Balance question

[killianh]

I have been thinking of a potential homebrew class, but I wanted to ask some mechanical balance questions first and I figured this would be the best place to ask.

The idea: A character that can do anything. At all. Basically a tier 1 factotum.

The background idea: I want to give the class a progression like the chameleon PrC, except I want to include the ability to progress along any system of abilities available to other base classes like psionics, incarnum, manoeuvres, binding, bardic music, wis to AC, skirmish, and so on.

The question: Considering the obviously vast versatility this class would end up with, what would be a good way to limit the power? some ideas included only be able to use 2 such progressions at level one, followed by an addition ability at level 5, 10, 15, and 20. Another limitation would be that it would progress normally until those just before those levels (4, 9, 14, 19) and it would lose a progress at those levels. That would mean at level 20 you would have progression in a given ability the same as a level 16 of the base class, which in turn inhibits 9ths from being tossed around (another strong class limitation).

Do these ways work mechanically? what ways would you suggest? should I scrap the idea as unbalancable?

[NavyBlue]

You're building a tier 1... Who said anything about limiting power?:smalltongue:

In all seriousness though, If you're going for tier 1 power level, and ability to do anything, I wouldn't see the point of having any other class. This would work better in a d20 based classless game, where you could chose which progression you wanted in order to make different characters.

[Vizzerdrix]

They have this class already. It's called Wizard :smalltongue:

[killianh]

I know they have wizards :smallsigh:

I'm talking about being able to start your day off as a bit of a wizard, and a cleric, and a psion, and a warblade, and a totemist, and a rogue. Or some other crazy creation. I want to try and lower the power from a basic tier one caster and add multiple options from different class systems, like binding or sneak attack or rage.

[Mithril Leaf]

So a binder then?

[killianh]

I guess this is a hard one to explain. Think of some of those tri builds that allow for full arcane, divine, and psionic. Now imagine that, but with six progression rather than three, at a lower power level as a base class.

No not a wizard. No not a binder. Both, plus whatever four other things you may want.

[docnessuno]

I have been thinking of a potential homebrew class, but I wanted to ask some mechanical balance questions first and I figured this would be the best place to ask.

The idea: A character that can do anything. At all. Basically a tier 1 factotum.

The background idea: I want to give the class a progression like the chameleon PrC, except I want to include the ability to progress along any system of abilities available to other base classes like psionics, incarnum, manoeuvres, binding, bardic music, wis to AC, skirmish, and so on.

The question: Considering the obviously vast versatility this class would end up with, what would be a good way to limit the power? some ideas included only be able to use 2 such progressions at level one, followed by an addition ability at level 5, 10, 15, and 20. Another limitation would be that it would progress normally until those just before those levels (4, 9, 14, 19) and it would lose a progress at those levels. That would mean at level 20 you would have progression in a given ability the same as a level 16 of the base class, which in turn inhibits 9ths from being tossed around (another strong class limitation).

Do these ways work mechanically? what ways would you suggest? should I scrap the idea as unbalancable?

VERY quick and dirty idea:
Chassis: Proor BaB, Poor saves, D4 HD, 2+int skills with limited (social) skill pool.

From level 1, one of the following active, can be changed 1 / day:
Battle focus: +1 BaB / 2 levels, +1 Fort / 2 levels, +3 HP / level.
Skill focus: +1 Ref / 2 levels, level ranks in 6 skills (allowing to exceed ranks cap but not stacking with existing ranks)
Casting focus: +1 Will / 2 levels, Allows to select spellcasting classes with the class-mimicking ability (lvl 1-5 only classes able to cast up to 4th level spells, lvl 6-10 only classes able to cast up to 6th level spells, level 15+ any class)
From level 5 the focus can be changed 2/day
From level 10 You can select 2 focuses, but the second works at 1/2 your class level
From level 15 the focus can be changed 3/day
From level 20 both focuses works at full strenght

From level 5, You select a base class and gain all of it's class features as if you had a number of levels in that class equal to 3/4 of your class levels. If you select a spellcasting class you don't gain any spellcasting ability unless you selected the casting focus and have the appropriate level. Class features avaiable a limited numbers of times (such as the artificer's craft reserve) are not avaible. Each choice (bons feats, spells known, etc) is made when the class is first mimicked.
The mimicked class can be changed 1/day
From level 10 you can change the mimicked class 2/day
From level 15 You can mimick an additional class as but you gain that class features at 1/2 of your class levels.
From level 20 you can change the mimicked class 3/day

[HunterOfJello]

This was somewhat attempted with the Generic classes in Unearthed Arcana and with the Savant class in the Dragon Compendium.

They'd be good to take a look at.

Savant tries to do everything at once with a very slow progression. It seems to end up being unable to do anything good at all. The Factotum and Chameleon seem to do a better job of it, but both miss the Tier 1 mark.

~

The typical method for doing 2 full things at once with a character is currently just doing the Prestige Class dance. Pick 2 or 3 things and then find base classes, feats, items, and prestige classes that can make it happen.

[prufock]

You might want to have a look at the Chameleon base class (www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90955) already posted by FMArthur. It doesn't include everything you want (no psionics, for instance), but adding that as an option for Aptitude Focus shouldn't be too difficult.