Ragewild Shifter [Archive] - Wizards Community

Ragewild Shifter [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
farscapesg1
03-21-07, 11:26 AM Warning...this class may seem a little, umm, unbalanced :P I've had a couple people ask me about it, so I just decided to post it up here.

Ragewild Shifter

Ragewild Shifters are shifters that have learned to combine their wild and feral tendencies with their lycanthropic shifting abilities. They learn to tap into their fierce bestial ancestry when shifting, becoming more and more animalistic in nature.

Hit Dice: d8

Entry Requirements:
Race: Shifter
Base Attack Bonus: +7
Feats: Shifter Savagery, three other shifter feats
Skills: Survival 10 ranks
Other: Ability to Rage or Frenzy; Razorclaw, Longtooth, or Gorebrute shifter trait

Level BAB FORT REF WILL Ability
1 +0 +2 +2 +0 Shifter Rage, Animal Instincts, Scent
2 +1 +3 +3 +0 Fast Healer
3 +2 +3 +3 +1 Nature’s Weapons
4 +3 +4 +4 +1 Rending Claws
5 +3 +4 +4 +1 Feral Terror

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Balance, Climb, Jump, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Listen, Spot, Move Silently, Hide, Survival, Swim, Tumble.

Class features

Shifter Rage (Ex): As a Ragewild Shifter, you have learned to tap into the bestial nature of your lycanthrope heritage. At every odd level (1st, 3rd, and 5th) you gain 1 additional use of your barbarian rage or frenzy per day. In addition, if you rage while shifting, your rage duration lasts until your shifting duration ends.

Animal Instincts (Ex): As you become more feral, you develop natural instincts like many animals. You react quicker to danger and your senses are heightened. You gain a +2 bonus on Initiative checks and a bonus on Listen and Spot checks equal to the number of shifter feats your posses.

Scent (Ex): A Ragewild Shifter gains the Scent special ability. If he already posses the Scent ability, he instead gains Improved Scent.

Fast Healer (Ex): As you delve deeper into your lycanthropic heritage, you learn to tap into the healing abilities of your ancestors. At 2nd level, you gain Fast Healing 2 while using your shifting ability.

If you possess the Healing Factor feat, this is increased to Fast Healing equal to 1 plus the number of shifter feats you have.

Nature's Weapons (Su): At third level the Ragewild Shifter's natural weapons become harder and sharper than normal. They are treated as adamantine for the purpose of bypassing hardness and DR.

The Ragewild Shifter can also attune his natural attacks to bypass other forms of DR. To do so, the character must make a successful attack with a natural weapon against an opponent that has damage reduction, dealing at least 1 point of damage (after any applicable DR). On the following round (and each round after), the character's weapons are no longer treated as adamantine, but instead are treated as a material required to bypass his opponent's DR. They cannot assume alignment (such as good, evil, lawful, etc.) even if the opponent struck requires it to bypass DR. For example, a Ragewild Shifter could not bypass DR 5/good and silver (or DR 5/good for that matter), but could attune his weapons to bypass DR 5/silver.

This ability can only be used while shifting (it is not gained when manifesting his natural weapons at will). This change lasts for the remaining duration of his shifting before reverting to adamantine again. A Ragewild Shifter can use this ability only one time per combat.

Rending Claws (Ex): At 4th level, a Ragewild Shifter that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This automatically deals damage equal to a single claw attack, plus 1-1/2 the Strength modifier. This ability can be used any time the Ragewild Shifter can make claw attacks.

Feral Terror (Ex): At 5th level, you have fully tapped into your lycanthropic primal nature. When using both your shifting and rage abilities, a Ragewild Shifter gains the following;

DR 2/Silver
Natural AC +2
+10 bonus to movement
Improved Grab
Rake ability (on a successful grapple, or when using pounce)

If the character already has DR X/Silver, the DR is increased by 2.
If the character already has a Natural AC bonus, the bonus is increased by 2
Tevin Kevlak
03-21-07, 01:25 PM I think you mean Adamantine. I don't think there's adamantium in DnD, bub.
farscapesg1
03-21-07, 01:44 PM Picky, picky ;)
spell_weaver
03-21-07, 03:31 PM i would drop the ability to change your natural attacks to overcome new DR, that seems a bit to overpowered. besides that, seems like a perfect PrC for a race that has been sorely lacking PrC's.

