Author Topic: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)  (Read 8529 times)

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bkdubs123

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The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« on: November 09, 2008, 02:27:07 PM »
The Dancer

"If'n you see her get t'movin' you'd best be out of her way, boy," - Taldreg, Half-Orc Fighter.

The Fluffy Stuff
[spoiler]Called simply Dancers, they are infused with an inner supernatural beauty that far outmatches their outer charms. These Dancers have reached a point between art and Ideal where the two are nearly indistinguishable. Through her dance she enraptures foes and enlivens allies, weaving otherworldly magic into her dramatic steps.

No two Dancers learn their trade by the same method, but all Dancers are capable of producing the same effects. Their movements, filled with grace and precision, are capable of moving the most rock hard of hearts, and capturing even the dullest of minds. All at once, a Dancer can go from finesse to fury, unleashing a Deadly Dance to scythe through her foes with battle adapted footwork.

Making a Dancer
[spoiler]
Dancers make for passable warriors when the time comes with a d8 HD, and medium BAB. Although they can't wear armor heavier than light, nor are they proficient with shields, they do add their Charisma bonus to AC, and as long as they continue to dance they gain an additional bonus to AC. In a Deadly Dance she gains full BAB allowing her to make multiple attacks on the go, and utilizing her Art of the Dance abilities she maintains a powerful ebb and flow of buffs for her allies and debuffs for her enemies.

Abilities: It's no secret that Charisma is the single most important ability score to any Dancer. From there Dexterity is perhaps the second most important simply for the AC, skills, and Reflex boost. Constitution is likely the third most important ability score, but Strength can make for a welcome boost in melee capability. Dancers have no need of Intelligence or Wisdom.

Races: There are precious few races with a bonus to Charisma, the Spellscale being the only one I can think of offhand, so any race will do. Elves and Halflings have both maintained their own Dancer traditions over the centuries, each honing their extraordinary skills to supernatural levels.

Alignment: Dancers can be of any alignment, though their art causes them to lean more often than not towards the Good and Chaotic ends of the spectrum. While Evil Dancers are quite rare, they can be potent foes relying on deception and seduction to make their way.

Starting Gold: 3d4x10 (75gp).
Starting Age: As Barbarian.

Playing a Dancer
[spoiler]Religion: Dancers worship one thing above all else - The Art of the Dance. The Ideal is their god, and through the practice of their art they give worship. Dancers aren't dismissive of the gods of divine classes, however. Many also worship the Gods, especially gods of nature, beauty, and artistry.

Combat: You are an unimposing creature, flitting all about the battlefield, making use of your fast movement, your terrain ignoring features, and your deadly and magical dances. Do as best as you can to move into and out of melee as much as possible, buffing your allies and striking only when it is most advantageous to you. If you can keep enemy heat off of you, you are most effective, able to buff and debuff at will, and able to strike enemies from their blind spots.[/spoiler][/spoiler][/spoiler]

HD: d8

Saves: Good Reflex, Poor others

Lv  Base Attack    Special
1.  +0             AC Bonus, Art of the Dance, Rapture of the Dance +1
2.  +1             Evasion
3.  +2             Deadly Dance 1/enc
4.  +3             Uncanny Dodge, Flawless Stride
5.  +3             Rapture of the Dance +2 (1/2 movement)
6.  +4             Speed Bonus +10ft
7.  +5             Improved Uncanny Dodge
8.  +6/+1          Deadly Dance 2/enc
9.  +6/+1          Floating Stride
10. +7/+2          Rapture of the Dance +3 (2/3 movement)
11. +8/+3          Beauty Rest, Speed Bonus +20ft
12. +9/+4          Improved Evasion
13. +9/+4          Deadly Dance 3/enc
14. +10/+5         Flawless Dance
15. +11/+6/+1      Rapture of the Dance +3 (5/6 movement)
16. +12/+7/+2      Speed Bonus +30ft
17. +12/+7/+2      Nimbushod Stride
18. +13/+8/+3      Deadly Dance 4/enc
19. +14/+9/+4      Blinding Beauty
20. +15/+10/+5     Rapture of the Dance +5 (full movement)


Class Skills (4+Int per level): Balance, Bluff, Diplomacy, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Jump, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Perform (dance), Profession, Tumble.

