The Gatekeeper: A Psionic Defender

[ceiling90]

Alright, to preface this class; I wanted to make a ranged defender.
It's not exactly a ranged defender, but I think it works, sort of...

So most of my issues come from it's a little unfocused power set. I'd like suggestions to focus them more; or at least make it where it's still effective.

Two, it feels a little too good for it's role. Maybe a little too good overall. I'm concerned about it's aura, it's ability to chain attacks, and other bits where it's started to get diluted from a Defender/Controller, straying a little too much to a Striker.

Here it is: Gatekeeper v2

I figure the way it should play, is something of a ant-lion. You put up the aura, and if you choose the longer ranged powers, you mark creatures further away, or if you didn't; you charge in and keep the enemies close to you. You punish them if they move away, and you keep them close to you by marking them. For things that aren't in your aura, you use your Gates; which by in themselves just give you boosts. Then, as you get along with the class, you get some unarmed attacks, which are mostly used to punish those that get too close; since unlike an ant-lion you have a sweet spot of about 3 squares?
I wanted this to resemble the psionic classes, so it has lots of at-wills (maybe about 7 total at one time?) which might be a bit much. I think it does weird job at defending, and it's damage is weird.

I'm willing to take suggestions, especially on the at-wills, the unarmed strikes, and the aura. But feel free to give constructive mechanical criticism:
1) don't throw out the entire thing
2) don't worry about the fluff. It's always mutable.
3) if it so suits you, can you make this a sub-class of the swordmage or something, if you just don't like the idea of it being a standalone class.
4) I'd like some critique on the fluff, there's too many mixed motifs...


So, inspirations include Battlemind, Swordmage, Warden and Monk; with lots taken from Litchi Faye Ling in Blazblue, Kitty and her floating sword from Blade Kitten, and the Gate Keepers anime/game.

Thanks in advance,
Ceiling90

 

[andy3k]

I'm sorry but the power creep in this class is horrendous. I'm not even going to review past level 1 since a level 1 Gatekeeper is bad-ass x3.

• Pressure Volt Aura: A permanently on slow-type effect with aura 5? At first level, a minor action burst 5 slow that only lasts until the end of next turn is at least an encounter power.
• Arcing Lock: "once per turn per creature" means that if I mark 10 creatures I can have 10 opportunity attacks in a turn. That is way beyond what any other defender can do. "Enemy within your aura moves, shifts, or enters an adjacent square to an ally." First, this doesn't help against creatures with reach. Second, this allows you to punish a foe for moving at all e.g. a foe flanked by two good guys can't move without getting attacked by you. That essentially forces static combat and that is not fun. Maybe if you change it to "Enemy within your aura moves, shifts, or teleports into a square closer, and adjacent to, an ally." So now it can move or shift away freely.
• Floating Leaf: Damage, pull foe, slide you, AND mark ... as a burst, not ranged? That is an encounter power, not an at-will.
• Most of your powers are bursts and blasts. That is a cheating way of getting ranged attacks without triggering opportunity attacks. Not cool when your defender is built to withstand physical attacks. It feels like you made a hybrid defender/controller without any of the weaknesses that a defender or controller should have.
• Running Vine: An at-will power that targets multiple creatures AND marks AND knocks prone? I don't think there is a single at-will power out there that deals damage and knocks multiple creatures prone, never mind the marking. Power creep upon power creep.

 

[ceiling90]

Alrighty.

Pressure Volt Aura: While it's a not slow effect, it does hinder movement; it reduces most to half speed. What do you suggest for changes? The new defenders all have auras. It could be changed to a marking mechanic that does "Target must spend 1 additional square per square moved and marked until beginning of next turn."

Also, I could keep it an aura and change the effect to "If a creature would move away from you, it must spend 1 additional square of movement per square moved away." A little harder to adjudicate; but it keeps the idea. So creatures could forwards towards you to attack an ally, but not move away as quickly to escape punishment or attack an ally actually past you or further away from you. It also encourages monster to attack you more.

Arcing Lock: Since it's an opportunity action, I thought it was once per turn, per creature anyway? How about if it's changed to "Any marked creature Shifts, Moves, or Teleports to a square closer and adjacent to an ally." also remove the free action caveat. Will also remove the damage knocking prone; but how about adding instead "stops movement"?

I'll review the at-wills and tone them down.

If i remove the marks from the at-wills, does it tone it down? along with some changes to area?

