Post/Author/DateTime	Post
1CentSage 05-26-06, 08:34 PM	When browsing through the core class compendium on these boards I noticed that one concept for spontaneous spellcasters which I have been using for a long time in my own campaigns is seldom (never?) used: that of a spontaneous caster who is not so much limited by his spells known but rather by his spells per day. So for your convinience (or irritation) I post here a spontaneous caster variant based on this concept. This is not meant as a variant cleric or cleric replacement. It can exist readily side by side with the cleric. In my own campaign I just decided to apply the concept to a divine caster, because I always wanted to have a less combat orientated class than the cleric as the "generic" divine spellcaster. I viewed the core cleric always as a war priest, crusader, church protector, etc., which is the role he fills now in my campaign. I post two variants: The first, named Celerian Priest is the one I currently use. It may be a bit to "powerfull" (whatever that may mean to everyone of you) and can provide some opportunities for abuse in some campaigns, so I posted also a variant named Generic Priest, which is a bit dull, but illustrates the basic concept as well and should cause no troubles in a wide range of games. For the format, I tried (a bit at least) to stick to the format posted by thasis http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=631031 (thanks a lot), but I skipped most of the flavor text and reduced the presentation of the game information a bit (especially for the Generic Priest). I apologize in advance to all who have already posted similar ideas in the past and who are not given proper credit for their work as well as for the slightly sloppy presentation and any typos. Looking forward to your comments, here we go ... CELRIAN PRIEST The Celerian Priest is a variant divine spontaneous caster class that complements the cleric class. While the cleric is a powerfull combatant, the celerian priest focusses on the study of divine mysteries and the spreading of their deity's faith by preaching, teaching and providing guidance to the faithfull. As his studies progress his deeper understanding of the nature of his faith free him of many restrictions imposed on other divine spellcasters and allow him to shape raw divine energy itself in many ways. MAKING A CELERIAN PRIEST Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for a priest since it determines all aspects of his spellcasting. Moreover the priest depends on his bonus spells more than any other spellcasting class. Charisma is very important to a priest because it is the key ability for many of his divine mysteries. Constitution and Dexterity are important to a priest since he lacks the hitpoints and armor proficiencies of other classes. Races: as cleric Alignment: any alignment allowed by chosen deity Starting Gold: 6d4x10 Starting Age: as cleric Class Skills The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are.... Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana)(Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (History)(Int), Knowledge (The Planes)(Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) Skills Per Day at 1st Level : (4 + int)x4 Skills Per Day at Each Additional Level : 4 + int Hit Dice: d4 BAB: poor (as wizard) Good Saves: Will Spells per day/Class features 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 d* divine energy, divine mystery 2 2 0+d 3 3 1+d d* divine metamagic 4 3 1+d 0+d 5 3 2+d 1+d d* holy aura 1/day 6 3 2+d 1+d 0+d 7 3 2+d 2+d 1+d d* extra energy 8 3 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 9 3 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* 10 3 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d divine mystery, holy aura 2/day 11 3 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* 12 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 13 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* divine insight 14 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 15 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* greater holy aura, holy aura 3/day 16 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 17 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* divine mystery 18 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 19 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d 20 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d divine perfection d: domain spell *: the priest does not gain bonus spells for these spell-levels at the given class level Weapon Proficiencies: all simple weapons, deity's favored weapon, light armor and shields (except tower shields) Spells: A priest spontaneously (like a sorcerer) casts divine spells which are drawn from the cleric spell list. The same alignment restrictions as for the cleric apply. To cast a spell a priest must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10+the spell level. The DC for a saving throw against a priest's spell is 10+the spell level+the priest's