Please critique this prestige class

Quasqueton

First Post
One of my players made this prestige class for his druid to work up to. He based it on the Thaumaturgist in the DMG. What do you think? Balanced?

There are a couple things I'm thinking of changing, but I wanted to run the class as written by the player by you all first for opinions and thoughts.


WILDMASTER

Requirements
To qualify to become a wildmaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Feats: Spell Focus (conjuration), Skill Focus (Concentration).

Spells: Able to cast summon nature's ally III or better.

Skills: Concentration 8 ranks

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Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The wildmaster’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are the same as the druid's.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

BAB: as druid

Saves: as druid

Code:
Level Special                 Spells per Day
1st   Augment Summoning       +1 level of existing spellcasting class
2nd   Extended Summoning      +1 level of existing spellcasting class
3rd   Accelerated Summoning	
4th   Contingent conjuration  +1 level of existing spellcasting class
5th   Maximize Summoning      +1 level of existing spellcasting class

Class Features
All of the following are features of the wildmaster prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Wildmasters gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Spells per Day: When a new wildmaster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in whatever spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. This essentially means that he adds the level of wildmaster to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, with the exception that wildmaster levels stack with druid or ranger levels for purposes of determining animal companion advancement and wild empathy checks.

If a character had more than one spellcasting class before he became a wildmaster, he must decide to which class he adds each level of wildmaster for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Augment Summoning: At 1st level, a wildmaster gains the Augment Summoning feat.

Extended Summoning: At 2nd level and higher, all spells from the summoning subschool that the wildmaster casts have their durations doubled, as if the Extend Spell feat had been applied to them. The levels of the summoning spells don’t change, however. This ability stacks with the effect of the Extend Spell feat, which does change the spell’s level.

Accelerated Summoning: At 3rd level and higher, all spells from the summoning subschool that the wildmaster casts have their casting time changed from 1 round to 1 standard action.

Contingent Conjuration: A 4th-level wildmaster can prepare a summoning or calling spell ahead of time to be triggered by some other event. This functions as described for the contingency spell, including having the wildmaster cast the summoning or calling spell beforehand. The spell is cast instantly when the trigger event occurs.

The conditions needed to bring the spell into effect must be clear, although they can be general. If complicated or convoluted condition as are prescribed, the contingent conjuration may fail when triggered. The conjuration spell occurs based solely on the stated conditions, regardless of whether the wildmaster wants it to, although most conjurations can be dismissed normally. A wildmaster can have only one contingent conjuration active at a time.

Maximize Summoning: At 5th, all spells from the summoning subschool that the wildmaster casts have the number of creatures summoned maximized, as if the Maximize Spell feat had been applied to them. The levels of the summoning spells don’t change, however. This results in the automatic summoning of 5 creatures 2 or more levels lower than the spell (instead of 1d4+1) or 3 creatures 1 level lower than the spell (instead of 1d3). The spell still summons only 1 creature of the same level as the spell.

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Quasqueton
 

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I think that the accelerated summoning should be the last special ability. As this is what the class is really designed for. To benifit summoning. no better way than to make it a Std. Action.

Maybe another prereq. could be a certain amount of ranks in concentration and knowledge beasts.???
 

Augment Summoning seems like it would be a good requirement (instead of a first level bonus feat). I would get rid of maximize summoning, it makes summon spells too powerful (and tedious to keep track of).

For the accelerated summoning, why not make it along the lines that you can accelerate one specific creature per spell level? So, you have been getting to know Bliss the Nymph and now she comes immediately (well 1 standard action) instead of a full-round later. I think that would add more flavor to the class instead of being able to call tons of beasts (quickly), being able to call specific friends (and perhaps give them a further bonus ala augment summoning instead of maximizing all the summon spells).

Technik
 

Pre-requisit:

A bit too easy to enter for what it gives. To have the Extended power and the Maximize power on those spell, you should have for pre-requisit those two Feat. If you looks at prestige class, most of the class (if not all) who have some spontaneous metamagic feat apply on a spell have the metamagic skill as a requisit.

The skill Focus concentration make little sense I think if you already have concentration as a skill pre-requisit.

Finally, the skills, I would add some flavor. To really master such magic, you should have some knowledge in it, and in the creature summon, so here the pre-requisit I think would fit more for that prestige class:

Requirements
To qualify to become a wildmaster, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Feats: Spell Focus (conjuration), Extended Spell, Maximized Spell

Spells: Able to cast summon nature's ally III or better.

Skills: Concentration 8 ranks, Knowledge(Arcana) 5 ranks, Knowledge(Nature) 5 ranks.

Except that, it is a strong prestige class, but still, the lose of 1 level of caster make it not too much, and as a druid, if you want those five level, you`ll lose your ability to transform into elemental, which is a great sacrifice, so I think with a bit more restricted requirement, it would do a good prestige class.
 
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