I present to you my first two selfmade classes:
The Elemental Adept:
A 6th level spontaneous divine caster with the power of the elements at his disposal.
The Steamwarrior:
A warrior using an engine to empower his combat prowess and mobility.
I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, criticism or even praise, if you like the classes.
First off, I have been working with great difficulty on an elemental-based class for over a year now, and what I most want to say is that I think you're on to something good. Conjuring an element in a square and playing around with that looks like fun. So congrats! But it has been said before that while congratulations are nice, criticism is actually useful. So now we're on to that part.
CLASS SKILLS
The selection of class skills is in part to establish the flavor of the class. There are no rules on which class can have certain skills and which can not. Its just left to what the designer wants. I will say that from reading your class and looking at the skills, Acrobatics and Perception do not fit in here (my opinion). While your adept is not a wizard, he is certainly similar to one in his studies. Acrobatics and Perception are useful skills and I feel that is why you included them, but perhaps not in line with everything else.
PROFICIENCIES
I'm not a fan of the "all bludgeoning martial melee weapons" bit. I recommend taking a cue from the rogue weapon list and coming up with a few weapons you think will compliment the class, such as flail, greatclub, and light hammer, warhammer. This avoids inclusion of weird racial weapons, and the ambiguity of weapons that have more than one damage type.
MANIFEST ELEMENTS
This is what is see as the meat and potatoes of the class, and where you have the most room to get creative. Here are my suggestions.
-I recommend changing the activation action to standard. At 1st level, do you want him casting a spell and whipping out a fire attack in the same round? out As he advances in level the action can improve, or maybe it only improves for the path he specializes in.
-Get rid of the uses per day and replace it with rounds per day (like bardic performance) or a point pool (like the monk). I'm partial to rounds per day. What this does is that even at low levels an adept who is conservative with his usage could still use the ability in more than one combat. I don't see an advantage to the uses per day method.
-Once the element has been conjured in a space, he can begin using - probably in the same round. Is it a visible, whirling ball of elemental energy, or what? The element doesn't occupy the square, but is a creature harmed if it walks into it? I suggest being able to move it around as a move action.
-Instead of unlocking new powers every five levels, he could could choose a new elemental talent at every 2nd or 3rd level. You would have to generate a list of 20 or abilities but I would look at that as an opportunity to be creative.
-In order for equality between the elements at low level, I suggest giving each one attack ability and one utility ability. For example, if fire can shoot fire at a target, then air should be able to shoot little lightning bolts. Keep the damage low (maybe d4+level). The utility powers will be a little tougher to make. For example, fire could flare up and ignite all unattended, combustible objects adjacent to it. Water could dose everything adjacent to it. Earth could create difficult terrain. Air could pick move unattended objects around. You can probably do better than that though.
Thats all for my first pass.
Sorry if I overlooked your reasoning behind this as I've only glanced at the classes but: Why is the Steamwarrior Charisma based when almost everything about the class points to them being Intelligence based? I mean the class is set up as a almost dark age Tony Stark but instead of using his Int to invent his armor and operate it I guess he just sort of... I imagine use his natural Cha to convince others to build the suit for him. It just seems like a weird design choice is all.
Sorry if I overlooked your reasoning behind this as I've only glanced at the classes but: Why is the Steamwarrior Charisma based when almost everything about the class points to them being Intelligence based? I mean the class is set up as a almost dark age Tony Stark but instead of using his Int to invent his armor and operate it I guess he just sort of... I imagine use his natural Cha to convince others to build the suit for him. It just seems like a weird design choice is all.
You are right. It was a design-relic i have overlooked. The class started more as a magitech class, where it made sense to have it charisma based. When i lost the magic part of the class i forgot to change the attribute it is based on. I changed it to intelligence. Thanks.
CLASS SKILLS
The selection of class skills is in part to establish the flavor of the class. There are no rules on which class can have certain skills and which can not. Its just left to what the designer wants. I will say that from reading your class and looking at the skills, Acrobatics and Perception do not fit in here (my opinion). While your adept is not a wizard, he is certainly similar to one in his studies. Acrobatics and Perception are useful skills and I feel that is why you included them, but perhaps not in line with everything else.
I agree with acrobatics and removed it. However i don't agree with perception. I just think, that a class that is clearly a bit on the wild and adventurous side needs perception as a class skill. On top of that if it is wisdom based. It just feels odd not to have it.
PROFICIENCIES
I'm not a fan of the "all bludgeoning martial melee weapons" bit. I recommend taking a cue from the rogue weapon list and coming up with a few weapons you think will compliment the class, such as flail, greatclub, and light hammer, warhammer. This avoids inclusion of weird racial weapons, and the ambiguity of weapons that have more than one damage type.
Good point.
MANIFEST ELEMENTS
This is what is see as the meat and potatoes of the class, and where you have the most room to get creative. Here are my suggestions.
-I recommend changing the activation action to standard. At 1st level, do you want him casting a spell and whipping out a fire attack in the same round? out As he advances in level the action can improve, or maybe it only improves for the path he specializes in.
-Get rid of the uses per day and replace it with rounds per day (like bardic performance) or a point pool (like the monk). I'm partial to rounds per day. What this does is that even at low levels an adept who is conservative with his usage could still use the ability in more than one combat. I don't see an advantage to the uses per day method.
-Instead of unlocking new powers every five levels, he could could choose a new elemental talent at every 2nd or 3rd level. You would have to generate a list of 20 or abilities but I would look at that as an opportunity to be creative.
-In order for equality between the elements at low level, I suggest giving each one attack ability and one utility ability. For example, if fire can shoot fire at a target, then air should be able to shoot little lightning bolts. Keep the damage low (maybe d4+level). The utility powers will be a little tougher to make. For example, fire could flare up and ignite all unattended, combustible objects adjacent to it. Water could dose everything adjacent to it. Earth could create difficult terrain. Air could pick move unattended objects around. You can probably do better than that though.
I am currently not in favor of making it a standard action to manifest. A lot of fights are very short and blowing a standard action for a very limited use ability just doesnt feel good. The cavalier, inquisitor or paladin only use a swift action for their abilities, which they have an equal amount of uses.
Changing the action might happen if i choose to go with you more "pick-your-own-manifestation-power" approach. I am certainly gonna draft a version of that, as i like the sound of it and more options for a player are always a big plus.
-Once the element has been conjured in a space, he can begin using - probably in the same round. Is it a visible, whirling ball of elemental energy, or what? The element doesn't occupy the square, but is a creature harmed if it walks into it? I suggest being able to move it around as a move action.
I always thought of it as a ball of pure elemental energy, but left out flavor for the players to come up with it. I will clarify, that the manifestation itself has no ingame effect on the square it is created in.
Thanks for the great feedback.
I 2nd Ciaran's comment in regards to perception. Wisdom has nothing to do with it, as evident by the Cleric class... They don't come across as "perceptive" in theme, like a Rogue does, Perception, when perusing through the classes, tends to be something for nature-based classes, or high-skill classes, with the Alchy being the only exception I can think of.
Anyhows, my only real problem is the passive reduction of element resistance. The whole idea/theme of resistance is that certain elements are weakened against the target. Negating it, while obviously smart for the character, is unthematic, especially at those levels. You're better at negating it than the classes are at giving it, which usually caps at about 10. When something is built around a "fire isn't suppose to hurt me", and you create a fire class that completely ignores that rule, it feels wrong.
Feels like an elemental styled paladin, or sorcerer/paladin hybrid (both which I think are awesome) and I love that it's Wis instead of Cha despite that. If I were ever to play a melee oriented elementalist concept, I could see me wanting to play this class. :)