Taking Khaalis' comments into account I have made several changes to my first post on this thread. Khaalis, thank you for your input, it has been very appreciated. This class would never have gotten off of the ground had it not been for you.
That being said I am, of course, going to change some of your suggested abilities and the way they function to suit my own tastes. I hope you do not construe it as criticism but rather modifyingyour ideas to fit my campaign.
Again, thank you.
Emissary
The City-States of the Taleta Valley might be even more dangerous than the Abomination-haunted hinterlands that surround them. The City-States may not harbour foul beasts that rend flesh from the bones of people but assassins, strange cults, mad men, and even the constabulary itself pose a threat to life and limb. in seeking to limit the anarchy and threats to power the various Lords and other powers-that-be employ shadowy figures to sniff out dissent, uncover plots, and even to sow dissent. To this end the Emissary was born. Trained at the hidden, yet presitigious, Academy of Nashrat Aptra in the arts of persuasion, disguise and espionage the Emissaries make admirable spies, counter-insurgents, and diplomats.
An Emissary's ability of persuasion is rumoured to tap unknown forces making them capable of compelling their victims...or targets to perform acts they normally would not do. A Hidden power dances behind their eyes often chilling even the City-State Lord's to the bone.
The Emissary is one part Diplomat, one part Spy, one part deep cover Agent and all deadly. While not known for dealing death at the end of a sword or wielding powers of the Adept Sage the Emissary is a capable combatant... if it ever goes so far as that.
GAME RULES INFORMATION
Emissaries have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence and Dexterity are most important for the Emissary’s class skills.
Alignment: Any,
Hit Die: d6
CLASS SKILLS
The class skills of the Emissary are:
Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Underworld, Nobility and Royalty, Religion, Local), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Speak Languages, Spot, Swim, and Use Rope.
Skill Points for 1st Level: (8+INT modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8+INT modifier
BAB: Intermediate
Saves: Ref/Will Good
BDB: Good
1: Imprint, Bonus Feat
2: Survival Training, Captivating Speaker
3: Favor +1, Distract
4: Bonus Feat
5: Captivating Speaker
6: Improved Survival Training, Voice of Authority
7: Bonus Feat, Subliminal Suggestion
8: Favor +2
9: Worldly Knowledge
10: Bonus Feat, Special Ability
11: Survival Training Mastery
12: Perplex
13: Bonus Feat
14: Favor +3
15: Special Ability
16: Bonus Feat
17: Charming Demeanor
18: Favor +4
19: Bonus Feat
20: Special Ability
Italics indicate Spell-like ability
All Spell-Like Abilities are usable Once per day per Level.
Spell-Like Abilities: These are listed all at once because all of the pertinent rules can be found in the PHB and because I am lazy
Captivating Speaker: Functions as the Bardic Ability Fascinate]. It also counts as that ability towards PRCs.
Subliminal Suggestion:Functions as the Bardic Ability Suggestion. It also counts as that ability towards PRCs
The following abilities function in the following way (unless otherwise noted in the description):
They all have a range of 30 feet, save DCs= 10+Spell Level+Charisma Modifier, Require only verbal components, and a Duration of either one minute per point of Charisma modifier or the listed duration of the spell, whichever is shorter. All other information in the spell listing remains the same.
Distract Temporarily Dazes an opponent as per the 0-level Sorceror Spell Daze.
Voice of Authority: Requires target to follow a short command as per the 1st level Cleric Spell Command
Perplex: Temporarily confuses target as per the 4th level Sorceror Spell Confusion
Charming Demeanor: Temporarily change the reaction of the target as per the 4th level Sorceror Spell Charm Monster This Spell-like ability differes from the others as it may be extended prior to its effects wearing off by merely re-using the ability onthe same target. Its Duration is also measured in Hours rather than Minutes as Most Emisary Spell-Like abilities are.
Imprint (Ex): An Emissary may study any printed page, spoken word, situation or other memorizable event or object for one round as a full-round action and all words and images on that surface are then stored in their mind. Later, these words and images may be repeated or transferred to another media at the Emissary’s leisure, at which time it is released from their memory. An Emissary may only memorize one such event per point of Intelligence modifier at any one time. One page of text, one peice of art, one minute of conversation, and one minute of any situation counts as an Event.
Note that magical text cannot be memorized in this manner.
Feat: At 1st level, an emissary gets a bonus feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. They gain an additional bonus feat every 3rd level thereafter (4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th). These bonus feats must be drawn from these feats: Alertness, Deceitful, Deft Hands, Diligent, Investigator, Leadership, Negotiator, Nimble Fingers, Persuasive, Skill Focus, Stealthy, and Track. An emissary must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat. These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. An emissary is not limited to this list of bonus feats when choosing these feats.
Survival Training (Ex): At 2nd level, an Emissary must select one of two combat styles to pursue: stealthy or defensive combat. This choice affects the character’s class features but does not restrict his selection of feats or special abilities in any way.
