Base Class Challenge Chat Thread III: Gotta 'Brew 'Em All!

[Beelzebub1111]

I was bored so I did the same thing, I haven't read yours yet Zaydos so I don't know if we said any of the same things. I'll check afterwards.

Spoiler: Time

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A Rogue/Adventurer class that can see six seconds into the future, like that Nicholas Cage film. Core ability would be (number of times) per encounter he can have the DM say what someone's next action will be before he takes his turn. Improvements could be either targeting more creatures, or have them roll any attack rolls and skill checks in advance so they know whether they should get out of range or if they can stand and take it. Other stuff he could get might be halving the time it takes to take 20 since he can run through the failed outcomes in his head, and

Spoiler: Reality Warping

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I really have no clue for this one. Anything I can think of is either too boring or too powerful. Reality warping, to me, is Mr. Mxyzptlk. A godlike being unbound by the limits of reality. A cool idea would be a class that uses forced perspective to manipulate size and distance, but I can't think of how to express that mechanically without making them gods

Spoiler: Stealth

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I would make a mundane Special Forces Soldier or Commando. Sets traps, sneak attacks and take-downs, fights with a knife and an empty hand, uses body flips and disarms in their fighting. Eventually can automatically use a Body-flip to counter a melee attack once per round.

Spoiler: Dragons

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I'll be honest, Wizards of the Coast has oversaturated dragons, There's dragonbreath users, dragon worshipers, dragon soulmelds, at least three prestige classes where you turn into a dragon, dragon slayers, dragon riders, the list is endless. Anything I could possibly come up with would be an extension of a prestige class that already exists, a fix for a base class, adding dragons to a class that already exists or just plain redundant. So I'd pass on this one

Spoiler: The Apocalypse

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There's a lot of ways this can go, but I want to do something with radiation. A nuclear invocation user or some kind of radioactive man. I could add a new disease for Radiation Sickness or I could do comic book radiation where it makes zombies and grants superpowers.

Spoiler: Forbidden Fruit

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I'm not quite sure what this one means, but I'll take a guess and say that a Promethian figure that stole something precious from the gods and is attempting to unlock its powers would fit.

Spoiler: Death

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A ghostly possessor? eh, seems a bit of a one trick pony. Incorporeality is a hard thing to base a class around since it is such a powerful ability for a player to have at any level. I'll have to think on this one

Spoiler: Life

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Another one that I'll have to think on. A class deals damage by overloading people with positive energy? It could "Heal" broken bones that aren't broken making their limbs stiff. It could remove 'poisons' that are only poisonous in large doses but necessary for the body to survive, like Iron or Zinc

Spoiler: Peace

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A class that seeks peace between two feuding gods, like Heironeous and Hextor. I would probably write the class for those two specifically but let it be adapted to two others. I'm not sure if it would be more like a paladin or a cleric. that's something I'd have to dwell on

Spoiler: Companions

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I think I'd try to do something with a robot. He might do cybernetics to himself, but I'd put him as a Rigger from Shadowrun first.

Spoiler: Tabletop Games

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I will make a Glitter Boy. The idea of creating Boom Gun statistics for D&D sends chills up my spine (never enough multiplication when determining damage). Will it be overpowered? maybe, but I think I've got a good idea to even it out. Besides, Just look it up and tell me you wouldn't want to play as one of those facing off against a dragon or other colossal monster.

Spoiler: Colors

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A class that uses colors to manipulate emotions? Red for rage, orange for joy, yellow for cowardice, green for greed, blue for sadness, purple for pride. It's just a random thought with no hard facts yet

[Xhosant]

Jumping on the bandwagon:

Spoiler: Reality Warping

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What I call the 'warp sniper'. A crossbow user that snipes or dual-wields hand crossbows. Sniping would boost his range, have him 'skip' range increments (and the obstacles in them) or re-launch a fired bolt (now embedded in a wall behind the target, for example?) Duals would use rope trick-like spaces to sow confusion and attack/retreat (1/day?), plus assorted rapid fire/portal fire actions. I'd give them very minor, range-independent SA, on a psionic chassis.

I'd also love to build Kumagawa's All Fiction (basically, undo anything, from a murder to the existence of the color blue) but that would be too empty, and too strong.

Spoiler: Stealth

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Warp Sniper again

Spoiler: The Apocalypse

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The Riders, of course. Give the class 4 'aspects' matching each of the riders (swapping will take a while), plus the skillset for efficient mounted combat. Will take some study of original material to get the aspects right, though.

Spoiler: Companions

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Guardian of the Possessed: Think Riku's Guardian, kingdom hearts. A 'symbiote' with several different uses, and often an agenda of its own. Plus 'signaturizing' a weapon (to more easily be upgraded and other features).

Spoiler: Colors

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Fude Ezumachi's tricks, Medaka Box. Basically, you mix colors and apply them to objects (automatically) to different effect: a 'brittle grey' makes the object too easy to shatter. A 'bright pink' outfit ruins any intimidation attempt. A 'bruise blue' inflicts subdual damage, and a 'blood red' profound bleeding. So on, so forth, with at least some freedom in making new colors.

[Beelzebub1111]

Whelp, last day for voting! Better get those votes in.

[Temotei]

1st Place: Mecha Ace, by Jester of Doom
2nd Place: Animator, by Zaydos
3rd Place: Magical Girl, by Beelzebub1111
Honorable Mention: Man, by sengmeng

Well done to everyone. I'll tally up the votes for the next contest and start it up within a couple of days (hopefully more votes will come in by then...if not, oh well).

[ben-zayb]

Gratz to Jester of Doom for the win, as well as to the runners up.

For the next contest, I vote for apocalypse as earlier mentioned. I can think of an idea or two, but i'll think about it more once we get decided on the SI.

[Beelzebub1111]

Hats off to jester! And a second third place for me. Maybe I can make it a hat trick.

Meanwhile I'll be working out ways to frame Glitter Boy in a way that it fits into one of the other categories.

[sengmeng]

I vote apocalypse, on the assumption that alternate end-of-the-world myths are allowed, because I want to do something based on Ragnarok with Viking Berzerkers.

[Temotei]

I vote apocalypse, on the assumption that alternate end-of-the-world myths are allowed, because I want to do something based on Ragnarok with Viking Berzerkers.

Of course. "Apocalypse" would just mean end of the world rather than being specifically related to any real-world ends for the purposes of the contest.

[Zale]

The due date is May 31, is that correct? That seems like an awful amount of time, to be honest.

[Temotei]

The due date is May 31, is that correct? That seems like an awful amount of time, to be honest.

My bad.

I'd have spotted it when I proofread after posting everything up. I usually proofread it after I post that, edit my signature, post the thread here, and edit the OP. But thanks!

Here's the thread, everyone.

EDIT: Oh, and for everyone not aware--the tables look funny because of a recent fix to the boards. Rawhide said they'll be fixed soon, but if you need code for a prettier table, just ask.

[r2d2go]

Well, um, apologies for that monstrosity. My class approaches six classes in one, and could be built to replace any of six classes perfectly well... which was kind of the point. The other point was partially balance - it gives each class half spellcasting, makes monk entirely worth taking, gives "fighter" and "rogue" much higher damage output, gives a very vaguely bardic class 3/4 spellcasting (reaching 15th level) as well as lots of skill points, lots of customizeable skills, and lots of daily respecing, while the spellcasting classes are pretty much straight spellcasting. It uses semi-optimization as a baseline, but limits optimization, I think... I haven't actually made the setting in which that class could potentially be the only class, but I'm honestly kind of tempted now.

I tried to make it readable, but if the tripled gap bold italics between specializations wasn't enough, you can ctrl-f or apple-f to find Bladeweaver, Reaper, Bastion, Master, Conduit and Trickster... I think the fact that I need to say that is a sign of the ridiculousness of this class fun to make though! Any suggestions for improvement are totally welcome, though this is a contest

[Beelzebub1111]

Darn it, I was beaten to the punch on using something from Rifts. I'm sure I can think of something else...though I may just skip this one if I can't

[Ralcos]

I added my own post apocalyptic class.
Hopefully it meets criteria (fingers crossed).
Yelling at me is acceptable.

[malonkey1]

I'm gonna go with a time-travelling class, from those stories where a person is sent back to avoid a post-apocalyptic future.

[Zaydos]

My idea is still a mentor class that looks for prophesied heroes to train them for their apocalyptic situations. I think parts of it will be based on Fighter actually

Spoiler: To Clarify

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I think they will gain Bonus Fighter feats and the ability to lend them to other characters, as well as other abilities based around on training allies such as competence bonuses to skills, and possibly even inherent bonuses to other people's ability scores.

Think Charon (the centaur) or Obi-Wan Kenobi/Yoda in the OT. Not so much a warrior themselves as the one who trains them, prepares them, and on occasion has to kick some rears.

Edit: Ooh sudden new idea a class for a warrior who becomes increasingly like the Tarrasque, taking on the nature and power of that beast of the apocalypse.

[ben-zayb]

I'm thinking of using an Elder Evils theme of apocalypse. A Harbinger of sorts that turns the Elder Evil Signs as a subsystem, divided between Presages (passive effects) and Omens (triggered or activated effects)..

I may include a feature that makes his warnings always count as lies and giving him a stacking penaty to bluff for each of his abilities, just for the LOLs.

[Xhosant]

Elder Evil Signs

I like the idea, so long as you use the branch version.

Use the other, and you'll be fighting shogoths with your hands.

/endrandomrant

[ben-zayb]

I like the idea, so long as you use the branch version.

Use the other, and you'll be fighting shogoths with your hands.

/endrandomrant

Branch version? If you meant a toned down interpretation, that's very much the plan. Actual Signs are too powerful as a normal class ability, anyway.

[malonkey1]

Branch version? If you meant a toned down interpretation, that's very much the plan. Actual Signs are too powerful as a normal class ability, anyway.

Although, calling an Elder Evil could make for an interesting capstone...

[Shaella]

I think I'll give this a shot. I swear, naming things is the hardest part of this

Hopefully i'll have it posted in the next few days

[Xhosant]

Branch version? If you meant a toned down interpretation, that's very much the plan. Actual Signs are too powerful as a normal class ability, anyway.

I didn't know there was mechanic called that. Source?

It was a joke off of Lovecraft's elder sign, whose description was changed by his 'heir'. So never mind me :P

[Temotei]

I think I'll give this a shot. I swear, naming things is the hardest part of this

It is pretty hard to think of something original and non-cliche that sounds good and isn't too specific for the class. I usually just start writing abilities if I can't think of a name, using NAME as a placeholder until I do think of one.

[Beelzebub1111]

I'm sort of having the opposite problem.

I have a name, concept, and capstone. But I have no idea for progression. The idea? Cosmic Herald.

I have no idea how to fit a cosmic energy wielding space surfer that calls the eater of worlds into a party dynamic.

[Xhosant]

Sounds like a class fit to a planes campaign. Manual of the Planes and Planar Handbook have several (mostly prestige) classes you could draw from.

(Realised this morning, a Keyblade bearer would be right at home in this contest, but since I got another entry, i wish someone would pass by and pick it up :-P))

[Beelzebub1111]

The setting isn't the problem. I'd just use spelljammer mechanics. The problem I'm having is how would anyone work with that class, when its core concept is readying worlds to be devoured and calling the planet-eater when he's done.

[Xhosant]

The setting isn't the problem. I'd just use spelljammer mechanics. The problem I'm having is how would anyone work with that class, when its core concept is readying worlds to be devoured and calling the planet-eater when he's done.

Everyone has to start from somewhere. While breaking off from your source's details (but not spirit), you could prepare and mark smaller stuff for devouring from the planes beyond, and leave the world-scale devouring to be fueled by a class-bound artifact or something. that's just an idea, i hope it's helpful.

[Zaydos]

So types of apocalypses.

I'm currently working with:
Destruction: General fiery destruction rains from the heavens, things are just destroyed, low flavor, generic theme.

Fimbulwinter: Ice, cold, sweeping across the countryside.

Time: Temporal rifts, time and space come unwound.

Plague: Disease sweeping the countryside, the Black Death dancing across the land.

Lovecraft: Madness, insanity, beings from beyond the world.

Gotterdammerung: The end of the gods. The failure of their powers, and their fall.

Death: Necromantic power sweeping across the land, life no longer quickening.

Radiation: The big bomb, the nuke.

Any others I should consider?

[Xhosant]

A personal favorite is the Assimilation.

Like Zombie apocalypse, but wider in scope: any creature that propagates by the victims' 'by-products', such as Kingdom hearts' Heartless. Or extra-propagating vampires.

EDIT: What do you guys think is the necessary class features for a mounted class?

[ben-zayb]

So types of apocalypses.

I'm currently working with:
Destruction: General fiery destruction rains from the heavens, things are just destroyed, low flavor, generic theme.

Fimbulwinter: Ice, cold, sweeping across the countryside.

Time: Temporal rifts, time and space come unwound.

Plague: Disease sweeping the countryside, the Black Death dancing across the land.

Lovecraft: Madness, insanity, beings from beyond the world.

Gotterdammerung: The end of the gods. The failure of their powers, and their fall.

Death: Necromantic power sweeping across the land, life no longer quickening.

Radiation: The big bomb, the nuke.

Any others I should consider?

You forgot:
Alien Domination (or any evolved natural/artificial terrestrial lifeform)
World-Eating
Societal Collapse (which may involve no-nuke all-out wars that ravage the land)

[Beelzebub1111]

Any others I should consider?

"The heat death of the universe" is a good one.