Kaedrin
Posts 139
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I'd like to hear some more opinions on how worthwhile the Hexblade is going to be: http://nwn2customcontent.wikidot.com/hexblade
Here are my thoughts:
What will be added for Hexblades:
* Hexblades will get full caster level for their levels, not half.
* I'm adding the feat Dreadful Wrath. It's a level 1 background feat that provides a Debuff Aura like the Blackguard has (Will Save vs DC 10 + 1/2 Char Level + Cha Mod or suffer -2 Saves, -2 AC, -2 AB). It will stack with Dark Companion, the Blackguard's aura, and the Hexblade's curse.
* I'm adding the feat Battle Casting. It's only for the custom spellbook casters and adds a +2 Dodge AC bonus for 6 seconds after casting a hexblade spell (from RotW).
* Arcane Duelist for a 2 level dip gives huge rewards. Blackguard 3 has great synergy as well.
* New Items such as Hexbands (+1 Curse DC), Veil of Allure (+2 Cha based DCs), and Ring of Arcane Might (+1 CL, +1 all DCs)
* New feat granted a level 1 to the Hexblade and Blackguard (possibly any with Intimidate as a class skill): Demoralize Opponent - Use a standard action and make an opposed Intimidate check to fear your enemy (Shaken effect for -2 AC, -2 AB, -2 Saves). Stacks with all other types of negatives.
* Curse will be an instant action as it should be.
* Fort is a High Save already (it's low in PnP and the designer suggested high). No change needed.
* Mettle will probably be the real deal and not just +4. I'm probably also going to enforce a requirement of 1/3 to 1/2 character level has to be hexblade to get the real benefit.
* Uses per day: I was toying with the idea of making the uses per day of Curse equal to 1/2 Hexblade level but reading the designers thoughts I may go with the "failed saves don't burn uses" idea. I was already planning on adding several "extra uses" feats that would each add +2 uses. I'm still fond of the 1/2 class level = uses/day though.
* Hexblade spells will not be interruptable. Concentration will not be needed.
* Tumble is a class skill (pnp replacement for Ride) so they will get the full +3 AC bonus without multiclassing.
* I'm fine with no ASF for Light Armor, Medium Armor and Light Shields. I'd be ok with no ASF.
* I'm adding 4 feats that the Hexblade will have access to (only the hexblade, duskblade, artificer, and dread necromancer will be able to take). Hexblades will only get the level 1-4 bonus spells.
1. New Feat: Arcane Disciple (Mysticism) - Gain Divine Favor (1), Spiritual Weapon (2), Lesser Visage of the Deity (3), Weapon of the Deity (4), Righteous Might (5), Visage of the Deity (6), Holy Word (7), Holy Aura (8), Greater Visage of the Deity (9) to a custom caster spellbook
2. New Feat: Arcane Disciple (Healing) - Gain Cure Light Wounds (1), Cure Moderate Wounds (2), Cure Serious Wounds (3), Cure Critical Wounds (4), Heal (5), Regenerate (7), Mass Cure Critical Wounds (8), Mass Heal (9) to a custom caster spellbook
3. New Feat: Arcane Disciple (Magic) - Gain Mage Armor (1), Melf's Acid Arrow (2), Assay Resistance (3), Spell Resistance (5), Spell Mantle (6), Greater Dispel Magic (7), Blackstaff (8), Mord's Disjunction (9) to a custom caster spellbook
4. New Feat: Arcane Disciple (Wrath) - Bear's Endurance (1), Bull's Strength (2), Rage (3), Shout (4), Righteous Might (5), Song of Discord (6), Tenser's Transformation (7), Greater Shout (8), Storm of Vengeance (9) to a custom caster spellbook
* I'm going to add/allow the Chaos Devotion, Evil Devotion, and Death Devotion feats for the Hexblade.
1. Chaos Devotion - Roll a d6 (d8 at 10th, d10 at 15). If even, it adds that bonus to AB for 1 minute. If odd, it adds that bonus to AC for 1 minute. (Costs 3 uses of Turn Undead)
2. Evil Devotion - Gain DR/- equal to 1 + (Character level / 5) for 1 minute. (Costs 1 use of Turn Undead)
3. Death Devotion - For 1 minute your weapon gains the ability to inflict a negative level on the target (Fort Save vs DC 10 + 1/2 Char level + Cha mod to negate). The negative levels will stack up to a limit of (character level / 4 or 5, whichever is lower). (Costs 3 uses of Turn Undead)
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What might be added:
* New Items such as Metamagic Rods
* I was toying with an epic (Hexblade 21+) feat that would change the curse to an AE (maybe 10').
* I was toying with an feat that would cause the curse to still have half of it's affect when the save is made (failed save = full, successful save = half).
* Armor: I'm fine with adding Medium Armor, Heavy Armor, and Shields to the class.
* I was toying with an Improved Familiar feat that improved the Dark Companion (from -2 to -4). Probably imbalanced.
* I'm open to adding Dragon Leadership + Epic Leadership as feats for the custom spellbook casters that will allow them to summon a dragon companion based on their level + charisma bonus. A level 30 character with a 40 Charisma would summon a level 28 Dragon. I'm also open to using this as the foundation of my "pet upgrade" system where you give pets magic items (following the pnp rules that allow animals to equip most types of magic items). This would be quite a buff to the pet (at the expense of drops) and provide a level 23-28 full BAB, nasty pet for two feats.
* I'm open to adding Obtain Familiar + Improved Familiar which will grant the Hexblade a Winter Wolf that follows the normal pnp familiar rules (1/2 Hexblades HP, HD equal to Hexblade levels -3 at full BAB, up to +10 Natural Armor bonus on top of the +5 the WW already has, etc) The Leadership + Familiar lines could be used at the same time if both are added.
* I could add the polymorph spells (alter self, polymorph) to their spell list which opens up any form desired and allows Minor Shapeshift (reserve feat) to be used to continually refresh free temporary hit points.
Amusing thought:
* Build in Gestalt functionality to the Hexblade. Probably Rogue 1-10, Blackguard 11-20, and Bard 21-30 (giving them the equivalent of 10 levels in those 3 classes on top of Hexblade + Arcane Duelist).
Take a look at the class with the whole picture in the frame and it's not such a weak class IMO. It's arguably too much :P
edited by Kaedrin on 9/23/2009
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My content site: http://nwn2customcontent.wikidot.com/
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