Creating a fantasy secret police force (the Diviners from X5)

[johnsemlak]

I'm currently running the module X5 The Temple of Death; and I'm working out how to emulate the Diviners, a sorto fo secret police, in 3.5 terms.

The Diviners (nothing to do wiht the Wizard school of magic) were responsible for searching for heretics, or people with 'wrong thoughts', and enemies of the state (such as the PCs). People with wrong thoughts included all arcane spellcasters (illegal in the land).

The Diviners generally walked around in red robes, though they did sometimes do undercover work.

In the module, diviners are frequently OD&D Fighters, or sometimes Clerics. They are of many levels.

I'm creating two paths for a Diviner advancement: Cleric Rogue and Fighter Rogue. The Rogue class gives them the skills to investigate and work undercover. The cleric class gives some of them skills to investigate spellcasters (the spellcraft skill notably). The Fighter class gives them good fighting ability for a police role.

For the Cleric/Rogue, I have the Diviner advance to 3/3 and then it qualifies for a divine-spellcasting prestige class. Since it's for NPCs, I"m not botheriing in creating the requirements for now, I'm just assuming Level 3/3 Cleric?Rogues in Hule qualify.

This prestige class has the following features:

• Class skills: Disguise, Intimidate, Gather Information, Bluff, Sence Motive, Spellcraft, Search
• 6 skill points per level
• d8 HD
• Medium BAB progression
• Good Will and Reflex saves
• +1 Divine spellcasting per level

The Cleric Fighter path also brings the Diviner to Level 3/3, then they advance in a martial Diviner prestige class, with the following features:

• d8 HD
• 6 skill points per level
• Class skills: Intimidate, Gather Information, Search, Disguise, Bluff, Sence Motive,
• Good BAB progression
• Good Fortitude and Reflex saves
• At 2nd level, and every three levels thereafter, gets a bonus feat, from which the Diviner may choose Weapon Specialization or on of the Thief Special abilites.

Any comments? Any other good abilites for an investigator sort, especially one rooting out arcane spellcasters. Is there a particular Domain that would fit?

 

[Silveras]

The Inquisition domain seems appropriate for the Cleric path. You may want to see if you can adapt the Church Inquisitor PrC to your needs. Also, the Sacred Exorcist PrC might prove useful when taking down those vile arcanists and the things they summon. These were all originally in Defenders of the Faith and are revised in Complete Divine.

From Unearthed Arcana, you may want to consider the Urban Tracking feat. It substitutes Gather Information for Survival rolls, and works by basically buying drinks in the tavern (and otherwise socializing) to get information about where your quarry can be found. Just the sort of thing for the secret police.

 

[johnsemlak]

Thanks for the tips. The Church Inquisitor (converted to a Lawful Evil version) seems to fit the bill.

Is it just me, though, or is it a tad bit overpowered (not that I mind since it will be an NPC)? Good Fort and Will saves, Bood BAB progresson,+1 per level divine spellcasting (balanced for a Paladin, but not a Cleric IMO). Granted that is the DotF version. Is the Complete Divine version changed?

Urban Tracking, hmm, interesting, but if a character already has ranks in Gather Information, is it any use?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Church Inquisitor now has only Cleric BAB and good Will save.

Urban Tracking uses Gather Information the same way Tracking uses Survival (or was that Search?), so yes, it is of any use (and not much use if you don't have Gather Information).

 

[Kae'Yoss]

For the Cleric/Rogue, I have the Diviner advance to 3/3 and then it qualifies for a divine-spellcasting prestige class. Since it's for NPCs, I"m not botheriing in creating the requirements for now, I'm just assuming Level 3/3 Cleric?Rogues in Hule qualify.

This prestige class has the following features:

• Class skills: Disguise, Intimidate, Gather Information, Bluff, Sence Motive, Spellcraft, Search
• 6 skill points per level
• d8 HD
• Medium BAB progression
• Good Will and Reflex saves
• +1 Divine spellcasting per level

Skill list could be expanded a bit. Some Knowledges (especially Religion and Local) Hide, Move Silently, Listen, Spot. Concentration of course.
6+ for skills sounds good, or maybe 4+
HD and BAB and Saves seem OK.
+1 Divine on every level could be too much, depending on what else they get

The Cleric Fighter path also brings the Diviner to Level 3/3, then they advance in a martial Diviner prestige class, with the following features:

• d8 HD
• 6 skill points per level
• Class skills: Intimidate, Gather Information, Search, Disguise, Bluff, Sence Motive,
• Good BAB progression
• Good Fortitude and Reflex saves
• At 2nd level, and every three levels thereafter, gets a bonus feat, from which the Diviner may choose Weapon Specialization or on of the Thief Special abilites.

Class Skills: Some magic-related stuff, like Concentration and Spellcraft, some Knowledges (especially Religion)
d8 sounds OK, As does the BAB
6+ Skill points seems way too much. 2+, maybe 4+, though that may be too much
Why good ref? Make it Fort and Will
Why Rogue special abilities? Fighter bonus feats minus Weapon Specialization is more appropriate.

This PrC should get half cleric progression at the most (like the warpriest).
Also, the PrC you described sounds more like Fighter/Rogue/Cleric than Martial Cleric.

 

[johnsemlak]

R: Fighter-Rogue cleric



Class Skills: Some magic-related stuff, like Concentration and Spellcraft, some Knowledges (especially Religion)
d8 sounds OK, As does the BAB
6+ Skill points seems way too much. 2+, maybe 4+, though that may be too much
Why good ref? Make it Fort and Will
Why Rogue special abilities? Fighter bonus feats minus Weapon Specialization is more appropriate.

This PrC should get half cleric progression at the most (like the warpriest).
Also, the PrC you described sounds more like Fighter/Rogue/Cleric than Martial Cleric.

Actually, a Fighter/Rogue/Cleric is sortta what I'm aiming at. I guess I'm thinking of a LawFul Evil 'Holy' Fighter with some Investigator abilites-like a cop, though I agree rogue special abilites are not necessary.

Looking at your advice, here's my updated version:

• d8 HD
• 4 skill points per level
• Class skills: Knowledge Religion, Arcane, Spellcraft, Intimidate, Disguise, Bluff, Gather Information, and Sense Motive
• Free Urban Tracking feat
• Starting at 2nd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, they may select a Fighter bonus feat
• At first level, can detect good at will

 

[johnsemlak]

Actually, a Fighter/Rogue/Cleric is sortta what I'm aiming at. I guess I'm thinking of a LawFul Evil 'Holy' Fighter with some Investigator abilites-like a cop, though I agree rogue special abilites are not necessary.

Looking at your advice, here's my updated version:

• d8 HD
• 4 skill points per level
• Class skills: Knowledge Religion, Arcane, Spellcraft, Intimidate, Disguise, Bluff, Gather Information, and Sense Motive
• Free Urban Tracking feat
• Starting at 2nd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, they may select a Fighter bonus feat
• At first level, can detect good at will

I'll probably add some other abilites; I think in lieu of adding cleric spellcasting levels, I'll just tack one some spell-like abilities. Seems more balancing to me.