hillkitler
2011-09-23, 08:47 PM
I (obviously) haven't fully fleshed out this class, as of yet. This is my first attempt at homebrew and I was just looking for some opinions regarding the mechanics of the class and how you guys think it would fair in play. I was aiming for a gish-y class that could CHOOSE to be a full caster or instead sacrifice spells to dish out extra melee damage. I incorporated ideas from a number of other classes and feats (Arcane Strike being rather obvious), including other homebrew. Anyway, tell me what you think and PLEASE, PLEASE point out flaws and give me suggestions. I want this to be balanced enough to actually play.
Without further ado, I give you the Arcane Striker.
Arcane Striker
Hit Die - d6
Class Skills:
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
2+Int Modifier/level
Alignment: Any
Abilities: Charisma is key to Arcane Strikers, as it determines what level spells they can cast and how many bonus spells they receive. Wisdom, which determines the potency of those spells, is also very important. Strength may be key if the Arcane Striker chooses to heavily utilize his martial capabilities. Dexterity can help to boost an Arcane Striker's Armor Class, while Constitution is important to bolster its relatively small d6 hit die. Intelligence is fairly unimportant to an Arcane Striker.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+2|Arcane Strikers’s Sword, Lesser Arcane Strike, Blade Training|
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|
4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|
5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Blade Traning|
6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|
7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|
8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+2|
+6|Blade Training|
9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+3|
+6|
10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+3|
+7|
11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+3|
+7| Blade Training|
12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|
13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|
14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+4|
+9| Blade Training|
15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+9|
16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|
17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|
18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+11|Blade Training|
19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Greater Arcane Strike|[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Arcane Strikers are proficient with simple weapons and longswords. Arcane Strikers are proficient with light armor, but not with shields. When casting an arcane spell, the Arcane Striker suffers from arcane spell failure chance unless he is wielding the sword to which he is attuned.
Arcane Striker's Sword:
An Arcane Striker begins play with a longsword that is specifically attuned to him. This sword appears as a normal, masterwork steel longsword in every way, except for the following: the swords’ hit points increase at a rate of 2 per Arcane Striker level, and the hardness and break Difficulty Class increase at a rate of 1 point per three Arcane Striker levels. For purposes of resisting spells and other damage, it is considered to be magical. If an Arcane Striker’s sword is sundered or otherwise broken, he is immediately stunned for 1d4 rounds. If an Arcane Striker is separated from his sword by more than 30ft, he suffers a -4 penalty to attacks and saves until the sword is returned to him. A slain Arcane Striker who comes back from the dead can immediately and automatically re attune to his sword as a free action.
Sword Abilities:
An Arcane Striker's longsword functions identically to a legacy weapon with the exception that its abilities are chosen by the user, as per the rules for Founding a Legacy Weapon found in Weapons of Legacy, pg. 179
Beyond these abilities, the Arcane Striker stores and draws his spells from the sword, as a Wizard does from a spellbook. Exact specifications follow:
An Arcane Striker’s sword begins play storing all of the 0-level Sorcerer/Wizard spells plus three 1st level spells of the Arcane Striker’s choice. The Arcane Striker also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to his Charisma modifier to store in his sword. At each new Arcane Striker level, he adds n (n = 1/2 Wisdom modifier, rounded down) new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new Arcane Striker level) to his sword. An Arcane Striker can also add additional spells to his sword with scrolls or from wizard spellbooks. To learn from a scroll or spellbook, the Arcane Striker must succeed a DC 15 + spell level Spellcraft check. Charisma determines an Arcane Striker's spells per day, while Wisdom determines how hard those spells are to resist. An Arcane Striker's spells are drawn from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list.
{table=head]Spells Per Day
{table=head]Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
1st | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
2nd |2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
3rd | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
4th | 3| 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
5th | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
6th |3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
7th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
8th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
9th | 4| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
10th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
11th | 5 | 4| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
12th |5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
13th | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
14th | 5| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
15th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
16th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
17th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
18th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
19th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
20th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
[/table][/table]
Lesser Arcane Strike:
When you activate this ability (a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity), you can channel arcane energy into a melee weapon, your unarmed strike, or natural weapons. You must sacrifice one of your spells for the day (of 1st level or higher) to do this, but you gain a bonus on all your attack rolls for 1 round equal to the level of the spell sacrificed as well as extra damage equal to 1d4 points x the level of the spell sacrificed. The bonus you add to your attack rolls from this ability cannot be greater than your base attack bonus.
Blade Training:
At first level the Arcane Striker gains Weapon Focus (longsword). At 5th level the Arcane Striker gains Weapon Specialization (longsword), at 8th level the Arcane Striker gains Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing), at 12th level the Arcane Striker gains Greater Weapon Focus (longsword), at 15th level the Arcane Striker gains Greater Weapon Proficiency (longsword), at 18th level the Arcane Striker gains Weapon Supremacy (longsword).
An Arcane Striker may forego the benefits provided by Blade Training and instead learn a bonus feat at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th levels, provided that these feats further the Arcane Striker's spellcasting in some way (Metamagic, etc.)
Greater Arcane Strike:
This ability functions identically to Lesser Arcane Strike, but the extra damage is increased to 1d6 points x the level of the spell sacrificed.
Thanks for reading! I hope you guys can help me out.
Edit: Removed costs for sword abilities; added ability to ignore spell failure chance.
Without further ado, I give you the Arcane Striker.
Arcane Striker
Hit Die - d6
Class Skills:
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (Planes) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
2+Int Modifier/level
Alignment: Any
Abilities: Charisma is key to Arcane Strikers, as it determines what level spells they can cast and how many bonus spells they receive. Wisdom, which determines the potency of those spells, is also very important. Strength may be key if the Arcane Striker chooses to heavily utilize his martial capabilities. Dexterity can help to boost an Arcane Striker's Armor Class, while Constitution is important to bolster its relatively small d6 hit die. Intelligence is fairly unimportant to an Arcane Striker.
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+2|Arcane Strikers’s Sword, Lesser Arcane Strike, Blade Training|
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|
3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|
4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|
5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Blade Traning|
6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|
7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|
8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+2|
+6|Blade Training|
9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+3|
+6|
10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+3|
+7|
11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+3|
+7| Blade Training|
12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|
13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+4|
+8|
14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+4|
+9| Blade Training|
15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+9|
16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|
17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+10|
18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+11|Blade Training|
19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|
20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Greater Arcane Strike|[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Arcane Strikers are proficient with simple weapons and longswords. Arcane Strikers are proficient with light armor, but not with shields. When casting an arcane spell, the Arcane Striker suffers from arcane spell failure chance unless he is wielding the sword to which he is attuned.
Arcane Striker's Sword:
An Arcane Striker begins play with a longsword that is specifically attuned to him. This sword appears as a normal, masterwork steel longsword in every way, except for the following: the swords’ hit points increase at a rate of 2 per Arcane Striker level, and the hardness and break Difficulty Class increase at a rate of 1 point per three Arcane Striker levels. For purposes of resisting spells and other damage, it is considered to be magical. If an Arcane Striker’s sword is sundered or otherwise broken, he is immediately stunned for 1d4 rounds. If an Arcane Striker is separated from his sword by more than 30ft, he suffers a -4 penalty to attacks and saves until the sword is returned to him. A slain Arcane Striker who comes back from the dead can immediately and automatically re attune to his sword as a free action.
Sword Abilities:
An Arcane Striker's longsword functions identically to a legacy weapon with the exception that its abilities are chosen by the user, as per the rules for Founding a Legacy Weapon found in Weapons of Legacy, pg. 179
Beyond these abilities, the Arcane Striker stores and draws his spells from the sword, as a Wizard does from a spellbook. Exact specifications follow:
An Arcane Striker’s sword begins play storing all of the 0-level Sorcerer/Wizard spells plus three 1st level spells of the Arcane Striker’s choice. The Arcane Striker also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to his Charisma modifier to store in his sword. At each new Arcane Striker level, he adds n (n = 1/2 Wisdom modifier, rounded down) new spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new Arcane Striker level) to his sword. An Arcane Striker can also add additional spells to his sword with scrolls or from wizard spellbooks. To learn from a scroll or spellbook, the Arcane Striker must succeed a DC 15 + spell level Spellcraft check. Charisma determines an Arcane Striker's spells per day, while Wisdom determines how hard those spells are to resist. An Arcane Striker's spells are drawn from the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list.
{table=head]Spells Per Day
{table=head]Level | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
1st | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
2nd |2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
3rd | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
4th | 3| 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
5th | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
6th |3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
7th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
8th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
9th | 4| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
10th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
11th | 5 | 4| 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
12th |5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - |
13th | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
14th | 5| 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
15th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
16th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
17th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
18th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
19th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
20th | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
[/table][/table]
Lesser Arcane Strike:
When you activate this ability (a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity), you can channel arcane energy into a melee weapon, your unarmed strike, or natural weapons. You must sacrifice one of your spells for the day (of 1st level or higher) to do this, but you gain a bonus on all your attack rolls for 1 round equal to the level of the spell sacrificed as well as extra damage equal to 1d4 points x the level of the spell sacrificed. The bonus you add to your attack rolls from this ability cannot be greater than your base attack bonus.
Blade Training:
At first level the Arcane Striker gains Weapon Focus (longsword). At 5th level the Arcane Striker gains Weapon Specialization (longsword), at 8th level the Arcane Striker gains Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing), at 12th level the Arcane Striker gains Greater Weapon Focus (longsword), at 15th level the Arcane Striker gains Greater Weapon Proficiency (longsword), at 18th level the Arcane Striker gains Weapon Supremacy (longsword).
An Arcane Striker may forego the benefits provided by Blade Training and instead learn a bonus feat at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th and 20th levels, provided that these feats further the Arcane Striker's spellcasting in some way (Metamagic, etc.)
Greater Arcane Strike:
This ability functions identically to Lesser Arcane Strike, but the extra damage is increased to 1d6 points x the level of the spell sacrificed.
Thanks for reading! I hope you guys can help me out.
Edit: Removed costs for sword abilities; added ability to ignore spell failure chance.