Xanamir
2008-05-26, 07:41 PM
Hello! Former lurker, posting for the first time. :smallsmile: I saw this thread a while back (sometime in March, I think) and was going to post on it, but didn't want to commit any acts of thread necromancy, so...
I've been playing around with the idea of the Dragon Disciple as a Martial Adept prestige class and I think I've got a modification that is pretty balanced, but I wanted to get some opinions before showing it to my DM (or introducing it to my own game.)
Here are my suggested changes:
-The Dragon Disciple's Bonus spells may be taken as Martial Maneuvers, provided the character already has at least 1 martial adept class (crusader, swordsage, or warblade.)
-The Dragon Disciple does not gain any additional readied maneuvers.
-The Dragon Disciple adds its total class level to the character's initiator level as though it were a true martial adept prestige class.
-The Dragon Disciple may swap out old maneuvers at each even level, with the same restrictions that apply to the base martial adept classes. (This one is a house rule that my current DM has made; he allows for all martial adept prestige classes that grant new maneuvers (Ruby Knight Vindicator, for example) to have the ability to swap out maneuvers at even levels the way the base classes do. I realize that, reading as written, martial prestige classes do not normally have this ability.)
-The Dragon Disciple can only choose and swap maneuvers from the Desert Wind, Stone Dragon and Tiger Claw Disciplines.
I picked those three disciplines since they felt the most "draconic." Desert Wind invokes the feelings of dragonfire and various flight-like effects, Stone Dragon represents the dragon's raw, brutal strength, and the Tiger Claw fits well with representing a dragon fighting with its own natural weapons, as well as the more primal, bestial way a dragon engages its foes.
Now, there are a few things I'm still uncertain about; in particular, the entry requirements. Considering the obviously strong synergy between the Dragon Disciple and a martial adept, my gut feeling is to leave the entry requirements exactly the same... the ranks in Knowledge Arcana won't be cheap to a dedicated Martial Adept, but not particularly crippling if the character invests in a bit of intelligence.
The requirement to cast spells spontaneously is another idea that I think should be left in, for two reasons; it still keeps some of the original flavor of the class (which I like; it makes it feel a bit special) and also, it balances the power again. Three levels of Dragon Devotee is my preferred way of entering the class, but that's just me :smallsmile: I do think, however, that relaxing the requirements and making them more generic "must know 3 Tiger Claw Maneuvers" or whatever would open up the class -too- much and allow for abuse.
So, what do you all think? Anything I should change? My goal is to make the class attractive and interesting to martial adepts, but still roughly balanced in comparison to the other ToB prestige classes.
EDIT: Typo in the first draft; no idea what it said "The Dragon Disciple should not gain any additional maneuvers known," since that would defeat the entire point. Whoops. :smallredface:
I've been playing around with the idea of the Dragon Disciple as a Martial Adept prestige class and I think I've got a modification that is pretty balanced, but I wanted to get some opinions before showing it to my DM (or introducing it to my own game.)
Here are my suggested changes:
-The Dragon Disciple's Bonus spells may be taken as Martial Maneuvers, provided the character already has at least 1 martial adept class (crusader, swordsage, or warblade.)
-The Dragon Disciple does not gain any additional readied maneuvers.
-The Dragon Disciple adds its total class level to the character's initiator level as though it were a true martial adept prestige class.
-The Dragon Disciple may swap out old maneuvers at each even level, with the same restrictions that apply to the base martial adept classes. (This one is a house rule that my current DM has made; he allows for all martial adept prestige classes that grant new maneuvers (Ruby Knight Vindicator, for example) to have the ability to swap out maneuvers at even levels the way the base classes do. I realize that, reading as written, martial prestige classes do not normally have this ability.)
-The Dragon Disciple can only choose and swap maneuvers from the Desert Wind, Stone Dragon and Tiger Claw Disciplines.
I picked those three disciplines since they felt the most "draconic." Desert Wind invokes the feelings of dragonfire and various flight-like effects, Stone Dragon represents the dragon's raw, brutal strength, and the Tiger Claw fits well with representing a dragon fighting with its own natural weapons, as well as the more primal, bestial way a dragon engages its foes.
Now, there are a few things I'm still uncertain about; in particular, the entry requirements. Considering the obviously strong synergy between the Dragon Disciple and a martial adept, my gut feeling is to leave the entry requirements exactly the same... the ranks in Knowledge Arcana won't be cheap to a dedicated Martial Adept, but not particularly crippling if the character invests in a bit of intelligence.
The requirement to cast spells spontaneously is another idea that I think should be left in, for two reasons; it still keeps some of the original flavor of the class (which I like; it makes it feel a bit special) and also, it balances the power again. Three levels of Dragon Devotee is my preferred way of entering the class, but that's just me :smallsmile: I do think, however, that relaxing the requirements and making them more generic "must know 3 Tiger Claw Maneuvers" or whatever would open up the class -too- much and allow for abuse.
So, what do you all think? Anything I should change? My goal is to make the class attractive and interesting to martial adepts, but still roughly balanced in comparison to the other ToB prestige classes.
EDIT: Typo in the first draft; no idea what it said "The Dragon Disciple should not gain any additional maneuvers known," since that would defeat the entire point. Whoops. :smallredface: