Pancratist PrC

[robjh]

This is part of an on-going project by your's truly to create a bunch of dedicated PrC's for an existing pantheon. If you would, please take a look at this PrC and let me know if you think it is balanced for NPC use. Also if you have some suggestions for improving the PrC, those would be appreciated. (I'm not too concerned about whether it has the "right number" of levels.) Shizle is a deity of strength, glory and obstacles. Thanks!

Pancratist

Followers of the deity Shizle invariably place a high emphasis on athletic prowess. They will often spend a significant amount of their free time trying to enhance their athletic skills and will often journey to the sites of games in order to compete, or even just to associate with the very best athletes. The elite among this group receive specialized training in a broad variety of athletic knowledge, as well as learning secret techniques for enhancing their knowledge of wrestling and other grappling sports.

The pancratist is a fine-tuned physical specimen who has attuned her body for maximum possible exertion. She excels in a wide range of sports and can perform astonishing feats of strength, agility and resiliency. The schools of the pancratist possess knowledge of specialized techniques in unarmed combat, and can be as deadly unarmed as many a well-armed warrior. Pancratists often enjoy a physical lifestyle and will chose outdoor professions such as a hunter, lumberjack or sailor.

Although this prestige class primarily attracts monks, members of other classes can also be trained as a pancratist. In particular the athletically-inclined rangers, fighters and even rogues can join the ranks of the pancratists. However, barbarians and most druids lack the dedicated focus needed to become a pancratist. Clerics only infrequently become pancratists, and it is very rare to see a sorcerer or a practicing wizard among these ranks.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

Alignment: Any lawful.
Skills: 8 ranks in either Climb, Jump or Swim.
Feats: Athletic, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Patron: Shizle.

Class Skills

The prestige class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex) and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Pancratists are proficient with the club, dagger, greatclub, javelin, quarterstaff, sling and shortbow. She gains no other additional proficiency in any weapon, armor or shield.

Monk Advancement: A character who raises their pancratist class by a level is not prohibited from further raising her monk level. However a monk who has lost already the ability to raise her monk level, may not regain that ability by raising their pancratist level.

Grapple Attack Bonus (Ex): A pancratists gains a +1 bonus on all grapple-checks, regardless of whether they initiated the grapple. This bonus improves to +2 at the 3rd pancratist level, and by an additional +1 every two pancratist levels thereafter (5th, 7th and 9th).

Bonus Feat: At 1st level, a pancratist gets a bonus athletic-oriented feat. The pancratist gets an additional bonus feat at 3rd level and every two pancratist class levels thereafter (5th, 7th, and 9th.) These feats must be drawn from the following list of feats: Acrobatic, Agile, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Trip, Mobility or Run. A pancratist must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat. These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets every three levels.

Throw (Ex): At 2nd level, a pancratist may attempt to combine a grapple attack with a trip. The attempt must be announced prior to making the attack, and you can only attempt to throw an opponent who is one size category larger than you, the same size, or smaller. On a successful melee touch attack, you make an opposed grapple check as a free action. If this succeeds, you next make a trip attack as a free action. If the trip attempt fails, you are still grappled with the opponent.

Powerful Exertion (Ex): At 3rd level, a pancratist may attempt to exceed her normal limits of physical exertion. Once per day, she can add her Wisdom bonus (if any) to a Strength or Dexterity-based skill check.

At 5th and 8th levels, the pancratist may perform a powerful exertion one additional time per day.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 4th level a pancratist gains a +10 ft. enhancement bonus to her speed. This is cumulative with any fast movement bonuses gained with monk class levels. A pancratist in armor (even light armor) or carrying a meadium or heavy load loses this extra speed. The enhancement bonus increases to +20 ft. at 7th pancratist level.

Avoidance (Ex): At 4th level, a pancratist becomes especially skilled at dodging a charging attacker. Once per round you can declare that you are avoiding a charging attacker. You gain a +2 Dodge bonus to your AC against the melee attack of the charging attacker. If you are defending against a bull rush by a charging attacker, you make a Dexterity check with a +4 bonus instead of a Strength check.

Disabling Grip (Ex): A 4th level pancratist has learned techniques of weakening and hampering a pinned opponent. A pinned opponent damaged by an opposed grapple check also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. This ability has no effect against creatures that are immune to stunning.

AC Bonus (Ex): A pancratist gains special training at dodging blows. When unarmored and unencumbered, a pancratist gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus is cumulative with any AC bonuses gained for monk class levels.

This bonus to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the pancratist is flat-footed. She loses this bonus when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

Numbing Grip (Ex): A 6th level pancratist has learned techniques of inflicting numbing blows against a pinned opponent. A pinned opponent damaged by an opposed grapple check also takes 2 points of Dexterity damage. This ability has no effect against creatures that are immune to paralysis.

Crippling Grip (Ex): At 8th level a pancratist has mastered the art of inflicting crippling blows against a grappled opponent. A pinned opponent damaged by an opposed grapple check also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. This ability has no effect against creatures that are immune to stunning.

Table: Pancratist

[b]Class  Attack   Fort.   Ref.   Will                                    Grapple  Speed 
Level  Bonus    Save    Save   Save    Special                          Bonus   Bonus[/b] 
  1     +0       +2      +2     +2     Monk advancement, bonus feat      +1     +0 ft.
  2     +1       +3      +3     +3     Throw                             +1     +0 ft.
  3     +2       +3      +3     +3     Bonus feat, powerful exertion     +2     +0 ft.
  4     +3       +4      +4     +4     Disabling grip, avoidance         +2     +10 ft.
  5     +3       +4      +4     +4     AC bonus, Bonus feat              +3     +10 ft.
  6     +4       +5      +5     +5     Powerful exertion, numbing grip   +3     +10 ft.
  7     +5       +5      +5     +5     Bonus feat                        +4     +20 ft.
  8     +6       +6      +6     +6     Crippling grip                    +4     +20 ft.
  9     +6       +6      +6     +6     Bonus feat, powerful exertion     +5     +20 ft.

Thanks for the table formatting Frukathka!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Nice Prestige class. Well thought out, looks balanced.

Edit: Removed class advancement table

 

[Arkhandus]

A neat prestige class, robjh. Here're my thoughts and analysis so far.

Personally, I think the c in the name should be changed to a k in keeping with the common English spelling of the Greek word, Pankratist. Pancratist made me think immediately "Pancreas?!?! What the?!" I'll use the spelling with k in it when referring to the class, just out of personal preference, anyway.

Hit Die: d8.

I should think that Pankratists would get d10 or d12 hit dice.

Requirements
Feats: Athletic, Improved Unarmed Strike.

I would suggest adding Improved Grapple as a prerequisite. Pankration as as much or more a wrestling style as it was an unarmed combat style. It seems odd that the prestige class has a heavy emphasis on grappling, yet does not require the character to be trained in decent grappling techniques at all beforehand.

Class Skills
The prestige class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex) and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.

I do not think Profession, Ride, or Use Rope are terribly appropriate or necessary class skills, but then, I'm not a great sage of Pankration-related lore, so I dunno if these were important skills of legendary pankratists, like Heracles/Hercules. I think I recall some precedent for Craft and Concentration, anyway. Also, I do not think the class needs 6 skill points per level; I'm fairly sure 4 points per level would be more accurate and adequate; remember that humans get an extra skill point per level anyway, so an average-Intelligence human would still get 5 points per Pankratist level, allowing them to maintain Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Tumble at high ranks. Escape Artist is not likely to be important since the class already emphasises grapple check benefits; EA isn't really needed for them to escape grapples unless they're dealing with a rather massive beast. However, I do see the appropriateness of EA as a class skill for them, and it may still suit a few Pankratists.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Pancratists are proficient with the club, dagger, greatclub, javelin, quarterstaff, sling and shortbow. She gains no other additional proficiency in any weapon, armor or shield.

I would add proficiency in leather armor and hide armor, as well as proficiency in shields. Based on historical/mythical precedents. Given that a Pankratist is likely to focus on Str and Con, they may prefer to wear some modest armor and maybe carry a shield to boot, rather than rely on mediocre or fair Dex for AC.

Monk Advancement: A character who raises their pancratist class by a level is not prohibited from further raising her monk level. However a monk who has lost already the ability to raise her monk level, may not regain that ability by raising their pancratist level.

I am wondering why the Pankratist does not get a monk's advancement in damage with unarmed strikes and grapple checks? I should think it's the most important monk benefit to carry over to the Pankratist (even if they were not already monks; in which case they'd just count as a monk of their Pankratist level for purposes of unarmed and grapple damage). A human monk 6/Pankratist 10 who still deals only d8 unarmed/grapple damage seems kinda ineffective offensively; even moreso a human fighter 4/Pankratist 10 who still deals only d3 nonlethal unarmed/grapple damage. Similarly, I think the Pankratist should allow the individual to use any part of their body for unarmed strikes, just as a monk may do (since not all Pankratists will be monks, but Pankration training should allow them to strike effectively with headbutts, kicks, and such).

Bonus Feat: At 1st level, a pancratist gets a bonus athletic-oriented feat. The pancratist gets an additional bonus feat at 3rd level and every two pancratist class levels thereafter (5th, 7th, and 9th.) These feats must be drawn from the following list of feats: Acrobatic, Agile, Combat Reflexes, Diehard, Dodge, Endurance, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Trip, Mobility or Run. A pancratist must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat. These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets every three levels.

I do not think the class needs nor deserves to get this many bonus feats. I would suggest one bonus feat per 3 levels in the prestige class, or something like that. Also, if you make Improved Grapple a prerequisite, remember to remove it from this list of bonus feat options.

Throw (Ex): At 2nd level, a pancratist may attempt to combine a grapple attack with a trip. The attempt must be announced prior to making the attack, and you can only attempt to throw an opponent who is one size category larger than you, the same size, or smaller. On a successful melee touch attack, you make an opposed grapple check as a free action. If this succeeds, you next make a trip attack as a free action. If the trip attempt fails, you are still grappled with the opponent.

I think this needs to clarify whether or not you are still considered grappled with the opponent if you succeed in tripping them. And whether or not you are rendered prone as a result, or whether you must then attempt to pin them, or whatever, I dunno.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 4th level a pancratist gains a +10 ft. enhancement bonus to her speed. This is cumulative with any fast movement bonuses gained with monk class levels. A pancratist in armor (even light armor) or carrying a meadium or heavy load loses this extra speed. The enhancement bonus increases to +20 ft. at 7th pancratist level.

I think this should be useable in light and medium armor, and when carrying a heavy load.

Avoidance (Ex): At 4th level, a pancratist becomes especially skilled at dodging a charging attacker. Once per round you can declare that you are avoiding a charging attacker. You gain a +2 Dodge bonus to your AC against the melee attack of the charging attacker. If you are defending against a bull rush by a charging attacker, you make a Dexterity check with a +4 bonus instead of a Strength check.

I think this should say that you "may make a Dexterity check", rather than its current wording which forces it. Some Pankratists may have much greater Str than Dex.

Disabling Grip (Ex): A 4th level pancratist has learned techniques of weakening and hampering a pinned opponent. A pinned opponent damaged by an opposed grapple check also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. This ability has no effect against creatures that are immune to stunning.

This should specify if the ability damage return is separate from other natural healing. Otherwise, it might be assumed that this just replaces the natural rate of ability damage healing, or it might be assumed that this is separate, depending on DM interpretation.

AC Bonus (Ex): A pancratist gains special training at dodging blows. When unarmored and unencumbered, a pancratist gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus is cumulative with any AC bonuses gained for monk class levels.
This bonus to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the pancratist is flat-footed. She loses this bonus when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

Even if you do allow some other Pankratist benefits to work in armor or when encumbered, I agree that this AC Bonus should NOT apply when armored/encumbered/shielded, as it would be inappropriate probably. This should be just what Pankratists rely on when they don't have armor, such as those who start as monks and don't want to give up their monkish benefits. However, I do think that this ability should just count the character as a monk of their Pankratist level for purposes of determining their monkish AC Bonus, and this benefit should apply from 1st-level onward (so for instance, a monk 6/Pankratist 4 would have +2 AC from their AC Bonus, up from the +1 they'd have at monk 5; similarly, a monk 4/fighter 1/Pankratist 1 would get +1 AC). I'm not sure if it should grant the Wis bonus to AC that a monk's AC Bonus does, though (if already a monk, then the character would already have that; but otherwise, it may not be fitting).

Numbing Grip (Ex): A 6th level pancratist has learned techniques of inflicting numbing blows against a pinned opponent. A pinned opponent damaged by an opposed grapple check also takes 2 points of Dexterity damage. This ability has no effect against creatures that are immune to paralysis.

This needs a note like the Disabling Grip ability's one regarding the ability damage healing, and regarding whether or not it's separate from other natural healing.

Crippling Grip (Ex): At 8th level a pancratist has mastered the art of inflicting crippling blows against a grappled opponent. A pinned opponent damaged by an opposed grapple check also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. This ability has no effect against creatures that are immune to stunning.

This is exactly the same as Disabling Grip. Why? If intentional, then you really should change it's description (past the first sentence, that is) to just say "This ability increases the Strength damage from Disabling Grip to 4 points."
If you intended this to deal Constitution damage or the like, then I'd probably have to say that it's too powerful after everything else is considered, but I'm not sure.

 

[robjh]

Thank you for the feedback. A lot of the design decisions were made on the basis that this would primarily be a Monkish PrC, so I needed to counterbalance the lost Monk abilities with those of a Pancratist flavor. Elements like a d8 hit dice and the lack of armor proficiency are meant to keep it as a monkish class. The higher skill points partly compensate for the lost monk special abilities, as do the bonus feats. The later are comparable to what a fighter gets as their special abilities. But it looks like we have fundamentally different views on how this PrC should be built.

I particularly appreciate all the comments on the special abilities and what is missing from their descriptions. The special grips are modelled on one of the rogue special abilities, and they are worded similarly. Crippling grip is not quite the same as disabling grip--it does not require a pin, and so is more powerful. Avoidance purposefully uses a Dexterity check due to the mechanic; the character is dodging around rather than shoving their way through.

 

[Arkhandus]

Check the wording of Crippling Grip. The second sentence says "a pinned opponent", so, if you intended it to work on just any grappled opponent, you'll have to change the wording of the second sentence.

The HP/skills thing I commented on were due to the fact that the class' flavor description, along with its historical inspiration, make little sense with the class being many-skills/sub-par hit points. Trust me, monks NEED better HP anyway. The class really doesn't need so many skill points, but does need more HP for its melee focus. A standard monk can be halfway decent at ranged hit-and-run tactics, but this Pankratist doesn't really have the class features to help with that, so it's rather more melee-centric and thus needs to be more survivable.

The pancratist is a fine-tuned physical specimen who has attuned her body for maximum possible exertion. She excels in a wide range of sports and can perform astonishing feats of strength, agility and resiliency.

This seems rather unlike a meager, barely-average d8 HP per level and 6 skill points per level; really, how many skills are needed for sports? Balance, Tumble, Climb, Jump, Swim, and that's about it. An average, ordinary human could keep those maximized with just a base of 4 skill points per level (due to the human's extra skill points, making it 5 per level).

Mind, I'm just pointing stuff out.

 

[robjh]

Yeah, I pretty much ended up tossing the whole Monk PrC concept and just making
this a sports/wrestling/boxing PrC. So it's d10 HD and provides some weapons, armor and shields, but fewer skill points and only good Fort and Ref saves. But I have added in some of additional special abilities (e.g. improved critical on unarmed strike; ability to take 10 on Climb/Jump/Swim even if rushed or threatened) and changed the Crippling Grip to a slowed-type effect on a failed Fort.

Thanks again.