Initiate of Pain (3.5 Base)

I originally made this for a campaign setting someone in my regular group is making. Its supposed to be more of an NPC torturer class set mostly for vampires and illithids but I modified it for player use because I like the concept of it.


"Mm-mm, just imagining the screams of the helpless makes me like a kid on Christmas morning. - Sylian, Initiate of Pain.

Initiates of Pain are truly among the top of the demented list. They revel in pain, whether it be inflicted by, or to them. They are masters of their deadly art, and gain power through their craft. Even the rumor of being given to one of these sick masters can make even the most fearless rogue think twice about picking someones pocket, and most rulers do keep one on the payroll, even though most will never admit it.


Abilities: Charisma is important for an Initiates spell casting and class abilities. Dexterity is important because Initiates are only proficient with light armor. Strength and Constitution are always important for combat.

Alignment: Any Non-Good.

Hit Die: D8

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Initiates are proficient with all Simple Weapons, Whip and Whip Dagger, and Light Armor

Class Skills: Bluff(Cha), Craft(Int), Concentration(Con), Diplomacy(Cha), Escape Artist(Dex), Gather Information(Cha), Heal(Wis), Intimidate(Cha), Listen(Wis), Profession(Int), Sense Motive(Wis), Sleight of Hand(Dex), Spellcraft(Int), Spot(Wis), Tumble(Dex), Use Rope(Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4+ Int Mod) x 4
At Each Additional Level: 4+ Int Mod

{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |1st|2nd|3rd|4th

1st|+1|+2|+0|+0|Agony Addiction, Sneak Attack +1d6, Extraction, Agony Addiction, Close Combat|—|—|—|—

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+0|Improved Trip, Pain Touch|—|—|—|—

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+1|Sneak Attack +2d6|—|—|—|—

4th|+4|+4|+1|+1|Armored Casting (Light), Whip Specialization, Lashing Whip|0|—|—|—

5th|+5|+4|+1|+1|Sneak Attack +3d6, Two-Weapon Fighting |0|—|—|—

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+2|Improved Disarm, Greater Addiction|1|—|—|—

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+2|Sneak Attack +4d6, Damage Reduction 1/-|1|—|—|—

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+2|Greater Whip Specialization|1|0|—|—

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+3|Sneak Attack +5d6|1|0|—|—

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+3|Pain Aura 10ft|1|1|—|—

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+3|Sneak Attack +6d6|1|1|0|—

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+4|Entangling Whip|1|1|1|—

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+4|Sneak Attack +7d6, Damage Reduction 2/-|1|1|1|—

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+4|Greater Lashing Whip|2|1|1|0

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+5|Sneak Attack +8d6|2|1|1|1

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+5|Toughened Up|2|2|1|1

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+5|Sneak Attack +9d6|2|2|2|1

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+6|Neck Snap|3|2|2|1

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+6|Sneak Attack +10d6, Damage Reduction 3/-|3|3|3|2

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+6|Whip Frenzy|3|3|3|3

[/table]



Abilities:

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Agony Addiction(Ex): An Initiate of Pain is so engrossed by every aspect of pain, that she becomes addicted to it. The most common form of this addiction is through the drug Agony. An Initiate must ingest 1 dose of Agony every day or take 1d3 Dex damage per day she misses a dose. Consuming a dose of Agony immediatly removes this penalty.

Extraction(Su): Once per day, as a full round action, an Initiate can strike a target causing extreme pain. This attack deals 1d6 damage on a successful attack, and acts as a dose of Agony for the Initiate.

Lethality: An Initiate is deadly with a whips of all types. Any damage done with a whip is treated as lethal damage instead of non-lethal.

Close Combat: An Initiate can use a whip without provoking an attacks of oppertunity.

Sneak Attack: At 1st level, an Initiate gains the ability to hit vital spots to inflict extra damage with a whip. This extra damage is =1d6 at 1st level, and increases by +1d6 for every 2 levels above first (+2d6 at 3rd, +3d6 at 5th, and so on). This ability functions otherwise like the Rogues Sneak attack ability.

Improved Trip:At 2nd level, an Initiate gains Improved Trip as a bonus feat.

Pain Touch: Beggining at 2nd level, an Initiate may attempt to stun an opponent with extremem pain. To use this ability, the Initiate must make a successful attack roll against the target. If successful, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10+ 1/2 Initiate class level + 1/2 Initiate Class Level), if the target fails the save they are stunned for 1 round. The Initiate can use this ability a number of time per day equal to 1 + Initiates Charisma Modifier.

Spells: At 4th level an Initiate gains the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells per day. An Initiate may cast any spell on his list without preparing it ahead of time. To cast a spell, the Initiate must have a Charisma score equal to the spell level (11 for 1st, 12 for 2nd and so on).

Armored Casting(Ex): At 4th level an initiate gains the ability to cast her spells while wearing light armor while ignoring the arcane spell failure chance.

Lashing Whip(Ex): Beggining at 4th level, as a standard action, an Initiate may channel a touch spell through her whip and delivier it as part of a whip attack. The spell channeled cannot have a casting time of more then 1 Standard Action. If the whip attack is successful, the whip damage is dealt first then the spell is resolved. At 14th level, the Initiate may cast use this ability to cast a spell that affects any target struck during a full attack action. The spell is discharged at the end of the Initiates turn.

Whip Specialization: At 4th level, the Initiate gains Weapon Specialization (Whip) as a bonus feat.

