Gān (Base Class )3.5e PEACH

[y2kjman]

Class is completed, minus fluff... just want to make sure that class mechanics and abilities are interesting enough to actually warrant playing.
Is it under/overpowered? Flavor good enough? Etc etc

Chinese term gān is itself a bundle of functional interactions with other organ networks

The Gān are a group of peoples that have learned to control functions of their body, unlike Ki however, this control is gained by altering the chemical composition of their body. This allows control of such a high degree that it gives them some incredible abilities. Through controlling the functions and processes, Gān move faster, eat less, feel less pain, and are physically dominant in most if not all aspects of life.

Making a Gān

Races:

Alignment: Usually

[y2kjman]

(Obviously its based on the hormones created in each and every person... and a take on the hormone therapy so prevalent in society today.)


Game Rule Information
Abilities Constitution is the primary ability for a Gān, a high number of HP are necessary. Strength and Dexterity are important because the more damage dealt and the more injuries avoided... mean an abuser with much more staying power. Intelligence is important, the higher the Intelligence, the more skill points your character will have to spend. Charisma is possibly the least important of the abilities for a Gān.

Starting Gold: 2d4 x 10
Starting Age: as Barbarian

Hit Die: d10
Skill Points: 2+Int Modifier
Skill Points at 1st Level:(2+Int Modifier)*4
Class Skills:Climb(Str), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Open Lock(Dex), Search(Int), Listen(Wis), Spot(Wis), Heal(Wis)


{table=head]Class Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Gastrin, Faster than Thought
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Adrenaline +1/+2
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Hormones
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Dopamine 1/-, Cytokine Response
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Serotonin 2/day
6th|+6|+5|+5|+5|Reflexive Impulse
7th|+7|+5|+5|+5|Adrenaline +2/+4
8th|+8|+6|+6|+6|Dopamine 2/-
9th|+9|+6|+6|+6|Insulin 1/day
10th|+10|+7|+7|+7|Hormones, Melatonin Purge
11th|+11|+7|+7|+7|Oxytocin
12th|+12|+8|+8|+8|Dopamine 3/-, Adrenaline +3/+6
13th|+13|+8|+8|+8|Faster than Thought
14th|+14|+9|+9|+9|Insulin 2/day
15th|+15|+9|+9|+9|Serotonin 4/day
16th|+16|+10|+10|+10|Dopamine 4/-
17th|+17|+10|+10|+10|Hormones, Adrenaline +5/+10
18th|+18|+11|+11|+11|Lymphokine Barrier
19th|+19|+11|+11|+11|Insulin 3/day
20th|+20|+12|+12|+12|Dopamine 5/-, Roid Rage
[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies A Gān is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons; light, medium, and heavy armors; and shields (except tower shields).

Gastrin (Ex): A Gān has absolute control over her stomach and gains the ability to produce excess amounts of Gastrin. The Gān gains a +4 bonus to all Fortitude saves against ill effects from food and drink.

Fast Movement (Ex):A Gān has a land speed that is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet due to his .

Adrenaline Rush(Ex): Gān are thoroughly versed in living for the moment. They naturally rely on adrenaline more than most, allowing themselves to truly relish combat and the defeat of an enemy. Even pain is used as a tool to help them concentrate and excite the blood. Beginning at first level, Gān gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls upon losing a third of his or her health, and again when they lose another third of their health. The exact benefits vary depending upon your level; consult the chart below.

Adrenaline Rush
{table=head]Level| 2/3rd HP Remaining| 1/3rd HP Remaining
1st|+1|+2
6th|+2|+3
11th|+3|+6
16th|+5|+10[/table]

Hormones (Ex): A Gān learns how to change the basic underlying chemical balance of her body. At 3rd, 10th, and 17th level, the Gān may gain a permanent +1 bonus to his Strength or Dexterity score in return for a -1 penalty to whichever score he did not choose. He also gains a +1 bonus to his Constitution score.

{table=head]Type|Str|Dex|Con
Testosterone|+1|-1|+1
Estrogen|-1|+1|+1[/table]

Dopamine (Ex):Gān are able to alter the chemical balance of her body to such a massive extent, that pain can be made inconsequential. Dopamine is produced in larger and larger amounts by Gān which confers the benefit of feeling less pain. The bonus is 1/- at level 4 and increases every 4 levels thereafter.

