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Jormengand
2015-08-01, 04:08 PM
The Mundane Trickster
http://th00.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2013/074/5/6/thief_gi_cover_by_i_guyjin_i-d5y3kiu.jpg
Thief GI cover by I-GUYJIN-I

“The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from the Latin 'Mundus' meaning 'the world'. And the world is anything but dull: The world is wonderful. There's real poetry in the real world."
- Professor Richard Dawkins

Magic, illusion, trickery... only one of these is necessary for success, and only one is the domain of the mundane trickster, who does not call up images of himself from the stuff that dreams are made of, nor turn himself invisible with a wish and a word, but instead hides with his own skill and strikes with his own hand.


LevelBABFortRefWillSpecial
Overcome Wounds
1st+0+2+2+2Sneak Attack 1d6, Tricks, Shrug Off, Shadow of Glory, Righteous Desperation
0
2nd+1+3+3+3Evasion
0
3rd+2+3+3+3Trap Sense +1, Sneak Attack 2d6
0
4th+3+4+4+4Uncanny Dodge
0
5th+3+4+4+4Sneak Attack 3d6
0
6th+4+5+5+5Overcome Wounds, Trap Sense +2
1
7th+5+5+5+5Sneak Attack 4d6
1
8th+6/+1+6+6+6Hide in Plain Sight
2
9th+6/+1+6+6+6Trap Sense +3, Sneak Attack 5d6
2
10th+7/+2+7+7+7Rogue Special Ability
3
11th+8/+3+7+7+7Sneak Attack 6d6
3
12th+9/+4+8+8+8Trap Sense +4
4
13th+9/+4+8+8+8Rogue Special Ability, Sneak Attack 7d6
4
14th+10/+5+9+9+9Invisible Shadow
5
15th+11/+6/+1+9+9+9Trap Sense +5, Sneak Attack 8d6
5
16th+12/+7/+2+10+10+10Rogue Special Ability
6
17th+12/+7/+2+10+10+10Sneak Attack 9d6
6
18th+13/+8/+3+11+11+11Trap Sense +6
7
19th+14/+9/+4+11+11+11Rogue Special Ability, Sneak Attack 10d6
7
20th+15/+10/+5+12+12+12Invisible Strike
8

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d8

Class Skills:
All skills except for truespeak (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha) and Use Psionic Device (Cha) are class skills of the mundane trickster.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (10 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 10 + Int modifier

Class features
All of the following are the class features of the mundane trickster.

Weapon and armour proficiency
The mundane trickster is proficient in every type of weapon ever to come to be. They are proficient with all light armour, but not with any shields.

Rogue class features
All of the class features sharing a name with a rogue class feature work exactly the same way as the rogue class feature of the same name. The "Rogue special abilities" class feature works just like the special abilities class feature of the rogue; the renaming is simply to distinguish it from the tricks available to the mundane trickster.

Mundane trickster levels stack with rogue levels when determining a character's effective rogue level.

Tricks (Ex)
At each level, a mundane trickster gains mundane trickster tricks. The mundane trickster gains 1 mundane trickster trick per level up to and including fifth, two per level for the next five, and so forth. Mundane trickster tricks are detailed in their own section.

Shrug Off
Mundane tricksters can Shrug Off abilities which would hinder, incapacitate or even kill lesser beings. Shrugging Off an ability does not take an action any more than choosing a target to attack does; it is simply a thing that one does, or one does not.

A mundane trickster who Shrugs Off an effect ignores it. It does not affect the mundane trickster at all, even if it affects an area (irrespective of, for example, whether or not the mundane trickster enters, leaves, and then re-enters an area). However, it still affects other people: the effect is still there, unlike with more magical means of removing an effect such as Dispel Magic or Iron Heart Surge. The source of the effect may still be there, even if the effect itself isn't (for example, a windstorm is still there even if the mundane trickster isn't checked by it, and will automatically check the mundane trickster again next round). Similarly, a mundane trickster can't Shrug Off death by hit point damage, as the mundane trickster would simply die again immedately. This makes the many effects on the table below unlikely at best to come up but they are included for completeness.

The mundane trickster may Shrug Off an effect in progress, or even one which hasn't taken effect yet (for example, a mundane trickster could Shrug Off a spell's effect upon being struck by it, ignoring it, even if that mundane trickster wasn't aware of the spell until it dealt its effects). Mundane tricksters incapable of experiencing the world, such as those who are Dead, Petrified or Unconscious, can't Shrug Off effects. Those who are merely distracted, incapable of acting, or suffering sensory impairment (such as those who are Fascinated, Stunned or simultaneously Blinded and Deafened) can still Shrug Off further effects.

However, Shrugging Off an effect costs hit points. These hit points are dependent on the severity of the effect being Shrugged Off. Further, if the effect is permanent (except for spell effects and effects which are always or usually permanent), triple the number of hit points needed to remove it. A mundane trickster can't Shrug Off an effect if doing so would kill the mundane trickster. Use the following table to determine the hit point cost:



Effect

Cost



Ability Damaged

5/point



Ability Drained/Burned

15/point



Blinded

10



Blown Away*

20



Checked

10



Confused

10



Dazed

10



Dazzled

2



Dead*

50



Deafened

10



Disabled

20



Dying

30



Energy Drained

10/level



Entangled

10



Grappling*

5



Knocked Down*

15



Paralysed

20



Petrified

30



Pinned*

5



Prone*

5



Spell Lv 0**

3



Spell Lv 1**

6



Spell Lv 2**

13



Spell Lv 3**

21



Spell Lv 4**

30



Spell Lv 5**

40



Spell Lv 6**

51



Spell Lv 7**

63



Spell Lv 8**

76



Spell Lv 9**

90



Spell Level 10th**

100



Spell Level 11th***

111



Spell Level 12th***

123



Spell Level 13th***

136



Stable

20



Staggered

20



Stunned*

20



Unconscious

As stable/dying



*These effects can only be Shrugged Off before they take effect, due to one of three reasons: One, that they less are conditions and more cause them, two, that once the ability takes hold the mundane trickster won't be able to Shrug them Off, or three, because simply being hard enough to prevent yourself falling down is one thing; being hard enough to go from being on the ground to on your feet in no time at all is another.
**This also covers (Sp) and (Ps) abilities, powers, and martial maneuvers.
***As **, and also these abilities tend not to exist, but a few classes such as the Worldspeaker have them. To find any spell level higher than 13th, add the new spell level to the previous number (for example, the 13th level value is calculated by adding 13 to the 12th level value).

