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Kezarim 02-03-07, 10:37 AM

The Pack Leader A feral martial class (This class was created for the Lun'rak'tar (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=784203), but can be used for any other race, too. Changes made to the class are summarized at the end of this posting.) "Prepare. Chaaaaaaarge! Let our ancestor's spirits enlighten in the slaughter of our enemies." ~Arakis Shadowpaw, Leader of the Shadowpaw pack. Even a group of fierce warriors, a pack of mighty werewolves or brutish orcs is nothing without a voice to lead them. Usually small packs or warbands are commanded by a single individual, whom issues commands and helps coordinating the feral rage of his packmates. A Pack Leaders is a feral warrior. He is not necessarily the strongest and fiercest among the pack, but the wisest and smartest. He has proven worthy in many battles, so the pack accepted him as their leader. He commands the others, insipires them with his battlecries, and keeps cool even if the situation is bad. If the battle isn't going well, he jumps into combat himself, helping his packmates where help is needed most. A good back leader ensures that at the end of a battle, his comrades are well, and each and every single foe is slain or fled - even if this means personal sacrifice. The well-being of his pack is the most important thing. Making A Pack Leader A pack leader casts divine spells similar to a paladin or a cleric. But he draws his power to do so from his tribe's spirits, his ancestors or minor gods in which his tribe believes. He leads and commands his tribe in battle, and aids them with his battlecries. Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability for a pack leader, as it determines how often he can use his battlecries, and how strong their effect is. He also makes use of a good wisdom score, as it helps him casting his spells. He also profits from good strength, dexterity and constitution scores, as they help him in melee combat. Races: Pack Leaders are often from more primitive and feral races like Troglodytes, Gnolls, Orcs, Lun'rak'tar or similar. But in fact, each and every primitive, barbarian tribe can have a pack leader. Alignment: Pack Leaders tend to be lawful, but there are no special alignment restrictions. Starting Gold: As paladin (PH 109). Starting Age: As paladin (PH 109). About the Pack Leader Base Fort Ref Will Lv. Atk save save save Special 1. +0 +2 +0 +2 Battlecry 2. +1 +3 +0 +3 Fast command +1 3. +2 +3 +1 +3 Battlecry 4. +3 +4 +1 +4 Aura of Confidence 5. +3 +4 +1 +4 - 6. +4 +5 +2 +5 Battlecry 7. +5 +5 +2 +5 "Regroup" 1/Day 8. +6 +6 +2 +6 Second Chance 1/Day 9. +6 +6 +3 +6 Battlecry 10. +7 +7 +3 +7 Inspire Rage 1/Day 11. +8 +7 +3 +7 Fast command +2 12. +9 +8 +4 +8 Battlecry 13. +9 +8 +4 +8 - 14. +10 +9 +4 +9 "Regroup" 2/Day 15. +11 +9 +5 +9 Battlecry 16. +12 +10 +5 +10 Second Chance 2/Day 17. +12 +10 +5 +10 Fast command +3 18. +13 +11 +6 +11 Battlecry 19. +14 +11 +6 +11 - 20. +15 +12 +6 +12 Inspire Greater Rage, Inspire Rage 2/Day Hit Die: d8 Class skills: Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history, local, religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str). Skill Points: 2 + Int modifier (x4 at 1st character level). Class Features Weapon and armor proficiency: A pack leader is proficient with simple and martial weapons and all armors including heavy armor and shields, but not tower shields. Spellcasting: A pack leader casts divine spells. He doesn't need to prepare them in advance, instead he has a daily allotment of spell slots he can spent, just like the sorcerer does. The key ability for Spell DCs is Wisdom, and he recieves bonus spells for a high wisdom score. He suffers no spell failure chance from wearing armor or using shields. Pack Leaders cast spells from the Pack Leaders spell list, given below. A Pack Leader starts play knowing one spell of 1st level, and all 0-level spells. Each new level, he can select another spell of any level, up to the highest level he can currently cast. That means, a Level 6 Pack Leader knows six spells, which could be six 1st level spells, or three 2nd level and three 1st level spells. Levels on which he gains "0" spells per day already enable him to learn spells of this level, as he may gain spell slots for a high wisdom score. Spells per Day Level 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 1st 3 0 - - - - 2nd 3 2 - - - - 3rd 4 2 - - - - 4th 4 3 0 - - - 5th 5 3 2 - - - 6th 5 4 2 - - - 7th 6 4 3 - - - 8th 6 5 3 0 - - 9th 6 5 4 2 - - 10th 6 6 4 2 - - 11th 6 6 5 3 - - 12th 6 6 5 3 0 - 13th 6 6 6 4 2 - 14th 6 6 6 4 2 - 15th 6 6 6 5 3 - 16th 6 6 6 5 3 0 17th 6 6 6 6 4 2 18th 6 6 6 6 4 2 19th 6 6 6 6 5 3 20th 6 6 6 6 5 3 Battlecry (Ex): At 1st level and each level dividable by three (1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th ...) the Pack Leader learns a new battlecry. He can use his battlecries for a daily total of 1/2 his levels in the Pack Leader class plus his Charisma modifier. Each battlecry grants all allies in 30ft a bonus, depending on the battlecry used. These bonuses are morale bonuses. An ally must be able to hear and understand the Pack Leader, and have an intelligence score of at least 3 for this ability to work. This is a mind-effecting ability. If not otherwise stated, each battlecry remains in effect for a total of one round plus another round per point of charisma modifier the Pack Leader has. The allies do not need to stay within 30ft of the Pack Leader to gain the bonuses, they just need to be that close the moment the battlecry is made. You can find a list of available battlecries below. Using a battlecry is a free action. Battlecries do not affect the Pack Leader himself. You can only benefit from one battlecry at a time - if you could gain the benefits