Game Creation – the hard way (twice).

Here are a few changes for the Sewer Rat class:

pre-req: Survival skill: 4 ranks (instead of 8 )

Hit Die: d6. (hey. Maybe it would be a good idea to let the class have hit points?)

Skill Points: 8 points(+int modifier) per level

Pass without Trace : effective for one hour per level of Sewer Rat, instead of one hour total.

I’m not ready to replace “Tunnel Rat” feat with the “Reduce” feat, yet, but it is tempting. (and of course nothing is preventing anyone else from doing that)…

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Thank you everyone, for your interest in my blog. However – I seem to have found my way onto several spam lists already! So I am reading all your comments, but I am choosing here not to publish any of them on the site, unless they discuss the articles specifically. I am sorry to cut off all the other comments, but getting 20 “Nice site. Buy this drug” comments a day from some Ukranian email address dampens one’s enthusiasm. But again – all thoughts on the classes themselves (or other game subjects I post) are certainly welcome.

….

(until they are covered with drug ads too. Then… I don’t know)

So, thanks for reading! Hopefully another 2 classes by the end of the month.

Here is my second attempt at prestige. Sorry for the long delay, but my first Bard Prestige class kinda … imploded. It took a little while longer to come up with a new one, but I hope you like. PLEASE feel free to comment.

-”DAMN it! He’s wedged himself too far in! The little rat is sitting in some side fissure. My fireballs can’t reach him!”
-”Don’t worry about it. He can’t get out. We’ll seal the exit when we leave. YOU HEAR THAT, RAT? You’ll be trapped down here forever. Alone!”
-”Alone?” The high pitched voice cackled, and sent a chill up the half elf’s spine. “Poundpaw is never alone with his friends around!”
“Your friends are dead! We just killed the last.” Lord Pixton shook his wand uselessly at the tiny crack where the last goblin had skittered. “Why don’t you come out and join them?”
A single drum hit shot through the cavern. Then another. And another. The hits built on one another. Going faster and faster, with odd rhythms mixing in the echoes – sometimes syncing up, sometimes not. And all with a unsettling power woven through the vibrations.
-”Poundpaws friends want YOU to join them.” The goblin’s voice could barely be heard over the din.  “Hee hee hee! Ask them yourself!”
The three adventures turned just in time to see the battered bodies of the patrol they had just killed, standing again: awkwardly, unnaturally. Bashed skulls lolled around on broken necks, and   swords were raised in broken arms and the goblins again slowly shuffled forward.
-”Ask them yourselves!”

PUPPETMASTER

The Puppetmaster is a prestige class for certain savages who wish to see their bardic powers peak in a darker place than most. Most goblins learn quickly that often the only thing more plentiful than living clanmates are dead ones. And inspiring the living is useful, but … the dead offer such a larger audience to play to! Yes, it’s one thing to have your music influence people after you die – but to influence people even after THEY die? Talk about the ultimate encore!

REQUIREMENTS
non good alignment
Able to cast 5th level bard spells
15 ranks perform

CLASS SKILLS

The Puppetmaster’s class skills are?Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration(con) Craft(int) Decipher Script, Disguise, Escape artist, Forgery, Gather information, Hide, Intimidate(cha), Jump, Knowledge, Listen(wis) Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Sense Motive, Slight of Hand, Speak Language, Spellcraft(int), Swim(str) Tumble, Use Magic Device?

Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier

CLASS FEATURES

Weapons and Armor -?same weapon and armor proficiencies and restrictions as Bards

SPELLS

Puppetmasters  will continue to acquire 1st through 5th level bard spells, as if they were advancing in bard levels. However, they will have only very limited access to 6th level spells, with a few sorcerer spells thrown in.

New Spell: Encore

Necromancy. Level: 3 Components: V, S, M(dried blood) Casting time: 1 full round action Range: touch Target: one creature Duration: 1hour/level. This spell is similar to “False Life” but its effects are not obvious until after the recipient falls below zero hit points (but not below -9 hit points). Then the subject will be treated as having the Diehard feat. The subject will immediately stabilize, and may take one movement or one standard action per round. Standard actions will reduce hit points by 1. If the subject reaches -10 hp, he will die. If the spell wears off before the subject is out of negative hit points, he will fall unconscious, but not lose any additional points.

Bonus Feat: Requiem
You can alter your music or virtuoso performance effects so they influence undead in addition to any other creatures they would affect.

New Spell: Puppet Master
Necromancy. Level: 6 Components: V, S, M(string) Casting Time: One Full round action Range: 30 feet radius Target: creature or creatures whose total hit dice are <= caster level Duration: length of performance + 1 round/level. This spell is similar to Animate Objects, only the subject(s) of this spell are the dead. Corpses or skeletons will begin moving again and perform whatever simple commands the spellcaster asks. They can fight with natural or simple weapons, or perform simple tasks. They cannot speak, perform magic, or other supernatural abilities they might have had when alive. The bodies are NOT converted into the undead. They are simply used as unliving tools, and will immediately collapse back when the spell ends. The “puppets” are always considered flat footed. They cannot take attacks of opportunity, but neither are they affected by any mind controlling spells. They are considered to have the same strength, Dexterity, and constituion as the puppetmaster. They will take one half the hit points of puppetmaster before they collapse. Once all manipulated corpses collapse, the spell automatically ends.

Spell: Halt Undead
As the 3rd level Wizard spell. Necromancy Components: V, S, M(pinch of sulfer and powdered garlic) Casting Time: one standard action Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level) Targets: up to 3 undead creatures, no 2 of which can be more than 30ft apart) Duration: 1 round/level Saving Throw: Will Negates Spell Resistance: yes

New Spell: Encore, Mass
As the first level puppetmaster spell, only Target is all allies in 15 ft radius

Spell: Wake the Undead
Necromancy. Components: VSM Casting Time: one standard action Range: touch Targets: one or more corpses touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: none Spell Resistance: no. Same as the 4th level Wizard spell Animate Dead. The puppetmaster can create Zombies and Skeletons that obey his command. Instead of an Onyx, the material component for the spell is a silk ribbon with the blood of the puppetmaster on it, tied somewhere on the body of the undead.

All RIGHT! Here is my first REAL post –

A prestige class for GOBLINS! (and other monsters. I’m feeling generous). In this case a Goblin druid. Eventually I hope to have a goblin prestige class for each of Fumbles’ 11 professions. But here is the key – and I REALLY REALLY MEAN IT! I need your help. You, the reader. I REALLY need your help. I have never made a prestige class before, and I would honestly like your thoughts. Too powerful? Not powerful enough? already been thought of before? leave a comment: one word or a long critique. I want this blog to be fun but also provocative, and I don’t mind arguments, as long as they are respectful. So read on. Then post your reply. I’m excited to hear from you!

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Sandscar’s eyes slowly unwillowed, and he smiled grimly. The elf rogue had finally stopped twitching. He studied the dead intruder for a few moments; the tangled hair, the purple face, the feet dangling just slightly off the cavern floor…. and Sandscar’s tentacle wrapped tightly around its neck. He walked over to one corner of his lair and carefully lay the former adventurer against one wall. The leafy appendage then slowly dissolved back into Sandscar’s body – reforming into a regular hobgoblin arm. The elderly druid then took up his shovel and spread a light coating of mulch over the body. “Yes,” he grinned. “Yes, we should get a nice crop of mushrooms from you…”

ROOTRUNNER
The Rootrunner is a prestige class for certain savage humanoids. Those who know the viscous side of plants – who have witnessed the weapons and defenses flora can produce and yearned to have them too. Typically this class would appeal to druids, but other classes could take it as well. The Rootrunner uses his wildshape or other shape changing abilities to adopt different characteristics of plants, in order to better protect himself or his gardens. But instead of changing fully, he can focus his transformations to particular body parts, creating a terrifying plant/animal hybrid guardian.

Rootrunners normally don’t adventure  much, preferring to stay in one particular area, protecting and farming their own gardens or oases. But sometimes, they will venture out – especially if enticed by the rumor of a new deadly plant or fungus they can bring back and cultivate.

REQUIREMENTS
Goblinoid, Gnoll, or lizardtype
10 ranks Knowledge Nature
Wildshape ability, or polymorph spell

CLASS SKILLS
The Rootrunner’s class skills are
Concentration(con) Craft(int) Handle Animal(cha) Knowledge Nature(int) Listen(wis) Spellcraft(int) Spot(wis) Survival(wis) Heal(wis) Intimidate(cha) Swim(str) climb(str)
Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier

CLASS FEATURES
Weapons and Armor -
same weapon and armor proficiencies and retrictions as Druids

Spells
Rootrunners gain Druid spells at one half the rate of Druids. Two levels of Rootrunner for ever one level of Druid spell advancement.

Nature’s Mark
As the Rootrunner begins his journey towards mastering his abilities, all hair on his body (if any) will turn into a fern-like leafy mesh. It will continue to grow normally otherwise, and may vary in color from green to yellow to a rust red. Games set in an aquatic venue may substitute moss for leaves.

Goodmushroom
acts as the 1st level Druid spell Goodberry – only it affects 2d4 mushrooms. Each mushroom = one normal meal, and cures 1 hitpoint of damage (for a maximum of 8 points per 24 hour period). No divine focus is needed for this spell.

Spore
The Rootrunner is able to fire a cone of highly toxic spore (or dye, in an aquatic campaign). everyone within short range (25 feet) of this cloud must make a Fortitude save (DC10 + lvl) or suffer d6 rounds of uncontrollable choking. The subject can take no action during this period, but is not considered helpless.

Summon plant ally 1
Works as a summon nature’s ally spell. A focus is needed instead of a divine focus. The plant ally from the list below will appear and attack your opponents to the best of its ability. If you are able to communicate with it, you can direct it to do other actions.
[Assassin Vine CR3, Phantom Fungus CR3, violet fungus CR3]

Nature’s Mark II
large areas of the Rootrunner’s skin will begin to change into a more plantlike appearance. He or she may choose whether a thick husk covers a majority (50-80%) of their body, or myriads of short stiff barbs mark their features. In either case, add +1 to your natural armor class.

Protection from Nature I
This supernatural ability acts as a Sanctuary spell for all plants or plant creatures. Plants  will not harm the Rootrunner unless they are first attacked by him. This includes triggering of poisons or other defenses. Plant creatures must make a will save or not be able to attack first. This ability does not stop the plants or plant creatures from attacking others in the Rootrunner’s party

Vines
A Rootrunner may use a Wild Form or Polymorph spell to transform just his arms into prehensile vines (or create 2 prehensile vines, if character normally has no arms). The vines can wield light or one handed weapons, or be used as natural weapons (bludgeoning). Any jewelry clothing or armor on the arms at the time of the change is absorbed into the vines and becomes non-functional for the length of the change . All other conditions of the wild shape or polymorph spell apply, except the Rootrunner will keep all his original ability scores. The vines can be used to aid in swimming or climbing, but walking on them is very arduous. Rootrunners attempting to walk using only their vines take a penalty on balance checks (-5 for small creatures, -10 for medium, -20 for large). Writing or other delicate or intricate actions are generally not possible using the vine-arms.

Nature’s Mark III
Rootrunners who chose to have a husk skin will find it eventually hardened to a rough bark. Treated as a permanent barkskin spell, with the Rootrunner’s natural armor bonus +3 at level 6, +4 at level 8, and +5 at level 10.  Rootrunner’s who chose the barbs at level 3 will now grow 1-4 inch cactus spines over most of their body. This will be treated as a permanent “Urchin Spines” spell. The Rootrunner gets no additional AC bonus, but all grapplers and natural weapons take 1d3 DC13 fortitude save or take initial and secondary DEX damage.

Summon Plant Ally II
Same as Summon plant ally I, only with the ability to summon one ally from the list below, or 1d3 creatures from the level I list.  [Shambling mound CR6, Tendriculos (huge) CR6, Udoroot (huge) CR5]

Double Vines
As with the Vines ability – the Rootrunner may use one Wild Shape or Polymorph spell to produce two pairs of vines, one pair for each arm. The vines are strong enough now to wield two handed weapons. Up to four attacks per round are now possible, if the vines are wielded as natural weapons. The Rake ability is now allowed. Gain two additional bludgeoning attacks against a grappled foe. Rake attacks are not subject to the usual -4 penalty for natural weapons in a grapple. (one must begin his turn in a grapple to use Rake. -You cannot begin a grapple and rake in the same turn). Add a +2 to all grapple rolls.

Improved Spore
The Rootrunner can now shoot a cone of spore that will blind all foes in an 25 foot cone. Fortitude saving throw negates.

Enhanced Vines
A Rootrunner’s vines now are covered with thorns. Add a +4 to all grapple rolls. In addition, vines may now inflict slashing or bludgeoning damage. Rootrunners also gain the improved grab feat (when they have the vines), even if they do not otherwise meet the prerequisites for the feat.