Help! Need 53 class abilities!

[NineThePuma]

I'm brewing up a class that uses abilities based on a hand from a deck of cards. I have a general theme for each suit (Hearts are Arcane, Spades are Martial, Diamonds are Sneaky/Roguey/Skill-monkeyish, and Clubs are Divine), and I want pairs/three-of-akind/four-of-a-kind to synergize somewhat.

Anyone willing to help? =3

[Betropper]

I'm brewing up a class that uses abilities based on a hand from a deck of cards. I have a general theme for each suit (Hearts are Arcane, Spades are Martial, Diamonds are Sneaky/Roguey/Skill-monkeyish, and Clubs are Divine), and I want pairs/three-of-akind/four-of-a-kind to synergize somewhat.

Anyone willing to help? =3

A little note: the suits of the deck of cards were literally ment to represent
Hearts: The Clergy
Spades: The military
Dimonds: The merchants
Clubs: The agriculture

If you keep the themes I recommend switching heart and clubs out. For fluff, of course, just my two cents.

[NineThePuma]

I actually have 'Hearts' as 'Wands' in my notes, which is why it's like that. ^^;;

[Telonius]

Not sure how these would be arranged based on the others, but here are a few for Martial...

Spades
2 Fast Movement
3 Rage
4 Uncanny Dodge
5 Improved Uncanny Dodge
6 Trap Sense
7 Bonus Fighter Feat
8 Favored Enemy
8 Poison Use
9 Armor Mastery
10 Bulwark of Defense
J Pounce
Q Mettle
K Bonus Feat: Martial Study
A Loyal Beyond Death

[NineThePuma]

Not sure how these would be arranged based on the others, but here are a few for Martial...

Spades
-snip-Awesome!

The only one that doesn't work is Improved Uncanny Dodge, as I would build that into Uncanny Dodge. =3

Where's Loyal Beyond Death from?

[Derjuin]

A while ago I homebrewed a class based on fake tarot cards; though there isn't any intentional synergy between the four decks, perhaps you can use them to inspire some abilities for your class? If so, check out the sections labeled Enigmas at the bottom of this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10584914&postcount=7) and the rest in this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10589322&postcount=8).

[Edan]

Awesome!

The only one that doesn't work is Improved Uncanny Dodge, as I would build that into Uncanny Dodge. =3

Where's Loyal Beyond Death from?

I'm away from books at the moment but I think it is the Knight's capstone feature. It is from Player's Handbook II.

[Strife Warzeal]

Where's Loyal Beyond Death from?

IIRC it is the Knight's capstone ability. Basically by my understanding, you can't die until the encounters over when it activates.

Edit: Ninja'd

[Telonius]

Awesome!

The only one that doesn't work is Improved Uncanny Dodge, as I would build that into Uncanny Dodge. =3

Where's Loyal Beyond Death from?

Knight class, PHB2. I suppose it would grant you daily knights' challenges per your level, usable on LBD, if you drew it. Speaking of which, you could sub in the usual Test of Mettle for Improved Uncanny Dodge - was just going through Barbarian when I wrote that one down.

For Rogue-ish:

2 Bonus Skill Trick
3 Sneak Attack
4 Trapfinding
5 Improved Uncanny Dodge
6 Skill Mastery
7 Cover Identity (Spymaster PrC)
8 Poison Use
9 Crippling Strike
10 Death Attack (Assassin)
J Deceive Item (Warlock)
Q Improved Evasion
K Hide in Plain Sight
A Bonus Feat: Craven

[NineThePuma]

That's nifty, though fairly powerful. Not exactly anything to write home about at the end of the day. =\

[Starbuck_II]

I'm brewing up a class that uses abilities based on a hand from a deck of cards. I have a general theme for each suit (Hearts are Arcane, Spades are Martial, Diamonds are Sneaky/Roguey/Skill-monkeyish, and Clubs are Divine), and I want pairs/three-of-akind/four-of-a-kind to synergize somewhat.

Anyone willing to help? =3

3.5 only or is Pathfinder allowed?
Diamonds
2 Sneak Attack
3 Skirmish
4 Psychic Strike
5 Bleeding attack
6 Shadow Clone (mirror image)
7 Trapfinding
8 Ghost step (CV ninja one) 1/day (more of spend Ki), swift action improved Invis 1 rd
8 Poison Use
9 Evasion
10 Ghost Walk (Pathfinder Ninja version, used to walk thr walls)
J Exploit Weakness: Critical hits ignore DR. Plus, Regen no work that round.
Q Skill Focus
K Assassinate
A Deadly Range: Range that one can apply percision damage increases by 10 ft+ 10 ft for every 3 levels after 3rd.

[The Rabbler]

Hearts:

Spell List: all arcane spells on any spell list

2. Prestidigitation at will
3. pick a 1st level spell usable 3/day (like SLA, but without benefits)
4. pick a 2nd level spell usable 3/day
5. Abrupt Jaunt
6. pick a 3rd level spell usable 3/day
7. pick a 4th level spell usable 3/day
8. pick a 4th level spell and a 5th level spell each usable 2/day
9. pick a 5th level spell and a 6th level spell each usable 2/day
10. pick a 6th level spell and a 7th level spell each usable 2/day
J. pick a 7th level spell and an 8th level spell each usable 2/day
Q. pick an 8th level spell usable 2/day and a 9th level spell usable 1/day
K. give each spell chosen an additional 1/day use
A. Choose 1 spell of every level available usable 1/day

I figured that the class would have a table dictating at what levels the player unlocks new cards, so giving this kind of spellcasting would seem more fair. Maybe change up the order based on how the card acquisition is staggered, but something like that should be pretty solid.

also also:
pairs: Bonus Feat: Knowledge Devotion/Arcane Strike (or Divine Strike)/Free Metamagic (3/day) based on the pairs (see below)
triples: numeric features of the triple's cards' effects doubled and 2 of above
4 of a kind: all 4 of the pairs' abilities, all numeric features doubled (note: for all class features), and Winner's Luck

Winner's Luck- The Wild Card (no idea what the class is called) gets the best hand of his life and is betting everything on it. Reroll all rolls between 6 and 15 (inclusive).

as for the pairs,
knowledge devotion = spades + diamonds
arcane strike = hearts + spades or hearts + diamonds
divine strike = clubs + spades or clubs + diamonds
free metamagic 3/day = hearts + clubs

triples get to pick 2 of the above abilities (even if the pairs rules qualify them for 3).

yes, I know that you're twice as likely to get arcane/divine strike as you are of getting the other two. That's only because I couldn't think of anything that would benefit a rogue/mage that wouldn't benefit a fighter/mage and vice versa.

[NineThePuma]

Card progression is not staggered in any way shape or form. You've got a 52 card deck (+ joker), and you literally draw from it.

The individual cards would need to advance by level some or otherwise be appropriate across all levels.

However: I like your strikes and having a unique 'pair' benefit. =3 I'll need to look into that sorta stuff.

[The Rabbler]

in that case, how about something like this:

Hearts:

2. prestidigitation at will (we all love prestidigitation)
3. Choose any spell of 1/3 highest spell level usable 1/day
4. Choose any spell of up to 1/3 highest spell level usable 2/day
5. Choose any two spells of up to 1/3 highest spell level usable 2/day each
6. Abrupt Jaunt (int mod/day)
7. Choose any one spell of up to 1/3 highest spell level usable 2/day and any one spell of up to 2/3 highest spell level usable 1/day
8. Choose any two spells of up to 2/3 highest spell level usable 1/day each
9. Choose any two spells of up to 2/3 highest spell level usable 2/day each
10. SR (level/2 + 10)
J. Choose any two spells of up to highest spell usable 1/day each
Q. Choose any two spells of up to highest spell usable 2/day each
K. Choose any three spells of up to highest spell usable 3/day each
A. Spell Turning (Su)

highest spell level = class level/2 max 9th. round up.

Also, if you're having the player have more than 4 cards at any given time, you may want to include something about
1. sacrificing cards from the hand for extremely powerful effects or
2. giving additional bonuses based on flushes.

reasoning for 1: once your cards are picked, your character could end up being extremely interesting and in possession of a ton of fun options, or the character could be filled with a bunch of passive options and end up extremely boring. These could be unlocked as actual class features so that progression in the class is encouraged.

reasoning for 2: getting 5 of the same suit is unlikely. not super unlikely, but it's unlikely and it seems like something special should happen when it does. maybe the character can only use that suit that day, but you get every card in the suit?

EDIT: possible jokers;

Joker. draw two more cards
Joker. look at the top 5 cards in the deck, pick 1 to put in your hand and put the rest on the bottom of the deck
Joker. you get the option of discarding your hand and drawing another full hand. usable after the full hand has been drawn. (get out of hand free card)
Joker. Deck of Many Things gets summoned and the player must draw a card (this is a joke. do not use this.)

[Socratov]

for the joker: pick a card from hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades, shuffle those 4 and draw 2 cards from it, discard the rest (quite imba, but for a 1/53 chance quite appropiate, and it has a downside, damn those sneeky bastards :smallwink: )

[Hazzardevil]

I think the best thing you can do is to post this class on the forums, it will make helping easier. I think though that you should get combinations when getting runs and cards of the same number.

I think that for the stealthy suit, you should have one of the abilitys be getting a number of skill points that you can put wherever you want.

[faceroll]

A little note: the suits of the deck of cards were literally ment to represent
Hearts: The Clergy
Spades: The military
Dimonds: The merchants
Clubs: The agriculture

If you keep the themes I recommend switching heart and clubs out. For fluff, of course, just my two cents.

Are you sure spades and clubs wouldn't be the other way around?

[Flame of Anor]

Spades: The military

Oh, of course! Because "spade" originally meant "sword"! I love etymology :smallbiggrin: