Trinity:Learner

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This class is conceptually based off of the blue mage of the Final Fantasy series.

This class was originally a prestige class written for Living EN World, and can be found in that format here. It took me roughly three years to finalize the prestige class version of this class, and in that time I learned a good deal about the d20 System. While the class presented here is mainly an extrapolation of the prestige class version, there are some modifications that I still need to make.

The Learner

Level	BAB		Fort	Ref	Will	Special			Talents/Day	Talents Known
1	+0		+1	+2	+1	Blue Lore, Method	2		3
2	+1		+2	+3	+2				3		5
3	+2		+2	+3	+2	Special Ability		5		7
4	+3		+2	+4	+2				6		9
5	+3		+3	+4	+3				8		11
6	+4		+3	+5	+3	Special Ability		9		13
7	+5		+4	+5	+4				10		15
8	+6/+1		+4	+6	+4				12		17
9	+6/+1		+4	+6	+4	Special Ability		13		19
10	+7/+2		+5	+7	+5	Improved Method		15		21
11	+8/+3		+5	+7	+5				16		23
12	+9/+4		+6	+8	+6	Special Ability		18		25
13	+9/+4		+6	+8	+6				19		27
14	+10/+5		+6	+9	+6				21		29
15	+11/+6/+1	+7	+9	+7	Special Ability		22		31
16	+12/+7/+2	+7	+10	+7				24		33
17	+12/+7/+2	+8	+10	+8				25		35
18	+13/+8/+3	+8	+11	+8	Special Ability		27		37
19	+14/+9/+4	+8	+11	+8				28		39
20	+15/+10/+5	+9	+12	+9	Method Mastery		30		40

Learner[edit]

A learner

The beasts that inhabit the worlds are many and varied. While magic is capable of mimicking or replicating these effects, it cannot reproduce them all - that is the place of the blue. Those who would wield the blue as a weapon turn to the path of the learner.

The learner's profession is among the most dangerous in all of Trinity. Whereas members of other classes can progress in their respective fields, given time, the learner has only one way to further herself: through combat with monsters. It is dangerous work, but the learner is well-rewarded for her efforts.

Game Rule Information[edit]

Learners have the following game statistics.

Force Alignment: Blue.

Force Resistances: TO 5 + level, CO 5 + level.

Abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma are all equally important to a learner. She gains bonus talents/day based on her Wisdom, bonus talents known based on her Intelligence, and she sets the saving throw DC for her talents based on his Charisma.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills: The learner’s class skills are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Talentcraft (Int).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Age: Moderate.

Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10gp.

Favored By: None.

Class Features[edit]

All of the following are class features of the learner.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Learners are proficient with all simple weapons and light armor, but not with shields.

Talents (Ta): A learner's primary weapon is her arsenal of talents. Talents are abilities learned from monsters; regardless of how a given learner learns these abilities (see Method, below), every learner uses them in the same way. When a learner wishes to use a talent, she must expend a talent slot; all talents require one talent slot.

Using a talent is at least a standard action (if the ability the talent was learned from took longer, then it takes that long instead) and provokes an attack of opportunity. A talent can be disrupted, just as a spell can be ruined during casting. A learner is entitled to a Concentration check to successfully use a talent if she is hit by an attack while concentrating, just as a spellcaster would be. A learner can choose to use a talent defensively, by making a successful Concentration check, to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity. A learner's talents are subject to blue opposition (UO) unless a talent's description specifically states otherwise. A learner's "caster" level with her talents is equal to her learner level. All of a learner's talents have an equivalent spell level equal the minimum learner level to use them. The save DC for a talent (if it allows a save) is 10 + equivalent spell level + the learner's Charisma modifier.

A learner's talents work exactly as specified in the description of the monster ability. If the monster would require a specific item to use the ability, the learner must have that item to utilize the talent; the item works as a spell focus and is not consumed, unless otherwise stated in the monster ability's description. All talents also have a somatic component, and some may have a verbal component dependent on the talent in question (usually specified in the monster ability's description). If the ability does not have a duration listed, or is a continuous ability, the learner's talent lasts for 1 round/learner level.

To use a talent, the learner has only to expend a single use of her talents/day. This is true for any talent she knows.

A learner can only use talents whose minimum learner level she meets. She can still learn any ability on the learner ability list (see below), but she cannot use an ability without having the minimum learner level listed.

In addition, certain talents require a focus; these abilities make note of a specific item the creature the ability was learned from must have, and the learner must attain the noted item from the creature the ability was learned from. The item does not have to necessarily be taken from that specific creature, but it must be a creature of the same kind (for example, to use a trumpet archon's trumpet ability, a learner must have a trumpet archon's trumpet).

Note that a learner can only learn talents from monster abilities that are inherent. An ability gained from class levels or feats cannot be learned as a talent. An ability that is part of a set of abilities listed under "Spell-like Abilities" cannot be learned; only abilities listed as "Ability Name (Sp or Su)" can be learned. Multiple abilities listed under (Su) can be learned, however.

Blue Lore: Learners are well-versed in the nature of monstrosities. As such, she may make a special knowledge check with a bonus equal to her learner level + her Intelligence modifier to see whether she knows some relevant information concerning a monster or learner talent.

Table: Learner Lore

DC 	Type of Knowledge 			Examples

10 	Common, known by at least a 		The weaknesses of lycanthropes; more
	substantial minority of the 		local common learner talents.
	population.
20 	Uncommon but available, known 		The names of specific types of angels
	by only a few people in the area. 	and eladrins; unusual learner talents.
25 	Obscure, known by few, hard to 		The history of a race of monsters;
	come by. 				powerful learner talents.
30 	Extremely obscure, known by 		The history of an ancient, lost race;
	very few. 				talents learned from extinct species.

Method (Bl): Each learner has a particular method she uses to attain the abilities of monsters. At first level, the learner chooses one of the following methods.

Regardless of method, in order to learn a talent, the learner must make a Talentcraft check against the Su or Sp ability’s saving throw DC. If it doesn’t have one, the DC to learn the ability is 10 + one-half the monster’s HD + the monster’s Charisma modifier (if the modifier is less than +0, it is considered +0 for purposes of learning). If the learner succeeds, she learns the talent associated with that ability, so long as she has not learned her maximum number of talents.

If she does not have an available talent slot, she can still learn the talent, though she must switch out a talent she already knows to do so. The learner can do this as a move action; however, she must choose to do so within a number of rounds after she would have normally learned the talent equal to her Wisdom modifier. The learner permanently loses the swapped-out talent, but she can attempt to relearn it normally.

If the learner fails, she does not learn the talent. However, the next time she attempts to learn that talent in the same combat, she gets a +1 competence bonus on her Knowledge check to learn the talent for each time she has failed.

  • Draw: The learner learns her talents through drawing, a process which allows her to pull energy directly out of a monster. As a standard action, a learner may make a ray attack against a single creature within 60 feet. If successful, she may choose one of that monster's abilities; if she has not already learned the talent associated with it, she may attempt to do so. If she knows the talent for the ability she chose, or if she successfully learns it, she gains one temporary talent/day slot, which can only be used for the ability she chose from the monster. These temporary slots last 1 round/learner level.
  • Consume: The learner learns her talents through consuming particularly potent parts of creatures. As a standard action, a learner may attack a creature with a bite attack; this attack provokes an attack of opportunity from the creature. If the learner successfully bites the creature, the learner may attempt to learn one ability from it, as well as deal 1d3 + her Strength modifier in damage to the creature. The learner may also use this ability on creatures that are already dead, though she cannot learn talents from creatures that have been dead for more than 1 minute/learner level. Against a given creature, a learner may only attempt to use this ability 1d4+1 times.
  • Lancelet: The learner learns her talents through a lancelet, a mark of the Blue that allows her to read the creature's memories and recreate its abilities. As a standard action, the learner may expend one talent/day slot to mark a creature within 60 feet. Whenever that creature uses an (Su) or (Sp) ability, the learner may attempt to learn the talent associated with that ability. The lancelet lasts for 1 round/learner level.
  • Observation: The learner learns her talents through observation, using her power of sight to enable her to mimic the abilities of monsters. As a standard action, a learner can watch monsters present within 60 feet. If any of them should use an (Su) or (Sp) ability until the learner’s next action, the learner may attempt to learn the talent associated with that ability. If the learner is attacked with an (Su) or (Sp) ability while observing, she gets a +4 bonus on the Talentcraft check to learn that talent.

Special Ability: As a learner progresses in her training, she gains access to new and unusual applications of the Blue. At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, she gains access to one of the following abilities.

  • Absorb (Bl): Requires the Draw method. When the learner learns a talent via Draw, she may temporarily deny the creature the use of its ability. If the creature fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + learner's Cha mod), it loses access to the ability the learner learned for 1 round/learner level.
    • Soak (Bl): Requires the Absorb ability. If the learner is the target of an ability, she may attempt to learn it. If she does so, the ability is negated.
  • Siphon (Bl): Requires the Consume method. When the learner learns a talent via Consume, she may temporarily deny the creature the use of its ability. If the creature fails a Reflex save (DC 10 + learner's Cha mod), it loses access to the ability the learner learned for 1 round/learner level.
    • Echo (Bl): Requires the Siphon ability. When the learner uses her Consume ability, she may instead choose not to learn a talent. If she does so, she instead gains a number of that creature's (Ex) abilities equal to her Wisdom modifier as temporary talents known for 1 round/learner level.
  • Countertalent (Ta): Requires the Lancelet method. The learner may counter talents and the abilities of monsters in the same manner as a wizard may counter spells.
    • Disable (Bl): Requires the Countertalent ability. When the learner learns a talent via Lancelet, she may temporarily deny the creature the use of its ability. If the creature fails a Will save (DC 10 + learner's Cha mod), it loses access to the ability the learner learned for 1 round/learner level.
  • Resistance (Ex): The learner begins to become more resistant to conditions that would impede her and her ability to learn. She gains a +2 resistance bonus on saving throws against effects that would cause the following conditions: ability damage, blinded, confused, dazed, dazzled, deafened, diseased, exhausted, fatigued, feebleminded, insanity, nauseated, sickened, stunned, and poisoned.
    • Resiliance (Ex): Requires the Resistance ability. As per Resistance, but +4.
      • Immunity (Ex): Requires the Resiliance ability. Choose one of the conditions that Resistance gives a bonus to saving throws against. You become immune to that condition.
  • Conversion (Ta): The learner has mastered the art of converting her powers of memory into a shield to enable her to survive the abilities of monsters. In effect, she gains a DR equal to her Wisdom modifier. Each time this DR prevents damage, she loses one use of a talent. Each time she is dealt damage, the learner chooses whether or not to activate this ability.

Improved Method: At 10th level, the learner gains more advanced understanding of her chosen method of learning talents, or she may expand her horizons and learn another method of learning.

  • Improved Draw: When the learner uses her Draw ability, she instead gets 1d3 temporary talent/day slots which can only be used for that ability.
  • Improved Consume: When the learner uses her Consume ability, she deals 1d4 + her Strength modifier in damage.
  • Improved Lancelet: When the learner uses her Lancelet ability, she may instead target a creature up to 90 feet away.
  • Improved Observation: Using the Observation ability is a move action instead of a standard.

Method Mastery: At 20th level, the learner has gained mastery over her methods of learning. She may choose to improve one of her existing methods, or gain access to another method of her choice.

  • Draw Mastery: When the learner uses her Draw ability, she instead gets 1d4+1 temporary talent/day slots which can only be used for that ability.
  • Consume Mastery: When the learner uses her Consume ability, she deals 1d6 + her Strength modifier in damage.
  • Lancelet Mastery: When the learner uses her Lancelet ability, she may instead target a creature up to 120 feet away.
  • Observation Mastery: The learner has mastered the art of being continually alert. She is now considered observing at all times, and she does not need to take a standard action to observe; however, the maximum range for continual observation is 5 feet/2 learner levels. The learner can still Observe as a move action.