Ultimist Character Class

The various new classes I proposed a year or so ago are okay, but the players in MY campaign have really taken to the newest sort of adventurer, which developed out of my deep devotion to the powers of the lower planes! I call them ULTIMISTS, or the fighting wizard-priests. Here is how the class developed, and the stats so you can add them to your campaign.

History: Aeons ago, the mightiest of tri-classed characters, Palir Lofo, determined to create a band of invincible pawns to spread his power through the entire world. Thus, the Ever-dark Order of Ultimate Enforcers was created. High in the inaccessible mountains of Rhumdedhum, a fortress like monastery was constructed to house and train the new order of super-adventurers. By the scores came the vilest and most powerful of those who sought freedom through abuse and oppression. There in the totally hidden recesses of the monastery's fastness, they bred like rabbits, and thus developed a new sub-race of virtual overmen. From this forsaken wilderness, thousands of leagues from anywhere, came the fighting wizard-priests, ready to do battle with anyone or anything...certain of victory!

Creating an Ultimist Character: Because of resistance of the concept of rolling more than 4d6 and selecting the best three (as expressed by enthusiasts when I prepared the barbarian class), use the standard system to generate stats for the ultimist. But as these are super-powerful beings, adjust the results as follows:

Strength
Die Roll	Adjusted Score
11	15
12	16
13	17
14	18(50)
15	18(75)
16	18(90)
17	18(99)
18	Roll 1d6:	1 = 18(00); 2-3 = 19 4 = 20; 5 = 21; 6 = 22

Intelligence: Add +4 to dice roll, no intelligence under 16 is possible.

Wisdom: Same as intelligence.

Dexterity
Die Roll		Adjusted Score
13		15
14		16
15		17
16		18
17		19
18		20

Constitution: Same as strength. Double all hit point adjustments as if a fighter.

Charisma: Same as strength.

Comeliness: For males add 2d4, no score under 18 possible. For females add 3d4, no score under 20 possible.

Hit Dice: Ultimists, being a cleric-mage-monk blend, use only d6, but in addition to constitution adjustment, they gain one hit point per die for each level of experience. So a 1st level ultimist has an additional hit point bonus of +1 per hit die, a 2nd level ultimist has +2, etc. There is no limit to the number of level points they can thus gain.

Attack: Ultimist characters attack as FIGHTERS in melee combat. Because they are a super-race, they always gain +1 "to hit".

The Class: Ultimists work simultaneously in clerical, magic-use, and monk professions. However, they gain levels as follows:

Experience Points		Level
0-1,000		1
1,001-2,500		2
2,500-5,000		3
5,001-7,000		4
7,001-9,500		5
9,501-12,500		6
12,501-16,000		7
16,001-20,000		8
20,001-25,000		9
25,001-31,000		10
31,000-38,000		11
38,001-46,000		12
46,001-55,000		13
55,001-65,000		14

To gain levels above 14, the adventurer must accumulate additional experience points at the rate of 25,000/level of experience.

Starting Equipment: In addition to the equipment normally obtainable through purchase (ultimists begin with 1,000 to 4,000 gp) the Order furnishes each of its fledglings with spell books listing all known spells, a bag of holding (15,000 gp capacity), and a special sword of life stealing (explained below). Each is also granted a cloack of displacement, ring of protection +3, boots of speed, ring of feather falling and a wand of his choice; but as these are only on loan from the Order, they don't really count.

Spell Points: Memorizing spells is tedious, and the selection requires reasoning and intelligence applied to the game. They are, obviously, not part of the ultimist class. Instead a simple spell point system is substituted. For each level attained, the ultimist gains 100 spell points. Each point is synonymous with a spell level. Therefore, a 1st level ultimist can cast 100 1st level spells per day or 50 2nd level spells, etc. Spell points "regenerate" daily, providing the character rests for at least one hour. Spell points are used for clerical, magic-user, or illusionist spells (at twice normal level cost). They can also be used at the rate of 1 for 1 to recharge the sword of life stealing, provided that is the only activity the ultimist engages in for that day. Casting spells above the level normal for the ultimist has risk, however. There is a chance of spell failure based on the easy formula which follows:

Monk Abilities: Ultimist monk abilities are shown in the Players Handbook. However, they gain the following additional powers with open-hand combat:

4th level: treat right hand as sword of sharpness
8th level: treat right hand as vorpal blade

Thieving Abilities: Note the ultimist does not require thieves' tools for opening locks; his long fingernails are carefully shaped for use as lockpicks.

Multiple Functions: Ultimists are able to use two weapons at the same time, wear armor and cast spells or perform as a monk, or fight with a weapon in on hand and use monk open-hand attacks.

There are, of course, only the "bones" of this exciting and interesting new class. New issue we'll tell you about how Palir Lofo dominates all pantheons of deities, and more about his minions of the Everdark Order of Ultimate Enforcers.