PDA

View Full Version : D&D 3.x Class Martial Scholar Class



lessthanjake
2015-01-15, 05:05 AM
I have thought up a somewhat novel class I call the Martial Scholar (which, yes, I realize sounds exactly like Marshall Scholar, which is an actual thing in real life). This character is an experienced scholar of martial combat. His studies have taught him to understand every discipline/maneuver. He does not require practice, since he knows maneuvers through extensive study rather than practice. However, his studies do not allow him flexibility that would come with more practice and actual combat experience. As a result, he does not understand how different disciplines could be used together. So while he can use each discipline to its fullest, he can only use one discipline at once.

Functionally, here is what this means. The character does not have a limited number of maneuvers known or readied for each encounter. Instead, he knows every maneuver of every discipline (level-appropriate, of course, and also contingent on a high enough Martial Lore skill; more on that later) and uses them with a similar mechanic to a Factotum's inspiration or to Psionics. He gets Maneuver Points per encounter based on his level. Each maneuver takes up a number of points based on the maneuver's level. At any given time the Martial Scholar is using one discipline. He can only use maneuvers/stances from that discipline. He must change his focus in order to shift disciplines. I am not entirely certain how this mechanic should work. But currently I think it should work like the Warblade's recovery mechanic: changing disciplines is a swift action, but you cannot use a maneuver that same round.

That is a basic overview of the concept. Here are the details:


Hit Die: d8
BAB: 3/4
Saves: High Fortitude, low Reflex & Will
Skill Points: 4 + Intelligence Modifier
Class Skills: Same as Swordsage


Class Abilities:


Martial Knowledge: At level 1, the Martial Scholar has the ability to use martial adepts' maneuvers/stances based on his learned knowledge of martial disciplines. The Martial Scholar's knowledge is determined by his base Martial Lore skill points. With 1 point, he can use any 1st level maneuver/stance, regardless of discipline. With 6 points, he can use any 2nd level maneuver. Every two skill points thereafter unlocks another level of martial maneuvers. For instance, with 10 points in Martial Lore, a Martial Scholar can access 4th level maneuvers. Any time the Martial Scholar learns a new level of maneuvers, he/she must take a long rest before being able to use them. The Martial Lore requirement comes in addition to the Initiator Level rules in page 40 of the Tome of Battle.

Basically, this requirement is just designed to change nothing regarding access to maneuver levels as long as the character maxes out the Martial Lore skill. As such, it largely just functions as a skill point tax that also adds to the fluff of the class. I have thought about slightly changing this requirement to delay when the Martial Scholar gets new maneuver levels, so he gets them later than other initiators. So the requirement might go up by 2 skill points each level except go up by 3 to get 3rd, 6th, and 9th level maneuvers. As such, you would need 9 Martial Lore skill points for 3rd level maneuvers instead of 8, then 16 Martial Lore skill points for 6th level maneuvers instead of 14, and then 23 Martial Lore skill points for 9th level maneuvers instead of 20. This would delay the progression a little bit, which might be good balance-wise.

Stance Knowledge: As with all initiators, the Martial Scholar does get use of stances. As with maneuvers, the Martial Scholar knows every stance, subject to the same limitations based on initiator level and Martial Lore skill. However, he can only use a stance of the martial discipline he is currently using. Thus, when a Martial Scholar changes discipline, he must also change stance to one in his new discipline.

Scholarly Recall: The Martial Scholar can only call on so much knowledge in any given encounter. At level 1, the Martial Scholar gains Maneuver Points each encounter. These points are expended any time the Martial Scholar uses a martial maneuver. Each maneuver's cost is equal to its required initiator level. For instance, Time Stands Still would cost 9 Maneuver Points, while Shield Block would cost 2 Maneuver Points. Unlike other initiator classes, the Martial Scholar has no means of recovering maneuvers mid-encounter. The Martial Scholar starts with 7 Maneuver Points. The available Maneuver Points increases each level. The following chart demonstrates the Maneuver Points per encounter:

Level 1: 7
Level 2: 8
Level 3: 9
Level 4: 12
Level 5: 15
Level 6: 18
Level 7: 21
Level 8: 24
Level 9: 27
Level 10: 30
Level 11: 33
Level 12: 36
Level 13: 39
Level 14: 42
Level 15: 45
Level 16: 48
Level 17: 51
Level 18: 54
Level 19: 57
Level 20: 60

Functionally, this will work a lot like psionics, except it is a per-encounter system, rather than per-day. With psionics, the cost of higher level powers does not equal the power level (i.e. ninth level powers cost 17 points). I made it equal to power level here because I do not think the power level of maneuvers goes up nearly so exponentially as other types of powers do. Because higher level powers cost less and because it is a per-encounter system, I gave much fewer Maneuver Points than Psionics get Power Points. I am not sure whether it is too low though. After all, initiators often want to use boost/counters AND strikes each round, so these points could get expended quite quickly, and there is no recovery method. But I figure a good portion of swift actions will be taken up by changing discipline, so they won't always be used on boosts/counters.

Martial Dueling: The Martial Scholar has extensive knowledge about other initiators and their techniques, allowing him/her to better defend against their attacks. At level 2, the Martial Scholar gets a +1 saving throw bonus against any martial maneuver. At level 13, this becomes a +2 bonus. And, finally, at level 19, it becomes a +3 bonus.

This is not meant to be a super helpful bonus, as most scenarios do not involve fighting any initiators. It is just supposed to be a nice small flavor bonus that fits with the class and fills up otherwise dead levels.

Know Your Enemies: The Martial Scholar has studied how to avoid opponent's attacks. He gains a +1 bonus to AC at level 5. At level 10, this becomes a +2 bonus.

As a scholarly character, the Martial Scholar definitely cannot use heavy armor. I go back and forth on whether medium armor should be allowed, but I lean towards yes. This ability just allows the character to not suffer too much in AC as a result of not having heavy armor. After all, the character is meant to be on the front lines and only has d8 hit die, so he can use some help in survival.

Intelligence Trumps All: The Martial Scholar uses his intelligence to perform his martial maneuvers. At level 7, the Martial Scholar can choose to make any maneuver's ability check an intelligence check instead. For instance, the Martial Scholar could choose to make the DC of Strike of the Broken Shield be 14 + Intelligence modifier instead of 14 + Strength modifier. At level 14, the Martial Scholar can use the intelligence modifier AND the original ability modifier. So the DC of Strike of the Broken Shield would now be 14 + Intelligence modifier + Strength modifier.

This is similar to the Factotum's Brains Over Brawns. However, it is a little weaker since it only applies to martial maneuver ability checks, and prior to level 7 it merely replaces the ability check with intelligence rather than adding it on. The idea here is that the Martial Scholar is meant to be able to use any and all maneuvers. But the maneuvers have different ability score checks, so the character would be hopelessly MAD without this.

Flexible Feat: At level 11, the Martial Scholar better understands how to adapt himself to different disciplines. He gains a feat from a list of possible feats. He can change this feat whenever he changes disciplines.

I do not have a particular list of feats. But the idea is that the list of feats would include stuff that is relevant to specific disciplines. So for instance, Improved Trip is important for Setting Sun, so it might included in the list. In general, though, this would not be meant to be a super powerful ability. It is just meant to provide the character with feats that are quite necessary to competently use certain features of a discipline. Or it might include feats particular to a discipline, like White Raven Defense. Super powerful feats would generally be avoided, so this would not be as good as the Chameleon's Flexible Feat.

Scholarly Skill: At level 17, the Martial Scholar has learned how to use skills associated with each discipline. When changing disciplines, the Martial Scholar can designate one skill. This skill will receive the Martial Scholar's intelligence bonus to it until the Martial Scholar switches disciplines. This bonus only applies to skill checks for martial maneuvers.

This is a powerful ability, but it does come all the way at level 17. It reinforces the fact that Intelligence is the important ability for the Martial Scholar, which I think is appropriate for a "scholar" character.

Dual Aptitude: The Martial Scholar is now knowledgeable enough to combine disciplines to some degree. At level 20, the Martial Scholar can use maneuvers from two disciplines at once. He can use a stance from either of these disciplines.


Conclusion: I think this is definitely a very powerful class, but it would also be quite fun. I tried to do a number of things to make it not overpowered. It has only d8 hit die and 3/4 BAB, despite being a character meant to be making melee attacks. And it only has one high save progression. Having access to every discipline and maneuver is hugely powerful. But while the discipline-changing mechanic would not really hurt a character much in other contexts, martial adepts have so many uses for swift/immediate actions that taking up those actions does hurt. And, of course, requiring a character to not use a Strike that turn also is a big balancing factor. Having access to every stance is really powerful. But not being able to use a stance in conjunction with maneuvers from another discipline limits the utility of that. Having so many maneuver options in combat instead of a very limited number of maneuvers readied is also really powerful. But there is no recovery mechanic. If a Martial Scholar runs out of Maneuver Points, he/she will be quite weak with the 3/4 BAB and special abilities that basically solely affect martial maneuvers. This is only a balancing factor if the Maneuver Points are low enough that they would ever run out. I am not certain if the current Maneuver Point chart does that, but I think it is close. The character gets a few powerful benefits from intelligence. However, he still is somewhat MAD. Strength is still necessary for to-hit and damage. Dexterity is still necessary for AC, since he cannot use heavy armor. And Constitution is quite important, especially given the d8 hit die. And 4 skill points per level is nice for a melee class. But the character HAS to invest in Martial Lore and a number of other skills are all but mandatory to utilize certain disciplines (i.e. Concentration for Diamond Mind, Jump for Tiger Claw, etc.). So unless the player really pumps intelligence (which would not be a terrible move, to be fair), the character will not really have many skill points to spare for utility. I am also thinking of making the character's maneuver-level progression slightly slower than other martial adepts, as described above. Either way, though, I personally think this class is powerful but not broken. I am curious what people think though, since I am certainly not the most knowledgable of 3.5.