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Kellus
2007-11-02, 10:51 PM
The Timethief

”Once I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.”

Time makes fools of everyone in the end. Canny individuals, however, through perseverence and study are able to glean some small insight into the flow of time. Through this rudimentary understanding of the underpinnings of consequentiality, they are able to effect ripples and distortions in the flow of time to better suit their purposes. These individuals are timethieves, scoundrels who alter and manipulate time to provide a favorable outcome.

Adventures: Timethieves go on adventures for many of the same reasons other adventurers do. Some are drawn by glory, others by riches. All timethieves, however, are dedicated to practicing their craft by manipulating time. In many cases, timethieves will actively hunt out mortal danger to test their control over the flow of time.

Alignment: A timethief may be of any alignment. Lawful timethieves use the natural order of the flow of time to bring things into a proper sequence. Chaotic timethieves delight in manipulating and altering one of the dimensional frameworks of reality. Good-aligned timethieves use their control over time to right past wrongs, while evil timethieves delight in prolonging pain and suffering.

Religion: Timethieves worship no specific deity. All gods have some timethieves among the ranks of their followers. Pious timethieves use their power over time to enact their god’s will in the mortal realm.

Background: A timethief can come from any heritage or history. The only thing they all share is a fascination with time and the order it imposes on the nature of reality.

Races: No race holds a great predilection for becoming timethieves. Members of all races can dream of the secrets held by time and seek to discover them. Kenkus (Monster Manual III) often become timethieves to enhance their cultural abilities to coordinate and aid their allies.

Other Classes: Almost all classes welcome the addition of a timethief. Some particularly strict classes, such as the paladin, may see their craft as an insult to the nature of the world. Most classes, however, welcome the unique skills and abilities that a timethief can offer to an adventuring party. Spellcasters in particular love timethieves for the longevity their temporal power can give them.

Role: Because of the exotic nature of their abilities, timethieves do not fill a standard role in an adventuring party. Instead, they focus exclusively on support and longevity. That is, they increase the effectiveness of the other members by manipulating time, and allow the party as a whole to travel longer and harder before requiring rest. A timethief excels in maintaining the power level of an adventuring group over long periods of time, and aiding them in combat. With a timethief in the party, the group need not be as concerned about conserving resources as they would otherwise be.

Game Rule Information

Abilities: Unique among adventuring classes, the timethief does not rely on any one ability score to be effective. The only thing required to excel as a timethief is a keen interest in the nature of time. As such, a timethief is free to pursue abilities or skills that interest her, and not neccessarily those required to be effective in combat.

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d6

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int

Table: The Timethief
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Paradox

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Paradox, synchronization, timed attack|3

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Recall spell|5

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Timetheft (tempo)|7

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Temporal metamagic|9

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Future power|11

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Time to act (lesser)|13

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Double take|15

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Timetheft (move action)|17

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+6|Segmented action|19

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|Erosion|21

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+7|Accelerated healing|23

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Infinite skill|25

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Timetheft (standard action)|27

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9|Eternal puissance|29

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|Time to act (greater)|31

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Time unraveled|33

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Expanded instant|35

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Timetheft (full-round action)|37

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Respin time|39

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Temporal anchor|41

[/table]

Class Skills

The timethief’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Cha), Speak Language (n/a), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Use Psionic Device (Cha), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Many of the timethief’s class features may only be used on an ally. They may not be used on the timethief herself, unless specifically described as applying to the timethief.

All of the following are class features of the timethief.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A timethief is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light and medium armor and shields (except tower shields).

Paradox (Su): The timethief uses her powers to meddle with the time flow. Her abilities cause ripples and distortions in the flow of time. A timethief can only be the cause of a limited amount of paradox in the time flow at a time. This is measured by points of paradox. As a timethief advances in experience, she gains a greater degree of control over time. She has a pool of paradox available at any one time as shown in Table: The Timethief. Her abilities use this paradox reserve to cause distortions and effects with the flow of time. Each ability has a cost in paradox points, which is subtracted from the timethief’s total paradox pool.

