[3.5, PEACH]The Witcher

Hello there!

For some time now, I've been searching for a Witcher base class. But all I can find is people saying that a Witcher is too strong for being a balanced base class or some random ideas here and there. So I tried to make something my own and here it's the first version of it:

The Witcher
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Witcher’s Health, Quicken Recovery

2nd|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+0

|Witcher’s Legacy +1

3rd|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|Least Invocations, 1 Invocation

4th|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Bonus Feat

5th|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+1

|Brew Potion, 2 Invocations

6th|

+6/+1

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|-

7th|

+7/+2

|

+5

|

+2

|

+2

|-

8th|

+8/+3

|

+6

|

+2

|

+2

|Bonus Feat, Lesser Invocation, 3 Invocations

9th|

+9/+4

|

+6

|

+3

|

+3

|-

10th|

+10/+5

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|4 Invocations

11th|

+11/+6/+1

|

+7

|

+3

|

+3

|Witcher’s Legacy +2

12th|

+12/+7/+2

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|Bonus Feat

13th|

+13/+8/+3

|

+8

|

+4

|

+4

|Greater Invocation, 5 Invocations

14th|

+14/+9/+4

|

+9

|

+4

|

+4

|-

15th|

+15/+10/+5

|

+9

|

+5

|

+5

|6 Invocations

16th|

+16/+11/+6/+1

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|Bonus Feat

17th|

+17/+12/+7/+2

|

+10

|

+5

|

+5

|-

18th|

+18/+13/+8/+3

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|Dark Invocation, 7 Invocations

19th|

+19/+14/+9/+4

|

+11

|

+6

|

+6

|-

20th|

+20/+15/+10/+5

|

+12

|

+6

|

+6

|Witcher’s Legacy +3, Bonus Feat, 8 Invocations[/table]

Hit Die: d8.

Race: Human or Half-Elf. Male only.

Alignment: Neutral good, lawful neutral, neutral, chaotic neutral or neutral evil.

Weapon/Armor proficiency: A witcher is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor but no shields.

Class Skills (4 + Int. Modifier): Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Gather Information, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge, Listen, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Survival, Swim and Tumble.

Starting Gold: as Paladin.

Witcher’s Health (Ex): A witcher is immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Quicken Recovery (Ex): Each hour, a witcher heals damage equal to his level + Constitution modifier.

Witcher’s Legacy (Ex): At 2nd level, the witcher gains a +1 competence bonus in initiative checks, Reflexes and Will saves. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 20th level. A witcher loses this bonus when wearing medium or heavy armor, is using any shield or when caring a medium or heavy load.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level, the witcher gains a bonus feat. He gains an additional bonus feat every four witcher levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th and 20th). These bonus feats can be any of the following list: Acrobatic, Agile, Alertness, Athletic, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Self-Sufficient, Track, Trophy Collector [PHBII] or any Fighter bonus feat. A witcher must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A witcher is not limited to the list of witcher bonus feats when choosing these feats.

Brew Potion: At 5th level, a witcher gains Brew Potion as bonus feat. He is considered to posses the prerequisites necessary to craft any potion, even if he does not meet the requirements or have the ability to cast the necessary spells. He must substitute a Craft [Alchemy] check (DC 15 + Spell Level) in place of a required spell he does not know how to cast.

The witcher does not expend any XP or gp costs brewing potions with this ability, but must still follow all the other rules and limitations imposed by the Brew Potion feat. A witcher’s potion only works for witchers and does not have any commercial value.

Invocations: See Complete Arcane for rules. The Witcher does not have acces to any Blast Shape or Essence Invocation.


Before you post, I would like to say that my wish for this base class is to make it flavorful and balanced. I'm new to this homebrew stuff, so I really don't have a clue if the Witcher is too strong or to weak. But I do realize that there's no point comparing it with a core Monk or Fighter, for example. I guess that, being a melee type, this class should try to compete with Psychic Warrior, ToB guys and the like.

Oh, I almost forgot. If you're not familiar with The Witcher: click here, here or here!

Thanks!

I really don't think Witchers fit into a D&D setting, but it looks preety fine. However, its main selling point that might allow it to compete with classes on the ToB power level seem to be invocations, while Witchers' spellcasting abilities are rather minor. Then again, some invocations could be flavored as mutations, I guess.

Quote:

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I really don't think Witchers fit into a D&D setting, but it looks preety fine. However, its main selling point that might allow it to compete with classes on the ToB power level seem to be invocations, while Witchers' spellcasting abilities are rather minor. Then again, some invocations could be flavored as mutations, I guess.

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I see. At first, I thought about giving the class a unique list of homebrewed Invocations. But my knowledge of the witcher's signs are very limited, since I only played the game. :smallfrown:

Maybe making a Least, Lesser, Great, Dark version of each Sign would work? But I guess thinking this way would be easier using the Shadow Magic system from ToM.

There's only one sign that appears in the books but not in the game, one used to deflect spells. Still, signs are a bit overplayed in the game, especially the Igni sign - it was used to mend a kettle or to burn through ropes, not set enemies on fire. Also, as far as I can tell, every witcher knows all the signs. All things considered, witchers are primarily warriors.

Invocations for a melee character don't really work, since none of them are going to help him in his damage dealing. A Psychic Warrior can use powers to gain natural weapons or boost his weapon damage, and a duskblade can channel his touch spells through his attacks–but for this guy, he's got two sets of abilities that have no synergy at all between them. Not sure how I'd go about fixing it (maybe apply eldritch essences to melee attacks?).

Quote:

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Invocations for a melee character don't really work, since none of them are going to help him in his damage dealing. A Psychic Warrior can use powers to gain natural weapons or boost his weapon damage, and a duskblade can channel his touch spells through his attacks–but for this guy, he's got two sets of abilities that have no synergy at all between them. Not sure how I'd go about fixing it (maybe apply eldritch essences to melee attacks?).

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I made a discipline for which a lot of the maneuvers were basically warlock invocations adapted for melee combat. Not sure if it will be of any use to you, but it's here if you want it.