Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dazzer 05-18-07, 06:27 PM	Hey, For my home-brew campaign world I'm finally finishing up what cultures exist, but I have the problem in that no culture has something unique to it yet, in terms of it's actual game statistics. I'm trying to come up with some substitution levels for classes, and prestige classes. In this case, there are several tribes of shamanistic religion throughout a specific area. So many in fact that they have actually differentiated themselves in terms of who's who, by way of what part of nature, the elements, or general cause they worship. The largest of which is an orc, gnoll and goblin religion, which has surprisingly found it's way into the hearts of many others in surrounding area's. I've trying to come up with a suitable prestige class to go along this theme, and I realized that although there is the Elemental Savant, A cleric with the fire domain, a spirit shaman or druid who specialized in fire magic. There is nothing that really sets up for a divine connection to the element itself that I can find. Perhaps I'm wrong, but instead of spending hours searching, I decided to spend about 30 minutes cooking this up. It's an ALPHA test if you get my meaning: The Fire Shaman Pre-Requisites Base Attack: +4 Alignment: Any, Except True Neutral Skills: Concentration 4 ranks, Knowledge (Nature) 8 ranks, Knowledge (History) 4 ranks Feats: Spell Focus (Fire), Improved Unarmed Strike Spells: Must be able to cast 3rd level spells. Must be able to cast 4 different spells with the fire subtype. Skills Points: 4 + Int Class Skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge(history), Knowledge(nature), knowledge(religion), Listen, Profession, Ride, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival an Swim BaB: Average (3/4 base, as cleric) Saves: Good Fortitude, Bad Reflex, Good Will Hitdie: d8 Spellcasting: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 01-: Wild Empathy, Fire Specialization +1, Quick to Act +1, Elemental Anathema 02-: Resistance to Fire 5, Speak with the Fire 03-: Spirit of the Flames, Bonus Domain (Fire), 04-: Searing Spell, Fist of Flame (Flaming), Quick to Act+2 05-: Fire Specialization +2, Resistance to Fire 10 06-: Body of Fire 1/day 07-: Quick to Act +3, Greater Spell Focus (Fire) 08-: Resistance to Fire 15, Fist of Flame (Flaming Burst) 09-: Awakened Spirit 10-: Body of Fire 2/day, Fire Specialization +3, Perfect Flame, Quick to Act + 3 Elementan Anethema (Ex): You are so specialized in fire based spells, and so devout in your worship, that a Fire Shaman takes a penalty to his caster level for all, earth, acid, electricty, air, cold and water spells equal to his Fire Specialization Bonus. Wild Empathy (Ex): You gain wild empathy as per the druid class feature. If you already have wild empathy, your levels in Fire Shaman stack with those of any other class that give you wild empathy for the purposes of determining the bonus to the check. Fire Specialization (Ex): Starting at first level, you gain a +1 bonus to caster level for all spells with the fire subtype, for example Fireball. This bonus increases to +2 at level 5, and by 1 every 5 levels therafter. This bonus effects the range, duration, and effect of the spell as well as any other caster level dependant modifier. Quick to Act (Ex): Like flames, you are fast acting, and gain a +1 bonus to initiative at level 1. This bonus increases by 1 every 3 levels thereafter, at level 4, 7 etc. Resistance to Fire (Ex): At level 2, you gain resistance to fire 5. This resistance goes up to 10 at level 5, and 15 at level 8. Speak with the Fire (Ex): At level 2, you gain an innate understanding how to communicate with those born of fire. You gain the ability to speak and understand Ignan, although this does not allow you to write in Ignan. Spirit of the Flames (Ex): At level 3, you gain a special fire spirit companion as your bond with fire has grown strong enough. This fire spirit is only viewable by you, and no means of detection work to detect it, except for the ability to Detect Spirits. Your fire spirit is immune to all effects and cannot effect anyone else either. Your spirit guide grants you the ability to once per day, reroll one initiative check. You must accept the result of the reroll. If you have the watchful spirit class feature (See Wu-Jen), this ability instead grants another use of that class feature. If you have the Spirit Guide Class Feature (See Spirit Shaman), your spirit guide changes to take the form of a fire elemental shaped in the shape of your previous spirit guide's animal form. Bonus Domain (Ex): At 3rd level, you gain the fire domain as a bonus domain. If you are a Cleric