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TinyBlooper
2017-03-04, 06:24 PM
This is my first full class homebrew, inspired by the game Prototype. The goal here was to make a flexible martial class that doesn't rely on extra attacks to be competitive. Comments and criticisms are welcome, particularly where balance is concerned.

Here's the link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fdRVg3K5aMXb9jwTrdSsQDHsKNj-DsddGNW6NeOj0Ag/edit?usp=sharing

JNAProductions
2017-03-04, 06:50 PM
D12... Okay, so it's on par with the barbarian.

Better unarmed damage than a monk at this level, but that's okay-you have only simple weapon proficiencies, so this is your main weapon.

Fluid Form, okay.

Bioluminescence is fine. The other two are NOT.

Since you don't get extra attack, I think the bonuses for MUA are fine.

Arcane Infusion is fine.

Adaptive Defense is WAY TOO POWERFUL. Against a lot of fights, that's resistance to EVERYTHING, and even on bad days, it's going to cover a lot of damage.

Altered Physiology is not a good choice, I think. The other two are fine.

Shapeshift is fine.

Sense Weakness is too much-Champions get that at a higher level. Hallucinatory Venom also seems too strong.

Truesight should NOT be given like that. Diviners get a similar ability-it's not nearly as strong.

Lethal Blow is too much, especially with Sense Weakness. That adds, assuming a 50% success rate, an average of 3.75 damage per attack, but that gets cranked up to 6.94 with advantage.

You shouldn't just hand out "Ignores Immunity". They're there for a reason.

Ascendant Form seems okay, for a capstone.

Devour giving constant THP seems too much. Warlocks get a similar ability-False Life, an invocation-but their's takes an action, so they aren't doing any damage while "healing".

Ruthless Pursuit fails the bag of rats test. Fix that immediately.

Pounce is fine. As is Predatory Howl.

Apex Predator seems too strong-completely negates stealth against you.

Survivor's Sense should be against saves where you see the target, like Danger Sense.

Rapid Response is effectively Extra Attack.

Endure seems okay.

Sacrifice is cool.

Will to Survive might be a touch strong, but seems okay.

HOLY CRAP! At-will stunning? No!

Stop ignoring resistance and immunities! Also, that's a LOT of extra damage.

Paralyzing Blow is so much worse than the Electric ability.

Acid Burst seems okay.

Deflection is FAR too powerful-disadvantage to every attack against you, ever.

Rapid Correction is free advantage (that stacks with real advantage) on every attack, and is an auto-hit at 17th level. It does cost your reaction, but it's still too powerful.

Flash Step is a bit much.

Slough Off seems fine.

Breaking Dodge does not, though-Dexterity saves typically only prevent damage, so this is just a raw numbers trade off.

Flame Spray seems fine.

TinyBlooper
2017-03-04, 08:21 PM
Ah - Oops.

First off, thank you for the feedback! It's very helpful. Second, I left out a couple lines in the Active Mutation description. Specifically, the lines that say you get a number of uses equal to your Constitution modifier per short rest. That's why they're so powerful, they're supposed to be a limited resource. I've fixed it in the file.


Bioluminescence is fine. The other two are NOT.

Is the problem with the other abilities that they're just too good, or that they come too early?


Adaptive Defense is WAY TOO POWERFUL. Against a lot of fights, that's resistance to EVERYTHING, and even on bad days, it's going to cover a lot of damage.


That's reasonable. I'm thinking of changing it to picking 1 resistance at each long rest, maybe rising to 2 at 16th level. How does that sound?


Sense Weakness is too much-Champions get that at a higher level.

Champions also have 3 attacks per round at this level. Shifters only ever get one, so that's 1 3-in-20 chance of a crit vs 3 2-in-20 chances, eventually rising to 4 3-in-20 chances. I don't think it's too good, considering that it comes at the cost of an extra attack.


Hallucinatory Venom also seems too strong.

I based it off the mirror image spell. Would a 5 or less be more reasonable?


Truesight should NOT be given like that. Diviners get a similar ability-it's not nearly as strong.

Yeah, you're right. I've change it to giving blindsight out to 30 feet.


Lethal Blow is too much, especially with Sense Weakness. That adds, assuming a 50% success rate, an average of 3.75 damage per attack, but that gets cranked up to 6.94 with advantage.

I did forget to account for advantage when I came up with this one. I've reduced it to 30 damage.


You shouldn't just hand out "Ignores Immunity". They're there for a reason.

I included it because, as far as I know, 5e doesn't have a "pure" damage type that can't be resisted. The odds of lethal blow triggering are pretty low, and the odds of it triggering at a useful time (ie. against a strong enemy) are even lower, so I wanted to make sure that when it happened, it didn't just get no-selled.



Devour giving constant THP seems too much. Warlocks get a similar ability-False Life, an invocation-but their's takes an action, so they aren't doing any damage while "healing".

Do you have a suggestion? I want something to reflect the actual, you know, devouring, and some kind of self healing seemed like the best way.


Ruthless Pursuit fails the bag of rats test. Fix that immediately.

I'm not sure I understand. Tracking a bag of rats that you're carrying isn't going to help you.

EDIT: OH, you're talking about the healing. I see now.


Apex Predator seems too strong-completely negates stealth against you.

Good point. I've changed it to add your proficiency modifier to perception checks.


Survivor's Sense should be against saves where you see the target, like Danger Sense.

Yep yep. Fixed.

JNAProductions
2017-03-04, 08:27 PM
Sticky fingers would be fine... Later.

Padded Feet? Thieves get a version of that, only weaker, on the ROGUE chassis. The skill monkey. (Also Bard.) A martial frontliner should not have that.

Yeah, that'd be a fine change. Just make it be bypassed by magical weapons.

I guess Sense Weakness would be okay, BY ITSELF. Combined with your later, crit proccing features... Not so much.

It's at-will, is the issue. That's really damn powerful, even at only a 25% chance of failure.

Also, what's the save DC? How do I calculate it?

Blindsight would be good.

I don't like Lethal Blow's design, at all, really. I'd come up with something else-preferably something the player actively does.

Then allow multiple damage types.

Make it based on a pool, like Lay On Hands. You can only eat so much before you get full, after all.

Bag of Rats test-can it be abused by carrying around a bag of rats? Yes, it can. Track the first rat, kill it, gaining Con Mod HP. Track the next rat, gaining Con Mod HP. Repeat until full.

I would just have it give expertise, to avoid stacking shenanigans.

TinyBlooper
2017-03-04, 08:56 PM
Sticky fingers would be fine... Later.

Padded Feet? Thieves get a version of that, only weaker, on the ROGUE chassis. The skill monkey. (Also Bard.) A martial frontliner should not have that.

I've removed Padded Feet and changed Sticky Fingers to give advantage on climb checks.


I guess Sense Weakness would be okay, BY ITSELF. Combined with your later, crit proccing features... Not so much.

It's at-will, is the issue. That's really damn powerful, even at only a 25% chance of failure.

Fair enough. I'll rethink Hallucinatory Venom.



I don't like Lethal Blow's design, at all, really. I'd come up with something else-preferably something the player actively does.

I wanted to keep the weapon augments passive, and have the active stuff in the Active Adaptions. How about lifesteal? On a crit, regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier.


Then allow multiple damage types.

It's always the simplest solutions that elude me.



Make it based on a pool, like Lay On Hands. You can only eat so much before you get full, after all.

I like this.


Bag of Rats test-can it be abused by carrying around a bag of rats? Yes, it can. Track the first rat, kill it, gaining Con Mod HP. Track the next rat, gaining Con Mod HP. Repeat until full.

Yeah, that is a problem. I've changed it to still grant temporary hit points, but they don't count against the maximum you can get.


I would just have it give expertise, to avoid stacking shenanigans.

Done

Mourne
2017-03-04, 09:20 PM
Wall of text incoming...

I like this concept, it’s flavorful and has a lot of potential (heck, I’ll probably borrow some of it for an archetype).

Some general comments first…

• Hit die: You’re gonna get flak here for “stepping on the toes of the barbarian”. It’s understandable (if not necessary) given the lack of armor proficiency. I personally don’t have an issue, if everything is sacrosanct, then we’d never homebrew anything.
• Proficiency: It’s a big departure to not even give simple weapon proficiency.
• Saves: Two physical saves is unusual (normally it’s one physical and one mental, with one of them being “strong” and one “weak”)
• Formatting: Your features are not in the same order as your chart.



Natural Weapon. A shifter has no need for weapons; their own flesh provides all they need. Starting at 1st level, your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 slashing, piercing, or bludgeoning damage as you shape your limbs into lethal weapons.

How does this interact with two-weapon fighting? Or is it impossible since unarmed attacks are not considered light weapons? Do you select your damage type before attacking or is it whatever, whenever needed (decided upon hit)? Is there a cost to manifest a weapon (e.g. bonus action)?

It doesn’t offend me that this starts higher than a Monk. I don't subscribe to the belief that a Monk should always and forever be the only and best unarmed class.


Unarmored Defense. Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals [10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier].

Same as barbarian and, as always, tempting for a multiclass dip (I wish the barbarian Unarmored Defense had worded their feature as “10 + Dexterity modifier + Rage bonus” to discourage dipping).


Fluid Form
You are an artist, and your flesh is your canvas. Starting at 2nd level, you can spend 10 minutes concentrating to alter your body as per the Aquatic Adaption or Change Appearance section of the Alter Self spell. These changes last until you use this ability again.
At 13th level, the time required to use this ability is reduced to 1 minute, and you can use this ability on a willing or unconscious creature by maintaining concentration and physical contact for 1 hour.

Does the self-only alter self effect require concentration?

Does the 13th level part of the feature preclude you also having the benefit? The concentration requirement would seem to indicate so (as concentration is nearly always capped at one). Other than that, I sort of like this feature.



Minor Adaption. Starting at 2nd level, you've learned to make minor changes to your body. Choose one of the following benefits. You can change which benefit you can use whenever you finish a long rest.

This is flavorful and works.


Minor Unarmed Augmentation. You've learned to enhance your unarmed attacks with dangerous adaptions. At 5th level, choose one of the following benefits. You can change which benefit you can use whenever you finish a long rest.

Exploit Weakness is probably open to exploitation (sorry, couldn’t resist). Of the three, that’s the one I’d tone down though it only occurs 5% of the time…unless your crit range changes later.

Unlimited uses for all of them is somewhat concerning, especially toxin injector.


Arcane Infusion. Your attacks are imbued with arcane energy. Starting at 6th level your unarmed attacks and Active Mutations count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Maybe a bit early for this but since you’re not proficient with any other weapons…



Adaptive Defense. You can tune your flesh to resist certain types of damage. Starting at 7th level, when you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to one type of damage done by that attack. If you do, you lose all other resistances gained through this ability. You lose all resistances gained through this ability when you finish a long rest.

Most attacks only have a single damage type… with no limit on uses or a resource cost, you essentially always have resistance to everything. This one’s probably over the top.



Adaption. Starting at 8th level, you've learned to make more significant changes to your body. Choose one of the following benefits. You can change which benefit you can use whenever you finish a long rest.

Nothing too bad here.


Shapeshift
Your monstrous power cannot be contained by a single form. At 11th level, you can take an action to change your form as per the polymorph spell. While polymorphed, you still benefit from your Arcane Infusion feature. After using this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can use it again.

The polymorph spell affects another creature (doesn’t have a range of self), so hard to translate the effect here. If you do modify and apply it to Shift, it would allow transformation into any beast with a CR up to the Shifter’s level. Hello T-Rex for 1 hour!

As per the spell, do you have to maintain concentration?



Unarmed Augmentation. Your unarmed attacks are further enhanced with deadly adaptions. At 11th level, choose one of the following benefits. You can change which benefit you can use whenever you finish a long rest.

I get that 11th is one of the “power levels”… Graze is fine. The big step up for Sense Weakness is probably too much. It would be nice if you could find a different approach for Exploit/Sense Weakness than critical hit.

Does the Hallucinatory Venom effect stack with the previous poisoned effect? It’s a decent , flavorful effect but without a use limit…too much.


Greater Adaption
Starting at 14th level, you can make drastic changes to your body. Choose one of the following benefits. You can change which benefit you can use whenever you finish a long rest.

Unlimited charms (Pheromones) too much. Again, needs some limit or resource requirement (or at least only be able to affect a single creature at a time).


Greater Unarmed Augmentation. Your unarmed attacks strike with unerring lethality. At 17th level, choose one of the following benefits. You can change which benefit you can use whenever you finish a long rest.

Empowered isn’t too bad since you only have a single attack. Lethal Blow…especially coupled with the increased crit augmentation (Sense Weakness) is a lot. Why the static 30 damage? Why necrotic damage?

Evolving Venom…again, with no limits or cost, the poor DM might have to track this on a dozen foes. Not fun.



Ascendant Form. You have reach the pinnacle of physical perfection. At 20th level, you cannot become exhausted, you no longer age, you are immune to poison and disease, and you are resistant to non-magical damage.

This is a grab of meh and super awesome. Immunity to exhaustion is pretty powerful (well, maybe…depending on DM), aging… it’s like encumbrance…some groups care and track it and some don’t.

Immunity to poison and disease probably fits, other classes gain similar at far earlier levels.

Resistance to all non-magical damage. This is probably too much. Not to mention, it completely invalidates your Adaptive Defense (as written).




Devour. Embracing your monstrous nature, you tear chunks from your enemies to sustain yourself. At 3rd level, whenever you deal damage to a creature with an unarmed attack, you may use a bonus action to deal additional piercing damage equal to your Constitution modifier, and gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt.

This is fun (and, at the same time, canibalistic which certain tables while not like). I’d drop the extra damage and make the temp hit points either just your proficiency bonus (for scaling), or reasonable static number, or just your CON modifier.


Ruthless Pursuit. No one is safe from your pursuit. Starting at 7th level, whenever you touch a creature, you can take a small scraping of their skin. If you do, you know direction and distance of that creature relative to yourself as long as they are within 1 mile of you. In addition, you gain hit points instead of temporary hit points whenever you damage that creature with your devour feature.

I’d drop the healing part.


Pounce. Your prey believes it can escape. It is wrong. Starting at 10th level, you can leap up to your speed as part of your attack action, landing within 5 feet of the creature you are attacking. If your attack hits, the creature is knocked prone. Once you have used this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a short or long rest or the creature you attacked with it is dead.

Does the leap count against your base movement or is it additional movement? Meaning, if my base speed is 30 feet, can I leap 30 feet as part of my Attack action and then move 30 more feet?


Predatory Howl. Your scream carries a promise of boundless violence. At 15th level, you can use an action to let loose a terrifying howl. All enemies within 30 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of your next turn. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until after you finish a long rest.

Works at this level. It might be even appropriate to give a bonus of some type when attacking foes with the frightened condition.


Apex Predator
The hunger cannot be denied. Starting at 18th level, you are immune to the frightened and charmed conditions, and you add your proficiency bonus to Wisdom (Perception) check to notice hidden creature.

What if you already have proficiency with Wisdom (Perception)? Do you add your bonus twice?


Survivor's Sense. You're senses are tuned to the presence of danger. Starting at 3rd level, you have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects you can perceive, such as traps and spells.

Barbarian copy and paste. It works.


