Blade Frenzy (3.5 Class)

[Littha]

Blade Frenzy
[spoiler]
d10 HD

Level  BAB  Fort  Ref  Will  Special 
 1      +1    +2    +2   +0   Blade Frenzy's Vow, Blade Frenzy  
 2      +2    +3    +3   +0
 3      +3    +3    +3   +1   Blade Saint 
 4      +4    +4    +4   +1   Wall of Swords
 5      +5    +4    +4   +1   Death by 1000 cuts
 6      +6    +5    +5   +2   Sword Flurry 
 7      +7    +5    +5   +2
 8      +8    +6    +6   +2   Phantom Waves 
 9      +9    +6    +6   +3
10      +10   +7    +7   +3   Cutting Wave
11      +11   +8    +8   +3
12      +12   +8    +8   +4   Wave Sword
13      +13   +9    +9   +4   Force Blade
14      +14   +9    +9   +4   Divide and Conquer
15      +15   +10   +10  +5
16      +16   +10   +10  +5
17      +17   +11   +11  +5
18      +18   +11   +11  +6
19      +19   +12   +12  +6
20      +20   +12   +12  +6  Sword Blessing 

6+Int Skillpoints per level.
The Blade Frenzies class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance, Climb , Craft, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Iaijutsu Focus, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (local), Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Spot, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device, and Use Rope.

Blade Frenzies vow.
A Blade Frenzy vows only to use Slashing weapons. She is treated as non-proficient with any weapon that cannot deal slashing damage, or that she is using in such a manner so as to not deal any slashing damage. This effective non-proficiency only applies towards suffering the non-proficiency penalty to attack rolls. The Blade Frenzy is still considered proficient with such weapons for other purposes, such as meeting the requirements of a feat, prestige class, or other option, assuming she was proficient in the first place.

Blade Frenzy (Su)
Blade Frenzies move supernaturally fast. Once per round when a Blade Frenzy makes an attack she may make one extra attack with each slashing weapon she wields. These extra attacks can only be made if they deal slashing damage.

Sword flurry (Ex)
A blade frenzy may make a full attack as a standard action or at the end of a charge.


Wall of swords (Ex)
A Blade Frenzy adds her Base Attack Bonus as a deflection bonus to her Armor Class while wielding a slashing weapon. If a she is denied her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, she also loses this bonus.

Death by 1000 cuts (Ex)
Once per day for every 3 class levels a Blade Frenzy may attempt to kill an opponent, not with one blow but a thousand tiny slices. To use this ability you must first declare you are about to use it then you must make an attack roll, if it misses your use of the ability is lost. If you successfully hit roll damage as though you had hit with a normal attack (including power attack bonuses and the like provided you took the penalties) the target takes no damage but must roll a fortitude save with a DC equal to the damage you would have inflicted. If it is passed your opponent survives for one round and may act as normal, at the end of the round he falls down dead, blood seeping from all over his body. If the save is failed they explode in a rain of gore that showers everything within 10ft, all creatures in the area must make a will save (DC = Killed creatures CR +15) or become nauseated. This ability is an attack action and may be used in conjunction with the Phantom Waves and Wave Sword abilities.

Blade Saint (Su)
So great is a Blade Frenzy's mastery of weapons that any slashing weapon she wields is treated as a magical weapon with a total equivalent enhancement bonus equal to one half her level. The total equivalent enhancement bonus can be divided amongst an actual enhancement bonus (to a maximum of +5) and any number of weapon special abilities that are priced as an equivalent enhancement bonus. Similar to a normal magic weapon, this ability must grant at least a +1 enhancement bonus before it can grant any other special abilities. The Blade Frenzy must choose what enhancement bonus and abilities to grant at the beginning of the day, but the same selection applies to all slashing weapons she wields. Special abilities that can only be used a limited number of times in a given day or over a longer period cannot be selected this way. Special abilities that cannot normally be applied to a given weapon are not granted to such a weapon when the Blade Frenzy wields it. Any benefits of this ability apply to a weapon only while the Blade Frenzy wields it and for 1d4 rounds thereafter, or until another creature wields it.

A slashing weapon that is already magical in its own right does not gain the full benefit of this ability. Instead, whenever the Blade Frenzy attacks with such a weapon, she must choose whether to use the weapon's enhancement bonus and special abilities or the enhancement bonus and special abilities granted by this ability. This choice only applies for the individual attack. The Blade Frenzy can use either option independent of previous attacks with a given weapon, at her discretion. The weapon is considered to have whichever set of enhancement bonus and special abilities is more beneficial at all other times.

The Blade Frenzy's aura is so powerful that mundane slashing weapons are improved, even after being discarded. Whenever she kills or destroys an enemy with a non-masterwork slashing weapon to which this ability applies, she may choose to have that weapon permanently become a masterwork weapon (treat this as an instantaneous effect). Weapons that cannot be made masterwork or that have options applied to them that are mutually exclusive with being made masterwork cannot be made masterwork in this way.

Phantom waves (Su)
Waves of power run along the weapons of a Blade Frenzy extending from the tip as she makes attacks. The reach of any weapon wielded by a blade frenzy is increased by 5 foot. In addition, unlike most other weapons with reach, it can be used against an adjacent foe or creatures between you and its maximum range. This ability improves at each level after you acquire it, increasing the maximum reach of your weapon by an additional 5ft. The reach granted by this ability may not be used to make attacks of opportunity. The first time per combat this increased range is used to strike an enemy that enemy is considered flat footed.

Cutting Wave (Su)
The waves of energy generated by the Frenzies phantom waves ability are more powerful than ever, A blade frenzy ignores hardness and her attacks deal full damage to objects.

Wave Sword (Su)
The energy waves produced by a high level blade frenzy are so potent that they can strike through targets. At her option a blade frenzy may make her melee attacks hit all targets in a line. The range is equal to the reach of her weapon (plus her phantom waves ability). This ability may be used to sunder large objects several squares at a time. The first target in the line is hit normally (The Frenzy's attack bonus vs their AC) targets beyond the first receive a reflex save for half damage equal to the Blade frenzies total attack bonus.

Force Blade (Su)
At her option all attacks made by the sword frenzy are considered to be made of force, this ability may be used an unlimited number of times per day as a free action and lasts until cancelled.

Divide and Conquer (Su)
Once per day per three class levels as a free action a blade frenzy may make her next attack so potent that it divides the opponent in two. Unless the target passes a fortitude check equal to the Blade Frenzies total attack bonus they are slain outright and any armour the target is wearing is sundered. The cut is so perfectly clean that sundered armour may be repaired with a relevant DC 20 craft check or a mending spell. Unattended nonmagical objects are automatically sundered, attended objects and Undead or Construct creatures may make a fortitude save. This ability may be used with the Phantom waves and Wave Sword abilities, It affects all targets in its area of effect.

Sword Blessing. (Su)
At the twentieth level the power of your blade saint ability improves significantly. Your touch warps metal and wood, making any weapon you wield permanently gain any enchantments you give it. However, your attachment to your blades is so great that you may never give away sell or willingly lose possession of any of them. You may still choose to use the blade saint ability rather than the enchantment bestowed by this ability as you make each attack. [/spoiler]


Now as you can probably tell by now none of the abilities have an actual level you gain them at, this is where I am stuck. I did put them all on a table and other than sword blessing they all ended up pre level 10  which front loaded the class super badly. 'I hit it with my sword' Abilities arent so great after that anyway so  could either spread the current abilities over 20 levels which would likley leave a highly damaging but otherwise fairly useless class (though it does have Use magic device so it should be at least tier 3) or keep writing abilities and potentially making lightning warrior mk2 (still no familiar though).

The abilities that the class has were worked on with the premise that no matter how awesome you make melee attacks it will never stand up to casters... so why not make them so over the top that you can still compete. Plus killing everything and the door at the end of a corridor in one attack is awesome...

Anyway input would be nice and any thought's on what levels the abilities should go at or more abilities is greatly welcomed.

[Garryl]

Here are my thoughts on the first five abilities. The suggested levels I give for them are minimum levels. You can usually put them in later on as long as you have something suitable earlier. Blade Saint is on exception in that it should not start later than 4th level. Any later than that and you already have magic weapons, so you have a class feature that doesn't really benefit you and creates a conflict with the choices you will have already made.

Please feel free to ignore any of the comments I make regarding hyper-literal readings of your abilities. My initial thoughts tend to be that way, and it's good if you really want to make your text as tight as possible. Of course, a lot of these thoughts are intentional misunderstandings of the obvious intent that is technically allowed by the actual wording.

Side note: UMD brings you to Tier 4, not Tier 3. Although it does allow you to tackle most every challenge, it does not allow you to tackle them well or efficiently. The Rogue, for example, is in Tier 4 for similar reasons (at least, that's my understanding of it).


Blade Frenzy Vow
[spoiler]
I'd suggest changing the vow to being considered non-proficient with weapons that aren't being used for slashing damage rather than flat out losing proficiency with any weapon that can be used for non-slashing damage. That way, weapons with multiple damage types (like daggers and a slashing equivalent of morningstars) can still be used for slashing damage, as long as you use them as slashing weapons. Further, effects like Versatile Unarmed Strike that let you deal slashing damage with weapons that normally aren't slashing would allow you to be proficient. In fact, you may wish to give the ability to use certain weapons as slashing weapons along with the vow (or at least at the same level). Whether that comes through giving Versatile Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat or a similar ability is up to you. Also note that if you are expecting the Blade Frenzies to not be proficient with ranged weapons, there are arrows that deal slashing damage.

The limitations on what weapons can be used for Blade Frenzy and Phantom Wave should be in the respective abilities' descriptions, not lost in another, unrelated ability. Also, are the Blade Frenzies actually proficient with all simple and martial weapons? You don't have the actual proficiencies listed.

Suggested rewording:

A Blade Frenzy vows only to use Slashing weapons. She is treated as non-proficient with any weapon that cannot deal slashing damage, or that she is using in such a manner so as to not deal any slashing damage. This effective non-proficiency only applies towards suffering the non-proficiency penalty to attack rolls. The Blade Frenzy is still considered proficient with such weapons for other purposes, such as meeting the requirements of a feat, prestige class, or other option, assuming she was proficient in the first place.

[/spoiler]

Blade Frenzy
[spoiler]
The iconic ability of the class, I guess, given the shared name? Moving supernaturally fast and striking supernaturally fast are two distinct concepts in my mind, but I get what you're going at. You probably don't want this ability until at least 4th to 8th level, depending on how high powered you want this class early on. Doubling your attacks when your BaB is below +6 is nasty, although it loses some of its edge at the higher levels when you already have several attacks per round. It should definitely come before 11th level. If it doesn't stack with Haste (at least not initially), Blade Frenzy can easily come online at 5th-6th level (same as Haste), especially if it's initially limited to granting a single attack, rather than one with each weapon. The full version should definitely come by 8th level, though.

I'd suggest changing the wording a bit. The "each time but only once" bit is needlessly wordy and confusing. Either change it to "The first time a Blade Frenzy attacks each round..." or "Once per round when a Blade Frenzy makes an attack..." depending on how much choice you want to give the player in triggering the extra attacks. Don't forget to also include the limitation to only using slashing weapons from the vow.

You may also want to change the name of this ability. Frenzy is a term that already has an established meaning in D&D as a rage-like state, as coined by the Frenzied Berserker, and also the Barbarian's Whirling Frenzy ACF in Unearthed Arcana. Blade Flurry would be a more appropriate name, evoking the Flurry concept of granting additional attacks without relying on a temporary change in state of mind. Changing the name also alleviates confusion when referring to the class and/or to this ability.

((Borked Wording Interpretation: You get one extra attack for each weapon you carry. Nothing specifies that each extra attack has to be with the weapon you were carrying. Further, nothing says you have to be wielding them, just carrying them. Ergo, carry as many daggers as you can in your backpack to get that many extra attacks with your greatsword.

I'd suggest changing the wording to specify that you get an extra attack with each weapon you wield instead of just for each weapon carried. This also allows it to be used unambiguously with natural weapons.))

Suggested rewording:

Blade Frenzies move supernaturally fast. Once per round when a Blade Frenzy makes an attack she may make one extra attack with each slashing weapon she wields. These extra attacks can only be made if they deal slashing damage.

[/spoiler]

Sword Flurry
[spoiler]
Looks good, pretty standard. As part of a base class by itself, I would suggest giving this at 6th level (in time for +6 BaB's extra attack). If you want it to be more dippable or if you are encouraging two-weapon fighting (or other early sources of extra attacks on a full-attack), I don't see any problem having it as early as 1st or 2nd level, like the Lion Totem Barbarian's Pounce. Full-attacks as a standard action are an added option that's better than only pouncing, but it's not much better than the benefits of an initiator's standard action strikes.

I'd suggest changing the wording to specify that the full-attack at the end of the charge is in place of the normal attack at the end of a charge, and that it can't be combined with the Pounce ability or similar abilities that allow you to make extra attacks in place of the normal attack at the end of a charge. Further, you may wish to include the qualifier that this can't be used except with slashing weapons.
[/spoiler]

Wall of Swords
[spoiler]
You may want to specify that the Blade Frenzy needs to be armed with a slashing weapon to use this. It just seems like a strange image to have an unarmed character protecting herself with a wall of blades but without the blades.

Wording could be tightened up and made more consistent with other, similar effects. The Duelist's Canny Defense ability is a short and simple template for this kind of ability.

Suggested rewording:

A Blade Frenzy adds her Base Attack Bonus as a deflection bonus to her Armor Class while wielding a slashing weapon. If a she is denied her Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, she also loses this bonus.

[/spoiler]

Blade Saint
[spoiler]
You're changing from 3rd person to 1st person here, which makes it harder to read and understand. Please keep the person consistent with the description of other abilities.

Getting the wording right on making weapons into magic weapons with some enhancement bonus equivalents is always tough. I'll get back to you if I find a good template.

I see, you get to reselect what abilities you give any weapon you wield at the beginning of the day, but for any given attack you can also choose to use the weapon's existing enhancement bonus and abilities in place of your chosen abilities. You may want to reword that slightly so that you can benefit from Greater Magic Weapon and similar spells and effects.

Move the bit about making weapons masterwork into its own paragraph (or at least its own sentence). It gets lost in the bit about auras and abilities fading.

This ability should be alright to put in anywhere from 2nd to 4th level (at the latest). Any magic weapons that are granted as class features should come up by the time you would actually find or buy one normally (around 3rd to 5th level for a standard +1 weapon).

Suggested rewording:

So great is a Blade Frenzy's mastery of weapons that any slashing weapon she wields is treated as a magical weapon with a total equivalent enhancement bonus equal to one half her level. The total equivalent enhancement bonus can be divided amongst an actual enhancement bonus (to a maximum of +5) and any number of weapon special abilities that are priced as an equivalent enhancement bonus. Similar to a normal magic weapon, this ability must grant at least a +1 enhancement bonus before it can grant any other special abilities. The Blade Frenzy must choose what enhancement bonus and abilities to grant at the beginning of the day, but the same selection applies to all slashing weapons she wields. Special abilities that can only be used a limited number of times in a given day or over a longer period cannot be selected this way. Special abilities that cannot normally be applied to a given weapon are not granted to such a weapon when the Blade Frenzy wields it. Any benefits of this ability apply to a weapon only while the Blade Frenzy wields it and for 1d4 rounds thereafter, or until another creature wields it.

A slashing weapon that is already magical in its own right does not gain the full benefit of this ability. Instead, whenever the Blade Frenzy attacks with such a weapon, she must choose whether to use the weapon's enhancement bonus and special abilities or the enhancement bonus and special abilities granted by this ability. This choice only applies for the individual attack. The Blade Frenzy can use either option independent of previous attacks with a given weapon, at her discretion. The weapon is considered to have whichever set of enhancement bonus and special abilities is more beneficial at all other times.

The Blade Frenzy's aura is so powerful that mundane slashing weapons are improved, even after being discarded. Whenever she kills or destroys an enemy with a non-masterwork slashing weapon to which this ability applies, she may choose to have that weapon permanently become a masterwork weapon (treat this as an instantaneous effect). Weapons that cannot be made masterwork or that have options applied to them that are mutually exclusive with being made masterwork cannot be made masterwork in this way.

[/spoiler]

[thrasher2005]

My only gripe is the d10 HD, Full BAB, 2 Good Saves, *AND* 6 + INT skill points per level. Little imbalanced imo.

[Garryl]

Why? It's only one HD size better than the Ranger.

[veekie]

My only gripe is the d10 HD, Full BAB, 2 Good Saves, *AND* 6 + INT skill points per level. Little imbalanced imo.

o.O
That is trivial as hell.

Given the abilities, I'm not sure how well the class would perform even. It's suited for slashing weapons, and the extra attack is basically just a free Speed weapon. As good as it gets is a 2H mobile fighter.

[Littha]

Thanks guys, revising now.

For reference the Blade frenzy ability was supposed to give you an extra attack for each weapon carried but only with that weapon.... Carry 10 katana = 10 extra attacks. Plus Iaijutsu as a class skill. It dosen't give you the ability to draw them or put them away them as a free action though so even with quick draw you end up dropping them all at the end.

One additional attack is probably enough with afterthought though

[veekie]

Might be a bit easier to read if you bolded the ability names.

[Littha]

updated

[Littha]

Updated.

[RobbyPants]

Blade Frenzy (Su)
Blade Frenzies move supernaturally fast. Once per round when a Blade Frenzy makes an attack she may make one extra attack with each slashing weapon she wields. These extra attacks can only be made if they deal slashing damage.

Getting this at 1st level makes this class dippable as hell. I'm not saying that's bad, but it's about as good as the Lion Spirit Totem Barbarian pounce dip (in that, it's pretty much mandatory for a melee build that can squeeze it in). In fact, with Whirling Frenzy, these two go quite well together. Also, it's a fantastic dip for TWF rogues if you don't mind using sickles instead of short swords. Basically, at level 2, you'd look like:

Blade Frenzy 1/Barbarian 1 - Three attacks at -2 off of your full BAB, offset by the +4 Str bonus, each for 2d6 + 3/2 your boosted Str mod.

Blade Frenzy 1/Rogue 1 - Four attacks at -2 off of your full BAB (TWF), each for roughly 1d6 damage, or 2d6 if Sneak Attacking.


Wall of Swords is good enough to possibly "dip" up to four levels long for a full BAB build (like a charger), although I wouldn't take more than one level if I were playing a rogue. Phantom Waves is good, but not good enough that I wouldn't leave the class and go Frenzied Berserker instead. If building a charger, I'd probably go BF 1/Bbn 1/BF +2/Ftr/BF +1 (for a total of BF 4/Bbn 1/Ftr 1). The Force Blade is nice, but I just can't see taking all of the levels in this class to get that far.


My advice would be to tone back the Blade Frenzy ability a bit at level 1, and add some more stuff in the lower levels to make the class more appealing on it's own. All in all, I like the concept.

[Littha]

The class was intended to be dippable to an extent but I really want to encourage people to take the later levels if at all possible... I could knock Blade Frenzy to level 2 but that leaves me with nothing at level 1...

[RobbyPants]

If you want it to be dippable, then there's no reason to make it a two-level dip instead of one-level.

I basically see myself doing two things with this class:

1) Take one level for Blade Frenzy, then do whatever else I was going to do.

2) Take four levels to get the deflection bonus to AC scaled on BAB (not class level), then continue with other full BAB classes.


Edit:
I missed the once per round clause, which made my rogue analysis off on my last post.

[Littha]

Once per round with each weapon you are wielding, you could still get 4 attacks with the rogue