Holy Crusader
by Charis
thanks to Scrape for Crusader variant, which spawned much thought
and Morgane, whose ideas were used in the Holy Crusader

Class: Warrior
Tag: HC

Introduction

Scrape did a nice job with his Crusader. I liked the more historical background, and having SOME variant use chain mail, so I've come up with a variant that is different in style of play, although some similarities remain.

Background

The Holy Crusaders were a group of fanatics from medieval times send off to a far land to take back some Holy Land and to fight a foe they considered evil and unworthy.

Holy Crusaders have a characteristic chain mail and buckethead look, and bear shields with heraldic symbols (large, Gothic) or colors (kite). The falchion (or its predecessor, the 'Hanger') found many uses, ranging from cutting up animals for food, to working on chain mail, to mortal combat; it is a favorite of the HC.

There were several rituals that were performed if the Crusader were to become a Knight. These are The Vigil, Investiture, Fealty, and the Mortal Crusade. For not all were of noble birth. Some were priests trained to fight and armed by their monastery, others were peasants who 'exaggerated' their family's noble status and sold all they had for a horse and gear.1 Regardless, they traveled far, within the realms of Khanduras, to reach outlying provinces in the fight against the 'Black King', to bring peace.

1: Here and elsewhere, some snippets of background from Morgane.

Rules

All townsfolk are allowed, as vital suppliers. But the Holy Crusader must be used to going the distance without constantly returning to town. He must either travel very light, carrying little from game to game, or check items in with Ogden for safe keeping (well, Ogden plus a backup) in town while he fills inventory with supplies. (Blood weapon may help here.)

If a dot is gained which is coop or with return to town, it should be repeated at some point later solo and no-town.

A Holy Crusader could likely be combined well with Paladin, Goth (only Gothic shield allowed, but stick with the Mail look), or several other classes. An ideal HC-SNOB outfit would be Sparking Mail, Falcon's Talon, Holy Defender, Helm of Sprits, and Obs/Perf amulet. As with other dual class Elitists, I would use perfect rings, in this case Drag-Gold / Zod-Perf-Hvns would be super.

Favorite coop partners are Paladins, Crusaders, Goths, Diakon, Demoniacs. Least favorite are Netherspawn and Moors.

Items

Weapon types are only slowly allowed, when uniques are found. The first artifact found is the consecrated weapon, and is to be kept for all time by the Holy Crusader. Either this weapon, or a Falchion of the highest enchantment, must be used against all bosses and unique monsters, including Diablo. (On higher difficulties, this will likely require some Gold jewelry.) Magic may NOT be used against bosses (other than a Mortal Foe Boss) rather, fair hand-to-hand combat is pursued.

Armor
Cloak, initially, then Chain Mail or Scale Mail after Investiture Quest.

Upon taking up the Mortal Crusade, the HC may now also wear Scale Mail in addition to Chain Mail. The latter is slightly preferred and would be worn unless the Scale were significantly better. Clearly Sparking Mail would be a great artifact to wear.

Shields
Bucklers initially. Large, Kite, Gothic are allowed after The Vigil Quest.

Weapons
Club and short sword initially, then any type for which the unique is found. For bosses, a special weapon is used. The Falchion is allowed at ANY time.

Enchantments
Vampires, Savage, Vicious, Brutal, Ruthless,and Merciless are forbidden.

Shrines

Those which are holy, 'calm', provide knowledge or rely on faith are allowed. (Religious, Spiritual, Divine, Magical, Quiet, Secluded, Mysterious, Glimmering, Hidden, and Eldritch.) Abandoned, Creepy, and Eerie are not allowed.

Spells

Heal, Heal Other, Mana Shield, Wall of Fire, and Holy Bolt are fine. Special, and earned (via quest; see below) are Apocalypse, Nova, Fireball and Chain Lightning. Other spells are allowed by scroll or staff. But using a staff is difficult for the Holy Crusader and he needs twice the required magic to use such spells.

Unholy and never used, even through scrolls/items: Stone Curse, Bone Spirit, Golem, Blood Star, Elemental.

Quests

1) The Vigil
To even be eligible for going on the crusade, and to wear Chain Mail, a quest of spiritual training must be performed.

In a game where a 'Special Tome' is found (The Sin War, The Black King, etc.), the time has come for the vigil. The Holy Crusader must then find one of the following shrines: Spiritual, Divine, Holy, Religious, Quiet or Secluded. Any occupants from the shrine room must be led out, and the room re-entered and door shut (NO bloodshed in this room!).

After a period of meditation, the shrine is taken, and the current worn armor left behind. The HC must then go directly back to the 'Tome' (surviving along the way), and there read the book. The Holy Crusader is known as 'Vigilant', may wear Chain Mail, and should receive a set as SOON as possible.

2) Investiture - The Rite of Passage to Knighthood
This was signified with the receipt of his heraldic device and consecrated weapons. He is considered a 'true Knight' after this. He is 'chosen' as ready when he finds his first unique weapon, referred to as the 'Consecrated Weapon'. This ceremony should be held in the Butcher's room, in memory of what humanity will face should he fail his mission... (The Butcher must be defeated solo, or the Holy Crusader is forever slain!) The Holy Crusader Knight now receives a Shield with his Heraldic symbol. (Large, Kite, Gothic; If too large to yet wield, carry, or wear any +str adders possible.)

When both the Vigil and Investiture are done (may be done in either order), he is ready for his first Crusade. Also at this point, he may be permitted to use new weapon TYPES when and only when he finds a unique of that type, and slays ANY boss with that weapon. It is the finding of the unique that marks the weapon type as Holy, and as acceptable for use by the crusader.

In coop, 'find'= he is part of the party that finds such an item. Even if someone else ends up keeping it, it is nice to let the HOC find and kill a boss with that weapon.

Example
Start out with short sword, and at lvl 5 finds Ice Shank a long sword. He may now use any short sword or long sword. Later he finds Baranar's Star, and may use Morning stars in addition to his starting club.

3) The Mortal Crusade
The Mortal Crusade occurs after the Holy Crusader has been "first struck down by an enemy lawyer (mage demon), witch or knight. Thereafter he must clear any level he sets foot on with that monster type present. (IMH, CAT, etc. could pick by first sight rather than death.)" This type is a mortal enemy, the one the HC is destined to rid from the dungeons of Tristram.

Whereas the Knight was typically thought of a noble fighter, all gloves come off on levels vs. the mortal foes!! In particular, the Holy Crusader strives to become wise enough to rain bursts of Apocalypse upon their heads. (If no such foe has appeared and a second dot is earned, the first of these types of monsters seen in Hell/Hell is the mortal foe!) Once this quest is taken up, he is a Holy Mortal Crusader.

4) Fealty - A Renewing of the Foes of Allegiance
The Holy Crusader who has taken up the Crusade and who has slain the Black King under Hellish circumstances (3rd dot) then has two choices. He may retire from the Crusade, and acceptable the accolades and large plot of land that brings... or... He may renew his allegiance (fealty) to the King and swear to continue the Crusade until his 40th year.

The Holy Crusader of Fealty has the following benefits: Enchanted Shrines, and may use Nova and Fireballs from Staves with the prefixes of Angel, Arch-Angel, King's, Master's, Dragon's, Plentiful, or Bountiful. He may know learn CL and FB (but only to raise the level cast from the staff), and must scour the churches of Hell until a unique helm or five Enchanted Shrines are found.

Upon turning 40, he may again choose to retire, or renew for five more years. If he chooses the latter, he may now *cast* fireball and teleport, and may _learn_ Chain Lightning and cast it from a staff with the same prefixes listed earlier.

Upon turning 45, only those Holy Crusaders with abundant perserverence will continue. Those that do may now cast Chain Lightning with glee, and may spread their mastery of Apocalypse to regions outside of Hell as well.

## Conquistador

Class: Warrior
Tag: CONQ, or HC & Goth

Introduction

There are nations among the Goths whose fanaticism for the crusades leads them to less formal training and lighter armor. The Conquistador is a Holy Crusader dual-classed with a Goth. Rules of both variants apply, plus some changes listed below. (See Goth section for Goth rules, and above section for HC rules.) CONQ's only required quests are listed below. Playing CONQ by full Goth quest rules is optional.

Items

Armor
Gothic Plate may be worn when the rank of Gothic Lord is obtained.

Quests

The other requirements needed for a straight Goth are optional for the Conquistador, whose focus is on action, not training.

1) Initiate
A harsh starting test -- if failed, the character is ineligible (deleted) Wpns and Armor: Starting gear plus cloak and short Bow ONLY No potions, no spells, no magic items yet. Lvl 1 and 2 of church must be cleared, and holy bolt learned (new dungeon optional if not found first try) then the Butcher must be killed. (Tip: Visit Pepin often)

2) Investiture
Find a unique item, kill a boss with it, and earn Chain Mail. (see Holy Crusader). Starting with this, new weapon types may be used once the corresponding unique is found. A large shield is to be used until the Gothic Vigil.

3) The Gargoyle Hunt
Nightwing the Cold, boss of the hated Goth enemy, Gargoyles, is found on dlvl 7 and must be slain. So too must the gargoyle bosses on 10 (Blood Claw) and 12 (Deathwings) be slain.

4) Apprentice Crusader
Armed with Chain Mail, his large shield, and his artifact weapon (The 'consecrated weapon', the first unique he found), the Conquistador goes on his first crusade as an apprentice, to enter Hell and slay Diablo. Coop is allowed, but if so, it should be with a HC, PAL/PLD, or Goth.

5) The Gothic Vigil
The path to a Gothic Knight, having obtained his first dot. The Holy Crusader Vigil Quest is done, but on Nightmare diff. Successful completion leads to awarding of the honored Gothic Shield, and the title of Gothic Knight.

6) Lord/King
To become Gothic Lord, slay a Gargoyle boss and Diablo in NM.
To become Gothic King, slay a Gargoyle boss and Diablo in Hell Difficulty.

ONLY Gothic Lords and Kings may use Speed/Haste weapons.

7) The Mortal Crusade
Occurs after the Holy Crusader has been "first struck down by an enemy lawyer, witch or knight. Thereafter he must clear any level he sets foot on with that monster type present. *IF* a death first occurs to a gargoyle-type monster, that may be chosen as the Mortal Foe.

For the advantages of the Mortal Conquistador, see the HC variant. (Also see the Fealty quest, if he wishes to learn Fireball, and CL.)

Comments/Notes

Early play is characterized by a search for unique weapons, to widen their choice of weapons. Middle levels see spell development and Gargoyle hunts, and later, shopping at Wirt for special Chain Mail.

Compared to a Goth, harder start, less spells, less quests, earlier dots, facing bosses w/o magic, and picking up a moral foe.

Compared to a Holy Crusader, much later Vigil, a harsh first quest, the option for wearing Gothic plate later, and hatred for gargoyles.

High level Conquistadors will surely carry both Chain Mail and Gothic Plate. (e.g. Obs Chain Mail of Stars and AGPoLion, or Godly Chain Mail of the Whale, and Obsidian Goth Plate of Sorcery)

A wide range of play styles is possible at high level, from traditional medium-high AC warrior brandishing a KSOH, to a traditional mail/T-shirt LAW, to a magic/apoc meister, clearing NM/Caves with bountiful CL staff.