Monster PrC -- Eye of Raelor

[Nifft]

I came up with this quickly, but it looks kinda cool. Any balance issues? Note that it can be taken at minimum by a 3-HD Lantern Archon, so it's very much not a PC class.


Eye of Raelor (Eye of [LG Sun God]) -- Prestige Class for [Good] Outsiders

"The day has his eyes; the night, her ears." -- Ancient Desert Proverb

Requirement:
- Race: Lantern Archon
- Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative
- Skill Ranks: Spot 6+, Listen 6+

Benefits:
HD d8
BAB: 3/4 (as Cleric)
Good Saves: Reflex, Will
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int bonus
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (planes, geography) (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Survival (Wis).

[u]Lev  BAB Fo/Re/Wi	Special Abilities[/u]
1    +0  +0/+2/+2	Menacing Flames, Fire Resistance 10
2    +1  +0/+3/+3	Bright Flames
3    +2  +1/+3/+3	Eyes of Dawn
4    +3  +1/+4/+4	Ray Enhancement, Fire Resistance 20
5    +3  +1/+4/+4	[i]Invisibility Purge[/i] at will
6    +4  +2/+5/+5	Ray Enhancement
7    +5  +2/+5/+5	Light Specialization, Fire Resistance 30
8    +6  +2/+6/+6	Ray Enhancement
9    +6  +3/+6/+6	Eyes of Noon
10   +7  +3/+7/+7	Greater Ray Enhancement, Fire Immunity

Special Abilities:

• Menacing Flames (Ex): The Eye of Raelor is surrounded by a flaming golden corona, making it look like a miniature sun. It adds its class levels to its Aura of Menace DC.
• Fire Resistance (Ex): The Eye becomes innured to fire, and resists the indicated ammount.
• Bright Flames (Ex): The Eye's flaming corona aura can flare to incandescence at will, emulating the Daylight spell centered on the Eye. The Archon's brightness is such that it also gains the benefits of the Blur spell while this effect is active.
• Eyes of Dawn (Su): Drawing on Raelor's piercing gaze, the Eye gains the ability to constantly See Invisibility as the spell, caster level = Eye level.
• Ray Enhancement (Su): The Eye's rays of light gain a special ability, as though they were an enchanted weapon. The Eye may select from the following list:
  - Bane (Aberration)
  - Bane (Chaotic Outsider)
  - Bane (Evil Outsider)
  - Bane (Elemental)
  - Bane (Undead)
  - Flaming
  - Merciful
  - Seeking
  - Shocking
  - Thundering
  Each enhancement may only be chosen once.
• Invisibility Purge (Sp): Caster level = Eye level.
• Light Specialization (Ex): The Eye learns greater martial prowess, gaining the feat Weapon Specialization (Ray) even if unqualified.
• Eyes of Noon (Su): Drawing on Raelor's illuminating gaze, the Eye gains constant True Seeing as the spell, caster level = Eye level.
• Greater Ray Enhancement (Su): The Eye's rays of light gain a special ability, as though they were an enchanted weapon. The Eye may select from the following list:
  - Axiomatic
  - Holy
  - Flaming Burst
  - Shocking Burst
• Fire Immunity (Ex): Well, duh.

-- N

 

[nameless]

I like the concept, but I think it is a little too slow in advancement. By 13 hit dice, this lantern archon would be no match for the other outsiders out there. Look at the basic stats of an Outsider hit die... +1 BAB, all good saves, and 8+int skills per level.

If I were designing this class, I'd probably cut it down to 5 levels and distribute the abilities over those 5 instead of 10.

All the bad stuff said, it's got some cool abilities and great flavor. If you really wanted to put some holy power in the Lanterns, maybe give them Searing Light, Sunbeam, and/or Sunburst powers. I'm all for giving grunts a little magical artillery, as long as comparable spellcasters don't get left behind.

 

[hong]

If it's not a PC class, then most of the considerations underlying balance become moot. The question is whether its by-the-book CR is what you'd expect. In this case, I'd probably say that a 3HD lantern archon with 10 levels in this PrC is not really CR 13, but then the CR == level rule has always been rather dodgy. Guesstimate would be CR 10, perhaps.

 

[nameless]

If it's not a PC class, then most of the considerations underlying balance become moot.

That's why I say the granularity could be toned down. Giving a 3 HD Lantern Archon all the class abilities of this PrC in one level would only increase its combat effectiveness by maybe 2 CR points. It's a lot more fun to design classes than templates, of course. But either way works pretty similarly in front of the screen.

 

[Nifft]

This PrC was created for someone who was looking for a "planar ally", so please judge it on that basis. Sorry I neglected to specify that in the description, but it's more a cohort than a combat opponent.

Unfortunately, it's not just the CR that matters in this case.

The idea was that Lesser Planar Ally would get you a decent (if blatant) guard, Planar Ally would get you a decent spotter / combat assistant, and Greater Planar Ally would be required to get you the top specimins of this PrC, and they'd probably have a couple levels of something else, too.

Question: What level would be appropriate to add additional Ray attacks? ("Flurry of Rays")

Thanks, -- N

 

[the Jester]

I'd change the BAB to full and give it an ability that lets it use its light ray attack as if it were a weapon so it can gain iterative attacks. That should help considerably, bringing it more in-line with standard outsider progression as well.

 

[Nifft]

I'd change the BAB to full and give it an ability that lets it use its light ray attack as if it were a weapon so it can gain iterative attacks. That should help considerably, bringing it more in-line with standard outsider progression as well.

Hmm... Standard outsider progression is +1 CR / 2 HD, so I don't think it's appropriate to mix & match the two. These are intended as +1 CR / 1 HD.

I feel that allowing the PrC to grant iterative attacks with Rays would be abusable, since the critter could take Eye levels up to that ability, then Outsider HD at 1/2 cost, or Fighter levels (and there are plenty of Feats that would be nice).

The Lantern Archon's Ray attack is more powerful than a normal weapon in many ways -- it's got a specific restriction, and I'm wondering on how to loosen that restriction, but IMHO it's not a good idea to eliminate the restriction entirely.

-- N

 

[the Jester]

Oh, as to standard outsider progression, what I mean is that outsiders gain full BAB and have all good saves. In taking this prc, they lose out on a fair amount of stuff (medium BAB and one poor save).

I do see what you mean about letting them use the ray as an iterative attack as being abusable. Maybe simply let them get an extra ray attack every round?

 

[Nifft]

Oh, as to standard outsider progression, what I mean is that outsiders gain full BAB and have all good saves. In taking this prc, they lose out on a fair amount of stuff (medium BAB and one poor save).

I do see what you mean about letting them use the ray as an iterative attack as being abusable. Maybe simply let them get an extra ray attack every round?

Since their attacks are all "ranged touch", I don't see full BAB as a necessity. They can't Power Attack, they can't use Expertise, they have nothing to spend a high BAB on.

Above, I asked around what level a "flurry of rays" might be added -- I'm thinking of adding the mechanics of Rapid Shot / Flurry of Blows to their Light Ray attack. (It's the post right before your first post. Last line.)

So, yeah, I think that idea is a sound one. The question stands, though, what level should that ability be added? I'm thinking levels 5 and 9 (when they don't gain BAB increase). The 5th level Flurry granting a 3rd attack, but all attacks at -2, and the 9th level Flurry reducing the penalty to -1.

-- N

 

[Olive]

[pimp]check my sig if interested in the thread where this first appeared...[/pimp]