New Base Class - The Paragon 1.25

[Westbrook87]

Firstly, I'd like to thank those who helped me refine my base class. Now, onward!

The Paragon

Role: The Paragon's main purpose is to support her allies. She uses her force of will and personality to rally her allies and bring fear to her enemies. While she is not a caster nor the greatest melee combatant, she can still kick ass and take names, but her true strength comes forward when she fights with her allies.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Wealth: 4d6 x 10 (average 140 gp).

Hit Die: d8.

Skill Points Per Level: 5 + Int Modifier*

Base Attack Bonus: Medium progression.

Good Saves: Will, Reflex.

Not-So-Good Saves: Fortitude.

Proficiencies: The Paragon is proficient in all armors and simple and martial weapons. The Paragon is proficient with all shields with the exception of tower shields.

Class Skills: The Paragon’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge: Dungeoneering (Int), Knowledge: History (Int), Knowledge: Local (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride(Dex), Survival (Wis).

Class Features

Bonus Feats:

From 1st level, and every 4 levels after (5,9,13,17) the Paragon receives a free combat or teamwork feat.

Note: This is half as many bonus feats as the Fighter.

Battle Cry:

Starting at 1st level, the Paragon can give out one of her battle cries during combat. Each battle cry gives certain bonuses, starting at +1 at first level, and rising by +1 for every four paragon levels she obtains. All battle cries affect those who can hear, see, and understand the Paragon(this is a sound and language dependent effect). The Paragon can give a number of battle cries each day equal to 3 + her charisma bonus. All battle cries last a number of rounds equal to the Paragon's Charisma bonus + the number of allies affected at the start of the battle cry or her Cha bonus*, whatever is higher. Only one battle cry can be in effect at a time. Activating one ends the previous one.

*Aka x2 her Cha bonus.

Synchronized Attack:

Starting at third level, the Paragon can coordinate an attack with an ally to aid both. The Paragon readies one attack at the highest BAB to strike at the same time as an ally. Both her and her ally receive a +1 bonus to their attack rolls, which rises to +2 at 6th level, and every four levels after (+3 at 10th, +4 at 14th, etc). Note: this can be done with any attack roll.

If the Paragon multiclassed to wizard, her Acid Splash will work as well as a crossbow shot.

Fighter Training:

Starting at 3rd level, the Paragon’s paragon levels count as fighter levels for the purpose of obtaining feats.

Paragon Powers:

As a Paragon gains experience, she learns certain techniques and tricks to defend her party. Starting at 2nd level, a Paragon gains one Paragon Power. She gains an additional Paragon Power for every 2 levels of Paragon attained after 2nd level. A Paragon cannot select an individual power more than once.

Intercept Attack:

At 7th level, the Paragon can take a five foot step into an adjacent ally’s square as an intermediate action (provoking no Attack of Opportunity) to grant the ally cover, but giving her AC a -4 penalty as long as she is in that ally's square. Both the Paragon and her ally do not incur squeeze penalties for this movement. This movement counts at 10 ft for her movement next round.

List of the Paragon’s Battle Cries

Rallying Shout:

The Paragon gives an inspirational shout of some sort (Protect the princess! For Dead Guy! Make us rich, men!). This is a move action that provokes an Attack of Opportunity. The Paragon and her allies receive temporary hit points equal to their 1d8 + the Paragon’s class levels + her Cha bonus. They also receive a morale bonus to their will saves(equal to the Battle cry’s bonus).

War Cry:

The Paragon gives a fearsome cry after doing something intimidating (killing an enemy, desecrating a corpse, or something else, or during the surprise round) as a swift action.* The Paragon makes an Intimidate check, with a penalty equal to the number of enemies affected. All affected enemies make a will save, DC equal to the results of the Intimidate check. Those who fail their saves are shaken for 1 round. In addition, the Paragon and her allies receive a morale bonus on their attack rolls and reflex saves.

Clarification: This fear effect does not stack with other conditions to create a more severe one. Also, the prerequisites for this Battle Cry can be a standard action, a move action, whatever. Killing someone may be part of a full round action, bashing your sword against your shield might be a move action, or hell, if your character is particularly disturbing(or under an illusion making her look like a demon), drawing back your hood and screaming as a free action might do the trick. But in the end, it’s the GM’s call. So a typical War Cry would go like this: execute prisoner as a standard action + swift action War Cry.

*Depending on personal preference, the GM can make this a standard action. I recommend you still allow it for free (in terms of time, not uses) during the surprise round.

Fearless Laugh:

Whether because of mockery, triumph, or genuine mirth, this brief bit of levity motivates the Paragon and her allies. The Paragon can laugh as a free action. All allies affected can re-roll their will saves once against a fear or compulsion effect. In addition, the Paragon and her allies receive a bonus to all caster level checks, concentration checks, and ranged attack rolls.

List of Paragon Powers
The ones without prerequisites have none. Also, unless otherwise specified, all bonuses count as morale bonuses.

Prerequisite: Dex 14; Evasion:

Like the Rogue Class Feature.

Strong Lungs:

The Paragon can give an additional 3 battle cries per day.

Inspiring Charge:

The Paragon can give a free battle cry during a charge. Also, if the player makes a Princess Bride quote, he must eat his character sheet.

Defending Paragon:

The Paragon adds her shield bonus, if any, to all adjacent allies when fighting defensively. Also, those with the Two-Weapon Defense feat receive an additional +1 shield bonus. This bonus cannot exceed the Paragon’s battle cry bonus. Fighting defensively only gives a -2 penalty to the attack roll.

Swiftstriking Paragon:

The Paragon gains an additional attack with her off-hand weapon during an attack of opportunity. She incurs the normal penalties for this attack.

Prerequisite: Paragon 8, Weapon Focus: Ranged Weapon; Sharpshooting Paragon:

The Paragon threatens an additional 10 feet with her ranged weapon. This stacks with the Snap Shot line of feats.

Prerequisites: 10 ranks in Spellcraft; Spellbreaking Paragon:

When an enemy casts defensively in your threatened area, the Paragon can make a Spellcraft check in a similar manner to counterspelling. If the Paragon’s check succeeds, he can make an attack of opportunity.

Reasoning-so-I’m-not-burnt-at-the-stake: This is another way of saying, character level 10 and minus 10 skill points as a prereq. I figured that was a decent enough prerequisite, as well as a level cap. If this ability still seems too overpowered, I’d like to know.

Formation Fighting:

During a battle cry, the Paragon can select one of her teamwork feats. All of her allies affected by her battle cry are treated as if they possess that feat.

Prerequisite: Paragon 6; Steadfast Ally:

The Paragon can give herself DR 5/- as an immediate action for a number of rounds equal to her Con bonus. These rounds do not have to be consecutive.

Prerequisite: Paragon 6, Evasion; Reactive Ally:

The Paragon can grant one of her adjacent allies Evasion as an immediate action a number of times equal to her Dex bonus.

Clarification: If the Paragon and her ally are attacked by a Fireball spell, then a dragon’s acid line in the same round, it counts as two separate “times.”

Prerequisite: Paragon 6; Relentless Ally:

The Paragon can move an additional 10 feet per round for a number of rounds equal to her Str modifier. This is an immediate action, and the rounds do not have to be consecutive.

Prerequisite: Paragon 6; Swift Intercept:

The Paragon can move up to 10 feet when using her Intercept Attack ability. This still counts as 10 feet of movement.

Prerequisite: Paragon 4; Battle Fury:

The Paragon can spend a use of her battle cry to rage like the Barbarian class ability. This rage lasts a number of rounds equal to the Paragon’s Cha modifier. The Paragon cannot activate another battle cry or end her [i][rage/i] as long as she is [i][raging./i]

Another Bonus Feat:

Do you really need an explanation? Another combat or teamwork feat.

Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Inspiring Laugh:

The Paragon and her allies affected by the her Fearless Laugh gain a bonus to their fortitude saves as well.

Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Vicious War Cry:

The Paragon and her allies who are affected by her War Cry gain a bonus to their rolls to confirm critical hits, and can choose to receive the bonus to their attack or damage rolls.

Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Surging Rally:

The Paragon and her allies affected by her Rallying Shout gain a morale bonus to their AC as well.

Soul Caller:

The Paragon’s Rallying Shout affects unconscious allies as well.

Force of Will:

The Paragon can spend two uses of her battle cries as a free action to ignore any mind-effecting effects, difficult terrain, the stun and staggered conditions, and being fatigued or exhausted for one round. Rounds spent count towards the duration of any spells or spell-like effects.

Prerequisite: Defending Paragon; Defender of the Fallen:

The Paragon receives a bonus equal to her Cha modifier to AC, attack and damage rolls, and CMD when she is adjacent to an unconscious ally. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to her Cha modifier.

Willpower:

The Paragon can spend a use of her battle cry as an intermediate action when sent to negative HP. She automatically stabilizes and remains conscious and isn’t staggered for a number of rounds equal to her Cha bonus.

Clarification: The Paragon still dies when sent under negative HP equal to her Con value. She is still vulnerable to bleed effects and other forms of constant damage.

So...what do you think? Too overpowered? Did I miss anything like BAB? Please read and review.

