Trinity:Trainer
This class is based off of the class found here, as well as the general concept of Pokemon. Before you laugh, however, please read on.
I was intrigued by the concept of a class that captures creatures and forces them to do its bidding. This concept is not unique to the Trainer class - druids and rangers both have animal companions, though that is not their primary focus. Taking that concept, and making it into a class, then, is not all that absurd.
Now, the initial problem with this class is simple - most creatures that would be appropriate companions for a 1st-level trainer are quite useless, especially since the creatures are quite capable of dying. The concept was interesting, but it needed something more to back it up. Not only that, but the base animal handling rules in d20 are quite limited and not suitable for basing an entire class around. Revamping the training rules, however, was not enough to make the class playable, at least in my mind.
Thus, pokemon - as per the creatures found in the game by the same name - entered Trinity. However, I did not want to bring them in without providing a solid background for their existence, nor did I want any of their absurdity or cartoon-like nature in the world. Pokemon are not a separate group of species in Trinity; instead, they are simply specially-bred animals, eventually producing small creatures that do not necessarily have frightening appearances (for reasons that will become clear upon reading the class description), as well as being quite useful in a fight.
Without further explanation, the class.
THE TRAINER Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1 +0 +0 +2 +1 Creature, Control Creature, Train Creature, Lore 2 +1 +0 +3 +2 Craft Meme Crystal, Heal Creature 3 +2 +1 +3 +2 Subtype Specialization 4 +3 +1 +4 +2 Double Team 5 +3 +1 +4 +3 Monster Talk 6 +4 +2 +5 +3 Craft Meme Crystal (Improved) 7 +5 +2 +5 +4 Type Specialization 8 +6/+1 +2 +6 +4 Transfer Control 9 +6/+1 +3 +6 +4 Improved Heal Creature 10 +7/+2 +3 +7 +5 Craft Meme Crystal (Advanced) 11 +8/+3 +3 +7 +5 Out of the Blue, Into the Blue 12 +9/+4 +4 +8 +6 Subtype Specialization 13 +9/+4 +4 +8 +6 14 +10/+5 +4 +9 +6 Type Specialization 15 +11/+6/+1 +5 +9 +7 16 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +7 Out of the Blue (Sudden) 17 +12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +8 18 +13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +8 Subtype Specialization 19 +14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +8 Type Specialization 20 +15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +9 Subtype Mastery
Trainer[edit]
The world of Trinity is a dangerous place. Some, such as the commonfolk, rely upon their well-trained members of their society to defend them from attackers; others are those defenders themselves. However, some societies lack the comfort of walls or homes, always on the move. Halflings, selkies, and even lunari often find themselves almost always on the move or lacking stable fortifications. While the more aged among their people may be able to fend off an attack, their children are not always so able. Thus: the trainer.
In times past, when the halflings were under attack from prophet moths, they sought a manner of assistance from the gnomes. The gnomes gifted them with knowledge of the blue, of learning to use the abilities of monsters. However, this was ill-suited for the halflings' intentions: they needed a weapon, easily wielded, with which they could arm their children. Taking the lessons taught to them from the gnomes, however, the halflings devised a new idea: rather than learn the abilities of monsters, capture the monsters themselves, and ensure that they could only fight what they were directed to.
The halflings devised a new method of interacting with the blue, which they called meme crystals - small items that were capable of storing a creature or item in the world's memory, such that it could be summoned back at any time. They then began capturing small monsters of Sarteri and training them, then giving the meme crystals in which the creatures were stored to children, instructing them to only use them in dire need. As they grew older, the children were taught the ways of the gun, and passed their meme crystals on to the children that came after them.
Some halflings, however, decided not to become gunslingers, and instead focused on raising the monsters they had been gifted with. Through trial and error, they determined that some creatures were better-suited to some abilities; they devised a basic understanding of genetics, and began breeding creatures to attain desired traits: small, but ferocious, with unalarming appearances so that children would not be frightened to use the creatures.
Centuries have passed since then, and trainers are still relatively rare - but not unheard of. The way of the trainer has spread throughout the world, and though it is often thought of as the path of cowards, it is a welcome relief to those who must fight but have no formal training.
Game Rule Information[edit]
Trainers have the following game statistics.
Force Alignment: Blue.
Force Resistances: TO 5 + level, CO 5 + level.
Abilities: Dexterity is important to a trainer, as - in order to capture new creatures - they must be agile enough to accurately throw a meme crystal. Charisma is also important, as a more powerful personality allows them to more successfully exert control over creatures.
Hit Die: d6.
Class Skills: The trainer’s class skills are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Speak Language, Survival (Wis), Spot (Per).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Age: As a rogue.
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10gp.
Favored By: None.
Class Features[edit]
All of the following are class features of the trainer core class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Trainers are proficient with all simple weapons, nets, bolas, boomerangs, harpoons, shuriken, and whips. Trainers have proficiency with light armor, but not with shields. Trainers are considered proficient with using any bludgeoning weapon they are normally proficient with for inflicting subdual damage (thus, they do not suffer a -4 penalty to attack rolls when attempting to inflict subdual damage with any bludgeoning weapon they are proficient with).
Control Creature (Bl): A trainer can have a number of creatures in meme crystals equal to her Charisma Modifier be controlled. A controlled creature behaves like a summoned monster when released from its meme crystal, and is essentially under the control of the trainer. A trainer cannot control a creature whose CR is equal to or greater than the trainer's class level. An uncontrolled creature will act as it sees fit, possibly going on a rampage, running away, or simply sleeping until it is returned to its meme crystal. Furthermore, creatures of the Dragon type are harder to control than other creatures, and use twice their CR (or their own CR + 4, whichever is less) to determine whether they will obey the trainer. A controlled creature cannot use any abilities that would summon other creatures.
Creature: When setting out, a trainer is usually gifted - by whoever trained him - with one of the rare, specially-bred creatures produced by the halfling caravans. Such creatures are specifically bred to be small and vicious, but rather docile towards their masters. The trainer may choose a single creature from the following list; he begins play with that creature in his possession.
(list will be added later)
Characters who multiclass into the trainer class do not benefit from this ability.
Train Creature: (This will be figured out later)
Lore: As per the Learner ability.
Craft Meme Crystal: At 2nd level, a trainer becomes capable of crafting his own meme crystals. Constructing a meme crystal requires one hour, supplies worth 100 gp, and 8 XP; a meme crystal is considered a blue item for purposes of force resistance. A meme crystal is used as a thrown weapon, and is treated as a ranged touch attack, with a range of 20 feet; if it hits, the creature takes 1 point of subdual damage per trainer level of the character who constructed it. If this damage is enough to knock the creature unconscious, it is captured by the meme crystal. The act of activating a meme crystal so that it is ready to capture a creature is a Blue ability.
Once a meme crystal has captured a creature, the meme crystal takes a mental "snapshot" of the creature, before it is sent into the Blue; this is so that, when the meme crystal is activated once more, it is able to retrieve the creature from the world memory. This information becomes imprinted into the meme crystal when it first captures a creature.
A meme crystal is incapable of capturing creatures that have an Intelligence score of 3 or higher - the imprinting process is too complicated to allow for a thinking being to be imprinted. In addition, a meme crystal is also incapable of capturing a creature that has already been imprinted into a meme crystal: the method by which the meme crystal retrieves a creature from world memory makes it impossible for two objects to both refer to the same creature in memory.
At 6th level, the trainer gains the ability to construct improved meme crystals. Crafting an improved meme crystal requires supplies costing 1000 gp, and 80 XP to construct. When an improved meme crystal strikes a creature, it deals 1d4/trainer level points of subdual damage, rather than 1/trainer level.
At 10th level, the trainer can craft the most pure form of meme crystal, advanced meme crystals. Crafting an advanced meme crystal requires supplies costing 2500 gp, and 200 XP to construct. When an advanced meme crystal strikes a creature, it deals 1d8/trainer level points of subdual damage, rather than 1/trainer level.
Heal Creature (Ta): A trainer gradually becomes able to heal creatures in the world memory, by using her own memories. By spending a full round action, a trainer can attempt a Heal Check (DC 15) to either convert all regular damage suffered by the creature into subdual damage, or to confer the benefits of 1 day of rest to the creature (2 hit points per HD, 1 day's worth of repaired ability damage, the recovery of any limited uses/day abilities, and the healing of all subdual damage). This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to 3 + the trainer's Wisdom modifier.
Subtype Specialization: A trainer can choose a subtype which is her specialty. The trainer gains a (+1 / 3 trainer levels, minimum +1) bonus on all Bluff, Handle Animal, Knowledge, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills on or about such creatures. A trainer can choose a second Subtype to be equally proficient with at 12th level, and a third at 18th. A trainer can control one extra creature, which must be of a subtype that she specializes in. Subtypes include: Air, Aquatic, Chaotic, Cold, Earth, Electricity, Evil, Fire, Good, Lawful, Reptilian, and Water.
Double Team: Upon reaching 4th level, a trainer has become adept enough at handling creatures that she is able to simultaneously direct the actions of two creatures she controls. The trainer may only do this if neither creature she wishes to control has a CR greater than her trainer level - 3.
Monster Talk (Ex): As a trainer becomes more experienced with his creatures, he slowly becomes able to understand them. At 5th level, a trainer can issue commands to a creature he controls in its own language, allowing for him to issue complex commands it could not otherwise understand.
Type Specialization: At 7th level, the trainer may specialize in a creature type. This has the same effects as subtype specialization, above, save that it applies to a creature type rather than a creature subtype.
Transfer Control: As a full-round action, the trainer may change which of the creatures within her meme crystals are under her control. She must have all of the meme crystals she is transferring her control to and from in her possession in order to do so.
Improved Heal Creature (Ta): At 9th level, once per day per point of Wisdom modifier (if she has no Wisdom modifier, this ability can be used once per week), a trainer can use her own memories to heal a creature she controls, as per the cleric spell, using her trainer level as her caster level. This ability can be used on a creature out of or stored in a meme crystal.
Into the Blue (Ta): As a standard action, the trainer may store a meme crystal - holding a creature or not - in the Blue, just as meme crystals store creatures in the Blue. She must be holding the meme crystal in order to do so. A trainer may have a number of meme crystals stored in the Blue equal to her Intelligence modifier.
Out of the Blue (Ta): As a standard action, the trainer may recall a meme crystal she has stored in the Blue to her hand. She must have a free hand to do so.
At 16th level, the trainer may recall a meme crystal from the Blue as a free action.
Subtype Mastery: At 20th level, the trainer chooses one creature subtype she has chosen with Subtype Specialization. Anytime she would use a meme crystal on a creature of the chosen subtype, the meme crystal is treated as one grade higher (a standard meme crystal is treated as an improved, an improved as an advanced); an advanced meme crystal used on such a creature deals 1d12/trainer level points of subdual damage, rather than 1d8/trainer level.
In addition, she may control any creature of the chosen subtype, regardless of its CR. She may also control one additional creature of the chosen subtype.
