[D&D 3E] New Prestige Class

[pyrephox]

Prestige Class: Mystic Herald

Description: Even the gods occasionally need to send a message by more mundane means than burning bushes and appearances on earth. From their speediest servants, they call some to follow the path of the divine messenger, the Mystic Herald. These characters are both beloved and feared...the messages they pass may be tidings of joy or destruction. These characters also have a reputation for serving as divine bounty hunters, and churches will often send a Mystic Herald after a wayward priest, or a thief who has stolen something of sacred worth. Their reputation holds that they will never be stopped, can pass by any gates or guards, and have occasionally gone even to the celestial realms to deliver a message to or retrieve someone who thought to escape them by death. While their reputation may be overstated a touch, it is true that they are specialized for evading capture and have sworn oaths to never give up until their message is delivered.
Although typically solitary travelers (for one, there are very few people who can keep up with a Mystic Herald on the hunt), the Heralds will sometimes join up with adventuring groups between their own missions, or as backup for a mission that requires stronger force than they, themselves, can muster. They get along well with Clerics and Paladins, and have been known to trade secrets with Rogues of their own alignment or faith. They find it most difficult to get along with crude Barbarians, flashy Bards and Sorcerers, and Wizards who seem to care more about their books than the world outside. Mystic Heralds may be of any class or alignment, although Dwarven Heralds tend to have a special reputation for being not swift, but very, very thorough.

Requirements: Ride (8), Mounted Combat feat, Wis 13+

Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Intuit Direction, Move Silently, Read Lips, Ride, Scry, Search, Speak Language, Tumble, Wilderness Lore.

Skill Points at each level: 3+Int Modifier

HP: 1d8

Attack Bonuses: As Fighter.

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The Mystic Herald is proficient in all bows, including crossbows, as well as light armor, but not shields.

Spellcasting: The Mystic Herald is a divine spellcasting class with a special spell list. He casts all spells using Wisdom, as a cleric, starting at level 1.

Level 0 Spells: Light, Read Magic, Know Direction, Detect Magic, Open/Close
Level 1 Spells: Detect Secret Doors, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Message, Silent Image, Comprehend Languages, Invisibility to Undead, Obscuring Mist, Sanctuary, Invisibility to Animals, Pass Without Trace, Mount, Spider Climb.
Level 2 Spells: Invisibility, Locate Object, Whispering Wind, Animal Messenger, Remove Paralysis, Resist Elements, Magic Mouth, Knock
Level 3 Spells: Gaseous Form, Haste, Illusory Script, Phantom Steed, Helping Hand, Water Breathing, Water Walk, Heal Mount, Nondetection, Tongues, Fly, Secret Page
Level 4 Spells: Improved Invisibility, Locate Creature, Air Walk, Freedom of Movement, Sending, Scrying.
Level 5 Spells: Dream, Commune, Ethereal Jaunt, True Seeing, Passwall, Nightmare
Level 6 Spells: Greater Scrying, Find the Path, Wind Walk, Word of Recall, Legend Lore.
Level 7 Spells: Refuge, Sequester, Phase Door, Shadow Walk.
Level 8 Spells: Discern Location, Demand, Etherealness
Level 9 Spells: Miracle, Gate, Freedom, Astral Projection, Timestop

Divine Mount: Similar to a Paladin, the Mystic Herald may call for a special mount after 2nd level. Like the Paladin’s mount, this creature is not a normal animal, but is a magical creature with special abilities and higher than average intelligence. Unlike the Paladin’s mount, the Mystic Herald gets a sleek, fast courier mount, not a warhorse, and the abilities of the mount differ. Like the Paladin, if their mount dies, they may call for a new one after a year and a day.

PC level Bonus HD Natural Armor Dex Adj. Int Special Abilities
2-4 +2 2 +1 6 Empathic link, Pass Without Trace
5-7 +3 4 +2 8 Haste 1/day, share saving throws
8-10 +5 6 +4 10 Water Walk 1/day, Freedom of Movement

Divine Target: When a Mystic Herald receives a mission from a duly appointed representative of their deity who is acting in accordance to their god’s wishes, the Herald feels a ‘locking’ sensation. From that time on, the Herald can determine if the target is alive or dead, and if it remains on their current plane, simply with a thought. This locking can be blocked by anti-detection and anti-scrying spells and effects, as well as detected as scrying by the target when it is used. A Mystic Herald can only have one Divine Target active at one time, and must have the current Target removed by another cleric of their faith.

Mounted Archery: At 3rd level, the Mystic Herald receives the Mounted Archery feat for free.

Herald and Mount as One: At 5th level, the Herald may include his divine mount in any spell that would normally only apply to himself, or to one target when that target is himself.

The Message Shall be Heard: At 7th level, the Herald is now immune to Silence or any effect that would cause him to stop speaking, as long as what he’s saying is his holy message.

Divine Opening: At 10th level, the Herald cannot be barred by any mundane lock or portal when attempting to deliver a message. Doors between him and his target will refuse to lock, chains will fall away from him, and he gains +4 to all Climb or Balance checks that involve scaling barriers between himself and his target.