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CinuzIta
2013-01-20, 01:14 PM
Hello!
So, I've recently seen the trailer of the movie Ghost Rider. While I don't like the movie itself, I have to say that I love the character idea.

I started to think at a Ghost Rider class. Here's the problem: what I know about the character is merely based on wikipedia and the first movie, so I'm not an expert.

I've tried to make it so that the character is some sort of Diabolical Cavalrymen bonded to Mephistopheles and I'd like to hear your opinions and to have suggestions about it!

I'm not writing any fluff at the moment, because I first want to see how the final result will be! Anyhow, the idea is that of a cavalryman who obeys to Mephistopheles because of some sort of malediction or something like that.

Ghost Rider

d10
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|+1|+2|+0|+2| Aura of Despair, Diabolical Aspect, Disciple of Darkness

2nd|+2|+3|+0|+3| Resistance to Fire

3rd|+3|+3|+1|+3| Mettle

4th|+4|+4|+1|+4| Diabolical Steed

5th|+5|+4|+1|+4| Hellfire Blast 1d8, Pyrokinesis

6th|+6/+1|+5|+2|+5| Hellfire Weapon

7th|+7/+2|+5|+2|+5| Flaming Body

8th|+8/+3|+6|+2|+6| Path of Flames

9th|+9/+4|+6|+3|+6| Dark Blessing

10th|+10/+5|+7|+3|+7| Hellfire Blast 2d8, Improved Diabolical Aspect

11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+3|+7| Hellfire Burst Weapon, Improved Pyrokinesis

12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+4|+8| Improved Path of Flames

13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+4|+8| Ghost Sight

14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+4|+9| Malign Fury

15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+5|+9| Hellfire Blast 3d8

16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+5|+10| Superior Path of Flames

17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+5|+10| Superior Pyrokinesis

18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+6|+11| Improved Mettle

19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+6|+11| Superior Diabolical Aspect

20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+6|+12| Hell Creature, Hellfire Blast 4d8[/table]
Skill Points: 2+Int (x4 at first level). Skills: Climb, Handle Animals, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (The Planes), Ride, Swim.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: a Ghost Rider is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and is also proficient with all whips, with spiked chain and with kusari-gama. Is proficient with light and medium armours but not with shields.

Aura of Despair (Su): a Ghost Rider radiates a malign aura that causes enemies within 20 feet of her to take a –2 penalty on all saving throws.

Diabolical Aspect (Su): 1/day, a Ghost Rider can turn himself into a flaming horror. The skin on his head begins to melt without causing him any pain, leaving exposed the Ghost Rider's flaming skull. These capacity doubles all the effects of Aura of Despair (Range 40 feet, -4 penalty) and grants to the Ghost Rider a bonus of +2 Str, +2 Cha, DR 1/Cold Iron, +1 Natural Armor but he also suffer a malus of -2 to Con because of the skin melting and of the flames. The Diabolical Aspect lasts for 3+ newly improved Cha modifier; at the end of these time period, the Ghost Rider is fatigued for 4+1d6 rounds.

At 10th level, the Ghost Rider can use the Diabolical Aspect 2/day; moreover, the bonuses from the Diabolical Aspect rise to +4 Str, +4 Cha, DR 5/Cold Iron, +2 Natural Armor. Diabolical Aspects now lasts 5+ newly improved Cha modifier.

At 19th level, the Ghost Rider can use the Diabolical Aspect 3/day; moreover, the bonuses from the Improved Diabolical Aspect rise to +6 Str, +6 Cha, DR 10/Cold Iron, +2 Natural Armor. Aura of Despair now is more powerful (Range 60 feet, -6 penalty).

Activating Diabolical Aspect takes no time itself, but a Ghost Rider can do it only during his action, not in response to someone else’s action.

Disciple of Darkness (Ex): at 1st level, a Ghost Rider swear allegiance to Mephistopheles and gain Disciple of Darkness as a bonus feat.

Resistance to Fire (Su): starting at 2nd level, the Ghost Rider is particulary resistant to fire. He gain fire resistance equal to his class level.

Mettle (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a Ghost Rider can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If he makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping Ghost Rider does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Diabolical Steed (Su): at 4th level a Ghost Rider is blessed from Mephistopheles with the aid of a Diabolical Steed. These seems to be a normal heavy warhorse, but when the Ghost Rider uses his Diabolical Aspect, his horse change into a flaming skeleton, gaining the Undead type and Fire subtype for the duration of Diabolical Aspect.

