Post/Author/DateTime	Post
psipup 09-10-07, 11:22 PM	So, I thought I would present a prestige class I whipped up over the course of.. not actually much time after the concept struck me in our latest game session. Designed specifically as the 'enforcers' of a religion in my setting whom tend to the sanctity of the dead under their deity, The Guardian. I'd appreciate feedback, as I don't trust myself at all in gaging how appropriately-powered prestige classes are, and this could well be too much without me ever realizing it. I particularly like the Witchsmite and iterative abilities, and would prefer to keep/fine-tune them above anything else, and would prefer as well to maintain the turn undead progression. I know I'm drastically missing on flavor-text, but I'm most concerned for the time being with how well balanced it may or may not be. Still, all feedback is welcome. The Witch Hunter Where the undead spawn, the clergy of The Guardian respond. Devout believers of the sanctity of death, priests of the faith are steadfast in their hatred of perversions of their fallen friends and family. Most often, however, combating the shambling, lurking undead of the world is only a patch, rather than a solution. Behind most undead scourges one can find a magical source in the form of a spellcaster, sometimes priestly and others arcane, and often of significant power. When the need arises to cut the cancer out at the core, the clergy of The Guardian employ their Witch Hunters. Blessed in their tasks by their patron and trained in brutally effective methods of rendering spellcasting foes helpless, the Witch Hunters shine most when facing opponents of significant divine or arcane power. Though they are never so deadly as when striking down one whom would be so brazen as to employ necromantic energies to desecrate the dead with the taint of unlife. They are quite adept at making their way through the legionous undead foes generally serving to protect their quarry, and those whom wield the power to animate the dead suffer to the utmost beneath the witch hunter's blade. Requirements Feat: Dampen Spell. Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 4 Ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 Ranks, Spellcraft 8 Ranks. Spells: Able to cast Dispel Magic. Special: Must be able to turn undead. Must seek training in the skills of the Witch Hunter by the clergy of The Guardian. Class Skills The Witch Hunter's class skills are: Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (all skills, taken individually), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft and Survival. Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier. Witch Hunter Hit Die: d6 Lvl BaB Fort Refl Will Special Spellcasting 1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Turn Undead, Witchsmite 1/day - 2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Vatic Gaze, Witchproof +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 3rd +2 +1 +1 +3 Witchsmite 2/day - 4th +3 +1 +1 +4 Holy Disruption +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 5th +3 +1 +1 +4 Witchreave - 6th +4 +2 +2 +5 Witchsmite 3/day +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 7th +5 +2 +2 +5 Sanctified Protection - 8th +6 +2 +2 +6 Divine Nullification +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class 9th +6 +3 +3 +6 Witchsmite 4/day - 10th +7 +3 +3 +7 Witchbane +1 level of existing divine spellcasting class Class Features The following are class features of the Witch Hunter prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Witch Hunters gain no additional proficiencies in weapons or armor. Spellcasting: At second level, and every second Witch Hunter level beyond that, you gain new spells per day and spells known as if you had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one such class before becoming a witch hunter, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known. Turn Undead Progression (Su): Every level of Witch Hunter grants you enhanced abilities to turn undead as if you had also gained a level in a class you belonged to before adding the prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one such class before becoming a witch hunter, you must decide to which class to expand your Turn Undead abilities in. Witch Smite (Su): Once per day, when a witch hunter attacks a creature capable of arcane or divine spellcasting, he may attempt to perform a Witchsmite with one normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma bonus (if any) to his attack roll. In addition, the target loses a randomly selected spell from its highest level spells currently prepared, or one spell slot from its highest level still available to cast, just as if it had expended the spell. The target takes one point of damage per level of the spell thus lost. If the witch hunter accidentally witchsmites a creature that has no prepared spells, the witchsmite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day. At 3rd level, and at every three levels thereafter, the witch hunter may witchsmite one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: Witch Hunter. Vatic Gaze: At 2nd level, the witch hunter gains Vatic Gaze as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the normal prerequisites. Witchproof (Su): The 2nd-level With Hunter has gained divine protection granted by his patron against the spells of heretics. This protection grants a +2 divine bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities. Holy Disruption: (Su) At 4th level, the witch hunter gains improved insight into suppressing the magics of heathens. He gains a bonus equal to his class level do dispel checks made to counterspell an enemy's spell with Dispel Magic. Witchreave (Su): At 5th level, the witch hunter's Witchsmite ability improves. Any time he successfully witchsmite's an enemy spellcaster, the target's highest level necromancy spell, if any, is lost as if expended for the day, and the target takes one point of damage per level of said spell. This is done in addition to the standard effect of the witchsmite, and occurs before randomly selecting the highest level spell to be lost. Sanctified Protection (Ex): At 7th level, the witch hunter's dedicated focus against heretical spellcasters has gained The Guardian's utmost favor, and in turn a sacred protection is provided. The witch hunter gains spell resistance equal to his current class level plus 10. Divine Nullification (Su): At 8th level, the witch hunter's Holy Disruption improves. He now adds his class level to all dispel checks. Witchbane (Su): At 10th level the witch hunter's focus and dedication against those whom would desecrate the dead has reached its apex. Whenever the witch hunter successfully employs his Witchsmite ability, the target loses its highest-level Animate Dead, Create Undead, Create Greater Undead, or similar undead-spawning spell, if any. The target takes one point of damage per level of the spell so lost. This is done before and in addition to applying the standard effects of the Witchreave and Witchsmite abilities.
psipup 09-12-07, 11:07 PM	Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Well fiddlesticks.
bkdubs123 09-13-07, 01:23 AM	It's not bad. I would limit most of the abilities to work only against Evil targets or spells with the Evil descriptor. I.E. Witchsmite can only be used on an evil creature or a creature with Evil spells prepared (as determined by Vatic Gaze. if that doesn't do that then... I'll come up with a work around). Witchproof is a +2 bonus against Necromancy and Evil spells. Holy Protection and Divine Nullification work to Dispel necromancy and evil spells. etc... Doing this you might be able to raise some of the bonuses.
1 ton ghost 09-14-07, 01:28 PM	"Witchhunter", Oriental Adventures i think. hope i didn't rain on your parade. i know your theme isn't Eastern, but just giving you a heads up.
Totem_Chakra 09-15-07, 10:17 AM	There's also a witch hunter theme class within the Tome of Magic book. Hope I didn't end you parade too :P