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eftexar
2011-07-09, 12:07 AM
Tactician (3.5)

Abilities: Intelligence is you most important ability as it determines many of your bonuses, some of which even benefit your allies.

Organization: Though tacticians are a wide and varied group from many walks of life, it is not uncommon for tacticians to meet for wargames.

Alignment: Tacticians vary widely in alignment, but the planning a tactician often does for battle makes lawful a common alignment. A tactician may never be of the chaotic alignment.

Religion: The religion of tacticians is varied, although they are liable to worship gods of knowledge or war.

Background: Tacticians usually learn from battle, possibly even war, and many learn from generals.

Races: Most tacticians are humans. Why? Because we seem to have the most wars.

Other Classes: You probably won't be treated much different than a warrior or solider, although your considerable skill at battling in large groups can be intimidating.

Role: You are probably best as a front-line fighter, but coupled with some spellcasting levels you could make a buffer. Regardless you fight better in groups than alone.

Class Features

Hit Die: d8

Starting Gold: As Rogue

Skills: Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex)

Skill Points: 4 + Int mod (x 4 at first level)

{table=head]Level | Base Attack Bonus | Bad Save | Good Save | Will Save | Special | Stances Known | Max Stance Level
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Adjustable Stance, Stances, Natural Born Fighter, Focused Mind +0/+0 | 1 | 1
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Flank Attack +1d4, Focused Mind +1/+1 | 2 | 1
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Battle Tactics | 2 | 2
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Tactical Command, Focused Mind +1/+2 | 2 | 2
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Improved Combat Maneuvers | 3 | 3
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Focused Mind +1/+3 | 3 | 3
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Combat Aide | 3 | 4
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Focused Mind +2/+4 | 3 | 4
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Ready for Anything | 4 | 5
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Flank Attack +2d4, Focused Mind +2/+5 | 4 | 5
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Redirect | 4 | 6
12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Tactical Command, Focused Mind +2/+6 | 4 | 6
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Eyes in the Back of Your Head | 4 | 7
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Focused Mind +3/+7 | 5 | 7
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Rally | 5 | 8
16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Focused Mind +3/+8 | 5 | 8
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Instant Critical | 5 | 9
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Flank Attack +3d4, Focused Mind +3/+9 | 5 | 9
19th | +14/+9/+5 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Tactical Start | 5 | 9
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Mass Rally, Tactical Command, Focused Mind +4/+10 | 6 | 9
[/table]

Weapons and Armor Proficiencies: You are proficient with all simple weapons, plus either three martial weapons of your choice and or one exotic weapon of your choice. You are also proficient with medium armor and shields (except tower).

Class Abilities


Stances:
Choose 3 disciplines. You begin with a single stance in one of those disciplines and gain an additional stance at levels 2, 5, 9, 14, and 20. You may only have one stance active at a time, however you can change the stance you are currently in as a move action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless stated otherwise. You are not considered a martial class and this does not grant you initiator levels.
You only receive the benefits of any stance while focused mind is active.

Natural Born Fighter:
You qualify for feats and prestige classes as if your Tactician class levels were fighter levels.

Adjustable Stance:
You have no set reflex or fortitude save. Instead you may take a swift action during the start of your turn (before any other actions) to switch which one is a good save and which one is a bad save. You take a -2 penalty to your high save for 1d4 rounds after switching (this penalty does not stack). Note that this swapping only applies for the saves granted by this class (see good and bad save columns).

Lv1+ > Focused Mind:
You may focus your mind as a standard action. While it is active you gain a bonus to your intelligence and wisdom as well as AC. Any condition that would force you to make a concentration check for a spell forces you to make a concentration check with a DC of your opponents attack roll - 5, with failure ending your focus. These bonuses are listed as follows +?/+? with the first being your wisdom/intelligence bonus and the second being your ac bonus.

Lv2, 10 ,18 > Flank Attack:
Anytime you are flanking a foe, that you can receive flanking bonuses against, and make an attack of opportunity against your target you deal extra damage on your first strike in the attack sequence equal to the number listed on the chart.

Lv3 > Battle Tactics:
As long as your focused mind ability is functioning you gain your intelligence modifier as a bonus to your will save and your chosen high save.

Lv4, 12, 20 > Tactical Command:
At each level indicated you may choose one of the following as a new ability. You may not choose the same ability more than once. While all effects are active at once, you may not grant more than one abilities bonuses to allies at any one time (the new one takes precedence).


