Moon Scythe (3.5e Class)
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Adventure: A moon scythe is a follower of the Moon Goddess, Luna who mostly excel in fighting and light magic. A moon scythe can be adventurous and do just about anything. More often than not they are in adventures for money and wealth, but there are some devout followers who are looking for their inner self. Moon scythes who are not particularly adventurous may be hired as bodyguards, special ops soldiers, or even as farmers.
Characteristics: A moon scythe is master of the scythe or Moon Staff. However, due to their relation with Luna, they are given a small array of divine magic. They are proficient with most weapons, but prefer to go with light armor and wield a scythe or Moon Staff. Some of the more devout followers of the Luna wish to ascend and become a Moon Warrior and fight her battles in the heavens.
Alignment: Because of the nature of Luna, who rests in Chaotic Neutral, a moon scythe can be of just about any alignment. However, lawful moon scythes are rare and when they do exist it is simply for orders sake.
Religion: All moon scythes worship Luna. During a full moon, they cut some part of themselves to spill their blood on an alter, which can be in a church or self made, for her. More devout moon scythes may follow the religion more closely. Blood is the strongest pact a person can make between two entities, and Luna expects her followers to make the trust pact to prove they are worthy of divine strength.
Background: Most moon scythes become as such rather than fighters in hopes of attaining a higher level of existence. However, some moon scythes only become as such because Luna is generous and grants her followers divine magic. A moon scythe knows that Luna is a powerful deity, though her true self is not well known amongst the common people. Thus a moon scythe typically has an inside connection of some kind. She trains their bodies and spirits in the material realm, so she may be ready for war in the heavens.
Moon scythes usually do not have a church to attend, but there are a few in large cities. The churches are built mostly in port cities by the ocean, or on a lake side in a big city. Services are held at night, and there are usually two moon warriors, or two moon scythes standing guard. Many people find these night services shady, but the mass is usually just for reading, and helping each other out.
Races: Followers from any humanoid (mostly because Luna is stingy about monster races ascending to higher existence) race exist. However, most of her followers are human, and thus so, most of the moon scythes are human.
Other Classes: A moon scythe gets along with anyone who will let him have his way. They get along well in parties consisting of rogues, fighters, clerics, sometimes paladins, wizards, sorcerers, bards, and even barbarians. As taught by Luna, a person has to accept another for who they are, and most followers tend to follow this doctrine. Ideally however, a moon scythe would travel with a rogue, a cleric, a sorcerer, and a fighter.
Role: The moon scythe's role in a party is typically combat oriented, but he can heal others when needed. He has decent social skills and can make a fair diplomat.
Game Rule Information
Moon scythes have the following game statistics:
Abilities: Charisma is important to a moon scythe because unlike other divine casters, Charisma is his key score. A Charisma of 14 is needed to access all of a moon scythe's spells. Strength and Constitution are important because he is combat oriented. A good Dexterity would help with the low armor class.
Starting Age: Moderate
Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10 (150).
|Special||Spells per Day|
|1st||+1||+0||+2||+2||Weapon Focus (Scythe or Moon Staff)||—||—||—||—|
|6th||+6/1||+2||+5||+5||Weapon Specialization (Scythe or Moon Staff)||1||—||—||—|
|8th||+8/3||+2||+6||+6||Greater Weapon Focus (Scythe or Moon Staff)||1||0||—||—|
|10th||+10/5||+3||+7||+7||Improved Uncanny Dodge||1||1||—||—|
|12th||+12/7/2||+4||+8||+8||Greater Weapon Specialization (Scythe or Moon Staff)||1||1||1||—|
|16th||+16/11/6/1||+5||+10||+10||Blood not Spilt in Vain||2||2||1||1|
|17th||+17/12/7/2||+5||+10||+10||Cutting through Darkness||2||2||2||1|
|18th||+18/13/8/3||+6||+11||+11||Melee Weapon Mastery (Slashing)||3||2||2||1|
|20th||+20/15/10/5||+6||+12||+12||Weapon Supremacy (Scythe or Moon Staff), Moon Goddess' Chosen||3||3||3||3|
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level; ×4 at 1st level)
All of the following are class features of the moon scythe:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Moon scythes are proficient with all simple weapons, the scythe, and the shortbow (simple and composite.) Also, moon scythes are proficient with light armors.
Weapon Focus (Scythe or Moon Staff): At first level, a moon scythe gets Weapon Focus (Scythe) as a bonus feat.
Evasion: At third level, a moon scythe gains Evasion as a class ability. As he progresses in his training, he becomes agile, learning to wield the scythe as a weapon, not just a tool. He becomes so agile in fact that he has learned how to avoid unusual an magic attacks with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex save on an attack that would normally deal half damage, he instead takes no damage. A helpless moon scythe, or one that is carrying a medium load or wearing medium or heavier armor, cannot use this ability.
Spells: Beginning at fourth level, a moon scythe is granted a small number of spells. His known spells are chosen from the list below, and the number known is equal to the number of ranks he has in Knowledge (Religion). He may know up to 5 spells within each level. For example a 7th level moon scythe with 10 ranks Knowledge (Religion) can only know 5 1st level spells. However, when he levels to 8th he gains 5 known spells in the 2nd level.
The DC for a saving throw against a moon scythe's spell is 10 + the spell level + the moon scythe's charisma modifier. Also, like other spell casters he can only cast a certain number of spells of each level per day. He receives bonus spells per day if he has a high charisma score.
Uncanny Dodge: Luna watches out for her followers, and thus so grants them with a heightened sense. He retains his Dex modifier to his armor even if caught flat footed or attacked by an invisible foe. However, he looses this ability if he is immobilized.
If they have Uncanny Dodge from a previous class, the instead get Improved Uncanny Dodge, explained below.
Weapon Specialization (Scythe or Moon Staff): A moon scythe gains Weapon Specialization (Scythe) as a bonus feat.
Moonsight: Luna, again generously shares a fraction of her divinity with her followers. A moon scythe gains Low Light Vision as and Extraordinary ability.
If he already has Low Light Vision, he instead gains Darkvision out 60 feet.
Greater Weapon Focus (Scythe or Moon Staff): A moon scythe gains Greater Weapon Focus (Scythe) as a bonus feat.
Greater Moonsight: Luna does not wish for her followers to be vulnerable at night and shares her divinity to change that. A moon scythe gains Darkvision out 60 feet that stacks with other Darkvision and Low Light Vision. He may now also see through magical darkness.
Improved Uncanny Dodge: As his heightened skill sharpens, he becomes even more aware in combat. A moon scythe can no longer be flanked and protects him from sneak attacks, unless the rogue is four or more levels higher than he.
Greater Weapon Specialization (Scythe or Moon Staff): A moon scythe gains Greater Weapon Specialization (Scythe) as a bonus feat, even if the Moon Scythe does not meet the prerequisites for this feat.
Moonlit Grace: The moon scythe becomes graceful beyond that of a normal person. A moon scythe gets a +2 dodge bonus to AC as long as he is not carrying a medium or heavier load, and not in medium or heavier armor.
Water's Trust: A moon scythe gains the trust of water. A moon scythe can make a DC 15 Balance check to walk 30 feet on calm water (such as a lake or pond). If it is a river, or a rough ocean or sea, the water within 5 feet of the moon scythe becomes calm, so he may walk on it.
Blood not Spilt in Vain: Luna reveals her motives to the moon scythe for spilling his blood at every full moon. A moon scythe can use any pool of water to scry anywhere he has been. This is an Extraordinary ability, and thus there is no save. Unlike the spell, he can only scry in places, not on people. However, if people are in the area, he can hear and see them.
Cutting Through the Darkness: The moon scythe learns that night is only a stumbling block in his way, and Luna is nights adversary. Once per day per point of Charisma bonus, he may use the spell Darkness as caster level 1/2 his level + his charisma modifier. However, unlike the spell, his moonsight ability allows him to see through the darkness.
While fighting in this darkness, he gains +1d6 sneak attack damage.
Melee Weapon Mastery (Slashing) A moon scythe gains the feat Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing) as a bonus feat, even if the Moon Scythe does not meet all the prerequisites for the feat. This feat provides +2 to attack, and +2 to damage when attacking.
Weapon Supremacy (Scythe or Moon Staff) A moon scythe gains Weapon Supremacy (Scythe) as a bonus feat, providing +1 to AC, +4 to disarm, he may take ten (once per round), he may add 5 to one of his attacks (once per round), and he may make an attack, or full attack even while grappled with no penalty while wielding his scythe or moon staff.
Moon Goddess' Chosen: Luna bestows some divinity to her follower. They no longer need to eat, sleep, and do not age (though any bonuses or penalties already acquired apply). Secondly, with their new divinity, they gain their Charisma bonus as a deflection bonus to their armor class (this ability replaces any deflection bonuses that he may already have.)
The following is a list of spells that a moon scythe may choose from.
1st- Cure Light Wounds, Protection from Law, Sanctuary, Magic Weapon, Inflict Light Wounds, Detect Law/Evil/Chaos/Good, Bless/Curse Water.
2nd- Cure Moderate Wounds, Shatter, Shield Other, Darkness, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Undetectable Alignment, Zone of Truth, Restoration, Lesser, Remove Paralysis, Align Weapon.
3rd- Cure Serious Wounds, Magic Circle Against Law, Protection from Energy, Create Food and Water, Dispel Magic, Inflict Serious Wounds, Water Breathing, Remove Disease, Invisibility Purge, Searing Light.
4th- Cure Critical Wounds, Chaos Hammer, Spell Immunity, Control Water, Divine Power, Inflict Critical Wounds, Magic Weapon, Greater, Tongues, Neutralize poison, Death Ward.