D&D 3E/3.5 OA Shaman 3.5 + customization question

[jlhorner1974]

Here's a question for all of you game balance gurus out there.

I am looking to play a shaman NPC in a new 3.5 campaign. Probably, not a lot has to be done to update this class for 3.5. But I think the animal companion at 1st level should probably work like that of a druid.

I would also like to change the class. Shamans get unarmed strike at 1st level, but they are not given any extra damage, so they are still doing 1d3 base damage at 20th level. They do get some martial arts feats, but those are mostly defensive/crippling instead of damaging.

Even though the Shaman is not supposed to be a front line fighter, I always thought this was a little lame.

I would like to modify the Shaman to make it a bit more monk-like without stealing the thunder of the monk.

What I'd like to give up are the 5 martial arts Bonus feats, the Third Domain, the Animal companion, and Turn Undead. I'm wondering what I can get for all of this. I think it's probably quite a bit.



Mystic Shaman
Hit Die: d8*
Saves: Ref good*, Will good

AC bonus, as per Monk*
Spells: as per OA 3E Shaman
Skills: as per OA 3E Shaman

L1: Imp. Unarmed Strike, Flurry Attack*, Unarmed Dmg 1d6*
L2: Spirit Sight
L3:
L4: Unarmed Damage 1d8*
L5: Spirit's Favor
L6: Flurry penalty reduced to -1*, Ki strike (magic)*
L7:
L8: Unarmed Damage 1d10*
L9: Evasion*
L10:
L11: Flurry penalty reduced to 0*
L12:
L13: Unarmed Damage 2d6*
L14:
L15:
L16: Soul Armor*
L17:
L18: Unarmed Damage 2d8*
L19:
L20: Mystic Union (DR 5/magic, become outsider)*

* = newly added

Soul Armor (similar to Sacred Fist ability "Inner Armor"): +4 concentration bonus to AC, +4 resistance bonus to all saves, DR = level+10, usable Cha mod/day, lasts Cha mod rounds)*


This may be a bit much, but I don't think it is ridiculously overpowered. I welcome your comments or suggestions.


Jason.

 

[Bean 2.0]

ok when meddling with a class less is more ok you want better unarmed damage and you are willing to give up the cha bonus to saves there easy trade,
the shaman loses cha bonus to saves and his unarmed may strike for lethal damage at 1d4 maybe at level 10 or so it may upgrade to 1d6

 

[jlhorner1974]

I appreciate your opinion, and I don't want to sound rude, but the kind of small change you suggested isn't what I was looking to do.

The Shaman already gets Improved Unarmed Strike at 1st level, but trading Cha bonus to all saves (a pretty hefty ability) for a measly d4 or d6 damage? What's the point of that? I can pick up a quarterstaff and do that, easily. Or just take a level of monk.

I didn't want just a little more unarmed damage, I really wanted a new core class that is a cross between Monk and Shaman with powers tied to Ki and spirits/spiritual energy -- starting with a Shaman but shifting it more in the direction of the Monk.

Essentially, I am trading

* 5 martial arts bonus feats
* animal companion
* turn undead
* third domain

for:

* better hit die
* better Reflex save
* unarmed damage progression
* flurry ability progression
* Ki strike (magic)
* evasion
* soul armor
* mystic union


The question I have, is: How balanced is this trade? I'm thinking that the revised version is a little too powerful, and I'm fine with cutting things out, but I'm not sure how unbalanced it is.

 

[Bean 2.0]

ditch the soul armor so these guys can use their light armor and it sould work maybe leave the flurry penalty at -1 these guys aren't monks and they should never approach monks as combatants if they keep their spells

spread the abilities gained out a little bit so this guy doesn't get more than one non-spell ability a level

maybe what your looking for might be the Inkyo Or Mystic Monk from the Rokugan setting its kiho feats have several spell-like applications