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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next coming up with a Slaadi Prestige Homebrew



deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 04:54 PM
So, this idea came to me as I was looking over the slaadi. In a game I DM, one of the players died and they had previously found a Slaadi control cystral, turned into a Dagger. I was going to allow for the player to be stabbed by the Dagger and continue playing their human-barbarian build but as a slaadi puppeteering the body. (This is just explaining how my thought process reached here, this doesn't have to be for the player themselves)

Then I remembered Once Upon a Time, a show that I abandoned after they decided to forgo interesting storytelling for pointless fanservice. But the Dark One would sorta fit as a Slaadi Warlock wouldn't he? Replace his Dagger with a Control Crystal and there you go. The idea being that at first level the player would start as a Red Slaad, then a Grey Slaad and eventually a Death Slaad.

Considering this would require the player to be infected by a Slaadi first, this feels like it'd be more a Prestige Power and not a full on Warlock archetype, so what might be some cool stuff?

Slaadi have claws regeneration and as a Grey, Green and Death Slaadi they also get a few spells (as well as the power to shapeshift). Death Slaadi at the end get to embue their attacks with necrotic energy.

So, claws that slowly do more damage over time. a minor bit of regeneration. shapeshifting (a polymorph spell that only makes them become a medium or small humanoid, and doesn't alter their stats. Not that OP, and pretty much no different than the Changeling from Eberron). and some spells.

So, first, I'm assuming this would be a sorta work like the Warlock in terms of spell slot growth. So, maybe level up the same way? You need a decent charisma and Constitution modifier, and you need to have been infected by a Slaad. also the option that if you could already cast 3rd level spells beforehand, you'd get an additional spell slot?



[th]class level[/td]
[th]Spells Known[/td]
[th]Spell Slots[/td]
[th]Slot Level[/td]


level 1
2
1
1


level 2
3
2
1


level 3
4
2
2


level 4
5
2
2


level 5
6
2
3



However, if you already could cast 3rd level spells, you'd get an extra +2 to your spells known.

at first level you'd get your Claws and a few spells. At level 2 you'd get Regeneration. Which in the Monster Manual, gives the Slaad 10 HP every turn so long as they have 1 HP when they start. Not sure how to balance this without encroaching on Immortal Mystic territory. And by 5th level, they'd get to embue their claws or any weapon with Necrotic Energy.

What do you think?

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 06:03 PM
Probably overpowered. Regeneration is not available until 18th level of Champion.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 06:43 PM
Psionic Regeneration
At 3rd level, you learn to use psionic energy to augment and speed up your natural healing abilities. At the end of your turn, if your current hit point total is half or less of your hit point maximum, you regain hit points equal to half your mystic level.


Survivor
At 18th level, you attain the pinnacle of resilience in battle. At the start of each of your turns, you regain hit points equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier if you have no more than half of your hit points left. You don’t gain this benefit if you have 0 hit points.

Immortal gets half your mystic level, while Champion gets 5+Con. Neither takes effect unless the player is at half their HP max. a level 20 Mystic would be getting 10 HP, which is the same as a Champion with a 20 in Constitution, meaning the power is really the same thing, just with different parameters.

Not to mention, the power of Regeneration says 10 HP also, no matter how high the Slaad's CR is.

So, some kind of parameter that gives the user at most a 10 HP a turn regeneration cycle while you're under half max HP

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 06:51 PM
The Mystic is a load of bull-hontz, and should NOT be used as a balancing metric.

And unless you intend this to be a Level 15+ Prestige class, regen is too much.

Flashy
2015-11-02, 07:03 PM
The Mystic is a load of bull-hontz, and should NOT be used as a balancing metric.

This is actually the most accurate description of the Mystic I've ever seen.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 08:01 PM
The Mystic is a load of bull-hontz, and should NOT be used as a balancing metric.

And unless you intend this to be a Level 15+ Prestige class, regen is too much.

15+? that's a lot. Got any ideas to fill in the extra bits and pieces? Slaad don't have THAT much going for them. and at 15 levels I might as well make this a special Warlock Archetype completely

Regeneration

Natural Weapons

Necrotic Damage

Spell-casting (Green Slaadi even get an At-Will 3d6 flame attack. Downgrade it to 2d6 and it'd make a nice Ranged Greatsword attack, especially since Slaadi get to weild actual Greatswords)

Magic Resistance (Didn't think I should give that to them really)

Shapeshifting

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 08:10 PM
I mean only available at level 15+. Keep it to five levels.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 08:52 PM
Level
Features
Spells Known
Spell Slots
Slot Level


1
Spellcasting, Regeneration, Natural Weapons
X
3
5th


2
Shapeshifting
X
4
5th


3
Magic Resistance
X
4
5th


4
Ability Boost
X
4
5th


5
Death Claws
X
4
5th



Not sure what to put for Spells Known. Green Slaadi know about 6 spells, while Death Slaadi know about 11 spells, while Warlocks themselves get up to 15 known spells by 20th level.

Also a bit unsure about the spell slots. Should I go with 4 level 5 spell slots since that's how many Warlocks get by this level?

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 08:55 PM
Level
Features
Spells Known
Spell Slots
Slot Level


1
Spellcasting, Regeneration, Natural Weapons
X
3
5th


2
Shapeshifting
X
4
5th


3
Magic Resistance
X
4
5th


4
Ability Boost
X
4
5th


5
Death Claws
X
4
5th



Not sure what to put for Spells Known. Green Slaadi know about 6 spells, while Death Slaadi know about 11 spells, while Warlocks themselves get up to 15 known spells by 20th level.

Also a bit unsure about the spell slots. Should I go with 4 level 5 spell slots since that's how many Warlocks get by this level?

Right, so I'm a level 15 Barbarian. I take two levels in this class. I now have the casting of a level 17 Warlock as well as 15 levels of Barbian.

Over. Powered.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 09:00 PM
Right, so I'm a level 15 Barbarian. I take two levels in this class. I now have the casting of a level 17 Warlock as well as 15 levels of Barbian.

Over. Powered.

Ok, sheesh, why not suggest alternatives then?

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 09:01 PM
Because you want to take some high-cr monsters and give all their abilities in a five level package.

I'd recomend making this a base class/race combo, since then you can scale it slowly enough to be balanced.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 09:23 PM
Because you want to take some high-cr monsters and give all their abilities in a five level package.

I'd recomend making this a base class/race combo, since then you can scale it slowly enough to be balanced.

the basic idea is that a Slaadi infects someone and turns them into a Slaadi themselves. a Red Slaadi has a CR of 5, while a Death Slaadi has a CR of 10. And I mean, compared to some other monster transformations, that's nothing. Lycanthropes and Vampires have no Level Adjustment but will dramatically boost their strength, Constitution, and/or dexterity even if the player was a caster and made their strength their dump stat. there are a lot of monsterous forms that can be rediculous

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 09:24 PM
And none of them are player options. It specifically says that if you become one, the DM gets control of you.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 09:26 PM
And none of them are player options. It specifically says that if you become one, the DM gets control of you.

well, actually it says the DM is free to choose if the player has free reign or not

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 09:28 PM
Point being, they are not meant to be player options without serious DM consideration.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 09:33 PM
Point being, they are not meant to be player options without serious DM consideration.

Hence why I the DM am giving this a lot of serious consideration.

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 09:34 PM
Do you want a balanced class? Then you're going to have to leave a lot off, or go off the book.

Do you just want slaadi players, even if unbalanced? Then I have no comments.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 09:38 PM
Do you want a balanced class? Then you're going to have to leave a lot off, or go off the book.

Do you just want slaadi players, even if unbalanced? Then I have no comments.

well, what would you suggest to balance it out?

I assume the Shapeshifting and Claws aren't that big a problem. The biggest seems to be regeneration. and I'd be willing to drop it. What about a Second Wind instead?

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 09:39 PM
Second Wind would probably be fine, or possibly a "Heal X upon killing a target" ability.

deathbymanga
2015-11-02, 09:43 PM
Second Wind would probably be fine, or possibly a "Heal X upon killing a target" ability.

Ok, and what about the spells? Should I keep going to warlock route? or go the standard caster system? If Standard, half or full-caster?

JNAProductions
2015-11-02, 09:45 PM
I'd say half-caster progression.