Here are two lists of NPC classes, followed by some considerations.
Please read and comment.
DMG list:
Eberron list:
Magewrights seem appropriate to DS: We can rationalize that their small contigent of spells is due to their long training time in learning spells so they no longer need spellbooks and the fear of being caught that come with those. Another of the athasian adaptations. It would fit well DS, where most junior Alliance members and defiler apprentices would be magewrights, only the big gun NPCs being actual wizards. Only requirement is to rename the magewright, do it differently enough that it can be used even though its not OGC.
Of the DMG list, all seem perfectly appropriate except the adept: Where does it take its power? From minor spirits of the land like for the ranger, or from the elements like for elemental and paraelemental clerics?
In any case an adept spell list should be redone to reflect the spell list changes in DS3, and if the balance goes in the direction of elemental energy, then actual pseudo domains need to be written for the adept, with a few element-specific spells in each element-specific spell list.
What of the adept's familiar? Could the fluff be redone to say its an animal spirit inhabiting an actual animal, not unlike the animal spirits invoked by Gulgs in their adulthood rites?
Also, I believe DS needs a manifesting NPC class (far more than it needs an arcane spellcasting NPC class). My attempt at one is in my sig, the psionicist.
The new NPC classes would appear whole in DS3, and the alterations to existing ones, even in fluff, would also appear in DS3.
Just a suggestion, not stomping on Pennarins contributions and pointed questions re: adept.
So...to fill the time, tell me why you don't like the Aristocrat class and why a modified Noble class would be better?
I like the Aristo and use it in my NPCs. Don't see a thing wrong with it.
Also, I did try once to create a Noble class and posted it on this board, but since then I came to believe that nobility is a state, not a class. Aristocrat is the result of nobility.
I'll try and get Online somwhere between the 25th to 27th to read your position and other goodies, so see ya then!
Back to the whole comparison thing, i guess it's just an issue of playability - Noble class can be both PC and NPC, where as i see Aristocrat as being purely NPC. I'd like to have DS3 with the option of being a Noble, i mean, Agis was a major character and when would be a Psion / Noble or Psion / Aristocrat
Do you still have your noble write up? if so, can you sling it my way?
Christmas Cheers!
Jaanos
Well, since the folk at athas.org are all successful government bureaucrats, lawyers, and judges, they won't have the time to answer this thread before Jan 2nd at the very least!
So...to fill the time, tell me why you don't like the Aristocrat class and why a modified Noble class would be better?
I like the Aristo and use it in my NPCs. Don't see a thing wrong with it.
Also, I did try once to create a Noble class and posted it on this board, but since then I came to believe that nobility is a state, not a class. Aristocrat is the result of nobility.
I'll try and get Online somwhere between the 25th to 27th to read your position and other goodies, so see ya then!
Of the DMG list, all seem perfectly appropriate except the adept: Where does it take its power? From minor spirits of the land like for the ranger, or from the elements like for elemental and paraelemental clerics?
In any case an adept spell list should be redone to reflect the spell list changes in DS3, and if the balance goes in the direction of elemental energy, then actual pseudo domains need to be written for the adept, with a few element-specific spells in each element-specific spell list.
What of the adept's familiar? Could the fluff be redone to say its an animal spirit inhabiting an actual animal, not unlike the animal spirits invoked by Gulgs in their adulthood rites?
Also, I believe DS needs a manifesting NPC class (far more than it needs an arcane spellcasting NPC class). My attempt at one is in my sig, the psionicist.
The new NPC classes would appear whole in DS3, and the alterations to existing ones, even in fluff, would also appear in DS3.
I think the adept could be that manifesting NPC class. In DS it's quite important to notice the source of every supernatural power: life force for wizards, elements for the clerics, spirits of the nature for the druid, inner will for the psion and kind. They are not coming some whacky blurred background, everythign has its logical place. To conserve this IMHO is much more important than to have the adept as a spellcasting NPC class, messing up with everything. Manifesting is more in line with and more common in DS, therefore the adept is more fitting into such role.
