JediNite
2008-10-06, 09:33 PM
I'm co-DMing a game with a friend of mine, and he's created a campaign setting that is best described as fu- er, fouled-up fairy tales. He's taking on the story and setting, whereas I have a bit better head for the rules system, so I'm coaching him through that and trying to fit some races, classes, and feats to his world. The system we're using is E6 (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?t=352719), which, as a quick summary for the uninitiated, works exactly the same as vanilla D&D with a level cap of 6, after which the character gains only feats. As a result, the character archetypes I am trying to create are not necessarily required to be balanced up to 20th level, rather, I want them to be able to function well in a 6th level party without overpowering other classes or not contributing. I've got a fair handle on the theme of each, but I want a little advice on them. Classes that are being taken out are Monk and Paladin, because neither really fits the flavor of the world correctly. Everyone else is staying in, plus two new additions: The Woodsman and the Feral Brute.
First up, we have The Woodsman. He represents the archetypical heroic woodsman who shows up at the end of the story to stop the witch, slay the wolf, protect the princess, or save the children. While rangers are still in the world, we thought that Drizzt style two-weapon rangers were a little off-flavor, so we decided to remove them and split the Ranger class. Rangers still exist as written, they're just called Huntsmen and can only take the archery path. The idea we had for the woodsman was sort of a slightly heavier, woods-wise character with a few defensive abilities evocative of the Paladin. He's also really, really unfinished up for evaluation - I think he's balanced, at least..
The Woodsman
Hit Die: d10
Skills: 2+Int/Level
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Favored Enemy, Track, Wild Empathy
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Cleave
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Aura of Courage
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Animal Messenger, Woodland Stride
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Trackless Step
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+2|Cleaving Smite [/table]
Ok! Here's version 1.0!
Favored enemy: As the first-level ranger ability, except the woodsman only receives one. The Woodsman can use a ritual to change his favored enemy, but it comes at a (yet-to-be-determined) cost.
Track: As the feat, the Woodsman can employ his knowledge to track his foes.
Wild Empathy: As the first level ranger ability.
Cleave: Flavorwise, we see the Woodsman as primarily an axe wielder, so he gets Cleave in the place of Rapid Shot or Two-Weapon fighting at second level.
Aura of Courage: At third level, our plucky hero gets Aura of Courage, behaving exactly like the paladin ability of the same name. This represents the Woodsman's long training against the horrors that lurk in the wild places.
Animal Messenger: At fourth level, the Woodsman truly becomes a part of the fraternity of Woodsmen, and gains the spell-like ability to use Animal Messenger once per two class levels per day, using his class level as his caster level.
Woodland Stride: At fourth level, the Woodsman gains the extraordinary ability to pass through tangles of wild growth freely, as the 2nd level druid ability.
Trackless Step: At fifth level, the Woodsman's skill and prowess as a tracker renders him untrackable by normal means, as the 3rd level druid ability.
Cleaving Smite: At sixth level, the Woodsman gains the ability to perform a cleaving smite with a normal melee attack once per day. He adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his attack roll, and deals an extra 1 point of damage per Woodsman level. If this attack reduces his target to 0 or fewer hit points, the Woodsman's cleave feat is activated. The target of the Woodsman's first cleave attempt is also subject to a smite.
The next class is the Feral Brute. His theme is someone touched by madness or by fey - often the same thing in this campaign, really. They've lost a bit of their humanity, and gained animalistic power and wariness. Monks are too lawful, too strange, and too off-flavor for this setting. Someone who gets a little too back to nature, or is cursed to be that way, is a bit better.
The Feral Brute
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4+Int/Level
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Brutal Strike(-2), Unarmed Attack(1d6)
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|Evasion, Fearsome Bellow(+/-1, 1/day)
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|Unchained Mind, Swift Agility(+2)
4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Unarmed Attack(1d8), Fearsome Bellow(+/-2, 2/day)
5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Brutal Strike(-1), Armor Bonus(+1)
6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+2|Fearsome Bellow(+/-3, 3/day), Swift Agility(+4) [/table]
As you can see, this one's a bit more done.
Unarmed Strike: Performs exactly like the 1st-level monk ability of the same name. May be used in light armor (as may everything below).
Brutal Strike: Rather than the monk's flurry of blows, the Feral Brute specializes in single, powerful strikes. Similar in concept to the monk alternative class feature from the PHBII - Decisive Strike. As a standard action, make one attack with an unarmed strike, using the brute's highest base attack bonus but at a -2 penalty on the attack roll. If the attack hits, it deals double damage. At fifth level, the penalty on the attack roll decreases to -1.
Evasion: As the monk ability of the same name.
Fearsome Bellow: My attempt at a buff/debuff ability. At second level, the brute gains the ability once per day to demoralize foes and empower allies within a 30ft burst centered on himself. This is a sonic, mind-affecting, fear ability. As a standard action, the Brute makes an Intimidate check. Enemies within the burst make a will save vs his check result. If they fail, they take a -1 penalty on attacks and damage for a number of rounds equal to the Brute's level. At the same time, allies within the burst gain a +1 morale bonus to all saving throws for the same duration. At 4th level, the bonuses and penalties increase to +/-2, and the Brute gains an additional use/day. At 6th level, the bonuses and penalties increase to +/-3, and the Brute can use the ability 3 times/day. The Brute can activate Fearsome Bellow only once per encounter.
Unchained Mind: Like the Monk ability Still Mind, at 3rd level the Brute gains a +2 bonus on saving throws vs. enchantment spells and effects.
Swift Agility: At 3rd level, the Brute gains a +2 bonus to Swim, Climb, and Jump. At 6th level these bonuses increase to +4.
Armor Bonus: At 5th level, the Brute gains a +1 dodge bonus to armor class. This works with light or no armor.
Looks like people like the flavor and power level of the brute. Any suggestions or comments on the finished Woodsman?
Again, thank you for your suggestions!
-Jedi
First up, we have The Woodsman. He represents the archetypical heroic woodsman who shows up at the end of the story to stop the witch, slay the wolf, protect the princess, or save the children. While rangers are still in the world, we thought that Drizzt style two-weapon rangers were a little off-flavor, so we decided to remove them and split the Ranger class. Rangers still exist as written, they're just called Huntsmen and can only take the archery path. The idea we had for the woodsman was sort of a slightly heavier, woods-wise character with a few defensive abilities evocative of the Paladin. He's also really, really unfinished up for evaluation - I think he's balanced, at least..
The Woodsman
Hit Die: d10
Skills: 2+Int/Level
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+0|Favored Enemy, Track, Wild Empathy
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+0|Cleave
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+1|Aura of Courage
4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+1|Animal Messenger, Woodland Stride
5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+1|Trackless Step
6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+2|
+2|Cleaving Smite [/table]
Ok! Here's version 1.0!
Favored enemy: As the first-level ranger ability, except the woodsman only receives one. The Woodsman can use a ritual to change his favored enemy, but it comes at a (yet-to-be-determined) cost.
Track: As the feat, the Woodsman can employ his knowledge to track his foes.
Wild Empathy: As the first level ranger ability.
Cleave: Flavorwise, we see the Woodsman as primarily an axe wielder, so he gets Cleave in the place of Rapid Shot or Two-Weapon fighting at second level.
Aura of Courage: At third level, our plucky hero gets Aura of Courage, behaving exactly like the paladin ability of the same name. This represents the Woodsman's long training against the horrors that lurk in the wild places.
Animal Messenger: At fourth level, the Woodsman truly becomes a part of the fraternity of Woodsmen, and gains the spell-like ability to use Animal Messenger once per two class levels per day, using his class level as his caster level.
Woodland Stride: At fourth level, the Woodsman gains the extraordinary ability to pass through tangles of wild growth freely, as the 2nd level druid ability.
Trackless Step: At fifth level, the Woodsman's skill and prowess as a tracker renders him untrackable by normal means, as the 3rd level druid ability.
Cleaving Smite: At sixth level, the Woodsman gains the ability to perform a cleaving smite with a normal melee attack once per day. He adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his attack roll, and deals an extra 1 point of damage per Woodsman level. If this attack reduces his target to 0 or fewer hit points, the Woodsman's cleave feat is activated. The target of the Woodsman's first cleave attempt is also subject to a smite.
The next class is the Feral Brute. His theme is someone touched by madness or by fey - often the same thing in this campaign, really. They've lost a bit of their humanity, and gained animalistic power and wariness. Monks are too lawful, too strange, and too off-flavor for this setting. Someone who gets a little too back to nature, or is cursed to be that way, is a bit better.
The Feral Brute
Hit Die: d8
Skill Points: 4+Int/Level
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+0|Brutal Strike(-2), Unarmed Attack(1d6)
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+0|Evasion, Fearsome Bellow(+/-1, 1/day)
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+1|Unchained Mind, Swift Agility(+2)
4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Unarmed Attack(1d8), Fearsome Bellow(+/-2, 2/day)
5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+1|Brutal Strike(-1), Armor Bonus(+1)
6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+2|Fearsome Bellow(+/-3, 3/day), Swift Agility(+4) [/table]
As you can see, this one's a bit more done.
Unarmed Strike: Performs exactly like the 1st-level monk ability of the same name. May be used in light armor (as may everything below).
Brutal Strike: Rather than the monk's flurry of blows, the Feral Brute specializes in single, powerful strikes. Similar in concept to the monk alternative class feature from the PHBII - Decisive Strike. As a standard action, make one attack with an unarmed strike, using the brute's highest base attack bonus but at a -2 penalty on the attack roll. If the attack hits, it deals double damage. At fifth level, the penalty on the attack roll decreases to -1.
Evasion: As the monk ability of the same name.
Fearsome Bellow: My attempt at a buff/debuff ability. At second level, the brute gains the ability once per day to demoralize foes and empower allies within a 30ft burst centered on himself. This is a sonic, mind-affecting, fear ability. As a standard action, the Brute makes an Intimidate check. Enemies within the burst make a will save vs his check result. If they fail, they take a -1 penalty on attacks and damage for a number of rounds equal to the Brute's level. At the same time, allies within the burst gain a +1 morale bonus to all saving throws for the same duration. At 4th level, the bonuses and penalties increase to +/-2, and the Brute gains an additional use/day. At 6th level, the bonuses and penalties increase to +/-3, and the Brute can use the ability 3 times/day. The Brute can activate Fearsome Bellow only once per encounter.
Unchained Mind: Like the Monk ability Still Mind, at 3rd level the Brute gains a +2 bonus on saving throws vs. enchantment spells and effects.
Swift Agility: At 3rd level, the Brute gains a +2 bonus to Swim, Climb, and Jump. At 6th level these bonuses increase to +4.
Armor Bonus: At 5th level, the Brute gains a +1 dodge bonus to armor class. This works with light or no armor.
Looks like people like the flavor and power level of the brute. Any suggestions or comments on the finished Woodsman?
Again, thank you for your suggestions!
-Jedi