I'll see about changing some of the other at-wills from bursts and blast.

Thanks, I needed feedback; I appreciate it because while I was shooting for really cool powers, I kinda got lost at their power level. I also feel that it was a little too good.

I also would appreciate more through out the levels. I'll put up a change log once you or someone agrees with these changes.

 

[ceiling90]

Change log

Change log

5/18/2011
Level 1
Pressure Vault Aura
- Removed Aura and Lightning keywords
- Close burst 1
- Effect changed to "enemies in burst spend 1 more square of movement per square moved, and are marked until the end of you next turn.

Arcing lock
- removed free action caveat
- Changed trigger "marked Enemy moves, shifts, or teleports to a square adjacent to an ally."
- Changed Hit line to Wis mod damage
- changed Effect line to target knocked prone

Chain of Leaves
- changed the pull distance to 3, upgrades at level 11 to 5 squares
- removed marking ability

Falling Leaves
- removed marking ability

Floating Leaf
- Changed to Range 5
- Changed to targets Reflex
- changed damage to Intelligence modifier; upgrades to 1[W] + int mod at level 21
- removed marking ability.

Twister of Leaves
- Changed to targets AC
- Removed marking ability

Reversing Vine
- Removed marking ability

Running Vine
- Changed to one target
- removed miss line
- changed effect line to "creatures treat the area as difficult terrain until beginning of next turn."
- Removed marking ability

Swinging Vine
- Changed to Range 5
- Removed marking ability

Twisting Vine
- Changed damage to int mod, upgrade to 1[W] + int mod at level 21
- Added "target knocked prone" to hit line
- removed effect line.
- Removed marking ability

Wrapping Vine
- Changed to Melee Weapon
- removed "knocked prone" from hit line
- Removed marking ability

Cherry Blossom Rush
- Changed damage to 1[W], upgrade to 2[W] at level 21
- Removed marking ability

Crimson Blossom Storm
- Removed marking ability

Crimson Petal Flutter
- Removed Special caveat
- Removed marking ability

Petals on the Wind
- Removed marking ability

wind Split Petal
- Changed to range 5
- Change target line to "one creature"
- Removed marking ability

Gate of Life
- Changed temp hp language (no longer specifies duration)
- Changed life burst to an encounter power, includes changes to hit line
- Changed hit line, upgrades ot 2d6 at level 11, 3d6 at 21.

Gate of Crush
- Changed Impact Shatter to encounter power
- Changed Impact Shatter range line to "melee 1"
- Changed hit line, upgrades to 2d10 at 11th and 3d10 at 21st
- Changed miss line to "int mod damage, target pushed 1 square"

Gate of Wind
- Changed Rending Air to encounter power
- Changed part of the effect line, "your melee basic attacks have +1 reach"
- Changed hit line of Rending Air, upgrade to 2d12 at 11th, and 3d12 at 21st

Level 3
Gate Chain
- Changed effect line to "Target is dealt Wisdom modifier damage; you push, pull or slide the target up to Wisdom modifier squares."

Level 5
Gate of Fire
- Changed Raging Dragon to an encounter power
- Updated Hit line of Raging Dragon to scale 1d6 + int mod, ongoing 5 fire damage to 3d6 + int mod, ongoing 15 fire damage at 21st

Gate of Motion
- Changed Blurred strike to encounter power
- changed area of blurred strike to Melee 1
- Update hit line of Blurred Strike to scale (1d6 + int mod + wis mod)
- Changed miss line to "intellgence and Wisdom modifier damage"

Gate of Sound
- Changed part of effect line to "Any enemy adjacent to you has a -2 to reflex defense"
- Changed Raucous Blast to an encounter power
- Changed Range to Close burst 1
- upated hit line to scale

Level 7
Reaping wind
- Changed hit line "int mod damage, upgrades to 1[w] + int mod at 21st level"

Rolling Wind
- Changed to implement attack
- changed range to melee weapon + 1 reach
- hit line no longer has "target knocked prone"

Twisting Breeze
- Changed range to melee 1

Level 8
Zen Step
- Changed trigger to " Marked enemy enters a square adjacent to you"
- Changed effect to "shift 1 square"

Level 9
Gate of Frost
- Changed Freezing Touch to Encounter power
- Changed range of Freezing touch to range 5
- Change hit line of Freezing Touch to scale

