The Wraith (New Base Class)

[DogBackward]

See, that's what I thought, but people kept mentioning the MAD. And someone suggested Int-casting. It fits, tehmatically, as the Wraith is not a personable guy, but the guy you'll never see coming. It's still got some MAD, with Dex for obvious reasons, Con for when you need to survive a hit or ten, Int for spells and class features, as well as skill points, and Wis for perception-type skills, which are also improtant.

Also, those abilities aren't the hugest ones around. I may reduce the amount of Emergency Spellcasting uses per day, now that you mention it, but the rest are fine. I want them to be highly useful, though not at-will, especially Silent Spell. If you're trying to sneak around, having to cast a spell in a loud, powerful voice kinda ruins the effect.

I think Emergency Spellcasting would be fine at 1/day per four class levels. That's still 5/day at level 20, which isn't bad at all. What I'm mostly thinking is the ability to use some of these minor illusions and such for a quick diversion/escape.

The main inspiration for that, actually, is something I did with a Rogue/Sorceror once. I used Instant Diversion (a swift-action, 1 round, minor mirror image) from RotD, and had each of my 3 images, and myself, run in different directions. Then I readied an action to use Invisibility at the exact same time as the duration ran out on my Diversion. So, there are four of me, in four different spots, and all of them dissappear at once.

That's the sort of insta-trick I see the Wraith using stuff like Emergency Spellcasting for.

 

[szilard]

Honestly?

I'd rather play a Beguiler - or a Rogue 3 / Beguiler X with Practiced Spellcaster.


-Stuart

 

[DogBackward]

Um, okay? I'm assuming there's some good reasoning behind this, as otherwise your post would be entirely pointless. Maybe the rest of your post is just invisible?

Anyway, the Beguiler and the Wraith are two seperate classes, with seperate focuses. For one, the Beguiler is about pure misdirection and enchantment, and very spell-centric. The Wraith is all about infiltration, and the spells (a secondary feature) are geared toward that. Sure, a Beguiler can make an okay sneak, but the Wraith will always be better at it, because that's what it's designed to do.

Also keep in mind that I'm still working on some "ambush" style abilities, which will make the sneak attack parts better and more useful. But while somewhat similar, the Beguiler and Wraith aren't meant to do the same thing.

So, it's like me saying I'd rather play a Ninja than a Rogue. It's not more powerful, and they're similar in their niche, but it's just a personal preference of mine.

Anyway, the final draft will be up as soon as I work out some cool ambush style abilities. By the way Nifft, thanks again for that idea.

 

[DogBackward]

Okay, how's this? I've listed the levels they're gained, but it follows a simple progressoin (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18). They also make a good synergy with Rogue, since you can take rogue levels to boost your sneak attack, which also gives you more dice to sacrifice, though you'll have less abilities to work with.

[sblock=Ambush Abilities]Ambush (Su)
As a standard action, make a melee attack. If your attack is a Sneak Attack, you may sacrifice some of your bonus damage dice in return for special abilities. You decide which ability to use and how many dice to sacrifice after you make the attack roll, but before you make the damage roll.

-> Clouded Vision (Lvl 3)
You literally shroud your target's eyes with dark shadows. For one round, plus one round per five class levels, the target of your sneak attack suffers a miss chance on all attacks he makes. The miss chance is equal to 10% per die of sneak attack damage sacrificed, maximum 50%. Your target is entitled to a Reflex save (DC 10 +1/2 your class level, +Int, +1 per die of sneak attack sacrificed) to negate the effect.

-> Withered Tongue (Lvl 6)
With a blow to the throat, or well-placed cut, you remove your target's ability to speak intelligably. They may still make sounds, but no louder than a whisper, and they cannot speak well enough to be understood. Any spells that require a Verbal component automatically fails. This lasts for one round, plus one round per five class levels, and your target is entitled to a Fortitude save (DC 10 +1/2 your class level, +Int, +1 per die of sneak attack sacrificed) to negate the effect.

-> Spellsapping (Lvl 9)
You charge your attack with anti-magic energy. If your attack hits, you may choose to dispel any spells that are currently affecting your target. You use your class level for the dispel check, with a maximum bonus of +20. You can only dispel any spells of a spell level equal to the amount of sneak attack dice you sacrifice.

-> Sealed Power (Lvl 12)
You leave a lingering shadow of anti-magic energy surrounding your target, preventing them from using magic. This lasts for one round, plus one round per five class levels. A target affected cannot actively use any spell-like abilities or spells for the duration, including using any magic items that require activation. Permanent and use-activated items work just fine, but any item requiring an action to use cannot be used, nor can spells or spell-like abilities, unless tehy are of a level higher than the number of dice of sneak attack sacrificed to use this ability. In the case of magic items with no set spell level, use 1/2 the caster level. So, for example, if you sacrifice 3 dice, your foe cannot use any spells, spell-like abilities, or activated magic items with a spell level of 3 or less. Your target is entitled to a Will save (DC 10 +1/2 your class level, +Int, +1 per die of sneak attack sacrificed) to negate the effect.

-> Spellreaving (Lvl 15)
When you use your Spellsapping Ambush ability, you may choose to have any spell dispelled instead have its target changed to you, as long as you are a viable target for the spell. So, you could take a foe's enhancement spells for yourself.

-> Sickening Delusion (Lvl 18)
Your target is beset by a swarm of illusions, and it seems (to him) as if the world is imploding upon itself, and exploding all at the same time. Your target is entitled to a Fortitude save (DC 10 +1/2 your class level, +Int, +1 per die of sneak attack sacrificed) each round. On a successful save, they are sickened, but can otherwise act normally. On a failed save, they are staggered as well as sickened, limited to a single move or standard action each round, and all of their attacks suffer a 10% miss chance per die of sneak attack damage sacrificed, as their targets seem to jump from place to place, and shimmer and waver in their vision. If the target chooses to move, they move the same distance, but in a random (1d8) direction, as the world seems to tilt and swirl around them. This effect lasts for one round, plus one round per five class levels.[/sblock]

 

[szilard]

Um, okay? I'm assuming there's some good reasoning behind this, as otherwise your post would be entirely pointless. Maybe the rest of your post is just invisible?

Anyway, the Beguiler and the Wraith are two seperate classes, with seperate focuses.

The distinction, to me, seems to be a bit too fine. If I want less spellcasty and more ambushy, I'd up the rogue to beguiler ratio.

The difference between your wraith and a beguiler/rogue is too small for me to bother with the former.

-Stuart

 

[DogBackward]

Well, I don't really see how the Beguiler has any class features even remotely like over half of the Wraiths' abilities. But hey, play whatever you want, it's your character.

 

[szilard]

Well, I don't really see how the Beguiler has any class features even remotely like over half of the Wraiths' abilities. But hey, play whatever you want, it's your character.

The Beguiler can accomplish many of the same effects through better spellcasting. Anyway, you want constructive comments?

Shadow Dodge (Su) - how long does this last? Until your next action? Against that single attack? Against a series of attacks?


Emergency Spellcasting - Something about this rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it is the fequency with which you'd be able to do it.

Shadow Movement - the base speed increase - is it untyped? I'd make it an enhancement bonus.


Shadowslip (Su) - I'd give them a spell that did this, instead. Give it a verbal component only.


Silent Spells - Seems awkward. I'd just give them Silent Spell as a free metamagic feat instead.


Swift Diversion (Su) - Again, why not just create a swift spell that does this?

Arcane Sneak Attack - I don't understand this. What happens if the attack isn't a sneak attack?

Cloak of Shadows (Su) - Concealment is relative. It depends on the observer. What happens in dim light if someone is looking for the wraith with low-light vision or darkvision?


Stilled Spells - again, I'd give it as a bonus feat.

Shadow Apotheosis (Su) - The way you use concealment here doesn't make sense to me.



-Stuart

 

[DogBackward]

Yes, I would, and thank you.

Shadow Dodge (Su) - how long does this last? Until your next action? Against that single attack? Against a series of attacks?

Sorry, could've been a bit clearer on that one. It lasts for the single attack that you use it for. Hmm... maybe a higher-level, round-long version is in order.

Emergency Spellcasting - Something about this rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it is the fequency with which you'd be able to do it.

I haven't added all the changes to the top post, since I'm still workinthem out, but this has been mentioned, and fixed. Emergency Spellcasting is now usable 1/day per four class levels.

Shadow Movement - the base speed increase - is it untyped? I'd make it an enhancement bonus.

Enhancement bonus seems like a good idea. I hadn't thought about the type at the time I came up with it.

Shadowslip (Su) - I'd give them a spell that did this, instead. Give it a verbal component only.

The point is that in order to get more distance, you've got to use more spell power. A normal spell would either scale to easily, or be too high a level to allow low level use.

Silent Spells - Seems awkward. I'd just give them Silent Spell as a free metamagic feat instead.

If I do that, it'd be useless. First, they don't have enough spells to waste higher-level slots on metamagic. And making them cast as a full-round action to do it is jsut too much of a drawback. Silent Spells are imperative for a stealth-based spellcaster, which is why I made them like that.

Swift Diversion (Su) - Again, why not just create a swift spell that does this?

Because a class feature is simpler, and because of the scaling problems mentioned above. And because it's Supernatural, not a spell. This one in particular is meant to be used in melee, and making it a spell, including AoO's and all, would make it too difficult to use.

Arcane Sneak Attack - I don't understand this. What happens if the attack isn't a sneak attack?

Normally, nothing at all, it has to be a sneak attack to work. However, I've gotten rid of Arcane Sneak Attack in return for the Ambush abilities, in the "sblock" in my post above yours.

Cloak of Shadows (Su) - Concealment is relative. It depends on the observer. What happens in dim light if someone is looking for the wraith with low-light vision or darkvision?

It's supernatural in nature, and so the miss chance is unaffected.

Stilled Spells - again, I'd give it as a bonus feat.

See Silent Spells. Though this isn't as important, and I'm contemplating just dropping it. It's not really necessary, unless the enemy can hear you move your arms around.

Shadow Apotheosis (Su) - The way you use concealment here doesn't make sense to me.

Simple. You surround yourself with magical shadows, which grant you concealment. Concealment doesn't usually stack, but I wanted this ability to be more powerful in dark areas. Actually, I should probably change the wording to reflect that... anyway, it simply grants you a 50% miss chance while in dark areas, dim lighting, natural shadows or whatever, instead of only a 20%.

And yeah, I'm gonna change the wording to mention dim light, darkness, or shadows specifically, instead of any other concealment.