Just ask yourself: would you miss the adept from the DS games as NPC class either by rulewise and settingwise? Me no. Rulewise if I want an NPC character with limited spellcasting power I gave 1-2 level in cleric, wizard, or psion, wilder even better. The rest of her levels can come from expert, aristocrat, commoner, whatever if I need her to be higher level for some reason. But in 99% in the cases it's not neccessary to have her higher levels. Settingwise it doesn't ruin the player's sense, as usually they never know what class exactly an NPC has, how can she do what she does, etc. It' not their business, I don't show them the character sheets of NPCs.
I still want the adept to be a divine spellcaster class, because we need a NPC divine spellcaster class, just like we might have a NPC manifesting class in the psionicist, and a NPC arcane spellcaster class in the adaptation of the magewright, if its ever done.
Aristocrat - given that most noble families tend to send their children for psionic training, it might be appropriate to give Aristocrats PPs, maybe even a few powers at higher levels. They should also be explicitly listed as being literate.
Adept - inappropriate as it stands in the DMG. The Adept is meant to reflect the local witchdocter, herbalist, wiseman or healer type that cures the commoners, and their animals too with their hedge magic or voodoo or whatever.
Adept magic should be replaced entirely with equivalent psionic powers instead. I don't think I have ever seen a 'psionic adept' but it sounds like someone has already done this.
Magewright - Inappropriate. Are around in Eberron because magic items are common place. And by magic items I mean not PC items, but the magic trains, planes and all that other fun stuff that allows for Eberron's fantastical magic-tech.
Since magic items are not that common on Athas, I see no justification for a magewright NPC class. There would likely be a Psiwright NPC class for Green Age based games, or even the Last Sea area in modern times, but this is more of an exception I would think than a rule.
regards
Shaun, the cute and fluffy DM
Not everything in DS is about psionics, nor is everyone psionic. The local dirt farmer cannot necessarilly move rocks with his mind or teleport himself from one part of his farm to another.
Those wild talents, when present, are already covered by numerous psionic feats, and feats like Wild Talent or Hidden Talent? Want more? Take another feat like that.
The idea of having NPC classes that are arcane or divine in nature is a pretty simple one: just like there are warriors, commoners, and experts, so there should be divine casters, arcane casters, and manifesters.
Their presence is not a sign of a "magic-rich" or "psionic-rich" setting, on the contrary: it means that whenever a DM wants a psion, cleric, or wizard as an NPC, but wants him to be less heroic than the player characters, he gives them psionicist, adept, and magewright levels respectively.
For example, the Veiled Alliance of a city can now have 50% magewrights instead of 100% wizards, making the organization more in par with NPC organizations described in the DMG.
While I strongly agree about the literacy issues - and those were even present in an early draft of DS3 - the aristocrat class does not need PPs or powers since its not a manifesting class but a social-standing class: the rich, educated, and powerful have levels in it. If you want to give them some training in the Way, use the options I descibed above in this post.
You propose adapting the adept into a manifesting class: its already done, its called the psionicist and is found in my sig. What I was proposing earlier was to keep the DMG adept as is, or after minor changes, so that we can reflect cleric NPCs in the city, for example. So in going into a temple of fire in Raam, one gets healing not from a cleric of fire but an adept of fire, since that temple is an NPC organization. There would be more chances of getting assigned an adept to heal your wounds than a more precious NPC with an actual player character class like cleric.
The same would happen when entering a psionic academy or school.
As for the strange learning method of the magewright, we can simply say that a magewright must have an actual wizard tutor with a spellbook, letting the magewright learn by rote the spells (applying his Spell Mastery class ability) so he won't ever be caught with magical writings. Its actually very appropriate to Athas flavor-wise. A magewright could then teach another NPC to become a magewright by reproducing the arcane symbols in the dirt or sand until the apprentice knows them by rote too.
And what is cool about those NPC spellcasting and manifesting classes is that their mastery over powers and spells never goes beyond 5th-level, and for magewrights their spells known are very limited, so are the number of powers known for a psionicist.
So in all relevant ways, clerics, psions, and wizards are superior to their adepts, psionicsts, and magewrights counterparts.
The main thing I'm reading in what you wrote is "psionics".
Not everything in DS is about psionics, nor is everyone psionic. The local dirt farmer cannot necessarilly move rocks with his mind or teleport himself from one part of his farm to another.
Those wild talents, when present, are already covered by numerous psionic feats, and feats like Wild Talent or Hidden Talent? Want more? Take another feat like that.
