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MoleMage
2019-10-14, 09:12 AM
Welcome to the chat thread for the ninth Base Class Competition for D&D 5e. If you wish to say anything about the competition which is neither a submission nor a vote, then it belongs here. You do not need to be a contestant to post here. You are allowed to critique a competitor’s work and offer suggestions on how to improve their homebrew through this thread, but it is preferred if you do so through that class’ specific thread (if applicable).

Current Contest: Contest IX: It's Time for Time (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?600537-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-XI-It-s-Time-for-Time)

1st contest: Who Needs Swords or Sorcery? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?556338-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-I-Who-needs-Swords-OR-Sorcerery), won by WarrentheHero with the Inventor

2nd contest: Expect a low Margin of Terror (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?560208-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-II-expect-a-low-Margin-of-Terror), Won by Mourne with the Sleepwalker

3rd Contest: The Elements, and not the Periodic Ones (Probably?) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?565360-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-III-The-Elements-and-not-the-periodic-ones-(probably-)!), won By Pygmybatrider with The Shaman

4th contest: Does Not Meet Expectations (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?570496-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-IV-Does-Not-Meet-Expectations), won with a tie by Molemage with the Destined and Pygmybatrider's Mesmer

5th contest: Time to Chill out (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?576131-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-V-Time-to-Chill-Out&p=23567807#post23567807), won by Molemage with the Wintreborn

6th contest: The Monster Mash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?581138-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-VI-The-Monster-Mash), won with a three-way tie by Molemage with the Golem, theVoidWatches with the Lycanthrope, and daemonaetae with the Elemental Scion

7th contest: Remix Mastery (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?587919-D-amp-D-Base-Class-Contest-VII-Remix-Mastery&p=23906232#post23906232), won by KOLE with the Ranger Remixed

8th contest: Contest VIII: Magic Without Slots (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?594571-D-amp-D-Base-Class-Contest-VIII-Magic-Without-Slots&p=24070927#post24070927), won by MoleMage with the Cultist



1) The class you homebrew should fit the theme. You can interpret the theme as broadly as you like without risk of disqualification, but doing so may reduce your chances of earning votes during the voting period.
2) You may only create one base class. If you create more than one class then you must choose which one to enter and remove all the others from this thread and the contest (making them invalid) . If you do not specify which one you favor by the time voting begins, all of your content is invalid.
3) When you submit your class you must create a post on this thread which either has the content or holds a link to it. You may also optionally create one other individual thread for your class on the homebrew design sub-forum. If it is found that you have revealed your class on another site or on another thread than one on the homebrew design sub-forum, your entry will be considered invalid. If you do make a specific thread for you class, please mention its involvement to the competition in that thread. If you use external formatting resources such as Homebrewery, or GMBinder it is recommended that you also create a PDF of the content and share it here.
4) You may use other homebrew content (such as feats, spells, magical items and monsters) or even features to supplement your class, provided you have permission from the original creator and provide links to the source. Failure to receive permission from the original creation will disqualify you from entry in the current contest.
5) Your class must have fully completed mechanics and descriptions for it to be valid. Entries are due by 11:59 PM Central Time on the deadline. Any submissions after this point are invalid. No changes can be made to your class while voting is taking place. Failure to comply with the previous rule will result in disqualification.
6) Any content which has been declared invalid by the rules above cannot be voted for, but you may decide to remove it from the contest and create another class instead. If you are disqualified then you are not allowed to enter any more homebrew for this competition, though you may still vote and later enter the next competition.
7) Please note that misunderstandings occur, if you break a rule which results in disqualification it might be excused if you can convince the group that it was a result of confusion over the rules.

Contests stay up for 8 weeks unless an extension is requested by participants. Voting threads then go up for 2 weeks before the next contest begins.


Dragons
Based in Science
Heroes from Myths
Partial Casters

BerzerkerUnit
2019-10-14, 11:23 PM
Current concept: more or less unique to a setting in which Time is unraveling or the Feywild and Astral Plane:

Arcanaut- This specialized navigator learns to find their way among the time storms, evade temporal quagmires, and over time, twist the manner in which they interact with time, finding shortcuts between moments, evading injuries by skipping the moment of a weapon's impact.


I think it might use the Pact Magic format for spells but be tied to a city like the one belonging to the Githyanki, Githzerai, Ravnica, Mechanus, or some unique setting.

Maybe some kind of Stolen Moments mechanic that they can recharge by dealing 0 damage with their attacks. Stolen Moments can be spent to do things like add damage to other attacks, reroll ability checks or saves, fake Evasion when they succeed on a save.

Subclasses will likely focus on Past, Present, and Future.

Historicon(Historitrix)- <Healer> Old Wounds (psychic damage attack that reminds body of former wounds that reopen), and a Reset function that lets them spend Stolen Moments to Heal by restoring the body to a previous state. access to a certain spells like Identify and Legend Lore.

Con Tempo- <Tank...?>Immediacy (flexible Initiative),

Anticipatorian- <Assault? Controller? Clutch/Specialist?>Sees the future... hard to beat Portents, maybe the future is in perpetual flux and instead of a future class there's some kind of temporal ravager...

Finding a way not to annihilate the action economy with this class will be fun.

Note: Translating the effects the likes of Dio Brando, Giorno, and Diavolo could pull off is going to be rough.

Possible mechanics:
Stolen Moments: On a hit choose to do no damage, instead storing the potential energies and outcomes as Stolen Moments. You can collect up to your Con bonus + half Arcanaut level. Spend these to add to skill checks as "superspeed" or on an attack to deal additional weapon damage.
Action Surge
Bonus Surge: like Action Surge but for Bonus Actions, get a pool equal to Con bonus... recharge with Stolen Moments
Extra Attack
Hyperbolic Time: you can Haste and Slow yourself, slow yourself 1 round to Haste 1. You either Haste, Slow, Slow, Haste or Slow, Haste, Haste, Slow. the Con Tempo spreads the Slow to foes and Haste to allies...
Time Slip: Short range teleports

Duped all this in the contest thread, I'll tighten that one up as I refine the idea here.

Deadfire182
2019-10-18, 02:47 PM
I'm liking that past/present/future idea you have going on for the subclasses, but I can see how portents may have kind of overtaken that ability (that's not to say you can't still use them though). I saw a really cool idea for a final ability where a future version of you pops up and casts a spell/does an action of some sort in the present, and then during a long rest (or just sometime in the future) you "repay" the incurred "future debt", opening up the ability again. Just an idea, but one I thought was really cool (if really only a final ability)

BerzerkerUnit
2019-10-18, 03:03 PM
Thanks! You’re thinking of the Chronomancy school, it was one of my favorite subclasses from the DMs Guild.

I’ve actually shifted focus a lot to Temporal Frame Of Reference (I just call the subclasses Continuums). So it’s Accelerated, Static, and Orthogonal.

So the Accelerated Continuum Grants more “Haste” type benefits, Static grants more Slow, but Orthogonal does healing/alternate reality/adjacent timeline type stuff.

I’m thinking typical play is going to lean into the Warlock niche with more melee focus since your Hyperbolic Time feature is an aura with further effects based on Continuum.

sengmeng
2019-10-18, 03:30 PM
Bare bones of the Speedster is done. I'm still puzzling out the subclasses, and he's going to get the third and fourth attacks per round like a fighter at 11th and 20th level, but otherwise he's basically done.

MoleMage
2019-10-19, 06:14 PM
So based on the other concepts planned it looks like the Clockwinder is probably going to be the one I try first. I'll hopefully make some progress on it over this week and get back with some feedback and early draft.

sengmeng
2019-10-20, 01:30 PM
Speedster is done, though with only two subclasses. PEACH.

Ortho
2019-10-20, 07:39 PM
Stupid question: when is the deadline? I don't see it posted anywhere.

MoleMage
2019-10-20, 08:49 PM
Stupid question: when is the deadline? I don't see it posted anywhere.

End of day December 5th. I should make it more viaible. Right now it hides out in rule 5

sengmeng
2019-10-24, 05:22 PM
Ok, I've tried to give a PEACH for the continuum mage arcanaut(tm).
I've been drinking.

This is way too complivated
Ok. he can slow or speed up his personal time. I got this. but he gets differrent bonuses when slowed or sped. Still on board. But if you want him to have to spend a certain amount of time accelraterd for time slowed... some kind of point system. please. anyway, he also gains double his proficiency bonus for certain skills that timing matters? nah bro, just give him expertise as the rogue, and only allow skills that timing matters. You also have the phrase "the heat of true combat" to try to cut down on play fightin within the party for abuse of the rules... how about tie it to initiative? Stolen Moments only apply if they've been stolen in the same combat, i.e., since initiative were rolled.

Food for thought, I hope.

BerzerkerUnit
2019-10-24, 07:29 PM
Thank you so much for your input!
I think keeping Stolen Moments to a specific combat is a good idea with a higher level feature that allows you to start with one or two.

I’ll assume that your opinion that an AAB or BAA pattern for Hyperbolic time is too complicated is the booze talking. The different bonuses you get are tied to the subclass and how you apply the Hyperbolic Time is going to depend on how you want to employ the benefit.

Note: it’s designed with the idea the average combat lasts 5 rounds or less.

If you are Static Continuum you might Drag on round 1 to get your Damage resistance and slow aura right away so allies can get in a better position while you tank. Or you might Slip so you can get an extra Attack in (and maybe build Stolen Moments) while enemies advance and get your damage resistance on the following rounds.

Haste is awesome. Slip is most of Haste with no concentration and a mitigated penalty when it ends (basically no bonus action and a movement Debuff). So you can start strong on round 1 at the cost of bonus actions and movement later, or you pay the price up front and enjoy an extra attack or dash for 2 rounds.

Haste Points would lead to hoarding for novas later. I think the existing mechanic creates an interesting strategic choice.

MoleMage
2019-10-25, 09:54 PM
A rough GMbinder draft of the clockwinder is up. It ended up more like battlemaster than a spellcaster when I actually started to write it. Tomorrow I will try to get feedback up for arcanaut and speedster.

MoleMage
2019-10-26, 04:25 PM
I know this is still a rough draft, but formatting would make it a lot easier to follow. Also, you have your continuum features at present collected in the main feature list, but traditionally subclasses are split out at the end of the class (instead of Level 6: Gain A for Orthogonal, B for Static, C for Accelerated; it should be formatted as Orthogonal gives X at 1, Y at 6, Z at 10, etc.).

I would switch the levels at which you gain Time Sense and Stolen Moments. At 1st level, a class should have some active ability which differentiates it from other classes; Time Sense is purely passive.
Time Sense: The wording is odd, and I'm concerned it basically gives Expertise based on the player's ability to justify timing being key. Either narrow the effects (you get double your proficiency in X, Y, and Z) or shift the feature to be more descriptive than numeric (Your sense of timing and rhythm is flawless. This allows you to do X without requiring a check).
Stolen Moments: It's interesting. I think it's reasonably balanced, as long as you have to choose whether to use the auto-hit function before rolling the attack roll. My main concern is that it is hard on the action economy of the class, and it looks like you don't get expanded uses for it until level 10. As is, it's going to be better for most cases to just deal the damage immediately rather than save the hit for later (especially since none of the currently listed class spells use a spell attack, so I can't even turn a hit with a melee attack into a hit with scorching ray, for example).
Hyperbolic Time: It's an interesting feature. Unfortunately I think Dragging is a little too weak overall compared to Slipping. I feel like I would Drag to get 2 rounds of extra attack way more often than I would Slip to get 2 rounds of resistance to physical, especially with the zombie movement penalty. The continuum features here should probably be written as one of the levels for continuum advancement.



Overall, it looks like it has a lot of potential once you've finished it. Just move a couple things around and patch up the potential for abuse on Time Sense as you edit and you'll be in a good place by my reckoning.



A traditional superhero archetype, and it fits the theme. I think I'll enjoy this.


Right off the bat, they start getting move speed bonuses. This is appropriate, but the size of the bonus coupled with the effects of Adroit and especially Extreme Dash and later Adroit II means that this class will be difficult to manage at the table. For example, starting at level 7, they can start AND end their turn outside of shortbow's close range while still getting a melee attack (though they give up extra attack to do so), and also be functionally unreachable by any but the fastest melee monsters without dodge even without giving up extra attack (and they can be out of reach off the ones WITH charge if they give up the melee attack). At level 13, they can do all of that and still get two attacks (or give up the second one to also disengage). Fortunately, they can't get out of the long range of bows and crossbows until level 19 (level 18 if they have a 35 foot racial speed), which is high enough level that it's less of a problem, but as it stands the class is going to be untouchable by a huge set of monsters (barring opportunity attacks).
There's also a concern about map sizing with the move speed, but I assume most tables are capable of handling the fact that the speedster can move further than most maps represent through one method or another.
Static Charge is a neat feature that pairs nicely with the class's high rate of move speed and serves as a reasonable alternative to increasing the damage of unarmed strikes directly. I like it as a feature and my only concern is that the numbers are going to be too high if allowed to accumulate outside of combat.
Discharge feels like it should be part of the Lightning Master Power Focus rather than a part of the core class. I'd rather see a social or exploration feature here (perhaps something to do with scouting or changing disguises quickly). As a feature it functions fine though.
Adroit gives the class a good way to dash every turn, which feels appropriate.
Lightning Reflexes and Extra Attack look fine. I wasn't 100% sure about the multiple extra attacks thing (since the class is otherwise designed for a single big hit-and-run each turn or every other turn), but it makes sense and the class isn't getting any big enough weapons or defenses for getting in close and pummeling to be unreasonable.
Lightning Reflexes II is too much. The class is already hard enough to just reach in melee; being able to use your reaction to leave melee and trigger an auto-miss means that Speedsters are basically 100% immune to melee attackers. The first part (Dexterity Saves) is fine.
Adroit II and Lightning Reflexes II don't really improve the initial forms of the feature; instead they add new abilities that are similar. Giving these features their own unique names would be preferable in my opinion.
Adroit II is a good mechanical way to give a class multiple dashes at a tradeoff. I like it as a feature, but I have some concerns about its interactions, as noted under the first bullet point.
Wider Discharge, as with Discharge, feels like a Lightning Master thing more than a baseline thing. Another social or exploration feature would be good here.


Lighting Master: The damage from this subclass threatens to become unmanageable, especially with Master of Lightning. This is fairly far into the class, so maybe I'm overreacting, but at this point a lightning master can use Adroit II to attack, turning one attack into a dash, run up 140 feet (gaining 42 static charge, thanks to Potent Charge, and then hurl 84 points worth of ranged lightning before retreating another 140 feet (gaining 21 points worth of carry-over charge to do this again next turn). Or, they could instead hurl just one bolt of lightning per turn until they reach their functional maximum. Ever Charged as a capstone is fun, but it also means that they start with a potential 160 points of single-target damage every single combat (for comparison, Meteor Swarm is a 9th level spell and does 140 damage on average, though it is in a huge area). Making Ever Charged into a once per long rest feature (maybe also a bonus action so you can choose to use it later in the combat) would bring it into line.

Distorter: The Quantum Double feature needs a name. Lightning Metabolism needs to be limited (right now it is infinite healing, usable outside of combat). Even if it was rest limited, the values it can reach are very large (the maximum static charge a speedster can reach will be greater than their maximum HP at most levels). Phase both removes the need to ever use Disengage (moving at least 10 feet when you have an 80 foot base speed and the ability to attack and dash on the same turn is trivial) and allows the bypassing of many exploration barriers at will. Quantum Freedom and Quantum Master are both fine, though the bookkeeping for that many clones with different charge levels is going to be complicated.

Overall, I'd say you have faithfully duplicated the speedsters of DC Comics, but as a D&D class it is too strong. Most of the features are fine individually but they interact so strongly that the class ends up far too good at combat. Additionally, the class could really use some non-combat functionality.

Leathalsandwich
2019-10-29, 07:02 PM
Stupid question but does the class need subclasses

MoleMage
2019-10-29, 08:15 PM
Stupid question but does the class need subclasses

Strictly by the rules, it does not. However, they are standard for 5th edition, so building a class without subclasses (or building a class that uses them but not creating an example subclass or two) may hurt your chances for voting.

BerzerkerUnit
2019-10-29, 11:10 PM
Stupid question but does the class need subclasses

Not necessarily, like if you did some kind of Medium class that allowed ghosts to possess them and that granted them a full class load of abilities but super streamlined for a master of anything but only one at a time feel. That class wouldn't have any subclasses because the whole of its features would change up.

Just a thought.

sengmeng
2019-10-31, 09:05 AM
A traditional superhero archetype, and it fits the theme. I think I'll enjoy this.


Right off the bat, they start getting move speed bonuses. This is appropriate, but the size of the bonus coupled with the effects of Adroit and especially Extreme Dash and later Adroit II means that this class will be difficult to manage at the table. For example, starting at level 7, they can start AND end their turn outside of shortbow's close range while still getting a melee attack (though they give up extra attack to do so), and also be functionally unreachable by any but the fastest melee monsters without dodge even without giving up extra attack (and they can be out of reach off the ones WITH charge if they give up the melee attack). At level 13, they can do all of that and still get two attacks (or give up the second one to also disengage). Fortunately, they can't get out of the long range of bows and crossbows until level 19 (level 18 if they have a 35 foot racial speed), which is high enough level that it's less of a problem, but as it stands the class is going to be untouchable by a huge set of monsters (barring opportunity attacks).
There's also a concern about map sizing with the move speed, but I assume most tables are capable of handling the fact that the speedster can move further than most maps represent through one method or another.
Static Charge is a neat feature that pairs nicely with the class's high rate of move speed and serves as a reasonable alternative to increasing the damage of unarmed strikes directly. I like it as a feature and my only concern is that the numbers are going to be too high if allowed to accumulate outside of combat.
Discharge feels like it should be part of the Lightning Master Power Focus rather than a part of the core class. I'd rather see a social or exploration feature here (perhaps something to do with scouting or changing disguises quickly). As a feature it functions fine though.
Adroit gives the class a good way to dash every turn, which feels appropriate.
Lightning Reflexes and Extra Attack look fine. I wasn't 100% sure about the multiple extra attacks thing (since the class is otherwise designed for a single big hit-and-run each turn or every other turn), but it makes sense and the class isn't getting any big enough weapons or defenses for getting in close and pummeling to be unreasonable.
Lightning Reflexes II is too much. The class is already hard enough to just reach in melee; being able to use your reaction to leave melee and trigger an auto-miss means that Speedsters are basically 100% immune to melee attackers. The first part (Dexterity Saves) is fine.
Adroit II and Lightning Reflexes II don't really improve the initial forms of the feature; instead they add new abilities that are similar. Giving these features their own unique names would be preferable in my opinion.
Adroit II is a good mechanical way to give a class multiple dashes at a tradeoff. I like it as a feature, but I have some concerns about its interactions, as noted under the first bullet point.
Wider Discharge, as with Discharge, feels like a Lightning Master thing more than a baseline thing. Another social or exploration feature would be good here.


Lighting Master: The damage from this subclass threatens to become unmanageable, especially with Master of Lightning. This is fairly far into the class, so maybe I'm overreacting, but at this point a lightning master can use Adroit II to attack, turning one attack into a dash, run up 140 feet (gaining 42 static charge, thanks to Potent Charge, and then hurl 84 points worth of ranged lightning before retreating another 140 feet (gaining 21 points worth of carry-over charge to do this again next turn). Or, they could instead hurl just one bolt of lightning per turn until they reach their functional maximum. Ever Charged as a capstone is fun, but it also means that they start with a potential 160 points of single-target damage every single combat (for comparison, Meteor Swarm is a 9th level spell and does 140 damage on average, though it is in a huge area). Making Ever Charged into a once per long rest feature (maybe also a bonus action so you can choose to use it later in the combat) would bring it into line.

Distorter: The Quantum Double feature needs a name. Lightning Metabolism needs to be limited (right now it is infinite healing, usable outside of combat). Even if it was rest limited, the values it can reach are very large (the maximum static charge a speedster can reach will be greater than their maximum HP at most levels). Phase both removes the need to ever use Disengage (moving at least 10 feet when you have an 80 foot base speed and the ability to attack and dash on the same turn is trivial) and allows the bypassing of many exploration barriers at will. Quantum Freedom and Quantum Master are both fine, though the bookkeeping for that many clones with different charge levels is going to be complicated.

Overall, I'd say you have faithfully duplicated the speedsters of DC Comics, but as a D&D class it is too strong. Most of the features are fine individually but they interact so strongly that the class ends up far too good at combat. Additionally, the class could really use some non-combat functionality.


Sadly, I cannot refute any of your criticisms; I feel mostly the same way, but am a bit stuck on the level of faithfulness I want to the comics versus the reality of shoehorning such a character into the normal challenges of D&D. I thought that DM's could probably find ways to challenge the speedster by attacking his lesser areas of functionality, but it's kind of all or nothing: he either can use speed and lightning to utterly dominate the obstacle, or he's useless. Almost back to the drawing board time, I suppose.

Breccia
2019-11-07, 04:13 PM
Well that's embarrassing, posted in the wrong thread.

"Servant of Fate" is up, a bit of a mix of cleric and warlock.

The trouble I had making the class -- besides the fact that I can't make anything simple -- was
1) I've firmly established in my own game worlds that only divine magic can see the future, because mortal minds can't handle more than a few seconds out
2) time travel is nearly impossible to work in a multiplayer or complex game system, so "rewind the last round of battle", however useful that might be, would be nearly impossible to use

I'm not 100% thrilled with the results, and (hopefully) it's more underpowered than overpowered. But, hey, if even one person thinks it's interesting I've done my job.

As always, entering was fun, and I look forward to voting on other people's entries!

Yunru
2019-11-08, 11:04 AM
Mechanically shouldn't they also include a sample subclass?
For instance, a Druid without a subclass has maybe 3 features? Judging a class without knowing how much of the weight is assigned to potential subclasses would be really hard, no?

Breccia
2019-11-08, 03:11 PM
Mechanically shouldn't they also include a sample subclass?

I think there's a separate thread for subclass contests.

Yunru
2019-11-08, 03:27 PM
I think there's a separate thread for subclass contests.

My point was subclasses are an extremely large part of class balance.

MoleMage
2019-11-10, 02:26 AM
I highly recommend that everyone creates at least one subclass for whatever base class they make, but because the rules posted when this contest started don't have a specific mention of subclasses, your entry will not be disqualified for lacking them. I'll update the rules for the next contest if people generally agree that they should specify the need for subclasses.

Also, I updated the Clockwinder post with the core info and enough techniques to get started. I'll add more techniques as I think of them, but would really appreciate some feedback if anyone is up for it.

sengmeng
2019-11-10, 12:01 PM
Huge overall of the Speedster. Biggest is that some of the more broken features were removed or had the penalty of incuring a level of exhaustion added to them.

Leathalsandwich
2019-11-23, 04:18 PM
Does this end at December 5th??

MoleMage
2019-11-23, 04:58 PM
Does this end at December 5th??

December 8th. I mistyped previously. The date is correct in the contest thread.

Lanth Sor
2019-11-27, 01:18 PM
So I have the core of the Mage complete. I need help with spell lists though, I want 2 font spells per level. Any good sources or spell suggestions?

MoleMage
2019-11-27, 02:35 PM
Per a request for extension, I'm going to move the deadline out to December 22nd (two extra weeks). Hopefully this gives everyone time to wrap up some polish without cutting into any holiday plans they have in December. I'll make an extra-long voting thread after to make sure our new contest starts in the new year.

I'm still looking for feedback on the Clockwinder (and suggestions for more Techniques), and I'll try to get feedback on the reworked/recently added classes up over the coming weekend.

BerzerkerUnit
2019-11-28, 11:06 PM
I like the art for the Mage.

On its face it might be broken all to hell around 11th level. If I'm reading it right, Disintegration as your opening gambit for every fight seems a bit too strong. At 17th, Time Stop twice a combat seems similarly troublesome.

I'm also not sure I like the lack of subclasses. Maybe if you had one to specialize in shaping spells and another to specialize in Self only spells (channeling the spell into their form for various buffs) and another to specialize in mage combat (damming the enemy caster's spell flow or channeling it, like a capstone to use whisps of their casting to cast a spell of your own at a lower level as a reaction, so just casting a spell in front of you is dangerous)?

The Arc Cantrip I like. I'd like it more like this:

Arc
Range 30
You create an arc of electricity between two creatures within 5 feet of each other that you can see. The arc deals 1d6 lighting damage to each target that fails a dexterity save. If either target would have total cover from the other, the spell fails. The damage and maximum distance between targets increases to 2d6 and 10 ft at 5th, 3d6 and 15 ft at 11th, and 4d6 and 20 feet at 17th. If other creatures occupy spaces between the two targets, the damage dice become d4s but they also become targets of the spell.

I'll also submit the class names Etheriamancer, Conductor, and Manawright (reserving the the right to use it myself later). When the contest is over, if you want to develop it a little further for submission to the DMs Guild, I'd be up for the collaboration, just DM me.

Actually, I'm just about always interested in submitting stuff to the DM's Guild, so if any of you guys wanted to do contest anthology books we could stack entries together and split sales or choose a charity for the proceeds. Let me know if interested.

Leathalsandwich
2019-12-01, 04:37 PM
For the clockwinder, it makes more sense , to me, for the chronometer to unwind then activate , also to make the unwind time shorter. This means you have to get in position for the temporal technique but don’t have to be in position to activate it. Then maybe allow them to hold the activation as an action (maybe?).

Just my speculation

Lanth Sor
2019-12-02, 02:42 PM
I like the art for the Mage.


To bad I probably couldn't use it in an official capacity :( . But I love that pic too.



On its face it might be broken all to hell around 11th level. If I'm reading it right, Disintegration as your opening gambit for every fight seems a bit too strong. At 17th, Time Stop twice a combat seems similarly troublesome.


Yeah finding the balance to make it work right with spell slots is harder then doing points. The intention is to use the big spells early. But working on the spell lists is something I was looking for help on being rather new to 5e spells. Time Stop is one spell i could see nixing form the list as it would still allow arcane to pick it up a +1 spell level. Also just looked at disintegrate, WOW.



I'm also not sure I like the lack of subclasses. Maybe if you had one to specialize in shaping spells and another to specialize in Self only spells (channeling the spell into their form for various buffs) and another to specialize in mage combat (damming the enemy caster's spell flow or channeling it, like a capstone to use whisps of their casting to cast a spell of your own at a lower level as a reaction, so just casting a spell in front of you is dangerous)?


The Fonts are to fill the roll of subclasses. The only font that does something other than damage is arcane. I had planned on more fonts, but scope is held me up. I can see doing Enhancement Font, or maybe a nature/primal font. I see spells as what should set casters apart thus the unique spell lists.



The Arc Cantrip I like. I'd like it more like this:

Arc
Range 30
You create an arc of electricity between two creatures within 5 feet of each other that you can see. The arc deals 1d6 lighting damage to each target that fails a dexterity save. If either target would have total cover from the other, the spell fails. The damage and maximum distance between targets increases to 2d6 and 10 ft at 5th, 3d6 and 15 ft at 11th, and 4d6 and 20 feet at 17th. If other creatures occupy spaces between the two targets, the damage dice become d4s but they also become targets of the spell.


Thanks, I haven't made any 5e spells before so I was unfamiliar with their rules, and I actually don't play 5E. :D



I'll also submit the class names Etheriamancer, Conductor, and Manawright (reserving the the right to use it myself later). When the contest is over, if you want to develop it a little further for submission to the DMs Guild, I'd be up for the collaboration, just DM me.

Actually, I'm just about always interested in submitting stuff to the DM's Guild, so if any of you guys wanted to do contest anthology books we could stack entries together and split sales or choose a charity for the proceeds. Let me know if interested.

Those names are good, but I like the mage, because its the obvious choice avoided like the plague in D&D

Breccia
2019-12-03, 09:06 AM
I'm still looking for feedback on the Clockwinder

Fair enough.

I've decided to list twelve, because clock.

