D&D 4E Weekly Wrecana - Lucky Power a power source..

[Garthanos]

In Memorum to Mark Monack "Wrecan"
LUCKY POWER 1: A NEW POWER SOURCE FOR EASY PLAY AND ADVANCED ROLEPLAY[/h]
In this series of blogs, I am going to introduce a new power source, which is intended to combine easy to understand mechanics with a form of roleplay that I have never seen previously in D&D. The other blogs in this series are:

• Lucky Power 1 : A New Power Source
• Lucky Power 2: Buffoons, the Lucky Strikers
• Lucky power 3: Mascots the Lucky Leaders
• Lucky Power 4: Jinxes, the Lucky Defenders
• Lucky Power 5: Savants, the Lucky Controllers
• Lucky Power 6: Hybrids and Multiclassing

A common complaint I hear, particularly those who played D&D during the TSR years, is that all of the classes in 4e are very complicated. Every class has powers, and feats, and skill selections. Every round of battle, a character must choose between three or four equally viable and balanced choices. There is no option akin to the Fighting Man, who every round would merely declare “I run up and hit it!”

To me, this is a problem. Creating a character in 4e is a serious investment of time. Even the use of digital tools like the Character Builder only does so much to reduce that time. Sometimes you just want to create a character in a few minutes that is balanced and easy to understand and play. 4e should be able to accommodate this.

At the same time, I’ve been contemplating the separation of character and player knowledge. 4e is a game of abstractions. Hit points are an obvious abstraction, but so are skill DCs, and even daily and encounter powers (for martial characters, particularly). The player knows it is a game and must have the character act is if real. Right now, the separation is moderate. A player knows his character is low on hit points; the character does not know hit points, but knows there is trouble.

I have created four classes, one for each class role, that is both simple to generate and run, but also a challenge to roleplay because it requires an unprecedented amount of separation of player and character knowledge. All four classes belong to a power source called “Luck”.

It’s Better to be Lucky than Good
Some people lead a charmed life. They don’t have any special aptitudes. They aren’t well-trained. They don’t wield arcane or elemental powers. They are not favored by the gods (except perhaps gods of luck, like Avandra). They may not even be literate. But they are lucky. These characters may not think of themselves as special or adventurers. In fact, they may see themselves as cursed, with monsters and traps around every corner. And yet, even though they always appear to be in circumstances over their heads, and surrounded by seemingly more powerful allies whose powers they only dimly comprehend, these characters manage to survive from adventure to adventure, contributing at crucial moments and saving the day. These characters are lucky.

Lucky Inspiration
The lucky character is well-established in literature. These characters are bunglers, demonstrating little if any skill, either an inflated sense of self, or a total lack of self-esteem, a general lack of agility, and, of course, more than a little luck. Some characters from popular culture that exhibit these traits include the Pink Panther’s Inspector Jacques Clouseau, Scooby Doo’s Shaggy, The Lord of the Rings’ Merry and Pippin, DIC Entertainment’s Inspector Gadget, Disney’s Goofy, The Wizard of Oz’ Dorothy Gale, The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’s Arthur Dent, Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times, UPA’s Mister Magoo, and, more than occasionally, Homer Simpson.

Lucky Players
A lucky character provides an additional challenge when roleplaying because lucky characters generally do not know that they have any powers. A lucky character will feel hapless and powerless amidst enemies that seem insurmountable and allies who appear godlike to them. However, the player knows the character has powers that keep the character on par with other traditional characters. The challenge of playing a lucky character is keeping player knowledge separate from character knowledge.

Players of lucky characters should reflavor liberally. Lucky characters not only believe themselves to be powerless, but also unskilled, even though lucky characters each have at least three skills in which they are considered trained. A player should feel free to describe the results of their abilities, skills and powers as a result of luck, not skill. A character trained in Arcane need not actively detect magic. He might merely stumble upon the magic sigil. The character with a high Reflex defense is not necessarily dexterous; rather, he stumbles through life, and the obstacles manage to avoid hitting him through sheer luck. DMs and players should cooperate in describing the lucky character’s actions so they match the mechanics but still remain true to the character’s haphazard flavor.

If you prefer to play a more traditional character but still want the simple mechanics of the lucky power source, you’re in luck (so to speak). Each of the lucky classes will contain instructions on how to alter the flavor and mechanics (without overcomplicating matters) so that the class can be played as a more traditional martial or arcane class.

Lucky DMs
Dungeon Masters must work with the player of a lucky character to ensure that the character functions properly. Never has “Say yes” been as important as a DM with a lucky character. DMs should work with the player to devise ways for the manifestation of the lucky PC’s abilities, skills, and powers to appear to be the result of fortune and karma than any inherent skill or learning. Such DMs should be tolerant and creative. However, for an ambitious DM, a lucky character adds a lot of fun and spontaneity to the table.

Lucky Mechanics
Each class of the Luck power source has similar mechanics designed to make them easy to generate and play.

Abilities: Lucky characters choose abilities like everyone else. Thos abilities also advance like everybody else. Charisma will be the primary ability for all lucky characters. Charisma, in this instance, will represent the force that luck plays in the character’s life. Each character will also have a secondary ability that affects their play. When abilities increase with level, it is highly recommended that Charisma and the character’s secondary ability be increased as well.

Skills: Lucky characters do not choose skills. They are each given three skills at which they are considered trained. Additional skills can be added with feats. A character who gains a bonus skill due to race (such as human) may choose any skill in which to be trained. A character who adds a skill to his class skill list with a Background or other mechanic may automatically swap one trained skill with a different skill. Lucky characters cannot retrain Skills using retraining rules.

Feats: Lucky characters are given pre-selected feats at each level. Most of these feats have static bonuses that do not require the need to track contingencies. If a character gains a bonus feat, they may choose any feat for which they are qualified. If they choose a feat the class will obtain at a later level, when that level is achieved, the character may choose any feat for which the character is qualified. Feats, however, can be retrained using the retraining rules. In this way, a player can create a more mechanically complex character if he so chooses.

Powers: Lucky characters do not get any encounter, utility, or daily powers. Rather, a lucky character gets two predetermined at-will powers. (Lucky Powers are called “Knacks”.) They also get a series of minor and major “boosts” and “flourishes” that are applied to these at-will powers as a free action and grant additional benefits and effects. Lucky characters get minor boosts at 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 13th level. Lucky characters get major boosts at 1st, 5th, 9th, and 15th level. Lucky characters may choose a new flourish at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 26th, and 30th levels. If a character gains an extra at-will due to a racial power, they merely gain an extra minor boost. Flourishes can be retrained as if they were utility powers.

Paths and Destinies: Lucky characters do not choose Paragon Paths or Epic Destinies. Rather, they gain new class features at 11th, 16th, 21st, 24th, and 30th level, which are detailed in the class description.

Hybrids and Multiclassing: Lucky characters require special rules for multiclassing and hybrids. These will be presented in a separate blog after the four classes have been presented.

I know this sounds complicated right now, but do not worry. Once you see the write-up for the individual classes, the easy play of these classes will become clearer. So stay tuned for my next blog, when I introduce the lucky striker: the Buffoon.

 

[Garthanos]

Buffoonery

LUCKY POWER 2: BUFFOONS, THE LUCKY STRIKERS



This is the second in a series of blogs about a new power source I have developed called “Luck”.



Buffoon
“I killed him? Was he someone important?”



CLASS TRAITS

Role: Striker. You are deadly with a weapon, much to everybody’s surprise.

Power Source: Luck. You have received precious little training in weapons, and yet you remarkably manage to hit your targets without cutting off your own head.

Key Abilities: Charisma, Dexterity. Constitution never hurts.



Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide; light shields.

Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, simple ranged, military ranged.

Bonus to Defense: +2 to Fortitude.



Hit Points at 1st Level: 14 + Constitution Score.

Hit Points per Level Gained: 6 Healing Surges per Day: 7 + Constitution Modifier.

Trained Skills: Acrobatics, Stealth, Thievery.

Class Skills: Buffoons do not select additional skills, unless they get one as a result of a racial power (like human) or feat. If so, they may choose any skill in which to be trained. Buffoons who choose a Background that adds a new Skill to their list of Class Skills immediately replace one of their Trained Skills with the new Skill from their Background.



Class features: Buffoonery, Boosts, Flourishes, Buffoonish Advancement



Buffoons manage to get themselves in the midst of the fray, often despite their best efforts. Some buffoons believe themselves to be masters of combat, a fact that any trained warrior would deride, after a few moments of watching the buffoon wield a weapon. Most buffoons, however, know they are in over their heads. And yet, their blade always manages to strike into the weak spot in a foe’s armor or slip past their defenses. Perhaps they lull their enemies into a false sense of security. Perhaps they are just lucky.



BUFFOONERY

Buffoons get only one class power: an at-will attack called Buffoonery. All of the other class features of the buffoon build off of these attack powers. If a character would be entitled to take an additional at-will power for any reason (such as the human racial ability to take a bonus at-will power), the character instead gets an additional minor boost (see below).

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Buffoonery	Buffoon Attack Knack 1
You swing wildly and somehow manage to strike true.
At-Will ♦ Lucky, Weapon
Standard Action - melee or ranged weapon
Target: One creature
Attack: Charisma vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +3 to the damage inflicted by the attack.
Level 21: The damage is increased to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +5 to the damage inflicted by the attack

BOOSTS

Instead of choosing from an array of encounter and daily attack powers, buffoons get minor and major boosts that they apply to their Buffoonery knack to increase the damage they inflict. Buffoons who declare the use of one Buffoonish Strike may also declare that one minor or major boost will apply to the attack. If the attack hits the target, the minor boost adds 1[W]/tier and the major boost adds 2[W]/tier to an attack. If the attack misses, and the buffoon had invoked a major boost, the attack inflicts half the damage it would had it hit (including the extra damage of the major boost). Buffoons get 1 minor boost at 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 13th levels. Minor boosts replenish after a short rest. Buffoons get 1 major boost at 1st, 5th, 9th, and 15th levels. Major boosts replenish after an extended rest.



FLOURISHES

Instead of utilities, buffoons choose from a small selection of “flourishes”. Like boosts, the application of a flourish is announced when the buffoon declares the use of the Buffoonery knack. The buffoon trades in 1[W] or more in damage in return for imposing a status effect. Each flourish can be invoked once a day, but if the attack misses, the use of that flourish for the day is not expended. A buffoon learns a new flourish at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 26th, and 30th levels. Flourishes can be combined with boosts, but no application of a flourish can reduce the number of [W] applied in an attack to less than 1. A buffoon can choose the same flourish multiple times, which allows the buffoon to use that flourish an additional time per day. One flourish can be retrained each time the buffoon increases a level, using the retraining rules.The flourishes from which a buffoon may choose are:



Flourish: Adavntageous

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: Target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Breaching

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: Your next attack with Buffoonery targets the lower of the target’s AC, Fortitude, or Reflex.



Flourish: Defensive

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: Target incurs -2 penalties to attack you until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Predictable

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: The damage from the at-will attack inflicts maximum damage, and any additional [W] from the boost applies average damage. Additional damage from critical hits or other sources are unaffected.



Flourish: Probing

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: You gain a +1 power bonus to attack the target until the end of the encounter.



Flourish: Sundering

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: You inflict double damage if the target is an unattended object that is not a creature.



Flourish: Tripping

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: Target is knocked Prone.



Flourish: Undeniable

Cost: 1[W]

Effect: You mark the target until the end of the encounter.



Flourish: Lingering

Cost: 1[W]+

Effect: Target takes ongoing 5 damage per [W] spent until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Pushy

Cost: 1[W]+

Effect: Push target 2 squares per [W] spent up to a maximum number of squares equal to your Strength (for melee attacks) modifier or Dexterity (for ranged attacks) modifier.



Flourish: Splitting

Cost: 1[W]+

Effect: Make a secondary attack against one additional target in range per [W] spent. Cha vs. AC. Roll remaining damage and divide equally amongst all targets you hit. If using a ranged attack, you must possess a magic weapon or enough ammunition or thrown weapons for each of your intended targets.



Flourish: Blinding

Cost: 2[W]

Effect: Target is blinded until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Dazing

Cost: 2[W]

Effect: Target is dazed until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Immobilizing

Cost: 2[W]

Effect: Target is immobilized until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Weakening

Cost: 2[W]

Effect: Target is weakened until end of your next turn.



Flourish: Maneuvering

Cost: 2[W]+

Effect: For each [W] you spend after the first [W], slide target 1 square



Flourish: Shifty

Cost: 2[W]+

Effect: You may shift one square per 2[W] spent during your next move action taken before the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Countering

Cost: 3[W]

Effect: If the attack was a readied action to interrupt an enemy’s action, the enemy makes a saving throw. If the enemy fails, the interrupted action does not occur and the enemy loses that action.



Flourish: Restraining

Cost: 3[W]

Effect: Target is restrained until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Stunning

Cost: 4[W]

Effect: Target is stunned until the end of your next turn.



Flourish: Lasting

Cost: Special

Effect: If the target is currently affected by a condition that lasts until the end of your current turn, that condition now lasts until the creature saves. You must spend the same [W] as you spent to initially impose the condition plus one additional [W].



Flourish: Sustaining

Cost: Special

Effect: If the target is currently affected by a condition that lasts until the end of your current turn, that condition now lasts until the end of your next turn. You must spend the same [W] as you spent to initially impose the condition.

BUFFOONISH ADVANCEMENT

Buffoons gain the following class features at 11th, 16th, 21st, 24th, and 30th level respectively:



Buffoonish Action: At 11th level, you can use one action point every encounter. You can never have more than one action point, but that action point replenishes after a short rest.



Paragon Buffoonery: At 16th Level, once per day, after a successful attack with the Buffoonery knack, spend all of your remaining minor boosts as a free action. The damage you inflict with this attack on the first target you hit is increased by 2d12 per minor boost spent (this damage is not maximized if the attack constitutes a critical hit). You cannot choose to spend less than all your remaining minor boosts when you invoke this feature.



Better Lucky than Healthy: At 21st level, once per day, as a minor action, if you have used all your major boosts, you may spend a healing surge. The next time you use the Buffoonery knack before your next extended rest, apply a major boost to the attack.



Lucky to be Alive: At 24th level, once per day, you may spend a major boost instead of rolling a death saving throw. This is treated as a natural 20 on the death saving throw.



Epic Buffoonery: At 30th Level, once per day, after a successful attack with the Buffoonery knack, spend all of your remaining major boosts as a free action. The damage you inflict with this attack on the first target you hit is increased by 4d12 per major boost spent (this damage is not maximized if the attack constitutes a critical hit). You cannot choose to spend less than all your remaining major boosts when you invoke this feature. You cannot use this feature and Paragon Buffoonery on the same attack.



FEATS

Buffoons’ feats are preselected. The character gains the benefit of this feat, even if the character would not otherwise qualify for the feat. The feats may be retrained per normal retraining rules. Any race entitled to a bonus feat may choose any feat for which the buffoon qualifies. If that feat appears at a higher level on the buffoon’s feat list, the buffoon may select a new feat upon achieving that level. (It is recommended that players retrain Paragon Defenses for Robust Defenses at 21st level.) All feats are from the Players Handbook or Players Handbook 2. The feats that buffoons automatically gain are:



1st: Weapon Expertise (player’s choice)

2nd: Jack of All Trades

4th: Melee Training (Charisma)

6th: Improved Initiative

8th: Weapon Focus (player’s choice)

10th: Durable

12th: Paragon Defenses*

14th: Fleet-footed

16th: Secret Stride

18th: Agile Athlete

20th: Vexing Flanker

22nd: Epic Reflexes

24th: Flanking Maneuver

26th: Epic Fortitude

28th: Triumphant Attack

30th: Epic Will

*It is recommended that you retrain this feat to Robust Defenses at 21st level.

Racial Synergies

The races that make the best buffoons include halflings, kenku, goblins, humans, and, oddly, drow, vryloka, and shades.

THE “THIEF” AS A RETROFITTED BUFFOON

If you do not want to play the buffoon as a lucky character, but still want the simplicity of play of the class, it is easy to alter the buffoon into a martial class, which I’ve called the “Thief”. Make the following changes:



Dexterity Primary: Change all references to “Charisma” to “Dexterity”.

Thief Flavor: Rename the powers to read “Thief” instead of “Buffoon”, “Thieving” instead of “Buffoonish”, “Thief’s Strike” instead of “Buffoonery”, “Martial” instead of “Luck”, and “maneuver” instead of “knack”.

 

[Garthanos]

Mascots

LUCKY POWER 3: MASCOTS, THE LUCKY LEADERS

This is the third in a series of blogs about a new power source I have developed called “Luck”.

In this blog, I will present the second of four classes for the Luck power source: Mascots, the lucky leaders.

Mascot
“Woo hoo! That was great! When you when ‘whoosh’ and he was all ‘gaah’ and then you were all ‘aha’ and that thing went all ‘oozy’...”

CLASS TRAITS
Role: Leader. You don’t appear to do anything, but your allies notice that they always do remarkably better when you’re around.
Power Source: Luck. You are not lucky per se, but your friends seem to be remarkably lucky when you’re around.
Key Abilities: Charisma, Wisdom. Constitution never hurts.

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail; heavy shields, light shields.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged.
Bonus to Defense: +1 to Fortitude and Reflex.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5 Healing Surges per Day: 7 + Constitution Modifier.
Trained Skills: Heal, Insight, Perception. Mascots do not select additional skills, unless they get one as a result of a racial power (like human) or feat. If so, they may choose any skill in which to be trained. Mascots who choose a Background that adds a new Skill to their list of Class Skills immediately replace one of their Trained Skills with the new Skill from their Background.

Class features: Mascotry, Boosts, Flourishes, Mascot Advancement

Mascots are unique among all classes because they get not attack powers. A mascot who wants to attack an enemy will need to use a basic attack. For this reason, mascots, more than any other leader class, are dependent on their allies. Because mascots have no attack powers, they do not use implements, and many mascots will carry a magic weapon to boost their basic attacks. Mascots tend to run around the battlefield aiding allies. However, playing a mascot has a unique wrinkle. Mascots who concentrate more on healing their allies than helping their allies deal more damage will find that combat increases in length because the mascot is not inflicting damage on the enemy.

Having a mascot in the party means some measure of advanced roleplay for all the players, and not simply the mascot’s player. Mascots do not appear to do anything except, perhaps, cheer their allies onward. The benefits that mascots impart to their allies must be described by the players being benefited. They could simply describe the extra damage and effects as their own skill, or they could describe these effects as a result of dumb luck and happenstance. Did the party striker get in a good shot, or did the enemy slip and bang his head on the ground? This should be a decision of the individual players, but in the spirit of the lucky power source, they should at least consider adding an element of happenstance to their actions that are influenced by the party mascot.

MASCOTRY
Mascots get two class powers, but neither of them are attack powers. Rather they are the only at-will 1st-level utility powers: at at-will knack called “Cheer” and an at-will knack called “Trash Talk”. All of the other class features of the mascot build off of these attack powers. If a character would be entitled to take an additional at-will power for any reason (such as the human racial ability to take a bonus at-will power), the character instead gets an additional minor boost (see below).



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Cheer	Mascot Utility Knack 1
Your allies feel better just being near you.
At-Will ♦ Healing, Luck
Standard Action ♦ Melee 1
Target: One ally
Effect: The target is healed Charisma modifier hit points damage
Level 21: The amount healed is increased to double Charisma modifier hit points damage. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +5 to the damage healed by the knack.
Special: No creature can be targeted by this knack more than once per encounter or more than five times between extended rests.

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Trash Talk	Mascot Utility Knack 1
Your confidence that your enemies are no match for your allies emboldens your friends.
At-Will ♦ Luck
Standard Action ♦ Close burst 5
Target: One ally in burst
Effect: At any time before the end of the target’s next turn, the target may add 1d8 + your Charisma modifier damage to one creature hit by an attack of the target. This extra damage is not maximized on a critical hit.
Level 21: The amount of extra damage is increased to 2d8 + Charisma modifier damage. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +5 to the extra damage granted by the knack.

BOOSTS
Instead of choosing from an array of encounter and daily attack powers, mascots get minor and major boosts that they apply to their mascot knacks. Mascots who declare the use of a mascot knack may also declare that one minor or major boost will apply to the power. A minor boost adds 1d8/tier and the major boost adds 2d8/tier to the amount healed and/or inflicted by an attack. Mascots get 1 minor boost at 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 13th levels. Minor boosts replenish after a short rest. Mascots get 1 major boost at 1st, 5th, 9th, and 15th levels. Major boosts replenish after an extended rest.

FLOURISHES
Instead of utilities, mascots choose from a small selection of “flourishes”. Like boosts, the application of a flourish is announced when the mascot declares the use of a mascot knack. The mascot trades in 1d8 or more in damage (inflicted or healed) in return for imposing a status effect. Each flourish can be invoked once a day, but if the attack misses, the use of that flourish for the day is not expended. A mascot learns a new flourish at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 26th, and 30th levels. Flourishes can be combined with boosts, but no application of a flourish can reduce the number of dice applied in an attack to less than 1 (even for Cheer, which does not inflict any dice unless a boost is applied). A mascot can choose the same flourish multiple times, which allows the mascot to use that flourish an additional time per day. One flourish can be retrained each time the mascot increases a level, using the retraining rules.The flourishes from which a mascot may choose are:
Flourish: Advantageous
Cost: 1d8
Cheer Effect: Target does not grant combat advantage until end of target’s next turn.
Trash Talk Effect: Target gains combat advantage against next enemy it attacks before the end of the target’s next turn.

Flourish: Excessive
Cost: 1d8
Cheer Effect: If target would be healed beyond its maximum hit points, the extra hit points are treated as temporary hit points
Trash Talk Effect: Before the end of the encounter, after the target reduces an enemy to zero hit points or less, the target gets a power bonus to its next successful attack in the encounter equal to the difference between the damage inflicted and the hp total of the creature killed before the attack was resolved.

Flourish: Interruptive
Cost: 1d8
Cheer Effect: Target makes an immediate save against one effect that a save ends (including a death save)
Trash Talk Effect: Target makes an immediate basic melee or basic attack on one enemy in target’s range

Flourish: Marking
Cost: 1d8
Cheer Effect: Target is not marked by any enemies.
Trash Talk Effect: Target marks next enemy it hits before the end of the target’s next turn.

Flourish: Personal
Cost: 1d8
Effect: You are the target of the knack.

Flourish: Skillful
Cost: 1d8
Cheer Effect: The target rolls twice for the next skill or ability check made before the end of the encounter and uses the higher die
Trash Talk Effect: The target rolls twice for the next skill or ability check made before the end of the encounter and uses the higher die.

Flourish: Surging
Cost: 1d8
Cheer Effect: The target may spend a healing surge
Trash Talk Effect: The target regains an action point that it spent in this encounter

Flourish: Distant
Cost: 1d8+
Cheer Effect: Increase the reach of the Cheer knack by 1/die spent
Trash Talk Effect: Increase the area of the burst of the Trash Talk knack by 1/die spent.

Flourish: Hastening
Cost: 1d8+
Cheer Effect: The target’s speed increases by +1 per die spent until the end of the target’s next turn
Trash Talk Effect: After the target’s next turn ends, the target may make a basic melee attack against one enemy in reach per die spent.

Flourish: Lingering
Cost: 1d8+
Cheer Effect: At end of target’s next turn, target regenerates 5 hp/die spent
Trash Talk Effect: Target’s next successful attack inflicts an additional ongoing damage of 5/die spent

Flourish: Powerful
Cost: 1d8+
Cheer Effect: Target gains power bonus of +1/die spent to each defense until end of target’s next turn
Trash Talk Effect: Target gains power bonus of +1/die to next attack roll before end of target’s next turn.

Flourish: Predictable
Cost: 1d8+
Cheer Effect: For each die spent, another die rolled on this power is maximized
Trash Talk Effect: For each die spent, another die rolled on this power is maximized

Flourish: Resistable
Cost: 1d8+
Cheer Effect: Until the end of the target’s next turn, the target gains resist 5/die spent against one damage type of the mascot’s choice
Trash Talk Effect: The target’s next successful attack against one enemy ignores resistance of the enemy hit equal to 5/die spent

Flourish: Shared
Cost: 1d8+
Cheer Effect: Roll the hp to be healed. Divide this amount by the number of dice spent. One ally in range per die spent heals this amount.
Trash Talk Effect: Roll the extra damage to be inflicted. Divide this amount by the number of dice spent. One ally in range gains a power bonus of this amount to the damage inflicted against the next enemy the target hits before the end of that target’s next turn.

Flourish: Concealing
Cost: 2d8
Cheer Effect: The target gains concealment until the beginning of the target’s next turn.
Trash Talk Effect: The target incurs no penalty to attack concealed targets until the end of the target’s next turn.

Flourish: Mobile
Cost: 2d8+
Cheer Effect: The target may immediately shift one square per die spent after the first.
Trash Talk Effect: The target slides the next enemy the target hits one square per die spent after the first.

Flourish: Covering
Cost: 3d8
Cheer Effect: If the target has cover, the cover is treated as superior cover until the end of the target’s next turn.
Trash Talk Effect: The target incurs no penalty to attack targets due to cover (but not superior cover) until the end of the target’s next turn.

Flourish: Fortunate
Cost: 3d8
Cheer Effect: The target rolls twice for its next attack and uses the higher of the two rolls.
Trash Talk Effect: The enemy that next attacks the ally rolls twice for the attack and uses the lower of the two rolls.

Flourish: Rechargeable
Cost: 4d8
Cheer Effect: The target regains the use of a daily or item-daily power it spent this encounter.
Trash Talk Effect: The next enemy the target hits incurs a -1 penalty to all attempts to recharge powers until the end of the encounter.

Flourish: Sustaining
Cost: Special
Cheer Effect: If target is under effect of one of your flourishes that last until the end of the target’s turn, the effect lasts until the end of the target’s next turn. This costs the same number of dice as the flourish being sustained.
Trash Talk Effect: If target is under effect of one of your flourishes that last until the end of the target’s turn, the effect lasts until the end of the target’s next turn. This costs the same number of dice as the flourish being sustained.

MASCOT ADVANCEMENT
Mascots gain the following class features at 11th, 16th, 21st, 24th, and 30th level respectively: Mascot Action: At 11th level, you can use one action point every encounter. You can never have more than one action point, but that action point replenishes after a short rest.

Paragon Mascotry: At 16th Level, once per day, spend all of your remaining minor boosts as a standard action. Until the end of your next turn, an ally you can see who hits an enemy with an attack will inflict an additional +1d12 damage. This damage is not maximized if the attack constitutes a critical hit. You cannot choose to spend less than all your remaining minor boosts when you invoke this feature.

Better Lucky than Active: At 21st level, once per day, as a minor action, if you have used all your major boosts, you may spend an action point. Do not take the standard action usually granted by the action point. Instead, apply a major boost to the next mascot knack you use. This boost must be applied in the encounter in which this class feature is invoked.

Lucky I Was Here: At 24th level, once per day, you may spend a major boost as a standard action. All dying allies you can see are treated as if they had rolled a natural 20 on a death save.

Epic Mascotry: At 30th Level, once per day, spend all of your remaining major boosts as a standard action. Until the end of your next turn, an ally you can see who hits an enemy with an attack will inflict an additional +2d12 damage. This damage is not maximized if the attack constitutes a critical hit. You cannot choose to spend less than all your remaining major boosts when you invoke this feature. You cannot use this feature and Paragon Mascotry in the same round.

FEATS
Mascots’ feats are preselected. The character gains the benefit of this feat, even if the character would not otherwise qualify for the feat. The feats may be retrained per normal retraining rules. Any race entitled to a bonus feat may choose any feat for which the mascot qualifies. If that feat appears at a higher level on the mascot’s feat list, the mascot may select a new feat upon achieving that level. All feats are from the Players Handbook or Players Handbook 2. The feats that mascots automatically gain are:

1st: Combat Medic
2nd: Melee Training (Charisma)
4th: Jack of All Trades
6th: Alertness
8th: Improved Initiative
10th: Quick Draw
12th: Paragon Defenses*
14th: Mettle
16th: Evasion
18th: Fleet-Footed
20th: Danger Sense
22nd: Epic Will
24th: Quick Recovery
26th: Epic Fortitude
28th: Unfettered Stride
30th: Epic Reflexes
*It is recommended that you retrain this feat to Robust Defenses at 21st level.
Racial Preference
Any race that receives a Charisma bonus can make a good mascot.

THE “HEALER” AS A RETROFITTED MASCOT
If you do not want to play the mascot as a lucky character, but still want the simplicity of play of the class, it is easy to alter the mascot into a divine class, which I’ve called the “Healer”. Make the following changes:

Wisdom Primary: Change each instance of “Charisma” to “Wisdom”.
Healer Flavor: Rename the powers to read “Healer” instead of “Mascot”, “Healing” instead of “Mascotry”, “Bless” instead of “Trash Talk”, “Cure” instead of “Cheer”, “Divine” instead of “Luck”, and “prayer” instead of “knack”.
Divine Class: Add the Divine keyword to the healer’s knacks. Healers may also select Channel Divinity feats.

​

 

[Garthanos]

Jinkies I mean Jinxes.

LUCKY POWER 4: JINXES, THE LUCKY DEFENDERS


This is the fourth in a series of blogs about a new power source I have developed called “Luck”.


In this blog, I will present the third of four classes for the Luck power source: Jinxes, the lucky defenders.
Jinx
“Not in the face!”

CLASS TRAITS
Role: Defender. Your antics always draw fire away from your friends. The more desperately you try to avoid the attacks, the more they seem to find you.
Power Source: Luck. You feel incredibly unlucky, because you are always being targeted. But, in fact you are quite fortunate and always seem to escape permanent injury.
Key Abilities: Charisma, Constitution. Dexterity doesn’t hurt either.

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide; heavy shields, light shields.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged.
Bonus to Defense: +2 to Reflex.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 15 + Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 6 Healing Surges per Day: 9 + Constitution Modifier.
Trained Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Endurance. Jinxes do not select additional skills, unless they get one as a result of a racial power (like human) or feat. If so, they may choose any skill in which to be trained. Jinxes who choose a Background that adds a new Skill to their list of Class Skills immediately replace one of their Trained Skills with the new Skill from their Background.

Class features: Jinx’ Luck, Hijinks, Boosts, Flourishes, Jinx Advancement

Although Jinxes have at-will attack powers, they do not use implements. Rather, the enhancement bonuses that would normally be granted by a magic implement are inherent in their powers. However, their powers cannot be used to reduce an enemy below zero hit points. To kill someone, they will have to use a basic attack. For this reason, many jinxes spend their share of treasure on a magic weapon. However, a significant proportion of jinxes spend their entire adventuring career utterly unarmed, relying on their more competent allies to take care of the danger, as they frantically run around the battlefield screaming.

The damage inflicted by the jinx’ knacks should be described as a reduction in luck. The target of the attack should feel “jinxed”. In fact, this sense of foreboding may explain why some of the jinx’ targets attack the jinx.

Like other defenders, jinxes mark their enemies. However, a jinx’ marks are unique in that they allow the marked enemy to target adjacent enemies without penalty, even if the attack does not include the jinx. For this reason, most allies of a jinx know to give their friend a wide berth.

JINX’ LUCK
While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use your Constitution modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier to determine your AC.

HIJINKS
Jinxes get two class powers: at at-will knack called “Near Jinx” and an at-will knack called “Far Jinx”. All of the other class features of the jinx build off of these attack powers. If a character would be entitled to take an additional at-will power for any reason (such as the human racial ability to take a bonus at-will power), the character instead gets an additional minor boost (see below).

Near Jinx
Jinx Attack Knack 1
Your antics make you a target.
At-Will ♦ Luck
Standard Action ♦ Close burst 1
Target: One enemy in range
Attack: Charisma +1 vs. Will. The jinx also gains an enhancement bonus to the attack roll of one plus an additional one for each five character levels the character has attained.
Hit: 1d8 + Constitution modifier damage and the target is marked until the end of your next turn. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +3 to the damage inflicted by the attack.[/TD]
Special: The target incurs no penalty from the mark if it makes a melee or close attack that includes you or an ally adjacent to you.
Level 21: The damage is increased to 2d8 + Constitution modifier damage. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +5 to the damage inflicted by the attack.
Special: If the target would be reduced to less than 1 hp by the damage inflicted by the attack, the target takes no damage, but still incurs any other effects of the attack.

Far Jinx
Jinx Attack Knack 1
Your antics make you a target.
At-Will ♦ Luck
Standard Action ♦ Close burst 5
Target: One non-adjacent enemy in range
Attack: Charisma +1 vs. Will. The jinx also gains an enhancement bonus of +1 to the attack roll for each five character levels the character has attained.
Hit: 1d8 + Constitution modifier damage and the target is marked until the end of your next turn. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +3 to the damage inflicted by the attack.[/TD]
Special: The target incurs no penalty from the mark if it makes an area or ranged attack that includes you or an ally adjacent to you.
Level 21: The damage is increased to 2d8 + Constitution modifier damage. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +5 to the damage inflicted by the attack.
Special: If the target would be reduced to less than 1 hp by the damage inflicted by the attack, the target takes no damage, but still incurs any other effects of the attack.
BOOSTS
Instead of choosing from an array of encounter and daily attack powers, jinxes get minor and major boosts that they apply to their jinx knacks. Jinxes who declare the use of a jinx knack may also declare that one minor or major boost will apply to the power. A minor boost allows the jinx to mark 1 additional enemy per tier and the major boost allows the jinx to mark 2 additional enemies in range per tier. These additional marks only apply if the attack hits the primary target. These additional marks do not incur the damage of the jinx attack knacks, but do suffer all effects that affect the primary target due to the mark. Jinxes get 1 minor boost at 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 13th levels. Minor boosts replenish after a short rest. Jinxes get 1 major boost at 1st, 5th, 9th, and 15th levels. Major boosts replenish after an extended rest.

FLOURISHES
Instead of utilities, jinxes choose from a small selection of “flourishes”. Like boosts, the application of a flourish is announced when the jinx declares the use of a knack. The jinx trades in the ability to mark one or more additional targets in return for imposing an additional status effect on each remaining marked target. Each flourish can be invoked once a day, but if the attack misses, the use of that flourish for the day is not expended. A jinx learns a new flourish at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 26th, and 30th levels. Flourishes can be combined with boosts, but no application of a flourish can reduce the number of dice applied in an attack to less than 1. A jinx can choose the same flourish multiple times, which allows the jinx to use that flourish an additional time per day. One flourish can be retrained each time the jinx increases a level, using the retraining rules.The flourishes from which a jinx may choose are:
Flourish: Distributive
Cost: 1 mark
Roll damage from the knack as normal. Split the damage evenly among all targets you marked.

Flourish: Expansive
Cost: 1 mark
Effect: Increase the size of the burst of your knack by 1.

Flourish: Exposing
Cost: 1 mark
Effect: After resolving the knack, you can make a basic attack against one target you have marked.

Flourish: Unyielding
Cost: 1 mark
Effect: The mark cannot be superseded.

Flourish: Damaging
Cost: 1+ mark
Effect: For each mark spent, increase the damage inflicted by the knack against the primary target by 1d8.

Flourish: Shifty
Cost: 1+ mark
Effect: For each mark spent, shift one square towards one target marked by you.

Flourish: Advantageous
Cost: 2 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, those target grants combat advantage.

Flourish: Disadvantageous
Cost: 2 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the target cannot gain combat advantage against you or your allies.

Flourish: Lasting
Cost: 2 marks
Effect: The mark lasts until the end of the encounter, you are unconscious or the mark is superseded.

Flourish: Slowing
Cost: 2 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the targets are slowed.

Flourish: Unerring
Cost: 2 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, you incur no penalties to attack those targets due to concealment, cover, or invisibility.

Flourish: Weakening
Cost: 2 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the targets are weakened.

Flourish: Attractive
Cost: 2 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the targets must spend an extra square of movement to enter a square farther from you.

Flourish: Movable
Cost: 2+ mark
Effect: Slide each target 1 square per two marks spent.

Flourish: Confusing
Cost: 3 marks
Effect: One target of your choice makes a basic attack against a target of your choice. You can have the target attack itself.

Flourish: Dazing
Cost: 3 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the targets are dazed.

Flourish: Denying
Cost: 3 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the targets cannot recharge powers.

Flourish: Lethal
Cost: 3 marks
Effect: The mark can be reduced to less than 1 hp with the knack. If the target is not reduced to less than 1 hp, you do not lose the use of this flourish, but the cost of the flourish is still applied to the attack. The lethality often takes the form of a freak fatal mishap.

Flourish: Magnetic
Cost: 4 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the target incurs a penalty to its attack roll against non-adjacent ally of yours equal to 1 plus half the number of squares between you and the ally.

Flourish: Retributive
Cost: 4 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, those targets will incur 5 hp/tier in damage whenever they hit a non-adjacent ally of yours with an attack power.

Flourish: Shielding
Cost: 4 marks
Effect: While the mark is active the damage those targets inflict on your allies is reduced by 5 hp/tier.

Flourish: Stunning
Cost: 6 marks
Effect: While the mark is active, the target is stunned

Flourish: Sustainable
Cost: Special
Effect: Choose one enemy other than the target that has a mark from you that will end at the end of this turn. That mark will last until the end of your next turn. This does not affect the mark you apply to the target. The cost of this flourish is equal to the cost of the flourish being sustained (but never less than 1 mark).

JINX ADVANCEMENT
Jinxes gain the following class features at 11th, 16th, 21st, 24th, and 30th level respectively: Jinx Action: At 11th level, you can use one action point every encounter. You can never have more than one action point, but that action point replenishes after a short rest.

Paragon Hijinks: At 16th Level, once per day, spend all of your remaining minor boosts as a standard action. Until the end of your next turn, whenever an ally you can see is hit by an attack, and you were a potentially valid target of the attack, you may choose to take the effect of the attack as if you were the target and has been hit. You may do this once for each minor boost spent. You must be conscious and not helpless to take the effect of an attack. You cannot choose to spend less than all your remaining minor boosts when you invoke this feature.

Better Lucky than Mobile: At 21st level, once per day, as a minor action, if you have used all your major boosts, you may choose to become immobilized until the end of your next turn. You may also apply a major boost to the next jinx knack you use. This boost must be applied in the encounter in which this class feature is invoked.

Lucky to Be Standing: At 24th level, once per day, when you are hit by an attack that would render you unconscious or helpless (even if due to loss of hp), you may spend a major boost as an immediate interrupt. You are not rendered unconscious or helpless until the end of your next turn.

