[3.5] The Savager (Nine Swords Barb/Ranger/Scout) PEACH!

[Ziegander]

The Savager



"Monsters? I know monsters. Girillons, Bulettes, Pyrohydras. All the same to me. Kill or be killed. Got it? Stick with me kid, I'll get you through this," - Rejarr, Wilderness Guide and Savager.

(In my games this class replaces the Barbarian, Ranger, and Scout.)

HD: d8

Saves: Good Fort/Ref, Poor Will

LV  Base Atk Bonus    Class Features                         Man. Known  Man. Ready  Stances
1.   +1               Adrenaline, Dire Charge, Trapfinding       3           3          1
2.   +2               Uncanny Dodge, Flawless Stride             4           3          1
3.   +3               Skirmish +1d6                              5           3          1
4.   +4               Camouflage                                 5           4          1
5.   +5               Improved Uncanny Dodge                     6           4          2
6.   +6/+1            Skirmish +1d6/+1                           6           4          2
7.   +7/+2                                                       7           4          2
8.   +8/+3            Unstoppable Charge                         7           4          2
9.   +9/+4            Skirmish +2d6/+1                           8           4          3
10.  +10/+5           Mighty Adrenaline                          8           5          3
11.  +11/+6/+1        Hidden Stride                              9           5          3
12.  +12/+7/+2        Skirmish +2d6/+2                           9           5          3
13.  +13/+8/+3                                                   10          5          4
14.  +14/+9/+4        Hide in Plain Sight                        10          5          4
15.  +15/+10/+5       Skirmish +3d6/+2                           11          6          4
16.  +16/+11/+6/+1    Savage Charge                              11          6          4
17.  +17/+12/+7/+2                                               12          6          5
18.  +18/+13/+8/+3    Skirmish +3d6/+3                           12          6          5
19.  +19/+14/+9/+4    Free Movement                              13          6          5
20.  +20/+15/+10/+5   Supreme Adrenaline                         13          7          5

Class Skills (6+Int per level): Balance, Climb, Craft, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Nature), Knowledge (Dungeoneering), Listen, Move Silently, Ride, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Rope

Proficiencies: All simple weapons, light armor, no shields.

Maneuvers (Ex): You begin your career with knowledge of three martial maneuvers. The disciplines available to you are Setting Sun, Shadow Hand, Stone Dragon, Tiger Claw, and White Raven. Whenever you are dealt damage, and are under the effects of your Adrenaline class feature (see below), you recover a single maneuver. You can also spend a swift action, at any time, to recover a single maneuver. During any turn in which you recover a maneuver you can't use the recovered maneuver.

(It should be noted that the progression for stances is faster than that of the Warblade's. In my houserules the progressions are identical. If you think it is too much for your campaign, lower it to the normal Warblade progression.)

Adrenaline (Ex): As long as a Savager is at or below 50% of his maximum hitpoints, and hostile creatures are within his line of sight, he gains a +1 circumstance bonus to melee attack rolls, a +3 circumstance bonus to melee damage rolls, a +2 circumstance bonus to AC, a +10 bonus to his base land speed, and Fast Healing 1. At 10th level these bonuses improve to +2 to melee attacks and +6 to melee damage, +4 to AC, +20 to base land speed, and Fast Healing 3. At 20th level these bonuses improve again to +4 to melee attacks and + 12 to melee damage, +6 to AC, +30 to base land speed, and Fast Healing 5.

Dire Charge (Ex): As a swift action, whenever you charge a foe you may gain a +30ft bonus to your movement speed. If you do you gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll, but recieve a -1 penalty to AC and saving throws until the start of your next turn.

Trapfinding (Ex): As Rogue.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): As Barbarian.

Camouflage (Ex): As Ranger.

Skirmish (Ex): As Scout.

Flawless Stride (Ex): As Scout.

Unstoppable Charge (Ex): Whenever you charge a foe you may make an extra attack at any time during the charge at your highest attack bonus -5, against any foe you move within reach of during the movement (this includes the original target of the charge). Additionally, you may charge through occupied spaces, attempting to overrun any creature between you and the foe you choose to charge.

Hidden Stride (Ex): When you hide or move silently, creatures with blindsense, blindsight, scent, or tremorsense must make a Listen check or a Spot check (whichever DC is higher) to notice you, just as sighted creatures would make Spot checks to detect you. You cannot hide in plain sight unless you have that ability as a class feature. You cannot be tracked.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): As Ranger.

Savage Charge (Ex): Whenever you charge a foe you may make a second extra attack at any time during the movement at your highest attack bonus -5. Additionally, any foes you hit during the charge, are subject to a free bull rush attempt on your part. Finally, you may make a single 90 degree turn at any point during your charge.

Free Movement (Ex): As Scout.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

I like the class quite a bit, it's a good kind of animalistic, tiger-like meleeist compared to the massive meat-wall that regular barbarians are. The only thing I'm confused about is it having access to White Raven. That discipline doesn't seem particularly suiting.

Edit: Also just noticed the proficiencies. I myself would also give it access to at least SOME martial melee weapons. I can see this class using things like scimitars and axes in particular.

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

I like this a lot. Just one concern:

Refreshing maneuvers when you take damage (with Adrenaline Surge) seems a little to good, considering that then EVERY ROUND I can use Mountain Tombstone Strike or Feral Death Blow at higher levels. That might pose a problem with some other maneuvers as well.

Overall, nice job, although I have to agree with Krimm's points as well.

[Ziegander]

Hrm... yeah, I didn't consider the implications of recovering and using the same maneuvers over and over again. I think it's an easy adjustment to make!

White Raven is in there for various reasons: Leading the Charge, Battle Leader's Charge, Lion's Roar, Tactics of the Wolf, War Leader's Charge, Clarion Call, War Master's Charge...

It may not make the most immediate thematic sense, but the mechanics work so well that I couldn't in good conscience ignore it.

As far as simple weapons vs martial weapons: 1) It's intended as a balance issue; but 2) If you want to use a martial weapon grab the feat for it. I know it may not seem worth it, but then... if not, what's the problem?

I may make them proficient with a few martial weapons dependent on the disciplines. Does anyone think that would upset the balance? Does that appease at least the two of you?

[Djinn_in_Tonic]

Alright. White Raven accepted.

With regards to martial weapons: it wouldn't be overpowering to hand them a few, as it's not that large a difference in the long run. Handaxe, Battle Axe, Great Axe, Warhammers, and other similiar weapons make sense from a flavor standpoint. Things that exist just to rip apart other things...no fancy fighting here.

Your maneuver recovery still has issues though...now I can alternate my two best maneuvers every round without any trouble, although I can't spam a single one. It may be best to simply use the Warblade recovery mechanic, as I'm not sure how to balance two separate recovery mechanics, one of which requires no actions and has almost no restraints.

[Ziegander]

Warblade can just spam his best maneuver every other round, all the while recovering all of his maneuvers at once. I think it's pretty okay.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

I think it also needs the Discipline-associated skills for Setting Sun and White Raven (Diplomacy and Sense Motive).

[Ziegander]

Just because White Raven has a lot of charge and animal-like tactical stuff, and just because the Savager can fight like that, doesn't mean that he should be diplomatic. I mean... do you see it as diplomatic? Sense motive I might be able to agree with. Does a Ranger or Scout have it though?

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Just because White Raven has a lot of charge and animal-like tactical stuff, and just because the Savager can fight like that, doesn't mean that he should be diplomatic. I mean... do you see it as diplomatic? Sense motive I might be able to agree with. Does a Ranger or Scout have it though?

No, but I'm talking about a completely mechanical point of view. Diplomacy is key for using a good deal of White Raven maneuvers, same with Sense Motive for Setting Sun. Can't go about making two sets of maneuvers weaker than the rest, flavor and crunch need to keep a very steady balance.

[Ziegander]

No, but I'm talking about a completely mechanical point of view. Diplomacy is key for using a good deal of White Raven maneuvers, same with Sense Motive for Setting Sun. Can't go about making two sets of maneuvers weaker than the rest, flavor and crunch need to keep a very steady balance.

Setting Sun has exactly 1 maneuver that in any way uses Sense Motive, White Raven has exactly 0 maneuvers that in any way use Diplomacy.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Setting Sun has exactly 1 maneuver that in any way uses Sense Motive, White Raven has exactly 0 maneuvers that in any way use Diplomacy.

wut

My memories have betrayed me.

[Ziegander]

No biggie.