10KF, Classes wrote:The Assassin
"
He is a man who would be greatly improved by death."
Precision
An Assassin's special maneuvers require delicate placement and precise timing. In order to gain the
precision required they must spend a certain amount of time aiming, plotting, and gauging possibilities. The action is called "plotting", and can be of variable length. An Assassin may spend a minor, move, or full-round action plotting to build up precision against a single specific target they can see (or otherwise perceive), after which they may use any of their maneuvers that have that much precision minimum or less. The plotting action can be combined with drawing or loading a weapon, but not with moving. Crossbows and poison use are popular among Assassins in no small part because they can spend a move action plotting while still loading their weapon. An Assassin who targets any other creature than the target of their plot loses any built-up precision. If an Assassin has precision against a target and that target leaves their line of sight, all the precision is lost.
The Berserker
"
If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living."
Fury
A Berserker fights by drawing upon deep reserves of strength, which are chaneled through pain, fear, and rage. As the Berserker takes damage or attacks foes, they gain
fury. The Berserker can then spend their fury to activate their abilities. Fury is physically exhausting, and whenever a Berserker gains even one point of fury they will become
fatigued five minutes later, whether they still have that fury or not.
Cleric
"
I speak for powers that be. If thou resistesth me, thou resisteth them."
Patience
A Cleric's magic is drawn from sources mystical and ancient. They may be gods or vestiges of ideals and titans long forgotten. But whatever the source, it is a source that does not have limitless
patience for a Cleric's requests for aid. Whenever a Clerical prayer invokes a magical effect, that prayer cannot be used for a certain amount of time afterward. The patience limit is different for different prayers, and how recently one prayer has been used does not affect how long another one will become unusable after it is next called upon.
The Druid
"
When we have learned to listen to trees, to mountains, to the sky itself, we will have learned to listen to ourselves."
Spirits
Druids have special relationships with totemic
spirits. Each spirit represents some totemic ideal such as "Oak" or "Thunder". When a Druid calls to the spirits as a minor action,
one of them will answer. Which one answers is randomly determined from among those that the Druid has a pact with each call. Each spirit has powers that it makes available to the Druid until the beginning of the Druid's next turn. As a Druid rises in level, the powers that each totem spirit provide are enhanced.
The Elementalist
"
There is not anything that returns to nothing, but all things dissolved into their elements."
Channeling
Every Elementalist draws power from two elements, but the strength of their connection to these forces ebbs and flows. The process of attempting to get as much elemental power as possible is called
channeling. Each turn, an Elementalist may spend a minor action to channel, and in doing so rolls one die for each of their elements (either rolled in sequence or rolling dice of two different colors to represent the two elements). At first level, those dice are d4s, but as Elementalists become more powerful they roll larger dice. An Elementalist rolls a d6 for each element at level 3, a d8 for each element at level 5, a d10 for each element at level 7, and a d12 for each element at level 9. Powers within an element are ordered and can be activated only if the Elementalist has channeled enough power in that element on that round. If an Elementalist of Fire and Air channels a 2 for Fire and a 3 for Air, they may activate an Air power of rank 3 or less and activate a Fire power of rank 1 or 2.
If an Elementalist elects not to channel on a turn, they may still use rank 1 powers of their elements. Elementalists may channel while they are not in combat, and by taking ten rounds to channel, may guaranty a maximum result, allowing them to use any power available to them given time.
The Elements
Understanding the ways of magic and the formation of the universe is notoriously difficult and is often considered to be amongst the "big questions" that will never truly be answered. At different times in history, schools of thought have pinned the number of elements at four or five, differing markedly as to what those were. Current magical theory includes space for seven elements, merely collecting all the non-overlapping elements from the magical books of fallen empires and ancient cities. There is no reason to believe that future elementalists will not discover more.
The Enchanter
"
There are those who call me..."
Discharge
An Enchanters magic is imbued into objects or people over a period of several minutes. While a spell is charged into something it provides an ongoing benefit. A charged sword might make the wielder slightly stronger or a charged belt might make the wielder slightly tougher, for example. When an enchanter sets up a charge, they choose a buff effect and a spell effect. At a later point in time, an Enchanter may
discharge their spell into something in line of sight of the charged item by spending a standard action while they are within line of sight of the charge (both the Enchanter and the target must be in line of sight of the charged item, but they need not be in line of sight of each other). When the spell is discharged, it takes effect but the item is no longer charged and no longer provides any special benefit. As an Enchanter goes up in level, the number of charges they may have going simultaneously increases.
The Hero
"
The people who we fight have heroes of their own. Let's hope ours are better."
Feats
A Hero's
feats can be used at any time, any number of times, and in any order. Any feat the Hero has learned can be used at will.
The Illusionist
"
Of course
it's an illusion. What good does that
knowledge do you?"
Spell Preparation
An Illusionist can prepare a number of spells into their spell slots by spending five minutes with a spell book getting their tricks ready. Each spell can be used once before the next time the Illusionist prepares spells.
The Marshal
"
Victory requires no explanation. Defeat allows none."
