Which Classes Need Quick Fixes, And What Do You Recommend?

[airwalkrr]

A number of classes are problematic for various reasons, some moreso than others. Which classes do you think are problematic (either too weak or too powerful), for what reasons, and what quick fixes (i.e. those that require very little conversion) do you recommend to fix them? Here is my quick list.

Marshal: Too powerful because it is too good for a dip class for any character with a high charisma, especially those that do not depend on spellcasting (paladin I'm looking at you).
Quick Fix: Cap the minor aura bonus to no more than a character's levels in marshal.

Soulknife: Too weak because it has difficulty keeping up with other martial classes.
Quick Fix: Good base attack bonus.

Barbarian: Too tempting of a dip class for almost any melee-focused character with a non-lawful alignment because rage is so powerful.
Quick Fix: Reduce rage to +2 Str, +2 Con, and +1 to Will saves until 6th level, when it gains normal benefit.

Samurai: Too weak because his abilities do not complement his fighting ability enough.
Quick Fix: Make kiai smite advance as a paladin's smite evil. Grant Improved Two Swords as One at 6th level and Greater Two Swords as One at 11th level. Give him ninja's sudden strike ability at reduced progression (4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th level) to take better advantage of Iaijutsu Master and Improved Initiative.

Monk: Too weak at low levels partly due to multiple ability dependency (MAD) and partly due to low damage but just about right at high levels. A low-level monk simply lacks specialty in anything at low levels and is not as good at avoiding damage as at high levels.
Quick Fix: Allow a monk to use flurry of blows as a standard action to create a niche ability (but no extra iterative attacks). Good base attack (the ranger gets it, why not the monk).

Swashbuckler: Too weak because it simply cannot deal damage without a prestige class like whirling dervish.
Quick Fix: Get rid of grace and just give it a good Reflex save. Grant sneak attack at reduced progression (4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th) to help add damage.

Hexblade: Too weak because of multiple ability dependency (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma is too much).
Quick Fix: Grant medium armor proficiency. Give heavy shields at 6th level and heavy armor at 8th level to reduce dependence on Dexterity. Allow armored casting (spells are so weak it isn't that great of a benefit). Alternately, simply allow hexblades to learn any sorcerer/wizard spell.

 

[kirstar]

I disagree on some of those,

But warlock, warmage , other unlimted casting clasees.

Quickfix ban them

 

[trav_laney]

Cleric: too front-loaded for my tastes.
Quick Fix: clerics only get one domain at 1st level. They get a 2nd domain at 10th level.

Paladin: I've always thought it was shortsighted to think that only the gods who have Lawful Good followers could have divine champions.
Quick Fix: IMC, paladins may be of any alignment but their alignment must match that of their deity exactly. Evil paladins (or neutral paladins who channel negative energy) cast their spells from the Blackguard list, rebuke the undead instead of turn them, smite good instead of evil, inflict damage instead of heal it with their Lay on Hands ability, and cause disease instead of cure it.

Samurai: I agree with your assessment on all counts.
Quick Fix: Replace this class with a modified ranger. Replace Favored Enemy with the paladin's smite ability, replace Track with Exotic Weapon (katana), and replace Endurance with Quick Draw.

(Actually, instead of a quick fix, I'm rebuilding this class from the ground up. Suggestions and critique are welcomed at this thread.) /shameless self-promotion

Warmage: Good grief, what a mess.
Quick Fix: use the variant sorcerer in UA, with higher hit dice and BAT and fewer spells per day. Allow them to cast spells in light armor without risk of ASF (as a bard). Call it a "warmage."

 

[airwalkrr]

Samurai: I agree with your assessment on all counts.
Quick Fix: Replace this class with a modified ranger. Replace Favored Enemy with the paladin's smite ability, replace Track with Exotic Weapon (katana), and replace Endurance with Quick Draw.

I don't see d8 HD, 6 skill points per level, and the wilderness skills as matching a samurai really. If anything, the samurai should be based more on the paladin. Although I agree the samurai probably needs complete rebuilding, quick fixes are sometimes the best.

 

[Bagpuss]

Warmage: Good grief, what a mess.

I think the idea of the warmage is they are like an artillery piece, so they are still vulnerable and useless in melee. Personally I don't think they are that much of a mess.

Sorcerers - Lack of stuff to give up when they take a prestige class, need something like the bonus feats wizards miss out on, or better Hit Dice or more skill points or something. Give them 4 skill points a level since they aren't stuck studying spellbooks for their abilities. Add Bluff, and Diplomacy as class skills, since with a high Charisma and not being stuck in a library they probably associate with people more.

 

[Greg K]

Sorcerer: Currently, there is no incentive to not switch to a PrC at the earliest opportunity.

Eschew Materials: At level 1
Bonus Metamagic feats: The sorcerer gains a bonus metamagic feat at 5th level and each additional five levels (10th,15th,20th).

Additional class skill: Use Magical Device. (Sorcerers are innately magical so it makes more sense for them to have this skill than it does a rogue).

Option: at first level, the Sorcerer may substitute either diplomacy or intimidate for bluff as a class skill. (Some sorcerers are more diplomatic or intimidating than gifted liars).

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I dont really see any of the base classes as weak or too powerful. Built right any Class could be broken or crappy.

Though i do think Fighters should get a bonus feat every level as a special feature, and have more Fighter Only feats and Sorcerers should get a bonus metamagic feat at the same rate the Wizard gets bonus Item Creation Feats.

I did for awhile allow Clerics to take a Bonus Divine Feat every 4 levels. I might bring that bakc in my next game though.

 

[Aust Diamondew]

I'd recommend boosting the marshall's BAB to match the fighter's BAB too.
Otherwise its just a weak class to stay in (good fix for the 1 level dip into it though).

 

[airwalkrr]

Option: at first level, the Sorcerer may substitute either diplomacy or intimidate for bluff as a class skill. (Some sorcerers are more diplomatic or intimidating than gifted liars).

Oh good idea! I had often thought about adjusting a sorcerer's skills, but giving them an option is a great variant that never even occured to me!

 

[airwalkrr]

I did for awhile allow Clerics to take a Bonus Divine Feat every 4 levels. I might bring that bakc in my next game though.

Because clerics are just, like, so weak you know. I mean seriously, why would anyone play a cleric?

Sarcasm aside, I understand the desire to encourage a player to play the base class. As it is, losing turn undead is often not much of a loss, especially if the player already has a divine feat that gives him an alternative use for his turn undead. One fix I thought of (though have never used) is basing his number of turn undead attempts per day on level. Give it the same progression as rage and don't award bonus turn attempts for Charisma. That would make divine feats less useful (read: occassionally overpowering) for those entering prestige classes.

Another blanket rule that I have often heard of is simply charging each prestige class at least one caster level. If it is a 3 or 5 level PrC, then make the first level grant no spellcasting. If it is a 10 level PrC, then make the 1st and 6th level grant no spellcasting.