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View Full Version : [Legend] Shaman Track - Fatal Flora



Fako
2012-01-08, 06:08 PM
Designer Rant:
If you don't know what Legend is, it's an awesome new d20 system you can check out at http://www.ruleofcool.com made by some very talented homebrewers from around these parts. It's amazing, fast, and fun... but it has a few kinks that they're working on. One that bothered me is the fact that the Shaman is literally forced to multiclass, only having two tracks available to them. Considering their connection to the world around them being their source of magic... that seems like a bit of wasted potential. As such, I'm hoping to make a few options for that missing track and post them here. If anyone likes them, feel free to use them.

Fatal Flora
The Shaman's worldly connection draws mostly upon the flora around them, either from the awe inspiring beauty of it all, or the realization that half of the plants they see daily seem designed to kill them. By tapping into and enhancing this connection, the Shaman is able to bend the plants near him to do his bidding. The Fatal Flora track provides the following abilities:

1st Circle - The Earth ProvidesSU: If you have a plant or a root within your reach, you have everything you could ever need. By spending a minute in concentration while in contact with natural vegetation, you can extract a mundane weapon or tool. It cannot have any intricate parts, but otherwise the only limit is what the DM believes you can extract from a specific plant. The items are of standard quality and as hard as a normal tool or weapon, in spite of being made of plant stuff (typically plant fiber or wood, but some Shamans have been known to kill with flower petal whips). They last indefinitely while you are touching them, but only survive for one [Round] afterwards.

I know this doesn't seem to fit with a "lethal plant" chain, but I sadly could not come up with 6 different ways to augment the next ability. As such, I pushed it to 2nd circle, and gave a utility effect to start. Considering it's mundane-only, it shouldn't cause too many problems... unless the DM is running an item-starved game...

2nd Circle - OvergrowSLA: As a standard action, you can create a feedback loop in your connection to the world around you, causing a surge of growth in nearby plants. Grass grows and twists, roots shoot through rock and mud, and overhanging vines become a nearly impassable wall. Choose a number of connected squares within [Close] range up to half your KOM + the number of Circles you have in this track - those squares become overgrown and are treated as [Difficult Terrain] for the remainder of the [Encounter]. You can use this ability once per round (no matter how many actions you have), but you can only sustain a number of squares equal to your KOM, plus an additional 2 for each circle you have in this track.

The bread and butter of this track, Overgrow is what I picture Shaman battlefield control to look like. Obviously not as potent as the Tactician's effects, but still very nice. As far as the numbers created/maintained... those formulas are placeholders, as I'm not much of an optimizer. If anyone has ideas and reasons as to why to change it, I'm more than willing to.

3rd Circle - Emissary of NatureEX: The wild lands know you as a friend, granting you passage and concessions. You ignore [Difficult Terrain] that is either natural or plant-based (such as your own overgrown squares), and gain a free token in any social encounter with a creature that has the [Animal], [Magical Beast], or [Plant] types.

Again, the last half of this ability is effectively a placeholder, since I couldn't come up with anything better. I wanted your next ability to be ignoring the difficult terrain you created, but I don't feel that ability alone is worth it at 3rd circle, so this was made. I could feasibly bump that down to first circle, but not sure... I'm kind of partial to the Super Pretty Death Sword creation...

4th Circle - EntangleSU: Your control over plants increases, turning roots into ropes. When using your Overgrow ability, you can stack four overgrown squares underneath a foe, causing a massive surge of plants to spring forth and attempt to entrap them. The enemy is allowed a [Reflex] Save (DC = 10 + 1/2 level + KOM) to resist this effect. If they succeed they must take a free 5' step to escape the plants, if they fail (or refuse to move) they are [Entangled] and unable to move from their current square. [Flying] creatures are pulled to the ground after one [Round], and are unable to fly while [Entangled].
You must spend a Swift Action each round to continue the entrapment, and can trap up to your KOM in creatures at one time, assuming you have enough overgrown squares to invest.
The effect ends at the end of the [Encounter]. The creature can escape by making an Athletics or Acrobatics check (DC 10 + 1/2 level + your KOM) as a full-round action. This is a effect.

This should make it a bit more interesting when it comes to using Overgrow, and is the reason they get to make so many squares at one time. I originally had Overgrow allow KOM squares per action, and I might take it back down to that... being able to create 11+ squares of difficult terrain can be nasty... especially with what's coming.

[b]5th Circle - Plant StrideSLA: To defend the wilds, you must be able to reach far distances in a short period of time. Once per [Scene], you may use a full-round action to step into a large plant (typically a tree), and step out of another large plant within [Extreme] distance. You do not need line of sight or line of effect to the destination, but you can't use Plant Stride to enter any area that prevents [Teleport] effects. If there is no suitable plant at your chosen destination then one rapidly grows to accommodate the travel, as if you had used the Instant Tree consumable.

Instant Tree is cool, but I don't see much use for it as-is. With this ability, you can now use Instant Tree as a means of transportation. Plant the tree, let it grow, and choose your destination being "open ground above the dungeon"... and you're out. Having it create a tree at the destination is mostly for fluff, simply because I think it'd be cool to have a Shaman use this to enter a King's throne room...:smallwink:

6th Circle - When Trees AttackSU: The wilds are a deadly place, and you have learned to bring that danger with you. Overgrow now takes only a move action to activate, and the squares you place grow long thick vines, allowing you to make attacks and special combat actions as if you were occupying any of the overgrown squares you have made or [Entangled] someone in. Treat these attacks as Special weapons (1d8 + KOM damage), with a +1 to hit and damage for every 5 ranks in Nature you possess. Furthermore, any enemy you Entangle automatically takes 2d6 + KOM damage each round as the plants constrict them.

Yes, I stole the TVTrope name... but I think it fits. I'm pretty sure this will help a Shaman contribute to melee without actually having to get close, and I figured that by now Overgrow would be second nature to them, making it quicker to activate. I included the bonus from Nature as an incentive to have the skill, but you can modify that as you see fit.

7th Circle - Law of the JungleSU: You have learned to take the wilds with you, making you dangerous on any terrain. You no longer need any natural vegetation nearby to be able to use Plant Warp or The Forest Provides, and are healed for 1/4 of the damage your plants deal to enemies. At the start of an [Encounter], you automatically create a number of overgrown squares equal to your KOM. Unlike normal overgrown squares, these can be anywhere in [Close] range, do not have to be connected to one another, and cannot be used to Entangle foes. You may transform these squares into Entangling squares by adding three squares as normal on your turn.

Not sure if I should up the healing on this one, but the first part is (in my opinion) the most important: You can make anything and summon plants anywhere. Full Stop. That means you can summon plants in space if necessary, removing the only real restriction on this track's use. I opted to not have the effect extend to Plant Stride due to options for abuse, as well as how that would work in actual play...

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I'm hoping to do a similar track for Animals, and there's a Shapeshifting track already available on the forums (found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=228135)).

Any opinions? Too strong? Too weak?

0nimaru
2012-01-08, 10:31 PM
2nd Circle: ...
You may use this ability as often as you have standard actions...

The wording at the end is a bit clunky. It could simply say that it is a standard action to use, at-will. Also, I assume that the maximum sustained squares are KoM + (2 x {Circles}) but it could also be read as (KoM + 2) x {Circles}.



4th Circle: ...

It might be useful to note if this ability can target flying units in the square above the overgrowth. If it wasn't intended to target fliers, you won't be of much use in battlefield control without a track or party member who is able to ground fliers.


5th Circle: ...
You do not need line of sight or line of effect to the destination. If there is no suitable plant at your chosen destination then one grows at your destination, as if you had used the Instant Tree consumable....

I like the idea of this circle, but it seems vaguely open-ended. It might not be such a problem at the 5th circle power level, but you could use this to teleport into a wizard's vault or the top floor of the tower. You could even destroy buildings by growing trees on them just before you step out. There is also no action cost associated with it.


6th Circle: ...

I like this ability very much. However, I don't think Legend has the D20 damage types of Slash/Bludgeon/Pierce. Also, while you dropped it to a move action it might be wise to still keep it to once per turn like the sage's Healing Burst.


7th Circle: ...
At the start of an [Encounter], you automatically create a number of overgrown squares equal to your KOM. Unlike normal overgrown squares, these can be anywhere in [Close] range, do not have to be connected to one another, and cannot be used to Entangle foes.

With assumed flight 10 levels ago, difficult terrain might come out very weak for this level. The only use of these squares I can see is if one assumes that 1 starting square + 3 stacked squares on their turn total to the 4 layered squared required to [Entangle].

Fako
2012-01-08, 11:55 PM
The wording at the end is a bit clunky. It could simply say that it is a standard action to use, at-will. Also, I assume that the maximum sustained squares are KoM + (2 x {Circles}) but it could also be read as (KoM + 2) x {Circles}.

Wording changed, please tell me if it makes more sense. Also stated that it can only be used once per round, to prepare for any action-economy shenanigans that can crop up with other homebrew. You're correct on the first formula, also changed wording of it.


It might be useful to note if this ability can target flying units in the square above the overgrowth. If it wasn't intended to target fliers, you won't be of much use in battlefield control without a track or party member who is able to ground fliers.

Since it's not a [Ground] effect, it is assumed that it can target flying creatures. However, that's not exactly obvious - wording has been updated to include a clause on dragging flying creatures down.


I like the idea of this circle, but it seems vaguely open-ended. It might not be such a problem at the 5th circle power level, but you could use this to teleport into a wizard's vault or the top floor of the tower. You could even destroy buildings by growing trees on them just before you step out. There is also no action cost associated with it.

Instant Tree allows the same destructive abilities, and is usable by anyone trained in Nature starting at level one if they're willing to carry a small bag of dirt. Considering it's 5th circle, I'm not horribly worried about it, but you do make a point on Wizard Vaults. I added a clause stating that anything that blocks a teleport spell will block Plant Walk.


I like this ability very much. However, I don't think Legend has the D20 damage types of Slash/Bludgeon/Pierce. Also, while you dropped it to a move action it might be wise to still keep it to once per turn like the sage's Healing Burst.

Thought I had seen them - I was wrong. Fixed on both accounts - Overgrow has a built in once per round limiter.


With assumed flight 10 levels ago, difficult terrain might come out very weak for this level. The only use of these squares I can see is if one assumes that 1 starting square + 3 stacked squares on their turn total to the 4 layered squared required to [Entangle].

The idea was actually to allow for you to start the fight with a full-attack if you felt so inclined, as your "weapons" from the 6th circle would be automagically deployed at the start of the fight. However, considering that the shaman no longer needs vegetation to do his dirty work, would it be too strong to allow him to stack two squares to make it Impassable instead of Difficult Terrain? It would let him use Overgrow to wall off the battlefield, and can include a clause that the effect would block flying creatures as well.