CustosObscurus
First Post
Some friends and I recently started a campaign in the Eberron setting. Both of us have been looking at some of the prestige classes, and so far we haven't found what we want our characters to evolve into. Therefore, we created our own.
Both the Cannith Elite and the Battle Magus are in rough draft form, and we'd appreciate any tips on balance/power issues and how to correct them. Any help at all is welcome.
Cannith Elite
Some warforged live life as mercenaries. Others become religious and search for a higher meaning to their life, or start learning about the world at large. Still others become fascinated with the arts. Those who are able to accomplish all of these are seen by House Cannith as awesome accomplishments. If they prove that they are loyal to House Cannith, they may choose to take them on as defenders of their House and the members thereof. These paragons are allowed to do whatever they wish, as long as they will protect their patrons to the best of their ability. In return, they recieve special upgrades from Cannith to make them as powerful as they can be.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +8
Feats: Two-weapon Fighting
Skills: Craft (Any) 8 ranks OR Perform (any) 8 ranks, Knowledge (any) 8 ranks
Special: Must be a warforged with very high standings with House Cannith leaders and be accepted as an Elite. Also, must have physically saved the life of a member of House Cannith.
Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft (armorsmithing), Craft (Blacksmithing), Craft (Weaponsmithing) Disable Device, Gather Information, Jump, Listen, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + INT modifier
Class Features
Level BAB......Fort Ref Will
1st +1............+2 +0 +2
2nd +2...........+3 +0 +3
3rd +3...........+3 +1 +3
4th +4...........+4 +1 +4
5th +5...........+4 +1 +4
6th +6/+1......+5 +2 +5
7th +7/+2......+5 +2 +5
8th +8/+3......+6 +2 +6
9th +9/+4......+6 +3 +6
10th +10/+5...+7 +3 +7
Level Special
1st Repairman, Tech Sense
2nd Damage Reduction
3rd Quick Repair
4th Metal Familiarity
5th Quad Armory
6th Four Weapon Fighting
7th Improved Damage Reduction
8th Four Weapon Defense
9th Greater Damage Reduction
10th Mammoth Critical
Repairman: You can take 20 on all craft skills used to repair machines. It takes no longer to take 20 then to make a regular check on these skill checks.
Tech Sense: Cannith Elite of a certain skill level pick up an innate sense for how machines work. This allows them a +2 competence bonus on all Appraise, Craft, Disable Device, Knowledge, Open Lock, and Use Magic Device checks involving some sort of mechanical or technological device.
Damage Reduction: You gain damage reduction 5/adamantine, or if you already have damage reduction, improve the existing reduction by 1.
Quick Repair: You can attempt to repair yourself in combat. You can take a full-round action to try to repair yourself with a -10 penalty to the check. You cannot take 10 or take 20 during a quick repair.
Metal Familiarity: You are familiar with the properties of all metals. You gain a +5 competence bonus on all Knowledge checks involving a metal object. Also, when you wield a weapon with the damaging part made of metal, you are considered to have the Improved Critical feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Quad Armory: You have an extra set of arms attached to your body. In addition to the obvious benefits of being able to use extra weapons and manipulate extra objects, you gain a +2 modifier to all Strength, Climb, and Grapple checks. In addition, you can use 2 crossbows at the same time. You cannot use more than 1 double weapon or bow. Both extra hands are considered off hands, and the Elite takes a -10 penalty to attack rolls with those hands (however, you can use your original 2 hands without any additional penalty).
WIELDING PENALTIES
L R
-2 -2
-8 -8
Four Weapon Fighting: The penalties for using your lower hands in combat is lessened by -6, and the penalties for your upper hands are reduced by -2. All attacks made by off hands use the lowest base attack bonus.
WIELDING PENALTIES
..L....R
..0....0
.-2...-2
Improved Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 10/adamantine.
Four Weapon Defense: You gain a +1 shield bonus to your AC for every melee weapon you are wielding after the first (+3 maximum).
Greater Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 15/adamantine.
Mammoth Critical: After you score a critical, roll another attack die. If the attack roll plus any modifiers is more than 10 over the defender's AC, they must make a fortitude save (DC 25) or die instantly. You may choose not to use this ability.
Battle Magus
Hit Die: d6
Requirements:
Concentration: 8 ranks
Knowledge (Arcana): 8 ranks
Spellcraft: 8 ranks
Feats: Combat Casting, Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Weapon Focus: [any].
Spells: Ability to cast 4th level arcane spells or higher.
Special: Must have survived a battle without the use of magic. Must
have survived a battle without the use of a weapon or armor.
Class Skills:
The Battle Magus' class skills (and the key ability for each skill)
are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession
(Wis), Scry (Int, exclusive skill), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter
4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
Battle Magi gain no weapon proficiencies. However, they do gain Light
and Medium armor proficiency. Battle Magi gain no proficiencies with
shields.
Special:
Battle Magi gain spells as they normally would in their arcane
spellcasting class. If they have more than one, then they choose which
one they progress in at each level. Battle Magus levels also count
towards "Caster Level" bonuses.
Base Attack Progression:
1st +1
2nd +2
3rd +3
4th +4
5th +5
6th +5/+1
7th +6/+1
8th +6/+2
9th +7/+2
10th +7/+3
Good Saving Throws: Fortitude, Will
1st +2/+0/+2
2nd +3/+0/+3
3rd +3/+1/+3
4th +4/+1/+4
5th +4/+1/+4
6th +5/+2/+5
7th +5/+2/+5
8th +6/+2/+6
9th +6/+3/+6
10th +7/+3/+7
Level Special
1st Melee Arcana
2nd Ingenuitive Response I
3rd Arcane Armor
4th Melee Arcana II
5th Ingenuitive Response II
6th Arcane Resilience I
7th Arcane Edge
8th Arcane Infusion
9th Ingenuitive Response III
10th Arcane Resilience II
Melee Arcana I and II:
In battle, it is a necessity that Battle Magi have their hands free to
combat enemies around them while still casting their spells, thus they
undergo painstaking training to rid themselves of spell components
that require the use of their hands at all. At first level they no
longer require the use of somatic components and effectively can cast
spells under the effects of the Still Spell feat (the only difference
being that the spell's level isn't modified). At fourth level the
caster rids themself of their need for material components as well,
effectively placing their spells under the effects of the Eschewed
Materials feat (which also does not alter the spell's level).
Ingenuitive Response I, II, and III:
On the battlefield, the Battle Magus is constantly required to respond
verbatim to the everchanging state of the scene that surrounds them.
Because of this, Battle Magi must be quick to analyze a situation
quickly and respond with a spell that rises to the occasion. However,
since the repertoire of a caster may not suit every exact situation,
Battle Magi focus on the ability to modify the spell itself to suit a
given situation. At levels two, five, and nine they gain the ability
to spontaneously activate a metamagic feat that they have previously
chosen from a small list a number of times per day equal to their
Charisma modifier + 1 (for each feat). The list is as follows: Chain
Spell, Quicken Spell, Sculpt Spell, Twin Spell. At each appropriate
level they may choose one of these feats, each time choosing a
different one, and may activate them without preparation. The spell's
level is not modified by the use of one of these feats.
Arcane Armor:
At level three Battle Magi learn use the very ley lines that surround
them to form a defensive barrier between themselves and their
attackers. This grants the Battle Magus a miscellaneous armor bonus
equal to their Intelligence modifier. This defensive field is
constantly in place and requires no willpower to remain active on the
part of the Battle Magus. The field is also weightless, generally
immaterial, and it conforms perfectly to the Battle Magus at all
times.
Arcane Resilience I and II:
At level six and moreover at level ten, the Battle Magus begins to
synchronize their body with the defensive magics that lie dormant
around them at all time, making them alarmingly resilient to attacks.
Rather than having to activate these magics, they become endowed with
their choice of damage reduction. At level six the caster chooses from
10/+1, or 5/magic and energy . At level ten the caster replaces this
with either 15/+1, or 10/magic and energy, or 5/-.
Arcane Edge:
At the seventh level the Battle Magus begins to further comprehend the
universal field of magic, and its uses on the field of war. At this
time, the Battle Magus learns to spontaneously enhance their weapons
with the use of this field, making them more effective against
opponents. The Battle Magus now may add their Intelligence modifier to
all damage rolls made with a weapon (ranged or melee).
Arcane Infusion:
With this final comprehension of the synergy between magic, arms, and
armor, the eighth level Battle Magus learns to enchant arms and armor
with unrivaled efficiency. Because of this the caster can enhance
weapons and armor magically with fewer materials and with less
personal sacrifice. Thus, the cost in gold and experience of
enchanting arms or armor is reduced by half.
Both the Cannith Elite and the Battle Magus are in rough draft form, and we'd appreciate any tips on balance/power issues and how to correct them. Any help at all is welcome.
Cannith Elite
Some warforged live life as mercenaries. Others become religious and search for a higher meaning to their life, or start learning about the world at large. Still others become fascinated with the arts. Those who are able to accomplish all of these are seen by House Cannith as awesome accomplishments. If they prove that they are loyal to House Cannith, they may choose to take them on as defenders of their House and the members thereof. These paragons are allowed to do whatever they wish, as long as they will protect their patrons to the best of their ability. In return, they recieve special upgrades from Cannith to make them as powerful as they can be.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +8
Feats: Two-weapon Fighting
Skills: Craft (Any) 8 ranks OR Perform (any) 8 ranks, Knowledge (any) 8 ranks
Special: Must be a warforged with very high standings with House Cannith leaders and be accepted as an Elite. Also, must have physically saved the life of a member of House Cannith.
Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft (armorsmithing), Craft (Blacksmithing), Craft (Weaponsmithing) Disable Device, Gather Information, Jump, Listen, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + INT modifier
Class Features
Level BAB......Fort Ref Will
1st +1............+2 +0 +2
2nd +2...........+3 +0 +3
3rd +3...........+3 +1 +3
4th +4...........+4 +1 +4
5th +5...........+4 +1 +4
6th +6/+1......+5 +2 +5
7th +7/+2......+5 +2 +5
8th +8/+3......+6 +2 +6
9th +9/+4......+6 +3 +6
10th +10/+5...+7 +3 +7
Level Special
1st Repairman, Tech Sense
2nd Damage Reduction
3rd Quick Repair
4th Metal Familiarity
5th Quad Armory
6th Four Weapon Fighting
7th Improved Damage Reduction
8th Four Weapon Defense
9th Greater Damage Reduction
10th Mammoth Critical
Repairman: You can take 20 on all craft skills used to repair machines. It takes no longer to take 20 then to make a regular check on these skill checks.
Tech Sense: Cannith Elite of a certain skill level pick up an innate sense for how machines work. This allows them a +2 competence bonus on all Appraise, Craft, Disable Device, Knowledge, Open Lock, and Use Magic Device checks involving some sort of mechanical or technological device.
Damage Reduction: You gain damage reduction 5/adamantine, or if you already have damage reduction, improve the existing reduction by 1.
Quick Repair: You can attempt to repair yourself in combat. You can take a full-round action to try to repair yourself with a -10 penalty to the check. You cannot take 10 or take 20 during a quick repair.
Metal Familiarity: You are familiar with the properties of all metals. You gain a +5 competence bonus on all Knowledge checks involving a metal object. Also, when you wield a weapon with the damaging part made of metal, you are considered to have the Improved Critical feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
Quad Armory: You have an extra set of arms attached to your body. In addition to the obvious benefits of being able to use extra weapons and manipulate extra objects, you gain a +2 modifier to all Strength, Climb, and Grapple checks. In addition, you can use 2 crossbows at the same time. You cannot use more than 1 double weapon or bow. Both extra hands are considered off hands, and the Elite takes a -10 penalty to attack rolls with those hands (however, you can use your original 2 hands without any additional penalty).
WIELDING PENALTIES
L R
-2 -2
-8 -8
Four Weapon Fighting: The penalties for using your lower hands in combat is lessened by -6, and the penalties for your upper hands are reduced by -2. All attacks made by off hands use the lowest base attack bonus.
WIELDING PENALTIES
..L....R
..0....0
.-2...-2
Improved Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 10/adamantine.
Four Weapon Defense: You gain a +1 shield bonus to your AC for every melee weapon you are wielding after the first (+3 maximum).
Greater Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 15/adamantine.
Mammoth Critical: After you score a critical, roll another attack die. If the attack roll plus any modifiers is more than 10 over the defender's AC, they must make a fortitude save (DC 25) or die instantly. You may choose not to use this ability.
Battle Magus
Hit Die: d6
Requirements:
Concentration: 8 ranks
Knowledge (Arcana): 8 ranks
Spellcraft: 8 ranks
Feats: Combat Casting, Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Weapon Focus: [any].
Spells: Ability to cast 4th level arcane spells or higher.
Special: Must have survived a battle without the use of magic. Must
have survived a battle without the use of a weapon or armor.
Class Skills:
The Battle Magus' class skills (and the key ability for each skill)
are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession
(Wis), Scry (Int, exclusive skill), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter
4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
Battle Magi gain no weapon proficiencies. However, they do gain Light
and Medium armor proficiency. Battle Magi gain no proficiencies with
shields.
Special:
Battle Magi gain spells as they normally would in their arcane
spellcasting class. If they have more than one, then they choose which
one they progress in at each level. Battle Magus levels also count
towards "Caster Level" bonuses.
Base Attack Progression:
1st +1
2nd +2
3rd +3
4th +4
5th +5
6th +5/+1
7th +6/+1
8th +6/+2
9th +7/+2
10th +7/+3
Good Saving Throws: Fortitude, Will
1st +2/+0/+2
2nd +3/+0/+3
3rd +3/+1/+3
4th +4/+1/+4
5th +4/+1/+4
6th +5/+2/+5
7th +5/+2/+5
8th +6/+2/+6
9th +6/+3/+6
10th +7/+3/+7
Level Special
1st Melee Arcana
2nd Ingenuitive Response I
3rd Arcane Armor
4th Melee Arcana II
5th Ingenuitive Response II
6th Arcane Resilience I
7th Arcane Edge
8th Arcane Infusion
9th Ingenuitive Response III
10th Arcane Resilience II
Melee Arcana I and II:
In battle, it is a necessity that Battle Magi have their hands free to
combat enemies around them while still casting their spells, thus they
undergo painstaking training to rid themselves of spell components
that require the use of their hands at all. At first level they no
longer require the use of somatic components and effectively can cast
spells under the effects of the Still Spell feat (the only difference
being that the spell's level isn't modified). At fourth level the
caster rids themself of their need for material components as well,
effectively placing their spells under the effects of the Eschewed
Materials feat (which also does not alter the spell's level).
Ingenuitive Response I, II, and III:
On the battlefield, the Battle Magus is constantly required to respond
verbatim to the everchanging state of the scene that surrounds them.
Because of this, Battle Magi must be quick to analyze a situation
quickly and respond with a spell that rises to the occasion. However,
since the repertoire of a caster may not suit every exact situation,
Battle Magi focus on the ability to modify the spell itself to suit a
given situation. At levels two, five, and nine they gain the ability
to spontaneously activate a metamagic feat that they have previously
chosen from a small list a number of times per day equal to their
Charisma modifier + 1 (for each feat). The list is as follows: Chain
Spell, Quicken Spell, Sculpt Spell, Twin Spell. At each appropriate
level they may choose one of these feats, each time choosing a
different one, and may activate them without preparation. The spell's
level is not modified by the use of one of these feats.
Arcane Armor:
At level three Battle Magi learn use the very ley lines that surround
them to form a defensive barrier between themselves and their
attackers. This grants the Battle Magus a miscellaneous armor bonus
equal to their Intelligence modifier. This defensive field is
constantly in place and requires no willpower to remain active on the
part of the Battle Magus. The field is also weightless, generally
immaterial, and it conforms perfectly to the Battle Magus at all
times.
Arcane Resilience I and II:
At level six and moreover at level ten, the Battle Magus begins to
synchronize their body with the defensive magics that lie dormant
around them at all time, making them alarmingly resilient to attacks.
Rather than having to activate these magics, they become endowed with
their choice of damage reduction. At level six the caster chooses from
10/+1, or 5/magic and energy . At level ten the caster replaces this
with either 15/+1, or 10/magic and energy, or 5/-.
Arcane Edge:
At the seventh level the Battle Magus begins to further comprehend the
universal field of magic, and its uses on the field of war. At this
time, the Battle Magus learns to spontaneously enhance their weapons
with the use of this field, making them more effective against
opponents. The Battle Magus now may add their Intelligence modifier to
all damage rolls made with a weapon (ranged or melee).
Arcane Infusion:
With this final comprehension of the synergy between magic, arms, and
armor, the eighth level Battle Magus learns to enchant arms and armor
with unrivaled efficiency. Because of this the caster can enhance
weapons and armor magically with fewer materials and with less
personal sacrifice. Thus, the cost in gold and experience of
enchanting arms or armor is reduced by half.