Just noticed that the Enlightened Dervish has one too many trained skills suggested (5 including Religion instead of 4, which it is "allowed" to have)
Last edited:
-
NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Dervish (debuff striker)
- Thread starter Tzeentch
- Start date
Just noticed that the Enlightened Dervish has one too many trained skills suggested (5 including Religion instead of 4, which it is "allowed" to have)
Interesting idea, but some mechanics need work.
Crippling strike does 0 damage for the cost of a move and standard action, and ends at the beginning of a turn rather than the end. It should do [w] damage.
I see this as a design issue with a couple powers. Attacks should do damage, even if it is not very much. Otherwise you run into the issue of having an ability that doesn't help at all due to circumstances beyond your control, despite the fact you rolled a 20 with it.
Crippling strike does 0 damage for the cost of a move and standard action, and ends at the beginning of a turn rather than the end. It should do [w] damage.
I see this as a design issue with a couple powers. Attacks should do damage, even if it is not very much. Otherwise you run into the issue of having an ability that doesn't help at all due to circumstances beyond your control, despite the fact you rolled a 20 with it.
Tzeentch
First Post
I've rewritten the class based on the feedback in this thread. With any luck the base mechanics are more balanced now.
Dervish
[sblock=Class Traits]
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Striker
Power Source: Martial. Your physical conditioning and training gives you phenomenal abilities, but you can also draw upon the power of the divine to perform supernatural feats.
Key Abilities: Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee
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, Expend Focus, Exploit Weakness
[/sblock]
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 Dexterity for their melee attacks and Wisdom for their secondary attacks and esoteric abilities.
Avenging Dervish
Your style of combat focuses on moves that allow you to close with your foe and kill or incapacitate them as quickly as possible. Your attacks and passive AC bonus rely on a high Dexterity, so that should be your primary ability score. Wisdom augments many of your most powerful assault powers and should be your second-best ability score. Constitution should be your third choice as you will be exposed to many dangers at close-range with only limited protection from armor.
Avenging dervishes should choose raging fury 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, spring attack,
Suggested Encounter Power: dirge of thorns
Suggested Daily Power: dervish dance
Enlightened Dervish
You prefer to avoid needless bloodshed, incapacitating your foes or placing them in such dire circumstances that they are forced to concede. Dexterity is still your most important ability score, but a high Wisdom is vital for many of the powers you will use.
Enlightened dervishes should choose inner calm as their Dervish Focus (see “Class Features”).
Suggested Feat: Defensive Mobility (Human feat: Improved Initiative)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Insight, Perception, Religion
Suggested At-Will Powers: crippling strike, thousand cuts
Suggested Encounter Power: unbalancing blow
Suggested Daily Power: fear the reaper
[sblock=Class Features]
Dervish Class Features
All dervishes share these class features.
Dervish Focus
While you are conscious you maintain a heightened sense of clarity and enlightenment. This focus aids each dervish in a different way.
Choose one of the following benefits that you possess while focused.
Inner Calm: When you are focused you gain a +1 power bonus to AC.
Raging Fury: When you are focused you gain a +1 power bonus to attack rolls.
If you become unconscious, or expend your focus on a power, your Dervish Focus benefit disappears at the end of your turn. You can restore focus by taking a short rest or an extended rest.
Expend Focus
Once per encounter, you can expend your focus to give yourself a sudden burst of power or clarity of mind and body to use either meditative trance or stunning blow.
Exploit Weakness
Once per round, when you have combat advantage against an adjacent enemy, you may make a basic melee attack against them as an immediate reaction when it is hit by an ally.
Dervish Powers
Dervish powers are known as exploits.
Some dervish powers include a line titled “Focus.” You gain this extra benefit only if you have an active Dervish Focus.
Class Features
Every dervish has the Expend Focus class feature that works like a power. Two varieties of Expend Focus, meditative trance and stunning below, are presented below.
Expend Focus: Meditative Trance; Dervish Feature
You push aside the worldly distractions that plague you.Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Reaction
Personal
Trigger: You suffer an effect that a save can end
Effect: You make a saving throw against the effect.
Expend Focus: Stunning Blow; Dervish Feature
Your focus your will into a powerful attack.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Minor Action
Personal
Effect: You may expend your focus to grant your next attack the Dazing Strike secondary attack.
Dazing Strike
Secondary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fort
Hit: Target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Reliable: If the attack misses you do not expend your focus.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 At-Will]
Level 1 At-Will Exploits
Crippling Strike; Dervish Attack 1
Your attacks distract the enemy, making it vulnerable to the attacks of your allies.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and one ally you can see gains a +2 power bonus to his next attack roll against the target.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.
Spring Attack; Dervish Attack 1
You quickly move to a more advantageous position.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Special: You may shift 1 square after the attack.
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.
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: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1[W] + Wisdom modifier damage, and you push the target 1 square if it is your size or smaller.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
Thousand Cuts; Dervish Attack 1
Your limbs move with incredible speed straight through a gap in your foes defense.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier + Wisdom modifier damage.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Encounter]
Level 1 Encounter Exploits
Dirge of Thorns; Dervish Attack 1
With techniques learned from ancient texts you strike blows that appear to be superficial, but cause your foes body to spasm when put under strain.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target suffers a -2 penalty to AC and Reflex defense until the end of your next turn.
