Cloudgatherer
First Post
I've developed a version of Joe Dever's Kai Lord (from the adventure books) and would like some feedback. I'm trying to balance it with the core classes, so any feedback would be great.
Thanks!
Kai Lord
Abbreviation: Kai
Adventures: A Kai Lord adventures out of necessity or request, never out of greed or desire for power. Kai Lords are often looked upon for leadership due to their versatility, extensive training, and traditional roles as protectors.
Characteristics: Kai Lords train their personal energy, gaining additional abilities as they learn more about themselves and their limits. In addition to their combat skills, Kai Lords train their minds and survival skills in order to survive in extreme circumstances.
Kai Lords receive their training from monasteries or a similar order. Kai Lords are still considered initiates until 6th level, when they are considered full-fledged Kai Lords. At 10th level, a Kai Lord achieves the title of Master, and is capable of passing on her knowledge to students as well as starting down the path of the Magnakai. Upon reaching 20th level, a Kai Lord achieves the rank of Kai Grand Master, which there are very few, if any, alive at any one time.
Kai Lords are given titles based upon their abilities as follows:
1st level: Novice
2nd level: Intuite
3rd level: Doan
4th level: Acolyte
5th level: Initiate
6th level: Aspirant
7th level: Guardian
8th level: Warmarn or Journeyman
9th level: Savant
10th level: Master
11th level: Kai Master
12th level: Kai Master Senior
13th level: Kai Master Superior
14th level: Primate
15th level: Tutelary
16th level: Principalin
17th level: Mentora
18th level: Scion-kai
19th level: Archmaster
20th level: Kai Grand Master
Alignment: Kai Lords are of Lawful Good or Nuetral Good alignment. Candidates of different alignments are rejected when requesting training as a Kai Lord, typically through a test of character. Through the tests of character and a long-standing tradition, Kai Lords possess a reputation for helping those in need of their skills.
Religion: Kai Lords do not have an established religion nor draw their powers from a specific deity. They revere the god Kai, as he served as the inspiration for the first Kai Lords, but Kai Lords are not prohibited from worshipping other gods.
Background: Kai Lords receive extensive training and are put through a careful selection process by Kai Masters. During their training, they often play some dangerous, combat oriented games along with exercising their mental powers. A Kai Lord is considered an initiate until she learns her 6th discipline, after which a Kai Lord is considered capable of carrying out important assignments, leading men in battle, and serving a lord to benefit a kingdom.
Races: Kai Lords are, by tradition, exclusively human.
Other Classes: Kai Lords have an independent nature. They have an array of talents, and can compliment a number of other classes. Their combat skills work well with fighters, and other melee characters. Additionally, Kai Lords are good protectors of spellcasters and more than capable of undertaking stealth operations with rogues and monks. A Kai Lord often lacks the specialization of her fellow adventurers, but her flexibility makes her a valuable asset to any party.
Game Rule Information
Kai Lords have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Kai Lords depend upon their fighting abilities and mental powers. Strength is an essential combat stat and Dexterity allows a Kai Lord to evade her enemies’ attacks. To enhance the power of her mental attacks, a Kai Lord needs a good Charisma to impose her will against others.
Alignment: Lawful Good or Neutral Good
Hit Die: d8
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gold pieces
Class Skills
The Kai Lord’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Wilderness Lore (Wis).
Skill points at 1st Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4
Skill points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier
Level Base Attack Bonus Fortitude Save Reflex Save Will Save Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Kai Discipline
2 +1 +3 +0 +0 Kai Discipline
3 +2 +3 +1 +1 Kai Discipline
4 +3 +4 +1 +1 Kai Discipline
5 +3 +4 +1 +1 Kai Discipline
6 +4 +5 +2 +2 Kai Discipline
7 +5 +5 +2 +2 Kai Discipline
8 +6/+1 +6 +2 +2 Kai Discipline
9 +6/+1 +6 +3 +3 Kai Discipline
10 +7/+2 +7 +3 +3 Kai Discipline
11 +8/+3 +7 +3 +3 Magnakai Discipline
12 +9/+4 +8 +4 +4 Magnakai Discipline
13 +9/+4 +8 +4 +4 Magnakai Discipline
14 +10/+5 +9 +4 +4 Magnakai Discipline
15 +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +5 Magnakai Discipline
16 +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 Magnakai Discipline
17 +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 Magnakai Discipline
18 +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +6 Magnakai Discipline
19 +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +6 Magnakai Discipline
20 +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +6 Magnakai Discipline
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Kai Lord.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Kai Lord is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as light, medium armor and shields.
