*Edit* One of the real reasons I wanted to make my own Dragoon is that I really think they should be Strikers. The main ability of the Dragoons from FF that I want to represent is their ability to jump on people and stab them with spears (lances) and do large amounts of damage. I think Striker is the best role for that.*Edit*
Concerns, Criticisms and outright "Dear God, NO!!"s are all welcome. Just don't say "Stupid FFFanboy" and we'll be good.
Note: I'll edit this to make it a little more readable when I have some more time.
Dragoon
Class Traits
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Role: Striker
Power Source: Martial
Key Abilities: Strength, Constitution
Armour Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather, Hide, Chainmail
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Melee, Martial Melee, Simple Thrown
Bonus to Defenses: +1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex
Healing Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution
Healing Points Gained per Level: 5
Healing Surges: 6 + Constitution Modifier
Trained Skills: Athletics (Str). From the class skills list below, choose 2 more trained skills:
Dungeoneering (Wis), Endurance (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis)
Role: Striker
Power Source: Martial
Key Abilities: Strength, Constitution
Armour Proficiencies: Cloth, Leather, Hide, Chainmail
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Melee, Martial Melee, Simple Thrown
Bonus to Defenses: +1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex
Healing Points at 1st Level: 12 + Constitution
Healing Points Gained per Level: 5
Healing Surges: 6 + Constitution Modifier
Trained Skills: Athletics (Str). From the class skills list below, choose 2 more trained skills:
Dungeoneering (Wis), Endurance (Con), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis)
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Leap:
You Leap through the air and land on your enemy, ramming your spear down his gullet.
At-Will Martial, Spear
Standard Action Range: Dragoon Jump
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength Modifier damage
Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength Modifier damage at 21st level.
Lunge:
You extend your entire body and jab a distant foe with your spear.
At-Will Martial, Spear or Javelin
Standard Action Range: Melee (Special)
Special: You gain reach 2 with the spear for this attack.
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W]
Increase to 2[W] at 21st Level.
Throw:
You leap straight up into the air and throw your javelin at a distant enemy.
At-Will Martial, Javelin
Standard Action Range: Javelin
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage
Increase to 2[W] + Strength modifier damage at 21st level
Toss:
You hop backwards and toss a javelin at a near enemy.
At-Will Martial, Javelin
Standard Action Range: Ranged 2
Special: Shift one square away from the target before making the attack. This attack does not provoke AoO from the target (in the case of threatening reach).
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage
Increase to 2[W] + Strength modifier damage at 21st level.
Leap:
You Leap through the air and land on your enemy, ramming your spear down his gullet.
At-Will Martial, Spear
Standard Action Range: Dragoon Jump
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength Modifier damage
Increase damage to 2[W] + Strength Modifier damage at 21st level.
Lunge:
You extend your entire body and jab a distant foe with your spear.
At-Will Martial, Spear or Javelin
Standard Action Range: Melee (Special)
Special: You gain reach 2 with the spear for this attack.
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W]
Increase to 2[W] at 21st Level.
Throw:
You leap straight up into the air and throw your javelin at a distant enemy.
At-Will Martial, Javelin
Standard Action Range: Javelin
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage
Increase to 2[W] + Strength modifier damage at 21st level
Toss:
You hop backwards and toss a javelin at a near enemy.
At-Will Martial, Javelin
Standard Action Range: Ranged 2
Special: Shift one square away from the target before making the attack. This attack does not provoke AoO from the target (in the case of threatening reach).
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage
Increase to 2[W] + Strength modifier damage at 21st level.
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Redirecting Attack
You catch your enemy's attack on the haft of your spear and swing it back around into them.
Encounter Martial, Spear
Immediate Reaction Range: Melee
Trigger: An enemy hits you with an attack.
Effect: Apply the damage that you would have taken to the enemy that hit you instead. Resistances don't apply and any negative effects caused by the attack are applied to the enemy as well (so long as they are not immune).
Spinning Attack
You spin in a circle and attack all the enemies around you.
Encounter Martial, Spear
Standard Action Range: Burst 2
Target: Each enemy in Burst you can see.
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage.
Miss: Half damage
Trailing Javelin
You throw a javelin at an enemy and several phantom javelins trail the primary.
Encounter Martial, Javelin
Standard Action Range: Javelin
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC, 3 attacks
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage per attack.
Redirecting Attack
You catch your enemy's attack on the haft of your spear and swing it back around into them.
Encounter Martial, Spear
Immediate Reaction Range: Melee
Trigger: An enemy hits you with an attack.
Effect: Apply the damage that you would have taken to the enemy that hit you instead. Resistances don't apply and any negative effects caused by the attack are applied to the enemy as well (so long as they are not immune).
Spinning Attack
You spin in a circle and attack all the enemies around you.
Encounter Martial, Spear
Standard Action Range: Burst 2
Target: Each enemy in Burst you can see.
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage.
Miss: Half damage
Trailing Javelin
You throw a javelin at an enemy and several phantom javelins trail the primary.
Encounter Martial, Javelin
Standard Action Range: Javelin
Target: One Enemy
Attack: Strength vs. AC, 3 attacks
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier damage per attack.
I'd probably put the 2 Paragon paths all in one, and if you intend to have a "epic" level dragoon, I'd continue past 19th level. In fact, I hope I'm not intruding my posting right now.
Well for the armor thing, if they can use the most finest of armors, they should be able to use the weakest of armor as well. So that means they would have access to all types of armor. Of course I could see them not having Plate Prof, just so ye can give them a feat to burn. That, and they're strikers after all, even though they're dragoons, doesn't mean they should access to Plate. So I say the Fighter's armor prof list works, or :Cloth,Leather, Hide, Chainmail, and Scale. Of course could hide or leather could stay on the accounts of wearing dragon skins or dragon armor.
Well for a feat idea, I would probably make it where ye can turn the 1d6, ruthless spear into D8's. After all, the Ranger and Rogue have said feats. That, and I'd probably try to make sure this class will be able to figure out multiple feats to choose from. That was one of the problems with the 3.5 dragoon I made, the character wouldn't really have any feats going for him. That and any that did, pretty much meant EVERY dragoon character would choose those exact feats.
Otherwise, looking at these moves briefly, they don't seem to look that exciting. Also, don't seem to see much leaping. Of course, I might be wrong. Otherwise, I'll check into the moves in a bit more detail.
In fact, I hope I'm not intruding my posting right now.
Nope, I think I have enough posts reserved. And I do plan on continuing the Dragoon into epic, I just haven't written up the powers or the paragon paths yet.
Well for the armor thing, if they can use the most finest of armors, they should be able to use the weakest of armor as well. So that means they would have access to all types of armor. Of course I could see them not having Plate Prof, just so ye can give them a feat to burn. That, and they're strikers after all, even though they're dragoons, doesn't mean they should access to Plate. So I say the Fighter's armor prof list works, or :Cloth,Leather, Hide, Chainmail, and Scale. Of course could hide or leather could stay on the accounts of wearing dragon skins or dragon armor.
On the topic of armour, it was pointed out to me that the only class that gets Plate at the moment is the Paladin and its a defender. It was suggested over at enworld that I give the Dragoon all the armour proficiencies up to chainmail, but not scale or plate. That's what I've done (I made the changes a couple minutes ago).
Well for a feat idea, I would probably make it where ye can turn the 1d6, ruthless spear into D8's. After all, the Ranger and Rogue have said feats. That, and I'd probably try to make sure this class will be able to figure out multiple feats to choose from. That was one of the problems with the 3.5 dragoon I made, the character wouldn't really have any feats going for him. That and any that did, pretty much meant EVERY dragoon character would choose those exact feats.
I definitely plan on making a feat to turn the Ruthless Spears damage into d8s. I also plan on making feats to increase the jumping distance of the Dragoon. I haven't spent much time thinking of other feats yet, so any suggestions would be welcome.
Otherwise, looking at these moves briefly, they don't seem to look that exciting. Also, don't seem to see much leaping. Of course, I might be wrong. Otherwise, I'll check into the moves in a bit more detail.
You are right, there aren't a whole lot of powers that include leaping, but since the Dragoon At-Will power is a leap ability (called "Leap") I thought making too many of the other powers leaping powers might be too much. I'll take another look at it though; maybe I can find a few places to throw in some more leaping.
Speaking of the "Leap" At-Will, do you think it's overpowered? I figure most Dragoon will wear Chainmail armour, which will reduce their speed by 1. That means most (Spear) Dragoons will be able to shift two squares and attack as an At-Will. They should be doing about 1d8 +1d6(1d8 with the feat) +4 damage (at first level) every time they use it. Does that seem overpowered?
They should be doing about 1d8 +1d6(1d8 with the feat) +4 damage (at first level) every time they use it. Does that seem overpowered?
given CA a brutal rogue can do 1d6 +2d8 (with feat) +8 damage after shifting two squares at will.
given CA a brutal rogue can do 1d6 +2d8 (with feat) +8 damage after shifting two squares at will.
How do they get to shift two squares? I don't have the books here with me, but IIRC, the rogue has an At-Will called Deft Strike that allows them to MOVE two squares before attacking (unless I don't remember correctly, and Deft Strike allows the rogue to shift two squares before attacking...Is that what you are talking about?)
It's more the shift part than the damage part that I'm wondering about.
Speaking of the "Leap" At-Will, do you think it's overpowered? I figure most Dragoon will wear Chainmail armour, which will reduce their speed by 1. That means most (Spear) Dragoons will be able to shift two squares and attack as an At-Will. They should be doing about 1d8 +1d6(1d8 with the feat) +4 damage (at first level) every time they use it. Does that seem overpowered?
I think the problem may be the Ruthless Spear ability to add a 1d6 at will to any power once per round, the requirement to use a spear or javelin is probably going to be a gimmie for this class and that might be the biggest issue. No other class has an at will class ability like that that I can recall off the top of my head. Make that an Encounter power and it should be okay. It falls in line with the Tiefling power which provides a +1 to hit and deals charisma mod damage on a hit. So +1 to hit and +4 (likely minimum at first level) is actually a little better than an average +3.5 extra damage. I might increase that to a d8 out of the gate in that case and also add a +1 to hit.
Or I could be misreading the whole question.
It's more the shift part than the damage part that I'm wondering about.
the powers are nearly identical. The shifting comes from a class feature. It's fine imo
I think the problem may be the Ruthless Spear ability to add a 1d6 at will to any power once per round, the requirement to use a spear or javelin is probably going to be a gimmie for this class and that might be the biggest issue. No other class has an at will class ability like that that I can recall off the top of my head. Make that an Encounter power and it should be okay. It falls in line with the Tiefling power which provides a +1 to hit and deals charisma mod damage on a hit. So +1 to hit and +4 (likely minimum at first level) is actually a little better than an average +3.5 extra damage. I might increase that to a d8 out of the gate in that case and also add a +1 to hit.
Or I could be misreading the whole question.
Yeah, I was more concerned with the shifting part of the ability. I think the damage is probably ok (considering it's suppose to be a striker) but I might add in a minor action to declare the use of Ruthless Spears (ala the Ranger Quarry) to help balance out the extra damage.
GeneralHenry - "the powers are nearly identical. The shifting comes from a class feature. It's fine imo"
Thanks for the input. I would like this class to be as balanced as I can possibly make it, so I definitely don't want their base ability to be overpowered. And I think you may be right: The rogue only gets to move two squares, but the rogue also does +2d6(2d8 with the feat), where as the Dragoon only gets 1d6(1d8 with the feat), but gets to shift. Thanks again.
After all, think of other leaps for utilities too, perhaps leaping over peoples head for a better position to the enemy or something. Also having Dailies dealing 3 [w] don't really see much wrong with. As the Dragoon is a striker, and the Rogue class has some Dailies with 3 [w].
Sadly, can't really think of any moves to help ya with right now. I've got one for a burst, where yer attacking enemies. Or perhaps a attack jumping chain of sorts, where ye are kinda bounce on one foe, and then to the next, and then could either have it where it can repeat. So could have 2 targets keep bouncing back and forth to. However have it where if it misses, it ends, and prone adjacent to the opponent.
I would imagine, such a power would be similar to Blade cascade, and thus probably a 15th level daily or higher.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about making a good sum of it's abilities dealing with Leaping and such. After all, this is the DRAGOON, if I wanted a non leaping wielder of polearms, there are other classes that do this such. Such as the Lancer class created by FF6 shadow.
Very good point. I'll try to put some more leaping powers in.
I've actuallly meant to rewrite a bunch of the powers already, for this purpose, but I've been too busy the past week at work to spend any time on my homebrew. Stupid reality; having to pay bills and thus needing to go to work. Why can't I just walk out into the wilderness and kill some random monsters and take their money?
1. Personally I wouldn't add new power keywords just for one class. I think you should stick to Weapon and add "must be wielding a spear," "must be wielding a javelin," "must be wielding a spear or javelin" like rogue or ranger powers have.
2. Ruthless Spears - Hunter's Quarry/Warlock's Curse can only be put on the closest target that they can see and Sneak Attack must meet a certain criteria to be used. Having this just as added damage to anyone seems a bit more powerful than the other Striker's extra damage.
I'd change it to either be some designation that can only be done on the closest enemy they can see or have to fit some set of criteria to be activated.
Well thanks to the Barbarian Class, having defender HP isn't out of line, thus the idea of 15+conmod and 6 per level seems fine if one truly wishes.
Either way, hope to see this class get worked on in the future, as I'm one to love the great dragoon!
I've been playing one in the campaign that my DM is running, looks like I'm gonna have to come up with my own 20+ powers and feats for him to use.