Consider it swiped.
dunkeykong
03-21-07, 03:43 PM Shifter Rage (Ex): As a Ragewild Shifter, you have learned to tap into the bestial nature of your lycanthrope heritage. At every odd level (1st, 3rd, and 5th) you gain 1 additional use of your barbarian rage or frenzy per day. In addition, if you rage while shifting, your rage duration lasts until your shifting duration ends.

I would change that ability to increase the number of times you can shift per day. Theres already a feat that gives you more rage per day, however shifters are lacking any similar feats.

Also, i cant help but think that +2 to init and the increase to listen and spot is a bit much. the feat shifter instincts does basically the same thing, and I know I always take it.

other than that, i agree with weaver, it is swiped.
dunkeykong
03-21-07, 03:45 PM And I like the fact that it has difficult entry requirments. that balances it out quite a bit.
farscapesg1
03-21-07, 03:53 PM Yeah, that's been an annoying thorn in my side when it comes to feeling that it is balanced.

However, the DM was okay with it, and honestly we have been getting pounded with DR resistant creatures lately. We came to the conclusion that if we limited the change to only once per encounter it would help balance it out. Believe it or not, we've had a lot of encounters with multiple DR types.

Glad you liked the rest ;) Granted, several things were actually taken from existing ideas (like the adamantine natural weapons and the fast healing, both taken from the Ranger substitution levels in RoE).

We haven't gotten to the point of actually getting to use any of this yet. Next game session will be the first one where I start this PRC. I've already talked to the DM and have made the agreement that we can make changes to the class as we go if it ends up being too strong.
farscapesg1
03-21-07, 04:06 PM I would change that ability to increase the number of times you can shift per day. Theres already a feat that gives you more rage per day, however shifters are lacking any similar feats.

Also, i cant help but think that +2 to init and the increase to listen and spot is a bit much. the feat shifter instincts does basically the same thing, and I know I always take it.

other than that, i agree with weaver, it is swiped.

Ah yes, but shifters are already feat starved as it is. Even more so by requiring Shifter Savagry (which requires at least 1 level of Barbarian), plus 3 other feats. That takes up every feat from 1st through 9th level (since you can't purchase shifter feats, nor extra rage, with bonus feats from classes like Fighter). That means the earliest you could get Extra Rage would be 12th level.

As for the Animal Instincts, I've been thinking about dropping the skill bonuses back to 1/2 your shifter feats, but I'm leaving it as is for the moment until after some playtesting. Considering our group ALWAYS fails listen and spot checks, I may need the full bonus ;)
dunkeykong
03-21-07, 04:08 PM i dont think it will be to powerful, your giving up alot of class abilities to focus on a relativley limited set of racial abibilities and it is also very feat intensive class. You have to work towards this PrC from level 1.

one more thing you might want to slip in, that just occured to me. this class would seem nice for a fear effect, like a howl. maybe DC=10+cha+class level, only affecting creatures with less HD than you, useable once per encounter, 3 times per day?

Just a thought, it would fit in fluff wise.
dunkeykong
03-21-07, 04:10 PM Considering our group ALWAYS fails listen and spot checks ;)

especially with those goblin ninjas around.
farscapesg1
03-21-07, 04:24 PM i dont think it will be to powerful, your giving up alot of class abilities to focus on a relativley limited set of racial abibilities and it is also very feat intensive class. You have to work towards this PrC from level 1.

one more thing you might want to slip in, that just occured to me. this class would seem nice for a fear effect, like a howl. maybe DC=10+cha+class level, only affecting creatures with less HD than you, useable once per encounter, 3 times per day?

