DogBackward
First Post
First of all, uh... hi. I've never been much for introductions, so there it is, "Hi". I've been playing DnD for almost 8 years now, and DM'ing for over four. I'm huge on homebrew stuff, and I've got several folders with a couple dozen PrC's, about a dozen Base Classes, several new feats and feat chains, and even a few spells, new Sublime Way schools, and all sorts of good homemade stuff. I'll probably end up posting quite a bit of it, too.
First off, just to let you know, I purposely leave most of the flavor/fluff info out of my homebrew stuff. This is mostly to help people integrate it into their own game-worlds more easily, so that nobody feels obligated to use my own flavor for it, just because it's included in the class description. It's also partly because I have problems staying interested long enough to type out that much detailed information, but that's only a small part of the reason.
Right then, on to the actual reason for the post. I recently had an idea for a pair of classes, one melee-based, one arcane spell-based, that use an interesting mechanic. You can flavor it however you want, but essentially, they take the dark energy within themselves (Everybody's got a li'l evil in 'em, right?) and fling it at their foes, where it "sticks", imposing penalties to their actions. They can then use the sympathy between their own dark energy and the energy now attached to their foe to deal increased damage, better affect them with spells, and a few other nifty little tricks.
Alternatively, you could say that they don't throw their own dark energy at the foe, but they call up the energy that's already inside their enemies. Anyway, here they are, the Shadowfire Knight and the Shadowfire Adept. Oh, and a new feat to start things off.
Also, I'm not used to formatting things like this, so forgive me if it's a little hard to read.
[sblock=Feat: Shadowfire Soul]Prerequisites
Knowledge (Arcana) 6+, Knowledge (Religion) 3+, Base Will save +2, Charisma 13+
Benefits
As a standard action, 3/day, you may target a creature within 30ft. They must make a Will save, DC 10 +1/2 your character level, +your Charisma bonus, or take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls for 3 rounds. This is a supernatural effect.[/sblock]
[sblock=Shadowfire Knight Class Abilities]Shadowfire
Spark
As a standard action, you may send out a Shadowfire Spark, a small bit of pure dark energy. You may target any foe within 20ft, +10ft per class level. There is no save to resist your Sparks, but Spell Resistance does apply. Use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance. Any creature affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes a -1 penalty to certain rolls, as listed in the table above. Each additional Spark they are affected by increases this penalty by an additional -1.
Any creature currently affected by a Shadowfire Spark may take a full-round action to make a Will save to force it out of their bodies. The DC is equal to 10 +your Shadowfire Knight level +your Charisma bonus. The save DC is also increased by +1 per two Sparks they are affected by. So, if you have 4 Sparks affecting a single target, the DC to remove all four is increased by +2.
If they succeed, you cannot affect them with another Spark for 2d4+2 rounds. If a foe moves out of the range of your Shadowfire Spark ability (20ft +10ft per level) the Spark dies out.
You may only target a certain number of creatures with your Sparks, as listed in the table above, and each target takes a -1 penalty to the rolls listed below. You may target the listed number of foes as a single Standard action, and if a target shakes the Spark off, you may use another standard action to re-target another creature. You may target a single creature with more than one Spark, and the penalties stack. The penalties provided by your Sparks do not stack with those of another Shadowfire Knight or Adept. You may use your Shadowfire abilities on a target affected by another Knight or Adept's Sparks, however.
Only you or another Shadowfire Knight or Adept can see Shadowfire Sparks. In addition, due to your close work with Shadowfire, you gain a Will save to avoid being affected by a Shadowfire Spark used by another Knight or Adept. If you fail this save, you may still shake it off in later rounds, gaining a +2 bonus to do so.
Type
These are the types of rolls penalized by your Shadowfire Sparks. These are cumulative, so that at 6th level, a foe affected by one of your Sparks takes the penalty to attack and damage rolls, AC, and all saves.
Shadowfire Smite
A limited number of times per day, you may make a special melee attack. If you target a foe that is currently affected by one of your Shadowfire Sparks, you gain a bonus on the attack roll equal to your Charisma bonus, and deal bonus damage equal to 1d4 per Shadowifre Knight level.
Using Shadowfire Smite is a standard action, and Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.
Shadowfire Crush
As a standard action, you may use your connection with Shadowfire to bind a Spark closer to your victim's soul. Any foe currently affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes the listed amount of damage, which is pure Shadowfire damage, and not reduced by Energy Resistance or spells of any kind. There is no save against this ability, but Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.
You may only use this ability a certain number of times per day.
Shadowfire Stun
As a standard action, a limited number of times per day, you can bind the Shadowfire Sparks around your foes so tightly that they are stunned by its power. Every foe that is currently affected by your Sparks must make a Will save, DC 10 +your Shadowfire Knight level +your Charisma bonus or be Stunned for one round. Spell Resistance applies, and you use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.[/sblock]
[sblock=Shadowfire Adept Class Abilities]Shadowfire
Spark
As a standard action, you may send out a Shadowfire Spark, a small bit of pure dark energy. You may target any foe within 20ft, +10ft per class level. There is no save to resist your Sparks, but Spell Resistance does apply. Use twice your Shadowfire Adept level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance. Any creature affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes a -1 penalty to certain rolls, as listed in the table above. Each additional Spark they are affected by increases this penalty by an additional -1.
Any creature currently affected by a Shadowfire Spark may take a full-round action to make a Will save to force it out of their bodies. The DC is equal to 10 +your Shadowfire Adept level +your Charisma bonus. The save DC is also increased by +1 per two Sparks they are affected by. So, if you have 4 Sparks affecting a single target, the DC to remove all four is increased by +2.
If they succeed, you cannot affect them with another Spark for 2d4+2 rounds. If a foe moves out of the range of your Shadowfire Spark ability (20ft +10ft per level) the Spark dies out.
You may only target a certain number of creatures with your Sparks, as listed in the table above, and each target takes a -1 penalty to the rolls listed below. You may target the listed number of foes as a single Standard action, and if a target shakes the Spark off, you may use another standard action to re-target another creature. You may target a single creature with more than one Spark, and the penalties stack. The penalties provided by your Sparks do not stack with those of another Shadowfire Knight or Adept. You may use your Shadowfire abilities on a target affected by another Knight or Adept's Sparks, however.
Only you or another Shadowfire Knight or Adept can see Shadowfire Sparks. In addition, due to your close work with Shadowfire, you gain a Will save to avoid being affected by a Shadowfire Spark used by another Knight or Adept. If you fail this save, you may still shake it off in later rounds, gaining a +2 bonus to do so.
Type
These are the types of rolls penalized by your Shadowfire Sparks. These are cumulative, so that at 6th level, a foe affected by one of your Sparks takes the penalty to attack and damage rolls, AC, and all saves.
Spellcasting
At levels two, three, five, six, eight and nine, you gian new spells known, per day, and increased caster level as if you had gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class. If you have more than one such class, you must choose which class to add this increase to at each level. You do not gain any other features of the class, such as an improved familiar or bonus feats.
Shadowspell Smite
A limited number of times per day, you may cast a special spell. If you target one or more foes that are currently affected by one of your Shadowfire Sparks, the spell deals bonus damage equal to 1d4 per spell level, up to 1d4 per Shadowfire Adept level. In addition, any spell that targets a foe currently affected by one of your Sparks acts as if its caster level were equal to your normal Caster Level, +1. This caster level bonus increases to +2 at level four, to +3 at level seven, and finally to +4 at level 10. This caster level bonus only applies to effects that target foes affected by your Sparks, and does not increase the range, area, or other such parameters. If the spell has a duration per target, rather than a duration for the entire spell, the duration for target affected by your Sparks is increased by your caster level bonus.
Using Shadowspell Smite is a free action that is part of the castin of the spell, and Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Adept level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance. If your spell is interrupted, you lose the spell and the use of Shadowspell Smite both.
Shadowfire Crush
As a standard action, you may use your connection with Shadowfire to bind a Spark closer to your victim's soul. Any foe currently affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes the listed amount of damage, which is pure Shadowfire damage, and not reduced by Energy Resistance or spells of any kind. There is no save against this ability, but Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Adept level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.
You may only use this ability a certain number of times per day.
Shadowspell Supression
As a standard action, a limited number of times per day, you can bind the Shadowfire Sparks around your spellcasting foes so tightly that its power disrupts the flow of their spellcasting power. Every foe that is currently affected by your Sparks must make a Will save, DC 10 +your Shadowfire Adept level +your Charisma bonus or be unable to cast any spells for one round. Spell Resistance applies, and you use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.[/sblock]
First off, just to let you know, I purposely leave most of the flavor/fluff info out of my homebrew stuff. This is mostly to help people integrate it into their own game-worlds more easily, so that nobody feels obligated to use my own flavor for it, just because it's included in the class description. It's also partly because I have problems staying interested long enough to type out that much detailed information, but that's only a small part of the reason.
Right then, on to the actual reason for the post. I recently had an idea for a pair of classes, one melee-based, one arcane spell-based, that use an interesting mechanic. You can flavor it however you want, but essentially, they take the dark energy within themselves (Everybody's got a li'l evil in 'em, right?) and fling it at their foes, where it "sticks", imposing penalties to their actions. They can then use the sympathy between their own dark energy and the energy now attached to their foe to deal increased damage, better affect them with spells, and a few other nifty little tricks.
Alternatively, you could say that they don't throw their own dark energy at the foe, but they call up the energy that's already inside their enemies. Anyway, here they are, the Shadowfire Knight and the Shadowfire Adept. Oh, and a new feat to start things off.
Also, I'm not used to formatting things like this, so forgive me if it's a little hard to read.
[sblock=Feat: Shadowfire Soul]Prerequisites
Knowledge (Arcana) 6+, Knowledge (Religion) 3+, Base Will save +2, Charisma 13+
Benefits
As a standard action, 3/day, you may target a creature within 30ft. They must make a Will save, DC 10 +1/2 your character level, +your Charisma bonus, or take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls for 3 rounds. This is a supernatural effect.[/sblock]
Code:
[b]PrC: Shadowfire Knight
Prerequisites
BAB[/b] +7
[b]Skills[/b] Knowledge (Arcana) 10+, Knowledge (Religion) 5+
[b]Feats[/b] Shadowfire Soul
[b]Saves[/b] Will +3
[b]Class Attributes
HD[/b] d8
[b]BAB[/b] High
[b]Saves[/b] Fort, Will
[b]Skills[/b] 4+Int
[b]Class[/b] Climb, Concentration, Craft, Intimidate, Jump,
Knowledge (Arcana, Religion), Spellcraft
[b]Prof.[/b] None
[b]Class Features
Cls Special [u] Shadowfire [/u]
Lvl Features Spark Type[/b]
[b]1[/b] Shadowfire Smite 1/day 1 Atk, Dmg
[b]2[/b] Shadowfire Crush (1d4) 1/day 1 Atk, Dmg
[b]3[/b] Shadowfire Stun 1/day 1 AC
[b]4[/b] Shadowfire Crush (2d4) 2/day 2 AC
[b]5[/b] Shadowfire Smite 2/day 2 AC
[b]6[/b] Shadowfire Crush (3d4) 3/day 3 Saves
[b]7[/b] Shadowfire Stun 3/day 3 Saves
[b]8[/b] Shadowfire Crush (4d4) 4/day 4 Saves
[b]9[/b] Shadowfire Smite 3/day 4 Skills
[b]10[/b] Shadowfire Crush (5d4) 5/day 5 Skills[sblock=Shadowfire Knight Class Abilities]Shadowfire
Spark
As a standard action, you may send out a Shadowfire Spark, a small bit of pure dark energy. You may target any foe within 20ft, +10ft per class level. There is no save to resist your Sparks, but Spell Resistance does apply. Use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance. Any creature affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes a -1 penalty to certain rolls, as listed in the table above. Each additional Spark they are affected by increases this penalty by an additional -1.
Any creature currently affected by a Shadowfire Spark may take a full-round action to make a Will save to force it out of their bodies. The DC is equal to 10 +your Shadowfire Knight level +your Charisma bonus. The save DC is also increased by +1 per two Sparks they are affected by. So, if you have 4 Sparks affecting a single target, the DC to remove all four is increased by +2.
If they succeed, you cannot affect them with another Spark for 2d4+2 rounds. If a foe moves out of the range of your Shadowfire Spark ability (20ft +10ft per level) the Spark dies out.
You may only target a certain number of creatures with your Sparks, as listed in the table above, and each target takes a -1 penalty to the rolls listed below. You may target the listed number of foes as a single Standard action, and if a target shakes the Spark off, you may use another standard action to re-target another creature. You may target a single creature with more than one Spark, and the penalties stack. The penalties provided by your Sparks do not stack with those of another Shadowfire Knight or Adept. You may use your Shadowfire abilities on a target affected by another Knight or Adept's Sparks, however.
Only you or another Shadowfire Knight or Adept can see Shadowfire Sparks. In addition, due to your close work with Shadowfire, you gain a Will save to avoid being affected by a Shadowfire Spark used by another Knight or Adept. If you fail this save, you may still shake it off in later rounds, gaining a +2 bonus to do so.
Type
These are the types of rolls penalized by your Shadowfire Sparks. These are cumulative, so that at 6th level, a foe affected by one of your Sparks takes the penalty to attack and damage rolls, AC, and all saves.
Shadowfire Smite
A limited number of times per day, you may make a special melee attack. If you target a foe that is currently affected by one of your Shadowfire Sparks, you gain a bonus on the attack roll equal to your Charisma bonus, and deal bonus damage equal to 1d4 per Shadowifre Knight level.
Using Shadowfire Smite is a standard action, and Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.
Shadowfire Crush
As a standard action, you may use your connection with Shadowfire to bind a Spark closer to your victim's soul. Any foe currently affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes the listed amount of damage, which is pure Shadowfire damage, and not reduced by Energy Resistance or spells of any kind. There is no save against this ability, but Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.
You may only use this ability a certain number of times per day.
Shadowfire Stun
As a standard action, a limited number of times per day, you can bind the Shadowfire Sparks around your foes so tightly that they are stunned by its power. Every foe that is currently affected by your Sparks must make a Will save, DC 10 +your Shadowfire Knight level +your Charisma bonus or be Stunned for one round. Spell Resistance applies, and you use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.[/sblock]
Code:
[b]PrC: Shadowfire Adept
Prerequisites
Skills[/b] Knowledge (Arcana) 10+, Knowledge (Religion) 5+
[b]Feats[/b] Shadowfire Soul
[b]Saves[/b] Will 5+
[b]Other[/b] Able to cast 3rd level arcane spells
Any non-Good alignment
[b]Class Attributes
HD[/b] d6
[b]BAB[/b] Low
[b]Saves[/b] Will
[b]Skills[/b] 2+Int
[b]Class[/b] Concentration, Craft, Intimidate,
Knowledge (Arcana, Religion), Spellcraft
[b]Prof.[/b] None
[b]Spells[/b] Levels 2, 3, 5, 6, 8 and 9
[b]Class Features
Cls Special [u] Shadowfire [/u]
Lvl Features Spark Type[/b]
[b]1[/b] Shadowspell Smite 1/day 1 Atk, Dmg
[b]2[/b] Shadowfire Crush (1d4) 1/day 1 Atk, Dmg
[b]3[/b] Shadowspell Supression 1/day 1 AC
[b]4[/b] Shadowfire Crush (2d4) 2/day 2 AC
[b]5[/b] Shadowspell Smite 2/day 2 AC
[b]6[/b] Shadowfire Crush (3d4) 3/day 3 Saves
[b]7[/b] Shadowspell Supression 3/day 3 Saves
[b]8[/b] Shadowfire Crush (4d4) 4/day 4 Saves
[b]9[/b] Shadowspell Smite 3/day 4 Checks
[b]10[/b] Shadowfire Crush (5d4) 5/day 5 ChecksSpark
As a standard action, you may send out a Shadowfire Spark, a small bit of pure dark energy. You may target any foe within 20ft, +10ft per class level. There is no save to resist your Sparks, but Spell Resistance does apply. Use twice your Shadowfire Adept level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance. Any creature affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes a -1 penalty to certain rolls, as listed in the table above. Each additional Spark they are affected by increases this penalty by an additional -1.
Any creature currently affected by a Shadowfire Spark may take a full-round action to make a Will save to force it out of their bodies. The DC is equal to 10 +your Shadowfire Adept level +your Charisma bonus. The save DC is also increased by +1 per two Sparks they are affected by. So, if you have 4 Sparks affecting a single target, the DC to remove all four is increased by +2.
If they succeed, you cannot affect them with another Spark for 2d4+2 rounds. If a foe moves out of the range of your Shadowfire Spark ability (20ft +10ft per level) the Spark dies out.
You may only target a certain number of creatures with your Sparks, as listed in the table above, and each target takes a -1 penalty to the rolls listed below. You may target the listed number of foes as a single Standard action, and if a target shakes the Spark off, you may use another standard action to re-target another creature. You may target a single creature with more than one Spark, and the penalties stack. The penalties provided by your Sparks do not stack with those of another Shadowfire Knight or Adept. You may use your Shadowfire abilities on a target affected by another Knight or Adept's Sparks, however.
Only you or another Shadowfire Knight or Adept can see Shadowfire Sparks. In addition, due to your close work with Shadowfire, you gain a Will save to avoid being affected by a Shadowfire Spark used by another Knight or Adept. If you fail this save, you may still shake it off in later rounds, gaining a +2 bonus to do so.
Type
These are the types of rolls penalized by your Shadowfire Sparks. These are cumulative, so that at 6th level, a foe affected by one of your Sparks takes the penalty to attack and damage rolls, AC, and all saves.
Spellcasting
At levels two, three, five, six, eight and nine, you gian new spells known, per day, and increased caster level as if you had gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class. If you have more than one such class, you must choose which class to add this increase to at each level. You do not gain any other features of the class, such as an improved familiar or bonus feats.
Shadowspell Smite
A limited number of times per day, you may cast a special spell. If you target one or more foes that are currently affected by one of your Shadowfire Sparks, the spell deals bonus damage equal to 1d4 per spell level, up to 1d4 per Shadowfire Adept level. In addition, any spell that targets a foe currently affected by one of your Sparks acts as if its caster level were equal to your normal Caster Level, +1. This caster level bonus increases to +2 at level four, to +3 at level seven, and finally to +4 at level 10. This caster level bonus only applies to effects that target foes affected by your Sparks, and does not increase the range, area, or other such parameters. If the spell has a duration per target, rather than a duration for the entire spell, the duration for target affected by your Sparks is increased by your caster level bonus.
Using Shadowspell Smite is a free action that is part of the castin of the spell, and Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Adept level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance. If your spell is interrupted, you lose the spell and the use of Shadowspell Smite both.
Shadowfire Crush
As a standard action, you may use your connection with Shadowfire to bind a Spark closer to your victim's soul. Any foe currently affected by your Shadowfire Spark ability takes the listed amount of damage, which is pure Shadowfire damage, and not reduced by Energy Resistance or spells of any kind. There is no save against this ability, but Spell Resistance applies. Use twice your Shadowfire Adept level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.
You may only use this ability a certain number of times per day.
Shadowspell Supression
As a standard action, a limited number of times per day, you can bind the Shadowfire Sparks around your spellcasting foes so tightly that its power disrupts the flow of their spellcasting power. Every foe that is currently affected by your Sparks must make a Will save, DC 10 +your Shadowfire Adept level +your Charisma bonus or be unable to cast any spells for one round. Spell Resistance applies, and you use twice your Shadowfire Knight level as your caster level to overcome Spell Resistance.[/sblock]