All spells and spell like abilities have a caster level of half the Kai Lord’s level and a DC of 10 + spell level + Charisma modifier (which can include negatives). Supernatural and spell-like abilities of a Kai Lord are not affected by the arcane spell failure of armor.
From levels 1-10, a Kai Lord selects a Kai Discipline. Each discipline is unique and can be selected only once.
Kai Disciplines
Animal Kinship: The Kai Lord gains Animal Empathy as a class skill. When selecting this discipline, the Kai Lord is granted 1 free rank in the skill, but this does not allow her to exceed her maximum ranks for a skill.
Camouflage: The Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus to Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently checks.
Healing (Sp): The Kai Lord can heal 1 hit point per level per day by touch. She can use this healing in any amount she chooses and can heal others as well. This ability cannot be used to damage undead. To use this ability, the Kai Lord must simply use her will to heal herself, or be able to touch the one she is healing.
Hunting (Ex): The Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus to Wilderness Lore checks and adds 10 to her speed.
Mindblast (Su): When engaging in melee combat, a Kai Lord can focus her mind against her opponent. As a free action, the Kai Lord can attack her opponent’s mind (Will save DC of 10 + half level + Cha bonus). Opponents who fail their saving throw grant the Kai Lord a +2 attack bonus against them for the duration of the battle. Those who succeed cannot be affected by another Mindblast attack for the rest of the combat. This is a mind-affecting ability that can only be used against an opponent the Kai Lord is making a melee attack against. Mindblast may only be used against one opponent per round, but a new opponent can be chosen once at the beginning of each round. Mindblast does not work on creatures that do not have minds, such as constructs, mindless undead, or creatures with Intelligence scores of 3 or lower.
Mindshield (Ex): Kai Lords receive special mental training, and gain a +2 saving throw bonus against Enchantment [Mind-Affecting] spells. Additionally, a Kai Lord with Mindshield is immune to Mindblast.
Mind Over Matter (Sp): At will a Kai Lord can use the mage hand spell without verbal or somatic components. She does not need to point (as per the spell description) to move an object.
Sixth Sense (Sp): A Kai Lord gains detect evil at will as a spell-like ability. In addition, the Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus on Sense Motive checks.
Tracking: A Kai Lord gains the Track feat.
Weaponskill: A Kai Lord gains the Weapon Focus feat with a weapon from the following list: dagger, spear (any), mace (any), sword (any), warhammer, bow (non-crossbow), axe (any), and quarterstaff.
Upon attaining 10th level, a Kai Lord has earned the title of Master by acquiring all the Kai Disciplines. The Kai Lord continues her training by attempting to learn the Magnakai Disciplines and eventually achieving the rank of Kai Grand Master. From levels 11-20, a Kai Lord selects a Magnakai Discipline. Each discipline is unique and can be selected only once.
Magnakai Disciplines
Animal Control (Sp): A Kai Lord with Animal Control receives a second skill rank in Animal Empathy but this does not allow her to exceed her maximum ranks for a skill. Additionally, the Kai Lord can speak with animals at will.
Curing (Su): As the Kai Discipline Healing, but the Kai Lord can restore 2 hit points per level per day and can cure disease and cure blindness/deafness each once per week. The Magnakai Discipline of Curing replaces the Kai Discipline of Healing.
Divination (Sp): A Kai Lord with Divination can see invisible. She can turn this ability on or off as a free action and invisible creatures appear slightly transparent, making their invisibility obvious to the Kai Lord. A Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus on Sense Motive checks (for a total of +2) and can communicate telepathically with any creature that has telepathic ability.
Huntmastery (Ex): A Kai Lord with Huntmastery gains the Uncanny Dodge ability, using her level to determine if rogues can flank her. In addition, she gains low-light vision.
Invisibility (Sp): The Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus to Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently (for a total of +2). When being detected or tracked by scent, body heat, or blindsight, the tracker must make an opposed Listen check against the Kai Lord’s Hide skill in order to detect her.
Nexus (Ex, Sp): A Kai Lord with Nexus gains fire and cold resistance 5. Also, at will a Kai Lord can use telekinesis (sustained force only) with a range of 100 feet and a weight limit of 25 lbs. As with Mind Over Matter, a Kai Lord does not need components to use this ability.
Pathsmanship (Ex): A Kai Lord with Pathsmanship has several abilities. She gains a +2 bonus to Intuit Direction checks, gains Decipher Script as a class skill with 2 free ranks (this does not allow her to exceed the maximum ranks for a skill), and can search for traps with a DC higher than 20 in the same manner as a thief.
Psi-screen (Ex): A Kai Lord with Psi-screen gains a +2 bonus to all Will saves. In addition, a Kai Lord with Psi-screen is immune to Psi-surge.
Psi-surge (Su): As the Kai Discipline Mindblast, except the Kai Lord gains a bonus of +4 to attack instead of +2. Psi-surge replaces Mindblast.
Weaponmastery (Ex): A Kai Lord can choose to gain the Weapon Specialization feat for the weapon she choose for weaponskill, or can take another Weapon Focus feat choosing a weapon from the Weaponskill Discipline list.
Lore-circles
As a Kai Master gains Magnakai disciplines, she can complete schools of training, called Lore-circles. Completing a lore-circle increases a Kai Lord’s ability, achieving an increased physical and mental state. The four lore-circles, and the disciplines that complete the lore-circle, are listed below with their benefits.
Circle of Fire (Huntmastery & Weaponmastery)
+1 bonus to attack rolls, +1 dodge bonus to AC
Circle of Light (Animal Control & Curing)
+3 Total Hit points, Fast Healing 1
Circle of Solaris (Huntmastery, Invisibility, & Pathsmanship)
+3 Total Hit points, can understand any spoken language
Circle of the Spirit (Divination, Nexus, Psi-screen, & Psi-surge)
Psi-surge bonus becomes +5, +1 to all saving throws, and +1 bonus to AC
Longevity: Upon attaining the rank of Tutelary (15th level), a Kai Lord’s aging process slows to 1 year of physical aging per 5 years. Upon attaining the rank of Kai Grand Master (20th level), the aging slows to 1 year of physical aging per 10 years. This may allow a Kai Lord to gain the benefits from aging before suffering its consequences.
Multiclassing
A Kai Lord is free to multiclass. A character that starts out as a Kai Lord can choose to take levels in another class, however a character cannot gain levels as a Kai Lord if he did not start out as a Kai Lord. This is due to the years of training a Kai Lord undertakes from childhood, learning the foundations of the Kai Disciplines so that he is able to learn them later in life. Those who have already trained in other professions cannot learn the ways of a Kai Lord, as candidates are trained for five to ten years before reaching the rank of Novice. Kai Lords often do not choose to take levels in another class, as it is straying from the path of the Kai Lord.
Ex-Kai Lords
If a Kai Lord ever has an alignment other than Lawful Good or Neutral Good, then the character can never again raise his level as a Kai Lord. A Kai Lord retains his Disciplines, but loses any Lore-circle benefits and can never again learn another Discipline.
Thanks!
Kai Lord
Abbreviation: Kai
Adventures: A Kai Lord adventures out of necessity or request, never out of greed or desire for power. Kai Lords are often looked upon for leadership due to their versatility, extensive training, and traditional roles as protectors.
Characteristics: Kai Lords train their personal energy, gaining additional abilities as they learn more about themselves and their limits. In addition to their combat skills, Kai Lords train their minds and survival skills in order to survive in extreme circumstances.
Kai Lords receive their training from monasteries or a similar order. Kai Lords are still considered initiates until 6th level, when they are considered full-fledged Kai Lords. At 10th level, a Kai Lord achieves the title of Master, and is capable of passing on her knowledge to students as well as starting down the path of the Magnakai. Upon reaching 20th level, a Kai Lord achieves the rank of Kai Grand Master, which there are very few, if any, alive at any one time.
Kai Lords are given titles based upon their abilities as follows:
1st level: Novice
2nd level: Intuite
3rd level: Doan
4th level: Acolyte
5th level: Initiate
6th level: Aspirant
7th level: Guardian
8th level: Warmarn or Journeyman
9th level: Savant
10th level: Master
11th level: Kai Master
12th level: Kai Master Senior
13th level: Kai Master Superior
14th level: Primate
15th level: Tutelary
16th level: Principalin
17th level: Mentora
18th level: Scion-kai
19th level: Archmaster
20th level: Kai Grand Master
Alignment: Kai Lords are of Lawful Good or Nuetral Good alignment. Candidates of different alignments are rejected when requesting training as a Kai Lord, typically through a test of character. Through the tests of character and a long-standing tradition, Kai Lords possess a reputation for helping those in need of their skills.
Religion: Kai Lords do not have an established religion nor draw their powers from a specific deity. They revere the god Kai, as he served as the inspiration for the first Kai Lords, but Kai Lords are not prohibited from worshipping other gods.
Background: Kai Lords receive extensive training and are put through a careful selection process by Kai Masters. During their training, they often play some dangerous, combat oriented games along with exercising their mental powers. A Kai Lord is considered an initiate until she learns her 6th discipline, after which a Kai Lord is considered capable of carrying out important assignments, leading men in battle, and serving a lord to benefit a kingdom.
Races: Kai Lords are, by tradition, exclusively human.
Other Classes: Kai Lords have an independent nature. They have an array of talents, and can compliment a number of other classes. Their combat skills work well with fighters, and other melee characters. Additionally, Kai Lords are good protectors of spellcasters and more than capable of undertaking stealth operations with rogues and monks. A Kai Lord often lacks the specialization of her fellow adventurers, but her flexibility makes her a valuable asset to any party.
Game Rule Information
Kai Lords have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Kai Lords depend upon their fighting abilities and mental powers. Strength is an essential combat stat and Dexterity allows a Kai Lord to evade her enemies’ attacks. To enhance the power of her mental attacks, a Kai Lord needs a good Charisma to impose her will against others.
Alignment: Lawful Good or Neutral Good
Hit Die: d8
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 gold pieces
Class Skills
The Kai Lord’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Wilderness Lore (Wis).
Skill points at 1st Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4
Skill points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier
Level Base Attack Bonus Fortitude Save Reflex Save Will Save Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Kai Discipline
2 +1 +3 +0 +0 Kai Discipline
3 +2 +3 +1 +1 Kai Discipline
4 +3 +4 +1 +1 Kai Discipline
5 +3 +4 +1 +1 Kai Discipline
6 +4 +5 +2 +2 Kai Discipline
7 +5 +5 +2 +2 Kai Discipline
8 +6/+1 +6 +2 +2 Kai Discipline
9 +6/+1 +6 +3 +3 Kai Discipline
10 +7/+2 +7 +3 +3 Kai Discipline
11 +8/+3 +7 +3 +3 Magnakai Discipline
12 +9/+4 +8 +4 +4 Magnakai Discipline
13 +9/+4 +8 +4 +4 Magnakai Discipline
14 +10/+5 +9 +4 +4 Magnakai Discipline
15 +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +5 Magnakai Discipline
16 +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 Magnakai Discipline
17 +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 Magnakai Discipline
18 +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +6 Magnakai Discipline
19 +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +6 Magnakai Discipline
20 +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +6 Magnakai Discipline
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Kai Lord.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Kai Lord is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as light, medium armor and shields.
All spells and spell like abilities have a caster level of half the Kai Lord’s level and a DC of 10 + spell level + Charisma modifier (which can include negatives). Supernatural and spell-like abilities of a Kai Lord are not affected by the arcane spell failure of armor.
From levels 1-10, a Kai Lord selects a Kai Discipline. Each discipline is unique and can be selected only once.
Kai Disciplines
Animal Kinship: The Kai Lord gains Animal Empathy as a class skill. When selecting this discipline, the Kai Lord is granted 1 free rank in the skill, but this does not allow her to exceed her maximum ranks for a skill.
Camouflage: The Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus to Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently checks.
Healing (Sp): The Kai Lord can heal 1 hit point per level per day by touch. She can use this healing in any amount she chooses and can heal others as well. This ability cannot be used to damage undead. To use this ability, the Kai Lord must simply use her will to heal herself, or be able to touch the one she is healing.
Hunting (Ex): The Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus to Wilderness Lore checks and adds 10 to her speed.
Mindblast (Su): When engaging in melee combat, a Kai Lord can focus her mind against her opponent. As a free action, the Kai Lord can attack her opponent’s mind (Will save DC of 10 + half level + Cha bonus). Opponents who fail their saving throw grant the Kai Lord a +2 attack bonus against them for the duration of the battle. Those who succeed cannot be affected by another Mindblast attack for the rest of the combat. This is a mind-affecting ability that can only be used against an opponent the Kai Lord is making a melee attack against. Mindblast may only be used against one opponent per round, but a new opponent can be chosen once at the beginning of each round. Mindblast does not work on creatures that do not have minds, such as constructs, mindless undead, or creatures with Intelligence scores of 3 or lower.
Mindshield (Ex): Kai Lords receive special mental training, and gain a +2 saving throw bonus against Enchantment [Mind-Affecting] spells. Additionally, a Kai Lord with Mindshield is immune to Mindblast.
Mind Over Matter (Sp): At will a Kai Lord can use the mage hand spell without verbal or somatic components. She does not need to point (as per the spell description) to move an object.
Sixth Sense (Sp): A Kai Lord gains detect evil at will as a spell-like ability. In addition, the Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus on Sense Motive checks.
Tracking: A Kai Lord gains the Track feat.
Weaponskill: A Kai Lord gains the Weapon Focus feat with a weapon from the following list: dagger, spear (any), mace (any), sword (any), warhammer, bow (non-crossbow), axe (any), and quarterstaff.
Upon attaining 10th level, a Kai Lord has earned the title of Master by acquiring all the Kai Disciplines. The Kai Lord continues her training by attempting to learn the Magnakai Disciplines and eventually achieving the rank of Kai Grand Master. From levels 11-20, a Kai Lord selects a Magnakai Discipline. Each discipline is unique and can be selected only once.
Magnakai Disciplines
Animal Control (Sp): A Kai Lord with Animal Control receives a second skill rank in Animal Empathy but this does not allow her to exceed her maximum ranks for a skill. Additionally, the Kai Lord can speak with animals at will.
Curing (Su): As the Kai Discipline Healing, but the Kai Lord can restore 2 hit points per level per day and can cure disease and cure blindness/deafness each once per week. The Magnakai Discipline of Curing replaces the Kai Discipline of Healing.
Divination (Sp): A Kai Lord with Divination can see invisible. She can turn this ability on or off as a free action and invisible creatures appear slightly transparent, making their invisibility obvious to the Kai Lord. A Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus on Sense Motive checks (for a total of +2) and can communicate telepathically with any creature that has telepathic ability.
Huntmastery (Ex): A Kai Lord with Huntmastery gains the Uncanny Dodge ability, using her level to determine if rogues can flank her. In addition, she gains low-light vision.
Invisibility (Sp): The Kai Lord gains a +1 bonus to Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently (for a total of +2). When being detected or tracked by scent, body heat, or blindsight, the tracker must make an opposed Listen check against the Kai Lord’s Hide skill in order to detect her.
Nexus (Ex, Sp): A Kai Lord with Nexus gains fire and cold resistance 5. Also, at will a Kai Lord can use telekinesis (sustained force only) with a range of 100 feet and a weight limit of 25 lbs. As with Mind Over Matter, a Kai Lord does not need components to use this ability.
Pathsmanship (Ex): A Kai Lord with Pathsmanship has several abilities. She gains a +2 bonus to Intuit Direction checks, gains Decipher Script as a class skill with 2 free ranks (this does not allow her to exceed the maximum ranks for a skill), and can search for traps with a DC higher than 20 in the same manner as a thief.
Psi-screen (Ex): A Kai Lord with Psi-screen gains a +2 bonus to all Will saves. In addition, a Kai Lord with Psi-screen is immune to Psi-surge.
Psi-surge (Su): As the Kai Discipline Mindblast, except the Kai Lord gains a bonus of +4 to attack instead of +2. Psi-surge replaces Mindblast.
Weaponmastery (Ex): A Kai Lord can choose to gain the Weapon Specialization feat for the weapon she choose for weaponskill, or can take another Weapon Focus feat choosing a weapon from the Weaponskill Discipline list.
Lore-circles
As a Kai Master gains Magnakai disciplines, she can complete schools of training, called Lore-circles. Completing a lore-circle increases a Kai Lord’s ability, achieving an increased physical and mental state. The four lore-circles, and the disciplines that complete the lore-circle, are listed below with their benefits.
Circle of Fire (Huntmastery & Weaponmastery)
+1 bonus to attack rolls, +1 dodge bonus to AC
Circle of Light (Animal Control & Curing)
+3 Total Hit points, Fast Healing 1
Circle of Solaris (Huntmastery, Invisibility, & Pathsmanship)
+3 Total Hit points, can understand any spoken language
Circle of the Spirit (Divination, Nexus, Psi-screen, & Psi-surge)
Psi-surge bonus becomes +5, +1 to all saving throws, and +1 bonus to AC
Longevity: Upon attaining the rank of Tutelary (15th level), a Kai Lord’s aging process slows to 1 year of physical aging per 5 years. Upon attaining the rank of Kai Grand Master (20th level), the aging slows to 1 year of physical aging per 10 years. This may allow a Kai Lord to gain the benefits from aging before suffering its consequences.
Multiclassing
A Kai Lord is free to multiclass. A character that starts out as a Kai Lord can choose to take levels in another class, however a character cannot gain levels as a Kai Lord if he did not start out as a Kai Lord. This is due to the years of training a Kai Lord undertakes from childhood, learning the foundations of the Kai Disciplines so that he is able to learn them later in life. Those who have already trained in other professions cannot learn the ways of a Kai Lord, as candidates are trained for five to ten years before reaching the rank of Novice. Kai Lords often do not choose to take levels in another class, as it is straying from the path of the Kai Lord.
Ex-Kai Lords
If a Kai Lord ever has an alignment other than Lawful Good or Neutral Good, then the character can never again raise his level as a Kai Lord. A Kai Lord retains his Disciplines, but loses any Lore-circle benefits and can never again learn another Discipline.
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