Le Cirque Funeste: Professor Class [Please PEACH] [Archive]

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 05:54 AM

This is an ongoing project for an 'Evil Circus' thing i've been designing. It's built for a variant d20 game, but aside from the Defence progression, would probably work ok in D&D. If anything doesn't make sense or you'd like a copy of the Mecha Victoriana rules, just ask nicely. :smallsmile:

So far we have:
The Professor
The Strongman
The Acrobat
The Ringmaster
Clowns/Merrymen
The Beast Tamer needs work + Beasts
Puppet and other feats
Bard Really need help with this one...
Dust Witch The true temptress; Prestige class
Carnie Crafter The Baloon modeller from hell!
NEW* [B]Fire Eater/Gullet *NEW

Coming soon:
Optional mods for the Master Thrower
Master of the Funhouse Bardic Prestige class
Feats for Ringmasters and Beast Tamers

Professor [Puppeteer]:

Professor is a truly Victorian term for a puppeteer, referring to the highly specialised puppeteers of the Punch and Judy show while such shows were busy becoming a seaside 'tradition.' What most people fail to recognise is that the Professor is an inheritor of a vast amount of theatrical tradition dating to the 'Commedia dell'Arte' of sixteenth century Italy. From the same source as several modern clown archetypes, they tap the classics of comedy and pathos and demonstrate what can be done with set tools.

The carnival puppeteer has a more sinister edge, using a man-sized mannequin controlled and animated by threads of magic. This primary form is highly resilient and can shift between the masks of the zanni and can even unfold into a 'theatre' allowing more than one puppet to play at once. As time wears on, their ability to distort the glammer of the carnival increases, allowing them to draw their foes into an entire play where every line of the script spells their doom.

Who?: Amongst the performers, the Professor is unique as they do not 'adopt' new members of the class like the others, instead, they take on apprentices. A prospective Professor is one who realised the providence of the circus and requested to join in the hope of gaining the power to commit some act or another. The luckiest and most wilful occasionally even achieve their vendetta without getting swept away in the malicious currents of Carnival.

Professor [Puppeteer]
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special|Flourishes

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Puppet [Punch], Basic Flourishes|
2

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|Little Hans|
3

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|Puppet [Harlequin]|
4

4th|
+2|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+2|Theatre Macabre [2]|
5

5th|
+2|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+2|Puppet [Columbine]|
5

6th|
+3|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+3|Hand to Eye|
6

7th|
+3|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+3|Puppet [The Innamorati]|
7

8th|
+4|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+4|Illusion of Life|
8

9th|
+4|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+4|Puppet [Pierot]|
8

10th|
+5|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+5|Advanced Flourishes|
9

11th|
+5|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+5|Le Chœur Malsain|
10

12th|
+6|
+6|
+8|
+8|
+6|Theatre Macabre [3]|
11

13th|
+6|
+6|
+8|
+8|
+6|Puppet [Scaramouche]|
12

14th|
+7|
+7|
+9|
+9|
+7|Le Chœur Mort-Vivant|
13

15th|
+7|
+7|
+9|
+9|
+7|Puppet [Clown]|
13

16th|
+8|
+8|
+10|
+10|
+8|Le Theatre Souillé|
14

17th|
+8|
+8|
+10|
+10|
+8|Puppet [Croccodillo]|
15

18th|
+9|
+9|
+11|
+11|
+9|Theatre Macabre [4]|
16

19th|
+9|
+9|
+11|
+11|
+9|Puppet [Death]|
17

20th|
+10|
+10|
+12|
+12|
+10|All the World's a Stage|
17[/table]

Hit Dice: d4
Class Skills: Bluff [Cha], Craft [Carpentry] , Craft [Textile], Disguise [Cha], Hide [Dex], Knowledge [Arcana], Knowledge [Europe], Knowledge [History], Knowledge [Nature], Manipulation [Cha], Move Silently [Dex], Perform [Puppetry] [Cha], Perform [Any] [Cha], Sense Motive [Wis], Sleight of Hand [Dex]
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int

[I]Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: Professors spend their time hidden away running puppets. While they can use weapons through their puppets, they have no ability to use them themselves. They gain no proficiency with weapons or armour whatsoever.

Puppets [Su]: The signature ability of a Professor is his control of puppets. Puppets are inanimate mannequins of wood held up with strings of magical energy and controlled by fine motions of the Professor's hands.

The puppet itself takes the form of a wooden backpack which is thrown onto the ground. From it emerge two arms and two legs which link to the body and then the head emerges with a set of clothing that drops down over the puppet to give it its identity. If the Puppeteer is killed, it repacks itself and yet is completely empty when examined…

A puppet has a total of 40 HP and being made of near solid wood, possesses a Substantial Hardness of 10. It cannot be sneak attacked, though it is subject to Critical Hits. Additionally, being made of solid wood, those armed with an axe that can catch one Flatfooted may use a Survival check in place of their normal damage against it. One other vulnerability that Puppets possess is that their Fæ strings can be cut with the correct effort. A Fæ string has a Defence of 30, a hardness of 20 and one hit point. When it is cut, the puppet collapses like a ragdoll. The Professor can restore his strings by touching the puppet and spending a Swift action. Even if previously damage, the Professor's puppets begin combat with maximum hp.

A puppet has a basic Defence equal to 10 + the Professor's ranks in Perform [Puppetry]. Due to their unnatural and jerky movements, puppets never provoke attacks of opportunity when they move. A puppet can move up to 30ft each time they are given an instruction, splitting their movement before and after their attack. They must end their move within 30ft of the Professor.

When it makes attack rolls, the puppet rolls the Professors Ranks in Perform [Puppetry] plus his Dexterity bonus against the target's Defence rather than making conventional BAB based attack rolls. Each puppet deals a specific amount of attack damage and has a single special ability that differentiates it from other puppets, which may be used at a cost of Flourishes. Having a puppet attack or use its special ability costs a Standard action under normal circumstances.

Basic Flourishes [Su]: In addition to basic control over a puppet, the Professor can execute a selection of other moves with his puppets that grant other combat benefits. In general, these benefits can be executed as Free actions and grant some generic ability that lasts for a moment. In each encounter, a Professor has a limited number of Flourishes that they may use. Some abilities cost more than one Flourish to activate. Further Flourish abilities are gained later in the Professor's career.

Dancing Feet [1]: The oddly moving, jerky dance of the puppet is completely out of phase with its movement where it skips over the ground and strikes swiftly. The puppet moves a total of 60ft in its action rather than 30ft and gains a +2 bonus on its attack roll.
Deadly Flourish [2]: The critical multiplier of your puppets is increased by +1 for their next attack.
Interpose [1]: Reaction to a successful attack on the Professor; the puppet moves from its current position to the space occupied by the Professor who makes a free Shift. The attack is resolved against the Puppet instead. They cannot use Snap Back or Harlequin's Dance to reduce this.
Quick Strike [1]: The next attack made by the nominated puppet has a threat range of 18+.
Snap Back [1]: The Professor yanks on the Fae strings, pulling the puppet out of harms way. Reduce the damage dealt to the puppet by 10 points. The Puppet ends up adjacent to the Professor.
String Net [1]: The puppet dances past the target, attempting to wrap less useful threads around the limbs of the opponent. The target must make a Reflex save with a DC equal to the Professor's total Perform [Puppetry] bonus or become Entangled for 1d4 rounds.

Little Hans [Su]: Though it is little more than a child's toy, Little Hans is still more difficult to use effectively than Punch. At 2nd level, the Professor begins to realise the genius that went into Little Hans, despite its tiny size and simplicity. Hans is a mannequin puppet about 8 inches tall with only the simplest face and no digits.

While not powerful, Hans has good fine control and can be used out to a range of 30ft, where he can lift, carry and drag items weighing up to 5 pounds and can perform complex manipulations such as Disable Device and Open Lock checks or writing at a -4 penalty [no thumbs]. He is also noticeably quieter than other puppets.

Hans has Hardness 5, 5hp, a +4 bonus to Defence for being Diminutive and can have flourishes used on him as normal. He is distinct in that he is usually carried on the belt and is independent from the puppet chest.

Theatre Macabre: At 4th level, the Professor gains the ability to host the Theatre Macabre. His primary puppet throws itself onto the ground, pulling its head back into its chest compartment. The lid snaps closed and in the next breath, bursts open again, lying on the ground, with limbs and heads with their gowns spilling out of the torso.

The most basic form of Theatre Macabre deploys two puppets; activating this ability costs a total of 3 flourishes. The Professor then gains control of any two of his Puppets, controlling them both with the same Standard action. If the Professor moves, the 'chest' that deployed the puppets moves to remain within 30ft of him by the most direct route it can. It has threads connecting it to the Professor which could be severed as normal. This would break the connection with both it and the puppets. The puppets themselves could be severed from the hub as normal. In this case, the other puppet could be directed to reconnect the strings rather than the Professor doing it.

When choosing puppets, the Professor may only deploy one of each kind of puppet: the singular exception is the Innamorati, of which there were often several pairs in a given play.

At 11th level, this ability improves again, allowing him to control three separate puppets or pairs of Innamorati at once. This version of the ability costs a total of 7 Flourishes.

Finally, at 18th level, the Professor attains sufficient control to be able to deploy four separate puppets or pairs of Innamorati at once using this ability. This final version of the Theatre costs 11 Flourishes.

Hand to Eye [Su]: At their very root, Professors deal with the fæ and this relationship continues as they advance; at 6th level, their friendships with a Fir [gremlin] pays off as the inventive creature gifts him with lenses that connect together through the Hedge. From now on, as long as he wears a pair of pince nez-like spectacles, the Professor can see through the eyes of his puppets if he so wishes. The main effect of this is that he can fight from concealment without hindrance.

The Illusion of Life [Su]: Having puppets pretend to be people is difficult but not impossible. An 8th level Professor can make the movements of a puppet smooth enough and his fæ strings dim enough for them to pass as humans. All the rest is set dressing. With time and effort, he can apply a Disguise check with a -5 penalty to his puppets [the normal hour] and his puppets can make Move Silently checks using his score. Puppets are still a little awkward and inanimate but the Professor does what he can…

Advanced Flourishes:Later in their career, the Professor gains new insight into the control of puppets and learns that his Fæ strings allow for a selection of far stranger control options than one would expect a puppet to be able to perform. At 10th level, the Professor gains access to the following flourishes:

Limb Knot [1]: The puppet sweeps its arms wide, crossing its strings and wraps them around the target, holding it tight. Make an attack against the target. If you hit, they are immobilised until the beginning of their turn, when the puppet returns to your control area automatically.
Flying Bodies [3]: For one round, your control area increases to 60ft [the puppets must only return to within 60ft of you at the end of their moves] and each gains the ability to Fly a total of 60ft in the execution of its actions.
Pins and Needles [1/2]: Most Professors realise that they lack brute force [other than Crocodillo and Punch anyway] and strive to make up for this with poison. All are equal before poison. For one round, one puppet may fire poison needles. This attack has a range of 30ft and deals 1 point of damage [1 flourish] or 1d6 damage [2 flourishes]. Characters damaged by this attack take ongoing poison damage equal to the damage dealt [Fort save ends].
Strings of my Strings [1]: Almost absurdly, the Professor has one of his puppets take up the strings of the other. For a number of rounds equal to half his level, one puppet may not act but another treats his control area as being 60ft. Obviously, this can only function while you're using Theatre Macabre.

Le Chœur Malsain (The Chorus of Madness): More disturbing by far that Le Theatre Macabre, Le Chœur produces a large number of tiny marionette puppets, each little more than a foot tall, but armed with wicked little eyes and throwing needles that possess a similar effect to paralytic poison.

More disturbing by far that Le Theatre Macabre, Le Chœur produces a large number of tiny marionette puppets, each little more than a foot tall, but armed with wicked little eyes and throwing needles that possess a similar effect to paralytic poison.

By spending Flourishes, a 12th level Professor may cause his puppet to throw itself down and absorb its head as if it were preparing for le theatre macabre but this time, the torso arches up on its limbs and convulses horribly. The chest door flies open, releasing a number of Marionettes equal to the Flourishes spent, up to half the Professor's Class Level plus his Intelligence Modifier. Each puppet created in this way has a Hardness of 10 [S], 10 hit points and a Defence of 12+ the Professor's Ranks in Perform [Puppetry].

Marionettes make attack rolls just like normal puppets, save that they gain a +2 size bonus on their attack roll. When controlling them, the Professor commands them all at once though their argets are assigned separately. Note that Marionettes cannot wait to see how another's attack goes. Use of the marionette Needle Swarm ability can be declared before all marionettes attacking a single target make their attack rolls. A marionette has the following puppet abilities:

Primary Attack (Needle): The marionette either attacks with their needle or throws it. Either way, if it hits, it's lodged in the target. Needles deal 1d4 damage, have Armour Piercing and stick in the wound. Removing a needle requires a Move action and deals 1 point of damage. For each needle they have stuck in them, a character takes a -2 penalty on all rolls.
Secondary Ability (Needle Storm)[1]: Marionettes functioning together in exact sync is unnerving at best. It's also more than capable of pegging most targets. The professor may declare ad-hoc units with his marionettes by spending one Flourish per unit before they attack.

Le Chœur Mort-Vivant (The Choir of Living Death): Possibly the most disturbing trick that a Professor can learn is to make puppets from the flesh of men and beasts. The actual process used in this is inefficient, using a complex and small scale variation of both the Chœur Malsain and Theatre Macabre techniques. Activating this ability requires a number of corpses to be within 30ft of the Professor when he begins. At a cost of 1 Flourish per corpse, to a maximum of ½ the Professor's Level + Int bonus, Little Hans breaks open in a manner exactly alike the Theatre Macabre's chest, deploying blocks similar to the cores of Marionettes into the corpses. These blocks again open, threading fæ wires through the corpses into puppets.

These dead puppets have 20 hp, DR 10/Slashing and make attacks using a clawing grapple. Unlike other puppets, these creatures can actually grapple as long as they are within 30ft of the Professor, using the Professor's Perform [Puppetry] modifier bonus, as their grapple modifier. They cannot make Pin actions but can deal damage using their claws, which deal 1d8 + the Professor's Str bonus damage.

Undead puppets are terrifying in a manner unlike others. Those fighting them or witnessing their animation must make a Will save, DC 15 + 1 per doubling of numbers [DC 16 for 2, DC 17 for 4 etc.] or become Shaken. If you both witness their animation and have to then fight them, they must take two saves and the effects would stack.

Le Theatre Souillé (The Theatre of Dark Delusion): Once per adventure, a Professor of 16th level may dress his own sets. The primary doll hurls itself onto the ground and summons forth its maximum number of Puppets without the Flourish costs of the Theatre Macabre ability. Then, from the arched crab posture that the chest adopts, a small booth or gazebo unfolds, bedecked with coloured streamers. In moments, the surrounding area is filled with the play of light on these streamers and before the viewer knows it, they are stood in the Coliseum of Ancient Rome, being booed by thousands.

This effect replicates a Mirage Arcana spell with a caster level equal to the Professor's class level. Note that though it cannot create workable illusions of people or creatures at close range, it is perfectly capable of adding them in as background details that move out of sight and vanish when approached too closely. This is usually used to create morale destroying booing crowds and the like.

All the World's a Stage: At 20th level, the Professor has ceased to be a mere part of Le Cirque Funeste, he has become the act in his very nature. No longer does he require to be within the limits of the carnival to use his powers and he himself projects a much smaller version of the Ringmaster's aura, in this case counting all space within 60ft of himself as Carnival. The Professor becomes effectively Fæ for purposes of what can and cannot hurt him and gains DR 20 against all attacks with refined materials.

The Puppets:
Punch (Pulcinella): The first puppet that a Professor learns to use is Punch, the bully. His hooked nose and thuggish ways are the easiest of the masks to control and amongst the most powerful attacks.

Primary Attack (Bashing Frenzy): Punch attacks up to three adjacent characters with his club, dealing 1d8+3 damage with an x2 Critical multiplier.
Secondary Ability (Smack) [1]: Punch brings his club crashing down on the target. The attack deals 2d6 + 1d6 per 3 levels of the Professor.

Harlequin (Arlequinne): The Harlequin is the core of the Commedia troupe, varying between an absolute moron and a crafty SOB between troupes and performances. His is known for his red, blue and green checked trousers and his mask's mole and is by far the most athletic of the cast, leaping and jumping merrily.

Primary Attack (Slapstick): A slapstick is a loud stick made of two plies of wood. A blow from a slapstick deals 1d6 subdual damage, ignores armour and if a '6' is rolled on the damage dice, it knocks the target Prone.
Secondary Ability (Harlequin's Dance)[1]: Harlequin can make a variant on the Snap Back move. Instead of ending up next to the Professor, he may move up to 30ft as long as he ends up within 30ft of the Professor. When he uses this ability, the attack's damage is reduced by 10 and the attacker must make a Will save against your Perform [Puppetry] bonus or become Confused for their next round.

Columbine (Columbina): The flirtatious female alternative to Harlequin, Columbine is the love interest of the stories and the servant of the female Innamorati, the instigator of the plots. Her sharp tongue and black and white checked dress are her defining marks.

Primary Attack (Columbine's Kiss): A blade emerges from Columbine's mouth with great speed making a stabbing motion. Columbine's Kiss deals 1d4 damage and she has a number of Sneak Attack dice equal to 1/3 the Professor's level.
Secondary Ability (Acting Coy) [2]: [Compulsion] Columbine has a variety of dance roles and is deeply seductive in action. Her most deadly attack is to dance slowly wiggling her hips. One targeted enemy within 20ft must make a Will save against the Professor's Perform [Puppetry] bonus or be drawn 5ft towards her per 5 points or part thereof that they fail the save by. If they ends their action adjacent to her, she may make an attack against the target as a free action, treating them as flatfooted.

The Innamorati (the Lovers): The plot characters of a scenario, the Innamorati are the lovers, a pair of foolish young characters who are kept apart by their parents and social obligations. They dress as nobles and unlike the other characters, come as a pair. The male lover possesses a sword and the girl possesses a trio of flowers that conceal a metal pin. While the Innamorati are two dolls, they are commanded as a single unit and if one of them is disabled, both cease to function.

Primary Attack (Flanking Strike): As long as both squares are open, the Innamorati assume flanking positions on a target and attack him. They cannot allow their threads to be interrupted while adopting these positions, however. Their attacks both deal 1d6 damage.
Secondary Ability (Running Hand in Hand)[2]: The Innamorati run past one target to get at another. Declare a primary target for their attack and if their path crosses another character's square, a secondary attack is made against them. The primary attack is identical to their primary attack. The secondary attack automatically knocks the target prone if it hits.

Pierrot [Pedrolino]: Not a Vecchi himself, Pierrot is the heartfelt, honest and devoted, if somewhat hapless, servant of Pantalone and La Signora. He wears white with black detailing and is depicted with a single tear beneath his eye, though no mask. He usually carries a ukulele.

Primary Attack [Cooler]: Pierrot has a habit of getting in the way and being unaware of what is going on. Pierrot makes an attack that deals 1d6 Slashing damage but more importantly remains in place until the end-phase, unlike other puppets. While he remains in place beside a target, all his allies may treat that target as flanked regardless of which direction they attack. The damage is him bumping into you and causing you to cut yourself with your own weapons.
Secondary Ability [Serenade][2]: Pierrot was ever failing to woo Columbine and forever lamenting his failure in song. Pierrot sings a song so sad, yet humorous, that others get distracted and fail to pay attention to fights. All within 30ft [friend or foe] who can hear him, must make a Will save or be considered Flatfooted against the next attack directed at them before their next turn.

Scaramouche (Scaramuccia): The poet, braggart and swordsman character, Scaramouche is amongst the most deadly of the puppets in the Professor's Arsenal. Scaramouche is armed with a sword with which he is adept and he is a magnet for attention, fast earning the ire of his foes.

Primary Attack (By the Sword): Scaramouche's blade attacks deal 1d10+the Professor's Dex and he may accept a -10 penalty to hit adding an automatic disarm to the attack's effects.
Secondary Ability (Scoundrel)[0]: Love em or hate em, everyone focuses on the mouthy scoundrel. Enemies cannot target any other puppet within 20ft of the Scaramouche puppet. This is a purely passive ability. Scaramouche adds a +2 bonus to his defence per puppet in his aura, Including himself.

Clown (the Macabre): Clown was a character from Harlequinade, an intermediate stage between the Commedia and the Punch and Judy show. While originally one of the zanni, he fast took on a darker edge, effectively becoming a creature of nightmare played for laughs. Of course, Le Cirque Funeste puts and even more sinister twist on this. While creepy at best, its face is able to unfold into new and horrific shapes through a skilled manipulation by the Professor.

Primary Attack (Fearsome Prank): The clown surges forwards and strikes at its target, appearing out of the shadows and becoming the epitome of fear. The clown's face unfolds into something completely inhuman and its claws are sharp. The clown deals 3d4+Dex damage on a hit and if one '4' is rolled, the target becomes Shaken, if two '4's are rolled, the target becomes Frightened and if 3 '4's are rolled, the target becomes Panicked.
Secondary Ability (Terrible Laughter)[5]: The clown tips its head back and laughs a mirthless, cruel laugh that chills the bones of all around it. Every opponent within 30ft of the clown must make a Will save against the Professor's Perform [Puppetry] bonus of become Frightened; those who pass the save are merely Shaken.

Croccodillo (the Crocodile): The crocodile is a more whimsical character that appears in many of the sillier stories, sort of like a pantomime horse. It is a powerful fighter and more than capable of swallowing a target whole, something it usually does to Punch's sausages for the amusement of children, though it was often at the behest of clown and actually a baby.

Primary Attack (Vicious Bite): The croc's jaws snap on the target, causing a Massive Damage save with a DC of 10 + 3d6 [no actual damage is inflicted by the blow unless the save is failed].
Secondary Ability (Swallow Whole)[4]: If the attack hits, the character is instantly swallowed by the croc. They take 3d8 damage each round and count as pinned. They may attempt to break free of the pin in their turn; if they manage to do so, they are free of the croc, having spent their Standard action. The croc itself is free to keep fighting while it has someone trapped within, though it cannot swallow anything more.

Death [The Grim Reaper]: Not a common character by any stretch, but he is included in some situations, usually more as an obstacle or a dream event. Death is cloaked all in black and armed with a Scythe. He does not move from the point of deployment.

Primary Ability [Grim Aura]: Death is a static feature, he does not move from his primary location. While he is in play, all Puppets controlled by the Professor gaina +2 bonus to their critical threat range. This includes Death himself [see below].
Secondary Attack [Reap][1]: Death has a Reach of 10ft and threatens all squares within that range. For one Flourish, he may make an Attack of Opportunity against a viable target, any number of times per round. Attacks are resolved normally and deal 5d10 damage.

Edit: "The Carnival" is a fae circus that wanders what WAS France in my setting [German sponsored Belgian invasion...messy]. The powers of those it adopts [there are other classes in the works, Strongman's already done], at least the Supernatural ones, function only within the limits of Carnival.

As with all things Fae, the limits are best understood only to them, but in general extend out to the limits of whatever common land that the circus is pitched on.

The Ringleader Prestige class comes with an ability early on called, "I AM Carnival" which means that he projects an aura within which Carnival reigns and abilities can be used, even outside Carnival proper. The capstone here is similar but weaker than that ability. Hope that answers a few questions.

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 03:14 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 03:37 PM

This is... really, really freakin' awesome. I'm not familiar with your system, so I can't really judge the balance of the class. I'll try, but bear in mind my advice is from a D&D 3.5 perspective.

That, and there are obviously more rules. The twentieth level ability says that the Professor can use his abilities outside the Circus and projects a small RIngmaster's Aura, both of which will need explained.

The powers of these classes are intended to be directly bound into the Fae nature of the circus, hence they only function within its boundaries [usually the area of undefined common land that the circus sets up on]. The Ringmaster prestige class' key ability [probably first or second level, i haven't decided, he's in the works] is 'I am Carnival' which allows the others to operate outside the Circus' limits.

Other things

Armour provides Hardness equal to its Defence value, some weapons interact with it by halving, doubling or tripling it's value.
Defence comes off Wisdom unless you have class features and is based on class level, as you can see in the table]
"Massive" damage refers to damage over your Con score; save vs damage or you fall an hp Threshold [50%, 25%, 10%, 0, -10] multiples of the score drop you further and make the save less useful.
"Reactions" cost an Immediate action if you've yet to act this turn or an AoO if you've already done so [you can't make AoOs before you act in a round, Initiative is important and is based on Reflex]
Bad saves aren't completely useless, unlike in D&D. [I'd love to find out what the hell Skip Williams was smoking when he decided it was fun for Fighters to be automatically dominated by every half competent wizard in the realm]

HereticNox

2009-09-02, 03:37 PM

Fantastic! I love the theme, the abilities everything.

Can we have a little explanation on the capstone ability? What exactly is the carnival and ring master's aura.
Never mind on that.

I wish I could provide something more constructive, but I would have to crunch some numbers and possibly find a comparable class in play.

Which I believe is going to be difficult, since the idea behind this class is pretty unique in nature.

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 03:50 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 04:15 PM

Still reading through your rules. Some of the expensive abilities would burn flourishes fast, but that might be the point.

I'm not exactly sure how Defence balances, but Scaramouche's secondary ability seems very powerful. The aura that literally prevents, flat out, with no save, SR, or legal recourse, attacks against any puppet other than Scaramouche seems powerful enough, or possibly too powerful, but with the defense bonus? That includes a multiplier equal to the Professor's INT, which will almost certainly be +5 or more? That's...a bit much.

Still, right now, there is no character I'd rather play than a Ringmaster/Professor (or professor with All the World's a Stage), except a gestalt Professor/Puppet master. The classes would mesh together very nicely, both mechanically and in concept...

Although, it seems to me that the class would be unplayable outside the Cirque. Are there rules elsewhere for the Cirque, or for getting the abilities outside? Was this class intended to be viable only within that area?

Could you provide me with a link to the complete set of your houserules/system overhall? It just feels like I own't be able to PEACH accurately without them. (or convert your class back to basic 3.5 so DM's will actually let me use it, assuming I can find a way to get the Carnival aura I need...)

One more nitpick: Is it Fæ or Fae? You use both. Also:

The symbol æ, called an ash, is pronounced as the a in the word "ash." Which is not how Fae is usually pronounced. People often use the symbol to make anything that has an ae in it look more eldritch and awesome, but they use it incorrectly. Of course, I am one of the all of seven people in this world who both know this and care, so you're free to ignore me on this if you like the look of the symbol. However, if you do, I will be forced to send the Hounds of Tindalos to eat your grandmother. Ia Cthulhu!

The classes are really built inextricably with the Circus. They cannot operate outside the area and i honestly didn't expect this to make it into play as a PC class [much like the MV patch of Warlock] as they involve being tied really closely to a patron and that's a real SOB when you're playing with me.

I used the 'ash' as that's the version of the spelling that was in the Faerie Queen at university [i remember as it was above my textbooks in the library and i used to have a look through while i should have been working]. The reason they're muddled is because i can't type it on my keyboard but some of the stuff was scooped from a word file where i was able to include it.

I'll set up the file in my skydrive so you can have a copy of Mecha Victoriana [though if i find it published, i'll be hunting you down]. I'll PM you with the address in a bit.

Edit: Worth pointing out...There are NO stat boosting magic items in my game. None. Magic items are the stuff of real world legend; Excalibur, the sword of Roland and Aegis. +1 swords need not apply in MV.

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 04:25 PM

Well, as I said, it's a long-standing tradition among the ignorant (Read: Those who are not as pedantic as me) to use the ash just because it's, you know, cool, so I'm not surprised you found it used elsewhere.

My real problem with it is that you've used both spellings, which is annoying to me. I'd also say it's unprofessional to use two different spellings, but you've given me a legitimate reason for it--you copy-pasted the spelling with the ash, couldn't find it to type (you could use Insert Symbol in a word document, but I have no idea how you'd get one on the forum...) I'd like to see it fixed, but unless you publish this in a nice sourcebook, really it just annoys perfectionist pedants like me, not the general populace. [/ramble]

The classes are really built inextricably with the Circus. They cannot operate outside the area and i honestly didn't expect this to make it into play as a PC class [much like the MV patch of Warlock] as they involve being tied really closely to a patron and that's a real SOB when you're playing with me.

I'll set up the file in my skydrive so you can have a copy of Mecha Victoriana [though if i find it published, i'll be hunting you down]. I'll PM you with the address in a bit.

Edit: Worth pointing out...There are NO stat boosting magic items in my game. None. Magic items are the stuff of real world legend; Excalibur, the sword of Roland and Aegis. +1 swords need not apply in MV.

All right. Makes sense. If I were to use this as a player, I'd request a houserule to let me use it while adventuring, but if it was written from a Dm's perspective, then that's fine.

I'd like to see your setting, as it sounds very interesting, thank you. And don't worry, I'd never steal another's intellectual property and publish it under my own name. Especially now that between the two of us, we've just created electronic documentation proving that the Mecha Victoriana setting was not, is not, and will probably never be my intellectual property or idea.
HOWEVER! You may consider this my official request for author permission to use some or all of the setting in my own games (set a gmae in the world, or just steal the setting but not the rules, or the rules but not the setting.) I know that technically it's my right as a DM to make a hodgepodge of anything I want, but it feels like I should ask for your permission first. There's a fair chance I'll end up cannibalizing few of your ideas for my current game before actually using the setting, and I want to make sure that's okay with you before doing it [/long wall of text]

So...no magic items? Casting (or at least magic, at least for the Cirque) but no items? Did you find a way to balance that for the warrior classes? does tha--you know what? Why don't I read the rules and then ask you my questions?

Sorry, but I just love homebrew, and I get a little overenthusiatic simetimes nitpicking every tiny detail of anything, especially settings.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 04:29 PM

as i said, it was in the Faerie Queen, which was writen in something like the 1500s. I doubt it's intended to impress, but this is just me hacking down the full word Faerie into Fae, the stem word.

There is a hypertext but i've never been able to get those damn things to work.

Right, now, back to the class.

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 04:38 PM

All right. Thank you.

I might steal parts of it for my current game, or set a new game there, but that's what settings are made for. Usually. Not so sure about Greyhawk, though. I think it was published largely so that Wizards could tell people "We've published a campaign setting!"

EDIT: Just got the file. Thank you! It'll still probably be a little while before I can PEACH your MV setting creations accurately, but you know what? I have a whole new setting to read. I'm pretty content right about now.

Right, now, back to the class.

As you wish. I noted my concern about Scarmouche earlier (I think...)

As I said, the flourishes look like they'll dry up pretty quickly, but all the basic attacks work without them, so that's probably not too much of an issue.

The class skill list is...a little short. You might add Spellcraft and Knowlegde skills, assuming they exist in your world (don't know yet because my computer can't seem to download past 72% of the file for MV...)

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 05:01 PM

I'll field a couple of those now.

Magic is covered here more clearly than the handbook http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122664 . I'm working on splitting the rulebook into "Militaries and Mechs" and "Agents and Magic" books as there's little point keeping Spys, Socialites and Brokers in the core rules [You'll understand once you've had a flick through the book]

There are minor magic items but they're more enchanted tools made by spellcasters on the short term. You might make a wand to improve you casting of Summons, a staff to carry extra spells or possibly even making weapons and armour for your ally if you REALLY trust them.

Can't show you those rules because they're a pile of notes and look like the rules equivilent of a broken LEGO kit.

True Magic items appear like they do in real legends. Three of them provides the power to slay titans. Presently the Germans have four [The Spear of Longinus, The Arrow of Indra, The Jotunblut and the Sword of Roland] and the British have control of three [Excalibur, Drake's Drum and The Dogskin Helm].

The Jotanblut is the name of the Beowulf proxy sword from Eaters of the Dead by Micheal Crichton btw.

Warriors are slightly better and with guns everywhere and the altered magic system, they didn't need balancing with magic items. Plus, they're the baseline; Everything orbits around them. That's my design philosophy and i'll stick to it. :smallbiggrin:

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 05:09 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 05:14 PM

As you wish. I noted my concern about Scarmouche earlier (I think...)

As I said, the flourishes look like they'll dry up pretty quickly, but all the basic attacks work without them, so that's probably not too much of an issue.

The class skill list is...a little short. You might add Spellcraft and Knowlegde skills, assuming they exist in your world (don't know yet because my computer can't seem to download past 72% of the file for MV...)

Feel free to use, i'm just cautious after something i posted on Wizards ended up in a sourcebook [Complete Adventurer, no, i'm not saying which feat] without even changing a word of the description.

I've adjusted Scaramouche so that he only has a +2 per puppet including himself. This feature is actually a nod to the Commedia than anything else. Scaramouche became Cyrano de Bergerac, who never lost a duel in company...

Yeah, the skills i just wasn't sure about, hence why they're dry. Spellcraft is out because of how it interacts with the setting but knowledges would be ok. I'm open to suggestions.

As to flourishes...that's supposed to leave a choice between multiple puppets or powerful abilities. Perhaps a Move action that allowed a small recovery of Flourishes is in order - Remember that they're per encounter though.

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 05:20 PM

Feel free to use, i'm just cautious after something i posted on Wizards ended up in a sourcebook [Complete Adventurer, no, i'm not saying which feat] without even changing a word of the description.

I've adjusted Scaramouche so that he only has a +2 per puppet including himself. This feature is actually a nod to the Commedia than anything else. Scaramouche became Cyrano de Bergerac, who never lost a duel in company...

Yeah, the skills i just wasn't sure about, hence why they're dry. Spellcraft is out because of how it interacts with the setting but knowledges would be ok. I'm open to suggestions.

As to flourishes...that's supposed to leave a choice between multiple puppets or powerful abilities. Perhaps a Move action that allowed a small recovery of Flourishes is in order - Remember that they're per encounter though.

Per encounter? Somehow missed that rule...

As for skills, well, possibly Knowledge (art history). And definitely whatever the Knowledge (Arcana) or Knowledge (Occultism) skills are in your game.

Yeah, if I were you I'd be really really careful about the Wizards website. No one actually reade the terms of use for the sites they sign up to, so Wizards put in a section about how they reserve the right to steal your ideas and there's nothing you can do about it. I would, after learning that, never post any homebrew on their site. Especially not something that had a lot of work put into it.

Would Bluff as a skill make sense for a Professor? My instict would be to put it on any character or class that works with performing, especially the shadow-show feel of this class, but that's just me. And profession. But would it be Profession (professor)? Because I'd put ranks in that even if I didn't plan to use it, just so I could tell people, "Yeah, I have 14 ranks of Profession (Professor). Pretty awesome, huh?"

DragoonWraith

2009-09-02, 05:36 PM

I really love the flavor of the class, that's really cool. Afraid I'm not going to get into another system for it, though.

I would comment on the whole "æ" thing - the letter "ash" from Old English is one, but not the only, meaning of that symbol. In fact, the most common use of the letter is for the diphthong "ae", for the transliteration of the Greek "αἰ" (as in "archæology" or "dæmon") or the Latin "ae" (as in "vitæ"), even though the Romans themselves would have just used "ae" (and actually used "æ" for the Greek). When you're talking about this diphthong, the "æ" in a word may be substituted with "ae" freely, and use of the "ae" diphthong in English could easily be substituted with "æ" even if the word does not actually come from Greek or Latin.

Note that "αἰ" is pronounced, as I understand things, as a long "e" sound (so, "fee" rather than "fay"), while the Romans would pronounce "ae" as a long i (so "figh", as in "fight" without the t). However, as noted above, the Romans didn't actually use "æ"; the ligature was used solely by medieval (or mediæval, though that is the Greek use and is still pronounced as an "e") writers, who would have pronounced the sound as a hard a, as we generally would pronounce "ae". Which generally makes sense, because "fae"/"fæ" is a medieval word, and therefore use of the ligature is entirely up to the writer.

Alternatively, you have languages that use "æ" as a separate letter - such as Old English, with "ash". Switching such an "æ" to "ae" would therefore be technically wrong - the Norse word "æsir" should not be written "aesir", for example. However, this is relatively uncommon in English, as such words, when adopted into the English language, are usually re-spelled using the usual 26 letters of the English alphabet.

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 05:43 PM

And this is what I get for learning about that symbol by reading "The Edge on the Sword."

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 05:48 PM

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 05:56 PM

Okay, we have some knowledges, bluff, manipulation and sense motive on the list because you can't be a showman without knowing your way around people's emotions.

Some of the knowledges are just flavour [can't deal with nature spirits without Knowledge [Nature]!]

I presently have two direct questions:

1) - Should any of the features be moved and if so, to where?

2) - Do you think it would be better to cut this down into an Advanced Class [relatively easy access psuedo prestige class with 18 levels]? Then again, it's not necessarily necessary in context...

1. Still not sure about your system's balance, but it seems to me that the fact that the Clown's ability is not listed as allowing a saving throw makes it...very powerful. Even if there is a save and I just missed it, it sepretty powerful. Then again, in D&D 3.5 casters have seventh-level spells by now, so it's not terrible. Le Chœur Malsain doesn't specify a flourish cost, and it sounds like you get...rather a lot of Marionettes, which would be pretty powerful, especially combined with Scaramouche. An army of little archers who can't be attacked unless you kill of their meatshield--who gets a defense bonus per archer?:belkar:Can I get a "Hell yes"?

