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uagranger
2013-03-19, 05:23 AM
So this is my first attempt at homebrew. I feel it is horribly overpowered. Its based on the Character of Jackie Estacado from the Darkness comics and games. Also, i have no idea how to format this so my apologies if i screw it up.

The Vessel of Darkness

Level BAB FORT REF WILL ABILITIES
1 0 2 0 2 FearThe Light,Channeling,Whips of Darkness
2 1 3 0 3 Feast Most Foul
3 2 3 1 3 Darkness Powers, The Darkling
4 3 4 1 4 Bonus Feat, Greater Whips
5 4 4 1 4 Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel
6 5 5 2 5 Improved feast
7 6/1 5 2 5 Darkness Powers
8 7/2 6 2 6 Greater Whips
9 8/3 6 3 6 Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel
10 9/4 7 3 7 Improved Feast II
11 10/5 7 3 7 Darkness powers
12 11/6/1 8 4 8 Bonus Feat
13 11/6/1 8 4 8 Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel
14 12/7/2 9 4 9
15 12/7/2 9 5 9 Darkness Powers
16 13/8/3 10 5 10 Greater Whips
17 13/8/3 10 6 10 Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel
18 14/9/4 11 6 11 Army of Darkness
19 14/9/4 11 6 11 Darkness Powers
20 15/10/5 12 7 12 Dark Apotheosis, Enhanced Channel

HD: d8

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Light armor and shields, all simple weapons

Skills: Skill Mod 6 - Bluff, Disguise, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Know (Religion), Know (planes), Profession, Stealth, Sense Motive, Sleight of hand, Use magic Device

Fear the Light (SU): A vessel has been deeply infused with the gifts and weaknesses of darkness. The Vessel cannot use his whips of darkness, call darkling, or any spell-like abilities granted by this class and cannot receive magical healing while in direct sunlight. He also gains darkvision 60ft if he did not already posses it. The Vessel may retain his Whips, Darkling, and SLAs for a number of rounds equal to his Vessel Level.
Or maybe his HD, what do you guys think?

Channeling (SU): One of the two primary abilities used by Vessels. This ability can be used with any weapon the Vessel is proficient in. He must attune a weapon to this ability, taking an hour long ritual, and the effects last until he attunes a new weapon.

Vessel Level Channel bonus Channel Bonus Damage
1 Magic +1d4
5 +1 +1d6
9 +3 +2d6
13 +5 +3d6
17 +7 +4d6
20 +9 +5d6

Whips of Darkness (SU): When in darkness, the vessel can conjure up a set of snake headed tentacles. These grant him extra tentacle attacks and a bonus to grapple checks based on however many he has active. They can be hidden/revealed with a move action (they confer no bonus when concealed).

Vessel level # of Whips Damage (Reach) Grapple Bonus
1 2 1d4 (10ft) +2
4 4 1d6 (15ft) +4
8 6 1d8 (20ft) +6
12 8 1d10 (25ft) +8
16 10 2d10 (30ft) +10

Feast Most Foul (SU): Starting at second level the Vessel can cannibalize the heart of a creature that possesses one. This restores a number of hit points equal to the character's Vessel Level. At 6th level the Vessel gains the ability to swallow whole (as the extraordinary ability) any opponent grappled with his Whips of Darkness ability. Devouring an opponent in this manner heals the Vessel as the first rank ability. At 10th level the Vessel gains the ability to "absorb" a single spell-like ability of the devoured creature, allowing the vessel one use of said spell-like ability.

The Darkling (SU): At third level the Vessel sheds a shard of his own consciousness into a physical manifestation of the darkness called a darkling. Its has the statistics of an imp and can communicate telepathically with the vessel at any range. It serves the Vessel faithfully and will accept any commands lest the Darkness itself commands otherwise (DM discretion). It progresses as a Druids animal companion of the Vessels level -2.

Darkness Powers: The darkness can grant a wide variety of unique capabilities. Starting at third level, and every two levels thereafter the Vessel may gain a new darkness power.

More Darklings- Req: Lvl 7, lvl 11, etc- The Vessel gains another darkling equal with power equal to his first -4 effective druid levels. May be taken again every four levels.

Hangman- After grappling an opponent using his whips the vessel may make a sunder or disarm check as a free action each turn the opponent is grapples at a +2 circumstance bonus. Can be taken multiple times, stacking the bonus and granting extra actions up to +8 and 4 attempts

The Swarm- Req: Lvl 10- The vessel gains the spell Insect Plague as a spell like ability, usable 3/day with an effective caster level equal to half his vessel level. This can be taken again granting an additional 3 uses per day.

Black Hole-Req: Lvl 15- The vessel gains the spell delayed blast fireball enhanced with the reaping spell metamagic feat. as a spell like ability usable 3/day with an effective caster level equal to half his vessel level, with the difference that the blast deals half raw damage and half negative energy damage.

Shield of Shadows- The vessel gains DR2/Holy while in low light and DR4/Holy in darkness. This ability may be taken up to DR20/Holy for taking it five times.

Fade to Black- Req: Lvl 7- this grants the vessel the hide in plain sight ability as long as he is not in direct light.

Mystic Channel-Req: Lvl 5- When attuning his channeled weapon, the Vessel may choose to change the enhancement bonus to an enchantment of equal power.

Dual Channel- The Vessel may split his channeling abilities enhancement bonus among two weapons (retaining the damage bonus on both).

Hell Shield- One of your whips may become a light shield (requiring a swift action to switch between tentacle and shield form). This grants +2 ac in low light, and +4 in darkness. This can be taken multiple times, up to +20 in darkness for taking it five times.

Whip Blades- There are now blades attached to his tentacles, allowing them to emulate (while retaining whip damage) any bladed weapon the vessel is proficient in. this allows them to benefit from feats affecting this weapon type (chosen when this ability is taken).

Power feeding- Req: Improved feast- By feeding using eat your heart out, the vessel recharges his daily uses of swarm and black hole.

Killer Swarm-Req: Lvl 15, Swarm- the vessel's swarm ability functions as if maximized, and can be used an additional three times per day.

Channeling Kata- Choosing this power bestows the Vessel to with the two weapon fighting feat while channeling. After seventh level this ability may be chosen again granting improved two weapon fighting. At least one weapon weilded in this matter must be attuned using the Channeling class feature.

Vision of truth- Req Lvl 10- the Vessel gains detect life and detect magic, usable at will.

Swinging darkness- Req Lvl 10- this ability allows the vessel to move using his whips to swing. He must be at least five feet from the ground and requires an anchor at least ten feet above that. He may move up to 50ft in a straight line as viewed from above but must end his move action on the ground.

Army of Darkness (SU): Alright, I need a good idea for a unique ability here. It was originally a group of imps one could summon.

Dark Apotheosis (SU): The darkness is now truly one with the vessel, he is no longer affected by Fear the Light, and becomes an outsider with the native and evil subtypes (regardless of his actual alignment). He stops aging and will never die from old age or suffer attribute penalties.



And, well thats what I got. What do you guys think? other than it sucks.
(also, table formatting is still giving me a headache sorry folks.)

Doxkid
2013-03-19, 07:27 AM
One second...


So this is my first attempt at homebrew. I feel it is horribly overpowered. Its based on the Character of Jackie Estacado from the Darkness comics and games. Also, i have no idea how to format this so my apologies if i screw it up.

The Vessel of Darkness
{table]Level|BAB|FORT|REF|WILL|ABILITIES
1|0|2|0|2|FearThe Light,Channeling,Whips of Darkness|
2|1|3|0|3|Feast Most Foul|
3|2|3|1|3|Darkness Powers, The Darkling|
4|3|4|1|4|Bonus Feat, Greater Whips|
5|4|4|1|4|Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel|
6|5|5|2|5|Improved feast|
7|6/1|5|2|5|Darkness Powers|
8|7/2|6|2|6|Greater Whips|
9|8/3|6|3|6|Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel|
10|9/4|7|3|7| Improved Feast II|
11|10/5|7|3|7| Darkness powers|
12|11/6/1|8|4|8| Bonus Feat|
13|11/6/1|8|4|8| Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel|
14|12/7/2|9|4|9|
15|12/7/2|9|5|9| Darkness Powers|
16|13/8/3|10|5|10| Greater Whips|
17|13/8/3|10|6|10| Darkness Powers, Enhanced Channel|
18|14/9/4|11|6|11| Army of Darkness|
19|14/9/4|11|6|11| Darkness Powers|
20|15/10/5|12|7|12| Dark Apotheosis, Enhanced Channel[/table]

HD: d6

Proficiencies: Light armor and shields, all simple weapons
Spelling error.

