PDA

View Full Version : [3.5] Dragon Compendium classes



Thurbane
2009-09-02, 06:57 PM
Hi all, I was just wondering what people’s experiences were with the base classes in the Dragon Magazine Compendium, in particular the Battle Dancer, Mountebank and Savant. Do they play out well as PC classes?

The BD seems like a watered down Monk with full BAB. They seem to lose out a lot on all the goodies that Monks get. The Savant also seems to be a less powerful version of the Factotum. I’m a little confused by it’s spellcasting as well – the wording is quite odd, but they seem to get to add 2 new “spells known” from their list per level? Finally, the Mountebank seems like a really cool class flavour-wise, but I’m not sure if it’s abilities cut the mustard. It also seems more suited to a role as an NPC villain than an adventurer.

Any feedback appreciated.

Cheers - T

sofawall
2009-09-02, 07:30 PM
I seem to recall the watered down monk being better than a normal monk.

Thurbane
2009-09-02, 07:51 PM
Well, it does get full BAB, and ability to make a full attack on a charge at 11th level, but it only gets 1 good save, and very little in the way of the bonus feats and class abilities that the Monk gets...

tyckspoon
2009-09-02, 08:59 PM
Most of the Monk's bonus feats and odd abilities aren't very useful, so it's no great loss to construct a Monkish class that doesn't get them. You may like having the flavor of Tongue of Sun And Moon or Slowfall, but powerwise, they're largely non-factors. When you ask if something is 'better than a Monk' people usually assume you mean "does it beat stuff up bare-handed better", and the Battledancer does. It's still a pretty weak class, tho. All of the Compendium base classes are, with the exception of the 'villains only' Orcus Necromancer thing, which is done better by Dread Necromancers anyway.. the Savant's share-skill-ranks thing would make it a pretty nifty Cohort, tho.

arguskos
2009-09-02, 09:06 PM
The Battle Dancer is actually pretty decent. It gets what the Monk wanted to have: abilities that work together, and the Full Attack on a Charge bit, which is cool as hell actually. It's not amazing, but it's probably Tier 3 or 4.

The Savant is fun and good, though strange as hell. It's casting is... funny, and it's a good jack of all trades for sure. It's like a less complex Factotum. If you want a character with a more diverse feel to it, take Savant. I recommend it for a Cohort who takes skills you don't want to take.

The Mountebank isn't something I've dealt with. I wasn't impressed.

The Death Master is really fun, and I love the feel of the skeleton companion. :smallamused:

Thurbane
2009-09-02, 09:42 PM
Cool.

Do any of these classes appear on existing Tier Lists?

Sinfire Titan
2009-09-02, 10:54 PM
Cool.

Do any of these classes appear on existing Tier Lists?

No. And the Battle Dancer would be a low Tier 4, as it has a limit on how long it can use each dance/day. As a single-level dip, the class is strictly superior to the Monk for a Charisma-focused character.

Paizo seems to have this hard-on for daily limits on abilities.

The necromancer base class deserves an honorable mention, as it can turn you into a double-Lich. The capstone ability applies the Lich template to anything, even someone who is all ready undead (and the benefits stack). Gestalt with the Dread Necromancer, and you've got the potential to get the Lich template twice without LA, and cumulative benefits.

Deth Muncher
2009-09-02, 11:01 PM
The necromancer base class deserves an honorable mention, as it can turn you into a double-Lich. The capstone ability applies the Lich template to anything, even someone who is all ready undead (and the benefits stack). Gestalt with the Dread Necromancer, and you've got the potential to get the Lich template twice without LA, and cumulative benefits.

Yo dawg, I herd u liek liches, so I...

Starscream
2009-09-03, 12:07 AM
The necromancer base class deserves an honorable mention, as it can turn you into a double-Lich. The capstone ability applies the Lich template to anything, even someone who is all ready undead (and the benefits stack). Gestalt with the Dread Necromancer, and you've got the potential to get the Lich template twice without LA, and cumulative benefits.

That may very well the the cheesiest thing I have ever observed in my years of playing. You, sir, are to be commended.

Thurbane
2009-09-03, 06:34 PM
I'm thinking of statting up a Mountebank as a minor villain in my upcoming game. They almost seem to be a mix of skillmonkey and Hexblade. I'm not entirely sure how to make them a threat to a PC party - probably need plenty of mooks...

Also, none of their abilities are limited by armor (other than check penalties), so maybe a dip into a martial class - maybe Paladin of Tyranny or similar...

RagnaroksChosen
2009-09-03, 06:51 PM
I've seen a jester played they can be pretty decent battle dancers rock By the way.

They can be made a bit better if you treat there dance as bardic music for the purposes of feats and such.

Chrizzt
2009-09-04, 02:54 PM
What about the Sha'ir?

I really love the feel of a Djinn Summoner, but unfortunately their Call Janni / Call Genie abilities still cost XP and Gold, and their Craft Genie Prison is some kind of a weaker Iron Flask which still costs the same (which is a lot).

The Sha'ir way of spellcasting is quite interesting, though...

Melamoto
2009-09-04, 03:09 PM
Sorry if this is very off-topic, but I just have to say an idea that came to my mind, the "You might be a munchkin..." led me to think of.


they seem to get to add 2 new “spells known” from their list per level?

If when you saw this sentence, you thought "Wait, people are still limited to spells by list?", you might be a Munchkin.

Sinfire Titan
2009-09-04, 03:16 PM
What about the Sha'ir?

I really love the feel of a Djinn Summoner, but unfortunately their Call Janni / Call Genie abilities still cost XP and Gold, and their Craft Genie Prison is some kind of a weaker Iron Flask which still costs the same (which is a lot).

The Sha'ir way of spellcasting is quite interesting, though...

Their spellcasting is unplayable. It takes hours to get a single spell, and you can only keep it for a day. Basically, it takes them a full two days to get the spells they need, but they can only prepare a fraction of their spells/day and can never have everything they want.

The class isn't worth playing as written.

Sinfire Titan
2009-09-04, 03:18 PM
That may very well the the cheesiest thing I have ever observed in my years of playing. You, sir, are to be commended.

It's cheesy until you realize their spell list will suck. Death Masters get a couple of GOD spells, but not much to run with, and Dread Necromancers are pretty focused.