CDR_Doom
2009-07-16, 11:52 AM
Hey all, I wanted a class that was focused on mounted combat, in a striker role. It's similar to a ranger variant, but gains bonuses for fighting mounted instead of fighting ranged or with two weapons. I'm pretty new to tabletop gaming, and this is the first time I've tried to homebrew something, so any help you guys could give me (suggestions, problems, balance issues you see) would be very much appreciated. I haven't yet created powers for the class, but the low-level ones should be forthcoming soon if I get the sense that what I have so far isn't terribly unbalanced/broken in some way.
Cavalier
Key Abilities: Dex, Wis, Str
Armor Proficiency: cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, light shield
Weapon Proficiency: simple melee, military melee, simple ranged
Defense bonus: +2 Reflex
HP at 1st level: 13 + Constitution score
HP gained per level: 5
Healing Surges per day: 8 + Constitution modifier
Trained skills: choose 4 class skills
Class skills: Nature, Athletics, Endurance, Heal, Perception, Intimidate
Build options: Proud Warrior, Skilled Rider
Class features: Mount Empathy, Training Focus, Combat Rider
Mount Empathy: You form an empathic link to a single rideable creature. If the link is severed, you may form another link, but it takes (some amount of time) to form.
Training Focus: If you chose Proud Warrior as your build option, you gain the Warrior Training class feature; if you chose Skilled Rider, you gain the Rider Training class feature.
Warrior Training: You gain +1(increased to +2 at level 11) to all attack rolls while on your empathicly linked mount.
Rider Training: You gain +1(increased to +2 at level 11) to either your AC or Reflex defenses(you must choose at time of character creation) while on your empathicly linked mount
Combat Rider: You gain Mounted Combat as a bonus feat at level 1
I need to refine the Mount Empathy class feature still, I'm not sure how long a time it should take to form the link, or all the ways that it can be broken; death of either mount or rider would break the link, you can voluntarily sever the link, and I think maybe if an attack against your Will defense hits, you have to make a saving throw to keep the link from severing.
Since a Cavalier is kinda useless without a mount,I also need to come up with a cheap mount that's affordable for a level 1 character. I'm thinking maybe some sort of young horse that has no special combat abilities, a speed of 7 or 8, and a slightly reduced carrying load.
Thanks in advance for all of your thoughts/comments/solutions/wisdom.
Cavalier
Key Abilities: Dex, Wis, Str
Armor Proficiency: cloth, leather, hide, chainmail, light shield
Weapon Proficiency: simple melee, military melee, simple ranged
Defense bonus: +2 Reflex
HP at 1st level: 13 + Constitution score
HP gained per level: 5
Healing Surges per day: 8 + Constitution modifier
Trained skills: choose 4 class skills
Class skills: Nature, Athletics, Endurance, Heal, Perception, Intimidate
Build options: Proud Warrior, Skilled Rider
Class features: Mount Empathy, Training Focus, Combat Rider
Mount Empathy: You form an empathic link to a single rideable creature. If the link is severed, you may form another link, but it takes (some amount of time) to form.
Training Focus: If you chose Proud Warrior as your build option, you gain the Warrior Training class feature; if you chose Skilled Rider, you gain the Rider Training class feature.
Warrior Training: You gain +1(increased to +2 at level 11) to all attack rolls while on your empathicly linked mount.
Rider Training: You gain +1(increased to +2 at level 11) to either your AC or Reflex defenses(you must choose at time of character creation) while on your empathicly linked mount
Combat Rider: You gain Mounted Combat as a bonus feat at level 1
I need to refine the Mount Empathy class feature still, I'm not sure how long a time it should take to form the link, or all the ways that it can be broken; death of either mount or rider would break the link, you can voluntarily sever the link, and I think maybe if an attack against your Will defense hits, you have to make a saving throw to keep the link from severing.
Since a Cavalier is kinda useless without a mount,I also need to come up with a cheap mount that's affordable for a level 1 character. I'm thinking maybe some sort of young horse that has no special combat abilities, a speed of 7 or 8, and a slightly reduced carrying load.
Thanks in advance for all of your thoughts/comments/solutions/wisdom.