Balance Check

[Colin_Fredericks]

Hi everyone.

I'm editing a PDF magazine ("Minigame", the first issue of which will hopefully be out at the end of the month) and am unsure of the balanceworthiness of a few class abilities. If someone could give me their opinion of these, that would be awesome.

The Gatesmasher is a 5-level prestige class designed to let Ogres bust down doors and walls. The ability in question is....
Back to the wall (Ex): At 5th level, the gatesmasher cannot be flanked while within 5 feet of a wall, gate, or other such large construction. She can still be flanked by character with at least four more rogue levels than she has character levels.

The Trapmaster is a 5-level prestige class designed to help goblin and kobold rogues make their homes a bit more dangerous for invaders. The ability in question is:
Master Trapper (Ex): Traps set by a trapmaster are especially hard to find and safely disable. The DC for Search checks and Disable Device checks to find and deactivate such traps is raised by +1 for every level in the trapmaster class. A trapmaster also divides the final cost of any traps she constructs by her number of trapmaster levels.

Comments are welcome.

--Colin Fredericks
http://www.valentgames.com

P.S.: For those who are curious, Minigame is a magazine that will publish one short game every month. The first month is The Other Side, a game about playing goblins, orcs, lizardfolk, and other such monsterous humanoids. We're releasing through RPGNow.com.

 

[frankthedm]

Sorry, without seeing the rest of the PRCs make up [ its prerequirements, BAB, HD, and other abilities] an informed balance check isn't really possible. If you don't want to post the prcs publicly, then expecting public help is a bit much.

Back to the wall isn't that strong, from what i can see. Flavorful conditions ans barbarians can get a beter version of the ability at 5th character level. HOWEVER if the pRC allows the ogre move through stone at near normal speed, then the ability IS equal to normal uncany dodge[and posibly better since the Ogre will have access to coveras he is plowing through walls.

Also unless the prc gives the ability [or requires the ability] to reconize areas that will collapse when violently broken, those with this PRC will often be dying in cave ins.

The Trapmaster is a 5-level prestige class designed to help goblin and kobold rogues make their homes a bit more dangerous for invaders. The ability in question is:
Master Trapper (Ex): Traps set by a trapmaster are especially hard to find and safely disable. The DC for Search checks and Disable Device checks to find and deactivate such traps is raised by +1 for every level in the trapmaster class. A trapmaster also divides the final cost of any traps she constructs by her number of trapmaster levels.

Dividing cost by PRC levels? kinda nuts, a %5 per PRC level discount sounds good, maybe 10%. The DC boost really matters on the levels this PRC is available at. Higher levels may need this, but if this is an early entry prc, i don't know...

 

[Colin_Fredericks]

Sorry, without seeing the rest of the PRCs make up [ its prerequirements, BAB, HD, and other abilities] an informed balance check isn't really possible. If you don't want to post the prcs publicly, then expecting public help is a bit much.

Well alright then, here we go. It's going to be OGL anyway, might as well put it up. I'll put up Trapmaster later when I'm not rushing to breakfast.

[size=+2]Gatesmasher[/size]

One of the most important factors in the offensive side of a siege is gaining access to the besieged settlement. Without breaching city walls, sieges may go on for entire seasons. The gatesmasher is the key to getting inside without expensive siege weaponry.

Gatesmashers use their powerful fists or weapons to crush, pulverize, and annihilate immovable objects such as walls or columns. Their mastery of the art of siege also allows them to minimize the danger to themselves and to power their way through other materials such as shields, swords, and even armor.

Hit Die: d10.

(The table would indicate good Fort saves, bad Reflex and Will, good BAB)

[size=+1]Requirements:[/size]
To qualify to become a gatesmasher, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:
Base Attack Bonus: +4.
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Sunder.
Special: The character must be at least Large size.

[size=+1]Class Skills[/size]
The gatesmasher’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2+ Int Modifier.


[size=+1]Class Features[/size]
All the following are Class Features of the gatesmasher prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Gatesmashers are proficient with all simple weapons, and gain exotic weapon proficiency (siege ram). Gatesmashers are proficient with all types of armor.

Bash! (Ex): When attacking an object with a melee weapon, instead of adding her Strength modifier to damage, the gatesmasher adds 1.5 times her Strength modifier. She also adds this enhanced bonus to her Strength checks made to break items.

Penetrating Blow (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, whenever the gatesmasher attacks an object, she ignores an amount of hardness points equal to her levels in the gatesmasher class.

Crush! (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, the gatesmasher increases the bonus given by Bash! from 1.5 times to 2 times her Strength modifier.

Devastating Power (Ex): At 3rd level, when a gatesmasher attacks an object and rolls a critical hit, she completely ignores the object’s hardness (in addition to inflicting the usual effects of a critical hit).

Weak Point (Ex): At 4th level, a gatesmasher gains the benefits of the Improved Critical feat when attacking an object, regardless of whether or not the character meets the feat’s prerequisites.

Smash! (Ex): At 5th level, the gatesmasher increases the bonus given by Crush! from 2 times to 2.5 times her Strength modifier.

Back to the wall (Ex): At 5th level, the gatesmasher cannot be flanked while within 5 feet of a wall, gate, or other such large construction. She can still be flanked by character with at least four more rogue levels than she has character levels.

 

[Scion]

Bash! (Ex): When attacking an object with a melee weapon, instead of adding her Strength modifier to damage, the gatesmasher adds 1.5 times her Strength modifier. She also adds this enhanced bonus to her Strength checks made to break items.

Crush! (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, the gatesmasher increases the bonus given by Bash! from 1.5 times to 2 times her Strength modifier.

What if he is useing a two handed weapon?

Devastating Power (Ex): At 3rd level, when a gatesmasher attacks an object and rolls a critical hit, she completely ignores the object’s hardness (in addition to inflicting the usual effects of a critical hit).

The usual effect of a critical hit on an object is nothing if I remember correctly, does this ability allow the critical damage to happen?

 

[mmu1]

Considering all the other ways characters in the 5-9 level range have of going through or around walls, the PrC seems fine - although as pointed out, it needs to be clarified how the strength multiplier works when using a two-handed weapon, and also whether it's affected in any way by using Power Attack. (is the extra damage from PA multiplied as well?)

Also - does this ability apply to sundering held weapons?

The problem for me with the 5th level ability is that (IMO) it doesn't make sense, comes out of nowhere, and isn't particularly useful. Why should standing next to a wall or a pillar make it impossible for you to be flanked? Why does this class, which is based purely on brute force, suddenly get access to something generally associated with speed, dexterity and situational awareness? The flavor just isn't there. Finally, it's only useable in a very specific situation - how often does a walking siege engine end up getting flanked and sneak attacked?

I think an ability dealing with, for example, avoiding the unpleasant things the defenders of a wall might choose to drop on you, or letting you use broken masonry as a weapon would make a lot more sense... Especially since the class doesn't really get very much in the way of other benefits - doing a lot of damage to inanimate objects isn't all that powerful.


As for the rogue PrC - I think giving someone +5 to search and trap DCs while dividing the cost of a trap by 5 is completely nuts. Traps are hard enough to disable as it is... I don't really think they need a boost.

 

[Colin_Fredericks]

What if he is useing a two handed weapon?

That would be an extra half. I'll have to put that in.

The usual effect of a critical hit on an object is nothing if I remember correctly, does this ability allow the critical damage to happen?

You are correct, there is no double damage from the crit (or triple, or etc.) becasue objects are immune to them. However, some weapon abilities (e.g. flaming burst) activate on a critical hit, and I think those would still work.

--Colin

 

[Colin_Fredericks]

Also - does this ability apply to sundering held weapons?

They're inanimate objects; they take the extra damage too. Yes, a side effect of this class is that it makes the PC into a Sundermatic.

The problem for me with that last ability is that (IMO) it doesn't make sense, comes out of nowhere, and isn't particularly useful.
<<snip>>
I think an ability dealing with, for example, avoiding the unpleasant things the defenders of a wall might choose to drop on you, or letting you use broken masonry as a weapon would make a lot more sense...

Not a bad idea. I'll talk to my writers about that.

As for the rogue PrC - I think giving someone +5 to search and trap DCs while dividing the cost of a trap by 5 is completely nuts. Traps are hard enough to disable as it is... I don't really think they need a boost.

Hmm. How about if increasing the trap's DC boosted the DC needed to construct the trap by the same amount (or twice that amount)?

--Colin

 

[mmu1]

Hmm. How about if increasing the trap's DC boosted the DC needed to construct the trap by the same amount (or twice that amount)?

I think it depends on whether you want to make goblins and kobolds master trap builders, whose traps are technological marvels exceeding those of other races, or simply reflect the fact they have some natural talent for trap-building and sneakiness and they simply use a lot of traps.

The former is not the way these races are usually reprsented in standard D&D - kobolds find it easy to build traps, but in the end, are those traps any better than those created by dwarven craftsmen, or someone sneaky, bloody-minded and highly intelligent like the Drow?

The latter would probably be best reflected by lowering the build DCs for their traps, as well as lowering the prices some - but probably not as much as 5 times. IMO.