I agree with everything said so far:
-It has a handful of good abilities (inspired action, bardic music, live to tell the tale) and a bunch of weak ones (summoning ECL 5 barbarians at ECL 15 is about the weakest capstone ability I can think of -- and it's only usable once per week?!).
-It seems tailor-made for NPCs (the epic tales ability, specifically).
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I agree with everything said so far:
-It has a handful of good abilities (inspired action, bardic music, live to tell the tale) and a bunch of weak ones (summoning ECL 5 barbarians at ECL 15 is about the weakest capstone ability I can think of -- and it's only usable once per week?!).
-It seems tailor-made for NPCs (the epic tales ability, specifically).
SOME REVISIONS FOR THE PF CHRONICLER:
Lay of the Exalted Dead (some also applies to Call Down the Legends)
The original version sent in summoned barbarians were supposed to be the spirits of ancient heroes, with the ghost template and ghost touch armor and weapons, plus several of the ghost's special attacks that functioned only against the Chronicler's enemies. While I absolutely agree that CR 5 construct barbarians are pretty wimpy at that level (would they even get construct immunities? It's not entirely clear in the text? Would they have no CON score?), a squad of warriors able to apply the full range of incorporeal cheating I had thought would be pretty handy and much more resilient.
I would suggest or hope that in the final form one of the following be done:
a. Give the barbarians back the ghost template.
b. Make the ability usable once per day.
c. Keep it as is but increase the level of the barbarians.
or, in the realm of more complex changes:
d. Allow the PF Chronicler to summon a temporary cohort or a legion of temporary followers that last, say, an hour, using his Leadership score. This allows the ability to scale with level. It also reflects the idea of the PF Chronicler always having "just the right thing for the job" by summoning up a temporary spellcaster cohort this week and a fighter cohort next week or a celestial griffon cohort the week after that.
or
e. Allow the PF Chronicler to summon, instead of standard 5th level barbarians, a group of 5th level characters of ANY class. I would suggest that each use bring characters of the same class. Certainly a PFC would have a good list of heroes to summon. Why not a group of rogues for a street fight or a group of clerics when healing is needed, etc. A nightmare of complexity, but an interesting idea.
I also rather like the idea of being able to ask a question or three of the legends the chronicler is in touch with, rather than just make them chop people into hamburger.
So, given the above...
MY SUGGESTED REVISIONS:
Call Down the Legends (Su): At 7th level, once per day as a full-round action, a Pathfinder Chronicler can reach out to the legends of the past for aid, either in the form of advice, duplicating a divination spell (caster level equals class level), or in the form of a squad of loyal warriors. The latter option summons 2d4 4th-level human barbarians, as if she had sounded a bronze horn of Valhalla. These summoned barbarians appear human and have a Constitution score but are otherwise treated as constructs and enjoy all construct immunities. They arrive with the normal starting equipment for barbarians (PH 26) and serve as the chronicler commands for 1 hour before dissolving into nothingness along with all of their gear.
Lay of the Exalted Dead (Su): Once per week as a full-round action, a 10th-level Pathfinder chronicler can call forth the shade of one of the great heroes of the past. The chronicler may ask the shade for advice and information as if using a vision spell (caster level equals class level), or he may ask it to fight for him for up to one hour. In either case, the shade fades away along with all of its gear when its task is done, and any non-instantaneous effects (or any objects, even instantaneous ones) it has created fade away as well.
The legendary shade is a standard NPC with standard gear (per the PH and DMG) who may be of any class and any level up to 3 levels below the chronicler's own level. It is a spirit and gains the incorporeal subtype, but it is not undead and cannot be turned or harmed by channeled energy. All of its attacks, including magical attacks, work normally with no miss chance against both corporeal and incorporeal creatures. At the DM's option, the chronicler might be required to research a specific legendary hero before calling forth its shade with the lay of the exalted dead.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Two other changes I would make:
1. Deep Pockets
A change that happened in between my original and the final version was for the deep pockets ability, that being the stipulation that only nonmagical items can be pulled out. The idea behind the power was that a Pathfinder Chronicler could always have 'just the right tool for the job' on hand. This was really one of the main 'powers' of the class. For a mid to high-level character, this includes having low-level potions and scrolls ready at a moment's notice, always having that one you wish you had but forgot to buy.
Mini-rant below the spoiler:
Add to this the fact that the amount you can pull out of your deep pockets amounts to about 1% of your total character wealth, and I am just not buying it that this is an overpowered ability.
