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Ziegander
2011-10-03, 08:33 PM
The Factotum

Designer's Notes

I used to really love the Factotum class. I had played it once or twice, and enjoyed it more or less. However, just recently I played it again, and I got more in depth with it, playing it longer than I had ever previously done. My sources were limited this time, and I played it until 10th level. I found that I intensely disliked the class. I was capable of contributing to encounters in a useful manner; however, I never felt like I was having any fun. I often had this, "omigosh! omigosh! omigosh!" feeling, never knowing exactly what I should be doing. It was stressful. I felt like I had to hold back using almost all of my class features unless I absolutely needed them.

So, the design of the class in this thread is attempting to address the fun factor of the class, but is not trying to increase the overall power level when compared to the original Factotum. Please let me know what you think of the core mechanics and the class features I've written. Thanks!



http://burrowowl.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/adventurer.jpg

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d8



Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special

Inspiration

Spell Level


1st
+0
+1
+1
+1
Trapfinding, Cunning Knowledge +1

3(1)

1st


2nd
+1
+1
+1
+1
Emulate Class Feature

3(1)

1st


3rd
+2
+2
+2
+2
Canny Breach

4(1)

1st


4th
+3
+2
+2
+2
Cunning Knowledge +2

4(1)

2nd


5th
+3
+3
+3
+3


5(2)

2nd


6th
+4
+3
+3
+3
Emulate Class Feature (-4)

5(2)

2nd


7th
+5
+3
+3
+3


6(2)

3rd


8th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+4
Cunning Knowledge +3

6(2)

3rd


9th
+6/+1
+4
+4
+4
Canny Defense

7(2)

3rd


10th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+5
Emulate Class Feature (-8)

7(3)

4th


11th
+8/+3
+5
+5
+5
Cunning Surge

8(3)

4th


12th
+9/+4
+5
+5
+5
Cunning Knowledge +4

8(3)

4th


13th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+6


9(3)

5th


14th
+10/+5
+6
+6
+6
Emulate Class Feature (-12)

9(3)

5th


15th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+7
+7


10(4)

5th


16th
+12/+7/+2
+7
+7
+7
Cunning Knowledge +5

10(4)

6th


17th
+12/+7/+2
+7
+7
+7
Ingenious Breach

11(4)

6th


18th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+8
+8
Emulate Class Feature (-16)

11(4)

6th


19th
+14/+9/+4
+8
+8
+8
Ingenious Defense

12(4)

6th


20th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+9
+9
Master Improvateur

12(5)

6th



Class Skills (6+Int): All skills are class skills for a Factotum.

Weapon & Armor Proficiency
A Factotum is proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well as with light, medium, and heavy armor and with shields (but not Tower Shields).

Spells
A Factotum prepares spells at the beginning of the day from the Factotum spell list (see below) though his spells are neither arcane nor divine and are not subject to arcane spell failure. He knows all spells on his spell list of a level available to him to cast, though in order to cast a spell this way he needs an Intelligence score of at least 10 + spell level. The saving throw DC of spells he casts is always 10 + one-half his character level + his Intelligence modifier. A Factotum's caster level is equal to his caster level in all other classes combined + three-quarters his Factotum class levels.

A Factotum casts his spells in a much more limited manner than other spellcasters, only able to manage a number of castings per day equal to his Intelligence modifier. He may prepare only that many spells each day but those spells may be of any level he is able to cast. A Factotum is not able to cast his prepared spells unless he embodies the Adept archetype (see Cunning Knowledge below).

FACTOTUM SPELL LIST

1ST
Bless, bless water, burning hands, cause fear, charm person, command, comprehend languages, cure light wounds, curse water, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, disguise self, endure elements, entangle, grease, inflict light wounds, magic missile, magic weapon, obscuring mist, pass without trace, produce flame, protection from chaos, protection from evil, protection from good, protection from law, ray of enfeeblement, sanctuary, sleep, unseen servant.

