Hey all. I've posted this homebrew archetype on the Homebrew Messageboard and gotten some advice on how to make it better. I'm looking for some more input to fine tune the archetype.
This is my first homebrew so I want to make it the best it can be.
What I'm looking for is this:
Now there aren't a lot of changes, but there are a some. Here they are.
The Liberator is a hope to those that are oppressed. A champion against tyranny and slavery. The Liberator is always in the front lines in causes of freedom. They can be seen in various lands leading groups against slavers or helping liberate people from tyrannical rulers.
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Class Skills: A Liberator adds Bluff and Escape Artist to her list of class skills. These replace the paladin's Diplomacy class skill.
Divine Resolve(Ex): At 3rd level, a liberator is immune to all poisons. This ability replaces the paladin's Divine Health.
Divine Initiative (Su): At 3rd level, the liberator is blessed with uncanny reflexes and vigor. He is granted the ability to act in all surprise rounds of combat. The liberator is also granted a +1 sacred bonus on attack and damage rolls during surprise rounds and the first rounds of combat. Every three levels beyond 3rd, the sacred bonus increases +1 to a maximum of +5 at 15th level.
Starting at level 9, the liberator may expend a use of his Lay on Hands ability to extend this bonus to an addition number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier. This ability replaces the paladin's mercies.
Divine Charge (Ex): The Liberator's willingness to charge into battle to help those in need requires poise and a lack of encumbrance. Upon reaching 4nd level, the liberator can charge an additional 10 feet and doesn't incur the -2 penalty to her AC.
Upon reaching level 10, the liberator can charge equal to double his base speed and adds his Charisma modifier to the attacks or combat maneuvers made during a charge, but not damage. This ability replaces the paladin's Channel Positive Energy abilities.
Divine Bond (Sp): The liberator removes axiomatic, flaming, flaming burst, and merciful weapon special abilities and adds anarchic, shock, shocking burst, and defiant to his available weapon special abilities. Otherwise this acts exactly like the Divine Bond gained by the paladin at level 5.
Aura of Freedom (Su): At 11th level, the liberator acts as though he is continually under the effects of the freedom of movement spell. He also applies his Charisma bonus to all Escape Artist checks and CMB checks to escape grapples. Each ally within 10 feet gains a +4 morale bonus to Escape Artist checks, CMB checks to escape grapples, and saving throws against becoming entangles, paralyzed, or slowed. This ability replaces the paladin's Aura of Justice.
Code of Conduct: The liberator must be of chaotic good alignment and loses all class features except proficiencies if he willingly commits an evil act.
Additionally, a liberator's code requires that he help those in need, respect individual liberty, and punish those who either threaten or curtail personal liberty."
Associates: Same as a standard paladin, except a liberator only accepts henchmen, followers, or cohorts of chaotic good alignment.
Ex-Liberators: A liberator who ceases to be chaotic good, who willfully commits an evil act, or who violates the code of conduct loses all paladin spells and class features (including the service of the liberator's mount, bu not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). She may no progress any further in levels as a liberator. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations, as appropriate.
Divine Initiative is where I'm feeling some additions are needed. I don't know why, but I feel there needs to be one or two higher level abilities added to it. Possibly just a whole new ability. Who knows.
I'm not opposed to revamping Divine Initiative; I've thought of different ways to do this. A variant Divine Initiative ideas was like this:
Divine Initiative (Su): At 3rd level, the liberator is blessed with uncanny reflexes and vigor. He is granted the ability to act in all surprise rounds of combat. The liberator is also granted a +1 sacred bonus on attack and damage rolls during surprise rounds and the first rounds of combat. Every six levels beyond 3rd, the sacred bonus increases +1 to a maximum of +3 at 15th level. This ability replaces the paladin's mercies gained at levels 3, 9, and 15.
Additional abilities could replace the other mercies.
Additions I've thought about adding to Divine Initiative:
Like I said, I feel there needs to be changes and I have ideas I just can't seem to figure out how to make them blend together cohesively or to come up with new abilities to make it work.
This is what I have and I appreciate any input and advice. Thanks.
Hmm "Divine Resolve" doesn't fit that well with the flavor of the liberating Paladin.
Maybe you could leave this out and improve Divine initiative.
Hmm "Divine Resolve" doesn't fit that well with the flavor of the liberating Paladin.
There are many poisons out there that are used or can be used for enslavement. Poisons that can inhibit, cause sleep/unconsciousness, and paralysis are somewhat common. So it can fall under the liberator paladin theme.
What are your reasons for it not working?
Maybe you could leave this out and improve Divine initiative.
As I mentioned I'm looking for ways to improve Divine Initiative. Any ideas?
Are you really in love with divine initiative? Even though it'd allow a pally to be CG, is never take this archetype because I wouldn't want to lose my mercies.
I see a liberator paladin in a slave labor camp trying to blend in as just another prisoner but using MERCIES to cure other slave's exhaustion and fatigue at the long days of hard labor. He can't help them much without those mercies.
That's just how I imagine it. Take it how you will.
I appreciate the incite. I felt that way too. That's why I had the alternate version of Divine Initiative that only used 3 mercies allowing for 3 mercies to be taken.
I still think that there are some other things that can be added to Divine Initiative to complete it. Any ideas?
Hey all. I've posted this homebrew archetype on the Homebrew Messageboard and gotten some advice on how to make it better. I'm looking for some more input to fine tune the archetype.
This is my first homebrew so I want to make it the best it can be.
What I'm looking for is this:
Any balancing issues you see and advice on how to make it balanced
Any ideas for new abilities or additions to abilities
General input on the concept and idea
Generally, the concept is fine. There are quite a few people that find the concept of the Lawful Good paladin to be very restrictive. Conceptually, I like the idea.
Balance-wise, there are some issues. First, you removed the Diplomacy class skill to add in Bluff. This is fine. However, you then added in Escape Artist as well. Skill for skill, you're unbalanced in favour of the Liberator. Either drop an additional skill, or drop Escape Artist.
Divine Resolve: Exchanging this for Divine Health seems, on the surface, balanced. However, diseases are encountered far less often than poisons giving Divine Resolve a mechanical edge over Divine Health, but are far more rampant among people that aren't well-taken-care-of, like slaves. Honestly, I would recommend nixing the Divine Resolve and keeping Divine Health for balance and thematic purposes.
Divine Initiative: This ability is unbalanced in a number of ways. First, it is stackable with the Paladin's Divine (Weapon) Bond, overpowering the class. Secondly, even if it didn't stack with the Paladin's Divine (Weapon) Bond, it does much the same thing, so if you go with Divine (Mount) Bond, you get to have your cake and eat it too. If you want to keep it, you should start by replacing the Paladin's Divine (Weapon) Bond with it, not the Paladin's Mercies.
Now I understand that it works during the surprise round, until level 9 where you can expend a use of your Lay on Hands ability to extend it several more rounds, which usually encompasses the bulk of combat anyway. Since you want high Charisma to begin with, this is probably going to extend your bonuses for four additional rounds. So if you're a level 9 character, you get a +2 bonus to attack for 9 minutes twice a day, and then you can add an additional +3 bonus to attack and damage for the surprise round, and up to 4 rounds after.
Even if you explicitly make it non-stackable with the Paladin's Divine (Weapon) Bond, the Paladin can still have the Divine (Mount) Bond and combat bonuses.
Honestly, this ability needs to be scrapped and you need to come up with something that is dissimilar to the Paladin's Divine Bond abilities.
Divine Bond: Okay, let's compare. The swap of Axiomatic for Anarchic makes sense and is an even trade. Flaming for Shock and Flaming Burst for Shocking Burst are also even trades, even though fire resistance is more common than electrical resistance. However, you lost me when you traded out Merciful (+1 bonus) for Defiant (+2 bonus). Thematically, it makes more sense. Balance wise, you're giving the Liberator another mechanical advantage. I would recommend giving them Benevolent or Menacing instead of Defiant.
Aura of Freedom: Here's where you don't even need Escape Artist from your Class Skills anyway. However, this one is ridiculously overpowered. As per the freedom of movement spell, the spell enables you or a creature you touch to move and attack normally for the duration of the spell, even under the influence of magic that usually impedes movement, such as paralysis, solid fog, slow, and web. All combat maneuver checks made to grapple the target automatically fail. The subject automatically succeeds on any combat maneuver checks and Escape Artist checks made to escape a grapple or a pin.
So you can't ever be paralysed (so Hold spells don't work), you move through solid fog like it's not there. You're not affected by slow or web spells. This isn't balanced with the Aura of Justice. Aura of Justice isn't always having an effect, but the Aura of Freedom would constantly work, as it doesn't require any expenditures of any other abilities to work. To balance it out, you should have it consume uses of your Lay on Hands or Smite Evil (though I recommend Lay on Hands as this is a defensive ability, not offensive) ability and only function for 1 minute.
Divine Resolve: add "and drugs." One adventure path has drugs that make the user docile. Heck, "The Sunmakers" is an episode(s) of Dr. Who.
If they have a spell list, add Freedom. Freedom is a 4th level spell of my design that gives summoned monsters, elementals, and even new vampires a saving throw against the magical control they are under.
You cold just make it a mercy available at 7th level(yeah that's earlier).
Generally, the concept is fine. There are quite a few people that find the concept of the Lawful Good paladin to be very restrictive. Conceptually, I like the idea.Balance-wise, there are some issues...
This was exactly what I was looking for. All your points make perfect sense. I really appreciate it.
The Divine Initiative does seem to make more sense to replace Divine Bond over the mercies. I'll ponder more in how I can change it more to fit replacing Divine Bond. Any suggestions on how to change it up?
As for Aura of Freedom making it a Lay on Hands expenditure makes more sense. How about the extra stuff for allies within 10'? Keep it or get rid of it?
Everything w/ Divine Charge looks balanced as well?
I haven't missed this. I'm in the middle of another project at the moment.
Divine Charge isn't balanced, either, but I'll get into that when I'm not posting from my phone.
Best wishes!
I wasn't worried. I understand that feeling. I just appreciate all the help. And posting anything on a phone sucks. I hardly post on Facebook on a phone. Computer trumps a phone in that aspect.
Divine Charge: Channel Positive Energy isn't the best of the paladin's abilities; it's weaker than Lay on Hands, and takes uses of it to work. Basically, it's a weaker burst heal. However, exchanging it for what amounts to a feat (Fleet) that you use when charging and then you drop the -2 penalty to AC as well is not an even exchange (in favour of the Divine Charge). The level 10 benefit to charging seems to attempt to bypass any movement reduction (like slowing from armour), and gives a bonus (probably +3 or +4) to attack and CMB rolls made during the charge. Basically, it incentivises the character to charge in every action with zero penalties.
As for suggestions, I'm going to take some more time to ponder any advise that I might offer. However, if you want to propose suggestions, I might be able to help you to review.
Best wishes!
Divine Charge: Channel Positive Energy isn't the best of the paladin's abilities; it's weaker than Lay on Hands, and takes uses of it to work. Basically, it's a weaker burst heal. However, exchanging it for what amounts to a feat (Fleet) that you use when charging and then you drop the -2 penalty to AC as well is not an even exchange (in favour of the Divine Charge). The level 10 benefit to charging seems to attempt to bypass any movement reduction (like slowing from armour), and gives a bonus (probably +3 or +4) to attack and CMB rolls made during the charge. Basically, it incentivises the character to charge in every action with zero penalties.
As for suggestions, I'm going to take some more time to ponder any advise that I might offer. However, if you want to propose suggestions, I might be able to help you to review.
Best wishes!
I appreciate your input.
The only thing I can think of is sacking Divine Initiative for what I previously had and changing it up.
Instead have it take place of Divine Charge and make it a bonus to Initiative checks. Maybe give it an ability that uses Lay on Hands uses to activate, like 2 lay on hands uses to roll two d20s and take the highter.
That's the only thing I can think of right now.
Again I appreciate your help and input on this.