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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next The Grand Knight Class: When you absolutely, positively DON'T want to die!



Bayonet300
2016-12-04, 02:02 AM
Hi guys, this is my first attempt and second edit so far in trying to build an entire class by myself, so any constructive input is greatly welcomed. In a game where most classes are focused on leaving a room full of corpses behind or supporting the classes who can, how about a sturdy, reliable, martial class that may not always dish out the pain, but can sure as hell take it? This is where my homebrewed class, The Grand Knight, comes in, taking inspiration from the more defensive capabilities of the other martial classes and then some to create a proverbial wall of endurance that can take on the storm!


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Overview: The Grand Knight class is all about endurance. Packing d12 hit dice, proficiency in heavy armor and shields, and a slew of features that let the hits coming, The Grand Knight makes for an excellent class for newer players or for those of us sick of watching our paper-thin bards and druids get KO'd by goblins. Their class features are almost purely defensive and are easy to track, as they are usually always at their players disposal. The Grand Knights most notable feature is his Grand Guard Form ability, which trades damage and mobility for useful resistances on top of some ungodly hit points and AC. At level 3, you choose a Path of Endurance archetype, furthering your survivability by your choice of teamwork, intimidation, or bonding with the earth.

Background: The Grand Knight comes in many shapes and sizes, but they’re ALWAYS packing as much heavy armor as their two shoulders can carry. As such, they’re rarely found too far away from civilization, much less a master blacksmith who can beat out the kinks in their precious metal beyond their own skills. The Grand Knight prides them self in taking the hits others can’t, focusing their efforts in furthering their endurance through extensive physical training and improving their already impressive armor. Grand Knights are generally wary of magic for personal use, but they may dabble if it means furthering their strength. Unlike most knights, Grand Knights don’t necessarily swear an oath of allegiance to any lords or kings, preferring the freedom to seek work and further their endurance at their leisure. Whether or not they choose to extend their sturdiness for the sake of others depends on the Grand Knight them self and what they have been promised in return.

Class features
As a Grand Knight, you gain the following class features

HIT POINTS
1d12 per Grand Knight level
Hit points at 1st level: 12 + your constitution modifier

PROFICIENCIES
Armor: All armors and shields
Weapons: Simple, martial
Tools: Smithing tools
Saving throws: Strength, Constitution
Equipment: Chainmail armor and either a martial weapon and shield or two martial weapons
Choose 2 skills among: Athletics, persuasion, history, nature, intimidation, survival, medicine

LV1: Grand Guard Form
LV2: Stamina points and features
LV3: Path of Endurance
LV4: Ability score improvement
LV5: Extra attack
LV6: Path feature
LV7: Swift Response
LV8: Ability score improvement
LV9: Grand Armor +3
LV10: Path feature
lV11: Incredible Resilience
LV12: Ability score improvement
LV13: Grand Armor +6
LV14: Path feature
LV15: Strong Arm
LV16: Ability score improvement
LV17: Grand Armor +9
LV18: Reflecting Blow
LV19: Ability score improvement
LV20: Unrivaled Power


Level 1
-Grand Guard Form: The Grand Knight throws away all instinct for brutality to ready them self to endure. While in only heavy armor and using your action for the turn, The Grand Knight may go into Grand Guard Form, granting the following attributes until they drop Grand Guard Form or their next turn:
- Resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
- Any strength checks made against you receive disadvantage
- Disadvantage on dexterity checks and save
- Movement is reduced by 20 feet to a minimum of 5 feet
- You may not cast spells, use items or attack using weapons
- Upon being attacked and after resolving any damage, the player must make a 14 Constitution check or be forced to drop out of Grand Guard Form
- If knocked prone or incapacitated, The Grand Knight automatically drops out of Grand Guard Form

Level 2
Grand Knights may access a pool of stamina to perform impressive feats despite their mass. Beginning at level 2, Grand Knights receive a number of stamina points equal to their Grand Knight level + their Constitution modifier that can be expended for various techniques and responses in combat. Grand Knights recover all stamina points during a long rest. In addition to later features, stamina points may be expended to:
- Go into Grand Guard Form in response to an attack you can perceive coming
- Go into Grand Guard Form as a bonus action
- Automatically maintain Grand Guard Form when attacked rather than make a Constitution check
- The following features:

-Shove of Endurance: A Grand Knight is always a powerhouse, even when focused on survival. While in Grand Guard Form, a Grand Knight may expend a stamina point to use a Shove of Endurance action or reaction whenever they could otherwise use an attack action or attack of opportunity. The Grand Knight lunges forward with their shield, body, or weapon handle for a bludgeoning attack against any creature within 5 feet for d4+ your strength modifier. Creatures 1 size larger than you or smaller hit with Shove of Endurance must make a strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

-Greater Protection: A Grand Knight doesn't always strive to protect only them self. While in Grand Guard Form, a Grand Knight may expend a stamina point to invoke disadvantage on any attack targeting a creature within 5 feet on you.

Level 3
-Path of Endurance: Now proficient in the more basic means of endurance, a Grand Knight will now pursue more elaborate means of furthering their survivability, whether it be through teamwork, bonding with the earth, or intimidation. The three paths and their features are further discussed below

Level 4
-Ability Score Improvement: When you reach 4th level, and again at 6th, 8th, 12th,
14th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Level 5
-Extra Attack: You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action, or Shove of Endurance action while in Grand Guard Form, on your turn.

Level 7
-Swift Response: Having spent considerable time in their massive armor, Grand Knights no longer suffer disadvantage on dexterity checks or movement penalties while in Grand Guard Form.

Level 9
-Grand Armor +3: Grand Knights look meticulously for ways to reinforce their armor against new forms of attack. In addition to the resistance granted by Grand Guard Form to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, Grand Guard Form now grants additional resistance to three of the following damage types: thunder damage, force damage, fire damage, cold damage, lightning damage, acid damage, necrotic damage, poison damage, psychic damage and radiant damage. At level 13 and again at level 17, you may choose an additional three damage resistances during Grand Guard Form.

Level 11
-Incredible Resilience: Your extensive endurance training has produced unfathomable results. Your maximum load and maximum lift capacity is doubled and you now gain advantage on all constitution checks, including when maintaining Grand Guard Form after receiving a hit.

Level 15
-Strong Arm: Your strength is now so great that weapons weigh nothing to you. You may now wield a 2-handed melee weapon as if it were 1-handed weapons, but only in one hand. You cannot carry a weapon in your other hand.

Level 18
-Reflecting Blow: An experienced Grand Knight should never be trifled with; when hit by an attack while in Grand Guard Form by a creature within 5 feet of you, you may expend a stamina point to use Shove of Endurance on them.

Level 20
-Unrivaled Power: Your strength and endurance are now unmatched. Your strength and constitution scores increase by 4 to a maximum score of 24 for both.



Paths of Endurance
A honed Grand Knight begins to look beyond their own physical strength for ways to overcome their enemies. The path you choose reflects your values when trying to survive


Path of Allegiance
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A Grand Knight who travels the Path of Allegiance recognizes the futility of taking on the hoards alone. Through loyalty and bonds with their allies, Allegiant Grand Knights overcome obstacles through coordination with others. Allegiant Grand Knights aren’t necessarily always good and lawful, but they always recognize the strength in others.

Level 3
-Clear Mind: An Allegiant Grand Knight never betrays an ally. Upon taking the Path of Endurance, The Grand Knight obtains immunity to being charmed.

-Dashing Sentinel: An Allegiant Grand Knight never allows an ally to suffer a blow they themselves can suffer instead. While in Grand Guard Form, if an attack you can see is directed against a single creature within 5 feet of you, you may expend a stamina point as your reaction to trade positions with that creature and instead have the attack be directed at you.

Level 6
-Coordinated Attack: An Allegiant Grand Knights never fights alone. Upon using the Dashing Sentinel action, the creature you traded positions with may use their reaction to make a melee attack on the attacking creature if they are within range.

Level 10
-Heroic Charge: An Allegiant Grand Knight knows when to throw caution to the wind to protect their allies. On your turn and while in Grand Guard Form, you may use a Heroic Charge action. You dash in a single direction in the length of your movement, knocking away enemies as you move. Creatures in your path take 1d4 + your strength modifier bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone on either side of your path if they are one size larger than you or smaller. You suffer one level of exhaustion upon using this action.

Level 14
-Hero's Rally: An Allegiant Grand Knight never endures alone. By expending a stamina point as an action, allies within 30 feet that can hear you are granted advantage on their next attack.


Path of Fear
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A Grand Knight who travels the Path of Fear recognizes that intimidation is the best course of survival. Through menacing armor and proficiency in intimidating their enemies, few care to stand in the path of the mighty Fear Grand Knight. Fear Grand Knight are almost always selfish and evil, preferring to not rely on allies to survive.

Level 3
-Dark Courage: A Fear Grand Knight is a master of horror. Upon taking the Path of Fear, the Grand Knight is granted immunity to being frightened.

-Tower of Terror: A Fear Grand Knight never forgives an enemy. While in Grand Guard Form, if a creature within 5 feet attacks you, you can expend a stamina point to use your reaction to intimidate them. They must pass a wisdom saving throw equal to 8 plus your proficiency and charisma modifier or be frightened of you until the end of their next turn.

Level 6
-Greater Intimidation: A Fear Grand Knight hones their mastery of fear every chance they get. As of level 6, the effects of Tower of Terror may now be used on any hostile creature they can see or hear you within 60 feet.

Level 10
-Shout of Hate: A Fear Grand Knight releases an inhuman roar that strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies. On your turn, you may use the Shout of Hate action, causing any creature within 60 feet of you to be frightened unless they pass a wisdom saving throw equal to 8 plus your proficiency and charisma modifier for the remainder of combat. Upon using this action, the Grand Knight suffers one level of exhaustion.

Level 14
-Master of Fear: A Fear Grand Knight can easily perceive the fears of their enemies. A Fear Grand Knight can expend an additional stamina point to invoke disadvantage on a creature’s wisdom saving throw made against your attempts to frighten them (ex: including Intimidation, Tower of Terror, and Intimidating Presence). An additional stamina point must be expended for each additional creature you wish to frighten.


Path of the Earth
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A Grand Knight who travels the Path of Earth recognizes the natural endurance of the very ground they walk upon. Through meditation and isolation with the earth, the Earth Grand Knight achieves an unrivaled level of self-preservation and self-reliance, invoking the elements of stone into their armor plates. An Earth Grand Knight no longer needs to be near civilization to maintain their armor, preferring to live a more nomadic lifestyle.

Level 3
-Earth's Remedy: An Earth Grand Knight no longer suffers from mortal toxins. Upon taking the Path of the Earth, a Grand Knight becomes immune to poison and all forms of disease.

-One with the Earth: A Earth Grand Knight will not be overcome. When going into Grand Guard Form, you may expend one stamina point to be incapable of being knocked prone and otherwise moved from the ground until you drop Grand Guard Form. You may not take a movement action while using One with the Earth.

Level 6
-Gift of the Earth: An Earth Grand Knight no longer needs the products of civilization to endure. While in Grand Guard Form, The Earth Knight can expend 1 stamina point to use their action to restore their hit points by their Grand Knight level + their constitution modifier or cure them of one affliction.

Level 10
-Wrath of the Earth: An Earth Grand Knight can overcome any obstacle through sheer force. As an action on your turn, The Earth Knight may use Wrath of the Earth, striking the ground with a single equipped weapon and upheaving the surrounding earth, rolling for an attack + your strength modifier + weapon proficiency. Creatures within 60 feet of you on the floor and up to a height of 30 feet and have less AC than your attack roll take damage equal to your chosen weapon’s damage roll(s) + your strength modifier. Upon using this action, The Earth Knight suffers one level of exhaustion.

Level 14
-Earth's Blessings: When an Earth Grand Knight finally reaches enlightenment, they may finally shed their mortal limitations, their flesh taking on a more stone-like appearance. Earth Grand Knights no longer need food, water, or air to survive and they no longer can age or be aged magically. Earth Grand Knights may gain the benefits of a long rest by subconsciously meditating while remaining undisturbed and in contact with the earth for several hours.

Please inform me of anything I should further modify!

Amechra
2016-12-04, 03:11 AM
So... yes. Resistance to 7 damage types at 1st level is a tad much - and it gets entirely broken if used in a game with multiclassing, since spellcasters care less about the whole "can't attack with weapons" thing.

On the other hand, that penalty is crippling enough for anyone else that I can't see people using it. It's just a broken feature, right there.

It's just not a very fun feature - until you hit 3rd level and take the Path of the Allegiance, you can't force people to attack you, so everyone will avoid the slow, useless lump on the battlefield and go for the actually dangerous threats. And the Path of Allegiance is kind of pants at protecting people, too.

So I'd suggest tearing that out and replacing it with something else - Grand Guard Form just isn't going to work in its current incarnation.

=---=

Other things that are broken:

• Heroic Charge could let a Halfling Great Knight floor the Tarrasque - without a check or save.
• Collective Might... HAHAHAHA no. For reference, a +1 to AC that stacks with stuff is considered good, and a +2 would be amazing.
• Natural Remedy... yeah, at-will healing is a no-no, even if it is self-only.

ImperatorV
2016-12-04, 09:21 AM
Grand Guard Form doesn't need to be thrown out entirely... Just delay the resistances; have one at first level and another every couple of levels, and maybe don't have it eventually get resistance to everything. Also, get rid of or reduce the speed penalty, and add something along the lines of forcing people to attack you and/or getting free attacks against people who try to get past you. This is a tanking class, and tanks aren't just tough, they have a way of leveraging that toughness to protect allies. Oh, and make spellcasting not work in grand guard form.

I'll skip the other stuff that Amechra already pointed out.

Some stuff about Paths.

Path of Allegiance: Collective Might is weird. This is the path all about helping other people, and the capstone is a bonus that only applies to yourself? Not to mention AC works differently in 5th edition then in previous editions - even a +1 bonus makes a big difference. I'd say change this to giving allies next to you a +1 AC bonus.

Path of Earth: Natural Remedy needs a limitation. Once per short rest maybe.

Also, the first Path of Earth feature is a little ambiguous - is it meant to make the Knight immortal, or just negate the penalties of aging but they still die at the end of their natural lifespan? Most such features call this out one way or another, as is it's ambiguous whether dying of old age would be a "drawback" of old age and therefore would be averted by Old as Dirt.

Morphic tide
2016-12-04, 03:31 PM
Grand Guard Form is just too much. Make the default be Resistance to only the physical damage types and have the Grand Armor only add one at each milestone.

Has 5e done away with the "All armors and shields" wording on proficiency? Because that's basically what this ought to be.

The flavor behind the class is kinda off, it looks like the class should be some form of armor smith, with a bunch of the features being done as things that the character can put into their armor. Perhaps have it get something like the 3.5 Artificer's Infusions, which act as spells that have to be cast on items or constructs. That might make a more balanced class, as it puts a uses per day limit on several of the more broken tricks, like the pile of Resistances.

I'm not sure about how many points are normally gotten in 5e, but this class gets 14 stat points to use as wanted and another 8 locked into place. That's 22 stat points in total. Enough to go from minimum chargen to the bloated base of 24 in one stat.

Path of Earth just makes the character functionally immortal. You have, at level 3, immunity to age minuses, cannot be magically aged and immunity to poison and disease. At level 6, you get three times your level plus your constitution modifier in HP per round. At level 10, you get to screw with the terrain in a way that busts encounters hard. At level 14, you become immune to exhaustion, hunger, thirst, fear, charm, deafness, blindness and suffocation.

I might end up making a version of it that is more coherent and less blatantly mono-focused.

JNAProductions
2016-12-05, 08:36 PM
Echoing the others-resistance to 7 damage types at level 1 is broken. And, due to the penalties, it's not even fun broken.

What's the stat for the DC?

Swift Response is EVEN MORE BROKEN. Enter Guard as a reaction. On your turn, bonus action out of it, work as normal. End of your turn, as soon as you get attacked, reaction to enter Guard. Repeat ad nauseaum. Broken.

