The Noble (3.5 base class) (WIP)

[lunar2]

Hit Die: d8.
Class Skills
The Noble’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language, Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Estate, Tutoring (trained)
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Mettle
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Tutoring (+1)
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Training (+1)
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Bodyguard
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Tutoring (+2)
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Mount
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Training (+2)
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Tutoring (+3)
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Tutoring (mastery)
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Improved Mettle
12th	12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Training (+3) Tutoring (+4)
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Tutoring (+5)
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Training (+4)
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Tutoring (+6)
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Training (+5)

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Noble is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light, medium and heavy armor, and shields (except tower shields).

Estate (Ex): The Noble gains an allowance from the holdings of their family, equal to 500gp times their class level every class level (500 at 1, 1000 at 2, etc.). the currency and method of delivery may vary by noble family and level. example: at first or second level, a courier carrying actual gold or platinum pieces may arrive, delivering the payment, while at higher levels, valuable gems may simply be teleported to the Noble's location.

Tutoring (Ex): A Noble has access to the best teachers in the region. They are treated as trained in all skills, even if they have no ranks in them. At 3rd level, and every 3rd level after that, they gain a +1 competence bonus to all skill and ability checks. At 10th level, they have mastered the use of skills, and can take ten even when normally not allowed to. additionally, they take no penalties for rushing skill checks.

Mettle (Ex): The Noble has been trained to resist assaults on their body and mind. Whenever they succeed on a fortitude or will save that results in a partial or halved effect, they instead negate the effect.

Training (Ex): The Noble has been taught by masters of combat. They gain a +1 competence bonus on attack roles and AC at every 4th level.

Bodyguard (Ex): The Noble gains an NPC bodyguard, paid for by his family. This bodyguard is a fighter of the same race and alignment as the Noble. It is always 2 levels lower than the Noble, and has gear appropriate for an NPC of its level.

Mount (Ex): The Noble gains a combat trained mount. this mount is a light or heavy warhorse (or similar creature for small or large Nobles) with HD advanced equal to the Noble's class level.

Improved Mettle: The Noble's Mettle improves. Now the Noble only takes the partial or halved effect on a failed save.



Ok, this is what I've got so far. I don't really like the mount special (2 minions!? bleh), but I'm kind of running out of ideas. I do want to incorporate "slippery mind" and poison immunity, but don't know where to put them. Also, should Training maybe apply to damage and/or saves, as well?

note that i want this to be a completely non-magical class. no SLAs, no supernatural abilities.

an alternate route would be to remove the bodyguard and the tutoring, do something better with the mount, and make this a knight type guy, instead. in that case, Training would need to be improved to every 3rd level, maybe.

[Human Paragon 3]

I really like this! For a certain archetype, it is perfect.

I would add in some luck re-rolls, since wandering nobles tend to luck their way out of trouble more often then not.

Bonus feats from a small list would not be out of line either.

The ability to take 10 on all skills might be a little too strong. Instead, have him pick a number of skills = his Int modifier.

Give the noble the option of having his "gold" allowance delivered in the form of gear after level 8, and add some better guidelines to how he acquires it.

I agree that the mount is lacking. He could easily just buy a mount if he wanted one.

[Hyudra]

Under skills, it says "The Aristocrat's class skills..."

[JKTrickster]

I'm kind of confused as to what this is supposed to be...a melee centric fighter with extra glorious name? A skill monkey? Someone with lots and lots of money?

I mean I could have my character be the firstborn son of a Noble family, who decided to adventure for a while and be a Warblade. Or a Factotum. Or anything really....

So what makes this class special?

[lunar2]

Originally Posted by JKTrickster

I'm kind of confused as to what this is supposed to be...a melee centric fighter with extra glorious name? A skill monkey? Someone with lots and lots of money?

I mean I could have my character be the firstborn son of a Noble family, who decided to adventure for a while and be a Warblade. Or a Factotum. Or anything really....

So what makes this class special?

It's supposed to be a Noble that is powerful specifically because of the influence and wealth of its family. The tutors and trainers that it has access to give competence bonuses all around, and the family estate coughs up extra money and pays for a companion.

As for taking the same fluff (a Noble that adventures instead of staying at home) and just using a different class, you can do that with any archetype. I think the only thing "unique" about this class is the Improved Mettle, which i have never seen, anywhere, and which makes this guy pretty much immune to most SoD or SoS effects.

That said, it is a work in progress, and I am seriously considering junking the Noble aspect and just making it a knight. If I do that, it will lose the Tutoring and Bodyguard, and the Training will advance faster, and apply to damage as well. I'd probably change Mount to be the same as a Paladin's Special Mount.

@HP3 I deliberately left the Estate vague. As written, the allowance can be coins or items, and can be delivered in whatever way the DM decides is most appropriate. Reasonably, if the family cares enough to ask what exactly the Noble wants, such as through a sending spell, then it would be perfectly fair to assume they'd send, say, a MW potion belt full of a variety of potions. But that would only work with a DM that typically allows PCs to get most of the items they want, anyway.