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View Full Version : [3.5 Base Class] The Shaman [PEAR!]



Jarian
2011-02-15, 06:59 PM
Shaman

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9843/shamanx.jpg
"Alone, the elements are wild, chaotic. Through me, they find balance, and with that balance, purpose."
- Earthwarden Orurn, Minotaur Shaman

Class Skills
The Shaman's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str)
Skills Points at Each Level: 4 + int

Alignment: Any neutral.

Hit Dice: d8

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st| +0 | +2 | +0 | +2 |Fire Totems, Lightning Bolt, Primal Strike, Water Shield

2nd| +1 | +3 | +0 | +3 |Earth Shock, Earth Totems, Flametongue Weapon, Healing Wave

3rd| +2 | +3 | +1 | +3 |Fire Nova, Lightning Shield, Purge, Water Totems

4th| +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 |Air Totems, Flame Shock, Ghost Wolf

5th| +3 | +4 | +1 | +4 |Cleanse Spirit, Wind Shear

6th| +4 | +5 | +2 | +5 |Healing Surge, Frost Shock

7th| +5 | +5 | +2 | +5 |Chain Lightning, Frostbrand Weapon, Water Breathing, Water Walking

8th| +6/+1 | +6 | +2 | +6 |Totemic Recall

9th| +6/+1 | +6 | +3 | +6 |Call of the Elements, Reincarnation

10th| +7/+2 | +7 | +3 | +7 | Far Sight, Greater Healing Wave, Lava Burst

11th| +8/+3 | +7 | +3 | +7 |Bind Elemental, Windfury Weapon

12th| +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 | Chain Heal, Earthliving Weapon

13th| +9/+4 | +8 | +4 | +8 |Bloodlust

14th| +10/+5 | +9 | +4 | +9 |Rockbiter Weapon

15th| +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 | +9 |Hex

16th| +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 |Mastery

17th| +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 | +10 |Ancestral Spirit

18th| +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 | +11 |Healing Rain

19th| +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 | +11 |Spiritwalker's Grace

20th| +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 | +12 |Unleash Elements[/table]

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Shamans are proficient with all simple weapons. Shamans are proficient with light and medium armor and with light and heavy shields.

Specialization: At 1st level, a Shaman chooses a path in which to specialize. Each path unlocks different powerful abilities over the course of the Shaman's career, as shown on the individual table for each path. The choice of a path is permanent, representing the Shaman's dedication to a specific type of mastery over the elements.

Elemental Specialization:Immediately upon choosing to pursue the Elemental path, the Shaman unlocks the following abilities:

Thunderstorm (Sp): As a swift action, the Shaman may release a surge of electrical energy in a burst around him. All enemies within 20 feet of the Shaman take 1d6 electric damage per Shaman level. A successful Reflex save, DC (10+1/2 HD+Wis modifier) halves this damage. Any creature that fails its save against this ability is hurled to the outer edge of the affected area; a creature that cannot travel this distance due to an obstruction takes 1d6 damage for every 10 feet it would have traveled.

A fraction of the energy lingers, restoring 8 mana to the Shaman.

Thunderstorm may be used every 8 rounds.

Elemental Fury: The Shaman's elemental abilities come from the most primal of sources; they burn hotter, chill deeper, and shock more strongly than any normal magic. Elemental resistances do not apply to a Shaman's elemental abilities; only complete immunity to that element can negate such damage.

Additionally, whenever the Shaman's Searing or Magma Totems deal damage, they have a 20% chance to deal an additional 50% bonus damage.

Shamanism: The Shaman may use his Chain Lightning, Lava Burst, and Lightning Bolt abilities as standard actions, and they deal bonus damage equal to the Shaman's class level.

In addition, the Shaman receives further abilities at the following levels, as seen on the table below.

{table=head]Level | Ability
2 | Convection
3 | Concussion
4 | Elemental Precision
5| Reverberation
6 | Call of Flame
7 | Elemental Warding
8 | Elemental Focus
9 | Elemental Reach
10 | Rolling Thunder
11 | Elemental Oath
12 | Lava Flows
13 | Elemental Mastery
14 | Fulmination
15 | Totemic Wrath
16 | Earth's Grasp
17 | Feedback
18 | Lava Surge
19 | Earthquake[/table]

Convection: The Shaman's damaging class abilities consume 10% less mana, minimum of 1 less mana.

Concussion: The Shaman deals an additional 10% damage with his Chain Lightning, Earth Shock, Flame Shock, Frost Shock, Lava Burst, Lightning Bolt, and Thunderstorm abilities.

Elemental Precision: The Shaman gains a bonus to hit equal to his Wisdom modifier.

Reverberation: The Shaman's Earth Shock, Flame Shock, Frost Shock, and Wind Shear abilities recharge one round faster.

Call of Flame: The Shaman's fire totems deal 20% more damage, and his Lava Burst ability deals 10% more damage.

Elemental Warding: The Shaman takes 10% less damage from all magical sources.

Elemental Focus: Whenever the Shaman confirms a critical threat with any of his class abilities that deal electric, fire, or cold damage, he enters a Clearcasting state. While in this state, the mana cost of his next two damaging or healing abilities is reduced by half.

Elemental Reach: Increases the range of the Shaman's Chain Lightning, Fire Nova, Lava Burst, and Lightning Bolt abilities by 10 feet, and increases the range of his Earth Shock, Flame Shock, and Frost Shock abilities by 15 feet. The range of his Searing Totem's attack also increases by 15 feet.

Rolling Thunder: When the Shaman deals damage with his Chain Lightning or Lightning Bolt abilities while Lightning Shield is active, he has a 50% chance to gain 2 mana and generate an additional charge on the shield, up to a maximum of 9 charges.

Elemental Oath: While the Shaman is in a Clearcasting state, he deals 10% more damage with all class abilities, and all allies within 60 feet of him increase their critical threat range with all attacks by 1.

Lava Flows: Whenever the Shaman confims a critical threat with his Lava Burst ability, he deals an additional 25% total damage. In addition, the periodic damage dealt by the Shaman's Flame Shock ability increases by 50%.

Elemental Mastery (Su): As a free action, the Shaman may decrease the activation time for all his damaging abilities by one step until the end of the second round in which this ability is activated. In addition, the Shaman may use Chain Lightning, Lava Burst, or Lightning Bolt as an immediate action once while this ability is activated.

Elemental Mastery may be used once every 20 rounds.

Fulmination: Whenever the Shaman's Lightning Shield ability has more than three charges, his Earth Shock ability will consume the surplus charges, instantly dealing electric damage equal to the total damage of the combined charges.

Totemic Wrath: All allies within 60 feet of one of the Shaman's fire totems deal 10% more damage with spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities.

Earth's Grasp: Whenever the Shaman places his Earthbind Totem, all enemies within its range that fail a Reflex save, DC (10+1/2 HD+Wis modifier) are snared in place as the totem shoots out a web of entangling vines, Immobilizing all affected targets for one round, at which point the vines disappear.

Feedback: Whenever the Shaman uses his Chain Lightning or Lightning Bolt abilties, he reduces the number of rounds until his Elemental Mastery ability recharges by 1.

Lava Surge: Whenever the Shaman deals periodic damage with his Flame Shock ability, he has a 20% chance to instantly recharge his Lava Burst ability.

Earthquake (Su): As a standard action, the Shaman may cause a 20 foot radius area of ground to heave violently, dealing 5d6 bludgeoning damage at the start and end of each of his turns for the next three turns. Whenever an enemy takes damage from this effect, it has a 10% chance to fall prone.

Using Earthquake consumes 60 mana. Only one Earthquake effect may be in place at one time.

Enhancement Specialization:Immediately upon choosing to pursue the Enhancement path, the Shaman unlocks the following abilities:

Lava Lash (Su): As an attack action made with an offhand weapon, the Shaman may imbue his weapon with the heat of lava, dealing double normal damage as fire damage. This is a specific exception to the normal working of attack action abilities.

If the weapon used to make this attack is under the effect of Flametongue Weapon, the total damage is increased by 40%.

Lava Lash consumes 4 mana when used.

Lava Lash may be used every two rounds.

Mental Quickness: The Shaman's Wisdom modifier is treated as being a number of points higher equal to half his Strength modifier for the purpose of adjudicating all Shaman class abilities. In addition, the mana cost of all swift or free action Shaman abilities is reduced by 75%.

Dual Wield: The Shaman gains the Two-weapon Fighting feat (or Multiweapon Fighting, if he would have multiple offhands). Additionally, the Shaman may apply his full Strength modifier to all attacks made with a light weapon, and all penalties for fighting with multiple weapons are reduced by 1.

Primal Wisdom: Whenever the Shaman successfully hits with a melee attack, he has a 40% chance to restore 5 mana.

In addition, the Shaman receives further abilities at the following levels, as seen on the table below.

{table=head]Level | Ability
2 | Focused Strikes
3 | Elemental Weapons
4 | Ancestral Swiftness
5| Flurry
6 | Elemental Devastation
7 | Totemic Reach
8 | Stormstrike
9 | Toughness
10 | Static Shock
11 | Improved Fire Nova
12 | Frozen Power
13 | Searing Flames
14 | Shamanistic Rage
15 | Unleashed Rage
16 | Earthen Power
17 | Improved Lava Lash
18 | Maelstrom Weapon
19 | Feral Spirit[/table]

Focused Strikes: The Shaman deals an additional 50% damage with his Primal Strike and Stormstrike abilities.

Elemental Weapons: Increases the passive benefits granted by Flametongue Weapon and Earthliving Weapon by 50%, increases the damage of the extra attacks granted by Windfury Weapon by 50%, and increases the effectiveness of the ongoing benefits of Unleash Elements by 50%.

Ancestral Swiftness: The Shaman may use his Ghost Wolf ability as a swift action, and gains a 15 foot enhancement bonus to his movement speed while in the Ghost Wolf form.

Flurry: Whenever the Shaman successfully confirms a critical threat, he gains an extra attack at his highest attack bonus each round for two rounds. This extra granted attack does not stack with extra attacks from the haste spell or similar effects.

Elemental Devastation: Whenever the Shaman successfully confirms a critical threat with a non-attack acttion class ability, his critical threat range with his melee attacks increases by an amount equal to his Wisdom modifier, and he automatically confirms his next critical threat with a melee attack. Once triggered, this ability lasts until the Shaman confirms a critical threat with a melee attack.

Totemic Reach: The range of all totem effects increases by 50%.

Stormstrike (Ex): As an attack action, the Shaman makes a single melee attack with his mainhand weapon. If it hits, he deals additional damage equal to his offhand weapon damage, and the total damage dealt is increased by 25%. The only modifiers that apply to this offhand weapon damage are the Shaman's strength bonus, the weapon's enhancement bonus, and any damaging special properties of the weapon, including any of the Shaman's weapon enhancement class abilities.

In addition, on a successful hit with this ability, the Shaman's critical threat range with his Chain Lighting and Lightning Bolt abilities increases by an amount equal to his Wisdom modifier for two rounds.

Using Stormstrike consumes 8 mana.

Stormstrike may be used every two rounds.

Toughness (Ex): The Shaman gains a +2 class bonus to Constitution, and the duration of any movement impairing effects used against him is reduced by one round. A movement impairing effect can be completely negated in this fashion, if its base duration is one round or less.

Static Shock: Whenever the Shaman uses his Lava Lash, Primal Strike, or Stormstrike abilities while his Lightning Shield is active, he has a 50% chance to deal bonus electric damage equal to a Lightning Shield charge without consuming any charges.

Improved Fire Nova: Increases the damage dealt by the Shaman's Fire Nova ability, and reduces its recharge time by one round.

Frozen Power: The Shaman deals an additional 10% damage with his Chain Lightning, Earth Shock, Flame Shock, Frost Shock, Lava Lash, and Lightning Bolt abilities on targets suffering from the effect of his Frostbrand Weapon ability. In addition, the Shaman's Frost Shock ability will Immobilize its target if the Shaman uses it at a distance of 15 feet or further.

Searing Flames: Whenever a creature is struck by the Shaman's Searing Totem, it is set aflame, taking damage equal to 25% of the initial damage dealt at the start of each of the Shaman's next three turns. This effect stacks up to five times, and the duration refreshes whenever the target is struck by the Searing Totem.

Shamanistic Rage (Ex): As an immediate action, the Shaman may reduce all damage taken by 30% and cause all of his class abilities to cost no mana for two rounds. Shamanistic Rage can be used even when the Shaman would normally be incapable of acting.

Shamanistic Rage may be used once per minute.

Unleashed Rage: The Shaman gains a bonus to bull rush, disarm, sunder, and trip attempts equal to his Wisdom modifier, and ignores any size disadvantages when using these attacks on creatures up to two size categories larger than himself. Additionally, the Shaman and all allies within 60 feet of him increase the base damage of their physical attacks by one step.

Earthen Power: Whenever the Shaman's Earthbind Totem pulses, it also removes any movement slowing effect from allies within its range. It does not, however, remove effects that completely negate an ally's ability to move, such as the Immobilized or Stunned condition.

Improved Lava Lash: The Shaman's Lava Lash ability deals an additional 30% damage, plus an additional 20% damage for each stack of Searing Flames on the target, consuming those stacks on a successful hit.

Maelstrom Weapon: Whenever the Shaman deals damage with a melee weapon, he has a 20% chance to reduce the activation time of his next Chain Lightning, Hex, or Lightning Bolt ability by one step, and reduce its mana cost by 20%. The effect stacks up to five times, to a minimum of a free action and no cost. For the purpose of this ability, an immediate action is one step below a swift action.

Feral Spirit (Su): As a full-round action, the Shaman may call two translucent Spirit Wolves to his aid. A Spirit Wolf has HD equal to the Shaman's HD -2. The Spirit Wolves persist for five rounds or until slain.

Using Feral Spirit consumes 12 mana.

Feral Spirit may be used once per encounter.

Spirit Wolf:The following Spirit Wolf was created by a 19th level Shaman.

Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 17d8+106 (178 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 80 ft / 60 ft fly (perfect)
Armor Class: 32 (+2 Dex, +20 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 30
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+23
Attack: Bite +20 melee (2d6+7, 19-20/x2)
Full Attack: Bite +20 melee (2d6+7, 19-20/x2) and two claws +17 melee(1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 10ft/10ft
Special Attacks: Trip
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, Undead traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3, Survival +1*
Feats: TrackB, Weapon Focus (bite), Improved Critical (bite), Power Attack, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Multiattack

Undead Traits: Despite not having the Undead type, a Spirit Wolf gains all traits of an undead creature except for the lack of a constitution score and use of Charisma for concentration checks.

Trip (Ex): A Spirit Wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot attempt to trip the Spirit Wolf in return.

Restoration Specialization:Immediately upon choosing to pursue the Restoration path, the Shaman unlocks the following abilities:

Earth Shield (Su): As a swift action, the Shaman may surround an ally within line of sight with a swirling shield of earthen motes. While protected in this way, the target does not provoke attacks of opportunity for casting spells or spell-like abilities. In addition, whenever the target is struck by a physical attack, it is healed for 1d6 per two Shaman levels, rounded up. This effect may not trigger more than once per round.

An Earth Shield has nine charges, and one charge is consumed whenever it heals its target. Like other elemental shields, an Earth Shield lasts for 10 minutes or until its charges are consumed. Earth Shield can only be placed on one target at a time, and only one elemental shield may be active on a target at a time.

Activating Earth Shield consumes 19 mana. Activating Earth Shield on a new target while another Earth Shield is active removes the previous Earth Shield.

Purification: Increases the effectiveness of all of the Shaman's healing class abilities by 10%, and reduces the activation time of the Shaman's Healing Wave and Greater Healing Wave to a standard action. Additionally, whenever the Shaman uses a healing class ability on an ally, he has a 5% chance to gain a critical effect from the healing, increasing the total amount healed by 50%.

Meditation: The Shaman's Wisdom modifier is considered one point higher when adjudicating all Shaman class abilities. In addition, while in an encounter, the Shaman receives half of his normal hourly mana regeneration rate per round.

Unlike most Shamans, Restoration Shamans receive eight times their Wisdom modifier as bonus mana.

In addition, the Shaman receives further abilities at the following levels, as seen on the table below.

{table=head]Level | Ability
2 | Tidal Focus
3 | Spark of Life
4 | Focused Insight
5| Nature's Guardian
6 | Totemic Focus
7 | Improved Water Shield
8 | Nature's Swiftness
9 | Ancestral Healing
10 | Nature's Blessing
11 | Soothing Rains
12 | Improved Cleanse Spirit
13 | Cleansing Waters
14 | Mana Tide Totem
15 | Ancestral Awakening
16 | Telluric Currents
17 | Blessing of the Eternals
18 | Tidal Waves
19 | Riptide[/table]

Tidal Focus: Reduces the mana cost of all healing Shaman abilities by 10%.

Spark of Life: Further increases the Shaman's healing done by 5%, and increases healing received by 15%.

Focused Insight: After using Earth Shock, Flame Shock, or Frost Shock, the mana cost of the Shaman's next healing ability used before the end of the encounter is reduced by 75% of the Shock ability's mana cost, and its healing is increased by 30%.

Nature's Guardian: Whenever damage drops the Shaman below 30% of his full normal hitpoints, he gains temporary hitpoints equal to 15% of his full normal hitpoints.

Totemic Focus: The mana cost of the Shaman's totems is reduced by 50%.

Improved Water Shield: While the Shaman has Water Shield active, whenever he performs a critical healing effect with his Chain Heal, Healing Surge, Healing Wave, Greater Healing Wave, or Riptide abilities, he gains mana as if a charge from his Water Shield had been absorbed.

Nature's Swiftness: As a free action, the Shaman may cause his next healing ability, Cleanse Spirit, Purge, or Hex ability used before the end of the round to be usable as a standard, move, or swift action.

Nature's Swiftness may be used once per encounter.

Ancestral Healing: Whenever the Shaman performs a critical healing effect, the target of that heal takes 10% less damage from all sources for 3 rounds.

Nature's Blessing: Whenever the shaman uses a single-target ability to heal an ally under the effect of his Earth Shield, that healing is increased by 15%.

Soothing Rains: Increases the amount healed by the Shaman's Healing Stream Totem by 50%, and his Healing Rain ability by 30%.

Improved Cleanse Spirit: The Shaman's Cleanse Spirit now also removes one poison or disease effect from his target.

Cleansing Waters: Reduces the mana cost of Cleanse Spirit by 40%. Whenever the Shaman removes a negative effect with Cleanse Spirit, the affected ally receives healing equal to the Shaman's Healing Wave ability.

Mana Tide Totem: The Shaman may now call a Mana Tide Totem, which grants temporary mana equal to five times the Shaman's Wisdom modifier to all allies within 60 feet of the totem. The totem lasts for three rounds or until destroyed, at which point the temporary mana vanishes. Temporary mana is consumed before normal mana.

A Mana Tide Totem is a water totem that has no cost to summon.

Mana Tide Totem may be used once per encounter.

Ancestral Awakening: Whenever the Shaman performs a critical healing effect with a single-target ability, he summons an Ancestral Spirit, which heals the lowest health ally within 60 feet of the Shaman for 30% of the amount healed.

Telluric Currents: Whenever the Shaman deals damage with his Lightning Bolt ability, he gains 10% of the damage dealt as mana.

Blessing of the Eternals: The Shaman has an additional 80% chance to trigger the effect of his Earthliving Weapon's periodic healing when he heals an ally below 25% health.

Tidal Waves: Whenever the Shaman uses his Chain Heal or Riptide ability, he gains two charges of Tidal Waves, which reduces the activation time of his Healing Wave or Greater Healing Wave abilities is reduced by one step, and the Shaman has an additional 30% chance to receive a critical healing effect from his Healing Surge ability. Whenever the Shaman uses any of these abilities, he loses one charge of Tidal Waves.

Riptide (Sp): As a swift action, the Shaman may place a healing current inside an ally's body. Riptide instantly heals for 1d3 per Shaman level, and heals for an additional 1 point per Shaman level at the start of each of the Shaman's next three turns. If the Shaman uses his Chain Heal ability with the recipient of Riptide as the primary target, Riptide's periodic healing effect is removed, and the total healing of the Chain Heal is increased by 25%.

Riptide consumes 10 mana when used.

Riptide may be used every two rounds.

