Dreadbane: A 3.5 Prestige Class

D20 Addict

Banned
Banned
This is what I have worked up for it so far.

Not sure of two things:
class skills
class prereqs

BAB: As fighter
Fort & Will Saves: Good
Dex Save: Bad
Hit Dice: D10

Level 1: Detect Evil, Bane Strike +1, Instill Hope
Level 2: Aura of Courage, Smite Evil (1/day)
Level 3: Bane Strike +2, Fleet Of Foot
Level 4: Smite Evil (2/day)
Level 5: Bane Strike +3
Level 6: Smite Evil (3/day)
Level 7: Bane Strike +4
Level 8: Smite Evil (4/day)
Level 9: Bane Strike +5
Level 10: Leader Of Men, Smite Evil (Enhanced, 5/day)


Detect Evil: At will the dreadbane can detect evil as a spell like ability. This ability duplicates the effects of the spell detect evil.

Bane Strike: The weapon the character is wielding excels at attacking evil outsiders. Against evil outsiders its effective enhancement bonus is +1 at first level, +2 at third level, etc. Further, for each point of its enhancement bonus it, the weapon deals 1d6 points of bonus damage.

Instill Hope: Once per day, as a free action, the character may use this ability. It has the same effects as if the character had cast Good Hope. The only difference is that this ability lasts a number of rounds equal to her dreadbane class level times two.

Aura of Courage: Beginning at 2nd level, a dreadbane is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Allies within 10 feet of the dreadbane gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. Granting the morale bonus to allies is a supernatural ability.

Smite Evil: Dreadbanes of 2nd level or higher may attempt to smite evil with a normal melee attack. At 2nd level Dreadbanes may only do this once, but at every two levels thereafter, she gains one more use of this ability per day. When smiting evil the character adds her Charisma modifier (if positive) to her attack roll and deals one extra point of damage per Dreadbane level. For example a 9th level Dreadbane armed with a battleaxe would deal 1d8+9 points of damage, plus any additional bonuses for high strength or magical effects (including Bane Strike) that normally apply. If the dreadbane accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but one of the ability has been used up for that day. Smite evil is a supernatural ability.

Fleet of Foot: This ability functions exactly the same as the Run feat. If the character already has the Run feat, her land speed increases by 10 feet.

Enhanced Smiting: The character automatically defeats any Damage Reduction his intended target might have.

Leader of Men: This ability has three effects. First, her ability to instill hope lasts a number of rounds equal to her dreadbane level times four, plus she may use this ability twice per day. Second, the dreadbanes aura of courage swells to twenty feet and all allies gain a +8 morale bonus instead of +4. Lastly the character gains the Leadership feat (if she didn’t already have it) and her leadership score gains a permanent +4 bonus.
 

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Just a few quick opinions/comments. As always take it with a grain of salt.

First – what is the flavor text for the class? I assume from the abilities that it is an Evil Outsider Slayer PrC. I also assume this is a generic entry PrC not a cultural or organization specific PrC?

A quite note here is that you are making the Paladin near obsolete with this class. Or is this a Paladin Substitute? Also, what happens if the class entering the PrC already has the abilities of Aura of Courage or Smite Evil? So they stack or is the ability just ignored?

Bane Strike: The weapon the character is wielding excels at attacking evil outsiders. Against evil outsiders its effective enhancement bonus is +1 at first level, +2 at third level, etc. Further, for each point of its enhancement bonus it, the weapon deals 1d6 points of bonus damage.
This ability is far too powerful. Especially on top of Smite Evil, as this gets rather ill. Against an evil outsider at 10th level a dreadbane with a Greatsword and an 18 Strength does 2d6 (weapon) +6 (strength) +5 (enhancement) +5d6 (bane) +10 (smite) = 7d6+21 (and that is before any other feat, item or ability that adds to damage). This also doesn’t count that you are also giving them an additional +5 attack bonus on top of a Fighter BAB.

I would instead give the ability that all dreadbane weapons are considered to be “good” for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction and do an additional 1d6 damage (good or bane) against Evil Outsiders.

Instill Hope: Once per day, as a free action, the character may use this ability. It has the same effects as if the character had cast Good Hope. The only difference is that this ability lasts a number of rounds equal to her dreadbane class level times two.
I don’t have the book handy so I don’t know what good hope does. However, not only are you giving them a spell-like ability, you are also giving them the benefit of the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat. I am also assuming that the “duration” here is an Increase over the existing spell which is effectively also offering Extend Spell-Like Ability?

Personally I think that is too much. I would simply give them the standard spell like ability, once per day, to cast good hope.

Fleet of Foot: This ability functions exactly the same as the Run feat. If the character already has the Run feat, her land speed increases by 10 feet.
Why? This ability does not seem to fit into the premise or direction of the class.

Enhanced Smiting: The character automatically defeats any Damage Reduction his intended target might have.
This ability is too powerful in that it is too encompassing and out of the bounds of the class’s abilities. If you give them Bane Strike as making their weapons “Good” they already overcome Evil Outsider DR. Why would this class also be able to automatically overcome Lycanthrope (silver) DR? Or Fey (cold iron) DR? Or Monk (adamantine) DR?

Leader of Men: This ability has three effects. First, her ability to instill hope lasts a number of rounds equal to her dreadbane level times four, plus she may use this ability twice per day. Second, the dreadbanes aura of courage swells to twenty feet and all allies gain a +8 morale bonus instead of +4. Lastly the character gains the Leadership feat (if she didn’t already have it) and her leadership score gains a permanent +4 bonus.
This seems a bit clunky. It also is offering more than 3 effects, and all things considered I think it may be a bit too much when all compared and combined.
1) Increased Spell-Like Ability Uses per Day
2) Extend Spell-Like Ability (Instill)
3) Enlarge Supernatural Ability (Aura)
4) Empower Supernatural Ability (Aura)
5) Bonus Feat (Leadership)
6) Improved Bonus Feat (Leadership Bonus)

Again – just my opinions and thoughts. Take it with a grain of salt.
 

Based on everything you have told me, this seems far better as an epic prestige class!

So, based on that what sorts of prereqs should it have?
- I think the Leadership feat is a must
- Any non-evil alignment

Whate else?

Also, this should be a generic prestige class, not confined to a single campaign setting.
 
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D20 Addict said:
Based on everything you have told me, this seems far better as an epic prestige class!

So, based on that what sorts of prereqs should it have?
- I think the Leadership feat is a must
- Any non-evil alignment

Whate else?

Also, this should be a generic prestige class, not confined to a single campaign setting.
Given the "fighting evil outsiders" focus, I would think you'd require actual good alignment, not just non-evil.
 

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