Even if it were super-uber, this is a class with no great combat abilities, no spells, few pseudomagical talents, no sneak attack, no evasion, etc. ... um, why COULDN'T they have a juicy ability? Would that be so terrible?
Is the ability handy? Sure. Is it overpowered? Hardly. To me, limiting it to nonmagical stuff is kind of a poke in the eye to a class that has lots of "neat" abilities but few "niiice" abilities. Sure, holy water or alchemist's fire or a crowbar at the right time are handy, but at 6th-15th level and up, is the ability to prebuy unspecified potions and scrolls and feather tokens really a problem?
2. Rune Mastery
Since Epic Tales is kind of a specialized ability, the kind of thing you might not actually use that often, I wonder about adding another 4th level ability. I had thought about rolling this idea into 1st level, but with the concern over cherry-picking the first level of a class I went ahead and kicked it back a little. See what you think:
Rune Mastery (Ex): At 4th level, a Pathfinder chronicler has mastered the knowledge of magical runes and writings. When passing within 10 ft. of a magical rune, glyph, or sigil, the chronicler is entitled to an automatic Perception check to notice it, as if he possessed the trapfinding ability. The chronicler can also make a Use Magic Device check to suppress the rune or glyph for one minute, making this check in place of a Disable Device check.
In addition to the above, a Pathfinder chronicler may use magical scrolls with great skill. He does not provoke attacks of opportunity when using casting a spell from a scroll, and in addition he may substitute his chronicler level for the scroll's normal caster level if it is higher.
Just a few ideas for fun. We'll see how people like them.
SOME REVISIONS FOR THE PF CHRONICLER:
Lay of the Exalted Dead (some also applies to Call Down the Legends)
The original version sent in summoned barbarians were supposed to be the spirits of ancient heroes, with the ghost template and ghost touch armor and weapons, plus several of the ghost's special attacks that functioned only against the Chronicler's enemies.
Ahhh...that makes way, WAY more sense -- ghosts can actually do something.
I still don't like 1/day or 1/week powers in general, though. Too often, it's like: "Since wizards and clerics can do incredibly cool stuff all day long, we'll give your non-spellcasting character the ability to do something cool once per day. You're welcome." ;-)
I did have one player (something of a power gamer even) look at this class and go "Dang, I would have built towards that!"
Otherwise I'd generally agree it's a great cohort/NPC class. Inspire Action is *very* tempting though.
The Deep Pockets suggestion seems best/most flavourful.
I like it because I hate bards that sign to do what they do (or play music in general) it bothers me.
I think if you take the loremaster, the chornicler, and the bard and mix them together and take the music/fluff/jester out of the bard, he'd be better.
I remember in 2e they had the "complete bard" handbook which gave you the ability to drop bards singing junk and bring in other abilites in exchange ( like the blade sub class)
I like bardic knowledge, of covnicing/suggesting etc etc. I hate the signing stuff.
Thats kinda why I like the chronicler.
But I think itd be a better twist on the bard than a PRc.
best bard I ever made was a bard/barbarian who was a "chanter" and used the skills to lead and inspire war bands (only way I ever used some of those class features I usually ignore)
Otherwise I'd generally agree it's a great cohort/NPC class. Inspire Action is *very* tempting though.
Okay, so I showed this class to my typical Bard player and he pointed out the language on Inspire Action would tend to read that Inspire Action affects just *one* ally - hadn't noticed that :)
Does anyone else have a take on this?
Here's the language:
Inspire Action (Su): As a special use of bardic music, a 6th-level Pathfinder chronicler can exhort any ally within hearing to a sudden surge of action, allowing her ally to immediately take an extra move action. This does not count against the ally’s number of actions on his own turn.
At 9th level, she can enable an ally to immediately take a standard action instead.
The language used is unique (not identical to any other Bardic Performance language.
Compare with:
Inspire Courage (Su): A bard with 1 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to inspire courage
in his allies (including himself ), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to percieve the bard’s performance. The effect lasts for as long as the ally percieves the bard‘s performance and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.&
Inspire Greatness (Su): A bard of 9th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting her extra fighting capability.
For a mid to high-level character, this includes having low-level potions and scrolls ready at a moment's notice, always having that one you wish you had but forgot to buy.
Sort of unrelated to the topic at hand, but I really would like it if the Pathfinder magic items continued the concept of Item Level introduced in the Magic Item Compendium. Using that mechanic (here's where I tie it into this discussion) you could simply say that you can pull any level 1-2 item out of the pockets. I'll post more about the Item Level mechanic as soon as the magic item playtest threads open up.
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I like the PRC as a concept, but sacrificing spellcasting advancement is a big loss IMO. Maybe changing it to 1/2 advancment would make it attactive again.
The deep pockets class ability should be a general feat or free feature for characters 5th level and higher. This cuts the need to keep ridiculous inventories of pocket kibble at mid-high levels and lets you get on with just playing the game.
1. Deep Pockets
BTW, if interested, see the 'errors and typos' thread for the correction to the money you put into the pockets vs. the value of stuff you take out. There is no infinite wealth exploit.
I'm not finding that 'errors and typos' thread, so can you direct me there or re-post that bit of info? I am planing to use a Pathfinder NPC soon and could use it.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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I'm not finding that 'errors and typos' thread, so can you direct me there or re-post that bit of info? I am planing to use a Pathfinder NPC soon and could use it.
1. Deep Pockets
BTW, if interested, see the 'errors and typos' thread for the correction to the money you put into the pockets vs. the value of stuff you take out. There is no infinite wealth exploit.
Your wish is my command...
For the Pathfinder Chronicler, under the deep pockets ability, there is a typo/omission at the end of the first paragraph. The text reads:
"... until she refills her deep pockets by spending a few hours and 100 gp in any settlement."
It should read:
"... until she refills her deep pockets by spending a few hours and up to 100 gp per class level in any settlement. The value of items pulled from her deep pockets cannot exceed the amount of money she has invested."
Just to cut off the 'infinite wealth exploit' from the way the text was written.
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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Otherwise I'd generally agree it's a great cohort/NPC class. Inspire Action is *very* tempting though.Okay, so I showed this class to my typical Bard player and he pointed out the language on Inspire Action would tend to read that Inspire Action affects just *one* ally - hadn't noticed that :)
Does anyone else have a take on this?
Here's the language:
Inspire Action (Su): As a special use of bardic music, a 6th-level Pathfinder chronicler can exhort any ally within hearing to a sudden surge of action, allowing her ally to immediately take an extra move action. This does not count against the ally’s number of actions on his own turn.
At 9th level, she can enable an ally to immediately take a standard action instead.The language used is unique (not identical to any other Bardic Performance language.
Compare with:
Inspire Courage (Su): A bard with 1 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to inspire courage
in his allies (including himself ), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to percieve the bard’s performance. The effect lasts for as long as the ally percieves the bard‘s performance and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.&
Inspire Greatness (Su): A bard of 9th level or higher with 9 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use his performance to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting her extra fighting capability.
As written, the use of "any" and "an" and "the" were intended to be singular.
HOWEVER, the fact that these are abilities that come at fairly high level - a minimum of 11th for granting a move action and 14th for granting a standard action, along with the fact that this is a class with NO spells and no great combat powers, makes me think that these might be pretty sweet high-end PrC abilities if they affected a whole party.
Affecting EVERY ally that can hear you... that might be kind of overkill, since you could basically allow free double spellcasting for everyone in your party as long as your bardic music uses held out. The move action thing, though, I can totally see as a "sound the advance" or "call the retreat" and everyone can bug out at once.... Hmmm...
How about this proposed rewrite:
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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As we approach the final moments of the playtest period, I thought I'd throw a last couple logs on the fire of the PF Chronicler:
1. I'd suggest changing "Call down the legends" and "Lay of the exalted dead" to once per day rather than once per week abilities. At the levels you get the abilities, they are hardly game-breaking summons, and it's a nice ability showing them "bringing legends to life" (literally).
2. While I think that "Call down the legends" works fine as a horn of valhalla ability, I wonder if maybe for the "Lay of the exalted dead" it wouldn't be better to differentiate it more than CDtL - as it is, the two abilities kind of duplicate one another, rather than supporting one another. Maybe instead of calling up another group of warriors just like the lower level ability, maybe the "Lay of the Exalted Dead" should call up a veritable cloud of heroes of old. The visual I have of it is like when Mat Cauthon blows the Horn of Valere at Falme near the end of The Great Hunt, book 2 of the Wheel of Time series, and the shades of Artur Hawkwing and Birgitte and all the other heroes arise in a mist and charge toward the invaders and drive them into the sea...
Anyway, the point is that I think the idea might work better really as an area effect, rather than just summoning up a couple of standalone creatures, which the "legends" ability already does.
Perhaps try this on for size: