The Maverick (Chaotic Luck Based variation on the Monk) using the Blackguard as template. Need Critique / Opinions.


Homebrew and House Rules


The Maverick

Built using the Monk as a base template in the same way a Blackguard (Anti-Paladin) closely uses the Paladin as a template, inverting many of the features. In this instance, where a Monk is beholden to discipline in order to unlock his inner potential (Lawful) the maverick is the opposite, depending entirely on luck to get by and seeming to the outside viewer to be unfit for adventure (Chaotic).

Thanks for your time.


The class features are about as chaotic as the maverick himself. There is quite a bit shoved in to 1st level. Too much I would say.

PROFICIENCIES
Where are they? Can he not use even simple weapons? A broken chair or tree branch will not always be handy.

RIOTOUS ASSAULT
So it's flurry of blows with improvised weapons and without the -2 attack penalty? You clearly want the character to use imp weapons, but he will be hard pressed to have one readily available at every opportunity. If he is so chaotic, he should not be carrying around spare imp weapons. Seems like a natural born bar room brawler would know how to throw some punches though.

CATCH OFF GUARD
I know you are making an anti-monk of sorts, but it seems you have a vibrant enough idea that you could be making your own original class features. It's a lot of work though.

DIEHARD
Maybe leave the feat alone and write a new class feature at each level. Also, the improvement to the feat aren't reflected in the class table. Also, Diehard itself is a bad feat. If I'm at negative hit points and still taking turns in combat, I am basically asking to be killed.

LUCK POOL
The "level + Cha" skill thing would be a lot cooler if it were any skill, even if certain skill uses cost 2 points.


Instead of a "Luck Pool", why not use Panache or Sleuth Luck? You recover some of it when you crit or kill, which rewards a much more active playstyle than a pool that only depletes.

I'd recommend giving back the three strong saves. The class already has 3/4 BAB and d8 HD, so unless you're going to give it something like Divine Grace and a way to add CHA to hit, it's going to be far behind the frontline martial types in terms of saves.


Ciaran Barnes wrote:
The class features are about as chaotic as the maverick himself. There is quite a bit shoved in to 1st level. Too much I would say.

I tried to shadow the class, closely, in the same way the Anti-Paladin shadows the paladin. I have been out of the class creation game for a time so I was going to start simple, using an existing template for a base. Even in Pathfinder, the Monk is very front heavy, though, presumably, balanced compared to other martial classes thanks to its lower base attack bonus.

Ciaran Barnes wrote:
PROFICIENCIES

That was a mistake. I left off proficiency, entirely. It should be all simple weapons and the Improved Unarmed Strike feat (to balance against the Monk beginning play with Simple Weapons and the equivalent of the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat for a number of weapons).

Ciaran Barnes wrote:
RIOTOUS ASSAULT

Another oversight. The maverick does suffer the same penalty to their version of flurry of blows (a -2 and progressive penalty, identical to that of the monk). Thanks for catching that as well.

Ciaran Barnes wrote:
CATCH OFF GUARD and DIEHARD

These exist in large part as an answer to the Monk's unarmed strike and stunning fist. From my reading of the monk they take a basic feat that any other class could take with the pre-reqs (Stunning Fist and Improved Unarmed Strike, effectively) and transform it into a class feature, of sorts, by enhancing the feat itself. Any suggestions on other feats I could use? Diehard seemed to fit "luck" more to me but I am open to other feat ideas for this.

Ciaran Barnes wrote:
LUCK POOL

I am not sure I understand this particular critique. The latter abilities of the class require the expenditure of luck from the pool to accomplish certain deeds, similar to those of the monk that require ki.

My Self wrote:
Instead of a "Luck Pool", why not use Panache or Sleuth Luck? You recover some of it when you crit or kill, which rewards a much more active playstyle than a pool that only depletes.

I like the idea. When I made this class, I only owned the main book but I recently got access to the Ultimate Etc series and the Gunslinger Grit/Swashbuckler Panache is intriguing. How does this system compare to Ki in terms of game balance? Is it roughly equal? It sounds like such a regenerating feature could prove overpowered but then the requirements to regenerate it according to the class features require a critical hit or a kill with the specified weapon.

My Self wrote:
Concerning the saves.

Another oversight on my part. They should have all good saves, just like their monk counterpart. I have fixed this on the doc.

Thanks for the critiques.


In my "Luck Pool" comment, I was referring to his ability to make a skill checks using his level and Cha mod instead of the normal skill bonus. Instead of restricting it to Str and Dex skills only, I though spending two points to do so with a Wis, Int, or Cha skill would be cool.

Your "Starting Proficiencies section is kind of whack. It is not a place to hand out feats. All characters are proficient with unarmed strikes, but the feat does something else. Drop it down lower to the very top of the list of class features, and change the wording to the following:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Mavericks are proficient with all simple weapons, but not with any armor or shields. A maverick loses his AC bonus when wearing armor or using a shield.

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