How do I . . .

[phoamslinger]

is there a feat somewhere that will let me change the name of a class ability, essentially letting me redesign the special effects without changing the ability itself?

what I would like to do is spend my 3rd level feat to change Barbarian Rage to something else, in keeping with a character concept, ie Focusing my Inner Strength, or Channeling my Chi. the net effect would be the same, but it wouldn't be justified as a hysterical ability.

(yes, I want two levels of Barb and the cross class into Monk and redefine Rage so I don't lose the ability for being lawful. I would think that if I were willing to spend a feat on it, it wouldn't be unreasonable - especially when you consider all the other power gamer, munchin stuff that 3e is capable of.)

so have any of you seen anything that will let me do this, in a book or on a web page or somewhere?

thanks.
phoamy

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

The best way might be to talk with your DM about it.
I think it would be fair if he allowed it for the cost of a feat... Maybe even without the feat, since the regular multi classing rule in this case weakens Barbarian/Monk Multiclass characters without given a balance reason for it...

Mustrum Ridcully

 

[KnowTheToe]

As a DM I would not allow it. I have not played a monk and don't have the books with me but doesn't the monk have some sort of Chi attack and it comes at a higher level.

For me the concepts just don't blend, the core of the barbarian class is wildness, while the monk is very serenity and order. Oil and water don't mix and either do monk and barbarian.

 

[phoamslinger]

KnowtheToe,

you mean you'd let an Arcane Trickster force a sneak attack with a Ray of Frost cantrip that did 1d3 + 8d6 in damage (totally legal) but you wouldn't let my half-orc barb find the serenity in his soul? even if I was willing to pay for it?

hmmm.

 

[Romotre]

Ray of frost to the nuts...8d6 doesn't seem like enough...

 

[Tewligan]

You might check out the sohei class from Oriental Adventures. It's basically a monastery soldier/guardian. He gets some monk-type abilities, and the ability to rage. Sounds like what you're looking for.

 

[kengar]

I don't have my books with me and am probably confused, but aren't Barbarians supposed to be non-Lawful? Maybe that's just in the desrciptive info on alignment and not an actual "restriction."

 

[SableWyvern]

Personally, if you had a good character concept (and it sounds like there's more to this than a spontaneous desire to find an excuse to multiclass monk and barbarian), as DM I'd be pretty happy with making some allowances.

Depeding on your actual character concept I would either:

Option 1: Invent a new class, identical to the barbarian, but substitute rage for "Focused Chi" or somesuch, and make it lawful.

Option 2: Allow you to start as a standard barbarian, then roleplay your transformation. In this case, I might require a feat-cost, maybe not. Certainly, I wouldn't apply any penalty harsher than the one you had listed.

(Note - if option 2 suited the concept best, I wouldn't even mention the first option - so you wouldn't know you could have avoided the feat cost )

As long as your DM is fairly openminded about tweaking the system to fit character concepts, I'd say you've got a good case. Just make sure that when you approach him, you can do a good job explaining what you want, and - more importantly - why it is important to this character.