Entertaining comments and suggestions. This was crafted for a player of mine that wanted an unarmored divine class that could be specialized or generalized in any number of ways.
The Friar
Elise killed the goblin, flinching as the butt of her staff crushed the skull of the prone figure the size of a child. Sighing when she saw the splatter of its vital juices soiled the hem of her formerly pristine robe. “Wonderful” she thought to herself “Now I have to do laundry, and this day started out so lovely.”
====
Elise had been performing her monastic duties in the cramped, but well ventilated scriptorium. Copying the various texts might not be exciting, but it had its benefits, she could quote entire texts on matters of faith, and was an authority on the local histories. Elise mused, “It is far too nice a day to be stuck in here.” It was a longing glance outside the window that allowed her to see the rider approaching. With a sigh, she reached for her staff, hauled herself to her feet, and moved to inform her superiors of the incoming guest.
====
“Stay down” shouted the rough-bred sergeant-at-arms that commanded the detachment of soldiers Elise was ordered to accompany. “They have far too many slingers for us to stand up in this kind of terrain.”
“The sooner we close with them the less we will suffer.” Elise shouted back, which would have been more inspiring if she hadn’t been struck by a sling stone right as she finished talking. Quickly ducking behind a large oak tree whilst muttering a soft prayer and grasping her holy symbol, a wave of invigorating energy washing over her, making pain, doubt disappear, and filling her with exuberance for battle.
One of the less attentive goblins rushed past Elise’s makeshift hiding place, the resulting quick strike from her staff sent the goblin crashing to the ground. A quick glance out from the side of her hiding place culminated in a shower of sling stones that bounced off the oaken shield. “The scriptorium isn’t that bad after all.” Elise muttered to herself as she noticed the goblin twitching at her feet. Once again raising her staff overhead and slamming it down on the defenseless creature, sending more blood and muck splattering against her already defiled garment. Elise’s proximity must have been an affront to the vicious green beasts, because seeing her isolated decided an all out charge might end this meddlesome priestess.
Hand reflexively grabbing her holy pendant, she stepped out from behind her cover, presenting the symbol with confidence, while widening her stance just in case this didn’t work and she absorbed impact. As the screaming horde rushed forward, Elise waited keeping her apprehension in check, till the last moment when all of them were close enough to be in range. Suddenly, and with perfect timing a burst of divine energy roared forth from her holy symbol catching the goblins off guard. The energy washing over the unsuspecting goblins stripping flesh from bone and curdling what remained into cancerous bubbling masses. None remained standing. Elise’s face contorted into a form of instant revulsion as the mortal remains of the little green menaces began to seep into her shoes.
====
“Oh well” she shrugged to herself “I have to do laundry anyway, what more is a pair of shoes to clean?”
Gathering her now thoroughly defaced robes about her whilst glancing over her shoulder nonchalantly “Come on you lot, I’d like to get this done with and get back to the monastery before nightfall.”
“I desperately want a bath…”
Please note the bolded part of texts.
Role:
Out of combat the friar can take on a few duties such as negotiator, and sage though her limited skill points force her to specialize in one of these or the other. She can also be second to none as an out of combat healer if she selects the correct spells and abilities, enabling her party to quickly reenter the fray.
In combat her channeling and spells enable her to contribute, but she pays for her endurance with a sacrifice in raw power. Her middling hit points and lack of armor as well as the short range and area of effect of her channeling ability means she must be extremely careful of her combat positioning. This applies doubly so until she can acquire the Selective Channeling feat. If significant resources (both daily and career) are devoted to it, a friar can be made into an effective melee combatant.
Friars benefit from high Wisdom scores for spells, as well as high Charisma scores to improve the difficulty of resisting her channeling attacks. Constitution for hit points and Dexterity for armor class and initiative are also welcome additions to her statistics; if she is to engage in melee pursuits then Strength is also highly desirable.
HD: d8
Alignment: A friar’s alignment must be within one step of her deity’s either along the chaos/law axis, or the good/evil axis.
BAB: Medium
Fort: Poor Ref/Will: Good
Class Skills: The friar's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4+ Int modifier
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A friar is proficient with the quarterstaff. A friar is not proficient with any armor or shield. Furthermore if a friar wears any armor or shield she loses access to her spells and abilities granted by the friar class until she removes those items.
1. Aura, Channel Energy (1d6), Orisons, Quarterstaff Mastery, Rites, Spells
2. Rites
3. Channel Energy (2d6)
4. Syncretism (1st)
5. Channel Energy (3d6)
6. Rites
7. Channel Energy (4d6), Syncretism (2nd)
8. Rites
9. Channel Energy (5d6)
10. Syncretism (3rd)
11. Channel Energy (6d6)
12. Rites
13. Channel Energy (7d6), Syncretism (4th)
14. Rites
15. Channel Energy (8d6)
16. Syncretism (5th)
17. Channel Energy (9d6)
18. Rites
19. Channel Energy (10d6), Syncretism (6th)
20. Divine Synthesis
Spells Per Day: as inquisitor
Spells Known: as inquisitor
Class Features:
Please note the bolded parts of text, they differ from general class features.
Spells: A friar casts divine spells drawn from the Cleric Spell list. She can cast any spell she knows at any time without preparing it ahead of time, assuming she has not yet used up her allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
A friar’s highest level of spells is 6th. Cleric spells of 7th level and above are not on the friar class spell list, and a friar cannot use spell completion or spell trigger magic items (without making a successful Use Magic Device check) of Cleric spells of 7th level or higher.
To learn or cast a spell, a friar must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a friar’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the friar’s Wisdom modifier.
A friar can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level each day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Friar. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
A friar’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A friar begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the friar’s choice. At each new friar level, she gains one or more new spells as indicated on Table: Friar Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a friar knows is not affected by her Wisdom score. The numbers on Table: Friar Spells Known is fixed.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third friar level thereafter (8th, 11th, and so on), a friar can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the friar “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level cleric spell she can cast. The friar may swap out only a single spell at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.
Aura (Ex): A friar of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity's alignment (see detect evil for details).
Channel Energy (Su): Regardless of alignment, any friar can release a wave of energy by channeling the power of her faith through her holy (or unholy) symbol. This energy can be used to cause or heal damage, depending on the type of energy channeled and the creatures targeted.
A friar may choose to channel positive or negative energy whenever she uses this ability.
Channeling energy causes a burst that either damages or heals creatures depending on energy type in a 30-foot radius centered on the friar. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two friar levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the friar's level + the friar's Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channel energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A friar may choose to include themselves in this effect.
A friar may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + half of her friar levels (minimum 1) + her charisma modifier per day. In addition, as a full round action that provokes an attack of opportunity, the friar may convert an unused spell slot into additional uses of channel energy equal to the level of the spell slot sacrificed.
A friar must be able to present her holy symbol to use this ability.
Orisons: Friars learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Friar Spells Known. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. Orisons prepared using other spell slots, such as those due to metamagic feats, are expended normally.
Quarterstaff Mastery (Ex): The friar gains Quarterstaff Master as a bonus feat at first level even if she does not meet the prerequisites.
Rites (Su or Ex): At 1st , 2nd, 6th, 8th, 12th, 14th, and 18th level a friar uncovers a new connection to her deity that grants her powers and abilities. They may be chosen from the following list. A Rite with an asterisk (*) modifies the channel energy class feature. Only one of these may modify the channel energy class feature at a time. Modifying the channel energy class feature using these abilities is a swift action. Unless otherwise noted each rite may only be selected once. The save DC for these abilities are the same as the friar’s channel energy class feature unless otherwise noted. Improved Channel increases the save DC of all the following supernatural abilities, but does not apply to residual effects of these abilities such as the catching fire portion of Litanies of Fire and Flame.
Syncretism (Ex): At 4th level and every 3 levels thereafter (ex. 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th, 19th) a friar may add a spell from another divine casting class to her list of spells known. This spell may not exceed the level of spell listed next the Syncretism ability in the Table: Friar. This also adds the spell to her friar spell list.
Divine Synthesis (Su): At level 20 a friar may, as a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, use unused channel attempts to recover a spent spell slot by sacrificing a number of channel attempts equal to the level of the spell slot to be recovered.
Chaotic, Evil, Good, Lawful Spells:
A friar may not cast spells with an alignment opposed to the friar’s alignment or her deity's alignment. Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaotic, evil, good, and lawful descriptors in their spell descriptions.
Bonus Languages:
A friar's bonus language options include Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal (the languages of good, chaotic evil, and lawful evil outsiders, respectively). These choices are in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.
Ex-Friar’s:
A friar who grossly violates the code of conduct required by her god loses all spells and class features, except for quarterstaff proficiency, the Quarterstaff Master feat, and any Rite that is listed as an extraordinary ability (ex). She cannot thereafter gain levels as a friar of that god until she atones for her deeds (see the atonement spell description).
Rites available:
Benediction of Rejuvenation (Su)*: A friar that uses the channel energy class feature modified by this ability grants Fast Healing 1 + one for every five friar levels to creatures that would have been healed by her channel energy. This ability lasts until the creature leaves the radius of the friar’s channel energy ability up to one minute. This Rite may be selected twice, doing so increases the duration to two minutes and removes the prohibition against leaving the friar’s channeled energy radius. In either case this ability ends if the recipient takes any damage.
Divine Staff (Ex): A friar may use any quarterstaff they hold as a divine focus for spells, or the channel energy class feature. Furthermore she may add her wisdom modifier as a competence bonus to attack and damage rolls with a quarterstaff.
Domain Adherence (Su): A friar may select a domain from her deities’ list of domains. She adds the domain spells to her list of spells known and class spell list. This Rite may be selected up to two times each time granting access to a different domain. This does not give her access to spells of higher than 6th level, nor does it add 6th level or higher spells to her class list.
Enforced Reverence (Su): A friar may force a creature within the range of her to make a will save or be dazed. This effect can last up to one round per two friar levels. Maintaining this ability requires a standard action from the friar, if the friar decides to move out of range of her channeling energy class feature or takes any damage then this effect ends immediately. Using this ability consumes one use of the channel energy class feature. This is a mind-affecting effect. If the friar spends two uses of the channel energy class feature this ability loses the mind-affecting descriptor.
Expansive Faith (Ex): This Rite increases the radius of the friar’s channel energy class feature by 10ft. This Rite may be taken up to two times.
Exuberance of the Divine (Su)*: When a creature is healed by the friar’s channel energy ability modified by this Rite, they gain a plus one morale bonus to attack and damage rolls with weapons per four friar levels (minimum one). This bonus lasts one round. A Friar may spend an additional use of channel energy class ability to increase the duration to one minute.
Friar’s Faith (Su): A friar gains their Charisma modifier as an insight bonus to AC (minimum one). As an immediate action a friar may spend one use of her channel energy class ability to increase this bonus by four for one round.
Friar’s Flurry (Ex): The friar gains Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. At 8th level she gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, at 15th level she gains Greater Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. The friar need not meet the prerequisites to gain these feats, but they may only be used with a quarterstaff.
Glorious Rapidity (Su): A friar may sacrifice one use of her channel energy class ability to move her base land speed. Using this ability is a swift action; however, this movement still provokes attacks of opportunity.
Glorious Renewal (Su): A friar adds one point of healing per die when she chooses to use channel energy to heal creatures. This feature does not affect healing done by Benediction of Rejuvenation.
Guard! Parry! Dodge! (Ex): When wielding a quarterstaff with two hands the friar gains a plus one shield bonus to AC. When wielding a quarterstaff with one hand they gain a plus two shield bonus to AC. The friar may add the magical enhancement bonus of the quarterstaff to this shield bonus, but not any bonus from enchantments such as frost, flaming or similar weapon properties.
Judgment of Ice and Snow (Su)*: When a friar channels energy to harm creatures she may switch the damage type to cold. This changes the save to fortitude, and those who fail are fatigued for one round per two friar levels. A character may attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save once per round to remove the fatigued condition. The fatigued condition from this ability does not stack to exhaustion with this or any other fatigue effect. This Rite is only available to friars who worship a deity with the Water or Weather Domain.
Litanies of Fire and Flame (Su)*: When a friar channels energy to harm creatures she may switch the damage type to fire. This changes the save to reflex and those who fail catch on fire dealing 1d6 fire damage per round the flames persist. The flames last for one round per two friar levels unless extinguished by a DC 15 Reflex save or are extinguished by any means that would end a non-magical fire (see p. 444 CRB). This Rite is only available to friars who worship a deity with the Fire or Sun Domain.
Liturgical Knowledge (Ex): The friar may add her wisdom modifier in addition to her intelligence modifier to all knowledge and spellcraft checks.
Maneuver Mastery (Ex): The friar has mastered one combat maneuver. She selects one maneuver when selecting this Rite. Whenever she is attempting the selected maneuver, she uses her friar level in place of her base attack bonus (in addition to any base attack bonus gained from other classes). This Rite may be taken multiple times, each applying to a different combat maneuver.
Pride Goeth… (Ex): The friar gains Tripping Staff as a bonus feat, at 4th level she gains Improved Trip as a bonus feat, and at 8th level she gains Tripping Twirl as a bonus feat. She gains these feats without needing to meet the prerequisites, but may only use them with a quarterstaff.
Reckoning from on High (Su)*: When a friar channels energy to harm creatures she may switch the damage type to electricity. This changed the save to reflex, and those who fail are blinded for 1 round as well as dazzled for one round per two friar levels, a character may attempt a DC 15 Reflex save once per round to end the dazzled effect. This Rite is only available to friars who worship a deity with the Air or Weather Domain.
Saving Grace (Ex): The friar gains evasion.
Shun the Faithless Unbeliever (Su): A friar adds one point of damage per die when she chooses to use channel energy to damage creatures. This Rite has no affect on any lingering effects from other Rites such as Litanies of Fire and Flame.
Speak Softly… (Ex): The friar is treated as having base attack bonus equal to her class level for the purposes of the Power Attack feat. At 6th level the friar also gains the benefit of the Double Slice feat even if she does not have the prerequisites. The friar must have the Power Attack Feat and Two-Weapon Fighting (or the Friar’s Flurry Rite) before taking this Rite.
Stigmatic Affliction (Su)*: When a creature takes damage from the friar’s channel energy class feature causes it begins to bleed, taking 1 point of damage + one point for every five friar levels, per round. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 15 Heal check or any effect that heals damage. If not stopped the bleeding lasts for a number of rounds equal to half the friar’s class level.
Unwavering Devotion (Su): A friar with this Rite increases her channel energy class feature by 1d6. This Rite may be selected up to three times, but may not be selected twice in a row whether the selection came from natural advancement in the friar class or from the Extra Rite feat.
Whirling Staff (Ex/Su): As a full-round, a friar can maneuver their weapon to deflect non-incorporeal melee and ranged attacks. Maintaining this ability is a move action. A friar may augment this as a free action by spending one use of her channel energy class ability, when she does so the miss chance increases to 50% for one round, on the following round the miss chance returns to 20%. If a friar loses access to supernatural abilities whether because of a loss of class features or an anti-magic field she retains the ability to use Whirling Staff, but she may not augment the ability by spending channel energy uses. The friar may end this ability as a free action.
Zealotry (Su)*: When a friar channels energy she may choose to deliver the energy to a single target by melee touch attack. When using this ability the amount of damage healed is increased by 50% (multiply the final result by 1.5 and round down). When using this ability to deal damage the target does not receive a will save to reduce the damage. This can only target one creature per round. This Rite may be taken two times. Upon taking this Rite a second time the channeled energy becomes a ranged touch attack, and may be used on any target within the range of the friar’s channel energy class feature.
Bonus Feat (Ex): A friar may take any of the following feats for which she meets the prerequisites in lieu of a Rite. Alternatively this may be spent any metamagic feat for which she meets the prerequisites.
Alignment Channel, Channel Smite, Channel Smite (Greater), Command Undead, Elemental Channel, Extra Channel, Improved Channel, Selected Channel, Turn Undead, Quick Channel.
This is a very cool class. I really like the flavor of the abilities and focus of the restrictions. I never play clerics or inquisitors so I cannot comment on the balance but it is very cool. Authentically holy. Does Staff master grant TWF?
No it allows use of the quarterstaff as a one handed weapon (though not useable for twf purposes if I read correctly) and opens up weapon specialization as an option for a future feat without the need for fighter levels. The Friar's Flurry Rite does the twf stuff for this class.
As an aside I forgot to post a related item
New Feat:
Extra Rite
Through intense contemplation or training you have learned another of your faith’s holy rites.
Requirement: Rites class feature.
Benefit: You gain access to an additional Rite. You may not use this to select the Bonus Feat option.
