3.5 Courtier

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Courtier

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

The courtier’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Games (Varies), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (etiquette, history, local, nobility and royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis) and Tea Ceremony (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Table: The Courtier

Level	BAB	FS	RS	WS	Special
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Wealth, Talent, Style and Grace
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Iron Will
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Gossip
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Courtier ability
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Versatile
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Courtier ability
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Leadership
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Courtier ability, Versatile
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	The Heart Speaks
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Courtier ability
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Versatile
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Courtier ability
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	—
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	The Immovable Hand of Peace
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Courtier ability
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Versatile

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the courtier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Courtiers are proficient with the Tantojutsu group plus one other group. They are also proficient with the wakizashi. They are not proficient with any armor, nor with shields.
Style and Grace: At first level, the courtier receives a +4 competence bonus to Charisma-related skill checks made for social interaction (i.e., not feinting in combat or Iaijutsu Focus checks).
Talent: Beginning at first level, any time the courtier takes the Skill Focus feat, he or she may choose to apply it to two skills, as long as both skills are based on Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma (they need not be based on the same ability). The courtier still may not apply the Skill Focus benefit to a skill more than once.
Wealth: Beginning at first level, the courtier receives a wealth bonus equal to 50 gp per point of Charisma modifier (if positive). They receive this stipend once per year. Courtiers receive a wakizashi (a masterwork short sword) at character creation for free.
Iron Will: The courtier receives this feat for free at 2nd level.
Gossip: Beginning at 3rd level, the courtier gains the ability to search for rumors about a place, item or person that is associated with the Rokugani court. By making a Gather Information check against a DC as shown on the table below, the courtier may learn information about the subject.

	Check Result				Type of Knowledge
	10 or higher				Common, well known to the general populace.
	25 or higher				Known only to a select few.
	30 or higher				Hidden, known only to an elite few.
	35 or higher				Well-kept secret, potential blackmail fodder.
	45 or higher				Incredibly well-kept secret: only the subject
						and perhaps one or two others are aware.
	55 or higher				A secret so well kept that perhaps the subject
						himself is unaware.

This information is not always reliable - any gossip has a 50% + 1% per point of the courtier's Charisma chance to be true. This ability may only be used once per month on any given subject, though it does not prevent regular usage of the Gather Information skill. If used at the Emperor's Winter Court, rumors may be checked about a topic once per hour.
Courtier abilities: Beginning at 4th level and every 3 levels afterward (7th, 10th, etc), a courtier may select one of the following abilities. The abilities are extraordinary abilities and may only be selected once, unless otherwise noted:
The Better Part of Valor: When executing the total defense action, the courtier receives an additional dodge bonus equal to his or her Intelligence modifier.
The Eyes See the Heart: Anyone attempting to lie in direct conversation with the courtier must make a Will save (DC 10 + courtier's Wisdom modifier); if the save is failed, the courtier knows of the lie.
The Eyes Betray the Heart: The DC of all Will saves required by courtier abilities is increased by 2. This ability may be selected twice; its effects stack.
Taunt and Rally: The courtier may take a full-round action to Taunt and Rally. Allies within 30 feet of the courtier are affected as by a bless spell, and one opponent per three levels of the courtier is affected as by a doom spell. With the exceptions noted, both of these effects are as with a sorcerer of level equal to the courtier's class level. This is a mind-effecting, language-based ability.
Voice: Once per day, when making a Diplomacy or Bluff check that involves speaking, the courtier may gain a circumstance bonus to his or her check equal to his or her courtier level.
Weakness Is My Strength: When the courtier makes an opposed skill check based on Charisma, Wisdom or Intelligence, the opponent must use the lowest of those three ability score modifiers to oppose the check. For example, if opposing a Bluff check with Sense Motive, the victim would have to use the lowest of his or her Charisma, Wisdom and Intelligence modifiers in place of the usual Wisdom modifier.
Whisper From the Soul (Sp): Once per day, the courtier may use emotion as a spell-like ability as a sorcerer of level equal to his courtier level. This effect's duration is one round per level. This ability may be selected multiple times; each time grants an additional use per day.
You Life Is Mine (Sp): Once per day per point of the courtier's Charisma modifier, the courtier may use charm person as a spell-like ability against a target with equal or fewer Hit Dice than the courtier. This effect is though cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the courtier's class level. This is a mind-effecting, language-based ability.
Versatile: At 5th level and every 5 levels afterward (10th, 15th and 20th), the courtier receives this feat as a bonus feat.
Leadership: At 9th level, the courtier receives this feat as a bonus feat if he or she does not already possess it. If the courtier already has the feat, his or her Leadership score is instead raised by 3.
The Heart Speaks: Beginning at 12th level, the courtier may always take 10 on Sense Motive checks.
The Immovable Hand of Peace: If the courtier is holding no visible weapons, has no harmful intent and has not yet attacked an opponent during a combat, any intelligent opponent seeking to attack him or her must first succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the courtier's level + the courtier's Cha modifier).