The Dungeon Masters Guild
New Class Kits

                                        The Energy Warrior 
                                                                                          by Orkokhan

Minimum ability scores:
Strength: 6 (Maximum: 15) Intelligence: 16 Wisdom: 16 Dexterity: 6 Constitution: 11 Charisma: 16 Comeliness: none Racial stock: human Hit die type: special Spell ability: none Class level limit: 16 (Energy Master) Armor and weapons permitted: Armor: leather or padded Shield: none Weapons: none Oil: no Poison: yes Alignment: true neutral only
ENERGY WARRIOR EXPERIENCE LEVEL TABLE Hit Dice for Experience Accumulated Experience Points Level Hit Points Level Title 0-1,000 1 d3+1 Energy Warrior (15th rank) 1,001-2,000 2 +d4 Energy Warrior (14th rank) 2,001-5,000 3 +d4+1 Energy Warrior (13th rank) 5,001-12,500 4 +d6 Energy Warrior (12th rank) 12,501-30,000 5 +d6+1 Energy Warrior (11th rank) 30,001-60,000 6 +d8 Energy Warrior (10th rank) 60,001-150,000 7 +d8+1 Energy Warrior (9th rank) 150,001-250,000 8 +d10 Energy Warrior (8th rank) 250,001-400,000 9 +d10+1 Energy Warrior (7th rank) 400,001-600,000 10 +d12 Energy Warrior (6th rank)+ 600,001-850,000 11 +d12+1 Energy Warrior (5th rank) 850,001-1,150,000 12 +4 hit pts. Energy Warrior (4th rank) 1,150,001-1,500,000 13 +5 hit pts. Energy Warrior (3rd rank)* 1,500,001-1,900,000 14 +6 hit pts. Energy Warrior (2nd rank) 1,900,001-2,350,000 15 +7 hit pts. Energy Warrior (1st rank) 2,350,001+ 16 +10 hit pts. Energy Master + Only energy warriors with an intelligence and wisdom of 17+ can attain this level or higher. * Only energy warriors with an intelligence and wisdom of 18 can attain this level or higher. ENERGY WARRIOR ABILITY TABLES Combat Abilities: Touch Distance Attacks Attacks “To Hit” per Touch per Distance Range of Bonus Armor Melee Attack Melee Attack Distance for All Level Class Round Damage Round Damage Attacks Attacks ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1 10 2 1 1 1 10' +1 2 9 2 2 1 d2 21' +1 3 8 2 d2+1 1 d3 33' +1 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4 6 2 d2+2 1 d4 46' +2 5 5 5/2 d3+3 3/2 d4+1 60' +2 6 4 5/2 d3+4 3/2 d6 75' +2 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 7 2 5/2 d4+5 3/2 d6+1 91' +3 8 1 5/2 d4+6 3/2 d8 108' +3 9 0 5/2 d5+7 3/2 d8+1 126' +3 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 10 -2 3 d5+8 2 d10 145' +4 11 -3 3 d6+9 2 d10+1 165' +4 12 -4 3 d6+10 2 d12 186' +4 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 13 -6 3 d8+12 2 d12+1 208' +5 14 -7 3 d8+13 2 4d4 231' +5 15 -8 3 d10+14 2 4d4+1 255' +5 ---------------------------------------------------------------- 16 -10 7/2 d12+16 5/2 3d6+3 280' +6 Energy Detection, Deflection, and Dispelling Abilities: Chance Chance to Chance to to Nullify or Chance Detect Deflect Dispel Non- to Nullify or Physical Physically Detect Dispel Non- Damage Damaging Magic Physically (all Percentage Magical Use or Damaging attack of Damage Effects Magical Psionic Level forms) Deflected (by contact) Energy Range Energy Range --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 5% 5% 5% 3% 5' 5% 5' 2 10% 7% 6% 6% 10' 10% 11' 3 15% 9% 7% 9% 15' 15% 18' --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 20% 12% 9% 12% 20' 20% 26' 5 25% 15% 11% 15% 25' 25% 35' 6 30% 18% 13% 18% 30' 30% 45' --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 35% 22% 16% 21% 35' 35% 56' 8 40% 26% 19% 24% 40' 40% 68' 9 45% 30% 22% 27% 45' 45% 81' --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 50% 35% 26% 30% 50' 50% 95' 11 55% 40% 30% 33% 55' 55% 110' 12 60% 45% 34% 36% 60' 60% 126' --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 65% 51% 39% 39% 65' 65% 143' 14 70% 57% 44% 42% 70' 70% 161' 15 75% 63% 49% 45% 75' 75% 180' -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16 85% 75% 60% 50% 85' 85% 200' GENERATION OF ABILITY SCORES Method V: Number of Dice Rolled For: Str Int Wis Dex Con Chr Com 3 9 9 6 8 9 4 Starting Hit Points for Player Characters Energy Warrior 3 hit points BEGINNING AGE FOR PLAYER CHARACTERS Class Age Plus Variable Energy Warrior 21 + 1d4 ATTACK MATRIX FOR ENERGY WARRIORS Opponent Armor 20-sided Die Score to Hit by Level of Attacker Class 1-3 4-6 7-9 10-12 13-15 16 --------------------------------------------------------- -10 26 23 20 20 19 15 -9 25 22 20 20 18 14 -8 24 21 20 20 17 13 --------------------------------------------------------- -7 23 20 20 19 16 12 -6 22 20 20 18 15 11 -5 21 20 20 17 14 10 --------------------------------------------------------- -4 20 20 19 16 13 9 -3 20 20 18 15 12 8 -2 20 20 17 14 11 7 --------------------------------------------------------- -1 20 19 16 13 10 6 0 20 18 15 12 9 5 1 20 17 14 11 8 4 --------------------------------------------------------- 2 19 16 13 10 7 3 3 18 15 12 9 6 2 4 17 14 11 8 5 1 --------------------------------------------------------- 5 16 13 10 7 4 0 6 15 12 9 6 3 -1 7 14 11 8 5 2 -2 --------------------------------------------------------- 8 13 10 7 4 1 -3 9 12 9 6 3 0 -4 10 11 8 5 2 -1 -5 ---------------------------------------------------------
SAVING THROW MATRIX FOR ENERGY WARRIOR CHARACTERS
Attack to be Saved Against Paralyzation, Experience Poison or Petrification Rod, Staff Breath Level Death Magic or Polymorph or Wand Weapon Spell ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1-3 14 15 11 13 12 4-6 13 14 9 12 10 7-9 10 12 7 9 8 10-12 8 11 5 7 6 13-15 7 9 3 5 4 16 5 6 2 2 2

 


The energy warrior is the rarest of all character classes and one of the most difficult to qualify for. It is certainly the most unusual class in that it functions and fights through the manipulation of energy in a way unique unto itself. This class cannot be combined with any other class, nor can the character switch classes or begin a new profession once he or she has begun adventuring as an energy warrior.

If an energy warrior has an intelligence and wisdom of 17+ in each category, he or she receives a 5% experience point bonus. If intelligence and wisdom are both 18, and charisma is 17, then the bonus for experience points awarded is 10%.

Because very little of an energy warrior's time is spent developing physical strength, the class is limited to a maximum of 15 in that category. Conversely, a durable body and vigorous health are needed to handle the physical stresses of energy manipulation. Thus, a character needs a minimum constitution of 11 to qualify for this class. Energy warriors gain a maximum of +2 hit points per die for high constitution.

Energy warriors use discipline and trained sensitivity to detect, control and manipulate the patterns and properties of the energy within themselves and in their surroundings. The dedication to the development of these skills is all-consuming with regards to the energy warrior's attentions and priorities. As a result, no energy warrior pays homage to any god, and their alignment must always be true neutral. An energy warrior whose alignment changes can no longer raise in the class until he or she returns to true neutral. Since an energy warrior's dedication is absolute, an alignment-changed energy warrior will do anything and everything to return to true neutral in order to be able to progress in their class once again.

At low levels, energy warriors are rather weak. They never use weapons for attack or defense and may wear only leather or padded armor at most. Shields and flaming oil are also forbidden, but poison is usable by them. As an energy warrior increases in experience levels, the innate offensive and defensive capabilities of the character also improve. So much so, in fact, that few other characters classes can match them in those areas once very high levels are achieved.

Unless otherwise noted, energy warriors are treated as either fighters or magic-users, whichever is the least advantageous for the particular situation.

Energy warriors can use energy manipulation to cause physical damage, either by direct touch with the hands, or over a distance by projecting a shimmering, barely visible burst of energy at a target.

To make a direct touch attack, an energy warrior need only make physical contact with an opponent. The attack causes a disruption in the personal energy of the victim, resulting in the death of tissue, damage to the physical structure of the victim, etc. This can be done by the energy warrior with bare or covered hands. The base armor class of armor is disregarded for purposes of this attack since the energy of this attack can pass through such thin materials unhampered. Only the magical pluses of the armor, and modifiers for dexterity, if applicable, count in thwarting or dodging this form of attack. Devices such as bracers of defense and items that provide similar defensive effects will also work. One-quarter of a foot thickness of any solid material, even cloth, will effectively shield a target from this sort of attack. Magical barriers or force fields will not block this attack, however.

The only way to prevent an energy warrior from being able to make this sort of attack is by severing or otherwise removing the energy warrior's hands. If only one of an energy warrior's hands are severed, the number of attacks is halved, rounded up.

Damage inflicted over distance is not as great, nor is this sort of attack as frequent, due to the added difficulty of gathering and projecting such a burst of harmful energy. Starting out, an energy warrior cannot shoot these bursts of energy very far at all, only 10'. At higher levels, however, the range of this attack can approach or even exceed conventional missile weapons, at least indoors. Range is constant, regardless whether the attack is made indoors or outside. Dexterity bonuses do not apply for purposes of determining "to hit" rolls.

An energy warrior must be able to see at least a tiny part of the intended target in order to hit it. It should be noted that there are no short/medium/long range figures given for the range of this attack. This means that there is no penalty for attacks at extreme range simply because the energy warrior is able to guide the energy burst visually towards the target. Blinding an energy warrior or obscuring his or her vision will effectively render this sort of attack useless. Magical and physical defenses will have the same effect against this attack as they would against touch attacks by an energy warrior.

As noted in the ENERGY WARRIOR ABILITY TABLE, energy warriors get a bonus "to hit" with both sorts of attacks based on experience level. High scores in intelligence, wisdom and charisma will also give an energy warrior bonuses to his or her attacks. An energy warrior gains +1 "to hit" for every point of intelligence, wisdom and charisma that above 16. In addition, for every point of those abilities that exceeds 17, damage per attack will be increased by 1 point. For distance attacks, range is increased by 5' per point over 16 of the above mentioned abilities.

Up to and including 4th level, an energy warrior's attacks can only affect living creatures from the Prime Material Planes. At 5th level, he or she can affect living beings from all other planes as well. At 10th level or higher, an energy warrior can affect any creature, including undead and such things as golems or other animated, nonliving objects. Non-living matter other than that indicated above is not damaged by the attacks of an energy warrior since the energy of such objects is not organized or purposefully directed. Living creatures gain an unmodified saving throw for half damage, using the target's least advantageous saving throw category, against these attacks, but undead and animated, non-living objects do not.

Critical hits with energy manipulation attacks are treated as strikes with edged weapons, although both types of attacks will cause damage to any target, regardless of whatever weapon type is needed. In the case of fumbles, an energy warrior cannot hit him or herself. The energy warrior's control of their energy manipulation abilities is too precise for that to happen, although their allies can be struck by errant energy attacks.

In addition to their attack capabilities, energy warriors use energy manipulation to deflect or nullify attacks and damage by directing the energy of such attacks away from themselves. This accounts for their ever improving armor class, their ability to avoid damage from physical attacks, spells and psionic disciplines, and their excellent saving throw chances. Energy warriors can also nullify or dispel magical effects and psionic powers, magic when in contact with it and psionic powers within the ranges given above on the ENERGY WARRIOR ABILITY TABLE. In all cases, bonuses for high ability scores do apply, i.e., magical attack adjustments for wisdom, reaction and defensive adjustments for dexterity, etc.

The ability of an energy warrior to detect magical energy or magic use, and psionic energy and psionic use, is a limited power, unlike the attack and defense capabilities, which are usable at will. An energy warrior can use his or her ability to detect magic or psionics as many times per day as he or she has levels, plus 1. The energy warrior will be able to detect exactly what sort of energy is present or is being used, throughout the entire area of the detection range, which is the radius of the detection. Intervening walls and materials will not prevent this ability from working, nor will magical means of concealment, since it is the energy that is being detected. Each use of these powers lasts for 1 round per level of the energy warrior employing it. The exception to this is that each use of these powers by an Energy Master (16th level) will last for 20 rounds.

Each point of intelligence, wisdom, and charisma over 16 will give an energy warrior a bonus of +1% on each of the following abilities: Chance to Deflect Physical Damage; Percentage of Damage Deflected; Chance to Nullify or Dispel Non-Physically Damaging Magical Effects; Chance to Detect Magic Use or Magical Energy; and Chance to Detect, Nullify, or Dispel Non-Physically Damaging Psionic Energy. For every point of those abilities above 17, an energy warrior's range to Detect Magic Use or Magical Energy is increased by 5'. For every point of those abilities over 16, the range of the ability to Detect, Nullify, or Dispel Non-Physically Damaging Psionic Energy is increased by 4'.

Energy warriors can never be psionic and are immune to normal psionic attack, including psionic blast attacks. Against the energy manipulation attacks of an energy warrior, the psionic discipline of energy control, q.v., will not work.

As previously stated, only leather or padded armor is permitted for use by this class. Magical versions of these armor types are allowed. Once an energy warrior's effective armor class exceeds that of any armor worn, that armor class figure takes over, negating any protections given by the armor. The armor class of an energy warrior is in effect at all times and from all angles of attack, as long as the energy warrior is conscious.

In lieu of using their energy manipulation attacks, an energy warrior may punch, kick, or grapple as a magic-user character.

Energy warriors have no restrictions on possession of valuables and monetary treasure, but wealth is secondary to the pursuit of perfecting their energy manipulation skills. As a result, energy warriors tend to live a relatively spartan lifestyle, caring for treasure only as a means to secure lodging and sustenance.

Magic items usable by energy warriors are those only usable by all classes, with some exceptions. An energy warrior will never, under any circumstances, use items that improve armor class (except magical leather or padded armor), reduce or block physical or magical damage or effects, or cause physical hit point damage to opponents. Items that inflict a change on opponents, such as polymorphing or paralyzing, or kill them through poison, death magic, or similar means are usable.

If an energy warrior does by some rare chance use a prohibited item, all experience gained from that point on is forfeited until he or she spends one month in isolation, meditating and practicing his or her skills to reaffirm his or her dedication to the disciplines of being an energy warrior.

Energy warriors have no restrictions on hirelings and henchmen, nor are there any limitation about whom they may associate with due to character class or alignment restrictions. Lower lever energy warriors who possess the means will often hire bodyguards to help protect them until their powers become potent enough to enable the energy warrior to hold his or her own.

Since there are so few members of this character class, all energy warriors will be comradely or even well disposed towards each other, unless some exceptional circumstances have occurred to cause bad blood between two such characters. The highest level an energy warrior can reach is 16th, whereupon he or she earns the title Energy Master. There is no limit to how many such lofty individuals can exist simultaneously, and no limit even to how many can operate or associate with one another.

When an energy warrior reaches 12th level (Energy Warrior of the 4th rank), he or she can opt to set up a monastery-like training center in a remote location, far away from any large centers of population. Through active recruiting, the energy warrior can acquire 1 to 4 students initially. Once beyond the initial setup phase of the training center, the energy warrior will attract 1 to 4 additional students for each level he or she gains from that point on. At 16th level, an Energy Master will automatically gain 4 more students, bringing his total of students to anywhere between 8 and 20. Twenty students are the maximum any Energy Master can train alone; additional students require the presence of a 12th level or higher energy warrior to assist in training. Assistant instructors of this nature will increase the training capacity of an Energy Master's training center by 4 students per level over 11 that the assistant possesses. Multiple assistant instructors are possible for an Energy Master who wishes to expand his or her training capacity even further, providing that students are available and willing to submit to the arduous decade-long pre-training necessary to qualify as a 1st level energy warrior (Energy Warrior of the 15th rank).

Since energy warriors are extremely uncommon in most parts, and since they bear no weapons or significant armor, they are often viewed as easy prey by many who encounter them. If an energy warrior is of low level and has no protection, this could spell trouble. However, once an energy warrior reaches 4th level or so, the field begins to level out in combat situations. Throw in their steadily improving defensive powers and the balance shifts even more. This is a character that, if played wisely and well, can become a devastating force in any campaign.