Einherjar Paragon (3.5e Racial Paragon Class)

Einherjar Paragon
The einherjar paragon is essentially a celestial viking seeking to become more of everything that entails. He was reborn for the purpose of war, and as such, is heavily entrenched in gaining combat abilities. From the combat fields of Ysgard, to the many lands of the Material Plane, the einherjar paragon trains. He seeks out combat and relishes in the glory of victory, as well as the pleasurable pursuits taken after a hard day. Being once mortal souls, they often partake in the activities of mortals. However, as outsiders, they never quite fit in. In a thousand ages, they would never tire of battle, nor of wine and women.

Making an Einherjar Paragon
A siege engine needs operators to make it work, and so too does an einherjar paragon need backup to keep him in top warring condition. Allies who can enchant him up with magical enhancements, wards and healing incantations are welcome in keeping him operating as a machine of war. Allies who can keep him from falling prey to traps and tricks are certainly a welcome addition. Since he often takes on a different perspective about the world, and may be prone to getting into trouble, the guidance of a trusted ally to direct his efforts and energies (during combat or rest and relaxation) prevents unwanted circumstances from hampering the party.

Abilities: The einherjar paragon is born for war. With good saves and a variety of skills waiting for him, he can focus directly on Strength to deal damage and Constitution to make up for his slightly lower HD. Some Einherjar choose to focus on Dexterity instead of Strength. His weakness comes from a lack of versatility, and as he advances past his paragon career, he will need to specialize in his chosen area of combat as well as prevent himself from falling victim to the common shortcomings of so many warriors, the ability to fend off spells and magically powered monsters. As einherjar paragons are reborn from mortal stock, they lack the innate knack for skills that most outsiders possess.

Races: This class is specifically for einherjar.

Alignment: Any.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the einherjar paragon.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: He gains no additional proficiencies.

 (Ex): At 1st level, when an einherjar paragon is affected by a numerical morale bonus, that bonus is treated as one greater. He is easily roused to glory and victory.

 (Ex): At 1st level and every einherjar paragon level, the einherjar paragon gains a +1 racial bonus to resist mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, fear effects and negative morale effects). An einherjar paragon is trained to resist trickery and subterfuge and to see them as the false gestures that they are.

 (Ex): At 1st level, whenever an einherjar paragon is damaged by his foe, he gains a damage bonus equal to his einherjar paragon level on all attacks against that foe for one round. An einherjar paragon musters all the ire he can against those who harm him.

 (Su): At 2nd level, as a move action, an einherjar paragon may teleport himself a distance up to half his land speed. If he attempts to teleport himself into an occupied or solid space, the ability fails and he moves nowhere. He may only take up to his maximum carrying load with him. As a celestial being from another plane, he has learned to step between planes and get the drop on his foes.

 (Ex): At 2nd level, an einherjar paragon's base land speed increases by 10 feet. He's quick to battle, and his otherworldly legs carry him with the power of a mighty horse. Einherjar paragons can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike most other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).

He may only apply this bonus to an ability he hasn't already boosted with a racial bonus.

He gains another Racial Boost at 6th level, at which he may apply a +2 racial bonus to any of his ability scores.

 (Su): At 3rd level, as a swift action, an einherjar paragon may enchant any weapon he wields for one round with one of the following enchantments: Flaming, Frost, Shock, Ghost Touch, Merciful. His innate magical nature as an outsider channels into his weapons. He may "double-up" on the Flaming, Frost or Shock enhancements if his weapon already is imbued with that power.

 (Ex): At 4th level, as a swift action once per round, an einherjar paragon may designate any target as a foe for the purposes of his FoeWrack ability. Additionally, his FoeWrack damage bonus is now equal to the total of all his HD. In his lust for war, he no longer cares who may or may not hurt him, and he can summon his deep strength to lay waste to his opposition.

 (Su): At 4th level, an einherjar paragon's equipment repairs itself. Any gear or item he wears or wields (but not carries) repairs 1 HP per round. An einherjar paragon relies on his gear to stay in working order. The magical energies that flow from him into his gear restore and maintain his equipment, ensuring he can stay in the battle as long as he can.

 (Ex): At 4th level, an einherjar paragon gains +2 natural armor. He's a thick-skinned, scar-covered brute.

 (Ex): At 5th level, an einherjar paragon gains Fast Healing 1. The magical energies flowing within him pump his blood, heal his wounds, and urge him forward for war.

 (Su): At 5th level, as a swift action once per minute, an einherjar paragon can belt out a rallying call to drive a fighting spirit into one of his allies, bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the einherjar paragon shout. The effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1 + 1/2 his HD. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charms and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. Rally Call is a mind-affecting ability. At 10 HD, and every five HD thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th). He knows just what to say to get his allies to give extra effort, to see battle from his eyes, pushing onward stronger and more determined. An einherjar paragon is naturally resistant to his own Rally Call.

 (Su): At 5th level, an einherjar paragon may use his Enchanting Grasp ability as a free action once per round as part of a full attack action. When attacking, his magical energies drive into his weapons with greater quickness and ease.

This enchanted homestead is a one-room viking hall 20 feet wide by 100 feet long. A wooden throne with carven stags, boars and wolves sits at the head of the hall. The entrance is a pair of massive wooden doors, barred with a great timber. Every day at dawn, noon and sunset, a glorious feast appears on the solid oak longtable that dominates the center of the hall. Firewood for the fire is magically replenished daily. Nearby, there is a barn, eternally stocked with hay and stalls for 8 horses. A great stone well from which cool clear water can be drawn sits in a clearing nearby. With this homestead, he is granted the boons listed below:

He may summon this horse as a full-round action, when not on Ysgard, for a total number of hours per day equal to 2 &times; his HD. The Ysgardian Horse has a number of HD equal to your character level -3. An einherjar paragon may use his Astral Stride while mounted atop his Ysgardian Horse, using his mount's speed for distance instead of his own.