1) There should be a cost associated with making a new stopwatch or clockwork weapon. If the DM breaks the wizard's wand or fighter's sword, there's a cost associated with that, too. Now, that's the dedicated crafter in me talking, not the "DM interested in game balance", but in most D&D settings making a stopwatch should probably take more than a few hours because gears and springs are neither easy to make nor common to find.
2) The wording of "you may add your ability bonus to the damage of both of these weapons" should probably be clarified, because you already add your ability bonus to your main hand and I doubt you want to add it again.
3) The Clockwinder takes a significant damage loss when their stopwatch is ready, but they choose not to use it because they're waiting for a more opportune time.
4a) I don't see anything in here about the Clockwinder either making magic weapons, or even bypassing resistance as if it was magic, and against many foes that's crippling.
4b) Also, they don't seem to have the ability to make magic armor. Considering how much they lose when not using their clockwork items, at higher levels, this is crippling.
4c) My solution to both, and also part of 1 I guess, is to have clockwork weapons modified weapons they find. "Say, you know what that longsword +1 could use?" Tempus says, "an hour hand, a ticking sound, and a chainsaw blade!"
5) I may have missed it, but what's the Save DC against time powers?
6) "Displacement Winder" should add the text "that you can see" because I don't like the idea of teleportiing through locked doors at 3rd level.
7) I love everything about "Gravity Bubble" except the name, because I don't see why Gravity has to get involved in Time. Surely their enhanced reaction speeds would just let them point towards the bleachers and swat the projectile back at the source?
8) Please re-word "Skip" because it's not that clear. Do they appear at the start or end of their next turn? Or, do they appear at the end of their next turn, then do something else at the start of the following turn?
9) Okay this is really nitpicky, but, if a Clockwinder uses Undo, their stopwatch is technically rewinding when they re-roll the damage, so they get to add the damage bonus?
10) "Rewind" is problematic, because it takes an Action and you said it could be used after Attacking which is also an Action.
11) The class has extremely limited ranged ability, other than (a) closing the distance with increased movement speed (b) dropping Disadvantage with their only ranged weapon attack if they're a Scout. or (c) using "Splinter" on the wizard. True, not every class has good ranged ability, but these guys seem weaker than most, and I don't think clockwork weapons can even be ranged (it's not spelled out and suggests the answer is "no"). Honestly, a clockwork crossbow sounds pretty cool.
12) A character class based on clock parts and leaping around never once uses the word "Coocoo".

You asked for other Techniques. Perhaps a defensive one or two? Split-second Reactions seem particularly handy, as it makes it easy for the Clockwinder to keep their weapons fully charged for maximum damage and fits their melee/defender feel.

MoleMage
2019-12-03, 10:38 AM
Fair enough.

I've decided to list twelve, because clock.

1) There should be a cost associated with making a new stopwatch or clockwork weapon. If the DM breaks the wizard's wand or fighter's sword, there's a cost associated with that, too. Now, that's the dedicated crafter in me talking, not the "DM interested in game balance", but in most D&D settings making a stopwatch should probably take more than a few hours because gears and springs are neither easy to make nor common to find.
2) The wording of "you may add your ability bonus to the damage of both of these weapons" should probably be clarified, because you already add your ability bonus to your main hand and I doubt you want to add it again.
3) The Clockwinder takes a significant damage loss when their stopwatch is ready, but they choose not to use it because they're waiting for a more opportune time.
4a) I don't see anything in here about the Clockwinder either making magic weapons, or even bypassing resistance as if it was magic, and against many foes that's crippling.
4b) Also, they don't seem to have the ability to make magic armor. Considering how much they lose when not using their clockwork items, at higher levels, this is crippling.
4c) My solution to both, and also part of 1 I guess, is to have clockwork weapons modified weapons they find. "Say, you know what that longsword +1 could use?" Tempus says, "an hour hand, a ticking sound, and a chainsaw blade!"
5) I may have missed it, but what's the Save DC against time powers?
6) "Displacement Winder" should add the text "that you can see" because I don't like the idea of teleportiing through locked doors at 3rd level.
7) I love everything about "Gravity Bubble" except the name, because I don't see why Gravity has to get involved in Time. Surely their enhanced reaction speeds would just let them point towards the bleachers and swat the projectile back at the source?
8) Please re-word "Skip" because it's not that clear. Do they appear at the start or end of their next turn? Or, do they appear at the end of their next turn, then do something else at the start of the following turn?
9) Okay this is really nitpicky, but, if a Clockwinder uses Undo, their stopwatch is technically rewinding when they re-roll the damage, so they get to add the damage bonus?
10) "Rewind" is problematic, because it takes an Action and you said it could be used after Attacking which is also an Action.
11) The class has extremely limited ranged ability, other than (a) closing the distance with increased movement speed (b) dropping Disadvantage with their only ranged weapon attack if they're a Scout. or (c) using "Splinter" on the wizard. True, not every class has good ranged ability, but these guys seem weaker than most, and I don't think clockwork weapons can even be ranged (it's not spelled out and suggests the answer is "no"). Honestly, a clockwork crossbow sounds pretty cool.
12) A character class based on clock parts and leaping around never once uses the word "Coocoo".

You asked for other Techniques. Perhaps a defensive one or two? Split-second Reactions seem particularly handy, as it makes it easy for the Clockwinder to keep their weapons fully charged for maximum damage and fits their melee/defender feel.

I used twelve for the die size of chronometers for the same reason.

1) I considered this and the main reason why I didn't is because I couldn't settle on a cost. I'll probably add one in, maybe 15g per chronometer? That puts it about in line with weapons and the moderate focuses. I'm still going to allow it to be reconstructed over a long rest provided the character has materials, though more for game balance reasons than for logic reasons.
2) Yes, it's supposed to duplicate the Fighting Style like the other choices for Clockwork Weapons. I'll fix the wording (and make it stronger, see below).
3) I'm comfortable with this behavior, but upon reflection I should make the benefits for having a chronometer winding bigger. I'll see about boosting these effects.
4abc) I can't believe I overlooked the magic weapon thing. Really the baseline weapons should count as magical, but I like the solution presented in c. I'm going to try a variant of that.
5) You didn't, I just failed to put it in there. It should be Intelligence.
6) Fair point. It's meant to be a battlefield mobility thing primarily.
7) I figured Gravity distorts Time, why not the other way around? But you're right, it's a bit of a stretch. I'll think of names that better suit the theme of the class.
8) Skip should have said start of your next turn in both instances. I will fix this.
9) Writer's intent is yes. I hadn't considered that specific interaction, but I feel like it's the best interpretation.
10) Rewind is always an action. If you have Winding Strike (a bonus action normally only usable after attacking), it can also be used after using Rewind. I'll see if I can't find a better way to word that.
11) While the brassbound warrior is limited in ranged ability (due to not getting a Clockwork Striker option for ranged attacks), the class as a whole is no more limited in ranged combat than a fighter. None of their techniques are melee restricted and some (like Duplicate Strike) are actually more useful with a ranged weapon. I definitely did write it with a lean towards melee play, but I think there are enough creative uses that a ranged build would be viable. That said, the changes I'm planning as a result of point 4 should help resolve this by giving the Brassbound Warrior the option to create a ranged striker.
12) It's hard to make a pocket-sized coocoo clock.

Breccia
2019-12-03, 11:00 AM
4abc) I can't believe I overlooked the magic weapon thing.

It's the kind of thing that happens when you make something as complex as a..um...something with a lot of gears and springs and fine mechanisms, I'm blanking on an example.

While you're looking at 1/4, consider the option of silver, adamantium, and cold iron clockwork weapons.

I should add, I like the way this class feels, and if anything I feel it's a little undertuned since (for example) the Brassbounds are like fighters, but sacrificing some power for flexibility. I can't give you an answer because you'll win the contest oh no I've said too much because there isn't an obvious "fix", but, it wouldn't bother me if they had a bonus to initiative rolls or more reliable self-healing.

MoleMage
2019-12-03, 12:27 PM
I see you've used exhaustion to gate a lot of the more fight-breaking abilities of the class. While my knee-jerk reaction was that a class resource would be a better gate for this, I think exhaustion works. The only concern is that exhaustion's normal usage is highly dependent on table (if your DM doesn't do environmental exhaustion, you'll be able to use your features with a lot more freedom than if they do).
The new version of Speed Force is a little unclear. Do I have to move in ten foot increments for the whole turn? If I choose 15 foot increments does that come with a corresponding increase in move speed?
Limiting Static Charge is good, but limiting it to movement over 30 feet seems ineffectual to a class that can comfortably run 120 feet every turn out the gate (dash plus Speed Force).
Adroit's new effect is odd, but I like the extension of bonus actions.
Lightning Recovery is good, as it allows the speedster to access their abilities more often at the highest tier. It is odd that it doesn't do anything for recovery outside of initiative though. If I get into five fights I can recover from the brink of death to no exhaustion, but if I spend the same amount of time resting, I get nothing? I'd allow a long rest to remove all levels of exhaustion but also require the speedster to eat a corresponding amount of food and drink (two levels of exhaustion requires two rations and twice as much water as normal for the character, and so on).
Lightning Master no longer gets the ability to use static charge powers without spending charge, which was my biggest concern. They're still going to be dealing big chunks of lightning damage, but now they have to wait a few turns in between, taking pot-shots with weapon attacks while they build up. I think it's better.



Overall, you've addressed a lot of the bigger issues that weren't rooted in just being mind-bendingly fast. No more infinite healing, no more ~80 lightning damage per turn indefinitely, a lot of the more extreme uses of the speed powers now cause exhaustion. They still can move into and out of something's range remarkably easily even at early levels but there are tactics that NPCs and smarter monsters could employ against them (readied actions being the most obvious, though enclosed spaces and, hilariously, narrow hallways with corners because of the requirement to move in 10-foot increments are also available).





You've got some "warlocks" in the HP section.
I'm a big fan of the spellcasting mechanic, except for one thing: it breaks the normal long-rest limitations on 6th level and higher spells. There are a few ways that you could handle this. My personal suggestion is to just stop their spell list at 5th level spells. This allows them to upcast 5th level and lower spells to 9th level multiple times per day (a unique trait) without letting them get into the reality-warping cookie jar of things like Time Stop and Power Words. You can reintroduce 6th level and up spells through a Mystic Arcanum style feature or even just give them specific spells as class features with extra benefits ("You can cast Time Stop once per long rest. Using Esoteric Font while time is stopped raises your spell slot level by an extra stage"). Another option would be to restrict Esoteric Font to a maximum of 5th level, but that would not be great as their first spell would be the only one allowed to be the maximum level.
Esoteric Font builds in power fairly well over time, though in the later levels it would be good to have more in combat ability to quickly boost so the class can get at least a couple good spells off. Maybe eventually let them spend multiple charges as a single action?
Shaped Font's wording is confusing. It seems like all fonts get the universal Mage spell list and their own font as "font spells" that aren't penalized by this ability, so how would a Mage learn a spell that is penalized? Through multiclassing or feats? If that's the only way to get a penalized spell, I would just remove the penalties altogether. If there's another way to get a penalized spell (like Mages can learn spells from other fonts' lists innately), you should make it more clear that that can happen.
The spell list looks fine.




Shaped Fonts should give a feature at 3rd level other than expanded spell list. It doesn't have to be a big feature, but they should get something.
I see a lot of World of Warcraft talents in these feature names. Nice.
The Shocked feature of the Lightning Font can cause outright death too easily (Chain Lightning upcast to 9th level can instantly apply a save-or-die effect to six chosen targets, with no risk of splash damage). In 5e, most effects that used to be save-or-die are now save-or-take a huge chunk of psychic/force/necrotic damage.
The 19th level features of Fire and Lightning should have a limit on use. Lightning's Conductive Currents is also odd in that it scales not with the spell slot spent to trigger it, but with the spell's base level.


If you're looking for more ideas for spells to go on font lists, I suggest checking out cleric domains, both the 5th edition ones and the 3.5 ones (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/clericDomains.htm) (which go all the way to 9th level). Most of these spells were included in some form or another in 5e (though some got merged, like Cure Wounds being one spell instead of many, and others got shifted like Conjure Monster's line being split into type-specific summoning).






Not all saving throws are considered equal. Wisdom, Constitution, and Dexterity are considered "good" or "primary" saves, because most effects that players will encounter fall into one of those three categories. Conversely, Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma are considered "secondary" saves, because they are less common and often less penalizing. Every official class so far has one primary and one secondary save, and it is generally considered to be an intended design principle of class building. With that in mind, if you want the saves to be based on subclass choice, you could either give the base class a secondary save and assign each subclass a different primary save, or you could give the base class a primary save and each subclass a secondary.
Four skills is a pretty restricting list. The shortest list in the PHB is the cleric, who chooses from 5 skills.
You have a lot of "dead" levels. Specifically, levels 2, 7, 13, 15, 17, and 18. While each of these gives either an additional flux or additional known anomaly (except for 18, which gives nothing at all), generally a level is considered to be not a dead level only if it gives a feature or a new level of effect (hence why I did not include 5 or 11 in this list, as getting access to Moderate or Major anomalies is effectively a "feature"). Level 17 is especially problematic as characters generally get a fairly sizable upgrade at level 17 (Fighters get their second action surge, spellcasters get 9th level spells, etc.). You can expand your subclasses to get a couple of these filled, while others could be filled with incremental improvements or utility features.
You don't have anything in the table for level 19, which should grant the class's final Ability Score Improvement.
Is the restriction on anomalies or twists of fate from other timelines total or per timeline?
I like that each anomaly has three levels, rather than each level having a list of anomalies at that level.
A formatting-only suggestion: It would be easier to read anomalies if their names were in bold, and Major/Minor/Moderate were also given some way to spot them more easily. For example, you could format them like this:


Wound Reversal
The Servant of Fate can pull flesh and blood back into place, healing wounds.

Minor
By spending a Standard Action and 1 Flux, the Servant of Fate can repair damage to a living creature. The Servant of Fate must touch the wounded creature to use this ability.

The damage healed is 1d6, plus an additional 1d6 per three Servant of Fate levels, plus the Servant of Fate’s Wisdom modifier. These dice become 1d8 when the Servant of Fate heals their own wounds.

Moderate
In addition to the Minor benefits, the recipient may also choose to spend up to two of their own Hit Dice.

Major
In addition to the Minor and Moderate benefits, the Servant of Fate may use this ability as a Reaction to an available target taking damage from any attack. If they do so, that entire damage is healed, rather than rolling healing dice.

In addition, the Servant of Fate may leave a short-term lingering effect on anyone they healed. If more healing is used on a target than the damage they’ve taken, that target gets half (rounded down) of the excess as temporary hit points which last one minute.

You occasionally reference Standard Actions and Move Actions. These no longer exist in 5e. Actions would be the closest to a Standard Action in older editions (being the primary thing you do each turn), while movement does not require any type of action and is simply part of the turn.
I mentioned expanding subclasses above. I suggest adding at least two more levels that grant Timeline features. Official classes have differing numbers of subclass features, but the range goes from 3 (Bard) to 5 (Cleric and Fighter), with most classes getting four subclass features.



Overall, I think you have a good framework in place, and I like the mechanics around the anomalies' use. It could use some wording cleanup to make it fit more in the 5e action system, and it needs filling out in the core class, but the hard part (Anomalies and Twists) looks well polished.


I think I came to look at this this mid-update, as when I skimmed it previously there was text for all of the features, but now most of them are just an empty header. I'll check back tomorrow, but if you aren't updating it your link seems to have broken at some point since you posted it.

Breccia
2019-12-03, 07:16 PM
LIST

I've made some quick underlining and added 19th level, but you're 100% right about dead levels. It was something I struggled with and didn't find a great answer. Since the subclasses currently don't do all that much, other than restrict which effects you can take, it should be the fix, but it's going to happen when I'm not downing a bowl of chicken chili with the finest cheddar in the states with one hand and chugging black coffee in the other.

UPDATE: The archetypes now have three skills not two, and abilities at 7th, 13th, and 18th levels. I could not find a realistic way to change the Future saves from Dexterity, so I tried to make their archetypes a little weaker to compensate. There might still be room for improvement, but that's what I've done for now.

MoleMage
2019-12-06, 08:18 PM
I've rewritten Clockwork Weapon and Clockwork Armor so they are modifications to existing weapons/armor instead of creating new ones. I also changed the effects of Clockwork Weapon to provide a slightly greater baseline level of power and added a unique effect specifically for ranged weapons.

I renamed Gravity Well to Arrow Time (like bullet time).

Further, I've added new defensive techniques: Distort, Interrupt, and Phase. I also added a new utility technique in Extend, a new all-around technique in Predict, and a new subclass-specific technique in Warp (for Timespace Scout, and yes, it stacks with Displacement Warrior). I'm working on ideas for further exclusives still.

Finally, I fixed the wording on a couple features (Displacement Warrior now requires sight, some Brassbound features were updated to match the new versions of Clockwork Weapon, and a couple of techniques had their effects clarified).

EDIT: Added the first Brassbound exclusive technique (Reach) and saving throw DC calculation for techniques. Also put in a cost of 15g to replace a lost chronometer.

sengmeng
2019-12-06, 08:55 PM
I see you've used exhaustion to gate a lot of the more fight-breaking abilities of the class. While my knee-jerk reaction was that a class resource would be a better gate for this, I think exhaustion works. The only concern is that exhaustion's normal usage is highly dependent on table (if your DM doesn't do environmental exhaustion, you'll be able to use your features with a lot more freedom than if they do).
The new version of Speed Force is a little unclear. Do I have to move in ten foot increments for the whole turn? If I choose 15 foot increments does that come with a corresponding increase in move speed?
Limiting Static Charge is good, but limiting it to movement over 30 feet seems ineffectual to a class that can comfortably run 120 feet every turn out the gate (dash plus Speed Force).
Adroit's new effect is odd, but I like the extension of bonus actions.
Lightning Recovery is good, as it allows the speedster to access their abilities more often at the highest tier. It is odd that it doesn't do anything for recovery outside of initiative though. If I get into five fights I can recover from the brink of death to no exhaustion, but if I spend the same amount of time resting, I get nothing? I'd allow a long rest to remove all levels of exhaustion but also require the speedster to eat a corresponding amount of food and drink (two levels of exhaustion requires two rations and twice as much water as normal for the character, and so on).
Lightning Master no longer gets the ability to use static charge powers without spending charge, which was my biggest concern. They're still going to be dealing big chunks of lightning damage, but now they have to wait a few turns in between, taking pot-shots with weapon attacks while they build up. I think it's better.



Overall, you've addressed a lot of the bigger issues that weren't rooted in just being mind-bendingly fast. No more infinite healing, no more ~80 lightning damage per turn indefinitely, a lot of the more extreme uses of the speed powers now cause exhaustion. They still can move into and out of something's range remarkably easily even at early levels but there are tactics that NPCs and smarter monsters could employ against them (readied actions being the most obvious, though enclosed spaces and, hilariously, narrow hallways with corners because of the requirement to move in 10-foot increments are also available).


Thanks for the feedback! I will definitely be implementing the idea of eating rations to eliminate exhaustion, and I'm trying to figure out a better wording for the speed force/incremental movement confusion. Would a better limit for static charge be doubling the distance to 1 point per 10 feet?

Leathalsandwich
2019-12-07, 07:30 PM
May I suggest a theme?

If I can my proposal is:

Rebooting old Dnd classes (From older editions ) to Dnd 5e

Lanth Sor
2019-12-09, 02:05 PM
You've got some "warlocks" in the HP section.
I'm a big fan of the spellcasting mechanic, except for one thing: it breaks the normal long-rest limitations on 6th level and higher spells. There are a few ways that you could handle this. My personal suggestion is to just stop their spell list at 5th level spells. This allows them to upcast 5th level and lower spells to 9th level multiple times per day (a unique trait) without letting them get into the reality-warping cookie jar of things like Time Stop and Power Words. You can reintroduce 6th level and up spells through a Mystic Arcanum style feature or even just give them specific spells as class features with extra benefits ("You can cast Time Stop once per long rest. Using Esoteric Font while time is stopped raises your spell slot level by an extra stage"). Another option would be to restrict Esoteric Font to a maximum of 5th level, but that would not be great as their first spell would be the only one allowed to be the maximum level.
Esoteric Font builds in power fairly well over time, though in the later levels it would be good to have more in combat ability to quickly boost so the class can get at least a couple good spells off. Maybe eventually let them spend multiple charges as a single action?
Shaped Font's wording is confusing. It seems like all fonts get the universal Mage spell list and their own font as "font spells" that aren't penalized by this ability, so how would a Mage learn a spell that is penalized? Through multiclassing or feats? If that's the only way to get a penalized spell, I would just remove the penalties altogether. If there's another way to get a penalized spell (like Mages can learn spells from other fonts' lists innately), you should make it more clear that that can happen.
The spell list looks fine.




Shaped Fonts should give a feature at 3rd level other than expanded spell list. It doesn't have to be a big feature, but they should get something.
I see a lot of World of Warcraft talents in these feature names. Nice.
The Shocked feature of the Lightning Font can cause outright death too easily (Chain Lightning upcast to 9th level can instantly apply a save-or-die effect to six chosen targets, with no risk of splash damage). In 5e, most effects that used to be save-or-die are now save-or-take a huge chunk of psychic/force/necrotic damage.
The 19th level features of Fire and Lightning should have a limit on use. Lightning's Conductive Currents is also odd in that it scales not with the spell slot spent to trigger it, but with the spell's base level.


If you're looking for more ideas for spells to go on font lists, I suggest checking out cleric domains, both the 5th edition ones and the 3.5 ones (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spellLists/clericDomains.htm) (which go all the way to 9th level). Most of these spells were included in some form or another in 5e (though some got merged, like Cure Wounds being one spell instead of many, and others got shifted like Conjure Monster's line being split into type-specific summoning).






You've got some "warlocks" in the HP section.

oops, thanks


Below is my update to fix this issue.

Spells of 6 level or higher may only be cast 1 time per long rest even if you have a spell slot high enough to cast them. This does not effect spells that can be cast at level lower than 6th. The limit increases by 1 per spell of that level. Ie a mage learns chain lightning and circle of death, they may cast two 6th level spells each long rest.