Tide of Battle
A Marshal is at their best when they see an opportunity and seize it. During the swirl of melee or the clashing of arms, it is virtually impossible to predict what opportunities might arise. Maybe an ogre will stumble out of position, allowing an ally to slip behind it if the opening is called to their attention, maybe an ally will be in harm's way of the ogre's hammer unless a timely warning is called out. A Marshal
could give any orders, shout any warnings, offer the most fascile of advice. But the actual battle orders that will make a difference are entirely situational. Each turn of a battle (or other perilous situation where initiative has been rolled), a Marshal's player will randomly generate which Battle Orders are potentially useful that round at the beginning of their turn. At first level, generate a Warning, one Tactic, and one War Cry each turn. A higher level Marshal has more options at their disposal each turn. Outside of combats, Marshals may not use their Battle Orders, though they may still use Strategems.
The Monk
"
We do not rise to the level of our expectations. We fall to the level of our training."
Styles
Consumate martial artists, Monks practice many forms and have several
fighting styles available to them. Each style a Monk knows has associated maneuvers within it that can be used once while the style is being used. At the start of battle, a Monk may begin fighting in a specific style as a free action in their first turn, but thereafter changing or adopting a style is a full round action. A Monk is free to "change" their style into the same fighting style they were already using in order to be able to reuse maneuvers in the same combat - this represents the character adjusting their fighting style to match their opponents' adapting to the moves they've already used. Monks are fully capable of using their fighting styles outside of combat if they want to use their combat maneuvers in another context.
The Necromancer
"
Life flows through all things. Where it flowed in the past, it can flow again."
Essence
A Necromancer powers their magic and imbues their minions with their own
life essence. Any minion or magical power has a minimum amount of essence to function at all. If insufficient essence is placed into a power it cannot be activated and its ongoing effects are nullified until sufficient essence is placed into it again. If a necromantic minion has insufficient essence to power it, it cannot act until it gets enough essence again and is helpless in the meantime. Essence beyond the minimum can be assigned to powers and minions up to a maximum total increase in any one equal to the Necromancer's level. The Necromancer's pool can be redistributed once per round as a minor action. As a Necromancer rises in level, they have a larger pool of essence to distribute. When the Necromancer is wounded (half hit points), they lose a quarter of their essence, which if they have already allocated their essence is lost from the Necromancer's powers and minions. Lost essence returns (unallocated) if they are no longer wounded. If a Necromancer is incapacitated (zero hit points) or killed, they lose another quarter of their essence. Any minions still active after a Necromancer is slain go on an uncontrolled rampage.
The Paladin
"
Courage is the greatest virtue. It allows you to stand up for all the others."
Inspiration
Paladins often throw themselves into battle with nary a heed to the consequences, because they have a purpose which is larger than they are. Though a Paladin can use their abilities an unlimited number of times per day, they have a limited number of abilities that are "ready" at any given time. Further, the Paladin relies upon the flash of divine or fanatical inspiration in battle and does not have full control over what abilities can be used at any given moment. The Paladin can change what maneuvers they have readied with five minutes of prayer and planning, but
each round the Paladin randomly determines which abilities are "available" from among their readied abilities. The abilities are determined randomly at the beginning of the Paladin's turn, and continue to be available until the beginning of the character's next turn.
The Psion
"
In the long run, the sword is always beaten by the mind."
Power
A Psion has a number of
power points which rises as they go up in level. Manifesting a psionic discipline costs a number of power points. More potent disciplines cost more and weaker disciplines cost less. Some psionic disciplines can be manifested to a greater effect in exchange for a higher psionic point cost. For example: every target past the first affected by Nightmare World increases the power point cost. A Psion regains power points over time (1/10th of their total every minute).
The Rogue
"
You have taken the bait. This is already over."
Catches
A Rogue's tricks require susceptible targets. While there is no specific limit to how often a Rogue can use their abilities, each trick has a set of requirements for when it can be used at all. These requirements are collectively called
catches. If a trick's catches have been fulfilled, that ability can be used. Some tricks have multiple catches connected by "and" or "or". These are importantly different! For example: the fundamental trick "Sneak Attack" that all Rogue's have has as its catches that the proposed target must be
either be flanked
or impaired
or be unable to detect the Rogue. If any of these three conditions are met, the Rogue can use Sneak Attack against that target. On the other hand, the defensive trick "Misdirection" has as its catches that the Rogue be threatening an enemy
and be being attacked by a
different enemy. In order to use Misdirection, the Rogue must fulfill both catches at the same time.
Sorcerer
"
All things are linked."
Backlash
When a Sorcerer casts spells they risk being hurt by
backlash. Every Sorcerer spell has a backlash number, and when a Sorcerer casts it they roll their resistance. Every point their resistance roll falls short of the backlash number, the Sorcerer takes a point of damage. Some of a Sorcerer's spells can be cast for greater effect in exchange for a higher backlash number. For example: every additional target past the first adds to the risked backlash of Chain Lightning.
The Warlock
"
Everyone knows that power has a price. But I know what that price is."
Price
A Warlock's most powerful magic drains their own life energy in order to use it. A Warlock can use their cantrips and minor invocations without fear, but to use their major arcana requires that they pay a
price. The prices of each major arcana are listed
The Wizard
"
It's only real magic if it's still magic after you've seen how it is done."
Spell Memorization
A Wizard has a number of spell slots that they can fill with individual spells by spending an hour pouring over their spellbook. Once a spell is memorized into one of their spell slots, it can be cast an unlimited number of times until the next time the Wizard memorizes spells.
