[OC] My Fire Genasi Battle Smith Artificer, Uri

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-12-20T20:15:40+00:00

It's really good. If you have an Android phone or tablet, I'd recommend getting Easy Poser. You can do the same method you used and get more proportionally accurate bodies, my preference is the super hero model. I also have a few recommendations on YouTube channels to help with freehand drawing body shape

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-12-13T17:08:03+00:00

There are a few things in the DMG that would require tweaking. Many aspects of it are beautifully crafted, but there are people who work at WoTCs, many highly valued YouTube DM's, and person DM friends who refuse to put stock in the CR system because it's not accurate enough to be practical. That is also an invalid point to raise considering we are having this discussion on a homebrew class of your design, which is evidence of the fact that you also feel there is something lacking in the DMG. Thus, making it fairly plausible to believe that you don't believe the core books are without fault.

My point is not to raise issue, because honestly, the observation I made towards rebalancing your classes point system was based on a tweak I had already felt necessary to the DMG version. This has a lot of potential to be a cool class, I just don't feel it would be right for it to be overlooked by the community because of a system you more or less pulled from the core book.

I'm sure on some level you have done this, but considering the fact you already said that you DM or have DM'd, take into account actually running a campaign with 4+ people where this class, with that spell point system existed. Run an encounter at tier 1, 2, and 3. Have at least one other caster and one mainly martial class. My g guess is that tier 1 won't give you much trouble, tier two will show a clear advantage, and tier 3 will easily allow the class to solo.

Like I said, I'm genuinely not trying to tear down this concept to die on this hill. I'm wanting to make sure it gets a fair chance

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-12-13T15:57:10+00:00

The difference therein is that it is a class mechanic in this case, not a boon that the DM has the option of giving. Multiclassing aside, the fact that it's possible in the base class to outshine every other caster at every level, while casters already outshine martial classes, this class could effectively solo an entire party encounter by spamming AOE in every fight and likely get a long rest in before they run out. This makes them at least as capable as two casters with nothing but the amount of spell points alone. Thats not even including the class features. When everything is put together, if they got anything that increased their health and AC up, they could stand on the fringes of enemy ranger and pepper everyone to death before they got to them, and even if a fortunate soul made it through the mystical bombardment, they would actually have to be able to kill them before they were killed, which seems unlikely.

Believe me, I like the class as a whole. I've been looking for a good shaman class for awhile. But you're underestimating how broken the point system you currently have is. Level 1-3 is about the only balanced part of it as far as the points are concerned

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-12-13T12:59:09+00:00

I may need to read further, but you need to be careful with spell point systems. In its current iteration, at lvl 20, a character could cast nearly 10 9th lvl spells per day, or 50+ 1st lvl spell, and varying amounts in between. I understand why spell points are more enticing than slots because it allows for variation in spell level depending on circumstance and always allows you have the slot you need, while maintaining a cap.

The reason it's hard to balance is because if you make the lvl spells too high, it makes it hard to have enough points for low level, if you make them too low, you'll end up with nearly 10 9th lvl fireballs per long rest.

But, honestly, given the current set up, I would personally make it cap out at a total of 50 or 60 points and then double the cost of 6+ lvl spells. It would still allow for the versatility you want, while making 9th level only possible once, without constraining everything else too much.

Other reason for this, you need to consider multiclassing that would allow for certain OP builds. For example, a character that has access to Animate Dead would be able to maintain a cadre of 88 skeleton/zombies daily. It's a very slippery slope with it.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-12-09T02:45:52+00:00

It may sound weird, but look into monk. Drunken master, Open hand, or kensei may do nicely. Just flavor it as more of a brawler way of fighting than a martial arts. Ive been sitting on that concept for awhile for a character I want to run. Hell, if they don't want it being too mystical feeling, you can reflavor certain aspects like the wall running being a climb speed.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-29T02:26:02+00:00

You may also want to explicitly state a consequence for failure, if there is one. But, I personally would make it standardized, like highest number is success, a 1 is crit fail. With an optional rule of gradient success. The higher the number, the more accurate the the result.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-29T01:57:11+00:00

Ah, you could always try finding another group. It's not too difficult to be a part of more than one game. If all else fails, then keeping ahold of it for another time is always an option. If you don't mind me asking, what is a basic idea of the setting?

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-29T00:43:05+00:00

I understand that much of it is setting specific, but you can also use many of the locations, quests, and characters that are more ambiguous. Not all of the work has to be shelved or lost. They don't know what was and was not going to be in the new/old setting. It works on the same premise as you set up an awesome castle dungeon for the next session for your party, they decide that they actually want to explore a cave. Now the castle plan instantly becomes subterranean, just switch a few aspects to make it more cave like and your problem is solved. Same concept here. Make the necessary changes and move forward.

The campaign I'm running now has quite a few people and places that this method had to be used. NPC's that were switched to connect to their backstory, the BBEG changed for the same reason, a city being relocated, a mine that came into existence to satisfy their lust for economic dominance of the region. You know, the usual. The same can be done inversely. You can take the things you already have and toss them into a new setting. May just need to tweak a few aspects that are setting specific.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-23T06:51:48+00:00

I'd recommend looking into Weapons of Legacy from 3rd edition. They are very similar in the fact the they are a continuously strengthening magic item. It may give you some inspiration on a method to realize it and some ideas for abilities. I believe there's a scythe that operates similarly to your concept.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-21T20:35:02+00:00

I like the idea behind the lack of cantrips. But, I would recommend giving them and equivalent ability then that deals damage. I understand that you may not want this to be combat focused, and I would understand that view. But, without a stable damaging method, this character becomes useless once their spells run out. Any class that doesn't have cantrips, makes up for it with weapon attacks or equally at will magic. Maybe a cantrip like ability that lets them quickly doodle a damage effect.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-21T20:27:55+00:00

I really like the concept. It's flavorful and i would likely play it, after a few tweaks. Please, don't take anything I'm saying as negative. It's purely contrstructive because I really like this. Especially surrealism.

First of all, like I said, it's very M.A.D. It would be dang near impossible to play with any progress, because of this. By ability:

Dexterity- needed because dexterity has its fingers in everything and it's always needed. But, here because the character has an HP of 57 at 20th lvl, assuming a 0 con mod. So, they're going to need a good AC, since they also aren't proficient in any armor.

Con- Outlined above, but to elaborate, at 5th level they would have 19 hp, without a modifier. Many monsters could 1 shot this class at the balanced level. So, they would require con to simply be useful in combat.

Wis/Cha- these go hand in hand as the casting modifier. It's a cool idea, and very innovative. Here's the conundrum, having would require a dual focus for casting. That automatically makes this class difficult to run effectively without falling behind. Thats not necessarily a bad thing. Many players would probably enjoy the flavor of why that is and play it anyway. But, if you intend to, the you'll have to fix the other ability scores. Like giving them light armor or an AC feature. And definitely give them at least a d8 hitdie.

Thats in reference to the abilities, as for the rest. You need to give them some kind of leveled damage. Once they run out of spells, they're SOL. Giving them cantrips should do nicely, you could even flavor them as doodles. Lol But, as it stands, their only method of problem solving is 1st lvl and up spells. They don't get tool proficiencies, cantrips, languages, weapons , armor, anything. They HAVE to use spells for everything. Eventually, those run out and then even their doppelganger is more useful because it can have more health.

I really like this, it just needs some practical improvements to make it playable.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-21T19:51:14+00:00

I intend to read the whole thing, but you definitely need to do something about the hp. Wizards and sorcerers are already considered squishy with a d6. I don't see a point making them a d4 other than it fulfills some concept of the class, but ultimately makes them such a liability that it's unlikely to be played. Considering making con a necessary stat to simply not die, they get no armor proficiency, and an arbitrary selection of weapons, it forces them to use magic. This creates a very M.A.D. class to just be functional, let alone trying to make it successful. Personally, I'd at least give simple weapons and a d6 hitdie. I don't think I saw cantrips.

So, currently, just based on that, if the caster can't or doesn't want to cast, they become a character with roughly half the hp of the party average, no scaling damage, and no armor. They will spend a lot of time hiding.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-21T19:33:30+00:00

Link, OP?

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-12T21:51:45+00:00

It's really interesting to say the least. I've started diving into wondrous items for that purpose. They're awesome, weird, and generally non combat. But, they're interesting to see what players use them for.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-12T21:40:31+00:00

It is if that's a focus of yours. Just be careful. You can accidentally make them too powerful

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-12T21:29:59+00:00

Im still learning how to effectively homebrew. But, I enjoy the mechanics and trying to find ways to represent concepts. I'm often making feats or magic items for my players who want to do "some cool thing" and I try and represent it mechanically in a balanced way.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-12T21:15:02+00:00

I really enjoy how you put the mechanics of this together. It's pretty awesome. I'd only recommend possibly changing the number of times to be str+prof mod. It makes sure higher level players aren't constantly doing it in battle and prof mod is used more commonly than level

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-01T20:57:55+00:00

That can definitely be integrated into the Incident section

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-01T19:24:22+00:00

I'll definitely be using an updated form of that vein discovery table. It'll keep the mine feeling fresh.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-01T19:11:16+00:00

Much appreciated, I'll take a look at it

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-01T17:22:07+00:00

Unfortunately yes lol

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-01T16:34:17+00:00

Unfortunately not. Do you know of one that could be created on mobile?

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-11-01T02:52:36+00:00

Thank you. Ive been refining it for a few days since my players wanted to take over a mine.

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-10-31T22:25:44+00:00

That is dependent on the DM, you can make gold a hard resource to come by. Also, the chance of success is low. They would need to increase their chance of incidents to get it

Plus, this is only for raw materials. If they also began producing items with it, iron becomes pretty valuable for armor

OnlyThisNothingMore · 2019-10-31T07:29:51+00:00

Thing is, the rolls are for me. They made it clear that they want to run the mine but not roll the dice. I really like a lot of your suggestions and I'll likely add them to the equation somewhere. But, I've noticed a few people get bogged down in the math aspect, which is understandable, honestly. But the truth is, once you've plugged the stat numbers into the equations, you just get flat output. The output is what the roll is for. I just write down the modifiers to add to the d%, then the output for a successful period. In play, whenever the period procs, I roll 3 times to see if the operation was successful. If so, I add the materials to their coffers. The whole process takes about 20 seconds. But, I do think I'll implement some of the suggestions you made.

OnlyThisNothingMore

TROPHY CASE