[3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Tempest
[photo needed]
TBA stuff for personal use:
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Slashing: Improve first-level ability
Even-level utility abilities [major project]
The whirling slices of a vortex, the manifold stings of a wasp hive, or the crushing blow of a falling rock. Such vicious descriptions are rarely associated with the delicate style of two-weapon fighting. However, some schools of combat have begun teaching a much more martial style of two-weapon fighting to its students, something that emphasizes form and effectiveness and makes two-weapon combat a deadly force rather than an auxiliary to other skills. These new students, known as the tempests, have revolutionized combat, surpassing their two-handed peers and pioneering new skills with this new way of approaching battle.
Adventures: Tempests typically adventure for a personal motivation such as fulfilling a duty, redeeming past wrongs, or simply paying the month's rent. Very rarely do they adventure for some unifying purpose such as practicing their combat ability.
Characteristics: Tempests wield a pair of weapons of their specialized type, quickly becoming a deadly, nigh-magical force in close range, but rarely threatening foes out of their reach. Depending on their chosen style, their tactics can emphasize brute force, arcing blows, or lightning-fast strikes.
Alignment: Tempests tend in no particular direction on the good and evil axis, but tend toward lawful alignments due to the discipline their techniques require. They can, however, be any alignment.
Religion: Tempests often revere gods of strength, valor, or tactics, but do not venerate any god in particular.
Background: Most tempests are formally trained in a military school, be it in a royal training camp, a private academy, or otherwise, and learn their abilities from an even more skillful trainer. However, there are rare pioneers who create their weapon styles by pure intuition and experimentation. These tempests are typically less bound by form and convention and tend to be in less official roles in society.
Races: Tempests are found in all races, even those less suited to martial endeavour, though their race may predispose them to certain styles. Hobgoblins and their savage kin hold many masters of the vicious bludgeoning style, while elven swordmasters are well-known for their slashing tempests. Even the smaller races, such as gnomes and halflings, have many skilled users of the vicious piercing school among them.
Other Classes: Tempests work well with any class able to adapt to a combat strategy, and are especially fond of fighters and rangers, often having trained in the same academies as them. They have mild disdain for more intuitive classes like warlocks, seeing them as undisciplined and unpracticed in their techniques.
Role: Tempests, regardless of the role they choose, are equipped to be highly mobile skirmishing combatants. They are at their best when they can move among enemies, dispatching and controlling as many of them as they can with their unique abilities. Due to their mobile, quick natures, they are also most effective against groups rather than single targets.
GAME RULE INFORMATION:
Abilities: A high dexterity, while not necessary for their two-weapon fighting, helps shore up a tempest's otherwise weak AC and synergizes well with feats such as Combat Reflexes, which are extremely useful to tempests. As melee combatants, they can benefit well from a high strength and constitution. Intelligence helps with a tempest's typically strong repertoire of skills, but they have little use for wisdom or charisma.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Dice: d8.
Starting Age: As Fighter.
Starting Gold: As Rogue.
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str) Knowledge (History) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6+Int modifier) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6+Int modifier
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special
1st|+0
|+0
|+2
|+0
|Weapon Style, Two-Weapon Fighting
2nd|+1
|+0
|+3
|+0
|Ambidexterity 1, Combatant's Insight +1d6
3rd|+2
|+1
|+3
|+1
|Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Combatant's Insight +2d6
4th|+3
|+1
|+4
|+1
|Mobility, Ambidexterity 2
5th|+3
|+1
|+4
|+1
|Improved Weapon Style, Combatant's Insight +3d6
6th|+4
|+2
|+5
|+2
|Master Tumbler
7th|+5
|+2
|+5
|+2
|Combatant's Insight +4d6
8th|+6/+1
|+2
|+6
|+2
|Spring Attack
9th|+6/+1
|+3
|+6
|+3
|Combatant's Insight +5d6
10th|+7/+2
|+3
|+7
|+3
|Mastered Weapon Style
11th|+8/+3
|+3
|+7
|+3
|Combatant's Insight +6d6
12th|+9/+4
|+4
|+8
|+4
|Bounding Assault
13th|+9/+4
|+4
|+8
|+4
|Combatant's Insight +7d6
14th|+10/+5
|+4
|+9
|+4
|
15th|+11/+6/+1
|+5
|+9
|+5
|Pioneering Weapon Style, Combatant's Insight +8d6
16th|+12/+7/+2
|+5
|+10
|+5
|Rapid Blitz
17th|+12/+7/+2
|+5
|+10
|+5
|Combatant's Insight +9d6
18th|+13/+8/+3
|+6
|+11
|+6
|
19th|+14/+9/+4
|+6
|+11
|+6
|Combatant's Insight +10d6
20th|+15/+10/+5
|+6
|+12
|+6
|Ascended Weapon Style, Whirlwind Dance[/table]
Class Features:
All the following are Class Features for the Tempest.
