From: [o--i--n] at [cwis.unomaha.edu] (Jeff M. Beisch)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
Subject: SUPPLEMENT: Please look this over (jerichse,clynch,mad-celt,scotsman dont read)
Date: 29 Sep 93 15:23:29 GMT

TEMPERANT

a new class for the SpellJamming Campaign


Ability Requirement:   Wisdom 12
                       Constitution 12
Prime Requisite:       Wisdom
Races Allowed:         All (but currently only the humans from the original
                            settlement have the knowledge)
    
    
    It is only in the loneliness of space which such a class could develop.
A small group of clerics lost control of their ship and landed it on a barren
asteroid in some unknown sphere.  Unable to repair the ship for space travel
they were forced to live out the rest of their lives on the rock.  Although 
able to create a self-sustaining community, they all began to long for contact
with other people.  Despair of the current isolation sent them into deep
meditation and thought.  It is here where they discovered, within everyone, 
the Essence or Life Force and how to control/use it.
    They discovered that within each living being there is a Life Force or
Essence which is a direct representation of one's being.  It could be 
controlled for a myriad of noncoporeal purposes or used upon one's body and
mind.  It took many generations of indepth thought, deep meditation and 
meticulous study to hone the Essence into a usable force.  In doing so, they
have brought themselves to one with the cosmos, as they realized, not just
living entities contain the Essence, all things contain it.
    
    A Temperant worships his mind, body, and essence, thus, having no diety
to pay homage to.  They do however, gain abilities identical to the diety
granted prayers of priests.  A Temperant must be of a lawful alignment but
may associate with any value range (good, neutral, evil).  They tend however
to stay away from evil alignment due to its often harmful effect on the person.
    A Temperant who has a Wisdom of 16 or more and Constitution of 14 or more
gains a 10 percent bonus to the experience points earned.
    Although their order does not concentrate on fighting, they have developed
skill in melee.  They feel that a strong, able body (may use fighter Con bonus) 
is necessary in the life of the Essence and train themselves to fight relatively 
well in combat and treat the weapon as an extension of themselves (use thief 
THAC0 table, only slashing weapons are allowed).  They disapprove of armor due 
to their belief in a pure body, one should not need the cumbersome protection of 
armor but rather rely ones innerself.  They can use all magic items, those which 
effect AC are allowed while actual armor are not, which are accessible to 
Warriors and Priests.

Proficiency Slots

Weapon                                          Non Weapon
  Initial          #Levels         Penalty        Initial         #Levels 
     3                4              -3              4               3
*proficiencies may be chosen from General\Warrior\Priest    

    A Temperant philosophy, or the Animus, grants them with the ability to
manipulate their essence.  This grants them special abilities much like priest
prayers yet, no diety is involved, just one's self.  Their powers manifest
as the spells contained in the Thought, Travelers, Time, Wards, Numbers,
Astral, Chaos and Law spheres.  The effect, duration, damage, etc is the same
as if it were cast as a prayer.  The means to use it are different.  
    Instead of having a predetermined number of prayers per level, the Temperant
spends Essence Points (EP) on spells.  The EP of a prayer is equal to its level.
Thus Command, a first level Priest prayer, would cost 1 EP.  A Temperant has
EPs as follows:  (Constitution Score/2) * level.  Thus a 4th level Temperant 
with a constitution of 12 has 24 EPs.  The Temperant gains access to the 
"levels" of the prayers as follows:  for every 3 levels of experience, one 
"level" of prayers.  Thus, a 6th level Temperant has access to all prayers of
2nd level or less.  If the Temperant has a Wisdom score of 16 or more, you add 
on to prayer level.  Thus the same Temperant with a 16 Wisdom could use up to
3rd level prayers.  Once EPs are spent to create a spell affect they cannot
be reused or regained except by sleeping (all recovered in 8 hours, or if less
sleep same fraction recovered as fraction of 8 hours) or heavy meditation (all
recovered in 4 hours, if not in heavy meditation for 4 hours NONE regained).
Heavy meditation does not replace sleep, the Temperant must sleep at least 4
hours a day or not gain any EP or be able to use any currently stored.  
    Essence Points can also be used in some different/beneficial ways.  The
Temperant can heal at the rate of 1 hp/ 2 EP.  The Temperant may also effect
his "luck" by influencing the flow of events by using EP.  This relates to
modifying "to hit" rolls, damage, saves etc made by the character at the cost
of +1 bonus/ 5 EP.  The final and most powerful use of EP is the Essence
Strike.  The Temperant literally attacks with his life force.  This attack 
happens before any attacks in the round it is declared occurs and can be used
against only one target.  The target receives no save but may attempt to use
any skill/abilities which allow dodges or evading.  The armor of the target
is calculated from its natural AC and any bonuses not including magic items.
No armor or magical enchantments except artifacts can modify the target AC.
The Temperant makes a normal "to hit" roll with a bonus equal to his current
level divided by two rounded down (5th level = +2 "to hit").  The Strike does
damage as such:  for every 8 EP you roll a d6.  Thus, if 32 EPs were left, 4d6 
is rolled for the damage.  The Temperant must use all remaining EPs in the 
attack.  Immediately following the attack, the Temperant must make a save vs
death.  If successful, the character is severely fatigues for 2d8 turns (in
other words, cannot do anything except rest).  If failed, the character drops
into a coma for 2d4 hours and will not under any circumstances wake until full
time has elapse.  The Temperant does not gain any EPs from the rest induced by
the Strike.
    Due to the Temperant's firm grounding in the understanding of the universe,
he receives a +4 save to all illusions above 3rd level and is immune to 1st
through 2nd.  He also receives a bonus of +4 in saves vs various mental 
attacks.  


I would like criticism/praise/reviews/whatever emailed to me.
Thanks for your time!

--

-=The angle of the dangle is inversely proportional to the heat of the beat!=-
                          [o--i--n] at [cwis.unomaha.edu]
                              Happy Hunting!