Hiya.
As the name says, I have a building issue.
I've playing around with the creation of a core class for the last couple of days and as things have been going it's almost finished. All I need is that dang capstone ability and nothing's really presenting itself. So now I come here for suggestions.
Allow me to elaborate on the concept: It will be a mix of the 3.5 Soulknife, the Monk and an arcane support caster - meaning that he will have a summoned weapon that improves with levels, unarmored AC bonuses and level 1 to 6 spells (mostly with boost and utility on the list, but also a bit of touch and ranged touch damage), of course there is a few other things, but these are the core abilities. He is based around the concept of hard training and strict discipline, so he'll be a memorizing caster like the wizard. I considered making him Charisma based and spontaneous, but it didn't really hit the flavor I'm going for. His role in the group can be either tank, support caster, or damage, depending on his build and the focus of the group. He'll be purely arcane, no psionics anywhere.
The flavor of the class: The class is for some homebrew thingy I'm tossing togeather. They're usually the bodyguards of the elven queen, in a world where elves are political plotters and all-round not-as-good-as-usual guys. They're not evil, but they're bad enough to create the need for an arcane warrior bodyguard. They don't usually train people outside elven society, or outside their own ranks, but sometimes an elf will leave for the greater world and then he might slip and teach someone the techniques.
I haven't posted the class since there haven't been any real playtests yet due to it lacking the last few abilities, so I still need to hammer out the balance issues.
Suggestions would be appriciated. And please run amok, it's always easier to nerf than buff ;)
- the Surgeon
I would like to see the build of the class and its current abilities (and how they work) listed out by level.
It's hard for me to imagine the class without the mechanics listed out in a class table format.
I second that notion ! =D
They're all bodyguards? Give them something like Retributive Strike, Word of Recall, or a combination of those.
The particular effects I mentioned might be a little too powerful, but they could be toned down a bit. For example, they could gain the ability to cast Dimension Door (bringing along an extra person if they choose, perhaps at a range slightly greater than touch) and leave behind an appropriate spell effect in their wake.
Another possibility is a defensive Resilient Sphere. They could gain the ability to cast Resilient Sphere, willing targets only, as a swift or even an immediate action.
By not-quite popular demand: The Spellblade! - version 1.1
Text wall ahead, ye be warned.
Lvl Bab Fort Ref Will Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Mageblade, Armour Weave, Cantrips
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Focused Weave
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Burning Weave, Enchanted Blade
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Arcane Blast (d6)
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Swift Blade, Combat Casting
6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Dispelling Strike, Enchanted Blade
7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Royal Guard/Veteran
8 +6 +6 +2 +6 Arcane Blast (2d6)
9 +6 +6 +3 +6 Enchanted Blade
10 +7 +7 +3 +7 Spell Strike
11 +8 +7 +3 +7 Greater Dispelling Strike
12 +9 +8 +4 +8 Enchanted Blade, Arcane Blast (3d6)
13 +9 +8 +4 +8 Swift blast, Guard Sergeant
14 +10 +9 +4 +9 Spellstrike
15 +11 +9 +5 +9 Enchanted Blade
16 +12 +10 +5 +10 Arcane Blast (4d6)
17 +12 +10 +5 +10 Guard Liutenant
18 +13 +11 +6 +11 Enchanted Blade, Spellstrike
19 +14 +11 +6 +11
20 +15 +12 +6 +12 Arcane Blast (5d6), Spell Blast
HD: d8+con
Skills: Craft, Diplomacy, Fly, knowledge (all), Perception, Spellcraft and Use Magic Devise. And probably a few more like Stealth and such.
Weapons/Armour:
All simple weapons, no armour. Spellfailure applies as normal.
Mageblade: The Spellblade can manifest a weapon through basic training and magic so simple that it’s barely even magic. There are four categories of Mageblade, each defined by it’s damagetype. The weapon can look anyway the Spellblade wish, but are most often graceful, immaterial versions of well known weapons. The four categories are:
-Light; These weapons are most often slender rapiers, slim shortswords and other such impliments of stabbing. Their stats are: d6 damage, crit 18-20 x2, the damage type is piercing.
-Medium; These are usually Longswords, Bastardswords and the like. The stats are: d8 damage, crit 19-20 x2, damage type slashing.
-Bludgeoning; Usually seen as slender maces. The stats are: d8 damage, crit 20 x3, the type is – as the name implies – Bludgeoning
-Polearms: Most often manifested as graceful pikes and beautifully curved Glaives. The stats are: d10 damage, crit 20 x3. They have 10 ft. reach.
The Mageblade has a hardness equal to the intelligence bonus of the Spellblade, and a number of hit points equal to his level + intelligence bonus. At first level, the Spellblade can activate this ability as a move action, but not as part of a move. The Mageblade always counts as a magic weapon.
Armour Weave: The Spellblade can use his simple magics to harden the ambient magic of the world around himself, deflecting blows that would leave lesser men crippled and taking only slight injury from grevious attacks. The Spellblade get his intelligence bonus as an armour bonus to his AC in addition to his dexterity bonus. This bonus increase by +1 at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20. This AC bonus is lost if the Spellblade chose to wear armour of any kind.
Cantrips: The Spellblade get cantrips much like the wizard. He starts out having all of the cantrips available to him written into his spellbook.
Spells: The Spellblade is a spellcaster much like a Wizard. His intense training and study of magic not only grant him his various simple powers, it also allow him to cast a selection of spells. Like the Wizard these spells must be memorized each morning after 8 hours of rest. And like the Wizard, these spells must come from his personal spellbook, though he can always prepare “Read Magic” for free. Any spells with a Somatic Component is subject to spell failure if the Spellblade decides to wear armour.
