Battle Nun (Prestige Class)

# Warrior Maidens of the Deep Feral Tabernacle

Stories from the Endless Tail speak of the nameless sister, aunt, mother, a mysterious warrior from humble origins. She is everywoman, and no one at all. She's never named in the legends but she always comes to protect the innocent and root out evil when the situation seems most desperate. They are the bane of villainy, while their lord may have mercy, they do not. Their lord may have a story to tell, a clever bit of innuendo, they have only swords, fists, arrows, and lead. Battle Nuns are not known for diplomacy, only the judgment of the wicked or the protection of the flock, and their wrath is dire.

Battle Nuns come from all races and backgrounds of The Br'er Rabbits followers, but they are bound together in sisterhood by several tenants:

* My Love and Life for the Br'er Rabbit and our children
* We believers in the Br'er Rabbit are all his children
* We are chaste in the bonds of divine matrimony to our Lord Husband
* We are the left hand of Bun, we shall succeeded where the mercy of the right hand dose not.
* Deadliness is a wife's duty
* Sacrifice is a mother's duty
* Our joy lies within the continued prosperity and sanctity of our flock, and our reward lies within the blessings of our Lord Husband

## Requirements

* **Base Attack Bonus**: +6
* **Spellcasting**: Able to cast spells
* **Deity**: Snowflake-Kissed-by-Spring

#### Class Skill

The battle nun's class skills are Bluff, Intimidate, Heal, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (nobility), Knowledge (religion), Sense Motive and Survival.

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

## Class Features

**Weapon and Armor Proficiency:** Battle nuns gain proficiency in Martial Weapons and the Morita Assault Rifle (or as close to it as technologically possible)

**Spells per Day/Spells Known**: When a new battle nun level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class granted her access to the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (bonus metamagic or item creation feats, bard or assassin abilities, and so on), except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. This essentially means that she adds the level of battle nun to the level of whatever other spellcasting class granted her access, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became a battle nun, she must decide to which class she adds each level of battle nun for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

## Special Abilities

#### **Favored Weapon (Ex)**

While Snowflake-Kissed-By-Spring may have declared the Morita Assault Rifle as his weapon of divine retribution, he appreciates the individuality of his wives in faith and inspires them to focus on the weapon best suited for them. Battle Nuns receive a divine visitation by the Br'er Rabbit in their dreams where in he gifts them with their favored weapon and admonishes them to master it in the protection of the faithful. In addition to receiving Weapon Focus in the deitie's favored weapon, choose a different weapon and receive a +1 moral bonus to hit and damage roles with it.

#### **Passion (Ex)**

A Battle Nun's love for the Br'er Rabbit and her flock go far beyond normal affection, she loves them with every fiber of her very soul, this love becomes physically manifest via internalized energy that she can draw upon known to the congregation as "the Passion". At the start of each day a Battle Nun gains Passion equal to her Wisdom Modifier. Her Passion goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A Battle Nun spends Passion to accomplish Affirmations (see below), and regains Passion in the following ways.

**Protecting a member of her Flock from harm**: Each round a Battle Nun fights to protect a member of her Flock (Flock is defined as an Ally or Follower of the Br'er Rabbit) except herself, she gains a point of passion. The flock member or members must be in clear and immediate danger from whatever enemies she is facing and must not be made to follow her into harm's way.

**Killing Blow with her Favored Weapon**: When the Battle Nun reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with an attack from her favored weapon while in the heat of combat, she regain 1 passion point. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the Battle Nun’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any passion.

**Affirmations (Ex)**

A Mother's Love: At 1st Level a Battle Nun may spend a point of Passion as an immediate action to protect a member of her Flock with her love and faith in the Br'er Rabbit. She may protect 1 Flock member per Battle Nun Level within 30' radius of herself. The protected flock member gains a +1 Sacred Bonus to AC and and Saves per Battle Nun level, and all HP damage is taken by the flock member is transferred to the Battle Nun. At 5th level she may protect up to 5 flock members per Battle Nun Level and the protection Radius expands to 50'ft, at 10th level she may protect any number of flock members to a radius of 100ft.

A Mother's Wrath: At 1st Level a Battle Nun may spend 3 points of Passion to Smite a designated foe as a Paladin of the same level, using her Wisdom in place of her Charisma modifier. This affirmation is limited to once per encounter at 1st level, at 5th twice, and at 10th 3 times. The type of Smite is based on the Battle Nun's alignment and choice; Good Aligned - Smite Evil, Neutral Aligned - Vindictive Smite, Evil Aligned - Smite Good. Any alignment may choose Vindictive Smite. Once the choice has been made it can not be changed. If she chooses Smite Good or Smite Evil she will need to maintain her alignment with regards to good or evil in order for the smite to function.

Bolstered By Faith: At 3rd Level a Battle Nun may spend 1 point of Passion as a swift action to be reminded of what she fights for. While in the presence of her Flock she gains 10 temp HP for every Flock member within 30', at 5th level 15 temp HP and the radius extends to 50ft, at 10th level the radius extends to 100ft. This effect lasts for 1rd per Battle Nun level (Max 10) and can only be activated once per minuet.

