Introducing the manipulator!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SAY4PzdWTjRRDwh7IMKdolLOkab2PNDS6tnvlbT BXDw
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fq7UdmS-_s2US6Ub6aQRq_UQYDaV7C8vLVSxXVs 6Ezc
I was thinking one day that I really liked bards because they are the perfect chaotic class, capable of messing with people's lives. Once I caused some extreme mischief as a bard and ended up making my GM's character fall in love, marry, and have triplets with a drow queen (before he sacrificed her, while she was pregnant, to a god to obtain a better sword). There are lots of memorable moments from that campaign...
ANYWAY, like most other fields besides knowledge, the bard doesn't exactly specialize in messing with people's lives and minds, and in fact no class really specializes in it too much. So I decided to make one that did because control and roleplay are some of my favorite roles in Pathfinder gameplay.
If you like frustrating your GM, this is the class for you.
Say whatever you think about the class. Besides the input I have already received from other Pathfinder players, I am curious to see what people think of its current state. I have used input from other suggestions already to bring this class to where it is now. I still update the class as I wish, and while most of it is set in stone, I can be pretty flexible on the particulars.
If anyone wants to use this manipulator class in a game, feel free to do so with your GM's permission. I currently play as a manipulator in a Pathfinder campaign.
CHARACTER SHEET:
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B38sHfyGwxnGflZmcVVPbllLaVc4NGdObDl SZXNrYW9qX21HSTB1WDBNcER5amMyZVBXMDg&usp=sharing
Welcome to the forums. We've got a Homebrew section, I've tagged your thread for relocation.
I would remove the alignment restriction. I could think of many reasons why a master manipulator might be very structured, orderly, or have a personal code of honor.
Put the skills in alphabetical order and indicated the relevant ability score, as is done with standard Paizo classes. For a 6 skill point class, the number of class skills seems light.
The number of good saves is matter of your personal preference, but since you say that her expertise lies outside of combat, I interpret that as only having a good will save.
As a matter of my personal preference, I think your weapon proficiencies list far too many specific weapons. If you wish to follow suit with the rogue, make it simple weapons and 3-6 others. Also, you might as well change armor proficiencies to "A manipulator is also proficient with light armor and shields (except tower shields)."
Charm Person is a spell, and would be a spell-like ability instead of a supernatural one. How many times per day can it be used? Once? At-will?
At five, it seems like aganda has a lot of skill bonuses, particularly for a 1st level ability.
Backstab is way too open to interpretation. Depending on how a GM sees it, the manipulator could keep on talking and apply that damage bonus to every attack every round, or the bonus damage could be gone the moment initiative is rolled. It would be better to simply use sneak attack.
How often can I try to regain points with speechcraft? Can I stand in a crowded maret and tell a lie to every person who passes by? Are there circumstances for when this can happen? For example, the gunslinger can only regain grit while in the heat of combat.
Card Sharp, Tongues, and Wild Whisperer might be better suited to specific builds instead of all manipulators. Perhaps these could be favors.
Signature dodge seems to come into play rather late in the game. What kind of bonus is it?
Introversion: that word doesn't mean what you think it means.
The weapon proficiencies are long and overly specific. Weapon groups might be easier and more succinct.
Why does it get a good Fortitude save? This doesn't look like a "tank 'em up" class.
Is "Charm (Su)" an at-will power? If so then that's just free diplomacy wins. Way too much for 1st level.
How do you rule "in conversation with her" for the Backstab ability? Speech is a free action during combat, so technically you could always get +1d6 just for talking to something while you're stabbing it. May just want to look at the rogue's Underhanded talent wording.
Tongues at 5th level is giving the class the Monk's level 17 ability. Too much, especially since it gets to druid it up with the next abilities at pretty low levels.
The capstone makes no sense.
I'm not sure what you're going for here except "the guy that always wins every single role-playing challenge: ever." The abilities are mismatched and don't seem cohesive, except that they're pieced together to give the class a specific mechanical advantage that seems calculated from the beginning. I'm not sure how it's received by your fellow players, but it's definitely got the feel of an ace-in-the-hole homebrew class. Nothing wrong with that if your group is cool with it, but I wouldn't allow this at my table.
Edit: Dang, totally ninja'd by Ciaran.
Pretty sweet ninja-ing huh? :)
I'll say...
Also, this made me think of the Occult Adventures Mesmerist. OP, have you considered that class as something that takes a more balanced approach to being The Mesmer? You can scrounge up a playtest document for it pretty easily, and although it's still sort of an alpha draft of the class it seemed to fit what you're aiming at.
Making classes is fun, but if you do it there's definitely a legalese-type writing for it (if you want to share it with forums) and a specific type of language that gets used to keep things standardized. It's also beneficial to look at exactly what another class is getting at the same level and make sure that it's comparable. For instance, no other classes get a 1st-level spell at will.
Role: Although effective in interrupting battle from a distance, a manipulator’s main interests lie outside of combat. She narcissistically gets what she wants by expertly making allies, exploiting her friends’ trust, and using her enemies’ flaws against them.
BAB: as rogue
Fortitude: poor
Reflex: poor
Will: good
Alignment: any
Hit Die: d8
Starting Wealth: 4d6 × 10 gp (average 140 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.
Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill ranks per level: 8 + Int modifier
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Manipulators are proficient with all simple weapons, plus the hand crossbow, net, sap, short sword, and whip. They are proficient with light armor, but not shields.
Agenda (Ex): A manipulator adds 1/2 her level (minimum 1) as a competence bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks.
Manipulation (Ex): A manipulator gains a pool of manipulation points that she can use to control the thoughts and actions of those she chooses. The number of points in this pool is equal to her level + her Intelligence modifier. A manipulator can replenish the points in this pool once per day by spending 1 hour plotting and conniving.
By spending 1 point from this pool as a swift action, a manipulator can use one of the following abilities:
-She gains the benefit of concealment. Attacks made against her suffer a 20% miss chance.
-She can move 5 feet without provoking an attack of opportunity.
-She can re-roll a Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, and Sense Motive check she has just made. The decision to use this ability must be made before the result of the roll is announced. As long as she has at least 1 point in her manipulation pool, she gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC. As a manipulator gains level, she gains additional ways to spend her manipulation points (see Favors).
Favor (Ex): As a manipulator gains experience, she gains a number of abilities that help her control the thoughts and actions of those she chooses. At 2nd level, a manipulator gains one favor. She gains an additional favor for every 2 levels of manipulator attained after 2nd level. A manipulator cannot select an individual favor more than once.
Some favors grant a manipulator a new ability she can use at will, while other require her to spend points from her manipulation pool. Favors marked with an asterisk are mind-affecting and can only affect creatures with an Intelligence score.
Sneak Attack (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, a manipulator gains the Sneak Attack ability as a rogue. Treat her rogue level as her manipulator level -1.
Some of this class can confuse people who are unfamiliar to the mechanics my Pathfinder group has added. I've done some changes on a copy of the Google Doc and will update the one you see when I see fit.
Concerning the meaning of introversion:
If someone has introversion, it means they are more concerned about their own mental state than in others' mental states. So it works well as the name for the ability pool of a sociopath-like class.