The Atom-ologist [base class]

[Charlie Kemek]

This class has been going around in my head for a while, and i had originally given him invocations from the transmution school, but thought that it was too powerful. please let me know what you think.

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The Atomologist
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Change I

2nd|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Speed (1d6)

3rd|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Invisibility 1/day

4th|

+2

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Speed (2d6)

5th|

+2

|

+4

|

+2

|

+4

|Change II

6th|

+3

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Speed (3d6) haste/slow

7th|

+3

|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|Lesser disintegrate

8th|

+4

|

+6

|

+3

|

+6

|Speed (4d6)

9th|

+4

|

+6

|

+3

|

+6

|Invisibility 3/day

10th|

+5

|

+7

|

+3

|

+7

|Speed (5d6) Change III

11th|

+5

|

+7

|

+4

|

+7

|Disintegrate

12th|

+6/+1

|

+8

|

+4

|

+8

|Speed (6d6)

13th|

+6/+1

|

+8

|

+4

|

+8

|Etherealness

14th|

+7/+2

|

+9

|

+5

|

+9

|Speed (7d6)

15th|

+7/+2

|

+9

|

+5

|

+9

|Change IV

16th|

+8/+3

|

+10

|

+5

|

+10

|Speed (8d6)

17th|

+8/+3

|

+10

|

+5

|

+10

|Etherealness 4/day

18th|

+9/+4

|

+11

|

+6

|

+11

|Speed (9d6)

19th|

+9/+4

|

+11

|

+6

|

+11

|Time stop

20th|

+10/+5

|

+12

|

+6

|

+12

|Perfection, Speed (10d6)[/table]

Hit Dice: d6

Class skills: same as Swashbuckler, plus all knowledge skills

Class Features

Weapon and Armor: Atomologists are proficient with Light, and Medium armor, and shields. they are proficient with all simple weapons.

Change (Ex): According to the table above, a charator must take down the forms in a book, similar to a wizard's spell book, with the same costs. he gets 2*int modifier shapes for free in it. it requires a move action to change. he may not become a creature with an opposed alingment, so if the atomologist is good, and he tries to become a devil or a demon, he can't do it, except later on.

I: the charactor gains the ability to change into any animal, humanoid, construct, or monstrous humanoid that he has seen with his own eyes, and touched. This is similar to the Doppelganger's change shape ability in that he only gains ex abilities, and natural attacks. At the beginning of each day, he may choose a number of forms to become equal to his int modifier times two. he may choose half of them to be applied to another person. He must touch the person. His HP stays the same, as does all his ability modifiers and abilities.

II: An atomologist may use the spell reduce person or enlarge person on himself or any object (but may not become any size that is prohibited by his level of change), caster level equals class level. He may also become all fey, oozes, giants, and vermin, that he has seen, to choose from to turn into. he may also become two sizes larger or smaller.

III: He may turn into all other creatures that he has seen, touched, and written in his "spell-book." he may become three sizes larger or smaller. he may also use "speed" while in all forms, instead of half of his int modifier forms (see speed, below).

IV: he gains all qualities of two forms that he chooses at the beginning of each day, except spells and spell-like abilities. He may become four sizes larger or smaller. He can also prepare a monster of opposing alingment in one of those slots. however, to change into a form like that, it requires a standard action, instead of a move action.

Speed (Su) : At will, as a standard action, an Atomologist may cause a small area to be electrified, heated, or cooled, by slowing or speeding up the molecules, atoms, electrons, etc. causing electrical, fire, or cold damage respectively, causing an amount of damage equal to the amount listed on the table above. He may also cause the damage of a spell that causes that type of damage to be lowered by the amount on the table above. He may only use this in half of his int modifier forms, rounded up, until change III (see above). at sixth level he may cause the square to be "slowed" or "hasted" as the spell.

Invisibility (Sp): A number of times per day equal to the number listed on the table plus his int modifier, An atomologist may make himself or someone else invisible (determined by the table), as the spell. at level 13 he may make the person ethereal instead of invisible. caster level equals his class level.

Lesser & normal Disintegrate (Sp): An atomologist may cause an object's or a person's atoms to separate, causing the object to disintagrate, as the spell, except lesser is a level 4 spell, may only harm 5 foot square, and may only destroy a weapon or a piece of armor, or cause damage to the target, while the normal spell is the same. usable a number of times per day equal to the number on the table plus int modifier. caster level is his class level, and the casting modifier is his int mod.

Time stop (Sp): as the spell, except it only affects a five foot square, lasts 2d6+int modifier, usable every 3d6 rounds, a number of times per day equal to half of int modifier.

Perfection (Ex): at twentieth level, an atomologist has discovered how his form is meaningless, and gains the ability to use the spell "shapechange" at will, with all the forms prepared with change. He also becomes an outsider (shapechanger).


===============================================


Well?

[TheLogman]

Please, PLEASE NO. This thing is very very very overpowered. He basically gets Wild Shape, Alter Shape, and more, at first level. Then, it gets worse. Both the transforming and Time Stop are regarded as the most powerful spells in the game, and he gets those both, and early. Also, Shapechange at will is ridiculous for even a level 25+ character, forget a level 20 one.

Your previous idea was much LESS overpowered, this version is insanity. You have taken the most powerful things in the game, and put them into one character, with even more stuff.

[Jack_Simth]

Where to start...

Mechanics:
1) Skills points and skill list?
2) Time Stop is a personal spell - what do you mean when you say it affects a five-foot square?
3) Speed affects "an area" - how big of one?
4) Lesser Disintigrate: by 5 cubic feet, I think you mean a five-foot cube (the two are very different). Also - there are no supported mechanics (by default) for missing a limb. I suggest dropping that aspect (especially as you listed no method for choosing which limb goes away).
Balance:
1) Change IV - exclude spell-like abilities - please. Nothing quite like turning into an Efreeti every day and granting one of your companions three free wishes at 15th level - every day.
2) Time Stop - yikes. A version of Time Stop that beats the pants off the Wizard version, and is useable once per encounter? You're starting with a spell that's up there on the list of strong for it's level, and making it better.
3) Perfection: Shapechange makes basically every top-10 list for most abusable spells for it's level. It's got a long enough duration, though, that if you start out by assuming Shapechange is balanced, making it continuous as a 20th level capstone ability is fine. It shouldn't, however, be Ex. Su, maybe, but not Ex.

[Charlie Kemek]

Please, PLEASE NO. This thing is very very very overpowered. He basically gets Wild Shape, Alter Shape, and more, at first level. Then, it gets worse. Both the transforming and Time Stop are regarded as the most powerful spells in the game, and he gets those both, and early. Also, Shapechange at will is ridiculous for even a level 25+ character, forget a level 20 one.

Your previous idea was much LESS overpowered, this version is insanity. You have taken the most powerful things in the game, and put them into one character, with even more stuff.

Oops, forgot skill list, added now
i prefer comments like this one rather than no comment at all, please comment!

Ok, he only can have a total of what, eight forms total if he has an 18 int. He also has to see and touch the form, wait, maybe i should make it so that he must write it down like the wiz, i'll go do that...

Yea, i thought that time-stop was a little much. I have lowered it down to only about 2-3 times per day w/o a HoI, or somthing. Why are they too early? 19 and 20 level aren't that bad, same level that a wizard gets it.

he may only use shapechange for the forms that he has prepared, is that better?

he only gets to add the hp and stats at 15 level, what's wrong with that? basicly he gets natural weapons, size, and ex abilities, that's it.

is this better? please reply still!

Edit: oh yea, the timestop thing; basically a five-foot square is frozen in time, and no-one can affect it.

[Jack_Simth]

Edit: oh yea, the timestop thing; basically a five-foot square is frozen in time, and no-one can affect it.

That... is basically the exact opposite of the spell Time Stop; you stop time for a single opponent (or near enough); with the spell, you get to act a lot.

