I while ago I (with the aid of several helpful posters) made a custom base class, the Sanguine Master, a blood-casting based mage. It's had a lot of work done to it over the last year to sort out any flaws that popped up and it's gone well, but now I think for it to get any better I need to work out it's unseen balance problems, and I don't have ready access to playtesters.
And that's why I'm asking you very knowledgeable fellows. Please, if you're willing, please break this class as much as you can, so I can find the glaring flaws and correct them (and my current worry is Fast Healing, so that may be an area to look into). Use anything official you like.
One thing confuse me though:
Hit die:d12+6 (does that mean he starts with 18+con hp and gains an avarage of 12.5 hp each level, if so it seems like a lot)
But for the rest I like it, its double casting stat and only 7th level spells make up for the good will and fort saves and higher HD compared to other arcane caster. The only suggestion is to drop the HD to d12(or maybe d10) instead of d12+6, with CON being a casting stat and all the bonus toughness(like) feats you'll likely have HP enough, and having huge HP's like that makes barbarians cry.
EDIT:
Example: a Dragonborn dwarf sanguine master 2 (CON 18, HP would be 38, (CON could be higher, could have take thougness feats+flaws, and that trait that gives extra hp) meaning he could cast 18 lvl 1 spells before he needs to rest wich is alot compared to other casters, and he would regain 6 hp (again more if he has a higher CON, Dragonborn Dwarves get +4 so it could be 22 max) for each hour of rest aka 3 more spells for each hour of downtime, would be awesome if you had a wizard in the party so you could travel+rest on his Tensfers floating disk:P.
With only a d12 HD the sample character would have only 26 HP (wich is still alot for an arcane caster) bringing his lvl 1 spells/day to 12 +3/hour of rest
d10 gives 23 HP putting you on 11 +3/hour of rest
This seems alot for a level 2 character, i'll try to figure out how it goes at higher levels
EDIT2: also the no resurection clause seems a bit harsh, especially since it comes at lvl 1, I suggest removing it or switching it to a higher level when wish/miracle are more common. (I suggest 14th because bloody spell is nice
)EDIT3:
Here is the level 20 version with hit dice=d12+6:
Slow Dragonborn Dwarf
28 point buy
STR 8
DEX 12
CON 20+6 enhancement+4 level up +4 Tome= 34
INT 16+6 enhancement+1 level up +5 Tome=28
WIS 10
CHA 6
Feats:
Flaw Toughness
Flaw Toughness
1
3
3(b) Toughness
4(b) Improved Toughness
6
8(b) Dwarf’s Toughness
9
12
12(b) Giant’s Toughness
15
16(b) Giant’s Toughness
18
20(b) Dragon’s Toughness
HP: 12+(6,5*19)+(8*20)+(12*20)+3+3+3+6+9+9+12= 580 avarage
Casting a lvl 7 spell deals 8 points of damage (580/8=72)
So you could cast 71 lvl 7 spells/day before needing downtime (could be more if you spend your none bonus feats on the toughness line)
Regain 32 hp/hour of rest equals 4 more castings after each hour downtime
EDIT4: also warforged can be repaired/repair themselves without magic (using a craft skill), that and a racial boost to CON can make them very effective Sanguine Masters especialy at level one, before the regeneration kicks in.
EDIT5: It looks like crimson channel can be used at will, this is rediculusly good (lvl 0,1,2,3 spells at will without any cost/drawback). The Troll blooded feat from Dragon Magazine gives regeneration 1 witch allows you to cast even more spells, and the Obtain familiar (toad) feat gives you 3 extra hit points, gives a valid target for the basic blood theft and the toad can be healed by Healing magic (and has a boatload of HP).
Don't get me wrong though, I like the flavor of the class but it looks really unbalanced to me. I hope this gives you some pointers to work with in improving the class!
also warforged can be repaired/repair themselves without magic (using a craft skill), that and a racial boost to CON can make them very effective Sanguine Masters especialy at level one, before the regeneration kicks in.
...For a pitifully small amount for the levels before the regeneration kicks in. It takes 8 hours and you'll be lucky to get more than four or five hit points out of it at that level.
EDIT5: It looks like crimson channel can be used at will, this is rediculusly good (lvl 0,1,2,3 spells at will without any cost/drawback).
Are you familiar with the warlock principle? The idea that past about fifth or sixth level, a caster will have enough lower-level spells to cover all their needs in a given day. It gets any given spell level later than a regular caster and it never gets hold of the top spells, which do make a big difference.
The Troll blooded feat from Dragon Magazine gives regeneration 1 witch allows you to cast even more spells,
Which issue is this? I can't find it and it sounds... dangerously powerful. Powerful enough that you'd have to be nuts as a DM to use it.
and the Obtain familiar (toad) feat gives you 3 extra hit points, gives a valid target for the basic blood theft and the toad can be healed by Healing magic (and has a boatload of HP).
Ok, that is nasty. Really quite nasty.
Don't get me wrong though, I like the flavor of the class but it looks really unbalanced to me. I hope this gives you some pointers to work with in improving the class!
Have you tested how well a Gish would work with this? I can't remember if there any good spells that improve your BAB in the wizard list, but you already have GOOD hit points, so it doesn't seem completely unrealistic.
The crimson channel thing applies to a lot more spells than the warlock has... Out of the SC and PH, with infinite first level spells, you get Nerveskitter (= better than improved initiative), Expeditious Retreat, swift ( = +30 ft to your speed every round while traveling), Summon Monster I (Infinite Trapmonkeys), Silent Image (most people use this over higher level versions anyway) and Feather fall (Don't die from falling. Always good). I know that, at 10th level, I could still find uses for first level spells if there was no limit to what spells I could use. You did cover the major abuse of a warforged with infinite repair light damage spells though.
...For a pitifully small amount for the levels before the regeneration kicks in. It takes 8 hours and you'll be lucky to get more than four or five hit points out of it at that level.
yep thats true but it's still better then no healing at all
Are you familiar with the warlock principle? The idea that past about fifth or sixth level, a caster will have enough lower-level spells to cover all their needs in a given day. It gets any given spell level later than a regular caster and it never gets hold of the top spells, which do make a big difference.
except that there are some really powerfull spells that work with this, mirror image, false life and haste spring to mind in addition to the ones mentioned by Chaos Redefined
Which issue is this? I can't find it and it sounds... dangerously powerful. Powerful enough that you'd have to be nuts as a DM to use it.
Issue 319 according to my excel sheet
Ok, that is nasty. Really quite nasty.
Yes it is
yep thats true but it's still better then no healing at all
You are gaining a couple of HP over an 8 hour period. In comparison, a human can rest for 8 hours, and gain a couple of HP.
except that there are some really powerfull spells that work with this, mirror image, false life and haste spring to mind in addition to the ones mentioned by Chaos Redefined
actually... mirror image, false life and haste aren't ones that are problematic. Mirror Image is inferior to Greater Mirror Image, and by 15th level, doesn't matter that much anyway. False life lasts hours/level, and by 15th level, is gonna last long enough anyway. Haste being given infinite times/day at 20th level is hardly a concern, anyone who cares about the effect can already generate it with items. It's mainly the 1st level spells that may cause a problem, since those are available at 10th level.
Yes it is
I'm pretty sure that he was being sarcastic. I'd rather look into ways of not being in close combat. Wasting a 3rd level feat for toughness is not worth it. You qualify for Improved Toughness at this point, and I'd still think that isn't your priority at this point.
Do spells such as False Life still work? What happens when I have -10 real HP and 20 temporary HP?
Not according to the spellcasting entry, at least not for fueling spells. You're alive, but you probably won't be once the temporary hit points go away.
I'm pretty sure that he was being sarcastic. I'd rather look into ways of not being in close combat. Wasting a 3rd level feat for toughness is not worth it. You qualify for Improved Toughness at this point, and I'd still think that isn't your priority at this point.
No, I was being serious. The 3 hit points is just a bonus, the real benefit in that suggestion is the freely available source of hp that can be healed.
Issue 319 according to my excel sheet
*Reads.* Ok... that's nasty. Really nasty. Thankfully, since the Sanguine Master loses hp (rather than takes damage) and Regeneration heals nonlethal damage, it's not an issue. Never mind the fact that it's setting-specific.
Its not a conjuration healing effect so it should apply.
You simply don´t run out of spells neither hit points.
Warforged + Repair X Damage.
Its not a conjuration healing effect so it should apply.
You simply don´t run out of spells neither hit points.
Covered. It explicitly denies attempts to restore hit points with magic, even for spells without the healing descriptor - or else Polymorph's healing side-effect would break the whole process to begin with.
However, I would still be cautious of the combination of high hit points and anything able to gain a familiar.
Polymorph spells regain you HP's as if you have just rest for 8 hours (so that works for quick healing), and draconic polymorph (black ettergaunt) can get you 9th level wizard spells.
If the familar thing doesn't work, just take Leadership (cleric) to stab him for infinite spells and have him heal himself.
How is having 18 (at least) lvl 1 spells as a lvl 2 character not breakable? or for that matter 72 lvl 7 spells at lvl 20.(because temp HP's from different sources stack (since Rules Compendium), you can pretty much burn all your regular HP's)
How many sources of temp hp are there available at that level?
Polymorph spells regain you HP's as if you have just rest for 8 hours (so that works for quick healing),
I went over this in the original thread, Blood Rejection stops all magical healing, even the healing side effects of the Polymorph family.
and draconic polymorph (black ettergaunt) can get you 9th level wizard spells.
Where's that from? I can't find it.
If the familar thing doesn't work, just take Leadership (cleric) to stab him for infinite spells and have him heal himself.
From 17th level, at which point they're three spell levels behind the full casters. And the Cleric needs to stay next to you, rather than move freely himself to act within the battle.
How is having 18 (at least) lvl 1 spells as a lvl 2 character not breakable? or for that matter 72 lvl 7 spells at lvl 20.(because temp HP's from different sources stack (since Rules Compendium), you can pretty much burn all your regular HP's)
Polymorph spells regain you HP's as if you have just rest for 8 hours (so that works for quick healing), and draconic polymorph (black ettergaunt) can get you 9th level wizard spells.
If the familar thing doesn't work, just take Leadership (cleric) to stab him for infinite spells and have him heal himself.
Please note that I said "had to stab yourself". This gets past cohorts and familiars.
As for how having 18 level 1 spells as a level 2 character not breakable: By making it so that he can only do this every couple of days. If you do that, you are close to death (and at level 2, this is a noteworthy problem) and won't be good to go for a fair few days. And you don't always have infinite down time. Or any, for that matter. Oh, and if you are hit, you lose spell slots.
Although I will admit that I misread blood regeneration thinking it was con mod. As is, it could be a bit over the top.
Edit: I still hold reservations about allowing access to infinite first-level spells at 10th. 2nd and 3rd level spells at 15th and 20th isn't that bad. Cantrips at 5th is almost unnoticable. But the first-level spells at 10th may be something to keep an eye on. So far, there has been no discussion on this.
Edit 2: Actually, thinking on it again, the blood regeneration thing should be fine. I'm just used to having good healing abilities floating around the party.