Shadow of Glory
A mundane trickster is good at avoiding attacks. Once per round, a mundane trickster can, while expending no more time, effort or actions than a normal save, make a reflex save to negate an attack or spell, even after the result of that attack or spell has been determined. If the save is successful, the attack or spell is negated in its entirety.

Spells, powers, spell-like abilities and psi-like abilities have a set formula to determine the DC of the saving throw (even if the spell itself doesn't allow a saving throw, or has the Irresistible Spell metamagic applied to remove the saving throw) and most other attacks have attack rolls, whose result the mundane trickster uses as the save DC.


Righteous Desperation (Ex)
http://pre04.deviantart.net/a29c/th/pre/i/2013/144/5/c/thief_dive_by_eedenartwork-d66d71e.jpg
Thief Dive by Eedenartwork
"Okay, seriously, I've got this!"

Mundane tricksters are masters of improvisation, of getting by, of making do with what they have, and this stems from their conviction, their vow never to use magic. Such is the way of the mundane trickster.

A mundane trickster who looks about for an improvised weapon to use can as a standard action take a search check whose DC is equal to the price of the item in gold pieces. Passing this check means the Mundane trickster finds (and can pick up as part of the check) an improvised weapon of the type for which the mundane trickster is looking. Mundane tricksters never take a penalty for wielding an improvised weapon, although the improvised weapons found in this way are usually fragile, and break within a number of uses equal to 10, plus the number by which the search check DC was beaten.

Mundane tricksters might easily not be able to find anything they can fashion into a weapon of the correct type, but unless they are in a barren plain they can probably find something vaguely weapon-shaped.

Similarly, a mundane trickster can find objects which function as tools, shields, and so forth in a similar manner. Again, they will break after the same number of uses as the weapon might and the mundane trickster gets no penalty for using them.

Further, a mundane trickster is immune to fear, sickness and tiredness effects (such as shaken, frightened, terrified, cowering, sickened, nauseated, fatigued and exhausted).

However, the mundane trickster's guile and wit, their devotion and their motivation, all stem from the meaningfulness of the vow: the mundane trickster cannot deliberately and knowingly use magic, psionics, martial strikes or stances, supernatural abilities, or magic or psionic items. They cannot accept direct magical or psionic aid to their person (Fireballing their foes doesn't count), and must take any save against that aid that is given to them. They are encouraged to shun those who repeatedly give them unwanted aid of this nature, and preferably all magic, but this is not actually required and mundane tricksters don't bear any particular enmity towards spellcasters, psionicists or initiators.

A mundane trickster who breaks this vow feels mentally shattered by the transgression, and loses the conviction that fuels mundane trickster abilities (other than class skills, proficiency, and hit dice). These other abilities are regained at a rate of one level per day by adventuring normally as a glorified expert ("Normally" is subjective, but no attempt should be made to avoid combat beyond the usual measure). For example, an eighth-level mundane trickster who breaks the vow can use a single mundane trickster trick after one day of adventuring, and seven after six days of adventuring. These days don't need to be consecutive. New mundane trickster tricks can be selected in this way, though it would have been faster to relearn them normally!

A creature who gets the vow from somewhere else other than a class loses all class abilities if they break the vow, and needs to recover them in the same way. Creatures such as factotums who steal the ability are only affected by breaking the vow for the duration of the ability that copies it.

Overcome Wounds (Ex)
A mundane trickster of at least 6th level is very hard to kill, and no wound inflicted on them hinders them long. They gain fast healing as given on Table: The Mundane Trickster.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex)

This ability works just like the assassin ability of the same name.

Invisible Shadow (Ex)

From 14th level, when hiding, even in plain sight, the mundane trickster becomes invisible and thereafter remains this way until somehow revealed or until an attack is made by the mundane trickster. People simply don't notice the mundane trickster.

Invisible Blade (Ex)

At 20th level, the mundane trickster gets the ability to stay invisible after attacking while using Invisible Shadow. Attacks made by the mundane trickster seem to come from nowhere.


Learning Mundane Trickster Tricks
http://orig07.deviantart.net/6496/f/2010/015/a/4/the_thief_by_capprotti.jpg
The Thief by capprotti
"We learn as we need to. Only one thing is constant: the wise adapt."

Learning a mundane trickster trick works essentially exactly the same as learning a feat; indeed, they work in nearly the exact same way as feats, they just can't be taken as actual feats. You learn them when you gain the relevant level, and then retain them for use later.

The main difference is that it's a lot easier for a mundane trickster to pick up new tricks. Indeed, once per day a mundane trickster can simply pick up a trick that is useful in the current situation. However, she must choose and discard a previous mundane trickster trick to do this. A mundane trickster can do this once more per day for each five levels after first: at high levels, a mundane trickster can near-constantly be learning on-the-spot to handle almost anything as and when it comes up.

Most mundane trickster tricks can only be taken once.

Jormengand
2015-08-01, 04:09 PM
List of Mundane Trickster Tricks
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The Assassin and the Thief by JSfantasy
"There are so many things... so many finicky tricks and traps to learn, but that's okay. I've learnt them. All of them."

The following are the mundane trickster tricks available to a mundane trickster. Note that if the mundane trickster is being used in the Pathfinder roleplaying system, all skill requirements should be reduced by 3.

Always Strike First
You are lightning fast, and none can match your speed.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You can't be surprised; if there's a surprise round, you can always act in it. You always go first in the initiative order.
Special: Two or more characters with this trick roll normally to determine which acts first, but all act before anyone else in the combat.

Athleticism
Your athletic abilities are legendary
Prerequisites: 4 ranks in any three of Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim, and Tumble.
Benefit: For the prerequisite skills, you use your strength, dexterity or constitution modifier, whichever is highest. You also get a +10 bonus on any of those skill checks.

Battlesense
You have an instinctive awareness of everything about you.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You have blindsight out to 30 feet.
Special: This trick can be taken multiple times; the range of the blindsight stacks.

Brewmaster
You can create even more special items.
Prerequisites: Herbalist, Craft (Alchemy) 8 ranks.
Benefit: You can create additional powerful items. You also get a +10 bonus on craft (Alchemy) checks.

Envoy Firework: DC 30 to make. An envoy firework can be used as a weapon, dealing just 2d6 fire damage and 2d6 bludgeoning damage on impact if it even hits a creature in the first instance, but that's not really the point. Envoy fireworks are packed with explosive of high enough quality to send them either a steady 4 miles/level, or you can create a more risky explosive that will send the firework up to 2d6 miles/level. Either way, the envoy firework takes 10 minutes to reach its destination, and can send anything that can fit in the small compartment inside it - this usually entails something of the calibre of a small book, or a dagger, some deadly poison, and a note. The envoy firework isn't in condition to send back.

