Changing the Barbarian and Sorcerer

[Spatzimaus]

Crafting weapons and armor to then enchant is a fairly good use of the skill. Crafting constructs also needs lots of high-level craft skills. Never seen anyone else actually use the skills. Archers? Arrows are a jillion for 1g.

My last (and best) character was a Shaper Psion (Constructor PrC). At level 15, he had 46 ranks in the various Craft skills (10 in weaponsmith, 10 in sculpting, 9 in armorsmith, 7 in blacksmith, 6 in carpentry, and 4 in stonemason), and had taken an Artiste psicrystal (+3 to all craft checks) to boost them further. Part of that was because we use a custom exotic material system, which effectively required someone with high Craft skill to turn those dragonscales and adamantium into something useful. You couldn't depend on a level 1 NPC to do that for you.

Part was roleplaying; he came from a crafting/merchant family. It was just sort of expected that he'd learn those skills.

But part was also just for FUN. As an INT-based class with only a couple essential skills, I had skill points to burn. For instance, I had 10 ranks of Craft(sculpting) (plus a big INT bonus, plus the psicrystal, plus a high-end ring that added a +2 luck bonus to skills, AC, and saves, plus +1 from an Ioun stone). At first, this was so I could make my astral constructs look the way I wanted, but then I got the fabricate power, which is only level 4 for Psions (5 for Sorcerers and Wizards). At the end of each day, I'd use my remaining power points to make impromptu sculptures out of the trees, rocks, etc. near the campsite.

fabricate ended up being the key to my character, really. You could zap out a couple dozen masterwork weapons for the town guards in a matter of minutes, and that ALWAYS helped the group get a better reception in new areas. When he retired from adventuring, he went into business building all sorts of things.

 

[Gregor]

Does anyone have any other comments on the mechanical changes Im proposing to make to the sorcerer (see post #16)?

 

[Nifft]

Does anyone have any other comments on the mechanical changes Im proposing to make to the sorcerer (see post #16)?

I'd suggest you make the ones that are feat-like into feats, and grant a bonus feat at 5, 10, 15 & 20th levels. Feat list would be: Infernal Sorcerer stuff; Improved Familiar; perhaps some of the darker Metamagic feats (like Corrupt Spell & Black Lore of Moil). Grant Infernal Sorcerer Heritage at 1st level, perhaps renamed to Infernal Sorcerer Pact.

That way the Sorcerer has a required level of darkness, but could become darker if he wanted (by spending his regular feats).

Cheers, -- N

 

[Gregor]

I'd suggest you make the ones that are feat-like into feats, and grant a bonus feat at 5, 10, 15 & 20th levels. Feat list would be: Infernal Sorcerer stuff; Improved Familiar; perhaps some of the darker Metamagic feats (like Corrupt Spell & Black Lore of Moil). Grant Infernal Sorcerer Heritage at 1st level, perhaps renamed to Infernal Sorcerer Pact.

That way the Sorcerer has a required level of darkness, but could become darker if he wanted (by spending his regular feats).

Cheers, -- N

Cool. Thats kind of what I have already done. All the blessings are existing feats and I just called them blessings to make it sound a little more fluffy. I like making the improved familiar into a bonus feat they can select instead of making it an automatic gain at 7th as you suggest.

Where are those darker metamagic feats, in the book of vile darkness?

Also, do you think this type of sorcerer is balanced against the wizard? Does it make the sorcerer too powerful?

 

[Nifft]

IMC, I give Sorcerers Eschew Materials at 1st, and a bonus metamagic or heritage feat at 5, 10,. 15 & 20. Had a guy play a Sorcerer; it wasn't overpowered compared to the vanilla Wizard.

Darker Metamagic: Corrupt Spell is from BoVD (+1 spell level, half of damage is untyped). Black Lore of Moil is from Libris Mortis (necromancy spells inflict extra damage). I'm sure there are others.

Cheers, -- N

 

[ivocaliban]

Barbarian -- Here's some rules that I've been considering.

For everyone: You get +2 Education Skill Points each level (8 at 1st level) which you can put in any Craft, Profession or Knowledge. These skills are always bought one-for-one -- you cannot purchase "cross-class" skill ranks with these points.

Then, make Barbarian and Aristocrat into background feats (which I'll call "Savage" and "Noble"). Background feats can only be taken at 1st level, of course.


Savage [Background]
You were raised in the wild.
- Your Education Skill Points must be spent on Strength based skills instead. Intimidate, Listen and Survival are considered class skills for all your classes.
- You are illiterate (and must spend skill points to become literate).
- Any class that would grant you Heavy Armor proficiency instead grants only Medium.
- You gain +2 hit points at 1st level.


Noble [Background]
You had a privileged upbringing.
- Your Education Skill Points must be spent on Perform, Knowledge or Speak Language. Appraise, Diplomacy and Sense Motive are considered class skills for all your classes.
- You gain a +2 bonus on Fort saves against poison and disease.
- You are proficient with long swords. If you would already be proficient with long swords, you instead gain proficiency with bastard swords.

I really like this concept, Nifft. It seems perfect for a setting such as the Wilderlands where there is a strong dichotomy between the orderly, law-bound cities and the rough-and-tumble chaos of the wilderness. I may use this (with a few minor adjustments) in my upcoming campaign. Thanks!

 

[Quartz]

Yes, consider it thoroughly stolen!

 

[Gerion of Mercadia]

As far as the barbarian goes, IMC you cannot take a class "core or otherwise" that you cannot suffer all the disadvantages of. This means you have to START as a barbarian if you want to use it in any sort of build, because all of the other classes are literate.