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View Full Version : Difficult Classes and Things for Horror Game-play(D&D Next)



YeahSameToYou
2013-11-11, 08:23 PM
STARTING OFF: Understand that if you want to use this, you will need to make some tweaks.

I run horror campaigns, and it always bugs me when my PCs feel like they can actively hunt the monsters that are supposed to instill fear in them. So I took a look at the NPC classes (that haven't been added to the playtest) and balanced them for the purpose of a full party and updated them to fit the rules.
Some classes have a class skill system, where every level divisible by three (including one) you choose a skill from the skill list at the end of the class description.
For reader convenience, I'm listing the classes from most solid and rounded to the things that definitely need tweaking:
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WARRIOR
Uses the class skill system. Warriors pull their proficiency bonus from the Fighter class, and are proficient in simple and martial weapons and in all armor and shields.
Hit Die: d8 (starts with 8+ConMod)
Class Skills:
- Archery: +1 to hit with a ranged weapon
Defense: +1 to armor rating of each piece of armor (including shield)
- Power Trip: Get 1d6+level extra health and 1d4+StrMod extra damage
- until the end of combat once a day
Improved Critical: Treat 19 rolls in combat as natural 20s
- Training the Fist: For every fifth level, punches do one die level higher
- (d4, d6, d8, etc)
Smart Defense: Add IntMod to your AC, as well as use Intelligence to dodge
- Agile: Can do two actions per round if both are movement
Deflect Missile (shield): When hit with a physical missile, use a reaction to roll a d10+DexMod, then subtract that from its damage. If reduced to 0, the missile is deflected or broken upon impact
- Serious Smite: Once a day, one attack does 1d4 per level extra damage
Just in Case: You have a healing pool worth half your level, and it refills during a long rest. You can heal yourself or an ally with this pool
- Bash: Deal a shield's armor rating in bludgeoning damage
Cavalry: Bonus applies while on a mount
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BANDIT
Uses the class skill system. Pulls the proficiency bonus out of the thief, proficient in simple weapons and light armor.
Hit Die: d6 (starts with 6+ConMod)
Class Skills:
No Need for Armor: Armor rating, when not wearing armor=10+ConMod+DexMod
- Ambusher: Advantage on initiative rolls
Speedy: Speed increases by ten feet
- Second Attack: On a crit, roll again for a second attack
Tracking: Spend one minute to find the trail of a creature that has made less than 24 hours ago, on track-sensitive things like dirt or grass (not stone or flooring or stuff)
- Bane: Choose one race of enemy to increase crit chance by two
Archery: +1 to attacking with a ranged weapon
- Two!!!: Able to wield two one handed weapons
Must hit: If a melee hit misses, inflict damage equal to StrMod (must be wielding two weapons)
- Hunt: Once a day, spend an hour hunting. Make a wisdom check, for
- every digit over 10-18 (GM discretion) you find and make one unprepared
- ration of food.
Serious Skill: When not wearing armor, can spend an action running through difficult terrain at the speed of flat terrain, including running along walls
- Must dodge: If an attack is made against you and you can see it coming,
- you can cut its damage in half as an immediate reaction
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SCHOLAR(MAGE)
Hit Die: d4 (4+ConMod)
Use the Mage class from the playtest, but you only receive one spell per level and one less spell for every spell level per day. You have no familiar. Feats and Features are not available.
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SCHOLAR(DRUID)
Hit Die: d4 (4+ConMod)
Use the Druid class from the playtest, but you have to choose between spells (one spell per level, one less spell per spell level per day) or wildshape (no Moon Circle shapes). Feats and features are not available.
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SCHOLAR(PSION)
Hit Die: d4 (4+ConMod)
Psion Scholars use power points (four times level) that refill after a long rest. Psion Scholars choose a psionic discipline, and can unlock one power every level. Use the mage's proficiency bonus.
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SCHOLAR(WIZARD)
Hit Die: d4 (4+ConMod)
Wizard scholars perform rituals in only one round, but have no spell slots available. Wizard scholars can also chant for rounds=spell level/2 (round up) to cast a spell. A wizard scholar only learns spells from parchment, scrolls, or tomes. Use the mage's proficiency bonus.
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EXPERT
Hit Die: d8 (8+ConMod)
Experts have a constant +2 proficiency bonus, and start with proficiency in light or heavy weapons and light or medium armor. Every other level, an expert gets a class skill from any other class on this list.
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ARISTOCRAT
Hit Die: d4 (4+ConMod)
This is one of the silliest classes, right off of the bat. It uses the bard's proficiency bonus (proficient in only finesse weapons, barter, and bribe), along with the class skill system.
Class Skills:
Bluffing: Bonus goes to bluff roll (lying)
- Diplomacy: Bonus goes to diplomacy (changing mood)
Appraisal: Bonus goes to appraisal (recognizing wealth)
- Disguise: Bonus goes to disguise
Forgery: Bonus goes to forgery
- Gather Information: Bonus goes to gather information
Sense Motive: Bonus goes to sense motive
- Body Guard: When in a tavern, spend a certain amount of gold for a
- Warrior one level lower than you, with all personal equipment, to follow
- you until faced with extreme danger
Hire Scholar: When in a tavern, spend a certain amount of gold for a scholar one level lower than you to follow you until faced with extreme danger
- Hire Bandits: When in a tavern, pay a certain amount for a target (your
- level or lower) to be killed when out on the open road (no items or gold
- returned to you)
Hire Assassin: When in a tavern, pay a certain amount for a target within reasonable distance and feasible difficulty to be killed.
- Hire Oracle: Hire in a tavern, can ask the DM one question per day about
- a plan, answered in one word (not including articles like 'the', 'a', etc)
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FAMILIAR
Ok, this is the silliest class, I understand. But I'm adding this anyway.
Hit Die: d4, d6 or d8 (4, 6, or 8+ConMod)
Choose a basic animal familiar. Your first and last master left you with a proficiency bonus of +3 in your natural weapons (find your base damage in the bestiary). You also have one cantrip available, but no proficiency in it. You have whatever bonus you used to give your old master applying to you (no feats, you speak common).
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On top of this, for those of you who want a difficult, yet feasible campaign, watch these videos: /watch?v=bFnTRfR46Gc , /watch?v=vw84Kusbr5g and /watch?v=Tc8Ubesn9GA . This guy has a hard time getting to the point, but he has wisdom for starting DMs.

If you guys like this, I'll post other things I brew up for horror settings and combat.