Staff Based Fighter Class

[Tetsubo]

I've been playing with the idea of building a fighter character around the quarterstaff for a couple of years now. But I was never happy with any combination of official classes. So I decided to take a shot at building a custom class that suited my needs. I welcome any constructive comments. This is just the crunch here...

Order of the Willow

1st – Fast Movement, Staff Mastery, Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff)
2nd – Evasion
3rd – Bonus Fighter Feat
4th – Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Block (+1 AC)
5th –
6th – Bonus Fighter Feat
7th –
8th – Improved Uncanny Dodge, Weapon Block (+2 AC)
9th – Bonus Fighter Feat
10th –
11th –
12th – Bonus Fighter Feat, Weapon Block (+3 AC)
13th –
14th –
15th – Bonus Fighter Feat
16th – Weapon Block (+4 AC)
17th –
18th – Bonus Fighter Feat
19th –
20th – Weapon Block (+5 AC)

Alignment: Any.

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

An Order of the Willow member’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str) and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at 1st Level

(2 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level

2 + Int modifier.

The Order of the Willow member has a Full BAB progression.

The Order of the Willow member has Good Fort and Reflex saves.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

An Order of the Willow member is proficient with all simple weapons and light armor.

Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff)

An Order of the Willow member gains Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff) as a bonus feat.

Evasion (Ex)

At 2nd level and higher, an Order of the Willow member can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the Order of the Willow member is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Order of the Willow member does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Fast Movement (Ex)

An Order of the Willow member’s land speed is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the Order of the Willow member’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn.

Staff Mastery (Ex)

When using her staff as an aid the Order of the Willow member gains a +2 bonus to all of her Jump and Balance checks at 1st level. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, +6 at 10th level, +8 at 15th level and +10 at 20th level. This ability can be used only if the Order of the Willow member is wearing light armor or no armor and not carrying a heavy load.

A member of the Order of the Willow knows how to best use a staff to achieve maximum damage. When using a staff as a double weapon the Order of the Willow member applies the normal, full Strength bonus to both ends of the weapon. This ability only functions when used with a staff.


Bonus Feats

At 3rd level, an Order of the Willow member gets a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 3rd-level character gets. The Order of the Willow member gains an additional bonus feat at 6th level and every three Order of the Willow levels thereafter (9th, 12th, 15th, 18th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. An Order of the Willow member must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. An Order of the Willow member is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 4th level, an Order of the Willow member can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

If an Order of the Willow member already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

An Order of the Willow member of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Weapon Block (Ex)

The Order of the Willow member has an uncanny ability to block incoming attacks with her staff and only when using her staff. Starting at 4th level (and improving every four levels hereafter) the Order of the Willow member gains a +1 Shield bonus to her AC. This bonus improves every four levels by +1 to a maximum of +5 Shield bonus to AC at 20th level. Weapon Block can be used only if the Order of the Willow member is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Order of the Willow member does not gain the benefit of evasion.

 

[Meatboy]

This is a very intersting concept. Especially because staves were such a common item. The class looks solid the only thing I can say is that this really feels like a prestige class and not a base class. It doesn't offer much that can't be gained from fighter/rogue but he AC and skill bonuses practicaly scream PrC. A few more interesting things maybe extra hits with a staff or normal str. damage with the off hand or some such.

 

[The Forsaken One]

Interesting idea but severely underpowered. Up the power and turn it into a PRC .

 

[Mavrik]

I'd make it a PrC too.. a small one like levels a bit like exotic weapon master in CW, add in things like trip, or parrying ability, and ability to use it two ended, not sure why the fast movement though?

 

[The Forsaken One]

I'd make it a PrC too.. a small one like levels a bit like exotic weapon master in CW, add in things like trip, or parrying ability, and ability to use it two ended, not sure why the fast movement though?

I dig the fast movement. Hes got a oriental traveling monkish thing on his mind I think (I had it too), so it kinda fits. And a reduction in armor does kinda warrant more mobility .

 

[ValhallaGH]

This might inspire a few abilities for use with a staff-based class. They're set up as feats for a variant ruleset (Iron Heroes) but they should transfer over very well, whether the character uses a staff as a double weapon or a two-hander.

As written, your class would work much better as a prestige class. It only gets a few abilities, all of which have limited utility, it has crap for skills and only 1d8 of hp. Honestly, a staff fighter would probably be better off using a ranger as the base, or a fighter with feats in TWF and the "specific weapon" feats.
For example, the Weapon Block is flavorful and interesting but weak. Ring of Protection +5 is fairly standard by 17th level, which superceeds the benefit of Weapon Block.
Also, Weapon Block has the odd side effect of making a member of this class, that is holding a staff and ,caught by a Hold Person or paralysis effect harder to hit. Standing like a statue, holding a staff in one hand, yet is mystically blocking attacks with the non-moving staff. Very strange.

It's a great concept and with a good bit of work you'll have something interesting and effective to play with.

[Pimpage]
Or you could just play Iron Heroes, which already allows you to do this at level 4, and just be meaner as you progress. That's right, 1d8+6 three times a round. At level 4.
[/Pimpage]

 

[Tetsubo]

This is a very intersting concept. Especially because staves were such a common item. The class looks solid the only thing I can say is that this really feels like a prestige class and not a base class. It doesn't offer much that can't be gained from fighter/rogue but he AC and skill bonuses practicaly scream PrC. A few more interesting things maybe extra hits with a staff or normal str. damage with the off hand or some such.

I changed Staff Mastery to the following:

Staff Mastery (Ex)

When using her staff as an aid the Order of the Willow member gains a +2 bonus to all of her Jump and Balance checks at 1st level. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, +6 at 10th level, +8 at 15th level and +10 at 20th level. This ability can be used only if the Order of the Willow member is wearing light armor or no armor and not carrying a heavy load.

A member of the Order of the Willow knows how to best use a staff to achieve maximum damage. When using a staff as a double weapon the Order of the Willow member applies the normal, full Strength bonus to both ends of the weapon. This ability only functions when used with a staff.

I am also thinking of putting the Bonus Fighter Feats at a different starting level.

I changed the weapon Block ability to a Shield bonus rather than a Deflection AC bonus.

The reason that I am not adapting this as a PrC or using a Fighter or Ranger is that I end up with many abilities that I don't want the character to have. I want a staff fighter. No heavy armour, no shields, no animals companions or spells. He is a lightly armoured, poorly equiped peasent type that has studied one of the only weapons he has access too. Studied it until he has become a danger to any that oppose him...

 

[Fieari]

I'd change the deflection bonus to AC to a shield bonus to AC instead. Deflection better covers supernatural "force field" type effects, because it alters the touch AC AND the flatfooted AC. I don't see this as a supernatural type of ability. He already gets uncanny dodge, after all...

 

[The Forsaken One]

I'd change the deflection bonus to AC to a shield bonus to AC instead. Deflection better covers supernatural "force field" type effects, because it alters the touch AC AND the flatfooted AC. I don't see this as a supernatural type of ability. He already gets uncanny dodge, after all...

Indeed, shield bonus. Definately not deflection. I am aware you actually have in mind *deflecting* things with your staff but game mechanics wise it infers some other things.

 

[ValhallaGH]

I changed Staff Mastery to the following:

Then you shall wish to edit your original post, so that future posters see the current version and can advise based upon it.

Good changes, by the way. Still feels very prestige-y, but it's closer than it was.

Good Luck.