New PrC: The Martyrs

This is the stripped-down version of the PrC; in particular, it has only minimal cool names or flavor text or anything that would make this interesting. I'd like to see what people think about the systemic challenges of the class before I noodle any further.

ETA (7/18/05): This is the latest revision of the Martyr. A little more shape, a little more care, a few revisions and a few new abilities. I think the roster of powers is pretty much complete at this point; all that remains is to more carefully describe the existing ones and ultimately given them all cool names As noted elsewhere, feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Agnus dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem
- Mass for the dead

We have grown used to beauty without horror.
- Andrew Hudgins

BEARERS OF THE BROKEN FLESH (aka Martyrs)

GAME INFORMATION

Bearers of the Broken Flesh, better known as Martyrs, are those who have devoted themselves to taking the pain and suffering of others. Many are outright pacifists; some are crusaders of the faith; all are tougher than almost any blood a basher has ever met.
Hit Die: d12.

Note: Clerics and Paladins may freely cross-class with Martyrs.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Martyr, a character must fulfill the following criteria:
Alignment: Any good.
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Healing 8 ranks.
Feats: Endurance, Iron Will
Spells: Ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells.

Class Skills

Dex: Escape Artist
Con: Concentration
Wis: Heal, Profession (apothecary, doctor/chirurgeon/sawbones), Sense Motive
Int: Craft (alchemist), Knowledge (religion), Knowledge (planes), Spellcraft
Chr: Bluff, Diplomacy

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Restrictions

Foreswear Healing: A Martyr may never be magically healed by any being of less than deific might: not cure, not heal, not wish, nothing. Neither potions nor alchemy nor psionics may get around this restriction. He receives no temporary hit points and may never get fast healing. He may also not be raised or regenerated, though he may be resurrected.

If the Martyr has any levels of Cleric, he permanently loses one of his domains and gains the Martyr domain (see below) instead. The Martyr gains spontaneous casting of all spells in the Martyr domain but loses the ability to spontaneously cast any other divine spells from the designated class if it had such an ability. A Martyr may only cast his half class level in levels of healing spells -- i.e. spells in the Healing domain -- per day. A 7th level Martyr could, for example, cast cure light wounds three times or cure serious wounds once.

Transferring Damage: [Not a restriction as much as a definition.] The Martyr has many ways of taking other's damage upon himself; damage taken in this way is known as transferred damage. The most basic version of this is Selfless Laying of the Hands (see below) and there are also spells like Shield Others. As a general rule, resistances and protection applies only to damage as it is being delivered; if the damage has already been taken by the subject, only Damage Resistance (see below) will intervene.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor proficiency: Martyrs gain no proficiency with weapons or armor.

Spells and Caster Level: The levels of Martyr stack with the base divine caster class (pick one if there is a choice; this is known as the designated base class) for purposes of both spells per day and caster level. They do not confer any benefits upon the base class beyond this, however.

Self Healing (Ex): A Martyr may heal himself with a DC 15 Healing check, as per the skill. This counts as rest instead of light activity provided the Martyr is only tending himself, but requires bandages, salves and the like.

Cleansing Trance (Su): Once per week, the Martyr may enter a trance that purges and heals his body of most of the damage that has been accrued to it. Provided he remains uninterrupted for an entire day, he may do one of the following:

• Heal a number of hit points equal to half his total.
• Cleanse his body of all poisons and natural diseases.
• Cleanse his body of all magical diseases.
• Remove all ability damage.
• Heal all ability damage from one ability.
• Attempt to break any hostile spells that have been laid on him: the Martyr gets another saving throw against every effect still acting on him by the end of the day.

At 5th level, the Martyr may choose two of these effects with repetitions allowed; thus he might pick full healing (heal half the hit point twice), or heal half and purge magical diseases, or whatever.

Selfless Laying of the Hands (Su): As per the Paladin skill of the same name, but instead of healing the wounds the damage is transferred to the Martyr. This damage cannot be reduced by Damage Resistance (see below).

The Martyr cannot use this ability to damage undead. He may, however, forego 10 points of healing to transfer to himself any natural poison or disease, or forego 20 points to transfer any magical poison or disease; at 6th level, this is functionally the same as curing the illness.

Immunity to fear (Ex): By experiencing the necessity of pain, a Martyr gains immunity to all sources of fear, both magical and natural.

HP +n: At each level beyond the first, the Martyr gains a certain number of hit points per level. [Half the class level, rounded down.] This is in addition to his Constitution bonuses, if applicable.

Immunity to non-lethal damage (Ex): By 2nd level the Martyr's body has toughened considerably and non-lethal damage simply has no effect. This does not apply to damage transferred from other sources.

Bonus fear: At every even-numbered level the Martyr may choose a bonus feat from the following list provided he meets the prerequisites: Combat Casting, Strong Mind (+3 on saving throws v. Psionics and mental attacks), Seriously Improved Toughness (+3 hp immediately, +1 hp/level for every level thereafter), Faster Healing (see Complete Warrior; basically adds 50% to natural rate of healing), Great Fortitude, Greater Fortitude (+2 to Fortitude saves, stacks with Great Fortitude), Adamantine Will (+2 to Will saves, stacks with Iron Will), Improved Grapple.

Energy Resistance (Su): At 2nd level the Martyr gains resistance 5 + class level against any one type of energy. At 4th level he make pick a different one.

Raise Level I (Ex): At 2nd level, a Martyr who has been seriously injured becomes stronger and more secure in his faith, gaining bonuses to his caster level when casting spells and additional Wisdom bonuses to both his Will saves and his caster DCs. Neither bonus confers additional benefits beyond the stated. The effects are summarized on the table below, with level bonuses first and Wisdom bonuses second:

Health
Class level 100% 75% 50% 25% 0 to -10 hps

1st +0/+0 +0/+0 +0/+0 +0/+0 +0/+0
2nd - 3rd +0/+0 +0/+0 +1/+0 +1/+0 +1/+1
4th - 6th +0/+0 +0/+0 +1/+0 +2/+1 +2/+1
7th - 9th +0/+0 +1/+0 +2/+1 +3/+1 +4/+2
10th +0/+0 +1/+1 +2/+2 +4/+3 +6/+4

For example, an 8th level Martyr who has been reduced to less than a quarter of his total hit points has +3 to his effective caster level (so functionally has a +11 bonus to his base caster level) and +1 to his Wisdom bonuses on both Will saving throws and his caster DCs.

Damage Resistance n (Ex): At 3rd level the Martyr may, if he chooses, reduce all damage he receives by 1 point every time he is damaged. This applies to any source including transferred damage except that of Selfless Laying of the Hands, unlike regular DR or reduction. At 6th level this rises to 3 points of damage and at 9th level this rises to 5 points of damage per injury.

Immunity to massive damage (Ex): At 3rd level the Martyr's body has toughened still further and he is now immune to the effects of massive damage.

Redirect I (Su): At 3rd level the Martyr may redirect any ranged, targeted spell or spell-like effect to hit himself provided he is otherwise a legitimate target of the spell. This effect may be used three times per day and must be declared before saving throws or damage are rolled; the Martyr must also be aware of the spell for it to be redirected. If the spell has multiple targets, the Martyr may redirect all of the spell's effects at a single target towards himself. If the target is unwilling to have the effect redirected, the Martyr must make a Will save against DC 10 + (1/2 spell level) + target's Will modifier to accomplish the redirection.

For example, if an enemy mage casts magic missile with two bolts striking Fred and three bolts striking Ethel, Mary the Martyr may redirect the two bolts striking Fred or the three bolts striking Ethel, but no other combination. Likewise, if Bob is struck by two different effects at the same time -- say by a beholder's gaze -- Mary may only redirect one of the two. Finally, if the evil cleric casts bull's strength on his minion

Note: If you are playing with psionics, this may also be used to redirect manifestations or psi-like effects.

At 8th level the ability improves: the Martyr may now redirect any spell or spell-life effect to hit himself, irrespective of range or targeting. The only requirement is that Martyr must have line of sight on either the caster or the target. This effect may now be used 3 times per day + his Wisdom bonus (minimum 4) and need be declared only after saving throws have been made. If the spell is an area of effect, the Martyr becomes the center of the new spell; if the spell has multiple targets, the Martyr may redirect any number of them to strike himself as a single use of this power.

Immunity to pain and stun (Ex): At 4th level the Martyr has toughened still further and is now immune to all damage or effects due to pain and is likewise immune to stunning effects.

Reduce ability drain (Ex): As another sign of their inner steel, at 4th level a Martyr gain reduce the effects of ability drain. Every time a Martyr suffers ability drain he may make one saving throw per ability drained, using Fortitude for Strength, Constitution and Dexterity, and Will for Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. The DC of the save is 10 + spell level + (1/2 class level or monstrous HD of caster of effect). If the save is made, that point of ability drain is instead taken as a point of ability damage.

Indestructible (Ex): At 5th level the Martyr becomes immune to the effects of negative hit points. This means that he neither becomes disabled nor dying until he keels over dead at -10 hit points.

Transferrance Amplifier (Su): At 5th level the Martyr can now transfer twice as much damage as usual in any spell or spell-like effect.

Immunity to poisons and diseases (Ex): At 6th level the Martyr is now immune to all poisons and diseases, normal and otherwise.

Immunity to death effects (Ex): At 7th level the Martyr is now immune to any and all death effects.

Spell Resistance (Su): At 7th level the Martyr gains SR 8 + character level.

Glorious Ending (Sp): At 7th level, upon dying the Martyr's earthly remains detonate in a wave of spiritual energy. All subjects within 100' suffer the effects of a holy smite spell cast at the Martyr's character level with two key differences: the DC for the saves against damage is increased by the Martyr's class level and the DC for the save against blindness is increased by the Martyr's character level.

Prevent ability damage (Ex): At 8th level the Martyr has now attained levels of resistance that are unmatched. Every time he suffers ability damage he may make one saving throw per ability drained, as per reduce ability drain above, with DC 20 + spell level + (1/2 class level or monstrous HD of caster of effect). If the save is made, no ability damage is suffered. This does not stack with the effects of reduce ability drain: ability damage cannot be prevented in this way.

Reciprocity (Su): At 9th level the Martyr gains the ability to let others share the wonders of his pain. Once per day he may pick up to half his character level in targets provided they are within 50' of him; line of sight is not necessary provided he knows where the targets are. For a number of rounds equal to his Charisma bonus, any damage taken by the Martyr is also taken by the targets. This applies to all sources of damage, even self-inflicted or transferred damage, before Damage Resistance is applied.

Efficient Transferrance Amplifier (Su): At 10th level the Martyr can now twice as much damage as usual in any spell or spell-like effect while taking only the original amount of damage. This replaces (i.e. does not stack with) Transferrance Amplifier.