Updated below

Shaped Font:
At the 3rd level the mage learns enough to occlude themselves from particular energies while empowering their connection to others. The Mage selects one energy source as their focus. You may cast spells on any font list, but spells not on your font's spell list are cast 2 level lower then the expended spell slot, and cantrips are cast as if your level was 5 levels lower. You cannot cast a spell if its effective level would be below the minimum spell slot level, IE if you chose Frost Font, casting fireball would require a 5th level spell slot and would deal damage as if cast using a 3rd level slot.

Added proficiencies or similar tier things to them.

It was a significant inspiration. I love how mana works.

I nerfed the effect of shock to 1/2 spell level.

Added a minimum slot level to fire of 4th, and set lightning to use font uses.

sengmeng
2019-12-09, 03:25 PM
Uhh, I think some unspoilered pics or quotes are wrecking my browser. Not sure who might be the culprit (could be my browser), but can we try to clean this up?

Edit: I think it might be me. I'll look at on a desktop browser when I'm home.

Edit edit: I hesitate to point fingers, but it may be Lanth Sor doing an unspoilered quote of Molemage's entire feedback post. I can't really tell. It could be my fault, but I can't delete the offending reply of mine that I'm suspicious of.

Leathalsandwich
2019-12-09, 04:04 PM
Not just you. Now I am worried.

Edit: I agree it’s like a quote of a quote maybe we should just respond without quotes when we can

sengmeng
2019-12-09, 09:25 PM
Now it looks fine. Did anyone else see the problem?

MoleMage
2019-12-10, 12:11 AM
Now it looks fine. Did anyone else see the problem?

Yeah I saw it on desktop earlier. Worked okay on mobile. It is better now.

Lanth Sor
2019-12-10, 09:09 AM
Yeah sorry that was my error, I had no idea that could happen. I was so confused.


Edit: I just discovered D&D beyond Spell search function, so much easier to find elemental spells.

sengmeng
2019-12-10, 05:45 PM
Yeah sorry that was my error, I had no idea that could happen. I was so confused.

I'd say it can happen to the best of us, but I have no idea what happened.

Leathalsandwich
2019-12-11, 05:00 PM
Not to be super needy or pushy but I would appreciate feedback on the maven class.

MoleMage
2019-12-16, 05:00 PM
Not to be super needy or pushy but I would appreciate feedback on the maven class.

Sorry about the delay, real life always gets busy for me this time of year.




The connection to the theme seems tenuous. I get that they are someone who has dedicated a long time to mastering something, but that really only shows up in the Weapon of Choice feature description, and it also doesn't stand out from similar classes already in existence like the Monk or Wizard.
What happens if you lose your weapon of choice? Can you repair it? Replace it? Does the replacement need to be of the same type?
Accuracy dice is a cool feature, but the wording could be cleared up to make it easier to scan. Compare the wording on Bardic Inspiration.
Cunning Dodge: I would limit this to light armor and no shields. The character could become proficient in another armor type through feats or multiclassing and their armor class would be unreasonably high (one level of Fighter before multiclassing into Maven would give heavy armor (18), defensive fighting style (+1), shield proficiency (+2), and Int (+1-5), for a possible armor class of 26 not counting spells or magic items. The best any existing class can do without magic is the barbarian, who can reach 24 armor class with a shield and maximum dex and con at level 20. Even limiting this to just the Maven's natural proficiencies, they could potentially hit 23 armor class with max dex and int (which is already better than heavy armor without magic).
You have Cunning Dodge in your table twice, but it gives no improvement at level 10.
Precise Strike is too situational at level 5 (it does nothing for monsters that are already normally affected by your weapon) and too strong at level 18 (effectively doubling your damage against most enemies).
Deadly Strike is a rather underwhelming feature on a class that doesn't give a boost to critical hit chance (either through reliable advantage like the barbarian or through increased crit range like the champion).
True Genius breaks the armor class issue open again, but it's a capstone so I don't mind as much here.




Warrior: This subclass is the only way the Maven has to get reliable additional attacks. Feared Warrior should probably require that the creature actually be wielding the weapon (as monsters generally don't have proficiencies listed for weapons, and humanoids of any martial class will be proficient in almost all weapons).
Soldier: Adding proficiency more than once to attack rolls at will is too strong, especially for level 2. At level 18 or so I'd be less concerned, but that is ripe for multiclassing abuse (as well as GWM/Sharpshooter abuse). Find Vulnerability should probably be relative to the target's armor class rather than flat. Swift Strikes is a cool feature, and Mental Discipline is fine.



Overall, the class has weird scaling. Its theoretical maximums for accuracy and armor class are higher than anything currently in the game, but its damage output is limited in that it only gets increased damage on critical hits. Soldier seems stronger than Warrior for that reason. Its boosts to damage put it significantly ahead of other classes at low levels (especially with feats allowed), but it doesn't keep up at higher levels until it gets Precise Strike II, at which point it basically blows other sustained damage classes out of the water (with feats, the Soldier can get a static bonus of +21 to weapon damage, which is doubled against most enemies).

Leathalsandwich
2019-12-18, 05:06 PM
Thanks for the feedback, and I understand completely about this time of year.
In response to the No additional attacks thing, I think of this playing like:

I make 1 attack and have a super high likelyhood of hitting ( up to 100% )


Then do a considerable amount, enough to still contribute to combat.
If they multiclass into fighter for more attacks the miss out on potential damage in that attack.

If I attacks when using an accuracy dice would that be fine?

Maven Class Changes
I made some changes based on your feedback.
I changed the wording on accuracy dice (thanks)
and gave you more (still not sure about that)
I changed some features including the Cunning dodge feature.
Added missing features and added more weight to accuracy dice

PairO'Dice Lost
2019-12-22, 11:39 PM
Welp, I just noticed this contest earlier today, so I pounded out a last-minute entry and got it posted in the nick of time. Hopefully the verbiage is clear enough and the balance isn't too wonky.

Leathalsandwich
2019-12-23, 07:44 AM
Can you direct me to the voting thread.

If it isn't posted this makes me seem like pushy doesn't it.

MoleMage
2019-12-23, 01:28 PM
Voting thread is now up!

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?605256-D-amp-D-5e-Base-Class-Contest-IX-Voting-Thread&p=24323502#post24323502

MoleMage
2020-01-09, 12:21 AM
Only a few days left to vote and only three people have voted. Get those votes in, folks!

MoleMage
2020-01-20, 06:00 PM
Alright, I guess it's time to call this so we can get to the new contest. Votes are tallied, and results are as follows:

Our third place winner at 5 points is Breccia with the Servant of Fate! Implement the new Anomalies system in order to produce magical effects of a variety of power levels!

In second place at 8 points, PairO'Dice Losts's last-hour entry The Conductor. With one of the most unique class resources in this contest to date, Time Signature ensures that this class is always doing something, but also that their something changes from round to round.

In first place at 10 points, MoleMage's Clockwinder. Using wind-up devices, you can manipulate personal or general time, but once you do, they need to be rewound. Good thing you also have a big clockwork weapon or the skills to move about quickly!

It looks like there were three votes for Classes from Previous Editions, compared to two each for Partial Casters and Heroes from Myth, so that will be our theme for contest X. Expect to see the new thread in the next few minutes!

Voting has concluded on contest IX! Contest X will arrive shortly!