Focus: The penalty to AC and Reflex defense equals 1 + your Wisdom modifier.
Toil of Years; Dervish Attack 1
With cunning strikes to you inflict a number of debilitating wounds on the target.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier damage, and the target is weakened until the end of your next turn.
Focus: You have a +2 power bonus to the attack roll.
Unbalancing Blow; Dervish Attack 1
Your strike knocks the foe off-balance.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target suffers a -2 penalty to its attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Focus: The penalty to attack rolls equals 1 + your Wisdom modifier.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Daily]
Level 1 Daily Exploits
Cobra’s Fangs; Dervish Attack 1
You latch onto your foe and harry their every movement.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee 1
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). In addition, one ally adjacent to you or the target gains a power bonus equal to your Charisma modifier to his next attack roll against the target.
Fear the Reaper; Dervish Attack 1
Your attacks give an ally the opening they need.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC.
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and one ally you can see gains combat advantage against the target (save ends).
Dervish Dance; Dervish Attack 1
You become a whirling dancer of death.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One or two creatures
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
Effect: You may shift a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier and make a secondary attack against the same or different target.
Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] +Dexterity modifier damage.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl2 Utility]
Level 2 Utility Exploits
Perfect Balance; Dervish Utility 2
You act without hesitation when it comes to your movements.Encounter ✦ Martial,
Free Action
Personal
Trigger: You roll an Acrobatics check and dislike the result
Prerequisite: You must be trained in Acrobatics.
Effect: Reroll the Acrobatics check and keep the better result.
Flow Like Water; Dervish Utility 2
Your dance training allows you to recover quickly from what would be an embarrassing fall.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Interrupt
Personal
Trigger: You would fall prone.
Effect: You do not fall prone.
Unbound; Dervish Utility 2
With the blessing of your divine patron, your holy dance cannot be interrupted.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Move Action
Personal
Effect: You are no longer immobilized.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl3 Encounter]
Level 3 Encounter Exploits
Test of Faith; Dervish Attack 3
With a prayer to the divine, you summon a gust of air and dust that scours away the beneficial magic of your foes.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action
Close blast 3
Target: Each enemy in blast you can see
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will.
Hit: 1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage.
Effect: Each target loses any power bonuses and aura effects until the end of your next turn.
Exploit Weakness; Dervish Attack 3
You quickly take advantage of your foes foolish mistake.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Immediate Reaction
Melee 1
Trigger: After an enemy misses with a melee attack
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d4 damage. In addition, slide target 1, and target is knocked prone if it is your size or smaller.
Snuff the Flame; Dervish Attack 3
Your blow destroys the spirit of the foe.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and the target loses its resistance to one source of damage until the end of your next turn.
[/sblock]
Dervish
[sblock=Class Traits]
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Striker
Power Source: Martial. Your physical conditioning and training gives you phenomenal abilities, but you can also draw upon the power of the divine to perform supernatural feats.
Key Abilities: Dexterity, Wisdom, Constitution
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee
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, Expend Focus, Exploit Weakness
[/sblock]
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 Dexterity for their melee attacks and Wisdom for their secondary attacks and esoteric abilities.
Avenging Dervish
Your style of combat focuses on moves that allow you to close with your foe and kill or incapacitate them as quickly as possible. Your attacks and passive AC bonus rely on a high Dexterity, so that should be your primary ability score. Wisdom augments many of your most powerful assault powers and should be your second-best ability score. Constitution should be your third choice as you will be exposed to many dangers at close-range with only limited protection from armor.
Avenging dervishes should choose raging fury 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, spring attack,
Suggested Encounter Power: dirge of thorns
Suggested Daily Power: dervish dance
Enlightened Dervish
You prefer to avoid needless bloodshed, incapacitating your foes or placing them in such dire circumstances that they are forced to concede. Dexterity is still your most important ability score, but a high Wisdom is vital for many of the powers you will use.
Enlightened dervishes should choose inner calm as their Dervish Focus (see “Class Features”).
Suggested Feat: Defensive Mobility (Human feat: Improved Initiative)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Insight, Perception, Religion
Suggested At-Will Powers: crippling strike, thousand cuts
Suggested Encounter Power: unbalancing blow
Suggested Daily Power: fear the reaper
[sblock=Class Features]
Dervish Class Features
All dervishes share these class features.
Dervish Focus
While you are conscious you maintain a heightened sense of clarity and enlightenment. This focus aids each dervish in a different way.
Choose one of the following benefits that you possess while focused.
Inner Calm: When you are focused you gain a +1 power bonus to AC.
Raging Fury: When you are focused you gain a +1 power bonus to attack rolls.
If you become unconscious, or expend your focus on a power, your Dervish Focus benefit disappears at the end of your turn. You can restore focus by taking a short rest or an extended rest.
Expend Focus
Once per encounter, you can expend your focus to give yourself a sudden burst of power or clarity of mind and body to use either meditative trance or stunning blow.
Exploit Weakness
Once per round, when you have combat advantage against an adjacent enemy, you may make a basic melee attack against them as an immediate reaction when it is hit by an ally.
Dervish Powers
Dervish powers are known as exploits.
Some dervish powers include a line titled “Focus.” You gain this extra benefit only if you have an active Dervish Focus.
Class Features
Every dervish has the Expend Focus class feature that works like a power. Two varieties of Expend Focus, meditative trance and stunning below, are presented below.
Expend Focus: Meditative Trance; Dervish Feature
You push aside the worldly distractions that plague you.Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Reaction
Personal
Trigger: You suffer an effect that a save can end
Effect: You make a saving throw against the effect.
Expend Focus: Stunning Blow; Dervish Feature
Your focus your will into a powerful attack.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Minor Action
Personal
Effect: You may expend your focus to grant your next attack the Dazing Strike secondary attack.
Dazing Strike
Secondary Attack: Wisdom vs. Fort
Hit: Target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Reliable: If the attack misses you do not expend your focus.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 At-Will]
Level 1 At-Will Exploits
Crippling Strike; Dervish Attack 1
Your attacks distract the enemy, making it vulnerable to the attacks of your allies.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and one ally you can see gains a +2 power bonus to his next attack roll against the target.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.
Spring Attack; Dervish Attack 1
You quickly move to a more advantageous position.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Special: You may shift 1 square after the attack.
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.
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: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1[W] + Wisdom modifier damage, and you push the target 1 square if it is your size or smaller.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
Thousand Cuts; Dervish Attack 1
Your limbs move with incredible speed straight through a gap in your foes defense.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier + Wisdom modifier damage.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier + Wisdom modifier at 21st level.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Encounter]
Level 1 Encounter Exploits
Dirge of Thorns; Dervish Attack 1
With techniques learned from ancient texts you strike blows that appear to be superficial, but cause your foes body to spasm when put under strain.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Reflex
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target suffers a -2 penalty to AC and Reflex defense until the end of your next turn.
Focus: The penalty to AC and Reflex defense equals 1 + your Wisdom modifier.
Toil of Years; Dervish Attack 1
With cunning strikes to you inflict a number of debilitating wounds on the target.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier damage, and the target is weakened until the end of your next turn.
Focus: You have a +2 power bonus to the attack roll.
Unbalancing Blow; Dervish Attack 1
Your strike knocks the foe off-balance.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target suffers a -2 penalty to its attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
Focus: The penalty to attack rolls equals 1 + your Wisdom modifier.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl1 Daily]
Level 1 Daily Exploits
Cobra’s Fangs; Dervish Attack 1
You latch onto your foe and harry their every movement.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee 1
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). In addition, one ally adjacent to you or the target gains a power bonus equal to your Charisma modifier to his next attack roll against the target.
Fear the Reaper; Dervish Attack 1
Your attacks give an ally the opening they need.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC.
Hit: 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and one ally you can see gains combat advantage against the target (save ends).
Dervish Dance; Dervish Attack 1
You become a whirling dancer of death.
Daily ✦ Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One or two creatures
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
Effect: You may shift a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier and make a secondary attack against the same or different target.
Secondary Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] +Dexterity modifier damage.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl2 Utility]
Level 2 Utility Exploits
Perfect Balance; Dervish Utility 2
You act without hesitation when it comes to your movements.Encounter ✦ Martial,
Free Action
Personal
Trigger: You roll an Acrobatics check and dislike the result
Prerequisite: You must be trained in Acrobatics.
Effect: Reroll the Acrobatics check and keep the better result.
Flow Like Water; Dervish Utility 2
Your dance training allows you to recover quickly from what would be an embarrassing fall.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Immediate Interrupt
Personal
Trigger: You would fall prone.
Effect: You do not fall prone.
Unbound; Dervish Utility 2
With the blessing of your divine patron, your holy dance cannot be interrupted.
Encounter ✦ Martial
Move Action
Personal
Effect: You are no longer immobilized.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Lvl3 Encounter]
Level 3 Encounter Exploits
Test of Faith; Dervish Attack 3
With a prayer to the divine, you summon a gust of air and dust that scours away the beneficial magic of your foes.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action
Close blast 3
Target: Each enemy in blast you can see
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will.
Hit: 1d8 + Wisdom modifier radiant damage.
Effect: Each target loses any power bonuses and aura effects until the end of your next turn.
Exploit Weakness; Dervish Attack 3
You quickly take advantage of your foes foolish mistake.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Immediate Reaction
Melee 1
Trigger: After an enemy misses with a melee attack
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity vs. Fortitude
Hit: 1d4 damage. In addition, slide target 1, and target is knocked prone if it is your size or smaller.
Snuff the Flame; Dervish Attack 3
Your blow destroys the spirit of the foe.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Radiant, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Wisdom vs. Will
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier radiant damage, and the target loses its resistance to one source of damage until the end of your next turn.
[/sblock]
