PDA

View Full Version : The Master Gaffer (3.5/P PrC, PEACH)



Kane0
2012-02-25, 09:28 PM
The Gaffer, or Master Glassmith, is a master of alchemical glass. His skills in this field provide him with steady work from many clients ranging from the military to artists and collectors.

Prerequisites
-Profession (Glassblower) or Craft (Glassblowing) 4 Ranks
-Profession (Alchemist) or Craft (Alchemy) 4 Ranks
-Special: Must have created a usable piece of weaponry, armor or other adventuring gear completely out of glass
OR alternatively must have made a glass house that is safe from stones. :smallwink:

Hit Dice: d6
Skills per level: 4 + Int
Class Skills: Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Know (Arcana, Engineering), Profession, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device
Proficiencies: No new proficiencies are learned

{table=head] Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Casting Progression
1st| +0 | +2 | +0 | +0 | Improved Glassmaking, Glass Blast 1/day | -
2nd| +1 | +3 | +0 | +0 | Glass Armament, Glass Bomb 1/day | +1 of Previous Spellcasting Class
3rd| +2 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Improved Glass Crafting, Glass Blast 2/day | -
4th| +3 | +3 | +1 | +1 | Shrapnel, Glass Bomb 2/day | +1 of Previous Spellcasting Class
5th| +3 | +4 | +1 | +2 | Glass Barrier | -
[/table]

Class Abilities
Glass Blast
Once per day as a standard action the Master Gaffer can loose a 60ft cone of glass shards that deal 2d6 points of piercing damage per Gaffer level and 1d6 points of slashing damage per Gaffer level. A successful Reflex save with DC of (15 + Gaffer level + Intelligence Modifier) halves this damage. This becomes 2/day at level 3.
At level 2 the Master Gaffer can also make a special Glass Shrapnel bomb 1/day that acts as a standard grenadelike weapon (10ft spash radius), dealing his Glass Blast damage within the entire blast radius. At level 4 this becomes 2/day. At level 5 the Master Gaffer can create an extra amount Glass Shrapnel bombs equal to 1/4 his character level. Anybody can use these bombs but only the Gaffer gains the benefits of his shrapnel ability when using them. Each Shrapnel bomb takes 1 hour to create.

Improved Glassmaking
The Glass that a Master Gaffer makes is stronger, tougher and more durable than most other kinds of glass, and he learns to create it far more quickly and efficiently than most. Glass made by a Master Gaffer takes only half as long to create and uses 50% less materials (and cost) to create, as long as the Master Gaffer can use his alchemical apparatus and other tools he may need. This glass is considered to have similar properties to ironwood, Mithril or other suitable material once created, at the Master Gaffer's choice. Note that difficult materials (like Adamantine) might be more difficult or downright impossible.

Glass Armament
All weapons, shields and armor made that are created, modified or improved by a level 2 Master Gaffer using his alchemical Glass gains the masterwork quality for free, an extra 2 hardness, an extra 5 HP and costs 10% less to enchant.

Improved Glass Crafting
A level 3 or higher Master Gaffer can create virtually anything with his glass, within reason (Assume standard DC with DM discretion). Anything he creates using his Alchemical Glass also gains the benefits of Glass Armament.
In addition he can also exclude allies form the effects of his Glass Blasts and Glass Shrapnel Bomb abilities and can alter them with the appropriate Craft checks (Glass Shrapnel Mines instead of bombs, for example).

Shrapnel
Any attack using glass weapons or glass grenadelike weapons made by a level 4 Master Gaffer deal an extra 1d6 points of piercing damage. Any attack on someone wearing a Master Gaffer's armor or shield deals 1d6 points of piercing damage to the attacker. This does not damage the glass equipment.

Glass Barrier
Once per day as a standard action a level 5 Master Gaffer can create a wall or sphere of Alchemical Glass that operates similar to a Wall of Force or Forcecage effect, but can only be destroyed by disintegration or acid and is not affected by dispelling/antimagic nor does it stop ethereal creatures. The barrier has 10 hp per character level and lasts until destroyed or a new barrier is created.


OK there we go people! Please tell me what you think, especially which saves would be good and bad. :smalleek:

Steward
2012-02-26, 01:18 AM
I really like the idea of a glass class (ha!) It really makes the phrase "glass cannon" (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GlassCannon) come to life!

I think since the prestige class doesn't get new spells at each level, you could make the abilities a little stronger though. For example, the glass blast ability could have some more uses per day (either by making it "per encounter", or maybe you could add an extra advancement of it at fifth level (so that it is usable three times a day at that level) or both.

This class actually seems like something that would be great for a skill monkey too. The focus on using specialized technical skills as weapons and defense calls into mind classes like the NPC Expert and PC classes like the Factotum -- do you think you could bump up its hit dice to a d6 rather than a d4? It doesn't really bother me personally anyway but it seems like they need a little bit more stuff.

I definitely think that Fortitude should be a good save. Glassblowing (in real life) can have some health complications and if you're doing it in a premodern era (that is, before glare shields, adequate ventilation systems, respirators, etc.) you have to be pretty hardy or you're going down pretty hard! I'm not sure what you want to do about Will or Reflex though. If you make either of them good, it would probably depend on whether you think this class is more spellcaster-oriented or nonspellcaster-oriented.

Kane0
2012-02-26, 01:32 AM
I can always add more spellcasting increases up to maybe 4 out of 5 but then the noncasters would probably lose in the long run. Do you have any ideas? I like the idea of a crafter being a competent adventurer. After all, the best ingredients are often a part of a monster or their hoard.

Idhan
2012-02-26, 03:10 AM
Do you mean craft (alchemy), or are you proposing the rather unusual profession (alchemist) or somesuch?

If you're requiring craft (alchemy), I think that being a spellcaster of some sort is required anyway, since that's required for craft (alchemy), although personally I think that's a silly rule and I'd just as soon house rule it away.

Kane0
2012-02-26, 05:01 AM
Well, im not entirely sure how profession and craft interact so i broadened the prereqs a bit.

And I would be very much inclined to agree that casting is not a requirement for Alchemy. I say almost the opposite in fact

Kane0
2012-02-28, 11:15 PM
Shameless bump :smallredface: