Homebrew PRC: The Cloak Fighter

[WizardofOwls]

After a LOOONG break from D&D, I am back and working once again on my homebrew world called Oramis: The Shattered World, which is very loosely based on a duology by fantasy author Michael Reaves: The Shattered World and The Burning Realms. In his books, Michael introduces a new fighter class called a Cloak Fighter, who uses his cloak in combat as a weapon. I have decided to create my own version of a cloak fighter, incorporating Michael's version, as well as details from the Cloak and Dagger comic book from Marvel Comics, and ideas gleaned from the short-lived TV series, The Cape. I also want to incorporate the Gnome Battle Cloak from Races of Stone (though I will most likely drop the Gnome connection), and the Battle Cloak Expert feat from the PH II. Below is what I have so far. I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what I have. So, without futher, here is:

The Cloak Fighter

Cloak fighting is thought by many to be a lost martial art. However it is not lost at all. Those who are trained in the use of the combat cloak simply don't advertise it.

Hit Dice: d10
Skill Points per level: 4 + Int mod.

Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Tumble (Dex) 5 ranks, Sleight of Hand (Dex) 5
Feats: Defensive Martial Arts, Dodge, Exotic WeaponFocus (Battle Cloak), Exotic Weapon Prof. (Battle Cloak), Mobility.
Special: Must find a Cloak Fighter trainer of at least 7th level.

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb, Concentration (Con), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide, Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently, Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot, Tumble (Dex), Use Rope.

Class Features: (All Ihave son far is ideas. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these)

Surprise First Attack (The first time a Cloak Fighter engages an opponent in combat, they receive a free surprise attack, since no one expects someone to use a cloak as a weapon. This is negated if the opponent has ever seen the Cloak Fighter in combat or is aware that he or she is in fact a Cloak Fighter)

Deflect/Anti-Magic Shell - by wrapping themselves up in the cloak and spinning, a CF can deflect attacks and, at higher levels, even create an Anti-Magic Shell.

Disarm/Trip

Confuse/Distract

Shadow Walk/Teleport - by wrapping himself up in the shadows Of his cloak, a Cloak Fighter can use a Shadow Walk ability

Fly/Glide/Slow Fall - by gripping the corners of his cloak, a cloak fighter can use his cloak to glide or slow his fall

Entangle/Wrap

Improvise - Can use a table cloth or some other piece of cloth as a cloak.

Hide - by wrapping his or herself up in their cloak, a CF receives a bonus to their Hide skill checks

 

[PoorHobo]

Just some comments.

It seems like a fighter-ish PrC D10 hitpoints, focused on hitting things with a cloak, and requiring 5 feats, yet it has rogue skill requirements. A human rogue can't get into this until 9, and demi-humans until 12 due to feat requirements, A fighter can't get in until 9, and thats only if he sinks his precious 2 points a level into skills he won't use until he takes the PrC. I suppose a specifically built fighter4/rogue 2 could do it, but thats an pretty specific PrC.

Surprise first attack makes no sense. If a opponent is not expecting a cloak to be used as a weapon the first round of combat, why would he the second if I havent used my cloak yet. I would change it to be the first time he attacks with the cloak the enemy is flat footed or something. Also denying it if an opponent has fought a cloak fighter before isn't good either.

Improvise seems like wasted space, this is not a class ability and seems very much like it would be filler. How often will a PC both be without a cloak and have a tablecloth nearby? (or anything else really) the idea is also rediculously silly when I think about it, a fighter grabbing a tablecloth during the first round of combat and tying it around his neck like a child pretending to be a superhero would indicate that you are playing a more joke oriented game.

 

[WizardofOwls]

Hi Poorhobo! Thanks for your comments As i said before, this is my very first attempt at creating a PRC, so the comments you made are the very sort of thing I am looking for. Thank you for your blunt honesty. How would you suggest that I correct these problems? i would love to hear your thoughts on this and will take any suggestions you make under advisement.

Blessings! And thanks for your comments!
WizofO

 

[Dandu]

I don't see the skill points a huge problem. It depends on if you think a straight fighter should be able to get into the class or not.

Defensive Martial Arts is not a D&D 3.5 feat. I suggest you change it to to Combat Expertise.

The class features do need some work.

Surprise First Attack (The first time a Cloak Fighter engages an opponent in combat, they receive a free surprise attack, since no one expects someone to use a cloak as a weapon. This is negated if the opponent has ever seen the Cloak Fighter in combat or is aware that he or she is in fact a Cloak Fighter)

This is a pretty weak ability. I'd go with the above mentioned suggestion to boost it.

Deflect/Anti-Magic Shell - by wrapping themselves up in the cloak and spinning, a CF can deflect attacks and, at higher levels, even create an Anti-Magic Shell.

Also, the AMF ability is a bad idea given that Fighters are very much gear dependent. Trust me, AMF isn't worth it unless you can exclude yourself from the area of effect, but then you've just made yourself vulnerable to spells fired through the AMF...

Stick with the miss chance.

Disarm/Trip

Sure.

Confuse/Distract

The ability to redirect an attack at the character to an enemy adjacent to him would be interesting, as would the ability to feint as a free action in order to catch people off guard.

Shadow Walk/Teleport - by wrapping himself up in the shadows Of his cloak, a Cloak Fighter can use a Shadow Walk ability

Wouldn't Shadow Jump (ala Shadowdancer) make more sense?

Fly/Glide/Slow Fall - by gripping the corners of his cloak, a cloak fighter can use his cloak to glide or slow his fall

Sure, why not.

Entangle/Wrap

With his cloak? Seems like it'd get a little... problematic if he was using the thing on his back to wrap up an enemy.

Improvise - Can use a table cloth or some other piece of cloth as a cloak.

Yeah, this should be part of the class from day one.

Hide - by wrapping his or herself up in their cloak, a CF receives a bonus to their Hide skill checks

Sure, why not.

At some point, you should include the Sidestep Charge, Combat Cloak Expert, and Elusive Target feats as bonus feats.

 

[WizardofOwls]

Thanks for your comments, Dandu! Tomorrow evening, I will post a revised version of the Cloak Fighter. I have to work 7 am unitl 7 pm tomorrow though, so it will be pretty late before I can get it posted. I love your comments and intend to incorporate them into my PrC.

Again, thanks! And Blessngs to you and yours!
WizOfOwls

 

[Scott DeWar]

Some of the non class skill problems would be aluviated if this was a pathfinder class. In PF, you do not divide you non class ranks by half, you keep them a 1, just no class bonus.

 

[WizardofOwls]

Okay, here is my revision of the Cloak Fighter, incorporating the changes you guys have suggested. Here it is:



The Cloak Fighter

Cloak fighting is thought by many to be a lost martial art. However it is not lost at all. Those who are trained in the use of the combat cloak simply don't advertise it.

Hit Dice: d10
Skill Points per level: 4 + Int mod.

Requirements:

Base Attack Bonus: +5
Skills: Tumble (Dex) 5 ranks, Sleight of Hand (Dex) 5 ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Exotic Weapon Focus (Battle Cloak), Exotic Weapon Prof. (Battle Cloak), Mobility.
Special: Must find a Cloak Fighter trainer of at least 7th level.

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features:

Unexpected Attack: The first time he attacks with the cloak the enemy is flat footed

Deflect Attacks - by wrapping themselves up in the cloak and spinning, a CF can deflect attacks

Disarm/Trip

Confuse/Distract (The ability to redirect an attack at the character to an enemy adjacent to him would be interesting, as would the ability to feint as a free action in order to catch people off guard).

Shadow Jump - by wrapping himself up in the shadows of his cloak, a Cloak Fighter can use a Shadow Jump ability (ala Shadowdancer)

Glide/Slow Fall - by gripping the corners of his cloak, a cloak fighter can use his cloak to glide or slow his fall

Hide - by wrapping his or herself up in their cloak, a CF receives a bonus to their Hide skill checks

Bonus Feats: Sidestep Charge, Combat Cloak Expert, Elusive Target

 

[Scott DeWar]

I thought I read that there was a history of these fighters. do you have that? I am curious to know what is going on in that twisted mind of yours. these sound more an assasn then a noble knight or even mercenary.

 

[WizardofOwls]

Okay, I've been doing some more work on these guys. Let me know what you think, okay? This is my very first PrC, so I really need your feedback.

The Cloak Fighter

Cloak fighting is thought by many to be a lost martial art. However it is not lost at all. Those who are trained in the use of the combat cloak simply don't advertise it.

Hit Dice: d10
Skill Points per level: 4 + Int mod.

Entry Requirements:

Base Attack Bonus: +3
Skills: Tumble (Dex) 5 ranks, Sleight of Hand (Dex) 5 ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Mobility.
Special: Must find a Cloak Fighter trainer of at least 7th level for levels 1-6, and 10th for levels 7-10.

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Cloak Fighter's weapon training focuses on the Battle Cloak. Cloak Fighters are proficient with no armor and no shields.

Level...BAB...Fort...Ref...Will...Special
1.........0.......0......+2......0....Hide Bonus/Surprise Attack
2........+1......0......+3......0....Cloak Bluff/Cloak Defense/Weapon Focus
3........+2.....+1.....+3.....+1....Light as a Breeze/Feat - Com. Cloak Expt
4........+3.....+1.....+4.....+1....Swirling Shadows/Shadow Jump
5........+3.....+1.....+4.....+1....Surprise Attack/Weapon Spc (Battle Cloak)
6........+4.....+2.....+5.....+2....Light as a Breeze/Shadow Jump
7........+5.....+2.....+5.....+2....Improved Trip/Third Hand
8........+6.....+2.....+6.....+2....Greater Swirling Shadows/Shadow Jump
9........+6.....+3.....+6.....+3....Light as a Breeze/Feat - Sidestep Charge
10.......+7....+3......+7.....+3....Shadow Jump/Feat - Elusive Target

Hide Bonus: As Brother of the Cloak ability
Surprise Attack: As Cloaked Dancer ability
Cloak Bluff: As Brother of the Cloak ability
Cloak Defense: As Brother of the Cloak ability
Light as a Breeze: As Brother of the Cloak ability
Swirling Shadows/Greater Swirling Shadows: As Brother of the Cloak ability
Shadow Jump: As Shadowdancer ability
Improved Trip: As Lasher ability
Third Hand: As Lasher ability

 

[Jimlock]

Perhaps you could add the text of the abilities you borrow from other PrCs?
That way you'll get more feedback on your PrC.