Ok, I have been carefully combing over the base class and 2 existing archetypes to find a good balance for the VG archetype. As I have it now, it can stack with either the force blaster OR bonded scion for maximum customizability.
The Vanguard: these scions of battle act as shock troops, penetrating behind enemy lines, targeting casters, archers, and enemy commanders. The vanguard is a brave (if brash) stalwart companion who lives for the thrill of battle and releshes the chance to draw first blood in combat and soften up the enemy ranks for his party.
combat mastery:
@ lvl 4 the VG gains weapon training as the fighter class feature. Her VG levels count as -3 for determining what feats she meets pre reqs for.
@ lvl 9 the VG adds her int bonus to confirm critical threats.
@ lvl 14 the VG adds x1 to her bonus crit dmg, and gains a second weapon training group.
defensive mastery:
@ lvl 4 the VG gains DR 2/-, and gains proficiency with tower shields.
@ lvl 9the VG gains an additional DR 2/-, and lessens her penalty from tower shields by 2.
@ lvl 14 the VG gains an additional DR 2/-, and no longer incurs a penalty while wielding a tower shield
*combat mastery replaces fighter training at lvl 4, spell tactician at lvl 9, and the bonus feat at lvl 14.
Force Strike: at lvl 7 and 9, the VG can choose to modify her force blast into one of the following effects.
force strike:
Force charge- the VG can make a charge attack against a target up to 60ft away that she can see. The VG bolts in a straight line, ignoring difficult terrain, hazardous terrain, and pits and does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Any enemies caught in the path of the charge receive half this dmg (save for none).
Concussive Burst- the VG can strike the ground causing a 10ft burst (centered on the VG) of force dmg to all creatures in the radius (except the VG herself)
Shockwave- the VG slashes her weapon in the air, and a blast of force emminates from her and travels in a 30ft line or 15ft cone damaging all creatures in its path.
This ability replaces the spell tactician ability at lvl 7 and 13.
I'm glad you like it! I hope it's versatile enough to be able to create many different rewarding builds.
I kind of picture a force blaster/ vanguard using defensive mastery and the concussive burst, while the bonded scion/ vanguard would use combat mastery and force charge. Or the other way around, really. The base class, Battle Scion, was a very good class to write this for. It's very straightforward, yet the two existing archetypes added just enough variation for the VG to really multiply the different play styles for any way you want to play the class.
I'm play testing several different builds and running them through their paces, and I have to say, it's hard to go wrong here, and each build has its own unique style and flavor.
I've been playing with a bonded magus for a little while now, and as some martialists have noted previously ... they can be complex to play.
So I'm intrigued by the expanded Battle Scion, especially the Force Blaster ... and now this Vanguard.
Are these all PFS playable??
Thanks!
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Hey there TriMarkC!
I hope you check the Expanded Battle Scion out! I'd say the class is definitely less complex to play than the magus, yet still plenty interesting and versatile:)
Unfortunately, no material from Third Party Publishers (no matter how well-known or popular) is legal for PFS play. Hopefully you also have some non PFS games you play in so you can give the battle scion a try! Oh, and if you do, a review is always welcome :)
Hey there TriMarkC!
I hope you check the Expanded Battle Scion out! I'd say the class is definitely less complex to play than the magus, yet still plenty interesting and versatile:)
Unfortunately, no material from Third Party Publishers (no matter how well-known or popular) is legal for PFS play. Hopefully you also have some non PFS games you play in so you can give the battle scion a try! Oh, and if you do, a review is always welcome :)
Thanks Marc!
I am playing this in a homebrew council of thieves game, and I'm quite excited about it. I hope you get a chance to try it out soon! Battle Scion is a great class, very flexible and user friendly. If you do get the chance, and use the VG archetype, let me know how it goes for you!
Why am I getting a Mass Effect 3 Vanguard vibe here. :D
I look forward to trying it out.
Why am I getting a Mass Effect 3 Vanguard vibe here. :D
I look forward to trying it out.
I was shooting for a VG base class using ME3 as a basis, but I think it works better as a Battle Scion AT... I'm having loads of fun playing it right now!