Tzeentch
First Post
I've rehauled the monk class I posted a while ago with some feedback from playtest and other suggestions. The biggest changes from the original is the simplification of the focus mechanic, giving the two builds a more distinctive mechanic, and refocusing around the concept of a debuffing striker with a unique resource management.
Design Concept: Fast, lightly encumbered striker who doesn't deal huge damage himself, but hinders targets for others to exploit. Attacks focus on melee range strikes that daze, add attack penalties, slow, or grant combat advantage. Secondarily, has moves that strip beneficial enhancements or deny friendly auras.
Problems: 4e makes it difficult to have anything that says something like "remove target enchantment on target."
Guild Wars: After making this draft I was told by a friend that the Guild Wars dervish has a similar concept (convenient). I don't play that game but I did make some tweaks to make it stylistically similar at least.
Dervish
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Striker
Power Source: Martial. You are a holy warrior, but your abilities come from careful study of ancient texts and physical conditioning.
Key Abilities: Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military light blades
Bonus to Defense: +1 Reflex, +1 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5
Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Religion. From the class skill list below, choose three more trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int)
Build Options: Avenging dervish, enlightened dervish
Class Features: Dervish Focus (inner calm or discern vulnerability), Mark of Faith
Blah blah stuff about the class.
Creating a Dervish
The avenging dervish and the enlightened dervish are the two dervish builds, one relying on fast attacks and finishing moves, and the other on punishing counters and evasion. All dervishes rely on Wisdom to guide their esoteric forms, and Strength to give them force. Dexterity is also valued as a means of avoiding danger and allowing the dervish to get in striking range.
Avenging Dervish
You focus on melee powers that deal damage and incapacitate your foes. Your attacks rely on your preternatural abilities given force by your Strength, so that should be your highest ability score. Wisdom is also important, as it adds a bonus to many of your powers. Constitution should be your third choice as you will be exposed to many dangers at close-range. Choose powers that relate to your preference for close-in fighting.
Avenging dervishes should choose discern vulnerability as their Dervish Focus (see “Class Features”).
Suggested Feat: Weapon Focus (Human feat: Two-Weapon Fighting)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Endurance, Perception, Religion
Suggested At-Will Powers: indomitable blow, swallow strike
Suggested Encounter Power: cobra’s fangs
Suggested Daily Power: zealous grasp
Enlightened Dervish
You prefer to avoid needless bloodshed, incapacitating your foes or placing them in such dire circumstances that they are forced to concede. In place of damaging attacks you rely on powers that are Wisdom-based, do that should be your best ability score. Strength is important when you are forced to show your true capabilities, so make it your second-best score.
Enlightened dervishes should choose inner calm as their Dervish Focus (see “Class Features”).
Suggested Feat: Improved Focus (Human feat: Combat Reflexes)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Insight, Perception, Religion
Suggested At-Will Powers: crippling strike, flow like the wind,
Suggested Encounter Power: test of faith
Suggested Daily Power: karmic strike
Dervish Class Features
All dervishes share these class features.
Dervish Focus
You can hone your senses to a preternatural degree, giving you an edge in any fight. While focused you are in a state of spiritual enlightenment and can see the world with a supernatural clarity. You can use this ability to give yourself sudden flashes of insight or draw out inner reserves of power.
Choose one of the following Dervish Focus powers. These powers are described in full below.
Inner Calm: You can use your focus to sense the most advantageous path ahead, increasing your speed. You may also use your focus to make a saving throw.
Discern Vulnerability: Your strikes are unerring in their accuracy. You may also use your focus to temporarily daze your target.
Mark of Faith
All damage dealt by the dervish is radiant damage.
Dervish Powers
Dervish powers are known as exploits.
Some dervish powers include a lined titled “Inner Calm” or “Discern Vulnerability.” You gain this extra benefit only if you selected the inner calm or discern vulnerability power, respectively.
[sblock=Class Features]Class Features
Every dervish has a class feature works like a power. The two varieties of Dervish Focus, inner calm and discern vulnerability, are presented below.
Inner Calm; Dervish Feature
You push aside the worldly distractions that plague you, allowing your mind and body to become one.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Stance
Move Action Personal
Effect: You gain focus. You retain this focus until you expend it on a power. Only one focus can be maintained at a time. While you maintain this focus you receive a +1 power bonus to speed.
You may expend your focus as an immediate interrupt to make a saving throw.
Discern Vulnerability; Dervish Feature
Your consciousness expands, allowing you to sense how the slightest flaw in your foes movements and attacks can be used to your advantage.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Stance
Move Action Personal
Effect: You gain focus. You retain this focus until you expend it on a power. Only one focus can be maintained at a time. While you maintain this focus you have a +1 power bonus to attack rolls.
On a successful attack you may expend your focus as an immediate interrupt to daze the target until the beginning of your next turn.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 At Will Exploits]Level 1 At-Will Exploits
Crippling Strike; Dervish Attack 1
You attack your foes sinews, making it vulnerable to the attacks of your allies.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Effect: Until the beginning of your next turn, the target grants combat advantage.
Flow Like the Wind; Dervish Attack 1
You quickly move to a more advantageous position after striking your foe.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Wisdom modifier damage, and you may shift 1 square.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
Inner Calm: You gain a power bonus to your AC and Reflex defense equal to your Wisdom modifier until the beginning of your next turn.
Indomitable Blow; Dervish Attack 1
You focus your energies into your attack, causing your target to stagger under the impact.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength +2 vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. .
Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.
Discern Vulnerability: The attack is considered high crit.
Swallow Strike; Dervish Attack 1
Your limbs move with incredible speed straight through a gap in your foes defense.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Minor Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] damage.
Increase damage to 2[W] at 21st level.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Encounter Exploits]Level 1 Encounter Exploits
Test of Faith; Dervish Attack 1
A swing of your weapon summons a massive gust of air and dust that scours away beneficial magic.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action Close blast 3
Target: Each enemy in blast you can see
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will.
Effect: Each target loses any power bonuses and aura effects until the end of your next turn.
Cobra’s Fangs; Dervish Attack 1
You dart in for an attack and back out before your enemy can react.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Ranged 3
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. Reflex
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.
Discern Vulnerability: The target is weakened until the end of your next turn.
Flickering Flame; Dervish Attack 1
Your unceasing movements carry you away from the enemy at a crucial moment.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC.
Hit: 2[W] +Wisdom modifier damage, and you may shift 1 square.
Inner Calm: Until the end of your next turn you gain a power bonus to AC equal to your Wisdom modifier.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Daily Exploits]Level 1 Daily Exploits
Zealous Grasp; Dervish Attack 1
A well placed strike causes horrible internal damage.
Daily ✦ Martial, Necrotic, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier necrotic damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends)
Discern Vulnerability: Target is also slowed (save ends all)
Flurry of Blows; Dervish Attack 1
Your foe is faced with unceasing attacks that forces him to concentrate on you.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + Strength modifier damage. Target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.
Miss: The target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.
Karmic Strike; Dervish Attack 1
You clear your mind and let your divine patron guide your hand.
Daily ✦ Martial, Psychic, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] +Wisdom modifier damage, and target is weakened until end of your next turn.
Inner Calm: You may spend a healing surge.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl2 Utility Exploits]Level 2 Utility Exploits
Cloud Dance; Dervish Utility 2
Your feet barely touch the ground.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Move Action Personal
Target: One creature
Special: You may expend your focus to use this power as a free action.
Effect: You may ignore difficult terrain.
Pious Will; Dervish Utility 2
Your suffering only sparks the flames of your devotion.
Daily ✦ Martial
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack.
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Effect: You gain temporary hit points equal to your healing surge value + Strength modifier.
Desperate Flame; Dervish Utility 2
You lash out in your moment of peril.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Reaction Personal
Trigger: You are bloodied
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Effect: You can make a melee basic attack within melee weapon range.
Inevitable Flow; Dervish Utility 2
You channel your own life force into a desperate strike.
Daily ✦ Martial
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Trigger: You hit a target
Effect: Spend a healing surge to add a +4 power enhancement modifier to the damage of the attack.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl3 Encounter Exploits]Level 3 Encounter Exploits
Mystic Binding; Dervish Attack 3
Your enemy’s movements are hindered at every turn by inexplicable missteps and inopportune terrain.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Psychic
Standard Action Ranged 3
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex
Hit: Target treats all terrain as difficult until the end of your next turn.
Sustain Minor: The effect persists.
Exploit Weakness; Dervish Attack 3
You quickly take advantage of your foes foolish mistake.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Immediate Reaction Melee weapon
Trigger: After an enemy misses with a melee attack
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d4 damage. In addition, slide target 1, and target is knocked prone.
Snuff the Flame Dervish Attack 3
Your blow destroys the spirit of the foe.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Psychic, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] +Wisdom modifier psychic damage, and the target is silenced until the end of your next turn.
Unbalancing Blow; Dervish Attack 3
Your strike knocks the foe off-balance.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] +Strength modifier damage. The target takes a penalty to its attack rolls equal to your Strength modifier until the end of your next turn. Target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.
[/sblock]
Design Concept: Fast, lightly encumbered striker who doesn't deal huge damage himself, but hinders targets for others to exploit. Attacks focus on melee range strikes that daze, add attack penalties, slow, or grant combat advantage. Secondarily, has moves that strip beneficial enhancements or deny friendly auras.
Problems: 4e makes it difficult to have anything that says something like "remove target enchantment on target."
Guild Wars: After making this draft I was told by a friend that the Guild Wars dervish has a similar concept (convenient). I don't play that game but I did make some tweaks to make it stylistically similar at least.
Dervish
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Striker
Power Source: Martial. You are a holy warrior, but your abilities come from careful study of ancient texts and physical conditioning.
Key Abilities: Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military light blades
Bonus to Defense: +1 Reflex, +1 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution score
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5
Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Religion. From the class skill list below, choose three more trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int)
Build Options: Avenging dervish, enlightened dervish
Class Features: Dervish Focus (inner calm or discern vulnerability), Mark of Faith
Blah blah stuff about the class.
Creating a Dervish
The avenging dervish and the enlightened dervish are the two dervish builds, one relying on fast attacks and finishing moves, and the other on punishing counters and evasion. All dervishes rely on Wisdom to guide their esoteric forms, and Strength to give them force. Dexterity is also valued as a means of avoiding danger and allowing the dervish to get in striking range.
Avenging Dervish
You focus on melee powers that deal damage and incapacitate your foes. Your attacks rely on your preternatural abilities given force by your Strength, so that should be your highest ability score. Wisdom is also important, as it adds a bonus to many of your powers. Constitution should be your third choice as you will be exposed to many dangers at close-range. Choose powers that relate to your preference for close-in fighting.
Avenging dervishes should choose discern vulnerability as their Dervish Focus (see “Class Features”).
Suggested Feat: Weapon Focus (Human feat: Two-Weapon Fighting)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Endurance, Perception, Religion
Suggested At-Will Powers: indomitable blow, swallow strike
Suggested Encounter Power: cobra’s fangs
Suggested Daily Power: zealous grasp
Enlightened Dervish
You prefer to avoid needless bloodshed, incapacitating your foes or placing them in such dire circumstances that they are forced to concede. In place of damaging attacks you rely on powers that are Wisdom-based, do that should be your best ability score. Strength is important when you are forced to show your true capabilities, so make it your second-best score.
Enlightened dervishes should choose inner calm as their Dervish Focus (see “Class Features”).
Suggested Feat: Improved Focus (Human feat: Combat Reflexes)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Insight, Perception, Religion
Suggested At-Will Powers: crippling strike, flow like the wind,
Suggested Encounter Power: test of faith
Suggested Daily Power: karmic strike
Dervish Class Features
All dervishes share these class features.
Dervish Focus
You can hone your senses to a preternatural degree, giving you an edge in any fight. While focused you are in a state of spiritual enlightenment and can see the world with a supernatural clarity. You can use this ability to give yourself sudden flashes of insight or draw out inner reserves of power.
Choose one of the following Dervish Focus powers. These powers are described in full below.
Inner Calm: You can use your focus to sense the most advantageous path ahead, increasing your speed. You may also use your focus to make a saving throw.
Discern Vulnerability: Your strikes are unerring in their accuracy. You may also use your focus to temporarily daze your target.
Mark of Faith
All damage dealt by the dervish is radiant damage.
Dervish Powers
Dervish powers are known as exploits.
Some dervish powers include a lined titled “Inner Calm” or “Discern Vulnerability.” You gain this extra benefit only if you selected the inner calm or discern vulnerability power, respectively.
[sblock=Class Features]Class Features
Every dervish has a class feature works like a power. The two varieties of Dervish Focus, inner calm and discern vulnerability, are presented below.
Inner Calm; Dervish Feature
You push aside the worldly distractions that plague you, allowing your mind and body to become one.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Stance
Move Action Personal
Effect: You gain focus. You retain this focus until you expend it on a power. Only one focus can be maintained at a time. While you maintain this focus you receive a +1 power bonus to speed.
You may expend your focus as an immediate interrupt to make a saving throw.
Discern Vulnerability; Dervish Feature
Your consciousness expands, allowing you to sense how the slightest flaw in your foes movements and attacks can be used to your advantage.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Stance
Move Action Personal
Effect: You gain focus. You retain this focus until you expend it on a power. Only one focus can be maintained at a time. While you maintain this focus you have a +1 power bonus to attack rolls.
On a successful attack you may expend your focus as an immediate interrupt to daze the target until the beginning of your next turn.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 At Will Exploits]Level 1 At-Will Exploits
Crippling Strike; Dervish Attack 1
You attack your foes sinews, making it vulnerable to the attacks of your allies.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Effect: Until the beginning of your next turn, the target grants combat advantage.
Flow Like the Wind; Dervish Attack 1
You quickly move to a more advantageous position after striking your foe.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Wisdom modifier damage, and you may shift 1 square.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
Inner Calm: You gain a power bonus to your AC and Reflex defense equal to your Wisdom modifier until the beginning of your next turn.
Indomitable Blow; Dervish Attack 1
You focus your energies into your attack, causing your target to stagger under the impact.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength +2 vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage. .
Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.
Discern Vulnerability: The attack is considered high crit.
Swallow Strike; Dervish Attack 1
Your limbs move with incredible speed straight through a gap in your foes defense.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Minor Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] damage.
Increase damage to 2[W] at 21st level.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Encounter Exploits]Level 1 Encounter Exploits
Test of Faith; Dervish Attack 1
A swing of your weapon summons a massive gust of air and dust that scours away beneficial magic.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action Close blast 3
Target: Each enemy in blast you can see
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will.
Effect: Each target loses any power bonuses and aura effects until the end of your next turn.
Cobra’s Fangs; Dervish Attack 1
You dart in for an attack and back out before your enemy can react.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Ranged 3
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. Reflex
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage.
Discern Vulnerability: The target is weakened until the end of your next turn.
Flickering Flame; Dervish Attack 1
Your unceasing movements carry you away from the enemy at a crucial moment.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. AC.
Hit: 2[W] +Wisdom modifier damage, and you may shift 1 square.
Inner Calm: Until the end of your next turn you gain a power bonus to AC equal to your Wisdom modifier.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Daily Exploits]Level 1 Daily Exploits
Zealous Grasp; Dervish Attack 1
A well placed strike causes horrible internal damage.
Daily ✦ Martial, Necrotic, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier necrotic damage, and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends)
Discern Vulnerability: Target is also slowed (save ends all)
Flurry of Blows; Dervish Attack 1
Your foe is faced with unceasing attacks that forces him to concentrate on you.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + Strength modifier damage. Target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.
Miss: The target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.
Karmic Strike; Dervish Attack 1
You clear your mind and let your divine patron guide your hand.
Daily ✦ Martial, Psychic, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] +Wisdom modifier damage, and target is weakened until end of your next turn.
Inner Calm: You may spend a healing surge.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl2 Utility Exploits]Level 2 Utility Exploits
Cloud Dance; Dervish Utility 2
Your feet barely touch the ground.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Move Action Personal
Target: One creature
Special: You may expend your focus to use this power as a free action.
Effect: You may ignore difficult terrain.
Pious Will; Dervish Utility 2
Your suffering only sparks the flames of your devotion.
Daily ✦ Martial
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Trigger: You are hit by an attack.
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Effect: You gain temporary hit points equal to your healing surge value + Strength modifier.
Desperate Flame; Dervish Utility 2
You lash out in your moment of peril.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Reaction Personal
Trigger: You are bloodied
Special: You must expend your focus to use this power.
Effect: You can make a melee basic attack within melee weapon range.
Inevitable Flow; Dervish Utility 2
You channel your own life force into a desperate strike.
Daily ✦ Martial
Immediate Interrupt Personal
Trigger: You hit a target
Effect: Spend a healing surge to add a +4 power enhancement modifier to the damage of the attack.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl3 Encounter Exploits]Level 3 Encounter Exploits
Mystic Binding; Dervish Attack 3
Your enemy’s movements are hindered at every turn by inexplicable missteps and inopportune terrain.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Psychic
Standard Action Ranged 3
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Reflex
Hit: Target treats all terrain as difficult until the end of your next turn.
Sustain Minor: The effect persists.
Exploit Weakness; Dervish Attack 3
You quickly take advantage of your foes foolish mistake.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Immediate Reaction Melee weapon
Trigger: After an enemy misses with a melee attack
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d4 damage. In addition, slide target 1, and target is knocked prone.
Snuff the Flame Dervish Attack 3
Your blow destroys the spirit of the foe.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Psychic, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] +Wisdom modifier psychic damage, and the target is silenced until the end of your next turn.
Unbalancing Blow; Dervish Attack 3
Your strike knocks the foe off-balance.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] +Strength modifier damage. The target takes a penalty to its attack rolls equal to your Strength modifier until the end of your next turn. Target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.
[/sblock]
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I see your point and will change.
I was just so married to the regaining focus concept, bah. This is a good call, and seems in line with the intent I was aiming for.
