Post/Author/DateTime	Post
CorSecJedi 07-24-05, 09:26 PM	The Commando Power. Speed. Stealth. The commando is the embodiment of these attributes. He mixes the power of the fighter with the skills and stealth of a rogue. Commandos can be noble, serving as spies, scouts, and special warriors for good kings and countries. The can also be thieves, assassins, and menaces to society. They can swear fealty to a single lord or can sell their services as mercenaries. Wherever they are found, they bring their stealth and skills to bear in combat. Adventures: Commandos adventure for a lot of reasons. They may be following the orders of their lord, looking for wealth or fame, or they could just like killing and causing havoc. The commandos are very diverse, and their goals depend on their alignment and background. Characteristics: Commandos are raiders and warriors that love to fight from ambush. What they cannot accomplish with brute force they use finesse to do. They are stealthy and skillful, but they lack some of the rogue’s abilities and their sixth sense about traps. They are also powerful and skilled combatants, though they cannot quite match the fighter’s versatility or sheer power. Overall, they are closer to fighters than rogues, but the commando mixes elements of both classes into himself. Commandos tend to spend most of their time away adventuring or on missions, so they tend to be a little out of touch with society. Alignment: Commandos tend to be either neutral or chaotic. They do not believe in fair fights and they are usually more focused on getting the job done than with the necessities of law. A few lawful commandos might be employed by the government to catch thieves and criminals, but for the most part, chaotic or neutral is a better fit. As far as good and evil goes, they can be either one, and it depends on the character’s background. Religion: Commandos are generally not religious. They are a self-sufficient bunch, and they dislike giving credit to anyone, even a deity. However, some may choose to follow a god for protection and guidance. Kord is a popular choice for good commandos, Olidammara is common among neutrals, and evil commandos usually follow Erythnul, if anyone. Background: Commandos generally receive at least initial training in an army or mercenaries’ guild. However, most of their skills are taught one on one, master to student. Commandos, who depend on skills and training, are rarely self-taught. They are all quite different due to their differences in who trains them and why they are becoming light fighters. Personality and character varies widely in this class. Races: Humans, with their versatility and adaptability, make excellent commandos. Dwarves can make for intimidating commandos, though their lawful natures tend to conflict with some of the commandos more chaotic skills. Elves, with their natural gracefulness, make good commandos. Gnomes and Halflings may find this class a better fit for them as opposed to a fighter. Few savage species or half-orcs become commandos because they lack the patience and intelligence. Other Classes: Commandos work well with fighters, rangers, rogues, barbarians, and other commandos, sharing many goals and tactics with the majority of these classes. Commandos greatly appreciate, though they do not always trust, a wizard, sorcerer, bard, or druid’s magical powers; magic is something they cannot understand or account for in battle, so they find it a bit troubling despite its usefulness. They are leery of paladins because of their lawful natures and of clerics because of their piety and religion. Role: Commandos can serve as front-line warriors in a party that lacks melee power, but they prefer to have the freedom to strike from the shadows. They make excellent scouts and raiders. Depending on how they specialize, they can serve as melee combatants or ranged support. They are adept at disabling locks and magical traps, making them ideal for stealthy infiltration missions. Table – The Commando Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special 1 +1 +0 +2 +0 Fast movement, trapfinding 2 +2 +0 +3 +0 3 +3 +1 +3 +1 Bonus feat 4 +4 +1 +4 +1 5 +5 +1 +4 +1 Sneak Attack 1d6 6 +6/+1 +2 +5 +2 7 +7/+2 +2 +5 +2 Bonus feat 8 +8/+3 +2 +6 +2 9 +9/+4 +3 +6 +3 Evasion 10 +10/+5 +3 +7 +3 11 +11/+6/+1 +3 +7 +3 Sneak Attack 2d6 12 +12/+7/+2 +4 +8 +4 13 +13/+8/+3 +4 +8 +4 Bonus feat 14 +14/+9/+4 +4 +9 +4 15 +15/+10/+5 +5 +9 +5 Sneak Attack 3d6 16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +10 +5 17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 Bonus feat 18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Sneak Attack 4d6 20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Abilities: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are the most important attributes for the Commando, though a decent intelligence modifier is nice for certain skill checks and getting more skill points per level. Alignment: Any Hit Die: d8 Class Skills: The commando’s class skills are: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Bluff (Cha), Disable Device (functions as with rogues) (Int), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (functions as with rogues) (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex). Skill points at 1st level: (4 + Int Modifier) x 4 Skill points at each additional level: 4 + Int Modifier Class Features: Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Commandos are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light armor and shields. Fast Movement: Start at 1st level, a commando can move +10 feet faster than his base class’s movement speed. Thus, a human commando can move at 40 feet rather than 30, etc. This benefit only applies when the commando is wearing light or no armor. Bonus Feats: Beginning at 3rd level and at every level indicated above, the commando gains a bonus feat. He can choose the feat from the list of commando bonus feats below. He must still meet all the prerequisites for the feat. Sneak Attack: A commando can strike with deadly precision when they reach 5th level, just as rogues can. This ability functions just as the rogue class ability and increases as indicated by the table. Evasion: Starting at 9th level, a commando can avoid most types of damage with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally does half damage for making the save, he instead takes no damage. He can only use this ability when wearing light or no armor. He does not gain this benefit if he is helpless. Bonus feats: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Defensive Strike, Deflect Arrows, Deft Opportunist, Dodge, Endurance, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Far Shot, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Greater Two-Weapon Defense, Improved Buckler, Improved Combat Expertise, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Rapid Shot, Improved Trip, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Defense, Manyshot, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Power Critical, Precise Shot, Prone Attack, Quick Draw, Quick Reconnoiter, Ranged Disarm, Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run, Snatch Arrows, Spring Attack, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Weapon Finesse, and Weapon Focus. --- Ok, the idea behind this concept is an attempt to blend the rogue with the fighter with just a bit more personality and flavor than your standard multiclassing. I think that it is fairly balanced, but only if the rule I heard from one of my friends (from Unearthed Arcana, I believe) that a fighter could lose all of his bonus feats for a sneak attack progression. If that is true, then I think that the class is pretty well-balanced compared to both the fighter and the rogue. Thoughts? Confimration? Disagreements? Please, if you criticize the idea, don't insult either me or anyone else who posts on this thread.
Darknecromancer 07-24-05, 10:15 PM	very cool, reminds me of s good schwartzinator movie.
CorSecJedi 07-25-05, 06:01 PM	:bump: Please, I need some input.
Dark Voivode 07-25-05, 07:24 PM	Honestly? It's rather bland. You've created a seriously watered-down version of the Scout. Almost to the point that I would lean towards using this as an NPC class. Nothing makes him stand out as more than a fighter with a few rogue abilities tossed in. You have more flavor in the text than in the crunch. I'd add some camouflage ability. The commando prefers to ambush, so snares, pits and the like need to get mentioned. Is this a fighter/rogue or ranger/rogue? the reason I ask is that it affects the way that you want to lean with Class abilities. Personally, and this is only my opinion, I think that bonus feats is a cop-out for the most part. I like unique abilities that make the class stand out in my mind.
