I figured I'd copy and paste over the steamborg rules, so they're on record here too. Only built to level 1 or so.
Role: defender. Your superhuman strength and toughness allow you to last in combat, and your tendency to enter a killing frenzy when your allies are injured encourages enemies to deal with you first. Power Source: Steam Key Abilities: Constitution, Strength, Intelligence. You rely on stamina to uphold all these augmentations, intelligence to design and maintain these augmentations, and augmented strength to hit hard and fast. Armor Proficiencies: cloth, leather, hide. People don't make plate to fit over limbs of steel. Weapon Proficiencies: simple melee, simple ranged, choice of three steam weapons Implements: schemas. You use complex diagrams and technical theory to augment your body. You can use a schema as an implement for your implement attacks. You can also apply the enhancement bonus and properties of a schema to weapon attacks you make with a steam weapon or embedded weapon. If you use a magic schema for a weapon attack, you do not get to use the enhancement bonus or magic properties of the weapon (if any). Bonus to Defense: +1 Fort, +1 Will
Hit Points at 1st Level: 17 + Constitution score Hit Points per Level Gained: 7 Healing Surges per Day: 8 + Constitution modifier
Trained Skills: Steam (Int). Choice of 3: Athletics (Str), Dungeoneering (Wis), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), History (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Thievery (Dex)
Class Features: Galvanized Wrath, Ironsides, Better Faster Stronger, Alchemist
Galvanized Wrath: Every time you attack an enemy, whether you hit or miss, you can mark it until the end of your next turn. Whenever a marked enemy makes an attack that does not include you as a target, you enter a killing frenzy until the end of your next turn. While the killing frenzy lasts, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and +2 power bonus to damage rolls. Increase this bonus to damage rolls to +4 at 11th level and +6 at 21st level. (The bonuses from killing frenzy apply no matter whom you attack). Ironsides: While wearing light armor, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and resist 5 against opportunity attacks. Increase to resist 10 at 11th level and resist 15 at 21st level. Better, Faster, Stronger: Choose your path of enhancement
* Unbreakable - while in a killing frenzy, you can make a saving throw against one effect a save can end at the start of your turn. If successful, the effect immediately ends. If you fail the saving throw, you can still make a saving throw against the effect at the end of your turn. * Strongarm - the bonus to damage rolls from your killing frenzy instead equals your Strength modifier. Increase to Strength modifier +2 at 11th level and Strength modifier +4 at 21st level. * Gadgeteer - once a round, while you are in a killing frenzy you may reroll a failed attack roll and keep the new result.
Alchemist: You gain the alchemist feat.
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New Skill: Steam(punk?) (Int) Since I'm designing this with DragonMech in mind, I cannot imagine not having this skill. You can object to it, if you feel so. Just throw it out of your own uses. I won't budge on this.
* Disable Device - as the Thievery skill. Some may complain about redundancy, but I say it counts. I've heard of some people complain about creating a technical-minded character who logically would be good at disabling traps and technical devices, but wouldn't be good at picking pockets. For them, the steam skill is what they should train in. It's kind of like bluff, diplomacy, or intimidate can all be used to get NPCs to help you, but by different methods. Nobody says they should all be rolled into one skill: Socialize. * Repair - can be used to get broken or disabled devices working again. * Repair - can be used on a steamborg, warforged, or mech in place of heal to allow use of second wind. In the case of mechs, the Heal skill cannot be used for this purpose. * Scavenge - find useful/sellable parts in a mechanical wreck. * Steam Knowledge - a monster knowledge skill for mechs and steampunk goodness.
New Weapons: Steam weapons are a new category of weapons, as opposed to simple, military, or superior. Power-wise, they should be about on-par with superior weapons. I also introduce a new weapon group: chatterblade. Chatterblades are steam-powered weapons that deal damage via rotating teeth. So buzzsaws, chainsaw swords, and the like. Many steamweapons have an at-will power (most of them are at-will) associated with them. This is something new, and maybe it will be overpowered. I'll need to test it. These at-will powers have the new Fueled keyword. To use powers with the Fueled keyword, you must expend fuel. Fuel will be handled like a consumable (or maybe I'll check AV2 for rules on ammunition). Point is, it's a small augment for one-time use, and you have to pay for it. It's just the weapon rather than the consumable that describes the effect.
Chattersword, +2 proficiency, 1d10 damage, 2-handed, 60 gp, 20 lbs heavy blade, chatterblade brutal 1 Power: (at-will, fueled) Free action. Use this power when you hit with this weapon and deal damage. Make a secondary attack vs Fortitude. On a hit, the target takes ongoing 2 damage (save ends).
Buzzaxe, +2 proficiency, 1d12 damage, 2-handed, 60 gp, 18 lbs ax, chatterblade high crit, brutal 1 Power: none yet. The 3.5 version lacked a special effect, unlike most steam weapons. Maybe I should remedy that? It seems it would just be the same as the chattersword. Which is ok, I guess. In 3.5 steam weapon adepts got that as a prestige class feature.
Chatterglaive, +2 proficiency, 2d4 damage, 2-handed, 55 gp, 22 lbs heavy blade, polearm, chatterblade reach, brutal 1 Power: as chattersword. This is a new weapon, with no history in 3.5. But it makes sense. I mean, I've seen this thing sold in hardware stores for yardwork purposes. It actually does harken back to the general nature of weapons being tools put to new use.
Steam Hammer, +2 proficiency, 2d6 damage, 2-handed, 40 gp, 17 lbs hammer Power: (at-will, fueled) Free action. Use this power when you attack with this weapon. If the attack hits, it deals an extra [W] damage. Feats:
Improved Unarmed Strike (heroic) Benefit: You can use unarmed strikes with a +2 proficiency bonus.
Design Notes:
Since steamborgs are supposed to be superhumanly tough, I went with higher than average hp, like the warden. I went with below average healing surges like the swordmage to reflect damage to mechanical components requiring more to fix than can be done during a short rest.
I borrowed the implements idea from the assassin and monk classes' use of ki foci. Originally I was going to make them weapon based, but it makes things really tough for the gadgeteer (or else you could build a character with no need for a magic weapon/implement and lacking critical hit bonus damage). Also, as I got to thinking about this class and powers I wanted, some I pictured as just hitting your enemy really hard with a metal fist. I wanted to make that viable.
Powers
I'm not writing all of the attacks out in full - just the basic crunch. (So if unspecified, you can assume melee range, 1 target, standard action, etc.). Note that I'm not familiar with designing new class powers, so I could use some help here.
At-Will
Relentless Blow Con vs AC 1[W] + Con mod damage and you gain temporary hp = Con mod
Backhand Swipe Con vs AC 1[W] + Con mod damage and push 1 square
Ejector Fist Con vs AC range: melee +1 1[W] + Con mod damage
Crushing Blow Con vs AC 1[W] + Con mod + Str mod damage
Encounter
Iron Rush Con vs AC 1[W] damage and knock prone can use in place of basic attack when charging
Concealed Weapon you can draw a weapon as part of this attack. You have combat advantage for this attack. Con vs AC 1[W] + Con mod damage Gadgeteer: you can add your Int mod to the damage
Taser Tap Con vs AC 1[W] + Con mod lightning damage and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn Gadgeteer: if you have combat advantage for this attack or score a critical hit, you also knock it prone
Backhand Smash immediate reaction: an adjacent enemy hits you or an ally 2[W] + Con mod daamge and knock prone Strongarm: you can also slide the target 1 square
Unstoppable Charge 2[W] + Con mod usable in a charge deal an extra [W] damage if you were hit by an opportunity attack Unbreakable: add your Str mod to the damage if you were hit by an opportunity attack NOTE: Official wording should make it clear that being hit by multiple opportunity attacks does not further increase damage. 1 or 20, you won't be adding more than 1[W]+Str damage.
Eye Laser ranged 5 Con vs Ref (implement, not weapon) 1d6 + Con mod radiant damage and you gain a +2 power bonus to your next attack roll before the end of your next turn Gadgeteer: this attack does not provoke Attacks of Opportunity
Daily
Galvanized Rush Con vs AC usable in a charge 2[W] + Con mod damage (miss: half) deals +1[W] damage for every Attack of Opportunity that hits you during the charge.
Boiler Burst immediate reaction: an attack bloodies you or deals damage while you're bloodied Close burst 1, Con vs Fort (implement attack) 3d6+Con mod fire damage, and the burst creates a zone that is heavily obscured and lasts until the end of your next turn. Miss: 1d6+Con mod fire damage and the zone
Burst of Speed Con vs Ref, 3 attacks 1, 2, or 3 targets 1[W] + Con mod damage Gadgeteer: you can shift 1 square after each attack Effect: Until the end of your next turn you may make a basic attack as a minor action.
I question the balance of Burst of Speed. Maybe at higher levels that would be appropriate, but for 1st level, that might be a bit much. Maybe the first level version should be shift your speed and make a basic attack at any point along the way. Effect: until the end of the encounter, once a round as a minor action you can make a basic attack. Or maybe if I just cut it to two attacks rather than 3. The bonus damage from CON mod, magic weapon, feats, etc. add for each attack, so a third attack allows room for a fair bit more damage, especially at higher levels. As currently written, it might be a power that you never want to retrain.
Liftoff Uppercut Con vs AC 3[W] + Con mod damage and you push the target 2 squares plus 1 square vertically. The target then falls. Miss: half (no push) This power feels a little awkward and in need of work, but I'm sure you get the idea of what it's supposed to do, and it's such a cool image, smacking them so hard they take off into the air.
Juggernaut Strike Con vs AC 2[W] + Con mod damage (miss half) Effect: you gain resist 2 all until the end of the encounter
Utility
Iron Berserker daily stance minor action when hit by an AoO, immediate reaction to push the triggering enemy 1 square
Unbreaking daily stance minor action you gain temp hp = Con mod when hit by AoO I don't think both this and Iron Berserker should be level 2 dailies. Which (if either) is appropriate for level 2?
Scanning encounter (?) minor action ignore concealment or total concealment for next attack higher level versions of this power would allow you to pinpoint invisible creatures or repeat the effect as a minor action for the entire encounter (that would be for a daily power)
Repair Automatons daily free, when you use your second wind spend a second healing surge and regain hp for both this is a higher level utility power. Based on fluff, I think it should be epic. Is it balanced for an epic level utility power?
Unbreakable Ally No mere mortal could withstand the punishment you so readily endure. Your allies take comfort in having an unstoppable war machine on their side. daily requirement: you must NOT be bloodied minor action you gain resist 5 all until you are bloodied, and each time you are hit, allies within 5 squares who can see you gain temp hp = 5+1/2 level Not a level 2 utility, that's for sure. Probably not even level 6. Is it fine for 10, or should this be a paragon level utility power?
Feats
Steam Implant [multiclass steamborg] Benefit: once per encounter, as a free action, you gain resist 5 against one attack.
Killing Machine [multiclass steamborg] Once per encounter, you may designate an enemy you hit or miss as the target of this feat. If the target makes an attack that does not include you, your next attack gains a +1 bonus to the attack roll and +2 bonus to the damage roll.
The second one may not be a good idea, or at least, it needs work. I want to give a multiclass option for killing frenzy. Currently, warden is the only multiclass that gives you a mark, and it's just a mark and nothing else. With killing machine I did the reverse, giving the mark's extra benefit without the actual mark. The wording feels awkward, since I didn't have the word "mark" to refer to.
_________________ I am Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi ("Omni") of the WotC forums. I consider "Psionics in DragonMech" (see my website) my greatest contribution to anything d20 so far. At least, it's my most successful topic.
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