Inquisitive

[Starfox]

Canny Positioning is interesting, but very time-consuming. You attack and reposition all enemies adjacent to you, then move and repeat the maneuver with anyone who is now adjacent to you, potentially moving up to your Int squares in this way. With an Int mod of +6, this is potentially 26 foes you can attack and respostiton, and on top of this its interactive; you have to make decisions as you go. And this is not your standard action for the round, you can do another potentially complex on top of this.

While I like the idea of it, it is way too complex. I suggest making it a burst Int power where you select one target; if you hit this target you exchange places and get to shift everyone adjacent to either the target or your initial position one square.

Inquisitive Technique: These might do best as feats, not class features.

Alchemic Warrior: One of the unwritten rules of 4E is that move actions are only used for movement. You can break this rule f there is a strong reason to, but in this case I think Alchemic Warrior should e a minor action - unless you specifically think you have to stand still to do this?

Iron Shackler: I'd remove the size limit. It is also unclear if you need to keep holding the spiked chain to immobilize.

More later when I get the time

 

[Starfox]

Piercing Bolter: I do not understand what this does. There are no creatures (to wit) that is resistant to untyped damage, which is what the crossbow does, so what is the point? Does it allow your Crossbow to do energy damage?

It would be very interesting if you could exploit a vulnerability the creature has. Say you discover the creature is vulnerable to necrotic damage, you attach jet stones to your arrows and add the necrotic keyword.

 

[Garthanos]

Piercing Bolter: I do not understand what this does. Does it allow your Crossbow to do energy damage? There are no creatures (to wit) that is resistant to untyped damage, which is what the crossbow does. it would be very interesting if you could exploit a vulnerability the creature has.

Vulnerable locations? a crossbow is good at targetting small vulnerable spots and everything has those spots if you know where they are.

Welcome to the thread Starfox, I think this class deserves full development

 

[Starfox]

Vulnerable locations?

I love the idea of vulnerable locations for a flat trajectory weapon like the crossbow. I just don't undrstand what the power is doing in game terms.

 

[Garthanos]

Piercing Bolter: When you wield a crossbow, you may use specially treated bolts to overcome a target’s resistance by an amount equal to half your level plus your Wisdom modifier. When you reload your crossbow you may change the type of resistance you are firing against.

Ahhh I see perhaps it should allow you to make the bolt have a keyword, like something the creature is somewhat vulnerable to...

I think using monster knowledge check to allow you to find the really vulnerable spots would be cool.

 

[Quickleaf]

Er...good point about the crossbow feature. It was originally intended for our home campaign where quite a few creatures have resistance (steel/iron).

Maybe I could model striking a vulnerable location by bestowing a new vulnerability on the creature, as in vulnerable (weapon) or even vulnerable (all) until the end of your next turn? So you deal extra damage and so do a few other attacks. Might be too powerful...


I also wonder if I should just fold this thread into the community design MC, or let them be two separate things.

 

[Quickleaf]

Canny Positioning is interesting, but very time-consuming. You attack and reposition all enemies adjacent to you, then move and repeat the maneuver with anyone who is now adjacent to you, potentially moving up to your Int squares in this way. With an Int mod of +6, this is potentially 26 foes you can attack and respostiton, and on top of this its interactive; you have to make decisions as you go. And this is not your standard action for the round, you can do another potentially complex on top of this.

While I like the idea of it, it is way too complex. I suggest making it a burst Int power where you select one target; if you hit this target you exchange places and get to shift everyone adjacent to either the target or your initial position one square.

Yeah, it is too complex (and probably too powerful). Thanks for taking a look at it, your solution will work great.

Inquisitive Technique: These might do best as feats, not class features.

Agreed.

Alchemic Warrior: One of the unwritten rules of 4E is that move actions are only used for movement. You can break this rule f there is a strong reason to, but in this case I think Alchemic Warrior should e a minor action - unless you specifically think you have to stand still to do this?

Ah, good catch, yeah a minor action.

Iron Shackler: I'd remove the size limit. It is also unclear if you need to keep holding the spiked chain to immobilize.

Hmm. Well it seems weird that you could immobilize a huge creature with a single chain. The ideas is you wrap it in the chain then let go of the chain and the creature is entangled.

 

[Quickleaf]

I just went over my sources of inspiration for this class: Sherlock Holmes, Van Helsing, the Witcher, Brother Cadfael, Gregore de Fronsac... and I realized they pretty much have 4 common elements:
1. Chemists
2. Detectives
3. Fight sword and fist
4. Use special weapons

Interesting - I think this is going to influence my design a lot.

 

[Garthanos]

Maybe I could model striking a vulnerable location by bestowing a new vulnerability on the creature, as in vulnerable (weapon) or even vulnerable (all) until the end of your next turn? So you deal extra damage and so do a few other attacks. Might be too powerful...

A touch of flavor text.... "Your attack reveals the monsters hidden vulnerability, you vaguely recalled from your studies, you and your allies can now exploit it."

well maybe

 

[Quickleaf]

Hmm, I'll have to think on that one.

In general a controller's attacks at range should daze, slow, or otherwise impede the target's ability to reach you.

I've been thinking about ways to distinguish this controller from the Druid, Invoker, and Wizard. Two things come to mind: First, turning enemies into terrain. Second, lots of "if then" effects.

Not literally turning enemies into terrain of course, but to draw inspiration from thinks like choke frost which progressively slows one who enters it, or simply to turn enemies into difficult terrain. This goes together with the enemy perpetuating an aura against its allies shtick. I guess that's a big part of the angle I'm shooting for with this class - to use enemies against each other, or use an enemy's powers/resistances/vulnerabilities/size against itself.

"If then" effects have lots of design space in 4e too.