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Message: <blockquote data-quote="HarryFlashman" data-source="post: 1397977" data-attributes="member: 16377">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.EmissaryThe   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 INFORMATIONEmissaries have the following game statistics.Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence and  Dexterity are most important for the Emissary’s class skills.Alignment: Any, Hit Die: d6CLASS SKILLSThe 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) x4Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8+INT modifierBAB: Intermediate Saves: Ref/Will GoodBDB: Good1: Imprint, Bonus Feat2: Survival Training, Captivating Speaker 3: Favor +1, Distract 4: Bonus Feat5: Captivating Speaker6: Improved Survival Training, Voice of  Authority7: Bonus Feat, Subliminal Suggestion8: Favor +29: Worldly Knowledge10: Bonus Feat, Special Ability11: Survival Training Mastery12: Perplex13: Bonus Feat14: Favor +315: Special Ability16: Bonus Feat17: Charming Demeanor18: Favor +419: Bonus Feat20: Special Ability Italics indicate Spell-like abilityAll 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 lazyCaptivating 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 PRCsThe 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 ConfusionCharming 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 Knowledge10……….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. ExamplesDC 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 shipDC 20: Get an ally out of jail, have an enemy thrown in jailDC 25: Gain entrance to a fortified city during times of war, bypass customs and security when entering a portDC 30+: Get an audience with the ruler on the spur of the moment, have an enemy assassinatedCaptivating 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?</blockquote>

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