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Xeran
2006-11-13, 12:03 AM
I made this class today, once again with Shadowcraft's Class Construction Engine. The table is probably all messed up again, but I make my classes on word. Let me know what you think, I know it is a little different then other classes.


Deathsworn

A dark lord of the Undead, the Deathsworn combines the abilities and power of many Necromancy driven classes. Instead of the normal spellcasting angle at which Necromancy is looked at, the Deathsworn specializes instead on mastering his inborn command over the powers of life and death.
Adventures: Deathsworn are often cautious adventures, sending their minions before them and attempting to build up a veritable army beneath them. Though they can adventure for any reason, most do so to accumulate power. Power over the living, power over the dead.
Characteristics: The Deathsworn is an offensive powerhouse able to excel at its spell-like abilities for devastating results. While it does not have the spell selection of a wizard or the spell usage of a Sorcerer, it can be argued that its few abilities are quite a bit more powerful.
Alignment: While there are no restrictions against law or chaos for this class, Deathsworn tend to be more lawful then chaotic, simply because of their controlling nature. While not all Deathsworn are evil, none are good. The forces they call upon are so foul that no soul can be good and still wield them.
Religion: While not all Deathsworn are religious, most are, favoring deities of death like Nerull and Wee Jas. Some also follow gods of magic like Baccob. Another popular choice is Vecna, the Lich Lord appealing to many.
Background: Deathsworn are not common. When two meet, at best they will seek no confrontation, attempting to avoid each other. At worst, they will come to combat.
Races: Humans are by far the most common Deathsworn. With their arrogance, greed, and lust for power, they make perfect Deathsworn. Elven Deathsworn are rare, but not unheard of. Halfling and Gnome Deathsworn are almost non-existent. Dwarven Deathsworn, while rare, tend to be quite powerful. Half-Orcs tend to lack the mental faculties to become Deathsworn. Among savage humanoids, Deathsworn are not uncommon, most appearing in the ranks of the Dark Elves.
Other Classes: Deathsworn get along with any class except for the Paladin. They find their Holier-Then-Thou attitude annoying and the Paladins reciprocate their obvious distaste. It is not rare to see the two attack each other at sight.

Game Rule Information
Deathsworn have the following Game Statistics.
Abilities: A high Intelligence is essential for Deathsworn. Many of their abilities depend on it, and the higher their Intelligence, the more undead they can control. A high Strength helps both for attacks and a High Dexterity adds to his AC.
Alignment: Any non-good alignment.
Hit Die: D8

Class Skills: Bluff (CHA), Concentration (CHA), Craft (INT), Hide (DEX), Intimidate (CHA), Knowledge: Arcana (INT), Knowledge: History (INT), Knowledge: Religion (INT), Knowledge: The Planes (INT), Knowledge: Dungeoneering (INT), Listen (WIS), Move Silently (DEX), Search (WIS), Spellcraft (INT), and Spot (WIS).
Skill Points at 1st level: (2+Intelligence Modifier) x 4
Skill Points Thereafter: 2+Intelligence Modifier

Level Base Attack Bonus Fortitude Reflex Will Special
1 +0 +2 +0 +2 Death’s Touch 1d6, Darkvision (60 feet)
2 +1 +3 +0 +3 Dead Senses 1/Day, Shadowflesh 2
3 +2 +3 +1 +3 Death’s Touch 2d6
4 +3 +4 +1 +4 Lifesense (30 feet)
5 +3 +4 +1 +4 Death’s Touch 3d6, The Walking Dead
6 +4 +5 +2 +5 Shadowflesh 4
7 +5 +5 +2 +5 Death’s Touch 4d6, Tough as Bone
8 +6/+1 +6 +2 +6 Death’s Hand
9 +6/+1 +6 +3 +6 Death’s Touch 5d6
10 +7/+2 +7 +3 +7 Death Shield
11 +8/+3 +7 +3 +7 Death’s Touch 6d6, Shadowflesh 6
12 +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Manifest Death 1/Day
13 +9/+4 +8 +4 +8
14 +10/+5 +9 +4 +9 Death’s Touch 7d6
15 +11/+6/+1 +9 +5 +9 Manifest Deeper Death 1/Day
16 +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Shadowflesh 8
17 +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Death’s Touch 8d6
18 +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Deathless Mastery
19 +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11
20 +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Death’s Touch 9d6

Weapon/Armor Proficiency: Deathsworn are proficient in Light armor, but not with Shields. To use Heavier Armor or Shields is to act as if the Deathsworn’s abilities are subject to the Arcane Spell Failure percentage. Deathsworn are proficient with all Simple Weapons. They are also proficient with the Light and Heavy Flail, the Scythe, and the Longsword. At first level the Deathsworn may also choose one weapon not listed above to be proficient in. Once it is chosen, it can never be changed.

Death’s Touch: The Dark powers that imbue the Deathsworn’s power can be crafted into a weapon. At will, once per round, he can make a melee touch attack that is suffused with negative energy. Should it hit, it deals the damage listed plus the Deathsworn’s Intelligence Modifier. Should this touch an undead instead, it heals half the damage and the Intelligence Modifier is not applied.

Darkvision: The Deathsworn gains the ability to see through darkness. He gains Darkvision out to 60 feet. Should the Deathsworn already have Darkvision due to Race, its range is extended by 60 feet.

Dead Senses: Once a day you can call upon the powers of death to either blind or deafen an opponent. You gain the Spell-Like Ability of Blindness/Deafness. The save DC equals 10 + Intelligence Modifier + 2.

Shadowflesh: As the force of Death crawls through you, your skin gains an unrivaled strength against weapons. At 2nd level you gain Damage Reduction of 2/Magic and your skin turns ghostly white. At 6th level your skin takes on an ashen color and your Damage Reduction improves to 4/Magic. At 11th level you skin turns a dark gray and your Damage Reduction improves to 6/Magic. Finally at 16th level your skin turns the black of a moonless night and your Damage Reduction improves to 8/Magic.

Lifesense: The very power of Death becomes easy for you to see, giving you special knowledge of the living, and of the undead. You can sense any living or undead creature within thirty feet as if you could see them, but you gain no information about their surroundings or anything else.

The Walking Dead: At your touch, the dead rise as if you had cast Animate Undead upon them. Normally they only remain so animated for 1 minute/Intelligence Modifier, but if you sacrifice anything worth 25 GP at the time of the use of this Spell-Like Ability, they remain indefinitely, though you can only control 4 HD per level + Intelligence modifier of such undead.

Tough as Bone: Death grant’s yet more gifts to its Deathsworn. The Deathsworn takes on some of the qualities of an Undead. He becomes immune to non-lethal damage, disease, and stunning.

Death’s Hand: If the Deathsworn uses a full round attack and uses nothing but his Death’s Touch as a weapon, the Deathsworn may attack as many times as his Base Attack Bonus allows.

Death Shield: Death’s energy shields you. As you take on more of the undead qualities, you gain a continual use Spell-Like Ability of the Death’s Ward spell. This is only in affect when the Deathsworn is conscious.

Manifest Death: Death allows you to call it forth. You gain Create Undead as a Spell-Like Ability useable once per day. This is cast as if you were a 12th level caster, and the undead created are always under your control. They only remain for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence Modifier times 2 before dissipating in a cloud of black smoke.

Manifest Deeper Death: Death allows you to call it forth in an even greater sense. You gain Create Greater Undead as a Spell-Like Ability useable once per day. This is cast as if you were a 15th level caster, and the undead created are always under your control. They only remain for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence Modifier times 2 before dissipating in a cloud of black smoke. You also now use Manifest Death as a 15th level caster.

Deathless Mastery: Death infuses your body once more. He becomes immune to poison, sleep effects, critical hits, ability drain, and damage to ability scores. The Deathsworn no longer needs to sleep, though if he is a member of a class that requires sleep to gain new spells or something of that nature, he must still meditate in a sleep-like state.

Delcan
2006-11-13, 12:30 AM
I like the idea of the class and its unusual focus, but this particular combination screamed out at me.

Death's Touch/Death's Hand: Death's Hand breaks this class wide open. Even at 20th level, 27d6 + (Int mod * 3) damage per round... with a TOUCH attack... of a damage type that really isn't well protected against by anything... yeah, that's too much. At 20th, a monk with 20 STR that hits with EVERY unarmed attack is going to deal 10d10+25, or average 70 damage a round - and they'll be lucky to hit with every single blow. A 20th level Deathsworn with 20 INT is going to deal 27d6+15, average 110 damage, and since they're making a touch attack they're likely going to nail their target every single time! With damage potential like that, I sure wouldn't be depending on minions.

Even at 8th level when Death's Hand first kicks in, a Deathsworn with 18 INT is dealing 8d6+8 damage a round (average 36) when both attacks hit - and they most likely will. A fighter with a +2 greatsword and 18 STR, meanwhile, is doing 4d6+16 (average 30) and the monk is doing 3d10+12 (average 28.5) - and since they have to get through normal AC, they've got a much tougher time of it.

Everything else looks good to me, but this NEEDS to be fixed - otherwise it's Munchkin City.

Xeran
2006-11-13, 12:38 AM
Where are you getting the information of 27d6 damage? Do you mean if ALL attacks hit? Because that is pretty unlikely. For this I was really just adapting a combination of the Eldritch Shape Invocation from Dragon Magic (Eldritch Glaive) to make Death's hand (it does the same thing) and Death's Touch is loosely based off the Charnel Touch of the Dread Necromancer. Both those were acceptable to Wizards of the Coast.

Myatar_Panwar
2006-11-13, 01:08 AM
This whole death touch thing seems WAY too good. I mean,who in their right mind would even use a weapon when they have that? Its a TOUCH attack, it could hit practically anything. Its just way too good. And I meen at only third level it will be as strong as a greatsword, then at 5th it will be better than any weapon in the game, and its a TOUCH attack. Like Delcan said, it has to be fixed.
Edit: O ya, and what did the Shadow Craft Class Construction Engine come from? Ive always wanted a good book like that.

Xeran
2006-11-13, 01:13 AM
Well people seem to accept the Warlock class right? This is weaker then Eldritch Blast.

Myatar_Panwar
2006-11-13, 01:23 AM
^ Hmmm, your absolutly right, maybe it is fair. But I dont know, maybe its the Deaths hand ability that bothers me. Can a Warlock do his Eldritch blasts as many times per round as his BAB permits? I dont know , all I know is that if I played this class, or the Warlock, the other players in my team would surely have my head.

Xeran
2006-11-13, 01:38 AM
He can by using the weakest grade of invocations, using a invocation called Eldritch glaive. I was just altering something Wizards already said was cool for this new class. It's still almost exactly the same.

lsfreak
2006-11-13, 01:38 AM
No, you're mistaken, assuming nothing's changed in the last few months. You can use Eldritch Blast exactly once per round, without boosting it with Quicken Spell-Like Ability, and even then is limited to (off the top of my head) 3 times per day. 18d6 three times per day at the cost of feat is much more realistic than endless 27d6 damage, even if you do have to expose yourself to more attacks.

Xeran
2006-11-13, 01:39 AM
You are forgetting the Eldritch Glaive Invocation, which is a Least Invocation from Dragon Magic.

Gralamin
2006-11-13, 01:52 AM
Eldritch Glaive is a full round action (Dragon Magic, page 82), and basically can be used as many times as you have attacks from your BAB. This mean 18d6 for your class, however this ability was made for something with One Half BAB. That means that the maximum amount is two attacks from it. You can't just take it and add it to something with a higher BAB and expect it to be balanced.
Off the top of my head I think that a level 1 Warlock/19 Fighter gets the most uses of this ability, and thats with an Eldritich blast of 1d6.

Xeran
2006-11-13, 02:06 AM
The class has the BAB it does because Shadowcraft's Class Construction Engine, which places all facets of a class into points and give you a point limit, said I still had more points. I could give him the BAB of a wizard, but that would mean more abilities, and I thought the class had enough

lsfreak
2006-11-13, 02:17 AM
Yea, I figured I'd missed something. Apparently I didn't read close enough to catch what it was.

Not everything can be done with a formula >.<

Gralamin
2006-11-13, 02:20 AM
I am familiar with the system, and it is easily broken, this is just one example.
Last Time I toyed with it I made a Super Wizard/sorcerer with bonus feats. It was completely broken.

The Trick to make classes is actual thought, and open to suggestions. I suggest you drop that bab if you want to fix the broken, or sent a limit on your eldritch glade like ability. 27d6 a round has an average of almost 95 damage. A round.

Xeran
2006-11-13, 02:28 AM
Okay, but you are assuming that every attack you do hits. Isn't that just a tad presumptive?

Gyrfalcon
2006-11-13, 05:29 AM
They're touch attacks. Touch attacks hit nearly everything in the game very very easily. Touch attacks take deflection and dodge bonuses into account, and nothing else. Where a fighter will miss some or most of his attacks against that Old Red Dragon (AC: 33, touch: 6), you'd have to roll a 1 to miss.

Honestly, the system provides guidelines, but balancing also means taking a hard look at it and saying 'Okay, is this ability so powerful that I would never bother with any other combat tactic then using this ability?'

In this case... yes, yes it is. The fact that the class is something of a glass cannon balances it slightly at low levels, but it's rather easy to bump your AC to high levels the higher you go, and 8/magic DR is pretty powerful as well.

XtheYeti
2006-11-13, 08:25 AM
I will let the rest of you argue about the damage that this class can do what i am consernd about is DR at level 2, there is no creature at that level that an adventure would see for like 3 more levels that has DR! If you must give them DR make them wait until at least level 5 and give them the DR on the 5's. And Touch attacks hit every non-monk that there is and hit monks alot to

Xeran
2006-11-13, 07:45 PM
Look into the Dread Necromancer class from Heroes of Horror. Has the same DR at the same level.

So back to the Death's Touch attack. I was planning for it to be the primary attack of the character. Just like Eldritch blast is almost always the primary attack of a Warlock. But if I were to change it, what do you think should be done to balance it a bit?

Gyrfalcon
2006-11-13, 09:43 PM
Removing Death's Touch would go a long way towards that, or putting it's use on a 1/day basis and adding other attack options - maybe a few necromancy spells available as spell-like abilities?

Xeran
2006-11-14, 12:08 AM
Already have that. How about this. Death's Hand provokes an Attack of Oportunity, and since it is a melee touch attack and not a ranged one, you have to be standing right next to somebody to use it. Which means they basically get a free attack against you.

Proven_Paradox
2006-11-14, 01:23 AM
Considering the damage reduction and the really high damage Death's Touch can deal, I wouldn't say that's balanced at all... AoOs aren't going to do much damage to you thanks to the damage reduction, and you're not going to get hit nearly as often as they are since you're looking at normal AC and they're working with only touch AC.

Like some others have said, I'd suggest making that usable X times/day (maybe Deathsworn level/2?) and add in more spell-like abilities. Perhaps Finger of Death Y times/day or something similar?

[edit] I will say, I like the flavor behind this class quite well. With some tweaking it would make a great villian.