Praeposterus, Variant (3.5e Class)

Praeposterus

A praeposterus is a special kind of rogue who strikes from the shadows in the corners of a room: whether or not said shadows are on the floor, or ceiling.

Making a praeposterus

A praeposterus is good at assassinations, but can be quickly overwhelmed if they cannor bluff their way out of a situation.

Abilities: Dexterity is very important to praeposteri, as is strengh to climb and wisdom for their spell abilities.

Races: Halflings are most likely to join this class, but most creatures but dwarves fit in.

Alignment: Any chaotic.

Starting Gold: 4d6x10 (180)

Starting Age: Simple

Table: The Praeposterus

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+0	+2	+0	Sneak Attack +1d6, Accelerated climb
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Vertical slice +1, Gravity projectile +1
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1
4th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Hang on ceiling
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1	Sneak Attack +2d6, Vertical slice +2
6th	+4	+2	+5	+2
7th	+5	+2	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +3d6
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+2	Reverse gravity 1/day, Gravity projectile +2
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+3	Sneak Attack +4d6
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+3	Special Ability, Vertical slice +3
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+3
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Reverse gravity 3/day
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+4	Sneak Attack +5d6, Special Ability
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+4
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	+9	+5	Sneak Attack +6d6
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Special Ability
17th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+5	Sneak Attack +7d6
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+6	Sneak Attack +8d6, Special Ability
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+6	Vertical slice +4, Reverse gravity 5/day
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), 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 (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex). Class Features All of the following are class features of the praeposterus. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A praeposterus is proficient with simple weapons, as well as the scimitar, rapier, hand crossbow, light crossbow, and shortbow. A praeposterus is proficient with light armor, but no shield. Accelerated Climb: A praeposterus can climb at half speed without penalty. Vertical slice: A praeposterus can jump off a ceiling, doing +1 damage per 5' fallen. This bonus increases to +2 per 5' at level 5, +3 at level 10, and +4 at level 20. Gravity shot: A praeposterus can fire an arrow that does +1 damage per 5' traveled. Beware, you need to pass a strength check equal to your height or fall. At level 4, you gain a +1 to this check. If your gravity is reversed, you do not need to make the check. Reverse Gravity: Starting at level 8, a praeposterus can reverse his gravity (so down is up) once per day. You can use this ability three times per day at level 12 and 5 times per day at level 20. Sneak Attack: If a praeposteri can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The praeposteri's attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not). This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two praeposteri levels thereafter. Should the praeposterus score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet, or any further distance is downward. After being hit with a ranged sneak attack, the target is entitled to a Spot of Listen check to see the attacker. With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a praeposterus can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty. A praeposterus can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A praeposterus cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach. Special Abilities: On attaining 10th level, and at every three levels thereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th), a rogue gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options. Crippling Strike (Ex): A rogue with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability. Defensive Roll (Ex): The rogue can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the rogue can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the rogue must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC=damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the rogue’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll. Improved Evasion (Ex): This ability works like evasion, except that while the rogue still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she henceforth takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless rogue does not gain the benefit of improved evasion. Opportunist (Ex): Once per round, the rogue can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the rogue’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a rogue with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round. Skill Mastery: The rogue becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A rogue may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time. Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the rogue’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a rogue with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw. Spells: A praeposteri's sorcerer level is equal to half their praeposteri level. The level shown on the chart is the praeposteri's sorcerer level. Praeposteri choose their spells from the following list: 0—ghost sound, mage hand, open/close 1st—reduce person, disguise self, sleep, obscuring mist 2nd—web, detect thoughts, blindness/deafness, blur 3rd—dispel magic, deep slumber, blink Table: Praeposterus Spells Known Level Spells Known 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 1st 4 2 — — — — — — — — 2nd 5 2 — — — — — — — — 3rd 5 3 — — — — — — — — 4th 6 3 1 — — — — — — — 5th 6 4 2 — — — — — — — Table: The Epic Praeposterus Hit Die: d6 Level Special 21st Sneak Attack +9d6 22nd 23rd Sneak Attack +10d6 24th Bonus Feat 25th Sneak Attack +11d6 26th 27th Sneak Attack +12d6 28th Bonus Feat 29th Sneak Attack +13d6 30th 8 + Int modifier skill points per level. Sneak Attack: The epic praeposterus's sneak attack damage increases by +1d6 at every odd-numbered level. Playing a Praeposterus Religion: Praeposteri have usually lost faith in anything but themselves. However, some do still worship deitys. Other Classes:Praeposteri may be unbalanced against other rogues, but praeposteri lack the dodge and trapfinding abilities. Combat: Praeposteri choose targets carefully, then assault them from the ceiling or walls. Advancement: Praeposteri multiclass well with sorcerer, if you want more magic abilities. Monk can also be an interesting addition. The sneak attack from the praeposteri class do not stack with rogue sneak attack damage. Praeposteri in the World “ The world turned it's back in me. I will do more: I will turn it upside down. ” NPC Reactions: Wait...is that man on the ceiling? (Aaaaaargh.) (Thump.) Praeposterus Lore Characters with ranks in Knowlege (History) can research praeposteri to learn more about previous praeposteri. Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes