I have a backlog of Endjinn material I am sitting on and plan to release a few classes and items this month with that related theme.
Like all Endjinn classes, this one is a bit exotic. This started with me trying to build something like the elf swordsmaster for my game. In the Worldship I don't use divine magic, so I needed something to replace the Chevalier, but due to self imposed limits I can’t reach the arcane 4 level so I needed something else. Then the term "man-at-arms" got stuck in my head and I went all out on literal arms. I drew on the Bugman Predator in BCK for its cool take on four limbs and the Sorcerous Sphere from lairs and encounters for multi-limb casting. This is a bit of an exotic class but I think it fits the theme for this race really well and gives me an arcane alternative to the Chevalier for use in the Worldship setting.
Like all Endjinn classes, this one is a bit exotic. This started with me trying to build something like the elf swordsmaster for my game. In the Worldship I don't use divine magic, so I needed something to replace the Chevalier, but due to self imposed limits I can’t reach the arcane 4 level so I needed something else. Then the term "man-at-arms" got stuck in my head and I went all out on literal arms. I drew on the Bugman Predator in BCK for its cool take on four limbs and the Sorcerous Sphere from lairs and encounters for multi-limb casting. This is a bit of an exotic class but I think it fits the theme for this race really well and gives me an arcane alternative to the Chevalier for use in the Worldship setting.
Electrum Gendarme
Prime Requisite: STR, INT
Requirements: INT 9
Hit Dice:1d6
Maximum Level: 12
Hundreds of years ago, the armies of the Creators assaulted the worldship in orbit of the planet with their mighty automatons and endjinn armies supporting them. Along with the aid of the gods they ended the Visitor Threat but at a terrible cost; the resulting crash reshaped the planet in its devastation. For the endjinn the cost was supreme, many of their higher forms were lost; the Steel Artificers, Iron Giants and newly formed Loremasters have been lost to time, where their motes have gone, none know. While on the remains of Worldship itself no higher form motes such as the Bronze Chevalier's have been seen in centuries, one design remains that is lost to the wider world. Among the Tin Soldats and Brass Courtiers the ancient Electrum Gendarme mold still survives to this day.
Being a truly exotic design the Gendarme draws on the height of the creators' abilities. Abilities that were perfected in the later designed Duraminium (Gnomium) Loremaster. Starting with an electrum frame designed for channeling arcane energy, the creators also added clockwork power systems beneath their outer plates granting them the powers of magic. This makes them visually distinct with the polished electrum shine and visible (and slightly audible) clockwork that can be seen through gaps in their plating. On a more exotic note, they also possess four primary limbs that can be used for both martial and arcane purposes. Combined, all these features makes them unparalleled combatants without peer.
Electrum Gendarme are drilled in combat extensively during their training making them skilled combatants focused on close combat. They advance in attack throws as fighters, by two points every three levels of experience, while advancing in saving throws as mages, by two points every six levels. At first level, Electrum Gendarme hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They may wield any weapon, fight in any style, and use any magical or technological item usable by fighters or mages. Their training in the arcane arts limits them to wearing armor no heavier than leather. Favouring melee combat, their base damage roll from successful melee attacks is increased by +1 at 1st level and by an additional +1 at 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th level.
The gendarme is a truly exotic form of Endjinn possessing four arms with which to do battle. This allows them to wield as many as four weapons with the ability to swap them out for shields or two-handed weapons as outlined in the bugman predator in Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu. They also have access to the relevant four armed fighting styles for these weapon combinations in addition to the ordinary two-weapon fighting styles (they may elect to use the extra arms for other uses). Note that the gendarme only has one attack each round, regardless of how many weapons it wields.
Endjinn are intelligent constructs gaining many of the benefits of being a construct while still being treated as a humanoid. Unlike soulless automatons they are still affected by spells that normally affect humanoids such as hold, charm or sleep. But similar to automatons they are immune to poison and disease, including those from magical sources. They are fueled by elemental energies and do not eat, drink or breathe. This prevents them gaining any benefit or penalty associated with those actions, for example they cannot drink potions, but they can walk underwater and not drown.
Their unique physiology requires them to care for their body differently to organic creatures. Even though they do not eat or drink endjinn still require weekly maintenance that they perform on themselves. Each week they must spend an hour performing this maintenance and it consumes a unit of mechanical parts. Failure to perform maintenance follows the same rules as failure to eat but with a cycle time of a week rather than a day. They are unresting and require only four hours of sleep to be rested each night.
Endjinn are able to heal normally from rest and benefit from magical healing effects and spells. However, the Healing proficiency and the related healing equipment have no effect on endjinn. Instead, they may be repaired as automatons with mechanical parts being consumed for every full 10hp recovered or part thereof (p.20 PC). While lacking the engineering knowledge to design and build new automatons, all endjinn are able to repair automatons as mechanists of their level.
A gendarme's electrum plating provides the character with a base unarmored AC of 2 instead of 0. However, the character has a base movement rate of only 90’. Due to their electrum body they may deal lethal damage when brawling (see ACKS p. 109). They can punch or kick characters in metal armor without themselves taking damage (as unarmed fighting proficiency, PC).
Electrum Gendarmes are sturdy, weighing 240 pounds and can carry up to 6 stone without becoming encumbered. When carrying 7-9 stone, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 60’. When carrying 10-12 stone, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 45’. When carrying 13 stone or more, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 30’. A gendarme can carry a maximum of 24 stone, modified by its Strength bonus or penalty.
Their constructed nature makes other races cautious around them. Electrum Gendarmes suffer a -1 penalty to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of humans and demi-humans they interact with. Conversely, they get a +1 bonus to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of endjinn.
Electrum Gendarme train in both the arcane and martial arts to deadly effect. Starting at 2nd level (adjunct), they will learn and cast arcane spells as arcane casters of one-half the power of a full caster using the same spell list and the same rules for learning and casting spells. The number and level of spells the Gendarme can use in a single day are listed on the Gendarme spell progression table as is the caster level they use in casting their spells at each level (Using rules from Axioms 7, convert back to a 1⁄2 arcane caster in other games). They can also cast spells while wearing armor.
At 5th level (Commandant) the electrum gendarme unlocks a truly unique ability to cast multiple spells. They perform this by virtue of their multitude of limbs and subharmonic multi-vocalisation. The gendarme can cast up to two different spells simultaneously (one spell per pair of limbs), if desired, using spells from their repertoire normally. The subharmonic vocalisation restricts these spells to being two different spells to avoid harmonic overlap, though they may be the same level or different levels (ie. you cannot cast magic missile twice, but can cast magic missile and shield). If this double casting is interrupted both spells are lost. This ability is restricted to casting spells only and does not extend to the use of magical devices such as wands or staffs.
At 7th level (Colonel), the electrum gendarme may begin to research spells, scribe magical scrolls, and brew potions. Unlike full arcane casters they use their caster level, not class level, for magical research rolls.
When an Electrum Gendarme reaches 9th level (Director), he can attract endjinn from far and wide by constructing his own forge. A forge may not be built in the civilized or borderland area of another race's realm, only in an endjinn realm, or wilderness area. A total of 3d6x10 endjinn of 1st level will arrive to help maintain and defend the forge at no cost to the Electrum Gendarme. A Gendarme is expected to employ only endjinn guards and militia, but may hire members of other races for other tasks. Endjinn forges are otherwise maintained like human domains as detailed in the Campaign chapter of the ACKS Rulebook. The training of the Gendarme also extends to establishing law and order in conflict areas. Any wilderness domain they rule is treated as a borderlands domain for all purposes. If they lose ownership of a domain benefiting from this effect, the population reduces back down to wilderness levels as refugees flee the area.
When an Electrum Gendarme reaches 12th level (Director General), they are able to create more powerful magic items such as weapons, rings, and staffs. Unlike full arcane casters they use their caster level, not class level, for magical research rolls.
Electrum Gendarme Proficiency List (30): Acrobatics, Alertness, Armor Training, Battle Magic, Blind Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, force back, knock down), Command, Elementalism, Engineering, Fighting Style, Jury-Rigging, Leadership, Loremastery, Magical Engineering, Manual of Arms, Mechanical Engineering, Military Strategy, Mystic Aura, Quiet Magic, Prestidigitation, Running, Sensing Power, Skirmishing, Swashbuckler, Unflappable Casting, Weapon Focus, Weapon Finesse.
Class proficiencies at: 1st, 6th, 12th.
General proficiencies at: 1st, 5th, 9th.
Template: Warmaster
Proficiencies: Command, Manual of Arms
Starting Equipment: three rapiers (short sword), steel shield, leather armor, armiger’s tunic and pants, low boots, backpack, tinderbox, 6 torches, iron spikes, hammer, mechanists tools, mechanical parts (10), 10gp. (5 2/6 st., Move 120’/40’).
Electrum Gendarme Level Progression & Spell progression
Electrum Gendarme (Mage) Saving Throws
Electrum Gendarme (Fighter) Attack Throws
Build Notes
Allocations: FTR 2 (Tradeoff 3), HP 0 (1), ARC 2, END 1
Max level: 12
Fighter tradeoff (3): missile damage bonus, two levels of armor
Weapons (unrestricted): all
Armor (narrow): leather
Power (2): four-handed
Tradeoff (1): for 5/9
Power at 5: cast two spells (inspired by sorcerous sphere)
Power at 9: law and order
Save: Save as mage
Magic items: fighter and mage
Requirements and Prime requisites: must have STR and INT. Needs one prime and INT is essential.
Post 9 hp: as mage = 1 per level
XP: 1000 + 450 + 1250 + 825 = 3,525; Round 7 up to 115,000; Post 8 = MAG 150,000 + 40,000 = 190,000 per level
Proficiencies: Start with elf and fighter blend. Trying to avoid divine elements with this one that I normally put in Endjinn.
Thoughts:
For endjinn height I didn't make them tall. First they are police not knights, and second they don't wear heavy armor so don't need it.
As a class power the cast multiple spells is limited by them being a half caster, for full casters the cost would be double or more. I got the idea from reading the sorcerous sphere and benchmarked it for this class only, for now would limit this power to arcane 2.
It's interesting, they get very few class proficiencies… I wonder if a few magic items should be built reflective of them compensating for this lack, more on this later.
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