Dark Mistress
First Post
A book of new non spell casting classes.
This product is 52 pages long. Cover, credits, ToC and Intro is 4 pages. OGL and back cover is 2 pages.
Chapter 1 – Classes (40 pages)
Beastmaster – d12, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
This class is basically a Barbarian that gives up rage powers for a druid animal pet and some druid like special abilities, such as talk with animals, wild Empathy etc. It also has a few powers of it's own like, battle roar, scent, animal agility etc. Is it balanced with the barbarian? I would say it is close, most of it's class abilities it gains in place of rage are not combat abilities. I like the class.
Bounty Hunter – D10, 6 skills, weapons/armor like rogue, full BaB.
It gets track, bonus feats every 4 levels and sneak attack like a rogue. The class gets a few special class abilities such as Worth More Alive than Dead, sneak attack dmg can be non lethal even if done with a lethal weapon. With a few others that help the Bounty Hunter track down and/or take foes alive. I like the class, kinda a no spells ranger with a bit of rogue ability. But I worry a bit the full BaB and full sneak attack might be a bit much.
Corbie – d10, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
A bit of a fighter/rogue. Gets a bonus feat every 4 levels, at 5th gets tricks of the trade(similar to rogue talents) and then every 4 levels after. All and all a interesting class for those that want a fighter with a bit more social ability and a bit different.
Corsair - d10, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
Sneak attack like a rogue, damage reduction like a Barb, at 6th level learns vital strike and the improved versions every 6 levels. It gets a couple of it's own abilities. This one even with the full BaB and SA, doesn't seem to strong, as it has little else to help it out in combat. A interesting class but really has mechanically has very little to do with sailing.
Gladiator – d10, 2 skills, all melee and thrown weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
Bonus feats every 4th level(counts as a fighter -2 in lvls for purposes of feats), damage reduction like a barb, fighting styles similar to a ranger. They get a few other abilities mostly set feats or from a small list of feats and a bonus to all melee dmg +1 at 5th and goes to every 5 levels to a max of +4 at 20th. This class feels a bit stronger than the fighter. They give up half the feats and a couple of other things like armor training but get good replacements. But they are not much stronger and I don't think they would replace the fighter.
Hunter – d10, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB. Two good saves.
A spell less ranger/rogue. They give up spells, combat styles and a couple of ranger abilities and gain sneak attack(that works with ranged weapons at range) like a rogue, vital feat tree, and a couple of other abilities. There is one error I noticed part of the time sneak attacked is called ambush attack instead of the class chart.
Knight – d10, 4 skills, all weapons/armor, full BaB.
A mounted knight, every other level can choose a power from a power pool(similar in intent to rogue talents and of about the same power), they can a few special abilities, get better on a horse and gain weapon focus. This class might be a little weak next to a fighter and paladin. But it is a more social so a nice option.
Martial Artist – d10, 2 skills, all weapons including some exotic, no armor. Full BaB.
More of a weapon based monk, some unarmed abilities but gets bonuses with weapons, Bonus feats every other level(but not fighter feats). They get a ki pool half their level + wis mod. They can spend it to strike things normally only hit by magic etc, get a extra attack that round or for one round add +4 AC. Pool replenishes after 8 hours of rest. All and all a nice alternate to the monk for those wanted a more weapon based version.
Scholar – d8, 6 skills, simple weapons, no armor, medium BaB. 2 good saves.
This class made me think Indian Jones. It lores, bonus AC from Int, scholar secrets every other level(sorta like rogue talents, but can learn some basic magic as well and trap finding), at 10th level they can pick from the advanced secrets list. It would have been a great alternate version of the rogue, a more knowledge less combative.
Scout – d8, 8 skills, simple weapons(a few martial weapons), light armor, medium BaB.
Trapfinding, targeted strike(works like sneak attack but can be done at any time as long as the scout can clearly see the target), scout talents every other level and advanced ones at 10th (similar to rogue talents though some of the ranger abilities are options). Basically this a rogue that gives up uncanny dodge tree for targeted strike(no need to flank, but is a attack action aka once per round) and slightly different talents(more ranger like talents).
Spy – d8, 6 skills, weapons/armor like rogue. Medium BaB.
Like a rogue including SA, gets Spy Talents instead and loses evasion and trapfinding. Talents are more social based, basically this is a more social based rogue. I like this class and feel it works well.
Chapter 2 – Feats (4 pages)
33 new feats that all and all seem fairly well thought out.
Chapter 3 – Equipment and Starting wealth (2 pages)
Adds 3 gladiator armors, 6 new weapons, 5 2h weapons and 1 new heavier bow.
Closing thoughts, I have not playtested this yet. So when I say this or that class feels strong or weak it is based on just reading the classes. I like this book especially for the price. While I do think some of the classes need some tweaks I think it is a good pickup to mine for idea's. If you are looking for some more non spell casting classes this book is worth picking up. The artwork is ok. My biggest concern about the book is the classes with full BaB and SA, makes me a little leery but maybe my fears are unfounded. I won't know till I get a chance to see them in play. I am giving this a 3.5 star mostly cause while I liked the book, I think some of the classes need a little tweaking.
This product is 52 pages long. Cover, credits, ToC and Intro is 4 pages. OGL and back cover is 2 pages.
Chapter 1 – Classes (40 pages)
Beastmaster – d12, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
This class is basically a Barbarian that gives up rage powers for a druid animal pet and some druid like special abilities, such as talk with animals, wild Empathy etc. It also has a few powers of it's own like, battle roar, scent, animal agility etc. Is it balanced with the barbarian? I would say it is close, most of it's class abilities it gains in place of rage are not combat abilities. I like the class.
Bounty Hunter – D10, 6 skills, weapons/armor like rogue, full BaB.
It gets track, bonus feats every 4 levels and sneak attack like a rogue. The class gets a few special class abilities such as Worth More Alive than Dead, sneak attack dmg can be non lethal even if done with a lethal weapon. With a few others that help the Bounty Hunter track down and/or take foes alive. I like the class, kinda a no spells ranger with a bit of rogue ability. But I worry a bit the full BaB and full sneak attack might be a bit much.
Corbie – d10, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
A bit of a fighter/rogue. Gets a bonus feat every 4 levels, at 5th gets tricks of the trade(similar to rogue talents) and then every 4 levels after. All and all a interesting class for those that want a fighter with a bit more social ability and a bit different.
Corsair - d10, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
Sneak attack like a rogue, damage reduction like a Barb, at 6th level learns vital strike and the improved versions every 6 levels. It gets a couple of it's own abilities. This one even with the full BaB and SA, doesn't seem to strong, as it has little else to help it out in combat. A interesting class but really has mechanically has very little to do with sailing.
Gladiator – d10, 2 skills, all melee and thrown weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB.
Bonus feats every 4th level(counts as a fighter -2 in lvls for purposes of feats), damage reduction like a barb, fighting styles similar to a ranger. They get a few other abilities mostly set feats or from a small list of feats and a bonus to all melee dmg +1 at 5th and goes to every 5 levels to a max of +4 at 20th. This class feels a bit stronger than the fighter. They give up half the feats and a couple of other things like armor training but get good replacements. But they are not much stronger and I don't think they would replace the fighter.
Hunter – d10, 4 skills, all weapons, light/medium armor, full BaB. Two good saves.
A spell less ranger/rogue. They give up spells, combat styles and a couple of ranger abilities and gain sneak attack(that works with ranged weapons at range) like a rogue, vital feat tree, and a couple of other abilities. There is one error I noticed part of the time sneak attacked is called ambush attack instead of the class chart.
Knight – d10, 4 skills, all weapons/armor, full BaB.
A mounted knight, every other level can choose a power from a power pool(similar in intent to rogue talents and of about the same power), they can a few special abilities, get better on a horse and gain weapon focus. This class might be a little weak next to a fighter and paladin. But it is a more social so a nice option.
Martial Artist – d10, 2 skills, all weapons including some exotic, no armor. Full BaB.
More of a weapon based monk, some unarmed abilities but gets bonuses with weapons, Bonus feats every other level(but not fighter feats). They get a ki pool half their level + wis mod. They can spend it to strike things normally only hit by magic etc, get a extra attack that round or for one round add +4 AC. Pool replenishes after 8 hours of rest. All and all a nice alternate to the monk for those wanted a more weapon based version.
Scholar – d8, 6 skills, simple weapons, no armor, medium BaB. 2 good saves.
This class made me think Indian Jones. It lores, bonus AC from Int, scholar secrets every other level(sorta like rogue talents, but can learn some basic magic as well and trap finding), at 10th level they can pick from the advanced secrets list. It would have been a great alternate version of the rogue, a more knowledge less combative.
Scout – d8, 8 skills, simple weapons(a few martial weapons), light armor, medium BaB.
Trapfinding, targeted strike(works like sneak attack but can be done at any time as long as the scout can clearly see the target), scout talents every other level and advanced ones at 10th (similar to rogue talents though some of the ranger abilities are options). Basically this a rogue that gives up uncanny dodge tree for targeted strike(no need to flank, but is a attack action aka once per round) and slightly different talents(more ranger like talents).
Spy – d8, 6 skills, weapons/armor like rogue. Medium BaB.
Like a rogue including SA, gets Spy Talents instead and loses evasion and trapfinding. Talents are more social based, basically this is a more social based rogue. I like this class and feel it works well.
Chapter 2 – Feats (4 pages)
33 new feats that all and all seem fairly well thought out.
Chapter 3 – Equipment and Starting wealth (2 pages)
Adds 3 gladiator armors, 6 new weapons, 5 2h weapons and 1 new heavier bow.
Closing thoughts, I have not playtested this yet. So when I say this or that class feels strong or weak it is based on just reading the classes. I like this book especially for the price. While I do think some of the classes need some tweaks I think it is a good pickup to mine for idea's. If you are looking for some more non spell casting classes this book is worth picking up. The artwork is ok. My biggest concern about the book is the classes with full BaB and SA, makes me a little leery but maybe my fears are unfounded. I won't know till I get a chance to see them in play. I am giving this a 3.5 star mostly cause while I liked the book, I think some of the classes need a little tweaking.
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