Post/Author/DateTime	Post
moebius00 03-23-08, 01:25 PM	This is obviously my crack at translating the Jedi into D&D. From my perspective, some combination of Blade Magic (wacky, DR-avoiding strikes) and Psionics (physical augmentation, TK and TP) makes the obvious blend for a true Jedi. Comments on balance are welcome. If I have more time on my hands I'll post a Crimson Lord PrC as well as some themed feats. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Emerald Order Background The exact details surrounding the formation of the Emerald Order are shrouded in legend, but scholars agree that it traces back to a monastery of psionic practitioners who later came into contact with wandering practitioners of the Sublime Way. The initiates, philosophical pacifists who had forsworn mortal combat, found that intense mental concentration and elaborate sword katas could be used to reach a near instinctual understanding of their weapon and surroundings. Over time, a Schism developed. Some masters and their disciples felt it was their responsibility to use this art to teach and protect weaker beings and left the temple to found a public Order. Others felt that this new knowledge did not change their vows and chose to remain in quiet contemplation. Still others saw the discipline as a sign that they had been chosen to rule and sought out sources of vile lore to augment and expand their abilities. Today, the Emerald Order is seen as a guardian of what is right and just. Their relationship with secular authorities depends largely on the individual land; many see the Order as formal executors of the law or the final authority in mediations, while others welcome their presence but treat them as they would other adventurers. Evil governments will see them as unwelcome meddlers and may arrest or execute them on sight as members of a seditious cult. To prevent the abuse of their moral authority and great martial prowess, the Order are guided by a strict Code, emphasizing the defense the defenseless, the non-violent resolution of disputes, rigorous austerity of body and mind and a renunciation of excessive wealth or station. A member of the Order may never become a formal authority or found a business, for example, but they are welcome to accumulate or purchase items that will further the Order’s goals of spreading peace and justice. The Order itself is divided into three classes. At the bottom are Apprentices, individuals chosen (usually from a very young age) for their physical and mental attributes, as well as their respect for peace and life, to undertake training. This age restriction may be waived in lands where the Order is not present; the Order believes circumstance of birth should not stifle ability. Training focuses on learning to use their inner energy to perfect themselves physically and mentally, expanding their senses to better comprehend the outside world and becoming one with their blade to better defend themselves and others. Apprentices are known by their severe hairstyle and simple monk’s robes and are not treated by outsiders as true members of the Order. Most of the Order’s interactions with the outside world come from its Knights, who undertake missions at behest of the Council or wander the land to fulfill the Code. When separated from the Council, Knights have wide discretion as to their goals. At the pinnacle of the order are the Masters, individuals who have come to a more fundamental understanding of the energy that surrounds all things and fuels one’s abilities, usually by applying their understanding of that energy to train a new Knight. While a Knight’s applications of psionics are devoted almost entirely to self-improvement and self-defense, a Master learns to manipulate this energy to heal others, look into the future or even punish those who misuse life’s energy by cutting them off from the their abilities. A Master will frequently be chosen to lead a mission and given command of one or more Knights or Padawan. Masters sufficiently advanced in ability or standing are eligible to join the 20-person Council, which decides on the Order’s direction and delegates responsibility for specific missions. In combat, an Emerald Knight focuses on their intuitive awareness of their surroundings to evade attacks and their fusion of mind and blade to engage in a series of defensive parries combined with a single, decisive strike. Above all, a Knight desires mortal encounters to be quick once peaceful resolution becomes impossible, for combat itself is distasteful and protracted encounters might endanger their innocents or their comrades. Becoming an Emerald Knight Emerald Knights most frequently begin as or are drawn from the ranks of Psychic Warriors, Egoists or Ardents who seek physical or mental protection and have a strong urge to defend others