The Diabolical Steed can be summoned or dismissed with a standard action. The character can summon the steed wherever he wants, even in the same square where he is to be immediatly in saddle.
This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one-third the Ghost Rider’s level. The mount remains for 2 hours per Ghost Rider level.

For each minute where it remains unsummoned, the Mount recovers 1 HP/ Hit Dice. If it remains unsummoned for at least 10 minutes, it is cured of all other negative effects as well (e.g. disease, energy drain, curses etc).

The mount also appears wearing or carrying any gear it had when it was last dismissed. Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect.
Should the Ghost Rider’s mount die, it immediately disappears, leaving behind any equipment it was carrying.
If the steed die, it cannot be summoned again for 24 hours

{table=head]Ghost Rider Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj|Str Adj|Int|Special
4th|
+0|
+2|
+0|
5|Empathic Link, Improved Speed (+10ft), Share Saving Throws

5th-7th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
6|Improved Evasion

8th-10th|
+4|
+6|
+2|
7|Improved Speed (+20ft)

11th-13th|
+6|
+8|
+3|
8| Flaming Wings

14th-16th|
+8|
+10|
+4|
9|Improved Speed (+30ft), Spell resistance

17th-19th|
+10|
+12|
+5|
10|Improved Flaming Wings

20th+|
+12|
+14|
+6|
11|Improved Speed (+40ft)[/table]

The Diabolical Steed get more powerful abilities as the Ghost Rider gains levels. He gets the same abilities of a Paladin's special mount, but I've bolded two new abilities

Flaming Wings: as a swift action, the steed can make two flaming wings grow on himself, gaining flying speed equal to his land speed (average maneuverability)

Improved Flaming Wings: Flaming Wings get stronger. The steed gains fly speed equal to twice his land speed (good maneuverability)

Hellfire Blast (Sp): at 5th level, the Ghost Rider can use Hellfire to deal a ranged attack to his enemies. He shapes an Hellfireball and then launch it to a foe. The Hellfire Blast has 30 feet reach, is a ranged touch attacks and being composed of Hellfire (instead of normal fire) cannot be reduced by normal fire resistance. The Hellfire Blast get +1d8 every five levels thereafter.

Pyrokinesis (Su): the Ghost Rider is able to manipulate fire. Starting from the 5th level he can set an enemy on fire with just a single touch.
A Ghost Rider can create enough fire energy each day to deal an amount of damage equal to their Ghost Rider level times their Charisma bonus. An unwilling subject may make a will saving throw (DC 10 + Ghost Rider's level + Cha modifier) to take only half damage. The Ghost Rider can spend any number of damage points on any individual attack and may use Pyrokinesis as long as he still has unused Fire Energy remaining.
Pyrokinesis will heal, instead of harm, any creature with the Fire type targeted by it.
Actually, these is Arcturus' Ember's Embrace from the Elemental Paladin, but it seemed fitting

Hellfire Weapon (Su): at 6th any weapon the Ghost Rider wields is treated as if having the Flaming enchantment, but dealing Hellfire damage instead of normal fire damage. These means that normal fire resistance doesn't reduces these damages.

Flaming Body (Su): from 7th level on, any creature who hit the Ghost Rider when he's using his Diabolical Aspect, must succeed on a Reflexes saving throw (DC 15 + 1/2 Ghost Rider's levels + Cha) or be set on flame.

Path of Flames (Su): starting at 8th level, wherever the Ghost Rider goes, hellfire follow him. You initiate this maneuver as part of a charge attack. As with a charge, you can move up to double your speed and make a single attack, gaining a +2 bonus on the attack roll and a –2 penalty to your Armor Class while you move and until your next turn. Unlike a normal charge, however, your Path of Flames charge is not impeded by difficult terrain, or even other creatures. You can override other creatures without any problem.
When you initiate a Path of Flames, a wall of shimmering, spectral Hellfire appears in each of the squares along the path you take. A creature standing in the wall takes 3d6 points of Hellfire damage at the beginning of that creature’s turn. A creature occupying a square adjacent to the wall takes 1d6 points of Hellfire damage at the start of its turn. Creatures that move into or through the wall also take 1d6 points of Hellfire damage. The wall lasts up to 5 rounds. You can automatically dispel the wall with a wave of your hand (a swift action), and the wall is automatically dispelled if you initiate another Path of Flames. The wall does not block line of sight or line of effect.

