Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Charlym_Zuardan 05-31-07, 01:00 AM	this is a class that i made for my homebrew world, i'm currently playtesting it in our campaign that is going on right now. I used to play a lot of Dark Age of Camelot and my main character was a Warden (http://www.camelotherald.com/article.php?id=43) I wanted to recreate the warden that i loved and put him into my game world and this is how he turned out. :) He is meant to be a purely support class, focused more on buffing and minor healing than anything else. His chants are what really make him unique and wanted in adventuring groups. I changed him up a little bit from DAoC and made him opposing chaos, we have paladins to fight evil so this guy seemed like a decent choice to fight chaos in my world. honest opinions welcomed, dont be too mean :P Characteristics: Wardens cast divine spells which are drawn from nature. Though their spells focus primarily on enhancing their abilities and those of their allies, their origins as a healing class is evident in their magic. Wardens also gain an array of spells and abilities, including new chants, as they advance in level. The armor and weapons of a warden are restricted by traditional oaths, and though they can learn to wear heavier armor or use bladed weapons, doing so violates their oath and suppresses their warden abilities. Alignment: Wardens are travelers, but they are guided by a moral code and the traditional oaths of their training. They recognize the need for order and abhor chaos and anarchy in any form, and so wardens are always of a lawful alignment. Although most wardens favour good or neutral, evil wardens can and do exist. Religion: Wardens have a close tie to nature, and put it above their deity. The most popular gods for wardens to follow are Yondalla by Halfling wardens, Moradin by dwarves, St. Cuthbert, Heironeous, and Hextor by most other races. Background: Wardens usually start out at a young age as apprentices to healers or clerics, learning the basics of caring for people. After a number of years they may choose to join a local warden temple as an initiate. There they will be taught the basics of arms and armor, and eventually the secrets of the warden’s trademark chants. Wardens are respected and looked up to by most of the common races as protectors, guardians, champions of those in need and unyielding opponents of chaos. Races: Although any race is capable of becoming a warden, the most common ones have close ties to nature or the elements, such as elves and half-elves. Dwarves make excellent wardens due to their tendency towards law and their affinity with the earth. Halflings, Half-Orcs, and Gnomes, while capable, are not often seen as wardens. Other Classes: Though wardens get along quite well with druids and rangers because of their shared reverence for nature, a warden views rangers as too free-spirited and unguided, and druids as too preoccupied with pretending to be animals. Paladins are the class that a warden gets along best with, as both understand the need for order and what it is like to follow oaths and traditions. A warden is not above working with any class, and knows better than most the value of working as part of a team. Role: The role of a warden is that of a pure support class. The vast majority of his class abilities focus on buffing himself and his allies. Though he has decent defense from his medium armor and shield, he has very little offensive power and should not enter direct combat if he can help it. A warden has limited healing ability with which to back up a primary healer, but should not be the only healing class in a party if possible. Warden Game Information Abilities: High wisdom is important for a warden, as it determines the level of spell he can cast and how powerful it is. A high charisma modifier will increase the effects of many of his chants and class abilities. Dexterity helps him avoid attacks and constitution allows him to take more hits. Alignment: Any Lawful. Hit Die: d8. Class Skills The Wardens class skils (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (str), Concentration (con), Craft (int), Diplomacy (cha), Handle Animal (cha), Heal (wis), Knowledge (nature) (int), Listen (wis), Perform (chant) (cha), Profession (wis), Ride (dex), Sense Motive (wis), Spellcraft (int), Spot (wis), Survival (wis), (int). Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. Table: The Warden Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Track, Perpetual Stamina (chant), Bladeturn 1/day 2nd +1 +3 +1 +3 Warden’s Haste 1/day 3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Bladeturn 2/day 4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Natures Reckoning (chant) 5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus Feat 6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Warden’s Haste 2/day 7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Guardian’s Wings (chant) 8th +6/+1 +6 +2 +6 Bladeturn 3/day 9th +6/+1 +6 +3 +6 Defy Storm 1/day, Unyielding Spirit 1/day 10th +7/+2 +7 +3 +7 Bonus Feat, Nature’s Favor (chant) 11th +8/+3/ +7 +3 +7 Warden’s Haste 3/day 12th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Bladeturn 4/day, 13th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Defy Storm 2/day, Unyielding Spirit 2/day 14th +10/+5 +9 +4 +9 Warden’s Haste 4/day 15th +11/+6/+ +9 +5 +9 Bonus Feat, Heroic Conversion (chant) 16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Bladeturn 5/day 17th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Defy Storm 3/day, Unyielding Spirit 3/day 18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Warden’s Haste 5/day 19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Bladeturn 6/day 20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Bonus Feat Table: Warden Spells Per Day Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st - — — — 2nd 0 - - — 3rd 1 - — — 4th 2 - — — 5th 2 0 - — 6th 3 1 - — 7th 3 2 - - 8th 3 2 0 — 9th 4 3 1 - 10th 4 3 2 - 11th 4 3 2 0 12th 4 3 3 1 13th 5 4 3 2 14th 5 4 3 2 15th 5 4 3 3 16th 5 4 4 3 17th 5 5 4 3 18th 5 5 4 3 19th 5 5 4 4 20th 5 5 5 4 Class Features Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A warden is proficient with all simple and martial bludgeoning weapons, plus the shortbow, longbow, composite shortbow, and composite longbow. Wardens are proficient with light and medium armor and with shields. A warden can wear heavy armor or use sharp weapons, but doing so leaves him unable to use his warden spells or abilities. Spells: A warden casts divine spells, which are drawn from the warden spell list. He must choose and prepare his spells in advance. To prepare or cast a spell, a warden must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a warden’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the warden’s Wisdom modifier. Like other spellcasters, a warden can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Warden Spells Per Day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. Wardens meditate or pray for their spells. Each warden must choose a time at which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. He also still needs the normal 8 hours of daily rest. A warden may prepare and cast any spell on the warden spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation. Chants: A warden’s chants affect him and any party members within 60’ of him and able to hear the chant. A chant may be activated as a free action, but only takes effect once it has been active for a full round. A party member who is under the effects of the chant and moves beyond the 60’ range loses those effects until they move back within 60’. A warden can move, attack, and take actions while maintaining a chant, unless that action would interrupt his voice, i.e. drinking a potion or casting a spell with verbal components. A warden who has been deafened has a 20% chance each round of having his chant fail or end and one that becomes deafened while chanting immediately ends his chant. The effects of a chant end when the Warden is interrupted or ceases to chant. Perpetual Stamina (chant): A warden of first level or higher, with 3 or more ranks in Perform(chant) can use this ability to reduce the duration of spells and effects that cause fatigue or exhaustion by half (rounded down, a fatigue effect with a duration of 1 round would be completely negated, and an effect with a duration of 3 rounds would be cut to 1 round). At 4th level, if the warden has 6 ranks in Perform (chants) this ability completely negates spells and effects that would normally cause fatigue or exhaustion. Any character that is fatigued or exhausted when this ability is used is not affected by them for the duration of the chant. When the chant ends, any fatigue or exhaustion effects that would normally still be affecting the character begin taking effect again immediately. Natures Reckoning (chant): Once a warden reaches 4th level, if he has 6 or more ranks in Perform(chant), he may activate this chant to increase the damage done by him and his party. Every time the warden or a party member hits an enemy in melee or ranged combat, they add an additional +1 to their damage rolls and half the warden’s charisma modifier to their attack roll. This bonus increases as the warden gains levels and ranks in Perform(chant). At level 8, with 10 ranks in Perform(chant): +2 to damage, + half cha mod to attack At level 12, with 14 ranks in Perform(chant): +3 to damage, + half cha mod to attack At level 16, with 18 ranks in Perform(chant): +4 to damage, + half cha mod to attack At level 20, with 22 ranks in Perform(chant): +5 to damage, + half cha mod to attack Guardian’s Wings (chant): A warden of 7th level, with 9 or more ranks in Perform(chant), can use this ability to increase the movement speed of him and his party by 10’. As the warden gains levels and ranks in Perform(chant) the effects of this ability are increased. At level 13, with 15 ranks in Perform(chant): increase speed by 15’ At level 19, with 21 ranks in Perform(chant): increase speed by 20’ Nature’s Favor (chant): On reaching 10th level, a warden with 12 or more ranks in Perform(chant) may use this ability to grant damage reduction of 3/chaos (the first 5 points of damage from any attack is ignored, unless it is chaos damage, which bypasses the damage reduction) to himself and those in his party. As the warden gains levels and ranks in Perform(chant) the amount of damage reduction is increased. At level 14, with 16 ranks in Perform(chant): Damage reduction of 5/chaos At level 18, with 20 ranks in Perform(chant): Damage reduction of 10/chaos Heroic Conversion (chant): A warden of 15th level, with 17 or more ranks in Perform(chant) uses this chant to give a steady stream of healing to his party members, at the cost of his own health. While this ability is active, every 6 seconds (1 round) the warden takes 5 damage, and each of his party members gains HP equal to 5 + the warden’s charisma modifier. If the chant would take the warden below 1hp, it automatically ends. Bladeturn: Beginning at 1st level, the warden gains the ability to cast Bladeturn on his party. This spell encompasses the entire party with an invisible shell of force which completely negates the first physical attack made against a member of the party. Once the shell has absorbed one hit, it disappears. As a warden gains levels, he can use this ability more often. Magical attacks or attacks that deal damage other than HP damage are not affected (this does not stop magical weapons from being blocked, however). For example, an attack by a +3 flaming longsword would be stopped, but a sorceror’s Ray of Enfeeblement spell would not. Warden’s Haste: At 2nd level, the warden can cast Warden’s Haste on himself. This spell acts like the Haste spell found in the players handbook, except that it does not increase movement speed. As the warden gains levels, he can cast this spell more often. Defy Storm: Beginning at 9th level, a warden can cast Defy Storm on his party. This spell grants resistance of 15 to Electric, Acid, and Cold attacks (the first 15 points of damage from an electric, acid or cold based attack is ignored) for a number of minutes equal to the warden’s level + charisma modifier. This spell can be cast more often as the warden gains levels. Unyielding Spirit: At 9th level, a warden can cast Unyielding Spirit on his party. This spell grants 15 resistance to Force, Sonic, and Negative energy attacks (the first 15 points of damage from a Force, Sonic, or Negative energy attack is ignored) for a number of minutes equal to the warden’s level + charisma modifier. This spell can be cast more often as the warden gains levels. Bonus Feats: At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels, the warden gains bonus feats. These feats are taken from the Nature’s Warder feat tree, listed below. If the warden already has all the feats listed in that tree, he may take any feat that he meets the requirements of. Warden Spell list Level 1 Animalistic Power Barkskin Bear’s Endurance Bull’s Strength Cat’s Grace Create Water Cure Light Wounds Eagle’s Splendor Endure Elements Fog Cloud Fox’s Cunning Magic Weapon Owl’s Wisdom Protection from Chaos Resistance Level 2 Thornskin Resist Energy Shield Other Wind Wall Spike Growth Call Lightning Magic Circle Against Chaos Water Breathing Water Walk Spider Climb Mountain’s Stamina (+4 fort, +2 str) Redwoods Strength (+2 natural AC, +2 con) Aspect of the Lynx (+4 reflex, +2 wis) Wolfish Instincts (+4 will, +2 int) Oak’s Vigor (10 spell resist, +2 cha) Hawk’s Survival Instinct (+15 hp, +2 dex) Level 3 Animalistic Power, Mass Cure Moderate Wounds Daylight Bull’s Strength, Mass Bears Endurance, Mass Cat’s Grace, Mass Eagle’s Splendor, Mass Owl’s Wisdom, Mass Fox’s Cunning, Mass Freedom of Movement Commune with Nature Darkvision Tongues Dispel Chaos Level 4 Word of Law Magic Weapon, Greater Discern Lies Remove Blindness/Deafness Remove Disease Protection from Energy Reduce Animal Hero’s Feast Mountain’s Stamina, mass (+4 fort, +4 str) Redwoods Strength, mass (+2 natural AC, +4 con) Aspect of the Lynx, mass (+4 reflex, +4 wis) Wolfish Instincts, mass (+4 will, +4 int) Oak’s Vigor, mass (10 spell resist, +4 cha) Hawk’s Survival Instinct, mass (+15 hp, +4 dex) Warden Feats [Nature’s Warder] Tree Nature’s Harmony Prerequisite: - Benefit: You gain +2 to your Survival, Knowledge (nature), and Handle Animal skills. Tuned In Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony Benefit: You gain a +2 to your Listen, Spot, and Search skills. Song of the Forest Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the amount of damage reduction granted by your Nature’s Favor chant by 2. Song of the Sky Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the speed bonus of your Guardian’s Wings chant by 5’. Song of the Mountain Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Allows your Perpetual Stamina chant to have the same effect on sickness and nausea as it does on fatigue and exhaustion. Song of the River Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the base amount healed each round by your Heroic Conversion chant from 5 to 8 Song of the Deep Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the bonus damage granted by your Nature’s Reckoning chant by +1 Courageous Conversion Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In, Song of the River Benefit: When beginning a Heroic Conversion chant you may choose to give it a 50% chance to cure poisons and diseases as well as healing HP, however doing so drains you of 15 HP per round instead of the normal 5 (note that this does not affect the amount healed by Heroic Conversion). Specialized Enhancements Prerequisite: - Benefit: Increases the effects of stat enhancing spells cast by you by 1 Unmatched Enhancements Prerequisite: Specialized Enhancements Benefit: Increases the effects of stat enhancing spells cast by you by 2 (this effects is in addition to the bonus granted by Specialized Enhancements) Lasting Enhancements Prerequisite: Specialized Enhancements Benefit: Doubles the duration of your stat enhancing spells Natural Bond Prerequisite: - Benefit: Your healing spells heal an additional +2 HP (this does not affect the base amount healed by your Heroic Conversion). Confident Healer Prerequisite: Natural Bond Benefit: You add your charisma modifier to all heal spells cast by you Vehement Renewal Prerequisite: Natural Bond, Confident Healer Benefit: When you cast a heal spell on a party member, each other member is also healed for 1d4 + your charisma modifier Combat Medic Prerequisite: Heal 8 ranks Benefit: Using your Heal skill no longer provokes attacks of opportunity Determination Prerequisite: - Benefit: Reduces the effect of entanglement, snare, or other movement impairing effects by 50%. This only works on outdoor effects such as vines, roots, webs, etc. and does not affect magical abilities such as paralysis, hold person, etc. thanks for reading :)
Charlym_Zuardan 05-31-07, 12:27 PM	:bump: now with real tables! :)
Goldenmaxter 05-31-07, 03:01 PM	I really like the warden. It seems like a good cleric type character in a ranger/druid setting. It didnt strike me as overpowered. Keep it up!
Charlym_Zuardan 05-31-07, 09:30 PM	thanks! anyone else care to comment? looking for opinions on how well it would play in a game, overpowered, underpowered, and how well you think i adapted it from the original :)
Charlym_Zuardan 06-03-07, 06:53 PM	wow 5th page already no one else wants to comment? :(
Charlym_Zuardan 06-06-07, 10:46 PM	:bump:
BrotherRichard 06-07-07, 03:13 PM	I like it a lot. it reminds of the evangelist in Advanced Players Guide or something by Green Ronin. You might want to pick up that book for more inspiration or to just see how they did it. Good Job :)
Yath 06-07-07, 04:19 PM	Bladeturn: Beginning at 1st level, the warden gains the ability to cast Bladeturn on his party. This spell encompasses the entire party with an invisible shell of force which completely negates the first physical attack made against a member of the party. Once the shell has absorbed one hit, it disappears. As a warden gains levels, he can use this ability more often. Magical attacks or attacks that deal damage other than HP damage are not affected (this does not stop magical weapons from being blocked, however). For example, an attack by a +3 flaming longsword would be stopped, but a sorceror’s touch of fatigue spell would not. A +3 flaming longsword is a magical weapon... It is a cool and useful class, though, and the ability is pretty useful now that I've read it over.
Lady Maedhros 06-07-07, 07:17 PM	Cool flavor. One question: Are they meant to be full casters? The good Will save, chant system, and spells by level 2 all suggest that this is nature's bard; you might consider giving them six spell levels, like other gish classes (bard & psywar spring to mind). Four spell levels is more for full BAB classes.
Charlym_Zuardan 06-07-07, 11:01 PM	A +3 flaming longsword is a magical weapon... It is a cool and useful class, though, and the ability is pretty useful now that I've read it over. i'm not sure exactly what you mean with the flaming longsword question :confused: the longsword attack would be stopped because its a physical attack, while a spell or effect attempting to do something other than damage, for example a sorcerors ray of enfeeblement, would not be negated by the bladeturn bubble. Cool flavor. One question: Are they meant to be full casters? The good Will save, chant system, and spells by level 2 all suggest that this is nature's bard; you might consider giving them six spell levels, like other gish classes (bard & psywar spring to mind). Four spell levels is more for full BAB classes. Hmm, i hadnt really thought about that to be honest. I was just trying to make an accurate conversion of my DAoC character. I dont beleive that there is enough spells to justify spreading them out over 6 levels without adding ones that dont really fit him, or limiting him to a few choices per level... but i will have to take a look at that. on the other hand, im not sure if a full BAB would make him a bit too powerful when used in conjunction with his chants and his buffs. It would fit well with his role as sort of a buffer/light healer type that can still take some hits and defend himself. maybe i should raise the BAB and lower the class skills and skill points? i would definitely like some more opinions on this :) and thank you to everyone so far for the encouraging feedback!
Geraturatu 06-07-07, 11:04 PM	I'd say raise the BAB to full and lower the other things.
arsieiuni 10-07-07, 11:20 PM	Hey! I play DAOC too. ^-^ This is really cool! I think you've done a great job converting Warden to D&D. I really like how you've written it out and it doesn't seem overpowered! Now do me a Thane, a Heretic, and a Theurgist. ^=^ lol JK Though that'd be pretty cool. How many times per day would a Thane do Call Lightning? ^=^ Haha they could get Call Lightning as a normal spell but have the class ability to call the bolts down as a free action once per turn instead of a standard action. lol Anyway, I love it!
vorpo 10-07-07, 11:40 PM	Too many bonus feats. Especially the one at lvl 1, take it off; 4 features at lvl 1 including the bonus feat, too much. Otherwise, I'd have to look in more details to judge. But other than the first lvl bonus feat, I haven't found any other problems.
bkdubs123 10-07-07, 11:54 PM	You describe the Warden as a class that should avoid direct combat whenever he can, but you've given him decent defensive ability, strong buffs, and full BAB. It looks like it would be a pretty darned good melee combatant in reality. As far as I remember from what I know of DAOC however, your original assessment was correct. Wardens weren't great at physical combat, and were an entirely supportive class. I'd say that compared to the Paladin and Ranger this is a bit overpowered. Compared to the Barbarian it also seems to have a lot more going on, as utility and support power are concerned, and of course the Fighter says, "Hey, why is that wanderer in the woods a better fighter than me?!" This isn't a huge glaring issue as those classes are generally a bit underpowered. However, compared against a Bard and I think there is a balance issue. You've given better armor, better party support buffs (compare chants to Bardic Music), and better attack bonus to a class with the same role. You've balanced this out with lower level spells. I think what I would do is tone down or remove some of the chants and lower the BAB to medium pregression. Then you'd be closer to par with the Bard and more on target with the role the Warden had in the computer game. In order to keep the class useful a boost in spellcasting would certainly be welcome. You could even go with the multiple paths route they use in DAOC. With this system you could allow the Warden to become more like a ranger or druid or "nature-bard" as the player sees fit. There could be Healing trees, Buffing Trees, Combat Trees that could be mixed and matched or maxed out of themselves.
Charlym_Zuardan 10-09-07, 01:55 PM	thanks for the feedback, i am going to lower his BAB to medium progression for sure, and since i dont really want to change the chants or spells, i might even give him the low BAB progression and leave everything else, to emphasize his defensive nature. because in the game the warden swung fast, but couldnt hit for crap and did practically no damage... but he took forever to die
vorpo 10-09-07, 02:00 PM	4 features at lvl 1, too many. Take the bonus feat out.
Charlym_Zuardan 10-10-07, 08:55 AM	agreed, changed, thanks lowered BAB as well, should be more balanced now