Mana: A Shaman's method of fueling his abilities is a pool of magical force known as mana. The Shaman's base mana pool consists of 100 points, which are drained away as he uses his abilities. A Shaman recovers a number of points of mana equal to his Wisdom modifier each hour, and fully restores his mana pool after resting for at least eight hours.

In addition to the base amount of mana available to him, a Shaman also receives bonus mana equal to his Wisdom modifier times five. Calculate this additional mana when the Shaman rests to recover his mana pool entirely.

Totems (Su): All Shamans are able to summon totems, small, translucent figurines of spiritual significance to that particular Shaman. Calling a totem into being is a swift action, and the totem appears adjacent to the Shaman. A totem is not truly real, and does not impede movement in any way. A Shaman may only have one totem of each element called at one time; summoning a new totem of the same element immediately destroys the previous totem.

Totems have 1 HP and AC 10. A totem reduced to 0 hp or lower vanishes instantly. Totems do not take damage from area of effect attacks. Totems are treated as objects for the purpose of determining which effects can affect them, but are metaphysical incarnations, and as such have no weight, and cannot be moved from the location in which they are summoned.

At 1st level, a Shaman is capable of calling upon any of the fire totems.

At 2nd level, a Shaman is capable of calling upon any of the earth totems.

At 3rd level, a Shaman is capable of calling upon any of the water totems.

At 4th level, a Shaman is capable of calling upon any of the air totems.

Fire totems:Fire Elemental Totem: The Shaman summons a Fire Elemental Totem, which summons a Fire Elemental with HD equal to the Shaman's class level -1 (minimum of 1HD) to protect him. The elemental may range anywhere within 100 feet of its totem, but cannot travel further than this. If either the elemental or its totem is destroyed, the other is destroyed as well. The Fire Elemental Totem persists for 2 minutes before vanishing.

Summoning a Fire Elemental Totem consumes 23 mana. The Shaman may only summon one Fire Elemental Totem per day.

Flametongue Totem: The Shaman summons a Flametongue Totem, which increases the hitpoint damage of all spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilties used by allies within 40 feet of it by an amount equal to 1/3 the Shaman's class level, rounded up. The Flametongue Totem persists for 5 minutes before vanishing.

Summoning a Flametongue Totem consumes 11 mana.

Magma Totem: The Shaman summons a Magma Totem, which deals 1 fire damage per Shaman level to all enemies within 10 feet of it at the end of each of the Shaman's turns. The Magma Totem persists until the end of the fourth turn in which it is summoned.

Summoning a Magma Totem consumes 18 mana.

Searing Totem: The Shaman summons a Searing Totem, which flings a small gout of fire as a ranged touch attack at an enemy within 20 feet of itself at the end of each of the Shaman's turns. The totem uses the Shaman's base attack bonus and either Dexterity or Wisdom modifier, whichever is higher, to determine its attack bonus. The fire damage dealt is equal to 1/2 the Shaman's class level, rounded up. The Searing Totem lasts for one minute before vanishing.

Summoning a Searing Totem consumes 5 mana.
Earth Totems:Earthbind Totem: The Shaman summons an Earthbind Totem, which quadruples the amount of movement required for enemies to move through the area 10 feet around it. The Earthbind Totem persists for 8 rounds before vanishing.

Summoning an Earthbind Totem consumes 5 mana.

Earth Elemental Totem: The Shaman summons an Earth Elemental Totem, which summons an Earth Elemental with HD equal to the Shaman's class level -1 to protect him. The elemental may range anywhere within 100 feet of its totem, but cannot travel farther than this. If either the totem or the elemental is destroyed, the other is destroyed as well. The Earth Elemental Totem persists for two minutes before vanishing.

Summoning an Earth Elemental Totem consumes 24 mana. The Shaman may only summon one Earth Elemental Totem per day.

Stoneskin Totem: The Shaman summons a Stoneskin Totem, which grants DR/- equal to 1/3 the Shaman's class level, rounded up, to all allies within 30 feet. The Stoneskin totem persists for 5 minutes before vanishing.

Summoning a Stoneskin Totem consumes 10 mana.

Strength of Earth Totem: The Shaman summons a Strength of Earth Totem, which grants an enhancement bonus to Strength and Dexterity equal to 1/3 the Shaman's class level, rounded up, to all allies within 40 feet of it. The Strength of Earth Totem persists for 5 minutes before vanishing.

Summoning a Strength of Earth Totem consumes 10 mana.
Water totems:Elemental Resistance Totem: The Shaman summons an Elemental Resistance Totem, which grants resistance to all energy types equal to 1/3 the Shaman's class level, rounded up, to all allies within 30 feet. The Elemental Resistance Totem persists for 5 minutes before vanishing.

Summoning an Elemental Resistance Totem consumes 8 mana.

Healing Stream Totem: The Shaman summons a Healing Stream Totem, which heals the most injured ally within 30 feet of itself for an amount equal to 1/3 the Shaman's class level at the end of each of his turns. The Healing Stream Totem persists for 5 minutes before it vanishes.

Summoning a Healing Stream Totem consumes 3 mana.

Totem of Tranquil Mind: The Shaman summons a Totem of Tranquil Mind, which allows all allies within 30 feet of it to cast spells and spell like abilities without provoking attacks of opportunity. The Totem of Tranquil Mind persists for 5 minutes before vanishing.

Summoning a Totem of Tranquil Mind consumes 8 mana.
Air totems:Grounding Totem: The Shaman summons a Grounding Totem, which redirects the next harmful single-target spell cast at an ally within 20 feet of it to itself, destroying the totem. The Grounding Totem persists for 8 rounds before vanishing.

Summoning a Grounding Totem consumes 5 mana. A Grounding Totem may be summoned every three rounds.

Windfury Totem: The Shaman summons a Windfury Totem, which grants a bonus to hit equal to 1/4 the Shaman's class level, rounded up, to all allies within 40 feet. The Windfury Totem persists for 5 minutes before it vanishes.

Summoning a Windfury Totem consumes 11 mana.

Lightning Bolt (Sp): As a full-round action, a Shaman may hurl a bolt of blue lightning toward a foe within 60 feet. If he succeeds on a ranged touch attack, the enemy takes 1d6 electric damage per class level.

Using Lightning Bolt consumes 6 mana.

Primal Strike (Ex): As an attack action, a Shaman may imbue his weapon with the strength of the earth, increasing the base damage by one step. At 5th level and again at 10th, 15th, and 20th, the damage dealt is increased by another step when using Primal Strike.

Using Primal Strike consumes 8 mana.

Water Shield (Su): As a swift action, a Shaman may surround himself with three whirling globes of mana-imbued water. Whenever the Shaman is struck by a single-target spell or physical attack from a foe, one of the globes breaks apart and splashes over him, restoring mana equal to 1/2 his class level plus his Wisdom modifier. Only one water orb will break each round. A Water Shield lasts for 10 minutes or until all of the globes have been expended. Only one Elemental Shield may be active on the Shaman at one time.

Earth Shock (Sp): As a swift action, a Shaman of 2nd level or higher may inflict a localized tremor inside the body of an enemy within 20 feet. The target takes 1d2 bludgeoning damage per Shaman level, and deals 20% less physical damage for 2 rounds.

Earth Shock may be used every 2 rounds. Earth Shock shares a recharge with Flame Shock and Frost Shock.

Using Earth Shock consumes 18 mana.

Flametongue Weapon (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 2nd level or higher may imbue his weapon with mystic fire for one hour. While wielding the imbued weapon, the Shaman deals 10% more damage with all damaging class abilities.

Using Flametongue weapon consumes 6 mana.

Healing Wave (Sp): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 2nd level or higher may heal an ally within 40 feet for 1d4 damage per class level.

Using Healing Wave consumes 10 mana.

Fire Nova (Sp): As a swift action, a Shaman of 3rd level or higher may cause his active fire totem to release a wave of roiling flame, dealing 1d6 fire damage per class level to all enemies within 10 feet of the totem. A successful Reflex save, DC (10+1/2 HD+Wis modifier) halves this damage.

Using Fire Nova consumes 22 mana.

Fire Nova may be used every 2 rounds.

Lightning Shield (Su): As a swift action, a Shaman of 3rd level or higher may surround himself with three crackling orbs of electricity. Whenever the Shaman is struck by a single-target spell or physical attack, one of the globes streaks toward the attacker, dealing 1 point of electric damage per Shaman level. Only one orb will fire from the Shaman per round. A Lightning Shield lasts for 10 minutes or until all of the orbs have been expended. Only one Elemental Shield may be active on the Shaman at one time.

Purge (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 3rd level or higher may attempt to remove an ongoing magical effect. Treat this effect as a targeted greater dispel magic with a caster level equal to the Shaman's class level, but it may only ever remove one effect.

Using Purge consumes 14 mana.

Flame Shock (Sp): As a swift action, a Shaman of 4th level or higher may ignite a foe within 25 feet, instantly searing it for 1d3 fire damage per class level, and dealing additional fire damage equal to the Shaman's class level at the start of each of the next three rounds.

Flame Shock may be used every 2 rounds. Flame Shock shares a recharge with Earth Shock and Frost Shock.

Using Flame Shock consumes 17 mana.

Ghost Wolf (Su): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 4th level or higher may transform into a white-furred wolf. While in this form, the Shaman's base landspeed increases by 20 feet, and he gains the benefit of the Run and Endurance feats. The Shaman cannot cast spells or use any of his class abilities while in this form. Dismissing the Ghost Wolf form is a free action.

Using Ghost Wolf consumes 6 mana.

Cleanse Spirit (Su): As a swift action, a Shaman of 5th level or higher may remove all curses from a single target within 40 feet. Treat this ability as a remove curse spell for determining what may be removed by it. The Shaman's caster level for this effect is equal to his class level.

Using Cleanse Spirit consumes 14 mana.

Wind Shear (Su): As an immediate action, a Shaman of 5th level or higher may cause a brief, vicious wind to spring up, stinging the flesh and burning the eyes of a single foe within 25 feet, disrupting the creature's spellcasting. The Shaman makes a dispel check, as if casting greater dispel magic, with his class level in place of the caster level. If successful, the spell is counterspelled and the target may not cast any spells from the same school of magic for two rounds.

Wind Shear may be used every two rounds.

Using Wind Shear consumes 8 mana.

Healing Surge (Sp): As a standard action, a Shaman of 6th level or higher may heal an ally within 40 feet for 1d6 damage per class level.

Using Healing Surge consumes 30 mana.

Frost Shock (Sp): As a swift action, a Shaman of 6th level or higher may flash freeze the outer layer of a foe's flesh, dealing 1d3 cold damage per class level. If the target fails a Fortitude save, DC (10+1/2 HD+Wis modifier) its movement speed is reduced to half for two rounds.

Frost Shock may be used every two rounds. Frost Shock shares a recharge with Earth Shock and Flame Shock.

Chain Lightning (Sp): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 7th level or higher may hurl a crackling orb of electricity at an enemy within 30 feet. If he succeeds on a ranged touch attack, the target takes 1d6 electric damage per class level, and the lightning jumps to another nearby target using the same attack roll, but dealing 30% less damage than the initial blast. If the lightning hits the second target, it jumps to another target within 15 feet, using the same attack roll, but dealing 60% less damage than the initial blast. No target may be struck by Chain Lightning more than once.

Using Chain Lightning consumes 26 mana.

Chain Lightning may be used every two rounds.

Frostbrand Weapon (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 7th level or higher may imbue his weapon with fellfrost for one hour. While wielding the imbued weapon, the Shaman has a 20% chance to deal bonus frost damage equal to his class level and reduce his target's movement speed to half for two rounds.

Using Frostbrand weapon consumes 6 mana.

Water Breathing (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 7th level or higher may bestow the ability to breathe water as easily as air to a touched ally. Water Breathing lasts for 10 minutes.

Using Water Breathing consumes 2 mana.

Water Walking (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 7th level or higher may bestow the ability to walk on water as easily as on land to a touched ally. Water Walking lasts for 10 minutes.

Using Water Walking consumes 3 mana.

Totemic Recall (Su): As a free action, a Shaman of 8th level or higher may return all of his summoned totems to the earth, instantly destroying them and granting him 25% of the total mana cost to summon them.

Call of the Elements (Su): As a swift action, a Shaman of 9th level or higher may summon one totem of each element.

Using Call of the Elements costs an amount of mana equal to the total combined cost of the summoned totems.

Reincarnation (Su): Once per week, when a Shaman of 9th level or higher is killed, he is returned to life with 20% of his full normal hitpoints at the start of his next turn. The Shaman suffers no negative effects for being raised in this way. With the exception of the reduced hitpoints, this ability is functionally identical to the true resurrection spell.

Far Sight (Su): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 10th level or higher may change his viewpoint to a distant location, then see the world as if he were standing in that place. Far Sight may be used to change viewpoints as far as a mile away, as long as the Shaman has a clear line of sight to that location. Once used, Far Sight lasts for one minute or until dismissed as a free action. While viewing the world with Far Sight, the Shaman can take no actions on his turn except to dismiss the ability.

Using Far Sight consumes 3 mana.

Greater Healing Wave (Sp): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 10th level or higher may heal an ally within 40 feet for 1d8 damage per class level.

Using Greater Healing Wave consumes 33 mana.

Lava Burst (Sp): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 10th level or higher may hurl a ball of molten lava at an enemy within 30 feet. If the Shaman succeeds on a ranged touch attack, he deals 1d6 fire damage per class level. If the target is suffering from the periodic damage of Flame Shock, Lava Burst automatically threatens a critical hit.

Using Lava Burst consumes 10 mana.

Lava Burst may be used every two rounds.

Bind Elemental (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 11th level or higher may subject an elemental within 30 feet to his will, forcing it to take no actions for up to a minute. If the elemental fails a Will save, DC (10+1/2 HD+Wis modifier), it is dazed for one minute, or until the Shaman or one of his allies lauches an attack at the elemental. Even if the elemental possesses immunity to dazing, it is not immune to the dazing of Bind Elemental.

Using Bind Elemental consumes 9 mana.

Windfury Weapon (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 11th level or higher may imbue his weapon with the speed and grace of the very air for one hour. While wielding the imbued weapon, the Shaman has a 20% chance to perform a second attack at the same attack bonus whenever he hits with the weapon.

Using Windfury Weapon consumes 7 mana.

Chain Heal (Sp): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 12th level or higher may create a link of vitality between allies. The Shaman chooses a target within 40 feet, and a beam of yellow-green light bursts from his hand to strike that ally in the chest, healing it for 1d4 damage per class level. The beam then jumps from the initial ally to another within 40 feet of it, healing it for the same amount as the initial heal, but with a 30% reduction. The beam then jumps from that target to a third target within 40 feet of it, healing it for the same amount as the initial heal, but with a 60% reduction. The beam then jumps from that target to a fourth target, healing it for the same amount as the initial heal, but with a 90% reduction.

No ally can be healed by Chain Heal more than once per casting.

Using Chain Heal consumes 20 mana.

Earthliving Weapon (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 12th level or higher may imbue his weapon with the nurturing essence of the earth for one hour. While wielding the imbued weapon, the Shaman heals for an additonal point of damage for every two class levels, and whenever he heals an ally he has a 20% chance to make the heal an Earthliving heal, healing an additional amount equal to his class level at the start of each of the next two rounds.

Using Earthliving Weapon consumes 9 mana.

Bloodlust (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 13th level or higher may incite a bloodlust in all allies within 100 feet, granting them the effects of a haste spell for the duration, and granting them a +6 morale bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution. While under the effects of Bloodlust, allies are immune to Charm, Compulsion, Fear and Sleep effects.

Bloodlust lasts for five rounds, at which point all allies that benefited from it are fatigued for one hour.

Using Bloodlust consumes 26 mana.

Bloodlust may be used twice per day, but not more than once per encounter.

Rockbiter Weapon (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 14th level or higher may imbue his weapon with the implacability of a mountain. While wielding the imbued weapon, the Shaman takes 10% less damage from all sources.

Using Rockbiter Weapon consumes 8 mana.

Hex (Su): As a standard action, a Shaman of 15th level or higher may transform a creature within 30 feet into a toad. If the target fails a Will save, DC (10+1/2 HD+Wis modifier), it is affected as if by the baleful polymorph spell, except that immunity to polymorph effects does not protect the target, and the effect breaks if the target takes any damage aside from periodic damage dealt by the Shaman's abilities. Only one creature may be affected by a Shaman's Hex at one time.

Hex lasts for ten minutes or until broken. A remove curse spell cast by a 15th level or higher caster can remove Hex.

Using Hex consumes 3 mana.

Hex may be used once every 8 rounds.

Mastery: At 16th level, a Shaman gains a potent increase to his abilities. The exact nature of this increase depends on the Shaman's specialization.

Elemental Specialization - Elemental Overload: Whenever the Shaman uses his Chain Lightning, Lava Burst, or Lightning Bolt abilities, there is a 20% chance that an Elemental Overload occurs. An Elemental Overload is an exact copy of the ability that triggered it, using the same attack and damage rolls, but dealing 75% normal damage.

Enhancement Specialization - Enhanced Elements: All fire, cold, and electric damage done by the Shaman is increased by 25%.

Restoration Specialization - Deep Healing: The effectiveness of the Shaman's healing abilities is increased by 1% for every 2 hp his target is missing.

Ancestral Spirit (Su): A Shaman of 17th level or higher gains the ability to restore the dead to life. By casting this ability for ten consecutive rounds, the Shaman may resurrect a creature that has been dead for as long as one year per class level. This ability can restore creatures whose bodies have been totally destroyed, provided that the Shaman can unambiguously identify the deceased in some fashion.

Upon completion of this ability, the creature is immediately restored to full hit points, with no loss of level (or Constitution, in the case of a 1st level character) or prepared spells.

You can resurrect someone killed by a death effect or someone who has been turned into an undead creature and then destroyed. You can resurrect elementals and outsiders, but not constructs or undead creatures. You cannot resurrect a creature who has died of old age, or whose soul is unwilling to be resurrected.

Using Ancestral Spirit consumes 72 mana.

Healing Rain (Sp): As a full-round action, a Shaman of 18th level or higher may create a 40 foot radius area of healing centered on himself. At the beginning and end of each of his turns, until the end of the second round in which this ability is used, all allies within the area are healed for 1d2 damage per class level.

Using Healing Rain consumes 46 mana.

Spiritwalker's Grace (Ex): As a free action, a Shaman of 19th level or higher may enter a state of preternatural clarity, allowing his body to move while his mind concentrates on other matters. For three rounds, whenever the Shaman uses a class ability that takes a standard action or longer to activate, he may move up to his speed before or after the action completes.

Using Spiritwalker's Grace consumes 12 mana.

Spiritwalker's Grace may be used once per encounter.

Unleash Elements (Su): As a swift action, a 20th level Shaman may focus the elemental force imbuing his weapons into a surge of power. This ability has a varying effect based on the effect imbued into his mainhand weapon.

Earthliving Weapon - Unleash Life: The Shaman heals an ally within 100 feet for 1d2 per class level, and increases the effect of the Shaman's next single-target heal by 20%.

Flametongue Weapon - Unleash Flame: The Shaman burns an enemy within 100 feet for 1d2 fire damage per class level, and increases the damage done by his next fire damage ability by 20%.

Frostbrand Weapon - Unleash Frost: The Shaman freezes the skin of an enemy within 100 feet, dealing 1d2 points of cold damage per class level and reducing their movement speed by half for one round. If the target is already slowed by one of the Shaman's class abilities, it is instead dazed for one round.

Rockbiter Weapon - Unleash Earth: The Shaman pulls on the mind and body of an enemy within 100 feet, forcing it to attack him for one round.

Windfury Weapon - Unleash Wind: The Shaman releases a razor sharp blast of wind at a foe within 100 feet, dealing 125% normal automatic weapon damage and granting himself an additional attack per round at his highest attack bonus for two rounds, which stacks with the additonal attack granted by haste or similar abilities.

Using Unleash Elements consumes 7 mana.

Unleash Elements may be used every 3 rounds.

Jarian
2011-02-15, 07:00 PM
A note on "attack action" abilities:Several of a Shaman's abilities take an attack action to use; that is, they may be used as many times during a full attack action as the Shaman has iteratives due to base attack bonus, and they may be used for attacks of opportunity. Such attacks cannot be made as bonus attacks granted by haste or the Two-Weapon Fighting line of feats, for example.

Immobilized:Introduced in Tome of Magic, the immobilized condition prevents a creature from moving from the space in which it starts its turn. An immobilized creature can attack and cast spells, and it keeps its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. Flying creatures that become immobilized when aloft can control their descent so they don’t take falling damage, but they are incapable of moving from their current space until the condition ends, descending at a rate of 20 feet per round. If an immobilized flying creature can hover, it can maintain its altitude, but it still can’t move from its space until the condition ends.

A note on percentages:Percentages for the Shaman are additive, rather than multiplicative. This provides both an increase in power and in simplicity. If the percentages slow your game down too much, consider removing them for flat bonuses - but try bringing a calculator first. The Shaman is meant to scale well, and flat bonuses often do not.

So, since PEACH is so commonly used, let's go with PEAR for this one. Please Examine and Reply, guys. :smallwink:

---

Holy smokes that was a lot of typing. Excuse the massive wall of text that is the Shaman's abilities, guys. Faithful translations are apparently wordy. :smalleek:

Primal Fury
2011-02-15, 09:06 PM
Ugh. :smallyuk: These new classes are obviously unbalanced, and will need some tweaking in future patches.

:smalltongue:

I like how close you've kept the spirit of these classes to the actual game. You've even got some talent trees. It's been a long time since I've played D&D, so I can't speak to balance, but I do like it.

Can't wait for the Warlock. :smallwink:

Tael
2011-02-15, 09:45 PM
I know you want a faithful translation with these classes... but these classes are way too complicated for D&D. Have you actually play-tested any of them yet?

Also, please consider changing some of the abilities to things that make more sense in a D&D game. Spark of Life is a glaring example of an ability that just doesn't make sense in a D&D game, but there are many others.

But +1 to the Warlock, I am eagerly anticipating some awesome soul shard abilities (but now that I think about it, Affliction will be nearly impossible to model...)

Jarian
2011-02-15, 09:49 PM
I know you want a faithful translation with these classes... but these classes are way too complicated for D&D.

That's a rather strong opinion. What makes this any more complicated than playing a Wizard that digs through four books (or even two) to find his spells each day? I realize the "BAM CLASS FEATURES IN YOUR FACE!" is overwhelming at first, but if you take it level by level, it's basically a caster gaining new spells.


Have you actually play-tested any of them yet?

No. The math is easy enough to do though. They're effective at their roles without completely eliminating other options. These classes assume a moderate level of optimization in a given party though, and probably shouldn't be paired with fighters or the ilk. It's... like ToB, I'd say.


Also, please consider changing some of the abilities to things that make more sense in a D&D game. Spark of Life is a glaring example of an ability that just doesn't make sense in a D&D game, but there are many others.

"My heals give you more health, and if I heal myself, I get even more health than that" doesn't make sense? Whuh?


But +1 to the Warlock, I am eagerly anticipating some awesome soul shard abilities (but now that I think about it, Affliction will be nearly impossible to model...)

Challenge accepted. :smallwink:

Primal Fury
2011-02-15, 09:52 PM
"My heals give you more health, and if I heal myself, I get even more health than that" doesn't make sense? Whuh?
Percentages specifically I think. You're probably better off with a flat bonus based on level.

Jarian
2011-02-15, 09:53 PM
Percentages specifically I think. You're probably better off with a flat bonus based on level.

There's a note specifically about such problems in the second post.

Innis Cabal
2011-02-15, 10:05 PM
I honestly have to agree with the opinion that while these are faithful renditions of the classes from WoW they are indeed a little needlessly complicated. The spirit of the class can be maintained without having to do a direct port from their initial source.

Not only that, but there is already official ports of said classes in the WoW d20 system. I think you're frankly limiting yourself by trying to adhere to the class so strongly. Branch out and play without a little...

Jarian
2011-02-15, 10:09 PM
I've heard the dissertations before, and my responses to them are already summed up in the other threads. If you don't like your classes more complex than "Power attack for full" or "Johnny McTripper", then this is probably definitely not the class to be looking at. If you go "Okay, this spell looks cool, so two copies of that, two copies of this... done!" this is definitely not for you. If, on the other hand, you regularly play Wizards and can do some pretty basic math, they're (hopefully) neat classes that have some interesting abilities that synergize and play differently than Vancian casting or PP.

Making them simpler would be, well, making them simpler. Some see this as a good thing. I see it as a boring PA for full/I cast Magic Missile conversion.

Also, I've heard terrible things about the official conversions, but I don't own the system myself to comment.

Xzoltar
2011-02-15, 10:24 PM
I will be playtesting theses classes, im just waiting until you write another one so we can have a full playtest group. All the group have played WoW and D&D for many years so it should'nt be that complicated and I must admit this is the best version I've seen for a WoW Conversion.

I fill certainly use them in my campaign, maybe just for Elite Boss. Druid conversion would be really long having to write almost 3 differents class. DEpending on what class you make next, the current group setup is : Paladin (Tank), Shaman (Healer), Death Knight (DPS), Shaman want to play Elemental, so hopefully next conversion would be Druid or Priest. But whatever one you do we should be able to playtest at least part of them.

Jarian
2011-02-15, 10:27 PM
:smalleek:

I... wow! I didn't expect anyone to actually pay that much attention to these! Thank you!

Druid is lower on my list of priorities than most, due to having to find a way to make Rage AND Energy AND mana all work for one class, but I'll finish it eventually. That being said, next up is either Warlock or Priest.

Innis Cabal
2011-02-15, 11:30 PM
I've heard the dissertations before, and my responses to them are already summed up in the other threads. If you don't like your classes more complex than "Power attack for full" or "Johnny McTripper", then this is probably definitely not the class to be looking at. If you go "Okay, this spell looks cool, so two copies of that, two copies of this... done!" this is definitely not for you. If, on the other hand, you regularly play Wizards and can do some pretty basic math, they're (hopefully) neat classes that have some interesting abilities that synergize and play differently than Vancian casting or PP.


Honestly...I find this mostly an empty argument against people trying to give honest and fair critique of what you've posted. Decrying people's critique as...simply not getting the complexity or favoring simpler systems an saying "Oh...well this isn't for you..." well...I guess your right. This isn't for me but not for the reasons you stated.

Jarian
2011-02-16, 12:38 AM
Sorry if it came off that way.

Correct me if I'm wrong - your dissertation boils down to the class's complexity, primarily due to the many percentage-based abilities, correct?

If so, then I have to disagree that simplifying it would make a better class. It would make a simpler class, but in doing so would lose much of the nuance inherent to the different abilities. Take, for example, the aforementioned Spark of Life ability. How would you prefer to see that translated? "For each 4 class levels, the Shaman heals for an additional hitpoint when targeting an ally, and for three additional hitpoints when healing himself"?

If that's not completely off the mark, then I really do disagree. Flat bonuses are boring. And if you don't include percentages or flat bonuses, then you have to include minor variables, which only add more dice to the mix - and how does that lose any complexity?

Maybe I'm just misunderstanding the proposed solutions. Care to clarify?

Ajadea
2011-02-17, 12:47 AM
I personally have no problem with percentages in general, but I know that doing some of that math in your head can be difficult at times, particularly something like 15% or 30%.

25%/50%/75% is all rather easy (for every 4 points of X, add another 1/2/3 points of X to the effect), 20% and 80% are a little harder, but not much (for every 5 damage/healing/whatever, add 1 or 4 of that whatever).

Dual Wield might be a bit of an overpowered class feature as-is when compared to other TWF-users: why not delay the additional bonuses to level 5 or something?

Jarian
2011-02-17, 01:11 AM
I personally have no problem with percentages in general, but I know that doing some of that math in your head can be difficult at times, particularly something like 15% or 30%.

Three for every 10/20. At worst it takes a few seconds to figure out with a more complicated number. Still, someone playing one of these classes might find it in their best interest to bring a pocket calculator or something, much as Incarnum users often bring a small anatomy sketch to show Essentia allocation.


Dual Wield might be a bit of an overpowered class feature as-is when compared to other TWF-users: why not delay the additional bonuses to level 5 or something?

TWF could use the help, to be honest. Just as the Protection Paladin aims to make a shield useful in a world of THF, the Enhancement Shaman tries to make TWF an attractive option. You still have to burn the feats to keep up with it as you level, but TWF at -1/-1 penalties in a world where people use 2d6+lol greatswords at first level doesn't seem too out of place to me.

blackmage
2011-02-17, 11:44 AM
I think the arguments against these classes are really this: They do not follow the same design philosophy and game rules as core D&D. They will probably not mesh all that well with the standard base classes, but in a world where every PC is using one of these classes? I think that would work just fine. As the 'class tiers' article said, all that matters in class balance is RELATIVE balance. I'd believe that the playtest group mentioned above will have a fine time of it, but if you tried to include, say, a Sorcerer? The sorcerer would stick out like a sore thumb.

Maybe these classes are the first step of a total system conversion or new setting.

Critical
2011-02-17, 11:57 AM
Whee, I was waiting for this, I've been wanting to play a character who communicates with the spirits for quite some time now. Thanks. :smallsmile:

Edit:

Maybe these classes are the first step of a total system conversion or new setting.

Agreed, I've been thinking about slowly brewing up a setting(given Jarian's permission, of course) using these classes as base when they're all done. Since they're all pretty high power, that should be pretty awesome.

Though, I guess I'm going to have a headache when I match the party against several NPCs with levels in the these classes. Oh well, I guess that'll be a nice multitasking excersise for the brain.

true_shinken
2011-02-17, 12:06 PM
Wha does 'PEAR' stand for?

Worira
2011-02-17, 02:51 PM
It's like PEACH, except you aren't supposed to honestly critique it.

Pyromancer999
2011-02-17, 03:09 PM
*Warcraft Fanboy Squee* This looks great! If I can, I think I'll try to work it into a one-shot I've got coming up.

Jarian
2011-02-17, 06:07 PM
I'd believe that the playtest group mentioned above will have a fine time of it, but if you tried to include, say, a Sorcerer? The sorcerer would stick out like a sore thumb.

Maybe, maybe not. The classes are made based on several assumptions, which, with regards to Sorcerers, would be:

Has at least one 1d6/CL spell at their disposal.
Is capable of increasing the damage of this spell periodically (sudden/metamagic/rods).
Has a variety of non-damaging spells available to it (Grease, Invisibility, Solid Fog, Wings of Cover)
Starts the game with at least a 16 in Cha, and plays a race with a Cha boost or a human.


These classes are designed to be able to compete with the Sorcerer in damage, and while they don't have all of the non-damaging options available to a primary caster, they do have a few powerful tricks (Bind Elemental, Hex).


Maybe these classes are the first step of a total system conversion or new setting.

Anything is possible. Lord knows there are dozens of exploits that need fixing, and many tweaks to other portions of the system. Most commonly, I just include these as houserules in any game I run, but constructing a list of them with regards to these classes wouldn't be a terrible idea.


Whee, I was waiting for this, I've been wanting to play a character who communicates with the spirits for quite some time now. Thanks. :smallsmile:

You're quite welcome. :smallsmile:


Agreed, I've been thinking about slowly brewing up a setting(given Jarian's permission, of course) using these classes as base when they're all done. Since they're all pretty high power, that should be pretty awesome.

What? You want to use my work, for your own benefit? The nerve! I only put this here so everyone could see how perfect it is and never leave comments or use it for themselves! [/tongueincheek]


Wha does 'PEAR' stand for?

Please Examine and Reply. I got tired of seeing an entire page full of PEACH tags.


*Warcraft Fanboy Squee* This looks great! If I can, I think I'll try to work it into a one-shot I've got coming up.

*thumbs up*

Hawk7915
2011-02-17, 06:55 PM
I love the class, outstanding work :smallsmile:. I sort of shudder to see how the mage is going to be though, considering that with a bit of set-up an Elemental Shaman should be dealing 200+ damage as a swift action (Full Fulmination'ed Earth Shock with a fire totem and Flametongue Weapon), with a standard action left over to potentially murder someone for several hundred more with a Lava Burst. Shouldn't the Shocks require a ranged touch attack like Lightning Bolt and the rest do?

EDIT: I'm well aware that a fully Arcane Thesis'd, metamagiced Disintegrate is also a swift action and at least as deadly. But that's a once-per-day thing; this is potentially an all day thing with no feat investment or anything.

Jarian
2011-02-17, 07:00 PM
To be fair, you'd have to hit with about 14 Lightning Bolts to charge up that many Lightning Shield charges, without ever being hit in the meanwhile. So sure, Fulmination can do a lot of damage - if the Shaman spends 14 rounds throwing his basic attacks and hitting constantly, without being hit in return.

Weimann
2011-02-20, 06:37 AM
As a veteran WoW player and a D&D nub, I'm very pleased by these classes you've made. I will have a closer look at them when I have better time.

As a first note, I note that Earth Shock and Flame Shock has a cooldown of 2 actions, but Frost Shock has no such cooldown. Also, each shock has an individual cooldown, while in WoW the shock spells share a cooldown. Is this intended?

Dead_Jester
2011-02-20, 07:37 AM
The class looks great, and you really managed to clearly differentiate the different paths while still keeping them all effective (unlike blizzard ...). The only issue I could spot (apart from the fact that all your classes are really good for dips, which doesn't matter if you shouldn't dip) is Shamanistic Rage, which basically gives 30% DR and 2 rounds of free casting. The problem is not the ability itself (it just lets you make a big nova), it's the fact that you can use it every encounter, which really puts the tdps of this path through the roof.

Volthawk
2011-02-23, 06:35 PM
Just curious, but is there any particular reason these guys don't get Survival as a class skill?

Aldgar
2011-02-27, 04:35 PM
Okay...so, I guess it should be something like this format.

Lightning Bolt(Sp):
Casting time: Full-round action
Range: 60', ranged touch attack
Damage: 1d6/level electricity damage
Cost: 6 mana
Modifications:

Elemental specialization:
1st lvl:
*Casting time reduced to Standard action
*Damage increased to (1d6+1)/level electricity damage

3rd lvl:
*Damage increased by 10%

9th lvl:
*Range increased by 10'

10th lvl:
*If Lightning Shield is active, 50% chance to gain 2 mana and +1 charge on the shield when Lightning Bolt deals damage; max 9 charges

13th lvl:
*If Elemental Mastery is active, Lightning Bolt can be used as move action; once per activation of Elemental Mastery it can be used as immediate action

16th lvl:
*20% chance to trigger Elemental Overload, casting a copy of the original Lightning Bolt(same attack/damage rolls) at the same target; the copy deals 75% damage and requires no action to be cast

17th lvl:
*Reduce the recharge time of Elemental Mastery by 1 round whenever you use Lightning Bolt
Enhancement specialization:
8th lvl:
*Critical Threat Range increases by (Wis mod) for 2 rounds if Stormstrike is used successfully

12th lvl:
*Damage increased by 10% against Targets slowed by Frostbrand Weapon

18th lvl:
*If you deal damage with a melee weapon, 20% chance to reduce the casting time of the next Lightning Bolt by 1 step(Full round -> Standard -> Move -> Swift -> Immediate) and reduce its mana cost by 20%. Stacks up to 5 times.
Restoration specialization:
16th lvl:
*Gain 10% of damage dealt as mana


Primal Strike(Ex):
Casting time: Attack action
Range: Melee attack
Damage: As normal melee attack; increase Weapon damage by 1 step
Cost: 8 mana
Damage Steps:1d2, 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, 6d6, 8d6, 12d6
-or-
1d10, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8, 6d8, 8d8, 12d8Modifications:
General:
5th lvl:
*Increase Weapon damage by 2 steps instead

10th lvl:
*Increase Weapon damage by 3 steps instead

15th lvl:
*Increase Weapon damage by 4 steps instead

20th lvl:
*Increase Weapon damage by 5 steps instead
Enhancement specialization:
2nd lvl:
*Damage increased by 50%

10th lvl:
*If Lightning shield is active, 50% chance to deal bonus damage equal to 1 charge (without expending a charge)


Water Shield(Su):Casting time: Swift action
Range: Personal
Effect: Create Water Shield with 3 charges; if hit by a physical attack or single-target spell, one charge is expended and you regain (1/2 CL + Wis mod) mana.
Duration: 10 minutes or until all charges are expended
Special: Only 1 Elemental shield may be active at a time; Water shield triggers only once per turn
Modifications:Restoration specialization:
7th lvl:
*If Water shield is active, you gain mana as if a charge had been expended whenever you perform a critical healing effect with Chain Heal, Healing Surge, Healing Wave, Greater Healing Wave or Riptide. No charge is actually expended on this trigger-effect

Earth Shock(Sp):Casting time: Swift action
Range: 20 ft
Damage: 1d2/level bludgeoning damage
Cost: 18 mana
Recharge time: 1 turn(shared with Fire Shock and Frost Shock)
Special: Target deals 20% less physical damage for 2 turns(no save).
Modifications:Elemental specialization:3rd lvl:
*Damage increased by 10%

5th lvl:
*Recharge time reduced by 1 turn

9th lvl:
*Range increased by 15'

14th lvl:
*If Lightning Shield is active and has >3 charges, Earth Shock will expend all charges but 3, and deal ((# of charges -3)*CL) bonus electricity damage
Enhancement specialization:1st lvl:
*Mana cost reduced by 75% (18 -> 4.5, rounded up to 5 mana)

12th lvl:
*Damage increased by 10% against Targets slowed by Frostbrand WeaponRestoration specialization:
4th lvl:
*Earth Shock reduces the next healing ability's mana cost by 4 and grants +30% healing

Lightning Shield(Su):Casting time: Swift action
Range: Personal
Effect: Create Lightning Shield with 3 charges; if hit by a physical attack or single-target spell, one charge is expended and the attacker takes CL electricity damage.
Duration: 10 minutes or until all charges are expended
Special: Only 1 Elemental shield may be active at a time; Lightning shield triggers only once per turn
Modifications:Elemental specialization:
10th lvl:
*If Lightning Shield is active, 50% chance to gain 2 mana and +1 charge on the shield when Lightning Bolt or Chain Lightning deals damage; max 9 charges

14th lvl:
*If Lightning Shield is active and has >3 charges, Earth Shock will expend all charges but 3, and deal ((# of charges -3)*CL) bonus electricity damageEnhancement specialization:
10th lvl:
*If Lightning shield is active, 50% chance to deal bonus damage equal to 1 charge (without expending a charge) when using Lava Lash, Primal Strike or Stormstrike
-------------------------------
Earth Shield(Su):Casting time: Swift action
Range: ???
Effect: Create Earth Shield with 9 charges; if shielded one is hit by a physical attack, one charge is expended and the shielded one is healed by 1d6/2 shaman levels, rounded up.
Duration: 10 minutes or until all charges are expended
Special: Only 1 Elemental shield may be active at a time; Earth shield triggers only once per turn; the shielded one doesn't provoke AoOs for casting spells or SLAs
Modifications:Restoration specialization:
10th lvl:
*If Earth Shield is active, the shielded one gains +15% healing from the shaman who created the Earth Shield.

Jarian
2011-02-28, 03:30 AM
Just curious, but is there any particular reason these guys don't get Survival as a class skill?

There's no good reason why they didn't have it before, no.


What effective Spell level does Lightning Bolt have?
This is important for Interaction with (Greater) Spell Immunity, (Minor) Globe of Invulnerability, Spell turning, Rod of Absorption, Caster's Lament(A warlock invocation) and possibly other things.

Apparently I forgot to include the usual clarification I give for SLAs that don't mimic actual spells.

"Shaman spell-like abilities have a divine spell level equal to 1 (this effective spell level increases by 1 at 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, to a maximum of 9th at 17th level), and a caster level equal to the Shaman's class level, unless otherwise noted in their description."

And while this does eventually lead to all of their SLAs being 9th level for the purpose of spell turning et al, I think it's better than letting everything bounce off of shields.


What exactly is a critical healing effect?
Do you have to roll an attack in order to *hit* with your healing abilities, and if it's a critical threat, you heal twice as much? (Assuming the standard 20/x2 crit)

A critical healing effect is defined in the Restoration Specialization. It is nothing more and nothing less than that. If the original heal didn't require a roll to hit, nothing in the ability to perform a critical heal requires one.

For reference: "[...] whenever the Shaman uses a healing class ability on an ally, he has a 5% chance to gain a critical effect from the healing, increasing the total amount healed by 50%."


What damage type is the bonus damage from Fulmination?
Is it electricity or Earth Shock's base damage type(bludgeoning)?

Fulmination now correctly mentions electric damage.

---

As far as the general overall proposed changes to layout go, I'm not really a fan. It still infodumps everything, and I don't really see how that formatting is going to help people remember things better anyway, especially since it lists bonuses from all specializations. If others disagree however, I could be convinced to reformat the classes.

Aldgar
2011-02-28, 08:29 AM
That formatting is mostly to reduce the "wall of text" part of your class that scares me, and to provide a shorthand, less wordy ability description.

It's mostly intended as reference, not as replacement for your actual writeup of the class.

Lord_Gareth
2011-02-28, 08:50 AM
Jarian, I've said it before and I'll likely be forced to say it again - your mana system as it currently stands is needlessly complicated, and also a book-keeping nightmare. There HAS to be a way to simplify it.

Jarian
2011-02-28, 08:59 AM
Jarian, I've said it before and I'll likely be forced to say it again - your mana system as it currently stands is needlessly complicated, and also a book-keeping nightmare. There HAS to be a way to simplify it.

Uh.

It's essentially a pool of power points that you only have to calculate once, or when you get a nigh-permanent boost to wisdom. Everything is a fixed amount, like manifesting a power, only you don't have to bother with augmentations.

I don't know how much further you want me to simplify that, or how much further I can simplify that. If you have any suggestions though, I'm all ears.

Aldgar
2011-02-28, 09:04 AM
More Questions:
Warning, wall of text follows...
Totems:
Are totems immobile once summoned, do they travel with the Shaman(staying within 5' of the shaman all the time?), what size are totems, what sort of ability is it to summon totems(Presumably, a Su ability...)

Can totems be dispelled?
Are totems objects(i.e. can they be manipulated with Mage hand/Telekinesis/Control Object; can they be targeted with Shatter)?
If they are objects: What is their weight(relevant for the aforementioned spells/powers)?

How does Improved Fire Nova increase damage?

Does Frost Shock have a mana cost?
What is the range of Frost Shock?

What range does Earth Shield have?

As a swift action, the Shaman may surround an ally with a swirling shield of earthen motes.

Recharge time of Earth Shock:

...may be used once every two turns.

This means:
Earth shock, wait 1 round, Earth Shock, wait 1 round?

Reverberation reduces the recharge time by 1 round, meaning you can use Earth/Flame/Frost shock and Wind shear at will(If you have enough mana)

Is the above correct or is the recharge time supposed to be 2 rounds:

Shock, wait 2 turns, Shock, wait 2 turns?

Because if the recharge time is only 1 turn, you could at-will counterspell as immediate action every turn for 7 mana per counterspell, starting at level 5!
(The time an elemental spec'd shaman learns Reverberation and Wind Shear).

--------------------------------------------

Suggestions to simplify some abilities:
Another wall of text...
Overall concept:
Try to make related abilities more similar, so that they're easier to recall.

Standardize some things beforehand, so that you don't need to list them in every ability: This reduces wordcount and makes the abilities shorter.

Remove some trigger effects that require lots of extra rolling per attack, and/or change some trigger percentages to make rolling them easier. This speeds up gameplay greatly and doesn't require you to play using maptools and pre-programmed scripts that run the calculations for you.

Save DCs
You've already got one standard formula, namely
10 + 1/2 HD + Wis modifier.
Remove the references in the individual abilities, put the formula in a short notice somewhere.
Now, Frost Shock only calls for a "Fortitude save", Thunderstorm only for a "Reflex save", etc...

Earth/Flame/Frost Shock
They share a cooldown, they all require a swift action to use, they're short-range(20' for Earth, 25' for Flame, ??? for Frost), they use similar damage formulas(1d2/CL and 1d3/CL), and the carrier effect they have(damage penalty, DoT, slow) have similar durations(2 and 3 rounds). Furthermore, if one costs 18 mana, one costs 17 mana and one costs ??? mana, things are complicated further. Finally, nearly all synergistic abilities affect all three of them.

Standardize them like this, for example:
Earth/Flame/Frost Shock
Range 30'
Damage 1d3/CL
Duration of Effect 2 rounds
Save to avoid effect(Fort for Frost/Earth, Ref for Flame)
Mana cost 18
Recharge time 2 rounds
Of course, you can tweak the mana cost/damage if playtesting shows it to be out of line. Simplicity and Elegance is what matters to me.

Some suggestions for simplified abilities:
Elemental specialization:Elemental Fury:Remove the Searing/Magma totem trigger for extra damage. Replace it by a constant, minor boost to damage:
20% * 50% = +10% damage...which amounts to +1 for Searing Totem(if rounded up), and to +1-2 for Magma Totem.

Solution: +10% damage, +1 minimum

Call to Flame is a good, static boost to damage(which is much easier to remember, and doesn't require you to roll extra checks).
However, a different ability would do the same:
Extending the fire totems duration increases total damage and offers bonuses to the fire elemental summon/damage boost from the Flame tongue totem as well.

Solution: +10% damage to Lava burst, +1 round duration for fire totems

Elemental Reach:
Increase the Reach of all listed abilities by 15'. As a shaman, your abilities have a very short range anyway(nothing compared to medium range or long range magic of normal casters, and simple fighters can outrange you with longbows), so 5 extra feet don't hurt.

Earthquake:
Remove the chance to fall prone.
Just include: "Whenever an enemy takes damage from this effect, it falls prone". Tripping is a weak debuff anyway, and at this level and with such a high mana cost, this deserves to be more powerful.Enhancement specialization:Primal Wisdom:Just make it a 50% chance to gain 4 mana instead. Suddenly, it's far easier to calculate/roll.

Tacitus
2011-04-07, 05:23 AM
Well, most of my comments mirror those of Aldgar above (especially his/her bolded stuff in the first spoiler, which I recall thinking as I read it the first time, but then not bothering with cause he/she'd asked it), and I've forgotten most of the stuff that I thought up the other night when I first read through it, but then became worried about Necromancy. If anything I mention is inherently nonsensical, it may be because I've never touched WoW and therefore don't have a background for some of the abilities to know better.

First of all, my original impression was that the ability to regain mana by some of the specializations was greatly imbalanced compared to the others, but on my second readthrough I'm seeing that since pretty much everything is a full round action if its outside of your specialization (or swift for everybody) and the mana costs for On-Spec abilities are roughly proportionate to the speed you'd regain mana over the course of an encounter. (Maybe, my brain is a little fuzzy.) The 8 rounds to get 8 mana back from Thunderstorm on Elemental spec was troublesome at first because it meant that you'd always have full mana going into combat, but as a blaster that's not so terrible.

The Per Round on restoration spec hit me like a brick in the face, but the mana costs are often quite large unless you're going off-spec for full-rounds or trying to melee

Typo?

Tidal Waves: Whenever the Shaman uses his Chain Heal or Riptide ability, he gains two charges of Tidal Waves, which reduces the activation time of his Healing Wave or Greater Healing Wave abilities is reduced by one step, and the Shaman has an additional 30% chance to receive a critical healing effect from his Healing Surge ability. Whenever the Shaman uses any of these abilities, he loses one charge of Tidal Waves.

Reincarnation: Even if he's blasted to bits and the bits scattered across the planes?

Bloodlust: What happens if targets are immune to fatigue?

I had other stuff, but I got distracted by my SO and then it was suddenly past 3am, so I'll try to think again after I sleep.

Jarian
2011-04-08, 03:58 AM
Typo indeed. Will be fixed.

Reincarnation would seem to work that way, yes.

Bloodlust: Then you give them a fistbump for having the foresight to prepare spells/etc that grant them said immunity, I suppose.

---


[U][SIZE="5"]=[B]Totems:
Are totems immobile once summoned, do they travel with the Shaman(staying within 5' of the shaman all the time?), what size are totems, what sort of ability is it to summon totems(Presumably, a Su ability...)

Su. Don't know why that tag didn't make it on there originally. Totems are immobile once summoned.


Can totems be dispelled?

No.


Are totems objects(i.e. can they be manipulated with Mage hand/Telekinesis/Control Object; can they be targeted with Shatter)?
If they are objects: What is their weight(relevant for the aforementioned spells/powers)?

Burble. No decisive answer at this time.


How does Improved Fire Nova increase damage?

Well that's an embarrassing oversight...


Does Frost Shock have a mana cost?
What is the range of Frost Shock?

I thought they were both listed, but I'll double check.


What range does Earth Shield have?

Line of sight/effect. Clarifying.



Recharge time of Earth Shock:

This means:
Earth shock, wait 1 round, Earth Shock, wait 1 round?

No. Earth Shock, wait two rounds, Earth Shock.


Reverberation reduces the recharge time by 1 round, meaning you can use Earth/Flame/Frost shock and Wind shear at will(If you have enough mana)

Is the above correct or is the recharge time supposed to be 2 rounds:

Shock, wait 2 turns, Shock, wait 2 turns?

I think the recharge times have been adjusted to read 2 rounds across the board, but if not, they should read that way, yes.

Tacitus
2011-04-08, 04:09 AM
Hmm, also on Reincarnation, I take it that its simply treated as True Resurrection, with the lowered HP on revival? I mainly ask because some effects specifically require a certain means of being returned from the dead and block all other ways. I suppose I should have phrased it better last night.

Did you go through and address what Aldgar brought forth?
Hah, ninja'd.

Jarian
2011-04-08, 04:13 AM
Reincarnation text has been updated.

Totems have been clarified across the board.

jiriku
2011-04-08, 11:25 AM
Logistically, this looks like a very demanding class to play. But maybe, as you say, that's just because the class features are more visible to the reader than a list of prepared spells would be. Let me try it on for size and see how it works.

Let's say I am a 10th level Resto spec shaman.

I have ~40 options in any given round:
melee attack with a weapon, ranged attack with a weapon, Earth Shield, Water Shield, Lightning Shield, Nature's Swiftness, Fire Elemental Totem, Flame Tongue Totem, Magma Totem, Searing Totem, Earthbind Totem, Earth Elemental Totem, Stoneskin Totem, Strength of Earth Totem, Elemental Resistance Totem, Healing Stream Totem, Totem of Tranquil Mind, Grounding Totem, Windfury Totem, Lightning Bolt, Primal Strike, Water Shield, Earth Shock, Flame Shock, Frost Shock, Healing Wave, Healing Surge, Greater Healing Wave, Fire Nova, Purge, Ghost Wolf, Cleanse Spirit, Wind Shear, Chain Lightning, Water Breathing, Water Walking, Totemic Recall, Call of the Elements, Far Sight, Lava Burst

I also have ~11 passive benefits I need to remember and apply
Purification, Meditation, Tidal Focus, Spark of Life, Focused Insight, Nature's Guardian, Totemic Focus, Improved Water Shield, Ancestral Healing, Flametongue Weapon, Frostbrand Weapon

Let's assume that in a typical combat, I activate Water Shield, then use Call the Elements to drop four totems, then start throwing Shocks, Bolts, Bursts, and Heals according to whatever seems most appropriate at the time.

From round to round, I also need to track ~21 additional effects:
My current mana total
The number of charges remaining in my Earth Shield, Water Shield, or Lightning Shield
Mana regeneration from Meditation
Whether or not I've used a Shock effect to charge my Focused Insight
Whether or not I am below 30% of my full normal hit points and can use Nature's Guardian
Whether I crit-heal with Water Shield active and can claim the Improved Water Shield benefit
Whether my Nature's Swiftness is available or expended
The remaining duration on any active damage shields created by Ancestral Healing
Whether my Fire Elemental Totem is available or expended
Whether my Earth Elemental Totem is available or expended
The effect and location of my fire totem, and any secondary rolls it requires
The effect and location of my earth totem, and any secondary rolls it requires
The effect and location of my water totem, and any secondary rolls it requires
The effect and location of my air totem, and any secondary rolls it requires
The cooldown and current duration remaining on any Shock that I've used
The cooldown on my Fire Nova
The cooldown on my Wind Shear
The cooldown on my Chain Lightning
The mana cost of all my active Totems, so I can assess whether using Totemic Recall is worthwhile
Whether my Reincarnation is available or expended
The cooldown on my Lava Burst


Thoughts:
Ok, the number of active abilities to choose from is perfectly manageable: more than a sorcerer, less than a beguiler. The passive effects and round-to-round effects concern me. You're looking at up to 30 buffs of various kinds to keep track of, BEFORE considering any temporary buffs and effects you may be receiving from other party members. Many of these buffs are somewhat complex.

Observations and Questions:

Focused Insight doesn't expire. You can use a Shock effect today, and the ability remains charged even if you don't use a heal until next week. Was this intentional?
Water Shield appears vulnerable to exploits. A shaman can activate it outside of combat and an ally can hit him three times to allow him to regain all of his mana. He can then heal himself for a fraction of his mana reserve and maintain nearly full mana all day long.
Are the elementals summoned by the Elemental Totems simply advanced elementals? It seems that this obligates the character to maintain a custom statblock for the fire and earth elementals and update it every level. I'm not sure how many players understand the monster advancement rules well enough to do that correctly. What are the stats for a 1HD elemental? The smallest elemental introduced in the MM has 2HD.
Does Primal Strike require an attack action to charge the weapon, or are you saying that when attacking as an attack action, the shaman can activate Primal Strike as part of the attack?


Follow-up:
I have some commentary to offer on the whole percentages-versus-bonuses thing, and on the actual organization and presentation of the material, but I'm drawing some serious wife aggro with all the time spent on the forum this morning. More later once she's gone out! :smalltongue:

Added!

1st Edit:
Percentages and bonuses have different strengths and weaknesses. I think the feedback you're receiving about the percentages concerns the difference in gameplay overhead that people are expecting. To wit:


Percentages are inherently self-scalar and remain consistently balanced across all levels of play. They are also less vulnerable to being distorted by unexpected interactions with other abilities.
Bonuses are mathematically simpler and require fewer steps to adjudicate, less time to use, and offer less opportunity for error.


For example:
Ability A grants a +1 bonus to weapon damage per 4 character levels. He need recalculate his damage bonus only once every 4 levels, and can lump this bonus in with similar bonuses from Strength, magic weapon, etc. During gameplay, Ability A introduces no overhead because the player has already added its effects into his standard damage modifier. However, Ability A's bonus scales linearly with advancing level, while damage scales geometrically. The bonus will become less and less relevant as the character advances. Further, the actual % of damage increase Ability A provides depends on a host of unknown factors, such as the number of attacks a character makes per round, how much damage is rolled, how many other static modifiers are present, and whether or not damage multipliers are applied.

Ability B grants a +10% bonus to weapon damage. During gameplay, Ability B creates additional overhead on every successful attack, because the player must roll damage dice, add his static damage bonus as usual, multiply the result by 1.1, then round down to the nearest whole number. Ability B adds two additional steps to every damage roll (multiply, then round). However, Ability B's effect is consistent throughout all levels and regardless of the number of attacks made or damage dealt: it always increases total damage by about 10%.

Further, while the math is simple, some people don't consider repeatedly performing hurried calculations in their head to be recreational (e.g. "You hit with your greatsword! Quick, what's 130% of 4+2+31? Now make two more attacks with your sword and roll for your fire elemental, your earth elemental, and your fire nova. Hurry, the other guys want a turn too!").


2nd Edit:
The layout of the class is drawing attention because of a design choice that you made. There are several ways to sort and organize class abilities. You can arrange them by level progression, alphabetically, by activation type, by conceptual similarity, recharge method, etc. You've chosen to sort yours by level progression, presenting them in the order that they're gained. Also, you sometimes sort abilities by conceptual similarity (specs, totems), but you aren't consistent about this (shocks, heals, etc.).

Your organizational structure makes it easiest to see how the shaman grows as he levels up. Some alternate ways of presenting the class would offer different strengths. For example:

Sorting abilities by their general use (offensive, defensive, healing, utility) would make it easy to see what options a shaman has to solve a given problem.
Sorting abilities by their activation type (swift/immediate actions in one bucket, standard/full-round actions in another) would make it easy to see what a shaman can do with his remaining actions when he's undecided about what to do in combat.
Sorting abilities alphabetically would make it easy to find details about a particular ability when a player can't remember exactly what it does.

Two suggestions:
Perhaps you could extend the conceptual bucket->level progression theme that you're using with specs and totems to the entire class feature set, sorting shocks, heals, weapon buffs, and standard/full action attacks into separate buckets, organized by level progression within each bucket.
You might consider creating another section, in addition to the class writeup, where you briefly list all abilities by purpose or by activation method (like a spell list), followed by an extended description of every ability, sorted in alphabetical order.

I believe this could assist players in both absorbing what the class is and what it does, and in keeping tracking of what relevant options they have available to them at any given time.

Amnestic
2011-04-08, 02:30 PM
(e.g. "You hit with your greatsword! Quick, what's 130% of 4+2+31?

48.1. It's not exactly hard to plug 37*1.3 into a calculator even if you're not a mental maths whiz. Hell, most handheld calculators these days come with percentage functions so even if you don't know how to do things like that, it'll do it for you.

Sorting the passive abilities is pretty trivial too, they'll only affect some things and they're all in a very neat list. A simple spreadsheet list sorts it quite simply. It takes like 10 minutes *tops* to fill out your entire list of 20 levels of passives.


Water Shield appears vulnerable to exploits. A shaman can activate it outside of combat and an ally can hit him three times to allow him to regain all of his mana. He can then heal himself for a fraction of his mana reserve and maintain nearly full mana all day long.

If your DM allows you to do this, surely that's on his hands?


It seems that this obligates the character to maintain a custom statblock for the fire and earth elementals and update it every level.

Is that really surprising? It's not a great deal of paperwork once you set it out the first time. A few numbers here and there every level, it should be entirely natural. I expect any casters with a Summon X spell has to maintain similar stablocks.

Jarian
2011-04-08, 02:45 PM
Short version of answers, can't reply to everything just now.

Yes, the elementals are custom monsters. Elementals are remarkably easy to create, however. At most, it takes you a minute or two to update your two elemental summons at each level.

Water Shield specifies that a foe has to hit you. If your DM allows you to treat your allies as foes, that's his own fault.

Focused Insight has changed to end of encounter.

Any DM that rushes a player like that "Quick, do math, but take your turn faster" gets a fist to the face if he doesn't give me the thirty seconds necessary. Also, see every Druid ever.

Primal Strike is part of the attack action.

Sorting abilities is not high on my homebrewing priority list right now, but it could happen.

jiriku
2011-04-08, 03:02 PM
@ Amnestic: All true. But you speak as someone who

a) owns and is comfortable with a calculator, a laptop, and a spreadsheet application, and
b) has experience as a DM (i.e. you have more command of the system than the average player and you are comfortable with the rules for advancing monsters).

I personally would have no trouble using this class. I'd build a spreadsheet, insert some damage-multiplier functions, and maybe even have a friend write a little app for my handheld gadget of choice. But then again, I'm a professional business analyst and I do this sort of thing all day. My current play group includes:

A college student with mild dyslexia who struggles to add collections of numbers.
A college drop-out with a math learning disability who relies heavily on extra preparation beforehand.
A financially strapped waiter who doesn't own a laptop, fancy phone, or any other device he could use to digitally store his character sheet.
A busy father of two who doesn't have much time to commit to pregame preparation.
A hyper-analytical data analyst who would be all over this.
A schoolteacher who has strong math skills but limited Excel proficiency, and is more interested in roleplay and character development than mechanical crunch and intensive character ability management.

Result: For three of my six players, the shaman would be a non-starter. They might like it, but they would lack the skill to play it. For two of the remaining players, the workload required would be a concern that might prevent them from playing the class when they otherwise would. Only one of my players would be likely to embrace it without hesitation.

A couple of years ago I used to play with a completely different group of guys. I'd say that the distribution I described above (in terms of non-starter/might struggle/could handle) was probably about the same in that group.

So, if you're in college and you're gaming with a bunch of math majors, this is no obstacle. If you're an engineer or an analyst and you're gaming with your coworkers, this is no obstacle. But if you're gaming with some regular folks, maybe there is a concern that could be addressed by adjusting the mechanics or presentation to make the class more accessible.


There's a root cause at work here: The Shaman works in WoW because of computer automation. Translating the shaman faithfully drops all of the computer's work into the lap of the human player. This is non-trivial for some people. As a player, you can manage it bare-brained, which requires an above-average intelligence and a desire to do extra math. Or you can re-automate it yourself, but that requires time and technical expertise. For those who don't fall into either category, the workload constitutes a barrier to entry. A mild-to-moderate enhancement of the class could remove this barrier.