Militia [Base Class]

[Rion]

This is my first class. I would like if any of you had some ideas for better names.

Militia

Hit Die
d10.

Class Skills
A militia’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Armoursmithing and Weaponsmithing) (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Listen (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Skill Points Per Level
4 + Int modifier

Militia
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Weapon Training, Survivalist

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+0

|Forced March

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Bonus Feat

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Strongbow

6th|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|

7th|

+7

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|Improved Weapon Training

8th|

+8

|

+6

|

+2

|

+2

|Bonus Feat

9th|

+9

|

+6

|

+3

|

+3

|Greater Weapon Training

10th|

+10

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|Improved Survivalist

11th|

+11

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|Bonus Feat

12th|

+12

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|Improved Forced March

13th|

+13

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|

14th|

+14

|

+9

|

+4

|

+4

|Bonus Feat

15th|

+15

|

+9

|

+5

|

+5

|Bonus Feat

16th|

+16

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|

17th|

+17

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|Bonus Feat

18th|

+18

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|

19th|

+19

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|Bonus Feat

20th|

+20

|

+12

|

+6

|

+6

|Great Forced March[/table]

Bonus Feats: Militias can choose from the same list of bonus feats as fighters.

Weapon Training: Choose three weapons: The two first gain +1 to attack rolls, the third gets no bonus. All other weapons gain -1 to attack rolls

Improved Weapon Training: You gain +1 on damage rolls with the first weapon. This bonus stacks with Weapon Training.

Greater Weapon Training: You gain +1 on attack rolls with all chosen weapons. This bonus stacks with Improved Weapon Training and Weapon Training. Other weapons are unaffected by this.

Survivalist: A Militia gain +2 to Survival and Heal checks. +1 to Jump, Balance, Climb and Swim checks.

Improved Survivalist: You gain +2 to Survival, Heal, Jump, Climb, Balance and Swim checks. Use normal armour check penalty instead of double for swim. This bonus stacks with Survivalist.

Strongbow: You can use your strength bonus on attack rolls with a bow, instead of your dexterity bonus. You can add your Strength bonus to damage rolls with bows. Neither bonus works with crossbows or other ranged weapons.

Forced March: You increase your speed with 5.

Improved Forced March: Medium and heavy load and medium and heavy armour does not affect your speed.

Great Forced March: +4 bonus on saving throws against poison and disease. +12 on saving throws against fear. Decrease your armour check penalty by 3 when wearing medium armour and 4 when wearing heavy armour.

[Necromas]

As far as the name goes, I'd sugest Soldier.

Militia sounds more like an NPC class for, well, a village militia.

[Nebo_]

Looks pretty weak.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

This looks like a 20 level NPC class, more than a PC class.

[RandomFellow]

Weapon Training: Choose three weapons: The two first gain +1 to attack rolls, the third gets no bonus. All other weapons gain -1 to attack rolls

Survivalist: A Militia gain +2 to Survival and Heal checks.

...

Improved Weapon Training: You gain +1 on damage rolls with the first weapon. No other changes

Greater Weapon Training: You gain +1 on attack rolls with all chosen weapons, other weapons are still at -1.

Improved Survivalist: You gain +2 to Survival, Heal, Jump, Climb and Swim Checks. This bonus stacks with Survivalist.

You state that Improved Survivalist stacks with Survivalist. Which introduces the ambiguity of does all the weapon trainings stack (e.g.
Wep #1 - +2 Attack Roll, +1 Damage Roll or is it +1 Attack Roll, +1 Damage Roll
Wep #2 - +2 Attack Roll or is it +1 Attack Roll
Wep #3 - +1 Attack Roll
)
You may want to re-phrase the Weapon Training skills so its clearer. Not sure off the top of my head how tho.


I'm assuming this is a NPC class, if it isn't you need to power it up by quite a bit. =)

[Rion]

Yes it certainly is a NPC Class, but I have Tome of Battle, so I'm trying to get it a little stronger than the fighter.

Edit: What if I made Physical Training give two attribute points, instead of one?

[Nebo_]

What if I made Physical Training give two attribute points, instead of one?

Then it would be slightly better...

[Icewalker]

Honestly, the name is pretty off. Militia would be commoners with basic weapons, would they not? A militia is the average people arming up and fighting, if I know the term correctly.

Perhaps soldier. Seems a little weird, as usually NPC classes are relatively simple, and this has a lot of (albeit simple) abilities. There already is an NPC fighting class anyways, Warrior...another isn't needed, and it certainly shouldn't be more powerful than fighter.

[Rion]

First, while it's a NPC class and is supposed to be a little weaker than other classes, I don't want it to be too weak and it should still have some useful abilities.
Second, I have Tome of Battle. While this class is going to be stronger than the (current) fighter, it's definitely going to be weaker than the Warblade, Crusader and Swordsage.

What if I doubled the bonuses (boni?) from Weapon Training, instead of increasing Physical Training?

[Nebo_]

A lot of the abilities are useless for NPCs. What is an NPC going to do with survival bonuses? Ability increases are kind of moot, since as a DM, you can just arbitrarily assign ability scores. Attack penalties with certain weapons won't come into play, because why on earth would they be using that weapon anyway? Strongbow: Just give the NPC a good dexterity score instead of Strength.

[Rion]

I'll probably erase the extra attribute points, but Strongbow is so a character with high strength could use the class. Also I'm not so sure I want it to be a NPC class. What should be changed for it to be a viable base class?

[Nebo_]

Strongbow is so a character with high strength could use the class

But why must he be no good at doing that for 11 levels before he gets strongbow? The class so far is a collection of abilities that don't really focus much. What do you want the class to be good at? It needs focus.

[Rion]

So do you think he should get Strongbow earlier? About focus, what do you think of an archer who can defend himself in melee? Stamina can go, but I kinda like Forced March, perhaps with the increase in carrying ability instead of the constitution increase.

[Nebo_]

You really need to think of a concept before you build a class. Build the abilities around your concept rather than the other way around.

Carrying capacity increases are such a negligible bonus to a normal character that you can safely ignore it.

[Rion]

Is this better? Of couse now dwarves don't get very much from this class.

[Nebo_]

That's your capstone? Dwarves get that at first level and Knights get it around 7th. Hardly any of these abilities actually give you any sort of useful benefit.

[Rion]

What if I changed it to this?
Edit: See main post.

[Baron Corm]

Why are you making this class? Like the NPC warrior but like ToB? I suggest then taking the warrior and giving it small maneuver progression. +2 bonuses to various non-combat skills does not fix any balance issues.

If you had a unique NPC that you wanted to give something like Strongbow to, you can just do that, as the DM.

[Rion]

Which is why this is a PC class. Do you have any comments on how powerful this class is?

[Baron Corm]

Oh I see... at first it was NPC now it's PC. Well, it is more or less equally as powerful as a fighter, if that's your only question. Less bonus feats, but some minor untyped bonuses to attack, damage, and speed, as well as Strongbow. The other things are about as significant as slow fall or trap sense (not very significant).

I think Nebo_ said it very nicely, "The class so far is a collection of abilities that don't really focus much. What do you want the class to be good at? It needs focus."

And also, "You really need to think of a concept before you build a class. Build the abilities around your concept rather than the other way around."

You seem to be ignoring the actual problems here.