CHANNELER
The sorcerous mutation can appear in anyone, be it caused by accident of birth, over exposure to a certain type of magic, or simply excessive use of a single chakra. When one with the sorcerous mutation chooses the path of the warrior, a channeler is born. By focusing upon their primary chakra even further than a sorcerer does, channelers are able to create even more elemental energy, allowing them to expel it in violent blasts or to energize their weapons and body with its power. The nature of their power causes them to be quite specialized, but in their area of expertise they are second to none.
Adventurers: Many channelers take to adventuring as an excuse to exercise their growing abilities. In the civilized world, most channelers are viewed with fear, but as an adventurer they are able to shape their own reputation. More often then not, channelers adventure for power, and sometimes in order to gain better control of their chaotic power.
Characteristics: By virtue of their powers, channelers are formidable warriors, but the exact nature of their style is dependent upon which chakra their sorcerous mutation resides within. Fire channelers are often uncontrollable, and very passionate about their actions, while water channelers are able to easily adapt to any situation presented to them. Earth channelers are hardy and stalwart, which is quite opposed to the quick acting and reflexes of air channelers.
Channelers are able to coat their hand, and later their weapon, with elemental energy, allowing them to deal exceptional damage to creatures who are not immune to their energy type. They also learn to power their body with their elemental energy, slowly shutting down their metabolism until they eventually become entirely fueled by their elemental energy.
Alignment: A chaotic power resides within every channeler, and too much structure causes this power to dissipate. Channelers are never lawful.
Background: Many channelers first gain their sorcerous mutation while they are undergoing warriorâ,¬,,¢s training. During their training, they discover a particular interest in a specific combat style. This interest leads to a focus, and this focus leads to an obsession, abandoning all other techniques. Such a focus requires the strengthening of a specific chakra, and such over use can often lead to the sorcerous mutation. Other times, the mutation is random and spontaneous, but it is up to the possible channeler to exercise their new power to fully realize it.
Races: Channelers can come from any race. Many dragon or elemental touched take to the path of the channeler, and it is an especially common path for those living near elemental vortexes on the Spirit Plane. For those races with elemental ties, such as Elves and Orcs, their sorcerous mutation is always on the chakra tied to their race, but non-elemental races may possess the mutation on any chakra.
Other Classes: Channelers respect barbarians and sorcerers, who both share their chaotic, often passionate bent. They are often at odds with psions and monks, who seek balance between their chakras and often look upon those with the sorcerous mutation as unhealthy, dangerous people. They donâ,¬,,¢t get along with ridged fighters, and they are not fond of clerics and templar of lawful deities. Their association with other classes is solely dependent on the individual.
Role: Combat is the channelerâ,¬,,¢s primary focus, but due to their lower hit dice and their often lighter armor, they tend to not have the staying power to remain on the front lines for too long. Depending on their spells, a channeler can augment themselves to fit almost any combative role, and their potent elemental attacks make them heavy hitters against foes who are not resistant to their elemental effects.
GAME RULE INFORMATION
Channelersâ,¬,,¢ have the following game statistics.
Abilities: Channelers require charisma for their spell casting abilities, but as a partial caster they can afford to have lower mental scores. High physical ability scores are important for their combative role, depending on their style. Channelers can afford to be physically weaker than other warriors because of the extra elemental damage they can wield on their attacks, and they tend to have higher dexterity to aid their ranged attack and to better utilize their lighter armor.
Alignment: Any non-lawful.
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Ride, Spellcraft, and Swim.
Skill Points at First Level: 4 x (2 + Int modifier)
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier
Saves: High Fort and Ref, Low Will
BAB: 3/4ths
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the channeler.
Proficiencies: A channeler begins play with all simple and martial weapons, as well as light and medium armor. Armor does not interfere with their spell casting, but they require a free hand to cast spells with somatic components.
Sorcerous Mutation (Ex): Due to birthright, accident of birth, overuse, luck, or misfortune, one of the channeler's four outer charkas is enlarged and has consumed its opposite. The chakra possessing the channeler's mutation determines the nature of most of the channeler's further abilities. The four outer chakras are Air (throat), Earth (base), Fire (heart), and Water (center), where Air is opposed to Earth and Fire is opposed to Water. Air's energy type is electricity, Earth's is acid, Fire's is fire, and Water's is cold. In addition to determining which element the channeler is tied to, their mutation gives them 1 bonus mp and allows them to select psionic feats.
Energize Hand (Su): A channeler is able to focus the excess elemental energy in their body and expel it outward. While their psionic focus is active, they can engulf their hand in volatile energy as a free action. If their elemental focus is air, they channel electricity, if it is earth, they channel acid, if it is fire, they channel fire, and if it is water, they channel cold. This energy does the channeler no harm and allows them to treat unarmed attacks made with that hand as armed, adding their elemental damage to their unarmed damage, or deliver a touch attack dealing only the elemental damage. Such attacks deal 1d6 points of damage of their associated energy type.
Energy Adaptation (Ex): Due to the channelerâ,¬,,¢s affinity to their element, they begin to grow more and more resistant to its attacks. At 1st level, the channeler gains energy resistance 5 vs. their elemental focusâ,¬,,¢s energy type.
Summon Elemental: Upon attaining their first channeler level, the channelerâ,¬,,¢s body ejects a tiny mass of elemental material that grows into a tiny elemental of the channeler's tied element over the period of one week. Unlike standard elementals, this elemental is bonded to the channeler who it was birthed from, and it is unusually tough and intelligent. The elemental serves the channeler as a companion and servant. The elemental can be dismissed, reverting back to pure elemental material, and it can be summoned once more from any body of matter containing some amount of that element; for example, an earth channeler could summon their earth elemental from the ground or any mass of soil or rock, while a fire channeler could summon their elemental from any open flame or even any flammable substance.
As the channeler increases in level, their elemental also increases in power. The channelerâ,¬,,¢s effective sorcerer level is equal to their channeler levels for determining the elementalâ,¬,,¢s powers and abilities.
If the elemental dies, the channeler must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw. Failure means they lose 200 experience points per channeler level; success reduces the loss to one-half that amount. However, a channelerâ,¬,,¢s experience total can never go below 0 as the result of an elementalâ,¬,,¢s demise or dismissal. A slain or dismissed elemental cannot be replaced for a year and a day. A slain elemental can be raised from the dead just as a character can be, but it does not lose a level or a point of Constitution like a player character would.
If a character has levels in channeler and sorcerer, they add their sorcerer levels to their channeler levels to determine the powers and abilities of their elemental.
Mana Points/Day: A channeler's ability to cast spells is limited by the mana points they have available. Their base daily allotment of mana points is given on their class table. In addition, they receive bonus mana points per day if they have a high Charisma score. They may gain bonus mana points from their race, feats, items, or if they are a multiclass character. A channeler between 1st and 4th level gains no mana points for their class level, but they are entitled to bonus mana points.
Energy Bolt (Su): At 2nd level, the channeler can expend their psionic focus and use a standard action to launch a violent blast of elemental energy at a single target within 60 feet. The attack is a ranged touch attack that deals 1d6 damage for every two class levels the channeler has.
Hardiness (Ex): At 3rd level, a channeler gains better control of their metabolism, becoming better able to fight off attacks which target their body. If the channeler makes a successful Fortitude save against an effect which grants half or partial effect on a successful Fortitude save, the channeler instead takes no effect. A channeler still suffers the full effects of a failed Fortitude save.
Spells: Upon reaching 4th level, a channeler learns their first two spells. From then on, upon achieving an even level, they unlock the knowledge of a new spell. Choose the spell from the channeler spell list appropriate for their primary element. The total number of spells a channeler can cast in a day is limited only by their daily mana points.
A channeler simply knows their spells; they are a part of their spirit and body. They do not need to prepare them like divine or arcane spellcasters, though they must still get 8 hours of rest to regain all their spent mana points. A channeler who possesses a metamagic feat can apply that feat to any spell they know without having to prepare the spell with the feat like preparation based casters are required to. Applying a metamagic feat to a known spell adds no additional casting time.
A channeler's caster level is equal to 1/2 their class level; they cannot spend more mana on a single casting of a spell than their caster level. The Difficulty Class for saving throws against channeler spells is 10 + the spell's level + their Charisma modifier.
Maximum Spell Level Known: A channeler is able to learn 1st-level spell at 4th level. As they attain higher levels, a channeler may gain the ability to master more complex spells--for example, an 8th-level channeler can learn spells of 2nd level or lower, and a 16th-level channeler can learn spells of 4th level or lower.
To learn or cast a spell, a channeler must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spellâ,¬,,¢s level.
Elemental Evolution (Ex): At 4th level, the channeler begins to slowly learn how to live off of their internal elemental energy, slowly shutting down their metabolism. At this point, they become immune to sleep effect, and no longer need to sleep to recover hit points as they learn to regenerate their body with elemental energy rather than rest (they still must rest calmly in order to regain their mana). They now recover hp at a per day rate, instead of a per night of rest. Their resistance to their energy type also increases to 10, and they gain a +2 bonus on all saving throws vs. spells with their elementâ,¬,,¢s descriptor or the associated energy descriptor.
Enlarged Elemental: At 5th level, the channeler's own physical development begins to reflect upon their familiar's. From this point on, their elemental can spend a full round action in order to grow to small size, or to shrink back to tiny. When the familiar changes size, their physical ability scores change to that of the appropriately sized elemental, as found in the monster manual. The familiar is always tiny when it is summoned.
At 11th level, the elemental can change from tiny to medium sized, or back again, as a full round action. If they change their size by only one step, they can do so as a move action.
At 17th level, the elemental can change from tiny to large sized, or back again, as a full round action. If they change their size by only two steps, they an do so as a move action, or they can change their size by one step as a swift action.
Energize Weapon (Su): At 6th level, the channeler is able to extend their energize hand ability to any single weapon they hold. As a free action while psionically focused, a channeler can surround one of their weapons with their energy type, granting it the energy weapon special property (such as caustic, flaming, frost, or shock). This energy does not harm their weapon, and allows the weapon to deal an additional 1d6 points of damage of their associated energy type.
Elemental Movement (Su): At 7th level, the channeler becomes better able to move like the element they are tied to. While psionically focused, each channeler type gains a new movement related ability, as described below.
Air channelers gain the ability to glide, as the air around them seems to try to lift them. This grants them a +8 bonus to jump checks, all but negates falling damage from any height, and allowing 20 feet of aerial travel forward for every 5 feet of descent. Their glide speed is 150% their land speed, and their maneuverability is average. Even if they manage to improve their mobility, they cannot hover while gliding, nor can they glide while carrying a medium or heavy load. While gliding, or if they fall, they descend at a speed of 20 feet per round, and only suffer 1d6 points of falling damage from any height.
Earth channelers gain the ability to burrow through soil, as the earth under them seems to want to part at their command. This grants them a +8 bonus to balance checks, and grants them a burrow speed equal to one half their land speed. They can only burrow through soil, not hard rock or metal.
Fire channelers gain the ability to move swiftly and travel across almost any surface like an all consuming flame. They gain a climb speed equal to one half their land speed, a +8 bonus to climb checks (as granted by a climb speed), and a +10 bonus to their land speed. As with any creature with a natural climb speed, they retain their dexterity bonus to armor class while climbing, and they need only one hand free to climb.
Water channelers gain the ability to swim, moving smoothly like the water. They gain a swim speed equal to their land speed, and a +8 bonus to swim checks (as granted by a swim speed). Additionally, while on land they can slide along surfaces as if skating; they move as if permanently affected by the skate spell (granting them a +10 bonus to their base speed on relatively flat ground, a +20 bonus to their base speed when moving down hill, and no speed bonus up hill). This bonus to speed applies while swimming; count moving against current as moving up hill and moving with current as moving down hill.
Improved Energy Evolution (Ex): At 8th level, the channelerâ,¬,,¢s ability to live off of their elemental energy develops further. They become immune to stun effects, and they no longer need to eat as the use their elemental energy as the building blocks of their body rather than consumed matter (though they still can eat if they wish, and they can gain the benefit of consumed magical effects such as hero's feast). Their resistance to their energy type also increases to 15, and their bonus on all saving throws against spells with their elementâ,¬,,¢s descriptor increases to +4.
Improved Hardiness (Ex): At 9th level, the channeler's control of their body improves further. They still suffer no effect when they make a successful Fortitude save against an affect which allows a Fortitude save for half or partial effect, but now they only take half or partial effect when they fail their save.
Improved Energize Weapon (Su): At 10th level, a channeler can energize their hand or weapon with even more potent energy. In addition to gaining the appropriate energy enhancement upon their hand or any single weapon they wield, now they gain the energy burst enhancement as well. This allows them to deal an additional +1d10 energy damage on a successful critical hit, in addition to the standard +1d6 energy damage they normally deal. If their weapon has a x3 critical multiplier, then they deal an additional +2d10 energy damage on a successful critical hit, or +3d10 energy damage if their weapon has a x4 critical multiplier.
Absorb Energy (Su): At 11th level, in addition to using their internal elemental energy to energize their body, a channeler can use outside elemental energy too. When ever they successfully resist the damage from a magical attack dealing damage with the energy type they're tied to, they heal an amount of hit points based on the amount of damage they resist. For every seven points of damage they resist, they heal 1 hit point. Every odd level there after, the amount of damage they have to resist before healing 1 hit point decreases by 1; for instance, at 15th level a channeler only has to resist 5 damage to heal 1 hp.
This damage cannot be dealt by the channeler's energize hand or energy projection ability; this energy already comes from the channeler, so redirecting it back into themselves has no additional effect; though a channeler could hack at their self with a weapon with an energy enhancement to attempt to heal, but they would be taking damage from the weapon in addition to healing from the energy damage (so it wouldn't be beneficial).
Greater Energy Evolution (Ex): At 12th level, the channelerâ,¬,,¢s energized metabolism grows stronger still. They become immune to poison, and they no longer need to drink as they replace their body's transporting fluids with pure elemental energy (they can still drink if they wish, and they can still gain the benefit of imbibed potions). Their energy resistance also increases to 20, and their bonus on all saving throws against spells with their elementâ,¬,,¢s descriptor increases to +6.
Greater Energize Weapon (Su): At 14th level, ... (I am unsure about this ability. Part of me wants to be simple and just have it add an additional +1d6 energy damage, bringing the total to +2d6, but I am holding out hope that there will be a better idea.)
Supreme Energy Adaptation (Ex): At 16th level, the channelerâ,¬,,¢s affinity for their element becomes nearly perfect. They become immune to the paralysis condition, and they no need to breath. Their energy resistance also increases to 25, and their bonus on all saving throws against spells with their elementâ,¬,,¢s descriptor increases to +8.
Improved Energy Movement (Su): At 17th level, the channeler's ability to move like their element improves further still. Like energy movement, a channeler must be psionically focused to use this ability.
An air channeler's glide speed becomes a true flight speed. Their flight speed becomes twice their land speed and their maneuverability becomes perfect.
An earth channeler's burrow speed now allows them to burrow through solid stone or metallic ore, but not worked stone or metal. Their burrow speed also increases to equal their land speed, and they no longer leave a tunnel.
A fire channeler's climb speed increases to equal their land speed. They also gain an additional +10 boost to their land speed, and they do not need a free hand to climb (they can stand upon the wall, though they still stand in a relatively vertical position).
A water channeler's swim speed increases to twice their land speed, and they are no longer slowed when traveling across undergrowth or surface obstructions.
Supreme Energize Weapon (Su): At 18th level, ... (Again, unsure; I could just double the burst affect, but I'd like something unique. Ideas?)
Elemental Transformation (Ex): At 20th level, the channelerâ,¬,,¢s evolution is completed. Their type forever changes to elemental, and they gain their associated elementâ,¬,,¢s subtype. They gain immunity to critical hits, sneak attacks, or similar effects, and become immune to flanking.
Ex-Channelers
If a channeler becomes lawful, they loose access to all of their spells, spell-like, and supernatural abilities, and also their elemental, but these abilities return if their alignment returns to a non-lawful alignment. They cannot take further levels in channeler until their alignment returns to a non-lawful alignment.
File: 1145227260_29_FT0_channeler.zip (//../../e107_files/public/1145227260_29_FT0_channeler.zip)
I like it so far, though I don't understand why they have to be chaotic. It seems balanced, but I would have to playtest it to be 100% positive.
I'd reccoment making them immune to their associated energy type along with elemental transformation, or at least increasing the bonuses from supreme energy adaptation.
For the Greater and Supreme Energize Weapon, perhaps it works like this: Greater Energize weapon provides a secondary effect that lasts for one round: Fire burns you for an extra round, cold slows you, etc. With Supreme Energize weapon, perhaps ona critcal hit that effect either persists for 1d6 rounds, or it spreads to all adjacent foes. (perhaps Channelers choice?)
They have to be non-lawful because order quells the mutation. Being lawful is how one might deal with it if they wanted it to "go away". It is similar to a Barbarian and being non-lawful (loosing their rage and what not).
Elemental Transformation gives them their elemental subtype, does it not? This gives them immunity to their element's energy type, but weakness to the opposite.
I'm not sure if the added effect works, as they wouldn't be able to be fairly symmetrical. I've had two ideas, but I'm not sure if either of them are great or inspired:
1. Greater grants +1d6 "untyped arcane" damage, and Supreme grants another +1d10 "untyped arcane" damage on a crit. This is because they make their energy so potent that a portion of it just cannot be resisted.
2. Greater causes the weapon to damage ability scores upon scoring a critical hit. Acid damages Con, Fire damages Str, and in the base rules Cold and Electricity would damage Dex (in mine, Electricity would damage Agility). This works because the elemental energy is being used to overwealm and overload the opponent's chakra. This would only work on a critical hit at first (or else it would be better than wounding). Supreme would make it work on any hit. I don't like this because it seems to come out of left field.
Another idea that bounces around every once and a while was some sort of energy conversion. They pump so much energy into their weapon that the weapon converts temporarily to energy. They could then make touch attacks with it to deal the damage. This would be better than Brilliant Energy, though, and much cheeper effectively, so I don't think it's a great idea.
The last works less with the weapon and more with the idea of using energy as a weapon. Instead of energizing their weapon at that point, they energize their armor or flesh. This would cause them to deal retrobutive damage to opponent's in melee without reach weapons. Just an idea.
Did you look at the comparison between the Channeler 20 and the Wilder 10/Pyro 10? It comes in the zip file I uploaded.
Quoteand they no longer leave a tunnel.
Elemental Transformation gives them their elemental subtype, does it not? This gives them immunity to their element's energy type, but weakness to the opposite.[/quote]Greater causes the weapon to damage ability scores upon scoring a critical hit. [/quote]
could they maybe do some kind of condition (daze, stun, poison, whatever) but only on a critical hit?
you might could have electricity arc to another target. or maybe even give combat feats with a similiar style (whirlwind attack for air, improved sunder for earth, whatever).
I'd like the condition if we can decide upon a number of conditions that are reasonably balanced against one another.
For Earth channelers: what if I note that they can choose to leave a tunnel if they wish?
Subtypes: Sorry, I intend on having the elemental types give immunity to their energy type. Cold doesn't hurt water because water just changes state; acid doesn't hurt earth because acids are from the earth (that one's a stretch, since acid does turn some minerals into gasses); electricity doesn't hurt air because it just travels through it.
The only other way to do it and have it be elegant was if I were to design the channeler around the elements and not the energies. But then each class would be far more different from each other, and it would be much more difficult to balance.
Brainface, care to comment on the balance? Does the comparison with a Wilder 10/Pyro 10 look reasonable?
For Greater i think it would just make sense to have them do some special effect bassed on their energy type.
-air: lightning arcs to another person.
Sup:arcs to multiple new targets
-earth: acid damages their armour/equipement as well.
sup: does damage again the next round
-fire: similar to acid, but sets on fire instead of covers with acid. s
up: does damage next round
-water: stuns/paralyses/freeses them for some time.
sup:last longer or continues doing damage while they are frozen
How about that?
The problem with conditions, and really even 2d6 or so energy damage, is that it could be overpowering if they can use it all the time. +2d6 fire damage on top of a shocking+causing weapon + iterative attacks=many d6 of damage :D. conditions like stun are probably better than damage, too.
I noticed though that their 'sorcerous mutation', for some reason (?), allows them to select psionic feats. If you made it so using energize weapon required blowing psionic focus, you could get away with greater effects. 2d6 electricity + stun 1 round (or something) isnt too good if you can only get away with it once a round, max.
Energize Weapon requires focus to be held; Energy Projection requires focus to be Expended.
When you get technical, improved critical is a feat, and keen is a +1 ability. Thus, flaming is a +1 ability and could then be balanced as a feat.
Sorcerous Mutation allows Psionic feats because Psions and Sorcerers draw their power from a similar source; themselves. Technically, it will be called "Ki Focus" in my setting, I just left it "psionic" for this post.
And if anyone's wondering, their spell list will be primarily "physical" and "elemental" spells from just their element. Air gets travel type spells (teleportation, speed enhancement, speed reduction) and air spells; Earth gets protection type spells (natural armor, temporary hit points) and earth spells; Fire gets force type spells (telekinesis, various strength enhancers) and fire spells; Water gets transformation type spells (alter self, polymorph) and water spells. None of them get the "blatant" evocations (such as Energy Ball, Energy Bolt ...), but they will get more purely, and uniquely, elemental effects (gust of wind, pyrotechnics ...).
Elemental mage has been done, as has warrior mage... though not together *scratches chin*...
High will saves are a must. There are certain classes you just don't want compulsioned... like barbarians... or paladins (there's a game-balance reason it's smite EVIL)... or sorcerers (fireball). those who have increased damage potential should have high will saves... or immunity to some varieties of mental effects... or slippery mind... or SOMETHING.
Elementals typically have only one high save: water and earth elementals have a high Fort, and air and fire elementals have a high Reflex. So I compromised by combining them. Nothing about the Channeler says that they are strong willed. They focus upon the physical aspect of their sorcerous mutation, unlike sorcerers who focus upon the mental side of it.
They do get immunity to a number of physical effects, but I can't logically give them any mental immunities (other than the fact that their type changes to "elemental" at 20th level). But ... fire channelers gain a bonus on their saves against fire spells; all spells in my game have an elemental descriptor, and charms/compulsions are primarily fire spells (from the "charm" sphere of magic; sphere's replace schools).
But, if it could be fit in, I could see possible charm/compulsion resistances thrown in, as their brain and nervous system is changing and may be harder to manipulate.
Beejazz, I know the class is odd and not very archetypical, but it was one of those things that needed to be added to my setting to make it complete. Think of them as the opposite of monks: monks are striving for spiritual perfection through physical and mental training, while channelers are headed towards a form of physical perfection through releasing the restraints on their physical being.
i think beejazz is making the point that a low will save for the channeler could very well be a penalty for the
other party members, due to domination, suggestion, etc.
QuoteWhen you get technical, improved critical is a feat, and keen is a +1 ability. Thus, flaming is a +1 ability and could then be balanced as a feat.
Energize Weapon requires focus to be held; Energy Projection requires focus to be Expended.[/quote]
My point is that you can make the ability do more if it requires expenditure. A 'maintained' ability needs to be much weaker, since it will apply to every attack. really, looking at the srd, every 'maintain focus' feat except Ghost Attack is defensive rather than offensive. there's probably a good reason for that. (though this apparent rule may have been violated multiple times in supplements i haven't read.)
Well, looking at what "flaming" and the other energy enhancements give you ... +3.5 damage. This damage can be resisted by energy resistance, but it does get past damage reduction. Weapon Specialization gives +2 damage, but it cannot be resisted by energy resistance (though it will be blocked by the proper DRs), which is also comparible to the "Impact" enhancement from XPH.
The way I see it, hold focus abilities are those that you would allow on a spell that lasted for minutes or hours per level. Expend focus abilities are abilities that you would allow on a spell that had an instantanious duration.
And looking at what Beejazz said, yes, I can see why you wouldn't want a channeler falling into enemy hands. You probably wouldn't want a fighter falling into enemy hands as well, especially in the standard party configuration (Fighter, Rogue, Cleric, Wizard) as your Fighter is generally your offensive attacker (and your cleric probably hovers around your Wizard to keep them safe).
So I understand what you're saying, but I just don't think there's any room in the progression for it.
As for Greater and Supreme Energize Weapon, I'd like them to be abilities that you would allow as a +3 and a +4 weapon enhancement which overlaps with the energy burst enhancement. Sorry if this is too specific; I've been trying to come up with these for months.
One potential solution is to remove energy projection, which could prove to be too powerful for a suposed warrior class, and have Greater Energize Weapon grant you a ranged attack, or possibly extended melee reach with energy. But then I'd have to make an ability to replace energy projection, which is currently worth somewhere around the order of 5 feats (10d6 energy damage as a ranged touch, with expend focus requirement).
QuoteAs for Greater and Supreme Energize Weapon, I'd like them to be abilities that you would allow as a +3 and a +4 weapon enhancement which overlaps with the energy burst enhancement.
on top of[/i] a regularly enhanced weapon. other classes that get weapon enhancements (monk, soulblade) can't also use them with a regularly enhanced weapon. (right?--i don't read faqs, man.)
A soulblade needs his +9 total enhanced weapon cause it's all he's got. For a class that can use normal weapons, a +1d8 fire damage at 20th level is still extra damage that a figher wouldn't be getting. (i'm not saying it should be THAT low, just pontificating.) Really, instead of thinking of it in terms of enhancements, you might want to compare it to the amount of extra damage a fighter would be doing with greater specialization/focus?
No, it's +4; each ability overlaps with the others. For instance, flaming burst has the abilities of flaming as well (I've never seen anyone stack them; I don't see why you can't within the rules, but I don't do that).
A Fighter gets +2 to hit and +4 to damage. Currently, my channeler is stated to gain +2d6 fire damage, and an additional +2d10 on a crit (or 4d10 with a x3 weapon, or 6d10 with a x4 weapon). That's 7 extra damage, only 3 above the Fighters. Additionally, the +2 to hit will increase the fighter's average damage, but I cannot give any specific ammounts because I don't know the rest of the stats.
The Pyro which I am basing this off of gets +4d6 damage before 15th level (I forget where specifically, but it doesn't particularly matter); and if you read the comparison, the Pyro and my Channeler are quite similar. I'd just rather see something more unique than energy damage ontop of energy damage ontop of energy damage ... you know?
And remember, because I'm wording the energize weapon as granting the enhancement, it won't stack with the specific enhancement (just like improved crit doesn't stack with keen). Do people complain that fighters get +4 to damage (equivalent to stacking impact twice) and possibly double threat (equivalent to keen), ontop of a +10 weapon for 200,000 gp?
The main reason I gave the class so many specials and gave it a 3/4ths BAB was because I knew the extra energy damage was a lot.
You know, I didn't read the pyrokineticist class. I probably should have done that. man, i swear i read everything else...
QuoteAnd remember, because I'm wording the energize weapon as granting the enhancement, it won't stack with the specific enhancement
that seems like it's gonna have the weird effect of fire guys buying shocking burst weapons, or passing up the fire-themed weapon found. I guess there's no way around that though. You really probably could let it stack with the enhancement, just cuz there's 3 other similiar enhancements a pc could use anyway, so you're not really limiting choice by making it non-stacking the same way keen/improved crit does?
Alright, I think I have an idea for the +3 and +4 enhancements, but it may require altering the class a little bit.
Greater Energize Weapon would allow the character to make "thrown weapon" attacks with the weapon, but only launching the energy. This would be a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 10 feet and 5 range increments.
Supreme Energize Weapon would give them the ability to, possibly as a move or some sort of action, convert an energized weapon fully into energy. Thus, the attacks would no longer get strength bonus to damage, but they would become touch attacks (and the damage would be entirely energy based).
Alternately, I've been thinking about Brainface's statement that characters with free enhancements typically don't get to apply them to other weapons. This idea I will present works best for air, water, and earth channelers, less for fire:
What if channelers were able to manifest an elemental weapon, such as the Flame Blade spell? OA had variants which were different weapons with other spells (spear of air, staff of water, great club of earth). Then, they would deal additional energy damage with this weapon as they gained levels, and possibly the weapon would gain enhancement levels. This would require me to greatly alter the class, just to tone down it's abilities, since this would be a big boon (like the monk and soul knife, characters would be able to save quite a bit of money on a magic weapon).
The only flaw to this is that I can see physical damage being dealt with water, air, or earth (and thus gaining strength bonus to damage), but fire wouldn't be able to apply strength and it would have to be a touch attack to make sense.
This ability would replace energize hand and energize weapon, as well as energy projection (they'd get the ability to throw/launch it at a certain point, like a soul knife's throw ability). I like the idea behind this, because channelers are suposed to use their element and energy as a weapon, but the complications may be bad. Alternately, air, earth, and water would just have energy weapons (electric, acid, and cold); but the fact that they'd be touch attacks and not physical weapons is disconcerting.
Any ideas?
if you went the oa-conjured-elemental-weapon route, you might could say the fire weapon was a spear of magma, burning wood, molten metal, hot blasts of air, in order to justify physical damage.
I mean, that wouldn't be "pure fire", but "pure water" wouldn't make a heck of a staff, either, if you think about it too hard. (thinking about things too hard is very detrimental to making elemental-based mechanics, imo :))
I still need help ... There's something that just doesn't seem right. I'm worried that I need to re-work the class from the ground up. As it is right now, the class is hardly a warrior at first level; then again, a psychic warrior is hardly a warrior at first level (all they get is one psionic feat, and that's if and only if they have a wisdom of 14+); at least the psychic warrior gets a power too.
So, I'm going to detail the heart of the class again, and maybe it can inspire some ideas from someone (since I think I've exhausted all of mine).
The channeler is supposed to be a mixture of the Barbarian and the Sorcerer. A barbarian is a chaotic warrior who fights with passion rather than training. Barbarians in my setting are called berserkers (because not all of them are "barbaric"), and they have four different choices for their rage (based on the four elements). Fire is burning rage (as the PHB's rage), Earth is defensive stance (as dwarven defender's ability), Air is whirling frenzy (as UA's rage alternative), and Water's is flowing dance (as CW's dervish's dervish dance, though it will be modified heavily). The berserker is explained as someone with the ability to unleash hidden energy within their chosen chakra, augmenting their physical abilities.
A sorcerer is an individual with a mutant chakra, who's missing the opposite chakra, who utilizes this excess energy to power and shape spells.
A channeler is an individual who uses their element as a weapon. They also use the elemental energy within their body to feed their body, slowly shutting down their metabolism. They use their element and energy type both offensively and defensively.
Additionally, I intend for the Channeler to be the opposite of the Monk; think the difference between Jedi and Sith. Monks are attempting to perfect themselves, and some would say so are channelers. A monk seeks perfection through controlling the power they wield, while channelers learn to unleash this energy.
Again, I'm sorry that I'm asking a lot of everyone. This is pretty much the last serious mechanical project for my setting, and I'm only pushing to get it finished soon because once it is finished I will be able to take a break and let it settle so I can reanalyze it with a fresh mind.
Please help.
PS: An idea for the elemental weapon. Fire's has to be fire, but while the other elements make a weapon out of energy, fire just does the "energize hand" ability. This is because fire can't really be shaped into a true weapon, so they just surround their fist in it to deal additional damage when they smack something. Their unarmed strikes would be treated as armed. As they gain levels, and the other elements gain energy damage added to their weapon, the fire channeler's additional fire damage just increases. Though if I were to do something like this, the weapon itself would need to gain enhancement bonuses, similar to the Soul Knife.
I just did some trials for the progression, and it's difficult to space out such abilities without causing many headaches ... nor do I think this fits the flavor of the class 100%.
I am worried that the energy damage added to a weapon which can be enhanced may get out of hands, but then I consider the fighter's weapon specialization; this applies right on top of any weapon too, and I've already shown that weapon specialization is comparable to the Impact enhancement (and the two are able to stack). I also don't want another class that has a magic weapon that grows with them (both my monk and knight do this). But I do want the class to be balanced in early levels.
Am I simply asking too much? Is this class next to impossible to be crafted as a base class? Should I go back to considering my Advanced class system (where the ranger, templar, monk, and channeler are 15 level PrCs that can be entered after 5 character levels in specific classes)?
Sorcerous Mutation: "Air's energy type is electricity, Earth's is acid, Fire's is fire, and Water's is acid." You have water is cold everywhere else.
Maximum Spell Level Known: "...learn 1st-Level spells at 1st level." Don't you mean at 4th Level?
Maybe instead of giving them further Enhancements on just their weapon, what about Swaping Improved Energized Weapon for Energize Armor. Greater E. Weapon would change into Improved E. Weapon. Supreme E. Weapon would turn into Improved E. Armor.
Energized Armor: Energize armor increases the channeler's AC by 1. Any creature attacking a channeler with a melee weapon that is not reach is dealt 1d4 of damage of the channeler's element. This is similar to a piece of armor in Complete Arcane.
Improved E. Armor: AC increased by 2. I don't know what ability to put here.
I don't know if this is what you were looking for, but I felt bad nobody else was responding. Usually I just lurk in the background. Hope this helps, even if it just gets the creative juices flowing. :)
Is the energized armor a armor enhancement? I do like it, and I've considered it a few times. I will think on it, it does seem like the best way to do that's been suggested so far.
And I'll correct those typos.
I'm still working on attempting to rebuild the class conceptually from the ground up. One thing that has been bothering me is that the class seemingly doesn't have an archetype to be built around. I finally realized that it does, in fact, have an archetype: the pyrokineticist.
Oddly enough, I hadn't really thought about it. The archetype of the pyrokineticist is very rare, but it exists none the less. Thus, that is what the channeler is meant to represent in my world, although the archetype is much more common in my world than in fiction.
So, the theme is that they use their element as a weapon. Thus, I'm growing to lean closer and closer to the soul knife set up; giving them their own weapon that grows with them as they level. I'm warry of this, because both my Knight and my Monk have this, but it's seeming to be the best way to do things.
Lastly, as it currently stands, the first level is very ... meh. No ability they have makes them a particularly decent warrior; it isn't until medium and higher levels that they come to their own in combat. This really needs to be fixed. The only way I can think of fixing it is removing the elemental movement abilities and a few others in order to pay for inserting a frenzy or nimbus type ability (probably the nimbus, but it would boost one mental and one physical ability score, based on the element in question). This would help the channeler to actually be a fairly decent warrior, even against creatures normally immune to their energy type.
For channelers who want to move like an elemental, there will just be spells for it. That way I don't have to worry about trying to balance vastly different abilities for a single class.
Does this bring about any ideas from anyone?
Alright, I worked with Nastynate over AIM and together we came up with a few new ideas. I'm going to edit the first post to utilize these new ideas, as the class has undergone some major changes.