A Prestige Class for Bardic Witches

[Dragonborn3]

So I had some timeto do whatever and I decided to make a prestige class for the Witch and another class. Originally, that class was going to be the Oracle, but Bard seemed like a better choice after some thought. So with out further ado...

The Occult Minstrel

Fluff:

The Occult Minstrel is a person who has made a deal with an unknown power, and by doing so has gained dark inspiration for song and verse. Gifted with this inspiration, Occult Minstrels are often masters of sad music or songs that seem cheerful until they are thought about. It is said that their songs can even carry curses and jinxes to those that hear them.

Prerequisites
Bardic Performance Class Feature
Hex Class Feature
Perform 5 Ranks
Knowledge(Arcana) 5 Ranks
Alignment: Any non-good.

Skills: 4+Intelligence Modifier
Class Skills
Spellcraft, Knowledge(Arcana), Knowledge(History) Perform, Fly, Perception

Fortitude: Bad
Reflex: Bad
Will: Good

Base Attack Bonus: Poor

Spells Per Day/Spells Known: When a new occult minstrel level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in any one arcane spellcasting class he belonged to previously. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that he adds the level of occult minstrel to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly. Since a character will have more than one arcane spellcasting class before he becomes an occult minstrel, he must decide to which class he adds each level of occult minstrel for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Dark Musician: This ability functions as Bardic Performance, and levels in this class stack with any other classes that grants Bardic Performance.

Hitting the Hex Note: Starting at 1st level, an occult minstrel can end his performance after three rounds to have any Hex he knows effect a number of targets equal to 1+ his Charisa modifier. The Hex otherwise acts normally. At 7t level, he can use this abiltiy with any Grand Hex after six rounds of performance. He can use this ability once per day at 1st, plus one more time a day at 3rd, 5th, and 7th level.

Hex: This ability functions as the Witch class feature of the same name.

Familiar's Song: Once per day as a swift action, an occult minstrel of 5th or higher can have her familiar continue a performance for up to three rounds after the occult minstrel has stopped the performance. This ability does not stack with the Lingering Performance feat and can't be used for Hitting the Hex Note. He may use this ability three times a day at 7th level.

Grand Hex: This ability functions as the Witch class feature of the same name.

Dark Symphony: Once per day, a 8th level occult minstrel can alter his performance to affect all targets within range. Beneficial performances used in this way effect allies normally, but enemies treat all the bonuses as penalties. For example, a Bard 3/Witch 2/Occult Minstrel 7 can use Inspire Confidence to grant her allies a +2 moral bonus to saving throws against charm and fear effects, while his enemies would take a -2 penalty to saving throws against charm and fear effects

Lv1: Dark Musician, Hitting the Hex Note 1/day
Lv2: Hex
Lv3: Hitting the Hex Note 2/day
Lv4: Hex
Lv5: Familiar's Song 1/day, Hitting the Hex Note 3/day
Lv6: Grand Hex
Lv7: Familiar's Song 3/day, Hitting the Hex Note 4/day
Lv8: Dark Symphony

[Dragonborn3]

Double Post, but oh well.

I just thought I'd put the PrC here so I could get some feedback. Thanks for any thoughts you have to offer, even if I don't like them!

[VM mercenario]

I think this is the first time I see an eight levels prestige class...
Except for that it's pretty good.

[Dragonborn3]

Well, I've seen prestige classes with only 3, 5, and 7 levels before. It was originally a 7 levels class, but I wanted the capstone to have a level all to it own.

Is there anything that needs to be a bit more clear?

[Kalyth]

Dragonborn3 wrote:

Well, I've seen prestige classes with only 3, 5, and 7 levels before. It was originally a 7 levels class, but I wanted the capstone to have a level all to it own.

Is there anything that needs to be a bit more clear?

I think the Familiar song is a bit limited I see no reason it should stack with Lingering performance.

If you want to expand it to a 10 level prestige class I will put some thought into it the weekend and try to come up with some ideas.

Perhaps had some bardic performances gained at those two levels.

Song of Sorrow: could enforce feeling of dispair and sadness in a subject lasting an hour or day per round they spent listening to the performance.

Hymn of Night: Could curse someone to be affraid of the dark or to percieve phantasms.

But if your fine with a 7 level prestige class go with it. Homebrew so as long as you and your group have fun with it its all good.

[Foghammer]

Thought I had found a cool Siren-style seduction PrC to use with a character concept I have using bard/witch. This is good, but I can't say I'm not disappointed. :(

I guess I'll work on that after my ninja is done.

[Bertious]

It looks rather interesting although to be honest i would also look into a witchy bard archetype as an alternative idea. A few thoughts on it howevere are.

Making it a 10 level class would probably make people more comfortable with it. As far as i know all the new PrC's (core and apg) are 10 level.

Grand hex should be Major hex i think as witches don't get grand until level 18

I would also condsider changing the prereqs for the class because at the moment a level 1 bard, level 1 witch level 3 commoner would qualify for it. Perhaps a requirement to be able to cast 2nd level arcane spells and the would be suitable.

Finally an ability to add your occult bard level to your witch level for the purposes of determining your familiar's ability would probably be useful.

[DrDew]

Bertious wrote:

I would also condsider changing the prereqs for the class because at the moment a level 1 bard, level 1 witch level 3 commoner would qualify for it. Perhaps a requirement to be able to cast 2nd level arcane spells and the would be suitable.

That's not an abuse though. If someone wants to gimp themselves with 3 levels in an NPC class then that's their deal. lol

[Anauel]

DrDew wrote:

Bertious wrote:

I would also condsider changing the prereqs for the class because at the moment a level 1 bard, level 1 witch level 3 commoner would qualify for it. Perhaps a requirement to be able to cast 2nd level arcane spells and the would be suitable.

That's not an abuse though. If someone wants to gimp themselves with 3 levels in an NPC class then that's their deal. lol

But then again, it would also qualify with lvl 1 Bard, lvl 1 Witch and lvl 3 Wizard. Which would make for one hell of a magical evil bard.

[Bertious]

True but multiclass PrCs normally require some investment in both classes as this one is currently written you can go witch 11 bard 1 occult minstrel 8 which makes you basicly a 19th level witch with 9th level bardic song abilities added for good mesure and the ability to multihex targets. i think that would be considered overpowered by many people

Or to take the above wizard idea you can effetivly be a lvl 18 wizard with 10th level witch hexes, and 9th level bardic song tht also debuffs the foes with no save that his familiar can maintain for him. Admittedly an awesome character that i'd love to play but i'm certain i'd never allow one in a game i ran.

[Doug OBrien]

I absolutely love the fluff angle this idea is coming from!

[Dragonborn3]

Thank you Doug.

So, to make a character stick with Witch/Bard, I should make the requirements more like Mystic Theurge? What if I added the prequisite that you need to have a Witch's Familiar that grants a 2nd level spell from a Patron List?

[Bertious]

Dragonborn3 wrote:

Thank you Doug.

So, to make a character stick with Witch/Bard, I should make the requirements more like Mystic Theurge? What if I added the prequisite that you need to have a Witch's Familiar that grants a 2nd level spell from a Patron List?

Thats what i'd suggest yes, you could also put a note in the arcane progression to limit it to bard or witch spells.

The idea of a Goblin Warchanter with a few levels of witch and this prestige class would make a great foe in a campaign.

[ThatEvilGuy]

Dragonborn3 wrote:

So I had some timeto do whatever and I decided to make a prestige class for the Witch and another class. Originally, that class was going to be the Oracle, but Bard seemed like a better choice after some thought. So with out further ado...

Hey. I'm currently playing a bard that's multiclassing into witch and I'm thinking of taking this PrC but making a few tweaks here and there. I'm wondering if you've done anymore work on it or updated it in some way? I'd be interested in seeing what other ideas you've come up with.

[Dark_Mistress]

Pretty interesting, though like what some of the others said. i think it should be a 10 lvl PrC and add in a few new abilities.

[LazarX]

The PrC isn't making much of a sacrifice if it's gaining new spells every level. I would suggest not granting spell and caster level advancement at odd levels to bring it online with similar PrC's.

[Dragonborn3]

I will make a 10 level PrC, and change the requirements for entering it, but I would like ideas on new abilities that fit the theme.

Ideas? I know a friend of mine who frequents this site helped me with ideas once, but I've forgotten what they were...

[Abraham spalding]

The ability to use the misfortune hex as a bardic performance.

Give more rounds of bardic music but don't increase all bardic performances.

Grant the Dirge of Doom bardic performance.

Evil Eye as a bardic performance against multiple foes.

A damage inflicting song.

A confusion inflicting song.

Allow 7/10 advancement of the spell casting, and 1 hex every 4 levels.

Allow the class to stack with witch levels for the effects of hexes they already have.

[LazarX]

I would suggest that you follow the model of Mystic Theurge as to when to grant spell/caster level increases, i.e. not every level. The class that you presented before was too good, you got too much for not giving up much at all.

Thematically saying I do have problems with the class concept. On one hand, you've got the bard who's the living incarnation of extrovert, on the other hand you've got the witch who by nature tends to be reclusive and secretive. I don't see the harmony there.

[Mortuum]

Why pad it out to 10 levels? There's no reason why 10 is the best number. In fact, I'd say the less you put in a prestige class the better. I want to get cool stuff as early as possible without breaking the game and I don't want to remember more stuff than I absolutely must. If you're adding things for the sake of adding things, you're watering down your work and overcomplicating things.

It looks pretty good, but do you count your Occult Minstrel level as your witch level for hexes?