The Adversary (Base Class and possible BBEG) (WIP)

[MagBas]

I tried my hand in making a BBEG class once before but it wasn't well formed. I have decided to give it another shot. I have been inspired by a lot of works from other brewers and even came across a new homebrew by another brilliant brewer that was aiming for a similar Tier 1 mundane world changer.

This class has class features that are very similar to standard base classes but somewhat of a lower degree. The reason is that this class is supposed to to appear useful despite the other members of the party. And it is also supposed be able to take on the party itself directly and indirectly if that is what the player wishes for. The Adversary is an enemy and fried to all depending on the circumstances and their current frame of mind.

This can be enemy at the end of the story. The one that has been one step ahead all the time and possibly been manipulating the adventurers to do his dirty work for him whether he is using them, appraising them as future recruits, or simply trying to kill off any future threats.

Class feature ideas are at the bottom of the page. A lot of work needs to be done and any help or idea would be appreciated.

The Adversary



”So you defeated a dragon or two. And you say you wiped out a Death Cult of Drows. You become proud of your accomplishments of defeating such foolish foes. There are those who you will never meet but will manipulate all those around you without you being aware of it. These individuals rival the power kingdoms and nothing is more frightening than a force that you know nothing about”

An individual that has money, resources, and influence in the world, whether it be public knowledge or secret organgization. One way or the other, against normal adventures they are next to untouchable.

Adventures: Adversaries can venture for a variety of reasons though they don't have any real need to do so. Money, power, and fame or things that they can acquire with the help of their vast resources. They adventure simply because from time to time they wish to get their hands a little dirty as they expand their influence and recruit more assets into their organization

Characteristics: Adversaries are Strategists, Manipulators, Tricksters, and Frightening warriors

Alignment: Adversaries can be of any alignment. Good Adversaries use their influence to help people in the shadows as well as push ”Adventurers” in the direction of those that are commiting acts of evil. Lawful Adversaries use their power to keep order and stabability. Chaotic Adversaries believe in chance and freedom and use their resources to give people a chance to make their own decisions. Evil Adversaries use their wealth and manpower to to manipulate and corrupt all within their reach through fear and lies.

Religion: Adversaries are strong believers of controlling ones destiny as well as those of others. They can easily believe in a god or goddess whose ideals match their own.

Background: Adversaries can come from a life of hardship and adversity or perhaps they lived a priveledged life. But all adversaries have some form of money whether it was stolen, earned, or inherited and they have keen minds and strong personalities that allow them to make specific choices that will get them the results they wish for.

Races: Any sentient race is capable of becoming an adversary.

Other Classes: The Adversary sees every class (PC and NPC) as valuable pieces to achieve their complicated plots. Adversaries can either display their power and capabilities where all the classes would simply benefit from information as well as their resources. Or they may hide their abilties and simply be a decent fighter, another skill monkey, information gatherer, but their methods may be so subtle that others might just see them as being very lucky.

Role: The Adversary is almost an all around backup to most classes albeit at a surface level just lower than them. They can gather information like a bard and can use tactics to enhance battles, they can go unnoticed like rogues and end the lives quickly and quietly. They and capable fighters that add another good sword arm or shield in combat encounters. They have a few magical abilities that grow that allow them to support others via damage, battlefield control and minor healing.

Adaptation: Adveraries are so flexible that they can fit into any campaign. They could be as low as a gang leader in a town, a general in an army, a leader of a spy ring, or even a king or the shadowy advisor. They could be assassins, soldiers, or mystical explorers.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
CLASS NAME's have the following game statistics.
Abilities: All ability scores are useful depending on where you want your strengths to lie. Each mental ability is linked to a specific class feature where you still have access but if you have a positive modifier it allows you to use them more often or to a better degree. They phsyical ability modifiers allow for extraordinary acts of physical prowess that makes them more dangerous in combat and harder to kill.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d12
Starting Age: What age your class starts at level one as normally ("As barbarian," "As bard," and "As cleric" are the standard options, though feel free to put down the numbers, as well.).
Starting Gold: 10d6x10

Class Skills
The CLASS NAME's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are... All

Skill Points at First Level: (8 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: x8+ Int modifier

CLASS NAME

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Income	Resource Points	Contracts	Special
1st	+0	+2	+2	+2	4g	4	1	Contracts,Efficient Training,
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+3	8g	6	1	Class Ability
3rd	+1	+3	+3	+3	12	8	2	Strive for Perfection(+1)
4th	+2	+4	+4	+4	16	10	2
5th	+2	+4	+4	+4	20g	Class Ability	3	Class Ability
6th	+3	+5	+5	+5	24g	Class Ability	3	Strive for Perfection(+1)
7th	+3	+5	+5	+5	Class Ability	Class Ability	4	Class Ability
8th	+4	+6	+6	+6	Class Ability	Class Ability	4	Class Ability
9th	+4	+6	+6	+6	36g	Class Ability	5	Strive for Perfection(+1)
10th	+5	+7	+7	+7	40g	Class Ability	5	Class Ability
11th	+5	+7	+7	+7	44g	Class Ability	6	Class Ability
12th	+6/+1	+8	+8	+8	Class Ability	Class Ability	6	Strive for Perfection(+1)
13th	+6/+1	+8	+8	+8	Class Ability	Class Ability	7	Class Ability
14th	+7/+2	+9	+9	+9	Class Ability	Class Ability	7	Class Ability
15th	+7/+2	+9	+9	+9	Class Ability	Class Ability	8	Strive for Perfection(+1)
16th	+8/+3	+10	+10	+10	Class Ability	Class Ability	8	Class Ability
17th	+8/+3	+10	+10	+10	Class Ability	Class Ability	9	Class Ability
18th	+9/+4	+11	+11	+11	Class Ability	Class Ability	9	Strive for Perfection(+1)
19th	+9/+4	+11	+11	+11	Class Ability	Class Ability	10	Class Ability
20th	+10/+5	+12	+12	+12	Class Ability	Class Ability	13	Magnificence

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the CLASS NAME.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: What weapons and armor your class is proficient in the use of!

All other class features go here (Use the format shown directly below if you don't know what to do.)!

CLASS FEATURE NAME (Ex, Su, Sp, Ps):


Resource Points (Ex): Whether through legitimate means or flat out law breaking you have accrued a large wealth that you cunningly use to keep yourself well off. But you have figure away to siphon small amounts to allow you to create schemes to make your wishes come true. Resource points are used to improve and enhance other class features.

Income: You have learned to be thrifty with your expenses and have allowed yourself to a daily allowance to purchase goods or services. (This can be enhanced through Resource Points).
Network: Information is power and you know that controlling information is one of the strongest abilities you can have. You gain +1 to Gather Information and relevant Knowledge checks equal to ½ your class level(minimum 1). The DC to learn about The Adversary is increased by the same amount. (This can be augemented with Resource points). In addition you gain the Message spell as a supernatural ability with those in your Network
Efficient Training: You may not train as obsessively as Fighters, Rangers, and Warblades, but you train your body to move efficiently so your attacks are cleaner and sharper than normally. At level 1 and every odd numbered level in this class you get a +1 perfection bonus to your attacks. This bonus applies to iterative attacks as well. so at level 20 you will have +20/+15)
Minions: You gain 1 minion/level.(This can be augmented with resource points and tactics).
Standard minion uses:
Wall- Your trained minions make it difficult to hit you. You gain 5% cover and Concealment for each minion nearby.
Grapple-Your minions keep foes away from you. You can grapple enemies at a distance and gain a bonus for each minion adjacent to the target (s).
Shield- minions will lay down there lives for you. Minions thar are adjacent split damage with the Adversary.
Crowd Control- Your minions allow you to flow and melt into crowds and hinder enemies movements. Moving through heavily populated crowds is never difficult terrain for you. You get +1 to hide checks per minion nearby and crowds are considered difficult terrain for known enemies.
Eyes and Ears- Minions watch your back And relay Iinformation through subtle means. You get a +1 to spot checks fir each minion nearby.
PLANS-
Schemes: Are the building blocks of your Plots. You use your resources to develop weapons, blackmail, assassinate, steal,infiltrate, etc… These are considered to be passive when resources are placed into it. And can be activated instantaneously as if planned all along.
Contingencies: You know that even the best laid plans could go wrong so that is why people come up with a backup plan. You come up with at least five with little effort. This can take the form having doubles take your unparalleled doubles take your place, having reinforcements nearby, retroactively gaining tools or weapons that you happen to need in certain situations (even the sudden creation of traps).

Magnificence: At level 20 you have finally been able to bring your body and mind to a higher level Through efficient training and intensive study you have unlocked limiters within your body. All physical attributes (Str, Dex & Con) are added together to form a Physical Pool modifier. And all your mental attributes (Int, Cha, Wis) to form a Mental Pool Modifier. Whenever you would add a single attribute to a roll or class feature you now add the appropriate pool modifier instead. You also add 10 percent to all class features that require a percentage roll.


- - - - - -
Ideas to be implemented

Spoiler: Ideas and aspects

Show

Aspects of the Adversary (The tropes I was aiming for and the related features.)
Chessmaster(MasterMind):
Tactics – bonus feats or bonuses given to mooks
Plans/Plots - ability that allows for adaptability in all kinds of situations that can get you out of trouble as long as you placed enough of your resources in their.
Pieces - templates (Chess flavor titles) special operatives that can be called upon for certain situations
Manipulator(Machiavellian):
Social Seeds - Through conversation the adversary plants seeds that can either benefit or hinder single targets and if enough seeds are planted into one target certain suggestions and commands can be given as well as altering behavior (alignment/morality, attitudes towards certain individuals or groups of people) as well as memory.
Trickster:
Mutable Aura (Alignment Disguise), Divination and Enchantment Resistance,
BusinessMan:Supernatural contracts, mundane favors, Resource points)
BadAss: Abilities that help him fight on his own on an (Ex) level
Example: Strive for Perfection(Ex): Adversary gets +1 to all Abilites scores /3 levels.

Inspirations (will be attributing others as i find them again):
RoC’s Epic Mastermind, Machiavellian
Amechra’s Machiavellian, Blameless Sinner
Shrewd Tactician,

[MagBas]

Reserved for Plans/Plots


Schemes:


Contingencies:

[MagBas]

Reserved for Mystical Contracts
Contract of the Inferno
Contract of the Deep Freeze
Contract of the Storms
Contract of Gaia's Heart
Contract of the Seelie Court
Contract of the Unseelie Court
Contract of Order
Contract of Impossibility
Contract of Benevolence
Contract of Malevolence
Contract of Life
Contract of Death
Contract of Undeath
Contract of the Aether
Contract of Souls
Contract of The Cycle
Contract of the Scaled Tyrants
Contract of the Eldritch Horrors
Contract of the Gatekeepers

[MagBas]

Reserved for 'Piece' templates

[MagBas]

Reserved for feats and anything extra i might need to add

[qazzquimby]

I haven't read it thoroughly enough yet.
I really like most of it, but make sure the retroactive planning doesn't make conventional planning redundant. Actually making a great plan and working out back ups is a lot more satisfying, I think, but I like the creativity involved in retroactive planning. Be wary of it turning to dm fiat.

[MagBas]

I agree with being careful with planning and the dm fiat. I intend for a lot of yhe retroactive schemes to be rolled for success and the more resources invested the higher the chance of it being successful. If One wishes to place a trap under a individuals feet their will be an opposed roll. Trapmaking vs Search perhaps.

Update:
Added list of a few mystical contracts and added info on how to use your minions.

Update II: Described Capstone and will try to write out some plans out to give a better idea of how this class can be played.