Skills: Skill Mod 6 Bluff, Disguise, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Know (Religion), Know (planes), Profession, Stealth, Sense Motive, Sleight of hand, Use magic Device

Fear the Light (SU): A vessel of darkness has been deeply infused with its innate powers, and weaknesses. The vessel takes a -4 morale penalty on all actions while in direct sunlight, and -2 in low light conditions. Also none of the Vessel's Darkness powers function in direct light and he cannot heal in any way. The vessel also gains darkvision 60ft if did not already posses it.
Could be worded better, but this is passably functional. Unfortunately, this character is automatically tier 6 at daytime (what you intended) or when someone anywhere nearby has a lamp/torch...or in moonlight...or around fire...

basically, this guy will only get to use his powers one or two times a month unless his party is really nice and hunts down every possible light source, or a caster babysits him by casting Darkness repeatedly, or the DM lets him carry black sand around, or the DM allows a permanent Darkness item and never dispels it or penalizes the rest of the party for not being able to see.

Channeling (SU): The basic abilty granted by the darkness is the power to channel darkness energies into weapons. This ability can be used with any weapon the Vessel is proficient in, and can be used a number of rounds per day equal to the character's Vessel levels plus his Charisma bonus.

{table]Vessel Level|Channel bonus|Channel Bonus Damage
1|Magic|+1d4|
5|+1|+1d6|
9|+2|+2d6|
13|+3|+3d6|
17|+4|+4d6|
20|5|+5d6[/table]
So the most basic ability of this character...can only be used 5 or 6 times a day when you start out?

This is a low HP melee combatant with no damage steroid and no spellcasting ability. What exactly is he going to be doing for a party? Or when solo? He certainly won't be tanking, since he doesnt have the HP for it. He can't fight particularly well either since he doesn't get martial weapon or armor.

Even worst, this ability takes a standard action to activate because you did not specify otherwise (Standard is the default). So...He activates this ability and then cant attack that round, wasting 1 out of the very few rounds of use he gets from it.

Whips of Darkness (SU): When in darkness, the vessel can conjure up a set of snake headed tentacles. These grant him extra tentacle attacks and a bonus to grapple checks based on however many he has active.

{table]Vessel level|# of Whips|Damage|Reach|Grapple Bonus
1|2|1d4|10ft|+2|
4|4|1d6|15ft|+4|
8|6|1d8|20ft|+6|
12|8|1d10|25ft|+8|
16|10|2d10|30ft|+10[/table]
From what I've read here, this is closer to being his basic attack ability; it offers damage, helps him get away from melee, improves his survival abilities (through grapple+pin) and offers class synergy with Rogue/Scout/Ninja...

Feast Most Foul (SU): Starting at second level the Vessel can cannabalize a humanoid opponents heart. Each heart devoured as such heals the vessel for 1d4 points of health. This increases to 1d6 at 6th level, and 1d8 at 10th.
No. getting 1d8 hp back in exchange for a standard action doesnt matter past level 2 or so, even if it is both free and at will. This requires you kill something; something humanoid to be specific, so you won't even get to use this often in a lot of campaigns (unless you hang with necromancers/undead who let you take first dibs, since you certainly won't be able to force them to give in..

Scale the healing up, preferably based on the HD of the target. You might also want to include some other benefits. Here is an example of solid homebrew that uses a similar mechanic: Barghest (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=5423.0)Here is the table for it:


Feed (Su): At 2nd level a barghest in its natural form can consume a dead creature as a full-round action. As long as it has been dead for 1 minute or less, the barghest regains hp equal to the HD of the victim (excess hp are gained as temporary hit points for 24 hours) and may gain additional benefits based on the victim's strength relative to his own.
Victim HD/CR|Effect
Barghest HD-5 or less|No benefit.|

Barghest HD-4|Regain a use of one of your racial SLAs.|

Barghest HD-2|Regain two uses of your racial SLAs, divided in any way you wish.|

Barghest HD|Recover double the normal hp. Regain three uses of your racial SLAs, divided in any way you wish.|

Barghest HD+2|The barghest surges with power, gaining +2 Str/Con and the Powerful Build special quality for 1 hour. Recover double the normal hp. Regain four uses of your racial SLAs, divided in any way you wish.|

Barghest HD+4 or more|The barghest surges with power, gaining +2 Str/Con and the Powerful Build special quality for 1 hour. The barghest projects a frightful aura for 1 hour; any enemy who comes within 60ft must make a Will save (DC = 10 + half your HD + your Cha modifier) or become frightened for 1 minute. Any creature who succeeds on their save against this effect is immune to it, but not to the auras of other barghests or auras generated by the barghest in future. The barghest may suppress this aura for 1 round as a free action. This is a supernatural ability. Recover double the normal hp. Regain all uses of your racial SLAs, as if 24 hours had passed.

The Darkling (SU): At third level the Vessel sheds a shard of his own consciousness into a physical manifestation of the darkness called a darkling. Its has the statistics of an imp and can communicate telepathically with the vessel at any range. It progresses hit die as a druidic companion of the Vessels level -2.
Optimal progression scheme, but...what exactly is this little guy suppose to be doing for you? I've played the games, yes, and I know you get creatures like this...but how is he useful?

Darkness Powers: The darkness can grant a wide variety of unique capabilities. Starting at third level, and every two levels thereafter the Vessel may gain a new darkness power.

More Darklings- Req: Lvl 7, lvl 11, etc- The Vessel gains another darkling equal with power equal to his first -4 effective druid levels. May be taken again every four levels.
What would you want more of these?

Hangman- After grappling an opponent using his whips the vessel may make a sunder or disarm check as a free action each turn the opponent is grapples at a +2 circumstance bonus. Can be taken multiple times, stacking the bonus and granting extra actions up to +8 and 4 attempts
A pretty good ability.

The Swarm- Req: Lvl 10- The vessel gains the spell Insect Plague as a spell like ability, usable 3/day with an effective caster level equal to half his vessel level. This can be taken again granting an additional 3 uses per day.
Ehhh...alright, fine. Why not.

Black Hole-Req: Lvl 15- The vessel gains the spell delayed blast fireball as a spell like ability usable 3/day with an effective caster level equal to half his vessel level, with the difference that the blast deals half raw damage and half negative energy damage.
It's on the edge of being good. The damage typing is solid but that's all it has going for it...and doing an average of 50 damage per target (possibly with friendly fire) isn't that big of a deal...if you tossed some side effect onto it the ability might be good though. Consider the following meta magic effects: Reaping Spell, Explosive Spell, Umbral Spell, Transdimensional Spell or Wounding Spell.

Shield of Shadows- While enveloped in shadows the vessel gains DR2/Holy. This can be baught multiple times, up to a max of DR10/Holy.
There are better DRs...also,this will be up at ALL times since a character with this class will ONLY be working in absolute darkness. No really, this guy will go home if anyone so much as lights a match.

Fade to Black- Req: Lvl 7- this grants the vessel the hide in plain sight ability as long as he in darkness.
Once again, he only works in the darkness. Don't mince words.

Mystic Channel-Req: Lvl 5- this grants the vesel the ability to once per day switch his channeling enhancement bonus into magical effects of equal rating.
Pretty good idea, but the uses per day are terrible and it's attached to another ability with even fewer uses per day.

Eat your heart out- While grappling an opponent with his whips, the vessel may make swallow whole attempt. If succesful the vessel is healed of a number of damage equal to the victims HD.
You have a decent idea here.

Hell Shield- You may change one of your whips into a shield, granting a +2 armor bonus to Ac. This can be baught up to a maximum of +10.
What? Change a tantacle into a shield-> grant an armor bonus? Either make the tantacle a shield or make it armor, don't mix and match

Whip Blades- There are now blades attached to his tentacles, allowing them to function as any bladed weapon the vessel is proficient in. this allows them to benefit from feats affecting this weapon type (chosen when this ability is taken).
Good idea...does their damage change from that listed on the table to the flat damage of the weapon? That's a poor trade if it does change the amount of damage they do (and it currently DOES change the damage they do).

Power feeding- Req: Eat your heart out- By feeding using eat your heart out, the vessel may instead of healing recharge either his channeling by a number of turns equal to the victims Hd to a maximum of the regular number of turns, or recharge his daily uses of swarm or black hole.
This should be a base ability.

Killer Swarm-Req: Lvl 15- the vessel may use his full level as his effective caster level for his swarm ability and gains an additional 3/day uses.
Uh...alright, I suppose? This isn't a good ability...but I can see what you were trying to do.

Channeling Kata- Choosing this power allows the Vessel to use the two weapon fighting feat while channeling. After seventh level this ability may be chosen again granting improved two weapon fighting.

Vision of truth- Req Lvl 10- This ability grants the Vessel use of detect magic and detect life while channeling.
Hurray! Free detection abilities...6twenty rounds a day...that don't work in light of any kind.

Uh. wait. Nevermind, I guess.:smallsigh:

Swinging darkness- Req Lvl 10- this ability allows the vessel to move using his whips to swing. He requires must be at least five feet from the ground and requires an anchor at least ten feet above that. He may move up to 50ft in a straight line as viewed from above but must end his move action on the ground.
The wording is wonky, but I can see what you were trying to do here.

Army of Darkness (SU): The Vessel gains the ability to summon up to 10 imps per day, in any combination up to ten, each remaining for up to 5 rounds in combat time or 5 minutes out of combat.
Why exactly would anyone want 10 imps? What all do you plan on doing with them at level 18?

Dark Apotheosis (SU): The darkness is now truly one with the vessel, he is no longer affected by Fear the Light, and becomes an outsider with the native and evil subtypes (regardless of his actual alignment). He stops aging and will never die from old age or suffer attribute penalties.
FINALLY! This is so important you needed to work this in 19 level earlier, but this guy can FINALLY go toe to toe with a commoner who happened to be carrying a torch.


And, well thats what I got. What do you guys think? other than it sucks.
Well, mostly that it su-...oh. Other than that. Umm...let me get back to you...:smallcool:

Also, I gave up on finding your spelling errors. Some really obvious ones were marked but I'm not going to use the forum's built in spellcheck on your behalf.

uagranger
2013-03-19, 07:35 AM
Thank you for going through my mess of a class. I really appreciate it. Also, I will go through and fix all my spelling errors. I understand what you mean by it being basically useless in light. Its a bit hard to keep true to the lore and make him balanced. Ill go through and take some of your suggestions. And Ill figure out about how to handle the darkling's role and a better ability to replace army of darkness.

Doxkid
2013-03-19, 07:55 AM
The mechanics for making this character weaker in direct light already exist...but first you need to limit the amount of light. A single candle a mile away is technically sufficient for this character to lose his class abilities at the moment.

Scaling a Sickened/Exhausted/ Fatigued/Nauseated condition based on how much light they are in and how long would help; as of now even vampires can tolerate more light than this character
----
Replacing the darkling should be pretty easy. You could just allow the character to pick something weaker than them and apply the Fiendish template or Dark Creature template to it or you could allow them to pick appropriate Devils/Demons/fiends.

Restrain it to class level -2 (similar to what you did already) and you're basically done (though you might want to pick between CR or Creature Hit Die. CR is slightly better for keeping the monsters appropriate.

If you instead allow the character to just outright take something from the Summon Monster list and maybe even cast the spell with a permanent duration (with the spell level being half his class levels) requiring an evil alignment on anything summoned you've made it functional for combat and utility.

uagranger
2013-03-19, 08:24 AM
Those are also pretty good ideas. I fixed it up a bit after your last post, but these ideas are rather nice too. Ill look over it all again.

Doxkid
2013-03-19, 08:45 AM
Use the tables provided in my post. Just quote me, copy the tables normally and place the table appropriately.

Sgt. Cookie
2013-03-19, 08:52 AM
Fear the Light (SU): A vessel has been deeply infused with the gifts and weaknesses of darkness. The Vessel cannot use his whips of darkness, call darkling, or any spell-like abilities granted by this class and cannot receive magical healing while in direct sunlight. He also gains darkvision 60ft if he did not already posses it.

Worded as it is, you would loose ALL SLAs, regardless if they were racial or came from a different class, etc.

uagranger
2013-03-19, 08:55 AM
Im sorry, I feel like a poor little newb. I try to quote your post but only the line you actually posted (the "one sec...") shows up.

Any way, im still kind buggered on how to handle both the fear the light and Channeling abilities. they are both major factors in the character and lore. Damn you game balance! making me work hard to translate a character into D&D!
-shakes fist at the heavens-

Doxkid
2013-03-19, 09:25 AM
Erm...actually...

In the game his supernatural powers are weakened severely and eventually dismissed when he is forced into direct light. He does not, however, instantly lose them. They typically last long enough for him to use those very powers he's risking to eliminate the light.

The stronger he gets the longer he can endure being in the light.

uagranger
2013-03-19, 09:29 AM
You have a point, how about retaining his powers in direct light for as many turns as either his HD or Vessel Level.