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 Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:50 am
This is just an idea i had, ive been tweaking it for awhile, any input is welcome!!
Flamecallers are a class that focuses entirely on combat. Wheter it be magic, or melee fighting, they are always willing to go to the front lines of battle. Essentially a sorcerer with combat ability who focuses on fire magic, the Flamecaller gets her spells thru charisma. They have an EXTREMELY limited choice of spells, but they make up for it with battle skill. They can control fire to a great extent, able to manipulate it in ways that could only be dreamed of by other spellcasters. They are able to wrap fire around a weapon, make it strike someone like a missle, or put it out.
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:08 pm
These are the stats for a FlameCaller.
Hit die type:d6
Class skills: Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, knowledge(arcana), Knowledge(the planes) spellcraft, and use magic device.
Level BAB F R W Special
1 +0 0 1 1 Minor Fire Manipulation
2 +1 0 2 2 Bonus Feat
3 +2 1 2 2
4 +3 1 3 3 Simple Gestures
5 +3 2 3 4 Bonus Feat
6 +4 2 4 4 Moderate Fire Manipulation
7 +5 3 4 4 Create Heat(minor)
8 +6+1 3 5 5 Bonus Feat
9 +6+1 3 5 6 Create Heat(major)
10 +7+2 3 6 6
11 +8+3 4 6 6 Wordless Tongue, Bonus Feat
12 +9+4 4 7 7 Fire Barrier
13 +9+4 4 7 8 Bonus Feat
14 +10+5 5 8 8
15 +11+6+1 5 9 9 Create Fire, Major Fire Manipulation
16 +12+7+2 6 9 9
17 +12+7+2 6 9 10 Bonus Feat
18 +13+8+3 6 10 10
19 +14+9+4 7 10 10 Continous Flame
20 +15+10+5 7 10 11 Immolate, Bonus feat.
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:24 pm
Spells.
A FlameCallers spell selection is primarily restricted to the fire based spells of the sorcerer and wizard.
Spells Per Day
L,0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
1,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
2,3,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
3,4,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
4,5,2,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
5,6,3,2,0,0,0,0,0,0,0
6,6,4,2,1,0,0,0,0,0,0
7,6,5,3,2,0,0,0,0,0,0
8,6,5,4,2,0,0,0,0,0,0
9,6,5,5,3,1,0,0,0,0,0
10,6,5,5,4,2,0,0,0,0
11,6,6,5,5,3,1,0,0,0
12,6,6,6,5,4,2,0,0,0
13,6,6,6,5,5,3,1,0,0
14,6,6,6,5,5,4,1,0,0
15,6,6,6,5,5,5,2,1,0
16,6,6,6,5,5,5,3,2,0
17,6,6,6,5,5,5,3,3,1
18,6,6,6,5,5,5,3,3,2
19,6,6,6,5,5,5,3,3,2
20,6,6,6,5,5,5,3,3,3
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:32 pm
Spell list
0: Detect magic, flare, light, read magic.
1: Endure elements, Identify, Burning Hands, Magic Weapon.
2: Resist Energy, Continual Flame, Flaming Sphere, Scorching Ray, Pyrotechnics.
3: Protection from energy, Fireball, Flame Arrow.
4: Fire Shield, Wall of Fire.
5: Permanency
6: Greater Dispel Magic, Guards And Wards.
7 biggrin elayed Blast Fireball, Prismatic Sphere.
8: Incendiary Cloud, Sunburst
9: Meteor Swarm, Timestop.
I tried to give him at least 2 spells of each level, but 5 really didnt help me out....
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:59 pm
Weapon and armor proficiencies.
Weapons: all simple weapons, as well as the rapier, longsword, scimitar, and Falchion.
Armor: Light armor.
Class features!!!
Minor Flame Manipulation.
At 1st level, a Flamecaller gains the ability to manipulate small amounts of fire once per day. This number increases by 1 every three levels.This can be used to enwrap a weapon in fire, dealing an extra 1d6 points of fire damage.
Bonus Feats.
A Flamecaller gets a bonus feat at 2nd, 5th,8th,11th,13th,17th,and 20th level.
Simple gestures.
As her power grows, a Flamecaller trains herself to cast spells without the need to have her hands free. She gains the benefits of the Still Spell feat.
Moderate fire manipulation.
At 6th level, a Flamecaller's connection to the plane of fire becomes stronger, allowing her to manipulate larger amounts of fire once per day. As with the minor version of this ability, the number of times per day increases by 1 every 3 levels.This adds an extra 2d6 points of fire damage to weapons. This ability can also be used to create a missle of fire, dealing 3d6 points of fire damage to a single enemy.
Create Heat(minor)
At 7th level, thru her connection to the plane of fire, learns to create an amount of heat equal to the amount needed to heat a 15' by 15' room. This ability can be used in that way, or can be focused on a single enemy, giving it a -2 on all dice rolls as long as the Flamecaller maintains her concentration.This can be used only 3 times per day, and this number does not increase.
Create Heat(Major)
At 9th level, the Flamecaller gains the ability to create even more heat, enough to heat a room with dimensions equaling 50' by 50' by 20'. This ability can be used in the same way as the minor version, however the Flamecaller can focus on up to 3 enemies to replicate the effects of the minor version, or on one to deal 3d6 points of fire damage. This ability is usable 2 times per day, and as the former, does not increase in number.
Wordless Tongue
At 11th level, the Flamecaller has trained herself to the point where she no longer needs to speak to cast her spells. She gains the benefits of the Silent Spell feat.
Flame Barrier
At 12th level, the Flamecaller gains the ability to create a small barrier of intense heat around her. All adjacent creatures take 4d6 points of fire damage.
Create Fire
At 15th level, a Flamecallers connection to the plane of fire increases to the point where she can summon fire to be used with her manipulation abilities.
Major Fire Manipulation
Also at 15th level, the connection to the plane of fire that also allows her to summon fire, allows her to control VAST amounts of it. This ability also goes up by one use per day every 3 levels.This adds an extra 3d6 fire damage to a weapons damage. Or, it can emulate a fireball as cast by a 15th level wizard.
Immolate
At 20th level the Flamecaller is so attuned to the plane of fire, that simply by willing it, she can cause an opponent to burst into flames of hellfire. This ability is the nost powerful a Flamecaller can attain, and it can be used only once every day. Immolation is a free action, and requires no preperation. This attack deals 10d6 points of fire damage every round for 4 rounds.
(also, the various fire manipulation abilities cannot stack with each other if cast on the same weapon. these abilities last until the weapon is sheathed, or until the Flamecaller wills it to be over.)
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Posted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:05 pm
well... there it is. lemme know if i forgot something, or just lemme know what you think. this is my first attempt at creating a base class. in the past ive only managed to create some not-too-succesfull prestige classes...hehe
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:04 am
Reminds me alot of the Tome of Magic 2nd E Elementalists, except with less magic and more weapons.
I like the concept alot; its similar to the pyrokineticist PrC, but magic-based and as a base class.
A good concept, but I think it could use some revision to make it a more unique-seeming class.
My opinions based on book comparisons.....
BAB(Average) is a good choice; the (good) is generally reserved for total melee classes, and (bad) for casting strength classes, so (average) is good for mixed type classes.
Hit Dice: d6 is good; could also maybe go up to a d8 since they are (im interpreting this) more melee based than say a psion or a rogue; more like a cleric of fire, so to speak.
Ref(Good) makes sense, cause fire-related things have good speeds, cause Fire Elemental creatures have good Dex.
Will(Good) is a good choice, since its a casting class.
Fort(Bad) is a good choice, given Will(Good), though I think that having Will(Bad) and Fort(Good) would also be acceptable, depending on wether the emphasis is on melee combat or ranged spells.
One of the problems I see is that this is an arcane spellcasting class, which means you have to take into account armor penalties, which can ruin any caster build. I would recommend finding a way around this; (I have a suggestion below)
Spell progression is fine; it even seems a tad slow, but thats never a problem usually, and isnt something that can be checked without playtesting, of course.
Im pretty iffy on the way the feats are done. Here, with the bonus feats combined with the spell feat class abilities.... thats a lot of feats for a caster. . . . it totals up to 9 feats, which is 2 less than a 20th level fighter gets. I would recommend giving them a set feat progresson. . . . say 1 every 3 levels, maybe, and every other one would be a specific feat, kinda like with the samurai base class. . . . they get a lot of feats, but they are pre-chosen.
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:43 am
Another thing is skills. Remember that there ae certain skills that are effectively useable by all or most classes, such as craft and profession, and oens that are common to certain sets of classes:
Craft(Any) is common to all classes.
Profession(Any) is available to all but fighter (why, I dont know) and barbarian (which makes sense). Personally, I think everyone except barb should get profession. . . . I mean, I fighter could be a profesoinal mercenary, or a constable or law-enforcer, or a guard, etc. So, ought to have Profession.
Swim is available to most classes, except the heavy spellcasting classes and paladin. I suppose though since its a Fire character, you dont need that sweatdrop
I would also say ditch diplomacy (A fire user would tend to be more violent and agressive) and substitute Intimidate and Bluff instead.
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:54 am
I do very much like this idea, though I think Ive got a different idea of a way to do it. I'll post it here in a bit, when i get the time to type it up. Then maybe we can combine the two ideas for a balanced class.
Mainly, what I would change is the way the class abilities worked.
Say, have one ability called "Gather Flames" a move action that lets you gather up fire around your weapon. Other abilities could perhaps be built around this, lie one that lets you swing your sword forward, hurling the flames off it onto a distant target. As you level up, gather flames gains more damage, and hence the other abilities you have that are based on it go up.
Also, have a Flame Armor ability, "Flames from your weapon wrap themselves around you, creating a semi-sold barrier of magical flames" that gives you a bonus to Armor, and goes up as your ability to gather flames does., etc.
Anyhow, got some stuff to do now, will type it up in a bit.
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 1:31 pm
Ok... um photobucket doesnt seem to be working for me currently, so I cant upload my SS of a table, so ill just have to give you the basic one.
1 - bonus feat
2 - gather flames 1d6
3 - flame armor
4 - bonus feat
5 - hurl flames
6 - gather flames 2d6
7 - create flames
8 - bonus feat, improved gathering
9 - burning shield
10 - gather flames 3d6
11 - flame wave
12 - bonus feat
13 - create greater flames
14 - gather glames 4d6
15 - flame wall
16 - bonus feat, Expert flame gathering
17 - flame burst
18 - gather flames 5d6
19 - immolation
20 - bonus feat
BAB, and saves are the same as yours.
Bonus Feats: The Flame Caller gains and extra feat at first level, and then another feat once every 4 levels. These feats may be taken from either the fighter feats list, or from the Arcane Metamagic feats.
Gather Flames: The FlameCaller draws nearby flames, either magical or otherwise, to his weapon, wreathing it in a ring of fire. This fire does 1d6 extra fire damage on a successful attack. The flames can be drawn to the blade from a range of 10 feet per d6 of gathering strength. Does not stack with burning or any other flaming weapon abilities. The FlameCaller may use this ability as a move action. Lasts until dispelled by the caster.
Every 4 levels after 2nd, the amount of fire the Caller can draw increases, increasing the damage bonus for his weapon by 1d6. Flames may be gathered from any source, causing the original flame to either vanish or be diminished (depending on its size.) Magical sources of flame, such as another wizards Flame Shield, do not disappear or diminish; they simply replenish magically.
Flame Armor: The FlameCaller pulls the flames on his weapon to himself, sheathing himself in a coating of semi-solid flames. These flames harm neither the caster nor his equipment, and provide an Armor bonus of +2 per d6 of FlameGathering. Any creature attacking the FlameCaller with natural weapons while she is under the effects of this ability takes 1d4 fire damage per d6. This ability is used as a move action, and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the FlameCaller’s class level.
Hurl Flames: The FlameCaller swings his blade at an enemy, flinging gathered flames at him. If a successful ranged touch attack is made, the creature takes 1d6 Fire damage per d6 of Flame Gathering, and is set on fire for a number of rounds equal to the FlameCaller’s class levels, causing it to take 1d6 fire damage per round.
Create Flames: Through his magical bond with the elemental plane of fire, the FlameCaller can summon magical flames to his side as a standard action. These flames are small, enough to heat a 15’ by 15’ area. Optionally, the flame caster raise the temperature of an area of the same size, without flames, or he may direct the heat at an enemy, causing it to take a -2 penalty to all rolls as long as the FlameCaller maintains concentration. This ability can be used 3/day, and takes a standard action.
Improved Flame Gathering: Because of his experience with working with flames, the FlameCaller can summon flames to his blade more quickly. Using Gather Flames is now an immediate action instead of a move action.
Burning Shield: The FlameCaller takes the gathered flames from his blade and wraps them into a solid shield of flames, and casts it to float in front of him. The flames provide a +1 Shield bonus per d6 of Flame Gathering. Because the shield floats in front of the caster, it does not cause spell failure or armor check penalties (as force screen).
Flame Wave: The Flame Caller causes the flames on his blade to shoot outwards, burning creatures in an arc in front of him. The wave deals 2d10 damage per d6 of Flame Gathering in a 60’ cone-shaped spread. The FlameCaller then calls the flame back to his blade. This ability takes a full action. Creatures may make a reflex save for half damage.
Create Greater Flames: Through his magical bond with the elemental plane of fire, the FlameCaller can summon even more magical flames to his side as a standard action. These flames are large, enough to heat a 50’ by 50’ by 20’ area. Optionally, the caster may use the minor ability on up to 3 targets simultaneously. This ability can be used 2/day, and takes a standard action. Create Flames is still useable 3/day as well.
Flame Wall: (umm... need some flavor text here. . . like firewall, basically.)
Expert Flame Gathering: Because of his experience with working with flames, the FlameCaller can summon flames to his blade more quickly. Using Gather Flames is now a free action instead of an immediate action.
Flame Burst: The FlameCaller bursts into flames, shooting them outwards at his enemies. All creatures in a 30-ft radius centered on the FlameCaller take 1d6 fire damage per class level, making a reflex save for half. This ability is useable 1/day as a standard action.
Immolation: At 20th level the Flamecaller is so attuned to the plane of fire, that simply by willing it, she can cause an opponent to burst into flames of hellfire. This ability is the most powerful a Flamecaller can attain, and it can be used only once per day. Immolation is a swift action, and requires no preperation. This attack deals 10d6 points of fire damage every round for 4 rounds.
Arcane Spellcasting: The FlameCaller gains spells per day according to the [above] table. She also gains bonus spells perday based on her Charisma, which is a FlameCaller's primary attribute. These spells may be chosen from the Sorceror/Wizard list, but only fire spells may be chosen.
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:07 pm
Ireally like those ideas, they would balance him out a little more. and the gather flame ability is wonderful, nut i was really going for a much more manipulative affect. i havent written out everything i want the flamecaller to be able to do with it, i.e. put out fire, make fire grow taller, or, if he so desires, keep a flame from going out. its a really complicated ability that i put a LOT of thought into, and it was the main thing i wanted the flamecaller to be able to do. biggrin
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:11 pm
GeohoundofDoom Ireally like those ideas, they would balance him out a little more. and the gather flame ability is wonderful, nut i was really going for a much more manipulative affect. i havent written out everything i want the flamecaller to be able to do with it, i.e. put out fire, make fire grow taller, or, if he so desires, keep a flame from going out. its a really complicated ability that i put a LOT of thought into, and it was the main thing i wanted the flamecaller to be able to do. biggrin Actually, I known there are various spells/abilities of other classes that do stuff like that. I dont really know the 3.5 ones though; for example, the Wild Magesof 2.0 had a first (2nd?) level spell called Fireflow, which let them grab a normal flame and shape it around. I'll look and see what i can find. I remember something similar to what your talking about. It might take some time though.
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:41 pm
GeohoundofDoom Ireally like those ideas, they would balance him out a little more. and the gather flame ability is wonderful, nut i was really going for a much more manipulative affect. i havent written out everything i want the flamecaller to be able to do with it, i.e. put out fire, make fire grow taller, or, if he so desires, keep a flame from going out. its a really complicated ability that i put a LOT of thought into, and it was the main thing i wanted the flamecaller to be able to do. biggrin Ok, ive looked around a bit (was faster than I thought) and found the following things: Wizards get the 2nd level spell continual flame. . . . creates a permanent fire with no need for fuel. Psions get a level 1 power called control flames, which bsically lets you do exactly what your talking about... can animate natural fire, cause it to need no sourse, increase/decrease its size, even put it out if its small enough. Hmm... ok idea: Level 1: Bonus Feat, Control Flames Control Flames: FlameCallers are masters of Flame. They can shape it, make it grow, and even make it seem to come alive. Powerful FlameCallers can take even the smallest flame and use it to create raging infernos. ---As a standard action, a FlameCaller may sieze control of any natural flame. The size of the fire that he can control is dictated by his class level. (See table below) This control is maintained as long as the FlameCaller concentrates. Should his control lapse, the fire returns to its original state, extinguising if it no longer has fuel. While controlling a flame, the Flamecaller may do the following, once per round: *Animate: A FlameCaller can make a flame seem to come alive, moving on its own. The flame moves at a rate of 30ft per round, and any creature in a space it moves into or occupies must make a Reflex save or take the damage listed on the table below. A successful save moves the creature into an adjacent square. *Sustain: The flame no longer needs to consume fuel, because the Flamecaller is sustaining its life through his will. If he moves the flame away from its source and then loses control, the flame dies. *Increase Size: A flamecaller can increase the size of a given flame by one. This may be used multiple times on the same flame. *Intensity: The flamecaller may increase the heat generated by the flame, increasing its damage dice from d6's to d8's. (Or d3 to d4). This may be used once only on any given flame. ---For every 5 fire-based class levels the FlameCaller attains, he can control one additional flame at a time. (Examples of other Fire-Based classes would be: Pyrokineticist, Fire Tainted, Fire Elemental Transition Class) This is the table for control flames from the XPB. What I would change is shift the table down one... i.e. a flamecaller, because of his specialty, can control Diminuitive or smaller flames at first level. 
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Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:41 pm
Alright then!! I think with just a little more tweaking this class will be really good!! Im SO glad you found that table cause I did NOT wanna have to make one up, Im not really good at the technical aspects of class creation. I was also trying to think of a way to put that flame armor skill you described into his learned abilities, but am not finding a suitable level for it, because i think 3 is too low... maybe 4 or even 5. I made a 20th level flamecaller and tested him out in single combat as well as in a group, because if you notice most fire spells and or abilities have an area of effect, and that includes allies as well as opponents. when i factored in that his control flames ability had an area of effect, he began to damage his teammates almost as much as he damaged the opponents. (I put them up against a large, varied combination of high challenge rating monsters from monster manual 2.) And i think that he would do well if he were like 30 feet away from his allies, or if his allies had fire resistance items or potions. Thats why i gave him the endure elements variety of spells as well. He is a little overpowered, because anything that was in his line of sight was subject to being hit with large amounts of fire... i think adding an increasing range increment to his manipulation abilties would be a good idea, so as he cannot hit the orc standing on a ledge 400 feet away at a low level, and require him to make a concentration check,(DC 15) for each 5 feet he goes past the range increment he has.
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 8:48 am
GeohoundofDoom I was also trying to think of a way to put that flame armor skill you described into his learned abilities, but am not finding a suitable level for it, because i think 3 is too low... maybe 4 or even 5. I can understand that, but what I was trying to do is give him some sort of armor so that he coulds stay alive in combat. Also, keep in mind that at 1st level, a psion get Force Screen, which give +4 Armor, and Wizards can get Mage Armor, which does the same thing. Here, Ive given FlameArmor to him at 3rd, and it ditches 2 AC bonus for 1d4 fire damage. Also, at level 7, Psions get Energy Retort, which is effectivly like a ring of some energy type, and if theyre attacked by ANY physical attack, including ranged, it shoots a burst of energy out to a range of 30ft that deals 1d6 per power point spent on it.; compare that to the flame armor at 7th. Quote: I made a 20th level flamecaller and tested him out in single combat as well as in a group, because if you notice most fire spells and or abilities have an area of effect, and that includes allies as well as opponents. when i factored in that his control flames ability had an area of effect, he began to damage his teammates almost as much as he damaged the opponents. I don't really see why; a few of them would be problematic, yes, like fire burst, but the others should be no problem; Control Flames shouls be alright as long as hes careful where he moving them. I mena hey, look at fireball or lightning bolt. . . . in a dungeon area (i.e. enclosed spaces) those spells can be almost as dangerous to the party as it is to the enemies. A lot of high-level wizard spells are like that. (Storm of Vengeance, anyone? sweatdrop ) But heres a possibilty, at any rate: What I had in mind for flame wave really was that it was an improved version of hurl flames. . . instead of hitting on target, it hits multiple ones in a line. We could change the area of effect into a Line instead of an Arc; that might take care of some of the problem. As for something like Burst, its only a matter of manuevering; The Acolyte has to do alot of that because of spells like Din's Fire that originate from himself; hes a great combat character to have around, but he has to fend for himself, and run into large groups to use his abilities. It actually works fairly well. Quote: And i think that he would do well if he were like 30 feet away from his allies, or if his allies had fire resistance items or potions. Thats why i gave him the endure elements variety of spells as well. He is a little overpowered, because anything that was in his line of sight was subject to being hit with large amounts of fire... I wouldnt actually say he is too overpowered; even at his max level. A level 10 psion/level10 pyromancer could easilly surpass him in killing power. The psion levels give him a 10d6 ranged touch attack per round as a casting action (Energy Ray) and the Pyromancer levels means he can use a full action to make someone make a will save or die instantly from having his blood boiled. Immolate is nasty, but it aint got nothin on that. whee Quote: i think adding an increasing range increment to his manipulation abilties would be a good idea, so as he cannot hit the orc standing on a ledge 400 feet away at a low level, and require him to make a concentration check,(DC 15) for each 5 feet he goes past the range increment he has. Lol, I missed that one. Yes, I agree, he needs that. I would suggest maybe makig the range 20-30ft, plus 10 feet per level maybe. Maybe a bit more; im not sure.
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