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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next [Class] The Punk! (PEACH)



RabanoDOOM
2017-02-12, 05:25 PM
Hey there! So, I have a new homebrew class for you all to check out and critique. She's an overly macho and aggressive ne'er-do-well with a big mouth and a lot of attitude, who wants nothing more than to lay the absolute smackdown on anyone and anything that could possibly dare to step on her turf: The Punk.
The design philosophy behind this class is to be a highly active, kind of squishy offensive martial melee class and actually give some sort of purpose to having high stats in both strength and dexterity, while simultaneously giving some love to the all of the grossly underused Simple Melee Weapons. The Punk adds both her strength and dexterity modifier to a fair number of abilities, gets multiple turns per round, a handful of Intimidate-based abilities, some useful resistances and immunities to help cover for probable dump stats in Intelligence and Wisdom, and 3 Street Cred archetypes in Gang Beast, Rabid Dog, and Bully, that focus on Group Tactics, First-Round Damage, and Grappling respectively.

The Punk


Level
Proficiency Bonus
Features


1st
+2
Savage, Aggressive


2nd
+2
Shut Up!, Attitude


3rd
+2
Street Cred


4th
+2
Ability Score Improvement


5th
+3
Extra Attack


6th
+3
Street Cred Feature


7th
+3
Numbskull, Loudmouth


8th
+3
Ability Score Improvement


9th
+4
Chuckster


10th
+4
Street Cred Feature


11th
+4
Non-Stop Talker, Chase


12th
+4
Ability Score Improvement


13th
+5
Boss


14th
+5
Street Cred Feature


15th
+5
Punisher, Glass


16th
+5
Ability Score Improvement


17th
+6
Brute Force


18th
+6
Thug Life


19th
+6
Ability Score Improvement


20th
+6
Hype!



CLASS FEATURES
As a Punk, you gain the following class features.

HIT POINTS
Hit Dice: d8
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + constitution modifier

PROFICIENCIES
Armor: Light Armor
Weapons: Simple Melee Weapons
Tools: None

Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Select three from Athletics, Acrobatics, Deception, Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth

EQUIPMENT
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:


any two simple melee weapons
(a) a burglar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack.
two daggers

Savage
You're harder! Better! Faster! Stronger! Starting at Level 1, the punk may apply both their Strength and Dexterity modifier to any melee weapon attacks they make with simple melee weapons, instead of one or the other. In addition, all simple melee weapons have their damage die increased when wielded by the punk. (1d4 becomes 1d6, 1d6 becomes 1d8, etc.)

Aggressive
You lay the smackdown better than anybody else can even hope to! Starting at Level 1, the punk rolls twice when rolling for initiative, and is treated as having a turn for both rolls.

Shut Up!
You have a talent for ending conversations, one way or another! Starting at Level 2, if an enemy makes a verbal Persuasion, Intimidate, or Deception roll against the punk or an ally, the punk may immediately use their reaction to make both an Attack and Move action. The attack must be against the enemy, and the movement can only be used to get closer to the enemy. Excessive monologuing may also apply to this feature, at the DM's discretion.

Attitude
Confusing feelings make you angry! Starting at Level 2, when the punk is put under the Frightened or Charmed condition, they may ignore choose to ignore the condition's effects and instead immediately fly into a Rage, treated as if they were a Barbarian of equal level to their Punk level for the purposes of the Rage's bonus damage. The rage lasts a maximum of 1d4 rounds.

Street Cred
At Level 3, you choose a street reputation to emulate through an archetype. You may decide whether you're seen as a Gang Beast, a Rabid Dog, or a Bully. Your street cred grants you features at 3rd level, and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.

Numbskull
Can't break what's already broken! Starting at Level 7, the punk gains immunity to Psychic damage and all mind-affecting enchantment spells. In addition, Attitude can now apply whenever an enemy attempts to deal psychic damage to the punk, or attempts to cast a mind-affecting enchantment spell on the punk.

Loudmouth
Your words are the best words. Starting at Level 7, The punk can use their reaction to interrupt any spell with a verbal component through loud, incoherent yelling and heckling. The punk makes an Intimidate check, against which the enemy spellcaster must make a concentration check equal to 10 or the intimidate check's result, whichever is greater. If the enemy spellcaster fails, the spell fails to cast.

Chuckster
Not even wimpy archers are safe from your beatings! Starting at Level 9, You can throw any melee weapon up to 20 feet, or 60 feet if imposed disadvantage. In addition, thrown weapons may count as a melee weapon attack for the purposes of feats and punk class features.

Non-Stop Talker
Nobody can stop your funky flow! Starting at Level 11, Loudmouth can now be used without expending an action, though it can still only be used as an immediate response to a spell being casted.

Chase
If they think they can get away from you, they've got another thing coming! Starting at Level 11, if an enemy disengages, you can use your reaction to follow them and stay within your melee range of them, up to your movement speed.

Boss
Nothing in the world's scarier than you in a bad mood! Starting at Level 13, if an enemy attack deals less than 5 + Your Str Mod + Your Dex Mod to the punk, they may immediately make an Intimidate check VS the enemy's Wisdom save. If the Intimidate check is a success, that enemy is frightened of the punk for 1d4+1 rounds.

Punisher
Nobody gets to backstab you and get away with it! Starting at Level 15, if an enemy makes an opportunity attack against the punk and misses, the punk may then use their reaction or their bonus action to immediately make a single melee attack against that enemy. The punk may be treated as 5 feet closer to the enemy for the purposes of the attack's melee range

Glass
When the going's tough, there ain't no shame in going! Starting at Level 15, when above half HP, the punk can dash as a bonus action. When below half HP, the punk disengages as a bonus action instead.

Brute Force
Nobody beats you in muscle or speed! Starting at Level 17, the punk may add both their strength and dexterity modifier to strength or dexterity saves and strength or dexterity ability checks.

Thug Life
You've got the brute strength of a bull and the catlike reflexes of...a cat! At Level 18, the punk's strength and dexterity scores both increase by 2, up to a maximum of 22.

Hype!
When the hype train gets rolling, nothing can stop it! Starting at Level 20, once per long rest, when the punk rolls initiative, the punk may roll 3 times, instead of 2, and is treated as having a turn for all 3 rolls. After the encounter this is used in, the punk gains a stack of Exhaustion.


Posse
Starting at Level 3, the punk gains a +2 bonus to Intimidate (Max +10) for every ally within 30 feet. Additionally, when the punk makes an opportunity attack against an enemy, all allies within 30 feet of the enemy may also make an immediate attack against that enemy, without expending their reaction.

Taunt
Starting at Level 7, as a bonus action, the punk may make an Intimidate check against an enemy. The enemy has advantage on their wisdom save to resist this. If the check is successful, all allies within 30 feet of the enemy may make an attack action against the enemy, as well as a move action, so long as that move action is used to get closer to that enemy. The punk may Taunt twice per short rest. (These uses are not expended if their Intimidate checks fail)

Can't Stop Us!
Starting at Level 10, the punk's attack against an enemy gains an extra 1d6 damage (Max 5d6) for every prior attack allies successfully landed against that enemy between each the punk's turns. This damage buildup is reset at the end of each of the punk's turns.

Wrong Neighborhood
Starting at Level 14, If the punk and his allies successfully ambush an enemy during a surprise round, they may make twice as many actions and move actions as would normally be allotted for the surprise round.

Instigator
Starting at Level 3, both of the punk's initiative rolls are treated as having a +10 bonus for the first round of combat. This bonus does not carry over to subsequent rounds.

First Impression
Starting at Level 7, every attack the punk makes on their first turn in the first round of combat deals double damage and stuns the enemy for 1 round. The Constitution Save DC to resist this stun is a 10 + The Punk's Strength or Dexterity Modifier. (Whichever is higher)

Hairpin Trigger
Starting at Level 10, The punk's first-round initiative bonus from Instigator is increased to +20. Additionally, if the punk is surprised before an encounter's start, they may make a move and attack action immediately after the surprise round, but before rolling initiative.

Second Impression
Starting at Level 14, Once per short rest, as an action, the punk may reroll all of their initiatives. Additionally, at the start of the next round, they may treat the encounter as if it's the encounter's first round for the purposes of Instigator and Opener.

