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View Full Version : "I don't mean to miss..."[Base Class][3.5][PEACH]



Amechra
2011-06-11, 12:19 AM
Blade Artist

http://www.weapons-universe.com/Brands/Hibben_Knives/Knife_Throwing.jpg (http://www.weapons-universe.com/Brands/Hibben_Knives/Knife_Throwing.jpg)

You think you can dodge my knife? Hah, unlikely; might as well try to dodge fate. After all, can something miss after it has already hit?

A general description of what your class is!

Adventures: Why your class might adventure.

Characteristics: What your class is capable of.

Alignment: What alignment or alignments your class may have and why.

Religion: What deities or ideals your class follows, if any, and why.

Background: How you become part of your class and why.

Races: What races most often have members of your class, as well as any races that cannot join, along with why.

Other Classes: How your class relates to other classes, positively or negatively, and why.

Role: What your class does in and for a party.

Adaptation: How a DM might change your class to fit into their campaign or unique world setting.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
CLASS NAME's have the following game statistics.
Abilities: A brief description of what ability scores are important to your class.
Alignment: What alignments are available to your class are listed here. "Any" is a possibility.
Hit Die: d6
Starting Age: What age your class starts at level one as normally ("As barbarian," "As bard," and "As cleric" are the standard options, though feel free to put down the numbers, as well.).
Starting Gold: What amount of currency your class starts at level one with normally ("As barbarian," "As cleric," "As druid," "As fighter," "As monk," and "As sorcerer" are the standard options, though feel free to put down the numbers, as well.).

Class Skills
The CLASS NAME's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are...

Skill Points at First Level: (x + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: x + Int modifier

BLADE ARTIST
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Knife Damage|Meditative Range

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Ki Pool, 1st Favored Enemy, Shadowed Knife 1d4|1d4|50'

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Block the Chi|1d4|60'

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Shadowed Knife 2d4|1d4|70'

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Meditative Focus (AC)|1d6|80'

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|2nd Favored Enemy, Shadowed Knife 3d4|1d6|90'

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Impossible Throw 1/Round|1d6|100'

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Shadowed Knife 4d4|1d6|110'

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Meditative Focus (Saves)|1d8|120'

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+6|Shadowed Knife 5d4|1d8|130'

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|3rd Favored Enemy|1d8|140'

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+7|Shadowed Knife 6d4|1d8|150'

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Impossible Throw 2/Round, Meditative Focus (Damage)|1d10|160'

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Shadowed Knife 7d4|1d10|170'

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9||1d10|180'

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|4th Favored Enemy, Shadowed Knife 8d4|1d10|190'

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Meditative Focus (Attack)|2d6|200'

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Shadowed Knife 9d4|2d6|210'

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Impossible Throw 3/Round|2d6|220'

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Shadowed Knife 10d4|2d6|230'

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|5th Favored Enemy, Enlightenment|2d8|240'[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Blade Artist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Blade Artists are proficient in all forms of the dagger (i.e., every weapon that would be affected by the Weapon Focus: Dagger feat, hereafter referred to as a "knife"), and all simple weapons. They are also proficient in light armor.

Knife Damage (Ex): As long as a single Ki Point remains in your pool, the damage dice you use for your knives is as indicated by the table above.

Meditative Range (Ex): As long as a single Ki Point remains in your pool, you may choose to throw your knives up to the indicated range, with no range increment, whenever you use them as a thrown weapon; if you are using your knives, you may deal precision damage out to half that range (minimum 30').

Ki Pool (Su): As Ninja ability of the same name, only referencing Blade Artist instead of Ninja levels.

Favored Enemy (Ex): As the Ranger ability of the same name, but with the addition of the following bonus: you have a number of bonus Ki Points equal to half your Favored Enemy bonus, which can only be used on creatures that fall under that Favored Enemy category.

Shadowed Blade (Su): A Blade Artist has meditated for years, and has hit upon an understanding; that the blades they throw are no more than imperfect representations of a more perfect, ideal blade; with long study, they have an understanding of how to bring about an instance of that true perfection.

As such, whenever they would attack with their knives against a flat-footed opponent, or one that is denied their dexterity bonus to AC, they do not use the normal damage dice for their knives; instead, they deal the listed amount of damage as force damage. This is a force effect.

This ability does not work against creatures that are immune to critical hits; however, if they have a favored enemy bonus towards that creature type, they may treat them as having Fortification (10-Favored Enemy Bonus)*10% instead.

The dice for Shadowed Blade count as Sneak Attack dice for the purpose of prerequisites.

Block the Chi (Ex): A Blade Artist doesn't merely throw knives; he is also deeply practiced in the art of manipulating the chi in the body of another, resulting in deep troubles for the affected. A Blade Artist of at least 2nd level can use any of the following effects when attacking with their knives, by spending the listed amount of Ki Points. Each effect offers a save against DC 10+Number of Ki Points remaining in your pool; do not include those gained from your Favored Enemies, except against creatures who are from that catagory.

{table=head]Pressure Point|Ki Point Cost|
Effect

Heron's Nest|1|The target must make a Fortitude save, or else be either sickened, fatigued, or stunned for 1d4 rounds.

Owl's Ignorance|2|The target must make a Fortitude save, or else be blinded

Mage's Plexus|5|The target must make a Fortitude save, or else be incapable of using spells or spell-like abilities for 1d4 rounds.

Loving Heart|5|The target must make a Fortitude save, or die. This is not a death effect.[/table]

The saves for any of these abilities can be removed by doubling the number of points spent. The save type for any of these abilities can be changed by spending one extra Ki Point.

Meditative Focus (Ex): A Blade Artist has achieved nigh-peerless mastery with knives;and their method behind this, deeply concentrated meditation, also extends a benefit to other areas of their life.

At 4th level, you add their Wisdom Modifier to their AC.
At 8th level, you add their Wisdom Modifier to all saving throws.
At 12th level, you add their Wisdom Modifier to damage rolls.
At 16th level, you add your Wisdom Modifier to attack rolls.

Impossible Throw (Ex): Blade Artists aren't merely good with their knives; they pass excellence, making it almost hard to believe that they are anywhere near as good as they are through merely mundane means.

At 6th level, you may, once per every round, when you attack with a knife, perform an Impossible Throw. You may select one of the following options:

You may cause the knife to hit unerringly Blade Artist; instead of rolling an attack roll, your target automatically takes the damage from the attack (Will save vs. DC 10+1/2 Blade Artist Level+Wisdom for half; you may spend a Ki Point to change the save type (try to DODGE fate, bitch!)). Damage reduction applies to the damage.

You may toss out another knife with almost lightening-like speed; you may perform another ranged attack with a knife as part of the same action.

You may toss a knife in such a way that your enemies run into them all on their own; you may perform an AoO using a knife as if you had a reach equal to half of your Meditative Range.

You may parry another ranged attack; as part of this action, make an attack roll. If it is higher than the attacker's attack roll, their attack fails. This ability counts as an AoO, and only can be used against ranged attacks that path within a number of feet equal to half your Meditative Range.

You may find impossibly small chinks in their armor; you may completely bypass up to twice your Wisdom modifier in Damage Reduction.

At 12th level, and every 6 levels thereafter, you get another use of this ability per round; you may use multiple uses of this ability on the same attack (for example, Thaddeaus, a Blade Artist 12, with Wisdom 24, wishes to harm a dragon coming in to strafe the party; he uses his two uses of Impossible Throw to use a knife as an AoO and to replace the attack roll with a save; as such, the Dragon now has to make a DC 23 Will save, or take the knife's complete damage (at least 8-17 damage, probably far more), along with any Block the Ki effect that he may wish to use with that attack.)

Enlightenment (Ex): A Blade Artist has reached the end of his journey, and as such transcends mere flesh.
At 20th level, you gain the following benefits:
-You replace your Constitution modifier with their Wisdom modifier for all purposes.
-All of your abilities cost one Ki Point less.
-You no longer have to eat, drink, sleep, or breath.


________________

So, that's that for mechanics (for now.) I would like suggestions for more Block the Chi and Impossible Throw abilities.

The reasoning behind the use of Ki Points to change saves is that it:
mechanically: allows you to target a weak save.
fluffy: allows you to represent them toughing it out (Fortitude), resisting through sheer will (Will), or moving out of the way, so that they hit something less vital (Reflex.)

This guy is supposed to be a ranged debuffer who ends up having problems missing with their tosses.

Quellian-dyrae
2011-06-11, 02:55 AM
It looks pretty cool, although the Block Chi effects have some imbalances I think.

In Heron's Nest, Stunned is a vastly more powerful effect than Sickened or Fatigued. A 1d4 round stun at level 2 might be a bit much. A 1d4 round no-save stun at level 2 is definitely too much.

As it happens Stunned is also better than the double-cost Blinded, although there isn't a duration listed for Owl's Ignorance. Is it meant to be permanent?

Strictly speaking, Stunned also beats unable to cast spells. You can't cast while stunned anyway, or do anything else, and you lose some defense.

A save-or-die at level 2 is also just too powerful (and blows away the equal-cost Mage's Plexus in any case). And with a 10 Ki cost, it becomes an instant-kill on a hit. An expensive one, perhaps, but still too strong. If you pump Wis (which you probably will), you could probably get that much Ki by level 8-10.

My advice would be to assign some minimum levels to different status effects, and remove (or maybe delay) the no-save option. At that point you could also shift the costs down a bit. I'd probably do something like this:

Level 2 (1 Ki): Dazzled (Ref, 1d10 Rounds), Deafened (Ref, 1d8 Rounds), Exhausted (Fort, 1d4 Rounds), Fatigued (Fort, 1d6 Rounds), Immobilized (Ref, 1d4 Rounds), Shaken (Will, 1d6 Rounds), Sickened (Fort, 1d6 Rounds).

Level 5 (2 Ki): Blinded (Ref, 1d6 Rounds), Confused (Will, 1d4 Rounds), No Spells (Will, 1d8 Rounds), Slowed (Ref, 1d6 Rounds), Staggered (Fort, 1d6 Rounds).

Level 8 (3 Ki): Asleep (Will, 1d4 Rounds), Dazed (Will, 1d6 Rounds), Frightened (Will, 1d6 Rounds), Nauseated (Fort, 1d8 Rounds), Stunned (Fort, 1d4 Rounds), Unconscious (Fort, 1d3 Rounds), Panicked (Will, 1d4 Rounds), Paralyzed (Ref, 1d4 Rounds).

Level 11 (4 Ki): Killed (Fort).

Level 14 (1 Ki): Remove save for Level 2 effects.

Level 17 (2 Ki): Remove save for Level 5 effects.

Level 20 (3 Ki): Remove save for Level 8 effects.

And then maybe let them spend extra Ki to increase duration one step per additional Ki point (rounds to minutes to hours to days to permanent).

DracoDei
2011-06-11, 10:39 AM
Class Skills
The CLASS NAME's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are...
I recommend you include at least the following: Balance, Knowledge(Religion), Knowledge(The Planes), Tumble

Balance and Tumble are for stunt throws, and are inspired by the Circus/Carnival feel. Even if that isn't the feel you are going for, despite the picture, they would work well.
The knowledge skills are due to your talking about the "Conceptual Ideal of a Knife".


Skill Points at First Level: (x + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: x + Int modifier
4 or 6 seems the right base here (depends on number of skills, which you don't have yet).




Knife Damage (Ex): As long as a single Ki Point remains in your pool, the damage dice you use for your knives is as indicated by the table above.
This should stage with the artist's size. See also my note on Favored Enemy.


Meditative Range (Ex): As long as a single Ki Point remains in your pool, you may choose to throw your knives up to the indicated range, with no range increment, whenever you use them as a thrown weapon; if you are using your knives, you may deal precision damage out to half that range (minimum 30').
Does the second part apply in melee?

Favored Enemy (Ex): As the Ranger ability of the same name, but with the addition of the following bonus: you have a number of bonus Ki Points equal to half your Favored Enemy bonus, which can only be used on creatures that fall under that Favored Enemy category.
Having a hard time seeing the fluff behind this crunch. Not that it won't make sense when you explain it, just that you DO need to explain it.

You need to clarify that you either:

Don't count such points as "a single Ki point remain(ing) in your pool."
Only qualify as such when you are attacking or defending against an attack from the favored enemy associated with that specific Ki pool, or if you have at least one point in your main pool.




Shadowed Blade (Su): A Blade Artist has meditated for years, and has hit upon an understanding; that the blades they throw are no more than imperfect representations of a more perfect, ideal blade; with long study, they have an understanding of how to bring about an instance of that true perfection.

As such, whenever they would attack with their knives against a flat-footed opponent, or one that is denied their dexterity bonus to AC, they do not use the normal damage dice for their knives; instead, they deal the listed amount of damage as force damage. This is a force effect.

This ability does not work against creatures that are immune to critical hits; however, if they have a favored enemy bonus towards that creature type, they may treat them as having Fortification (10-Favored Enemy Bonus)*10% instead.

The dice for Shadowed Blade count as Sneak Attack dice for the purpose of prerequisites.

This ability needs to be optional to use, since it nixes strength bonuses, enhancement bonuses to hit, energy enchantments(flaming, frost, shocking, etc), power attack (yeah, not the most likely weapon to power attack with), etc. Alternatively, state that they DO still get such damage sources, and non-energy damage is transformed into force damage


Block the Chi (Ex):
Seens like the poster above me had a lot to say about this, so I am going to leave it alone at least for a bit.

Stopping here, at least for the moment.

Gideon Falcon
2011-06-13, 04:08 PM
Very interesting. I'm looking forward to see your finished Base Class contest entry.