PDA

View Full Version : "Now THAT'S a fireball!" (3.5 base class, PEACH)



Noctis Vigil
2012-06-20, 06:31 AM
Well, here it is, my attempt at a blaster. Before anyone asks, I attempted to make this a caster that could go on the front line and live, hence the strange proficiency list and skills.

The Incanter

Some people learn to channel their inner magic into many arcane effects, like Sorcerers. Others use it for good and healing, like Favored Souls. These draw off the powers of arcane and divine in their blood. But there is another far less talked about type of blood power: the Incanter, one whose blood flows with the power of raw destruction.

Incanters tend to be...slightly unstable. To put it bluntly, they're nuts. As such, they are never lawful. Other than that, they can be any alignment, though they tend to have a neutral bent (destruction in the blood tends to make one omnicidal).

Incanters tend to be slightly feared by many people. Wizards (and many Sorcerers) see them as unsophisticated and as boorish as Barbarians. Paladins and Clerics usually have issues with people whose response to insult is a fireball to the face. Barbarian tribes tend to have at least one Incanter to help in battle, as destruction on the battlefield is perfect.

Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Knowledge (The Planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skillpoints: 4+Int Mod (x4 at first level)
Hit Die: D6

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Incantation Level

1st|+0|+0|+2|+2|Incantations, Insanity|
1

2nd|+1|+0|+3|+3|Mage Sight|
1

3rd|+1|+1|+3|+3|Armed Incantation|
1

4th|+2|+1|+4|+4|Evasion|
2

5th|+2|+1|+4|+4|Punch Through|
2

6th|+3|+2|+5|+5|Meta-Incantation|
2

7th|+3|+2|+5|+5|Improved Mage Sight|
3

8th|+4|+2|+6|+6|Spell Blaster|
3

9th|+4|+3|+6|+6|Deadly Incantations|
4

10th|+5|+3|+7|+7|Armored Incantation|
4

11th|+5|+3|+7|+7|Meta-Incantation|
5

12th|+6/+1|+4|+8|+8|Greater Mage Sight|
5

13th|+6/+1|+4|+8|+8|Enhanced Meta-Incantation|
6

14th|+7/+2|+4|+9|+9|Improved Spell Blaster|
6

15th|+7/+2|+5|+9|+9|Improved Evasion|
7

16th|+8/+3|+5|+10|+10|Meta-Incantation|
7

17th|+8/+3|+5|+10|+10|Perfect Mage Sight|
8

18th|+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|Enhanced Meta-Incantation|
8

19th|+9/+4|+6|+11|+11|Lethal Incantations|
9

20th|+10/+5|+6|+12|+12|Greater Spell Blaster|
9[/table]

Proficiencies: Incanters are proficient with all simple weapons, five martial weapons and one exotic weapon of their choice. They are proficient with light armor and light shields (but still suffer arcane spell failure chance when wearing armor).

Incantations: An Incanter is filled with an innate power, gaining a number of spell-like abilities to draw upon. At first level, he gains access to all level 0 spells that do straight damage as at-will spell like abilities.

In addition, at 1st level, he chooses 2 spells from any spell list and gains those spells as spell-like abilities useable at will. At each level, he learns 1 more spell-like ability. The highest level spell he can learn as a spell-like ability is listed on the table. Any spell he learns must deal straight hit point damage as its primary effect (so an inflict wounds or disintegrate spell would be acceptable, but finger of death or fly would not).

With the exception of 1st level Incantations, an Incanter must let a spell rest before he may use it again. For spells of 2nd through 9th level, he must wait a number of rounds equal to one-half the spell's level rounded up (so a 2nd level spell would need one round of cooldown before it could be used again, but a 9th level spell would need 5 rounds of cooldown).

Upon reaching 10th level, you instead round down (so a 3rd level spell would only require one round instead of two, and a 9th level spell would require 4 rounds instead of 5). Upon reaching 20th level, this cooldown time is reduced by one round. Unlike the rest of the Incanter's spellcasting ability, these reductions are not granted from PrC levels, so an Incanter with 9 levels of the main class and 11 levels of improving Incanter spellcasting through PrCs would not get either cooldown reduction.

In order to learn a spell as a spell-like ability, he must have a Constitution score equal to 10+the spell's level. The DC for a saving throw against a Incanter's spell-like abilities is 10+the spell level+the Incanter's Constitution modifier. An Incanter does not gain additional spell-like abilities for a high Constitution score. For the purpose of determining how strong your spell-like abilities are and what feats or items you may use, treat your Incanter level as your caster level.

