Results 1 to 30 of 43
Thread: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
-
2012-02-11, 01:59 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
Author's Note: This class is unfair. I acknowledge that it is unfair. However, if you really want a melee class that can stand up to a caster, you can't play by any sort of rules that WotC has put out. So with that in mind, please critique carefully, and try to assist me in balancing this in a way that will still keep the mage slayer ahead of the caster.
The Mage Slayer
Prerequisites: In order to become a mage slayer, you must meet the following prerequisites:
Base Attack Bonus: +7
Skills: Spellcraft 6 ranks
Special: Must not be able to cast spells or use spell-like abilities. The Mage Slayer's Will class feature is an exception to this restriction.
HD: d10
Class Skills: A mage slayer's class skills are Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (The Planes), Knowledge (Religion), Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Spot.
Skill Points: 4+Int per level
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Time Stands Still, Action Without Consequence
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Supreme Resistance, Mundane Aegis
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Sonic Blade
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Mage Stalker
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Mage Slayer's Clarity
6th|+6|+5|+5|+5|Mage Slayer's Determination
7th|+7|+5|+5|+5|Mage Slayer's Will
8th|+8|+6|+6|+6|Tenacity of the Slayer
9th|+9|+6|+6|+6|Cancel
10th|+10|+7|+7|+7|Aura of Mundane Order
[/table]
Class Features: The following are the class features for the mage slayer:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The mage slayer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light, medium, and heavy armor, and all shields, including tower shields.
Time Stands Still (Ex): A mage slayer is able to alter the very flow of time, to ensure no annoying interruptions. No creature can interrupt the mage slayer's turn with an immediate action. This ability may be suppressed or resumed as a free action.
Action Without Consequence (Ex): A mage slayer can attack a mage freely, without worrying about unnecessary responses. A mage slayer's actions and the results of those actions (both direct and indirect) can never trigger a contingent effect. Examples would be "I am targeted by a melee attack" or "I take damage". If a mage slayer attacked and dealt damage to a mage who had a contingent spell effect in place with that trigger, it would not activate.
Supreme Resistance (Ex): A mage slayer's ability to shrug off magic is almost golem-like. Starting at level 2, the mage slayer receives a bonus to all his saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities equal to his character level, and any time he succeeds a saving throw against a spell or spell-like ability with a Half or Partial effect, he instead takes no effect.
Mundane Aegis (Ex): A mage slayer is a shield against the world, he protects them all from magic. And so he himself can absorb the magic and obliterate it. Beginning at 2nd level, a mage slayer gains spell resistance equal to 30+his character level. Any time a spellcaster fails to penetrate the mage slayer's spell resistance, the entire spell fails (for example, if the mage slayer and his allies were clustered together and targeted with a fireball effect, and the wizard failed to penetrate the mage slayer's spell resistance, the fireball effect would fail and none of his allies would be affected either). The mage slayer may suppress or resume his spell resistance as a free action or as an immediate action.
Sonic Blade (Ex): At 3rd level and higher, a mage slayer is able to attack all creatures in a 120' line with his sword. This attack is treated as a melee attack, except there is no attack roll. All creatures in the 120' line are allowed a Reflex saving throw (DC 10+1/2 the mage slayer's character level+his Strength modifier) for half damage. The damage of the attack is equal to the mage slayer's normal damage for the weapon he is wielding, rolled once and applied to each creature. This ability can be used as either a standard action attack or a full-round attack. The mage slayer can use this ability at will. Despite the name, this is not a [sonic] effect. The attack deals damage of the same type as the weapon, and is subject to damage reduction and regeneration, as normal.
Mage Stalker (Su): Starting at 4th level, a mage slayer is able to teleport at will. As a move action, the mage slayer may teleport up to 100 ft, +10 ft per character level.
Mage Slayer's Clarity (Ex): A mage slayer's eyes are not easily fooled. Beginning at 5th level, the mage slayer continuously ignores illusions and false shapes, and other similar effects. He enjoys the benefits of a continuous extraordinary true seeing effect. He may suppress or resume this ability as a free action or an immediate action.
Mage Slayer's Determination (Ex): Starting at 6th level, a mage slayer is permanently affected by a continuous extraordinary mindblank effect. This ability may be suppressed or resumed as a free action or an immediate action.
Mage Slayer's Will (Sp): Starting at 7th level, a mage slayer is able to cast disjunction, as the spell, as a spell-like ability at will, with a caster level equal to his character level. A creature that is affected by the mage slayer's disjunction ability is unable to cast a spell, use a spell-like ability, activate a magic item, or resume a supernatural effect during its next round. This ability has no effect on the mage slayer's Aura of Mundane Order, and cannot dispel or suppress it.
Tenacity of the Slayer (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, a mage slayer gains regeneration 10. All types of weapon damage deal lethal damage to the mage slayer (but not weaponlike spells).
Cancel (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a mage slayer may automatically counterspell a spell that the mage slayer successfully identifies as it is being cast with the Spellcraft skill (or a ring of spell battle). The mage slayer may use this ability as an immediate action, once per day per class level.
