Courtier

Good lord this class is absolutely terrible at combat. This class gets maybe one actual combat ability so unless you're using all the feats you get for combat and or don't have use magic item expect to not be doing much effectively when it's time for smash and bash time. This class is certainly better as a utility and in campaigns that are less combat focused.

Role: Utility

Characteristics: Utility class focused on political intrigue and manipulating it. Borderline NPC class territory

Source: Rokugan Campaign Setting

Game Rule Information

The Courtier has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Charisma is your most valuable stat followed by intelligence for skills, Dexterity and Constitution are nice for not getting one shot in combat.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d6

Starting Gold: 6d4 x 10

Class Skills

The Courtier's class skills are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Innuendo (Wis), Knowledge (etiquette, history, local, nobility and royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (8 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 8 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Courtier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Courtier is proficient with All simple weapons and the wakizashi

Style and Grace: At first level, the courtier receives a +4 competence bonus to Charisma-related skill checks made for social interaction(i.e., not feinting in combat).

Talent: Beginning at first level, any time the courtier takes the Skill Focus feat, he or she may choose to apply it to two skills, as long as both skills are based on Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma (they need not be based on the same ability). The courtier still may not apply the Skill Focus benefit to a skill more than once.

Wealth: Beginning at first level, the courtier receives a wealth bonus equal to 50 gp per point of Charisma modifier (if positive). They receive this stipend once per year. Courtiers receive a wakizashi (a masterwork short sword) at character creation for free.

Iron Will: The courtier receives the feat Iron Will as a bonus feat at level 2.

Gossip: Beginning at 3rd level, the courtier gains the ability to search for rumors about a place, item or person that is associated with courts. By making a Gather Information check against a DC as shown on Table 1-2: Gossip DC, the courtier may learn information about the subject.

This information is not always reliable - any gossip has a 50% + 1% per point of the courtier's Charisma chance to be true. This ability may only be used once per month on any given subject, though it does not prevent regular usage of the Gather Information skill.

Courtier Skills: Beginning at 4th level and every 3 levels afterward (7th, 10th, etc), a courtier may select one of the following abilities. The abilities are extraordinary abilities and may only be selected once, unless otherwise noted:

The Better Part of Valor: When executing the total defense action, the courtier receives an additional dodge bonus equal to his or her Intelligence modifier.

The Eyes See the Heart: Anyone attempting to lie in direct conversation with the courtier must make a Will save (DC 10 + courtier's Wisdom modifier); if the save is failed, the courtier knows of the lie.

The Eyes Betray the Heart: The DC of all Will saves required by courtier abilities is increased by 2. This ability may be selected twice; its effects stack.

Taunt and Rally: The courtier may take a full-round action to Taunt and Rally. Allies within 30 feet of the courtier are affected as by a bless spell, and one opponent per three levels of the courtier is affected as by a doom spell. With the exceptions noted, both of these effects are as with a sorcerer of level equal to the courtier's class level. This is a mind-effecting, language-based ability.

Voice: Once per day, when making a Diplomacy or Bluff check that involves speaking, the courtier may gain a circumstance bonus to his or her check equal to his or her courtier level.

Weakness Is My Strength: When the courtier makes an opposed skill check based on Charisma, Wisdom or Intelligence, the opponent must use the lowest of those three ability score modifiers to oppose the check. For example, if opposing a Bluff check with Sense Motive, the victim would have to use the lowest of his or her Charisma, Wisdom and Intelligence modifiers in place of the usual Wisdom modifier.

Whisper From the Soul (Sp): Once per day, the courtier may use emotion as a spell-like ability as a sorcerer of level equal to his courtier level. This effect's duration is one round per level. This ability may be selected multiple times; each time grants an additional use per day.

Your Life Is Mine (Sp): Once per day per point of the courtier's Charisma modifier, the courtier may use charm person as a spell-like ability against a target with equal or fewer Hit Dice than the courtier. This effect is though cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the courtier's class level. This is a mind-effecting, language-based ability.

Versatile: At 5th level and every 5 levels afterward (10th, 15th and 20th), the courtier can choose two skills to make class skills.

Leadership: At 9th level, the courtier receives Leadership as a bonus feat if he or she does not already possess it. If the courtier already has the feat, his or her Leadership score is instead raised by 3.

The Heart Speaks: Beginning at 12th level, the courtier may always take 10 on Sense Motive checks.

The Immovable Bond of Peace: If the courtier is holding no visible weapons, has no harmful intent and has not yet attacked an opponent during a combat, any intelligent opponent seeking to attack him or her must first succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the courtier's level + the courtier's Cha modifier).

Table 1-1: Courtier Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Wealth, Talent, Style and Grace
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Iron Will
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Gossip
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Courtier ability
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Versatile
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Courtier ability
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Leadership
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Courtier ability, Versatile
11th	+5	+3	+3	+7	—
12th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	The Heart Speaks
13th	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8	Courtier ability
14th	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9	—
15th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Versatile
16th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	Courtier ability
17th	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10	—
18th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	The Immovable Hand of Peace
19th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11	Courtier ability
20th	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Versatile

Table 1-2: Gossip

Check Result	Type of Knowledge
10 or higher	Common, well known to the general populace.
25 or higher	Known only to a select few.
30 or higher	Hidden, known only to an elite few.
35 or higher	Well-kept secret, potential blackmail fodder.
45 or higher	Incredibly well-kept secret: only the subject and perhaps one or two others are aware.
55 or higher	A secret so well kept that perhaps the subject himself is unaware.