[3.5 Base Class] Fremen Knife Fighter [WIP] [PEACH]

[Rigor_Mortis]

Someone was asking about creating a Fremen Knife Fighter in another thread, and I thought I'd take a stab at a homebrew.


Fremen Knife Fighter

Alignment
Any.

Hit Die
d8.

Class Skills

The Fremen Knife Figher's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points at 1st Level
(6 + Int modifier) ×4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level
6 + Int modifier.

Table: The Fremen Knife Fighter
{table=head]Level |Base Attack Bonus |Fort Save |Ref Save |Will Save |Special
1st|+1|+2|+0|+2| Crysknife Novice, Two-Weapon Fighting,Two-Weapon Defense
2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3|Fremen Phisiology
3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3|Camouflage
4th|+4|+4|+1|+4|Weirding Way (1+Int mod)/day
5th|+5|+4|+1|+4|Crysknife Initiate, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5|Willful Evasion
7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5|
8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6|Weirding Way (2+Int mod)/day
9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6|Hide in Plan Sight
10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7|Crysknife Adept, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7|Improved Willful Evasion
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8|Litany Against Fear, Weirding Way (3+Int mod)/day
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8|
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9|
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9|Crysknife Master
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10|Weirding Way (4+Int mod)/day
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10|
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11|
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11|
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12|Crysknife GrandMaster, Weirding Way (5+Int mod)/day
[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Fremen Knife Fighter

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Fremen Knife Fighter is proficient with the crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type), Kukri, and the Hand Axe.
They are also proficient with light armor, no shields.

Crysknife Novice
A Fremen Knife Fighter crafts their own pair of Crysknives (Kukri/Kris), tuned especially to their body, and can be summoned at will. For all intents and purposes these weapons act as a +1 magic weapon, but only when wielded by the creator.
When anyone else attempts to wield a Crysknife, it functions as a Masterwork weapon for 24 hours, and then disappears unless it comes back into contact with its creator.

Two-Weapon Fighting
A Fremen Knife Fighter is treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Two-Weapon Defense
A Fremen Knife Fighter gains the Two-Weapon Defense feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Fremen Physiology
A Fremen Knife Fighter's body has adapted itself to harsh conditions, as such he gains the Diehard feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.

Camouflage (Ex)
A Fremen Knife Figher of 3rd level or higher can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment.

Weirding Way
"My mind affects my reality."
-Farad'n Corrino
At 4th Level, a FKF begins training in the Weirding Way, which grants access to a list of interchangeable spell-like abilities. The Weirding Way is usable (1+int mod)/day, and increases by 1/day every 4 levels after. A FKF may use any of the abilities from the list. (Spontaneously as an instant action)

{table=head]Weirding Way|Description
Instant Slide| Teleport up to 15' distance instantly, no LoS required
Chemical Shift| Ignore effects of 1 instance of Poison/Disease (Primary and Secondary)
Sustain| No need for food or drink for 24 hours
Massive Strike| +(Character level/4)d6 to next attack
Precise Attack| +(Char level) to next attack roll
Shriek| 10+(int mod)+1/2 char level Will Save or target is Stunned for 2 rounds
Ability| Description
[/table]


Crysknife Initiate
A Fremen Knife Fighter's Crysknives now function as +2 magic weapons. In addition, the KFK may choose a Melee Magical Weapon Special Ability to apply to their weapon up to a +2 bonus value. (Or abilities adding up to a +2 bonus)
This ability can be changed, but requires 1 week per +1 bonus.


Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
A Fremen Knife Fighter of 5th level or higher is treated as having the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Willful Evasion (Ex)
At 6th level and higher, a FKF can avoid even magical and unusual attacks through sheer force of Will. If he makes a successful Will saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. A helpless FKF does not gain the benefit of willful evasion.
(Basically functions as Evasion, except as a Will Save)

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)
While in any sort of natural terrain, a Fremen Knife Figher of 9th level or higher can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Crysknife Adept
A Fremen Knife Fighter's Crysknives function as +3 magic weapons. In addition, the KFK may choose a Magical Weapon Special Ability to apply to their weapon up to a +3 bonus value. (Or abilities adding up to a +3 bonus)
This ability can be changed, but requires 1 week per +1 bonus.

Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
A Fremen Knife Fighter of 10th level or higher is treated as having the Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Improved Willful Evasion (Ex)
This ability works like Willful Evasion, except that while the FKF still takes no damage on a successful Will saving throw against attacks henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless FKF does not gain the benefit of improved willful evasion.

Litany Against Fear
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.
A Fremen Knife Fighter of 12th level or greater is immune to fear and fear effects.

Crysknife Master
A Fremen Knife Fighter's Crysknives function as +4 magic weapons. In addition, the KFK may choose a Magical Weapon Special Ability to apply to their weapon up to a +4 bonus value. (Or abilities adding up to a +4 bonus, Except the Dancing property)
This ability can be changed, but requires 1 week per +1 bonus.

Crysknife GrandMaster
A Fremen Knife Fighter's Crysknives function as +5 magic weapons. In addition, the KFK may choose a Magical Weapon Special Ability to apply to their weapon up to a +5 bonus value. (Or abilities adding up to a +5 bonus, Except the Dancing property)
This ability can be changed, but requires 1 week per +1 bonus.



What I think that this class should be able to do:

Fight with two knives, and do it damn well
Survive in harsh circumstances/environments
Hide/conceal self
Use Weirding way to accomplish extraordinary things


Weirding Way
Thoughts?
I know I need to add more abilities to the list, not really sure what though.

Dead levels
7th, 13th, 14th, 17th-19th

Need to figure out what to do here.

[IncarnumJunkie]

Fremen Physiology should not equate the Diehard feat. The Diehard feat allows someone to keep on swinging when they should be on the ground in a bloody mess (something that I could see in a Sardaukar instead). Instead this ability should be a bonus to Fortitude saves made to survive in an arid environment (someone with a copy of Sandstorm should be able to give the rules exactly): maybe something like a +2 bonus at 2nd level, with an additional +2 at 5th and ever 5 levels after. The Fremen are desert nomands who know the secrets of desert survival, not battlefield resilience per se.

For filling in empty abilities, maybe you could have different forms of crysknife use. For example, one specialization could involve increasing the damage dealt with a crysknife, while another specialization would increase the number of attacks that a Fremen Knife Fighter gets, simliar to a toned-down version of a Monk's Flurry of Blows ability.

Otherwise this looks like a class with potential. I would play this class sometime.

[Rigor_Mortis]

Fremen Physiology should not equate the Diehard feat. The Diehard feat allows someone to keep on swinging when they should be on the ground in a bloody mess (something that I could see in a Sardaukar instead). Instead this ability should be a bonus to Fortitude saves made to survive in an arid environment (someone with a copy of Sandstorm should be able to give the rules exactly): maybe something like a +2 bonus at 2nd level, with an additional +2 at 5th and ever 5 levels after. The Fremen are desert nomands who know the secrets of desert survival, not battlefield resilience per se.


I thought about that. But I figured that would be bringing in too much from the actual Fremen Race itself. Which wouldn't really reflect on the Class.
What I should do is rename it, so that the name reflects the Prana Bindu training received that allows them to keep fighting.

Now if someone were to homebrew the Fremen Race...

[Milskidasith]

This is specific enough it should be a PrC, probably a five level one.

[Rigor_Mortis]

It could be, yes. But what I imagined was a full 20 level base class that revolved around wielding 2 knives and throwing neat abilities out of a bag of tricks. Different flavor text for the name maybe.

I still think it's missing something though.

PrC Version

The PrC would be fairly simple, although I think if it were a PrC it would be better off as a 10 level.
Reqs: TWF and TWD, with a ~+6 BA, and say...6-8 SP in Intimidate
Shuffle Weirding Way down to an increase every other level, and Crysknife filling in the gaps between.
Continue with full BA and 2/3 Saves.

[Milskidasith]

It could be, yes. But what I imagined was a full 20 level base class that revolved around wielding 2 knives and throwing neat abilities out of a bag of tricks. Different flavor text for the name maybe.

Base classes don't *do* that sort of thing, though. If a base class is any more specific than "Fights stuff", "Fights stuff with more strength than normal but less finesse", "Fights stuff with some divine magic and powers topped on", "Fights with divine magic and some mace swinging," "Casts arcane spells spontaneously," etc. it should probably be a PrC.

[Rigor_Mortis]

Fights stuff with two knives and some "spontaneous" casting?
:D

IncarnumJunkie and someone else I was talking to gave me an incredible idea for this class. Something along the lines of a Monk's Flurry of Blows, but without the suck. Something like "Greater Improved TWF."
(If I can get away with calling it that.)

[CN the Logos]

Base classes don't *do* that sort of thing, though. If a base class is any more specific than "Fights stuff", "Fights stuff with more strength than normal but less finesse", "Fights stuff with some divine magic and powers topped on", "Fights with divine magic and some mace swinging," "Casts arcane spells spontaneously," etc. it should probably be a PrC.

Agreed totally, which is one of the things that's always annoyed me, not just about homebrew forums, but about some of the official supplements and third-party books as well. Base classes should cover a broad concept, with the option to make individual characters more unique through customization.

I do, however, understand the desire to give some cool knife fighting abilities to a character before that character has become more skilled than anyone in the real world could ever be (http://www.thealexandrian.net/creations/misc/d&d-calibrating.html). Maybe the basics of skilled knife fighting could be a set of alternate class features for the rogue and the PrC could cover the tribal skills, special knives, and limited casting. Or maybe it's all a prestige class, but it can be entered fairly early if you have the proper training (4th level instead of 6th) and/or it's a 15 level long PrC.

The class also suffers a bit from what I refer to as the soulknife problem, which may be more pressing to you. One of its primary features is getting a magical weapon, which would be really awesome in a world where magical weapons were rare, valuable, and most warriors were stuck with mundane sharp bits of metal. Unfortunately, default D&D rules assume ultra-high magic, with Ye Olde Magic Marts (I think they're a chain) selling level-appropriate magical gear on every corner. I don't particularly like that campaign model, but most people seem to, and they factor in the presence of those Magic Marts when deciding if a character's bonuses are better than just going out and buying the magic stuff and taking actual levels in another class.

Despite my criticisms, I do like the idea, and I'll be watching to see the final results. Excelsior!

[Milskidasith]

Fights stuff with two knives and some "spontaneous" casting?

Note: TWF, and knife use. Those are two very specific things and strongly limit the design space you can go with this class.