LOTRfan
2011-05-07, 02:57 PM
Alright, here's a little background. This is meant to be an NPC PrC, one that increases the efficiency and dangerousness of the common mook (usually Kobolds, goblinoids, or Orcs). As a result, it has extremely easy prerequisites that allow for entry as early as 2nd level, and has abilities that, for the most part only benefit large groups of people.
This is not meant to be a PC PrC. I think that's pretty much all I need to say. PEACH away!
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The Taskmaster
http://images.wikia.com/lon/images/3/31/Orc_Taskmaster.png
Many societies, usually chaotic ones, have difficulty keeping squads of soldiers functioning in an orderly fashion. In the less than good societies, sometimes the strict hand of a cruel ruler is required to keep them in line. Especially common in groups of Orcs and other chaotic evil beings, a single strong ruler may inspire fear into his allies so strongly that they fight with absolute resolve; they fear the lash of their commander more than the blades of the enemy.
These commanders, often viewed as ruthless tyrants or cruel slavemasters, are usually referred to as taskmasters. Masters of intimidation and the whip, few wish to face them when they are surrounded by allies. In just a matter of seconds, the taskmaster’s threats and intimidation tactics can transform a group of even the most cowardly commoners into a brutally efficient fighting force.
Prerequisites
To become a taskmaster, a character must fulfill the following prerequisites:
Alignment: Any nongood
Skills: Bluff 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks.
Weapon Proficiencies: Whip
{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special
1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Fear-Inspired Competence
2 | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Strangling Whip, Fear Inspired Resilience
3 | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | 2nd Fear Inspired Competence
4 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | 2nd Fear Inspired Resilience
5 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | On Your Feet![/table]
Class Skills: A Taskmaster has the following skills as class skills: Bluff (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis). Taskmasters gain (4 + INT modifier) worth of skill points each level.
Class Features
Taskmasters gain the following class features.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Taskmasters do not gain any new weapons or armor proficiencies.
Fear Inspired Competence (Ex): At 1st level, as a standard action, a taskmaster may crack his whip at an ally. As part of this action, the taskmaster threatens all nearby allies and makes an Intimidate check (DC 15). If successful, take the check’s result (subtracting 15), and divided it by 2, rounding down. For that number of rounds, all allies of equal or less Hit Dice who remain within 30 ft. of the taskmasters get one of the following bonuses (as decided by the Taskmaster before he rolls the intimidation check). At first, if the taskmaster uses this ability again before the duration ends, the previous effect is negated for the new effect. At 3rd level, two such effects can be active at once.
Savage Assault: The allies, driven into a blood frenzy out of fear, gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to the taskmaster’s total class levels.
Precise Aim: The allies of the taskmaster know that, to please their master, they must be as accurate as possible. They gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to the taskmaster’s total class levels.
Skilled Labor: When performing tasks for their master, allies know that failure is not an option. Allies gain a bonus to all skills based off of a single ability (exactly which of the six abilities is chosen by the taskmaster) equal to the taskmaster’s total character level. For example, one taskmaster might want his allies to gain a bonus to all strength-based skills, while others may want allies to have a bonus on all constitution-based skills.
Strangling Whip (Ex): At 2nd level, taskmasters learn a technique to make whip attacks lethal. When using a whip on an enemy, a taskmaster may declare before the attack roll his intention to have the whip wrap around his targets neck. If the attack succeeds, he deals lethal damage and may start a grapple check as a free action. For each round the grapple is maintained, the target suffers the whip’s damage, which is treated as lethal instead of nonlethal.
Fear Inspired Resilience (Ex): At 2nd level, taskmasters may perform an action superficially similar to his fear inspired courage ability. It works the same way, except that instead of giving them bonuses to rolls, it gives them bonuses to their defenses. A taskmaster can have both abilities active at once. ). At first, if the taskmaster uses this ability again before the duration ends, the previous effect is negated for the new effect. At 4th level, two such effects can be active at once (for a total of four different inspirations at a time).
Increased Endurance: The fear the allies feel cause an increase in adrenaline, making them slightly tougher. They gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the taskmaster’s total character level. If all of these temporary hit points are not depleted by the end of the inspiration’s duration, they are lost anyway.
Heightened Resistance: The allies know they cannot falter, or they shall suffer terribly for it. They gain a bonus to a single type of save equal to one half the taskmaster’s total character level (rounded down).
Better Defense: The allies are filled with a desperate need to survive, gaining a morale bonus to their armor class equal to one half the taskmaster’s total character level (rounded down).
On Your Feet! (Ex): At 5th level, the amount of fear the taskmaster inspires is so terrifying that it may cause allies at the brink of death to fight on. Once per encounter, the taskmaster may attempt to make a DC 20 intimidate check. If he succeeds, all fallen allies between -9 and -1 hit points within 30 ft. gain a number of temporary hit points equal to one half the taskmaster’s total character level. These allies continue to fight normally even if brought into the negatives. They still die at -10 hit points, however.
This is not meant to be a PC PrC. I think that's pretty much all I need to say. PEACH away!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The Taskmaster
http://images.wikia.com/lon/images/3/31/Orc_Taskmaster.png
Many societies, usually chaotic ones, have difficulty keeping squads of soldiers functioning in an orderly fashion. In the less than good societies, sometimes the strict hand of a cruel ruler is required to keep them in line. Especially common in groups of Orcs and other chaotic evil beings, a single strong ruler may inspire fear into his allies so strongly that they fight with absolute resolve; they fear the lash of their commander more than the blades of the enemy.
These commanders, often viewed as ruthless tyrants or cruel slavemasters, are usually referred to as taskmasters. Masters of intimidation and the whip, few wish to face them when they are surrounded by allies. In just a matter of seconds, the taskmaster’s threats and intimidation tactics can transform a group of even the most cowardly commoners into a brutally efficient fighting force.
Prerequisites
To become a taskmaster, a character must fulfill the following prerequisites:
Alignment: Any nongood
Skills: Bluff 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks.
Weapon Proficiencies: Whip
{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort | Ref | Will | Special
1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 | Fear-Inspired Competence
2 | +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 | Strangling Whip, Fear Inspired Resilience
3 | +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 | 2nd Fear Inspired Competence
4 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | 2nd Fear Inspired Resilience
5 | +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 | On Your Feet![/table]
Class Skills: A Taskmaster has the following skills as class skills: Bluff (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis). Taskmasters gain (4 + INT modifier) worth of skill points each level.
Class Features
Taskmasters gain the following class features.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Taskmasters do not gain any new weapons or armor proficiencies.
Fear Inspired Competence (Ex): At 1st level, as a standard action, a taskmaster may crack his whip at an ally. As part of this action, the taskmaster threatens all nearby allies and makes an Intimidate check (DC 15). If successful, take the check’s result (subtracting 15), and divided it by 2, rounding down. For that number of rounds, all allies of equal or less Hit Dice who remain within 30 ft. of the taskmasters get one of the following bonuses (as decided by the Taskmaster before he rolls the intimidation check). At first, if the taskmaster uses this ability again before the duration ends, the previous effect is negated for the new effect. At 3rd level, two such effects can be active at once.
Savage Assault: The allies, driven into a blood frenzy out of fear, gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to the taskmaster’s total class levels.
Precise Aim: The allies of the taskmaster know that, to please their master, they must be as accurate as possible. They gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to the taskmaster’s total class levels.
Skilled Labor: When performing tasks for their master, allies know that failure is not an option. Allies gain a bonus to all skills based off of a single ability (exactly which of the six abilities is chosen by the taskmaster) equal to the taskmaster’s total character level. For example, one taskmaster might want his allies to gain a bonus to all strength-based skills, while others may want allies to have a bonus on all constitution-based skills.
Strangling Whip (Ex): At 2nd level, taskmasters learn a technique to make whip attacks lethal. When using a whip on an enemy, a taskmaster may declare before the attack roll his intention to have the whip wrap around his targets neck. If the attack succeeds, he deals lethal damage and may start a grapple check as a free action. For each round the grapple is maintained, the target suffers the whip’s damage, which is treated as lethal instead of nonlethal.
Fear Inspired Resilience (Ex): At 2nd level, taskmasters may perform an action superficially similar to his fear inspired courage ability. It works the same way, except that instead of giving them bonuses to rolls, it gives them bonuses to their defenses. A taskmaster can have both abilities active at once. ). At first, if the taskmaster uses this ability again before the duration ends, the previous effect is negated for the new effect. At 4th level, two such effects can be active at once (for a total of four different inspirations at a time).
Increased Endurance: The fear the allies feel cause an increase in adrenaline, making them slightly tougher. They gain a number of temporary hit points equal to the taskmaster’s total character level. If all of these temporary hit points are not depleted by the end of the inspiration’s duration, they are lost anyway.
Heightened Resistance: The allies know they cannot falter, or they shall suffer terribly for it. They gain a bonus to a single type of save equal to one half the taskmaster’s total character level (rounded down).
Better Defense: The allies are filled with a desperate need to survive, gaining a morale bonus to their armor class equal to one half the taskmaster’s total character level (rounded down).
On Your Feet! (Ex): At 5th level, the amount of fear the taskmaster inspires is so terrifying that it may cause allies at the brink of death to fight on. Once per encounter, the taskmaster may attempt to make a DC 20 intimidate check. If he succeeds, all fallen allies between -9 and -1 hit points within 30 ft. gain a number of temporary hit points equal to one half the taskmaster’s total character level. These allies continue to fight normally even if brought into the negatives. They still die at -10 hit points, however.