PDA

View Full Version : [4e] Homebrew class: Spiritbound (help?)



Alfar
2008-09-08, 07:54 AM
Updated 09-12-2008!
(fluff changes, Patron Spirit Boon instead of Channel Spirit, Bad Fortune, added some 1st level at-wills and one 6th level utility, as suggested.)

I'm a total newbie at homebrewing, so any help and advice would be appreciated, really.

Of course, I've thrown myself in at the deep end by wanting to create an entire setting with special classes. I was hoping to be able to reuse most of the original stuff and just re-fluff things, but as it turns out, I'm not entirely satisfied with that.

I was trying to create a class that would work with spirits (mostly all things, places and creatures have a spirit inhabiting them) to do healing and other cleric'y stuff because I have no divine power source in my setting. My problem with just re-fluffing the cleric is that I didn't want these guys to be very martial. In fact, working with the spirits of the area could make them more like subtle controllers, which I think would be cool but difficult, because it puts them in a split between the leader and controller role. From what I gather, this is bad.

Anyhow, this is what I have so far - obviously not done, and obviously a lot is stolen from the core Cleric, but that was mostly the purpose.


Spiritbound
"By the light of my spirit, be whole!"

Class traits:
Role: Leader.
Power source: Spirit.
Key abilities: Wisdom, Charisma, Constitution

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, Simple ranged
Implement: Spirit symbol
Bonus to defense: (...)

Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level: 5
Healing surges per Day: 7 + Constitution modifier

Trained skills: Spirit Lore. From the class skills list below, choose three more trained skills at 1st Level.
Class Skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Intimidation (Cha), Spirit Lore (Wis)

Build Options: Spirit mender, spirit guide
Class Features: Channel Spirit, Healer's Lore, Inspired Healing, Ritual Casting

Spiritbound have a stronger bond to their spirit than normal people. Tapping into the powers of their own spirit and calling upon the spirits surrounding them, spiritbound bolster and heal their companions, and harm and hinder their opponents. Spiritbound are as different from eachother as the spirits they are bound to, and so, one will just as easily find kind and compassionate spiritbound as harsh and evil ones.
As a spiritbound, the spirit inhabiting you plays a greater part than usual in defining you. The personality of your spirit will shine through in most of your behavior.
Will you seek out the secrets of the greater spirits to become one yourself, heal the world of its undead scourge, connect the spirit world with the physical, or attempt all these deeds and more?

Skills
Spirit Lore
Through your dealings with spirits, and from the stories told about them, you have picked up knowledge about the spirit world and its inhabitants, including knowledge of the greater spirits and their various domains.
Make a Spirit Lore check to remember a useful bit of information about a greater spirit or to recognize a spiritual clue.

Creating a Spiritbound
The spiritbound has two basic builds to start: the spirit mender and the spirit guide. Spiritbound rely on Wisdom for their healing and effects caused by their own spirit and on Charisma for dealing with other spirits.

Spirit Mender
Your focus is on healing, both people, things and places. Restoring a desirable state for the spirits is beneficial for both sides of the veil, and makes dealing with other spirits than your bond easier.
Choose powers that grant bonuses and healing, such as (...) . Assign your highest ability score to Wisdom, with Constitution secondary and Charisma tertiary. Make sure to concentrate on powers that use Wisdom for attack since this is your highest ability score.
Suggested Feat: (...)
Suggested Skills: Nature, Heal, Insight, Spirit Lore
Suggested At-Will Powers: (...)
Suggested Encounter Power: (...)
Suggested Daily Power: (...)

Spirit Guide
Your focus is on guiding spirits as well as people, either by imposing your spirit's power on them or by leading them to do your will. Working with the spirits of your surroundings, you cause hinderances to your enemies and advantages to your allies. Working together with others is inspiring on both sides of the veil, and makes working with your bonded spirit easier.
Charisma helps you when dealing with people and spirits, so make that your highest ability score, with Wisdom secondary and Constitution tertiary. Select powers that work against your foes and inspire your friends.
Suggested Feat: (...)
Suggested Skills: Diplomacy, Insight, Intimidate, Spirit Lore
Suggested At-Will Powers: (...)
Suggested Encounter Power: (...)
Suggested Daily Power: (...)