If the Emissary selects stealthy combat, he is treated as having the Improved Grapple feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the Emissary selects defensive combat, he is treated as having the Dodge feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
The benefits of the Emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Worldly Knowledge: By this time in his carreer an Emissary has seen it all ( or atleastread or heard it all and Imprinted it). An Emissary may make a special worldly knowledge check with a bonus equal to his Emissary level + his Intelligence modifier to see whether he knows some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the Emissary has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (local), he gains a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful worldly knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. A emissary may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.
DC…..Type of Knowledge
10……….Common, known by at least a substantial minority drinking; common legends of the local population.
20……….Uncommon but available, known by only a few people legends.
25……….Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.
30……….Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge.
Survival Training Mastery (Ex): At 11th level, an Emissary’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (stealthy or defensive combat) improves again. If he selected stealthy at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Critical feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the emissary selected defensive combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Combat Expertise feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
As before, the benefits of the Emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
Favor (Ex): Emissaries have some ability to gain favors from others, coaxing them to perform tasks for them that would benefit the emissary and his party. They may do so in a variety of ways: calling in a favor, bullying a weak-willed thug, blackmailing another or bribing someone. This requires a Favor check: Roll 1d20 and add the emissaries current influence modifier. DC determined by the DM. The emissary cannot take 10 or 20 on this roll, and there are no re-tries on the same target until they gain a level. Failure indicates that the emissary does not have enough clout or influence to get what he needs, or that the person he asked the favor of was intercepted. This ability may be used a number of times per week equal to one half their character level, rounded down.
DC’s: Simple tasks such as procuring a simple item or locating an individual will carry a DC 10 or less. More difficult, illegal, expensive, distasteful or dangerous tasks might range as high as DC 20.
Examples
DC 10: Borrow a coach and horse team, get a private dining room at an inn, convince a blacksmith to forge a special sword.
DC 15: Gain entrance to an exclusive dinner, convince an innkeeper to move commoners out of a room and give it to the party instead, book passage on a smuggling ship
DC 20: Get an ally out of jail, have an enemy thrown in jail
DC 25: Gain entrance to a fortified city during times of war, bypass customs and security when entering a port
DC 30+: Get an audience with the ruler on the spur of the moment, have an enemy assassinated
Captivating Speaker (Sp): An Emissary with 5 or more ranks in the Perform (Oratory) skill can use his poetic conversational skills to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the emissary, and able to pay attention to him. The emissary must also be able to see the creature. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels an emissary attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with a single use of this ability.
To use the ability, an emissary makes a Perform check. His check result is the DC for each affected creature’s Will save against the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the emissary cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and listens to the speech, taking no other actions, for as long as the emissary continues to speak (up to a maximum of 1 round per emissary level). While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Listen and Spot checks. Any potential threat requires the emissary to make another Perform check and allows the creature a new saving throw against a DC equal to the new Perform check result.
Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a ranged weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Captivating Speaker is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability.
Improved Survival Training (Ex): At 6th level, an emissary’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (stealthy or defensive combat) improves. If he selected stealthy at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Feint feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.
If the emissary selected defensive combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Uncanny Dodge class ability, allowing them to react to danger before their senses would normally allow them to do so. They retain their Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if they are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, they still lose their Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If an emissary already has uncanny dodge from a different class they automatically gain improved uncanny dodge (as the Rogue ability) instead.
As before, the benefits of the emissary’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.
SPECIAL ABILITIES On attaining 10th level, and at every five levels thereafter (15th, and 20th) an emissary gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options.
Defensive Roll (Ex): The Emissary can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the emissary can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the emissary must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the emissary’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.
Evasion (Ex): An Emissary can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Emissary is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless emissary does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the Emissary can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the emissary’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even an Emissary with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
Skill Mastery: The Emissary becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. An emissary may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the Emissary’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a emissary with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
I took away the Sneak Attack ability becasue it just did not jibe with the what i wanted from the class. They are not assassins in the normal sense, although they are often called upon to stab people in the back. Since I took away their Sneak Attack ability I also stripped the Critical Strike "Special Ability " from the list.
I finagled the Imprint ability a bit to make it more versatile. Hopefully is it not overpowered now.
I eliminated some of the Bonus Feats (Athletic and Self-sufficient) becasue they do not really fit the flavour I was going for (and Self-Sufficient is a special feat inthis campaign world).
I deleted a few Skills from the list (Balance, Climb, Jump, and Tumble) becssue with their Class Abilities and Spell-Like abilities they should not need to do nearly as much sneaking as those skills might imply.
The BDB listing (beneat BAB and SAVES) refects the Base Defense Bonus all Classes recieve in the Grim-n-Gritty rules. This has the end result of making the class more able to hold its own in combat.
ok so how does it look?
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