Aristocrat CC for PC's (please critique!)

I know that this has probably been done to death; but, since I can't search I'll post anyway.

This Summer we're starting a new campaign based aroung Arthurian legend. The girl in our group is interested is moving away from her standard arcane spellcaster, and has decided on a run-away princess. Since none of the core classes fit her character concept, I asked the DM if I could come up with an upgraded aristocrat core class (called a noble) for use with PC's. Please critique it. Here it is:

Noble
Alignment: Any lawful.
Hit Die: d8.
Special: First character level must be taken as a noble.

Class Skills:
The noble's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Survival (Wis).
Skill points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) x 4.

Lvl . BAB .......... F/R/W
1 ... +0 ......... +2/+0/+2 - Bonus feat, bonus skill
2 ... +1 ......... +3/+0/+3 - Bonus feat
3 ... +2 ......... +3/+1/+3 - Leadership
4 ... +3 ......... +4/+1/+4 - Bonus feat, bonus skill
5 ... +3 ......... +4/+1/+4
6 ... +4 ......... +5/+2/+5 - Bonus feat
7 ... +5 ......... +5/+2/+5 - Leadership score +1
8 ... +6/+1 ...... +6/+2/+6 - Bonus feat, bonus skill
9 ... +6/+1 ...... +6/+3/+6
10 .. +7/+2 ...... +7/+3/+7 - Bonus feat
11 .. +8/+3 ...... +7/+3/+7 - Leadership score +1
12 .. +9/+4 ...... +8/+4/+8 - Bonus feat, bonus skill
13 .. +9/+4 ...... +8/+4/+8
14 .. +10/+5 ..... +9/+4/+9 - Bonus feat
15 .. +11/+6/+1 .. +9/+5/+9 - Leadership score +1
16 .. +12/+7/+2 .. +10/+5/+10 - Bonus feat, bonus skill
17 .. +12/+7/+2 .. +10/+5/+10
18 .. +13/+8/+3 .. +11/+6/+11 - Bonus feat
19 .. +14/+9/+4 .. +11/+6/+11 - Leadership score +1
20 .. +15/+10/+5 . +11/+6/+12 - Bonus feat, bonus skill

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the noble.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A noble is proficient with all simple weapons, two martial weapons (of the noble's choice, decided at character creation), and all light armor.
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, a noble gets a bonus feat (from the list below) in addition to the feat any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The noble gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two noble levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats listed below. A noble must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score minimums. The noble's bonus feats include Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Animal Affinity, Athletic, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Great Fortitude, Investigator, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Magical Aptitude, Negotiator, Persuasive, Run, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus, and Stealthy.
Bonus Skills: At 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16, and 20th levels the noble may add a skill to their class skill list that was not there previously. This is to reflect the higher level of education nobles receive as children, and thus their ability to learn new skills quickly.
Leadership: At 3rd level, the noble gains the Leadership for free. The noble bypasses the requirements for Leadership. Every 4th level after that (7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th), the noble gains a permenant +1 bonus to their leadership score. Note that a noble is still limited to a cohort two or more levels below themselves.

Nobles have better access to education and training than the riff raff, so to represent that, I'd give them more skill points. 4 + intelligence modifier, at the very least.

Also, I'd give them better weapon proficiencies. Perhaps you could give them all simple weapons and two martial weapons of their choice. These choices would have to be taken at character creation and could not be changed later. Also, I think I'd make the shield proficiency cost a feat. That way not all would have to have it. A princess would likely know how to shoot a bow, because she would have gone hunting. She would know how to defend herself, possibly with a short sword or rapier. But I doubt very much that she would use a shield. It's just not ladylike.

Green Ronin has a really excellent book on the Noble as a class. It's called The Noble's Handbook, oddly enough.

Thanks, Buttercup. Your ideas are really good. I actually meant to have them with 4+Int skill points, but I goofed.

Thanks!

Some changes

I think the class is still a bit weak.

The bonus feats are really like a fighter's but are generally from a "weaker" list. And, IMO, the lower BAB, HD, prof, are not balanced by the leadership and extra skill points (at least in most games).

I'd move skill points to 6 rather than 4, and provide some sort of limited ability appropriate to the world/character.

Some possiblities:
Social skills: +1 unnamed bonus per 3 levels to diplomacy, sense motive and bluff in non-combat situations.

Basic magical training:
Tutors provided basic magical instruction. Add spell craft to skill list, cast spells as a wizard of 1/3 level (round down). At 1st level has 1 cantrip, at 2nd 2 cantrips. Could instead go with bard of 1/2 level (round down).

Divine blessing (Initiate)
In many cultures nobles are instructed by religous figures, and in many more the nobles are somehow special in the divine scheme of things. Cast spells as a cleric of 1/2 level (round down) but
a) must choose spells when level is gained. Can never be changed
b) don't get domain spells.
c) spells only get returned after prayer on the holy day of the week of the church.
(Also a way for gods to have a degree of control over their nobles...) Thus won't be taking over for cleric but still helpful.

Money:
Might have some source of income from lands etc. This is too world-specific to detail.

Divine insight
There may be something to the idea that nobles are somehow special. They may be the best ruler as they can best see what is _really_ going on, even if just occasinoally. 1/day/2 levels (round up) noble can do one of the following:

1. Add class level to a sense motive roll.
2. Add class level to an appraisal roll.
3. Augry (sp. cleric spell 2nd level) as a free action (makes "good" guesses)
4. Starting at 9th level can get some clue from the DM about a situation if given a minute to assess the situation. Anything from "That rock looks out of place" to "that man never seems to eat"

Just some thoughts. I've played in a game like this before (female gamer plays noble type) and she was pretty annoyed at being fairly useless in a fight (an she was the party leader because of rank, we all worked for her!)

Alternatively, you could give them strong Fortitude saves, to reflect the fact that a noble would have access to adequate food/nutrition for his or her entire life. (In addition to the strong will save, I mean.)

Great idea, guys. I implemented the following:

- Good Fort saves
- 6+Int skill points/level
- Bonus skills (add to your skill list every four levels)

I like it. Still worried that unlike every other PC this one is pretty worthless in combat.... I guess that would be the cohort....

Since this is a noble for Arthurian settings, I would give them access to all armors, and they wear usually plate-mail. Then, they don't choose two weapons, but automatically get the longsword (weapon of nobility during the middles-ages) plus the lance. In addition, a note explains they shun "peasant weapons" like club and bow.

Why a noble get Disguise skill? They are no scoundrels, but proud of their status they will not disguise themselves.

They could get a bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate that increases with level.

Finally: Just check at rpg.now : there is a supplement about arthurian campaigns. It's a pdf so this is no more than 7 or 10$ I think. In any case, there is a free preview of that supplement available there, and it is about the Noble clas!!!

Personnaly, I should soon buy Relic & Rituals : Excalibur by Sword and Sorcery studio. It looks really good but is around 30$.

Take a gander at my house-ruled Aristocrat Core Class:

http://klimt.cns.nyu.edu/~fishman/DnD/DHE/new-classes.shtml

It's got:
- HD d8
- 6 + Int skill points/level (why do we always say "+ Int"... does any class NOT grant "+ Int"?)
- ALL good saves
- ALL simple & martial weapons, ALL armor & shields
- 3/4 BAB
- Leadership for free at level 6 (thus it's not breaking any rules about when Leadership can be assigned).
- Bonuses to Leadership score at levels 8, 12, 16 & 20.
- "Wealth", which provides income that does not depend on work, but the player has to write a background for it.
- "Influence", which grants an increasing bonus to Diplomacy & Intimidate when dealing with people who might be familiar with the background that the player wrote.

... and that's it. I think it's balanced

IMHO, the "Bonus Class Skill" thing is too complicated for too little benefit. Grant them "+any six skills (chosen when you take your first level of Aristocrat)" if you must grant restricted flexibility... or just give them a whole mess of class skills, and let that be one of the class strengths.

-- N