Post by streamofthesky on Aug 19, 2008 21:33:32 GMT -5
Well, people have seemed to like my Fighter changes, and in fact I made alterations for most classes. But thus far only Fighter has been changed. I figure all the classes that I gave straight out boosts to (generally noncasters) are potentially acceptable without wildly altering the game or making people upset. All classes I nerfed (mostly casters) -- the world may not be ready. 
So, for barbarian , I made two simple additions. First, I adding a line to Tireless Rage and secondly I added "paths" (this was pre-4E, so shut up) that the Barbarian could choose from for extra class features, sort of like Ranger's weapon style.
• The Tireless Rage ability also allows Rage to be used multiple times per encounter.
• Barbarian “Paths”: These represent an area of focused study for the Barbarian and one path is chosen at 4th level. The paths are:
Forsaker: You devote yourself to the elimination of all or certain spellcasters, learning abilities to negate their powers and inflict extra harm. You see no paradox in using magic items, created by the objects of your hatred, to facilitate in slaying them.
5th level - Spellbane Roar (Su): If you are aware of a spell being cast (either by sound and/or sight) you may, as an immediate action, expend one of your daily uses of Rage to negate the casting, as if it had been successfully counterspelled. You may use this ability in the middle of an existing rage, and do not suffer any ill effects from normal rage use from this ability (like being fatigued). While you must be able to shout to use the ability, the spellcaster need not hear or be aware of your roar.
11th level - Mage Slayer: Spellcasters you threaten are unable to cast spells. Also, if you ready an attack to disrupt a spell from being cast, you may take a 5-foot step as part of the readied action to follow a caster who 5-foot steps away from you, if you prepared the ready action while threatening him. This does not count against your allowed movement or your regular 5-foot step for the round. A spellcaster is aware that he is unable to cast while you threaten him, and also that you can follow him if he 5-foot steps away from your readied attack.
17th level – Turning Roar (Su): When using your Spellbane Roar ability, not only do you prevent the spell from being cast, you also turn the spell against the caster. If the spell was beneficial, it instead targets or centers on the Barbarian. If the spell was harmful, it targets or centers on the caster. In any case where the relative “harmfulness” is questionable (undead cleric casting inflict serious wounds, for instance), the spell is simply countered as normal, unless the Barbarian successfully identifies the spell with a Spellcraft check, in which case he determines what happens.
Totem Warrior: You find a special connection to nature and realize it through a bond with an Animal Companion.
4th level – Animal Companion: You gain an animal companion, as a Ranger (Druid level 3 lower than your Barbarian level). You do not gain any other abilities, although your companion does progress as you gain Barbarian levels. Also, the Share Spells feature is replaced by Share Rage. Any time you enter Rage, your companion can as well, as long as it is within 30 ft of you, gaining all the same benefits and drawbacks until it ends, is ended by you, or the companion is separated from you by more than 30 ft.
Tyrant: You adhere to the old adage -- it is better to be feared than loved. Or perhaps you like the rush of power felt when making those around you tremble.
5th level – Enveloping Dread: When making an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent, you can make a check against every creature you threaten, not just one. Also, if you use Intimidate while in a Rage, the effects persist for the duration of the Rage, if that duration would be longer than the standard.
11th level – Terror Stricken: As a standard action, you may make a single melee attack roll. If it deals damage to the opponent, you may make a free Intimidate check, adding your damage dealt as a bonus to the check. If you succeed by 20 or more, the opponent is demoralized by two steps instead of one (frightened instead of shaken).
17th level – Feed off Fears (Su): The intoxication of power felt from making those around you cower gives you greater strength to fight on. You gain 1d10 temporary hit points for each creature you successfully demoralize in combat. The hit points last for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your charisma modifier, and you can at no time have more bonus hit points than 10 x your charisma modifier.
*special note: part of my houserules was giving rangers the 3.0 animal companion rules of level -3, feel free to also use that.
So...what do people think? Adopt, or don't adopt? Adam and Lucas, I think you were both there, one of the first dungeons I ran in leastra. It had the two half-ogre twins and the human cleric/monk, one of the half-ogres, Thrak, a cheap knockoff of Hulk Hogan. If you can remember how the fight went, one half-ogre barb had the forsaker path (and used spellbane roar), and Thrak was of the tyrant path.
So, for barbarian , I made two simple additions. First, I adding a line to Tireless Rage and secondly I added "paths" (this was pre-4E, so shut up) that the Barbarian could choose from for extra class features, sort of like Ranger's weapon style.
• The Tireless Rage ability also allows Rage to be used multiple times per encounter.
• Barbarian “Paths”: These represent an area of focused study for the Barbarian and one path is chosen at 4th level. The paths are:
Forsaker: You devote yourself to the elimination of all or certain spellcasters, learning abilities to negate their powers and inflict extra harm. You see no paradox in using magic items, created by the objects of your hatred, to facilitate in slaying them.
5th level - Spellbane Roar (Su): If you are aware of a spell being cast (either by sound and/or sight) you may, as an immediate action, expend one of your daily uses of Rage to negate the casting, as if it had been successfully counterspelled. You may use this ability in the middle of an existing rage, and do not suffer any ill effects from normal rage use from this ability (like being fatigued). While you must be able to shout to use the ability, the spellcaster need not hear or be aware of your roar.
11th level - Mage Slayer: Spellcasters you threaten are unable to cast spells. Also, if you ready an attack to disrupt a spell from being cast, you may take a 5-foot step as part of the readied action to follow a caster who 5-foot steps away from you, if you prepared the ready action while threatening him. This does not count against your allowed movement or your regular 5-foot step for the round. A spellcaster is aware that he is unable to cast while you threaten him, and also that you can follow him if he 5-foot steps away from your readied attack.
17th level – Turning Roar (Su): When using your Spellbane Roar ability, not only do you prevent the spell from being cast, you also turn the spell against the caster. If the spell was beneficial, it instead targets or centers on the Barbarian. If the spell was harmful, it targets or centers on the caster. In any case where the relative “harmfulness” is questionable (undead cleric casting inflict serious wounds, for instance), the spell is simply countered as normal, unless the Barbarian successfully identifies the spell with a Spellcraft check, in which case he determines what happens.
Totem Warrior: You find a special connection to nature and realize it through a bond with an Animal Companion.
4th level – Animal Companion: You gain an animal companion, as a Ranger (Druid level 3 lower than your Barbarian level). You do not gain any other abilities, although your companion does progress as you gain Barbarian levels. Also, the Share Spells feature is replaced by Share Rage. Any time you enter Rage, your companion can as well, as long as it is within 30 ft of you, gaining all the same benefits and drawbacks until it ends, is ended by you, or the companion is separated from you by more than 30 ft.
Tyrant: You adhere to the old adage -- it is better to be feared than loved. Or perhaps you like the rush of power felt when making those around you tremble.
5th level – Enveloping Dread: When making an Intimidate check to demoralize an opponent, you can make a check against every creature you threaten, not just one. Also, if you use Intimidate while in a Rage, the effects persist for the duration of the Rage, if that duration would be longer than the standard.
11th level – Terror Stricken: As a standard action, you may make a single melee attack roll. If it deals damage to the opponent, you may make a free Intimidate check, adding your damage dealt as a bonus to the check. If you succeed by 20 or more, the opponent is demoralized by two steps instead of one (frightened instead of shaken).
17th level – Feed off Fears (Su): The intoxication of power felt from making those around you cower gives you greater strength to fight on. You gain 1d10 temporary hit points for each creature you successfully demoralize in combat. The hit points last for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your charisma modifier, and you can at no time have more bonus hit points than 10 x your charisma modifier.
*special note: part of my houserules was giving rangers the 3.0 animal companion rules of level -3, feel free to also use that.
So...what do people think? Adopt, or don't adopt? Adam and Lucas, I think you were both there, one of the first dungeons I ran in leastra. It had the two half-ogre twins and the human cleric/monk, one of the half-ogres, Thrak, a cheap knockoff of Hulk Hogan. If you can remember how the fight went, one half-ogre barb had the forsaker path (and used spellbane roar), and Thrak was of the tyrant path.
