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channingman
2011-09-15, 03:33 AM
This class is designed to be a beefy bringer of justice - for a time. Ideally, it would be a class for clerics or paladins who want to become beacons of might and right. However, druids and rangers could also qualify for this class.

Note: The Divine Avatar is very beefy. I am aware of this. I was wondering where this would balance in the broad scheme of things. Is this something that belongs next to BoED and ToB, or more along the line of the "Complete X" splatbooks - Or is this more a Pathfinder level PrC?



Requirements

BAB: +6 or higher
Feats: Weapon Focus
Skills: Knowledge (Religion) 6 ranks
Special: Must be able to cast 2nd lvl divine spells
Special: Must be Lawful good, or within one step of LG.


{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Spells Per Day

1st|+1|+2|+0|+2|Avatar Form 1/day, Lay on hands, Turn undead|

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Morale Bonus +2|+1 level of existing divine spellcaster class

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Avatar form 2/day|

4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Increase in size, Protective Aura|+1 level of existing divine spellcaster class

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

6th|+6|+5|+2|+5|Avatar form 3/day|+1 level of existing divine spellcaster class

7th|+7|+5|+2|+5|Improved Protective Aura, Holy Word/Dictum|

8th|+8|+6|+2|+6||+1 level of existing divine spellcaster class

9th|+9|+6|+3|+6|Avatar form 4/day|

10th|+10|+7|+3|+7|Undying|+1 level of existing divine spellcaster class

[/table]
Hit Die: d8

Class Skills:
Class Skills: Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).


Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier


Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The divine avatar gains no additional proficiency in any weapon, armor or shield.


Lay on Hands: If you do not already possess this ability, you gain no new ability to Lay on Hands. However, you add your Divine Avatar levels to your paladin levels for determining how many hit points per day you may heal with your lay on hands ability (for instance, a paladin 10/Divine Avatar 3 with a charisma modifier of +2 may heal up to 26 hit points per day with her lay on hands ability).

Turn Undead: If you do not already possess this ability, you gain no new ability to turn undead. However, you may add your Divine Avatar levels to your Cleric levels for purposes of Turn undead (For instance, a cleric 8/Divine Avatar 4 can turn undead as a 12th level cleric).


Avatar Form: At 1st level, the divine avatar gains access to the avatar form. Through prayer and meditation, the avatar can channel the power of her deity, gaining tremendous power for a short period of time. Entering Avatar Form takes a full round action. At first level, the divine avatar may enter avatar form once per day. At 3rd, 6th and 9th levels, the divine avatar gains another use of avatar form per day. Regardless of the avatars number of uses of the avatar form per day, the avatar may only enter avatar form once per encounter. The form lasts for 1 minute, +1 minute per 2 levels of divine avatar, to a max of 5 minutes at lvl 9. While in avatar form, the divine avatar gains the following benefits: +4 Str, +2 to all saves, and +2 AC. Leaving avatar form is a free action. After leaving avatar form, the divine avatar suffers a -2 penalty to strength and a -2 penalty to will until the end of the encounter. As the avatar gains levels, she gains additional benefits while in avatar form.

At 2nd level, while in avatar form, the divine avatar grants all allies that can see him a +2 morale bonus on attacks and damage rolls.

At 4th level, while in avatar form, the divine avatar grows one size category larger (as well as all equipment held by the divine avatar). Additionally the divine avatar gains a protective aura that provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws against attacks made or effects created by evil or chaotic creatures to anyone within 20 feet of the divine avatar. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against evil and chaos effect as well as a lesser globe of invulnerability, all with a radius of 20 ft. The caster level for this effect is equal to the divine avatar's HD. Additionally, the avatar's bonus to saves becomes a +4 bonus, and his bonus to strength becomes a +6.

At 7th lvl, while in avatar form, the divine avatar's protective aura becomes the equivalent of the Holy Aura spell, and the Shield of Law spell, but effecting all allies within 20 feet of the avatar (note that the bonuses do not stack for the two spells). The lesser globe of invulnerability remains in effect. The caster level for this effect is equal to the divine avatar's HD. Additionally, the divine avatar may cast Holy Word and Dictum each once per day while in avatar form with caster level equal to the divine avatar's HD.

