PDA

View Full Version : Nerf, the prestige class



Norr
2008-04-06, 05:19 PM
Disclaimer:

This class was originally posted by me on the WotC boards.
First of all I would (in my sleep-deprived state, so bear with me) like to point out that this class is primarily a joke class playing on various stereotypes sloshing around the internets. The class descriptions and abilities are peppered with puns and jokes, but also one or two (more or less) serious thoughts. But it's all in good fun.
I would also like to point out that, while this is indeed a joke class, it is intended to be fully playable.
If anything about the class seems odd, it is probably intentional. If it bugs you however, feel free to mention it to me and I might be able to shed some light on the matter.
That's basically it... I think.

Because such a prevalent feature of our community needs a prestige class of its own.

Nerf
"That's way overpowered..."

Prerequisites:
Alignment: any alignment with at least one neutral component
Skills: Diplomacy 9 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks
Feats: Iron Will, Great Fortitude
BAB +4
Special: Lowest base save must be +2 or higher

Nerfs come from all walks of life and can be of any alignment, some genuinely want to encourage balanced characters. Some wants them to conform to a certain interpretation of a set of rules. Others seem to take offence when confronted with a seemingly unbalanced option or even find pleasure in degrading other peoples work.

Class features:
HD: d6
class skills: Knowledge (any), craft, profession, diplomacy, bluff, intimidate, spellcraft, psicraft, autohypnosis, any other three skills (choosen when you first take this class).
Skill points: 4 + int

The Nerf
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+0|
+2|Nerf (Overpowered skills)

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+0|
+3|Nerf (Overpowered checks)

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+1|
+3|Nerfiful weapon

4th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Nerf (Overpowered abilities)

5th|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+4|Nerf (Overpowered rolls)

6th|
+4|
+2|
+2|
+5|Nerfification

7th|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+5|Cripple (Overpowered spell)

8th|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+6|Cripple (Overpowered specialty)

9th|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+6|Double Nerf[/table]



Nerf:
As an immediate action, a Nerf may Nerf a creature within 30 feet, applying a penalty equal to his Nerf level to certain rolls and abilities. These penalties last until the beginning of the Nerfs next turn.
If a creature is nerfed again while under the effects of a previous nerfing (in the case of multiple Nerfs running around), the penalties do not stack. However, the Nerf may think they do.
If a creature roll multiple dice (like a wizard casting fireball) while nerfed, half the nerfing penalty (rounded down) affect every die (the above wizard rolls 10d6 and get 40, a 5th level nerfing apply a -2 penalty to damage for every die, reducing all damage from that fireball by 20 (before save)).
In the case of spells and other abilities that normally require a spellcraft or knowledge skill to identify, the Nerf may impose his penalty without having the required knowledge. He may just say "I nerf the spell that magician is casting!", though he must still specify if he's nerfing damage rolls, DC, caster level checks to overcome spell resistance etc.
If the nerf penalises a nonexistant variable (like the save DC for a magic missile or damage for a mage armor) the nerf is wasted.

Overpowered Skills:
At first level a Nerf may apply his Nerf penalty to one of another creatures skill checks.

Overpowered Checks:
At second level a Nerf may apply his Nerf penalty to one of another creatures ability checks.

Overpowered Abilities:
At fourth level a Nerf may apply his Nerf penalty to one of another creatures ability scores. No ability score can be lowered to less than 1 with this ability.

Overpowered Rolls:
At fifth level a Nerf may apply his Nerf penalty to one of another creatures rolls not covered by the Nerfs other abilities (like attack rolls, damage rolls and caster level checks), this ability effectively allows the Nerf to affect any die roll the affected creature makes. Note that a Nerf may penalise only rolls and ability scores, other static stats (like caster level, HD, hp, speed etc) cannot be nerfed.

Double Nerf:
At ninth level a Nerf may apply his Nerf penalty to two different nerfable stats (like tumble rolls and charisma checks, strength and dexterity scores, strength score and damage rolls etc) at once whenever he uses his Nerf ability.

Nerfiful weapon:
People don't hurt people, weapons hurt people. Any weapon wielded by the Nerf looks and feels like it's made of styrofoam and gains the Merciful property. It also turns bright orange. If the Nerf relinquish his grip on the weapon for more than one round the weapon loses this property.

Nerfification
People don't hurt people, people with weapons hurt people. At any time the Nerf may spend five minutes with a weapon (or object capable of being used as an improvised weapon) ranting about how dangerous it is for people to be running around with. At the end of the five minute rant the weapon (or object) become Nerfified. A Nerfified weapon gains the 'Nerfiful' quality (described above) for two hours per Nerf level.

Cripple:
As an immediate action, a Nerf may Cripple a creature within 30 feet, preventing certain abilities to be used. These penalties last until the beginning of the Nerfs next turn.
If a creature is Crippled again while under the effects of a previous Crippling (in the case of multiple Nerfs running around), the penalties stack.
Cripple cannot be used in conjunction with the Double Nerf ability.