Spiritbound Class Features
Spiritbound have the following class features:

Patron Spirit Boon
Apart from the spirit you're bound to, you find yourself connecting with other, free-roaming spirits who become patron spirits for you. Once per encounter you can channel one of your patron spirits, connecting it more closely to the physical world. Through this connection, you can wield special powers, such as Turn Undead and High spirit.
Regardless of how many patron spirits you have, you can only use one such ability per encounter. The special ability or power you invoke works just like your other powers.

Healer's Lore
Your study of healing allows you to make the most of your healing effects. When you grant healing with one of your spiritbound powers that has the healing keyword, add your Wisdom modifier to the hit points the recipient regains.

Inspired Healing
Using the inspired healing power, spiritbound can grant their comrades additional resilience with nothing more than a short moment of concentration.

Ritual Casting
You gain the Ritual Caster feat as a bonus feat, allowing you to use spiritual rituals. You own a ritual book, and it contains two rituals you have mastered: the Between the Candle and the Darkness ritual, and one other 1st-level ritual of your choice.

Ritual: Between the Candle and the Darkness
You stand over the body of your fallen comrade, the light of your spirit holding back the dark spirits that would consume his.
Level: 1
Category: Restoration
Time: 1 hour
Duration: Special
Component Cost: 10 gp
Market Price: 50 gp
Key skill: Spirit Lore (no check)
This ritual is performed on an adjacent corpse. It protects the spirit of the fallen from being consumed by dark spirits (in Dunderhill, that would be Gourne), and quintuples the time the corpse can lie dead and still be affected by Raise Dead or a similar ritual. Between the Candle and the Darkness also protects the corpse from returning as an undead creature for 150 days.

Spiritbound Overview
Characteristics: You are an extremely good healer. Most of your attacks deal only moderate damage, but they safeguard your allies or provide bonuses to their attacks.
Religion: There is no traditional D&D religion in Dunderhill, but a spiritbound in another setting would favor deities of guidance.
Races: Human being the only race in Dunderhill, they're the obvious choice for a spiritbound. In other settings, there may be other races more attuned to the spirit world.

Implement
Some spiritbound use a physical representation of their spirit as an implement. A spiritbound wearing or holding a magic spirit symbol can add its enchantment bonus to the attack rolls and the damage rolls of spiritbound powers, as well as spiritbound paragon path powers, that have the implement keyword. Without a spirit symbol, a spiritbound can still use those powers, but he or she doesn't gain the bonus provided by the magic implement.

Spiritbound Powers

Your spiritbound powers are called effects. Some are better for the spirit mender and some are better for the spirit guide, but a spiritbound can choose any power when making a power selection.

Class Features
The spiritbound has two class features that work like powers: Patron Spirit Boon and Healing Word. The Channel Spirit class feature encompasses multiple powers, which are presented below.

Patron Spirit Boon: Bad fortune - Spiritbound Feature
Your will combining with your spirit inflicts bad luck on your enemy.
Encounter * Spirit
Minor Action, Range 10
Target: One enemy within range
Effect: The target takes a -1 penalty to AC and Reflex defense until the end of your next turn.

Patron Spirit Boon: Turn Undead - Spiritbound Feature
Your spirit shines brightly, searing the undead, pushing them back and rooting them in place.
Encounter * Spirit, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action, Close Burst 2 (5 at 11th level, 8 at 21st level)
Target: Each undead creature in burst
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 1d10 + Charisma modifier radiant damage and you push the target a number of squares equal to 3 + your Charisma modifier. The target is Immobilized until the end of your next turn.
Increase damage to 2d10 + Charisma modifier at 5th level, 3d10 + Charisma modifier at 11th, 4d10 + Charisma modifier at 15th, 5d10 + Charisma modifier at 21st, and 6d10 + Charisma modifier at 25th level.
Miss: Half damage, and the target is not pushed or Immobilized.

Inspired Healing - Spiritbound Feature
You inspire a nearby spirit to heal its host.
Encounter (Special) * Spirit, Healing
Special: You can use this power twice during each encounter, but only once per round. At 16th level, you can use this power three times per encounter.
[b]Minor Action, Close Burst 5 (10 at 11th level, 15 at 21st level)
Target: You or one ally in burst
Effect: The target can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 1d6 hit points.
Increase the amount of additional hit points regained to 2d6 at 6th, 3d6 at 11th, 4d6 at 16th, 5d6 at 21st, and 6d6 at 26th level.

Level 1 At-Will Effects

Inspired Shield - Spiritbound Attack 1
You inspire nearby friendly spirits to protect their hosts.
At-will * Spirit
Minor Action, Close Burst 3
Target: You and each ally in burst
Effect: The targets gain +1 to AC until the end of your next turn.

