Spellkeeper of Odin prestige class

[size=+3]S[/size][size=+2]PELLKEEPER OF [/size][size=+3]O[/size][size=+2]DIN[/size]

"Odin, the Blind One, the All-Seeing, Father of Victory, I beseech thee! Grant me your knowledge and your power!"

The Spellkeepers of Odin are an order of priests that have taken up the task of preserving and expanding the knowledge of magic. While they are clerics, their mastery of magic forces is such that they almost transcend the distinction between the arcane and the divine.
Some spellkeepers are cloistered sages, poring through tomes of arcana and sacred rituals. Others are adventurers, traveling the land, gathering new spells and lore while disseminating the teachings of the All-Father. Some spellkeepers act as protectors of small villages and large towns alike, while maintaining the region's history and magical knowledge.

[size=+1]Requirements[/size]
To qualify to become a spellkeeper of Odin (SkO), a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks.
Feats: Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Spellcraft).
Spells: Must be able to cast 2nd-level divine spells.
Special: Must worship Odin and have access to the Magic domain. Must be inducted into the order by another spellkeeper.

[size=+1]Game Rule Information[/size]
Spellkeepers of Odin have the following game statistics.
Base Attack Bonus: Poor (as a loremaster).
Hit Die: d6.
Saves: Good Will / Poor Fortitude and Reflex.
Class Skills: The spellkeeper of Odin's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

[size=+1]Class Features[/size]
All of the following are class features of the spellkeeper of Odin prestige class.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Spellkeepers of Odin gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

1. Odin's Wisdom
   [*] Transcription, [+1 Spellcasting]
2. [+1 Spellcasting]
   [*] Bonus Feat, [+1 Spellcasting]
   [*] Extra Domain
3. [+1 Spellcasting]
   [*] Limited Wish, [+1 Spellcasting]
4. [+1 Spellcasting]
   [*] Spell Research
   [*] Wish, [+1 Spellcasting]

Spellcasting: The spellkeeper of Odin continues to improve his clerical spellcasting ability. When a new spellkeeper level is gained (with the exception of 1st, 5th, and 9th levels), he gains new Spells Per Day as if he had also gained a level in the spellcasting class that met the Spells requirement of this prestige class. However, he gains no other benefits of that class, such as improved turning of undead, etc.

Odin's Wisdom: As an extension of the granted power of the Magic domain, a spellkeeper of Odin can use spell completion and spell trigger items as a wizard of his clerical caster level. If the spellkeeper is also a wizard, his actual wizard levels and these effective wizard levels stack.
Furthermore, for spellkeepers who multiclass into or from the wizard class, all level-dependent effects of their wizard spells are calculated as for a character of the spellkeeper's total effective wizard level (see above).

Transcription: Starting at second level, a spellkeeper of Odin may ignore arcane/divine distinctions when scribing or copying scrolls. That is, he may choose to scribe a scroll of any divine spell he knows that has an arcane counterpart as an arcane scroll instead of a divine scroll.
Furthermore, the spellkeeper may scribe a scroll of any arcane spell either from another scroll or from a spellbook, provided the caster level of the scroll to be created does not exceed the character's effective wizard level, as per the Odin's Wisdom class ability.

Bonus Feat: At fourth level, a spellkeeper of Odin chooses a bonus metamagic feat.

Extra Domain: At fifth level, a spellkeeper of Odin chooses a third domain from the six domains Odin grants access to: Air, Knowledge, Magic, Travel, Trickery, or War. He adds the domain's spells to his spell list and gains the associated granted power.

Limited Wish (Sp): Once per month, a seventh-level spellkeeper of Odin can call upon his god's power to effect limited wish as a spell-like ability. This does not require any verbal or somatic components, but the character must still contribute 300 XP.

Spell Research: A ninth-level spellkeeper of Odin has been granted the ability to shape magic into new forms. He may research new divine spells as a wizard researches new arcane spells.
Spell research is looked upon very favorably by Odin, as it expands knowledge of magic and creates new tools for his followers to use against their enemies. Spells successfully researched in this way may become available to all spellkeepers, if Odin so chooses.

