New Class: Time Traveler

[Ixis]

Hey, I'm new here. Anyway, I've been working on a steampunk/sci-fi setting for 4e that centers on villains, and this is a sample of one of the classes I'm working on.

Unfortunately it seems to be a lot like another class (the historian) that was posted here a little while ago, and my .pdf is nowhere near as complete or flashy, or balanced or what have you, but I aim to change that.

The class is called the Time Traveler, and it's essentially a leader with a little controller or striker versatility depending on how you build it. You don't roleplay the actual time travel, instead the powers and flavor text given to the time traveler are done in "real time", showing the effect of having time traveled, so things don't get out of hand or confusing (as time travel has a tendency to do.) The time travel episode of Tek Jansen (series 1, final episode) is a good example of what I'm talking about.

Questions/Comments/Critiques?

EDIT: I used a class/power creation program to arrange all of the data, but it looks like that program has mashed up a few of the powers... Will fix tomorrow.

 

[chronoplasm]

Whatever that font is... please don't use it anymore.

The features are a little weak. You need another one in there that does something big and leader-y I think.
Maybe something that deals with initiative? Initiative determines who goes first in combat, hence... time.

 

[Wraith Form]

Some editing might go a long way, too. From some of the powers (my emphasis):

Distortion Time Traveler
Attack 1
With a flick of the wrist you blast
your enemies, blurring you’re the
area in a foggy haze.



Time Paradox Time
Traveler Attack 1
You grimace as time seems to skip
for a moment; suddenly a gaping
maw of black energy grows around
your enemies, struggling in vane to
escape its hungry pull.

I think you meant vain? Don't get me wrong--some of this is quite fun. While I'm going to admit I'll probably never be able to playtest it, I'd wager that must of these powers are well-balanced.

Also, if you don't mind, would you provide a linkie to the other class that you mention in your post? A little "compare-and-contrast" wouldn't hurt.

 

[Ixis]

Whatever that font is... please don't use it anymore.

The features are a little weak. You need another one in there that does something big and leader-y I think.
Maybe something that deals with initiative? Initiative determines who goes first in combat, hence... time.

Good point, I was actually a bit afraid I'd be going overboard. The class is meant to be more skill focused than combat focused, but an initiative feature would make it a lot more unique. That and I figured it would be better to multiclass into time traveler, though it should probably stand on its own. How about...

The Right Place
Once per encounter, as a free action at the start of a new round you may swap the initiative scores of any two targets. Do this any number of times equal to your intelligence modifier.

and/or

Tonight, Tonight
Once per encounter, as a free action you may swap the locations of any two allies or any two enemies. Do this any number of times equal to your intelligence modifier.

"The Right Place" is probably the better of the two since you can alter combat to promote better party tactics, but "Tonight, Tonight" allows for better field control. I don't know, I'll sleep on it.

I think you meant vain? Don't get me wrong--some of this is quite fun. While I'm going to admit I'll probably never be able to playtest it, I'd wager that must of these powers are well-balanced.

Thanks, I've only done spell check stuff on it, and I haven't shown this to anyone really, so there's gonna be a couple of editing problems, sorry.
I used the PHB class powers as a rubric to make sure things didn't get too out of hand, though some of the powers I think will have to be moved to later levels. I also worry the Time Bandit variant probably does too much damage for a leader class.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Daniel D. Fox]

I like the class, although the Historian feature is nothing more than an improved Aid Another. I would have his Historian feature add another +2 circumstance bonus on top of a normal Aid Another bonus whenever he attempts to aid with his skills.

If I ran a steampunk game, this would be a great fit. I like the mood it invokes with the powernames, and how you've worked "clockwerk" as a power source. Don't change that name! It's sublime.

 

[Ixis]

I like the class, although the Historian feature is nothing more than an improved Aid Another. I would have his Historian feature add another +2 circumstance bonus on top of a normal Aid Another bonus whenever he attempts to aid with his skills.

If I ran a steampunk game, this would be a great fit. I like the mood it invokes with the powernames, and how you've worked "clockwerk" as a power source. Don't change that name! It's sublime.

Thanks! It's like aid another, but that bonus lasts until the target dies, though I think I'll tweak it so it also gives a +2 power bonus to damage.

 

[Kisanji Arael]

... you're gonna get sued.

But in all seriousness, I really like what you've done so far. But please, for the sake of everyone who reads this .pdf after me, put the abilities in the order one would expect to find them in. Not having the at-will abilities come first was really annoying. I didn't mind the font so much, but that was irksome.

 

[Ixis]

... you're gonna get sued.

But in all seriousness, I really like what you've done so far. But please, for the sake of everyone who reads this .pdf after me, put the abilities in the order one would expect to find them in. Not having the at-will abilities come first was really annoying. I didn't mind the font so much, but that was irksome.

Thanks, I was using the DM Toolkit before to try and put everything together and make it nice, but it's way too buggy it seems so we're back to Word. There's a new version up with a couple of changes and new stuff and what have you.

 

[Wraith Form]

Man, if you keep improving on this thing you're gonna make me have to playtest it...

It's rough, but it's growing on me with time!


.....Err....no pun intended.

 

[Wraith Form]

Any new developments on this?