ex-forsakers

[Cheiromancer]

Any forsaker who willingly violates those strictures by using magic items or casting spells loses all special abilitites of the prestige class and can progress no further as a forsaker.

What counts as "special abilites of the prestige class"? This question applies as well to an ex-paladin who "loses all special abilities and spells, including the service of the paladin's warhorse."

I am pretty sure that the character retains hit points, BAB and save progressions, and skill points. I'm also pretty sure that supernatural and spell-like abilities are lost- but that doesn't help much for the forsaker. Especially for something like an inherent ability bonus; is an inherent bonus (such as granted by a wish) a "special ability"?

Anybody have any general rule that could be applied fairly?

 

[Camarath]

Look under the "Special " column in the class description table, all albitities listed in that column are lost.

 

[Camarath]

All other class abilities and features: HD, Skills, Saves, BAB, and Feats and Abilities score increases based on lv remain the same.

 

[Cheiromancer]

Thanks!

I was just considering the possibility of someone playing a forsaker from an early level, then abandoning the class at a level where magic becomes essential. Low-magic or low-level campaigns.

Using OA rules for swapping special abilities, a human or strongheart halfling monk could qualify after a single level. You'd probably want to take a level of a fighting class to get armor and weapon proficiencies, though.

Then take forsaker for 6 levels or so: you get d12 hit dice, good will saves and some useful skills (including tumble), which may not be a bad exchange for fighter levels.

Not great, but probably workable.