New prestige class, focus on bards

[ExtremeSIMS]

Inspiration from the Royal Explorer class and the Talespinners’ League from Song and Silence, a dash of Indiana Jones, and personal indignation that most of the classes from Song and Silence stink when it comes to bards.
The Royal Explorer class is really hurting, in my opinion. The requirements include the Alertness and Endurance feat, which do not “feel” right for the bard class. Throw in the specialized need for Profession (Cartographer), and most bards, rogues, or rangers would not take the class. The class also gets hit dice as a cleric (d8), which makes some sense, since the class is likely to be in dangerous situations, but does not “feel” right to me, either. The class should live by wits, not by hit points. Royal Explorers have a BAB that advances as a rogue/bard, which is not in line with the hit dice advancement. To top it off, the special benefits of the class are highlighted by the addition of bonus languages, which does not jive with all of the rest.

The Virtuoso class is the only purely bard class in Song and Silence. Yes, other classes work, but in all of the other supplements, the classes were more balanced. In any case, the flamboyant Virtuoso is not what many players picture for their bard. I know I picture more of a mix between a minstrel and a skald for Kellanon. As some rogues live to be dungeon adventurers, some thugs, some burglars, so, too, should the bard have more opportunities to differentiate himself from his kin.

I’ve played with the special abilities for a while, and I think they work now. A lot of prestige classes do not seem to balance the special abilities, either offering a lot at the first two levels, or only at the last two. This one offers the interested character a reason to keep pursuing the prestige class, but at the same time is balanced.

I still need a better name, though.

ARCANE EXPLORER

For some adventurers, the thrill of discovering a new, previously unknown creature, or uncovering the truth behind a myth, or unearthing the cache of a long last king, is as exciting as the motivations that drive most adventurers. For those for whom exploration and telling the tale is the highest form of adventure, the path of the Arcane Adventurer calls.
Many of those of the Talespinners’ League take this class, as their life is filled with both the thrill of discovery and the thrill of telling an audience about it. In fact, becoming a Talespinner or a member of a similar college is often the first step on this class.
Because part of the reward of discovery is in telling others, many of those who take the path of Arcane Explorer are bards. However, some rangers and rogues with an explorer’s bent and the ability to spin a tale take this class, as do the more adventurous sorcerers and wizards. Clerics of gods of travel or knowledge also gravitate toward the class, but are unlikely to be able to meet the Performance skill requirements. Paladins and monks, who look toward their god or inward for discovery, are unlikely to take this path. Barbarians and druids, who take nature in stride, and don’t go about “discovering” it, are also not likely to become arcane explorers.
Hit Die: d6

REQUIREMENTS:
To become an Arcane Explorer, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Skills: Decipher Script 5 ranks, Performance (storytelling or epic tale) 8; two of the following: Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Knowledge (History) 8, Knowledge (Nature), and Knowledge (Religion).
Special: The Arcane Explorer must have discovered a previously undocumented creature, investigated a myth, or similar adventure. He must have then told the tale before an audience of peers, using his performance skill.
The Arcane Explorer must be able to read old arcane and religious texts, and therefore must be able to cast Read Magic.

CLASS SKILLS:
Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Search (Int), Speak Language (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex), and Wilderness Lore (Wis)

Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier

CLASS FEATURES:
All the following are class features of the Arcane Explorer prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
The Arcane Explorer gains proficiency with one exotic weapon of choice. Part of the Arcane Explorer’s prestige comes from the use of an unusual weapon [Straight from Royal Explorer. I was going to pull it, but then I thought of Indiana Jones and his whip.] He gains no other weapon or armor proficiencies.

Table 1-1: The Arcane Explorer
Class Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1 0 +2 +2 +0 Explorer Lore, +1 to previous spellcaster class
2 1 +3 +3 +0 Bonus language, Danger Sense
3 2 +3 +3 +1 Brave, +1 to previous spellcaster class
4 3 +4 +4 +1 Bonus language, Alertness
5 3 +4 +4 +1 Danger Sense, +1 to previous spellcaster class

Explorer Lore: An Arcane Explorer picks up a lot of esoteric knowledge on his travels, either from his own adventures or from the tales of others. This ability functions exactly like bardic knowledge, except that the check modifier equals his Arcane Explorer level + his Intelligence modifier. Bard levels stack with Arcane Explorer levels for the purpose of determining this modifier. [Straight from Loremaster and Royal Explorer classes. It works, so why change it?]
Bonus Language: At 2nd and 4th levels, the reading of ancient texts and deciphering runes carved on explored halls grants the Arcane Explorer any new language. [Much like the Royal Explorer and the Loremaster.]
Danger Sense: The Arcane Explorer possesses an uncanny intuition that warns him of impending danger. This grants him a +2 insight bonus on Reflex saves to avoid traps, a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps, and a +4 insight bonus on Spot checks made to spot creatures at the beginning of an encounter (see the encounter Distance rules in Chapter 3 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). At 5th level, these bonuses increase to +4, +4, and +6, respectively,
Brave: An arcane explorer of 3rd level or higher gets a +4 morale bonus to will saves against fear effects.
Alertness: An Arcane Explorer of 4th level gains the Alertness feat. [Not sure about this one – I think it makes sense.]