from injustice. A few Wilders are also attracted to the Order as a means of disciplining and channeling their volcanic natures. Nearly all Knights have some degree of formal training from their mentors as Warblades; Swordsages are welcome in the Order, but often find its rigidity stifling, while Crusaders are unwelcome due to their conflicting loyalty to a Church or deity. The Emerald Order most frequently worship Zuoken, god of austere perfection. The Emerald Knight PrC Entry Requirements Alignment: LG or NG. Feats: Combat Expertise; Deep Impact Skills: Concentration 8 ranks; Craft (Weaponsmith) 8 ranks; Knowledge: Psionics 8 ranks Psionics: Able to manifest 2nd level powers, including Animal Affinity. Maneuvers: Must know two maneuvers of 2nd level or higher from the Diamond Mind or Iron Heart disciplines. Special: Must spend 30 consecutive days, 8 hours per day training with a mentor with five or more levels in Emerald Knight. The apprentice may not engage in any other strenuous activities during the day, or training must begin anew. Special: Must swear and abide by the Emerald Code. The Emerald Code effectively consists of four Oaths: -The Oath of Protection: An Emerald Knight will never harm an innocent or let an innocent suffer unduly. The Knight may weigh an individual's suffering against the "Greater Good", however. -The Oath of Honor: The Emerald Knight will never attack from a position of surprise or take the first offensive action, may not sneak attack or use poison and may not attack a defenseless or helpless foe. Being caught flatfooted after normal combat is joined does not qualify as being surprised. -The Oath of Poverty: An Emerald Knight may never have more wealth or property than he can carry on his person under normal circumstances. Use of extra-dimensional spaces (such as Bags of Holding) to circumvent this vow violate it. A Knight may use modes of transportation such as horses or wagons, but must give them up when his mission is complete. A Knight's additional wealth or property (such as that gained through adventuring) is traditionally tithed to the Order or another worthy cause as soon as possible. -The Oath of Chastity: An Emerald Knight may never take a lover or produce offspring; personal attachments are thought to be "property" that the Knight covets above his Mission. Special: Must have constructed a sword using the Craft Psionic Arms and Armor feat; must be proficient with the constructed weapon. The prospective Knight may retrain the feat once the weapon is completed. Restriction: An Emerald Knight who violates the alignment restriction or grossly violates the Code may not advance further in the prestige class and is ejected from the Emerald Order, but does not lose his existing class features. Restriction: An Emerald Knight may not utilize maneuvers from the Shadow Hand discipline or Psionic powers that deal direct damage (such as Mind Thrust or Energy Bolt). Powers that augment a Knight or an object to deal damage (such as Telekinetic Thrust or Weapon of Energy) are permitted. Mechanics: The Emerald Knight Hit Die: D8 BAB: Average Saves: Good Fort, Ref Skill Points: 4+Int modifier per level: Autohypnosis, Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge: Local, Knowledge: Psionics, Listen, Martial Lore, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble. Level Progression 1: +1 Maneuver 2: +1 ML, Ranged Deflection (+2) 3: +1 ML, Ranged Reflection 4: +1 Maneuver, Uncanny Dodge 5: +1 ML, +1 Readied Maneuver, Combat Meditation 6: +1 ML, +1 Stance 7: +1 Maneuver, Ranged Deflection (+4) 8: +1 ML, Ranged Deflection (Extended) 9: +1 ML 10: +1 Maneuver, +1 ML, +1 Readied Maneuver Class Features The Emerald Knight’s class features focus on improving his intuitive understanding of his blade and his surroundings, as well as drawing on new psionic and weapon techniques to deal with increasingly dangerous challenges. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Emerald Knights are proficient with the bastard sword, falchion, greatsword, longsword, scimitar and short sword. Maneuvers: At 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th levels, a Emerald Knight gains a new maneuver known chosen from disciplines accessible by the Warblade. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisite to learn it. A character adds their full Emerald Knight levels when determining their initiator level. Maneuvers gained through Emerald Knight levels are recovered as a Warblade. At 5th and again at 10th level, the Emerald Knight gains an additional readied maneuver. At 6th level, the Emerald Knight gains an additional stance, chosen from disciplines accessible by the Warblade. Ranged Deflection (Su): An Emerald Knight’s sub-conscious connection to his surroundings allows him to intuitively react to ranged attackers while closing for a decisive strike. At 2nd level, the Emerald Knight receives a +2 dodge bonus to AC versus all ranged attacks while wielding a sword and psionically focused. This bonus increases to +4 at 7th level. An Emerald Knight who loses his Dexterity bonus to AC also loses this benefit. At 8th level, the Emerald Knight can extend this defense to his allies. When wielding a sword and maintaining psionic focus, the Emerald Knight grants all allies within reach a dodge bonus to AC versus ranged attacks equal to his Ranged Deflection bonus. An Emerald Knight who would be denied their Dexterity bonus to AC against an incoming attack cannot grant this benefit. Emerald Knights fighting in tandem may grant this bonus to one another. Powers Known: At all levels except 1st, 4th and 7th, the Emerald Knight gains an additional manifester level, additional power points per day and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class he had belonged to before he added the prestige class. The character does not gain any other benefits of that class, such as bonus feats. A character with multiple manifesting classes before becoming an Emerald Knight must decide when entering the prestige class which class will be advanced. New powers selected with Emerald Knight levels must be selected from the Emerald Knight’s power list, provided below. An Emerald Knight who takes further levels in a manifesting class advanced by Emerald Knight may not select from the Emerald Knight list for that level. Ranged Reflection (Su): At 3rd level, an Emerald Knight’s control is sufficiently connected to the energies surrounding him that he can rebound energy attacks on his foes. Once per round an Emerald Knight may reflect a non-material ranged attack (such as an Energy Ray or Disintegrate, but not an arrow or sling stone) that misses him by 10 or more. The Knight can reflect this attack on any opponent within 60 ft. of the Knight and 30 ft. of the original attacker. The reflected attack cannot pass through the Knight’s square to affect a new opponent. The Emerald Knight must be wielding a magical sword and psionically focused to reflect an attack, and the attack must be affected by the Knight’s Ranged Deflection ability. An Emerald Knight cannot reflect attacks targeting another creature. The reflected attack uses the Emerald Knight’s base attack bonus, dexterity modifier and any currently active luck, insight and morale bonuses to attack. Uncanny Dodge (Su): As a Knight’s reflexes become intuitive, he learns to act before his conscious mind is aware of danger. At 4th level, the Emerald Knight gains the benefit of Uncanny Dodge. If the Knight already has Uncanny Dodge, he gains the benefit of Improved Uncanny Dodge instead. Combat Meditation (Sp): Emerald Knights who find themselves facing frequent combat learn to draw on the surrounding web of energy to replenish a small portion of their power. As a full-round action requiring complete focus, the Emerald Knight may expend his Psionic focus and make a DC 15 Concentration Check to replenish 1d3 power points, plus one for every two levels of Emerald Knight. Every additional attempt to use this ability without eight hours’ rest increases the Concentration DC by 5. As an added benefit, an Emerald Knight successfully meditating may recover all Warblade maneuvers, or one maneuver gained from another martial class or feat, as if he had engaged in maneuver recovery. Emerald Knight Power List A Knight’s training focuses above all on augmenting the awareness of his surroundings, as well as augmenting himself physical or mentally to quickly end combat or evade attacks. 1: Adrenaline Boost, Biofeedback, Burst, Catfall, Detect Psionics, Distract, Empathy, Empty Mind, Endure Elements, Far Hand, Force Screen, Inertial Armor, Metaphysical Weapon, Missive, Precognition, Precognition: Defensive, Precognition: Offensive, Prescience: Offensive, Thicken Skin, Vigor 2: Animal Affinity, Body Adjustment, Body Purification, Cloud Mind, Damp Power, Detect Hostile Intent, Energy Adaptation Specified, Hustle, Knock, Levitate, Moment of Insight, Power Weapon, Lion’s Charge, Sustenance, Telekinetic Boomerang, Telekinetic Force, Telekinetic Thrust, Thought Shield, Zone of Alertness 3: Danger Sense, Evade Burst, Keen Edge, Mental Barrier, Read Thoughts, Suggestion, Telekinetic Maneuver, Touchsight, Vampiric Blade 4: Aura Sight, Correspond, Energy Adaptation, Freedom of Movement, Inertial Barrier, Weapon of Energy 5: Adapt Body, Mind Probe, Moment of Prescience, Perfect Riposte, Precognition Greater, Power Resistance 6: Cloud Mind Mass, Dispelling Buffer, Mind Blank Personal, Spirit of War, Suspend Life, True Metabolism
