Help me make this class playable!

I'm A Banana

Potassium-Rich
Alright, here's a little class for ya! I designed it to be something of a fighter who specializes in incapacitation instead of raw damage, who is better at doing neat things with a normal attack.

Basically, I need any help that could be given to balance this class out. What's a bit over-the-top? What would you alter or change?

A bit of background: this class was inspired by Final Fantasy's classes, so, while flexible, I may be a bit bullheaded about including certain things. :)

Enjoy!

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+++KNIGHT+++
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Knights are capable warriors who specialize in a specific form of combat -- incapacitating foes. By using attacks that can cause statuses, and by using blows that can lower statistics, the knight is capable of wounding enemies, and making them unable to effectively fight back.

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---GAME RULE INFO---
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ABILITIES: Strength is important for dealing damage, which is this class's defining aspect.
ALIGNMENT: Any
HIT DIE: d10
Class Skills
STRENGTH: Climb, Jump, Swim
DEXTERITY: NONE
CONSTITUTION: Concentration
INTELLIGE: Craft
WISDOM: Profession
CHARISMA: NONE
POINT BASE: 2
Class Features
WEAPON & ARMOR PROFICIENCY: Knights are proficient in Knight Weapons, including all dagger, punching dagger, light mace, clib, halfspear, heavy mace, morningstar, shortspear, javelin, throwing axe, light hammer, handaxe, light pick, sap, short sword, battleaxe, lightl flail, longsword, heavy pick, rapier, scimitar, trident, warhammer, falchion, heavy flail, greataxe, greatclub, and greatsword. They are proficient in all armors, and in shields.
~STRIKE~
Strikes are a category of attack that inflict status conditions upon foes when you hit them with a normal attack. Basically, they add statuses to your weapon for an instant. Using a strike is a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. Also, you must attack when using a strike, and the strike is only effective in the round you use it in (though the status may last longer). Strikes are supernatural abilities.
Strikes that inflict status ailments can be resisted with a saving throw, usually. The DC for these saving throws is 10 + half your Knight level + your Strength modifier.
The number of uses per day of strikes depends upon your Knight level. This is roughly equivalent to the number of spells per day a Wizard gets. Using breaks and strikes of the same level draws from the same "pool" of uses per day, so that using one break is like using one strike, and vice versa.
Specific strikes are described below:
SNOOZE STRIKE: You attack a foe with your weapon. If they fail a Will save, they fall asleep as if affected by the SLEEP spell. This status lasts until they awake, or one round per Knight level.
Snooze Strike counts as a "level 1" power, and so is usable once per day at level 1, twice per day at levels 2-3, three times per day at levels 4-6, and four times per day thereafter.
DARK STRIKE: You strike the eyes of your foes. If they fail a Fortitude save, they are affected by the Darkness status, making them unable to do actions requiring vision, and giving all creatures they attack three-fourths concealment (30% miss chance). This status lasts one round per Knight level.
Dark Strike counts as a "level 2" power, and so is usable once per day at level 3, twice per day at levels 4-5, three times per day at levels 6-8, and four times per day thereafter.
BLAST STRIKE: You strike with such force that your foes are blown away. If they fail a Fortitude save, they are blown away, getting knocked down and rolled 1d4x10 feet, sustaining 1d4 points of subdual damage per 10 feet. Flying creatures instead are blown back 2d6x10 feet and sustain 2d6 points of subdual damage.
Blast strike counts as a "level 3" power, and so is usable once per day at level 7, twice per day at levels 8-9, three times per day at levels 10-12, and four times per day thereafter.
TERROR STRIKE: You wound your foes in body and courage. If they fail a Will save, they are affected by the shaken status (affected creature suffers a -2 morale penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws). This lasts for one round per Knight level. If they are hit again with a TERROR STRIKE during the shaken duration (and fail another save), they become frightened for one round per knight level (suffering the above if they are unable to flee, and unable to use special abilities, including spells, unless these abilities are used to flee. They must flee if possible), and become shaken for the rest of the duration once the fright wears off. If they are hit again with a TERROR STRIKE when frightened (and fail their save), they become panicked (as above, plus they have a 50% chance to drop what they're holding, chooses the path randomly, and flee any other danger), with this wearing off after one round per Knight level, when the fright re-asserts itself for the rest of the duration. If hit once more with a TERROR STRIKE they cower (taking no actions, loosing Dexterity bonuses to AC, and granting foes a +2 bonus to hit them) for one round per knight level before the panic takes over again.
Terror Strike counts as a "level 4" power, and so is usable once per day at level 11, twice per day at levels 12-13, three times per day at levels 14-16, and four times per day thereafter.
SEAL STRIKE: You hammer the magical field of your enemy. If they fail a Will save, they are affected by the Sealed status, making them unable to use mystical attacks (including spells and supernatural abilities). This status lasts one round per Knight level.
Seal Strike counts as a "level 5" power, and so is usable once per day at level 13, twice per day at levels 14-15, three times per day at levels 16-18, and four times per day thereafter.
WEAKENING STRIKE: You deal a blow that renders the enemy weak and fatigued. The first application of this attack causes the fatigued status (affected creature is unable to run or charge, and suffers an effective penalty of -2 to Strength and Dexterity), if the target fails their Fortitude save. This lasts for one round per Knight level. If this attack is performed again on the same target during the duration of the fatigue, it causes the exhaustion status (affecte creature moves at half normal speed and suffers an effective penalty of -6 to Strength and Dexterity) if the target fails another Fortitude save. This lasts for one round per Knight level, during which the fatigue has no effect. Once the exhaustion wears off, the target remains fatigued for however long is remaining on that attack's duration.
Weakening Strike is considered a "level 6" power, and so is usable once per day at level 15, twice per day at levels 16-17, three times per day at levels 18-19, and four times per day thereafter.
ZOMBIE STRIKE: You slice the very lifeline of your foe. If they fail a Fortitude save, they are affected by the Zombie status, granting them all the qualities of Undead (immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, mind-influencing effects, critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, and energy drain; immediately fail Fortitude save; negative energy heals them, and positive energy harms them). This condition lasts for one round per Knight level.
Zombie Strike is considered a "level 7" power, and so is usable once per day at level 17, twice per day at level 18, and three times per day at levels 19-20.
ENERVATION STRIKE: You destroy the enemy with your attack and syphon levels off of them. If they fail a Fortitude save, you drain a negative level from your target, imposing on them a -1 competence penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level. Spellcasters also loose one spell or spell slot from her highest available level. Negative levels stack.
Enervation Strike is considered a "level 8" power, and so is usable once per day at level 19, and twice per day at level 20.
~BREAK~
Breaks are a category of attack that incapacitate an ability score, utilizing mystical energy to sap some of an ability score. Breaks gain power as you level up, but, once affected with a break, a creature cannot be affected by it a second time. The break's effects last for one full day, until the creature gets 8 hours of rest.
Using breaks and strikes comes from the same "pool" of uses per day, so that using one break is like using one strike, and vice versa. The breaks themselves don't have levels, but the damage they deal does.
Consider a break that does 1d4 damage as a "level 1" power, a break that does 1d6 damage as a "level 2" power, a break that does 1d8 damage as a "level 3" power, a break that does 1d10 damage as a "level 4" power, a break that does 1d12 damage as a "level 5" power, a break that does 2d8 damage as a "level 6" power, a break that does 2d10 damage as a "level 7" power, and a break that does 2d12 damage as a "level 8" power.
A knight acquires a break whenever his break skill increases in damage, but at a lower damage incriment. This means that, at level 1, the knight starts with one break that deals 1d4 damage. Upon advancing to level 5, that break deals 1d6 damage, and the knight gets a new one that deals 1d4 damage. Upon advancing to level 9, the knight gets a third break at 1d4, the one he achieved at level 5 increases to 1d6, and the one he began with increases to 1d8. This continues in a similar fashion throughough the knight's carreer.
POWER BREAK: This break lowers Strength by the listed value. With a decrease in Strength, melee attack rolls, damage rolls with melee or thrown weapons, climb, jump, and swim checks, and Strength checks may decrease.
DODGE BREAK: This break lowers Dexterity by the listed value. With a decrease in Dexterity, ranged attack rolls, armor class, reflex saves, and balance, escape artist, hide, move silently, open lock, pick pocket, ride, tumble, and use rope checks may decrease.
HEALTH BREAK: This break lowers Constitution by the listed value. With a decrease in Constitution, hp, fortitude saves, and concentration checks may decrease.
MIND BREAK: This break lowers Intelligenec by the listed value. With a decrease in Intelligence, alchemey, appraise, craft, decipher script, disable device, forgery, knowledge, read lips, scry, search, and spellcraft checks, and the DC's, bonus spells, and spells castable for magic that uses Intelligence may decrease.
INSIGHT BREAK: This break lowers Wisdom by the listed value. With a decrease in Wisdom, Will saves, heal, innuendo, intuit direction, listen, profession, sense motive, spot, and wilderness lore checks, and the DC's, bonus spells, and spells castable for magic that uses Wisdom may decrease.
CONFIDENCE BREAK: This break lowers Charisma by the listed value. With a decrease in Charisma, animal empathy, bluff, diplomacy, disguise, gather information, handle animal, intimidate, perform, and use magic divice checks, checks that represent an influence over others, turning checks, and the DC's, bonus spells, and spells castable for magic that uses Charisma may decrease.
ARMOR BREAK: This break lowers the AC value of the creature by the listed value. This includes bonuses from armor, natural armor, dexterity, or other sources. The creature hit decides what bonuses to loose these points from.
ACCURACY BREAK: This break lowers the Attack Bonus value of the creature by the listed value. This includes bonuses from Strength, Dexterity, enhancement, magic, level/HD, or other sources. The creature hit decides what bonuses to loose these points from.
~ELEMENTAL ATTACKS~
Elemental attacks are a category of attacks that a knight is capable of that use energy to replace your normal attack. Basically, the knight changes the type of damage their attack deals from peircing or bludgeoning or slashing to acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic.
At level 2, the knight gains this ability. At levels 4, 6, 8, and 10, the knight deals extra damage when attacking with the elemental attack from the force of the elemental energies.
The knight can use an elemental attack once per day per knight level. This does not come from the same "pool" of uses as the breaks and strikes.

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---THE KNIGHT---
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BASE ATTACK BONUS: = Level (as Fighter)
GOOD SAVE: Fortitude
SPELLS KNOWN: NONE
SPELLS PER DAY: NONE
SPECIAL:
Level 1
-Snooze Strike, Break 1d4
Level 2
-Elemental Blade
Level 3
-Dark Strike
Level 4
-Elemental Blade +1d4
Level 5
-Break 1d6
Level 6
-Elemental Blade +1d6
Level 7
-Blast Strike
Level 8
-Elemental Blade +1d8
Level 9
-Break 1d8
Level 10
-Elemental Blade +1d10
Level 11
-Terror Strike
Level 12
-Break 1d10
Level 13
-Seal Strike
Level 14
-Break 1d12
Level 15
-Weakening Strike
Level 16
-Break 2d8
Level 17
-Zombie Strike
Level 18
-Break 2d10
Level 19
-Enervation Strike
Level 20
-Break 2d12

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+++VARIANT KNIGHT: THE ARCHER+++
=============================


The archer is, in nearly every way, identical to the Knight...except that their attacks are effective at a much longer distance.

An archer is identical to a knight in all ways except the weapon and armor proficiencies, and in the ability that determines their number of Break or Strike uses. An archer is proficient in Archer Weapons, including dagger, club, halfspear, shortspear, throwing axe, light hammer, trident, light crossbow, dart, sling, heavy crossbow, javelin, shotbow (and composite), and longbow (and composite).

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+++NEW FEAT: EXTRA BLOWS+++
=========================

You can use the supernatural powers of the Knight class more often.
PREREQUISITE: Ability to use Strikes and Breaks
BENEFIT: This feat adds one extra use per day of either a Strike or a Break ability. It basically adds to the pool that the knight chooses from.
SPECIAL: This feat can be taken multiple times. Each time this feat is taken, it adds +1 more use per day to the Strike/Break pool.
 
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Way too powerful. Using each strike 3 times per day is way too much, you could fight all day and not run out. I'd lower the number of types of strikes, lower the number of strikes per day (say 3 + Cha mod for example) and you'll be on your way.
 

Why not have one pool of strikes, all stirkes are drawn from this pool. (Some of the more powerful might use two strikes.)
Also you should use something besides strength for bonus shots, as strength is already really important. This only makes it more important.
 

Makes sense......

How about if I limited the strikes/breaks to once per day per 2 Knight levels? This does mean by the time you get a "stackable" strike like Terror Strike you can only hit about 6 times the entire day...should I get rid of the feat that gives you extra ones altogether?

I'm not EXTREMELY affraid of multipule uses, considering their slightly limited effectiveness. Faerie Fire undoes the Darkness status, and half of everything is immune to sleep.

Something a bit wiggy though...I've noticed these guys are pretty much as effective as their Elemental Blades against undead. I mean, Undead would be immune to every strike except Blast Strike and Seal Strike, and are immune to the breaks (being immune to ability damage) except for Armor and Accuracy break.

Yeah, now that I think about it, I patterned it off of Turn Undead, which really isn't comprable in usefulness to these strikes and breaks...

I like the variations on the strikes and breaks, so I'll probably keep those...but limiting them seems like a good idea.

I'd also keep in mind that Strikes and Breaks provoke attacks of opportunity...and given that this guy is mostly a melee fighter, that's not a totally insignificant problem....though it could be munchkined into a minor annoyance.

So 1 use of Strike/Break per 2 knight levels sound OK? Especially if I ditch the feat?
 
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This class needs to be renamed. It is not the archetypal knight that one envisions when hearing the word. I don't know what it is you've created. It's too weird, overpowered and complicated for me.

**throws hands up in the air** :eek:
 

It's named the Knight because of the source material more than because I think of it as the achetypal Knight. :)

So pretend the name doesn't exist...(the audience will probably be content with it).

As for being overpowered...okay...how could I fix this? People have suggesting lowering the uses per day of the Break/Strike ability, and I said "Okay, how does 1 use/2 levels sound?"

Anybody? :)
 


What you have created here is the Stunning Fist series of feats, but made them so powerful that it completely overshadows both the Monk and the Fighter Classes.
If you have Masters of the Wild, look at the Bloodhoud for a more balanced approach.
Otherwise, you have built in Falling Star Strike, Freezing the Lifeblood, Unbalancing Strike, Pain Touch, etc. from Oriental Adventures plus good weapons and good armor. Plus an ungodly number of uses of the special abilities each day.
For a Fighter to get this powerful he would have to take Stunning Fist (Dex 13+, Improved Unarmed Strike, Wis 13+, BAB +8) meaning 8th level to start.

Your Snooze Strike equals Freezing the Lifeblood (which needs a WIS 17+)

Your Dark Strike equals Falling Star Strike (Also WIS 17+)

On top of all of this, a fighter could only use "Stunning Fist" twice per day at eighth level.

Sure a Monk can do this earilier, but does not also have access to good armor and weapons. You might make this a prestige class with a minimum level of entry at 8th level.

The name Brusier would be much better than knight.
 
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Now we're getting somewhere. ^_^

The FFT knight is, indeed, part of what I'm basing it on. But I want it to be more "generic Final Fantasy" than that.

Hurm...how about if I impose a sort of Uses/Day/Level schema of a Wizard? So that, at 1st level, Sleep Strike or Break 1d4 is usable once, and as you go up, you get more uses of that Sleep Strike/Break 1d4.

It'll probably roughly mirror the Wizard progression...see the edited post for the idea. :)

Keep in mind, these *do* provoke attacks of opportunity, like casting a spell...perhaps I should also impose a Concentration-check for "keeping the effect" if you are struck performing it?

Edit: I've got the scheme down for uses/day. And I'm not so sure the OA feats are quite analagous. These statuses are for a very limited duration, can be countered with a save, and provoke an attack of opportunity...I think they're a bit closer to a spell in nature and power.

So I've cut down the uses/day. I know that the knight is allowed a LOT more gear than a wizard, or even a sorc, but they basically get one limited-use spell (they have to hit with an attack roll *and* have their target fail their save).

I'm thinking I could drop the Elemental Blade powers, theoretically. But I'd have to add them to another class that's already pretty sodding powerful that I have in mind.

But it's a start. Swinging in the right direction? I still want to make this deecntly balanced...
 
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