MrStabby
2020-03-21, 08:22 PM
So over the years I have done a lot of homebrew for my table, with a bit of a break but want to get back into it. I have a few ideas I want to pick up and play about with. What I could use some help with is feedback on which sound like they would be the most fun/attractive.
Idea 1
Hoarder of ancient secrets
The basic thrust of this class is that it would have access to a massive number of really diverse spells in its spell list but could only prepare a really small number per day. It would have a mechanic to swap spells though. I am thinking spells prepared equal to 1/3 class level rounding up all fractions and as a bonus action can swap a spell prepared for another a number of times equal to your spells prepared. The highly restricted spellcasting is offeset by a huge choice and it will need some pretty powerful class abilities as well. This is to appeal to a player with a high level of system matery who wants difficult choices every day - big list to pick from, narrow selection and to have to chose between specialist and generalist should make choices tougher. I believe no class should be able to do everything and this will have no summoning spells on the class list and a limited selection of buff spells.
Idea 2
Denizen of filth
Another caster which will epitomise filth. Spells like cloudkill, harm, stinking cloud and an ability to summon rat swarms and other vermin. I am thinking to have some kind of buff to cloud based spells - "when a creature is in a heavily obscured area caused by a spell you cast XYZ" type thing. The challenges are that the class will end up having most of its saved being Con focused which is a bit restrictive. This might require homebrewing some class spells as well to use attack rolls or other saves - a lot of things involving fluids are str saves. One advantage of this is that thematic spells for this idea get quite thing at high levels
One downside is that the concept is a bit narrow so would require more effort on subclasses. I was envisaging them being on the martial side of caster, a bit like clerics, so one with a touch or rogue to them and one with a little more melee presence might work OK.
Idea 3
Fatestealer
The supernatural counterpart to the rogue. So a rogue can steal a purse, steal an idol and steal away in the shadows. Rogues are cool. But there is something more that is missing. I think a character that can steal your dreams, steal your fate and walk off with all your good luck would be good. Someone who can steal your memories and make you forget who you are. Someone who can steal your heart, your soul and your life. What this means mechanically I am not sure - I am envisaging something using Ki like a monk and using opposed skill checks to achieve various advantages and debilitating effects. Awesome at single target control with potential for some reasonable psychic damage with the right abilities.
Idea 4
Alternative... alternative class features.
I actually liked a lot of the stuff in the recent UA for alternative class features. What I would like though is a set of genuine alternatives that a) make a more profound difference to playing the class than just adding some spells to a spell list or similar and b) pose a genuine choice rather than "do you want this better feature or this worse feature?". What would fighter be like with an alternative to action surge? What would be as attractive? Can you create a more interesting support paladin by replacing divine smite with a different feature? What happens if you adjust cleric casting so it happens from a spellbook like a wizard? What would you need to add to compensate? I thought it might be fun to explore these as well.
If you were to have any of these (obviously with a lot more work added) available to you in a game would any of these excite you at all (and again depending on implementation)?
Idea 1
Hoarder of ancient secrets
The basic thrust of this class is that it would have access to a massive number of really diverse spells in its spell list but could only prepare a really small number per day. It would have a mechanic to swap spells though. I am thinking spells prepared equal to 1/3 class level rounding up all fractions and as a bonus action can swap a spell prepared for another a number of times equal to your spells prepared. The highly restricted spellcasting is offeset by a huge choice and it will need some pretty powerful class abilities as well. This is to appeal to a player with a high level of system matery who wants difficult choices every day - big list to pick from, narrow selection and to have to chose between specialist and generalist should make choices tougher. I believe no class should be able to do everything and this will have no summoning spells on the class list and a limited selection of buff spells.
Idea 2
Denizen of filth
Another caster which will epitomise filth. Spells like cloudkill, harm, stinking cloud and an ability to summon rat swarms and other vermin. I am thinking to have some kind of buff to cloud based spells - "when a creature is in a heavily obscured area caused by a spell you cast XYZ" type thing. The challenges are that the class will end up having most of its saved being Con focused which is a bit restrictive. This might require homebrewing some class spells as well to use attack rolls or other saves - a lot of things involving fluids are str saves. One advantage of this is that thematic spells for this idea get quite thing at high levels
One downside is that the concept is a bit narrow so would require more effort on subclasses. I was envisaging them being on the martial side of caster, a bit like clerics, so one with a touch or rogue to them and one with a little more melee presence might work OK.
Idea 3
Fatestealer
The supernatural counterpart to the rogue. So a rogue can steal a purse, steal an idol and steal away in the shadows. Rogues are cool. But there is something more that is missing. I think a character that can steal your dreams, steal your fate and walk off with all your good luck would be good. Someone who can steal your memories and make you forget who you are. Someone who can steal your heart, your soul and your life. What this means mechanically I am not sure - I am envisaging something using Ki like a monk and using opposed skill checks to achieve various advantages and debilitating effects. Awesome at single target control with potential for some reasonable psychic damage with the right abilities.
Idea 4
Alternative... alternative class features.
I actually liked a lot of the stuff in the recent UA for alternative class features. What I would like though is a set of genuine alternatives that a) make a more profound difference to playing the class than just adding some spells to a spell list or similar and b) pose a genuine choice rather than "do you want this better feature or this worse feature?". What would fighter be like with an alternative to action surge? What would be as attractive? Can you create a more interesting support paladin by replacing divine smite with a different feature? What happens if you adjust cleric casting so it happens from a spellbook like a wizard? What would you need to add to compensate? I thought it might be fun to explore these as well.
If you were to have any of these (obviously with a lot more work added) available to you in a game would any of these excite you at all (and again depending on implementation)?