Street Fighter
Starting at Level 3, the punk gains Tavern Brawler as a bonus feat, without the stat bonus. Instead, grappling can now be done with only one hand free, and the tavern brawler feat's ability to grapple as a bonus action now applies to all melee attacks, instead of just unarmed attacks and improvised weapon attacks. This does not allow the punk to grapple multiple enemies at once, however.

Taunt
Starting at Level 7, When the punk makes an attack action against an enemy they have grappled, they may immediately make a second attack right after the attack action against that same enemy as a bonus action.

Can't Stop Us!
Starting at Level 10, as a move action, the punk may suplex an enemy they have grappled. The enemy is moved behind the punk, and is dealt bludgeoning damage equal to 1/10th their weight + the punk's athletics modifier. (Rounded up) Damage is halved for every size category larger the enemy is than the punk, and doubled for every size category smaller the enemy is than the punk. After the suplex is performed, the grapple is broken, and both the punk and the enemy are left prone.

Wrong Neighborhood
Starting at Level 14, The punk may now grapple up to 3 enemies at once, and may hold them in the same space. However, in order to grapple more than one, the punk has to have both hands free in order to grapple more than one, and each enemy grappled has to be medium size or smaller. Additionally, every enemy the punk has grappled takes the punk's athletics modifier in bludgeoning damage at the start of their own turns, as well as the start of the punk's turn. These enemies can be Suplexed all at once.

PotatoGolem
2017-02-12, 07:00 PM
Agressive is ridiculously overpowered. You're talking an ability that's a better version of action surge, but always on? I don't think there's any way to salvage that

GalacticAxekick
2017-02-12, 07:03 PM
Savage
You're harder! Better! Faster! Stronger! Starting at Level 1, the punk may apply both their Strength and Dexterity modifier to any melee weapon attacks they make with simple melee weapons, instead of one or the other. In addition, all simple melee weapons have their damage die increased when wielded by the punk. (1d4 becomes 1d6, 1d6 becomes 1d8, etc.) This may be too much already. AC scales very, very little in 5e. Assuming optimized Dex, a character will only climb from 16 to 18 for heavy armour, from 14 to 17 for light, and from 16 to 17 for medium armour. Meanwhile, bonuses to attack rolls scale considerably. Assuming an optimized attack ability, it climbs from +5 to +11. You're granting +8 to +16. +16. At that point, anyone under 18 AC is impossible to miss, and full plate gets hit on a roll of 2.

Benefit of doubt, maybe you meant damage rolls instead of attack rolls. At the very least, that means the Punk doesn't have incredible armour piercing ability. But 1d4+10 damage is an average 12.5: just over 2d6+5 (average 12) of a maul, and far more consistent, while taking up only one hand (two-weapon fighting, anyone)? You go on to add increased damage dice over time, meaning this only soars further into unbelievable damage.


Aggressive
You lay the smackdown better than anybody else can even hope to! Starting at Level 1, the punk rolls twice when rolling for initiative, and is treated as having a turn for both rolls.This alone doubles the Punk's damage per round, and effectively doubles the Punk's speed. Monks don't move this fast until 18th level, and Fighters can only act this much using Action Surge once or twice per rest, let alone every round. Again, far, far too strong.


Shut Up!
You have a talent for ending conversations, one way or another! Starting at Level 2, if an enemy makes a verbal Persuasion, Intimidate, or Deception roll against the punk or an ally, the punk may immediately use their reaction to make both an Attack and Move action. The attack must be against the enemy, and the movement can only be used to get closer to the enemy. Excessive monologuing may also apply to this feature, at the DM's discretion.As an aside, there is no "move action" in 5e. "The punk may immediately move up to their speed and use the Attack action". But more importantly, this feature not only grants free movement and damage, but it does so by actively discouraging social interactions. It's both strong and kinda unfun, in my opinion.


Attitude
Confusing feelings make you angry! Starting at Level 2, when the punk is put under the Frightened or Charmed condition, they may ignore choose to ignore the condition's effects and instead immediately fly into a Rage, treated as if they were a Barbarian of equal level to their Punk level for the purposes of the Rage's bonus damage. The rage lasts a maximum of 1d4 rounds.I'm seeing a theme here. Again, you're letting the Punk shrug off social aspects of the game and deal extra damage at no penalty and costing no resources. This is both too strong a feature and too conducive to murderhoboing.

And as a side note, we've only reached level 2 and the Punk has received 4 damage-enducing features. Nothing for exploration, nothing social, no defenses, and only one mobility tool (Shut up! which of course is totally one-dimensional, working only to get you into range to deal damage).


Numbskull
Can't break what's already broken! Starting at Level 7, the punk gains immunity to Psychic damage and all mind-affecting enchantment spells. In addition, Attitude can now apply whenever an enemy attempts to deal psychic damage to the punk, or attempts to cast a mind-affecting enchantment spell on the punk. Free, broad defenses and more opportunities for free damage. No.


Loudmouth
Your words are the best words. Starting at Level 7, The punk can use their reaction to interrupt any spell with a verbal component through loud, incoherent yelling and heckling. The punk makes an Intimidate check, against which the enemy spellcaster must make a concentration check equal to 10 or the intimidate check's result, whichever is greater. If the enemy spellcaster fails, the spell fails to cast.This is, once more, extremely powerful. This is Counterspell as a free reaction, capable of nullifying any spell regardless of caster or spell level.


Chuckster
Not even wimpy archers are safe from your beatings! Starting at Level 9, You can throw any melee weapon up to 20 feet, or 60 feet if imposed disadvantage. In addition, thrown weapons may count as a melee weapon attack for the purposes of feats and punk class features.This is actually pretty underwhelming, considering most worthwhile simple weapons could already be thrown and considering you've been ramping their damage dice up anyway. First featuer that isn't game breaking! Congrats.


Non-Stop Talker
Nobody can stop your funky flow! Starting at Level 11, Loudmouth can now be used without expending an action, though it can still only be used as an immediate response to a spell being casted. Why? Why is this necessary? Why would a class that moves twice as fast and hits maybe four times as hard as everyone else need a 100% free tool to deny spellcasters all agency? Your Punk can close in and turn spellcasters to paste easily, twice per round. This isn't a fun new tool. It just removes spellcasters from the fight.


Chase
If they think they can get away from you, they've got another thing coming! Starting at Level 11, if an enemy disengages, you can use your reaction to follow them and stay within your melee range of them, up to your movement speed.Why does a class that move twice as fast as everyone else need a tool to keep in melee range? Again, this isn't a fun new tools. This is removing ranged characters from the fight.


Boss
Nothing in the world's scarier than you in a bad mood! Starting at Level 13, if an enemy attack deals less than 5 + Your Str Mod + Your Dex Mod to the punk, they may immediately make an Intimidate check VS the enemy's Wisdom save. If the Intimidate check is a success, that enemy is frightened of the punk for 1d4+1 roundsIf an enemy deals less than 15 damage (optimized Str and Dex) in a single attack, you get a chance to remove them from the fight outright. The only weapons capable of dealing 15 damage in a single blow are weapons with 1d10 damage dice or higher, and only with optimized attack stats. And these weapons have chances as low as 1 in 10 of dealing 15 damage. Almost every single attack will provoke this feature, which for some reason you made totally free. This makes attacking the Punk a non-option, and gives this "fragile" class has the greatest defense in the entire game. Why?


Punisher
Nobody gets to backstab you and get away with it! Starting at Level 15, if an enemy makes an opportunity attack against the punk and misses, the punk may then use their reaction or their bonus action to immediately make a single melee attack against that enemy. The punk may be treated as 5 feet closer to the enemy for the purposes of the attack's melee rangeThe Punk does not need free damage. They're too strong. And the Punk does not need allowances when they're not within range. They already have better tools to keep in range than anyone else.


Glass
When the going's tough, there ain't no shame in going! Starting at Level 15, when above half HP, the punk can dash as a bonus action. When below half HP, the punk disengages as a bonus action instead.This isn't an unfair feature. It's actually pretty terrible, for a level 15 feature: a Rogue's cunning action is stronger at 2nd level. But because the Punk is already double-fast and impossible to attack safely, this is totally unecessary. Your class is not glass.


Brute Force
Nobody beats you in muscle or speed! Starting at Level 17, the punk may add both their strength and dexterity modifier to strength or dexterity saves and strength or dexterity ability checks.Why? Spellcasting is halfway impossible against the Punk, so bonuses to saves are gratuitous. And spell save DCs cap out at 19 anyway, so a +16 to your saving throws is absolutely obscene: you'll succeed on a roll of 3.


Thug Life
You've got the brute strength of a bull and the catlike reflexes of...a cat! At Level 18, the punk's strength and dexterity scores both increase by 2, up to a maximum of 22. You know why this is unecessary. It just compounds every other problem with this class.


Hype!
When the hype train gets rolling, nothing can stop it! Starting at Level 20, once per long rest, when the punk rolls initiative, the punk may roll 3 times, instead of 2, and is treated as having a turn for all 3 rolls. After the encounter this is used in, the punk gains a stack of Exhaustion.Utterly unecessary, for the aforementioned reasons.



I cannot stress enough that this class is unplayable. It's stronger than any other class in the game by vast margins. Its 1st level features set it ahead of 2nd, 3rd, maybe 4th and 5th level characters, easily. And it only grows stronger from there, with no social or explorative features, and features that actively prevent social encounters from happening. This class prevents anything but combat from happening, and overshadows all other classes—probably entire parties—in combat.

A good class feature isn't one that just makes the class better and better at what it has always been doing. Good features grant new options so the player can solve problems in creative ways.

And a good class isn't almighty, omnipresent and indestructible. Encounters can't be fun when victory is guaranteed, or when only one party member is viable, or one everyone has to play the same way to keep up. A good class has pros and cons and has to work to play their strengths while covering their weaknesses.

Potato_Priest
2017-02-12, 07:03 PM
Move actions aren't a thing in this edition.

I agree about the 2 turns per round. WAY too good.

You only need 1 hand to grapple normally.

Would not allow.

GalacticAxekick
2017-02-12, 07:34 PM
So, The Gang Beast


Posse
Starting at Level 3, the punk gains a +2 bonus to Intimidate (Max +10) for every ally within 30 feet. Additionally, when the punk makes an opportunity attack against an enemy, all allies within 30 feet of the enemy may also make an immediate attack against that enemy, without expending their reaction.Advantage on Intimidate would be more appropriate. +10 means, with proficiency and good Cha, you could potentially have a +21 and roll a minimum 22. Absurd.

Allowing allies to share opportunity attacks is a great idea that encourages the Gang Beast to work with their team in melee, but making those opportunity attacks free is a completely unnecessary buff that solves no problems and only makes the Beast nigh-impossible to move away from safely.


Taunt
Starting at Level 7, as a bonus action, the punk may make an Intimidate check against an enemy. The enemy has advantage on their wisdom save to resist this. If the check is successful, all allies within 30 feet of the enemy may make an attack action against the enemy, as well as a move action, so long as that move action is used to get closer to that enemy. The punk may Taunt twice per short rest. (These uses are not expended if their Intimidate checks fail)Again, this is absurdly powerful. There's no reason one character should be able to set off a party-wide beatdown like this. Even limited per rest, this is immense mobility and damage that the Punk does not need.


Can't Stop Us!
Starting at Level 10, the punk's attack against an enemy gains an extra 1d6 damage (Max 5d6) for every prior attack allies successfully landed against that enemy between each the punk's turns. This damage buildup is reset at the end of each of the punk's turns.Why? This doesn't demand anything from the Punk. This doesn't demand improved strategy or careful teamwork. This rewards the Punk for having people around, attacking, and it rewards the Punk with damage, which they already have in gross excess.


Wrong Neighborhood
Starting at Level 14, If the punk and his allies successfully ambush an enemy during a surprise round, they may make twice as many actions and move actions as would normally be allotted for the surprise round. Why? What is this compensating for? What is this rewarding? Free damage, free movement. All you have to do is sneak up, is already rewarded through Surprise rounds and doesn't warrant further rewards.[/QUOTE]



And now, The Rabid Dog.


[SPOILER=The Rabid Dog]Instigator
Starting at Level 3, both of the punk's initiative rolls are treated as having a +10 bonus for the first round of combat. This bonus does not carry over to subsequent rounds.So, more often than not, the Punk gets two consecutive turns in the first round of combat? Do they need these turns to set up for sneak attacks, to mark enemies, to distribute buffs or to distribute nerfs? Well no. This is gratuitious damage and mobility, like everything else.


First Impression
Starting at Level 7, every attack the punk makes on their first turn in the first round of combat deals double damage and stuns the enemy for 1 round. The Constitution Save DC to resist this stun is a 10 + The Punk's Strength or Dexterity Modifier. (Whichever is higher)So you're giving the strongest class in the game double damage during turn 1 or round 1 (which you've given them for free, thanks to their double initiative and +10 bonus). And you're giving them the power to stun every creature they hit, granting them one more round (two more turns) before the enemy even gets to do anything.

You're giving the strongest class in the game four turns before the enemy can move, act or react, before surprise rounds are added.

No.


Hairpin Trigger
Starting at Level 10, The punk's first-round initiative bonus from Instigator is increased to +20. Additionally, if the punk is surprised before an encounter's start, they may make a move and attack action immediately after the surprise round, but before rolling initiative.With a +20 bonus, it's virtually impossible for anyone but the Punk to go first on both of their turns, because everyone else is rolling 1d20 (max 20) and the Punk is rolling 1d20+20 (minimum 21). You're also giving the Punk a turn all to themselves during an enemy Surprise round. Why? They need none of this. They are not designed to need early turns and prep time. They're designed to hit hard and move fast. You're just making them better and better at that with no caveats.


Second Impression
Starting at Level 14, Once per short rest, as an action, the punk may reroll all of their initiatives. Additionally, at the start of the next round, they may treat the encounter as if it's the encounter's first round for the purposes of Instigator and Opener. Because without this feature they'd be oh so far behind on initiative.



And finally, The Bully.


Street Fighter
Starting at Level 3, the punk gains Tavern Brawler as a bonus feat, without the stat bonus. Instead, grappling can now be done with only one hand free, and the tavern brawler feat's ability to grapple as a bonus action now applies to all melee attacks, instead of just unarmed attacks and improvised weapon attacks. This does not allow the punk to grapple multiple enemies at once, however. Grappling can already be done with only one hand free, and characters ARE allowed to grapple multiple enemies at once. All this feature does is let the Bully grapple with their hands full and deny them the right to grapple too creatures at once. This is a nice change of pace from overpowered features, but this is still a poor feature.


Taunt
Starting at Level 7, When the punk makes an attack action against an enemy they have grappled, they may immediately make a second attack right after the attack action against that same enemy as a bonus action..This isn't actually so bad. It's essentially the Extra Attack feature delayed two levels, costing a bonus action and restricted to grappled foes. It would be underpowered if the Punk didn't deal absurd damage and have double initiative.


Can't Stop Us!
Starting at Level 10, as a move action, the punk may suplex an enemy they have grappled. The enemy is moved behind the punk, and is dealt bludgeoning damage equal to 1/10th their weight + the punk's athletics modifier. (Rounded up) Damage is halved for every size category larger the enemy is than the punk, and doubled for every size category smaller the enemy is than the punk. After the suplex is performed, the grapple is broken, and both the punk and the enemy are left prone. Again, there is no "move action" in 5e. "If they have not yet moved, the Punk the may reduce their speed to 0 and suplex an enemy they have grappled". That said, the damage calculation for this is absurd. Nobody is going to check the weight of every goblin, wolf and elf you decided to suplex. Give it flat damage: 1d8 + Str, for instance. And not + Athletics, because a free +11 to a damage roll is absurd.


Wrong Neighborhood
Starting at Level 14, The punk may now grapple up to 3 enemies at once, and may hold them in the same space. However, in order to grapple more than one, the punk has to have both hands free in order to grapple more than one, and each enemy grappled has to be medium size or smaller. Additionally, every enemy the punk has grappled takes the punk's athletics modifier in bludgeoning damage at the start of their own turns, as well as the start of the punk's turn. These enemies can be Suplexed all at once.First of all, I hope you mean 2 enemies.

Second, why free Athletics damage? You're giving the Punk incredible area control. It doesn't need to deal damage. A fun option is an option. An alternative. Grappling is an alternative to attacking, and should not be stronger than attacking itself.

JNAProductions
2017-02-12, 10:21 PM
This class is overpowered as all hell, as others have shown. Fix the core issues and I'll look closer.

2D8HP
2017-02-12, 10:41 PM
This made me smile:


Non-Stop Talker
Nobody can stop your funky flow!
:amused: