Re: Prestige Class: The Heavy

Thanxs for the comments so far, Ill reply bit by bit...

> Seems a tad powerful.  Two good saves, a cleric BAB, a boatload of special
> abilities, 4 skill points per level, the best HD in the game, and a decent
> list of class skills.  I didn't read the prestige class in Polyhedron, but
> my gut reaction is that this class could use a bit of toning down.

Good points, but its really more something to give non-savages a touch of
the barbarian hit dice/buffness.

> What rank?  As it is, this prestige class can be taken at 2nd level by a
> human.  The only published prestige class that can be taken before 6th
level
> that I know of is the Forsaker in Masters of the Wild.  With that in mind,
> having a requirement of 8 ranks seems reasonable (and is possible with a
> straight fighter at 5th level).

Good point, and Ill add Endurance I think.  My bad for leaving out the
rank - 8 seems appropriate :)

> This is fairly arbitrary, and kind of like making an ability score a
> pre-req.  And it could be fairly tough to get.  It's got one other weird
> effect, which is that as the character goes up in level, it will become
> _harder_ to gain this prestige class.  The fact that you get max hp for
1st
> level will weight your average for a while, but after a couple levels,
even
> a barbarian will be averaging 6.5-7 hp per level.

That depends, some DM's allow the "take average hit dice" thingo, but I
wanted it to be for big broad types.

> I think the terminology you want is trip attacks and grapple checks.  The
> term for Holding is Pin, and it is a subset of the grapple check.  This
> should probably be combined with Unmovable.  Maybe include a +2 to making
> Bull Rushes and +2 Grapples for Unstoppable and +2 to resist Grapples and
> Bull Rushes for Unmoveable.  I'd ditch the tripping resistance bonus (the
> Blob, the classic unmoveable foe, is constantly getting tripped.)

thanx for the terminology clearups, but I like the bonus vs trip

> This probably should be a +1 natural bonus to AC, not enhancement.  AFAIK,
> there are no enhancement bonuses to AC.

Yeah again my terminology aint that great, i mean +1 to natural AC from
basic thick-skinned type stuff - one of my oldest mates is a mechanic here
in oz and you can literally drop a brick on him and he wont care.

> Whew!  That's the equivalent of 2 pumped up skill focus feats and a +8 Cha
> modifier for certain actions.  Even though it is limited by situation, a
+2
> is probably more in line with what other prestige classes get.

Ill think about that, thanks.

> I like this one a lot.

ta - think of it as along the lines of caramon majere, who seems to be slow
and dim witted, but is merely thinking very indepth and carefully.

> Also neat, though the time to rememorize spells should probably not be
> changed.  Elves only have to sleep 4 hours per night (and even then, it's
> not really sleeping), but they still have to spend 8 hours recovering
> spells.  Not that a spellcaster is likely to qualify for this class, but
> nonetheless.

Thats a good point, I didnt realise it - but hey, if any spellcaster can
manage to get this class, first off I'd be amazed, and second off I rekn
they deserve it lol

> Objects have hardness, characters have damage reduction.  This is also a
> neat/not very powerful ability.

Ah, righto, stupid dodgy Tilaurin terminology again ;)

> The bluff bonus should suffice for this effect w/o adding a bonus to
> disguise as well.  Seems unnecessary/strange.

Well, think of it as he knows how to walk like he's just an average joe, or
blend in with the other workers in an area.

> What's a half normal save?  Do you mean save with half their normal bonus?

Yah, sorry - i tried to bring across a 2e bit of terminology there ;)

> You probably want +2 to saves vs stun, daze, or nausea effects.  Also,
does
> this apply to magical effects, or just physical ones like the monk's
> stunning blow (which is a fort save).

Magical, psionic, and natural.

> Limiting it to a profession or craft skill makes this ability fairly
> useless, but it's almost unnecessary clutter.  I'd cut it out, it doesn't
> add a lot to the class and isn't that interesting.

Really?  I think of a star footballer who just gets more amazing as his
career goes on!  IMC the scro are going to challenge the other side of the
UHWII to a game of "mugby" (to be posted soon, basically zerog football) for
a withdrawl of their forces every 12 months, and I can picture star mugby
players :)

> Immunity to an attack form is pretty hefty, especially immunity to charge.
> Maybe give a +2 bonus to resisting bull rushes instead.  Stopping
opponents
> from being able to charge doesn't make sense, since a charge does not
cause
> the target to move.  To stop a charge, you'd need an ability to slow
> down/disorient your opponent to prevent him from using his momentum in his
> attack.

Well, you have another good point, but I can see it like he can react quick
enough to shift his balance and counter his opponent slightly - maybe it
should only be against opponents of the same size and smaller?

> This should be DR again.  This is really powerful, I'd substitute the
> barbarian's ability to resist damage instead.  They max out relatively low
> and can't be overcome with magic weapons.

Well, i rekn magic should get past this easily, but I was trying to do the
"brick to the head with no effect"

> How is this different from Unrockable?  The could probably be combined.

true, Ill take a look at that

> Resistance would be more appropriate.  Saves are about dodging an effect,
> whereas this character seems more about absorbing punishment.

Actually thats a great point...  Ill have a GOOD think about that.

> This is neat, and should probably replace unhurtable (which is way too
> powerful).

Mebbe :)

> Another pretty cool ability.  I'd increase the time to 20 minutes instead
of
> 1 minute.  It might be too powerful.

Ah, my bad - im used to 2e rounds which are a minute ;)  change rounds to
minutes in that one :)

> This prestige class is loaded with goodies, this is probably too much.

Mebbe right.

> This is really really bad.  It's also contradictory, since the rules for
> bleeding, poison, etc require that damage be done for the effect to occur.

Well, its like when you see a hero on TV acting regardless of the shocking
damage he's taken - he can still bleed to death, but he really doesnt care
;)

> There's an ability in the FRCS called Die Hard.  IIRC, it let's you fight
> till -10 hp.  That would probably fit a little better.

That would be choice actually, whats the FRCS?  Fricasseed Rabbit Cyclone
Stew?

> Also cool.

Course it is, it mentions Bruce Willis!!!!!

> Decent.

thanx :)

> You've got the cream of the crop thief skills, including Disable Device
and
> Spot on an already hefty class.  I'd trim out Disable Device, Alchemy (wtf
> is that doing there anyway), Animal Empathy, Handle Animal, Open Lock, and
> Use Rope and dump him down to 2 skill points.  That makes him about equal
to
> what a fighter would have.

well, Disable device I see as being good for the really mechanical workers,
alchemy for those in an industry that uses chemicals, animal empathy/handle
for stable/breeding blokes, open lock for the mechanicals, and use rope for
cargo haulers (tying excessive knots etc).  What I might do is say "choose
one out of" (insert the skills you mention) to take as a class skill.

> Why not all martial weapons?  He's going to have them anyway in order to
> qualify?

True, and you may be right about the skill points - but a lot of
crafts/professions for one character who is (statistically) likely to have a
low int sorta makes me wanna give them 4 skill pts/level.

> Check out the Ghostwalker in Sword and Fist for another example of the
Bruce
> Willis type take-a-lot-of-punishment-and-keep-coming-back-for-more type
> character.  Maybe try and split the difference with that class and the one
> in polyhedron to get what you're trying for.
>
> Sebastian

Thanx sebastian, as soon as I can get sword & fist I will, Ive been meaning
to but the psionics handbook knocked me back 55 bucks :(  stupid australian
dollar!!!

Tilaurin
tilaurin@?????????????????.com
http://www.planetbaldursgate.com/atreus/index.html
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