Two-Weapon Fighting: At 5th level, an Initiate gains Two - Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat.

Improved Disarm: At 6th Level an Initiate gains Improved Disarm as a bonus feat.

Greater Addiction(Ex): At 6th level, an Initiates addiction to pain has strengthened her. She no longer suffers any ill effects for ingesting Agony, and only takes 1 Dex damage for missing a dose. In addition, the first dose of Agony ingested per day grants her the effect of a False Life spell cast by a 5th level wizard.

Damage Reduction(Ex): At 7th level an initiates tolerence to pain becomes so great the effects are lessened. She gains damage reduction 1/ -. This improves to 2/ - at 13th level and again at 19th level to 3/ -.

Greater Whip Specialization: At 8th level, an Initiate gains the Greater Weapon Specialtion (Whip) as a bonus feat.

Pain Aura(Ex): At 10th level, an Initiate can exude an aura within 10ft of herself that unnerves anyone who gets close to her. Anyone approaching within 5ft of the Initiate must make a Will save equel to 10 + Initiates Cha Mod + 1/2 Initiate class level or be sickened for 1d4+ 1 rounds.

Entangling Whip(Su): At 12th level, an initiate may take a standard action to attempt to entagle a foe. The Initiate must make a successful touch attack, if successful the target must succeed an Escape Artist or Strength check (DC = 10 + 1/2 Initiates Class level + Dex Mod) or be entangled. On the Initiates next turn, if the target is still entangled, she may channel one of her spells that automatically hits. Otherwise the spell functions normally.

Toughened Up(Ex): At 16th level, an Initiates tolerence to pain grows even more. She is now immune to Non-Lethal damage done by weapons. This does not include Non-Lethal damage done by having the Regeneration ability.

Neck Snap(Su): At 18th level, An Initiate is able to use her whip to break the bones of an entangled target. A target affected by the Initiate's Entangling Whip ability must succeed on a fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your initiate level + your Str modifier) or die instantly, as you snap his neck with a sudden jerk. A successful fort save deals normal whip damage to the target. This ability has no affect on creatures immune to critical hits or who dont need their heads to survive.

Whip Frenzy(Su): At 20th Level, An Initiates mastery over inflicting pain with her whips is unsurpassed. 3 times a day as a full round action, while weilding 2 whips, an Initiate may make one attack against all opponents within 15ft of her, at her highest base attack bonus. This ability may be used with sneak attack and the Initiates Lashing Whip ability.

I'm open for criticism/ideas anyone has because I'm honestly not sure about any balance issues it might have or even if its overpowered/underpowered. So go ahead, lemme have it. :smallcool:

Edit. Ok, all the changes I had in mind are finished.

Level 1

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Chill Touch, Corrosive Grasp, Critical Strike, Doom, Distract Assailant, Extract Drug*, Heartache, Inflict Light Wounds, Shivering Touch,Lesser, Shocking Grasp, Spirit Worm, Sunstroke, Touch of Fatigue, True Strike
*Using this spell the caster can use a still good organ from a humanoid/animal to extract 1 dose of Agony/2 caster levels.

Level 2

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Blindness/Deafness, Death Armor, Dispelleing Touch, Frostburn,Lesser, Healing Sting, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Phantom Foe, Rebuke, Sap Strength, Scare, Suggestion, Touch of Idiocy, Wracking Touch

Level 3

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Dispelling Touch, Fear, Infestation of Maggots, Inflict Serious Wounds, Masochism, Prickling Torment, Poison, Shivering Touch, Spider Poison, Vampieric Touch, Spider Poison, Toxic Weapon, Vital Strike

Level 4

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Bestow Curse, Damning Darkness, Delay Death, Frostburn, Hypothermia, Inflict Critical Wounds, Liquid Pain, Rebuke, Greater, Slay Living, Spell Vunerability, Stop Heart, Touch of Years, Touch of Vecna, Vulnerability

Looking over this class, it seems a bit... odd.

Instead of actually looking like a class with a set niche in the world, it looks like a specific build for a specific character (given that they all specialize with a specific weapon, have to take a specific drug, and don't have much else that sets them apart from a rogue/assassin other than a class feature stolen from duskblades).

On the topic of the specific weapon, there is no innate link between whips and pain. Slavers (and some law enforcers, in cultures where lashing is a form of punishment) in fantasy stories use them, sure, but torturers, jailers, bounty hunters and interrogators (the other roles that this class could play) generally don't. Even if you say that it's "iconic", not all paladins are forced to go around with longswords and not all barbarians are built around greataxes (similarly iconic weapons). Why can't an initiate of pain use a serrated dagger (thus acting as a worshiper of a pain deity), decapitate a foe with an axe (becoming an executioner), or simply wield a light weapon that deals more damage than a whip (thus causing more pain)? Specialization with a single weapon is more of a prestige class thing than a base class thing..

This guy wields 2 whips and makes full attacks that deal full sneak attack damage while channeling spells and stunning, entangling, and slaying foes. That is what this class was meant to do and it is all that it does. While there's nothing wrong with making a focused class, this class strikes me as less of a person/profession and more of a fighting style that you otherwise couldn't get before pre-epic levels (it even hands you all of the feats that you'd need to be a good whip user and the class gets its entire spell list, meaning that the character more or less builds itself).

This class would make an awesome 5 level prestige class for rogue/assassins that grants arcane channeling and your whip abilities but it just looks odd as a base class.