Reflecting Blow needs to cost your reaction.

Collective Might is far too powerful. Stand by a Barbarian-get +5 to AC. Or another Grand Knight-at level 20, you each grant each other +7 to AC.

Path of Fear is too powerful as a whole. Being Frightened is a POWERFUL condition, and this gets it at-will.

Natural Remedy, as mentioned earlier, is broken. Max HP at every fight.

Wrath of the Earth is broken with Gift of the Earth versus hordes. You can, at-will, deal 2d6+Strength damage to EVERYONE within 60', then heal 42+ HP on their reaction AND cure their exhaustion.

Also, that healing is gorram ridiculous. Champions get 5+Con Mod at level 17, up to half HP. This class gets 18+Con mod at level 6. See the problem?

Bayonet300
2016-12-05, 09:00 PM
Thank you everyone for your input and patience both here on Giantitp.com and on Facebook. Here are the class changes I have further made as of today:

1. “Stamina” points equal to their Grand Knight level + their Constitution modifier; these points are expended to use most of the Grand Knights techniques and allows maintaining, going into, and going out of Grand Guard Form as a bonus action or reaction.

2. New techniques include Greater Protection

3. Grand Guard Form now only grants immediate resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

4. Grand Guard Form invokes disadvantage on any strength checks made against you

5. The Grand Armor feats now grants an additional 3 resistances each up to 12 total resistances during Grand Guard Form, leaving you vulnerable to at least one form of damage.

6. You may not cast spells during Grand Guard Form.

7. Upon being hit during Grand Guard Form and resolving any possible damage, the player must pass a 14 constitution check or be forced to drop out of Grand Guard Form.

8. Swift Response now instead removes the dexterity and movement disadvantages of Grand Guard Form.

9. Incredible Might is now Incredible Resilience and grants advantage on all Constitution checks rather than Strength Checks

10. Reflecting Blow now requires the use of stamina points for each use

11. Heroic Charge now knocks prone only enemies 1 size larger or smaller than its user

12. Collective Might is replaced with Hero’s Rally. For one Stamina point, allies within 30 feet of the user gain advantage on their next attack.

13. Many of the names of features under the Earth Grand Knight archetype have been changed or reordered.

14. Gift of the Earth can now only be used as an action by expending 1 stamina point. You may choose to heal HP equal to your Grand Knight level + your or one affliction on yourself.

15. Wrath of the Earth must now pass an attack roll to inflict damage on creatures based on their individual ACs

Ivogel
2016-12-06, 07:21 AM
Hi, really like wha you did, the flavor of the class is awesome, here are my thoughts for improvements

- you can't give a character full plate armour at lv1, chain mail tops! i would as the lv7 feature give a specially crafted plate armour that doesn't suffer from disadvantage on stealth checks

- having to make a constitution check every time you take damage is annoying.

- coordinated attack: no reaction cost?

- heroic charge does little damage, maybe add str modifier to damage? Also i would add a limit to how many times you can use the exhaustion abilities, maybe make it once a day and a little bit stronger? there ate probably ways to very easily remove exhaustion and use those abilities all the time

Overall great class with very flavorful archtypes!


feel free to look over my knight class

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?506740-Knight-base-class-(3-5-inspired)

Bayonet300
2016-12-06, 12:16 PM
Hi, really like wha you did, the flavor of the class is awesome, here are my thoughts for improvements

- you can't give a character full plate armour at lv1, chain mail tops! i would as the lv7 feature give a specially crafted plate armour that doesn't suffer from disadvantage on stealth checks

- having to make a constitution check every time you take damage is annoying.

- coordinated attack: no reaction cost?

- heroic charge does little damage, maybe add str modifier to damage? Also i would add a limit to how many times you can use the exhaustion abilities, maybe make it once a day and a little bit stronger? there ate probably ways to very easily remove exhaustion and use those abilities all the time

Overall great class with very flavorful archtypes!


feel free to look over my knight class

Thank you very much for your input, much of which I've now Incorporated into the class. I enjoyed reading your Knight class design, btw.