Knifechief's page

2. The familiar took a step toward a spirit animal concept, but I dont think that goes quite far enough. I am beginning to think that it might need to go off in a different direction.

I'd like to reiterate a suggestion for giving Shamans a bonded object as a "fetish" in lieu of having a familiar as a "spirit animal," or at least giving that as an option. The Scarred Witch Doctor's "fetish mask" could be a loose model for what this would look like. It gives the class a little more variability, including providing an option for those with flavor concerns about spirit animals. Obviously, the specifics of how it works would change the further you guys go from the familiar, but I think the Shaman is a class where a bonded object could really fit the theme.

4. Taken together, I think this means that the shaman has a lot of base components, many of which get more heavily augmented by the spirits chosen.

I agree, but I think the more heavily spirit selection influences the class, the more important it is to use the wandering mechanic for all the spirits. First, makes the spirits easier to balance, which is more important the more central spirits are to the class; the more influential spirits are, the more extreme the disparity between good and bad spirits will be. Second, unless the general utility of each spirit is considerably broadened (which I'm not saying it should be) it will be important for a Shaman to be able to change spirits so as not to end up pigeonholed to a pretty narrow role by an early selection; spirits focused on healing or a specific element could end up pretty crippling down the line, if they determine a lot of class abilities and spell access.

EDIT: I just wanted to make it clear that I didn't mean this post to come across as a complaint, or anything. I really appreciate you listening, and you seem to be hearing our input and really taking it to heart. My response was just more focused on (potential) problems because I figured that's the area where comments are needed; the rest of the stuff all looks great. Thanks again for your work and attention.

I'd also recommend an option, or at least an archetype, to use a bonded item as a fetish instead of having a spirit animal.

I think the main problem is that a lot of the "hexes" are literally just copy/pasted from Oracle revelations without any regard whatsoever for how the differences between Shaman and Oracle might affect them. Honestly, the biggest problem with the Shaman in general is that its abilities seem as though they were designed without really considering how they would interact with one another.

I think some of the class's biggest problems aren't really addressed.

For one, there's still basically zero witch in this class. The word "hex" is used, but the abilities to which it refers are still oracle revelations. Otherwise, the only similarity is a familiar. I don't have a problem with this, in and of itself, but if the goal is to be a hybrid of the witch and oracle, though, the class still fails utterly at realizing that goal. To reiterate, I don't think that makes it a bad class; it's a perfectly fine oracle/druid hybrid as it is. I just think it should either officially become an oracle/druid hybrid of be changed to have some meaningful similarity to the witch.

Secondly, several of the hexes with pretty glaring issues haven't been touched. Taking arcane enlightenment as a wandering hex still basically lets a Shaman add every single sorcerer/wizard spell to her spells known. Aside from being pretty problematic on its own, this means that arcane enlightenment is strictly superior as a wandering hex than as a regular hex. Lure of the Heavens lets the Shaman fly for minutes per level after she has essentially received one free overland flight spell per day from her spirit magic; the hex's benefit is rendered obsolete by the same spirit that grants the hex before you even receive that benefit. Healer's touch is still a level 8 ability that replicates a level 0 spell with virtually no added benefit.

In general, I think it was a good move to steer the class away from the oracle, but I think the class has a lot more problems than that. Just because it's a promising class that's close to the mark in a lot of ways doesn't mean it doesn't have a ways to go, and I would have liked to see a lot more changes than were made.

Also, I assume it's just a typo, but the table still shows the Shaman receiving 5th-level spells prior to 4th-level spells.

And the Warpriest can cast spells to buff whatever he is holding.

But the Magus gets additional bonuses to only one weapon.

Same as the Warpriest.

I'm not sure what you mean by "additional bonuses," but there is absolutely no standard Magus class ability which relates to using a specific type of weapon. A Magus may use his arcane pool to empower any weapon he is holding; Warpriest may only use his sacred weapon ability to empower his deity's favored weapon and only that weapon. That is not the same. As I said, I have no problem with the Warpriest only getting weapon focus with his deity's favored weapon, I just object to the fact a Warpriest can only use sacred weapon with his deity's favored weapon. That is not the same.

As for action economy, I think allowing the Warpriest to just apply a limited number of buffs for free at the start of combat will help at least a little. It still won't address the choice between casting and combat they'll face on their action, but they'll at least be able to go in swinging without "buffing rounds."

EDIT: I really like charge of valor. It's kind of a unique spin on the Magus's action economy solutions that shares their elegance while still letting the Warpriest feel distinct.

Not really. The Magus is going to have one weapon they take weapon focus, specialization, etc with. They aren't as good with other weapons, since they don't get bonuses with them.

The difference is that the Magus can use his arcane pool to improve any weapon he is holding. I don't care so much if the Warpriest only gets free weapon focus with his deity's favored weapon, I mean, c'mon, it's weapon focus. II do think, however, that it is a problem that a Warpriest can't use Sacred weapon with any other weapon. I can see the fluff reasons that they'd be more trained in the deity's favored weapon, but I don't see why they'd be forced to use it to receive the deity's blessing; it's not like clerics of Cayden can't cast bless weapon on rapiers or paladins of Abadar must use a bow for divine bond.

Also, I think it's silly that a Warpriest who doesn't worship a deity must pick a simple weapon as a focus weapon.