Okay, to not have the software get upset, this is broken up into smaller parts. The explanation is first with the Athar templates as example.
The Scalable Template
The Scalable Template was designed to accommodate as many people as possible. To achieve that end, I have taken as many elements I could possibly combine and incorporated them into the design of a flexible template that could satisfy even some of the staunchest critics. The decision to use the template as the basis of the factions allowed me to free up prestige classes to serve as the niche elements that keep a faction running through their particular focus on the philosophy each group inhabits.
Although the prestige classes and the feats are presented elsewhere, a few are listed in the templates to show how modular this system really is.
The Template
Since the focus on game play in 3e is balance, the official line is that faction abilities are feats that may be purchased by the characters in place of the choices in the Player's Handbook. So, how do you determine who's an Athar and who's a Dustman? The empty template effectively solves this problem. This template imparts no changes to the character other than appending the faction name to him. With this name, the character may select future feats and prestige classes dependent on the faction the character belongs to. This also helps to prevent players form taking faction feats designed for other factions.
As mentioned earlier, the template is scalable. It was designed this way for players who want to maintain the feel of the original setting. To effect that end, there are four features to the scalable template that differ from the standard template, all of which are optional:
• Rank: Each faction has 4 ranks to designate the strength of the factioneer's beliefs.
• Belief Points: For people who wish to use a system to quantify a factioneer's strength of conviction, and thus status of power in belief.
• Drawbacks: For their deep-seated convictions, the members of a faction have distinct flaws that cause a hardship they have chosen to bear.
• Belief Limits: If you wish to limit the power of faction/sect abilities, you may place restrictions on their use. This is a variant rule that presents one solution and is not a statistic line on the template while the previous items are.
While the latter three lines are initially filled out, you are free to ignore them. All other lines of the template are empty. The guidelines that follow will help you to expand the faction templates as needed for your campaign and keep them equally powered at the same time.
Feats
You may find the templates to be underpowered or overpowered as your campaign dictates. To augment the templates to fit your ideal Planescape campaign, you can add or remove feats as desired. Since feats are the official method, every faction ability has been turned into a feat. The first three feats added to the template increases the character's ECL by +1 per feat. Each additional feat increases the character's ECL by +2. This is a cumulative effect, meaning that any feats gained by obtaining a higher rank count against this total. The reverse is also true. For every feat removed, lower the ECL by -1 for templates with 3 or fewer feats, and by -2 for every feat removed from a template with more than 3 feats.
Rank
Faction rank is in this edition predominantly a function of politics. This refers to the 2nd Edition view that dictated faction powers by rank. Again, it's a feature designed to enforce restrictions on feats in this version. Optionally, you can use them to recreate the factions of the previous edition. All 60 faction ranks are presented in 3e terms to include balancing changes later on in this section. For a few factions, this means new ranks and powers were added.
Also, with the ranks, you can distinguish who's a namer (someone who names himself as a member) and a Namer (someone named by the faction as a member), and thus who truly is dedicated to the faction's ideals.
The unique aspect to the ranks in the scalable templates is that they stack with previous abilities unless noted otherwise, but the character's faction name remains unchanged for purposes of feats and prestige classes generally available to the members.
Belief Points
This line is included for people who prefer a trail-by-fire approach to gaining faction ranks. Using this line is a way to encourage role-playing as a form of demonstrating the character's conviction. As such, it's suggested that you should apply this variant only if your players and you are comfortable with awards strictly dependent on aspects that lie outside the scope of the game rules. Anything that comes from this variant is arbitrary at best.
For those of you who don’t like the idea of using belief points, you may substitute them with XP instead. Treat each belief point as 500 XP. Thus, a 1st level character who wishes to join a faction has spent ½ of the XP needed for advancement. When you include all of the points a character spends in this way to achieve the rank of factol, it’s the equivalent of a character 2,500 XP short of 9th level. This is a great sacrifice on the part of the character indeed! DMs may wish to restrict rank advancement by requiring the character to be able to save the XP points without reaching level advancement before another rank can be gained. As an example, to reach the rank of factotum, the character must be at least 3rd level.