2ND
Aid, align weapon, animal trance, augury, barkskin, bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, consecrate, cure moderate wounds, darkness, darkvision, delay poison, desecrate, flame blade, flaming sphere, fog cloud, hold person, inflict moderate wounds, invisibility, lesser restoration, make whole, mirror image, remove paralysis, resist energy, scorching ray, see invisibility, shatter, silence, spider climb, summon swarm, touch of idiocy, web.

3RD
Animate dead, arcane sight, bestow curse, call lightning, contagion, continual flame, cure serious wounds, daylight, deep slumber, deeper darkness, dispel magic, fireball, fly, greater magic weapon, haste, inflict serious wounds, invisibility purge, magic circle against chaos, magic circle against evil, magic circle against good, magic circle against law, neutralize poison, poison, protection from energy, sleet storm, remove curse, remove disease, suggestion, tongues.

4TH
Charm monster, cone of cold, confusion, control water, cure critical wounds, death ward, dimension door, dimensional anchor, flame strike, greater invisibility, ice storm, inflict critical wounds, minor creation, repel vermin, restoration, scrying, solid fog, spell immunity, stoneskin, wall of fire.

5TH
Animal growth, break enchantment, call lightning storm, commune with nature, control winds, greater command, hallow, hold monster, insect plague, major creation, mass cure critical wounds, overland flight, raise dead, symbol of sleep, true seeing, unhallow, wall of stone.

6TH
Analyze dweomer, animate objects, chain lightning, control weather, create undead, disintegrate, eyebite, find the path, forbiddance, greater dispel magic, harm, heal, heroes feast, mass bear's endurance, mass bull's strength, mass cat's grace, mass charm monster, mislead, repulsion, transport via plants.

Inspiration
Factotums use points collected into an Inspiration Pool, which are refreshed each day after 8 hours of rest, and little by little throughout the day as inspiration strikes them. These Inspiration Points can be used by the Factotum to adapt his capabilities and tactics on the fly in order to fill the shoes of more specific character roles as situations arise.

At 1st level a Factotum's Inspiration Pool can hold up to 3 Inspiration Points and these points refresh at the rate of 1 point every hour. At every odd level beyond 1st, a Factotum's Inspiration Pool increases by 1 point. The rate at which these points refresh increases by 1 point at 5th level and every five levels thereafter.

Trapfinding (Ex): Factotums can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a DC higher than 20. Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

Factotums can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it. A Factotum who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Cunning Knowledge (Ex): As a free action a Factotum may spend 1 Inspiration Point to embody one of three archetypes (Warrior, Expert, or Adept) for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier. Cunning Knowledge grants a +1 insight bonus at 1st level which increases to +2 at 4th level, +3 at 8th level, +4 at 12th level, and +5 at 16th level. He may embody a new archetype at any time, even while he is embodying another; however, doing so causes him to abandon his previous archetype and costs another Inspiration Point.

Warrior - A Factotum that embodies the Warrior adds his Cunning Knowledge bonus to attack rolls, damage rolls, opposed rolls, fortitude saves, and armor class.

Expert - A Factotum that embodies the Expert adds his Cunning Knowledge bonus to reflex saves and double his Cunning Knowledge bonus to all skill checks and unopposed ability checks.

Adept - A Factotum that embodies the Adept adds his Cunning Knowledge bonus to caster level and will saves. While embodying the Adept he may cast his prepared spells.

Emulate Class Feature (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, when a Factotum embodies an archetype he may choose a single class feature (or alternative class feature at the player's choosing) from among classes associated with that archetype (listed below) available to that class at any level less than or equal to the Factotum's level. He may choose an additional class feature every four levels after 2nd. Each class feature chosen beyond the first must be available to an associated class at a level less than or equal to the Factotum's level with a cumulative -4 penalty. For example, a 12th level Factotum may emulate three class features. The first may be any class feature available to an associated class at 12th level or below, the second must be available to an associated class at 8th level or below, and the third must be available to an associated class at 4th level or below.

While his Cunning Knowledge lasts he may spend 1 Inspiration Point as a free action to gain the benefit of all class features chosen in this way for 1 round with an effective class level in the associated class equal to half his Factotum level. You may not choose the same class feature more than once even if it appears on multiple associated classes.

A Factotum that embodies the Adept may, in place of choosing a class feature, choose a spell from an associated class spell list of a level he is able to cast and gain the ability to spend 1 Inspiration Point to spontaneously convert a prepared spell into the chosen spell.

ASSOCIATED CLASSES
Warrior - Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Swashbuckler, Crusader, and Warblade.

Expert - Bard, Monk, Rogue, Scout, Spellthief, and Swordsage.

Adept - Cleric, Wizard, Favored Soul, Spirit Shaman, Warlock, and Warmage.

Canny Breach (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a Factotum is able to meet resistance with ingenious resolve helping him to punch through damage reduction, resistance to energy, and spell resistance.

He ignores an amount of damage reduction and resistance to energy up to his Intelligence modifier.

When he casts a spell on a creature with spell resistance he adds his Intelligence modifier to his caster level check.

Canny Defense (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a Factotum adds his Intelligence modifier to AC in addition to his Dexterity modifier.

Cunning Surge (Ex): Starting at 11th level, once per round on his turn, a Factotum may spend 1 Inspiration Point to take an additional standard action.

Ingenious Breach (Ex): Starting at 17th level, a Factotum ignores all damage reduction, resistance to energy, and spell resistance. Against creatures immune to a type of energy he deals half damage or reduces his damage by 30, whichever causes him to deal the least amount of damage.

Ingenious Defense (Ex): At 19th level, a Factotum gains damage reduction /-- and resistance to all energy equal to his Intelligence modifier as well as spell resistance 15 + 1/2 Factotum level + Intelligence modifier.

Master Improvateur (Ex): A 20th level Factotum after embodying an archetype, once per round, as a free action, may embody a new archetype without needing to spend additional Inspiration Points. This does not allow him to embody archetypes for longer than a number of rounds equal his Intelligence modifier at any one time.


http://www.stargazersworld.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Groupedaventuriers.jpg

cthulhubear
2011-10-03, 09:15 PM
The Fort, Ref, and Will bonuses you stated don't exist. I'd recommend good Ref, good Will and bad Fort, or if you don't want two good saves, good Will. I understand this isn't quite done yet, so for now I shall not PEACH.

Hiro Protagonest
2011-10-03, 09:18 PM
The Fort, Ref, and Will bonuses you stated don't exist. I'd recommend good Ref, good Will and bad Fort, or if you don't want two good saves, good Will. I understand this isn't quite done yet, so for now I shall not PEACH.

They're called medium saves.

Ziegander
2011-10-03, 09:22 PM
The Fort, Ref, and Will bonuses you stated don't exist. I'd recommend good Ref, good Will and bad Fort, or if you don't want two good saves, good Will. I understand this isn't quite done yet, so for now I shall not PEACH.

It's an "average" saving throw progression, which is just what I want the class to have in all three saves. And the class is done; done as far as a first draft goes anyway. I want to hear feedback on what I have so far before I make any changes.

EDIT: Whoops. I missed the whole spell level column. My bad. Fixing.

nonsi
2011-10-04, 01:39 AM
I don't know, something about "spend inspiration to be able to spend inspiration to be able to do something" seems cumbersome to me.
The inspiration pool is not that big to warrant such a constraint.
Furthermore, if you're a polymath, you shouldn't be required to "switch modes" to be able to practice your abilities.

Also, levels 3, 5, 9, 11, 17 and 19 are quite dead (an increase to the inspiration pool is not really a feature).

Morph Bark
2011-10-04, 04:06 AM
Also, levels 3, 5, 9, 11, 17 and 19 are quite dead (an increase to the inspiration pool is not really a feature).

Due to Emulate Class Feature, they aren't.

No 7th-level spells though? Also, following that save progression (+1, +1, +2, +2, +3, +3, +3, etc.), the 19th-level saves should be all +9.

Ziegander
2011-10-04, 05:50 AM
I don't know, something about "spend inspiration to be able to spend inspiration to be able to do something" seems cumbersome to me.

Furthermore, if you're a polymath, you shouldn't be required to "switch modes" to be able to practice your abilities.

I consider this a "first draft" remake of the Factotum, so any suggestions to improve the mechanics are very welcome. I want the class to be more of a Chameleon Base Class, able to fill in for other classes, and also focus on spending inspiration to gain new capabilities rather than to make sure its rolls are relevant.


Also, levels 3, 5, 9, 11, 17 and 19 are quite dead (an increase to the inspiration pool is not really a feature).

As Morph Bark already pointed out, not exactly. However, level 5 also increase the refresh value. So, levels 3, 9, 11, 17, and 19 are the most dead and I wouldn't mind some static class features thrown in there.

EDIT: Added Canny Breach, Canny Defense, Cunning Surge, Ingenious Breach, and Ingenious Defense. I kinda like them, but I'd still like to hear other suggestions if anyone has any.


No 7th-level spells though?

Just because it felt odd to gain them at 19th level and only have two real levels to play with them. 6th should be plenty.


Also, following that save progression (+1, +1, +2, +2, +3, +3, +3, etc.), the 19th-level saves should be all +9.

Actually, there was a strange oddity (strange given that I used this utility (http://pifro.com/dnd/NEW/) to fill in the table), which I fixed, but the +9s still end up at 20th not 19th.

Did you have any feedback on the mechanics of the class, Morph?

Morph Bark
2011-10-04, 01:14 PM
Did you have any feedback on the mechanics of the class, Morph?

Canny Breach's "When he deals damage that is reduced by damage damage reduction and or resistance to energy he adds his Intelligence modifier to the damage dealt" would be better as "He ignores an amount of damage reduction and resistance to energy up to his Intelligence modifier".

Ingenious Breach, even at level 17, is way too strong. Perhaps instead make it so that he has to choose between ignoring SR, DR, or two types of energy resistance.

Ingenious Defense's spell resistance is... awkward, but alright, I guess.

Fisticuffs
2011-10-04, 02:38 PM
No bonus key stat to certain skill checks? I always thought that was what made Factotum such a great skill monkey, I mean having all the skills to play with and only 6+int always felt confining.

Also are you missing so many base classes on purpose? How do I emulate fighter class features? Do I get to choose a fighter feat?

Ziegander
2011-10-04, 03:11 PM
Canny Breach's "When he deals damage that is reduced by damage damage reduction and or resistance to energy he adds his Intelligence modifier to the damage dealt" would be better as "He ignores an amount of damage reduction and resistance to energy up to his Intelligence modifier".

Thank you. I wrote that late last night and my head was foggy. Fixed.


Ingenious Breach, even at level 17, is way too strong. Perhaps instead make it so that he has to choose between ignoring SR, DR, or two types of energy resistance.

You are possibly right; however, keep in mind that the only unique ability here is the ability to ignore spell resistance. Tome of Battle has gotten to ignore DR since 3rd level, with bonus damage to boot, and through feats or prestige classes or just force spells, casters have been ignoring resistance to energy for a while now as well. I'll change how it interacts with Immunity, but I want to leave this feature for the time being.


No bonus key stat to certain skill checks? I always thought that was what made Factotum such a great skill monkey, I mean having all the skills to play with and only 6+int always felt confining.

Well, keep in mind that the Factotum's Intelligence based, so it's actually still got more skill points than a competent Rogue all of the time. Also, when embodying the Expert archetype the Factotum gets large bonuses to all skill checks, not just Str and Dex based ones. Do you think it still needs the old "once per day, per skill, add your class level to the skill check?"

Perhaps this?

Jack of all Trades (Ex): A Factotum is prepared for any situation and can show remarkable talent even in areas outside his expertise from time to time. Three times per day, he may choose a skill and make a single skill check with the chosen skill as if he had a number of ranks in that skill equal to 3 + his class level.


Also are you missing so many base classes on purpose? How do I emulate fighter class features? Do I get to choose a fighter feat?

I left out a bunch of base classes on purpose, yes. Paladins and Hexblades didn't seem to fit anywhere. Granting access to Wild Shape via Druid was just unacceptable. Samurai, Ninjas, Shugenjas, and Wu Jens are so terrible I hardly thought anyone would miss them. Binder would be cool to throw in, but suffers the same problem as Druid, adding it allows full access to Soul Binding. The Incarnum classes don't seem to fit anywhere, and any other class I didn't add in just didn't seem to make sense. Do you have any suggestions for classes you'd like to see associated with the archetypes?

As far as Fighter class features is concerned, yes, you can get a fighter feat by emulating a class feature, or you can get a Fighter alternate class feature that the Fighter could have at your class level, so, for example, a 6th level Factotum could get the improved version of Dungeoncrasher and a Fighter feat if he wanted.

Ziegander
2011-10-07, 06:27 PM
Any other feedback on this? I'd like to know if I've accomplished anything worthwhile here?

nonsi
2011-10-07, 07:47 PM
Any other feedback on this? I'd like to know if I've accomplished anything worthwhile here?

Regarding Cunning Knowledge:
For the warrior it's a bit cumbersome. Just say that it modifies all non-spell/Su associated stats and d20 rolls. The difference will be negligible and it will save you a lot of game time.

I'm a bit iffy about a factotum becoming more warrior than any warrior, more expert than any rogue and more of a caster than any caster (with his spell list of course).

Ziegander
2011-10-07, 11:51 PM
I'm a bit iffy about a factotum becoming more warrior than any warrior, more expert than any rogue and more of a caster than any caster (with his spell list of course).

What evidence do you have that backs this up though? How is the Factotum more warrior than a Warblade for instance? Or more caster than, well, there is no Tier 3 generalist caster, but if there was it would have 9th level spells and tons more spell slots per day. And then, the Rogue is a Tier 4 class, as is the Scout, and I'm trying to stay Tier 3 with this, so if it is "more expert than a Rogue" as you say, then a little of that is to be expected I suppose.

nonsi
2011-10-08, 01:52 AM
What evidence do you have that backs this up though? How is the Factotum more warrior than a Warblade for instance? Or more caster than, well, there is no Tier 3 generalist caster, but if there was it would have 9th level spells and tons more spell slots per day. And then, the Rogue is a Tier 4 class, as is the Scout, and I'm trying to stay Tier 3 with this, so if it is "more expert than a Rogue" as you say, then a little of that is to be expected I suppose.

I'm talking about surpassing warriors with combat stats (Int 18 at 1st level is practically automatic for a factotum - now add Fox’s Cunning - that's +9 at 8th level, a substantial advantage), producing more potent effects than any full caster of their level (animating more fowerful undead, having more potent dispel, hasting more allies etc) and putting to shame every skillmonkey in existence, even if only momentarily - you don't need more than that to tip the balance.

And the Factotum is as SAD as any base class can get.

I know I'd have a hard time swallowing that as a DM or as a player in that factotum's group.


Look, I'm no Factotum expert, so this is my insight ATM, but tell me if I'm missing something.

VarianArdell
2011-10-24, 01:09 PM
Actually, there was a strange oddity (strange given that I used this utility (http://pifro.com/dnd/NEW/) to fill in the table), which I fixed, but the +9s still end up at 20th not 19th.

To which oddity are you referring? The average save progression I'm getting from that utility is:

+1, +1, +2, +2, +3, +3, +3, +4, +4, +5, +5, +6, +6, +6, +7, +7, +8, +8, +8, +9

which is what it should be, assuming a direct halfway point between a good save (2 + [1/2]/lvl) and a poor save ([1/3]/lvl) would yield a Medium save of 1 + [5/12]/lvl.