Does this class sound reasonable?

[-Cor-]

So, in an upcoming campaign, one of the players wants to homebrew a class and I've looked it over and it sounds completely reasonable to me, but I wanted to get a few others opinions.

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Basically, it's a Barbarian. Same BaB/Saves/Skills/Skill Points and Most Proficiencies (See Below).

However, it doesn't have: Rage (or any of it's improvements), Fast Movement, Trap Sense (or any of it's improvements), DR (or any of it's improvements), or Indomitable Will.

It also doesn't have Martial Weapon Prof.

It "does" have: Illiteracy, Uncanny Dodge (And it's improvement), and the Shapeshift Alternate Class Feature for the Druid from the PHB 2.
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I can't really find anything particularly wrong with this homebrew. I'm sure there's something "like" it out there in some obscure splat book, but since the players are limited to PHB/PHB2/AEG/MIC, I wanted to use things just from there. Also, this is exactly what this player wants to play.

Any problems other than a significant power jump at level 16 (which we'll never reach in this campaign)?

Any tweaks?

Any ideas for what name I'd give this class? (Really, I can't think of anything. Not sure what's wrong with me as usually I'm pretty good with coming up with this stuff.)

[Telonius]

So, basically, he wants to play Beorn. Big burly guy who turns into a bear, but can't cast spells. Something seems either really underpowered or really cheese-potentially with the class. (I tend to suspect cheese when something appears underpowered at first glance).

I'd float an alternate suggestion to him: play a natural Werebear, and take levels in normal Barbarian. There's a +3 LA, but you could remove some of the features to bump it down to +2 or even +1 if you wanted to.

[brian c]

It's a shapeshift Druid, with no spellcasting, different saves, and better BAB and HD. Shapeshifting is a lot better than wildshape in terms of balance (so really, it's worse than wildshape). This seems fine as a class.

[RTGoodman]

It doesn't seem overpowered to me, and in fact I might even say let him keep the DR (I can't remember off hand if the shapeshift thing gives anything like that).

But, if you eventually decide not to allow it, you might check out the Bear Warrior PrC from Complete Warrior. It's basically for barbarians anyway, if I recall correctly, but instead of Rage they get the ability to actually turn into a bear.

[Starsinger]

But, if you eventually decide not to allow it, you might check out the Bear Warrior PrC from Complete Warrior. It's basically for barbarians anyway, if I recall correctly, but instead of Rage they get the ability to actually turn into a bear.

You mean... Bearbarians? :smallcool:

But yeah.. it seems fine to me. Had he asked for Wildshape I would've said no, but Shapeshifting is hardly as over powering.. I say go for it. Besides, if it turns out to be a huge mistake.. remember, mistakes are how we learn.

[kjones]

What's the power jump at Level 16?

[-Cor-]

What's the power jump at Level 16?

I don't actually have the book handy right now, but at each level of Shapeshift (every 4 levels pretty much), the PC gets a +# STR/NA. I think at level 16 it's +12 STR/NA. (Not completely sure about the number so don't quote me.) Suffice it to say it's a significant increase and played in a optimized way could get kinda cheesy.

<shrug> Not a big deal as the odds of us getting to that level are pretty slim.

BTW - Thanks to all the others for the replies and suggestions. The Bear Warrior from CW was actually a small part of the inspiration.