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The Exemplar - Base class

Ahnehnois

First Post
Exemplar

An exemplar is a quintessential hero. His winning personality and considerable willpower carry him to success and fame. He doesn’t use magic. He doesn’t need to. The extra effort he can put forth when the situation calls is just as good (in his mind) as any magic.
Exemplars are confident and self-assured. They are often great leaders, and they make their names in glorious battles about which legends are written.
Adventures: Exemplars are of course drawn to adventuring. “Normal” life often bores them to death, and many have some far-off ideal or glorious pursuit that they deem worthy of devoting their lives to. Exemplars are not normally the type who adventure for treasure and profit, but an exemplar loves a shiny new suit of armor every once in a while.
Characteristics: The exemplar is like the paladin in some ways, a warrior whose skill does not match the fighter and whose strength and toughness are less (if only slightly) than the barbarian. However, instead of divine aid, the exemplar uses his forceful personality and drive to succeed to supplant his combat prowess, making him almost unstoppable when he decides to devote himself to a cause or goal. He is exceptional when it comes to bringing others to his cause and leading troops into battle.
Alignment: Stereotypical lawful and good exemplars are determined and virtuous. However, an exemplar may feel just as strongly about freedom or be just as devoted to malice, and exemplars may exemplify any value, belief, or alignment.
Religion: Exemplars do not have a magical connection with a god or other divine force like a cleric does. However, some exemplars are very pious, and believe strongly in the dogma of the god of their choice.
Background: The forceful nature of the exemplar rarely comes from a sheltered or uneventful life. Many withstood some great tragedy and rose out of its ashes; others were trained or mentored by other individuals with strong beliefs and convictions. Some exemplars form organizations devoted to a particular cause, and although many different people join, other exemplars with similar beliefs flock to such groups.
Races: Although many humans lack the conviction and focus needed to become an exemplar, those that do make excellent ones. Elves make up a fair number of exemplars, because their long lifespans are well-suited to pursuing idealistic goals. Dwarves are sometimes exemplars, but many lack the forceful personality needed to follow the exemplar’s path. Gnomes are rarely exemplars, because they prefer not to devote themselves to one cause. Halflings are usually journeymen and generalists, but halfling exemplars are fearless and engender respect among their comrades.
The savage races produce relatively few exemplars and more fighters and barbarians.
Other Classes: Exemplars either get along with paladins due to their similar goals or conflict with them, depending on the alignment of the exemplar. Exemplars have an easier time relating with members of classes with whom they won’t get in a personality conflict. Exemplars often have a great respect for druids and rangers and the way they defend the wild, even if they are not naturalists themselves. Exemplars learn a lot from fighters, and often try to encourage them to be more outspoken. Exemplars only get along with rogues they can trust, which isn’t all of them.
Role: The exemplar is a capable combatant who can lead other warriors into battle. When the going gets tough, he turns up his effort like no one else.

Game Rule Information
Abilities:
A good Charisma score powers many of the exemplar’s special abilities, as does a good Wisdom score. Strength is also important, because although the exemplar is no fighter, he does have to hold his own on melee.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Starting Gold: 4d4x10 gp

Class Skills
The exemplar treats the following skills as class skills:
Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Base Attack: Full (1 per HD)
Saves: Good fort and will; bad ref

Table: The Exemplar
Level Special
1st Daring, smite foe (1/day), willpower (1/day)
2nd Endurance, force of personality
3rd Rallying call (+1)
4th Influence
5th Resolve, smite foe (2/day)
6th Willpower (2/day)
7th Diehard
8th Rallying call (+2)
9th Rallying call (2/day)
10th Smite foe (3/day)
11th Fearless, willpower (3/day)
12th Rallying call (+3)
13th Determination
14th Rallying call (3/day)
15th Smite foe (4/day)
16th Rallying call (+4), willpower (4/day)
17th Inspire heroics
18th Unshakable
19th Rallying call (4/day)
20th Rallying call (+5), smite foe (5/day)


Class Features
All of the following are class features of the exemplar.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An exemplar is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. Exemplars are proficient in light, medium, and heavy armor, as well as with shields (but not tower shields).
Daring (Ex): An exemplar gains a +2 bonus to will saves against fear effects.
Smite Foe (Ex): Once per day, an exemplar can attempt to smite a foe with a melee attack. Before making the attack roll, he declares that he is using this ability (so a miss ruins the attempt). He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to the attack and damage rolls.
At 5th level, and at every 5 levels thereafter, the exemplar can use this ability an additional time per day.
Willpower (Ex): Once per day, the exemplar can gain a bonus to any one skill check or saving throw equal to his wisdom bonus (if any). At every 5 levels after 1st he can use willpower an additional time per day
Endurance: At 2nd level, an exemplar’s persistence grants him Endurance as a bonus feat.
Force of Personality (Ex): A 2nd level or higher exemplar adds his charisma bonus (if any) to will saves.
Rallying Call (Ex): An exemplar of 4th level or higher can shout out a battle cry one per day as a free action, spurring others to follow him into action. All allies of his (including the exemplar himself) within 120 ft. gain a morale bonus to attack rolls and will saves against fear equal to the exemplar’s charisma bonus (if any), but no more than +1. At every 4 exemplar levels thereafter, the bonus limit increases by +1.
The bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the exemplar’s class level.
At every 5 levels after 4th, the exemplar can use this ability an additional time per day.
Influence (Ex): At 4th level, an exemplar gains Skill Focus in either Diplomacy or Intimidate as a bonus feat.
Resolve (Ex): An exemplar of 5th level or higher adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to all saving throws (this ability replaces force of personality, so add the bonus only once to will saves).
Diehard: At 7th level, an exemplar gains Diehard as a bonus feat.
Fearless (Ex): An 11th level exemplar is immune to fear effects.
Determination (Ex): At 13th level, an exemplar can apply his willpower ability to any attack, save, skill or ability check, or other d20 roll allowed by the DM.
Inspire Heroics (Ex): At 17th level, all affected allies (and the exemplar) add the rallying call bonus to attacks and weapon damage rolls. They also gain the Diehard feat (regardless of whether they meet the prerequisites) and immunity to fear effects).
Unshakable (Ex): An 18th level exemplar adds his wisdom bonus (if any) to ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).

New Exemplar-related feats:

Extra Rallying Call [General]
You can use your rallying call more often.
Prerequisite: Rallying call class feature
Benefit: You can use the rallying call ability two additional times per day.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. The effect stacks.

Extra Smiting [General]
You can smite your foes more often.
Prerequisite: Smite foe class feature
Benefit: You can use the smite ability two additional times per day.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. The effect stacks.

Extra Willpower [General]
You can use willpower more often.
Prerequisite: Willpower class feature
Benefit: You can use the willpower ability two additional times per day.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. The effect stacks.
 
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Given my contention that paladin is not a base class, that raises the question: What fills the same niche and is a base class? This is the answer. Basically it's the non-lawful-good, non-divine, non-magic, non-special-mount-gaining, non-code-of-honored version (what's left, you ask? read the class). This is the generic version of a charisma-based warrior and leader who could become a paladin some day (or a blackguard, etc.).
The level table looks full, but mostly it's just uses per day for various things with a few new powers sprinkled in to make the high levels worth it. Any thoughts?
 

If anything this class looks underpowered. Whats the BAB by the way, Good I would guess.

The only power that really sticks out is the wisdom to anything one. But as that does not add to damage I have a hard time seeing how this guy is going to do any decent offence.
 

:o Whoops. Forgot BAB and saves.

Offense? Smiting and rallying call I guess. It's about the same offensive power as a paladin, as far as I can tell. What would you suggest I do to supplant the damage capabilities?
 

I haven't had a chance to read your class yet, but just looking at what you said you want the class to be have you considered the Marshall class out of The Miniatures Handbook? The Marshall is

"Basically it's the non-lawful-good, non-divine, non-magic, non-special-mount-gaining, non-code-of-honored version"

It sounds like what you wanted.

I do have to add though that I have thought the Marshall class, while very much undiscovered, could use a SLIGHT power increase, which if you read the class I think could be gained by allowing one or two more active auras at a time. Let me know if you don't have access to The Miniatures Handbook, and I can/will break the class down for you...
 
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Offense? Smiting and rallying call I guess. It's about the same offensive power as a paladin, as far as I can tell. What would you suggest I do to supplant the damage capabilities?

Don't really know, but the paladins smites are generally better. They add level to damage, not cha bonus. They also have spells like divine favor and holy sword to increase damage output.

I just think that the player of this class will find that his fellow PC's are clearing the opposition while he stands around looking cool and willfull.

So maybe upping the smites to +level damage and perhaps allowing the rally ability to increase damage as well ?
 

Rally does up damage, just not until a high level. I might fool around with that.
I haven't had a chance to read your class yet, but just looking at what you said you want the class to be have you considered the Marshall class out of The Miniatures Handbook?
Yes, I've seen it. The Marshall is interesting, but utterly useless without an army backing him. The exemplar is a better PC because he can function alone (although perhaps his independence needs upgrading).
 


Hmm. The original version had that; I dropped them when I was powering down the class. The old "why less than barbarian" argument pops up though. Maybe I'll increase them.
 

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