Balance help: Samurai (prestige class)

[memesis]

Link: http://www.memesis.org/m.php?id=204

This is a Prestige Class I'm introducing into a game, but need help balancing. Flavor text is not present on the linked page, I'm still writing that. ^_^

Stat summary: Fighter BAB, favored saves Fort/Will, 4+int skills, about 15 class skills, and quasi-magical combat techniques with techs/day and techs known based on the sorcerer's spell progression.

Roughly half the techniques are intended to benefit the character's allies (and sometimes the character too), that being the whole point of this class...

 

[Al]

Well, it certainly looks like an interesting PrC.

A few general tips:

Prerequisites

Though not entirely necessary, it adds flavour to a PrC to have more than one mechanical prerequisite (having a liege counts as a roleplay prerequisite). Perhaps a few feats or skill rank requirements could be used? How about a few ranks in Concentration, Knowledge (nobility) or Knowledge (war)? Or perhaps some feats- if you want to be complicated, you could make the techniques rely on a feat prerequisite e.g. Armour Break would have Sunder as a prerequisite.

The Techniques

In terms of balance, this class is built on the power of the techniques. Whilst they are predominantly fine, I would just say that Fire Slash is too powerful. Bearing in mind that a high-level (16+) samurai can have four attacks per round, this technique can conceivably dish out 40d4 damage. Moreover, given Haste, the samurai can activate this and then inflict all the damage in a single round. Perhaps this could be toned down- say, d4/point of Charisma modifier, with a cap of 5d4?

I haven't seen the fourth or fifth level techniques, but with the exception of Fire Slash, they look fine to me. Perhaps just add a few more mechanical prerequisites- no prestige class that I can think of is dependent on BAB alone.

 

[memesis]

Though not entirely necessary, it adds flavour to a PrC to have more than one mechanical prerequisite (having a liege counts as a roleplay prerequisite).

This is one of the things that I'm strongly debating. Two Knowledge prereqs seem to be more than adequate, assuming the PC this is intended for can buy enough of them in time

Bearing in mind that a high-level (16+) samurai can have four attacks per round, this technique can conceivably dish out 40d4 damage.

Augh.. Thanks. The suggestion for making it based on Charisma has been instituted.

[B}
I haven't seen the fourth or fifth level techniques, but with the exception of Fire Slash, they look fine to me.[/B]

Since the class isn't playtested, I've deliberately held back from writing those techniques until we see how all this turns out. However, it sounds like I might be on the right track, so I don't anticipate too much trouble..

Thank you very much for your feedback and time

 

[Anabstercorian]

I really like the concept behind this prestige class, Memesis. The 'techniques' remind me of the video games of my youth such as Phantasy Star, and that's pretty cool.

On the ther hand, I'm not sure how balanced it is. Definately on par with some of the higher end PrC's out there... I'd recommend rebalancing Techniques per day so that you get 1st level Tech's at 1st level, 2nd level Tech's at 4th, 3rd level at 7th, and 4th at 10th, and abandon 5th level techniques.

 

[memesis]

[BOn the ther hand, I'm not sure how balanced it is. Definately on par with some of the higher end PrC's out there... I'd recommend rebalancing Techniques per day so that you get 1st level Tech's at 1st level, 2nd level Tech's at 4th, 3rd level at 7th, and 4th at 10th, and abandon 5th level techniques. [/B]

Easily doable. I can shuffle the progression around until it looks right.