PDA

View Full Version : Jester of the Laughing Skull Circus 3.5 PEACH



zenanarchist
2010-06-22, 09:37 PM
Jester

http://www.elfwood.com/art/l/i/lisaeakin/jester.jpg

“Can’t sleep, clown will eat me!”
-Child to mother

“Ohh pretty goblin… ohhh om nom nom…oh tasty goblin!”
-A jester

Hit Die: 1d6 (Jesters should try and avoid melee combat where possible, relying on use of their illusions and spell cards to confuse and astound the enemy).

Alignment: Any chaotic

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: The Jester is proficient with simple with light armour and simple weapons.

Jesters are maniacal, twisted, humerous, jovial characters who thrive in insanity. They laugh maniacally at the most fearsome of creatures, running in to battle where they should run away. Jesters often cower at the sight of the strangest things, chickens, shadows or flowers, claiming to see the Unseen. While the jester looks hilarious and dresses lavishly and in the oddest and most eccentric items of clothing, he is nonetheless a deadly foe. One must most beware of his card tricks and his jesters staff. All is not what it seems with the jester.

Jester of the Laughing Skull Circus
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Cards

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Staff of the Laughing Skull 1D6, Masterwork, Deck of Cards (Minor Tricks)|
7|

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3| Spell Cards|
14|

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|Staff of the Laughing Skull (Retracting Expanded Extension)|
21|

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4| |
28|

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Staff of the Laughing Skull (Weapon Deformity) 1d8 +2 enchantment, Deck of Cards (Major Tricks)|
35|

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+5| Acrobatic Master|
42|

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+2|
+5|Staff of the Laughing Skull (Stop) |
49|

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+2|
+6| House of Mirrors|
56|

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+3|
+6|Staff of the Laughing Skull (Beacon of Insanity) 1d10 +3 enchantment|
62|

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+3|
+7| Deck of Cards (Greater Tricks)Bouncing Ball|
69|

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+3|
+7|Staff of the Laughing Skull (Laughing Skulls)|
76|

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+4|
+8| |
83|

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+4|
+8|Staff of the Laughing Skull (Airborne Violence)-1d10+4 enhancement|
90|

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+4|
+9| |
97|

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+5|
+9| Staff of the Laughing Skull (Draw), Deck of Cards (Greatest Tricks)|
104|

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+5|
+10| |
111|

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+10|Maniacal Laughter |
118|

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+11| |
125|

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+11| |
132|

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+12|Enter the Circus |
146|[/table]

Class Features

Staff of the Laughing Skull (Ex)

The Laughing Skull circus issues all of it’s jesters and ring masters with these staves. At first level the staff deals 1d6 damage and is considered a Masterwork weapon. At progressively higher levels the staff gains more abilities and does more damage. All abilities are a standard action unless stated otherwise.


Retracting expanded extension: The Jesters staff can extend and change shape. It can either...

Gain 15 feet reach

Act as any shield

Provide 25% concealment

Turn into any simple or martial weapon..


Stop- The Jester may choose to plant the staff on the ground or against a wall, base down, to create an effect similar to that of an immovable rod. No amount of force will move the Rod and only the Jester may deactivate this.


Beacon of Insanity- The Jester holds his staff high in the air, as he does so the head of the staff bursts into hideous laughter. All hostile creatures within 25 ft must make a Will check (DC 10+1/2 Jesters level+Cha Modifier). If unsuccessful they roll a D10 and the effects take place as follows:
1-2: Rooted to the ground, eyes wide, unable to take actions, speak or move for two rounds.
3-4: The hostile creature runs as fast as they can in the opposite direction of the staff at their full movement rate. This lasts for 3 rounds.
5-6: The creature enters a hostile frenzy and attacks their allies, gaining a +1 to hit and +1 to damage against all those creatures hostile to the Jester. This lasts for 2 rounds.
7-8: All creatures target the Jester instead of anyone else for 3 rounds, if they are not within range they move to get close enough at their full movement rate.
9-10: Nothing occurs


Laughing Skulls: The Jester may 1/day X 1/2 Class Levels point his staff at a designated spot. One round later a smiling laughing skull appears. This skull explodes when anyone comes within a 10ft proximity. It deals 1d10 per Jesters class levels. Reflex save (DC10+1/2 Jesters class level+Cha Modifier) for half damage. Even if the Reflex save is successful the victim must then make a Will save (DC10+1/2 Jesters class level+Cha Modifier) or be Feared as per the spell.


Airborne Violence: The Jester may choose to do one of two things. First, he may choose to distribute one skull. This skull is under the effect of Greater Invisibility for 4 rounds, cannot cause damage and has a fly speed of 30ft (poor). The Jester sees everything that this skull sees. He may summon only one skull every five rounds and the Skulls last for a total of 6 rounds. He may do this four times per day. Secondly, he may choose to aim his staff at an enemy and make one attack at his highest base attack level, a laughing screaming hysterical skull is immediately fired at the hostile creature. If struck the creature undergoes a Will save (DC 15+1/2 Jesters level+Cha Modifier) or become Confused, as per the spell as well as take 1d6 damage per every second level of Jester the character has.


Draw: Twice per day the Jester may spend four rounds drawing an object. This may create the base version of that object. He may create a sword, a crate, a pencil, a shield, a broom, a net etc. He may spend eight rounds drawing larger items such as a boat (not a ship), a cart, a barrel etc. He may spend fifteen rounds drawing a much larger object such as a house, a ship, a battering ram etc. The duration is 5 rounds per class level, the objects disappear if the Jester attempts to sell them and no creature with class levels may be created.

Deck of Cards (Su)

The Deck of Cards is a magically enhanced Deck that rejuvenates after the Jester completes one sleep cycle. He may utilise one Trick per round (however some Tricks allow the combination of two or more other Tricks) Each trick costs one standard action unless stated otherwise.

Minor Tricks


Defender

One card to gain +1 AC bonus for 1 round to a maximum of +10. Useable once per day. You may use more than 1 card to gain a higher bonus.

Alter

One card to alter one facial feature on the Jesters face for 1 round/Jester Level.

Skilful

Two cards to gain a +1 enhancement bonus to a skill check to a maximum of +3 for one action.

Combatant

Three cards to give a +1 untyped bonus to a weapon for 1d4 rounds + the Jesters Charisma modifier. 1/day X 1/2 Jester class lebels.

Card Strike

Three cards to deal 1d6 ranged untyped magic damage to an opponent. To a maximum of 4d6.

Card Flurry

Eight Cards to deal 1d6 slashing damage per jester level to a maximum of 10d6. At level 10 the Jester may throw sixteen cards and double this.

Card Gamble

The Jester flips a coin and destroys all his cards. If the flip lands on heads, the Jester doubles his cards. If the Flip lands on tails, the cards are destroyed until the Jester spends eight hours resting. He may destroy a maximum of 34 cards 2/day.

Debuff Glory

The jester spends up to 15 cards, these cards minus the amount spent on a creatures next attack, which incurs a penalty equal to the cards used. Will Save (DC 10+1/2 Jester level+Cha Modifier) for half.
<TO BE EDITED AND ADDED TO>



Major Tricks
<TO BE ADDED>

Greater Tricks

<TO BE ADDED>

Greatest Tricks
<TO BE ADDED>

Spell Cards (Su)

The Jester may use his cards to cast spells off of his own spell list. It costs 1 card per spell level plus the Caster level he wishes to cast that spell as. For example if a Jester wanted to cast a level 9 spell as a 20th level caster, that would cost him 29 cards to cast. (Almost one quarter of his cards). Once a spell has been cast in this way, the Jester may not cast it again until he has slept and rejuvenated his deck. The Jester gains access to spell levels at the same rate as a wizard of equivalent level.

Acrobatic Master (Ex)

The Jester gains double his normal modifier on all Tumble, Jump, Escape Artist and Use Rope checks.

House of Mirrors (Su)

This grants the Jester Greater Mirror Image as per the spell as if cast by a wizard of equivalent level three times per day.

Bouncing Ball (Su)

From 10th level onward the Jester is constantly circled by a Bouncing Ball. This ball has a number of effects. Firstly, it absorbs one targeted spell of up to 6th level 2/day at the Jesters discretion. Secondly, the ball automatically strikes any hostile creature within 10ft of the jester for 1d6 per Jester level bludeoning damage once per round. Thirdly, it absorbs one Attack of Opportunity against the Jester for every three class levels the Jester has (rounded down) while it exists. Finally, twice per day as a standard action, with a duration of 1d6 rounds, the Jester may command the ball to Spin. While spinning the ball loses all of its other abilities but may deflect all spells with the Jester as a target to one creature within 15ft of the ball. The ball is a permanent companion, has hit points equivalent to the Jester and if destroyed may be summoned again 24 hours later. The ball has a move speed equivalent to that of the Jester, and may only travel 10 ft away from the Jester. If the ball should extend beyond this limit it becomes entirely non magical and loses all abilities.

Maniacal Laughter

The Jester may (3/day) burst into hideous maniacal laughter. All hostile creatures must make a Will save (DC 10+1/2 Jester Class levels+Cha Modifier) or come under a number of effects.


Firstly, they are immediately deafened for one round times the Jesters Charisma Modifier.


Secondly, they fall to the floor in a hideous fit of laughter for two rounds, unable to move, take actions, or draw items/weapons and all spells . All items and weapons in the creatures hand/s are dropped, spells may be cast but suffer a 75% spell failure chance.


Finally, any victims who are still remaining after the laughing fit gain another Will save (DC 5+1/2 Jester Class levels) come under the effects of Confusion as per the Spell, cast as if the Jester were an equal level arcane spell caster. These effects last for two rounds.

Enter the Circus (Su)
As a full round action the Jester may warp all individuals within 30ft of his person into the Circus of Laughing Skulls. Reflex Negates (DC 10+1/2 Jesters Class Levels+Cha Modifier). Time in the Circus is not relative to time in the real world and for every 5 rounds that pass in the circus, one round of real time passes outside.
While warped into the circus every hostile creature undergoes a barrage of flying screaming skulls, these deal 1d8 damage per round to every hostile creature in the circus. These skulls cause a 50% failure rate to cast Arcane and Divine spells due to the disruptive painful nature of the attacks.
All the Jesters illusion and enchantment spells use half the usual amount of cards to be fuelled, and where possible are treated as Empowered and/or Maximised. However, any spells cast in the circus dissipate immediately upon being returned to the real world.
All the Jesters attacks are made with +2 to hit and gain a +2 damage bonus.
The Jester may also use his staff to draw (As per the Class Feature draw) one creature with a CR level equivalent to ½ his jester level using a full round action.

All Jester abilities force the victims to incur a -5 penalty to all Saves.
The circus warp lasts for 1d4 rounds X the Jesters Charisma modifier.

Spell List


0- Level

Daze, Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation.

1- Level

Grease, Charm Person, Hypnotism, Sleep, Colour Spray, Disguise Self, Silent Image, Ventrioquism, Animate Rope, Feather Fall, Reduce Person.

2- Level

Fog Cloud, Glitterdust, Daze Monster, Hideous Laughter, Touch of Idiocy, Blur, hypnotic Pattern, Magic Mouth, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Misdirection, Scare, Spectral Hand, Levitate, Rope Trick.

3- Level

Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Deep Slumber, Displacement, Suggestion, Major Image, Blink, Gaseous Form, Secret Page, Shrink Item, Slow

4- Level

Dimension Door, Minor Creation, Solid Fog, Charm Monster, Confusion, Crushing Despair, Hallucinatory Terrain, Illusory Wall, Rainbow Pattern, Shadow Conjuration, Fear, Reduce Person-Mass

5- Level

Major Creation, Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Mind Fog, Symbol of Sleep, Interposing Hand, Dream, Nightmare, Mirage Arcana, Persistant Image, Seeming

6- Level

True Seeing, Suggestion-Mass, Symbol of Persuasion, Forceful Hand, Mislead, Permanent Image, Programmed Image, Veil, Eyebite, Symbol of Fear

7- Level

Vision, Insanity, Symbol of Stunning, Grasping Hand, Prismatic Spray, Project Image, Simulacrum (No use of abilities or spells), Reverse Gravity, Limited Wish

8- Level

Prismatic Wall, Maze, Demand, Irresistible Dance, Symbol of Insanity, Scintillating Pattern

9- Level

Shades, Weird


Author Note: Card Tricks are to be added, any and all suggestion to tricks are welcome. I also want to add some insanity theme mechanic into the class but am stumped, offers of advice are, again, welcome. Made sure that his list included almost nil damaging spells and focused purely on creating illusions, noises, light shows and messing with his opponents mind or body. Also, I want him to have full BAB as his cards will run out reasonably fast and his most often Per day ability is three. He'll quickly run out of options other than hitting things whilst in combat. To counteract I gave him low hit die, and proficiency only with simple weapons and poor armour choices.

Let me know how the balance works out?

Milskidasith
2010-06-22, 10:43 PM
The Laughing Skull circus issues all of it’s jesters and ring masters with these staves. At first level the staff deals 1d6 damage and is considered a Masterwork weapon. At progressively higher levels the staff gains more abilities and does more damage. All abilities are a standard action unless stated otherwise.

Going on...



Retracting expanded extension: The Jester may choose, as an immediate action to extend or retract his staff. This takes it from 5 ft in length up to 15 ft, or down to the size of a sword hilt (about 9-18 inches); the Jester may also choose to expand the weapon in width equal to the width of a shield, providing 25% concealment to any individual residing directly behind it. This ability increases the Jesters normal reach for attacking by 10ft if extending or provides an AC bonus equal to the same size shield if he should expand and retract the staff (or expand and extend in case of a tower shield). You may not take the AC bonus and the concealment bonus, you may choose one.

This is very, very poorly worded... why not just say this:

The Jesters staff can extend and change shape. It can either...

Gain 15 feet reach

Act as any shield

Provide 25% concealment

Turn into any simple or martial weapon.



Stop- The Jester may choose to plant the staff on the ground or against a wall, base down, to create an effect similar to that of an immovable rod. No amount of force will move the Rod and only the Jester may deactivate this.

Flavor ability, woo!



Beacon of Insanity- The Jester holds his staff high in the air, as he does so the head of the staff bursts into hideous laughter. All hostile creatures within 25 ft must make a Will check (DC 10+Jesters level+Cha Modifier). If unsuccessful they roll a D10 and the effects take place as follows:
1-2: Rooted to the ground, eyes wide, unable to take actions, speak or move for two rounds.
3-4: The hostile creature runs as fast as they can in the opposite direction of the staff at their full movement rate. This lasts for 3 rounds.
5-6: The creature enters a hostile frenzy and attacks their allies, gaining a +1 to hit and +1 to damage against all those creatures hostile to the Jester. This lasts for 2 rounds.
7-8: All creatures target the Jester instead of anyone else for 3 rounds, if they are not within range they move to get close enough at their full movement rate.
9-10: Nothing occurs

The save is absurd... it should be 1/2 class level, not class level. Anyway, is it mind affecting? Is 3-4 a fear effect?

Anyway, randomness is bad, and multi round save or sucks are generally pretty strong, but it's not too overpowered, assuming you tone the save down to reasonable levels.



Laughing Skulls: The Jester may 1/day X Class Levels point his staff at a designated spot. One round later a smiling laughing skull appears. This skull explodes when anyone comes within a 10ft proximity. It deals 1d6+ ½ Jesters class levels. Reflex save negates (DC10+Jesters class level+Cha Modifier).

This is... flat out awful. Even with the absurdly high save, the damage done is going to be pitiful, it has no extra effect, it has a pitiful blast radius, and the save is to negate entirely.



Airborne Violence: The Jester may choose to do one of two things. First, he may choose to distribute one skull. This skull is under the effect of Greater Invisibility for 4 rounds, cannot cause damage and has a fly speed of 30ft (poor). The Jester sees everything that this skull sees. He may summon only one skull every five rounds and the Skulls last for a total of 6 rounds. He may do this four times per day. Secondly, he may choose to aim his staff at an enemy and make one attack at his highest base attack level, a laughing screaming hysterical skull is immediately fired at the hostile creature. If struck the creature undergoes a Will save (DC 15+Jesters level+Cha Modifier) or become Confused, as per the spell as well as take 1d6 damage per every second level of Jester the character has.

The save is insane, again, but besides that this ability is fine.



Draw: Twice per day the Jester may spend four rounds drawing an object. This may create the base version of that object. He may create a sword, a crate, a pencil, a shield, a broom, a net etc. He may spend eight rounds drawing larger items such as a boat (not a ship), a cart, a barrel etc. He may spend fifteen rounds drawing a much larger object such as a house, a ship, a battering ram etc. He may spend right hours drawing a real life creature equivalent CR level to his current class levels.

What is the duration? What are the limits on using CR equal creatures? Can he sell the objects? Do they work as well as the real thing?

This ability is... flavorful, but either broken (permanent duration, the CR creature controlling ability in general... I draw a level X Jester! He draws more level X jesters!), or not really important (a duration of... well, an actual duration.)


Deck of Cards (Su)

The Deck of Cards is a magically enhanced Deck that rejuvenates after the Jester completes one sleep cycle. He may utilise one Trick per round (however some Tricks allow the combination of two or more other Tricks).

What action does using a trick take?


Defender

One card to gain +1 AC bonus for 1 round to a maximum of +10. Useable once per day.

What action does this take? Can you use more than one card per trick? That's the only way this makes sense, but it's not clear.


Alter

One card to alter one facial feature on the Jesters face

No duration listed, no action, no mechanical effects.


Skilful

Two cards to gain a +1 enhancement bonus to a skill check to a maximum of +3

No action, no duration.


Combatant

Three cards to give an enhancement bonus to a weapon for 1d4 rounds + the Jesters Charisma modifier. The maximum enhancement bonus applicable utilising this method is +3, this stacks with other enhancements to a maximum of +5.

Enhancement bonuses don't stack with other enhancement bonuses; just make it an untyped bonus, and don't care how high it stacks, or make it an enhancement bonus and don't have it stack. Still poorly worded, since it doesn't specify what enhancement bonus three cards get you.


Card Strike

Three cards to deal 1d6 ranged untyped magic damage to an opponent. To a maximum of 4d6.

This is very weak, though it is automatic damage, and I still have no clue what the action is.


Spell Cards (Su)

The Jester may use his cards to cast spells off of his own spell list. It costs 1 card per spell level plus the Caster level he wishes to cast that spell as. For example if a Jester wanted to cast a level 9 spell as a 20th level caster, that would cost him 29 cards to cast. (Almost one quarter of his cards). Once a spell has been cast in this way, the Jester may not cast it again until he has slept and rejuvenated his deck.

