New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Results 1 to 21 of 21
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Battle Master (PrC)

    This is a class I designed a while ago and never went back to retool. I like the idea of it, but it still seems a little boring. I was wondering if I could get some help balancing/fleshing it out.

    Battle Master

    A battle master is a warrior who has reached such a fundamental understanding of the art of melee combat that not a single weapon can be devised which he can not wield with skill and deadly efficiency. The inspiration for this prestige class came from the main character of the PS2 game Drakengard. It was created using many of the elements of the Exotic Weapon Master prestige class from Masters of the Wild and the Drunken Master prestige class from Complete Warrior.
    Hit Die: d10

    Requirements

    Base Attack Bonus: +6
    Feats: Proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, proficiency with any three exotic melee weapons, weapon focus (any melee weapon), weapon specialization (any melee weapon)

    Class Skills

    Balance (DEX), Bluff (CHA), Climb (STR), Concentration (CON), Craft (any) (INT), Intimidate (CHA), Jump (STR), Ride (DEX), Swim (STR)

    Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + INT modifier


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

    1st|
    +1
    |
    +2
    |
    +0
    |
    +0
    |Adaptive throwing, adaptive melee, partial exotic proficiency +2

    2nd|
    +2
    |
    +3
    |
    +0
    |
    +0
    |Throw anything, melee tactics +1

    3rd|
    +3
    |
    +3
    |
    +1
    |
    +1
    |Partial exotic proficiency +3

    4th|
    +4
    |
    +4
    |
    +1
    |
    +1
    |Improvised weapons

    5th|
    +5
    |
    +4
    |
    +1
    |
    +1
    |Full exotic proficiency

    6th|
    +6
    |
    +5
    |
    +2
    |
    +2
    |Melee tactics +2

    7th|
    +7
    |
    +5
    |
    +2
    |
    +2
    |Supreme weapon focus

    8th|
    +8
    |
    +6
    |
    +2
    |
    +2
    |Greater improvised weapons

    9th|
    +9
    |
    +6
    |
    +3
    |
    +3
    |Supreme improved critical

    10th|
    +10
    |
    +7
    |
    +3
    |
    +3
    |Supreme weapon specialization[/table]



    Class Features

    Adaptive Throwing: At 1st level, the battle master gains the Brutal Throw feat as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites, allowing him to add his STR bonus instead of his DEX bonus to his attack roll when using thrown weapons. If the battle master already has this feat, he may choose another feat from the list of fighter bonus feats instead.
    Adaptive Melee: The battle master gains the Weapon Finesse feat as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. In addition, he may use this feat to apply his DEX bonus instead of his STR bonus to his melee attack roll with any melee weapon, not just with the weapons normally allowed.
    Partial Exotic Proficiency: At 1st level, the battle master can use any melee weapon with which he is not already proficient at a -2 penalty on the attack roll instead of the usual -4. This penalty is reduced to -1 at 3rd level. Note that this only applies to melee weapons (but includes thrown melee weapons).
    Throw Anything: At 2nd level, the battle master can quickly get a sufficient grasp on the balance of an object just by weighing it in his hand for a moment, allowing him to use it as an impromptu ranged weapon. He gains the Throw Anything feat for free, allowing him to throw any weapon he is proficient with as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 10 feet. If the battle master already has this feat, he may choose another feat from the list of fighter bonus feats instead.
    Melee Tactics: The battle master's intense study of a variety of weapons and combat styles is not only useful in the pursuit of personal improvement, but also in exploiting the various openings and weaknesses in these techniques when opponents employ them. At 2nd level the battle master gains a +1 bonus to any attempts to sunder a weapon, trip, bull rush, disarm, overrun, or feint in melee combat. This +1 bonus also applies to checks to resist any of these maneuvers. At 6th level, this bonus increases to +2. The bonuses from the Melee Tactics class ability stack with the bonuses provided by Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, and Improved Overrun.
    Improvised Weapons: At 4th level, the battle master's understanding of armed combat becomes so great that he can turn even ordinary objects into effective melee weapons. Improvised weapons can be bottles, tankards, furniture, farm implements, or nearly anything else the battle master can pick up and wield. In the hands of a battle master, improvised weapons deal 1d6 points of damage, x2 critical on a natural roll of 20. On a natural roll of 1, an improvised weapon breaks and becomes useless. Most improvised weapons deal bludgeoning damage, but some (such as a splintered table leg or a broken bottle) could deal piercing or slashing damage. Longer improvised weapons (such as ladders) can be used as reach weapons according to their length, improvised weapons with many protrusions (such as chairs or stools) add a +2 bonus to disarm attempts, and large, broad objects (such as tables) can be upended and used as improvised tower shields. Other special uses for improvised weapons may be allowed, at the DM's discretion. Improvised weapons are considered exotic weapons, and thus still receive the bonuses from the battle master's Supreme Weapon Focus, Supreme Improved Critical, and Supreme Weapon Specialization abilities.
    Full Exotic Proficiency: At 5th level, the battle master becomes proficient with all exotic melee weapons, effectively making him proficient in the use of all melee weapons.
    Supreme Weapon Focus: At 7th level, the battle master reaches such mastery in his craft that he is treated as having the Weapon Focus feat with all melee weapons, gaining a +1 bonus to his attack roll whenever using any weapon in melee combat, as well as qualifying as a prerequisite for any prestige class or feat that requires the Weapon Focus feat with any melee weapon. Note that this only applies to melee weapons (but includes thrown melee weapons). This bonus does not stack with that provided by a Weapon Focus feat taken separately.
    Improved Improvised Weapons: At 8th level, the battle master's improvised weapons deal 1d8 points of damage.
    Supreme Improved Critical: At 9th level, the battle master gains an intuitive grasp for how to best use any type of weapon to take out a foe quickly and effectively. He is treated as having the Improved Critical feat with all melee weapons, doubling the threat range of any weapon he wields in melee combat, as well as qualifying as a prerequisite for any prestige class or feat that requires the Improved Critical feat with any melee weapon. Note that this only applies to melee weapons (but includes thrown melee weapons). This bonus does not stack with that provided by an Improved Critical feat taken separately.
    Supreme Weapon Specialization: At 10th level, the battle master truly becomes a master of armed combat. He is treated as having the Weapon Specialization feat with all melee weapons, gaining a +2 bonus to his damage roll whenever using any weapon in melee combat, as well as qualifying as a prerequisite for any prestige class or feat that requires the Weapon Specialization feat with any melee weapon. Note that this only applies to melee weapons (but includes thrown melee weapons). This bonus does not stack with that provided by a Weapon Specialization feat taken separately.
    Last edited by TheEscapist; 2008-02-03 at 06:44 PM. Reason: Suggested updates
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    frown Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    I apologize for the poor formatting of the class table. I'm kind of an idiot when it comes to HTML and such.
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Orc in the Playground
     
    magic8BALL's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Australia

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    I'd spread out the partial profficiency a bit, but make it more consise: -3 at 1st, -2 at 3rd, -1 at 5th and Full (-0) at 7th. From first level on, they may use the weapon as though they are profficent with respect to special abilities the weapon has: being wielded in 1 hand for the Bastard Sword an Dwarven Waraxe, able to make trip attemps with the Spiked Chain, and so on.

    This may sound a bit padantic, but it's the differencr between a 9th level character being profficient with everything and a 13th level character being profficient with everything. Thats a matter of game balance.

    This reduced rate of progresion stuffs up Supreme Weapon Focus. You can simply reword that so that you gain weapon focus with all melee weapons you are proficient with.

    On that topic, I'd include weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization as Prerequisites too, just soo having these feats apply to everything dosn't come out of the blue.

    Also, you could change the Exotic Weapon Profficency prerequisite to say "profficiency with any three exotic melle weapons", and aim the class towards elite fighters from races that have racial weapons: opening up the door for a real use for the Improved Weapon Familiarity feat.

    Having seemingly picked holes in the class, I don't think my suggestions have changed that much at all. I like the class, I love the concept. Somthing every Dwarf/Gnome/Elf strike group should have (these are the races with heaps of racial exotic weapons).
    We the Unwilling,
    Lead by the Unqualified,
    Have been doing the Unimagineble
    For so Long, with so Little,
    That we shall now attempt the Impossible
    With Nothing!

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Quote Originally Posted by magic8BALL View Post
    Also, you could change the Exotic Weapon Profficency prerequisite to say "profficiency with any three exotic melle weapons", and aim the class towards elite fighters from races that have racial weapons: opening up the door for a real use for the Improved Weapon Familiarity feat.
    Thanks for your suggestions and kind words (especially in comparison to most of the critiques I've seen homebrewed stuff receive around here). The above quote was the change I could make most readily, so I'm going to edit that on the class description above. I'll try to tinker with some of your other suggestions another time. It may be a decent hour in Australia, but where I'm at it's 1 am and I've been trying to force myself onto a slightly more reasonable sleep schedule.
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Orc in the Playground
     
    magic8BALL's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Australia

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Quote Originally Posted by TheEscapist View Post
    Thanks for your suggestions and kind words (especially in comparison to most of the critiques I've seen homebrewed stuff receive around here).
    hmmm... I thought I was a butal hard ass: nit picking on minor things I thought were overpowered, but when a class is built that good, it's hard to sound unkind.

    I'm fairly sure this class will be used at my table sometime. Sooner rather than later I hope. (now... 2 level of barbarian, 4 levels of fighter, the 3 levels of Exotic Weapon Master, then jump straight into this... 10 levels later... where to from here...? Frezied bezerker?...)
    We the Unwilling,
    Lead by the Unqualified,
    Have been doing the Unimagineble
    For so Long, with so Little,
    That we shall now attempt the Impossible
    With Nothing!

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    I wish I knew...
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Just nitpicking, but can't you already apply your Str mod to thrown weapons? Kinda makes Brutal Throw pointless...
    Quote Originally Posted by The Underlord View Post
    All hail great Shneekeythulhu! Ia Ia Shneeky fthagn
    Spoiler
    Show
    Quite possibly, the best rebuttal I have ever witnessed.
    Joker Bard - the DM's solution to the Batman Wizard.
    Takahashi no Onisan - The scariest Samurai alive
    Incarnum and YOU: a reference guide
    Soulmelds, by class and slot: Another Incarnum reference
    Multiclassing for Newbies: A reference guide for the rest of us

    My homebrew world in progress: Falcora

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Orc in the Playground
     
    magic8BALL's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Australia

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    nah...

    Brutal Throw:The battle master gains the Brutal Throw feat for free, allowing him to add his STR bonus instead of his DEX bonus to his attack roll when using thrown weapons. You Add your STT bonus to damage, or 1-1/2 STR if you throw with boths hands as a full round action.

    Normal: You apply your DEX mod to attcks, and STR to damage.

    ...I think...
    We the Unwilling,
    Lead by the Unqualified,
    Have been doing the Unimagineble
    For so Long, with so Little,
    That we shall now attempt the Impossible
    With Nothing!

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    I'm toying with the idea of getting rid of power attack & combat expertise as requirements. I originally intended for them to be a representation of the Battle Master's ability to adapt his combat style to whatever situation he's found in, but I'm not sure if it comes across that way or if it just seems like two arbitrary requirements for the PrC. If I did get rid of them, I could always replace them with weapon focus (any melee) and weapon specialization (any melee) per Magic8Ball's suggestion, or possibly with other feats. Maybe replacing the two with just one feat would work better, if the price of (approximately) 5 feats just to gain entry to the class seems a bit steep. Thoughts?
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Titan in the Playground
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    I wish I knew...
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Quote Originally Posted by TheEscapist View Post
    I'm toying with the idea of getting rid of power attack & combat expertise as requirements. I originally intended for them to be a representation of the Battle Master's ability to adapt his combat style to whatever situation he's found in, but I'm not sure if it comes across that way or if it just seems like two arbitrary requirements for the PrC. If I did get rid of them, I could always replace them with weapon focus (any melee) and weapon specialization (any melee) per Magic8Ball's suggestion, or possibly with other feats. Maybe replacing the two with just one feat would work better, if the price of (approximately) 5 feats just to gain entry to the class seems a bit steep. Thoughts?
    A human figher can have 5 feats by level 3, a nonhuman figher by level 4... not too restrictive in my opinion.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Underlord View Post
    All hail great Shneekeythulhu! Ia Ia Shneeky fthagn
    Spoiler
    Show
    Quite possibly, the best rebuttal I have ever witnessed.
    Joker Bard - the DM's solution to the Batman Wizard.
    Takahashi no Onisan - The scariest Samurai alive
    Incarnum and YOU: a reference guide
    Soulmelds, by class and slot: Another Incarnum reference
    Multiclassing for Newbies: A reference guide for the rest of us

    My homebrew world in progress: Falcora

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Lizardfolk

    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Lawton, ok
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    isnt the Gladiator from the Dark sun the same (proficent in all weapons). It was a 2nd Ed world... [the website for 3rd is OGL (sort of) but doesn't use the Gladiator the same way.]
    My world
    Spoiler
    Show
    I give you a shame less rip off.... but it is my world of Mythra
    my First Campaign
    Spoiler
    Show
    78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. If you're one of the 22% that didn't, copy and paste this into your signature.
    (mine started with them in a Dwarven jail)

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Orc in the Playground
     
    magic8BALL's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Australia

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    yeah... you could pull power attack, becouse you have the option for Supreme Weapon Fineses. Why would someone have no strength have power attack? They cant even take the feat!

    Suggested feat Prerequisites:
    Power Attack or Weapon Finese
    Weapon Focus (any melee)
    Weapon Specialisation (any melee)
    Profficient will all simple and martial weapons, and any three exotic melee weapons.

    Suggested Change to Combat Style:
    If you have Power attack: Brutal Throw
    If you have Weapon Finese: Supreme Weapon Finese
    If you have both: choose.

    (choose Supreme weapon finese 'cuz you can pick up Brtal Throw as a feat later!)
    We the Unwilling,
    Lead by the Unqualified,
    Have been doing the Unimagineble
    For so Long, with so Little,
    That we shall now attempt the Impossible
    With Nothing!

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Okay, I made the following adjustments to the initial post, based on Magic8Ball's suggestions (thanks again for your continued interest in my very first Homebrewed PrC) and some more of my own ideas:

    - Spaced out the partial/full exotic weapon proficiency bonuses. There is now one level between each.
    - Got rid of perform (weapon drills) from the skill list, since it doesn't do anything, or possibly even exist.
    - Added the option to take another fighter feat in the unlikely even that the character has already taken the Throw Anything feat before 2nd level in the PrC.
    - Changed the entry requirements based on 8Ball's suggestion that supreme weapon focus and supreme weapon specialization shouldn't come out of nowhere. Opted not to require "power attack or weapon finesse" as an entry requirement, as I still feel like five feats is a steep enough entry requirement.
    - Moved some of the class abilities to occur later in the PrC's progression, largely to make room for the spaced out exotic weapon proficiency bonuses.

    Now sixth level is looking a bit lonely. I was toying with the idea of possibly allowing the player to choose between Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, or Great Fortitude as a bonus feat, but that seems kind of arbitrary. It fits my idea of a weapons master, but it seems a bit out of place to me in the PrC. Thoughts, anyone?
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Orc in the Playground
     
    Fako's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2006

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Why not give them the "Weapon Aptitude" ability at 6th level? It's a Warblade ability from Tome of Battle. It allows them to spend one hour at the beginning of the day to change around weapon-specific feats (like Weapon Focus and Weapon Spec.) from one weapon to another.

  14. - Top - End - #14
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Quote Originally Posted by Fako View Post
    Why not give them the "Weapon Aptitude" ability at 6th level? It's a Warblade ability from Tome of Battle. It allows them to spend one hour at the beginning of the day to change around weapon-specific feats (like Weapon Focus and Weapon Spec.) from one weapon to another.
    While Weapon Aptitude does seem to fit well with the PrC theme, the fact that battle masters get weapon focus, improved critical, and weapon specialization with ALL melee weapons at later levels would quickly phase out any usefulness of the weapon aptitude ability. There are a few other feats that are weapon-specific, but they're either so obscure or so high level (greater weapon focus, greater weapon specialization, etc.) that a battle master would have very few opportunities to make use of it.

    However, you have given me an idea. I can't look up the specifics right now because my Tome of Battle is out on loan, but maybe a battle master could use an ability similar to a Swordsage's ability to identify the properties of magic weapons? Possibly in a more limited fashion, such as just being able to identify the magical + number of a magical weapon by practicing with it for a minute or so?
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  15. - Top - End - #15
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    The_Cowinator's Avatar

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Somewhere I shouldn't be...
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    thog smash!!!

    Nah, I like it. My kind of style...hit and then hit harder. Really seems like more of a barroom brawler though. Basically just pick up any weapon and then...

    thog smash harder!!!
    Spoiler
    Show

    Spoiler
    Show




    Spoiler
    Show



    Quote Originally Posted by The Vanishing Hitchhiker View Post
    Dumbledore - the new Elvis!


    "not nale, not-nale. thog help nail not-nale, not nale. and thog knot not-nale while nale nail not-nale. nale, not not-nale, now nail not-nale by leaving not-nale, not nale, in jail."


    Avatar by Gorbash Kazdar




  16. - Top - End - #16
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Quote Originally Posted by The_Cowinator View Post
    thog smash!!!

    Nah, I like it. My kind of style...hit and then hit harder. Really seems like more of a barroom brawler though. Basically just pick up any weapon and then...

    thog smash harder!!!
    Well, it's really only the improvised weapons class abilities that make it seem like a barroom brawling class. Any PC can pick up a chair and hit someone over the head with it, but a Battle Master is familiar enough with every aspect of armed combat that he can hit someone over the head with a chair and make it look like a martial arts technique.
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  17. - Top - End - #17
    Orc in the Playground
     
    magic8BALL's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Australia

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    hmmm...

    Level 6 looks a bit empty...

    What about something that treats weapons as one size catagry closer to you as far as the penalties to attck go. You could weild a large longsword as a greatsword, normally you would take a -2 penalty to attack. Or a small greataxe as a battleaxe, again, normally a -2 penalty applies. You could wield a tiny greatsword as a shortsword for -2 (insted of -4), etc etc. This would negate the drawback of the Monkey Grip feat. It is also a nicety for a class that relies on the "hit with anything" approach. Call it "size adaption" or somthing...
    We the Unwilling,
    Lead by the Unqualified,
    Have been doing the Unimagineble
    For so Long, with so Little,
    That we shall now attempt the Impossible
    With Nothing!

  18. - Top - End - #18
    Halfling in the Playground
     
    Kobold

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    The center of The Void
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Quote Originally Posted by TheEscapist View Post
    I apologize for the poor formatting of the class table. I'm kind of an idiot when it comes to HTML and such.
    Snagged this for you from the "Guide To Homebrewing" sticky if you want it. Basically what you are going to do is replace everything that is not in brackets (with the exception of the 2nd Row and the levels). It's pretty easy, but since you said you don't have much experience with HTML it may be slightly confusing to look at. Copy it, open a new reply, test out throwing different text different places (hitting "Preview Post" after each change), and when you finally have it figured out and filled in, copy and paste into your original post.

    Like I said, the code is all spread out, so it shouldn't be a problem to understand. Just don't do what everyone thinks you're going to do; don't FREAK out! (When you see it all pop up and look like a jumble of random words)

    Spoiler
    Show
    [b]NAME OF CLASS[/b]
    {table=head][b]Level[/b]|[b]Base Attack[br]Bonus[/b]|[b]Fort Save[/b]|[b]Ref Save[/b]|[b]Will Save[/b]|[b]Special[/b]

    1st|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    2nd|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    3rd|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    4th|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    5th|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    6th|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    7th|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    8th|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    9th|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability

    10th|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|[center]+x[/center]|Class Ability[/table]
    Spoiler
    Show

    My Stuffs:

    Races and Monsters:
    Kobork | Diverion | Tori | Zodiacal Hydra | Grecklerot | [Unnamed] | Faddle | Träumen


    Feats:

    Expand Wild Shape | Psionic Void | Quick Grab


    Spells:

    Ethereal Anchor | Twist Fate | Ghost Instrument


  19. - Top - End - #19
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    TheEscapist's Avatar

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Philadelphia
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    Okay, thanks to Calver's help, I was able to fix the table using the format that was on the sticky topic all along. I also added a new ability, "melee tactics," to fill in the previously-empty 6th level and added Bluff to the class skill list for feinting purposes. Though recently, especially after having seen a lot of the PrCs coming out in newer sourcebooks, I can't help but feel the Battle Master might be a little underpowered. Yes, he's incredibly versatile, but does that make up for it? Any thoughts?
    "Playing D&D is a lot like having a venereal disease. Whenever I date a girl, there's always going to be that point in our relationship where I have to be up front and tell her that I play Dungeons & Dragons. And that will definitely have a lasting impact on how/if our relationship progresses."

    My Homebrewed Creations:
    The Eight Brothers, Herald of the End, Mherephess, Battle Master, Nemesis Paragon, Scholar's Blade, Weapons of the Big Folk

  20. - Top - End - #20
    Orc in the Playground
     
    magic8BALL's Avatar

    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Australia

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    In a world where you never know where your next weapon is coming from, or what it is, this would be the ultimate in 'fighter' type classes.

    Or even think of a Fighter 4/ Monk 6/ Battle Master 10... +2 to damage for... any melee weapon I can think of, plus a heap of other goodies that would make a really fun character to play!
    We the Unwilling,
    Lead by the Unqualified,
    Have been doing the Unimagineble
    For so Long, with so Little,
    That we shall now attempt the Impossible
    With Nothing!

  21. - Top - End - #21
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Quellian-dyrae's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    CA
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Battle Master (PrC)

    If I may, I'd suggest replacing the required proficiency in three exotic weapons with proficiency in any one exotic weapon, Quick Draw, and Improved Disarm. Since this is a class that focuses on versatile use of weapons, quick draw is simply an imperative feat, and this seems like the sort of character that would be disarming weapons and then turning against their wielders regularly (also meshes well with the melee tactics ability). The thing about requiring three exotic weapons for a class that winds up making you proficient with all exotic weapons is that it's just a drain on your feats. A single classed fighter is already giving up five feats just by virtue of losing ten fighter levels.

    You might also want to look into how magic weapons will interact with the class. This class seems ideal for a low-magic campaign where skill and versatility matter more than overwhelming arcane enhancements, but it a standard campaign, being able to switch between sword, axe, and spiked chain on a whim doesn't help much if the sword is the only one that gives you a +5 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls.

    Final suggestion: let the improvised weapon abilities apply to all weapons as a sort of "minimum damage" ability. That way the dagger in the battle master's boot is just a great a threat as the long sword at its side...or the wine tankard on the table.
    A role playing game is three things. It is an interactive story, a game of chance, and a process in critical thinking.

    If brevity is the soul of wit, I'm witty like a vampire!

    World of Aranth
    M&M 3e Character Guide

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •