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View Full Version : [PEACH] Dance of the Starry Skies [3.5 base class]



IcarusWings
2010-05-27, 01:27 AM
Howdy y'all. This was my entry into Lord_Gareth's Base Class Challenge competition and it came second (god know's how). Despite this, I feel that it can be vastly improved so I made a thread on it.

Bear in mind that this is my first ever homebrew and I don't play dnd myself due lack of interest in my area, so be nice :smallbiggrin:

So here it is...

/drumroll

The Synergist!


The Synergist

You might use the power of the stars... but I become the stars

Boyadin Stargaze, a master Synergist

Many people, when they look up at the constellations, see interesting shapes formed by sheer coincidence... A synergist sees power.
A synergist seeks to gain power from the stars by emulating their complex shapes, slowly becoming more like the constellation as they synergise with the movements of the stars.
No one knows why the stars give power, but many believe that the constellations are actually sleeping primordials, and the stars their chakra points; by mimicking their positions the Synergist taps into some of their sleeping power.

Abilities: Constitution is important to the Synergist due to it defining how many Soulmelds they can have active. Strength is also important as Synergists are going to be fighting in the front lines.

Role: A synergist is usually a front line fighter, but the variety of their katas provide them with some degree of flexibility.

Background: All you need to become a Synergist is a fascination with the constellations and a nimble enough body to be able to mimic them.

Organization: Organizations of Synergists are few and far between, those few though are usually very different from one another due to different stars being prominent in different continents.

Alignment: Synergists may be of any Alignment.

Races: elves and halflings are some of the most common Synergists due to the elves naturalistic tendencies and the halfling's wandering nature allowing them to see and appreciate the stars, dwarves and gnomes are rare due to them mostly living underground. Surprisingly, human synergists are quite rare because the amount of pollution in their cities can make it difficult to appreciate the stars.

Religion: Synergists seldom follow deities, as they usually devote themselves to the stars; if they do then they will usually worship gods of the sky or night.

Other classes: Synergists get on well with most classes, especially ones with a sense of style and precision. Synergists often disapprove of Barbarians, Totemists and Sorcerors as they believe that they are to wild and undisciplined.

Adaptation: This class would fit with most settings which have no defined constellations, if your setting does then you may wish to alter some of the katas.

Hit Die: d8

Starting gold: 4d4 x 10(100)

[/b]Class Skills: The Synergists class skills (and key abilities) are: Tumble(dex), Balance(dex), Jump(dex), Escape Artist(dex), Knowledge(constellations)(int), Sleight of Hand(dex).

[b]Skill Points at first level: (4+int mod) x 4
Skill Points at each additional level: 4 + int modifier

Class Abilities
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Soulmelds|Chakra Binds

1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+0|Synergy, Wardance, Bonus Feat|0|0

2nd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|Smite of the Stars 1/day|0|0

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+1|Unapproachable Dance|0|0

4th|
+4|
+2|
+4|
+2|Quickening Dance, Bonus Feat|0|0

5th|
+5|
+2|
+4|
+2|Meldshaping|1|0

6th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+5|
+3|Prepared Dance, Smite of the Stars 2/day|1|0

7th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+6|
+3|Bonus Feat|1|0

8th|
+8/+3|
+4|
+6|
+4|Chaotic Dance|2|1

9th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+6|
+4|Unstoppable Dance|2|1

10th|
+10/+5|
+5|
+7|
+5|Bonus Feat|2|1

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+7|
+5|Smite of the Stars 3/day|2|1

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+6|
+8|
+6||3|1

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+8|
+6|Bonus Feat|3|1

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+7|
+9|
+7||3|2

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+7|
+9|
+7|Smite of the Stars 4/day|3|2

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+8|
+10|
+8|Bonus Feat|4|2

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+10|
+8||4|2

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+9|
+11|
+9||4|3

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+11|
+9|Bonus Feat|4|3

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+10|
+12|
+10|Star Release, Smite of the Stars 5/day|5|3[/table]

Weapon Proficiency: A Synergist is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light and medium armour. They also begin play proficient with two exotic weapons of your choice.

Synergy: every time a Synergist executes a form from the same kata as the last form in that encounter, his synergy pool increases by one. Every time a Synergist executes a form from a different kata as the last form in that encounter, then their synergy pool decreases by two (it cannot go below one). Every round where you do not use any forms you lose 1 point from your synergy pool, and the pool is reduced to one at the end of any encounter. You also lose one point of synergy if you make an attack of opportunity or full attack. Your synergy pool may never go below one.

Wardance: a Synergist may execute a form from any kata he knows so long as his synergy pool is equal to the synergy level of the form. If the form is from a different kata as the last one in the encounter then it’s synergy level must be at least three points lower than you synergy pool, and after executing the form, you synergy pool is decreased by the synergy level of that new form. If you expend synergy points to augment a form then you must expend the synergy points immediately before executing the form; e.g. if you wanted to augment a form with a synergy level of seven by expending 2 synergy points, you must have a synergy pool of 9 so that when you spend the 2 synergy points you still have enough left over to actually use the form.
You may only use a single ultimate form (the form in a kata that has a synergy level of 12) per encounter. You may refresh your power to allow you to make another one, but doing so requires you spend 3 rounds in meditation in which you can do nothing, you must make concentration checks if attacked as if you were casting a spell. You lose synergy points for not executing a form as normal in these rounds.

Bonus Feats: at level 1 and every 3 levels thereafter you may gain a fighter bonus feat or a Synergist bonus feat.

Smite of the Stars: at 2nd level, once per day you may add your synergy pool to your attack roll and deal +1 point of damage per Synergist level. You may use this smite an additional time per day at 6th, 11th, 15th and 20th levels.

Unapproachable dance: Forms no longer provoke Attacks of Opportunity.

Quickening dance: by expending 1 points of synergy you may increase your initiative score by 2, you now enact your turn in this new placement. Any enemies you overtake when you increase your initiative score are considered flat-footed until the end of your next turn.

Meldshaping: Beginning at 5th level, a Synergist learns how to process the absorbed star power into soulmelds, which are drawn from the soulborn soulmeld list. You know and can shape any soulmeld from this list.
The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Synergist soulmeld is 10 + number of points of Essentia invested in the soulmeld + your Constitution modifier. Your meldshaper level is equal to one-half your Synergist level.
A Synergist can shape only a certain number of soulmelds per day. The maximum number of soulmelds that you can have shaped simultaneously is equal to your Constitution score minus 10 or the number of soulmelds on the table, whichever is lower. At 5th level, you can shape one soulmeld at a time (assuming you have a Constitution score of at least 11). As you advance in level, you can shape an increasing number of soulmelds.
A Synergist may expend synergy points to create 1 point of Essentia per point expended. You may never have more than 6 points of Essentia. Once synergy points are converted into Essentia then they cannot be changed back, and all Essentia disappears at the end of an encounter. Your character level determines the maximum quantity of Essentia that you can invest in any single soulmeld. As a swift action, you can reallocate your Essentia investments in your soulmelds every round.
A Synergist does not study or prepare soulmelds in advance, but must have a good night’s rest and must meditate for 1 hour to shape her soulmelds for the day.

Prepared dance: at the beginning of an encounter you gain synergy points equal to your initiative score divided by 5, initiative which is gained during the encounter, such as from the quickening dance ability do not affect this.

Chaotic dance: Your regular attacks and attacks of opportunity increase your synergy pool by ½ and you no longer lose a synergy for not executing a form in a round as long as you made a regular attack that round. Full attacks grant you no synergy points and you still lose synergy in a round in which you make a full attack and no forms.

Unstoppable dance: by expending 2 synergy points you may substitute an Attack of Opportunity with a Form.

Star release: By expending all of your synergy points you may damage all enemies within 60ft equal to 1d6 per synergy point expended and heal all allies within 60ft equal to 1d6 per synergy point expended.

Katas

Dragon Kata

A majestic Hidden Dragon in the sky, shining with silvery light; it's neck craned back with starlit flames bursting from it's maw.

1. Smoke Screen: Reduces Illumination within 60ft by one step.

2. Draconic Leap: leap forward 15 feet, if your jump lands on an enemy then you may push them backwards 5 feet and make a single Attack of Opportunity against them. By expending synergy points, you may leap forward an extra 10 feet per point.

3. Dragon whip tail: Make a single unarmed attack at an enemy with +2d6 damage which pushes them back 10 feet and knocks them prone. By expending synergy points, you may increase the damage by 1d6 per point.

4. Draconic Marking: make a touch attack against an adjacent enemy, if it succeeds then the enemy is marked for 3 rounds, they take a -2 penalty to all attack and damage rolls made against you. By expending synergy points, you may extend the duration by 1 round for every 2 points.

5. Dragon swipe tail: deals 3d6 damage in a 15ft long cone starting from you, and make a single melee attack against one adjacent enemy. By expending synergy points, you may make an additional melee attack against an adjacent enemy for every 2 points.

6. Wyrmblade: deals 5d6 fire damage to one adjacent enemy.

7. Hypnotic gaze: Make a gaze attack against your target (will save), if it succeeds then the target is considered both dazed and flat-footed for one round. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration of the effect by 1 round for every 2 points expended.

8. Engulfing breath: You may use a breath weapon which deals 5d6 fire damage to all people in a 30ft cone. By expending synergy points you may extend the range of the area of effect by 5ft per point spent.

9. Choking Smoke: You may use Cloudkill the spell as a spell-like ability.

10. Propelling flames: You may make a single breath weapon attack which deals 6d6 fire damage to all people within a 60ft line, all targets hit by the flames are pushed 10ft backwards, and the Star Dancer may choose to be pushed 10ft backwards. By expending synergy points you may increase the distance which you and the targets are pushed back by 5ft for every point.

11. Dragon Cloak: for 3 rounds you gain all natural attacks that a true dragon of your size category has, you gain a fly speed equal to your base land speed with manoeuvrability(good) and a natural armour bonus of +2. By expending synergy points, you may prolong the duration by 1 round for every 2 points spent.

12. Fiery dance: You may deal 10d6 + your dex modifier fire damage to all opponents within a 60ft radius sphere-shaped burst centred on you. By expending synergy points you may increase the damage by 1d6 per 2 points spent.


Toad Kata

A giant Toad squatting in the shroud of night, it's tongue snapping out to catch a fly, starry saliva dripping from it.

1. Bounding leap: You may teleport anywhere within a 60ft radius as a swift action; this ability doesn’t work when not in a place open to the sky. By expending synergy points you may increase the radius you may teleport by 10ft per point spent.

2. Slapping Tongue: All enemies in a 30ft line are dealt 1d6 bludgeoning damage, 1d4 acid damage and are pushed back 10ft. By expending synergy points you may increase the length of the line by 10ft per point spent.

3. Bring down the house: as bounding leap but all enemies inside a 10 foot radius circle shaped burst centred on the square you teleport to, take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. By expending synergy points you may extend the radius of the burst by 5ft per point spent.

4. Water bullets: You may make 3 ray attacks which deal 3d6 bludgeoning damage, these attacks may be made against different targets. By expending synergy points you may make an additional ray attack per 2 points.

5. Entangling Tongue: you may make a ranged touch attack against a target within 30ft, if it succeeds then the target is immobilized for 3 rounds and may take no actions, they take 1d6 acid damage per round; you may not move more than 30ft away from the target and you may not use any attacks that involve your tongue or mouth in any way whilst this form is active. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 round per 3 points spent.

6. Digestive acids: you may use a breath weapon which deals 4d6 damage to all enemies inside a 30ft cone-shaped burst. By expending synergy points you may increase the range by 5ft per point.

7. Atmospheric re-entry: as bounding leap but you may teleport on top of an enemy; deals 5d6 bludgeoning damage and 3d6 fire damage to all enemies in a 5ft wide cylinder centred on the square you teleport to, all enemies inside the cylinder take the damage and then move 5ft.

8. Rampaging Water: you may use a breath weapon which deals 8d6 bludgeoning and cold damage to all enemies in a 60ft line. By expending synergy points you may increase the bludgeoning damage by 1d6 per 3 points.

9. Hurtling dash: You deal 9d6 damage to all people in a 45ft line, you then teleport to the end of the line. By expending synergy points you may increase the length of the line by 5ft per point spent.

10. Violent Acid: make a ranged touch attack against a single target within 60ft, if it succeeds then that target takes 8d6 acid damage and then 4d6 acid damage the next round, if it fails then they take 4d6 damage.

11. Amphibian cloak: for 3 rounds you gain a natural slam attack that deals 2d6, the aquatic subtype along with the amphibious special ability and a natural armour bonus of +2. By expending synergy points, you may increase the duration by 1 round per 2 points.

12. Leaping dance: as a full round action you may make a full attack with up to 30ft steps in between each attack.


Tiger Kata

The Crouching Tiger, almost seeming like it's ready to leap out of the shadowy ocean and tear the world apart with it's glimmering claws.

1. Ferocious Tackle: You may make a Bull Rush against a target but you do not need to move with them in order to push them back further than 5 feet.
2. Terrifying Fury: You enter a Rage as a 1st level Barbarian for three rounds. By expending synergy points, you may increase the duration of the rage by 1 round per 2 points expended.
3. Fearsome roar: All opponents within 30 feet take a -2 morale penalty on attack and concentration rolls. Additionally, this Form counts as a distraction for the purposes of determining a caster to make a concentration check. By expending synergy points, you may increase the penalty by 1 per 3 points expended.
4. Deadly rush: Make an overrun attempt at a target; if you succeed then, not only do the normal consequences occur, but you may immediately make a single melee attack at your highest Base Attack Bonus against them.
5. Furious Charge: Make a charge; your attack has a further +2 modifier for your attack and damage rolls.
6. Overwhelming Rush: as a move action, move up to 60ft in a line; make an Overrun attempt at all opponents that you would run into in turn, if you succeed then they suffer the usual consequences and you keep on moving, if you fail then you immediately stop the rush and move 5 feet backwards. By expending synergy points, you may gain a +2 bonus on all the Overrun rolls per 3 points expended.
7. Unstoppable beast: Make a Spring Attack as if you had the feat, but you may make a Full Attack instead of a single one in between the move.
8. Whirling beast: Make a whirlwind attack as a standard action.
9. Ravage: Make a charge, but you may make two full attacks at the end of it, with a -2 penalty on each attack. By expending synergy points, you may decrease the penalty by 1 per 4 points spent (to a minimum of 0).
10. Wrathful snarl: all enemies within 60ft are shaken, this counts as a distraction for the purpose of whether casters must make a concentration check.
11. Tiger Cloak: for 3 rounds you gain 4 natural 1d6 cold iron claw attacks, a base land speed of 60ft, a base climb speed of 45ft and a single 2d4 cold iron natural bite attack.
12. Gruesome Decapitation: A single adjacent target must make a reflex save or immediately die, if they fail the save then all enemies with line of sight to the creature you just killed immediately become frightened.


Eel Kata

A portrait, tattooed into the heavens, the constellation of the eel depicts an eel swimming through great waves. This constellation gives it's followers not only it's own terrifying electric powers, but those of the stormy ocean too.

1. Sparkstrike: Make a melee attack against an enemy, it deals +1d4 electricity damage. By expending synergy points, you may increase the damage die by one step per 2 points spent (limit 1d12).
2. Low Discharge: Make a melee touch attack against an enemy, if it succeeds then you deal 3d6 nonlethal electricity damage.
3. Electrify: all enemies in a 30ft sphere-shaped emanation takes 2d6 electricity damage.
4. Ocean’s Wake: Move 30ft in a straight line, all creatures in a 15ft cone in the direction of the spot you just moved from, take 3d6 force damage. By expending synergy points, you may increase the length of the cone by 5 feet per 2 points spent.
5. Lightning Blast: All creatures in a 60ft line take 4d6 lightning damage.
6. Battering Waves: As a full round action you may make a full attack against an enemy, each attack that hits the target removes 1 point of DR from that enemy. By expending synergy points you may increase the amount of DR removed by 1 per 3 synergy points.
7. High Discharge: make a melee touch attack against an enemy, if you succeed then they are stunned for 5 rounds.
8. Ripples in the Ocean: as a full round action you may make a full attack against an enemy; for every attack that hits all creatures except you in a 30ft sphere-shaped burst centred on the target takes 2d6 force damage (including the original target).
9. Arc Blade: A single weapon you are carrying deals +3d6 electricity damage for 5 rounds. By expending synergy points you may increase the damage by 1d6 per 3 points spent.
10. Paralysing sting: Make a melee touch attack against an enemy, if you succeed then they are Paralysed for 10 rounds. By expending synergy points, you may increase the duration by 1 round per 2 points spent.
11. Eel Cloak: For 3 rounds, you gain the aquatic subtype and a natural sting attack which deals 1d6 piercing damage and 2d6 electricity damage.
12. Whirling Vortex of the Sea: all enemies within 60ft are drawn 15ft towards and take 7d6 force damage and 2d6 cold damage.


The Paragon Kata

This constellation is not so much a single creature, but many; with one more prominent one who seems to be ordering them. The Paragon Kata allows you to assist allies and be a team player, whilst still being a mighty warrior on the battlefield.

1. Gashing Wound: Make a single melee attack against a target, if you succeed then you deal no damage, but the target must make a DC 15 fortitude save each round or take 1d6 nonlethal damage. This effect lasts 2 rounds. By expending synergy points, you may increase the duration by 1 round per 3 points.
2. Long-handed Strike: you may make a melee attack with +10 reach.
3. Strength of Camaraderie: Make a single melee attack at your highest BAB, if you have an ally within 30ft you are considered flanking for this attack. By expending synergy points you may expand the radius an ally must be in by 5ft per 2 points spent.
4. Lead by Example: Make a single melee attack at your highest BAB against a target, if you succeed then all allies within 30ft who may draw line of sight to both you and the target gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls. By expending synergy points you may increase the range of this ability by 5ft per 2 points spent.
5. Forceful Blow: Make a melee touch attack at your full BAB, if you succeed then you push the target back 10ft. By expending synergy points you may increase the distance pushed by 5ft per 3 points spent.
6. Enchanted Blade: make a single melee attack at your highest BAB. For this attack, your weapon is treated as if it has any enhancements you choose so long as it does not exceed +1 enhancement points(not including the ones it already had prior to this attack, if any). By expending synergy points, you may increase the enhancement cap by +1 Per 5 points spent.
7. Distraction: make a single melee attack at your highest base attack bonus; if the attack succeeds, not only does the target take damage but they immediately provoke an Attack of Opportunity from anyone who threatens them (aside from you).
8. Unbalancing strike: make a melee touch attack at your highest BAB. If you succeed then the target may not make attacks of opportunity for 3 rounds. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 round per 2 points expended.
9. Knight’s Challenge: As a swift action, nominate a single target within 30ft, for 3 rounds you gain a +6 bonus to AC, Attack rolls and Damage against that opponent. By expending synergy points, you may increase the duration by 1 round per 3 points spent.
10. Steel-Breaker: Make a single melee attack at your highest BAB, if you succeed then your opponent loses all armour and shield bonuses to AC for 5 rounds.
11. Paragon’s Cloak: for 3 rounds, your armour and weapons are treated as if they have a +5 enhancement bonus, are masterwork and your weapons automatically bypass damage reduction. By expending synergy points, you may increase the duration by 1 round per 3 points.
12. Foe-Hewer: Make a full attack, any opponent hit by an attack must make a DC 20 fortitude save or die.


Wolf Kata

A Wolf eternally stalking starry deer, this constellation has been worshipped by tribal peoples as a starry patron of the hunt.

1. Prowling Wolf: You gain a +4 bonus on Move Silently and Hide checks for 5 rounds. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 round per point spent.
2. Assassination strike: Make a single melee attack against a target that is flat-footed, you deal +2d6 damage on the attack. By expending synergy points you may increase the additional damage by 1d6 per 3 points spent.
3. Blindside: Make a single melee attack at your highest BAB against a target that you are flanking, the bonuses from flanking are doubled from this attack. By expending synergy points you may increase the multiplier of the bonus by 1 per 3 points spent.
4. Backstab: Make a single melee attack at your highest BAB against a target that you are flanking, you deal +4d6 damage on the attack. By expending synergy points you may increase the additional damage by 1d6 per 3 points spent.
5. Stealthy as the Breeze: for 3 rounds, you are treated as if under the effect of an Invisibility spell. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 per 3 points spent.
6. Terrifying Howl: all enemies within 15ft are shaken for 1 round. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 round per 3 points spent.
7. Lay Scent: Make a single melee attack against a target, it deals no damage but if you hit then for the next 3 rounds you negate all miss chance caused by concealment, invisibility or similar affects against the target of the attack. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 round per 3 points spent.
8. Pack Tactics: Make a single melee attack at your highest BAB, you gain a +3 bonus on the Attack roll and Damage per ally within 45ft. By expending synergy points, you may increase the bonus per ally by +1 per 4 points spent.
9. Crippling strike: Make a single melee attack against a target of your choice, if the attack succeeds then you only deal half damage, but you may deal 1d8 ability damage to any of the targets physical abilities. By expending synergy points you may increase the ability damage by +1 per 3 points spent.
10. Pack Assault: All allies within a 45ft radius may immediately make a single standard or move action. By expending 3 synergy points you may choose (on a case-by-case basis) to grant allies a full-round action or both a standard and a move action.
11. Wolf Cloak: For 3 rounds, you are treated as if under the affects of a Greater Invisibility spell and you gain 2 natural 1d6 claw attacks. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 per 3 points spent.
12. Lone Wolf: You may only activate this form if there are no allies with 90ft and you are on half hit-points or less. For 6 rounds or until there is an ally within 90ft whichever is sooner, you are treated as under the effects of a Haste spell, additionally you gain a +10 bonus on attack rolls and saving throws, and +5d6 damage to all attacks. By expending synergy points you may increase the duration by 1 round per 4 points spent, if an ally enters a 90ft radius then the duration still ends as normal.

Sereg
2010-05-27, 10:01 AM
As someone whom voted for your class. I'm pleased that you've given it it's own thread. However, I've already PEACHed in the competition chat thread far more than is usual for me, so I don't really have anything new to say.

IcarusWings
2010-05-28, 01:14 AM
c'mon, noone other than Sereg?

IcarusWings
2010-06-10, 01:29 PM
Sorry to necro but, seriously, nobody even commented (except Sereg).