*One lower than the Bard, one higher than what the Fighter should have.

[Westbrook87]

Warning: Huge wall of text in sights, captain!

An additional note about War Cry vs Dazzling Display:

Paragon 5 vs Cleric 5* (War Cry)

*Assuming the highest bonus one has is +4.

The Paragon makes an Intimidate check, which when maxed out has a bonus of 5 + 4 + 3 + 1d20 = 12 + 1d20 = average 22.5 DC, minus the cleric. So a final average DC of 21.5.

That cleric, at level five, has 1d20 + 8 as his will save, excluding buffs and magic items. 1d20 + 8 vs DC 22 = 7/20, or 65% chance of the War Cry working on the cleric.

Paragon 5 vs Cleric 5 (Dazzling Display)

The Paragon’s Intimidate is 12 + 1d20. The DC would be 5 + 4 + 10, or 19. In other words, Dazzling Display will work 14/20 times. The Paragon has a 70% chance of success, a small disadvantage to the War Cry.

2.5. Barbarian 5 vs Paragon 5 (both)

However, this is the best-case scenario. A cleric has great Wisdom and Will saves. Now, let’s compare it to the worst case scenario, a Barbarian.

A level 5 Barbarian, at best, would have 3 + 1d20 as his save. Combine that with our average of DC 22.5, minus 1(22), and the poor barbarian has a 18/20 chance of being affected by the War Cry. The Paragon has a 90% chance of affecting the Barbarian, and remember, this is if the Barbarian has 14 Wis, not exactly a prime stat for the Big B.

Now, let’s move on to Dazzling Display.

The DC is 10 + 2(wis) + 5, or 17. The Paragon has 12 + 1d20. The Paragon would succeed 16/20 times, or 80%.

Unlike the previous test, the War Cry has a small yet notable advantage over the Dazzling Display. This is probably due to the Dazzling Display DC relying less on Wisdom and Class for its success rate.
4’s a Party (Dazzling Display)

Nothing has changed for Dazzling Display. The Paragon still has a 70% chance of affecting the Cleric, and an 80% chance of affecting the Barbarian.

Four’s a Party (War Cry)

However, most enemies do not fight alone. Let’s say that there is an enemy adventuring party of four. The Paragon’s Intimidate is 1d20 + 12. Subtract by 4, and the average Will DC is going to be 18.5 (19). Now the cleric, with a +8 bonus to Will, has a 10/20 chance of being affected by the War Cry. The Barbarian’s 3 + 1d20 against 19 gives a 15/20 chance of being affected. In other words, the Paragon has a 50% chance of affecting the cleric, and a 75% chance of affecting the Barbarian.

Comparison

Dazzling Display is completely unaffected by the number of targets. War Cry, on the other hand, is strongly affected. A four person party reduced the chance of success by 15%, a significant difference. What does this mean?

5.5. Statistics for Easier Viewing

Dazzling Display

Affecting a lone Cleric 5: 70%

Affecting a lone Barbarian 5: 80%

Affecting a 4-person party: Unchanged.

War Cry

Affecting a lone Cleric 5: 65%

Affecting a lone Barbarian 5: 90%

Affecting a 4-person group w/Cleric 5: 50%

Affecting a 4-person group w/Barbarian 5: 75%

Conclusion

Dazzling Display is still good at what it does: Indiscriminately affecting multiple targets within range. War Cry, on the other hand, seeks out the weaker and isolated targets. Also, while War Cry deploys quicker, it is nearly always inferior to the Dazzling Display in terms of success rates. It should be noted that Dazzling Display sometimes has a chance of a longer affliction, while War Cry’s shakening effect always lasts for a single round.

[Westbrook87]

List of Misc and untested Paragon Powers:

Prerequisite: Inspiring Laugh, Perform 7 ranks; Comedy:

The Paragon can tell a joke and give a Fearless Laugh as a full round action. The Paragon's enemies who can hear, see and understand the Paragon when she does so get a penalty to attack rolls.

Optional rule: Player should tell an actual joke with it.

Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Augmented Aid:

The Paragon adds her Cha bonus to her Aid Another checks, and gives an additional +2 bonus when assisting in a skill check.

Prerequisite: Vicious War Cry; Wrath:

The Paragon can spend two more uses of her battle cries at the beginning of a War Cry to gain a +3 bonus on her(and her only) attack and damage rolls.

Prerequisite: Surging Rally; Hope:

The temporary hit points healed by the Paragon's surging Rally become actual hit points.

I feel that I should put that these were thought of on the spot while sleep-deprived, so I can give no assurances on the quality of these Powers. Some part of me realizes that some or all of these are incredibly overpowered, but I am far too tired to utilize additional brainpower.