The idea of having NPC classes that are arcane or divine in nature is a pretty simple one: just like there are warriors, commoners, and experts, so there should be divine casters, arcane casters, and manifesters.
Their presence is not a sign of a "magic-rich" or "psionic-rich" setting, on the contrary: it means that whenever a DM wants a psion, cleric, or wizard as an NPC, but wants him to be less heroic than the player characters, he gives them psionicist, adept, and magewright levels respectively.
For example, the Veiled Alliance of a city can now have 50% magewrights instead of 100% wizards, making the organization more in par with NPC organizations described in the DMG.
Hmmm, I guess my Athas must be more 'psionic' than yours. The way I see it, magic being the horribly destructive power it is has been culled out of society except in the small number of users currently known as wizards. There are NO dabblers in magic, society cannot afford to have their crops wiped out by someone putting minor enchants onto items. Hence my opposition to the magewright.
Society can afford to have any number of psionic dabblers however.
While I strongly agree about the literacy issues - and those were even present in an early draft of DS3 - the aristocrat class does not need PPs or powers since its not a manifesting class but a social-standing class: the rich, educated, and powerful have levels in it. If you want to give them some training in the Way, use the options I descibed above in this post.
I see no better way to show useless wealth than by giving Aristocrats the ability to dabble in psionics. I stand by my original post that Athasian aristocrats should have some psionics as a default.
You propose adapting the adept into a manifesting class: its already done, its called the psionicist and is found in my sig. What I was proposing earlier was to keep the DMG adept as is, or after minor changes, so that we can reflect cleric NPCs in the city, for example. So in going into a temple of fire in Raam, one gets healing not from a cleric of fire but an adept of fire, since that temple is an NPC organization. There would be more chances of getting assigned an adept to heal your wounds than a more precious NPC with an actual player character class like cleric.
The same would happen when entering a psionic academy or school.
Ummm, you sig has gone away.
Adepts are arcane or divine casters? I am thinking they are arcane, but would have no issue making them divine and altering their spell lists appropriately. If they are divine... Oops, I retract my comment regarding their inappropriateness.
As for the strange learning method of the magewright, we can simply say that a magewright must have an actual wizard tutor with a spellbook, letting the magewright learn by rote the spells (applying his Spell Mastery class ability) so he won't ever be caught with magical writings. Its actually very appropriate to Athas flavor-wise. A magewright could then teach another NPC to become a magewright by reproducing the arcane symbols in the dirt or sand until the apprentice knows them by rote too.
And what is cool about those NPC spellcasting and manifesting classes is that their mastery over powers and spells never goes beyond 5th-level, and for magewrights their spells known are very limited, so are the number of powers known for a psionicist.
So in all relevant ways, clerics, psions, and wizards are superior to their adepts, psionicsts, and magewrights counterparts.
Again, I have issues having half trained defilers clogging up the demographics. IMO, arcane spellchuckers should be rare ie a PC class only. Even at 0.5% of total population (current adepts), that puts something like 100 to 200 1st level arcane wielders in a city, far too many in my opinion.
I still want the adept to be a divine spellcaster class, because we need a NPC divine spellcaster class...
Why do you need it, I still have no clue. So far you only brought up the population table in the DMG. Please forgive me, but it is a very minor thing in the game and it is anyway a guideline only. And the usefulness of it on a post-apocaliptic type of world is very very limited.
If you need a divine spellcaster with limited power make it a low level cleric or druid. Athas is not Eberron, PC classes are not so rare. And because of the overhelming "survival of the fittest" background on the world I would even dare to say that PC classes are even more common than on Greyhawk, FR, etc.
...just like we might have a NPC manifesting class in the psionicist...
As psionic is abundant on Athas that one would fit in the feeling and the background.
...and a NPC arcane spellcaster class in the adaptation of the magewright, if its ever done.
But this one would never fit in. For God's sake, wizardry is hunted, illegal, forbidden and shunned on Athas. Having NPC arcane meddlers is a pure setting-ruiner.
As DMG puts is right, the NPC classes are for the nameless mass, commoners, etc. But on Athas if anybody has any kind of supernatural power it becames more important than that. Valid enough to warrant a PC class. Especially in the case of wizards. Rare, hunted, they are far from the commoner. For psionic it's OK to have a NPC class, as it comes from the background of the world. Than clerics and druids. They gain their power from the elementals and from the Spirit of the Lands. Think in reverse: if you would be the SotL, or the elemental lord, would you give your power to somebody you not consider worthy to be your druid or cleric? I think no. And if you give that power to somebody you consider worthy you made her a full time cleric or druid.