Drawbacks
As part of the original design of the factions, drawbacks assess a penalty for such strong convictions. The higher the rank, the greater the strength of the drawback. Each faction has a drawback that intensifies with greater convic-tion. As they are unique to the faction, all details concerning the drawback are given in the faction's description.
Belief Limits
When you use this rule, you are assuming that the powers the templates grant come from the planes themselves. As such, the belief-fueled powers can only be used on the Outer Planes by Namers without any affects. Usage on the Astral Plane changes the time unit to the next larger value (hours become days, days become weeks, etc.). On the Inner Planes, the time value shifts yet again. Factotums only feel this effect on the Inner Planes, demonstrating their commitment to their faction's beliefs. Factors & Factols are immune to this effect.
You may allow a Will check to avoid this effect with at DC of 20 for the first shift and a DC of 25 to ignore the second shift (this roll is made with a DC of 25 regardless of the outcome of the first roll).
What of the sects based on the Inner Planes? Apply the effect in reverse. For sects on the Astral, you have to choose which group of planes receives one shift and which one receives a double shift. For example, you could rule that Astral sects have their abilities shifted once on the Outer Planes and twice on the Inner Planes.
So, why was this variant rule created? The reasoning behind it is that DMs who don't wish to increase the effec-tive levels of the PCs can use this as a means to not only regulate the strength of a character's beliefs, but as a means to show the hardships and struggles one must undertake to reach the highest rank of a faction through the strength of conviction. This helps the novice and expert DM alike who are running a Planescape campaign keep the powers of the factions from being abused. Prestige classes, unfortunately, are hard to strip a PC of as the skills and abilities of the prestige class stem from training more than anything else that may factor into the character's choice to assume that prestige class.
The Athar
Defiers. The Lost. Call them what you will, berk. These cutters have the audacity to stand against the powers themselves. A body with some sense in his bone box is peery enough to know that if they're not in the dead book, they must know something.
'Course, like everyone else, they claim they know the dark of the multiverse. Trouble is, this claim has some validity to it. See, they don't accept the powers as true gods. However, their clerics can still use magic. That leads a body to wonder just what the Defiers know. If there's an answer, they're willing to share it only with new members.
Another odd curiosity for such a group is that they don't force their beliefs on others. That's not to say they won't tell a body what they think about the "false gods," but rather a way to draw the curious the curious to them. The Athar then inform their audiences about the true nature of the powers. To most, it's just barmy screed spewed from the mouths of a few turncoats upset about this power or that not granting them their every wish.
It's true as far as factions go, the Athar are one of the smallest. They're also full of bitter folk who feel cheated, lied to, or were taken advantage of by one of the powers. While they're small, they've got enough bodies to keep track of the other churches through espionage and a few contacts outside the faction. While typically nonviolent, the
Athar do have teeth and will use them to protect mental and physical territory.
What the Athar will tell you about the powers is this: if they're divine, why do they need followers, and why do their priests need gold from their followers? Can't the powers provide these things themselves if they're all-powerful? Thus, the "divine" nature of the powers is an affront to what the Athar believe is the true divinity hidden beyond the veil of our perceptions. The fraudulent gods are the one obstacle blocking the Athar from proving their beliefs.
As it stands, the Athar are fighting a defensive war of words and seem to be content distributing tracts on the false divinity of the gods. They pay an army of scribes to mass produce their weekly tracts; each week containing a different message from the last. The Harmonium, Mercykillers, and the Fraternity of Order look down at these publications, but no physical damage has been caused to warrant any attention from anyone but the Harmonium.
For now though, the Athar share a common bond with the Believers of the Source that the gods aren't the true powers of divinity. It's a strange alliance that baffles most outsiders. For the Lost, it's a way to bide their time until their collected proof is irrefutable.
Keep in mind that the Athar aren't looking to end up in the dead book. They are against the powers' fraudulent claims of divinity. This doesn't mean they don't respect their might. Only a complete barmy would do something that soddingly stupid.
Defier templates use all the base creature's statistics and special abilities unless noted otherwise.
Namer
Belief Point Cost†: 1
Special Attacks: None.
Special Qualities: Athar gain a SR 25 against the following faith-based spells: abjure, augury, bestow curse, curse, divination, enthrall, exaction, holy word, and quest.
Saves: as base creature.
Abilities: as base creature.
Skills: as base creature.
Feats: as base creature.
Drawbacks: A faith-based priest cannot aid members of the Athar in any way. Extreme circumstances may allow a priest to break this unspoken ban, but no Defier would accept the aid anyway, making the appropriate Saving Throw to avoid all spell effects (DC 20 + spell level + caster’s bonus for relevant ability).*
Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature.
Organization: Same as the base creature.
Challenge Rating†: Up to 3 HD, same as the base creature.
3 HD to 7 HD, same as the base creature +1.
8+ HD, same as the base creature +2.
Treasure: Same as the base creature.
Alignment: Same as the base creature.
Advancement: Same as the base creature.
Anathon (factotum)
Belief Point Cost†: 10
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Anathon receive a +4 bonus to all saves against priest spells cast by clerics, proxies, or servants of a deity. This also applies to spell-like powers of all celestials & the fiends who serve a deity. Aanathon also gain a SR 30 against the following faith-based spells: abjure, augury, bestow curse, curse, divination, enthrall, exaction, holy word, and quest.
Banishment (Sp): When four Anathon form a ring around a deity's servant, they can concentrate for one full round to banish the creature. This spell-like power only works against creatures who serve a specific deity. It functions like the 7th-level arcane spell of the same name with all members being at least 4th-level. The banished creature returns to its deity's realm and must possess a total HD or levels equal to no more than twice the combined levels of the four Anathon. This power is rarely used and is the faction's most prized ability. This counts as one standard action.
Petitioners who fail their saving throw are banished to their deity's realm for a year. Servant creatures of the deity that fail their save are banished to their deity's realm for a month. Proxies banished in this fashion are constrained to their deity's realm for a week. If the circle includes more than 4 Anathon, a -2 is applied per Anathon beyond 4 to the target's saving throw.
Abilities: as base creature.
Skills: as base creature.
Feats: as base creature.
Drawbacks: A faith-based priest cannot aid members of the Athar in any way. Extreme circumstances may allow a priest to break this unspoken ban, but no Defier would accept the aid anyway, making the appropriate Saving Throw to avoid all spell effects (DC 15 + spell level + caster’s bonus for relevant ability).*
Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature.
Organization: Same as the base creature.
Challenge Rating†: Up to 3 HD, same as the base creature +1.
3 HD to 7 HD, same as the base creature +2.
8+ HD, same as the base creature +3.
Treasure: Same as the base creature.
Alignment: Same as the base creature.
Advancement: Same as the base creature.
Factor
Belief Point Cost†: 20
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Factors gain a SR 35 against the following faith-based spells: abjure, augury, bestow curse, curse, divination, enthrall, exaction, holy word, and quest. Factors of the Athar learn the special technique known as obscurement.
Obscurement (Su): With this technique, Factors are nearly invisible to the deities and their minions. Anyone of a faith-based religion, including the deity and divine servants, casting priest spells or using spell-like powers to lo-cate or uncover information about the Athar factor have a DC of 30. The following arcane spells & spell-like abilities are also affected: detect evil, detect invisibility, ESP, know alignment, locate object; clairaudience, clairvoyance; magic mirror; contact other plane; sending; ensnarement, legend lore; demand, and foresight. This ability also counters these priest spells and spell-like abilities: augury; detect lie, divination, reflecting pool; magic font; find the path; exaction.
This is a passive ability that's always in effect.
Abilities: as base creature.
Skills: as base creature.
Feats: as base creature.
Drawbacks: A faith-based priest cannot aid members of the Athar in any way. Extreme circumstances may allow a priest to break this unspoken ban, but no Defier would accept the aid anyway, making the appropriate Saving Throw to avoid all spell effects (DC 10 + spell level + caster’s bonus for relevant ability).*
Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature.
Organization: Same as the base creature.
Challenge Rating†: Up to 3 HD, same as the base creature +3.
3 HD to 7 HD, same as the base creature +4.
8+ HD, same as the base creature +5.
Treasure: Same as the base creature.
Alignment: Same as the base creature.
Advancement: Same as the base creature.
Factol
Belief Point Cost†: 30
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: The factol gains a SR 40 against the following faith-based spells: abjure, augury, bestow curse, curse, divination, enthrall, exaction, holy word, and quest.
The factol of the Athar learn the special technique known as improved obscurement.
Improved Obscurement (Su): The Athar factol has proven how much belief he has in the fraudulent claims of the gods. As such, all effects of Obscurement are improved to the point that the spells and spell-like powers fail ut-terly when the factol is the target.
Abilities: as base creature.
Skills: as base creature.
Feats: as base creature.
Drawbacks: A faith-based priest cannot aid members of the Athar in any way. Extreme circumstances may allow a priest to break this unspoken ban, but no Defier would accept the aid anyway, making the appropriate Saving Throw to avoid all spell effects (DC 5 + spell level + caster’s bonus for relevant ability).*
Climate/Terrain: Same as the base creature.
Organization: Same as the base creature.
Challenge Rating†: Up to 3 HD, same as the base creature +4.
3 HD to 7 HD, same as the base creature +5.
8+ HD, same as the base creature +6.
Treasure: Same as the base creature.
Alignment: Same as the base creature.
Advancement: Same as the base creature.
*The worship of the Great Unknown is not counted as a faith-based belief that this drawback covers. The Athar themselves have clerics who follow this religion, therefore anything cast from these priests are not subject to the effects of any Athar Drawback/Special Quality.
The Guiding Hand
This fraction of the Athar argues that the quickest way to shatter the deceitful hold of the powers is to gently guide the masses of poor sods who've been duped by one god or another. Surprisingly, this good-aligned group works on members of like-minded powers. They claim that these berks have been bobbed worse than anyone else. This makes them a conundrum in action. How these bloods manage to maintain their beliefs without breaking is a wonder.
The Guiding Hand is a relatively new fraction that came into being with the admittance of Factol Terrance. Their work is delicate and follows the lighter mood of the factol. And most interestingly, they are one of the most successful recruiting units in the faction. This is attributed to their comforting ways. Most sods who come to the Athar through this group are the greatest adherents to their beliefs. Most claim it's because they've replaced one faith with another. With such growing influence in the faction, many wonder if this will be the new face presented to the multiverse.
The Shouters
Many of these Athar are amongst the most jaded members of the faction. The shouters take up the self-appointed task of taking their edicts to the street. They wait a respectable distance outside of the churches and shout their beliefs to all adherents of that faith how their clergy and god have peeled them time again. Even here amongst the dead, their power is confined by the number of followers they can milk.
Shouters also go out of their way to distribute the faction's tracts to the masses in places that many other Athar normally wouldn't venture. As Sigil is neutral ground, they spend a great deal of time wandering the main thoroughfares frequented by every being with knowledge of the Cage as well. These berks are quite canny and openly oppose the factol's stance on a passive approach. However, they do respect his methods insofar as they've enhanced and expanded the faction recently. However, this doesn't mean they're willing to wait on Terrance forever. The shouters openly debate the faction's current and necessary course.