Of course, the decent damage and long range make an envoy firework a possible long-ranged artillery weapon, especially if you put something more dangerous (such as some explosives on a 10 minute and 6 second timer) inside. That's your call.
Explosives: DC 30 to make each set. Explosives can be linked together and linked to the user by a fuse cord, allowing them to be detonated from a safe location and all at once. Alternatively, they can be put on a timer.

When detonated, explosives deal 1d6 damage per level, half fire and half force, within 60 feet.
Poison Gas Grenade: DC 30 to make. Fired just like exploding potion. Fort against 1d6 str 1d6 con/1 str 1 con.
Stun Grenade: DC 25 to make. Fired just like exploding potion, those in 20 feet take 1 sonic/level, fort vs deafened 1 minute/level, reflex vs blinded 1 minute/level, on both failed stunned 1 round/level.

Combat Coup
You can make coups de grace against opponents you're fighting.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You can Coup de Grace nonhelpless creatures, you can do so from up to 30 feet away, you can make Coups de Grace even against normally-immune foes, and making one doesn't take an attack of opportunity.
Special: If the target is immune to critical hits, resolve the Coup de Grace anyway; it's just not a critical hit.

Combat Maneuver Master
You are a legend at performing special attacks.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You gain the benefits of the following feats: Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Sunder, Improved Overrun, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple. You also get a +5 bonus on your attack roll to perform cleaves, bull rushes, sunders, overruns, disarms, trips, and grapples as well as +5 bonus to any additional rolls needed to perform any of these actions, or a feint, successfully.
Special: You can use these feats as prerequisites, but you can't retrain them or use spells such as Embrace the Dark Chaos to remove them. An effect that would remove one of these feats, short of removing the mundane trickster trick itself, fails.

Counterattack
You can defend against enemies' attacks and strike back with your own.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 6th.
Benefit: The mundane trickster gains the ability to counter attacks. As an immediate action, the mundane trickster prevents one attack that would be made against the mundane trickster, and makes one against the would-be-assailant. This can be done from any range, but can only defend against attacks which must roll to hit.
Special: A mundane trickster can counter an attack regardless of ability or inability to attack back. If the mundane trickster can't complete the counterattack, this doesn't stop an attack being prevented. Similarly, a mundane trickster is under no obligation to attack even if capable of doing so.

Craft Flying Machine
You know how to create a simple machine that allows you to fly by body power.
Prerequisites: Craft 8 ranks.
Benefit: With a DC 25 craft check, you can create a flying machine. This consists of a large fixed-wing glider combined with a nonfixed-wing propeller connected to pedals that are used to operate the thing. You can direct the glider with one hand to move with clumsy maneuverability, with two to move at poor maneuverability, or with none to move straight forwards. Either way, you can move up to 30 feet per round as a move action. You can't charge, run or dive. Operating a flying machine requires a DC 10 strength check each round, or the machine falls 30 feet (as well as moving in the intended direction) as you lose control of it.

A flying machine can be collapsed or unfolded in 3 rounds, so that it can be carried easily when not in use.
Special: There's no reason another creature couldn't operate the machine. A flying machine costs 500 GP and weighs 20 lb. Flying machines require a large number of pre-built parts and only actually take 1/5 of the normal time to craft.

Craft Legendary Trap
You can craft almost any kind of trap quickly and efficiently.
Prerequisites: Craft (Trapmaking) 7 ranks.
Benefit: You can craft any trap whose CR is no greater than half your level as a full-round action, so long as it doesn't involve modifying the floor, walls, or other major features of the room, doesn't require items such as large boulders which you could not possibly have about your person, and of course is nonmagical. Further, you can do so out of improvised materials; it costs you nothing.

If you craft a trap of any sort properly, it gets a +10 bonus to attack rolls, save DC, or whatever other mechanism used to hit (Except, of course, "Never miss") and deals double damage.

To make traps requiring poison, you must have the Herbalist trick. You never risk poisoning yourself while making these traps.
Special: The traps that can be crafted in this way, of those listed on the SRD, are basic arrow, fusillade of darts, poison dart, poison needle, razor wire, scything blade, spear, javelin, large net, tripping chain (even though it's "Really" two traps), hail of needles, poisoned arrow, doorknob smeared with contact poison (requires prepresent doorknob), ungol dust vapour, fusillade of spears, whirling poison blades, wyvern arrow, burnt othur vapour, fusillade of greenblood oil darts, lock covered in dragon bile (Requires prepresent lock), insanity mist vapour, drawer handle smeared with contact poison (requires prepresent drawer handle). There are no CR 10 traps listed on the SRD that can be crafted in this way, but you can make your own.

Craft Masterwork Flying Machine
You can make a superior flying machine.
Prerequisites: Craft Flying Machine, Craft 10 ranks.
Benefit: You can craft masterwork components for flying machines just as you might for weapons. When you construct a masterwork flying machine, it increases the user's strength check result by 2 just like any other masterwork tool, but also increases the speed to 45 feet and the maneuverability by 1 step. They can be collapsed or unfolded in just 2 rounds.

Create Airship:
You can make larger flying machines that carry multiple people.
Prerequisites: Craft Masterwork Flying Machine, Craft (architecture and engineering) 12 ranks.
Benefit: You can create larger flying machines that can carry multiple people. The airships consist of a gondola held aloft by either a gasbag, (which can be filled with a buoyant gas created by a Brewmaster using a DC25 Craft (Alchemy) check) and propelled by one or more propellers which are operated by pedals. The gondola of an airship can be made the same size and weight as any type of ship (rowboat, galley, keelboat, longship, sailing ship, warship). An airship costs twice as much, moves the same speed as and requires as many crewmembers as a conventional ship the same size as the gondola. Airships can stay aloft without being propelled.

Death Attack
You can make death attacks much like an assassin does.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 6th.
Benefit: You can make death attacks much like an assassin does, but you only need to study your target for one standard action.

Death Mark
Your attacks mark enemies for death.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: When you attack an enemy, if you hit, you mark them for death. Their armour class is reduced by 2 for each death mark they have (Death marks stack). A creature with one or more death marks is always a viable target for a sneak attack, but if they couldn't be sneak attacked anyway, the sneak attack is limited to one die per death mark on the creature.
Special: A creature can remove a death mark with three rounds' rest.

Defender
You can block attacks headed for your allies.
Prerequisites: Counterattack, Sudden Movement
Benefit: You can move suddenly and counter an attack as the same immediate action to block an attack that would have hit an ally. To do this, you must interpose yourself between the attacker and the target. The attack is then countered just as though it was aiming for you.

Disappearance
You can disappear into thin air by distracting your foes and hiding.
Prerequisites: Hide 8 ranks.
Benefit: You can hide even while being observed. You can hide as a swift action. You can move while hidden.

Dominating Shout
You can rattle a creature so badly that they follow your commands.
Prerequisites: Intimidate 6 ranks.
Benefit: You can intimidate creatures normally immune to fear, and creatures don't get morale bonuses against intimidation attempts by you. If you pass an intimidate check of any type by 10 or more, you rattle the creature so much that they live in fear of your wrath for one day per level. Their terrifying experience haunts every waking moment, and they are shaken for the duration, but it also makes them fiercely loyal to you. They will obey any command you give them, even if that command puts them in immediate danger.
Special: You still can't intimidate mindless creatures, but you can intimidate those immune to mind-affecting abilities.

Escape Death
You're very hard to kill.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 8th
Benefit: If you're killed, you turn out not to have been dead and wake up 3d6 minutes later at 1 hit point (although your fast healing will quickly give you more). To all inspection, you are still dead for those minutes. If you die three times in a single 24-hour period, your body finally finally gives in and you don't get up.

Find Planar Rift
Between any two planes that are connected, there are countless rifts that allow for one simply to walk through, though to do so by accident would be almost an achievement as they require very specific negotiation.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 13th, Find Rift
Benefit: A mundane trickster can take a knowledge (The planes) check to see whether or not there are any known planar rifts between the mundane trickster's plane and a specific other plane. Beating a DC of 30 finds the closest, which is about (3d6-3) miles away (0 to 15). Beating a DC of 20 finds the second closest, which is about 5d6 miles away (5 to 30). Beating a DC of 10 finds some planar rift or other within 10d6 miles (10 to 60).

When a planar rift is found, a mundane trickster can move through it through bodily contortions specific to that rift. This takes one minute to achieve, and planar rifts lead to a specific location on the other plane; a mundane trickster who knows the rift's location on this plane knows its location on the other plane.

A mundane trickster can instruct another creature on how to pass through the rift, but doing so takes five minutes as the mundane trickster painstakingly instructs the other creature on exactly how to move their body.

Interrupting a creature who is trying to move through a rift disorientates them a little and they must start anew, but has no appreciable negative effects.
Special: Planar rifts are nonmagical and can't be detected magically, except perhaps by epic magic. Even in demiplanes or dead magic planes, there are planar rifts. A planar rift is usually the effect of planar movement, but sometimes due to repeated plane shifting. Either way, a mundane trickster doesn't lose conviction for using one unless a wizard or wizards deliberately plane shift until they create a planar rift.

Find Rift
When mages teleport, they leave behind a small tunnel in space called a "Rift." To enter it accidentally is nigh-impossible, and even doing it deliberately requires much skill.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 9th
Benefit: A mundane trickster can take a knowledge (The planes) check to see whether or not there are any known rifts between the mundane trickster's location and a specific other location. Beating a DC of 30 finds the best, which is about (3d6-3) miles away (0 to 15) from both the start and end locations. Beating a DC of 25 finds the second best, which is about 5d6 miles away at one end (5 to 30) and 3d6-3 from the other. A DC of 20 finds one which is about 5d6 miles away at each end. Beating a DC of 15 finds some rift or other within 10d6 miles (10 to 60) at one end and 5d6 at the other, and a DC of 10 finds a rift which is about 10d6 miles away at each end.

When a rift is found, a mundane trickster can move through it through bodily contortions specific to that rift. This takes one minute to achieve. A mundane trickster who knows the rift's location at this end knows its location at the other end.

A mundane trickster can instruct another creature on how to pass through the rift, but doing so takes five minutes as the mundane trickster painstakingly instructs the other creature on exactly how to move their body.

Interrupting a creature who is trying to move through a rift disorientates them a little and they must start anew, but has no appreciable negative effects.
Special: Rifts are nonmagical and can't be detected magically, except perhaps by epic magic. A rift is usually the effect of planar movement, but sometimes due to repeated teleporting. Either way, a mundane trickster doesn't lose conviction for using one unless a wizard or wizards deliberately teleport until they create a rift.

Full Attacker
You can make your full complement of attacks rapidly
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You can make a full attack as a standard action, or as part of a charge. You can make a full attack twice as a full action.

Healing Hands
You are talented at healing creatures' wounds.
Prerequisites: Heal 4 ranks.
Benefit: You can, by spending a minute to heal a creature, restore hit points equal to the heal check result. You can also cure the effects of poison or disease by using your heal check in place of the fortitude save against the normal DC.
Special: If you're interrupted or choose not to take a full minute, you instead heal 1/10 of the normal number of hit points for each round you spent healing. For example, a mundane trickster who would heal 36 hit points but is interrupted after 2 rounds instead restores only 7. Because the instances are counted holistically, not separately, they are rounded down together, not individually.

Mundane tricksters can heal themselves like this.

Herbalist
You can make some all-natural concoctions which aid the drinker... or explode, of course.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You can use Craft (Alchemy) despite not being a spellcaster. The results are always nonmagical. You can also craft some interesting items which others cannot, taking 10 minutes to achieve. The save DC against these effects is 10, plus half the mundane trickster's level, plus the mundane trickster's intelligence modifier.

Deadly Poison: DC 20 to make, injury or ingested, fort. vs death/4d6 con.
Exploding Potion: DC 20 to make, when thrown (range incr. 10 ft) or used in sling/crossbow/ballista etc. explodes 40 feet, dealing 1d6/lv fire to target and 1/lv fire to others in area, sets everything flammable in area ablaze, fire spreads at 20 ft/round.
Healing Salve: Restores 1d6 HP and 1 ability score per level. Permanent drain is removed by sacrificing 4 points of damage removal (so at level 8, can remove 3 CON damage 5 INT damage, or 1 STR drain 4 DEX damage, or 1 WIS drain 1 CHA drain, for example).
Ignition Paste: DC 10 to make, burns for 1 minute/level when lit, on weapon adds 1d6 fire damage. Enough to cover 1 weapon or 50 ammo. Can also be used for anything else you might want 1 minute/level fire for (eg put it in a sling and throw the entire thing, sling and all, through someone's window?).
Rage Brew: DC 15 to make. Imbiber rages as barbarian of own level; only effective 1/day per person.
Sticky Paste: DC 10 to make. Very slightly sticky (like a post-it or old tape) until activated as standard action, then becomes very sticky; anyone who touches it is stuck to it. Loses its stick after 1 minute/level. Dealing it 10 points of fire damage destroys it. Can also be used to stick inanimate objects together, though the short duration might not make this the best idea.

Heroic Killing Blow
You can kill anything you can hit.
Prerequisites: Killing Blow
Benefit: Any hit you make is automatically resolved as a successful coup de grace, even though it's not necessarily a critical hit.
Special: Just like the coups de grace from combat coup, these coups de grace ignore critical immunity: the coup de grace is still resolved, it's just not a critical hit.

Incorporeal Bane
Your weapon cuts through even ghosts and spirits.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Your attacks function absolutely normally against incorporeal and even ethereal creatures, the force of your blow carrying through much like a force effect.
Special: Your attacks are treated as force effects for anything related to incorporeality and etherealness.

Instant Identify
You know what an item does just by looking at it.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You know what an item does just by looking at it. This includes its functions and how to activate them, its current hit point total, whether or not it is a cursed item, and anything else that is to do with an item's functionality, capabilities, or usage.
Special: This doesn't just apply to items that you can pick up and use, but also to houses, bridges, castles, and so forth.

Iron Mind
You are able to resist powerful spells of control.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You are simply immune to divinations, enchantments, illusions and telepathies. You do not show up in scrying spells.

Jump Master
You are a master of jumping in all situations.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You can Slow Fall any distance just like a monk does. Even if there's nothing for you to grab, you only take half damage from a fall. You can jump while grappling if you take the "Move while grappling" option. You can try to escape the grapple once during your jump as a free action; if you do your opponent falls and you complete the jump rather than moving into an adjacent space.

Killing Blow
You know how to score a deadly hit on a foe even in normal combat.
Prerequisites: Combat Coup
Benefit: Every critical hit you strike is automatically resolved as a successful coup de grace.
Special: This is useless if your foe is immune to critical hits, even though Combat Coup works normally.

Leopard Sprint
You can move at lightning speed for a short time
Prerequisites: Sudden Movement
Benefit: Once per minute, you can put on a massive burst of speed, moving 10 times your movement speed as a full-round action.
Special: If you have the Run feat, you move 12 times as far instead. If you're wearing heavy armour (and don't have an ability such as Armour Mastery which negates the penalty for doing so) you move 8 times as fast instead. If both are the case, you just move 10 times as fast.

Loyal Companion
You can obtain a companion on the field of war.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 6th.
Benefit: You obtain the service of an unusually strong cohort to aid you on the field of war. This cohort works much like the one from the Leadership feat, with a few exceptions. First, the cohort cannot take levels in any class with the righteous desperation class feature. Second, the cohort acquires the righteous desperation class feature as though they had levels in such a class. Third, the cohort is always of the mundane trickster's own level, and doesn't gain experience separately.

Master at Arms
You can use any weapon proficiently
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Whenever you are wielding two weapons, you can wield them as though you had any feat with the words "Two-weapon fighting" in them as long as you meet the non-feat prerequisites. Whenever you are wielding a non-reach melee weapon in two hands (whether it is two-handed or not) you gain the benefits of the Power Attack feat. Whenever you're wielding a reach weapon, you gain the benefits of the combat reflexes feat. Whenever you're wielding a weapon in one hand and a shield in the other, you gain the benefits of combat expertise (even if you don't meet the prerequisite) and improved shield bash. If you're unarmed, you gain the benefits of improved unarmed strike. If you have a ranged weapon, you gain the benefits of point blank shot. If you're wielding a weapon in one hand and nothing in the other, you gain the benefit of weapon finesse.
Special: You are treated as having the benefit of the above feats for purposes of prerequisites, but any feat contingent on one of these feats is lost temporarily when you don't meet the correct conditions. For example, if you selected stunning fist using master at arms as the prerequisite, then you could not apply it to an attack with your left hand if you held a sword in your right.

Master Craftsman:
You are a master of your craft. And all crafts, for that matter.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You gain a bonus to all craft checks whose magnitude is equal to your mundane trickster level.

Magic Resistance
You have started to resist the magic of your enemies
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You gain SR and PR 6+level, or increase your current SR and PR by 5.
Special: This talent can be taken more than once. Its effects stack.

Martial Artist
You are a powerful martial artist.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You gain the unarmed strike bonus and flurry of blows of the monk. You also get the monk's AC bonus.
Special: These abilities function in as much armour as you like but not with a shield.

Master of Disguise
You can change your disguise at a moment's notice.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You can disguise once per round as a free action. You get a +10 bonus on disguise checks.

Mortal Wound
Your attacks are difficult to heal and impossible to resist.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: Your attacks with any kind of weapon always do the full complement of damage, regardless of damage reduction, resistances, or any other clever way your opponent can think of to reduce the damage you deal. You can deal lethal or nonlethal damage entirely at your option, even if an opponent has a special ability such as regeneration which would normally stop you.

Any damage, lethal or nonlethal, that you deal should be tracked separately. This damage is impervious to magical healing and can only heal naturally or through other nonmagical action (including by the giving of long-term care).
Special: There's nothing to stop you missing due to cover, concealment, or simply failing to beat your foe's AC.

Not on My Watch
Mundane tricksters are responsible for everyone not dying, and they take that responsibility seriously.
Prerequisites: Heal 12 ranks, Healing Hands
Benefit: You are so good at healing that you can heal creatures after anyone else would pronounce them dead. For 6 hours after someone has obtained the Dead condition, you can use your Healing Hands ability to restore them above -10 hit points, after which they are no longer Dead.

Paragon
You have more raw ability in one or more areas.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You gain a +4 perfection bonus divided as you wish between any number of ability scores.
Special: You can take this trick more than once. Its effects stack.

Piercing Strike
Your sneak attacks are far more powerful than normal.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You can sneak attack normally immune foes. Further, a single attack you make each round can be designated a sneak attack, even if it wouldn't normally be. The opponent loses their dexterity bonus to AC for the duration of that attack, and so it is revolved as a sneak attack.

Perfect Aim
You can shoot past cover to strike foes you can barely see.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You ignore all cover and concealment with any type of attack you make.
Special: Your opponent might still be invisible to you.

Rapid Craftsman:
You can create items even more quickly.
Prerequisites: Craft (Any) 5 ranks.
Benefit: Any items you craft are completed in half the usual time.

Running of the Walls
You can run, jump, and roll around at rapid speeds.
Prerequisites: Athleticism
Benefit: You can run, charge, dive or withdraw without having to move in a straight line. You can take as many balance, climb, jump, tumble, or even swim checks as you need to reach the location, and you can move freely over difficult terrain like this, and hopping onto or over anything smaller than your waist requires none of your movement distance.

Second Chances
In your time of need, you can perform an act of great skill. But you're a mundane trickster; it's always your time of need.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 5th.
Benefit: Once per round, you can substitute a natural 20 for any one d20 roll made during that round. This takes precisely no effort and can be done even after the result of the roll is determined.
Special: Because this takes no actions, you can do it when it's not your turn.

Sixth Sense
You can find things without looking for them.
Prerequisites: Search 4 ranks.
Benefit: You're entitled to a free search check to find anything you might possibly want to find, such as secret doors, traps, foes, or valuable items (even ones that you can't use).

Skilled
You are simply more skilful than others of your kind
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You retroactively and forevermore increase the mundane trickster's skill points per level by 4 (16 at first level). You spend these extra skill points immediately, even though you couldn't normally spend them at this time. Further, you get a +1 bonus on all skill checks and treat all skills as trained.
Special: You must remember which skill points are a result of this mundane trickster trick in case it is lost or swapped out. You can take this trick more than once; its effects, where relevant, stack.

Snap Out of it!
You can allow people to regain control over themselves.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You can negate the effect of an enchantment, illusion or telepathy by shouting at someone to snap out of it. This takes a swift action, as it's a little more strenuous than actually talking.
Special: Obviously, you can't end instantaneous effects like Phantasmal Killer.

Snap Shooter
You can shoot enemies who are distracted
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You gain the benefits of the Quick Draw feat, and you can make attacks of opportunity with a ranged weapon, and don't provoke them for using one. Your threatened area is increased to the range of your weapon (or a weapon such as a throwing weapon that you can draw as a free action) but only for actions other than moving through a threatened space that provoke attacks of opportunity, such as casting a spell.

Sniper
You are a master of long-ranged attacks
Prerequisites: Piercing Strike
Benefit: You're not limited to 30 feet to make a sneak attack. You can make a sneak attack from any distance away that you can hit.
Special: Any additional information about the feat, for example whether it can be taken more than once.

Sudden Movement
You are faster than most
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You move twice as fast as normal. You can move up to half your new speed as an immediate action. You don't provoke attacks of opportunity for moving.
Special: You can move out of the effect of an ability, or out of a creature's attack. This might waste someone's action.

Swimmer
You swim masterfully, and move through water as though it were air even when you hit the bottom.
Prerequisites: Swim 4 ranks.
Benefit: You can hold your breath 10 times as long as normal. You get a +10 bonus on swim checks. When you're moving on ground that's under a body of water, the water doesn't slow or impede you.

Terrain Master
You can move through any kind of terrain without issue.
Prerequisites: None.
Benefit: You don't take any penalties for moving through any type of terrain.

Terrifying Presence
You demoralise your opponents into submission just by your presence.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 4th
Benefit: Your enemies within 120 feet get a -1 penalty on all D20 rolls per 4 levels, and a -1 penalty on damage rolls per 2 levels.
Special: This is not a morale penalty and stacks with morale penalties normally.

Trap Mastery
You know everything there is to know about traps.
Prerequisites: Disable Device 4 ranks.
Benefit: You can find and disable traps in the same manner that a rogue does. You get a +10 bonus to disable device checks, and spot checks taken to notice traps, as well as search and open lock checks to use a bypass method. If you successfully disable a mechanical (non-spell) trap that can reasonably be picked up and moved, you can take it around with you safely, and also re-set it as a full-round action.

You are automatically entitled to a search check to find a trap even if you're not actively searching for it.

The Speed of Light
You can move insanely fast.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 16th, The Speed of Sound.
Benefit: Each turn you can take an extra standard action.
Special: Due to the fact that you invariably have an extra move action, this allows you to take an extra full-round action.

The Speed of Sound
You move faster than eye can see.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 11th
Benefit: You can take an extra swift action and an extra move action each round.
Special: This allows you to take extra immediate actions, and with a source of an extra standard action might entail allowing you another full-round action.

Untouchable
You are near-impossible to hit.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: You roll any saves twice and take the better result. Creatures attacking you roll the attack roll twice and take the worse result.

Volley of Arrows
You load a ranged weapon with a fistful of ammunition and fire the lot of it at your enemies.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: As a full action, you can make a volley of arrows attack with a ranged weapon. You choose a location within the weapon's maximum range. Everyone within 20 feet of that location takes the weapon's base damage per level. For example, if you're 8th level, wielding a composite longbow (+3 strength bonus) then you'll deal 8d8+24 damage to each creature in the area.
Special: There's no reason you have to use a bow or even a crossbow: slings or even throwing weapons would work. Most firearms aren't suitable for this kind of attack, though.

Wallcrash
You are much better at breaking objects.
Prerequisites: Strength 16+
Benefit: Your strength check result (including the D20 result) for any strength check to break any object (including, for example, walls) is multiplied by 5.

This allows you to pull off some exceptional feats. If you can pass a DC 60 strength check, you can break a Wall of Force, an item made of Riverrine, or a similar force effect. A DC 100 strength check will break pretty much anything.

Wingclip
Despite the name, this allows you to bring even magical flyers to the ground.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Whenever you strike an opponent with an attack, you may injure them such as to prevent them flying for 1 round/2 levels (minimum 1). If they're actually flying, they fall (though spells such as Fly usually have special riders to prevent the user being damaged in this way).
Special: This doesn't prevent the use of spells like Feather Fall. For the purposes of this trick, any means of becoming airborne for longer than the duration of the actions taken to do so (such as levitation but not jumping) is treated as flight.

You have no power over me!
Enemy wizards find that their abilities aren't quite as good as they think they are.
Prerequisites: Mundane trickster level 10th
Benefit: When the mundane trickster's attack would be blocked, prevented, impeded or interrupted by a spell effect, it isn't.
Special: As normal, this includes powers, spell-like or psi-like abilities, as well as martial maneuvers.

nikkoli
2015-08-01, 04:41 PM
I want to give you a high five. This actueally makes me consider being a rogueish character for once, that and I like this system of classes you've come up with.

How about a trickster trick to get a death attack? And trap finding and a 6th sense for finding secret doors?

Jormengand
2015-08-01, 05:03 PM
I want to give you a high five.
I also accept grovelling, supplication, and marriage proposals. :smalltongue:

Seriously, though, I'm glad you appreciate it. I kinda want to go into game design eventually, so it's good that my work's considered good.


This actueally makes me consider being a rogueish character for once, that and I like this system of classes you've come up with.
Watch out for the Ascetic and the Berserker, coming soon to a homebrew thread near you!


How about a trickster trick to get a death attack? And trap finding and a 6th sense for finding secret doors?

Death Attack and Sixth Sense have been added. Trap Master has been retained.

Princess
2015-08-01, 07:25 PM
Balance-wise, this class is outright better than a Rogue. Most rogue abilities are on their table, more skill points, better proficiencies, more HP - no one will play a rogue at all with this available, and most people already think the Rogue class is better than a Fighter or Monk.

Whether that makes them too powerful depends on the game, of course. If you allow the Tome of Battle classes (Warblade, Swordsage, and Crusader) to replace the Fighter, Monk, and Paladin, then this class might work out as a Rogue replacement that can keep up with those. But in a standard 3.5 game, a lot of this seems more like it should be redone as a Prestige Class.

Combat Coup, as written, is totally broken and bonkers. "Coup de Grace nonhelpless creatures" means you can 'finish off' people who aren't even injured, which in addition to being overpowered also makes no conceptual sense. This means any attack that isn't a Death Attack is ... basically a different sort of death attack, and still potentially a one hit kill.

Also, why call it a Mundane Trickster and not just a Trickster? Calling yourself "mundane" seems a bit odd to me, and the only reason I can think of for pointing that out is in contrast to the Arcane Trickster and Magical Trickster classes.

For that matter, most of the 'tricks' don't seem so much 'tricky sneaky things to do' as special training or even superpowers for murdering people or being harder to murder yourself. Overall this feels more like an Assassin alternative to me, particularly in a game focusing on characters of above average power.

Jormengand
2015-08-01, 07:36 PM
Balance-wise, this class is outright better than a Rogue.

Except that rogues can use magic items.


Combat Coup, as written, is totally broken and bonkers. "Coup de Grace nonhelpless creatures" means you can 'finish off' people who aren't even injured, which in addition to being overpowered also makes no conceptual sense. This means any attack that isn't a Death Attack is ... still potentially a one hit kill.

It's really just meant to be an "I kill you, you die" ability which mundane classes tend to lack - which is silly, because that's usually all they're good at. It's a redoing of a coup de grace so it's less "Finish off" (which you should be able to do using hit point damage) and more "I just go up to you and kill you."


Also, why call it a Mundane Trickster and not just a Trickster? Calling yourself "mundane" seems a bit odd to me, and the only reason I can think of for pointing that out is in contrast to the Arcane Trickster and Magical Trickster classes.

I dunno, it just sounds better. Also, they are mundane. Like, so mundane they just "Nope" all magic.

Network
2015-08-01, 08:36 PM
Except that rogues can use magic items.
And so can the Mundane Trickster. In fact, it's even better than the rogue in that regard, without even counting the immunity to magic it gets as a class feature.

It's really just meant to be an "I kill you, you die" ability which mundane classes tend to lack - which is silly, because that's usually all they're good at. It's a redoing of a coup de grace so it's less "Finish off" (which you should be able to do using hit point damage) and more "I just go up to you and kill you."
No, it's a broken 1st-level non-immunity suck-or-die with a range of 30 feet. It's quite clearly designed to overshadow spellcasters at killing things.

And despite this, you still failed at making it tier 1. They can't change tricks around through training.

Jormengand
2015-08-01, 08:44 PM
And so can the Mundane Trickster. In fact, it's even better than the rogue in that regard, without even counting the immunity to magic it gets as a class feature.

No, it's a broken 1st-level non-immunity suck-or-die with a range of 30 feet. It's quite clearly designed to overshadow spellcasters at killing things.

And despite this, you still failed at making it tier 1. They can't change tricks around through training.

Yeah, that's a good point, let me think about it for a...


However, the mundane trickster's guile and wit, their devotion and their motivation, all stem from the meaningfulness of the vow: the mundane trickster cannot deliberately and knowingly use magic, psionics, martial strikes or stances, supernatural abilities, or magic or psionic items. They cannot accept direct magical or psionic aid to their person (Fireballing their foes doesn't count), and must take any save against that aid that is given to them. They are encouraged to shun those who repeatedly give them unwanted aid of this nature, and preferably all magic, but this is not actually required and mundane tricksters don't bear any particular enmity towards spellcasters, psionicists or initiators.

A mundane trickster who breaks this vow feels mentally shattered by the transgression, and loses the conviction that fuels mundane trickster abilities (other than class skills, proficiency, and hit dice). These other abilities are regained at a rate of one level per day by adventuring normally as a glorified rogue ("Normally" is subjective, but no attempt should be made to avoid combat beyond the usual measure). For example, an eighth-level mundane trickster who breaks the vow can use a single mundane trickster trick after one day of adventuring, and seven after six days of adventuring. These days don't need to be consecutive. New mundane trickster tricks can be selected in this way, though it would have been faster to relearn them normally!

The main difference is that it's a lot easier for a mundane trickster to pick up new tricks. Indeed, once per day a mundane trickster can simply pick up a trick that is useful in the current situation. However, she must choose and discard a previous mundane trickster trick to do this. A mundane trickster can do this once more per day for each five levels after first: at high levels, a mundane trickster can near-constantly be learning on-the-spot to handle almost anything as and when it comes up.

...oh. Yeah. Right.

Network
2015-08-01, 09:34 PM
Yeah, that's a good point, let me think about it for a...
Sorry. The class still had UMD as a class skill when I posted, I swear!:smallredface:

...oh. Yeah. Right.
I shall never make this mistake again. Definitely tier 1, leaning on tier 0 with its SoD.

ImperatorV
2015-08-01, 11:09 PM
Kudos on achieving mundane tier one. The at-will SoD might be pushing it though, given that full casters can only achieve that through extreme cheese. You also lack a way to get through walls/out from buried underground.

The_Final_Stand
2015-08-02, 04:17 AM
Possibly for the Veteran, but particularly for the Trickster, might I suggest something along the lines of Xefas' Bellator's Peerless Parkour Athleticism (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17172982&postcount=2)? Not necessarily all at once, you get a lot of tricks over the levels to spread it out over. (1*5 + 2*5 + 3*5 + 4*5 = 50, if I've understood the formula correctly)

nonsi
2015-08-02, 05:39 AM
Not sure if this merits a "nitpick" tag, but notice that Rogue Special Ability are not superior to Tricks (I'd say they're inferior in most or all cases), so maybe you should consider just making them part of the trick pool.
Also, Trap Sense is glaringly underwhelming in the greater scheme of things. I'd make it just another trick to choose from.

Jormengand
2015-08-02, 09:23 AM
Loooads of cool ideas that will be added in, probably by the time any of you reads this post.


Not sure if this merits a "nitpick" tag, but notice that Rogue Special Ability are not superior to Tricks (I'd say they're inferior in most or all cases), so maybe you should consider just making them part of the trick pool.
Also, Trap Sense is glaringly underwhelming in the greater scheme of things. I'd make it just another trick to choose from.

Mm, all of the rogue abilities I actually just gave you because I wasn't sure they were worth a Trick. Like, how do they stack up at all to "Your damage cannot be reduced by anything or healed by magical abilities"? Or spending three tricks to turn every successful hit into a coup de grace? Or being flat-out immune to two schools of magic and one discipline of psionics? But then I also felt that a mundane trickster should really also just have them because, well, they're trademark sneaky-skill-guy abilities. Mainly because they're the rogue abilities, but pssh.

Randomguy
2015-10-08, 09:17 PM
I've been tinkering with the idea of a low level NPC Mundane Trickster specializing in crafting. How about some more Tricks for crafting support? Here is what I propose:

Rapid Craftsman:
You can create items even more quickly.
Prerequisites: Craft (Any) 5 ranks.
Benefit: Any items you craft are completed in half the usual time.

This one's mostly because at low levels it can take a few weeks to make a flying machine.

Master Craftsman:
You are a master of your craft. And all crafts, for that matter.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: Gain a +5 bonus to all craft checks.

Maybe change that one to "A bonus equal to your Mundane Trickster level"?

Craft Airship:
You are a master of your craft. And all crafts, for that matter.
Prerequisites: Craft Masterwork flying machine, Craft (architecture and engineering) 12 ranks.
Benefit: You can create larger flying machines that can carry multiple people. The airships consist of a gondola held aloft by either a gasbag, (which can be filled with a buoyant gas created by Brewmaster using a DC25 Craft (Alchemy) check) and propelled by one or more propellers which are operated by pedals. The gondola of an airship can be made the same size and weight as any type of ship (rowboat, galley, keelboat, longship, sailing ship, warship). An airship costs twice as much, moves the same speed as and requires as many crewmembers as a conventional ship the same size as the gondola.
Airships can stay aloft without being propelled.

Overneath
2015-10-08, 10:24 PM
My first instinct is to call this a defense-oriented play on the Forsaker's theme, but in truth, I have no idea what it is. I don't want to make any baseless assumptions, so I'll ask a completely non-rhetorical question. How do you challenge a Mundane Trickster? I don't necessarily mean to ask how you can kill them (that's really not the DM's job), but in what way can an adventure be non-trivial to a party containing one?

Just going off of what I see, I would probably not want to be in a party with a member of this class. And that's really the crux of the issue I take with any class like this, including the wizard (although frankly, wizards are easier to deal with than this); how does this contribute to a group of four people? Overshadowing isn't cooperative - it's whistling loudly so you can pretend you're not playing a solo campaign with 3-5 tagalong NPCs when you really are.

Again, I don't mean to jump to any insulting assumptions or lambaste you for the class - obviously an immense amount of work went into this. Which is why I'm asking you, as the creator. I hope the question in and of itself is more helpful than any actual mechanical advice I could provide. Either way, I don't really think you need a crash course in how making a D&D class works, not after the thing of beauty that was (or is, hopefully) the Momentum project.

Jormengand
2015-10-09, 09:55 AM
I've been tinkering with the idea of a low level NPC Mundane Trickster specializing in crafting. How about some more Tricks for crafting support? Here is what I propose:

Good ideas; added.


My first instinct is to call this a defense-oriented play on the Forsaker's theme, but in truth, I have no idea what it is. I don't want to make any baseless assumptions, so I'll ask a completely non-rhetorical question. How do you challenge a Mundane Trickster? I don't necessarily mean to ask how you can kill them (that's really not the DM's job), but in what way can an adventure be non-trivial to a party containing one?

Just going off of what I see, I would probably not want to be in a party with a member of this class. And that's really the crux of the issue I take with any class like this, including the wizard (although frankly, wizards are easier to deal with than this); how does this contribute to a group of four people? Overshadowing isn't cooperative - it's whistling loudly so you can pretend you're not playing a solo campaign with 3-5 tagalong NPCs when you really are.

Again, I don't mean to jump to any insulting assumptions or lambaste you for the class - obviously an immense amount of work went into this. Which is why I'm asking you, as the creator. I hope the question in and of itself is more helpful than any actual mechanical advice I could provide. Either way, I don't really think you need a crash course in how making a D&D class works, not after the thing of beauty that was (or is, hopefully) the Momentum project.

A mundane trickster is designed to be able to take on a wizard with all the paranoia attributed to high-level wizards, and stand a decent chance of winning. It's also designed to be able to stand next to a wizard and look like it's helping, rather than getting in the way like a fighter or monk does - at best, they get in the way of people in whose ways the wizard wants a big dumb guy to get. Yeah, it's meant to be powerful, and momentum (look, I'll get to it, okay! :smalltongue:) has a different set of design goals: they're meant to be able to stand with and against the beguiler or dread necromancer, not the wizard or the cleric.

Overneath
2015-10-10, 02:13 AM
A mundane trickster is designed to be able to take on a wizard with all the paranoia attributed to high-level wizards, and stand a decent chance of winning. It's also designed to be able to stand next to a wizard and look like it's helping, rather than getting in the way like a fighter or monk does - at best, they get in the way of people in whose ways the wizard wants a big dumb guy to get. Yeah, it's meant to be powerful, and momentum (look, I'll get to it, okay! :smalltongue:) has a different set of design goals: they're meant to be able to stand with and against the beguiler or dread necromancer, not the wizard or the cleric.

If this is the minimum requirement for preventing utter uselessness against and in comparison to a wizard, I don't think I know what a wizard actually is. This is a reflection on me, however, not you. 'Decent chance of winning' implies a non-zero chance of failure, though - I assume the wizard escaping entirely counts as a win for them.

That said, it's a bit troubling that a wizard can run out of spells, but all of your class features can be used infinitely, under any circumstance (as in, they can't be cancelled by environmental factors).

But! I've nitpicked things I have no understanding of enough. We're here to provide ideas for tricks. Three things pop into my mind - acting outside the initiative order, playing with the action economy, and actually finding the wizard in question to begin with. I might suggest an ability to cancel contingencies (the spell type), immediately act when someone is granted an extra action (or a way to negate that extra action, possibly as an upgrade for Always Strike First), and some form of specific locator ability. Scrying seems a little mundane and easily-countered, though. You could take a unique path and offer an epic-tier version of detect magic that has a vast range and detects mages, not just their creations.

My note about environmental factors above also made me picture some form of immunity to planar hazards, since I assume no wizard above 13th level spends more time in the Prime Material than they actually have to. And when they start forming new demiplanes with relative impunity, they're going to be chock-full of natural dangers that don't strictly count as magical effects.