Author Topic: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use-Taking Requests  (Read 392303 times)

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Prime32

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Force Vulnerability (Ex): Force effects deal half again as much damage (50%) to a force golem.[/spoiler]
Seems a bit strange to give a vulnerability in exchange for taking the last level of the class.
Especially since the Force Dragon is immune to force. I haven't seen the source material here though.
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The tier system in a nutshell:
[spoiler]Tier 6: A cartographer.
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Bloody Initiate

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The save DC of this ability is off. The standard formula is 10 + 1/2 HD + stat. This is missing the base 10 part. It also says to use "either the Force Golem's Strength modifier, whichever is higher" which implies a choice between two or more options, despite only allowing Strength.

Shouldn't Force Burst have the Force descriptor or otherwise be called out as a Force effect?

Thank you for catching that! That was just a screw-up on my part.

As for the force descriptor on force burst, I pulled a lot of the text straight out of the entry rather than attempting to rewrite my own. I think they just relied on the fact that it says "burst of force", I will edit in a [Force] to its abilities.

As a Bull Rush attempt, does is provoke attacks of opportunity (for the attempt itself, rather than the movement), require the golem to move with the pushed opponent, or allow for greater forced movement based on how much the golem beat the defender on the Strength check?
No, no, yes. I've edited the additional information into the description.

Since the Golem can choose to focus on either of Int or Cha, it seems strange that it should have such an important ability fixed to only one of those ability scores.

I agree, but a few things went through my head:

No one else gets to choose which stat gives them bonus hps.

Other constructs don't even get bonus hps.

I COULD put it on Strength, but I was concerned that if I made the Force Golem perfectly SAD that it would appear too strong, and also pigeonhole players. As it is, I tried to set it up so that once you finish your force golem levels you can conceivably go in several directions with the character. If I make it SAD in every way I can, I make it so they gain so much from beefing that one ability score that it's not worth beefing anything else.

I am gonna think about it though, I wasn't thrilled with the result, but since I straight lifted it from another monster's entry and also am giving a construct bonus hitpoints I figured I was getting away with enough as it is.

Should specify increasing every 5 HD after 3 HD instead of every 5 levels, since this is only a 4 level class.

Fixed.

The text "than its character level" seems erroneous. The ability would seem to be intended to give a +1 bonus to CL, ML, and other level-dependent effects for the purpose of the golem's Force effects for every 5 HD it has.

Also worth noting is that this ability doesn't actually grant any benefits as written when it is gained. First, it is gained at 4th level, thus not having enough HD to give the first +1 bonus. This could be fixed by making it minimum +1, or +1 and another +1/5 HD beyond 4th, or something similar. Second, the golem doesn't actually have any level-dependent force effects other than (probably) Forceful, which scales at a slow enough rate that again, it won't provide any benefit for another couple of levels.

I fixed the wording, thanks for that.

Also, oddly enough, I intended for it to offer no immediate benefit. Since it's only a 4 level class it was supposed to be a sort of parting gift where you're set up for something else. However I changed the wording so that it immediately gains +1 and then gains +1 every 5 HD after that.

Question: Do you think it's a worthy capstone? I try to make the last level worth it, but I'm not always sure I succeeded.

Seems a bit strange to give a vulnerability in exchange for taking the last level of the class.

I agree. I was attempting to balance the free empowering of force effects it gets and also attempting to stay a bit faithful to the MM5 entry.

You think it would be better just to leave off the vulnerability to force entirely? I felt like I was hooking this guy up pretty well, so eventually I started feeling guilty about not giving him any setbacks, but maybe eating 4 levels is enough of a setback.

Quote
Force Vulnerability (Ex): Force effects deal half again as much damage (50%) to a force golem.[/spoiler]
Seems a bit strange to give a vulnerability in exchange for taking the last level of the class.
Especially since the Force Dragon is immune to force. I haven't seen the source material here though.

Monster Manual 5, page 68.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2011, 04:11:24 PM by Bloody Initiate »
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Garryl

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The save DC of this ability is off. The standard formula is 10 + 1/2 HD + stat. This is missing the base 10 part. It also says to use "either the Force Golem's Strength modifier, whichever is higher" which implies a choice between two or more options, despite only allowing Strength.

Shouldn't Force Burst have the Force descriptor or otherwise be called out as a Force effect?

Thank you for catching that! That was just a screw-up on my part.

As for the force descriptor on force burst, I pulled a lot of the text straight out of the entry rather than attempting to rewrite my own. I think they just relied on the fact that it says "burst of force", I will edit in a [Force] to its abilities.
Super. It still has the "plus either the Force Golem's Strength modifier" text, though (the "either" is erroneous).


Quote
Since the Golem can choose to focus on either of Int or Cha, it seems strange that it should have such an important ability fixed to only one of those ability scores.

I agree, but a few things went through my head:

No one else gets to choose which stat gives them bonus hps.

Other constructs don't even get bonus hps.

I COULD put it on Strength, but I was concerned that if I made the Force Golem perfectly SAD that it would appear too strong, and also pigeonhole players. As it is, I tried to set it up so that once you finish your force golem levels you can conceivably go in several directions with the character. If I make it SAD in every way I can, I make it so they gain so much from beefing that one ability score that it's not worth beefing anything else.

I am gonna think about it though, I wasn't thrilled with the result, but since I straight lifted it from another monster's entry and also am giving a construct bonus hitpoints I figured I was getting away with enough as it is.
If you're giving Charisma something as big as this, how about at least evening the odds with a different but similarly-powered option for Intelligence-based Force Golems? Something like Int to Fort saves and Concentration checks (and other Con-based checks) to replace the other half of their missing Constitution score?


Quote
Seems a bit strange to give a vulnerability in exchange for taking the last level of the class.

I agree. I was attempting to balance the free empowering of force effects it gets and also attempting to stay a bit faithful to the MM5 entry.

You think it would be better just to leave off the vulnerability to force entirely? I felt like I was hooking this guy up pretty well, so eventually I started feeling guilty about not giving him any setbacks, but maybe eating 4 levels is enough of a setback.
If anything, that kind of thing (a significant weakness) should come earlier rather than later, unless its something tacked on to a greater change with its own benefits (Ex: vulnerability to turning as the result of gaining a template that makes you undead, like Lich, or vulnerability to cold/fire as a result of gaining the fire/cold subtype). 2nd level is a decent choice because it also gives you a few defenses (Cha to HP, DR/adamantine, and resistance to the similarly uncommon sonic damage), plus it comes early enough that is feels like an integral part of being a Force Golem, rather than a sort of strange cost for taking the capstone level. Alternatively, it could come at 1st level, which is also probably okay for similar reasons (you do pick up a whole host of fancy Construct immunities). But I dunno, go with what feels right to you.

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bkdubs123

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Yeah, I suggest giving him the force vulnerability at 1st level, maybe lose the vulnerability at 3rd level, and maybe even grant Resist Force 5 or 10+1/2 character level at 4th?

Bloody Initiate

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Super. It still has the "plus either the Force Golem's Strength modifier" text, though (the "either" is erroneous).

Fixed. Thanks for catching that yet again  :banghead



If you're giving Charisma something as big as this, how about at least evening the odds with a different but similarly-powered option for Intelligence-based Force Golems? Something like Int to Fort saves and Concentration checks (and other Con-based checks) to replace the other half of their missing Constitution score?

I gave it Int to saves. Not bad for a construct. I considered giving it a reworded Factotum Brains Over Brawn, but thought that might be overkill.