moebius00 03-23-08, 01:30 PM	The Emerald Master PrC Entry Requirements Skills: Concentration 15 ranks; Diplomacy 15 ranks; Knowledge: Psionics 15 ranks Psionics: Able to manifest 4th level powers. Maneuvers: Must know two maneuvers of 4th level or higher from the Diamond Mind or Iron Heart disciplines. Special: Must fulfill all Emerald Knight entry requirements. Special: Must have the Emerald Knight’s Combat Meditation class feature. Special: Must have spent at least 30 consecutive days, 8 hours per day training a Emerald Knight to completion. The prospective Master may not engage in any other strenuous activities during the day, or that day’s training is lost. Restriction: An Emerald Master who violates the Entry Requirements of the Emerald Knight class may not advance further in the Emerald Master prestige class and is ejected from the Emerald Order, but does not lose his existing class features. Mechanics: The Emerald Master Hit Die: D6 BAB: Average Saves: Good Will Skill Points: 6+Int modifier per level: Autohypnosis, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (All), Listen, Martial Lore, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot. Level Progression 1: +1 Maneuver, Mastery 2: +1 ML, +1 Stance 3: +1 ML, +1 Maneuver, Mastery 4: +1 ML, +1 Readied Maneuver 5: +1 ML, +1 Maneuver, Mastery Class Features Weapon Proficiencies: The Emerald Master gains no new weapon proficiencies. Maneuvers: At 1st, 3rd and 5th level, an Emerald Master gains a new maneuver known chosen from disciplines accessible by the Warblade. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisite to learn it. A character adds their Emerald Master levels to their levels in Warblade when determining their total initiator level. Maneuvers gained through Emerald Master levels are recovered as a Warblade. At 2nd level, the Emerald Master gains an additional stance, chosen from disciplines accessible by the Warblade. At 4th level, the Emerald Master gains an additional readied maneuver. Mastery: At 1st, 3rd and 5th levels, the Emerald Master gains some advanced insight into the web of energies connecting all things allowing them to engage in feats of martial or mental prowess unreachable by less focused practitioners. Unless specified otherwise, an Emerald Master may select the same Mastery multiple times; their effects stack. All Masteries are considered supernatural abilities unless otherwise stated. -Defensive Mastery: So long as the Emerald Master maintains a reserve of 10 power points, the insight bonus to AC and saves provided by powers with the Precognition identifier increases by one. If a Precognition power does not grant the relevant bonus (AC or Saves), the benefit does not apply. For each additional time this mastery is taken, the enhanced bonus (+2, then +3) requires an additional 10 power points (20, then 30) be kept in reserve. -Deflection Mastery: So long as the Emerald Master maintains a reserve of 10 power points, the Emerald Master’s Ranged Deflection bonus increases by one and they may Reflect an additional attack each round. Each additional bonus requires an additional 10 power points be kept in reserve. -Healing Mastery: When manifesting a power that heals a creature of damage, negative levels or ability damage, that power is treated as two manifester levels higher for resolving effects. -Insight Mastery: So long as the Emerald Master maintains a reserve of 10 power points, they gain +2 to Initiative, Spot and Listen checks. Each additional bonus requires an additional 10 power points be kept in reserve. -Maneuver Mastery: An Emerald Master may use psionic energy to augment his Martial Strikes. As a Swift Action, am Emerald Master may expend 3 power points to provide a +1 bonus to attack and 1d8 points of force damage when initiating a Martial Strike. The Emerald Master may expend power points in this fashion equal to their manifester level. Each additional selection of this mastery adds a +1 to attack and +1d8 points of force damage to the final bonus. -Meditation Mastery: When using the Emerald Knight’s Combat Meditation class feature, the number of Power Points gained in this fashion increases by five and the number of maneuvers recovered from classes or feats other than Warblade increases by one. -Offensive Mastery: So long as the Emerald Master maintains a reserve of 10 power points, the insight bonus to attacks provided by powers with the Precognition identifier increases by one and the insight bonus to damage provided by powers with the Precognition power increases by two. If a Precognition power does not at least one of the relevant bonuses (attack or damage), the mastery benefit does not apply. Each additional bonus requires an additional 10 power points be kept in reserve. -Recovery Mastery: The Emerald Master may select either the Instant Clarity or Psychic Renewal feat. -Sever Mastery (Sp): As a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, a Master may use his connection with the web of life to cut an evil creature off from that source in order to prevent further corruption. When using this ability, an evil creature within Close range must make a Will save (DC 17 + the Master’s manifesting stat) or permanently lose access to all spells, powers, spell- and psi-like abilities. The target still regains power points normally every day, but may not use them to access these abilities. Sever is not affected by Spell Resistance. Each successful use of this ability permanently drains the Master of 17 power points, which must be spent upon manifestation. The target’s lost abilities and the Master’s lost power points may only be restored if the target’s alignment shifts permanently to Good. Each additional selection of this ability increases the DC by 2. -Social Mastery: So long as the Emerald Master maintains a reserve of 10 power points, they gain a +2 bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks and all Sense Motive checks. Each additional bonus requires an additional 10 power points be kept in reserve. -Telekinetic Mastery: So long as the Emerald Master maintains a reserve of 10 power points, the total weight of an object or objects a character can affect using Telekinetic Force or Telekinetic Thrust increases by a factor of 10. The use of this Mastery increases the manifesting time of both powers to one round. Objects affected by this Mastery are moved at a rate of two feet per manifester level per full round of concentration. Objects used to strike an opponent in this fashion do 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet moved, in addition to normal damage dealt if the object is dropped vertically onto a creature or object. Each additional multiplier requires an additional 10 power points be kept in reserve. Taking this Mastery multiple times increases the maximum weight affected by a further factor of 5 (to 50, then 500). Powers Known: At all levels except 1st, the Emerald Master gains an additional manifester level, additional power points per day and access to new powers as if he had also gained a level in whatever manifesting class he had belonged to before he added the prestige class. The character does not gain any other benefits of that class, such as bonus feats. A character with multiple manifesting classes before becoming an Emerald Master must decide when entering the prestige class which class will be advanced. New powers selected using Emerald Master levels must be selected from the Emerald Knight or Emerald Master power lists (the latter provided below). An Emerald Master who takes further levels in Emerald Knight may select powers from either list freely. A Emerald Master who takes further levels in a manifesting class advanced by Emerald Master may not select from the Emerald Knight or Emerald Master lists for that level. Emerald Master Power List 1st: Call to Mind, Touch of Health 2nd: Augury [Psionic], Bestow Power, Feat Leech, Identify, Serenity, Tongues 3rd: Dispel Psionics, Mind Trap, Realized Potential 4th: Divination, Intellect Fortress, Power Leech, Psychic Reformation 5th: Catapsi, Leech Field, Shatter Mind Blank, True Seeing 6th: Contingency, Mend Wounds, Null Psionics Field, Restoration 7th: Fate of One, Reddopsi, Vision [Psionic] 8th: Foresight [Psionic], Hypercognition 9th: Apopsi, Psychic Chirugery
moebius00 03-23-08, 01:39 PM	Reserved for the Crimson Lord PrC
moebius00 03-23-08, 01:39 PM	Reserved for Order-themed Feats.
moebius00 03-27-08, 08:33 AM	No comments? No criticisms?
ToastedAmphibian 03-28-08, 04:42 PM	? Why are you giving COMPETENCE bonus for avoiding arrows, that are lost when flat footed. ?? Are you trying to avoid having them stack with other things that might give competence bonuses? Are you attempting to make it so that two knights, side by side, cannot help protect eachother? (That just sounds really cool to me, but to each his own) Id probably make it a dodge bonus. Mabey they give a competence bonus to others, but a circumstance bonus would probably be more apropriate. (They dont make there friends more capable, there friends are just fortunate enough to be in a possion where he may deflect the arrows for them yes?) Vow of Chastity and poverty should probably be renamed. Thoes names are already claimed by feats published in teh book of exalted deeds. Besides, not being able to "own more phat ass magical loot than you can carry" isnt really POVERTY. Its more a vow of "Have a high Strength score" Also, a 7th level psi warrior could probably qualify for entry into your knights class, so how do the manuevers gained through the knight levels work in that instance? Oh, and Warblade 5 / WarMind 5 / Emerald Knight 5/ Emerald Master 5 Looks like a fairly nice build to me. 16 BAB Good Saves, Good HP, 6th level powers, 17th level Iniators. Not too shabby.