Gate of Insight
- Changed part of effect line to "+1 bonus to attack rolls with weapon attacks"
- Changed Halcyon Edge to an encounter power
- Changed Halcyon Edge range to melee 1
- Changed Halcyon Edge attack line to have scaling bonus, +2, +3 at 11th, +4 at 21st
- Changed Halcyon Edge hit line to scale
- Removed Miss line

Gate of Walls
- Changed Falling Wall to encounter power
- Changed range to Close burst 1
- Changed Falling Wall hit line to scale

Leve 10
Spot of Autumn
- Changed range to 1 square within 10
- Changed effect line to "Until the end of the encounter, creatures that begin or end their turn in or squares adjacent to the square treat those squares difficult terrain. You can only make unarmed weapon or implement attacks until you reach the target square or draw another weapon."

Level 11
Open the Gate
- change benefit line for more clarity to "Any target hit by a weapon attack is marked until the end of you next

turn."

Gate Key
- Change hit line scaling; maxes out to 3d10

Gatekeeper Action
- Changed benefint to "Whenever you use an action point to take another action, you marked every creature adjacent

to you until the end of your next turn."

Level 15
Gate of Darkness
- Changed Shadow Grasp to encounter
- Changed Shadow Grasp hit line to scale

Gate of Lightning
- Changed Lightning Strike to encounter power
- Change hit line to scale

Gate of Swarms
- Change part of effect line to "and you are slowed"
- Change Swarming Storm to encounter power
- changed hit line to scale

Level 16
Gate Mark
- Change benefit line to "Whenever you have a gate open, any target of an encounter attack granted by a gate is

marked until the end of your next turn."

Level 17
Rush of Air
- Changed to an implement attack
- Changed range to melee weapon + 1 reach
- Changed part of hit line to "pulled 1 square"

Level 19
Gate of Death
- Change Death burst to encounte power


Gate of Shadows
- Changed part of effect line to "you have concealment against enemies adjacent to you."
- Changed Shadow Self to an encounter power
-changed hit line to scale
- change effect line to "You create a shadow in square, any creature that enters, begins or ends their turn in a square adjacent to the shadow is dealt Wisdom modifier damage. This shadow counts as an ally for the purposes of flanking. This shadow remains in place until the end of your next turn, or until you dismiss it with a minor action. You can move the shadow with a move action."
- Added a sustain minor

Gate of Void
- Change Rending Void to encounter power
- Changed hit line to scale

Level 20
- Changed Gale od Blades to encounter power
- changed hit line to scale
- added move option to effect line
- added sustain minor

Level 22
- Removed Volt Mark
- Added Boost Stance

Level 23
- Added Volt Mark
- changed benefit Line to "enemies treat squares adjacent to you as difficult terrain.

Level 25
Gate of Ice
- Changed Ice Claw to encounter power
- Changed to immediate interrupt
- Changed parts of hit line to "3d8 + int mod damage, target is restrained until beginning of next turn"
- Changed miss line to "target is immobilized until beginning of next turn"

Gate of Truth
- Changed part of effect line to "Any enemy adjacent to you has a -2 penalty to will defense"
- Changed Crushing Truth to encounter power
- Changed damage in hit line to "3d8 +..."
- changed miss line to "target has -2 penalty to AC until the beginning of your next turn.

Gate of Stillness
- Changed World Stands Still to encounter power
- Change damage in hit line to "3d8 +..."

Level 29
Gate of Fate
- changed part of effect line to "Whenever you make a weapon attack, if you miss or hit, you deal your Wisdom modifier damage to the target."
- Changed Unrelenting Fate to encounter power
- changed range to melee 1
- Changed damage in hit line to "2d10 + int mod damage"
- changed effect line to "target dealt 2d10 + int mod damage"

Gate of Lies
- Changed name of Strike of Silver to Silver Slice
- Changed Silver Slice to encounter power
- Changed hit line to "3d10 + Intelligence modifier damage; target is weakened until the end of your next turn.

Gate of Time
- changed Killing time to encounter power
- Changed range to close burst 1
- changed targets to "creatures in burst"

Change log 5/19/2011

Level 1
Arcing Lock
- Changed trigger to "Marked enemy within the burst moves, shifts, or teleports to a square closer to or adjacent to an ally."

Level 10
Spot of Autumn renamed to Dead Leaves

 

[andy3k]

Improvements have toned down the power - good job. I don't have time to review past level 1 but I will spend at least 1 more post critiquing level 1.

Pressure Volt Aura
The way this is written, a 1st level GK can mark ALL opponents in burst. Not good. Refer to Warden for how to mark an appropriate number of opponents based on level/tier. I think it is too powerful for you to mark opponents AND reduce movement UNLESS you further tone down the power elsewhere e.g. less damage on your attacks or less powerful effects. There is nothing wrong with having a class that is based more on effects than damage but you should not have both.

Arcing Lock
This is still too broad. Enemy movement will still set it off more often than any other defender punishment would. Also, I am not familiar with the new format of classes (essentials) but I'm not sure that a trigger can be based on a burst size for a burst that has not yet occurred. I think (though I am not an expert, for sure) that you have to say "Trigger: Marked enemy within burst 3 ..." or "Trigger: Marked enemy within Pressure Volt Aura ..."

Leaf on the Wind
The way it is written, you have a max range of 10 to hit the second target - is this intentional? You are defender, not a striker, so no intelligence bonus damage to the first target, especially since you are damaging a second target up to 10 squares away.

I like how the different gates have noticeably different themes.

That's all I am willing to spend time on. I'll let others take a crack at it.

 

[ceiling90]

Thanks.

Okay, I'll look up the Warden some more; I figured toning it down to a burst 1 would be sufficient, but the reduced movement thing was a little too good.

I figured if it lasted less time, like "until beginning of next turn",
two things would happen:

1) Arcing lock would only happen in the time between the mark and beginning of your next turn. so effectively reducing the number of creatures hit.
2) the reduced movement is less of a hindrance, so creatures could still move away.

I'll go see about it some more.

Arcing Lock: I'll see about trying to figure out the wording. Though have you seen the Teifling racial power?

Leaf on the Wind: Hmmm good point. I'll change it to "a creature adjacent to target"? or maybe 3 squares?

And once again, thanks. I appreciate any constructive support.

 

[ceiling90]

Change log 5/19/2011

Level 1
Pressure Vault Aura named changed to Volt Mark
- Change Effect line to "Creatures in Burst are marked until the end of your next turn."

Arcing Lock
- Changed trigger to "Marked enemy within 3 squares, shifts, or teleports to a square away from you or adjacent to an ally."
- Changed effect line to "Target must spend 1 extra square movement per square moved until end of your next turn."

Leaf on the Wind
- Changed part of hit line to "Another enemy within 5 squares of the target within the burst area is dealt wisdom modifier damage."
- Removed int mod damage in hit line.

Gate of Wind
- Change part of effect line to "Your weapon attacks gain +1 reach"

Level 7
Reaping Wind
- Changed to implement attack

Rolling Wind name change to Rolling Air
- Changed to weapon attack
- hit line damage reduced to Int mod
- Changed part of hit line effect to "target is knocked prone"

Twisting Breeze
- Changed Range to Melee 1
- Reduced hit line damage to 1[W], scales to 2[W]

Level 10
Spot of Autumn renamed to Dead Leaves

Level 17
Biting Breeze
- Change to minor action
- removed trigger
- Change range to Melee 1
- changed attack line to "Intelligence + 2 vs. Reflex
- Changed damage to Int mod, scales to 1[W] + int mod

Rush of Air named changed to Rushing Air
- Hit line damage lowered to "int mod" and scales to "1[W] + int mod"

Still Wind
- Changed to implement attack

Level 23
Changed name of Volt Mark to Pressure Volt Aura

Level 25
Gate of Ice
- Changed trigger of Ice Claw to "A creature within 10 squares hits you with an attack."

Notes:
- Wardens have a once per their turn only free action to mark creatures adjacent to them; I think Volt Mark is notably worse; but with the way Arcing Lock works, I think it should be alright. Contemplate upgrading the burst size by 1 layer per tier?
- I changed the trigger lines, I was wrong about it.
- I think the way Arcing Lock would work is that even if they fulfill the trigger while in range, if they leave the burst range due to movement, it misses? Or is an opportunity action faster than that?
- I'm vaguely worried about the level 7 and level 17 at-will additions. While they're low damaging; you feasible pull three attacks together (but it's such a strange corner case) for a sizable damage burst. Contemplate adding special "can only be used once per turn" for these at-wills.

Otherwise I think it's definitely more workable now, than what it was before. Thanks. I'm still welcome to suggestions and more constructive critiques.