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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arkhandus" data-source="post: 1602083" data-attributes="member: 13966">(Edit: Slightly shortened the intro, fixed the skill list, added the jitte to proficiencies since it symbolizes the magistrate position which some nobles take up, enlarged text for that section, moved level progression chart up near the top, added space between descriptions, clarified some descriptions, fixed Sly Tongue, fixed Rumor Mongering, fixed Social Grace, and fixed Guarded Mind.  Will alter a few other things later and will replace a few of the extra feats with special abilities to use in combat.) Hullo, I wanted to get your opinions/critiques of this Noble PC class I madea while back, unsatisfied with the Aristocrat NPC class and Courtier PCclass (from Rokugan) as the only proper choices for a member of thenobility (I don't own a lot of supplements, and don't have the money tobuy anything I'm not gonna use a lot for certain).  This is a PC class torepresent members of the nobility in D&D and such who don't take tocombat training and instead stick to the courts, palaces, and forums ofpolitics, at least for the most part. Some may be leaders, even generals,but those are the ones who multiclass as Fighters, Paladins, Samurai, orthe like. This is intended initially for an oriental adventures campaign I want to run,but the only parts specific to this Noble class' oriental setting are theirproficiency in the wakizashi (easily substituted for any other appropriatesmall or tiny weapon that signifies the nobility of the region), and termslike yojimbo mentioned in the description of Leadership (again easilysubstituted). This Noble is a master politician and, in gamer terms, "skillmonkey", and also a powerful leader, very skilled in what he or she doesand able to instruct their minions and allies in such matters, or at leastinspire them to try harder. Also, at the end of this class' description is also my description for thebenefits of having Oriental Noble Blood in the same campaign, as allcharacters in the campaign will belong to some general social caste orbloodline. So the benefits of the Oriental Noble Blood trait are essentiallypossessed by all characters of this Noble class, at least in the campaignI designed it for. The skill list and such are made with 3E in mind, but it'ssimple enough to remove those that don't exist in 3.5E. Anyway, I rambleas usual, so moving on..... NOBLEHD: d6. Alignment: Any. Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Battle (from Rokugan), Bluff,Craft (only honorable artistic skills, such as Architecture, Calligraphy,Flower Arranging, Landscape Gardening, Origami, and Painting),Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disguise, Forgery, Games (from Rokugan),Gather Information, Innuendo, Intimidate, Knowledge (all skills, takenindividually), Listen, Mimic (from Rokugan), Perform (onlyhonorable performance types, such as Noh/Kabuki, Oratory, Poetry,Rhetoric, Storytelling, and Tea Ceremony, as well as honorable musicalinstruments such as the Biwa, Kokyu, Koto, Samisen, and Shakuhachi),Profession (only the Courtier profession), Read Lips, Ride, Search,Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spot. Skill Points: 8 + Int mod.Proficiencies: All simple weapons, plus either the jitte or the wakizashi(or other light weapon indicative of nobility). No armor or shield proficiency. Class__Base_________Fort___Ref___Will___SpecialLevel__Attack Bonus__Save__Save__Save__Abilities1_____+0___________+0____+0____+2___Skill Focus, Sly Tongue,_____________________________________Rumor Mongering2_____+1___________+0____+0____+3___Bonus Feat3_____+1___________+1____+1____+3___Greater Aid4_____+2___________+1____+1____+4___Social Grace5_____+2___________+1____+1____+4___Bonus Feat6_____+3___________+2____+2____+5___Leadership7_____+3___________+2____+2____+5___Skill Focus8_____+4___________+2____+2____+6___Bonus Feat9_____+4___________+3____+3____+6___Delegate10____+5___________+3____+3____+7___Skill Mastery, Greater Sly Tongue11____+5___________+3____+3____+7___Bonus Feat12____+6/+1________+4____+4____+8___Improved Leadership13____+6/+1________+4____+4____+8___Skill Focus14____+7/+2________+4____+4____+9___Bonus Feat15____+7/+2________+5____+5____+9___Guarded Mind16____+8/+3________+5____+5____+10__Superior Aid17____+8/+3________+5____+5____+10__Bonus Feat18____+9/+4________+6____+6____+11__Greater Leadership19____+9/+4________+6____+6____+11__Skill Focus20____+10/+5_______+6____+6____+12__Bonus Feat Skill Focus: A Noble gains Skill Focus as a bonus feat at 1st-level, and again every six levels beyond 1st. As normal with the feat, a different skill must be chosen for it each time. Sly Tongue: Nobles of 1st-level and higher may add either their Wisdommodifier or their Intelligence modifier, whichever is highest, as a competencebonus on all Charisma-based skill checks.  A Noble of 10th-level and higherinstead adds both their Intelligence modifier and their Wisdom modifier,combined, for this competence bonus.  Only positive modifiers are applied,so ignore any negative Intelligence or Wisdom modifiers for purposes of thisability.  At any given time, the competence bonus of Sly Tongue will notexceed the Noble's level in this class. Rumor Mongering: At 1st-level, the Noble gains the ability to use Gather Information to find particularly obscure information, with the same Difficulty Class as a Bard making a Bardic Knowledge check for similar information. The time needed for such a Gather Information check can range from a few hours to a few days spent meeting and speaking with their fellows in the aristocracy, rather than spending time in a tavern or the like. Instead of the usual cost for using Gather Information, this kind of check costs 1 gold piece per 3 points of Difficulty Class. If the Noble uncovers information about a rival, they gain a +5 circumstance bonus on any checks to persuade that rival, if they let the rival know what kind of information they uncovered, but only at the DM's discretion and only until the rival no longer cares about that information. Bonus Feats: The Noble gains a bonus feat of their choice at 2nd-level, and acquires another bonus feat every three consecutive levels beyond that. He or she must meet the usual prerequisites for these bonus feats. Greater Aid: Nobles of at least 3rd-level can use the aid anotheraction to assist multiple allies simultaneously. Each time he or she uses theaid another action successfully, the Noble may choose to provide the aid another bonus for up to one additional ally per point of positive Charisma modifier, but each of the allies he or she aids must be within 60 feet and must be able to hear the Noble providing advice. Also, whenever the Noble uses the aid another action, the bonus provided is increased by +2. Social Grace: After achieving 4th-level as a Noble, the character mayuse this ability a number of times per day equal to their positive Charisma modifier. Each use lasts 1 minute, and the Noble gains a bonus equal to one-half their level in this class, rounded down, on all skill checks for social interaction. No action is required to activate this ability, the Noble simply chooses at the beginning of their turn to use their Social Grace. Leadership: Nobles of 6th-level gain the Leadership feat for free,as a bonus feat.  If they already possess the Leadership feat, theninstead they increase their Leadership Score by +2.  The Noble's cohortis nearly always a yojimbo bodyguard, generally a Samurai or Fighter.Further, at every six levels in this class (6th, 12th, and 18th), the Noblegains a bonus cohort which does not count towards their normal limit ofone cohort.  Each bonus cohort starts at half the maximum level, roundeddown, allowed for a cohort appropriate to the Noble's character level andLeadership Score.  These cohorts are, like the main cohort, usually Samuraiand Fighters serving under the Noble and, to a lesser degree, the Noble'smain cohort.  These extra cohorts are often warriors of the nobility whohave pledged their lives to serving the Noble, attaching themselves to theNoble's reputation and glory while serving as auxillery bodyguards.  Someof these extra cohorts may actually be Shinobi, Rogues, Shugenja, orother individuals with specialized talents, serving in matters that theNoble's main bodyguard cohort isn't well-suited for.In addition, for every six further levels in this class beyond 6th-level, thusat 12th and 18th-level, the Noble increases their Leadership score by +1and gains additional followers equal to one-sixth their new Leadership score(rounded down).  These bonus followers do not count towards the normallimits on follower levels and numbers.  Each of these bonus followers, at thetime they are gained, is of a level one higher than the highest-level followerallowed the Noble with their new Leadership score.  Each of these bonusfollowers usually has levels in a PC class, such as Noble, Fighter, or Samurai,and serves as a leader amongst the other followers, handling the tasksnecessary to manage and direct the lesser followers in their duties.  Thesebonus followers rarely travel with the Noble, instead maintaining theoperations of the Noble's manor, army, province, and so on. Delegate: Nobles of 9th-level and higher are exceptionally capable at delegating tasks to others. When using the aid another action, the Noble can simply make an Intelligence or Wisdom check instead of the normally-appropriate roll or check. Also when taking the aid another action, if successful, the Noble's aid provides a bonus for one additional round per 5 points rolled above the DC with that aid another action, and the extra duration of the bonus does not require additional actions. Skill Mastery: At 10th-level the Noble selects a number of skills equalto 3 + their Intelligence modifier, to apply Skill Mastery with. The Noble must possess at least 5 ranks in each skill chosen for this Skill Mastery ability. The Noble may take 10 on checks with those skills regardless of distractions,threats, stress, or being rushed. Guarded Mind: By 15th-level, the Noble has developed such a complexand guarded mind that he or she is almost invulnerable to mental effects. The Noble gains a +5 bonus on saves and checks against mind-affecting effects, and a +3 bonus on checks to conceal whether they are being sincere, honest, or truthful. He or she is immune to fear and intimidation. Superior Aid: Nobles of 16th-level and higher are incredibly capable at assisting others with advice and expertise earned in their long career. Each time he or she uses the aid another action successfully, the Noble may choose to provide the aid another bonus for any number of allies within 300 feet who are able to hear the Noble's advice. Also, whenever the Noble uses the aid another action, the bonus provided is increased by +2, which stacks with the bonus from Greater Aid. Aristocrat Level Transparency: Treat Noble levels as Aristocrat levelsfor purposes of feat, skill, and item prerequisites, when desired. May freely multiclass between Noble and Aristocrat, even if the character did not start as an Aristocrat, and vice versa.  Oriental Noble BloodYou are a member of the Orient nobility, privelaged and wealthy, but also with extensive responsibilities and duties to family, emperor, and state. Prerequisites: Descended from humans to some extent, whether pure-blooded human, half-elven, half-orcish, spirit folk, or whatever. Benefits: As a member of the nobility, you may take levels in the Samurai, Aristocrat, Shugenja, and Noble classes, and even after 1st-level you may still multiclass to any of these classes, unless you have broken ties to your family (or vice versa). Members of other Castes may not take levels in the above classes if they are of a human bloodline, and even those who have no human blood may also be restricted in gaining such classes. If you begin at 1st-level as an Aristocrat, Noble, Samurai, or Shugenja, you are required to select this Caste. Diplomacy and Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty) are always considered class skills for you, including at 1st-level. You are provided room, board, and basic supplies from your family and lord as long as you visit one or the other once a month or more, and as long as you obey and serve them. Likewise, under the same conditions, each month you may collect 10 gold pieces from the family coffers, to spend as you please. Regardless, in place of the normal starting gold for your 1st-level class, you may begin play with the following: 2d4x10 gold pieces, a masterwork weapon of your choice (it must be a weapon you are proficientwith at 1st-level), and your choice of either a light warhorse or anadditional 2d4x10 gold pieces or a suit of masterwork partial armor (onlyif you are proficient with it at 1st-level). Your free starting outfit is eithera noble's outfit or a courtier's outfit, your choice, complete with jewelryor other adornments, instead of the usual selection for a starting outfit.Special: This is not a feat, but rather a quality that the characterstarts with.  A character may only belong to one Caste, so they cannottake multiple castes.</blockquote>

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