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Moon Mystic

robjh

First Post
Hi. Do you think that the following prestige class is properly balanced? Any improvements? Thank you. :)

Moon Mystic

A chosen few female worshippers of Beshada are selected for special indoctrination into the secrets of the moon mystic. How the moon mystics are chosen is a closely held secret of the temple, but those selected have directly experienced the true power of the full moon and are noted for their healing skills. Most moon mystics are druids, rangers, hunters, or clerics of Beshada. A few have become cursed with lycanthropy. But the order is most understanding of this infection, and even favor those who suffer from its effects.

A moon mystic initiate is taught the hidden magic of the moon and the lunar cycle, including its effects on reproduction, moods, and the curse of lycanthropy. She also learns how to draw upon the power of the full moon to enhance her wisdom and experience. The secrets of the moon mystic contain much hidden lore concerning herbs, fertility, health, childbirth, and lycanthropes.

Moon mystics are a secretive group who rarely acknowledge their special status within the temple of Beshada. They dress as would a typical follower of the church, and only display their unique position during the sacred night ceremonies of the full moon. However, gradually over time as they are exposed to the full powers of the moon, the hair of a moon mystic turns a distinctive silvery cast, usually starting with a single lock at the time of the initiation. By the time a moon mystic has learned all the secrets of the order, her hair has often become completely platinum in hue.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a moon mystic, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Gender: Female.
Alignment: Chaotic good.
Skills: Heal 3 ranks.
Feats: Self-Sufficient.
Spells: Ability to cast owl's wisdom as a divine spell.
Patron: Beshada.
Special: The character must have attempted a Fortitude save to avoid contracting lycanthropy.

Class Skills

The moon mystic's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the moon mystic.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A moon mystic is proficient with all simple weapons, all martial weapon bows, all light and medium armor, and shields.

Spells per Day: At every level except 3rd and 6th, a moon mystic gains new spells per day as if she has also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class she belonged to before adding the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character has more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a moon mystic, she must decide to which class she adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

Midwifery (Ex): A moon mystic is taught specialized knowledge in the arts in midwifery and in the use of herbs to boost fertility. She gains a +2 circumstance bonus to any Heal skill check associated with fertility or childbirth.

Moon Ceremony (Su): A moon mystic gains sacred knowledge about how to perform special private ceremonies to Beshada. If a special ceremony is performed within one of her temples or shrines during the night of the full moon, then during the waning moon she gains bonus spells as if her wisdom score were two points higher. This benefit ends the night before the next new moon.

Revealing the details of this ceremony to anybody besides a priestess of Beshada is considered a gross violation of the temple code, and the moon mystic can become ostracized from the church and an ex-cleric.

Lycanthropic Resistance (Su): At 2nd level a moon mystic gains the Control Shape feat as a bonus feat. She also gains a +4 bonus to any saving throw to resist being infected by lycanthropy.

Hybrid Form (Su): At 3rd level, a moon mystic can turn herself into a hybrid lycanthrope and back again once per day. Her options for new forms include all hybrid forms of lycanthropes (see core rulebook III). This ability functions like the polymorph spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 minute per moon mystic level, or until she changes back. Changing form (to hybrid form and back) is a standard action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

At 6th level a moon mystic can use this ability twice per day, or retain the first form for up to 10 minutes per moon mystic level. The later option must be chosen before the moon mystic begins her first transformation of the day into hybrid form.

Terrain Mastery (Ex): At 4th level a moon mystic must choose one type of terrain in which to specialize. When operating in that type of terrain, she gains a +2 competence bonus to all Knowledge (nature), Spot, and Survival skill checks.

Lycanthropic Mastery (Su): At 5th level a moon mystic gains a +4 bonus on Charisma-based checks against lycanthropes. Any lycanthrope that lost its identify following transformation will instinctively avoid attacking the moon mystic unless she wounds the transformed creature.

Table: Moon Mystic

Base
Attack Class Fort Ref Will
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells/Day
----------------------------------------------------------------
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Midwifery, moon ceremony +1 level
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Lycanthropic resistance +1 level
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Hybrid form 1/day --
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Terrain mastery +1 level
5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Lycanthropic empathy +1 level
6th +6 +5 +2 +5 Hybrid form 2/day --

Thanks!
 

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Quickleaf

Legend
Hey Bob, looks fine to me!

I couldn't help but noticing the simlarity to this document I worked up for Egyptian lycanthropes. Basically it was a couple prestige races with some similar themes to the Moon Mystic. If you're interested in seeing it it's a pdf doc (Too big for posting here). aaronil@yahoo.com
 

Nifft

Penguin Herder
Looks generally good. Two points:

1/ I'd nix spellcasting at 1st & 4th levels instead of 3rd & 6th, because IMHO PrCs should always be a "pay up front" deal -- the latter levels should be more attractive than the early levels.

2/ Full BAB eh? Yeah, I'd definately nix spellcasting at 1st level. Otherwise it's just too attractive for a 2-level dip. (This, plus any other 2 levels in full BAB classes, allows BAB +16 at 20th level, which is key for getting that 4th iterative attack in Epic play. This is something the WotC Character Optimization board drools over. :) )

3/ This class is clearly aimed at Clerics. Why not just spell it out? "You must be able to cast spells as a 5th level Cleric." Clear, and no wondering if an Adept, or Rainbow Servant, or whatever other strange hybrid can qualify.

4/ Wow, full BAB and proficency with Bows? That's pretty sweet. You know, I'd drop Self-Sufficient, and require proficency with Bow instead. Maybe even Weapon Focus (Bow). Bows are kinda an odd match, though, given how this PrC will boost the already frighteningly effective Cleric Melee Option, and do almost nothing for ranged attackers.

What's the focus supposed to be? It looks like melee (hybrid form, full BAB, etc.) but that bow thing throws me.

-- N
 

robjh

First Post
The Hybrid form's are potentially pretty powerful special abilities, which is why I nixed the spellcasting at those levels. The bow is the sacred weapon of this deity. She's a god of hunting and carries a bow, &c. I could cut back the BaBs. Regarding the "casting spells as a cleric" thing: this class is meant to allow clerids, druids, and rangers, all of whom can get Owl's wisdom.

Thanks. :)
 
Last edited:


Nifft

Penguin Herder
robjh said:
this class is meant to allow clerids, druids, and rangers, all of whom can get Owl's wisdom.

... but NOT all of whom can be Chaotic Good.

Does this deity have the War domain? If not, what's she doing with a Martial proficency as her favored weapon? Most Clerics are going to have to be Elves, or are going to have to waste one of their precious Feats, just to use her favored weapon.

The hybrid forms are very strong, and I'd consider dropping them. Instead, consider the following:

Moonsight (Ex): You see perfectly well in moonlight, as though it were bright daylight. You suffer no penalties to Spot, Search or ranged attacks due to darkness, so long as there is moonlight available. The new moon provides no light, and does not allow the use of this ability.
It's great for night time archers.

Silverbow (Su): Any arrow you fire may be considered "silver" for the purpose of penetrating DR, at your option.
It's great for archers who hunt Lycanthropes.

(Then, require Bow proficency for entry, and you're gold... er, silver.)

-- N
 

robjh

First Post
Thanks for the suggestions, especially the moonsight and silverbow ideas. I'll have to loosen up that alignment requirement to include NG and CN. So you believe that somebody would "dip" into this PrC just to get the, what, save bonuses? Maybe I should just have good Will saves then. I'll double-check the hybrid forms for balance WRT druid shape-shifting. :)
 

Nifft

Penguin Herder
robjh said:
So you believe that somebody would "dip" into this PrC just to get the, what, save bonuses? Maybe I should just have good Will saves then.

What to look for in terms of dip potential:
- Full BAB
- Good skill points & skill list
- Full spellcasting for 1 (or more) levels
- Anything better than what a Cleric gets -- which is basically two good saves, 3/4 BAB & Turn progression! :)

It's way easier to make Druid PrCs, because Druids get lots of juicy stuff. So don't worry about Druids. Worry about Clerics.

To utterly eliminate dip-potential, just don't grant spellcasting at 1st level. Make 'em pay up front. Then the class is internally balanced, and you don't need to worry about making harsh pre-requisites.

Just my design tips. :)

-- N
 

lgburton

First Post
i would reword the weapon and armor proficiency, to read something like

A Moon Mystic gains proficiency with both shortbow and longbow (including composite versions). moon mystics gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

i would also remove the requirement for divine casting of owl's wisdom (the way the class seems to be written, a faithful arcane caster would work - but this may be a flavor issue for you, the creator), and change the fort saves down to bad (leaving only will as "good" saves).

give it the medium BAB

change spell-less levels to 1st and 4th, and re-arrange abilities to compensate, dropping the hybrid forms and using the ideas that nifft put forward - i especially like the moonsight ability.
 

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