New Class: The Judge

[CAFargo]

Perhaps some of you are familiar with the final fantasy games, but that and the last player to join my campaigns reluctance to join has caused me to ask myself the basic questions...why not?

The idea behind the judge class is a powerful fighter who uses spells, swords, and shields.

Taking from its fighter heritage, the class gains combat casting at first level, and then must choose a feat path at third levels that gives him a chain of feats at 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 18th, and 20th, but can only use them when wielding his chosen weapon. He also gets a good BAB progression and proficiency equaling a fighters. The following is the feat chains available (any weapon-specific feats have to deal with the judge's chosen weapon, described below).

Power Attack-->Cleave-->Great Cleave-->Dodge-->Mobility-->Whirlwind Attack

Power Attack-->Weapon Focus-->Weapon Special.-->Improved Crit.-->Greater Weapon Focus-->Greater Weapon Special.-->Improved Sunder

Point Blank Shot-->Far Shot-->Shot on the Run-->Rapid Reload-->Precise Shot-->Improved Precise Shot-->Mounted Archery

Point Blank Shot-->Rapid Shot-->Many Shot-->Power Shot-->Precise Shot-->Improved Precise Shot-->Rapid Reload

Quicken Spell-->Enlarge Spell-->Extend Spell-->Heighten Spell-->Empower Spell-->Widen Spell-->Maximize Spell

Drawing from its wizard heritage, the judge can cast spells from the wizard/sorcerer spell list, based on Int. Below is its spells/day and spells known, starting at 0th and going up to 6th. On the other hand, the judge can use spells when wearing any type of armor, but still takes ASF chance from shields and the like.

1st--1/0--4/2
2nd--1/0--4/2
3rd--1/0--4/2
4th--2/1--5/3
5th--2/1/0--5/3
6th--2/1/0--5/3/2
7th--3/2/0/0--5/4/2/2
8th--3/2/1/0--5/4/3/2
9th--3/2/1/0/0--5/4/3/2/2
10th--3/3/1/1/0--5/5/3/3/2
11th--3/3/2/1/0/0--5/5/4/3/2/2
12th--3/3/2/1/0/0--5/5/4/3/3/2
13th--3/3/2/2/1/0/0--5/5/4/4/3/2/2
14th--3/3/3/2/1/1/0--5/5/5/4/3/3/2
15th--3/3/3/2/2/1/0--5/5/5/4/4/3/2
16th--3/3/3/3/2/1/1--5/5/5/5/4/3/3
17th--3/3/3/3/2/2/1--5/5/5/5/4/4/3
18th--3/3/3/3/3/2/1--5/5/5/5/5/4/3
19th--3/3/3/3/3/2/2--5/5/5/5/5/4/4
20th--3/3/3/3/3/3/2--5/5/5/5/5/5/4

In addition, the class requires the character to choose a chosen weapon by level 2. The character must be proficient with the weapon, and the weapon must be either martial or a two-handed weapon (including bastard swords). When using this weapon, the character gains +1 bonus to attack and +2 bonus to damage (these bonuses stack with any other bonuses). The character may only cast spells and gain the benefit of the classes bonus spells (excepting combat casting) when wielding this weapon.

Is this OP?

 

[Sylrae]

I think it's quite a bit overpowered. There are already classes that do what youre seeming to accomplish though.

the WoTC one that springs to mind is the Duskblade, in the PHB2. There are some other classes which do the same thing, I've seen them called things like spellblades.

for comparison, the duskblade only casts up to 5th level spells.

your feat chains take it a bit over the top, and are much more than the duskblade gets, power-wise.

Finally, the weapon specialization thing isn't a big nerf. most people only use one or two weapons or weapon types throughout a character's life anyways, except in dire circumstances.

 

[CAFargo]

I think it's quite a bit overpowered. There are already classes that do what youre seeming to accomplish though.

the WoTC one that springs to mind is the Duskblade, in the PHB2. There are some other classes which do the same thing, I've seen them called things like spellblades.

for comparison, the duskblade only casts up to 5th level spells.

That should help...I'm not so sure he'd want to play anything called a dusk-blade, however...seems to dark for him...

 

[Ugulu the Barbarian]

Then just rename it. Make it fit to your campaign, I've never heard of a duskblade, but your judge is a little like the spellsword prestige class.