Armor and Weapon Proficiencies: Tempests are proficient with the use of all simple weapons and all light or one-handed martial weapons as well as with light armor.
Weapon Style (Ex): At first level, the Tempest chooses the type of weapon he will use in his unique combat style. He must choose between piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing weapons. He gains none of his Weapon Style benefits when not using his chosen type of weapon. Once he has made this decision, it cannot be changed. At first level, he gains his first taste of the style he has chosen.
Spoiler
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Bludgeoning: Both the Tempest's weapons are considered to be held in the main hand for the purposes of bonus damage from high strength. In addition, they can be considered either light or one-handed weapons, whichever is most advantageous at the time. He gains the Power Attack feat as a bonus feat.
Piercing: The Tempest can make a quick flurry of strikes, gaining an extra attack but taking a -2 penalty to all other attacks in the round.
Slashing: The Tempest receives Cleave as a bonus feat and a +2 to attack and damage rolls made as a result of Cleave.
Ambidexterity (Ex): Tempests are so extensively trained in two-weapon combat that they are better balanced than most, using their weapons as counterweights. They reduce the penalties from two-weapon fighting by the listed amount.
Combatant's Insight (Ex): The Tempest's skill develops not just in accuracy and technique, but in power. As they train, they gain ways to deal increased damage within their school's techniques. They can deal damage up to the listed value, increased in the ways listed below.
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Bludgeoning: The Tempest's strength can be exerted more effectively than by most brutes. He can use the Power Attack feat to exchange 1 point of attack bonus for 1d6 extra damage up to the listed value. They can still trade additional points of attack bonus up to their base attack bonus, but this is done at the normal one-to-one ratio.
Piercing: The Tempest's assault opens wounds and tears apart armor, causing further attacks to deal an additional 1d6 damage for every prior successful attack made that round, up to the listed value.
Slashing: The Tempest makes a single whirling strike to an unprotected area of a foe, dealing additional damage equal to the listed amount but sacrificing their ability to hit an area with that attack. This extra damage can only be dealt to a given foe once per round.
Improved Weapon Style (Ex): At fifth level, the Tempest's skill with his weapons has advanced considerably, and he begins to truly epitomize his chosen weapons' style. He gains one of the following abilities, depending on his chosen style.
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Bludgeoning: The Tempest's strikes are powerful enough to knock foes off balance. Whenever a foe is hit by a Tempest's attack, they must make a Fortitude save (DC 10+the Tempest's strength modifier+the weapon's enhancement bonus) or be dazed for 1 round.
Piercing: The Tempest moves with incredible speed and viciousness in combat. He gains an extra attack with his off hand weapon at a -5 penalty. He gains the Pounce ability and is able to make a full attack at the end of a charge.
Slashing: The tempest's attacks become sweeping strikes. Instead of a single foe, each attack a tempest makes can target any two adjacent squares the tempest threatens. He makes a single attack roll to attack all enemies in the threatened area.
Master Tumbler (Ex): When making a tumble check, the Tempest can now travel his full movement speed with a single action rather than half his speed with no penalty.
Mastered Weapon Style (Ex): At tenth level, the Tempest has thoroughly mastered his chosen weapon style and begins to perform incredible feats with his weaponry. He gains one of the following abilities depending on his chosen weapon style.
Spoiler
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Bludgeoning: The Tempest gains the Knockback feat as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. His strikes ignore damage reduction if it can be pierced by any special material.
Piercing: The Tempest gains an extra attack with his main hand weapon at a -5 penalty. He can make one additional attack during a Spring Attack, Bounding Assault, Rapid Blitz, or Whirlwind Dance.
Slashing: The Tempest's attacks now target three adjacent threatened squares instead of two. Foes hit with the tempest's weapons more than once in a round have their wounds torn open, dealing additional damage equal to double their weapon's physical damage.
Pioneering Weapon Style (Ex): By fifteenth level, the tempest has surpassed all known teachings in his weapon style and has begun creating his own techniques. He gains one of the following abilities depending on his chosen weapon style.
Spoiler
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Bludgeoning: The tempest can now choose to treat any of his attacks as an
Awesome Blow with no penalty to its attack roll. It remains an attack action rather than a standard action.
Piercing: The tempest gains an extra attack with his off hand weapon at a -10 penalty. In addition, the tempest begins to twist his blades as they strike, causing their wounds to bleed. The tempest's attacks deal a stacking 1 bleed damage per round with each successful hit. This damage stops when the victim is the recipient of any form of magical healing.
