The Haruspex [15 level and 10 level (new)]

HARUSPEX

Haruspex - augur, goetia, seer, sibyl - the magus, medium, ovate, witch and warlock - a thousand names in a hundred languages for that mage who combines both druidic and arcane power into something more.

Sometimes they are the advisor and teacher to once and future kings, other times the seducer of that very same king. Often they are simply the old crone a little ways outside town who will sell you a potion for love (and who has the local children conviced that she'll eat them!) (perhaps she does...) They are lauded as prophets, feared as mages, and burned as witches.

To advance in power as a haruspex, the character must meet the following requirements:

Skills: Knowledge(Nature) 6 ranks, Knowledge(Arcana) 6 ranks.
Feats: Brew Potion
Spells: Able to cast Charm Person and Charm Animal
Alignment: Any Neutral (CN,LN,N,NG,NE)

Hit Dice: d6

Class Skills: Appraise (INT), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft(Alchemy) (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any) (Int), Sense Motive (Cha), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int Modifier


Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Haruspex gain no proficiency with weapons or armor.

Spells Per Day/Spells Known: When a new haruspex level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known if applicable) in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She gains no other benefit of the previous class. At level 1, and every three levels thereafter, the Haruspex adds a spellcasting level of Druid; likewise, at level 2, and every three levels thereafter, she adds a level of arcane caster. At level three, and every three levels from that point, the casting class the haruspex adds to is her choice.

Spellcasting: The haruspex casts spells from the schools of Enchantment, Transmutation, and Divination at +2 caster level. She casts spells from the school of Evocation at -4 caster level. Spells on both the Wizard/Sorceror and Bard spell list of her bonus schools may be cast at the lower of the two levels.

Familiar: As the wizard/sorceror ability.
Animal Companion: As the druid ability.

Cauldron Brew: A haruspex may brew two potions per day (as opposed to only one).

Improved Brew Potion: A haruspex may brew potions of up to spell level 6.

Expanded Brew Potion: A haruspex may create any wondrous item that is an elixir, dust, incense, powder, emulsion, infusion, salve, oil, unguent, solvent, or other substance that is applied or consumed in whatever manner (including candles, whose wax is burned) without the Create Wondrous Item feat, as long as they can meet the other requirements and costs of creating that item, at costs equal to that of a a potion as per spell and caster level.

Wild Shape: As the druid ability, limited to small and medium animals.

Beguile: A haruspex may use this ability to enthrall a humanoid, monstrous humanoid, animal, magical beast or giant target. One target the haruspex gazes at (a standard action) must make a Will save with a DC equal to 15 + 1/2 Haruspex' level + Haruspex' charisma bonus. If the haruspex and the target have a common language, she can generally force the target to perform as she desires within the limits of it's abilities. If no common language exists, she can only communicate basic commands, such as 'Come here', 'Fight', or 'Stand still.' She knows what the subject is experiencing, but she does not recieve direct sensory input from it, nor can it communicate with her telepathically.

The haruspex must maintain concentration to hold the beguilement. By concentrating fully (a full round action) she can recieve full sensory input as interpreted by the mind of her subject, though it still cannot communicate with her. She cannot actually see through the subject's eyes, so it is not as good as her being there herself, but she gets a good idea of what is going on. Any command that would amount to the suicide of the subject negates the beguilement.

Everyvisage: As the druid's 'A thousand faces' ability. (Alter Self at will.

Tongues: As the monk's 'Tongue of the Sun and Moon' ability. (speak to any living creature)

Lasting Presence: At 15th level, recalculate the haruspex' maximum age. The haruspex' lifespan is equal to the maximum age for her race, plus the maximum die roll possible, all multiplied by 5. A half-orc haruspex will live to merely 400 years, a human will see his 550th year, while an elf may live up to 3,750 years (not that many choose to exist that long).

My Concerns:

Should the hit die be a d4 due to wizard spells? Keep in mind a arcane-caster level 5 Haruspex will be casting 1d6 fireballs...I think I *may* have wizard damage spells under control. (And, also, since mathematically this is similar to a Wiz/Drd multiclass, and the Drd/Wiz won't have that problem, I may be overcompensating?)

I *hate* the fact I specified druid and arcane levels of caster; but I have no choice, else one could end up with what amounts to a Drd1/Wiz19 with more fun powers than the Wizard. I cannot think of any other way to solve that particular munchkinism.

Mathwise, in HP, Saves, and BAB, this more or less equates to a Druid/Wizard dual-class. How the powers stack up depend on how much you value the Wizard's metamagic feats, and how you split Druid/Wizard levels. I don't think any of it is too overboard, considering that mixing caster levels is always detremental to a character's power level. I've got the math on Druid/Wizard multiclasses compared to the haruspex if anyone wants to see it.