He may dismiss this horse as a standard action. If he dismisses this horse while still mounted, he returns to his Eternal Homestead with it. He may take himself and up to the horse's maximum carrying capacity for a heavy load with him.

In Ysgard, he may mount up his horse and return to the same spot on another plane from which he last dismissed his horse from.

Only gear given to the horse while on Ysgard stays with it. If the horse is slain while summoned, it is un-summonable for 24 hours. If the horse is slain while in Ysgard, he must atone and pray for a new mount.

His patron deity may see fit to bestow upon him a different creature as a mount (or even as an animal companion), however, that creature must still have a number of HD equal to his character level -3. If he gains a creature that does not serve as a mount, he may return to Ysgard with it by touching it as he dismisses it.

The summoning of this horse is measured in hours. If he summons this horse for 10 minutes and dismisses it, it counts as an hour for the purposes of daily time remaining.

This supernatural ability to summon this horse is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to 1/2 the einherjar paragon's level. Summoning this horse is a Conjuration (Summoning) effect.

He gains the ownership of a celestial NPC classed "human" of his alignment with the elite array in the gender and physical appearance of his choosing. The Ysgardian Servant has a number of HD equal to his character level -5 (maximum of 6 HD). This servant typically manages his homestead while he is away.

He may summon this servant as a full-round action, when not on Ysgard, for a total number of hours per day equal to 2 &times; his HD.

He may dismiss this servant as a standard action.

Only gear given to the servant while on Ysgard stays with it. If the servant is slain while summoned, it is un-summonable for 24 hours. If the servant is slain while in Ysgard, he must atone and pray for a new servant.

His patron deity may see fit to bestow upon him a different creature as a servant, however, that creature must still have a number of HD equal to his character level -5.

The summoning of this servant is measured in hours. If he summons this servant for 10 minutes and dismisses it, it counts as an hour for the purposes of daily time remaining.

This supernatural ability to summon this servant is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to 1/2 the einherjar paragon's level. Summoning this servant is a Conjuration (Summoning) effect.

Campaign Information
"For glory in battle! For glory to the gods! For strong, lively women! For vict'ry, damn the odds!"

Playing an Einherjar Paragon
Religion: Being from the celestial realms, and owing power to the deities there, many einherjar paragons are religious, while others are not, thinking of their gods in terms of kingly lords in which they work in service. Some don't revere deities as all, seeing their resurrection as outsiders as a one-time bargain for which they owe nothing in return.

Other Classes: As einherjar paragons vary, so do their personalities, and it is their personalities that will determine what other classes they will work best with.

Combat: Most einherjar paragons are melee combatants, though some find their way to specialize in ranged attacks.

Advancement: Einherjar paragons prefer to stick with classes that don't require low-level entry to be good in, as the einherjar paragon class in total is a decent investment in a portion of his career.

Einherjar Paragons in the World
Adventuring einherjar paragons often feel that they are on a mission from the gods or some sort of holy crusade. This however, does not mean that they are not free to do as they please, for being created from mortal stock, they have free will and cause to guide their own destinies.

Daily Life: Einherjar paragons rise early, feast for breakfast, suit up, battle, feast for lunch, battle some more, feast for dinner, get drunk then sleep.

Notables: Ivor the Small was a particularly short einherjar paragon tasked with watching over a small port trade city on the Material Realm known to have a particular affinity for drawing in droves of lesser demons and devils. The local townsfolk would praise him, and at the end of the day, the local bars would take bets on his count for vanquished foes. Much to dismay of the copious number of barmaids, he was never too tired, nor his pouch to empty from the city's payment, to require their services. When the fiendish portals were found and sealed nearly a century later, he was recalled from his post. The city renamed itself in his honor and prospered for many years.

Organizations: Typically, einherjar paragons are led by heralds, archons or other powerful servants of their deity. Orders vary from the usual "train all day today" to the likely "we go out and make war against a target my patron wants crushed" and to the unlikely "we need you to fortify this position with your presence for a while. Train all day, and eventually my patron will call upon you for duty. Try not to wreck up this place too badly, you might be there a while."

NPC Reactions: Einherjar paragons, much like any PC, tends to draw a lot of trouble, only, some folk can recognize that in advance. Shopkeepers and innkeepers have likely come across an einherjar paragon in their lifetimes (or at the least, heard stories of them about town). Einherjar paragons are often watched with a wary eye lest that keen ability to cause trouble result in unnecessary collateral damage.

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

Einherjar Paragons in the Game
Einherjar paragons easily take the spot typically reserved for fighters, barbarians and paladins. Some, with their skills, and a focus on Dexterity even take the spot reserved for rogues.

Adaptation: If your campaign setting doesn't use Ysgard, replace reference to it with a different celestial plane. Einherjar paragons may be reflavored to fit any warrior chosen of any deity in your campaign setting, ranging from celestial foot soldiers to archons tasked with duties. Female einherjar paragons, while uncommon, are easily flavored as valkyries.

Additionally, an einherjar paragon may not know where he came from or how he came to be as he is, finding himself on the Material Plane with only a lust for war and a sampling of starting gear.