As posted on my blog ...
Ok, so I had an idea for a power source and everything around it: Gizmo.
power source: gizmo. - basically, enter technological based classed. these aren't martial, as they are powerfull, because of their equipment, not their training.
As gismo's are unnatural in most settings, these people come from a far away island, that's technologically more advance, called Lathia. This way, this is very easy to incorporate gismo's in any world
Class Ideas
Grenadier (controller)
The grenadier uses grenades to controll the battlefield. Many of the grenadier would/could be rips of the wizards powers; using 'burst 0' instead of targeted ranged powers. Some ideas for at wills would be Explosive Grenade (burst 1 within 10 ft), Concussion Grenade (burst 0 within 10 ft; prone), Pepper grenade (burst 0, grant combat advantage), Duck for cover (close blast 1 and shift 1)
Gunner (striker)
The gunner is a guy with a repeating crossbow, a 'gizmo'-d repeating crossbo. Think Jan Jansens Flasher Bruser Mates ... As class feature, I thought a minor action attack (dex vs AC; 1d6 damage) he can use against enemies he hit the same turn
Heavy (defender)
Either medium sized, or small sized with some kind of exo-armor ... these guys are made to stand. Using a flame thrower, they punish everyone who things to best them. as 'marking' class feature I was thinking something of a taunt. As class gimmic I was thinking ongoing fire damage: For at will powers I was thinking something like Fire Flamer (close blast 1; dex damage + ongoing 3 fire) Quick Fire Curtain (burst 1; dex damage) and Beware Of Fire (blast 1: push 1. if no push (not possible or enemy chooses not to): ongoing 5 fire)
Race ideas
Lathian Goblins
based on the Warcraft goblin. I don't know much of Warcraft (the entire WoW hype passed me), so they are only loosely based on the warcraft goblin. Psuedo Mexican/Frensh travelers and merchants; somewhat quirky (slightly hinting to the insane).
Lathian Gnomes
Not the fey kind of gnomes, but more like the old 3/3.5 gnomes. inventors
Lathian Orcs
"Moar Dakka!". Proud warriors ex-tribals who, thanks to their muscle and stamina, can wield more of the powerfull artillery.
Lathian Humans
not really a new race just like rodants, you can find humans almost anywhere 
Just noting them, as they also would be on the lathian island. All other races; elves or dwarves, would only have had second hand knowledge about gizmo's (either they visted Lanthia, or they were taught by a Lathian)
I like it.
for leader a leader a quack doctor would be fun. Getting people back in action with jumper cables.
for leader a leader a quack doctor would be fun. Getting people back in action with jumper cables.
true, but other the class powers would seem more difficult (without ripping them shamelessly from the artificier). maybe making a variant class for the artificier ...
Base your quack doctor on pumping people full of psycho-drugs. Basically he's armed with a blowgun and shoots siringes (or what's the word? those things the doctor uses) at his friends to get them pumped/healed)
He can also shoot poison darts at his enemies.
Even better if it's some sort of steam-powered gatling gun that sprays areas with needles.
(Am I getting carried away?)
Base your quack doctor on pumping people full of psycho-drugs. Basically he's armed with a blowgun and shoots siringes (or what's the word? those things the doctor uses) at his friends to get them pumped/healed)
though it could be on option, I'm kind of missing inspiration for that (the gun thing perhaps would be a MC gunner ... repeating poisoned crossbow bwahahaha)
Only thing i see that is a problem is the attack as a minor action for the gunner; at lvl 1 that is 3d6 damage in a single round, or more if you use a weapon attack as a standard and two minors to shoot, that is a potential huge increase in damage especially if you get an enchanted crossbow.
Only thing i see that is a problem is the attack as a minor action for the gunner; at lvl 1 that is 3d6 damage in a single round, or more if you use a weapon attack as a standard and two minors to shoot, that is a potential huge increase in damage especially if you get an enchanted crossbow.
yes, indeed ... it seems I made a mathematical mistake. (I was thinking, with 50% hit chance, thats an average of 1d6 in total, wich is the same as other strikers. However, I forgot that they only get 1d6 damage on hit a.k.a. 50% on 1d6)
(side note: 3d6 isn't that much. a warlock gets 1d10+4+1d6, rangers get 2d8+1d6; rogues get 3d6+4)
So I was thinking they can spend a minor action to launch additional bolts against targets they hit that turn. (this way, a gunner gets at most 50% (power + 50% 1d6 + 50% 1d6) ; which is the same as 50% (power + 1d6)
that is true; a lot depends on what attacks they have associated with them; also, once you get paragon and epic teir it becomes weaker then other striker classes. you can at most do +2d6 if you give up a move action to take two minor actions. also it still has a chance to miss so even then, there is a possibility to do 0 extra damage which makes it weaker then other classes. Maybe if it was set up closer to the other classes, as a free action when you hit; instead of bonus damage you just unleash a barrage of bolts into the target instead.