (Outsiders become native outsiders, etc). This has the benefit of stopping banishment spells, and possibly altering spells which may attempt to planar bind you. The process takes a week and is comprised mainly of meditation, during which time, they can do no strenuous activity in which the concentration is lost, or the process must begin anew. This lasts until dismissed by the planar adventurer, at which point their native plane reverts to its original plane. At level 5 the planar adventurer can do this as a standard action once per month, but if done as a standard action it only lasts 1 day. The standard action uses increase to once a week at level 10. This also adapts the planar adventurer to the conditions of the plane, so poisonous air or any other side-effects of the plane effect them the same as the natives of the plane.
If the planes are just used as another set of dangerous places to adventure in, then this is a bit weak: characters will find dangerous adventures anywhere they go anyway - and most of them will be closer to support. In this case extend the benefits of their Attunement ability to everyone they brought along via Plane Shift or Gate. That way a relatively low-level party can do some planar adventuring on the more inherently-hostile planes.
Plane Shift: At level 7 the Planar Adventurer can use Plane Shift as a spell-like ability, with uses per day equal to Planar adventurer level/4 (round down). This spell like ability has the following exceptions.Components: None
Casting Time: 5 rounds
Target: Self, or up to eight willing creatures joining hands (including self).
Destination: 10 to 1000 miles from intended destination (Decreases to the standard 5 to 500 miles at level 12 planar adventurer, and to 2 to 200 miles at level 15)
Gate: At level 15, the Planar Adventurer can use Gate as a spell-like ability, expending 2 daily uses of Plane shift. You can hold the gate open for 1 round per Planar Adventurer level. There is no calling effect. It also does not have a destination miss chance like Plane shift does.
The Planar Adventurer loses their Bonus feats at level 1, 4, and 8.
*Rangers may not select “humanoid” or “outsider” as a favored enemy, but they may select a more narrowly defined type of humanoid (such as goblinoids, humans, or reptilian humanoids) or outsider (such as devils, efreet, or slaadi). See the Monster Manual for more information on types of creatures. A ranger can only select his own race as a favored enemy if he is evil.
Thoughts?
If youre all wondering how I have so much stuff going up at once, I have made quite a bit of D20 stuff, and its all sitting on my HD.
- Revised to be more easily readable
Last edited:
