Gez
First Post
I wanted to have a base class that would get a "natural" ranged touch attack, like you may find in computer games like WarCraft or Heroes of Might & Magic.
I wanted to have a divine spellcasting class that would have the same spellcasting progression as a bard.
I wanted to have a monk-like class I could use for various weird cultists, not only lawful ones.
So, I mixed all this together, and came up with the Zealot (players of HoM&M3 will recognize the name).
Zealot
Zealots are fanatical blessed warriors who scorn armor and weapons, relying purely on their faith and blessing.
Hit Dice: d8.
Skill Points: 2+Int level.
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge [Religion] (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).
Level
(Level 0 is for apprentice-level characters.)
Weapon and armor proficiencies: Zealots are proficient with bows and quarterstaves. They are not proficient with any other weapon, nor with armor or shield.
Oath: A zealot may use no weapon or armor, with two exceptions: He may use bows when an enemy is out of reach (for example, flying, or on the other side of a chasm); and he may use staves when the mere contact with the enemy is harmful (for example, a gelatinous cube, or a fighter in spiked armor). He may not use armor in any circumstance.
Zealots think their blessings make them invulnerable, and wearing armor or using weapons is a sin of faithlessness and cowardice.
In addition, a zealot must obey to the dogma and the doxa of his church, cult and sect; which varies according to their religion.
If a zealot breaks his oath, he lose all spells and supernatural abilities granted by his class, until he atones.
For committing the "sin of faithlessness and cowardice", a zealot need to spend one day in penance, or doing chores for his church, in order to regain his powers. For greater offenses, like violating the tenets of his religion, he needs an atonement spell.
Spells: Zealot may cast a small number of divine spells. They cast them as sorcerers, but the relevant ability modifier is Wisdom, like clerics. They choose their spells from the cleric spell list, but without access to the schools of divination, enchantment, necromancy, illusion or conjuration (except healing).
(In other words, they get access to abjuration, evocation, conjuration (healing), and transmutation cleric spells.)
Divine Shield (Su): Zealots are protected by a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma bonus (if any). Every four level, this deflection bonus improves by 1.
Zealot Unarmed Combat (Su): Zealots have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. They may deal either lethal or nonlethal damage with their unarmed strikes at no penalty. Small zealot have a base unarmed damage die of 1d3, Medium ones of 1d4, Large ones of 1d6, and so on.
Power Strike (Su): Zealots are able to channel positive energy to their limbs, granting them increased power to their kicks and punches. They add the listed amount as an enhancement bonus to damage dealt by unarmed strike. Their unarmed attacks are considered magical weapons for purpose of penetrating damage resistance.
Divine Grace (Su): Starting at second level, the divine blessing of a zealot grants him a bonus to all saving throws equal to his Charisma bonus (if any).
Lightning Trance (Su): Starting at fifth-level, a zealot gains the capacity to channel powerful divine energies while entering a berserk state. In a lightning trance, a zealot becomes able to hurl bolts of divine lightning as an attack action. The zealot may hurl one such bolt with each attack while performing a full attack action.
Hurling one bolt is a ranged touch attack (provoking attacks of opportunity) against one creature or object. It deals 1d8 points of damage, double against undead. Half is electricity damage while the rest is raw energy damage.
While in a lightning trance, the zealot is ran through with crackling electrical arcs and flares of light and energy, which hampers slightly his vision and hearing, yelding -1 to Spot and Listen checks (but the zealot don't risk missing his attacks because of this). On the other hand, they cancel all attempts to be hidden, invisible, or silent. Grappling a zealot in a lightning trance deals 1d4 electricity damage per round. The zealot himself gains electricity resistance 5 for the duration of the trance.
During the lightning trance, the zealot cannot use feats, skills or abilities that require patience or concentration, such as moving silently or casting spells. Likewise, feats that requires a minimal Intelligence or Wisdom score, like Expertise, cannot be used.
A lightning trance also prevent the precision required to perform sneak attacks.
It cannot be combined with barbarian rage or other similar frenzies.
A lightning trance lasts for a number of rounds equal to three plus the zealot's Constitution modifier. It may be ended prematurely voluntarily, but this requires a successful Will save (DC 15). At the end of the trance, the zealot is fatigued (-2 to Strength and Dexterity, cannot charge or run) for the rest of the encounter. A zealot can enter a lightning trance only once per encounter. Entering a lightning trance is a full-round action during which the zealot's sense are shorty overloaded by the energy, provoking an attack of opportunity; however it don't require concentration and can't be disrupted like a spellcasting.
Slashing Hands (Su): From seventh-level one, a zealot may use his unarmed attacks do deal slashing damage.
Divine Strike (Su): At eleventh-level, the zealot's unarmed strikes becomes sure-striking (ignoring all damage-reduction bypassed by a particularly aligned weapon).
At fourteenth-level, his unarmed strikes are considered alchemical silver and cold iron for purpose of bypassing damage reductions.
At seventeenth-level, his unarmed attacks gains the ghost-touch ability.
At twentieth-level, his unarmed attacks becomes considered adamantite for purposes of bypassing damage reduction and hardness.
Still Mind (Ex): A zealot of thirteenth-level or higher gains a +2 bonus on enchantment spells and effects, since his fanatism and training improve his resistance to mind-affecting attacks.
Unarmed Damage Increase (Ex): At sixteenth-level, the zealot's base unarmed damage increase one category. Small zealotsdeal 1d4 base damage, Medium-size ones deal 1d6 base damage, Large ones deal 1d8 base damage, and so on.
Mettle (Su): The zealot's divine blessing allows him to shrug off magical effects that would otherwise damage or harm her. If a zealot makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw against a spell, power, or other magical effects that has a saving throw entry of "Will half", "Will partial", "Fort half" or "Fort partial"; the effect is negated instead.
I wanted to have a divine spellcasting class that would have the same spellcasting progression as a bard.
I wanted to have a monk-like class I could use for various weird cultists, not only lawful ones.
So, I mixed all this together, and came up with the Zealot (players of HoM&M3 will recognize the name).
Zealot
Zealots are fanatical blessed warriors who scorn armor and weapons, relying purely on their faith and blessing.
Hit Dice: d8.
Skill Points: 2+Int level.
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge [Religion] (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).
Level
Code:
Spells per Day/Spells Known
Lvl BAB Fort Ref Will Special 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
(0) +0 +2 +0 +2 Oath, Divine Shield +0 2/3 --- --- --- --- --- ---
Zealot Unarmed Combat
_____________________ ________________________ ___________________________
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Power Strike +1 3/4 --- --- --- --- --- ---
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Divine Grace 3/5 0/2 --- --- --- --- ---
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Power Strike +2 3/6 1/3 --- --- --- --- ---
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Divine Shield +1 3/6 2/3 0/2 --- --- --- ---
_____________________ ________________________ ___________________________
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Lightning Trance 1/day 3/6 3/4 1/3 --- --- --- ---
6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Power Strike +3 3/6 3/4 2/3 --- --- --- ---
7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Slashing Hands 3/6 3/4 3/4 0/2 --- --- ---
8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Divine Shield +2 3/6 3/4 3/4 1/3 --- --- ---
_____________________ ________________________ ___________________________
9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Power Strike +4 3/6 3/4 3/4 2/3 --- --- ---
10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Lightning Trance 2/day 3/6 3/4 3/4 2/4 0/2 --- ---
11 +8 +7 +3 +7 Divine Strike (Sure) 3/6 3/4 3/4 3/4 1/3 --- ---
12 +9 +8 +4 +8 Divine Shield +3, 3/6 3/4 3/4 3/4 2/3 --- ---
Power Strike +5
_____________________ ________________________ ___________________________
13 +9 +8 +4 +8 Still Mind 3/6 3/4 3/4 3/4 2/4 0/2 ---
14 +10 +9 +4 +9 Divine Strike (Ag/Fe) 4/6 3/4 3/4 3/4 3/4 1/3 ---
15 +11 +9 +5 +9 Lightning Trance 3/day, 4/6 4/4 3/4 3/4 3/4 2/3 ---
Power Strike +6
16 +12 +10 +5 +10 Unarmed Damage Increase 4/6 4/5 4/4 3/4 3/4 2/4 0/2
_____________________ ________________________ ___________________________
17 +12 +10 +5 +10 Divine Strike (Ghost) 4/6 4/5 4/5 4/4 3/4 3/4 1/3
18 +13 +11 +6 +11 Power Strike +7 4/6 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/4 3/4 2/3
19 +14 +11 +6 +11 Mettle 4/6 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/4 3/4
20 +15 +12 +6 +12 Divine Strike (Adam.), 4/6 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/5 4/4
Divine Shield +5,
Lightning Trance 5/day
_____________________ ________________________ ___________________________(Level 0 is for apprentice-level characters.)
Weapon and armor proficiencies: Zealots are proficient with bows and quarterstaves. They are not proficient with any other weapon, nor with armor or shield.
Oath: A zealot may use no weapon or armor, with two exceptions: He may use bows when an enemy is out of reach (for example, flying, or on the other side of a chasm); and he may use staves when the mere contact with the enemy is harmful (for example, a gelatinous cube, or a fighter in spiked armor). He may not use armor in any circumstance.
Zealots think their blessings make them invulnerable, and wearing armor or using weapons is a sin of faithlessness and cowardice.
In addition, a zealot must obey to the dogma and the doxa of his church, cult and sect; which varies according to their religion.
If a zealot breaks his oath, he lose all spells and supernatural abilities granted by his class, until he atones.
For committing the "sin of faithlessness and cowardice", a zealot need to spend one day in penance, or doing chores for his church, in order to regain his powers. For greater offenses, like violating the tenets of his religion, he needs an atonement spell.
Spells: Zealot may cast a small number of divine spells. They cast them as sorcerers, but the relevant ability modifier is Wisdom, like clerics. They choose their spells from the cleric spell list, but without access to the schools of divination, enchantment, necromancy, illusion or conjuration (except healing).
(In other words, they get access to abjuration, evocation, conjuration (healing), and transmutation cleric spells.)
Divine Shield (Su): Zealots are protected by a deflection bonus to AC equal to their Charisma bonus (if any). Every four level, this deflection bonus improves by 1.
Zealot Unarmed Combat (Su): Zealots have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. They may deal either lethal or nonlethal damage with their unarmed strikes at no penalty. Small zealot have a base unarmed damage die of 1d3, Medium ones of 1d4, Large ones of 1d6, and so on.
Power Strike (Su): Zealots are able to channel positive energy to their limbs, granting them increased power to their kicks and punches. They add the listed amount as an enhancement bonus to damage dealt by unarmed strike. Their unarmed attacks are considered magical weapons for purpose of penetrating damage resistance.
Divine Grace (Su): Starting at second level, the divine blessing of a zealot grants him a bonus to all saving throws equal to his Charisma bonus (if any).
Lightning Trance (Su): Starting at fifth-level, a zealot gains the capacity to channel powerful divine energies while entering a berserk state. In a lightning trance, a zealot becomes able to hurl bolts of divine lightning as an attack action. The zealot may hurl one such bolt with each attack while performing a full attack action.
Hurling one bolt is a ranged touch attack (provoking attacks of opportunity) against one creature or object. It deals 1d8 points of damage, double against undead. Half is electricity damage while the rest is raw energy damage.
While in a lightning trance, the zealot is ran through with crackling electrical arcs and flares of light and energy, which hampers slightly his vision and hearing, yelding -1 to Spot and Listen checks (but the zealot don't risk missing his attacks because of this). On the other hand, they cancel all attempts to be hidden, invisible, or silent. Grappling a zealot in a lightning trance deals 1d4 electricity damage per round. The zealot himself gains electricity resistance 5 for the duration of the trance.
During the lightning trance, the zealot cannot use feats, skills or abilities that require patience or concentration, such as moving silently or casting spells. Likewise, feats that requires a minimal Intelligence or Wisdom score, like Expertise, cannot be used.
A lightning trance also prevent the precision required to perform sneak attacks.
It cannot be combined with barbarian rage or other similar frenzies.
A lightning trance lasts for a number of rounds equal to three plus the zealot's Constitution modifier. It may be ended prematurely voluntarily, but this requires a successful Will save (DC 15). At the end of the trance, the zealot is fatigued (-2 to Strength and Dexterity, cannot charge or run) for the rest of the encounter. A zealot can enter a lightning trance only once per encounter. Entering a lightning trance is a full-round action during which the zealot's sense are shorty overloaded by the energy, provoking an attack of opportunity; however it don't require concentration and can't be disrupted like a spellcasting.
Slashing Hands (Su): From seventh-level one, a zealot may use his unarmed attacks do deal slashing damage.
Divine Strike (Su): At eleventh-level, the zealot's unarmed strikes becomes sure-striking (ignoring all damage-reduction bypassed by a particularly aligned weapon).
At fourteenth-level, his unarmed strikes are considered alchemical silver and cold iron for purpose of bypassing damage reductions.
At seventeenth-level, his unarmed attacks gains the ghost-touch ability.
At twentieth-level, his unarmed attacks becomes considered adamantite for purposes of bypassing damage reduction and hardness.
Still Mind (Ex): A zealot of thirteenth-level or higher gains a +2 bonus on enchantment spells and effects, since his fanatism and training improve his resistance to mind-affecting attacks.
Unarmed Damage Increase (Ex): At sixteenth-level, the zealot's base unarmed damage increase one category. Small zealotsdeal 1d4 base damage, Medium-size ones deal 1d6 base damage, Large ones deal 1d8 base damage, and so on.
Mettle (Su): The zealot's divine blessing allows him to shrug off magical effects that would otherwise damage or harm her. If a zealot makes a successful Will or Fortitude saving throw against a spell, power, or other magical effects that has a saving throw entry of "Will half", "Will partial", "Fort half" or "Fort partial"; the effect is negated instead.
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