(Oath)Swearing

[marcielle]

I recently took a look at Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved and saw the Oathsworn class. It looks like a much better unarmed fighter than the monk. I'd like the thoughts of anybody who has seent he class and has more experience than me(most anyone) at judging class power,etc. I realise it still has all the limitations of a melee class but I meant compared to other melee classes(eg. dungeoncrasher fighter, barbarian and martial adepts)

[Shadowknight12]

I was sorely disappointed by this thread's title.

Other than that, I've nothing to say, having never even heard of that class.

[Daftendirekt]

I was sorely disappointed by this thread's title.

Ditto. I was hoping it would be about creative fantasy swear ideas.

[marcielle]

'You sonova Mongrelfolk!'
'You are so stupid' a starving ilithid wouldn't eat your brain'
You are so ugly, you turned a Medusa to stone'

How's that?:smallbiggrin:
But seriously, does ANYONE have anything to say about the class?

[Greenish]

"Yo momma so fat, she has to drag her behind in a bag of holding type IV."

No comments on the class, but unarmed Fighter makes a better unarmed fighter than a monk.

[Amphetryon]

I recently took a look at Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved and saw the Oathsworn class. It looks like a much better unarmed fighter than the monk. I'd like the thoughts of anybody who has seent he class and has more experience than me(most anyone) at judging class power,etc. I realise it still has all the limitations of a melee class but I meant compared to other melee classes(eg. dungeoncrasher fighter, barbarian and martial adepts)

The class is stronger than Monk, but as others indicated, that's not a particularly high benchmark. The fluff/crunch requirements of the Oaths are fun and flavorful on paper, but in game can lead to "Fallen Paladin Syndrome" where the DM feels somehow obligated by the fluff to make the character break the oaths for some (dare I say misguided) reasons of "helping the character grow." That sort of character growth works well in fiction, but in the game, it just leads to several sessions of your character sucking more than you probably expected.

[marcielle]

Oaths just have to be reasonably specific. As long as it can be assessed qualitatively(has both fail and succeed states), it can be an oath.
'My life will have a good impact on the world' is like a paladin code but if you slip up you are fine so long as your past good outweighed your blunder. You can get pretty creative with them. Pretty much anything you CAN fail(no matter how unlikely) and does not piss of your DM is fair game.

Things Oathsworn have going for them:
d10 hit die
Free DR penetration=1/2 or 1xclass levels
An extra atack every 4 BAB instead of 6
Fatigue and fear immunity.
Most monk bonuses, but BETTER.
No MAD(only STR and CON really important)
Throw anything
Max save progression
'Combat rites'
Depending on how you read it, they get weapon proficiency:DANG-NEAR-EVERYTHING at level 6 and at their UNARMED DAMAGE. Kusari-gama that can do 1d20 and get the full benefit of Shock Trooper? Thank you, please.

Cons:
Same cons as any other pure melee class.
3/4 BAB
Still no armor(but slightly offset by better free AC bonus)
Aforementioned 'fallen paladin' syndrome (if your DM is mean)


As a melee class I think maybe the same level as a Dungeoncrasher if you get some cooperation on the whole oaths thing. But the 'eschew' line of abilities would be hillarious in a 'realism' campaign.
We forgot water you say? Water is for the weak!

So... any thoughts?

[FMArthur]

If you do get to use your unarmed damage for every weapon like you say, the class falls flat as a monk fix because it would always be better off wielding a weapon - like a regular fightery-type - instead of its fists. :smallconfused:

A couple of those things, namely the wierd BAB progression and the DR penetration, would only serve to bring you up to par (well, almost) with features standard to normal brutes with full BAB and ordinary weapon proficiencies. Full BAB may be a class feature of a Barbarian, but the Barbarian would be embarrassed to call it a special benefit of his class. It's just normal for melee.

[marcielle]

Sorry:smalltongue:.I didn't mean how is this as a monk replacement, just how is it as a melee class in general. Like I said, Kusarigamas at unarmed damage:smallbiggrin:.

vs Barbarian
Pros:
More attacks, earlier.
Ignore a ton of(wierd and minor) stuff.
Awesome saves, boosted even further if you are saving against anything that would interfer with your oath.
Faster(faster than monk too:smallsmile:)
Combat rites.
DR penetration
Can power attack with a random rock found off the ground.
Oathstrike

Cons:
Less hit die
No rage
Your DR sucks
Less BAB
No armor at all


Also,AM I READING THIS CORRECTLY? Oathstrike lets you coup any opponent susceptible to crits once a week so long as it's related to your oath. This means you can just carry around a scythe and impose an save or die with a DC of 10+4xunarmed damage? If so, even the Tarrasque would be threatened by that save. Sure, wizards with full fortification and undeads aren't affected and it's very situaltional, but all in all this looks like a lot of fun:smallamused: