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Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-08, 07:26 PM
Erudite
"I don't study, nor do I have dragon's blood coursing through my veins. I. Just. Exist!"
Role: Controller. You tap into the energies flowing from other planes into our world to bathe foes in fire, or scorch them with lightning. You lean towards the striker secondary source.
Power Source: Arcane. Your mutation allows your brain to store planar energy and use it to blast foes into the ground.
Key Abilities: Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Melee
Implements: See Mutation
Bonus to Defense: +2 to Will
Hitpoints at First Level: 13+Constitution Score
Hitpoints Per Level: 4
Healing Surges Per Day: 6+Constitution Modifier
Trained Skills: Arcana, and choose 3 more at first level:
Acrobatics, Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering, Endurance, Intimidate, Nature
Class Features: Mutation, Planar Channeling

Of All the mutant classes, the Erudite is the most able to hide his true nature from the superstitions and fears of the normal population. The mutation of an Erudite is an expansive growth of his or her cranium and subsequently their brain as well. This ability allows for another bodily function: channeling the background energies of the Elemental Chaos and the Astral Sea that are in our world and use them to assault their foes. In fact, any plane that has an ever-so-tenuous connection to the material plane can be accessed by Erudites, including the Feywild and the Shadowfell, among others. If the Wizard is like a Fighter, honed and disciplined, and the Sorceror like a Barbarian, wild and uncouth, then the Erudite is like an Invoker, one who is graced by chance with unlimited power and through them can energy come.

Erudite Class Features

Mutation: Like all mutants, you have a physical alteration to your body that aids you in combat. Your enlarged brain allows you to effectively turn your body into an implement unto itself, and therefore do not use implements such as wands, staves, and orbs. As such, your body is, at level 1, considered a magic implement +1. At every 2 levels, you can take on the properties of another implement of your level or lower.

Planar Channeling
The raw energies of many planes run through your skull, but the most prominent are the Elemental Chaos and the Astral Sea.

Elemental Channeling
The energies of the Elemental Chaos are most prominent in your brain. Frost, Fire, Acid and Poison are your allies in combat, and your attacks most-likely deal ongoing damage.

Endless Chaos- Your opponents take a -1 penalty to saving throws against your spells.
At Level 11: -3 Penalty
At Level 21: -5 Penalty

Elemental Surge- When you spend a Healing Surge, you gain constitution modifier resistance to either Acid, Cold, Fire or Poison damage. When you spend another surge, you can change the resistance.

Astral Channeling
Your powers emanate from the the very abode of the gods, the Astral Sea. Your powers are often direct-damage, and use Force, Lightning, Radiant and Thunder as their damage types.

Astral Fury- When attacks with the Force, Lightning, Thunder or Radiant Keyword critically hit, you deal extra damage equal to your intelligence modifier.
At Level 11: 5+Intelligence Modifier
At Level 21: 10+Intelligence Modifier

Resurgent Rise- When you spend a healing surge, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls until the end of the Encounter.
At Level 11: +3 Bonus
At Level 21: +5 Bonus

Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-08, 07:39 PM
Creating an Erudite
All Erudites rely on Dexterity to accurately channel planar energies against their foes. When choosing which plane the Erudite channels the most, consider this. Those who invoke the Elemental Chaos need a high Constitution in order to survive the ordeal of chaotic energies funneling into them, while one who wishes to channel the Astral Sea needs high Intelligence in order to withstand the beautiful and terrifying powers that the realm contains.

Elementalist
You are possessed by the energies flowing from the Elemental Chaos. You are being guided to something greater, be it the next great leap in magical evolution, or even your race's evolution. The possibilities are endless, if you have the stomach to survive it...

Suggested Class Feature: Elemental Channeling
Suggested Feat: Explosive Mind
Suggested Skills: Arcana, Acrobatics, Endurance, Intimidate
Suggested At-Will Powers: Elemental Strike, Caustic Surge
Suggested Encounter Power: Hoarfrost
Suggested Daily Power: Acid Geyser

Astralpath
You funnel energy from the realm of the gods, and with that have gained incredible knowlege beyond most mortal comprehension. But you are no mere mortal. You have the capacity to discern this knowlege, but at what Cost? Will the God's be pleased that a misfit can use their powers without their say?