 

[Wyckedemus]

Not bad

It's interesting. Mostly a skill-based character with survivability in mind as well as info gathering. The mix of basic class skills are powerful, but the unique class skills are on the shy side of power. It seems balanced, and I like it. If anyone was interested in it, I'd allow it.

...wannabe Indie wannabe

In FR, he'd be called Sembia Jones ...heh heh heh... sleeep.

 

[Duganson]

ExtremeSims-
While it is a preciously cool PrC, it is a bit underpower IMO.
I would suggest complimenting it's perform ability at 1st level ? with a +2 circumstance bonus when telling a tale(song, poem, etc) inwhich the Arcane Explorer has intimite knowlegde with (ie has visited the Ruins of Kellt, looked upon the sarcophagus of Urik the Forge Lord, she would gain that bonus while recounting the Epic Fall of Kellt)

Thysl in Silver

 

[ExtremeSIMS]

Thanks for the feedback!

Funny you both would mention that the class seems underpowered. I was trying hard not to make it overpowered! I created it specifically for one of my characters in a friend's campaign, but will allow it in my own campaign.

Good idea on the performance benefit. A +2 bonus is not too powerful, and it does jive with the +2 bonus a bard gets to join a guild when telling a story in which the audience has specific interest.

I was thinking of a +2 bonus to a Knowledge skill, to reflect the bard's current focus, in Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion. Since the type of bard I am striving for would be interested in everything, maybe the addition of another skill bonus at a higher PrC level?

As in my original post, I think some people want to play the Bard as the type that creates the basis for his own tales. That's the goal of the class, and your input is welcomed!

 

[JonathonWilder]

I am actually very interested in this class, though I ask is there any way this prestige class can be upped to 10 levels? The reason I ask is because a character I have fits best as a bard but he wasn't the type to have as much use for such things as bardic music and other such abilities... which is why I wouldn't consider it much of a loss to lose such abilities.

 

[Starfox]

I agree with your basic premise - that it is hard to make a bardic PrC and that most PrCs that exist don't work well for bards. PrCs are about specialization, focusing on one ability, something that does not sit well with a generalist like the bard. If you have 3 abilities, sacrificing two to focus on one works. If you have 10 abilities, dropping 9 to focus on one won't work, and this is the situation with most bard PrCs. This means a bardic PrC needs to also be a generalist, even if the focus shifts a little.

Sadly, it is hard to make a bard PrC that is not actually more attractive to sorcerers. Classes offering levels as a spellcaster generally only distinguish between arcane/divine. In 3.5, I find that giving specific bard spellcaster levels works - they stack with bard spellcasting from other sources, but not with other classes.

On your prestige class, I find that the prerequisites are a bit too high and too varied. It pigeonholes the class to tightly. Relaxing the prerequistes would make this generally more useful and less of a "PrC made for a specific character".

I made quite a similar PrC some years ago incorporating these thoughts. Not sure I'd use it today in my Pathfinder game, but I submit it to you for comparison: http://hastur.net/wiki/Ruin_Explorer_(D&D_class)

Royal Explorers have a BAB that advances as a rogue/bard, which is not in line with the hit dice advancement.

Bards/rouges (d6) and clerics (d8) have the same BAB advancement.

 

[JonathonWilder]

I made quite a similar PrC some years ago incorporating these thoughts. Not sure I'd use it today in my Pathfinder game, but I submit it to you for comparison: http://hastur.net/wiki/Ruin_Explorer_%28D%26D_class%29

Hmm, I personally like this PrC, yet some of the rules seem a bit chunky and wordy. I would also say this class may actually benefit some classes more then others. Take for example the Wizard, based on the rules of your class (or more how I understand them) the Wizard would have full spellcasting and really wouldn't lose anything as the class has no other special abilities apart from a familiar bonuses that would suffer.

 

[Starfox]

Spellcasting: A ruin explorer continues training in divine or bardic magic as well as your new class abilities. Thus, when a new ruin explorer level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level as a bard or in a divine spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats, bardic music, and so on).

The wizard (and sorcerer, and witch) is not a bard or divine caster, and thus would gain no spellcasting abilities from the Ruin Explorer.

I agree it is a bit clunky and as I noted above this is not one of the PrCs I updated for Pathfinder; that can serve as an illustration how hard it is to write a PrC targeted at bards, and also in this case at several classes that are quite different. The Ruin Explorer could be split into several similar PrCs, each with its own version of Continuing Training ability. That would lead to somewhat easier rules, but take about 4 times as much space.

But sure, the Ruin Explorer could use the attentions of an editor. As could almost any text, ever.

 

[JonathonWilder]

The wizard (and sorcerer, and witch) is not a bard or divine caster, and thus would gain no spellcasting abilities from the Ruin Explorer.

Whoops, must have missed that part. Nevermind then on Wizards, though having deceased spellcasting for me wouldn't be too much of a problem for me at least or the character I have.

On the rest of what you have said, any chance you would be willing to have the Ruin Explorer adapted to Pathfinder? I would be willing to help anyway I can.

 

[Starfox]

Sure, if there is interest. You want a go at it, or should I? I think I'd prefer if someone else took a look at it first, before I did.

Things to think about is if it should work with other of the semi-spellcaster classes (Magus, Summoner, Alchemist) and if there are any pathfiner-isms that affect it - I mean design concepts more than actual rules. Every edition of the game has hidden rules and assumptions one should attempt not to break.

Also, this should probably be a new thread so as to avoid a thread-jack.