Wood Elven Warden

Herein are gathered all the threads about those creatures that stalk our nightmares and against whom are characters must battle!
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Kaiser_Kris
Ungern
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 7:00 am

Wood Elven Warden

Post by Kaiser_Kris »

Wood Elven Warden:

For the Wood Elves, the forests are not merely their home, or their source of sustenance, it is their entire being. Virtually any wood elf would gladly lay down their lives to protect their home forests and other sacred glades, and it is in this deeply-rooted culture of nature worship that the Warden has arisen in. Something of a compromise between Ranger and Druid, the Wardens have much of the martial prowess of a Ranger, with the additional benefit of limited use of nature magic. Whereas a human Ranger is more of a protector of the people inside of a natural environment, a Wood Elven Warden is a guardian of nature itself and her wrath is directed towards those that would despoil it, whether it be foul magic, unholy beings or simple destructive greed.

Wood Elven Warden: (Wisdom)

Hit Dice: d8

BAB Progression: As Ranger/Paladin

Weapons Allowed: Any non-metal

Armour Allowed: Any non-metal

Alignment: Any neutral

Racial Restriction: Wood Elves only

Experience Point Progression: As Paladin

Class Features:

Animal Empathy: Wardens are capable of communicating with animals and making Charisma checks for diplomacy and intimidation with them as they would for humanoid creatures. The extent of this interaction is limited by the limited understanding of the animals they speak to.

Divine Spells: Wardens gain the use of a limited number of divine spells, and receive bonus spells for high Wisdom scores, much like the druids they work so closely with. Wardens choose spells from the Druid list.

Level 1: 2 orisons, 1 1st-level

Level 2: 2 orisons, 2 1st-level

Level 3: 3 orisons, 2 1st level

Level 4: 3 orisons, 3 1st level, 1 2nd level

Level 5: 3 orisons, 3 1st level, 2 2nd level

Level 6: 4 orisons, 3 1st level, 2 2nd level

Level 7: 4 orisons, 4 1st level, 3 2nd level, 1 3rd level

Level 8: 4 orisons, 4 1st level, 3 2nd level, 2 3rd level

Level 9: 4 orisons, 4 1st level, 3 2nd level, 2 3rd level

Level 10: 5 orisions, 4 1st level, 4 2nd level, 3 3rd level, 1 4th level

Level 11: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 4 2nd level, 3 3rd level, 2 4th level

Level 12: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 4 2nd level, 3 3rd level, 2 4th level

Level 13: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 4 2nd level, 4 3rd level, 3 4th level, 1 5th level

Level 14: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 4 3rd level, 3 4th level, 2 5th level

Level 15: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 4 3rd level, 3 4th level, 2 5th level

Level 16: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 4 3rd level, 4 4th level, 3 5th level, 1 6th level

Level 17: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 5 3rd level, 4 4th level, 3 5th level, 2 6th level

Level 18: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 5 3rd level, 4 4th level, 3 5th level, 2 6th level

Level 19: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 5 3rd level, 4 4th level, 4 5th level, 3 6th level

Level 20: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 5 3rd level, 5 4th level, 4 5th level, 3 6th level

Level 21: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 5 3rd level, 5 4th level, 4 5th level, 3 6th level

Level 22: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 5 3rd level, 5 4th level, 4 5th level, 4 6th level

Level 23: 5 orisons, 5 1st level, 5 2nd level, 5 3rd level, 5 4th level, 5 5th level, 4 6th level

Level 24-25: No new spells, but caster level advances.

Conceal, Track, Move Silently, Scale, Survival: As Ranger

Ascension Power: At 20th level, Wardens gain a permanent bonus based on an animal aspect. Other aspects may be made up as well.

Eagle Aspect: +2 Dexterity, ability to see invisibility twice per day.

Wolf Aspect: +2 Strength, gain enhanced smell, +5 cold resistance

Bear Aspect: +2 Constitution, use d4 for unarmed damage, can do lethal damage

Owl Aspect: +2 Wisdom, low-light vision upgraded to darkvision, +2 to general knowledge checks.

Lion Aspect: +2 Strength, +2 to saves against fear, +2 to Dexterity checks involving leaping.

Snake Aspect: +2 Dexterity, Immunity to poison

Raven Aspect: +2 Intelligence, learn one extra language and use one arcane cantrip

koralas
Ulthal
Posts: 525
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:00 am

Post by koralas »

I like it!

Only things I would consider changing are adding-

Traps (as a Ranger)

Resist Elements (as druid) at 3rd level

Woodland Stride (as druid) at 5th Level

This would give them some additional skills that would be exceptionally beneficial to protecting the forests.

Also, consider cold-forged weapons such as a hammer, sickle, dagger, etc. Or provide some rules for hardening other natural substances. Or generate new weapons, such as the Macuahuitil of the Aztecs. Basically a wooden club fitted with a number of Obsidian blades. It was most effective when swung to embed the blades and then pulled back using the blades like a saw to inflict greater damage. Perhaps damage could be as a d6, with a two handed version doing 2d6 damage.

Finally, the whole totem thing fits really well, perhaps you could consider

Totem Shape (as druid) at 10th level

Large Totem Shape (as druid) at 15th level

Totem Shape 2x day at 20th level

Awaken Totem Creatures (as Druid Awaken Woodland Servant) at 25th level (Note this is an ability found in the CKG preview)

This I think would also fit with the crazy high xp chart of the Paladin as well.

Kaiser_Kris
Ungern
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 7:00 am

Post by Kaiser_Kris »

koralas wrote:
I like it!

Only things I would consider changing are adding-

Traps (as a Ranger)

Resist Elements (as druid) at 3rd level

Woodland Stride (as druid) at 5th Level

This would give them some additional skills that would be exceptionally beneficial to protecting the forests.

Also, consider cold-forged weapons such as a hammer, sickle, dagger, etc. Or provide some rules for hardening other natural substances. Or generate new weapons, such as the Macuahuitil of the Aztecs. Basically a wooden club fitted with a number of Obsidian blades. It was most effective when swung to embed the blades and then pulled back using the blades like a saw to inflict greater damage. Perhaps damage could be as a d6, with a two handed version doing 2d6 damage.

Finally, the whole totem thing fits really well, perhaps you could consider

Totem Shape (as druid) at 10th level

Large Totem Shape (as druid) at 15th level

Totem Shape 2x day at 20th level

Awaken Totem Creatures (as Druid Awaken Woodland Servant) at 25th level (Note this is an ability found in the CKG preview)

This I think would also fit with the crazy high xp chart of the Paladin as well.

I'm glad that I low-balled the power chart a bit, rather than made it too powerful ... it's always easier to add to a concept than subtract. It's a fairly big part of the concept I'm going for to have the fairly big boosts at level 20 (I also added tentative Ascension powers to the Inquisitor and Arcane Warrior), but the totem shape is definitely something to consider.

The other possibility of course is to forgo the totem shape stuff and round down the XP chart a little bit. I think you're definitely right about the 'utility' abilities like Traps, Woodland Stride and Endure Elements, though. And lest Rangers feel underpowered, I'm going to be reworking the Ranger a bit (removing Combat Marauder, replacing with an animal companion, limited healing and moving Favored Enemy up to early levels), so they'll both have lots to recommend them.

koralas
Ulthal
Posts: 525
Joined: Sun Aug 26, 2007 7:00 am

Post by koralas »

Kaiser_Kris wrote:
I'm glad that I low-balled the power chart a bit, rather than made it too powerful ... it's always easier to add to a concept than subtract. It's a fairly big part of the concept I'm going for to have the fairly big boosts at level 20 (I also added tentative Ascension powers to the Inquisitor and Arcane Warrior), but the totem shape is definitely something to consider.

The other possibility of course is to forgo the totem shape stuff and round down the XP chart a little bit. I think you're definitely right about the 'utility' abilities like Traps, Woodland Stride and Endure Elements, though. And lest Rangers feel underpowered, I'm going to be reworking the Ranger a bit (removing Combat Marauder, replacing with an animal companion, limited healing and moving Favored Enemy up to early levels), so they'll both have lots to recommend them.

Yeah, either works, I just thought the Totem worked well with the 20th Level Aspect... Also, at 25th Level, this is where you are taking them to demi-god status, correct? If so, the Awaken Totem Creature kind of makes sense, as they exercise their new found god-like power in breathing sentience into it.

If you don't have the CKG Preview, this ability basically gives the creature or plant human/elf-level sentience, they can communicate with the druid in her native tongue, gain 2 HD, Max HP, +2 to AC and all damage/saves. The druid develops an empathic bond with the creature, and can have 5xCha worth of HD under their command. So a druid with a 14Cha will have 70HD worth of creatures or plants. There are a limited number of creatures that can be awakened per month based on the level of the druid.

Kaiser_Kris
Ungern
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 7:00 am

Post by Kaiser_Kris »

koralas wrote:
Yeah, either works, I just thought the Totem worked well with the 20th Level Aspect... Also, at 25th Level, this is where you are taking them to demi-god status, correct? If so, the Awaken Totem Creature kind of makes sense, as they exercise their new found god-like power in breathing sentience into it.

If you don't have the CKG Preview, this ability basically gives the creature or plant human/elf-level sentience, they can communicate with the druid in her native tongue, gain 2 HD, Max HP, +2 to AC and all damage/saves. The druid develops an empathic bond with the creature, and can have 5xCha worth of HD under their command. So a druid with a 14Cha will have 70HD worth of creatures or plants. There are a limited number of creatures that can be awakened per month based on the level of the druid.

That is a good idea. I'm probably going to implement 25th level uber-powers, and that might be a good idea for the Warden.

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