View source for Pity Sponge (3.5e Class)

===Making a Pity Sponge===

Pity Sponges are good in situations where they are around creatures or people who are capable of holding compassion for them. They can help to balance out the outlandishness or hostile manner of their teammates by winning over the hearts of everyone they encounter. In more hostile environments, they tend to play a minor role in the party. It is important to remember that the Pity Sponge's class features are more effective when the Pity Sponge appears weak when choosing skills and feats for the Pity Sponge.

'''Abilities:''' Constitution is the most important attribute of this class, since many of their stunts require them to get hurt.

'''Races:''' Any race can play a Pity Sponge, although the low density of aggressive features means that races with natural weapons or spells combine well. Proud races such as elves are unlikely to be willing to be Pity Sponges, although there are exceptions.

'''Alignment:''' Any Non-Evil

'''Starting Gold:''' 3d4&times;20 gp (150 gp).

'''[[SRD:Race Descriptions#Starting Age|Starting Age]]:''' Simple.

{| class="zebra d20"
|+
<div>{{Anchor|Table: The Pity Sponge}}</div>
Hit Die: d6
|-
! rowspan="2" | Level
! rowspan="2" | [[BAB|Base<br/>Attack Bonus]]
! colspan="3" | [[SRD:Saving Throw|Saving Throw]]s
! rowspan="2" | Special
|-
! [[SRD:Saving Throw#Fortitude|Fort]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Reflex|Ref]] || [[SRD:Saving Throw#Will|Will]]
|-
|1st||class="left" | +0 || +0 || +0 || +2
| class="left" | [[#Fumble|Fumble (skill checks)]], [[#Winning Failure|Winning Failure (10 ft radius)]], [[#Honest-to-Goodness|Honest-to-Goodness]], [[#Flattering Dismay|Flattering Dismay]]
|-
|2nd||class="left" | +1 || +0 || +0 || +3
| class="left" | [[#Heart of Gold|Heart of Gold (skill checks)]]
|-
|3rd||class="left" | +1 || +1 || +1 || +3
| class="left" | [[#Fumble|Fumble (skill checks, saves)]], [[#Winning Failure|Winning Failure (20 ft radius)]], [[#Sway Hearts|Sway Hearts]]
|-
|4th||class="left" | +2 || +1 || +1 || +4
| class="left" | [[#Speaking Impediment|Speaking Impediment]]
|-
|5th||class="left" | +2 || +1 || +1 || +4
| class="left" | [[#Fumble|Fumble (skill checks, saves, attack rolls)]], [[#Divine Pity|Divine Pity]], [[#Better by Comparison|Better by Comparison]]
|-
|6th||class="left" | +3 || +2 || +2 || +5
| class="left" | [[#Winning Failure|Winning Failure (30 ft radius)]], [[#Unwavering Resolution|Unwavering Resolution]]
|-
|7th||class="left" | +3 || +2 || +2 || +5
| class="left" | [[#Fumble|Fumble (any check)]], [[#Blissful Ignorance|Blissful Ignorance]]
|-
|8th||class="left" | +4 || +2 || +2 || +6
| class="left" | [[#Youthful Vigor|Youthful Vigor]]
|-
|9th||class="left" | +4 || +3 || +3 || +6
| class="left" | [[#Winning Failure|Winning Failure (40 ft radius)]]
|-
|10th||class="left" | +5 || +3 || +3 || +7
| class="left" | [[#Pitiable Appearance|Pitiable Appearance]]
|-
<!--|11th||class="left" | +5 || +3 || +3 || +7
| class="left" | <-any class features gained at this level->
|-
|12th||class="left" | +6 || +4 || +4 || +8
| class="left" | [[#Winning Failure|Winning Failure (50 ft radius)]]
|-
|13th||class="left" | +6 || +4 || +4 || +8
| class="left" | <-any class features gained at this level->
|-
|14th||class="left" | +7 || +4 || +4 || +9
| class="left" | <-any class features gained at this level->
|-
|15th||class="left" | +7 || +5 || +5 || +9
| class="left" | [[#Winning Failure|Winning Failure (60 ft radius)]]
|-
|16th||class="left" | +8 || +5 || +5 || +10
| class="left" | <-any class features gained at this level->
|-
|17th||class="left" | +8 || +5 || +5 || +10
| class="left" | <-any class features gained at this level->
|-
|18th||class="left" | +9 || +6 || +6 || +11
| class="left" | [[#Winning Failure|Winning Failure (70 ft radius)]]
|-
|19th||class="left" | +9 || +6 || +6 || +11
| class="left" | <-any class features gained at this level->
|-
|20th||class="left" | +10 || +6 || +6 || +12
| class="left" | <-any class features gained at this level-> -->
|- class="noalt"
| colspan="9" class="skill" |
'''Class Skills ([[Skill Points::6]] + [[SRD:Intelligence|Int]] modifier per level, &times;4 at 1st level)'''<br/>
<!--class skills: simply delete those skills which your class does not have as class skills from the complete list below.  If you only allow a subsection, such as Knowledge (arcana) (religion), write it like that. -->
{{3.5e Skills|Appraise, 
Autohypnosis, 
Concentration, 
Craft, 
Diplomacy, 
Disguise, 
Gather Information, 
Handle Animal, 
Knowledge, 
Listen,
Perform (comedy), 
Profession, 
Search, 
Sense Motive,  
Speak Language, 
Spot, 
Tumble, }}
|}

====Class Features====

All of the following are class features of the Pity Sponge.

'''Weapon and Armor Proficiency:''' Proficient in simple weapons and light and medium armor.

'''{{Anchor|Fumble}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 1st level, the Pity Sponge may opt to fail any skill checks. At level 3, this extends to saves, and at level 5, the Pity Sponge may opt to fail any to-hit roll. At level 7, the Pity Sponge may use Fumble for any check.

'''{{Anchor|Winning Failure}} {{Su}}:''' Starting at 1st level, any minute during which the Pity Sponge fails every check, save, and attack roll, creatures with Int 6 or more within 10 feet must make a Will save or become one category more friendly towards the Pity Sponge. The DC is equal to 3 + the Pity Sponge's class level. At 3rd level, and every additional three levels beyond that, the radius increases by 10 feet. This cannot cause a creature's attitude to be more positive than Friendly towards the Pity Sponge.

'''{{Anchor|Honest-to-Goodness}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 1st level, the Pity Sponge cannot lie. Anyone who speaks with a Pity Sponge for at least 1 minute becomes certain of this.

'''{{Anchor|Flattering Dismay}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 1st level, whenever a creature beats the Pity Sponge in an opposed skill check, they automatically become flat-footed and get -2 Insight penalty to their Wisdom and Intelligence scores for one minute. This does not apply to opposed skill checks not made voluntarily by the creature.

'''{{Anchor|Heart of Gold}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 2nd level, the Pity Sponge is immune to fear.

'''{{Anchor|Sway Hearts}} {{Su}}:''' Starting at 3rd level, whenever the Pity Sponge fails his save against a mind-affecting spell-like ability or spell, he may replicate the effect against the caster, with the same save DC that the spell was cast with.

'''{{Anchor|Speaking Impediment}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 4th level, the Pity Sponge's incompetence begins to manifest itself in his speech, causing him to make errors which others find cute. This gives him a +2 bonus to Diplomacy, Sense Motive, and Gather Information.

'''{{Anchor|Divine Pity}} {{Su}}:''' Starting at 5th level, up to once per day, if the Pity Sponge would die, he may make depressingly anticlimactic last words which impel a random deity into saving him. The method by which he is saved is the least expensive way that the deity believes will be successful.

'''{{Anchor|Better by Comparison}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 5th level, whenever the Pity Sponge misses with an attack, allies with line of sight to both the Pity Sponge and the target of the attack get a +3 Morale bonus to hit that target with attacks until the Pity Sponge's next turn.

'''{{Anchor|Unwavering Resolution}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 6th level, the Pity Sponge gets a cumulative +1 bonus for each time he has previously attempted a skill check when he retries skill checks. This bonus cannot exceed his class level, and ends when he passes the check.

'''{{Anchor|Blissful Ignorance}} {{Su}}:''' Starting at 7th level, while the Pity Sponge is flat-footed, he gets a +4 Sacred bonus to his AC.

'''{{Anchor|Youthful Vigor}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 8th level, the Pity Sponge becomes so used to getting beaten up or poisoned that he gains fast healing 1.