Guiding Spirit - Spiritbound Attack 1
A spirit heeds your command to attack your enemy and briefly shows itself to guide the attacks of your ally.
At-will * Spirit, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action, Ranged 5
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and one ally you can see gains a +2 power bonus to his or her next attack roll against the target.
Increase damage to 2d8 + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.

Spirit Guard - Spiritbound Attack 1
You command a spirit to attack your enemy. After its attack, it lingers for a while to hold him back.
At-will * Spirit, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action, Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Charisma modifier radiant damage. If the target moves nearer to you on its next turn, the takes an extra 1d6 + Charisma modifier radiant damage.
Increase damage and extra damage to 2d6 + Charisma modifier at 21st level.

Avenging Spirit - Spiritbound Attack 1
A spirit attacks your enemy and avenges any harm done to you.
At-will * Spirit, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action, Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Charisma modifier radiant damage. If you take damage before the end of your next turn, the target takes an extra 1d6 + Charisma modifier radiant damage.
Increase damage and extra damage to 2d6 + Charisma modifier at 21st level.

Level 1 Encounter Effects

Spirit obstacles - Spiritbound Attack 1
The spirits of the area work together under your guidance, hampering your foes.
Encounter * Spirit, Implement
Standard Action, Area Burst 1 within 10 squares
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d6 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and the target is knocked prone.
Effect: The power's area is difficult terrain until the end of your next turn. You can end this effect as a minor action.

Cause Fear - Spiritbound Attack 1
You let the force of your spirit shine through, causing fear in your enemy.
Encounter * Spirit, Implement, Fear
Standard Action, Ranged 10
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. Will
Hit: The target moves its speed + your Charisma modifier away from you. The fleeing target avoids unsafe squares and difficult terrain if it can. This movement provokes opportunity attacks.

Level 6 Utility Effects
Answers from Beyond the Veil * Spiritbound Utility 6
[i]You form a connection to a spirit you wish to question.[i]
Daily * Spirit, Charm, Implement
Standard Action, Close touch
Target: One helpless intelligent enemy, one willing target or one object
Effect: You demand that the spirit of the target answer one question.
The spirit of your target provides the answer to the best of its knowledge, without distortion. Each round, ask a new question if your target remains helpless or willing, up to a number of questions equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier.



(...) More to come.


Oh, and seeing as there's a great guide for homebrewing for 3.5e, and also seeing a bunch of people brewing up stuff for 4e, I was wondering if something like the guide for 3.5e could be made for 4e.

Tadanori Oyama
2008-09-08, 11:08 AM
Well I don't see anything wrong with it so far, nothing really unbalancing. The Inspired Shield seemed over the top at first but after some consideration I have to say it seems balanced enough for my tastes. I would suggest changing "you and allies" to simply "allies". Many leader powers do not effect the leader, only the allies around them.

Alfar
2008-09-08, 01:59 PM
Thank you Oyama-san.

I based the Inspired shield on Priest's shield, which gives the caster and one ally a +1 to AC, but also gives a basic attack. I think I agree that it'd make sense for it to only apply to allies, that way it would work well with the Spirit Guide.

RTGoodman
2008-09-08, 02:12 PM
Seems good so far. One thing you might consider is, for the other powers, check out Cleric powers (obviously), Paladin powers that DON'T have the Weapon keyword, and Warlock powers. They might not seem right at first, but just change the name and fluff and a lot of them work. I mean, Warlock stuff already works well with Paladins anyway, and the most recent Dragon Magazine did a whole article on Star Pact Warlocks and almost ALL of those powers are appropriate for your class. For instance, check out this one:

Rending Fear of Khirad
Warlock (Star) Utility 6
A pale blue flame springs up from your brow as you incant the apocalypses over which Khirad has burned, thus hoping to frighten your foe into an admission.
Daily ✦ Arcane, Charm, Fear, Implement
Standard Action Close touch
Target: One helpless intelligent enemy
Effect: You demand that the target answer one question.
If you share a language, your helpless target provides the answer to the best of its knowledge, without distortion. Each round, ask a new question if your target remains helpless, up to a number of questions equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier.

All you do is change the flavor and say that the power lets you summon forth the unconscious being's spirit and demand answers from it.


Oh, and seeing as there's a great guide for homebrewing for 3.5e, and also seeing a bunch of people brewing up stuff for 4e, I was wondering if something like the guide for 3.5e could be made for 4e.

I've actually been thinking about doing that, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. If no one has by the time I get back to my books (I'm in exile at another family member's house while our air conditioner is broken) I might get started on it.

Alfar
2008-09-08, 02:24 PM
Yeah, in the end, I'll be stealing bits and pieces from all the classes, I guess. The spirit obstacles are just a disguised Icy Terrain from the Wizard's power list.

Your suggested power works beautifully - it might even allow the spriritbound to interrogate an item or place spirit... Though I imagine a knife spirit being pretty single-minded - "Cut cut cut where's something I can cut? I wonder if I can cut that thing over there..." :smallamused:

I guess I'll just trundle along in this track of mine then.

Alfar
2008-09-12, 03:22 AM
Oh, about the Rending Fear of Khirad, I've been wondering, wouldn't it make more sense for this to be a ritual? I'm not entirely sure I understand what makes it one or the other, but I have a feeling that all powers are mostly related to combat encounters, whereas rituals make little sense in combat situations?

Fan
2008-09-12, 03:27 AM
Looks interesting. Hopefully this will be better than the core of 4th ed in its so called "balance".

Yakk
2008-09-12, 10:19 AM
Fluff idea:


Channel Spirit
Once per encounter you can channel your spirit, connecting it more closely to the physical world. Through this connection, your spirit can wield special powers, such as Turn Undead and High spirit. Over time, you learn new ways to work with your bonded spirit.
Regardless of how many different uses for Channel Spirit you know, you can only use one such ability per encounter. The special ability or power you invoke works just like your other powers.

What if you called that Patron Spirit Boon?

Each feat would represent having a new Patron Spirit, who provides a particular new Boon?

...

Next, you are building a Leader sub Controller, right?

Change:
Channel Spirit: Good fortune - Spiritbound Feature
To Bad Fortune?


Level 1 At-Will Effects
You misunderstood these. They are Level 1 At-Will Attacks.

Each player contributing to defeating the enemies, as well as secondary effects, is a standard rule of 4e D&D. You do not want to reduce a character to being a 'buff bot' or a 'heal bot'.

Don't push further than the Warlord "only does stat damage" power -- that should be the limit of the "low damage at-will attack power".

Alfar
2008-09-12, 01:06 PM
Fluff idea:

What if you called that Patron Spirit Boon?

Each feat would represent having a new Patron Spirit, who provides a particular new Boon?


Not bad. It was not entirely the concept I had in mind originally, but it looks pretty attractive.


Next, you are building a Leader sub Controller, right?

Change:
Channel Spirit: Good fortune - Spiritbound Feature
To Bad Fortune?

Well, I'm not entirely sure what I'm building, but yes, I was picturing a healer with terrain affecting abilities, which in my head sounds like a leader/controller. Could be an option, I'll have to think about it some more.



You misunderstood these. They are Level 1 At-Will Attacks.

Each player contributing to defeating the enemies, as well as secondary effects, is a standard rule of 4e D&D. You do not want to reduce a character to being a 'buff bot' or a 'heal bot'.

Don't push further than the Warlord "only does stat damage" power -- that should be the limit of the "low damage at-will attack power".

This is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for - I had a feeling that Inspired Shield was off, but I also didn't want to make the effects dependent on hitting someone. Maybe the controller part can take care of that, dealing non-[W] damage as well as buffing allies?

Alfar
2008-09-18, 02:28 PM
Ok, I've not been getting much further with this thing, but I managed to do a little brain storm on names for effects:


Hindering spirit
Hampering spirit
Tampering spirit
Slowing spirit
Delaying spirit
Protecting spirit
Warding spirit
Guardian spirit
Shielding spirit
Spirit lance
Spirit sword
Spirit claws
Inspiring attack
Inspiring move
Healing spirit
Mending spirit
Spirit embrace
Spirits of nature
Wailing spirit
Patron Spirit Boon: Team spirit
Root spirit
Stalking spirit
Distracting spirit
Righteous spirit
Spirit mark
Inspired healing
Answers from beyond the veil
Seeing beyond the veil
Messenger spirit
Guiding spirit
Spirit guard
Avenging spirit
Spirit obstacles
Inspired shield


I put in the ones I've already used as well. Some of them, I have concrete ideas for, some of them less so, some are pretty obvious, I guess.