Overpowered spell:
The target is unable to cast 1d4 spells/powers/mysteries/etc from their spell list until the beginning of the Nerfs next turn. If the Nerf bother making a spellcraft/psicraft etc check he may choose which spells, otherwise they are determined randomly. The DC of this check is 15 + the level of the highest level spell/power etc the target knows and can cast. Any single spell/power/mystery/etc cannot be rendered unusable for more than one consecutive round at a time (If a magicians magic missile is Crippled for round 1, it cannot also be Crippled for round 2, but it could be crippled again for round 3).
The Nerf may choose to use this to counter a spell as it is about to be cast. If so, only that spell is Crippled and the magician may choose another spell to cast instead with no loss of actions. The disabled spell is not actually interrupted, and so do not use up a spell slot.

Overpowered specialty:
The target is unable to use one special ability it knows until the beginning of the Nerfs next turn. If the Nerf bother making a knowledge check to identify the creatures special abilities he may choose which special ability to cripple, otherwise it is determined randomly. The DC for this check is 15 + the targets HD. Any single special ability cannot be rendered unusable for more than one consecutive round at a time (If a dragons dreath weapon is Crippled for round 1, it cannot also be Crippled for round 2, but it could be crippled again for round 3).
The Nerf may choose to use this ability to counter a special ability as it is about to be used (with no knoweledge check required). If so, the target may choose another valid action or ability to use instead with no loss of actions. The disabled special ability is not actually interrupted, and so do not use up a 'use' (the dragon does not need to wait 1d4 rounds to power up its breath weapon, it can breathe the next round as if nothing happened).
Cripple (Overpowered specialty) may affect any extraordinary special ability, supernatural special ability, spell-like ability and Psi-like ability.

Nerf and Cripple are both extraordinary special abilities.

Bhu
2008-04-07, 05:45 PM
Now thats funny.


You really must tell the squirrel story someday.

Andraste
2008-04-07, 06:13 PM
Thats seems a bit overpowered :smallbiggrin:. There should be a limit to the number of times Nerf can be used.

Shades of Gray
2008-04-08, 06:11 PM
I agree, also since it is unlimited, and immediate, you can have unlimited stacking nerfs on someone.

Overlord
2008-04-08, 09:50 PM
I am seriously disappointed with the lack of styrofoam-based attacks.

Hadrian_Emrys
2008-04-08, 10:10 PM
No special Nerf Stick as a class weapon? :smalltongue:

Bhu
2008-04-08, 10:26 PM
A FEAT!!!!!
It must have class feats to create NERF magic items!

Rizban
2008-04-09, 12:54 AM
What about a class feature that transforms any wielded weapon into a NERF version of it? Of course, it would revert to normal once it left the characters hand, but still I'd fight with a +1 whiffle bat...

Norr
2008-04-09, 04:49 AM
Now thats funny.


You really must tell the squirrel story someday.

The phone in our office had this weird crackling on the line one day, and as time progressed, it became worse. Soon the connection was so bad you lost part of the converation. We phoned our provider (on another line) and asked if they knew what was wrong. They didn't. They did send someone to check out the problem. After confirming nothing was wrong with the phone itself he went out and climbed the great tree out back. The phoneline went from our roof through the tree to the telephone pole. He came back down and told us we had a bad connection because squirrels had gnawed off the insulation along every piece of line within one feet of the branches.
They ended up replacing the lines with sturdier ones to keep it from happening again.



Thats seems a bit overpowered :smallbiggrin:. There should be a limit to the number of times Nerf can be used.

Exactly how is it overpowered? If you can be more specific it's easier for me to figure out how to change stuff.



I agree, also since it is unlimited, and immediate, you can have unlimited stacking nerfs on someone.

Nerfing is an immediate action. You only get one immediate action per round (and if you take an immediate action in a round, you cannot also take a swift action in that same round and vice versa). The only way you can have unlimited stacking Nerfs on an enemy is if there are an unlimited number of characters with the Nerf class doing the stacking. Nerfs have a tendency to do that.
EDIT: The stacking is actually a stab at humor, but I just now came up with an idea to make it more obvious as well as prevent stacking./EDIT



I am seriously disappointed with the lack of styrofoam-based attacks.
And


No special Nerf Stick as a class weapon? :smalltongue:
And


What about a class feature that transforms any wielded weapon into a NERF version of it? Of course, it would revert to normal once it left the characters hand, but still I'd fight with a +1 whiffle bat...

Interesting ideas. I will get to implementing them as soon as I'm done with this post.



A FEAT!!!!!
It must have class feats to create NERF magic items!

Maybe not a feat, but I have an ability in mind that might fit the bill.

EDIT: The Nerf is now a 9-level prestige class with two new abilities. Also, Nerf penalties no longer stack. I've moved Double Nerf to ninth level because it has the feel of a capstone ability. /EDIT

Rizban
2008-04-09, 10:09 AM
Nerfification
People don't hurt people, people with weapons hurt people. At any time the Nerf may spend five minutes with a weapon (or object capable of being used as an improvised weapon) ranting about how dangerous it is for people to be running around with. At the end of the ten minute rant the weapon (or object) become Nerfified. A Nerfified weapon gains the 'Nerfilul' quality (described above) for two hours per Nerf level.
5 minutes = 10 minutes... sounds like Enron math...

Norr
2008-04-09, 10:52 AM
5 minutes = 10 minutes... sounds like Enron math...

My bad, originally the Nerf would have to rant for ten minutes for every item, but then I realized he would probably Nerf every single weapon the party has. I suspect ranting for a few hours (or two at the least) would be a bit much, so I cut the time in half. I'm fixing that particular error now. :smallwink: