Unearthed Errata: The Sentinel Hybrid Class

by Tim Wallace

This is my attempt to convert the champion class from Arcana Evolved. It began as a paladin archetype, then I was going to try and do a full class conversion, and finally I settled on making it a hybrid paladin/samurai class. Therefore, I have only had time to convert two causes for it. Next week I will finish converting the causes.

Sentinel

Sentinels are empowered not by alignment or a deity, but by their devotion to a chosen cause.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d10.

Parent Classes: Paladin and samurai.

Class Skills

The sentinel's class skills are  Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Sentinel

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Cause, challenge 1/day, resolve
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Cause ability, fervor
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Fervent act, weapon expertise
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Challenge 2/day
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Indomitable weapon
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Fervent act
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Challenge 3/day
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Cause ability
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Fervent act, greater resolve
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Challenge 4/day
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Honorable stand
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Demanding challenge, fervent act
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8	Challenge 5/day
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	—
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Cause ability, fervent act
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Challenge 6/day
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	True resolve
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Fervent act
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Challenge 7/day
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Last stand

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the sentinel.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sentinels are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Cause (Ex): At 1st level, a sentinel must pledge herself to a specific cause. The cause grants the sentinel a number of bonuses, class skills, and special abilities. In addition, each cause includes a code the sentinel must adhere to. If she violates this code, she loses the benefits of her cause's challenge ability for 24 hours. The violation of a code is subject to GM interpretation.

A sentinel who wishes to change her cause must undertake a lengthy process to dedicate herself to a new cause. When this choice is made, she immediately loses all of the benefits from her old cause. She must then follow the code of her new cause for one entire level without gaining any benefits from that cause. Once she has accomplished this, she gains all the bonuses from her new cause. Note that the names of these causes might vary depending upon the campaign setting or GM's preference.

Challenge (Ex): Once per day, a sentinel can challenge a foe to combat. As a swift action, the sentinel chooses one target within sight to challenge. The sentinel's melee attacks deal extra damage whenever the attacks are made against the target of her challenge. This extra damage is equal to the sentinel's level. The sentinel can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every three levels beyond 1st, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

Challenging a foe requires much of the sentinel's concentration. The sentinel takes a –2 penalty to her Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of her challenge.

The challenge remains in effect until the target is dead or unconscious or until the combat ends. Each sentinel's challenge also includes another effect which is listed in the section describing the sentinel's order. This ability replaces smite evil.

Resolve (Ex): Starting at 1st level, the sentinel gains resolve that she can call upon to endure even the most devastating wounds and afflictions. She can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every two sentinel levels beyond 1st. Whenever the sentinel defeats the target of her challenge, she regains one daily use of her resolve, up to her maximum number of uses per day. Defeating the target of her challenge usually involves reducing the target to 0 hit points or fewer, but the GM might rule that an enemy who surrenders or flees the battle is also defeated. She can use this resolve in a number of ways.

Determined: As a standard action, the sentinel can spend one use of her resolve to remove the fatigued, shaken, or sickened condition. If the sentinel is at least 8th level, she can alternatively remove the exhausted, frightened, nauseated, or staggered condition. If the condition has a duration longer than 1 hour or is permanent, this ability removes the condition for 1 hour, at which time the condition returns.

Resolute: Whenever the sentinel is required to make a Fortitude or Will save, she can spend one use of her resolve as an immediate action to roll twice and take the better result. She must decide to use this ability before she rolls the saving throw.

Unstoppable: When the sentinel is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but not slain, she can spend one use of her resolve as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. She is staggered, but she does not fall unconscious and begin dying if she takes a standard action. She does fall unconscious if she takes additional damage from any source.

Fervor (Su): At 2nd level, a sentinel can draw upon the power of her cause to heal wounds or harm foes. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to 1/2 her sentinel level + her Charisma modifier.

By expending one use of this ability, a good sentinel can touch a creature to heal it of 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every 3 sentinel levels her possesses above 2nd (to a maximum of 7d6 at 20th level). Using this ability is a standard action (unless the sentinel targets herself, in which case it's a swift action). Alternatively, the sentinel can use this ability to harm an undead creature, dealing the same amount of damage her would otherwise heal with a melee touch attack. Using fervor in this way is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage. This counts as positive energy.

An evil sentinel can use this ability to instead deal damage to living creatures with a melee touch attack and heal undead creatures with a touch. This counts as negative energy.

A neutral sentinel must choose whether she deals positive or negative energy with this ability. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. This ability replaces lay on hands.

Fervent Act (Su): At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, a sentinel can select one mercy or cruelty. Each mercy adds an effect to the sentinel’s fervor ability. A sentinel who deals positive energy with her fervor chooses from the list of mercies available to the paladin class, and a sentinel who deals negative energy with her fervor chooses from the list of cruelties available to the antipaldin class. This ability replaces all mercies gained at all levels.

Weapon Expertise (Ex): At 3rd level, a sentinel gains an unparalleled expertise with her chosen weapons. At 3rd level, the sentinel selects one fighter weapon group. The sentinel can draw weapons from the selected weapon group as a free action as if she had the Quick Draw feat. In addition, whenever she threatens a critical hit with a weapon from the selected weapon group, she gains a +2 bonus on the confirmation roll. Finally, her sentinel levels stack with any fighter levels she possesses for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites for feats that specifically select her chosen weapon group, such as Weapon Specialization.

Indomitable Weapon (Su): Upon reaching 5th level, a sentinel can enhance her weapon as a standard action by calling upon the power of her cause for 1 minute per paladin level. When called, the power of her cause causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 5th level, the power of her cause grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 5th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: bane, brilliant energy, dancing, defending, disruption, ghost touch, keen, merciful, speed, thundering, and wounding. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the power of her cause are determined when the power of her cause is called and cannot be changed until the power of her cause is called again. The power of her cause imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the sentinel but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the sentinel. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. A sentinel can use this ability once per day at 5th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 5th, to a total of four times per day at 17th level.

If a weapon bonded with a power of her cause is destroyed, the sentinel loses the use of this ability for 30 days, or until she gains a level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period, the sentinel takes a –1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. This ability replaces divine bond.

Greater Resolve (Ex): At 9th level, a sentinel can spend her resolve to negate some of her most grievous wounds. After a critical hit is confirmed against him, the sentinel can spend one use of her resolve as an immediate action to treat that critical hit as a normal hit. Effects that only trigger on a critical hit do not trigger when the sentinel uses this ability.

Honorable Stand (Ex): At 11th level, a sentinel can make an honorable stand, deciding to fight the target of her challenge to the bitter end, no matter the cost. She can make an honorable stand once per day at 11th level, plus one additional time per day at 16th level. Declaring an honorable stand is a swift action. While making an honorable stand, the sentinel is immune to the shaken, frightened, and panicked conditions. She does not fall unconscious while her hit point total is below 0. Finally, whenever a sentinel making an honorable stand must make a saving throw, she can spend one daily use of her resolve to reroll the saving throw after the first roll is made. She must take the result of the second roll, even if it is worse. If a sentinel making an honorable stand ever retreats from battle against her challenged foe, she loses the ability to make a challenge for 24 hours.

Demanding Challenge (Ex): At 12th level, whenever a sentinel declares a challenge, her target must pay attention to the threat she poses. As long as the target is within the threatened area of the sentinel, it takes a –2 penalty to its AC on attacks made by anyone other than the sentinel.

True Resolve (Ex): At 17th level, a sentinel can spend uses of her resolve to avoid death. If she has at least two uses of her resolve remaining, she can spend all of the daily uses of her resolve that she has available to him to avoid death. Regardless of the source of the attack that would have killed him, she is left alive, at –1 hit points (or lower if she was already below –1), unconscious, and stable.

Last Stand (Ex): At 20th level, a sentinel can make a last stand once per day whenever she makes a challenge. While this challenge is in effect, all melee and ranged weapons deal the minimum amount of damage to the sentinel, unless the attack scored is a critical hit. In addition, the sentinel remains conscious and is not staggered while she is below 0 hit points. While using this ability, the sentinel cannot be killed by melee or ranged weapons unless they are wielded by the target of her challenge. Attacks made by opponents that are not the target of her challenge deal no damage when sentinel has 0 or fewer hit points. This ability has no effect on spells, environmental effects, supernatural abilities, or any other source of damage other than melee and ranged weapons. Such sources of damage affect him normally and can kill him (although they do not cause him to fall unconscious or to become staggered if they reduce her hit points below 0). This effect lasts until the challenge ends or the sentinel takes an offensive action against a target other than the target of her challenge.

Sentinel Causes

The following causes can be chosen by sentinels.

Cause of Darkness

A champion of darkness somehow attains the position of being the chosen representative of evil. 

Code: While normally free-willed people never think of themselves as evil, the champion of darkness embraces the malevolent, destructive, cruel, and compassionless nature of darkness.

Challenge: Whenever a sentinel of darkness issues a challenge, she receives a +1 moral bonus on attack rolls against the target of her challenge as long as she is in an area of dim light or darkness.

Skills: A sentinel of darkness adds Sleight of Hand and Stealth to her list of class skills. She can make Sleight of Hand checks untrained. If she has ranks in the skill, she receives a bonus on the check equal to 1/2 her sentinel level (minimum +1) when attempting to conceal a weapon.

Cause Abilities: A sentinel of darkness receives the following abilities as she increases in level.

Cloak or Darkness (Su): At 2nd level, you can conjure a cloak of shadowy darkness that grants you a +4 armor bonus and a +2 circumstance bonus on Stealth checks. At 7th level, and every four levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by +2. You can use this cloak for 1 hour per day per sentinel level. The duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be spent in 1-hour increments.

See in Darkness (Su): At 8th level, you gain darkvision 60 feet. At 11th level, you can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even in absolute darkness or the darkness created by a deeper darkness spell.

Dweller in Darkness (Sp): At 15th level, you can cast your psyche into the void of space to attract the attention of a terrible otherworldly being once per day. The dweller in darkness behaves in all ways as if you had cast phantasmal killer. At 17th level, the dweller in darkness can be perceived by more than one creature, as if you had cast weird. 

Cause of Light

The light is both the foundation and the weapon of a sentinel of light. They struggle against the forces of darkness. 

Code: These champions uphold altruism, righteousness, and justice.

Challenge: Whenever a sentinel of light issues a challenge, she receives a +1 moral bonus on attack rolls against the target of her challenge if the target makes an attack against a target other than the sentinel. This bonus lasts for 1 minute. The bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the sentinel possesses.

Skills: A sentinel of darkness adds Perception and Survival to her list of class skills.

Cause Abilities: A sentinel of darkness receives the following abilities as she increases in level.

Prismatic Coat (Su): At 2nd level, you conjure a coat of rainbow radiance that grants you a +4 armor bonus. At 7th level, and every four levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +2. At 13th level, this armor grants you DR 5/slashing. You can use this coat for 1 hour per day per sentinel level. The duration does not need to be consecutive; it can instead be spent in 1-hour increments.

Day's Resurgence (Su): At 8th level, you can restore a single creature as if it had just completed 8 hours of rest. It takes 10 minutes to use this power. If the use of this power is disrupted, it must be restarted, but it is not lost. At the end of the 10 minutes, a single willing creature that you have touched regains hit points as if it had rested for the night and may make new saving throws against effects that require a save once per day. The target does not suffer any negative effects if such saving throws are failed, but success counts toward removing the affliction (if possible). This ability does not allow a target to prepare spells an additional time per day. You can use this ability once per day at 8th level, plus one additional time per day for every 2 levels beyond 8th.

Form of Light (Su): At 15th level, as a standard action, you can assume the form of a Small, Medium, Large, or Huge fire elemental, as elemental body IV. You can use this ability once per day, but the duration is 1 hour/level.