Epic Hijinks: At 30th Level, once per day, spend all of your remaining major boosts as a standard action. Until the end of the encounter, as an immediate interrupt, when an ally is hit by a melee or ranged attack, you may shift a number of squares equal to double the number of major boosts you spent. Your shift must end in a square occupied by the triggering ally. When you occupy the ally’s square, the ally is pushed one square. You become the target of the triggering attack using the result of the die rolled by the triggering enemy.

FEATS
Jinxes’ feats are preselected. The character gains the benefit of this feat, even if the character would not otherwise qualify for the feat. The feats may be retrained per normal retraining rules. Any race entitled to a bonus feat may choose any feat for which the jinx qualifies. If that feat appears at a higher level on the jinx’s feat list, the jinx may select a new feat upon achieving that level. All feats are from the Players Handbook or Players Handbook 2. The feats that jinxes automatically gain are:

1st: Melee Training (Charisma)
2nd: Toughness
4th: Durable
6th: Jack of All Trades
8th: Timely Respite
10th: Improved Initiative
12th: Paragon Defenses*
14th: Evasion
16th: Mettle
18th: Agile Athlete
20th: Fleet-Footed
22nd: Epic Fortitude
24th: Unfettered Stride
26th: Epic Reflexes
28th: Triumphant Attack
30th: Epic Will
*It is recommended that you retrain this feat to Robust Defenses at 21st level.
Racial Preferences
The races that make the best jinxes include half-elves, hobgoblins, humans, tieflings, and revenants.

THE “AGGRAVATOR” AS A RETROFITTED JINX
If you do not want to play the jinx as a lucky character, but still want the simplicity of play of the class, it is easy to alter the jinx into a psionic class, which I’ve called the “Aggravator”. Make the following changes:

Constitution Primary: Change each instance of “Charisma” to “Constitution”.
Aggravator Flavor: Rename “Jinx” as “Aggravator”, “Hijinks” as “Aggravation”, and “knack” as “discipline”.
Psionic Class: Add the Implement, Psionic, and Psychic keywords to the aggravator’s discipline. Remove the Luck keyword. The discipline now inflicts psychic damage and may result in the death of the target without the need for the Lethal Flourish.
Psionic Implements: The aggravator uses orbs and staffs as implements. The aggravator does not gain the enhancement bonus listed in the description of the at-will power.

​

 

[Garthanos]

Not Smart Savant

LUCKY POWER 5: SAVANTS, THE LUCKY CONTROLLERS

This is the fifth in a series of blogs about a new power source I have developed called “Luck”.


In this blog, I will present the fourth of four classes for the Luck power source: Savants, the lucky controllers.

Savant
“Abracad— whoa!”

CLASS TRAITS
Role: Controller. You have no formal training in magic, no secret pact with an otherworldly being, no innate ability to draw upon the magic of the universe. You just like to fiddle with things, and sometimes fiddling causes things to happen, sometimes not what you wanted to happen.
Power Source: Luck. Your fiddling would result in nothing happening for anybody else, or perhaps they would fry themselves. Not you. Somehow, the fates smile on you and you can get implements and magic items to create remarkable effects.
Key Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence. Constitution doesn’t hurt either.

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged.
Implement: Daggers, Holy Symbol, Ki Focus, Orbs, Rods, Staffs, Tomes, Totems, Wands. Bonus to Defense: +2 to Fortitude.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 11 + Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5 Healing Surges per Day: 6 + Constitution Modifier.
Trained Skills: Arcane, History, Religion. Savants do not select additional skills, unless they get one as a result of a racial power (like human) or feat. If so, they may choose any skill in which to be trained. Savants who choose a Background that adds a new Skill to their list of Class Skills immediately replace one of their Trained Skills with the new Skill from their Background.

Class features: Weirdness, Savantry, Boosts, Flourishes, Savant Advancement

Savants can use any implements (other than weapons) that any other implement-using class can use. Although the Savant’s at-will power (Hocus Pocus) only has the Luck keyword, it gains a new keyword dependent on the implement the Savant uses. The new keyword should be related to the power source whose classes use that implement. For implements used by multiple sources (e.g., ki focuses, which are used by both shadowy assassins and psionic monks) the savant’s player may choose which keyword applies.

A savant’s player should have fun creatively describing the variety of effects that can be caused by the character. Savant powers are very broadly described, allowing for a vast variety of different visual manifestations. The savant’s player can also have fun choosing to have the savant be utterly unprepared for whatever effect is called. The character may decide to try a fiery spell, and the player decides that the spell summons writhing vines instead. Again, one of the advanced features of these classes is the division between player and character knowledge.

WEIRDNESS
Savants may use the wizard power Prestidigitation once per encounter as a standard action. Often the player will invoke this without the character’s choice to create the illusion that the character does not have control over his magic. A character may attempt an epic enchantment, or even a ritual, and end up creating only a shower of sparks or puff of smoke.

SAVANTRY
Savants get one class power: at at-will knack called “Hocus Pocus”. All of the other class features of the savant build off of this attack power. If a character would be entitled to take an additional at-will power for any reason (such as the human racial ability to take a bonus at-will power), the character instead gets an additional minor boost (see below).

The savant’s at-will power is unique in that it has an area of effect of “Burst 0”. This means one square in range will be affected. The “Burst 0” will be expanded by the use of boosts (see below).



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Hocus Pocus	Savant Attack Knack 1
Using your magic implement, you cause. . . something to happen.
At-Will ♦ Implement, Luck, Zone
Standard Action ♦ Area burst 0 within 10 squares
Target: All creatures in burst
Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex.
Hit: 1d8 + Intelligence modifier damage.
Effect: The area of the burst becomes a zone of difficult terrain until the end of your next turn.
Special: The knack gains a keyword of Arcane, Divine, Elemental, Primal, Psionic, or Shadow, depending on the nature of the implement used.
Level 21: The damage is increased to 2d8 + Intelligence modifier damage. If no boost or flourish is added to the attack, apply a power bonus of +5 to the damage inflicted by the attack.
Special: If the target would be reduced to less than 1 hp by the damage inflicted by the attack, the target takes no damage, but still incurs any other effects of the attack.

BOOSTS
Instead of choosing from an array of encounter and daily attack powers, savants get minor and major boosts that they apply to their savant knack. Savants who declare the use of a savant knack may also declare that one minor or major boost will apply to the power. A minor boost increases the damage of the attack by 1d8 per tier, the radius of the burst by 1 square +1 square/tier, and the range of the attack to within 15 squares. A major boost increases the damage of the attack by 1d8 + 1d8/tier, the radius of the boost by 1 squares +2 squares/tier, and the range of the attack to within 20 squares. Additionally, any knack to which a major boost is applied can be sustained until the end of the savant’s next turn with a minor action. Savants get 1 minor boost at 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 13th levels. Minor boosts replenish after a short rest. Savants get 1 major boost at 1st, 5th, 9th, and 15th levels. Major boosts replenish after an extended rest.

FLOURISHES
Instead of utilities, savants choose from a small selection of “flourishes”. Like boosts, the application of a flourish is announced when the savant declares the use of a knack. The savant reduces the radius of the knack by 1 or more squares in return for imposing an additional effect on the targets and on the zone creates by the knack. The area of the burst cannot be reduced to less than 1 by applications of flourishes (even though the knack has an area of burst 0 without any boosts applied to it.) Each flourish can be invoked once a day. A savant learns a new flourish at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 22nd, 26th, and 30th levels. Flourishes can be combined with boosts, but no application of a flourish can reduce the number of dice applied in an attack to less than 1. A savant can choose the same flourish multiple times, which allows the savant to use that flourish an additional time per day. One flourish can be retrained each time the savant increases a level, using the retraining rules.The flourishes from which a savant may choose are:
Flourish: Burning
Square Cost: 1
Hit: Attack causes fire damage
Zone: The knack gains the Fire keyword. Any creature that ends its turn in the zone takes fire damage equal to 5/tier

Flourish: Frightening
Square Cost: 1
Hit: Attack causes psychic damage and targets Will
Zone: The knack gains the Fear and Psychic keywords. Any creature that ends its turn in the zone is immobilized.

Flourish: Icy
Square Cost: 1
Hit: Attack causes cold damage
Zone: The knack gains the Cold keyword. Any creature that enters a square in the zone is knocked prone

Flourish: Loud
Square Cost: 1
Hit: Attack causes thunder damage and targets Fortitude
Zone: The knack gains the Thunder keyword. Any creature that enters or begins its turn within the zone is deafened until the end of its next turn.

Flourish: Shocking
Square Cost: 1
Hit: Attack causes lightning damage
Zone: The knack gains the Lightning keyword. At the end of your next turn, each creature in the zone takes 5 lightning damage per creature in the zone.

Flourish: Attractive
Square Cost: 1+
Hit: Target is pulled 1 square per square spent towards the center of the zone
Zone: Any creature that ends its turn in the zone is pulled 1 square per square spent towards the center of the zone.

Flourish: Devastating
Square Cost: 1+
Hit: Attack causes additional 1d8 damage for each square spent
Zone: The knack loses the Zone keyword and does not create a zone of difficult terrain.

Flourish: Blistering
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack causes acid damage and targets Fortitude
Zone: The knack gains the Acid keyword. Any creature that ends its turn in the zone takes ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends).

Flourish: Bright
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack causes radiant damage and targets Fortitude
Zone: The knack gains the Radiant keyword. Creatures are considered blinded while in the zone, and are denied any benefits of concealment.

Flourish: Confusing
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack causes psychic damage and targets Will
Zone: The knack gains the Charm and Psychic keywords. Any creature that ends its turn in the zone will make a basic attack against one of its own allies within reach as a free action.

Flourish: Dark
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack causes necrotic damage and targets Fortitude
Zone: The knack gains the Necrotic keyword. The zone is considered heavily obscured terrain.

Flourish: Dotted
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Target is slowed until the end of its next turn.
Zone: For each square within the burst choose a square within the area of your attack range (whether or not that square is within the burst. You attack the targets in these chosen squares, and do not attack the targets in the burst (unless they are also in a chosen square). These chosen squares act as hindering terrain until the end of your next turn, and not the burst (unless the square was also chosen).

Flourish: Expansive
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack targets Fortitude. Target is pushed 1 square form the center of the zone.
Zone: Any creature that starts its turn in the zone takes 1d8/tier damage. Each time the knack is sustained, the zone increases in size by 1.

Flourish: Forceful
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack causes force damage and targets Fortitude.
Zone: The attack gains the Force keyword. Ranged and area attacks from within the zone cannot target creatures outside the zone and vice versa.

Flourish: Grasping
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Target is grabbed while the zone is active. Attempts to escape the grab are opposed by your Arcane check.
Zone: Any creature that ends its turn in the zone is grabbed. Attempts to escape the grab are opposed by your Arcane check.

Flourish: Helpful
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Allies are not targeted by the attack
Zone: The knack gains the Healing keyword. An ally that ends its turn in the zone may spend a healing surge as a standard action.

Flourish: Noxious
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack causes poison damage and targets Fortitude.
Zone: The knack gains the Poison keyword. Any creature that begins its turn in the zone is weakened until the end of its next turn.

Flourish: Shuffling
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack targets Fortitude. Target is teleported to any unoccupied square in the zone.
Zone: The knack gains the Teleportation keyword. You teleport any creature than begins its turn in the zone to any unoccupied space in the zone.

Flourish: Walled
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Target pushed to nearest unoccupied space on the far side of the wall.
Zone: Instead of a burst, the knack’s area is a contiguous wall originating from within the range of the knack and occupying a number of squares equal to triple the diameter of the burst. Any creature that attempts to pass through the wall or ends its turn in the wall takes damage equal to double the wall’s length. Any creature that ends its turn adjacent to the wall takes damage equal to the wall’s length.

Flourish: Warding
Square Cost: 2
Hit: Attack targets Fortitude and does not target allies. The target is teleported to an unoccupied square adjacent to edge of the zone.
Zone: The attack gains the Teleportation keyword. Creatures may not teleport into or out of the zone.

Flourish: Stunning
Square Cost: 3
Hit: Attack targets Fortitude. Target is dazed until the end of its next turn.
Zone: Any creature that ends its turn in the zone is stunned until it saves. This flourish cannot be sustained.

SAVANT ADVANCEMENT
Savants gain the following class features at 11th, 16th, 21st, 24th, and 30th level respectively: Savant Action: At 11th level, you can use one action point every encounter. You can never have more than one action point, but that action point replenishes after a short rest.

Paragon Savantry: At 16th Level, once per day, spend all of your remaining minor boosts as a standard action. You create any non-magical material you desire, up to 100 lbs. per minor boost spent. This material will be of average workmanship and lasts until the end of the encounter or five minutes. You may also dismiss the material with a standard action. The material must appear within 10 squares of you. The material will not provide nourishment, oxygen, or slake one’s thirst and cannot be a consumable item such as antivenoms. The material will glow with the brightness of candlelight, and are thus immediately recognizable as having been magically generated.

Better Lucky than Safe: At 21st level, once per day, as a minor action, if you have used all your major boosts, you may choose to become vulnerable 10 to all damage until the end of your next turn. You may also apply a major boost to the next savant knack you use. This boost must be applied in the encounter in which this class feature is invoked.

Lucky to Be Around: At 24th level, once per day, you can spend a major boost as an immediate interrupt when you or an ally is hit with an attack that would render you or the ally helpless or unconscious. Make an implement-based Charisma attack against the vale of the attack roll that triggered the attack. If successful, the attack is considered a miss against its target. Describe your ability to counter the attack in an appropriately thematic way.

Epic Savantry: At 30th Level, once per day, spend all of your remaining major boosts as a standard action. Until the end of the encounter, when you apply a minor boost to your savant knack, you may apply as many flourishes as the major boosts you spend. The effects of the multiple flourishes are cumulative as are their costs, but if the flourishes contradict one another, neither applies. In addition, the zone created by such a knack may be sustained until the end of your next turn with a minor action.

FEATS
Savants’ feats are preselected. The character gains the benefit of this feat, even if the character would not otherwise qualify for the feat. The feats may be retrained per normal retraining rules. Any race entitled to a bonus feat may choose any feat for which the savant qualifies. If that feat appears at a higher level on the savant’s feat list, the savant may select a new feat upon achieving that level. All feats are from the Players Handbook or Players Handbook 2. The feats that savants automatically gain are:

1st: Ritual Caster
2nd: Implement Expertise (player’s choice)
4th: Jack of All Trades
6th: Alertness
8th: Timely Respite
10th: Melee Training (Charisma)
12th: Paragon Defenses*
14th: Danger Sense
16th: Fleet-Footed
18th: Mettle
20th: Evasion
22nd: Epic Will
24th: Quick Recovery
26th: Epic Reflexes
28th: Triumphant Attack
30th: Epic Fortitude
*It is recommended that you retrain this feat to Robust Defenses at 21st level.
Racial Preferences
The races that make the best savants include changelings, deva, eladrin, gnomes, humans, shades, shardminds, and tieflings

THE “MAGIC-USER” AS A RETROFITTED SAVANT
If you do not want to play the savant as a lucky character, but still want the simplicity of play of the class, it is easy to alter the savant into an arcane class, which I’ve called the “MAGIC-USER”. Make the following changes:

Intelligence Primary: Change each instance of “Charisma” to “Intelligence”.
Magic-User Flavor: Rename “Savant” as “Magic-User”, “Savantry” as “Magic-Use”, “knack” as “spell”, and “Luck” as “Arcane”.
Arcane Class: No keyword is added to the Hocus-Pocus spell based on the magic-user’s implement.
Arcane Implements: The magic-user can only use daggers, orbs, rods, staffs, and wands as implements.

​

 

[Garthanos]

LUCKY POWER 6: HYBRIDS AND MULTICLASSING
This is the sixth in a series of blogs about a new power source I have developed called “Luck”.


In this blog, I will present rules for hybrids and multiclassing Lucky classes.

General Rules
When a lucky class combines as a hybrid or multiclasses with another lucky class, the class may pool the boosts that each class receives. However, flourishes may only be applied to the at-will power for the class related to that flourish.

Hybrid versions of and multiclass feats for the retrofitted classes (thief, healer, aggravator, and magic-user) are not provided. The retrofitted classes exist for those who don’t want the added roleplay of the lucky power sources, but still want the simplified mechanics. The complexity of hybrids and multiclassing is antithetical to that design goal. However, for those who want a hybrid or multiclass version of these retrofitted classes, it would not be hard to apply the same retrofitting guidelines given for the lucky class to its hybrid version and multiclass feats.

When hybridizing with a class from a non-lucky power source, a minor boost is treated as if it were an encounter attack power, a major boost is treated as if it were a daily attack power, and a flourish is treated as if it were a utility power for purposes of choosing powers at each level of play.

The hybrid versions of lucky classes do not receive any of the features listed in the class features Buffoonish Advancement, Jinx Advancement, Mascot Advancement, or Savant Advancement. Rather, hybrid classes may take Paragon Paths and Epic Destinies for which they qualify, even if the character combines hybrid versions of two lucky classes. Please note that hybrid lucky classes can never have more than four minor boosts and four major boosts.

Unlike other lucky classes, hybrid lucky classes do not have preselected feats. Rather, they choose feats as normal, and may only choose feats for which they are qualified. There are no feats made specifically for the lucky power source, so feats will either be generic, or related to the hybrid class with which the lucky class is combined.

Hybrids

HYBRID BUFFOON
Class Traits
Role: Striker.
Power Source: Luck.
Key Abilities: Charisma, Dexterity.

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide; light shields.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, military melee, simple ranged, military ranged.
Bonus to Defense: +2 to Fortitude

Hit Points at 1st Level: 7+ Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 3
Healing Surges per Day: 3.5

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Thievery (Dex).

Class features: None

Suggested Combinations
Hybrid buffoons combine well with other classes that use Charisma and Dexterity, particularly strikers. Rogues are an obvious choice and provide good synergies. However, an even better combination is the sorcerer and the assassin. Other feasible combinations include warlocks, monks, and avengers. (A hybrid buffoon/avenger dedicated to Avandra would play very well.)

HYBRID JINX
Class Traits
Role: Defender.
Power Source: Luck.
Key Abilities: Charisma, Constitution

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide; heavy shields, light shields.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged.
Bonus to Defense: +2 to Reflex.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 7.5+ Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 3
Healing Surges per Day: 4.5

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str_, Endurance (Con).

Class features: Jinx’ Luck (Hybrid)

Jinx’ Luck (Hybrid)
While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use your Constitution modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier to determine your AC.

Suggested Combinations
A jinx’ best fit is with the psionic battlemind class, both thematically and harmoniously with the classes’ roles and primary attributes. Other good combinations include wardens, warlocks, and ardents.

HYBRID MASCOT
Class Traits
Role: Leader.
Power Source: Luck.
Key Abilities: Charisma, Wisdom

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather, hide, chainmail; heavy shields, light shields.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged.
Bonus to Defense: +1 to Fortitude and Reflex.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 6+ Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 2.5
Healing Surges per Day: 3.5

Class Skills: Heal (Wis), Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis).

Suggested Combinations
Mascots have two ideal combinations: clerics and ardents. However, paladins and psions can also make strong combinations with the mascot.

HYBRID SAVANT
Class Traits
Role: Controller.
Power Source: Luck.
Key Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth.
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple melee, simple ranged.
Bonus to Defense: +2 to Fortitude.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 5.5+ Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 2.5
Healing Surges per Day: 3

Class Skills: Arcane (Int), History (Int), Religion (Int).

Class features: Weirdness (Hybrid)

Weirdness (Hybrid)
You may use the wizard power Prestidigitation once per encounter as a standard action. Often the player will invoke this without the character’s choice to create the illusion that the character does not have control over his magic. A character may attempt an epic enchantment, or even a ritual, and end up creating only a shower of sparks or puff of smoke.

Suggested Combinations
Savants combine best with Psions. However, with a little work, savants can also be combined to make lucky bards, warlocks, warlords, and wizards.
[h=1]Multiclassing[/h]The following multiclassing feats allow a character to multiclass with a class form the lucky power source.

Acolyte’s Luck (Multiclass Utility)
Prerequisite: Any multiclass feat specific to a lucky class, 8th level
Benefit: You can swap one utility power you know for one flourish of the same level or lower from a lucky class you multiclassed into.

Adept’s Luck (Multiclass Daily)
Prerequisite: Any multiclass feat specific to a lucky class, 10th level
Benefit: You can swap one daily attack power you know for a major boost. You cannot increase the number of major boosts you possess above four.

Beginner’s Luck (Multiclass Encounter)
Prerequisite: Any multiclass feat specific to a lucky class, 4th level
Benefit: You can swap one encounter attack power you know for a minor boost. You cannot increase the number of minor boosts you possess above four.

Cheerleader (Multiclass Mascot)
Prerequisite: Cha 13, Wis 13
Benefit: You gain training in the Heal skill. You gain the ability to use the Cheer at-will knack as an encounter power.

Danger Hovers (Multiclass Jinx)
Prerequisite: Cha 13, Con 13
Benefit: You gain training in the Endurance skill. You gain the ability to use the Near Hijinks at-will knack as an encounter power.

Danger Lurks (Multiclass Jinx)
Prerequisite: Cha 13, Con 13
Benefit: You gain training in the Endurance skill. You gain the ability to use the Far Hijinks at-will knack as an encounter power.

Lucky Charm (Multiclass Mascot)
Prerequisite: Cha 13, Wis 13
Benefit: You gain training in the Heal skill. You gain the ability to use the Trash Talk at-will knack as an encounter power.

Rake’s Bravado (Multiclass Buffoon)
Prerequisite: Cha 13, Dex 13
Benefit: You gain training in the Acrobatics skill. You gain the ability to use the buffoonery at-will knack as an encounter power.

Touch of Strangeness (Multiclass Savant)
Prerequisite: Cha 13, Int 13
Benefit: You gain training in the Arcane skill. You gain the ability to use the Hocus Pocus at-will knack as an encounter power. In addition, you can wield savant implements.
[h=1]Paragon Multiclassing[/h]A character that has taken one of the lucky multiclassing feats, as well as Acolyte’s Luck, Adept’s Luck, and Beginner’s Luck before 11th level may choose to “paragon multiclass” the lucky class into which they have multiclassed rather than choosing a paragon path.

A character who chooses a lucky class as a paragon multiclass gains the following benefits:
At-Will: At 11th level, you lose the use of one of your class’ at-will powers. You gain the use of all the luck class’ at-will powers. (Most lucky classes have only one at-will.)

Encounter: At 11th level, you gain another minor boost.

Utility: At 12th level, you learn a flourish from your paragon multiclass.

Daily: At 20th level, you gain another daily boost.

Well, that’s all folks. I hope you find the lucky power source as much fun to play as it was for me to design. Please let me know if you use these classes and how well they play. Thanks for reading!

 

[Garthanos]

Personally I tend to argue that most heros partake of Luck,

I have specifically taken and built the incompetant fighter for the Joxers and Jar Jars out there, purely by reflavoring a normal if versatile fighter.

 

[Garthanos]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?278997-Building-Xena-Gabrielle-Joxer-and-Callisto

 

[Garthanos]

I think the pre-selected feats are an interesting simplifier.

 

[Rolenet]

While I really doubt that anybody would ever use those rules (especially over 30 levels!), they contain many inspiration ideas for simplifying classes.
That said, I have a very hard time considering 4e as complex in anyway, except for the odd sneaky rule (e.g. the PHB Fighter's superiority, or pre-errata flight). And I would find it very bland to have a single at-will with "modifiers".