Building Bhakashal - Classes - The Justiciar
Image by Alexandra Semushina at Artstation
When adapting paladins for Bhakashal I wanted to separate them from their medieval context, and connect them to the setting in a more specific way. Justiciars in the city serve a Noble House and the god of that Noble House. Their powers derive from the god in question.
Justiciars dispense justice on the orders of their houses, including fighting monsters loose in the city, challenging fighters from Houses that oppose theirs, settling disputes within the House before they are taken to the arena, protecting the helpless members of their Houses and maintaining the laws of the City and the House within House Ward. It is a tradition in the city that all justiciars start as warriors in the city arenas. Very rarely they are sent on quests for their Houses outside the city, however all Justiciars are sent for a period of a month or so to patrol the Raosks at some point as an initiation.
There are Justiciars present in all city Wards, they serve as local adjudicators of disputes, they certify challenges made in public (e.g. when a Lord challenges another Lord in public, a Justiciar is called to certify the challenge and record it). Local Justiciars are known for their fairness and impartiality and are intimately familiar with the laws of the city. A justiciar who lies, plays favorites or does not keep their word find their powers desert them. Their power comes from serving their god and their Noble House.
A high level Justiciar is present in every ward as a form of judge, known as the Ward Justiciar, only issues that go beyond the local justiciars, ranking officers or warlocks with the city patrols are referred to the Ward Justiciar for final adjudication. Many justiciars work so that one day they will preside as Ward Justiciar over the Ward of their House.
Statistics
Ability Score Minimums - STR 12 WIS 13 CHR 17
Weapon Proficiency Profile - As Slayer
Weapons/Armor - Any
XP Progression - As Paladin
HD: d10
Abilities
1. Detect Lie - Justiciars are empowered to dispense justice in the name of their god, to aid with this they can cast detect lie and detect intent at will at a 60’ radius
2. Divine Favor - The favor of their deity gives them a +2 on all saving throws
3. Divine Protection - Their deity protects them from extraplanar and summoned/conjured creatures as the Justiciar emanates a Protective Circle 1’ Radius at all times
4. Diving Healing - A Justiciar is empowered to protect the innocent and just, and as such can heal 2 hp per level per day on themselves or others.
5. Holy Weapon - All Justiciars have a holy weapon, this weapon allows them to channel the power of their god in their quest for righteousness. A 1st level Justiciar is generally given their weapon by their mentor. It will be the finest quality weapon of its kind and if their god has a favored weapon the Justiciar will take that weapon for their holy weapon. They must take their first weapon proficiency slot in that weapon. All future improvements to that weapon listed below occur outside of the weapon proficiency progression and regular additional weapon proficiency slots may not be spent on it.
At 1st level the Justiciar is +1 to hit / +1 to damage with their holy weapon
At 3rd level the Justiciar can hit creatures only hit by +1 magical weapons with their holy weapon
At 5th level the Justiciar gets 3/2 rounds with their holy weapon
At 7th level the Justiciar is +2 to hit / +2 to damage and can hit creatures only hit by +2 magical weapons with their holy weapon
At 9th level the Justiciar gets 2 attacks per round with their holy weapon
At 11th level the Justiciar is +3 to hit / +3 to damage and can hit creatures only hit by +3 magical weapons with their holy weapon
At 13th level the Justiciar can Heal once per day with their holy weapon
At 15th level the Justiciar is +4 to hit / +4 to damage and can hit creatures only hit by +4 magical weapons with their holy weapon
6. Spending Hit Points - All creatures in Bhakashal can use up to 1/4 of their HP as “luck points” that can be used to change their rolls (to hit, damage, saves), they may use these at any time, but cannot spend more than 1/4 of their HP in doing so. Once they have spent this 1/4 of their HP total they cannot spend any further until they have healed up fully.
Justiciars are not limited to spending 1/4 of their HP as “luck points”, they can spend any amount of their HP to do so.
7. Special Mount - Justiciars must be mobile to serve their deity, and at 5th level all Justiciars receive a prophetic dream that tells them of the location of their special mount. In Bhakashal their mount will be a giant lizard (MV:12”, HD:5, NA: 3, DA:1-4/1-4/3-12 (CCB). This mount will be 100% loyal and will fight for the Justiciar to the death.
8. Special Creed - Each Justiciar serves a god, and that god will have several domains. The Justiciar will receive a special creed from their god when they are called to serve related to one or more of those domains. That creed must be adhered to carefully or they will find their power wanes. For a minor violation the Justiciar will lose one of their abilities, determined randomly, for a week. For a more significant infraction they will lose two of their abilities, determined randomly, for a week. For a major infraction that is flagrantly against their creed, a Justiciar will lose their powers entirely and become a regular mercenary until they complete a quest on behalf of their deity.
Example deities and creeds include:
1. Murla – god of Creation, Life, Water - Creed: preservation of innocent life
2. Torphak – god of Death, Animals, Storms, Disease – Creed: destruction of undead
3. Rjam – god of Courage, Skill in Combat - Creed: courage in battle
4. Poniar – god of Plants, Earth, Spring, Growth - Creed: preservation of plants
5. Jannak – god of Time - Creed: protection of the elderly/aged
6. Olapp – god of Fertility, Growth, Healing - Creed: aid and protection for the sick
7. Usam – god Cunning, Deceit, Thieves - Creed: outwitting opponents
8. Bhamal – Beauty, Music - Creed: preservation of the beautiful
9. Iospha – Fire - Creed: renewal through destruction, cleansing by fire
10. Worlu – god of Purification - Creed: destruction of aberrations/monsters
10. Special Creed Power - The Justiciar will receive one spell like power associated with their creed, at 1st, 5th, 7th and 9th level. The 1st level power will be equivalent to a 1st level spell, the 5th level power to a 3rd level spell, the 7th level power to a 5th level spell and the 9th level power to a 6-8th level spell. The spell can be from any class, and will work as an at will power once per day.
Example Special Creed Powers
Murla
1st level - Create Water
5th level - Water Breathing
7th level - Airy Water
9th Level - Control Weather
Torphak
1st level - Invisibility to Undead
5th level - Speak with Dead
7th level - Systra’s Scintillating Sun Wheel
9th Level - Restoration
Rjam
1st level - Strength
5th level - Haste
7th level - Bissandrith’s Glorious Myrmidon
9th level - Hammer of the Gods
Poinar
1st level - Pass Without a Trace
5th level - Plant Growth
7th level - Pass Plant
9th Level - Wall of Thorns
Jannak
1st level - Sanctuary
5th level - Remove Curse
7th level - Commune
9th level - Regenerate
Olapp
1st level - Cure Light Wounds
5th level - Cure Disease
7th level - Raise Dead
9th level - Reincarnation
Usam
1st level - Change Self
5th level - Suggestion
7th level - False Seeing
9th Level - Veil
Bhamal
1st level - Divad’s Beautification
5th level - The War Drums of Konnigut the Damned
7th level - Minnemar’s Whisper to a Scream
9th level - Otto’s Irresistible Dance
Iospha
1st level - Burning Hands
5th level - Fire Shield
7th level - Wall of Fire
9th level - Chariot of Sustarre
Worlu
1st level - Purify Food and Drink
5th level - Dispel Magic
7th level - Dispel Evil
9th Level - Holy Word
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