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View Full Version : [3.5] Avenger Base Class (Converted from 4.0) ToB/Invocation [WIP]



Xefas
2010-09-01, 08:07 PM
This class is meant to be balanced against Tier 3 classes. That means Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, the Tome of Battle classes, Factotum, Bard, and similar. It's supposed to be stronger than the Warlock, which is Tier 4. Please critique with this in mind.

This class is currently under construction. It still needs more Invocations, and possible a few more class features.

The Avenger
3.5 Conversion of a 4.0 class

The Avenger is the sword of their deity. They are the unfaltering judgment that passes upon the heretic. They are the bloody-handed shepherd, an ever present reminder of their god's will to the weak and impious flock. They are righteous death, come for the heathens, and leaving nothing but the devout alive.

As an Avenger, you may be of any alignment, even one that does not correspond to your deity. Your powers come not from the deity itself, but your zealous devotion to the deity manifest. You serve the clergy when it seems like the best course of action for your god's influence in the mortal realm, but if they are silent, or if you disagree with them, you have no obligation other than to do what you think is right.

Abilities: Avengers prefer quick, deft action as well as deadly cunning. Strength is mostly useless to them and Constitution is only useful insofar as it is useful to everyone - adding a little bit longevity to the character's hit points. Dexterity and Wisdom are the primary abilities for Avengers, adding to their armor class and melee deadliness, as well as the latter strengthening their invocations. Intelligence can help out with certain invocations, if the Avenger chooses to take them. Charisma isn't terribly useful, as Avengers prefer not to be particularly noticeable or memorable, quickly killing their mark and then fading into obscurity - neither hated nor loved; merely the ever-present faceless shadow of death.

Races: Avengers can arise in any culture with strong religious backing. Elves of all kinds make fine Avengers, especially Drow, whose society already supports spilling blood for their vicious goddess. It is no surprise that native outsiders, such as the Aasimar and Tiefling, take to the Avenger's mantle easily, as they carry with them the legacy of the Outer Planes, where the power of the gods are strongest.

Alignment: Avengers come in all shapes and sized, though there is a noticeable deviation towards Chaos. The more lawful minded people who hear the call tend to become Clerics or Paladins, though that is not always the case. Lawful Avengers tend to be the "Church Assassin", serving the clergy as personal hit-men (though the Good-aligned churchs tend to pretty it up with more amiable words). Chaotic Avengers are the classic wandering zealot, searching for heresy wherever it may appear, and serving it a swift decapitation.

Hit Dice: d10
Skill Points: 4 + intelligence modifier
Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Concentration, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Religion), Knowledge (The Planes), Listen, Move Silently, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble
Proficiencies: Avengers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, but with no armor or shields.
Starting Age and Starting Gold: As Ranger

The Avenger
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Invocations Known|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances Known

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+2|Deadly Finesse, Armored in Righteousness|
1|
3|
2|
1

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Oath of Enmity|
2|
4|
2|
1

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+3||
3|
5|
2|
1

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+4||
4|
5|
3|
1

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+4|Divine Censure|
4|
6|
3|
2

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+5||
5|
6|
3|
2

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+5||
6|
7|
3|
2

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+6||
7|
7|
3|
2

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+6||
8|
8|
3|
2

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+7|Improved Divine Censure|
8|
8|
4|
2

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+7|
+7||
9|
9|
4|
3

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+8|
+8||
10|
9|
4|
3

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+8|
+8||
11|
10|
4|
3

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+9|
+9||
12|
10|
4|
3

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+9|
+9||
12|
11|
5|
3

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+10|
+10||
13|
11|
5|
4

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+10|
+10||
14|
12|
5|
4

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+11|
+11||
15|
12|
5|
4

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+11|
+11||
16|
13|
5|
4

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+12|
+12|God of Death|
16|
13|
6|
4[/table]

Class Features:

Maneuver Stuff
Maneuvers: You begin your career with knowledge of three martial maneuvers. The disciplines available to you are Devoted Spirit, Tiger Claw, and White Raven (all saving throws are based off of your Dexterity). You learn additional maneuvers at higher levels, as shown on your class table. See page 39 of the Tome of Battle to determine the highest-level maneuvers you can learn. Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even-numbered Avenger level after that, you can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one you already know. In effect, you lose the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. You can swap only a single maneuver of any given level.

Maneuvers Readied: You can ready two maneuvers you know at 1st level. You ready your maneuvers by meditating on your purpose and beliefs for 5 minutes. The maneuvers you choose remain readied until you decide to meditate again and change them. You need not sleep or rest for any long period of time to ready your maneuvers. You begin an encounter with all of your readied maneuver unexpended, regardless of how many times you might have already used them since you chose them. When you initiate a maneuver, you expend it for the current encounter, so each of your readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (until you recover them). You can recover a single expended maneuver by spending a standard action saying a quick prayer to your deity in the round immediately following one that you dealt the finishing blow that killed a creature with Intelligence 3 or higher. Alternatively, if you coup de graced the creature as the finishing blow, this is instead a free action.

Avengers may not ready maneuvers nor use maneuvers they have previously readied while wearing armor or wielding a shield.

Stances Known: You begin play with knowledge of one 1st level stance from any discipline you have access to. At 5th level, 11th, and 15th level, you can choose additional stances. Unlike with maneuvers, you cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one you already know.

Invocation Stuff
Invocations: You can use any invocation you know at-will, with the following qualifications. Your invocations are spell-like abilities, and are considered Divine in nature (rather than Arcane); using an invocation is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. An invocation can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting. You are entitled to a concentration check to successfully use an invocation if you are hit by an attack while invoking, just as a spellcaster would be. You can choose to use an invocation defensively, but making a successful Concentration check to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. Your invocations are subject to spell resistance unless an invocation’s description specifically states otherwise. Your caster level with invocations is equal to your Avenger level. The save DC for an invocation is 10 + 1/2 your class level (rounded up) + your wisdom modifier. The effective spell level of your invocations for effects dependent on spell level (such as casting defensively) is equal to your class level 1/2 (rounded up).

The four grades of invocations, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater, and devout. You begin with knowledge of one invocation, which must be the lowest grade. At 6th level, you may begin choosing from Lesser Invocations, at 11th level, you may choose Greater Invocations, and at 16th level, you may choose Devout Invocations. At any level in which you learn a new invocation or a new grade of invocation, you may swap an already known invocation with another one of the same grade or lower.

While the Avenger’s invocations are not subject to arcane spell failure (as they are Divine), the nature of the Avenger is to eschew armor entirely, and thus they do not function while wearing armor or wielding a shield.

Other Class Features
Deadly Finesse (Ex): Avengers use the higher of their Dexterity or Wisdom modifier in place of Strength for melee attack and damage rolls. This only functions while they do not wear armor or wield a shield.

Armored in Righteousness (Ex): Avengers add their Wisdom modifier as a Deflection bonus to their Armor Class. This only functions while they do not wear armor or wield a shield.

Oath of Enmity (Ex): As a swift action, a 2nd level Avenger may focus their wrath upon a single foe in their line of sight, forgoing all others for the moment. Once per round, they may reroll one melee attack roll made against their chosen foe, but take a -4 penalty on all attack rolls made against anything that is not that foe. The oath lasts until the chosen foe is dead or until the Avenger expends one unexpended maneuver as a swift action to forsake the oath altogether.

Divine Censure (Su): At 5th level, an Avenger gains expanded functionality with their Oath of Enmity. While they are in a Tiger Claw stance, they gain the Censure of Pursuit. While they are in a Devoted Spirit stance, they gain the Censure of Retribution. While they are in a White Raven stance, they gain the Censure of Unity.

Censure of Pursuit: If the target of your Oath of Enmity is adjacent to you, and moves, you may pursue them as an immediate action. You move the exact same distance as they do, at the same time, in the most direct route possible, and end adjacent to them once more. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If the target moves from being on the ground to flying above the ground, you may attempt a free grapple check at the end of your movement to latch onto them and keep from falling. At 10th level, if the target of your Oath of Enmity is adjacent to you, and teleports, plane shifts, phases through a wall, or uses any other manner of supernatural movement, you may follow them such that you continue to be adjacent to them no matter what mode of travel they use.

Censure of Retribution: If an enemy other than the one you have focused with your Oath of Enmity strikes you, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls against your Oath of Enmity target, and a +1 bonus to armor class and saving throws against anyone that is not your Oath of Enmity target. These bonuses stack up to a maximum of your Wisdom modifier, and disappear if you leave a Devoted Spirit stance or your Oath ends. At 10th level, the bonuses become +2.

Censure of Unity: Any ally that receives a flanking bonus on their attack roll against the target of your Oath of Enmity replaces the normal +2 flanking bonus with your Wisdom modifier.

God of Death (Ex): At 20th level, an Avenger’s devotion allows him to temporarily become a minor deity, though to great risk to himself. Activating this ability is a full-round action. Once activated, the Avenger gains a Divine Rank of 0, imparting the following abilities:

Maximum hit points per Avenger hit die, immunity to Polymorphing, petrification, or any other attempt to alter their form (unless they are willing), immunity to Energy Drain, Ability Drain, and Ability Damage, immunity to Mind-Affecting effects, damage reduction 10/epic, and spell resistance 32.

In addition, in the round an Avenger becomes a God of Death, they may think of a single entity in their mind to mark with their Oath of Enmity. This creature need not be in line of sight - it merely must exist. At the beginning of the Avenger’s next turn, they instantly appear adjacent to the foe marked for death, even if that requires the Avenger to have broken planar boundaries, entered Gods’ sanctums normally impossible to breach, or to appear in a private demiplane that no one even knew existed. While they are a God of Death, they may spend a free action, on their turn, or anyone else’s, to repeat this procedure.

An Avenger may end this ability as another full-round action. The maximum amount of time possible for the Avenger to spend as a God is equal to their wisdom score in rounds.

For every complete round spent as a God of Death, the Avenger takes 1 Ability Burn to each of their ability scores (see the psionic rules in the SRD for Ability Burn) once the Avenger is no longer a God. If any ability score is reduced to 0 or below, the Avenger dies and may only be resurrected by a True Resurrection spell or greater.

Invocations
Least
Burial Aura
You are surrounded by an aura out to 10 feet in all directions for 24 hours. All creatures with -1 or less hit points that begin their turn in the aura lose 1 hit point. If a creature dies due to this aura, their body smolders with a cleansing fire. At the Avenger’s discretion, this either makes the body incapable of being raised as a corporeal undead (though leaves it intact), or it preserves the body, keeping it from beginning the decaying process for up to a week, and if it is turned into a corporeal undead during this time, its Natural Armor is 1 higher than it would otherwise be.

If an Avenger kills the subject of their Oath of Enmity while the victim is within the aura (but not necessarily with the aura), they gain temporary hit points equal to the subject’s hit dice. These temporary hit points last for 5 rounds.

Crushing Judgment
You empower yourself with divine might for 24 hours. While in effect, Crushing Judgment allows you to make use of the Power Attack feat when wielding a 2-handed weapon, even if you do not meet the prerequisite. In addition, if you deal the killing blow to the target of your Oath of Enmity with a 2-handed weapon, you gain the benefit of the Cleave feat until the end of your turn.

Death Comes In The Darkness
You may use Darkness, as the spell, as a standard action.

Even-Handed Judgment
You empower yourself with divine coordination for 24 hours. You gain the benefit of the Two-Weapon Fighting and Oversized Two Weapon Fighting (Complete Adventurer) feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. In addition, the penalty on attack rolls made against the target of your Oath of Enmity due to fighting with a weapon in each hand is reduced by a further -2.

Eyes of the Deity
Your eyes become infused with otherworldly acuteness and perception. You gain a +6 bonus to Search, Spot, and Sense Motive checks for 24 hours.

Share the Hate
As a swift action, you may allow an ally that misses the target of your Oath of Enmity with a melee attack roll to reroll their attack.

Stalker’s Sight
For the next 24 hours, you may see perfectly in both mundane and magical darkness. In addition, you may see invisible creatures as if they were not invisible.

Voice of the Deity
Your voice becomes infused with otherworldly power. You gain a +6 bonus on Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Intimidate checks.

Lesser
Baptism of Fire
As a standard action, you release a torrent of chastising flames that deal 1d6 fire damage per 3 caster levels in a 10-foot radius. This damage is doubled against creatures with an alignment component in direct opposition to one of yours, or if the creature is the target for your Oath of Enmity. If both of these criteria apply, the damage is tripled.

Wings of Light
Brilliant wings of a color of your choice sprout from your back and persist for the next 24 hours. They grant you a fly speed of double your base land speed with good maneuverability.

Greater
Halo of Flame
For the next 24 hours, a circle of magnificent flame floats above your head, illuminating as brightly as a torch. When you are struck by a melee attack, you become wreathed in flames, dealing fire damage equal to your caster level to the attacker.

Devout
Condemnation
As a standard action, you may condemn the target of your Oath of Enmity if they are within 30 feet of you. They must make a Will save and, if they fail, they are struck with permanent paralysis (only restorative spells of 7th level or higher may remove this divine paralysis), and you may immediately switch the target of your Oath of Enmity.

demidracolich
2010-09-01, 08:23 PM
Its better to get rid of the spoilers for everything except the invocations, much easier to read that way. Also a ton of dead levels which is not good.

Pechvarry
2010-09-01, 09:06 PM
Gonna have to disagree about the dead levels. That's only a perception thing -- this class is always getting new toys. More class features would clutter up the class, and need to be really weak besides. Still, if you have RP-oriented class feature ideas, tack 'em on.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-09-01, 10:07 PM
I really like the class (Avengers are my favorite class in 4e) so I will be watching this thread with interest.

I don't really have much more to say, other that you might want to add another discipline to the list of the Avenger, only two schools seem too little for a base class, also I think the God of Death ability should be (Su) and the penalties are too harsh me thinks, ability burn is extremely difficult to heal.. Maybe instead of becoming a Demi-god for a few rounds per day how about ascending to outsider-ness? that seems more reasonable and more in line with other capstones.

demidracolich
2010-09-01, 10:10 PM
Also for censures you should add the censure of unity from divine power, in 4e it give +1 to damage for each ally adjacent to the oath of enmity. Also this is the only base class I've seen with maneuvers and invocations. I think this should be added to the age of warriors.

Xefas
2010-09-01, 10:40 PM
I don't really have much more to say, other that you might want to add another discipline to the list of the Avenger, only two schools seem too little for a base class...

Well, the Crusader only has 3, and this class is meant to have limited access due to the fact that they also get other perks, such as Invocations, all good saves, the ability to reroll an attack roll every round, etc.


...also I think the God of Death ability should be (Su) and the penalties are too harsh me thinks, ability burn is extremely difficult to heal.. Maybe instead of becoming a Demi-god for a few rounds per day how about ascending to outsider-ness? that seems more reasonable and more in line with other capstones.

It's (Ex) to prevent it from being countered by stuff that counters magic (like anti-magic fields). As you say, it comes with a harsh penalty, so I don't think it's overly much.

I didn't use the generic "Become a native outsider" thing because...well, because it's generic. At level 20, there's a good chance you'll never even notice the difference between being a humanoid and being a native outsider. I think a good capstone, one that will make you glad you took 20 levels of a class without Prestige Classing out of it, is one that you can say "I'm not just an Avenger. I'm a ****ing Avenger." and then show everyone, in no uncertain terms, that you are indeed 'a ****ing Avenger'. A constant passive benefit is far less impressive, in my opinion.

Also, from the other thread:



And they get a lot of mobility based powers, in fact they get some serious movement modes quite early a fly speed at level 1 (extremely limited but flying none the less) and phazing which is similar to incorporeality at level 5...ish.

I'll keep this in mind for Invocations (more should be inbound tomorrow, but I'm about to go to bed). Thank you.


Also for censures you should add the censure of unity from divine power, in 4e it give +1 to damage for each ally adjacent to the oath of enmity.

I'll try and figure a way to slip it in. Maybe an Invocation that grants a White Raven stance of the player's choice, and then while in a White Raven stance, they gain the benefit of Censure of Unity? Hmmm...it'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-09-01, 10:43 PM
Last comment before I too go to bed, if you are going to give him white raven trough an invokation why not just let them select it as a normal discipline, it also ties well with the mechanic you used for the other censures.

The Tygre
2010-09-02, 08:27 AM
Ooh, now this looks like it should be fun. I'll be watching. :smallcool:

IdleMuse
2010-09-02, 11:27 AM
It's quite top-heavy, possibly more so than other T3 classes. Compare it to Swordsage; on top of it, you gain dex OR wis to damage (otherwise very hard to get), +1 BAB, and an Invocation. As a one-level dip, it's pretty awesome for any wis-based character.

Milskidasith
2010-09-02, 11:33 AM
It's quite top-heavy, possibly more so than other T3 classes. Compare it to Swordsage; on top of it, you gain dex OR wis to damage (otherwise very hard to get), +1 BAB, and an Invocation. As a one-level dip, it's pretty awesome for any wis-based character.

Actually, shadow blade gets you dex to damage without replacing strength quite easily. :smallwink:

Xefas
2010-09-02, 01:47 PM
Last comment before I too go to bed, if you are going to give him white raven trough an invokation why not just let them select it as a normal discipline, it also ties well with the mechanic you used for the other censures.

I may just do that. Originally, I didn't want to give them White Raven for free, as it didn't seem to fit all Avengers. However, given their low number of Maneuvers Readied and Stances Known, I realize that they'll have to make a conscious decision to add the teamwork-flavor to the class, rather than just wandering into it like is what typically happens with Crusaders.

And then I can just add in Censure of Unity.


It's quite top-heavy, possibly more so than other T3 classes. Compare it to Swordsage; on top of it, you gain dex OR wis to damage (otherwise very hard to get), +1 BAB, and an Invocation. As a one-level dip, it's pretty awesome for any wis-based character.

Any Wisdom-based class that doesn't wear armor. Are there really that many? Although, this does remind me that I was going to put in a clause about not being able to use maneuvers granted by the Avenger class while wearing armor.

IdleMuse
2010-09-02, 04:25 PM
Any Wisdom-based class that doesn't wear armor. Are there really that many? Although, this does remind me that I was going to put in a clause about not being able to use maneuvers granted by the Avenger class while wearing armor.

There's only really two Wisdom-based classes that DO wear armour, and even then Cloistered Cleric can make use of it for his team.

Okay, so there's Paladin as well as Cleric and Druid, but tbh he's awful enough anyway that concerns with optimisation are probably misplaced there :smallamused:

Xefas
2010-09-02, 04:36 PM
There's only really two Wisdom-based classes that DO wear armour, and even then Cloistered Cleric can make use of it for his team.

Okay, so there's Paladin as well as Cleric and Druid, but tbh he's awful enough anyway that concerns with optimisation are probably misplaced there :smallamused:

Cloistered Cleric, Cleric, and Druid would all be giving up that most holy of spellcasting levels to be better at melee, which they could've done by just taking more spellcasting levels.

Paladin and Monk are low enough tier that I doubt that it matters.

Dusk Eclipse
2010-09-02, 04:44 PM
Cloistered Cleric, Cleric, and Druid would all be giving up that most holy of spellcasting levels to be better at melee, which they could've done by just taking more spellcasting levels.

Paladin and Monk are low enough tier that I doubt that it matters.

You are forggeting one other wis based class... the swordsage and it is a common houserule to let them use Wis to AC even when unarmored though RAW you need to wear light armor

Xefas
2010-09-02, 10:54 PM
You are forggeting one other wis based class... the swordsage and it is a common houserule to let them use Wis to AC even when unarmored though RAW you need to wear light armor

Alright, so the Swordsage gains a few points of armor, an invocation, and becomes not quite as MAD as they were before (or rather, cuts out the ridiculous Weapon Finesse and Shadow Blade feat tax, which is more to my experience) in exchange for reduced maneuver access, less maneuvers known, and slower progression in its own class features.

All in all, it doesn't sound that bad to me. Maybe if you could go into more detail about why its bad?

Also minor update:
Added Censure of Unity, and two Lesser Invocations (Baptism of Fire and Wings of Light).

Dusk Eclipse
2010-09-02, 10:58 PM
Alright, so the Swordsage gains a few points of armor, an invocation, and becomes not quite as MAD as they were before (or rather, cuts out the ridiculous Weapon Finesse and Shadow Blade feat tax, which is more to my experience) in exchange for reduced maneuver access, less maneuvers known, and slower progression in its own class features.

All in all, it doesn't sound that bad to me. Maybe if you could go into more detail about why its bad?

Also minor update:
Added Censure of Unity, and two Lesser Invocations (Baptism of Fire and Wings of Light).

I didn't say it was bad, just pointing out you forgot one of the major Wis based classes. all in all I woul say that a Swordsage 2/Avenger 16/Swordsage +2 is a good option, Avenger IL 18, Swordsage IL 13 (and with all the manoubers know a swordsage knows you can surely pick up to 5th level manoubers in one discipline, wis to AC, a minor initiative boost and weapon focus. all with just loosing one point of BAB and a bit on saves.

Xefas
2010-09-02, 11:37 PM
I didn't say it was bad, just pointing out you forgot one of the major Wis based classes. all in all I woul say that a Swordsage 2/Avenger 16/Swordsage +2 is a good option, Avenger IL 18, Swordsage IL 13 (and with all the manoubers know a swordsage knows you can surely pick up to 5th level manoubers in one discipline, wis to AC, a minor initiative boost and weapon focus. all with just loosing one point of BAB and a bit on saves.

Err...honestly, I'm not much into optimization. I dunno if that's necessarily better than say, Swordsage 2/Warblade 16/Swordsage +2 or something like that. I've just been trying to balance the class as a 20-level class, and avoid very obvious things ("obvious", in this case, not including how martial adept classes work when you multiclass multiple ones together, as I never really endeavored to figure that out).

Do you have any suggestions as to balancing it (if you are, indeed, pointing out a balance issue)?

Another minor update: Added Halo of Flame Greater Invocation and Condemnation Devout Invocation

Bulwer
2010-09-03, 08:19 AM
This class looks fantastic in my opinion.

A few things, though:

What's the Concentration DC for invoking defensively?

How does Even-Handed judgement interact with TWF feats? Might it be better to have the invocation improve TWF as though you'd progressed one step further along the feat chain?

Xefas
2010-09-03, 06:16 PM
What's the Concentration DC for invoking defensively?

How does Even-Handed judgement interact with TWF feats? Might it be better to have the invocation improve TWF as though you'd progressed one step further along the feat chain?

Thank you. I added in the specification of spell level for the purposes of invoking defensively, and I altered Even-Handed Judgment to be a bit more friendly with the TWF feats.

It also opens up the possibility of taking other Two-Weapon Fighting feats, because, if I understand the system correctly, you can take a feat with a prerequisite that you only have on a temporary basis, you just lose access to it if you no longer meet the prerequisite.

If that's not true (hopefully someone with more definitive knowledge of the rules will come in and correct me), then I guess I'll have to amend it further.

EDIT: I'll be without internet for the next few days, so I won't be updating the class during that time. Hopefully, I'll come back from my time spent in the boonies with some new invocation ideas.