I have been messing around with the idea of an elementalist class for Pathfinder for some time now (I have a number of prototype classes for it but can't seem to get it right) and i keep running into the same problem, it either appears to be more powerful then a caster or weaker and I would like to get some input regarding the idea. I suppose the main question is: Is an at-will ability that deals 10d6 damage to a single target (multiple targets if the proper powers are taken) and class abilities inspired in part by the 3.5 Warlock (and a lot of anime watching) too powerful for Pathfinder?
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The more power problem comes from the energy bolt it gets as an at-will ability. This is 1d6 single target supernatural ability at first level that requires a ranged attack roll (real ranged attack roll not a touch attack) to strike and increases by 1d6 damage every 2 levels. And they can chose powers that will modify the elemental bolt to deal effects like stun, stagger, dexterity damage, etc depending on the element.
Now that caps out at 10d6 damage at 9th level much like a rogues sneak attack and the Warlocks Eldritch Blast from 3.5. The thing is it is an ability that can be used all day long but it deals very limited damage compared to say a Sorcerer in full nuke mode dropping delayed blast fireballs all over the place in a short period of time. This makes it powerful yet still weak since unless you take a feat to increase the damage by 1d6 per feat it will be capped at 10d6 (unless you go into epic levels of course).
In addition to the energy bolt ability they get some elemental themed powers (as mentioned previously) that allows them to stun, stagger, dexterity damage, shake the ground, knock people prone, create icy surfaces, create water, etc depending on the element. An naturally the class receives abilities such as water breathing, swim speed, climb speed, flight/etc depending on the element class (Classes are Earth/Acid (combined), Air/Electricity (Combined), Fire, Water/Cold (Combined))
This makes it powerful yet still weak since unless you take a feat to increase the damage by 1d6 per feat it will be capped at 10d6 (unless you go into epic levels of course).
Adding a feat to increase it by d6 is a bad idea; it is nearly a must-take at low levels, and mostly useless at high levels.
Allowing that feat to be taken an unlimited number of times is a very bad idea. That means a 20th level character can do anywhere from 10d6 to 20d6 damage at will, making the ability incredibly hard to balance. If that tradeoff is worth it, it's incredibly boring. If not, it's a trap, and it just makes the ability harder to balance. Never force a player to choose between the interesting and the good.
And what are his HD? Does he also have any spellcasting?
I'd recommend modeling it after the alchemist's bomb mechanics (for splash; ray if no splash). d6 + stat modifier and uses/day. Once you've done that, you have a blast you can use. From there you can add "class features" such as elements resistances, the appropriate subtype, or talents or whatever to modify said blast. Perhaps, for example, your elemental chap can create a form of "elemental shield" and Level X, a "wall of element" at level Y, and so on and so forth. The balancing factor would be how many "charges" of his uses/day each modified effect would cost.
Take a peak at Drejk's Mage (Blaster Revamp) for ideas. You can find Drejk's Mage here.
I don't think it is sensible to limit the uses/day.
Agreed. x/day is an iffy balance anyway. 1/day nuke is completely overpowered in a 15 minute adventuring day, and if you run out of ammo things can get kind of boring. If you want to create a class that's more flexible with how long it can function you may want to look towards at will or recharge mechanics.(Binder, tome of battle, and I think dragon shaman all had a different mechanic but could go all day.)
I'd like more details before I comment on what's been created. If it caps out by level 9 at 10D6 what does the class get for the remaining levels? Probably wouldn't be awful to late it scale just a bit more, and if you rely on feats to improve damage or change caps then you create feat taxes that probably aren't necessary and take away from player's options.
OK, more information on the class and replies to people (see bottom for replies)
Base Attack Bonus: Medium progression (+0 to +15)
Saves: Will (Good), Reflex (*), Fortitude (*) *could be either but one is poor, so 2 good saves and one poor like druid.
HD: d8
Skill Points: 2+ Int or 4 + Int (unsure)
Spellcasting: No spellcasting ability, learns at-will (or mostly at-will powers) that are supernatural, an example would be...
Frost Weapons (Su): Any weapon held by the elementalist deals an additional 1d6 points of cold damage on each successful attack. And then you could upgrade that power with other powers turning it into say an icy burst effect.
Frostbite (Su): An elementalist can cause a creature struck by their elemental bolt that deals cold damage to take 1 point of dexterity damage. Boost: The elementalist can temporarily spend 2 elemental essences to cause the creature struck to take 1d4+1 points of dexterity damage instead of the normal 1 point.
As for class features, it would be one class feature every 2 levels and if I did it as one Elementalist base class instead of multiple classes like I have been trying to do (Aeromancer, Geomancer, Hydromancer, Pyromancer) it would look something like the following:
Elemental blast 1d6
Talent
Elemental blast 2d6
Talent
Elemental blast 3d6
Talent
Elemental blast 4d6
Talent
Elemental blast 5d6
Talent
And so on...
The talents would be stuff like their swim speed, storm vision, snow vision, burrow, climb, ice glide, ice walking, feather falling, cloud walking, flight, etc. All talents would affect the elementalist only but they could then take powers to expand their use or improve upon it to say share their feather fall ability with others so in essence it would function as the spell but be supernatural in nature and would require elemental essences to use that power for it.
Are you aware that the 3.5 Warlock was a weaker than average class? (If we consider "average" to be Tier 3). What you are describing here sounds like a much weaker ability -- fixed element rather than arcane damage, no ranged touch, etc, etc.
The biggest danger might be large amounts of dexterity damage.
That said, one attack per round like this is going to need some boosts more than anything else. Honestly, this is a really weak ability and very easily countered by enemies as well.
In any case, you could take the 3.5 Warlock, adjust the skills and HP as needed, and put it in PF without one iota of balance concerns.
Large amounts of dexterity damage could be a problem which is why for the ability score damage parts I was thinking the at-wills would deal 1 point of ability score damage (damage dependent on the specific power. Ie: ice/cold = dex, acid/fire = con, etc) and then you have to spend an elemental essence if you wish to temporarily boost it up to say 1d4+1 for a single use.
As for the warlock being a weaker than average class, I always considered it fairly decent but then I have a bad habit of combining things.
What's his BAB?
BAB is Medium, its a combination melee/ability user. It's not going to have the vast selection of abilities as a sorcerer/wizard but it will have abit of kick.
This makes it powerful yet still weak since unless you take a feat to increase the damage by 1d6 per feat it will be capped at 10d6 (unless you go into epic levels of course).Adding a feat to increase it by d6 is a bad idea; it is nearly a must-take at low levels, and mostly useless at high levels.
Allowing that feat to be taken an unlimited number of times is a very bad idea. That means a 20th level character can do anywhere from 10d6 to 20d6 damage at will, making the ability incredibly hard to balance. If that tradeoff is worth it, it's incredibly boring. If not, it's a trap, and it just makes the ability harder to balance. Never force a player to choose between the interesting and the good.
For damage increases I was thinking perhaps incorporating a power that boosts the damage in exchange for temporarily spending 'Elemental Essences' (think spell points/mana), could provide a one time shot of damage of up to your elementalist level as a 'balancing factor' for the low damage but you can't constantly turn out say 20d6 at 20th level. Perhaps 2d6 per elemental essence spent, if your turning out blasts at the maximum possible you will run through your essences fairly quickly depending on your level.
I am 95% sure the OP meant level 19 and not level 9. He did say it increased every 2 levels. That would be 10d6 at level 19.
I agree I'd like to seem some more details on the mechanics before saying more. It is true there are a lot of sources of inspiration to pick mechanics from. ToB might be particularly interesting, as that with an EB-like mechanic could lead you towards an Avatar: The Last Airbender spectrum of classes. Though I would not let that straight-jacket me into forcing someone into only being able to work with one element.
I did mean 19th level. I have never gotten around to fully reading ToB, perhaps now is a good time to do so, only read bits and pieces of it.
The reason I am worried about making it all one class as the Elemenalist is that it comes across as way too many options for one class to have access to, but then again the limited capacity of it might not be so bad. I mean they could pick a climb speed, swim speed, feather falling, etc if it was all one class with the talents but those are all situational.
I suppose I could add in elemental traits as the talents like Dark-vision, immunities, etc as part of an elemental transformation bit.
Hmmm, perhaps have an elemental attunement that they can do each day at the start (or or multiple times through the day that requires 1 hour) where they have to choose what type of damage their elemental bolt will deal for the day and then they can't use the opposing element?
Edit: Something like this for the powers and the elemental essences usage, again these are just a rough draft and would be refined later on. Level at the bottom being the required number of elementalist class levels you need to take the power as opposed to breaking them up into spell levels I think it's going to be easier to do it this way.
Feather Falling (Su): The elementalist is constantly protected by a feather fall effect. If the elementalist temporarily spends 1 elemental essence they can extend this protection to up to 1 creature per elementalist level within a 30 ft. radius of them. The feather falling effect extended to other creature's lasts for up to 1 round per elementalist level.
Level: 1st
Fireball (Su): The elementalist can channel their elemental blast into a fiery explosion that affects a 20 ft. radius spread. The fireball created by this power deals damage equal to the elementalists elemental blast ability but the damage dealt is fire damage. Creatures within the area are allowed a Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 Elementalist Level + Constitution modifier) for half damage. The elementalist may temporarily spend 1 elemental essence to increase the damage dealt by +1d6 up to a maximum amount of total damage dice equal to the elementalist class level. Example: A 10th level elementalist naturally deals 5d6 points of damage with their elemental blast and when using the fireball power they choose to invest 5 elemental essences boosting the damage up to the maximum possible of 10d6.
Level: 5th
Water Breathing (Su): The elementalist can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use its elemental blast and other abilities while submerged. If the elementalist temporarily spends 3 elemental essences they can extend this protection to up to 1 creature per elementalist level within a 30 ft. radius of the elementalist. The water breathing effect extended to other creature's lasts for up to 10 minutes per elementalist level.
Level: 3rd