New Prestige Class: Silver Axeman

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The Silver Axeman is a new Prestige Class that I've created for my campaign. The inspiration came from David Gemmell's Druss The Legend. What do you think? Yay, or nay?

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///////// SILVER AXEMAN \\\\\\\\\\ |
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"Do as thou wilt, as long as thou doest
not harmeth others."
- Daimon Silverhand
(High Duke of Silverhold)

Hit Die: d12

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REQUIRMENTS |
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Alignment: Any non-evil (if a Silver |
Axeman of any level becomes evil, he |
permanently loses all benefits off all |
Silver Axeman levels he had. He can |
start over or use a wish spell (which |
has chances of working only if the |
character becomes non-evil once more. |
Base Attack Bonus: +10 |
Feats: Cleave, Armor Proficiency (heavy)|
Improved Initiative, Proficiency with |
Greataxe. |
Special: Must convice Daimon |
Silverhand that you are worthy of being |
a Silver Axeman. |
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CLASS SKILLS |
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- Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), |
Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), |
and Swim (Str). |
- Skill points at each level: |
2 + Int modifier. |
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CLASS FEATURES |
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- AC Bonus (Ex): The Silver Axeman |
receives a dodge bonus to Armor Class |
that starts at +1 and improves as the |
axeman gains levels, until it reaches +4|
at 10th level. |
- Weapon And Armor Proficiency: A Silver|
Axemen is proficient with all simple and|
martial weapons, all types of armor, and|
shields. |
- The Silver Defender (Weapon): When |
one is promoted to a Silver Axeman, he |
receives a Silver Defender greataxe. |
This is a +2 Greataxe that gives you 10 |
DR against silver. For purposes of |
determining DR, this weapon is |
considered a silver weapon. |
- Enduring Blow (Ex): By chanelling a |
lot of mental power, the Silver Axeman |
is able to add his Constitution modifier|
to any one damage roll. This attack |
must be declared an Enduring Blow before|
the die is rolled. If the attack fails, |
it is lost. From level 2, this |
extraordinary ability can be used once |
per day, and from level 6, it can be |
used twice per day. |
- Bonus Feat: The Silver Axeman receives|
a bonus feat at level 3 and another one |
at level 7. |
- Death Blow (Ex): Relying on his |
extraordinary stregth, a Silver Axeman |
can try to kill a weaker creature with |
only one blow. If the attack roll |
succeds and if the attacked creatures |
HD is one half or lower than the Silver |
Axeman's HD (effective character level),|
and if the attacked creature fails a |
Fortitude save with a DC equal to |
[10 + Axeman's Level + Axeman's Wisdom |
Modifier], then the attacked creature is|
killed. If the attacked creature's HD is|
bigger than one-half of the attacker's |
HD, the attack is declared a critical |
hit with no need to reroll in order to |
see if it really is a critical hit. This|
attack must be declared before the die |
is rolled. If the attack fails, it is |
lost. From level 4, this extraordinary |
ability can be used once per day, and |
from level 8, it can be used twice per |
day. If the hitten creature's HD is |
one-half the Axeman's HD or lower, and |
the hitten creatures succeds it's |
Fortitude Save, then the attack is |
declared a critical hit with no need to |
reroll in order to see if it really is a|
critical hit.
- Speed Bonus (Ex): Because of a Silver |
Axeman's intensive training, his stamina|
and strength are improved, giving him a |
10 ft. speed bonus at level 5, and an |
aditional 10 ft. speed bonus at level |
10, totaling a speed bonus of 20 ft. |
- Life Force (Ex): Because of a Silver |
Axeman's intensive training, his |
constitution and endurance are |
increased, giving him a 10% bonus to |
maximum hit-points. This takes place |
only once the axeman has reached level 9|
and never again. |
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TABLE: THE SILVER AXEMAN |
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Lvl |BAB|Frt|Ref|Wll|ACB|Special |
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1st| +1| +2| +0| +2| +1|Silver Defender|
2nd| +2| +3| +0| +3| +1|Endur.Blow 1/d |
3rd| +3| +3| +1| +3| +1|Bonus Feat |
4th| +4| +4| +1| +4| +2|Death Blow 1/d |
5th| +5| +4| +1| +4| +2|Speed +10ft |
6th| +6| +5| +2| +5| +2|Endur.Blow 2/d |
7th| +7| +5| +2| +5| +3|Bonus Feat |
8th| +8| +6| +2| +6| +3|Death Blow 2/d |
9th| +9| +6| +3| +6| +3|Lifeforce +10% |
10th|+10| +7| +3| +7| +4|Speed +20ft |
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KEY: Lvl = Level
BAB = Base Attack Bonus
Frt = Fortitude Save Bonus
Ref = Reflex Save Bonus
Wll = Will Save Bonus
ACB = Armor Class Bonus

 

In the requirements, you might want to change it to "becomes evil again".

*What marks someone as worthy in Daimon Silverhand's eyes? Lots of powerful deeds? Helping little children learn to read?
*Why are the alignment restrictions like they are? These abilities seem to be based on skill, not supernatural nature, which would imply that an evil alignment would prevent you from advancing, but not take away what you had already learned. Additionally, wish is a little bit extreme... wouldn't atonement be just as appropriate?
*Perhaps Weapon Focus with the Greataxe would be more appropriate? It shows that they've at least put some effort into their greataxe; Weapon Specialization might be more appropriate, but you then lose the ability to make non-fighters Silver Axemen.

*Class Skils list looks very bare. No craft? No Profession? What about Spot or Listen?

*Any limits on those bonus feats? Can my cleric/silveraxeman use it for a metamagic feat?

*Why Wisdom Modifier in Death Blow? I was thinking Strength, since it really comes down to him being able to use the axe, yes?

*How precisely does Life Force work? LEt's say my 10/9 Barbarian/Silver axeman has 120 HP. By this, I would automatically add 12 more HP to it, or 10%. If my next level is in silver axeman, I roll a d12, add my constitution modifier, and that's it? Or do I add 10% to my roll + con modifier total?

Overall, it's not bad, but not that impressive. A lot of it seems like "That would be neat to have" abilities, rather than a coherent set of skills.

 

Maybe I will change it to "becomes evil again". This prestige class is specially made for my campaign, actually it's specially made for a player that plays in my campaign. That player plays a Level 14 Half-Orc Barbarian that thinks there are no limits to evil (don't get me wrong, it's the player that thinks this, not the half-orc. I just wanted to limit his evilness. Of course, you might think that I (as the DM) should just give him an encounter with a NPC that's stronger than him, right? Well that's exactly what I did. Said half-orc met Daimon Silverhand, High Duke of Silverhold, a 20/10 Warrior/Silver Axeman. Daimon asked said half-orc "you really think you thougth, don't you?". Obviously, said half-orc said "Of course I'm thougth!". Daimon challenged half-orc to a nonlethal challenge. Half-Orc lost, was very impressed by Daimon's power and wanted to become a Silver Axeman himself. Daimon told him that he should do some good deeds before he would be accepted in training as a Silver Axeman.) Long paranthesis, huh?

I will include Craft and Prefession, and Listen as well, but Spot was allready there.

You're right about strength in Death Blow. I'll fix that, but not in my previous post, I iz lazy.

Life Force means that after you level-up to a level 9 Axeman, and you have 120 hp, you get an aditional 12 hp (10% of 120).

Thanks for your advise. I'm working on a "Rennkorian Swordsmaster" inspired by David Gemmell's Skilgannon The Damned. I Might post it here in a few days or so.