[3.5e Bloodline] Quisling (PEACH)

I seem to be making a point about fulfilling requests. Lord Gareth asked for me to make a bloodline for his Malefactor, and so here it is.

Quisling
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs46/i/20...django_red.jpg

Malefactors use dirty tricks to win fights. They know it and don't even attempt to deny it. They are the result of "Cursed Bloodlines". Well, what happens to those individuals possessing these bloodlines that do not pursue the path of the Malefactor? Well either the bloodline could be dormant, waiting for the individual to embrace their nature and become a Malefactor, or it could manifest on it's own, resulting in a Quisling bloodline.

Level	Minor	Intermediate	Major
1			Bluff +2
2		Bluff +2	Malefactions (Spites) - 1st, Torment the Weak +1d4
3			Charisma +1
4	Bluff +2	Malefactions (Spites) - 1st, Torment the Weak +1d4	Maleficent Aura (Spite)
5			Malicious Affinity +2
6		Charisma +1	Malefactions (Spites) - 2nd, Torment the Weak +2d4
7			Use Magic Device +2
8	Malefactions (Spites) - 1st, Torment the Weak +1d4	Maleficent Aura (Spite)	Spiteful Rebuke
9			Dexterity +1
10		Malicious Affinity +2	Malefactions (Taboos) - 1st, Torment the Weak +3d4
11			Malicious Affinity +4
12	Charisma +1	Malefactions (Spites) - 2nd, Torment the Weak +2d4	Maleficent Aura (Taboo)
13			Hide +2
14		Use Magic Device +2	Malefactions (Taboos) - 2nd, Torment the Weak +4d4
15			Intelligence +1
16	Maleficent Aura (Spite)	Spiteful Rebuke	Engulfing Aura
17			Malicious Affinity +6
18		Dexterity +1	Malefactions (Bane), Torment the Weak +5d4
19			Knowledge (Arcana) +2
20	Malicious Affinity +2	Malefactions (Taboos) - 1st, Torment the Weak +3d4	Fool Me Once

Malefactions: The main power the Quisling acquires is that of their Malefactions. They gain Malefactions of the indicated levels when indicated in the above table. These Malefactions may be used a number of times per encounter equal to their Charisma modifier + 1 + 1/16, 1/8 or 1/4 their level, depending on bloodline strength. The Quisling is treated as a Malefactor of 1/4, 1/2 or 1X their level, depending on bloodline strength for the purpose of determining the effects of the Malefactions and the save DC.

Torment the Weak: Nothing like kicking them while they're down. The Quisling adds the listed amount of damage when successfully striking anyone under the effects of their aura or one of their Malefactions.

Maleficent Aura: Just like their Malefactor brethren, the Quislings have the capacity to extend from themselves a Maleficent Aura. They learn a Maleficent of the level indicated which they can use at will just as the Malefactor can.

Malicious Affinity: Quislings and Malefactors alike take a perverse pleasure in watching people suffer under the effects of their Aura and Malefactions. People in such a position also tend to be a bit more... agreeable. The Quisling gains a bonus on all social interaction checks with individuals under the effects of their Aura or one of their Malefactions.

Spiteful Rebuke: Quislings don't have the same focus and discipline that Malefactors do. That's one of the main reasons they can't use their Malefactions as often. However, one thing they can do is channel their pure hatred to physically harm foes. At the cost of one of their Malefaction uses the Quisling may attempt a Spiteful Rebuke against an enemy with 60ft. Said enemy must make a will save against the usual DC or take 1d6 damage for every d4 indicated in their Torment the Weak. Succeeding on this save does not make them immune to Spiteful Rebuke for the rest of the day.

Engulfing Aura: Sometimes people try to run. You can't have that, now can you? It makes you mad, doesn't it? Hey, look at that. The aura got larger. The Quisling gains the ability to expend one of their Malefaction uses to increase the radius of their Aura by 5 ft per two levels for five rounds.

Fool Me Once: None can escape the Quisling's fury. If an enemy successfully saves against a Quisling's Malefaction, they do not become immune to it for the rest of the day. If they make a second successful save, then they become immune. Similarly, if an enemy successfully saved against an Aura, then left the area and returned, they must make the save again. If they make two successful saves in this manner they become immune for the rest of the day.


Quislings who become Malefactors:
A Quisling who embraces the nature of their cursed blood and pursues this path after their powers have already begun manifesting undergoes an interesting phenomenon. If a Quisling takes one or more levels in Malefactor they lose their Bloodline and immediately gain one level in Malefactor for every time they didn't progress due to this bloodline. So for example, a 14th level Major Quisling who becomes level 15 and chooses to take a level in Malefactor would suddenly have four levels (one from the level up, three from the three levels they were held back due to the major bloodline) in Malefactor and lose all benefits of their bloodline. The Quisling may additionally opt to replace one or more of their other class levels with Malefactor levels in the same way a Paladin may replace their Paladin levels with Blackguard levels.


As always when working with new material, there's the chance I royally screwed something up. Hopefully I didn't.

Spiteful Rebuke should probably scale. Other than that, I love it ^_^ Though there is some question as to what happens if someone takes the bloodline and then multiclasses into Malefactor - that's a lot of power-stacking...

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Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

Spiteful Rebuke should probably scale. Other than that, I love it ^_^ Though there is some question as to what happens if someone takes the bloodline and then multiclasses into Malefactor - that's a lot of power-stacking...

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I ran into a similar problem on the Chosen of the Far Realms. The answer is to include a little caveat saying that if you take the bloodline it bars you from taking the class. Which I will now add. Along with the aforementioned scaling of Spiteful Rebuke.

Edit: Changes made. Added the additional fluff clarifying that they may not even multiclass into Malefactor. I don't like doing that, but there isn't really any other options to stop some of these from being ridiculously powered when coupled with the class they're based off of. Then we have things like the Bladechild where it's not dangerous balance-wise for the Swordsage to also be a Bladechild. Heck, taking a Minor or Intermediate bloodline focusing on a discipline they don't have access to could make for an interesting character. But if they focus on disciplines they already have... It's really not worth it. Then on the other hand you have the Chosen of the Far Realms who, if coupled with True Xenotheurgist, could wreak all manner of chaos with their ability to lower murmur levels.

...


/rant.


Editedit: Actually... Given the fluff, I think I have an alternative. Typing it now. ... *There!* Finished. I'm quite satisfied with that alternative. Very good. Oh wait. I could add that as well. One second. ... And done. I think that's it.

This one is VERY interesting, I like it! Especially considering the source, which is a very awesome piece of homebrew.

Also, definitely think you did the right thing with malefactor multiclassing. Keep up the good work, as always!

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Originally Posted by Daverin

This one is VERY interesting, I like it! Especially considering the source, which is a very awesome piece of homebrew.

Also, definitely think you did the right thing with malefactor multiclassing. Keep up the good work, as always!

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Thanks for the support. The only request I have left is one based on the Ozodrin, but after that I'm clear. Thinking maybe a remake of the Vampiric bloodline. Suggestions and requests are always welcome. I seem to be doing a decent job of filling them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daverin

This one is VERY interesting, I like it! Especially considering the source, which is a very awesome piece of homebrew.

Also, definitely think you did the right thing with malefactor multiclassing. Keep up the good work, as always!

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Aww, thank you! I, incidentally, approve of the multiclassing rules. I'm also fishing for critiques on the sample NPC I posted, so GET TO IT! *Cracks whip*

Hmm. Your Harrowed may have Bloodline potential.

... A Harrowed Bloodline?

Sorry Welk. You now have to do that. You no longer have any choice in the matter... :smallamused:

Yay! Finished the Ozodrin bloodline. Next up is the one for the Harrowed. Sadly I'm leaving tomorrow and will be gone for a week with no computer access. And very little time for 'brewing. It'll be top of my list when I get back.

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Originally Posted by Welknair

Hmm. Your Harrowed may have Bloodline potential.

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I'm of two minds about this idea. On the one hand, it makes a certain amount of sense that the Beast Within would leave a certain...taint on the descendants of its hosts. On the other hand, this taint really, truly, deeply cannot be more Beasts; Harrowed are extremely rare beings and their numbers in the cosmos are rather fixed. How do you intend on pulling this off?

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Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

I'm of two minds about this idea. On the one hand, it makes a certain amount of sense that the Beast Within would leave a certain...taint on the descendants of its hosts. On the other hand, this taint really, truly, deeply cannot be more Beasts; Harrowed are extremely rare beings and their numbers in the cosmos are rather fixed. How do you intend on pulling this off?

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It seems to me it could just represent people who have a Beast in them but are do not actually take levels in harrowed. The potential is there, they just never bring it out in full. That is as opposed to it being their descendent. Then again, I could see it being done the other way, since as you mentioned the Beast could leave a taint on their descendants.

Owrtho

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Originally Posted by Owrtho

It seems to me it could just represent people who have a Beast in them but are do not actually take levels in harrowed.

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The presence of a Beast Within doesn't necessarily entail Harrowed levels, but default fluff assumes that any such being is sleeping, made drowsy by the pain of being reborn again and again. I, personally, would feel that a bloodline using the above idea would be out of step with what I intended for Harrowed.

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Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

The presence of a Beast Within doesn't necessarily entail Harrowed levels, but default fluff assumes that any such being is sleeping, made drowsy by the pain of being reborn again and again. I, personally, would feel that a bloodline using the above idea would be out of step with what I intended for Harrowed.

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Well what I originally had in mind was that the individual had a Lesser Beast - one who's control did not occupy all of the Harrowed's time (Such that Harrowed levels aren't needed to control it) but still granted a few of their powers. Or perhaps the beast itself is a "Restless Beast", one who is sleeping but on the verge of consciousness. One would have to be a fool to wake the thing up, but that doesn't mean you can't steal power from it now and then. This does have a tendency to wake it up for brief amounts of time if they can't do so properly (they still make the Will Save to avoid it taking over).

If you don't want me to make it, I won't.

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Originally Posted by Welknair

If you don't want me to make it, I won't.

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It's less that I'm not interested in seeing it made and more that I'm not interested in seeing the themes you're currently throwing down on the table, y'know what I mean? If you could work something with the idea of the taint of the Beast Within, I'd be utterly down with it.

I don't know about that very last sentence of the actual work in the first post (rather than the commentary), but since I haven't looked at Malefactor, I couldn't say if the fluff of Malefactor might not justify it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lord_Gareth

It's less that I'm not interested in seeing it made and more that I'm not interested in seeing the themes you're currently throwing down on the table, y'know what I mean? If you could work something with the idea of the taint of the Beast Within, I'd be utterly down with it.

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Hmm. I'll see what I can do.

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Originally Posted by DracoDei

I don't know about that very last sentence of the actual work in the first post (rather than the commentary), but since I haven't looked at Malefactor, I couldn't say if the fluff of Malefactor might not justify it.

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Fluff-wise the whole thing is about cursed bloodlines. The idea of this is that the bloodline is manifesting on it's own. As such "Embracing" your heritage seemed to warrant a suitably significant change. And when I originally added in the "Lose bloodline, gain levels equal to levels delayed due to bloodline" thing, I realized it would never be a viable option because one to three levels of a class that late wouldn't give you much to use, especially considering the magnitude of features you're giving up.



Oh, and I'm back.