Prestige class Sovereign

“The Sovereign” – The leaders of nations and empires are many and varied. Their nations may be large or small, rich with natural resources or barren wastelands ravaged by war, and may be allied with neighboring countries or surrounded by enemies.

The Quintessential Aristocrat
Author Martin R. Thomas
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2004

Even the forms of government of these nations may be different, ranging from monarchies, dictatorships, theocracies, or more fantastical forms such as rule by powerful wizards, sorcerers, or dragons. One thing that all of these nations have in common is that they prosper or wither with the fortunes of their ruling sovereign.

The sovereign is a special class, adept at commanding others with but a glance. The sovereign is powerful on the battlefield, rich beyond the dreams of most mortals, and able to communicate with the very essence of her kingdom.

Non-Player Character sovereigns will be among the most politically powerful individuals that the players will ever meet. Even the sovereigns of a small nation hold considerable power and have very potent abilities at their command. Whether leading an army on the battlefield, or ruling their nation from the capital city, a sovereign commands respect.

The Games Master may wish to keep this class unavailable for players until they reach the near end of their adventuring careers. When one player becomes a sovereign, the campaign can quickly become centred on that single individual and the other players may become frustrated at the lack of attention paid to their characters.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify as a sovereign, a character must fulfil the following requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +9 or higher
Base Will Save: +7 or higher
Skills: Diplomacy 12 Ranks, Intimidate 9 Ranks, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) 9 Ranks
Feats: Leadership, one Magical Bloodline feat (Dragon, Celestial, Fiend, or fey)
Special: If following the rules for ‘Status’, the character must have a minimum status score of 20.

Class Skills

Diplomacy (Charisma), Intimidate (Charisma), Heal (Wisdom), Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (history) (Intelligence), Knowledge (local)(Intelligence), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Ride (Dexterity)(Dexterity), Sense Motive (Wisdom)
Skill points at each level: 2 + Intelligence Modifier

Sovereign
Class Level	Base Attack	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1	+1	+2	+0	+2	Sovereign Status, Hands of the King
2	+2	+3	+0	+3	Royal Health, True Leader +2
3	+3	+3	+1	+3	Ancestral Protection
4	+4	+4	+1	+4	Forceful Personality, Blessed Reign
5	+5	+4	+1	+4	Supreme Decree
6	+6	+5	+2	+5	Commune with Nation
7	+7	+5	+2	+5	True Leader +2, Royal Wealth
8	+8	+6	+2	+6	Land Grant

Class Features

All the following are class features of the sovereign prestige class:

Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The sovereign gains all simple and martial proficiencies, and proficiency in light, medium, and heavy armour and with all shields (except tower shields). Note that armour check penalties for armour heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand and Tumble.

Sovereign Status: If following the rules for status, the character immediately gains a +10 to her status score. If the status rules are not being used, this ability grants no other bonus.

Hands of the King (Su): Sovereigns are known for the healing power of their touch, granted to them by the gods, through divine right, or from a mystical connection to their land. The sovereign gains the ability to lay on hands as a paladin with a level equal to the Sovereign’s total character level.

Royal Health (Ex): The sovereign is able to draw upon the very power of her nation to keep herself pure and strong. She gains immunity to all disease with the exception of magical or supernatural diseases.

True Leader: At 2nd level, the sovereign adds +2 to her Leadership score. At 7th level she adds another +2 bonus, which stacks with the bonus granted at 2nd level.

Ancestral Protection (Su): The Sovereign is able to call upon the Wisdom of her ancestors to protect her from harm. Her ancestors speak to her and give her advice, enabling the Sovereign to add her Wisdom bonus to her Armour Class. The Sovereign retains this Wisdom bonus against touch attacks, even if she is caught flatfooted. She loses her Wisdom bonus to her Armour Class if she becomes immobilized or helpless.

Forceful Personality (Sp): The sovereign is able to call upon the power of her reign to increase her natural Charisma. For a number of times per day equal to her level in the Sovereign prestige class, the Sovereign is able to increase her Charisma score as per the spell eagle’s splendour. The effect lasts for one minute per the Sovereign’s total character level.

Blessed Reign (Sp): The sovereign’s reign has been blessed by the gods, by the spirits, or by her ancestors. She is considered a worthy ruler and receives the spell like ability to increase her attack and damage rolls as per the spell Divine Favour. The sovereign may use this ability a number of times per day equal to her Charisma bonus, and her caster level counts as her total character level.

Supreme Decree (Sp): The sovereign gains the ability to make captivating speeches that completely engross her listeners. For a number of times per day equal to her Charisma bonus, the sovereign gains the ability to enthral as per the spell, with a DC of 10 + her Charisma modifier + ½ her levels in the sovereign prestige class.

Commune with Nation (Sp): The sovereign is so completely in tune with her realm that she has gained the ability to become at one with her nation, attaining knowledge from the very land itself. She can gain as many as three facts of knowledge from among the following subjects: the ground or terrain, people, general animal population, presence of powerful unnatural creatures, the presence of enemy armies (including scouting parties), plants, minerals, bodies of water, manmade constructions and settlements, or the general state of a particular area of land itself (scorched, flooded, etc.).

The sovereign must enter a trance for 10 minutes, either by praying to her deity for guidance or calling upon the power of ancestors to help her commune with the land. This spell like ability functions only while the sovereign is in her home realm and can only be used to commune with the area the sovereign controls as part of her nation. The sovereign may use this ability once per day, either indoors or outdoors. In all other affects, this ability functions like the druid spell commune with nature.

Royal Wealth: The sovereign gains a boon of wealth either through increased tax collections, the founding of mineral deposits in her realm, or through the sale of bureaucratic and aristocratic titles. She receives 50,000 gold pieces.

Land Grant: At the pinnacle of her powers as a ruler, the sovereign has been able to increase the size of her realm. Whether by conquest, an influential marriage, or a treaty, the sovereign has been given a grant of land. The Games Master should determine how large the land grant is, and what type of terrain it is (forest, mountains, etc.).

The land grant comes with a keep worth 150,000 gold pieces that can be used to control the surrounding area and with a retinue of workers to man the keep as though the sovereign had gained the Followers feat. These workers are mainly commoners, experts and warriors. One of the highest-level followers is an aristocrat who acts as the steward of the keep in the sovereign’s absence.