The Campaign Builder's Guild

The Meanest Guest is playing a character (Kaius Alexander) in my Cadaverous Earth campaign who is going to be imminently possessed by a newborn zehrer symbiont.  Usually I'm not a fan of monster classes (how can a Troll be more of a Troll?), but in this case, they make a certain degree of sense, as the symbiont gets better acquainted with its abilities and Kaius becomes more and more fused with it.  Instead of simply giving Kaius free abilities - which would be really unfair to the rest of the group - I thought a monster class made sense.

The only question: is it remotely balanced?

Note: we're using the Iron Heroes setting, NOT D&D 3.5.  The various OGL tables (Average Attack Bonus Progression, etc) can be found in the Official Blood & Bewitchment Character Creation Thread.

Also, actual fully fledged Lords and Ladies Revenant who bonded with a fully developed symbiont would gain pretty much ALL of these abilities instantly as a template(!) rather than having to burn class levels.  In addition they'd gain all the experience that zehrer had amassed, and considering that the zehrer themselves don't age and can pass from host to host, we're talking a lot of levels.  Bottom line: don't freaking mess with a Lord or Lady Revenant unless you REALLY know what you're doing.

Finally, I DON'T want to play favorites, so if other players have things like this they'd like to implement, do tell me!!!  TMG and I talked about alterantives for awhile last session and decided this was the best bet.  Tarim at least will probably gain some special abilities, if certain rituals are implemented - if the priests of Marainein are correct, his journal provides instructions for some kind of crazy apotheosis.

The Revenant

The Revenant gets Average Base Attack Bonus Progression and Average Base Defence Bonus Progression.

Hit Die: 1d4+4 per level.

Skills: Revenants gain access to the Mysticism, Perception, Social, and Academia skill groups.

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Intelligence Modifier

Feats:

Revenants select a primary and a secondary mastery as an area of study from the following list: Armour, Tactics, Social, Lore, Power.  Their masteries otherwise progress in a manner identical to the Weapon Master.

Revenant Abilities:

1 - Alertness, Command Non-Sentient Grave-Spawn, +2 Charisma

2 - Telekinesis, Create Zombie

3 - Grave-Spawn, +2 Charisma

4 - Fast Healing 1, Consume Memory

5 - Flamespew 1/day (DC 20), Pyrokinesis

6 - Fast Healing 2, Telepathy, +2 Charisma

7 - Flamespew 3/day (DC 25), Dominate Person

8 - Fast Healing 3, +2 Strength

9 - Flamespew 5/day (DC 30), Dominate Monster

10 - Read Thoughts, Fly Speed, +2 Dexterity

Revenant Abilities:

Alertness: His senses preternaturally sharpened, the Revenant gains +2 to all Spot and Listen checks.

Command Non-Sentient Grave-Spawn: As a standard action, the Revenant can attempt to exert psychic control over  non-sentient grave-spawn including zombies, haunts, servitors, and geists (any grave-spawn creature without an Intelligence score qualifies).  He can attempt this a number of times per day equal to his Revenant level and must make a Charisma check (1d20 + Charisma Modifier) to see how powerful of a grave-spawn he can control (see the Turning Table for the Cleric).  He can control a number of grave-spawn with HD equal to or less than his level.

Telekinesis: The Revenant can now use minor telekinesis identical to the Mage Hand spell at will.

Grave-Spawn: The Revenant is now considered a grave-spawn, having completely bonded with his symbiont.  He is now immune to poison, disease, and death effects.  Revenants' host bodies still age, but do so over the course of many centuries.  The Revenant also gains 60 ft. Darkvision.  He cannot receive organic grafts.  Like ghilan, Revenants are dazzled in direct sunlight.

Create Zombie: The Revenant can create zombies as if using the spell Animate Dead as a caster with a level equal to their Revenant level.  They can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + their Charisma Modifier, if any.

Fast Healing: The Revenant heals a number of hit points per turn (any subdual damage is healed first).  This does not restore hit points lost by starvation, thirst, or suffocation.  While the Revenant cannot regrow lost body parts severed body parts can be reattached.

Consume Memory: By consuming the flesh or blood of a creature, living or dead, a Revenant learns the memories of that creature for the last 1d6 days it had been conscious at the time of the flesh's/blood's extraction.

Flamespew: The zehrer symbiont allows the Revenant to breathe a gout of fire.  This functions as a breath weapon: a cone of fire 30 ft. in length that deals 1d6 fire damage per Revenant level.  No attack roll is necessary.  Those that succeed at a Reflex save (DC 20) take half damage.  The save DC increases at 7th and 9th level along with the number of times per day Flamespew may be used.

Telepathy: The Revenant can communicate mentally with any creature in 100 ft. that has an Intelligence score, though a common language is needed.

Pyrokinesis: The Revenant can pyrokinetically control the intensity or movements of one fire source within 100 ft., at will. A nonmagical fire source of Large size or smaller can be controlled, provided concentration is maintained. He can freely switch control between fire sources, or change the nature of your control, while he maintains concentration, but only one specified change (keeping a fire burning, animating it, or altering its size) can be made to one fire source in a round. When his control over a fire source lapses, that fire immediately returns to its original state (or goes out if it has no fuel or has been moved away from its original location). With this power, he can artificially keep a fire burning that would normally expire for lack of fuel; even dousing a controlled flame with water does not put it out (though completely submerging the flame would). Normally, a creature at risk of catching on fire can avoid this fate by making a DC 15 Reflex saving throw, with success indicating that the fire has gone out. If the fire is one that has been kept burning by the use of pyrokinesis, then the DC of the Reflex save needed to put out the flames increases to 25.

This ability also enables the Revenant to make a fire move as if it were a living creature. He can animate only a naturally burning fire. An animated fire moves at a speed of 30 feet. A fire that moves away from its fuel or its original location dies as soon as his control over it lapses.

An animated fire can enter any square, even if a creature already occupies it. If an animated fire enters a square occupied by a creature, that creature can make a Reflex save to get out of the way (DC 15). A successful Reflex save moves the creature to the nearest unoccupied square. The flames deal 2d6 fire damage to any creature that is either on fire or surrounded by the flames (in the fire's space).

At the start of the Revenant's turn, the animated fire deals damage to any creature in its space, and the creature catches on fire unless it makes a Reflex save (DC as noted above). A victim on fire takes 1d6 points of damage each round. Additional rounds in the same space as the animated fire occupies mean additional chances of ignition. The damage from multiple normal fires stacks, but the victim gets a saving throw each round to negate each fire. It is possible to switch control from the animated fire (causing it to disappear) to intensify flames that are already burning (thus denying the foe Reflex saves after the first).

Dominate Person: Once per day the Revenant can attempt to assume control over a living mind.  This ability is identical to the Dominate Person spell with a caster level equal to the character's Revenant level.

Dominate Monster: This ability replaces the Dominate Person ability and is useable once per day.

Fly Speed: The Revenant gains a Fly speed of 20 ft. with Good manoeuvrability.

Read Thoughts:  The Revenant knows the surface thoughts of the mind of any creature in the area that fails a Will save. A target that succeeds on its save is not affected by this ability, even if it leaves the area and then reenters the area before the duration expires.

Creatures of animal intelligence have simple, instinctual thoughts that the Revenant can pick up. If he read the thoughts of a creature with an Intelligence of 26 or higher (and at least 10 points higher than your own Intelligence score), he is stunned for 1 round and the power ends. This power does not let him pinpoint the location of an affected mind if he doesn't have line of sight to the subject.

Each round, the Revenant can turn to use this ability in a new area. The ability can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Notes: I vaguely used the Vampire Spawn monster class from Libris Mortis as a template for the Revenant.  The Spawn gains powerful abilities such as Domination (a gaze attack usable at will) and Gaseous Form, resistances, stat bonuses, and DR.  The Revenant gets 1 fewer stat increases than the Spawn and doesn't get DR or Gaseous Form, but does get a Fly speed and more Fast Healing later on, as well as some other pretty cool abilities.  Of course, the Spawn also gains the Undead type, providing things like immunity to critical hits, ability damage, and mind-influencing effects, which the Revenant remains vulnerable to.

For comparison, here are the Spawn's leveled abilities - the skill bonuses add to various stealthy and social skills and spot/listen:

1 - 4 Blood drain, feat, slam 1d4, +2 turn resistance, +2 skill bonus

2 - +1 natural armor, +2 Cha, Alertness

3 -  Int mod Spider climb, +2 Dex

4 -  +2 natural armor, +4 skill bonus, +2 Str

5 -  Int mod Fast healing 1, +2 Wis, Lightning Reflexes

6 -  Feat, +2 Cha, resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10

7 -  Int mod +3 natural armor, +2 Int, gaseous form, slam 1d6

8 - Domination, energy drain, fast healing 2, +2 Str, Improved Initiative, damage reduction 5/silver

I think it looks pretty neat!

..But, I am slightly biased in this case. I also have zero experience with D&D aside from the CE IH game. I have no idea what makes a balanced class.

I'm particularly curious to know whether the skill, HD, BAB, and Defence Bonuses I selected  - all average - are balanced with the abilities... I also suck at balancing, usually underestimating how useful/powerful certain abilities can be, but for that reason I could even have overcompensated and made a class that's too *weak.*

It looks fine to me, I'm no balance master (where's kapn when you need him lol) but I don't see any obvious overpowered or underpowered issues. As for keeping players balanced Eareg at least should be able to keep up with this. I'll writeup a list of abilities and we can go back and forth on when he gets them and how to balance. Basically meteor is going to become a fully sentient weapon though and will ultimately bond with him.

Sounds like the perfect arc for Eareg!  Thanks for your input on the Revenant.

The one thing that will be ridiculously awesome about Kaius if he reaches high levels in Revenant is that his armour DR from being an Armiger and wearing full plate is going to combine insanely well with his fast heailng.  Any damage he sustains that squeezes through the DR is pretty much going to be instantly healed by the fast healing.  On the downside, Kaius has poor Charisma right now, and until he gains some of the Charisma bonuses (as the zehrer's personality melds with his own, giving him greater presence) abilities like Command Grave-Spawn and Create Zombie will be limited.

It seems fair. None of the abilities seem to have immediately unbalanced consequences. And I try substituting lower BAB and defense progs in my mind, but it just doesn't stand up to its peers then... So I think this is pretty well balanced.

While we're balancing, here's  draft of the level-dependent abilities for Meteor, Eareg's rifle.  How's it look?  Obviosuly some of these are freebies for Eareg, but I'm hoping to give other players similar freebies, and none of these are game-breaking (I *think*).  Meteor gets very good towards the end... but EVERYONE will be really good towards the end.  The most powerful abilities - upgrades - aren't freebies though: Eareg will have to pay for them.

Meteor

Meteor is a Flaming Rifle. In addition to these qualities, it endows Eareg with certain powers as his level increases.  Eareg can upgrade the rifle with glyphs psychically projected into his mind by the rifle itself.  However, he must pay an upgrade cost to do this equal to the difference between the rifle's new total enhancement bonus and its old one.  For example, if Eareg wanted to make Meteor a +1 Flaming Rifle, he'd have to pay 6000 obeloi.  However, the total enhancement bonuses on Meteor cannot exceed Eareg's total level.  This is the only limit on the enhancement bonuses the weapon can attain.

Like a lover, Meteor becomes jealous if Eareg uses other guns.  For each point of enhancement bonus or equivalent it possesses, Meteor imposes a -1 attack penalty on Eareg if he uses a firearm other than Meteor.  For example, if Meteor currently had +5 total enhancement from its Flaming abilities and other improvements, it would impose a -5 penalty on Eareg's attacks with other firearms.

Meteor has an Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma score equal to 10 + its total enhancement bonuses each.  It also has an Ego score - see the DMG.  If Meteor is especially displeased with Eareg it may refuse to fire or deliberately miss shots.

Like a dog, Meteor sometimes barks if others of its kindred - other firearms - get too close to its master.  If other blackpowder weapons are brought within 5 ft. of it, it has a 1 in 20 chance of spontaneously firing as an agressive display, if it is loaded.

The rifle's jealousy extends to such an extent that other firearms close to it are in danger of being attacked by the possessed weapon.  While those wielding other firearms at an appreicable distance are safe from the weapon's wrath, Meteor bears ill will to any other fierarms in Eareg's possession, or even those merely left unattended near it.

Level Dependent Abilities:

5 - Channel Spells: Eareg can now cast spells with the Fire descriptor through Meteor.  This allows him to add any ranged attack modifiers that would normally apply only to the weapon to ranged attacks when using fire spells.

7 - Telepathic Link:  Meteor can now communicate with Eareg telepathically over any distance.  It can use this ability to make requests, which Eareg finds increasingly difficult to ignore.

8 - Eareg gains Fire Resistance 2.

9 - Flaming Burst: Meteor automatically becomse a Flaming Burst Rifle, for no additional cost.  This ability replaces Flaming.

10 - Weapon Sight: When Eareg closes one eye, he can see out of the barrel of Meteor.  This allows him to redeem aim tokens for a bonus to hit instead of using his Gunfighter abilities, if he wishes; he is able to redeem a number of tokens equal to his level in this manner.  Using this ability is a free action but requires a Concentration check of DC 14.

11 - Eareg can fire Meteor from a prone position with +2 to hit (like crossbows, rifles can always be fired from prone positions).

13 - Stock: The stock of meteor can sprout a curved blade equivalent to a short sword with the same wards as Meteor itself (i.e. Flaming, etc) which Eareg can use in melee (he's automatically proficient with it).  In addition once per day Eareg may use the weapon as if it had the Keening ability instead of its other eldritch abilities.

14 - Fire Resistance 3.

15 - Bond: As the bond between Eareg and Meteor deepens the gunfighter can psychically pull it to his hand so long as its in his line of sight.  This is a move-equivalent action requiring a Concentration check of DC 18.  He cannot fire it psychically or otherwise wield it psychically, however.   Eareg can also now cast any spells through Meteor though, not just spells with the Fire descriptor.

16 - Fire Resistance 5.

17 - Meteor Bullet: Once per day Meteor can fire a bullet with effects identical to a Meteor from the Meteor Swarm spell (the 1 ft. diameter variety) in lieu of dealing normal bullet and Flaming Burst damage.  These can take the form of attack/damage bonuses or other enchantments.  Eareg's level is the caster level for the spell's purposes.

19 - Fire Resistance 10.

20 - Meteor Bullet II: Once per day Meteor can fire a bullet with effects identical to a Meteor from the Meteor Swarm spell (the 2 ft. diameter variety) in lieu of dealing normal bullet and Flaming Burst damage.  These can take the form of attack/damage bonuses or other enchantments.  Eareg's level is the caster level for the spell's purposes.  This replaces the Meteor Bullet ability.

As per Llum's suggestion that the Fast Healing 4 might be a bit too powerful, I replaced ti with the still useful Read Thoughts power, which could lead to some MAJORLY interesting roleplaying situations if Kaius were to reach 10th level of Revenant.

Maybe you should reduce the flamespew to d6's. Seems to be the die of choice for most offensive powers and 10d6 breath is still pretty lethal. It also seems to get a very high DC. Maybe make it 15+cha instead (similar to a 5th level spell).  
Consume Memory is, in a way, just an alternative speak with the dead in most cases so that shouldn't be too powerful.
Pyrokinesis is cool, but hardly overpowered or even that powerful (although if one of the witches can find a way to set people on fire magically, it could lead to some lethal teamwork).
Dominate is powerful, but one of the last powers and only once per day so that should work.
Telepathy and fly are powerful and generally useful powers, but based on the other abilities it shouldn't get out of hand.
They do get an awful lot of ability enhancements though, which I didn't notice was done to that extent last time I looked it over. Maybe at least reduce their skill points to 4+int. Maybe remove one of the cha bonuses so the total is +4; still very good. Also 7 and 9 are very powerful levels.
Hope that helps

I like it, just realized something though. The ability to cast spells through meteor isn't of much use to Eareg since he won't be gaining many witch levels. He's probably never going to be able to cast a fire spell that requires an attack roll (or any spells with effectiveness in 13th level combat). Not saying we can't keep it, just that it's going to end up as a never used ability. I kind of want to have abilities that will see some use, that I can use to enhance roleplay.

Something like this perhaps:

5 - Lesser Bond: Eareg has begun to bond with Meteor and both feel a need to protect the other. The rifle is constantly searching for potential threats and will actively tug at Eareg's hands so as to intercept any attacks thrown towards him. While actively wielding meteor Eareg gains a defense bonus equal to his level/4 vs any attacks that directly target him. Additionally Eareg feels an irresistible urge to protect the weapon from destruction and will go to great lengths to defend it.

13 - Stock: The stock of meteor can sprout a curved blade equivalent to a short sword with the same wards as Meteor itself (i.e. Flaming, etc) which Eareg can use in melee (he's automatically proficient with it). In addition once per day Eareg may use the weapon as if it had the keening ability, save that the will save is equal to 10+1/2 his level.

Thoughts? If you think those abilities are too powerful we can tone it down. I just think they will synergize better with Eareg.

Quote from: Nomadic13 - Stock: The stock of meteor can sprout a curved blade equivalent to a short sword with the same wards as Meteor itself (i.e. Flaming, etc) which Eareg can use in melee (he's automatically proficient with it). In addition once per day Eareg may use the weapon as if it had the keening ability, save that the will save is equal to 10+1/2 his level.

What is keening? I can't seem to find it on the SRD.

Ok, reduced the Revenant's skill points and redistributed some abilities.  On the fence as to whether I should remove a Charisma bonus.  Reduced Flamespew to d6.  I think we're getting close to balanced-ish.  Stat bonuses definitely do add, but consider this: if Kaius remained human he'd be able to purchase organic grafts to beef himself up as much or more than the bonuses provide, but as a grave-spawn he's unable to.

Added the Keening thing (it's a scream style ability, I'm familiar with it - sounds good if its once per day), but removed the level bonus to the DC.

I'll ponder with defensive thing.  I agree with Llum that right now its too powerful.  Maybe some kind of bonus if Eareg chooses to fight defensively while wielding Meteor, so that the ability rewards combat behavior that actively protects the rifle.

Oops that was a typo on the defense thing. Was supposed to be 1/4 of level. Also it has a drawback that steerpike is open to exploit if he wishes (it's a fairly open ended drawback). Don't know if that helps.

How about this as a different version of a similar ability?

Defensive Bond: Eareg has begun to bond with Meteor and both feel a need to protect the other. The rifle is constantly searching for potential threats and will actively tug at Eareg's hands so as to intercept any attacks thrown towards him. While actively wielding meteor Eareg gains a +2 bonus to Defense from Attack Challenges that add to his Defense or +1 to DR checks from Defense Challenges that add to his DR, but cannot make Major Defense Challenges except for Superior Defensive Roll unless he successful makes a successful Will save first (DC 25): Eareg feels an irresistible urge to protect the weapon from destruction and will go to great lengths to defend it.

Quote from: SteerpikeHow about this as a different version of a similar ability?

Defensive Bond: Eareg has begun to bond with Meteor and both feel a need to protect the other. The rifle is constantly searching for potential threats and will actively tug at Eareg's hands so as to intercept any attacks thrown towards him. While actively wielding meteor Eareg gains a +2 bonus to Defense from Attack Challenges that add to his Defense or +1 to DR checks from Defense Challenges that add to his DR, but cannot make Major Defense Challenges except for Superior Defensive Roll unless he successful makes a successful Will save first (DC 25): Eareg feels an irresistible urge to protect the weapon from destruction and will go to great lengths to defend it.

Can you make a defense challenge in reaction to an enemy attacking you? If so great, if not we can just scrap this and come up with something else. Also what's the will save about?