The flow of time is self-repairing. Every round in which the timethief does not use an ability which requires expending points of paradox, she regains 1 point of paradox. If she concentrates as a full-round action, she instead regains twice this amount. Actively regaining paradox in this way provokes attacks of opportunity.

Synchronization (Su): The timethief receives a bonus to initiative checks equal to one half her class level (minimum +1). In addition, every round she may choose to increase her initiative score by 1 for the duration of the battle. She may increase her initiative by more than 1 by expending points of paradox. For every point of paradox sacrificed, her initiative score increases by an additional 2. Increasing her initiative score is not an action.

If the timethief has the same initiative score as an ally within 30ft. (after adjustment), she may choose to synchronize with that ally. When synchronized, the two characters take their turns simultaneously. Many of her class features depend on her acting in synchronization with an ally.

The two characters must both choose actions without knowing the result of the other’s actions for the round. If there is any conflict as to which character goes first, the most beneficial series of events for the two characters comes to pass. For instance, if one of the characters is attacking a foe and the other character is casting bull’s strength on the other, the attacking character receives the benefit of the spell for her attack.

Synchronization ends if the two characters become more than 30ft. apart or if the timethief chooses to change her initiative to synchronize with another ally. If two characters are synchronized when initiative is rolled, they may both use the better of the two initiative checks as if they had rolled it. As such, they remain in synchronization at the start of a battle.

While synchronized, the ally is also affected by the timethief’s initiative advances. Thus, both characters may advance in initiative by 1 each round, and by more if the timethief expends paradox points to do so.

If either the timethief or a synchronized ally chooses to delay or ready an action and the other does not do the same, the synchronization effect ends.

Timed Attack (Su): The timethief can use her influence over time to aid in melee. When acting in synchronization with another character, the timethief may use a swift action to target an enemy she and her ally both threaten in melee. This enemy is treated as flanked for all purposes, including sneak attack, for the synchronized characters for one round. No additional benefit is gained if the enemy is actually flanked. Using this ability requires 1 point of paradox.

Recall Spell (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, the timethief can warp time to recall magic. When acting in synchronization with a spellcaster or psionicist, the timethief may use their standard action to recall magic or psionic power that their ally releases in the same round. The ally regains the spell slot or power points they have spent as if never expeneded, but the spell (or power) is still cast (or manifested). Using this ability requires 4 points of paradox per spell level recalled or per 2 power points restored (minimum 1).

The timethief may not recall a spell or power that has been affected by temporal metamagic (see below). In addition, the timethief may not recall spells over 6th level or powers which cost more than 12 power points to manifest. A spellcaster (or psionicist) may only be affected by this ability once per day per point of their relevant spellcasting (or manifesting) ability modifier.

Timetheft (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, the timethief achieves the ability to steal her enemy’s time and use it against them. To use this ability, the timethief must be acting in synchronization with an ally who flanks the target enemy (timed attack is also a valid method to use timetheft; see above). On a successful attack by the timethief, the target is slowed (as the spell of the same name). The timethief may also target one ally within 30ft. to receive the benefit of a haste ability (as the spell of the same name) for the duration of the effect. Using this ability requires 1 point of paradox per round of effect. If one of the conditions is removed prematurely, the other effect ends as well.

Beginning at 8th level, the timethief may steal a greater portion of her enemy’s time. Upon fulfilling the conditions of a timetheft, the enemy may instead lose its next move action. Accordingly, one ally within 30ft. of the timethief may take an additional move action on their next turn. Using this ability requires 4 points of paradox.

Beginning at 13th level, the timethief may steal a greater portion of her enemy’s time. Upon fulfilling the conditions of a timetheft, the enemy may instead lose its next standard action. Accordingly, one ally within 30ft. of the timethief may take an additional standard action on their next turn. Using this ability requires 12 points of paradox.

Beginning at 18th level, the timethief may steal a greater portion of her enemy’s time. Upon fulfilling the conditions of a timetheft, the enemy may instead lose its next full-round action. Accordingly, one ally within 30ft. of the timethief may take an additional full-round action on their next turn. Using this ability requires 24 points of paradox.

Temporal Metamagic (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the timethief can use her control over time to warp reality, transforming magic itself. To use this ability, the timethief must be in synchronization with a spellcaster or psionicist casting a spell or manifesting a power. As a standard action, the timethief may apply a metamagic or metapsionic effect to the spell or power used. Using this ability requires 3 points of paradox per adjusted level of spell or per 2 power points that the effect would normally require. For example, a timethief may apply the effects of the Empower Spell feat to a fireball cast by a synchronized ally by expending 6 points of paradox.

A spell or power affected by this ability may not exceed 9th level or 20 power points (unless the psionicist is using the Overchannel feat or Wild Surge class feature, as normal) after this ability is applied. A spellcaster (or psionicist) may only be affected by this ability once per day per point of their relevant spellcasting (or manifesting) ability modifier.

Using temporal metamagic does not increase the casting time of a spontaneous spell. This additional time required is provided by the timethief. For example, a timethief may give up 12 points of paradox to apply the effects of the Quicken Spell feat to a spell cast by a sorcerer. The spell itself now requires only a swift action to cast, but the timethief still requires a standard action to apply the temporal metamagic to it.

The timethief may apply temporal metamagic to a spell or power that has already been augmented by a metamagic or metapsionic feat. However, if the spell is spontaneously cast, it may not be affected by the effects of Quicken Spell through temporal metamagic if the caster chooses to increase its casting time with a metamagic feat.

Future Power (Su): Beginning at 5th level, the timethief can increase the effectiveness of his allies by imbuing them with some of their future power. To use this ability, the timethief must be in synchronization with an ally. Using this ability is a standard action. For the duration of the effect, the ally is treated as being one or more levels higher in one of their classes for the purposes of: Base Attack Bonus, base saving throws, and scaling class features (such as trap sense or sneak attack). They do not receive additional spells or power points, although their caster or manifester level, as appropriate, is increased. Neither do they receive unique class features that they do not already posess, including bonus feats. They gain temporary hit points as if their hit dice were maximized for the effective levels. All of these augments end after the duration of the effect, although the temporary hit points are lost before actual hit points, as normal. Using this ability requires 4 points of paradox per effective level granted and 2 points of paradox per round of duration.

Time to Act (Su): Beginning at 6th level, the timethief can give an ally additional time to react and focus. To use this ability, the timethief must be synchronized with an ally. As a move action, the timethief transfers some of her own time to the ally, giving them the ability to take 10 on any one skill check made that round, even if stress or distraction would normally prevent them from doing so. This ability be used for skill checks which require more than one round to perform, but the timethief must continue to use this ability for the duration of the check, expending paradox each round. Using this ability requires 1 point of paradox.

Beginning at 15th level, the timethief can grant even more false time to her ally. This ability functions exactly as lesser time to act, but allows her ally to take 20 on the skill check. Using this ability requires 4 points of paradox per round.

Double Take (Su): Beginning at 7th level, the timethief can give an ally another chance to succeed. To use this ability, the timethief must be synchronized with an ally. As an immediate action, the timethief warps time slightly, allowing the ally to make two rolls for any saving throw they must make. They may choose the better of the two rolls as their saving throw. Using this ability requires 2 points of paradox.

Segmented Action (Su): Beginning at 9th level, the timethief can allow an ally to time her action perfectly, waiting for the opportune moment. The timethief does not need to be synchronized to use this ability. As an immediate action, the timethief allows any ally within 30ft. to split up their next (or current, if the ability is used on that ally’s turn) turn and take either their move action, swift action, or standard action at any point before their next turn, even on someone else’s turn. Using this ability requires 2 points of paradox per action delayed. For example, an ally who wants to delay both a swift and standard action requires an expenditure of 4 points of paradox.

Erosion (Su): Beginning at 10th level, the timethief can bring the power of time to bear on the target of an ally’s power. To use this ability, the timethief must be in synchronization with an ally who is forcing an enemy to make a saving throw. As a move action, the timethief can erode the enemy’s defences, giving them a penalty on their saving throw for the one effect. Using this ability requires 2 points of paradox per -1 penalty applied to the enemy. This penalty may not exceed half the timethief’s class level.

