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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class Evacuate the Dancefloor, it's about to get messy (3.5 Base, Peach, WIP)



Moonwolf727
2014-06-16, 05:03 PM
The Dancer

[Warning, this class made by someone with no knowledge of musical terminology]

Some people rely on bards to supply their battle music, requiring another person with a specialized profession to help ignite that inner fire that only appears when smashing skulls to the sound of music. You don't need them though. You make your own rhythm and battle to it effortlessly, it flows out of you and into the area, guiding your footsteps and instinctively letting you know where the next blow must land to create a true bloodbath in the name of song.

Adventures: Dancers are rarely just Dancers, they often have their own wants and needs that cause them to go forth into the world and lay the smack down on their opponents. Therefore it could be said that Dancers adventure for personal reasons but there are some who travel and quest in order to find new styles of paired music and movements, believing that their Song From Within is limited by what they believe music to be and that hearing sounds they have never heard before will open them to new power.

Characteristics: Dancers enjoy music. This is a must. If they don't then they will quickly abandon this class and likely never use its abilities again. Otherwise, Dancers are open ended people, the majority of them a lithe and swift in their movements and yet you will find a great many still who are large and still move with all the grace one would never expect them to possess. Additionally, Dancers are often impulsive people who move with what their heart tells them, letting their mind mediate their decisions very rarely.

Alignment: You will find Dancers of all shapes and kinds, though evil is by far the rarest unless you look towards the courtiers and performers that entertain demons and devils. By far the most common alignment for a Dancer is that of Chaotic Neutral, people who wish to be free and express themselves as they wish, which isn't always through their dancing

Religion: Whatever you like.

Races: Basically any race with a concept of music has had at least one or two Dancers come of their ranks at some point in time. No race is more likely to beget a Dancer than any other.

Other Classes: Dancers are viewed as odd or quirky by a lot of other classes, their power is overshadowed by the medium through which they express it and they are often under-appreciated, especially by snooty wizards.

Role: I honestly have no idea.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Dancers have the following game statistics.

Abilities: The most important ability score for a Dancer is Dexterity, followed by Charisma for ability DC's and Constitution for extra hit points.

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d10

Class Skills
The Dancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex)

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier



Level
BAB
Fort
Reflex
Will
Special


1st
+0
+1
+2
+1
Song from Within, Designated Dancefloor, Sweet Moves


2nd
+1
+1
+3
+1
Know the Steps


3rd
+2
+2
+3
+2
Prop Weapon


4th
+3
+2
+4
+2
Smite Misstep 1/day


5th
+3
+3
+4
+3
Loud and Proud


6th
+4
+3
+5
+3
Deadly Duo


7th
+5
+3
+5
+3
Own the Floor


8th
+6/+1
+4
+6
+4
Step Into the Rhythm


9th
+6/+1
+4
+6
+4
Smite Misstep 2/day


10th
+7/+2
+5
+7
+5
Portable melody


11th
+8/+3
+5
+7
+5
At Home on the Stage


12th
+9/+4
+6
+8
+6
Step Into the Rhythm, Terrible Trio


13th
+10/+5
+6
+8
+6
At Home on the Stage


14th
+10/+5
+6
+9
+6
Smite Misstep 3/day


15th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+9
+7
At Home on the Stage


16th
+12/+7/+2
+7
+10
+7
Step Into the Rhythm


17th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+10
+8
At Home on the Stage


18th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+11
+8
Crescendo


19th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+11
+9
Smite Misstep 4/day


20th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+12
+9
Eternal Groove, Fortissimo



Weapon and Armour proficiency:
Dancers are proficient with all Simple Weapons and two Martial Weapons of their choice. Dancers are proficient with Light and Medium Armor as well as Shields (excluding Tower Shields).

Song from Within (Su):
"A sound, the beginning of a song, burst forth from the entertainer who just stepped on stage, filling the room. She looked more alive at that point than anyone I'd ever seen before, almost like her soul was shining through her skin."

Activating Song from Within is a swift action and by default only affects the Dancer's square/s, the effect of Song from Within follows the Dancer unless they have also activated Designated Dancefloor. Unless the Dancer wishes otherwise, activating Song from Within also activates Designated Dancefloor centered on the Dancer's square in the same action. The Dancer and any creature allied with the Dancer capable of hearing the Song from Within gains a +1 morale bonus on their saves, damage rolls, and attack rolls. This bonus increases by +1 at sixth level and every sixth level thereafter.

Song from Within lasts until dismissed by the Dancer with another swift action and a "Stop" gesture or until the Dancer dies.

Designated Dancefloor (Su):
"We're in a cave, never been there before in our lives, fighting off some goblins. When Eliara does her thing and starts the music, suddenly the whole place sounds like it was designed for acoustics and the sound suffuses our surroundings, the perfect stadium for her to do her piece."

Activating Designated Dancefloor is a move action unless activated in conjunction with Song from Within (See above) and ends any silencing effects currently on the area, casting another spell that would dampen sound in the area of Designated Dancefloor requires a caster level check against DC (10 + Cha Mod + Class level) and ends the effect if it succeeds. Designated Dancefloor is an area of (20' + 5' per two class levels) feet centered on the Dancer's square when activated and does not move with them afterwards as an emanation would, if the Dancer leaves the area of Designated Dancefloor the effect ends immediately. Designated Dancefloor has no effect unless Song from Within is also activated. Any creature in the area of Designated Dancefloor is treated as automatically being able to hear Song from Within. Designated Dancefloor ends when Song from Within is dismissed.

If two Designated Dancefloors overlap, one will cancel the other out entirely. The Dancer attempting to establish the second Designated Dancefloor acts as if they were attempting to cast a silencing spell over the area, with a Charisma check in place of a caster level check.

Sweet Moves (Ex):
"You don't know how infuriating it is, trying to hit someone who moves as if they've got a voice in their ear telling them more about your attacks than you know going into them, she had her eyes closed and a smile on her face too, as if she was enjoying the whole thing." -Legav, Halfling Highwayman

The Dancer treats their Dexterity score as being (Class level/3 rounded down +1, min 1) points higher when under the effects of their Song from Within.

Know the Steps (Ex):
"Eliara snapped her fingers like she always does when she starts up her music, keeping it to herself this time, and then plain leaped onto the icy lake. I tried to grab her before she slipped but it turns out I didn't need to, she landed sure as anything on the surface and pranced across it as if it was her stage back at the tavern."

The Dancer or an allied creature may, when under the effects of Song from Within, make a Listen check with a DC of 20 as a free action to ignore penalties from terrain types and move through it normally for (Cha modifier +1, min 1) rounds as they tune into the music and let it guide them. The Dancer may forego the listen check entirely by sacrificing a swift action instead of a free action.

Prop Weapon (Ex):
"When she first joined up, Eliara swore she had never even held a mace before. Yet when she scoops one up off the floor after the bandit knocks the rapier from her hand, she acts as if it's her bloody specialty!"

The dancer, when under the effects of Song from Within, may spend a free action to designate a held weapon as a Prop Weapon. The Dancer gains a certain level of skill with a Prop Weapon depending on their familiarity with it. If the Prop weapon is one the Dancer was already Proficient with they gain the benefit of the Weapon Focus feat while wielding it. If they were not proficient with the Prop Weapon beforehand, including improvised weapons, they may ignore all non-proficiency penalties for using it. Designating an Exotic weapon that they were not proficient with beforehand as a Prop weapon has no effect. Prop weapon lasts until the weapon in question leaves the Dancer's hand, or until they are no longer under the effects of Song from Within. Up to two weapons may be Prop weapons at a time, if more than one weapon is a prop weapon both must be wielded in conjunction.

Smite Misstep (Su):
"You don't quite understand how you're meant to move to the beat of Eliara's music, no matter how many times you've heard it before, partly because it always changes, but you also don't understand just how badly timed you were until you see her cut off some poor idiot's arm for putting their foot in the wrong place."

1/day the Dancer may, as a standard action or in place of an attack in a full-attack action, smite their opponent for their utter blasphemy against the beat of their sound as long as this is taking place in the Designated Dancefloor. A Smite Misstep deals normal damage for the attack but receives a bonus to the attack roll equal to (Cha mod + Dex Mod + class level/2) and a bonus to damage equal to half that. An enemy who has been hit by a Smite Misstep may not be the target of another for at least two rounds as the first Smite temporarily knocks them into the correct rhythm of the Song from Within. The Dancer gains an additional use of Smite Misstep at 9th level and every five levels thereafter, indicated on the table above.

Loud and Proud (Su):
"Magic is a delicate thing in the hands of mortals and I consider myself to be a fine craftsman of the arcane, but you have to believe me when I say that the infernal melody we were forced to hear the entire battle suddenly leaped in volume and that it startling me is why I lost that crucial spell." -Deliatro, snooty human wizard

The Dancer may spend an immediate action to interfere with the casting of a spell that they are aware is being cast in the area of their Designated Dancefloor. The Spellcaster trying to cast their spell when targeted by this effect must make a concentration check as if they were interrupted by a, non-damaging, spell of DC (10 + Cha Mod + Class level/2) as the sound that pervades the area suddenly ratchets up the volume right in their ears. This ability may be used 2/encounter.

Deadly Duo (Su):
"Eliara's song, it personified her entire being, so you understand I was honored when she asked me to dance with her. Honored and confused, since we were in the middle of a fight, but I understood after the effect took hold. The sound shifted, I could hear parts of myself in it accompanying her and I understood why she loved it so much. It was magical, we were magical."

The Dancer may designate an ally within the area of their Designated Dancefloor as their partner, as a free action on their turn, whilst Song from Within is activated. The Dancer's partner now also benefits from their Sweet Moves, Know the Steps, and Prop Weapon abilities as if they were the Dancer themselves. Step Into the Rhythm, Own the Floor, and At Home on the Stage are also shared with the Dancer's partner if the Dancer has these abilities. This effect ends when either the Dancer or the Dancer's Partner leaves the Designated Dancefloor. The Dancer's partner leaving the Designated Dancefloor causes the Dancer to have to make a Will Save (DC 23) in order to keep Designated Dancefloor active, if they fail this Will Save the Dancer is Dazed for a round and Designated Dancefloor ends.

Own the Floor (Ex):
"Apparently you can dodge a fireball, with something like the Song to guide you anyway."

The Dancer can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If they make a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead take no damage. In addition, Own the Floor functions as Uncanny Dodge, allowing the Dancer to retain their Dexterity bonus to AC when flat-footed or struck by an invisible foe. A helpless Dancer does not gain the benefits of Own the Floor.

Step Into the Rhythm (Su):
"Something I've found, fighting with Eliara, is that a lot of the time the Song needs you to punctuate a beat with an action, cracking someone's head open for example. What happens when that person is about twenty feet further away than your arm is long? Well, apparently the Song has you covered."

As a move action the Dancer may teleport anywhere within the area of the Designated Dancefloor that they can see. The Dancer may not use Step Into the Rhythm more than once in a round. The Dancer may use this ability 1/day at eighth level and gains an additional use at twelfth and sixteenth level as shown on the table above.

Portable Melody (Su):
"The coward ran, I wasn't quick enough to catch him, what with my plate armor being quite heavy and all, but Eliara was apparently. I'd never seen her leap out of her zone like that before, having been part of the Song before I know that you can see the edge of the area. Weird thing was, as she ran after the thieving rat, it stretched around her, it was never that forgiving with me."

