[PrC] "Gravity? The hell are you talking about?"

The ragged-cloaked man didn't seem like too much of a threat for the bandits, despite the jagged scythe he used as a walking stick. They burst from their hiding places with wild whoops and cries, charging the lone traveler.

The scythe swept down and tripped the first of the chargers. Moving with amazing agility, the traveler somehow caught the falling bandit with the hook of the scythe and whirled in a circle, sending him crashing into another of the robbers. The third unfortunate recieved a resounding blow from the haft of the weapon and was kicked away with a resounding thud.

The leader circled warily then, and the lone traveler stood stock still. As the rest of the bandits watched, the ragged-cloaked man surged forward in a blur, and their leader was sent sailing into the air, impossibly fast and high. With a grunt, the traveler bent severely at the knees and followed him up. With a sound like a funeral bell tolling, the scythe came down and the two began descending back towards Earth from more than eighty feet up.

When they finally impacted, sending up dust and dirt, the other three bandits had fled.

Angel of Death

Angels of Death are a class related closely to the Flick Reaper (see signature). Instead of focusing on using the scythe to keep their enemies at bay, the angels take to the skies, using their scythe as a weapon of trick manuevers and powerful strikes that send their enemies airborne. As they gain levels, powerful Angels of Death can even follow their enemies into the skies, delivering powerful finishing blows before crashing their foes down to the unforgiving earth below.

Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: +8
Skills: Jump 11 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks
Feats: Acrobatic, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Skill Focus (Jump), Weapon Focus (Scythe)
Special: The character must learn from either another Angel of Death or must uncover and learn from one of the Reaper's Blades.

Class Features
Angel of Death
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+1

|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|Angel Leap (No Limitations), Sweep Up

2nd|

+2

|

+0

|

+3

|

+0

|Death's Reprimand

3rd|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|Angel Leap (Vertical)

4th|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Cast to the Heavens

5th|

+5

|

+1

|

+4

|

+1

|Angel Leap (Running Start)

6th|

+6/+1

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|For Whom the Bell Tolls

7th|

+7/+2

|

+2

|

+5

|

+2

|Heavenly Strike

8th|

+8/+3

|

+2

|

+6

|

+2

|Unwilling Martyr

9th|

+9/+4

|

+3

|

+6

|

+3

|Soar to the Heavens

10th|

+10/+5

|

+3

|

+7

|

+3

|Their Souls to Judgement[/table]

Base Attack Bonus: Full
Fortitude Save: Poor
Reflex Save: Good
Will Save: Poor

Hit Die: D10

Class Skills - Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points Per Level - 2 + Intelligence Modifier

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Angels of Death do gain proficiency with any weapon or armor. Unless otherwise stated, their class features may only be used in light or no armor and while carrying no more than a light load and only while weilding a scythe.

Angel Leap (Ex): While incapable of true flight, the Angels of Death are capable of gravity-defying leaps that awe and astound those who witness them. At first level, the Angel of Death is not limited in how far or high they may jump, regardless of size. At third level, they use the same table for vertical jump distances as they do for horizontal ones. At fifth level, they are always treated as having a running start on jumps.

Sweep Up (Ex): Angels of Death trip opponents by sweeping their bodies up and letting them crash to the ground. Whenever an Angel of Death makes a successful trip attempt, the victim takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage in addition to being knocked prone.

Death's Reprimand (Ex): Starting at second level, an Angel of Death may make an additional attack against an opponent they successfully trip in addition to the one already granted by Improved Trip. This attack is made at their second-highest attack bonus.

Cast to the Heavens (Ex): Starting at fourth level, the Angel of Death begins learning the true strength of his art. When he sucessfully trips an opponent, he may choose to forgo his attack and instead make an opposed Strength check with his victim. Large creatures get a +4 size bonus on this check, Huge creatures get a +8, Gargantuan creatures get +12, and Colossal creatures get +16. Success indicates that he may hurl the opponent ten feet per class level in any direction (except downward). If hurled into the air, the victim takes falling damage as normal. If their motion is stopped by an obstacle (such as a wall, cieling, or living being) both they and the obstacle take 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet that the victim hasn't yet traveled. The victim always lands prone - a living being of the victim's size that is struck by the victim may make a Reflex save (DC = damage dealt) to stay on their feet. Using this ability is a standard action.

For Whom the Bell Tolls (Ex): Fear can be a powerful weapon against the weak-willed and the weak-minded, and it is easy to inspire when one weilds Death's weapon. Sarting at sixth level, whenever you make a successful melee attack against a foe wearing Medium or Heavy armor with your scythe, a mournful, bell-like sound fills the air. The victim must make a Will save (DC 10 + Angel of Death level + Cha modifier) or become Shaken. If they fail another Will save against one of your attacks, they become Frightened, and if they fail a third, Panicked. This is a sonic, mind-affecting, fear ability. The Angel of Death may use this ability in any armor.

Heavenly Strike (Ex): Starting at seventh level, the Angel of Death may leap into the air after a victim of his Cast to the Heavens ability. If he hurls the creature into the air, he may leap after them as a free part of a full-round action. From there, he has one of two options - he may strike with his scythe, automatically gaining a critical hit if he deals damage, or he may slam the creature back down towards the ground, increasing the falling damage they take by one half (x1.5) and reducing the falling damage dealt to the Angel to 0. The Angel of Death only takes half of the falling damage he normally would when using this ability. Using this ability in conjunction with Cast to the Heavens is a full-round action.

Unwilling Martyr (Ex): Starting at eighth level, if the Angel of Death would be struck by a melee or ranged attack, he may make an opposed Strength check with an adjacent creature (besides his attacker) as an immediate action. Creatures get a bonus on this check based on size (see Cast to the Heavens). If he succeeds, he pulls the creature into his square, dealing it 1d4 slashing and causing it to recieve the attack instead of him. The Angel of Death may use this ability in any armor.

Soar to the Heavens (Ex): Starting at ninth level, the Angel of Death may choose to leap off of a victim of his Cast to the Heavens ability, making a Jump check as though his victim were solid ground. This manuever deals the victim 1d6 bludgeoning damage.

Their Soul to Judgement (Ex): At tenth level, the Angel of Death perfects their art, performing astounding displays of arial combat. A number of times per day equal to 1 + the Angel's strength modifier, they may choose to leap after a victim of their Cast to the Heavens ability, sailing into the air after them without making a Jump check. From there, they may make a full attack action, with each successful hit automatically threatening a critical hit. The Angel then rides his opponent to the earth, as the second option of their Heavenly Strike ability. Using this ability is physically tiring and leaves the Angel of Death fatigued for the rest of the encounter.

I dunno, to me, it seems that a class focused on doing 1 specific battle technique could better be represented by a tactical feat or two. Same goes for that flick reaper.

nice concept here, not to good with crunch so I cna't talk there.

With Death's Reprimand, is that an additional attack on top of the one they already get for tripping an opponent with Improved Trip? If so, what is its attack bonus? Normal? Normal-5?

Second-highest, so normal - 5 ^_^ Thank'ee.

More to come later on - I have other projects for this morning.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyingpoo22

I dunno, to me, it seems that a class focused on doing 1 specific battle technique could better be represented by a tactical feat or two. Same goes for that flick reaper.

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Tactical feats often create headaches in games I'm in/run. Aside from that, feats represent maybe a few months of training at best - a PrC represents a lifetime. I feel that Flick Reaper and Angel of Death are deserving of that representation (and I put the work into them already anyway).

By the by, it's 100% done, barring critique and balance-based changes.

Interesting. Personally (as a fan of some of the Tome of Battle) I personally see this more as a school of martial maneuvers, but I understand that that's not everyones cup of *beverage of choice.*

All in all, nicely done. I like the fact that the damage you can add is just enough to get the flavor across and not enough to actually become an attack, by the way. It adds some cool effects without overpowering the class.

I like. :smallbiggrin:

Hey, if I owned Tome of Battle, I'd make things for it right and left. As it is, my craving for anime-style epic combat must be satisfied elsewhere. I'm considering making a general thread and calling it, "Gareth's Homebrew" just so I can link related classes together.

Probably a good idea to just make a single thread...I know I'm considering it for some stuff I've got sitting around (once I get my act together and finish the two or three projects I've got currently).

Looks interesting,

Not under or over powered,
I like it :smallsmile:

Btw have you been watching Final Fantasy VII Advent Children? :smallwink:

No, but it /is/ inspired by anime and videogame-style fighting ^_^

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

No, but it /is/ inspired by anime and videogame-style fighting ^_^

---

You are playing too much Guilty Gear...

