Base Class Challenge Chat Thread IV: All Your Base [Class] Are Belong to Us

[Jormengand]

hello, I was wondering if a mech-class (as in most of their class features work with that) would be appropriate for this contest? or only explicit construct classes?

You could just split the difference like I did and have the mech suit turn you into a living construct, but usually there's a little bit of leeway, so doing it as just a mech that's a jumped-up suit of armour and not a construct should be okay.

[sengmeng]

hello, I was wondering if a mech-class (as in most of their class features work with that) would be appropriate for this contest? or only explicit construct classes?

There has already been a lot of discussion about how closely you have to match the theme... there are no rules that say you must, but there are also no rules binding the voters on how they choose. So, be aware that the best mech class ever may not win the contest, because some voters will choose a less elegant, less effective, or poorly written class that fits the theme better. But people have also won with barely related entrants.

[neriractor]

Thanks, I'll start working on the class then

[Zaydos]

Somebody built mecha pilots for animation and got away with it, I think they'll pass for Constructs, especially if you use similar fluff (theirs were elementally animated, piloted-semi-golems).

[Temotei]

Somebody built mecha pilots for animation and got away with it, I think they'll pass for Constructs, especially if you use similar fluff (theirs were elementally animated, piloted-semi-golems).

Mecha ace was supposed to be like Gundam or something, right? I don't watch much giant robot anime. Is that a genre? I feel like it should be a genre.

[Zaydos]

Mecha ace was supposed to be like Gundam or something, right? I don't watch much giant robot anime. Is that a genre? I feel like it should be a genre.

It's 2 genres, Super Robot (Big Robo, Maginzer, Guren Lagann, you have a super robot of super awesomeness), and Real Robot (Patlabor, Macross... you have militaries building armies of robots and it's less about the 1 super prototype) which come together to form Mecha Anime. Gundam was sort of super robot (it's all about the super prototype) but sort of gave birth to real robot.

So yeah it was Mecha Anime. My point was just that the themes are pretty loose, and it's actually really easy to fluff a mecha as a special type of construct.

[sengmeng]

@sirpercival: I didn't get it that your imagineer was a Pokemon reference until I saw that he could store them in extadimensional pockets, heh. I'm not really into Pokemon, but now it makes more sense; he has to direct the animatra just like a Pokemon trainer. I like that. I still don't have a great grasp on its balance or power level, but I feel like it could definitely fit in a game that I would want to play. No real suggestions, especially not for more animatra because I'm not familiar with Pokemon.

My Psiforged Paragon could be played now. I'm trying to think of feats, and maybe more upgrades, but I'm a bit worried about power level; between the upgrades and the crafting, I'm wondering if I need to cripple his manifesting even more, but at the same time, there is no other current psionic user with full BAB and 4th level powers, so he's basically the psionic artificer, the psionic ranger, and psionic paladin all in one. I guess I could also take away some of the crafting feats too.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[sirpercival]

@sirpercival: I didn't get it that your imagineer was a Pokemon reference until I saw that he could store them in extadimensional pockets, heh. I'm not really into Pokemon, but now it makes more sense; he has to direct the animatra just like a Pokemon trainer. I like that. I still don't have a great grasp on its balance or power level, but I feel like it could definitely fit in a game that I would want to play. No real suggestions, especially not for more animatra because I'm not familiar with Pokemon.

Thanks, I'm glad you like it! And, the animatra aren't based on Pokemon, they're from the other inspiration (which someone figured out was Disney animated characters). Only a couple of them have been identified, though :D

[Amechra]

Thanks for the good vibes, people - my father just got moved to hospice, so... yeah.

I'm thinking I might work on redoing the Wrench - I have most of the features memorized, after all. How much time do I have?

[Jormengand]

Thanks for the good vibes, people - my father just got moved to hospice, so... yeah.

I'm thinking I might work on redoing the Wrench - I have most of the features memorized, after all. How much time do I have?

A month and two days, plus any extension time you ask for.

[sengmeng]

Bump for visibility. Thoughts on the psiforged paragon? Anyone else looking for critiques?

[neriractor]

Bump for visibility. Thoughts on the psiforged paragon? Anyone else looking for critiques?

sure, the first time I saw the class I thought that it looked far too much like a prestige class, just fluff-wise as there is no precedent for locking a base class to a single race within the books, this isn´t a bad thing, just something I noticed.

as for the mechanics, I like them quite a bit, the Chassis upgrades seem solid, and they fit the class like a glove, the ability to pick powers from every list means that you will get the best of the best for each level but your limited manifesting ability balances that versatility out. If it only had the powers and chassis upgrades coupled with te BAB it would seem like a nifty middle of the road class in terms of power... and the, you add the crafting ability, seeing as crafting means depleting resources just as buying an item this seems good enough, but with all the bonus feats this ups the power level of the class a lot, as I pesume was intended. The psicrafter ability seems fishy, with enough days of downtime (wich you need to make items anyway) this means that you eliminate all XP costs on crafting, with should be treated carefully, a bit less so since there isn´t as many options for crafting psionic items as there is for magic items.

seems like a solid class overall, I might drop the strong Fort save but that´s just my opinion. On a different note, I would also like a bit of critique on mine, I´m barely started but some help on what´s already there would be appreciated

[sengmeng]

sure, the first time I saw the class I thought that it looked far too much like a prestige class, just fluff-wise as there is no precedent for locking a base class to a single race within the books, this isn´t a bad thing, just something I noticed.

as for the mechanics, I like them quite a bit, the Chassis upgrades seem solid, and they fit the class like a glove, the ability to pick powers from every list means that you will get the best of the best for each level but your limited manifesting ability balances that versatility out. If it only had the powers and chassis upgrades coupled with te BAB it would seem like a nifty middle of the road class in terms of power... and the, you add the crafting ability, seeing as crafting means depleting resources just as buying an item this seems good enough, but with all the bonus feats this ups the power level of the class a lot, as I pesume was intended. The psicrafter ability seems fishy, with enough days of downtime (wich you need to make items anyway) this means that you eliminate all XP costs on crafting, with should be treated carefully, a bit less so since there isn´t as many options for crafting psionic items as there is for magic items.

seems like a solid class overall, I might drop the strong Fort save but that´s just my opinion. On a different note, I would also like a bit of critique on mine, I´m barely started but some help on what´s already there would be appreciated

Yah, I agree with what you've said here; you basically confirmed my own fears. The Memory Banks ability is probably the only thing it really needs to be a better crafter than any other psionic class, so the other parts are overkill. I'll be nerfing it shortly.

As for your Mech Tech... I like the idea, looking forward to the gadgets and suit upgrades, and I think a few more shapes are in order. I'm also not clear on what the Sapper does or what you mean by "objects" in its description. The suit being treated as armor with its own hitpoints is odd but not terribly complicated, however it gives him effectively a HD of 2d6. Not sure how to feel about that.

[neriractor]

Yah, I agree with what you've said here; you basically confirmed my own fears. The Memory Banks ability is probably the only thing it really needs to be a better crafter than any other psionic class, so the other parts are overkill. I'll be nerfing it shortly.

As for your Mech Tech... I like the idea, looking forward to the gadgets and suit upgrades, and I think a few more shapes are in order. I'm also not clear on what the Sapper does or what you mean by "objects" in its description. The suit being treated as armor with its own hitpoints is odd but not terribly complicated, however it gives him effectively a HD of 2d6. Not sure how to feel about that.

I´m aware that it gives him effectively 2d6 HD (and a second stat for hit points) but I think loosing most of your abilities after running trough the first half of your HP makes up for it in a sense.

I´m thinking on what new shapes to add but I´m not sure how to balance them out, just as an example I´m still not sure the first three are balanced, specially since I can´t tel if the wild shape should be able to use hands for fine manipulation, from a fluff standpoint it makes sense but the shape isn´t powerful enough to need some kind of nerf.

object is anything the a humanoid Mech-Tech could hold in its hands (presuming that a non-humanoid Mech-Tech would rather have fine manipulation that shape the Mech like itself), the sapper is got three slots per hand, the main slot is equivalent to holding something in your hand, the second slot is for holding something you aren´t using(like a backpack) and an ammo slot to not gimp archers, switching things from any slot to your main slot is a swift action (unless you are reloading a ranged weapon, in wich case it lasts the same amount of time as reloading the weapon) but aside from letting you pull out a weapon, move and attack it doesn´t do too much.

As an example: Doris, gnome Mech-Tech with the sapper archetype is preparing to adventure with her compatriots. Before they leave town she takes a minute to graft new things to her Mech, as she is certain they will meet zombies she grafts a long sword in the mech´s left arm second slot and 2 flasks of holy water in the ammo slot of the same side, as she is the best shot in her team she grafts a shortbow in the second slot for the Mech´s right hand, with a supply of 15 arrows in the ammo slot. As her Mech took a couple of hard blows last week she decides to graft a shield on the main slot for the Mech´s right hand.

Feeling ready for the day, she decides to leave and her companions join her, after a couple of hours travel they are met by an arrow, that Doris manages to block with her shield, they spot 10 bandits hiding in the bushes, one of them shot the arrow, and after the surprise round ends engage them, Doris thinks about taking out her longsword but seeing how outnumbered they are decides against it, she uses a swift action to bring out to save the grafted shield on her right arm´s second slot, swapping it for her shortbow, as a free action she brings out one of the arrows on her right hand´s ammo slot and quickly loads her bow, shooting as a standard action (as her left hand is free) hitting a bandit on its arm and then moving 20 ft to the side of the road, looking for cover.

after the bandits are dealt with she comes out of her Mech, asking everyone to hold on as she takes a minute to refill her right hand´s ammo slot as the fight nearly depleted it.


is it clear now? do you think the wording needs a bit of work or is it just a bit hard to get? thanks for your opinion I´m changing/adding some stuff soon so the more feedback the better

edit: A secondary concern I had is that by making the Mech-Tech´s Mech have Hit points directly connected to The Mech-Tech level I´m killing any possiblity of multiclassing (except for prestige classes if I ever make one), I wouldn´t mind that if I can make the class worthwile for that but I feel some people would mind not being able to play a Mech-Tech/something, thoughts?

[Xanyo]

Well, that took me several hours to write. Good thing I don't have much of a life.

What do you guys think of using incarnum for this?

[sirpercival]

Just realized I never finished the fluff or extras for this. How much longer do we have??

[Temotei]

Just realized I never finished the fluff or extras for this. How much longer do we have??

December 4th is the due date, so a week and four days.

[Grand Arbiter]

Alas, I'm going to pull out and delete my post in the contest thread. I have a neat idea, but there is no chance that I could complete it before the contest closes, if even anytime this month. Good luck to everyone.

Spoiler: If anyone was wondering

Show

Spoiler: what my idea was,

Show

Spoiler: it's in here:

Show

I went through several ideas, and then thought of the likes of GLaDOS, and the Terran adjutant in Blizzard Entertainment's Starcraft games. Essentially an immobile robot that could still affect the game. I would've had 3-4 paths.
1)party support.
2)minions. Lots of minions, hopefully without the problems that usually go along with them.
3)manipulation of rooms/a realm that it controls.
4)mind-control. (Some overlap with minion-focused path)

EDIT: ...I guess I may have already deleted it?
If I still have a post in there, someone please let me know.

[sengmeng]

Last day for changes...

[sirpercival]

Last day for changes...

GAH what time does it close?

[Temotei]

GAH what time does it close?

You've actually got until tomorrow at 11:59 p.m.

[sirpercival]

Ohhhh ok good. I got the fluff text posted, but I don't have any extras yet. Blargh. :)

[Lanth Sor]

im so dead on drive but i need to to do alot :(

[sirpercival]

Alrighty, I posted 3 feats for the Imagineer. I have plans for a magic item set, but there's no way I'll finish it before the deadline, so it'll have to wait until the class is reposted in its own thread.

[ShiningStarling]

Welp, seems real life has conspired to make a waste of the 10+ hours I spent writing a class that isn't yet functional. Yippee.

[Lanth Sor]

Mine is functional mostly. I forgot to add skills and the ability section. But you can take the feat to gain class skills but its not ment to be the only method.

Update info if it would be ok to add.
Skills
The cyborg can choose any ten skills to be class skills.

[neriractor]

couldn´t finish it, I guess I´ll post it in its own thread once it is done.

[Temotei]

Voting thread is up. I've decided to leave out the "Unfortunately, these classes weren't finished and are therefore ineligible for voting" part this time (and probably from now on).

Also, Xanyo, you need skill points per level after voting ends.

[sirpercival]

Voting thread is up.

WOOOOO

This is gonna be tough. Some good-looking classes here.

[sirpercival]

Wow this voting is so dang popular /s

Any ideas for next theme? Here are some suggestions:

• Honor. Classes about having a lot, or a little... new versions of the knight, samurai, or ronin? windrunners? craven oathbreakers who nonetheless do good works?
• Brains. Oh, man, this has a lot of thematic options. Zombiemasters? Illithid-cultists? Psionics? Divination? Skills & intelligence?
• Cold. It's freezing outside for those in the northeast USA. Snow, ice, etc.
• Steampunk. This is an old theme, I suggest we revisit it! Could also go with some of the variations (clock punk, atomic punk, etc).
• Pulp! (warning, TVTropes link.) My favorite idea here. Weird science & aliens! Occult beings trapped in ancient tombs! Spies and superheroes fist-fighting atop burning zeppelins!