New class, please help with balance issues

[Tatsukun]

Hi all, the group I’m DM’ing for will soon be going to some far off exotic places (I think), so I have been thinking of some new/different NPC types.

I’ve been mulling over a class modeled after Dak'kon in Planescape Torment; one that uses a blade made only of willpower.

Here’s what I’m thinking; I need some advice…

It would be exactly like a monk, except everywhere the monk class said ‘unarmed strike’ I would replace it with ‘mind blade’. They would get all the other benefits of a monk (wisdom to AC, flurry, monk damage (with the mind blade, not unarmed), etc.).

The mind blade would be a blade of the player’s choice (short sword, katana, whatever) made of a somewhat translucent material (exactly how it looks would be up to the player). It would get more and more solid at the PC gained levels.

No matter what the form it would always do the damage listed in the monk unarmed table. This is because the blade would be less solid when the PC was at lower levels. At high levels, it would show the true potential of a mind blade (maxing out at 2D10 at 20th level). Since the mind blade is an extension of the PC’s will, it can be used to deliver stunning blows / Dim Mak attacks.

So this brings up some problems…

1) They would be doing slashing damage, not bludgeoning. Does anyone know if there is a rule as to which one is more powerful? Are they the same as far as game balance goes?
2) I would have to add that the mind blade is only a manifestation of the character’s mind, and thus could not be sundered, disarmed, etc. This would make it as good as a monk’s unarmed attack.
3) Also, the mind blade could not be enchanted (except by use of the Kensei ability, since is also applies to monk’s unarmed attacks).
4) A mind blade can be ‘drawn’ (made) and ‘sheathed’ (unmade) as free actions.

So here is my big problem, how do I deal with grappling? You can use an unarmed attack during a grapple, but not a sword. I don’t want to just gloss over this problem by saying you can use a mind blade while grappling, that seems odd to me.

Maybe I could balance this by saying that you can’t use a mind blade in a grapple, but giving the class the ‘improved sunder’ feat or something like it to make up for it.

I need some suggestions on how to deal with grappling, and also if anyone else sees a problem, please let me know.

Thanks a lot in advance!

-Tatsu

 

[Darkness]

Move to House Rules, the forum where our dedicated rules tinkers are. (The Rules forum is more for rules discussion than rules modification.)

And FWIW, I don't think that Slashing damage is that much more powerful than Bludgeoning, generally.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Moved to House Rules

Damn it, I was about to do that!

-Hyp.
(Moderator)

 

[Darklone]

Hmm, did you have a look at the MageBlade in AU?

 

[thullgrim]

as the blade is a projection of their will I see no problem with the character being grappled and producing a dagger for the mindblade. As I recall a character can use a small weapon while in grapple?

Thullgrim

 

[DanMcS]

I’ve been mulling over a class modeled after Dak'kon in Planescape Torment; one that uses a blade made only of willpower.

1) They would be doing slashing damage, not bludgeoning. Does anyone know if there is a rule as to which one is more powerful? Are they the same as far as game balance goes?
2) I would have to add that the mind blade is only a manifestation of the character’s mind, and thus could not be sundered, disarmed, etc. This would make it as good as a monk’s unarmed attack.
3) Also, the mind blade could not be enchanted (except by use of the Kensei ability, since is also applies to monk’s unarmed attacks).
4) A mind blade can be ‘drawn’ (made) and ‘sheathed’ (unmade) as free actions.

So here is my big problem, how do I deal with grappling? You can use an unarmed attack during a grapple, but not a sword. I don’t want to just gloss over this problem by saying you can use a mind blade while grappling, that seems odd to me.

You can do this character concept rather well using a Psychic Warrior with the Mindblade prestige class, both from the psionics HB. I would look there for inspiration and rules-balancing acts.

For instance, producing their weapon as a free action is a benefit they don't get until later, at first level you have to take a standard or a move-action (I don't remember which) to produce the blade.

Slashing/bludgeoning, not worth worrying about, there's only a couple cases where it makes a difference, like the DR of skeletons.

For grapping, um, I'd say that the 1d6 version of the blade is a small weapon, and could therefore be used in a grapple. Later, larger versions couldn't.

 

[DiFier]

If you are making a blade from your mind couldn't you just move your hands into position while grappled and then create the blade? It'd be hard not to hit. later uses you would have the weilding problem but you could just dismiss it and then bring it back the next round.

 

[korasukage]

Please disregard

 

[Witness]

I need some suggestions on how to deal with grappling, and also if anyone else sees a problem, please let me know.

Getting back to Tatsukun's original question...
For grappling and such, consider the mindblade itself a light melee weapon, regardless of whether it appears to be a katana or a shorsword or whatever. That way, it could be used while grappling (albiet at a penalty), and prevents extra damage from wielding it with two hands, which wouldn't really make sense for a mental blade anyway.

You should also consider changing the bonus feats as Improved Grapple and Deflect Arrows aren't really appropriate for your class.

Depending how much you want to change the class, consider reducing the amount of base damage the mind blade does, but allow them to pick some special weapon abilities. So rather than all 20th level characters having a magic-lawful-adamantine mind blade that does 2d10 damage, they can have a magic-flaming-ghost touch mind blade that does 2d6 +1d6 fire damage.

 

[Shazman]

This class sounds similar to the soulknive PrC from the psionics handbook. Maybe looking at that class will give you some ideas.