The Proconsul said:
@Graf: I admit, I disagree. A court is always a breeding place of intrigue and deception,
Funny, when I think about intrigue and deception I think about, well, intrigue and deception. Politicking, backroom dealings, blackmail, horsetrading, posturing, rumor-mongering, spreading information and dis-information, trickery and trechery, and so on.
(let's continue)
The Proconsul said:
and anyone who wants to take part more or less professionaly with it, will adopt these techniques sooner or later.
Participation in politics
requires look into my eyes... style mind-control powers? I don't think so.
While a hedgemage trying to influence a petty lord in some backwater might resort to
charm spells, an advisor at a court of any significance would find himself seriously disadvantaged using such a clumsy and obvious tactic.
Adroit politicial operators can avail themselves of much more subtle and effective methods of influence than simply detectable and easily nullified
compulsion spells.
It's not that I don't like the idea of the class, it's just the mechanics and the focus on zappy-powers that trouble me. It's either really powerful (you could stop or start a war) or totally useless (if your sovereign has a simple magic item blocking
charm spells).
Let me see if I can provide a more flexible, generally useful alternative.
Court Magus
The Court Magus has spent at least a year as in a court, serving as an advisor, or an assistant to an advisor, on matters arcane and otherwise. In addition to traditional european style courts, other possibilities include the courts of a priest-king ruling a theocracy, a barbarian warlord, an appointed ruler, a mageocracy or even a coucil of ruling noble families.
BAB: +0 Fort: +0 Ref +0 Will: +2
hit point die: d4
Special: The court magus must choose a spellcasting class. He must either already have a level in that class or take it as his next class. Any spell caster type, divine or arcane, is acceptable.
Class Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information. Innuendo, Knowledge (court), Sense Motive
Skill Points: 6+int modifier (x4 if Court Magus is the characters first character level)
Knowledge (court) applies to a specific institution, which is one of the primary bodies (if not the primary body) of rulership of a country. The court will often be centered around a specific individual, family or other select group. This skill encompases the history, individuals, power groups, heraldy, fashion, customs, laws and procedures of the court in question.
Knowledge (court) of +5 or better provides a +2 synergy bonus to other knowledge (court) skills possessed by the character.
Unless that's really a dumb idea. I like it but I'm not sure....
CLASS FEATURES
Magical Training: A court magus continues (or developes) their magical training, while focusing on understanding the intricacies of the court. While they do not progess as far in their power as if they focused solely on magic they do improve. A court magus is considered 1 caster level higher for determining spell effects, including damage, duration, range, etc as well as caster level for dispelling and the creation of magical items. Their number of spells known (if applicable) and spells per day do
not improve.
(Ex: Goran Stoutfinger, a dwarven Court Magus/sorc 5, casts an endurance spell on himself, it lasts for 6 hours and otherwise functions as a spell cast by a 6th level caster. He does not know
fireball or any other 3rd level spells, however, until he advances to 6th level sorc, when he gains spells as a normal 6th level caster.)
EXCEPTION: A 1st level character whose only level is Court Magus gains the spells per level & spells known of an apprentice character (forget what they're called, from the DMG), and cast spells as 1st level casters. From second level on they function as normal.
Apprehend the invisible thread: A court magus has been trained to be keenly attuned to the teletail signs of magical influence. After interacting with someone who is or has been under the influence of a spell with the
charm or
compulsion descriptor within the last 24 hours they may automatically make a Sense Motive check (rolled by the DM) to notice something is amiss. The difficulty is the original DC of the spell + the influencing caster's Cha bonus.
If a magus who is aware of magical influence (through this ability or other means) may spend a minute in conversation with the affected person to determine the extent and sort of influence exercised. The DC is equal to the DC to notice the effect +5.
They may also attempt to determine who the influencing individual is, at a DC is equal to the DC to notice the effect +10.
Cool facade: The Court Magus can fall back on their courtly experience to remain in control of themselves and unruffled even in trying circumstances. They receive a +2 bonus to resist
mind effecting spells. Any attempt to intimidate them has the DC raised by two as well.
Permenent skills: A court magus gains access to two skills of their choice from the Court Magus skill list as permenent class skills.
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So there you have it... your average fireball thrower won't like the class but it would probably have appeal to characters wanting to develop their social skills (so to speak) and gain access to a few nifty tricks.
Honestly I think that the class is probably a bit powerful but a lot of these skills and relivant events turn up rarely enough even in high roleplaying games to be unbalancing.
It also allows a broader range of character classes taking the class than just arcane casters. (I can see divine advisors as easily as arcane) and is a good choice even if your character is actually loyal to your liege (i.e. isn't interested in trying to brain-zap him).
Kudos to SKR for the 1/2 a caster level advancement scheme; I haven't looked at it recently but that's where it comes from.
PS Proconsul while it may seem like I'm giving you a hard time I think it's a great idea and appriciate you bringing it up. I think it shows a lot of creativity, and definitely got me thinking about this whole aspect of the world a lot. I'm just a picky pain-in-the-butt. Hope you don't mind my back-seat hair-splitting.
[edits: last paragraph, particularly gratuitous spelling errors, clairty.]
I'd be interested in contributing or maybe even organizing such a project. Let's try to get the bugs worked out and get the basic class format agreed upon, then we can start developing the classes hog-wild.
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