GitP PrC Contest Chat Thread

[TSED]

ErrantX, any chance we can get reviews of the classes before the contest ends so we can tweak them, as you did last time?

I was going to peach everyone but I didn't, because I suck. ):


I haven't even done more than skimmed half the entries. ):

I am pretty sure I won't be able to do it, because I'm about to D&D as soon as people stop being late.

[ErrantX]

The voting thread is up!

Check it out!

-X

[The Neoclassic]

I want to vote... but I notice several entries aren't complete (particularly the sample encounter section). Is it likely that most will get filled in quickly now since voting has begun?

[Kellus]

I want to vote... but I notice several entries aren't complete (particularly the sample encounter section). Is it likely that most will get filled in quickly now since voting has begun?

Actually, I don't think people are allowed to edit their entries at this point, since voting has started. You'll just have to decide which to vote for based on what's presented to you at this point. The sample character and other stuff isn't mandatory, but it does provide an additional way of showing off your creative chops to potential voters.

[ErrantX]

Couldn't have said it better myself Kellus. Sample stuff is nice, but I don't require it like Dman did. I like it if I get it, but otherwise, it's okay. So long as I get some fluff for the crunch.

-X

[The Neoclassic]

OK, thanks for the response! Time to think a bit more and then vote...

[The Witch-King]

I've posted my entry into the Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Prestige Class Contest: the Hunting Slave. It's only my fourth homebrew and only my third class so I'd appreciate any comments anyone is williing to make on it, especially towards making it more balanced.

You can find it at:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...91&postcount=7

Peach away!

Thanks!

[The Neoclassic]

I'm currently working on my entry for A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words. Suggestions or feedback is welcome; the class abilities, world info, and sample NPC are all far from done.

[TSED]

I've posted my entry into the Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Prestige Class Contest: the Hunting Slave. It's only my fourth homebrew and only my third class so I'd appreciate any comments anyone is williing to make on it, especially towards making it more balanced.

You can find it at:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...91&postcount=7

Peach away!

Thanks!

This will be hard to incorporate into most other games. Maybe write a section on adding this empire etc. to other non-this-campaign-setting worlds?

You sure gave them a lot of class features. And then a dead level at 9th. That immediately strikes me as odd.

I don't think you're allowed weapons, which might equal it out a bit, but then you talk about weapons in your sneak attack. This is confusing.

The type changes are pretty powerful, I have to say. On top of your bajillion other class features. I'd say, overall... tone it down a little. You basically get to be most of a barbarian plus some rogue plus no longer susceptible to type-specific effects plus a bunch of natural armour in exchange for being a 'familiar' (share spell makes it even more wonderful, really, as you suddenly have access to NASTY range: personal spells) and not being 'allowed' to use weapons. (Notice the lack of mechanical prevention; it is all pure fluff that denies this. And barely any fluff at that - just a blurb about not being allowed to due to caste and a legal requirement to get into the class. What PC hasn't done illegal things?). There is some genuine prevention from going around in heavy armour, though, so that's fine.

[DracoDei]

They aren't allowed to use METAL weapons I think... so staff, club, sling (with stone bullets), bow or crossbow firing flint or obsidian arrow-heads, great-club, and all the javelin/spear varients with flint heads subbed in. Now granted that is probably a -1 to hit or damage or something for substituting flint for metal, but it is still a possibility.

[The Witch-King]

This will be hard to incorporate into most other games. Maybe write a section on adding this empire etc. to other non-this-campaign-setting worlds?

I addressed some ideas about putting the class into other settings such as having the Hunting Slave be a goblin slave or an Orc or Hobgoblin arcane spellcaster but I suppose I could always add more on that subject.

I don't think you're allowed weapons, which might equal it out a bit, but then you talk about weapons in your sneak attack. This is confusing.

As DracoDei pointed out, they aren't allowed metal weapons but can have wooden ones or ones made of wood and tipped with flint or obsidian. I'll try to make that more clear in the next version.

On top of your bajillion other class features. I'd say, overall... tone it down a little.

Well--I knew someone would say it...

You basically get to be most of a barbarian plus some rogue plus no longer susceptible to type-specific effects plus a bunch of natural armour in exchange for being a 'familiar' (share spell makes it even more wonderful, really, as you suddenly have access to NASTY range: personal spells) and not being 'allowed' to use weapons. (Notice the lack of mechanical prevention; it is all pure fluff that denies this.

First--I guess I just would like a little explanation about how bad the Type change is because I'm just not getting it. You mention being no longer susceptible to type-specific effects--are there a lot of type-specific effects that work with just the Humanoid type? Like what? As I said, I'm still new to this.

Second--I think you're right about the lack of mechanical prevention, so in the next version, I'm going to write it so that wearing metal armor prevents all benefits gained from Human Familiar. I'm also going to write it so carrying metal weapons disrupts Share Spells and the Empathic and Sending links (which will help if a player decides to run for it--all he or she has to do is grab enough metal and their owner couldn't as easily track them down.)

