New PrC: The Goblin Knee Miner, PEACH me please [Archive] - Wizards Community

New PrC: The Goblin Knee Miner, PEACH me please [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Twylyght
06-12-07, 03:56 AM Goblin Knee Miner

"They think theys are all better than we are, they thinks we are weak... lets them. Soon enough we will look down on them as theys stare lifeless up from beneath our feet."

Being the size that they are, goblins have long been aware that the greatest weapon they possess is their numbers. Anyway they can exploit this advantage in battle is one step closer to victory. This train of thought lead to the tactical awareness that a foe on his back both lowers his level of threat, and brings his vitals back into striking distance. With this the knee miners saw thier first battles. Originaly taking up picks as they were easy to scavenge from old mines and caves which they often inhabited, the goblins discovered a number of ways to turns its shape, leverage, and fatal piercing ability into a marvel of martial ability, and tactical tool for removal of the foes combat ability. Throwing themselves at opponents in wild and seemingly reckless ways, the knee miners bowl over then violently assault their enemies.

Most knee miners come from martial backgrounds. Warriors and fighters make up most their numbers. The occasional goblin ranger who becomes a knee miner makes a fierce and deadly opponent when facing his favored enemies. In large casting clases do not seek out the path, but its not impossible.

NPC knee miners are most often encountered in teams of 3-5 protecting important lairs or larger strongholds. Often they are the first to engage intruders in melee, after the foes have been weakened by traps and ranged attacks. They act to quickly topple and if high enough level cripple those who appear to be of greatest threat.

Adaptation: Availability of weapons could alter the weapon of focus for the knee miner, any weapon that grants the ability to trip could function in the role. Also other small humanoids that rely on clever tactics and pressing their number advantage could adapt this class, kobold for example.

Hit Die: d10

Requirements
To qualify to become a goblin knee miner, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Race: Goblin
Skills: Balance 2 ranks, Jump 5 ranks, tumble 2 ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Weapon Focus (Any Pick)

Class Skills
Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.

The Goblin knee miner
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Applied Leverage, Practiced Trip
2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 High or Low
3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Tripping Cleave
4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Tear Down the Supports
5th +5 +4 +4 +1 Down and Through

Class features
Applied Leverage (ex): Goblin knee miners train hard to maximize their leverage against larger foes. At 1st level, when armed with a pick, knee miners treat their size as being one step larger when attempting trips against a foe of larger size.

Practiced trip (ex): Goblin knee miners focus on getting opponents to the ground, starting at first level they gain a perfection bonus to opposed rolls made to trip equal to thier class level.

High or Low (ex): Knee miners often charge into foes to topple them, sometime leaping high to pull the foe down, sometimes going low directly for the legs. They train to be very good at hiding which it will be to the last moment. At 2nd level, as part of a charge action they may make a bluff attempt opposed by the foe being charged sense motive. If the bluff succeeds, that foe makes any opposed rolls to avoid being triped by the knee miner with the least favorable of his strength or dexterity until the end of the round.

Tripping Cleave (ex): Practice at maximizing momentum and leverage allows a knee miner to sweep down several foes with a single swing. After reaching 3rd level, a goblin knee miner gains a special option after triggering the improved trip ability. If a knee miner has successfully tripped an opponent, instead of making an attack on the tripped foe he may a substitute a trip attack on another opponent in range. Successfull trips from this ability to not trigger further uses of improved trip.

Tear Down the Supports (ex): Knee miners eventually learn that taking a foe down is only the first step, keeping him down is when victory is complete. Begining at 4th level, the knee miner wielding a pick gains a special option after triggering the improved trip ability. When making the follow up attack on the tripped foe the knee miner can choose to make the attack with a -8 to the attack roll. If the attack succeeds the knee miner drives the pick deep into the foes leg dealing damage as normal. The foe must then make a fortitude save against a DC = to damage done by the attack, if it fails its leg is severly crippled. Until it recieves total healing equal to the damage done, the leg is treated with a DC 30 heal check, the foe is limited to 5 foot movements (steps or crawling) and standing is a full round action that provokes an attack of oppertunity.

Down and Through (ex): The ultimate tactic the knee miner brings to the field of battle, often ending a foe in a single swoop. Its unpredictable, requiring that the foe fall just right, but when it works, it works well. After reaching 5th level a knee miner who trips an opponent while wielding a pick and wins the opposed check by 10 or more gains a special advantge on the attack granted by improved trip. If the follow up attack succeeds in hitting the opponent, it is automatically treated as a critical threat. The threat must be confimed as normal. This ability can not be used at the same time as Tear Down the Supports.
Twylyght
06-17-07, 03:42 AM Anyone got any thoughts on this? I wont bite, honest!
Endarrion
06-17-07, 08:27 AM It's interesting, I like the flavor.

It just seems like it needs... something. Maybe giving them a good Ref save as well as a good Fort save? I don't know.

Great idea though.
Twylyght
06-18-07, 02:54 AM hmm maybe so, I had actually considered that at one point, and wondered if 2 good saves would be to much.
Omega_Grey
06-18-07, 03:20 AM The only real problem that I see is a flavor one, specifically in that they use the pick, a weapon that is considered more kobold fair then goblin. But thats just me.

Also adding in a good reflex save might not be bad if you want to open it up to be more appealing to rogue characters.
Twylyght
07-01-07, 10:57 PM Its certainly suitble to any weapon you could imagine goblins scrounging up in good number, and that can trip. Kobold are a great fit for this class too. Heck I figure with some touch ups its suitable somehow to most small humanoids.

Did an update, kicked the reflex up as suggested.
CommanderFalken
07-19-07, 02:23 PM Man, if this weren't a Goblin-only class i would take it in a heartbeat for a halfling fighter of mine...

Well done! I do think that applied leverage should apply to all trip attacks. I find it hard to believe that they'd be better at tripping larger targets, but not, say, a goblin rival.
Twylyght
07-19-07, 03:28 PM You can use it for your halfling, I wont tell anyone ;)

Glad you like it!

The intent on applied leverage the way it is is not to make them better at tripping directly, only to make them have less of a handicap against larger foes.

Practiced trip on the other hand, is the one intended to make them better trippers over all, and would just as well against goblins or anything else you dare get close enough to to trip.
Tuhljin
07-23-07, 01:43 AM I wanted to throw in my compliments on this PrC as well. Well done. I do wonder though if some adjustments might be made to "Down and Through" to perhaps give a small bit of additional damage if the attack would have been a critical hit without this ability forcing it to be. For example, if the roll to hit after making the trip would be a critical hit and it is confirmed, someone with a (Small-sized) light pick would deal 1d3 damage in addition to the normal damage added from the critical hit. It may not really be necessary, but I don't like the possible feeling of "Ah, that 20 was wasted on that roll!" and the like - especially if a character is crit-centric and thus invested feats or magic weapon enhancements to make crits more likely.
Gadren
07-25-07, 12:25 PM Woot for midget PrC's!

Great flavor. Seems a tiny bit weak crunch-wise, though, since many of your special attacks will be difficult to land with the penalties you built in.

Why not take a look at my Kobold Gun-Toter (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=892926)?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Twylyght 06-12-07, 03:56 AM	Goblin Knee Miner "They think theys are all better than we are, they thinks we are weak... lets them. Soon enough we will look down on them as theys stare lifeless up from beneath our feet." Being the size that they are, goblins have long been aware that the greatest weapon they possess is their numbers. Anyway they can exploit this advantage in battle is one step closer to victory. This train of thought lead to the tactical awareness that a foe on his back both lowers his level of threat, and brings his vitals back into striking distance. With this the knee miners saw thier first battles. Originaly taking up picks as they were easy to scavenge from old mines and caves which they often inhabited, the goblins discovered a number of ways to turns its shape, leverage, and fatal piercing ability into a marvel of martial ability, and tactical tool for removal of the foes combat ability. Throwing themselves at opponents in wild and seemingly reckless ways, the knee miners bowl over then violently assault their enemies. Most knee miners come from martial backgrounds. Warriors and fighters make up most their numbers. The occasional goblin ranger who becomes a knee miner makes a fierce and deadly opponent when facing his favored enemies. In large casting clases do not seek out the path, but its not impossible. NPC knee miners are most often encountered in teams of 3-5 protecting important lairs or larger strongholds. Often they are the first to engage intruders in melee, after the foes have been weakened by traps and ranged attacks. They act to quickly topple and if high enough level cripple those who appear to be of greatest threat. Adaptation: Availability of weapons could alter the weapon of focus for the knee miner, any weapon that grants the ability to trip could function in the role. Also other small humanoids that rely on clever tactics and pressing their number advantage could adapt this class, kobold for example. Hit Die: d10 Requirements To qualify to become a goblin knee miner, a character must fulfill all the following criteria. Race: Goblin Skills: Balance 2 ranks, Jump 5 ranks, tumble 2 ranks Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Weapon Focus (Any Pick) Class Skills Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Profession (Wis), and Tumble (Dex). Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier. The Goblin knee miner Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Applied Leverage, Practiced Trip 2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 High or Low 3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Tripping Cleave 4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Tear Down the Supports 5th +5 +4 +4 +1 Down and Through Class features Applied Leverage (ex): Goblin knee miners train hard to maximize their leverage against larger foes. At 1st level, when armed with a pick, knee miners treat their size as being one step larger when attempting trips against a foe of larger size. Practiced trip (ex): Goblin knee miners focus on getting opponents to the ground, starting at first level they gain a perfection bonus to opposed rolls made to trip equal to thier class level. High or Low (ex): Knee miners often charge into foes to topple them, sometime leaping high to pull the foe down, sometimes going low directly for the legs. They train to be very good at hiding which it will be to the last moment. At 2nd level, as part of a charge action they may make a bluff attempt opposed by the foe being charged sense motive. If the bluff succeeds, that foe makes any opposed rolls to avoid being triped by the knee miner with the least favorable of his strength or dexterity until the end of the round. Tripping Cleave (ex): Practice at maximizing momentum and leverage allows a knee miner to sweep down several foes with a single swing. After reaching 3rd level, a goblin knee miner gains a special option after triggering the improved trip ability. If a knee miner has successfully tripped an opponent, instead of making an attack on the tripped foe he may a substitute a trip attack on another opponent in range. Successfull trips from this ability to not trigger further uses of improved trip. Tear Down the Supports (ex): Knee miners eventually learn that taking a foe down is only the first step, keeping him down is when victory is complete. Begining at 4th level, the knee miner wielding a pick gains a special option after triggering the improved trip ability. When making the follow up attack on the tripped foe the knee miner can choose to make the attack with a -8 to the attack roll. If the attack succeeds the knee miner drives the pick deep into the foes leg dealing damage as normal. The foe must then make a fortitude save against a DC = to damage done by the attack, if it fails its leg is severly crippled. Until it recieves total healing equal to the damage done, the leg is treated with a DC 30 heal check, the foe is limited to 5 foot movements (steps or crawling) and standing is a full round action that provokes an attack of oppertunity. Down and Through (ex): The ultimate tactic the knee miner brings to the field of battle, often ending a foe in a single swoop. Its unpredictable, requiring that the foe fall just right, but when it works, it works well. After reaching 5th level a knee miner who trips an opponent while wielding a pick and wins the opposed check by 10 or more gains a special advantge on the attack granted by improved trip. If the follow up attack succeeds in hitting the opponent, it is automatically treated as a critical threat. The threat must be confimed as normal. This ability can not be used at the same time as Tear Down the Supports.
Twylyght 06-17-07, 03:42 AM	Anyone got any thoughts on this? I wont bite, honest!
Endarrion 06-17-07, 08:27 AM	It's interesting, I like the flavor. It just seems like it needs... something. Maybe giving them a good Ref save as well as a good Fort save? I don't know. Great idea though.
Twylyght 06-18-07, 02:54 AM	hmm maybe so, I had actually considered that at one point, and wondered if 2 good saves would be to much.
Omega_Grey 06-18-07, 03:20 AM	The only real problem that I see is a flavor one, specifically in that they use the pick, a weapon that is considered more kobold fair then goblin. But thats just me. Also adding in a good reflex save might not be bad if you want to open it up to be more appealing to rogue characters.
Twylyght 07-01-07, 10:57 PM	Its certainly suitble to any weapon you could imagine goblins scrounging up in good number, and that can trip. Kobold are a great fit for this class too. Heck I figure with some touch ups its suitable somehow to most small humanoids. Did an update, kicked the reflex up as suggested.
CommanderFalken 07-19-07, 02:23 PM	Man, if this weren't a Goblin-only class i would take it in a heartbeat for a halfling fighter of mine... Well done! I do think that applied leverage should apply to all trip attacks. I find it hard to believe that they'd be better at tripping larger targets, but not, say, a goblin rival.
Twylyght 07-19-07, 03:28 PM	You can use it for your halfling, I wont tell anyone ;) Glad you like it! The intent on applied leverage the way it is is not to make them better at tripping directly, only to make them have less of a handicap against larger foes. Practiced trip on the other hand, is the one intended to make them better trippers over all, and would just as well against goblins or anything else you dare get close enough to to trip.
Tuhljin 07-23-07, 01:43 AM	I wanted to throw in my compliments on this PrC as well. Well done. I do wonder though if some adjustments might be made to "Down and Through" to perhaps give a small bit of additional damage if the attack would have been a critical hit without this ability forcing it to be. For example, if the roll to hit after making the trip would be a critical hit and it is confirmed, someone with a (Small-sized) light pick would deal 1d3 damage in addition to the normal damage added from the critical hit. It may not really be necessary, but I don't like the possible feeling of "Ah, that 20 was wasted on that roll!" and the like - especially if a character is crit-centric and thus invested feats or magic weapon enhancements to make crits more likely.
Gadren 07-25-07, 12:25 PM	Woot for midget PrC's! Great flavor. Seems a tiny bit weak crunch-wise, though, since many of your special attacks will be difficult to land with the penalties you built in. Why not take a look at my Kobold Gun-Toter (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=892926)?