This doesn't have a limit... you can cast your ninth level spells at caster level 20 as soon as you get this feature.


Acrobatic Master (Ex)

The Jester gains double his normal modifier on all Tumble, Jump, Escape Artist and Use Rope checks.

This is another flavor ability, though very powerful.


House of Mirrors (Su)

The jester may mimic any two class features within a 30ft radius centred on himself twice per day for a total of 1 round X ½ the Jesters class level.

BAD SARRUKH, BAD. Remove this entirely. For one thing, Spellcasting is a class feature.


Bouncing Ball (Su)

From 10th level onward the Jester is constantly circled by a Bouncing Ball. This ball has a number of effects. Firstly, it absorbs one spell of up to 6th level 2/day.

Any spell, or only targeted spells? Can you choose to absorb a spell, or is it automatic? Do you have to ready an action to do this?


Secondly, it adds 1d4 extra damage to the Jesters attacks once per day equivalent to the Jesters level.

Equivalent to the jesters level means nothing... and if this means you get 1d4 extra up to twenty times a day, it's worthless.


Thirdly, it absorbs all Attacks of Opportunity against the Jester while it exists.

Remove this. This is broken.


Finally, the Jester may command the ball to Spin.

What action does this take?


While spinning the ball loses all of its other abilities but may deflect all spells with the Jester as a target to one creature within 15ft of the ball.

So you can be immune to all targeted spells for free? Broken, please remove.


The ball is a permanent companion, has hit points equivalent to the Jester and if destroyed may be summoned again 24 hours later. The ball has a move speed equivalent to that of the Jester, and may only travel 10 ft away from the Jester. If the ball should extend beyond this limit it becomes entirely non magical and loses all abilities.

OK, so at least absorbing attacks of opportunity means it's going to eventually die, but it's still a broken feature.


The Jester may (3/day) burst into hideous maniacal laughter. All hostile creatures must make a Will save (DC 10+Jester Class levels+Cha Modifier) or come under a number of effects. Firstly, they are immediately deafened for two rounds times the Jesters Charisma Modifier. Secondly, they fall to the floor in a hideous fit of laughter for two rounds, unable to move, take actions, cast spells or draw items/weapons. All items and weapons in the creatures hand/s are dropped. Finally, any victims who are still remaining after the laughing fit come under the effects of Fear and Confusion as per the Spell, cast as if the Jester were an equal level arcane spell caster. These effects last for 1d4 rounds X the Jesters class levels.

So a really long debuff with a really absurd save. This is... why do you need so many of those abilities? Why does this all need to be on one ability? Why do you always have it be class level for the save? I know dead levels suck, but this thing can also cast spells, it doesn't need a new will save or die every level.


Enter the Circus (Su)
As a full round action the Jester may warp all individuals within 30ft of his person into the Circus of Laughing Skulls. Reflex Negates (DC 15+Jesters Class Levels+Cha Modifier). Time in the Circus is not relative to time in the real world and for every 5 rounds that pass in the circus, one round of real time passes outside.

Absurd save, as usual.


While warped into the circus every hostile creature undergoes a barrage of flying screaming skulls, these deal 1d4 damage per round to every hostile creature in the circus. These skulls cause a 50% failure rate to cast Arcane and Divine spells.

Why do you think 1d4 is relevant? Why does it cause arcane failure chance?


All the Jesters illusion and enchantment skills do not require Caster Level cards to be fuelled, and where possible are treated as Empowered and/or Maximised. However, any spells cast in the circus dissipate immediately upon being returned to the real world.

Well, seeing as there's no caster level cap, a few infinite caster level illusions or enchantments couldn't hurt.


All the Jesters attacks are made at +2 and gain a +2 bonus.

So... he gets a +2 bonus to attacks, but all of his attacks are automatically made at a horrible attack bonus? Why are you weakening the Jester; he has a higher attack bonus at level 3!


The Jester may also use his staff to draw one creature with a CR level equivalent to ½ his jester level using a full round action.

So... summoning?


All Jester abilities force the victims to incur a -5 penalty to all Save DC’s.

A -5 penalty to save DCs sounds like either their abilities have lower saves, or all abilities cast on them have their saves reduced by five... I'm pretty sure you meant that they take a -5 penalty to all saves, but I honestly can't be sure with the overall poor wording of this class.


Spell List


0- Level

Daze, Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation.

1- Level

Grease, Charm Person, Hypnotism, Sleep, Colour Spray, Disguise Self, Silent Image, Ventrioquism, Animate Rope, Feather Fall, Reduce Person.

2- Level

Fog Cloud, Glitterdust, Daze Monster, Hideous Laughter, Touch of Idiocy, Blur, hypnotic Pattern, Magic Mouth, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Misdirection, Scare, Spectral Hand, Levitate, Rope Trick.

3- Level

Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Deep Slumber, Displacement, Suggestion, Major Image, Blink, Gaseous Form, Secret Page, Shrink Item, Slow

4- Level

Dimension Door, Minor Creation, Solid Fog, Charm Monster, Confusion, Crushing Despair, Hallucinatory Terrain, Illusory Wall, Rainbow Pattern, Shadow Conjuration, Fear, Reduce Person-Mass

5- Level

Major Creation, Dominate Person, Feeblemind, Mind Fog, Symbol of Sleep, Interposing Hand, Dream, Nightmare, Mirage Arcana, Persistant Image, Seeming

6- Level

True Seeing, Suggestion-Mass, Symbol of Persuasion, Forceful Hand, Mislead, Permanent Image, Programmed Image, Veil, Eyebite, Symbol of Fear

7- Level

Vision, Insanity, Symbol of Stunning, Grasping Hand, Prismatic Spray, Project Image, Simulacrum (No use of abilities or spells), Reverse Gravity, Limited Wish

8- Level

Prismatic Wall, Maze, Demand, Irresistible Dance, Symbol of Insanity, Scintillating Pattern

9- Level

Shades, Weird


OK, spells, woo!

Anyway, I don't get this class. It has full casting, but also full base attack bonus, and it gets a bunch of weird, really high save save or suck abilities, a mini sarrukh ability, and a bunch of other random stuff. It's all very thematic, but it's also overpowered in some cases and poorly worded in almost all cases.

zenanarchist
2010-06-22, 11:23 PM
Going on...

<SNIP!>

Anyway, I don't get this class. It has full casting, but also full base attack bonus, and it gets a bunch of weird, really high save save or suck abilities, a mini sarrukh ability, and a bunch of other random stuff. It's all very thematic, but it's also overpowered in some cases and poorly worded in almost all cases.

Okay! Changed the wording on a bunch of the abilities to make them more legible. A lot of your pick outs were big oopsies on my part (making it DC 10 + jester level instead of half jester level for example).

I also lowered the power of a few things and upped the power of other.

So the overpowering should be fixed.

Also, I'd like to note: Nope, it doesn't have "full casting" per se. The Jester can cast four 9th level spells as a 20th level caster and then all his card uses are gone. Or he can cast like five 8th level spells as a 20th level caster, or thirty one levels as....you get the idea. But if he uses up all his cards on spells, he can't fuel his card tricks.

The Jester would be insane to use all his cards on four spells.

Also I WAS considering scaling back his BAB....if I get many more comments on that account I think I'll definitely do it.

Ahhh Milski! I love your reviews. You're thorough as hell!!!!!

When you have the time give me a renewed review with the new changes taken into account.

EDIT: P.S sarrukh??????

Milskidasith
2010-06-23, 01:14 AM
Weapon Deformity- The Jester may choose to reshape his staff into any martial or simple non-ranged weapon. The weapon deals equal damage to the same one the staff is imitating. This ability may not be used in conjunction with Retracting Expanded Extension to grant a larger weapon.

This was my mistake; I meant to combine the weapon deformity and retracting thing into one ability, so still having this is redundant.




Laughing Skulls: The Jester may 1/day X 1/2 Class Levels point his staff at a designated spot. One round later a smiling laughing skull appears. This skull explodes when anyone comes within a 10ft proximity. It deals 1d10 per Jesters class levels. Reflex save (DC10+Jesters class level+Cha Modifier) for half damage. Even if the Reflex save is successful the victim must then make a Will save (DC10+1/2 Jesters class level+Cha Modifier) or come under a.

Well, since there's a delay, the somewhat above average damage is OK. What's the will save for, though?



Draw: Twice per day the Jester may spend four rounds drawing an object. This may create the base version of that object. He may create a sword, a crate, a pencil, a shield, a broom, a net etc. He may spend eight rounds drawing larger items such as a boat (not a ship), a cart, a barrel etc. He may spend fifteen rounds drawing a much larger object such as a house, a ship, a battering ram etc. He may spend right hours drawing a real life creature equivalent CR level to his current class levels. The duration is 2 rounds per class level, the objects disappear if the Jester attempts to sell them and no creature with class levels may be created.

The duration is fairly short, honestly... it could easily be longer, though I'd remove the "CR creature" thing entirely just because it's too abusable (Mirror mephit! Something that grants wishes! Adamantine Horror! That Damn Crab!)


Spell Cards (Su)

The Jester may use his cards to cast spells off of his own spell list. It costs 1 card per spell level plus the Caster level he wishes to cast that spell as. For example if a Jester wanted to cast a level 9 spell as a 20th level caster, that would cost him 29 cards to cast. (Almost one quarter of his cards). Once a spell has been cast in this way, the Jester may not cast it again until he has slept and rejuvenated his deck. The Jester gains access to spell levels at the same rate as a caster of equivalent level.

This should probably state "As a wizard (or sorcerer, depending on how fast you want it to advance) of equivalent level" because different casters advance at different rates.


House of Mirrors (Su)

The jester may mimic any two non-casting class features within a 30ft radius centred on himself twice per day for a total of 1 round X ½ the Jesters class level.

I'd still remove it; there are a *lot* of powerful class features, more than you'd be able to ban by singling things out. You could grant them Mirror Image (or Greater Mirror Image) if you wanted; for the intended power level of this (or what I think the intended power level is) that wouldn't be too bad.


Bouncing Ball (Su)

From 10th level onward the Jester is constantly circled by a Bouncing Ball. This ball has a number of effects. Firstly, it absorbs one targeted spell of up to 6th level 2/day at the Jesters discretion. Secondly, it adds one extra damage dice per every two levels the Jesters has to attacks once per day X the Jesters level. Thirdly, it absorbs one Attack of Opportunity against the Jester for every three class levels the Jester has (rounded down) while it exists. Finally, twice per day as a standard action, with a duration of 1d6 rounds, the Jester may command the ball to Spin. While spinning the ball loses all of its other abilities but may deflect all spells with the Jester as a target to one creature within 15ft of the ball. The ball is a permanent companion, has hit points equivalent to the Jester and if destroyed may be summoned again 24 hours later. The ball has a move speed equivalent to that of the Jester, and may only travel 10 ft away from the Jester. If the ball should extend beyond this limit it becomes entirely non magical and loses all abilities.

The additional damage dice is problematic if they have some way of casting, say, Enervation (scrolls, perhaps?), and actually adds a lot to basically everything, and it's basically at will. I'm not sure why it grants a damage bonus, but if you're set on it, maybe make it automatically hit somebody within ten feet of the jester for class level bludgeoning damage once per round, unlimited use. Not super powerful, but still cool and somewhat useful.


Maniacal Laughter

The Jester may (3/day) burst into hideous maniacal laughter. All hostile creatures must make a Will save (DC 10+1/4 Jester Class levels+Cha Modifier) or come under a number of effects. Firstly, they are immediately deafened for one rounds times the Jesters Charisma Modifier. Secondly, they fall to the floor in a hideous fit of laughter for two rounds, unable to move, take actions, cast spells or draw items/weapons. All items and weapons in the creatures hand/s are dropped. Finally, any victims who are still remaining after the laughing fit gain another Will save (DC 5+1/2 Jester Class levels) come under the effects of Fear and Confusion as per the Spell, cast as if the Jester were an equal level arcane spell caster. These effects last for two rounds.

You don't need the save to be lower than average, just split this ability up a bit.


Enter the Circus (Su)
As a full round action the Jester may warp all individuals within 30ft of his person into the Circus of Laughing Skulls. Reflex Negates (DC 10+1/2 Jesters Class Levels+Cha Modifier). Time in the Circus is not relative to time in the real world and for every 5 rounds that pass in the circus, one round of real time passes outside.
While warped into the circus every hostile creature undergoes a barrage of flying screaming skulls, these deal 1d8 damage per round to every hostile creature in the circus. These skulls cause a 50% failure rate to cast Arcane and Divine spells due to the disruptive painful nature of the attacks.
All the Jesters illusion and enchantment spells use half the usual amount of cards to be fuelled, and where possible are treated as Empowered and/or Maximised. However, any spells cast in the circus dissipate immediately upon being returned to the real world.
All the Jesters attacks are made with +2 to hit and gain a +2 damage bonus.
The Jester may also use his staff to draw (As per the Class Feature draw) one creature with a CR level equivalent to ½ his jester level using a full round action.

All Jester abilities force the victims to incur a -5 penalty to all Saves.
The circus warp lasts for 1d4 rounds X the Jesters Charisma modifier.

This is a much more reasonable capstone; very powerful, but fitting with the overall damage of the class.

Once the card tricks are added, this class could actually be pretty good, though I'd still suggest lowering the BAB (perhaps 3/4ths BAB), since this class seems mostly about using its cards, casting, and class features rather than hitting things.

EDIT: Oh, the Sarrukh is what's used to make Pun Pun. It's not really like that, since the Sarrukh's wording is horribly nonspecific, so it was kind of my bad in comparing them.

Your house of mirrors thing still allows a *lot* of abuse, though, especially when you grab abilities from PrCs (Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil?) or class capstones (well, the ones that don't suck).

zenanarchist
2010-06-23, 01:34 AM
This was my mistake; I meant to combine the weapon deformity and retracting thing into one ability, so still having this is redundant.




Well, since there's a delay, the somewhat above average damage is OK. What's the will save for, though?



The duration is fairly short, honestly... it could easily be longer, though I'd remove the "CR creature" thing entirely just because it's too abusable (Mirror mephit! Something that grants wishes! Adamantine Horror! That Damn Crab!)



This should probably state "As a wizard (or sorcerer, depending on how fast you want it to advance) of equivalent level" because different casters advance at different rates.



I'd still remove it; there are a *lot* of powerful class features, more than you'd be able to ban by singling things out. You could grant them Mirror Image (or Greater Mirror Image) if you wanted; for the intended power level of this (or what I think the intended power level is) that wouldn't be too bad.



The additional damage dice is problematic if they have some way of casting, say, Enervation (scrolls, perhaps?), and actually adds a lot to basically everything, and it's basically at will. I'm not sure why it grants a damage bonus, but if you're set on it, maybe make it automatically hit somebody within ten feet of the jester for class level bludgeoning damage once per round, unlimited use. Not super powerful, but still cool and somewhat useful.



You don't need the save to be lower than average, just split this ability up a bit.



This is a much more reasonable capstone; very powerful, but fitting with the overall damage of the class.

Once the card tricks are added, this class could actually be pretty good, though I'd still suggest lowering the BAB (perhaps 3/4ths BAB), since this class seems mostly about using its cards, casting, and class features rather than hitting things.

EDIT: Oh, the Sarrukh is what's used to make Pun Pun. It's not really like that, since the Sarrukh's wording is horribly nonspecific, so it was kind of my bad in comparing them.

Your house of mirrors thing still allows a *lot* of abuse, though, especially when you grab abilities from PrCs (Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil?) or class capstones (well, the ones that don't suck).

Okay, I think I got everything! I just need to adjust that 3/4 BAB thing. You must forgive me, I don't play DandD so my homebrews take a little niggling to get just right.

I'll turn down the BAB to 3/4 and keep adding Tricks to the cards. I have to search through the entire SRD and borrow friends books to see what I can give to him as tricks at certain levels.

Glad you think it could be pretty good once the tricks are in there.

What do you think about the card amount given? More? Less? Same?

zenanarchist
2010-06-23, 06:40 PM
I think I've given him enough for minor tricks, if anyones looking at this please let me know if you think he should have more? (Not forgetting that he gains access to those spells on his spell list as well)

UndeadCleric
2010-06-23, 11:54 PM
Thirdly, it absorbs one Attack of Opportunity against the Jester for every three class levels the Jester has (rounded down) while it exists.


What? Does it die after it absorbs the attacks? And how often does the feature renew? Each day?

zenanarchist
2010-06-24, 12:01 AM
Jester



Bouncing Ball (Su)

From 10th level onward the Jester is constantly circled by a Bouncing Ball. This ball has a number of effects. Firstly, it absorbs one targeted spell of up to 6th level 2/day at the Jesters discretion. Secondly, the ball automatically strikes any hostile creature within 10ft of the jester for 1d6 per Jester level bludeoning damage once per round. Thirdly, it absorbs one Attack of Opportunity against the Jester for every three class levels the Jester has (rounded down) while it exists. Finally, twice per day as a standard action, with a duration of 1d6 rounds, the Jester may command the ball to Spin. While spinning the ball loses all of its other abilities but may deflect all spells with the Jester as a target to one creature within 15ft of the ball. The ball is a permanent companion, has hit points equivalent to the Jester and if destroyed may be summoned again 24 hours later. The ball has a move speed equivalent to that of the Jester, and may only travel 10 ft away from the Jester. If the ball should extend beyond this limit it becomes entirely non magical and loses all abilities.



Highlighted the bits relevant to your question. It's a permanent addition. Can be killed just as easily as the Jester, and takes 24 hours to resummon.

Hope that helped!

Gandariel
2010-08-14, 07:26 AM
This is nice. This is very, very nice
A couple of questions, though
If the ball is hit but not destroyed, how does it heal, naturally, with rest? does the ball'hp increase if the jester multiclasses to something else?
(and, how much does it weigh? i could easily get rid of it with a gust of wind...) and.. if the ball goes out of range ok, it becomes nonmagical and all... but whrn the jester comes near to it again, does it re-become magical again immediately?
there are many empty levels, you could increase the damage of the staff, since it's the only weapon he'gonna use...
another thing, i see the jester dancing and laughing during combats... how about some dodge bonus? especially since he has d6 hit die..

demidracolich
2010-08-14, 10:46 AM
Hmm, this class is pretty cool and would be hilarious with the gray jester monster class. (The Joker FTW!!!)

Starbuck_II
2010-08-14, 11:00 AM
It looks really cool. It fills a niche. While Bard is inbetween goofy entertainer/inspiring man/fighting caster; Joker is at all times the trickster.
I hope you finish the Trick list.