I would like a few opinions on this. Is it a feasible class? Fun? Thanks for any input!
Maskweaver Acolyte
The Swamps of Argesh are a deadly place, a land of dark waters and darker hearts. But deep within even the most corrupt realms, there are beacons of hope, guiding lights of civilization, locales which blend the barbarism of the swamp with the finery of progress. The Free City Masah is such a place. Here, amongst the bamboo fortresses and floating reed-mat streets, a new type of wizard was born. Focusing on the powers of protection, these brave individuals blend arcane forces and artistic mastery into a unified whole, threading enchantments into the weave of their unique masks.
In their homeland, Maskweaver Acolytes serve as commanders for elite bodyguards, high-ranking advisors, and diplomats. Their legendary abilities with defensive magics mix flawlessly with their natural skill at reading faces and hearts – as such, many are shrewd politicians. In the halls of Masah, where even careful politics can quickly turn towards violence, all speakers have learned to wear masks of one type or another.
Hit Die: D4
Requirements
Qualifications for the Maskweaver Acolyte are as follows.
Skills: Craft: weaver 8 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks
Abilities: Charisma 11+
Feats: Skill focus: craft (weaver), Extend Spell
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 3rd level arcane spells
Special: In order to become a Maskweaver Acolyte, a character must be an abjuration specialist wizard.
Class Skills
The Maskweaver Acolyte’s class skills are: Bluff (cha), Concentration (con), Craft (int), Diplomacy (cha), Disguise (cha), Knowledge (any, taken individually) (int), Profession (wis), Search (int), Sense motive (wis), and Spellcraft (int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+ int modifier
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Maskweaver Acolytes are proficient with all simple weapons, no shields, and no armor.
Maskweaving (su): This is the first and most basic ability that a Maskweaver Acolyte ever learns. Through the principles of Maskweaving, an acolyte discovers to transfer protective and enhancing enchantments into a mask that he has created. At first level, this power is not yet fully developed, and only allows for the magical augmentation of the actual mask creation process. By expending a 1st level spell, the Acolyte may gain a competence bonus on any craft (weaving) check equal to +2. By expending a 2nd level spell, the bonus increases to +4. The maximum bonus is +6, for a 3rd or higher level spell. Only one spell may be expended on any individual mask in this fashion.
When constructing a mask, the Maskweaver may rush his progress, adding 10 to the craft DC. This allows a mask to be constructed in half the regular time. The character may not take 10 or 20 when crafting under any circumstances, and may not use fabrication, minor creation, or any similar spells to speed his progress. Masks may not be constructed while the Maskweaver Acolyte is memorizing spells.
In addition to the primary maskweaving ability, a Maskweaver Acolyte gains access to 2 minor masks (as detailed below) at first level.
Minor Mask (su): The Minor masks are a variety of low powered enchantments that are implanted directly into masks. Each mask must be created, the DCs for their construction are noted below. The masks are woven of grass and reeds, and cost effectively nothing to construct, although each one takes 1 minute to put together. Each mask has 5 hit points and a hardness of 1. The magic in any given mask fades after 24 hours, and the weaving rots away. A Maskweaver Acolyte may create up to 8 Minor Masks in any given day.
Donning or removing a mask requires a move action, and an individual may only benefit from the effects of one mask at a time.
Note: Each mask also has a meaning when worn by a person in the halls of Masah; these meanings are detailed in brief below, and have slightly varying individual interpretations depending on context. Many are used as bluffs. Most of the time, the people in the halls wear a basic human mask with the symbol of their house on the forehead; these masks have no special powers.
Every time the Minor Mask class feature is gained, the Maskweaver Acolyte may choose one of the Masks below, and is thereafter permitted to create one at will:
Mask of the Brewing Storm: The wearer of the Mask of the Brewing Storm is affected as per Endure Elements, and provides an energy resistance of 5 versus fire and cold damage. The construction DC for this mask is 21. Wearing this mask is an open warning.
