Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kisanji Arael" data-source="post: 4534989" data-attributes="member: 20056">First things first, the power versions that both of us wrote up last night for the strings won’t work because insubstantial already means something (and specifically, insubstantial things can be hurt). So I’ve tried out a very slight alteration.Here’s what I came up with – take from it what you will.[sblock]♦ First, set up your dolls as daily powers. This way, you have several precedents to draw upon in terms of power (e.g. - Flaming Sphere). Plus, you don't have to deal with the weight of your doll.♦ I’ve also come up with two sub-classes for the class (one striker and one controller) that you can use if you like the idea, and thought that in addition to any standard abilities these might provide, each puppet could have additional abilities based on the puppeteer’s focus.♦ I suggest that you set-up a separate doll keyword for the powers you intend for your dolls to use, or else there is by RAW no difference between which powers your dolls can be using and which your character can.♦ I also wrote out a bunch of hopefully loophole free rules for class features for you. I tried to make it sound as professional as possible.[/sblock]Note: Oh yeah, I’m gonna be using puppeteer instead of puppet master. It jives better with me, and I don’t think a 1st level anything should be called master, unless you mean a young man under the age of 18. Oh, and this is still going to need some cleaning up in places to conform to standard format.[sblock]Role: Controller/Striker. While the puppeteer’s own abilities make him a dangerous controller, the puppets he uses are strikers.Power Source: Arcane. [flavor text]Key Abilities: Intelligence, Dexterity, Wisdom or Charisma [not both, mind you. Wisdom had already been suggested, so I wrote it in here, but insofar as I think force of will should be important for this class, and insofar as bluff and intimidate might be useful for you, I think Charisma fits better]Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, LeatherWeapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, Simple Ranged, Military RangedImplements: Gloves [I reallly, really like this]Hit Points at 1st level: 12 + Constitution score. [I used the rogue and warlock as a basis for comparison]Hit Points gained/level: 5 [Again].Healing Surges: 7 + Con modifier [the idea here being that some of the class’s powers would need to heal the dolls, and using healing surges seems to be the standard way to do that]Trained Skills: [dunno]Build Options: Doll Builder, String Weaver[/sblock]Class Features:[sblock]♦ Doll Powers: A puppeteer may only use powers with the doll keyword from the origin square of any actively controlled doll (see below). ♦ Doll User: A puppeteer uses arcane strings to control the dolls summoned with his daily powers. He may summon as many dolls into play as he wishes.     All dolls are considered unconscious when they are summoned. A puppeteer can control a doll for as long as he wishes, and can dismiss control as a free action. Dolls are subject to the maximum total range of your Ephemeral Strings, as noted below. However, any doll that is not actively controlled for a full turn (see below) is considered unconscious.     You can only actively control one doll for every weapon slot you possess; every doll you control reduces the number of string powers you can activate at one time by one.  A doll which is reduced to 0 HP is removed from play.♦ Ephemeral Strings: Your powers operate based on arcane strings formed from your own energy. Although they form a visible line between you and any of your effects, they are entirely illusory; they have no effect on their own, and they cannot be used, moved, damaged or affected in any way by anyone other than you. The DC to spot your strings is (15 + 1/2 class level + Dex modifier). Your strings are considered a conjuration for any effects, such as dispel magic, that intentionally try to affect them, but can be summoned again at will as a minor action (see powers: Class features, below).Your arcane strings have a maximum range. Choose either your Dexterity or Intelligence score: the distance your string can extend is equal to this score + one half your class level.  You may add the bonus of any implement used to this range. When controlling multiple string effects or dolls, your total length may not exceed your maximum range. Unless stated otherwise, you can have as one active string power for every weapon slot you possess; every active string power reduces the number of dolls you can actively control at one time.♦ School of Puppetry: Choose one of the following schools and add its bonus to your own.Augmentation Specialist: You have chosen to focus on the composition of your puppets, honing each into a graceful and well-tuned machine of death. Between turns, you may choose to make opportunity attacks with your doll (centered on its square) instead of yourself.[This school would emphasize the puppets’ use as giant flying pointy things; it would be more suitable for a striker. This school would provide enhancements to encounter/utility powers that beefed up damage or put harmful effects on opponents, using the doll keyword. ]String Theorist: You have chosen to focus on the magical composition of your arcane strings, allowing your control over the battlefield and your dolls to increase. Whenever you use a move action, your doll can move two squares or stand up.[This school would emphasize puppets’ potential use in battlefield control and distraction. As such, it would be more suitable for controllers. Dolls would receive benefits that focused on these aspects of their design. Encounter/utility powers juiced up would be string-based abilities, such as those that controlled allies, corpses or enemies][/sblock]Puppeteer Powers:Class Features: The Puppeteer's ephemeral strings class feature functions as two distinct powers.[sblock]Ephemeral Strings: Attach Strings    Puppeteer featureGlowing, ghostly strings stretch out from your hands and attach to your puppet.At will ♦ Arcane, ImplementMinor ActionTarget: One doll that is not being actively controlled.Effect: The target is no longer considered unconscious, and you actively control the doll. The doll gains a bonus to all attacks and defenses equal to your implement bonus. This power ends at the end of your next turn.Sustain Minor: A puppeteer can sustain all uses of this power as a minor action.Special: If you have just used another action to summon the intended target, you may activate this power as a free action.Ephemeral Strings: As Real As They Need To Be    Puppeteer featureOn their way to the caves, the puppeteer assured his companions his strings wouldn’t get in their way.At Will ♦ Arcane, ImplementFree ActionTarget: PersonalYour strings turn from illusory to substantial, allowing you to use "String" abilities. You may revert your strings to being illusory as a free action. At the end of the String ability's effect, the string return to being illusory automatically. [/sblock]-------------Note on other powers: If you like this, then you should set up about half of the at-wills as doll weaponry, and half as all-purpose string abilities, such as tripping or binding. The same would go for encounter and utility powers. I think there should be powers that specifically give more hit points to the doll. Oh, on that note, go check out Dragon #365; it has the artificer preview, which I think is a very similar concept and will help you tremendously.And the daily powers would just be doll summons (if there were one or two that weren’t at some higher levels, it wouldn’t kill anyone, but whatever; set up each doll with specific abilities. I was thinking a format like this:[Doll name]Flavor Text# of temporary hit points (no bloodied value, no surges)AC & defenses [set up as the characters’ AC and defenses, but with bonuses]Basic attacks:Special Attacks: Possibly recharging attacks, like monsters have?And lastly, one feat that functions like a power:[sblock]Emergency Repairs [Puppeteer]    Feat PowerPrerequisites: Must possess the Ephemeral Strings class feature.Benefit: You gain Emergency Repairs as a daily power.Emergency Repairs:“Good thing I was watching that one.”Daily ♦ Arcane, Doll, Implement, HealingImmediate InterruptTarget: One doll you are actively controllingEffect: When an attack would cause one or more of the dolls you are currently controlling to be reduced to 0 HP, choose a doll and expend a healing surge. That doll is not destroyed. You do not gain the benefits of the healing surge. On your next turn, the doll gains hit points equal to your healing surge value.Special: You may take this feat more than once. Each feat grants one more use of this power. [The special text here is why I set it up as a feat, and not as a power. However, there’s no reason that similar powers couldn’t exist in multiple places][/sblock]</blockquote>

Verification