Joint project: Make the Wuxia martial artist class for 4th edition...

[FoolishFrost]

Okay, the idea is to publicly, and jointly, go through the development of a character class for 4th edition DnD.

I'm thinking we make the wuxia: A hand to hand martial artist based on the following concepts:

- It should have high maneuverability on the battlefield, especially using encounter based powers.
- It should have a selection of powers that are ALL linked to a fighting style, and while any can be taken, those that follow the characters chosen fighting style offer a slight edge.
- The fighting style and powers should allow the possibility of Str/Dex/Wis/Con vs XXX, depending on the path the power chooses.

For example, if we use an elemental base:
(Cloud Style) Air: Dex based powers. Maneuverability and avoidance.
(River Style) Water: Wis based powers. Mystical and Chi abilities.
(Lightning Style) Fire: Str based powers. Strikes and throws.
(Mountain Style) Earth: Con based powers. Damage soakers.

If, for example, you were playing a Mountain Wuxia, every power from the Mountain Style set you pick would allow a special bonus. See page 125 of the player's handbook for an example under "Scorpion Strike". If you pick the Brutal Scoundrel path, you get a special bonus power you can use.

The idea is to make a system where they can expand their chosen path with abilities from other ones, while guiding them to stay near their roots.

Okay, that's enough for a start. Who wants the next crack at it?

 

[FoolishFrost]

Wuxia


CLASS TRAITS
Role: Balanced combat specialist, allowing for special abilities based on unarmed and improvised weapons.
Power Source: Chi. You have learned to focus the power within your own body to allow perfect strikes and balanced defenses. You can even use it to create near-magical effects.
Key Abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom.

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather.
Weapon Proficiencies: Unarmed (special), Improvised (special).
Bonus to Defense: Depends on primary fighting style. See below.

Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + Consititution.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 4
Healing Surges per day: 12 + Con bonus.

Trained Skills: Three, with one based on the Wuxia path chosen at character creation, and the other two from the following: Acrobatics, Athletics , Stealth, Religion

Build Options: Cloud Style, River Style, Lightning Style, Mountain Style.

Class Features: Combat Stance, Combat Mobility.



Cloud Style
Cloud style is based on mobility, avoidance, and feints.
Skill offered is Acrobatics.
Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + Dex
Defense: +2 Reflex.

River Style
River style is based on channeling Chi for nearly magical effects, including minor healing, pressure point attacks, and the like.
Skill offered is Perception.
Defense: +2 Will.

Lightning Style
Lightning style attacks using brutal strikes and throws, learning to not only use your own strength, but the strength of your opponent against him.
Skill offered is Athletics.
Defense: +2 AC. (makes sense, but does it break anything?)

Mountain Style
You are the rock. Immovable, Invulnerable, and inevitable. You can block attacks head on, and ignore damage. You recover faster, and are less likly to succumb to effects.
Skill offered is Endurance.
Defense: +2 Fort.

 

[FoolishFrost]

<looks around>

Nobody?

 

[Hokahej]

My first impression was: "Wow, that's a whole lot of healing surges."

It seems that the party role of this class would depend largely on fighting style selection. Mountain Style look like defenders, River Style look like leaders (healers), while Cloud and Lightning look like strikers. This deviates from the norm WotC set up, but that's not inherently bad and could infact be quite interesting. I will refrain from judgement until I see more.

As for the Lightning Style AC bonus it's non-standard but I don't think it's game breaking. You only get leather to start with and unless you spend 3 or 4 feats on armor proficiency and another one on armor specialization (not to mention the feats for shields) your AC should still be lower than that of a fighter or paladin.