Endure. Whatever comes, you will survive. Starting at 10th level, whenever you take damage, reduce that damage by your Constitution modifier, to a minimum of 1.

Coupled with the resistances you have baked into the main class, this is overkill.


Sacrifice. Take care of your companions, and they'll take care of you. Starting at 15th level, you use an action to sacrifice any number of hit points to restore an equal number of hit points to an ally within 5 feet. You cannot use this ability to reduce yourself to 0 or fewer hit points.

I understand the desire for this kind of feature, but how does it happen?


Will to Survive. Your will to live is strong enough to hold back death, for a time. Starting at 18th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points, regain hit points equal to half your maximum. At the end of combat, or after 1 minute, you are reduced to 1 hit point if you have more than 1 hit point. After using this feature, you can't use it again until you have finished a long rest.

OK. Don’t really have a comment on this one.


Active Mutations. You have so much packed into the main class (feature wise), a lot of features in the archetypes…that this is overkill. Some of these are interesting enough that I think you should replace some of your current base/archetype features with them.


Crackling Strike
Bioelectrical energy surges down through your limbs, into your target. When you hit a creature with an unarmed melee attack, it takes an extra 1d6 lightning damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is stunned until the end of your next turn.
The extra damage from this ability increases to 2d6 at 5th level, 3d6 at 11th level and 4d6 at 17th level.

Unlimited stuns = bad. Especially at the early level you can acquire this. Yes, Monks get Stunning Strike but it’s balanced against a resource (ki).


Penetrating Tendrils
Thin tendrils dart from your limbs, tearing your enemies apart from within. When you hit a creature with an unarmed attack, it takes an extra 2d6 slashing damage. This damage ignores resistance.
The extra damage from this ability increases to 3d6 at 5th level, 4d6 at 11th level and 5d6 at 17th level.

This is essentially a half progression sneak attack on every hit. No conditions.


Anticoagulant
The wounds you inflict are slow to heal. When you hit a creature with an unarmed melee attack, the creature takes 1d6 slashing damage at the start of each of its turns until it takes an action to staunch its wounds. This ability has no effect on constructs or the undead.
The extra damage from this ability increases to 2d6 at 5th level and 3d6 at 11h level, and 4d6 at 17th level.

A lot of bookkeeping required here. Just too much.


Paralyzing Blow
Your strikes leave your enemies weak and vulnerable. When you hit a creature with an unarmed melee attack, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it is knocked prone, and can't recover from this condition on its next turn.
At 11th level, the target is restrained instead of knocked prone. At 17th level, it is stunned instead.

Just too much with no limits.


Acid Burst
A cloud of burning acid bursts forth from your body. You can use your action to force each creature within 5 feet of you to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 2d6 acid damage. On a success, they take half damage.
This ability's damage increases to 3d6 at 5th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 17th level.

This is the 1/2 progression sneak attack with no limits or conditions that hits everything in a radius.


Deflection
You briefly emit a powerful magnetic field from your body, turning aside attacks. You can use the Dodge action as a bonus action.
At 11th level, you can use this ability as a reaction.

I can get behind this somewhat… it’s very similar to the Rogue’s Cunning Action. But then you lose me when it’s a reaction.


Rapid Correction
You change the course of your strike mid-swing, When you miss with an unarmed attack, you can spend your reaction to reroll your attack roll. You must use the second result.
At 17th level, instead of rerolling your attack roll, your attack automatically hits.

Fine.


Flash Step
In the blink of an eye, you're somewhere else. You can move up to your speed as a bonus action. This movement does not trigger opportunity attacks.
At 11th level, you can move up to twice your speed instead.

This works also…starts as a weaker version of Cunning Action (no Dash, just normal base speed) but it adds no OAs. 11th level makes it a bonus Dash action.


Slough Off
Prerequisite: 11th level
You rapidly regenerate, discarding your damaged flesh. You can use a bonus action to rid yourself of the blinded, deafened, or poisoned condition. If you do, you take 10 points of bludgeoning damage per condition removed. This damage cannot be prevented or reduced in any way.
At 11th level, you can use this ability as a reaction when you would be affected by the stunned or paralyzed conditions. If you do, take 15 points of bludgeoning damage and prevent that condition. This damage cannot be prevented or reduced in any way.

I really like this one. I’d fit it in the base class or replace the Survivor’s Endure with this feature. It’s pretty damn cool.


Breaking Dodge
Prerequisite: 7th level
You put on a burst of incredible speed, for a price. When you fail a Dexterity saving throw, you can use your reaction to succeed on that saving throw instead. If you do, you take 15 points of bludgeoning damage. This damage cannot be prevented or reduced in any way.

If you are intent on adding a negative benefit here (on failure), I’d prefer to see something other than damage. Maybe 1/2 speed until the end of your next turn.


Flame Spray
You spray a mist of flammable liquid ahead of you. You can use your action to force each creature in a 15 foot cone to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take 2d6 fire damage. On a success, they take half damage.
This ability's damage increases to 3d6 at 5th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 17th level.

Ugh. Same issue here as with all the other damaging Active Mutations. No limits, no resources, and a truckload of damage.

Again, I’d really just remove Active Mutations from the class equation and use the ones you like for focused archetypes (or replace/rework current “broken” features with some of these).

Conclusion: I think there’s a lot of potential here but I see a lot of revisions in your future. : ) Certainly don’t get discourage as 1) all feedback is a matter of opinions and 2) nobody gets it right the first time (heck, I’m on version 7 of my Assassin class…which, more realistically, is like version 20 as I didn’t track all the changes at first).

Best of luck!

TinyBlooper
2017-03-04, 11:11 PM
snip


So, a lot of what you mention has already been changed. I'll try and address the things that JNAProductions didn't already cover.

The class has simple weapon proficency, and the saves are the same as the fighter.

Natural Weapon - This is the same as any unarmed attack, it just does more damage, like the Monk. You choose the damage type when you attack. It does more damage than the Monk's because this is the main source of damage for a shifter (and monk's unarmed damage eventually surpasses this).

Fluid Form - The concentration is only needed for the 10 minutes/1 hour. Afterward the effect is permanent until changed, as it says.

Arcane Infusion - Same level the monk gets it.

Shapeshift - You're not casting polymorph, you're changing shape as per the effect of polymorph.

Unarmed Augmentation - Hallucinatory Venom has been reworked into a fear effect.

Greater Adaption - Pheromones isn't unlimited, its once per short rest.

Greater Unarmed Augmentation - Lethal Blow has been replaced with Install Parasite. You make a good point with Evolving Venom, but considering that most 5e combats don't last that long, I don't think it'll be an issue. It's something I'll keep in mind when playtesting.

Ascendant Form - Honestly, I don't care too much about the balance of this ability. It's the capstone, which means it'll be relevant for maybe 1 session before the character is retired. I just went for something thematically appropriate for for the pinnacle of physical perfection.

Devour - I don't think I'm going to change this more than I already have, unless someone spots some glaring exploit. The damage is enough to be relevant at low levels, but falls off quickly.

Pounce - It does not count against your movement.

Apex Predatory - This grants expertise now.

Endure - It's at most a 5 point reduction. This guy is supposed to be hard to kill

Sacrifice - I think of it as shapeshifting a new liver and stuffing it in your friend.

All the Active Mutations are Constitution modifier per short rest. The original version I posted was missing that line, but it was always supposed to be there, and it is now.

TinyBlooper
2017-03-05, 11:44 AM
Made some changes, replaced Exploit Weakness with Elongated Limbs, replaced Install Parasite with Hamstring. I've got to stop making changes to this in the middle of the night, it never works out.

Potato_Priest
2017-03-05, 02:25 PM
So, can you use each active mutation a number of times equal to your con mod, or can you use a total number of active mutations equal to your con mod?

That should be specified.