Sacred Fist Redux [PrC]

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Sacred Fist Redux

Ganda, sacred fist of Adamus

HD: d8

Requirements
BAB: +4
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks, Martial Lore 6 ranks
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist
Maneuvers: Ability to use 2nd level maneuvers, including at least one strike and one stance.
Spells: Ability to cast 1st level divine spells.

Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (history), Listen, Martial Lore, Move Silently, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Swim and Tumble.
Skill-points per level: 4+Int modifier

{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|AC Bonus|Spd. Bonus
1st|+0|+2|+2|+0|Unarmed damage|+1|+0 ft.
2nd|+1|+3|+3|+0|Devoted bulwark|+1|+0 ft.
3rd|+2|+3|+3|+1|Extra domain|+1|+10 ft.
4th|+3|+4|+4|+1|Sacred flame stance|+1|+10 ft.
5th|+3|+4|+4|+1|Divine recovery|+2|+10 ft.
6th|+4|+5|+5|+2|--|+2|+20 ft.
7th|+5|+5|+5|+2|Divine strike|+2|+20 ft.
8th|+6|+6|+6|+2|Mettle|+2|+30 ft.
9th|+6|+6|+6|+3|Strike of divine fire|+2|+30 ft.
10th|+7|+7|+7|+3|Divine protection stance|+3|+30 ft.
[/table]

{table="head"]Level|Man. Known|Man. Readied|Stances Known|Divine Spellcasting
1st|1|0|1|--
2nd|0|1|0|+1 of existing spellcasting class
3rd|1|0|0|+1 of existing spellcasting class
4th|1|0|0|+1 of existing spellcasting class
5th|0|1|0|--
6th|1|0|1|+1 of existing spellcasting class
7th|1|0|0|+1 of existing spellcasting class
8th|0|1|0|+1 of existing spellcasting class
9th|1|0|0|--
10th|1|0|0|+1 of existing spellcasting class
[/table]

Weapon and Armor proficiencies: Sacred fists gain no additional weapon or armor proficiencies.

AC Bonus (Ex): A sacred fist is highly trained in dodging blows, and he has a sixth sense that lets him avoid even unanticipated attacks. When unencumbered and wearing light or no armor, a sacred fist gains a +1 bonus to his AC. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level and to +3 at 10th.
This bonus to AC applies even against touch attack or when the sacred fist is flat-footed. He loses the bonus when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor heavier than light armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 3rd level, a sacred fist gains an enhancement bonus to his speed as shown on the table above. A sacred fist in medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses the speed bonus.

Maneuvers: At every level except 2nd, 5th, and 8th, a sacred fist gains new maneuvers known from the Desert Wind, Devoted Spirit, Setting Sun or Stone Dragon disciplines. You must meet a maneuver's prerequisite to learn it. You add your full sacred fist levels to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest-level maneuvers known.
At 2nd, 5th and 8th levels, you gain additional maneuvers readied per day.

Stances Known: At 1st level and again at 6th level, you learn a new martial stance from the Desert Wind, Devoted Spirit, Setting Sun or Stone Dragon disciplines. You must meet the stances prerequisites to learn it.

Spellcasting: At each level except 1st, 5th and 9th, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level(and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a sacred fist, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Unarmed Damage (Ex): At first level of sacred fist, you become more adept at dealing damage with your own body parts. Your unarmed strike deals as much damage as a monk's of your sacred fist level. If you have monk or attain monk levels, the unarmed damage stacks.

Devoted Bulwark: At second level, you gain Devoted Bulwark as a bonus feat. You need not qualify for it to gain this feat.

Extra Domain: At 3rd level and again at 7th level, your connection to your god strengthens. You gain an additional domain that your deity could normally grant. If your spellcasting abilities do not include domains, you gain no benefit of this class feature.

Sacred Flame Stance (Su): At 5th level, you gain a special stance that channels your unarmed combat style with raw divine energy. You take a swift action to lose the benefits of any stance you're in to gain the benefits granted by this stance. When in this stance, your arms, ankles and knees are sheathed in divine fire that does not harm you but does damage your opponents. These flames deal an amount of damage equal to 2d6+your Cha modifier. These flames are vents of pure divine energy, so half the damage dealt is fire and half is raw divine damage.

Divine Recovery (Su): At 5th level, you become capable of sacrificing divine energy to further your martial abilities. As a swift action, you may sacrifice any prepared divine spell(or unused spell slot) to regain any expended maneuver of the spells level or lower.

Divine Strike (Su): At 7th level, you are able to channel a pure form of divine energy through your weapons and body. This is treated just as a normal martial maneuver: you must ready it and expend it normally. It is a 6th level strike, and belongs to the Devoted Spirit discipline. To use this maneuver you must make a successful attack against an opponent as a standard action. When you strike, you deal an additional amount of damage equal to your initiator level*1d6 (with a maximum of 12d6 damage). Additionally, the victim must make a Will save (DC 16+Wis modifier) or take 1d4 Dex damage. If you use this strike and fail to hit your enemy, the strike is expended without effect.

Mettle (Ex): At 8th level and above, a sacred fist can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If they make a successfully Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping sacred fist does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Strike of Divine Fire (Su): At 9th level, you are the ultimate burning vent of divine energy, and you can unleash it all at once as a martial strike. This is treated just as a normal martial maneuver: you must ready it and expend it normally. It is a 8th level strike, and belongs to the Devoted Spirit discipline. As a standard action, you make an attack against an opponent, if your strike hits you deal an amount of damage equal to your initiator level*1d6 with a maximum of 18d6 damage. This damage is divine fire, so half the damage is normal fire damage and the other half is raw divine damage. Additionally, the victim must make a Fortitude save (DC 18+Wis modifier) or become dazed for a number of rounds equal to the sacred fist's Cha modifier(minimum 1 round).

Divine Protection Stance (Su): At 10th level your attunement to your deity solidifies further, and they grant you their own personal protection. You take a swift action to lose the benefits of any stance you're in to gain the benefits granted by this stance. When in this stance, you gain a +4 sacred bonus to AC and all saving throws, and spell resistance equal to your initiator level+10. If you already have spell resistance, it instead increases by 2. Additionally, your unarmed strikes count as being under the effects of the greater magic weapon spell(despite not being qualified to) with a caster level equal to your initiator level.

Code of Conduct: A member of of a sacred fist order refuses to use any weapons other than those of the Devoted Spirit and Setting Sun disciplines. A sacred fist knowingly carrying or using any other weapon loses all class spells and features and advances no farther a a sacred fist until he atones for his action.
Like a member of any other class, a sacred fist may be a multiclass character, but multiclass sacred fists face a special restriction. A sacred fist who gains a level in any class other than sacred fist may never again raise his sacred fist level, though he retains all of his sacred fist abilities. The path of the sacred fist requires a constant focus. If a character adopts this class, he must pursue it to the exclusion of all other careers. Once he has turned off the path, he may never return.

[Nebo_]

Full BAB, two good saves, 8/10 spell casting, decent amount of skills from a decent list, maneuver progression, no dead levels, removal of a retarded prerequisite and good abilities. What about this is supposed to be balanced?

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Full BAB, two good saves, 8/10 spell casting, decent amount of skills from a decent list, maneuver progression, no dead levels, removal of a retarded prerequisite and good abilities. What about this is supposed to be balanced?

I see it being slightly more balanced because it is a slightly downgraded progression of two paths, i.e. the mystic theurge syndrome. I attempted to fill that gap by granting abilities that tie to one or both classes. But! I agree it has maybe a little too many perks, what with it reaping all the benefits of a monk while making it for swordsage/clerics(ideally). So I think I'll reduce the BAB to 3/4ths, otherwise I see no real balance issues.

[Nebo_]

Martial classes don't suffer from Mystic Theurge syndrome. The spellcasting in this case just seems like gravy. Cut it down to 7/10 or 6/10. I'd recommend cutting the skill points down a bit, too, if I didn't like skill points so much. Drop the extra domains down to 1 and the BAB to 3/4.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Martial classes don't suffer from Mystic Theurge syndrome. The spellcasting in this case just seems like gravy. Cut it down to 7/10 or 6/10. I'd recommend cutting the skill points down a bit, too, if I didn't like skill points so much. Drop the extra domains down to 1 and the BAB to 3/4.

Seems reasonable, changes have been made.