TheCorsairMalac
2015-08-31, 02:55 PM
I'm making a sailor character, but I want him to have a huge focus on using rope for everything. I couldn't find a rope-wielding-dude class in any rulebooks, so I'm making one. My main question is: How do you balance it? What things do you have to consider when determining if it's overpowered or weak? How do you choose which abilities to make into capstone abilities?
The Marlinspike
Role: Solo grappler, group crowd control, secondary skill-monkey.
Hit Die: d8.
full Attack bonus.
Skills per level 4. Class skills:
Proficiencies: Rope/chain weapons. Fishing/sailing related weapons. Light Armor. No shields.
Good saves: Fortitude, Reflex.
1: Improved Grapple, Tricks of the Trade, Rope Mastery.
2: Rope Sorcery, Rope Wrestle.
3: Combat Expertise.
4: Constrict(using rope).
5: Int to AC.
Tricks of the Trade(Ex): The marlinspike is treated a having the prerequisites for Improved Trip and Improved Disarm.
Rope Mastery(Ex): Any rope the marlinspike uses acts as if affected by "Animate Rope". Use Rope skill checks take one step less time. Full round checks become standard actions, standard actions become move actions, move actions become swift, etc.
Rope Sorcery(Su): 1/day create 50ft silk rope. Any sack becomes bag of holding for 300ft of rope and associated tackle. Bag can hold no other items.
Rope Wrestle(Ex): While wielding a rope the marlinspike counts as 1 size category larger while grappling.
The Marlinspike:
Role: Out of combat the marlinspike has enough skill points to fill a role of their choice. In combat the marlinspike excels at either crippling a single powerful foe with grapples, or greatly hindering weaker enemies in a large area using combat expertise.
Prerequisites: Use rope 8 ranks, profession(sailor) 4 ranks.
Hit Die: d8.
Full Attack bonus.
Skills per level 4 + intelligence modifier. Class skills:
Proficiencies: Rope/ropelike weapons, Fishing/sailing related weapons. Light Armor. No shields.
Good saves: Fortitude, Reflex.
1: Improved Grapple, Tricks of the Trade, Rope Mastery.
2: Rope Sorcery, Rope Wrestle, Lifeline.
3: Combat Expertise, Rigging Trick.
4: Constrict, Reach.
5: As the Kraken, Pirate's Noose.
As the Kraken(Su): A marlinspike can control ropes within 20 feet as a standard action, making the ropes dance or move as they wish. In addition, a marlinspike can increase these ropes’ length by up to 15 feet and cause their ends to gain large, hard knots. These ropes attack as effectively as the marlinspike, using both his attack bonus and damage. Each rope has one attack per round. A marlinspike can control a number of ropes equal to 3 + 1/5 of their total hit dice. If a rope is in another creature’s possession, the creature can attempt a Will save to break the marlinspike’s power over that rope. The DC is 10 + the marlinspike's class levels + marlinspike's intelligence bonus. If the save is successful, the marlinspike cannot attempt to control that particular rope again for 24 hours or until the rope leaves the creature’s possession. A marlinspike can traverse ropes they control at their normal speed without making Climb or Balance checks.
Constrict(Ex): While wielding a rope weapon a marlinspike can deal additional constriction damage on a successful grapple check. This damage is equal to 2d6 + 1 1/2 times the marlinspike's strength modifier.
Lifeline(Ex): Whenever the marlinspike falls, is thrown, or flung more than ten feet by any effect they can attempt to catch theirself without penalty at the normal climb DC for the surface being caught. They must have a rope or ropelike weapon in their hands to use this ability. This effect is an immediate action. Also, as an immediate action the marlinspike may catch another creature at the same DC, so long as their weight is no more than double the marlinspike's maximum load.
Pirate's Noose(Su): Once per day the marlinspike can unerringly throw a special noose about a creature's neck at a range of up to 60ft. With a sharp tug and a little magic, the creature's neck is broken, killing it instantly. A successful fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 marlinspike's total level + marlinspike's strength modifier) prevents death. Even on a successful save the creature is entangled as by a lasso. This does not work on creatures immune to sneak attacks or with multiple heads.
Reach(Ex): While using a rope or ropelike weapon the marlinspike has reach as if they were one size category larger.
Rope Mastery(Ex): Any rope or ropelike item the marlinspike holds in their hands is considered to be under the affect of the animate rope spell and can entangle creatures of any size. The save DC is 10 + marlinspike class levels + the marlinspike's intelligence modifier. This is an extraordinary ability. Additionally, all the marlinspike's use rope checks are faster than normal. Reduce the time taken by one step, or halve times longer than 1 full round. Full round actions become standard actions, standard actions become move-equivalent actions, etc. Finally, in the marlinspike's hands ranged rope weapons (Lassos, rope darts, etc.) have a range of 30ft.
Rigging Trick(Ex): While balancing or climbing the marlinspike retains their dexterity bonus to armor class and take no penalties to attack.
Rope Sorcery(Su): A marlinspike may create 100ft of extraordinary rope from nothing once per day. This rope has 10 hit points, AC 10, hardness 5 and can be broken with a DC 28 strength check. Further, any empty sack becomes a bag of holding capable of holding 300ft of rope and rope related gear. It cannot be used to hold any other items.
Rope Wrestle(Ex): While wielding a rope or ropelike weapon, a marlinspike counts as 1 size category larger for grappling.
Tricks of the Trade(Ex): The Marlinspike counts as having all prerequisites for the feats Improved Trip and Improved Disarm.
The Marlinspike
Role: Solo grappler, group crowd control, secondary skill-monkey.
Hit Die: d8.
full Attack bonus.
Skills per level 4. Class skills:
Proficiencies: Rope/chain weapons. Fishing/sailing related weapons. Light Armor. No shields.
Good saves: Fortitude, Reflex.
1: Improved Grapple, Tricks of the Trade, Rope Mastery.
2: Rope Sorcery, Rope Wrestle.
3: Combat Expertise.
4: Constrict(using rope).
5: Int to AC.
Tricks of the Trade(Ex): The marlinspike is treated a having the prerequisites for Improved Trip and Improved Disarm.
Rope Mastery(Ex): Any rope the marlinspike uses acts as if affected by "Animate Rope". Use Rope skill checks take one step less time. Full round checks become standard actions, standard actions become move actions, move actions become swift, etc.
Rope Sorcery(Su): 1/day create 50ft silk rope. Any sack becomes bag of holding for 300ft of rope and associated tackle. Bag can hold no other items.
Rope Wrestle(Ex): While wielding a rope the marlinspike counts as 1 size category larger while grappling.
The Marlinspike:
Role: Out of combat the marlinspike has enough skill points to fill a role of their choice. In combat the marlinspike excels at either crippling a single powerful foe with grapples, or greatly hindering weaker enemies in a large area using combat expertise.
Prerequisites: Use rope 8 ranks, profession(sailor) 4 ranks.
Hit Die: d8.
Full Attack bonus.
Skills per level 4 + intelligence modifier. Class skills:
Proficiencies: Rope/ropelike weapons, Fishing/sailing related weapons. Light Armor. No shields.
Good saves: Fortitude, Reflex.
1: Improved Grapple, Tricks of the Trade, Rope Mastery.
2: Rope Sorcery, Rope Wrestle, Lifeline.
3: Combat Expertise, Rigging Trick.
4: Constrict, Reach.
5: As the Kraken, Pirate's Noose.
As the Kraken(Su): A marlinspike can control ropes within 20 feet as a standard action, making the ropes dance or move as they wish. In addition, a marlinspike can increase these ropes’ length by up to 15 feet and cause their ends to gain large, hard knots. These ropes attack as effectively as the marlinspike, using both his attack bonus and damage. Each rope has one attack per round. A marlinspike can control a number of ropes equal to 3 + 1/5 of their total hit dice. If a rope is in another creature’s possession, the creature can attempt a Will save to break the marlinspike’s power over that rope. The DC is 10 + the marlinspike's class levels + marlinspike's intelligence bonus. If the save is successful, the marlinspike cannot attempt to control that particular rope again for 24 hours or until the rope leaves the creature’s possession. A marlinspike can traverse ropes they control at their normal speed without making Climb or Balance checks.
Constrict(Ex): While wielding a rope weapon a marlinspike can deal additional constriction damage on a successful grapple check. This damage is equal to 2d6 + 1 1/2 times the marlinspike's strength modifier.
Lifeline(Ex): Whenever the marlinspike falls, is thrown, or flung more than ten feet by any effect they can attempt to catch theirself without penalty at the normal climb DC for the surface being caught. They must have a rope or ropelike weapon in their hands to use this ability. This effect is an immediate action. Also, as an immediate action the marlinspike may catch another creature at the same DC, so long as their weight is no more than double the marlinspike's maximum load.
Pirate's Noose(Su): Once per day the marlinspike can unerringly throw a special noose about a creature's neck at a range of up to 60ft. With a sharp tug and a little magic, the creature's neck is broken, killing it instantly. A successful fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 marlinspike's total level + marlinspike's strength modifier) prevents death. Even on a successful save the creature is entangled as by a lasso. This does not work on creatures immune to sneak attacks or with multiple heads.
Reach(Ex): While using a rope or ropelike weapon the marlinspike has reach as if they were one size category larger.
Rope Mastery(Ex): Any rope or ropelike item the marlinspike holds in their hands is considered to be under the affect of the animate rope spell and can entangle creatures of any size. The save DC is 10 + marlinspike class levels + the marlinspike's intelligence modifier. This is an extraordinary ability. Additionally, all the marlinspike's use rope checks are faster than normal. Reduce the time taken by one step, or halve times longer than 1 full round. Full round actions become standard actions, standard actions become move-equivalent actions, etc. Finally, in the marlinspike's hands ranged rope weapons (Lassos, rope darts, etc.) have a range of 30ft.
Rigging Trick(Ex): While balancing or climbing the marlinspike retains their dexterity bonus to armor class and take no penalties to attack.
Rope Sorcery(Su): A marlinspike may create 100ft of extraordinary rope from nothing once per day. This rope has 10 hit points, AC 10, hardness 5 and can be broken with a DC 28 strength check. Further, any empty sack becomes a bag of holding capable of holding 300ft of rope and rope related gear. It cannot be used to hold any other items.
Rope Wrestle(Ex): While wielding a rope or ropelike weapon, a marlinspike counts as 1 size category larger for grappling.
Tricks of the Trade(Ex): The Marlinspike counts as having all prerequisites for the feats Improved Trip and Improved Disarm.