Slashing: The tempest's attacks now hit all enemies in a half-circle with a radius of the tempest's reach. Their rending attacks are now so severe that they harm the enemy's internal organs, causing them to buckle in pain. Any creature that takes damage from the tempest's rending attack must make a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 class level+dexterity modifier) or be stunned for 1 round.
Ascended Weapon Style (Ex): The tempest has reached the pinnacle of their art and becomes a living weapon, their very swings striking fear into opponents' hearts. They gain one of the following abilities, depending on their chosen path.
Spoiler
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Bludgeoning: The tempest learns to make unstoppable overhead blows against vulnerable enemies. Any successful attack against a prone foe automatically threatens a critical hit. The tempest gains a +4 bonus to confirm this critical hit. If they roll a critical threat on the first attack roll, the attack is instead automatically a confirmed critical. These attacks also deal an additional 4d6 damage whether or not they critically hit, and this damage is multiplied as if physical damage by a successful critical hit.
Piercing: The tempest gains an additional attack with their main hand weapon at a -10 penalty. In addition, they may make two additional attacks instead of one during a Spring Attack, Bounding Assault, Rapid Blitz, or Whirlwind Dance. Finally, the wounds they leave become so vicious that they wound the very core of their victims. Every successful attack against an enemy forces a fortitude save (DC 10+dexterity modifier) versus 2 con damage. The DC increases by 2 for every prior time in the round that the target enemy was hit by one of the tempest's attacks. A given enemy can only fail this save once per round, but can be forced to save as many times as the tempest hits them.
Slashing: The tempest's attacks strike all enemies in the tempest's reach rather than only a half-circle. Any attack made against an enemy stunned by the tempest's rending attack automatically threatens a critical hit. If the first attack roll already threatens a critical hit, the attack is instead automatically a confirmed critical hit. In addition, attacks against these targets deal an additional 4d6 damage, and this damage is multiplied as if physical damage by successful critical hits.
Whirlwind Dance (Ex): As Rapid Blitz, except the Tempest can make four attacks during a movement instead of three.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Actually I'm not sure If I would add in a new ability for every single empty slot. Instead you might want to split some of styles up first as many of the weapon style abilities grant more than one benefit. From there you could come up with some new stuff for dead levels still left and for levels you think don't have enough.
And I would avoid adding in any more feats. While I would keep the ones you have now (as they seem to go with the class), feats are standardly weaker than most abilities so you might want to come up with more unique stuff.
While I don't have any specific ideas for class features, I would suggest you look through the books and keep an eye on melee prestige classes for some cool abilities. Have you looked at the miniatures handbook or arcana unearthed?
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Ok, Couple of things I'd add.
Yes, a few bonus feats that can be any darn feat you please to pick and that your DM won't Veto, and that you meet other prerequisites for, would be good.
I'd also give them 2 more ability's at first level. For starters, give them oversize TWF as a bonus feat. The other, give them Ambidexterity 2, so they can ignore the -2 too hit. The latter because there a medium BAB class that's kinda MAD, and as such a -2 is gonna be utterly debilitating at early levels.
And lastly, you need some extra damage form some source or other. Personally, I'd give them a class feature that let's them treat an opponent as flanked for adding sneak attack damage, then give them a few D6s over the 20 lvls of SA. Maybe let them have the ability to learn to ignore different Immunity's too SA as the class progresses so that the damage becomes increasingly reliable till at lvl 20 it's garonteed.
Lastly, Adding Trapfinding just to create the option of being a Trapmonkey for a none combat roll might not be a bad iea.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Oversize TWF seems to only really fit the bludgeoning style, who get a more powerful variant of that ability at level 1. I like the idea of adding ambidexterity, though. I'll put that in once I finish up my CS assignment.
As for precision damage, I like the idea, though I feel like sneak attacks don't fit well with the class. I'm considering either skirmish damage (to fit with their exceedingly mobile combat style) or something else I'm still formulating.
Trapfinding would be interesting, though I feel like it doesn't fit the class's highly martial flavor.
Currently filling out their class skills and the blurb.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
This class kind of seems to be a pile of passive abilities. It's pretty useful, but it looks like it would have the same tactic every turn.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Slashing Style seems rather weak. Bludgeoning Style deals extra damage and status effects. Piercing Style gets more attacks. Slashing Style gets more attacks... against mooks only. Although it does get a stunning effect.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
I think there are a few problems with the class:
Overspecialization. This class goes one of three very specific ways (one type only of melee weapons? This is like restricting a caster to fire-descriptor evocation spells.), and, though the way you handle that is nice, it does lock one in quite a bit.
Dead Levels. It's got em. Three dead levels is considered bad. This class has nine. Something needs to go here... perhaps some general bonuses, an expansion of the fluff? Various things to give it more possibilities?
Really, the big thing that needs to be added is "depth." You need to add that "something else" to the class that helps round it out and define it. Most class have three advancement class features. These can be on top of each other (such as a rogue getting SA as well as a few other things at first level), and that's fine. It's a martial character, it needs more "features" to make it work. So, find a few that are fluffy, and crunchy, and put 'em in.
As it is, I'd say it's Tier 4, due to having problems really doing its thing (at least until 15th level or so... by which time you've already wasted six of those.
So, I'll be watching and giving a few suggestions as to class features. To help with that, though, for us, a little more info (FLUFF! Gotta love it!) would be nice.
SamBurke
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
I'm currently formulating some ideas for some more unique sources of precision damage (different conditions and scaling factors). That knocks out the odd dead levels.
Now, my initial idea for this class was to let players pick from an array of defensive or utility options within their specialty, which I could do every even level and eliminate the dead levels entirely. Would this work? What sort of defensive/utility options would be useful for a skirmisher? Anything you guys would specifically like to see?
If I reflavored the schools as, say, Minotaur's Hammer, Hornet's Sting, and Whirlwind's Slash, removing the weapon type restriction, would that help the limitation?
I can fill in more details on fluff tomorrow, but as it stands, it's 1 AM and I'm dead on my feet.
@Swiftmongoose: What would you suggest for the slashing style? I like its flavor but I agree it's pretty wimpy against single targets.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Cheesy74
I'm currently formulating some ideas for some more unique sources of precision damage (different conditions and scaling factors). That knocks out the odd dead levels.
Now, my initial idea for this class was to let players pick from an array of defensive or utility options within their specialty, which I could do every even level and eliminate the dead levels entirely. Would this work? What sort of defensive/utility options would be useful for a skirmisher? Anything you guys would specifically like to see?
If I reflavored the schools as, say, Minotaur's Hammer, Hornet's Sting, and Whirlwind's Slash, removing the weapon type restriction, would that help the limitation?
I can fill in more details on fluff tomorrow, but as it stands, it's 1 AM and I'm dead on my feet.
That sounds good: reminds one of ToB. (Assuming you're favorable to that side of the debate...)
Defense options... hrm.
Dodging... (Better than the feat, mind you): If they hit on the previous turn (with both weapons? with just one?)... Dex pre-req for this one?
Dimension-Door-like Ex. As in, quick move to one side or another, as an immediate action... As an advancement, maybe be able to attack that way?
Be able to meld your action with your enemies'? So when they attack/move, you can attack/move as well?
Choose to lose an attack for a defensive bonus?
Attack whilst running, then run again?
Parry using the attacks of the next turn (negating the damage of the parried blow?)
Various things to Intiative/AC/Attack/Damage. (Class level? Whatever the standard attribute would be... maybe Dex?)
Feinting?
As for the slashing style, I'd say give it extra damage... maybe more strength bonus or something. (or just straight damage)
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Over the course of 20 levels, this looks good given the moderate BAB.
The first level however seams way to front-loaded. Big skills, a feat, an ability worth more then a feat (or at least a high level one, Ambidexterity) and another weapon based ability (that is a weak feat with an irrelevant bonus in case of slashing a huge bonus in case of piercing and a very relevant for later one with bludgeoning).
Every character who will somewhen want to wield two weapons will want one level of it, even the ranger that then just throws away a duplicate of two-weapon fighting.
Then a blank level, then Improved Two-Weapon Fighting.
There is definitely nothing wrong with a feat on a level with a moderate BAB class but giving an "iterative attack" with the off-hand before you got it with the main hand looks weired to me.
Next a weak feat, a strong ability and a little ability, okay, at this point the class is definitely strong for it's level ...
And then you will get the spring attack series which is not really strong plus 3 really damn powerful abilities (depending on style) that are however spread out with huge gaps in between. And this is where he slowly falls behind.
So in short:
- Take away a bit at the start: At least move ambidexterity to second level. Maybe reduce the piercing ability a bit (flurry-like -2 to all?)
- Maybe spread out the style abilities a bit more and/or add a few more nice little bonuses at the high levels.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Threw on the precision damage (I really don't like the slashing precision damage idea and am still looking for more elegant solutions to that), spread out ambidexterity over two levels and made it later, made the first-level piercing ability weaker.
Looking at ways to make the first-level slashing ability stronger.
Re: [3.5e Base Class] The Tempest (WIP, PEACH)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Cheesy74
Threw on the precision damage (I really don't like the slashing precision damage idea and am still looking for more elegant solutions to that), spread out ambidexterity over two levels and made it later, made the first-level piercing ability weaker.
Looking at ways to make the first-level slashing ability stronger.
Maybe give it the "wounding" ability? And make it stack?
