Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Staple 08-21-07, 10:15 PM	A player in my campaign wants to play a Bard/Marshal character. Since Marshal isn't a core class (Miniatures Handbook), no such class exists, so we built one homebrew. I need feedback on whether this class is in the right power level. As for that power level, I'm looking for something towards the middle; in the vicinity of Justiciar or Drunken Master, as opposed to something weak like Shining Blade of Heironeous, or something powerful like Eldritch Theurge. "Drill Sergeant" Requirements: Alignment: Nonlawful Spellcasting: Able to spontaneously cast 1st level arcane spells. Feats: Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Melodic Casting, Versatile Performer (Complete Adventurer, allows use of ranks in one perform check in place of any other) Skills: Perform (any) 8 ranks Special: Inspire Competence, Major Aura +1 Hit Die: d6 Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (each, taken individually), Listen, Perform, Sense Motive, Spot, Use Magic Device Skill Points Per Level: 6+INT Base Attack: 3/4 (+7 at level 10) Saves: Fort: Bad Reflex: Good Will: Good Class Features by Level: 1)Aural Music, +1 to Auras 2)Bardic Music, +1 Arcane Casting, +1 to Auras 3) +1 Arcane Casting, +1 to Auras 4)Major Aura +1, +1 Arcane Casting, +1 to Auras 5)Inspire Courage +2, +1 Arcane Casting 6)Inspire Greatness, +1 Arcane Casting, +1 to Auras 7)+1 Arcane Casting, +1 to Auras 8)+1 Arcane Casting, +1 to Auras 9)Song of Freedom, +1 Arcane Casting, +1 to Auras 10)Aural Empowerment, +1 to Arcane Casting Long Descriptions: Aura Progression: At each level except the fifth and tenth, Drill Sergeant levels stack with Marshal levels for determining number of Auras known. Spellcasting: At each level except the first and sixth, a Drill Sergeant gains spell progression for onearcane class to which he belonged before becoming a Drill Sergeant (standard application). Bardic Music: A Drill Sergeant adds half his level to his effective Bard level to determine his number of uses of Bardic Music per day, rounded down. Aural Music: A Drill Sergeant gains a morale bonus to his Perform checks equal to one half his class level (rounded up) while maintaining an aura. Major Aura +2: At level 4, a Drill Sergeant's bonuses from his Major Aura increase by 1. Inspire Courage +2: At level 5, a Drill Sergeant's use of Inspire Courage improves. Inspire Greatness: At level 6, a Drill Sergeant gains use of the Inspire Greatness ability. See the Bard class feature (PHB 30). Song of Freedom: At level 9, a Drill Sergeant gains use of the Song of Freedom ability. See the Bard class feature (PHB 30) Aural Empowerment: At 10th level, a Drill Sergeant gains a +2 morale bonus to his Charisma score whenever he is maintaining a Bardic Music ability. This ability does not grant extra spells per day for having a high Charisma score. The game in question isn't likely to go beyond level 15, so gaining the Bard class features won't cause issues, since he won't be taking any more levels of Bard, either. For balance, I've set the Drill Sergeant to Bard hit dice. This character will be the party skill monkey, so he gets Bard skill points. 3/4 base attack is shared by both classes, and so seemed logical. Also for Balance, Drill Sergeant doesn't gain improvements to Bardic Knowledge, and doesn't gain the Suggestion or Grant Move Action class features, instead focusing on the party buffs this character is meant to exemplify.
Staple 08-23-07, 10:32 AM	I seriously need feedback on this, and will keep bumping it until I get some. Sorry to be a jerk about this, but I need to know where this thing sits.
Kaladon7779 08-23-07, 10:43 AM	Last time i checked the Marshall isn't a Core class but it is a base class. So really its treated no different then any other base classes.
Kaladon7779 08-23-07, 10:49 AM	I like the concept, I myself am a bard player. But by getting the better of both worlds kind of removes the concept of even playing a straight up bard or Marshall for that matter. I'll get back with this in a bit here, at work
bkdubs123 08-23-07, 12:22 PM	Well he doesn't quite get the best of both worlds. His inspire courage is slightly less powerful than it would normally be, as is his Major Aura. Also the spellcasting is two levels behind. It does a good job of meshing the classes together but it isn't really that original. For something just thrown together so the player can be a Bard/Marshall and still be good, sure it works just fine.