Mask of the Mantis’s Claw: The Mask of the Mantis’s claw provides its wearer with a +1 bonus to attack rolls, a +2 bonus to damage rolls with weapons of all types, and a damage reduction of 1/-. The construction DC for this mask is 17. Wearing this mask is a call to arms.
Mask of the Tortoise’s back: The Mask of the Tortoise’s back provides its wearer with a +1 armor bonus to AC, 4 bonus hit points, and a +2 arcane bonus on all saving throws. The construction DC for this mask is 15. Wearing this mask is a formal surrender.
Mask of the Wagging Tongue: Any person who wears this mask gains a bonus to bluff and diplomacy checks equal to the Maskweaver Acolyte’s class level divided by 2 (minimum 1). The construction DC for this mask is 20. Wearing this mask is a call to open dialogue.
Deceptive Guise (su): By 4th level, the Maskweaver Acolyte has such a skill with mask construction that his disguises are near perfect, arcane-infused facsimiles. He gains the ability, upon donning a mask of any sort, to cast disguise self as a free action. The disguise lasts for as long as the mask is worn, which becomes a seamless part of the illusion. If at any point the mask is removed, the disguise is breached immediately. A Maskweaver Acolyte under the effects of Deceptive Guise detects as weak illusion magic.
Greater Mask (su): These masks are similar to the Minor Masks, but with more powerful effects. Greater Masks require 10 minutes to construct. A Maskweaver Acolyte may construct up to 6 Greater Masks in any given day. Every time a Maskweaver Acolyte gains the greater mask class feature, he may select a mask from the following list.
Mask of the Emerald Eye: This mask provides its wearer with profound talents in evading magical detection. The Mask of the Emerald Eye provides its wearer a bonus to the WILL save to prevent the effects of scrying, alignment detection, lie detection, etc; equal to +2. This increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 10th. Divination type spells that normally allow no save now allow a WILL save at the regular DC for their level, unmodified by the bonus above. The craft DC to construct this mask is 25. Wearing this mask is an accusation of spying, theft, or other wrongdoing.
Mask of the Rhinoceros: The individual wearing this mask grows a massive horn from his head, and becomes covered with thick, protective hide. In addition to providing an enhancement bonus to natural AC equal to one half the Maskweaver’s intelligence modifier, the horn may be used to attack once per round at full BAB, in addition to all regular attacks the character can make. It deals 2d6 + strength modifier damage, with tripled damage on a charge. The horn has a critical range of 19-20, and deals double damage in that instance. Any person wearing a mask of the Rhinoceros is treated as if they are proficient with the horn. The craft DC to construct this mask is 23. Wearing this mask is a declaration of war.
Mask of the Troll King: This strange mask provides extremely rapid recovery to the individual who dons it. When wearing this mask, a character gains fast healing 2. This increases to fast healing 3 at 8th level, and fast healing 4 at 10th. The craft DC to construct this mask is 26. Wearing this mask is a call for a cease fire.
Mask of the Wind: Any person wearing this mask gains the ability to fly, with perfect maneuverability, at a rate of 20. A character wearing the mask of the wind is not subject to air or wind-based attacks or disturbances from any source, and gains a +16 competence bonus to resist and escape grapples. The craft DC to construct this mask is 24. Wearing this mask is a call to withdraw.
Protective Guise (su): Now, simply wearing a mask provides the effects of a selected abjuration spell to the maskweaver. Whenever a mask of any type is donned, the Maskweaver may opt to be affected as per one of the following: Protection from arrows, Sanctuary, or Shield. The spell that is chosen is the only one of the three that can be triggered by wearing a mask for the day. The next day, another of the three spells may be selected. The effects of Protective Guise persist for as long as the mask is worn, and stack with any other bonuses gained from wearing a mask, but not with additional castings of the same spell. The caster level for these three spells is considered to be the Maskweaver Acolyte’s arcane caster level.
