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Tyrael
2007-09-24, 10:58 AM
Kobold Demolitionist

Kobolds have always had an affinity for traps and tools, using every advantage and trick they can to gain the upper hand on opponents. The Kobold Demolitionist takes that one step farther, using rare and exotic explosives to lay traps, blow through walls, collapse ceilings on top of his enemies, and violently shape the environment to his whim.

Demolitionists have a keen fascination with fire and explosions, and although the mortality rate is high, those who pursue the Demolitionist's path tend to be slightly unhinged to begin with. Demolitionists can be of any alignment, though each Kobold's path into the class varies. Some work with the miners of their clan, using their bombs to shape the stone in controlled demolitions. Others are social outcasts whose alchemical experiments singed one too many passerby.

Most Kobold Demolitionists are Rogues, but Rangers and Bards have been known to enter the class. Fighters and Sorcerers are rare, and other classes are virtually unheard-of.

Requirements:
Race: Kobold
BAB: +4
Skills: Craft(Alchemy) 6 ranks, Disable Device 6 ranks
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot

Class Skills:
The Kobold Demolitionist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance(Dex), Climb(Str), Craft(Alchemy)(Int), Disable Device(Dex), Hide(Dex), Jump(Str), Profession(Miner)(Str), Search(Int), Sleight of Hand(Dex), Spot(Wis), Tumble(Dex), Use Magic Device(Cha), Open Lock(Int), Craft(Blacksmithing), Spellcraft(Int)
Skill Points at Each Level: 6+(Int bonus)

Hit Dice: d6

NAME OF CLASS
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+0|Grenadier, Mad Bomber(Napalm Grenades), Quick Draw

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+0|Rebound, Mad Bomber(Bombs), Cunning Alchemist +2

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+1|Leading Blast, Mad Bomber(Smoke Grenades)

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+1|Clusterbomb, Mad Bomber(Knockout Grenades), Cunning Alchemist +4

5th|
+3|
+2|
+4|
+2|Safety Goggles, Mad Bomber(Flares)

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+2|Timed Demolitions, Mad Bomber(C4), Cunning Alchemist +6

7th|
+5|
+3|
+5|
+3|Mad Bomber (Satchel Charges)

8th|
+6|
+3|
+6|
+3|Cunning Alchemist +8, Mad Bomber(Dynamite)

9th|
+6|
+4|
+6|
+x4|Master Alchemist, Mad Bomber(Fragmentation Grenades)

10th|
+7|
+5|
+7|
+5|Maximize Blast, Mad Bomber(Mortar, Bazooka), Cunning Alchemist +10[/table]

CLASS ABILITIES
The class abilities for the Kobold Demolitionist prestige class are as follows:

Armor and Weapon Proficiencies: The Kobold Demolitionist gains proficiency with all weapons granted from the Mad Bomber class ability. He gains no other weapon or armor proficiencies.


Grenadier(Ex): At 1st level, the Kobold Demolitionist adds his class level to damage with all thrown splash weapons. Additionally, his range with all thrown splash weapons increases to 40ft.

Quick Draw(Ex): At 1st level, the Kobold Demolitionist gains Quick Draw if he did not already have it. If he did, he gains Grenadier (PH II 79) instead.

Cunning Alchemist(Ex): The Kobold Demolitionist has mastered the secret of mixing explosives. At 1st level and every 2 levels thereafter, he gains +2 to Craft(Alchemy) checks. However, upon a Craft (Alchemy) check that fails by 10 or more, the mixture explodes, dealing 3d6 fire damage.

Rebound(Ex): At 2nd level, the Kobold Demolitionist may rebound thrown splash weapons off of walls and other objects to hit his target. As long as there is a surface to bounce the weapon off of, the Kobold Demolitionist does not have to attack in a straight line. His attack still may not exceed his normal range for thrown splash weapons. Range increments do not apply to this attack.

Mad Bomber(Ex): The Kobold Demolitionist has learned how to make new explosives the world has never seen. At 1st level, he is able to craft Napalm Grenades, and he learns new weapons every level (See table).


((I haven't actually formally statted these out, currently working with my DM to agree on reasonable crunch for these things. Our current campaign level is about Renaissance-era stuff, musket-type firearms, timed fuses, that sort of thing. For example, a "Bazooka" is more akin to a portable Chinese cannon (Mulan-style).))
Bob-ombs(magically animated? Clockwork? Tiny size? Wind it up, set it down, walks for 20ft. 2d6 fire)
C4(remotely detonated, 3d6 bludgeoning, ignores material hardness)
Smoke Grenades(Eversmoking bottle?)
Satchel Charges(timed or remotely detonated, 5d6 ??)
Napalm Grenade(20ft burst, 1d6/round)
Flare(light spell?)
Bazooka
Knockout Gas Grenade(sleep spell, Fort save?)
Mortar (indirect fire, lots of damage, rises 120ft into the air, each missed attack gives +2 to next attack, treated as a siege weapon)



Leading Blast (Ex): At 3rd level, a Kobold Demolitionist has learned how to predict a target's movement and intercept him with an explosive. If a Kobold Grenadier readies an action to attack a target when it moves, he gains +2 on the attack and damage rolls. Additionally, the target is dazed for 1d4 rounds (DC17 Will negates).

Clusterbomb (Ex): At 4th level, a Kobold Demolitionist has learned how to utilize multiple grenadelike weapons at once for maximized effect. As a full round action, he may make a special ranged touch attack against an opponent. He may choose up to two thrown splash weapons for this attack, then make a single roll. If this roll hits, all splash weapons are treated as hitting the target. However, if he misses, treat each splash weapon as separate for the purposes of determining where they land. At 7th level, the maximum amount of thrown splash weapons used in this attack increases to three. At 10th level, it increases to four.

Note: No more than 2 of the same kind of explosive may be used, due to inherent instabilities from packing so many combustible materials together.

Safety Goggles(Ex): At 5th level, the Kobold Demolitionist may work safely with volatile chemicals. He only takes half damage from an explosion resulting from a failed Craft(Alchemy) check. This damage may be reduced by half with a successful DC15 Reflex save.

Timed Demolitions(Ex): At 6th level, the Kobold Demolitionist learns how to adjust the fuses of his explosives. When using a timed explosive weapon (Blast Disks, Ditherbombs, Satchel Charges, etc) he may choose (in rounds) how long it takes to detonate (max 10 rounds, min same round).

Master Alchemist(Ex): At 9th level, the Kobold Demolitionist may take 10 on any Craft (Alchemy) check. Additionally, items created with Craft(Alchemy) only cost half of their normal cost in time, materials, and money.

Maximize Blast (Ex): At 10th level, a Kobold Demolitionist has the secret to maximizing the power of his explosives against an opponent. (INT bonus) times per day, he may activate it as a full round action, then attack as normal. If this attack hits, all damage rolls are treated as having rolled their highest roll.

Yeril
2007-09-24, 11:23 AM
Master Alchemist(Ex): At 9th level, the Kobold Demolitionist may take 10 on any Craft (Alchemy) check.

Seems very redudnant, when not threataned they can take 10 anyway, To be honest the ability to calmly do a task that takes anywhere from 1 day to 2weeks in the middle of combat seems kinda redundant.

The Neoclassic
2007-09-24, 11:43 AM
Awesome idea. I only have a few suggestions; overall it's creative and well thought-out.

I'd consider upping the skill ranks requirement and getting rid of the base attack bonus, since they seem to be more focused on ranged attacks. Perhaps you could replace it with a Reflex save requirement; a successful demolitionist would need to be able to get out of the way quickly.

Why give them new proficiencies? Shouldn't these kobolds already need to be proficient with thrown splash weapons when they take the class? The Mad Bomber proficiencies, though, make sense as is.

Can other people use the weird explosives these kobolds make? Is it possible to gain proficiency with them without picking up this class (by taking Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Napalm) for example)?

I agree with Yeril's comment on the Master Alchemist.

As for the Safety Goggles ability, I'd just halve the damage. The point of playing with explosives is that they are never really safe, even for the one using them. Heck, that's half the fun!

Yeril
2007-09-24, 11:55 AM
I'd also like to see more crunch of the explosives.

C4 looks very intresting to me, and of course some more splash weapons or explosives would be nice to see.

Tyrael
2007-09-24, 01:38 PM
I'd consider upping the skill ranks requirement and getting rid of the base attack bonus, since they seem to be more focused on ranged attacks. Perhaps you could replace it with a Reflex save requirement; a successful demolitionist would need to be able to get out of the way quickly.

This makes sense, but it's very tricky to balance. Would it operate off of base Reflex save or total save? If it's the base save, then it would reward all high-Reflex classes equally, even if it doesn't quite make sense (like Monk).


Why give them new proficiencies? Shouldn't these kobolds already need to be proficient with thrown splash weapons when they take the class? The Mad Bomber proficiencies, though, make sense as is.

True. I just wrote that in as an afterthought seconds before hitting Submit. I'll change that.


Can other people use the weird explosives these kobolds make? Is it possible to gain proficiency with them without picking up this class (by taking Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Napalm) for example)?

