My Class Remixes

Hi folks. Sometimes I pass the time at my menial job by world building. I've made some classes, so here's some.

First is the 'Chainmail' fighter. As in, this is based on the Fighting-Man class as it first appeared in Chainmail.

Fighting-Man XP Level HD Atk bonus Damage Bonus Other
Veteran 0 1 d8 0 1  
Warrior 2150 2 2d8 etc. etc.  
Weaponmaster 4300 3 3d8      
Hero 8600 4 4d8      
Exemplar 17200 5 5d8     Inspire Troops
Myrmidon 34400 6 6d8     Battle Senses
Champion 70000 7 7d8      
Epic Hero 140000 8 8d8     Terrifying Charge
Warlord 240000 9 9d8      
Warlord 340000 10 9d8+2      
Warlord 440000 11 9d8+4      
Warlord 540000 12 9d8+6      
Warlord 640000 13 9d8+8      
Overlord 740000 14 9d8+10      

The Fighting-Man traded out one fighting style (No two-weapon style) for Battle Senses and Terrifying Charge.

Battle Senses is the ability to detect any invisible creatures within 10'. Strictly worse than Second Sight, but more accurate to the source.

Terrifying Charge causes panic (a morale check) in any enemy in weapons reach when charging.

All in all, the Fighting-Man mapped pretty accurately onto the Fighter.

Monster Slayer

The cleric was originally devised to as a foil for another players overpowered Vampire character, Lord Fang. Here's my take on it, less crusader of the faith, more Van Helsing. Still needs more level titles, and a better class name.

Fighting 2

HD 1

Thief 1; 3 skills all traded out.

Title XP Level HD Atk Bonus Damage Bonus Other
Dogmeat 0 1 d6 0 1 Healing, Divine Health, Turn Undead
Decoy 1700 2 2d6 1 1  
Torch Bearer 3400 3 3d6 etc. 2  
Monsterbaiter 6800 4 4d6   etc.  
  13600 5 5d6      
Purifier 27200 6 6d6      
Lightbringer 55000 7 7d6      
Monster Slayer 110000 8 8d6      
  210000 9 9d6     Fortified Church
  310000 10 9d6+2      
  410000 11 9d6+4      
  510000 12 9d6+6      
  610000 13 9d6+8      
  710000 14 9d6+10      

A fightier, unmagical cleric with none of the pretensions of being a paladin.

I have another setup that splits the specials out through the levels and grants divine health, but there's nothing wrong with being frontloaded.
 

I'm guessing thief 3 is actually thief 1 (3 powers).   Also FYI you cant take turn undead without atleat a rank in divine (by raw, player companion p92), obviously it can differ by GM fiat, (I presume that is why paladins dont have Turn undead).

The big reason for this limitation is that Turn Undead costs a number of powers equal to your rank in Divine (or other spellcasting point value with a code of behavior).

Without points in a magic type that can grant it, you don’t really have a good basis to judge how many powers it’s worth; you could say that ‘as cleric’ costs 2 powers, but that doesn’t really account for the whole ecosystem in which you not only spend two powers, but also have the two points in Divine, which has of necessity limited your access to other class points.

[quote="Loswaith"]

I'm guessing thief 3 is actually thief 1 (3 powers).  [/quote]

Oops, my bad! Yes, that should read Thief 1.

[quote="Loswaith"]

Also FYI you cant take turn undead without atleat a rank in divine (by raw, player companion p92), obviously it can differ by GM fiat, (I presume that is why paladins dont have Turn undead).

[/quote]

DM fiat is certainly in effect here! Turning is both less effective and more commonly available in my setting - anyone can attempt to turn by brandishing a symbol of the power animating the undead. Honestly though, I don't think this would cause any trouble in anyone's game as is.

[quote="Aryxymaraki"]

The big reason for this limitation is that Turn Undead costs a number of powers equal to your rank in Divine (or other spellcasting point value with a code of behavior). Without points in a magic type that can grant it, you don't really have a good basis to judge how many powers it's worth; you could say that 'as cleric' costs 2 powers, but that doesn't really account for the whole ecosystem in which you not only spend two powers, but also have the two points in Divine, which has of necessity limited your access to other class points. [/quote]

Oh, but we do have a basis! We can look at Black Lore of Zahar and Grey Lore. Both grant half-turning and a minor bonus for one power. So if half-turning is less than one power, full turning must be less than two. I think someone has probably done the math somewhere, but I think it's close enough for me to round down.

You’re not wrong but the scaling is nonlinear. (Having both Black Lore and a class power for it, as we see in the Heroic Companion, gives 2/3 turning IIRC).

Not to say this is a bad class because DM fiat! I just wanted to mention the reason that you normally can’t get turn undead at full progression without points in divine.

[quote="Aryxymaraki"]

You're not wrong but the scaling is nonlinear. (Having both Black Lore and a class power for it, as we see in the Heroic Companion, gives 2/3 turning IIRC).

[/quote]

I must have missed that. Do you remember where it is in there? That being the case, it would probably be fair to drop a power, divine health I think, and call it even.

Draft page 70 (page numbers may vary), description of the Black Lore of Zahar proficiency.

I had a little idea nibbling at me for the thief; when I finally started working on it I liked it so much more than my original remix. Still a WIP, but I think you can see where it's going.

The thief originated in Warlock and was essentially a wizard with a specialized spell list - spells that are not expended when used, are not guaranteed to work, and can have prerequisite spells. Those first two things sound to me a lot like ceremonial spellcasting! So then, the scheming thief was born! A scheme is basically a reflavoured ceremonial spell, with only a couple changes - schemes use knowledge skills for a +1 instead of perform, and thieves lack a repertoire.

Hd 0 :d4

Fight 0: as wizard

Thief 3: 10 skills (750 xp)

Ceremonial Eldrich 1: 1/2 Runekeeper (250 xp)

(XP per level : 1000)

A thief uses schemes from the Larceny Tradition, and must abide by the thieves code: Don't squeal, Don't make waves. Do the job and do it clean and quiet.

Basic Larceny Schemes

Knock Chameleon Detect Traps Silent Step Remove Traps Spider Climb Hear Noise Pick Pocket Backstab Read Language Move Silently Hide in Shadows
13 11 13 11 18 11 14 17 2x - - -
12 10 12 10 17 10 13 16   - - -
12 10 12 10 16 10 12 15   - - -
11 9 11 9 15 9 11 14   - - -
11 9 11 9 14 9 10 13 3x 9 17 19
10 8 10 8 13 8 9 12   8 16 18
10 8 10 8 11 8 8 10   8 15 17
9 7 9 7 9 7 7 8   7 14 16
9 7 9 7 7 7 6 6 4x 7 13 15
8 6 8 6 5 6 5 4   6 12 14
8 6 8 6 3 6 4 2   6 10 12
7 5 7 5 2 5 3 -1   5 8 10
7 5 7 5 2 5 2 -3 5x 5 6 8
6 4 6 4 1 4 1 -5   4 4 6

Schemes take a period of ten minutes of study and calculation to enact, but a scheme may be hastily concocted in a single round for a -4 to the die roll. Having an appropriate Knowledge skill grants a +1 to the roll. Schemes in bold are as the spell. Detect traps is as Find Traps, but targets only a single small area or object for a duration of concentration at range 0. All others are as the thief skill. Thieves of any level can record their schemes into a Masterplan, which follows the same rules as a ceremonial trinket. At 10th level, a thief may research new schemes, brew potions, scribe scrolls, and create lucky charms (talisman). At first level, a thief may chose to be proficient with one handed swords, leather armour, gain one lucky charm or a knowledge skill.

Specialist Larceny Schemes

1st 2nd 3rd
- - -
- - -
- - -
1 - -
1 - -
2 - -
2 - -
2 1 -
2 1 -
2 2 -
2 2 1
2 2 1
2 2 2
2 2 2

Specialist schemes are still a WIP, but feature appropriate spells from the arcane lists, such as Hold Portal (Jam it!) or Jump (Springheel Jack).

The neatest thing about ceremonial casting is in the implements. Who says the ceremonial implements for Knock aren't a set of lockpicks and a stethoscope, and the casting time isn't just the thief fiddling with the lock?

What steps will you take to stop players from coming up with less appropriate schemes,  such as, magic jar and cure light wounds? As written, yor class still uses eldrich spells. Will the class have its own set of spell level multipliers?

[quote="GMJoe"]

What steps will you take to stop players from coming up with less appropriate schemes,  such as, magic jar and cure light wounds? As written, yor class still uses eldrich spells. Will the class have its own set of spell level multipliers?

[/quote]

At first I tinkered around with a Larceny spell type and, after several revisions, decided it just wasn't worth it. Arcane (Eldrich) really covers everything I want, makes the things I don't want really expensive, and gives me just about the right number of spell levels. Magic jar, for example, will never be affordable. As far as the thief understands it, it's not actually magic, it's just skill and the right tools! A healers kit used as a ceremonial tool for Cure Light would be totally appropriate to me. Naturally, trying to develop a scheme that even the player can't sincerely justify as a larceny scheme is time for the thief to waste their time and money on fruitless research.