Post/Author/DateTime	Post
danzibr 03-12-07, 11:08 PM	Okay, I like the Pyrokineticist, and I like lightning. So without further ado: Electrokineticist Every electrokineticist has a strange, very powerful draw towards lightning. Whether it’s watching the lightning every time it storms or asking your older sibling wizard to cast Shocking Grasp on you, the attraction is there. However, there’s more to an electrokineticist than simply being allured to lightning. Like lightning, the electrokineticist focuses strictly on swiftness and power, neglecting defense for offense. Game Rule Information Alignment: any Race: any except people who have some water elemental connection Hit Die: d8 Starting Gold: probably poor Starting Age: probably young Class Skills The electrokineticist’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration (Con), will determine later Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4 Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier Table: The Electrokineticist Lvl BAB FS RS WS Special 1 +0 +0 +2 +0 Wild Talent, Weapon Finesse, Lightning Weapon 2 +1 +0 +2 +0 Speed Bonus, Improved Initiative, Lightning Bolt 3 +2 +1 +3 +1 Lightning Weapon Improvement (+1) 4 +3 +1 +3 +1 Lightning Bolt Improvement, Overload, Immediate Draw 5 +3 +1 +4 +1 Lightning Weapon Improvement (Shock) 6 +4 +2 +4 +2 Lightning Bolt Improvement, Lightning Weapon Improvement 7 +5 +2 +5 +2 Lightning Weapon Improvement (+2), Sheathe Armor 8 +6 +2 +5 +2 Lightning Bolt Improvement 9 +6 +3 +6 +3 Lightning Weapon Improvement (Shocking Burst) 10 +7 +3 +6 +3 Lightning Bolt Improvement, Lightning Aura 11 +8 +3 +7 +3 Lightning Weapon Improvement (+3) 12 +9 +4 +7 +4 Lightning Bolt Improvement 13 +9 +4 +8 +4 Lightning Weapon Improvement (Speed), Sidestep 14 +10 +4 +8 +4 Lightning Bolt Improvement 15 +11 +5 +9 +5 Lightning Weapon Improvement (+4) 16 +12 +5 +9 +5 Lightning Bolt Improvement, Mjollnir 17 +12 +5 +10 +5 Lightning Weapon Improvement 18 +13 +6 +10 +6 Lightning Bolt Improvement 19 +14 +6 +11 +6 Lightning Weapon Improvement (+5), Lightning 20 +15 +6 +12 +6 Lightning Bolt Improvement Class Features All the following are class features of the Electrokineticist. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Electrokineticists are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and light armor. Lightning Weapon (Su): As a move action, an electrokineticist can create a weapon they are proficient with composed of pure lightning distilled from their own mind, with a few limitations. The weapon must be bladed (so a spear or short sword would work while a quarter staff or club would not) and must be relatively straight (so a scimitar would work while a scythe would not, and a spiked chain and whip certainly wouldn’t). The weapon is identical in all ways (except visually) to a normal weapon of the same type they are creating. Electrokineticists who are smaller or larger than Medium create lightning weapons identical to weapons appropriate for their size, with a corresponding change to the weapon’s damage and threat range. However, the lightning weapon is always treated as a light weapon (due to their nigh masslessness, see below). So you can't use Power Attack, but you don't get the -2 penalty while wielding it in your off hand and you can use it while grappling. Unlike a mind blade, the wielder of a lightning weapon does not gain the usual benefits to their attack roll and damage roll from a high Strength bonus due to the fact that the mass of lightning is negligible. The weapon can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points, and Kakashi claimed to have cut lightning with his Chidori); however, an electrokineticist can simply create another on their next move action. The moment they relinquish grip on their weapon, it dissipates (with one exception; see below). A lightning weapon is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. An electrokineticist can use feats such Combat Expertise (but not Power Attack, see above) in conjunction with the lightning weapon just as if it were a normal weapon. They can also choose lightning weapon for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Specialization. Powers or spells that upgrade weapons can be used on a lightning weapon. An electrokineticist’s lightning weapon improves as the character gains higher levels. At 3rd level the electrokineticist gains greater control over their weapon and may choose to have it not dissipate after letting go for a single round, allowing for throwing their lightning weapon and using ranged weapons (though they would only be able to fire one bolt or arrow per round). Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as within a null psionics field), an electrokineticist can attempt to sustain their mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the electrokineticist maintains their lightning weapon for a number of rounds equal to their class level before they need to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the lightning weapon vanishes. As a move action on their turn, the electrokineticist can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize their lightning weapon while they remain within the psionics negating effect. In order to make their lightning weapon, an electrokineticist must make a concentration check of 10 + special abilities (so 10 at first level, 11 at third, etc until 21 at level 19 [note that the twelfth level ability replaces and does not stack with the sixth level ability]) and they must make a similar check every ten rounds to maintain their weapon. Also at 3rd level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon gets a +1 enchantment bonus to attack and damage that is magical electricity damage. At 4th level an electrokineticist may form their lighting weapon as an immediate action (though only once per full round). At 5th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon gets the Shock enchantment. At 6th level an electrokineticist can form a weapon with up to one bend (i.e. scythe). At 7th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon’s enchantment bonus raises to +2. At 9th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon gets the Shocking Burst enchantment. At 11th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon’s enchantment bonus raises to +3. At 12th level an electrokineticist can form any weapon they are proficient with. At 13th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon gets the Speed enchantment. At 15th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon’s enchantment bonus raises to +4. At 17th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon gets the XXXXXXXX enchantment. At 19th level an electrokineticist’s lightning weapon’s enchantment bonus raises to +5. Also, maybe add in keen Weapon Finesse: An electrokineticist gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. Wild Talent: An electrokineticist gains Wild Talent as a bonus feat. (This class feature provides the character with the psionic power the needs to materialize their lightning weapon, if they have no power points otherwise.) Improved Initiative: At second level an electrokineticist gains Improved Initiative as a bonus feat. Speed Bonus (Ex): Beginning at second level, an electrokineticist’s land speed is faster than the norm for their race by +5 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor or light armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the electrokineticist’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn. This bonus increases by an addition five feet every sixth level (+5 at level 2, +10 at level 8, +15 at level 14 and +20 at level 20). Lightning Bolt (Ps): Starting at 2nd level, as a standard action, an electrokineticist can launch a stream of psionically manifested jagged lightning at any target in line of sight within 60 feet. This effect is treated as a ranged touch attack and deals 1d6 +1 points of electricity damage. At fourth level an electrokineticist may choose to deal 2d6 +2 points of electricity damage to an individual target or 1d6 +1 to two targets no more than ten feet apart. The range increases by five feet every four levels (10’ at 4, 15’ at 8, 20’ at 12, 25’ at 16, 30’ at 20). At sixth level they may deal a total of 3d6 +3 damage to one, two, or three targets, as long as nothing they are dealing damage to is more than fifteen feet away from the initial target (so you could deal 2d6 +2 to one and 1d6 +1 to another). Every even level the damage increases by 1d6 +1, so at twentieth level you can zap up to 9 targets up to 20 feet away from the initial target. While writing this I had both Balefire from WoT and force lightning in mind. Overload (Ps): Starting at fourth level an electrokineticist may endanger their physical well-being to push their offensive capabilities even further by using their body to gather energy. They may sacrifice 1 hp/2 electrokineticist levels or 1 point of constitution to add “points” to a “pool”. If the points are not spent within one full round they are wasted. Note they may not have more than (two times their electrokineticist level) points at any time and may only use up to one point/electrokineticist level on any one ability (so a level two electro can’t double their speed although they can have up to 4 points). Also, this is an immediate action. These points can do different things: 1 point - treat Lightning Bolt or Lightning Weapon as if it class level were one higher. Only a maximum of three points may be spent this way. 2 points - increase the Lightning Bolt damage from d6 to d8, increase lightning aura range by 5’ 3 points - double speed for one round, disregard lightning resist/immunity 4 points - additional sidestep use 5 points - additional Mjollnir use 7 points - additional Lightning use Immediate Draw (Ps): Starting a fourth level an electrokineticist may form their lightning weapon as an immediate action, though may still only make one attempt to form it per full round. Sheath Armor (Ps): Starting at seventh level an electrokineticist may sheathe their armor in pure lightning. Although this does not give them a bonus to AC, it increases their max Dex bonus (of the armor) by 2, lowers their armor check penalty by 2 (to a min of 0) and it electrocutes anyone striking with an unarmed attack, natural attack, metallic weapon or anything else that makes sense for 2 electricity damage/level. This does double damage to grapplers. Lastly, the same rules for Lightning Weapon apply to making and maintaining the armor. Lightning Aura (Ps): Starting at tenth level, they get a suppressible aura (which is usually always active) that does damage and makes them look sweet. The aura goes out five feet in every direction around them and deals 1d6 electricity damage per round (determined at the beginning of the electro’s round) to any enemy within the range and they must succeed a reflex save (DC 10 + electro level/2 rounded down + Dex modifier) or be stunned for the round. If they choose to suppress the aura it takes t takes a concentration check of their electrokineticist level every round in combat (though outside of combat they don’t have to, I guess). Sidestep (Ps): A thirteen level electrokineticist may make a sidestep during combat. Or outside of combat, but that would be useless. Anyways, so they may take a five foot step in any direction (that would normally be allowed) once per day as an immediate action. So if that Ogre is bringing down that big ol’ hammer on yer head, step out of the way. But if that fireball is coming… sorry. Hope you make your save. Mjollnir (Ps): An electrokineticist of sixteenth level may call down a massive amount of electricity from the sky to attempt to incinerate a single foe and damage all those within five feet of the target (imagine Mjollnir from BoFIII… basically a huge-ass lightning bolt). The lightning itself is actually fifteen feet in diameter. 2d6 damage per electrokineticist level. If the target succeeds on a reflex save (DC 10 + electro level/2 rounded down + Dex modifier) they take half damage (though this is not subject to Evasion). If they fail this save they must make a fortitude save (same DC) or be incinerated. However, although adjacent foes must make the same reflex save DC, they are not subject to incineration and Evasion counts This ability is a full-round action and usable once per day. Also, anything except the electrokineticist with eyes within two hundred feet of the bolt is blinded for one round and dazzled for two additional rounds (even party members, oh snap). Lighting (Ps): An electrokineticist of nineteenth level gains the swiftness of lightning itself. The gain +10 temporary ability score modifier to their Dex, speed bonus of 200 feet (or maybe adjust their current speed to x4 or x5), an extra attack with their BAB, Dex bonus and whatever else may apply, may move about without provoking attacks of opportunity, may move between every attack they make and, lastly, if they were in a position earlier that round they may use it for determining flanking. After the ability wears off they are considered exhausted (yes, not fatigued, exhausted (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/abilitiesAndConditions.html#exhausted)). This is activated as a swift action, lasts one round and is usable once per day. Let’s see here… how powerful is this build? A 20th level electro would have a +5 Shocking, Shocking Burst, (whatever they’re proficient with) of Speed. 20 feet bonus to their speed. Lightning bolt is basically free, diverse 10d6 + 10 damage every turn (should change this… to full-round action, maybe?). They can sacrifice 1 point of Con or 10 hp for a single point, or any combination for more points, which are handy. Stuff I need to change: The glaringly obvious XXXXXXX enchantment. Maybe keen. Maybe lightning bolt damage. Maybe add electricity resist to Sheathe Armor. Skills. Add in/change point stuff. Maybe give it a better name :P And that's all folks. For now I guess. I hope they'd be fun. Anyways, as I said, input (not malicious, anyways) is welcome and thanks for your time! EDIT: Oh, and also, would someone write up a pro/con list? I think I could do it myself but I probably have a biased view of this class. Dan
periscope 03-12-07, 11:45 PM	Is the lightning blade a touch attack? If they only get a medium BAB and no str to attack then they wont be hitting a lot of the time. You may also want to put a way to compensate for enemies that have a resistance or immunity to electricity. Also, I see lightning bolt on the table but it isnt in the descriptions, can you fix that plz?
