Indep Prestige Class for 3.5

7 posts / 0 new
Last post
Southern_Oracle's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2004-05-12
Indep Prestige Class for 3.5

By Clueless's request, here's the updated Indep...

Indep (HD d6)

“I didn’t see nothin’, I don’t know nothin’, and I ain’t sayin’ nothin’. There’s no way I had anything to do with the likes o’ them. I keep my own counsel and look out for myself.”

Although they deny any affiliation, there are those individuals who value just that – individuality – above all else. They swear no allegiance to any group, organization, or faction, whether religious or secular. They chafe under laws imposed by others, claiming only the individual can declare what is right or wrong for himself. Those that admire (or revile) the quintessential “self-made” man who keeps only his own counsel have dubbed such individuals “indeps.”

All walks of life gravitate to the indep attitude; some just take longer than others to break free from their dependence on outside influences. Loners such as bards and rogues are obvious candidates, but even clerics declare their independence from organized religion, preferring to explore their relationship with the divine on their own terms. Likewise, some wizards eschew established methods of schooling and research, abandoning all that has come before for an exploration of self. Sorcerers easily identify with the indep philosophy, for they know firsthand the power of one.

Level---BAB---Fort---Ref---Will---Special
1--------+0----+0-----+2----+0----Shield of Individuality
2--------+1----+0-----+3----+0----Independent Mind +1
3--------+2----+1-----+3----+1----Blend in the Background +5
4--------+3----+1-----+4----+1----Independent Mind +2, Face in the Crowd
5--------+3----+1-----+4----+1----Blend in the Background +10
6--------+4----+2-----+5----+2----Independent Mind +3
7--------+5----+2-----+5----+2----Blend in the Background +15, No Barriers
8--------+6----+2-----+6----+2----Independent Mind +4
9--------+6----+3-----+6----+3----Blend in the Background +20
10------+7----+3-----+7----+3----Independent Mind +5, Eyes Wide Open

Class Requirements:
To qualify to become an indep, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

    Alignment: Any nonlawful. Base Reflex Save: +3.
    Listen: 5 ranks.
    Spot: 5 ranks.
    Feat: Iron Will.
Class Skills:
    Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier The indep's class skills (organized by key ability) are:
      Dexterity: Hide, Move Silently Intelligence: Appraise, Craft, Forgery
      Wisdom: Heal, Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot
      Charisma: Bluff, Disguise, Gather Information, Perform
Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the indep prestige class.
    Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Characters who take a level of indep gain no proficiency in armor or weapons. Shield of Individuality (Sp): At 1st level, the indep is able to cast entropic shield as a sorcerer of the same level three times + the indep's Dexterity modifier per day (but always at least once).

    Independent Mind (Ex): At 2nd level, the indep receives a +1 bonus to all saves vs. mind-influencing effects. This bonus stacks with all other bonuses and increases by +1 at 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th level. If no saving throw is normally allowed, the indep receives a save but does not use her Independent Mind bonus.

    Blend in the Background (Ex): At 3rd level, the indep receives a +5 bonus to all Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently checks. This increases to +10 at 5th level, +15 at 7th level, and +20 at 9th level.

    Face in the Crowd (Su): At 4th level, the indep radiates a permanent nondetection spell as if cast by a sorcerer of the indep's level. This ability may be suppressed or resumed as a free action by the indep.

    No Barriers (Sp): At 7th level, the indep receives the benefits of a freedom of movement spell for a total number of minutes per day equal to the indep's level x 10. Use of this power may be started and stopped as a free action, with the total of all uses not exceeding the time given above.

    Eyes Wide Open (Sp): At 10th level, the indep is able to use true seeing as a sorcerer of the same level three times a day.[/li]

[/][/][/][/]
Clueless's picture
Offline
Webmonkey
Joined: 2008-06-30
Indep Prestige Class for 3.5

OH!
*happy grin* I really really like this. Doesn't fit with the current Indep I'm playing - but I veeerry much like this. I notice the indep information system wasn't mentioned, but I can defaintely see where the skills would lend a hand to doing that sort of thing.

The only thing I think that could use a little more work is defining what sort of spells/effects that have no saves - start getting saves. Maze for example - is it willpower to resist being sent there, or reflex to dodge the effect. (One would imply a save, the other wouldn't), or is it only those spells that have the Mind-Affecting designation in their description - in which case, I can't think of a single one of those that doesn't have a will save.

venjr's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2005-03-31
Indep Prestige Class for 3.5

i completely agree, yes seven and what not,
aditional generic dnd compliment

Erik's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2005-03-11
Indep Prestige Class for 3.5

I don't see why lawful people should be excluded, but besides from that, it gets a big thumbs up. Nice.

Clueless's picture
Offline
Webmonkey
Joined: 2008-06-30
Indep Prestige Class for 3.5

The anti lawful is for hte same reason there's an anti chaotic restriction with the Harmonium. The base belief is contradictory to the alignment. Indeps are at their core: independant, willful, unwilling to take outside authority and follow it blindly.

It's that last one that means a lawful personality (not just someone who follows laws, nuetral people do that too) would not be able to mesh alignment with belief. Not in any sane fashion. So the alignment restriction is more of a hint to the players for those players who just didn't quite 'get' that conflict of interest.

3DiO's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2005-06-14
Unbalanced prestige class

Southern_Oracle wrote:
By Clueless's request, here's the updated Indep...

Well, interesting but unbalanced in my humble opinion. Let's take it from the start:
First, one can see that according to the author this is a rogue-like prestige class, concerning BAB, saves and HD. This is quite acceptable because Indeps more closely resemble bards or sorcerers (chaotic nature) and they do not clearly emphasize in martial skills, so they shouldn't progress like barbarians (who are also a bit chaotic).
I do not see, however, how the Ref save requirement fits in. The independency element of the Indep, reflects his mind/will independency and not so much his physical independency, as a Ref save requirement would imply. I strongly agree with the Feat requirement (Iron Will) and I believe the ref save could be substituted by a will save requirement or another feat reflecting will independency (i.e. Skill Focus(Sense Motive)).
"Shield of Individuality" is a good ability, but what does Dex has to do with the application of a spell-like ability? Wisdom yes. Charisma, possible. Intelligence, less fitting, but possible. But DEXTERITY?
"Independent Mind" is also very interesting. However, it shouldn't extend to allowing a saving throw where none would be allowed. Purhaps another ability, named "Impervious Mind" or something could be added giving this potential, but only to a really high-level Indep (9th-10th level).
"Blend in the Backround". This is really something. Excuse my phraseology, but this really goes too far. No extraordinary ability of any prestige class (save epic ones purhaps) should give a character a +20 to any one skill, not mentinoning to three skills! This could rather be substituted by a +2/+4/+6 instead.
That's all, I hope my contribution is not taken as an assault, but rather as a seed in the fertile field of dialog.

0 Bonus for Plain to do
I rolled 1d20+0, the result is 10.
Erik's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2005-03-11
Indep Prestige Class for 3.5

Continuing in a similar vein to 3DiO, I have to say that "blend in the background" is a bit over the top. Possibly only add the bonus when the opposing roll is taking ten?
I also think "shield of individuality" should depend on charisma, as charisma is basically ones' strength of personality.

And, about the whole "chaotic only", wouldn't a lawful character be able to follow his own rules only, and have the belief that other rules applied to other people?

Planescape, Dungeons & Dragons, their logos, Wizards of the Coast, and the Wizards of the Coast logo are ©2008, Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. and used with permission.