I see no better way to show useless wealth than by giving Aristocrats the ability to dabble in psionics. I stand by my original post that Athasian aristocrats should have some psionics as a default.
I think it's wrong solution. Because if you give it as a class ability it means that EVERY aristocrat has psionic training, which is simply not true.
But to grant for aristocrats a similar cash-gaining ability as described i.e. in the D20 Star Wars at the noble class would be more appropriate, as aristocrat by default is rich. And on a poor world like Athas this ability is very very useful.
Lets invent out of whole cloth a number: 500 arcane spellcasters in any given city. Some are defilers, some preservers, some VA, some apprentices, some very-low level.
I'm not saying add to that number by introducing a new NPC class, but rather say that a percentage of the exisitng 500 are not wizards but NPC arcane spellcasters.
Athas.org has not defined the statistics of NPCs: out of the, say, 5,000 combattants in a city, how many are fighters and how many are warriors?
Mmm, reading your last 2 posts Nagypapi, I think our difference of opinion is one of perception, not of rules. I don't consider a 15th level adept of fire any less worthy of fire than a 15th level cleric of fire. For that matter, such an adept is more "worthy" than a cleric that is not yet able to cast 6th-level spells...
Btw cute_n_fluffy, the adept is a DMG NPC class that casts divine spells and gets a familiar like a wizard. Maybe you should reread the NPC section of the DMG because a part of your post was a bit blurry on adepts.
Btw cute_n_fluffy, the adept is a DMG NPC class that casts divine spells and gets a familiar like a wizard. Maybe you should reread the NPC section of the DMG because a part of your post was a bit blurry on adepts.
Than my mistake. My 3.5-fu has grown weak it would seem.
So, adepts are okay as they are I would think, although their spell lists might be tweaked if a few DS3 spells are appropriate.
A psionic equivalent would also be swell.
An arcane equivalent, ie magewright... well I think I have expressed my opinion on that one already.
BTW Athas is a harsh world, there shouldn't be "lesser Classes", you give your best or you die..... ;)
As stated in EAFW, the elements lack the power to channel divine magic to too many people. Spirits of the land can only have one druid at a time in most occasions (the exception being an old druid at the end of her or his life training an apprentice). Only templars are in large abundance, and they serve the very beings that ruined Athas in the first place.
By this logic, divine magic is fairly rare outside of the templar orders. Logically, the elements and spirits of the land just don't have the magical reserves to empower adepts. In other words, you're either a magic-leeching templar, a cleric of the elements or paraelements, or you're a druidic servant of a particular elemental extension of Athas. You're either totally devoted and fully empowered, or you have nothing.
As for aristocrats, I tend to split the class in two: Aristocrats for the lazy lords sunning in the cities, and the noble class from the Dragonlance Campaign Setting for the types like Agis who go out and adventure.
--hell, I'd make Agis a 4th level noble/10th level psion NB
There was a suggestion to make the DMG adepts get their powers from the same source rangers get theirs: minor spirits. That would make adepts into a druid-like class, and not into a cleric-like one. It becomes the shaman-ranger of the wastes, protecting the tribe.
Its always an option.
I use warriors.
There was a suggestion to make the DMG adepts get their powers from the same source rangers get theirs: minor spirits. That would make adepts into a druid-like class, and not into a cleric-like one. It becomes the shaman-ranger of the wastes, protecting the tribe.
Its always an option.
That is an idea I quite like.
.I don't buy that.
Nagypapi and cute_n_fluffy, I don't understand why you keep refering to NPCs with levels in an NPC arcane spellcasting class as "dabblers" and "meddlers".
If they weren't, they would be normal wizards. But they aren't. Simply as that.
By definition the NPC classes are inferior to the PC classes.Lets invent out of whole cloth a number: 500 arcane spellcasters in any given city. Some are defilers, some preservers, some VA, some apprentices, some very-low level.
I'm not saying add to that number by introducing a new NPC class, but rather say that a percentage of the exisitng 500 are not wizards but NPC arcane spellcasters.
