[3.5]NewBaseClass:Knight of the Shadow(peach)

[Darth Stabber]

Knights of the Shadow pursue the warriors art from a broad perspective. They Study many long hours in their monasteries, trying to better understand how to incorporate their somewhat Disparate arts into a single whole. They're teachings of magic and stealth don't allow for as much time spent on weapon teachings as other traditons, this is partially made up for in the fact that their martial studies are focused on a single weapon to maximize the impact of weapon training. Their magic training is focused on improving their combat prowess, as opposed to flashier direct damage effects, and their skills at stealth and ambush lead to an early advantage, thus synchronizing their efforts. The Martial, magic, and stealth training all work toward the same goal, each dependent on the others to get the job done. Like a three legged stool, all are needed to stand.

Knight of the Shadow
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|Spells Known
1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+0|Weapon Mastery(focus) |1|-|-|-|-|2
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+0|Sneak attack(1d6)|2|-|-|-|-|3
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+1|Track|3|-|-|-|-|4
4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+1|Intelligent Defense(AC)|4|-|-|-|-|4
5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+1|Weapon Mastery(Specialization), Sneak Attack(2d6)|4|1|-|-|-|5
6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+2|buffer(1)|4|2|-|-|-|6
7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+2|Evasion|4|3|-|-|-|7
8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+2|Intelligent Defense(saves), Sneak Attack(3d6)|4|4|-|-|-|8
9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+3|Weapon Mastery(Critical)|4|4|1|-|-|9
10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+3|Buffer(2)|4|4|2|-|-|10
11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+3|Sneak Attack(4d6)|4|4|3|-|-|11
12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+4|Uncanny dodge|4|4|4|-|-|12
13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+4|Weapon Mastery(Greater focus)|4|4|4|0|-|13
14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+4|sneak Attack(4d6)|4|4|4|1|-|14
15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+5|Buffer(3)|4|4|4|2|-|15
16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|Mettle|4|4|4|3|-|16
17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|Weapon Mastery(Greater Specialization), Sneak Attack(5d6)|4|4|4|4|1|17
18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+6|Improved Uncanny Dodge|4|4|4|4|2|18
19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+6|Hide in plain sight|4|4|4|4|3|19
20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+6|Weapon Mastery(Supremacy), Buffer(4), Sneak Attack(6d8)|4|4|4|4|4|20[/table]
Hitdie:d8
Skill Points:6+int(x4 at first level
Class skills:Concentration, Spellcraft, Knowledge(any), Craft(any), UMD, Intimidate, Tumble, Climb, Jump, Swim, Ride, search, hide, move silently, Spot, and survival.



Class features

Proficiencies - Knights of the manifold path are proficient in light armor, small shields, simple weapons, and martial weapons

Spells - Knights of the Shadow learn to cast a limited number or arcane spells. They may cast any spell they know without preparation. They suffer the risk of arcane spell failure if they wear any armor except light armor and small shields, though many choose to fight unarmored. Highest castable spell level, Save DCs and Bonus spells determined by Intelligence.

Sneak Attack - @2nd level and every three levels there after you gain a d6 of sneak attack damage(as per rogue), at lvl20 these dice become d8s

Weapon Mastery - The Shadow encourages learning the intricacies of their favored weapon. When you take your first lvl in this class choose a martial weapon. This weapon is you mastery weapon, and this may not be changed. At 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th, and 20th lvls you gain the weapon specific bonus feat listed in the following table. You need not meet the prerequisites. In addition your mastery weapon counts as the arcane focus for any KotMP spells that requires one, and if the weapon has a magic bonus you may ignore the material components as well.
{table=head]level|feat
1st|Weapon focus
5th|Weapon specialization
9th|Improved Critical
13th|Greater Weapon Focus
17th|Greater Weapon Specialization
20th|Weapon Supremacy[/table]

Track - Gain track as a bonus feat.

Intelligent Defense - At 4th level Knights of the Shadow may add their intelligence modifier to their armor class so long as they are wearing light or no armor, and not using a large or tower shield. At 8th level they may also add their intelligence modifier to their saves.

Buffer - @ 6th level You may cast a spell (as an additional full round action added to the cast time) you know with a duration other than instantanious, and have it's duration suspended until you release the entire buffer (swift action). Spells so buffered have no effect until released, and may only target you. when released they immediately take effect as though they we just cast, and their durations begin. you may have a number of spells stored in your buffer as indicated at each entry on the table. If you have multiple spells stored you must release them all, not by bits and peices. You may swap out a spell in your buffer by casting another to take it's place (losing the first spell). once released spells/powers cannot be returned to the buffer to save some duration for later.
You may have a number of spells stored based on the following chart

{table=head]level|spells
6th|1
10th|2
15th|3
20th|4[/table]

Evasion - as the rogue ability

Uncanny Dodge - as the rogue ability

Mettle - as the hexblade ability**

Improved uncanny dodge - as the rogue ability

Hide in plain sight - as the Ranger ability



Spell List:
1: Blades of Blood*, True Strike, Shield, Magic Weapon, expeditious retreat, endure elements. mage armor, enlarge person, jump, lesser vigor#, darkvision.
2: Bull's Strength, Bear's endurance, Cat's grace, Protection From Arrows, Protection from Alignment, Alter Self, levitate, Blur, Detect alignment, benign transposition*, pyrotechnics, invisiblity.
3: Blink, Haste, Keen Edge, Flame Arrow, Greater Magic Weapon, Displacement, Heroism, nondetection, lesser restoration, fly.
4: Globe of invulnerability, Stone Skin, Dimension Door, freedom of movement, Greater Invisibility.
5: Spell Resistance, Overland Flight, Greater Heroism, Cure Critical Wounds, mislead, teleportation, shadow evocation.

*phb2
#Complete Divine
**Complete Warrior
Thoughts, criticisms, death threats?

[Altair_the_Vexed]

This is Batman, right? :smallwink:

Looks fairly sensible, overall. You've effectively made a magic rogue, with extra weapon skills. A ninja, if you want to use that term.

I'm not sure about the Buffer ability. It seems very useful, which I'm always suspicious of.... but I'll let someone else look for the broken exploits there.

Here's my opinion on the spell list - you need to make a few changes. The theme is great, but there are a couple of spells that seem to be too low level.

The spell list:
1st level - I think Shocking Grasp seems out of place. The other spells are all self-buffing, and not flashy. Shocking Grasp just seems a bit too ... wizardy. Add Jump - it fits the style better, and it's cool.
2nd level - Fly is too good to put in a second level list. Swap it for Levitate, please. I know the class doesn't get 2nd level spells until 5th level, but Fly is one of the most powerful abilities in the D&D game. Keep it till later.
Maybe add Invisibility in at this level.
3rd level - Move Fly into this level. Maybe add Cure Moderate Wounds.
4th level - No other class gets Spell Resistance until 5th level: I think you should swap this one out to that level, too. Maybe replace it with Lesser Globe of Invulnerability.
5th level - Transformation and Greater Heroism fulfil the same goal - and as Transformation is 6th level for other classes, I think you should drop it. Heal is way better than a 5th level spell - I think this should swap out for maybe Cure Critical Wounds. Mindblank is again, way more than a 5th level spell - change it for Mislead or Nondetection.

It'd help (me, at least) if you put a source reference in for the non-PHB spells.

Other opinions about the spell list may vary, of course.

