Ursus the Grim
2011-03-29, 02:12 PM
Ursus the Grim's Homebrews, Installation I.
Hello again, everyone. I've been working on a few homebrews that I'm at the end of my rope with, and instead of spamming the forum with my half-finished abominations, I figured its tidyer and more courteous to keep it all quarantined to one location.
This week I present to you the Eviscerator. I may also bump the weaker abilities up, such as Improved Sunder and Maul.
http://th05.deviantart.net/images/300W/large/indyart/indymisc/now_a_werewolf.jpg
"Pick up your sword, human, and we shall see whose blade is keener."
-Grim Cano, Eviscerator
The Eviscerator
The world is a restless place. Even when the dwarves, humans, and elves are not clashing amongst themselves, they are constantly at war. Settlers and hunters attempt to expand into untamed wilderness, driving out the savage natives. Watchmen and militia defend small towns from dangerous raids by uncivilized monsters. Slowly, these conflicts tend to turn in favor of the civilized races, their weapons and armor improve and improve until hides yield to keen blades, and claws fall beneath a hail of arrows. Some of the sentient wild ones attempt to adapt, crafting or stealing weapons and armor of their own. Some individuals, even faced with the option of wielding these arms, shun them. They scorn the weapons of their enemies, viewing them as crutches for inferior beings. They much prefer to charge into battle, even if they take a few feathers on the way. The payoff comes when their claws find their way into the weak areas of scale mail, slicing through the flesh beneath, when their focused blows prove stronger than steel as they shatter blades. These few savage creatures are Eviscerators, from many weapons but of a similar combat philosophy.
Abilities: Strength is the most important for an Eviscerator, as it determines the damage he deals in melee, his ability to hit his foe, the save DCs for his special abilities, and his ability to grapple. Constitution is important as well, because many Eviscerators wear light or no armor and thus tend to be hit often. Dexterity may help the Eviscerator avoid unnecessary damage, and it is also important for several of his class skills.
Role: An Eviscerator is almost exclusively a melee combatant, able to dish out plenty of hurt and receive some in turn. His unique abilities give him the edge in single combat, but when outnumbered his effectiveness decreases significantly. The Eviscerator is the one you want to send after the biggest threat, tying them up with a dangerous grapple or simply tearing them apart.
Background: Most Eviscerators dwell on the fringes of civilization's expansion, augmenting the front-line of the monstrous races against the encroachment of dwarven kingdoms, human empires, and elven republics alike. Eviscerators are generally sent on solo tasks to counter small forces or to assassinate important targets. As a monster moves along the path of the Eviscerator, his strength is normally recognized by his people. Many Eviscerators find themselves chieftain, leader, or at least a favored bodyguard to someone with the brains to lead the organization.
Organization: Eviscerators who meet often have a mutual respect for one another, once the similarities become apparent. This, however, hardly means they bond. Instead, what is initially a fight between two entities on different sides of a conflict often flares up into an intense duel to determine the strength of one over the other.
Alignment: Any. Many Eviscerators tend to take some pleasure from the visceral feeling of entrails in their claws, so the class tends to suit evil creatures. Others take a philosophical approach to it, feeling that in order to acknowledge a death one must carry it out with their own hands and accept responsibility. To murder someone from five feet away feels like cowardice to these few Eviscerators, but to slay them in arms reach gives their death meaning and the act honor.
Races: The abilities of an Eviscerator assume the character has natural claw attacks. Common Eviscerators include werewolves, lizardfolk, and troglodytes. Smaller Eviscerators are less common, dealing less damage and being able to use less of the classes abilities, but the occasional kobold can be found dextrously avoiding blows while lacerating their opponents. A more traditional race, such as human, can be chosen, but any race without natural claw attacks deals claw damage as if they were one size smaller, and tend to attract a great deal of unwanted attention.
Religion: Eviscerators prefer to rely on their own power than to beg some unknown entity for it. They do not deny the existence of gods, but they rarely pay them any due. Generally, religious Eviscerators worship the god of their race, though evil Eviscerators tend towards Erythnul, and good ones towards Kord.
Other Classes: Eviscerators often clash with members of other classes. They scoff at the Paladin's and Fighter's reliance on forged weapons, and distrust the unnatural tilt of the Sorceror or Wizard. Of the Divine Spellcaster, the Druid may earn some of their respect. Eviscerators are known to prefer the company of Barbarians, Monks, and the occasional Ranger, because of their similarities in combat style.
Adaptation: Will be addressed in this thread. Help me adapt it to balance.
Hit Die: d10
Starting Gold: d4 x 10 gold.
Class Features
Class Skills: The Eviscerator’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skill Points Per Level After First: 4 + Intelligence Modifier
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Claw Damage|Natural Armor Bonus|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|
1d8|
+1|Pounce, Lacerate (1/day, d4 Con)
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|
1d8|
+1|
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|
1d8|
+1|Improved Grapple
4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|
2d6|
+1| Lacerate (d6 Con)
5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|
2d6|
+2|Deadly Claws (magic)
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+2|
2d6|
+2|
7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+2|
2d6|
+2|Maul (+1d6)
8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+2|
2d8|
+2| Improved Grab
9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+3|
2d8|
+2| Lacerate (3/day)
10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+3|
2d8|
+3| Deadly Claws (adamantine)
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+7|
+3|
2d8|
+3|
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+8|
+4|
3d6|
+3|
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+8|
+4|
3d6|
+3| Improved Sunder
14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+9|
+4|
3d6|
+3|Torment
15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+9|
+5|
3d6|
+4|Lacerate (5/day, 2d4 Con)
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+10|
+5|
3d8|
+4|Rend
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+10|
+5|
3d8|
+4|Deadly Claws (ghost touch)
18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+11|
+6|
3d8|
+4|Maul (+1d8 damage)
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+11|
+6|
3d8|
+4|
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+12|
+6|
4d8|
+5|Tear Asunder[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Eviscerators gain only proficiency with simple weapons and light armor.
Claw Damage: As outlined in the table above, Eviscerators of medium size deal the indicated amount of claw damage in lieu of their regular damage. Effects that increase unarmed damage increase this damage as well. Eviscerators are treated as having Improved Unarmed Attack for all purposes, including those requiring it as a prerequisite. Eviscerators of small or large size deal the damage indicated below. Eviscerators that do not naturally have a natural attack deal damage as if they were one size category smaller.
Claw Damage for Small and Large Eviscerators
{table=head]Level|Small Claw Damage|Large Claw Damage
1st-3rd|
1d6|
2d6
4th-7th|
1d8|
3d6
8th-11th|
1d10|
3d8
12th-15th|
2d6|
4d6
16th-19th|
2d8|
6d6
20th|
2d10|
6d8[/table]
Natural Armor Bonus: An Eviscerator gains an increase to its natural armor equal to the amount indicated on the table. If the Eviscerator does not have natural armor, it now gains it, using the value given above.
Pounce (Ex): When charging, an Eviscerator may make an attack with each of its claws, rather than just one.
Lacerate (Ex): An Eviscerator knows how to make its prey bleed. Once per day, he may declare one attack as a Lacerate attempt. If the attack hits, the opponent must make a Fortitude save or take 1d4 Constitution damage, and an additional point of damage each turn for a number of turns equal to the Constitution damage. For instance, an enemy hit for 3 points of Consitution damage would lose 1 hit point each round for three rounds. The save DC is equal to the Eviscerator's class level plus his Consitution bonus. At 4th level, the Consitution damage increases to d6, at 9th level, the Eviscerator may use this ability three times per day, and at 15th level, the Eviscerator may use it 5/day and deal 2d4 Consitution damage.
Improved Grapple (Ex): An Eviscerator gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat upon reaching third level.
Deadly Claws (Ex): The Eviscerator's claws, through training and bloodshed, are not to be underestimated. At 5th level, they are treated as magic weapons for purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level, they are treated as being made of adamantine. At 17th level, they may strike incorporeal creatures as if they had the ghost touch special quality.
Maul (Ex): Any time an Eviscerator of 7th level or higher makes a succesful grapple check to deal damage, he deals extra damage. At 7th level, this damage is 1d6. At 18th level, it increases to 1d8.
