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View Full Version : Marshal Re-tool {pleale critique)



Kenneth
2011-12-04, 05:30 PM
Ok, here is the Marshal I use in my Campaigns, you might notice that the Marshal got the Bard's inspire goodies and be worried that my Bard is now saddly under powered. but you would be mistaken.. to get a little off track, think Everquest Bard or really any other RPG where you have bards and that is what My Bard is like , singing/playing instruments to get the good buffs to the party. anyways I am aiming for 'tier 3' for the Marshal so, any advice you can think of to put it there (if it is not already) would be appreciated.



Marshal
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |Least Shouts|Minor Shouts|Major Shouts

1st|+0|+0|+0|+2|SKill Focus: Diplomacy, Inspire Courage| 2|—|—

2nd|+1|+0|+0|+3|Weapon Focus|3|—|—

3rd|+2|+1|+1|+3|Inspire Competence|3|2|—

4th|+3|+1|+1|+4|Improved Aid, Iron Will|4|2|—

5th|+3|+1|+1|+4|Bonus Feat, Grant Move Action 1/day|4|3|—

6th|+4|+2|+2|+5|Suggestion, Quicksilver Advance|5|3|—

7th|+5|+2|+2|+5|Tactical Strike|5|3|1

8th|+6/+1|+2|+2|+6|Disrupting Blow, Leader's Resolve|6|4|1

9th|+6/+1|+3|+3|+6|Bonus Feat, Inspire Greatness|6|4|1

10th|+7/+2|+3|+3|+7|Grant Move Action 2/day|7|4|2

11th|+8/+3|+3|+3|+7|Blitzing Recovery|7|5|2

12th|+9/+4|+4|+4|+8|Tenacity|8|5|2

13th|+9/+4|+4|+4|+8|Bonus Feat|8|5|3

14th|+10/+5|+4|+4|+9||9|6|3

15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+5|+9|Grant Move Action 3/day, Inspire Heroics|9|6|3

16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+5|+10|Mind Over Matter|10|6|4

17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+5|+10|Bonus Feat|10|7|4

18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+6|+11||11|7|4

19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+6|+11||11|7|5

20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+6|+12|Grant Move Action 4/day, Magnificent Standard |12|8|5

[/table]
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d10

Class Skills:
The marshal's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Weapon an Armor Proficiency: Simple and Martial one-and two-handed blunt, piercing and slashing weapons. All types of armor and shields (except for Tower Shield)

Skill Focus (Diplomacy):
Because a marshal has a way with people, he gains this feat as a bonus feat. If the marshal already has the feat, he can choose a different one.

Grant Move Action {Ex}:
Starting at 5th level, a marshal can direct and motivate his allies to act immediately. Once per day, as a standard action, he may grant an extra move action to any or all of his allies within 30 feet (but not to himself). Each of the affected allies takes this extra move action immediately, acting in their current initiative order. This extra action does not affect the allies' initiative count; the round continues normally after the marshal's turn is over. (This may mean, for example, that an ally whose initiative count immediately follows the marshal's may get an extra move action from the marshal, followed directly by a full round worth of actions on the ally's turn.) A marshal gains an additional use of this ability every 5 levels after 5th level.

Inspire Courage {Ex}:
A Marshal can inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the Marshal . The effect lasts for 5 rounds. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six Marshal levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspiring Courage is a standard action. No other Inspiriation granted by the Marshal may be enacted in the same round.

Weapon Focus:
A Marshal gains the Weapon focus feat as a bonus feat.

Inspire Competence {Ex}:
A Marshal can help an ally succeed at a task. The ally must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the Marshal. The Marshal must also be able to see the ally.
The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he or she continues to hear the Marshal‘s word of encouragement. Certain uses of this ability are infeasible. The effect lasts as long as the Marshal concentrates, up to a maximum of 2 minutes. Inspire competence is a mind-affecting ability. Inspiring Competence is a standard action. No other Inspiriation granted by the Marshal may be enacted in the same round.

Iron Will:
A Marshal gains Iron Will as a bonus feat.

Improved Aid {Ex}
At 4th level a Marshal when performing the aid another action gains a +4 bonus instead of the normal +2. In addition at 10th level a Marshal can take ten on any an all aid another actions.

Suggestion {Ex}:
A Marshal at 6th level can make a suggestion (as the spell) to a creature.
A Will saving throw (DC 10 + ½ Marshal’s level + Marshal’s Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature (but see mass suggestion, below). Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language dependent ability. A Marshal can use the Suggestion Ability an additional time per day for every 4 levels after 6th (twice at 10th, three times at 14th, and 4 times at 18th)

Quicksilver Advance {Ex}:
As a swift action a Marshal gives allies a +6 bonus to Initiative and +10 feet of movement speed on the first round of combat.

Tactical Strike {Ex}:
A Marshals fist successful attack in an encounter deals an extra 2d6 damage and allows allies a free 5 foot step.

Disrupting Blow {Ex}:
At 8th level a Marshal can use a Will Save in place of an attack, if successful The Marshal deals no damage but the target struck is not able to act for the following round.

Leader’s Resolve {Ex}:
At 8th level a Marshal gains a competence bonus to will saves equal to half his Marshal level. In addition at 12th level a Marshal can as an immediate action grant a bonus equal to half this amount to an ally’s Will save.

Inspire Greatness {Ex}:
A Marshal at 9th level can inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting him or her extra fighting capability. For every three levels a Marshal attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally with a single use of this ability (two at 12th level, three at 15th, four at 18th). To inspire greatness, an ally must hear him Talk. The effect lasts for 5 rounds. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependant. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability. Inspiring Greatness is a standard action. No other Inspiriation granted by the Marshal may be enacted in the same round.

Blitzing Recovery {Ex}:
At 11th level a Marshal can as a swift action re-roll a failed attack with a -2 penalty. At 17th level he can use an immediate action to have an ally re-roll a failed attack with a -2 penalty.

Tenacity {Ex}:
At 12th level a Marshal gain his Charisma modifier as a bonus to his AC. He loses this bonus if he is unconscious, Stunned, paralyzed, helpless, Frightened, or Panicked.

Inspire Heroics {Ex}:
A Marshal at 15th level can inspire tremendous heroism in allies within 30 feet. . To inspire heroics, a Marshal must speak and an ally must hear the Marshal. A creature so inspired gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for 5 rounds. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability. Inspiring Heroics is a standard action. No other Inspiriation granted by the Marshal may be enacted in the same round.

Mind Over Matter {Ex}:
As an immediate action a Marshal can use a Will Save check in place of a reflex or fortitude saving throw. A will saved used this way does not benefit from Leader’s Resolve. Only one such use of this ability can occur in a single round.

Mass Suggestion {Ex}:
This ability functions like suggestion, above, except that a Marshal of 18th level can make the suggestion simultaneously to any number of creatures up to one per level. Mass suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting, language-dependent ability. The Marshal can only use the Mass Suggestion Ability once per day.

Shouts
A Marshal knows every Shout avaible to him at a particular level. He is limited in how many uses of Shouts he has in a day according to the above table. All bonuses gain from a Marshal’s Shouts are Morale Bonuses.
Least Shouts Last 3 rounds plus 2 rounds per charisma modifier. Enacting a least shout requires a standard action.
Minor Shouts Last 1 round plus 2 rounds per charisma modifier. Enacting a Minor shout requires a standard action.
Major Shouts Last 1 round plus 1 round per charisma modifier. Enacting a Major shout requires a standard action.
The save DC of A Marshal's Shouts are 10+ 1/2 Marshal's Level+ Marshal's Cha Modifier

Least Shouts {Ex}:
Accurate Strike: +2 Bonus on attack rolls made.
Art of War: +4 Bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts.
Demand Fortitude: +2 Bonus on Fortitude saves.
Force of Will: +2 Bonus on Will saves.
Master of Tactics: +1 Bonus to attacks and a +3 Bonus on damage rolls when flanking.
Motivate Ardor: +2 Bonus to Damage.
Motivate Charisma: +4 Bonus on Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks.
Motivate Constitution: +4 Bonus on Constitution checks and Constitution-based skill checks.
Motivate Dexterity: +4 Bonus on Dexterity checks, Dexterity-based skill checks, and initiative checks.
Motivate Intelligence: +4 Bonus on Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks.
Motivate Strength: +4 Bonus on Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks.
Motivate Wisdom: +4 Bonus on Wisdom checks and Wisdom-based skill checks.
Watchful Eye: +2 Bonus on Reflex saves.

Minor Shouts{ Ex}:
Deadly Precision: Critical threat ranges are increased by 2
Hardy Soldiers: The Marshal's allies gain DR 3/-.
Motivate Attack: Allies gain 1 additional attack at their highest Base Attack Bonus -3.
Motivate Care: +3 Bonus to Armor Class.
Motivate Defiance: Allies gain Resistance (5) to Acid, Cold, Electrical, and fire attacks.
Motivate Presence: +3 Bonus to bluff, diplomacy, intimidate checks as well as will saves.
Motivate Urgency: Allies' base land speed is increased by 20 feet.

Major Shouts {Ex}:
Battle Shout: +5 Bonus to attack and Damage rolls.
Challenging Shout: Adversaries are Dazed.
Commanding Shout: +4 Bonus to initiative and 3d6 Bonus temporary Hit Points.
Demoralizing Shout: -5 Penalty to opponents attack and damage rolls.
Intimidating Shout: Adversaries are Frightened. This counts as a terror effect.
Resilient Troop: Allies gain Fast Healing 5.

Magnificent Standard {Ex}:
At 20th level, a Marshal has become a powerful rallying point to his allies, and a bane to his foes. Whenever he is visible, allies of the standard bearer within 30 feet gain a +3 bonus on attack rolls, immunity to fear effects, and a +3 bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects, as well as fast healing 1. While foes within 30 feet suffer a -3 penalty on attack rolls and saving throws. In addition any ally brought below 1 HP but more then -10 HP is automatically stabilized.

A Marshal is considered a Fighter equal to his Marshal Level -2 for purposes of qualifying for feats. These effective Fighter levels stack with actual Fighter levels.

NeoSeraphi
2011-12-04, 05:42 PM
You didn't give the marshal the bardic music class feature (just the songs). At the moment, it appears your marshal can use all of his bardic music at-will, rather than class level times/day.

Edit: Also you have Weapon Focus as a class feature, but it's not on the table, and it doesn't say in the text what level he gets it at.

Kenneth
2011-12-04, 05:54 PM
you are correct the Marshal can use his inpsires at will, though only once a round ( normally i would think that would be pretty self explantory but then againt his is 3rd ed land where drown needs to be defined and other such blahs)

and thanks for noticing the lack of weapon focus int eh table LOl!

edit.... how is teh capstone ability by the way.. I am torn between it being good or under whelming.

NeoSeraphi
2011-12-04, 06:03 PM
Mind Over Matter doesn't work, because you can only use swift actions on your turn (and a marshal will very very rarely have to make saving throws on his own turn). You should change it to an immediate action.

The ability to use suggestion and mass suggestion at-will is pretty powerful. Especially since you have them with scaling DCs and as extraordinary abilities. I would change this to a spell-like ability with a DC equal to spell levell+10+Cha (So 13+Cha for suggestion and 16+Cha for mass suggestion)

The major problem with extraordinary abilities is the ability to issue them in an anti-magic field, but more importantly, it's that they ignore spell resistance, which just doesn't make sense at all.

Magnificent Standard is alright. It grants a lot of small bonuses, which all combine together to make a decent capstone.

Kenneth
2011-12-04, 06:17 PM
K changed mind over matter to an immediate action. and clearified teh Inspire X'es so that peeps can't break the game with them. and I put a limit on the use of suggestion and mass suggestion.

Pechvarry
2011-12-04, 10:34 PM
I like this quite a bit. I would kinda like to see the minor and major shouts have some scaling, though, instead of straight numbers which may or may not impress. That would be a lot of (re)work though.

I'm not sure about their ToB maneuvers-as-class-features (tactical strike, disrupting blow, blitzing recovery, mind over matter). A lot of them force concentration as a skill, and I don't see why that should be super high priority for a Marshal. Heck, I'd rather see them have a small maneuver progression -- choose 2 schools at level 2, let them gain a maneuver known every few levels.
Once again, that's a lot of re-work so I'm not going to hold it against you if you disagree.

Anyway, it's a pretty solid take on the Marshal. I really enjoy that it's an active class to play, instead of spending every round hoping your buffs are winning the battle for your team.

Kenneth
2012-01-26, 11:19 PM
Allrighty, thanks to Neoseraphi, I relaized that I never posted the final version of my Marshal, I have since corrected that oversight.

ngilop
2012-02-24, 10:56 PM
here is my suggestion to make the marshal here scale better with level, instead of making the minor and major shouts a flat bonus, make them scale with level, as in

Minor shouts are instead of a +3 bonus +2 /+1 for every 4th Marshal level

while Major shouts instead of being +5 bonus are 2 /+1 for every 2 Marshal Levels.

so they are at teh same bonus they are now whne you first aqcuire them

here is what I mean written out

Minor Shouts{ Ex}:
Deadly Precision: Critical threat ranges are increased by 2. Allies also gain a +2 bonus to critical confirm rolls increasing by +1 every 4th Marshal level.
Hardy Soldiers: The Marshal's allies gain DR 2/, increasing by 1/- every 4th Marshal level.
Motivate Attack: Allies gain 1 additional attack at their highest Base Attack Bonus -3.
Motivate Care: +2 Bonus to Armor Class, increasing by +1 every 4th Marshal level.
Motivate Defiance: Allies gain Resistance (3) to Acid, Cold, Electrical, and fire attacks, increasing by 2 every 4th Marshal level.
Motivate Presence: +2 Bonus to bluff, diplomacy, intimidate checks as well as will saves, increasing by +1 every 4th Marshal level.
Motivate Urgency: Allies' base land speed is increased by 10 feet, increasing by 5 feet every 4th Marshal level.

Major Shouts {Ex}:
Battle Shout: +2 Bonus to attack and Damage rolls, increasing by +1 for every 2 Marshal levels.
Challenging Shout: Adversaries are Dazed.
Commanding Shout: +4 Bonus to initiative and 3d6 Bonus temporary Hit Points, increasing by 1 temporary Hit Point for every 2 Marshal levels..
Demoralizing Shout: -2 Penalty to opponents attack and damage rolls, increasing by -1 every 2 Marshal levels.
Intimidating Shout: Adversaries are Frightened. This counts as a terror effect.
Resilient Troop: Allies gain Fast Healing 2, increasing by 1 every 2 Marshal levels.