danzibr 03-13-07, 07:46 AM	Is the lightning blade a touch attack? If they only get a medium BAB and no str to attack then they wont be hitting a lot of the time. You may also want to put a way to compensate for enemies that have a resistance or immunity to electricity. Also, I see lightning bolt on the table but it isnt in the descriptions, can you fix that plz? Nope, lightning blade is not a touch attack. However, it does get a decent enchantment bonus and the electro automatically gets weapon finesse. Despite these I'm still not sure how balanced it is. Also, it says for 2 points you can disregard lightning resist/immunity. And lastly... I feel silly, but Lightning Bolt was actually on there, just it wasn't bolded nor separated so it kind of blended in with Speed Bonus. But yeah, I'll totally have to look at how often they hit. Thanks for your advice! Dan
periscope 03-13-07, 09:28 AM	NP thats what the boards are for. Question it says to create or maintain the weapon you must make a concentration check. Is this to create or maintain it in an antimagic field or is this just to create it period? Also, I refer to you to this link for ideas http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=805764
danzibr 03-13-07, 12:07 PM	NP thats what the boards are for. Question it says to create or maintain the weapon you must make a concentration check. Is this to create or maintain it in an antimagic field or is this just to create it period? Also, I refer to you to this link for ideas http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=805764 "Even in places where psionic effects do not normally function (such as within a null psionics field), an electrokineticist can attempt to sustain their mind blade by making a DC 20 Will save. On a successful save, the electrokineticist maintains their lightning weapon for a number of rounds equal to their class level before they need to check again. On an unsuccessful attempt, the lightning weapon vanishes. As a move action on their turn, the electrokineticist can attempt a new Will save to rematerialize their lightning weapon while they remain within the psionics negating effect." So it's to create it, period. My reasoning: I imagine lightning is harder to control than fire. And actually, I had commented quite a few times on the link you directed me to. A while back, maybe last week or so, I made this post (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=803805). As you can see, Doomed_Penguin got the idea to make the Pyrokineticist as a base class, which is the link you showed me. Still, thanks for looking out for your fellow board member! Dan
periscope 03-13-07, 07:47 PM	Ok sorry bout that. I still recommend not requiring a concentration check to create it, as that would make it seem annoying and its the annoying little things that turn people away from classes more than the big things (the big things just get min/maxed to asmodeus and back). I would also suggest making just an automatic bypass electric resistance and immunity like in the pyrokineticist thread. Reason being again the little things. Having to spend hit points or con points to use my main abilities seems heinous to most people. You have any ideas for a cryo kineticist? or aceto?
Inkedmsd 03-13-07, 09:04 PM	Here is my thought. It came to me in aour last game with our warlock who who became useless against MR creatures. There should be a feat or talent to overcome DR or immunity to electricity so that the character does not wind up becoming obsolete if you encounter creatures with such adaptation. This would go for any energy based class. Also a thought about alignment...lightning seems to me more chaotic in nature, but I guess you would need some discipline in order to harness its power.
danzibr 03-13-07, 09:49 PM	periscope: Well, my intention with the constant concentration checks (though really they're not that often, and are not necessary outside of combat) was to balance the lightning weapon with the fire lash. I mean, I didn't want to make the electro too overpowered. Also, I have ideas for both cryo and aceto (but not for sonico, or whatever it would be, as much). So yeah. periscope and Inkedmsd: Ya know, at first I disagreed but now, well, I don't. I went to SRD (since you can't cntrl + F books) and there's quite a few creatures that have electricity resist or straight up immunity... but not too many, so if I did change their ability to bypass resistance/immunity, it probably wouldn't be much, but I'm considering it. Inkedmsd: Nice catch with the alignments. Lightning does seem to be very chaotic, but it would take great control to be an electro. I think I'll go post on the monster thread or somewhere about the electricity stuff. Thank you both for your input! Dan
danzibr 03-13-07, 10:36 PM	I made my post on the monter board (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=808796)and here's what I'm thinking: 1) grant pierce electricity resist as a class feature of some level (though only at 50% damage) 2) reduce the cost to one point and have the damage at 50% I'm still not sure just how valuable points and all of the abilities are. 1 hp/2 levels when the build isn't too focused on Con and only gets a d8 is... well, not too bad, and 1 con is basically the same. Anyways, what does everyone else think? Dan
Doomed_Penguin 03-14-07, 07:30 AM	Good job. I like it being different from the pyro, rather than just replacing fire damage with electricity damage. I'll probably give you some advice/tips later, when I have a little more time to review it; but from what I've seen, it looks really cool.
WinterPsionic 03-14-07, 05:13 PM	Nevermind, miss-read an ability.
danzibr 03-14-07, 06:12 PM	Nevermind, miss-read an ability. Ahh... just out of curiosity, what was it? I mean, if you misread something, then its quite likely others will also do so, so maybe I could improve the wording. Also, would it be too unbalanced to always consider the lightning weapon a light weapon (since it is almost massless and all)? Also, I'm thinking of making the XXXXXX ability into a Greater Shock, or 2d6 instead of 1d6 damage. Does that seem good? Lastly, I'm thinking of adding the Shock and Greater Shock to just normal weapons (like Pyro's Weapon Afire) so they're not so limited with their melee choices. Dan
WinterPsionic 03-14-07, 06:20 PM	It was the Lightning Bolt ability, somehow I missed the division of damage against the targets, may I also point out that it may require a certain number of hops at higher levels, for example the "Primary" ability of a Warlock, Eldritch Blast maxs out at 9D6, granted he can let it hop 3 times at that level the damage is reduced for the secondary hits, Lightning Bolt as I've reread it can still do 10D6+10 to a single target. Granted the Warlock can compensate to some degree with essences the raw power is still an awfully close match for something isn't really a "preimary" ability in your build.
danzibr 03-14-07, 06:39 PM	Ahh, yes! Thank you, this is exactly what I'm looking for. I don't know (and obviously don't own) what book the Warlock comes from so I couldn't have known, but that's a great comparison. And yes, it was my intention to have it be able to do 10d6 + 10 electricity damage to a single foe, but, since you're right about it not being a focus of the class, it shouldn't be comparable to the primary ability of another class. So... thanks for pointing that out. Think maybe it should only be able to do 3/4 of its damage to a single foe, rounded down? That way when you're up against the big bad boss dude it tops out at 7d6+7. But what do you think? Dan
WinterPsionic 03-14-07, 09:48 PM	Ahh, yes! Thank you, this is exactly what I'm looking for. I don't know (and obviously don't own) what book the Warlock comes from so I couldn't have known, but that's a great comparison. And yes, it was my intention to have it be able to do 10d6 + 10 electricity damage to a single foe, but, since you're right about it not being a focus of the class, it shouldn't be comparable to the primary ability of another class. So... thanks for pointing that out. Think maybe it should only be able to do 3/4 of its damage to a single foe, rounded down? That way when you're up against the big bad boss dude it tops out at 7d6+7. But what do you think? Dan That sounds reasonable.
periscope 03-14-07, 11:07 PM	Maybe the lightning bolt should be the focus of the class. It will help set it away from the pyrokineticist even more and who hasnt heard of an idiot getting hit by a bolt of lightning? Since lightning comes and goes, maybe give it a shot on the run ability but only for the lightning bolt? The lightning weapon seems more like a last resort or for hit and run. Again maybe a spring attack like ability. no quartering the lightning bolt, a simple 10d6 at the levels you get it is not going to be causing (oh crap Im gonna die! damage) it causes (that tickled) damage dont reduce it anymore. Since he's got access to lightning, maybe an ability to blind/deafen an opponent? or resistance to such effects. maybe he should gain a death effect (similar to the pyro heat death) Have it function like a chain lightning effect only that if you dont save you die (as per slay living though give the secondary targets a +2 on their save and all targets perhaps a penalty to their saves if their wet or have a lot of metal on them) and if you do save then you take full damage instead? At the higher levels the wizards has access to that mass phantasmic killer spell (i think its the wierd spell?) and wail of the banshee so its not totally unheard of especially at the 19-20 levels and it would be a good capstone. Maybe for each class the weapon should be specific (for the 4). Fire has a whip (moving this way and that), Ive always kind of imagined lightning as a spear or a hammer (sudden forceful and deadly), cold is slow, purposeful, unstoppable (maybe a mace, maul, or flail?), acid seems to be pain, dissolution, agony maybe a scimitar? or a spiked chain?
danzibr 03-15-07, 08:35 PM	Maybe the lightning bolt should be the focus of the class. It will help set it away from the pyrokineticist even more and who hasnt heard of an idiot getting hit by a bolt of lightning? Since lightning comes and goes, maybe give it a shot on the run ability but only for the lightning bolt? The lightning weapon seems more like a last resort or for hit and run. Again maybe a spring attack like ability. no quartering the lightning bolt, a simple 10d6 at the levels you get it is not going to be causing (oh crap Im gonna die! damage) it causes (that tickled) damage dont reduce it anymore. Since he's got access to lightning, maybe an ability to blind/deafen an opponent? or resistance to such effects. maybe he should gain a death effect (similar to the pyro heat death) Have it function like a chain lightning effect only that if you dont save you die (as per slay living though give the secondary targets a +2 on their save and all targets perhaps a penalty to their saves if their wet or have a lot of metal on them) and if you do save then you take full damage instead? At the higher levels the wizards has access to that mass phantasmic killer spell (i think its the wierd spell?) and wail of the banshee so its not totally unheard of especially at the 19-20 levels and it would be a good capstone. Maybe for each class the weapon should be specific (for the 4). Fire has a whip (moving this way and that), Ive always kind of imagined lightning as a spear or a hammer (sudden forceful and deadly), cold is slow, purposeful, unstoppable (maybe a mace, maul, or flail?), acid seems to be pain, dissolution, agony maybe a scimitar? or a spiked chain? I would first like to thank you for putting the time and effort into trying to help me out. Well, the thing is, I constructed this class with the specific idea of creating a balanced character. Not too focused on casting or melee. And I noticed you said, "no quartering the lightning bolt." It would actually be 3/4, so you can still direct up to 75% of the damage to a single foe. And Mjollnir does, indeed, blind people. But lightning is not thunder. Thunder is sonic and lightning does not deafen. But I definitely am considering adding electricity resist. Mjollnir can also instantly kill. And I've always pictured lightning as very swift and damaging... but I don't associate a specific weapon with it, which is exactly why I attempted to give the player some freedom in choosing their weapon. If I were to make a cold build it would probably focus more on defense and disabling rather than direct damage. Also, I probably wouldn't give acid a specific weapon. Maybe some sort of touch attack like Sesshoumaru's. So, overall, it appears as if we merely have a conflict of opinions, but I do appreciate you taking the time to attempt to help me further fix my class. Dan
periscope 03-17-07, 11:58 PM	No problem thats what the boards are for. I will concede on the weapons, you are right.