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New Class - Spell Weaver
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<blockquote data-quote="Thia Halmades" data-source="post: 2704157" data-attributes="member: 35863"><p>Good morning.</p><p></p><p>I think I see some of what you're saying here, but I'll try to clarify my points a bit better and address where you're going with this. I also have a clearer idea of what you've written, and the variant that I created (I don't know if I have the original email chain anymore, but) is called a Void Mage. The Void Mage is a natural counter-spell class, who's primary abilities are natural entropy (5% cumulative chance every other level that any spell cast at a Void Mage automatically fails; however, it also acts as a stacking Arcane Spell Failure, so he had more HP and relied on items instead of trying to cast straight up).</p><p></p><p>Further, the Void Mage had the option to counter anything cast in his area, and this ability also improved over levels. It was based on the entropy mages from Mage: The Ascension. I also included some luck modifiers in there to reflect their natural ability to reshape whole chunks of reality, but usually to the detriment of others. I bring this up because it's an incredibly similar concept to what you've done for Unweaving.</p><p></p><p>To answer that question first: Yes, I consider the ability to 'unweave' anything to be overpowered. Look at it this way; a caster has a certain number of slots they can expend, per day, to do specific things with. Even a Bard has only so much 'energy' he can expend on songs per day. Under a free unweave system, then no spell caster in the world would ever have a chance against them. Ever. </p><p></p><p>"Fireball!" "Nope." </p><p>"Uh... Magic Missile!" "Not today." </p><p>"Er... Teleport?" "So solly, Charlie."</p><p></p><p>Under that scenario your 'unweaving' becomes unstoppable. Second (this combos into my next point) your class is precendented on having all of the craft feats granted for free at first level. This is badly unbalanced against other classes; 'Frontloading' is getting something for nothing just by taking a class at first level. At first level in your class I get:</p><p></p><p>- All of the craft feats</p><p>- Counter Anything at will</p><p>- The freedom to sling any cantrip an unlimited number of times per day. With a few more levels I can toss any & all 1st level spells (Magic Missile!) an unlimited number of times per day.</p><p></p><p>Once I've taken, say, first level in this class, absolutely nothing prohibits me from going outside of the class and picking up whatever I want to play; Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, etc. Can you imagine a Rogue, who can cast Darkness & Silence nearly at will and counter anything cast in his general direction? Not only are they the perfect assassins, by the time they approach ANY magical trap they instantly and without resistance disarm it. There's no power-gamer who wouldn't take this power. Ever. Which sets off the unbalance alarms in my head.</p><p></p><p>In order to craft a balanced class you have to look at both the base classes & the PrCs which are available. Take something like Warlock (C.Arc.) who can, effectively, create any item in the game with the appropriate levels and a UMD check. Any. Item. It's extremely powerful, but they still require time, resources, the feat selection, etc. Smart players will likely start creating Wands of Cure Light Wounds early on, though. They still need the feats to do it, but the option is there. Your build doesn't even have that restriction; they can even suck the XP from other people; there's nothing stopping every Spell Weaver from being insanely wealthy early in their careers.</p><p></p><p>And with all that, my primary concern of how they're effective in combat still stands. I may not be phrasing it well, and I appreciate that. Simply put: There are plenty of creatures and effects who just aren't dependent on spells in the slightest. Against those MOBs, the class is worthless, especially at higher levels. They can't melee (no armor, no HP, no BAB) and they can't boom-chuck (time dependent). They can't toss abjurations or heals as quickly as a Cleric (they convert damage, instead of actually healing it, which means anyone down will still be down). A high level encounter will get this PC build mulched.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, your primary casters will be tossing heals, buffs, and Save or Dies against everything in the zone. What, in that time, will the Weaver be doing that can compete with those classes? I'm not talking about campaign specific situations (although I have to wonder can they unweave Blasphemy when used by a Klurichir at will? The way I read that ability is simply this: every word they utter is Blasphemous; hence, it's a free action. They open their mouths and wham - over you go) as much as I'm talking about good old, by-the-book monster slaying D&D. I don't see these guys capable of holding their own.</p><p></p><p>Also, your design choice (change the Arcane Sight progression) is headed in the right direction, but I would limit to X/day. Otherwise you'll have no secrets. Trust me, I've seen this happen: "As you approach the cave..." "Arcane Sight." "What?" "Is it magical?" "Dude, it wasn't magical FIVE MINUTES ago when you last checked. It's a cave." "Right, Arcane Sight." "Argh..." There's an Incantatrix build that does the same thing, I had to nerf that bad boy within two minutes of the ability hitting the field of play.