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WhiteKnight777
2009-12-07, 11:28 PM
I was going over an old semi-serious class I made for a campaign where I needed a butler as a Cohort. This class is not intended for PC use - and would either be completely awful or utterly overpowered, depending on how you used it. Still, maybe someone will get some use (or laughs) out of it, so read and enjoy, and feel free to comment. Mechanical improvements aren't really an issue, the class being what it is, but suggestions for flavor improvements are more than welcome.

Butler Progression
{table=head]Level | BAB | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special
1st | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Butler, not a Fighter; Right Hand Man
2nd | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Ultimate Poker Face
3rd | +1 | +3 | +1 | +3 |
4th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 |
5th | +2 | +4 | +1 | +4 | You Rang, Sir?
6th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 |
7th | +3 | +5 | +2 | +5 |
8th | +4 | +6 | +2 | +6 | Man of Many Talents
9th | +4 | +6 | +3 | +6 |
10th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 | You Were Going to Ring, Sir?
11th | +5 | +7 | +3 | +7 |
12th | +6/+1 | +8 | +4 | +8 |
13th | +6/+1 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Fountain of Couth
14th | +7/+2 | +9 | +4 | +9 |
15th | +7/+2 | +9 | +5 | +9 | Taskmaster
16th | +8/+3 | +10 | +5 | +10 | Older and Wiser
17th | +8/+3 | +10 | +5 | +10 |
18th |+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 | Rudeness Will Not Be Tolerated
19th | +9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 |
20th | +10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 | Eternal Servant [/table]

Skills: (8 + Int), x4 at 1st level.
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: The Butler may choose any 12 skills as Class Skills. There are certain skills that most Butlers possess, but the first rule of Butlering is adapting to what the Master needs.
Multiclassing: A Butler who multiclasses loses all of his powers derived from the Butler class. The way of the Butler is one of utterly single-minded dedication.

Class Features:

Butler, Not a Fighter: Butlers are, by their very natures, domestic servants. Even those who serve the most brutal and warlike masters generally disdain direct combat - it's not gentlemanly behavior. Butlers take a -5 penalty on all melee combat rolls.

Right Hand Man: A Butler is the most devoted of servants. Every Butler has a Master; and they will serve this master faithfully, no matter the situation. Once a master is chosen, the Butler serves them until one or the other dies. If the old Master dies, a new one may be chosen after a mourning period of a year and a day, during which the Butler generally retires to silent contemplation. This mourning period need not apply if the old Master died of natural causes, or charged the Butler to look after a new Master.

Butlers tend to follow in the footsteps of their masters, and adopt similar trappings. Thus, a Butler who serves an undead master will often appear ghoulish or pale, while one who serves a noble king will appear the very image of virtue, sagacity, and cleanliness.

Ultimate Poker Face: Butlers often have to deal with their social superiors in the most delicate of situations, or else handle their own masters quite carefully. Thus, they learn to conceal their emotions behind almost unreadable faces. Anyone attempting a Sense Motive check on a Butler who does not wish to be read suffers a penalty equal to the Butler's class level.

You Rang, Sir?: Butlers quickly develop a knack for appearing as soon as they are needed. At level 5, Butlers gain the ability to appear as soon as their master rings a bell or summons them by name, as long as they are in the same building or general vicinity.

Man of Many Talents: Butlers often have to assist their masters in all sorts of tasks, and they learn to pick up a wide variety of talents along the way. Pick an two skills. Even if they are cross-class, the Butler is treated as having ranks equal to his Butler level, so long as the task in some way assists his Master.

You Were About to Ring, Sir? At level 10, the Butler's ability to appear suddenly becomes truly supernatural. The Butler appears just as the Master was about to summon him. There is no limit on how far away he can be. Butlers at this level of skill are always there when they are needed.

This ability ignores any effect that would normally block teleportation or other instant travel, and can even cross the very fabric of the planes. No destination is too distant for the Butler to reach his Master.

At level 20, this effect even enables the Butler to cross the veil of death to be with his departed master. This level of dedication is the stuff of whispered legends in the circles of Butlerhood.

Fountain of Couth: By this point in their career, a Butler has seen just about everything. Nothing phases them anymore, and they are virtually unflappable. The Butler is immune to any effect that attempts to inspire emotion in them, unless they want to be affected by it. A Butler will always know exactly what such an affect would do to them before deciding on this.

This ability also renders the Butler immune to Mind-Affecting spells and effects. The Butler's mind is a true fortress - nothing can shake his devotion to the Master.

Taskmaster: A butler with this degree of skill is adept not only at managing his Master's affairs, but the affairs of his Master's other servants as well. Choose a number of servants up to the Butler's class levels. They must be the direct servants of the Master in one form or another. These servants gain a +4 bonus on all skill checks directly related to their jobs in the Master's service.

Older and Wiser: The best Butlers don't weaken as they get older - their bodies toughen like old oak trees, and their minds become even keener than they already are. Any penalties that normally apply to aging become bonuses instead, and any normal bonuses are doubled.

Rudeness Will Not Be Tolerated: Though Butlers are not prone to entering combat, in a pinch, they are capable of using their incredible reserves of self-possession to stop an attacker in their tracks. If the Butler is present and either he or is his master is being attacked, he can demand than opponent stop their foolishness immediately. So potent is the Butler's strength of will that any opponent must make a save of DC(10 + The Butler's Wisdom + 1/2 his Class Level) or comply immediately, stopping any hostile actions against his target. The Butler can only use this ability once per turn, as an immediate action.

Eternal Servant: At the very paragon of Butler-hood, the Butler's prowess as the ultimate servant transcends the very fabric of space and time. The Butler no longer ages, and is effectively immortal. If he suffers an effect that would kill him, he somehow slips away unnoticed and returns, perhaps with minor injuries or scuffs on his clothing, but otherwise unharmed.

Part of the magic of this ability is that no one really ever comments on it. So unobtrusive has the Butler become that his seeming-invulnerability is taken for granted by friend, foe, and even Master. The flip side of this ability is that the Butler is unable to use his immortality in defense of anyone. He can never shield another with his body, or use any power besides Rudeness Will Not Be Tolerated to defend anyone, even his Master. Nor can he engage in combat on behalf of another, or in any other way use this power to keep harm from coming to anyone else.

TabletopNuke
2009-12-07, 11:41 PM
Epic win.

So this class is from your old games, eh? How did that turn out? What kind of butler did you have? I had a friend who went through cohorts faster than cure potions (most of them meeting untimely ends).

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-07, 11:44 PM
Epic win.

So this class is from your old games, eh? How did that turn out? What kind of butler did you have? I had a friend who went through cohorts faster than cure potions (most of them meeting untimely ends).

Oh, it was a PbP game that died pretty quick. Fun while it lasted, though. Giles was a very classical, refined gentlemans' gentleman. Urbane, somewhat taciturn. Brewed a cup of tea that would make the gods themselves weep with envy.

TabletopNuke
2009-12-07, 11:51 PM
PbP? I'm not familiar with that abbreviation.

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-07, 11:53 PM
PbP? I'm not familiar with that abbreviation.

Play by post - here on the forums.

absolmorph
2009-12-08, 01:25 AM
You Were Going to Ring, Sir? makes me laugh.
Looks like an awesome class for an NPC.

Temotei
2009-12-08, 01:27 AM
Older and wiser is actually a pretty cool ability. No longer do you just get no penalties! Now you get stronger as your body gets all wrinkled and...fancied up.

Fortuna
2009-12-08, 01:27 AM
I want a cohort with this class. WANT WANT WANT!!!!!!!!

PairO'Dice Lost
2009-12-08, 09:28 AM
Rudeness Will Not Be Tolerated should be an immediate action, not "a swift action usable on others' turns," but otherwise this looks like a solid cohort class. Great job.

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-08, 09:53 AM
Rudeness Will Not Be Tolerated should be an immediate action, not "a swift action usable on others' turns," but otherwise this looks like a solid cohort class. Great job.

*slaps forehead* thanks for pointing that out. Can't believe I missed that one.

dsmiles
2009-12-08, 10:03 AM
Now I'm going to take a Butler as my cohort every time one of my characters takes Leadership.

I shall name him Emilio, and he will be, "very, very sneaky, sir."

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-08, 07:49 PM
Glad to see a positive reaction to the class. Nice to know I'm not the only one who liked the idea.

Fortuna
2009-12-08, 07:55 PM
Have you considered doing any PrCs for this class? I would love to see a butler along the lines of Samuel Vimes' butler (Willikins, I think it was?), who is just like this until he stabs you with the ice knife.

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-08, 07:56 PM
Have you considered doing any PrCs for this class? I would love to see a butler along the lines of Samuel Vimes' butler (Willikins, I think it was?), who is just like this until he stabs you with the ice knife.

I was actually thinking about doing a Battle Butler PrC of some sort, but I'm not all that great at mechanics, so I'd have to give it some more thought.

Lappy9000
2009-12-08, 07:58 PM
This is quite awesome, and amazingly flavorful. Thumbs up! :smallcool:

Fortuna
2009-12-08, 08:05 PM
If you will PM me or post any ideas that you have, I can help you flesh them out. Or, if you like, I can just try my hand at it myself.

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-08, 08:06 PM
If you will PM me or post any ideas that you have, I can help you flesh them out. Or, if you like, I can just try my hand at it myself.

Feel free to try it out, if you like. I've got my own version brewing in my head, it will just take a little while to gestate.

Gorgondantess
2009-12-08, 08:09 PM
Brilliant. I'm showing this one to my BBEG PC.:smallbiggrin:

Athaniar
2009-12-09, 05:04 AM
Interesting and original class, but what use is Older and Wiser when Eternal Servant cancels it by removing aging? Also, does Older and Wiser apply retroactively?

Temotei
2009-12-09, 05:08 AM
Interesting and original class, but what use is Older and Wiser when Eternal Servant cancels it by removing aging? Also, does Older and Wiser apply retroactively?

Good point. I think the butler should keep getting "invisible years" added onto their age, so then they can continue to get the bonuses from being older, up to the maximum of +6 on stats.

DracoDei
2009-12-09, 10:26 AM
I would recommend some specific exceptions to the combat nerfs when fighting rats, insects (at least below a certain size), and other things that could reasonably fit under the catagory of "household pet".

Also, I would probably drop it to 11 freely selected skills, and pick Diplomacy for them... doesn't seem to make sense without it except in the most extreme and unusual situations.

Sir Sanguine
2009-12-09, 11:15 AM
This is dang awesome. Is there a way to make a PC class out of it? Who wants to have a badass butler when they can be a badass butler?

Although I guess any PC class would have to be able to do something in combat for the first seventeen levels. Maybe some attack bonuses when the Master gets damaged?

Also, that last part about not being able to shield anyone with their body, ever, seems a bit un-Butlerlike. Perhaps you can forfeit your immortality forever in order to save your master from one attack. It seems like the kind of thing a true butler would do.

appending_doom
2009-12-09, 11:20 AM
What are a Butler's armor/weapon proficiencies?

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-09, 11:23 AM
Good point. I think the butler should keep getting "invisible years" added onto their age, so then they can continue to get the bonuses from being older, up to the maximum of +6 on stats.



I would recommend some specific exceptions to the combat nerfs when fighting rats, insects (at least below a certain size), and other things that could reasonably fit under the catagory of "household pet".

Also, I would probably drop it to 11 freely selected skills, and pick Diplomacy for them... doesn't seem to make sense without it except in the most extreme and unusual situations.



This is dang awesome. Is there a way to make a PC class out of it? Who wants to have a badass butler when they can be a badass butler?

Although I guess any PC class would have to be able to do something in combat for the first seventeen levels. Maybe some attack bonuses when the Master gets damaged?

Also, that last part about not being able to shield anyone with their body, ever, seems a bit un-Butlerlike. Perhaps you can forfeit your immortality forever in order to save your master from one attack. It seems like the kind of thing a true butler would do.

These are all really great points/suggestions... now I just need to implement them.


What are a Butler's armor/weapon proficiencies?

Simple.

Anonymouswizard
2009-12-09, 12:01 PM
Simple.

...Weapons. They have proficiency in formal wear but no armour.

The Battle Butler can wear leather armour, but only if it does not spoil his image of being a perfect gentlemen. Until he starts fighting.

WhiteKnight777
2009-12-09, 12:14 PM
...Weapons. They have proficiency in formal wear but no armour.

The Battle Butler can wear leather armour, but only if it does not spoil his image of being a perfect gentlemen. Until he starts fighting.

On this note, my interpreation of the Battle Butler is probably going to be broken into a couple of different PrC's - one that focuses on unarmed fighting, one that's more rogue/assassin like, and one that focuses on using ridiculously large weapons

The Gilded Duke
2009-12-09, 12:53 PM
On this note, my interpreation of the Battle Butler is probably going to be broken into a couple of different PrC's - one that focuses on unarmed fighting, one that's more rogue/assassin like, and one that focuses on using ridiculously large weapons

Could set it up as one class with multiple options like the Master Specialist in Complete Mage. Have some abilities common to all Battle Butlers, and then three abilities which are different based on your Battle Butler Specialty.

Dienekes
2009-12-09, 12:59 PM
...Weapons. They have proficiency in formal wear but no armour.

The Battle Butler can wear leather armour, but only if it does not spoil his image of being a perfect gentlemen. Until he starts fighting.

Personally I think this line of thought brings about the ability

Unflappable Gentleman= The Battle Butler has become so in tune with this refined and domestic demeanor, that even during combat he never spoils his image of being a perfect gentleman. In combat the Battle Butler may make all Diplomacy rolls as though they were one category higher than are.

The Dark Fiddler
2009-12-09, 01:01 PM
Rudeness Will Not Be Tolerated: Though Butlers are not prone to entering combat, in a pinch, they are capable of using their incredible reserves of self-possession to stop an attacker in their tracks. If the Butler is present and either he or is his master is being attacked, he can demand than opponent stop their foolishness immediately. So potent is the Butler's strength of will that any opponent must make a save of DC(10 + The Butler's Wisdom + 1/2 his Class Level) or comply immediately, stopping any hostile actions against his target. The Butler can only use this ability once per turn, as an immediate action.

Do you mean Wisdom modifier?

Awesome class though.

averagejoe
2009-12-09, 01:47 PM
I really like this. Very clever. That is all.