I've had precious help from Methvezem and squidfur- on this, thank you guys!
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Kurnan Spymaster
“Insert quote here”
- Andrech Dvao, salt trader and Kurnan spymaster
1st paragraph describes exactly what the PrC is.
2nd describes who commonly qualifies for it.
3rd describes their organization and interaction with other classes and where NPC of this PrC would commonly be encountered.
Hit Die: d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Kurnan spymaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Feat: Linguist.
Skills: Bluff 6 ranks, Disguise 6 ranks, Gather Information 6 ranks, Literacy in at least one language.
Powers: Able to manifest 2nd-level powers. Must know the read thoughts power.
Special: Acceptance into the School of Spies organization of New Kurn.
Class Skills:
The Kurnan spymaster’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Literacy (n/a), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), and Use Psionic Device (Cha).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Squid has proposed I add the following to the 1st level. It sounds good but I find it a bit redundent with the Closed Mind ability, and totally overcrowds the 1st level.
Nice, simple and to the point. I think it reflects the capabilities of the spymaster mentioned in WofD. I guess I would go with the Thoughts Barrier at level 1. Surely the spymaster is more resistant to probes from the outset rather than having to wait until level 5 to gain Closed Mind? Otherwise the School of Spies would be reluctant to send them out.
And they have many points in common... Oh well, it's a proof that great minds think alike! :D
Why is everyone posting prcs I already sent to Kalthandrix?
And they have many points in common... Oh well, it's a proof that great minds think alike! :D
Or that you have hidden spy cameras set up in peoples homes, allowing you to know everything they are doing and typing on their computer!!!
brun01, I'm not angry at all, but I did post before that I wanted to make a Kurn spy PrC. Didn't you see that in the Kurn spy PrC thread? Since you, or anyone else for that matter, can't read every post of every thread, then better communication in the future could help us all to avoid let downs.
For those who might be in the process of working on such a PrC me and Meth are developing an anti-psionic PrC. If your heart skipped a beat right now please contact us through our board profiles. Multiple versions of the same PrC are so sad to witness and experience. Meth was lucky that his own Psiologist class was so different from the one posted at the same time as his, because it ended up simply renamed Academician, to Meth's great relief and to that of all the people who helped.
Thoughts Barrier as a 1st level ability...ok. But what do I do with the other 3! 1st level abilties? Can I put the Comon tongue as a requirement even though they say its taught to spies? Or...can there be 4! abilities at 1st level? That is a lot.
And with Thoughts Barrier in place, what do I put at 5th level instead of Closed Mind? Suggestions?
brun01, maybe you should start a thread that lists all the stuff you're working on in secret so that I can stop crying, ok? Excuse me now but I have to blow my runny nose.
brun01, I'm not angry at all, but I did post before that I wanted to make a Kurn spy PrC. Didn't you see that in the Kurn spy PrC thread? Since you, or anyone else for that matter, can't read every post of every thread, then better communication in the future could help us all to avoid let downs.
For those who might be in the process of working on such a PrC me and Meth are developing an anti-psionic PrC. If your heart skipped a beat right now please contact us through our board profiles. Multiple versions of the same PrC are so sad to witness and experience. Meth was lucky that his own Psiologist class was so different from the one posted at the same time as his, because it ended up simply renamed Academician, to Meth's great relief and to that of all the people who helped.
I'm sorry.
The point of my post is that mutliple versions by different authors may sound good to certain people observing us dance around each other but its not fun for those doing the work. What criteria determines which version is best? What happens to the other one?
We (as in all of us) don't think often enough that what we do can be mirrored by another without anyone being aware its happening. I've just created a thread in which we can mention what we're working on and update that information.
So Literacy (and maybe Speak Languages?) should be removed from the Class Skills section?
Thoughts Barrier as a 1st level ability...ok. But what do I do with the other 3! 1st level abilties? Can I put the Comon tongue as a requirement even though they say its taught to spies? Or...can there be 4! abilities at 1st level? That is a lot.
And with Thoughts Barrier in place, what do I put at 5th level instead of Closed Mind? Suggestions?
Thoughts Barrier as a 1st level ability...ok. But what do I do with the other 3! 1st level abilties? Can I put the Comon tongue as a requirement even though they say its taught to spies? Or...can there be 4! abilities at 1st level? That is a lot.
And with Thoughts Barrier in place, what do I put at 5th level instead of Closed Mind? Suggestions?
After re-reading the Psionics Handbook I see your dilemma.
My first reaction was to suggest the 'mindblank' power that I recalled from 2nd Ed.
But 3.5 Ed makes it a level 6-7 power(!) Conceal Thoughts at level 1 seems a little tame for a level 5 PrC ability. Is there any middle ground, a sort of lesser mindblank? If not perhaps your original idea is best, with a permanent Conceal Thoughts / Thoughts barrier received at level five.
The Common Tongue ability seems a bit redunant to me. In my understanding, all characters automatically speak common, and then they also get 2 other free languages at 2nd and 4th levels and they had to have already had the Linguist feat too. So I do not see the reason to have all of these language abilities - they get bonus languages with the feat and Speak Language is always a class skill for them then IIRC, so I would just scrap all the other language things in the class.
Kurnan Spytraining - I would make this a 1st level ability, with the progression starting at +2, then +3 or +4 at 3rd, and +4 or +6 at 5th. IMO, they would have to go through extensive training BEFORE they were giving missions and assignments, so it only goes to figure that they would have some of these skills to begin with.
As for the Conceal Thoughts or Thought Barrier think, well a Ring of Mind Shielding only costs 9,000 gp or Cp in DS, so giving a class these same abilities as the ring is not too far fetched. I would make the ability also give them the skill to present to someone who is attempting to read their aura, thoughts, or alignment a "false read" meaning that the character could give the one who is trying to read them get false info or misinformation. this ability would hinge on the Spymaster knowing they were under assult from one of these effect (so maybe a sense motive check) and then the spy could make an opposed bluff check to throw up the false information.
Well, those are my two bits, hope they were helpful. :D
I would have commented before, but as you know I have been hesitant to comment on most of the PrCs posted lately because I do not want to be to much in the process of peoples PrCs.
Conceal Thoughts (Ex): At 1st level, a Kurnan spymaster adds conceal thoughts to his powers known (if he doesn't already know it). In addition, the Kurnan spymaster gains an augmentation option unavailable to other manifesters of this power.
Augment: For every 2 additional power points you spend on this power, the circumstance bonus on Bluff checks improves by 5 and the bonus to saving throw against mind reading effects increases by 2.
Just an idea. This seems to be the new trend with powers and PrCs.
The Common Tongue ability seems a bit redunant to me. In my understanding, all characters automatically speak common [...]
You have to understand this class has a bit of a psychotic break to it. In D&D, even Dark Sun, everyone speaks Common, but in the little corner of the world known as Kurn/New Kurn no one does except for the spies taught at the School of Spies. It seems all Kurnans speak Kurn and nothing else.
Is this realistic? Who knows, but I like sticking with the fluff of Wisdom of the Drylanders, which says exactly that.
You have to understand this class has a bit of a psychotic break to it. In D&D, even Dark Sun, everyone speaks Common, but in the little corner of the world known as Kurn/New Kurn no one does except for the spies thought at the School of Spies.
Is this realistic? Who knows, but I like sticking to the fluff of Wisdom of the Drylanders, which says exactly that.
I agree with this idea. The trade tongue of the tablelands, the so called "common tonge," would be, in any game I ran, tablelands specific. Anyone outside the tablelands, Kreen from the Empire, people from Kurn, maybe even people from Ur Draxa wouldn't get it for free upon character creation.
In fact, I probably wouldn't even give it to certain NPCs within the tablelands. Halflings from the forest ridge for instance.
I agree with this idea. The trade tongue of the tablelands, the so called "common tonge," would be, in any game I ran, tablelands specific. Anyone outside the tablelands, Kreen from the Empire, people from Kurn, maybe even people from Ur Draxa wouldn't get it for free upon character creation.
In fact, I probably wouldn't even give it to certain NPCs within the tablelands. Halflings from the forest ridge for instance.
Exactly.
Common, in a sense, ought to be renamed Tablelands Common, and the Kreen Empire ought to have its own kreen version of a common language.
All other communities that are not linked by either an empire or a millenia-old trading tradition ought to speak a specific language, such as Kurnans speaking Kurnan, Ur-Draxans speaking Draxan, etc...
You'll notice every Tablelands city has its own language, just like Kurn does, except they understand each other because they also speak Common. To what degree do citizens speak Common and their own city's language has never been clearly mentionned in products, so its up to DMs.
Ok, i'm liking what i'm seeing people! More new on it later when i've had time to redesign the class, because it will need a redesign.
You have to understand this class has a bit of a psychotic break to it. In D&D, even Dark Sun, everyone speaks Common, but in the little corner of the world known as Kurn/New Kurn no one does except for the spies taught at the School of Spies. It seems all Kurnans speak Kurn and nothing else.
Is this realistic? Who knows, but I like sticking with the fluff of Wisdom of the Drylanders, which says exactly that.
It's all good - I just wanted to point out my understanding and throw out my two bits. I just hoped it helped and was useful.
Thats all I go - I am totally wrecked righ now- b/c I just got done with my DS game and we had one of the biggest, longest, and most important battle to date, and it was a long session- so I am going to finish cleaning up and then pass out!