PDA

View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class The Buccaneer (3.5 Base Class)



SleepyShadow
2018-03-09, 01:07 PM
My group and I came up with this for a nautical campaign. Any advice on balance adjustment would be greatly appreciated. Thank you :smallsmile:

BAB: 4/4
HD: d8
Saves: Good Fort and Will
Skills: 6+ Int Mod
Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nature), Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Speak Language, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Rope, Use Magic Device
A buccaneer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, plus the net and whip. Buccaneers are proficient with light armor and all shields (except tower shields).

Bonus Feats: At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels the buccaneer gains a bonus feat from the following list: Alertness, Combat Expertise (Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip), Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows (Snatch Arrows), Dodge (Mobility), Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot (Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot), Power Attack (Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder), Quick Draw, Toughness, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus. The buccaneer must meet all prerequisites for the chosen feat.

Seamanship (Ex): At 1st level, the buccaneer gains a +1 competence bonus to Balance, Climb, and Profession (Sailor) checks, and the buccaneer can always take 10 on these skills even if the situation would normally prevent him from doing so. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th, +3 at 9th, +4 at 13th, and +5 at 17th level.

Buccaneer Bravery (Ex): At 1st level, a buccaneer gains a competence bonus to his Armor Class equal to his Charisma modifier as long as the buccaneer is only wearing light or no armor.

Put Down (Su): A 2nd level buccaneer with 3 or more ranks in Perform (comedy) can mock an enemy to the point of despair. As an immediate action when an opponent misses an attack, the buccaneer makes a wisecrack denigrating the foe's fighting ability. The buccaneer must be able to see the unsuccessful attack. That foe gets a -2 morale penalty to AC for the remainder of the encounter. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to the buccaneer's Charisma modifier.

Sneak Attack (Ex): At 2nd level, the buccaneer gains +1d6 sneak attack, as per the rogue class feature. This extra damage increases to +2d6 at 6th, +3d6 at 10th, +4d6 at 14th, and +5d6 at 18th.

Taunt (Su): A 3rd level buccaneer with 6 or more ranks in Perform (comedy) can attempt to hurl such stinging insults against a foe that his opponent loses his temper in an explosive display. The buccaneer targets one creature within 60 feet that shares a language with him. The target must be able to hear the buccaneer for this ability to have an effect. The target can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 buccaneer level + buccaneer's Cha modifier). If he fails, the target gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls but takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. On its next turn the affected target takes the most direct route possible (charging if able) toward the buccaneer that avoids any obviously dangerous terrain, such as a pit of bubbling lava. The target may stop if an opponent blocks its path and can move around its foes in such a way as to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity (unless able to charge). The buccaneer must use a swift action to continue to taunt his opponent each round, and if he cannot complete this act the taunt's effects immediately end. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent ability, and is usable a number of times per day equal to the buccaneer's Charisma modifier.

Back-to-Back (Ex): At 4th level, if the buccaneer is adjacent to an ally, fighting defensively, or using Combat Expertise, the buccaneer gains a +1 dodge AC bonus. This bonus increases to +2 at 8th, +3 at 12th, +4 at 16th, and +5 at 20th.

Horseplay (Su): A 9th-level buccaneer with 12 or more ranks in Perform (comedy) can caper and dance to distract his opponents in battle. The buccaneer's outrageous actions distract his foe, leaving it unable to effectively defend itself. The buccaneer can choose a single target within 30 feet to whom he has line of sight. The target must be able to see and hear the buccaneer, and gets a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 buccaneer level + buccaneer's Cha modifier). If the target fails this save, it loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to its Armor Class. The target gains a new save each round the buccaneer maintains horseplay (a swift action).

Favor of Davey Jones: At l0th-level, the buccaneer's antics are so vexing that even the normally implacable undead fall victim to them. The buccaneer's mind-affecting performance abilities function as normal against undead that possess intelligence scores, although undead creatures gain a +2 bonus on their saves against such abilities. Undead creatures that lack intelligence scores and other types of creatures immune to mind-affecting effects remain immune to the buccaneer's performance abilities.

Mocking Shout (Su): A 12th-level buccaneer with 15 or more ranks in Perform (comedy) can mock his opponents with such vicious, cutting humor that they lose confidence in their fighting ability. Every opponent within 60 feet of the buccaneer who can hear and understand him must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 buccaneer level + buccaneer's Cha modifier). Creatures that fail this save suffer a -2 luck penalty on attack rolls, skill and ability checks, and saving throws for as long as the buccaneer continues to perform (as a move action), up to a maximum number of rounds equal to the buccaneer's class level. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent effect. This ability is a move action to use and is usable a number of times per day equal to the buccaneer's Charisma modifier.

Sailor Talk (Su): A 15th-level buccaneer with 18 or more ranks in Perform (comedy) can create a running series of jokes, observations, and insults that breaks a single target's ability to concentrate. When the buccaneer uses this ability, his target must make a Concentration check opposed by the buccaneer's Perform (comedy) check to cast a spell, use a supernatural ability, or otherwise perform an act that would require a Concentration check to complete if the target suffered damage while attempting it for a number of rounds equal to the buccaneer's class level. The buccaneer can use this ability against a given target once per encounter. This is a mind-affecting, language- dependent effect. This ability is usable as a swift action to use, and is usable a number of times per day equal to the buccaneer's Charisma modifier.

Wit of the Damned (Su): An 18th-level buccaneer with 21 or more ranks in Perform (comedy) can leave his target a dispirited, demoralized shell with a few choice, cutting remarks. The target can make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 buccaneer level + buccaneer's Cha modifier). If the save fails, the target suffers a morale penalty equal to the buccaneer's Charisma bonus on attack rolls and saving throws. This penalty lasts for as long as the buccaneer performs (a swift action), for a maximum number of rounds equal to half the buccaneer's class level. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent effect. The target must be able to see and clearly hear the buccaneer. This ability is useable as a swift action. This ability is usable a number of times per day equal to the buccaneer's Charisma modifier.

Gideon Falcon
2018-03-10, 10:17 PM
Hmm... not quite sure what this class has to do with the price of earrings, but okay.


Ba-dum tish

Alabenson
2018-03-10, 11:31 PM
So, to start with the good, the chassis looks decent for what it looks like it's supposed to be, something of a hybrid skill monkey/warrior focused on providing support. It doesn't look like it could replace a dedicate class in either of those roles, but it could readily fill in gaps in a party's options. The bardic music-inspired abilities are good in that they give the class options in combat beyond just "I make a melee attack", and the ability to affect intelligent undead at higher levels is a particularly nice touch.

That being said, the class does have a number of issues that need to be addressed. First and foremost, the class looks like it has serious problems with MAD, almost to the same degree as the Monk. To fulfill its roles, a Buccaneer as written would need good Dex and Cha with at least decent Con, Int and Str.
Moreover, the Buccaneer does seem to be fairly under-powered in general. On the melee combat side, the only ability it gets is Dirty Fighting, which adds a rather pitiful amount of damage to a single attack, capping at an average of +12.5 at level 18, which isn't nearly enough to be relevant. Things are a little better on the support side of things, but many of the Buccaneer's abilities are not only mind affecting but also language dependent, which sharply limits the types of opponents they can be used against. Furthermore, the higher-level abilities are unfortunately underwhelming for the levels that they're earned.
Finally, the class suffers from having a few dead levels and lacks a real capstone.

Overall, I'd rate the class as written as probably low Tier-5. I think there's some potential here, and it would probably be find in a low-op group, but as it is the Buccaneer would probably be overshadowed by most other support classes.

SleepyShadow
2018-03-17, 01:07 PM
So, to start with the good, the chassis looks decent for what it looks like it's supposed to be, something of a hybrid skill monkey/warrior focused on providing support. It doesn't look like it could replace a dedicate class in either of those roles, but it could readily fill in gaps in a party's options. The bardic music-inspired abilities are good in that they give the class options in combat beyond just "I make a melee attack", and the ability to affect intelligent undead at higher levels is a particularly nice touch.

That being said, the class does have a number of issues that need to be addressed. First and foremost, the class looks like it has serious problems with MAD, almost to the same degree as the Monk. To fulfill its roles, a Buccaneer as written would need good Dex and Cha with at least decent Con, Int and Str.
Moreover, the Buccaneer does seem to be fairly under-powered in general. On the melee combat side, the only ability it gets is Dirty Fighting, which adds a rather pitiful amount of damage to a single attack, capping at an average of +12.5 at level 18, which isn't nearly enough to be relevant. Things are a little better on the support side of things, but many of the Buccaneer's abilities are not only mind affecting but also language dependent, which sharply limits the types of opponents they can be used against. Furthermore, the higher-level abilities are unfortunately underwhelming for the levels that they're earned.
Finally, the class suffers from having a few dead levels and lacks a real capstone.

Overall, I'd rate the class as written as probably low Tier-5. I think there's some potential here, and it would probably be find in a low-op group, but as it is the Buccaneer would probably be overshadowed by most other support classes.

I've made a few changes (replaced Dirty Fighting with some Sneak Attack should help), but I am not certain what else should be done. I'm aiming for the class to fall somewhere in high Tier 4 territory, since most of my group ends up somewhere in Tier 3/4 (the power gamer of the group aside). Any suggestions on improving this class would be greatly appreciated.

Alabenson
2018-03-19, 06:44 PM
I think replacing Dirty Fighting with Sneak Attack by itself helps immensely. Even though the buccaneer is only getting half progression on it it still represents a huge upgrade, especially since a) it allows for more powerful full attacks, something that Dirty Fighting lacked and b) it synergizes very well with their Horseplay ability. In a way it also helps reduce some of the MAD issues I mentioned earlier, since now the buccaneer can largely disregard Str and focus on Dex, Cha, with a lesser focus on Int and Con. Still some lingering issues there, but much more manageable.

Also, knowing what power-level you were aiming for helps me evaluate the class a little more accurately. I'd say the best class to use as a comparsion would be the the Ranger, a classic Tier-4 class that fits close to the same role as the buccaneer. In terms of combat ability I'd say the buccaneer is actually a little stronger now, but the ranger is going to beat it out on out of combat utility.

As far as recommendations go, I might start by changing the buccaneer's Su abilities to Ex; there's not much reason to have them Su thematically and Ex means they're not going to by shut down by an AMF. What I would also suggest would be to put together a table listing the buccaneers abilities from 1-20 and see where the class has some dead levels, which is where I would focus on adding any abilities focused on outside of combat.
On a related note, you may also want to add a capstone for the class at level 20. Capstones are a good place to go wild as far as design goes, so if you need some inspiration you may want to start by taking a look at the level 9 maneuvers from Tome of Battle, particularly from the more mobile schools like Setting Sun or Diamond Mind.

Overall, as it stands now I would say the class is more in line with what you were going for, probably low to mid Tier-4. It still might get out-shown by a well built Rogue or Warlock, but it should be able to keep up with them in most cases.