Level|Damage Reduction
4th|DR 1/-
8th|DR 2/-
12th|DR 3/-
16th|DR 4/-
20th|DR 5/-


Cytokine Response (Ex): A Gān body has a much faster and more powerful response to trauma. When reduced to between –1 and –9 hit points, you automatically become stable. You don’t have to roll d% to see if you lose 1 hit point each round.

When reduced to negative hit points, you may choose to act as if you were disabled, rather than dying. You must make this decision as soon as you are reduced to negative hit points (even if it isn’t your turn). If you do not choose to act as if you were disabled, you immediately fall unconscious.

Lymphokine Barrier (Ex): A Gān gains immunity to all diseases and poisons as a result of his Lymphatic System going into overdrive producing more and more lymphokines.

Serotonin (Ex): A Gān has the ability to produce extra Seratonin 2/day as a standard action. Once the ability is used the abuser gains a +1 to all rolls for 1 round/Abuser Level. This ability gains new uses/day at level 15.

Reflexive Impulse: The Gān has learned to use his nervous system to a much greater portion of its potential than most others. This allows him to be able to respond to things he isn't consciously aware of. A Gān of 6th level or higher can no longer be flanked. This defense denies the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than you have Gān levels.

Insulin (Ex): Once per day at level 9, a Gān is able to alter the amount of insulin flowing in his bloodstream. This gives her body the ability to process foods much more effectively, granting the Gān Haste as per the Wizard Spell and fast healing 3 for 3d6 rounds. Use 1/day, extra uses granted at level 14 and level 19.

Melatonin Purge (Ex): At level 10, the Gān is able to purge all melatonin from his body. Effectively rendering sleep unnecessary.

Oxytocin (??): At level 11 a Gān gains the "Cuddle Hormone" in mass quantities, the character must choose a PC, or NPC as a love interest. When 100ft or nearer to her love interest, the abuser gains +1 bonuses to all rolls that directly benefit this interest.

Faster than Thought (Ex):Continuing to dig into the latent capabilities of the human body, Gān are able to refine further their senses to react quickly to danger. Confers a +2 bonus to reflex saves.

May need a new capstone due to the focus on controlling production vice doping up.
The old capstone here:

Roid Rage (Ex): At 20th level, a Gān gains the Roid Rage ability. During the Rage an abuser gains superhuman strength, constitution, and dexterity during a psychotic episode.

{table=Roid Rage]Roid Rage|+(2d4+4) Str|+(2d4+4) Con|+(1d4+2)Dex[/table]

DM's roll a d100
{table=head]Roll|Result
1-30|Attack Nearest Enemy
31-60|Attack Weakest Enemy
61-90|Atack Strongest Enemy
91-100|Attack Closest Character (even if friendly)[/table]

The Roid Rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to the abuser new modified Constitution Modifier Score, Usable 3/day.

[Siosilvar]

Gastrin (Ex): An abuser has absolute control over her stomache and gains the ability to produce excess amounts of Gastrin. The Abuser gains a +4 bonus to all saves against becoming sick, nauseated, poisoned, diseased from imbibing bad, poisoned, cursed, etc food and drink. (This list is not all inclusive... may need better wording for it.)

An abuser has absolute control over her stomach and gains the ability to produce excess amounts of Gastrin. The abuser gains a +4 bonus to all Fortitude saves against ill effects from food and drink.

[y2kjman]

Much better wording, thank you very much.

[Eloel]

Attack Farthest Enemy
No, just no. Make it Attack Strongest Enemy or something. Farthest, is too subjective.

[AstralFire]

Cleaning up text here and adding my thoughts as I go.

Astral Sez:


Astral Sez:
The name's kind of weird. I'd call it something else entirely, because this one is misleading and unclear. Even 'The Doper' would be more clear, though it's not an appealing name.

Abilities: Constitution is a primary ability for an Abuser; a high amount of health is necessary as they often remain on the frontlines. Strength and Dexterity are just as important because they help the Abuser to deal damage more quickly and avoid damage in the first place to vastly improve his or her staying power. Charisma is generally the least important of the abilities for an Abuser; social interaction is not high on their list of priorities.

Astral Sez:
Nothing really indicates that they need Con more than Strength or Dexterity; an archer Abuser wouldn't prioritize it.

Skill Points: 4+Int Modifier
Skill Points at 1st Level:(4+Int Modifier)*4
Class Skills:Climb(Str), Intimidate(Cha), Jump(Str), Open Lock(Dex), Search(Int), Listen(Wis), Spot(Wis), Heal(Wis)

Astral Sez:
4+Int, but very few skills, and how does Open Lock or all of those mental ability scores fit? And you suggested Intelligence as important. Add more skills to this list and drop it to 2+Int, or add a lot more.

Hormones (Ex): An Abuser learns how to subject themselves to hormone treatments to increase their physical prowess. At 1st, 8th, and 15th level, the Abuser may gain a permanent +1 bonus to his Strength or Dexterity score in return for a -1 penalty to whichever score he did not choose. He also gains a +1 bonus to his Constitution score.

Astral Sez:
You originally made an obscure reference to 'The Ruffians' - this should be expanded or dropped entirely as a flavor point. Giving this ability at 1st level is a poor idea, as someone can one level dip with odd scores to get a huge boost.

Adrenaline Rush(Ex): Abusers are thoroughly versed in living for the moment. They naturally rely on adrenaline more than most, allowing themselves to truly relish combat and the defeat of an enemy. Even pain is used as a tool to help them concentrate and excite the blood. Beginning at first level, Abusers gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls upon losing a third of his or her health, and again when they lose another third of their health. The exact benefits vary depending upon your level; consult the chart below.

Astral Sez:
Again, don't do this at first level.
[hr]
Tired, do more tomorrow.

[DracoDei]

Perhaps an ability to take even more concious control of their body when they wish, basically as per fighting defensively and total defense, but the bonuses apply to Fort. Saves rather than AC? Don't know if resisting a Disintegrate with hormone control makes a lick of sense... but whether you do that or not, something similar for Will saves (controlling brain chemistry) could be good...

Not sure if either of those fit into the class... but they would add an element of tactical feel to what is currently a pretty straight forward combat monster.

[y2kjman]

The name's kind of weird. I'd call it something else entirely, because this one is misleading and unclear. Even 'The Doper' would be more clear, though it's not an appealing name.
I had thought of that as a name, though for some reason Doper isnt really the idea of the class. Its more like someone controlling the Ki of their body. I would really like the flavor to make everything produced in the body... just not sure how that would work unless there is another capstone ability to be looked at.

Abilities:
Changed, thank you.

Skills:
I know that the skills section still needs work, I am thinking of dropping the Open Lock and adding many more physical ones.

Hormones:
[spoiler]Thanks for the wording, will update it soon.

Adrenaline Rush and Hormones are bad ideas for 1st level dips, so how about:

{table=head]Level|Ability
1st|Gastrine
2nd|Hormones
3rd|Adrenaline Rush +1/+2[/table]

While keeping the level spacing the same, and changing around a couple other abilities to keep dead levels to a minimum.

Not sure if either of those fit into the class... but they would add an element of tactical feel to what is currently a pretty straight forward combat monster.

Not sure how to implement it, or what kind of hormones can alter it. I could change the fluff of the class to not just hormones but also processes in the body. I would still not be sure how to name the class, though I do have some ideas on how to do a saves bonus for all three. Kinda like Gastrine.

What is your ideas on it?

[y2kjman]

By the way, thank you for helping me with this... as a new homebrewer, I know that my ideas need alot of work.

[TheGrimace]

one of the old dragon magazine's had a prestige class called the flux adept. It was basically a more mystic version of this class. You raise your body temperature to deal fire damage, you cause your hands to swell to gain an improved unarmed strike damage.

If your campaign is never going to use that flux adept (and I don't blame you) you could easily call this class that.

[y2kjman]

Well, its shaping up a bit here... now to remove an ability and add two others and it should be done. Just wish I had the time to do it all at once.

[Origomar]

IMO he should have his life expectancy cut in half because of all the drugs he uses.