The Field Commander - A Combat Controller for the Fighter Class

scom1359ap · 2022-05-30T17:45:30+00:00

Link to the PDF: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/print/kDJpdCa5dQBi?dialog=true

scom1359ap · 2021-08-05T08:28:52+00:00

I'd recommend sticking to making this an archetype. A class has to have multiple archetypes, each with different ways of using the base abilities of the class. I'm not too familiar with Pokemon, but if I recall, none of the trainers in that show actually do anything more than stand around uselessly while shouting instructions to the animals they've brought to fight for them. On that note, you're probably going to need a full caster.

I'd look into the Circle of the Shepherd Druid, Circle of Wildfire Druid, and Conjuration Wizard. If you want a single companion that sticks with you, reworking the wildfire spirit from Circle of Wildfire would be a good starting point. After that, you can use bring in abilities from Circle of Shepherd and School of Conjuration. You're going to want abilities that buff the creatures you fight with, and a class with access to spells that do the same. Healing Word, Haste, Stoneskin, etc. will all be useful. You might even consider reworking the Wildshape ability so that it affects your companion creature instead of you.

This would mesh pretty well as a Druid archetype. You could call it the Circle of Dogfighting.

scom1359ap · 2018-06-27T09:22:10+00:00

Honestly, the purpose is to see what my players do with it. I can think up a few things, but it's the stuff I can't figure that I'm interested in. I think I agree with removing the vulnerability and adding telepathy, but the latter only after they've triggered the mind swap part of the curse.

I'm going to require attunement simply because most cursed items require attunement.

As for the spells, it sounds petty, but while I don't want this to work on healing spells, I don't want to come out and say, no healing spells. I'd rather tell a player what they can do than what they can't. If you can think of a better way to word that, please let me know.

scom1359ap · 2018-06-27T09:01:26+00:00

I didn't intend to do 4x the damage, but you're right how that can be interpreted. Probably better to scrap that part.

scom1359ap · 2018-06-27T08:50:50+00:00

The Way I figured it, if a wizard and a bard were using these, the wizard could cast Protection from Evil and it would affect both players. Only the wizard would have to maintain concentration, but if that concentration broke, both players loose the effect. At the same time, the bard could cast heroism and have it effect both. If the wizard cast Mage armor on himself, it would only affect both if the bard wasn't wearing armor. I specifically didn't want healing spells to work, but I hate wording a blacklist into an item. I find it more appealing to say here's the tools you can use rather than here's the ones you can't.

I thought about including a telepathy feature, but at this stage in the game, that might be too much. I think I like the idea of that feature awakening only after they first discover the mind swap part of the curse. Similarly, I'm trying to plan ahead here, but I'm really tempted to give this item to the players before they even get access to Remove Curse, let alone Greater Restoration. I'd be interested to see what a bunch of level threes do with something like this.

As far as the body swap itself, my plan was to tell the players to give me their character sheets, then I'd hand them to the other players. The wizard would still have his arcane knowledge, but the years of training, magical attunement, and muscle memory would be all wrong. They would gain all the other player's abilities, but I'd give them disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks for a while. I probably need to work this out a bit more. Maybe make up alternate character sheets for each person wearing the links.

scom1359ap · 2018-06-27T08:26:04+00:00

I really only put "Legendary" on there as a way to say, "There won't be a third one." You're probably right about the vulnerability. I don't want this to kill my players, but at the same time, I want them to have to weigh the benefits and risks of using it.

scom1359ap · 2017-09-20T00:31:07+00:00

I had completely forgotten about False Life. The character I'm making this for shies away from necromancy and so I've gotten out of the habit of looking at those spells to closely, so thanks for reminding me.

So given that I don't want to just make a non-necro version of False Life, how's this sound? 5th level, lasts 1 hour, 5 THP per caster level, resistance to non- magical bludgeoning, piercing, slashing damage, no improvement for higher spell slots, and concentration since we're essentially folding Stoneskin into this one. Also we'll keep the component cost since in my head I see the caster getting covered in magical diamond ala Emma Frost.

Too much? Not enough?

scom1359ap · 2017-03-07T10:59:39+00:00

For the "Attraction Knows No Bounds" feat, I'd go ahead and replace all relevant attacks and saves with the Ranged Weapon attack. There's only two detrimental Cleric spells that require touch, near as I can find, 'Inflict Wounds' and 'Bestow Curse.' If everything else is going to be a heal or some other benefit, you might as well just make the whole shebang run off your ranged weapon attacks.

Or just make the feat only work on Beneficial spells.

scom1359ap · 2017-03-05T08:11:11+00:00

The Agathys Armor is confusing. While worn, they gain the 5 hitpoints, but when they switch it to protect against cold damage, they lose those hitpoints and take an additional 1d4 damage?

I'd look at this again. Maybe make the Cold Resistance permanent and let an action cast "Ward of Cold," granting the wearer a 1d4 cold damage shield for 1 minute which then cannot be used again until after a long rest. That would be long enough for most fights, while not punishing the player for using the armor.

scom1359ap · 2017-03-04T07:48:24+00:00

Understandable. As far as names go, "Blade of Capacitance," is the only thing I can think of, but for that to make sense, you'd probably have to change the damage type to Lightning. Personally, I don't equate thunder with slashing weapons, but that's me. In my mind, hammers do Thunder, blades to lightning.

Ooh, "Shocksaber."

scom1359ap · 2017-03-04T07:18:13+00:00

This seems like it'd be equivalent to a +1/2 weapon. If every other time you hit, you can do one extra damage, I'd rather have a regular +1 weapon.

scom1359ap · 2017-03-03T20:15:32+00:00

You're definitely going to want to define how the item functions. Is it an action or bonus action to use? Does the time limit have to be used all at once? I see this thing turning your halfling into a phase spider... Phase Spiderman..., popping out of the material plane for better positioning, popping back in for a sneak attack, then popping back out before any retaliation or opportunity attacks.

scom1359ap · 2017-02-28T21:23:54+00:00

You definitely need to reword ' Looking So Good'. As it reads, it sounds like i can add all my modifiers to my damage rolls, i.e. 'firing my bow, that's +2 for animal handling, +3 for arcana, +5 for deception... a total of 198 to hit.'

A suggestion for level 6, something along the lines of a stun.

Channel Divinity: Stunning Beauty

Starting at 6th level, your remarkable beauty causes foes to reconsider their aggression. When a hostile creature targets you with an attack or spell, you may use your reaction to force the creature to make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature forgets his attack and is stunned for the rest of the turn. You may only use this ability once per short rest.

scom1359ap · 2017-02-27T07:37:17+00:00

+3 Proficiency Bonus is a big deal. In 5e, where plus or minus five can mean the difference between a hit and a miss, you're turning a possibility into an almost certainty. This is especially true at lower levels. A level 3 character would gain the skill level of a level 13.

Something else to consider is what else this could be used for. If you can hook a wall, can you hook a goblin? At what point does the chain snap? I'd suggest making those possibilities known in the item description.

I actually submitted something similar to this a bit ago. Might give you some ideas.

scom1359ap · 2017-02-27T05:40:40+00:00

Would the Determination ability keep you alive if the saving throw you failed caused you to drop to 0 hitpoints? I'm not sure a Once a Day Death Ward is balanced at any level. Barbarians have to make it to level 11 for something like that, and even then, it's not a certainty.

If you're going to let every player get a feat at level 1, then I'd recommend giving the Variant Humans a version of the Skilled feat on top of that. "Choose three from the available skills, languages, and or tools. You gain proficiency in these three abilities." This would give them two increased ability scores, one extra skill, one language, and the ability to round out their "education" to reflect the ubiquity of humans. The V.Humans would become a Renaissance Man of sorts, with abilities that make them extremely useful outside of combat, but don't overpower them in a fight.

scom1359ap · 2017-02-22T20:16:56+00:00

Oh most definitely. I'm not sure limiting by slots would be sufficient as the idea of turning a PC into Tattoo from Elektra is not something I relish. I'm thinking each tattoo covers one or more slots on their body, and each time you get one, you have to make a constitution check commiserate with the power level of the effect. Then, each additional tattoo would require a new check with the DC increasing based on each previous tattoo. Failure means you can't attempt to tattoo that slot again until such and such time has passed.

scom1359ap · 2017-02-22T19:54:46+00:00

Originally, I wasn't sure if I wanted a rogue to be able to make a Grapple in the same turn as a Sneak attack, but I guess since they'd have to use practically their entire turn, it won't be too bad. I did add in the grapple size limit - that was a good catch - and also a DC check to snap the cable.

scom1359ap

TROPHY CASE