Bloodline hound

[graham anderson]

I have done a little work on the bloodline hound prestige class but can't get an acceptable balance for the class. I am finding it quite difficult with the limited focus of the class. With that in mind I am going to post a number of possible abilitys and a couple of possible prestige classes. I am looking for other abilitys that might fit, alterations to suggested abilitys and other possible directions for the prestige class.

the prestige classes I was working on had two focuses one very mage based and one part mage part tracker.

Possible Abilitys:

Track scion : +10 bonus on checks to track a scion

Spell focus(bloodline based spells)

No spell components required for the casting of the bloodline based spells

Mimic blood ability (minor 4th lev , major 7th, great 10th) : At minor you can mimic a minor blood ability once per day. the same for major and great. Some abilitys don't apply you can't mimic invulnerabilty for instance.

suppress bloodline : as per the spell once per day

Spell like effects as free actions: know bloodline derivation, know bloodline strength, know cerilian origin

Sense the blooded: Automatic chance to detect the blooded in a set radius

Immunity to blood abilitys: immunity to character reading , charm aura, detect lie , detect illusion, detect life, divine aura, fear, persuasion, wither touch.

Blood enhancement : temperarily increase a blooded individuals bloodline strength

Enhance blood ability as per the spell:



I will put the prestige classes I have been working on up once I can drag them out of the mess that is my bedroom.

[Osprey]

Make Track Scion a bonus of +1 per class level, this works better with 3.5 numbers in general (and will give a +10 only after achieving 10 levels in the class).

Make Detect Scion an ability usable at will, but that's slightly more balanced than automatic detection.

Suppress Bloodline would be nice to have more than once per day, at least at higher levels. After all, the target gets a save, so there's a fair chance it won't work anyways.

[graham anderson]

Thanks osprey I think you are right and track scion should be +1 per level beggining at first level.

I agree detect scion usable at will is more ballanced as well.

Suppress bloodline could begin at 1 time per day and increase to 3 times per day or simply start at 3 times per day. It could vary depending on which level you want to give the bloodline hound the ability.

[graham anderson]

The mage based class (this is very rough at the moment a number of the abilitys will need to be defined better or just defined)

Requirements: arcane spell caster

Alignment :any
Skills :knowledge (bloodlore) 8
Feats : any metamagic feat


Class Skills: Concentration , knowledge (any) , profession (any) , spellcraft , scry , alchemy, Gather information , disguise

skill points at each level: 4 + int modifier


Base att / fort / ref / will / special
+0 +0 +1 +1 spell focus (blood), No spell components required for the casting of the bloodline based spells, +1 lev of existing class
+1 +1 +1 +1 sense the blooded, +1 lev of existing class
+1 +1 +2 +2 supress bloodline 1/day, +1 lev of existing class
+2 +1 +2 +3 mimic blood ability (minor), +1 lev of existing class
+2 +1 +2 +3 Immunity to blood abilitys, +1 lev of existing class
+3 +2 +3 +4 suppress bloodline 2/day, +1 lev of existing class
+3 +2 +3 +4 mimic blood ability (major), +1 lev of existing class
+4 +2 +4 +4 Blood enhancement, +1 lev of existing class
+4 +2 +5 +5 supress blood ability 3/day , +1 lev of existing class
+5 +3 +5 +5 mimic blood ability (great), +1 lev of existing class

Weapon and armour proficiency: no additional.

[Osprey]

Right off, I'd say a special blood-type ability PLUS a level of spellcasting every level is awfully powerful.

It might be more balanced to give them a blood-related ability every odd level, and a spellcaster level every even level. This will free you up to put a lot more power/usefulness in the class abilities.

In general, the prestige classes that grant a level of caster each level tend to grant very little else. The Eldritch Knight grants a fighter's BAB and one high save, but only d6 hit die (and that's it, really). The Arcane Trickster is a bit more loaded, but has poor BAB and only 4 skill points per level.

Using the Arcane Trickster as a base comparison, you COULD keep the 1 caster level per PrC level, but you'd have to be very careful to limit the power of the class's special abilities. I certainly wouldn't grant a class ability more than once every other level in this case, and maybe even less new powers if those abilities get stronger with levels.

[graham anderson]

It is very rough at the moment. I tend to take a prestige class that is as close as I can get to what I am going to create and then alter it. The 4 +int is probably to high and should be changed to 2+int.

Mimic blood ability used to be a fourth level spell and can mimic a great ability so I don't realy think it is too powerfull but I will need to write up a list of abilitys that cant be mimiked like invulnerability. This should maybe depend upon knowledge bloodlore. Mimic blood ability no longer exists in the brcs oh well I looked at doing this before I had a copy of the brcs.

the mimic blood abilitys should probably be 1/day abilities. You can use your mimic major ability to mimic a minor ability etc.

I don't know about changing the ability to one every two levels some of the classes like elemental savant has +1 class and 1-2 ability or improovements to levels.

It just depends on how powerfull you view the abilitys to be. I will do a bit of experimenting and see what people think here maybe if they turn out to be to powerfull on the levels where you gain the mimic abilitys you don't gain +1 level.

[graham anderson]

Bloodline hound tracker mage(this is very rough as well and is based of the nentyar hunter)

Requirements: arcane spell caster

Alignment :any
Skills :knowledge (bloodlore) 8, search 8 ,
Feats : track, alertness, combat casting


Class Skills: Concentration , knowledge (any) , profession (any) , spellcraft , scry , Gather information , disguise , hide , listen, move siliently , spot

skill points at each level: 4 + int modifier

hp: d6 a level

Base att / fort / ref / will / special
+0 ______+1__ +2_ +1 __track scion
+1 ______+2__ +2_ +2 __sense scion
+2 ______+2__ +3_ +2 __Spell like effects as free actions: know bloodline derivation, know bloodline strength, know cerilian origin
+3 ______+3__ +4_ +2 __supress bloodline 1/day
+3 ______+3__ +4_ +2 __immunity to blood abilitys

spells per day:
1st / 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th
2
2____1
3____2____1
3____2____2___1
3____3____2___2___1

Weapon and armour proficiency: proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armour but not sheilds.

I will do the spells available to them latter on but they will be bloodline based ones maybe with a few tracking based ones.

[destowe]

Perhaps give automatic ranks in Use Magic Device, as long as the item is blooded.

This would let them imitate another derivation to use its powers.

Maybe +2 ranks to start with +1 per level and either the CHA bonus, or Bloodline. Not sure which would be better or if both should be used.

If both abilities are used, do not let the character use the regular UMD if they have ranks. It is either the learned from other classes or the special ability.

[graham anderson]

Blood spells:

Know bloodline derivation
Know bloodline strength
Know cerilian origin
Mask bloodline
Disguise bloodline
Mimic Blood ability
Enhance blood ability
Supress blood ability
Suppress Bloodline

[graham anderson]

Sense scion:

Range: 60feet
Duration: at will
Saving throw: none

You can sense the blooded as with detect evil the amount of information reveiled depends on how long you study an area.

1st round: Presense or absense of the blooded
2nd round: The number of blooded individuals
3rd round: The strength and location of each individual. This is only general information great , major or minor bloodline.