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Old 02-01-2010, 12:24 PM   Top  -  End  -  #29
Melayl
Barbarian in the Playground
 
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
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In my own little world...
Gender: Male
Default Re: [3.5] Beast Warrior v1.1 [PEACH]

There's alot to comment on here, so instead of doing the multi-quote thing, I'll just add my comments in red. I'll be cutting and pasting some comments together so that I may respond to them together.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Thrice Dead Cat View Post
The only time it looks like the cost will be an issue is when Con damage comes into play or level 1. I'd assume you just lose BP equal to the change in Con mod X levels, but that's something you may wish to mention when Con starts changing. I'll need to do that, thanks.

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The insane amount of skill boosters here kind of saddens me, especially without some sort of additional benefit other than +more. Factoring the fact that this guys can get pretty high DCs for just a little bit extra makes them look like chumps compared to Incarnum-users who get to throw around their similar skill boosting levels for free all day without locking them out of combat abilities. From what I recall, Incarnum users have to lock Essentia into feats to get those bonuses. However, I did make upgrades to all of the skill boosters. I increased the duration to 1 hour/level, and added other niceties to most of them. I'll highlight those in a separate post.

As is, it looks like a level 1 Beast Warrior would grab Animal Companion at first level and then kind of not have any other class features. A simple remedy would be to give them 3 instead of 1 ability at first level, then go back down to 2 for the remaining level. Basically every system in DND operates like that. Martial Adepts get 3-6 maneuvers at first level, then down to just a few every other level afterwards. Incarnates and Totemists (Soulborns don't count) get a few soulmelds for the day to start before gaining more. You get the idea. I may end up giving them two abilities at 1st level. I don't what to do more for fear of dipping.

Rapid Healer looks a little lonely here. The 1/day limitation is also saddening. Maybe gain extra uses for extra BP? Also, you should mention that it's a standard healing rate for one complete night's of rest. Rapid healer was a repost of the Rapid Metabolism feat. It is a CHANGE to your normal healing, not a healing boost. I've clarified that language.

The DR/silver looks great when you can first get it, then decreases rapidly in effectiveness. Although, hey, the first time you get it, it's a guaranteed -1 to damage taken from most weapons! I'd probably have this start at DR 5, then work up at a lower increment. +2 or 3, probably. I've upgraded it to +2 per selection. I'm not sure about increasing it further. If I recall correctly, it should also allow your natural weapons to bypass silver DR.

Endurance is a feat. Also a bland one, but, it does open the door to Steadfast Determination... except you actually would probably have an acceptable Wisdom score. Maybe throw Diehard on here, too. Not like it's going to overpower someone. Endurance is also gained by the Ranger at this level, and I think I'll leave it as-is.

Fast Movement looks fine if other abilities start to provide some skirmish capabilities. I'm hoping they will.

Woodland Stride is okay. Not a terribly good or bad class ability, just kind of there. Awful handy for a detected scout trying to outpace his pursuers. But again, the Druid and Ranger got it, and it fits the flavor.


The abilities are starting to get interesting. Only thing I can really complain about is having so many of them take a standard action. I do not feel it would be too much to have most of these combat abilities be swifts to activate. Changed most of them to swifts.

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Close Wounds looks a little underwhelming, but it does lead into more. Off hand, I'm not sure if anything out in 3.5 other than Regeneration can switch lethal damage to nonlethal. I may end up changing this to Fast Healing, but I don't know if that will make it too powerful.

Trackless Step is just another copied ability. Not much to say here Again, Ranger and Druid get it, and it fits the flavor of the class.

Woo! I loves me some Evasion. 6th level feels a little late, but, hey, you're getting it before the Ranger!


See some my comments on "Lesser Scent." Really, though, Scent can be a first level ability, considering ToB. see my comments on lesser scent. I'll think about increasing lesser scent to scent, and reducing the level of the rest of the chain. You may want to switch this to limited blindsense.

Aquatic Adaption should probably just give water breathing. If you just want it to give Hold Breath, click here for its normal wording. Added hold breath under Swim like a Fish.

Beast Form looks fine. I'm inclined to increase the options to "any medium or smaller animal form, chosen when this ability is activated." A bit of a can of worms, but certainly better than Polymorph. cleaned up the language on all three.

Ooooh, I like Circle the Herd. However, I would either remove the DC 21 to it and make it just opposed by Sense Motive or vice versa. Giving people attacks is nice, even if they are techincally AoOs. Done (DC check only). Also changed it to a Move action.

For Larger than Life, I'd go ahead and just make it an actual size increase, rather than giving Powerful Build Lite. Wizards have had Enlarge Person for ages now, so why don't you? A good point. Also done.

For Rend, the damage is usually 2x base claw damage +1(Maybe 1.5x?)Str mod. Also, it should be "2 or more claw attacks" for those out there for more than the usual amount of arms. Done (kept the x2 Strength mod, though).

Spines looks okay. The bonus to natural armor feels a little weird, but it's not a bad thing. I would also allow an option to shoot the spines as ranged attacks, but only every other round, as the spines "regrow." If you go that route, maybe even through on a bigger attack with them, but at the cost of losing the benefit for a little while (1d4 rounds). I copied the language from a potion in the MiC. I'm not sure about adding the whole "shoot-the-spines" thing, but I'll think on it. Really, not many animals have a ranged attack...

Sprint is a little underwhelming to me. Feels like filler. Not sure what to do with it, though. With some decent ranged options, it does open the option to kite enemies. It can function like Expiditious Retreat for the discovered scout, and it makes it easier to close on an enemy. Maybe I should add something about getting a bonus to avoid aoo for moving through threatened squares? or decrease the level (and check/cost accordingly)?

Wolf Pack Tactics looks nice. I'd maybe have it progress such that "Any allies that also threaten the same enemies as you are treated as flanking for all purposes. If they would normally be flanking with you without including the benefits of this ability, increase their to-hit bonus from flanking by +2." Maybe also decrease time needed for the AoO option. Updated. also dropped the action to Move action.

I'm inclined to make Flight a 24-hour ability, with or without making it (Su) in nature. Warlocks have Fell Flight, so why not help the Beast Warrior save on points. I've increased the duration to 1 hour/level.

I'd go ahead and just copypasta the language from Claw of the Warrior. That would help out slightly with the language, but, if you want it as is, it would mean having three attacks at X, X-5 and X-5 rather than X, X-5, and X-10. I'm not sure which would be better, as one option would let you have more attacks sooner, while the other offers the secondary attacks a greater chance of landing. I'm more inclined to the former, considering the second time you would take this ability is at 20th. I don't know. I'll think on that one further.

If you take my suggestions for Lesser Scent, Scent, then I would either make Blindsense Blindsight or just make this Blindsense last 24 hours instead. I'm considering reworking this tree. See scent.

Commune with Nature is an okay spell, but it's primary users have had it for five levels now, which is kind of sad here. Not sure what else could go here in addition to it or instead. The Ranger doesn't get access to it until 14th level. I didn't think Druids got it -- I was mistaken, and they've had it since 9th level...I'll think on it.

I'd just change Improved Extra Natural attack to granting Multiattack instead. Hell, on top of that, I'd also either decease the level of it or also have it give Improved Multiattack (No penalty for using multiple natural attacks, but I think it's a little tricky to qualify for.) You may want it to only give Improved Multiattack if the Beast Warrior already has Multiattack, though. *shrug* I may change that. I've already changed the wording to add in the multiattack features, but I may just change it to multiattack.

Like what I said on Blindsense and the rest of that chain. Although, this may be fine eating up points to activate. See my other comments on this tree.

Eeech. Later HiPS is very late. I'd bump this forward several levels. I've added it under the Hide from Notice ability (after they reach a +10 bonus).

Fast Healing feels a little late to the party. Yeah. I may be upgrading the tree to give Fast Healing later, but it makes me nervous about possibly overpowering things. I'll probably change this to Regeneration, eventually.

Greater Extra Natural Attack is basically Improved Multiattack, but only at 20th level. Yeah. See my comments on ENA. I'm not sure what to place here instead, if I change things.

Supreme Savagery feels a little underwhelming by this point. I would probably increase the base extra damage to +4d10, maybe even +6d10.
Added "for each natural attack this round" like with the other 2 in the tree.



Overall, the class doesn't seem like it can actually provide in the skirmisher role, like you suggest: it just doesn't have anything to do at range. Very few animals have a ranged attack (except like the spitting cobra and such). What if I give them access to bows? The higher level abilities seem a little lacking in number, but that's understandable for a work in progress. I would also go ahead and include a general option for all abilities with an activation of "one standard action" to become swift actions, either as a feat or as extra BP, like some already are. I already changed some, but I may add a feat like that for the rest.

Other than that looks good so far. It's a little weaker than the Psychic Warrior, due to the issue at lower levels with the skill checks and the low amount of options at higher levels. Still, not bad for a first (or is it second) draft. Thanks.
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