seasong
First Post
This is one of the little house rules I'm hammering out for my Diandi setting. The reason for this new NPC class is much the same as the reason for the priest NPC class - the cleric class doesn't make a good NPC.
This is not to be confused with the holy warrior PC class from Book of the Righteous, which is more of a variant paladin. Yes, the names are confusing; but I think the Book of the Righteous should have named their Paragon or Divine Soldier or something
.
The holy warrior fulfills the same role as the DMG warrior, but for churches - the idea is that these are the low-level thugs of the temple, who spend some time meditating and some time training to fight. They are to the cleric as the warrior is to the fighter.
Most temples and whatnot in my setting will have a mix of holy warriors and ordinary warriors; the latter being the common, workaday thugs who happen to work for a temple, rather than devoted "true" warriors of the faith.
All comments are appreciated, particularly if I missed something, or if you have questions, thoughts or comments on the holy warrior's impact and role in a fantasy setting.
Alignment: Any (must be within 1 step of chosen deity).
Hit Die: d8.
BAB: As a cleric.
Good Saves: Will.
Spell Progression: At 3rd level, spells as a level-1 cleric; each two levels thereafter, add +1 spellcaster level as a cleric.
Skill Points: 2 + INT bonus, x4 at 1st level.
Class Skills: The holy warrior's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str). Note: Some domains modify the holy warrior’s skill set somewhat. Animal, Plant and Travel add Wilderness Lore as a class skill. Knowledge adds all Knowledge skills as class skills, and adds 4 skill points at 1st level and adds 1 skill point per level thereafter, which can only be put in knowledge skills. Trickery adds Bluff, Disguise and Hide as class skills.
Armor and Weapon Proficiency: Holy warriors are proficient with all simple weapons. Holy warriors are proficient with all types of armor (light, medium, and heavy) and with shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.
Note: Some deities have favored weapons; holy warriors automatically gain proficiency in the deity's favored weapon. Holy warriors who take the War domain also gain Weapon Focus in that weapon for free. If a holy warrior takes the War domain with a deity who does not have a favored weapon, the holy warrior may choose one of the other holy warrior weapon proficiencies (club, dagger, heavy or light crossbow, quarterstaff) to gain Weapon Focus in.
Spells: At 3rd level, the holy warrior can begin casting spells. A holy warrior casts divine spells. He is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day, according to his class level. Each holy warrior must choose a time at which he must spend an hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a holy warrior can prepare spells.
While praying, the holy warrior decides which spells to prepare. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a holy warrior must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell's level. A holy warrior's bonus spells are based on Wisdom. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against holy warrior spells is 10 + the spell's level + the holy warrior's Wisdom modifier.
Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells: When your character becomes a holy warrior, you may choose to have your character serve a specific deity. The holy warrior's deity influences his alignment, what magic he can perform, his values, and how others see him.
At 3rd level, choose one from among the deity's domains for your holy warrior's domain. You can only select an alignment domain (such as Good) for your holy warrior if his alignment matches that domain. If your holy warrior is not devoted to a particular deity, you still select a domains to represent his spiritual inclinations and abilities (but the restriction on alignment domains still applies). Each domain gives your holy warrior a granted power. Your holy warrior gets the granted powers of the domain selected. At 10th level, the holy warrior picks a second domain and also gains the granted power of that domain.
In addition to his standard spells, a holy warrior gets one domain spell of each spell level, starting at 1st. When a holy warrior prepares a domain spell, it must come from one of his domains.
Bonus Languages: A holy warrior may substitute Abyssal, Celestial or Infernal for one of the bonus languages available to the character.
Ex-Holy Warriors: A holy warrior who grossly violates the code of conduct expected by his god (generally acting in ways opposed to the god's alignment or purposes) loses all spells and class features and cannot gain levels as a holy warrior of that god until he atones.
This is not to be confused with the holy warrior PC class from Book of the Righteous, which is more of a variant paladin. Yes, the names are confusing; but I think the Book of the Righteous should have named their Paragon or Divine Soldier or something
.The holy warrior fulfills the same role as the DMG warrior, but for churches - the idea is that these are the low-level thugs of the temple, who spend some time meditating and some time training to fight. They are to the cleric as the warrior is to the fighter.
Most temples and whatnot in my setting will have a mix of holy warriors and ordinary warriors; the latter being the common, workaday thugs who happen to work for a temple, rather than devoted "true" warriors of the faith.
All comments are appreciated, particularly if I missed something, or if you have questions, thoughts or comments on the holy warrior's impact and role in a fantasy setting.
Alignment: Any (must be within 1 step of chosen deity).
Hit Die: d8.
BAB: As a cleric.
Good Saves: Will.
Spell Progression: At 3rd level, spells as a level-1 cleric; each two levels thereafter, add +1 spellcaster level as a cleric.
Skill Points: 2 + INT bonus, x4 at 1st level.
Class Skills: The holy warrior's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str). Note: Some domains modify the holy warrior’s skill set somewhat. Animal, Plant and Travel add Wilderness Lore as a class skill. Knowledge adds all Knowledge skills as class skills, and adds 4 skill points at 1st level and adds 1 skill point per level thereafter, which can only be put in knowledge skills. Trickery adds Bluff, Disguise and Hide as class skills.
Armor and Weapon Proficiency: Holy warriors are proficient with all simple weapons. Holy warriors are proficient with all types of armor (light, medium, and heavy) and with shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.
Note: Some deities have favored weapons; holy warriors automatically gain proficiency in the deity's favored weapon. Holy warriors who take the War domain also gain Weapon Focus in that weapon for free. If a holy warrior takes the War domain with a deity who does not have a favored weapon, the holy warrior may choose one of the other holy warrior weapon proficiencies (club, dagger, heavy or light crossbow, quarterstaff) to gain Weapon Focus in.
Spells: At 3rd level, the holy warrior can begin casting spells. A holy warrior casts divine spells. He is limited to a certain number of spells of each spell level per day, according to his class level. Each holy warrior must choose a time at which he must spend an hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a holy warrior can prepare spells.
While praying, the holy warrior decides which spells to prepare. To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a holy warrior must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell's level. A holy warrior's bonus spells are based on Wisdom. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against holy warrior spells is 10 + the spell's level + the holy warrior's Wisdom modifier.
Deity, Domains, and Domain Spells: When your character becomes a holy warrior, you may choose to have your character serve a specific deity. The holy warrior's deity influences his alignment, what magic he can perform, his values, and how others see him.
At 3rd level, choose one from among the deity's domains for your holy warrior's domain. You can only select an alignment domain (such as Good) for your holy warrior if his alignment matches that domain. If your holy warrior is not devoted to a particular deity, you still select a domains to represent his spiritual inclinations and abilities (but the restriction on alignment domains still applies). Each domain gives your holy warrior a granted power. Your holy warrior gets the granted powers of the domain selected. At 10th level, the holy warrior picks a second domain and also gains the granted power of that domain.
In addition to his standard spells, a holy warrior gets one domain spell of each spell level, starting at 1st. When a holy warrior prepares a domain spell, it must come from one of his domains.
Bonus Languages: A holy warrior may substitute Abyssal, Celestial or Infernal for one of the bonus languages available to the character.
Ex-Holy Warriors: A holy warrior who grossly violates the code of conduct expected by his god (generally acting in ways opposed to the god's alignment or purposes) loses all spells and class features and cannot gain levels as a holy warrior of that god until he atones.