Wisdom modifier. The priest receives bonus spells to his spells per day from a high Wisdom score according to Table 1-1 of the PHB. The same rules for using metamagic feats on spontaneous spells as for the sorcerer apply. Unlike a sorcerer the priest may know any number of spells. At every level the priest receives a number of new spells equal to his Wisdom modifier plus all domain spells of his chosen domains (see below). He can further research new spells (same rules as for wizards) or learn new spells from scrolls written by another divine spellcaster of his faith. The rules for learning a new spell from a scroll are the same as for the wizard, with the following exceptions: The priest makes a knowledge (religion) check to decipher the scroll and by learning the spell the scroll is destroyed. At level 1 the priest chooses two domains from his deity's list of domains. A priest must spend one hour every in quiet contemplation in order to receive his daily allotment of spells. divine energy: You gain an number of divine energy (DE) uses per day equal to 3+Cha modifier, that you can use to power the abilities granted by the divine mysteries you posses (see below). You can gain extra uses of your divine energy through the extra energy feat, which functions exactly like the extra turning feat in the PHB (p.94) divine mystery: At level 1 chose a divine mystery from the list below which is provided by your deity. You gain an additional mystery at level 10 and 17. At these levles you can choose either a divine mystery from the list below or gain an extra domain chosen from the list of domains associated with your deity. A Celerian Priest that takes levels in an other (prestige) class that provides the turn undead ability adds the levels in this class to his Celerian Priest levels for determining the class level for his divine mystery abilities and adds the turn undead divine mystery to the divine mysteries he knows if he does not already posses it. Divine Mysteries: Crusader: You can spend DE to improve the combat abilities of yourself or your allies. For every 2DE spent you can add a +1 divine bonus to your attack rolls for one round per 2DE spent. For every 2DE spent you can add a +1 divine bonus to your damage rolls for one round per 2DE spent. You can give yourself DR DE/- for one round per class level. You can gain 1d8 temporary hitpoints for every DE spent that last up to one minute per class level. Each of the above uses requires an extra activation of your divine mystery. You can spent a maximum number of DE equal to your class level on each use of the Crusader mystery. Multiple uses of the same ability overlap. Starting from level 10 you can use this mystery also on a willing creature other than yourself whose alignment or patron deity matches yours. Divine Fire: As a standard action you can produce a ray of divine fire with close range that deals 1d8/DE spent (maximum your class level ) divine damage to a single target on a successfull ranged touch attack. At level 10 the range increases to medium and at level 18 to long. This is a supernatural ability. Mystic Shield: As a standard action you can spend a number of DE up to your class level to gain a divine bonus to your armor class equal to +1/2DE for one round per class level. Alternatively you can spend a number of DE to get a divine bonus to your saving throws of +1/2DE spent up to a maximum equal to your Charisma modifier for one round per class level. Starting from level 10 you can use this ability also to increaese one the saving throw of a willing creature other than yourself in the same fashion. This is a supernatural ability. Purify: You can spend your DE to create healing effects. By spending 2DE/spell level (0-level spells count as 1/2) you can create as a spell-like ability the effect of any spell with the healing subschool, which has a spell level that is at least one level below the maximum spell level you can cast as a priest. If the emulated spell has a XP component or material component worth more than 5gp you have to provide it in order to use this ability.Starting from level 10 you add your Charisma bonus to all healing effects that heal hitpoint damage when using the Purify mystery. Turn Fiends: This divine mystery functions exactly as the cleric's turn undead ability, except that it applies to evil outsiders instead of undead. Fiends that would be destroyed by the turning attempt are banished back to their homeplane instead, unable to return by themselves for one year/Hit Die. Evil clerics rebuke/command fiends instead of turning. This is a supernatural ability. Starting from level 10, you can spent DE as a standard action to reduce the spell resistance of an evil outsider by 1 per DE spent for one round per every two class levels. The outsider receives a will save equal to 10+1/2 your class level+your Wisdom modifier to negate the effect. Turn Undead: This divine mystery functions exactly as the cleric's turn undead ability. Evil clerics rebuke/command undead instead of turning.This is a supernatural ability. Starting from level 10 whenever an undead creature deals, ability damage, ability drain or energy drain damage to you can reduce the effect (this requires no action). For every 2DE spent you reduce ability damage or ability drain by one point. For every 5DE you can avoid one level of energy drain. Zealot: You can spend a number of DE up to your Cha modifier to gain a divine bonus equal to the number of DE spent on all charisma based checks and charisma based skill checks that lasts one minute per class level. Starting from level 10 you can also spend DE to increase the DC of any of your spells with the compulsion or charm descriptor by +1/2DE up to a maximum increase equal to your class level divided by three (rounded down). This use of DE is part of the spellcasting and requires no action. This is a supernatural ability. divine metamagic: By spending one DE per metamagic feat as part of the spellcasting you can apply metamagic feats to the spell normally without the fullround action restriction. Also, by spending one DE as part of the casting, a Celerian Priest can ignore the DF component of a spell. A use of divine metamagic is part of the spellcasting and requires no action. holy aura: once per day you can sourround you by a protective aura that functions as a combined sanctuary and protection from evil/good spell cast by a cleric of your class level, except that the DC for the sanctuary effect is 10+1/2 your class level+Cha modifier and the duration of the combined effect is equal to 1round/level. If you break the sanctuary effect, the protection from evil effect stays in effect until the duration ends. By spending DE you can increase the duration by 1round/DE at any time before the duration ends as a free action. You gain an additional use of this ability at level 10 and 15. This is a supernatural ability. extra energy: You gain extra energy (=extra turning) as a bonus feat. greater holy aura: At level 15 the power of your holy aura increases. In addition to the sanctuary effect you benefit from now a circle protection from evil/good and a 20 ft. radius hallow effect (no spell attached) that moves with you. Dead creatures can not rise as undead as long as they are within the hallow effect. The duration of the combined effect is the same as for holy aura. By spending an additional 2DE/ally when activating a greater holy aura you can extend the sanctuary effect to your allies. For your allies the effect ends if they move more than 20 ft. away from you. If any of the affected creatures breaks the sanctuary effect, the sanctuary effect ends for all affected creatures, the other effects remain. divine insight: You can use your DE to turn the tides of fate. When you roll a saving throw, attack roll, caster level check or skill check you may spend DE as an imediate action and add an insight bonus to the roll equal to +1/2DE up to a maximum bonus equal to your wisdom modifier. The use of this ability must be declared before the consequences of the die roll are determined. This is a supernatural ability. divine perfection: You can gain the benefits of your greater holy aura at will apart from the sanctuary effect (which still costs you one of your daily uses of greater your holy aura). You no longer need a holy symbol as a divine focus component for your spells. You have effectively become a holy symbol yourself. You no longer have to spend DE for using metamagic feats spontaneously. PLAYING A CELERIAN PRIEST Playing a Celerian Priest is different from playing a cleric. The Celerian Priest lacks the combat power of a cleric and can normally not afford to make up for this lack in combat power by use of his spells as this would quickly drain his spells. The Celerian Priest therefore has to weigh his options more carefully and should make use of his divine energy instead of a spell whenever possible. Choosing the right divine mysteries allow the Celerian Priest to fill many roles in a party. The Divine fire, mystic shield and Crusader mysteries combined with the appropriate domains can make up for much of the lack in combat power for one or two encounters. The Purify mystery makes him a powerfull healer without having to rely solely on his spells while his turning capabilities will usually surpass those of the cleric already at medium levels. The holy aura class feature can often spare the Celerian Cleric (or even the whole party) a fight especially in conjunction with the powers of the zealot mystery that makes the Celerian also a good "face" for a party. Religion: As cleric Other Classes: as cleric Combat: The Celerian Priest has unique flexibility and versatility among the spellcasting classes. This allows him to often provide the right spell at the right time that turns the tides in favor of group of players. Because of his low HD and BAB he must be wary of melee combat. Advancement: A Celerian Priest can profit from most prestige classes that are also usefull to a cleric. Since his divine energy is a powerfull ability, he will often loose when taking levels in a class that does not provide the turn undead ability. CELERIAN PRIEST IN THE GAME Adaptation: The Celerian Priest can easily be adapted to fit into any campaign world where also clerics exist. Since the focus and mechanics of this class are different from the cleric's the two classes can exist side by side representing different "branches" of the church of a given religion. By adding (or removing) divine mysteries to the above list the Celerian Priest can also easily be adapted to represent different religions in a campaign world. Encounters: as cleric GENERIC PRIEST A variant divine spontaneous caster class that complements the cleric class. Where the cleric can be viewed as the arm and shield of a religion the priest is its voice. MAKING A GENERIC PRIEST Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability for a priest since it determines all aspects of his spellcasting. Moreover the priest depends on his bonus spells more than any other spellcasting class. Charisma is important to a priest because it is the key ability for many of his divine mysteries. Constitution and Dexterity are usefull for a priest since he lacks the hitpoints and armor proficiencies of other classes. Races: as cleric Alignment: any alignment allowed by chosen deity Starting Gold: 6d4x10 Starting Age: as cleric Class Skills The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are.... Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana)(Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (History)(Int), Knowledge (The Planes)(Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) Skills Per Day at 1st Level : (4 + int)x4 Skills Per Day at Each Additional Level : 4 + int Hit Dice: d4 BAB: poor (as wizard) Good Saves: Will Spells per day/Class features 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 d* turn undead 2 2 0+d 3 3 1+d d* 4 3 1+d 0+d 5 3 2+d 1+d d* bonus feat 6 3 2+d 1+d 0+d 7 3 2+d 2+d 1+d d* extra turning 8 3 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 9 3 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* 10 3 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d bonus feat 11 3 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* 12 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 13 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* 14 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 15 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* bonus feat 16 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 17 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d d* greater turning 18 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 1+d 0+d 19 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d 1+d 20 3 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 3+d 2+d 2+d bonus feat d: domain spell *: the priest does not gain bonus spells for these spell-levels at the given class level Weapon Proficiencies: all simple weapons, deities favored weapon, light armor and shields (except tower shields) Spells: A priest spontaneously (like a sorcerer) casts divine spells which are drawn from the cleric spell list. The same alignment restrictions as for the cleric apply. To cast a spell a priest must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10+the spell level. the DC for a saving throw against a priest's spell is 10+the spell level+the priest's Wisdom modifier. The priest receives bonus spells to his spells per day from a high Wisdom score according to Table 1-1 of the PHB. The same rules for using metamagic feats on spontaneous spells as for the sorcerer apply. Unlike a sorcerer the priest may know any number of spells. At every level the priest receives a number of new spells equal to his Wis modifier plus all domain spells of his chosen domains (see below). He can further research new spells (same rules as for wizards) or learn new spells from scrolls written by another divine spellcaster of his faith. The rules for learning a new spell from a scroll are the same as for the wizard, with the following exceptions: The priest makes a knowledge (religion) check to decipher the scroll and by learning the spell the scroll is destroyed. At level 1 the priest chooses two domains from his deity's list of domains. A priest must spend one hour every in quiet contemplation in order to receive his daily allotment of spells. turn undead: This ability functions exactly the sam es the cleric's turn undead ability bonus feat: The priest receives a binus feat which must be chosen from the lists of either, divine, exalted or metamagic feats. extra turning: The priest receives extra turning as a bonus feat greater turning: The priest adds +4 to his caster level for the purpose of turning undead
1CentSage 05-28-06, 12:26 PM	Sigh..., no one, really? Well, better luck next time. Maybe I should have added a PEACH or name it ULTIMATE DIVINE CASTER (not true, but would at least have gotten me some nice flaming ;) ).
1CentSage 05-29-06, 03:34 PM	OK, lets try the magic word. (Edited title)