Aura of Mundane Order (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, a mage slayer projects an antimagic field, as the spell, with a radius of 1 mile/character level. The mage slayer may suppress or resume this ability as a free action or an immediate action. The mage slayer and his equipment are not affected by his Aura of Mundane Order. This is an extraordinary ability.Last edited by NeoSeraphi; 2012-02-11 at 11:10 PM.
-
2012-02-11, 02:22 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
This is, indeed, quite brutal. I'm not really qualified to judge most of this, but I would like to mention the skills -- in particular, it doesn't have Knowledge: Psionics, and doesn't allow entry with Psicraft. I'd suggest either adding a variant ("Psionslayer"?) or simply adding the skill to the list and as an alternative to Spellcraft, respectively.
Projects: Homebrew, Gentlemen's Agreement, DMPCs, Forbidden Knowledge safety, and Top Ten Worst. Also, Quotes and RACSD are good.
Anyone knows blue is for sarcas'ing in · "Take 10 SAN damage from Dark Orchid" · Use of gray may indicate nitpicking · Green is sincerity
-
2012-02-11, 02:24 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Where I live.
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
This class... does not succeed at mage-slaying.
If the character enters an anti-magic field, it shuts down all of their class abilities but two of them. Conversely, spellcasters can, if they really feel like it, cast in an antimagic field.
The Regeneration they get can easily be bypassed. By a cantrip, if one interpretation is used; besides, the best blasting spell ever happens to be Telekinesis, and those greatswords heading for your face are very, very real, thank you very much.
Assay Spell Resistance lowers their Spell Resistance, just in time for them to be hit by a Holy Word/Dictum/Word of Chaos/Blasphemy effect.
You need to be within Close range for your Disjunction to work; a spellcaster could snipe you from anywhere on the plane (Nightmare or Dream Telling, depending on whether or not he wants to hurt you or if he just wants to **** with you.)
I would like you to ask yourself... what would I need to kill the Twice Betrayer of Shar?
Unless you only want to go against semi-optimized casters; then this is fine.
-
2012-02-11, 02:31 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2008
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
Initiate of Mystra is so over-the-top that it's hard to use it as a target, I think. Fighting semi-optimized casters while remaining somewhat sane is probably a better goal.
Avatar by araveugnitsuga.
-
2012-02-11, 02:33 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
I increased the Spell Resistance to 30+Character level to make up for assay spell resistance, and also increased the radius of Aura of Mundane Order to 1 mile/character level. Any other suggestions?
-
2012-02-11, 02:36 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Where I live.
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
Yeah, I kinda realized halfway through that post that I was bringing borderline-TO work into the discussion.
Still, my good man Seraphi, look up Realms of Chaos' Abolisher; it actually is capable of taking on the build that I linked without being too crazy by itself; I suggest stealing ideas.
-
2012-02-11, 02:58 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2010
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
I would suggest the disjunction not targetting items. Otherwise any loot you would gain would always be destroyed unless you want to face a fully-buffed caster. Also, it sucks having your items destroyed.
My Homebrew:
WIP
The Fortunar Base Class: A Fortuneteller wielding a minor Deck of Many Things. Mid T3.
Completed Classes
The Grandmaster : A master of animated stattuettes and tactical magic. High tier 3.
The Hidden Word: An infiltrator with a wide range of abilities that works best in small teams. Tier 2-3
Web-Spinner: A martial class based around using webs. Mid T3.
The True Warrior: A swift mundane martial combat class that can dodge and slice their way to victory. Low Tier 3.
-
2012-02-11, 03:01 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
A noticeable (but not major) part of a caster's power comes from items. A true mage slayer, fluff-wise, wouldn't care about ruining some potentially useful magic items. Especially when he's got his own.
It's a lot closer to a fair fight if the caster has no magic items than it is if he does.Last edited by NeoSeraphi; 2012-02-11 at 03:01 AM.
-
2012-02-11, 03:45 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Where I live.
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
You want to know something funny?
Your Disjunction would affect the Antimagic Field effect that the capstone generates, thus protecting your foe's items.
I would suggest putting in a note that your Disjunctions ignore the capstone field.
-
2012-02-11, 06:40 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
So, to defeat OP characters, you must first become OP?
This is DND, not a cheese arms race.
-
2012-02-11, 09:06 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2008
- Location
- Midwest, not Middle East
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
What does this class do against non-magical monsters? For example, it doesn't really have anything that will let it stand up to a dragon, a kraken, a balor... it has lots of "no magic lol" abilities but not every enemy is a mage. Sonic Blade and the teleport-y one are kind of nice, but it's a very niche class.
-
2012-02-11, 10:51 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
So are a lot of prestige classes. Like the elf hunter prestige class that's all about killing orcs, or the blade bravo prestige class that involves fighting creatures larger than you, or the dragon slayer of Bahamut/Tiamat prestige classes.
Originally Posted by Amechra
So, to defeat OP characters, you must first become OP?
This is DND, not a cheese arms race.Last edited by NeoSeraphi; 2012-02-11 at 10:54 AM.
-
2012-02-11, 11:42 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Where I live.
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
It would have one level, and only one class feature.
That class feature would be:
Every Caster is Now a Sad Remnant of their Former Self (Ex)Every spellcaster in the history of forever is a player character in a game run by one of KevinVideo's DMs. There is no save, no SR, and no way to weasel out of this at all. Ever.
Look of KevinVideo on Google, and see if you can find any of his DM horror stories.
Then you'll understand.
-
2012-02-11, 12:52 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
- Location
- TX, USA
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
What would the HD, saves, BAB, and skill points be? We need specifications!
All joking aside, I would make almost all his abilities Ex so when AMF pops up, he doesn't get boned too. Thats an essential.
-
2012-02-11, 01:01 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
Okay, all the abilities save Mage Stalker and Mage-Slayer's Will are now extraordinary. (Because teleporting is supernatural and an SLA is just always going to be an SLA)
-
2012-02-11, 07:27 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2009
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
When you say you're looking for a melee class that can stand up to a caster, how attached are you to the idea of having almost no casting ability (as opposed to a melee class with a few spells that can't be used directly to actually win), and how attached are you to the idea of not having to use magic items to do his job?
Also, I would highly advise against making him a purely melee class. He should have at least enough ranged ability (likely from a bow) to ready to disrupt. (He should also, of course, get the ability to bypass standard caster anti-archer defenses.) Something to allow him to disrupt without having to ready every round would be even better.
-
2012-02-11, 08:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2009
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
This far in and no one made note of the Uncle quote for the Title? D:
"One more thing..."
-
2012-02-11, 09:00 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- Where I live.
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
-
2012-02-11, 09:51 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2011
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
"We must do reeea-search!"
And Amechra, I had originally thought exactly the same thing. I was expecting puffer-fish...*sadness*My Extended Homebrewer's Signature
Gunslinger avatar and banner by Flumphy.
Old Avatars:
Spoiler
Auron avatar by C-Lam
-
2012-02-11, 09:54 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
30+character level is pretty ridiculously high SR. If you want it to just be unbeatable SR, give him immunity as a golem and leave it at that.
Honestly I came into this topic hoping for a counterspelling focused character, and an image of Uncle. So even if the class was perfect I leave disappointed :(If my text is blue, I'm being sarcastic.But you already knew that, right?
-
2012-02-11, 09:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2009
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
-
2012-02-11, 11:09 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
Re: Magic Must Defeat Magic...(3.5 PrC, PEACH)
Actually, this class did start out as a counterspell-focused class, but I saw a mundane versus melee thread in the 3.5 forum and kind of switched concepts...
Ah well. I'll change the title and do an Nu-mo-gwai-gwai-faiti-xao class after I get back on the 17th.
-
2012-02-11, 11:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2007
Re: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
You know, I actually did something that (attempts) to fill a similar niche in the GitP PrC contest - the Voidblade Eliminator. You might be able to plunder it for some ideas, though I'm not certain how successful they are at attacking casters either (though now that I'm thinking of it, they could use Armor of Absence to be 'not there' for various contingenciesand the like....).
-
2012-02-12, 12:15 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2005
- Gender
Re: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
On the subject of that huge SR again: Maybe you could make it come at first level, and be 24+(2*class level), with a second ability somewhere along the line making it full immunity?
I just think that 30+character level for a 2 level dip is really strong.
Anyway, other defenses that may prove useful to a mage slayer: Immunity to energy drain, ability drain, and death effects (basically mundane death ward). Immunity to Stun, Daze, Paralyzed, etc. Immunity to magically created wind. Something to increase touch AC. Balance as a class skill.
Basically a mage slayer is 1 part mobility and damage, 10 parts making everything you can think of ever just not work. I'd say you're a little over halfway there, especially with the no immediate actions or contingencies. But remember the excercise semi-recently where a level 15 wizard took out a level 300 monk? He had awesome saves, SR, and other resistances. It wasn't enough.If my text is blue, I'm being sarcastic.But you already knew that, right?
-
2012-02-12, 01:21 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2007
Re: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
So what happens if a wizard targets a Mage Slayer with a secondary arc of Chain Lightning, and fails to bypass SR? Does the original target get hit?
-
2012-02-12, 01:40 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
Re: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
Yes, but none of the other secondary arc targets would get hit.
-
2012-02-12, 04:38 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2012
Re: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
I really like this, although some measure to take care of
1) called/gate-in creatures
2) shapechanging/person enlarging/polymorph spells
3) prevent ressurection/reincarnation/whatever
would be nice.
Try to pit this class against a Demi-lich, if it can win reliably, then this class probably is good at what it does, IMHO.
-
2012-02-12, 06:40 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
- Gender
Re: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
Projects: Homebrew, Gentlemen's Agreement, DMPCs, Forbidden Knowledge safety, and Top Ten Worst. Also, Quotes and RACSD are good.
Anyone knows blue is for sarcas'ing in · "Take 10 SAN damage from Dark Orchid" · Use of gray may indicate nitpicking · Green is sincerity
-
2012-02-12, 09:34 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2011
- Location
- My skills exceed yours!
- Gender
Re: The Mage Slayer (3.5 PrC, PEACH)
-
2012-02-12, 11:00 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2009