The Extrementalist - Like a FE Ranger [Base Class, 3.5]

[Baron Corm]

Some extrementalists are created at birth, from being born in the middle of a significant blizzard or sandstorm, or from being blessed by elemental spirits. Others become this way after years of living in harsh conditions, and becoming masters of their environment. However the extrementalist unlocks his powers, he becomes the best there is at surviving in that environment. After a certain level of attunement is attained, the extrementalist becomes able to bring his climate with him, forcing it upon the nearby land, and reasserting himself as master.

To anyone who's been paying attention, yes I made another class called the extrementalist, but it was horrible, and I liked the name, so I'm transferring it.

Extrementalist
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|Career Path, Climate Mastery +1
2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Spells, Elemental Attunement: Darkvision
3rd|+2|+1|+1|+3|Elemental Attunement: Eating
4th|+3|+1|+1|+4|Climate Shield I
5th|+3|+1|+1|+4|Climate Mastery +2
6th|+4|+2|+2|+5|Warp Climate I
7th|+5|+2|+2|+5|Elemental Attunement: Poison
8th|+6/+1|+2|+2|+6|Climate Shield II
9th|+6/+1|+3|+3|+6|Climate Mastery +3
10th|+7/+2|+3|+3|+7|Elemental Attunement: Sleep
11th|+8/+3|+3|+3|+7|Elemental Attunement: Paralysis
12th|+9/+4|+4|+4|+8|Climate Shield III, Warp Climate II
13th|+9/+4|+4|+4|+8|Climate Mastery +4
14th|+10/+5|+4|+4|+9|Elemental Attunement: Breathing
15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+5|+9|Elemental Attunement: Stunning
16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+5|+10|Climate Shield IV
17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+5|+10|Climate Mastery +5
18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+6|+11|Warp Climate III
19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+6|+11|Elemental Attunement: Critical Hits
20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+6|+12|Climate Shield V, Climate Bond[/table]

Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

The extrementalist is proficient with all simple weapons, and one martial weapon of his choice. He is proficient with light armor, but not with any shields.

Career Path

At first level, the extrementalist selects whether he prefers cold or hot climates. This will be the basis for his class features. The extrementalist does not benefit from his temperature band-related class abilities unless both he and the attacking or defending creature are in the named temperature band.

Climate Mastery (Ex)

An extrementalist's base attack bonus and caster level increase by +1 while in at least a "severe cold" or "hot" climate, as appropriate. This bonus improves by +1 every 4 levels after first. While in at least a "extreme cold" or "severe heat" climate, as appropriate, the bonus is doubled, and this becomes a supernatural ability. If in an antimagic field or similar, the extrementalist retains the extraordinary portion.

Spells

The extrementalist can cast a small number of spells. His spellcasting is Wisdom-based. His spell list includes all spells with the [fire] or [cold] descriptor, as appropriate, as well as environment-based spells, as appropriate, such as control sand for hot climates. He may cast 3 spells per level per day. All spells are arcane, even if drawn from a divine spell list, and thus are subject to arcane spell failure. However, extrementalists ignore arcane spell failure when casting in light armor. If required to present a divine focus, the extrementalist's divine focus is a small part of his favored climate, such as a handful of snow or sand, thrown into the air. The extrementalist can also replace any material components that cost less than 1 gp with part of his favored climate. He gains spells known as shown in the following table.

Spells Known
{table=head]Class Level|0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9
1|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0
2|1|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0
3|1|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0
4|2|1|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0
5|2|1|0|0|0|0|0|0|0|0
6|3|2|1|0|0|0|0|0|0|0
7|3|2|1|0|0|0|0|0|0|0
8|4|3|2|1|0|0|0|0|0|0
9|4|3|2|1|0|0|0|0|0|0
10|5|4|3|2|1|0|0|0|0|0
11|5|4|3|2|1|0|0|0|0|0
12|6|5|4|3|2|1|0|0|0|0
13|6|5|4|3|2|1|0|0|0|0
14|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|0|0|0
15|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|0|0|0
16|8|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|0|0
17|8|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|0|0
18|9|8|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|0
19|9|8|7|6|5|4|3|2|1|0
20|10|9|8|7|6|5|4|3|2|1[/table]

While in at least a "hot" or "severe cold" climate, as appropriate, the extrementalist's spells are cast as spell-like abilities, and the extrementalist receives 2 extra spells per level per day. Any components must still be provided. While in at least a "severe heat" or "extreme cold" climate, the extrementalist's spells are cast as supernatural abilities, and the extrementalist can cast them at-will. Any components must still be provided.

If the extrementalist returns to an unfavorable climate, the extra spells per day he has used up do not count against his unfavorable total. He essentially has a separate pool for favorable and unfavorable climates.

Elemental Attunement (Ex)

Beginning at 2nd level, an extrementalist starts to take on the characteristics of an elemental native to his chosen climate. At the following levels, he receives the listed elemental traits:

2: Darkvision 60 feet.
3: Do not need to eat. Can still benefit from potions and spells such as heroes' feast.
7: Immunity to poison.
10: Do not need to sleep. Can trance for 4 hours to heal damage.
11: Immunity to paralysis.
14: Do not need to breathe.
15: Immunity to stunning.
19: Not subject to critical hits.

Climate Shield (Su)

The extrementalist receives resistance against fire or cold damage, as appropriate, equal to (1/4 his class levels x 5). At level 20, this becomes immunity to that damage type. In addition, he receives a bonus to Fortitude and Reflex saving throws while in at least a "severe cold" or "hot" climate, as appropriate, equal to 1/4 his class levels.

Warp Climate (Su)

At 6th level, the extrementalist gains the ability to warp the area around him to be closer to his preferred climate. In a radius of 30 feet centered on the extrementalist, temperatures move up or down one temperature band, as appropriate. The temperature returns to normal when the extrementalist leaves.

At levels 12 and 18, the temperature band moves up or down an additional level, as appropriate, and the radius of the climate change increases by 30 feet. The extrementalist may raise or lower the temperature change or radius as a free action, in one level or 5 ft increments, up to his limit.

Climate Bond (Ex)

At 20th level, the extrementalist's type changes to elemental. His spell DCs are increased by +1 per temperature band in his favored direction. While in at least a "severe cold" or "hot" climate, as appropriate, he receives immunity to mind-affecting effects.

[The Mentalist]

On the career path bit is it really necessary to mention they have to be in the same temperature band, unless you're playing an obscene distance archer the odds are it won't be relevant. Beyond that I really like the class

[Baron Corm]

Heh, because it has your name in it?

That clause was actually added in because with Warp Climate, you could have different climate up to a 30 foot distance, and your fireball has a much longer range than that.

[The Mentalist]

I didn't think of that on either count.

But, but... I like the idea of a distance archer shooting across temperature bands.

[Realms of Chaos]

Hmmm...

I can see what you were trying to do with it but there seems to be a few errors in the design.

First of all, I have no idea what an Extrementalist is. The fluff that I see does not tell me what one is, only what one does. Is it a monk from the wastelands, a variant ranger specializing in weather, a wizard who uses heat to their advantage? what is it?

Another small error is the lack of a skill list.

Next, this thing seems like a real gamble. Unlike the ranger, who can survive without running into their favored enemies, the extrementalist can't do much of anything (other than launch a spell) when in unfavorable climates until 6th level, when they can generate their own climate.

Another thing that bugs me is that his own power, drawn from extreme environments, kind of kills himself until 5th level, at which point, he is suddenly all-but immune to it. Also, keep in mind that you have to drag your friends into these scorching/freezing wastelands to get your class features.

