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The Dragoon (Heroic Tier)
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<blockquote data-quote="El Coro" data-source="post: 5289225" data-attributes="member: 87452"><p><span style="color: White">Thanks for the feedback! Let me address the comments and questions below:</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">1) Format:</span> The PDF is an InDesign doc I made from scratch. It was a pain but I can use it as a template for future classes at least.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">2) Skill #:</span> Good point, it should be at 4. </span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">3) Military Proficiency:</span> The "spear" category is meant to cover what you suggested, all reach weapons and polearms. I can change it if it's not clear, but I'd like to keep it limited to those kinds of weapons. I don't want a dragoon wielding a giant mace just because it had a good property or better damage than their current weapon.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">4) Drakes:</span> Hoo-boy, here are the complicated parts. </span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">To gain a beast companion, hunters only give up prime shot and a fighting style, so basically +1 attack and a decent bonus depending on their specialty. For the dragoon, the specialties are, pretty much, lame anyway so keeping them doesn't seem like too much.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">The drakes themselves are based them off the current hunter beast companions, reducing the stats and defenses. So if anything they're less powerful. The flying (hover) abilities are also something I swiped from those companions, so I don't think it's too much of a game-breaker considering the movement is all hover (or is meant to be).</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">I agree that the powers might seem a little too much, but I want there to be something special about each individual one - what do you think about the following changes:</span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">The +1 bonus from spear mastery is gone, added to Skyward Focus.</span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">The drakes lose their special powers and have reduced stats and damage. Tactical Focus becomes something like Draconic Focus, and in addition to the ally-flanking (which I think is actually its biggest benefit, after playing with it), each drake gains a tiny stat and damage boost and can use the power it currently has.</span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">The invisibility doesn't strike me as much of a problem since the pseudodragon can't move or attack while invisible, and doesn't gain any sneak attack or bonus from it. It's essentially just hiding, leaving the others to take most of the damage (not a bonus that helps it in combat, just a way to keep it alive since it's so fragile).</span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left: 20px"></p> <ul style="margin-left: 20px"> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">I agree that it would be easier to just remove the drake all together, but I think it's an essential part of the class and, so far at least, it hasn't proved a problem when testing.</span></li> </ul><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">5) NADs:</span> I see what you mean, though some seem to make sense as they are push/pulls (Fortitude) or quick attacks (Reflex). Possible solutions might be to change most of the attacks to target AC, reduce the damage of those attacks (which is probably what I'll choose), or have the attack bonus based off Dex or Wis instead of Str (possibly with a +X bonus if they're too low). I don't think that targeting NADs is always an automatic +2 bonus, especially at higher levels (unless it's Will, of course <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" />), but I'll start looking more closely at monsters to see if you're right.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">6) OP-power time!</span> Let's do this:</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Arcing Strike: </em>Yep, typo. It's supposed to be one attack per creature.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Spinning Strike:</em> Agreed. What are your thoughts about having it slide the creature 1 square and you automatically shift into the square it was in, before the attack. This would work with the spirit of the ability, perhaps using it to gain flanking for the attack. The requirement of moving into that square would also negate the later feats of extra squares when shifting. As it targets NDA the damage could possibly be lowered and have the + Str removed as well. Thoughts?</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Draconic Loyalty:</em> Also Agreed. I'll either lower the damage and remove the pre-attack shift, or move it up the tree to paragon (more likely).</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Draconic Roar:</em> I do want it to target Will for flavor and consistency with other "rawr I scream at you" powers. Maybe instead it could perform one vs. AC attack and gain a temporary damage aura to represent the roar.</span></li> </ul><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">7) <em>Boost:</em> </span>This is actually the <em>most </em>OP of the features, because players can use it to gain momentum while being within 1 square of the enemy they want to attack. Although the intent is to jump up to higher elevation, they can use it to simply jump straight up, move 1 square, then land and voila, they have momentum, which they use for their attack against the guy they started next to. I tried it briefly as an At-Will movement, and all anyone ever did was stand still and use this ability - it was ridiculously boring and lame and destroyed the entire concept of the class (jumping in to attack enemies from a distance, moving back, and jumping again).</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White">That's why it's restricted to twice an encounter (once before level 15). It should be the "I found myself in a horrible position and can't use Leap, but really need momentum for this attack" last resort, if you're not using it to jump up to a higher position.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">8)<em> Dive:</em> </span>You're right, this should be a free action and not an immediate interrupt. I was looking for a way to restrict it to one use per fall (which is common sense, but people still tried to use it 3 and 4 times during one fall). I forgot that immediate interrupts can't happen on your turn. I'll change it to a free action with the caveat that it can only be used once per fall. Good call with the Special for using it during other turns.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White"><span style="color: Yellow">9) Weak Utility Powers:</span> You're probably right about many of them being weak. Not having to balance attacks or damage, I wanted to err on the side of being a little less than amazing. I think most of the utilities still carry use through the higher levels, and I think it's strange to balance powers you will have for 20+ levels based on an item you might get at level 24 that could render them obsolete.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White">Regardless, you're right that I need some more stances, and here are my thoughts on some specific utility power changes:</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Defensive Call:</em> Perhaps change it to a stance where if you and your drake are adjacent, you both get a defense bonus.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Soaring Circle: </em>Maybe increase the bonus or make it a one round thing that lets your allies use <em>Leap </em>as if it were their own ability.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Lending a Foot:</em> Maybe reduce damage from the attack as well as the movement (glancing blow as you move away).</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Focused Energy:</em> Keep as a low utility but remove the re-roll, to be put in a paragon tier utility with another effect or damage bonus.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Toss Friend:</em> Possibly allow the ally to make a melee basic attack when landing.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Spirit Surge: </em>Stance, when you or your drake land an attack, the other gains temp hit points.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Skyward Resolve: </em>In addition, lets you use <em>Boost </em>again this encounter.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Spirit Link:</em> Stance, when you or your drake take damage, the damage is divided equally between both of you.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White"><em>Ancient Circle:</em> This one is little situational, but I wanted capture the essence of the dragoon's ability to cope with giant monsters, and at later levels you encounter a lot of big guys.</span></li> </ul><p><span style="color: White">Later utility stances would be:</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">Resist damage while X.</span></li> </ul><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"><span style="color: White">Deal a small amount of additional damage when attacking with momentum.</span></li> </ul><p><span style="color: White">Anyways, I have more work to do and there's a lot of tweaking left, especially at the higher levels, but I think I have a solid grasp on the mechanics and play-style it offers. </span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White">I would beg you to give my poor little drake friends another chance, though I will be taking a much closer look at them and how they affect combat.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White">Regardless, thanks a lot for your feedback (knightofround, of course), I'm glad you took the time to critique and give me your thoughts. I'd like to hear any suggestions or comments you had about specific utility powers if you get bored, mostly on what you feel the appropriate power level of utilities should be and some applicable stances.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p><p><span style="color: White">Thanks again! I'll post more soon as I finish up the paragon levels.</span></p><p><span style="color: White"></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="El Coro, post: 5289225, member: 87452"] [COLOR=White]Thanks for the feedback! Let me address the comments and questions below: [COLOR=Yellow]1) Format:[/COLOR] The PDF is an InDesign doc I made from scratch. It was a pain but I can use it as a template for future classes at least. [COLOR=Yellow]2) Skill #:[/COLOR] Good point, it should be at 4. [COLOR=Yellow]3) Military Proficiency:[/COLOR] The "spear" category is meant to cover what you suggested, all reach weapons and polearms. I can change it if it's not clear, but I'd like to keep it limited to those kinds of weapons. I don't want a dragoon wielding a giant mace just because it had a good property or better damage than their current weapon. [COLOR=Yellow]4) Drakes:[/COLOR] Hoo-boy, here are the complicated parts. [/COLOR] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]To gain a beast companion, hunters only give up prime shot and a fighting style, so basically +1 attack and a decent bonus depending on their specialty. For the dragoon, the specialties are, pretty much, lame anyway so keeping them doesn't seem like too much.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]The drakes themselves are based them off the current hunter beast companions, reducing the stats and defenses. So if anything they're less powerful. The flying (hover) abilities are also something I swiped from those companions, so I don't think it's too much of a game-breaker considering the movement is all hover (or is meant to be).[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]I agree that the powers might seem a little too much, but I want there to be something special about each individual one - what do you think about the following changes:[/COLOR] [/LIST] [INDENT] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]The +1 bonus from spear mastery is gone, added to Skyward Focus.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]The drakes lose their special powers and have reduced stats and damage. Tactical Focus becomes something like Draconic Focus, and in addition to the ally-flanking (which I think is actually its biggest benefit, after playing with it), each drake gains a tiny stat and damage boost and can use the power it currently has.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]The invisibility doesn't strike me as much of a problem since the pseudodragon can't move or attack while invisible, and doesn't gain any sneak attack or bonus from it. It's essentially just hiding, leaving the others to take most of the damage (not a bonus that helps it in combat, just a way to keep it alive since it's so fragile).[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]I agree that it would be easier to just remove the drake all together, but I think it's an essential part of the class and, so far at least, it hasn't proved a problem when testing.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [/INDENT][COLOR=White][COLOR=Yellow]5) NADs:[/COLOR] I see what you mean, though some seem to make sense as they are push/pulls (Fortitude) or quick attacks (Reflex). Possible solutions might be to change most of the attacks to target AC, reduce the damage of those attacks (which is probably what I'll choose), or have the attack bonus based off Dex or Wis instead of Str (possibly with a +X bonus if they're too low). I don't think that targeting NADs is always an automatic +2 bonus, especially at higher levels (unless it's Will, of course :P), but I'll start looking more closely at monsters to see if you're right. [COLOR=Yellow]6) OP-power time![/COLOR] Let's do this: [/COLOR] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Arcing Strike: [/I]Yep, typo. It's supposed to be one attack per creature.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Spinning Strike:[/I] Agreed. What are your thoughts about having it slide the creature 1 square and you automatically shift into the square it was in, before the attack. This would work with the spirit of the ability, perhaps using it to gain flanking for the attack. The requirement of moving into that square would also negate the later feats of extra squares when shifting. As it targets NDA the damage could possibly be lowered and have the + Str removed as well. Thoughts?[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Draconic Loyalty:[/I] Also Agreed. I'll either lower the damage and remove the pre-attack shift, or move it up the tree to paragon (more likely).[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Draconic Roar:[/I] I do want it to target Will for flavor and consistency with other "rawr I scream at you" powers. Maybe instead it could perform one vs. AC attack and gain a temporary damage aura to represent the roar.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [COLOR=White][COLOR=Yellow]7) [I]Boost:[/I] [/COLOR]This is actually the [I]most [/I]OP of the features, because players can use it to gain momentum while being within 1 square of the enemy they want to attack. Although the intent is to jump up to higher elevation, they can use it to simply jump straight up, move 1 square, then land and voila, they have momentum, which they use for their attack against the guy they started next to. I tried it briefly as an At-Will movement, and all anyone ever did was stand still and use this ability - it was ridiculously boring and lame and destroyed the entire concept of the class (jumping in to attack enemies from a distance, moving back, and jumping again). That's why it's restricted to twice an encounter (once before level 15). It should be the "I found myself in a horrible position and can't use Leap, but really need momentum for this attack" last resort, if you're not using it to jump up to a higher position. [COLOR=Yellow]8)[I] Dive:[/I] [/COLOR]You're right, this should be a free action and not an immediate interrupt. I was looking for a way to restrict it to one use per fall (which is common sense, but people still tried to use it 3 and 4 times during one fall). I forgot that immediate interrupts can't happen on your turn. I'll change it to a free action with the caveat that it can only be used once per fall. Good call with the Special for using it during other turns. [COLOR=Yellow]9) Weak Utility Powers:[/COLOR] You're probably right about many of them being weak. Not having to balance attacks or damage, I wanted to err on the side of being a little less than amazing. I think most of the utilities still carry use through the higher levels, and I think it's strange to balance powers you will have for 20+ levels based on an item you might get at level 24 that could render them obsolete. Regardless, you're right that I need some more stances, and here are my thoughts on some specific utility power changes: [/COLOR] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Defensive Call:[/I] Perhaps change it to a stance where if you and your drake are adjacent, you both get a defense bonus.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Soaring Circle: [/I]Maybe increase the bonus or make it a one round thing that lets your allies use [I]Leap [/I]as if it were their own ability.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Lending a Foot:[/I] Maybe reduce damage from the attack as well as the movement (glancing blow as you move away).[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Focused Energy:[/I] Keep as a low utility but remove the re-roll, to be put in a paragon tier utility with another effect or damage bonus.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Toss Friend:[/I] Possibly allow the ally to make a melee basic attack when landing.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Spirit Surge: [/I]Stance, when you or your drake land an attack, the other gains temp hit points.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Skyward Resolve: [/I]In addition, lets you use [I]Boost [/I]again this encounter.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Spirit Link:[/I] Stance, when you or your drake take damage, the damage is divided equally between both of you.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White][I]Ancient Circle:[/I] This one is little situational, but I wanted capture the essence of the dragoon's ability to cope with giant monsters, and at later levels you encounter a lot of big guys.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [COLOR=White]Later utility stances would be: [/COLOR] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]Resist damage while X.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [LIST] [*][COLOR=White]Deal a small amount of additional damage when attacking with momentum.[/COLOR] [/LIST] [COLOR=White]Anyways, I have more work to do and there's a lot of tweaking left, especially at the higher levels, but I think I have a solid grasp on the mechanics and play-style it offers. I would beg you to give my poor little drake friends another chance, though I will be taking a much closer look at them and how they affect combat. Regardless, thanks a lot for your feedback (knightofround, of course), I'm glad you took the time to critique and give me your thoughts. I'd like to hear any suggestions or comments you had about specific utility powers if you get bored, mostly on what you feel the appropriate power level of utilities should be and some applicable stances. Thanks again! I'll post more soon as I finish up the paragon levels. [/COLOR] [/QUOTE]
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