I came across this old AP idea I had typed up a couple of years ago when there was a lot of fuss over the class. I decided to brush it up a little and post it for kicks. Please forgive my spelling and grammar as I am well aware I am poor at both. I hope it makes for an interesting read if nothing else.

I would like to first say that I have no problem with the way the class is designed, and have personally enjoyed them. There does however seem to be a call among much of the player base for a change in the class or at least its options. With this in mind I set out to offer a redesign that would do the following...

1. Hold true to the intended design yet provide diverse and fun
options.
2. Offer a variety of new abilities that would differ them yet further
from existing classes while removing abilities similar to current
classes.
3. Make the two above goals fit somehow into the background of
Thera.

The basis of the redesign is that APs have gain their power from pacts made with lower planer patrons. Each AP will now have abilities more reflective of the lore and secrets that their patron can offer them. I am not suggesting empowerment in the way we think of it, just abilities derived from magic or ritual. Priests channel their Lord's power to advance their Lord's goals while APs feel they use their patron’s power to advance their own goals in return for a later boon to their patron in the form of souls garnered by the AP as well as the Ap's own soul in the end.

Below I will offer some background to work my ideas in as well as a list of the suggested patrons. Each patron will show a list of skills lost and the new skills gained. The new abilities will include some minor description and a suggested level and use. I understand what follows is a base listing and needs a vast amount of fleshing out as well as coding if any suggestions were to see use. I welcome any comments and take abuse well enough so feel free to remark.


The Beginning
In the waning years of the Chaos wars as devils and demons threw themselves into the fray mortals came to take note of the power they beheld. Most who looked upon these beasts came to know fear, shunning them and cowering at their passing. Other mortals sought ways to control the beasts, or at least guide their fury, to further their own devices. A few mortals however came to understand that just as men serve a master so must these foul beasts. So it came to pass that mortals who sought power beyond their own means, yet wished not to prostrate themselves to the powers of the heavens for granted blessings, cast their thoughts and desires instead into the depths of the underworld. To the woe of all
they were answered.

The Calling
The calls of man rang hollow upon the greater powers of the lower planes, the great dukes and princes were yet occupied carving out their own power base and uncaring of the mortal realms. The Chaos wars yet raged within these foul denizens of the hells and abyss as demon and devil threw themselves relentlessly upon one another in what is now called the blood-war to mortals. A third faction, known as the Yugaloths, who were neither demon nor devil fought upon both sides of the conflict for the sheer rapture of the slaughter. It was the greatest of the Yugaloths known as Korgall the Bloodreveler who did see worth in the flesh of man. Korgall dispatched emissaries unto the mortal realms who bartered forbidden lore and the promise of power for the souls of those who would heed the bargain. The first Anti-Paladins arose thus, spreading suffering to all and blighting the face of Thera.

The Rise
The rising power of the Yugaloths and their haggs, who were the soul-merchants of the lower planes, did not escape the notice of all. After eons of gathering their personal strength the demon princes Orcus, and Demogorgon as well as the devil lords Bhaal and Narnagig came to see the value of what the Yugaloths had begun. Power could be drawn from the souls of the damned and such could be used to fuel the blood-war that yet raged. It was then that dark minions of these powers slipped unto the mortal world yet again to sow the seeds of corruption amongst man, and secure a boon of souls in return for the secrets so revealed. It was in this time that Thera first saw the rise of dark paladins unlike that had risen before.


Traditional APs will still exist for those who love the old style. The Storyline assumes any who play old style Aps have taken a Yugaloth or known God as their patron. If you wish to choose one of the alternate AP choices you will have to indicate such at low level via some game mechanic that I have not thought about.

The Ap suggestions in the following parts will list the abilities that I think should be removed from their skill/spell list as well as some renamed abilities and new additions. I will try to indicate what level I think the ability should be gained and if I have any duration suggestions I will list those as well. This is continued in parts 2,3, and 4.

Without commenting on the specifics, this general theme has been
kicked around for a very, very long time (probably everywhere
you have a warrior-mage evildoer type).

When APs percolate up to the top of the List, this sort of concept
would certainly be on my personal short list as a way to update
the class (not that I would necessarily be involved, I just think
it's neat).

Thanks for sharing your take on this and the level of detail in your suggestion.

Qaledus
qaledus@carrionfields.com

nt

I have never played riftshadow nor even know what it is. All my thievery is from a lifetime of playing D&D, warhammer min battles, and reading. I do not claim to have invented all the ideas but I cant say as I have ever seen them spelled out anywhere else like they are for the AP suggestions. Do the suggestions look similar to another mud?

n/t

Anthraxus – Yugaloth associated with Disease, Decay and Vermin.


An Anti-Paladin who calls Anthraxus his patron will have these abilities/spells removed or renamed:

Pick Lock – Let the thieves have it.
Lightning Bolt – Let the invokers have it.
Lore – Replaced with a new version of identify.
Demand – A thrall of Demogorgan asks via violence.
Iceball – Great ability but replaced with Virulent Blast.
Chill Touch – Let the necromancers have it.
Detect Invis – Replaced with Infernal Gaze as an enhancement.
Deafen – Replaced with Cacophony of the Damned for style.
Bloodlust – Replaced with Fury of the Damned for style.


The description of new abilities along with suggested skill/spell classification, level suggestion, and duration are as follows:


-- Fetid Breath – (7) (Skill) By expelling the noxious vapors that ride upon your breath at a foe you can weaken and distract him. The skill causes minor strength/dex loss to a foe as he chokes and gags but also distracts him much as a warriors feint. A foe can be affected by Fetid Breath multiple times but will only suffer the strength/dex loss once.

-- Infernal Gaze – (10) (Spell) You weave your magic to make your eyes as keen as that of a Yugaloth. This spell grants you detect invis but also upgrades to include detection of good at level 24. This is mostly a rename of detect invis but is renamed and modified to best fit with the style of the class.

-- Enervation – (13) (Spell) You wrack your foe with a blast of negative energy that not only damages them but saps their life experiences briefly. Those targeted by Enervation will suffer damage much like a lightning bolt but will also suffer a penalty to the skills and spells of 1-5% which made lead to failure or reduction in ability for three tics. The effects of multiple Enervations are stacked.

-- Sacrificial Lore -- (20) (spell) The AP sacrifices a corpse in a dark ritual unto his patron to divine the properties of an item. Acts as identify. The corpse sacrificed must be at least the level of the item being identified and the AP takes some damage as he spills his own blood as well during the sacrifice.

-- Cacophony of the Damned -- (22) (Spell) The AP calls upon the innumerable spirits of the damned to assail his foe with their incessant whispers and mad ravings. With the targets ears filled with whispers of damnation, hopelessness and temptation they can hear nothing else and have their own moral slightly lowered. It might look something like this “Deveskrius points at you and utters blasphemies as he called upon the spirits of the damned. Whispers of temptation and hopelessness merge with mad ravings as a cacophony of innumerable voices fills your ears and blot out all other sounds.”

-- Fog of Pestilence -- (25) (Spell) The AP surrounds himself with a cloud of miasma occupied by a host of biting and stinging vermin of infernal origin. Those who engage the AP in combat are can become easily distracted by the choking vapors and biting vermin. The cloud will cause those striking or casting at the AP to miss on occasion as if he was affected by a very minor form of displacement.

-- Boneblade – (27) (Skill) After performing a dark ritual the AP is able to distract a bone weapon of his chosen type from a corpse. The weapon avg and bonuses will be based upon the level of the corpse. The weapon will be made of bone and have the damage type of “Poisonous Bite” and will have a chance to poison a foe when striking.

-- Vermintide – (32) (Spell) The AP calls upon a swarm of vermin from the infernal abode of Anthraxus to assault his foe. The biting and stinging cloud of infernal vermin will cause little damage but will be hard to disburse. The spell can only be cast to start combat or may be cast at a foe within the same area like call lightning. There will be a timer once the spell is successfully cast before it may be cast again.

-- Virulent Blast – (38) (Spell) The AP summons an explosive blast of miasmic gas from Anthraxus’ infernal plane. This blast causes area affect damage as well as exposing his foes to disease or poison. Exposure to disease and poison will not be automatic and when exposed will still allow a save. The spell may look something like this “As Karel finishes
his incantations you are rocked by an explosion of gas that leaves the air about you thick with pestilence and contagion.“

Demogorgon –- Demon associated with Chaos, Destruction and the Void.

An Anti-Paladin who calls Demogorgon his patron will have these abilities/spells removed or renamed:

Pick Lock – Let the thieves have it.
Lightning Bolt – Let the invokers have it.
Lore – Replaced with a new version of identify.
Demand – A thrall of Demogorgan asks via violence.
Iceball – Great ability but replaced with Word of Discord.
Chill Touch – Let the necromancers have it.
Plague – Wish to limit it to thralls of Anthraxus(see later).
Detect Invis – Replaced with Fiendish Clarity as an enhancement.
Deafen – Replaced with Cacophony of the Damned for style.
Bloodlust – Replaced with Fury of the Damned for style.


The description of new abilities along with suggested skill/spell classification, level suggestion, and duration are as follows:


-- Fiendish Clarity -- (10) (Spell) You weave your magic to make your eyes as keen as that of a demon. This spell grants you detect invis but upgrades to include detection of Orderly auras at level 24. This is mostly a rename of the standard detect invis spell to better fit the style of the class.

-- Netherbolt – (13) (Spell) You lash out at your foe with a bolt of negative energy that not only damages but disorients your foe. The Netherbolt does damage similar to a lightning bolt but also clouds the mind of your target preventing him from seeing anyone on via use of the “where” command for one tic.

-- Sacrificial Lore -- (20) (spell) The AP sacrifices a corpse in a dark ritual unto his patron to divine the properties of an item. Acts as identify. The corpse sacrificed must be at least the level of the item being identified and the AP takes some damage as he spills his own blood as well during the sacrifice.

-- Cacophony of the Damned -- (22) (Spell) The AP calls upon the innumerable spirits of the damned to assail his foe with their incessant whispers and mad ravings. With the targets ears filled with whispers of damnation, hopelessness and temptation they can hear nothing else and have their own moral slightly lowered. It might look something like this “Deveskrius points at you and utters blasphemies as he called upon the spirits of the damned. Whispers of temptation and hopelessness merge with mad ravings as a cacophony of innumerable voices fills your ears and blot out all other sounds.”

-- Disciple of Darkness --(23) (Skill) By sacrificing a corpse in a dark ritual unto his patron the AP is better able to focus his mental abilities. This will act as the trance skill for APs. When the skill is used it will grant the AP the trance skill at a set 75% for a duration dependant upon the level of the corpse sacrificed and if it was a PC corpse.

-- Cloak of Chaos -- (25) (Spell) The AP shrouds himself in power drawn from Demogorgon’s chaotic layer of the abyss. This grants the AP protection vs. those with a Orderly aura as to better sow discord and upheaval amongst those who would oppose the will of the Lord of Chaos. Like protection from good but works against those with a Orderly ethos. Stacks with protection from good.

-- Fury of the Damned -- (34) (Spell) Just a rename of Bloodlust and does not differ from the original in any way.

-- Divert Attack – (35) (Skill) The aura of chaos that surrounds the Anti-Paladin works to favor and shield him. When an attack is directed at the anti-paladin to start a fight there is a chance that the attack will be diverted to one of his group mates instead. If successful this ability will not work again for a duration to be indicated by a timer in the APs effects. This only works to start a fight. It might look something like this “As you advance to assault Sossaphrin he grins wickedly and maneuvers to leave you facing a surprised Darovela.”

-- Word of Discord – (38) (Spell) You utter a word of power drawn from the very lips of Demogorgon that rips at the sanity of your foes and leaves them unable to tell friend from foe for a moment. This spell causes area effect mental damage with increased damage against those with an Orderly ethos. There is also a small chance that in a state of paranoia and panic induced by the WOD that for foes break from the group they are in. They do not flee the room but are just removed from the group they are in.

-- Cast into the Void – (50) (Spell) You banish one of your foes into the Void which is a empty demi-plane of nothingness. There they wander about for 1-4 tics based on their int and wis scores. They suffer no ill effects while in the Void and at the end of their duration they return to a random room in the same area they were banished from.

n/t

Bhaal -- Devil associated with Tyranny and Order.

An Anti-Paladin who calls Bhall his patron will have these abilities/spells removed or renamed:

Pick Lock – Let the thieves have it.
Chill Touch – Leave it to the necros.
Iceball – Fantastic ability but replaced by Word of Obedience.
Lightning Bolt – Leave it to the invokers.
Plague – Wish to limit it to thralls of Anthraxus(see later)
Lore – Replaced with a new version of identify.
Deafen – Replaced by Cacophony of the Damned for style.
Detect Invis – Replaced by Diabolic Acuity as an enhancement.
Bloodlust of the Twelve Fiends – Renamed to Fury of the Damned with no change just to better fit with style of new APs.

The description of new abilities along with suggested skill/spell classification, level suggestion, and duration are as follows:

-- The Black Hand of Bhaal -- (5) (spell) Calls upon the taloned and disembodied hand of a devil of human size to strike your foe with crushing force. The spell causes minor crushing damage ment to replace chill touch.

-- Diabolic Acuity -- (10) (Spell) You weave your magic to make your eyes as keen as that of a devil. This spell grants you detect invis but upgrades to include detection of Chaotic auras at level 24. This is mostly a rename of the standard detect invis spell to better fit the style of the class.

-- The Clenched Fist of Bhaal -- (13) (spell) Call upon the massive, taloned, disembodied fist of a devil of giant size to strike your foe with crushing force. Crushing damage as lightning bolt but with a chance to lag foe like roundhouse.

-- Sacrificial Lore -- (20) (spell) The AP sacrifices a corpse in a dark ritual unto his patron to divine the properties of an item. Acts as identify. The corpse sacrificed must be at least the level of the item being identified and the AP takes some damage as he spills his own blood as well during the sacrifice.

-- Cacophony of the Damned -- (22) (Spell) The AP calls upon the innumerable spirits of the damned to assail his foe with their incessant whispers and mad ravings. With the targets ears filled with whispers of damnation, hopelessness and temptation they can hear nothing else and have their own moral slightly lowered. It might look something like this “Deveskrius points at you and utters blasphemies as he called upon the spirits of the damned. Whispers of temptation and hopelessness merge with mad ravings as a cacophony of innumerable voices fills your ears and blot out all other sounds.”

-- Disciple of Darkness -- (23) (Skill) By sacrificing a corpse in a dark ritual unto his patron the AP is better able to focus his mental abilities. This will act as the trance skill for APs. When the skill is used it will grant the AP the trance skill at a set 75% for a duration dependant upon the level of the corpse sacrificed and if it was a PC
corpse.

-- Cloak of Oppression -- (25) (Spell) The AP shrouds himself in power drawn from Bhall’s orderly layer of the hells. This grants the AP protection vs. those with a Chaotic aura as to better put down the weak minded and rebellious. Like protection from good but works against those with a Chaotic ethos. Stacks with protection from ood.

-- The Crushing Fist of the Overlord -- (32) (Spell) Calls upon the massive, taloned, disembodied fist of a devil of titan size to strike your foe with crushing force. Crushing damage like a staff of striking with same chance to lag. It might look something like this "As Hejduk finishes his incantations the skies darken and the clouds split as a titanic disembodied fist of hellish aspect strikes down upon Johan with crushing force."

-- Voice of Authority -- (33) (skill) The aspects of the tyrant become more evident within the AP bolstering his charisma and making him seem even more imposing than he would normally be. The aura grants a boost to charisma and adds +10 lvls for consideration of his demand skill as few can resist his demands.

-- Fury of the Damned -- (34) (Spell) Just a rename of Bloodlust and does not differ from the original in any way.

-- Word of Obedience -- (38) (Spell) The voice of the tyrant becomes so compelling that it's commanding tone breaks the will of those who oppose him and may shatter their resolve. The spell is an area affect mental damage attack that does increased damage vs. chaotic opponents and has a small chance to make a foe flee the room. It might look something like this “As Astilamos utters his damning edict, the authority of his voice and aspect of his presence, becomes a crushing weight that threatens to shatter your will and break your resolve.”

Bhaal was one of the dark gods in Forgotten Realms books, and the name probably originates from Baal, the Phoenician principal male god(semitic nature deities were called baals as well). I think some other name could be more original than Bhaal for this purpose.

Agreed. The names are all from old school D&D and the Bhall was ust a mispelling. The names mean little to compared to the concept of the change. If some of the ideas were used I could care less what they wished to name the patrons. Anthraxus and Demogorgon were both 1st edition MM2 names I think.

If they go for that idea in such path way that needs the names. You presented the ideas well and had so many of them, there's bound to be something useful in it. I don't have such great visions of AP class and didn't read yours very thoroughly either. I was just pointing out that the names weren't the useful part. I'll leave it for someone else to judge what is actually useful in your ideas, as I don't have much insight to AP class.

By the way, Anthraxus is named after disease called anthrax and Demogorgon is combination of demon and gorgon.