Complete Class Changes [campaign variant]

[magic8BALL]

If you like the classes as they are (and there's nothing wrong with that, I do too), please do not post "Why fix somthing that isn't broken" or somthing like that. Thanks.

Ok, so here is an idea I have had. I've toyed with it, fundled around, and here is the reslut. These changes are due to how I want arcane magic to be taught, divine magic to be chanelled from the dieties and psionics personally discovered in my campaign.

Changes to Players Handbook classes:

- The Bard has his spell casting dropped, and becomes an NPC class. (Is replaced by Rouge/Mages and Rouge/Psions) [A Pretige class may be made]
- The Cleric is completely re-worked.
- The Druid is dropped. (Is replaced by a Ranger/Clerics, Ranger/Mages, and Ranger/Psions) [A Pretige class may be made]
- Paladin is dropped. (Replaced by Fighter/Clerics) [A Pretige class may be made]
- The Ranger has its spell casting replaced by gaining an animal compainion at 1st level (as base druid)
- Sorcerror is dropped. (replaced by Mage)
- Wizard is dropped. (replaced by Mage)

Changes to Expanded Psionics Hnadbook classes:

- The Psions base manifesting ability becomes Charisma.
- The Soulblade is dropped.
- The Wilder is dropped. (replaced by Psion)

All other base classes that have spell casting are either dropped, or modified so that the casting is removed.

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Cleric
{table=head]Level|Base Attack[br]Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Channel Touch, Bonus Language
2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Assimulate 10%/5%
3rd|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+3|Channel Ray
4th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Assimulate 20%/10%, Enhance Armor
5th|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+4|Channel Line, Elemental Form (Medium)
6th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Assimulate 30%/15%
7th|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+5|Channel Cone, Second Energy
8th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+6|Assimulate 40%/20%, Enhance Weapon
9th|
+4|
+3|
+3|
+6|Channel Burst
10th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Assimulate 50%/25%, Elemental Form (Large)
11th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+7|Channel Ranged Burst, Dual Touch
12th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Assimulate 60%/30%, Enhance Armor
13th|
+6/+1|
+4|
+4|
+8|Channel Dual Ray
14th|
+7/+2|
+4|
+4|
+9|Assimulate 70%/35%, Third Energy
15th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+9|Channel Dual Line, Elemental Form (Huge)
16th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Assimulate 80%/40%, Enhance Weapon
17th|
+8/+3|
+5|
+5|
+10|Channel Dual Cone
18th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Assimulate 90%/45%
19th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+11|Channel Dual Ranged Burst
20th|
+10/+5|
+6|
+6|
+12|Full Assimulation, Enhance Armor, Elemental Form (Gargantuan)[/table]


Skills: (as normal cleric: I'm running out of time before I go to work, you understand...)

Hit Die: d4

Channel (Su): A cleric channels the power of her diety. At 1st level, a cleric chooses an element associated with her diety (Fire, Cold, Electricity, Sonic, Positive Energey, Negative Energy). The Cleric may channel this power a number of times per day equal to her cleric level plus her wisdom modifier. The amount of damage dealt by this channeling is presented on the following table:

Channeling Damage
. . . . . |. . Cold, . .|.Positive,|
Level | Electricity|Negative|Fire,Sonic |

1st ... | ... 1d6 ... | .. 1d8 ... | .. 1d12 .. |
2nd ...| ... 2d6 ... | .. 2d8 ... | .. 1d12 .. |
3rd ... | ... 3d6 ... | .. 2d8 ... | .. 2d12 .. |
4th ... | ... 4d6 ... | .. 3d8 ... | .. 2d12 .. |
5th ... | ... 5d6 ... | .. 3d8 ... | .. 3d12 .. |
6th ... | ... 6d6 ... | .. 4d8 ... | .. 3d12 .. |
7th ... | ... 7d6 ... | .. 5d8 ... | .. 4d12 .. |
8th ... | ... 8d6 ... | .. 6d8 ... | .. 4d12 .. |
9th ... | ... 9d6 ... | .. 6d8 ... | .. 5d12 .. |
10th .. | .. 10d6 .. | .. 7d8 ... | .. 5d12 .. |
11th .. | .. 11d6 .. | .. 8d8 ... | .. 6d12 .. |
12th .. | .. 12d6 .. | .. 9d8 ... | .. 6d12 .. |
13th .. | .. 13d6 .. | .. 9d8 ... | .. 7d12 .. |
14th .. | .. 14d6 .. | .. 10d8 .. | .. 7d12 .. |
15th .. | .. 15d6 .. | .. 11d8 .. | .. 8d12 .. |
16th .. | .. 16d6 .. | .. 12d8 .. | .. 8d12 .. |
17th .. | .. 17d6 .. | .. 12d8 .. | .. 9d12 .. |
18th .. | .. 18d6 .. | .. 13d8 .. | .. 9d12 .. |
19th .. | .. 19d6 .. | .. 14d8 .. | .. 10d12.. |
20th .. | .. 20d6 .. | .. 15d8 .. | .. 10d12.. |
(sorry about the format... it had a bad moment when I tried the table thing...)

Channeling requaires a standard action, or a full round action for dual channeling. As a cleric advances, she learns new shapes to channel her dieties energy in addition to those she already knows:
Touch a melee touch attack delivers the energy.
Ray a ranged touch attack at a single target. Range 5ft/cleric level.
Line length 5ft/cleric level-2 (Reflex 1/2)
Cone length 5ft/cleric level-4 (Reflex 1/2)
Burst centerd on the cleric. Radius 5ft/cleric level-6 (Reflex 1/2)
Ranged Burst centerd up to 5ft/cleric level away, radius 5ft/cleric level-8 (Reflex 1/2)
Dual Touch two melee touch attacks at seperte opponents. Each attack is with the highest BAB, and at -2 to attack. Split damage dice between attacks before the results are known.
Dual Ray a ranged touch attack at each of two targets. Range 5ft/cleric level -8. Each attack is with the highest BAB, and at -2 to attack. Split damage dice between attacks before the results are known.
Dual Line two lines each with length 5ft/cleric level-10. Split damage dice between lines before the results are known. (Reflex 1/2)
Dual Cone two cones each with length 5ft/cleric level-12. Split damage dice between lines before the results are known. (Reflex 1/2)
Dual Ranged Burst two bursts each centerd up to 5ft/cleric level away, radius 5ft/cleric level-14. Split damage dice between lines before the results are known. (Reflex 1/2)

At 7th level, a cleric may channel a second energy of her diety, as a cleric 6 levels lower than herself. At 14th level, the cleric may channel a third energy, as a cleric 13 levels lower. For exsample: a 15th level cleric may channel one energy of any shape up to two line attacks with range 25ft., or a second energy in any shape up to a burst with raius 15ft., or a third energy up to a touch. We this cleric levels up, the ranges on the first two will increase by 5ft, and she may make ranged touch attacks to deliver her dieties power for the third energy to any one target within 10 ft.

Armour worn by a cleric interferes with her connection with her diety. Treat this interferance the same as Arcane Spell Failure.

Bonus Language (Ex): A cleric speaks the language assosiated with the element of the energy she channels: Ignan for fire, Aquan for cold, Terran for electricity, (airian is it? I forget..) for sonic, Celestial for positive energy and Abbysal for negative energy.

Assimulate (Ex): As a cleric channels their dieties power, they become more and more resistant to it, but vaunrable to its opostie. A second level cleric ignores 10% damage of their dieties power (fire for exsample), but 5% more damage from its oposite (in this case cold). In the case where the energy a cleric channels is benificial (a human channeling positive energy, for exsample), they heal that mutch extra. So a level 10 cleric who chanells positive energy would recieve +50% healing from a heal spell.

Enhance Armor (Sp): A cleric of at least 4th level may expend one channeling attempt to enhance any armor touched with resistance to any energy one type she can channel equal to 1/2 effective cleric level. The duration of this effect is 1 round per cleric level. In addition, a cleric of at least level 12 may enhance the armor so that it deals 4d6, 3d8 or 2d12 (as appropriate) damage to anyone who attacks the wearer of the armor. At level 20, this ability improves again, and the cleric can either chosse to have the enhancement provide resistance equal to her effective cleric level for that energy, of deal twice as many damage dice to an attacker.

Elemental Form (Su): At level 5, a cleric may expend one channeling attempt to turn into a medium elemental of her primary channeling energy for a duration of 1 round per cleric level.

Apply the following changes:

- STR +2
- CON +2
- Natural Armour +2
- Natural attacks: Two Slams, 1d6 + STR plus 4d6, 3d8, 2d12 energy (as appropriate)
- Immunity to energy, vuanrability to its opposite.

In addition, the following changes also apply, as appropriate:
Fire Elemental
- Base Speed +30ft, Jump +8
Water Elemental (cold)
- Swin Speed +30ft, Swin +8
Earth Elemental (electricity)
- Burrow Speed +10ft, +2 STR, +2 CON
Air Elemental (sonic)
- Fly Speed +50 ft (Good, unless already better), +2 DEX
Possitve Elemental
Fast Healing 5
Negative Elemental
1d4 CON drain on attacks. Any CON you drain, you gain.

While in this form the cleric is heald only by that type of energy.

At 10th level, this ability improves, and the cleric turns into a Large elemental. The cleric gains the bonuses to STR, CON and Natural Armour twice, and the slam damage increases to 1d8.

At 15th level, this ability improves again, and the cleric turns into a Huge elemental. The cleric gains the bonuses to STR, CON and Natural Armour four times, and the slam damage increases to 3d6.

At 20th level, this ability improves again, and the cleric turns into a Gargantuan elemental. The cleric gains the bonuses to STR, CON and Natural Armour eight times, and the slam damage increases to 4d8.

Enhance Weapon (Sp): At level 8, a cleric may expend one channeling attempt to enhance any weapon touched to deal an extra 4d6, 3d8 or 2d12 (as appropriate) damage of any one type of energy she can channel. At level 16, she may add another 4d6, 3d8 or 2d12 (as appropriate) damage any type of energy she can channel. For example, a level 18 cleric who can channel Fire, Electricity and Positive energies may enhance a friends warhammer to deal an extra 2d12 fire and 4d6 electric damage, or 6d8 positive energy.

Full Assimulation (Ex): This is the pinicle of a clerics assimulation. At level 20, the cleric gains the subtype energy she channels. This grants immunity to the energy she channels, and vaunrability (+50% damage) to its opposite.

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Mage
(comming soon... look for new thread)
Basics:
- can prepare any spell (even old cleric spells) as a wizard.
- prepared spells are cast as though they are the list of spells know to a sorcceror.

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OK, updated to cleric, Is this more "balanced"? Or is it too much now?

[Fizban]

Interesting cleric idea, but it needs something besides the energy powers. And more hit die, BAB, etc. Right now it's like a warlock with less hp, BAB, SLA's, or anything remotely individual. I'm assuming that positive heals living of course, meaning that this cleric is literally just an X uses/day healing item. So, in sum, cool idea, but far from finished by any means.

[magic8BALL]

Very good point.

I seem to have lost the "form of the diety" thing, and forgotten about the "enhance armor with resistances" and "enhance weapons with damages" stuff. Also, the cleric was to turn into an elemental of the type, and the elemental size got larger as the cleric gained class. But would this be enough?

My main concerns are:
a) "I am a cleric of fire... you are immune to fire... I am useless!"
b) the need to make all new dieties for my campaing so that they are elementally focused (God of the Earth and electricity, God of the sky and sound and so forth)

I'm thinking to combate these, have the dieties each cover multiple energies, and a cleric gains a second and third energy later on, but at a lower cleric level.

My cleric is suposed to be the divine version of a wizard... so low hp, BAB, AC... I didnt put up profficiencies, but they dont have them anyway... but high damage output, and abilities to enhance...

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

Why the bard? The bard's forte is party buffing, its class features revolve around it, and nobody does it better (clerics notwithstanding). Multiclass rogue/wizards simply cannot reproduce many of the bard's key class features.

The cleric looks pretty neat, but what do you do when you're immune to positive energy? It should say you get vulnerable to it, right? Channeling is a very cool cleric fix, but should be Charisma-based (beware of SAB!) Why does sonic channeling deal so much damage when convention should have it deal less? What about acid channeling for clerics of deities of nature?

Do rangers progress their animal companions as a druid of their level?

Did you forget psychic warrior?

[jjpickar]

:smallsmile: Pretty cool all in all but I would definitely make a few prestige classes that would give old bard abilities like bardsong and Bardic knowledge. But of course altering them to seem different enough to hardcore bard players.

[Mauril Everleaf]

I'm assuming that, at higher levels, the cleric is allowed to use a lesser version of his channeling powers? If he has access to ranged burst, he can still use ray or touch if he wants, right?

Since you are making these basically divine mages, would armor check penalties apply as with a mage?

[Peregrine]

- The Bard has his spell casting dropped, and becomes an NPC class. (Is replaced by Rouge/Mages and Rouge/Psions) [A Pretige class may be made]

A rouge mage... is that like a red mage, only poncier?


Assimulate (Ex):

Hmm, 'assimulate' is a pretty obscure word, and it connotes a feigned resemblance to my mind. In any case, you will attract juvenile jokes about it. Especially if you misspell it like this...


Full Asssimulation (Ex):

:biggrin:

Anyway. I think you've got a long way to go in rebalancing the classes, if you intend to use them in an otherwise more or less standard D&D game. Your cleric has lost casting (and thus healing!) as far as I can see, which is a big change. You've basically turned them into a sort of warlock-esque blaster.

[magic8BALL]

Do rangers progress their animal companions as a druid of their level?

Yes



Did you forget psychic warrior?

No. Ever looked at a Fighter/Psion..?


Your cleric has lost casting (and thus healing!) as far as I can see, which is a big change. You've basically turned them into a sort of warlock-esque blaster.

Yes, I have. The Mage will step up to the healing job in the party, as they can produce any effect with their magic (cast any spell). So either you have a cleric of life and a mage that blasts away, or a cleric of fire, say, and a mage with (the equivilent of) all the cure spells prepared.

The mage I think I will post as a new thread, as this will include a number of prestige classes to balance out for a wizards focus.

I will also post a new, improved (hopefully) version of this cleric above.

[Vadin]

Lost healing? Isn't that what positive energy does, heal you? And then when you get to 150% of your base hp, you die from all of the energy buildup. I'm relatively certain that's how it works, at least. Any confirmation/contradiction for it?

[magic8BALL]

what I meant is if a cure light wounds would heal, say, 10 hit points, you would heal 15, if you have 50% Assimulation. Extra Hit points would be wasted, as per usual.

Anyway, I've pretty much sracped this idea for now... and I'm heading off into a more Incarnam direction for what will replace core clerics in my world. The guys will still manipulate energies, but now also souls.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

No. Ever looked at a Fighter/Psion..?

That's like calling a cleric a multiclass wizard/fighter. The psychic warrior has an almost completely different power list, and its bonus feats allow it to pick up many different psionic feats, something a fighter cannot do.

[Glooble Glistencrist]

This is a really cool class, but I fail to see what it has in common with the cleric. Do you mind if I steal it and rename it for my campaign?
Also, why is earth associated with electricity? Generally in D&D earth is associated with acid, and air with electricity. I don't get the reasoning behind the change.

[magic8BALL]

becouse acid really isnt an energy, it's a chemical ( a type of chemical actually)... and air should be associated with sound, sonic energy.

I justify the Earth-Electricity link with the following argument. What conducts electricity? Metal. Where does metal come from? the earth... and in my campaign, lighting dosnt shoot down from the sky, but rather upwards at clouds.

Anyways... this class has been seriously looked over and thought of as poor. My deities clerics will also have acsees to incarname based magic... as soon as I figure out how to change that. Look out for a new post called "completely different clerics" or somthing similar.

[Thomar_of_Uointer]

becouse acid really isnt an energy, it's a chemical ( a type of chemical actually)... and air should be associated with sound, sonic energy.

I justify the Earth-Electricity link with the following argument. What conducts electricity? Metal. Where does metal come from? the earth... and in my campaign, lighting dosnt shoot down from the sky, but rather upwards at clouds.

Hah! My thoughts exactly!

So are you letting psions use the psychic warrior list as well as their own? Or will you make a seventh Warrior discipline?

[magic8BALL]

The Psion will manifest psychic warrior powers, yes.

The varient I intend to use for my campaign will be posted soon... as will the updated cleric varient I wish to use... the one above is just... well.. insuficient.