Spiritwalker - Skill, power, or spell

[Aaron2]

I'm working on a class called Spiritwalker that resembles the Shamen from Runequest. The schtick of this class is that he is able to go into a meditative trance and project his soul out of his body to roam around and do things (as an ethereal creature). While he can travel around scout like, he also will have the power to search through the ethereal plane or the Spritworld (my campaigns version of the outer planes) to find various other spirits; either a single spirit or one that knows a particular topic. Traveling about will take several hours of time.

Anyway, I figured that there are three ways I can write this up. First is to create a new skill with a DC for soul projection as well as other DC for finding the spirit world or finding other souls.

I could also make this ability a class power at, say 5th level or a third or fourth level spell, but I still might need a skill as well to determine the success of various tasks while wandering around.

Finally, I also want a Spiritwalker to have access to the various Ghost feats from Ghostwalker so that while projecting his spirit he might be able to manifest or possess people.

Any thoughts on what is the cleaner way?


Aaron

 

[Kerrick]

Go with the PrC. I've done two similar classes - the Spiritbinder, a mage-type who summons and controls spirits, and the Spiritblade, a psychic warrior-type who fights spirits. Among other things, the Spiritblade has the ability to spiritwalk - leave her body and enter the plane of spirits. At higher levels, she can physically enter the plane of spirits, though this is extremely dangerous, as dying there in physical form is permanent.

 

[Aaron2]

Go with the PrC.

I want them to get this power around 5th level so PrCs are out.


Aaron

 

[DreamChaser]

unless the ability to become ethereal is much more common in your game than in the standard D&D world, 5th is far too low a level.

Unless, of course, there are limitations on what the class can do while projected.

DC

 

[Aaron2]

unless the ability to become ethereal is much more common in your game than in the standard D&D world, 5th is far too low a level.

Unless, of course, there are limitations on what the class can do while projected.

While projected, the Shaman's spirit can't do much of anything. Plus, unlike Ethereal Jaunt, the spell can't be used to move through walls since your body remains behind. The result is its kinda a better Arcane Eye in that you can go through walls. On the other hand, both the body and spirit are vulnerable to attack.

Either 5th or 7th level. I haven't decided yet.


Aaron

 

[Centaur]

Make it a class ability. If this is a base class, then give it to him at 5th or so. If it is a PrC, then make the prerequisites achivable by 4th or 5th and give the Spirt walk ability at 1st or 2nd level of the PrC.

Then take all the other abilities that augment it like possesion and journyoing to the spirit worlds and such and give them as additional class abilities at a higher level.

Iterspace that with powers for fighting spirits and such.

Make the 10th level ability of the PrC somthing like "One With the Spirit World" and give it some suitably cool abilites...