Judges: Society / Prestige Class proposal

[teroks]

I made prestige class that also combines Order/society to Prestige Class. Give your opinions to balance, modify etc it...

As it seems that it is pretty hard to keep it in original format when putting it into the forums, I apologize from that.

Judges

General:

Today the Judges can be found almost everywhere even though their number is strictly controlled by their superiors. Most of the time they work alone, except if more than one Judge is needed to complete a job. Today few can hire the Judges as they will only take part in missions that are carefully considered.

Almost anyone can join the Judges after passing a test. The Judges also recruit young people (aged between 15-20) and train them for the organisation. Characters can join the Judge forces later during their journeys by passing the test..

Every novice member must also pass the test. A small group of the Judges tests all the novice candidates. In the test, a character must either, fight and defeat one training opponent (a novice member usually) with training weapons (training weapons do only stunning damage) or a novice candidate can perform a series of attack maneuvers requested by one of the Judges. (These are made using weapon skill; the first is rated Light difficulty, second is Medium, third is Hard, and the fourth is Very Hard. It is also possible to pass test with the bow. The character must shoot five arrows at a target, which is usually 50 feet away. Every arrow that hits and scores a critical receives points (A=1, ..., E=5). If the character gets 18 points or more, the test is successfully completed. If a character defeats his training opponent or clears any other combat test then he passes the combat test.

For the spell casters there are usually spell combat test that is made against another acolyte member. If the character doesn't pass all of the tests he/she can try again after one full year, when the Senate gathers again.

Characters who join to Judges must pay 20% of their total income for the Order during the Acolyte status. They will get basic magical weapon from their Order, but also they have possibility to get aid or guidance to their missions. Aid is mostly different kind of magical items in some cases those can be even powerful.

All potions, scrolls and healing services are 15% cheaper than normally. There are variable discounts from magical items, which vary based on person’s status in Order.

Members of the order are not allowed to refuse to do any missions or quest that is given from the order. Every mission that is pointed for member / members is the highest on the priority order. From the quest reward person should pay current percentage for the Order. Names of the superiors are strictly kept in secret and usually they are called as High Judge.

There are total of 12 High Judges in association. They command 5 Lieutenant each who are commanding Acolyte members.

It is possible to increase in hierarchy, but two conditions should be met. First, there should be place open for new comer. Second possible candidate should have given at least 5000 gold pieces for the Order during his service time.

Every Member should behave well and serve their Order and Current quest giver the best way can. Judges have been known to do missions for the evil persons too, as they are generally mercenaries who follow their own path as the Order.

Judges have their Code which is used in every ceremony and every member is trying to follow as they best can:

I swear to protect all innocent people.
I swear to protect all betrayed people and bring the betrayer to justice.
I swear to follow the instructions of my Order.
I swear to help friends when they need help.
I swear to follow any lawful command without question.
I swear to listen to the voice of a friend.

GM: If player wants to create Judge during the character creation, then it is up to GM to approve joining without tests.

Other: Character who joins to Judges gets +1 magical weapon and +1 AC high quality armor or +1 AC amulet from the Order. Characters at 5th lvl or more will get more powerful items (maximum of two). Every member has to keep white long feather visible (Symbol). Generally black clothes are used. Characers who are doing mission for the government, duke, king or similar will get necessary mandate to act as Law Enforcement or similar, that is dependable from the quest or mission that is being done.
Judges (White Casters)

Requirements: At least 16 ability score in two of the following: Int, Wis, Cha or Dex. Able to cast 1st level spells.

Class skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Survival (Wis), Perception (Wis), Knowledge (Arcana) and Knowledge (Noble) (Int) and Knowledge (Courtly Manners) (Int)

Skill ranks: 4 + int modifier

Alignment: Any lawful

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: Any Simple weapon and Any light armor.

Other: If taken at first level, basic caster class have to be chosen.
Hit Dice: D8

Level BAB Fortitude Reflex Will Special Spells
1st 0 0 0 +1 Spell Penetration +1 lvl to casting class

2nd +1 +1 +1 +1 Combat Casting +1 lvl to casting class

3rd +1 +2 +1 +2 Judgement Casting +1 lvl to casting class

4th +2 +2 +1 +2 Bonus Feat +1 lvl to casting class

5th +2 +3 +2 +3 Arcane Armor Training +1 lvl to casting class

6th +3 +3 +2 +3 Greater Judgement Casting +1 lvl to casting class

7th +3 +4 +2 +4 Spell Focus or Judgement Channeling +1 lvl to casting class

8th +4 +4 +3 +4 Bonus Feat +1 lvl to casting class

9th +4 +5 +3 +5 Quest Focus +1 lvl to casting class

10th +5 +5 +3 +5 Sturdy +1 lvl to casting class

Judges (White Warriors)

Requirements: At least 16 ability score in two of the following: Str, Dex, Con or Wis. Proficiency in at least one melee and ranged weapon. Halflings or Gnomes are not allowed to join.

Class skills: Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), Diplomacy (Cha), Perception (wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Noble) (Int) and Knowledge (Courtly Manners) (Int)

Skill ranks: 4 + int modifier

Alignment: Any lawful

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: Simple and Martial Weapon training, Any Light or Medium Armor Traning

Hit Dice: D10
Level BAB Fortitude Reflex Will Special
1st +1 +1 0 0 Weapon Focus
2nd +2 +1 +1 +1 Lightning Reflexes
3rd +3 +2 +2 +1 Judgement Strike
4th +4 +2 +2 +1 Bonus Feat
5th +5 +3 +3 +2 Quick draw
6th +6 +3 +3 +2 Toughness
7th +7 +4 +4 +2 Quest Focus
8th +8 +4 +4 +3 Sturdy
9th +9 +5 +5 +3 Demoralize
10th +10 +5 +5 +3 Bonus Feat

Special Feats:

Judgement Casting:
Character can improve spell damage by 25%, increase range by 50%, increase duration by 50% or cast spell as quicken. One effect must be chosen before casting if it is used.

Greater Judgement Casting:
As Judgement casting except two effects can be chosen and every effect is increased by 25%.

Judgement Channeling:
+ 2 to beat spell resistance at chosen domain (Clerics and other divine spell casters). Similar to Spell Focus

Judgement Strike:
1,5x damage on quest related damage rolls. 2x damage starting from 5th level. This accumulates with other damage multipliers, but cannot increase total damage higher than 4 times the basic damage.

Quest Focus:
Character gets + 2 bonus to all skill rolls that related to ongoing quest or mission that the Order have given.

Sturdy:
Reduces penalties that come from starvation, dehydration, cold, heat or exhaustion by 4 when character is doing quest or mission that have been given by order.

Demoralize:
Usable lvl / 5 times per day. Opponents who fail their Will saving throw against characters level +10 will suffer -4 to their all rolls in that combat. Successful saving throw will halve the penalty.

[SaddestPanda]

So this prestige class can get free quicken and empower 2.0 on any spell by level 7, or just free quicken by level 4. Also what type of action is demoralize. Judgement strike also gives too much damage and doesn't state what you mean by damage multipliers, do you mean it doesn't stack with a crit or what? You also need to state what the bonus feats are chosen from.

[teroks]

SaddestPanda wrote:

So this prestige class can get free quicken and empower 2.0 on any spell by level 7, or just free quicken by level 4.

Maybe explanation is too confusing. It is meant that character should choose one of the empower "powers" before casting a spell. Those are 50% weaker than original empower options.

SaddestPanda wrote:

Also what type of action is demoralize.

That is added. It is a standard action.

SaddestPanda wrote:

Judgement strike also gives too much damage and doesn't state what you mean by damage multipliers, do you mean it doesn't stack with a crit or what? You also need to state what the bonus feats are chosen from.

Explanation is now more precise. It won't stack with the critical. So when critical hit occurs it won't be counted in into that.

SaddestPanda wrote:

You also need to state what the bonus feats are chosen from.

For white warriors there are fighter bonus feats that should be used.

For the White Casters Bonus feats are: Combat Casting, Iron will, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Knowledge Arcana), Skill focus (Diplomacy), Skill focus (Knowledge Tactics)

[Robb Smith]

Alright, here's my critique (before I gave up)

Quote:

Special Feats:
Judgement Casting:
Character can improve spell damage by 25%, increase range by 50%, increase duration by 50% or cast spell as quicken. One effect must be chosen before casting if it is used.

No. No. No. This feat is egregiously powerful. Like, beyond sane and rational powerful. This feat would be too good with a 1x/day limitation.

It is mini-empower, extend, or quicken on every single spell you cast with no spell level adjustment. There is a reason why quicken spell adds +4 to the spell's level - it is that good.

Quote:

Greater Judgement Casting:
As Judgement casting except two effects can be chosen and every effect is increased by 25%.

This makes bad even worse... moving on.

Quote:

Judgement Channeling:

+ 2 to beat spell resistance at chosen domain (Clerics and other divine spell casters). Similar to Spell Focus

"At chosen domain"? Are you referring to spells cast out of domain slots? Channeling is not subject to spell resistance.

Quote:

Judgement Strike:
1,5x damage on quest related damage rolls. 2x damage starting from 5th level. This accumulates with other damage multipliers, but cannot increase total damage higher than 4 times the basic damage.

A feat that turns every hit into a critical hit, but still gives me the chance to crit too? Wow, why would I ever NOT take this feat?

Quote:

Quest Focus:
Character gets + 2 bonus to all skill rolls that related to ongoing quest or mission that the Order have given.

This is the one feat on the list is ok. However, you need a type to your bonus. Probably insight.

Quote:

Sturdy:
Reduces penalties that come from starvation, dehydration, cold, heat or exhaustion by 4 when character is doing quest or mission that have been given by order.

This is far too ambiguous.

Quote:

Demoralize:
Usable lvl / 5 times per day. Opponents who fail their Will saving throw against characters level +10 will suffer -4 to their all rolls in that combat. Successful saving throw will halve the penalty.

An ability that gives a -2 to all d20 rolls for an entire combat even on a successful save as a feat is probably too powerful, even with the uses/day restriction. You also have not included any information on how the save DC is calculated.

Ok, moving on to the fluff.

Quote:

Today few can hire the Judges as they will only take part in missions that are carefully considered.
[ - vs - ]
Judges have their Code which is used in every ceremony and every member is trying to follow as they best can:

I swear to protect all innocent people.

So, your judges are breaking their own code every day, by refusing missions from innocent people.

Quote:

Today the Judges can be found almost everywhere even though their number is strictly controlled by their superiors
[ - vs - ]
Almost anyone can join the Judges after passing a test. The Judges also recruit young people (aged between 15-20) and train them for the organisation. Characters can join the Judge forces later during their journeys by passing the test..

The numbers of people in this organization are "strictly controlled", yet anyone can join the Judges after passing a test. Unless this test is rigged, which would be a violation of their code (a rigged test would be a betrayal, and "I swear to protect all betrayed people and bring the betrayer to justice."), then this order has absolutely zero control over how many people pass the test, and thus join the organization.

Quote:

The character must shoot five arrows at a target, which is usually 50 feet away. Every arrow that hits and scores a critical receives points (A=1, ..., E=5). If the character gets 18 points or more, the test is successfully completed.

If you make the assumption of maximum points per hit.

and
The assumption the initiate has improved critical.

Since only critical hits count, a bow using person has a .00001% chance of being able to actually pass this test. Out of 1,000,000 applicants actually passes this test (by scoring 5 consecutive critical hits).

Quote:

Every Member should behave well and serve their Order and Current quest giver the best way can. Judges have been known to do missions for the evil persons too, as they are generally mercenaries who follow their own path as the Order.

... Being a mercenary is basically 100% incompatible with your code. They swear to help all innocent people in need. The swear to obey all lawful commands... there are so many ways in which this does not work.

At this point I'm going to stop. There are just too many fundamental flaws present for this to require anything less than a total rewrite. Sorry, but I just don't candy-coat things as a courtesy.

[dunebugg]

Both classes can be entered at level 2. I can recall 2 PrCs ever (Church Inquisitor and that wizard one) from 3.5 that allowed entrance before level 6.

My favorite part though was that halflings and gnomes couldn't join :P

[Flak]

Favorite'd Robb Smith's post for Effort.

I look forward to the rewrite. Dot.

[teroks]

I will check the things that you pointed. I appreciate your feedback, it is something that I am looking for. Of course there are some misunderstandings also from your side (probably badly written from me)...but you pointed out those parts and I will modify those. Thanks!

Is it possible to insert attachments into forums, or only post as "copy-paste"?