Thanks in advance for any and all comments.

Koewn

HARUSPEX (10 Level)

Haruspex - augur, goetia, seer, sibyl - the magus, medium, ovate, witch and warlock - a thousand names in a hundred languages for that mage who combines both druidic and arcane power into something more.

Sometimes they are the advisor and teacher to once and future kings, other times the seducer of that very same king. Often they are simply the old crone a little ways outside town who will sell you a potion for love (and who has the local children conviced that she'll eat them!) (perhaps she does...) They are lauded as prophets, feared as mages, and burned as witches.

To advance in power as a haruspex, the character must meet the following requirements:

Skills: Knowledge(Nature) 8 ranks, Knowledge(Arcana) 8 ranks.
Feats: Brew Potion
Spells: Able to cast Detect Thoughts and Animal Trance
Alignment: Any Neutral (CN,LN,N,NG,NE)

Hit Die: d4


Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Haruspex gain no proficiency with weapons or armor.

Spells Per Day/Spells Known: When a new haruspex level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known if applicable) in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She gains no other benefit of the previous class.

Spellcasting: The haruspex casts spells from the schools of Enchantment, Transmutation, and Divination at +2 caster level. She casts spells from the school of Evocation at -4 caster level. Spells on both the Wizard/Sorceror and Bard spell list of her bonus schools may be cast at the lower of the two levels.

Familiar: As the wizard/sorceror ability.
Animal Companion: As the druid ability.

Cauldron Brew: A haruspex may brew two potions per day (as opposed to only one).

Improved Brew Potion: A haruspex may brew potions of up to spell level 6.

Expanded Brew Potion: A haruspex may create any wondrous item that is an elixir, dust, incense, powder, emulsion, infusion, salve, oil, unguent, solvent, or other substance that is applied or consumed in whatever manner (including candles, whose wax is burned) without the Create Wondrous Item feat, as long as they can meet the other requirements and costs of creating that item, at costs equal to that of a a potion as per spell and caster level.

Beguile: A haruspex may use this ability to enthrall a humanoid, monstrous humanoid, animal, magical beast or giant target. One target the haruspex gazes at (a standard action) must make a Will save with a DC equal to 15 + Haruspex' level + Haruspex' charisma bonus. If the haruspex and the target have a common language, she can generally force the target to perform as she desires within the limits of it's abilities. If no common language exists, she can only communicate basic commands, such as 'Come here', 'Fight', or 'Stand still.' She knows what the subject is experiencing, but she does not recieve direct sensory input from it, nor can it communicate with her telepathically.

The haruspex must maintain concentration to hold the beguilement. By concentrating fully (a full round action) she can recieve full sensory input as interpreted by the mind of her subject, though it still cannot communicate with her. She cannot actually see through the subject's eyes, so it is not as good as her being there herself, but she gets a good idea of what is going on. Any command that would amount to the suicide of the subject negates the beguilement.

Visions: Once per week, the haruspex may enter a trance, and commune with a power of their choosing, at a caster level equal to their Haruspex level. The haruspex is considered exhausted at the end of this process.

Everyvisage: As the druid's 'A thousand faces' ability. (Alter Self at will.

Tongues: As the monk's 'Tongue of the Sun and Moon' ability. (speak to any living creature)

Lasting Presence: At 15th level, recalculate the haruspex' maximum age. The haruspex' lifespan is equal to the maximum age for her race, plus the maximum die roll possible, all multiplied by 5. A half-orc haruspex will live to merely 400 years, a human will see his 550th year, while an elf may live up to 3,750 years (not that many choose to exist that long).

My Concerns:
I've crunched this into 10 levels. I've taken out the druid-sort of extras - a character who wants them can still get them by going Wiz 3, Drd 7, Hspx 10. This certainly isn't more powerful than a Druid 17/Wizard 3. It's iffy standing next to a Wizard 17/Druid 3, simply because of additional powers, although they are somewhat benign - extra potion making abilities just give you more chances to burn your XP. The only two offensive powers are the Animal Companion and Beguile. Plus I took her down to d4 from d6.

I added the 'Visions' power because I realized I hadn't given them any sort of divination powers; which goes against my original presentation of the class. A 'Commune' once a week is only a slight headache for the DM

I'm on the fence about the bonuses/penalties to the spellcasting in a 10 level class. It does help form a 'spell list' of sorts for the class, without specifically defining one, but, eh. I don't know if there's any real point to it now.

Thanks for the look-see.

Koewn