PDA

View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class Raven Lord (3.5 PrC, familiar based caster)



Zaydos
2015-09-10, 03:56 PM
RAVEN LORD

"Death is in the air this night. Let us fly." - Zilspyr the Black

The raven is a symbol of knowledge, of cunning, and of death. Among birds only owls rival it for the weight of its knowledge in the minds of men and gods. The Raven Lord is a mage who has bound themselves with the raven, interweaving their soul with that of the raven gaining a portion of its wisdom of death and the ability to send them forth as their scouts and spies.

Becoming a Raven Lord

To become a Raven Lord requires a close bond to a corvid familiar, as well as an understanding of divinatory and necromantic magic both in functional form and in the academic sense. To some Raven Lords there is a religious aspect dedicating themselves to a god who uses the raven as the animal herald or symbol. To others it is simply a calling, something in their soul resonates with the carrion crow and they find themselves standing alongside it amongst the fields of the dead. Some are attracted to the path not because of the liminal border between life and death, but instead because of the usefulness of crows and ravens as eyes on the world. Many Raven Lords train under the guidance of more experienced Raven Lords at least initially, the Order of the Feathered Shroud even actively recruiting and inducting young mages onto this path. It is rarer for one to discover the way on their own, but not unheard of.

Prerequisites:
Caster Level: 5+.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, Concentration 4 ranks.
Special: Ability to summon a raven or crow familiar.
Spells: Ability to spontaneously cast at least 2 divination spells and 2 necromancy spells that are higher than 1st level, or cast at least 1 divination and 1 necromancy spell each of 3rd level or higher.

Class Skills
The Raven Lords's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (each skill taken individually) (Int), Perform (Oratory) (Cha), Perform (Sing) (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
Skills Points at Each Level: 2 (:smallsigh:) + int

HD Type: d4.


LevelBase Attack BonusFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecialSpells
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2Corvid Empathy, Darkfeather Cloak, Raven Familiar, Raven's Skills, Raven Spells+1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3Familiar Steed Form, Ride Familiar+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd
+1
+1
+1
+3Soul Ravens+1 level of existing spellcasting class
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4Raven Form+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4Improved Deliver Touch Spells, Telepathic Link+1 level of existing spellcasting class
6th
+3
+2
+2
+5Clever Bird+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th
+3
+2
+2
+5Spell Link+1 level of existing spellcasting class
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6Share Cloak, Shared Senses+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th
+4
+3
+3
+6Familiar Giganto-Form+1 level of existing spellcasting class
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7Murder Form+1 level of existing spellcasting class


Weapon Proficiencies: It is a Raven Lord's belief that fighting is for the birds. Raven Lords gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Spellcasting: Standard casting PrC boilerplate (grants spells known/per day and CL but not other stuff from the class including familiar, etc).

Corvid Empathy (Ex/Su): A Raven Lord has a preternatural empathy and closeness with corvids, whether crow, raven, or rook. This functions as Wild Empathy except that a Raven Lord uses their (highest) Caster Level instead of their Druid level and it only applies to birds of the genus corvidae or magical beasts related to them (it does not apply to the family corvidae which includes jays and magpies, though it would apply to any crow, raven, or rook derived magical beast). In addition a Raven Lord may speak with corvidae as if with a speak with animals spell this portion of this ability is Supernatural in nature.

Darkfeather Cloak (Su): A Raven Lord is able to form a cloak of black crow-like feathers from naught more than their soul and personal power. Creating this cloak takes a full round action and it remains as long as it is worn. This darkfeather cloak occupies the Raven Lord's shoulders slot as if it were a magical cloak. While worn it grants a bonus to Hide checks equal to the Raven Lord's class level and a continuous Feather Fall effect. Beginning at 3rd level it allows the wearer to glide, this functions as flight (speed equals land speed) with poor maneuverability, the inability to gain altitude, and the requirement of descending 5 ft per 30 ft of horizontal movement. Beginning at 5th level it allows the wearer to fly (speed equals twice land speed, average maneuverability) no longer being limited to mere gliding. Beginning at 7th level if the wearer benefits from concealment due to darkness/shadowy illumination the miss chance granted is increased by 10% (to a maximum of 50%). Beginning at 9th level the wearer gains Good maneuverability instead of average.