Boost Command:
You gain a bonus to reflex saves and initiative rolls equal to 1/4 the levels you had in this class when you obtained this ability. Additionally you gain a boost to your speed during charges equal to 1/4 the levels you had in this class when you obtained this ability multiplied by 5.
As a standard action you may grant this to all allies within 30ft for 3 rounds. This continues to work even if they exit this area. This only functions while your Focused Mind is successfully active. Multiple uses do not stack and the longer duration supersedes the shorter.
Special: The next time you choose a new tactical command ability after this one the bonus to reflex saves and initiative rolls increases by +1.



Guard Command:
You gain bonus to your fortitude saves and AC (this is considered a circumstance bonus) equal to 1/4 the levels you had in this class when you obtained this ability.
As a standard action you may grant this to all allies within 30ft for 3 rounds. This continues to work even if they exit this area. This only functions while your Focused Mind is successfully active. Multiple uses do not stack and the longer duration supersedes the shorter.
Special: The next time you choose a new tactical command ability after this one the bonus to fortitude saves and ac increases by +1.



Caster Command:
You gain a +1 to your caster level. You also regenerate 1 spell point per hour.
As a standard action you may grant a bonus to the caster level of all allies within 30ft for 3 rounds. This bonus is equal to 1/4 the levels you had in this class when you obtained this ability. This continues to work even if they exit this area.
At the end of its duration (assuming it was not ended before the end of its duration) any allies effected recover spell points equal to the levels you had in this class when you obtained this ability. No ally affected by this may recover more than your levels in this class points per a day. This only functions while your Focused Mind is successfully active.
Multiple uses do not stack and the longer duration supersedes the shorter.
Special: The next time you choose a new tactical command ability after this one the bonus to your allies caster level increases by +1.



Position Command:
As a standard action you may grant all allies within 30ft the benefit of your current stance. You may not grant allies the benefits of a stance of a level higher than half the level you had in this class when you took this ability. This continues to work even if they exit this area. This only functions while your Focused Mind is successfully active and ends immediately if you change your stance.
Multiple uses do not stack and the longer duration supersedes the shorter.
Special: The next time you choose a new tactical command ability after this one the maximum level of stance you may grant your allies increases by +1.



Flank Tactics:
You gain a damage bonus to your Flank Attack ability. You gain a total number of 1d4s equal 1/4 the levels you had in this class when you took this ability.
As a standard action you may grant your Flank Attack ability to all allies within 30ft for 3 rounds. They only receive the standard damage listed on the chart however (not that granted by flank tactics). This continues to work even if they exit this area. This only functions while your Focused Mind is successfully active. Multiple uses do not stack and the longer duration supersedes the shorter.
Special: The next time you choose a new tactical command ability after this one you gain an additional +1d4 to your flank attack.



Attack Command:
You gain a bonus to melee and ranged attack rolls equal to 1/4 the levels you had in this class when you obtained this ability. This bonus to attack rolls does not grant extra attacks. Additionally you gain a +1 bonus to all physical damage rolls.
As a standard action you may grant this to all allies within 30ft for 3 rounds. This continues to work even if they exit this area. This only functions while your Focused Mind is successfully active. Multiple uses do not stack and the longer duration supersedes the shorter.
Special: The next time you choose a new tactical command ability after this one the bonus to attack increases by +1.


Lv5 > Improved Combat Maneuvers:
Whenever a foe attempts to disarm or trip you, and you win the opposed roll you may immediately initiate another opposed roll to disarm or trip them, as appropriate, even if that foe possesses the improved disarm or improved trip feats.

Lv7 > Combat Aide:
Any ally within 30ft gains a bonus to all attack and damage rolls equal to your intelligence modifier when attacking an enemy currently engaged in combat with you (defined as one of you have taken an aggressive action against the other since your last turn).

Lv9 > Ready For Anything:
You ignore the extra damage granted by the power attack feat when someone uses it against you. Your opponent still receives the penalty.

Lv11 > Redirect:
Anytime you are being flanked and an attack misses it hits the target helping your attacker flank. If this would affect more than one foe, one is instead chosen at random.

Lv13 > Eyes in the Back of Your Head:
While opponents may still gain flanking bonuses, you may not be sneak attacked (or any similarly structured ability) for being flanked.

Lv15 > Rally:
As a swift action you may grant any single ally within 30ft either an immediate move or an immediate standard action. Each use requires you to make an intelligence check DC 15 + 3 per time used today, in order for it to function.

Lv17 > Instant Critical:
Once per day you may declare a melee attack to automatically be a critical hit.

Lv19 > Tactical Start:
Once per a day you may declare yourself to automatically have the highest initiative.

Lv20 > Mass Rally:
As a standard action you may grant all allies within 30ft either an immediate move or an immediate standard action. You may only use this ability once per a day.



Design Notes:
My intent was to make a class that heavily relied on allies, all while buffing them. In the end I think the class could stand on its own in one on one combat if it had to.
The focused mind ability comes from the idea that thinking during battle is difficult. So alot of the abilities here rely on maintaining concentration in the thick of battle.
After that I had an idea. Wouldn't it be weird if the tactician could use stances but not maneuvers, sort of to recognize his ability to position himself on the field.
The only feature I'm not to sure about is the ability to swap saves at will.

DracoDei
2011-07-09, 12:27 PM
Focused mind needs an equivalent spell level for purposes of concentration checks.

Quellian-dyrae
2011-07-09, 03:33 PM
All in all, this looks like a pretty solid martial buffer. I have a few thoughts, but the only really glaring thing I see is how easily you can lose Focused Mind, and the severity of doing so.


Stances:

This is cool, I wonder though if given the tactical and ally-boosting nature of the class if some ability to let them share a stance with their allies would be worth adding.


Lv1+ > Focused Mind:

The issue I see here is that just being hit forces a high-DC Concentration check. Potentially an impossible one, depending on damage optimization. For a character who is at least fairly likely to be on the front lines, this makes it really hard to use a number of your class features and hinders your defenses to boot. I see it having a fairly severe spiral effect; you go in with your high AC, but one good hit not only removes that, but also penalizes you, leaving you exposed and vulnerable. I'm not quite sure how to fix it without sacrificing the flavor you're looking for, although my initial thought would be remove the penalty and just have it end, but still be something you can activate again on your next turn. It would still be a pretty harsh penalty, losing a sizable AC bonus and basically needing to burn a standard action to start using many of your class features again, but it would be somewhat less crippling.


Lv3 > Battle Tactics:

Caster Command is a bit odd in the general sense since not all groups use spell points, but for a group that does I think it's fair enough. I assume Caster Strength means Caster Level? Or is that something specific to your group?


Lv15 > Tactical Start:

I don't think this at all needs to be 1/week. 1/day is fine, especially for a 15th-level ability (after all, by this level, the casters can Moment of Prescience their way to +25 Initiative).


Lv19 > Rally:

Extra actions for allies seems like a fairly iconic ability for a leader/tactician type character. Personally, I'd have made this one come a lot earlier, and maybe scale some through the levels, but that's just me. Balance-wise, there's nothing wrong with it.

erictheredd
2011-07-09, 03:34 PM
I'm not sure that this class fights much better in a group than out. I see the following:

Tactical command: pretty good, probably what you are reffering to. however, it should probably progress rather than being static: at least each time you get it your old one should increase, even if that means the new one is low.

also, spell points? what are spell points?


Combat aide: good, only works against one opponent.

Rally: good, though its at a little high level


Of the five group fighting features, they come at levels 4,7,12,19, and 20

maybe I'm just used to low level characters, and maybe the class need to be re fluffed as an analytical fighter rather than a tactical master.

Things that could be useful with-out being unbalanced:

an additional bonus when flanking, to either damage or attack. not exactly sneak attack damage, though I suppose you could use it, but a tactician is experienced in ganging up on a foe

perhaps more opertunities to flank. if a tactician and another foe both threaten a creature it is considered flanked.

thats what I would think about at the lower levels, at least

eftexar
2011-07-09, 05:12 PM
I changed the concentration check entirely, DracoDei, instead of listing a spell level (i think the new way balances more).
And as for your points, Quellian-dyrae and erictheredd:
I removed the focused mind penalty.
Added ability to share stances as a tactical command ability.
Reworded caster strength to caster level
Changed tactical start to 1/day
Moved rally to be gained earlier by switching with tactical start
Added mass rally
Gave tactical command some progression
Added flanking damage bonus, but only on attacks of opportunity
Did not add more opportunities to flank b/c I am worried about balance.

Oh and spell points are an alternative system used for spellcasters. They are listed in the unearthed arcana. They are part of a system I am used to.

edit-
Added ability to share Flank Attack ability as a tactical command
Added new tactical command- attack command