The Dancer may leave the area of their Designated Dancefloor without ending the effect as long as they succeed on a Will Save (DC 23) to do so. If the Dancer fails the Will Save they stop immediately upon exiting the Designated Dancefloor and are dazed for a round whilst they recover from the sudden cessation of their Song from Within. Should the Dancer succeed on the Will save, they may exit the Designated Dancefloor whilst maintaining the effect as long as they remain within (5' + 5' per three class levels). The Dancer may only remain outside the Designated Dancefloor for a number of rounds equal to (1 + Class level/5, min 1), remaining outside of the Designated Dancefloor after that point ends the effect with no save but does not Daze the Dancer, leaving them Sickened for a round instead.

At Home on the Stage (Ex):
"The pace picks up sometimes, faster than you would think it can get, but you aren't allowed to mess up or be in the wrong place. I guess that's why the Song helps out, anything to keep the choreography in sync."

The Dancer is under a constant Freedom of Movement (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/freedomOfMovement.htm) effect whilst in the area of their Designated Dancefloor, their base land speed is also increased by 10' whether they are in their Designated Dancefloor or not. This speed bonus increases by a further 10' at levels thirteen, fifteen, and seventeen.

Terrible Trio (Su):
"Now I'm not a naturally jealous guy, but I wasn't really sure how to feel when Eliara, already having invited me into the Song, asked the Cleric to join in too. It was a little crushing, I have to admit. Still, it turned out alright, we got into the rhythm easily enough and I think I appreciate that more than two can tango now."

The Dancer may now designate a second dance partner, as if by their Deadly Duo ability, who shares in all of the abilities that their first dance partner gains from the effect. The Dancer may not designated more than one dance partner in a turn.

Crescendo (Su):
"And I thought she moved fast before!"

The Dancer is now capable of forcibly accelerating the tempo of their Song From Within, granting themself and their dance partners frightening alacrity for a brief period. This ability may be used 1/day as an Immediate action which does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The Dancer and both of their dance partners are affected as if by a Haste (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/haste.htm) except that its duration is five rounds. At any point while affected by this ability, the Dancer and their dance partners may each use an Immediate action in order to take a Full-round action (or a standard and a move action, or two move actions) as if they had cast Greater Celerity on themselves, including being dazed until the end of their next turn in the case of the dance partners but not the Dancer themself. If the Greater Celerity effect is not expended before the duration of the Haste effect elapses, it is wasted.

Eternal Groove (Ex):
"Over time I've seen Eliara grow in power, and as a person. Heck, maybe the two aren't even that different. She's like a strange being of Song now, I suppose turning your soul into a tune will do that to you, but she's still the person I know. And I know her Song isn't going to stop, even when mine does."

At 20th level the Dancer becomes an Outside with the Native subtype to the material plane. They can no longer die of old age and may choose to stop aging altogether at any point. The Dancer is treated as whichever creature type is most advantageous to the situation at hand. They also gain Sonic Immunity.

Fortissimo (Su):
"I'm used to the music fading out as the battle ends, not what she did that day. I think she'd been working on it for a while because it seemed so practiced, not like her normal movements at all. It was just as effective though."

As a full-round action, 2/day, if the Dancer has Song from Within active, the Dancer may dismiss their Song from Within and all other active class features in order to use Fortissimo. The Dancer may target any number of creatures inside their Designated Dancefloor and channel a great deal of their power into a sonic assault. No attack roll is required and Fortissimo provokes a Fortitude Save from each target, if failed the target is Deafened and Dazed for a round. Regardless of the result of the Save, Crescendo deals 12d6 + (Class level x higher of Dex and Cha Modifiers) Sonic damage to the target, although success on the earlier Fort save halves this damage. After using Crescendo, Song from Within and all dependant class features are deactivated. This ability does not prevent or hinder re-establishing Song from Within.

--------------------------------
FEATS

Prop Flourish
You're beauty, you're grace, you're going to carve off their face. With STYLE!
Requirements: "Prop Weapon" class feature
Benefits: You may wield any weapon you have designated with your prop weapon using your Dexterity modifier in place of your Strength modifier for attack and damage rolls. Additionally, if a feat requires you to designate a particular weapon to apply it to, such as Improved Critical or Weapon Focus, you may substitute your Dexterity score in place of your Strength score if that feat requires a minimum Strength score as long as you are applying it to your Prop Weapons.
Normal: You attack with your Strength score like anyone else.

Scenery Swinger
You are becoming increasingly adept at throwing the contents of your Designated Dancefloor around effortlessly, we're all very worried for your mental stability.
Requirements: "Prop Weapon" class feature
Benefits: You may drop or sheath a held weapon or object and 'draw' an improvised weapon from your surroundings as a free action provoking no attack of opportunity while within your Designated Dancefloor, you may do this in-between the iterative attacks from a full-attack action at no extra cost. In addition, you are able to wield weapons a size larger than you could otherwise could, with no penalty and no increase in handedness, as long as you are wielding it as a Prop Weapon.
Normal: Most people use broken bottles in tavern fights, rather than two chairs, a table, and another bar patron.

Ballroom Blitz
You flit between enemies like a hummingbird, a deadly, deadly hummingbird.
Requirements: Dexterity 16, "Smite Misstep" class feature 2/day
Benefits: If you successfully drop an enemy to 0 or less hit points you may immediately take a ten-foot step, which functions exactly as a five-foot step apart from its ability to span up to ten feet, towards another enemy and make an attack against them. This next attack must be a use of your Smite Misstep class feature. You may use this ability as many times per round as you like, as long as you have uses of Smite Misstep to expend.
Normal: Cleave, Five-foot step, Great cleave, rinse, repeat.

JBPuffin
2014-06-17, 12:50 AM
This is quite the interesting class - a zone keeper, of sorts, that is also a decent combatant thanks to Dex and Weapon Finesse. As for add-ons...maybe Bardic Music as a Bard of their Dancer Level-4? That maxes out at 16, but they don't have the bard's other tricks, so I can see it working. Plop it down at 18, or start it from 5th and at 18 make it their full level? Not sure, but it would add a whole 'nuther dimension to the class (replace Perform checks with Caster Level checks [Dancer level + the roll's result; nice artificial cap, too]).

As for a 17th, maybe make it so all Prop Weapon attacks run off of Dexterity? Opens up the battle-ax-wielding rapper as a fun option at higher levels...Overall, great twist on music-magic and a successful brew. Cheers.

razorfloss
2014-06-17, 02:05 AM
i like this i like this alot the fluff is awesome and makes me want to build a camping based around this class and a Shadow Dancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?317743-Hitting-Me-is-Like-Boxing-With-Shadows-3-5-Base-Class) with a bard thrown in as they discuss the best way to make music as they travel around the world in as a dance troop

edit: as a music person change the capstones name to fortissimo and make Crescendo a move for the dead level

razorfloss
2014-06-28, 09:45 PM
bump because i want this to be peached

Moonwolf727
2015-01-09, 12:54 AM
Heeeeey~ Bumping my own thread because I've finally gotten back to it, fixed up those dead levels, re-named a few things, powered-up a couple features, and sacrificed a cat to my dark lord made some feats!

gooddragon1
2015-01-09, 12:59 AM
You are missing a critical component. The safety dance. Need's to be similar to a word of recall (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wordOfRecall.htm) spell. Verbal component: We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind, 'cause your friends don't dance, and if they don't dance then they're no friends of mine. If your allies can succeed on a profession dance check they can come with you. :D

Qwertystop
2015-01-15, 12:06 AM
Quite interesting. Different take on the team-buffer than the bard - I like it. Might comment more when it's not past midnight.