Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 need_a_life Jul 16, 2008 14:32:37	Being a bit hyperactive at the moment I thought about how to best represent the "elite" units in Eberron, seeing as how I like keeping NPCs low-powered, but keep players thinking "... What the f---" when they encounter units that are known to be the "best of the best" in something. Now, immediate solutions is that people who belong to these organisations each have this special Paragon Path... but that's boring. And it means that by the time the PCs get the same opportunities, they're able to take quite a few swords to the chest, no sweat. So, I bring out my first suggestion: Knight Phantom Requirements: Mounted Combat, Ritual Casting, must know Phantom Steed. Benefit: A phantom steed ridden by you does not disappear when it's subject to damage. In addition, you may make a saving throw once per round as an immediate interrupt to redirect an attack directed at you to hit your steed instead. Special: To take this feat, you must have received training in the Knights Arcane. I actually think it might be a bit too powerful as one feat, so perhaps split it into: Knight Arcane Requirements: Mounted Combat, Ritual Casting, must know Phantom Steed. Benefit: A phantom steed ridden by you does not disappear when it's subject to damage. Special: To take this feat, you must have received training in the Knights Arcane. Knight Phantom Requirements: Mounted Combat, Ritual Casting, must know Phantom Steed, Knight Arcane. Benefit: While mounted, you may make a saving throw once per round as an immediate interrupt to redirect an attack directed at you to hit your steed instead. Thoughts? Ideas? EDIT: Thought of another one, based on the Aurum (in fact, practically stolen from Players Guide to Eberron): Trusted of the Aurum Requirement: Ritual Casting. Benefit: You gain access to the most treasured ritual of the Aurum.
#2 aricandor Jul 17, 2008 14:49:55	I was thinking about the very same thing earlier today, and I was going by the paragon path idea. However, like you, I thought it was a little bland and dull, so the "solution" - which might not be one at all since I've yet to write anything down and see how it looks like in practice - would be to make them require multiclassing to be available. Basically I envisioned the prerequisites for Knight Phantom to be: "Wizard with Student of the Sword multiclass feat -OR- Fighter with the Arcane Initiate multiclass feat" And then invent some interesting ideas for that, possibly tacking on the requirement for a few power swap feats. Naturally, this wouldn't work for all of them, merely the obviously multiclass-oriented organizations (Bone Knights come to mind as well). That said, I do like the feat idea, and the ritual is probably quite workable as well. I'll have to think some more about that approach since it definitely has some merits a paragon path does not.
#3 herogoeth Jul 17, 2008 15:20:03	Remember that we'll be looking through the Swordmage Class pretty soon. It will likely be a pretty good source of inspiration for ideas like the Knight Phantom.
#4 need_a_life Jul 17, 2008 18:11:27	I intentionally chose to avoid requiring a particular class or multi-class feat because it might conflict with future additions. Also, I don't remember that Knights Phantom necessarily had to have fighter levels. I imagine it would be common, but they didn't wear any armour and worked more as mobile artillery than merely fighters on magical horses. Besides, in 4E they'll have about as good a chance of hitting their opponents with a sword as a fighter (though, they'll likely have lower strength), assuming they're proficient (otherwise, staff-fighting or dagger-fighting would be utilized) even if they deal less damage. And now wizards can wear leather or even hide armour and still cast unhindered (and when riding, who cares if you get a reduction in speed... your mount doesn't! :D ) EDIT: Right off the bat (no skill training or feats required), wizards, clerics and artificers qualify for the feats. Heck, a human fighter could take one as his level 4 feat (Feats needed: Skill Training: Arcana/Arcane Initiate, Ritual Casting, Mounted Combat). EDIT2: and is it balanced to have the Knight Phantom as a single feat or is it better to have it as two feats???
#5 aricandor Jul 18, 2008 17:38:10	True enough about the KPs. It was merely a quick sketch on the basic idea (which I'm going to stick to, by the way). Considering these are essentially homebrew things anyway, I don't think it'd be too much a hassle to simply fiddle around with things as more material is added. Oh, well. To each their own. As for the feats... First of all, I'd probably keep them two separate, just to play it safe. Keeping the steed around even when it takes damage is probably no problem. However, I'm still undecided on the attack redirection. A 55%+ chance to negate a single attack each round is quite useful... And combined with the high speed of the steed it's probably quite easy to make yourself very hard to even attack, especially considering it's likely you'll be playing a character that doesn't want to be attacked in the first place. I'd probably set it as a paragon feat to be on the safe side for playtesting.
#6 need_a_life Jul 19, 2008 15:31:05	Once per round having a 50% (not 55%. Saving throws are 11-20, not 10-20) doesn't seem all that powerful to me. Then again, making it a paragon feat might be best. Still, assuming my PCs are interested in taking it once the time comes for them to qualify I'll see how it performs in-game.
#7 lord_tirian Jul 19, 2008 17:18:51	Once per round having a 50% (not 55%. Saving throws are 11-20, not 10-20) doesn't seem all that powerful to me. Saving throws are a success at 10+, see page 279 in the PHB. But I'd instead just change the feat to "while mounted, you have cover" - that's still a sizeable bonus (bonuses are hard to get in 4E) and it's easy. Cheers, LT.