Yayy, that's 500 arcane spellcasters in a city seems waaay to much for my taste, but it's just me.
Mmm, reading your last 2 posts Nagypapi, I think our difference of opinion is one of perception, not of rules. I don't consider a 15th level adept of fire any less worthy of fire than a 15th level cleric of fire. For that matter, such an adept is more "worthy" than a cleric that is not yet able to cast 6th-level spells...
But why would the elements give adept-like power for a worthy, when they can make her a full fledged cleric?
But the point is that we have already Rangers on Athas
Which is simply kept in to be in line with WotC. Most of the community here prefered the spelless ranger.
With the same reasoning we already have psions, no need for a lesser manifester.
I don't buy that.
Just generally: if you have a 2nd level lesser manifester why is it better rulewise than to have a 1/1 psion/commoner or psion/expert?
Please notice the world rulewise: as an NPC the players can't (and shouldn't)notice the difference, so settingwise considerations don't apply here.
But the point is that we have already Rangers on Athas
But the Ranger fills a rather different niche than a divine spellcaster NPC class would. It's not the same, even if they share some abilities.
When athas.org chose to take the 3.5 Ranger without changes, and explained the spellcasting with minor Spirits of the Land, I started considering the possibility of a DS version of the Adept. I've even wrote a description for the class:
"The Athasian Adept
Under the cruel Dark Sun, faith is as scarce as everything else. Among the few who nurture belief in a higher power is the athasian adept, and the subjects of his faith are the various spirits of nature: the animistic spirits of the land, the spirits of animals that hold symbolic significance to him and the spirits of his ancestors. Through his connection to the land, the adept is able to instinctively tap into its power; in return for prayers, the adept is granted wisdom and magic. Unlike the Druid, the Adept is not bound to nature by pacts or great devotion, but by kinship instead. Consequently, adepts’ ethics and motivations can and do vary greatly though few, if any at all, defile the land. Likewise, they may come from the most diverse backgrounds and can be found almost everywhere on Athas, but are only commonly encountered among the primitive tribes of the wastes, to which they offer guidance and health.
The adept is usually a shaman for a small tribe that has no druids, clerics or mages among its ranks. However the presence of a member of these more powerful classes does not preclude the adept, as even the smallest community may have more than just one wizened elder. Also, adepts are present in the cities and villages as healers, fortunetellers and midwives. Humans, Elves, Half Elves, Haflings, Muls, Aarakocra, Nikaal, Tareks, Ssurrans, Baazrag, Sligs and Tari are some of the most likely races to feature adepts. Dwarven, Kreen or Pterran adepts are possible, but uncommon."
This is just a rough draft I wrote a while ago, hence any grammar or flavor mistakes.
I never posted this on the boards because I was never sure having a NPC spellcasting class on DS was the way to go. But it may be a good idea.
At the time, I also considered creating a NPC version of the Ranger, since hunters are so common on Athas, and the warrior makes such a lousy hunter. Eventually, I realised such a NPC class would be remarkably similar to the Expert (with average BAB progression and a large skill repertoire), so I gave up on the idea. (I was going to call the class the "Wastelander".)
But the Ranger fills a rather different niche than a divine spellcaster NPC class would. It's not the same, even if they share some abilities.
When athas.org chose to take the 3.5 Ranger without changes, and explained the spellcasting with minor Spirits of the Land, I started considering the possibility of a DS version of the Adept. I've even wrote a description for the class:
"The Athasian Adept
Under the cruel Dark Sun, faith is as scarce as everything else. Among the few who nurture belief in a higher power is the athasian adept, and the subjects of his faith are the various spirits of nature: the animistic spirits of the land, the spirits of animals that hold symbolic significance to him and the spirits of his ancestors. Through his connection to the land, the adept is able to instinctively tap into its power; in return for prayers, the adept is granted wisdom and magic. Unlike the Druid, the Adept is not bound to nature by pacts or great devotion, but by kinship instead. Consequently, adepts’ ethics and motivations can and do vary greatly though few, if any at all, defile the land. Likewise, they may come from the most diverse backgrounds and can be found almost everywhere on Athas, but are only commonly encountered among the primitive tribes of the wastes, to which they offer guidance and health.
The adept is usually a shaman for a small tribe that has no druids, clerics or mages among its ranks. However the presence of a member of these more powerful classes does not preclude the adept, as even the smallest community may have more than just one wizened elder. Also, adepts are present in the cities and villages as healers, fortunetellers and midwives. Humans, Elves, Half Elves, Haflings, Muls, Aarakocra, Nikaal, Tareks, Ssurrans, Baazrag, Sligs and Tari are some of the most likely races to feature adepts. Dwarven, Kreen or Pterran adepts are possible, but uncommon."
Hmm, this explanation sounds good for me, but in this case the spell list should be a reduced version of the druid spell list.
Other possibility could be to set up the adept a bit similar like templars: they are not given powers, they leech it somehow from the SotLs. Just an example: there can be a ghost of an ancestor, who has this power-leech, and can transfer these powers to the adept.
At the time, I also considered creating a NPC version of the Ranger, since hunters are so common on Athas, and the warrior makes such a lousy hunter. Eventually, I realised such a NPC class would be remarkably similar to the Expert (with average BAB progression and a large skill repertoire), so I gave up on the idea. (I was going to call the class the "Wastelander".)
Exactly, my main problem with the spell/psionic using NPC classes was that they can be easily reproduced by giving them a few levels of psion/cleric/wizard, and if further levels would be needed they can be filled up with the basic NPC classes (warriors, commoners, experts, aristocrats). So they are technically not needed.
"The Athasian Adept
Under the cruel Dark Sun, faith is as scarce as everything else. Among the few who nurture belief in a higher power is the athasian adept, and the subjects of his faith are the various spirits of nature: the animistic spirits of the land, the spirits of animals that hold symbolic significance to him and the spirits of his ancestors. Through his connection to the land, the adept is able to instinctively tap into its power; in return for prayers, the adept is granted wisdom and magic. Unlike the Druid, the Adept is not bound to nature by pacts or great devotion, but by kinship instead. Consequently, adepts’ ethics and motivations can and do vary greatly though few, if any at all, defile the land. Likewise, they may come from the most diverse backgrounds and can be found almost everywhere on Athas, but are only commonly encountered among the primitive tribes of the wastes, to which they offer guidance and health.
The adept is usually a shaman for a small tribe that has no druids, clerics or mages among its ranks. However the presence of a member of these more powerful classes does not preclude the adept, as even the smallest community may have more than just one wizened elder. Also, adepts are present in the cities and villages as healers, fortunetellers and midwives. Humans, Elves, Half Elves, Haflings, Muls, Aarakocra, Nikaal, Tareks, Ssurrans, Baazrag, Sligs and Tari are some of the most likely races to feature adepts. Dwarven, Kreen or Pterran adepts are possible, but uncommon."
This is just a rough draft I wrote a while ago, hence any grammar or flavor mistakes.
Nice! :D , it is a good idea.
At the time, I also considered creating a NPC version of the Ranger, since hunters are so common on Athas, and the warrior makes such a lousy hunter. Eventually, I realised such a NPC class would be remarkably similar to the Expert (with average BAB progression and a large skill repertoire), so I gave up on the idea. (I was going to call the class the "Wastelander".)
I agree with you wholheartedly, if you haven't already made one you should. I would use it. Also here is an NPC class that I made to fill the gap left by the exsisting classes
NPC Class: Guard
The Archetype of the Guard deserves special attention in any game where the players are frequently aided by (or interfere with) the Law. This class is meant to represent those people who are armed defenders of something; whether it’s a city, caravan, or temple. Guards are not the same as soldiers. Guards have access to a number of different skills to aid in Law enforcement and defense. They are not as combat ready as a true warrior.
Hit Die: d8
Alignment: Any Non-Chaotic. Most are Lawful
Weapons & Armor: Guards are proficient with all simple and one martial weapon. Guards are proficient with light and medium armor and all shields, except tower shields.
Skill Points: 4+Int modifier (x4 at 1st level)
Skills: Spot (wis), Listen (wis), Search (int), Use Rope (dex), Jump (str), Climb (str), Swim (str), Handle Animal (cha), Ride (dex), Sense Motive (wis), Knowledge (Local) (int), Gather Information (Cha)
[HTML]
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +2 +0 +0 -Alertness-
2nd +2 +3 +0 +0 -LegalAuthority I-
3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 --
4th +4 +4 +1 +1 -Urban Tracking, Legal Authority II-
5th +5 +4 +1 +1 --
6th +6/+1 +5 +2 +2 -Legal Authority III-
7th +7/+2 +5 +2 +2 --
8th +8/+3 +6 +2 +2 --
9th +9/+4 +6 +3 +3 --
10th +10/+5 +7 +3 +3 --
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +3 +3 --
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +4 +4 --
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +4 +4 --
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +4 +4 --
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +5 +5 --
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +5 +5 --
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +5 --
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +6 --
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +6 --
20th +20/+15/+10/+5+12 +6 +6 -- [/HTML]
Alertness: As the Feat: +2 to Spot and Listen Checks
Legal Authority I: Power of Testimony, Right to Arrest Note: Only Guards working for local businesses or organizations, or for people of With influence in the local legal powers have the Power of Testimony or the Right to Arrest.
Urban Tracking: As the Feat: Allows you to track people in town with Gather Information.
Legal Authority II: Power of Investigation, Right to Question Note: Only Guards working for an Organization with Political influence and in good standing with the local Legal Authority get the Power of Investigation or Right to Question.
Legal Authority III: Power of Imprisonment, Right to Interrogate Note: Only a Guard working for the Local Legal Authority gets the Power of Imprisonment, or Right to Interrogate.
For some reason I can't get the chart to lineup properly
I'd suggest calling it not by a name that is used in-game, but rather by a generic name that fits the bill more (like aristocrat is pretty good in that it effectively refers to the right social condition without saying those people are nobles, as many aristocrats won't be nobles).
I used Thesaurus.com to find the meaning and synonyms of "police" and found a good name, IMO: lawman.
Now that definition is broader than "guard" entails, and fits the bill of guards, investigators (whatever those would be in DS), and Raam's mansabdars (Raam's kuotaghas are already covered by the PrC of the same name, and those people are the elite in law enforcement, so can't really use NPC classes as a character basis).
As for the ranger NPC class, it might be called: wilderness guide. If its not generic enough, then replace the word "guide" with something that encompasses guides, hunters, and trackers.
It's important to note that the Legal Authority abilities are really more of a guidline then anything. The character in question is given these abilities at the dicretion of whatever organization he works for.
I'd suggest calling it not by a name that is used in-game, but rather by a generic name that fits the bill more (like aristocrat is pretty good in that it effectively refers to the right social condition without saying those people are nobles, as many aristocrats won't be nobles).
I can't think of anyother names that sound good. Besides I don't think it would cause any confusion. Lawman has wild west implications that I don't like.
As for the ranger NPC class, it might be called: wilderness guide. If its not generic enough, then replace the word "guide" with something that encompasses guides, hunters, and trackers.
I think Hunter works fine
.Law enforcer is the current-era real world term, so a bit too modern.
Hunter seems fine, since the #1 way people will learn the ways of the wilderness and learn to track will be in hunting wild game.
You should explain how Legal Authority interacts with Secular Authority.
Legal Authority normally is only found amongst city-employed guards. But Merchant Emporiums and vast noble enclaves might have their own laws more related to property and employee laws than citizen laws.
Just a few other name ideas
As for the Legal Authority interacting with the Secular Authority, I didn't make this class with DS in mind so I didn't even think about it
. I guess basically Secular Authority allways supercedes Legal Authority, and Legal Authority is dependant on Secular Authority to really accomplish anything permanent. For instance a guard with Legal Authority III could have someone sent to jail via the power of inprisonment and then they would have to wait in jail until they were let go or given a hearing of some sort, but the Guard could not sentence them and would have to defer to a Templar without questioning if he decided to just let the guy go.Also, as a setting consideration; Legal Authority shouldn't apply to a noble or important member of a merchant house unless the Guard has some sort of warrant from a templar of sufficient authority.
I'll get around to detailing how this all works when I get the chance. Its important to remember that these are really just general ideas though, I wouldn't want to carve the mechanics in stone. The laws of different places could vary quite a bit thusly affecting how all of this stuff works.
As for the names of the NPC classes, the goal is not to make them sound important, but rather the reverse, make them sound simple. What's important is finding a simple and general name.
When I chose to call the NPC manifesting class Psionicist, it was pure luck that a pre-existing term out of use already existed...