Showing posts with label Vali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vali. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Campaign Design - Prestige Class: Moondancer of Vali

Moondancer of Vali (adapted from Dragon 285)

Among the devotees of Vali, many of the most devoted women aspire to join the ranks of her otherworldly battlemaidens. These are the Loer Chwaer, the Sisters of the Moon, also known as the Moondancers of Vali, who honor their patron with dances under the moonlight, and savage hunts against her enemies. Although membership in this sect is only open to women, those of all races are welcomed. Because of the emphasis on Vali's warlike and shapeshifting aspects, the moondancers are especially popular among khülen, although human and changeling members are also quite common. Halfling and dwarvish moondancers are rare, and gnomish and alvari moondancers are almost unheard of. As far as anyone knows, there has never been an ironborn moondancer.

Moondancers almost all have levels as clerics devoted to Vali, as they have the most to gain from this prestige class, although favored souls devoted to the Moon-goddess take up this path reasonably often. Both clerics and favored souls seeking to enter this class are frequently multiclassed as fighters, barbarians, or scouts. Once in a while, a druid devoted to Vali will choose to become a moondancer, but given that druids who hold Vali as their patron are quite rare, druidic moondancers are rarer still.

Hit Die: d8.
Luck Die: d3.

Requirements
To become a Moondancer of Vali, one must meet the following criteria:
  • Alignment: Chaotic good or chaotic neutral.
  • Base Attack Bonus: +4.
  • Skills: Craft: Tattoo 4 ranks, Perform: Dance 4 ranks, Survival 2 ranks.
  • Feats: Blind-Fight, Endurance, Inscribe Magical Tattoo, Weapon Proficiency: Leaf Spear.
  • Spell Casting: Must be able to cast second level divine spells.
  • Special: Must have Vali as their patron deity.
  • Special: Must be female.
Class Skills
  • The Moondancer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft: Any (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge: Arcana (Int), Knowledge: Geography (Int), Knowledge: Local (Int), Knowledge: Nature (Int), Knowledge: Religion (Int), Profession: Any (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
  • Note: Because the Three Worlds campaign uses the Skills by Character house rule, the list of class skills given here is only included for the sake of completeness, and is not used by characters in the campaign setting.
  • Skill Points at each level: 2 + Intelligence modifier
Class Features
All the following are class features of the moondancer of Vali prestige class:
  • Base Attack Bonus: Average. A moondancer of Vali gains +¾ base attack bonus per class level.
  • Base Fortitude Save Bonus: Good. A moondancer of Vali gains a +½ base Fortitude save bonus per class level.
  • Base Reflex Save Bonus: Poor. A moondancer of Vali gains a +1⁄3 base Reflex save bonus per class level.
  • Base Will Save Bonus: Good. A moondancer of Vali gains a +½ base Will save bonus per class level.
  • Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Moondancers of Vali are proficient in all simple weapons, but no types of armor or shields.
  • Spells: A Moondancer of Vali continues training in magic. Thus, when a new moondancer level is gained, the character gains new spells per day, as if she had also gained a level in a divine spell casting class she already belongs to. She does not gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats and so on).
  • Moon Spells: A moondancer can pray for, and receive any Moon domain spell as if it were on their divine spell list. The spell uses a spell slot of a level equal to its level in the Moon domain list.
  • Twilight Senses (Ex): A moondancer gains low-light vision.
  • Vali’s Hand (Su): When a moondancer wields a leaf spear, they can negate damage reduction in creatures they attack as if they were using a +1 weapon. At sixth level they negate damage reduction as if their leaf spear was a +2 weapon, and at ninth level, the effect increases so that the damage reduction is negated as if the belly spear was a +3 weapon. If the leaf spear’s bonus is greater than the effect of the class ability, use the spear’s bonus to determine whether damage reduction is negated.
  • Beastmaster Domain: A moondancer gains access to the Beastmaster prestige domain. She gains the granted power associated with the domain (speak with animals once per day per level of moondancer) and can choose the spells in that domain as her daily domain spells (if she has any daily domain spell slots).
  • Vali’s Eyes (Su): Moondancers can see as if under the effect of a true seeing spell cast by a cleric equal to their divine caster level. Activating this ability is a standard action.
  • Vali’s Shapeshifting (Su): Moondancers who contract any form of lycanthropy are treated as natural lycanthropes. Their type becomes shapechanger, and they can select the Improved Control Shape feat and the Scent ability at any time they can select a new feat. Moondancers do not change alignment due to contracting lycanthropy, and are aware of their actions while in animal or hybrid form.
  • Moonshield (Su): Moondancers gain a +1 bonus to saving throws against Enchantment, Illusion and Necromancy spells and effects as well as spells and effects with the Darkness descriptor.
  • Moonfire (Sp): Moondancers can cast moonfire once per day as a cleric of their caster level. Activating this ability is a standard action.

Moondancer of Vali
LevelSpecialSpells per Day
1stMoon spells+1 level of existing class
2ndTwilight senses+1 level of existing class
3rdVali’s Hand +1+1 level of existing class
4thBeastmaster domain+1 level of existing class
5thVali’s Eyes once per day+1 level of existing class
6thVali’s Hand +2, Vali’s Shapeshifting+1 level of existing class
7thMoonshield+1 level of existing class
8thVali’s Eyes twice per day+1 level of existing class
9thVali’s Hand +3+1 level of existing class
10thMoonfire+1 level of existing class

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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Campaign Design - The Lords of Heaven: Vali

Vali (Macha)

The Raven of Battle; The Savage Huntress; The Tracker in the Wilds; Celestial Mistress of War and the Moon

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral.
Domains: Hunter, Lycanthropy, Moon, Repose, Survival, War, Wild.
Prestige Domains: Beastmaster.
Summon Monster: Vali's clerics and favored souls can summon anarchic creatures using summon monster spells. Vali's clerics may also use the summon nature's ally lists when summoning creatures using summon monster spells.
Symbol: Nine black ravens on a white field trimmed in red.
Favored Weapon: "The raven's spike" (leaf spear or belly spear).
Related Prestige Classes: Moondancer of Vali, Ranger.

Over his head is shrieking
A lean hag, gently hopping
Over the points of the weapons and the shields;
She is the raven-haired Vali.

     - from the Tain Liath Vali.

Vali is the fierce and violent mistress of war, battle, destruction, and death. She represents the naked violence of warfare, the vicious predatory instinct, and raw animal savagery, and is the embodiment of the raw, destructive power of unrestrained warfare, as well as the moon and shape changers. Vali is said to be the sister of Syfa and half-sister to Füllar, although some of the myths hold that her kinship with Eiur may be tenuous at best. She is said to be as beautiful as she is dangerous, although the stories have little else to say about her appearance other than to say she is a slender pale woman with black hair and blue traced body paint who can be beautiful or terrible depending upon her mood. Myths tell of her fearsome presence, the fury and panic of battle surrounding her as a mantle of fear, driving the faint of heart to flee her presence.

As the mistress of battle, Vali is also closely associated with death, and it is her and her entourage of daughters who serve as her battle-maidens that select those warriors who have proved themselves in arms sufficiently enough to be added to the armies of Heaven. Many warriors pray to her that they be worthy of being so chosen should they die in battle. When she fights, she and her daughters carry vicious barbed spears in battle, Vali names hers Tocyn Coch, and the favored weapons of her devotees are the leaf spear and the belly spear. Although Vali has no consort, she has nine daughters who follow her onto the battlefield. Each daughter is associated with a particular aspect of Vali. They are: Agrona, mistress of slaughter; Ancasta, mistress of fear; Caireen, mistress of strife; Cauþ Bodva, mistress of fury; Cabh Deað, mistress of bloodshed; Ernmas, mistress of killing; Fæ, mistress of hate; Nemain, mistress of venom; and Uaþach, mistress of anger.

Vali gives little heed to the past or the future, and is of little use as counselor or advisor. When she appears in legend she typically takes the role of an active participant giving aid on behalf of a hero or cause. The faithful pray to Vali for success in the hunt and in war. Those who devote themselves to her adorn themselves with silver jewelry, usually in the shape of the moon or weapons of battle. Vali is said to take powerful mortal warriors as lovers from time to time, and when she communicates with her devoted followers, she often speaks by taking the form of one of these heroes who has died in battle, although she sometimes appears as a raven. Divine casters devoted to Vali refuse to use her gifts to heal wounds not inflicted in battle, considering only injuries inflicted in combat to be worthy of her blessings. In addition, wounds healed by her power always leave a visible scar: A display of the bravery and honor of the bearer. Stories tell of a magical golden boar owned by Vali that can be hunted and eaten every night, but is healed anew before the next moonrise. Because of this, Vali is associated with the boar, and her worshipers frequently honor her by conducting ritual boar hunts.

Vali is also the mistress of the moon, complementing Brid’s mastery over the stars and Yng's suzerainty over the sun. She is closely associated with the powers of shape changing, as many of the most famous and noteworthy warriors in myth and legend have been powerful shape shifters. Vali is said to be tireless and fast enough to run down any four-legged creature, and can take the form of any beast or bird. Her priests teach that she and her daughters fly as a flock of ten shrieking ravens or carrion crows, calling up a host of slain warriors over any field where a battle is fought. For this reason, a raven is seen as an omen of impending combat and death. She is closely associated with the powers of shape changing, as many of the most famous and noteworthy warriors in myth and legend have been powerful shape shifters. While she favors shape changers devoted to her, lycanthropy obtained and exercised without her blessing is regarded as a blasphemy against Vali’s power. It is her power that reveals lycanthropes in their true form under the full moon, either to reveal their blasphemy against her, or to demonstrate their devotion to her power. Vali is, understandably, quite popular among khülen communities, and among the khülen she is widely regarded as the creator and patron of the race.

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Sunday, January 2, 2011

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: Inspiration

Inspiration Domain (adapted from the Book of the Righteous and the Thieves' World Player's Manual)
Divine Power: Wünd.
Granted Power: Once per day, you can inspire courage, as the bard ability (see the Player's Handbook, page 29). You may add Perform to your list of character skills for free.

Inspiration Spells
1st: Message
2nd: Enthrall
3rd: Afflatus (BotR), muse (TWPM)
4th: Emotion, good hope
5th: Greater command
6th: Geas/quest
7th: Insanity
8th: Mind blank
9th: Greater afflatus (BotR), greater muse (TWPM)

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Vali

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: Survival

Survival Domain (from Hamunaptra: Egyptian Adventures)
Divine Power: Vali.
Granted Power: You may add Survival to your list of character skills for free. You gain a +2 divine bonus on all Constitution checks and Fortitude saves made to resist damage or fatigue from cold, heat, hunger, or thirst.

Survival Domain Spells
1st: Locate water (H:EA)
2nd: Revive (H:EA)
3rd: Quench thirst (H:EA)
4th: Neutralize poison
5th: Sand-swim (H:EA)
6th: Find the path
7th: Control weather
8th: Iron body
9th: Clone

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Vali

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: Lycanthropy

Lycanthropy Domain (from Wrath & Rage: A Guidebook to Orcs and Half-Orcs)
Infernal Power: Vali.
Granted Power: You receive a +4 bonus on Control Shape checks. Add Control Shape to your list of character class skills for free.

Lycanthropy Domain Spells
1st: Magic fang
2nd: Ranger's blessing (W&R)
3rd: Greater magic fang
4th: Reincarnate
5th: Animal growth
6th: Find the path
7th: Summon nature's ally VII
8th: Animal shapes
9th: Shapechange

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Vali

Campaign Design - Clerical Prestige Domains: Beastmaster

Beastmaster Prestige Domain
Divine Power: Vali
Granted Power: You can cast speak with animals once per day per caster level as the spell. This is a supernatural ability.

Beastmaster Domain Spells
1st: Animal friendship
2nd: Beastmask
3rd: Animal trance
4th: Bear's heart
5th: Animal growth
6th: Summon nature's ally III [animals only]
7th: Animal shapes
8th: Summon nature's ally IV [animals only]
9th: Shapechange

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Vali

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: War

War Domain (as modified by Relics & Rituals and Relics & Rituals II
Divine Power Vali.
Granted Power: You gain the feats Martial Weapon Proficiency or Exotic Weapon Proficiency (as appropriate) and Weapon Focus with your deity’s favored weapon as bonus feats.

Vali's Favored Weapon: Leaf Spear.

War Domain Spells
1st: Magic weapon
2nd: Battlecry (RR), spiritual weapon
3rd: Magic vestment, sacred weapon (RR), Vali's blessing (RR2)
4th: Divine power
5th: Flame strike
6th: Blade barrier
7th: Power word: stun
8th: Power word: blind, recall champion (RR)
9th: Power word: kill

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Vali

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: Moon

Moon Domain (as modified by the Book of the Righteous)
Divine Power: Vali
Granted Power: At your option you may turn or destroy lycanthropes as a good cleric turns or destroys undead, or rebuke or command lycanthropes as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead. You can use this ability a total number of times per day equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier.

Moon Domain Spells
1st: Faerie fire
2nd: Moonbeam
3rd: Moon blade
4th: Emotion
5th: Moon path
6th: Moonbeam (BotR), permanent image
7th: Insanity
8th: Animal shapes, moonglow (BotR)
9th: Moonfire

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Vali

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: Repose

Repose Domain
Divine Power: Vali
Granted Power: You may use a death touch once per day. The death touch is a spell-like ability that is a death effect. You must succeed at a melee touch attack against a living creature (using the rules for touch spells). When you touch, roll 1d6 per your cleric level. If the total at least equals the creature's current hit points, it dies.

Repose Domain Spells
1st: Deathwatch
2nd: Gentle repose
3rd: Speak with dead
4th: Death ward
5th: Slay living
6th: Undeath to death
7th: Destruction
8th: Surelife
9th: Wail of the banshee

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Vali

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: Hunter

Hunter Domain (adapted from Gods)
Divine Power: Vali.
Granted Power: You gain a +3 sacred bonus to all Move Silently checks.

Hunter Spells
1st: Deathwatch
2nd: Silence
3rd: Deeper darkness
4th: Status
5th: Slay living
6th: Find the path
7th: Summon monster VII
8th: Discern location
9th: Power word, kill

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Vali

Campaign Design - Clerical Domains: Wild

Wild Domain (from Bow & Blade: A Guidebook to Wood Elves)
Divine Power: Vali.
Granted Power: You may add Knowledge: Nature and Survival to your list of character skills for free. You gain the Wild Empathy ability, as a druid equal to your cleric class level. If you have both druid and cleric class levels, these levels stack for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of your Wild Empathy ability.

Wild Domain Spells
1st: Pass without trace
2nd: Canopy walk (B&B)
3rd: Lost (B&B)
4th: Primal scream (B&B)
5th: Call lightning storm
6th: Liveoak
7th: Calculated wrath (B&B)
8th: Whirlwind
9th: Shapechange

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Vali