Raven Familiar: A Raven Lord is particularly linked to ravens and crows. When using a raven or crow as your familiar you add your Raven Lord level to your level in other classes which grant Summon Familiar; if your ability to call a familiar instead functions off of all levels which grant (arcane) casting (e.g. Obtain Familiar feat) Raven Lord is not counted twice. In addition when your raven (or crow) familiar dies you never lose XP and after a familiar dies you may summon a familiar which is a raven or crow during the New or Full Moon regardless of how much time has passed (or after 14 days if on a plane which lacks moon phases). All Raven Lord class features which improve your familiar only function if it is a raven or crow.

Raven's Skills: A Raven Lord who chooses to progress a weaker magical path finds themselves rewarded with additional knowledge and versatility. For any level you use your Raven Lord's spellcasting progression to progress the spellcasting of a class without access to spells above 6th level you gain +2 hp and 2 additional skill points. In addition for every 3 levels you progress a spellcasting class which does not gain 7th level or higher spells you gains one of the abilities in the spoiler below.

Dirge Singer: You must have 10 or more ranks in Perform to select this ability. You gain a number of daily uses of Bardic Music equal to your Raven Lord class level, these stack with any uses from the Bard class. You do not, however, gain any Bardic Music abilities although you are considered to have Bardic Music for the purposes of fulfilling prerequisites (such as for Bardic Music feats).

Turn Unliving: You must have 10 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion). You gain the ability to Turn Undead as a cleric of your character level. However unlike regular Turn Undead this ability Turns and Destroys Deathless instead of Rebuking and Commanding them.

Raven Warrior: You gain +1 BAB for every 3 Raven Lord levels you possess.

Insight of Crows: By meditating for 10 minutes with an indigenous crow or raven you may duplicate the effects of a Commune with Nature spell except it only grants you knowledge that could be known by the indigenous corvid population (as such if there is none you won't learn it, nor will you learn about minerals that are deep underground). You may perform this ritual 1/day per 2 class levels.

Reaper's Cloak: Your Darkfeather Cloak radiates a force anathema to those which exist between life and death. Your Darkfeather Cloak radiates the effects of a Consecrate spell except that it affects Deathless as if they were undead.

Death Servant's Cloak: Your Darkfeather Cloak radiates a force that empowers the undead. This functions as a Desecrate effect centered on the wearer.

Call from the Grave: You must have 10 or more ranks in Perform (Oratory) or Perform (Song) to select this ability. You gain the ability to sing a song which calls back the dead. To do so requires the expenditure of a use of Bardic Music as a standard action. The song animates corpses within 60 ft of the Raven Lord as if with an Animate Dead spell with a caster level of their Perform (Song) or Perform (Oratory) ranks - 2. Creatures animated this way remain animate for as long as the Raven Lord sings and 10 minutes thereafter.

Dirge of Terror: You must have 10 or more ranks in Perform (Oratory) or Perform (Song) to select this ability. You gain the ability to induce fear in others through a haunting series of calls or song. To do so requires you to expend a use of Bardic Music as a standard action. Enemies within 60 ft of you must make a Will save (DC 10 + Class level + Cha modifier) or be shaken for as long as you sing and 5 rounds thereafter. Creatures which succeed their save are unaffected by that use of the song, while those that fail must make a second save one round later or become frightened for the duration.

Song of Passing: You must have 10 or more ranks in Perform (Oratory) or Perform (Song) to select this ability. You gain the ability to sing a song which shepherds souls safely to their final destination. To do so requires you to expend a use of Bardic Music as a standard action. As long as you sing this song if an ability would kill a creature within 60 ft of you and trap or destroy its soul the creature's soul is sent to the after life instead. In addition any bodies within the area cannot be reanimate or raised for 24 hours.

Fatal Cloak: Your Darkfeather Cloak radiates a deathly power which slays the dying. Any dying creature the cloak's wearer passes adjacent to dies immediately.

Crow's Cunning: You add Discern Lies and Glibness to your spell list and spells known as 3rd level spells.

Share Song: You must have 10 or more ranks in Perform (Oratory) or Perform (Song) to select this ability. Your (raven) familiar may sing Bardic performances (or any other magical song that uses Bardic Music uses or abilities that may be interchangeably used with Bardic Music uses such as Virtuoso Performances).

Sense Death: You may sense it whenever an intelligent creature dies within 1 mile of you. If 10 creatures die in a relatively close period (within 1 round of each other) in the same general location (DM's discretion say city block) in a related manner you may sense the event up to 5 miles away. If 100 creatures die within 1 minute of each other in the same general location (say a battlefield) you may sense it up to 25 miles away. If 1000 die within 1 minute in the same general location (say a city) in a related manner you may sense it up to 125 miles away. If 10,000 die within 1 minute in the same general location (say a small kingdom) in a related manner you can sense it up to 625 miles away. If 100,000 creatures die within 1 minute of each other in the same general location (say... China) in a related manner you may sense it up to 30,125 miles away. If 1,000,000 creatures die in the same general location (say a continent) in a related manner you may sense it from up to 150,625 miles away. If 10,000,000 creature dies within 1 minute of each other in the same general area (say a planet) in a related manner you may sense it from up to 753,125 miles away.

Mark of the Raven: You must have 15 or more ranks in Spellcraft to select this ability. As a standard action you may place the Mark of the Raven upon a creature. Whenever a creature bearing your Mark of the Raven is killed or reduced to a dying state you sense this instinctively and may instantly teleport to their side if you so choose. You may only mark a number of creatures with this ability equal to your class level and removing a mark requires 10 minutes of concentrated will with that creature in your presence (line of sight and effect).

Shroud of Death: You must have 10 or more ranks in Knowledge (Religion) to select this ability. As a standard action you may expend a 1st level spell to place a Shroud of Death upon one or more undead creatures, this functions as a Hide from Undead spell with a caster level of your Raven Lord level except that it hides undead creatures from living ones; this is considered a 1st level spell like ability.

Raven Spells: A Raven Lord's link with the birds of death and knowledge grant them a variety of spells. These spells are added to the Raven Lord's spell list and spells known when they gain the ability to cast spells of that level and the requisite Raven Lord level. A Raven Lord which prepares spells from a spellbook may memorize these spells even without their spellbook (as if with Spell Mastery). Each spell lists 2 levels, the first listed level is used for casting from a list which gains spells of 7th level or higher (wizard casting for example), while the second is used for casting from a list which only gains spells of 6th level or lower (bard casting for example). If a Raven Lord is capable of casting spells from multiple sources (such as a Cleric/Wizard) these spells are added to their spell list and spells known for all classes at the level appropriate for that class. If a Raven Lord uses Invocations or other pseudo-casting... they're out of luck. At 1st level a Raven Lord gains Deathwatch as a 1st/1st level spell and Disrupt Undead and Detect Undead as 0/0 level spells. At 2nd level a Raven Lord gains Death Knell as a 2nd/2nd level spell, and Grave Strike as a 1st/0 level spell. At 3rd level a Raven Lord gains Augury and Animal Messenger as 2nd/2nd level spells, and Greater Disrupt Undead as a 3rd/2nd level spell. At 4th level a Raven Lord gains Clairaudience/Clairvoyance and Spark of Life as 3rd/2nd level spells, and Magic Fang as a 1st/1st level spell. At 5th level a Raven Lord gains Scyring as a 4th/3rd level spell. At 6th level a Raven Lord gains Greater Magic Fang as a 4th/3rd level spell, and Raise Dead as 5th/4th level spell. At 7th level a Raven Lord gains RevivifySpC and Slay Living as 5th/4th level spells. At 8th level a Raven Lord gains Destruction as a 7th/6th level spell, Undeath to Death as a 6th/5th level spell, and Divination as a 4th/3rd level spell. At 9th level a Raven Lord gains Resurrection as a 7th/6th level spell and Revive Undead as a 6th/5th level spell. At 10th level a Raven Lord gains Power Word Kill as a 9th/6th level spell.

Familiar Steed Form (Su): Beginning at 2nd level a Raven Lord's (raven) familiar gains the ability to assume the form of a giant raven (or crow or rook as appropriate). When this ability is used the familiar becomes Large sized, its fly speed increases to 80 ft, its natural armor becomes +3 (before familiar bonuses), its Strength becomes 16, its Dexterity becomes 19, and its Constitution becomes 13. Its claw damage becomes 1d6 + Str and it may use each claw as a separate primary natural weapon, and it gains a secondary bite attack dealing 1d8 + 1/2 Str. Its carrying capacity is determined as if it were a quadruped. In other words it becomes a Giant Eagle with -2 Str and +2 Dex :smalltongue:. This is not considered size changing magic (and thus stacks with spells which would enlarge its form), and can be used at-will and indefinitely. Changing between the two forms is a full round action.

Ride Familiar (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level a Raven Lord gains a +10 to Ride checks made to ride their familiar and gains the benefits of the Mounted Combat feat when riding it.

Soul Ravens (Su): Beginning at 3rd level a Raven Lord gains the ability to produce ravens out of their own spiritual energies. These ravens are mechanically identical to regular ravens except they are incorporeal, have 1 hit point, and are under the Raven Lord's telepathic control. A Raven Lord may see through the eyes of their Soul Ravens, and if a Soul Raven has line of sight to the Raven Lord the Raven Lord is not flanked unless the Soul Raven also is, and a Raven Lord is considered to have line of sight and to be able to see anything any of their soul ravens can. A Raven Lord may produce a number of Soul Ravens each day equal to their class level. Producing a soul raven is a standard round action. If a soul raven is damaged it is destroyed and cannot be reformed until the next day. If a Soul Raven is ever more than 1 mile per Raven Lord level from its creator it vanishes (but may be reformed), and a Raven Lord may dismiss one of their Soul Ravens as a Standard Action.

Raven Form (Su): Beginning at 4th level a Raven Lord gains the ability to assume the form of a raven (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/raven.htm) at-will as a standard action. This functions as if with the polymorph (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorph.htm) spell but a Raven Lord does not regain hit points. While in raven form a Raven Lord may use material components and foci which have merged into their form, and may speak normally allowing them to perform verbal components. Somatic components, however, are more difficult; a Raven Lord learns special somatic components which can be performed in raven form but these only function for spells with a level that is less than the Raven Lord's class level. Spells higher than this level which possess somatic components cannot be cast in raven form (Silent Spell may help).

Improved Deliver Touch Spells: Beginning at 5th level a Raven Lord's (raven) familiar's ability to deliver touch spells improves. When a Raven Lord designates their familiar as "toucher" for a spell the held touch spell no longer dissipates when the Raven Lord casts another spell, unless it is a touch spell that they designate their familiar as "toucher" for.

Telepathic Link: Beginning at 5th level a Raven Lord's empathic link with their familiar improves. A Raven Lord now possesses full telepathic communication with their familiar regardless of distance even if they are not on the same plane. In addition a Raven Lord's familiar is unaffected by any mind-affecting effect unless it also affects their master; their souls are one and their minds held by bonds stronger than mere magic.

Clever Bird: Beginning at 6th level a Raven Lord's familiar improves gaining new skills. A Raven Lord's familiar is now considered to have ranks in Search, Spot, Listen, and Use Magic Device equal to 3 + the Raven Lord's class level (or its master's ranks in said skills whichever is higher), and ranks in Disable Device and Open Locks equal to 3 + its master's character level. The familiar may speak any language its master knows, and may use improvised thieves' tools or actual thieves tools provided to it by holding them and manipulating them with its beak and a foot.

Spell Link: Beginning at 7th level a Raven Lord's link to their familiar improves allowing them to share spells at any distance. A Raven Lord may share spells with their familiar regardless of distance or plane, or if they cast a spell targeting only their familiar may cast it even if they are on another plane. A Raven Lord's familiar no longer needs to be in contact with them to be designated as "toucher" for touch spells. Finally they may share spell-like abilities with their familiar as if they were spells.

Share Cloak: Beginning at 8th level a Raven Lord may maintain their darkfeather cloak when it is not worn by them. To do so they simply must choose to allow it to remain when it is removed. A Raven Lord can dismiss their darkfeather cloak at any time as a standard action regardless of range, but until they do so other creatures may wear it as if it were a magical cloak made of raven feathers.

Share Senses: Beginning at 8th level a Raven Lord may see through the eyes of their familiar and hear what it hears. A Raven Lord is not flanked if their familiar can see them and is itself not flanked, and is considered to have line of sight and be able to see any place or creature their familiar can.