Which is NOT enough :smallamused:

1. When using cast to the heavens, do you sacrifice the attack from Death's Reprimand, from improved trip, or both?
2. As part of their soul to judgement, it states that no jump check is required. This text is missing from heavenly strike. Is this intentional?
3. For the purposes of attacks made through their soul to judgement or heavenly strike, are your opponents treated as being prone (losing their dexterity bonus to their AC, for example).
4. A literal interpretation of cast to the heavens has it that only creatures of the exact same size category as you have a chance to land on their feet. Is this intentional?
5. The language behind soar the the heavens is incredibly vague. Is this simply an additional option you have when throwing your foe in the air, for example, or can you perform this in addition to your autocrit/slam to ground. Also, you should probably state an action type (such as free action or immediate action).
6. You do realize that no matter how you twink it, soar to the heavens will never get you anywhere near as much air (around 30-40 feet) as heavenly strike (automatic 100 feet with no jump check at 10th level).
7. Why can't you use heavenly strike when throwing your opponents forward instead of directly upwards (using a long jump, although, understandably, the slam to the ground option might be taken away for such maneuvers. Instead you might be able to throw them at their allies...or into a brick wall).
8. In case you chose the scythe out of flavor without true consideration (which I doubt), you do realize the consequences of granting automatic critical hits while using a weapon with a x4 damage on critical hits, right?
9. Is for whom the bell tolls meant to work for multiple hits on a full attack? As written, if you can get off a their soul to judgement, there is a good chance that as you make your full attack, you will render your foe panicked or frightened, compelling them to get up from the prone position (and provoke another AoO) and try to run away on their next turn.
10. A bit surprised that nothing lets you take 10 on jump checks, although you can't have everything.
11. One thing that you probably didn't count on is that now, angels of death can simply use party members as "springboards" to reach the tops of large castles. Simply trip your friend, launch them into the air, and take another long jump off of their face. Then again, this is more of a hilarious image than a real problem.

Wee, things to fix!

1. Yes, and no. I should really word that into there.

2. I've been debating as to whether or not I should allow them to make it automatically. If they hurl their enemy a shorter distance, they can leap to them as-is...then again, it would look cooler if they just jump a hundred feet in the air. Thoughts?

3. No. I will not add insult and rogue-cheese to injury.

4. The wording was actually in reference to the event that the victim's motion is halted by another living being, though I should re-word it. Suggestions?

5. Soar to the Heavens is an additional option that comprises a full-round action. Thank you for informing me ^_^

6. The problem with your theory is, Heavenly Strike has you fall back down.

7. Part of it is because I want the class to focus on vertical combat. The other part of it is because leaping forward really, really fast just doesn't seem as possible as leaping up and catching up to a falling foe. Know what I mean?

8. I fully realize what the auto-crits mean. Luckily, the only one that truly auto-crits is Heavenly Strike - Their Souls to Judgement just threatens them. And if that causes the broken-ass CoDZilla the character is fighting to bite the dust, more power to him.

9. Yes, For Whom the Bell Tolls becomes a normal part of all melee attacks with a scythe. Fear effects aren't as powerful as one would think by the time one gets it, though.

10. No, no you can't have everything ^_^

11. ....That is hilarious and I must see it done.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

Wee, things to fix!
...

6. The problem with your theory is, Heavenly Strike has you fall back down.

7. Part of it is because I want the class to focus on vertical combat. The other part of it is because leaping forward really, really fast just doesn't seem as possible as leaping up and catching up to a falling foe. Know what I mean?

...

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For 6, I simply meant that the Death Angel's "Double Jump" is nothing compared to their original jump. If you are implying that heavenly strike takes you back to the ground before soar to the sky can be used, then that ability is rendered relatively useless.

For 7, what do you care about possible or impossible when you admit to making a class around anime-style combat. :smallbiggrin:

I like it a lot.:smallbiggrin: Nothing seems that overpowered to me with the posible exception of Unwilling Martyr. Just keep some cronies around and you can prevent a lot of attacks. Also, what's a Reaper's blade Apart from that, very awesome and cool looking class. Congrats.

What I meant is, if they use one of the other options, they go right back to the ground. The "double-jump" lets them actually use that hundred feet or so to get somewhere.