[Class] Curator

[Manxome]

My group is gearing up for a Tome game, and one of the players expressed an interest in playing a "white mage," and is apparently not satisfied with a cleric. I decided to take a stab at writing up something with a caster feel that could throw up defensive effects on allies as a major part of its combat schtick. I've attempted to use the Dungeonomicon Monk (a source of inspiration for the class) and Cielingcat's Spherelock as points of comparison for balance, but if some more experienced players could vet it for obvious problems, that would be appreciated.


Curator
"These people are under my stewardship. Please handle them with care."

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills: The Curator's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skills/Level: 4 + Intelligence bonus

BAB: Medium (3/4), Saves: Fort: Good; Ref: Poor; Will: Good

Level, Benefit
1 Luminous Bolt, Benediction
2 Sphere
3 Benediction
4 Heal Injuries
5 Benediction
6 Sphere
7 Benediction
8 One and All, Greater Luminous Bolt
9 Greater Benediction
10 Sphere
11 Greater Benediction
12 Perfect Preservation
13 Greater Benediction
14 Sphere
15 Supreme Benediction
16 Supreme Luminous Bolt
17 Supreme Benediction
18 Sphere
19 Supreme Benediction
20 Eternity

All of the following are Class Features of the Curator class:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Curator is proficient with simple weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (but not great shields).

Luminous Bolt (Su): As an attack action, a Curator may fire a bolt of light at her foes. This has a range of Close (25 feet +5 ft./2 levels), does 1d6 light damage per two levels of Curator (rounded up), and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. Any creature damaged by this attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + CHA + 1/2 your level) or be dazzled for one round. Undead and creatures specifically vulnerable to light take double damage, and incorporeal undead targeted by this effect have no miss chance due to incorporeality.

Once a Curator reaches 8th level, any creature that fails the Fortitude save when struck by her Luminous Bolt also becomes blinded for one round. When she reaches 16th level, a creature failing the save also becomes stunned for one round.

Benedictions (Su): At levels 1, 3, 5, and 7, a Curator learns a Benediction. Each Benediction requires an immediate action to activate, may target any creature the Curator can see within Close range (including herself), and is usable at will. The effects of a Benediction end at the start of the Curator's next turn, and the affected creature is surrounded by a faint glow while its effects persist.

Each Benediction has two effects, chosen from the following list:

• The target of your Benediction receives an amount of temporary HP equal to your ranks in the Heal skill.
• The target of your Benediction is cured of one of the following status effects: dazzled, shaken, sickened, or magical fatigue (your choice at time of use).
• The target of your Benediction receives a +2 morale bonus to AC.
• The target of your Benediction receives a +2 morale bonus to all saves.
• The target of your Benediction receives spell resistance equal to 5 + your character level.
• The target of your Benediction gains a +3 insight bonus to resist enemy bullrush, disarm, grapple, and trip attempts.
• The target of your Benediction gains a +5 insight bonus to Balance, Escape Artist, and Tumble checks.
• The target of your Benediction gains a +5 insight bonus to Climb, Jump, and Swim checks.
• The target of your Benediction gains a +5 insight bonus to Listen and Spot checks, and to resist enemy feints.
• The target of your Benediction gains blindsense out to 15'.
• The target of your Benediction gains a +10' insight bonus to move speed.
• Anyone attacking the target of your Benediction in melee must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + CHA + 1/2 your level) or be sickened for one round. This occurs before the attack is resolved.
• Anyone attacking the target of your Benediction in melee must make a Will save (DC 10 + CHA + 1/2 your level) or be shaken for one round. This occurs before the attack is resolved.

Spheres: At 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the Curator gains basic access to a Sphere, which must be one of: Exorcism, Mystery, Piety, Restraint, Revelation, Splendor, or Vigor (see below). If she selects a Sphere in which she already has basic access, she gains advanced access; if she already has advanced accesss, she gains expert access.

Heal Injuries (Sp): With a one minute ritual, a Curator of 4th level can heal a number of characters equal to her class level of a number of hit points of damage equal to her ranks in the Heal skill. This action may be taken a number of times per day equal to 3 + the Curator’s Charisma Modifier (if any), and all affected characters must be within close range of the Curator for the entire period.

One and All (Su): At 8th level, a Curator takes on wider responsibilities. Once per day, when she activates one of her Benedictions, she may apply its effects to herself and all allies within range, rather than just one target.

Greater Benedictions (Su): At levels 9, 11, and 13, a Curator learns a Greater Benediction. Each Greater Benediction requires an immediate action to activate, may target any creature the Curator can see within Close range (including herself), and is usable at will. The effects of a Greater Benediction end at the start of the Curator's next turn, and the affected creature is surrounded by a warm glow while its effects persist.

When a Curator gains a Greater Benediction, she may replace one of her Benedictions with a different Benediction.

Each Greater Benediction has two effects, chosen from the following list:

• The target of your Greater Benediction receives DR 8/-.
• The target of your Greater Benediction gains energy resistance 15 against one energy type you select at the time of use.
• The target of your Greater Benediction cannot be affected by poison, disease, fear or charm effects (this does not suppress or remove effects already present).
• The target of your Greater Benediction gains the benefits of a protection from alignment effect, using an alignment you choose at the time of use.
• The target of your Greater Benediction benefits from Evasion and Improved Uncanny Dodge.
• The target of your Greater Benediction benefits from blindsight out to 30'.
• The target of your Greater Benediction does not provoke the normal attacks of opportunity for movement, ranged attacks, spells, spell-like abilities, or using items.
• The target of your Greater Benediction benefits from a freedom of movement effect.
• Anyone attacking the target of your Greater Benediction in melee must make a Reflex save or be struck by a luminous pulse for 5d6 light damage (undead and light-vulnerable creatures take double damage). Each attacker is subjected to this effect only once per round.
• Anyone attacking the target of your Greater Benediction must make a Will save (DC 10 + CHA + 1/2 your level) or fail, losing the action but not any resources (spell slots, components, XP, and the like) used to power it.
• Your Greater Benediction affects one additional target within range.
• Your Greater Benediction bestows any two effects from the Benediction Effects list.

Perfect Preservation: Once she reaches 12th level, a Curator is immortal. She may also care for a number of willing creatures equal to her charisma modifier, and prevent them from aging for as long as they receive care. Additionally, neither the Curator nor any creature under her care will lose a level if they die and are resurrected.

Supreme Benedictions (Su): At levels 15, 17, and 19, a Curator learns a Supreme Benediction. Each Supreme Benediction requires an immediate action to activate, may target any creature the Curator can see within Close range (including herself), and is usable at will. The effects of a Supreme Benediction end at the start of the Curator's next turn, and the affected creature is surrounded by a strong glow while its effects persist.

When a Curator gains a Supreme Benediction, she may replace one of her Benedictions or Greater Benedictions with a different Benediction of the same type.

Each Supreme Benediction has two effects, chosen from the following list:

• The target of your Supreme Benediction is immune to fire, cold, electricity, acid, sonic, negative energy, and death effects.
• The target of your Supreme Benediction is immune to fatigue, exhaustion, fear affects, mind-affecting effects, dazing, stunning, sickening, and nausea, and all such effects are immediately removed from him.
• The target of your Supreme Benediction has total concealment.
• The target of your Supreme Benediction benefits from true seeing and blindsight to 120', and his attacks never suffer a miss chance due to concealment.
• The target of your Supreme Benediction may choose to teleport himself and everything he is physically carrying up to 100' in any direction as a free action once per round.
• Any creature damaging the target of your Supreme Benediction also damages itself for half that amount (this includes ability damage).
• Any creature forcing the target of your Supreme Benediction to make a saving throw must itself make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + CHA + 1/2 your level) or be knocked unconscious for two rounds.
• Any hostile creature that meets the gaze of the target of your Supreme Benediction must make a Reflex save (DC 10 + CHA + 1/2 your level) or be cowered until it loses sight of him.
• Any creature coming within 60' of the target of your Supreme Benediction with hostile intent must make a Will save (DC 10 + CHA + 1/2 your level) or become helpless for one round. Each creature is only subjected to this effect once per round.
• The effects of your Supreme Benediction persist for one extra round.
• Your Supreme Benediction bestows any two effects from the Greater Benediction Effects list.

