Dark Reaper Prestige Class (formerly Grim Reaper)

[Rystil Arden]

Perhaps one way to reconcile the matter would be to just completely replace the class abilities with the feats? While losing iterative attacks is a serious hit to the effectiveness of a melee class, going below a Move action is not exactly mandated.
Another related option is to grant the feats, and if the character already has them (or later gets them?), he can Demoralize as a Swift action. That could result in frightened status, but the duration of a single demoralize is only 1+Cha mod, which is still less than 1d4+Cha mod. And I don't see many melee classes pushing up their Cha very far, less they start suffering in the melee department.

Hmm...assuming they can at least spare perhaps a 12 in Charisma with starting PB because they know they're focusing on Intimidate, a Charisma-based skill, by the time they reach the highest levels in the PrC, they will certainly have at least 14 to 16 Charisma, which could lead to Panicked status.

You could always grant the feat and then grant the Swift action later, limiting to Shaken.

 

[Bront]

I see...so it's the feats combined with the PrC that cause the trouble. Why do we have those feats again? Are active players even using them?

I believe they were part of Kahuna Burger's Earling gladiator stuff, which also included the Perform: Gladiator change. She might have intended to take them, not sure if anyone ever did.

 

[Rystil Arden]

I believe they were part of Kahuna Burger's Earling gladiator stuff, which also included the Perform: Gladiator change. She might have intended to take them, not sure if anyone ever did.

I really dislike Perform Gladiator and the way it sketchily and illegally interacts with usual class skills too--hmm, do we have a way to get rid of stuff?

 

[Dalamar]

So, what is the current outlook on the Reaper's destiny? My character just gained enough experience to reach 6th level and thus pick up Persuasion. If the Reaper will be accepted, I'll pick it up, otherwise I'll continue with levels of Fighter and Barbarian and more combat oriented feats untill the very end, or something equally dramatic.

 

[SuddenDawn]

On the whole this seems to be a well balanced class. This only sticking point seems to be that a character adept at intimidation should not have to much trouble pushing opponents to frightened or panicked.

I have tried to see how this concern may be resolved. Seeing that the minimum chacter level before this issue arrises is 9 It is appropriate to compare it to other 9-level characters, notable of course the wizard. It is not clear that this ability is noticeable more power than what options the wizard has available.

The biggest problem is that this is an opposed check and the reaper will generally have a +5 or more over his oppenents.

Admidst this pondering we reaad the following in the intimidate skill:

Try Again:
Optional, but not recommended because retries usually do not work. Even if the initial check succeeds, the other character can be intimidated only so far, and a retry doesn’t help. If the initial check fails, the other character has probably become more firmly resolved to resist the intimidator, and a retry is futile.

How does this interact with demoralization in combat? It could mean that it can only be performed once against a single opponent, or perhaps the fear effects cause by the demoralize action do not stack. Or perhaps it could be interpreted to mean that once an opponent has won the opposed check he can not be affected again for another 24 hours.

Any one of these interpretations would resolve the ongoing issue.