I'm Gonna Kill Bill [PrC]

[The Demented One]

Crimson Executioner



The Crimson Executioners are an elite band of warriors, renowned both for their cold, heartless expertise and their savage, unrelenting bloodlust. The Executioners all draw their martial techniques from an ancient manuscript of warfare known as the Crimson Protocol, and there is a certain sense of brotherhood among them–but that is all. There is no guild, organization, or hierarchy amongst the Executioners. They are utterly free agents, putting their swords and skills to whatever causes they see fit. A noble champion, a stern lawman, a self-serving mercenary, an evil assassin: a Crimson Executioner could be any of them.

d10 HD

Requirements
To qualify to become a Crimson Executioner, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
BAB: +7
Feats: Death Blow, Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Special: Must acquire a copy of the Crimson Protocol, and spend at least a month studying it.

Class Skills
The Crimson Executioner’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex)

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Level	BAB	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0	Crimson Slash
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0	Improved Death Blow
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1	Bonus Feat
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1	Mettle
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1	Terrifying Execution
6th	+6	+5	+2	+2	Bonus Feat
7th	+7	+5	+2	+2	Improved Mettle
8th	+8	+6	+2	+2	Crimson Razor
9th	+9	+6	+3	+3	Bonus Feat
10th	+10	+7	+3	+3	Sudden Death

Class Features
All the following are class features of the Crimson Executioner prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
You gain proficiency with all light and martial weapons, as well as the bastard sword. In addition, you gain proficiency with all armor and shields, except tower shields.

Crimson Slash (Ex)
At 1st level, you gain the ability to maim foes with your blade. Once per day, you may declare one melee attack a crimson slash. You must do so before you make the attack roll; if the attack misses, you still lose that use. A creature hit by a crimson slash takes 1d4 points of Str damage. A critical hit does not affect the amount of ability damage dealt. At each odd level, you gain an additional daily use of the crimson slash ability. At 5th level, the ability damage dealt by the crimson slash ability increases to 1d6. At 9th level, you may deal Con damage, rather than Str damage with the crimson slash ability.

Improved Death Blow (Ex)
At 2nd level, you become skilled at dispatching already wounded foes. You may make a coup de grace attack against a helpless defender as a swift action. In addition, as a full round action, you may make a single coup de grace attack against all helpless defenders within your reach.

Bonus Feat (Ex)
At 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels, you gain a bonus feat, drawn from the list of Fighter bonus feats. You must still meet all the prerequisites of that feat.

Mettle (Ex)
At 4th level, your mind and body have been hardened through training and testing. If you make a successful Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, that effect is instead negated.

Terrifying Execution (Ex)
At 5th level, the bloody violence you are capable of can shake the hearts of lesser foes. Whenever you kill a creature with a melee attack, all enemies within 30 ft. of you that both saw the killing and have an amount of HD less than or equal to that of the killed creature are intimidated by your skill. They must make a Will save, DC 10 + your class level + your Strength modifier, or be panicked for as long as they remain within 30 ft. of you. Even if they save, they are shaken for one round. At 7th level, the range affected by this ability increases to 60 ft. Once a creature successfully saves against this ability, it is immune to it for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting, fear effect.

Improved Mettle (Ex)
At 7th level, your mind and body are impervious to harm. Even if you fail a Fortitude or Will save against an effect that allows a save for half or partial effect, you still only suffer the reduced effect.

Crimson Razor (Ex)
At 8th level, you gain the ability to unerringly strike at the vitals of your foes. Once per day, you may declare one melee attack a crimson razor. You must do so before you make the attack roll; if the attack misses, you still lose that use. If the attack is successful, than it is automatically a critical hit. You cannot declare an attack both a crimson slash and a crimson razor. You gain an additional daily use of the crimson razor ability at each subsequent level.

Sudden Death (Ex)
At 10th level, you gain the ability to slay a foe before they even realize you’ve struck them. Once per day, you may declare one melee attack a sudden death attack. You must do so before you make the attack roll; if the attack misses, you still lose that use. If the attack is successful, then the enemy you struck is automatically dazed for 1d4 rounds. At the end of those 1d4 rounds, it must make a Fortitude save, DC 10 + your class level + your Strength modifier. If it fails, then its hit points fall to -10, and it dies. Even creatures immune to dazing are subject to the latter part of this ability.

[Twisted.Fate]

Cool, cool prestige class. Very interesting. Looks fairly balanced. I only have a few quibbles/questions.

Originally Posted by The Demented One

Crimson Slash (Ex)
At 1st level, you gain the ability to maim foes with your blade. Once per day, you may declare one melee attack a crimson slash. You must do so before you make the attack roll; if the attack misses, you still lose that use. A creature hit by a crimson slash takes 1d4 points of Str damage. At each odd level, you gain an additional daily use of the crimson slash ability. At 5th level, the ability damage dealt by the crimson slash ability increases to 1d6. At 9th level, you may deal Con damage, rather than Str damage with the crimson slash ability.

What happens on a crit? Do you double the Strength damage?

Originally Posted by The Demented One

Sudden Death (Ex)
At 10th level, you gain the ability to slay a foe before they even realize you’ve struck them. Once per day, you may declare one melee attack a sudden death attack. You must do so before you make the attack roll; if the attack misses, you still lose that use. If the attack is successful, then the enemy you struck is automatically dazed for 1d4 rounds. At the end of those 1d4 rounds, its hit points fall to -10, and it dies. Even creatures immune to dazing are subject to the latter part of this ability.

Is there no save at all? I think a death attack for free, no save is a little cruel - all you've got to do is hit, and you can just KILL a dragon, once a day? Or a Balor? With minimum 7th level to enter the class, you'll be at 17th when you finish the prestige class. I just don't see a 17th-level character having a 50% chance to kill a Balor every day (Assuming the following to hit: +4 from Str, +17 BAB, +4 Weapon for +25; Balor's AC is 35). Or an 80% chance to kill a Marilith, assuming the same to hit as above - CR 17, AC 29. You don't even have to roll to hit a Formian Queen, AC 23. It just dies, assuming you don't roll a natural 1.

For comparison, the monk's Quivering Palm attack requires you to hit and it gives a save.

Just a thought.

[The Demented One]

What happens on a crit? Do you double the Strength damage?

Clarified this.

Is there no save at all?

Point taken. Still no save for the dazing, but added one for the kill.

[jlousivy]

mettle/imp mettle-- i think this could be too powerful, maybe only apply it to will or fortitude.
also is this under all conditions? or are there specific conditions as with evasion?

[Spikes01k]

OMDG! Improved Death Blow is just too powerful for it to be a 2nd level ability. Every Assasin do a 2 lvl dip into this class or would just progress in this class instead. I sugest moving that ability to at least level 5 or 6

[Spikes01k]

Crimson Razor (Ex)
At 8th level, you gain the ability to unerringly strike at the vitals of your foes. Once per day, you may declare one melee attack a crimson razor. You must do so before you make the attack roll; if the attack misses, you still lose that use. If the attack is successful, than it is automatically a critical hit. You cannot declare an attack both a crimson slash and a crimson razor. You gain an additional daily use of the crimson razor ability at each subsequent level.

For this, you will probably want to list the levels.

[The Demented One]

Originally Posted by jlousivy

mettle/imp mettle-- i think this could be too powerful, maybe only apply it to will or fortitude.
also is this under all conditions? or are there specific conditions as with evasion?

Lots of other classes get these abilities, and I'm wanting to say they get it earlier than this guy.

OMDG! Improved Death Blow is just too powerful for it to be a 2nd level ability. Every Assasin do a 2 lvl dip into this class or would just progress in this class instead. I sugest moving that ability to at least level 5 or 6

Really? I don't think coup de grace's really get used that much - all they let you do is spend time killing guys who are already out of the fight. Besides, an assassin would have to be 11th level to even dip in this class, assuming they took the most direct route to the assassin PrC. I see no problem here.

For this, you will probably want to list the levels.

It's literally each subsequent level - 9th and 10th. I don't think I need to get more specific there.

[geez3r]

I like it. Quasi-assassin-ish warrior type. I think it is rather well balanced, the lack of skill points is made up for the good class features. I think I will have to use this in the future. Good job.

[martyboy74]

In Terrifying Execution, you describe it as "the bloody violence". However, you make no mention of specific creature types. Doed this mean that all creatures, even one without blood (such as a you-know-what) can be used for this?

[The Demented One]

Originally Posted by martyboy74

In Terrifying Execution, you describe it as "the bloody violence". However, you make no mention of specific creature types. Doed this mean that all creatures, even one without blood (such as a you-know-what) can be used for this?

Yep - any creature will do.

[Demented]

Originally Posted by The Demented One

It's literally each subsequent level - 9th and 10th. I don't think I need to get more specific there.

That is a bit of a departure from normal class ability listings. The table might not look as pretty, but it would be useful for anyone reading the class-at-a-glance to see the extra uses. The same should probably apply to the Crimson Slash's alternatives.

The abilities themselves look fair individually, though I have to wonder if the bonus feats aren't adding too much to the class in total....

[Harkone]

Like the class; I'll have to use it in my campaign some time.

[SpartacusThe2nd]

well my entire reply has been deleted let's add up:

Ok..im sure one of my players will surely like that PrC.
BUT
Crimson slash is like a very strong injury poison that gives no save.
even rogues need sacrfice 1d6 damage for con dmg.
terryfing exc is somehow like some ability the ghost faced killer (Comp Adventurer) have.
Sudden death, NO SAVE?! for the love of god save for the daze and for the kill directly, it too powerful.

The class have a nice backround and abilities, balancing his abilities and he is a very cool PrC.
Tip: Bonus feats maybe once with a different list of feats.

[Sampi]

Looking very good there. The only thing that stirkes me as odd here is the capstone ability - it looks to me as if you're trying to get the feel of the KB final scene there. Very good, but I don't think it should affect nonliving creatures - especially not golems. Maybe make it a death effect?

But if that's not the way you want to make it, it's cool.

[Tor the Fallen]

I was expecting supreme cleave.

[SpartacusThe2nd]

Originally Posted by Tor the Fallen

I was expecting supreme cleave.

how can this be better than great cleave?

[Icewalker]

I like it. I think Crimson Razor is a little overpowered, but other than that, excellent. This could make a good villain I think.