At 10th lvl, while in avatar form,the divine avatar becomes undying. If the avatar is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, he is unaffected, nor can the divine avatar be killed by massive damage. Once the divine avatar leaves avatar form, if his current hit point level would leave him unconscious, he falls unconscious. If his hit point level would kill him, he dies.

Spells per Day: At every even numbered level gained in the divine avatar class, the character gains new spells (and spell points) per day as if she had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class she belonged to before adding this prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased level for spell-casting. If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class before beoming a divine avatar, she must decide to which class she adds the new level for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Code of Conduct: A Divine Avatar loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act.

Additionally, a Divine Avatar's code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who harm or threaten innocents.

Associates: While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a Divine Avatar will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A Divine Avatar may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good, or within one step of Lawful Good

Ex-Avatars: An Avatar who willfully commits an evil act, or who grossly violates the code of conduct loses all Divine Avatar spells and abilities. She may not progress any farther in levels as a Divine Avatar. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see the atonement spell description), as appropriate.

Multiclass note: A paladin who becomes a divine avatar may continue to advance as a paladin.

Hazzardevil
2011-09-15, 01:15 PM
To be honest, ditch the half-casting, no-one except paladins, hexblades and rangers take those classes.

Mulletmanalive
2011-09-15, 01:32 PM
While i've always liked the concept, this suffers from the same issue that all classes like this does: it's not as powerful as it seems...

The avatar form is about equal to Rage but with fewer actual benefits, gained at a later level, making it's longer duration the only thing it has going for it at first level.

The second level ability is alright, mostly because it's a bardic ability and their buffs are solid. Not exciting and by this point, i could get a lot more mileage out of the Crusader's various stances.

The fourth level ability is an Enlarged Magic Circle Against Evil something that i've never encountered being cast in play. It's useful but dull and it comes on the same level as a spellcasting advancement [i'll mention this in a moment] making it seem overburdened at that level.

The seventh level ability. Ok, that's solid, but still mostly static. Invulnerable, yes, mighty juggernaut of justice? no.

Tenth level, well, that's a bucket of water situation right there. The first part is just a first level spell, so i'll ignore that, but the unkillable bit is mighty impressive. Ok, that's a decent capstone.

Trouble with all that? It's alright, not going to make me feel mighty because it doesn't actually add any combat abilities and when i'm not in Avatar form [likely, especially at lower levels] I suck. I'm a warrior with a slightly better skill selection. If I actually have to stand around sucking as Prince Adam because I only get a finite number of Avatar forms per day, I don't think i'd bother.

Sorry.

This class really needs some means of contributing when not a mighty champion of justice. And I got nothing to suggest...

channingman
2011-09-15, 10:48 PM
So, perhaps I should remove the spellcasting progression and add some SLA's that will be useful while *not* in avatar form? Or some bonus feats

Alternately, I could increase the spellcasting progression to be 2/3 progression.

Also, perhaps the bonuses at lower level should be advanced.

Some ideas:

Remove spellcasting progression

Grant Holy smite at lvl 1 as a SLA usable a number of times per day equal to your avatar level, with caster level equal to 5+divine avatar level.

Grant Heal as an SLA at lvl 3, caster level equal to 5+Divine avatar level. Useable 1 time per 2 levels of divine avatar per day.

Move the Increased size category bonus to 4th level, grant a lesser sphere of invulnerability as part of the protective aura.

Grant Implode, Heal Mass as an SLA at lvl 7, useable once per day, caster level equal to 5+divine avatar level.

Grant True Resurrection once per week as an SLA at lvl 9.

Plus a fighter bonus feat at lvl's 4 and 8

-OR-

Increase spellcasting progression to 2/3 (gaining caster levels at 1,2,4,5,7,8,10). Still granting full BAB, good will and fort, and almost full caster progression. - Clerics and druids would still gain access to their highest level spells.

Still move the increase in size category to lvl 4, and give lesser globe of invulnerability. In fact, I'm going to do that now anyway.