Familiar Giganto-Form (Su): Beginning at 9th level a Raven Lord's (raven) familiar gains the ability to assume the form of a truly giant raven (or crow or rook as appropriate). When this ability is used the familiar becomes Gargantuan sized, its land speed increases to 20 ft and its fly speed increases to 80 ft, its natural armor becomes +9 (before familiar bonuses), its Strength becomes 32, its Dexterity becomes 17, and its Constitution becomes 25. Its claw damage becomes 2d6 + Str and it may use each claw as a separate primary natural weapon, and it gains a secondary bite attack dealing 2d8 + 1/2 Str. Its carrying capacity is determined as if it were a quadruped. In other words it becomes a Roc with -2 Str and +2 Dex :smalltongue:. This is not considered size changing magic (and thus stacks with spells which would enlarge its form), and can be used at-will and indefinitely. Changing between the two forms is a full round action.

Murder Form (Su): Beginning at 10th level a Raven Lord gains the ability to assume the form of a murder of crowsToM at-will as a standard action. This functions as if with the polymorph (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/polymorph.htm) spell but a Raven Lord does not regain hit points. The crows comprising this murder are partially incorporeal gaining a miss chance as if incorporeal but non-magical weapons are allowed a 50% chance to hit them (as if magical) and they may not pass through solid objects more than 6" thick. While in murder form a Raven Lord may use material components and foci which have merged into their form, and may speak normally allowing them to perform verbal components. Somatic components, however, are more difficult; a Raven Lord learns special somatic components which can be performed in murder form but these only function for spells level 7 or lower. Spells higher than this level which possess somatic components cannot be cast in raven form (Silent Spell may help). Individual crows which leave the primary mass of the swarm vanish reappearing within the center of it.

Cardea
2015-09-11, 12:03 AM
I like the incentive to not just go full blown fullcaster with this.

One error: what do I need 10 ranks in, for Turn Unliving?

Zaydos
2015-09-11, 12:06 AM
I like the incentive to not just go full blown fullcaster with this.

One error: what do I need 10 ranks in, for Turn Unliving?

Keeping your track of thought when your computer restarts for updates apparently... no wait Knowledge (Religion) gives a bit of something for those divine casters who get familiars (adepts that is).

Demidos
2015-09-11, 12:30 AM
This looks like a cool class, but I would be careful -- this is strictly better than wizard, and wizards are very strong.
Changes suggested
1) First level, don't give casting.
2) Address how "Obtain familiar" interacts. It might allow other characters than you expected to include.

Zaydos
2015-09-11, 01:39 AM
This looks like a cool class, but I would be careful -- this is strictly better than wizard, and wizards are very strong.
Changes suggested
1) First level, don't give casting.
2) Address how "Obtain familiar" interacts. It might allow other characters than you expected to include.

I'm going to hold off on the first change simply because there are many official PrCs which are flat better than straight wizard. It probably should have harsher feat taxes, and due to the number of bonus spells known may still need to lose a level, but I'd prefer to wait until I get more feedback because whenr I do drop a level of casting I get a lot of "no, bad wrong, too weak".

On the second... base classes I can think of that can get in are:

Adept, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard, Duskblade, Hexblade, Beguiler, Dread Necromancer (interestingly despite getting a familiar as a class feature they'd still need the feat because it doesn't include any ravens), War Mage, Wu Jen, Sha'ir, Death Master or whatever the Orcus worshiping Necro from Dragon Compendium was, and with a permissive DM Warlock and DFA. With stuff to count Divine spells as Arcane theoretically any caster could get in. Of these Duskblade and Hexblade sort of lose out as it loses a lot of their combat chassis and does not have any abilities specifically tailored to them (other than Improved Deliver Touch Spells), but that would get really awkward to try and fix. Warlock and DFA lose out because adding spells known/spell list does nothing for them (and calls it out), but I'm fine with that.

Theoretically Shadowcasters could get in with Shadow Familiar and would fall under the same losing out boat as Warlock/DFA which sucks and I almost do want to fix in some way because they need the occasional bone.

Oh I guess there's Spellthief too but I'd have to check if they even get Necromancy spells and nothing should break (even if the class is a worse option for them than a bard or a full caster).

Any you can think of that actually need anything specifically mentioned for them?

TheifofZ
2015-09-19, 04:17 PM
Swain? Swain is that you? :smalltongue:

On a serious note: The Familiar Giganto-form should be limited in number of uses. I'd suggest 3/day for 1 hour, or 1 per class level/day with a duration of 1 minute/caster level.
Being able to turn your tiny raven into a Gargantuan creature as a non-magical effect is pretty ridiculous if it's at will.
Also you might want to find a better name for it; it's just silly as is.