moebius00 03-28-08, 06:34 PM	? Why are you giving COMPETENCE bonus for avoiding arrows, that are lost when flat footed. ?? Are you trying to avoid having them stack with other things that might give competence bonuses? Are you attempting to make it so that two knights, side by side, cannot help protect eachother? (That just sounds really cool to me, but to each his own) Id probably make it a dodge bonus. Mabey they give a competence bonus to others, but a circumstance bonus would probably be more apropriate. (They dont make there friends more capable, there friends are just fortunate enough to be in a possion where he may deflect the arrows for them yes?) Vow of Chastity and poverty should probably be renamed. Thoes names are already claimed by feats published in teh book of exalted deeds. Besides, not being able to "own more phat ass magical loot than you can carry" isnt really POVERTY. Its more a vow of "Have a high Strength score" Also, a 7th level psi warrior could probably qualify for entry into your knights class, so how do the manuevers gained through the knight levels work in that instance? Oh, and Warblade 5 / WarMind 5 / Emerald Knight 5/ Emerald Master 5 Looks like a fairly nice build to me. 16 BAB Good Saves, Good HP, 6th level powers, 17th level Iniators. Not too shabby. 1. The build you've proposed only has 10th level Warblade manifesting for 1 5th level power...Warblade taps out at 10 pre-epic. Otherwise it looks about right. 2. I think you're right about Deflection. It should be a Dodge bonus and if multiple members of the Order are together, their Dodge bonuses should stack. I'm also thinking about dropping the bonus entirely and going the Deflect Arrows/mass Deflect Arrows route, but I like the idea that a Knight can Deflect a Disintegrate. 3. A 7th level Psi Warrior does not qualify. They don't qualify for Deep Impact (+5 BAB) until 8th level. They also wouldn't get 2nd level maneuvers until 6th, which means the 6th and 9th level character feats and the 8th level PsyWar feat have to be spent on Martial Study, Deep Impact and Martial Study. You can do this, but I'm not sure you'd want to. As per the mechanics section, maneuvers gained by the Knight are drawn from and recovered as a Warblade, regardless of what was used to enter the class. Tome of Battle has rules governing the use of maneuvers gained through Martial Study without Martial Adept levels, so taking Martial study to qualify would fall under the feat description. Thanks for your comments...I put a lot of hours into thinking about this and trying to balance it. I think I'm there on parts of it, but how some of the bonuses work still aren't clear.
ToastedAmphibian 03-31-08, 04:32 PM	. The build you've proposed only has 10th level Warblade manifesting for 1 5th level power...Warblade taps out at 10 pre-epic. Otherwise it looks about right ? Warblade 5 = 5 Knight 5 = 5 Master 5 = 5 Warmind 5 = 2 5+5+5+2=10? Wait... warblade manifesting? Thought you ment Warblade Iniaitor level I guess you might mean warmind manifester level. Powers Known A war mind chooses his powers from the psychic warrior power list. At 1st level, a war mind knows one psychic warrior power of your choice. At every even-numbered level higher than 1st, he learns one new power. A war mind can manifest any power that has a power point cost equal to or lower than his manifester level. The total number of powers a war mind can manifest per day is limited only by his daily power points. Maximum Power Level Known A war mind gains the ability to learn one 1st-level power when he takes his first level in the prestige class. As he attains each even-numbered level beyond 2nd, a war mind gains the ability to master more complex powers. Through actuall warmind levels you cannot get 6th level powers pre-epic. But if you have things that give "Virtual" levels, then nothing really stops you. You get 4 manifester levels from master, 3 from knight, and 5 from warmind. your manifester level would be 12. Your effective warmind level would be 12, giving you one 6th level power. And about 99 power points, not counting any bonus points from feats, races, ability scores ect. Im not sure i see where you are getting 10 from either way. At any rate, your iniator level is only stacks with warblade, not the iniator class of your choice? That is rather strange, but fair i guess. I see why very few swordsages enter there organization though. "Ok, you gained a new manuever mr 16th level swordsage first level knight! Okay, your iniator level is 9......" Defenitly want to be a warblade for that :}