If anything, that kind of thing (a significant weakness) should come earlier rather than later, unless its something tacked on to a greater change with its own benefits (Ex: vulnerability to turning as the result of gaining a template that makes you undead, like Lich, or vulnerability to cold/fire as a result of gaining the fire/cold subtype). 2nd level is a decent choice because it also gives you a few defenses (Cha to HP, DR/adamantine, and resistance to the similarly uncommon sonic damage), plus it comes early enough that is feels like an integral part of being a Force Golem, rather than a sort of strange cost for taking the capstone level. Alternatively, it could come at 1st level, which is also probably okay for similar reasons (you do pick up a whole host of fancy Construct immunities). But I dunno, go with what feels right to you.

I put it in at 2nd level, right next to the choice between Cha to HPs and Int to Saves.

Thanks again for the input. I would kinda like to ditch the vulnerability entirely, but like I said I feel like I hooked this guy up pretty well. He gets a lot in 4 levels.
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oslecamo

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Force golem:
-NO STARTING AT LARGE SIZE. Seriously that alone is too good for 1st level. Why do you think not a single of the other monsters here has it? Just no. At best at third level, probably better at fourth.
-Please, no Nat armor based on HD. Make it based on Str, and then the deflection based on one of the mental stats (and make the deflection come a little later).
-Make the powers area size/range increase with HD.
-The force golem's "vanilla" powers are all roughly the same power level, so perhaps let the player decide wich he picks in wich order?
-No to +2 Str at second level. Make it +1 at 1st level and another +1 at second level.
-DR always equal to half HD, save some very few exceptions, and never before 5th level. It's not like the force golem isn't already geting Nat armor and deflection bonus.
-"As the earth", just no. Doesn't really make sense fluff-wise (that's an undead-fey thing really) and kinda invalidates one of the important construct penalties. Just give it the standard extra HP like we've done for the other constructs.
-Also no for tactical mind. Really, the force golem is a litttle smarter than normal, that doesn't make it some tactical genius in any way.
-Lower spell resistance. Give it a scaling minor globe of invulnerability that it can turn off as needed to represent magic immunity.
-Good work with forcefull and force affinity!
-Prone is very nice at low levels, but becomes useless at higher levels with all the flying oponents. Allow all the stuff that makes oponent's prone to also harass flying oponents in a way.
-Remove force burst damage from the table since it's suposed to scale up with HD.

So basically, don't be tempted to just steal abilities from other classes and monsters and give them to your own.

Now the force golem isn't a tactical genius. It's smarter than a mindless golem yes, but that doesn't validate suddenly geting stuff like Int to saves and HP. Specially because it's ranged focus, so don't go too crazy on it's defenses.

Instead I sugest to focus on the force and ranged aspects. How about leting it create mini-walls of force (and keep a certain number up at the same time)?


Quote from: Prime32
Especially since the Force Dragon is immune to force.
He isn't last time I checked. Just +4 bonus to saves against force effects.

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Quote from: Prime32
Especially since the Force Dragon is immune to force.
He isn't last time I checked. Just +4 bonus to saves against force effects.
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oslecamo

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Re: [3.5]Improved monster classes: adapting creatures for player use!
« Reply #367 on: February 05, 2011, 12:55:27 AM »
Lord Rakshasa, Naytyan(prc)

[spoiler]
Prerequisites:
-All 7 levels of the Rakshasa, Naytyan.
-Martial Lore 10 ranks.

HD:d8
LevelBabFortRefWillFeature
1+1 +2+2+0Martial Improvement, Shaped for War, +1 Con
2+2+3+3+0Extra Martial Soul, Cursed Bite, +1 Str
3+3+3+3+1Shaped for War, Mortal Combat, +1 Con
4+4+4+4+1Extra Martial Soul, Shifting Strike, +1 Str
5+5+4+4+1Shaped for War, Cursed Claws, +1 Con
6+6+5+5+2Extra Martial Soul, Double Soul, +1 Str
Skills:4+int modifier per level. Its class skills are Bluff, Concentration, Disguise, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Hide, Knowledge(any), Martial Lore, Perform, Sense Motive, Tumble and Spot.

Proficiencies:
The Lord Rakshasa, Naytyan gains proficiency with one Exotic Weapon of it's choice.

Features:
Martial Improvement:
At 1st level, and again at 3rd and 5th level the LNR learns one extra maneuver for each school it has acess to, following the same limitations as Martial Soul. The Naytyan Rakshasa cannot learn maneuvers of a level bigger than (Iniator level/2)+1.

Shaped for War:At 1st level of this Prc, and again at 3rd and 5th level, pick one of the Lord Rakshasa, Naytyan Martial Souls. It is improved in the following manner.

Stone Dragon: the NLR's body becomes harder, doubling it's DR.

Desert Wind: The NLR's senses become even more enanched, increasing the range of it's scent ability by 5 feet per HD.

Shaddow Hand: The NLR's body becomes a blur of darkness, granting it concealment, wich grants 20% miss chance and can be used for hiding whitout actually having anything to hide behind.

Seting Sun: The NLR body becomes impossibly flexible, granting it a bonus on grapple, trip and bullrushes equal to 1/4 it's HD.

Devoted Spirit: The NLR drains the life of his oponents with it's claws and teeths. Whenever it deals damage in melee with it's natural weapons, it heals 1/4 the damage dealt.

Iron Heart: The NLR claws and teeths fully become of metal, and can mimick any special material (like adamantine, silver, cold iron), chosen when the NLR enters this stance.

Tiger Claw:The NLR claws and teeths grow specially sharp and long, inflicting deep wounds that don't stop bleeding and cannot be easily healed. Oponents struck by his claws or teeth lose 1 HP per round untill they receive a sucessfull Heal check with DC 10+1/2HD+Str mod. Magic healing, fast healing or regeneration do not stop this bleeding. Multiple natural hit attacks stack.

White Raven:The NLR grows wings (of a shape and color of it's preference) that allow it to fly at it's base speed with good maneuverability.

Diamond Mind:The NLR's body further crystallizes, increasing it's SR by an extra 4, and it's Natural Armor now counts against touch attacks.

Ability bonus:A rakshasa gains a permanent
    
                        +1 to Con at levels 1, 3, 5
                        +1 to Str at levels 2, 4, 6
          
For a total of +3 Str and +3 Con at 6th level.

Extra Martial Soul:
At 2nd level, and again at 4th and 6th level, the NLR gains a new Martial Soul, following all the rules as the Naytyan Rakshasa class Martial Soul.

Cursed Bite: At 2nd level, the NLR's bite gains an enanchment bonus equal to half it's HD. It can actually only have +5 max to attack and damage rolls, but it can use that enanchment to gain special weapon properties like flaming and speed.

Mortal Combat: At 3rd level, whenever the NLR uses Change Shape to assume the form of an humanoid, it chooses one of it's Martial Souls for every 4 HD it has. It can use the maneuvers it knows from all the chosen Martial schools, but doesn't benefit from any Martial Stance or the special properties of his Martial Souls. The benefits and drawbacks last while in humanoid shape.

Shifting Strike:At 4th level, 1/minute the NLR can partially change his body to use a maneuver from a Martial Soul while using other.

Cursed Claws:  At 5th level, the NLR's claws gains an enanchment bonus equal to half it's HD. It can actually only have +5 max to attack and damage rolls, but it can use that enanchment to gain special weapon properties like flaming and speed.

Double Soul:At 6th level, 1/day for every 6HD it has, the NLR can combine two of it's Martial Souls at the same time for a number of rounds equal to its Con modifier, gaining all the benefits from both, except that it only gains the benefits from one of the Martial Stances (NLR's choice). Activating this ability is a swift action.

[/spoiler]

Comments:
[spoiler]
The Lord Naytyan Rakshasa's grants three extra Martial Souls, and allows you to improve three of them as well.

In adition it improves it's natural attacks, allows you to combine diferent Martial Souls (altough with limitations) and offers some extra ability score bonus.
[/spoiler]



Tyal-Kelvar

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The Lord Naytyan Rakshasa looks reasonable, but I still have some comments on it:

Gaining an exotic weapon proficiency is a little unusual.  Not without use, of course, nor overpowered, just I don't think I've seen any other class that gives a single exotic proficiency of your choice. Still, good flavor-wise, and not annoying like needing an exotic proficiency to enter the class would be.

Martial Improvement: "learns one extra maneuver for each maneuver it has" seems a little too much. I do know what you actually meant by it, but it still needs fixing.

Shaped for War: Awesome ability, and forces some specialization.  Some seems stronger than others, but not by much.  Picking just three to have is giving a difficult choice, but it's more than reasonable to do so.

Cursed Bite/Claws: Another cool ability.  Saves a lot on enhancements, though is a bit in conflict with the exotic weapon proficiency.  After all, you can't use an awesome exotic weapon along with all your awesome natural attacks unless you somehow found an obscure set of rules for a tailblade or something like that (I'm sure one must exist somewhere).

Mortal Combat: Interesting ability, certainly gives options.  Still, Considering how much one loses from not having the special of martial soul bonus and stances, I see this only being used as an act of desperation to destroy a foe with a single full attack (Raging Mongoose+inferno blade, then curse at the fact the foe turned out to be immune to fire). I guess it also has use of not being unable to fight while disguised, which I guess is more useful if in a campaign where being seen as a Rakshasa would get you killed.

Shifting Strike: A lot more useful in combat than Mortal Combat, and likely renders Mortal combat obsolete other than fighting while disguised.

Double Soul: Perfect capstone ability.  Still, multiple uses per day might make encounters a little too easy.  Also, considering the character would now have two capstone abilities at level 13, one has to be a little concerned for power issues.  Still, best leave it to someone more able to judge power than me to see if this needs changing.

oslecamo

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The Lord Naytyan Rakshasa looks reasonable, but I still have some comments on it:

Gaining an exotic weapon proficiency is a little unusual.  Not without use, of course, nor overpowered, just I don't think I've seen any other class that gives a single exotic proficiency of your choice. Still, good flavor-wise, and not annoying like needing an exotic proficiency to enter the class would be.
It's more of a flavour thing indeed. You'll notice some classes around here do give proficiencies of the player's choice.

Martial Improvement: "learns one extra maneuver for each maneuver it has" seems a little too much. I do know what you actually meant by it, but it still needs fixing.
Yeah, that was a bad one... Corrected now.

Shaped for War: Awesome ability, and forces some specialization.  Some seems stronger than others, but not by much.  Picking just three to have is giving a difficult choice, but it's more than reasonable to do so.
Indeed I really wanted to improve them, but improving all at the same time would be too much.

Cursed Bite/Claws: Another cool ability.  Saves a lot on enhancements, though is a bit in conflict with the exotic weapon proficiency.  After all, you can't use an awesome exotic weapon along with all your awesome natural attacks unless you somehow found an obscure set of rules for a tailblade or something like that (I'm sure one must exist somewhere).
Well you're not suposed to. The exotic weapon is more for fluff, or when you're charging and a two-handed weapon adding +1,5 Str mod is better than a single natural attack.

Mortal Combat: Interesting ability, certainly gives options.  Still, Considering how much one loses from not having the special of martial soul bonus and stances, I see this only being used as an act of desperation to destroy a foe with a single full attack (Raging Mongoose+inferno blade, then curse at the fact the foe turned out to be immune to fire). I guess it also has use of not being unable to fight while disguised, which I guess is more useful if in a campaign where being seen as a Rakshasa would get you killed.
That was kinda of the idea indeed, for when you don't want to let others know you're the demonic kung-fu tiger.

Anyway what about if it allowed three schools instead of just two?

Shifting Strike: A lot more useful in combat than Mortal Combat, and likely renders Mortal combat obsolete other than fighting while disguised.
That's why it comes later.

Double Soul: Perfect capstone ability.  Still, multiple uses per day might make encounters a little too easy.  Also, considering the character would now have two capstone abilities at level 13, one has to be a little concerned for power issues.  Still, best leave it to someone more able to judge power than me to see if this needs changing.
Well, if you don't mind capstones useable only 1/day, I have no trouble doing that.

Also, by the 6th level you're suposed to be walking around with 13rd level casters, so I believe a little melee love isn't bad.

Tyal-Kelvar

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Yeah, I guess you are right on all points.  Still, being limited to a once per day capstone is acceptable.  After all, tier 3 is the good place to be, and while being unable to compete with tier 1 and tier 2 classes... well, that shouldn't be an issue.  We need to be deviating away for those overpowered casters towards a more balanced game.  Okay, I admit two uses per day when you first get it won't be an issue, and moving up to three should also be fine.  Just not used to seeing capstone abilities that good giving so many uses, and neither would many DMs (Which might make them a little hesitant about it).

As for your comment about making mortal combat allow three... well, it wouldn't be a problem I guess, as it sort of makes sense flavor-wise (You are taking the form of a creature that can normally handle all disciplines).  Perhaps making the number scale by level wouldn't be bad.  I'd say 5 at level 20 would be the best allowed though.  Just consider the fact you need to use your stance forms to recover your manuevers, so using this ability really makes everything a one use till you cease the disguise (Or spend the 5 minute long recover method), and it's clear this won't be unbalancing... as long as there is something to prevent adaptive style working with it.

Bloody Initiate

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Force golem:
-NO STARTING AT LARGE SIZE. Seriously that alone is too good for 1st level. Why do you think not a single of the other monsters here has it? Just no. At best at third level, probably better at fourth.
-Please, no Nat armor based on HD. Make it based on Str, and then the deflection based on one of the mental stats (and make the deflection come a little later).
-Make the powers area size/range increase with HD.
-The force golem's "vanilla" powers are all roughly the same power level, so perhaps let the player decide wich he picks in wich order?
-No to +2 Str at second level. Make it +1 at 1st level and another +1 at second level.
-DR always equal to half HD, save some very few exceptions, and never before 5th level. It's not like the force golem isn't already geting Nat armor and deflection bonus.
-"As the earth", just no. Doesn't really make sense fluff-wise (that's an undead-fey thing really) and kinda invalidates one of the important construct penalties. Just give it the standard extra HP like we've done for the other constructs.
-Also no for tactical mind. Really, the force golem is a litttle smarter than normal, that doesn't make it some tactical genius in any way.
-Lower spell resistance. Give it a scaling minor globe of invulnerability that it can turn off as needed to represent magic immunity.
-Good work with forcefull and force affinity!
-Prone is very nice at low levels, but becomes useless at higher levels with all the flying oponents. Allow all the stuff that makes oponent's prone to also harass flying oponents in a way.
-Remove force burst damage from the table since it's suposed to scale up with HD.

So basically, don't be tempted to just steal abilities from other classes and monsters and give them to your own.

Now the force golem isn't a tactical genius. It's smarter than a mindless golem yes, but that doesn't validate suddenly geting stuff like Int to saves and HP. Specially because it's ranged focus, so don't go too crazy on it's defenses.

Instead I sugest to focus on the force and ranged aspects. How about leting it create mini-walls of force (and keep a certain number up at the same time)?

-It now takes until 4th level to gain Large Size
-Done
-I've added range increases to all of them (Thanks for mentioning that, I try to make everything scale but it's easy to miss some things.)
-I added stuff to all its "vanilla" powers and made them selectable. I had a hard time choosing what to do with Force Reactive, but came up with something that should work OK
-Fixed
-Seems weird to have a construct without DR, but I removed it
-Gone, although I pulled it from the Scouring Stanchion in MM5, which is also a construct. It's a pretty decent monster actually, though mindless.
-Gone
-Lowered spell resistance, and thanks for the idea about the minor globe! It fills the niche perfectly I think.
-Thanks!
-I made several changes that make it so flying near a force golem can quickly become a nightmare. The class actually does its best damage against flying creatures now. The beauty is that it make perfect sense that telekinetic/force powers would be easier to use against a flying target (Nothing anchoring them).
-Also done

I liked the idea of the mini walls of force but couldn't think of how to do it without a wall of text (All the wall spells are walls of text, no pun intended, and the limited version I was thinking of was looking like another wall). The truth is that it's more of a telekinesis golem anyway, so I didn't feel too bad about failing this on a 4 level class.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2011, 04:44:26 PM by Bloody Initiate »
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oslecamo

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Tyal-Kelvar:Ok, reduced the number of uses of the "ultimate", increased number of forms with mortal combat and made it scaling. Anything else?

-It now takes until 4th level to gain Large Size
-Done
-I've added range increases to all of them (Thanks for mentioning that, I try to make everything scale but it's easy to miss some things.)
-I added stuff to all its "vanilla" powers and made them selectable. I had a hard time choosing what to do with Force Reactive, but came up with something that should work OK
They look pretty good, but you forgot to list a duration for dazed/stunned. Also, for clarification's sake, state the Force Golem can choose to increase/reduce the radius every time he uses the power. The way it is now, one could misread it like meaning you must pick only one option when you gain enough HD.

-Fixed
-Seems weird to have a construct without DR, but I removed it
I didn't mean to fully remove it, just scale it down to 1/2 HD like most other monsters here.

-Gone, although I pulled it from the Scouring Stanchion in MM5, which is also a construct. It's a pretty decent monster actually, though mindless.
-Gone
-Lowered spell resistance, and thanks for the idea about the minor globe! It fills the niche perfectly I think.
-Thanks!
-I made several changes that make it so flying near a force golem can quickly become a nightmare. The class actually does its best damage against flying creatures now. The beauty is that it make perfect sense that telekinetic/force powers would be easier to use against a flying target (Nothing anchoring them).
-Also done

I liked the idea of the mini walls of force but couldn't think of how to do it without a wall of text (All the wall spells are walls of text, no pun intended, and the limited version I was thinking of was looking like another wall). The truth is that it's more of a telekinesis golem anyway, so I didn't feel too bad about failing this on a 4 level class.

Looking pretty good to me now, just take care of the clarifications and put a reduced DR, and it should be ready for the Index.

Bloody Initiate

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I put clarification sentences in where necessary so that it's clear the force golem adjusts the radius of Force Burst on the fly, and not just when it gains enough HD. The daze/stun is for one round (thanks for pointing that one out, another oversight of mine).

It also gains DR/adamantine at 4th level equal to half its HD. This is part of the feature that increases it to large size, so it gains DR at the same level that it becomes a larger target.

Thanks for looking over it. I'll keep an eye out for mistakes in its language and stuff but otherwise its done I think.
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Tyal-Kelvar

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Lord Rakshasa, Naytyan looks good now.  I just wish there were more people commenting on it, for if I missed something.  All I'm left with are some rather general questions about both the LRN and the Rakshasa, Naytyan, perhaps even improved monster classes in general.

First off, what is the starting money for a 1st level Naytyan Rakshasa? Is it assumed that as a monster, it starts with no equipment at all if the campaign starts level 1? (Which would be a pain if party meets in a bar. I mean, goign into a bar when you know you are so broke you can't even afford to own a coin pouch.)

Is the leaving off of the Rakshasa, Naytyan native subtype a mistake or deliberate deviation from the original? (Native subtype is actual a decent advantage, but without it you run into problems like where a Rakshasa would be banished to by a banishment spell)

What happens to a character consisting of only monster class levels if they die and are brought back by a reincarnation spell? Would they lose all their levels due to it being a racial class? Or would they keep the levels (Due to them being effectively class levels), and hence the first level monster body instantly negating the racial traits of whatever is rolled on reincarnation?
« Last Edit: February 07, 2011, 04:08:39 AM by Tyal-Kelvar »

Bloody Initiate

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Lord Rakshasa, Naytyan looks good now.  I just wish there were more people commenting on it, for if I missed something.  All I'm left with are some rather general questions about both the LRN and the Rakshasa, Naytyan, perhaps even improved monster classes in general.

Sometimes people comment sometimes they don't. Oslecamo creates a lot of material, it would be surprising if people got around to commenting on every class.

I haven't created nearly the amount of classes that he has (I've only made two), and nobody commented on the first one. I was lucky to get noticed on the second one (Since those comments helped me out a lot).

In the multiple RPG-focused site I've been to, homebrew is one of the things that gets the least comments, so it's always a nice surprise when someone notices your work rather than the expectation.

First off, what is the starting money for a 1st level Naytyan Rakshasa? Is it assumed that as a monster, it starts with no equipment at all if the campaign starts level 1? (Which would be a pain if party meets in a bar. I mean, goign into a bar when you know you are so broke you can't even afford to own a coin pouch.)

I'm just guessing 4d4x10, since that's the amount Swordsages start with and Swordsage is the Naityan Rakshasa's favored class. Seeing as starting wealth generally doesn't vary much, it's not a big deal if they get a bit more or less than someone else.
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oslecamo

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Bloody Initiate:Ok, added the Force Golem to the index. Congratulations on another great monster class! :clap

Lord Rakshasa, Naytyan looks good now.  I just wish there were more people commenting on it, for if I missed something.  All I'm left with are some rather general questions about both the LRN and the Rakshasa, Naytyan, perhaps even improved monster classes in general.
Added the Lord to the base class post, since they're almost a single class. I'm pretty happy with the final result of this one as well.

First off, what is the starting money for a 1st level Naytyan Rakshasa? Is it assumed that as a monster, it starts with no equipment at all if the campaign starts level 1? (Which would be a pain if party meets in a bar. I mean, goign into a bar when you know you are so broke you can't even afford to own a coin pouch.)
Hmm, yeah, I've been avoiding that issue untill now, but I guess it needs to be solved. Will add a comment on the FAQ that 1st level monster classes start with 100 GP for simplicity's sake. That should take care of basic gear whitout being overpowered.

Is the leaving off of the Rakshasa, Naytyan native subtype a mistake or deliberate deviation from the original? (Native subtype is actual a decent advantage, but without it you run into problems like where a Rakshasa would be banished to by a banishment spell)
Well, banishment isn't exactly that common of a spell. But added the native subtype anyway since it's both crunchy and fluffy.

What happens to a character consisting of only monster class levels if they die and are brought back by a reincarnation spell? Would they lose all their levels due to it being a racial class? Or would they keep the levels (Due to them being effectively class levels), and hence the first level monster body instantly negating the racial traits of whatever is rolled on reincarnation?
Allow me to point to this clause of that spell:

For a humanoid creature, the new incarnation is determined using the following table. For nonhumanoid creatures, a similar table of creatures of the same type should be created.


A good chunk of the classes here are outsiders/constructs/undeads, so they can't be reincarnated at all. For everything else, it's the DM responsability to make a new reincarnation table. Or to smack up the players for coming with crazy ideas (hey, let's reincarnate the Tarrasque and see what happens!) instead of using raise dead.

The_Mad_Linguist

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(hey, let's reincarnate the Tarrasque and see what happens!)
Actually, that's pretty sensible.  You don't want somebody resurrecting or reanimating it.
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(hey, let's reincarnate the Tarrasque and see what happens!)
Actually, that's pretty sensible.  You don't want somebody resurrecting or reanimating it.
47HD rabbit?