Quikcksilver
2017-12-06, 04:54 PM
Hi all.
This class I designed based on Shadowhunters from the Mortal instruments series. I have built it for my little sister who is also a fan of this series as my first ever class I have built.
I was hoping that I might get some pointers as to whether it's balanced.
Basically the concept is martial fighter who uses runes blesses by celestial beings to augment themselves and their fighting so that they can better hunt evil creatures.The other thing to keep in mind is that they keep themselves hidden so that the things they hunt don't recognise the symbols on their skin and flee, or attack immediately. The special requirement will be met as a part of the story when I do this.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Shadowhunterr, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Feats: Martial Weapon proficiency
Spells: Able to cast 1st level Divine spells.
Special: Must be accepted and trained by a Shadowhunter (Will happen in my home campaign)
Class Skills
The Shadowhunter class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Knowledge (planes), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
BAB - Full progression
Fort Save - Poor
Reflex Save - Good
Will Save - Good
1st level
Runes of Power, Glamour
2nd level
Exotic weapon proficiency
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd level
Favoured Enemy
4th level
Activation augment
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th level
Bonus Feat
6th level
Favoured Enemy
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th level
Activation augment
8th level
Bonus feat
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th level
Favoured enemy
10th level
Permanent Rune, Activation augment
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A shadowhunter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor and medium armor.
Stelae: Upon becoming a shadowhunter, they are given or must craft a stelae. These take 50 Gp of metal and crystals and take a shadowhunter 12 hours to craft. In most hands they are inert rods, but shadowhunters use them to draw powerful divine runes.
Spells per Day: At the indicated levels, a shadowhunter gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming an arcane archer, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day. Shadowhunters can not gain spells with a range further than close.
Runes of power: At first level shadowhunters gain the ability to draw times of power. Shadowhunters do not cast spells as most classes do. They spend 1 full-round (or the spell's casting time if longer) drawing a rune on a creature or area using a stelae, which provokes an attack of opportunity. After the rune is drawn, the Shadowhunter can spend a standard action to activate the rune, causing the effect of the spell to take place. These runes disappear after 24 hours or if the Shadowhunter who created them rests long enough to regain their spellslots. Activation range starts as touch and does not require the stelae. These runes can never be used to cast arcane spells. Creating a rune uses a spell slot and activating it uses a spell slot of the spell’s level -1 or of first level (whichever is higher) otherwise the rune disappears. If the extra spell slot is spent, the rune can be used after a 5 round cool-down effect has taken place. A rune will not respond during this period. If an extra spell slot is not used, the rune takes effect, but must be drawn again before being used.
If a rune is drawn for a 0th level spell, it doesn't cost a spell slot to activate and the cool-down period only lasts until the start of your next turn.
Glamour: At first level shadowhunters learn to hide their true face and their runes from others. Shadowhunters can activate a permanent glamour rune on their body to benefit from a disguise self spell with unlimited duration. This use of disguise self cannot be used to impersonate a specific individual but otherwise functions as per the spell description.
Exotic Weapon proficiency: At second level, a shadowhunter gains proficiency with an exotic weapon of their choice, to represent their training in unusual and varied weaponry.
Favoured Enemy: At third, sixth and ninth levels, Shadowhunters gain the favoured enemy trait as per the ranger trait of the same name, with the exception that Shadowhunters can only choose Outsider subtypes as their favoured enemy.
Activation Augment: At fourth level, a shadowhunter is becoming comfortable with utilising tinted in the heat of battle, it now only takes a move action to activate a rune.
At seventh level they can activate a rune 5x their shadowhunter level away from them as a standard action.
At tenth level a shadowhunter can activate a rune at touch or self range as a swift action at the cost of using the rune and a spellslot of the spells level -2. A ranged activation now only takes a move action.
Bonus Feat: At, fifth and eighth level, shadowhunters gain proficiency with an exotic weapon. This represents their ability to use any weapon that comes to their hands. If a character has every exotic weapon proficiency they can instead gain a combat feat, treating their shadowhunter levels as fighter levels if relevant.
Permanent Rune: At tenth level a shadowhunter is able to conjure a powerful rune like the glamour rune they're given on initiation. A shadowhunter can place a rune that emulates a 3rd level spell or lower or two 1st level spells on themselves. These runes have unlimited duration, though they can be suppressed by dispel magic or an anti-magic field. these effects can also be suppressed or reactivated by the shadowhunter as a free action.
Thanks in advance for any tips.
