PRIEST-CLERIC KIT Counselor Description: Counselors are generally culled from the ranks of priesthoods of business, law, rulership, and the like, and they are respected for their reputation as honest negotiators, willing advocates for the cause of justice, and their insight into people. Counselors can act as (or work to become) advisors to a ruler or noble house or even a mercantile operation, depending on their specific interests and the leanings of their faith. A Counselor tries to make him- or herself indispensable to the one he or she advises; their religious code of conduct helps their advisee see them as impartial, and the high Charisma score required to become a Counselor virtually guarantees that their lord will listen to their counsel. At the same time, a Counselor subtly manipulates his or her master to serve his or her own ends and those of his or her church. For similar reasons, a Counselor will often take over all or part of the education of a lord's children, teaching them to respect the powers of deities and their priests and in particular to encourage them in the value and power of their own faith and the ethos promulgated by their deity's teachings. In short, a Counselor seeks to spread the influence of their church through overt (attaining a public position of power) and covert (suggestion and subtle use of influence) means. In order to maintain the trust of their liege lord and to ensure that their honesty and lack of caprice are unimpeachable, a Counselor must have a non- chaotic alignment. A Counselor must also have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma of at least 13. Because of their poor 'public image', half-orcs, half- ogres, and tieflings cannot become Counselors. Weapons & Armor: As per the deity in question. Special Benefits: Counselors gain the usual spheres of spell access and granted powers for a priest of their faith, in addition to the following special abilities: Ceremony: As a standard Cleric. Courtly Manners: Counselors are very skilled at a variety of ingratiating behaviors, including a smattering of courtesies and customs from nearly every culture imaginable, allowing them a +1 reaction bonus when dealing with intelligent NPCs, doubled to +2 with respect to upper-class NPCs. A Counselor also finds it useful to learn many languages, and he or she can select two Modern Languages for every slot devoted to them. Counselors also get a +1 bonus to their Etiquette proficiency for every three levels of experience (rounding up). Liege Lord: A Counselor is always attached to a noble, merchant lord, or political figure of some sort. Working with the player and his or her character concept, the DM should develop an influential NPC for the Counselor to advise, describing why this person trusts the Counselor's advice (perhaps the PC is a relative or an apprentice to the NPC's former advisor). For play balance, a 1st level Counselor will rarely be in a position of sole influence with respect to a very powerful NPC, but instead will likely begin as one of several advisors attached to an NPC, or perhaps sole advisor to a minor baron or landed knight, or perhaps a noble in exile trying to regain their lands). Once in position, it is up to the PC to act in such a way as to increase their influence with their liege and to increase the NPC's own political power. A Counselor will always be able to claim free room and board from his or her advisor (assuming that they have possessions in areas where the Counselor travels) and access to that individual and their minions. They can also usually obtain room and board for associates and traveling companions (i.e., party members), as long as they do not abuse the privilege of hospitality. Statecraft: Counselors are excellent negotiators and are very skilled at smoothing over social gaffes and faux pas, working out disputes, and persuading others to come around to their point of view. When using his or her Diplomacy proficiency, a Counselor receives a +1 bonus for every three levels of experience. In addition, any time he or she is able to converse with a creature of Low (5-7) or better intelligence for at least one round that creature must save vs. paralyzation with a -1 penalty for every three levels of the Counselor (rounding up) or have their reaction adjusted one step in the direction desired by the Counselor. Counselors themselves are well-trained to avoid being influenced or persuaded by others and to avoid giving away more than they wish, and this mental discipline grants them a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. any form of divination or mind- affecting attack. Further, Counselors of 9th level or higher are entitled to an unmodified save vs. spells to resist divinations or mind-affecting attacks that normally allow no saving throw. Counselors are also very alert for deception on the part of others, being able to note subtle verbal and nonverbal cues that indicate a lack of truthfulness. A Counselor has a 10% chance per level to detect any spoken lie (assuming that the speaker is aware he or she is lying) or see through a non-magical disguise. This ability is automatic and need not be declared as an action. Disguises, lies, and similar deception that is hidden by magic or other special means can also be detected, but at only half the normal chance of success. Special Hindrances: People associated with the Counselor's Liege Lord, including those who live in the lord's domain or adjacent lands, will easily recognize the Counselor as an advisor to the lord. If the lord favors him or her or if the populace knows the Counselor to give good advice, many will try to get close to him or her, seek his or her advice on questions (especially legal questions), and approach him or her with petitions for the lord, asking the Counselor to intercede on their behalf. In addition, the Counselor can be a target for the lord's enemies or jealous rival courtiers. On the other hand, Counselors who fail to please their Liege Lord will find themselves in disfavor at court and amongst the people (-4 with upper class NPCs, -2 with others). Depending on the lord's temper, a Counselor who has fallen into disfavor may face exile or worse, especially if a Counselor's bad advice led to a spectacular failure, such as defeat in battle, though sufficient effort by the Counselor to make amends can often restore his or her position. A Counselor also has a chance each time he or she advances a level of being sent by his or her Liege Lord on a diplomatic errand. The chance of this happening is 5% times the new level, and such an errand can either be role-played out or assumed to occur 'off-board', requiring the Counselor to be absent from adventuring for 1d20 weeks. Successful completion of such an errand usually enhances the Counselor's status in his or her lord's eyes, while refusal to go or failure to complete the mission generally plunges the Counselor into disfavor. In addition to these political pitfalls, Counselors spend so much time dealing with political intrigues that they are not as tightly allied with church affairs as other Clerics and do not gain the Church Affiliation benefit. Likewise, they spend little time practicing sermons and reciting doctrine, precluding the ability to Inspire as a Cleric. Finally, Counselors are not well-versed in the art of combat, suffering penalty to attack rolls and ability checks depending on the type of armor worn: Armor Worn Attack Penalty Ability Check None1 -1 - Leather2 -2 -1 Chain3 -3 -2 Plate Mail4 -4 -3 Full/Field Plate -5 -4 1 including bracers of defense 2 including studded leather and elven chain 3 including scale, ring, and hide 4 including partial plate Magical armor counts as one category better than mundane armor of the same type. Bonus Proficiencies: Diplomacy, Etiquette Required Proficiencies: Ceremony/Ritual, Law Preferred Proficiencies: Administration, Ancient History, Artistic Ability, Bureaucracy, Calligraphy, Cartography, Charm, Crowd Working, Debate, Haggling, Heraldry, Language (Modern), Local History, Mental Resistance, Mercantilism, Numeracy, Numismatics, Observation, Persuasion, Public Speaking, Reading/Writing, Religion, Sixth Sense, Somatic Concealment, Supernumerate