Sphynx
First Post
Before I go sounding like a critic, let me start by saying that I love the book. Seriously, it's WAY better than what WotC has been producing lately. Maybe not from an Art point of view, but nicely balanced and sensible (I'll avoid my regular tirade of how stupid Swordmages are, and pretty much everything else in the FR Player's Guide).
The book is awesome. I not only approve its use in the game I run, but encourage it (while having banned the FR stuff and Dragon stuff entirely to-date).
Here are the issues I see so far (and I'll try not to repeat things already said, but 5 pages of posts, I'm sure to make that mistake at least once without having an errata next to me).
Monk. Errr.... Martial Artist.
Druid.... err.... Nature Priest
That's all. I love the Druid as is, but haven't had time to fully analyze the higher level conjurations yet.
Barbarian Berserker
Other than that, a very very nicely done class (I prefer it to the one I see on the WotC site/Dragon article).
Troubadour: Banned from my games. Too many melee attacks based on Charisma to hit. While I'm ok with the concept of someone being so distracting that people reveal their weaknesses, the chance to hit those weaknesses is still your Dexterity or Strength. Slipping past defenses (via Charisma) would be a negative to that defense (equal to the Charisma Modifier?). This would be over-kill since stacking 2 attributes together for Attacks would be the most powerful thing any class has, but it has to take the physical ability to hit into account. Best solution would probably have been damage-less effects based on Charisma (dazed would be very common usage of Charisma), allowing the other party members to benefit from that distraction. As-is, the Troubadour is, for me, thematically unsound. Fortunately, nobody I know actually likes (or ever liked) playing a Bard anyhows (cept maybe in the game Bard's Tale, the originals, not the later version).
Regardless, much thanks for the book. I look forward to my hard-copy arriving in the mail soon. Money well spent on a book well done.
The book is awesome. I not only approve its use in the game I run, but encourage it (while having banned the FR stuff and Dragon stuff entirely to-date).
Here are the issues I see so far (and I'll try not to repeat things already said, but 5 pages of posts, I'm sure to make that mistake at least once without having an errata next to me).
Monk. Errr.... Martial Artist.
- Untouchable is not only very touchable, but practically pointless, since a simple leather armour feat will do better than that altogether. I want to completely encourage unarmoured monks. So, my House rule is to double the bonus (2, 4, 6) and give a bonus to reflexes (1, 2, 3), unless you don a piece of armour or would not normally receive a Dex bonus to your Armour. Class loses the auto +1 Reflex, receiving only Will and Fort bonuses. This still isn't as effective as Leather with Enhancements, and I fear that even with this House Rule, everyone is going to want Leather (not only for the enhancement, but because alot of nice properties, such as Sylvan Leather)
- I know you've addressed this one in a round-about way, but with no enhancement bonus for unarmed, the House Rule I've implemented is a Chi Battery equal to half your level + your Wisdom Modifier. You can split those points up per-encounter as a Free Action to give 'enhancements' to all unarmed attacks for that particular Turn (not round). You can not have an enhancement greater than your Wisdom Modifier from this, at any time. Ie: 11th level with a Wisdom of 16 has 5+3 points (8). On his first turn he can spend up to 3 (Wisdom Modifier) of his Chi Battery on an Unarmed Enhancement. This applies to all attacks (even Quick Strike) on that Turn.
- Now that Magical Armour and Weapons have been handled without having to actually wear/wield either, I adjust Powers. The first Power I adjust is Writhing Serpent Strike. Pet-Peeve of mine, and a cause for me having changed many of the Paladin Powers in my game (and banning of the SwordMage). Mental Attributes aren't to be used for Melee Weapon Powers unless highly thematic, such as the Nature Priest's Flaming Blade (which, btw, has a description of a Spear, not a Blade ). Writing Serpent Strike: Dex to Attack Roll instead of Wisdom. Wisdom still used for damage.
- Same applies to Powers such Choker Grabs His Prey, Crippling Blow, Debilitating Strike, Agonizing Strike, Hammer Blow, Kraken Grasps Prey, Stunning Palm, and Quivering Fist.
- Demon Dance - Yes, you've addressed it nicely, but taken it out of its position to do so. Minions are the reason that Demon Dance is so... overkill. Minions can not be harmed if Missed. Minions are not what this Power was intended for. I've changed the text to the following:
Close Burst 2
Attack: Wisdom vs Fortitude (Auto Damage is Bad)
Hit: 1[W] Damage. Treat this hit as a Missed Attack. - Leg Sweep: Added 1[W] Damage and the following text added to the end of the 1 sentence. unless the Target makes a Saving Throw.
Druid.... err.... Nature Priest
- Flaming Blade -> Flaming Spear now.
That's all. I love the Druid as is, but haven't had time to fully analyze the higher level conjurations yet.
Barbarian Berserker
- Replaced Boundless Endurance (level 2 Utility) with a Power to Regenerate 2
- Replaced Iron Warriors (level 16 utility) with a Power to Regenerate 5
Other than that, a very very nicely done class (I prefer it to the one I see on the WotC site/Dragon article).Troubadour: Banned from my games. Too many melee attacks based on Charisma to hit. While I'm ok with the concept of someone being so distracting that people reveal their weaknesses, the chance to hit those weaknesses is still your Dexterity or Strength. Slipping past defenses (via Charisma) would be a negative to that defense (equal to the Charisma Modifier?). This would be over-kill since stacking 2 attributes together for Attacks would be the most powerful thing any class has, but it has to take the physical ability to hit into account. Best solution would probably have been damage-less effects based on Charisma (dazed would be very common usage of Charisma), allowing the other party members to benefit from that distraction. As-is, the Troubadour is, for me, thematically unsound. Fortunately, nobody I know actually likes (or ever liked) playing a Bard anyhows (cept maybe in the game Bard's Tale, the originals, not the later version
). Regardless, much thanks for the book. I look forward to my hard-copy arriving in the mail soon. Money well spent on a book well done.
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Me, since the monk's powers are technically prayers and the troubadour's are technically spells--even if they happen to also involve attacks--I've got no objection to using Wisdom or Charisma.