Focused Weave: As the Spellblades skills improve, he learns how to bind part of his awareness into his Mageblade, thus turning the blade into an extension of his will. He gains his Intelligence modifier on attack rolls instead of his Strength modifier.
Burning Weave: As the Spellblade advance further in skill, he learns how to shape the raw magic power of the world into his attacks. As his control become greater, so does this additional damage. The Spellblade gain his Intelligence modifier to his damage rolls in addition to his Strength modifier.
Enchanted blade: The Spellblade learns to infuse his Mageblade with a portion of his power, thus improving it greatly. At the indicated levels the Mageblade gain a +1 enhancement bonus. This bonus can instead be used on the following effects; ….. The effect on the blade is chosen in the morning when the Spellblade prepares his spells, but can be changed with 10 minutes of uninterrupted meditation.
Arcane Blast: As part of his training, the Spellblade learn to focus a sphere of raw arcane energy and hurl it at his enemies. The blast is a ranged touch attack that deals xd6+intelligence modifier damage, with a range of 10 ft. per level + 10 ft. per point of intelligence modifier. This damage is raw arcane energy, but it is not subject to spell resistance.
Swift Blade: The Spellblade learn to manifest his Mageblade at the speed of thought. He can now manifest his blade as a swift action.
Combat Casting: The spellblade gain Combat Casting as a bonus feat.
Dispelling Strike: The Spellblade unlock the ability to strip his opponent of magical enchantments with a strike. This attack work like a targeted Dispel Magic, cast by the Spellblade’s, in addition to the normal damage. The Spellblade can do this 1+intelligence modifier times per day.
Royal Guard/Veteran: The Spellblade gain Weapon Specialization and Greater Weapon Focus with ONE of his Mageblade weapon groups. – At this level a Spellblade of the Ussurian Elves swear the oath to serve the Queen and her interests for as long as he draws breath and enters the Royal Guard as a full member. From here on his personal choice of assignments are severely limited by his duties to the Queen, but a Spellblade who has shown considerable skill and discretion in his duties outside the court will most often get assignments that most benefit from said discretion.
Spellstrike: As he grow in power, the Spellblade learn to channel spells through his Mageblade weapon. He may channel any offensive through his Mageblade as part of a single attack, this is a full round action (standard + move action). The spell has the usual effects; such as area, type and so on, and grants the usual Spell Resistance and Saves. The Spellblade can do this 1+intelligence modifier per day. At level 14 the Spellblade can channel the spell as a move action, and at 18th level he can do it as a swift action.
Greater Dispelling Strike: This ability works as Dispelling Strike, but with the effect of a Greater Dispel Magic instead. This ability takes the places of Dispelling Strike, concerning times per day.
Swift Blast. The Spellblade can now cast as many Arcane Blasts as he has attacks per round. These blasts do not have to be against the same target, but can be distributed against enemies as the Spellblade sees fit.
Guard Sergeant: The Spellblade gain the Greater Weapon Specialization with the Mageblade category that he chose Greater Weapon Focus for at level 7. – At this point the Ussurian elf’s position within the Royal Guard increase. He gains greater status, greater responsibilities and greater say in his assignments for the Queen. He may even chose to pursue the Queen’s interests outside the court at his own discretion.
Remember that this is still the planing phase and that nothing has been playtestet yet and thus some of it might need minor or major adjustments.
What I'm asking for isn't input on the abilities as they are now, but ideas for Abilities for the "Dead" levels, and the Capstone (yes, I haven't filled anything in for the capstone name, I haven't got anything for it yet ...)
Fluff may be uploaded later, when I get it on paper.
1st off, he needs martial weapons under weapons and armor, he's a trained soldier, and even though the mage blade is an extension of himself, some of the forms it would take still fall under martial weapons.
for level 19, perhaps Fey Step (ability to teleport short distances across the battlefield based on his Int mod and level, as a swift action).
for 20 capstone, perhaps, a 10D6 channel arcane energy area of effect blast akin to the Cleric's channel energy, sort of like the Death Blossom from the Last Star Fighter, just a thought.
Hope that helps~
1st off, he needs martial weapons under weapons and armor, he's a trained soldier, and even though the mage blade is an extension of himself, some of the forms it would take still fall under martial weapons.
for level 19, perhaps Fey Step (ability to teleport short distances across the battlefield based on his Int mod and level, as a swift action).
for 20 capstone, perhaps, a 10D6 channel arcane energy area of effect blast akin to the Cleric's channel energy, sort of like the Death Blossom from the Last Star Fighter, just a thought.
Hope that helps~
Hmm. Most interesting. I like the teleporting idea. And more damage effects are always welcome in a class like that. I shall ponder, tweak and most likely implement.
Thanks :D
anytime, glad to be of help, and cant wait to see the finished product =)
anytime, glad to be of help, and cant wait to see the finished product =)
Well. I'm working on a campaign to playtest it in (hopefully 2 of my 5 players will pick it up), so it should be throughly done by summer x)
Meanwhile, you're welcome to grab it and make your own tests and tweaks. - Just Note that if he casts "Fox's Cunning", he will get +2 to hit, damage, AC and Spell DC's. I'm not yet sure if this will be a problem, but tests will show.
Mostly I threw so many abilities into Int to limit the otherwise overwhelming MAD ;)
Pop me an update if you decide to try it out. Or if you have any ideas for a resonable spell progression of a 6th level spells, prepared caster. I don't think using the Bard or Inquisitor will be fair ;)