[Charlie Kemek]

That... is basically the exact opposite of the spell Time Stop; you stop time for a single opponent (or near enough); with the spell, you get to act a lot.

what's wrong with that? he stops the square, not everything else stops. it would be too difficult to stop all the world, so he basically stops a single person or area.
i forgot to add how long it takes to do things adding that now...

please help me! this is only my second class, and my first hardly got any comments, so please comment, even if it is "this is completely useless, get rid of it and replace it w/ something else."

[Charlie Kemek]

should i improve the bab, or leave it the way it is?
also, do i restrict the armor by making "speed" and "change" have somatic components?

[TheLogman]

Don't improve the BaB, and with regards to the Speed and Change, I would take it even one step farther, and require some sort of Focus, in addition to a somatic component.

[magic8BALL]

...what's this got to do with atoms?

Sometimes a bit of fluff to make the crunch seem less like a spellbook druid that is even more likely to unbalance a party and more like a new idea cannot go astray.

[Charlie Kemek]

...what's this got to do with atoms?

Sometimes a bit of fluff to make the crunch seem less like a spellbook druid that is even more likely to unbalance a party and more like a new idea cannot go astray.

the first atom-ologists were wizard/warlocks who specilized in transmution. they eventualy mixed the classes to create a class that studies atoms. they discovered how heat and coolness, and electricity worked, and devoloped a way to cause them when desired by speeding up or slowing down atoms, molecules, and electrons (parts of atoms) and also learned to counter the effects. they also learned to slow or speed the connection with the brain to the nerves, and make something faster or slower, and also learned to stop things from moving entirely, removing them from the fourth dimension. (speed). they also started mixing with druids or shape-shifters, and learned to change their forms at will by focusing on a piece of what they desired to be, a drawing of it, an image in their mind, and willing their atoms to be like that, and they were able to do it at will. they also learned to make themselves have clear atoms, and eventually, become so loose that they could literally walk through walls. they also used this on objects, but instead of forcing them onto the ethereal plane, they simply fell apart, partially dissolving, and later, fully.

Don't improve the BaB, and with regards to the Speed and Change, I would take it even one step farther, and require some sort of Focus, in addition to a somatic component.

how about a piece of the creature that you are turning into? the speed is sort of based off of the warlock's eldritch blast, so i won't add a focus, and i don't think it really needs one.
for somatic components: how about only light armor that is not entirely metal, so studded leather would work, but chain shirt wouldn't. shields are allowed, but must be off if he wants to change form?

is this good?

okay, i've never been a very good fluff writer, more is coming.

[Charlie Kemek]

Then I will add this on to the character class.

[Guyr Adamantine]

This is a great shapachanger class; yours is filled with overpowerdness and crazy nonsense. Pu-lease, fix it.

[magic8BALL]

(Hopefully, these tags I just made up work similarly to a spoiler.)

[rant]
I still don't see how studying an atom lets you change shape. That's a biological thing, not a particle physics thing. It's like making a mystical healer of Britsh and Gaulic history turn into a bear... oh, hang on...

I think shapechanging is fundementally flawd when it comes to balancing player classes. This class is not a fix for that, but instead enhances the unbalancing effect of having a halfling with STR 3 dominate in melee becouse the partys fighter, barbarian, paladin, whatever cannot turn themselves into a two story tall dinosaur.

Leave shapechanging to doppelganger NPC's and the bards illusions, so that they may enhance storyline and trick stupid orcs into... does anybody even use illusions..?

My point, I think, is that when I see "Atom-ologist", after I cringe at the hyphen, I think of someone who studies atoms: a chemist, or even an atomic physicist of all things. Such people do not know anything of metamorphisis. That's a biologists thing, and has that close to nothing to do with atoms as anthing else you care to think of, barring pure energy systems.
[/rant]

Ok, now thats over...

I dont get change I. So you just look like a (whatever you change into)? You donot gain the (creature)s ability scores? What about size modifiers? Do your ability scores change with your new size?

Also, you can make other people also look like (the creature you choose)? That's... everybody in the party all of a sudden unbalanced.

I still don't get whats wrong with picking up a sword/ half a tree, and slicing/ squishing you enemies up, but then again, I always liked fighters and hate wizards for their clealy unbalancing ways too. Which brings me to my last point: all the (unbalancing) class features (that everyone has been talking about) here are just class features or spells or such from other classes and races and such, but presented at much lower levels, witch is why the are so god aweful overpowering.

[Charlie Kemek]

Just out of curiosity, what would happen if i just cut "change" entirely? would it be underpowered?

[TheLogman]

He would be slightly more powerful than a Warlock. A Warlock cannot grant his blasts typed damage, and does not always hit with his blasts, this thing does. He gets less number of random powers than the Warlock, but at the same time, gets more powerful ones.

[RandomFellow]

He would be slightly more powerful than a Warlock. A Warlock cannot grant his blasts typed damage, and does not always hit with his blasts, this thing does. He gets less number of random powers than the Warlock, but at the same time, gets more powerful ones.

Ya...but he wouldn't have one of the Warlock's best ability...UMD tricks. Personally, I'd view this guy as less powerful than a Warlock (if he loses Change and Shapechange abilities completely) since:
Warlock gets his evocations, like Invisibility, at will
Warlock's can use virtually any magic item via UMD (as well create virtually any item). True, it costs gold and XP and is subpar to an Artificer but is still a good trick.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
My two cents:
Limit any use of Change to Int Modifier times per day.
Drop the continuous shapechange as Change IV basically gets you Shapechange for two forms anyway.
Shift all of the Change abilities to 5 levels later. (e.g. Change I is 5th level, Change II is 10th, Change III is 15th, Change IV is 20th)
Move Speed(1d6) to first level so.
Change Atom-ologist to Atomologist

[magic8BALL]

Droping change will not only balance the class, but also prevent players from having their heads explode over shape changing rules, based on other rules based on other rules that have been changed at each level of rule base-ing and by now is possably self contradicting.

Filling out speed (an attacking ability) with some fire shield type things (defencive abilities) and rounding out with some buffing and tactical abilities, perhaps fire shield "other" type ability or fire/cold/electricity wall will make this class. At higher levels, perhaps introduce time altering elements: slow, haste bigger versions thereof.


Suggestions:

Maybe 1d6 damage per 2 levels speed damage, of either fire, cold or electric damage, starting at level 1.

at level 2, minor riststances to fire, cold or electricity. It takes a move action and concentration check (as apropriate) to alter wich type of damage is affected (as though through redirecting a spell). this bonus will increase every two levels, and may be spread accross the three elemental damages as seen fit. (So at level 14, Fire resistance 4, cold resistance 2 and electric resistance 1, or any other combination that adds to 7.)

This can be further improved at level 14, with the Atomologist being able to discharge stored enery upon anyone who attacks. (similar to the fire shield spell).

level 7 sees the ability to create a barrier where atoms are slowed, sped up, or have electron confugurations changed. (wall of cold/fire/electricity)

levels 5, 10, 15, 20, something to do with time alterations. level 5, haste and/or slow, possably so many times per day. increasing to Time Stop or the like at level 20.

By now, the class is a very focused spell caster. Elemental damage is the call of the day, and it's not comming in big doses, but very regularly. Some resistance to return fire, a limited ability to alter the battle field, and party enhancing abilities round out the class. A small HD, a d4 or d6, 4 or 6 skill points a level (concentration, knowledge the planes, arcana, sure all, why not?, should be class skills), poor or average BAB, and good Will save only. No weapon or armour proficiencies, and I'd almost sugest that arcane spell failure applies, particularly if most or all the abilities are going to be at will.

I'll leave the details up to others, unless presured to produce something more definate, hopefully this post is a little more constructive than my last.

[Charlie Kemek]

Dont forget, he can use speed to reduce the amount of damage of an attack with the same kind of energy. i dont want to make him all focused on elements, so what about giving him some form of healing, or telekinesis?