Dark Blessing (Su): at 9th level, the Ghost Rider applies his Charisma modifier (if positive) as a bonus on all saving throws.

Hellfire Burst Weapon (Su): at 11th level, any weapon the Ghost Rider wields is treated as if having the Flaming Burst enchantment, but dealing Hellfire damage instead of normal fire damage. These means that normal fire resistance doesn't reduces these damages.

Improved Pyrokinesis (Su): at 11th level the Ghost Rider may direct fire along the path he indicate to it, redirecting flames or burning buildings without physically completing the task. These ability works just like Control Flame (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlFlames.htm) but works only with non magical flames. The Ghost Rider manifester level is equal to his class level.

Improved Path of Flames (Su): at 12th level as Path of Flames, but your charge doesn't need to be on a straight line no more. You can change direction at will during a charge.

Ghost Sight (Su): at 13th level, the Ghost Rider can see ethereal and invisible creatures and objects as easily as he sees material creatures and objects.

Malign Fury (Ex): at 14th level, the Ghost Rider can do a full attack action followed, or anticipated, by a move action or move-equivalent action 3/encounter.

Superior Path of Flames (Su): at 16th level, as Improved Path of Flames but the damages are increased. Now a creature standing in the wall takes 6d6 points of Hellfire damage at the beginning of that creature’s turn. A creature occupying a square adjacent to the wall takes 3d6 points of Hellfire damage at the start of its turn. Creatures that move into or through the wall also take 6d6 points of Hellfire damage.

Superior Pyrokinesis (Su): at 17th level, a Ghost Rider can now manipulate magical flames (included those created by enemies' spells). To manipulate such flames, he must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC equal to enemy's spellcaster level check). These ability functions like Improved Pyrokinesis, but the Ghost Rider can now manipulate also magical flames.

Improved Mettle (Ex): At 18th level, the Ghost Rider still suffers no effect on a successful saving throw. Additionally on a failed saving throw, he now only suffers the reduced effect (if any), as if he had succeeded on the saving throw without having Mettle.

Hell Creature (Su): at 20th level the character change his type to Undead and his subtype to Fire.


What do you say? Do you got any suggestions or opinions?

JeminiZero
2013-01-21, 08:30 AM
Well now, lets see what we have...

To begin with, you might want to include in some design notes on what Tier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266559) you were aiming for. Not strictly necessary, but it will help other commentators.


I'm not writing any fluff at the moment, because I first want to see how the final result will be! Anyhow, the idea is that of a cavalryman who obeys to Mephistopheles because of some sort of malediction or something like that.

At the end of first the movie, he manages to defy Mephistopheles, so he is not strictly under the Devil's control.
Also, for fluff purposes (and the Disciple of Darkness feat), the head Devil of D&D is Asmodeus, rather than Mephistopheles, in case you want to know.

Now for some terminology stuff. In D&D, Supernatural abilites are normally labelled (Su) rather than (Sup), and Spell Like abilities are labelled (Sp) rather than (Mag). So you might want to correct that.

Diabolical Aspect (in particular DR 5/Cold Iron) is rather powerful for a 1st level ability. That renders him pretty much invulnerable to many CR 1 enemies. If you want to keep it at level 1, I would limit it to DR to 1/Cold Iron at the most.

Or else seperate it out into another Class feature that provides X/Cold Iron in a progression similar to that of the Barbarian.

Also, the Barbarian has limited rages per day, whereas the Ghost Rider right now can use Diabolical Aspect without limit, (subject to the Con penalty and the fatigue).

On a related note, you should probably state how long the fatigue lasts.

Just so that he doesn't waste time setting himself on fire at the start of each fight, I would make activating Diabolical Aspect a free action.

Likewise, Diabolical Steed is rather strong at the level you get it. You get it at level 2, at which point its a 6 HD creature (4 Warhorse base + 2 bonus HD) that makes it waayyy tougher than the fighter, and hits just as hard.

While the Paladin mount has a 2 hr/level limit, the Diabolical Steed has no stated limit, so the Ghost Rider can keep his super-mount out indefinitely.

I think it would be more balanced if you followed a progression like this: Horse can be summoned at level 4 with no bonus HD, and +2 nat armor, From level 5 onwards, he gains +2 bonus HD every 3 levels. E.g.

{table=head]Ghost Rider Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj|Str Adj|Int|Special
4th|
+0|
+2|
+0|
5|

5th-7th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
6|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Saving Throws

8th-10th|
+4|
+6|
+2|
7|Improved Speed (+10ft)

11th-13th|
+6|
+8|
+3|
8| Flaming Wings

14th-16th|
+8|
+10|
+4|
9|Improved Speed (+20ft), Spell resistance

17th-19th|
+10|
+12|
+5|
10|Improved Flaming Wings

20th+|
+12|
+14|
+6|
11|[/table]

If you want to fill level 2 with something, Resistance to Fire can come earlier, and scale gradually. E.g. Give him Resistance to Fire equal to his Ghost Rider level, from level 2 onwards.

Mettle is unusual. Normally it applies only Fort saves rather than Fort and Will.

Pyrokinesis should probably run off Charisma rather than Wisdom, since that seems to be the Ghost Rider's main mental ability score.

For Flaming Body, does it only apply when the Rider is in Diabolical Aspect? Or all the time?

Improved Mettle... is very odd. How does half effect work with something like Finger of Death? Does he wind up half-dead? Or how about dominate? Does he only obey half the commands. I think this ability should be removed entirely. Use Divine Grace instead (add Cha as a bonus to all saves).

Improved Pyrokinesis: You might want to clarify what it can do. Perhaps say that it works like Control Flame (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlFlames.htm) of a certain level.

Malign Fury probably needs rewording. I would simply say that he can make a move or move-equivalent action as a swift action. And I would split it up a bit more. Maybe give it 1/encounter use around level 6-9, and increase the uses per encounter as he levels up, to help fill out dead levels.

Superior Pyrokinesis (like Improved Pyrokinesis) also needs clarification.

Finally, about Hell Creature. You do know that creatures with the fire subtype (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#fireSubtype) are more vulnerable to cold damage? Simply give him Fire Immunity instead.

Also, there is no undead subtype (not in D&D, anyway, it is found in Pathfinder I believe). Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) is an entire type in itself.

Zireael
2013-01-21, 02:29 PM
Diabolical Mount should work like a Paladin's mount and Diabolical Rage like Barbarian Rage.
Mettle should be nerfed. Improved Mettle might work on both Will and Fort, but would have to be nerfed too.

And oh yeah, undead is a type.

CinuzIta
2013-01-21, 02:29 PM
Well now, lets see what we have...

1. To begin with, you might want to include in some design notes on what Tier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266559) you were aiming for. Not strictly necessary, but it will help other commentators.

2. At the end of first the movie, he manages to defy Mephistopheles, so he is not strictly under the Devil's control.
Also, for fluff purposes (and the Disciple of Darkness feat), the head Devil of D&D is Asmodeus, rather than Mephistopheles, in case you want to know.

3. Now for some terminology stuff. In D&D, Supernatural abilites are normally labelled (Su) rather than (Sup), and Spell Like abilities are labelled (Sp) rather than (Mag). So you might want to correct that.

4. Diabolical Aspect (in particular DR 5/Cold Iron) is rather powerful for a 1st level ability. That renders him pretty much invulnerable to many CR 1 enemies. If you want to keep it at level 1, I would limit it to DR to 1/Cold Iron at the most.
Or else seperate it out into another Class feature that provides X/Cold Iron in a progression similar to that of the Barbarian.

5. Also, the Barbarian has limited rages per day, whereas the Ghost Rider right now can use Diabolical Aspect without limit, (subject to the Con penalty and the fatigue).
On a related note, you should probably state how long the fatigue lasts.
Just so that he doesn't waste time setting himself on fire at the start of each fight, I would make activating Diabolical Aspect a free action.

6. Likewise, Diabolical Steed is rather strong at the level you get it. You get it at level 2, at which point its a 6 HD creature (4 Warhorse base + 2 bonus HD) that makes it waayyy tougher than the fighter, and hits just as hard.
While the Paladin mount has a 2 hr/level limit, the Diabolical Steed has no stated limit, so the Ghost Rider can keep his super-mount out indefinitely.
I think it would be more balanced if you followed a progression like this: Horse can be summoned at level 4 with no bonus HD, and +2 nat armor, From level 5 onwards, he gains +2 bonus HD every 3 levels. E.g.

{table=head]Ghost Rider Level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj|Str Adj|Int|Special
4th|
+0|
+2|
+0|
5|

5th-7th|
+2|
+4|
+1|
6|Empathic Link, Improved Evasion, Share Saving Throws

8th-10th|
+4|
+6|
+2|
7|Improved Speed (+10ft)

11th-13th|
+6|
+8|
+3|
8| Flaming Wings

14th-16th|
+8|
+10|
+4|
9|Improved Speed (+20ft), Spell resistance

17th-19th|
+10|
+12|
+5|
10|Improved Flaming Wings

20th+|
+12|
+14|
+6|
11|[/table]

7. If you want to fill level 2 with something, Resistance to Fire can come earlier, and scale gradually. E.g. Give him Resistance to Fire equal to his Ghost Rider level, from level 2 onwards.

8. Mettle is unusual. Normally it applies only Fort saves rather than Fort and Will.

9. Pyrokinesis should probably run off Charisma rather than Wisdom, since that seems to be the Ghost Rider's main mental ability score.

10. For Flaming Body, does it only apply when the Rider is in Diabolical Aspect? Or all the time?

11. Improved Mettle... is very odd. How does half effect work with something like Finger of Death? Does he wind up half-dead? Or how about dominate? Does he only obey half the commands. I think this ability should be removed entirely. Use Divine Grace instead (add Cha as a bonus to all saves).

12. Improved Pyrokinesis: You might want to clarify what it can do. Perhaps say that it works like Control Flame (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlFlames.htm) of a certain level.

13. Malign Fury probably needs rewording. I would simply say that he can make a move or move-equivalent action as a swift action. And I would split it up a bit more. Maybe give it 1/encounter use around level 6-9, and increase the uses per encounter as he levels up, to help fill out dead levels.

14. Superior Pyrokinesis (like Improved Pyrokinesis) also needs clarification.

15. Finally, about Hell Creature. You do know that creatures with the fire subtype (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#fireSubtype) are more vulnerable to cold damage? Simply give him Fire Immunity instead.
Also, there is no undead subtype (not in D&D, anyway, it is found in Pathfinder I believe). Undead (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#undeadType) is an entire type in itself.

1. I'm not familiar with the tier sistem, but I'll try to do something about it!

2. Well, these class is not strictly connected with the movie (or the comic itself) so I'll just leave it bonded to Mephistopheles (I know the boss down there is Asmodeus but I love Mephistopheles, lol)

3. Thank you for the correction, I'll fix the errors!

4. Maybe Diabolical Aspect could grant DR 1 at 1st level, DR 5 at 10th level and DR 10 at 19th level. Would it be better these way?

5. In all of his aspects (fatigue, activating time, usage per days) Diabolical Aspects is similar to Barbarian's Rage...my bad, I should have specified. About the x times per encounters, that is my error, I meant x times per day.

6. Eh, I'm not an animal companion expert, I'll do as you suggest since I have never used a companion and I don't know how to balance them!

7. Good idea!

8. I've copied/pasted Mettle from the Hexblade special abilities.

9. Pyrokinesis is already based on Charisma. Edit - oh I've seen the error. Fixed.

10. At first, I wanted Flaming Body to be a passive special ability that is always active. But maybe it would be better to make it as a Diabolical Aspect boost?

11. Aye, it's a bit odd, but let me try to explain with an example:

Wizard casts Finger of Death on the Ghost Rider.
Ghost Rider has Improved Mettle
Finger of Death kills his target when these one fails his saving throw, or hurt him with 3d6 +1/caster level if he succeeds.
If Ghost Rider succeeds on his saving throw, then nothing happens to him, if he fails, instead of being killed he just takes the 3d6 etc damages, as if he succeeded the saving throw without Mettle.

It functions like Evasion or Improved Evasion

12/14. I wasn't aware of that manifestation. The operation of that ability was up to the player and his DM mental sanity (:smallbiggrin:), but now that I know of these manifestation, I'll adopt it. Since there is also Superior Prykinesis, at the beginning Control Flame will allow the player to control only non magical flames, then, with the Superior version of the ability, it'll allow player to control even magical flames.

13. I copy/pasted Malign Fury from the Warrior of Darkness, from the Book of Vile Darkness and made it 3/encounter (was 3/day before). I'll take it back to 3/day. As it is now, maybe it's too powerful as an ability..

15. Maybe I wrote the special ability in a bit confused way, but what I meant was that he gains the Undead type and the Fire subtype [the character change his type and subtype to Undead and Fire.] . I know that the Fire subtype make the character vulnerable to cold damages, but I wanted to compensate all the immunities that the character would have gained from the Undead Type


To fill up some dead levels, I could move Pyrokinesis, Improved Pyrokinesis and Superior Pyrokinesis to 8th, 12th and 18th level. What do you say?

Gnomes2169
2013-01-21, 04:38 PM
So this class is sort of the demonic berzerking paladin, eh? :smallbiggrin: I do like the class, but some clarification would be nice... Particularly with Pyrokinesis.

The wording of the skill hints that it sets people on fire (which would deal small amounts of lingering damage), but its effect makes it seem like there is just one large flash of instantaneous damage. Just wondering what this would be. Also, a specific or generalization on how much fire can be manipulated and what he can do with this fire would be wonderful, if only to help out newer players who think, "Hell yeah, being a Ghost Rider would be flippin' awesome!"

Addressing what Jemini said about hit-or-fail spells like Domination, charm, maze and the like, I would think that this would work much in the same way as evasion. Lingering spells and traps would have their duration reduced (Maybe by how close you were to succeeding or how high your level is compared to the spell DC), while instantaneous ones have their full effect.

Just as a balancing note, being undead is often rather allot of hassle for very few benefits. Maybe you could make this transformation optional? And also, I think that Hell Fire probably won't do too much damage to demons (Seeing as they live in it), so you might want to add a special exceptions note for them. :smalltongue:

As one final thing, can you explain what Disciple of Darkness does? (I'm just too lazy to look this up derp)

CinuzIta
2013-01-21, 04:52 PM
So this class is sort of the demonic berzerking paladin, eh? :smallbiggrin: I do like the class, but some clarification would be nice... Particularly with Pyrokinesis.

The wording of the skill hints that it sets people on fire (which would deal small amounts of lingering damage), but its effect makes it seem like there is just one large flash of instantaneous damage. Just wondering what this would be. Also, a specific or generalization on how much fire can be manipulated and what he can do with this fire would be wonderful, if only to help out newer players who think, "Hell yeah, being a Ghost Rider would be flippin' awesome!"

Addressing what Jemini said about hit-or-fail spells like Domination, charm, maze and the like, I would think that this would work much in the same way as evasion. Lingering spells and traps would have their duration reduced (Maybe by how close you were to succeeding or how high your level is compared to the spell DC), while instantaneous ones have their full effect.

Just as a balancing note, being undead is often rather allot of hassle for very few benefits. Maybe you could make this transformation optional? And also, I think that Hell Fire probably won't do too much damage to demons (Seeing as they live in it), so you might want to add a special exceptions note for them. :smalltongue:

As one final thing, can you explain what Disciple of Darkness does? (I'm just too lazy to look this up derp)

Well, the first Pyrokinesis ability is just a flash of instantaneous damage, as you defined it:)
The amount of fire that can be manipulated is specified on the Control Flame power description

As I (tried) to explain in my precedent post, Mettle and Improved Mettle work Evasion and Improved Evasion

I know, inf act I'm searching a better cap ability! Suggestions?

Aye, Hellfire wouldn't be of help against demons...well I guess we can't have everything in life, right? I like to leave my classes some weak points (personally, I like my class to have some weak points...so a player has to do some planning in battle [against demons for exaxmple])

- Disciple of Darkness: Once per day, while performing an evil act, you can call upon your diabolic patron to add a +1 luck bonus to any one attack roll, saving throw, ability check, skill check, or level check.
As you can see it's not an overpowered feat to have at first level...in fact is there just for fluff!:)

Gnomes2169
2013-01-21, 05:29 PM
Well, the first Pyrokinesis ability is just a flash of instantaneous damage, as you defined it:)
I know, inf act I'm searching a better cap ability! Suggestions?

Hmmm... Maybe instead of becoming undead he could gain a permanent boost to his strength, charisma or both? That would be boring, but effective. Other abilities... hmmm... Well, seeing as this is an evil and unholy class, you could have this guy gain a life or level drain ability. The life drain can temporarily drain the maximum health from a foe and add it to your own for a few hours or it can just heal you every time you hit someone with any of your abilities (including the hellfire blast). Or all of his abilities and attacks can have a level draining effect to them, and this would have a rather high dc save to it because it is a level 20 ability.

Just a few suggestions.

CinuzIta
2013-01-21, 05:35 PM
Hmmm... Maybe instead of becoming undead he could gain a permanent boost to his strength, charisma or both? That would be boring, but effective. Other abilities... hmmm... Well, seeing as this is an evil and unholy class, you could have this guy gain a life or level drain ability. The life drain can temporarily drain the maximum health from a foe and add it to your own for a few hours or it can just heal you every time you hit someone with any of your abilities (including the hellfire blast). Or all of his abilities and attacks can have a level draining effect to them, and this would have a rather high dc save to it because it is a level 20 ability.

Just a few suggestions.

Mmmh, I don't know, these abilities looks good, but I don't think they fit the character very well.

Also, the class is not intended to be necessarily evil (the comic hero Ghost Rider isn't)..Mephistopheles may have constricted the character to work for him with a trick, or the character may have sold his soul to him for a service..but the character still have his own goals and objectives, and even though he sometimes have to work for Mephistopheles these doesn't means he appreciate what he does or his master's objectives

Amoren
2013-01-21, 08:24 PM
Hmmm, I do think you need to add an ability or description to the like for Path of Flames. Anywhere the Rider steps, or his mount, during his Diabolical Aspect is lit on fire or smolders. :P

Now, balance wise... I think Mettle could probably be restricted to just Fortitude Saves (as well as Improved Mettle). As for the Undead Transformation... It can be saved, just needs a bit of change. For the Ghost Rider, its only a hit point gain every level of one, and he loses his constitution modifier. I might make the suggestion that while in his Diabolical Aspect, he becomes an Undead/Fire type (thus losing the penalty to con because he doesn't have any), and in addition gets to add his charisma modifier to his HP per hit dice rather than his constitution (which he doesn't have). At level 20, he could then gain the ability to transform in/out of his Aspect at will, representing complete control of that form.

Of course, the abilities it grants and its progression might need to be balanced a bit out, but I think that could work well for ya. Also, maybe the damage reduction should be changed to bludgeoning, or cold iron + bludgeoning, given the fact that he's a flaming skeleton? :P

JeminiZero
2013-01-21, 08:53 PM
4. That would be more reasonable. But it would also be fine to have DR be active all the time, and follow Barbarian DR progression to help fill dead levels.

6. The paladin can summon his mount 1/day, whereas the Ghost Rider has no such limits. So even if it only lasts 2 hours/level, after it expires, the Ghost Rider can just resummon it.

Although, I think this is actually fine. Given the modifications made to the Mount, I would say it would now be reasonable to make it summonable/dismissable at will, and remain as long as the rider wants. This would at least focus the Ghost Rider into a mounted combat warrior, and place it on par with the Barbarian/Rogue (tier 4), or even Warblades/Crusaders (tier 3) depending on other class features.

In that case you might want to change: "Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously."

Into something like: "For each minute where it remains unsummoned, the Mount recovers 1 HP/ Hit Dice. If it remains unsummoned for at least 10 minutes, it is cured of all other negative effects as well (e.g. disease, energy drain, curses etc)."

Otherwise to heal his horsie, the Ghost Rider simply has to unsummon and resummon immediately, and it will reappear at full health.

11. In that case, I would not use "halved" in the wording at all, since most Fort/Will save targetting attacks do not suffer half effect on successful save. I would phrase it as "At 9th level, the Ghost Rider still suffers no effect on a successful saving throw. Additionally on a failed saving throw, he now only suffers the reduced effect (if any), as if he had succeeded on the saving throw without having Mettle."

Incidentally, this is a tremendously powerful ability. It is in fact almost as powerful than the undead type. It won't work against no-save ability damage/drain and energy drain, but at the same time it protects against things even undeath does not. (E.g. Undead can still be disintegrated, or transformed into glass by Glass Strike, whereas Improved Mettle as written effectively reduces/blocks all of these).

Given its power, I would make it the capstone either alongside, or in place of gaining the undead type.

Or place a scaling limit of some sort (e.g. if he fails the save by within X points, he only suffers reduced effect, and then as he levels up, X increases. And at the Capstone, X limit is removed).

13. The ability to take a move action as a swift is not over-powerful. For example, the Psychic Warrior has hustle (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/hustle.htm), so that he can do it until his PP runs out. So you could start with Malign Fury 1/day, and then slowly scale it up as he levels to fill out dead levels.

On the related topic of filling out dead levels, you could make Hellfire Blast start smaller (than 1d8), and then scale gradually as well. E.g. Start at 1d6 at level 3-5, and increase by 1d6 every 3 levels.

CinuzIta
2013-01-22, 04:25 PM
Hmmm, I do think you need to add an ability or description to the like for Path of Flames. Anywhere the Rider steps, or his mount, during his Diabolical Aspect is lit on fire or smolders. :P

Now, balance wise... I think Mettle could probably be restricted to just Fortitude Saves (as well as Improved Mettle). As for the Undead Transformation... It can be saved, just needs a bit of change. For the Ghost Rider, its only a hit point gain every level of one, and he loses his constitution modifier. I might make the suggestion that while in his Diabolical Aspect, he becomes an Undead/Fire type (thus losing the penalty to con because he doesn't have any), and in addition gets to add his charisma modifier to his HP per hit dice rather than his constitution (which he doesn't have). At level 20, he could then gain the ability to transform in/out of his Aspect at will, representing complete control of that form.

Of course, the abilities it grants and its progression might need to be balanced a bit out, but I think that could work well for ya. Also, maybe the damage reduction should be changed to bludgeoning, or cold iron + bludgeoning, given the fact that he's a flaming skeleton? :P

Path of Flames is an excellent idea, and I know how to implement it: I'll use a lesser version of Salamander Charge (http://dndtools.eu/spells/tome-of-battle-the-book-of-nine-swords--88/salamander-charge--3587/) and then I'll make it scale to a complete version!

You know what? I think I'll remove Improved mettle and I'll replace it with something like Divine Grace! Or maybe I'll move it at 18th level!

Maybe I'll also remove the Undead/Fire transformation (these means I need a new cap ability! I won't remvoe it until I find a better substitute anyway.)


4. That would be more reasonable. But it would also be fine to have DR be active all the time, and follow Barbarian DR progression to help fill dead levels.

6. The paladin can summon his mount 1/day, whereas the Ghost Rider has no such limits. So even if it only lasts 2 hours/level, after it expires, the Ghost Rider can just resummon it.

Although, I think this is actually fine. Given the modifications made to the Mount, I would say it would now be reasonable to make it summonable/dismissable at will, and remain as long as the rider wants. This would at least focus the Ghost Rider into a mounted combat warrior, and place it on par with the Barbarian/Rogue (tier 4), or even Warblades/Crusaders (tier 3) depending on other class features.

In that case you might want to change: "Each time the mount is called, it appears in full health, regardless of any damage it may have taken previously."

Into something like: "For each minute where it remains unsummoned, the Mount recovers 1 HP/ Hit Dice. If it remains unsummoned for at least 10 minutes, it is cured of all other negative effects as well (e.g. disease, energy drain, curses etc)."

Otherwise to heal his horsie, the Ghost Rider simply has to unsummon and resummon immediately, and it will reappear at full health.

11. In that case, I would not use "halved" in the wording at all, since most Fort/Will save targetting attacks do not suffer half effect on successful save. I would phrase it as "At 9th level, the Ghost Rider still suffers no effect on a successful saving throw. Additionally on a failed saving throw, he now only suffers the reduced effect (if any), as if he had succeeded on the saving throw without having Mettle."

Incidentally, this is a tremendously powerful ability. It is in fact almost as powerful than the undead type. It won't work against no-save ability damage/drain and energy drain, but at the same time it protects against things even undeath does not. (E.g. Undead can still be disintegrated, or transformed into glass by Glass Strike, whereas Improved Mettle as written effectively reduces/blocks all of these).

Given its power, I would make it the capstone either alongside, or in place of gaining the undead type.

Or place a scaling limit of some sort (e.g. if he fails the save by within X points, he only suffers reduced effect, and then as he levels up, X increases. And at the Capstone, X limit is removed).

13. The ability to take a move action as a swift is not over-powerful. For example, the Psychic Warrior has hustle (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/hustle.htm), so that he can do it until his PP runs out. So you could start with Malign Fury 1/day, and then slowly scale it up as he levels to fill out dead levels.

On the related topic of filling out dead levels, you could make Hellfire Blast start smaller (than 1d8), and then scale gradually as well. E.g. Start at 1d6 at level 3-5, and increase by 1d6 every 3 levels.

4. I don't think I'll give him a non-transformed DR, just to mark a line between is "human" self and his "diabolical" self

6. I'll fix all the necessary!

11. Read above :)

13. I'll change it again :P


Thank you for your help guys :)

Edit- edited first post and added some things! Still needing a good cap ability and maybe even an 18th level ability!:)