Backed Into a Corner: At 3rd Level a Battle Nun with 50% or lower of her remaining H,P and at least 1 point of Passion remaining in her Pool, may enter a Fervent Holy Rage as a Free action This acts as a Unchained Barbarian's Rage with the following differences, While raging she speaks in nonsensical feral growls and chatter. This is not a language and can't be understood by spells that discern or allow one to speak any language. She can choose when entering the Holy Rage to have her bonus damage effect her melee or her ranged attacks. This increases to Greater Rage at 6th level, and Mighty Rage at 9th. This can be utilized with abilities and effects that are used in conjunction with the Rage class ability.

Zealous Arcana: At 5th Level a Battle Nun may spend 1 point of Passion, once per casting, as part of any spell casting to increase either the DC or the Caster Level by 2.

Stalwart Shepard: At 9th level a Battle Nun who is at 50% health or lower may spend 2 points of Passion as a swift action to focus her resolve into a protective aura that defends her and her Flock to reduce harm inflicted. The Battle Nun and all allies within a 30-ft.-radius of the Battle Nun take half damage from any source for a duration of 4 rounds. This functions as a Final Fantasy "Limit Break" for all intents and purposes.

**Oath Sworn:** At 2nd level a Battle Nun takes a special Supernatural Oath, in addition to the ritualistic ones taken to become a Battle Nun. They may choose from the following Paladin Oaths; Chastity, Loyalty, & The People's Council , her total character level determines her abilities with these Oaths and if she already had any Oath from an pre-existing class, her Battle Nun Levels stack in determining their effects.

**Fearless:** At 3rd level a Battle Nun's faith in the Love of the Br'er Rabbit and the Righteousness of her cause grants her Immunity to Fear effects. Should she loose this immunity to fear she instead rolls any allowed saves vs fear twice and chooses the best result.

**Stigmata:** At 5th level a Battle Nun willingly gives her blood in service to her faith, and is marked by a "Kiss" a tear dropped shaped off-colored patch of skin, fur, or scale upon her forehead in the shape of Snowflake-Kissed-By-Spring's birthmark. At 5th level, she may stop or start the flow of blood by force of will as a move action, and at 10th level it becomes a swift action. Activating stigmata causes bleed damage equal to half the Battle Nun's class level, and this bleed damage is not halted by curative magic. While the stigmata is bleeding, the Battle Nun gains a sacred bonus equal to half her Battle Nun level. Each time she activates her stigmata, she decides if the bonus applies to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, Armor Class, caster level checks, or saving throws; to change what the bonus applies to, the Battle Nun must deactivate and reactivate her stigmata. While her stigmata is bleeding, the Battle Nun ignores blood drain and bleed damage from any other source and can use bleed or stabilize at will as a standard action.

**Reflection of Purity:** At 7th level a Battle Nun may expose the true and pure nature of her soul when in the presence of those that would do her harm. Once per round, as an immediate action, in response to an attack of any type that would damage her, a Battle Nun may expose the attacker to a glimpse of her sanctified soul. So pure and chaste is her essence that it refuses to be sullied by her foe's ill intent and reflects it back upon her enemies. Melee & Ranged attacks are reversed and immediately target the attacker with the same rolls. damage, and effects that would have harmed the Battle Nun. Spells, Supernatural abilities and other effects fold back upon the caster and resolve as if the caster was the original target, this may cause AoE spells and effects to leave other original targets unharmed as well. Exposing one's soul in this way is incredibly taxing and causes the Battle Nun to take 1 Negative Level damage that persists until the following day after she's had a chance to rest. This damage may not be restored magically by any means.

**Illuminated Instinct:** At 9th level a Battle Nun's feral instincts and her blessed soul merge in a divine synthesis that allows her almost supernatural precognitive powers to act in dangerous situations. She adds her Wisdom bonus to her Initiative modifier.

**The Choice:** At 10th level the Battle Nun has reached a level of power and prestige where her Lord Husband The Br'er Rabbit has new plans for her and offers her a choice. She may choose leadership, and be given the responsibility of her own Convent of Battle Nuns. If she chooses this she gains the leadership trait, a well fortified compound, and her cohort and followers may all be Battle Nuns or Battle Nuns in training as well as Br'erite lay staff. If she already has the leadership feat, she gains an additional Cohort that must also be a Battle Nun, and 20% more followers all of which may be Battle Nuns or Battle Nuns in training as well as Br'erite lay staff. She also gains the title of "Mother Superior" and an artifact (TBD by the Br'er Rabbit) to house and protect.

Or she may choose holy union, and be wed to her Lord Husband in flesh as well as in soul. This results in living Canonization and she gains the Saint Template. If she already has the Saint Template you may apply for a fitting +2ECL, non scaling template. This template dose not stack with other or count against your level-ECL limit. If this path is chosen she may be forever known and worshiped by the Br'er Rabbit followers as "Saint Mother (character name)"