Noble (3.5e Class)

Author: The-Marksman (talk) Date Created: March 2015 Status: Completed Editing: Please discuss before editing

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As a Noble you have lavish but incredibly strict upbringing to ensure that you start life with the skills and tools to make sure that you won't soil the family name. After all, they only want "what's best for you". 5 1 Good Poor Poor Good

"Money, Bardic Knowledge, Skill Tricks" is not in the list (Prepared Arcane Spellcasting, Spontaneous Arcane Spellcasting, Prepared Divine Spellcasting, Spontaneous Divine Spellcasting, Arcane Spellcasting, Divine Spellcasting, Prepared Spellcasting, Spontaneous Spellcasting, Alternate Magic, Psionics, ...) of allowed values for the "Class Ability" property.

Minor Any Nonchaotic

The Noble

Growing up as a child of nobility and in high society doesn't always mean you have parents who spoil and pamper you into an entitled, spoiled brat. Sometimes being a child of nobility means having parents who put the strictest of standards and unrealistic expectations on everything you say and do. Parents who are overly critical of every decision you make and who control every waking moment of your adolescent life with endless private lessons from various sage tutors from far off lands or getting fencing lessons from the Captain of the Guards.

Sometimes it means going to every social function your parents attend as a child all while being expected to have proper posture and form and etiquette, knowing when to hold your tongue and knowing what to say and when to say it, lest you embarrass them for speaking out of sorts.

All of this to ensure that you start life with the skills and tools to make sure that you won't soil the family name. After all, they only want "what's best for you".

Making the Noble

Abilities: Charisma is the key skill of a Noble who is often the party talker and a Noble gains his Charisma bonus on AC, all saves and to attack and damage against most opponents. A high intelligence score gives the Noble extra skill points, and allows him to increase his versatility to the team.

Characteristics: Nobles are excellent talkers and often act as the party talker due to their unique skill set for being able to see through others lies and even determine the lie and the reason behind it at times. Nobles get a lot of the skills that Bard's and Rogues often use, but with less focus on the more seedy skills that Rogue's are known for, which have no place in a 'proper' high society. All of the gossip at the top allows Nobles to have a vast knowledge of local events and noteworthy items. If a Noble ever did come across any such item, although he doesn't have magic of his own, he can usually "fake it" well enough to cast spells from scrolls, activate wands and use just about any other magic item.

Races: Every advanced race has their own upper echelon of society in some fashion or another, with Humans, Elves and Half-Elves being the most common, followed by Dwarves, Halflings and Gnomes. Half-Orc Nobles are rare due to Half-Orcs not having their own formalized societies and not always fitting in well with other races.

Alignment: Nobles are almost exclusively lawful by nature. The childhood of a Noble was filled with discipline, and reminders to honor the family name. Chaotic behavior would never be accepted in high society.

Starting Gold: 6d8 times 10 gp (480 gp max).

Starting Age: "Moderate" or "As Rogue"

Table: The Noble

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+0	+0	+2	Lap of Luxury, Natural Speaker
2nd	+2	+0	+0	+3	Confident Grace, Mesmerizing Delivery
3rd	+3	+1	+1	+3	Folklore, Sense the Truth
4th	+4	+1	+1	+4	Confident Strike, Clever Trickery
5th	+5	+1	+1	+4	Privileged Upbringing
Class Skills (8 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (N/A), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Noble.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Nobles are proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons, and with all light and medium armors, and with all shields.

Lap of Luxury (Ex): Nobles are the epitome of high society, and most are at absolute minimum very well off, to more often than not completely filthy rich. Noble characters start game play with the ability to have 1 loyal follower as a personal attendant with 1/2 as many commoner levels as the Noble has character levels. This attendant always has maximum ranks for their level in Handle Animal and Heal. The attendant cooks food, helps bath and runs errands for the Noble, tends to his horse, and does whatever is requested of him to the best of his ability. However despite his unwavering loyalty to the Noble, the attendant is not a slave and nor can he be treated as such. Further more, the attendant will rarely ever do anything that is blatantly humiliating, and will never enter combat for the Noble. The attendant will rarely if ever do anything that would inherently or likely put their life or health in danger and often wont enter dungeons, but might wait outside one for the Noble to return. Gross mistreatment of the attendant will result in the attendant returning to the Noble's home town or his own whichever is more appropriate. If the attendant leaves from mistreatment the Noble's reputation is tarnished and he cannot recruit another attendant. He must seek out the original attendant and make amends in order to have an attendant. Only if an attendant is killed in the line of duty or voluntarily retires due to severe injury or old age may a Noble find a different attendant.

Aside from his starting money, the Noble also begins play with a selection of gifts and family heirlooms from their family including 1 Masterwork weapon, 1 suit of Masterwork Armor, a noble's outfit, 1 explorers outfit and 1 travelers outfit, as well as an embroidered scabbard and cloak. The Noble and his attendant each start with a Light Warhorse. The Noble's Warhorse comes with barding and military saddle and the attendant's Warhorse has a riding saddle with no barding. If the Noble ever knowingly or purposely sells or attempts to trade or barter ANY of these starting gifts from his family for profit, he immediately lose all class features and progression potential until he repurchases or barters for these gifts back. This restriction does not apply to if he no longer needs the items and sends them home via Currier or has his attendant run them home, nor does it apply to items left in storage at home or if the items are stolen, legitimately lost or accidently destroyed. There are no penalties if the horses are killed in the line of duty. Any lost or stolen items including retired horses are not replaced by this ability.

Natural Speaker (Ex): The Noble grows up always being taught the proper ways to speak and express their thoughts. Nobles tend to have excellent vocabularies and are able to articulately express themselves. Nobles gain a competency bonus on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Preform (Oratory) and Sense Motive checks equal to their Noble level. Beginning with once per day at 1st level, the Noble may make a reroll on any failed Charisma check or Charisma related skill check. The number of times per day that a Noble can attempt a reroll on a failed check increases to twice per day at third level and 3 times per day at fifth level. The Noble must always take the result the reroll even if it is worse than the original role.

Confident Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a Noble has such a captivating personality and is so extraordinarily graceful and dignified that his opponents are nearly mesmerized by his presence and charm, and find it difficult to act normally against him during combat. As such a Noble gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (if any) as a deflection bonus to his AC and on all saving throws.

Mesmerizing Delivery (Ex): A Noble's communication skills are so good, that he can distract creatures around him with his compelling speech and witticisms. To do this a Noble must simply make a diplomacy check as he begins speaking. Each creature within a 30 feet of the Noble who can both hear and understand the Noble are considered to be affected by this ability. Each creature within range of this ability makes an opposed Diplomacy check or Will save. Any creature who fails this opposed check receives a penalty on all Listen, Sense Motive, and Spot checks equal to the Noble's class level (starting at a -2 on Listen Sense Motive and Spot checks at 2nd level) for so long as the Noble continues speaking for up to a maximum of 20 minutes.

Folklore (Ex): By 3rd level, a Noble has had countless conversations with thousands of people from all walks of life on numerous subjects. The amount of random stray knowledge that comes up from time to time is astounding, and the Noble rarely forgets any of it. As a free action, he may make a special knowledge check with a bonus equal to his Character level plus his Intelligence modifier. This ability otherwise functions exactly like a bardic knowledge check for bards. To see whether he knows any relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. If the Noble has 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history) or he gains a +2 synergy bonus on this check.

A successful folklore check will not reveal the powers of a magic item, but it may give a hint as to its general function. A Noble may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random. The DM can determine the Difficulty Class of the check by referring to the table below. Folklore counts as the Bardic Knowledge class feature for the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes, feats and use of any magical items.

Table: Folklore

DC	Type of Knowledge	Example
10	Common, known by at least a substantial minority of the local population.	A local mayors reputation for drinking; common legends about a powerful place of mystery.
20	Uncommon but available, known by only a few people in the area.	A local priests shady past; legends about a powerful magic item.
25	Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.	A knights family history; legends about a minor place of mystery or magic item.
30	Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don't understand the significance of the knowledge.	A mighty wizard's childhood nickname; the history of a petty magic item.

Sense the Truth (Ex): A Noble having a conversation notices and senses things that others just dont pick up on. The Noble notices what word choices someone uses, the tone, pitch, delivery of their words, eye contact, even involuntary muscle movements in the brow and lips that take place in fractions of a single second. All of these things do not go unnoticed by the Noble. Through these, the Noble has gained a special insight into people’s ability to lie or tell the truth. Any time a Noble makes Sense Motive check and the result is 20 or higher, the Noble may produce an effect identical to a discern lies as the spell cast by a cleric of the Noble’s total character level with a DC of 10 + the Noble’s Charisma modifier + ½ the Noble's character level. The Noble may cause this effect any and every time he makes a DC 20 or higher Sense Motive check.

Confident Strike (Su): At 4th level, a Noble years of classes in fencing, the nuances of combat, strategy and anatomy as well as his supreme confidence in his own abilities in combat allow him to move more assuredly and without hesitation allowing him to place his attacks where they deal greater damage. A Noble applies his Charisma bonus (if any) as a bonus on attack and damage rolls (in addition to any Strength bonus he may have) with any weapon with which he is proficient. Targets immune to sneak attacks or critical hits are immune to the Noble's Confident Strike. A Noble cannot use this ability when carrying a heavy load.

Clever Trickery (Ex): If a creature attempts and fails to successfully lie to a Noble using the Bluff skill, A Noble can then cleverly maneuver the conversation to confuse the target or trick him into letting slip a vital clue. After succeeding on his own Sense Motive check, if a Noble can then engage the target in conversation for at least 1 minute, at the end of this time, he can make a Diplomacy check opposed by the target's Bluff check. If the Noble succeeds, the target inadvertently provides information that reveals his lie and the reason behind it.

Privileged Upbringing (Ex): Having grown up in such a strict and well learnt environment has allowed the Noble to become exceptionally good at picking up and learning new information. At 5th level a Noble has reached the pinnacle of all of their teachings and long studious lessons on etiquette and public speaking. Starting at 5th level a Noble may always take 10 on all Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information and Sense Motive checks even if stress or other distractions would normally prevent this. In addition a Noble may choose any 2 skills in the game and these skills are forever more, always considered to be class skills for the Noble. Also furthermore, a Noble may have maximum ranks in any skill equal to his level +4 (instead of his normal level +3). Meaning that a 5th level Noble / 1st level Fighter character has class ranks of 10 and cross class skills can have 5 ranks. The Noble also gains a number of bonus skill points equal to his character level.

Human Noble Starting Package

Weapon: Masterwork Rapier, Masterwork Breastplate and a Masterwork Buckler

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 8 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
Appraise	4	Int	—
Bluff	4	Cha	—
Diplomacy	4	Cha	—
Gather Information	4	Cha	—
Handle Animal	4	Dex	—
Intimidate	4	Cha	—
Ride	2	Dex	—
Sense Motive	2	Wis	—

Feats: Negotiator

Gear: Backpack, 2 Torches, 1 Tent, 1 Bedroll, 1 Holy Symbol, 1 Grappling Hook, 50ft of Hempen Rope, Waterskin, 2 trail rations.

Gold: 6d8 X 10 (270).

Campaign Information

Playing a Noble

Religion: Nobles always live in large cities and attend religious service at the most common diety of their alignment. Most Nobles are lawful good and worship Heironeous and Pelor. More neutral Nobles would likely worship St Cuthbert, Farlanghn or Olidammara. Evil Nobles would be more likely to worship Vecna though a couple might worship Nerull or Wee Jas.

Other Classes: Nobles get along well with anyone who has good civility. The get along best Aristocrats, Clerics, Paladins and Wizards. They get along passably with most Fighters and Monks and enjoy the entertainment provided by Bards even if they don't share many common philosophies. Nobles tend to have trouble connecting with more uncouth or uncivilized classes like the Druid and Ranger as their way of life is very foreign to a Noble, but don't particularly have distain for them. Nobles will often have strained relations with Rogues who they see as scoundrels or bandits and Sorcerers whos chaotic nature they find unsettling. Nobles rarely ever get along with Barbarians whose chaotic nature and way of life is as far removed from a Nobles culture as one could possibly get.

Combat: Nobles have the ability to handle themselves fairly well in combat. While they don't have any flashy tricks to enhance their damage, they have good base attack bonus and a respectable hit die, coupled with their ability to add their high Charisma bonus to their AC, attack and damage, a Noble can usually defend themselves fairly well.

Advancement: Nobles are well equipped to move onto to almost any other task they set their mind to. If they want to advance in a martial combat direction, they have maximum base attack bonus and a decent hit die with the D8 hit points not to mention getting their charisma bonus to AC, attack and damage. If the Noble wants to continue to develop his skills, he has had some of the best options that money can buy and is ahead of the game (so to speak) with his Privileged Upbringing ability which sets him ahead of others his level in skills and lets him pick permanent class skills. The world is truly his oyster. An excellent option to stick with the upper class feel would be the Socialite Deluxe.

Nobles in the World

“	Wealth is the ability to fully experience life .. Lack of money is the root of all evil.	”
—Sir Henry David Twain, Human Noble

Notables: Every major city in the land has at least a couple notable Nobles in them. In fact most notable people in a given city are its Nobles. Any Noble has at least some measure of local notoriety or local celebrity.

Organizations: Nobles like to make organizations and there are thousands of various organizations of Nobles. Some are secret societies that attempt to influence politics and the shape of the world. Others are public non profit organizations attempting to help the less fortunate.

Noble Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty) can research Nobles to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information starting from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty)

DC	Result
10	Nobles are the wealthy people of the world, usually those that are born into money, rank, position or power. They're usually filthy rich and like to have people wait on them hand and foot. They have a penchant for being stuck up, snooty and snobby.
15	Nobles are very articulate people who often have hang ups about being 'politically correct' and over react to even a slight public embarrassment. Nobles often are very good at talking and can give captivating speeches.
20	Nobles are very well educated and have access to all the best trainers in any given field. Because of that they tend to be educated on a wide variety of subjects and are confident and graceful in combat, always moving with assurance in their strikes.
25	Nobles are very difficult to lie to and can often sense when someone is not being up front with them. When such people are not good liars themselves, they tend to accidently say things that Nobles use to see through the lies. Anyone who obtains this level of success can learn information about a specific Noble including some of their motivations, goals and even recent where abouts.

Nobles in the Game

Sample Encounter:

EL 6:

Xavier Stavos
6'2" Male Human Noble 5
Medium Humanoid (Human)
Hit Dice: 5d8 (23) + (0 con) = (23 hp in average campaign, and 40 hp for max hp)
Initiative: +1 (1 Dex)
Speed: 30 ft
Armor Class: Normal 21 (Armor 5+, Dex 1+, Deflection +4, +1 Masterwork), 20 Touch, 20 Flat Foot
Base Attack / Grapple: +5 / +6
Full Attack: Masterwork Rapier +11 1d8 + 5 18-20 X2
Space / Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft
Special Abilities: Lap of Luxury, Natural Speaker, Confident Grace, Mesmerizing Delivery, Folklore, Sense the Truth, Confident Strike, Clever Trickery, Privileged Upgrading
Saves: Fort 5, Ref 6, Will 8
Skills: Appraise 11, Bluff 18, Diplomacy 23, Gather Information 18, Intimidate 14, Sense Motive 16, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) 9, Ride 8, Listen 6, Spot 6, Use Magic Device 9 Speak Language 4
Feats: Negotiator, Skill focus (Diplomacy)
Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven, Orc, Celestial, Draconic, Undercommon Abilities: Str: 12, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 18
CR: 5
Treasure: As standard, plus 1 warhorse with barding and military saddle, 1 Masterwork Rapier, 1 Masterwork breastplate and an embroidered scabbard and cloak.
Alignment: Lawful Good

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