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Swordlord [Fighter Subclass, PEACH]
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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7567944" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>Okay, I'm going to be looking at this from three criteria.</p><p></p><p>1. Balance with other classes.</p><p>2. "5e-ness" of the rules.</p><p>3. That it handles characters concepts that the system can't do. Just "neat mechanics" that does the same as other classes isn't enough.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>With the other classes that get Unarmored Defense it's usually Dex + secondary ability score (Wis or Con), not attack ability score. But this has other limitations like 1H slashing weapon and 1H free, so it's good.</p><p></p><p>I would call it Unarmored Defense so it plays nicely witht he multiclassing rules.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>This doesn't scale well. I'd suggest you mimic the Monk's Deflect Missiles and reduce it by d10+STR+Fighter Level.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Sort of like a Battlemaster with only one Manuever, but you get more uses of it.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Okay. I like this because it has a feel you can't get from other classes. Do you need line of sight on your opponent or can you do this through a wall? Do you need line of effect - can you do it though a clear but unbreakable crystal?</p><p></p><p>Being able to cut reality is a very defining power, I'll be looking on you to expand on it as I continue the read-thru.</p><p></p><p>As a side note, at this point of the read-thru, there are a lot of powers that each have their own separate resource count. I'll be watching this because it's not very "5e" like. Most classes have a single resource like Ki or Superiority dice, and if something should be rarer they use more of them.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>From an action economy, this is really good. Too good for 3-5 times per short rest, even if it's not focus fire.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> Auto advantage one round every combat is pretty strong, especially with three attacks already. The Samurai subclass, whom getting advantage for a turn is their big deal, can't do it nearly as often.</p><p></p><p>And with Projection of Blades on top of your extra movement, there's almost no case when you won't have an opponent to attack.</p><p></p><p>That said, I realized there is a limitation missing from almost all of your powers that can help balance - the need for a 1H slashing weapon and the other hand free. That's only for your defensive power, which could be ignored since you do have all armor proficiencies.</p><p></p><p>I'd suggest giving out an addition ribbon power when you take this subclass about how you can master a 1H slashing weapon, but it takes an hour with any particular weapon to get used to it's unique balance and length. Give some small other bonus, like it's always a free action to draw or sheath the weapon.</p><p></p><p>Then make the other powers require this. Having advantage one round every combat isn't as overwhelming if you are using a 1H slashing + nothing else - you can't use Great Weapon Mastery (easy to get with the fighter's bonus ASI) -5/+10, you damage die is a bit lower, etc.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>It's a capstone, sure why not. At 18th level you're either chewing through mooks with it which is sufficiently cinematic, or you're getting lots of attacks at the cost of focus fire.</p><p></p><p><u>Conclusion</u></p><p>Okay, now that I finished reading, overall thoughts.</p><p></p><p>First, from a theme perspective I really liked the dimensional shift from Projection of Blades and One with the Blade. I'd expand out that flavor to the others. Give Bladed Momentum a bonus action Misty Step instead of extra movement. Perhaps reflavor some of the others.</p><p></p><p>From a resource management perspective, having four different pools, based off important ability scores, refreshing on any rest, means that you will never really run out. It's not very 5e in execution. I'd change it like this:</p><p></p><p>Parry - use as often as you want, remove usage limits.</p><p></p><p>For others - you gain a pool of (hmm, what to call it? Shift? Momentum?) equal to Proficiency plus the higher of your STR or DEX modifiers per long or short rest. This is higher then you had - going from ~5 (at 3rd) to 11 (@17th) instead of ~3 to 5. Costs will reflect this.</p><p></p><p>Riposte costs 2*.</p><p>Projection of Blades costs 1 per attack.</p><p>One With the Blade costs 4.</p><p></p><p>* Riposte is like a Battlemaster that just uses a single maneuver, but it's one of the better maneuvers. Having that doable many times per short rest on top everything else would be a huge swing in DPR, more than . So a cost of 2 - still can been done a lot, but not out-doing the battlemaster plus doing lot else. Now it's a real cost if you want to spend.</p><p></p><p>I do worry about how Blade Momentum and One with the Blade play with each other. Attacking 5 creatures with advantage (10 at 18th) seems really good.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7567944, member: 20564"] Okay, I'm going to be looking at this from three criteria. 1. Balance with other classes. 2. "5e-ness" of the rules. 3. That it handles characters concepts that the system can't do. Just "neat mechanics" that does the same as other classes isn't enough. With the other classes that get Unarmored Defense it's usually Dex + secondary ability score (Wis or Con), not attack ability score. But this has other limitations like 1H slashing weapon and 1H free, so it's good. I would call it Unarmored Defense so it plays nicely witht he multiclassing rules. This doesn't scale well. I'd suggest you mimic the Monk's Deflect Missiles and reduce it by d10+STR+Fighter Level. Sort of like a Battlemaster with only one Manuever, but you get more uses of it. Okay. I like this because it has a feel you can't get from other classes. Do you need line of sight on your opponent or can you do this through a wall? Do you need line of effect - can you do it though a clear but unbreakable crystal? Being able to cut reality is a very defining power, I'll be looking on you to expand on it as I continue the read-thru. As a side note, at this point of the read-thru, there are a lot of powers that each have their own separate resource count. I'll be watching this because it's not very "5e" like. Most classes have a single resource like Ki or Superiority dice, and if something should be rarer they use more of them. From an action economy, this is really good. Too good for 3-5 times per short rest, even if it's not focus fire. Auto advantage one round every combat is pretty strong, especially with three attacks already. The Samurai subclass, whom getting advantage for a turn is their big deal, can't do it nearly as often. And with Projection of Blades on top of your extra movement, there's almost no case when you won't have an opponent to attack. That said, I realized there is a limitation missing from almost all of your powers that can help balance - the need for a 1H slashing weapon and the other hand free. That's only for your defensive power, which could be ignored since you do have all armor proficiencies. I'd suggest giving out an addition ribbon power when you take this subclass about how you can master a 1H slashing weapon, but it takes an hour with any particular weapon to get used to it's unique balance and length. Give some small other bonus, like it's always a free action to draw or sheath the weapon. Then make the other powers require this. Having advantage one round every combat isn't as overwhelming if you are using a 1H slashing + nothing else - you can't use Great Weapon Mastery (easy to get with the fighter's bonus ASI) -5/+10, you damage die is a bit lower, etc. It's a capstone, sure why not. At 18th level you're either chewing through mooks with it which is sufficiently cinematic, or you're getting lots of attacks at the cost of focus fire. [U]Conclusion[/U] Okay, now that I finished reading, overall thoughts. First, from a theme perspective I really liked the dimensional shift from Projection of Blades and One with the Blade. I'd expand out that flavor to the others. Give Bladed Momentum a bonus action Misty Step instead of extra movement. Perhaps reflavor some of the others. From a resource management perspective, having four different pools, based off important ability scores, refreshing on any rest, means that you will never really run out. It's not very 5e in execution. I'd change it like this: Parry - use as often as you want, remove usage limits. For others - you gain a pool of (hmm, what to call it? Shift? Momentum?) equal to Proficiency plus the higher of your STR or DEX modifiers per long or short rest. This is higher then you had - going from ~5 (at 3rd) to 11 (@17th) instead of ~3 to 5. Costs will reflect this. Riposte costs 2*. Projection of Blades costs 1 per attack. One With the Blade costs 4. * Riposte is like a Battlemaster that just uses a single maneuver, but it's one of the better maneuvers. Having that doable many times per short rest on top everything else would be a huge swing in DPR, more than . So a cost of 2 - still can been done a lot, but not out-doing the battlemaster plus doing lot else. Now it's a real cost if you want to spend. I do worry about how Blade Momentum and One with the Blade play with each other. Attacking 5 creatures with advantage (10 at 18th) seems really good. [/QUOTE]
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