Suggested Class Feature: Astral Channeling
Suggested Feat: Expanded Knowlege
Suggested Skills: Arcana, Diplomacy, History, Nature
Suggested At-Will Powers: Unseen Impact, Lightning Burst
Suggested Encounter Power: Thunderhead
Suggested Daily Power: Nova

Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-08, 08:06 PM
Erudite Powers
Your powers are called spells, but they are no-more written down than a sorcerer's incantations.

Level 1 At-Will Spells

Caustic Surge
A wave of burning poison envelopes a foe, seeping into it and then causing a terrible sickness.
At-Will*Acid, Arcane, Poison
Standard Action Ranged 15
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Target: One Creature
Hit: 1d6+Constitution Modifier acid damage, and the target takes poison damage equal to your constitution modifier on its next turn.
Level 11: 2d6 damage
Level 21: 3d6 damage
Special: You can use this power as a Ranged Basic Attack.

Elemental Strike
A blade of elemental energy hits your foe, then causes a random effect.
At-Will*Acid, Arcane, Cold, Fire, Poison
Standard Action Ranged 20
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Target: One Creature
Hit:Constitution Modifier Damage, and then Roll 1d4 and use the result below.
1. 1d6 Acid Damage, and Acid Damage equal to your Dexterity modifier on the target's next turn.
2. 2d4 Cold Damage, and the Target is Slowed until the end of its next turn.
3. 1d8 Fire Damage, and any adjacent enemy also takes 1d4 Fire Damage.
4. 1d10 Poison Damage, and the Target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls (Save Ends).
Elemental Channeling: You can Slide the target a number of squares equal to your Dexterity modifier after hitting it.

Lightning Burst
You summon a nimbus cloud that explodes with powerful lightning.
At-Will*Arcane, Lightning
Standard Action Burst 1 within 10 Squares
Target: One or Two Creatures in Burst
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 1d6+Intelligence Modifier Damage, an you slide the target one square.
Level 11: 2d6 Damage
Level 21: 3d6 Damage
Astral Channeling: You slide the target a number of squares equal to your intelligence modifier.

Unseen Impact
An invisible force slams into your foe, knocking it off its feet.
At-Will*Arcane, Force
Standard Action Ranged 20
Target: One Creature
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 1d8+Intelligence Modifier force damage, and you knock the target prone.
Level 11: 2d8 Damage
Level 21: 4d8 Damage
Special: You can use this power as a Ranged Basic Attack.


Level 1 Encounter Spells

Hoarfrost
Frigid mist seeps from the ground around your foe, harming them and flash-freezing the ground into a slippery area for a time.
Encounter*Arcane, Cold
Standard Action Burst 1 within 10
Target: All creatures in burst
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 2d8+Intelligence modifier Cold damage and 3 ongoing cold damage (save ends).
Effect: You create a zone 1 where the burst was placed. All creatures in the zone must make a DC 10 athletics check when they move more than 3 spaces. Any failed checks result in the creature being knocked prone. The zone ends at the end of your next turn.
Elemental Channeling: Allies are unaffected by the zone.

Megajolt
A burst of forked lightning hits a few of your foes, and causes hesitation for retribution.
Encounter*Arcane, Lightning
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One to Three Creatures
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 2d6+Intelligence Modifier Lightning damage, and each target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls against you until the end of your next turn.

Thunderhead
A swirling black cloud appears above you and launches a lightning bolt, followed by a whip-crack of thunder.
Encounter*Arcane, Lightning, Thunder
Standard Action Burst 2 within 10
Target: One creature in burst
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 1d8+Intelligence Modifier lightning damage, and at the end of your next turn, you can make a secondary attack.
Secondary Attack
Minor Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature other than the first target
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 2d4+Intelligence Modifier Thunder Damage, and the target is deafened (Save Ends).
Astral Channeling: Enemies adjacent to the target of the secondary attack are also deafened (Save Ends).

Blazing Mist
A crimson stream of fog envelopes a foe, then burns it with searing fire that hinders its assault on you.
Encounter*Arcane, Fire
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One Creature
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 2d8+Constitution Modifier fire damage, and the opponent is weakened (Save Ends).


Level 1 Daily Spells

Acid Geyser
With a thought, the ground under one of your enemies rumbles and high-pressure acid bursts from the ground, knocking it away and raining down on the rest of your foes with searing pain.
Daily*Acid, Arcane
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One creature in burst
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 4d6+Constitution Modifier acid damage, and you push the target 3 squares. Make a secondary attack against all creatures in a burst 3 centered on the target.
Miss: Half damage, No secondary attack.
Secondary Attack
Attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
Hit: You can slide the target 1 square, and the target takes ongoing acid damage equal to your Constitution modifier (save ends).
Elemental Channeling: This attack does not affect your allies.

Brimstone
Chaotic flames fall from the sky, sticking to your foes and causing agonizing burns.
Daily*Arcane, Fire
Standard Action Zone 3 within 10
Target: All creatures in the Zone
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 3d10+Constitution Modifier Fire Damage and ongoing fire damage equal to your constitution modifier (Save Ends)
Effect: You create a zone of falling fire. Any enemy who enters the zone or starts their turn in the zone takes 1d4 fire damage. Lasts 5 turns.
Miss: Half Damage, no ongoing damage, and the zone ends at the end of your next turn.

Chaos Seed
You launch a seething black seed at your foe, and as time goes on your enemy's vitality is transferred to you.
Daily*Arcane, Necrotic
Standard Action Ranged 20
Target: One Creature
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 2d10+Constitution modifier Necrotic damage, and ongoing constitution modifier Necrotic damage (Save Ends).
Effect: Every time the enemy takes ongoing damage from this spell, you gain temporary hitpoints equal to your constitution modifier.
Miss: Half Damage, No Secondary Attack.

Nova
You make a burning sphere of radiance in the midst of your enemies, and it expands to consume them in a mass of light and energy.
Daily*Arcane, Radiant
Standard Action Burst 2 within 10
Target: All Creatures in Burst
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit 4d8+Intelligence Modifier Radiant Damage, and the targets are blinded (Save Ends).
Miss: Half Damage, and the targets are blinded until the end of your next turn.
Astral Channeling: You can push the targets squares equal to your dexterity modifier after hitting them with this attack.

Level 2 Utility Spells

Astral Shift
As your are struck, you shift reality and escape any more attacks.
Encounter*Arcane, Teleportation
Immediate Reaction Personal
Trigger: You are the victim of an enemy attack
Effect: After you take damage, you can teleport a number of squares equal to your move speed.

Chaotic Wind
You manipulate the winds of chaos to hasten you or one of your friends.
Encounter*Arcane
Minor Action You or One Ally
Effect: You or your ally gains +3 to your movement speed until the end of the encounter.

Entropic Surge
You use energy usually directed towards healing to empower your attacks.
Daily*Arcane
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Trigger: You spend a healing surge
Effect: Instead of healing, you gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to one-half your surge value until the end of your next turn.

Warp Summons
You call out to the energies around you to pull an ally from the jaws of the enemy.
Daily*Arcane, Teleportation
Immediate Interrupt One ally within 10 squares
Trigger: Your ally is the target of a melee attack
Effect: You teleport the target a number of squares equal to your movement speed towards you.

Level 3 Encounter Spells

Eldritch Visage
You use the energies around you to make one of your foes think that you are an eldritch monstrosity, and it causes him to cower.
Encounter*Arcane, Fear, Psychic
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One enemy
Attack: Dexterity vs Will
Hit: 2d6+Reflex Modifier Psychic Damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Entropic Lightning
Dark lightning sears your foes, then eats away at their essence.
Encounter*Arcane, Lightning, Necrotic
Standard Action Ranged 20
Target: One or two creature
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 4d4+Constitution Modifier Lightning and Necrotic Damage, and Ongoing Necrotic Damage equal to your Dexterity Modifier (Save Ends).

Radiant Purge
White lights leap from your fingertips to an enemy, sapping the energy from every weapon swing, arrow shot, or incantation that the foe slings at you.
Encounter*Arcane, Radiant
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One or two creatures
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 1d8+Intelligence Modifier Radiant damage, and the target takes a -3 penalty to damage rolls against you until the end of your next turn.

