The Innate
Role: The Innate is a special prestige class, and it can only be chosen by arcane spontaneous spellcasters, characters who have bard or sorceror levels. The innate takes a different path, discovering more about their history and who they are and their spell-casting ends up reflecting this. This prestige class is very focused on spellcasting so much so it comes at the expense of other abilities.
Background: The innate is not an organization of individuals nor is it a loosely knit cabal of arcanists. Instead it is a path some people find themselves walking, usually in search of the past.
Hit Die: d4
Requirements
Base Will Saving Throw: +5
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 2nd-level arcane spells spontaneously.
Feats: Skill Focus (Knowledge - History)
Class Skills
Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (All, each taken individually) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2+Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The innate gain no proficiency in any weapon or armor.
The Path: The innate has chosen to go down a path, a certain way of delving deeper into themselves. As long as they walk the path they may not use any of the following magic items: scrolls, wands, rods, staves, and weapon or armor enhancements which require activation (ie- Flaming). The innate depend on themselves, while they may use magic items (like a Ring of Protection) they refuse to depend on them. If an innate activates a magic item or one of the items listed above the effect works, but afterwords they lose all spellcasting for 24 hours and suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma and the loss of any innate class abilities for 1 week.
Spells Per Day: An innate coninues training in magic. Thus, when a new innate level is gained, the character gains new spell slots as if they had also gained a level in a spellcasting class they belonged to before they added the prestige class. They do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (familiar advancement, bardic abilities, bardic lore, etc). If a character had more than one spellcasting class before they became an innate, they must decide to which class they add each level of innate for purposes of determining spells per day when they add the new level. Bards may cast spells they gained as an innate in light armor as if they were bard levels.
Iron Will: An innate gains this as a bonus feat. If the innate already has this feat, or gains it in the future they gain Supreme Will instead.
Supreme Will (Su): This ability grants a +4 bonus to Will saving throws. This ability overlaps (does not stack with) the bonus from Iron Will. A roll of a '1' is never considered an automatic failure for an innate with Supreme Will.
Mettle (Su): If exposed to any effect that normally allows the innate to attempt a Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, instead the innate suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells or effects with a Saving Throw entry of "Will Partial" or "Fortitude Half", or similar entries can be negated through this ability.
Spell Power: This ability increases the innate's effective caster level (for purposes of determining variables such as damage dice or range, and caster level checks only) by 1 at 3rd level, and rises to 2 at 5th level.
L BAB F/ R/ W/ ///Special/// Spells Per Day
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 --Iron Will-- +1 level of existing class
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 ------------ +2 level of existing class
3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Spell Power +1 level of existing class
4 +2 +1 +1 +4 --Mettle--- +1 level of existing class
5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Spell Power +1 levels of existing class
[Behind the Scenes]
Why this prestige class? Well, I am intrigued by the spontaneous spellcasters in 3e. I think its an interesting mechanic, and find myself looking at far too many wizard only prcs. Even if they aren't wizard only, many arcane prcs are tailored for the wizard, with a mere afterthought for the sorceror, and the bard is hardly ever even considered! So I thought to make one specifically for sorcerors and bards.
And I wanted one that concentrated on their magic! Not a class with half-progression, or limited progression, or bonus spells. No, indeed this prc is designed to help one of the handicaps a sorceror or bard suffers with regards to spellcasting - being a little behind.
The "cost" for this is essentially only 1 feat, skill focus, but there is more going on behind the scenes than that. This class encourages multiclass combinations because the Base Will requirement is higher than the spellcasting requirement. Basically, a 4th level Bard or Sorceror can fulfill the spellcasting, but not the will requirement. It will take a 6th level straight Bard or straight Sorc to qualify (even if the 6th level was another prc), but with multiclassing you can qualify at 5th level (by taking a level of monk, cleric, druid, wizard, bard, or sorceror). Then at second level, your level of spellcasting that was missed is negated.
On the other hand, a straight sor or straight bard of level 6 "catches up" a little to the clerics and druids. Sorcerors now progress as wizards, and bards are slightly more ahead of the game than usual. The cost for a bard is much higher than the cost for a sorceror; the bard is giving up skills, saves, and bardic abilities to concentrate on his spellcasting. The sorceror merely pays the "cost" of Skill Focus (Knowledge - History) and loses out on familiar progression, no big deal right?
Wrong. This prc specifically bars the use of many magic items. This is part of the reason it is jam-packed with powerful abilities at every level. The abilities are concentrated on Will saving throw - Iron Will, Supreme Will, and Mettle, along with spellcasting in general. I wanted to add an ability to make scrying more difficult, but the improvement of Will saving throws in general accomplishes that.
The biggest key to why I think this prc works is The Path. Those are hefty restrictions, and the punishment is not very light either. Once again the bard may be losing out more, as he loses access to Use Magic Device almost entirely.
Anyway, please give a little feedback if you've made it this far. I'm open for all and any criticism, positive/negative/indifferent, whatever
Edited: Clarified Magic Item restrictions. Changed HD to d4.
Technik
Role: The Innate is a special prestige class, and it can only be chosen by arcane spontaneous spellcasters, characters who have bard or sorceror levels. The innate takes a different path, discovering more about their history and who they are and their spell-casting ends up reflecting this. This prestige class is very focused on spellcasting so much so it comes at the expense of other abilities.
Background: The innate is not an organization of individuals nor is it a loosely knit cabal of arcanists. Instead it is a path some people find themselves walking, usually in search of the past.
Hit Die: d4
Requirements
Base Will Saving Throw: +5
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 2nd-level arcane spells spontaneously.
Feats: Skill Focus (Knowledge - History)
Class Skills
Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (All, each taken individually) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2+Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The innate gain no proficiency in any weapon or armor.
The Path: The innate has chosen to go down a path, a certain way of delving deeper into themselves. As long as they walk the path they may not use any of the following magic items: scrolls, wands, rods, staves, and weapon or armor enhancements which require activation (ie- Flaming). The innate depend on themselves, while they may use magic items (like a Ring of Protection) they refuse to depend on them. If an innate activates a magic item or one of the items listed above the effect works, but afterwords they lose all spellcasting for 24 hours and suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma and the loss of any innate class abilities for 1 week.
Spells Per Day: An innate coninues training in magic. Thus, when a new innate level is gained, the character gains new spell slots as if they had also gained a level in a spellcasting class they belonged to before they added the prestige class. They do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (familiar advancement, bardic abilities, bardic lore, etc). If a character had more than one spellcasting class before they became an innate, they must decide to which class they add each level of innate for purposes of determining spells per day when they add the new level. Bards may cast spells they gained as an innate in light armor as if they were bard levels.
Iron Will: An innate gains this as a bonus feat. If the innate already has this feat, or gains it in the future they gain Supreme Will instead.
Supreme Will (Su): This ability grants a +4 bonus to Will saving throws. This ability overlaps (does not stack with) the bonus from Iron Will. A roll of a '1' is never considered an automatic failure for an innate with Supreme Will.
Mettle (Su): If exposed to any effect that normally allows the innate to attempt a Will or Fortitude saving throw that would normally reduce the spell's effect, instead the innate suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells or effects with a Saving Throw entry of "Will Partial" or "Fortitude Half", or similar entries can be negated through this ability.
Spell Power: This ability increases the innate's effective caster level (for purposes of determining variables such as damage dice or range, and caster level checks only) by 1 at 3rd level, and rises to 2 at 5th level.
L BAB F/ R/ W/ ///Special/// Spells Per Day
1 +0 +0 +0 +2 --Iron Will-- +1 level of existing class
2 +1 +0 +0 +3 ------------ +2 level of existing class
3 +1 +1 +1 +3 Spell Power +1 level of existing class
4 +2 +1 +1 +4 --Mettle--- +1 level of existing class
5 +2 +1 +1 +4 Spell Power +1 levels of existing class
[Behind the Scenes]
Why this prestige class? Well, I am intrigued by the spontaneous spellcasters in 3e. I think its an interesting mechanic, and find myself looking at far too many wizard only prcs. Even if they aren't wizard only, many arcane prcs are tailored for the wizard, with a mere afterthought for the sorceror, and the bard is hardly ever even considered! So I thought to make one specifically for sorcerors and bards.
And I wanted one that concentrated on their magic! Not a class with half-progression, or limited progression, or bonus spells. No, indeed this prc is designed to help one of the handicaps a sorceror or bard suffers with regards to spellcasting - being a little behind.
The "cost" for this is essentially only 1 feat, skill focus, but there is more going on behind the scenes than that. This class encourages multiclass combinations because the Base Will requirement is higher than the spellcasting requirement. Basically, a 4th level Bard or Sorceror can fulfill the spellcasting, but not the will requirement. It will take a 6th level straight Bard or straight Sorc to qualify (even if the 6th level was another prc), but with multiclassing you can qualify at 5th level (by taking a level of monk, cleric, druid, wizard, bard, or sorceror). Then at second level, your level of spellcasting that was missed is negated.
On the other hand, a straight sor or straight bard of level 6 "catches up" a little to the clerics and druids. Sorcerors now progress as wizards, and bards are slightly more ahead of the game than usual. The cost for a bard is much higher than the cost for a sorceror; the bard is giving up skills, saves, and bardic abilities to concentrate on his spellcasting. The sorceror merely pays the "cost" of Skill Focus (Knowledge - History) and loses out on familiar progression, no big deal right?
Wrong. This prc specifically bars the use of many magic items. This is part of the reason it is jam-packed with powerful abilities at every level. The abilities are concentrated on Will saving throw - Iron Will, Supreme Will, and Mettle, along with spellcasting in general. I wanted to add an ability to make scrying more difficult, but the improvement of Will saving throws in general accomplishes that.
The biggest key to why I think this prc works is The Path. Those are hefty restrictions, and the punishment is not very light either. Once again the bard may be losing out more, as he loses access to Use Magic Device almost entirely.
Anyway, please give a little feedback if you've made it this far. I'm open for all and any criticism, positive/negative/indifferent, whatever
Edited: Clarified Magic Item restrictions. Changed HD to d4.
Technik
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