This class I designed based on Shadowhunters from the Mortal instruments series. I have built it for my little sister who is also a fan of this series as my first ever class I have built.
I was hoping that I might get some pointers as to whether it's balanced.
Basically the concept is martial fighter who uses runes blesses by celestial beings to augment themselves and their fighting so that they can better hunt evil creatures.The other thing to keep in mind is that they keep themselves hidden so that the things they hunt don't recognise the symbols on their skin and flee, or attack immediately. The special requirement will be met as a part of the story when I do this.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Shadowhunterr, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Feats: Martial Weapon proficiency
Spells: Able to cast 1st level Divine spells.
Special: Must be accepted and trained by a Shadowhunter (Will happen in my home campaign)
Class Skills
The Shadowhunter class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Knowledge (planes), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
BAB - Full progression
Fort Save - Poor
Reflex Save - Good
Will Save - Good
1st level
Runes of Power, Glamour
2nd level
Exotic weapon proficiency
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd level
Favoured Enemy
4th level
Activation augment
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th level
Bonus Feat
6th level
Favoured Enemy
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
7th level
Activation augment
8th level
Bonus feat
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
9th level
Favoured enemy
10th level
Permanent Rune, Activation augment
+1 level of existing spellcasting class
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A shadowhunter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light armor and medium armor.
Stelae: Upon becoming a shadowhunter, they are given or must craft a stelae. These take 50 Gp of metal and crystals and take a shadowhunter 12 hours to craft. In most hands they are inert rods, but shadowhunters use them to draw powerful divine runes.
Spells per Day: At the indicated levels, a shadowhunter gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class he belonged to before adding the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous spellcaster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one divine spellcasting class before becoming an arcane archer, he must decide to which class he adds the new level for purposes of determining spells per day. Shadowhunters can not gain spells with a range further than close.
Runes of power: At first level shadowhunters gain the ability to draw times of power. Shadowhunters do not cast spells as most classes do. They spend 1 full-round (or the spell's casting time if longer) drawing a rune on a creature or area using a stelae, which provokes an attack of opportunity. After the rune is drawn, the Shadowhunter can spend a standard action to activate the rune, causing the effect of the spell to take place. These runes disappear after 24 hours or if the Shadowhunter who created them rests long enough to regain their spellslots. Activation range starts as touch and does not require the stelae. These runes can never be used to cast arcane spells. Creating a rune uses a spell slot and activating it uses a spell slot of the spell’s level -1 or of first level (whichever is higher) otherwise the rune disappears. If the extra spell slot is spent, the rune can be used after a 5 round cool-down effect has taken place. A rune will not respond during this period. If an extra spell slot is not used, the rune takes effect, but must be drawn again before being used.
If a rune is drawn for a 0th level spell, it doesn't cost a spell slot to activate and the cool-down period only lasts until the start of your next turn.
Glamour: At first level shadowhunters learn to hide their true face and their runes from others. Shadowhunters can activate a permanent glamour rune on their body to benefit from a disguise self spell with unlimited duration. This use of disguise self cannot be used to impersonate a specific individual but otherwise functions as per the spell description.
Exotic Weapon proficiency: At second level, a shadowhunter gains proficiency with an exotic weapon of their choice, to represent their training in unusual and varied weaponry.
Favoured Enemy: At third, sixth and ninth levels, Shadowhunters gain the favoured enemy trait as per the ranger trait of the same name, with the exception that Shadowhunters can only choose Outsider subtypes as their favoured enemy.
Activation Augment: At fourth level, a shadowhunter is becoming comfortable with utilising tinted in the heat of battle, it now only takes a move action to activate a rune.
At seventh level they can activate a rune 5x their shadowhunter level away from them as a standard action.
At tenth level a shadowhunter can activate a rune at touch or self range as a swift action at the cost of using the rune and a spellslot of the spells level -2. A ranged activation now only takes a move action.
Bonus Feat: At, fifth and eighth level, shadowhunters gain proficiency with an exotic weapon. This represents their ability to use any weapon that comes to their hands. If a character has every exotic weapon proficiency they can instead gain a combat feat, treating their shadowhunter levels as fighter levels if relevant.
Permanent Rune: At tenth level a shadowhunter is able to conjure a powerful rune like the glamour rune they're given on initiation. A shadowhunter can place a rune that emulates a 3rd level spell or lower or two 1st level spells on themselves. These runes have unlimited duration, though they can be suppressed by dispel magic or an anti-magic field. these effects can also be suppressed or reactivated by the shadowhunter as a free action.
Thanks in advance for any tips.