Umbral Assault
You launch a blot of shadow at a foe, and then shadowy specters reach out and grab at them, ripping and tearing at their armor and flesh.
Encounter*Arcane, Necrotic
Standard Ranged 10
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Damage: 1d8+Reflex Modifier Necrotic Damage, and Ongoing 5 Necrotic Damage.
Effect: You summon a zone 3 of hungry ghosts that assault any enemy that enters or starts their turn in the zone.
Attack: Dexterity vs Fortitude
Hit: 2d4+Constitution Modifier Necrotic Damage


Level 5 Daily Spells

Astral Caltrops
You focus your mind, and tiny shards of light appear at your enemy's feet, causing them extreme pain and hindering movement.
Daily*Arcane, Radiant
Standard Action Zone 3
Effect: You summon a Zone 3 of astral shards of light that deal 1d4+Intelligence Modifier Radiant Damage when an enemy makes a move action into or through the zone, and the zone counts as difficult terrain. The zone lasts until the end of your next turn.
Sustain Minor: The Zone persists.

Astral Roar
You unleash a scream at your foes, and in it is carried astral energies that blow your foes away from you.
Standard Action Close Blast 3
Target: All creatures in the blast
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 2d10+Intelligence Modifier Force Damage, and you can push each target 1 square.
Miss: Half Damage

Flash-Freeze
You instantly freeze an enemy, and any foe around it is susceptible to the ice's frozen aura.
Daily*Arcane, Cold
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One Creature
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 4d6+Constitution Modifier Cold Damage, and the Target is Immobilized (Save Ends).
Effect: Until the target saves from being immobilized, any enemy adjacent to the target takes 1d4+Constitution Modifier Cold damage and is slowed until the end of its next turn.
Miss: Half Damage, the Target is Slowed (Save Ends), and any enemy adjacent to the target takes 1d4+Constitution Modifier Cold damage.

Wraithfury
Your shadow comes to life, and with an explosion of claws and entropy, it assaults your foes.
Daily*Arcane, Necrotic
Standard Action Close Burst 2
Target: All Creatures in Burst
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 6d6+Dexterity Modifier Necrotic Damage.
Effect: Until the end of your next turn, any enemy that targets you for a Melee Attack takes 1d6+Dexterity Modifier Necrotic Damage.
Miss: Half Damage, No secondary effect

DiscipleofBob
2010-04-08, 11:18 PM
I really like what you have going fluff-wise and mechanically for the class so far. Here's what I see so far.

Right now, instead of an implement, you just give a flat bonus to attack rolls. The problem with this is that implements are worth far more than flat attack bonuses. There are also a lot of implement properties that are extremely beneficial to classes that use them. Presently, the Erudite is handicapped because he's stuck with just a flat bonus.

Minor Nitpick: Arcana should be part of the class skill list. I know, it seems redundant, but it just makes multiclassing simpler to explain.

At-Wills should not have (save ends) effects on a hit. Save ends is reserved to encounters and dailies because otherwise the ability used every turn would mean the target would almost always be afflicted. Lightning Burst and Unseen Impact are both fine in my eyes, but the first two at-wills should have their effects lessened. Dazed is also a really powerful effect for an at-will, even if it is randomly selected. I recommend a -2 penalty to attack rolls or something similar.

Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-09, 06:31 AM
I'm thinking about using feats to make up for the lack of implement powers, including gaining some item abilities as daily and encounter powers through them.

I've also changed the ongoing to damage on the enemy's next turn.

DiscipleofBob
2010-04-09, 10:26 AM
I'm thinking about using feats to make up for the lack of implement powers, including gaining some item abilities as daily and encounter powers through them.

I've also changed the ongoing to damage on the enemy's next turn.

See, the problem with THAT approach is that those become feat taxes, and said implement classes from before still have the upper hand since they get cool feats AND cool implement powers. If you're dead set on the body-as- implement thing, I recommend some sort of ritual to transfer magic item properties to your body or something like that.

The fix to ongoing damage works, it's the same thing I did when I ran into that problem on my HBed classes.

erikun
2010-04-09, 01:36 PM
I think that Mutation needs to specify that it counts as an implement, or else you'll have Erudites taking Arcane Implement Proficiency (Orb) to add the enchantment bonus of an implement to the bonus provided by Mutation.

For that matter, the bonus provided by Mutation is quite poor. Even the basic magical orb provides better: +5 to hit, +5 damage, and +5d6 on a critical at level 21, and that's not even considering the special abilities you find on every other magical implement.

Elemental Channeling is far, far better than Astral Channeling. Damage is a secondary concern to a controller, and a -5 to saves all the time is far more damaging than a +6 to hit once per encounter (if that).

Powers that use one ability score to hit and another ability score to damage are very, very unusual. I hope that's what you intended. Also note that Astral Erudites will add their INT modifier twice to all their powers.

Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-09, 04:00 PM
I think the problem of implements has been fixed, hopefully.

Astral Erudites lean towards strikers more than controllers, and as such are more damage-oriented.

I do indeed want Mutants to be odd classes, and the Erudite is just the beginning.

DiscipleofBob
2010-04-10, 12:24 AM
I think the problem of implements has been fixed, hopefully.

Astral Erudites lean towards strikers more than controllers, and as such are more damage-oriented.

I do indeed want Mutants to be odd classes, and the Erudite is just the beginning.

So now they automatically get whatever "implement" they want as part of their body, and they can change it every other level (or every level if you include retraining). I'm assuming they get both the implement bonus and the property in that case (you might want to specify so). It still doesn't sound like a very balanced feature, though right now I'm not sure if it hinders the player or the DM. On the one hand, an Erudite can get literally ANY implement from any class, making for some very interesting possibilities especially once multiclassing is involved. On the other hand, the DM is now limited in loot he can provide for the Erudite, and the DM would probably have to give less loot to the Erudite to keep things even.

I'd say it works the way you have it right now, but whoever's DMing has to keep a good eye on things.

Let's take a loot at those Encounters and Dailies...

Hoarfrost: HOLY... Burst 5?! That's pretty much the entire battlefield. It's either broken because of the range or useless because allies will almost always be hit in the range. And the damage is still good too... Tone that range down to a burst 1 within 10 or at least burst 2 but that's pushing it. As for the zone, the Athletics DC is really easy to beat, even at level 1 as long as you're trained, but this still screws your allies more than your enemies. I'd say as long as you tone the range down, make the zone so that if creatures move more than 3 squares and any of their movement is in the zone, they fall prone at the end of the movement.

Megajolt: An automatic -2 penalty to attacks to ALL enemies? Little broken, make it so that the -2 penalty affects the targets you damaged.

Thunderhead is good, but you need to specify who the secondary attack is against. Is it against the same enemy? Is it a different target? What?

Blazing Mist is a little powerful for an encounter, but not as much as the first two. I'd say either ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends) or weakened until the end of your next turn is more appropriate.

Acid Geyser: So wait, even on a miss all targets in burst take ongoing acid damage? I think that technically hits minions too. Even for a daily, that's a bit much. I'd word it like so:

Acid Geyser
Daily Arcane, Acid
Standard Action Ranged 20
Target: One creature in burst
Attack: Dexterity vs Reflex
Hit: 4d6+Constitution Modifier acid damage, and you push the target 3 squares. Make a secondary attack against all creatures in a burst 3 centered on the target.
Miss: Half damage, and you can make a secondary attack against all creatures in a burst 3 centered on the target.
Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
Hit: You can slide the target 1 square, and the target takes ongoing acid damage equal to your Constitution modifier (save ends).
Elemental Channeling: This attack does not affect your allies.

This also solves the problem of exactly how many squares you can slide the allies out of the area.

Brimstone: Once again, the range is WAY out there. Make that an area burst 1 or 2 within 10 squares. Also, for such a widespread effect. 3d10 + Con + ongoing fire damage to that many creatures is way too much, especially with the zone effect. Tone that down.

Chaos Seed: no problem with this power here.

Nova: Once again, tone down the area range and the damage. Burst 10 is almost more than my battlemat can even show, and 4d8+ has the potential to one-shot a lot of low-level monsters.

Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-10, 06:39 PM
Thank you for your insight, I've pretty much done what you've said. I'll get to work on level 2 powers tomorrow.

Crossfiyah
2010-04-10, 10:25 PM
Resurgence is way too good. You'll spend a healing surge every encounter, and a +2 for the entire battle is too good, let alone +6.

Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-11, 06:35 PM
Finished the level 2 Utilities, and toned down Resurgent Rise by 1.

Mike_the_Mystic
2010-04-16, 05:23 PM
Finished Level 3 Encounter Powers, going for Level 5 Dailies in a second.