Probably not, I'm thinking. In my mind, part of the Mad Bomber concept is that they have such a complete knowledge of radical alchemy that they can make these incredibly weird devices that nobody else quite understands.


As for the Safety Goggles ability, I'd just halve the damage. The point of playing with explosives is that they are never really safe, even for the one using them. Heck, that's half the fun!

Good idea.


Seems very redudnant, when not threataned they can take 10 anyway, To be honest the ability to calmly do a task that takes anywhere from 1 day to 2weeks in the middle of combat seems kinda redundant.

True. Maybe I should make it so that they can craft in half the time? Or reduce the cost of materials?

Tyrael
2007-09-24, 03:37 PM
Edited. Changed the Safety Goggles to halve the damage, and allow a Reflex save for exploded Crafts. Also halved the time/materials/money needed for Craft(Alchemy) checks with Master Alchemist. Removed the proficiencies with all other thrown splash weapons.

Mr. Moogle
2007-09-24, 06:18 PM
It's an interesting class but after a certain point (around levels 9-12) alchemal weapons just wont cut it. I think you should have Magic-ey explosives that carbonize things, or possibly a save-or-die, obliteration-bomb.

Tyrael
2007-09-25, 03:13 PM
Hmmm, maybe. The main thing that lets him shell out the damage in later levels is the Clusterbomb and Maximize Blast. Clusterbomb lets you stack up to 4 (at 10thlvl) bombs together, up to 2 of the same type. So, you tape together two Maximized Wyrm Ditherbombs (each does 6x8 or 48 damage) and tape on two Maximized Satchel Charges (each doing 5d6 or 30 damage), for a grand total of 156 damage (although it allows a Reflex for half damage).

I'm not sure about the save-or-die bomb, seems a bit overpowered for the fluff. Maybe 1/day? Or just have an ungodly-high Craft DC?

Tyrael
2007-09-26, 01:48 AM
Minor bump. Any other thoughts on this?

kpenguin
2007-09-26, 02:22 AM
Well, rather than just damaging blasts, maybe explosives that have other effects? Maybe a freeze bomb? A grenade that creates something like an EMP, but fries magic instead of electronics?

Also, don't forget that Craft (Alchemy) requires you to be a spellcaster, so magic effects should be allowable. Maybe explosives that mimic spell effects?

puppyavenger
2007-09-26, 01:45 PM
Also, don't forget that Craft (Alchemy) requires you to be a spellcaster, so magic effects should be allowable. Maybe explosives that mimic spell effects?
It does?
that seems strange, why do you have to control physics to make acid?

smart thog
2007-09-26, 03:15 PM
Cool class, but two things are bugging me about it

1. why just for kobolds? Gnomes live in the same environment, and are better alchemists, which brings me to my second point.
2. There is already a alchemist base class, its one of those little power phamlets made by mongoose publishing. this is more destructive than it, but not good for all alchemy.

XiaoTie
2007-09-26, 03:37 PM
Kobold Demolitionist + Tucker's Kobolds environment = Win, God and Epic

I don't know much about the crunchy part (despite the fact that it does look cool), but I am dying to use a Kobold Demolitionist later on a campaign I'm DM'ing. Helluva work dude.

TheLogman
2007-09-26, 03:38 PM
It's assumed that an Alchemist is just a Transmutationist who is too crazy to take Polymorph, and just messes with acid all day long. It's nothing more than an oversight by Wizards, and the only time it is mentioned is in a footnote on page 71 of the Player's guide. Easily house-ruled.

Person_Man
2007-09-26, 10:37 PM
Your Save progressions are incorrect. If it has a strong Reflex and weak Fort and Will, then it should end up as +3 Fort, +7 Ref, +3 Will.

Also, I'd expand the Skill list a bit. There's no reason to limit Craft or Profession. I'd also throw in Use Rope, Move Silently, Knowledge (dungeoneering), and Knowledge (architecture).

Otherwise, I love the concept, and hope you iron out all the details.

ASCIISkull
2007-09-27, 01:33 AM
Don't you need to be a spellcaster to take craft(alchemy)?

Hecore
2007-09-27, 01:39 AM
Maybe have the explosives a Kobold Demolitionist makes turn out more powerful and can be constructed quickly (1 round without needing a kitchen) but also be very volatile - have unused explosives that have sat around for an hour or more begin making a simple check. If they fail, they self-detonate.

This would not only fit the class, but it would make those take 10 attempts seem much nicer. You'd want to alter the failed creation check if you did this, though - maybe have the explosive only affect a 5 foot square so the kobold is the only one at risk when creating a homemade bomb?