Looking for Feedback on a PrC

Below is a new PrC I cooked up for a homebrew campaign I'm working on. Please take a look and share any constructive comments you have. I'm just looking for the usual stuff here. Do you think it's too powerful, too weak, too boring, etc.

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Kerlun Footman
The Kerlun Footmen are fearless and ruthless soldiers. They will stand their ground while others flee. Their reputation alone can bring some conflicts to an end even before weapons are drawn. They are not mindless savages, like marauding orcs or wild animals. Instead, it is their cool efficiency and grim determination that makes them feared.



Hit Die: d10

Requirements

Alignment: Lawful Neutral or Lawful Evil

Base Attack Bonus: +4

Skills: Intimidate 8 ranks

Feats: Two of the following three: Iron Will, Persuasive, Skill Focus: Intimidate

Special: The character must be a native of Kerlund or have trained there extensively.



Class
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1 +1 +2 +0 +2 Fearsome Reputation
2 +2 +3 +0 +3 Resolute
3 +3 +3 +1 +3 Coward’s Cut +2
4 +4 +4 +1 +4 Improved Intimidate
5 +5 +4 +1 +4 Make an Example
6 +6 +5 +2 +5 Coward’s Cut +4
7 +7 +5 +2 +5 Fearsome Foe
8 +8 +6 +2 +6 Grim Resolve
9 +9 +6 +3 +6 Coward’s Cut +6
10 +10 +7 +3 +7 Frightful Presence

Fearsome Reputation (Ex): The imposing attitude of a Kerlun Footman is drilled into recruits early on. They gain a circumstance bonus to Intimidate checks equal to their levels in this class.

Resolute (Ex): The total fear affects targeting a Resolute character are reduced by one degree. Panicked characters are instead Frightened. Frightened characters are Shaken. Shaken characters are not afraid. Resolute characters are never Panicked. At worst, they are Frightened.

Coward’s Cut (Ex): A Kerlun Footman can exploit an enemy’s uncertainty and apprehension. They receive a +2 bonus to damage with melee attacks against any opponent who is Shaken, Frightened, of Panicked. This bonus increases to +4 at 6th level and to +6 at 9th level.

Improved Intimidate (Ex): Improved Intimidate allows a character to Intimidate an opponent in combat as a move action, instead of a standard action.

Make an Example (Su): Even the allies of the Kerlun realize it’s better to have them with you than against you. Whenever a Kerlun Footman of 5th level or higher makes a successful coup de grace against a fallen foe, all allies within 60 feet receive a +4 morale bonus to saves against fear effects for one round per hit die of the defeated foe.

Fearsome Foe (Ex): With a standard action, the character may attempt an Intimidate check against all opponents he threatens. The character makes a single Intimidate check, with a -2 circumstance penalty for each opponent to be affected after the first. All affected opponents make individual level checks, with the standard modifiers.

Grim Resolve (Ex): As Resolute, but the fear affects are reduced by an additional degree. The character is never Frightened or Panicked.

Frightful Presence (Ex): For ten rounds per day, the character becomes a terrifying sight in combat. These rounds need not be used consecutively, but the character must attack in a round this ability it used. Creatures with fewer Hit Dice or levels than the character and within 30 feet must make a Will save (DC 15 + the frightful character’s Cha modifier) or be Shaken for 5d6 rounds. Characters must make a save each round they are in the area of affect and may become Frightened or Panicked as a result. An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to that same character’s frightful presence for 24 hours. Frightful presence is a mind-affecting fear effect.

(edit: whew, html really doesn't work anymore.)

Looks fine to me. A minor flavor point, though - instead of having Make an Example give a bonus to his allies' saves against fear, why not have it impose a penalty on enemies' saves against fear and intimidate? In a way, I think his allies would be as frightened of him as his enemies.

Oh, and you're missing the list of class skills.

Oh, yea, skills. Basically the class would get the fighter skill list and 2 points per level.

If you were going to change Make an Example to a penalty to fear saves, how much would you think is enough? Maybe a -2 within 30 feet for the same duration?

Nice work- flavorful and focused. I think at a glance it looks pretty good.

I was going to make a comment on the alignment but you have that sorted.

Umm.... the fearsome reputation only mentions recruits, maybe mentioned that they are known and fear every where? Also maybe a requirement of a leadership score of 6 and maintain that?

Interesting take on a soldier PrC. I would like to learn more about these soldiers: who they are, where do they come from, their military unit and its history, their usual dduties and where they are most likely to be found (as npcs), etc.

Something I don't remember: does the Fighter gets Intimidate as a class skill in 3.5 edition? He doesn't get it in 3.0, but I don't have 3.5 books. If they do get Intimidate as a class skill, I have nothing to say; otherwise if they don't have it as a class skill, it means that a Fighter must be 13th level to get the class, which is IMO a nonsense... Fighters should be the first able to get the class, and getting it as soon as at 5th level is a good thing IMO.

Other possible options to consider:
- Getting d12 hit-die: this class could be weaker than a Fighter who chooses feats (but I don't know for sure, more of a question).
- Getting 4 skill-points per level: IMO, where Fighters are rather swordsmen types emphasizing mostly on weapon use; soldiers may have to be skilled in various areas as they would be required for extensive campaigning, scouting, creating fortifications on the battlefield and repairing equipment, etc.

Turanil said:

Something I don't remember: does the Fighter gets Intimidate as a class skill in 3.5 edition?

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Yes he does.

Other possible options to consider:
- Getting d12 hit-die: this class could be weaker than a Fighter who chooses feats (but I don't know for sure, more of a question).
- Getting 4 skill-points per level: IMO, where Fighters are rather swordsmen types emphasizing mostly on weapon use; soldiers may have to be skilled in various areas as they would be required for extensive campaigning, scouting, creating fortifications on the battlefield and repairing equipment, etc.

Click to expand...

Bear in mind that this prc has two good saves. That, imho, is equal to 2 more skill points per level (although a d12 HD is prolly a lil better).

Well, here's basically what I was thinking when I was making up abilities. I started with the basics of a fighter. The BAB, skills, and hit dice all seemed like what I wanted.

Over 10 levels, an advanced fighter would be giving up 3 bonus feats to take this class. I tried to take three core ideas and spread them out over the levels. You'd get abilities at every level, but they aren't really powerful until later on.

The first was the intimidation focus. Then the resistance to fear. Finally the extra damage against fearful targets. The intimidation is better, but still requires an opposed check and takes up either a standard action or your movement (voiding a Full Attack on either). I wanted them to be resistant to fear, but it didn't seem right to make them totally immune, like a paladin. Finally, the extra damage looked like it was about right in comparison with similar abilities like Favored Enemy and Sneak Attack.

When I was done, it seemed kinda silly that an "iron willed" warrior would still have a poor Will save. Since rangers and paladins have two good saves and a number of abilities, it didn't seem out of line.

For a little more background, these soldiers are elite warriors from a country that believes mainly in fighting hard and playing hard. Their position in the world leaves them subject to various threats, so everyone gets at least a little militia training. Some people are able to take the fight hard mentality and demonstrate it before they even start swinging. The kind of warrior where you may not know if he's the best in the land, but he can make you think he's better than you (and just might be).

I didn't really see them as leadership types, although I can see where that might work. I saw them more as a "status symbol" with some punch. Not only do we have to face the evil wizard, but his henchmen are lead by a Kerlun mercenary - now we're really in trouble.

Over 10 levels, an advanced fighter would be giving up 3 bonus feats to take this class.

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Well, I believed they would be giving up 5 feats. Unless the 3.5 Fighter has also been modified in this regard? Mmmh... maybe I should print the 3.5 SRD handouts I have somewhere on my hardrive. I am still hesitating to buy 3.5 PHB though...

Anywayn as a GM I agree (and always advocated whenever and everywhere I could) that a prestige class shouldn't be more powerful than a core class, but just emphasize on a different role. In this regard, your PrC is certainly okay. However, I am going to be a player now. Since my ex-players keep their characters who are 10-12th level, I had to myself create a PC of 12th level. Mmmmh... it's when my firm opinion on prestige classes suddenly faltered... I took the Ultimate Prestige Classes vol.1 book, and made the most powerful character I could do (Fighter 5 / Cleric 1 / Knight_of_the_Left_Hand 5). Well, I don't know what will be the reaction of the DM when I will deal 2d6 (greatsword) + 15 of holy damage (another +1d6) at +24 / +19 / +14 attack bonus... But as a player I don't see where is the problem, and I would have never played a DotF Templar for example (too weak...).

Greatwyrm said:

If you were going to change Make an Example to a penalty to fear saves, how much would you think is enough? Maybe a -2 within 30 feet for the same duration?

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Sounds fair. It would be like a Greater Spell Focus that only affects fear spells, or a partial strength Persuasive or Skill Focus (Intimidate) for intimidate checks.