Fighter Archetypes Pathfinder PEACH

[Dienekes]

Alright so I'm fairly new at homebrewery, mind you I do a bit of it in my free time that I don't post, most of which is a disorganized mess. Anyway I decided to instead of bothering with whole classes and designing abilities for every level I figure I will try my hand at Archetypes. Now I'm sure everyone who has seen the Pathfinder class can agree that the Fighter's new abilities are particularly lackluster. So here is my attempt to correct them.

I'm hoping for a strong Tier 4 with each of these. Now as I said, I'm pretty undeveloped as a homebrewer so don't be afraid to bash my work to complete bits and repeatedly tell me I'm stupid. So long as it's constructive I'll take whatever criticism you can dish out.

So first one:

ARCHER
Ok, I did this one because Pathdinfer’s Archer didn’t seem so good. Getting Snatch Arrow as your level 19 ability is rather pathetic. I think it solves a lot of archery’s weaknesses over time, though I’m afraid it might deal too much damage to too many targets.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Archers are proficient with Light and Medium armor, and no shields.

Skills: Archers gain an additional +2 skill points per level and add Perception and Stealth to the class skill list.

Trick Shot: At levels 3, 7, 11, 15, and 19 you may pick one of the following trick shots. This ability replaces Armor Training 1, 2, 3, and 4.
-Horse Archer: You take no penalty to firing a ranged weapon while on Horseback.
-True Shot: Take a swift action to ignore weather penalties on your next attack.
-Aim: Take a swift action to aim and ignore cover bonuses on your next attack.
-Archer’s Step: You may make a 5 foot step each time you make a ranged attack roll.
-Stumbling Shot: You may make a bull rush or trip attempt within 30 squares when using a bow at a -4 penalty to the check.
-Split the Arrow: If your last attack roll hit you may make the next attack roll at a +4 to attack and damage. This can only be used on one arrow per round.
-Safe Shot: As a swift action, all ranged attacks this round do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
-Piercing Shot: If you successfully kill an opponent with a ranged attack, you may make a free attack against any opponent directly behind and within 10 feet of the target

You may add these to the list of Trick Shots you can pick at 11th level.
-Sniper: You may make an attack as a standard action with a -2 penalty, if this attack hits it counts as a critical hit.
-Clip Wings: Take a swift action, if your next attack hits a flying opponent, that opponent must make a Fortitude Save (DC 15+your Dex modifier). If they fail the save they plummet to the ground and are unable to fly again for 1d4 rounds.
-Hit the Joint: Take a swift action, your next attack ignores DR
-Hindering Shots: Take a swift action, for each attack that hits this round the target takes a -2 penalty to attack and damage.
-Skill Mastery: As rogue ability, can only be used with Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, Stealth, and Perception.
-Archer’s Step: You may make a 5 foot step each time you make a ranged attack roll.

Precision: You may add Dex to damage when using a bow or crossbow to make ranged attacks. This ability replaces Bravery.

Archers Mark: At the beginning of your turn you may pick 1 opponent within 15 feet of you, for this opponent you act as though you threaten up to a 15 foot radius from you for making attacks of opportunity with a ranged weapon. This range increases to 30 feet at 10 level. This ability replaces Weapon Training 1.

Volley Fire: As a full-round action you may make a single attack roll at your highest base attack bonus against any number of opponents within a 15-foot radius burst. This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.

Improved Volley: As a full-round action you may make two attack rolls at your highest and second highest base attack bonus against any number of opponents within a 15-foot radius burst. This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.

Master Volley: As a full-round action you may make three attack rolls at your highest, second highest, and third highest base attack bonus against any number of opponents within a 15-foot radius burst. This ability replaces Weapon Training 4.

Pincushion: As a standard action, you may make a full-round attack against a single opponent. This ability replaces Armor Mastery.

Rain of Arrows: Once per encounter as a full-round action, you may make as many ranged attacks as your Dexterity modifier, each of these attacks is at your highest base attack bonus. You may not target the same opponent more than three times. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.



HOPLITE
If my name isn’t a clue, I really like the concept of Hoplites and formation fighting. So here is my attempt to make it fun, though I doubt it’s really good. The idea is that it’s a successful tank. It has a way to move and allow full-attacks, and can force opponents to attack him and then punish them for it. Plus it has some control options in there, replacing the overnerfed spiked chain.

