The Solitary

Prime Requisite: WIS and CON

Requirements: None

Hit Dice: 1d6

Maximum Level: 14

Solitaries are madmen, prophets and wanderers. Divine champions of a deity, faith or philosophy, they often challenge or at least stand apart from the established hierarchy of their deity, faith or philosophy. Occasionally persecuted as a heretic, a solitary’s divine inspiration can often force change, or at least recognition, from the establishment. A Lawful solitary might be an anchorite living in a small cottage at the base of a great city’s cathedral, a Neutral solitary might be a hermit wandering the wilderness, and a Chaotic solitary might be an anarchist seeking the destruction of civilization or a murderer whose crimes are an homage to his dark deities.

At first level, solitaries hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. Like clerics, they advance in attack throws and saving throws by two points every four levels of experience. Solitaries cannot wear armor heavier than leather, cannot use shields and are limited to fighting with the traditional weapons of their order. All solitaries are trained by an order, defined by the deity, faith or philosophy of its members. Judges are encouraged to create orders specific to their campaign setting. Otherwise, when a solitary is created, select an order for the character from the Alignment-based Orders table below based upon the character’s alignment. Write down the allowed traditional weapons and special abilities of the order. Each order teaches the use of a selection of traditional weapons, two or more special abilities at 1st level or later, two mysteries, and four proficiency selections which are added to the Solitary Proficiency List as potential class proficiency choices. All solitaries may fight wielding a weapon two-handed or wielding a weapon in each hand.

Alignment-based Orders

Alignment	Weapons	Special Abilities	Mysteries	Proficiency List
Lawful	battle axe, mace, spear, sword, two-handed sword, war hammer	1st level: aura of protection, lay on hands	Crusade, Good	Combat Trickery (force back, overrun), Healing, Sensing Evil
Neutral	dagger, hand axe, spear and any bow or crossbow	3rd level: accuracy +1 to all attack throws with missile weapons, 5th level: precise shot as an elven ranger, 7th level: sharpness once per 8 hours; each use takes 1 round (10 seconds)	Crusade, Nature	Precise Shooting, Running, Swashbuckling, Weapon Finesse
Chaotic	battle axe, dagger, flail, great axe, morning star, whip	1st level: aura of protection, 5th level: sensing good, 9th level: charm person once per day; each use takes 1 round (10 seconds)	Crusade, Evil	Ambushing, Berserkergang, Familiar, Kin-Slaying

Mysteries

Mystery	1st level, 2nd level, 3rd level, 4th level and 5th level spells gained
Crusade	Resist Cold, Resist Fire, Striking, Vigor, Sword of Fire
Evil	Protection from Good, Choking Grip, Winged Flight, Animate Dead, Finger of Death
Good	Protection from Evil, Enthrall, Winged Flight, Death Ward, Dispel Evil
Nature	Locate Animal or Plant, Speak with Animals, Call Lightning, Skinchange, Call Dragon

A solitary may turn undead as a cleric. Solitaries may cast divine spells as a divine caster. See the solitary’s spell repertoire below. A solitary adds the spells associated with his mysteries to his repertoire. Beginning at 5th level, a solitary may brew potions, scribe scrolls, and research spells. At 9th level, a solitary is able to create more powerful magic items such as weapons, rings, and staffs. At 11th level, a solitary may learn and cast ritual divine spells of great power (6th and 7th level), and craft magical constructs such as golems and animated statues. If chaotic, the solitary will become able to create necromantic servants and even become undead himself. These activities are explained in the Campaign chapter of the ACKS Rulebook.

Solitaries may use any magic item usable by clerics.

Upon attaining 9th level, a solitary faces a choice: whether to continue to walk a path outside of the society of his deity, faith or philosophy, or whether to choose a new path to bring change to the society of his deity, faith or philosophy. A solitary choosing the latter path can build or claim a retreat. If the solitary is currently in favor with his god, he may buy or build his retreat at half the normal price due to divine intervention. When the solitary establishes his retreat, 5d6x10 0th level soldiers and 1d6 1st-3rd level solitaries will serve him. These followers are completely loyal (morale +4). While in the solitary’s service, his followers must be provided food and lodging, but need not be paid wages. Solitary’s retreats are otherwise identical to cleric’s fortified churches, as detailed in the Campaign chapter of the ACKS Rulebook.

