Pingu Paragon (3.5e Racial Paragon Class)

Pingu Paragon
Pingu are a proud race which prizes its nobility and sense of honor. No matter the station or social class, all look up to a pingu paragon as an example of an ideal.

Making a Pingu Paragon
Abilities: Pingu paragons come from many backgrounds, but they all are learned noble-minded fellows who are strong in the face of adversity. All classes benefit from constitution, and the paragon class grant this power unto them.

Races: Pingu.

Alignment: Any.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Pingu Paragon.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Pingu paragons are proficient in all simple weapons, short swords, long swords, rapiers, and lances. They are proficient in light armor and shields.

This self imposed code of conduct serves as the thing he is known and respected for. Each pingu paragon's code is different and unique, fitting the ideals and desires of the pingu.

Create a code of conduct with one major and two minor aspects. Major aspects have a large or a common impact on the character, such as never gaining the bonuses from flanking, never striking a helpless opponent, or always telling the truth. Minor aspects are less important or uncommon, such as choosing not to drink alcohol, praying every morning, or not using poison. The effect is largely one of flavor, but the noble bearing and aura of respect abilities rely on the code being kept. If the code is willingly broken, the pingu paragon loses his noble bearing and aura of respect for 1 week, or until he purposefully goes out of his way to perform three acts counter to the incident which broke his code. Repeated violations may result in permanent loss and requiring the more serious reparation of atonement to gain his powers back.

 : A pingu is agile on his belly. He may now move and turn while using his slide ability. While sliding, he may make up to a 90 degree turn and still maintain a charge.

 : The pingu paragon oozes authority. He gains twice his class level as a morale bonus to Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Knowledge Nobility checks so long as he remains in good standing with his code of conduct. In social situations, others naturally assume the pingu paragon to be someone of rank or importance until they learn otherwise.

 : The pingu paragon class counts its class levels for determining caster level, initiator level, manifester level, effective fighter level, monk level (improving AC bonus, speed, and unarmed strike, and granting additional stunning fist attempts), bard level (granting additional songs per day), and so forth. It does not grant spells, class features, or any other benefit not directly based on level.

 : At 2nd level, a pingu paragon's resistance to cold improves. They gain 2 points of cold resistance per HD instead of 1/2 HD. Once they exceed cold resistance 30, they instead become immune to cold (that is, at 16 HD).

 : At 2nd level, a pingu paragon is quite difficult to topple. They never need to make balance checks or saves against any slippery surface, even grease. Their bonus to stability rises to +8 instead of +4. They can still be rendered prone by other ways, such as trip attempts.

 : At 3rd level, a pingu paragon gains an additional +2 constitution.

 : At 3rd level, others can feel a presence from the pingu paragon commanding awe or fear. An aura of respect surrounds the pingu paragon whenever they fight or grow insistent. Any creature within a 20-foot radius of the pingu paragon must succeed on a Will save to resist its effects, DC 12 + 1/2 HD + Charisma. Those who fail take a -2 penalty on attacks, AC, ability checks, skills, and saves against the pingu paragon for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the pingu paragon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same pingu’s aura for 24 hours.

Playing a Pingu Paragon
Religion: Pingu paragons are no more or no less religious than their normal kin. However, their lifestyle befits that of more lawful classes such as paladin, and as such deity worship (or at least respect) is fairly common.

Other Classes: How other classes treat a pingu paragon often depends on the pingu paragon's other levels. However whatever his former occupation, he seems to command more respect about it this time.

Combat: Pingu paragons manage to retain some of their previous class traits and mix it with a tough body and skillful, socially apt presence. They work well filling in for whatever their previous occupation was and can be the party face in time of need.

Advancement: Pingu paragons do well to advance back into whatever class they came from, or perhaps start a new class to enter.

Pingu Paragon in the World
"We will succeed, for the princess, for the nation, for honor and glory!"

Daily Life: Pingu Paragons often make up the aristocratic and royal knights of pingu society. As such, they benefit well from being civil and intelligent in all that they do.

Notables: There once was a brave messenger named Penta who ran a marathon over terrible hostile terrain in order to recover precious medicine for the royal family. His speed was legendary, and his courage unmatched. He is often seen as a hero within pingu society.

Organizations: Pingu paragons and nobility often come hand in hand.

NPC Reactions: Perhaps it is due to the aura, the tuxedo pattern of their bodies, or simply the way they hold themselves, but pingu paragons often command respect and curiosity of those around them.

Pingu Paragon Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge nobility can research pingu paragons to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Pingu Paragons in the Game
Sample Encounter: The PCs have found themselves engaged in a court case down in the frozen south. Will they be able to outsmart a cunning pingu lawyer?

EL 5: PENDING.