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Doorhandle
2011-08-23, 09:40 PM
This class has nothing to do with actual Housecarls, and is in fact based around the Age of Mythology unit of the same name.

The Huskarl

http://www.essentialnormanconquest.com/images/timeline/osehnc20101.jpg

“Oh yeah, yer think you’re sooo safe, wi’ yer arrows blottin out the sun and all crap! FAT LOT O’ GOOD THAT DID YER!
-Unknown dwarf Huskarl, shortly after charging through a horde of arrows, spells and Seige-weapons and coming out unscathed.

Unlike most melee classes, the Huskarl is not subjected the none-to-tender mercies of spell and arrow, and has devoted his training to mastering his shield, to better reprimand the cowards staying out of sword-reach.

Becoming a Huskarl

Becoming a Huskarl is a simple matter of A) being a decent fighter, B)being really handy with a shield, and C) Having an undying hatred of ranged units. Fortunately, people with these qualites are not in short supply. It is generally the more civilizations species that have Huskarls, however, simply because the others would rather take a bigger axe: ask any orc.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
:Feats: Missile shield, Shield Slam, Combat Reflexes.
:Proficnesy: with Heavy and Light shields.


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

1st|
+1|
+1|
+1|
+0| Fighting man, Improved missile shield /2 round

2nd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+1| Block (Ex), Rapid shield, Shield Toss 30ft.

3rd|
+3|
+2|
+2|
+1| Improved missile shield /3, Shield and Sword in accord, Evasion.

4th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+1| Shield toss 45ft., Counterattack.

5th|
+5|
+3|
+3|
+2| Improved missile shield /4

6th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+2| Shield toss 60ft, Improved block

7th|
+7|
+4|
+4|
+2| Shield and Sword in Accord, Improved missile shield /5

8th|
+8|
+4|
+4|
+3| Shield toss 75ft, Lucky my shield will protect me!

9th|
+9|
+5|
+5|
+3| Improved missile shield /6, Improved evasion

10th|
+10|
+5|
+5x|
+3| Shield toss 90ft., Reflect attack [/table]

Missile Shield (Combat)
You are skilled at deflecting ranged attacks with your shield.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Shield Focus.

Benefit: You must be using a light, heavy, or tower shield to use this feat. Once per round when you would normally be hit with an attack from a ranged weapon (not including spell effects, natural attacks, or massive ranged weapons), you may deflect it so that you take no damage, as if you had the Deflect Arrows feat. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed.

Ray Shield (Combat)
You can even deflect rays with your shield.
Prerequisites: Dex 15, Missile Shield, Spellbreaker.

Benefit: You must be using a light, heavy, or tower shield to use this feat. Once per round when you would normally be hit with a ranged touch attack (including rays and similar magical effects), you may deflect it so that you take no damage from it. your shield suffers the full effects of the spell or effect, if applicable.



Skills: 2+int/level.

Weapon and armor proficiency: A Huskarl gains proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light and medium armor.

Ray shield: a Huskarl gains ray-shield as a bonus feat.

Improved missile shield (Ex): a Huskarl can use ray shield or missile one additional time per round for every 2 levels he has in this class, up to a maximum of 6 times a round at level 9.

Fighting man: a Huskarl counts his levels in this class as fighter levels for the purposes of qualifying for feats

Rapid shield: At Lv 2, a Huskarl can put on or take off a buckler, light shield, or heavy shield as a free action. In addition, he reduces the armor check penalty by one, which stacks with masterwork, and he increases his Max dex bonus by one.

Shield toss (Ex): at 2nd level, a Huskarl can throw his shield to get at the pesky little fiends that stay out of sword-reach, making a ranged attack roll using his strength modifier instead of dexterity. This does the same damage as a normal shield bash, except with a range of 30 ft. If the target takes damage, and is flying using wings, or balancing on a ledge, they must make a fly/acroabics check with a D.C equal to Huskarl hit-dice+10+strength bonus not to fall down. They take falling damage as normal for their height. If a Huskarl decides to hit a target at half range, he does an exctra 1d4 damage. This is a full round action. The Huskarl musty pick up his shield to be able to use it again, although he may equip another shield, if he wants.

At 4th level, the shield toss is increased to 45 ft, and does 2d4 more damage if thrown at a target within half range. In addition, creatures using magical flight or levitation must also test, or fall down, as per normal for winged/balancing creatures.

At 6th level, range is increased to 60 ft, and the shield hurl does 3d4 more damage if thrown at a target within half range. In addition, if the creature is within 30 ft, they must make a fortitude save equal to Huskarl hit-dice +10+ strength bonus not to become stunned. In adfdtion, a Huskarl can now hurl his shield as a swift action.

At 8th level, range increase to 75 ft, and the shield hurl does 4d4 more damage if thrown at a target within half range. In addition, the shield now acts as a returning weapon, and once it returns, the Huskarl can put on his shield as an immediate action.

At 10th level, range increases to 90 ft, and the shield hurl does 5d4 damage if thrown at half range. In addition, you may now use a shield hurl as a swift action, allowing you to move, toss your shield, and make a regular. attack.

Block (Ex): At 2nd level, a Huskarl may use one of his roundly uses of Missile shield to block a melee attack. This works as if he had blocked a ranged attack. He cannot block melee touch attacks or spells this way. He can only block attacks from a creature 2 size categories larger than him.

Sword and Board in Accord(Ex): at 3rd level, you gain the benefit of improved two-weapon fighting when you are wielding any bashing shield and a one-handed weapon. If you already have improved two-weapon fighting, you instead gain greater weapon fighting.

At 7th level, a Huskarl gains the benefits of greater two-weapon fighting while wielding any bashing shield and a one-handed weapon. If the Huskarl already has greater two-weapon fighting, or gain the befits of greater two-weapon fighting at level 3, he can make one additional attack with his shield at his highest base-attack bonus when making a full attack, or when making an attack as a standard action.

Evasion(Ex): at 3rd level, a Huskarl gains the benefits of evasion. This can only be used while wielding a shield.

Counterattack(Ex): at 4th level, whenever a Huskarl deflects an attack with missile shield, ray shield, or block, he may make an attack of opportunity against the offending party if it is within range of his melee weapon.


Improved Block(ex): At 6th level, a Huskarl can use his block ability to block melee touch spells and attacks, as per block. His shield suffers the full effect of the spell, if applicable. In addition, a Huskarl can now block siege-weapon level attacks, such as ballista-bolts and catapult rocks. In addition, a Huskarl can now block the attacks of any creature four size-categories larger than him, or smaller.

Lucky my shield will protect me!(Su): At 8th level, once per encounter, when a Huskarl fails a Saving throw, he may use this ability as an immediate action. He succeeds on the saving throw as if the save negated it (if it didn’t already), and his shield is affected instead, if possible. Regardless of the effect, the shield is broken afterwards, if it hasn’t already been degenerated or turned into a critter. This ability works on the initial saving throw, but not on subsequent ones: so you could use it for the initial contact of a poison, but not for the affects each round.

Improved Evasion(Ex): at 9th level, a Huskarl gains the benefits of improved evasion. This can only be used while wielding a shield.

Reflect attack(Ex): At 10th level, whenever the Huskarl blocks a missile or ranged touch attack/spell, he can, as an immediate action, deflect it back to the offending creature. Make an attack roll or touch attack roll as appropriate, using your full B.A.B plus any attack bonus for your shield. If it hits, resolve the spell or attack against the offending creature. If he is in range for counterattack, a Huskarl may choose to use this or counterattack, not both.

Alrighty! Peach away!

...And maybe tell me how to fix that table.

Dralnu
2011-08-23, 11:59 PM
Skills: 2+int/level.

I don't even know what skills he gets, but make it 4+int/level. Pathfinder got it right IMO.


Ray shield: a Huskarl gains ray-shield as a bonus feat.

I assume it's at level 1. Add it to the table. Also, fix your saves. Good/good/bad.

Ray shield feat: do you even know how shields take damage? I sure don't and nobody that I play with does. I'd just take that bit out entirely.


Shield toss (Ex):

Overly complicated. Take out the bit about extra damage based on range. Just tack it on to the normal damage. You're disarming yourself until it becomes returning.

Too wordy in general. Maybe try copying the Ranged enchant (MiC) description.


Block (Ex): At 2nd level, a Huskarl may use one of his roundly uses of Missile shield to block a melee attack. This works as if he had blocked a ranged attack. He cannot block melee touch attacks or spells this way. He can only block attacks from a creature 2 size categories larger than him.

How many times per round? If more than once per round it may be a little OP.


Sword and Board in Accord(Ex):

There's some one-hander + shield attack feat in PHB2 I think you might be interested in.


Evasion(Ex): at 3rd level, a Huskarl gains the benefits of evasion. This can only be used while wielding a shield.

Seems out of place. This is usually a scouty, skirmisher ability. I guess you're trying to make the prc like that so it's ok.


Otherwise looks good. I like shield-users and captain america. Not sure how you messed up the table like that :smalltongue:

wuwuwu
2011-08-24, 12:00 AM
As I clicked this, I thought to myself "What are the chances of this being based on the Age of Empires huskarl...", and lo, you basically made every dream I had for this thread come true :smalltongue:

As a person who amassed Huskarls in AoEII and AoW (and almost always ONLY huskarls), I do approve of this class. I love the implied fluff of it, and want to ask my next DM if I could play it...

The only problem is the "Shield Toss" ability. I feel it isn't very thematic with the class (it entirely depends on it's shield, it shouldn't just be throwing it around). It's essentially unusable until you get the free returning at 8th level, because the only reasons I can see using it are the enemies being unreachable by foot, which means you can't reach the shield after you throw it...

Also it becomes a swift action at both 6th level and 10th level. Although if it's meant to at 6th level, I can see throwing it, then charging the opponent and equipping it during the attack as a valid tactic.

Lappy9000
2011-08-24, 02:24 AM
I like it. This makes me want to play a Sword and Board fighter :smallcool:

First off, this PrC could definitely do with some polish; there are a lot of typos.

Anyway, this class is obviously meant to be martial, and even though you didn't include the hit dice (d10, I assume?) go ahead and buff that Fortitude to +2; couldn't hurt.

I like Missile Shield and Ray Shield; they're not super amazing, but they certainly get the job done. However, you already require a lot of feats, why bother making Missile Shield a bonus feat and just factor it into the PrC instead?

The class features seem neat and decent on the whole.

I agree that Shield Toss is way more wordier than it needs to be, although I like the extra damage for half range, however little it may be.

Overall, I very much enjoy this class; everything I didn't mention is pretty awesome (deflecting siege attacks, :smallbiggrin:) and I like the feel of it as a whole. Just tighten up the wording, fix some typos, and you're golden :smallcool:

Edit: And I just have to ask, Doorhandle: What is your avatar?

Maraxus1
2011-08-24, 05:19 AM
To fix the table, remove the spaces in the empty lines you made there.

Rapid shield: This means, the Max. Dex Bonus of tower shields? Or armor? (Because obviously, this class seams to be designed for non-tower shields as you can't 2-weapon fight with tower shields).

Shield toss (Ex): Very Captain-Armerica-ish. But you need to check, what kind of action it is at what level. I assume, at level 6, it should be standard action.

Block (Ex): With "Improved missile shield" - can he also use multiple uses to block multiple hits? Sounds heavy. Also it misses "or smaller" when it talks about the size of the attacker.

Sword and Board in Accord(Ex): At 7th level, He should better have greater two-weapon fighting because the conditional replacement is way better. :smallsmile: No problem here.

Counterattack(Ex): So, if a ranged fighter is within melee range, the Huskarl gets one AoO for the shooting and another one for hitting the shield? That sure depletes even Combat reflexes really fast. - The bigger problem is with Block. So a monster trying to melee attack him first has to go through one (many?) attacks against itself instead, before being able to hopefully hit the Huskarl. And without more reach, there is nothing it can do against it? Mean.

Lucky my shield will protect me!(Su): So: If the Hurskarl fails a save, then (and only then?) he can choose not only to instead turn the save into a success but also negate any possible partial effects on a successful save?
Instead, the shield is effected (if applicable). And also breaks. So, if a "Ray of Exhaustion" hits him, then he can prevent the fatigue by failing his save and making his shield effected by the exhaustion instead (which it is not applicable for). Sadly, the shield also breaks because the forces of the universe what that to happen for balancing reasons.

(Improved) Evasion(Ex): Maybe a better feeling "tank" mechanic would be to grand an (increasing) resistance to damaging area effects that allow a reflex saving throw. But I do not have much of a problem with it.

Reflect attack(Ex): I would like to see, how an arrow flys 400 feet, hits the shield and ricochets the 400 ft back to hit the archer. :smallbiggrin:

Spiryt
2011-08-24, 06:48 AM
Quite interesting class, even though it needs clarifications - as already posted - to make these abilities clearer.

I'm not a fan on shield toss at all though, it's clunky, does seem pretty suboptimal in actual play and doesn't really fit the class at all IMO (not that it would fit any other class, but....)

wuwuwu
2011-08-24, 11:38 AM
I was just reading the other comments, and maybe Mettle (like Knights get) would be better than Evasion? Although I do see what you're doing with Evasion (putting your shield up fast enough to block the explosion/expanding fireball/dragon breath, right?), Mettle does the same thing for Fort (and maybe Will?) saves.


Reflect attack(Ex): I would like to see, how an arrow flys 400 feet, hits the shield and ricochets the 400 ft back to hit the archer

He's 16th level by the time he gets that, he's way beyond superhuman :smalltongue: