The Wyrwood Monastery

Rae ArdGaoth · May 13, 2007

So, any comments? I can't vote on this myself...

GnomeWorks · May 18, 2007

While this class goes against the general entry-level guideline for PrCs, I think the abilities granted by it are not all that overpowered, and certainly fit the feel of the flavor. It strikes me more as a monk-with-flavor than a PrC headed in its own distinct direction, which works: the monk is too cookie-cutter, anyway. Looking at it that way, this class seems perfectly fine to me.

I give this proposal my Approval.

B4cchus · May 18, 2007

It strikes me as odd that whilst a brother relies on his ears so much they become superior to those of a 'normal' human, he also gains resistance to sonic damage. I think it would be more logical for the brother to be more sensitive to sonic attacks, since his ears are so much more sensitive.
concerning the music in the grain ability: i'd suggest that any musical instrument made by a brother is automaticly masterwork. By doing so you'd keep the +2 bonus on the instrument within the existing rules.
Finally, it might be fun to put in some kind of light sensitivity for brothers who are 'artificially' blinded (e.g. blindfold).
Alltogether i think it's a cool and balanced prestige class

Rae ArdGaoth · May 18, 2007

I gave the Brother a +5 against deafening attacks because his abilities depend so heavily on hearing. My RP reasoning is that the Brother not only has extra-sensitive hearing, he also has extraordinary control over his nonvisual senses; a seeing person can close their eyes to avoid a gaze attack, and a Wyrwood Brother can "close his ears" to avoid a deafening attack, to an extent. My meta-game reason is that deafening a Brother is his Achille's Heel, and he's already lost his Monk Fort save vs. everything else, the +5 just gives him a Monk-like save vs. sonic attacks.

It could be argued that because it's his Achille's Heel, the Brother shouldn't receive a +5 bonus. I disagree, but I'll change it if the judges think that's more fair.

As for the Music in the Grain instrument bonus, I made it a "+2 bonus" specifically so that it would stack with masterwork properties. Instruments made by Wyrwood Brothers are a cut above even masterwork instruments, so to speak. Now that you mention, I think I might decrease the Music in the Grain bonus to just a "+1 bonus" that stacks with everything add something for "Wyrwood wood" that gives another "+1 bonus" that stacks.

Why would they have light sensitivity? They're blindfolded.

B4cchus · May 18, 2007

I understand the metagame reasoning behind the donic resistance, i just disagree on the 'flavour'reasoning (just like light sensitivity for orcs: they see better in the dark but are sensitive to light).

I guess the 'crafted better then MW' is ok, i still am more a fan of putting bonusses into existing rules.. but that's just me.

The light sensitivity would only apply when they take off hier blindfold.

Rae ArdGaoth · May 19, 2007

Aha, yes, the light sensitivity would make sense then. That would also discourage blindfolded Brothers from just ripping the blindfold off in a crisis. I like it.

Dwarves have the same darkvision that Orcs do (60'), but they don't have light sensitivity. Presumably this is because orcs spend their entire lives underground in total darkness while dwarves spend plenty of time in both dark tunnels and bright sunlight. The Brothers' ears are constantly bombarded with all kinds of sounds, soft and loud. They must be able to discriminate between those that matter and just noise. I don't really mind that it doesn't make any physical sense. Perhaps Sonorous Sensation and Music in the Grain should become Supernatural abilities?

B4cchus · May 19, 2007

Making it a SU ability sounds good! That way you keep the mechanical reasoning(which makes sense) but lose the natural explanation

I still feel that the part on the crafting should be more along the lines of the existing rules but that is just my 2 coppers. I wonder what anyone else thinks about it... (yes, a very unsubtile hint).

Rae ArdGaoth · May 21, 2007

Thank you GnomeWorks, for your yes vote!

Changes since GW's vote:
*Made Sonorous Sensation and Music in the Grain supernatural abilities.
*Added light blindness to the "Brothers with Sight" section.
*Decreased the instrument bonus from Music in the Grain to +1.
*Added +1 alchemical bonus to musical instruments made of Wyrwood oak.

(The alchemical bonus is the only one that comes close to being appropriate, off of this list anyway.)

GnomeWorks · May 21, 2007

Those changes don't change my opinion of the class. My vote stands.

Erekose13 · May 25, 2007

Now that I've had the chance to sit down and read all that I give it an emphatic yes. Its got great flavor, solid mechanics, and a wonderful tie in to LEW. For something as specialized as over coming the penalties of blindness I think opening the class for L4 is okay. Its a very specific character that will this route.