Eternity: Upon reaching 20th level, a Curator selects one Benediction or Greater Benediction that she knows. Thereafter, she enjoys its effects unceasingly and at all times.




The Spheres available to the Curator do not follow the thematic restrictions given in the Tome of Fiends, and therefore are not available to Fiendish Sphere users, such as the True Fiend, Conduit of the Lower Planes, and Warlock. Additionally, these Spheres do not impart fiendish traits as the Fiendish Spheres do. However, they follow all other mechanics for Fiendish Spheres.

Exorcism Sphere
(Created by Doctus)

Special: You gain the ability to turn undead three times per day as a good-aligned cleric of the same level as the class that granted you this sphere. You cannot use these turning attempts to power divine feats.

Level, Benefits
1 Protection from Evil
3 Consecrate
5 Magic Circle against Evil
7 Dispel Evil
9 Disrupting Weapon
11 Banishment
13 Holy Word
15 Sunburst
17 Undeath's Eternal Foe (SpC)
19 Freedom


Mystery Sphere

Special: You benefit from a constant undetectable alignment effect.

Level, Benefits
1 Disguise Self
3 Silence
5 Blacklight
7 Greater Invisibility
9 Mirage Arcana
11 Forbiddance
13 Screen
15 Mind Blank
17 Etherealness
19 Time Stop


Piety Sphere

Special: If you succeed on a Sense Motive check (opposed by Bluff), you know the target's alignment. If you fail, you cannot make another attempt until you gain another rank of Sense Motive.

Level, Benefits
1 Bless
3 Aid
5 Prayer
7 Lesser Globe of Invulnerability
9 Hallow
11 Heroes' Feast
13 Refuge
15 Holy Aura
17 Gate (Calling version only)
19 Miracle


Restraint Sphere

Special: You gain a +3 bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects.

Level, Benefits
1 Entangle
3 Web
5 Stinking Cloud
7 Black Tentacles
9 Wall of Stone
11 Repulsion
13 Forcecage
15 Prismatic Wall
17 Temporal Stasis
19 Imprisonment


Revelation Sphere

Special: You receive a +2 bonus on all Knowledge checks, and never count as untrained in any Knowledge skill.

Level, Benefits
1 Detect Evil
3 Detect Thoughts
5 Clairaudience/Clairvoyance
7 Divination
9 True Seeing
11 Find the Path
13 Legend Lore
15 Discern Location
17 Foresight
19 Astral Projection


Splendor Sphere

Special: You gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive

Level, Benefits
1 Charm Person
3 Eagle's Splendor
5 Flame Strike
7 Glorious Form (as Monstrous Form in the Dungeonomicon, except the new form appears glorious instead of monstrous)
9 Sympathy
11 Greater Heroism
13 Planar Ally
15 Sunburst
17 Weird
19 Implosion


Vigor Sphere

Special: Whenever you heal someone with a spell-like ability, they recover additional HP equal to your ranks in the Heal skill.

Level, Benefits
1 Cure Light Wounds
3 Shield Other
5 Cure Serious Wounds
7 Death Ward
9 Raise Dead
11 Heal
13 Greater Restoration
15 Greater Spell Immunity
17 Mass Heal
19 True Resurrection


So...thoughts? I'm somewhat concerned that the temporary HP Benediction effect may be too strong at low levels, and also that the Vigor Sphere might kind of suck, but I figure I had to include some healing stuff for "white mage" flavor.

[SunTzuWarmaster]

I like it. It wouldn't hurt to add a few other minor things, however.
I would swap the 8th and 16th level abilities of the Luminous bolts (dazzeled->blinded->dazed), and open up full sphere powers to something like: pick a cleric domain or sphere. With the added access, it allows flexibility to the "evil healer".

[Manxome]

For the domains/spheres, would that mean that you use the domain abilities as SLAs, like a sphere, or that you'd get and prepare domain slots, or what? I'm actually not terribly familiar with domains.

I did kind of want to restrict the selection of overtly destructive abilities as a flavor concern, though I could certainly add something like "you can choose or create another appropriate sphere with DM permission."

[CatharzGodfoot]

[*]The target of your Benediction receives an amount of temporary HP equal to your ranks in the Heal skill.

Especially at low levels, that could be a bit crazy.


I really like the idea of making this sort of a class, with full utilization of all action types. Stances + spheres + eldritch blast seems like a decent paradigm for just about any 3e caster.

[Manxome]

[*]The target of your Benediction receives an amount of temporary HP equal to your ranks in the Heal skill.

Especially at low levels, that could be a bit crazy.

I was kind of concerned about that myself. About how much do you think would be reasonable? Level + 1? Level * 2?

Keep in mind these temporary HP go away at the start of the Curator's next turn, so you can't stack them up to crazy heights, and the affected creature glows, so enemies can theoretically figure out who not to attack.

[Judging__Eagle]

I did some "Spheres" for a holy character/class; but I named them "Psalms" instead. Mostly so that it was easier to seperate beneficial groups of SLAs from harmful groups of SLAs.

[CatharzGodfoot]

I was kind of concerned about that myself. About how much do you think would be reasonable? Level + 1? Level * 2?

To be honest, I have no idea.

Keep in mind these temporary HP go away at the start of the Curator's next turn, so you can't stack them up to crazy heights, and the affected creature glows, so enemies can theoretically figure out who not to attack.

Right, that's the problem. They go away at the end of every round, and they refresh to full at the start of every round, and you can switch who you're protecting each round. If you're facing a single foe, you may well be able to slap down enough temp HP each round to make its target near-invulnerable. At low levels 4-6 HP really can be the difference between taking no damage ever and dying. At higher levels, giving an ally 10-15 temp HP isn't as noticeable.


It might be fine, though. With, say, a Knight it's good synergy. With a less tank-focused party, it would be a bit more of a guessing game. It would probably inspire tactical thinking, which in my book is a good thing.

[Manxome]

It might be fine, though. With, say, a Knight it's good synergy. With a less tank-focused party, it would be a bit more of a guessing game. It would probably inspire tactical thinking, which in my book is a good thing.

Er, well...it is usable as an immediate action. Which potentially reduces the amount of guesswork involved. I suppose I could change that, but it'd be pretty tacky if your opponents could just never attack the person you're protecting.

[SunTzuWarmaster]

Actually, that didn't bother me at all. I saw it as a valid tactic for the "neutralize part of an enemy action" ability. Couple that with a crazy ineffectiveness in the offense, it seemed completely reasonable.

[Bigode]

Interesting. Just some bibliography for now, mostly K's posts in the first page.

[Manxome]

Bump because someone nominated this for inclusion in the Tome PDF, and I'm not sure if anyone actually thoroughly vetted it at any point. Also, switched the status effects around on Luminous Bolt and added some more Spheres, and I'll try to write some flavor text at some point.

Is giving hallow as a SLA a really bad idea?

[Bigode]

One of the things I intended with linking the monk thread was for you to fix non-scaling benedictions. As for hallow, it happens not to be at least on the count that monsters already have it IIRC.

[...You Lost Me]

This was always one of my favorite classes, but it has been missing one of my favorite things: benediction names.

I hereby propose the following table for names, to be done with a d12 the same way monk styles and soulborn soulmelds are done with a d20. I ran out of words, so some of them get a little clunky...


Benediction Names

d12	Adjective	Noun	Subject
1	Holy	Benediction	of War
2	Pure	Barrier	of the Gods
3	Prismatic	Fog	of the Stars
4	Divine	Grace	of the Nymph(s)
5	Majestic	Favor	of the Flame
6	Fearsome	Light	of Fervor
7	Swirling	Kiss	of Vitality
8	Bright	Hand	of Crystal
9	Careful	Spirit	of the Blind
10	Beautiful	Knowledge	of the Fallen
11	Unearthly	Wings	of Ascension
12	Guiding	Guidance	of the Guides