Proficiencies: A dancer is proficient with all simple weapons, light martial weapons, and all non-exotic weapons that can be used with weapon finesse.  A dancer is proficient with light armour but not shields.

AC Bonus (Ex):Art of the Dance (Ex):Fascinate (Sp):Distracting Dance (Sp):Hearkening Beauty (Sp): A dancer of 5th level or higher with 8 or more ranks in Perform (dance) allows her allies to reroll a single Saving Throw made during any round in which the Dancer is dancing, after learning the results of the initial roll but before the save takes effect. The rerolled save must be kept. Hearkening Song lasts as long as the Dancer concentrates to maintain the dance.

Heartening Dance (Su):  A dancer of 8th level or higher with 11 or more ranks in Perform (dance) can embolden her allies with strength of heart and lighten their steps.  To be effected an ally must see the dancer dance.  The effect lasts as long as the dancer continues to dance and for 3 rounds thereafter.  Affected allies receive a +2 morale bonus to AC and saves, and an additional partial action per round (to be used only for a move action, or to make an attack). This effect does not extend to the Dancer.

Sombre Steps (Su):  A dancer of 11th level or higher with 14 or more ranks in Perform (dance) can effect her foes with her subdued and saddening movements. All foes within 60 feet of the dancer that can see her dancing must make a will save (DC 10+1/2 Dancer levels+Dancer's Cha modifier) or be effected as by the Slow and Silence spells.  This effect lasts as long as the dancer continues to dance, but ends when the dance ends.

Irresistible Dance (Su):Pegasus Step (Su):  A dancer of 17th level or higher with 20 or more ranks in Perform (dance) can grant her allies wings to soar on. To be effected an ally must be able to see the dancer dance. Affected allies, including the Dancer, gain fast healing 3, a Flight speed equal to twice their land speed, Good maneuverability, and the Hover quality.  This effect lasts as long as the dancer continues to dance, but ends when the dance ends. If the dance ends while one or more of the Dancer's allies are in the air any effected characters gain a Slow Fall effect until they reach the ground.

Astral Dance (Su):  A dancer of 20th level or higher with 23 or more ranks in Perform (dance) can flit in between the material and astral realms making the dancer and her allies like twinkling stars in the eyes of her enemies.  To be effected an ally must be able to see the dancer dance.  The dancer and all affected allies gain the benefits of the blink spell as long as she continues dancing, but ends when the dance ends.

Rapture of the Dance (Ex):Evasion (Ex):Deadly Dance (Ex):Uncanny Dodge (Ex):Flawless Stride (Ex): As Scout.

Speed Bonus (Ex): At 6th level and every 5 levels thereafter a Dancer's speed for all movement types is increased by +10ft.

Floating Stride (Su): At 9th level a Dancer can move across the surface of a liquid such as water, acid, or magma, without sinking or taking damage, so long as she is using Art of the Dance, Deadly Dance, or the Tumble skill. The Dancer must begin and end her movement on a solid, stable surface.

Beauty Rest (Su):Flawless Dance (Ex): While a Dancer of 14th level is using Art of the Dance or Deadly Dance she does not provoke attacks of opportunity for movement.

Nimbushod Stride (Su): At 17th level a Dancer is treated as always under the effect of the Air Walk spell (PHB 196).

Blinding Beauty (Su):
« Last Edit: August 10, 2011, 08:47:09 AM by bkdubs123 »

bkdubs123

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2008, 02:32:46 PM »
Oh, so yeah, I don't know if this is balanced at all. This is a class I wrote maybe up to three years ago, but I always liked it then, and I still enjoy the flavor, I just feel like it probably needs some tweaking.

Sunic_Flames

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2008, 02:53:46 PM »
Cha to AC at level 1. Prime dip material.
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[spoiler]
Sunic may be more abrasive than sandpaper coated in chainsaws (not that its a bad thing, he really does know what he's talking about), but just posting in this thread without warning and telling him he's an asshole which, if you knew his past experiences on WotC and Paizo is flat-out uncalled for. Never mind the insults (which are clearly 4Chan-level childish). You say people like Sunic are the bane of the internet? Try looking at your own post and telling me you are better than him.

Here's a fun fact: You aren't. By a few leagues.
[/spoiler]

bkdubs123

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2008, 03:24:54 PM »
Suggestions? If I take it out entirely its AC is going to be abysmal.
« Last Edit: November 09, 2008, 03:52:56 PM by bkdubs123 »

Sunic_Flames

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2008, 04:55:13 PM »
Suggestions? If I take it out entirely its AC is going to be abysmal.

If you don't mind it being a 1 level dip leave it as is. If you want it changed move it up, or just put a cap of class level on it.
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And don't forget:


There is no greater contribution than Hi Welcome.

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IP proofing and avoiding being CAPed OR - how to make characters relevant in the long term.

Friends don't let friends be Short Bus Hobos.

[spoiler]
Sunic may be more abrasive than sandpaper coated in chainsaws (not that its a bad thing, he really does know what he's talking about), but just posting in this thread without warning and telling him he's an asshole which, if you knew his past experiences on WotC and Paizo is flat-out uncalled for. Never mind the insults (which are clearly 4Chan-level childish). You say people like Sunic are the bane of the internet? Try looking at your own post and telling me you are better than him.

Here's a fun fact: You aren't. By a few leagues.
[/spoiler]

Ubernoob

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2008, 05:15:57 PM »
Heartening Dance is bad.  Very bad.
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bkdubs123

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2008, 05:42:59 PM »
If you don't mind it being a 1 level dip leave it as is. If you want it changed move it up, or just put a cap of class level on it.

Ah. Class level cap, yes, that was easy enough. Thanks. My brain is operating clearly today.

@Uber: You mean bad in the bad way, and not in the Shaft way I assume? Because of the granting of extra standard actions? I was worried about that one. I want to produce a "haste"-like effect, but an extra attack isn't always worth it, neither is +speed.

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2008, 06:31:18 PM »
If you don't mind it being a 1 level dip leave it as is. If you want it changed move it up, or just put a cap of class level on it.

Ah. Class level cap, yes, that was easy enough. Thanks. My brain is operating clearly today.

@Uber: You mean bad in the bad way, and not in the Shaft way I assume? Because of the granting of extra standard actions? I was worried about that one. I want to produce a "haste"-like effect, but an extra attack isn't always worth it, neither is +speed.
Grant an extra move action.  Move actions can't be used to cast spells.
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bkdubs123

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2008, 07:25:42 PM »
Let's do an extra attack or an extra move action, at the player's choice. Or rather... perhaps an extra standard action to be used to make an attack, or an extra move action? Would that allow the initiation of a maneuver at the end of a charge say? I know it allows move, attack, attack which is cool.

MasterVega

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2008, 12:16:06 AM »
I think the move or attack action is a good idea. It's kinda like the Heroic Surge feat from D20Modern. Granted, that feat is only usable so many times per day (4 times at max, I think).
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Bauglir

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2009, 01:59:31 PM »
Quote

Not sure about balance on the rest of the class, but Otto's Irresistable Dance doesn't allow a save. Should add that.
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bkdubs123

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2009, 06:24:48 PM »
Yep. Definitely should do that, huh?

RobbyPants

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2009, 10:44:19 PM »
All in all, I like it.  Sort of a bard-scout with some new flavor.

The only thing that bugs me is the dance at 17th level granting allies flight.  This has nothing to do from a power standpoint.  It just seems wierd to me.
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[/spoiler]

Chemus

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #13 on: January 26, 2009, 02:40:15 AM »
Reminds me of the dance of the snowflakes from Disney's Fantasia.

Overall it's a nice mix of bard/scout/monk. I like it.
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bkdubs123

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2009, 06:01:55 AM »
The class just seems a bit underpowered to me... I dunno. Thoughts on power level? What I might need to lose if too powerful, or what I could possibly add to increase power?

RobbyPants

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #15 on: January 30, 2009, 09:49:03 AM »
The easy answer is full BAB, but that might be more than what you want.
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]

bkdubs123

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #16 on: January 30, 2009, 12:18:42 PM »
The easy answer is full BAB, but that might be more than what you want.

Yeah, fluff-wise I just don't think the class should have full BAB. I'd rather bump it up in some other way.

woodenbandman

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Re: The Dancer (Pretty much what it sounds like)
« Reply #17 on: February 02, 2009, 11:48:17 AM »
Give in a Flicker effect ;)

Flicker is my second favorite thing from the Tome of Magic, which grants the ability to, as an immediate action, dimension door Caster level/2 *5 feet. Great for maneuverability.