from a second battlecry, you may choose to stay under the effect of the old one, or gain the benefits from the new one. This does not influence the duration of the old battlecry. Fast command: At 2nd level the Pack Leader gains better understanding of the things that happen on the battlefield. He adds +1 to his initiative rolls. This bonus improves to +2 at 11th level, and to +3 at 17th level. Aura of confidence (Su): At 4th level, the Pack Leader may spent a swift action to surround himself in an aura of confidence, calming his allies and giving them the strong believe that they will overthrow their enemies. All allies within 30 ft of the Pack Leader may add a +1 morale bonus to their will saves. This is a mind affecting ability. The Pack Leader can spent a swift action to supress his aura. Regroup (Ex): At 7th level, the Pack Leader can regroup his pack. Once per day, a pack leader can spent a full round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity to call his allies to him. All allied creatures within 60ft that are able to hear and understand the Pack Leader instantly gain a move action, which they can only use to move towards the Pack Leader on the shortest way possible. Even though, they can still move around obstacles and enemies, to avoid attacks of opportunities for moving though threatened spaces. If they cannot reach their pack leader, they may move as close to him as possible. The Pack Leader can use this ability twice per day at 14th level. Second Chance (Su): At 8th level, the Pack Leader can sense one of his pack members being in danger, and issue a quick command to him, which might just be enough to save him of a danger that would otherwise have harmed him. Once per day as an immediate action, the Pack Leader can allow one of his allies within 30ft to reroll a saving throw. He must announce that he will use the ability before the actual saving throw is made. His ally can then choose if to reroll his roll or not - he can use this option even after determining if his save was sucessful or not. In any case, the Pack Leaders ability is used up for that day, regardless of his allies choice. A Pack Leader can use this ability twice per day at 16th level. Inspire Rage (Ex): At 10th level as a free action, the Pack Leader can release a powerful battlecry, and send his packmates into a fighting frenzy. His allies must be within 30ft of him, and be able to hear and understand him. Each ally and the Pack Leader himself gain a morale bonus of +4 to their strength and constitution scores, but take a -2 penalty to armor class. They also take 1D6 of nonlethal damage at the end of each round this ability is in effect. It lasts for 1 Round + another round for each point of charisma bonus the Pack Leader has. He can use this ability twice at 20th level. Also at 20th level, he learns to inspire greater rage, which improves the morale bonuses to strength and constitution to +6, but the nonleathal damage taken increases to 1D8. He can choose wheter to inspire rage or greater rage, but he still only has two uses of this ability per day. Spell list 0 level - Cure Minor Wounds, Guidance, Light, Mending, Resistance, Virtue 1st level - Bless, Cause Fear, Command, Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, magic Weapon, Remove Fear; Resurgence*, Vigor lesser* 2nd level - Aid, Bulls Strength, Bears Endurance, Eagle's Splendor, Make Whole, Owl's Wisdom, Shield Other, Status 3rd level - Create Food and Water, Invisibility Purge, Magic Vestment, Protection from Energy, Vigor*, Vigor mass lesser*, 4th level - Death Ward, Spirit Power (as Divine Power), Imbue with Spell ability, Magic Weapon Greater, Restoration, Spell immunity, Resurgence mass* 5th level - Command greater, Cure light wounds mass, Righteous might, Spell resistance, True seeing, Vigor greater* *Spell from Complete Divine Battlecries "Charge!" - Gives all allies a +2 bonus on damage rolls and attack rolls when charging. "Hold the Line!" - all allies may add your charisma bonus (if any) to their will saves against fear effects. "Hit 'em hard!" - +2 bonus to confirm critical hits. "Stick together!" - All allies wearing a shield can choose to spent a move action to shield a nearby ally as well as himself. Both allies gain the shield's bonus, as long as they stay in adjacent squares. The move action must be spent every round. "No mercy!" - +2 bonus on damage rolls against flat-footed or helpless opponents. "Never give up!" - gain DR 1/magic. This battlecry is a supernatural ability. "Aim carefully...shoot!" - +1 bonus on ranged attack rolls. "Stand up, it is not yet your turn to meet the ancestors" - This battlecry affects only a single ally. This ally must have less then one-quarter his maximum hitpoints. He immediately gains (The Pack Leaders' class level x 3) temporary hitpoints. If the ally was unconscious and dying (-9 to 0 HP), he is immediately stabilized and regains conciousness. Once this battlecry stops or looses effect, the temporary hitpoints are lost, and the ally takes another D6 damage, which might kill the ally. A creature can't be influenced by this battlecry more then once per day. "The ancestors are with you" - This battlecry grants a single creature a +1 bonus on their caster level. This battlecry only lasts for the round it was made in. ---------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------- Note: This is my first attempt at making a base class. And a difficult one. I tried to find balance, giving the class the battlecries, some class abilites with limited uses per day, and a mediocre spellcasting ability, with a very limited spell list. I was thinking of raising the Skillpoints per level to 4, but i'm still unsure of that. If you have any ideas for battlecries, please let me know, it's kind of hard to create them without unbalancing...