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 05:57 PM

I really love the flavor of the class, that's really cool. Afraid I'm not going to get into another system for it, though.

Thank you muchly. We aim to please

I can fully understand, though aside from damage meaning more and armour preventing damage rather than hits, there isn't too much difference. Assume characters need a 10 to hit a copy of themselves and more than 30 damage from a hit will likely cripple a fighter.

I would comment on the whole "æ" thing - the letter "ash" from Old English is one, but not the only, meaning of that symbol. In fact, the most common use of the letter is for the diphthong "ae", for the transliteration of the Greek "αἰ" (as in "archæology" or "dæmon") or the Latin "ae" (as in "vitæ"), even though the Romans themselves would have just used "ae" (and actually used "æ" for the Greek). When you're talking about this diphthong, the "æ" in a word may be substituted with "ae" freely, and use of the "ae" diphthong in English could easily be substituted with "æ" even if the word does not actually come from Greek or Latin.

That's pretty much what i read from Wikipedia...Were Sidhe [Shee in pronunciation] not more specific than Fae, id've been tempted to use that instead

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 06:08 PM

1. Still not sure about your system's balance, but it seems to me that the fact that the Clown's ability is notl isted as allowing a sving throw makes it...very powerful. Even if there is a save and I just missed it, it sepretty powerful. Then again, in D&D 3.5 casters have seventh-level spells by now, so it's not terrible. Le

Save against the secondary, not the primary. Shaken = very likely, Frightened [i don't have you flee but take a -4 instead] = 3/16, Panicked = 1/64. You'd have to crit for it to seem powerful.

For three flourishes, you could make it seemingly overpowered. three 4s on 9d4 isn't all that unlikely [Quick Strike and Deadly Flourish], but then, i intended that...

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 06:11 PM

Actually, because I'm really tired, I misread it. It says 3d4+Dex damage, and I thought I saw 3d4 Dex damage. Which would be overpowered.

Also, I just ran spell-check on your setting. It took me an hour. I'm deeply impressed, by both the volume and the quality of your homebrew. It's...humbling.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-02, 06:29 PM

Actually, because I'm really tired, I misread it. It says 3d4+Dex damage, and I thought I saw 3d4 Dex damage. Which would be overpowered.

Yes, that would have been silly.

Kallisti

2009-09-02, 06:59 PM

This is what I get for reading on low sleep...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-03, 08:19 AM

Kallisti

2009-09-03, 06:00 PM

Solved many of the dead level issues later on by shunting everything between 10 and 14 up one to accomodate the Advanced Flourishes feature. I'm now torn between shunting 16 and 18 up one more or creating additional class features to fill these otherwise zero-sum levels.

I also have another idea for a Puppet:

Pantalone:
The miser and schemer of the troupe, Pantalone was occasionally the employer of Clown but often went along with his schemes. As a Vecchi [old character] he had a mean looking mask and dressed as a Venician. Pantalone is armed with a whip of six cords and is notable as the sole user of poison in the collection.

Primary Attack [Scourge]: Pantalone's Scourge drips with poison and tears flesh mercilessly. The scourge deals 3d6 damage, and any character wounded by it suffers 1d6 points of bleeding damage. Note the amount rolled, the character takes this much damage in each end phase.
Secondary Ability [Socially Inept][2]: People are driven from Pantalone's cruelty and lack of people skills. This has an aura of effect of 10ft around Pantalone when activated. All characters in the aura must make a Will save against the Professor's Perform [Puppetry] bonus or be pushed back 5 ft. per 5 points or part thereof by which they fail the save.

If I were you, I'd leave 16 and 18 right where they are, to make it more likely they'll become applicable to play.

Pantalone I like, and in fact I'd like to see all of the Vecchi statted out because they're cool and you've done a good job so far, but I have a few rules problems (typos I fixed for you are in bold):
1. For his primary ability, you never specify how long the bleeding lasts, or how to get rid of it. Usually bleeding abilities include a clause about the bleeding stopping with magical healing or a DC x heal check. If you don't want to make it that easy, I'd say that might be a good call, but you should give some idea of when it stops.
2. If people fail their save against the secondary, are they literally pushed back, or compelled to move that far back on their turn? Because the way it's written it sounds like you're giving Pantalone Force Push, but since it gives a Will save, I'd think it would be a compulsion.

Dragon Elite

2009-09-03, 06:06 PM

I'm not good at balance, however, I like it.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-03, 07:59 PM

If I were you, I'd leave 16 and 18 right where they are, to make it more likely they'll become applicable to play.

Pantalone I like, and in fact I'd like to see all of the Vecchi statted out because they're cool and you've dome a good job so far, but I have a few rules problems (typos I fixed for you are in bold):
1. For his primary ability, you never specify how long the bleeding lasts, or how to get rid of it. Usually bleeding abilities include a clause about the bleeding stopping with magical healing or a DC x heal check. If you don't want to make it that easy, I'd say that might be a good call, but you should give some idea of when it stops.
2. If people fail their save against the secondary, are they literally pushed back, or compelled to move that far back on their turn? Because the way it's written it sounds like you're giving Pantalone Force Push, but since it gives a Will save, I'd think it would be a compulsion.

Actually, there's technically no need to state what stops the bleeding because all bleeding is stopped by either the application of magical healing or a DC 15 Heal check [it's one of the default uses of the skill, and the rule is covered in the DMG glossary]. I'll adjust it to make you happy though. I'm not going to deviate from the Wizards standard abuse of grammer. That and the 'which/that' thing is actually ignored in Britain when speaking.

I'm constantly dubious about applying the words 'mind-affecting' to anything because WotC overused it to the point where it didn't make sense anymore and then created abilities that rendered people immune to most of the enchantment, illusion and abjuration schools. It's a compulsion. The stock gag is that Columbine keeps moving away from him until he falls off a bench.

I guess this is a Mind-Affecting, Compulsion though, as is Columbine's ability.

What other Vecchi are there? I know of only the Senora beyond this and she didn't seem overtly different from Columbine...

Kallisti

2009-09-03, 08:19 PM

Actually, there's technically no need to state what stops the bleeding because all bleeding is stopped by either the application of magical healing or a DC 15 Heal check [it's one of the default uses of the skill, and the rule is covered in the DMG glossary]. I'll adjust it to make you happy though. I'm not going to deviate from the Wizards standard abuse of grammer. That and the 'which/that' thing is actually ignored in Britain when speaking.

Fair enough. Because the bleeding abilities I've seen in Wizards books have all specified that, I was unaware that it was actually the default rule. I thought it was just the default.

I'm constantly dubious about applying the words 'mind-affecting' to anything because WotC overused it to the point where it didn't make sense anymore and then created abilities that rendered people immune to most of the enchantment, illusion and abjuration schools. It's a compulsion. The stock gag is that Columbine keeps moving away from him until he falls off a bench.

I guess this is a Mind-Affecting, Compulsion though, as is Columbine's ability.

I asked becasue it would be important in many fights, even ignoring the ease of becoming immune to all mind-affecting effects.

The Professor activates this ability on his turn. Then what happens? If it's an actual push, then the targets are forced backwards then and there, and can move right back up on their turns. If it's a compulsion to move away, though, then he activates it, will saves are made, end of story. Then on the target's turn, they spend their move action moving away. So do they automatically lose the move action, too?

Personally, I like the idea of an actual physical force pushing them back. My mental image of Pantalone advancing towards a horrified victim spouting non-sequiturs as the victim slides towards the cliff behind, with the professor in the background grinning...seems to fit.

What other Vecchi are there? I know of only the Senora beyond this and she didn't seem overtly different from Columbine...

Il Dottore, off the top of my head. Maybe Il Capitano, but you're already using the Scaramouche Cyrano de Bergerac version of him...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-03, 08:28 PM

Yes, i rather like the idea of someone getting shoved around physically by someone's lack of social skill. Sounds a bit like coherent bad breath.

The intention was really to use it for area control. The puppet shows up and moves a few people into better positions before snapping back to it's default. Then the Beast Tamer unleashes the bears... or the clown comes out.

Kallisti

2009-09-03, 08:40 PM

Or just pushes him over a cliff, etc.

But with an actual Cirque Funeste troupe performance, I imagine there'd be a little more playing with the victim than that.

Which reminds me. I'm running a campaign that often includes a pretty dark flavor, and my PC's really need to be knocked down a peg or five. I think the perfect way to beat and humiliate them, without killing them, while giving them at least a chance to come out on top, might well be to send them on a short trip to Le Cirque Funeste. Besides, my PC's actually fulfill several of the Commedia roles. We have Scaramouche as a swashbuckling paladin, our mobster rogue Pulcinello, Il Dottore the druid, our psion is Pedrolino...our wizard could technically be Mezzetino...the only one I can't place is our healer, and that's because he has less personality than the paladin's mount. I really like that idea...

Have you done any other Cirque homebrew I could rip off playtest for you?

EDIT: Sorry if that's a stupid question now that I have a copy of Mecha Victoriana that my computer actually saved correctly. I haven't yet had time to look it over, since my parents would rather I didn't print 186 or so pages...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-04, 04:46 AM

The Stongman:
The strongman is a classic fixture of the circus; lifting weights, bending bars and crushing bricks in his hands, the crowd adores such deeds; things they wish they could do themselves.

The strongman of Le Cirque Funeste is something other. His frame is bulky and overbalances, with shoulders seemingly too broad for a man to have and muscles that resemble the buttresses of churches. Each of his veins carries a small taint of green and from beneath his colourful mask spills a beard that resembles black lichen. Most troubling are his eyes, bloodshot beneath the mask. There is no madness to be found there, just hate and as his pupils contract to stare hate at you, they move like branches returning after a gust of wind.

Most disturbing is that unlike the rest of Le Cirque, the Strongman seems tied to the powers of the Ringmaster. He is directly effected by several of the powers of the Ringmaster, including becoming actively distorted in size by his ability to increase the internal size of the tent. This may lend credence to the idea that the Strongman wasn't originally part of the circus but was evolved after a rough encounter with some German mechs suffered by one of the original circuses.

Strongman
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special|Unarmed Damage

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+1|Powerful Build|
1d6

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+2|Bonus Feat|
1d6

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+3|+1 Strength|
1d6

4th|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+4|Hurl Object|
1d8

5th|
+5|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|+1 Strength|
1d8

6th|
+6|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+5|Bonus Feat|
1d8

7th|
+7|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+6|+1 Strength|
1d8

8th|
+8|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+7|Goliath|
1d10

9th|
+9|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|+1 Strength|
1d10

10th|
+10|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+9|Bonus Feat|
1d10

11th|
+11|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+10|+1 Strength|
1d10

12th|
+12|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+10|Greater Hurl|
1d12

13th|
+13|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+11|+1 Strength|
1d12

14th|
+14|
+9|
+7|
+7|
+12|Bonus Feat|
1d12

15th|
+15|
+9|
+7|
+7|
+13|+1 Strength|
1d12

16th|
+16|
+10|
+8|
+8|
+14|Colossus|
2d8

17th|
+17|
+10|
+8|
+8|
+15|+1 Strength|
2d8

18th|
+18|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+15|Bonus Feat|
2d8

19th|
+19|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+16|+1 Strength|
2d8

20th|
+20|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+17|Atlas|
2d10[/table]
Hit Dice: d10
Class Skills: Climb [Str], Intimidate [Str/Cha], Jump [Str], Perform [Cha], Swim [Str].

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int

Class Features:
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A strongman is not really taught to use weapons. He is proficient with all Simple weapons, Sledgehammers [Maul] and Warhammers. He has no proficiency in any form of armour.

Powerful Build [Su]: Strongmen are massive and muscular beings, their muscles bulging under the influence of the weirdness of the carnival. They count as Large creatures whenever it would be beneficial to them, allowing them to wield weapons larger than normal and granting a +4 bonus on Intimidate, Grapple, Bullrush and Trip checks. This is a Profane bonus that applies only within the confines of the Carnival.

Unarmed Damage [Su]: The huge fists of a Strongman can crush a man's head like an overripe melon. They deal lethal damage with their unarmed attacks and use the damage listed in the chart instead of the norm for a large creature [see Powerful Build]. This does not grant the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, however, so they are still subject to Attacks of Opportunity when making unarmed attacks. This is a Profane bonus that applies only within the confines of the Carnival.

Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th and 18th level, the Strongman may choose to gain one of the following as a bonus feat. He must still meet the prerequisites of the feat: Always More to Give [MV], Awesome Blow [MM], Brutal Throw [CAd], Diehard, Endurance, Extreme Hustle [MV], Fearsome Presence [LM], Improved Bullrush, Improved Grapple, Improved Sunder, Improved Unarmed Strike, Queensbury Rules [MV] , Power Attack, Toughness [MV].

Strength Bonuses [Su]: At 3rd level and every subsequent odd numbered level, the Strongman gains a cumulative +1 bonus on his strength. This is a Profane bonus that applies only within the confines of the Carnival.

Hurl Objects [Su]: While within Carnival, a 4th level Strongman can demonstrate his power by throwing things the size of cartwheels around with great abandon. Such objects are thrown weapons with a range increment of 15ft and deal 2d6 damage, plus the Strongman's strength bonus when they hit. Because they rely on concussive force, these thrown objects have the Armour Piercing quality.

Goliath [Su]: As of 8th level, the Strongman begins to become more directly affected by the effects of the Ringmaster's In the Big Tent ability. When under the effects of this power, and inside the enlarged tent that it produces, their size increases to Large, though he counts as Huge wherever it would be beneficial to him. He gains a +4 bonus on his Strength score, suffers a -1 penalty on Attack rolls and Defence and his bonus on Intimidate, Grapple, Bullrush and Trip checks increases by a total of +6 [including both size and strength]. Anything that he picks up grows to match his size and deal damage as if they were one size larger than they actually are. The damage from objects that he throws increases to 2d8 [3d8 at 12th level].

Improved Hurl [Su]: The Strongman continues to gain mass and learns to use it to throw larger and heavier things with greater force and accuracy. At 12th level, he gains a +1 bonus on Attack rolls with thrown objects, deals 2d8 damage when throwing them and their Range Increment is increased to 60ft.

Colossus [Su]: As of 16th level, the Strongman grows into a mighty giant along with the growing tent. When inside the enlarged tent produced by In the Big Tent, his size increases to Huge, though he counts as Gargantuan wherever it would be beneficial to him. He gains a +8 bonus on his Strength score, Suffers a -2 penalty on Attack rolls and Defence and his bonus on Intimidate, Grapple, Bullrush and Trip checks increases by a total of +12 [including both size and strength]. Anything that he picks up grows to match his size and deal damage as if they were two sizes larger than they actually are. The damage from objects he throws increases to 4d8.

Atlas [Su]: At 20th level, the Strongman grows utterly massive under the Ringmaster's In the Big Tent ability. When under the effects of this power, and inside the enlarged tent that it produces, his size increases to Gargantuan, though he counts as Colossal wherever it would be beneficial to him. He gains a +12 bonus on his Strength score, suffers a -4 penalty on Attack rolls and Defence and his bonus on Intimidate, Grapple, Bullrush and Trip checks increases by a total of +12 [including both size and strength]. Anything that he picks up grows to match his size and deal damage as if they were three size larger than they actually are. The damage dealt by objects thrown under these conditions increases to 6d8 damage.

Notes: Less Macabre than the rest, the Strongman is powerful and destructive. It seemed logical to give him the ability to Rage, but this seemed like overkill and can still be added by simply giving him a level of Barbarian should you wish to. I personally thought it was going too far down the "Bane" route...

More Circus-folks to follow: I got bogged down while trying to refit the Bard into a Fae based character...

Kallisti

2009-09-04, 06:13 PM

The Stongman:
The strongman is a classic fixture of the circus; lifting weights, bending bars and crushing bricks in his hands, the crowd adores such deeps as theyare things that they wish they could do themselves.

The strongman of Le Cirque Funeste is something other. His frame is bulky and overbalances, with shoulders seemingly too broad for a man to have and muscles that resemble the buttresses of churches. Each of his veins carries a small taint of green and from beneath his colourful mask spills a beard that resembles black lichen. Most troubling are his eyes, bloodshot beneath the mask. There is no madness to be found there, just hate and as his pupils contract to stare hate at you, they move like branches returning after a gust of wind.

Strongman
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special|Unarmed Damage

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+1|Powerful Build|
1d6

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+2|Bonus Feat|
1d6

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+3|-|
1d6

4th|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+4|+2 Strength|
1d6

5th|
+5|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|-|
1d8

6th|
+6|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+5|Bonus Feat|
1d8

7th|
+7|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+6|-|
1d8

8th|
+8|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+7|+2 Strength|
1d8

9th|
+9|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|-|
1d10

10th|
+10|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+9|Bonus Feat|
1d10

11th|
+11|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+10|-|
1d10

12th|
+12|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+10|+2 Strength|
1d10

13th|
+13|
+8|
+6|
+6|
+11|-|
1d12

14th|
+14|
+9|
+7|
+7|
+12|Bonus Feat|
1d12

15th|
+15|
+9|
+7|
+7|
+13|-|
1d12

16th|
+16|
+10|
+8|
+8|
+14|+2 Strength|
1d12

17th|
+17|
+10|
+8|
+8|
+15|-|
2d8

18th|
+18|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+15|Bonus Feat|
2d8

19th|
+19|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+16|-|
2d8

20th|
+20|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+17|+2 Strength|
2d8[/table]
Hit Dice: d10
Class Skills: Climb [Str], Intimidate [Str/Cha], Jump [Str], Perform [Cha], Swim [Str].

Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int

Class Features:
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A strongman is not really taught to use weapons. He is proficient with all Simple weapons, Sledgehammers [Maul] and Warhammers. He has no proficiency in any form of armour.

Powerful Build [Su]: Strongmen are massive and muscular beings, their muscles bulging under the influence of the weirdness of the carnival. They count as Large creatures whenever it would be beneficial to them, allowing them to wield weapons larger than normal and granting a +4 bonus on Intimidate, Grapple, Bullrush and Trip checks. This is a Profane bonus that applies only within the confines of the Carnival.

Unarmed Damage [Su]: The huge fists of a Strongman can crush a man's head like an overripe melon. They deal lethal damage with their unarmed attacks and use the damage listed in the chart instead of the norm for a large creature [see Powerful Build]. This does not grant the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, however, so they are still subject to Attacks of Opportunity when making unarmed attacks. This is a Profane bonus that applies only within the confines of the Carnival.

Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th and 18th level, the Strongman may choose to gain one of the following as a bonus feat. He must still meet the prerequisites of the feat: Always More to Give [MV], Awesome Blow [MM], Brutal Throw [CAd], Diehard, Endurance, Extreme Hustle [MV], Fearsome Presence [LM], Improved Bullrush, Improved Grapple, Improved Sunder, Improved Unarmed Strike, Queensbury Rules [MV] , Power Attack, Toughness [MV].

Strength Bonuses [Su]: At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th level, the Strongman gains a cumulative +2 bonus on his strength. This is a Profane bonus that applies only within the confines of the Carnival.

Notes: Less Macabre than the rest, the Strongman is powerful and destructive. It seemed logical to give him the ability to Rage, but this seemed like overkill and can still be added by simply giving him a level of Barbarian should you wish to. I personally thought it was going too far down the "Bane" route...

More Circus-folks to follow: I got bogged down while trying to refit the Bard into a Fae based character...

Hmmmm...Not too sure about this one. The strength bonuses are pretty powerful, but the unarmed damage is inferior to a monk's, which was too low to begin with, but the poor proficiencies are pretty painful, and the lack of skills and the very limp class skill list.

If I were you, I'd increase the skill points, and up the unarmed damage, to at least equal to that of the monk's. The poor proficiencies seem like a reasonable price to pay for the rest of the class, but those two things...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-04, 08:13 PM

ok, straight answer. It's not really a 'melee' class except incidentally. It's intended to be a massively powerful head crusher but really without skill so the skills thing doesn't make much sense...

The overall difference between the one level shift that you're advising is 2 damage every fourth level, beginning at 3rd level. Would it be too powerful to shift the supernatural strength bonus onto every odd level between 3rd and 19th?

It's certainly more powerful [then again, i designed this forgetting that the trooper is marginally more powerful than the fighter [which i don't think is underpowered really, just poorly tasked], but i can't work out if a 'most of the time' +2 bonus on Strength is worth a Bonus feat or whether it's worth less...

Kallisti

2009-09-04, 08:20 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-04, 08:23 PM

the Epic feat is a +1 to a stat...

Kallisti

2009-09-04, 08:25 PM

Exactly. A +2 stackable bonus is worth a lot, which is why I didn't jump down your throat about there only bweing a few class features. There are only a few features. They're really strong features. Also, kudos for being smart enough not to put one of the increases at first level. That's a pitfall a lot of homebrewers fall into.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-04, 08:34 PM

How about a +1 on Strength each odd numbered level [other thin 1st with the already powerful Powerful Build ability], with the prospect of making it more potent with the bonuses at every 4th level and then the unarmed daage could be shifted so that there's a unique feature every level?

Kallisti

2009-09-04, 08:36 PM

I like the sound of that. At the moment the class' flavor is a little lacking. Be careful, though: The strength bonuses are already a lot of power, so don't go too overboard on the features...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-04, 08:44 PM

ok, take a look now [character stat sheet]. Same thing i suggested, with the prospect that most of the powerful abilities [Ogresque strength amongst them] disappearing outside the carnival. [not entirely sure how often that's a benefit, killing the Ringmaster and burning the tents works...]

Kallisti

2009-09-05, 12:53 PM

Looks more balanced now, I think. The class would be unplayable outside the Cirque, but that was the whole point anyway.

I still think that maybe you should give them another skill point or two. As it stands, a Strongman who makes Intelligence his dump stat would have to choose between Climb, Jump, and Intimidate.

But then, that will still be a problem with a low enough Int. I guess what I'm saying is that I think it's stupid that characters with low Int end up not being able to jump well, but that's a problem with the underlying rules system, not the class.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-05, 02:29 PM

i've altered the Strongman slightly to increase the skill points, but then again, i'd never assumed that a character would take Intelligence as a dump, rather either Charisma or Dexterity...

Probably Dex specifically.

Edit: actually, no, i'm going to change it back to Int as it's not a Fae creature. The Cha based skill points made sense but i'm going to save that.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-06, 04:47 AM

Acrobat:
Acrobats are usually the most common performers in a given circus. In Le Cirque Funeste, they take on a sinister edge, wafting and fluttering through the air within the tents like tattered rags in the breeze. Acrobats wear skin tight suits and no armour, but that rarely matters as their motions make them difficult to hit and practically impossible to wound successfully.

Who?: The seeds for acrobats are usually female, with a limited development of personality. A prospective acrobat is usually unsure of herself, afraid of the opinions of others and very shy. Unlike most other performers, the acrobats choose their own, setting out under cover of darkness, occasionally without the approval of the Ringmaster, to claim their newest member. The process of becoming an acrobat gives this little girl the body of a 'woman' and gives her purpose but takes from her the ability to live and grow, something the fæ have no time for.

Acrobat
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+0|Agile, Kip Up, Talons

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+1|Evasion, Skeletal I

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+2|Fast Acrobatics, Steady Stance

4th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+2|
+3|Limbs Everywhere

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+2|
+3|Unexpected Assault, Sudden Strike +1d6

6th|
+4|
+3|
+5|
+3|
+4|Mute, Tumbling Defence

7th|
+5|
+3|
+5|
+3|
+5|Swooping Harvest

8th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+4|
+6|Movement Mastery

9th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+4|
+6|Improved Evasion

10th|
+7|
+5|
+7|
+5|
+7|Sudden Strike +2d6

11th|
+8|
+5|
+7|
+5|
+8|Skeletal II

12th|
+9|
+6|
+8|
+6|
+9|Hair Lash

13th|
+9|
+6|
+8|
+6|
+9|Defensive Roll

14th|
+10|
+7|
+9|
+7|
+10|Twisted Limbs

15th|
+11|
+7|
+9|
+7|
+11|Sudden Strike +3d6

16th|
+12|
+8|
+10|
+8|
+12|Wire Dance

17th|
+12|
+8|
+10|
+8|
+12|Faceless

18th|
+13|
+9|
+11|
+9|
+13|Hollow

19th|
+14|
+9|
+11|
+9|
+14|Ragamuffin

20th|
+15|
+10|
+12|
+10|
+15|Skeletal III, Sudden Strike +4d6[/table]

Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills: Balance [Dex], Climb [Str], Escape Artist [Dex], Hide [Dex], Intimidate [Str/Cha], Jump [Str], Move Silently [Dex], Perform [Cha], Ride [Dex], Sleight of Hand [Dex], Spot [Wis], Tumble [Dex]
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int

Class Features:
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Not explicitly trained for combat, Acrobats are proficient with Simple weapons and all Martial Thrown weapons as they use them in their act. They are not proficient with any kind of armour.

Agile [Ex]: The Acrobat is slippery at best and may spend a Swift action to add an active Dodge bonus to their Defence equal to their Dexterity modifier. This action also activates any Dodge feats they may have.

Kip Up [Ex]: The Acrobat is trained in changing her position easily and may switch between standing, sitting, kneeling and prone positions as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Talons [Su]: The energies of Carnival have a corruptive effect on the physiology of those it entraps. The Acrobat's fingers become hard and flexible, able to bite deep into flesh when used aggressively. This hardening of the flesh grants her the ability to deal 1d6 lethal damage with her unarmed attacks. This counts as Improved Unarmed Strike for purposes of prerequisites but does not negate the Attack of Opportunity that unarmed attacks provoke.

Evasion [Ex]: The agility of an Acrobat is sufficient to allow them to leap out of the way of explosions. When in any situation where an attack has a "Reflex, half" modifier, the acrobat suffers no damage on a successful save.

Skeletal: The power of Carnival infuses the acrobat, lending power to her bones while wasting her flesh as the cold leanness of nature becomes embodied. At 2nd level, she gains a +2 bonus to her Dexterity score, in exchange for a -2 penalty to her Constitution. In addition, her body begins to lose mass at a troubling rate; reduce her weight by 2 pounds [lb] per level the character possesses in the Acrobat class.

At 11th level, the wasting and tightening of muscles is offset by a whipsnake infusion of speed, granting a further +2 bonus to Dexterity. No Constitution is lost at this level. By this point, an acrobat has become scarily thin and their skin is stretched taught with their veins showing clearly.

If an acrobat survives to 20th level, they are more of less a skeleton dressed in thin, rubbery skin. They become utterly repulsive to look at, gaining a +2 bonus on Intimidate. In addition, their weight-loss and shuddering speed increase, granting a further +2 Dexterity and -2 on Constitution.

Fast Acrobatics [Ex]: Thanks to a great deal of experience, a 3rd level Acrobat are greatly talented in the arts of movement. They may move while Balancing at full speed without taking the normal -5 penalty. They automatically Climb at their normal move speed without penalty. Finally, they may Tumble at full speed without taking the normal -10 penalty.

Steady Stance [Ex]: The Acrobat is adept at fighting with her feet far off the ground. Beginning at 3rd level, an acrobat is never considered Flatfooted when Balancing or Climbing and adds her class level on all such checks to avoid falling.

Limbs Everywhere [Su]: At 4th level, the Acrobat has adapted sufficiently to her body's changes that she can attack using a surprisingly accurate but difficult to predict flailing of her limbs. Rather than the conventional -5 penalty to make additional attacks, the Acrobat need only take a -3 penalty on her Base Attack Bonus for each additional attack. Additionally, she may make a full attack action as a Standard action rather than a Full action; she may not, however, make a full attack on the charge. This ability functions only within Carnival.

Unexpected Assault [Su]: By using the confusing layout of Cirque, the Acrobat gets into positions that their target is unable to defend against attacks from. As a Move action, the Acrobat Tumbles through the space of another character and must make the normal Tumble check to do so [DC 20+BAB]. Should she succeed, the target is Flatfooted against her next attack that round.

Sudden Strike [Ex]: The Acrobat has learned to strike with great speed and viciousness. Against any foe that is Flatfooted against her attacks, a 5th level Acrobat deals +1d6 precision damage to the target.

At 10th, 15th and 20th level, this increases by a further +1d6.

Mute: By the time they hit 5th level, Acrobats are beginning to become Fæ creatures. They lose any urge to talk and begin to communicate by complex gestures which can be mysteriously understood by all who watch them. At the same time, they take to habitually wearing stretchy fabric masks that have neither eye nor mouth holes.

Mechanically, this has the upshot of making them thoroughly eerie to deal with, lending them a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.

Tumbling Defence [Ex]: A 6th level Acrobat can launch into a sequence of tumbles, which means that she's always where the bullets aren't. As long as the Acrobat Tumbles at least 20ft in her turn then she may replace her Defence with her Tumble check [roll once] against ranged weapons for the remainder of the turn [until the end phase]

Swooping Harvest [Ex]: The internal geography of Carnival is set up so that the Acrobats can work more easily. When climbing inside a frame [the wires and rigging of Carnival, the branches of a forest, ship's rigging], the acrobat may attempt to move in, snatch a target and move away, relying on their target's inability to defend themselves in such a situation in order to win. At 7th level, the Acrobat gains Spring Attack as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. The acrobat usually uses this to initiate a grapple, at which point the target is carried with her as she moves away.

Movement Mastery [Ex]: At 8th level, the Acrobat has become so used to moving in strange ways that even bullets and people with blades do not hinder her movement. She may take 10 on any Balance, Climb, Jump or Tumble checks she is called upon to make, even when under pressure or threatened.

Improved Evasion [Ex]: As of 9th level, when subject to an attack that allows a save of "Reflex, half," the Acrobat takes half damage if she fails the save and none if she passes.

Hair Lash [Su]: In Le Cirque, even male Acrobats wear their hair long. At 12th level, an acrobat who hits with a melee attack may choose to automatically begin a grapple instead of dealing damage. Her hair lashes out in a semi-prehensile manner and wraps tightly around the head of the target before he is carried away [this effectively replaces the grapple check with a conventional attack roll, just like Improved Grab].

Defensive Roll [Ex]: From 13th level, as a Reaction, the Acrobat may make a Reflex save when struck by an attack. This number is halved and deducted from the damage of the attack as if it were Damage Reduction. This effect functions only against Ballistic or Piercing damage and may be used once per round.

Twisted Limbs [Su]: The legs of the Acrobat become more and more able to grab and hold things as her climbing improves and Carnival works it's malevolence on her. By 14th level, the Acrobat's feet have twisted enough that they can function as hands and be used to wield weapons. This is horribly disorientating to fight and so when the Acrobat is fighting armed and uses Limbs Everywhere to gain additional attacks, she gains one further attack above those the penalty taken would normally grant.

Wire Dance [Su]: By the time she reaches 16th level, the Acrobat's ability to climb under Carnival's influence has become almost silly. Within Carnival, the acrobat seems able to balance and climb when simply in the general vicinity of some climbable surface. As long as she remains within 10ft of something solid at all times, the acrobat is treated as having a 60ft Fly speed with Perfect manoeuvrability.

Faceless: After so long wearing the faceless mask of the acrobat, a 17th level example of this class that removes the mask would not notice a difference. Their eyes and mouth have been completely replaced by smooth skin. The acrobat no longer needs to eat or drink and is thoroughly terrifying, granting a total of +5 on Intimidate checks. This overrides the modifier for Mute. The Acrobat can still see perfectly well.

Hollow: Carnival consumes everything it touches. By 18th level, the soul of the Acrobat has been completely subsumed into the troupe of acrobats within that particular Cirque. She is immune to compulsions, charms and all emotion affecting spells and abilities. She may be targeted with spells and abilities as if she were a Fæ.

Ragamuffin [Su]: At 19th level, the Acrobat's body becomes a thing of Fæ. She may imitate the Liminal Tweening ability of Fæ to shift up to 40ft between shadows as a Move action within the confines of Carnival. If she is slain, her body instantly dissolves into a pile of rags stained with human waste and blood.

Owrtho

2009-09-09, 06:37 PM

I could actually see a rather interesting campaign where the players all take these classes if done correctly. It could involve Le Cirque Funeste going to various towns/cities, and the members then going and trying to accomplish various goals at said cities. However due to most of their powers only working within the Carnival, they would need to use more subtle methods when outside it. Possible missions might include needing to kill off someone (could be evil of good and depending on their power may require convincing them to go to the Le Cirque Funeste), 'recruiting' new members, personal goals or gathering information, making a living performing during the shows.

Owrtho

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 06:47 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 06:50 PM

I could actually see a rather interesting campaign where the players all take these classes if done correctly.

Owrtho

I guess you could...Part of me is sitting here thinking that it sounded out of place, but then, i have the identity and nature of the sponsors Le Cirque Funeste in my head and they've yet to be presented here.

It would certainly be possible if your players were willing to put up with being the bad-guys [unequivicably most of the time] and their missions not making a lot of direct sense... That or you changed the nature of the lords anyway.

The Professor has a patch in the works that allows him to operate without Carnival [it's a feat] but most of the others are tied pretty darn tight to the Cirque itself.

Personally, i don't like running games where the players are the bad guys, i just made these dudes into classes so that they were totally scalable.

Ringmaster is almost ready for PEACHing, though striking a balance is proving tricky...

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 06:54 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 06:59 PM

Well, fixing balance problems is what PEACH'ing here is for. Although, actually, if you submit your material to the D&D wiki rebel group who split off to protest the fact that the owner of the original D&D wiki is treating everyone on the site like they're his own personal slaves (http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page), they'll vet it thoroughly for balance before posting it. So you could go there to get the opinion of a panel of nine expert homebrewers and balance critics.

Thanks for the offer but if everything else i've seen on the D&D wiki is anything to go by, i suspect that their ideas of power balance will be somewhat different from my own.

It's more flavour than anything; i'm trying to keep things macabre but not make the Circus seem like a Carnival of Horrors from the get go.

That's not the Lord's plan...[there is no malevolent smile emote here...]

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 07:03 PM

Thanks for the offer but if everything else i've seen on the D&D wiki is anything to go by, i suspect that their ideas of power balance will be somewhat different from my own.

That's one of the many reasons this rebel group broke off. They're the new, improved, high-quality D&D wiki. I think that the Dungeon Wikia project has a lot of promise. Like, a LOT of promise. Besides, it got the Fax Celestis seal of approval.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 07:12 PM

Yes, though i'm more concerned with the fact that most balancers, i'm not sure about Fax but hey, seem to think that Wizard should be the baseline and everything else should be brought up to meet it.

I fear trying to explain that i carefully worked everything in the MV book to be about as dangerous in their field as a Trooper is would probably fall on deaf ears. [Its proven reasonably true in play, though everything is obviously hyper specialised]

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 07:13 PM

Ah, but these guys are smart. They balance against the Tome Series, which is 3.x made saner. A lot saner. It's like what Pathfinder tried to do, except that it works.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 07:17 PM

Ah, then i've got my answer; Don't bother.

I really don't like the Tome of Battle and it's been the cause of much impuning of my intelligence on this board already. I honestly think that the Warblade, held up as 'What the fighter should have been' is a really bad class. It isn't even balanced with the other two ToB classes yet it's become the new baseline...

Thanks for the suggestion though.

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 07:20 PM

No, no, not the Tome of Battle. The Tome Series. (http://tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=48453) A series of fixes for D&D 3.5e, which I feel do a pretty good job making things saner.

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 07:27 PM

I really don't like the Tome of Battle and it's been the cause of much impuning of my intelligence on this board already. I honestly think that the Warblade, held up as 'What the fighter should have been' is a really bad class. It isn't even balanced with the other two ToB classes yet it's become the new baseline...

This I can agree with, though. Warblade is mechanically poor and has little fluff that I like.

EDIT:
And, finished reading the Acrobat!

I really like the class and its flavor, but a few things seemed...odd to me.
1. Agile Defence is perfectly fine at high levels, but might be overpowered at low levels. Then again, maybe not.
2. The class gets evasion very early. This could work fine, and is not particularly overpowered, but it struck me as odd.
3. Unexpected Assault with Limbs Everywhere means that, from fifth level on, a good tumble check can mean that, in any given round, an acrobat can tumble her speed and full attack an automatically-flat footed target. At that level, you could easily leave the class to take rogue, ninja, scout, etc. and get huge sneak attack bonuses. It gets even worse with Hair Lash, but at that point it means you stuck with your base class long enough to get Hair Lash, so that might be all right.
4. Unexpected Assault has fluff about the Carnival, but doesn't say anywhere if the ability works only in Carnival or not.
5. Ragamuffyn is hella awesome. Not odd, perhaps, but I felt it needed to go on my list of comments.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 07:49 PM

Ok, well, i like the guy's content, find his attempted humour horribly patronising. [FrankTrollman the author, that is]

Might consider asking these people.

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 07:52 PM

Well, the tome series author is, to the best of my knowledge, not on the Dungeon Wikia judging comittee. But yeah, Frank Trollman is hardly my favorite person in the world. He did a pretty good job with the Tomes, though.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 07:56 PM

Ok, yeah, hit the classes in Tome of War and if this is what's being used as a baseline, i'll not waste my time talking to them.

Far too powerful from start to finish, to the point where any form of encounter calculation is impossible [the reason i dislike ToB and Pathfinder in all honesty. I have no problem with upping the ante, but they didn't bother to adjust the CR rates to cope with the increase]

Now, back to what i was working on...

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 07:59 PM

I actually have not looked at Tome of War yet. Is it really that borked? Because if so...Oh, god, and for a while there I thought maybe they'd managed to fix 3.x.

Ah, well. Whatever. My group does just fine without...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 08:02 PM

I consider the Trooper class what the Fighter should have looked like and a balanced class in context [its surprising how much balance occurred when Power Attack entered its current form and Power Shot was introduced].

I find the Pathfinder Beta one to be an overcompensation.

The Tome of War one makes the Pathfinder Fighter look like it was written by cowards who don't know what true power looks like...

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 08:05 PM

Oh, God.

I do like the way Mecha Victoriana balances. It's a good system. It's just not as backwards-compatable as a fix for 3.5 is.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 08:18 PM

This I can agree with, though. Warblade is mechanically poor and has little fluff that I like.

EDIT:
And, finished reading the Acrobat!

I really like the class and its flavor, but a few things seemed...odd to me.
1. Agile Defence is perfectly fine at high levels, but might be overpowered at low levels. Then again, maybe not.
2. The class gets evasion very early. This could work fine, and is not particularly overpowered, but it struck me as odd.
3. Unexpected Assault with Limbs Everywhere means that, from fifth level on, a good tumble check can mean that, in any given round, an acrobat can tumble her speed and full attack an automatically-flat footed target. At that level, you could easily leave the class to take rogue, ninja, scout, etc. and get huge sneak attack bonuses. It gets even worse with Hair Lash, but at that point it means you stuck with your base class long enough to get Hair Lash, so that might be all right.
4. Unexpected Assault has fluff about the Carnival, but doesn't say anywhere if the ability works only in Carnival or not.
5. Ragamuffyn is hella awesome. Not odd, perhaps, but I felt it needed to go on my list of comments.

Warblade comment: Have a cookie.

1 - Agile is a stock level 1 ability in MV. It's basically the same thing as the Wisdom bonus adding bit from Monks. Note that in MV, you don't normally add Dex but Wis to your defence. There is something missing, should have said 'when not wearing armour' so it's defence or Hardness, pick one.

2 - Evasion usually appears at 2nd level [Rogue and Monk both]. Really only affects spells and artillery; grenades are save-to-avoid or use poison gas.

3 - I make it about a half chance against a combat character [an average bonus without an =level bonus ability is about 10 + level] up to the second Skeletal entry... I suppose i could make it a +4 to hit and Sudden Strike sticks...
The Hair lash thing is intentional.

4 - There's a boilerplate on the Carnival Characters section at the top of my working notes. Obviously didn't copy it out. Supernatural abilities of Carnival classes function only within Carnival.

5 - Yeah, it is. Not as bad as 16HD+ Liminal Tweening, but pretty powerful. Denies you use of Unexpected Assault though.

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 08:23 PM

The problem with Unexpected Assault isn't with the ability itself, it's that after you get that ability you could multiclass to get a much higher sneak attack/sudden strike. It's a very powerful tool for making people flat-footed.

Although in MV the multiclassing is probably less of a problem. There would be fewer classes that have Sneak Attack at or near the top, becuase there would be fewer non-Mech classes.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-09, 08:44 PM

hmmm...while, as you point out, there are only 2 classes with top shelf Sneak Attack in MV [Spy plus Assassin which isn't in the corebook] this is rather powerful. I honestly didn't consider the possibility; to me these are kind of scalable monsters.

How about folding Unexpected Assualt and the Sudden Strike ability into one and maybe just giving a +5 bonus to hit?

Kallisti

2009-09-09, 08:48 PM

Well, the fact that Unexpected Assault is Carnival-only helps. If I were you, though, I might either move the ability back or make a rule that prevents it from working with too much precision damage. Putting a precision-damage die cap on an ability feels weird, but that might work...or maybe speicify it only works with precision damage from Carnival sources? So if you make prestige classes for the acrobats later they can still get more sneak attack/sudden strike, but you won't end up with rogue builds that go Acrobat 5/sneak attack class 5/other sneak attack class 10/Ultimate McStabby of Stabbity Death 3.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-10, 10:34 AM

Ringmaster:
The Ringmaster is the heart of any circus. He keeps the show together, negotiates for the fields in which they display, organises the show and distracts the audience while new acts are set up. He is a bright flamboyant figure, dressed in riding gear from the gentry and powerful of voice that draws attention to different things and away from others.

In Le Cirque Funeste, the Ringmaster is the ultimate facilitator between the Lords of Mournful Laughter and the world of the real. He has the ability to manipulate the environment of Carnival and is the only force that can control it; should the Ringmaster be slain, the Carnival will either go berserk, expanding rapidly across boundaries before collapsing under its own weight or it will simply implode over a period of time, sometimes hours, sometimes weeks.

Ringmasters are chosen by the Lords for their manipulative natures and the fact that they have nothing left to lose. Most Ringmasters accepted their new role with trepidation but found that the moral ambiguity and seeming insanity of their new role was rather cathartic, throwing themselves into it with abandon. It should be noted that it is a rare Ringmaster with any particular agenda himself, though those carnivals that did a lot of damage were inevitably led by such individuals who ignored or twisted the orders of their Lords.

Prerequisites:
Ringmasters are not taught, rather they are made, though all of them meet the following minimums:
Skills: Bluff 4 Ranks, Manipulation 4 Ranks, Perform [Oratory] 4 Ranks, Sense Motive 4 Ranks
Feats: Skill Focus [Manipulation]
Special: A prospective Ringmaster must have committed some form of scam that made at least a dozen people intensely miserable and then be run out of town. He must have been wounded while escaping and bled until on his Red threshold, then becoming lost in the forest. If his heart is suitably cold and unsympathetic, then he may be chosen by the Lords of Mournful Laughter.

Ringmaster
{table=head]Level|BaseAttackBonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|"Carnival!", Madames et Messieurs

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|I AM Carnival, Special Guests

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+2|In the Centre Ring [one target]

4th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+3|Send in the Clowns, The Big Tent

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+3|Limelight

6th|
+4|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+4|Aura of Dignity [10ft]

7th|
+5|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+5|Freakmaker

8th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+6|In Centre Ring [Cha Modifier]

9th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+6|Aura of Dignity [20ft]

10th|
+7|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+7|Mournful Laughter[/table]

Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills: Appraise [Int], Bluff [Cha], Diplomacy [Cha], Gather Information [Cha], Jump [Str], Intimidate [Str/Cha], Knowledge [Europe] [Int], Knowledge [Nature] [Int], Manipulation [Cha], Perform [Cha], Sense Motive [Wis], Swim [Str].

Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int

Class Features:
[B]Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: Despite seeming, the Ringmaster is gifted with a great deal of knowledge by the Lords. He is proficient in all Simple and Martial weapons. He is granted a suit of Leafweave armour, a living magical suit of armour [Hardness 4, Max Stat +8, Penalty -1; restores all hp if the wearer stands in water in direct sunlight for one hour; appears to be normal clothing until the wearer is slain]. The suit is usually destroyed by the time he is killed.

"Carnival!" [Su]: The Ringmaster is literally the only being in creation that may declare Carnival. Le Cirque Funeste does not exist without him. The Circus itself is transported in a small number of wagons but sets itself up over the course of eight bewildering minutes and sixteen seconds [no one is sure why this long precisely]. Any non-Carnival character within the circus' area as it unfolds is struck for 1d10 damage. Once a Carnival has remained for the time dictated by the patrons, it can be folded down in much the same manner.

Mesdames et Messieurs [Su]: Each Ringmaster invokes the spell of Carnival by using the same formula of declaration on the viewers. If he can complete the following speech, [a Full action – 12 seconds], he gains a +4 bonus on Bluff, Manipulation and Sense Motive against all those within the bounds of Carnival:

"Mesdames et Messieurs, Wilkommen et Bienvenue, Welcome…au Carnival!
"Les Sieurs Rieur presente, la spectacle plus sombre du la planete."

I AM Carnival [Su]: The Ringmaster is basically the avatar of Carnival in the area. He produces a field of effect around him that bathes a region of 200ft around himself in the energies of Carnival, allowing his abilities and those of other characters of Carnival to function, even outside the area claimed by their Carnival.

Special Guests [Su]: If you think that the only things in the audience at Le Cirque Funeste are humans, think again. If the Ringmaster successfully employs his Mesdames et Messieurs ability, then Fæ flock to the audience, twisting the emotions in the room to greater heights. Usually, this simply makes an enjoyable circus performance into the greatest show of the audience's life, but if things turn dark, things turn really dark.

All Carnival characters in the are gain a +4 bonus on checks and DCs of all emotion affecting abilities that they possess [including the Evoke Emotion use of Manipulation, Intimidate and Perform [Comedy] checks, along with Fear and emotion causing abilities]. This ability must succeed for X and Y to function properly.

In The Centre Ring [Ex]: At 3rd level, the Ringmaster gains the ability to invest additional amounts of the power of Carnival in one of his performers. The targeted individual must be within 60ft and may be the Ringmaster himself. The targeted performer gains a +2 bonus on all Attack, Damage and Save rolls, their Defence and the DCs of all their abilites that require saves. This includes the attack rolls of the Professor's puppets as long as the Professor is the targeted party. Activating this ability costs a Standard action and is sustained as a Swift action each round. Changing the target requires a further Standard action.

At 8th level, the power of this ability increases so that the Ringmaster may grant the +2 bonus provided by this ability to a number of performers equal to his Charisma bonus

Send in the Clowns: Clowns or Merrymen have a strange tendency to materialise at the command of the Ringmaster. As a standard action, a 4th level Ringmaster may summon any number of Merrymen, up to a maximum of his Charisma modifier, from any point within Carnival to a point he designates within 30ft.

The Big Tent [Su]: The Ringmaster gains the bizarre ability to create additional space inside the main tent of the circus at 4th level. When he activates this power [a Full action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity], the effective size of the tent doubles and every creature within the tent is moved away from the Ringmaster until they are twice as far from him as they started [round up]. Additionally, the ranges of all Carnival fuelled abilities double under these circumstances. Some classes such as the Strongman gain additional benefits from this ability.

Additionally, the Ringmaster can briefly double the external size of the big top in order to sweep targets inside the nexus of Carnival. Specifically, he usually uses this to draw aggressors inside it where they can be dealt with easier. Anything engulfed by the expanding tent's "event horizon" is deposited in the seating area of the tent in a comparable position to the location they occupied outside. After this has occurred, a process taking moments, the external dimensions of the tent return to normal.

Limelight [Su]: The Ringmaster has almost total control over the lighting and much of the rest of the environment of his circus. As a Standard action, a 5th level Ringmaster may dictate which areas are in total shadow, which are lit and which are touched by the powerful limelight of the circus. These effects are dictated in 10ft squares and only one 10ft square may be lit by the Limelight itself. Any non-Carnival character that begins its turn lit by the limelight suffers Fire damage equal to 1d6+the Hardness of their armour, with Armour Breaching [ignores hardness].

Aura of Dignity [Su]: Such is the authority of the Ringmaster within his circus that normal people struggle to approach without his permission. At 6th level, mortal creatures [non-Fæ, demon or angel creatures] must make a Will save with a DC equal to the Ringmaster's Manipulation bonus in order to approach within 10ft of him without his permission. Those who leave the aura and attempt to re-enter it must save again.

As of 9th level, this restriction is more vicious, forcing those wishing to approach within 20ft of the Ringmaster without his permission must save once to do so and once more if they wish to approach within 10ft.

Freakmaker [Su]: Circuses usually have monstrous things, malformed beasts and twisted examples of humanity for people to gawp at and be glad that they don't look like that. In most cases, these poor beings are traded from their families or given to the circus. Le Cirque makes its own; as part of a 10 minute ritual, a 7th level Ringmaster lays his hands on a helpless, bound victim [or willing target] and massages their human emotions and mind free. With a flourish, he casts off this ephemeral rag, allowing the Clowns their nourishment.

Creatures subjected to such torture are never the same again. They lose all class levels and gain a number of Humanoid or Monster levels [MV types, in D&D use Humanoid or Monsterous Humanoid] levels equal to the Ringmaster's level -4. A new freak's base intelligence and charisma scores are set to 3 [modified by template] and they gain any one template of the GM's choice. Freaks also gain the ''Sorrowful Horror" ability below. Freaks are obedient to the orders of any Ringmaster and having no soul but what Carnival lends them, die instantly if they leave the aura.

[B]Sorrowful Horror [Su]: A freak in a rage has nothing to lose and a great deal to vent. Once brought below their yellow threshold [half hp or less], the freak enters a maddened rage, lashing out with all the scars of their lost joy. Freaks in a state of Sorrowful Horror gain Fast Healing 2 [or improve their Fast Healing by 2] and once every 1d4 rounds may make a Smite attack against non-freaks, dealing additional damage equal to their HD.

Particularly Suitable templates include: FeralSS, InsectoidSS, ReptilianSS, Multi-headedSS, TauricSS, WingedSS, WoodlingMM3, Yaun-tiSS, Yeennoghu-BloodedMM5.

Mournful Laughter: Upon reaching the 10th level of the Ringmaster class, the tainted individual is more Carnival than man anymore. He ceases to age and becomes one of the Lords of Mournful Laughter. His type changes to Humanoid [Fæ, Augmented Human] and he gains both the Liminal Tweening ability and Damage Reduction against refined materials that are the signatures of the Fæ. As a lord of Mournful Laughter, he gains the ability to create new Ringmasters as long as he can find another two Lords who agree to help. If slain, he collapses into a pile of skinned carrion.

Owrtho

2009-09-10, 09:24 PM

Finally the Ringmaster. This isn't the last class I hope. I'm not sure about that ability or the 7th level myself. I could see it fitting there, but as this is a PRC, it could also go earlier. Anyways, are there any classes that will have the role of attracting people to the circus?
Actually though, for 7th level, maybe something that makes the ring master larger. I frequently see the head of circuses portrayed as being tall and lean, always able to somehow tower over anyone else and enforce order within the circus. It wouldn't likely be in as much an issue strength (the way the strong man's is) as personality, but they might gain the reach bonus and bonuses to intimidate and diplomacy. Might also boost some other abilities that are based on his dominating personality.

Owrtho

Kallisti

2009-09-10, 11:19 PM

I like the ringmaster. I like it a lot...it could probably have more skill points, though, since it needs four skills to get in, and probably needs those skills, intimidate, and maybe knowledge. And the d10 HD seems rather generous. Of course, the class' abilities are mostly reliant on getting help from other Circus-folks, and a ringmaster caught on his own might be in a lot of trouble unless his Aura of Dignity saved him, so maybe the d10 fits.

As for the seventh-level ability? What Owrtho suggested could work, but I think maybe it should have something about getting a volunteer from the audience. The ability to invest a willing bystander with Carnival-related powers, or maybe the ability to draw a bystander further into the show and make them more susceptible to the power of the Carnival-folks.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-11, 12:14 PM

In reply to both, the size enlargement would work but that would make him more combat orientated than i'm planning with this.

The idea is that he's supposed to be the nexus and anchor of the Carnival...Carnival is more powerful around him and so are its preformers thanks to the magical kudos he gives. He's not supposed to be individually powerful but more resilient than you might expect because of the Fae energy that flows through him.

I'm actually considering reducing the prerequisites even more to 4 ranks in the skills and removing the class feature requirement: it's unlikely that a PC can meet the Roleplaying requirement without either higher scores or GM permission anyway...

I've decided on the 7th level ability, mostly to negate the need for another class, it's Freakmaker, which allows him to turn people that the carnival captures into freaks. I'll add that into the writeup.

I'm thinking level 4 for Send in the Clowns. What you think?

Kallisti

2009-09-11, 05:08 PM

I'm thinking level 4 for Send in the Clowns. What you think?

I'd be careful of that, if I were you. I don't know how powerful the clowns are, but one per point of Cha modifier is rather a lot of creatures to summon. A couple of questions:
1. Are the clowns pre-existing Circus denizens, and this power just calls them to the Ringmaster (In which case it's not too powerful, because if he uses the clowns as expendable troops, he'll run out of clowns) or are the clowns truly "summoned" (in which case the ability is relatively balanced, unless the answer to 2 is yes)?
2. Can the Ringmaster use this ability multiple times in succession to get an army of clowns?
3. How long to summoned clowns remain?
4. Does the ability count as a summoning spell for purposes of feats like Augment SUmmoning and Cloudy Conjuration?

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-11, 05:50 PM

I'd be careful of that, if I were you. I don't know how powerful the clowns are, but one per point of Cha modifier is rather a lot of creatures to summon. A couple of questions:
1. Are the clowns pre-existing Circus denizens, and this power just calls them to the Ringmaster (In which case it's not too powerful, because if he uses the clowns as expendable troops, he'll run out of clowns) or are the clowns truly "summoned" (in which case the ability is relatively balanced, unless the answer to 2 is yes)?
2. Can the Ringmaster use this ability multiple times in succession to get an army of clowns?
3. How long to summoned clowns remain?
4. Does the ability count as a summoning spell for purposes of feats like Augment SUmmoning and Cloudy Conjuration?

The actual wording of the ability [in the class entry but not in the main lineup] states that the clowns are summoned from any point within Carneval to a point within 30ft of the Ringmaster.

He drags the clowns already extant in his circus to his side, effectively. It isn't "summon creatures from the netherworld" or anything like that, just "Clowns! To me!!"

Kallisti

2009-09-11, 06:27 PM

Just making sure. Such an open-ended ability with actual summoning would be...problematic.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-11, 06:41 PM

you think i should make a point of using the word teleport instead?

Kallisti

2009-09-11, 06:49 PM

No, since you did say "from any point within Carnival." I'm just careful about stuff like that, because it's surprising the kind of stupidity you get if you follow RAW exactly by the letter.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 04:28 PM

The Merryman [Clowns]:
The clown was actually a fairly late development as circuses go but before this, their role was filled by the similarly attired Merrymen. Merrymen dance, sing, play minor pranks and otherwise attempt to amuse the crowds at the circus before the show. They are also one of the most powerful assets in the Ringmaster's arsenal when things go wrong with other acts; a team of clowns running amok is usually enough to buy time to repair broken trapeze wires or calm a disgruntled elephant.

In Le Cirque Funeste, the clowns are just as playful and are supernaturally gifted at drawing out laughter. The reason for this is actually a little more sinister than one might expect, as merrymen feed on laughter. Both the sound and the small electric charge that is given off by human laughter and joy in general is their primary nutrition.

In the grand scheme of things, they are also the champions of the Lords of Mournful Laughter; they represent their most vicious aspects and their ultimate cruelty when things turn sour and are amongst the most dangerous things that exist within Carnival. The merrymen are effectively the most obvious symptom of Carnival; they are tightly bound to the power of the carnival at any given time, while the Ringmaster is more the vector of the disease, able to rebuild and infect if the current carnival is destroyed.

Effectively, there are two roles that a merryman can take; the scamp, whose antics are harmless and active, and the knave or straightman, the majority of whose humour is much more cruel and often relies on hitting the scamps. These roles are somewhat interchangeable in practice, however.

In practice, becoming a merryman is permanent and the 'class' is actually a pair of 10 level progressions, one for the Scamp and one for the Knave. Once a character begins to advance as a Merryman, he may only choose levels in the two Merryman classes, though he may multiclass freely between them. The single exception is that a Merryman who meets the prerequisites may become a Ringmaster if called upon.

The Scamp:
The Scamp refers to the more comic type of clown, more innocent and harmless; primarily found within the Whiteface tradition, though this is more a role that a Merryman can play rather than a definite type. Scamps run and jump and tumble, all the while performing physical comedy and avoiding direct harm.

Scamps in combat rely on drawing fire and breaking up formations by dint of their annoying abilities and the involuntary laughter than they cause.

Scamp
{table=head]Level|BaseAttackBonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Agile, Humouvore, Tweak

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|Caper, Fæ Phase

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|Silly Distraction

4th|
+2|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+2|Heinous Tweak

5th|
+2|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+2|Take a Tumble

6th|
+3|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+3|Buffoonery

7th|
+3|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+3|Dire Tweak

8th|
+4|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+4|I am Rubber…

9th|
+4|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+4|Fæ Lordship

10th|
+5|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+5|Ruinous Tweak[/table]

Hit Dice: d6
Class Skills: Balance [Dex], Bluff [Cha], Climb [Str], Disguise [Cha], Escape Artist [Dex], Hide [Dex], Jump [Str], Manipulation [Cha], Move Silently [Dex], Perform [Comedy], Ride [Dex], Slight of Hand [Dex], Spot [Wis], Tumble [Dex]
Skill Points per level: 6 + Int

Class Abilities:
[B]Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Scamps gain only very limited proficiency with weapons, gaining access to Simple weapons. They can also use Shields but not armour of any kind.

Agile [Ex]: The Scamp is very adept at bouncing out of the way of blows, mostly thanks to the Knave. As a Swift action, he may add a Dodge bonus to defence equal to his Dex modifier. This is the same action that activates Dodge feats, should he have any.

Humouvore [Su]: Merrymen gain sustenance from laughter around them. For each laughing character within 100ft, the Merryman gains a +1 bonus to Attack and Defence.

If this ability is acquired from another source, the bonus expands to include all Saves and Skill checks.

Tweak [Su]: A Scamp has a limited ability to cause laughter by merely touching a target. As a Standard action, the Scamp makes an Unarmed Attack [targets rarely defend themselves] to lightly brush the target. The target begins to laugh and finds his mood lifted. This has little effect unless the target is in a Rage or Frenzy [or other altered state] where they must make a Will save, DC 10 + Merryman level, or lose the state.

Caper [Su]: At 2nd level, the Scamp's habit of dancing around his victims and dealing wedgies to them becomes more applicable in combat. As long as he is only using his Tweak ability, he counts as having the Spring Attack feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.

Fæ Phase [Su]: At 2nd level, the scamp begins to lose some of his cohesion relative to matter within the Carnival. He may pass through it as though it weren't there. This means that no difficult terrain affects him and he is immune to thrown Carnival objects. Technically, a Scamp can move through walls and the like but will never do so unless the Carnival's cover is completely blown already.

Silly Distraction [Ex]: People have a habit of looking where clowns point, no-one knows why. A 3rd level Scamp can Feint in combat as a Swift action once every 1d4 turns. This is resolved as normal, as a Bluff check against the target's Psyche value.

Heinous Tweak [Su]: The Tweaks of a 4th level Scamp while still mildly amusing to the target, provoke almost unhealthy amounts of Schadenfreude in their friends. Victims of this Tweak suffer 1d6 Subdual damage that ignores armour and all their allies within 10ft must make a Will save, DC 10 + Merryman level or begin laughing as described in Tweak.

Take a Tumble [Su]: A traditional 'bit' with merrymen is for one to strike another, only for the victim to turn a flip and land heavily on his back. The Scamp takes this to a new level. When struck by a melee attack, he may opt to fall prone as a Reaction. If he does so, the damage of the attack is negated.

Buffoonery [Su]: The sheer silliness of a Scamp is capable of overwhelming the minds of the more right-thinking should they pay him too much mind. A 6th level Scamp may commit Buffoonery as a Standard action. All opponents within 30ft of the Scamp must make a Will save, DC 10 + ½ Merryman level or be distracted by this ridiculous behaviour, counting as Flatfooted. Should any other Merryman assist with this [whether they possess this ability or not] the DC increases by +2 per additional Merryman. Traditionally, the buffoonery of a scamp is assisted by the churlish slaps of a Knave. This power has no concentration aspect and applies only for the remainder of the turn.

Dire Tweak [Su]: At 7th level, the Scamp's Tweak ability becomes more potent and actively dangerous. If the Scamp so desires, targets hit by their Tweak ability begin laughing for 1d4 rounds. The target may make a Will save, DC 10 + Merryman level, to reign this in each turn but if they fail, they suffer 1d4 damage per round that they have been laughing uncontrollably and are stunned for the round. Physical injury allows another save.

I am Rubber [Su]: Childish declarations aside, trying to actually get anything to stick to a Scamp can be very difficult. At 8th level, as long as the Scamp is not Flatfooted, when he takes an attack, he may opt to 'bounce' as a Reaction. The damage from the attack is negated but the Scamp is flung 1ft per point of damage dealt by the attack.

The Scamp bounces off the scenery until his movement is complete; the first character struck by his motion suffers 1d6 damage per 5ft that the Scamp was bounced. Each subsequent impact deals 2d6 less damage than the last. Those who would be struck may make a DC 20 Reflex save to get out of the way, in which case they do not count as interrupting the Scamp's motion. If a Scamp hits another Scamp with this ability, it is possible for the big-top to be filled with bouncing Scamps for a brief moment.

Fæ Lordship: At 9th level, a Merryman has become a fundamental part of Carnival and the Fæ, joining the ranks of the Lords of Mournful Laughter. He gains either Liminal Tweening or Fæ Damage Reduction appropriate to his level and is able to anoint new Ringmasters and can counts towards the minimum lords for the absorption of new members.

Should the Merryman gain this ability again from the Knave class, he must choose the other option and becomes a true Fæ. Should he be slain in this form, he explodes into confetti.

Ruinous Tweak [Su]: Causing a 10th level Scamp to wish you harm is foolish in the extreme. The Scamp's Tweak now combines the power of Heinous and Dire Tweak. The primary target begins to laugh for a virtually unlimited duration, while all his allies within 10ft laugh for 1d4 rounds. Each round in their turn, they may make a Will save, DC 10 + Merryman level, to control their breathing somewhat but otherwise take 1d4 damage per round they have taken damage. The primary victim must pass 5 successive saves to escape this effect or have the power magically dispelled. As previously, each time a laughing character is wounded, he may make an additional save [hastening the end of the effect or succeeding where they failed previously that turn].

[B]The Knave:
The knave is partly a representation of the Auguste tradition in western clowning but is primarily derived from the court jester. A knave is a vicious wit, pulling no punches and using the burning knot of rage that he gathers inside himself as ammunition to destroy the egos of those around him. Carnival perverts this further, allowing a knave to literally harm his foes with his meanness.

Knave
{table=head]Level|BaseAttack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+1|Bitter [Thrown], Humouvore, Pent Up

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+2|Fæ Resilience, Mock

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+3|Bitter [Melee]

4th|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+4|Ridicule

5th|
+5|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Bitter [Material]

6th|
+6|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+5|Clown Car

7th|
+7|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+6|Lambast

8th|
+8|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+7|Bitter [Words]

9th|
+9|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|Fæ Lordship

10th|
+10|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+9|Killing Joke[/table]

Hit Dice: d10
Class Skills: Balance [Dex], Bluff [Cha], Climb [Str], Disguise [Cha], Escape Artist [Dex], Hide [Dex], Jump [Str], Manipulation [Cha], Move Silently [Dex], Ride [Dex], Slight of Hand [Dex], Spot [Wis], Tumble [Dex]
[B]Skill Points per level: 4 + Int

Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Far more than Scamps, Knaves are obliged to use weapons in their acts, be they clubs or throwing knives or guns, usually of the 'pop' variety. They are proficient with all Simple and Martial weapons. They gain no proficiency with armour.

Bitter [Su]: The Knave's ability to store and simmer emotion allows them to create weapons from raw feelings. At first level, this allows them to expend an emotional charge [see the Pent Up ability], in order to add a literal blade of emotion to an otherwise harmless thrown object. Such an object has a range increment of 10ft and deals 2d6+Knave level bludgeoning damage.

At 3rd level, the Knave gains the ability to empower its melee attacks with embarrassing force. By expending a charge, he empowers a weapon with emotion, usually hiding it inside a silly glove or the like. This weapon deals +2d6 courier damage and the clown may choose which type of physical damage to deal each time he uses this ability.

At 5th level, the Knave gains the ability to turn water and confetti into hateful parodies of themselves. By expending 2 charges, the Knave turns water [spray flower/seltzer] into acid or confetti into incendiaries. In either case, the attack deals 1d6 damage per 2 Merryman levels the Knave possesses in one 5ft square within 20ft.

At 8th level, the Knave attains a final, powerful level of bitterness, allowing him to turn words into things that can cause literal harm. The Knave spends 2 charges and makes a mean joke at the target's expense. Targets who have experienced this before may make a Reflex save, DC 10 + Merryman level to plug their ears; failure or inexperience deals 3d10 damage [with Armour Breaching] as their ears begin to bleed with the force of hate.

Humouvore [Su]: The Knave eats the joy of others, it is its core sustenance. For each laughing character within 100ft, the Merryman gains a +1 bonus to Attack and Defence.

If this ability is acquired from another source, the bonus expands to include all Saves and Skill checks.

Pent Up [Su]: The Knave has the inner anger of a true straight-man, gathering up emotions and storing them for singular, vicious outbursts. A Knave automatically passes the saves for any emotion inflicting power that he is subject to and gains an 'Emotion Charge.' A Knave may hold a number of Charges equal to half his Merryman level [Min 1]. These charges are used to power other abilities.

Fæ Resilience: The Knave gains a resistance to damage from his rough and tumble life. At 2nd level, he gains DR/Magic within Carnival equal to his Merryman level.

Mock [Su]: Listening to a Knave speak is something of a mistake at the best of times. At 2nd level, it's downright detrimental to your health. When the Knave successfully uses the Evoke Emotions use of the Manipulate skill, the effect is automatically heightened to the next level of effect. This is usually used to provoke rage or despair.

Ridicule [Su]: Being ridiculed by others is never fun. When the attacker has the Fæ ability to make it seem like everyone around you is laughing at you, things get much worse. As a Standard action, a 4th level Knave can verbally assault a target that can hear him [usually about 30ft, 60ft with the Loud Voice feat]. The target must make a Will save, DC 10 + ½ Merryman level or suffer a Morale penalty to all their actions and to Defence equal to the number of laughing individuals within 30ft. Other Merrymen can assist in this power, each adding +2 to the DC, though all must be within range of the target. This power lasts until the Merryman's next turn.

Clown Car [Su]: Despite the mildly technological name, this ability is actually tied closely to one of the original Lords, Toutatis ['the father of the tribe']. Activating this ability costs 3 charges and the Merryman must sacrifice a number of hit points.

When activated [a Standard action], the merryman walks over to a container of some kind, often a carriage or sedan chair and opens the door. From this door pours a number of spawned clowns equal to the number of hp sacrificed, to a maximum of the Knave's class level.

Spawn Clowns have Attack and Defence characteristics equal to the Merryman's own -5 and one hit point each. Should they be damaged, they explode into confetti. Spawn do not have any of the original's special abilities but are more than capable of helping with the execution of other powers.

Lambast [Su]: Being ridiculed is bad enough but having someone attack you for a sustained period with undermining comments can crack the most resilient person. As a Full action, an 7th level Knave may attack a target's morale. He makes both a Manipulation and a Perform [Comedy] check against the target's Psyche score. If one test is passed, the target suffers 1d6 Morale loss [reducing his Psyche by this amount]. If both checks succeed, then the target instead suffers 3d6 Morale loss. This ability may only be used once against a given target each encounter; the Morale loss is recovered after 10 minutes away from combat. Character's with a Psyche of zero collapse comatose.

Fæ Lordship: At 9th level, a Merryman has become a fundamental part of Carnival and the Fæ, joining the ranks of the Lords of Mournful Laughter. He gains either Liminal Tweening or Fæ Damage Reduction appropriate to his level and is able to anoint new Ringmasters and can counts towards the minimum lords for the absorption of new members.

Should the Merryman gain this ability again from the Scamp class, he must choose the other option and becomes a true Fæ. Should he be slain in this form, he explodes into confetti.

The Killing Joke [Su]: Knaves have a horrible talent for twisting the perceptions of their targets. The ultimate expression of this is their 10th level ability, Killing Joke. This ability has a range of 30ft and as it is a manipulation of emotion is considered a Charm effect.

On the first turn, the Merryman must expend an emotional charge and then succeed on a Manipulation check against Psyche to draw the target into the setup of the trap; at this point, the target is completely unaware of the danger and considers the Knave a baffling annoyance.

On the second, he must succeed on a Perform [Comedy] check against Psyche to raise a small amount of laughter around him and enrage the target; by this point, the target considers it an intolerable insult that the Knave still lives.

On the third round, the Merryman makes a final Bluff check against the target. Should this beat the target's Psyche, by the time they realise their mistake, it is likely too late. The victim deals a Critical hit to himself [which ignores armour] with the weapon he is carrying as his confusion causes him to completely misjudge where his blow is going.

This ability is subject to disruption. It requires a Standard action to initiate and the Merryman may not target other opponents with any of its abilities until the effect has played out. They must remain with 30ft of the target for each of the three rounds.

Here we have the Merrymen, the Clowns of Le Cirque Funeste. I'll get around to changing the entry in the Ringmaster to say Merryman rather than clown as soon as i can. The reason for the name is primarily because of historical context; "Clown" was still contextually a Harlequinade character when Le Cirque showed up and the older name of Merryman would still be in use.

Additionally, i wanted to keep it firmly seperate from the Professor puppet of the same name.

Next up, the Beast Tamer!

The Tygre

2009-09-14, 04:43 PM

Good lord man! How much evil-circus-awesomeness are you engineering? Are you channeling Ray Bradbury by any chance? Except, y'know, as 3.5 rules? Now all we need are the Autumn People...

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 05:13 PM

Hmmm...very interesting. I like it a lot, although Knave has a few copy-paste errors.

One thing, though: Ruinous Tweak strikes me as being a lot more powerful than the Killing Joke, because Ruinous Tweak damages the target a little but takes them out of the fight for a very long time, and affects their allies, too. The Killing Joke only incapacitates the target on the second round, if you're lucky. Sure, the critical-hit damage hurts, but it feels like it's not worth three rounds worth of actions. You'd get more damage over three rounds with Bitter [Melee], and maybe even Bitter [Thrown]. Although, if I read the rules correctly, the killing joke only costs one emotional charge whereas using Bitter three times would cost three, so it does get better economy. The Knave in question would get a new charge pretty much any time the local Scamp uses his powers, though...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 06:08 PM

Good lord man! How much evil-circus-awesomeness are you engineering? Are you channeling Ray Bradbury by any chance? Except, y'know, as 3.5 rules? Now all we need are the Autumn People...

Thanks. There is more to come, including what could turn into a full adventure.

I have no idea who Ray Bradbury is, nor what an Autumn Person is, however...

Edit: Oh, and no, not technically 3.5 but it would probably work without issue.

One thing, though: Ruinous Tweak strikes me as being a lot more powerful than the Killing Joke, because Ruinous Tweak damages the target a little but takes them out of the fight for a very long time, and affects their allies, too. The Killing Joke only incapacitates the target on the second round, if you're lucky. Sure, the critical-hit damage hurts, but it feels like it's not worth three rounds worth of actions.

Average investigators are armed with pistols, which are 4d6 crits, or Tranter heavy revolvers which are 6d8 crits. All that damage in one go is far more likely to cause a Massive Damage save [check your MV rulebook on that one pg 106] and thus seriously inconvenience the target. I might look at making either one better or the other worse.

Damage per round is less important in MV than the maximum damage possible, however.

Knave has a few copy-paste errors.

I'll have a look at that. Gimme a minute, then if they're still there, point the rest out.

Edit: Nope, can't find em, you'll have to show me...

On the power thing, these aren't prestige classes so much as a 20 level base class split into two...if you pick one to begin in and alternate the classes as you progress, i was intending to get a slightly overpowered class combination.

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 06:28 PM

Thanks. There is more to come, including what could turn into a full adventure.

Sweet...

I have no idea who Ray Bradbury is
You...don't...

Go to your local library. Now. I'll wait. Put a hold on everything by Ray Bradbury. You're in for a treat, he's a brilliant author.

Average investigators are armed with pistols, which are 4d6 crits, or Tranter heavy revolvers which are 6d8 crits. All that damage in one go is far more likely to cause a Massive Damage save [check your MV rulebook on that one pg 106] and thus seriously inconvenience the target. I might look at making either one better or the other worse.

Damage per round is less important in MV than the maximum damage possible, however.

OK, say he has the Tranter. 6d8 on a crit. That's 6-48, for an average of 27. Ow, ow, ow...there is now a bullet hole where his pancreas was.

But with Bitter, you get 2d6+10+Cha for round. Assuming a 20 Cha, that comes out to 17-27, for an average of 22. Per round. Times three rounds. I think that the Killing Joke is too weak, and needs moar dakka. Especially compared to Ruinous Tweak, which is very powerful. Not completely broken, but a good ability.

On the power thing, these aren't prestige classes so much as a 20 level base class split into two...if you pick one to begin in and alternate the classes as you progress, i was intending to get a slightly overpowered class combination.

I thought that was the case, but it feels to me like, since the Killing Joke is, at minimum, the culmination of ten levels of work, more if you took Scamp levels during that time, it should be more powerful. Although, since as written you could get Ruinous Tweak at character level ten, why bother with Knave at all? I think maybe you should require a minimum number of Knave levels to go Scamp or something, because Ruinous Tweak should not be available until level fifteen or so.

Edit: Nope, can't find em, you'll have to show me...

All right.

[SIZE="3"]The Scamp:
Scamp
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Agile, Humouvore, Tweak

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|Caper, Fæ Phase

3rd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|Silly Distraction

4th|
+2|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+2|Hideous Tweak

5th|
+2|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+2|Take a Tumble

6th|
+3|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+3|Buffoonery

7th|
+3|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+3|Dire Tweak

8th|
+4|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+4|I am Rubber…

9th|
+4|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+4|Fæ Lordship

10th|
+5|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+5|Ruinous Tweak[/table]

Hit Dice: d6
Class Skills: Balance [Dex], Bluff [Cha], Climb [Str], Disguise [Cha], Escape Artist [Dex], Hide [Dex], Jump [Str], Manipulation [Cha], Move Silently [Dex], Perform [Comedy], Ride [Dex], Slight of Hand [Dex], Spot [Wis], Tumble [Dex]
Skill Points per level: 6 + Int

Class Abilities:
Heinous Tweak [Su]: The Tweaks of a 4th level Scamp while still mildly amusing to the target, provoke almost unhealthy amounts of Schadenfreude in their friends. Victims of this Tweak suffer 1d6 Subdual damage that ignores armour and all their allies within 10ft must make a Will save, DC 10 + Merryman level or begin laughing as described in Tweak.
The Knave:
The knave is partly a representation of the Auguste tradition in western clowning but is primarily derived from the court jester. A knave is a vicious wit, pulling no punches and using the burning knot of rage that he gathers inside himself as ammunition to destroy the egos of those around him. Carnival perverts this further, allowing a knave to literally harm his foes with his meanness.

Knave
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+1|Bitter [Thrown], Humouvore, Pent Up

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+2|Fæ Resilience, Mock

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+3|Bitter [Melee]

4th|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+4|Ridicule

5th|
+5|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Bitter [Material]

6th|
+6|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+5|Clow Car

7th|
+7|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+6|Lambast

8th|
+8|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+7|Bitter [Words]

9th|
+9|
+6|
+4|
+4|
+8|Fæ Lordship

10th|
+10|
+7|
+5|
+5|
+9|Killing Joke[/table]

Hit Dice: d10
Class Skills: Balance [Dex], Bluff [Cha], Climb [Str], Disguise [Cha], Escape Artist [Dex], Hide [Dex], Jump [Str], Manipulation [Cha], Move Silently [Dex], Ride [Dex], Slight of Hand [Dex], Spot [Wis], Tumble [Dex]
Skill Points per level: 4 + Int

Class Abilities:
Clown Car [Su]: Despite the mildly technological name, this ability is actually tied closely to one of the original Lords, Toutatis ['the father of the tribe']. Activating this ability costs 3 charges and the Merryman must sacrifice a number of hit points.
Should the Merryman gain this ability again from the Knave class, he must choose the other option and becomes a true Fæ. Should he be slain in this form, he explodes into confetti.

The Tygre

2009-09-14, 06:57 PM

You...don't...

Go to your local library. Now. I'll wait. Put a hold on everything by Ray Bradbury. You're in for a treat, he's a brilliant author.

Especially Something Wicked This Way Comes. You desperately need some Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 07:00 PM

YES! The Dust Witch is like the creepiest fortune teller of all time.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 07:09 PM

You make a good point on the Bitter [Melee], though possibly not the one you were intending. I've been looking at too much overpriced homebrew on here; causing Massive damage every round is ludicrously powerful and needs to be curtailed.

I think i'll eleminate the Merryman level and Charisma components and plump for making it a courier effect on the original attack.

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 07:12 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 07:28 PM

My point was that the Killing Joke is significantly--very significantly--weaker then Ruinous Tweak, but currently both are equally easy to acquire, which strikes me as a problem. Do you feel that I am correct?

Right, well, i've adjusted Killing Joke so you can use other abilities on the target in the meantime [Lambast springs to mind].

Bear in mind that 27 damage, ignoring armour as i have now clarified, is going to be a save against one boundary slip, if not two [and if it made it to two, it would automatically put you down one].

I'm in two minds as to whether RUinous Tweak needs downpowering a bit, thoug i'm not entirely sure which to change, the save or the unlimited duration of the primary effect.

Bitter [Melee] did strike me as somewhat overpowered, though. Not too much so.

I really shouldn't read all this ToB love...when you pointed out how much damage the damn thing did on a normal hit, i almost chocked...that was a blunder on the scale of my original shotgun rules [which were almost hilariously overpowered]

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 07:35 PM

Right, well, i've adjusted Killing Joke so you can use other abilities on the target in the meantime [Lambast springs to mind].

That's probably enough to fix it. It represents the merryman completely going to town on his target.

I'm in two minds as to whether RUinous Tweak needs downpowering a bit, thoug i'm not entirely sure which to change, the save or the unlimited duration of the primary effect.

Well. the save DC as listed is only 10+Merryman level, so even with Ability Focus you'll need to keep reactivating the ability to keep people down for very long. Which involves being a semi-fragile, armorless clown near a bunch of people who are amused involuntarily, yet very annoyed. As written, I'd say it's pretty balanced. Powerful, yes, but then again, it's the capstone. The capstone is supposed to be powerful.

]
I really shouldn't read all this ToB love...when you pointed out how much damage the damn thing did on a normal hit, i almost chocked...that was a blunder on the scale of my original shotgun rules [which were almost hilariously overpowered]

ToB is actually relatively balanced at higher levels. Some of the low-level maneuvers are way overpowered for the level at which they become available, but that balances out at higher levels.

My problem with the ToB is that the fluff often fails to make any sense, Warblades are...well, Warblades, and the Crusader is close enough to the paladin that you might as well just play a paladin and not have to learn a new set of rules. The Swordsage is much closer to what the monk should be than the monk itself is, though.

EDIT: And my DM in City of Splendors gave me permission to play a Professor nad said we'll just make something up for getting the MV class to D&D 3.5, so you've got a playtest as of five minutes ago...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 07:51 PM

My problem with the ToB is that the fluff often fails to make any sense, Warblades are...well, Warblades, and the Crusader is close enough to the paladin that you might as well just play a paladin and not have to learn a new set of rules. The Swordsage is much closer to what the monk should be than the monk itself is, though.

EDIT: And my DM in City of Splendors gave me permission to play a Professor nad said we'll just make something up for getting the MV class to D&D 3.5, so you've got a playtest as of five minutes ago...

I agree on the monk/swordsage thing, though as a veteran whose played such wonders as a Grandmaster of the Flowers, i have a real soft spot for the monk as written, though it falls flat because of Wizard's odd idea that the Fighter should be the 'average' combatant on which all the enemies' ACs were based.

For shifting to D&D 3.5, the poor save will need changing, the Defence progression ignoring and i'd suggest pimping out Hide as best you can. Though it will reappear, if your GM wants to stick with the Carneval thing, here's a feat for getting around that a little:

Child of Carnival [Trait]:
You have, either through birth or exposure, a strong connection with the Fæ, allowing you to do great things.
Prerequisites: You must be 1st level when this feat is selected.
Description: Select one Carnival class. You may use the powers of that class without being inside the aura of Carnival. When within an actual Carneval aura, you gain a +1 bonus on Attacks, Saves and Defence as you draw more power than you are used to from the Fae environment.

I also have a feat that grants access to the Vecchi, one for a long ranged puppet, a 'hide in your puppet' thing like Sasori of the Red Sands and larger puppets based on the giant ones we have in my local parade in the works

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 07:55 PM

I have a very understanding DM who cares more about concept, story, and roleplaying than mechanics, so once new feats are up he'll probably let me retrain.

And the whole Fey thing is worked...very heavily into my backstory that I am even now writing, so Child of Carnival fits well.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 08:02 PM

Especially Something Wicked This Way Comes. You desperately need some Something Wicked This Way Comes.

YES! The Dust Witch is like the creepiest fortune teller of all time.

Does this mean that i'm obliged to find and read this story before doing my 'Fortune teller whose dire predictions always come true' idea, lest i be lynched for not doing it right?

Also; wooo. I officially declare a small victory! [Union Flag comes out] My class is being played

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 08:07 PM

Also; wooo. I officially declare a small victory! [Union Flag comes out] My class is being played

And I'm staying true to the Creepy Fey nature of the class. Presenting the still-very-very-much under construction (as of this post I have name, player, level, race, and campaign done. Five down, about two hundred to go...) Jocelyn Grey (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=153836).

Does this mean that i'm obliged to find and read this story before doing my 'Fortune teller whose dire predictions always come true' idea, lest i be lynched for not doing it right?

It's an excellent story. The Dust Witch is...awesome. I'd settle for your willingness to create a Dust Witch prestige class after reading the story, and trust me, you will want to.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 08:13 PM

After long experience, I've come to find guys playing chicks creepy, very creepy but that's just me. What's a 'lesser ghost'? If it's actually undead, it seems a bit odd being connected to the Fae, personifications of life...[?]

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 08:21 PM

After long experience, I've come to find guys playing chicks creepy, very creepy but that's just me.

Well, in this case, creepy is good. She's supposed to be creepy. That's the point.

Besides, the ghostly remnant of a deposed Lord of Mournful Laughter posing as the ghostly remnant of an eleven year old girl. She's not even human, let alone a chick. Get your mind out of the gutter, man! I only chose a girl becasuse Jocelyn Grey sounds better than Jonathan, James, or Jack Grey. And Mortimer Grey would have been to obvious...

What's a 'lesser ghost'? If it's actually undead, it seems a bit odd being connected to the Fae, personifications of life...[?]

Lesser Ghost is my term for the ghosts of the Ghostwalk: Adventures in the Afterlife sourcebook. They're outsiders, not undead, though they are the ghostly remains of a deceased person.

But in my fluff? She's a deposed Fae lord reduced to a shell of her former self (hence: Eigth level Professor, lesser ghost), scheming to reclaim her position of prominence among the Fae. I did a similar refluffing with Warforged in the other game this samge Dm is running: Logic is basically a golem controlled by a computer AI. Hence, Faerun's only warforged.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-14, 08:43 PM

Sounds oddly like the sort of thing that my friend Uriel would propose. [rolls eyes] thanks to him, i now have an Int 30, Cha - character running around my setting...

Nice background. I may have called her Jane Doe myself.

I'm struggling with the abilities of Il Dottore. I have Pantalone and La Signora practically writes herself, being a meaner, more directly sexual Columbina, but the doctor is giving me problems.

I'd consider leaving him out and scripting up Pedrolino but then, i'm not sure what i'd do with him either. Any thoughts?

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 08:51 PM

Hmmm...Il Dottore makes a mockery of learned men and often spouts obviously faux and incorrect latin. Maybe a primary that interferes with spellcasting and a secondary that causes confusion?

And Pedrolino is the dreamer and the jilted lover, who pines eternally for the Columbine he will never have...crushing despair as a secondary, perhaps. For the primary, though? That's a hard one...I've got nothing except a sigh that casts Gust of WInd at the moment, and there's got to be something better than that to be done.

The Tygre

2009-09-14, 10:19 PM

After long experience, I've come to find guys playing chicks creepy, very creepy but that's just me.

I'm not sure you could call the Dust Witch anymore a woman than a -thing-. She was even creepy in the movie version, which I also recommend getting.

Kallisti

2009-09-14, 10:22 PM

I think he meant my character. Although she's not exactly human, either...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-21, 12:25 PM

Ok, this one is a little bit more up in the air than these things normally are when i post them. Between this and Bard, i've been having a real games-design headache so i'm throwing it out there for assistance.

I have a running idea about taking negative levels to cause rats or the like to grow into new copies of slain menagerie creatures and one about kind of bonding with a mount and becoming one creature but i'm otherwise stumped. That and i can't figure out how i want the taming of humans and monsters to work...

The Beast Tamer:
The key spectacle to many circuses is their array of strange and exotic beasts; within the lifetime of most people outside the army, there was no other chance to see such beasts as a lion or elephant. Along with this, many circuses plumped out their array of beasts with fictional beings such as the hippogriff and the esquilax.

The core performance routines of a beast tamer were to make the animals perform tricks at the limits of their obvious abilities; bears would dance, horses leap through burning rings and lions leap 12ft into the air to snatch baubles. Other routines included such things as boxing with kangaroos or the tamer putting his head inside the mouth of a bull lion.

Le Cirque Funeste's creatures are even more suspect than those of other circuses, though not because of their core performances. The Beast Tamers can bring their wards to do remarkable things, such as count and spell words in the sand; they can climb ladders despite being elephants or rhinos and some of the more remarkable creatures will do even more. There was once a tale of monkey archers.

The reason for this behaviour is somewhat more dubious than mere skill, for the beasts did not begin their time as such. To be precise, the beasts were not originally the creatures that they are now. Most began as mere rats, cats, dogs or horses that went missing when the circus visited a town at some point. Some, the more exceptional examples, began their time as people who pried a little too closely into the circus' secrets.

Who?: Those who are drawn to the path of the Beast Tamer are often bitter over a loss related to animals. This may be a loss of a farm or the loss of their family because of an animal. Equal proportions come from farms as they do towns but all have a dark secret that leads them to hate animals.

In play, the Beast Tamer is a variant of the officer model. They command and empower a relatively small number of powerful beasts and can also implement a limited amount of control over their enemies as a stern voice, perfectly tuned, can impact on primitive areas of the brain.

Beast Tamer [Carnival]
{table=head]Level|BaseAttackBonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|
+0|King of Beasts, Menagerie I

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Chair Shield, Incite Rage

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+2|Crack of the Whip

4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+3|Menagerie II

5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+3|Infuse Carnival

6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+3|
+4|Stern Voice

7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+3|
+5|Menagerie III

8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+4|
+6|Greater Crack the Whip

9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+4|
+6|Incite Frenzy

10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+5|
+7|Menagerie IV, Merge

11th|
+8|
+7|
+7|
+5|
+8|Born to Perform

12th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+6|
+9|Clever Girl

13th|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+6|
+9|Menagerie V

14th|
+10|
+9|
+9|
+7|
+10|Mass Incite Rage

15th|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+7|
+11|Tame the Wilful

16th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+8|
+12|Menagerie VI

17th|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+8|
+12|Mass Incite Frenzy

18th|
+13|
+11|
+11|
+9|
+13|Taurian

19th|
+14|
+11|
+11|
+9|
+14|Menagerie VII

20th|
+15|
+12|
+12|
+10|
+15|The Wild Hunt[/table]

Hit Dice: d10
Class Skills: Bluff [Cha], Escape Artist [Dex], Handle Animal [Cha], Manipulation [Cha], Perform [Cha], Ride [Cha], Survival [Wis], Swim [Str]
Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int

Class Features:
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Taming the greatest of beasts is difficult and dangerous. As such, a Beast Tamer is proficient with all Simple and Martial weapons, Whips, Light armour if he can get it, and shields.

King of Beasts [Su]: Within the aura of Carnival, Beast Tamers have an almost unholy control over animals, even those normally loyal to others. The Beast Tamer may add their class level to all Handle Animal checks.

Additionally, they may take 10 on Handle Animal checks relating to true animals within Carnival [though not on checks made against people, see later].

Menagerie: The Beast Tamer has access to parts of the Cirque's collection of animals, the numbers and power of these beasts being directly related to his ability.

At 1st level, the Beast Tamer gains control of a single creature of the Animal type with a total HD equal to 3+ ½ the Beast Tamer's class level and the Fæ subtype. He may swap this animal for another that he can control from the cages of the circus.

At 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, 16th and 19th level, the Beast Tamer gains control of an additional creature. These animals need not be of the same species and are handled separately. He may form units from them if he wishes and they are similar type.

Creatures gained via this ability can be Ordered individually using a Swift action, as if they had a Course of Action applied to them. Each animal knows the Perform training package and can be pushed [DC 25 Handle Animal check] as normal to perform tricks that it does not know. As with normal soldiers, beasts will continue with their last order until it is complete and then tend to either wander off or attack anyone that is attacking them.

Note that there is no obligation for Cirque animals to be 'normal' animals and many are uniquely built from the creature kit. Feel free to be creative, after all, who wouldn't be impressed by a mammoth or griffon?

Chair Shield [Ex]: Due to experience, a Beast Tamer of 2nd level can defend himself with almost anything. He may improvise a shield from anything of suitable shape [a chair, a table, a dustbin-lid]. If he successfully deflects an attack with his shield, his opponent is automatically driven back 5ft.

Incite Rage [Su]: Circus animals aren't usually trained to attack because once they have been trained to take part in the act, they get confused if you try to teach them even more things. One simple way for a Beast Tamer to get around this is to learn to brew their beasts into a defensive rage and convince them that the desired target has threatened their young. As a Standard action, a 2nd level Beast Tamer may attempt to Incite Rage in one animal within 30ft [this is a verbal ability so it can be enhanced by Loud Voice and the like] and make a successful DC 25 Handle Animal check.

The affected creature gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution, granting them a +2 bonus on Attack rolls, a +3 bonus on primary attack damage and a +1 on secondary damage, a +2 bonus on Grapple checks and a +2 bonus on both Fortitude and Will saves. In addition, they gain 4hp, +2 per HD. They suffer a -2 penalty to Defence. Rage lasts for 5 rounds/one minute and the creature becomes Fatigued when the duration runs out.

At later levels, this ability can be used on monsters and humanoids using the Stern Voice ability.

Crack of the Whip [Su]: Carnival turns a snapped whip into a violent rumble of thunder. A 3rd level Beast Tamer may make an Intimidate check against any one target within 10ft per level and line of sight.

Infuse Carnival [Su]: By touching a creature that has been trained [trained animals usually] and willingly obeys him and speaking kind words into its ear, a 5th level Beast Tamer can apply the Carnival Beast template to the creature over the course of a total of 47 minutes. If this is disrupted, all progress is lost.

Stern Voice [Ex]: Thanks to years of practice and having dealt with the fæ and even wrestled them into obedience, a 6th level Beast Tamer may attempt to handle monsters and people. Unlike Animals, these creatures use their Psyche score oppose such attempts. Use of the Handle Animal skill on Monsters inflicts a -10 penalty on the check while Humanoids inflict a -30 penalty on the check .

Normal uses of the Push action [one cannot handle an untrained creature] take a Full action and work basically like a Suggestion spell with a duration of 1d4 rounds [sometimes people realise what they're doing faster than others]. Incite Rage and Frenzy abilities function normally.

[B]Greater Crack the Whip [Su]: Such is the Such is the magical fear inspired by the Beast Tamer's Whip, Shaken characters must make a Will save [Fear], DC 5 + Class level, or be unable to approach within 20ft of the Beast Tamer. This ability functions only while the Beast Tamer has a whip in hand.

Incite Frenzy [Su]: At 9th level, the Beast Tamer's ability to whip up his charges increases allowing him to incite true frothing frenzy in his charges. As a Standard action, he may attempt a DC 35 Handle Animal check to force a single creature within 30ft [audible range] into a Frenzy.

Frenzied creatures gain a +6 bonus to Strength [+3 on attacks, +4 on primary attack damage, +1 on secondary, +3 on Grapple], one additional attack per round when making a Full attack action with no penalty, takes a -4 penalty to defence and suffers 2 points of Subdual damage each round. Frenzy lasts for 5 rounds [like rage].

If the Beast Tamer wishes, he may spend a Full action in order to incite both Rage and Frenzy in a single target at once using the higher DC of 35.

Merge [Su]: At 10th level, the Beast Tamer gains the ability to meld himself into his Menagerie, combining his physical substance into his pool of beasts and emerging from whichever he chooses. When adjacent to one of his Menagerie beasts, the Beast Tamer can use a Shift action to enter the beast's square and merge with it. While so merged, the Beast Tamer cannot be harmed directly and can order his beasts normally, though he cannot act except to relocate to another beast, regardless of distance, as a Standard action. Exiting the beast is a Swift action but the Tamer may only enter or leave a beast once per round. If the beast he is inside is killed, the Tamer must make a Massive Damage save against the damage of the final hit.

Born to Perform [Su]: The beast of an 11th level Beast Tamer's Menagerie are literally born to perform, having probably been killed more than a dozen times previously. When a creature attached to the Beast Tamer's menagerie dies in combat, its essence is stored as part of the Beast Tamer's own. If the Beast Tamer can get within 20ft of a suitable organic vessel [usually a horse or a dog, but anything as small as a rat will do], he can reform the beast in exchange for tearing a little bit of his essence free.

The Beast Tamer takes a Negative level and the animal regrows over a period of 2d6 rounds with full hit points and all conditions removed. The Beast Tamer recovers negative levels at a rate of 1 per day, as per the norms of MV.

[B]Clever Girl: Carnival Beasts have a tendency to reflect the intelligence of their keeper. As of 12th level, all of a Beast Tamer's Menagerie creatures are considered to have the same Intelligence score as him and have a sort of hive mind, meaning that each can perceive what all the others can. If one is aware of a target, all of them are.

Mass Incite Rage [Su]: At 14th level, the Beast Tamer gains the ability to incite rage in multiple targets simultaneously. From this point on, he can target a number of creatures equal to his Wisdom modifier with each Incite Rage action.

Tame the Wilful [Su]: At 15th level, a Beast Tamer learns the secrets of taming the most wilful beast of all; Man. In order to do so, the Beast Tamer must successfully use his Stern Voice ability to Push the target into behaviour of his choice a number of times equal to the target's Charisma Modifier each day for a number of days equal to the target's Wisdom score.

Once this is accomplished, the target individual is broken and as a human, knows how to perform any task put to him. While humans are powerful additions to the Menagerie, bringing with them all of their knowledge, experience and skills, they cannot be regrown using the Born to Perform feature and thus no Beast Tamer relies on them too heavily.

Mass Incite Frenzy [Su]: At 17th level, the Beast Tamer gains the ability to incite frenzy in multiple targets simultaneously. From this point on, he can target a number of creatures equal to his Wisdom modifier with each Incite Frenzy action.

[B]Taurian [Su]: The pinnacle of the Merge ability is the ability to blend half way with your beast without being completely subsumed. At 18th level, the Tamer may opt to reveal his torso from the beast, usually replacing its head at the cost of a Standard action after the Merge is completed. A Taurian Tamer retains his own actions and may also take those of the beast on its turn, though any Bite attacks or breath weapons are lost, though senses and Gaze attacks are transferred to the Tamer's own head.

Damage dealt to a Taurian mix is split equally between the two components of the merge, with both taking Massive Damage saves if the original total damage exceeds the beast's own threshold. In all cases, the better of the two creature's saves is used. A Taurian Tamer cannot move to another beast without recombining with the first as a Swift action.

The Wild Hunt [Su]: Should they reach 20th level, Beast Tamers have come closer to the wild forces of the world and become more akin to superstition than any other member of the Carnival. Perhaps this is why the Lords treat them unequivocally as one of their own. The Beast Tamer does not actually become a fæ but is elevated to the status of Lord of the Hunt. He becomes a Lord of Mournful Laughter for voting purposes and once each year, he may declare the Wild Hunt.

When the Hunt is Declared, ten Hounds of the Wild Hunt emerge from the nearest suitable Tweens on the tail of a thick bank of Obscuring Mist and serve the whims of the Beast Master for three days and three nights before returning from wenst they came. Hounds of the Wild Hunt know all the Tricks in the book and can be handled as a Free action, so they effectively act independently of the Beast Tamer.

Carnival Beast Template:
The beasts [and some of the people] of Carnival are more than a little altered by their close contact with the Fæ. In many ways, they become like the changelings of myth, without much of their original nature but resilient and touched by the fæ.

Carnival Beast may be applied to any Animal, Humanoid or Monster that does not already have the Fæ subtype.

Abilities: Str +2, Dex +6, Con +2, Wis +2

Speed: +10ft on all Speeds within Carnival

Blend [Su]: Within Carnival, the animals and assistants become difficult to spot against the noise and excitement. As long as Carnival has not turned violent [Initiative has not been rolled], Carnival Beasts may Hide in Plain Sight, though they become visible if they try to approach a character with intent to attack.

Tween [Su]: All Carnival beast can Tween between two very specific liminals. They may enter the Hedge by crawling under the bedding in their cages within carnival. They may emerge only from the shadow of a Beast Tamer to whom they are bound by the Menagerie feature. They will only emerge at the command of the tamer. As usual, entering or leaving the Hedge through these gates is a Swift action.

CR: +1
The Hounds of the Wild Hunt:
Hounds of the Wild Hunt:
The wild hunt is an old legend, something that occurs before thunder storms as the sea mists or the densest fogs rolls through the valleys. A Hound of the Wild Hunt is a beast similar to a wolf that stands almost 12 feet at the shoulder and has a mass comparable to a rhino. Their fur has a bark like texture and turns aside blades and bullets as easily as the others. Their howl is terrifying in an extreme and their slather glows a ghostly green, infecting the fog that forms around them.

Huge Fæ Carnival Beast Animal 16 CR 14
Init: + , Senses: Listen + 23 , Spot +23, Infravision 120ft, Scent 60ft
[U]Languages: understands all
Defence: 28 [-2 Size, -3 Wis, +5 Deflection, +12 Class] Flatfooted: 13 , +2 Passive if moved 10ft+
Damage Reduction: 16/Natural materials
HD: 16d8+160+30 Hp: 262, Regeneration 10 [Cold Iron]
Massive Damage: 30
Thresholds: Green, [ 131 ] Yellow, [ 65 ] Orange, [ 26 ] Red
Resist: Size Matters [Con on Will saves]
Fort: + 23 Reflex: + 9 Will: + 18 Psyche: 27
Speed: 100ft, 200ft in Hedge
Space: 15ft Reach: 10ft
Melee: +21 Bite 3d6+10 [Crit 18/x2], Snatch, Powerful Charge +3d6, Skirmish +2d6, Trip

BAB: + 12
Grapple: +30
Special Actions: Skirmish [+2d6 Precision damage if the hound moved more than 10ft in the round], Trip [If it strikes a Huge or smaller target that is Flanked or Flatfooted, the target is knocked prone], Snatch .
Abilities: Str: 30/+10 Dex: 12/+1 Con: 30/+10 Int: 6/-2 [B]Wis: 16/+3 Cha: 4/-3
SQ: Liminal Tweening, Dissolve, Spell-like abiities,

Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Powerful Charge [+3d6 damage on the charge], Run, Snatch, TrackB, Weapon Focus .

Skills: Hide +13, Listen +23, Move Silently +13, Spot +23, Survival +19

[B]Special Abilities:
[I]Liminal Tweening: As a Fæ creature, a Hound of the Wild Hunt has the ability to slip through tweens by using a Shift action. While in the Hedge, its movement distances are doubled. It can tween through abstract boundaries, physical boundaries, the space beneath and shadows as it wishes. Creatures in the Hedge can perceive events in the real world as if through thick foliage; Hounds navigate the Hedge primarily by scent.
Spell-like Abilities [Sp]: [Once every 1d4 rounds, CL 16] Double Enlarged Fear [90ft Cone, Panicked, Will DC 24 = Shaken], Barkskin [Already used, +5 Deflection bonus], Air Walk [Fly 50ft as Ground movement], Obscuring Mist [20ft spread of Fog around you, those within 5ft have Concealment, those beyond have Total Concealment], Hold Animal [Will 20 or Animal is Paralysed for 16 rounds].
Dissolve: When killed, a Hound of the Wild Hunt breaks up into a heap of leaves, grave dirt and broken arrows,, veiled in mist.

Another Cracking template for this is the Spiderbelly by Vorpal Tribble; I'm not entirely sure how to fit that in though

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-22, 10:39 AM

Feats:
Some variation is always nice and as I've been unable to get anywhere with my other two classes, I thought I'd share these little things that I've been working on.

[Puppet] type feats are intended for use by the Professor class. Some are inspired by puppets that we have in Chester every year and some are inspired by Naruto. I've included a small handful of other things, including a way of getting Carnival feats into normal play and some other circus themed stuff. More to come.

Traits:
Feats that may only be taken at 1st level.

Child of Carnival [Trait]:
You have, either through birth or exposure, a strong connection with the Fæ, allowing you to do great things.
Prerequisites: You must be 1st level when this feat is selected.
Description: Select one Carnival class. You may use the powers of that class without being inside the aura of Carnival. When within an actual Carneval aura, you gain a +1 bonus on Attacks, Saves and Defence as you draw more power than you are used to from the Fæ environment.

Puppet Feats:
Claim Chest [Puppet]:
With the approval of your sponsoring lord, you claim the chest of a defeated Professor sponsored by another lord and make it your own.
Prerequisites: Theatre Macabre [2]. Must have defeated a Professor and retrieved his chest. Service to your lord.
Description: You now possess an additional chest, which makes it easier to field multiple puppets. You can store this additional chest within your own while it is not in use. The presence of this chest makes it easier to use multiple puppets; you may control one additional puppet at a time, at a cost of 2 Flourishes. This is in addition to the puppets you may produce via Theatre Macabre. You are still bound by the limitation that only Innamorati and Guards may be duplicated.
Special: If you somehow manage to claim further chests, you may take this feat multiple times. Each time, increase the number of puppets you may field and the Flourish costs by 1 [you may still field smaller numbers for the previous costs, however].

Dragon [Puppet]:
You can create and control Dragon, one of the most powerful puppets imaginable.
Prerequisites: Phoenix, Giganti, Theatre Macabre [3], Perform (Puppetry) 10 ranks
Description: You can create a giant variant of the Phoenix puppet; Dragon. Doing so applies all of the normal effects of the Giganti feat and the puppet replaces its normal abilities with the following:

Dragon: The dragon, like many of the larger puppets, is based on religious sources. As such, the Dragon puppet has a variable number of heads, along with scales of shining gold, silver and purple. Its great wings beat idly as it plays of the wind. Dragon flies like Phoenix and has two secondary abilities. At least 3 puppets must be combined to form it, making its minimum size Large.

Primary Attack [Manybite]: Dragon makes one bite attack, dealing 1d6+Str +1d6 per additional puppet damage, per head that it possesses [and thus puppet in its construction]. These attacks must be directed at separate targets in range.
Secondary Ability [Fire-breath][3]: Dragon breaths one gout of fire per 2 puppets included in its construction. Each gout functions like a flame thrower, dealing 6d6 fire damage and possessing a range increment of 10ft.
Secondary Ability [Wind-wings][2]: Dragon beats its wings in one direction, creating a 20ft wide blast of Hurricane force wind that is 20ft long, +10ft per additional puppet.

Giganti (Giants) [Puppet]:
Truly large puppets are possibly under sufficient leverage. You have learned to create the great procession puppets of the Mysteries and can control their brutal force in battle.
Prerequisites: Theatre Macabre [2], Perform (Puppetry) 10 ranks
Description: You may summon forth giant versions of your known puppets by combining several puppets into one . No more than three additional puppets may be added to the base in this way. The basic effects are as follows:
The Puppet's size increases by 1 category per additional puppet.
All of its attacks gain a +2 bonus to hit and have their damage dice increased by one size [in cases of multiple dice, increase the size of individual dice] per additional puppet.
It suffers a -2 penalty to defence but has its hit points increased by 20 per additional puppet.
Save DCs for their abilities are increased by +2 per additional puppet.
The puppet's reach increases by +5ft per additional puppet.
In addition, each puppet undergoes specific thematic and rules changes, shown below:
Punch: The Troll. Punch becomes a fairytale monster of great strength.
Harlequin: The Ghost. Harlequin becomes a kite-like puppet of flapping black fabric and lashing trails. Most of the puppet is not solid and he is as difficult as ever to pin down. Slapstick causes knockdown if the damage dice rolls the maximum, minus the number of additional puppets [7 or 8 on 1d8 for 1 additional puppet, 8, 9 or 10 on 1d10 for 2 additional puppets, etc]. Harlequins dance functions as normal.
Columbine: The Siren. Columbine becomes a great, birdlike being topped with the head and torso of a beautiful woman, with a song that draws men to their doom. Siren is one of few puppets that function well against mechs. Her Acting Coy ability's range doubles for each additional puppet and targets move their full Shift distance per 5 points or part thereof they fail the save by.
Croccodillo: The Serpent. The crocodile becomes an enormous serpent, like the one that tempted Eve. Little changes, though it is more than likely going to sever limbs and grind foes to death with its abilities.
Scaramouche: The Champion. Scaramouche becomes a great armoured figure, bearing a shield carrying a motif of the Questing Beast and a shinning silver sword. His primary attack now deals 1d8+Dex damage, +1d8 per additional puppet and may be used to Sunder instead of Disarm. His secondary ability counts puppets incorporated into him, negating the Defence penalty and granting a further +2 bonus [plus any additional puppets in the field adding +2 bonuses].
Clown: The Devil. Clown turns into a great shifting monster with enormous bat wings, tusks and horns. His features still shift for optimum fear. Clown's strikes cause fear effects if their maximum -1 per additional puppet is rolled [5-6 on d6s for 1 additional puppet, 6-8 on d8s for 2 additional puppets etc].
The Soldier: [B]The Ogre. When the soldier is enhanced, he becomes thick set and brutal looking, a nightmare of a knight on a great wooden horse. His attack now deals 1d8+professor level, +1d8 per additional puppet.
The Dog: The Barghest. A powerful puppet, the Barghest takes the form of a great rough cut black dog with fur like scales and mirrors mounted in its eyes. While its biite is fierce, its greatest danger is its ability to bowl over its foes.
To date, no-one has succeeded in creating giant versions of the Innamorati or the Vecchi puppets. Phoenix has an upgraded form called Dragon, but that is a distinct feat.

Phoenix [Puppet]:
You have learned the eastern tradition of formation kites and can control a beautiful bird on the wing.
Prerequisites: 2 puppets
Description: You gain the Phoenix puppet. Phoenis is unique in that it flies; it may move a total of 120ft to execute its attack and ignores most intervening objects. It is also Small, gaining a +1 bonus to Attack and Defence.
Phoenix: Rightly called Firebird, the Phoenix puppet is a construct of paper, feathers and wicker that flies lightly on the breeze, dipping and diving to amuse others. The puppet itself is as resilient as normal ones and is festooned with brilliant orange feathers.

Primary Attack [Fireseeds]: As it flies, the Phoenix drops small firecrackers that pose a phenomenal danger, of which is seems to have an infinite supply. At any two points in its movement, it may drop a fireseed into a square. Targets are attacked normally and those hit take 2d6 fire damage and must make a Reflex save against the damage or catch fire [1d6 per round, DC 15 Reflex extinguish].
Secondary Ability [Distracting Swoop][2]: When a character within 30ft of Phoenix makes an action, the puppet may be activated to swoop through their space. Phoenix makes an attack and if it hits, it deals no damage but the target loses their action.

Squirrel Hole [Puppet]:
Some Professors realise that the greatest weakness of their art is the danger it exposes them to. They learn to force their way into the Hedge through the small portal in their puppet and hide their while they conduct their battle.
Prerequisites: Professor, Skill Focus [Hide]
Description: At any point in a combat, the Professor may move into the square of either your current puppet or the chest puppet of a Theatre Macabre set and step into it. Doing so halves the number of Flourishes he remaining but he cannot be attacked while within the Hedge in this fashion.

The Professor is ejected to a square adjacent to the puppet when he chooses to leave the Hedge, the puppet he is hiding in is destroyed or he no longer has any Flourishes remaining.

Some Professors willingly accept the halving of their flourishes and the discomfort of being a mortal in the Hedge and remain so hidden constantly. Paranoia is a wonderful thing…

The Guard [Puppet]:
Some Professors favour numbers over complex characters. The two puppets of the Guard are easy to use and very resilient thanks to their hawthorn construction, rather than the neater, softer oak. The Soldier is strong and rough and the Dog makes life difficult for everyone.
Prerequisites: Punch [Pulcinella]
Description: You gain the Soldier and the Dog puppets. Each of these is made of hawthorn and thus has a Hardness of 12 and 60hp. These puppets are designed to be simple to use so they have only a single attack form and for every puppet that a Professor could normally use, he may employ two of these puppets. Drawing out each pair of these puppets costs 1 Flourish:

Soldier: The Soldier rarely makes much of an appearance, appearing to give news to Scaramouche, arrest Pantalone or drive off Pulcinella, but when he appears, he often arrives in force. He wears a breastplate and carries a mace, along with a mask bearing a broad moustacheo.

Attack: The Soldier strikes hard with his Mace, dealing 1d10 + Half Professor Level in damage. This attack has an x3 critical multiplier.
Dog: The Dog is usually featured as a joke character, stealing Punch's sausages but at times, he is a guard dog or a harrying hunter. The Dog is usually poorly painted and stylised to resemble a hunting hound.

Attack: Dog bites the target for 1d8+Dex damage. If it strikes a flanked or Flatfooded target, the target is knocked prone automatically.

Vecchi [Puppet]:
You have learned to create and control the powerful Vecchi [old men] puppets of Carnival, a deed that exacts its toll on your.
Prerequisites: Theatre Macabre [2]
Description: You gain access to the three following Vecchi puppets. When used, these puppets count as two puppets [necessitating the use of Theatre Macabre]:
Pantalone: The miser and schemer of the troupe, Pantalone was occasionally the employer of Clown but often went along with his schemes. As a Vecchi [old character] he had a mean looking mask and dressed as a Venician. Pantalone is armed with a whip of six cords and is notable as the sole user of poison in the collection.

Primary Attack [Scourge]: Pantalone's Scourge drips with poison and tears flesh mercilessly. the scourge deals 3d6 damage and any character wounded by it suffers 1d6 points of bleeding damage. Note the bleeding rolled; the character takes this much damage in each end phase. This can be halted by magical healing or a DC 15 Heal check.
Secondary Ability [Utterly Repulsive][2]: People are driven from Pantalone's cruelty and lack of people skills. This has an aura of effect of 10ft around Pantalone when activate. All characters in the aura are subject to a Bullrush with the puppet's roll being a Perform [Puppetry] check.
La Signora: The Lady is another of the Vacchio [Old ones], though she is not usually so old as the others. She is beautiful but past her years and overdressed to the point where peacocks blush. Her goals are satisfaction of her desires; comfort, jewels and sex and she will stop at nothing to assure these desires are met.

Primary Attack [Signora's Dance]: La Signora is a gifted dancer, flinging herself amongst her unsuspecting partners and twirling through rapid, complex turns. Her foes are cut to ribbons by blades amidst her dresses. La Signora attacks everything adjacent to her attacking position, as if she had Whirlwind Attack. Hits with her blades deal 2d6+Str damage as this is a taxing motion for the Professor to perform.
Secondary Ability [Yours is Mine][3]: As far as La Signora is concerned, the moment you meet, you're indebted to her. When activated, the puppet moves up to the target and attacks him with her fan. If the attack hits, the target is Dazed for one round and loses one item from his possession [odds, the Professor's choice; evens, whatever the target had in hand]. Should La Signora be destroyed or retracted by the Professor, this item is left where she last stood.
Mezzetino: [the Priest/Statesman]A classic example of a Vecchi character, Mezzetino is a washed up statesman in regal garb and usually found carrying a book which he holds close to his large nose to read. Alternatively, he may be a priest and a conspirator in marrying the Innamorati. Either way, he is deathly dull.

Primary Attack [Weight of Law]:On command, Mezzetino moves up and strikes his target hard with his big book. This is a distracting experience. This attack deals 1d8 points of Subdual damage. If he strikes a target that is Flanked or Flatfooted, and successfully deals damage, that target is Stunned for 1 round.
Secondary Ability [Drone][1]: Do not misunderstand what is ment when it is said that Mezzetino is boring. One of the common Lazzi is that when he speaks, all the other characters become unable to perceive him. When this ability is activated, Mezzetino becomes Invisible to all other characters until he attacks or he acts on the next turn. Using this is a Free action and the effect is Phantasmal and Sonic as it only affects those who can hear him.

Woden Cage [Puppet]:
Using a technique similar to the one needed to hide yourself in your puppet, you have devised a manner of using it to hold one of your foes in the Hedge, though make no effort to protect them from the Fæ there.
Prerequisites: Squirrel Hole, Skill Focus [Hide]
Description: Your puppets, Punch, Clown and Pantalone gain the following ability:

Tertiary Ability [Woden Cage][5]: The puppet's chest opens and gapes wide as you sweep it forward, trapping a target inside a cage within the Hedge. The target must make a Reflex save or be caught and trapped in the cage. Each round on their turn, trapped characters may attempt a DC 25 Strength check to break free; if they do so, they are deposited in the real world. While in the cage, characters suffer 1d6 damage from the foreign nature of the Hedge and may find themselves being attacked by fæ if they make noise. Puppets other than the capturing puppet [being made of fæ materials] may attack the contents of the cage by stabbing the swallowing puppet. They treat the target as Flatfooted. This deals no damage to the puppet.

Lion Dance [Carnival]:
You have learned the lion dance and the martial arts that it entails. Two men fighting as one in this way is dangerous indeed. The lion itself is a great papier mache head with a cloak like arrangement that houses two people and shows only their legs. The dance is of Chinese origin.
Prerequisites: Flurry of Blows
Description: Within Carnival, the already complex Lion Dance takes up new levels of symbiosis. When two characters with this feat don a lion costume, their hit points are combined into one pool and they effectively become one creature. The lower level monk takes the rear and cannot act, while the higher level monk takes the head and receives:
+4 on Attack and Damage rolls when unarmed
+4 Deflection bonus on Defence [Passive]
+4 bonus on Grapple checks
+4 Stability bonus to resist Bullrush, Overrun and Trip attempts.

The lion takes up space as a Large creature. A successful Trip or Bullrush breaks the partnership and splits the hp evenly between the two dancers.

This'll have to do for the moment, I have a couple of additional ones I'm working on, including combat Lion Dancing.

Kallisti

2009-09-22, 06:10 PM

Hmmm...interesting. I'll read the feats in a moment, but for now: Beast Tamer.

I like a lot of what I see, especially the Carnival beasts, although the +20 ft. speed seems a little generous.

I'm not so sure about the Handle Animal rules for humans and monsters--skill-boosting is pretty easy, although without magic items it'll be easier to manage. I'd houserule the DCs up if I were transplanting this to 3.5e, though, but in MV they're probably too high. Also, I'm just not too sure about the rules...it's a tricky thing to nail down...if I were you, I'd raise the DCs, but give benefits on repeat checks to represent the slow domestication of what he's training, And I think the image of the tamer going to a caged prisoner each day, treating him like an animal to be tamed, and the poor victim slipping farther and farther until he really is just another animal and the Beast Tamer's beck and call fits the Cirque.

I'm not sure about the Crack of the Whip, either. At third level, the ability to keep people from coming within twenty feet is pretty huge. If I were you, I'd split the ability and put in Greater Crack of the Whip (probably with a better name...) at maybe eighth or so?

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-22, 06:24 PM

Kallisti

2009-09-22, 06:31 PM

the Carnival beast is open to mutation at the moment; it's based on a thing called Fay-bred i was given in a non-formatted state. I have no idea where it was scooped from.

I'll get around to posting the Animal creation kit in a bit, but the table is complicated and trying to post that now would drive me mad.

I'll have to do the maths again on the DCs. Psyche is Wisdom Score + Level + Int bonus + Cha bonus + save bonus against Fear so it scales and is usually around 16-20+level, given that Wisdom is the protective stat.

An average score in a +1/class level class is 10+double level. That's 3 basic ranks, +3 for Skill Focus and +4 for stats. If i went all out, i think i can make about 15+2.2*level.

Lessee, level 10, assuming an average PC, you're gunning for a DC of 50 to influence them.

So, i'd need about 15 levels to influence that on a 10. If i did the all out bit, i'd be able to get a +37 by 10th though... hmmm, thats a 13 roll. I still can't shake the feeling that it still isn't more powerful than using Suggestion on a 10th level fighter.

The greater crack the whip is a fine idea. I'll have a look at that. The 'breaking in' thing, i was planning to have as a high level feature anyway. I just haven't worked out how to do it.

Sounds good. I wasn't sure how Psyche score was generated, but with a stat as a base and two others adding their modifiers, even without magic items that could get really high. You don't want it to be easy, but if it's too hard to be useful people actively resent getting a useless ability. I know that a lot of people I game with are happier with levels that grant no ability at all than those that grant a useless ability. After all, all you can do is get them to perform some tricks. You can get Attack and Defend that way, so you could force someone to attack their friends for a round or two, but it eats up your actions (Full action to push, right?) and isn't much more than you'd get with an enchantment spell.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-22, 06:36 PM

You should see the Psyche scores that you can end up with if a character has a Victoria Cross...

One guy managed VC/Double Bar due to ridiculous bravery in game [held up an entire mech squadron alone, Stormed a heavy mech alone, boarded and successfully held up a battleship alone]. +7 Psyche.

You reckon that a 13+ success if you use most of your feats to get it is balanced?

I've been trying to think of Beast feats to augment the whole beastly teamwork thing but i had assumed that there would be Animal Companion based ones to work with and i can't find any... It would certainly be more attractive than wasting time with boosting your Handle Animal ever higher...

Kallisti

2009-09-22, 06:39 PM

I think success should be around thirteen to fifteen normally. If you burn a bunch of feats to get there, you should probably have a much better rate.

And, EDIT: Just read the feats. I like it, although the Vecchi are pretty expensive. If I were you, I might upgrade Pantalone, since he looks pretty much the same as he did when he was a regular puppet, only now he eats two slots. La Signora I like, and Pierrot is pretty cool too, although the main ability is a little weak for a two-slot puppet, especially since you won't be able to make use of the flanking with other puppets until you have Theatre Macabre [3]. Firebird is really awesome, though, and I like the Giganti. the Squirrel Hole feat I'd be careful with, since it lets you hide in a box outside of sombat, but then again, the price is that you're in the Hedge, which is probably a little dangerous in its own right.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-22, 06:41 PM

this is a 10th level example. It'd probably be roughly automatic at 20th against a medal free target.

well, if you burn feats.

Kallisti

2009-09-22, 06:55 PM

Well, that's a problem. It's too hard at lower levels and too easy at higher ones. If I were you, I'd lower the base penalty to the roll, then add to it based on the target's level/HD. Also, I notice that the Professor has some unattractive dead levels. Would bonus Puppet feats work, or would that be too much? The professor has a lot of good stuff, but the flourishes/encounter are low enough that they can't just unload with all of it.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-22, 07:19 PM

Kallisti

2009-09-22, 07:30 PM

right, beast tamer's maths needs a check. i'll have a fiddle untill an unoptomised character can affect monsters half chance at 8th ish, and humanoids at 15th ish.

I didn't upgrade Pantalone because i thought he was around Clown's power level. I then tried to make the other two about the same power level [still the goal] and then charged 2 puppets for them so that they COULD be had at low levels but were more use at higher. If they're not around the same power, if in different situations, they'll need looking at. If La Signora is too powerful, as i'm beginning to worry, i think that's the problem.

I was anticipating Pierot being more useful when teamed with Columbine anyway...

I assumed that reducing yourself to half-1 of your current flourishes would be a reasonable price for the hidy-hole thing...

My problem with the Squirrel Hole isn't the cost, it's that if you do it out of combat you're hidden indefinitely until you get into a fight, which seems like it has a lot of unintended uses...

As for Pierrot, I'm not arguing that he's too weak necessarily, but that it feels like he won't be the most useful until you have three puppet slots.

I think La Signora is at about the right power level, since it costs two slots to deploy her. She doesn't do as much pure damage as Punch and Harlequin would, or maybe Punch and the Innamorati, or even two pairs of Innamorati, but she makes up for it by being able to hit a lot of people at once, and having a fairly powerful, but not overbalanced, secondary. Although if I were you, I'd specify how the lost item is chosen.

In other news, my Professor in the game I mentioned to you just challenged a bunch of burly half-orcs to a duel. My current plan runs Theatre Macabre->The Guards (Deploy four hounds)->Giganti->Giant Cerberus->Kill half-orcs. It'll only leave me a few flourishes, but whatever. The main is powerful enough. Although I might deploy La Signiora instead if they all jump me at once rather than having their strongest man duel me like I challenged them to. After all, they're half-or mercenaries. Dirty fighting seems more likely...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-22, 07:44 PM

Well, you'd be hidden away happily but the puppet's still there. What uses are you thinking of, given that if you stuck with the Professor, you can't get another way of Tweening and would be stuck in the Hedge?

I'll probably look at Pierot as a bonus for high levels [how often have you heard of people using the Momentum Swing ability from the Brute Fighter tactical feat before 11th level?] That and his mere presence makes a Spy, Assassin or Thug into a terrible danger.

For the Half Orcs, that sounds like a solid plan. Hardness 12 and 120hp is a tough order for them and Cerberus is pretty dangerous. Then again, so is The Troll...Or most of the features of the class. :P

Kallisti

2009-09-22, 07:51 PM

Well, none of them seem to have ranged weapons, so I'm considering just deploying Phoenix twice and laughing at them as they try to catch them, but if they have magic weapons (which they might...) then being incorporeal won't save me entirely if they come after me directly, in which case I'd be very glad of a big nasty Cerberus for my Interpose rather than a poor fragile Phoenix.

I could go Phoenix+Harlequin or the Innamorati, though. One think I have to bear in mind is that there are several people watching, many of whom I'd like to impress, so the big, showy Phoenix would be a plus. Then again, Cerberus is pretty impressive to behold, too...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-22, 07:54 PM

Phoenix is only small so it wouldn't be that Impressive and it can't be upgraded by Giganti. Might be best to go for Cerberus and keep your other abilities hidden for the time being.

Less they know about you, the more advantage you have.

Summon frikkin huge dog = impressive/14th odd level mage

Kallisti

2009-09-22, 08:02 PM

Well, the phoenix may be small, but it's very showy. A red-and gold paper kite-bird, flying around dropping firecrackers? But I'm going with Cerberus if they all attack me at once, and either Cerberus or the Ogre if they don't. I can't bite one target with all of Cerberus' heads at once, and I think the Ogre gets better damage. He gets 4d8, Cerberus gets 2d8. Although Cerberus is just plain cooler, which does count.

Owrtho

2009-09-22, 10:33 PM

I like the looks of the new puppet feats. There were a few odd things though. The on the Vecchi, you said "Pantalone's Scourge drips with poison and tears flesh mercilessly. the scourge deals 3d6 damage and any character wounded by it suffers 1d6 points of bleeding damage. Note the amount rolled, the character takes this much damage in each end phase. This can be halted by magical healing or a DC 15 Heal check.", but which ammount to note is not clear. Also, the Child of Carnival seems too powerful. I feel like it should be more along the line of you can act as if in the carnival x number of rounds y times per day. With the variables based on your carnival class level.

Also, I can't help but think of Karakuri Circus (http://www.onemanga.com/Karakuri_Circus/) when I think of the Professor.

Owrtho

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-23, 06:51 AM

Right, well, it's noting the amount of bleeding damage suffered: I'll change that so that it's clearer.

I've found poison as it works in D&D a waste of space. It's difficult to work out, common as muck and everyone forgets about it because it affects something from which other values are derrived but doesn't effect the front/rolled values.

So i changed it. No save, ongoing effects. can be ended with therapy or a Fort save when your body has had time to metabolise it.

The idea behind Child of Carnival was to allow players to play these classes [should they wish to] while paying a price for it, i.e. losing a feat that could be otherwise spent on something. Your suggestion makes that not work. The secondary bit was simply intended to give a small advantage to the self sufficient when facing a true Carnival.

That and I don't use per day things, just in general.

readsaboutd&d

2009-09-23, 11:25 AM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-23, 01:27 PM

"Le théatre souillé" seems a bit off. Its good and showy but with one of its abilities up to the dm (demoralisation), once per adventure is ridiculous. The monk's ample step is hated for being 1/week so an ability usable once seems slightely...

Technically, a booing crowd DOES have a stated morale effect in MV [the revised d20 system that i'm working in] and also in D&D for that matter, assuming that the GM has CW [there's a section on Gladatorial combat at the back]. Effectively, here it makes it easier to succeed on Manipulation, Bluff and Intimidate checks against the target. By 5 for a hostile crowd in a Social Conflict...

Plus, you get 3-4 puppets without spending Flourishes. The set dressing is really just an advantage for the creative...

The per Adventure thing is linked to a) my dislike of 1/day abilities and b) because the original states "Once per Mission" which is how encounters are strung together in MV.

If you can think of a better way of wording it, i'm all ears, but i'm not making it more powerful.

Side Note: After a comment about 'dead levels' in the Professor [they really aren't, but i digress] i've been working on a few minor and useful but not powerful add ons for the class [bonus feats would lead to all Professors being samy...].

So far, i have a sort of puppet-toy thing that can be used a bit like [I]Mage Hand, the ability to see through they eyes of your puppets and one that makes puppets able to move silently. Perhaps one that allows puppets to be disguised [or would that be better as a feat?]?

Anyone got any other ideas?

Kallisti

2009-09-23, 03:52 PM

Maybe a jack-in-the-box that lets you get puppets cheaper, the price being that they pretty much can't move? I kind of like the idea of a Pantalone-in-the-box, or a Pierrot-in-the-box.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-23, 04:15 PM

Kallisti

2009-09-23, 04:21 PM

I'm nt sure what i'd charge for the privelage but the idea of puppet based traps is damn appealling.

As optimisation monkey playtester, do you think i should remove the Ogre and Cerberus options from Giganti or turn it into a distinct upgrade feat. I'm worried that they overshadow the others...

Hmmm...as-is, Cerberus is basically the Troll, only better. The Ogre's not so bad, because he doesn't really have any special powers other than being a Giganti, but Cerberus gets the triple bite. I think some of the normal puppet-turned-Giganti like the Siren need a boost, but Cerberus should definitely be nerfed. Maybe replace Cerberus with some other giant hound. I just don't think it's a good idea to give the Guards extra special abilities on top of them being the Guard Giganti.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-23, 04:29 PM

Can you think of another giant hound? I'm stumped...

His tripping bite should be enough on the upgraded hound, you're right.

What change would you have me make to Siren [or others], they already have +2 to hit, increased damage and +2 to save DCs per additional puppet used.

I think it'll be worth capping the additional puppets at 3, stop things going into the numeral Colossals while i'm at it.

Kallisti

2009-09-23, 04:37 PM

Hmmmm...a giant mythic hound other than Cerberus? Maybe the Hounds of Hell or the Wild Hunt.

And the reason I said that maybe some of the other Giganti needed upgraded was that the benefits primarily help the physical warrior puppets, even with the DC bonuses. It just feels like it'd almost always be better to pick, say, the Troll or the Ogre than the Siren.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-23, 04:46 PM

Barghest. Only recognisably named dog critter in Wikipedia.

Right, changes made. Anything to add before i start trying to figure out how to word Little Hans?

Edit: I'll have a look. The retardedly powerful one in the lineup is actually the Serpent. I'm wondering what i could do with the Siren, maybe luring mechs in. It's characterful...[plus, can you imagine the look on a GM's face the one time you manage to bring a ship onto the rocks with it?]

Ok, Little Hans is in play. Woo for ranged Disable Device/turning keys on the other side of locked doors...

Which out of Puppets able to sneak and puppets whose eyes you can see through should be at 6th and 8th?

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-23, 08:06 PM

Animals:
Because of the Beast Master, I need to illustrate how i've been going about monsters. MV uses a "simple" system of critter kits to put things together. I'll try to explain.

Creature Kits:
In MV, all creatures that do not have class levels are built from monster "classes" called Kits. Each Kit comes with basic stats for the creature based on its size and a level based table.

Each table has the basic components of a creature, the Attack, Defence and Saves. These tables also include the number of Feats that a creature has and two other enteries; Quirks and Upgrades.

Quirks are minor benefits that influence the creature's abilities: they may be boosts to stats, defences, movement modes or minor powers. Some are more powerful than others but they should all have roughtly comparable game effects.

Upgrades are more significant, including such things as Spell-like abilities, Improved Grab and the frankly terrifying Constrict.

Calculating Threat and Common Sense:
The most important thing to remember here is that this is a GM's toolkit. This fundamentally cannot be abused or broken. If you think that a combination is too powerful for something of it's level, increase the CR of the creature by one or two points.

In general, by MV logic, a creature has a Combat Rating equal to their Base Attack bonus. This is obviously not the case with D&D monsters. However, if you wish to use MV Creatures in D&D, simply assume that 4 creatures on the MV scale are worth about their CR+2 in D&D ECL.
The Table:
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Defence|Feats|Quirks|Upgra des

1|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|
+0|
1|
2|
0

2|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|
1|
3|
0

3|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+2|
2|
3|
1

4|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+3|
2|
4|
1

5|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+2|
+3|
2|
4|
1

6|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+3|
+4|
3|
5|
2

7|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+3|
+5|
3|
5|
2

8|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+4|
+6|
3|
6|
2

9|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+4|
+6|
4|
6|
3

10|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+5|
+7|
4|
7|
3

11|
+8|
+7|
+7|
+5|
+8|
4|
7|
3

12|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+6|
+9|
5|
8|
4

13|
+9|
+8|
+8|
+6|
+9|
5|
8|
4

14|
+10|
+9|
+9|
+7|
+10|
5|
9|
4

15|
+11|
+9|
+9|
+7|
+11|
6|
9|
5

16|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+8|
+12|
6|
10|
5

17|
+12|
+10|
+10|
+8|
+12|
6|
10|
5

18|
+13|
+11|
+11|
+9|
+13|
7|
11|
6

19|
+14|
+11|
+11|
+9|
+14|
7|
11|
6

20|
+15|
+12|
+12|
+10|
+15|
7|
12|
6[/table]

{table=head] Size:|Hit Dice| Strength| Dexterity |Constitution |Claw/Slam |_Bite_ |Tentacle

Fine |
Special|
1/-5 |
24/+7 |
1/-5 |
1 |
1d2 |
-

Diminunative|
Special |
2/-4 |
20/+5 |
2/-4 |
1d2 |
1d3 |
1

Tiny|
1 |
6/-2 |
16/+3 |
6/-2 |
1d3 |
1d4 |
1d2

Small|
1-3 |
8/-1 |
12/+1 |
8/-1 |
1d4 |
1d6 |
1d3

Medium|
2-7 |
10 |
8/-1 |
10 |
1d6 |
1d8 |
1d4

Large|
4-11 |
14/+2 |
6/-2 |
14/+2 |
1d8 |
2d6 |
1d6

Huge |
8-15 |
18/+4 |
4/-3 |
18/+4 |
2d6 |
3d6 |
1d8

Gargantuan|
12-20 |
22/+6 |
4/-3 |
22/+6 |
3d6 |
4d6 |
2d6

Colossal|
16-20 |
26/+8 |
2/-4 |
26/+8 |
4d6 |
6d6 |
3d6[/table]
Animal Basics:
Hit Dice: d8
Skills: 2
Attacks: Claws OR Bite
Intelligence: 1-6
Wisdom: 10-14
Charisma: 4
Base Speed: 40ft

Size Matters: Animals use their Con modifier on all Will saving throws.
Quirks:
Basic:
Simple modifications that increase the basic mental and combat abilities of the creature are included here.
Agile: The creature gains the Agile ability [Swift to add Dex to defence as a Dodge bonus] and gains a +2 bonus to Dexterity. Every second application of this Quirk adds a +4 bonus instead.
Armoured: The creature has tougher armour than one might expect. The unit's Hardness increases by 2. This applies to both Full and Substantial hardness, varying with type.
Cunning: The beast's mind is faster and more adaptable than one might expect, gaining a +2 increase to its Intelligence score. Every second application of this Quirk adds a +4 bonus instead.
Fast: The construct moves faster than normal, gaining +10ft to one of its movement speeds. Combined with Quadruped, this grants a +20ft bonus to ground movement.
Feats: The creature gains a bonus feat. It doesn't need to meet the prerequisites of the feat but usually will anyway [they do tend to stack well].
Focused: The personality of the creature is far more potent than average, granting a +2 Charisma. Every second application of this Quirk adds a +4 bonus instead.
Hunter: The beasty is very able to find its prey. It gains the Track feat as a bonus feat and a +2 bonus on all Perception checks.
Large: The creature is a size category larger than normal for its hit dice. If taken above Colossal, the creature enters the numeral Colossals, adding +4 to Str and Con, -2 to Dex [minimum 0] and increases the dice size of the attacks by one. If you feel it necessary to enter the City-Mech scale classifications, the creature is so large that natural 1's do not count as automatic misses against it.
Perceptive: The creature's ability to perceive the world is better than normal, granting it +2 Wisdom. Every second application of this Quirk adds a +4 bonus instead.
Quadruped: The creature moves rapidly on all fours. This doubles the creature's weight limits but also alters the effects of certain other Quirks. A creature need not have this ability to have four legs, merely to gain the benefits.
Powerful: Better enchantments or more muscles grant the creature improved brute forces and a +2 bonus to Strength. Every second application of this Quirk adds a +4 bonus instead.
Resilient: The beast is a good deal more able to take punishment, suffering painful but not debilitating wounds far more often than others. The creature's Constitution score is increased by +2. In addition, the beast gains a +1 bonus on Fortitude saves above the norm. Every second application of this Quirk adds a +4 bonus to Constitution and a +2 bonus to Fortitude saves instead.
Sense Package: The creature gains up to three of the following sense modes; they may be taken multiple times, stacking ranges or bonuses arithmetically:

Blindsense [10ft]: The creature can sense the presence of enemies within the range automatically.
Blindsight [20ft]: The creature uses sonar or some form of ESP to detect its enemies and perceive its surroundings. It must still make spot and listen checks against concealed targets.
Infravision [30ft]: The creature can see in black and white out to the stated range, even in complete darkness. This has no benefit in magical darkness of any kind.
Low Light Vision: The creature can see twice as far in poor lighting compared to a human.
Scent: The creature has an extra sense with a range of 30ft and gains the Track feat for free. Tracking is considered a perception effect.
Thermovision: The creature can detect heat signatures. This functions like normal vision, trying to locate candles in the dark.
Ultravision: A mostly cosmetic benefit, the creature can see in the ultraviolet spectrum. This allows the creature to ignore the vision effects of overcast days.
Stealthy: Blending in slightly with the surroundings, often by unnatural means, the creature is hard to detect. It gains a +4 bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, to a maximum of twice its HD.

Attack Modifications:
These Quirks add additional attacks to the repertoire of the creature. In general, creatures come with at least one natural attack based on their type; these abilities add either new types of attack to the creature or add abilities to their existing attack forms.
Augment Critical: The critical effects of the creature's attacks are far more dangerous than normal. Increase either the Threat range of one attack by +2 or the Multiplier of the attack by +1.
Bite: The creature gains a bite attack, if it doesn't already have one. If it does, each application of this Quirk increases the attack damage by one dice size or the critical Threat range of the attack by +1
Claws: If it does not already have them, the creature gains Claw attacks with damage as noted for their size. This Quirk can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, the claws either increase in dice size or increase their Threat range by +1.
Energy Strike: The creature's primary attack deals an additional 1d6 energy carrier damage. If the creature has an energy subtype, the damage matches this. Otherwise, you may choose the type it deals.
Extra Limbs: The creature has more limbs than normal granting it additional attacks. Purchases of this ability grants increasing numbers of twice the additional limbs of the previous link [1, 2, 4, 8 etc]. No creature may direct more than 5 attacks at a single target. This ability can be used to add an offensive tail.
Favoured Prey: A creature with this ability gains the Favoured Enemy feature, directed at a specific species. This is often merely flavoursome, as few creatures specifically hunt humans or mechs.
Gore: The creature replaces its bite attack with horns or tusks that can be used rather like a lance on the charge. The attack deals normal bite damage and deals double damage on a charge. Multiple selections of this Quirk adds to the charge damage multiplier.
Harry: The creature is an especially gifted employer of wolfpack style tactics. Whenever this creature successfully flanks a foe, all other creatures that attack the target in melee also count as flanking.
Pounce: The creature gains the lethal pounce of lion or tiger. It may make a Full attack when they make a Charge attack. If combined with the Quadruped Quirk, the creature gains the Rake special ability [two claw attacks usable in a pounce or grapple].
Quills: The spines on the creature deal 1d4 damage to anyone that attacks it with a natural attack or grapples the creature. Additional selections either increase the dice size or increase the reach to effect include attacks with melee weapons.
Rage: The creature can enter a Rage, similar to that of a Brute. The creature adds +4 to Strength and Constitution, -2 on AC and a +2 on Will saves. The rage lasts for 3+enhanced Con bonus rounds and leaves the creature with a -1 penalty on most things once it expires.
Rend: The creature uses its claws to grip and tear the flesh of their opponents. When two or more claw attacks hit the target in a single action, the damage of these attacks are added together for the purposes of Hardness and Massive Damage.
Skirmish: The creature is very dangerous in mobile combat. It gains a Skirmish bonus of +1d6/+1 for each time that it selects this Quirk.
Sneak Attack: The creature gains +1d6 Sneak attack as the Spy/Thug special ability.
Tentacles: One or more of the creature's natural weapons is replaced with tentacles. The net effect of this is to reduce the dice size of the attack by one and grant the Natural Reach quality to the attacks.
Trip: When attacking a foe that is Flatfooted or the creature flanks, the target is knocked prone if the attack hits.

Defences:
These Quirks add to the defences of the creature.
Alternate Form: The creature has a second shape it can adopt. If a creature is humanoid in one form, that is the form that is bought with this upgrade. The creature's Ability scores and size category remain the same in both forms, most powers apply in one form only unless you buy a second copy of this ability [a spider with a human form would need to spend two Quirks to be able to climb and spin webs in human form]. Changing shape is a Standard action.
Camouflage: In one specified kind of terrain, the creature can hide without concealment.
Concealment: The creature has a shroud of mists, shadows or something even more exotic that grants them concealment for purposes of incoming attacks. It combines with similar atmospheric effects, improving the concealment grade by one.
Deflection: The creature has an intangible barrier around it, protecting it from attack. It gains a +2 Deflection bonus on defence.
Evasion: When the creature is attacked with an attack form that grants a Reflex save for half damage, a successful save negates the damage entirely.
Evasion, Improved: When subject to an effect that has a Reflex save for half damage, the character always suffers half damage if it fails the save [this is usually combined with Evasion, but not necessarily].
Fear: The creature is monstrous enough to scare even veteran soldiers. When the creature first does something to make its presence felt, all enemies within 30ft must make a Will save with a DC equal to the creature's HD + size bonus, or become shaken.
Intrinsic Damage Reduction: For reasons not included in the creature's type, it has a great resistance to attacks from anything other than specific weaknesses. This DR is equal to 10 per 5 HD of the creature. The Antigen needed to penetrate it must be semi-common, but not necessarily obvious, such as wood or slashing damage. This Upgrade could be taken a second time, doubling the DR and making the Antigen very rare, possibly even unique, but all wounds with the antigen are automatic critical hits.
Parry: The creature's limbs are like steel and can be used to block attacks like a shield. Taking this multiple times grants additional uses each round at the different defence penalties [1, 2, 4, 8 etc parries at -0, -5 etc penalty]. Obviously, a creature must have sufficient limbs to produce these parry effects.
Resistances: The creature gains 10 points of resistances, split up as you wish.
Uncanny Dodge: The creature's reflexes and instincts are excellent. It retains its active bonus to defence when Flatfooted or surprised but the normal consequences of these conditions still apply.
Uncanny Dodge, Improved: The creature cannot be flanked.
Webs: The creature can create webs as a defence mechanism. This fills four 10ftx10ft squares per HD of the creature with effects equivalent to the Web spell, as long as the creature has had at least one hour to prepare its lair.

Movement Modes:
A lot of the advantages available to a creature are based on their ability to gain positioning on their opponents. Each of these abilities grants a movement ability; these all interact independently with the Fast quirk. Two uses of the quirk could be used to enhance all of the movement modes of a creature by one step.
Aquatic: The creature can breath underwater as well as it could in air. It may not seem like a movement mode but it's a pretty useful way of getting around, even if you're not a strong swimmer. Creatures that don't breath don't need this upgrade.
Burrower: The creature can cut through earth and rock with ease, granting it a Burrowing speed of 10ft.
Climb: Agile as a monkey or a spider, the creature can climb with incredible grace, granting a Climb speed of ½ their base movement. The creature gains a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and may take 10 on all Climb checks, even if threatened or under stress.
Fly: The Creature has wings, gas sacks or some other means of getting airborne, granting them a Fly speed of twice their base movement. Small creatures have Good manoeuvrability, reduced by one grade per size above Small. Applications of Fast either increase the speed by 20ft or the speed by 10ft and improves the creatures manoeuvrability by one grade [maximum of +2]
Swim: The creature is a swift and able swimmer, having a Swim speed equal to its land speed. A fish like creature can replace its land movement with this for free. This doesn't directly grant the [aquatic] subtype.
Upgrades:
An Upgrade is more powerful than a Quirk, often significantly so. In general, they are available in a very finite progression, though in the case of certain classes, they may come from other sources such as the skill of the builder for constructs or the age of a spirit.
Breath Weapon: The creature has a spray shaped attack of some kind, often a breath weapon such as fire breathing. The attack is a flame thrower or steam breather type attack [choice at creation] that deals a damage type of your choice. Normally, a breath weapon deals 1d6 damage per 2HD of the creature and a range of 10ft, though a more powerful one can be created by adding quirks to increase the dice size by one or the range by 10ft. 2d6 can be traded for 1d8 if you prefer [it makes quirk effects greater at higher levels]. The breath weapon is usable once every 1d4 rounds.
Compact: The creature is smaller than normal for its hit dice by one size. This may not seem like a worthy investment but it can make a big difference to combats including mech, especially where lines of sight are limited. The creature loses its statistic adjustments for size.
Constrict: The creature deals damage equal to the base claw damage for its size each and every time that it wins a Grapple check. Quirks may be spent to increase this damage.
Displacement: The creature appears to be somewhere else within about 5ft of its actual location. This grants them Total Concealment and requires the attacker to guess at the actual location of the creature as if it were Invisible. Sounds originate in the image. Once the creature is found, the Concealment drops to normal Concealment until the creature moves again.
Double Enhancement: A simple Upgrade, this grants two copies of a Quirk
Energy Attack: The creature gains an "At Will" ability that deals 1d6 per two levels of the creature as a Charisma or Constitution based Use Occult effect. This attack deals Fire or Cold damage as a basic. One quirk buys Acid, Lightning or Poison damage and two buys Sonic or Necrotic.
Energy Aura: The creature is surrounded by a nimbus of fire, a constant snow flurry or crackling lightning field. The field deals automatic, armour piercing damage to everything in the aura equal to a dice of half the creature's HD [level 2 = 1, level 4 = 1d2 etc].
Fast Healing: The creature gains Fast Healing 1. Quirks may be used to increase this in a 2, 5, 10, 15, etc progression. Fast healing cannot raise a creature above its current damage threshold.
Foresight: The creature treats all attacks made against it as 'Reflex half' effects, with a DC equal to the attack roll.
Hide in Plain Sight: Similar to Camouflage, the creature can hide without concealment as long as it is within 10ft of a shadow, including hiding in other people's shadows. It cannot hide in its own shadow.
Impossible Blow: The creature hits really hard and without finesse. When attacking a creature smaller than itself, it takes a further -2 size penalty on the attack roll but treats any successful attack as a Bullrush with a dice roll equal to the attack's d20. It doesn't follow the target as it moves and the target must make a Reflex save or Tumble check, DC equal to the damage of the attack, or fall prone.
Improved Grab: The creature gains the Improved Grab ability, allowing them to begin a grapple as a free action when they hit with both claw/slam attacks; no roll is required to begin the grapple. The consequences apply as normal. If the construct has a bite, it may use that to initiate a grapple instead. If combined with the Quadruped Adaptation, the creature gains the Rake ability for free. If combined with Tentacles, only one tentacle strike is needed to begin the grapple.
Invocation: The creature gains a number of invocations with a total effective spell level equal to the creature's HD.
Potent Venom: The creature's venom gains a secondary effect. The save against this is equal to the damage dealt by the attack plus 10. standard effects include:

Additional Damage: The creature takes additional damage equal to the margin the save was failed by.
Hallucinations: The character automatically fails all perception checks and becomes Shaken. Lasts for 10 minutes, at which point the character may make another save.
Neurotoxin: The poison directly attacks the nerves of the target, producing swelling and intense pain. The Victim takes 1d6 Subdual damage each round and must make a DC 10 + ½ HD + Con Fortitude save or be Nauseated with pain. Success on 2 consecutive saves ends the effect.
Paralysis: A common poison type, the character becomes stunned. They must save every round. If they pass three in a row, the effect ends, should they fail three in a row, they become paralysed.
Powers of the Mind: The creature has the Talent feat as a bonus feat. For each copy of this Upgrade possessed by the creature, it gains one Psionic feat and two Powers of your choice.
Regeneration: The creature gains the Regeneration special ability, healing 5 points of damage per round per five HD of the creature. This assumes that the creature has at least one relatively common antigen [Fire for example]. The regeneration rate can be reduced by 5 [to a minimum of 1] to have a less common antigen [silver or cold iron]. Incredibly rare antigens reduce the regeneration rate by 10 [minimum base of 10, reduced to 1] [specific items or unlikely seeming chemicals]. Regeneration can raise a creature above its current threshold but doesn't function for one round if the creature is wounded with its antigen.
Shroud: The creature has the ability to seem like something it is not. Its effective size is reduced by up to one for purposes of fitting into areas and it has a permanent Disguise Self effect making it look like one specific individual. This is found with ogres looking like men, bargests looking like wolves and ghosts pretending to be shadows.
Spell Power: The creature has a mystical ability that it can use in combat. The actual explanation of this varies widely but grants the creature an "at will" ability with a spell level equal to ¼ of the creature's HD, rounded down, to a minimum of level 0. The ability can be traded for two powers of one level lower than the maximum.
Swallow Whole: While the creature has an opponent grappled, it can attempt to swallow the victim. Doing this requires a successful grapple check. A swallowed creature suffers 1d6 damage plus 1d6 per four HD and 1 point of acid damage per 2 HD. Cutting your way free from a creature requires you to be able to deal damage equal to the creature's Constitution to the creature's gut [which has an AC of 10, but you count as squeezing].

And that's how you build an Animal for MV. This particular kit is one that i've used before without issue. You'll have to excuse the fact that a lot of the Quirks and Upgrades are somewhat "Generic Fantasy" in nature, but I just scooped the entire General Modifications section out of my notes.

Now all i have to do is sort out the Carnival Beast template so that potential Beast Tamers have some critters to boss around. [Phew that took some effort...]

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-26, 05:56 PM

Okay, here's the deal.

While both pondering the Beast Tamer and the glaring dead levels on the Professor [17th and 19th], i came up with a couple of things. The first is a pair of additional puppets ; the issue here is that one of them is actually a Vecchi and i'm considering swapping him out for Pierot and putting the hapless lover into the main lineup after clown [where he won't show up often but will serve a little better; he unlike the other Vecchi puppets doesn't do so well alone]

The second thing is that while i have a strong idea for the Beast Tamer Capstone, i'm not sure how to word it.

Hence, here i present what i have and hope that folks can offer opinions:

Beast Tamer Feature:
The Wild Hunt [Su]:Should they reach 20th level, Beast Tamers have come closer to the wild forces of the world and become more akin to superstition than any other member of the Carnival. Perhaps this is why the Lords treat them unequivocally as one of their own. The Beast Tamer does not actually become a fæ but is elevated to the status of Lord of the Hunt. He becomes a Lord of Mournful Laughter for voting purposes and once each year, he may declare the Wild Hunt.
When the Hunt is Declared, ten Hounds of the Wild Hunt emerge from the nearest suitable Tweens on the tail of a thick bank of Obscuring Mist and serve the whims of the Beast Master for three days and three nights before returning from wenst they came. Hounds of the Wild Hunt know all the Tricks in the book and can be handled as a Free action, so they effectively act independently of the Beast Tamer.

Hounds of the Wild Hunt:
The wild hunt is an old legend, something that occurs before thunder storms as the sea mists or the densest fogs rolls through the valleys. A Hound of the Wild Hunt is a beast similar to a wolf that stands almost 12 feet at the shoulder and has a mass comparable to a rhino. Their fur has a bark like texture and turns aside blades and bullets as easily as the others. Their howl is terrifying in an extreme and their slather glows a ghostly green, infecting the fog that forms around them.

Huge Fæ Carnival Beast Animal 16 CR 14
Init: + , Senses: Listen + 23 , Spot +23, Infravision 120ft, Scent 60ft
Languages: understands all
Defence: 28 [-2 Size, -3 Wis, +5 Deflection, +12 Class] Flatfooted: 13 , +2 Passive if moved 10ft+
Damage Reduction: 16/Natural materials
HD: 16d8+160+30 Hp: 262, Regeneration 10 [Cold Iron]
Massive Damage: 30
Thresholds: Green, [ 131 ] Yellow, [ 65 ] Orange, [ 26 ] Red
Resist: Size Matters [Con on Will saves]
Fort: + 23 Reflex: + 9 Will: + 18 Psyche: 27
Speed: 100ft, 200ft in Hedge
Space: 15ft Reach: 10ft
Melee: +21 Bite 3d6+10 [Crit 18/x2], Snatch, Powerful Charge +3d6, Skirmish +2d6, Trip

BAB: + 12
Grapple: +30
Special Actions: Skirmish [+2d6 Precision damage if the hound moved more than 10ft in the round], Trip , Snatch [Begin Grapple as a Free action if Bite hits. Drop as Free action or Fling 1d6x10ft as Standard action.] .
Abilities: Str: 30/+10 Dex: 12/+1 Con: 30/+10 Int: 6/-2 [B]Wis: 16/+3 Cha: 4/-3
SQ: Liminal Tweening, Dissolve, Spell-like abiities,

Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Powerful Charge [+3d6 damage on the charge], Run, Snatch, TrackB, Weapon Focus .

Skills: Hide +13, Listen +23, Move Silently +13, Spot +23, Survival +19

[B]Special Abilities:
[I]Liminal Tweening: As a Fæ creature, a Hound of the Wild Hunt has the ability to slip through tweens by using a Shift action. While in the Hedge, its movement distances are doubled. It can tween through abstract boundaries, physical boundaries, the space beneath and shadows as it wishes. Creatures in the Hedge can perceive events in the real world as if through thick foliage; Hounds navigate the Hedge primarily by scent.
Spell-like Abilities [Sp]: [Once every 1d4 rounds, CL 16] Double Enlarged Fear [90ft Cone, Panicked, Will DC 24 = Shaken], Barkskin [Already used, +5 Deflection bonus], Air Walk [Fly 50ft as Ground movement], Obscuring Mist [20ft spread of Fog around you, those within 5ft have Concealment, those beyond have Total Concealment], Hold Animal [Will 20 or Animal is Paralysed for 16 rounds].
Dissolve: When killed, a Hound of the Wild Hunt breaks up into a heap of leaves, grave dirt and broken arrows,, veiled in mist.

The Tygre

2009-09-26, 07:00 PM

What do you mean by 'word it'? Like, how to connect it to a carnival theme? Also, I've been thinking about what to put into your missing levels. How about something that lets the Beast Tamer control magical beasts or dragons or something like that. I dunno', I'm just thinking out loud.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-26, 07:09 PM

I have actually been working on a feature that allows the domination of Humanoids and Monsters and bringing them into the menagerie [I cut the number of creature types down while making kits...so magical beasts don't exist in my game]

Honestly, i was halfway through writing the post when i realised i hadn't designed the critter so i went back and did that. Then the ability kind of rewrote itself.

I'm not sure if there should be 5 or 10 of the things though...it is once per year, but then again, they are very, very munchy from the setting perspective [and well above what you could summon with Summon Monster IX while we're at it]. That and combined with the 11th leve power i'm trying to work out [Taking Negative levels in exchange for respawning Menagerie creatures by having them hatch from rats or other nearby animals...]

Kallisti

2009-09-27, 01:32 PM

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-28, 08:53 AM

Hmmm...I like it, so far. Although I think there probably ought to be a save against the stunning with Mezzetino's first ability. No-save stunning is almost always a bad idea, especially since Mezzetino's attack costs nothing. With that power, you could lock down pretty much any creature indefinitely

Still gotta hit with it; its not as if it's actually automatic...

That and i'm starting to wonder if i've failed to communicate that Puppets act like they're under the effects of the Spring Attack feat and move one at a time [actually flanking anyone with them is impossible]. It would make a perfectly sensible feat however.

Kallisti

2009-09-28, 10:53 AM

Although, with Death or Pierrot, you could flank. Or just flank with a party member. My point is that usually no-save stunning is a bad idea...

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-28, 05:42 PM

how about shrinking the dice to 1d3 or 1d4 and using the 'effect on a maximum' thing again?

Kallisti

2009-09-28, 05:47 PM

That would be better, but I really, really cannot agree with save-free stunning, especially since the puppets roll your ranks in a skill to attack, which means they're getting a decent to-hit bonus pretty much no matter what.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-28, 06:12 PM

Right, well i'm left stuck between my hatred of multiple rolls to resolve things and the fact that you'll probably say that Dazed would be just as bad. At least it isn't D&D, so the fact that obliging a save won't mean that it would still be automatic against 2/3 of the classes...

i still like the flanked mechanic but i have the feeling that it'll make Mezzetino pretty much eternally less useful than the other two vecchi if you get a save.

Kallisti

2009-09-28, 06:16 PM

Well, you're the author, so it's your call. If you're really attached to the no-save, you can do it. I don't think it fits, but until I've seen a playtest of it my opinion is just that--an opinion.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-28, 06:22 PM

After having checked up on something in the MV rules, i've decided to leave it as it is save for removing the 'Ignores armour' clause.

This is singularly because i've checked up on how annoying Subdual damage is anyway and decided that it isn't really a step up.

Anyway, what do you reckon to slipping Pierot into the Crocodile's current place and moving the croc to after Clown and putting Death as the last?

Kallisti

2009-09-28, 06:24 PM

Hmmmm...sounds good. It'd fill up some of those ugly empty levels.

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-28, 06:41 PM

Right, well those two extra puppets just filled the only two dead levels that the class has ever had [I still think becoming generally better in every way was good enough for level 2; i was really only concerned with 17 and 19 which were zero sum...]

Level 2 has Little Hans, who is at best Mage Hand with a little Ranged Legedemain thrown in

Level 6 has the ability to see through the eyes of your puppets

and level 8 has the ability to have your puppets pass as humans

All useful if you think about them but nothing really to write home about.

I think 14 can be the most obvious power of all: Using dead bodies on strings as puppets. Or maybe it should be the Death-in-a-box idea instead...hmmm

Mulletmanalive

2009-09-28, 07:37 PM

new abilities are up for the Beast Tamer and Starn Voice has been fixed

Mulletmanalive

2009-10-03, 08:18 AM

Just an apology: My computer bit the dust rather spectacularly [processor went and the drive literally milled itself some new furrows] so i've lost the progress i made since the last update.

I'm working on clawing together copies of my work from others; fortunately, i'm a habitual sender of things to people, and my laptop will be replaced within the week so i can begin piecing my work back together properly.

I've now seen the movie of Something Wicked This Way Comes, and read the movel synopsis. Not entirely sure what to do with the Dust witch to be honest with you. I was working on a Bard class [based on the Orkney Bards] so i might make her into soem kind of fear/longing based prestige class for his illusory and Fae attack powers [tricking pixies into shooting his enemies, etc]

Kallisti

2009-10-03, 12:22 PM

:smalleek:Ouch...Here's hoping you manage to get your work back together...

Mulletmanalive

2009-10-03, 12:54 PM

:smalleek:Ouch...Here's hoping you manage to get your work back together...

If i'm entirely honest, the most annoying thing here is that i'd started work on some illustrations to go with this lot of stuff, along with my entry for the monster competition and for a Deviantart contest. Now i've not only got to start over with that but rebuild all of my brushes and paint palette...

Damn and blast!

The Tygre

2009-10-03, 03:08 PM

Your idea for the Dust Witch sounds perfect. :smallsmile: However, you might want to put her on hold and go through the novel anyway. Just for fun's sake. It's the perfect October book, and I make it a habit to read it around Halloween, along with the Halloween Tree. I think Bradbury is a fellow Hallow-phile, like me.

Mulletmanalive

2009-10-03, 03:11 PM

If only my local library service didn't suck...

REALLY can't afford to buy it now!:smallfrown:

Mulletmanalive

2009-10-09, 09:38 AM

Right, well, I'm back.

What i had done towards the adventure is now completely lost but i've got the classes back on record.

Beast Tamer has a free level that i'm not entirely sure what to do with: I'm thinking that the ability to shift hit points around between himself and his menagerie might be suitable, either that or the ability to instant kill animals.

The 14th level of Professor is still missing a feature: I think that the ability to use corpses as puppets will work fine, using variants of the mechanics used in Le Choer Souille. I'll get to that in course.

The final thing of note is that my previous work on the Bard is gone. My idea is basically as follows:

A bard has a song pool with a number of tokens in it. He can use Full actions to gain more and spends them to buy effects from the Fae in the surroundings as they alter stuff in the nearby area to fit the narrative.

I'm thinking that some of these powers are going to be direct meddling [satyr pipes, pixie arrows, entangle effects etc], some more set dressing [raising platforms, clearing ground, adding bogs, cloaking things in illusions etc] and a few other things like cameo appearances by nymphs and teleport effects...

Not entirely sure how to break it down. I'd prefer that Bards had more abilities than they get to usein any given fight but i'm keen not to make the pool of such abilities too large. Perhaps a pool of them known and a limit on the number of each type that can be used in an encounter.

Anyone with knowledge of the Orkney Bards, please help with this one. I may put the development of this class in another post so that it gets a little more attention.

Thom

Mulletmanalive

2009-10-15, 10:21 AM

Bard:
'Bard' is actually a horribly misabuse of a technical term, but I hope we'll be forgiven; a bard is technically a musician of a very specific type who filled the role of geneology keeper and teller of the old tales in the Orkney Isles off to the north of Scotland. Similar terms can be found throughout the world of a tasked keeper of the great songs and stories; the Norse Skald, the French Minstral [little servant] and the Irish Keener [these women officiated funerary rites].

In Mecha Victoriana's world, the bard has begun to resurface as a power within the world, though for reasons slightly divorced from the D&D norms. As the Fæ began to resurface into the world, they began to take note of those who still knew their customs, because to the fæ, customs are more important than any law.

Note: This redesign is related more to making the class fit in with the ethos produced by MV and the unusual magic system present in the world rather than any comment on the balance of the original class.

Unlike the otheres in this thread, the Bard is not a Carnival class, though some of it's spinnoff classes and/or options may be related to carnival.

Bard
{table=head]Level|BaseAttackBonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special|SongPool

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Melody, Narrative Twist +1|
11 ( 5 )

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+1|Dressing (2)|
12 ( 6 )

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+2|Conflict (2), Mæstro [1]|
13 ( 6 )

4th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+3|Dressing (3), Uncanny Dodge|
14 ( 7 )

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+4|
+3|Narrative Twist +2|
15 ( 7 )

6th|
+4|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+4|Dressing (4), Mæstro [2]|
16 ( 8 )

7th|
+5|
+3|
+5|
+5|
+5|Conflict (3), Fæ Loan|
17 ( 8 )

8th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+6|Dressing (5)|
18 ( 9 )

9th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+6|
+6|Ambience (2), Mæstro [3]|
19 ( 9 )

10th|
+7|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+7|Dressing (6), Narrative Twist +3|
20 ( 10 )

11th|
+8|
+5|
+7|
+7|
+8|Conflict (4)|
21 ( 10 )

12th|
+9|
+6|
+8|
+8|
+9|Dressing (7), Mæstro [4]|
22 ( 11 )

13th|
+9|
+6|
+8|
+8|
+9|Ambience (3)|
23 ( 11 )

14th|
+10|
+7|
+9|
+9|
+10|Dressing (8)|
24 ( 12 )

15th|
+11|
+7|
+9|
+9|
+11|Conflict (5), Narrative Twist +4|
25 ( 12 )

16th|
+12|
+8|
+10|
+10|
+12|Dressing (9), Mæstro [5]|
26 ( 13 )

17th|
+12|
+8|
+10|
+10|
+12|Greater Fæ Loan|
27 ( 13 )

18th|
+13|
+9|
+11|
+11|
+13|Ambience (4), Dressing (10)|
28 ( 14 )

19th|
+14|
+9|
+11|
+11|
+14|Conflict (6), Mæstro [6]|
29 ( 14 )

20th|
+15|
+10|
+12|
+12|
+15|Dressing (11), Narrative Twist +5|
30 ( 15 )[/table]

Hit Dice: d8
[B]Class Skills: Appraise , Balance [Dex], Bluff [Cha], Climb [Str], Concentration [Con], Craft [Int], Diplomacy [Cha], Disguise [Cha], Escape Artist [Dex], Forgery [Int], Gather Information [Cha], Hide [Dex], Knowledge [Any, taken Individually] [Int], Listen [Wis], Manipulation [Cha], Move Silently [Dex], Perform [Cha], Profession [Wis], Search [Int], Tumble [Dex], Swim [Str].
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int

Class Features:
[B]Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Though not usually directly trained for combat, fifteen minutes in the proximity of Fæ leaves one with a burning desire to learn. Bards are proficient with all Simple weapons, all Martial Melee weapons and with light armour. They are also proficient with shields.

Song Pool [Su]: A Bard has limits to what he can do with his music, most of which are imposed mechanically by his ‘Song pool.’ A given Bard can store a given amount of fæ audience favour as Song Tokens, equal to his bard level + 10. If the Bard is prepared for an encounter, he begins with half as many Song Tokens as his maximum capacity, rounded down [these numbers are given in parentheses in the class table]. If he is unable to prepare, then he begins the encounter without any tokens.

Song tokens are spent to power the majority of the Bard’s abilities. They may gain more tokens through the use of their Melody ability.

Each Bard’s Song Pool abilities are tied to a particular Perform skill, usually Poetry, Storytelling, String Instruments or Singing. There are various benefits to each: Poetry and Storytelling cost the Bard 1 Song Token if he wishes to say anything outside the style of his narration [yes, this SHOULD be enforced], but leave the Bard’s hands free in order to fight.

String Instruments take up both of the Bard’s hands, making it very difficult to fight effectively but leave him able to talk. Singing suffers the same limitations as poetry/storytelling [and is even more difficult to communicate while you’re using it] but has the advantage that the bard can claim a Synergy bonus if he is also using a Stringed Intrument.

Melody [Su]: Songs are not limited to their starting potential and many of the great Orkney tales are longer in presentation than they are in any form that people would care to write down. The færies expect a certain amount of expansion in their songs and stories and reward such. A Bard may spin extra details into the song in order to please his customers. On doing so, he may make a Perform check with the Perform skill that he has tied to his Song Pool: for every full 5 points that the Bard rolls over 10 on the check, he gains one song token, as follows:

If the Bard spends a Standard action on this activity, they make the Perform check with their normal bonus. They may instead choose to take a Full action on their performance, gaining a +10 bonus on their roll for the purposes of gaining tokens only. Alternatively, they may spend a mere Swift action on performing, though this inflicts a -10 penalty on their roll.
[B]Roll: |Tokens:

≥ 14 |
0

15-19 |
1

20-24|
2

25-29 |
3

30-34 |
4

+5 |
+1

Narrative Twist [Su]: By their simple presence, Bards distort their environment; their habit of attracting fæ creatures leads to a bizarre parody of Schrödinger’s theory of observation distorting reality to play out as their attention is drawn to aspects of the story he weaves. As a Standard action, the Bard may begin to tell his story, an act that costs him one token per turn and grants the bonus listed in the table. He may grant bonuses to a number of characters equal to his Charisma bonus at any one time, and no more than half of these bonuses may be drawn from any one of the following categories [the fæ grow bored with flat stories]:

Boldness: Tales of courage and violence are common throughout the world and the fæ are very fond of them. The bonus applies to Attack, Damage and Fear save rolls.
Cunning: The cleverness and tricks of mortals thrill the fæ because we come up with things that they would never conceive in their immortality. The bonus applies to Bluff, Manipulation and Disarm checks.
Escape: Tales of escape are common, if usually part of a larger tale; the escape is key to fæ stories. The bonus applies to Defence, Reflex saves Escape Artist and Tumble checks.
Haste: The songs include many tales of characters running to or from something. Some fæ like that kind of thing. Each +1 applied to this grants a +5ft bonus to speed and Initiative checks.
Might: Songs that include feats of strength are as old as time itself. The fæ usually miss the fancy in them…The bonus applies to the Strength score of characters for the purposes of how much they can lift. Those affected count as having the Powerful Build feature while so enhanced.
Wisdom: Tales of winning through understanding are well appreciated. The bonus applies on the natural dice rolls on Knowledge, Spot and Sense Motive checks.
Sustaining this ability on subsequent rounds costs the Bard a Swift action, one token and limits his ability to communicate or act, depending on which skill is tied to his Song Pool. The bonuses may be reassigned each round as a Move action. No single character may have more than one of these bonuses at any one time.

Mæstro [Ex]: The ability of a bard is not that of an unnatural performer, but it certainly is above the limits of most normal people. At 3rd level and again at 6th, 9th, 12th, 16th and 19th levels, the Bard’s capacity for learning to performance increases again and again. Each time the Bard gains the Mæstro ability, the limit on the number of ranks in Perform skills he may have increases by one [to 4 + level at 2nd, 5 + level at 6th and so on].

Scene Dressing [Su]: It is the details that truly make or break a good story and the fæ have a strange habit of helping to make good stories; being effectively stories given life themselves, they find it almost impossible to resist. At 2nd level, the Bard gains two abilities from the Set Dressing list and gain a further ability from the list at each even numbered level thereafter.

Each ability has a cost in tokens to activate and/or maintain and wherever saves are called for, they are resolved against a DC equal to the Bard’s Perform skill modifier with the skill tied to their Song Pool. Activating any given ability is a Standard action and can effect any target within comprehensible hearing range of the Bard [30ft normally, 60ft with Loud Voice].

Uncanny Dodge [Ex]: When your core audience are fæ, you get very used to sensing what’s behind you. At 4th level, a Bard retains his Active Defence when Flatfooted or otherwise unaware of an attack. This does not negate precision damage unless the attack is stopped.

Conflicts [Su]: Convincing fæ to help you set a scene is one thing; convincing them to help you fight your battles because your characters are behaving out of order is completely another. At 3rd level, the bard gains two abilities from the “Conflicts” list and gains additional ones at 7th, 11th, 15th and 19th levels. Each Conflict has a range equal to his audible range [30ft normally, 60ft with Loud Voice] and takes a Standard action to use, which provokes an attack of opportunity.

Fæ Loan: There are many items that the Fæ use that seem to be innately magical but really function based on legendary properties of materials. The Bard gains the ability to beg and barter for these items at 7th level. This ability functions like the Big Bag’o’Guns feat, except he may request one of the following items as an action that takes 1 hour of preparation time:

[I]Ankou Bells, Ankou Sickle, Ogre Club, Pixie Arrows, Satyr Pipes, Sith Arrows

At 17th level, the Bard may make more significant requests of more powerful Fae, adding the following items to their list, though these items require 2 hours of prep time to retrieve.

Baba Yagga’s House, Greater Ankou’s Scythe, Nächen’s Violin, Robin’s Redcap

Ambience [Su]: There is a reason that many stories start “It was a dark and stormy night.” Weather and similar conditions can really affect the mood of a situation, something that Ambience abilities are intended to pick up on. At 9th level, a Bard gains the ability to create two specific Ambience effects and gain further abilities as they gain levels.

Activating an Ambience takes a Full action and once it is in place, it remains functional for one hour, after which time it fades over a period of time, though will have completely lost its potency. The cost of an Ambience varies with the amount of time that is allowed before it activates fully. Normally, an Ambience is activated at a cost of 5 tokens + 5 per Ambience already in effect and takes 15 turns [3 minutes] to come into effect. For every 5 additional tokens spent on the ability's activation, the build up time is reduced by 5 rounds, to a minimum of 5. Further rounds may be shaved from the activation time at a cost of 2 tokens per round, to a minimum of an Instantaneous activation.

While in play, each Ambience has one passive condition that it lends to the situation, such as high winds or poor lighting and a secondary effect that can be triggered as a free action by expending Song tokens.

The most unique factor involved is that Bards are able to trigger the secondary effects of any Ambience that is in play, regardless of who triggered it. This makes duels involving multiple Bards incredibly tangled and messy, which is just how the Fæ like it. Bards do not need to be able to produce a given Ambience to be able to use it's effects, nor do they even have to be high enough level to create them themselves.

Bonuses or Penalties granted by Ambience effects are Drama based [a new unique type], meaning that they can be stacked with other bonuses without issue, but cannot be stacked with other Ambience effects.

Dressings:
Real:
Alterations that the Bard makes to the actual environment, with the exception of the mist, are permanent, though they can be undone, either by the bard or by a little careful digging and resetting of materials. The majority of a Bard’s abilities alter or create stone/compressed earth. There are several feats that allow different compositions.

Chill Fog: Mists are a classic piece of mood setting; they’re also a convenient doddle for the fæ to conjure. A minimum of 4 tokens must be spent on activating the power, often more, with each token creating a single 10ft cube of mist. This mist obscures vision beyond 5ft; creatures within 5ft have Concealment, while everything beyond has Total Concealment. The mist must be conjured in a contiguous mass and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Bard’s Song Pool.

Column: You create a column of material that provides cover and supports things above it. The column is 1ft in diameter and 2ft in height per token spent. Regardless of a Bards wishes, columns are always vertical and can bear a maximum of 1 tonne per 4 tokens spent before crumbling. Unlike other Real Dressings, Columns grow fast enough to be a weapon, dealing 1d3 damage per token spent, a Reflex save against the Bard’s Perform bonus negates.

Ditch: The thing about earth is, that there’s a lot of air in it, and manipulating that allows for the ground to be raised and lowered. A minimum of X tokens must be spent when activating this power, each token moves the equivalent of one 5ft cube of material. At it’s most basic, this creates a 10ft wide ditch that is 5ft deep in the centre that is 5ft long per token spent. The ditch may be widened with additional tokens, each making it either 5ft wider or 5ft deeper in a given section.

Floor: Building a tower from song is suddenly possible, although most bards use it to create bridges…You create a horizontal plain of material. In doing so, you must spend a minimum of 2 tokens. One 5ft square of flooring, two inches thick is created per 2 tokens spent. These squares are made of stone/compressed earth and must be both contiguous and may not extend more than 5ft in any direction from a support [so spanning more than a 10ft gap requires the Column power]. Floor sections have 30hp per inch and a substantial hardness of 8.

Flooring created in this way can support only 150lb per inch of its thickness; knowing this, many Bards make thinner floors in order to cause floors to collapse under people.

Raise: The opposite of Ditch, Raise creates two pieces of steep slope per token spent, to a point that is 5ft high. Additional tokens may be spent to raise the peak higher or create a raised area in the centre. For instance, a 5ft high, 20x20ft platform would cost 8 tokens [four for the core platforms and 4 for the slopes].

Spikes: Growing spikes is old hat to most fæ, most can grow either wood or manipulate stone well enough to do at least that. Spikes grown in this way cause anyone who enters the square they occupy to make a Reflex save or take 1d6 damage, as a Caltrop. Like caltrops, they must be removed with the Heal skill in order for the victim to regain full mobility. Each 5ft square grown costs 4 tokens and any spikes grown in a single action must be contiguous. Once they have gotten someone, the spikes are sufficiently broken to no longer be a threat and are removed.

Tanglefoot: Obstacles are always useful and are sometimes used to ensure that players stand on their marks. For 2 tokens, a Bard can render a 5ft square difficult terrain. A minimum of 8 tokens must be spent on this ability when it is activated and the effected squares must be contiguous.

Wall: A thin barrier is often useful and can be the difference between life and death. A minimum of 4 tokens must be spent on activating this power; for every 4 tokens spent, the barrier is 1 inch think [for 15 hp, Hardness 8] and covers one 5ft vertical square per token spent.

Illusionary:
The illusions that the fæ weave are technically phantasmal and are virtually permanent as long as the Bard continues to narrate. They can be disbelieved but only if interacted with directly; mere knowledge of the falsehood of an obstacle will not prevent you stumbling on it. Illusionary abilities have a duration of 10 rounds and may be sustained, by spending additional tokens, without any tell occurring that they are illusionary. All these abilities may be disbelieved with a successful Will save, though this only allows them to be penetrated; they do not become transparent or the like.

Befuddlement: The path is not always clear but Bards know that all roads lead to adventure. By spending 2 tokens, a Bard may enchant any location where a turning can be made [such as a crossroads or T-junction]. When characters in the location choose a direction, they have a 50% chance of being subject to a minor confusion effect and taking one of the other directions at random. This never leads to backtracking and is a Charm effect.

The key to set dressing is to make people see what you want them to see, even if that’s not what’s there. For 2 tokens, a single door [4 tokens for a double door] may be added or hidden along any one wall. The details of the wall are blended with the surroundings and if a window is present in the door, it is replaced by a tainting of what was visible prior to the disguise being made.

Ghost Mirrors: Ghost mirrors are a specific kind of Phantom Wall. Each 5ft square created costs 2 tokens, though any number of squares may be created in one go. Each square holds the properties of a mirror and those looking in the mirror must make a Will save or see their heart’s desire in the mirror, becoming fascinated by it. They may test each round to attempt to break free.

Misty Barrier: Unlike the real fog that some bards can create, you create a penetrable veil of illusionary gossamer. This may look like leaves or fine silk. It grants Total Concealment to things behind it, while ironically showing glimpses of what is beyond. Moving through it is not difficult. Many bards use this to create multiple veils over corridors rather than one barrier. Each square so defended costs 1 token, with a minimum spend of 5 tokens. Unlike other powers, this ability’s effects need not be contiguous but each must be within a 30ft radius of the first.

Phantom Wall: Similar to the 4th level Arcane spell, a false wall appears featuring details of the Bard’s choice [usually made to match the surroundings by the fæ]. A minimum of 4 tokens must be spent in activating this ability, each token creating a 5ft square, which must be arranged in a contiguous pattern. Despite the name, this can be used to create floors or ceilings, with the barrier being double sided. This effect may be disbelieved if interacted with.

Veneer: Changing a few details can change everything about an area. Veneer allows the details of all surfaces in an area to be changed, though the core elements such as shape, doors and the presence or lack of floors and ceiling are unchanged. This ability costs 1 token per 10ft cube being altered and the entirety of a room must be skinned in this manner, it cannot be partially disguised. Classics include making walls look like hedges or the inside of a tent.

Attacks:
There are several attack modes available to a Bard, though it is worth noting that they will never manage to become artillery pieces.

Arboreal Assault: This ability only functions if a suitable tree or wooden object is available within vocal range. For 4 tokens, the tree animates and grabs a one target within 10ft of itself with a Grapple modifier of +3 per token spent. This effect halts, closing around the target, at the end of the turn, requiring an Escape Artist check DC 10 + 3 per token spend, to escape.

Bean Sidhe's Wail: Contrary to popular representations, the Wail [funerary song] of a Bean Sidhe is not fatal; it is a declaration that someone will die. While usually sung around the homes of warded families, Bards of sufficient skill can bring the Bean out, though it is a double edged sword. For every 10 tokens spent, all who hear the Wail have their Threat and Error ranges increased by 1. This effect lasts until someone dies who is under the effect and allows for no saves of any kind, though it affects friend and foe equally.

Brute Quake: Ogres and Giants are simple creatures and not very accurate. Not that it matters because their strikes to the ground are very useful. At least 2 tokens must be used to activate this power. Nominate a point within vocal range; from this point, an area 5ft in diameter per 2 tokens spent emerges. All within the quake must make a Reflex save, DC 10 + ½ Bard level + tokens spent, or fall prone. Subtract 4 from the tokens spent and recalculate the area of effect; those within this area suffer 1d6 damage per 5ft of the secondary area's diameter.

Gremlin Swarm: Gremlins are a common fæ type, rather a subset of fæ than a specific species. Their presence ruins large machines. The bard picks a single mechanical target of at least Large size within vocal range and expends tokens. He must make an attack roll based on BAB and Int to place the gremlins in the right place. The target either gains 2 Heat per token spent or must make a Fort save DC 10 + 2 per token to avoid malfunctioning.

Nymph Cameo: Coaxing a nymph to reveal herself from the Hedge is difficult but rewarding. A minimum of 2 tokens must be spent in activating this attack: the nymph's brief appearance takes the form of a 45° cone, 5ft in length length per token spent, which originates from any shadow within vocal range of the Bard. All within the cone must make a Reflex save, DC 10 + ½ bard level + tokens spent or be blinded for 1d4 rounds + 1 per 2 tokens spent. The bard is immune to this, as are blinded creatures; Concealment applies [auto pass].

Pixie Arrows: The fæ-craft arrows of Pixies plunge their targets into an enchanted sleep. One arrow emerges from the Bard's shadow per 2 tokens spent. Each has a Range increment of 60ft, attacks with the Bard's Ranged attack bonus and deals 2d6‡ Subdual damage. Any target dealt damage by this attack falls asleep for that many minutes or until disturbed.

Seelie Archery: There are many fine archers amongst the fæ. The archer guards of the Seelie court [pronounced “zai-LAY”] are masterful marksmen. A minimum of 3 tokens must be spent on activating this power. At the bard's command 2 arrows per token spent emerge from the Bard's shadow and streak towards the target. This is resolved as a volley of arrows against the target [2d8‡ damage, Attack of 5 + number of arrows, additional hit per full 5 the attack roll exceeds the target's Defence, 10ft target area; Range 120ft (-4 per range category)].

Thorny Bands: In tune with some horribly out of place note, a patch of grass or weed within 60ft of the Bard springs to life as a lashing, shaking beast. For one round per token spent, an area 5ft wide, +5ft per 2 tokens spent from the origin point is filled with randomly lashing barbed stems. Creatures in the area treat all squares as difficult terrain and must make a Reflex save [or attack of opportunity with a slashing weapon to cut themselves free] with a DC equal to the Bard's Perform bonus or be Entangled for the round and take 1d4 damage.

Unseelie Archery: The Unseelie, those fæ who think of humans as quaint and funny animals, are deadly archers who strike from all directions. This attack functions like the Seelie archery power, except that only 1 arrow is fired per token spent and the arrows emerge from a random liminal somewhere within vocal range of the Bard. This renders the target Flatfooted against the attack the first time they are targeted with it. [2d8‡ damage, Attack of 5 + number of arrows, additional hit per full 5 the attack roll exceeds the target's Defence, 10ft target area; Range 120ft (-4 per range category)].

Fæ Items [Fæ Loan and Greater Fæ Loan]:
[B]Fæ Loan

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Ankou Bells: The bells of an Ankou are troubling in the extreme under most circumstances. When they are shaken, the sound travels oddly, appearing to the listener to be coming from a random direction around them. This has a disorienting effect on the target, causing the target to become Shaken unless they more at least 10ft towards an ally or are already adjacent to one. When adjacent to a target, they must make a Will save, DC 12 + Bard's Cha + the number of creatures within 15ft or suffer a Morale penalty equal to the number of creatures within 15ft on their attack rolls due to paranoidly watching their backs.

Ankou Sickle: The blades of an Ankou are as sharp as a winter wind and cuts to the bone. In the hands of one who can use it, this functions as a sickle with the following profile: Damage 1d6, crit 18-20/x3 and strikes as if it were natural materials.

Goblin Blades: Though retched, degenerate and cowardly, the Goblin has one core talent: they can create items of cold iron by the mere act of will; something they use to regularly threaten other fæ. When requested, the goblins provide up to three weapons of masterwork +1 quality made from Cold Iron, of the bard's preference.

Ogre Club: The clubs of the ogre are actually surprisingly well made when it gets down to it. The weapon is made of hawthorn taken from the depths of the Hedge and bound in man-skin. Hits with an ogre club deal normal damage for a club and push the target back 5ft per 5 points of damage dealt [no save].

Pixie Arrows: If the Bard requests Pixie Arrows, he finds a supply of 1d4 of them in his quiver at the beginning of each encounter. Each arrow deals Subdual damage and characters wounded by such fall into an enchanted sleep for 1 hour per point of damage dealt or until they are disturbed [physical pain], whichever comes first.

Satyr Pipes: The pipes of a Satyr are made from sylvan reeds and goblin bones. While he has them, a bard may tie his Performance to Perform [Wind Instrument]. If he does, he may spend tokens equal to the spell level to cast any of Cause Fear, Entangle, Sleep, Good Hope or Crushing Despair at will.

Sith Arrows: The Sith are nigh on an embodiment of dying. Their arrows replicate the process as well as it can be without actually killing the target. Target's struck with Sith Arrows must make a DC 19 Fort save or be affected by the spell Rigour MortisHoH.

Greater Fæ Items:

Baba Yagga’s House: A powerful Slavic fæ, Baba Yagga is a malevolent child snatcher with a penchant for riddles, as cruel as the winter. Her house is strange sight, effectively a mech of wood on a pair of huge bird's legs. The mech can move at a speed of 100ft per action, is Huge, uses the Bard's defence, has a Hardness of 5 and 70hp. It has no weapons but can stamp on foes for 2d6+3 damage suing the Bard's base attack bonus and a strength of 22. When kneeling, no force on earth can prove that it's not just a conventional log cabin.

Greater Ankou’s Scythe: The most powerful of the Ankou breed wield scythes. These are +3 masterwork weapons and have the following profile: damage 2d4, Crit: 19-20/x5. Scythes deal piercing and slashing damage.

Nächen’s Violin: A Swedish Fæ, Nächen makes his home in rivers and lures people to their deaths with his magical songs. Any being who hears the music of the violin, even faintly [about 120ft, varies with weather], must make a Will Save DC 20 or be affected by it. Those affected while the musician is stood in at least ankle deep water are drawn towards it at half their movement rate and stand fascinated once they are within 10ft of the player. Those affected when the musician is on dry land begin to dance as per Otto’s Irresistable Dance and continue to do so until the music ceases.

Robin’s Redcap: The most warlike of the Powrie, Robin Redcap was the being that led to the racial name. he discovered that by sewing a cap from the breasts of robins and soaking it in human blood, his cruelty became amplified into brutal, terrifying strength. By donning the cap, the bard enters a state of Greater Frenzy, adding +10 to his Strength, -4 to his defence, renders himself immune to Charms and Compulsions and gains an additional attack whenever he makes an Attack or Full Attack action without penalty. On the downside, if he runs out of foes, he must attack anything that remains standing until the duration runs out; humans can only wear a red cap for about 3 minutes [15 rounds].

Ambience:Ambience effects are basically more powerful dressings and weather manipulation abilities. The ability to turn the land to mud or coat it with snow are amongst these abilities.

Blazing Noon: The light of noon is the classic set up for a confrontation. The heat of the situation spreads throughout a ½ mile radius around the target point, causing characters to take Subdual damage equal to their Hardness when they roll for initiative and 1 Subdual each time they attack.

The bard may turn a confrontation climactic by using the light of noon to cause a rise in a target. For a cost of 1 token, the bard may target an area within visual range 10ft in radius. This area much contain both an ally and an enemy but may contain more of each. For one round, the penalties applying to the targets are turned into stacking circumstance bonuses. For example, a character who is exhausted loses his general -3 and gains a +3 bonus for the round. Conditions that deny a character actions such as Staggered, Nauseated or Stunned convert to give the character Haste for the rest of the round.

Cloud of Malaise: Thick fog has a way of drowning all activity. Not just sound, but also the will to act; it carries with it a certain numbness that crushes the will somewhat. When this Ambience is activated, a thick mist rises from the ground to waist height, with thinner tendrils above that. Anyone completely inside the mist has their visual range cut to 5ft and targets within count as having concealment. Those beyond are considered to have total concealment. Above the mists, sounds are deadened and visual ranges are cut somewhat, doubling penalties for range on both.

Those within the mists find themselves robbed of their will to act whenever the plot and the bard telling it requires. For one token, the Bard may target one character within the mists with a Malaise. Targets must make a Fort save, DC 10 + ½ bard level + Cha or be Nauseated for the round, losing their Standard action.

Crashing Thunder: Have you ever noticed how thunder seems to trail in the wake of evil? There's always a stroke of thunder at the end of a big reveal. When the Bard triggers this Ambience, the sky darkens over the course of a minute and the heavens brew with storm and thunder. This has the effect of reducing the surrounding lighting to shadowy illumination within a 4 mile radius.

Once the Ambience is in full swing, the Bard may call a stroke of lightning at any time, even on other character's turns, by spending both a Song Token and an Attack of Opportunity. The lightning bolt assists the actions of one character by lending them greater Drama; enemies are blinded, solutions are illuminated, their face is silhouetted. In this way, the character [who may be the Bard] gains a +5 Drama bonus on one roll or check.

Gentle Rain: Soft rain falling on a character does little to dampen their mood over their clothes and can salve their wounds a little. The rain falls everywhere within a 10 mile radius and everyone exposed to it heals 1 point of Subdual damages each round.

When a character takes a Shake It Off action [normally recovering either their Level or Con bonus in Subdual damage] may choose to spend a Song token, causing them to regain hp equal to their Con modifier or half their level instead, whichever is higher.

Howling Winds: Heroes are often battered by fierce winds carrying spray or grit; arrows are plucked from the air and bullets go haywire as the confrontation reaches its climax and the protagonists are cut off by the sound deadening howl. On activation, this Ambience fills the area with bitter, cold winds that count as a Strong Wind, causing a -2 penalty on Ranged Attack rolls beyond 30ft and inflicting a -8 penalty on Listen checks due to it's cutting howl.

The bard has limited control over the winds, making them pulse harder against those they wish. For one token, the bard can increase the potency of the winds against one target to Severe, increasing the Ranged Attack penalty to -4 and Checking the target, holding them in place, unless they can succeed on a Fort save against the bards Perform bonus.

For three tokens, this may be increased even further to Windstorm levels, making it completely impossible to make Ranged Attacks and causing the character to save or be knocked prone in place. Those who save are merely checked in their movement.

Swirling Blizzard: You call on nature's greatest terror to bring drame to your conflict. The entire area for a mile around is filled with a bitter, swirling blizzard. The ambient temperature drops to freezing and normal snow falls in an additional 3 mile radius. All creatures within the primary area suffer a -4 penalty on Spot, Search, Listen, Ranged Attacks and each round the storm as a 50% change of extinguishing exposed flames, though not flares. All creatures within the area also have concealment [attacks against them fail on a natural 4, 9, 14 or 19]. All movement is considered to be through difficult terrain.

The bard has control over the gusts and flurries of the storm. For an expenditure of one token, he may remove the concealment on one target or increase it to Total Concealment [miss on all odd rolls] until the end of the turn.

Tears of Heaven: The entire battle for miles around is engulfed in chill rain. The rain storm extends out to 1d3 miles from the point of activation. Heavy rain inflicts a -4 penalty on Spot, Search and Listen checks as well as on Ranged Attacks. The rain also has a 50% chance per round of extinguishing exposed flames.

The water seeps into the ground, mysteriously even concrete and stone, turning it into a slippery mess. For one token, the bard may create an area of slippery mire 20ft in diameter at any point within visual range. This mire remains for a number of turns equal to the Bard's Cha modifier and requires a Balance check, DC 10 + 5 per square crossed to avoid falling over in.

Carnival Performer [Carnival]:
Unlike most bards, who don't form allegiances, you have chosen to tie yourself close to one of the Lords of Mournful Laughter. Your decision to adapt specifically to his tastes makes you slightly more powerful within Carnival but less able to garner an audience outside it.
Prerequisites: Song Pool
Description: Within the confines of Carnival, you add +1 to the number of Song Tokens you accrue when you use your Melody ability [this still does not allow you to gain tokens from rolls of 14 or less, however]. Outside of Carnival, however, you suffer a -1 penalty on the number of tokens accrued through Melody, to a minimum of 0 tokens.

Mulletmanalive

2009-10-23, 08:57 AM

Kallisti

2009-11-01, 05:32 PM

I know the balance on the Bard is a bit of a pickler but any comments, concerns or ideas would be appreciated.

I've done a lot of things with the classes in this thread that are new ideas for D&D so oppinions are always helpful...

Hmmm...well, I like it, kind of. But wouldn't you run out of song tokens very quickly, have a hard time getting more quickly enough to be very efficient in combat, and end up unable to use enough of your cool options? After all, they don't have any abilities not tied to the song pool besides Fae loan and Uncanny Dodge, do they?

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-01, 05:42 PM

I haven't actually decided on the Ambience functions, but i can see precisely what you mean. My major concern is trying to make them viable without being all conquering...

Gets difficult to guess when they have a refillable power reserve. Tell you what; based on the current stuff, would they be better served with a faster recovery rate or reducing the cost of some of the powers?

I'm thinking recovery rate...

Kallisti

2009-11-01, 05:45 PM

Definitely recovery rate. Although, really, having some kind of base backup ability wouldn't be out of line. I'd say you could just tack on Inspire Courage and Inspire Greatness, since it has no fascinate and no spells, but I imagine you wanted something a little more mechanically unique.

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-01, 05:50 PM

I suppose i could make Narrative Twist into a non-Song ability. That would free up a few tokens. I was going for the feel of the most gripping novels and epics where people were working cross purposes...

or maybe it could just cost 1 token no matter how great the bonus and number of targets.

My main aim is to create a terrain controller that gets around the whole 'I know this is what people would WANT to do with magic rather than just blasting things but we're still going to make it massively high level' thing in D&D.

Kallisti

2009-11-01, 05:56 PM

Then, yes, a cheap or free Narrative Twist is a good idea. It seems to be the most basic Bardic Music boosting ability anyway.

I haven't yet had a chance to read over many of the specific dressings or attacks, but of the few I've looked at, the floor caught my attention. It has an eight-token minimum, which seems way too high. It's not an incredibly strong effect, after all.

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-01, 06:05 PM

Noted. I've switched it down to 2 tokens minimum in my notes and noted that each inch of floor can support 150lb so it'll need 2 inches to support a man in armour.

Instant Pit Trap.

Also, rewording the Melody ability to grant a +10 bonus on Full actions, Normal on Standard and -10 on Swift.

Should help match costs, maybe...

Kallisti

2009-11-01, 06:06 PM

Which is cool, but not all that powerful. I'll look over the other dressings and attacks soon.

Which reminds me: You said that you needed a better name for attacks? How about Conflicts? It fits the narrative feel of the class.

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-01, 09:24 PM

Conflicts is good; another thought would be "Drama"

Kallisti

2009-11-01, 09:25 PM

Conflicts is good; another thought would be "Drama"

I'd go with Conflict, since it more accurately describes the effect.

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-01, 09:29 PM

It's kind of bugging me, I know there's a technical theatre term for the character seeing/being affected by things in the wings but i can't remember it nor find out what it is...

Conflicts for now. [I'm loath to make changes in dribs and drabs because the commands in the table foul up every time i go to edit it...i'll make one big change once i've got the Ambiences written.]

Debihuman

2009-11-02, 06:27 AM

Kallisti

2009-11-02, 01:37 PM

I believe the term is "offstage." It's when things happen outside the audience's visual perception but can still be heard: such as a character yelling from a different "room."

I like what you've been doing. It's an interesting project that I've been lurking and reading but not commenting. It's really innovative.

Debby

I don't think this is right. "Offstage" is just the area that's...well...offstage. There's a name for things offstage affecting things onstage, I think, but I don't think it's just "offstage." I'm not 100% sure, though.

Owrtho

2009-11-02, 04:51 PM

I tried looking up theater terms, and it seems like the closest would be sound effects or noises off (the former being the later done with a sound system).

Owrtho

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-09, 02:34 PM

I have updated the Bard! Ambience is Here!

[Grammer is not...]

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-23, 07:53 PM

The Dust Witch:

Within the confines of Carnival, some have closer dealings with the Fæ masters than others. The dust witch is the single closest amongst them, her contact exceeding even that of the Ringmasters and the Merrymen. As she draws closer to the lords, her substance begins to break apart, until she is an idea more than a person; something created from the very fabric of Carnival.

The role of the Dust Witch is not an essential part of the ecology of Carnival but she is a manifestation of the portion of its design drawn from Bellinna, the goddess of the forge and by extension, things that cannot be unmade. Within her portfolio lies regret, a thing that cannot be unmade and that is what the Dust Witch personifies. Her actual purpose is to stoke these fires and harvest this regret, something that makes us human, turning such feelings into food for her fellows and her victims into freaks.

Prerequisites:
In order to become a Dust Witch, a character must meet the following requirements:
Skills: Knowledge [Nature] 7 Ranks, Perform [Any] 7 Ranks, Perform [Divination] 7 Ranks
Feats: Singer of Carnival
Dressings: Chill Barrier, Trinket

{table=head]Level|BaseAttackBonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special|Dust

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Bard No More, Draw the Cards|
-

2nd|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+3|
+0|Dressing (1), Embrace of Dust|
1

3rd|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+4|
+0|Alcove, Phantasmal Self|
1

4th|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+5|
+0|Dressing (2)|
1d2

5th|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+5|
+0|Dust of my Dust|
1d2

6th|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+6|
+0|Dressing (3)|
1d3

7th|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+7|
+0|Bow with Regret|
1d3

8th|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+8|
+0|Dressing (4)|
1d4

9th|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+8|
+0|Crush with Regret|
1d4

10th|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+9|
+0|Darkest Wishes Granted|
1d6[/table]
Hit Dice: d4
Class Skills: Appraise , Bluff [Cha], Diplomacy [Cha], Disguise [Cha], Intimidate [Str/Cha], Knowledge (All, taken individually) [Int], Manipulation [Cha], Perform (Any) [Cha], Perform (Divination) [Cha], Sense Motive [Wis], Sleight of Hand [Dex]
Skill Points per level: 8 + Int

Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The Dust Witch gains no proficiency in weapons or armour, in fact losing those that she gained as a bard due to her increasing physical frailty.

Bard No More: While her abilities remain intact, a Dust Witch advances only in certain areas of the Bardic trade. Her Dust Witch level is added to her Bard level for calculating the size of her Song Pool and she gains Dressing powers at the indicated levels, but she does not gain any of the other advantages of being a Bard.

Draw the Cards [Su]: The traditional tools of a fortune teller become the means of a Dust Witch's performance for the fæ. From now on, the Dust Witch uses Perform (Divination) to garner Song tokens and enact her abilities. Like all Song performances, this has its pros and cons. While both her hands and mouth are unoccupied, or at least not sufficient to interfere with her doing other things, she must remain seated at a table while using this performance method.

This method of performance allows the Witch to form bonds with any number of targets within vocal range of her by spending a full minute [5 rounds] reading their fortune. No save applies to this effect but it can be disrupted if the targets can determine the intent of the reading; not always easy because the act is completely innocuous.

From this point on, as a Full action, the Witch may activate the bond and make a "Reading" on one of her bonded targets. In this manner, she can perceive the surface thoughts of the target in a wavering manner, shifting between past, present and future, granting her awareness of everything the target is aware of, similar to the spell Scrying. Maintaining this ability requires additional Full actions but each round, the Witch may use any one Song based ability with an activation time of one Standard Action, using the Reading target as the source of the power.

The target of a reading may make a Will save against the Witch's Perform Bonus to realise that he's being spyed upon and manipulated; this does not end the reading, however. The target is not safe until he can either leave Carnival or shun her Fate spinning: as an interesting quirk, those with access to Luck based powers [Luck rerolls, Ward of the Albatross] may expend one use of the power to negate this link thanks to their ability to spurn fortune.

Each time the Dust Witch ends a reading, either by ceasing to concentrate on the power or failing a Concentration check, the target may make a Will save against the Witch's Perform bonus to break the bond between the two, preventing further readings. A cumulative +1 bonus applies for each save previously made.

Embrace of Dust [Su]: Such is the connection between the Dust Witch and her Carnival that she actually becomes ever increasingly composed of Carnival. At 2nd level, her substance begins to break down, being supplemented by dust and broken dreams.

From this point on, the Dust Witch gains one Song Token each round in addition to any she may gain from other sources, as long as she remains within Carnival. The force of her connection is far too powerful for her to safely leave Carnival, however, and she takes damage each round equal to the number of tokens that she would otherwise garner, equal to the number of tokens she would gain.

At 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, the number of tokens that the Dust Witch gains increases to a greater dice size, as indicated by the "Dust" column in the class table. These gains in tokens are purely passive, occur in the End Phase and cannot take her above her normal Song limit.

Dressing [Su]: At 2nd and again at 4th, 6th and 8th level, the Dust Witch gains an additional Set Dressing ability from the Bard list. This dressing may only be chosen from amongst the Illusionary powers of the Bard, not the real, though the Dust Witch retains any Real powers that she gains from previous levels.

Each time she gains a Dressing, the Dust Witch may also choose to replace a Real Dressing already known with an Illusionary Dressing of her choice.

Alcove [Su]: The normal players of Carnival travel in the aura of the Ringmaster between performances and function much like normal humans; the Dust Witch is unable to take such a chance and so the Lords grant her a place in the Hedge to call her own. At 3rd level, the Dust Witch gains her own caravan within the convoy of Carnival. It looks like a normal wagon, though the doorway actually leads to a room built in the Hedge. The total volume of the room is one 10ft cube per level of the Dust Witch and she may reshape its interior as if she possessed the Column, Ditch, Floor, Raise and Wall Dressings from the Real menu.

The Dust Witch also controls entry to her Alcove. With the exception of the Ringmaster who may always find admission, those she does not wish to enter the alcove find only a normal cart, well kept and packed with dusty photographs.

Phantasmal Self [Su]: The greatest danger of a Dust Witch isn't just her ability to attack you at range, it's her ability to project herself into your presence and ruin your picnic that way. At 3rd level, the Dust Witch gains the ability to mimic a Phantasmal version of the Project Image spell at a cost of 1 token per round, in addition to the normal costs of a Reading.

While using this ability, the Dust Witch's body remains active but her consciousness is rooted in the projection, which appears, and indeed is, real to the person whose mind she is projecting into, along with all other characters within 30ft of the target of the Reading. The Dust Witch may use her powers through the projection, as she wishes. Illusionary ones may be used against any individual that can see her, while Real abilities, including most attacks, may only be targeted within 30ft of the Read target.

The copy can attack targets able to perceive it but deals only Subdual damage [no matter how convincing the illusion…] when it hits. It can be attacked and has 1hp per Dust Witch level and resists damage like a Spirit type creature [DR equal to 10+Will save bonus]. If it is destroyed, it dissolves into dust and the Reading is broken, allowing the target another save. As long as the save is not passed, the Dust Witch my re-establish the Reading on her next turn.

Dust of my Dust [Su]: While it might sound odd, as time goes by, a Dust Witch becomes ever increasingly a Merryman as far as Carnival is concerned. From 5th level onwards, a Dust Witch is considered to be a Merryman for purposes of summoning her using the Send in the Clowns ability of the Ringmaster. Further, a Ringmaster may use a Standard action to dismiss her back to her alcove in Carnival.

From this point on, the Dust Witch is considered to be a Fæ for the purposes of casting votes in the Carnival and gains their Fæ Resilience ability for DR=Level/unrefined materials.

Bow with Regret [Su] (Name Subject to Change): The very eyes of a Dust Witch penetrate your soul and show you the torments that await in your future thanks to your squandered past. The Dust Witch may use this power when able to make eye contact with, using either her own eyes or those of her Phantasmal Self [in which case, the target must be within 30ft of the Read character].

The Dust Witch spends a minimum of one song token to use this ability, to a maximum of half her class level. Each token spent deals 1d6 points of Mental damage and Dazes the target for one round; a successful Will save against DC 10 + Dust Witch Level + Tokens spent, reduces the damage to Subdual damage.

Though the damage cap is placed at 1d6 per 2 class levels, additional tokens may be spent to increase the save DC if desired. This effect is Phantasmal.

Sidebar: Mental Damage
Mental Damage is a type of damage introduced in MV's magic rules and deals with the target believing he has been injured, even if he hasn't.
When a character suffers Mental Damage, it is tracked separately like Subdual damage as it is not real harm but the character being convinced that he's been hurt.
For every threshold that the character's total Mental Damage exceeds, he is treated as being one threshold more injured for all purposes except death.
If a character's total Mental Damage exceeds his hp or he suffers Massive Damage from Mental attack, he automatically falls unconscious. He must then make a Fort save against half his total Mental Damage or suffer two Thresholds worth of lethal damage from a heart attack.
Armour applies against attacks dealing Mental Damage as long as the wearer is not Flatfooted as they are part of his self-image.

Crush with Regret [Su] (Name Subject to Change): At the peak of her power, a Dust Witch can turn fears and regrets into real things. This ability requires direct eye contact to function, making it gravely risky for the Witch using it. For every Token spent, to a maximum of her Dust Witch level, the target suffers 1d6 points of lethal damage and is debilitated by pain as her conviction causes her muscles to pull apart, emulating the wounds in his mind, Paralysing him for 1d6 rounds.

A successful Will save against DC 10 + Class level + Tokens spent reduces this damage to Mental damage and the Paralysis is reduced to 1d3 rounds of Dazing. This effect is a Phantasmal Compulsion. Immunity to Compulsion only equates to automatically passing the save rather than negation.

Darkest Wishes Granted [Su]: Darkest Wishes Granted : Such is the power of a fully realised Dust Witch that she can grant your deepest desires at but her whim. The trouble is, as with all things in Carnival, the ending is satisfying only to her patron. At 10TH level, the Dust Witch gains the ability to offer a target anything he desires but in order to power this, she consumes aspects of the target's existence, reducing them to something less than human.

To use this ability, the Witch begins a Reading on the target and expends a number of Song tokens equal to the target's level +5 in order to infect their mind with visions which she carefully tunes to be as tempting and wrenching as possible. While she sustains the Reading, she cannot use additional powers on the target as concentrating to maintain the power. The target becomes Fascinated and gains a Negative Level as parts of his soul are sapped to create the transformation he desires. The target is allowed a Will save, DC 10 + Tokens spent + Cha; success allows them to shun the effect, forcing the Witch to re-establish her Read to begin again, while failure by 5 or more leaves the images so fascinating that the target cannot break free even when under threat, though retains his Active defence.

This is a Phantasmal Effect with a Charm component. Immunity to Charm merely grants a +4 bonus on the saves as the lack of emotional manipulation makes the effects less compelling.

Should a character be 'killed' by the accumulation of these negative levels, he does not fall, merely sags slightly. He receives a final Fortitude save, DC 20 + Cha, to resist the urge to give in completely [next to impossible with this many Negative levels], in which case, he removes 1d4 Negative levels and falls unconscious for 1d100 minutes or until Healed at least 1hp. Those who die are turned into Ironic Freaks under control of the Ringmaster(s) of the Witch's circus.

For more details on Ironic Freaks, see below.

[B]Extra Dressings:
To suit her rather distressing demeanour, a Dust Witch adds the following Dressings to the Illusionary ones she has available to choose from. They must be selected normally if desired and the Dust Witch is under no compulsion to choose them.

Torrent of Tiny Terrors: You fill an area with large spiders, ants, rats, cockroaches or other things that creep and turn the skin. This ability creates a swarm 5ft on a side per 2 tokens spent and deals 1d6 Subdual damage per token spent. The swarm cannot move or be moved, is purely Phantasmal and lasts for a number of rounds equal to half the Witch's class level.

Weight of Regret: A single targeted individual is shown visions of what they have lost and the chances they have missed. Their greatest wishes are dangled in front of them and snatched away. This is a targeted ability that affects only one character. Each round that it is sustained costs the Witch a token and the target receives a Will save DC 10 + Class level + Cha + tokens spent. Each failed save inflicts one of the following in this order:
{table=head]Saves Failed |Penalty

1| Fatigued [-1]

2| Exhausted [-3]

3| Stunned

4| 1d6 Subdual

5| 2d6 Subdual

+1| +1d6 Subdual[/table]
The effects of failed saves stack and cease when a save is made successfully.
Ironic Freaks:
More powerful than normal Freaks [created by a Ringmaster], Ironic Freaks each suffer the torment of that which they most desired. All Ironic freaks have a set of common qualities, described below and then acquire +2 CR worth of templates to make them suitably twisted for their crimes; several themed twistings are included beneath the core entry.

Template: Ironic Freak is an acquired template that is acquired to a human when they are overwhelmed by the Darkest Wishes Granted ability of a Dust Witch.

When changed, an Ironic Freak retains the Extraordinary abilities of their base class. If they have fewer than ten HD, they gain Thug levels to make up the difference. Their Intelligence and Charisma scores are halved rather than reduced to 3 as for conventional Freaks and they gain the following special qualities, common for all Freaks:

Sorrowful Horror [Su]: A freak in a rage has nothing to lose and a great deal to vent. Once brought below their yellow threshold [half hp or less], the freak enters a maddened rage, lashing out with all the scars of their lost joy. Freaks in a state of Sorrowful Horror gain Fast Healing 2 [or improve their Fast Healing by 2] and once every 1d4 rounds may make a Smite attack against non-freaks, dealing additional damage equal to their HD.
[B]Twisted to Agony: The mind of a Freak is permanently locked into a cycle of emotional torment and negativity. Manipulating this is impossible and they have no imagination and are thus immune to Charm, Pattern and Phantasm effects.
Curse of Irony:
Below are seven possible sets of templates to represent those corrupted by their desire for one of the seven deadly sins. Other combinations are certainly possible and the below are merely guidelines.

Greed: The character is transformed into a guardian of the greatest wealth humanity has ever assembled, a twisted mockery of a Quoatl. He gains the Reptilian and Winged templatesSS.

Abilities: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, +4 Dexterity
Defence: +1 [Wisdom]
Attacks: +1 on melee for Str, a pair of 1d6 Claws,
Movement: Fly speed = Land +20,
Hardness: +2
Special Qualities: Hold breath for up to 12 minutes.

Pride: The creature becomes so beautiful that others cannot stand to look at them but are turned blind to ensure they can never appreciate their turn of fortune.

Special Qualities:
Intolerable Beauty: Merely looking at the insane perfection of a Pride-spawn is tortuously painful and causes damage to the eyes. Other creatures must avert their eyes or suffer 1d6 lethal damage per round they look directly at them. Even then, it is painful and difficult to deal with them, granting the Pride-spawn constant Total Concealment. This is technically a Pattern effect.
None so Blind: The eyes of a Pride-spawn are dull and sightless. Instead, they possess Blindsense out to 60ft and the Blindfighting feat, motivated primarily by their resentment for the sighted.

Wrath/Revenge: Consumed with unending rage and hate, Wrath-spawn are terrible creatures to behold. They gain an improved Feral template as follows:

Abilities: +8 Strength (Rage), -2 Dexterity, +6 Consititution (Rage), Intelligence -4, Wisdom -4
Defence: -4 due to Rage and Wis Penalty.
Attack: +4 on melee attack rolls. Gains two Claw attacks that deals 1d8 each.
Special Attacks: The Wrath-spawn gain the Improved Grab [automatic Grapple based on roll made in attack], Pounce [Make Full attack plus two rake attacks on charge] and Rake [gain two additional claw attacks on charge or in Grapple that deal normal claw damage and suffer no penalties to hit in a Grapple] abilities.
Special Qualities: Wrath Spawn are Fearless and being consumed with insane rage constantly, cannot perform any action that requires concentration or rational thought. Additionally they gain Fast Healing 5.
Rage Spurned: Any creature that successfully causes anger in a Wrath Spawn becomes Invisible to the Wrath-spawn, as does the original target of their Revenge. This invisibility cannot be dispelled by any means. This is an exception to the normal immunity to Charm of Freaks.

Lust: A wish for sex and to be desired by others is a common one and can easily become overwhelming. The witch grants this by allowing the victim to seduce any member of her target sex without issue, then rendering her incorporeal so that the caresses she craves are just out of reach.

Spirit: The creature's type changes to Spirit. Do not recalculate BAB, HD or anything like that.
Incorporeal: The Lust-spawn is unable to touch anything and practically impossible to touch in return, making her difficult to harm. The spirit counts as having DR/- equal to 10 + her base Will save against attacks and is immune to falling and crushing damage and so forth. She can fly at a rate equal to her base speed with a Manoeuvrability of Perfect but rarely leaves the ground. Note that the Lust-spawn does not gain the Phasing ability [she can't go where she can't see].
Captivating Looks [Su]: The Lust-spawn can turn on the charm as a Standard action. All within 300ft with line of sight to her must make a Will save, DC 10 + ½ HD + Cha, or be captivated by her. Captivated characters move directly towards her at their base movement rate and cannot take any other actions though they retain their Active Defence. Physical harm or being caused to move through dangerous terrain allows an additional save to escape the effect. Once within 5ft of the Lust-spawn, the captivated soul tried unsuccessfully to embrace her, much to both of their frustration. He is treated as Flatfooted while attempting this.

Gluttony: The glutton's sin is the need for ever more food and materials to consume. They lash out and grab anything they can reach to consume, though prove constantly intelligent:

Abilities: +8 Constitution, +2 Intelligence
Consume: A true glutton can heal rapidly from the material they consume. A glutton gains a Bite that deals 2d8 damage and ignores Hardness and Damage Reduction and regains a similar number of hit points each time he deals damage to a target with his bite. The glutton can continue to consume when it has it's full allocation of hit points but additional hit points are lost.
Special Qualities: Gluttons are immune to all forms of poison, disease and more or less everything that requires a Fortitude save. In the case of magic, they consume that too…

Sloth: The desire to be left alone is a rare but powerful wish. Those corrupted by its touch will do most anything to mask themselves from the harm that others can cause them. In this manner, they become bastions, immovable yet soft in order to give lest others hurt them. Sloth-spawn are a modified variant of the GelatinousSS template, as follows:

Abilities: +6 Consitiution, -4 Dexterity, -4 Wisdom, -4 Charisma.
Immunities: Sneak Attack, Critical hits, Bullrush, Trip, Flanking.
Damage: Slam dealing 1d6 damage. Contact deals +1d6 acid damage.
Special Qualities: DR 10/-, Energy Resistance 20
Speed: ½ normal speed.

Envy: The need to take what is not yours is about power; those who have it envy different things, those that cannot be taken by force. Envy spawn become so adept at taking what they want that they become near impossible to stop.

All-theft: Each time an Envy-spawn strikes a foe, they inflict a cumulative -1 Luck penalty on the target's attacks and skill checks. This can rise no higher than -5. In exchange, the Envy-spawn gains a +1 Luck bonus on his own attacks and skill checks.
Indisputable Ownership: Anything the Envy-spawn has touched is considered his by Carnival. As a Move action, he may summon them to his hands. Attended items receive a Reflex save, DC 10 + HD of the freak to remain in hand.

[I]Yay, Dust Witch! Anyone see any glaring SWTWC flavour issues or major mechanical problems? [S]I was actually considering reducing the BAB, Defence and saves [barring Will] to +0/level, but wasn't brave enough... Scratch that, I've done it anyway, thanks to a mistake!

Kallisti

2009-11-23, 08:01 PM

I like it. It seems like it'd really work, and it would be great for scaring the crap out of PCs.

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-23, 08:04 PM

I like it. It seems like it'd really work, and it would be great for scaring the crap out of PCs.

Currently toying with the mechanics of the final ability. Basically shows you what you desire most, wearing you down [Negative Levels] until you give in [mechanically die] and just stay standing there, turned into a freak...

I'm thinking that should be a pretty piss scary capstone...

Kallisti

2009-11-23, 08:11 PM

I think maybe it could trap the victim in a wish-fulfillment dream where he gets all the things he was afraid to wish for. The body becomes catatonic and the soul slowly dwindles away until it's gone. Then the Witch wakes up the body and it becomes a circus freak. Maybe one of the Merrymen? I can totally see the Merrymen as people the Witch got addicted to joy through granting their wishes, just waiting to feed off the happiness of others and get their fix.

I'm planning to spring the Cirque on my PCs, by the way. Give it some playtesting and scare them all. I'm thinking opening with the Dust Witch getting a bond with them, the various acts showing off, etc. Then the Merrymen and Acrobats go in, aided by the Ringmaster, while the Witch and the Bards make life hard on the PCs. After the PCs have dealt with the Merrymen, in comes the Professor and the Strongman. This sound like the right order for the acts?

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-23, 08:28 PM

I was going for a basic copy of the way she was monkeying with people in the film using ironic punishments... turning the greedy guy into an Aztec, turning the letch into a woman, the teacher blind so she could never enjoy her looks...

I do kind of like the idea of them retaining a portion of their old self for a higher Int and such though, allowing them to gain, as you suggest, merryman levels.

For the acts, i'd probably [as i've been doing for the adventure i'm designing around these guys] build them as site based encounters as they work so much better in specific environments.

Professors serve best in tight environments, the Strongman needs the top to work fully, the Acrobats need space to move [though they can function well enough outside, i'm sure].

If anything, the best [and creepiest] plan would probably be to have the Witch bond to them and then draw them off in ones and twos; use a Bard and maybe a Ringmaster [if he has but one merryman level, he can be ported] to back up your attack groups and pick on targets week to given tactics: Acrobats are a spellcaster's nightmare because of their Grapple, Professors are a problem for rogues and fighters, Scamps are pretty good Barbarian disablers and Beast Tamers are just nasty in general...and don't forget that Freaks are completely disposable!

It's probably what the Cirque themselves would do.

And this is before i've finished the Master of the Hall of Wonders class...

Kallisti

2009-11-23, 08:47 PM

The Tygre

2009-11-24, 12:20 AM

Permission to Bradbury squee?

http://th09.deviantart.net/fs36/300W/i/2008/259/c/8/Flapjack_inna_fishsuitXD_by_itoshii721.jpg
SQUEEEE!

Mulletmanalive

2009-11-25, 11:00 AM

For those of you who thought the Dust Witch was horrifying before, I've now finished the capstone...

Hoisted by your own desires, methinks.

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-07, 08:31 PM

Still working on the Carnie Crafter [that's proving difficult] but i've put the final thing into the Professor, albiet i'm not clear if this or the Death-in-a-box idea of Kallisti would have been better. I've presented this here for now, as well as in the Professor entry:

Le Chœur Mort-Vivant (The Choir of Living Death): Possibly the most disturbing trick that a Professor can learn is to make puppets from the flesh of men and beasts. The actual process used in this is inefficient, using a complex and small scale variation of both the Chœur Malsain and Theatre Macabre techniques. Activating this ability requires a number of corpses to be within 30ft of the Professor when he begins. At a cost of 1 Flourish per corpse, to a maximum of ½ the Professor's Level + Int bonus, Little Hans breaks open in a manner exactly alike the Theatre Macabre's chest, deploying blocks similar to the cores of Marionettes into the corpses. These blocks again open, threading fæ wires through the corpses into puppets.

These dead puppets have 20 hp, DR 10/Slashing and make attacks using a clawing grapple. Unlike other puppets, these creatures can actually grapple as long as they are within 30ft of the Professor, using the Professor's Perform [Puppetry] modifier bonus -5, as their grapple modifier. They cannot make Pin actions but can deal damage using their claws, which deal 1d4 + Str bonus damage.

Undead puppets are terrifying in a manner unlike others. Those fighting them or witnessing their animation must make a Will save, DC 15 + 1 per doubling of numbers [DC 16 for 2, DC 17 for 4 etc.] or become Shaken. If you both witness their animation and have to then fight them, they must take two saves and the effects would stack. This shaken status lasts until either removed by Intimidate or Manipulation by allies or when the character has 10 minutes to take to calm himself.

The other option:
Death-in-a-Box: The Professor reaches into his Chest and throws it down onto the ground, anywhere up to 30ft from himself, placing it within a square of his choice. The box unfolds into a box of about 2ft on a side, by sliding in and out of itself rather like a flat and sharp rubix cube, that can be used as cover.

The box contains a single one of the Professor's puppets, chosen when the box is deployed. At any time that an enemy is within 10ft of the box, the Professor may spend a Flourish, as a free action, to cause the puppet to spring from the box. The puppet strikes as if wielded by the Professor, then drops back into the box, using its primary attack. If the Professor so wishes, he may pay the cost of the Puppet's secondary ability + 1, to activate the puppet's secondary ability on the target. If a target is killed by a puppet used in this manner, the corpse is dragged into the Hedge, where it is difficult to retrieve (though not impossible).

There is no upper limit on the number of Puppets that can be deployed in this manner, though they can then not be called by the Professor for his own use until retrieved and placed back in his chest. No more Guards can be deployed than the Professor's Cha Modifier.

Which do folks like better?

Kallisti

2009-12-07, 08:34 PM

No time for a thorough (or even complete) reading right now, but for the Choir you might want to specify how long the Shaken effect lasts.

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-07, 08:40 PM

Change made. It's surprising how many things are actually standard in play but missing from the MV book: Shaken and other fear removal is one of them.

Kallisti

2009-12-07, 08:41 PM

No surprise, considering that you typed up an entire freakin' rulebook.

I'll edit and comment on the MV book if you ever announce plans to publish. Until then, I'll stick to what you post here.

EDIT: And I'm planning to see if I can talk my gaming group into giving MV a try.

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-11, 09:23 AM

Kallisti

2009-12-11, 04:51 PM

Are you going for the Mecha/Military campaign or the Intrigue model of campaign?

If you're interested in the former [what the book is primarily aimed at], you'll probably want the mechs and monsters [admittedly half finished and messy] text. If i still had it, i'd offer the stuff for more efficient intrigue and investigation games, but alas, that copped it.

Intrigue, with heavy emphasis on the supernatural elements as opposed to the technological ones--kind of a mythpunk feel. Although next Halloween regardless of whether an MV game ever takes off I plan to run Something Wicked This Way Comes with the MV rules.

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-11, 05:00 PM

I'll see if i can squirrel up the Advocate class along with the some of the intrigue stuff i was working on before i discontinued that campaign.

One of the major ones was a way of clue inclusion that made it possible for mostly skill based detective work without players having to understand how this sort of thing actually works [something that was explicitely pointed out when i was running the game; most players seem to think that this stuff is easier than they then find it].

By next Halloween, i will definately have finished my Something Wicked/Arkham Assylum campaign set, so you're welcome to that if you want it.

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-11, 06:56 PM

The Carnie Crafter [Prestige]:
A necessary part of all circuses is the ability to produce small curios and sell them at an inflated price. While all members of the troupe will help with this sort of task, it is usually the work of the store tenders and barkers that makes the bulk of the circus' products.

Within le Cirque Funeste, this sale of small items takes on a far more disturbing air as these little things are all toys of Carnival. From dolls that seem to watch from the shadows and carry pins "accidentally" left in their hands to little clay or dough dogs that walk and explode, these little things are mayhem waiting to occur under the veil of Carnival. Those who have left the common are no more safe than those who remain, as even the slightest whiff of this malevolence will have them up and dancing again.
Carnie Crafters operate much like a summoner might, though his creations are weak, combat wise. Their real danger is only apparent the moment you trust or disregard them…

The crafters draw their powers and skills from the Old God Toutatis, the tribe's protector; his mastery of propagation remaining but the tribes over whom he watched now cast to the wind and resettled into the lands other being watch over. Many crafters have directly encountered this angry being and can trace their blood back to the old celtic smiths.

Who?: Those who are not appreciated for their skill are most likely to be brought into the fold of the Crafters. They are not recruited by their own, but rather offered chances by the Ringmaster or promoted from other branches of the Circus.

Prerequisites:
To become a Crafter, a character must meet the following requirements:
Skills: Craft [Any] 7 Ranks, Sleight of Hand 7 Ranks.
Feats: Skill Focus (Craft [Any])

{table=head]Level |BaseAttackBonus |Fort| Ref |Will| Defence |Special |CraftPool

1 |
+0 |
+2 |
+2 |
+0 |
+0 |Birth of the Hands, Toys of Dough |
2 + Con

2 |
+1 |
+3 |
+3 |
+1 |
+1 |Doves, Toys of Rags |
4 + Con

3 |
+2 |
+3 |
+3 |
+1 |
+2 |Toys of Rubber |
6 + Con

4 |
+3 |
+4 |
+4 |
+2 |
+3 |Toys of Tin |
8 + Con

5 |
+3 |
+4 |
+4 |
+2 |
+3 |Toys of China |
10 + Con[/table]

Hit Dice: d6
Class Skills: Appraise , Bluff [Cha], Craft (Any) [Int], Diplomacy [Cha], Knowledge [Nature] [Int], Manipulation [Cha], Profession [Int], Sense Motive [Wis], Sleight of Hand [Dex],
[B]Skill Points per level: 2 + Int

[B]Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The Carnie Crafter gains Proficiency with All kinds of bow, crossbows and with Winchester rifles as they use these in their stalls. They gain no particular proficiencies with armour.

Birth of the Hands [Su]: The Carnie Crafter has the ability to create things
with astonishing speed and make them appealing to those who visit the carnival so that they will take them away happily. The Crafter can make such an item as a Full action as long as he can pass the Craft check with a DC as noted in the table.

When making an item, he may choose to apply on of the "Toys" templates to the creation, turning it into a creature, by spending tokens from his Craft pool [see below]. Some of the more advanced templates increase the DC of the creation Craft check.

Craft Pool [Su]: A Carnie Crafter has a certain amount of magical potential with which it can infuse its creations with life; the pool is always equal to the twice the Crafter's class level plus their Constitution modifier. When points are used to animate constructs, they are removed from the Crafter's pool and return during the end-phase of the turn that the creature's animation is cancelled [see the Toy descriptions].

All animated constructs have a number of hit points equal to the Craft points spent on animating the creature, a Hardness equal to their base Craft cost and has a speed of 20ft + 5ft per point of the base Craft cost. Further points may be spent to increase the speed at a similar rate. The defence and attack modifiers for the various sizes are listed in the above table. The ability to deal damage of these creatures is minimal in most cases and so their attacks only deal damage equal to their hp. Creations usually attack using Bullrushes and Trips, hence the second number in the Attack column.

Each creature is given a mission that its limited Intelligence [equal to the Crafter's Int Modifier] allows; these tasks are usually to move close to a single target and become inanimate in a hiding place. It is a Standard action to withdraw animating essence from these constructs back to the Crafter's pool; a number of creatures, limited by the Crafter's Cha modifier can be neutralised as a single action. There is no range limit on this ability.

{table=head][B]Size:| Cost:| DC:| Defence:| Attack:| Damage:

Fine |
2 |
20 |
20 |
+10/-14 |
0

Diminunative |
1 |
15 |
15 |
+5/-11 |
1

Tiny |
1 |
10 |
13 |
+3/-7 |
1d2

Small |
2 |
15 |
13 |
+3/-1 |
1d4+2

Medium |
4 |
20 |
14 |
+4/+4 |
1d6+4

Large |
8 |
25 |
17 |
+7/+12 |
1d8+8

Huge |
- |
- |
16 |
+6/+16 |
2d6+16[/table]

[B]Toys of Dough [Su]: The most basic of the living constructs that can be produced by the Crafter are created from salt dough and baked like bread, though the baking is usually mysteriously omitted…

Making a construct into a Dough creation costs the normal base Craft cost of the size. Dough constructs can be detonated as a Standard action by their creator. A number of creatures can be detonated as a single action equal to the Crafter's Cha modifier with no limit on range, though Crafters rarely detonate things they don't know the location of. When detonated, a Dough construct deals 1d6 damage, +1d6 per point of the creation cost, to a maximum of the Crafter's level + Con modifier. Detonations are Barrage effects and allow a Reflex save with a DC equal to the Crafter's Craft modifier.

Doves [Su]: At 2nd level, the Crafter gains the ability to imbue his creations with the ability to Fly with the expenditure of 4 additional Craft points. The creature gains a Fly speed equal to 30ft, +10ft per point of the base Craft cost. These creations are usually short lived and used like cruise missiles.

Toys of Rags [Su]: Ragdolls are a classic of fairgrounds, travelling merchants and small girls everywhere. These creations are a mess of knotted cloth, roughly sewn segments filled with scavenged wool, hair woven from thread and buttons for eyes.

Unlike most other Toys, Rag creatures are not offensive in aim. Their touch bestows a -1 Luck penalty on actions each time it is delivered. The touch of an individual Ragdoll is a cumulative penalty, to a maximum of -5, though touches from multiple Ragdolls are not. If the Ragdoll is destroyed, its effects are lost instantly.

The most insidious quality of these creatures is that their touch is not necessarily feel-able and no sensation is felt from their curse.

Toys of Rubber [Su]: Balloons are a new fangled thing in MV, not cheap but worth the loss for the happiness and willingness to spend that they yield. Creatures of rubber grow to be a size larger than they began when activated [a Swift action], becoming more powerful and more aggressive with the change.

Toys of Rubber remain inactive and undetectable until willed into action by the Crafter, though the points are spent at creation. Toys of Rubber are also useful transports for the Crafter, though they are more fragile; their Hardness is halved compared to normal constructs.

Toys of Tin [Su]: Tin toys are hard-wearing and can include clockwork parts, making them seem all that much more wonderful. The Craft DC of these toys is increased by +5 and they cost additional Craft points, as mentioned below.

Tin toys are more dangerous than other models and include either a ranged attack, more dangerous attacks or possibly both, in addition to improved defences. At a cost of 3 Craft points, the Tin Toy can be given a Shuriken throwing attack that deals half the damage of its melee attack; for 6, it can be given one that deals its full melee attack damage. Additionally, points can be spent to improve the Threat ranges of their attacks at a cost of 2 Craft per point of increase to the threat range of one attack.

Finally, the creature gains a Deflection bonus to their Defence equal to half the points spent improving other qualities, including any speed improvements made.

Toys of China [Su]: China trinkets are pretty, painted items that look nice on window-sills and in the middle of tables. A construct made from china has most of the features of both the Dough and Rubber constucts. Creating a China construct costs twice as many Craft points as normal and has a +10 DC modifier on the Craft check.

When activated as a Swift action, China dolls can grow to the next size up [activated as a Free action] and become able to be detonated as a Standard action [see the Dough ability]. China Toys have a Hardness equal to double their base Craft cost, making them incredibly resilient but brittle. Due to their high Craft cost, they explode very violently.

[I]Yay! Evil trinkets. Worst part being the idea of your kid having a Ragdoll that was told to just hold still and curst those that touched it.

Debihuman

2009-12-14, 11:12 AM

From your first post (see my bolded section):

Le Theatre Souillé (The Theatre of Dark Delusion): Once per adventure, a Professor of Xth level may dress his own sets. The primary doll hurls itself onto the ground and summons forth its maximum number of Puppets without the Flourish costs of the Theatre Macabre ability. Then, from the arched crab posture that the chest adopts, a small booth or gazebo unfolds, bedecked with coloured streamers. In moments, the surrounding area is filled with the play of light on these streamers and before the viewer knows it, they are stood in the Coliseum of Ancient Rome, being booed by thousands.

Shouldn't this be 16th level?

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-14, 11:19 AM

Yes, fixed it.

Debihuman

2009-12-14, 11:41 AM

Also

"The strongman is a classic fixture of the circus; lifting weights, bending bars and crushing bricks in his hands, the crowd adores such deeps as theyare things that they wish they could do themselves."

I am unfamiliar with this usage of the word "deeps." Is this a carny term or did you mean to use a different word?

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-14, 11:55 AM

Fixed, thanks:

The strongman is a classic fixture of the circus; lifting weights, bending bars and crushing bricks in his hands, the crowd adores such deeds; things they wish they could do themselves.

Debihuman

2009-12-14, 11:59 AM

I think this is the last (from the Dust Witch)

Captivating Looks [Su]: The Lust-spawn can turn on the charm as a Standard action. All within 300 ft with line of sight to her must make a Will save, DC 10 + ½ HD + Cha, or be captivated by her. Captivated characters move directly towards her at their base movement rate and cannot take any other actions though they retain their Active Defense. Physical harm or being caused to move through dangerous terrain allows an additional save to escape the effect. Once withing 5th of the Lust-spawn, the captivated soul tried unsuccessfully to embrace her, much to both of their frustration. He is treated as Flatfooted while attempting this.

Not a clue here. Sorry.

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-14, 12:01 PM

Once withing 5ft of the Lust-spawn, the captivated soul tried unsuccessfully to embrace her, much to both of their frustration. He is treated as Flatfooted while attempting this.

Make sense now? Curse that crazy spellchecker...

Debihuman

2009-12-14, 12:18 PM

I think you should have it as: "Once with in 5 feet" ... but that's just me being ornery.

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-14, 12:21 PM

we're both wrong. No need for the space but no need for the "g" either.

No problems apparent with the crafter? Aside from being strange, with nothing to compare it too and probably a dozen abusable loopholes...

Debihuman

2009-12-14, 12:55 PM

I used to work as a professional proofreader, so Strunk & White's Elements of Style sometimes gets stuck in my head. I always add a space between "5" and "ft." Then again, I'm American; I tend to use standard American spelling and punctuation. I noticed that you used British spelling, so I wasn't sure which punctuation was appropriate.

As for the crafter...I wasn't sure it was finished. I'll take a look at it.

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-14, 01:02 PM

I thought proofreaders worked in blue...

I have nothing but annoyance for the Havard style guide; two of my lecturers wanted us to use that rather than the Oxford standard one. The quotation system made little sense and i'm still confused by the American dating system [mostly because while i can see why it's been done that way, it's not linear to read...] and i lost a mark for an incorrect date when using American nomenclature.

Then again, academic writing isn't really English: It's a strange language of misused words and failed clarification; probably true in every language though. I know the French isn't much better...

dsmiles

2009-12-14, 01:27 PM

Also, Geeks. No not DnD nerds, real Geeks. As in are you going to add them, maybe as a prestige class-type option?

EDIT: I'm lovin' this stuff. Keep it comin'

Debihuman

2009-12-14, 01:28 PM

I only used blue on newspaper galley. For everything else, red was the color of choice. It's a lot easier to see.

English gets even weirder when you look at Canada -- they use British spelling but mostly American punctuation. They tend to use Day/Month/Year also but it depends. When I was studying in Canada, I set all the computers to "Canadian English" because they defaulted to American standard. It wasn't perfect, but I found it helpful.

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-14, 01:52 PM

I'm not familiar with the term geeks. What are they?

I have two ways of creating Freaks, though, three if you count a feat i've yet to post for superior ones from the Ringmaster

dsmiles

2009-12-14, 02:05 PM

The word geek is a slang term, noting individuals as "a peculiar or otherwise odd person, especially one who is perceived to be overly obsessed with one or more things including those of intellectuality, electronics, etc."[1] Formerly, the term referred to a carnival performer often billed as a wild man whose act usually includes biting the head off a live chicken, bat, snake or bugs. The 1976 edition of the American Heritage Dictionary included only the definition regarding geek shows.

Slang.
n.

1. A person regarded as foolish, inept, or clumsy.
2. A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept.
3. A carnival performer whose show consists of bizarre acts, such as biting the head off a live chicken.

Geeks can be very dark and scary.

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-14, 02:33 PM

Ah, for that, you could cover it reasonably with any other of the classes, along with the following feat: Kicker of Puppies and maybe, Insideous Fear

I'd probably give the role to a King Freak or a Strongman. Possibly a Strongman with a feat i've been considering for about 6 minutes [watching Time Bandits], Minotaurs.

Mulletmanalive

2009-12-25, 12:19 PM

In a brief moment between courses, i've found time to finish off the Beast Tamer class with two final features; Meld and Taurian at 10th and 18th levels.

Happy Christmas to all!

Debihuman

2010-01-02, 09:16 AM

This is all very cool. How compatible with standard 3.5 is this material? I'm pretty good at judging monsters, but not at judging classes and prestige classes.

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2010-01-02, 09:53 AM

Erm...

Difficult question to answer in that form really... The system is intended to be semi-stand alone but to be compatable with most splat books. The issue of monsters is a difficult one as MV doesn't actually award xp for things defeated; it has a system based on whether the characters complete the mission and that mission is often achievable without fighting half of what's in the encounters.

If you notice, the book includes an OGL-refit mechanical system that alters the way everything works. This has meant that, while you can use monsters from the MM and such, they tend to either be glass cannons or far too powerful.

My current calculation system for encounters has allowed me to provide a framework for decent challenges, though, and it could probably be used with D&D stuff once it were put through a filter. That's still in scrappy working notes though, so it's difficult for me to show.

As for Le Cirque itself, it was designed to be as close to compatable to D&D as any of my stuff gets any more; I don't really know or give a horse apple for such things, but i think they're all drifting around Tier 3 in power. I think between posts 3 and 9 you can find most of the conversion notes...

I'm currently working on the original Lords of Mourneful Laughter, which will probably be more easily judged [albiet, writen in MV monster format] against normal criteria.

That answer the question?

Debihuman

2010-01-02, 11:17 AM

I thank ye very much for your illustrious answer. I am so wanting to run a Ravenloft game and stick Le Cirque Funeste there.....

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2010-01-02, 11:40 AM

They'd probably fit in best either in stark contrast to the twisted Victorian austerity of Lamordia or amidst the Renaissance Venician paranoia of Dementlieu.

The obvious possibility would be to have both this and the Carnival of Darkness running around [the one run by the angel, i don't know where it was converted into 3.5] simply because the irony of the less dangerous one being the one you can't escape woule probably amuse the Dark Powers no end...

That or you could transplant my War of Shadows idea into Tepest [Witches being those to forcibly bind fae like Vestiges and started a war between themselves [flavour as you like, i make them selfish monsters] and Le Cirque by binding one of the Lords. I always find it amusing to lead Ravenloft PCs into assuming there are actual "good guys" in the place [beyond the ones from 2e like the Ravenkin anyway].

Debihuman

2010-01-03, 11:12 AM

Thanks for your ideas. Sword and Sorcery had a number of books updating Ravenloft to 3.5. I don't believe Isolde's carnival was ever updated to 3.5, but I have the original Carnival book and some homebrewed 3.5 stats for many of the NPCs from WotC's message boards.

Ages ago, I made a lawful neutral coven of witches for Ravenloft (orginally for AD&D but I've since updated them to 3e) and hadn't decided if they should merely be NPCs, or if they could be handed to players as PCs. They reside on the border of Dementlieu outside Chateufaux on the very edge of Mordant. It's perfect place to start.

I have a question for you: Where does the Ironic Freaks template fit in? You state that Freaks are created by the Ringmaster, but nowhere did I see the freaks. Did that get left out or changed?

Debby

Mulletmanalive

2010-01-03, 04:41 PM

Hmmm. I never did like the whole Hala thing. It smacked too much of "lets try and tempt in wiccans" and had no folkloric basis. It also created a powerful order of goodies, something that doesn't really belong in Ravenloft...they never even seemed embattled or misunderstood in the 2e book, which just sickened me. A good aligned power source in Ravenloft? Ezra's bad enough...

There were a lot of far too wholesome things that came out of the late TSR period with all the accusations of satanism...

Anyway, Freaks are created by the Ringmaster power Freakmaker, which is gained at 7th level in the class. The "template" is basically an ability listed in the description for the ability and being told to pick a +1 template, usually from Savage Species. They're basically just Humanoid type creatures [i use Thugs from the MV handbook] with the template and the Sorrowful Horror ability.

Ironic Freaks are a more powerful version that can only be created by the Dust Witch as a result of their capstone; these ones keep their class and gain the other things [though some, like Sloth-spwan can't really use them].

Mulletmanalive

2010-01-31, 12:13 PM

Returning this slightly stalled project to a reasonable realm to avoid accusations of Threadomancy when i get the Mime, Juggler and Master of the Funhouse classes...

Mulletmanalive

2010-03-20, 03:28 PM

Gullet (Fire Eater) [Prestige]:
Almost every circus includes a Gullet, a specialist in swallowing stuff. They can swallow fire, swords, vast amounts of water…almost anything if need be. Their act involves them being stripped to the waist, running fire over their skin, setting their hair on fire, lying on beds of nails and walking across fire, as well as using themselves as a human scabbard.

The vast majority of Gullets were pure-strain Merrymen, though some had other roles beforehand and merely tasted the path of the merryman.

Prerequisites:
In order to become a Gullet, a character must meet the following requirements:
Skills: Swim 7 Ranks
Feats: Toughness
Special: Humouvore Merryman class feature

{table=head]Level |BAB |Fort |Ref |Will |Def |Special
1 |+0 |+2 |+0 |+0 |+0 |Brush Off +2, Fire Eating

2 |+1 |+3 |+1 |+1 |+1 |Deep Throat

3 |+2 |+3 |+1 |+1 |+2 |Brush Off +4

4 |+3 |+4 |+2 |+2 |+3 |Chomp, Inhale

5 |+3 |+4 |+2 |+2 |+3 |Brush Off +6

6 |+4 |+5 |+3 |+3 |+4 |Swallow Whole

7 |+5 |+5 |+3 |+3 |+5 |Brush Off +8

8 |+6 |+6 |+4 |+4 |+6 |Eat Lead

9 |+6 |+6 |+4 |+4 |+6 |Brush Off +10

10 |+7 |+7 |+5 |+5 |+7 |Devouring Vacuum[/table]
Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills: Balance [Dex], Bluff [Cha], Climb [Str], Disguise [Cha], Escape Artist [Dex], Jump [Str], Listen [Wis], Manipulation [Cha], Perform [Cha], Ride [Dex], Slight of Hand [Dex], Spot [Wis], Swim [Str], Tumble [Dex]
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int

Class Abilities:
Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The gullet is usually required to do a little swordplay in his act and so gains proficiency with all martial melee weapons.

Brush Off [Su]: Gullets can shrug minor damaging effects such as limited fire or nails without even a patch of red skin or a graze. At 1st level, they gain a +2 bonus to their Hardness against all damage sources. This increases by a further +2 at every odd numbered level thereafter.

Fire Eating [Su]: The Gullet has the ability to swallow an almost ridiculous amount of fire over time, though this is a progressive gain. As an Immediate action, he may draw a flame into his mouth from a range of up to one foot and swallow it.

At any time from then on, the Gullet may discharge the flames stored inside it as a breath weapon, using the dice it has absorbed previously. Doing so requires a standard action and produces a broad cone of effect which requires no roll to hit but allows a Reflex save [DC 10 + Class level + Con] for half damage. They may spit as many dice in one go as they are able to swallow [see below].

A Gullet may swallow a number of dice of fire in one go equal to their Con modifier plus their class level in one go and can store a total amount of flame equal to his Con x (level + 1) at any one time, for as long as they remain conscious. Should they lose consciousness, they immediately vomit up the flame they have remaining in one go in a 10ft radius burst.

Deep Throat [Su]: The twisting effects of Carnival have led to the throat of the Gullet becoming a very fragile liminal; things that he shoves down his throat that aren't actually swallowed are deposited into the Hedge and can be retrieved easily from there. The Gullet can store a number of items in his Hedge-throat equal to his Constitution modifier; there is no size limit but he has to be able to pick up the item in one hand. Swallowing or retrieving an item is a Move action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

Chomp [Su]: Remarkable as it sounds, a 4th level Gullet can actually bit through more or less anything. Many perform feats such as eating literal nails or biting through the husks of coconuts to general amusement. Of course, as with all things in Carnival, this has a dark side, allowing them to take bites out of people too. As a Standard action, the Gullet may make a bite attack that deals 1d6 + class level + Str damage and ignores hardness. A common trick is to ready an action and use this to Sunder an incoming weapon.

Inhale [Su]: As time goes by, the Gullet's ability to consume increases as he can suck in fire and eventually other harm from a greater radius. From now on, as long as its terminal area is entirely within 30ft of him, the Gullet may use his Fire Eating ability to absorb the entire area of effects that pass close to him. If part of the area is outside his 30ft consumption radius, that part of the effect is left unabsorbed and is resolved normally.
Swallow Whole [Su]: As a Full action, with a successful Grapple check, a 6th level Gullet may swallow a medium or smaller opponent that they have grappled. The victim is deposited into the Hedge, basically unharmed, but will have a rather troublesome time getting back.

Fortunately for the victim, the Hedge wall in Carnival is somewhat thinner than elsewhere and they can stumble out of a random Liminal within 1d6 x 20ft of their point of entry by passing an Int check, DC 25. They may add +1 to their roll for every round they remain trapped, but if they roll a natural 1 at any point, they end up emerging 1d6 miles away, 1d6 hours later. If there are Carnival Beasts or Merrymen in the Hedge at the time, things could be far more violent, however.

Eat Lead [Su]: Come 8th level, the dimensional second stomach of the Gullet has become almost a separate part of the Hedge, twisting and turning and yet seemingly always going in a straight line. The reason for this development is so that the Gullet can swallow projectiles and regurgitate them. As an Immediate action, the Gullet can absorb any ranged attack whose target is within 20ft of him, negating it, then redirect it to a target of his choice. The attack is resolved instantly and uses the Gullet's BAB and Dex to calculate the attack roll.

Despite the name, this ability includes all ranged attacks, including bullets, shells, grenades, acid spray and many others.

Devouring Vacuum [Su]: The ultimate technique of a Gullet is to swallow air and dump it into the Hedge so fast that it creates a great, violent inrush of wind. As a Full action, the Gullet may take up to 10 points of Subdual damage. For every point of damage they take, they produce a 90° cone of Hurricane force wind 10ft in length. Creatures in the cone must make a Fort save, DC 20 + Con: Medium or smaller creatures are knocked prone either way and pulled 1d4 x 10ft towards the Gullet [complete with bouncing damage, 1d4 per 10ft], Large creatures are knocked prone on a failed save and cannot move away from the Gullet on a successful one; Huge creatures must save or be unable to move away from the Gullet; Gargantuan or larger creatures are immune to this effect.

Should the victim be sucked into the Gullet's square, he is dumped bodily into the Hedge at great speed. The victim takes 5d6 falling damage and becomes entangled in vicious thorns. Each round, he must make a DC 20 Escape Artist check to break free. Failure deals 1d6 slashing damage. After that, he can try to find his way into the real world with a DC 25 Int check [with a +1 bonus per round spent looking]. On a natural 1, they become lost and emerge instead from a random liminal within 1d6 miles, 1d6 hours later.

The Gullet can sustain this effect for additional rounds as long as he's willing to take further damage. The effect lasts for the whole turn and anyone who is foolish enough to move into the cone is affected as if he were there when it was begun. At any time, the Gullet may end this effect as an Immediate action [rather than simply not sustaining it]. This causes pressure to equalise violently, causing a Balance check, DC 10 + 5 per round the effect was sustained. Those who fail are thrown 5ft away from the Gullet per round the effect was sustained, taking damage as for a fall of that distance.[/spoiler]

And another Cirque class hits the canvas...

imp_fireball

2010-03-20, 04:26 PM

Chomp [Su]: Remarkable as it sounds, a 4th level Gullet can actually bit through more or less anything. Many perform feats such as eating literal nails or biting through the husks of coconuts to general amusement. Of course, as with all things in Carnival, this has a dark side, allowing them to take bites out of people too. As a Standard action, the Gullet may make a bite attack that deals 1d6 + class level + Str damage and ignores hardness. A common trick is to ready an action and use this to Sunder an incoming weapon.

Probably better as an extraordinary ability (and same with all other class features). Also, make it work like an additional natural attack that is acquired. Simpler that way.

Devouring Vacuum [Su]: The ultimate technique of a Gullet is to swallow air and dump it into the Hedge so fast that it creates a great, violent inrush of wind. As a Full action, the Gullet may take up to 10 points of Subdual damage. For every point of damage they take, they produce a 90° cone of Hurricane force wind 10ft in length. Creatures in the cone must make a Fort save, DC 20 + Con: Medium or smaller creatures are knocked prone either way and pulled 1d4 x 10ft towards the Gullet [complete with bouncing damage, 1d4 per 10ft], Large creatures are knocked prone on a failed save and cannot move away from the Gullet on a successful one; Huge creatures must save or be unable to move away from the Gullet; Gargantuan or larger creatures are immune to this effect.

The Gullet can sustain this effect for as long as he's willing to take the damage. The effect lasts for the whole turn and anyone who is foolish enough to move into the cone is affected as if he were there when it was begun. At any time, the Gullet may end this effect as an Immediate action [rather than simply not sustaining it]. This causes pressure to equalise violently, causing a Balance check, DC 10 + 5 per round the effect was sustained. Those who fail are thrown 5ft away from the Gullet per round the effect was sustained, taking damage as for a fall of that distance.

There shouldn't be a size limitation. Just make larger sizes have a bonus to fortitude saves/balance checks, etc. (usual +4, -4 modifier). Maybe add in different conditions for degrees of failure - that way, size won't matter nearly as much in a typical game - I know it's tradition to make size matter for a lot of things, but that tradition is a stupid one.

Also, is subdual/non-lethal damage per round or is it just once?

Mulletmanalive

2010-03-20, 04:36 PM

Probably better as an extraordinary ability (and same with all other class features). Also, make it work like an additional natural attack that is acquired. Simpler that way.

Carnival classes all have stuff like this: the point being basically that their Supernatural abilities stop functioning outside of Carnival. I intended this to be a single attack ability because big damage counts far more in my games than with people who use spells a lot...plus...Gluttony...

There shouldn't be a size limitation. Just make larger sizes have a bonus to fortitude saves/balance checks, etc. (usual +4, -4 modifier). Maybe add in different conditions for degrees of failure - that way, size won't matter nearly as much in a typical game - I know it's tradition to make size matter for a lot of things, but that tradition is a stupid one.

Also, is subdual/non-lethal damage per round or is it just once?

No.

This uses the basic D&D mechanism for wind. It works fine. I don't want this wind powerful enough to shift one tonne creatures because no save in the universe is going to stop someone who isn't anchored to the ground being sucked happily into the Hedge.

On the subdual point, every round. I hoped the first line of the second 'graph made that clear enough.

That said, you've inadvertantly pointed out that i've not included what happens if you enter the Gullet's square and get swallowed. Thanks for that!

imp_fireball

2010-03-20, 04:51 PM

Acrobat:
Acrobats are usually the most common performers in a given circus. In Le Cirque Funeste, they take on a sinister edge, wafting and fluttering through the air within the tents like tattered rags in the breeze. Acrobats wear skin tight suits and no armour, but that rarely matters as their motions make them difficult to hit and practically impossible to wound successfully.

Who?: The seeds for acrobats are usually female, with a limited development of personality. A prospective acrobat is usually unsure of herself, afraid of the opinions of others and very shy. Unlike most other performers, the acrobats choose their own, setting out under cover of darkness, occasionally without the approval of the Ringmaster, to claim their newest member. The process of becoming an acrobat gives this little girl the body of a 'woman' and gives her purpose but takes from her the ability to live and grow, something the fæ have no time for.

Acrobat
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Defence|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+0|Agile, Kip Up, Talons

2nd|
+1|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+1|Evasion, Skeletal I

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|
+2|Fast Acrobatics, Steady Stance

4th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+2|
+3|Limbs Everywhere

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+2|
+3|Unexpected Assault, Sudden Strike +1d6

6th|
+4|
+3|
+5|
+3|
+4|Mute, Tumbling Defence

7th|
+5|
+3|
+5|
+3|
+5|Swooping Harvest

8th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+4|
+6|Movement Mastery

9th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+4|
+6|Improved Evasion

10th|
+7|
+5|
+7|
+5|
+7|Sudden Strike +2d6

11th|
+8|
+5|
+7|
+5|
+8|Skeletal II

12th|
+9|
+6|
+8|
+6|
+9|Hair Lash

13th|
+9|
+6|
+8|
+6|
+9|Defensive Roll

14th|
+10|
+7|
+9|
+7|
+10|Twisted Limbs

15th|
+11|
+7|
+9|
+7|
+11|Sudden Strike +3d6

16th|
+12|
+8|
+10|
+8|
+12|Wire Dance

17th|
+12|
+8|
+10|
+8|
+12|Faceless

18th|
+13|
+9|
+11|
+9|
+13|Hollow

19th|
+14|
+9|
+11|
+9|
+14|Ragamuffin

20th|
+15|
+10|
+12|
+10|
+15|Skeletal III[/table]

Hit Dice: d8
Class Skills: Balance [Dex], Climb [Str], Escape Artist [Dex], Hide [Dex], Intimidate [Str/Cha], Jump [Str], Move Silently [Dex], Perform [Cha], Ride [Dex], Sleight of Hand [Dex], Spot [Wis], Tumble [Dex]
Skill Points per Level: 6 + Int

Class Features:
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Not explicitly trained for combat, Acrobats are proficient with Simple weapons and all Martial Thrown weapons as they use them in their act. They are not proficient with any kind of armour.

Agile [Ex]: The Acrobat is slippery at best and may spend a Swift action to add an active Dodge bonus to their Defence equal to their Dexterity modifier. This action also activates any Dodge feats they may have.

Kip Up [Ex]: The Acrobat is trained in changing her position easily and may switch between standing, sitting, kneeling and prone positions as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Talons [Su]: The energies of Carnival have a corruptive effect on the physiology of those it entraps. The Acrobat's fingers become hard and flexible, able to bite deep into flesh when used aggressively. This hardening of the flesh grants her the ability to deal 1d6 lethal damage with her unarmed attacks. This counts as Improved Unarmed Strike for purposes of prerequisites but does not negate the Attack of Opportunity that unarmed attacks provoke.

Evasion [Ex]: The agility of an Acrobat is sufficient to allow them to leap out of the way of explosions. When in any situation where an attack has a "Reflex, half" modifier, the acrobat suffers no damage on a successful save.

Skeletal: The power of Carnival infuses the acrobat, lending power to her bones while wasting her flesh as the cold leanness of nature becomes embodied. At 2nd level, she gains a +2 bonus to her Dexterity score, in exchange for a -2 penalty to her Constitution. In addition, her body begins to lose mass at a troubling rate; reduce her weight by 2 pounds [lb] per level the character possesses in the Acrobat class.

At 11th level, the wasting and tightening of muscles is offset by a whipsnake infusion of speed, granting a further +2 bonus to Dexterity. No Constitution is lost at this level. By this point, an acrobat has become scarily thin and their skin is stretched taught with their veins showing clearly.

If an acrobat survives to 20th level, they are more of less a skeleton dressed in thin, rubbery skin. They become utterly repulsive to look at, gaining a +2 bonus on Intimidate. In addition, their weight-loss and shuddering speed increase, granting a further +2 Dexterity and -2 on Constitution.

Fast Acrobatics [Ex]: Thanks to a great deal of experience, a 3rd level Acrobat are greatly talented in the arts of movement. They may move while Balancing at full speed without taking the normal -5 penalty. They automatically Climb at their normal move speed without penalty. Finally, they may Tumble at full speed without taking the normal -10 penalty.

Steady Stance [Ex]: The Acrobat is adept at fighting with her feet far off the ground. Beginning at 3rd level, an acrobat is never considered Flatfooted when Balancing or Climbing and adds her class level on all such checks to avoid falling.

Limbs Everywhere [Su]: At 4th level, the Acrobat has adapted sufficiently to her body's changes that she can attack using a surprisingly accurate but difficult to predict flailing of her limbs. Rather than the conventional -5 penalty to make additional attacks, the Acrobat need only take a -3 penalty on her Base Attack Bonus for each additional attack. Additionally, she may make a full attack action as a Standard action rather than a Full action; she may not, however, make a full attack on the charge. This ability functions only within Carnival.

Unexpected Assault [Su]: By using the confusing layout of Cirque, the Acrobat gets into positions that their target is unable to defend against attacks from. As a Move action, the Acrobat Tumbles through the space of another character and must make the normal Tumble check to do so [DC 20+BAB]. Should she succeed, the target is Flatfooted against her next attack that round.

Sudden Strike [Ex]: The Acrobat has learned to strike with great speed and viciousness. Against any foe that is Flatfooted against her attacks, a 5th level Acrobat deals +1d6 precision damage to the target.

At 10th and 15th level, this increases by a further +1d6.

Mute: By the time they hit 5th level, Acrobats are beginning to become Fæ creatures. They lose any urge to talk and begin to communicate by complex gestures which can be mysteriously understood by all who watch them. At the same time, they take to habitually wearing stretchy fabric masks that have neither eye nor mouth holes.

Mechanically, this has the upshot of making them thoroughly eerie to deal with, lending them a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks.

Tumbling Defence [Ex]: A 6th level Acrobat can launch into a sequence of tumbles, which means that she's always where the bullets aren't. As long as the Acrobat Tumbles at least 20ft in her turn then she may replace her Defence with her Tumble check [roll once] against ranged weapons for the remainder of the turn [until the end phase]

Swooping Harvest [Ex]: The internal geography of Carnival is set up so that the Acrobats can work more easily. When climbing inside a frame [the wires and rigging of Carnival, the branches of a forest, ship's rigging], the acrobat may attempt to move in, snatch a target and move away, relying on their target's inability to defend themselves in such a situation in order to win. At 7th level, the Acrobat gains Spring Attack as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites. The acrobat usually uses this to initiate a grapple, at which point the target is carried with her as she moves away.

Movement Mastery [Ex]: At 8th level, the Acrobat has become so used to moving in strange ways that even bullets and people with blades do not hinder her movement. She may take 10 on any Balance, Climb, Jump or Tumble checks she is called upon to make, even when under pressure or threatened.

Improved Evasion [Ex]: As of 9th level, when subject to an attack that allows a save of "Reflex, half," the Acrobat takes half damage if she fails the save and none if she passes.

Hair Lash [Su]: In Le Cirque, even male Acrobats wear their hair long. At 12th level, an acrobat who hits with a melee attack may choose to automatically begin a grapple instead of dealing damage. Her hair lashes out in a semi-prehensile manner and wraps tightly around the head of the target before he is carried away [this effectively replaces the grapple check with a conventional attack roll, just like Improved Grab].

Defensive Roll [Ex]: From 13th level, as a Reaction, the Acrobat may make a Reflex save when struck by an attack. This number is halved and deducted from the damage of the attack as if it were Damage Reduction. This effect functions only against Ballistic or Piercing damage and may be used once per round.

Twisted Limbs [Su]: The legs of the Acrobat become more and more able to grab and hold things as her climbing improves and Carnival works it's malevolence on her. By 14th level, the Acrobat's feet have twisted enough that they can function as hands and be used to wield weapons. This is horribly disorientating to fight and so when the Acrobat is fighting armed and uses Limbs Everywhere to gain additional attacks, she gains one further attack above those the penalty taken would normally grant.

Wire Dance [Su]: By the time she reaches 16th level, the Acrobat's ability to climb under Carnival's influence has become almost silly. Within Carnival, the acrobat seems able to balance and climb when simply in the general vicinity of some climbable surface. As long as she remains within 10ft of something solid at all times, the acrobat is treated as having a 60ft Fly speed with Perfect manoeuvrability.

Faceless: After so long wearing the faceless mask of the acrobat, a 17th level example of this class that removes the mask would not notice a difference. Their eyes and mouth have been completely replaced by smooth skin. The acrobat no longer needs to eat or drink and is thoroughly terrifying, granting a total of +5 on Intimidate checks. This overrides the modifier for Mute. The Acrobat can still see perfectly well.

Hollow: Carnival consumes everything it touches. By 18th level, the soul of the Acrobat has been completely subsumed into the troupe of acrobats within that particular Cirque. She is immune to compulsions, charms and all emotion affecting spells and abilities. She may be targeted with spells and abilities as if she were a Fæ.

Ragamuffin [Su]: At 19th level, the Acrobat's body becomes a thing of Fæ. She may imitate the Liminal Tweening ability of Fæ to shift up to 40ft between shadows as a Move action within the confines of Carnival. If she is slain, her body instantly dissolves into a pile of rags stained with human waste and blood.

Note: There we are, the latest in the horrors of Le Cirque Funeste. I'm sure this will raise more questions about Le Cirque than it answers but unfortunately, my mouse has broken and if i cannot replace it today, there will be no more Cirque entries for a little while [Buggered if i'm going to go through the crap needed to format these tables on this forum with only the laptop tablet thing to work with]

The acrobat's wire dance should be double their base speed rather then simply a flat 60ft. It's a 16th level ability after all.

Also, maneuverability in all avenues? Maybe they can opt to be incorporeal by substituting some of their dodge bonus at high levels? Major bonus to escape artist and ability to make escape artist checks as a free action, allowing them to wire dance through very tight spaces?

Also their grapple ability should work like improved grab or at least give them some nice bonuses to grapple so that they will actually want to use the ability.

Finally, hair lash should function like an extra natural attack.

Maybe their limbs everywhere ability can allow them to make simultaneous skill checks at higher levels?

Just suggestions.