I love the concept, which to me is partially Friar Tuck of Robin Hood's Merry Men, plus some other useful abilities. Without going through with a fine toothed comb, I had a few criticisms/suggestions:
1) Monastic monks, as far as I know, have some kind of practical function within the monastery or monastic system they devote themselves to, which could be represented as a bonus to a craft or profession skill. Its mostly a fluff thing, but sometimes thats fun.
2) Looking over your rites, I'm not a fan of the the scaling ones that give 2-3 feats (such as the TWF and trip rites). Sure its limited to quarterstaff but we're also ignoring prereqs, and thats already a good tradeoff. Pride Goeth... is an awesome name.
3) I really like the quarterstaff element built into the class, but the image thats being painted in my mind included what I like to call the "fisticuffs" monk, which is more monastic monk and less martial artist monk. Just my opinion, but allowing the various quarterstaff abilities to work on unarmed attacks (not to include flurry of blows) wouldn't break anything. If you were to incorporate this, add a rite that gives Imp Unarmed Strike and unarmed damage of 1d6. If you want to go a step further, expand the list of special weapons to include all of the humble (free) ones on the weapon list: unarmed strike, club, quarterstaff, and sling. Could be fun.
4) I would modify the proficiency write-up to include all simple weapons. It won't hurt anything. Also, I modify the armor bit to say something like "a friar who wears armor or uses a shields cannot use and SP or SU abilities. The EX should remain. Again, just an opinion.
5) Think about which rites are going to be automatic choices, such as Friar's Faith. Since you allow no armor but have made this a melee class, I would consider granting the AC bonus in place of the 1st level rite.
6) I might also rework when abilities become available so that rites are gains at every even numbered level, in the same way that the rogue, barbarian, etc get their stuff.
1) That is doable, though partially covered by the Liturgical Knowledge Rite. Lemme ponder how to fit it in.
2) I know, I know, I thought Paizo was crazy when I saw some of the battle oracle revelations myself, but then I got to thinking about how I could build this or that while not spilling into way MAD territory. This was one. While it does allow you to ignore the prerequisites, especially in the case of Friar's Flurry, it comes at about the same level you would have to be just to have the prerequisites. Considering that to run this as a melee class you are going to need Str, Dex, Con, Wis, Cha I dont think lowering the requirements of the Dex portion to be out of balance. Ill run some mock combats later on tonight, but I think that the fighter and monk will both outperform the friar at most levels.
3&4) I considered letting them have a proficiency in club, sling, dagger, and just might do that. The idea of an unarmed combat rite isn't bad either, ill see if I can come up with something snappy, though the purpose was to differentiate between this and a Pathfinder/D&D monk, which makes leaving unarmed combat out a natural thing. Still not a bad idea for an option I guess. I like your phraseology of the armor prohibition better, consider that nicked.
5) I don't necessarily consider this a melee class exclusively, with syncretism and domian rites as well as dumping rites for metamagic feats you could easily build a fairly versatile caster, with the ability to dump spell slots for channel attempts you could even turn it into a "meta-channeler" with those rites and feats that modify the channel energy class feature. All this I tried to balance by action-economy ala Mystic Theurge, but you know less horrible. Another arguement, there are eight/nine (depending on where Exuberance of the Divine falls on your radar) "melee" Rites, without burning feats for Extra Rite (which is limited to another 4, consider it a balancing factor against one friar being able to do it all), one friar will never be able to obtain them all, at least not until the to high levels.
6) I considered that, but I did not want one friar having the ability to over diversify, at least not too early. Outside of the 1st level Rite they do follow a pattern, and one that amazingly enough (entirely by accident mind you) avoids dead levels. When that kind of mojo drops on your head you just go with the flow.
I like this class! Spacing the abilities across levels is a bit tricky, largely because of the goofy way the inquisitor's spellcasting progresses. Ideally you'd never get a rite at the same time as a new level of spells known (1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th). It's also pretty tempting to divorce quarterstaff stuff from rites, and have them available separately as bonus feats; and, of course, have those bonus feats generally fall on even levels, when you're not getting regular feats. Maybe:
I like this class! Spacing the abilities across levels is a bit tricky, largely because of the goofy way the inquisitor's spellcasting progresses. Ideally you'd never get a rite at the same time as a new level of spells known (1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th). It's also pretty tempting to divorce quarterstaff stuff from rites, and have them available separately as bonus feats; and, of course, have those bonus feats generally fall on even levels, when you're not getting regular feats. Maybe:
I actually had something VERY similar to this in an earlier version, my only problem with it was that it made every friar incredible with the Qstaff (don't get me wrong I wanted that to be an option obviously), but I also wanted friars that perhaps didn't smoosh faces as much, which is why I merged it in with the Rites feature to force choices (Also the punny ability names almost write themselves, but that's another matter). One could remove Quarterstaff Master as a feat at first level and not really affect the class too much, at a certain point I tossed it in for flavor and allow caster/channeling friars to threaten squares (flanking is good) whilst doing their thing.
So yeah some requests out of the way first: Ciaran
New text of Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A friar is proficient with all simple weapons. A friar is not proficient with any armor or shield. A friar who wears armor or uses shields cannot use Spells, Spell-Like Abilities or Supernatural abilities granted by the Friar class.
Modification of the Glorious Rapidity Rite:
name changed to Miraculous Rapidity Reason? I prefer not to reuse words when possible.
Miraculous Rapidity: A friar may sacrifice one use of her channel energy class ability to move her base land speed. Using this ability is a swift action; however, this movement still provokes attacks of opportunity. A friar of 5th level or higher may, as a swift action, spend 3 uses of her channel energy class ability to act as if under the influence of the spell Haste for one round.
Also changed rites Friar's Flurry, and Divine Staff to include unarmed strikes.
New Rites both Requested and one that slipped through the cracks of the original post.
New Rites:
Laying on of Hands (Ex): A friar with this Rite gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat except the damage done by the unarmed strike is 1d6 (1d4 for small friars, 1d8 for large). At 4th level as long as the friar has one unused channel attempt her unarmed strikes are considered magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Let Hands Be Not Idle (Ex): A friar with the Rite adds half her class level + wisdom modifier to a Craft skill of her choice.
Mired in Iniquity (Su)*: When a friar channels energy to harm creatures she may switch the damage type to acid. This changes the save to fortitude and those who fail are entangled for one round and sickened by globules of foul inert acid that for one round per two friar levels. A creature may attempt DC 15 fortitude save each round to remove the sickened condition. This Rite is only available to friars who worship a deity with the Earth or Darkness domains.
Schoolmaster’s Glare (Ex): A friar with this Rite adds Intimidate (Cha) to his list of class skills and gains the feat Skill Focus: Intimidate.
And not to get ahead of myself a few archetypes are coming out of the woodwork mentally at least. Might even get around to favored class boni as well.
Defiler (mix in anti-paladin touch of corruption and cruelties)
Pagan Priest (mix in some druid somehow havent thought this one through fully)
Heathen Priest (limited witch hexes perhaps?)
I just scanned through the rites and they are much better than feats, the extra rite feat is just a bad idea based on just that alone.
I think you probably should incorporate some abilities in the base class rather than rites and make the rites less frequent with a more even spread.
Somehow I'm just not as worried about that. Rightly or wrongly this kind of thing has slipped into Pathfinder. There are oracle revelations (cinder dance) and witch hexes (cauldron: brew potion, skips reqs gives a bonus and the feat) that are outright better than feats, which can be had for a feat. Those two can eventually throw around 9th level spells.
That said though, I am thinking about reducing the overall number and combining them into more level gated benefits. Decoupling the abilities from the Rites feature was where I started, the bonus feat model didn't work quite as well for reasons I've already mentioned. Definitely still tinkering with things though.
I have to agree that there is disparity between many of the rites. Maneuver Mastery doesn't seem so hot next to the multi-feat rites, especially considering the monk's Maneuver Training class feature.
Humbling Presence: A 1st level friar gains a divine bonus to his AC equal to his Charisma modifier. He loses this bonus if he ever dons armor or weaponry besides a quarterstaff, club, or sling. This bonus increases by +1 every 4 friar levels.
Yeah so the wonderful Rams of Virginia Commonwealth decided to take double overtime to finish off the Explorers of Lasalle. Hey a wins a win but it did delay me from posting the new and improved Friar v2.0.
HD: d8
Base Attack Bonus: Medium
Alignment: A friar’s alignment must be within one step of her deity’s either along the chaos/law axis, or the good/evil axis.
Class Skills: The friar's class skills are Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), and Profession (Wis). A friar also gets class skills from the selection of her Righteous Way.
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4+ Int modifier
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A friar is proficient with the battle aspergillum, club, dagger, light mace, quarterstaff, and sling. A friar is not proficient with any armor or shield. A friar who wears armor or uses shields cannot use Spells, Spell-Like Abilities or Supernatural abilities granted by the Friar class.
1. Aura, Channel Energy, Improved Unarmed Strike, (1d6), Orisons, Righteous Ways
2. Rites
3. Channel Energy (2d6)
4. Rites
5. Channel Energy (3d6)
6. Rites
7. Channel Energy (4d6)
8. Rites
9. Channel Energy (5d6)
10. Rites, Syncretic Ways
11. Channel Energy (6d6)
12. Rites
13. Channel Energy (7d6)
14. Rites
15. Channel Energy (8d6)
16. Rites
17. Channel Energy (9d6)
18. Rites
19. Channel Energy (10d6)
20. One True Way, Rite
Spells Per Day: As Inquisitor
Spells Known: As Inquisitor
Orisons: Friars learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Friar Spells Known. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. Orisons prepared using other spell slots, such as those due to metamagic feats, are expended normally.
Spells: A friar casts divine spells drawn from the Cleric Spell list. She can cast any spell she knows at any time without preparing it ahead of time, assuming she has not yet used up her allotment of spells per day for the spell’s level.
A friar’s highest level of spells is 6th. Cleric spells of 7th level and above are not on the friar class spell list, and a friar cannot use spell completion or spell trigger magic items (without making a successful Use Magic Device check) of Cleric spells of 7th level or higher.
To learn or cast a spell, a friar must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a friar’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the friar’s Wisdom modifier.
A friar can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level each day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Friar. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).
A friar’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A friar begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of the friar’s choice. At each new friar level, she gains one or more new spells as indicated on Table: Friar Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a friar knows is not affected by her Wisdom score. The numbers on Table: Friar Spells Known is fixed.)
Upon reaching 5th level, and at every third friar level thereafter (8th, 11th, and so on), a friar can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the friar “loses” the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least one level lower than the highest-level cleric spell she can cast. The friar may swap out only a single spell at any given level and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level.
Aura (Ex): A friar of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity's alignment (see detect evil for details).
Channel Energy (Su): Regardless of alignment, any friar can release a wave of energy by channeling the power of her faith through her holy (or unholy) symbol. This energy can be used to cause or heal damage, depending on the type of energy channeled.
A friar may choose to channel positive or negative energy whenever she uses this ability.
Channeling energy causes a burst that either damages or heals creatures depending on energy type in a 30-foot radius centered on the friar. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two friar levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the friar's level + the friar's Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channel energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A friar may choose to include themselves in this effect.
A friar may channel energy a number of times per day equal to three + half of her friar levels (minimum one) + her charisma modifier per day
A friar must be able to present her holy symbol to use this ability
Improved Unarmed Strike (Ex): A friar gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.
Righteous Ways (Ex): A friar must choose how she advances her faith; she selects one of the following Righteous Ways. This grants her a number of class skills and abilities. This also determines which Rites are available to her starting at level two.
Divine Conversion (Su): As a full round action, which provokes attacks of opportunity, a friar may convert an unused spell slot into channel energy attempts equal to the level of the spell sacrificed.
Inspired Speaker (Ex): A friar may add her wisdom modifier in addition to her charisma modifier to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Perform (Oratory) checks.
Rites Available:
Benediction of Rejuvenation (Su)*: A friar that uses the channel energy class feature modified by this ability grants Fast Healing 1 + one for every five friar levels to creatures that would have been healed by her channel energy. This ability lasts until the creature leaves the radius of the friar’s channel energy ability up to one minute.
Deific Vessel (Su): A friar adds one point of healing or damage per die when she channels energy.
Enforced Reverence (Su): A friar may force a creature within the range of her to make a will save or be dazed. This effect can last up to one round per two friar levels. Maintaining this ability requires a standard action from the friar, if the friar decides to move out of range of her channeling energy class feature or takes any damage than this effect ends immediately. Using this ability consumes one use of the channel energy class feature. This is a mind-affecting effect. If the friar spends two uses of the channel energy class feature this ability loses the mind-affecting descriptor.
Expansive Faith (Ex): This Rite increases the radius of the friar’s channel energy class feature by five feet + five feet for every five friar levels.
Stigmatic Curse (Su)*: When a creature takes damage from the friar’s channel energy class feature causes it begins to bleed, taking 1 point of damage + one point for every five friar levels, per round. The bleeding can be stopped by a DC 15 Heal check or any effect that heals damage. If not stopped the bleeding lasts for a number of rounds equal to half the friar’s class level.
Unwavering Devotion (Su): A friar with this Rite increases her channel energy class feature by 1d6 per four friar levels (minimum one).
Bonus Feat (Ex): A friar may take any of the following feats for which she meets the prerequisites.
Liturgical Recollection (Su): As a full-round action that provokes an attack of opportunity a friar may regain use of a spell slot that has been previously used. Doing so costs the friar a number of channel energy uses equal to twice the level of the spell slot recovered.
Liturgical Knowledge (Ex): A friar may use her wisdom modifier in addition to her intelligence modifier on all knowledge and spellcraft checks.
Rites Available:
Apocryphal Rites (Ex): A friar with this ability may add one spell from another divine casting classes spell to her spells known and class spell list. This spell must be one level lower than the highest level spell the friar is capable of casting. This Rite may be taken up to five times.
Casting of Stones (Ex): A friar with this rite may reload a sling as a free action (though it still provokes attacks of opportunity). Furthermore, a friar may spend one channel energy attempt as a swift action to treat a sling stone or bullet as if it had been affected by Magic Stone.
Deific Potency (Su): A friar may spend one of her channel energy attempts to increase her caster level by one for one round. Using this ability is a move action. This Rite may be taken twice, and doing so increases the bonus to caster level to two.
Domain Adherence (Ex/Sp/Su): A friar may select a domain from her deities’ list of domains. She gains the abilities that domain grants using her friar level as her effective cleric level. This Rite mat be selected up to two times each granting access to a different set of domain abilities.
Domain Dominance (Ex): A friar may select a domain from her deities’ list of domains. She adds the domain spells to her list of spells known and class spell list. This Rite may be selected up to two times each time granting access to a different domain. This does not give her access to spells of higher than 6th level, nor does it add 6th level or higher spells to her class list. The Friar must have Domain Adherence with the selected before she can select this ability.
Hastened Prayers (Su): A Friar with this ability may apply a metamagic feat to a spell being cast without increasing the casting time of the spell by spending a number of channel energy attempts equal to the spell level adjustment of the metamagic feat. The Friar must possess the metamagic feat in order to apply it to the spell.
Wrathful Elements (Su)*: A friar with this Rite may deal acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage with her channel energy class feature. She must choose this energy type at the time of channeling.
Bonus Feat (Ex): A Friar may select Combat Casting, a metamagic or item crafting feat as a bonus feat in lieu of a Rite. The friar must meet the prerequisites for this feat.
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Way of the Zealot:
Way of the Zealot:
Skills Granted: Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Ride (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str)
Abilities Granted:
Friar’s Flurry (Ex): The friar gains Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. At 4th level she gains Double Slice as a bonus feat, at 8th level she gains Improved Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat, and at 15th level she gains Greater Two-Weapon Fighting as a bonus feat. The friar need not meet the prerequisites to gain these feats, but they may only be used with a quarterstaff or unarmed strikes.
Friar’s Faith (Su): A friar gains their Wisdom modifier as a profane/sacred bonus to AC (minimum one). As an immediate action a friar may spend one use of her channel energy class ability to increase this bonus by four for one round. If the Friar worships a good deity it is considered sacred. If the Friar worships an evil deity it is profane. A friar of a neutral deity may choose either sacred or profane.
Rites Available:
Divine Staff (Ex): A friar may use any quarterstaff they hold as a divine focus for spells, or the channel energy class feature. Furthermore she gains the weapon training class feature of the fighter. Starting at 5th level this grants a plus one to attack and damage rolls, but only with a quarterstaff or unarmed strike. This bonus increases by one at 9th, 13th, and 17th levels to a max of plus four. A Friar also now counts as a fighter of her friar level for the purposes of qualifying for feats.
