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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Soul Land/Douluo Dalu Class or Subclass Help



Mythalidor
2019-08-22, 10:01 AM
For those of you have read or watched Douluo Dalu (Soul Land), I've been working on a campaign based in the setting, and I've been trying to figure out a way to get my players to be able to as Spirit Masters from that world. For those of you who don't know what spirit masters are, they are basically a combination between the sorcerer and monk classes, being more on the monk side, but they end up gaining 9 soul rings, which equivalently would give 1 spell at each spell level from 1 to 9.

I had attempted to make a class for it at first, but it wasn't that good, so then I've been working on subclasses for the sorcerer and monk classes. The sorcerer subclass fit the leveling system a bit better as they are full casters from level one. The features I gave the subclass were:
1st Level:
The Stone's Durability feature from the Stone Sorcerer, which is bonus health and armor class.
They also had gotten the Martial Arts feature from the monk class.

6th Level:
Extra Attack
Ki-Empowered Strikes
Evasion
all from the monk class

14th
A feature called Sorcerous Strikes from the homebrew Martial Soul subclass

Sorcerous Strikes
At 14th level, when making a weapon attack you can spend 1 sorcery point before your roll to gain one of the following effects. You can use this feature only once per round, but choose up to three different effects in the same action, spending 1 additional sorcery point for each effect beyond the first:

You may add your Charisma Modifier to the attack and damage roll of your next weapon attack.
The damage of your next weapon attack ignores resistance against one damage type of your choice and is considered magical.
The reach of your next melee weapon attack is increased by 5ft.
The target of your next weapon attack cannot make opportunity attacks against you until the end of your turn.
The next target you hit with a weapon attack this turn makes a CHA saving throw or falls prone if it's a Huge or smaller creature.
The next target you hit with a weapon attack this turn suffers disadvantage on saving throws against your spell effects until the end of your next turn.
The next target you hit with a weapon attack this turn is slowed by 10 ft until the start of your next turn.
The next time you deal damage with a weapon attack this turn you gain temporary hit points equal to half your sorcerer level.

18th Level:
I wasn't sure what to put, so I gave them a +2 to AC, and to attack rolls.

For spells, the players only gain one for each level and it is related to whatever they flavored their abilities as; a tool, an element, a beast like transformation. So for a beast type, I would give them something like primal savagery for their only cantrip, then they would get a spell like cause fear. Or if they were elemental, they may only get cold damage spells, or something else.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to set this up, you don't have to have read Soul Land, I just want to be able to set this up as a playable class/subclass.

JNAProductions
2019-08-22, 11:41 AM
At first glance, this is WAY too stacked with features.

So, to try to help, what's the goal for this? What's the concept? Don't talk mechanics-talk theme.

Mythalidor
2019-08-22, 12:32 PM
The concept for this explained mechanics-wise is a full caster monk, with one spell per spell level.

Explaining it concept-wise is that in the world of Soul Land, people awaken a "martial soul" which is hereditary and can be something like a sword or a transformation, then as they reach every 10 levels of cultivation (which I figured ever other level 1,3,5, etc...) they have to go out into the wilderness and kill a monster, gaining one new ability based on the monster killed.

That's why I was kind of stuck between monk and sorcerer for it as they both share common elements with it.

JNAProductions
2019-08-22, 12:36 PM
The concept for this explained mechanics-wise is a full caster monk, with one spell per spell level.

Explaining it concept-wise is that in the world of Soul Land, people awaken a "martial soul" which is hereditary and can be something like a sword or a transformation, then as they reach every 10 levels of cultivation (which I figured ever other level 1,3,5, etc...) they have to go out into the wilderness and kill a monster, gaining one new ability based on the monster killed.

That's why I was kind of stuck between monk and sorcerer for it as they both share common elements with it.

That sounds like something that would not work well in 5E.

First off, full-caster Monk. Overpowered-Monks are great on their own, slapping on 9th level spells is crazy.
Second off, abilities based on monsters slain. It's really hard to work out-I should know. I've tried to make a Megaman class, and it just doesn't work well if you have to kill/defeat stuff to get powers.

So, I ask once again-what's the FLUFF concept? Ignore mechanics. Just tell me what the fluff.

Mythalidor
2019-08-22, 01:10 PM
That sounds like something that would not work well in 5E.

First off, full-caster Monk. Overpowered-Monks are great on their own, slapping on 9th level spells is crazy.
Second off, abilities based on monsters slain. It's really hard to work out-I should know. I've tried to make a Megaman class, and it just doesn't work well if you have to kill/defeat stuff to get powers.

So, I ask once again-what's the FLUFF concept? Ignore mechanics. Just tell me what the fluff.

By Fluff, do you mean just the basic concept or what? The most basic way to explain it is a martial artist with some magic.

JNAProductions
2019-08-22, 01:11 PM
By Fluff, do you mean just the basic concept or what? The most basic way to explain it is a martial artist with some magic.

Martial Artist with magic. Okay, that's simple.

Do you want to lean heavier on the magic or martial?

Because Monk subclass (similar, if a bit better than, Four Elements Monk) will focus on martial, a Sorcerer (or other full caster) subclass will focus on magic.

Mythalidor
2019-08-22, 01:21 PM
Martial Artist with magic. Okay, that's simple.

Do you want to lean heavier on the magic or martial?

Because Monk subclass (similar, if a bit better than, Four Elements Monk) will focus on martial, a Sorcerer (or other full caster) subclass will focus on magic.

Its in the middle, but heavier on the magic, more similar to the Unearthed Arcana Stone Sorcery

JNAProductions
2019-08-22, 01:28 PM
Unarmored Defense
At level one, your AC may equal 10+Dex mod+Cha mod when not wearing armor or using a shield.

Martial Arts
At level one, your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage rather than 1 and may use Dexterity instead of Strength to attack.

Empowered Blows
At level six, you may spend a number of Sorcery points when you hit with an unarmed strike. Roll an extra 1d4 force damage per sorcery point spent. You cannot spend more points than your proficiency bonus on any given attack.

Magical Movement
At level fourteen, your move speed increases by 10', you may Dash as a bonus action, and you may run along walls and liquids as if they were solid. However, you must end your turn on a solid surface or immediately fall.

One With Magic
At level eighteen, you may apply your proficiency bonus to any saves made against spells that do not already include your proficiency bonus.



Optionally, if you want this to be Wisdom based, add a level 1 feature that swaps Charisma for Wisdom for your casting.

Mythalidor
2019-08-22, 01:31 PM
Unarmored Defense
At level one, your AC may equal 10+Dex mod+Cha mod when not wearing armor or using a shield.

Martial Arts
At level one, your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage rather than 1 and may use Dexterity instead of Strength to attack.

Empowered Blows
At level six, you may spend a number of Sorcery points when you hit with an unarmed strike. Roll an extra 1d4 force damage per sorcery point spent. You cannot spend more points than your proficiency bonus on any given attack.

Magical Movement
At level fourteen, your move speed increases by 10', you may Dash as a bonus action, and you may run along walls and liquids as if they were solid. However, you must end your turn on a solid surface or immediately fall.

One With Magic
At level eighteen, you may apply your proficiency bonus to any saves made against spells that do not already include your proficiency bonus.



Optionally, if you want this to be Wisdom based, add a level 1 feature that swaps Charisma for Wisdom for your casting.

Thank you, this seems to be the direction I was looking for, and I was already planning to swap charisma for wisdom as it fits the concept better

JNAProductions
2019-08-22, 01:32 PM
Thank you, this seems to be the direction I was looking for

No problem. Glad to help.