PDA

View Full Version : Pathfinder PF Drunken Master base class brainstorming



SwordChucks
2017-07-17, 01:17 PM
Hey playground,

I've been working on making a base class out of the Drunken Master prestige class from D&D 3.5's Complete Warrior. The problem I've been having is what abilities should a high level monk-like character have? I'd like to have the class be tier 3, my favorite balance point, but at best my current version is T4.

So if you have any ideas for high level (levels 10-20) abilities send them my way.

SwordChucks
2017-07-18, 10:49 PM
What I have so far:


LVL
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Unarmed Damage
AC Bonus
Fast Movement
Breath of Flame


1
+1
+2
+2
+0
Catch Off-Guard, Throw Anything, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike
1d6
+0
+0ft
N/A


2
+2
+3
+3
+0
Bonus Feat, Evasion
1d6
+0
+0ft
N/A


3
+3
+3
+3
+1
Fast Movement, Stagger, Drink Like a Demon
1d6
+0
+10ft
N/A


4
+4
+4
+4
+1
Breath of Flame
1d8
+1
+10ft
2d6


5
+5
+4
+4
+1

1d8
+1
+10ft
2d6


6
+6/+1
+5
+5
+2
Bonus Feat, Recumbent Reprisal
1d8
+1
+20ft
3d6


7
+7/+2
+5
+5
+2
Swaying Waist
1d8
+1
+20ft
3d6


8
+8/+3
+6
+6
+2
For Medicinal Purposes
1d10
+2
+20ft
4d6


9
+9/+4
+6
+6
+3
Improved Evasion
1d10
+2
+30ft
4d6


10
+10/+5
+7
+7
+3
Bonus Feat
1d10
+2
+30ft
5d6


11
+11/+6/+1
+7
+7
+3
Flurry of Blows (Bonus Attack)
1d10
+2
+30ft
5d6


12
+12/+7/+2
+8
+8
+4
Corkscrew Rush
2d6
+3
+40ft
6d6


13
+13/+8/+3
+8
+8
+4

2d6
+3
+40ft
6d6


14
+14/+9/+4
+9
+9
+4
Bonus Feat
2d6
+3
+40ft
7d6


15
+15/+10/+5
+9
+9
+5

2d6
+3
+50ft
7d6


16
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+10
+5

2d8
+4
+50ft
8d6


17
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+10
+5

2d8
+4
+50ft
8d6


18
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+11
+6
Bonus Feat
2d8
+4
+60ft
9d6


19
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+6

2d8
+4
+60ft
9d6


20
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+12
+6

2d10
+5
+60ft
10d6



d10 HD, 4+Int mod Skill points/level

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Drunken Masters are proficient with simple weapons, weapons with the monk special weapon quality, weapons in the Monk fighter weapon group, and light armor.

Catch Off-Guard and Throw Anything: Bonus feats to give the Drunken Master improvised weapons without penalties.

Flurry of Blows and Unarmed Strike: As the Monk abilities except they can be used with improvised weapons.

Bonus Feats: Still working on the list.

Evasion and Improved Evasion: You know what this does and why it's useful.

Fast Movement: This could be dropped, but I had stolen most of the Unchained Monk already.

Stagger: You no longer need to charge in a straight line. This makes Fast Movement more useful, letting you take the long route around an enemy to Avoid AOOs or get into flanking position.

Drink Like a Demon: Lets you drink a "unit" of alcohol as a move action to get a +2 to Str and Con and -2 to Int and Wis for Drunken Master level + 3 rounds. The Drunken Master can only benefit from up to Drunken Master level of drinks at a time.

This is changed from the 3.5 version in that you increase both Str and Con instead of your choice of the two.

Breath of Flame: As a standard action you can convert a unit of alcohol into a 20ft cone of fire that deals 2d6 fire damage, +1d6 per two levels after 4th level. Reflex save (DC 10+LVL+Con mod) for half damage.

This is another change from the original. Before this was the capstone for the PrC, it dealt 3d12 damage, and was a free action. In addition to being an AOE effect on a melee oriented class, which can be pretty handy, it's also a way to sober up in a hurry if you need to get rid of the penalty to Int and Wis from Drink Like a Demon.

Recumbent Reprisal: You no longer suffer a penalty to melee attacks from the prone condition and may crawl at up to half your speed as a move action without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Swaying Waist: Once per turn as a free action you can choose an enemy and gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC vs. that enemy's attacks.

For Medicinal Purposes: Up to 1/2 character level times per day, you can as a move action convert a unit of alcohol in your system into 3d8+Con mod HP.

I liked the original ability's flavor, but it wasn't very useful as it referred to potions of Cure Moderate Wounds and was only usable 3 times per day.

Corkscrew Rush: When making a charge attack you can, in addition to dealing normal damage, initiate a bull rush (without provoking an attack of opportunity). If the bull rush attempt succeeds, the opponent is stunned unless they make a Will save (DC 10+LVL+Str modifier). If the bull rush attempt fails, the drunken master lands prone in front of the opponent.

The original ability had a DC of 10+LVL+Wis mod. This never really made sense to me as your Wis mod gets tanked when you get tanked, and it's described as a flying headbutt. Now Drink Like a Demon actually helps Corkscrew Rush and Recumbent Reprisal makes a failed attempt less painful for the Drunken Master.


Hopefully this makes sense as I'm posting while exhausted. If you have any thoughts or questions on how to make the class better post away.

aimlessPolymath
2017-07-18, 11:49 PM
Prior resources:
Drunken Master has been done in PF as an archetype of monks.
Also, this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?312952-Drunken-Master-as-a-Base-Class-(3-5e-PEACH)&p=16365386#post16365386).


With that out of the way:
What's an "epic" version of the character?
Drunken Masters are difficult, because there isn't much of a pop culture presence, and they don't seem as "strong" as someone who isn't drunk.
A Monk is supposed to be:
-Insightful (to extremes, perhaps the ability to automatically discern alignment, lies, and disguises on sight, combined with truesight)? Doesn't work well with Drunken Master, though. Drunkness... doesn't lend itself well to insight, but maybe other things?
-Agile: Okay, what about the ability to move outside your turn, or between attacks in a full attack (perhaps between initiative counts?) Historically, one of the issues with monks is that their abilities don't play well with a skirmishing style, because they want to be able to make Flurries of Blows.
-

Things that are a bit more Drunken Master-like, depending on your interpretation:
-Drinking is a social activity! A Drunken Master is able to schmooze, make himself appear harmless as needed (remember Rule One (https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Rule_One)!)
-Uh, pain resistance? Some kind of Diehard-like effect?


That's all I've got.

SwordChucks
2017-07-19, 07:26 AM
Prior resources:
Drunken Master has been done in PF as an archetype of monks.
Also, this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?312952-Drunken-Master-as-a-Base-Class-(3-5e-PEACH)&p=16365386#post16365386).

Thanks. I knew about the archetype and I had seen some homebrew versions before but the one you linked looks like a good starting point.



Things that are a bit more Drunken Master-like, depending on your interpretation:
-Drinking is a social activity! A Drunken Master is able to schmooze, make himself appear harmless as needed (remember Rule One (https://wiki.lspace.org/mediawiki/Rule_One)!)
-Uh, pain resistance? Some kind of Diehard-like effect?

I had considered some DR granting abilities and having Die Hard on the bonus feat list, but hadn't written anything down yet. I like the idea of a Drunken Master seeming harmless. Maybe a bonus to feinting and a way to catch enemies flat-footed?

Is there anything that seems out of place or not Drunken Master-y enough?

Kaskus
2017-07-19, 09:54 PM
-Agile: Okay, what about the ability to move outside your turn, or between attacks in a full attack (perhaps between initiative counts)

I love this idea.

---

What about the ability to requisition enemy OAs?

Redirect: Any time an attack of opportunity is directed at the Drunken Master, he may designate any creature within his own or the attacker's threat area and make a contested Reflex save against that creature. If the Drunken wins, the attack resolved against the new target instead.

Perhaps also make it so they if the new target is not already in the threatened area of the attacker, the DF can swap places with them?

How about an ability that lets you trade positions with your attacker? Attack resolves normally but you trade spots. Gives them a wierd random way to move erratically during battle.

Some sort of info gathering, persuasion and or truth revealing ability. Like they ramble and ask dumb questions and such and somehow trick people into saying things they wouldn't have otherwise. Maybe also ability to blend in with crowds (stealth? Treat people like shadows?)

SwordChucks
2017-07-21, 05:56 PM
These are some ideas I've worked on based on the suggestions I've gotten. Go ahead and let me know if they're too strong or too weak, and what level you think they are appropriate for.

Gregarious Guzzler: Each unit of alcohol gives you a +2 to Cha based skill checks in addition to the normal effects of Drink Like a Demon.

Currently this gives a bonus to Use Magic Device checks. That seems a bit strong but if it is gained late enough in the character's career it might balance out. Plus, I love the idea of a drunk fumbling with a wand and it goes off by accident.

Switcheroo (I need a better name for this): When an adjacent enemy misses you with an attack of opportunity, you may make a combat maneuver check against the enemies CMD. If successful you and the enemy switch squares. This movement doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity.

This is a lot like the reposition combat maneuver except that it doesn't require a standard action. I put in the adjacent qualifier to prevent weird corner cases like Improved Snap Shot. It's likely too weak as is, so if someone has a suggestion let me know.

Secret Sobriety: You gain a +4 to Perform: (Acting) checks and Bluff checks made to feint.

Another one that needs a better name. The whole drunken boxing style is based on seeming drunk and using it to your advantage, so this seemed like a natural fit. I might need to change the size of the bonus based on what level a character gets it.

Redirect: You can ready an action to change the target of an attack of opportunity, made against you, to an enemy that could have been targeted by that attack.

This is probably weaker than the version Kaskus suggested, as you can only do it once per tun barring extra standard actions. On the bright side, it works automatically a la Deflect Arrows and goes well with Panther/Snake style.