Need help with new base class
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Aust Diamondew
First Post
He wants a more arcane type class I think.
Bront
The man with the probe
Use the Ranger or Paladin as a base, and then change the spell list. Make sure you get a theme for them first, and then build their spell list off of that. Paladin has religious or moral buffs as well as a few healing spells. Ranger has some outdoorsy mobility spells and spells that help manipulate nature.
The theme is important. It's what keeps a spell list from becoming too powerfull, and it can realy add flavor to a class. Also, the class should have a general direction, and not be too flexable. Make it too flexable, and you might as well be a multi-class fighter.
The theme is important. It's what keeps a spell list from becoming too powerfull, and it can realy add flavor to a class. Also, the class should have a general direction, and not be too flexable. Make it too flexable, and you might as well be a multi-class fighter.
Arkhandus
First Post
Hrm. Consider anything like EQ's Shadowknight, effectively a sort of anti-paladin that's a blend of arcane necromancer and warrior? You definitely need to give the class a niche or shtick; the ranger is a warrior who's good at hunting things down and fighting certain kinds of foe; the paladin is a warrior who's good at slaying evil, protecting against evil powers, and restoring allies; the bard is a support warrior who's good at trickery, stealth, and sound magic; what'll your new class do that makes 'em special and useful? There's already the Hexblade in Complete Warrior or whatever, so a focus on curses or negative status afflictions is already taken...... The bard already has illusion and enchantment covered, and divination to an extent. Paladins got defense, morale, and evil-smiting taken care of. Rangers fill the force-of-nature niche, sort of.
Abjurations, Transmutations, Evocations, Necromancies, and Conjurations are still sort of useful options to focus on. A warrior who's magic emphasizes abjuration would be an arcane guardian who specializes in defense, traps, and probably divinations to a lesser extent. One focused on transmuting stuff would probably be good at crafting and manipulating his or her environment. Evoker and Conjurer specialties would result in very destructive, offensively-focused classes with very modest defenses, but could yield something of a storm-mage warrior. Personally, I'm more inclined to favor an abjuration or necromancy focus.
For a necromantic focus, perhaps a warrior who uses arcane techniques to drain life from enemies with each strike and empower himself, both with healing and strength boosts. For now I'll call the class Deathknight. Something like a Necrophage supernatural ability useable 1/day at 1st-level, and an extra 1/day per five additional levels in the class, with each use lasting 1 minute (10 rounds). With the ability active, any melee attack they hit with causes 1 negative energy damage to the victim and, if the victim is a living creature, heals the Deathknight for 1 HP, with any extra healing turned to temporary hit points lasting 1 minute. Each time they gain another daily use of the ability, they'd gain some additional benefit. I.E. at 6th-level they'd get Greater Necrophage, causing each melee hit to deal 1d4 bonus negative energy damage instead of 1 point, and healing a like amount for the Deathknight. Later improvements might give the Deathknight a small profane bonus on attack rolls and AC, and an enhancement bonus to Strength.
The class would have the same spellcasting progression as a ranger or paladin, but would draw their spells from a small list of arcane necromancy spells and a few miscellaneous arcane spells that seem appropriate to the class' theme. Not sure if their casting would be Int or Cha based, or if they'd use a spell book or instead have a sorcerous number of spells known or something. They'd suffer arcane spell failure with these, but every 4 levels perhaps they'd gain a -5% or -10% reduction to their total arcane spell failure with Deathknight spells, as they learn to draw on necromantic power more efficiently and use less complex somatic components.
They might gain a few other class abilities over time, such as the spell-like ability of Death Knell 1/day per six levels in the class, and Deathwatch at will as a spell-like ability. At some point they may gain Negative Plane Protection or Death Ward useable 1/day as a caster of half their Deathknight level. They might perhaps gain a familiar as per a wizard or sorcerer of half their Deathknight level, but their familiar would be a ghoulish version of a standard familiar, or perhaps a slightly stronger critter, such as a ghoulish badger, eagle, dog, monkey, or whatever. They may or may not gain undead rebuking/commanding, I don't know, it may not fit if their focus isn't on the undeath aspect of necromancy, or they just might end up powerful enough without such ability.
Abjurations, Transmutations, Evocations, Necromancies, and Conjurations are still sort of useful options to focus on. A warrior who's magic emphasizes abjuration would be an arcane guardian who specializes in defense, traps, and probably divinations to a lesser extent. One focused on transmuting stuff would probably be good at crafting and manipulating his or her environment. Evoker and Conjurer specialties would result in very destructive, offensively-focused classes with very modest defenses, but could yield something of a storm-mage warrior. Personally, I'm more inclined to favor an abjuration or necromancy focus.
For a necromantic focus, perhaps a warrior who uses arcane techniques to drain life from enemies with each strike and empower himself, both with healing and strength boosts. For now I'll call the class Deathknight. Something like a Necrophage supernatural ability useable 1/day at 1st-level, and an extra 1/day per five additional levels in the class, with each use lasting 1 minute (10 rounds). With the ability active, any melee attack they hit with causes 1 negative energy damage to the victim and, if the victim is a living creature, heals the Deathknight for 1 HP, with any extra healing turned to temporary hit points lasting 1 minute. Each time they gain another daily use of the ability, they'd gain some additional benefit. I.E. at 6th-level they'd get Greater Necrophage, causing each melee hit to deal 1d4 bonus negative energy damage instead of 1 point, and healing a like amount for the Deathknight. Later improvements might give the Deathknight a small profane bonus on attack rolls and AC, and an enhancement bonus to Strength.
The class would have the same spellcasting progression as a ranger or paladin, but would draw their spells from a small list of arcane necromancy spells and a few miscellaneous arcane spells that seem appropriate to the class' theme. Not sure if their casting would be Int or Cha based, or if they'd use a spell book or instead have a sorcerous number of spells known or something. They'd suffer arcane spell failure with these, but every 4 levels perhaps they'd gain a -5% or -10% reduction to their total arcane spell failure with Deathknight spells, as they learn to draw on necromantic power more efficiently and use less complex somatic components.
They might gain a few other class abilities over time, such as the spell-like ability of Death Knell 1/day per six levels in the class, and Deathwatch at will as a spell-like ability. At some point they may gain Negative Plane Protection or Death Ward useable 1/day as a caster of half their Deathknight level. They might perhaps gain a familiar as per a wizard or sorcerer of half their Deathknight level, but their familiar would be a ghoulish version of a standard familiar, or perhaps a slightly stronger critter, such as a ghoulish badger, eagle, dog, monkey, or whatever. They may or may not gain undead rebuking/commanding, I don't know, it may not fit if their focus isn't on the undeath aspect of necromancy, or they just might end up powerful enough without such ability.
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