When choosing spell, check what spell lists the spell is on. If a spell is on the list of a class with half casting (such as the Bard or Paladin lists) and a spell list of a full caster (such as the Cleric or Wizard lists), consider its spell level to be the level it appears as on the full caster list. If it shows up on multiple full caster lists, consider it the lower of the two spell levels.

If a spell learned by the Incanter has verbal and somatic components, the spell-like ability likewise has them, and thus suffers spell failure chance when cast in armor. If a spell has a material component or focus worth less than 100 gold, you may ignore it to cast the spell-like ability. You must still provide any component worth more than 100 gold, or provide any EXP called for by the spell.

An Incanter is eligible to take item creation feats to create magic items using spells he can cast as spell-like abilities.

When you take your first level of Incanter, choose arcane or divine. When multiclassing into prestige classes, any class that grants "+1 level of spellcasting" can increase his spell-like casting, provided it grants additional casting for the type you chose. This is the only effect this choice has, and once made, this choice is permanent and cannot be changed.

Insanity: An Incanter is quite merrily loony. In game mechanics, this shows itself as a bonus/penalty: his Wisdom modifier is always considered +0, regardless of what his actual Wisdom stat is. Any time you would add or subtract his Wisdom modifier from a die roll (such as a skill check or a Will saving throw), you add no bonus or penalty for a high or low Wisdom score. This penalty even effects other classes he may have as well (for example, an Incanter 3/Cleric 3 would get no bonus spells per day for having high Wisdom and would not add his Wisdom modifier to his Cleric spell's saving throws). This penalty may not be removed by any means, even divine intervention, unless said means removes all levels of the Incanter class.

Mage Sight: An Incanter's insanity confers a clarity of sight upon them, letting them see magic easily. At 2nd level, he is considered to have a continuous detect magic effect. This power can be activated or disabled at will as a free action.

Armed Incantation: An Incanter is trained to cast on the field of battle. As such, starting at 3rd level he may use his Incantations even if he has a weapon in his hands. Further, any Incantation he knows with a range of touch can be delivered through his weapon.

Evasion: An Incanter has learned to dodge blasts and explosions out of necessity. He gains Evasion as the Monk ability at 4th level.

Punch Through: An Incanter's Incantations are hard to stop or avoid. Starting at 5th level, he gains an untyped bonus equal to his class level on all checks to overcome spell resistance whenever he uses an Incantation. Finally, the save DC of any Incantation he uses increases by one-quarter his class level rounded down.

Meta-Incantations: At 6th, 11th, and 16th level an Incanter may take a Metamagic feat. A number of times per day equal to one-quarter his class level rounded down plus his Constitution modifier, he may choose to modify one use of one of his Incantations with the metamagic feat. He may also opt to take additional metamagic feats as his bonus feat at each third level, granting him the same number of uses as normal. Any metamagic feat can be applied to any Incantation he knows, but he may not make the spell's total level equivalent pass his maximum spell level (so no applying every metamagic you know to one Incantation).

Improved Mage Sight: An Incanter's ability to see magic continues to improve as his power (and instability) increases. At 7th level, he gains a continuous arcane sight effect. This power can be activated or disabled at will as a free action.

Spell Blaster: An Incanter can destroy magic as easily as he can destroy physical things. At 8th level, he may use dispel magic at will.

Deadly Incantations: An Incanter's Incantations are deadlier than the usual spells of a Wizard. At 9th level the damage cap of all his spells is doubled (so a magic missile could fire up to 10 missiles, and a fireball could do up to 20d6 damage). Additionally, foes that are normally immune to elemental spells still take one quarter damage from an Incanter's Incantations, and foes with elemental resistance are treated as having half that amount.

Armored Incantation: An Incanter has much experience fighting on the field of battle. As such, starting at 10th level he no longer suffers any chance of spell failure when he wears light armor or light shields.

Greater Mage Sight: An Incanter's ability to see magic continues to improve as his power (and instability) increases. At 12th level, he gains a continuous true seeing effect. This power can be activated or disabled at will as a free action.

Enhanced Meta-Incantation: At 13th level, the Incanter is considered to be able to cast spells of one level higher for the sole purpose of applying metamagic to his Incantations. Thus, a 13th level Incanter could only learn any spell up to sixth level, but could apply metamagic to them to boost his spells up to seventh level.

This ability improves to two levels higher at 18th level.

Improved Spell Blaster: An Incanter can destroy magic as easily as he can destroy physical things. At 14th level, he may use greater dispel magic at will.

Improved Evasion: An Incanter has learned to dodge even the strongest blasts and explosions out of necessity. He gains Improved Evasion as the Monk ability at 15th level.

Perfect Mage Sight: An Incanter's ability to see magic continues to improve as his power (and instability) increases. At 17th level, he gains a continuous greater arcane sight effect. This power can be activated or disabled at will as a free action.

Lethal Incantations: An Incanter's Incantations are the most lethal spells of all. At 19th level the damage cap of all his spells becomes unlimited. Additionally, his Incantations deal full damage to foes with elemental resistance, and half damage to foes with elemental immunity.

Greater Spell Blaster: An Incanter can destroy magic as easily as he can destroy physical things. At 20th level, he may use mage's disjunction at will, save that instead of being an area of effect it targets a single ongoing magical effect (such as an antimagic field), a single creature and everything they currently have on their person, or a single unattended object (such as a magic weapon or artifact).

Re'ozul
2012-06-20, 09:07 AM
This class reminds me a lot of my own circuit mage (see signature).
It seems a ver good blaster but there are some things that I find perhaps a bit too powerful.

Chassis and proficiencies seem fine.

Limiting spells to specifics is a good idea. Though while evocation is generally seen as a weak school it still has several gems that work well if they are at-will.
0th
Light, Dancing Lights (for scouting)
1st
floating disk (transport or crossing water)
Burning hands (with con based casting you can be close to melee)
magic missile (old standby)
Nimbus of Light (funny that one as the maximum is "caster level" so with the unlimited cap you could have +200 damage at level 20)
2nd
Continual flame (you ignore the 50gp. Any city you stop in starts shining)
Gust of Wind (usually weak but flavoful in this class)
Scorching Ray (everybody loves scorching ray)
Shatter (warlocks will tell you how cool this is)
Electric Loop SpC (potential stun, gets better due to cap raising)
Winter's embrace (DC buff helps a lot here)
3rd
Fireball (nuff said)
Tiny hut (suddenly, city)
wind wall (together with other wind spells you can become an airbender)
Blacklight SpC (flavour fun)
4th
Fire Shield (you can do it continuously)
Resilient sphere (If you don't take this its your own fault, especially with your DC buff)
Force chest SpC (just for fun)
Force claw SpC (the longer the fight, the more claws you have)
Force Missiles SpC (nice if low guaranteed damage for clustered enemies)
Moon bolt SpC (very good for dealing str damage and also good against undead)
Sword of deception SpC (cap increase also makes the save debuff more attractive)
5th
Wall of force (over and over again)
Darkbolt SpC (Domain spell so not sure if usable, but very awesome daze effect)
Fire Shield Mass SpC (now for all your friends)
Firebrand SpC (shapable fireball with a bit of dot)
Memory Rot SpC(You hate wizards)
Shard Storm SpC (Depends on wether you can have multiple storms in the same area)
6th
Chain Lightning (Bzzzzt)
Dirge SpC (Bard spell, not sure if multiple simultaneous songs stack)
Fires of Purity (nice fire buff)
Miasma (pretty good with the DC enhancer)
7th
Prismatic spray (if you want to play up how bat**** insane the character is)
Prismatic Eye SpC (good preparation spell)
8th
Telekinetic sphere (like resilient sphere but better)
Red Tide SpC (NOt spectacular but pretty nice)
9th
Reality Maelstrom SpC (congratulations, you now have at-will black holes)

The only other thing I'd consider bad is giving disjunction at-will.

Noctis Vigil
2012-06-20, 10:55 AM
So your only real complaint is disjunction at will? Huh. That's not as bad as I thought it would be. Would it be better if I made it a targeted effect instead of an AoE?

Jane_Smith
2012-06-20, 01:01 PM
Hm. I do not like con as a casting stat, but thats your fluff to decide. Plus with evasion/improved evasion and maybe metamagic: shape and good positioning, you do not need a lot of con/hit points.

Also - maybe a boost to early game damage? Have you seen the Warmage? IT has an ability called "Warmage Edge" or the like, they add there casting stat to bonus damage to direct damage abilities (or to only 1 target if that ability hits multiple targets).

As for late game, maybe the ability to ignore X amount of resistance (which most mobs past CR 5+ have outright immunity or 10-30 resistance)? Perhaps at level 10, you deal half damage to creatures with immunity to your damage type/spells, and at 20, you ignore immunities/resistances completely? So you have an excuse to fling a fireball in a red-dragons face all chaotic/badass like.


Edit;

Also i just realized this class has a major issue of "i dont care what spell i use, they all do around the damage by level 10/20". The only real upgrades as you level up is range and radius, and there is absolutely NO REASON not to just spam meteor at level 20 over any other spell, all day every day.

Perhaps instead of making all the abilities at-will, they have a "cooldown" in rounds after use equal to there spell level? Cast a 9th level spell, wait 9 rounds to use it again. Cast a 1st level spell, wait 1 round, etc. Would make them juggle more and be less of a one-skill wonder.

Noctis Vigil
2012-06-20, 01:59 PM
My thoughts on resistances and such: I actually tried to avoid increasing the amount of damage his spells did other than removing damage caps, for the simple reason that he can spam his spells all day. The horror, you may need to use more than one spell to kill your foes. As for elemental resistances, I can see what your concern is. I'll add something to Punch Through, Deadly Incantations and Lethal Incantations to help.

bobthe6th
2012-06-20, 03:25 PM
Might do better to just make a eldrich blast style system, that rather then specific spells you use shapes and essences and modified meta... you might find some ideas on this in blasters v2&3...

as is, this could either be weak or broken, depending on your willingness to splat dive. Additionaly doing it that way would give you a better control of the class's balance, and simultaneously take it down from either T1-2...

also, right now the higher level cost meta is way more useful then the lower cost meta, as you can use them both an equal amount of times. perhaps make some kind of pool with meta levels you can boost your spells with...


"now, to calculate the planets volume in cubic feet... yes I can make it all go away!"

Round=3sec
1 min=20 rounds
1 hour=60 min= 1200 rounds
1day= 24 hour= 1440 min= 28,800 rounds
at level 13, he can cast disintigrate at will as a standard action, destroying 10*13=130 cubic feet of matter each time. each day that is 3,744,000 cubic feet of matter.
assuming a planet with earths volume
Volume=108.321*10^10 km3 (http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html)
1 km=1mi
1mi= 5280 feet
so, earth in cubic feet= 108.321*10^10*0.62137*5280=3,553,831,763,856,000 ft^3

time to destroy=3,553,831,763,856,000/3,744,000 days=949,207,202 days or 2,636,686 years and 242 days... that had a point some were... then the calculations began...

Noctis Vigil
2012-06-20, 04:24 PM
Made a simple edit. He can only take spells that deal damage as their primary effect now (so no evocation utility spells). He has enough utility through skills, Mage Sight and Spell Blaster.

Noctis Vigil
2012-07-04, 10:18 AM
This is a shameless bump looking for more PEACH.

Baron Corm
2012-07-04, 10:40 AM
After you get Lethal Incantations, I'd venture to say this class could easily take out 1 creature of any kind, every round, with no end. I think damage caps should stay to keep any kind of balance. A 9th level spell at-will, with two free levels of metamagic (probably Empower in almost every case?), plus all of those free defensive/miscellaneous abilities, overshadows the warlock by quite a lot, so balanced against that it's inherently unbalanced as well. Numbers like "one-half your class level" added to spell DCs make it seem like you aren't even trying to balance. That's +10 to spell DCs at level 20 - no one will ever pass them.

That said, it looks like a fun class that would destroy everything. It does it better than almost anything else, but like I said, that seems like its intention.

Noctis Vigil
2012-07-04, 12:17 PM
I reduced the bonus to spell DCs to one-quarter his level rounded down, and removed the elemental resistance bit from Punch Through (although he still overcomes elemental resistance eventually).

Goal was a T1-2 blaster that could really only blast, so balancing against the T3-4 Warlock will of course make the Warlock go cry in the corner on principle.

Also, thinking of implementing Jane_Smith's suggestion on cooldown as follows:

With the exception of 1st level Incantations, an Incanter must let a spell rest before he may use it again. For spells of 2nd through 9th level, he must wait a number of rounds equal to one-half the spell's level rounded up (so a 2nd level spell would need one round of cooldown before it could be used again, but a 9th level spell would need 5 rounds of cooldown).

Thoughts?

EDIT: New...ability added at first level: Insanity.

Baron Corm
2012-07-04, 03:51 PM
Goal was a T1-2 blaster that could really only blast, so balancing against the T3-4 Warlock will of course make the Warlock go cry in the corner on principle.


Tier 1: Capable of doing absolutely everything, often better than classes that specialize in that thing. Often capable of solving encounters with a single mechanical ability and little thought from the player. Has world changing powers at high levels. These guys, if played well, can break a campaign and can be very hard to challenge without extreme DM fiat, especially if Tier 3s and below are in the party.


Tier 2: ...If the Tier 1 classes are countries with 10,000 nuclear weapons in their arsenal, these guys are countries with 10 nukes...

If you want to make a class like that I'd say there's not much to critique. There is no balancing involved with Tier 1 and 2, it's just you're godlike in power and can end encounters without trying, or you're not in the tier. If you want to shoot for Tier 2 specifically, I think you're already there, because you can only end encounters in a few ways.