I_Got_This_Name
2006-08-06, 03:06 AM
There are those who focus themselves into a single pursuit so wholeheartedly, their life comes to resemble it. Such it is with the Grandmasters and the game of Chess. They focus themselves utterly on their game, and gain the ability to pull supernatural power from it.
Most Grandmasters are Fighters or Wizards. Few members of other classes, except Paladins and the odd Bard, take up the mantle of a Grandmaster.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements:
Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty): 7 ranks
Knowledge (History): 7 ranks
Intimidate: 7 ranks
Ride: 7 ranks
Any two of the above: 15 ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise
BAB: +6 or higher
Alignment: Any Nonchaotic.
Possessions: A set of Chess pieces worth at least 1,200 GP, total, at least 15 gp per pawn, 80 GP per Rook, Knight, or Bishop, and 200 GP each for the King and Queen. Alike pieces, and the King and Queen, must match.
Special: Must have fairly won a Chess tournament including at least 16 other people, or defeated a 6th-level Grandmaster in a game of Chess.
BAB: +1/level
Good Saves: Fortitude, Will
Spellcasting: None
Level Special
1-------Chessmen, Pawn's Charge, Pawnstrike
2-------Rook Guard, Castle
3-------Knight's Step
4-------Bishop's Advance
5-------Queen's Movement
6-------Kingdom, Royal Messenger
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Grandmaster gains no new proficiencies in weapons or armor.
Chessmen (su): The Grandmaster can use her Chessmen powers a number of times per day equal to her class level plus her intelligence modifier. A class feature will be noted as requiring a use of a Chessmen power. Expending Chessmen powers, and all associated abilities, is a swift action unless otherwise noted.
Pawn's Charge (su): So long as he has not moved yet this combat (since his initiative roll), and he does not make a single diagonal move and moves toward the enemy, the Grandmaster's land speed is doubled. This can be used in a charge, allowing his to move his (doubled) speed twice, run, or normal move. This requires a use of the Chessmen ability, and that the chess set mentioned in the prerequisites contains all 8 Pawns and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Pawnstrike (ex): When attacking along a diagonal in melee, the Grandmaster gains +1 to hit and damage per class level. Additionally, if an enemy is downed when using this ability, the Grandmaster may expend a use of Chessmen (a supernatural ability) to make an immediate move into the downed enemy's space; this even precedes Cleave attacks. This only functions if the attack is at a 45-degree angle to the square's sides; an attack with reach to an enemy a diagonal and a nondiagonal away does not activate this ability. A use of Chessmen can only be expended on this ability if the chess set contains all 8 Pawns and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Rook Guard (su): So long as the Grandmaster moves only in a straight line with no diagonals, he may expend a use of the Chessmen power to add his Intelligence bonus + Class Level to his armor class as a Dodge bonus until his next action. This ability only functions if the chess set contains both rooks and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Castle (sp): As a move action costing a use of the Grandmaster's Chessmen power, the Grandmaster may teleport to the space of a willing ally within 25 feet + 5 feet per two character levels. The ally is shunted five feet toward the position the Grandmaster left from. This ability only functions if the chess set contains the King and both rooks and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Knight's Step (su): By expending a Chessmen power, a Grandmaster may slide into the ethereal plane as part of a 5' step, making two 5' steps in a round instead of one. However, one must be diagonal, and the other must not be. Additionally, if she occupies a space larger than 5', she multiplies this distance by his space (a mounted Grandmaster moves, with horse, 10' with no diagonal movement, then two spaces diagonally). As the Grandmaster is ethereal, she ignores any material barriers to this movement, and any ethereal or force barriers that do not block both possible paths to her destination (straight then diagonal and diagonal then straight). This ability only functions if the chess set contains both Knights and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Bishop's Advance (su): A Grandmaster of 4th level or higher counts all diagonal moves as 1 square, rather than alternating between one and two. This also is applied when calculating range for the Grandmaster, but not for others; it is not used when another caster is determining if the Grandmaster is within a spell's range, but if a Grandmaster were to cast a spell with a 55-foot range, it would travel 11 squares diagonally, instead of 7, and a Grandmaster threatens a full square with Reach weapons. Spell areas are unaffected. This ability only functions if the chess set contains both Bishops and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Queen's Movement (su): A Grandmaster of 5th or higher level moving in a straight line, but not running or charging, with no diagonal moves or with only diagonal moves, may expend a use of the Chessmen ability to double her speed and ignore any impediment to movement that does not require a skill check or result from damage. This ability only functions if the chess set contains the Queen and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Kingdom (sp): A Grandmaster of 6th level can invoke the Kingdom by expending a use of the Chessmen ability. This is a full-round action, and causes a full set of chess pieces to appear around the Grandmaster. A Queen appears in any nondiagonal adjacent square; the square opposite it has a Bishop appear, as does the square on the other side of the Queen. Beyond the Bishops are Knights, and then Rooks. Forming a line of 8 squares adjacent to this line are eight pawns. The Grandmaster must take a full-round action every round to maintain this (only initiating it costs a use of Chessmen, but the Grandmaster cannot use Chessmen abilities while maintaining a Kingdom), taking only a 5' step. Squares occupied by pieces are only considered occupied by other pieces. Each piece may move once per round, on the Grandmaster's initiative count, according to the following rules:
Pawn: 5' directly away from the initial starting line of non-pawn pieces into an unoccupied square, or 5' diagonally away from the initial starting line into an occupied square. The pawn's first move may be two squares directly forward into an unoccupied square if the square in front of it is unnoccupied.
Rook: Up to 35' in any direction so long as it involves no diagonals, does not include any turns, and does not cross through any occupied squares. Additionally, a Rook that hasn't been moved and that has an unobstructed line to the Grandmaster, which also has not moved, may move next to the Grandmaster and cause the Grandmaster to move through the Rook, directly to its other side. This takes both moves.
Knight: 10'; 5' of which must be diagonal and 5' of which must not be. The Knight can ignore any obstruction to movement.
Bishop: Up to 50' in any direction so long as it only involves diagonals. The Bishop's Advance ability does not apply to this.
Queen: As a Rook or Bishop, decided each turn.
King: The Grandmaster may take a 5' step each round, and may enter an enemy's space, regardless of size, without provoking an attack of opportunity. He may also move in combination with the Rook as noted above.
The pieces are immune to attack, except the Grandmaster (King). They have an attack bonus equal to the Grandmaster's character level + Strength modifier (Dexterity modifier if the Grandmaster has Weapon Finnesse) + Intelligence modifier, no reach, and may attack once per round, even when they move. They inflict damage by the type of the Grandmaster's primary weapon + Strength Modifier + Intelligence modifier. The Grandmaster's relevant feats, such as Weapon Finnesse and Weapon Focus, apply to this.
A Grandmaster capable of casting spells of at least 4th level may alternately have them cast a spell at least 4 levels lower than the highest he can cast instead of attacking; this spell only affects those in the piece's space (if area), or up to the normal number of targets in the piece's space (if targeted). Spells use the Grandmaster's ability score, caster level, and relevant feats. Touch spells still require an attack.
The Grandmaster may make one attack per round with no reach as part of maintaining this ability, using either his attack bonus or a piece's attack bonus, and the same for damage (a Grandmaster may use a piece's attack bonus and his damage, or vice versa, or both his own, or both a piece's). If casting area spells as a piece, the Grandmaster is unaffected. Except for the Grandmaster, they do not interfere with other creatures in their space.
A Grandmaster may also use this ability (either initiating it or while maintaining it) to challenge another Grandmaster, if the two Grandmasters are standing 35' apart on a line with no diagonals. The challenged Grandmaster must use his Kingdom ability; if it is already active, no additional use is spent, but its pieces are returned to their starting arrangement. If you know another is a Grandmaster and seeks to challenge you, it is considered cowardice by the other Grandmasters to position yourself such that a challenge is initiated.
They must then make new initiative checks, based on intelligence, if they do not have initiative. The winner puts his queen on his left, facing his opponent, the opponent puts it on his right; pawns go between the two. These initiative checks become their new initiative checks for the entire combat, and determine who's pieces act first.
Unlike a normal Kingdom, only one piece can move per turn (unless the King and Rook move in combination), and one piece must move per turn; the Grandmaster taking a 5' step counts as a move. Additionally, the pieces can attack eachother, after a fashion; any piece that has its space entered by another piece is destroyed. They cannot, however, attack others during a challenge.
A Grandmaster whose square is entered by an opposing piece takes nonlethal damage equal to his maximum HP + 10, or less if the other Grandmaster chooses; regardless, it ends the challenge, although the victor may continue to use Kingdom without expending a use. Also, the pieces cannot move outside the 40' square defined on its edges by their starting positions. A pawn that reaches the opposite end of the square becomes any other piece except King, as decided by its Grandmaster.
If either Grandmaster fails to maintain this ability during a challenge, that Grandmaster takes an amount of nonlethal damage decided by the other Grandmaster, to a maximum of his maximum HP + 10, and the challenge ends.
If either Grandmaster is damaged by an outside source before the challenge is over, that Grandmaster may end the challenge immediatly; all removed pieces return to their starting positions, and they may take full actions (but not attack eachother). Additionally, he does not take the nonlethal damage caused by forfeiture. Arranging for your allies to interrupt challenges in this manner, however, is considered cowardice by most Grandmasters.
This ability only functions if the chess set contains the King and is on the Grandmaster's person. Further, any pieces missing from the set do not appear; the Grandmaster may freely determine which pawn positions are empty, if any.
Royal Messenger (sp): A Grandmaster of at least 6th level may send a Sending as the spell, once per week, to every other Grandmaster within 60 miles. This ability only functions if the chess set contains the King and is on the Grandmaster's person, and the Sending is only recieved by Grandmasters whose Kings are within 10' of them.
--
This sprung into my head fully formed. Is it good, bad, overpowered, underpowered?
Most Grandmasters are Fighters or Wizards. Few members of other classes, except Paladins and the odd Bard, take up the mantle of a Grandmaster.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements:
Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty): 7 ranks
Knowledge (History): 7 ranks
Intimidate: 7 ranks
Ride: 7 ranks
Any two of the above: 15 ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise
BAB: +6 or higher
Alignment: Any Nonchaotic.
Possessions: A set of Chess pieces worth at least 1,200 GP, total, at least 15 gp per pawn, 80 GP per Rook, Knight, or Bishop, and 200 GP each for the King and Queen. Alike pieces, and the King and Queen, must match.
Special: Must have fairly won a Chess tournament including at least 16 other people, or defeated a 6th-level Grandmaster in a game of Chess.
BAB: +1/level
Good Saves: Fortitude, Will
Spellcasting: None
Level Special
1-------Chessmen, Pawn's Charge, Pawnstrike
2-------Rook Guard, Castle
3-------Knight's Step
4-------Bishop's Advance
5-------Queen's Movement
6-------Kingdom, Royal Messenger
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Grandmaster gains no new proficiencies in weapons or armor.
Chessmen (su): The Grandmaster can use her Chessmen powers a number of times per day equal to her class level plus her intelligence modifier. A class feature will be noted as requiring a use of a Chessmen power. Expending Chessmen powers, and all associated abilities, is a swift action unless otherwise noted.
Pawn's Charge (su): So long as he has not moved yet this combat (since his initiative roll), and he does not make a single diagonal move and moves toward the enemy, the Grandmaster's land speed is doubled. This can be used in a charge, allowing his to move his (doubled) speed twice, run, or normal move. This requires a use of the Chessmen ability, and that the chess set mentioned in the prerequisites contains all 8 Pawns and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Pawnstrike (ex): When attacking along a diagonal in melee, the Grandmaster gains +1 to hit and damage per class level. Additionally, if an enemy is downed when using this ability, the Grandmaster may expend a use of Chessmen (a supernatural ability) to make an immediate move into the downed enemy's space; this even precedes Cleave attacks. This only functions if the attack is at a 45-degree angle to the square's sides; an attack with reach to an enemy a diagonal and a nondiagonal away does not activate this ability. A use of Chessmen can only be expended on this ability if the chess set contains all 8 Pawns and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Rook Guard (su): So long as the Grandmaster moves only in a straight line with no diagonals, he may expend a use of the Chessmen power to add his Intelligence bonus + Class Level to his armor class as a Dodge bonus until his next action. This ability only functions if the chess set contains both rooks and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Castle (sp): As a move action costing a use of the Grandmaster's Chessmen power, the Grandmaster may teleport to the space of a willing ally within 25 feet + 5 feet per two character levels. The ally is shunted five feet toward the position the Grandmaster left from. This ability only functions if the chess set contains the King and both rooks and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Knight's Step (su): By expending a Chessmen power, a Grandmaster may slide into the ethereal plane as part of a 5' step, making two 5' steps in a round instead of one. However, one must be diagonal, and the other must not be. Additionally, if she occupies a space larger than 5', she multiplies this distance by his space (a mounted Grandmaster moves, with horse, 10' with no diagonal movement, then two spaces diagonally). As the Grandmaster is ethereal, she ignores any material barriers to this movement, and any ethereal or force barriers that do not block both possible paths to her destination (straight then diagonal and diagonal then straight). This ability only functions if the chess set contains both Knights and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Bishop's Advance (su): A Grandmaster of 4th level or higher counts all diagonal moves as 1 square, rather than alternating between one and two. This also is applied when calculating range for the Grandmaster, but not for others; it is not used when another caster is determining if the Grandmaster is within a spell's range, but if a Grandmaster were to cast a spell with a 55-foot range, it would travel 11 squares diagonally, instead of 7, and a Grandmaster threatens a full square with Reach weapons. Spell areas are unaffected. This ability only functions if the chess set contains both Bishops and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Queen's Movement (su): A Grandmaster of 5th or higher level moving in a straight line, but not running or charging, with no diagonal moves or with only diagonal moves, may expend a use of the Chessmen ability to double her speed and ignore any impediment to movement that does not require a skill check or result from damage. This ability only functions if the chess set contains the Queen and is on the Grandmaster's person.
Kingdom (sp): A Grandmaster of 6th level can invoke the Kingdom by expending a use of the Chessmen ability. This is a full-round action, and causes a full set of chess pieces to appear around the Grandmaster. A Queen appears in any nondiagonal adjacent square; the square opposite it has a Bishop appear, as does the square on the other side of the Queen. Beyond the Bishops are Knights, and then Rooks. Forming a line of 8 squares adjacent to this line are eight pawns. The Grandmaster must take a full-round action every round to maintain this (only initiating it costs a use of Chessmen, but the Grandmaster cannot use Chessmen abilities while maintaining a Kingdom), taking only a 5' step. Squares occupied by pieces are only considered occupied by other pieces. Each piece may move once per round, on the Grandmaster's initiative count, according to the following rules:
Pawn: 5' directly away from the initial starting line of non-pawn pieces into an unoccupied square, or 5' diagonally away from the initial starting line into an occupied square. The pawn's first move may be two squares directly forward into an unoccupied square if the square in front of it is unnoccupied.
Rook: Up to 35' in any direction so long as it involves no diagonals, does not include any turns, and does not cross through any occupied squares. Additionally, a Rook that hasn't been moved and that has an unobstructed line to the Grandmaster, which also has not moved, may move next to the Grandmaster and cause the Grandmaster to move through the Rook, directly to its other side. This takes both moves.
Knight: 10'; 5' of which must be diagonal and 5' of which must not be. The Knight can ignore any obstruction to movement.
Bishop: Up to 50' in any direction so long as it only involves diagonals. The Bishop's Advance ability does not apply to this.
Queen: As a Rook or Bishop, decided each turn.
King: The Grandmaster may take a 5' step each round, and may enter an enemy's space, regardless of size, without provoking an attack of opportunity. He may also move in combination with the Rook as noted above.
The pieces are immune to attack, except the Grandmaster (King). They have an attack bonus equal to the Grandmaster's character level + Strength modifier (Dexterity modifier if the Grandmaster has Weapon Finnesse) + Intelligence modifier, no reach, and may attack once per round, even when they move. They inflict damage by the type of the Grandmaster's primary weapon + Strength Modifier + Intelligence modifier. The Grandmaster's relevant feats, such as Weapon Finnesse and Weapon Focus, apply to this.
A Grandmaster capable of casting spells of at least 4th level may alternately have them cast a spell at least 4 levels lower than the highest he can cast instead of attacking; this spell only affects those in the piece's space (if area), or up to the normal number of targets in the piece's space (if targeted). Spells use the Grandmaster's ability score, caster level, and relevant feats. Touch spells still require an attack.
The Grandmaster may make one attack per round with no reach as part of maintaining this ability, using either his attack bonus or a piece's attack bonus, and the same for damage (a Grandmaster may use a piece's attack bonus and his damage, or vice versa, or both his own, or both a piece's). If casting area spells as a piece, the Grandmaster is unaffected. Except for the Grandmaster, they do not interfere with other creatures in their space.
A Grandmaster may also use this ability (either initiating it or while maintaining it) to challenge another Grandmaster, if the two Grandmasters are standing 35' apart on a line with no diagonals. The challenged Grandmaster must use his Kingdom ability; if it is already active, no additional use is spent, but its pieces are returned to their starting arrangement. If you know another is a Grandmaster and seeks to challenge you, it is considered cowardice by the other Grandmasters to position yourself such that a challenge is initiated.
They must then make new initiative checks, based on intelligence, if they do not have initiative. The winner puts his queen on his left, facing his opponent, the opponent puts it on his right; pawns go between the two. These initiative checks become their new initiative checks for the entire combat, and determine who's pieces act first.
Unlike a normal Kingdom, only one piece can move per turn (unless the King and Rook move in combination), and one piece must move per turn; the Grandmaster taking a 5' step counts as a move. Additionally, the pieces can attack eachother, after a fashion; any piece that has its space entered by another piece is destroyed. They cannot, however, attack others during a challenge.
A Grandmaster whose square is entered by an opposing piece takes nonlethal damage equal to his maximum HP + 10, or less if the other Grandmaster chooses; regardless, it ends the challenge, although the victor may continue to use Kingdom without expending a use. Also, the pieces cannot move outside the 40' square defined on its edges by their starting positions. A pawn that reaches the opposite end of the square becomes any other piece except King, as decided by its Grandmaster.
If either Grandmaster fails to maintain this ability during a challenge, that Grandmaster takes an amount of nonlethal damage decided by the other Grandmaster, to a maximum of his maximum HP + 10, and the challenge ends.
If either Grandmaster is damaged by an outside source before the challenge is over, that Grandmaster may end the challenge immediatly; all removed pieces return to their starting positions, and they may take full actions (but not attack eachother). Additionally, he does not take the nonlethal damage caused by forfeiture. Arranging for your allies to interrupt challenges in this manner, however, is considered cowardice by most Grandmasters.
This ability only functions if the chess set contains the King and is on the Grandmaster's person. Further, any pieces missing from the set do not appear; the Grandmaster may freely determine which pawn positions are empty, if any.
Royal Messenger (sp): A Grandmaster of at least 6th level may send a Sending as the spell, once per week, to every other Grandmaster within 60 miles. This ability only functions if the chess set contains the King and is on the Grandmaster's person, and the Sending is only recieved by Grandmasters whose Kings are within 10' of them.
--
This sprung into my head fully formed. Is it good, bad, overpowered, underpowered?