Exuberance of the Divine (Su)*: When a creature is healed by the friar’s channel energy ability modified by this Rite, they gain a plus one morale bonus to attack and damage rolls with weapons per four friar levels (minimum one). This bonus lasts one round. A Friar may spend an additional use of channel energy class ability to increase the duration to one minute.
Laying on of Hands (Ex): A friar with this Rite treats her unarmed strike as a magic weapon for overcoming damage reduction. At 8th her unarmed strikes as cold iron and silver for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Miraculous Rapidity (Su): A friar may sacrifice one use of her channel energy class ability to move her base land speed. Using this ability is a swift action; however, this movement still provokes attacks of opportunity. A friar of 5th level or higher may, as a swift action, spend 3 uses of her channel energy class ability to act as if under the influence of the spell Haste for one round.
Pride Goeth… (Ex): The friar gains Tripping Staff as a bonus feat, at 4th level she gains Improved Trip as a bonus feat, and at 8th level she gains Tripping Twirl as a bonus feat. She gains these feats without needing to meet the prerequisites, but may only use them with a quarterstaff. She may use the Improved Trip feat with unarmed strikes.
Strike Down the Faithless (Ex): When a friar confirms a critical hit she may spend a channel energy attempt to inflict a condition upon the recipient of the blow. At 1st level she may inflict the dazzled, shaken or sickened condition for one minute; at 6th she may inflict the nauseated or staggered condition for two rounds, at 12th she may inflict the confused or dazed condition for two rounds, at 18th she may inflict the stunned condition for two rounds. A fortitude save may be made to avoid these effects; the DC is equal to 10+ half the friar’s class level + the friar’s Charisma modifier. The friar may choose to inflict any condition she has available, not just the highest.
Whirling Staff (Ex/Su): As a full-round, a friar can maneuver their weapon to deflect non-incorporeal melee and ranged attacks. Maintaining this ability is a move action. A friar may augment this as a free action by spending one use of her channel energy class ability, when she does so the miss chance increases to 50% for one round, on the following round the miss chance returns to 20%. If a friar loses access to supernatural abilities whether because of a loss of class features or an anti-magic field she retains the ability to use Whirling Staff, but she may not augment the ability by spending channel energy uses. The friar may end this ability as a free action.
Zealotry (Su)*: When a friar channels energy she may choose to deliver the energy to a single target by melee touch attack. When using this ability the amount of damage healed is increased by 50% (multiply the final result by 1.5 and round down). When using this ability to deal damage the target does not receive a will save to reduce the damage. This can only target one creature per round. This Rite may be taken two times. Upon taking this Rite a second time the channeled energy becomes a ranged touch attack, and may be used on any target within the range of the friar’s channel energy class feature.
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Rites (Su or Ex): At 2nd level and every other level thereafter a friar uncovers a new connection to her deity that grants her powers and abilities. They must be chosen from the list allowed to their Righteous Way. A Rite with an asterisk (*) modifies the channel energy class feature. Only one of these may modify the channel energy class feature at a time. Modifying the channel energy class feature using these abilities is a swift action. Unless otherwise noted each rite may only be selected once.
Syncretic Ways (Ex): At 10th level a friar may choose another Righteous Way. She gains the abilities of that Way and adds the class skills of that way to her list of class skills. Furthermore she may select Rites available to her new Way.
One True Way: A 20th level friar gains an innate understanding of one of her selected Righteous Ways. She must choose either her 1st level Way or her 10th level Way.
Saint:Perfect Vessel (Su): The friar may use channel energy an unlimited number of times per day in conjunction with any Rite marked with an asterisk (*). Furthermore using Rites marked with an asterisk (*) are now free actions as a part of a channel energy attempt.
Theogonist:Mastery of Scripture (Ex): The friar instantly learns one spell of each level she is able to cast. These spells may be drawn from any spell list. In addition, the friar may cast 20 extra spell levels worth of spells per day divided up as she sees fit. For example she could cast four more 5th levels spells one day, the next day she could cast six 2nd level spells and two 4th level spells. The friar may use Hastened Prayers without the need to use channeled energy.
Zealot:Unfettered Zeal (Ex):Friar’s Faith, Miraculous Rapidity, Strike Down the Faithless and Whirling Staff no longer consume channel energy. Furthermore the friar automatically confirms all critical hits with a quarterstaff or unarmed strike.
New Feat
Extra Rite
Through intense contemplation or training you have learned another Rite.
Requirement: Rites class feature.
Benefit: You gain access to an additional Rite. This Rite may come from any of the three Ways. This does not give you access to that Ways class skills or abilities.
A really great concept and very detailed work. I like it alot and will send a link to my DM and see what he thinks of it. I know he is a big fan of quarterstaffs and Friar Tuck freedom-loving NPCs.
Just a note before I bed down. Whoa there are a ton of errors in that puppy, and far too many for me to address at this time sometime tomorrow I will probably post the text for the necessary revision. Some will be clarifications other additions to things that apparently did not survive copy/paste.
I love it and I wish this had been around a year ago when I played a Cleric who I had decked out to be a healer (Which generally meant standing around, twiddling my thumbs for three levels, before getting bored and adding a lot of summons to the list to occupy my rounds while I waited for my BSF to get clubbed in the face). My personal favorite is the Guard! Parry! Dodge! rite, just because I am fairly certain that was Daffy Duck and it made me rofl.
What do you envision this kind of class doing during the game? My first look was obviously this guy could be a great healer. He can channel energy like a billion times per day! Mass party heals! Of course, he can also be mass damage dealer, running in and exploding his energy a billion times as well. Of course, he doesn't have any armor prof., so that might be very dangerous and he has to rely entirely on class skills to not get murdered.
I don't know the Inquisitor's spell list off hand, although it has some weird/cool ones like a torture spell and a spell that marks people, but do you envision this character as kind of a Wizard, but with holy spells and the ability to actually hit in combat (due to staff abilities)? Or kind of a quasi-monk/cleric?
Insomnia is a wonderful thing. You should check out the revision as people pointed out a great many problems. I think you can clearly see in the revision there are Friars that are good at channeling energy, those that make effective melee combatants, and those that excel at casting.
The limiting factor of the class is Channel energy. Yeah a channeling specialist can generate lots of channels but other than that he's a party face. A fighting friar is pretty dang good in combat, but he burns through his channels really quickly and has no way to generate more. The caster friar has a number of tricks (though they burn also channel attempts) and can really diversify his spell list. They can also turn channels into spells given enough time. I increased base channels simply because I found without them my "combat" friar survived exactly one combat staying pure melee with some degree of safety. Where an ability looks overpowered I urge people to look at the action I required. Such as full-round to start Whirling Staff which is essentially use one round to gain the effects that a Blur spell gives with a standard and doesnt require a move to maintain every round.
Some of these restrictions start getting turned on their head at level 10, but that is about the time when the crazy starts cause full casters start chain binding outsiders, or turning large swathes of the battle space into extra dimensional pit traps that EAT YOU, all while flying safely and invisibly above the fray whilst the mere mortals do mere mortal things.
The question really isn't what I envision the class doing its what YOU envision the class doing.
And I'm back. If there was one forum I would like to be able to edit older posts this one would be it.
First up corrections, changes, and adjustments. Look for the bolded text. Commentary in ().
Table Fixes:
1. Aura, Channel Energy(1d6), Improved Unarmed Strike, Orisons, Righteous Ways (Copy paste table error)
2. Rites
3. Channel Energy (2d6)
4. Rites
5. Channel Energy (3d6)
6. Rites
7. Channel Energy (4d6)
8. Rites
9. Channel Energy (5d6)
10. Rites, Syncretic Ways
11. Channel Energy (6d6)
12. Rites
13. Channel Energy (7d6)
14. Rites
15. Channel Energy (8d6)
16. Rites
17. Channel Energy (9d6)
18. Rites
19. Channel Energy (10d6)
20. One True Way, Rites (Yes I am that OCD)
Spell List Used: Cleric (More of a clarification for skim readers)
Spells Per Day: As Inquisitor
Spells Known: As Inquisitor
Adjustments to abilities/rites:
Way of the Saint changes
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Divine Conversion (Su): As a full round action, which provokes attacks of opportunity, a friar may convert an unused spell slot into channel energy attempts equal to the level of the spell sacrificed. Any channel energy uses from gained from this ability disappear when the friar rests to recover spell slots. (Just in case someone got any funny ideas about storing up thousands of channel attempts...)
Inspired Speaker (Ex): A friar may add her wisdom modifier in addition to her charisma modifier to all Diplomacy checks. (Reigning in the fact I gave them wisdom modifier to every skill they got from their Way)
Expansive Faith (Ex):This Rite increases the radius of the friar’s channel energy class feature by five feet for every five friar levels (minimum five feet). (Reworded to make clearer)
Stigmatic Affliction (Su)*: (Just returned to original name.)
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Way of the Theogonist changes
Liturgical Knowledge (Ex): A friar may use her wisdom modifier in addition to her intelligence modifier on a knowledge skill of her choice and spellcraft checks. (Like a ref in sports calls should be consistent)
Casting of Stones (Ex/Su): A friar with this rite may reload a sling as a free action (though it still provokes attacks of opportunity). Furthermore, a friar may spend one channel energy attempt as a swift action to treat a sling stone or bullet as if it had been affected by Magic Stone.If a friar loses access to supernatural abilities whether from loss of class features, or being inside an anti-magic field, they keep the ability to reload a sling as a free action, though they may not enhance the ammunition. (Gave it the Ex/Su text similar to Whirling Staff)
Domain Dominance (Ex): A friar may select a domain from her deities’ list of domains. She adds the domain spells to her list of spells known and class spell list. This Rite may be selected up to two times each time granting access to a different domain. This does not give her access to spells of higher than 6th level, nor does it add 6th level or higher spells to her class list. The Friar must have Domain Adherence with the chosen domain before she can select this ability. (Cleaned up the wording slightly)
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Way of the Zealot changes
Change name of Friar's Flurry to Faithful Flurry (Variety in words is good)
Change name of Friar's Faith to Zealot's Faith (Makes reading easier)
Laying on of Hands (Ex/Su): A friar with this Rite treats her unarmed strike as a magic weapon for overcoming damage reduction. At 8th her unarmed strikes as cold iron and silver for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. This also grants the friar the unarmed combat damage progression of a monk of half her friar levels. A friar in an anti-magic field or one that has lost access to class abilities does not lose the unarmed damage progression. (Supernatural clarification and some increasing damage.)
Strike Down the Faithless (Su): (Switched to Supernatural because of channel energy expenditure.)
Whirling Staff (Ex/Su): As a full-round, a friar can maneuver their weapon to deflect non-incorporeal melee and ranged attacks. Maintaining this ability is a move action. A friar may augment this as a free action by spending one use of her channel energy class ability, when she does so the miss chance increases to 50% for one round, on the following round the miss chance returns to 20%. If a friar loses access to supernatural abilities whether because of a loss of class features or an anti-magic field she retains the ability to use Whirling Staff, but she may not augment the ability by spending channel energy uses. The friar may end this ability as a free action. This ability requires a quarterstaff. (Just to be clear for the rules lawyers)
Bonus Feat (Ex): A friar may select a combat feat as a bonus feat. They must meet the prerequisites for the feat. (Left out, Copy/paste is a cruel mistress.)
Capstones:
Saint
Perfect Vessel (Su):Using Rites marked with an asterisk (*) are now a free action as part of a channel energy attempt, though only one may be added to each attempt. Furthermore you have unlimited channel energy attempts per day for the purpose of using Rites marked with an asterisk (*) or normal use of channel energy. For all other Rites and Abilities such as Strike Down the Faithless or Liturgical Recollection your channel energy attempts per day are equal to 3 + 1/2 your friar level + Charisma modifier + applicable feats or favored class boni. (Hopefully worded clearer)
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Zealot
Unfettered Zeal (Ex):[/i] Zealot’s Faith, Miraculous Rapidity, Strike Down the Faithless and Whirling Staff no longer consume channel energy. Furthermore the friar automatically confirms all critical hits with a quarterstaff or unarmed strike. (cleaning up name changes)
Feat:
New Feat
Extra Rite
Through intense contemplation or training you have learned another Rite.
Requirement: Rites class feature.
Benefit: You gain access to an additional Rite. This Rite may come from any of the three Ways. This does not give you access to that Ways class skills or abilities.
(Do note this may only be taken once now as it lacks the Special: verbiage. More of a clarification than a change.)
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Now that that is out of the way onto new stuff!
Favored Class Boni:
Core Races:
Dwarf: Add +1/2 channel energy uses per day
Elves: +1/6th of a new Rite, this must be taken from her 1st or 10th level Way
Gnomes: Add +1/2 to the friar’s channel energy total when healing animals, fey or plants
Half-Elf: Add +1/3 to the total amount of damage dealt or healing done with channeled energy
Halflings: Add +1 to the friar’s CMD to resist trip or disarm attempts.
Half-Orc Add +1/2 point(s) of fire damage to the total damage when using channeled energy.
Human: Add one spell known from the cleric spell list. This spell must be one level lower than the highest spell the friar can cast.
Featured Races + Duergar: Only races with Cleric FCB options got these.
Aasimar: Add +1/2 to healing done by channel energy.
Dhampir: Add +1/3 damage done or healed to undead with channeled energy.
Drow: Add 1/6th of a new Rite, this must be taken from her 1st or 10th level Way.
Hobgoblin: Add 1/3 to damage done by negative energy effects.
Ifrit: Add +1/2 point(s) of fire damage to the total damage when using channeled energy.
Kobold: Add +1/2 bonus to stealth or Craft (Trap) checks.
Orc: Add +1/3 bonus to melee damage rolls (not including touch attacks), this bonus is not multiplied on a critical hit
Oread: Add +1/2 point(s) of acid damage to the total damage when using channeled energy.
Sylph: Add +1/2 point(s) of electricity damage to the total damage when using channeled energy.
Tiefling: +1/3 bonus to melee damage rolls (not including touch attacks), this bonus is not multiplied on a critical hit
Undine: Add +1/2 point(s) of cold damage to the total damage when using channeled energy.
Duergar: Add +1/2 channel energy uses per day
Looks like you've got a lot of material to work with now. Thats good.
1) I still think some of the rites give out too much, specifically the ones that give more than one feat. This is even more true now that the friar gets more rites.
2) You've really front loaded the class. First level is throwing out a LOT, and then not so much after that. I see a lot of capabilities for a 1st level character. Have you considered moving something to 2nd or 3rd level?
The first level actually gives less than the monk in outright combat potential. Only one Rite gives more feats now as Faithful Flurry is restricted to Zealots. Combat wise the monk is outright better than the first level friar which I think is okay because well monks punch face, its what they do. Friars can cast and channel which gives them more flexibility. Only one Rite gives out multiple feats now and that iss Pride Goeth.... Trip is of questionable utility past a certain point (Flying enemies + Lower Base attack + Size differential) so I'm fine with that especially since its only a quarterstaff thing.
Eye-Test Comparison:
Skills are pretty much a wash across the board on these.
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Zealot vs Monk
Stuff monks get from being a first level monk: Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Unarmed Strike at 1d6, Stunning Fist, Double Slice (not really by feat but when flurrying they get full Strength bonus to damage on all attacks) + Bonus Feat of choice from limited list. In addition they have perfect saves and treat BAB = Level when flurrying. They get an untyped bonus to AC off wisdom that Scales up as they level.
Stuff a Zealot (Combat Friar) gets by being a Zealot at first level: Improved Unarmed Strike at 1d3, and Two-Weapon fighting. They get wisdom modifier to Sac/Prof AC bonus with the option of burning a limited resource for a +4 boost for a round. Lets say they have a 14 charisma (not optimal specially not on a 20pt buy but hey lets go with it) they can boost six times a day nine if they grab extra channel and exalted of the society. They also get two first level spells.
Zealot is more versatile, monk is more face punchy awesome, overall probably a tie but lets call it for the Zealot on account of magical stuff.
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Saint vs Channel based Cleric.
Stuff A Saint (Channeling Friar) Gets: assuming 20 charisma (not guaranteed but, lets spitball, Extra Channel as 1st level feat {Why not} and Exalted of the society trait {strictly they can't cause not a cleric but once again why not}) *I LOVE PARENTHETICAL STATEMENTS!*. They get 4+5+2+1 Channels per day: 12 channels per day, with the likely option of picking up 2 more from spell slots for a total of 14. Or you know 2 first levels spells. They get some skills and are probably AWESOME at diplomacy.
A Cleric will have same saves, be stomping around in scale-mail (maybe studded leather), and have (assuming same charisma mods) 3+5+2+1: 11 channels a day (higher AC to use them in cause you know range.) and still have spells to go to (albeit limited because their wisdom probably isn't super cause of channel optimization). Lets assume the cleric uses a spear (all clerics can), so they have technically a better weapon as no weapon the friar has access to is higher than a d6 x2.
So level 1 cleric channeling focus gets one less base channel, and likely (if they have a 12 wisdom score) 3 (one must be domain) 1st spells per day and better armor/weapon. Friar does have a better time with skills though. Can't forget domain abilities
So Cleric gets same saves, likely same attack bonus, one-three less channels, 1-3 MORE spells, Better AC and melee damage, x factor domain abilities. And a scroll with the lyrics to "Everything you can do I can do better" except diplomacy. (Note I think the cleric is still the better channeler at this stage simply because of the 30ft range of channeling and them being able to wear armor.
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Theogonist vs Caster Cleric
Theogonist gets: More skills, Wis bonus to a knowledge, and spellcraft. And assuming 14 charisma, 1+2(Wis=20)+ 3( 6 channel attempts converted into 3 ) First level spells.
Cleric gets: Armor, Weapon, Less Skills, Domain Abilities, 3+1(Domain) Spells (Wis = 20), and assuming 14 char 5 channels per day.
Cleric Wins this one too, at least on my eye test.
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Now you may say... well mister Friar should be stacking up against Inquisitor, and you are probably right, however, I think you will find that the Inq and the Caster/Channeler friar are pretty equal. Friar would have better "mass" damage and healing at first though.
Now by mid levels a channeling friar will blow a channeling cleric away, but the cleric with even modest investment into wisdom would outcast the friar by a mile.
As for the front-loading, Friar is somewhat front-loaded but not anywhere as near front-loaded as the monk.
Righteous Ways: Way of the Zealot
-Faithful Flurry: TWF as Bonus Feat
-Zealot's Faith: add Wis to AC
-Laying On Of Hands: unarmed attacks count as magic
-Strike Down the Faithless: critical hit imparts condition, costs 1 CE, DC 12
-Whirling Staff: spend 1 CE to gain 50% miss chance
-Bonus Feat: Dodge
Quarterstaff or Unarmed Attack
Att +3 Dam 1d8+3
-or-
Att +1/+1 Dam 1d8+3/1d8+1
Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
I really would like to analyze this class, but I'm afraid that the name keeps bringing up bad cannibal cook jokes.
"You can't boil the missionary, he's a Friar!"
Seriously speaking though, this class pretty much obsoletes the oracle, and severely threatens the cleric with it's high powered version of versatile channeling.
I really would like to analyze this class, but I'm afraid that the name keeps bringing up bad cannibal cook jokes.
"You can't boil the missionary, he's a Friar!"
Seriously speaking though, this class pretty much obsoletes the oracle, and severely threatens the cleric with it's high powered version of versatile channeling.
Please look at the revision.
Cleric is not threatened by a mile, any class that by end game gets Miracle or Wish has nothing to worry about.
Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
DRS3 wrote:
LazarX wrote:
I really would like to analyze this class, but I'm afraid that the name keeps bringing up bad cannibal cook jokes.
"You can't boil the missionary, he's a Friar!"
Seriously speaking though, this class pretty much obsoletes the oracle, and severely threatens the cleric with it's high powered version of versatile channeling.
Please look at the revision.
Cleric is not threatened by a mile, any class that by end game gets Miracle or Wish has nothing to worry about.
Regards
DRS
What class gets what at 17-20th level is a poor argument on whether a class is balanced considering that the bulk of campaigns end at 12th or earlier.
Sorry for the rushed, crappy build. Just wanted to show you what all a 1st level can get.
FRIAR FRAZZ THE ORC'S SON
20 point buy
str 16 +3 (includes racial +2)
dex 14 +2
con 12 +1
int 8 -1
wis 14 +2
cha 14 +2
half-orc
Size M, speed 30 ft, Languages common & orc
Intimidating, Orc Ferocity, Weapon Familiarity, Darkvision 60 ft, Orc Blood
hp 16 (8 +1 Con, + 1 FCB, +3 Tough = 13 where'd the rest come from?)
AC 15, touch AC 15, ff 12
BAB +0
Fort +1 (Saves were changed to Good Fort/Will, bad Ref, another revision that didnt get posted, but thats on me.)
Ref +4
Will +4
Speed 30 ft
1st Level Feat
Toughness
Proficient with aspergillum, club, dagger, light mace, quarterstaff, and sling.
Righteous Ways: Way of the Zealot
-Faithful Flurry: TWF as Bonus Feat
-Zealot's Faith: add Wis to AC
-Laying On Of Hands: unarmed attacks count as magic [
-Strike Down the Faithless: critical hit imparts condition, costs 1 CE, DC 12
-Whirling Staff: spend 1 CE to gain 50% miss chance
-Bonus Feat: Dodge All these in italics are Rites and require the character to be 2nd level or higher to acess
Quarterstaff or Unarmed Attack
Att +3 Dam 1d8+3 (Qstaff is d6)
-or-
Att +1/+1 Dam 1d8+3/1d8+1
Part of these arguments stem from the vast changes that happened to the class and a misunderstanding of how it works. Perhaps a clarity issue on my part. Could also need a new thread just to clean up the old issue of not being able to track the updates.
Sorry if I sound aggravated, but I should remember I'm sitting here with a clean copy and you all are not.
It helps to think of the Ways as an Oracles Mystery Choice: except the way grants skills and abilities instead of skills and spells. Rites = Revelations and I listed them under Rites available in my post on 1-25-2014. If you want a cleaner copy of the class document you may send me your email address as a PM. Its currently in Word 07 format.
I see my mistakes now. I rushed it, and added toughness twice, by the looks of it, among other things.
The aggravation is understandable - I've posted several classes over the years myself. And if I seem to be full of opinions, its because the concept of the class is exciting. I have never claimed to be a master of game balance.
Should Read As: Additional text bolded.
Whirling Staff (Ex/Su): As a full-round action, a friar can maneuver their weapon to deflect non-incorporeal melee and ranged attacks, making these attacks miss 20% of the time. Maintaining this ability is a move action. A friar may augment this as a free action by spending one use of her channel energy class ability, when she does so the miss chance increases to 50% for one round, on the following round the miss chance returns to 20%. If a friar loses access to supernatural abilities whether because of a loss of class features or an anti-magic field she retains the ability to use Whirling Staff, but she may not augment the ability by spending channel energy uses. The friar may end this ability as a free action. This ability requires a quarterstaff.
Any class that gets all knowledges probably shouldn't get 4 skills points. I also don't see much reason for this class to get acrobatics, or stealth for that matter.
Being able to convert spells to channels or being able to swap positive and negative are both good abilities. Together it's potentially, most likely, overpowered. That eventually becomes the ability to turn all your 1st level spells into fireballs and mass heals.
Pretty cool idea, I recommend looking at the war priest for how paizo handled a similar class.
EDIT: I see that some of these changes have been made. Please disregard.
Any class that gets all knowledges probably shouldn't get 4 skills points. I also don't see much reason for this class to get acrobatics, or stealth for that matter.
I disagree, purely on the premise that the first monk I played (1st ed variety) was a singing, pole-vaulting western monk. I can see debating stealth though. If you read further, you will see that the OP has not made stealth a class skill for the friar, but rather a skill for only the zealot friar.
Being able to convert spells to channels or being able to swap positive and negative are both good abilities. Together it's potentially, most likely, overpowered. That eventually becomes the ability to turn all your 1st level spells into fireballs and mass heals.
Pretty cool idea, I recommend looking at the war priest for how paizo handled a similar class.
EDIT: I see that some of these changes have been made. Please disregard.
I wouldn't say its over powered, because the exchange rate is horrific. It takes 6 channels to get another third level spell, whereas you only get 1 channel from a first level spell. So... yeah nice if you don't want to ever cast first level spells, but some of those rock like Obscuring mist or divine favor. And that doesn't become an issue until level 10 when you can get both conversion abilities. I sorta thought about that ahead of time which is why I valued channels into spells higher than spells into channels. Channeling has limited, but expandable range with this class. Furthermore the Saint path really does nothing but channel, its their offense/defense/support which is why they can get so good at it.
This means though they need to pick up feats and Rites to support it, such as Quick Channel for double blast/heal (and remember using Rites with * costs a swift so they cant do that twice in a round), Improved Channel, and selective channel (you know so she doesn't fry her party or heal her enemies). This also puts the Saint in a 30-50ft range of the monsters, ie charge range, without the defenses provided by the way of the zealot.
As far as the raw power of the classes channeling is concerned. Damage caps from channeling as this class is at 15d6+15, + 15d6+15 at level 20 which averages to 135(67.5*2) damage/healing per round/ 3 channel uses (granted unlimited by the capstone ability but stick with the number game) two saves for half if used to damage so 67 damage on a double save, 100 on a single. (Point of Reference, Mass, Heal for a level 20 cleric 200 hp + everything of note cured, Optimized Dazing Intensified empowered fireball from an evoker wizard with a dip into sorc for orc/draconic bloodline. 108 Damage Sv for half or be dazed for 3 rounds, both still have their swift and move actions by the by.)
I will say around level 3-5 if built just right the channeling power of a friar is pretty freaking nasty. But I think that is balanced by the fact this class is mad, and the Saint has no real defenses that don't come from spells (which supposedly shes turning into channels cause damn shes good at that).
And if figures I didn't notice the please disregard part of your post. Ohh well the maths never hurt anyone so leaving this post up. Infact might do an average damage per channel for a channeling friar per level comparison to see exactly where its uber and where its not.
Hey everyone, I'd like you to meet Dave. Dave say hi to everyone
"Hi to everyone"
Forgive Dave hes a channeling friar and therefore dumped his int. Go over there Dave and play with your blocks... by the by your pants are on backwards. Now that that is outta the lets talk about Dave's Channeling abilities.
Dave has 14 wisdom and 16 charisma. He is a human
=====
1st level : Channeling Relevant Feats: Extra Channel, Selective Channel (This one is NON-NEGOTIABLE, otherwise he's blowing his party up or healing his enemies)
Damage/Heal / Channel: 1d6 (Avg. 3.5), 30f t Radius, Sv Will DC 13 for half. Channels Per Day(CPD): 3 + 1 Friar Levels + 3 Cha + 2 Feat + 1 Trait = 10
Additional Channels from Spells: 2 (1st Level)
Avg CR .5 Monster = 10 hp (stats from p. 291 Bestiary 1)
Avg CR 1 Monster = 15 hp
=====
2nd Level: Dave picks up Unwavering Devotion granting him another 1d6 to his channeling.
Dam/Heal: 2d6 (Avg 7) 30ft radius DC: 14 Will for half CPD: 10
Additional From Spells: 3 (1st level)
Avg CR 1 monster = 15 hp
Avg CR 2 monster = 20 hp
=====
3rd Level: Dave gets Improved Channel Feat and increase in damage from friar levels.
Dam/Heal: 3d6 (Avg 10.5) 30 ft radius DC: 16 Will for half, CPD: 10
Added from spells: 4 (1st level)
Avg CR 2 monster = 20 hp
Avg CR 3 monster = 30 hp
=====
4th level: New Rite, Deific Vessel: +1 dam/heal per die.
Dam/Heal: 3d6+3 (Avg 13.5) 30 ft radius DC: 17 Will for half, CPD: 11
Additional from Spells: 4 (1st-level) 4 (2nd-level)
Avg CR 3 monster = 30 hp
Avg CR 4 monster = 40 hp
=====
5th level: New Feat: Quick Channel: channel as move action for 2 uses, increase in damage from leveling 1d6
Dam/Heal: 4d6+4 (Avg 18) 30 ft radius DC: 17 Will for half. CPD: 11
Additional From Spells: 5 (1st-Level) 6 (2nd-Level)
NOVA Option: 3 channels down for. 8d6+8 ( Avg 36) Two Saves to reduce damage, 27 on one save, 18 on two.
Avg CR 4 monster = 40 hp
Avg CR 5 Monster = 55 hp
=====
End here thought experiment here.
Raw Channeling Dam/heal numbers post 5 on this build path
6: 4d6+4 (Avg 18) Nova 36 Grants 2 saves Uses 3 channels Full round
7: 5d6+5 (Avg 22.5) Nova 45
8: 6d6+6 (Avg 27) Nova 54
9: 7d6+7 (Avg 31.5) Nova 63
10: 7d6+7 (Avg 31.5) Nova 63
11: 8d6+8 (Avg 36) Nova 72
12: 9d6+9 (Avg 40.5) Nova 81
13: 10d6+10 (Avg 45) Nova 90
14: 10d6+10 (Avg 45) Nova 90
15: 11d6+11 (Avg 49.5) Nova 99
16: 12d6+12 (Avg 54) Nova 108
17: 13d6+13 (Avg 58.5) Nova 117
18: 13d6+13 (Avg 58.5) Nova 117
19: 14d6+14 (Avg 63) Nova 126
20: 15d6+15 (Avg 67.5) Nova 135
I really like this class. I was thinking it would be great to add other Ways to the mix. Here's one I was thinking of, more in line with a buffer than anything. I tried to have it be more worldly but still synergize with the other Ways. This is more of the Friar Tuck from the Robin Hood tales.
Way of the Drunkard:
Skills Granted: Appraise (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (all) (Int), Perform (act) (Cha), Perform (comedy) (Cha), Perform (dance) (Cha), Perform (sing) (Cha) and Sleight of Hand (Dex)
Abilities Granted:
Friar’s Knowledge (Ex): You gain two additional skill ranks per level to apply to any of your class skills. These ranks are applied retroactively if you choose this Way as your Syncretic Way.
Liquid Courage (Su): As a standard action you may drink an alcoholic beverage and gain 2 additional uses of Channel Energy. Additionally, for the next hour you gain a dodge bonus to your AC equal to you Wisdom bonus.
Rites Available:
Friar's Jig: As a standard action the friar may expend a channel energy use to attempt a perform (class skill) check (DC 15). If successful, the friar gives a +1 dodge bonus to allies within 30 feet. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the friar's perform check result divided by 5 (round down).
Fear of God: As a standard action the friar may expend a channel energy use to attempt a perform (class skill) check. If successful, the friar removes one fear condition from an ally within 100 feet. A friar may attempt to remove the following conditions: shaken (DC 15), frightened (DC 20) or panicked (DC 25). The friar may remove the condition from one additional ally for every increment of 5 the friar's check exceeded.
A Little Bit of Faith: The friar may increase the bonus given by rites by 1. This only effects rites that bestow a numeric bonus to nearby allies.
A Lot of Faith: The friar may increase the bonus given by rites by 1. This only effects rites that bestow a numeric bonus to nearby allies. The friar must be level 8 to take this rite. You must have the "A Little Bit of Faith" rite to take this rite, this bonus stacks with that rite's bonus.
A Whole Lot of Faith: The friar may increase the bonus given by rites by 1. This only effects rites that bestow a numeric bonus to nearby allies. The friar must be level 14 to take this rite. You must have the "A Lot of Faith" rite to take this rite, this bonus stacks with that rite's bonus.
Reach of the Gods: As a standard action the friar may expend a channel energy use to attempt a perform (class skill) check (DC 15). If successful, the friar increases the range of ally's melee and ranged attacks by 5 feet. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the friar's perform check result divided by 5 (round down). If the friar expends an additional use of channel energy, this effect also allows ranged weapons to threaten the 5 feet surrounding them. This effects stacks with other effects that increase a ranged weapon's threatened area.
Piercing Faith: As a standard action the friar may expend a channel energy use to attempt a perform (class skill) check (DC 15). If successful, the friar gives a +1 bonus to allies within 30 feet attempting a spell resistance check. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the friar's perform check result divided by 5 (round down).
Casual Confessor: As a standard action the friar may expend a channel energy use to attempt a heal check (DC 15). If successful, the friar gives a +1 Profane/Sacred bonus to Fort saves to allies within 30 feet. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to the friar's heal check result divided by 5 (round down).
One True Way: A 20th level friar gains an innate understanding of one of her selected Righteous Ways. She must choose either her 1st level Way or her 10th level Way.
Drunkard: One with Ale and God (Su): The bonus for all rites that give numeric bonuses to allies is increased by 2. Additionally the range on those rites is doubled. Finally, whenever the friar uses their Liquid Courage ability, the friar gains a drunken aura that confuse and confound foes within 60 ft. All enemies of the friar take a -3 profane/sacred penalty to AC and all roll (including attack, damage, saves, ability checks and skill checks). This effect lasts for one hour. This penalty is increased by the bonus given by the rites "A Little Bit of Faith", "A Lot of Faith" and "A Whole Lot of Faith".