The spells are both underpowered and overpowered. On the one hand, you have an incredibly limited spell list and an energy resistant foe can trounce him. On the other hand, you can have supernatural 9th level spells usable at will. Contrary to popular belief, an all-or-nothing approach does not create balance.
On an interesting note, the spells first say that you get 3 spells/level/day but your spells per day table shows us getting more than that (especially if we get them at will).

The most overpowered ability, however, is climate mastery. What could make you think that a +25 BAB was acceptable? Even epic level characters can't do that. The idea of +10 BAB and +10 caster level is far too much. Even if you need extreme circumstances for this, don't forget that you can construct such circumstances yourself when you start generating climates (and certain spells, such as fimblewinter from frostburn, might lower/raise it further).

In short, creating a class that sucks sometimes and is godly at other times isn't a good approach. Playing it either hoses yourself or forces your DM to change the campaign setting in a way so that you can shine, at which point you overshadow your entire party.

[Godskook]

@OP - does an Extrementalist, who casts all his spells in a 'hot' enviroment get new spell slots upon going to a colder(in this case, less favorable) climate? If so, that's a little more broken. I'd change the way that is worded from:

"He essentially has a separate pool for favorable and unfavorable climates."

to:

"An extrementalist always uses bonus slots gained from a favorable climate first."

And I assume he's a spont. caster right?

[Baron Corm]

Sorry for not replying, I didn't notice that there were replies.


First of all, I have no idea what an Extrementalist is. The fluff that I see does not tell me what one is, only what one does. Is it a monk from the wastelands, a variant ranger specializing in weather, a wizard who uses heat to their advantage? what is it?

The fluff that I made specified that an extrementalist could either be "blessed" by the environment at birth, as a favored soul or sorcerer, or "attuned" to the environment by his own doings, as a FE ranger.


Another small error is the lack of a skill list.

I don't play with class skills. Maybe I should mention that next time.


On an interesting note, the spells first say that you get 3 spells/level/day but your spells per day table shows us getting more than that (especially if we get them at will).

It's a spells known table.


The spells are both underpowered and overpowered. On the one hand, you have an incredibly limited spell list and an energy resistant foe can trounce him. On the other hand, you can have supernatural 9th level spells usable at will. Contrary to popular belief, an all-or-nothing approach does not create balance.


The most overpowered ability, however, is climate mastery. What could make you think that a +25 BAB was acceptable? Even epic level characters can't do that. The idea of +10 BAB and +10 caster level is far too much. Even if you need extreme circumstances for this, don't forget that you can construct such circumstances yourself when you start generating climates (and certain spells, such as fimblewinter from frostburn, might lower/raise it further).

What would you say to a main class feature that gave +10 attack and 2 iterative attacks to a 3/4 BAB class? Would you rather have this or sneak attack? I don't think it's overpowered. I don't really keep "acceptable" in mind when designing classes. I actually rather like using 25 BAB and supernatural spells to symbolize complete mastery while in favored conditions. Stolen slightly from the shadowcaster.


Next, this thing seems like a real gamble. Unlike the ranger, who can survive without running into their favored enemies, the extrementalist can't do much of anything (other than launch a spell) when in unfavorable climates until 6th level, when they can generate their own climate.

Another thing that bugs me is that his own power, drawn from extreme environments, kind of kills himself until 5th level, at which point, he is suddenly all-but immune to it. Also, keep in mind that you have to drag your friends into these scorching/freezing wastelands to get your class features.


In short, creating a class that sucks sometimes and is godly at other times isn't a good approach. Playing it either hoses yourself or forces your DM to change the campaign setting in a way so that you can shine, at which point you overshadow your entire party.

True. Going in to this I wanted him to be useless outside of his FE, which Warp Climate was supposed to help. I mean, you obviously wouldn't make a warm-weather extrementalist in a cold-weather campaign. But Warp Climate is also dumb.

Overall I think I should turn this into an NPC class. That was really what I had in mind to begin with. A local protector of the land. Perhaps I'll just make it a creature.