True Mask (su): These are the most powerful masks available to the Maskweaver Acolyte. True masks require 15 minutes to construct. A Maskweaver Acolyte may construct up to 4 True Masks in a day. Every time a character gains the true mask class feature, he may select a mask from the following list:
Mask of the Ancient: This mask, when donned, provides a +4 bonus to intelligence, wisdom, and charisma, as if the wearer were wise beyond his years. This bonus stacks with other ability score bonuses from equipment, but not from bonuses from magic such as eagle's spledor, owl's wisdom, etc. The creation DC for a Mask of the Ancient is 27. A person wearing this mask takes on an advisory position or place of intellectual authority.
Mask of the Phoenix: This brilliant red, feathered mask protects the wearer from demise. If at any point the person wearing a Mask of the Phoenix is killed through violence (not disease or poison, it must be a direct wound), the Mask becomes active, flares red hot, and burns away into ash. However, the wearer of the mask is revived with a number of hit points equal to 5, +2 per Maskweaver Acolyte class level. The creation DC for this mask is 30. Wearing the Mask of the Phoenix is a call for mourning.
Mask of the Stone Lord: This mighty mask transforms the skin of the wearer into solid granite. A character wearing the mask of the Stone Lord gains damage reduction 10/-, and a blanket energy resistance of 10 versus every energy type. The creation DC for this mask is 28. Wearing the mask of the Stone Lord is a refusal of terms.
Mask of the Untouchable One: This nearly featureless mask contains the mighty power to directly prevent arcane forces from affecting the wearer at all. When the mask is donned, its wearer gains Spell resistance equal to 12 plus the Maskweaver acolyte’s class level. The creation DC for this mask is 29. Wearing the mask of the untouchable one is a call for exile of an individual or group.
Two Faced (su): His final class feature allows a Maskweaver Acolyte to benefit from the effects of two masks simultaneously. One must be worn as per normal, another my be positioned at any place on his body. If the Maskweaver is wearing more than 1 additional mask, switching from the effects of one mask to another requires a move action. The two must be different masks.
Maskweaver Acolyte
The Swamps of Argesh are a deadly place, a land of dark waters and darker hearts. But deep within even the most corrupt realms, there are beacons of hope, guiding lights of civilization, locales which blend the barbarism of the swamp with the finery of progress. The Free City Masah is such a place. Here, amongst the bamboo fortresses and floating reed-mat streets, a new type of wizard was born. Focusing on the powers of protection, these brave individuals blend arcane forces and artistic mastery into a unified whole, threading enchantments into the weave of their unique masks.
In their homeland, Maskweaver Acolytes serve as commanders for elite bodyguards, high-ranking advisors, and diplomats. Their legendary abilities with defensive magics mix flawlessly with their natural skill at reading faces and hearts – as such, many are shrewd politicians. In the halls of Masah, where even careful politics can quickly turn towards violence, all speakers have learned to wear masks of one type or another.
Hit Die: D4
Requirements
Qualifications for the Maskweaver Acolyte are as follows.
Skills: Craft: weaver 8 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks
Abilities: Charisma 11+
Feats: Skill focus: craft (weaver), Extend Spell
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 3rd level arcane spells
Special: In order to become a Maskweaver Acolyte, a character must be an abjuration specialist wizard.
Class Skills
The Maskweaver Acolyte’s class skills are: Bluff (cha), Concentration (con), Craft (int), Diplomacy (cha), Disguise (cha), Knowledge (any, taken individually) (int), Profession (wis), Search (int), Sense motive (wis), and Spellcraft (int).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+ int modifier
Code:
Level BAB Fort Reflex Will Special Spellcasting
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 Maskweaving -
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 Minor Mask +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Minor Mask +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Deceptive Guise +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Greater Mask -
6 +3 +2 +2 +5 Greater Mask +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
7 +3 +2 +2 +5 Prot. Guise +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
8 +4 +2 +2 +6 True Mask +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
9 +4 +3 +3 +6 True Mask -
10 +5 +3 +3 +7 Two Faced +1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Maskweaver Acolytes are proficient with all simple weapons, no shields, and no armor.
Maskweaving (su): This is the first and most basic ability that a Maskweaver Acolyte ever learns. Through the principles of Maskweaving, an acolyte discovers to transfer protective and enhancing enchantments into a mask that he has created. At first level, this power is not yet fully developed, and only allows for the magical augmentation of the actual mask creation process. By expending a 1st level spell, the Acolyte may gain a competence bonus on any craft (weaving) check equal to +2. By expending a 2nd level spell, the bonus increases to +4. The maximum bonus is +6, for a 3rd or higher level spell. Only one spell may be expended on any individual mask in this fashion.
When constructing a mask, the Maskweaver may rush his progress, adding 10 to the craft DC. This allows a mask to be constructed in half the regular time. The character may not take 10 or 20 when crafting under any circumstances, and may not use fabrication, minor creation, or any similar spells to speed his progress. Masks may not be constructed while the Maskweaver Acolyte is memorizing spells.
In addition to the primary maskweaving ability, a Maskweaver Acolyte gains access to 2 minor masks (as detailed below) at first level.
Minor Mask (su): The Minor masks are a variety of low powered enchantments that are implanted directly into masks. Each mask must be created, the DCs for their construction are noted below. The masks are woven of grass and reeds, and cost effectively nothing to construct, although each one takes 1 minute to put together. Each mask has 5 hit points and a hardness of 1. The magic in any given mask fades after 24 hours, and the weaving rots away. A Maskweaver Acolyte may create up to 8 Minor Masks in any given day.
Donning or removing a mask requires a move action, and an individual may only benefit from the effects of one mask at a time.
Note: Each mask also has a meaning when worn by a person in the halls of Masah; these meanings are detailed in brief below, and have slightly varying individual interpretations depending on context. Many are used as bluffs. Most of the time, the people in the halls wear a basic human mask with the symbol of their house on the forehead; these masks have no special powers.
Every time the Minor Mask class feature is gained, the Maskweaver Acolyte may choose one of the Masks below, and is thereafter permitted to create one at will:
Mask of the Brewing Storm: The wearer of the Mask of the Brewing Storm is affected as per Endure Elements, and provides an energy resistance of 5 versus fire and cold damage. The construction DC for this mask is 21. Wearing this mask is an open warning.
Mask of the Mantis’s Claw: The Mask of the Mantis’s claw provides its wearer with a +1 bonus to attack rolls, a +2 bonus to damage rolls with weapons of all types, and a damage reduction of 1/-. The construction DC for this mask is 17. Wearing this mask is a call to arms.
Mask of the Tortoise’s back: The Mask of the Tortoise’s back provides its wearer with a +1 armor bonus to AC, 4 bonus hit points, and a +2 arcane bonus on all saving throws. The construction DC for this mask is 15. Wearing this mask is a formal surrender.
Mask of the Wagging Tongue: Any person who wears this mask gains a bonus to bluff and diplomacy checks equal to the Maskweaver Acolyte’s class level divided by 2 (minimum 1). The construction DC for this mask is 20. Wearing this mask is a call to open dialogue.
Deceptive Guise (su): By 4th level, the Maskweaver Acolyte has such a skill with mask construction that his disguises are near perfect, arcane-infused facsimiles. He gains the ability, upon donning a mask of any sort, to cast disguise self as a free action. The disguise lasts for as long as the mask is worn, which becomes a seamless part of the illusion. If at any point the mask is removed, the disguise is breached immediately. A Maskweaver Acolyte under the effects of Deceptive Guise detects as weak illusion magic.
Greater Mask (su): These masks are similar to the Minor Masks, but with more powerful effects. Greater Masks require 10 minutes to construct. A Maskweaver Acolyte may construct up to 6 Greater Masks in any given day. Every time a Maskweaver Acolyte gains the greater mask class feature, he may select a mask from the following list.
Mask of the Emerald Eye: This mask provides its wearer with profound talents in evading magical detection. The Mask of the Emerald Eye provides its wearer a bonus to the WILL save to prevent the effects of scrying, alignment detection, lie detection, etc; equal to +2. This increases to +4 at 8th level and +6 at 10th. Divination type spells that normally allow no save now allow a WILL save at the regular DC for their level, unmodified by the bonus above. The craft DC to construct this mask is 25. Wearing this mask is an accusation of spying, theft, or other wrongdoing.
