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Sila Prirode
2010-03-16, 06:50 PM
Background info

Me: You want to try DnD?
Roomie: Does it have a Death knight?
Me: I'm making one in 3... 2... 1...

Searched the forums already, I hadn't been able to find anything useful, so here you go :smallbiggrin:


I don't have much time for explanation right now, I will come in an hour or so to explain all the decisions. Thanks in advance for your input :smallbiggrin:

Death Knight

Lore needed, not really in mood for fluff now .D


Game Rule Information

Alignment: Death Knights can be of any alignment except good.
Hit Die: d10.
Starting Gold: As Paladin.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:Death Knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and all armors.

Skill Points: 2+Int mod, x4 at first level.
Skills: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (history) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Swim (Str).

Death Knight
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Strikes

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+1|Rune weapon, Strikes (Initiate), Runes|2

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+1|Knight's Initiation, Bonus feat|3

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+2|Lesser Rune Empowerment|3

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+2|Initiate's Presence|4

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+3|Rune of Spellbreaking, Rune of Swordbreaking|4

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+3|Strikes (Knight)|5

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+3|Rune Empowerment|5

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+4|Bonus feat|6

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+4|Knight's Presence|6

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+5|Rune of Nerubian Carpace|7

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+5|Strikes (Lord)|7

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+6|Rune of Fallen Crusader|8

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+6|Bonus feat|8

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+6|Lord's Presence|9

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+7|Rune of Stoneskin Gargoyle|9

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+7|Strikes (Highlord)|10

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+8|Greater Rune Empowerment|10

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+8|Bonus feat|11

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+9|Highlord's Presence|11

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+9|Oblitarate|12[/table]

Class Features:

Strikes (Initiate): A Death Knight begins play with 2 strikes from those available to him. He can use them anytime he wants, provided he has enough runes to spend.

Runes: Death Knight begins play with two Blood, two Frost and two Unholy runes. Spent runes refresh after 3 rounds, but only one rune of each kind can be refreshed (if you spent 2 Blood runes you would have to wait 3 rounds to get one back, then 3 more rounds to get second rune back).

Rune weapon: Death Knight can enchant his weapon to greater potency. This requires one hour to inscribe a weapon with runes, and a weapon he is proficient with. Only Death Knight gains the benefit of Rune weapon. After he spends one hour on inscribing runes he can spend one minute to activate one rune of his choice. If he wants to change activated rune it needs another minute of time. Death Knight can only have two Rune weapons at a time, when he inscribes a third one of the first two stops functioning as a Rune weapon.

Rune of Cinderglacier (Su): Every time you threaten a critical hit you deal additional 5 Negative energy damage or Cold damage (your choice on every attack). This damage increases by 5 for every 5 character levels, up to maximum of 25 at level 20.

Rune of Lichbane (Su): You deal additional 2 Fire damage on melee attacks. This damage increase to 6 against undead. For every 5 character levels increase damage by 2 (6 against undead), up to maximum of 10 at level 20 (30 against undead).

Rune of Razorice (Su): You deal additional 2 Cold damage on melee attacks. This damage bypasses even Cold Immunity or resistance. If you critical hit and enemy his Cold resistance is lowered by the amount of Cold damage you deal (treat Cold immunity as resist 30 on first critical). This damage increases by 2 every 5 character levels, up to maximum of 20 at level 20.

Rune of Spellbreaking (Su): You gain profane bonus to your saves equal to your Charisma modifier. You can't activate this rune before level 5. At level 10 bonus increases to twice your Charisma modifier, and at level 20 to three times your Charisma modifier.

Rune of Swordbreaking (Su): You gain deflection bonus to AC equal to the enhancement bonus on your weapon + your Cha modifier. You can't activate this rune before level 5. At level 10 this increases to enhancement bonus on your weapon + twice your Cha modifier, and at level 20 to enhancement bonus on your weapon + three times your Cha modifier.

Rune of Nerubian Carapace (Su): You gain Spell Resistance equal to 5 + your character level + your Cha modifier. Additionally, you gain 1 temporary hp per character level. Whenever you spend more then 5 minutes out of combat you lose all temporary hp gained from this Rune, and regain 1 temporary hp per character level. You can't activate this rune before level 10.

Rune of Fallen Crusader (Su): You gain additional damage on melee strikes equal to twice your Cha modifier. Additional, every time you successfully attack an enemy you heal your Cha modifier hp. You can't activate this rune before level 12.

Rune of Stoneskin Gargoyle (Su): You gain DR equal to 10 + your Cha modifier. Additional you gain temporary hp as by Rune of Nerubian Carapace, expect the amount is twice your character level. You can't activate this rune before level 15.

Knight's Initiation: Choose one from Blood, Frost or Unholy. You can now pick strikes from that Focus.

Bonus feat: You gain a bonus feat at levels 2, 8, 13, 18. That feat must be chosen from the following list: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-weapon Fighting, Power Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus.

Lesser Rune Empowerment: At level 3 you gain one more rune of choice.

Initiate's Presence: You gain one Presence depending on the choice of your Focus.
Blood Presence (Su): You gain +2 bonus on damage.
Frost Presence (Su): You gain +1 bonus to AC.
Unholy Presence (Su): You gain +1 bonus to attack.

Strikes (Knight): At level 6 Death Knight can now choose Knight strikes from those available to him. Also he can now choose Initiate strikes from out of his Focus.

Rune Empowerment: At level 7 you gain two more runes of choice, but you can't pick same rune two times. This ability stacks with Lesser Rune Empowerment.

Knight's Presence: Your chosen Presence improves.
Blood Presence (Su): You gain +4 bonus on damage, and every time you successfully attack an enemy you gain 2 life.
Frost Presence (Su): You gain +2 bonus to AC, and every time an opponent strikes you they are dealt 4 Cold damage.
Unholy Presence (Su): You gain +2 bonus to attack, and +10 bonus to speed.

Strikes (Lord): At level 11 Death Knight can now choose Lord strikes from those available to him. He can also choose Initiate and Knight strikes from out of his Focus.

Lord's Presence: Your chosen Presence improves.
Blood Presence (Su): You gain +6 bonus on damage, and every time you successfully attack an enemy you gain 3 life. Also, you gain +4 bonus on confirming critical hits.
Frost Presence (Su): You gain +3 bonus to AC, and every time an opponent strikes you they are dealt 8 Cold damage. Also whenever you strike an opponent they must make a Fortitude save against DC of 17 + Cha modifier, or be slowed for 1 round.
Unholy Presence (Su): You gain +3 bonus to attack, and +15 bonus to speed. Also, you may act as hasted for Cha modifier rounds per day. Those rounds don't need to be consecutive. Activating this ability is a swift action.

Strikes (Highlord): At level 16 Death Knight can now choose Lord strikes from those available to him. He can also choose Initiate, Knight and Lord strikes from out of his Focus.

Greater Rune Empowerment: You gain three more runes, one of each kind. This ability stacks with Lesser Rune Empowerment, and Rune Empowerment.

Highlord's Presence: Your chosen Presence improves.
Blood Presence (Su): You gain +8 bonus on damage, and every time you successfully attack an enemy you gain 4 life. Also, you gain +6 bonus on confirming critical hits, and your critical multiplier improves by 1 when you use your Runesword.
[B]Frost Presence (Su):[/B: You gain +4 bonus to AC, and every time an opponent strikes you they are dealt 12 Cold damage. Also whenever you strike an opponent they must make a Fortitude save against DC of 20 + Cha modifier, or be immobilized for 3 rounds, then slowed for 3 more rounds.
Unholy Presence (Su): You gain +4 bonus to attack, and +20 bonus to speed. Also, you may act as under effect of Haste and Freedom of Movement for Cha modifier rounds per day. Those rounds don't need to be consecutive. Activating this ability is a swift action.

Obliterate: You may use Obliterate whenever you roll a natural 20. Spend all your available runes. Instead of dealing damage your opponent must make a Fortitude save against DC 25 + your Cha. If he fails he is disintegrated. If he succeeds on save he is dealt 3d6 damage per rune spent.


Initiate Strikes:

[B]Rune Strike: Spend 1 rune of any kind. Make a melee attack, this attack deals bonus damage equal to your Cha modifier. This ability is a standard action.
Vicious Strikes: You may spend 1 rune of any kind as a swift action. Any attack you make in this round that hits leaves a bleeding wound on that enemy. They take 1 damage per round. This damage can be stopped by a DC 15 Heal check, or at least 1 point of magical healing.
Nerves of Steel: By spending 1 rune of any kind as an immediate action you can reroll one failed saved against fear effect.
Morbidity: Every time you drop a foe you can spend 1 rune of any kind. If you do, you gain +1 attack and damage for the next 5 minutes.

Blood Strike (Blood): Spend 1 Blood rune. You take 2 points of damage per level, when you use this strike. This damage can't be prevented in any way. Make a melee attack with bonus damage equal to you Cha modifier for every 4 points of damage you dealt to yourself (minimum once your Cha modifier). This ability is an standard action.
Blood Tap (Blood): Spend 2 Blood runes as a move action. You gain hp equal to 3 times your Cha modifier.
Blade Barrier (Blood): Spend 1 Blood rune, and one rune of any kind. Make a melee attack against all adjacent enemies. This ability is an standard action.

Frost Strike (Frost): As a standard action, spend 1 Frost rune and make a melee attack. Opponent must make a Fortitude save with DC 10 + 1/2 your level + Cha or be slowed for 1 round.
Icy Touch (Frost): Spend 1 Frost rune as a standard action, and make a ranged touch attack. This attack deals Cold damage equal to 1d6, plus 1d6 per two levels above 1.
Frost Fever (Frost):As a full round action, spend 2 Frost rune. All adjacent enemies take 1d6 + 1 per two levels (minimum 1) Cold damage, and must make a Fortitude save with DC 10 + 1/2 your level + Cha. If they fail the save, on their subsequent turn everyone in 5'ft radius (including them) takes 1d6 + 1 per two levels (minimum 1) Cold damage.

Plague Strike (Unholy): As a standard action, spend 1 Unholy rune and make a melee attack. If you hit an opponent you deal Negative Energy damage to everyone in 5'ft radius (except yourself) equal to your Cha modifier.
Blood Plague (Unholy): Spend 1 Unholy rune, and make a melee touch attack. If you hit you deal Negative energy damage equal to 1d4 + your Cha modifier. This damage improves by 1d4 for every three levels above 1.
Necrosis (Unholy): Spend 2 Unholy runes as a swift action. Every attack you make deals additional Negative energy damage equal to your Cha modifier. This effect ends if you fail to deal damage with melee attack in any round, or after 5 rounds, whichever comes first.


Knight Strikes:

Death Grip: As a standard action, spend one Frost and one Blood rune. Target enemy in 30'ft range must make a Will save with a DC 10 + 1/2 your level + your Cha. If he fails he immediately moves up to his speed towards you. He still avoids pitfalls and other hazards, but not spell effects and similar effects (Grease, Solid Fog).
Death Strike: Spend one Unholy and one Frost rune, and make a melee attack. This attack deals bonus damage equal to twice your Cha modifier, and you instantly heal for the same amount.
Pestilence: Spend one Blood rune and one Unholy rune as as full round action. Any enemy in 10'ft radius around you take 1d6/level Negative energy damage (Reflex for half, DC 10 + 1/2 level + Cha).

Heart Strike (Blood): Spend 2 Blood runes as a standard action, and make a melee attack. This attack deals double damage, and you lose your Cha modifier hp.
Mark of Blood (Blood): Spend 1 Blood rune. Target enemy in 60'ft range gains Mark of Blood. Anyone who strikes that enemy is healed for your Cha modifier hp. This effect last for 5 turns.

Death Chill (Frost): Spend 2 Frost runes as a swift action. For the next 5 rounds everyone adjacent to you are slowed, and take 2d6 + Cha Cold damage per turn, and everyone in 10'ft radius take 1d6 + Cha Cold damage per turn (enemies adjacent to you don't take this damage).
Icy Talons (Frost): As a swift action, spend 1 Frost rune. For the next 5 rounds when you hit someone he must make a Fortitude save with DC 10 + 1/2 your level + your Cha modifier. If he fails the save he takes -2 penalty to attack and damage. This ability stacks with itself.

Death and Decay (Unholy): Spend 2 Unholy runes as a full round action. For the next 5 rounds 10'ft radius centered on you is filled with unholy energy. Anyone passing or beginning it's turn there takes 3d6 Negative energy damage. You are immune to damage from this ability.
Death Coil (Unholy): Spend 1 Unholy rune and make a ranged touch attack with a range of 30'ft. You deal 1d4+1 + 1d4+1 per two levels after first Negative energy damage.


Lord Strikes:

Dark Command: As a standard action action, spend 2 Frost and 1 Unholy rune. Every enemy in 30'ft radius falls prone unless it makes a Will save against DC 10 + 1/2 your level + Cha modifier.
Horn of Winter: As a swift action spend 2 Blood and 1 Frost rune. Every ally in 30'ft range (including yourself) gains +4 Str and Dex for 3 + your Cha modifier rounds.
Death Pact: Every time an enemy dies in 30'ft range you may spend 2 Unholy runes and 1 Blood rune as an immediate action. If you do, you gain your Cha modifier as a bonus to attack and damage for number of minutes equal to your Charisma modifier.

Hysteria (Blood): Spend 2 Blood runes and 1 Unholy rune as a swift action. For the next 5 rounds you lose your Cha modifier in hp every round, but you may make an additional attack at the highest BAB as part of a full attack, and you gain bonus to damage equal to half your level.
Vampiric Blood (Blood): Spend 2 Blood runes as a swift action. You gain 3 temporary hp per level, and and healing effect on you heals additional hp equal to your Cha modifier. This effect lasts for 5 rounds.

Hungering Cold (Frost): Spend 2 Frost and 1 Unholy rune as a standard action. Everyone in 10'ft radius is immobilized, and takes 4d6 Cold damage per round. They may attempt Reflex save at the beginning of their round, DC 10 + 1/2 your level + your Cha modifier. This effect lasts for 5 rounds.
Rime (Frost): As a swift action, spend 2 Frost runes. You gain cold subtype, and everyone adjacent to you or attacking you with non reach weapon takes 2d6 Cold damage each round. This effect last for Cha modifier minutes.

Corpse Explosion (Unholy): As a full round action spend two Unholy and 1 Blood rune. Every corpse in radius of 30'ft explodes. This ability on works on corpses that have been dead for less then 5 rounds. Explosion deals d6 damage per two HD to everyone adjacent to that corpse, Reflex save for half, DC 10 + 1/2 corpse HD.
Bone Shield (Unholy): As a swift action, spend 2 Unholy runes to activate shield that lasts for 5 + Cha modifier rounds. This shield gives +4 shield AC, fortification and energy resistance 20 to three types, chosen at the activation from the following list: Fire, Cold, Electricity, Acid, Sonic, Positive energy, Negative energy.



Highlord Strikes:

Scourge Strike: Spend one from each three runes as a full round action. Make a full attack, and resolve all attacks as a touch attack.
Dancing Rune Weapon: As a swift action spend one of each three runes to summon dancing weapon identical to one of your two Rune weapons in a square adjacent to you. It has the same enhancements as your Rune Weapon. You can direct it to attack specific foe as a free action on your turn, dealing damage as though you wield it. This weapon lasts for 5 rounds, and has a fly speed of 100'ft (perfect).

Sudden Doom (Blood): As a swift action spend 2 Blood, one Frost and one Unholy rune. All your melee attacks have their critical threat range doubled. You take damage equal to your level.

Howling Blast (Frost): Spend two Frost, one Blood and one Unholy rune as a standard action. Everyone in 15'ft radius takes 1d8+1 Cold damage per level, and is paralyzed for 5 rounds. Fortitude save negates the paralyzed effect, DC 10 + your 1/2 level + your Cha modifier.

Ebon Plaguebringer (Unholy): As a swift action, spend 2 Unholy, one Blood and one Frost rune. Every attack you make in the next three rounds also bestows one negative level.

boomwolf
2010-03-16, 07:34 PM
Well, good idea, good conversion, overall pretty nice. but I have a few things that bother me here.

Without going into runes in specifics. (some are too weak/too strong...)

1-you have 3 dead levels. find something to fill them.

2-The whole "Rune Weapon" does not work out well in DnD where magic weapons are aplenty. and some of the abilities does not even look related to the weapon.

3-obliterate is overpowered. too much damage on a successful save. make it also matter how many runes you have left. say on failed save if disintegrate, on success it deals 3d6 damage per rune?

4-you need more highlord strikes. as it stands you all deathknights will have the two "neutral" strikes and the rune one. at least 1 more of each rune, I suggest a low cost ability.
Not to mention some of the highlord strikes are really not worth the cost. ever.

5-runes should not be regenerated as they are now, because then timing of when combat starts matter. instead reword it that a rune regenerates 3 rounds after it has been used. (and 2 runes of the same type regenerates one after the other?) it will turn matters much more simple, and a bit more tactical. ("I can spend this 1 blood rune I got, or reserve it to next round when I regenerate the other and use my blood tap.")

6-might not be on the original, but I advise to let you modify a bit what runes you got. (say, having 3 X, 2 Y and 1 Z.) probably as an ability of some level. (change 1 rune into another type, if you want.) I also advise gaining more runes with levels, as they will be drained very fast.

7-scan your strikes. some does not specificity a duration of the debuff, or have weird area of effect. (square around you is problematic due to orientation and hex field users, make it a circle.) and some write d[something]+[whatever], if you mean 1d[something] write is so. otherwise we can't know for sure.


Side Note-I think I'll make something similar, but with other runes. (that will naturally interact differently)
Light, Darkness, Force.
And other surrounding class abilities too.

Sila Prirode
2010-03-16, 08:43 PM
Well, good idea, good conversion, overall pretty nice. but I have a few things that bother me here.

Without going into runes in specifics. (some are too weak/too strong...)


Well, that was the main reason I have put that here, so I could get feedback on runes and strikes. So, any comments would be appreciated :smallsmile:


1-you have 3 dead levels. find something to fill them.

3-obliterate is overpowered. too much damage on a successful save. make it also matter how many runes you have left. say on failed save if disintegrate, on success it deals 3d6 damage per rune?

5-runes should not be regenerated as they are now, because then timing of when combat starts matter. instead reword it that a rune regenerates 3 rounds after it has been used. (and 2 runes of the same type regenerates one after the other?) it will turn matters much more simple, and a bit more tactical. ("I can spend this 1 blood rune I got, or reserve it to next round when I regenerate the other and use my blood tap.")

6-might not be on the original, but I advise to let you modify a bit what runes you got. (say, having 3 X, 2 Y and 1 Z.) probably as an ability of some level. (change 1 rune into another type, if you want.) I also advise gaining more runes with levels, as they will be drained very fast.

7-scan your strikes. some does not specificity a duration of the debuff, or have weird area of effect. (square around you is problematic due to orientation and hex field users, make it a circle.) and some write d[something]+[whatever], if you mean 1d[something] write is so. otherwise we can't know for sure.


Fix'd :smallwink:



2-The whole "Rune Weapon" does not work out well in DnD where magic weapons are aplenty. and some of the abilities does not even look related to the weapon.

4-you need more highlord strikes. as it stands you all deathknights will have the two "neutral" strikes and the rune one. at least 1 more of each rune, I suggest a low cost ability.
Not to mention some of the highlord strikes are really not worth the cost. ever.


Well, Rune Weapon are not actually enhancements to your weapon, you could have regular +3 Keen Greatsword (or whatever) and make it Rune Weapon. Rune Weapon are more of a specific class feature that focuses on defense, and works only for Death Knight. Whole Rune Weapon stuff is mostly flavour, it could be Rune Armor, or anything.

And as for Highlord Strikes, I ran out of ideas, going to fix it tommorow probably.

Sila Prirode
2010-03-17, 07:39 AM
Made some changes to strikes and runes, also, shameless bump :smallredface:

boomwolf
2010-03-17, 01:28 PM
COME ON! there is NO WAY I'm the only one who is interested in this.

I read it over and over, and the "rune weapon" never seems right to me. it simply does not. reminds me too much of ToB stances on steroids.

The rune empowerment seems well to me. however I think It need to be more clarified if the additional runes from higher level empowerment override the old, or are in addition. (do you end up with 3/3/3 or with 6/5/4//5/5/5)
I personally support 3 gains of 1 rune (stacking naturally, because the 6/5/4//5/5/5 option will mean you will never run dry) that you configure any way you want. but hi, your class your choice. just make it clear.

Scourge Strike and Sudden Doom have alot of room to improve. other then that I have no time to scan strikes.

Also needed-describe how to class interacts with PrCs, what kind of PrC will continue strike progression? (because if non, its a highly restrictive class. and highly restrictive is highly undesired by many.)

Sila Prirode
2010-03-17, 06:49 PM
I read it over and over, and the "rune weapon" never seems right to me. it simply does not. reminds me too much of ToB stances on steroids.


Well it was sort of supposed to be like that, since it only gives you defensive benefits (these three offensive are good, but higher level ones are better).



The rune empowerment seems well to me. however I think It need to be more clarified if the additional runes from higher level empowerment override the old, or are in addition. (do you end up with 3/3/3 or with 6/5/4//5/5/5)
I personally support 3 gains of 1 rune (stacking naturally, because the 6/5/4//5/5/5 option will mean you will never run dry) that you configure any way you want. but hi, your class your choice. just make it clear.


Yes they do stack (updating accordingly).



Scourge Strike and Sudden Doom have alot of room to improve. other then that I have no time to scan strikes.

I'm not sure about Scourge Strike, it allows you Power attack for around 10, because most monsters have crappy touch AC. Sudden Doom is lacking, but I don't have a clue what should I put there, and I don't want to copy some lower strike.


Also needed-describe how to class interacts with PrCs, what kind of PrC will continue strike progression? (because if non, its a highly restrictive class. and highly restrictive is highly undesired by many.)
Yes, there will be prestiege classes, but usually I wait for my players to decide what they want to do, and then build a PrC designed for that.
But it will have at least four classes, one for Runes and Presences, and one for Blood, Frost and Unholy focus.