Thirdly--I'll take any suggestions you might have on abilities you think I should remove from the class as being extraneous. I'd like to keep the flavor of the class but if there's something you think could go without affecting that, please let me know.

Thanks for taking the time to look over my class and comment, I appreciate it!

[TSED]

As DracoDei pointed out, they aren't allowed metal weapons but can have wooden ones or ones made of wood and tipped with flint or obsidian. I'll try to make that more clear in the next version.

Right, right.

First--I guess I just would like a little explanation about how bad the Type change is because I'm just not getting it. You mention being no longer susceptible to type-specific effects--are there a lot of type-specific effects that work with just the Humanoid type? Like what? As I said, I'm still new to this.

Hold person. Charm person. Dominate. Enlarge person. Bane weapons. These are off the top of my head, I'm sure there's more. Anyways, turning into a non-person means you need a 9th level spell (Dominate Monster) instead of a 5th level spell (Dominate). This depends on the campaign and DM as to how big a deal it is, really.

Second--I think you're right about the lack of mechanical prevention, so in the next version, I'm going to write it so that wearing metal armor prevents all benefits gained from Human Familiar. I'm also going to write it so carrying metal weapons disrupts Share Spells and the Empathic and Sending links (which will help if a player decides to run for it--all he or she has to do is grab enough metal and their owner couldn't as easily track them down.)

Take a note from the druid book and any (Su) abilities are lost when using metal armour / weapons?

Thirdly--I'll take any suggestions you might have on abilities you think I should remove from the class as being extraneous. I'd like to keep the flavor of the class but if there's something you think could go without affecting that, please let me know.

I really don't know. There's too much going on to really be able to pinpoint one particular ability and say "do you really need this?" On top of that, a lot of the abilities are fairly inconsequential - +2 here, +2 there. Not that big a deal, right? Well... I don't know, really. Those kinds of things tend to be filler moments between the really cool stuff, but you basically fixed it by throwing a LOT of filler at them. It's not my design style so I really can't say anything.

Thanks for taking the time to look over my class and comment, I appreciate it!

No probs. (Feel free to reciprocate.)

[ErrantX]

New contest is up! Music and Lyrics, somethin' bardy

Check it out here!

-X

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

New contest is up! Music and Lyrics, somethin' bardy

Check it out here!

-X

Curse you, Errant. This contest, when I've already put up the Restless Troubadour just a few weeks ago.

Ah well...time for plan B...

[ErrantX]

Curse you, Errant. This contest, when I've already put up the Restless Troubadour just a few weeks ago.

Ah well...time for plan B...

I live to spite

I'm sorry, just got the random tickle for something bardy. I'm thinking my next few contests are going to be based off of base classes and their unique abilities, and how certain prestige classes can improve upon them or bring them to a new level.

-X

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Cool. I'm up for base class specific PrCs. And I got a new idea for the Bard angle, so that's alright.

[The Witch-King]

I made changes to the class:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...91&postcount=7

Hold person. Charm person. Dominate. Enlarge person. Bane weapons. These are off the top of my head, I'm sure there's more. Anyways, turning into a non-person means you need a 9th level spell (Dominate Monster) instead of a 5th level spell (Dominate). This depends on the campaign and DM as to how big a deal it is, really.

I dropped the Magical Beast Type change but I kept the Fey Type change as part of the 10th level cap.

There's too much going on to really be able to pinpoint one particular ability and say "do you really need this?" On top of that, a lot of the abilities are fairly inconsequential - +2 here, +2 there. Not that big a deal, right? Well... I don't know, really. Those kinds of things tend to be filler moments between the really cool stuff, but you basically fixed it by throwing a LOT of filler at them. It's not my design style so I really can't say anything.

I stripped out the lesser abilities in the hopes that the main tropes of the class would come through. I'd appreciate it if you could let me know what you think of it now.

No probs. (Feel free to reciprocate.)

Thanks, I will! And thanks again for the feedback!

[Lord_Gareth]

I'll have something up - a bardic blaster :p I'll begin work on the Sons of Discord tonight ^_^

[The Neoclassic]

The Acolyte of Garfunkel made me laugh. Out loud. Very very hard. Looks a bit powerful crunch-wise, but I still love it!

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

The Acolyte of Garfunkel made me laugh. Out loud. Very very hard. Looks a bit powerful crunch-wise, but I still love it!

Seconded. I'm a huge Simon and Garfunkel fan, so...

That said, if it's so lyric based, Aspect of Simon makes more sense...he did write most of their music.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

The Acolyte of Garfunkel made me laugh. Out loud. Very very hard. Looks a bit powerful crunch-wise, but I still love it!

Seconded. I'm a huge Simon and Garfunkel fan, so...

That said, if it's so lyric based, Aspect of Simon makes more sense...he did write most of their music.

It got the name mostly because I decided it was started by a guy named Simon N. Garfunkel, to pun off the duo's name, and going by the last name made more sense. Plus, though Simon did most of the lyrics, his name isn't as obvious; if you mention "Garfunkel" more people get the reference. Glad people like it, though.

[Redikalus]

Wow.... the Empyreal Cantatrice is really powerful... too powerful if you ask me. Auspicious signs is the Luck domain's once per day granted power on every dice you roll... except better. Polyphony of the Moirai is basically an unbreakable, permanent Geas spell... 20 times per day. You can pretty much take over the world in a day or two with this class.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Wow.... the Empyreal Cantatrice is really powerful... too powerful if you ask me. Auspicious signs is the Luck domain's once per day granted power on every dice you roll... except better. Polyphony of the Moirai is basically an unbreakable, permanent Geas spell... 20 times per day. You can pretty much take over the world in a day or two with this class.

To be fair, a regular Diplomancer bard can basically do the same thing....

[DeskChairLamp]

The essential crunch for my class is done, although the samples and fluff aren't up yet. The wording's a bit vague since I've been busy and rather short on sleep. Anyway, hoping someone could give it a PEACH as it is...

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showp...27&postcount=6

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Wow.... the Empyreal Cantatrice is really powerful... too powerful if you ask me. Auspicious signs is the Luck domain's once per day granted power on every dice you roll... except better. Polyphony of the Moirai is basically an unbreakable, permanent Geas spell... 20 times per day. You can pretty much take over the world in a day or two with this class.

Yes. But bear in mind that Polyphony of the Moirai is a 20th level ability, than you have a poor BaB and only one good save, that you sacrifice the progression of your normal Bardic Music, and that you sacrifice your entire spell progression. You also can't enter the class before 11th level, and you get the abilities around the time that others...oh...let's see...

-Are tossing around Disintegrate and save-or-dies...
-Can cast Unluck several times a day, causing your enemies to have the opposite of Auspicious Signs...
-Can Gate in celestial armies or cast Wish...

And so on. I'm just bringing the Bard up to par in a new way.

[Jogi]

Yay :P, just finished my entry.

Oooooh, at first I thought the Empyreal Cantatrice was kinda overpowered, but then I read what Djinn wrote and agreed. Beetwen, nice class. I enjoyed the flavor.



EXPLAINING THE BOW MINSTREL
This is to be read by those who felt curious about abilities names in this class. As a musician, I was thrilled by this contest, and decided to put some effort into giving bards new ways to evolve (As I think they were somewhat weaker than other classes). So, what I did was use real music ideas to create abilities. So, I'll start off with the new bardic musics: they are planned to represent a minor chord. You see, a minor chord is made by a tonic note, a minor third and a fifth (T 3m 5J) and can include a 7th (thus T 3m 5J 7). So, the First Note, Minor Fall, Major Lift and the Seventh Note ideas were taken from this concept (althought two of their names came from Leonard Cohen's Hallellujah). As for the other abilities: Presto and Adagio are the names for two musical dynamics - the first one is of very fast playing, and the second is a rather slow motion. Lastly, the Requiem, is a kind of music intended to honor the dead. Legend tells that Mozart was fooled into writing his own Requiem.
As for the class flavor: I wanted to create something cool (I find it awesome to think that each arrow shot is a sound) but not limited to organizations. Also, I don't really like codes of conduct, so I wanted the Minstrel to be a freebird (ops, another song lol).

PS: for those who didn't notice, Nevotheeb is Beethoven backwards ..

[boomwolf]

Muhahaha! perfect!

Making a combat-oriented bard PrC, the Shockwave Piper.

Sonic attacks were never as cool.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

The Empyreal Cantatrice is pretty much complete. Thoughts? Does it need more power? More abilities? Would you like new abilities at levels 6 and 9 rather than simply another use of Auspicious Signs?

And, most importantly...does it have good flavor, and would you play it, given the chance?

[Jogi]

The Empyreal Cantatrice is pretty much complete. Thoughts? Does it need more power? More abilities? Would you like new abilities at levels 6 and 9 rather than simply another use of Auspicious Signs?

And, most importantly...does it have good flavor, and would you play it, given the chance?

On the powers:

- Echoes of Heaven is nice, but I think it should still be limited to a single question. I mean, at high levels you got so many uses of bardic music, and you could get too many questions possible.
- Reverberations is great. But maybe there should be some kind of resisted test when it comes to seeing trough illusions.
- Auspicious Undertaking might be hard to work in-game. I also think it is very powerful, maybe too much.
- Maybe new abilities at levels 6 and 9 would be better, as Auspicious Signs is very powerful. Right now it's like, thrice a week, you and your party (mostly) will have your failiure chances halved.

Also, a question: is it somehow possible that a Empyreal Cantatrice would be fooled, if the heavens themselves cursed her? Maybe some of the abilities should be related to her deity, thus, whenever dealing within the domains of the oposite deity, chance of failiure would occour. I dunno. Just ideas.

As for the flavor, it's great! Reminded me a bit of the Sybil of The Blinded Eye. They sound otherworldly, and yet capable of great deeds in this world. Yes, I'd definitely play it, but only in a group who does heavy roleplaying.

PS: can I get comments and ideas on my class too? ^^

[Jogi]

Bumping for great justice [2]