WoAdWriMo: Day 32?
I has been a hell of a month.
I mean, it would have to be in order to make it to day 32, right?
As predicted, I didn’t finish my WoAdWriMo adventure. I have a good bit done with it, and I am fairly happy with what I do have (but I still need to add a couple of action scenes to the first section based in the town). Will July see it completed? Almost certainly.
Anyway, for those loyal folks who have been staying with me, take a look at the lovely prestige class I wrote up:
Wretched Butcher
Hit Die d8. Requirements To qualify to become a wretched butcher, a character must fulfill all the following criteria. Alignment Any evil. Skills Intimidate 7 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks. Feats Skill Focus (Intimidate) Special The character must kill someone and mutilate their corpse as an example to others. Class Skills
The wretched butcher’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex). Skill Points at 1st Level (4 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
The following are class features of the wretched butcher prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The wretched butcher is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons, as well as with the whip. Cutthroats are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.
Table: The Wretched Butcher
| NPC Level |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Horrific attack, Atrocious strike +1d6 |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Horrific insight, Friend to Fear |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Sustained Horror, Atrocious strike +2d6 |
| 4th | +4 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Wretched Tableau |
| 5th | +5 | +4 | +1 | +1 | Virtuoso of Terror, Atrocious strike +3d6 |
Horrific Attack (Ex)
A wretched butcher who makes a successful attack upon an opponent may attempt to demoralize that opponent (via the intimidation skill) as a free action.
Atrocious Strike (Ex) A wretched butcher learns to take advantage of the fear others feel for him, and is able to strike demoralized foes for extra damage.
The wretched butcher’s melee attack deals extra damage any time he strikes a foe who is suffering from the shaken, frightened, or panicked conditions. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two class levels thereafter. Should the wretched butcher score a critical hit with an atrocious strike, this extra damage is not multiplied. An atrocious strike cannot be used with a ranged attack. If used with an attack that deals nonlethal damage, the extra damage dealt is lethal. Horrific Insight (Ex) A wretched butcher who studies a victim for at least 1 minute may make a Sense Motive check with a DC equal to 10+the victim’s Will Save. If the wretched butcher succeeds, he may add his Intelligence bonus to his Intimidate checks against that victim for 1 day. Friend to Fear (Ex) At second level, a wretched butcher may substitute an Intimidate check for his Will Save against all fear effects. Sustained Horror (Ex) When a wretched butcher demoralizes an opponent, she remains shaken for a number of rounds equal to the wretched butcher’s class level. Wretched Tableau (Ex) When a wretched butcher successfully makes a horrific attack, all enemies within sight must succeed at a Will save with a DC equal to the wretched butcher’s Intimidate check or be affected by the demoralization just as the opponent struck. Virtuouso of Terror (Ex) At fifth level, when a wretched butcher successfully attacks an opponent he has already demoralized, that opponent becomes frightened for 1d4 rounds.
Not bad at all, although you might want a paragraph or two of flavour text to nail down the concept.
A couple of quibbles: the section on Weapon and Armour Proficiencies refers to the Cutthroat, rather than the Wretched Butcher.
Also, prestige classes usually have a de facto prerequisite of (at least) five character levels before taking the class—you might want to up the number of required Intimidate ranks to 8.
Thanks. This is still in working-draft form (which is why it wasn’t in the OGC box and stuff). Quibbles are good and welcome.
I was fighting with myself over the 5th level thing. I wanted this prestige class to be usable for an NPC in the adventure – and I didn’t want his CR to be too high… so I made it accessible at a slightly lower than normal level… That isn’t wholly without precedent – you can qualify for Mystic Theurge at 3rd.
The final version will have flavor text, of course. Some of the abilities may end up morphing a bit before that time as well. In particular, I’m thinking that it nears a fear-effect generated by corpse mutilation ability in there somewhere (possibly replacing Wretched Tableau).