Spear Training: A Hoplite may wield a longspear in 1 hand, and you may attack adjacent foes with it. This ability replaces Bravery.

Readied Shield: You may add your Shield bonus to Reflex Saves. As a reaction you may grant your modified shield bonus to any ally adjacent to you. You also gain +1 to your Shield bonus, this bonus increases every 4 levels after the third. This ability replaces Armor Training 1.

Fill the Gap: If an ally is injured within your movement speed, you may move in a straight path to a free square adjacent to that ally as an immediate action. You take attacks of opportunity as normal from this movement. This ability replaces Weapon Training 1.

Shield Ally: As a swift action pick an adjacent ally. You may choose to redirect any or all attacks made against that ally to yourself until the start of your next turn, as long as the ally remains adjacent to you. This ability replaces Armor Training 2.

Hammer and Anvil: If you successfully attack an opponent with a melee or reach weapon that opponent is considered flanked for any allies until the start of your next turn. This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.

Brothers in Arms: If you are within 10 feet of an ally you may add your Shield bonus to your Will Saves. This ability replaces Armor Training 3

Retribution: If an opponent makes an attack against you (this includes attacks forced by Shield Ally or any similar abilities), you may make a shield bash attack against that opponent as a free action. This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.

Stunning Shield: If you successfully damage an opponent with your shield after they were dealt damage with your spear or sword within 1 turn that opponent must make a Fortitude Save (DC 15+Your Str modifier) or be stunned for 1 round. This ability replaces Armor Training 4.

Reformation: As a move action you can grant all allies within 30 feet of you your Shield bonus to AC and Reflex Saves until the start of your next turn. The ally must be able to see and understand you. This ability replaces Weapon Training 4.

Shield Master: Once per encounter as an immediate action you may negate 1 successful attack or spell that targets you so long as you are using a shield. This ability replaces Armor Mastery

Forward Advance: When using the Fill the Gap ability, you may make a free melee attack at your highest base attack bonus against any opponent you would threaten during your movement. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.



DOPPELSOLDNER
Yeah the big two-handed weapon guy. My idea for him was to tear through the front lines. I think I made this guy a bit too much of a one-trick pony, and I think Battle Lust might be too complicated for too little return. Also, can you help me on the wording of Unstoppable? I’m trying to really encompass that magic can’t hinder him once he gets charging Juggernaut style.

Shattering Blows: You may take a -2 to attack, if your attack is successful the opponent takes a -1 to AC and attack with any melee weapon until the end of your next turn, at 6th level the opponent takes a -2 penalty, taking an additional -1 penalty for every 4 levels after 6th to a maximum of -5 at 18th level. This ability replaces Bravery.

Overhand Chop: When using a two-handed weapon you may add double your Strength to damage. This ability replaces Armor Training 1.

Cleaving Charge: As part of a charge you may make a single attack roll and compare that to the AC of any two opponents adjacent to you and to each other. This ability replaces Weapon Training 1.

Battle Lust: As a standard action you gain 5+your Hit Dice bonus hit points. These hit points do not stack with other bonus hit points, nor can they be healed. You lose bonus hit points first. So long as you have some of the bonus hit points granted from this ability you increase your movement speed by 10. This ability replaces Armor Training 2.

Fearless Charge: As an immediate action you may make an opposed attack roll against any opponent who attacks you with a readied action or attack of opportunity. If your attack roll is higher than your opponents the attack is negated. This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.

Cleaving Assault: As Cleaving Charge except you may make two attack rolls at your highest and second highest attacks. Both attacks are applied to 3 concurrent opponents. This ability replaces Armor Training 3.

Murder Stroke: You may take a -4 penalty to any melee attack roll. If the attack is successful the opponent is knocked senseless and is Dazed for 1 round. This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.

Greater Power Attack: When using Power Attack with a two-handed melee weapon, the bonus damage from Power Attack is doubled. You may also choose to double the penalties you would normally take when using Power Attack (For example at level 16 you can choose to take -5 to attack and +20 damage or -10 to attack and +40 damage). This ability replaces Armor Training 4.

Cleaving Devastation: As Cleaving Charge except you may make three attack rolls at your highest, second highest, and third highest attacks. All three attacks are applied to 4 concurrent opponents. This ability replaces Weapon Training 4.

Overwhelming Blows: If you would deal damage with Power Attack the opponent must make a Fortitude Save (DC 15+ your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. This ability replaces Armor Mastery.

Unstoppable: When making a charge you are unable to be hindered by any magical object or penalty. He can crash through a wall of force breaking it, and is not hindered by any negative effects on him while making a charge. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.



BRAVO
Einhander always needs some love. While the Doppelsoldner can charge and wallop anyone in his way I wanted the Bravo to focus on moving around everywhere. Really einhander is hard to think of things to make it focus (for me anyway), we already have TWF for many attacks, THF for lots of damage, Shield for defense, that doesn’t leave much for the einhander except measly +1 bonuses. So for me the einhander is master of movement. That said I can’t help but think this one is still missing something, ideas would be helpful.

Armor Proficiencies: Bravo's are proficient in only light and medium armor and no shields.

Skills: Bravo's gain +2 skill points per level and gain Acrobatics and Stealth as class skills.

Combat Tempo: When you successfully attack with a one-handed weapon in one hand and no weapon or shield in your other hand you may make a 5 foot step. This ability replaces Bravery.

Fluid Parry: When you are only using a one-handed weapon you may sacrifice an attack of opportunity to ignore an attack of opportunities from your opponents. This ability replaces Armor Training 1.

Lunging Strike: You may ignore up to 10 feet of difficult terrain so long as you attack at the end of the movement. This ability replaces Weapon Training 1.

Pounce: You may make a full-attack at the end of a charge, so long as you are using only one weapon. This ability replaces Armor Training 2.

Water Dance: As a swift action you may make ab Acrobatics check your result replaces your Armor Class until the start of your next turn. This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.

Lightning Riposte: You may make a free attack again an opponent whose attack you negated with Fluid Parry, you may make no more attacks per round than you could using a full-round attack action. This ability replaces Armor Training 3.

Dancing Blade: Once per round after a successful attack you may make a free disarm maneuver (even against opponents using natural weapons) if successful that opponent may not make attacks until the start of your next round. Or you may make a free trip attempt if successful that opponent becomes flat-footed until the start of your next round. This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.

Reversal: After a successful attack you may make an Acrobatics check equal to your opponents Armor Class, if successful you and your opponent switch squares and your opponent is flat-footed until the start of their next turn, this movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This ability replaces Armor Training 4.

Swift Striker: You may break up the attacks from Pounce throughout your charge, you are also not forced to charge in a straight line. This ability replaces Weapon Training 4.

Wavering Blade: Once per encounter you may treat all your attacks as touch attacks until the start of your next round. This ability replaces Armor Mastery.

Bravo Master: For every 5 feet you move and attack of opportunity you negate your attacks deal an additional 4 damage until the end of your next round. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.



DUELIST
Anyone have a better name? I don't particularly like this one. Anyway, this guy is about making as many attacks as can be. Honestly I felt out of ideas when I made this one so any help is appreciated.

Armor Proficiencies: Duelist's are only proficient in light and medium armors and have no shield proficiencies.

Skills: Duelist's gain +2 skill points per level and may add Acrobatics and Diplomacy as class skills.

Two-Weapon Training: You reduce the penalty for fighting with two weapons by 1. The penalty is reduced by an additional 1 every four levels after the second. If the two-weapon penalty should ever rise above 0 you gain the total positive modifier as a bonus to attack. This ability replaces Bravery.

Doublestrike: You may attack with both your weapons as a standard action, taking the normal penalty for fighting with two weapons. Furthermore when making a standard action to attack you can make as many attacks as you would with a full-attack action except for those with the smallest attack bonus, though you can always make at least two, one for your main and off-hand. At This ability replaces Armor Training 1.

Equal Opportunity: When you make an attack of opportunity you may attack with both weapons, with the normal penalty incurred by fighting with two weapons. This ability replaces Weapon Training 1

Dashing Blades: You gain a +1 to skill checks against opponents you successfully attacked until the end of your next turn. You cannot gain more than a +4 bonus against a single opponent with this ability. This ability replaces Armor Training2.

Brilliant Riposte: If you should take a fight defensively, use total defense, use the combat expertise feat you may make an attack of opportunity against any opponent that attacks you. This ability replaces Weapon Training 2.

Flurry of Strikes: You may choose to take a -3 to all attacks, if you do you may make an additional attack at your highest attack bonus with both your main and off-hand weapons. This ability replaces Armor Training 3.

Reaving Strikes: If you successfully attack with both your main and off-hand weapons against the same opponent in the same round you may make a free attack against that opponent with your off-hand weapon. You can only use this ability on any opponent once per round. This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.

Quick Feint: You may replace any attack with your off-hand weapon with a Feint maneuver. This ability replaces Armor Training 4.

Deadly Tempo: For each consecutive successful attack against a single opponent you gain +1d6 damage. This damage lasts until the start of your next turn or until you miss an attack against that opponent. You may have the benefits of Deadly Tempo on multiple opponents at once. This ability replaces Weapon Training 4.

Assaulting Flurry: Once per encounter you may make an attack with both your main and off-hand weapons against every opponent within your reach +5 feet. This ability replaces Armor Mastery.

Perfect Swordsmanship: Twice per encounter you may make 2 full-round actions, so long as one of those actions is a full-round attack. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.

So there they are, please PEACH them and help me become a better brewer.

[Curious]

I don't have the energy to review this in depth right now, but these all look very solid. A definite improvement over the base class, and the other archetypes as well. Good job. :smallsmile:

[togapika]

Unstoppable: When making a charge you break through magical barriers, destroying them. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.


I'm the Juggernaut B!***

But seriously, "When making a charge the DOPPELSOLDNER is unable to be hindered by any object, be it man made or magical. He can crash through a wall of force just as easily as a wall of iron with no ill effect to him."

[Dienekes]

I don't have the energy to review this in depth right now, but these all look very solid. A definite improvement over the base class, and the other archetypes as well. Good job. :smallsmile:

Well thank ya.


I'm the Juggernaut B!***

But seriously, "When making a charge the DOPPELSOLDNER is unable to be hindered by any object, be it man made or magical. He can crash through a wall of force just as easily as a wall of iron with no ill effect to him."

Hmm thanks. I think I'll keep it just to magic prevention though. I have this kind of ridiculous idea in my head of a fighter leveling a castle just by head-butting it repeatedly.

[Curious]

Hmm thanks. I think I'll keep it just to magic prevention though. I have this kind of ridiculous idea in my head of a fighter leveling a castle just by head-butting it repeatedly.

A high level fighter should be able to do this. Really.

[Hiro Protagonest]

A high level fighter should be able to do this. Really.

+1.

You ever seen One Piece? Hawk-Eyes is level 20. Zoro, during the Alabasta arc, where he literally got up after a building landed on top of him, lifted up that building, and threw it, isn't even close to Hawk-Eyes' level. Post-timeskip Zoro, after training with Hawk-Eyes for two years, cut through a pirate ship in one slice, and was able to cut straight through something he couldn't even dent two years ago, and he's still not as good as Hawk-Eyes.

[Dienekes]

You ever seen One Piece?

Never heard of it.

I agree that level 20 can do some crazy things, but I'm not really comfortable making an ability like that. Remember these abilities are supposed to be comparable with barbarians and rogues.

[Centric]

Possible Unstoppable wording:

While charging, the Doppelsoldner is affected only by magic of his choosing that was affecting him before the charge. The magic of whatever he touches is negated during the charge. Any negative effects affecting him before the charge, magical or mundane, are also ignored.

Is this okay? The wording also depends on your image of this guy's MO. Is he simply unaffected by outside magic (that's how this is worded) or does he shatter it/leave openings?

[Hiro Protagonest]

Any negative effects affecting him before the charge, magical or mundane, are also ignored.

So if he charges, he recovers to max HP?

[drakir_nosslin]

So if he charges, he recovers to max HP?

Sounds like he's charging up...

[Centric]

I don't really think of having less HP than your max as a "negative effect". Negative, sure, but not an effect. That could just be me.

EDIT: In any case, it says ignored, and only for the duration of the charge, at that.

[Curious]

Sounds like he's charging up...

Ba dum tish!

[Dienekes]

Sounds like he's charging up...

Hahaha. If you keep the bad puns coming I will consider your contribution to this thread paramount.

Anyway, my DnD based legalize is terrible, that's part of why I'm asking for help. But I don't think hp loss is considered an affect.

If it isn't, wouldn't that mean if mind-controlled and told to charge he would break the mind-control? I don't think that really makes sense.

[Centric]

It's times like this one wishes for a professional sounding way of saying "Excercise some common sense, man!". It would simplify rules everywhere.

Perhaps the Doppelsoldner can only choose effects to ignore out of those he is aware of. Except that illusions would help keep him handicapped. Still looking for a good way to word this.

[Curious]

It's times like this one wishes for a professional sounding way of saying "Excercise some common sense, man!". It would simplify rules everywhere.

Perhaps the Doppelsoldner can only choose effects to ignore out of those he is aware of. Except that illusions would help keep him handicapped. Still looking for a good way to word this.

"Any magical effect that would obstruct his path?"

[Dienekes]

Alright how about this:

Unstoppable: When making a charge any spell or magical affect that would obstruct your path is negated. If this spell had a solid physical form such as a Wall of Force it is broken and all others can move through it as though it did not exist. Further all penalties that would impair your move speed, melee attack rolls, and melee damage rolls are ignored until the end of your charge. If over the course of the charge you would take enough damage to disable or kill you, you may ignore that damage until the end of the charge. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery.

[Dienekes]

Bump to see if anyone else has any opinions on these things. Any criticism welcome.

[Istari]

Just popping in to say that I really like the Archer archetype. I think sniper might be a little too good, but considering it only allows one attack its probably just good rather than OP.

[Paulcynic]

Hey boss, I really like what you're aiming at here. My buddies and I are going to play test these over the next few days, and carry what we like into our Thursday game :) So we'll see how it looks and report back soon!

--PC

[Dienekes]

Just popping in to say that I really like the Archer archetype. I think sniper might be a little too good, but considering it only allows one attack its probably just good rather than OP.

I figure bows and crossbows both have a x2 crit modifier so it's taking a standard action to deal two attacks worth of damage. Not particularly overpowered at level 11. The possible exception is if you have a lot of critical feats, however all of those are bab +11 or higher and can only apply 2 at a time if you invest 4 feats in it. All told I think it's just a very strong option, that scales very well with the proper feat selection you take after you get it.


Hey boss, I really like what you're aiming at here. My buddies and I are going to play test these over the next few days, and carry what we like into our Thursday game :) So we'll see how it looks and report back soon!

--PC

Hey can't wait to see what you think of these things. Best of luck on your game.

[Paulcynic]

Sweet, we spent a good amount of time with these Fighter Archetypes; some things felt 'finished' and polished, some felt like they needed work in concept and wording. Over all we had a blast :) So thank you for putting these out there. I hope that my feedback is in some way helpful, and so here goes:

We each made Fighters of levels 1, 4, 7, 11, 15, and 20. We did some quick 'best case' arena scenarios to see how these guys handled going full blast against each other. From that, we played a few PvM scenarios with the Archetypes that we liked/found suitable. These characters were then ported into our Thursday game as NPCs :) I took notes, and this review is my best attempt at reproducing the feeling we had as a group doing this. We had a blast to say the least.


ARCHER
This was definitely the creme-de-la-creme Archetype :) Great job on this guy.

The Good:
Trick Shots were a great replacement for Armor Training; it definitely buffs this Archetype to where he comes out with more power for the swap; it was not a net-zero swap. But that is ok :) Aim and Split the Arrow are the best of the early tricks, though Clip Wings should be on the early-level list for choosing at level 7 when casters gain Fly. Archer's Step is also one of those abilities that should be on the early-level list, though its an unattractive option next to its neighbors. Sniper, Hit the Joints, and Hindering Shots were superb as well, worthy of late game material.

Precision = what the doctor ordered for non-Strength archers; though is this bonus damage in addition to Strength bonuses gained while using a Mighty Composite Long Bow? Also, this should replace Weapon Training 1, not Bravery. Not a fair swap imo. Perhaps have the bonus precision damage enhance by 1 for each level of Weapon Training, So +1 Precision damage at levels 5, 9, 13, and 17.

Pincushion is just leet, and perfect. Well done :)

Rain of Arrows is also a great ability, especially for a Cap-stone, I'd trudge through 20 levels to have this. One very small critique "You may not target the same opponent more than three times" seems very arbitrary. This ability seems more like an aoe effect that requires a Reflex save to avoid a... well a Rain of Arrows :P. But its fine as written, so IGNORE ME!

The Meh:
Volley Fire, Improved Volley, and Master Volley are all excellent in concept, pretty much a ranged version of Cleave and Greater Cleave. In execution the conditions of having more than one guy in that 15' range with out having to reposition was uncommon at best. And so over all the ability chain is underwhelming. Granted, there's no requirement that you hit your first target to be allowed an attack against the next, nor do they have to be adjacent. So maybe its even, but we felt that the ability was out of sync with your Intentions.

The Bad:
Archer's Mark is very nice, but again, it grants an Attack of Opportunity to a ranged striker. Those in melee take huge risks going toe to toe; the AoO system was a reward/make-even sort of thing for this risk, and so we went into our evaluation skeptical. Upon play test, it turned out to be an almost balanced ability. Our guy playing the Archer, pretty much got an AoO off every round. We altered the ability to include the caveat "If your target provokes an AoO from any other ally this round, cease the opportunity to shoot him while he's distracted." Archer's Mark became more conditional, our Archer didn't exactly want to lose his full-round of actions repositioning to meet the 15' requirement, and so did get off a few AoO's but no where near the guaranteed one free, off-turn attack granted by this ability. I'm not sure our solution is ideal, but it tamed down the ability some. <I should note that our guy playing the Archer thought the ability was mostly to discourage baddies from chasing you down, you move away, get one shot, he pursues, you get another shot, etc.>

Major Issues and Errata Needed:
Trick Shots: We're assuming that any ability chosen from the list can be used in an unlimited number of opportunities during combat, unless otherwise noted.

Stumbling Shot is a great ability, however Trip is an attack action, and so can be used several times in a full-round of attacks. Because he can do this to any target within 30' of himself, he dominates the CMB game when tripping, making the risk that melee builds take seem unacceptable. They can basically only trip one target each round (more if they're within his short reach). Melee'ers must spend a feat on this maneuver as well, or suffer an attack of opportunity. In this way, tripping multiple opponents from range without risk or feat-tax seems unfair; or put another way: seems *too* good.

Working on Next Archetype Review in next post :)

--PC

[Paulcynic]

Doppelsoldner

The Good:
Shattering Blows is a nice mini-sunder effect, the only problem is that the -1 AC and Attack penalty aren't worth the loss of 10% chance to hit. Even though your attack penalty decreases as you level up, its not clear if you can deliver this effect repeatedly (is this a Standard action? Attack action, so you can do it multiple times? Or perhaps a Swift action that alters only one of your attacks?). And so we rewrote the ability as we thought it was intended: "You may choose to take a -2 penalty to all of your attacks this round, dealing damage normally, but also inflicting a stacking -1 AC and Attack penalty on your target for each successfully landed attack." This version played well, where suffering the self-imposed attack penalty seemed worth a potentially greater penalty for the target. <Note that we also removed the bit that reduced the self-imposed penalty as the Doppelsoldner levels up>

Fearless Charge is one of those exciting, trigger-based abilities :) I LOVE these type of abilities, and so I'm glad to see one here. However, each time you parry an AoO or readied action, the Doppelsoldner should probably have to pay for it with one of his own Attacks of Opportunity. Perhaps rewrite the ability with "As an immediate action you may use an Attack of Opportunity to make an opposed attack roll against any opponent..." This puts a cap on how many people he can potentially ignore, and by adding a cost, it makes this maneuver more tactical; and so more fun :)

Cleaving Charge, Cleaving Assault, and Cleaving Devastation are awesome, and puts much weight and meat on the Doppelsoldner being a charging hulk :) In game play, it was used well against a couple of bodyguards; lul, they tried to block the door into an adjacent room while their caster pelted the players from safety. An effective tactic... or so they assumed. Well thought, well done.

Unstoppable Charge is an awesome cap-stone :) And again is one of those abilities that gets the adrenaline flowing when it triggers, our guy playing the Doppelsoldner was giggling with excitement as he broke through several barriers on his way to the annoying Oracle slave of a greater Baalor. We're not experienced playing level 20 toons, and so our encounter seemed fine, but was definitely not representative of a well-crafted scenario. The ability worked though, and added an extra layer of anticipation and satisfaction.

The Meh:

I’m trying to really encompass that magic can’t hinder him once he gets charging Juggernaut style. But unfortunately only one ability achieves this, and not till late in his career.

Greater Power Attack: If I recall correctly, this is closer to how the 3.5 Power Attack worked. In that case, this ability is fine as a choice, but brings with it some of the issues with 3.5's PA. For example, you wouldn't choose to take such a large hit to your Attack when facing CR appropriate foes when this is exactly when you'd want the extra damage. And so you'd mostly use this ability to smash much weaker foes, at which point you're regular attacks are overkill anyhow. Food for thought.

The Bad:

Overwhelming Blows: If you would deal damage with Power Attack the opponent must make a Fortitude Save (DC 15+ your Strength modifier) or be knocked prone. This ability replaces Armor Mastery. Please let me clarify that this is an awesome ability in concept, but if you look at the Fort saves on foes you'll be facing at level 19, most are +24 or greater. Your Strength modifier wont be much higher than +10 (Strength of 40ish), which means that the Fort DC wont be much greater than 25. They're all immune to this ability unless they critically fail their roll (natural 1). Needs a bit more work, or perhaps you can drop this ability down a few levels and create a new 19th level ability :)?

Major Issues and Errata Needed:

Lots of typos and rough-wording in this section; I will try and point out a few possible corrections :)


Cleaving Charge: As part of a charge you may make a single attack roll and compare that to the AC of any two opponents adjacent to you and to each other. This ability replaces Weapon Training 1.
The wording in this isn't standard and so caused some confusion "and compare that to the AC of any two...." It would be more clear if you allowed the name to speak for itself: "When performing a Charge action, if you successfully hit, you may Cleave any foe adjacent to your target." Cleave defines its own conditions, and this way the opportunity for an extra attack is explicit.


Battle Lust: As a standard action you 5+your Hit Dice bonus hit points. These hit points do not stack with other bonus hit points, nor can they be healed. You lose bonus hit points first. So long as you have some of the bonus hit points granted from this ability you increase your movement speed by 10. This ability replaces Armor Training 2.
I put in bold the major issue as worded. Also, bonus Hit Points are self defining, no need to over express what they are :)


Murder Stroke: As an attack you may make an attack at -4 penalty. If the attack is successful the opponent is knocked senseless and is Dazed for 1 round. This ability replaces Weapon Training 3.
I put in bold the major issue as worded. Is this a Standard action, or an Attack action? We were assuming Attack action, so that it can be used as part of a full-round of attacks. It may seem minor, but the lack of specifics lead to some cross-eyed confusion and debate.


Unstoppable: When making a charge the you are unable to be hindered by any magical object or penalty. He can crash through a wall of force breaking it, and is not hindered by any negative effects on him while making a charge. This ability replaces Weapon Mastery. I put in bold the major issue as worded. Your intention here is to give your charger an Extraordinary ability to ignore magical hindrances and barriers, which is Awesum :) However, there needs to be a mechanic here, some sort of contest between the charger and his target. If the target was behind a wall of force, or protected by a Protection from X spell, or Sanctuary, etc, the Charge should allow the Doppelsoldner a save roll to ignore such effects. Also, if there are mitigating effects which hinder this guy from charging, such as Hold Person, etc, they should continue to hinder him without some sort of contest mechanic, such as granting him a new save so that he can attempt to charge.

Let me try something here: "When making a Charge action through any non-material, magical barrier which requires a save, the Doppelsoldner may roll two dice and keep the highest result. If he attempts to charge through a non-material magical barrier which does not allow a save, he may make a Strength check against a DC equal to the enemy caster's save DCs for spells of that level. If his Strength check is successful the barrier shatters, ending the source spell immediately.

If the Doppelsoldner is unable to take any actions due to a non-material magical constraint, such as a Hold Person spell, Binding spell, etc, as a full-round action, he may attempt a Charge action. This grants the Doppelsoldner a new saving throw, and if successful, he may complete the charge.

This version captures your original intention, while adding a contest mechanic to keep it balanced :)

Either way, I hope this particular review is helpful :) Its getting late, and these seem to be taking about an hour a piece. I'll finish the other reviews up tomorrow evening.

--PC

[Dienekes]

Awesome Paulcynic and thank you for your feedback, it was interesting and insightful. Also I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, that alone makes the work worth it.

Trick Shots, I'm glad you liked them. Originally I was going to do something similar for each of the classes, but I ran out of ideas. I may come back to them if inspiration hits.

I think I'll put Archer's Step and Clip Wing's lower as you suggest. Though I think you underestimate Archer's Step as it scales quite well eventually allowing you to make a full-round attack and still move 20 feet without provoking attack of opportunities. This was also what I thought of as a means to setting up the later Volley abilities.

Precision: I don't see a reason for it to not stack with Strength. I don't think I'll change it's positioning though. Or at least I'm not convinced I should yet.

Glad you like Pincushion and Rain of Arrows. The reason why Rain of Arrows has the limit is that I've been a GM on the receiving end of having my Big Bad downed in less than a round. Pincushion already does single target focus great, so Rain of Arrows is supposed to have a different purpose while not being useless if you're only facing 3 or 4 or so big guys you still get off quite a bit of damage to all of them.

For Volley Fire and it's advancements. I'm thinking of making Improved a 30 foot range, also again I had this ability in mind and paired with Archer's Step. You can spend a round getting in position without losing any damage over it and on the whole the damage is better than full-attack if there are only 2 opponents in the burst.

Archer's Mark: Here's an idea. At the beginning of your turn you may choose 1 opponent within 15 feet of you, for this opponent you act as though you threaten up to a 15 foot radius from you for making attacks of opportunity with a ranged weapon. This range increases to 30 feet at 10 level. This ability replaces Weapon Training 1.

This stops it being against chargers since they likely won't start their turn within a 15 foot radius of you, and while there is no downside to picking an opponent each turn you don't get a free target each round, the individual may or may not move by your next round. This also still allows it to prevent being chased down by 1 guy who got close to you. Assuming he started adjacent and attacking you, you can move out of the way and target him getting 1 or more (if you got Combat Reflexes which is probably still not optimal) attacks against him.


Trick Shots: We're assuming that any ability chosen from the list can be used in an unlimited number of opportunities during combat, unless otherwise noted.

Yep.


Stumbling Shot is a great ability, however Trip is an attack action, and so can be used several times in a full-round of attacks. Because he can do this to any target within 30' of himself, he dominates the CMB game when tripping, making the risk that melee builds take seem unacceptable. They can basically only trip one target each round (more if they're within his short reach). Melee'ers must spend a feat on this maneuver as well, or suffer an attack of opportunity. In this way, tripping multiple opponents from range without risk or feat-tax seems unfair; or put another way: seems *too* good.

This is mostly a holdover from the Pathfinder Archer Archetype. Getting a ranged trip is about the only reason to take it, so it didn't feel right getting rid of that. But you make a valid point and I think I will keep Pathfinder's -4 penalty to the check, which should hopefully even it out some.

On Shattering Blows. This was sloppy writing on my part. Incredibly sloppy writing. The -2 penalty to your attack stays throughout the leveling process but the opposing penalty to your opponent goes up. So at 6th level they take a -2 to AC and attack, at 10th a -3 and so on. This also is supposed to set up for the problem you had with Greater Power Attack. Match this ability with the Cleaving Charge line and by the time you get Greater Power Attack Shattering Blows reduces the opponents AC by -4. Power attack next turn for fun. I do think with this it shouldn't stack with itself though.

Fearless Charge is not quite as good as you think it is. It takes an immediate action so you always can only make 1 per round. Since it's already limited in number I don't think it really needs to also take an attack of opportunity.

I'm glad to see the Cleaving Charge line worked as intended.


Greater Power Attack: If I recall correctly, this is closer to how the 3.5 Power Attack worked. In that case, this ability is fine as a choice, but brings with it some of the issues with 3.5's PA. For example, you wouldn't choose to take such a large hit to your Attack when facing CR appropriate foes when this is exactly when you'd want the extra damage. And so you'd mostly use this ability to smash much weaker foes, at which point you're regular attacks are overkill anyhow. Food for thought.

That's why the ability is a two parter. The natural increase in power attack damage I think is fine. The option to do more is just another option, but if you can set it up, say with Shattering Blows, or a friendly mage putting a penalty on the opposed AC, you're going to kill that opponent. I think with the errata'd Shattering Blows this ability becomes a more viable option.

For Overwhelming Blows. I'll be honest. I've only played up to level 12 in an actual campaign. Not much clue on how to work upper level save scaling. But then I didn't do too much research. I'll just go and look at how normal saves scale and fix that up.

Also thank you for the typos section. That's very helpful and I will be making the appropriate grammatical fixes.

Your work has been very helpful and insightful on a whole, I'd be glad to see your review of the other archetypes.