Kio'oukath Spearbearer: Male goliath hoplite/arbalestier [please critique]

[JiCi]

Okay, I've updated the stats:
- added vest of resistance
- added wings of flying
- added ring of protection
- added the heavy fortification to the stats
- remove 100 crossbow bolts on 200

Should be better now. What do you think ?

 

[Kat']

All I asked was to be less hard on me, because it makes me looks like a n00b. Look, Kat's advices are all taken into account without harm done, and I'll be glad if Kat' comes here and posts tips to improve this character, but next time, I only want this person to be less rough on pointing the obvious. That's all.

Hey, sorry about that. I didn't mean to insult you, and I agree that my formulation could have been a bit... nicer. I do understand that you're definitely NOT a nOOb and just trying to post some creative builds, and I respect that (plus it gives me ideas too for my next arena games ). I'll try and improve next time. Well, I'm no native speaker, after all .

Concerning your changes: that's better, though you'll still have troubles with that Will save. And yes, I agree that a high-level Fighter may not have that great a Reflex save, but OTOH, a fighter designed to survive punishment will have more HP and additional resistances to compensate. Yor build did not have either in its original form.

 

[squee]

your will save and HP are still going to hurt you, take Hideous Laughter for example a wizard with 30 int, and spell focus is going to take you out of the combat better than half the time with a 2nd level spell...

not to mention symbol of insanity, prismatic sphere, power word stun and at that lvl you can be hit by multiple incarnations of the first 2 in one round...

 

[kayn99]

Stacking problem

I was just looking at this character and I feel that it has a stacking problem dealing with the multiple attacks while wielding a heavy crossbow. Both quick loading magic feature and the rapid reload feat states that it turns a heavy crossbow loading from a full round action to a move action. Neither states that it moves the heavy crossbow loading any faster. If either of the abilities state that they move the action of loading the heavy crossbow to the next fastest category, I think they could be stacked. They simple state that you can do this action (loading) as a move action.

Kayn

 

[Darkwolf71]

The great crossbow has a 18-20 threat range, Master Critical doubles that range to 15-20, which stacks with Improved Critical.

There is a reason that Improved Critical and Keen don't stack. And you have admirably illustrated it. Because some third party caters to brokenness doesn't make it less 'Munchkin'. In fact, I would argue that this is the very definition of 'Munchkin' and 'Powergaming'.

 

[kayn99]

edit

 

[kayn99]

There is a reason that Improved Critical and Keen don't stack. And you have admirably illustrated it. Because some third party caters to brokenness doesn't make it less 'Munchkin'. In fact, I would argue that this is the very definition of 'Munchkin' and 'Powergaming'.

I do not believe that the PrC was designed for the Great Crossbow. I think adding in materials from other books, like this, causes huge loop holes to be created.

In addition I am not sure where the damage comes from.

"Ranged Large +5 speed quick-loading great crossbow +31 (8d8+7/12-20/x3) if the quick-loading special ability is disabled"

8d8 seems a little high for the weapon.

Kayn

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

I do not believe that the PrC was designed for the Great Crossbow. I think adding in materials from other books, like this, causes huge loop holes to be created.

In addition I am not sure where the damage comes from.

"Ranged Large +5 speed quick-loading great crossbow +31 (8d8+7/12-20/x3) if the quick-loading special ability is disabled"

8d8 seems a little high for the weapon.

Kayn

There is a reason that Improved Critical and Keen don't stack. And you have admirably illustrated it. Because some third party caters to brokenness doesn't make it less 'Munchkin'. In fact, I would argue that this is the very definition of 'Munchkin' and 'Powergaming'.

Yup, the PRC is not designed for use with the great crossbow. In fact, it's also not designed for use with repeating crossbows, of any type, because of obvious balance issues. It actually states that right in the product. As for the crits stacking, normally I would agree that is absolutely broken and powergamey. However, the whole point behind the arbalestier is that you only get one shot per round, and you have to make the most out of that shot.

For example, the iconic NPC offered in the product is a 13th level character, and his ranged attack line looks like this: +1 distance seeking heavy crossbow +21 (3d6+6/15-20/x3). That's a potent shot, but compare that to a 13th-level archer, who can get off 4 shots per round, with a Strength bonus to damage, or fire 3 arrows with a single shot; again, with a Strength bonus to damage, and I think the arbalestier’s powerful single shot is pretty balanced.

Darkwolf, I do not cater to powergamers. Balanced rules and mechanics are incredibly important to me when I design. However, like Kayn said, when you start adding in all the other stuff and bending the rules a bit, things can get unbalanced in a hurry.

I do like JiCi’s write-ups, but I would like everyone to bear in mind, they’re not exactly what I envisioned when I was creating these prestige classes. Although, I still think they’re a lot of fun to read. =]

BD

 

[kayn99]

BD,

Again thank you for your responses. My original problem is with the staking of quick load magic ability with the rapid reload. I do not believe that these two items can stack together to get the heavy crossbow to be that fast of a weapon.

PrC that are designed to be powerful doing one thing is fine, it just means that a DM needs to realize what the limitations are and players be honest in what they plan on doing with it.

Kayn

 

[BLACKDIRGE]

BD,

Again thank you for your responses. My original problem is with the staking of quick load magic ability with the rapid reload. I do not believe that these two items can stack together to get the heavy crossbow to be that fast of a weapon.

PrC that are designed to be powerful doing one thing is fine, it just means that a DM needs to realize what the limitations are and players be honest in what they plan on doing with it.

Kayn

I agree with your assessment of quickloading. Quickloading only reduces the reload time to a move equivalent action, just like the Rapid Reload feat. If the wording for quickloading said something like, "improves reload time by one step," or something to that effect, I would be inclined to agree with JiCi. I believe quickloading is meant to replace the Rapid Reload feat, not improve upon it.

You know, it's funny, when I designed the arbalestier, I scoured the available splat books, looking for anything that would allow a player to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, since I knew such a thing would grossly overbalance my prestige class. I'm happy to say that I still haven't found anything.

The PRC does allow an arbalestier to reload as a swift action, allowing him to get a move action and an attack action in the same round. However, since you can only use a swift action once per round, he can still only fire that single shot.