[Screen Name] The Arcane Alexin

[Alexin]

So far, all I have done is the rough outline for the (very untested for balance) PrC. As I haven't gotten around to flavor text, I'll start with a brief explaination instead.

1. The PrC class is designed to do a very odd thing: Focus on casting healing spells while not being a divine caster. The only class that will work as a base class for this is a bard, since they do possess some healing spells.

2. "Alexin" is an archaeic word for a substance that is a part of the immune system's use of antibodies. (To be honest, I'm not 100% sure what.) I'm using it as if it meant "Healing Thing" or "Healer" in general, because, well, it's my screen name, and it fits my PrC. ^^

Without further adeu (sp?), behold: The Arcane Alexin!

Arcane Alexin
Hit Die: d4
Requirements
To qualify to become an arcane alexin, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Any non-lawful, non-evil.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 4 ranks, Heal 4 ranks, Perform (Any) 8 ranks.
Feats: Skill Focus (Heal).
Spells: Ability to cast Cure Light Wounds as an Arcane spells.

Class Skills
The arcane alexin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Arcane Alexin

{table]

[tr] [td] Level [/td] [td] B. A. B. [/td] [td] Fort [/td] [td] Ref [/td] [td] Will [/td] [td] Special [/td] [td] Spells/Day [/td] [/tr]

[tr] [td] 1st [/td] [td] +0 [/td] [td] +0 [/td] [td] +0 [/td] [td] +2 [/td] [td] Perform Arcane Rite, Arcane Rite: Cure Light Wounds (DC 12) [/td] [td] +1 Bard [/td] [/tr]


[tr] [td] 2nd [/td] [td] +1 [/td] [td] +0 [/td] [td] +0 [/td] [td] +3 [td] Arcane Rite: Aid (DC 14) [/td] [td] +1 Bard [/td] [/tr]

[tr] [td] 3rd [/td] [td] +1 [/td] [td] +1 [/td] [td] +1 [/td] [td] +3 [/td][td] Arcane Rite: Cure Moderate Wounds (DC 16) [/td] [td] +1 Bard [/td] [/tr]

[tr][td]4th[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+4[/td][td]Arcane Rite: Remove Blindness/Deafness (DC 20)[/td][td]+1 Bard[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]5th[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+1[/td][td]+4[/td][td]Arcane Rite: Cure Serious Wounds (DC 20)[/td][td]+1 Bard[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]6th[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+5[/td][td]Arcane Rite: Remove Disease (DC 20)[/td][td]+1 Bard[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]7th[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+5[/td][td]Arcane Rite: Cure Critical Wounds (DC 22)[/td][td]+1 Bard[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]8th[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+2[/td][td]+6[/td][td]Arcane Rite: Raise Dead (DC 25)[/td][td]+1 Bard[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]9th[/td][td]+4[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+6[/td][td]Arcane Rite: Heal (DC 30)[/td][td]+1 Bard[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]10th[/td][td]+5[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+3[/td][td]+7[/td][td]Arcane Rite: Resurection (DC 40)[/td][td]+1 Bard[/td][/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are Class Features of the Arcane Alexin.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An arcane alexin gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor. An arcane alexin can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane alexin wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do).

Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new arcane alexin level is gained, the character gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had also gained a level of bard. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. You may trade out known spells as a bard does when your level of bard and level of arcane alexin equal 8, and every 3 levels after that. (I know this is sloppily written and could allow loopholes; any suggestions for rewording?)

Perform Arcane Rites: An arcane alexin may perform one arcane rite per level. Additionally, an arcane alexin may use two bardic music for the purpose of performing an Arcane Rite. (For example, a level 10 Bard / 10 Arcane Alexin could perform 10 bardic musics and 10 arcane rites, 6 bardic musics and 12 arcane rites, 15 arcane rites, etc.) All spells cast using Arcane Rites count as arcane spells instead of divine spells. Rites whose normal spell requires material components must use up these components in the process of the Rite.

Performing an Arcane Rite is a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity. When performing an Arcane Rite, first choose the Arcane Rite you are attempting, and the target upon which you are using the Arcane Rite. Then, make a Perform check against the DC listed by the spell. If you beat the DC, the spell works on the target normally, as if cast by a Cleric of equal level to your combined levels in Bard and Arcane Alexin, with the exception that the spell counts as arcane magic instead of divine. If you roll below the DC, you succeed at casting no spell.

If you roll a natural 20 on the perform check or beat the check DC by more than 20, replace the spell performed by the Rite with the spell listed for Critical Rites. A Spellcraft check (DC 10) may be made to instead cast the Rite in its normal form. Similarly, if you roll a natural 1 on the perform check or miss the check DC by more than 20, replace the spell performed by the Rite with the spell listed for Fumbled Rites. A Spellcraft check (DC 20) may be made to instead cast no spell.

{table]
[tr]
[td]Rite[/td][td]DC[/td][td]Critical Rite[/td][td]Fumbled Rite[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]1 - Cure Light Wounds[/td][td]12[/td][td]Mass Cure Light Wounds (Centered on Self)[/td][td]Inflict Light Wounds (Self)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]2 - Aid[/td][td]16[/td][td]Prayer (Centered on Self)[/td][td]Doom (Self)[/td]
[/tr]

[tr]
[td]3 - Cure Moderate Wounds[/td][td]16[/td][td]Mass Cure Moderate Wounds (Centered on Self)[/td][td]Inflict Moderate Wounds (Self)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]4 - Remove Blindness/Deafness[/td][td]20[/td][td]Remove Blindness/Deafness AND Lesser Restoration (Target)[/td][td]Blinded and Deafened for 1 day (Self)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]5 - Cure Serious Wounds[/td][td]20[/td][td]Mass Cure Serious Wounds (Centered on Self)[/td][td]Inflict Serious Wounds (Self)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]6 - Remove Disease[/td][td]20[/td][td]Remove Disease AND Remove Curse (Target)[/td][td]Infected with Mummy Rot (Self)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]7 - Cure Critical Wounds[/td][td]22[/td][td]Mass Cure Critical Wounds (Centered on Self)[/td][td]Inflict Critical Wounds (Self)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]8 - Raise Dead[/td][td]25[/td][td]Resurrection (Target); no additional material components needed[/td][td]Summon 1d4 hostile Spectres around the corpse[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]9 - Heal[/td][td]30[/td][td]Mass Heal (Centered on Self)[/td][td]Harm (Self)[/td][/tr]

[tr][td]10 - Resurrection[/td][td]40[/td][td]True Resurrection (Target); no additional material components needed[/td][td]Summons 1 undead of any kind the DM desires around the corpse. The DM is suggested to choose as if she or he possessed an Evil alignment, or at the very least Chaotic Neutral.[/td][/td][/tr][/table].

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I realize this class needs alot of work on balance, especially with the DC based spellcasting; still, what do ya'll think?

[Nim]

Er - typically it's not considered a good thing to mandate certain class levels. Use other restrictions to keep them from being almost anything else, but if without the class restriction something else could get in, it should be able to.

[Alexin]

Right; I thought about that, but the fact that Bard is the only standard D&D arcane caster with healing spells meant that Bards are the only ones that could fit the idea. I've removed the bit about bards only, but I can't think of any way to make it the class work. (There needs to be at least some basis for the arcane healing spells, of which the bard is the only instance.) If it were a base class rather than a PrC... Well, enough of my ramblings; I'll think about it some more. Thanks for the feedback. ^^

----

Edit: Removed the bard requirement, and weakened the arcane healing spell requirement from light and moderate to just light. At least two levels of bard will be required still (using standard base classes), but it's a bit more flexible.

[Musrum]

There is a feat from complete divine which enables an arcane caster to cast heaing spells. (this may allow a wizard to access you PrC). I'm not sure if this is a problem or not - just letting you know...

[Starbuck_II]

I always considered Sorceror can cast them since Bard spells are arcane spells not found on Wizard/sorc spell list. And It says they can casy unknown arcane spells not found on it. I convinced my Dm with a good Diplomacy check lol.

Anyway, its a decent class. I'd change the +1 bard to say +1 level of existing class.

It would probably still be bard but it may not be. ;D

I like the flavor of the class but some flavor story or description of them would help.

[AngelSword]

There are feats that will allow a sorcerer or wizard to learn a spell off of the cleric spell list. And, should they take it, it is considered an arcane spell.

[Zherog]

There are feats that will allow a sorcerer or wizard to learn a spell off of the cleric spell list. And, should they take it, it is considered an arcane spell.

There's also a Prestige Class from Dragon Magazine (written for 3.0, but I don't think anything would change) that allows sorcerers to add spells from another class's spell list. If I'm remembering right, it was called the Eldritch Master. That would be another way for a non-bard to get in.

(feedback coming next)

[Zherog]

Actually, Alexin, I enjoyed the class a lot. I don't think you have too many balance issues to worry about, to be honest.

<<snipped description>>

Looks like you already have the makings of your flavor text. Take what you have here and reword it a little, putting it into paragraph form and voila - flavor text.

Arcane Alexin
Hit Die: d4
Requirements
To qualify to become an arcane alexin, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
Alignment: Any non-lawful, non-evil.
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) 4 ranks, Heal 4 ranks, Perform (Any) 8 ranks.
Feats: Skill Focus (Heal).
Spells: Ability to cast Cure Light Wounds as an Arcane spells.

Hit die is good. I'm not sure what Perform has to do with this class. I'd recommend bumping up Knowledge (Arcana) to a point high enough to make the class enterable at the level you want and remove the Perform pre-req. I think I'd also add a Spellcraft pre-req, since so much of the class is based on Spellcraft checks.

So, for example, if you want somebody to enter this class at level 6, you would require 8 ranks in one or both skills.

Class Skills
The arcane alexin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

It looks like you copied most of the Bard's skill list, and removed a handful of items. Honestly, this list doesn't fit the class - at least in my opinion. For example, what does Tumble have to do with being an arcane healer? I'd go with the following list:

Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int)

I'd then lower it to 2 + Int mod per level.

Table: The Arcane Alexin <<snipped the table>>

As has been suggested, I'd change the entry from "+1 Bard" to "+1 level Existing Arcane Spellcasting."

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: An arcane alexin gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor. An arcane alexin can cast bard spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane alexin wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do).

The underlined part is really unneeded - this is already spelled out in the bard class.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new arcane alexin level is gained, the character gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had also gained a level of bard. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. You may trade out known spells as a bard does when your level of bard and level of arcane alexin equal 8, and every 3 levels after that. (I know this is sloppily written and could allow loopholes; any suggestions for rewording?)

Here's how the "spells per day" entry is worded in the SRD for the Arcane Trickster:

Spells per Day: When a new arcane trickster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming an arcane trickster, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day.

I'd just steal that and make it refer to your class.

Perform Arcane Rites: <<snipped>>

I like these, actually. I don't think your DC's are too bad. They might be getting a little high at the end, though. Right now, a 5th level character can enter this class. So when they get the Rite: Cure Light Wounds, we can expect they'll be 6th level, and a maxed Spellcraft would give them 9 ranks. We'll say a +2 Int mod, so that's a total of 11. That means the only way they can fail is by rolling a 1 (at least as currently written).

Now let's advance to 10th level in this class, 15th level overall. So we have 18 ranks, and we'll bump our Int mod up to a +5. We've had plenty of levels to purchase a Headband of Intellect or to throw some level stat increases into Int. We'll also through in Skill Focus (Spellcraft). So we have a total of +26 to our spellcraft checks at this point. That means to succeed we need to roll a 14 or better. And remember, that assumes we burn a feat on Skill Focus. Otherwise we have to roll a 17 or better. That's quite a disparity.

The question is, I guess, do you want this big a disparity in success rate at different levels, or do you want it fairly even? If you want it to be somewhat an even rate as you rise in levels, I'd start around 15 or so, and increase each DC by 2. That rewards players who spend feats or cash to improve their Spellcraft totals, and makes higher level rituals slightly more difficult for a caster who only dumps ranks into Spellcraft and doesn't look to improve his or her int. Er - does that makes sense?


I'd slightly reword the "stacking" effect of Rites and Bardic Music, since it would be possible (but not likely) for a non-bard to enter. It's a nice little benefit for Bards, though, so I'd keep it.

I'm not a fan of Critical Fumbles, and especially when it comes to skill checks. By the rules, skills do not auto succeed on a 20 nor do they fail on a 1. The pass/fail by 20 is OK, but I would remove the stuff about the natural rolls.

For your Blindness/Deafness fumble: I'd consider changing it slightly, as it's quite severe compared to the other effects. Instead of making the caster blind and deaf, I'd recommend inflicting upon the caster whichever he was trying to remove. In other words, if he was trying to Remove Blindness, he is blinded.

Other than that, things looked good. It's an interesting class. It makes for an interesting way for a party to get by without a cleric.