[Tibbaerrohwen]

I like the concept, Darth Stabber; a mage, fighter, rogue mash-up.
A couple issues have:
You have Sneak Attack referenced as a Spell. Typo. Easily rectifiable, no big.
One question I have is can you be buffed by outside magic, or other spells you've cast yourself, while buffer is in effect? If so, it may be broken.
If you are going for a Batman feel, as Altair has suggested, you may wish to incorporate some kind of alignment restriction.
I also worry that the purified combination of fighter, mage and rogue you've introduced is over the top power-wise. I'm still old school with balance, which could be the root of my issue here. Your spell casting, though limited, I feel allows too many spells to be cast. With the bonus feats you've included, along with the feats awarded by weapon master, in addition with the sneak attack damage, 20 spells seems like too many. I would recommend 8-12 max.
In the interest of balance, I also think there are too many bonus feats; you've included class given feats and optional bonus feats. I would either lessen the combat power of the scripted feats (ie: Weapon specialization/Supremacy) mixing them with skill based feats, remove them entirely along with the restriction on the optional feats, or lessen the optional bonus feats to one ever 10 levels.
With search as a class skill and ninja flavour, I am confused as to why disable device is not a class skill and why all knowledges are. I cn understand Nature, Nobility, Arcana and maybe history, but religion, planes, psionics, dongeoneering, etc, just don't feel right.
I would keep the HP where it is, or even up it to d10, but keep sneak attack damage as d6's; switching it at level 20 for d8's along with giving weapon supremacy is just too much.
I realize this creates multiple empty levels, but with spellcasting and the plethora of other class feature, it'll still be very potent, I promise you.
It's a good build. I just feel it needs some tweaking.

[Darth Stabber]

@Altair, Batman didn't occur to me until you said it, though it fits very well. I just tried to put together the class features I always wanted to see in one ostensibly balance source. I guess that means I wanted Batman. Thought it is very light in utility for a batman (no bat shark repellant).

My balance point is duskblade/sword sage, and I think I fall short.

This is a modification of a arcane/psionic/fighter mix I posted bout a year ago. I figured the psionic component was redundant, and I replaced it with stealthy stuff (I hate rogues, but I love SA).

I'm not so worried about the buffer, since it turns spells to self only, and no instaneous shenanigans. And given the barebones spell list, the abuse will be minimal from in class, and a six level investment for a 1spell buffer is really high to use it with another spell list, though Ur-priest shenanigans are the most likely offender, but that is a terribly broken class from the git-go so I tend not to let that disuade me. I needed some mechanic to get them fighting first turn, and use their managerie of buff spells. And free quickens are dangerous.

I'm not worried about the crap they get @20 since no one is in the same base class @20, and if you stick it out, you deserve it.

the free weapon focus line was based on the thought that I wanted a 7/8ths BAB, but didn't want to brew it, and I thougth that the feats were bad enough the only way to get them used was for them to be free. And I like flavor of a dedicated weapon specialist.

The bonus feats are a little sticky. They kill some dead level, and push the class into a stealthy direction, but there may be 1 to many of them, and I don't now how I would redestribute them. I also want to keep some of the modularity here since the class is pretty pidgeon-:smalleek:holed if determine these bonus feats.

The spell list needed some rearrangement, because I just put spells in by level I wanted them to have access to them, not reasonable spell level, and fly was definitly out of place.

I really don't see a need to cut spells. They get as many spells as a wizard of 1/2 their level, only they have no ability to scribe new spells onto their brain. Besides on some levels the only thing you get is a new spell, and I hate dead levels.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

@Altair, Batman didn't occur to me until you said it, though it fits very well. I just tried to put together the class features I always wanted to see in one ostensibly balance source. I guess that means I wanted Batman. Thought it is very light in utility for a batman (no bat shark repellant).
I wa thinking specifically of the new Batman Begins / Dark Knight version of Batman - but I'm only kidding around.

With the changes to the spell list, I think this is going to be a good class - fun to play, good at its role, and not so powerful that no-one lets it in their game.

[Darth Stabber]

Okay, we now have scripted class features at every level, no bonus feats to possibly overpower the original concept. Of course now I am worried about the class on it's own being too strong. sunrise, sunset.