The courier is the messenger commonly used both in wildspace and groundling nations since the first need to send verbal messages safely from court to another court or general in the field. His clients trust him to be reliable and discrete and he in turn enjoys their support in his travel through the distance kingdoms and expanse of the crystal spheres. They are a very secure means of communication and a single courier can carry many messages, and are much cheaper then many magical means because wizards are expensive (
sending spell costing 450gp minimum and restricted to 25 words) and their trustworthiness are often in question.
A courier must have proven he is trust worthy and has what it takes to survive to get messages safely to the designated beneficiary. As such rogues with their uncanny ability to move unseen or just lucky in avoid otherwise lethal battles are most likely to become couriers. Bards are also commonly found to be couriers as well and for that king that wants a message to reach a general in the deep woodlands of some foreign power will like having a ranger/courier as well. Other classes are less likely to pursue the career of a courier.
Hit Dice: d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a courier, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Diplomacy: 8 ranks
Feats: Iron Will, Trustworthy
Special: Must know how to speak, read and write at least 3 languages.
Class Skills
The courier skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at each level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The courier gains neither new armor proficiencies nor weapon proficiencies when acquiring this prestige class. They retain their armor and weapon proficiencies they have from their other classes.
Messengers Mind (Ex): The courier has a well developed memory in which he may carry many messages. This memory allows the courier to repeat verbatim anything he has heard, if he knows the language spoken at the time. If he does not know the language, he can attempt to reproduce the sounds he heard, but he must make a successful Intelligence check (DC 10) in order to get the message right. This check should be made secretly by the DM; the courier always thinks he has reproduced the sounds correctly.
A courier traveling from one populated world or kingdom to another can announce his destination and offer to carry messages. The courier can carry a number of messages equal to 4 + Intelligence modifier per level of courier class, although not all the messages need have the same destination. Each time the courier enters a port or city, he can advertise for and receive 3d6 messages to deliver, at a prepaid fee of 5 to 50 gp per message (fee varies by the length and complexity of the message, the distance it must travel, and the reputation of the courier).
Once the courier arrives at destination he set about to finding the beneficiaries of the messages he carries. To do this he must make a Knowledge (local) check, typically DC 10 for most people but some people are harder to find then others (skills such as gather information and feat investigator can make this check easier), this check can be as hard as DC 30. The DC check determines how long it takes the courier to find the beneficiary, DC 10 takes about 1 hour, DC 15 two hours, DC 20 four hours, DC 25 8 hours, and DC 30 16 hours. The courier in order to protect his reputation will do so within a week of arrival and certainly before he leaves the city or port. Couriers may also receive gratuities from message recipients for successfully delivering welcome news, but he should be prepared to defend himself against the displaced anger of the recipient should the news be bad.
Flawless Translator (Ex): Couriers are natural translators. If the courier knows the language spoken, he is able to translate it to any other language he knows, such translations preserve as much of the actual intent (not just the literal meaning) of the original message as possible. They gain this ability at 2nd level.
Bonus Languages: Courier's constant strive to learn new languages to expand the number of clients they can serve. A courier can choose any new language at 3rd level and another every two levels their after.
Special Abilities: On attaining 4th level, and every two levels thereafter (6th, 8th and 10th), a courier gains a special ability of his choice from among the following options.
Fast Movement (Ex): Sometime speed is of the essence of getting a message to a beneficiary. As such a courier's land speed is faster than the norm for his race by 10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor, or medium armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the courier's speed because of any load carried or armor worn. For Example, a human courier has a speed of 40 feet rather then 30 feet, when wearing light or no armor. When wearing medium load, his speed drops to 30 feet. A halfling courier has a speed of 30 rather than 20 feet, in light or no armor. When wearing medium armor or carrying medium load, his speed is 20 feet.
Mind Vault (Ex): The courier's memory and thoughts are very difficult to access either by psionic telepathic powers or mind-affecting divinations or enchantments (i.e.
detect thought spell). The courier is immune to such spells and effects that would invade his thoughts or memory.
Slippery Mind (Ex): This ability represents the courier's ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel him. If a courier with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails his saving throw, he can attempt it again 1 round latter at the same DC. He only gets this one extra chance to succeed on his saving throw.
Feat: A courier may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.
The Courier
| |
Base |
Fort |
Reflex |
Will |
|
| Level |
Attack Bonus |
Save |
Save |
Save |
Special |
| 1st |
+0 |
+0 |
+2 |
+2 |
Messengers Mind |
| 2nd |
+1 |
+0 |
+3 |
+3 |
Flawless Translator |
| 3rd |
+2 |
+1 |
+3 |
+3 |
Bonus Language |
| 4th |
+3 |
+1 |
+4 |
+4 |
Special Ability |
| 5th |
+3 |
+1 |
+4 |
+4 |
Bonus Language |
| 6th |
+4 |
+2 |
+5 |
+5 |
Special Ability |
| 7th |
+5 |
+2 |
+5 |
+5 |
Bonus Language |
| 8th |
+6 |
+2 |
+6 |
+6 |
Special Ability |
| 9th |
+6 |
+3 |
+6 |
+6 |
Bonus Language |
| 10th |
+7 |
+3 |
+7 |
+7 |
Special Ability |
Epic Courier
The epic courier is renowned for his ability to get messages to a beneficiary and kings and commoners alike trust him without question. They continue much as they did before becoming epic except their pay is 10 to 100 gp per message.
Other Options: A few epic couriers will create a guide of couriers and his reputation helps these new couriers get a higher price for messages cause of his awesome reputation. Most of these gain feats such as leadership, epic leadership and legendary commander.
Hit Die: d6.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Bonus Languages: A Courier's continues to expand the number of new languages even after achieving epic level. The epic courier can choose any new language at 11th level and another every two levels thereafter.
Epic Bonus Feat: The epic courier gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic courier feat) every two levels after 10th.
Epic Courier Bonus Feat List: Blinding Speed, Energy Resistance, Epic Endurance, Epic Reputation, Epic Speed, Legendary Climber, Legendary Leaper, Legendary Rider, Polyglot.
Special Abilities: The courier does not gain additional courier special abilities after 10th level, but can choose a courier special ability from Player's Handbook (faster movement, slippery mind) instead of a bonus feat.
The Epic Courier
| Level |
Special |
| 11th |
Bonus Language |
| 12th |
Epic Bonus Feat |
| 13th |
Bonus Language |
| 14th |
Epic Bonus Feat |
| 15th |
Bonus Language |
| 16th |
Epic Bonus Feat |
| 17th |
Bonus Language |
| 18th |
Epic Bonus Feat |
| 19th |
Bonus Language |
| 20th |
Epic Bonus Feat |
Courier, SPELLJAMMER, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, the D&D logo, the AD&D logo, the d20 System logo and d20 are trademarks owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and are used with permission. All titles, and all proper nouns, including character names, locations, and named items are considered Product Identity per Section 1 of the Open Game License v1.0a and are exclusively owned by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
©2002 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Compliance of Conversion Policy, Open Game License and the d20 System Trademark License:
Use of WIZARDS OF THE COAST® Product Identity including proper names and product titles is hereby permitted exclusively via this ESD Conversion Agreement. A current version of this policy can be obtained at:
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To obtain a digital copy of the original source material this conversion is derived from, please link to: http://www.wizards.com/whatevertherightlinkshouldbe.asp."
Courier © 1992 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
d20™ System, Conversion of Courier ©2003,
Mark Doolan
Original Sources: The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook
Notes on this Conversion: A special thanks to Ken Keller for making the first 5 level progression form his courier prestige class form his now missing web site. I have borrowed the term
Messengers Mind (Ex):.