Mask of the Rhinoceros: The individual wearing this mask grows a massive horn from his head, and becomes covered with thick, protective hide. In addition to providing an enhancement bonus to natural AC equal to one half the Maskweaver’s intelligence modifier, the horn may be used to attack once per round at full BAB, in addition to all regular attacks the character can make. It deals 2d6 + strength modifier damage, with tripled damage on a charge. The horn has a critical range of 19-20, and deals double damage in that instance. Any person wearing a mask of the Rhinoceros is treated as if they are proficient with the horn. The craft DC to construct this mask is 23. Wearing this mask is a declaration of war.
Mask of the Troll King: This strange mask provides extremely rapid recovery to the individual who dons it. When wearing this mask, a character gains fast healing 2. This increases to fast healing 3 at 8th level, and fast healing 4 at 10th. The craft DC to construct this mask is 26. Wearing this mask is a call for a cease fire.
Mask of the Wind: Any person wearing this mask gains the ability to fly, with perfect maneuverability, at a rate of 20. A character wearing the mask of the wind is not subject to air or wind-based attacks or disturbances from any source, and gains a +16 competence bonus to resist and escape grapples. The craft DC to construct this mask is 24. Wearing this mask is a call to withdraw.
Protective Guise (su): Now, simply wearing a mask provides the effects of a selected abjuration spell to the maskweaver. Whenever a mask of any type is donned, the Maskweaver may opt to be affected as per one of the following: Protection from arrows, Sanctuary, or Shield. The spell that is chosen is the only one of the three that can be triggered by wearing a mask for the day. The next day, another of the three spells may be selected. The effects of Protective Guise persist for as long as the mask is worn, and stack with any other bonuses gained from wearing a mask, but not with additional castings of the same spell. The caster level for these three spells is considered to be the Maskweaver Acolyte’s arcane caster level.
True Mask (su): These are the most powerful masks available to the Maskweaver Acolyte. True masks require 15 minutes to construct. A Maskweaver Acolyte may construct up to 4 True Masks in a day. Every time a character gains the true mask class feature, he may select a mask from the following list:
Mask of the Ancient: This mask, when donned, provides a +4 bonus to intelligence, wisdom, and charisma, as if the wearer were wise beyond his years. This bonus stacks with other ability score bonuses from equipment, but not from bonuses from magic such as eagle's spledor, owl's wisdom, etc. The creation DC for a Mask of the Ancient is 27. A person wearing this mask takes on an advisory position or place of intellectual authority.
Mask of the Phoenix: This brilliant red, feathered mask protects the wearer from demise. If at any point the person wearing a Mask of the Phoenix is killed through violence (not disease or poison, it must be a direct wound), the Mask becomes active, flares red hot, and burns away into ash. However, the wearer of the mask is revived with a number of hit points equal to 5, +2 per Maskweaver Acolyte class level. The creation DC for this mask is 30. Wearing the Mask of the Phoenix is a call for mourning.
Mask of the Stone Lord: This mighty mask transforms the skin of the wearer into solid granite. A character wearing the mask of the Stone Lord gains damage reduction 10/-, and a blanket energy resistance of 10 versus every energy type. The creation DC for this mask is 28. Wearing the mask of the Stone Lord is a refusal of terms.
Mask of the Untouchable One: This nearly featureless mask contains the mighty power to directly prevent arcane forces from affecting the wearer at all. When the mask is donned, its wearer gains Spell resistance equal to 12 plus the Maskweaver acolyte’s class level. The creation DC for this mask is 29. Wearing the mask of the untouchable one is a call for exile of an individual or group.
Two Faced (su): His final class feature allows a Maskweaver Acolyte to benefit from the effects of two masks simultaneously. One must be worn as per normal, another my be positioned at any place on his body. If the Maskweaver is wearing more than 1 additional mask, switching from the effects of one mask to another requires a move action. The two must be different masks.
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