Just a thought, it would fit in fluff wise.

Well, from a character standpoint, I already have Frightful Shifting (or whatever it is named) from the Weretouched Master PRC. But I could see adding in something like that instead of the ability to change DR types with your natural weapons.

I'm looking forward to tearing it up with my Barb1/Scout5/WM5/RS1 at my next game session ;) Especially with the changes to the Weretouched Master we made, which I posted in this thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=798057).
FreAkOuTRG
03-21-07, 07:31 PM It seems like it would fit, so I'll advertise my shifter barbarian levels (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=738146)

As for your class, why does it have a medium BAB? And why is it limited to only gorebrute, razorclaw and longtooth barbarians?
farscapesg1
03-21-07, 08:08 PM As for your class, why does it have a medium BAB? And why is it limited to only gorebrute, razorclaw and longtooth barbarians?

Well, the medium BAB was basically a balancing factor. I felt that it would be too strong, even for our group, with a full BAB. Originally it had a d10 hit dice also.

As for the gorebrute, razorclaw, and longtooth requirement...because it is a prestige class centered around the idea of combining shifting and rage. The best feat for this is Shifter Savagry, which increases your natural attack damage by 2 size categories. If you don't have natural attacks, then the feat is pretty worthless, and since shifters are so feat starved in the first place it wouldn't make much sense to take the feat.

Now, if you are looking at the fact that Weretouched Master gives you natural attacks, then I guess it could make a little more sense wanting to go into this PRC. Of course, our house rule is that the natural attacks gained from Weretouched Master are treated as if you gained that shifter trait (claw attacks=razorclaw trait, bite=longtooth). But, like I said, that is a house rule that we use.
Vharuck
03-21-07, 08:44 PM I noticed that the last two class benefits really favor claws over bite or gore attacks.
farscapesg1
03-21-07, 11:32 PM You have a good point there. Since I am playing a razorclaw, it just happened that way when making the class. I will see what else I can come up with to help the others out.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
farscapesg1 03-21-07, 11:26 AM	Warning...this class may seem a little, umm, unbalanced :P I've had a couple people ask me about it, so I just decided to post it up here. Ragewild Shifter Ragewild Shifters are shifters that have learned to combine their wild and feral tendencies with their lycanthropic shifting abilities. They learn to tap into their fierce bestial ancestry when shifting, becoming more and more animalistic in nature. Hit Dice: d8 Entry Requirements: Race: Shifter Base Attack Bonus: +7 Feats: Shifter Savagery, three other shifter feats Skills: Survival 10 ranks Other: Ability to Rage or Frenzy; Razorclaw, Longtooth, or Gorebrute shifter trait Level BAB FORT REF WILL Ability 1 +0 +2 +2 +0 Shifter Rage, Animal Instincts, Scent 2 +1 +3 +3 +0 Fast Healer 3 +2 +3 +3 +1 Nature’s Weapons 4 +3 +4 +4 +1 Rending Claws 5 +3 +4 +4 +1 Feral Terror Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level): Balance, Climb, Jump, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Listen, Spot, Move Silently, Hide, Survival, Swim, Tumble. Class features Shifter Rage (Ex): As a Ragewild Shifter, you have learned to tap into the bestial nature of your lycanthrope heritage. At every odd level (1st, 3rd, and 5th) you gain 1 additional use of your barbarian rage or frenzy per day. In addition, if you rage while shifting, your rage duration lasts until your shifting duration ends. Animal Instincts (Ex): As you become more feral, you develop natural instincts like many animals. You react quicker to danger and your senses are heightened. You gain a +2 bonus on Initiative checks and a bonus on Listen and Spot checks equal to the number of shifter feats your posses. Scent (Ex): A Ragewild Shifter gains the Scent special ability. If he already posses the Scent ability, he instead gains Improved Scent. Fast Healer (Ex): As you delve deeper into your lycanthropic heritage, you learn to tap into the healing abilities of your ancestors. At 2nd level, you gain Fast Healing 2 while using your shifting ability. If you possess the Healing Factor feat, this is increased to Fast Healing equal to 1 plus the number of shifter feats you have. Nature's Weapons (Su): At third level the Ragewild Shifter's natural weapons become harder and sharper than normal. They are treated as adamantine for the purpose of bypassing hardness and DR. The Ragewild Shifter can also attune his natural attacks to bypass other forms of DR. To do so, the character must make a successful attack with a natural weapon against an opponent that has damage reduction, dealing at least 1 point of damage (after any applicable DR). On the following round (and each round after), the character's weapons are no longer treated as adamantine, but instead are treated as a material required to bypass his opponent's DR. They cannot assume alignment (such as good, evil, lawful, etc.) even if the opponent struck requires it to bypass DR. For example, a Ragewild Shifter could not bypass DR 5/good and silver (or DR 5/good for that matter), but could attune his weapons to bypass DR 5/silver. This ability can only be used while shifting (it is not gained when manifesting his natural weapons at will). This change lasts for the remaining duration of his shifting before reverting to adamantine again. A Ragewild Shifter can use this ability only one time per combat. Rending Claws (Ex): At 4th level, a Ragewild Shifter that hits with both claw attacks latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This automatically deals damage equal to a single claw attack, plus 1-1/2 the Strength modifier. This ability can be used any time the Ragewild Shifter can make claw attacks. Feral Terror (Ex): At 5th level, you have fully tapped into your lycanthropic primal nature. When using both your shifting and rage abilities, a Ragewild Shifter gains the following; DR 2/Silver Natural AC +2 +10 bonus to movement Improved Grab Rake ability (on a successful grapple, or when using pounce) If the character already has DR X/Silver, the DR is increased by 2. If the character already has a Natural AC bonus, the bonus is increased by 2
Tevin Kevlak 03-21-07, 01:25 PM	I think you mean Adamantine. I don't think there's adamantium in DnD, bub.
farscapesg1 03-21-07, 01:44 PM	Picky, picky ;)
spell_weaver 03-21-07, 03:31 PM	i would drop the ability to change your natural attacks to overcome new DR, that seems a bit to overpowered. besides that, seems like a perfect PrC for a race that has been sorely lacking PrC's. Consider it swiped.
dunkeykong 03-21-07, 03:43 PM	Shifter Rage (Ex): As a Ragewild Shifter, you have learned to tap into the bestial nature of your lycanthrope heritage. At every odd level (1st, 3rd, and 5th) you gain 1 additional use of your barbarian rage or frenzy per day. In addition, if you rage while shifting, your rage duration lasts until your shifting duration ends. I would change that ability to increase the number of times you can shift per day. Theres already a feat that gives you more rage per day, however shifters are lacking any similar feats. Also, i cant help but think that +2 to init and the increase to listen and spot is a bit much. the feat shifter instincts does basically the same thing, and I know I always take it. other than that, i agree with weaver, it is swiped.
dunkeykong 03-21-07, 03:45 PM	And I like the fact that it has difficult entry requirments. that balances it out quite a bit.
farscapesg1 03-21-07, 03:53 PM	Yeah, that's been an annoying thorn in my side when it comes to feeling that it is balanced. However, the DM was okay with it, and honestly we have been getting pounded with DR resistant creatures lately. We came to the conclusion that if we limited the change to only once per encounter it would help balance it out. Believe it or not, we've had a lot of encounters with multiple DR types. Glad you liked the rest ;) Granted, several things were actually taken from existing ideas (like the adamantine natural weapons and the fast healing, both taken from the Ranger substitution levels in RoE). We haven't gotten to the point of actually getting to use any of this yet. Next game session will be the first one where I start this PRC. I've already talked to the DM and have made the agreement that we can make changes to the class as we go if it ends up being too strong.
farscapesg1 03-21-07, 04:06 PM	I would change that ability to increase the number of times you can shift per day. Theres already a feat that gives you more rage per day, however shifters are lacking any similar feats. Also, i cant help but think that +2 to init and the increase to listen and spot is a bit much. the feat shifter instincts does basically the same thing, and I know I always take it. other than that, i agree with weaver, it is swiped. Ah yes, but shifters are already feat starved as it is. Even more so by requiring Shifter Savagry (which requires at least 1 level of Barbarian), plus 3 other feats. That takes up every feat from 1st through 9th level (since you can't purchase shifter feats, nor extra rage, with bonus feats from classes like Fighter). That means the earliest you could get Extra Rage would be 12th level. As for the Animal Instincts, I've been thinking about dropping the skill bonuses back to 1/2 your shifter feats, but I'm leaving it as is for the moment until after some playtesting. Considering our group ALWAYS fails listen and spot checks, I may need the full bonus ;)
dunkeykong 03-21-07, 04:08 PM	i dont think it will be to powerful, your giving up alot of class abilities to focus on a relativley limited set of racial abibilities and it is also very feat intensive class. You have to work towards this PrC from level 1. one more thing you might want to slip in, that just occured to me. this class would seem nice for a fear effect, like a howl. maybe DC=10+cha+class level, only affecting creatures with less HD than you, useable once per encounter, 3 times per day? Just a thought, it would fit in fluff wise.
dunkeykong 03-21-07, 04:10 PM	Considering our group ALWAYS fails listen and spot checks ;) especially with those goblin ninjas around.
farscapesg1 03-21-07, 04:24 PM	i dont think it will be to powerful, your giving up alot of class abilities to focus on a relativley limited set of racial abibilities and it is also very feat intensive class. You have to work towards this PrC from level 1. one more thing you might want to slip in, that just occured to me. this class would seem nice for a fear effect, like a howl. maybe DC=10+cha+class level, only affecting creatures with less HD than you, useable once per encounter, 3 times per day? Just a thought, it would fit in fluff wise. Well, from a character standpoint, I already have Frightful Shifting (or whatever it is named) from the Weretouched Master PRC. But I could see adding in something like that instead of the ability to change DR types with your natural weapons. I'm looking forward to tearing it up with my Barb1/Scout5/WM5/RS1 at my next game session ;) Especially with the changes to the Weretouched Master we made, which I posted in this thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=798057).
FreAkOuTRG 03-21-07, 07:31 PM	It seems like it would fit, so I'll advertise my shifter barbarian levels (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=738146) As for your class, why does it have a medium BAB? And why is it limited to only gorebrute, razorclaw and longtooth barbarians?
farscapesg1 03-21-07, 08:08 PM	As for your class, why does it have a medium BAB? And why is it limited to only gorebrute, razorclaw and longtooth barbarians? Well, the medium BAB was basically a balancing factor. I felt that it would be too strong, even for our group, with a full BAB. Originally it had a d10 hit dice also. As for the gorebrute, razorclaw, and longtooth requirement...because it is a prestige class centered around the idea of combining shifting and rage. The best feat for this is Shifter Savagry, which increases your natural attack damage by 2 size categories. If you don't have natural attacks, then the feat is pretty worthless, and since shifters are so feat starved in the first place it wouldn't make much sense to take the feat. Now, if you are looking at the fact that Weretouched Master gives you natural attacks, then I guess it could make a little more sense wanting to go into this PRC. Of course, our house rule is that the natural attacks gained from Weretouched Master are treated as if you gained that shifter trait (claw attacks=razorclaw trait, bite=longtooth). But, like I said, that is a house rule that we use.
Vharuck 03-21-07, 08:44 PM	I noticed that the last two class benefits really favor claws over bite or gore attacks.
farscapesg1 03-21-07, 11:32 PM	You have a good point there. Since I am playing a razorclaw, it just happened that way when making the class. I will see what else I can come up with to help the others out.