Wish (Sp): Once per year, a tenth-level spellkeeper of Odin can call upon his god's power to effect wish as a spell-like ability. This does not require any verbal component, but the caster must still contribute 1,000 XP.

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Comments are appreciated.

Note: I stole the PrC format from Shadowfoot because it's so efficient. I hope he doesn't mind.

Edit: clarified Spellcasting, cleaned up Odin's Wisdom mechanic.

As a whole, the class is pretty good. I do think, though, that it should get +1 CL at every level. For a class that is wholly based around learning, creating, and casting new spells, that should be changed. (Especially when you take a divine caster down to d6.) As a whole, pretty good though.

RisnDevil said:

As a whole, the class is pretty good. I do think, though, that it should get +1 CL at every level. For a class that is wholly based around learning, creating, and casting new spells, that should be changed. (Especially when you take a divine caster down to d6.) As a whole, pretty good though.

Click to expand...

Reeeally. You think loss of BAB, a save, and HD size is sufficient to offset this guy's powers? Not having had the chance to do any playtesting, this is one aspect of the class I'd most like advice on. I definitely see your point, and it makes sense - I'm just wary of giving something for nothing.

Although the loss of HD, BAB, and Save are all big losses, there are several powerfful abilities that (Although not gained until later levels) REALLY offset these losses. Wish, even once per year is a HELL of an ability. Limited Wish once per month is quite powerful as well. Through use of Min/Max it would be highly possible to achieve all ten levels of this Prestige Class at level 14, granting a wish so soon, with the possibility of more to come (provided the character is not killed). Then take into consideration taking Mystic Theurge as soon as possible (must gain another two levels in Wizard) and this combo becomes a force to be reckoned with. As a whole though, yes, the class is balanced if you change the Spell progression to +1 at every level, including it adds to the nature of the class.

RisnDevil said:

Although the loss of HD, BAB, and Save are all big losses, there are several powerfful abilities that (Although not gained until later levels) REALLY offset these losses. Wish, even once per year is a HELL of an ability. Limited Wish once per month is quite powerful as well. Through use of Min/Max it would be highly possible to achieve all ten levels of this Prestige Class at level 14, granting a wish so soon, with the possibility of more to come (provided the character is not killed). Then take into consideration taking Mystic Theurge as soon as possible (must gain another two levels in Wizard) and this combo becomes a force to be reckoned with. As a whole though, yes, the class is balanced if you change the Spell progression to +1 at every level, including it adds to the nature of the class.

Click to expand...

Well, now I'm confused. You're saying the class features (especially limited wish/wish) are excessive? I know they're powerful (and am currently trying to find out just HOW powerful); but then, that's why I limited the class to 7/10 casting progression. If I bump it up to full, then either those class features have to go (and I wouldn't like that), or I'd have to modify them a lot. Any suggestions?

And, incidentally, this class as it stands may be completed at 13th level. All the required skills are class for clerics. Do you believe the prereqs are in need of being increased as well?

I thought Knowledge (Arcana) was CC for a Cleric, therefore one level of Wiz/Sor was needed to achieve this level ASAP? Anyways, what I am saying, is that although the class has some powerful abilities, it NEEDS full spell progression if for nothing more than flavor to fit the history of the class. On top of that, although the class does have access to Wish/Limited Wish, it is very limited. With the handicap on Hit Die, BAB, and Save, not to mention no progression on turning, without the full progression it would be hurt. The Wish/Limited Wish are powerful but not giving it full spell progression can severely hurt it.

This is an interesting start and the other posters bring up good points. Attached is my ranking of other prestige classes, perhaps it would be good to compare to that list.

The main thing that I worry about is that there is no background (or foreground) of this prestige class.

In what context was this class created? Is it for your home world? Then throw in some of your home world elements and background..not 30 pages mind you..but how does this class of Odin fare in relation to the Berserkers of the same religion in Deities & Demigods..how about the relation of the class to the many legged horse Slepnir of Odin. How do they feel in relation to the mythos of the Norse legends, the elves, the giants, etc.? How was Odin born again and of whom?

jh