CorSecJedi 07-25-05, 10:42 PM	I agree, Dark Voivode. This was my first real attempt at a class, and I really didn't want to make it overpowered. Even when I posted this, I was thinking of a pretty different build that was more distinctive, but I'm afraid it is overpowered. Let me know what you think of this much different build. Table – The Commando Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1 +1 +0 +2 +0 Fast Movement, trapfinding 2 +2 +0 +3 +0 Stealthy 3 +3 +1 +3 +1 4 +4 +1 +4 +1 Sneak Attack 1d6 5 +5 +1 +4 +1 Alertness 6 +6/+1 +2 +5 +2 Ambush 7 +7/+2 +2 +5 +2 8 +8/+3 +2 +6 +2 Sneak Attack 2d6 9 +9/+4 +3 +6 +3 Evasion 10 +10/+5 +3 +7 +3 11 +11/+6/+1 +3 +7 +3 Camouflage paint 12 +12/+7/+2 +4 +8 +4 Sneak Attack 3d6 13 +13/+8/+3 +4 +8 +4 14 +14/+9/+4 +4 +9 +4 Opportunist 15 +15/+10/+5 +5 +9 +5 16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +10 +5 Sneak Attack 4d6 17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5 18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Crippling Strike 19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Sneak Attack 5d6 Abilities: Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution are the most important attributes for the Commando, though a decent intelligence modifier is nice for certain skill checks and getting more skill points per level. Alignment: Any Hit Die: d8 Class Skills: The commando’s class skills are: Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Bluff (Cha), Disable Device (functions as with rogues) (Int), Disguise (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (functions as with rogues) (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex). Skill points at 1st level: (4 + Int Modifier) x 4 Skill points at each additional level: 4 + Int Modifier Class Features: Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Commandos are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light armor and shields. Fast Movement: Start at 1st level, a commando can move +10 feet faster than his base class’s movement speed. Thus, a human commando can move at 40 feet rather than 30, etc. This benefit only applies when the commando is wearing light or no armor. Trapfinding: A commando can use the Search skill to find traps. He may also use the Disable Device skill to disable magical traps, just as the rogue can. This ability functions exactly like the rogue’s ability of the same name. Stealthy: A commando gets a +2 bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks. Poison Use: A commando of 3rd level or higher never risks poisoning himself while applying a poison. Sneak Attack: A commando can strike with deadly precision. This functions as the rogue’s ability of the same name and follows the progression in the table. Alertness: A commando gets a +2 bonus on Listen and Spot checks Ambush: A commando’s superb skill with the ambush can confuse his foes. When a commando strikes a target during a surprise round, the target of his attack must make a Will save DC 10 + 1/2 Commando level + Int modifier or become confused for 1 round/Commando level. This ability functions as the spell Confusion from the PHB, save that it only affects the direct target of the Commando’s attack. Evasion: Starting at 9th level, a commando can avoid most types of damage with great agility. If he makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally does half damage for making the save, he instead takes no damage. He can only use this ability when wearing light or no armor. He does not gain this benefit if he is helpless. Camouflage Paint: A commando is able to adapt swiftly to his surroundings. If a commando spends 1 day in a specific type of terrain (including cities), he can attempt a DC 20 Disguise check to doctor his appearance to blend in with that terrain. If he succeeds on his disguise check, the Commando may attempt Hide checks even without concealment. A commando with an Intelligence of 13 or higher can remember the paint scheme that goes with specific locations he has visited previously, thus eliminating the need for 1 day of studying the terrain. Opportunist: Once per round, a commando can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who just been struck for damage in melee with another character. This attack counts as the commando’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a commando with the Combat Reflexes feat cannot use the Opportunist ability more than once per round. Crippling Strike: A commando can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of the commando’s sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.
Dark Voivode 07-26-05, 01:49 AM	Now this is more like it. You trade out half the SA and lower the average out the HD for full BAB. The little tweaks are cool, but nothing too overpowered in my opinion. Personally I don't like the poison use mechanic and think it's rather silly, but if you're not crafting the poisons yourself, then maybe it comes into play. I see it as a non-feat. Anyway, A little bit more staying power than the rogue, but less than the fighter or ranger... I like it. Not too flashy or over the top.
turalisj 07-26-05, 02:45 AM	hmm, a warforged commando.. nah, i like the scout. it'll be a fav of mine no matter what. :D one reason is that scouts have speak language as a class ability. that gives them an edge in negotiations.
Kynn Elfson 07-26-05, 03:32 AM	hey I like the new revision!! Good show mate
CorSecJedi 07-27-05, 05:33 PM	:bump: Does anyone else care to share their thoughts?
thasis 07-27-05, 05:54 PM	Mmm, I suggest making it more readable. Use code and tags.
turalisj 07-27-05, 06:23 PM	it says power, speed, and stealth on the description. power- full BaB. speed- give it an increased speed at certain levels, maybe one like the barbarians advvancement. stealth- move silently and hide skills. you have 2 out of three main points. what i suggest, is giving it better options. what you have right here is a watered down ranger with a sneak attack ability.