EldritchAnomaly
2016-10-27, 02:24 AM
The following is my attempt at an Eldritch Knight variant which uses the Druid spell list. I've altered some of the archetype's features in order to make them more thematically appropriate and more distinct from the regular Eldritch Knight. I'm mostly interested in feedback on balancing, since this will be used in a two player campaign alongside a non-homebrew monk.
Primal Knight
Flavor text here.
Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ablility to cast spells.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn an additional druid cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know three 1st level druid spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability of your druid spells, since your magic draws upon your insight and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting. You can cast a druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you know the spell.
Spellcasting Focus. You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.
Druidic
At 3rd level you learn Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher the message without magic.
Primitive Casting
At 3rd level, you learn one additional druid cantrip of your choice. In addition, you gain the ability to cast the beast sense and speak with animals spells as rituals. You do not have to know these spells in order to do so, but you must know these spells in order to cast them using your spell slots. At 10th level, you may also cast the commune with nature spell in this way.
Primal Recovery
Starting at 3rd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than one fourth of your Primal Knight level (minimum of one). You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Land's Stride
Starting at 7th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such as those created by the entangle spell.
Primal Strike
At 10th level, you learn how to make your weapon strikes undercut a creature's resistance to your spells. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.
War Magic
Starting at 15th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Enduring Form
Starting at 18th level, you can't be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease. In addition, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.
To summarize, the Primal Knight selects spells from the druid spell list with no school restriction. The Primal Knight Spellcasting table is identical to the Eldritch Knight table. Weapon Bond has been replaced by Extra Cantrip, the barbarian's Spirit Seeker and Spirit Walker, and a slower version of the druid's Natural Recovery. War Magic has been replaced by Land's Stride, Improved War Magic is given early at level 15, and the level 18 feature combines the druid's extended lifespan with poison/disease immunity.
This seems to accomplish everything I wanted out of this archetype, but seems somewhat weaker than the Eldritch Knight at levels 7-9 and 18-20. I'm unsure how giving Improved War Magic early will alter the class' balance.
Primal Knight
Flavor text here.
Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ablility to cast spells.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn an additional druid cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know three 1st level druid spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability of your druid spells, since your magic draws upon your insight and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting. You can cast a druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you know the spell.
Spellcasting Focus. You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.
Druidic
At 3rd level you learn Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher the message without magic.
Primitive Casting
At 3rd level, you learn one additional druid cantrip of your choice. In addition, you gain the ability to cast the beast sense and speak with animals spells as rituals. You do not have to know these spells in order to do so, but you must know these spells in order to cast them using your spell slots. At 10th level, you may also cast the commune with nature spell in this way.
Primal Recovery
Starting at 3rd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than one fourth of your Primal Knight level (minimum of one). You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Primal Strike
Starting at 7th level, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage from that creature. This benefit lasts until the end of your next turn.
Improved Primal Strike
At 10th level, you learn how to make your weapon strikes undercut a creature's resistance to your spells. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.
Savage Retaliation
Starting at 15th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature. Alternatively, you can use your reaction to cast a druid spell that includes that creature as a target and that has a casting time of one action. You must finish a short or long rest before casting a spell in this way again.
Enduring Form
Starting at 18th level, you can't be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease. In addition, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.
To summarize, at 7th level, hitting an enemy grants advantage on concentration checks provoked by that enemy. Eldritch Strike comes at 10th level as usual. At 15th level, the Primal Knight gains a variant of the barbarian's Retaliation feature (When hit by an adjacent creature, you can use your reaction to make a weapon attack. Once per short rest, you can cast a druid spell instead.) As before, the druid's life extension and poison/disease immunity are combined in the level 18 feature.
I prefer this version to the previous version since it feels more distinct, but I worry that the features may be overpowered. I also worry that they could make the War Caster feat less attractive to this archetype, since they overlap with parts of that feat. I have included the long life and poison/disease immunity in both versions out of personal preference, but I'm hesitant. It seems too strong to just tack on for flavor yet mechanically weak compared to other level 18 abilities.
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give. This is my first time posting here and my first serious attempt at homebrew design.
Primal Knight
Flavor text here.
Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ablility to cast spells.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn an additional druid cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know three 1st level druid spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability of your druid spells, since your magic draws upon your insight and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting. You can cast a druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you know the spell.
Spellcasting Focus. You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.
Druidic
At 3rd level you learn Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher the message without magic.
Primitive Casting
At 3rd level, you learn one additional druid cantrip of your choice. In addition, you gain the ability to cast the beast sense and speak with animals spells as rituals. You do not have to know these spells in order to do so, but you must know these spells in order to cast them using your spell slots. At 10th level, you may also cast the commune with nature spell in this way.
Primal Recovery
Starting at 3rd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than one fourth of your Primal Knight level (minimum of one). You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Land's Stride
Starting at 7th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such as those created by the entangle spell.
Primal Strike
At 10th level, you learn how to make your weapon strikes undercut a creature's resistance to your spells. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.
War Magic
Starting at 15th level, when you use your action to cast a spell, you can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
Enduring Form
Starting at 18th level, you can't be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease. In addition, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.
To summarize, the Primal Knight selects spells from the druid spell list with no school restriction. The Primal Knight Spellcasting table is identical to the Eldritch Knight table. Weapon Bond has been replaced by Extra Cantrip, the barbarian's Spirit Seeker and Spirit Walker, and a slower version of the druid's Natural Recovery. War Magic has been replaced by Land's Stride, Improved War Magic is given early at level 15, and the level 18 feature combines the druid's extended lifespan with poison/disease immunity.
This seems to accomplish everything I wanted out of this archetype, but seems somewhat weaker than the Eldritch Knight at levels 7-9 and 18-20. I'm unsure how giving Improved War Magic early will alter the class' balance.
Primal Knight
Flavor text here.
Spellcasting
When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ablility to cast spells.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn an additional druid cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
Spells Known of 1st Level and Higher. You know three 1st level druid spells of your choice. The Spells Known column of the Primal Knight Spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability of your druid spells, since your magic draws upon your insight and attunement to nature. You use your Wisdom modifier whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Ritual Casting. You can cast a druid spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you know the spell.
Spellcasting Focus. You can use a druidic focus as a spellcasting focus for your druid spells.
Druidic
At 3rd level you learn Druidic, the secret language of druids. You can speak the language and use it to leave hidden messages. You and others who know this language automatically spot such a message. Others spot the message's presence with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check but can't decipher the message without magic.
Primitive Casting
At 3rd level, you learn one additional druid cantrip of your choice. In addition, you gain the ability to cast the beast sense and speak with animals spells as rituals. You do not have to know these spells in order to do so, but you must know these spells in order to cast them using your spell slots. At 10th level, you may also cast the commune with nature spell in this way.
Primal Recovery
Starting at 3rd level, you can regain some of your magical energy by sitting in meditation and communing with nature. During a short rest, you choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than one fourth of your Primal Knight level (minimum of one). You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Primal Strike
Starting at 7th level, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you have advantage on Constitution saving throws that you make to maintain your concentration on a spell when you take damage from that creature. This benefit lasts until the end of your next turn.
Improved Primal Strike
At 10th level, you learn how to make your weapon strikes undercut a creature's resistance to your spells. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against a spell you cast before the end of your next turn.
Savage Retaliation
Starting at 15th level, when you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature. Alternatively, you can use your reaction to cast a druid spell that includes that creature as a target and that has a casting time of one action. You must finish a short or long rest before casting a spell in this way again.
Enduring Form
Starting at 18th level, you can't be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and you are immune to poison and disease. In addition, the primal magic that you wield causes you to age more slowly. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year.
To summarize, at 7th level, hitting an enemy grants advantage on concentration checks provoked by that enemy. Eldritch Strike comes at 10th level as usual. At 15th level, the Primal Knight gains a variant of the barbarian's Retaliation feature (When hit by an adjacent creature, you can use your reaction to make a weapon attack. Once per short rest, you can cast a druid spell instead.) As before, the druid's life extension and poison/disease immunity are combined in the level 18 feature.
I prefer this version to the previous version since it feels more distinct, but I worry that the features may be overpowered. I also worry that they could make the War Caster feat less attractive to this archetype, since they overlap with parts of that feat. I have included the long life and poison/disease immunity in both versions out of personal preference, but I'm hesitant. It seems too strong to just tack on for flavor yet mechanically weak compared to other level 18 abilities.
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give. This is my first time posting here and my first serious attempt at homebrew design.