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Hello, folks!
So, this is a new class I've been working on called the shadewright. It's a gish-type class that, while lacking spellcasting, gets access to shadow conjuration as a spell-like ability and also gets to create weapons (and armor via an archetype) out of pure shadow-stuff. The class itself is fairly simple, but I created a whole slew of selectable abilities (called gloamings) as well as a whooping 9 archetypes to make the class more customizable.
This is a link to the Google Drive folder containing all the documents pertaining to the shadewright:
If changes are made in response to critiques of the class, all documents in that folder will be updated, so that link will perennially be the place to go to find the most up-to-date versions of everything regarding the shadewright.
That being said, I would obviously advice people who find this class interesting to start with the Shadewright document, moving on to the Shadewright Gloamings document, before taking a gander at the archetypes. I would love any feedback on both the main class and the archetypes, however, as the latter feel rather integral to the class as a whole. I have toyed with the idea of dissolving some or all of them into separate "disciplines" within the class that shadewrights can select, although as of right now I think they're fine being reviewed as merely archetypes. Here is a small description of each archetype to give people an overview:
Bleak Clerk - Based around the idea of having a magical bag full of "lost items" that replaces the call shadows ability. Also gets sneak attack and some weird bureaucrat/gentleman spy abilities.
Deceiver - Based around feinting and creating debilitating effects through the Bluff skill. Gains abilities based on lies, deceit and rumors.
Dusk Mage - A casting-focused version of the class that reduces its HD and BAB as well as nixing the shade blade ability to focus solely on shadow conjuring.
Horrorist - Fear- and intimidate-focused archetype that creates a fear aura, can smite people stricken with fear conditions and gains some terror-themed powers.
Mimeomancer - Gains a shadowy copy of themselves that they can control, replacing the shadow conjuring powers of a normal shadewright. Also gains access to various gloamings based on mimicry and copycat behavior.
Night Gardener - Shadow druid-esque archetype, uses umbral vines and thorns and similar to attack people, gaining an at-will damage-over-time ability by embedding shadow splinters in enemies. Can build hedge mazes.
Shadow Warrior - A more martial-focused archetype. Gains full bab with its shade blade attacks, can make shade armor, reduced shadow conjuring and a few martial-themed unique gloamings.
Tragedian - A sort of shadowy anti-bard that debuffs with its bardic performance and gains access to various sonic- and performance-based new gloamings.
Umbramorph - Based around donning an umbral costume to gain evolutions, as well as becoming more adept at shadow summoning than a regular shadewright. Can make shade strike attacks with semi-incorporeal "shadow limbs".
So that's it. I hope that might give people an idea of which archetypes they might want to explore. As I said, I appreciate any and all commentary. Hope you enjoy!
Cheers,
- Gears
So, I am giving a little bump to the shadewright and also mentioning that I have created yet another archetype for this class, prompted by suggestions on the GitP forums.
This is a disease- and healing-themed archetype that turns you into a sort of mixture between an umbral plague doctor and a tricksy shadowy snake-oil salesman. I hope people like it. The above is a direct link, but the archetype is located in the Google Drive folder linked to in the OP, and there's where people will always be able to find the most up-to-date version of the quacksalver, as with all other shadewright files.
Cheers,
- Gears
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I am interested in this class. I will look it over this week.
Cheers! Looking forward to hearing what you think.
I haven't read it yet, but I expect some similarities to my Stalker - and the same ideas approached from different angles.
That was an early version - I later split it into shadow lash focused medium BAB rogue-like shadowjack and low BAB shadow weaving-focused shadowshifter (*sigh* why I didn't shadewright... ah, well, great choice for the name).
I avoided going the shadow conjuration way, though, because I felt that that spell chain is too restrictive for my purpose, though.
Minor issue: I am not sure if 'realness' is a real word in English. It seems to me that the proper forms would be real, more real, the most real instead. I'd replace the repeated cases of 'realness' with tangibility maybe?
As a sucker for all things Darkness, I look forward to reading this in-depth. A cursory glance didn't reveal any glaring problems, granted I didn't have the time to comb through everything, let alone all the Gloamings. More comments forthcoming when I have the time.
Don't worry, Drejk. "Realness" is 100% totally a word. It's the noun version of the popular adjective "real". :)
I'll take a gander at your class. I'm glad you like the name at least. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
@Vorata: There is obviously quite a lot of material to read. I'm just glad you find the class interesting enough to dive into. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts also!