or Spirit Shaman you may add levels in those classes to your Fire Shaman level to determine the power of the fire domain ability. You do not however, add your fire shaman levels for the purposes of any other domain or class feature acquired from those classes. Searing Flames (Ex): At 4th level you gain a bonus metamagic feat known as searing spell (sandstorm). If you choose to prepare a fire spell you know as a searing flames spell, that fire spell bypasses fire resistance, and those immune to fire take half damage from the spell. Those with the fire subtype are immune to the effect of a piercing flames spell. Creatures with the cold subtype take double damage from a piercing flames spell, instead of the normal +50% damage. In addition to the normal benefit of the feat, a searing flames spell prepared by a fire shaman bypass protection granted by magical means as well as natural means. A piercing flames spell uses up a spellslot one level higher than the spells actual level. Fist of Flame (Su): At 4th level, your firsts become emblazened with fire once you get started. Once you have been struck for damage in combat, or have struck another creature for damage, your hands blaze with burning fire. Your unarmed strikes are treated as a flaming weapon. At 8th level this class feature improved to grant the flaming burst quality instead. Body of Fire (Su): At 6th level, you gain the ability to transform into a creature of pure flames and wisp. In this form fire based effects heal you of hitpoints equal to 1 per 3 damage they would have dealt. Your fists 1d8 points of fire damage with your Fist of Flame class feature. You gain a +4 bonus to save against mind-affecting spells and abilities, 25% immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks, any creature striking you with a non-reach weapon, or natural attack takes 1d4 points of irresistable fire damage, only those with the fire subtype are immune. You also gain a +10 enhancement bonus on your base land speed. You may remain in this for for a number of minutes equal to your half your class level. Entering this state is a standard action that does not draw attacks of opportunity. Awakened Spirit (Su): At 9th level your fire spirit companion can become awakened by you as a full-round action. As a full-round action, you may summon your fire spirit to this plane of existance to aid you in your fights. For the duration of this effect, you may not use your Spirit of the Flames class feature to reroll initiative. Upon summoning, your fire spirit aids you in any way it can. It speaks Ignan. Treat your fire spirit as an Elder Fire Elemental for the purposes of it's stastitics block. If it is killed, you do not regain it for 1 week, and you take a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls from the trauma. You may use this class feature a number of rounds per day equal to 5 + Charisma Bonus. At your option, you may attempt a DC 25 concentration check to summon your spirit as a move action, rolling a 1 is an automatic failure on this check. If you fail you cannot summon for another 24hours. Feat: At 7th level you gain Greater Spell Focus (Fire) as a bonus feat Perfect Flame (Ex): At 10th level you gain the fire subtype. Your normal type does not change, for example if you were originally a human, your type becomes Humanoid (human, fire). You are treated as a fire creature for all intensive purposes, except for the fire domains ability to rebuke fire creatures. However, you are still treated as a fire creature for the purpose of the water domains ability to turn fire based creatures. This ability also gives you a +2 permanent increase to your dexterity score. Body of Fire (Su): At 10th level your body of fire ability improves. You gain one extra use of the ability per day. In addition, you heal 1 hitpoint per 2 fire damage dealt, you deal 2d6 points of damage with your fist of flame ability, you become 75% immune to critical hits, you gain a +20 foot enhancement bonus to your base land speed, you deal 1d8 points of irrestible fire damage to creatures striking you, and you gain a +4 competance bonus to Dexterity. Questions arise. Does this look balanced? If it is not balanced, what are it's overpowered features, and how can we modify them?. If it is balanced, any suggestions? If it is underpowered, what should be improved? It gains spellcasting at all levels except level 1 and level 6 (essentially losing 2 caster levels)
rone_leah 05-18-07, 06:56 PM	Hate when I mow over the table and miss things. But enough about me, the class looks balanced. Don't expect much posts because fire is the most nerf element in D&D. Change the element to sonic and everyone would be up in arms saying its overpowered