Here I Go Again on My Own...

Boy, I have a fondness for musical titles, don't I? Well, maybe two out of four is not really a statistical sampling. Oh, well.

Anyway, more Valdemar (really, the world as a whole is called Velgarth, but that seems fairly unknown. I'll stick with Valdemar).

Magic: I thought about it, and decided that simple ability score prerequisites was insufficient to represent Mage Gift. I don't want to make each level of magical power a feat, though, as that means good mages have to take 3 extra feats, as compared to the evil mages who just use blood energy. I don't want to use a skill, either, as 3.5 has justly removed class-exclusive skills, and I don't want everyone casting spells. So, my idea: a combination of spells and one feat. The feat, Mage Sight, can only be taken at 1st level. Those with it can see, and thus target, the general earth energy, ley lines, and nodes. The spells that draw energy from said energy sources need targets, and thus can't be used by those who can't see them. The spell(s) that draw out death energy, on the other hand, would be area effect, not needing specific targets. Mages who can see the power but are limited in what spells they can cast are those with the feat but with low spellcasting prereq scores. There, solved!
Speaking of spellcasting prereqs, I think Cha should be the prime req for wizards. It's often noted that a strong will is nessecary to shape magic, and Cha is the strong will score in D&D. Intelligence should probably still give wizards bonus spells, however.

A feat I thought up, which should be useful for general D&D as well:

Extra Tricks [General]
An animal can learn more tricks than it would normally be allowed to.
Prerequisites: Intelligence of 1 or 2, animal or magical beast type
Benefit: A creature with this feat is treated as having an Intelligence score one higher for purposes of how many tricks it can learn. Its Intelligence is not increased for any other purposes, and it does not gain any sapience. The new tricks acquired through this feat must still be trained into the animal by someone with the Handle Animal skill.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

And a creature to use the feat:

Warsteed
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 4d8+16 (34)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 70 feet (14 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Hoof +7 melee (1d4+3)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +7 melee (1d4+3) and bite +1 melee (1d3+1)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6
Feats: Endurance (B), Extra Tricks (B), Run, Weapon Focus (hoof)
Environment: Temperate or hot plains
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 2

Physically, a warsteed looks like a particularly ugly, but very intelligent, light warhorse.


And the people who ride them:

Sword-Sworn
Sword-sworn are the sworn servants of the Warrior aspect of the Shin'a'in Goddess. They are Her strong arm, doing Her bidding first above all. Sword-sworn are the only Shin'a'in allowed to claim blood vengeance, and their dedication first to the Warrior, then to all the Clans, and only then to their own Clan, prevents the hot-tempered Shin'a'in from degenerating into interniecine warfare.
Sword-Sworn are, by virtue of their connection to the Warrior, virtually sexless, lacking sexual desire of any form. Sword-Sworn always dress in dark brown, or deep black while on the trail of blood-feud or in ritual combat. They are highly trained warriors, capable of using many varieties of weapons in their service to the Goddess of the South Wind.
Most Sword-Sworn are barbarians, fighters, paladins, rangers, or rogues. Very few spellcasters take up this prestige class, as it does nothing for their spellcasting abilities.
NPC Sword-Sworn are almost always found on the Dhorisha Plains, riding with and protecting their Shin'a'in brethern. If a Sword-Sworn is found off the Plains, it usually means they are on the trail of blood-feud, and are ready to kill those who stand in the way of it.
Hit Die: d10

Requirements
To qualify to become a Sword-Sworn, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Culture: Shin'a'in
Alignment: Any good
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Knowledge (religion) 3 ranks
Feats: Weapon Focus (any sword)
Special: A potential Sword-Sworn must petition the Warrior herself to become a Sword-Sworn. This requires a day-long ritual, and the petitioner will only be accepted if their motives for becoming Sword-Sworn are acceptable to the Goddess.

Class Skills
The Sword-Sworn's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Sword-Sworn prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Sword-Sworn are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light and medium armor. They do not gain proficiency with heavy armor, nor with shields.
Walking the Moonpaths (Sp): All Sword-Sworn can enter a state of trance and walk the Moonpaths, where they can converse with the Goddess, or her servants.
At 1st level, a Sword-Sworn can gain the benefit of an augury spell by entering a trance for one minute. This requires no material or focus components, and the effect is as that cast by a cleric of the Sword-Sworn's class level. The Sword-Sworn can use this power once per day per two class levels.
At 3rd level, a Sword-Sworn can gain the benefit of a divination spell by entering a trance for ten minutes. This requires no material components, and the effect is as that cast by a cleric of the Sword-Sworn's class level. The Sword-Sworn can use this power once per week per two class levels.
At 6th level, a Sword-Sworn can gain the benefit of a commune spell by entering a trance for one hour. This requires no material, focus, or XP components, and the effect is as that cast by a cleric of the Sword-Sworn's class level. The Sword-Sworn can use this power once per week.
At 10th level, a Sword-Sworn can gain the benefit of a miracle spell. Using this power requires only a standard action. The usual restrictions of a miracle spell apply: if the Sword-Sworn requests something more powerful than the usual miracle, or something that the Warrior does not thing is justified, then the Sword-Sworn must pay 5000 xp. The Sword-Sworn does not know if their request will be considered reasonable until they make it and the Warrior exacts a cost or not. The Sword-Sworn can use this power once per month.
Track: A Sword-Sworn gains Track as a bonus feat.
Warsteed: A Sword-Sworn riding a warsteed can make Handle Animal checks to control the warsteed as a move action instead of a standard action.
Sexless: The Sword-Sworn gains a +10 bonus to any saves to resist enchantment and mind-affecting spells or effects that rely primarily on sexual desire. DMs discrestion as to what qualifies, but the charm abilties of the succubus and erinyes should certainly qualify.
Bonus Feat: At 3rd level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the Sword-Sworn gains a bonus feat, chosen from the list of fighter bonus feats.

The Sword-Sworn

Base Fort Ref Will
Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save
1 +1 +2 +0 +2
2 +2 +3 +0 +3
3 +3 +3 +1 +3
4 +4 +4 +1 +4
5 +5 +4 +1 +4
6 +6 +5 +2 +5
7 +7 +5 +2 +5
8 +8 +6 +2 +6
9 +9 +6 +3 +6
10 +10 +7 +3 +7