Accelerated Healing (Su): Beginning at 11th level, the timethief may accelerate bodily processes in order to help an ally recover from wounds. To use this ability, the timethief must be touching an ally. As a standard action, the ally benefits from all of the effects of a full night’s rest, with the exception of refreshing uses of abilities per day (including spellcasting or power points per day). This includes hit points recovered and ability damage restored. Any roll for disease or poison which would have been required in the next 24 hours are made instantly and their effects resolved. 24 hours are removed from the duration of any spell or other ability currently affecting the ally. Using this ability requires 10 points of paradox.

Each ally may only benefit from this effect once per day per point of Constitution modifier.

Infinite Skill (Su): Beginning at 12th level, the timethief can use her power to bend time and combine the talent of her allies. To use this ability, the timethief must be in synchronization with an ally with skill ranks. As a move action, the timethief may temporarily grant use of some of these skill ranks to allies within 30ft. of her. This ability allows the recipient(s) to make skill checks that are normally trained only even if they have no actual ranks in the relevant skill. Using this ability requires a number of points of paradox as shown on the following table:

Table: Infinite Skill
{table=head]Effect|Paradox Points
Each ally targeted|2
Each skill transferred|4
Each round of duration|2[/table]

Each skill transferred transfers all of the ranks the synchronized ally has in that skill. Thus, it costs the same number of points of paradox to share her ally’s 3 ranks in Climb as it does to share his 16 ranks in Intimidate.

The timethief may instead choose to share her own skill ranks. This works exactly the same way as described above, but she does not need to be synchronized in order to do this.

Eternal Puissance (Su): Beginning at 14th level, the timethief can use her mastery over the flow of time to restore some of an ally’s expended power. To use this ability, the timethief must be touching an ally who has an ability other than spellcasting or power manifesting which may be used a finite number of times per day. As a full-round action, the timethief can restore one use of this ability for the current day. This ability may apply to an ability granted as a class feature, a racial feature, a magic item, a domain, or a feat.

An ally may not benefit from this effect again for any ability they have until they have used the additional use granted by this ability. Effectively they can have one ‘extra’ use of one ability at a time. The ally may only have one ‘extra’ use at a time, even if they have multiple applicable abilities. Extra uses of abilities granted by this effect are used first (before normal uses per day). Using this ability requires a number of points of paradox equal to 20 - the normal uses per day of the ability (minimum 1 point of paradox).

Time Unraveled (Su): Beginning at 16th level, the timethief can rewrite time slightly to help an ally succeed. To use this ability, the timethief must be synchronized with an ally. As an immediate action, the timethief may allow the ally to reroll a roll of 1d20 they have just rolled. The decision to use this must be made before the roll is deemed a success or a failure. The ally must take the result of this roll, even if it was worse than the original. Using this ability requires 10 points of paradox.

Expanded Instant (Su): Beginning at 17th level, the timethief can use her temporal power to literally create time by expanding an instant in time to become more. To use this ability to best effect, the timethief must be synchronized with an ally. The timethief expands an instant into a larger portion of time. As a swift action, the timethief and anyone she is synchronized with enter into an expanded timeframe. This works exactly like a time stop except insomuch as duration is concerned. Both the timethief and her synchronized ally may take normal actions each round that this persists. If the synchronization ends while this effect persists, the ally becomes frozen in time until it ends. The timethief may not synchronize with a new ally while this effect persists. Using this ability requires 15 points of paradox per round of expanded time.

Respin Time (Su): Beginning at 19th level, the timethief can cause a massive fluctuation in the timeframe. The entire round is rewound, and a new round begins starting from the timethief’s last turn. Everything that happened in the round does not neccessairly happen, and characters are free to choose different actions in the new round. Using this ability requires the expenditure of all of the timethief’s paradox, which must be greater than or equal to 30 points.

Temporal Anchor (Su): Beginning at 20th level, the timethief can bring an ally to a halt in the flow of time. To use this ability, the timethief must be in synchronization with an ally. As a standard action, the timethief may begin this effect, which lasts for a number of apparent rounds equal to half the timethief’s class level. For the duration of the effect, the ally is protected against the ravages of time.

This includes immunity to aging, as well as any effect by a timethief. This also protects against many psionic powers from the discipline of psychoportation, such as time hop or similar effects. The ally’s initiative count may not be changed for the duration of this ability for any reason (although the ally may still delay and ready actions as normal). As well, the ally may act normally while in any effect similar to a time stop. The ally is not subject to effects similar to time regression, including the timethief’s respin time class feature. If such an effect is activated, the ally is not present in the replayed round, and reappears after the false round has occured, in the same condition as when it was started, exactly as if exiting a time hop. Any spell or effect currently in place on the target with a limited duration does not lose duration while this effect lasts. For example, if the ally is the target of a bull’s strength spell when the effect starts, the time spent in this state does not count against the duration of the spell. After this effect ends, the duration begins counting down normally. Consequentially, spells or effects such as this may still be added to the ally while in this state, and do not begin counting down until this effect ends.

If the ally takes enough damage to be killed or knocked unconcious while in this state, he may continue to act normally until the duration ends, at which point he may be reduced to a dead or unconcious state, as appropriate. He may, however, be healed while in this state, negating even death, so long as it is applied before he exits this state.

Upon entering this state, the ally stops being in synchronization with the timethief. The ally may not enter synchronization so long as this effect persists. No ally can benefit from this effect more than once per day. Using this ability requires the expenditure of all of the timethief’s paradox, which must be greater than or equal to 40 points.

New Feats

Bend Time [General]
Prerequisite: Timesense
Benefit: You gain 1 additional point of paradox to add to your paradox reserve.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack. However, the study of time is time-consuming. Insights into its structure can only be gleaned through experience and experimentation. As such, you may only select this feat at a level at which you would normally be able to select a feat (level 1, 3, 6, etc). You may not select this feat by dint of race or class.

Subtle Ripples [General]
Prerequisite: Timesense, Bend Time
Benefit: You are able to create paradoxes without interrupting the self-repairing nature of time. You continue to regain 1 point of paradox every round, even if you spend paradox in the same round.
Normal: You do not regain paradox in a round in which you spend paradox.

Timesense [General]
Prerequisite: Synchronization class feature
Benefit: As a result of your extensive study of the structure of time, you can unerringly keep track of time in your mind. Despite your location or situation, you always know what time it is on the Material Plane. In addition, you automatically know the time trait of any plane you visit.
Normal: You do not always know what time it is.

Time Spinner [General]
Prerequisite: Timesense, Bend Time
Benefit: Through focus and hard work, you have learned more accurate methods of smoothing ripples in the flow of time. When actively restoring paradox (as described in the paradox class feature of the timethief), you may regain 3 points of paradox. As well, actively restoring paradox no longer provokes attacks of opportunity.
Normal: Actively restoring paradox allows you to regain 2 points of paradox and provokes attacks of opportunity.

Arbitrarity
2007-11-02, 11:18 PM
I have some balance worries. Most of the powers seem good and well, but the system of per-encounter abilities can have some balance issues when applied to per-day abilities.

Recall spell allows infinite early day buffing (Yes, mind blank would be nice, so would elemental immunity. For everyone.)

Temporal metamagic is essentially as bad, allowing super-enhanced spells, and a lot of them. Persistant foresight, shapechange, etc.

Segmented action is useful, as it allows effectively readied actions, not to mention counterspelling, etc. It's sorta like immediate actions in power, very strong.

Erosion causes sudden kills. Seriously, lesser wish gives -7 on a save for one effect. Similar?

Accelerated healing = infinite out of combat healing.

Eternal puissance is another example of infinite recharging.

Respin time is potentially massively useful, for decisions, etc.

Temporal anchor is like... "God mode on!"

Timetheft is no-save, and so deadly. Also, note that no-save slow > taking move action away.

The major problem here, I believe, is the capability to recharge per-day abilities with per-encounter abilities, which effectively means infinite recharging of per-day abilties. This is a serious problem, and needs to be adressed.

EDIT: Oh yes, and it also is really, really fast, which is what counts at higher levels :smallwink:

Note that getting into synchronization is a matter of readying an action, unless it's specifically designed to be totally impossible outside of combat (which seems... strange).

Finerty
2007-11-02, 11:25 PM
Great. Once again, a delicious Kellus casting class. Almost feels like a Kellus-system version of my Velocimancer.

This looks like a lot of fun. And incredibly likely to inspire resentment and jealousy in the other players.

"Alright, next it's the monk."
"Great. I, uh... I flurry."
"Fine. Roll."
"Ummm... 27, 24, 11."
"Hit. Hit. Miss."
"Ok."
"Timethief?"
"Alright. I've got this plan. I'm going to move here. Four and a half times. Then Lindsey's going to go, she looks bored. She can have an attack. Now, in the next part of my presentation, you can see that I'm going to make the Beholder forget the last four hundred years - "
"It stretches out for two turns!"
"Yeah, I've been saving up some points."
"Points?"
"Points."
"... Oh."
(pause)
(monk)"Can I reroll?"

BRC
2007-11-02, 11:38 PM
Do they gain Knowledge (Rule 1)?
(Terry Pratchett reference)

Kellus
2007-11-02, 11:45 PM
I have some balance worries. Most of the powers seem good and well, but the system of per-encounter abilities can have some balance issues when applied to per-day abilities.

Thanks for the response! Let's see what I can do to alleviate your worries! :smallsmile:


Recall spell allows infinite early day buffing (Yes, mind blank would be nice, so would elemental immunity. For everyone.)

This is actually a fairly good point. I hadn't considered this on 24-hour duration spells. I can already think of a few ways to fix it, though, and I'll look into it. :smallwink:


Temporal metamagic is essentially as bad, allowing super-enhanced spells, and a lot of them. Persistant foresight, shapechange, etc.

Meh. This is easy to fix. I'll just put a cap on 9th level being the highest it can go. Easy enough, but good call.


Segmented action is useful, as it allows effectively readied actions, not to mention counterspelling, etc. It's sorta like immediate actions in power, very strong.

Yes, I agree it's a good ability. I don't think it's overpowered, or especially dangerous to the game.


Erosion causes sudden kills. Seriously, lesser wish gives -7 on a save for one effect. Similar?

At the point at which it's received, erosion can cause up to a -5 penalty. That requires 10 points of paradox: nearly half of the timethief's resources in the battle, unless he wants to spend some full-round actions refocusing. It's strong, but at 2 paradox per -1 penalty, it's not overwhelming. To cause a -7 penalty, like lesser wish, requires 14 paradox, more than a third of his resources for the battle even at level 20. Considering lesser wish is a 7th level spell slot, that's not particularly insane (XP cost included).


Accelerated healing = infinite out of combat healing.

Yes. Your point? At 11th level, I don't think out-of-combat healing is a particularly big concern. I'd say in-combat healing is a bit more important. This guy's role is longevity. Infinite out-of-combat healing does just that.


Eternal puissance is another example of infinite recharging.

Infinite recharging out-of-combat, yes. But bear in mind that the ally can only ever have one 'recharged' ability use at a time. That means that unless they're only using that ability once each battle, they'll wear down. Again, he's all about longevity and lasting long periods of time.


Respin time is potentially massively useful, for decisions, etc.

Yes. It also renders the timethief essentially useless for the rest of the battle. Fair tradeoff? Yes.


Temporal anchor is like... "God mode on!"

Not as such. They gain immunity to a bunch of stuff that rarely comes up (although it is very handy if it does), and the ability to not die for 10 rounds. I can think of at least one ability off the top of my head already (knight's challenge) which also protects against dying. It's not especially overpowered, especially at level 20, especially considering that once again it takes the timethief from basically full capacity to essentially dead weight for the rest of the battle.


Timetheft is no-save, and so deadly. Also, note that no-save slow > taking move action away.

Meh. To do it over any kind of serious period of time, he's going to have to be expending lots of his paradox for the encounter (at least at lower levels). At higher levels, for the slow effect at least, monsters will have ways to remove it (rendering the paradox expended moot). As for the other effects, a move action, standard action, or full-round action swapped to an ally is very potent, but it also consumes a lot of the timethief's resources for the battle. As well, it's worth bearing in mind that to use these, the timethief has to be able to hit the monster in melee. He's not particularly good at hitting things, and doesn't have a lot of hp or AC either.


The major problem here, I believe, is the capability to recharge per-day abilities with per-encounter abilities, which effectively means infinite recharging of per-day abilties. This is a serious problem, and needs to be adressed.

The class is, as I said, designed to focus on longevity of the party. Restoring per day abilities between battles is (I believe) really not that big of a deal. It could already be done with rope tricks and mansions. What's more important is being able to contribute in the middle of battle. And this is where the balancing factor comes in. When compared to the paradox she gets, it is much easier to spend it than to get it back. They have a lot of cool abilities, but all of the really powerful ones require a lot of paradox, which greatly decreases the timethief's ability to contribute to the rest of the battle.


EDIT: Oh yes, and it also is really, really fast, which is what counts at higher levels :smallwink:

Yes. It is indeed fast. :smallwink:

Still, though, good points on recall spell and temporal metamagic. I'll put caps on them to avoid extreme cheese. Thanks!

EDIT: I put addendums on Recall Spell and Temporal Metamagic to protect them from abuse.


"Alright. I've got this plan. I'm going to move here. Four and a half times. Then Lindsey's going to go, she looks bored. She can have an attack. Now, in the next part of my presentation, you can see that I'm going to make the Beholder forget the last four hundred years."

This amused me to no end. If it's alright with you, I'm going to try and find a way to fit it into my signature. :smallsmile:

Arbitrarity
2007-11-02, 11:54 PM
Yeah, the magic tricks were my main issues. The others are just nice class abilities, which seem pretty powerful. The limited resources must be recalled though, and the class seems to be limited to utility/buffing/debuffing for the most part, as it doesn't exactly have a reliable damage source.

Huh, Knight's challenge provides immunity to death? Delay death, deathless frenzy, whatever that crusader stance... yeah, I guess there are a few of those already.

Eternal Puissance just seems powerful in conjunction with Sp abilities, but few PC's end up with decent Sp abilities.

I have to remember the extremely finite quantity of paradox in combat when looking at this class. Out of combat, it can do anything it likes with paradox, but in combat, it's very limited. Must... remember...

Indeed, the role certainly seems to be one of reloading between combats. There should probably be a time limit on recalling slots and power points, otherwise you encourage nova'ing.

Most of the other skills are just extremely useful, not game-breaking. Nice job.

Now, to compare this sometime. Eh, it's too late over here for now.

Squatting_Monk
2007-11-03, 11:30 AM
Very cool class, though I, also, have some balance worries. Synchronization, if used by tandem Timethieves, could result in skyrocketing initiative scores, since both would get the benefits of the other's intiative increases. Is this intended, or an exploit?

Btw... Tandem Timethieves would be a great name for a rock band. :smallbiggrin:

Arbitrarity
2007-11-03, 12:07 PM
Very cool class, though I, also, have some balance worries. Synchronization, if used by tandem Timethieves, could result in skyrocketing initiative scores, since both would get the benefits of the other's intiative increases. Is this intended, or an exploit?

Btw... Tandem Timethieves would be a great name for a rock band. :smallbiggrin:

Once your initiative is higher than everyone else's, who cares how high it is? You can't get extra turns, the only thing you can do is ready actions to pull yourselves down the initiative ladder again. However, the timethief can be an EXCELLENT character when fighting wizards or somesuch, because that massive initiative comes into play. Any sort of rapid movement and decent attack the timethief can pull off will aid greatly when his initiative is potentially up to the ranges of +27.

Finerty
2007-11-03, 01:16 PM
This amused me to no end. If it's alright with you, I'm going to try and find a way to fit it into my signature. :smallsmile:

Go for it. Also, misspelling of opportune and opportunity in the class features. Just FYI.

