Seeker of Silence PrC (P.E.A.C.H.) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Seeker of Silence PrC (P.E.A.C.H.) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Empirate
12-03-07, 05:45 PM I just designed only my third PrC ever. The Seeker of Silence is intended for arcane spellcasters, especially Wizards and Sorcerers. I'm interested in what you may have to say! Without further ado, here comes the

Seeker of Silence

The Seekers of Silence are an order of withdrawn spellcasters. Disliking the clangor of society, coming to hate the constant din of the world, they seek refuge at a retreat far from the everyday noises of the world. Training together or in solitude, they seek to eliminate the necessity to speak, yes even to create any sound at all with their comings and goings. Furthermore, they learn to concentrate on an inner silence that allows them to remain calm in the face of powerful adversary forces – after all, they see all those pesky, noisy fellow humans as an adversary force as well, and they have had to live with these for a long time already. Seekers of Silence are generally regarded as unsocial, some as downright antisocial. Most do not enjoy company, yet crave respect and seek to impose silencing magics on others. While speaking is not strictly forbidden to a Seeker of Silence, neither is it good form to make more words than strictly necessary. Seekers of Silence gather knowledge of all things in order to write it down. Once written, information is accessible to anyone without the need for speaking – a good thing, as far the Seekers are concerned.
Wizards and Sorcerers are the most common Seekers of Silence. Although Bards could theoretically qualify, rare is the Bard who gives up the benefits of sound for silence. Bards focused on silent arts, like pantomime, might feel attracted to the Seekers’ mystic calm, though. Some magic-using Rogues enjoy the benefits of silence enough to want to join the order.

Prerequisites:
Alignment: Any nongood
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Listen 3 ranks, Move Silently 3 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks
Feats: Silent Spell
Spellcasting: Ability to cast 3rd level or higher arcane spells
Special: Must seek admission to the Order of the Seekers of Silence. To this end, the character must accept a special magical Geas that compels him/her to remain completely silent for 29 days (one full turn of the moon). During this time, he/she must live in a big city and listen to the noise of the world, meditating on his/her own inner silence. This functions as a normal Geas spell, except that breaking it results in having to start over in addition to the usual penalties. Instead of the normal duration of Geas, the duration is however long it takes the candidate to complete 29 days in silence. This is a one-way ticket and should be given thorough thought beforehand.

HD: d4

Class skills:

Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (all), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Spellcraft

Seekers of Silence receive 2+(Int bonus) skill points/level

Seeker of Silence class features

BAB Fort Ref Wil
+0 +0 +0 +2
+1 +0 +0 +3
+1 +1 +1 +3
+2 +1 +1 +4
+2 +1 +1 +4

Special
1. Silent Spellcasting 4/day, Impeded Magic, Inner Silence, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Silence)
2. Silent Spellcasting 5/day, Deafening Spell, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Calm Emotions)
3. Silent Spellcasting 6/day, Silencing Spell, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Sending)
4. Silent Spellcasting 7/day, Speak Without Sound, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Telepathic Bond)
5. Silent Spellcasting at will, Always Silent, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Divination)

Spellcasting
1. -
2. +1 level of existing class
3. +1 level of existing class
4. +1 level of existing class
5. +1 level of existing class

Class Features:

Spellcasting: At each level except 1st, Seekers of Silence gain new spells known and spells per day as if they had gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class they belonged to before taking up the Seeker of Silence prestige class. At each level at which they gain an effective level of spellcasting, Seekers of Silence must decide which arcane spellcasting class to apply this effective level of spellcasting to. No other class features of that class is gained.

Silent spellcasting: Seekers of Silence can spontaneously apply the Silent Spell feat to an arcane spell when casting it. This does not increase the effective level of the spell cast, nor does it increase casting time for spontaneous casters. This ability works like the Sudden Silent spell feat in all regards, but it is usable a number of times per day equal to 3+Seeker of Silence class level. At 5th level, it is usable at will.

Impeded magic: Seekers of Silence use spells that rely on producing sound or that have the sonic descriptor at –2 caster level. This does not extend to language-dependent spells as long as the Seeker of Silence has a way of communicating with the target which does not depend on sound (like his Speak Without Sound ability, see below).

Expanded Spell Knowledge: at each level, Seekers of Silence add a specific spell to their spellbook or their list of spells known according to the list below. These spells never require verbal components for the Seeker of Silence, even if they would usually do so, and are arcane spells of their usual level.
1st: Silence
2nd: Calm Emotions
3rd: Sending (as a 4th level spell)
4th: Telepathic Bond
5th: Divination

Inner Silence: 1st level Seekers of Silence can rely on their ability to remain calm under any circumstances. They may ‘take 10’ on Concentration checks at all times, even when rushed, threatened or under stressful conditions.

Deafening Spell: At 2nd level, Seekers of Silence cast their spells so that they leave a residue of silence. Whenever opponents fail a save against a Seeker of Silence’s spell, they become deafened for 1 round/Seeker of Silence class level. Note that this can be beneficial to avoid sonic or language-dependent effects. A Seeker of Silence can produce this effect on him/herself as a standard action by losing any prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher.

Silencing Spell: At 3rd level, Seekers of Silence cast their spells in the hopes of ‘persuading’ others to remain silent forever. Whenever opponents fail a save against a Seeker of Silence’s spell, they become unable to speak or produce any sound whatsoever for 1 round/Seeker of Silence class level. Note that this can be beneficial for the purpose of remaining undetected. A Seeker of Silence can produce this effect on him/herself as a standard action by losing any prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher.

Speak Without Sound (Su): At 4th level, Seekers of Silence gain an unusual ability: they learn to communicate telepathically with any creature within 20 feet, just as if speaking to him/her/it. The Seeker of Silence can only speak and listen to one person at a time, and he/she must share a common language with the person or creature he/she speaks to telepathically, or the telepathic link fails.

Always Silent (Sp): At 5th level, Seekers of Silence reach their lifetimes’ goal: they are constantly surrounded by a field of magical Silence. This works like the spell cast by the Seeker, except it is centered on the Seeker of Silence and only extends 5’ in all directions from his/her position. The Seeker of Silence can activate or deactivate this field at will, as a free action. The field can be dispelled, but the Seeker of Silence can reactivate it on his own turn.

Damn, can't seem to get tables to work! Anyway, should be readable now.
archerpwr
12-03-07, 09:49 PM Seems a bit weak.
Nehpets_Lalaland
12-03-07, 09:54 PM This is a very interesting class and i would be personally very interested in playing it.

One big error I noticed

1. Silent Spellcasting 1/day
2. Silent Spellcasting 2/day
3. Silent Spellcasting 3/day
4. Silent Spellcasting 4/day
5. Silent Spellcasting at will

Does not match

Silent spellcasting: Seekers of Silence can spontaneously apply the Silent Spell feat to an arcane spell when casting it. This does not increase the effective level of the spell cast, nor does it increase casting time for spontaneous casters. This ability works like the Sudden Silent spell feat in all regards, but it is usable a number of times per day equal to 3+Seeker of Silence class level. At 5th level, it is usable at will.
Empirate
12-04-07, 03:50 AM Thanks! Corrected the error.

Yes, it isn't outstandingly powerful. I see no point in PrCs that allow full casting progression and add stuff on top of that. Full arcane spellcasting is and should be the domain of wizards and sorcerers, who get (almost) no other class abilities. Anybody wanting lots of special abilities on top of that better suck up hefty prerequisites (which I didn't want, since it fixes your character development choices), or lose a level of spellcasting. I didn't want to make the next Abjurant Champion.
Molot
12-06-07, 05:28 PM Consider bolding headings, making a table with code blocks and similar things. Just now I wasn't able to read thorough this large block of unformatted gray.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Empirate 12-03-07, 05:45 PM	I just designed only my third PrC ever. The Seeker of Silence is intended for arcane spellcasters, especially Wizards and Sorcerers. I'm interested in what you may have to say! Without further ado, here comes the Seeker of Silence The Seekers of Silence are an order of withdrawn spellcasters. Disliking the clangor of society, coming to hate the constant din of the world, they seek refuge at a retreat far from the everyday noises of the world. Training together or in solitude, they seek to eliminate the necessity to speak, yes even to create any sound at all with their comings and goings. Furthermore, they learn to concentrate on an inner silence that allows them to remain calm in the face of powerful adversary forces – after all, they see all those pesky, noisy fellow humans as an adversary force as well, and they have had to live with these for a long time already. Seekers of Silence are generally regarded as unsocial, some as downright antisocial. Most do not enjoy company, yet crave respect and seek to impose silencing magics on others. While speaking is not strictly forbidden to a Seeker of Silence, neither is it good form to make more words than strictly necessary. Seekers of Silence gather knowledge of all things in order to write it down. Once written, information is accessible to anyone without the need for speaking – a good thing, as far the Seekers are concerned. Wizards and Sorcerers are the most common Seekers of Silence. Although Bards could theoretically qualify, rare is the Bard who gives up the benefits of sound for silence. Bards focused on silent arts, like pantomime, might feel attracted to the Seekers’ mystic calm, though. Some magic-using Rogues enjoy the benefits of silence enough to want to join the order. Prerequisites: Alignment: Any nongood Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Listen 3 ranks, Move Silently 3 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks Feats: Silent Spell Spellcasting: Ability to cast 3rd level or higher arcane spells Special: Must seek admission to the Order of the Seekers of Silence. To this end, the character must accept a special magical Geas that compels him/her to remain completely silent for 29 days (one full turn of the moon). During this time, he/she must live in a big city and listen to the noise of the world, meditating on his/her own inner silence. This functions as a normal Geas spell, except that breaking it results in having to start over in addition to the usual penalties. Instead of the normal duration of Geas, the duration is however long it takes the candidate to complete 29 days in silence. This is a one-way ticket and should be given thorough thought beforehand. HD: d4 Class skills: Concentration, Craft, Knowledge (all), Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Spellcraft Seekers of Silence receive 2+(Int bonus) skill points/level Seeker of Silence class features BAB Fort Ref Wil +0 +0 +0 +2 +1 +0 +0 +3 +1 +1 +1 +3 +2 +1 +1 +4 +2 +1 +1 +4 Special 1. Silent Spellcasting 4/day, Impeded Magic, Inner Silence, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Silence) 2. Silent Spellcasting 5/day, Deafening Spell, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Calm Emotions) 3. Silent Spellcasting 6/day, Silencing Spell, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Sending) 4. Silent Spellcasting 7/day, Speak Without Sound, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Telepathic Bond) 5. Silent Spellcasting at will, Always Silent, Expanded Spell Knowledge (Divination) Spellcasting 1. - 2. +1 level of existing class 3. +1 level of existing class 4. +1 level of existing class 5. +1 level of existing class Class Features: Spellcasting: At each level except 1st, Seekers of Silence gain new spells known and spells per day as if they had gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class they belonged to before taking up the Seeker of Silence prestige class. At each level at which they gain an effective level of spellcasting, Seekers of Silence must decide which arcane spellcasting class to apply this effective level of spellcasting to. No other class features of that class is gained. Silent spellcasting: Seekers of Silence can spontaneously apply the Silent Spell feat to an arcane spell when casting it. This does not increase the effective level of the spell cast, nor does it increase casting time for spontaneous casters. This ability works like the Sudden Silent spell feat in all regards, but it is usable a number of times per day equal to 3+Seeker of Silence class level. At 5th level, it is usable at will. Impeded magic: Seekers of Silence use spells that rely on producing sound or that have the sonic descriptor at –2 caster level. This does not extend to language-dependent spells as long as the Seeker of Silence has a way of communicating with the target which does not depend on sound (like his Speak Without Sound ability, see below). Expanded Spell Knowledge: at each level, Seekers of Silence add a specific spell to their spellbook or their list of spells known according to the list below. These spells never require verbal components for the Seeker of Silence, even if they would usually do so, and are arcane spells of their usual level. 1st: Silence 2nd: Calm Emotions 3rd: Sending (as a 4th level spell) 4th: Telepathic Bond 5th: Divination Inner Silence: 1st level Seekers of Silence can rely on their ability to remain calm under any circumstances. They may ‘take 10’ on Concentration checks at all times, even when rushed, threatened or under stressful conditions. Deafening Spell: At 2nd level, Seekers of Silence cast their spells so that they leave a residue of silence. Whenever opponents fail a save against a Seeker of Silence’s spell, they become deafened for 1 round/Seeker of Silence class level. Note that this can be beneficial to avoid sonic or language-dependent effects. A Seeker of Silence can produce this effect on him/herself as a standard action by losing any prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher. Silencing Spell: At 3rd level, Seekers of Silence cast their spells in the hopes of ‘persuading’ others to remain silent forever. Whenever opponents fail a save against a Seeker of Silence’s spell, they become unable to speak or produce any sound whatsoever for 1 round/Seeker of Silence class level. Note that this can be beneficial for the purpose of remaining undetected. A Seeker of Silence can produce this effect on him/herself as a standard action by losing any prepared spell or unused spell slot of 1st level or higher. Speak Without Sound (Su): At 4th level, Seekers of Silence gain an unusual ability: they learn to communicate telepathically with any creature within 20 feet, just as if speaking to him/her/it. The Seeker of Silence can only speak and listen to one person at a time, and he/she must share a common language with the person or creature he/she speaks to telepathically, or the telepathic link fails. Always Silent (Sp): At 5th level, Seekers of Silence reach their lifetimes’ goal: they are constantly surrounded by a field of magical Silence. This works like the spell cast by the Seeker, except it is centered on the Seeker of Silence and only extends 5’ in all directions from his/her position. The Seeker of Silence can activate or deactivate this field at will, as a free action. The field can be dispelled, but the Seeker of Silence can reactivate it on his own turn. Damn, can't seem to get tables to work! Anyway, should be readable now.
archerpwr 12-03-07, 09:49 PM	Seems a bit weak.
Nehpets_Lalaland 12-03-07, 09:54 PM	This is a very interesting class and i would be personally very interested in playing it. One big error I noticed 1. Silent Spellcasting 1/day 2. Silent Spellcasting 2/day 3. Silent Spellcasting 3/day 4. Silent Spellcasting 4/day 5. Silent Spellcasting at will Does not match Silent spellcasting: Seekers of Silence can spontaneously apply the Silent Spell feat to an arcane spell when casting it. This does not increase the effective level of the spell cast, nor does it increase casting time for spontaneous casters. This ability works like the Sudden Silent spell feat in all regards, but it is usable a number of times per day equal to 3+Seeker of Silence class level. At 5th level, it is usable at will.
Empirate 12-04-07, 03:50 AM	Thanks! Corrected the error. Yes, it isn't outstandingly powerful. I see no point in PrCs that allow full casting progression and add stuff on top of that. Full arcane spellcasting is and should be the domain of wizards and sorcerers, who get (almost) no other class abilities. Anybody wanting lots of special abilities on top of that better suck up hefty prerequisites (which I didn't want, since it fixes your character development choices), or lose a level of spellcasting. I didn't want to make the next Abjurant Champion.
Molot 12-06-07, 05:28 PM	Consider bolding headings, making a table with code blocks and similar things. Just now I wasn't able to read thorough this large block of unformatted gray.