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  1. #1
    Birthright Developer Raesene Andu's Avatar
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    Another submitted prestige class, comments and suggestions welcome.

    Please note, if there are no comments for the classes I am posting, I will assume that they are acceptable and move them forward for voting and inclusion in the atlas, so please have your say now.
    Let me claim your Birthright!!

  2. #2
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    Here are my thoughts on the prestige class:

    1) It requires a bit of a rewrite to improve the english (no offense to the author meant).

    2) I would make it available to all derivations, but in the blurb specify that the substantial majority of Blood Seekers have the derivations currently set as requirements.

    3) I would remove the requirement for Spot and Move Silently skill ranks. Spot doesn't necessarily help to find a blooded scion (although Search might be more appropriate). The class has no "synergy" with Move Silently and the skill proper is just a modus operandi (i.e. sneaking behind the target and whack him) that while useful is not necessarily apply to all. However, I would increase the required number of ranks for Knowledge (Bloodlore) as research would be far more useful in finding and slaying targets.

    4) As for the special requirement, I would modify it that the character simply need have performed usurpation rather than be a non-blooded as well. Afterall, the histories of many scions of Azrai (and a few others no doubt) are that they seek to increase their power (see Gorgon and Swordhawk just to name a few).

    5) Under class skills I would remove spot and listen for similar reasons stated above.

    6) Intuit direction no longer exists in 3.5.

    7) I would add Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) and Knowledge (Religion) to the class skills for obvious reasons. Swim is a fairly common class skill so could be added or not.

    8) I would reduce the number of skill points to (2 or 4)+Int modifier as 6+Int modifier is way too high for the few skills the character has access to, espescially when considering that the author states fighters, paladins and rangers are among the most common classes that take the skill.


    Class features - I would make it a 5 level class instead of a 10 level class.

    9) I'm not sure about the martial proficiencies but I think someone more familiar with prestige classes should weigh in on it.

    10) Ancient Foe should be changed to Favored Enemy (Scion) as the name is a perhaps a misnomer and it duplicates the latter fairly close. It would apply against those with the scion class.

    11) The smite blooded ability looks fine. Mechanically the name should be slightly altered to be Smite Scions and apply to those with the Scion class IMO.

    12) Sneak attack is a bit of overkill with the smite ability. I would remove it altogether.

    13) Exotic Weapon Proficiency is not strongly justified IMO for the class.

    14) Blood Sense and Locate creature are a natural progression. I would make the former be a 1st level ability and the latter a higher level ability.

    15) I don't see the use of the dodge critical ability as not only is it somewhat rare that one gets hit by a critical but it doesn't seem to fit the rest of the class.

    16) Know bloodline is a good ability that fits well with the class. I would name it Improved Blood Sense.

    17) The resist bloodline abilities is also a good fit, but with so few spellcasters in Birthright, the resist scrying is unnecessary.

    18) Devasting strike is again something that is overkill with the smite scion ability.

    19) Few blood abilities demand reflex saves so I would make the saving throw progression either based on Fortitude or Will.


    Class Feature progression would look like:

    1) Blood Sense, Favoured Enemy (Scions)
    2) Smite (Scions)
    3) Improved Blood Sense.
    4) Resist Bloodline abilities.
    5) Locate Scions.

  3. #3
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    I agree with most of Phil's comments. The ten level progression we have here seems to have in mind a particular sneaky/exotic assasin approach. Phils five level progression separates out the essential core that any character that hunts for blood would like. Both are valid approaches, but given the low level nature of BR a five level progression might be a better fit. The five level PrC gives some interesting abilities while the other classes of the multiclass character would determine their hunting style.

    Some more specific comments:
    Blood Sense seems to be a powerful and useful ability. The ability never turns off and has a good 60'+ radius. Also I dont know of a way to duplicate this ability with arcane or divine spells, making this a unique ability. While this is a good ability for a bloodhunting PrC, I dont think it should be a first level ability. It might encourage cherry-picking the first level only of this PrC.
    The locate creature(scion) ability seems a weaker lower level version of this because it is limited to once a day. [although i dont have the PHB on hand to look at its range]

    As to the requirements, I like the non-blooded acension requirement. This class has some powerful innate supernatural abilities. If the acension requirement doesnt exist, then there should be some other requirement which explains how the character got these supernatural abilities. What is to stop any fifth level fighter or ranger from thinking "well, gosh, i fight alot of scions...I think I will become a supernaturally gifted scion killer."?
    Several differnent requirement combos might work thematically and mechanically.
    1. One set would revolve around innate blood thirst coming to the surface as the character becomes more powerful(ie gains levels). Being non-blooded and gaining blood of a particular derivation (Azrai or other gods who are more prone to selfish hunger for power) would work to explain this. Or perhaps a requirement that the character have doubled his bloodline strenght by bloodtheft (which awakens and feeds those primal supernatural abilties).
    If this explaination is used for the classes abilites we also have to consider what happens if the characters bloodline derivation changes to a derivation which doesnt support the class. Does the character loose the abilites of the class or just cant gain further levels?
    2. A second set would revolve around a more academic study or ranger-like focus on scions. Knowledge(bloodlore) 8 ranks, K(nobility) 5 ranks, and K(religion) 4 ranks might work. Then the PrCs abilities could be reclassified as spell-like abilities, which the characters study of scions has discovered.
    3. A third set might revolve more around the assasin aspects of the original ten level progression. High ranks in move silent, hide, k(bloodlore) paired with possesion of a sneak attack ability or worship of goddess of stealth...

    The thing about crafting a good set or requirements is that while many scions in history have lusted for bloodtheft, how many have been prestigous Bloodseekers? The requirements shade the flavor of a PrC class much more than its flavor text, IMO, by establishing the exclusivity of its membership.

    5) Under class skills I would remove spot and listen for similar reasons stated above.
    While your five level progression isnt exclusively built around stealth anymore, spot and listen are general common skills I would leave in the class skills.

    8) I would reduce the number of skill points to (2 or 4)+Int modifier as 6+Int modifier is way too high for the few skills the character has access to, espescially when considering that the author states fighters, paladins and rangers are among the most common classes that take the skill.
    With fighter BAB, d8 hp, and powerful abilities, I also think 6 points is too high. That would make this class so much better than fighter.

    As presented so far, this PrC is a diamond in the rough. Needs work, as i wouldnt vote for it as is.

  4. #4
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    Blood Sense seems to be a powerful and useful ability. The ability never turns off and has a good 60'+ radius. Also I dont know of a way to duplicate this ability with arcane or divine spells, making this a unique ability. While this is a good ability for a bloodhunting PrC, I dont think it should be a first level ability. It might encourage cherry-picking the first level only of this PrC.
    The locate creature(scion) ability seems a weaker lower level version of this because it is limited to once a day. [although i dont have the PHB on hand to look at its range]
    I didn't catch that, good eye. So reverse Locate Scion to first level, then get the ability to detect the derivation and finally be able to sense blooded in proximity.

  5. #5
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    Having played Shadowrun to some extent in the past few weeks, I find that having a well thought out plan is much more useful to get near someone than just stealthing up to the person espescially under the circumstances most notable scions may be found (in castles/manors/keeps). That is why I suggested to include more Knowledge skills to provide characters information that would allow characters to prepare plans for their hits.

  6. #6
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    I pretty much agree with what has already been said.

    I like the idea of the five level progression. Maybe two classes, one for warriors and the other a Blood Assassin.

    I'm also in favor of the non-blooded ascension.

    Track is based on survival checks. Shouldn't survival be a requirement, and therefor class skill?

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