Needing help balancing a feat. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Needing help balancing a feat. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Cyphrus
07-20-07, 03:43 PM Hi all,

I'm here today to ask for a spot of help balancing a feat out for a friend's character, a barbarian who wants to be an unarmed fighter. I've based what I currently have roughly off the feat "Ascetic Rogue" and "Devoted Performer".

I'm not quite quite certain if it covers everything I needed for him; But it's a start!

Without further ado, I bring you this:

Brawling Berzerker

Type: General

Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike, Rage or Frenzy ability.

Benefit:

When you use an unarmed strike to deliver a stunning attack while in a rage or frenzy, you add 2 to the DC of your stunning attempt.

If you have levels in a class that allows you to rage or frenzy and monk, those levels stack for the purpose of determining your unarmed strike damage, as well as uses per day of rage or frenzy (but none of their upgrades).

For example, a human 2nd-level barbarian/6th-level monk would deal 1d10 points of damage with her unarmed strike, as well as having 3 uses of rage per day.

In addition, you can multi class freely between the monk and the class that allows you to rage or frenzy and may even gain additional levels regardless of your lawful alignment. You must still remain lawful in order to retain your monk abilities and take levels in the class that allows you to rage or frenzy. You still face the normal XP penalties for having multiple classes more than one level apart.

Thanks for any input or tips on balancing it.
Kouk
07-21-07, 12:04 AM I don't really think that it is good to allow full Monk unarmed progression for something like Barbarian 19/ Monk 1.

You might look at the feat Superior Unarmed Strike which gives a limited unarmed damage progression for non-monks, and boosts a monks damage by 4 levels.
Linkrulesx10
07-21-07, 05:59 AM I think the feat is fine, similear in power to the other feats, I think it is good.
runestar
07-21-07, 06:20 AM Seems okay enough - comparable to ability focus.:)
Cyphrus
07-22-07, 12:25 PM Thanks all for the input, I figured everything was relatively evened out. He's started the character, and he's loving it!

The only thing I was thinking about, do you all think it'd be fair to allow this feat to stack barbarian and monk levels for the level based armor bonus?

Have wonderful days all!
Tallow
07-22-07, 01:20 PM Thanks all for the input, I figured everything was relatively evened out. He's started the character, and he's loving it!

The only thing I was thinking about, do you all think it'd be fair to allow this feat to stack barbarian and monk levels for the level based armor bonus?

Have wonderful days all!

My major problem with this, is that most of the "combo" feats (those that combine levels of two different classes for progression of class features of both classes) do only the combining thing. Allowing the +2 DC on stun checks, though, is not really that big and I'd allow it.

Don't allow, though, the AC bonus progression.

Rather than progressing the unarmed strike damage per a monk (have him take the Superior Unarmed Combat feat as mentioned above), why not combine levels for progression of flurry of blows?
jaelis
07-22-07, 01:31 PM I think this is OK if you don't allow a monk to use magic gauntlets to enhance her unarmed strike attacks. If you do, then a monk 2/barb 18 becomes extremely powerful. (If you don't, then the hefty expense of an amulet of mighty blows helps balance it.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cyphrus 07-20-07, 03:43 PM	Hi all, I'm here today to ask for a spot of help balancing a feat out for a friend's character, a barbarian who wants to be an unarmed fighter. I've based what I currently have roughly off the feat "Ascetic Rogue" and "Devoted Performer". I'm not quite quite certain if it covers everything I needed for him; But it's a start! Without further ado, I bring you this: Brawling Berzerker Type: General Prerequisite: Improved Unarmed Strike, Rage or Frenzy ability. Benefit: When you use an unarmed strike to deliver a stunning attack while in a rage or frenzy, you add 2 to the DC of your stunning attempt. If you have levels in a class that allows you to rage or frenzy and monk, those levels stack for the purpose of determining your unarmed strike damage, as well as uses per day of rage or frenzy (but none of their upgrades). For example, a human 2nd-level barbarian/6th-level monk would deal 1d10 points of damage with her unarmed strike, as well as having 3 uses of rage per day. In addition, you can multi class freely between the monk and the class that allows you to rage or frenzy and may even gain additional levels regardless of your lawful alignment. You must still remain lawful in order to retain your monk abilities and take levels in the class that allows you to rage or frenzy. You still face the normal XP penalties for having multiple classes more than one level apart. Thanks for any input or tips on balancing it.
Kouk 07-21-07, 12:04 AM	I don't really think that it is good to allow full Monk unarmed progression for something like Barbarian 19/ Monk 1. You might look at the feat Superior Unarmed Strike which gives a limited unarmed damage progression for non-monks, and boosts a monks damage by 4 levels.
Linkrulesx10 07-21-07, 05:59 AM	I think the feat is fine, similear in power to the other feats, I think it is good.
runestar 07-21-07, 06:20 AM	Seems okay enough - comparable to ability focus.:)
Cyphrus 07-22-07, 12:25 PM	Thanks all for the input, I figured everything was relatively evened out. He's started the character, and he's loving it! The only thing I was thinking about, do you all think it'd be fair to allow this feat to stack barbarian and monk levels for the level based armor bonus? Have wonderful days all!
Tallow 07-22-07, 01:20 PM	Thanks all for the input, I figured everything was relatively evened out. He's started the character, and he's loving it! The only thing I was thinking about, do you all think it'd be fair to allow this feat to stack barbarian and monk levels for the level based armor bonus? Have wonderful days all! My major problem with this, is that most of the "combo" feats (those that combine levels of two different classes for progression of class features of both classes) do only the combining thing. Allowing the +2 DC on stun checks, though, is not really that big and I'd allow it. Don't allow, though, the AC bonus progression. Rather than progressing the unarmed strike damage per a monk (have him take the Superior Unarmed Combat feat as mentioned above), why not combine levels for progression of flurry of blows?
jaelis 07-22-07, 01:31 PM	I think this is OK if you don't allow a monk to use magic gauntlets to enhance her unarmed strike attacks. If you do, then a monk 2/barb 18 becomes extremely powerful. (If you don't, then the hefty expense of an amulet of mighty blows helps balance it.)