Zeful
2007-11-03, 02:49 PM
Well this seems like an interesting clas but there should be a limit on how long ago the timethief can recall spells from otherwise you're grabbing the wizards entire arsenal from last week, when they were doing an indurence run and he was a blaster. Maybe limit it to "This ability may only be used on spells or powers that are cast/manifested when the timetheif is synchronized with an ally Spellcaster or Manifester." or something.

Kellus
2007-11-03, 07:10 PM
Zeful raises an excellent point. Thanks, Zeful! I was unclear when originally writing out the recall spell class feature. This has been rectified to now read:


When acting in synchronization with a spellcaster or psionicist, the timethief may use their standard action to recall magic or psionic power that their ally releases in the same round.

Emphasis mine.

As well, accelerated healing may now be used a limited number of times per day on each ally.

AstralFire
2007-11-03, 07:52 PM
Does the timethief need to know Metamagic feats to apply them via Temporal Metamagic?

And the first step of timetheft, paradoxically, is much better than the second. Debatable whether it or the standard action theft are better.

Kellus
2007-11-03, 08:47 PM
Does the timethief need to know Metamagic feats to apply them via Temporal Metamagic?

And the first step of timetheft, paradoxically, is much better than the second. Debatable whether it or the standard action theft are better.

No, she may apply any metamagic effect.

Slow and haste are excellent, but the second version of timetheft allows him to grant additional move actions, which can be very helpful indeed.

Thunderbuckets
2007-11-04, 08:51 PM
Very, very slick class here. Definitely not a class for beginners; there are simply too many paradox outlets to keep track of in the first time. A couple clarification questions and one nitpick:

1) The timethief's increasing her own initiative score is not an action. However, what kind of action is associated with synchronizing with an ally? Swift? Immediate? Free?

2) In a similar vein, if the Timethief jumps out of synchronization with an ally, do they lose any initiative increases given to them by the timethief when they were synched up? If not, it's possible for a higher-level TT to jump herself forward and backwards in time, dragging all her allies up to the front of the initative order and leaving them there before going back for more. Unless that was the ultimate goal.

3) Would Temporal Anchor instantly remove any slow/haste effects on the subject?

4) Thinking outside the box here...is it only possible to synchronize with an ally? Ergo, could a clever TT synch up with an enemy and pull off semantic tricks to mess with them? Just an example: (simplest ones I can think of; not necessarily the best, but interesting ones...)

-TT synchronizes with enemy tank. Party cleric infects said tank with horrible disease, with 24-hour incubation period. TT Accelerates tank through 24-hours, healing it a little, but also immediately contracts horrible disease. Falls to ground, paralyzed by Dex loss/Str loss/Int loss etc. If succeeds on save, TT accelerates him again and again until he fails.

-TT synchronizes with enemy spellcaster. Party monk uses a True Striked Stunning Fist until spellcaster is Stunned. TT activates Temporal Anchor on spellcaster. Stunned effect does not leave after 1 round, immobilizing spellcaster with no save for ten rounds. Pary rogue stabs it to pieces.

There are lots of little loopholes that could be exploited; I don't know if this is something you want or not, but either way, can you clarify whether or not Synchronization has to be willing? And if it's not, can you insert a Harmless Save status on it in case, for whatever reason, an Ally doesn't want to be Synched?

Finally, I do question the saveless nature of the Timetheft ability. Yes, the TT has to hit the enemy, but that can easily be buffed up to always-hitting by, wizard say, and saveless effects are always exploitable, especially if they can be pulled off multiple times in a row. Again an example. You're facing a big bad, TT is buffed up with bonuses to hit, rolls initiative, advances to 1 before big bad, steals his standard actions for two or three turns. Everyone else is flanking it. Yes, it can still move, but provokes AOOs at every turn, worse if it's grappled. In two rounds, the trapped enemy has been smoked before it could even attack, because other party members killed it quickly; it can happen. I know, I know, I don't have the best examples, but saveless status is not something to be toyed with lightly. Your explanations make sense, I suppose, but I feel like there should be some kind of caveat. Perhaps the TT cannot steal actions from the same foe multiple rounds in a row?


All in all, however, an excellent class, very fun, very ingenious. Look forward to playing one.