Improved Grab (Ex): At 8th level and higher, an Eviscerator who hits a creature his size or smaller with both claw attacks may choose to initiate a grapple automatically, without any attacks of opportunity or touch attack. If the Eviscerator is at least one size category larger than the grappled opponent, he may choose to hold the opponent with one claw, leaving himself free to act normally but taking a -20 to his grapple check. An Eviscerator may not use Improved Grab and Rend or Tear Asunder at the same time.
Improved Sunder (Ex): At 13th level, the Eviscerator gains Improved Sunder as a bonus feat.
Torment (Ex): Any hostile spellcaster adjacent to a level 14 Eviscerator suffers a -4 penalty to Concentration checks, and attacks of opportunity for casting a spell benefit from a +4 circumstance bonus.
Rend (Ex): Any creature hit by both of a 16th level Eviscerator's claws in a single round takes additional damage equal to twice the Eviscerator's claw damage, plus one and a half times his strength modifier. Thus, a creature hit by a 16th level Eviscerator's claws (with a Strength 18) takes 6d8+6 points of damage.
Tear Asunder (Ex): In addition to taking Rend damage, any living creature struck in the same round by both of a level 20 Eviscerator's claws must make either a Fortitude Save or an opposed grapple check. The save for the Fortitude Save is equal to 10 + half the Eviscerator's level + his strength Bonus). If the save or check fails, the creature is immediately ripped apart, as if by massive damage. The Eviscerator may choose to use this ability when grappling an opponent, at which point the opponent suffers a -4 penalty on the roll.
The Drawing Board
Mage Slayer (modified)
Deny ability to cast defensively, attack of opportunity for anyone attempting a 5 foot step.
Dancing Mongoose at level 10
Fountain of Blood at level 8
Prey on the Weak at level 14
Raging Mongoose at level 16
Rapid Assault early, +d6 to damage in first round.
Reaping Talons - Cornered Predator, early.
Intimidate abilities
Add Con Bonus to natural armor.
Proficiency with punching daggers, kukri, handaxe, sai, and siangham.
Extra pointy throwing.
Healing burst.
Some stealth abilities.
Buff to Lacerate, Rend, Tear Asunder and Maul.
Fluff, fluff, fluff.
Hello again, everyone. I've been working on a few homebrews that I'm at the end of my rope with, and instead of spamming the forum with my half-finished abominations, I figured its tidyer and more courteous to keep it all quarantined to one location.
This week I present to you the Eviscerator. I may also bump the weaker abilities up, such as Improved Sunder and Maul.
http://th05.deviantart.net/images/300W/large/indyart/indymisc/now_a_werewolf.jpg
"Pick up your sword, human, and we shall see whose blade is keener."
-Grim Cano, Eviscerator
The Eviscerator
The world is a restless place. Even when the dwarves, humans, and elves are not clashing amongst themselves, they are constantly at war. Settlers and hunters attempt to expand into untamed wilderness, driving out the savage natives. Watchmen and militia defend small towns from dangerous raids by uncivilized monsters. Slowly, these conflicts tend to turn in favor of the civilized races, their weapons and armor improve and improve until hides yield to keen blades, and claws fall beneath a hail of arrows. Some of the sentient wild ones attempt to adapt, crafting or stealing weapons and armor of their own. Some individuals, even faced with the option of wielding these arms, shun them. They scorn the weapons of their enemies, viewing them as crutches for inferior beings. They much prefer to charge into battle, even if they take a few feathers on the way. The payoff comes when their claws find their way into the weak areas of scale mail, slicing through the flesh beneath, when their focused blows prove stronger than steel as they shatter blades. These few savage creatures are Eviscerators, from many weapons but of a similar combat philosophy.
Abilities: Strength is the most important for an Eviscerator, as it determines the damage he deals in melee, his ability to hit his foe, the save DCs for his special abilities, and his ability to grapple. Constitution is important as well, because many Eviscerators wear light or no armor and thus tend to be hit often. Dexterity may help the Eviscerator avoid unnecessary damage, and it is also important for several of his class skills.
Role: An Eviscerator is almost exclusively a melee combatant, able to dish out plenty of hurt and receive some in turn. His unique abilities give him the edge in single combat, but when outnumbered his effectiveness decreases significantly. The Eviscerator is the one you want to send after the biggest threat, tying them up with a dangerous grapple or simply tearing them apart.
Background: Most Eviscerators dwell on the fringes of civilization's expansion, augmenting the front-line of the monstrous races against the encroachment of dwarven kingdoms, human empires, and elven republics alike. Eviscerators are generally sent on solo tasks to counter small forces or to assassinate important targets. As a monster moves along the path of the Eviscerator, his strength is normally recognized by his people. Many Eviscerators find themselves chieftain, leader, or at least a favored bodyguard to someone with the brains to lead the organization.
Organization: Eviscerators who meet often have a mutual respect for one another, once the similarities become apparent. This, however, hardly means they bond. Instead, what is initially a fight between two entities on different sides of a conflict often flares up into an intense duel to determine the strength of one over the other.
Alignment: Any. Many Eviscerators tend to take some pleasure from the visceral feeling of entrails in their claws, so the class tends to suit evil creatures. Others take a philosophical approach to it, feeling that in order to acknowledge a death one must carry it out with their own hands and accept responsibility. To murder someone from five feet away feels like cowardice to these few Eviscerators, but to slay them in arms reach gives their death meaning and the act honor.
Races: The abilities of an Eviscerator assume the character has natural claw attacks. Common Eviscerators include werewolves, lizardfolk, and troglodytes. Smaller Eviscerators are less common, dealing less damage and being able to use less of the classes abilities, but the occasional kobold can be found dextrously avoiding blows while lacerating their opponents. A more traditional race, such as human, can be chosen, but any race without natural claw attacks deals claw damage as if they were one size smaller, and tend to attract a great deal of unwanted attention.
Religion: Eviscerators prefer to rely on their own power than to beg some unknown entity for it. They do not deny the existence of gods, but they rarely pay them any due. Generally, religious Eviscerators worship the god of their race, though evil Eviscerators tend towards Erythnul, and good ones towards Kord.
Other Classes: Eviscerators often clash with members of other classes. They scoff at the Paladin's and Fighter's reliance on forged weapons, and distrust the unnatural tilt of the Sorceror or Wizard. Of the Divine Spellcaster, the Druid may earn some of their respect. Eviscerators are known to prefer the company of Barbarians, Monks, and the occasional Ranger, because of their similarities in combat style.
Adaptation: Will be addressed in this thread. Help me adapt it to balance.
Hit Die: d10
Starting Gold: d4 x 10 gold.
Class Features
Class Skills: The Eviscerator’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skill Points Per Level After First: 4 + Intelligence Modifier
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Claw Damage|Natural Armor Bonus|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|
1d8|
+1|Pounce, Lacerate (1/day, d4 Con)
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|
1d8|
+1|
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1|
1d8|
+1|Improved Grapple
4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1|
2d6|
+1| Lacerate (d6 Con)
5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|
2d6|
+2|Deadly Claws (magic)
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+2|
2d6|
+2|
7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+2|
2d6|
+2|Maul (+1d6)
8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+2|
2d8|
+2| Improved Grab
9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+3|
2d8|
+2| Lacerate (3/day)
10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+3|
2d8|
+3| Deadly Claws (adamantine)
11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+7|
+3|
2d8|
+3|
12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+8|
+4|
3d6|
+3|
13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+8|
+4|
3d6|
+3| Improved Sunder
14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+9|
+4|
3d6|
+3|Torment
15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+9|
+5|
3d6|
+4|Lacerate (5/day, 2d4 Con)
16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+10|
+5|
3d8|
+4|Rend
17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+10|
+5|
3d8|
+4|Deadly Claws (ghost touch)
18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+11|
+6|
3d8|
+4|Maul (+1d8 damage)
19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+11|
+6|
3d8|
+4|
20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+12|
+6|
4d8|
+5|Tear Asunder[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Eviscerators gain only proficiency with simple weapons and light armor.
Claw Damage: As outlined in the table above, Eviscerators of medium size deal the indicated amount of claw damage in lieu of their regular damage. Effects that increase unarmed damage increase this damage as well. Eviscerators are treated as having Improved Unarmed Attack for all purposes, including those requiring it as a prerequisite. Eviscerators of small or large size deal the damage indicated below. Eviscerators that do not naturally have a natural attack deal damage as if they were one size category smaller.
Claw Damage for Small and Large Eviscerators
{table=head]Level|Small Claw Damage|Large Claw Damage
1st-3rd|
1d6|
2d6
4th-7th|
1d8|
3d6
8th-11th|
1d10|
3d8
12th-15th|
2d6|
4d6
16th-19th|
2d8|
6d6
20th|
2d10|
6d8[/table]
Natural Armor Bonus: An Eviscerator gains an increase to its natural armor equal to the amount indicated on the table. If the Eviscerator does not have natural armor, it now gains it, using the value given above.
Pounce (Ex): When charging, an Eviscerator may make an attack with each of its claws, rather than just one.
Lacerate (Ex): An Eviscerator knows how to make its prey bleed. Once per day, he may declare one attack as a Lacerate attempt. If the attack hits, the opponent must make a Fortitude save or take 1d4 Constitution damage, and an additional point of damage each turn for a number of turns equal to the Constitution damage. For instance, an enemy hit for 3 points of Consitution damage would lose 1 hit point each round for three rounds. The save DC is equal to the Eviscerator's class level plus his Consitution bonus. At 4th level, the Consitution damage increases to d6, at 9th level, the Eviscerator may use this ability three times per day, and at 15th level, the Eviscerator may use it 5/day and deal 2d4 Consitution damage.
Improved Grapple (Ex): An Eviscerator gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat upon reaching third level.
Deadly Claws (Ex): The Eviscerator's claws, through training and bloodshed, are not to be underestimated. At 5th level, they are treated as magic weapons for purposes of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level, they are treated as being made of adamantine. At 17th level, they may strike incorporeal creatures as if they had the ghost touch special quality.
Maul (Ex): Any time an Eviscerator of 7th level or higher makes a succesful grapple check to deal damage, he deals extra damage. At 7th level, this damage is 1d6. At 18th level, it increases to 1d8.
Improved Grab (Ex): At 8th level and higher, an Eviscerator who hits a creature his size or smaller with both claw attacks may choose to initiate a grapple automatically, without any attacks of opportunity or touch attack. If the Eviscerator is at least one size category larger than the grappled opponent, he may choose to hold the opponent with one claw, leaving himself free to act normally but taking a -20 to his grapple check. An Eviscerator may not use Improved Grab and Rend or Tear Asunder at the same time.
Improved Sunder (Ex): At 13th level, the Eviscerator gains Improved Sunder as a bonus feat.
Torment (Ex): Any hostile spellcaster adjacent to a level 14 Eviscerator suffers a -4 penalty to Concentration checks, and attacks of opportunity for casting a spell benefit from a +4 circumstance bonus.
Rend (Ex): Any creature hit by both of a 16th level Eviscerator's claws in a single round takes additional damage equal to twice the Eviscerator's claw damage, plus one and a half times his strength modifier. Thus, a creature hit by a 16th level Eviscerator's claws (with a Strength 18) takes 6d8+6 points of damage.
Tear Asunder (Ex): In addition to taking Rend damage, any living creature struck in the same round by both of a level 20 Eviscerator's claws must make either a Fortitude Save or an opposed grapple check. The save for the Fortitude Save is equal to 10 + half the Eviscerator's level + his strength Bonus). If the save or check fails, the creature is immediately ripped apart, as if by massive damage. The Eviscerator may choose to use this ability when grappling an opponent, at which point the opponent suffers a -4 penalty on the roll.
The Drawing Board
Mage Slayer (modified)
Deny ability to cast defensively, attack of opportunity for anyone attempting a 5 foot step.
Dancing Mongoose at level 10
Fountain of Blood at level 8
Prey on the Weak at level 14
Raging Mongoose at level 16
Rapid Assault early, +d6 to damage in first round.
Reaping Talons - Cornered Predator, early.
Intimidate abilities
Add Con Bonus to natural armor.
Proficiency with punching daggers, kukri, handaxe, sai, and siangham.
Extra pointy throwing.
Healing burst.
Some stealth abilities.
Buff to Lacerate, Rend, Tear Asunder and Maul.
Fluff, fluff, fluff.