Hello, friends.
This is my first attempt of a conversion. It is based on Dragon Magazine #310's article, Champions of the Divine by James Jacobs. In this article, it discussed paladins (or holy warriors) of other alignments than Lawful Good. I plan to convert these all to paladin archetypes, but here is the first one.
The anarch is a holy warrior tasked with opposing law and order and encouraging others to do the same. She is a roving force of chaos, never remaining in one location for long but leaving his mark in the form of mayhem wherever she goes. Some anarchs profess that chaos is the ultimate freedom. Others claim that change is the natural state of the world. Few anarchs view their holy mission in the same way, most change their opinions many times.
Chaotic deities of war and destruction often have anarchs serving their needs, even if the chaotic nature of the anarch sometimes are at odds with the goals of the god’s followers. Many anarchs look to The Maelstrom and it’s living embodiments, the proteans, for inspiration and admiration.
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral. Since they must embody the unpredictable nature of chaos, all anarchs must be chaotic neutral.
The anarch's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (engineering) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
All of the following are class features of the anarch.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Paladins are proficient with all simple, martial, and exotic weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).
Aura of Chaos (Ex)
The power of a paladin’s aura of chaos (see the detect chaos spell) is equal to her anarch level.
This ability alters Aura of Good.
Detect Law (Sp)
At will, an anarch can use detect law, as the spell. A anarch can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is lawful, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the anarch does not detect law in any other object or individual within range.
This ability alters Detect Evil.
Smite Law (Su)
Once per day, an anarch can call out to the powers of chaos to aid her in her struggle against law. As a swift action, the anarch chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is lawful, the anarch adds her Cha bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and adds her anarch level to all damage rolls made against the target of her smite. If the target of smite law is an outsider with the lawful subtype, an lawful-aligned dragon, or a lawful creature with levels in cleric or paladin, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the anarch possesses. Regardless of the target, smite law attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.
In addition, while smite law is in effect, the anarch gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the anarch targets a creature that is not lawful, the smite is wasted with no effect.
The smite law effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the anarch rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the anarch may smite law one additional time per day, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.
This ability alters Smite Evil.
Chaotic Resilience (Su)
At 2nd level, an anarch gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all Saving Throws.
This ability replaces Divine Grace.
Destructive Strike (Su)
Beginning at 2nd level, an anarch gains the ability to critically hit objects and constructs with melee attacks.She may inflict critical hit damage (but not sneak attack damage) on an object or construct a number of times per day equal to her Charisma modifier (if any). The anarch makes the decision to use the ability after a critical hit is rolled but before he roll to confirm is made.If the anarch fails to confirm the critical hit, that use of destructive strike is wasted.
This ability replaces Lay On Hands.
Aura of Irrationality (Su)
At 3rd level, an anarch is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the anarch is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces Aura of Courage
Slippery Mind (Ex)
At 3rd level, the anarch gains a powerful sense of self and free will, and her mind fights much hardfer against magical control than most other minds. If an anarch is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails his saving throw, she can attempt the saving throw again the next round to break free of the effect. Failing this second saving throw does not grant the anarch further saving throws against the enchantment.
This ability replaces Divine Health.
Touch of Chaos (Sp)
Beginning at 4th level, an anarch can imbue a target with chaos as a melee touch attack. For the next round, anytime the target rolls a d20, he must roll twice and take the less favorable result. Each day he can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 his anarch level + his Charisma modifier. Using this ability is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
This ability replaces Channel Positive Energy.
Spells
Beginning at 4th level, an anarch gains the ability to cast a small number of divine spells which are drawn from the anarch spell list. A anarch must choose and prepare her spells in advance.
To prepare or cast a spell, an anarch must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a paladin’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the paladin’s Charisma modifier.
Like other spellcasters, an anarch can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Paladin. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Charisma score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells). When Table: Paladin indicates that the anarch gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level, she gains only the bonus spells she would be entitled to based on her Charisma score for that spell level.
An anarch must spend 1 hour each day in quiet prayer and meditation to regain her daily allotment of spells. An anarch may prepare and cast any spell on the anarch spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.
Through 3rd level, an anarch has no caster level. At 4th level and higher, her caster level is equal to her anarch level – 3.
Divine Bond (Sp)
Upon reaching 5th level, anarch forms a divine bond with her god. This bond can take one of two forms. Once the form is chosen, it cannot be changed.
The first type of bond allows the anarch to enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the aid of a entropic spirit for 1 minute per anarch level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: anarchic, brilliant energy, dispelling, disruption, frost, icy burst, furyborn, keen, vicious, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the spirit are determined when the spirit is called a
nd cannot be changed until the spirit is called again. The entropic spirit imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the anarch but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the anarch. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. An anarch can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.
If a weapon bonded with a entropic spirit is destroyed, the anarch loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the anarch takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
The second type of bond allows a anarch to gain the service of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed to serve her in her crusade against evil. This mount is usually a heavy horse (for a Medium anarch) or a pony (for a Small anarch), although more exotic mounts, such as a boar, camel, or dog are also suitable. This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the anarch’s level as her effective druid level. Bonded mounts have an Intelligence of at least 6.
Once per day, as a full-round action, an anarch may magically call her mount to her side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the anarch’s level. The mount immediately appears adjacent to the anarch. An anarch can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of four times per day at 17th level.
At 11th level, the mount gains the entropic creature simple template and becomes a magical beast for the purposes of determining which spells affect it.
At 15th level, an anarch’s mount gains spell resistance equal to the anarch’s level + 11.
Should the anarch’s mount die, the anarch may not summon another mount for 30 days or until she gains a anarch level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the anarch takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Abnormality (Su)
At 6th level, and every three levels thereafter, an anarch can select one abnormality. Each abnormality adds an effect to the anarch’s touch of chaos ability. Whenever the anarch uses touch of chaos to force a target to reroll, the target also receives the additional effect from one of the abnormalities possessed by the anarch. This choice is made when the touch is used. The target receives a Fortitude save to avoid this abnormality. If the save is successful, the target is forced to reroll as normal, but not the effects of the abnormality. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the anarch’s level + the anarch’s Charisma modifier.
At 6th level, the anarch can select from the following initial abnormalities.
Fatigued: The target is fatigued.
Shaken: The target is shaken for 1 round per level of the anarch.
Sickened: The target is sickened for 1 round per level of the anarch.
At 9th level, an anarch adds the following abnormalities to the list of those that can be selected.
Dazed: The target is dazed for 1 round.
Wracked: The target suffers from waves of chaotic energies wracking his body, as if the anarch had cast torn muscle, using his anarch level as his caster level.
Staggered: The target is staggered for 1 round per two levels of the anarch.
At 12th level, an anarch adds the following abnormalities to the list of those that can be selected.
Cursed: The target is cursed, as if the anarch had cast bestow curse, using his anarch level as his caster level.
Exhausted: The target is exhausted. The anarch must have the fatigue abnormality before selecting this abnormality.
Frightened: The target is frightened for 1 round per two levels of the anarch. The anarch must have the shaken abnormality before selecting this abnormality.
Nauseated: The target is nauseated for 1 round per three levels of the anarch. The anarch must have the sickened abnormality before selecting this abnormality.
Poisoned: The target is poisoned, as if the anarch had cast poison, using the anarch’s level as the caster level.
At 15th level, an anarch adds the following abnormalities to the list of those that can be selected.
Blinded: The target is blinded for 1 round per level of the anarch.
Deafened: The target is deafened for 1 round per level of the anarch.
Paralyzed: The target is paralyzed for 1 round.
Stunned: The target is stunned for 1 round per four levels of the anarch.
These abilities are not cumulative. For example, a 15th-level anarch’s touch of chaos ability forces a reroll and might also cause the target to become fatigued, dazed, poisoned, or wracked. Once a abnormality is chosen, it can’t be changed.
This ability replaces Mercy.
Aura of Noncompliance (Su)
At 8th level, an anarch is immune to charm spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects.
This ability functions only while the anarch is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces Aura of Resolve
Aura of Injustice (Su)
At 11th level, an anarch can expend two uses of her smite law ability to grant the ability to smite law to all allies within 10 feet, using her bonuses. Allies must use this smite law ability by the start of the anarch’s next turn and the bonuses last for 1 minute. Using this ability is a free action. Lawful creatures gain no benefit from this ability.
This replaces Aura of Justice
Aura of The Maelstrom (Su)
At 14th level, an anarch’s weapons are treated as anarchic-aligned for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction. Any attack made against an enemy within 10 feet of her is treated as anarchic-aligned for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction.
This ability functions only while the anarch is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces Aura of Faith
Aura of Discord (Su)
At 17th level, an anarch gains DR 5/law and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects.
This ability functions only while the anarch is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
This ability replaces Aura of Righteousness.
Champion of Chaos (Su)
At 20th level, the anarch becomes a conduit for the power of her god. Her DR increases to 10/law. Whenever she uses smite law and successfully strikes an lawful outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using her anarch level as the caster level (her weapon and holy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). After the banishment effect and the damage from the attack is resolved, the smite immediately ends. In addition, whenever she uses her touch of chaos ability, there is no saving throw.
This ability replaces Holy Champion.
An anarch must be of chaotic neutral alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits a blatantly lawful act (such as abiding by an oath, fulfilling a contract, or joining an organization such as a brotherhood or fellowship). Aside from this, the anarch’s code is really more than a lack of code. As long as he continues to cause chaos and foment disrespect for law in others, his status as anarch is secure.
Associates: While she may adventure with good or evil allies, an anarch avoids working with lawful characters or with anyone who consistently offends her moral code. Under exceptional circumstances, an anarch can ally with lawful associates, but only to defeat what she believes to be a greater force of law. An anarch should seek an atonement spell periodically during such an unusual alliance, and should end the alliance immediately should she feel it is doing creating more order than disorder. An anarch can accept only henchmen, familiars, followers, or cohorts who are chaotic neutral.
An anarch who ceases to be chaotic neutral, who willfully commits an lawful act, or who violates the code of conduct loses all anarch spells and class features (including the service of the anarch’s mount, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may not progress any further in levels as a anarch. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see atonement), as appropriate.
Anarch Spell List
1st Level: bane, bless weapon (anarchic-aligned), cause fear, cure light wounds, detect poison, divine favor, doom, endure elements, entropic shield, lesser confusion, magic weapon, obscuring mist, protection from law.
2nd Level: align weapon, bear’s endurance, blur, darkness, eagle’s splendor, mirror image, misdirection, scare, shatter, touch of idiocy, undetectable alignment.
3rd level: blindness/deafness, contagion, cure moderate wounds, deeper darkness, dispel magic, greater magic weapon, magic circle against law, rage, slow.
4th level: break enchantment, chaos hammer, confusion, cure serious wounds, dispel law, freedom of movement, lesser planar ally, poison, shout.
Ohh, I really like it! I completely forgot about that Dragon issue but after re-reading it, I really need to incorporate it more into my 3.5 games.
I actually did a revision of a class in v3.5 that mirrored the 4th Edition avenger (divine holy warrior, stealthy, little armor) that was based pretty much on the Duskblade except with Divine spells and instead of channeling spells into their weapon they used Oath of Enmity.
Great job!