'''{{Anchor|Pitiable Appearance}} {{Ex}}:''' Starting at 10th level, while the Pity Sponge is at 10 hp or less, creatures that try to attack them must first pass a Will save with a DC equal to the Pity Sponge's class level + 10 - The Pity Sponge's current hp. If they fail the save, they don't make the attack (but still use up the same action thinking about how miserable the Pity Sponge is.)

====Halfling Pity Sponge Starting Package====

'''Weapons:''' Short bow.

'''Skill Selection:'''

{| class="zebra d20"
|-
! class="left" | Skill || Ranks || Ability || Armor<br/>Check<br/>Penalty
|- class=
| class="left" | Concentration || 4 || Con || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Handle Animal || 4 || Cha || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Diplomacy || 4 || Cha || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Gather Information || 4 || Cha || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Sense Motive || 4 || Wis || &mdash;
|- class=
| class="left" | Perform (comedy) || 4 || Cha || &mdash;
|}

'''Feat:''' Improvised Combatant.

'''Gear:''' Chain mail, rations, torch, playing cards, teddy bear.

'''Gold:''' 150 gp.

<!-- REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE OF THE SECTIONS BELOW
===Campaign Information===
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<!-- REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "PLAYING A..." SECTION
====Playing a <-class name->====

'''Religion:''' <-description of how this class typically (but no exclusively) approaches religion including likely portfolios it would worship->.

'''Other Classes:''' <-How this class typically interacts with other classes and how characters of this class interact with characters of other classes->.

'''Combat:''' <-Typical role in combat->.

'''Advancement:''' <-Typical advancement options for characters with this class.  Include desirable multiclass options->.
 REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "PLAYING A..." SECTION -->

<!-- REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "... IN THE WORLD" SECTION
====<-pluralized class name-> in the World====

{{quote|<-Some quote from a character of this class->|orig=<-NPC name->, <-race-> <-class->}}

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world.->

'''Daily Life:''' <-day in the life of a character of this class->.

'''Notables:''' <-notable NPCs of this class->.

'''Organizations:''' <-info on what, where, when, and how characters of this class congregate and assemble->.

'''NPC Reactions:''' <-How NPCs react to PCs of this class->.
 REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "... IN THE WORLD" SECTION -->

<!-- REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "... LORE" SECTION
====<-class name-> Lore====

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research Pity Sponges to learn more about them.  When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

{| class="zebra d20"
|+ <-the appropriate skills->
! DC || class="left" | Result
|- 
| 5 || class="left" | <-common knowledge->.
|- 
| 10 || class="left" | <-not so common knowledge->.
|- 
| 15 || class="left" | <-rare information->.
|- 
| 20 || class="left" | <-very rare information->.
|}
 REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "... LORE" SECTION -->

<!-- REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "... IN THE GAME" SECTION
====<-pluralized class name-> in the Game====

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play.->

'''Adaptation:''' <-Possible variant conceptions of this class.->.

'''Sample Encounter:''' <-DM placement for NPCs of this class.->.

''EL <- EL Number ->:'' <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block.  The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter.->.

 REMOVE THIS LINE WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE "... IN THE GAME" SECTION -->

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{{3.5e Base Classes Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
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[[Category:Base Class]]

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Allowed Alignments	Lawful Good +, Lawful Neutral +, Neutral Good +, Neutral +, Chaotic Good + and Chaotic Neutral +
Article Balance	Low +
Author	Deuterion +
Base Attack Bonus Progression	Poor +
Fortitude Save Progression	Poor +
Identifier	3.5e Class +
Minimum Level	1 +
Rated By	Ghostwheel +, Foxwarrior +, DanielDraco +, ThunderGod Cid + and ArdentPause +
Rating	Rated 1.8 / 4 +
Reflex Save Progression	Poor +
Skill	Appraise +, Autohypnosis +, Concentration +, Craft +, Diplomacy +, Disguise +, Gather Information +, Handle Animal +, Knowledge +, Listen +, Perform +, Profession +, Search +, Sense Motive +, Speak Language +, Spot + and Tumble +
Skill Points	6 +
Summary	Invariably popular with kindly NPC's and o … Invariably popular with kindly NPC's and often drawing resentment from their teammates, Pity Sponges mess up even the simplest tasks and interactions, drawing pity from others. At higher levels they begin to draw pity even from deities, who just hope the poor creatures can finally get a happy ending. creatures can finally get a happy ending. +
Title	Pity Sponge +
Will Save Progression	Good +