Cheers,
- Gears
Shade Blade: Any particular reason it requires 10 minutes to forge? With duration of 1 hour per level it might become a bit unhandy at 1st or 2nd level, when you need to seriously reduce your resources to get it, and the duration to cast time ration is unfavorable. Especially at 1st level - during the usual adventuring I'd say that spending 10 minutes and a use of your other major power should be more useful if the combat does not happens within next hour.
@Drejk: Not exactly a particular reason: I just like for it to take a bit of time to forge, especially at later levels. Now, there is a feat one can take to speed the forging of it up. I agree it's a bit unhandy at low levels; I originally had the duration at 4 hours + your class level. I may return to that if others echo your concern. It's certainly a valid point.
Your stalker looks cool by the way. I haven't run the numbers on it (and maths is not my strong suit), but the mechanics for the shadow mark ability look really interesting. A lot more sophisticated than the shadewright's way of going about things.
Shadow Reservoir: Is there any particular reason for a rather unusual progression instead of more typical 1/2 level + Cha modifier or level + Cha modifier (like alchemist bombs)? Balancing factor at higher levels (which I haven't reached yet)?
I tried out a lot of pool sizes for the shadow reservoir. 1/2 level + Cha seemed too small when I made sample builds. Level + Cha seemed too large, although it was probably closer to correct than 1/2 level. So I settled for the midpoint. Sometimes when I look at the class and I'm feeling in a generous mood I feel like changing it to level + Cha, but at other times 3/4 level + Cha feels spot-on. If I hear a lot of people saying the pool seems too small, raising it to level + Cha would not be a problem.
@Drejk: Not exactly a particular reason: I just like for it to take a bit of time to forge, especially at later levels. Now, there is a feat one can take to speed the forging of it up. I agree it's a bit unhandy at low levels; I originally had the duration at 4 hours + your class level. I may return to that if others echo your concern. It's certainly a valid point.
Your stalker looks cool by the way. I haven't run the numbers on it (and maths is not my strong suit), but the mechanics for the shadow mark ability look really interesting.
Well, honestly I haven't had a chance to test the marks and their math in practice. On paper they seem to be weaker than sneak attack in direct damage and their primary value should be in twists that modify them and in ability to discharge them from a distance and desired time.
Here is more actual version... In short - shadow weavings are a minor feature now, mostly delegated to be a major feature of shadowshifter base class, which lingers on my drive for over a year (I need to post him later). I am quite interested in some of your archetypes that (judging from their descriptions in the OP) might be closer to shadowshifter than the shadowjack.
Yeah, sorry, I was reading fast. I checked out the shadowjack and posted my thoughts at a first glance in there.
One of the first impression regarding the shadewright's call shadows ability... Why specifically shadow conjuration only and not shadow evocation?
Guess (before reading other archetypes/gloamings): is there an archetype/gloaming that grants access to shadow evocation while using call shadows?
There are gloamings that grant access to both evocation and necromancy spells to be mimicked via call shadows, yes. Honestly, I felt like shadow conjuration, especially the way it works via call shadows, will be such a powerful and versatile tool in the right hands, that just giving out shadow evocation for free felt gratuitous.
One of the first impression regarding the shadewright's call shadows ability... Why specifically shadow conjuration only and not shadow evocation?
Guess (before reading other archetypes/gloamings): is there an archetype/gloaming that grants access to shadow evocation while using call shadows?
Ah, here it is... Biting shadows. I am unsure if there is really a need to restrict it to a minimum of 9th level, though.
Yeah, that was a judgement call on my part. I could probably bump both biting shadows and necrotic shadows (which grants necromancy spells) down to 6th level. I'm not stressed out about having either of those available at a lower level.
So, after mulling a few things over, I've made the following changes: the shade blade ability, and similar abilities possessed by archetypes that require a 10-minute ritual to complete (shade mail, umbral costume etc.), have had their durations changed to 4 hours plus one hour per class level after 4th.
I lowered the level prereq of biting shadows and necrotic shadows from 9th level to 6th level. I also lowered the prereq for the dusk mage's boundless shadows gloaming from 12th to 9th level.
Lastly, I extended the duration of the portable shade gloaming from 1 minute per class level to 10 minutes per class level.
All these changes are now reflected in the Google Docs files in the link in the OP.
I am also working on a blasty, somewhat kineticist-inspired archetype called the shadefire adept, as well as a more generally Occult Adventures-inspired one called the twilight mystic; hopefully these will be done before this week is out. Will post when those are finished.
Cheers,
- Gears
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I've enjoyed looking at these. Keep up the good work.
I've enjoyed looking at these. Keep up the good work.
+1. Saved for future use.
Cheers. Glad you guys like 'em!
Started going through the Gloamings this afternoon, one question so far. Regarding Shadow Familiar, Improved (Ex) and Shadow Familiar, Greater (Ex): The familiar changes its form and functions as Shadow and Greater Shadow respectively, correct? As it does not state otherwise, the way it currently reads is that the familiar should also have Create Spawn. Is this intended? Granted I may have missed a line addressing that ability.
Oh, no. That's a good catch, Vorata. Just like a shadowdancer's shadow companion, an improved and greater shadow familiar is not intended to have the create spawn ability. I'll amend those two gloamings to reflect that. Thanks for spotting that!
In other news, this now exists:
As always, if changes are made, the most up-to-date version can be found in the Google Docs folder linked to in the OP.
Alright, so I have now finished the twilight mystic, and here is the direct link:
I feel like it changes the class more than almost any archetype to date, so I hope it still balances out. Any comments would be appreciate. I thought this would be the last one, but I am now considering also creating a kyton-themed archetype that can graft bits of slain enemies onto itself to gain various abilities. I might do that one if people think it sounds cool. I'd also be open to any suggestions if people feel there are any shadow-themed niches missing that could be adequately filled by a shadewright archetype.
Cheers,
- Gears
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Alright so:
"There's a secret song at the center of the world and its sound is like razors through flesh. I'm here to turn up the volume."
Hope you like! This is probably the last archetype the class will be getting.
Cheers,
- Gears
Aside from being a bit disturbing, that is amazing flavor wise. Immediately conjures images from Hellraiser!
Glad you think so! It was really only because it felt too obvious that I didn't name the archetype the Cenobite, but instead went for a synonym!
Well, I guess I was wrong. I dun another archetype:
A sort of shadowy cat burglar who can steal all kinds of things. I'm still not sure about the balance of the umbral theft ability, so it may need some tweaking, but I think the central concept is solid.
Props to Aergoth over at the gitp forums for the shadow trapper gloaming; based off his spiffy Wallshadow archetype!
Cheer,
- Gears
Well, in case people are still interested, I'm afraid I have committed further archetyping:
The Crepuscularch - an eccentric umbral aristocrat who gains access to an extradimensional shadow mansion into which to lure their enemies. You get to design your own shadow demesne, which can include aquariums, kitchens and even a throne room!
The Dark Beguiler - an enchantment and "pure" illusion-themed shadewright, somewhat akin to the dusk mage in that it effectively changes the class into a "full caster", albeit one hopefully a bit more balanced than your average 9th-level caster.
The Gloom Zealot - a shadowy inquisitor/umbral cleric sort of an archetype, allowing you to infuse your deity's favored weapon with shadow-stuff instead of forging a shade blade, granting (weird) casting off the inquisitor spell list instead of call shadows, and a bunch of creepy "shadow preacher" powers.
I would promise to stop after these, but I once created 64 blood scion bloodlines, so I wouldn't keep my hopes up.
Cheers,
- Gears
You'll truly stop this project when all thought towards it ends and you know it. I can see you taking a break on this wondrous project, but I think it is one of those things down the road, at some point, you or someone else is going to come up with some niche left to fill and then it will rise back up.
I think it has a wonderful flavor and is fairly well balanced, but then again I've always had a bias towards, among other things, the Shadow Plane.
Keep up the good work, I'll be keeping my eyes on this project, both here and elsewhere.
Small update!
Aside from the fact that Google Drive seems to be really wonky right now (unless it's just on my end), there were a few tweaks and additions made to the Crepuscularch over on the GiantITP fora, so here's a more up-to-date version:
Special thanks to SkipSandwich and KitsuneBoxing (hilarious buddy cop move in the making? :P) for helping me with this one and coming up with a bunch of cool ideas for gloamings for it.
Cheers,
- Gears
UFOs? Bigfoots? Cattle mutilation?!
CHUPACABRAS!
This lady has seen them all, but not necessarily of her own volition.
I give you my latest debased archetype for the shadewright:
It's somewhat a WIP, but PEACH, to use this fancy new-fangled forum slang. I'm fully open to tweaking it, but I think the core concept is solid enough to show off. Hope y'all enjoy!
Cheers,
- Gears
While I feel it may be a bit on the watered down side in terms of flavor, though thats more from the standpoint of personal taste and familiarity, the uncommoner actually looks to be a structurally sound archetype. It also looks to be unique in that it nixes mixing with my tainted shadewright archetype, something that actually I think to be just fine. All in all, though it is not an archetype generally to my tastes, good work.
As you said, it is a WiP, but I can't think of any needed changes.
Well, I did make a few changes (reflected in the document available via the link in the OP), meaning that the link in my last post is a bit out of date.
Basically, a few abilities needed clarifying regarding how they work, and some needed additional restrictions on daily uses, but I do agree that I don't think any radical changes are required. I may of course have overlooked something crucial, but as things stand now I think it feels very fun and kooky. Time will, I daresay, tell.
Also, don't worry. I'm starting to nurture the seed of an idea for an alloprax-themed racial archetype for the shadewright, along with a few racial gloamings. It still needs mulling over, but I think it may be quite cool and distinct, flavor-wise, from the uncommoner.
Cheers,
- Gears
Well, i look forward to seeing it. If it falls by the wayside, im certain I could manage something, but something from the class's brewer is always preferable.
Speaking of archetypes, I did produce an ur-priest archetype for the alloprax: The Suhnnyth (roughly translating to Pact Servant, IIRC). It may be a WiP, a few days from being in the main post, but its up on these forums and ready to be picked at.
A bit fresh off the assembly line, but here's my racial archetype for Xuldarinar's awesome alloprax race:
Cheers,
- Gears
I genuinely don't know what to say, asside from: What an amazing addition to the archetypes of the shadewright, and the options available to the alloprax.
I considered asking what domains you provide, but worship might be just a tad much.
Mechanically it looks solid, especially for a creative play. Flavor wise, it captures those things I favor most and blends them together. I'll have to toy with it a bit, see if I find any problems.
Since i cannot edit my last post to include this, here it is:
I like the idea of the flexible move earth ability world deformers possess. I do, but: The spell cannot be used for tunneling and is generally too slow to trap or bury creatures. Its primary use is for digging or filling moats or for adjusting terrain contours before a battle.
In this, you say that it can be used to do so but provides a save to resist. I think if rules were put forth to this end for damage (if i use move earth to try to force something through them, or to crush them, what happens?) and perhaps specifying casting time if it isn't 10+ minutes. Wording to me presently could mean it takes 1 round to use, or 1 round to revert. If I've missed something though, do let me know.
Everything else looks to be in shape, its just that section centered around that spell.
I'm glad you like the feel of the world deformer!
Let me address the issue of the move earth version of warp reality:
Once the move earth effect's duration expires, all its changes are reversed. I'm not sure why I added the "this takes 1 round" text. I think I wanted it to mean the reversal itself takes 1 round to happen, but that just seems needlessly complicated now. I'll remove that. Once the duration is up, all the changes are just instantly reversed.
Maybe this is me being rather arrogantly non-pedagogic in my wording of abilities, but I assumed all the changes to the spell effect would, in people's minds, naturally flow from the altered casting time. See, the only reason move earth normally cannot trap creatures and such is because it takes 10 minutes to cast. However, when you only need a full-round action to do so, this automatically no longer becomes the case. There's nothing in the spell's actual function that prevents it from being used offensively, merely in its casting time.
That being said, your point about what happens when you try to push terrain into your enemies is a good one, and I had overlooked that. I'll take a stab at rewriting the ability and post here when I've updated it.
Cheers,
- Gears
EDIT: How's this for a description for the move earth effect?
EDIT II: Small thing, but I also altered warp reality to replace shadow dominion, since it does after all give you what is essentially a capstone at 20th level in the form of the wish effect.
That stab at it works wonderfully. Its not a directly offensive ability, but something a resourceful character can make full use of.
You make a fair case for the replacement of shadow dominion. Wish, cost or not, is a capstone in of itself.
Yeah. I did lower the cost of limited wish and wish by 1 point each, though. Makes the capstone a bit more capstone-y.
Here's a direct link to the updated version: World Deformer
I'm glad I was able to make the rugose alloprax proud with this one at any rate. I love me some animated objects, so I think this would be a blast to play.
Cheers,
- Gears
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Dude. The uncommoner.
It needs an unexplained phenomena that exploits that malevolent twisting architecture and alien geometries of haunted houses and eldtrich multidimensional places. Like a dimension door that allows the uncommoner to run in one door and come out in another unrelated door or go up the stair and windup back in the same floor or outside the house.
Mostly because with that, Disguised, Forgotten Aptitude and Expertise, Surprise Resilience, Strioke of Luck and Twist of Fate, plus the feats Animal Ally, Run and Fleet a bunch of times, I could build Shaggy and Scooby.
More seriosuly, while this is a very fun archetype for a comedy one-shot, it is unplayably weak for anything else, and kinda of an NPC archetype. It's literally an commoner with some small powers. Could be a commoner archetype instead f a Shadewright archetype.
Is that intentional?
I mean, is it supposed to be an NPC that gets weird things to happen to him? Or is it supposed to e a PC that learns stuff, survives being in a horror movie or game and becomes better, even if it is just better at surviving?
Sorry for the rant, but one of the classes I've been trying to realize for the last couple years started on a similar idea of playing a commoner that keeps getting into PC stuff and surviving it and my main struggle has been to keep that feel while giving him class features to keep him relevant and useful as a PC.
In that vein, I'm stealing the Unexplained Phenomena for my class.
Yoink :)
Well, I'm sure the uncommoner could use some tweaks, but I think you're getting too hung up on the chassis. I mean, the unchained rogue has mariginally better base stats, but its class features suck compared to those of the uncommoner. Rogues get nothing even close to surprise resilience, stroke of luck and twist of fate, not to mention forgotten aptitude and all the immunities that come with uncanny allies (including getting an attack that hits automatically without requiring attack rolls).
Now, I would certainly be amendable to tweaking or boosting the archetype but no, it's not intended to be an unplayable joke class. The fluff is certainly that of an NPC-esque character, and I should hope it lends itself well to comical characters a la Rincewind from the Discworld series and similar. But from a mechanical perspective the archetype is very much a serious endeavor and intended to be playable. I must admit I find it disheartening that it gave such a weak first impression. It's rather one of the archetypes I like best.
I could definitely imagine ramping up the base stats (maybe just do d8 HD, 3/4 BAB and good Reflex like the rogue), or I could increase the number of unexplained phenomena uses. I also wouldn't be averse to just creating a few further unexplained phenomena powers to shore up a few weaknesses. But unless my balance radar is way off, I find it hard to credit that this archetype would require much more than that. I don't mean to be overly combative, but I would suggest looking a bit closer at its abilities.
Other than that, steal away. But if you're gonna yoink my class features, you have to help me understand why you find my archetype so abysmally underpowered, because "unplayably weak" strikes me as rather hyperbolic. I mean, I would barely even call the Core Rogue unplayably weak, and I have a hard time seeing how this archetype isn't miles ahead of that poor blighter.
Cheers,
- Gears
EDIT: Sorry! In my fervent defense of the uncommoner's honor, I totally forgot to acknowledge that that's a great idea for an unexplained phenomena power, and consider it yoinked as well. :)
EDIT II: I thought I'd update this to post a few suggestions off the top of my head for boosting the uncommoner to see if they seem like they would solve its playability issues. Do one, more or all of the following:
2) Change Surprise Resilience to be usable more often as well (maybe 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th level).
3) Create a sort of "lesser wish" type pheomena power that lets you replicate any sorcerer/wizard or cleric/oracle spell (finding some flavor-appropriate way of solving material component costs for expensive spells), that starts out being able to do 1st level spells (or create an equivalent effect, as per wish), increasing to cap out at maybe 4th, 5th or 6th level spells, usable once per day to start with, increasing slowly but surely to something like four-five uses daily at 20th level.
Well with low bab and nothing to increase it besides stroke of luck he can't attack until level 5. Also the bonus to attack from uncanny allies is useless since troops, like swarms, don't roll attack and simply deal damage to enemies in range. With all weak saves and a d6 HD he will depend on underworld armor, stroke of luck, surprise resilience and twist of fate any time some enemy looks in his direction. On low levels he will depend on ball lighting since unexplainable beings only have 10% HP and damage.
The main problem is that he needs to use the same pool for survival, attack, and for utility and I think it will not be enough. I'll make a build and run it through a few scenarios see how he works.
Also the first time I read "but only a single unexplained phenomenon can happen to the uncommoner each round." I think I registered as only one phenomon can be in effect at a time and got a knee jerk reaction to the long working phenoomena like Underworld Armor. Now that I read it again I noticed my mistake. Sorry.
I don't think it needs an increase in BAB or HD, but maybe some passive abilities could help. Increased speed from running from horrors all his life, a bonus to will from becoming jaded to all the jumpscares and ghost possessions and what not, a fort bonus from going through so many swamps and abandoned hospitals, maybe some more ways for him to participate in combat besides suummoning and uncanny allies.
On more phenoma I've thought of some but they would be less 'random weird' and more 'this is now a scene from a horror movie/game'
A weird one would be Conspiracy Pawn: A member of a shadowy conspiracy approaches the uncommoner as if he was part of the consiracy and delivers him a small item that may prove useful or some information dossiers or some orders. It may be a mistake, or the uncommoner may be a sleeper agent or maybe he is being used by the conspiracy. He gains a bonus to a knowledge check in the next hour or reduces the time for a diplomacy check to gather information or something like that.
This is not to be nitpicky, but I fear I must refer you to scrutinize the troop subtype more closely:
"Troops threaten all creatures within their reach or within their area, and attempt attacks of opportunity as normal with their troop attack."
I'll spoiler the rest of my musings to save space:
I'm all for creating more unexplained phenomena, although if they get too many I have to have the ability replace one or two gloamings as well. I do like the feel of them being basically frail but getting saved in the nick of time by odd happenings, though, so I'm not really psyched about a lot of passive abilities. I could certainly imagine immunity to fear effects and such, but overall I'd prefer giving more daily uses of stroke of luck rather than dependable, passive bonuses.
Yeah, as I stated, I'm completely prepared to believe the unexplained phenomena pool is too small. I wouldn't mind increasing it at all. But, as stated, that would be far more preferable to me, as opposed to creating a bunch of passive abilities. I don't mind some of those, but I'm trying to keep the number down. These guys are meant to be risky and weird, but I'd rather introduce a "it turns out she didn't actually die" type of contingent breath of life ability or things like that if survivability's the issue.
Anyway, I really like all your suggestions. I'm currently working on implementing all the cool stuff you and other people over on the GiantITP forums suggested for the Battlecaster, but I'll try working on the uncommoner in tandem. I know it's a kind of a goofy archetype, but it's near and dear to my heart and I feel it's worth investing a lot of energy into tweaking. I had already been considering some kind of conspiracy theory-themed power, so I'll look into that. Although I wouldn't want it to step too much on the toes of the bleak clerk by letting them just nab random items. I'll post an update here when I've gotten 4-5 new unexplained phenomena in order. Increasing the uses per day is also obviously on the table for version 2.0.
Cheers,
- Gears
So, just a quick update on the uncommoner.
I granted more daily uses to both Stroke of Luck and Unexpected Resilience, which seemed like a logical way of giving them a bit more of a boost. I also made it so that Umbral Bigfoot scales, so you can eventually gain a bigfoot in all kinds of terrains, not just the woods.
Three new unexplained phenomena abilities added: Umbral Conspiracy, Unaware Teleport and Unfazed. I haven't yet increased the daily uses of unexplained phenomena, as I'm still not entirely convinced that step is necessary. I did however add an Extra Unexplained Phenomena feat which grants two additional daily uses each time it's selected.
Here's a direct link to the updated version:
Cheers,
- Gears
EDIT: In other news, I fixed the world deformer's warp reality ability so the move earth effect affects square feet with a limited depth, rather than cubes. This brings it more in line with how the spell works, and makes a lot more sense.
Okay after testing some builds, I changed my mind. The uncommoner is a solid tier 2. He starts weak as hell but about level 7 he has great utility and can summon stuff like nobodies business and his utility just increases by level.
First build: Shaggy
Human Uncommoner Shadewright 12, 20ptb
Str 12 Dex 16 Con 12 Int 12 Wis 10 Cha 18/22
Feats: Run; Nature Soul; Dodge; Animal Ally (Dog); Fleet; Mobility; Sidestep
Skills: Disguise, Acrobatics, Ride, Handle Animal
Gloamings: Shadowy Avoidance; Hide In Plain Sight; Shadow Initiative; Gloom Seer
Relevant Items: Headband of Charisma +4
Unexplained Phenomena: 18
One UP is used to turn into a shadow point and another to start Underworld Armor everyday as son as he wakes up, leaving 16 points for other Phenomena. Shaggy mostly uses Disguised, Forgotten Aptitude and Expertise, Surprise Resilience, Stroke of Luck and Twist of Fate.
Jokey character, but the list of Gloamings is actually pretty solid and doesn't eat his Unexplained Phenoma. Any chance of a Shadow Speed or Speed of Darkness Gloaming? As Pratchett said darkness is faster than light, because wherever light goes, darkness is there first waiting for it. Also would improve the Shaggyness of the build a lot. Also you should increase the skillpoints. Only classes that can get by with 2 a level are int based fullcasters. If I could afford Bluff and a ix of Stealth and Disable Device Shaggy could work pretty well as a face character and abackup rogue.
Second build Garret
Human Uncommoner Shadewright 1, 20ptb
Str 10 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 18
Feats: Light Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier)
Weapon: Rapier
Skills: Perception, Bluff, Stealth
Unexplained Phenomena: 6
One point in Underworld Armor means he actually has a pretty good AC, Leaving him with five rounds of ball lighting and really hoping to have less than four fights or that all fights end in round one. With only two skill points and no int he can't even do like a wizard and be helpful with skill checks.
Garret Level 5
Human Uncommoner Shadewright 1, 20ptb
Str 10 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 19
Feats: Light Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Weapon Finesse, Extra Unexplained Phenomena
Skills: Perception, Bluff, Stealth
Gloamings: Shadowy Avoidance
Unexplained Phenomena: 11
One point in Underworld Armor is still obligatory. But now we can become a troop and have a summon going on every fight. Free action summoning rocks. He has three UP really free for utility, maybe more if he has a low CR fight, but most likely this UP will be used to Twist of Fate and Stroke of Luck any saves he has to make. Trying to use his rapier on anything besides as a troop starts to become useless.
Garret Level 12
Human Uncommoner Shadewright 1, 20ptb
Str 10 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 21/25
Feats: Light Armor Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (rapier), Weapon Finesse, Extra Unexplained Phenomena x2;
Skills: Perception, Bluff, Stealth
Gloamings: Shadowy Avoidance, Trough a Glass Darkly, Shadow Jump, Umbral Communion
Unexplained Phenomena: 23
Relevant Items: Headband of Charisma +4
Underworld Armor continues to be an always on ability. I got a few more utility gloamings instead of focusing on passives, since by level 7-8 you actually have enough to spend on the utilities. You can also go crazy with summons when fighting bosses, Ball Lighting, Bigfoot, Skeletons, an Unexplainable, plus your own troop, that is a lot of creatures under your control. Maybe a Shadow Familiar and a Nightshade if you get those Gloamings.
The build still has two open feats, mt sure what to do with them except more EUP and Extra Gloamings, or maybe get Medium and Heavy Armor Prof since Underworld Armor can stack and Phenomena don't have spell failura chance. In fact a better build might be to just get Armor Profs and Extra Gloamings and Unexplainable Phenomena.
I went with rapier for better damage but now that I rethink it maybe a bow would be better so I can shoot while the summons fight and get longspear as my simple weapon for using as troop.
My main preocupation is the lack of skillpoints, specially at low levels. I'm of the opinion that no class should have less than four skillpoints per level, except maybe int using full casters.
At first sight the free action summoning is a little worrying, but the creatures aren't particualrly powerfull, are buffed by summoning feats and unlike an actual caster the uncommoner doesn't really have anything to with his other actions. He can miss with a crossbow or sling, move around the battlefield, maybe try to feint or demoralize an enemy. He can't cast a buff or fireball or even a second UP. It also has the side effect of making it look less like random crap and more like there is some supernatural powerhouse that really wants to potect the Uncommoner.
The uncommoner might get the master summoner problem though. Not particularly powerful, but bad because of having too many critter and too long turns. Making the summon Phenomenas a move action or standard wouldn't help, he doesn't have many uses for his action economy and the problem is more of a lack of options. A solution would be to give him other things to do on his turn besides becoming a troop then summoning every round. I'll give some ideas on the next spoiler.
Unexplainable Phenomena:
Potergeist Haunt: Area debuff as mischievous spirits or fey move small objects, tug at clothes and are generally annoying. -2 to attack and damage, to concentration checks and to dex and str skill checks. Affects everyone except those that pass a Will save.
Sudden Possession: Enemy gets possessed by a vengeful ghost or angry demon. Does confusion or like a short duration Dominate, anything that makes him immediately attack other enemies. It's a possession effect instead of compulsion though. Can instead affect an ally giving him some bonus, like rage or something.
Expontaneous Combustion: 1d6 fire damage per level, fort halves, not ref because the flames come from inside the creature, maybe affects more enemies at once as you advance in levels.
Unnatural Sounds: The area around the Uncommoner is filled with the sound of rattling chains, screams of the damned, evil laughter, creepy children songs or dark gloomy instrumental sounds or maybe even unnatural eeiry silence. Penalty to perception checks and in saves against fear, caster have % of spell failure to spells with verbal or emotional components.
Silent Mists: Casts Obscuring Mist, later can upgrade to Haunting Mist, Solid Fog and Mind Fog, all centered on the Uncommoner. Can also be called Mists of the Hills.
Also Umbral Chemtrails should scale to Cloudkill and Incendiary Cloud.
Grasping Portal: Opens a portal to some other plane that releases alien tentacles or hellish chains that entangle and damage opponents.
I also had an idea for Unnatural Sights from seeing paintings that move, sudden blood messages on the wall, shadows and reflections that move out of sync and nightmares or hallucinations that would give the uncommoneer divinations, but you can do close enough with Umbral Communion and Through a Glass Darkly.
Also Unaware Teleport, to me, would be better as something like:
Alien Geometries: The haunting of powerful spirits or the closeness to eldritch abominations briefly alters geography, connecting doorways, altering gravity and warping time and space. This functions a portal between two doorways, stairways, holes in the ground, cave entrances, or anything that can be considered an 'entrance', 'gateway' or 'exit'. This portal opens when the Uncommoner passes through and either closes right after him or stays open till the begging of the Uncommoners next turn. Both exit and entrance need to be at least 10 ft from each per class level. The Uncommoner is not aware of the portal until he sees it or passes through it.
This way it can work both for Scooby Doo door shenaningans, but also for stuff from Stephen King, Lovecraft and House of Leaves. Open a door in the attic, go through, you're in the basement. Fall down the stairs or into a trap door and tumble out of a nearby door.open a closet door, it leads outside three stories up, or into the mouth of a nearby cave. Take a left turn and now you're into someone else house.
And I gotta admit, I don't understand how troops work. Their damage is your base weapon damage or is it something else and just use the damage type? Do you get extra HP or HD as a troop? What if you have a ranged weapon when you become a troop?
Thanks for the thorough analysis. Those are some valuable points, actually. One thing I am definitely going to do is limit it so that you can only have one instance of ball lightning/the dead walk/unexplained beings active simultaneously. That's a good catch.
Again, though, mercenario, I think you're a bit too quick to reach for the hyperbole. :)
Now this class has gone from "unplayably weak" to "tier 2" in one fell swoop. While I agree the spamming of summons is a problem (easily adressed, thankfully!), even if that were left in these guys wouldn't have the utility of a master summoner. All their summons are rounds per level, and even if acquiring a sasquatch a day is neat, even a 1/2-level eidolon has tons more to contribute to a party.
But having said that, you have brought up a few undeniable issues with the archetype, as well as suggested some interesting new UP options. I do have to ask what your actual constructive criticism is, though? I mean, "this class is T2, here's six new free abilities I think it should get" seems like rather a strange design note, even though I really like the flavor of these suggestions.
Cheers,
- Gears
EDIT: Oh, right, I forgot to explain how troops works. It's actually not that complicated. A troop attack works exactly like a swarm attack (damage based on HD, not on any weapon held by the troop creature) except you can make regular attacks and attacks of opportunity with it. A troop attack cannot be ranged, only melee. Creatures with the troop type that want to use ranged attacks are granted special ranged attacks (not part of the subtype itself), but I didn't want the uncommoner to gain anything like that, so it's melee only.
Alright, so I've made some changes to the uncommoner yet again, and an updated version is available via the Google Drive link in the OP.
After VM mercenario's rather thorough critique, I've done the following:
* Umbral bigfoots are now afraid of shadows, and so vanish and cannot be called if the uncommoner has a warshade or her shadow familiar is detached.
* Forgotten expertise has been changed to grant temporary skill ranks, allowing the uncommoner to expend resources to compensate for her lowly skill ranks per level. If skills are still considered to be problematic, I could imagine buffing this to apply to two skills per use.
* Gift of tongues now grants comprehend languages for 1 hour per level, and at later levels can grant you speak with animals, speak with plants and tongues.
* Umbral chemtrails can improve to cloudkill at 10th and incendiary cloud at 15th level.
* Unexplained beings was nerfed slightly to bring the standard CR more in line with (but still higher than) your average summon monster spell.
* Added an unexplained fires power, as per mercenario's idea, as well as an unnatural noises one.
* Removed the unknown and twist of fate powers, as uncommoners can already select the incognito and black cat gloamings, which have similar effects and feel more flavorful and/or balanced anyway.
* @VM mercenario: While I think your other suggestions are really cool too, I feel like between all the archetype-specific gloamings the uncommoner can gain in addition to its unexplained phenomena and the standard gloaming list, they have enough options to do things other than gain the troop subtype and summon things at this point. I think they can create most "iconic" paranormal effects at this stage (from an admittedly potentially endless list). I hope you will agree after reviewing the updated version.
Well, that is it for now. Any and all comments welcome.
Cheers,
- Gears