Merciful (3.5e Prestige Class)

Author: Eiji-kun (talk) Date Created: 1-29-17 Status: Complete Editing: Mechanical changes on Talk

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The master of non-lethality can turn most any class into one capable of holding back their power. 5 1 Moderate Good Good Good Other Full

Merciful

“	I don't kill people, I just sent them to the hospital to make them think about what they've done.	”
—Groose Wane, Human Merciful, Interview with a Vigilante

For one reason or another you have chosen to try and not kill others. This does not mean you are non-violent, for you recognize that sometimes force must be applied to bring a situation back to a resolvable state. But there will be no blood on your hands. Just plenty of bruises.

Becoming a Merciful

Entry Requirements

Skills:	Diplomacy 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks.
Feats:	False Swipe.
Special:	Must not kill any creature that could take non-lethal damage within their last level.

Table: The Merciful

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Class Advancement
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+2	+2	+2	Capture, Non-lethal Conversion 2, Non-lethal Precision, Oath, Unarmed Strike	+1 effective class level
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+3	Non-lethal Conversion 4, Rapid Diplomacy, Share False Swipe	+1 effective class level
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Daunting Magic, Merciful Weaponry, Non-lethal Conversion 9, Slow Regeneration	+1 effective class level
4th	+3	+4	+4	+4	Always Merciful, Knockout Punch, Non-lethal Conversion 16	+1 effective class level
5th	+3	+4	+4	+4	Crushing Defeat, Daunting Critical, Non-lethal Conversion 25, Semi-Regeneration	+1 effective class level
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level.) Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Merciful.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Merciful are proficient with all nonlethal weapons (such as the sap). Merciful are proficient with all armor (light, medium, and heavy) and shields (including tower shields).

Class Advancement: At each level, you increase your effective level in one base class of your choice. You do not gain any new class features, but pre-existing class features scale. Included in this are new spells and powers known, and a fighter's bonus feats (which is all they have). You do not gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one class before becoming a Merciful, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining scaling class features, spells per day, caster level, and spells known.

Capture (Ex): The merciful can capture defeated opponents. By making a successful grapple check against a pinned or helpless opponent, they can draw rope or manacles and tie up the opponent leaving them immobile and stuck. Use your Use Rope result or grapple check for the DC to break out of the bonds unless it would otherwise be higher (such as using manacles).

Non-lethal Conversion (Ex): The merciful can convert a number of points of damage they receive into non-lethal damage instead. They convert their class level squared into non-lethal damage (2 at first level, 4, 9, to a maximum of 25 at 5th).

Non-lethal Precision (Ex): The merciful can not only always deal non-lethal damage (due to False Swipe), but can also perform sneak attacks and coup de graces non-lethally as well, regardless if the weapon is designed for non-lethal use.

Oath: The merciful has a general oath to always try to take the non-violent or non-lethal route when possible, and to not kill when possible. Killing is discouraged but will not cause one to fall. There is no exact code of ethics, as each is individually modeled to each merciful, but if they fail to actively at least try they become Ex-Mercifuls.

Unarmed Strike: The merciful gains the unarmed strike of a monk of their class level. This stacks with actual monk levels, including the advancement of monk levels from the class advancement ability (so a monk 10/merciful 5 has the unarmed strike progression of a 20th level monk).

Rapid Diplomacy (Ex): The 2nd level merciful can rush a diplomacy attempt at only a -5 penalty.

Share False Swipe (Su): The merciful at 2nd level can share the benefits of their False Swipe feat and Non-lethal Precision ability to any number of targets within 30 ft of them. It's easier to encourage others to play along with your vows if they do not take penalties for doing so.

Daunting Magic (Su): At 3rd level, spellcasting mercifuls gain boons of their own. If they didn't already benefit from the High version of False Swipe, they do now. They also add all spells which deal non-lethal damage or daunt to their class spell list (they still must be chosen as spells known). Lastly any spells which naturally deal non-lethal damage or daunt levels have their caster level increased by +1.

Merciful Weaponry (Su): The 3rd level merciful gains the benefits of the Merciful weapon enhancement, which stacks with the actual weapon enhancement, on any weapon they wield.

Slow Regeneration (Ex): The merciful at 3rd level begins to slowly recover whatever wounds they acquire. They benefit from the effects of a Ring of Regeneration.

Always Merciful (Ex): Until now, the merciful had no choice but to use lethal action at times, especially against constructs and the undead. At 4th level, the merciful can apply non-lethal damage to any creature even if they are otherwise immune. Said creatures can recover this non-lethal damage in the usual ways they can recover lethal damage, or by resting for 8 hours.

Knockout Punch (Ex): At 4th level the merciful can perform a powerful punch that can knock out opponents. This functions like an assassin's death attack, except instead of causing death or paralysis it deals non-lethal damage equal to their 1 + their maximum hit points. In spite of the name, the attack needs not be an unarmed strike. The save DC for this ability is 10 + 1/2 HD + their highest mental ability modifier. It counts as death attack for the purpose of interacting with feats, abilities, and pre-requisites.

Crushing Defeat (Ex): Whenever a 5th level merciful brings a creature down to 0 or less hp (or when their non-lethal equals or exceeds their remaining hit point total), the creature immediately takes a number of daunt levels equal to their hit dice, providing an effective deterrent from fighting if they happen to recover.

Daunting Critical (Ex): A 5th level merciful who confirms a critical hit deals a number of daunt levels equal to their critical multiplier - 1. Thus a scimitar (18-20/x2) deals 1 daunt level while a scythe (20/x4) deals 3.

Semi-Regeneration (Ex): At 5th level, a merciful recovers rapidly. They recover 1/2 their HD in hit points of non-lethal damage each round.

Ex-Merciful

A merciful who ceases to try to take their opponents down without resorting to killing loses all supernatural abilities from this class as well as slow regeneration and semi-regeneration. He cannot thereafter gain levels as a merciful until he atones (see the atonement spell description).

Campaign Information

Playing a Merciful

Combat: Non-lethal doesn't mean non-violent. You're able to keep fighting as well as anyone else, you just try to avoid murdering everyone in your goal.

Advancement: Mercifuls can continue to be whatever class they came in with when they leave.

Resources: There usually aren't organizations of merciful beings. Rather it is a personal choice not to be forced on others.

Mercifuls in the World

“	You are under arrest!	”
—Officer Murphy, Warforged Merciful

NPC Reactions: Mercifuls don't appear to be any different from the class they started as, but they may become known for their mercy.

Merciful Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge Religion can research mercifuls to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Knowledge Religion

DC	Result
10	Mercifuls always try to take their target alive. They are trained in the art of tying up their opponents and shrugging off lethal blows.
15	Mercifuls can make anything they wield non-lethal, and some can even non-lethally take down creatures normally immune to it.
20	Powerful mercifuls are able to recover from their wounds quickly, and cause those that fight them to simply give up once beaten.
30	Those that reach this level of success can research specific mercifuls, their motivations, other class levels, and other trivia.

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