Zealot PRC Please Critique

[sinmissing]

This is for my campaign where clerics are rare.

ZEALOT
Zealots are monks who, through self-discipline, reflection, and meditation have uncovered a universal truth that they revere as divine. Some choose to abandon their former lives completely in order to meditate on this universal truth, continuing their career as clerics (they are still generally referred to as Zealots). Others attempt to maintain part of their former routines. Clerics, Monks and Zealots are often at odds with each other, both believing that their chosen path is misguided. Zealots may not multiclass with Cleric, and Cleric may not multiclass with Zealot. Besides the aforementioned restriction, both Zealots and Clerics may multiclass freely.

Zealot
A Zealot continues to improve the following monk abilities:
Class Skills and Skill Points, Base Attack Bonus, Saving Throws, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Damage, AC Bonus. He gains no further armor or weapon proficiencies. Additionally, the Zealot’s unarmed attacks improve, for the purpose of striking creatures affected only by magical means, at the same rate as a monk.

Table: Zealot Spells Per Day
	———————— Spells Known —–———————
Level	0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	5	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	5	3	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
4th	6	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5th	6	4	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
6th	7	4	2	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
7th	7	5	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
8th	8	5	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
9th	8	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
10th	9	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—	—
11th	9	5	5	4	3	2	—	—	—	—
12th	9	5	5	4	3	2	1	—	—	—
13th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	—	—	—
14th	9	5	5	4	4	3	2	1	—	—
15th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	—	—
16th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	2	1	—
17th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	—
18th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	2	1
19th	9	5	5	4	4	4	3	3	3	2

Spells: A Zealot casts divine spells which are drawn only from the domains he has discovered. At First Level, a Zealot knows two domains. As a Zealot gains levels, their meditation allows them to unlock greater mysteries. He gains an additional domain and its domain power at levels 5, 9, and 13.

To learn or cast a spell, a Zealot must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Zealot’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the Zealot’s Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a Zealot can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Zealot Spells per Day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score.

A Zealot’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A Zealot begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of two domains of your choice. At each new Zealot level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Zealot Spells Per Day.

Unlike a wizard or a cleric, a Zealot need not prepare his spells in advance. He can cast any spell he knows at any time, assuming he has not yet used up his spells per day for that spell level. He does not have to decide ahead of time which spells he’ll cast.

A Zealot can not spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells, unless it is a spell known to them. Only a Zealot who has the Sun Domain may turn undead, in addition to performing a Greater Turning. Only a Zealot who has the Death Domain may rebuke undead. These domains are not exclusive to each other, but Zealots who discover both the Sun and Death Domains are rare. Monks who discover the War Domain may use Flurry of Blows with the new selected martial weapon proficiency.

 

[Mithreander]

Is this a class unto itself, or a Prestige Class? You did not mark how many spells he can cast?

 

[sinmissing]

Oops. I mis-formatted the table. The table is the # of spells that a zealot can cast per day. And the spells known are only from those domains that the zealot has learned. The zealot learns 2 domains at first level, and another domain at 5, 9, 13.

The only prerequisite for the PrC is 1 Level of Monk. I know that this does not conform with the prerequisites of other PrC (because it specifically mentions a required character class), but the prerequisites are part of the campaign background.

 

[Velmont]

I think it is too strong, you don't lose enough for to become a full caster, and wisdom is a high score for Monk, so is not in conflict with the monk. In other word, too good for not enough things lost. You should tell yourself that a monk/cleric should be a bit weaker than a zealot, here you have over half the capabilty of a monk and you can cast 9th level spell...

You should build something on 10 level with spell capabilty of casting spells up to level 4. If you want better than that, you should simply take cleric 15/ monk 5 or something like that.

I don't tell the idea is bad, but you will overpower any single class with that, and you should not.

 

[sinmissing]

I think it is too strong, you don't lose enough for to become a full caster, and wisdom is a high score for Monk, so is not in conflict with the monk. In other word, too good for not enough things lost. You should tell yourself that a monk/cleric should be a bit weaker than a zealot, here you have over half the capabilty of a monk and you can cast 9th level spell...

I did give the zealot several combat related abilities that monks have, but most don't work while wearing armor, and the zealot gets no additional weapon proficiencies. Question: does UA work while a monk wears armor? Kinda, see the SRD

When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.

So basically, the character can be a martial artist spell caster. Her UA doesn't outshine fighter types, and her spell casting doesn't outshine any other straight spellcaster. While her UA is equal to the monk's in terms of damage, she can't do any of those cool quivering palm attacks, nor does she have super movement or immunities.

The zealot knows, at most, 5 spells per level. Even though they can cast 9th level spells, they only know and can cast two per day, and these two are limited to any two domain spells.

so not only do they get less spells per day than a cleric, but they know less spells per day than a sorcerer.

In other word, too good for not enough things lost.

I'm not sure what you are suggesting here. I'm trying to design a class that makes an equal exchange between a monk's special abilities, and divine spellcasting. I don't like classes or PrC whose fundamental concept is that you have to be weaker than a core class to do something cool or different. (ie. bards and rangers, who were kind of weak in 3.0 because they were different). But I don't think you are really suggesting that, are you?

And just a little background for campaign sakes, the game I'm running doesn't have any gods, so I need an alternate method to explain the existence of divine spellcasters.

 

[Magic Slim]

Hehe I also created a Zealot "base class". It's more of a variant of the paladin than a monk/cleric.

I like the way you handled Spell Acquisition. Is this class located in a world where there are a lot of domains?

Slim

 

[Velmont]

Ok, I try to be a bit more clear in my tought. Let's compare the zealot to the cleric:

Cleic have:

-d8
-2 skill/level
-medium BAB
-Strong Fort & Will
-Weak Refl
-Spelcasting abilities
-Domain power/spells
-Spontaneous Casting: Cures
-Turn Undead
-Simple weapon
-Heavy Armor & Shield

Now, the zealot:
-d8
-4 skill/level (a + for the zealot)
-medium BAB
-Strong Fort & Will
-Strong Refl (a + for the zealot)
-Spellcasting abilities
-Domain power/spells
-Monk Weapon (could be compare to simple)
-AC Bonus (add wisdom and have +1AC/5 level, comparable to medium)
-Flurry of Blow
-Extra Unarmed damage

So, what do you lose compare to a cleric:
- Turn Undead (not a very powerfull power as pretty restricted)
- Heavy Armor & Shield (You are better than a two weapon-fithing style cleric, so shield is no big deal, and the heavy armor is not really too with your bonus to AC and add wisdom)

What do you gain:
- more skills
- better reflexe
- better unarmed damage
- Flurry of Blow
- Extra Unarmed damage
- AC Bonus from Wisdom and level (And wisdom is high for a cleric)

Different:
- Spontaneous caster, you have a limited choice of spells but you are not restricted to choose in the morning, so you have more flexibility on the moment.

So, now why should I choose to do a Monk/Cleric when I can be an almost true cleric with half the mok abilities. A prestige class should be on 10 level maximum, so you don't have something like that, where you have access to lvl 9 spells. If you look, almost only true spelcaster have access to that level of spell, it is the candy you have when you have chosen to stay pure in your path. I would see more fitting something like this:


Requirement:
Skills: Knowlege (Religion): 8
Feat: Stunning Fist
Abilities: Still Mind, Improved Unarmed Damage
Spellcasting: Able to cast 2nd level divine spells

Alignment: Any lawful.
Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The zealot’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

level BAB  F/R/W  Un.Dam.(Med/Sm) Special                                    Spells:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1       0    2/2/2    1d8/1d6       Slow Fall 20'                             +1 Caster level
2       1    3/3/3    1d8/1d6       Imporved Stunning Fist               +1 Caster level
3       2    3/3/3    1d8/1d6                                                    +1 Caster level
4       3    4/4/4    1d8/1d6       Slow Fall 30'                             +1 Caster level
5       3    4/4/4    1d10/1d8     Ki Strike(Lawful)
6       4    5/5/5    1d10/1d8                                                  +1 Caster level
7       5    5/5/5    1d10/1d8     Slow Fall 40'                             +1 Caster level
8       6    6/6/6    1d10/1d8                                                   +1 Caster level
9       6    6/6/6    1d10/1d8                                                   +1 Caster level
10     7    7/7/7     2d6/1d10     Slow Fall 50', Improved Evasion

Unarmed Damage: As monk, but follow the table here. If another class give him a better unarmed damage, he take the btter of the two. Only small and medium is written here, but other size are modified as specified in 3.5 rules.

Slow Fall (Ex): At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow her descent. When first using this ability, she takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The monk’s ability to slow her fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with her monk level until at 20th level she can use a nearby wall to slow her descent and fall any distance without harm.

Imporved Stunning Fist: The number of stunning fist is modified by half the zealot power, and not 1/4 as other classes.

Ki Strike (Su): At 4th level, a monk’s unarmed attacks are empowered with ki. Her unarmed attacks are treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a monk’s evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.


That's a fast made prestige class, but I would see it better than your zealot. You lose from both class and both class will be better than you in there sphere of power, but still, you'll be better than a Monk10/Cleric10. Ok, you don't have the AC bonus from level, but many spells are there for boosting your AC, same as wholeness of body, prity of the souls and such are heavily compensate by spells, still you won't run as fast as a monk, won't do as much damage and won't have high power monk abilities (like Ki Strike(Adamantium), Quivering Palm and Perfect Body). You won't turn undead as a cleric and the level 9 spells will still be a cleric restricted power, still you can easily hope to be able to cast level 6 spells or even 7 and 8 if you take more cleric than monk level after you have completed the progression of the zealot.

And still you can be interested to take more level of monk with that, as you havn't take all from monk, and you are still ineterested of taking cleric, as it will raise your spellcasting abilities. If you want to make taking the monk level more interesting, you can stake the slow fall abilities with the monk slow fall (but 1st level zealot should add +10' only in that case), but the unarmed damage should not be stake with the monk. The 2d10 should be a monk only abilities, and you will be able to raise you damage with your spells anyway.

 

[Magic Slim]

Just one thing Velmont,

Your requirements for the class specify "1d6 or better unarmed damage", which stops small characters from taking this class.

Slim

 

[Velmont]

Just one thing Velmont,

Your requirements for the class specify "1d6 or better unarmed damage", which stops small characters from taking this class.

Slim

Oops, it doesn't stop them (as I've included better), but it's true it's slow them down... so I will edit that requirement.

 

[Gez]

It reminds me of Heroes of Might & Magic III, where you can upgrade your monks into zealots...