Lawbringer (Inquisitor/Paladin)

(Original Concept: Ed Wiscombe) 

Primary Class: Inquisitor.

Secondary Class: Paladin.

Alignment: Any lawful.

Hit Die: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The lawbringer may select three paladin skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal inquisitor class skills. The lawbringer gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The lawbringer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, light, and medium), and with shields (but not tower shields).

Spellcasting: A lawbringer casts divine spells drawn from the inquisitor and paladin spell list. If a spell appears on both the inquisitor and paladin spell lists, the lawbringer uses the lower of the two spell levels listed for the spell. She also receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score. A lawbringer otherwise learns and casts spells as an inquisitor equal to her lawbringer level.

Code of Conduct: A lawbringer must be of lawful alignment and loses all class features except proficiencies if she ever willingly commits an evil act. Additionally, a lawbringer's code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act strictly within those laws, help and exonerate those who are innocent (provided they do not use the help for chaotic ends), and bring to justice those who are guilty of grievous crimes. A lawbringer is well within her rights to punish those who are guilty to the fullest extent of the law, even executing the guilty if the crime warrants it.

Associates: While she may adventure with nonlawful allies, a lawbringer avoids working with chaotic characters or with anyone who consistently offends her moral code. Under exceptional circumstances, a lawbringer can ally with chaotic associates, but only to defeat what she believes to be a greater chaos. A lawbringer should seek an atonement spell periodically during such an unusual alliance, and should end the alliance immediately should she feel it is doing more harm than good. A lawbringer may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful.

Aura of Law (Ex): The power of a lawbringer’s aura of law (see the detect law spell) is equal to her lawbringer level. This ability replaces orisons.

Domain: This is exactly like the inquisitor’s ability of the same name, except that the lawbringer must select the Law domain or one of its subdomains. Alternatively, when the lawbringer chooses a domain, she can exchange her domain powers for those of one of the following inquisitions: Imprisonment, Justice, or Order. The lawbringer retains her domain spells.

Judgment (Su): This is exactly like the inquisitor’s judgment ability, except that lawbringer can create one of the following effects in place of a judgment. Each effect must be placed upon a creature that is either under investigation by the lawbringer, has been placed into his custody, or has been found guilty of a crime. Using these abilities expends one use of the lawbringer’s judgement ability.

Brand: The lawbringer can mark a creature as the brand spell, as a standard action. If the target moves more than 30 feet from the lawbringer, the target takes 1 point of damage per two levels the lawbringer possesses for each round beyond this range.

Censor: The lawbringer can render a creature mute for 1 round per level of the lawbringer, unless it makes a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the lawbringer’s level + the lawbringer’s Wisdom modifier). If it fails, the creature cannot speak, nor can it cast spells that have verbal components or use language-dependent effects. The lawbringer must be at least 4th level to use this ability.

Fearsome: The lawbringer can use the Intimidate skill to cause a creature within 10 feet to become shaken, unless it makes a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the lawbringer’s level + the lawbringer’s Wisdom modifier). At 10th level, the lawbringer can cause a creature to become frightened. At 16th level, the lawbringer can cause a creature to become panicked. The lawbringer must be at least 4th level to use this ability.

Overbear: The lawbringer can increase his base speed by +10 feet, and gains a +4 bonus to his Strength for 1 round per level. If the lawbringer is mounted, these bonuses also apply to his mount. The lawbringer must be at least 7th level to use this ability.

Unshakable Faith: This ability allows the lawbringer to exchange one power from his domain chosen at 1st level with that of one of the other domains or inquisitions listed above. This exchange lasts for 1 minute.

Shackle: The lawbringer creates shackles of force that attach to the target’s limbs. These shackles remain for 1 hour per level of the lawbringer and reduces the target’s speed by 10 feet. In addition, the target must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the lawbringer’s level + the lawbringer’s Wisdom modifier) or be subject to a slow spell with a caster level equal to the lawbinger’s level. The lawbringer must be at least 8t level to use this ability.

Tracker: The lawbringer can summon a creature to aid him to track an enemy or guilty individual, as if using a summon monster spell, save that the summoned creature lingers for only 1 hour before vanishing. At 5th level, a lawbringer can summon either an eagle or a dog. At 9th level, a lawbringer can summon a wolf or a leopard. At 13th level, a lawbringer can instead opt to summon a dire wolf or a hell hound. A lawbringer must be at least 5th level to use this ability.

Vigilance: This ability allows the lawbringer to seek out the guilty no matter where they are. The inquisitor gains low-light vision and darkvision 30 feet for 1 hour per level of the lawbringer.

Detect Chaos and Law (Sp): At 2nd level, a lawbringer can use detect chaos or detect law at will. She can only use one of these at any given time. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces detect alignment.

Divine Grace (Su): At 2nd level, a lawbringer gains the paladin’s divine grace ability. This ability replaces cunning initiative.

Divine Health (Ex): At 3rd level, a lawbringer gains the paladin’s divine health ability. This ability replaces third judgment.

Verdict (Su): At 5th level, a lawbringer can imbue one of her weapons with the axiomatic weapon special ability as a swift action. This ability only functions while the lawbringer wields the weapon. If dropped or taken, the weapon resumes granting this ability if it is returned to the lawbringer before the duration expires. This ability lasts for a number of rounds per day equal to the lawbringer’s level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces bane.

Aura of Resolve (Su): At 8th level, a lawbringer gains the paladin’s aura of resolve ability. This ability replaces second judgment.

Greater Verdict (Su): At 12th level, whenever a lawbringer uses her verdict ability, the amount of bonus damage dealt by the weapon against chaotic aligned creatures or creatures with the chaotic subtype increases to 4d6. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces greater bane.

Aura of Indictment (Su): At 14th level, a lawbringer's weapons are treated as law-aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Any attack made against an enemy within 10 feet of her is treated as law-aligned for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead. This ability replaces exploit weaknesses.

Aura of the Lawgiver (Su): At 17th level, a lawbringer gains DR 5/chaos and immunity to compulsion spells and spell-like abilities. Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against compulsion effects. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead. This ability replaces slayer.

Lawful Judgment (Su): This is exactly like the inquisitor’s true judgment ability, except that if the target of lawful judgment is chaotic, the lawbringer adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess. 

Table: Lawbringer