Faolchulan--A scout PrC--Help balance, please.

[drexes]

The Faolchulan are the consumate example of the Fiannan warrior. Mobile and cunning, these proud warriors stalk the forests for thier prey before pouncing upon them from seemingly nowhere. For those of you who haven't read the races of Obsydia posts, the Fianna are sort of Celtic Elves. The Faolchulan where the mark of the Blood Oath (a sacred oath of vengeance) for the rest of thier lives a choose to forego the changing of thier names (a huge deal in thier culture). The mark is that of a bloody hand print that covers the face. A Bloodsworn Fianna, or a Faolchulan will dip his hand into his own blood or that of a beast at any opportunity to remark his face. The Bloodsworn and Faolchulan are both greatly feared and respected among the Fianna.

Please Let me know what you think.

FAOLCHULAN

Requirements:
To become a faolchulan, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:
Base Attack Bonus: +10
Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, and Track
Skills: Survival 10 ranks, Spot 8 ranks, and Listen 8 ranks
Abilities: Skirmish
Movement: Base movement of at least 50.
Special: Must have taken and fulfilled a Blood Oath. (The most sacred oath in Fianna society which is an oath of vengeance.)

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The faolchulan’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge: Nature (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Attack Bonus: Full
Saves: Good Fort, Bad Reflex, Will

1 Fast Movement +10
2 Skirmish (+1d6), Bounding Assault
3
4 Telling Blow
5 Fast Movement +15, Skirmish (+1d6, +1 AC)
6
7 Scent
8 Skirmish (+2d6, +1 AC)
9
10 Fast Movement +20

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the faolchulan.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Faolchulans are proficient with all simple and martial weapons. They are proficient with light armor and all types of shields, except tower shields. This does not extend to exotic armor and shields.

Fast Movement: At the levels indicated in the chart the faolchulan’s base speed is increased. This ability functions just like the barbarian ability of the same name.

Telling Blow: At 4th level the faolchulan gains the Telling Blow feat as a bonus feat. (This allows the faolchulan to add his skirmish damage to critical hits). The class already meets the prereqs for this feat.

Skirmish: At the levels indicated the faolchulan’s ability to skirmish increases as shown in the chart above. This ability functions just like the scout ability of the same name.

Bounding Assault: At 2nd level the faolchulan gains the Bounding Assault feat as a bonus feat. (This allows the faolchulan to allocate two opponents, who don’t get AoO’s, and make two attacks on a spring attack). The class already meets the prereqs for this feat

Scent: At 7th level the faolchulan gains the scent ability as described in the monster manual.

 

[Nyaricus]

Absolute;y amazing PrCl, this. I *love* celtic mythology and history, so this PrC is wicked; what I am worried about is that this PrCl doesn't do anything original, other than the scent ability. Also, the prereqs are too high for this PrCl - a scout only has 3/4 BAB and since skirmish is required as a prereq, you couldn;t take this class until, at a mimimum 11th level. This PrCl is, frankly, underpowered for that level when Wizards will be getting Wish and Barbs will have Greater Rage and the like. You need to up the ante of this classes power if you want to keep those high prereqs - or you could go the opposite and drop them down for accessability at level 6 (which seems more appropriate, given the crunch).

However, I'd rather make these guys a fearsome high-level PrCl, rather than a sub-par high level fighter PrCl, or a low level PrC. Thus, maybe look over mroe of the info you've found about these guys and make it connect - have they been known for something amazing combat move? Do these blood handprints on their faces give them special abilities, maybe based on type? Like a humanoid gives + to social situations vs their sub-type, a dragon gives DR depending on level, an outsider gives immunities of sorts, a magical beast gives off some of it's magical abilities, etc? I think that'd be cool. And have it last for a certain while depending on level, and only usable against freshly killed combatants (jars of blood would become really popular otherwise) and it must have been a worthy combatant (no killing dragon pups to get DR vs mommy, right?). Stuff like that, anytways.

In any case, I like

 

[drexes]

Well, I am most appreciative of the praise. Now as for everything else. I don't want to lower the prereqs for two reasons:

1) The bonus feat of bounding assault requires a BAB of +12, so I want the class to meet that.

2) And more importantly, I want these guys to be elite. When a guy waks into your presence with a bloody handprint on his face I want it to mean something...other than he has poor hygeine...

As for the blood type of the recent handprint doing something, I REALLY like the idea. What if the Blood Oath (my Oaths with System Thread) gave a favored enemy for a particular type bust cost you something ???? The bloodsworn have this favored enemy permanently. As per ranger. Then the blood handprint types could give some nasty bonus like you said...What do you think some good examples would be?

I initially wanted to start weak, because, well it's easier to add than subtract and I have a tendency to overpower when I really like something, so in this manner I was trying to avoid that intentionally. If the bloody handprint thing could be worked in to be somewhat of a level dependant/creature dependant effect it would be awesome. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[drexes]

Creothmionn effects

Creothmionn (Blood Oath) effects for the Faolchulan are dependant on the type of creature whose blood marks the character's face as follows. Not all effects are equal, becasue some blood is rarer than others. Those creatures that have no blood can obviously not give benefit.

Each of these effects lasts one day per class level and the effects of two handprints do not stack, only the most recent handprint has any effect. Blood for this effect must be fresh (no more than 1 hr. old per class level) and cannot be stored in anyway. A Faolchulan must dip his hand in the natural pool of the creatures blood or upon its wounded body and immediately press his hand to his face for this to have an effect.

Aberrations: +1 resistance to saves/3 class levels (rounded up)
Animal: Endurance as a bonus feat and the scent ability
Construct: No effect
Dragon: +1 natural AC/2 class levels (round up)
Elemental: No effect
Fey: Spell Resistance equal to 12 + class level
Giant: +2 strength/3 class levels (round up)
Humanoid: +4 to Listen, Spot, Survival and Damage vs Humanoids
Magical Beast: +10 Movement
Monstrous Humanoid: Darkvision 60ft, Blindsense 30ft
Ooze: No effect
Outsider: Energy Resistance 5 (all types)
Plant: Plant blood would be VERY rare. +10 on Hide checks when in natural surroundings.
Undead: Undead blood would be Very rare. Negative Energy Immunity.
Vermin: Poison Immunity

I would use this list for the abilities and remove the scent class ability from the earlier post.
What do you think? I thought about giving them favored enemy against the type of creature they were initially bloodsworn to kill. Would these changes make it balanced or would it be too much?Too little?

Drexes