New class: the athlete. Please comment!

Someone

Adventurer
I´d like some feedback with this class a friend and I have been developing for an ancient Greek-like setting he´s developing. Since the monk there isn´t appropiate, we thought on something to fill it´s niche.

The athlete

(snip fluff text)

Alignment: any, though most of them are Lawful
Hit die: d12
Skills: Craft, Spot, Listen, Balance, Ride, Swim, Profession, Tumble, Jump, Climb, Escape Artist.
Skill points: 4+Int bonus.

Code:
Level BAB        Fort Ref Will   Special
1     +0         +2   +2  +2     Wrestling, Exploit
2     +1         +3   +3  +3     Bonus feat
3     +2         +3   +3  +3     Vigor
4     +3         +4   +4  +4     Skill boost
5     +3         +4   +4  +4     Exploit
6     +4         +5   +5  +5     Bonus feat, Vigor
7     +5         +5   +5  +5
8     +6+1       +6   +6  +6     Skill boost
9     +6+1       +6   +6  +6     Vigor, Fame
10    +7+2       +7   +7  +7     Exploit, bonus feat
11    +8+3       +7   +7  +7
12    +9+4       +8   +8  +8     Vigor, Skill boost
13    +9+4       +8   +8  +8
14    +10+5      +9   +9  +9     Bonus feat
15    +11+6+1    +9   +9  +9     Vigor, Exploit
16    +12+7+2    +10  +10 +10    Skill boost
17    +12+7+2    +10  +10 +10
18    +13+8+3    +11  +11 +11    Vigor, Bonus feat
19    +14+9+4    +11  +11 +11
20    +15+10+5   +12  +12 +12    Exploit, Skill boost

Weapons and armor proficiency: Athetes are proficient with all simple weapons and the throwing weight (see below) They are also proficient with light armor and shields (but not the tower shield)

Special qualities: Athletes gain advantages thanks to their discipline and training:

Wrestling: Athletes train in a special martial art based on grapples and holds. The athlete adquires the Improved grapple feat, even is he doesn´t meet the requisites, and gains a +1 to grapple checks for every 2 levels in the athlete class but only gains those two benefits when he´s wearing light or no armor and without shield.

Exploit: The athlete can choose one exploit from the list below. If the Exploit has a limited number of uses, choosing it another time doubles that number (remember that doubling a double equals a tripling, and so on). Exploits are not stackable unless it´s descriptions says otherwise. Exploits can only be used when the athlete is wearing light or no armor. Using a Exploit is a free action.

Hold breath: You can hold your breath up to 10 minutes. You can use this exploit 1/day.
Marathonian: When you Hustle you can ignore the non lethal damage you suffer for an hour. You can use this Exploit more than once per day, allowing you to run long distances without tiring. You can use this Exploit 8/week.
Weight lifter: For 5 rounds you have +10 to strenght, but this increase only afects your lifting capacity (wich means it multiplies by 4). You can use this exploit 3/day.
Great Jump: You get a +15 modifier to your Jump skill for one round. You can use this exploit 3/day.
Strong Arm: Choose a throwing weapon, like javelin or throwing weight, that´s used in athletic disciplines. You are considered to have the feats Far Shot and Precise Shot with this weapon, even if you don´t meet the prerrequisites. You can choose this Exploit more than once and it applies to a different weapon, and don´t have an use limit per day.
Stone fist: Your unarmed damage advances by a size category, so if you are Medium size it becomes 1d4 instead of 1d3. You can choose this feat more than once, and it´s effects stack. This Exploit don´t have a limit of uses per day.
Sprinter: Your movement increases by 10 feet. You can´t choose this Exploit more than once, and it´s effects don´t have a limit of uses per day.
Hard as Iron: You gain damage reduction 1/--. You must have at least 5 levels in this class before adquiring this Exploit. It doesn´t have a limit of uses per day, and you retain it´s benefits even when you´re wearing an armor heavier than Light.

Bonus feat: The athlete gains a bonus feat from the following list: Endurance, Alertness, Run, Two weapon fighting, Toughness, Dodge, Mobility, Improved unarmed strike, Blind fighting, Diehard, Stunning Fist, Great Fortitude, Lightning reflexes and Iron Will.

Vigor: The athlete can add a +1 bonus to his Strenght, Dexterity or constitution score, in the same way as with level advancement.

Fame: The athlete at this point is famous enough that he finds easy to gather a good number of loyal followers willing to learn his techniques. If an athlete with this class feature adquires the Leadership feat, he can choose his cohort or followers to be athletes of the appropiate level, and gains a +4 bonus to his Leadership score if so. If the followers or the cohort are not athletes, he gains the bonus for one category but not for the other (for example the Athlete could attract a cleric cohort and athlete followers, and he´d gain the +4 bonus with the followers)

Skill boost: The athlete gains a +5 bonus to any of the following skills: Swim, Climb, Ride, Balance, tumble and Escape Artist. You can apply the entire bonus to one skill or spread it on several as you wish. These bonuses stack between them and any other.

Note: disc or throwing weight: Exotic throwing weapon, range increment 10 feet, damage (medium size) 2d6, weight 15 lbs, cost 1 gp. As with sling bullets, you can use a large stone as an improvised weight, but damage is lowered to 1d8.
 

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Someone said:
I´d like some feedback with this class a friend and I have been developing for an ancient Greek-like setting he´s developing. Since the monk there isn´t appropiate, we thought on something to fill it´s niche.

Neat. I'd make Wresling an Exploit and remove the Skill Boost ability. You might as well just give them 5 skill points / level.

I'd like to see something else to represent the fame aspect. Maybe bonuses to Diplomacy or something like that. Like adding class level to Diplomacy checks if the target knows who he is.


Aaron
 

I made up this guy. Started with +8 ability modifier, 19k worth of stuff (changed some item's slots) and give it access to weapon specialization (unarmed strike). I thought that kinda fit.

If I had to guess, I would say he is a little underpowered it seems like a weaker monk. In hindsight maybe increase the access to the special powers and/or make them a little better.

All in all, I think this is real neat. I like the concept alot.

Iron Sheik

Medium Humanoid (Human)
Hit Dice: 7d12 + 24 (78 hp)
Initiative: +2 dex
Speed: 30
Armor Class: 18 (+ 5 leather +3, +2 dex, +1 necklace of protection)
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/ +16
Attack: +11 gauntlets +1 (1d4 +7) mw javelin +8 (1d6 +3)
Full Attack: +11 gauntlets +1 (1d4 +7) mw javelin +8 (1d6 +3)
Space/Reach: 5
Special Attacks: Hard as Iron, Stone Fist
Special Qualities: DR 1/-
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14 Con 15 Int 10 Wis 12 Chr 12
Skills: Spot +6 , Listen +6, Balance +8, Ride +7, Swim +9, Tumble+8 , Jump +9, Climb +9, Escape Artist +7
Feats: Improved Grapple*, Improved Unarmed Fighting*, Stunning Fist*, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike), Toughness, Improved Toughness, Weapon Specialization (Unarmed Strike)
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure: Belt of strength +2, +3 leather armor, +1 necklace of protection, +1 gauntlets
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:
Description
STUNNING FIST (DC14)
 

Usually lawful? :confused: I would have thought Chaotic.

Regardless, I like the class. I don't know that PCs would really take it, but it's powered like a PC class, not an NPC class.
 

Not sure about the Light Armor. I would say no armor. Also I think Vigor is too frequent. I would make it at least 1 every 5 levels.
 

What exactly does this guy do in combat? What's his angle for contributing to the party's survival? Also, with monk-like armor restrictions and no class AC bonus, I think he'll be hurting for AC before long (which is particularly problematic if he ends up fighting in the front lines - and I can't figure out where else he'd be).
 

rycanada said:
What exactly does this guy do in combat? What's his angle for contributing to the party's survival?
I guess his role would be like Pamela Anderson's in VIP.

Also, with monk-like armor restrictions and no class AC bonus, I think he'll be hurting for AC before long.
There should probably be an AC boosting Exploit.


Aaron
 

rycanada said:
What exactly does this guy do in combat? What's his angle for contributing to the party's survival? Also, with monk-like armor restrictions and no class AC bonus, I think he'll be hurting for AC before long (which is particularly problematic if he ends up fighting in the front lines - and I can't figure out where else he'd be).

Yes, it´s a fighter-type class, but of course not as strong at fighting as the fighter or the barbarian. Strong points of this guy are the good abilities, (since he doesn´t need good mental stats and has the Vigor class ability), many hit points and good saves. Less important advantages are good skills and being reasonably good at grappling (he does less damage than the monk grappling, but will have a way better grapple bonus). Exploits add a little of mobility, resilience and some minor other benefits. He´s just not your candidate to make a smackdown character, so he may seem weak at the first sight, but I really think he´s not.

About AC, he can wear light armor and carry shields. I don´t feel he´s so vulnerable with that, since there are a lot of classes that wear that (like rangers) and have less hit points. But if you want more armor you can multiclass (you only lose the use of some exploits when using heavier armor, anyway) or adquire the relevant feats.
 

I'm with CRGreathouse & Vlos on their points. I think the character should not have any armor proficiency and should be chaotic to some degree. Give the athlete a Base Defense Bonus to make up for the lack of Armor. Also maybe a lessened rate of Flurry of Blows.
 

If the class is balanced as you say, I can't figure it would be very fun to play: Most of the abilities are physical, but it doesn't look like it's designed to actively do anything in combat. Just die more slowly, or maybe from a better angle. I really think it's important that everybody's character has something positive they feel they're contributing - nobody wants to be "I'm flanking him so you can do sneak attack damage; good for me."
 

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