ok, so i'm going to run a homebrew that is HEAVILY Eberron-inspired, and I want to make a hybrid monk/soulblade class for the kalashtar fighters. It just always seemed from what i read that they should be able to blend those two.. mixing their unique "martial-arts" like mindblade fighting style into the monk class.
Here's how I envision this classes's style and role… still the skirmisher type (like the monk), but not as good with combat maneuvers, less "eastern mystic" abilities, no unarmed combat progression, but with an emphasis on guerilla tactics emphasizing the use of their unique Mindblade.
i've come to a place, however, where i'm not sure what else needs to be added or removed for balancing. Here is what i'm thinking:
• The following remain "as is" from monk: Hit die, saves, skills, BAB, speed enhancement, monk AC, Slow fall, Still Mind, HIgh Jump, Evasion (and Imp. Evasion).
• The following are being modified from monk:
- Weapon Proficiencies: remove all "monk" weapons. Remains proficient with simple weapons only, as well as his own Mindblade.
- flurry of blows - this is useable with unarmed strikes and the mindblade. Otherwise identical to original
- Bonus Feats:
Remove from list - Catch Off-guard, Scorpion Style, Throw Anything, Gorgon's Fist,
and Medusa's Wrath.
Add to list (at indicated levels) - [1st] Weapon Focus (Mindblade), Mindblade Shape,
[6th] Weapon Specialization (Mindblade)
[10th] Greater Weapon Focus (Mindblade)
• The following is removed as they really belong to the Eastern Monk archetype: Unarmed Strike (both feat and progression), Stunning Fist, Maneuver Training, Ki pool (and all abilities that use Ki points - Wholeness of Body, Abundant Step, etc), Purity of Body, Diamond Body, Diamond Soul, Quivering Palm, Timeless Body, Tongue of the Sun and Moon, Empty Body, and Perfect Self.
• The following is being added from the Soulknife class (XPH version):
- Mindblade - as is - including enhancement bonus progression and properties
- Throw Mindblade - as is
- Psychic Strike - as is
- shape mind blade - moving to lvl 1
- Knife to the Soul - as is
- Multiple throw - as is
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First of all, do the changes above make the class complete? Is it overpowered? Underpowered? I believe at this point, he has lost more than he has gained, but I'm open to hearing otherwise. I believe his damage potential is about the same as the true monk, but with a modified way of getting there.
Secondly, there are a few things i'd like to add, mostly to make up for the lost Ki powers. I'd like to add the following Powers to the class (manifester level equal to number of levels in this class - and with no additional power points - just those for being Kalashtar). The added powers: Burst, Conceal Thoughts, Offensive Precognition, and Defensive Precognition. I think they both reinforce the Kalashtar Shadowblade fighting style and expand upon the utility of the Kalashtar power point pool racial feature. Is this still in line power-wise? Does it take it too far?
Lastly, I thought about adding a class feature that boosts his mental defenses. I would imagine, as they are hunters of Dream/Nightmare spawn, that they'd be especially adept at rebuffing mental attacks. At higher levels, would it be overpowered to include a class feature that makes them immune to mind controls (mostly fears, charms or dominations)?
Ok, that's it, and i appreciate any feedback i get.
Are you trying to make a gestalt class here? I realise that the soulblade and the monk are often considered underpowered, but I really don't think that cherry-picking the powers you want from both and then adding spell-casting on top is a good idea at all.
I personally think that when you make a homebrew class it should be from the ground up, there is nothing wrong with taking ideas from other classes but when the entire class is made up of nothing but class abilities of other classes it'll start to feel a lot less personal and become hard to determine how overpowered, underpowered or balanced the class really is. That and people will look at your class and think "Hey I could take this class or I could just cross class and get the same thing but I don't lose all the other stuff from both classes".Wile it does sound like a cool idea and something that I'd like to try, you really should think about just taking the general concept of the two classes and coming up with your own custom abilities, that way you will feel more accomplished with it and it'll stand apart from the two classes that inspired you.
