Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Werebat 09-01-07, 11:58 AM	Goblin Wolfrider Gaark the wolfrider ducked as Gharaal, his worg mount and companion, jumped the mushroom-covered trunk of the fallen tree that was rotting in their path. Motioning with his feet alone, he directed Gharaal to stop short his race through the darkening wood so that he could peer down at something in the mouldering leaves. It was a button, and by its color and shape Gaark could tell it was from the vest of the gnome he was tracking. It looked to have been torn from its garment only minutes ago. “We are close,” he whispered to Gharaal in gravelly Goblin. “Quiet, now.” Gharaal grinned in an unsettling, toothy manner, licked his chops, and loped on into the gloom. Mixing the skills of a ranger and a rogue with the goblin affinity for wolves and worgs as mounts and allies, the goblin wolfrider is the exemplar of his people in a manner similar to that of a human knight. Whether astride a wolf or a more intelligent worg, a wolfrider combines speed, stealth, and a knowledge of the natural terrain he inhabits in order to stalk and fell his foes. Many serve as scouts for the goblin communities they are part of, supplementing the swarming armies of their kind with spirited hit-and-run tactics when the need for battle arises. Hit Die: d6 Requirements: Race: Goblin Skills: Ride (8 Ranks), Hide (8 Ranks) Feats: Mounted Combat, Track Base Attack Bonus: +4 Class Skills: The wolfrider’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str) Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier. Progression: (Note: Goblin Wolfriders get Average BAB progression, Good Reflex saves, and Poor Fortitude and Will saves). 1st: Animal Companion, Ride Bonus, Sneak Attack +1d6 2nd: Mounted Stalker 3rd: Mounted Sniper, Woodland Stride 4th: Sneak Attack +2d6 5th: Evasion 6th: Favored Enemy 7th: Sneak Attack +3d6 8th: Trackless Step 9th: Camouflage 10th: Sneak Attack +4d6 Benefits: Animal Companion: A goblin wolfrider gains an animal companion that functions identically to a druid’s animal companion, except that he may only choose a wolf or a worg (even though a worg is not an animal). The wolfrider uses his class levels as effective druid levels to determine the capabilities of this animal companion. If he has effective druid levels in other classes that grant an animal companion, he may add them to his wolfrider class levels provided they are not being used to maintain or advance another animal companion. A worg animal companion adjusts the wolfrider’s effective druid level by -3 for purposes of determining his companion’s characteristics and special abilities, and thus cannot be taken until the wolfrider has at least 4 effective druid levels for such purposes. Ride Bonus: A goblin wolfrider gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on all Ride checks made in conjunction with his animal companion mount. Sneak Attack: This is identical to the Rogue ability and stacks with it. Mounted Stalker: A goblin wolfrider knows how to move a mount stealthily through nearly any terrain. His mount uses the wolfrider’s skill ranks, rather than its own, to make Hide and Move Silently checks. The mount still uses its own size, Dexterity, armor check penalty, and other applicable modifiers when making such checks. If the goblin wolfrider already has this ability from another source, then his mount gains the Stealthy feat as a bonus feat instead. Mounted Sniper: When mounted on his animal companion and using the Hide skill to snipe, the goblin wolfrider may add a bonus equal to his class levels to Hide checks made to conceal himself after shooting. Woodland Stride: This ability is identical to the ranger ability of the same name, except that it only functions while the wolfrider is mounted on his animal companion and it aids the passing of both the wolfrider and his mount. Evasion: This ability is identical to the ranger ability of the same name. Favored Enemy: This ability is identical to the ranger ability of the same name. If the wolfrider already has one or more favored enemies, he may choose a new one in an identical manner and with identical effects as a ranger who chooses a new favored enemy in addition to those he already has. Trackless Step: This ability is identical to the druid ability of the same name, except that it only functions while the wolfrider is mounted on his animal companion and it hides the passing of both the wolfrider and his mount. Camouflage: This ability is identical to the ranger ability of the same name, except that the wolfrider may use it to allow his mount to hide as well.
Amaril 09-01-07, 01:38 PM	This reminds me a lot of the halfling outrider in Complete Warrior. Did you base the design on that? halfling outriders get a mount at first level, have a good BAB, and good Ref, and 4+Int skill points/level. As it is, I kind of like the approach you took, but I would grant the mount at first level and allow the levels of the PrC to stack with levels of any class that provides a mount or animal companion for determining the characteristics of the mount or animal companion.
Werebat 09-01-07, 03:03 PM	This reminds me a lot of the halfling outrider in Complete Warrior. Did you base the design on that? halfling outriders get a mount at first level, have a good BAB, and good Ref, and 4+Int skill points/level. In short, yes. Although I didn't use much mechanically from HO -- if anything I borrowed more from Wild Plains Outrider, which would combine well with either PrC. As it is, I kind of like the approach you took, but I would grant the mount at first level and allow the levels of the PrC to stack with levels of any class that provides a mount or animal companion for determining the characteristics of the mount or animal companion. Ah, see, my intent was to encourage ranger builds rather than making the player feel obligated to slip in one level of druid, which goblins aren't really known for. Wild Plains Outrider uses a similar mechanic where you have to have an animal companion to get it, but the PrC itself advances the companion as though you were a druid. I liked the mechanic partly because of the math of the typical way to "get in": The standard build would be Rogue1/Ranger4/Wolfrider10, with the three levels of Wild Plains Outrider being sprikled in or tacked on at the end for a total of 18 levels. With this arrangement, if you take Natural Bond your wolf will be exactly as powerful as a druid's -- which is what I was aiming for. Of course you could also go Rogue1/Druid6/Wolfrider10, which technically meets the requirements. In a way I'd like to prevent that from looking appetizing... Requiring Hide 8 and Move Silently 8 would do the trick, I think. Hmm... Anyway, you are aware that you need an animal companion (specifically, a wolf) to get into this PrC, right? With that in mind -- balanced? Too weak, too strong? - Ron ^*^
Drag0nUL 09-01-07, 03:07 PM	I like the idea, and I think it fits pretty well with the goblins in Eberron. What I don't like is that the entry requirements, especially the Animal companion (Wolf) part, tend to push it a lot toward a Rogue 1/ Ranger 4 build. The only other class that, to my knowledge grants an animal companion is the Druid but the PrC doesn't go too well with druids, neither from a mechanical point of view, nor from a roleplaying perspective (IMO at least). I suggest either dropping this requirement entirely and granting the ability to have an animal companion at first level of the prestige class, or rewrite it a bit so that it allows characters with the Wild Cohort feat, special mount class ability and even improved familiar to qualify for this PrC. It would give players more freedom in choosing the path they take to become a Wolfrider. Also, 'railroading' the players to take 4 levels of ranger means you are kind of forcing them to become two-weapon fighters. Archery is a suboptimal choice for Sneak Attack builds (you can't flank with a bow, so you have to strike from ambush, and usually that's only feasible at the start of the combat. If they choose not to go with either of these approaches (sword and board, two handed weapons) they are practically wasting the level 2 ranger ability. And another observation, that sneak attack progression makes it very tempting to stray away from the mounted character idea. In actual play it might prove much more effective to dismount and flank with your wolf than fight mounted.
Werebat 09-01-07, 05:44 PM	I like the idea, and I think it fits pretty well with the goblins in Eberron. Thanks, and thanks for the observations. What I don't like is that the entry requirements, especially the Animal companion (Wolf) part, tend to push it a lot toward a Rogue 1/ Ranger 4 build. The only other class that, to my knowledge grants an animal companion is the Druid but the PrC doesn't go too well with druids, neither from a mechanical point of view, nor from a roleplaying perspective (IMO at least). I agree that the push is towards Rogue1/Ranger4 (that was my assumed "fast way" to get into the build, although I figured those with access to UA might choose Wilderness Rogue as a variant). I agree that druid isn't the direction I want to see this PrC going in. I suggest either dropping this requirement entirely and granting the ability to have an animal companion at first level of the prestige class, or rewrite it a bit so that it allows characters with the Wild Cohort feat, special mount class ability and even improved familiar to qualify for this PrC. It would give players more freedom in choosing the path they take to become a Wolfrider. I see... So, drop the wolf companion as a prereq in order to open the class up to other possible entry paths, like fighter only. Hm. Of course Ranger 4 would STILL be optimal because if you don't go that route, your mount is 2 druid levels behind even if you take Natural Bond. I don't know, I'll give it a think. Also, 'railroading' the players to take 4 levels of ranger means you are kind of forcing them to become two-weapon fighters. Archery is a suboptimal choice for Sneak Attack builds (you can't flank with a bow, so you have to strike from ambush, and usually that's only feasible at the start of the combat. If they choose not to go with either of these approaches (sword and board, two handed weapons) they are practically wasting the level 2 ranger ability. I was assuming a ranger build but trying to make the PrC neutral regarding archery or TWF (though I agree it would end up being one or the other). Archery has a lot going for it over TWF that people don't always see, although I admit that taking the third level of WPO makes TWF something of a no-brainer. Thematically it would be nice to have a 2-hander spear or lance build work though (although still pretty unlikely given goblin strength -- and I can't think of an image of a lance-armed goblin offhand that I have ever seen). And another observation, that sneak attack progression makes it very tempting to stray away from the mounted character idea. In actual play it might prove much more effective to dismount and flank with your wolf than fight mounted. Good point. [Edit -- made some changes to the OP to address some of these concerns. Ranger/Rogue with TWF is still probably the best way to go, but I added a small bump for archery and with the loosened requirements I can imagine a barbarian or fighter build using a longspear and ride-by attack as being effective too. Or the eclectic smorgasbord of Rogue1/Ranger1/Fighter2/Barbarian1/Wolfrider10 (watch those Will saves!). What do you think?] - Ron ^*^
Drag0nUL 09-02-07, 04:38 AM	I was about to suggest that, in order to keep the ranger flavor of the class without forcing the player to take 4 levels, you could add the Track feat as a requirement. And I think you should also bump up the hide requirement back to 8 ranks. I think it looks pretty good now. Actually this class made me want to play a goblin:) I want to try this Prestige Class next time when I change my character in an Eberron game. I think I will go Ranger 2/fighter 1/rogue 3/wolfrider 10 and will be using TWF with shortspear and spiked light shield (looks more 'goblin' to me like that).
Werebat 09-02-07, 10:25 AM	I was about to suggest that, in order to keep the ranger flavor of the class without forcing the player to take 4 levels, you could add the Track feat as a requirement. And I think you should also bump up the hide requirement back to 8 ranks. I think it looks pretty good now. Actually this class made me want to play a goblin:) I want to try this Prestige Class next time when I change my character in an Eberron game. I think I will go Ranger 2/fighter 1/rogue 3/wolfrider 10 and will be using TWF with shortspear and spiked light shield (looks more 'goblin' to me like that). Thanks. I actually did raise Hide to 8 as per your suggestion. Glad to see it looks interesting to try, hope it isn't overpowered. - Ron ^*^