The Citizen (now with example characters)

[Frostmarrow]

Skill points per level = 3 x intbonus or 3 whichever is greater. That would make a genius citizen able to get a whopping 12 points per level but a rich useless brat waste his time.

-Interesting formula. Sadly there is no precedent for this in the core rules. I try hard to stay within the covers of the PHB for this one.

I'm not going for a self absorbed noble, though. I think a class should be broader than that. I'd like very much a self absorbed noble to be covered by the citizen, but I also want the class to fit other character concepts. The example characters above include a princess, a slave trader, and a knight. The picture suggests another character. To me, the guy in the picture, is a [citizen] detective with a swordcane.

 

[S'mon]

The class gets full BAB; I would call it "Citizen-Soldier", "Gentleman", or somesuch. Full BAB = Fighting class!

I agree Medium armour proficiency is appropriate. With Good Fort & Will saves (a good Will save over 20 levels is far better than my Warrrior Knight's eventual +2 Will save bonus), 4 skill points/level, and 1/1 BAB, there's not a huge amount of room for other powers. Still, I would probably let him take any Feat as his bonus feats, he seems quite a renaissance man.

It doesn't seem a weak class. I'd only use it for a princess if she had extensive weapons training, otherwise Aristocrat is plenty tough enough for a girl with basic self-defense instruction. It makes a decent urban knight or a merchant who's also a skilled warrior; Expert is ok for most merchants. A detective of the two-fisted beat-em-up kind is also appropriate for this class; a Sherlock Holmes detective should have more skill points, poorer BAB and probably poor Will save.

 

[S'mon]

Actually, I'd probably give this class proficiency in any armour, same as Aristocrat and Clerics. This class is closest to the NPC aristocrat, but with addition of full BAB and good Fort save. In a typical late-medieval setting many Citizens will need to don full armour when leading the city's soldiery against the enemy at the gates!

 

[Arkhandus]

I think, as a simple solution to make its power more on-par with the rogue and fighter, give the citizen a bonus Skill Focus feat at 5th-level and every six beyond that (11th and 17th). This helps a few skills somewhat without giving more actual skill points, and can give them a little focus. Making their skill points 6/level would be a bit too much, so this should work out fine. Alternatively, give them Skill Mastery at 5th, a free Skill Focus feat at 11th, and at 17 give them something like the rogue's Slippery Mind. Perhaps instead give them the Uncanny Dodge benefit against flanking at 5th, Skill Mastery at 11th, and a Skill Focus bonus feat at 17th. Citizens are probably used to the hussle and bustle of city life, and are likely less distracted and disoriented with folks surrounding them, be they enemies or no.

 

[Wilphe]

First, this is a weak class (if it's intended to be balanced with PC classes... it's better than the warrior, but not even close to the fighter).

Second, what's with the BA jump at 18th level? Look at the last attack if you don't know what I mean.

"Not even close to a fighter?"

Against a Fighter it loses:

One hit point/die
5 bonus feats
Heavy Armour Proficiency
Survival Ability

For:

2 extra skills points
A much better skill list
A bonus skill feat
A better Will Save

I'd probably play one in preference to a straight fighter, whether I'd play one in preference to a rogue or bard is another matter.


Perhaps Leadership as a bonus feet and maybe add some sort of bonus to Leadership as they are well known in society?

 

[Frostmarrow]

"Not even close to the fighter"

Note: When CRGreathouse typed the above, the class was not yet complete. Since then the first level ability Private Tutoring has been added.

 

[S'mon]

"Not even close to a fighter?"

Against a Fighter it loses:

One hit point/die
5 bonus feats
Heavy Armour Proficiency
Survival Ability

For:

2 extra skills points
A much better skill list
A bonus skill feat
A better Will Save

I'd probably play one in preference to a straight fighter, whether I'd play one in preference to a rogue or bard is another matter.

He doesn't get Weapon Specialisation (I assume*). In my sort of campaign (combat heavy) Fighters are generally considered a stronger class than Rogues or Bards, and the Citizen looks a bit weak, though with his good Will save, not hugely so. I think giving him heavy armour proficiency and a free selection of feats from bonus feats (ie don't restrict it to Fighter feats) would balance him vs Fighter in a typical campaign.

*If he has access to Wpn Spec & Gtr Wpn Spec he's overpowered.

edit: Loss of 5 bonus feats is a huge penalty vs Fighter, but good Will save is a huge advantage. The loss slightly beats the gain IMO.

 

[Arkhandus]

The Citizen class is underpowered, Frostmarrow, it's just not considerably so. The extra skill points make up for the lower hit die, the higher base Will save makes up for the loss of about three feats, and the tutoring benefit is just another bonus feat. The good class skills maybe make up for a feat or two in usefulness. They're still short on at least one or two feats power-wise, though. Maybe give them an ability like bardic knowledge around 5th-level, called Urban Lore, Gossip, Rumor Monger, or something. And maybe Skill Focus or Skill Mastery once at a later level.

 

[S'mon]

Good Will at level 20 = +12, poor Will at level 20 = +6; I'm not sure if +6 Will isn't somewhat better than 3 Feats - people on my Warrior Knight thread were saying that the +2 Will bonus ability was better than a feat because it stacked w Iron Will; and surely +6 is more than x3 better than +2? There seems a tendency to underrate good Saves when compared w other class abilities (including one-off Save bonuses).

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

The thing is, Iron Will (and company) aren't "pretty" feats; IMO not many people would take them by choice.