</p><p></p><p>Oh, right, before I forget: how exactly does this class progress magically? What spells, when are they learned, etc.? I'm unclear on that point.</p><p></p><p>Good morning!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Thia Halmades, post: 2704157, member: 35863"] Good morning. I think I see some of what you're saying here, but I'll try to clarify my points a bit better and address where you're going with this. I also have a clearer idea of what you've written, and the variant that I created (I don't know if I have the original email chain anymore, but) is called a Void Mage. The Void Mage is a natural counter-spell class, who's primary abilities are natural entropy (5% cumulative chance every other level that any spell cast at a Void Mage automatically fails; however, it also acts as a stacking Arcane Spell Failure, so he had more HP and relied on items instead of trying to cast straight up). Further, the Void Mage had the option to counter anything cast in his area, and this ability also improved over levels. It was based on the entropy mages from Mage: The Ascension. I also included some luck modifiers in there to reflect their natural ability to reshape whole chunks of reality, but usually to the detriment of others. I bring this up because it's an incredibly similar concept to what you've done for Unweaving. To answer that question first: Yes, I consider the ability to 'unweave' anything to be overpowered. Look at it this way; a caster has a certain number of slots they can expend, per day, to do specific things with. Even a Bard has only so much 'energy' he can expend on songs per day. Under a free unweave system, then no spell caster in the world would ever have a chance against them. Ever. "Fireball!" "Nope." "Uh... Magic Missile!" "Not today." "Er... Teleport?" "So solly, Charlie." Under that scenario your 'unweaving' becomes unstoppable. Second (this combos into my next point) your class is precendented on having all of the craft feats granted for free at first level. This is badly unbalanced against other classes; 'Frontloading' is getting something for nothing just by taking a class at first level. At first level in your class I get: - All of the craft feats - Counter Anything at will - The freedom to sling any cantrip an unlimited number of times per day. With a few more levels I can toss any & all 1st level spells (Magic Missile!) an unlimited number of times per day. Once I've taken, say, first level in this class, absolutely nothing prohibits me from going outside of the class and picking up whatever I want to play; Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, etc. Can you imagine a Rogue, who can cast Darkness & Silence nearly at will and counter anything cast in his general direction? Not only are they the perfect assassins, by the time they approach ANY magical trap they instantly and without resistance disarm it. There's no power-gamer who wouldn't take this power. Ever. Which sets off the unbalance alarms in my head. In order to craft a balanced class you have to look at both the base classes & the PrCs which are available. Take something like Warlock (C.Arc.) who can, effectively, create any item in the game with the appropriate levels and a UMD check. Any. Item. It's extremely powerful, but they still require time, resources, the feat selection, etc. Smart players will likely start creating Wands of Cure Light Wounds early on, though. They still need the feats to do it, but the option is there. Your build doesn't even have that restriction; they can even suck the XP from other people; there's nothing stopping every Spell Weaver from being insanely wealthy early in their careers. And with all that, my primary concern of how they're effective in combat still stands. I may not be phrasing it well, and I appreciate that. Simply put: There are plenty of creatures and effects who just aren't dependent on spells in the slightest. Against those MOBs, the class is worthless, especially at higher levels. They can't melee (no armor, no HP, no BAB) and they can't boom-chuck (time dependent). They can't toss abjurations or heals as quickly as a Cleric (they convert damage, instead of actually healing it, which means anyone down will still be down). A high level encounter will get this PC build mulched. Meanwhile, your primary casters will be tossing heals, buffs, and Save or Dies against everything in the zone. What, in that time, will the Weaver be doing that can compete with those classes? I'm not talking about campaign specific situations (although I have to wonder can they unweave Blasphemy when used by a Klurichir at will? The way I read that ability is simply this: every word they utter is Blasphemous; hence, it's a free action. They open their mouths and wham - over you go) as much as I'm talking about good old, by-the-book monster slaying D&D. I don't see these guys capable of holding their own. Also, your design choice (change the Arcane Sight progression) is headed in the right direction, but I would limit to X/day. Otherwise you'll have no secrets. Trust me, I've seen this happen: "As you approach the cave..." "Arcane Sight." "What?" "Is it magical?" "Dude, it wasn't magical FIVE MINUTES ago when you last checked. It's a cave." "Right, Arcane Sight." "Argh..." There's an Incantatrix build that does the same thing, I had to nerf that bad boy within two minutes of the ability hitting the field of play. Oh, right, before I forget: how exactly does this class progress magically? What spells, when are they learned, etc.? I'm unclear on that point. Good morning! [/QUOTE]
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