Prestige Class: Pyromaniac (3.5)

[Helinon]

The Pyromaniac"Heh heh heh. Fire."
This Character is in a D&D age where gunpowder is known of and mostly used for fireworks.

As the guards were beginning to douse the fires consuming the barracks, they did not see the figure hiding in the bushes nearby. The shadowy figure remained still and watched the flames grow and grow. The light from the fires lit his eyes to show a maniacal joy. All of a sudden the figure stood up and started to walk away."That's enough personal indulgence," the man muttered to himself."Time to get my pay."

Hit Die-d6
Alignment-Any Chaotic
Requirements-5 ranks Profession, 5 ranks knowledge (architecture), 10 ranks craft
Abilities-Intelligence is needed for the knowledge and crafts a pyromaniac needs for his explosives. Dexterity is needed for his rope work and escapes. Wisdom is needed for healing himself in case he is injured by his own explosives.
Skill Points-(4+Int modifier)
Class Skills- Craft(Int), Escape Artist(Dex), Heal(Wis), Hide(Dex), Knowledge (nature)(Int), Knowledge (architecture)(Int), Knowledge (geography)(Int), Profession(Wis), Use Rope(Dex)

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

1st|
+0|
+1|
+2|
+1|Fire Breathing-1d6

2nd|
+1|
+2|
+3|
+2|Torch Proficiency

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+4|
+3|Fire Breathing-2d6/energy substitution

4th|
+3|
+4|
+5|
+4|Fire Construction

5th|
+4|
+5|
+6|
+5|Fire Breathing-3d6/Flame Resistance

6th|
+5|
+6|
+7|
+6|Explosive Expert

7th|
+6|
+7|
+8|
+7|Fire Breathing-4d6

8th|
+7|
+8|
+9|
+8|Craft Explosive

9th|
+8|
+9|
+10|
+9|Fire Breathing-5d6

10th|
+9|
+10|
+11|
+10|Improved Flame Resistance[/table]

Simple Weapon Proficiency- A Pyromaniac can use all simple weapons.

Light Armor Proficiency- A Pyromaniac can wear only light armor.

Fire Breathing- A Pyromaniac can use a torch and vial of oil to create a 20ft cone of fire that deals 1d6 damage at 1st level and does an additional 1d6 every two levels.

Torch Proficiency- At 2nd level a Pyromaniac can use a torch as a light mace with +1d4 fire damage.

Energy Substitution (Su): At 3rd level, you can switch the energy type of your abilities from Fire to another energy type if your wish. This energy type can be Cold, Electricity, or Acid. This energy type must be chosen at the beginning of each day, & cannot be changed until the beginning of the next day.

Fire Construction- At 4th level a pyromaniac can create fire based traps at a +10 bonus and Alchemists fire at a +5 bonus. A Pyromaniac can only create traps whose CR is equal to half his pyromaniac levels plus his Int modifier.

Flame resistance- At 5th level a Pyromaniac gets a 5 fire resistance against normal fire such as campfires. He also gets a +2 to reflex saves vs. fire related spells and abilities.

Explosive Expert- At 6th level a pyromaniac can use explosives such as fireworks to damage structures such as walls and buildings with great precision. This allows the Pyromaniac to add his ranks in knowledge (architecture) to the damage of his explosives.

Craft Explosive- At 8th level a Pyromaniac can use fireworks and pure black powder to create explosives that do 1d10 damage per Pyromaniac level.

Improved Flame Resistance- At 10th level a Pyromaniac becomes completely immune to normal forms of fire. the Pyromaniac also has a 5 damage resistance to all other forms of fire

[Helinon]

just so you know this is my first homebrew class and have tried to stick to the homebrew guidelines as best as possible so please comment on whatever i need to fix.

[Zeta Kai]

I like this class, as it seems fun & relatively balanced, but it has a definite weakness. Far too man creatures in D&D have fire resistance/immunity, against which this class is all but useless. I would recommend adding the option to switch out the energy type once per day (or more often at higher levels). Cold/Electricity/Acid/Sonics may dilute the pyromaniacal flavor, but it would make the class much more useful.

[Helinon]

what do you mean by switching the energy type? do you mean the resistance?

[Zeta Kai]

Energy Substitution (Su): At 3rd level, you can switch the energy type of your abilities from Fire to another energy type if your wish. This energy type can be Cold, Electricity, or Acid. This energy type must be chosen at the beginning of each day, & cannot be changed until the beginning of the next day.

Thoughts?

[Helinon]

it sounds like a very good idea and, the way i see it, can be easily incorporated into this class. all he does is add another item to all the items to make them another type of energy. Good thinking man!

[Helinon]

for anyone who sees this what do you think of my chances for getting this accepted by Wizard as an official Prestige Class?

[shadow_archmagi]

Seems...

Familiar.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/prestigeClasses/pyrokineticist.htm

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

for anyone who sees this what do you think of my chances for getting this accepted by Wizard as an official Prestige Class?

Very low, for three reasons:

Firstly, Wizards doesn't normally accept the submissions of outside designers, with the exception (I believe) of the Dragon magazine, although this may have changed.

Secondly, you lack the necessary fluff for official Prestige Classes. Crack open, say the Tome of Battle or the Complete Scoundrel or any other book and see just how much each class has written about it.

Thirdly, and most importantly, Wizards has officially stopped production of 3.5 material in favor of 4th Edition, meaning that, even if you circumvent 1 and 2, Wizards no longer supports the system you've designed your class in.

Sorry, man.

[Zeta Kai]

Also, I've just noticed that the BAB & saving throw progressions don't follow any standard scheme that I can discern. The BAB is like a fighter's, but is always one point lower for no real reason. The saving throws make even less sense; the all end up being +3 over what one would expect from a strong save progression.

[Dixieboy]

CG pyromaniac? :smallconfused:

[unosarta]

wait, wait, wait. you can be a pyromaniac without actually burning anything? are the craft/profession ranks going to be specified? because as of now, you could possibly be a firefighter/potter, and still get into the class.

[TaintedLight]

Also, I've just noticed that the BAB & saving throw progressions don't follow any standard scheme that I can discern. The BAB is like a fighter's, but is always one point lower for no real reason. The saving throws make even less sense; the all end up being +3 over what one would expect from a strong save progression.

Seconded. Saves should never deviate from the pattern of Good Save=1/2 Level +2 and Bad Save=1/3 Level. BAB should be Good=Level, Medium=3/4 Level, and Poor=1/2 Level.

Other gripes? The energy substitution makes little sense considering that the flavor of this class is decidedly pyromaniacal. There's no fluff that clarifies the nature of these abilities or anything (Sp, Su, or Ex) and it feels kind of unneccessary.

[Zeta Kai]

Seconded. Saves should never deviate from the pattern of Good Save=1/2 Level +2 and Bad Save=1/3 Level. BAB should be Good=Level, Medium=3/4 Level, and Poor=1/2 Level.

For the most part, you're quite correct. However, to be fair, I've seen an average save progression used (2/5ths HD + 1) to good effect. Of course, this class uses nothing so orderly & logical.