A solitary who does not establish a retreat instead gains a single devoted apprentice. This apprentice will be a level 5 henchman who makes himself known to the solitary. The apprentice does not count against the number of henchman the solitary may hire. Also, the apprentice will begin with a +4 on all future morale rolls, as if the apprentice had gained four levels while in the solitary’s service. The apprentice must be provided food and lodging, but need not be paid wages.

Solitary Proficiency List (24 + 4 = 28): Battle Magic, Beast Friendship, Command, Contemplation, Diplomacy, Divine Blessing, Divine Health, Endurance, Fighting Style, Knowledge (history), Laying on Hands, Leadership, Loremastery, Magical Engineering, Martial Training, Mystic Aura, Prestidigitation, Profession (judge), Prophecy, Quiet Magic, Righteous Turning, Sensing Power, Theology, Unflappable Casting, Weapon Focus

Experience	Level	Title	Hit Dice	Special Abilities	1	2	3	4	5
0	1	Aspirant	1d6
1,500	2	Novice	2d6	Divine spellcasting	1
3,000	3	Initiate	3d6		3
6,000	4	Disciple	4d6		3	1
12,000	5	Immaculate	5d6	Magic research (minor)	3	3
24,000	6	Preceptor	6d6		3	3	1	1
50,000	7	Justiciar	7d6		3	3	3	1	1
100,000	8	Solitary	8d6		4	4	3	3	1
200,000	9	Master	9d6	Retreat or apprentice, magic research	4	4	4	3	3
300,000	10	Master, 10th lvl	9d6+1*		5	5	4	4	3
400,000	11	Master, 11th lvl	9d6+2*	Ritual spells	5	5	5	4	4
500,000	12	Master, 12th lvl	9d6+3*		7	7	5	5	4
600,000	13	Master, 13th lvl	9d6+4*		7	7	7	5	4
700,000	14	Grand Master	9d6+5*		8	7	7	7	5

*Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored

Solitary Spells

First Level Divine Spells

1              Cure Light Wounds*

2              Light*

3              Remove Fear*

Second Level Divine Spells

1              Bless*

2              Shimmer

3              Spirtual Weapon

Third Level Divine Spells

1              Continual Light*

2              Cure Disease*

3              Remove Curse*

Fourth Level Divine Spells

1              Cure Serious Wounds*

2              Dispel Magic

3              Neutralize Poison*

Fifth Level Divine Spells

1              Commune

2              Strength of Mind*

3              True Seeing

Custom Class Build Information

Hit Dice	Fighting	Thievery	Divine	Arcane
1	1b (Thief)	0	2	0

Trade-Offs

Custom: exchange full spell progression and a spell list of 10 spells per level for 133% spell progression and a spell list of 5 spells per level

Reduce weapon selection from Broad to Narrow for 2 custom powers

XP Calculation: 500 + 500 + 500 = 1500 at 2nd level

Designer’s Notes

To my knowledge, the mechanical concept behind this class was born in 3rd Edition. That mechanical concept is that of a focused cleric or a “divine sorcerer”. It manifested in a variety of forms, including the mystic, favored soul and oracle. As a game master in particular, I’ve enjoyed adding NPCs using these classes, and I wanted something similar in ACKS. Of course, cleric or priestess/witch will more than suffice for many, but they weren’t quite what I was looking for in this case. Finding what I was looking for proved more difficult than I had imagined. Eventually I thought of the custom exchange I used for the Solitary, which accomplished in a much more simple fashion what I was trying to do through many different, ultimately more complicated means.

I chose to leverage my Templar Alignment-based Temples for the initial Solitary Alignment-based Orders. The Special Abilities and Proficiency List additions are identical. Weapons selection is similar, but reduced from Broad to Narrow, and, of course, the Mysteries are unique to the Solitary. This may not show off the Solitary at its best, but I think it provides a good baseline.