Kerleth
2014-11-30, 03:48 PM
Not all who seek to perfect body and mind through martial discipline are masters of unarmed combat. The Enlightened Warrior fuses monk-like ki abilities with the raw skill and power of a trained warrior. As they begin their path they learn to harness their inner strength to augment their natural speed and resilience. Masters of this path are able to do things that no other warrior can do, no matter how skilled. Walk the path, but remember. The journey to enlightenment has no ending. The path of the enlightened warrior is only the first of many roads.
So I think the design intent for this one is fairly obvious. Some wuxia and ki based abilities, but without stealing the monk's thunder. The early abilities simply augment what the fighter could already do. Faster, tougher, more wuxia. Moving and striking more rapidly. Shrugging off more damage. No teleporting or turning invisible. Running up walls, striking telling blows against preternaturally resilient creatures, channeling your will to deny your weaknesses, these are the sort of supernatural powers that the enlightened warrior gets. The most supernatural ability gained is limited truesight. That, however, is a capstone, and feels right for a warrior working toward enlightenment.
As far as balance goes, I've been comparing it to the battlemaster to see if I've broken anything. Snake Strike can potentially throw out a lot of damage. A 3rd level Enlightened Warrior with a 16 strength and wielding a greatsword could ATTACK ACTION + ACTION SURGE + SNAKE STRIKE for 30 damage (average of 6d6+9), assuming all attacks hit. A battlemaster with the same stats could ATTACK + SUPERIORITY DIE + ACTION SURGE + SUPERIORITY DIE for 29 damage (average of 4d6+2d8+6) The enlightened warrior could spend his last ki the next turn averaging 20 damage, whereas the battlemaster would require two turns to spend both his superiority dice, doing 14.5 each turn. So, sheer power goes to the Enlightened Warrior. However, the Battlemaster
1) only spends dice on an actual hit, so they won't be wasted, whereas the extra attack from ki might.
2) gets the rider effects in addition to damage.
3) has more overall options on how to spend their limited rescources.
Overall I feel that sets the tone for the class. The Enlightened Warrior can get more sheer power, but the Battlemaster is more versatile and dependable. That said, I could be wrong. It has happened before. Purportedly. Or at least I like to say so to make sure all the lesser (ick)mortals don't feel bad. :smallbiggrin:
Awakening The Spirit
At 3rd level you gain 2 ki points. You may spend these points to fuel various abilities. When you spend a ki point it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at which point you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of your rest meditating to regain these ki points. If you have ki points from multiple sources, add them together to determine your total ki points. You may use ki points from multiple sources to fuel any ki abilities you may possess.
In addition, you gain the following two abilities:
Snake Strike: You may spend 1 ki point to make a single weapon attack as a bonus action.
Cheetah Sprint: You may spend 1 ki point to Dash as a bonus action.
Strengthening the Body
Starting at 7th level you gain 2 more ki points, and the following ability:
Refuse Harm: You may spend 2 ki points to gain all the benefits of your Second Wind as a bonus action, without expending a use of that ability.
Focusing the Mind
At 10th level you gain 2 more ki points, and the following abilities:
Stone as Water: Whenever you use Snake Strike, your weapon attacks ignore resistance until the beginning of your next turn.
Water as Stone: Whenever you use Cheetah Sprint, you gain the effects of the Spider Climb and Water Walk spells until the beginning of your next turn.
Chasing Perfection
Beginning at 15th level, you gain 2 more ki points, and the following ability:
No Weakness: You may spend 4 ki points as a bonus action to treat any one of your ability scores as an 18 for the next hour. Furthermore, when making an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw for this score that doesn't already add your proficiency bonus, you may add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down). If your constitution score is altered this way, your maximum and current hit points are increased or decreased accordingly. (One hit point per character level gained for each +1 increase to your constitution modifier, and the reverse for a decrease). When this ability ends, remove these changes to both your maximum and current hit points.
Achieving the Impossible
At 18th you take the final steps upon the path of the Enlightened Warrior, gaining 2 more ki points and the following abilities:
Eschew Limitations: Whenever you use your Second Wind or Refuse Harm abilities you may remove the following conditions from yourself: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned, Paralyzed, and Stunned. You may use your Second Wind or Refuse Harm abilities even if one of these conditions would normally prevent you from doing so.
Eyes of the Spirit: You may spend 2 ki points as a bonus action to gain Truesight out to 60 feet as a bonus action. Truesight allows you to see in normal and magical darkness, see invisible creatures and objects, automatically detect and succeed on saving throws against visual illusions, perceive the original form of a shapechanger or creature changed by magic, and see onto the ethereal plane.
All comments are encouraged, but I'd really appreciate any exploits or balance issues anyone might see. Also, this will probably be the first of several fighter subclasses I post. Assuming that people show interest and real life permits, that is. Anyways, thanks for your time, and I hope someone gets some good use or ideas from this.
So I think the design intent for this one is fairly obvious. Some wuxia and ki based abilities, but without stealing the monk's thunder. The early abilities simply augment what the fighter could already do. Faster, tougher, more wuxia. Moving and striking more rapidly. Shrugging off more damage. No teleporting or turning invisible. Running up walls, striking telling blows against preternaturally resilient creatures, channeling your will to deny your weaknesses, these are the sort of supernatural powers that the enlightened warrior gets. The most supernatural ability gained is limited truesight. That, however, is a capstone, and feels right for a warrior working toward enlightenment.
As far as balance goes, I've been comparing it to the battlemaster to see if I've broken anything. Snake Strike can potentially throw out a lot of damage. A 3rd level Enlightened Warrior with a 16 strength and wielding a greatsword could ATTACK ACTION + ACTION SURGE + SNAKE STRIKE for 30 damage (average of 6d6+9), assuming all attacks hit. A battlemaster with the same stats could ATTACK + SUPERIORITY DIE + ACTION SURGE + SUPERIORITY DIE for 29 damage (average of 4d6+2d8+6) The enlightened warrior could spend his last ki the next turn averaging 20 damage, whereas the battlemaster would require two turns to spend both his superiority dice, doing 14.5 each turn. So, sheer power goes to the Enlightened Warrior. However, the Battlemaster
1) only spends dice on an actual hit, so they won't be wasted, whereas the extra attack from ki might.
2) gets the rider effects in addition to damage.
3) has more overall options on how to spend their limited rescources.
Overall I feel that sets the tone for the class. The Enlightened Warrior can get more sheer power, but the Battlemaster is more versatile and dependable. That said, I could be wrong. It has happened before. Purportedly. Or at least I like to say so to make sure all the lesser (ick)mortals don't feel bad. :smallbiggrin:
Awakening The Spirit
At 3rd level you gain 2 ki points. You may spend these points to fuel various abilities. When you spend a ki point it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at which point you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of your rest meditating to regain these ki points. If you have ki points from multiple sources, add them together to determine your total ki points. You may use ki points from multiple sources to fuel any ki abilities you may possess.
In addition, you gain the following two abilities:
Snake Strike: You may spend 1 ki point to make a single weapon attack as a bonus action.
Cheetah Sprint: You may spend 1 ki point to Dash as a bonus action.
Strengthening the Body
Starting at 7th level you gain 2 more ki points, and the following ability:
Refuse Harm: You may spend 2 ki points to gain all the benefits of your Second Wind as a bonus action, without expending a use of that ability.
Focusing the Mind
At 10th level you gain 2 more ki points, and the following abilities:
Stone as Water: Whenever you use Snake Strike, your weapon attacks ignore resistance until the beginning of your next turn.
Water as Stone: Whenever you use Cheetah Sprint, you gain the effects of the Spider Climb and Water Walk spells until the beginning of your next turn.
Chasing Perfection
Beginning at 15th level, you gain 2 more ki points, and the following ability:
No Weakness: You may spend 4 ki points as a bonus action to treat any one of your ability scores as an 18 for the next hour. Furthermore, when making an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw for this score that doesn't already add your proficiency bonus, you may add half your proficiency bonus (rounded down). If your constitution score is altered this way, your maximum and current hit points are increased or decreased accordingly. (One hit point per character level gained for each +1 increase to your constitution modifier, and the reverse for a decrease). When this ability ends, remove these changes to both your maximum and current hit points.
Achieving the Impossible
At 18th you take the final steps upon the path of the Enlightened Warrior, gaining 2 more ki points and the following abilities:
Eschew Limitations: Whenever you use your Second Wind or Refuse Harm abilities you may remove the following conditions from yourself: Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Poisoned, Paralyzed, and Stunned. You may use your Second Wind or Refuse Harm abilities even if one of these conditions would normally prevent you from doing so.
Eyes of the Spirit: You may spend 2 ki points as a bonus action to gain Truesight out to 60 feet as a bonus action. Truesight allows you to see in normal and magical darkness, see invisible creatures and objects, automatically detect and succeed on saving throws against visual illusions, perceive the original form of a shapechanger or creature changed by magic, and see onto the ethereal plane.
All comments are encouraged, but I'd really appreciate any exploits or balance issues anyone might see. Also, this will probably be the first of several fighter subclasses I post. Assuming that people show interest and real life permits, that is. Anyways, thanks for your time, and I hope someone gets some good use or ideas from this.