The Clown

[chronoplasm]

OK, so I'm going to give this another go.

Nobody in their right mind likes clowns. Only insane people like clowns. Everybody else either hates or fears clowns. Bands of adventurers often exploit this to their advantage. When arrows start flying, who do you think enemies are going to shoot at first? The clown of course!

...I'm just brainstorming here..

*edit*
OK, so the more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward Martial Controller for the Clown. I'm thinking that while the Clown can get some AoE types of attacks, the Clown mostly focuses on debuffing. Whereas the Warlord raise the morale of your party, the Clown destroys the morale of your enemies.

Clown Song
This song makes a mockery of all enemies in the area, killing their fighting spirit with humor.

Heckling Strike
This attack damages pride as well as health.

Slapstick
If this attack hits its target, all nearby enemies start laughing uncontrollably.


They would get AoE attacks like:

Bag of Rats
This attack deals 1 damage to surrounding enemies. For each enemy killed in this way, this attack deals damage to a single target.

Potty Humor
The clown farts loudly repulsing nearby enemies.

 

[yu gnomi]

I have been thinking of making rules for vaudeville-esque clown class myself. In my, as yet completely unwritten, version they juggle and tell jokes as class features. They can designate 1 target at a time as "Butt of all Jokes" as a minor action. This is an analog to Warlock's Curse, but I'm not sure of effects yet.

Juggling basics: everything you are juggling is considered to be in your hands during your turn. You are not holding on to anything when it is not your turn.

Juggling specialties (maybe like Wizard implement specialties) : Torch juggling, Weapon juggling & (maybe) Boomerang juggling.

What sort of objects clown is juggling has effect on combat.

Torches mainly facilitate fire damaging powers, maybe have to "expend" a torch that you are juggling every time a power is used.

Juggling weapons and boomerangs facilitate making ranged attacks without provoking attacks of opportunity as long as: you are still juggling more weapons than the number of foes who threaten you after ranged attacks are resolved.

Differences between weapons and boomerangs are: boomerangs do no damage, but inflict distraction penalty on next d20 roll the target makes; boomerangs return to clown's hand are re-juggled automatically.

Clowns can also juggle shields to enhance defense against opportunity attacks, but gain no bonus during other's turns.

 

[generalhenry]

http://www.enworld.org/wiki/index.php/4e_Jester

http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1057358

a similar project.

 

[chronoplasm]

I was just thinking about juggling last night, but more in terms of juggling enemies and switching between weapons really fast and making multiple attacks with them.

Some ideas...

Four-Way Shot

Eight-Way Shot

Stabby and Shooty Time
"Hey kids! Anybody know what time it is?!"
The clown can switch weapons twice and make two attacks this turn in any order. One of these attacks must use a melee weapon and the other must use a ranged weapon. The clown must use these attacks against two different enemies.

Ringleader
This attack deals two damage to all enemies within two squares of the clown and allows you to rearrange them in any way you want.

 

[yu gnomi]

Regarding the Jester class, I think Clown and Jester are essentially the same concept. However, I know nothing about making Wikipedia entries so I post my ideas in forums. I want one or the other to be fleshed out because I believe 4ed deserves an uber- silly class.

I tried to post some utility power ideas the other day but gods of the internet denied me. Here is 2nd shot.

Clown/Jester Utility powers:

Hide under Corpse You may shift 1 square. If you occupy the same square as a corpse or unconscious enemy or ally, that is your size or larger, you are invisible. If the target corpse/unconscious being is your size, you may move up to 2 squares as a move action (bringing target corpse or being with you) and remain invisible. If you take any other actions, you lose invisibility as an immediate interrupt.

Whole new you flavor text: You rapidly assemble a skeletal framework from broken weapons, discarded tools, and bits of bone lying on the ground, tied together with bits of string in your pockets. By rapidly dressing it in a spare set of clothes along with a wig and a false nose, which you always keep handy (just in case), you create a reasonable facsimile of yourself.

Creates a facsimile of the clown in an adjacent square which provides a distraction to all foes, allowing the clown to use Stealth. Foes that still percieve the Clown and attempt to make ranged attacks targeting him, must make saving throws to avoid targeting facsimile. Clown can also push the facsimile, and it automatically provokes OA's whenever possible. If the facsimile sustains any damage, it falls apart at the start of the clown's next turn.

 

[erik_the_guy]

You forgot the power where the clown moves the three goddess statues out of balance and destroys the world.

 

[generalhenry]

You forgot the power where the clown moves the three goddess statues out of balance and destroys the world.

ritual

 

[chronoplasm]

Yeah, I tried to look for the Jester the other day but I couldn't find it.
The wiki isn't working for me (it just logs me out when I click there.)

 

[StarFyre]

hmm..

All I can say to this..

Whhhyyy sooo seriousssss!!!

Sanjay

 

[chronoplasm]

Okay, so here are some power ideas.

Fart (AoE)
Flaming Fart (AoE)
Atomic Fart (AoE)
Four-Way Shot
Eight-Way Shot
Litterbug (throw things all over the place damaging enemies and making the area into difficult terrain.)
Wrath of Pun-Pun (All minions die. They just do.)
Blast of Bad-Ass (AoE that reduces enemy charisma)
Blast of Dumb-Ass (AoE that reduces enemy wisdom)
Blast of Smart-Ass (AoE that reduces enemy intelligence)
Ring Leader (damage enemies w/ AoE then rearrange them.)
Clown Car (Pack all enemies in the area into one square.)
Joke Grenade (causes creatures in the area to laugh hysterically.)
Checkerboard (Attack an enemy. Hop over that enemy. Attack another enemy. Hop over that one. Repeat until you miss, run out of targets, or run out of space.)
My Rug (Pull the rug out from under the targets rendering them prone. There does not have to be an actual rug; it can be an invisible mime rug.)
Knock-Knock (damages enemies that are near doors. There does have to be an actual door.)
Watch out for that First- ...Step (damages enemies that are near stairs.)