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 Post subject: [PF] World Explorer
PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 7:41 pm 
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I'm developing this class for my Pathfinder world, which is a tropical, mostly ocean world. The world is split into island-continents, and thus sailing between them becomes a very big thing, as many threats lurk in the ocean, from underwater monsters to gigantic typhons. The World Explorer is a class that specifies in ocean travel and warfare. World Explorers are part of a organization that wishes to explore every part of the known world and even other planes. At the beginning of their journey, the Order grants the World Explorer a small magical rowboat to which he forms a bond with, similar to a druids animal companion

Alignment: Must worship Erastil, Shelyn, Desna, Veiloaria, Cayden Cailean, Ul'ul, Irori, Gozreh, Ithtriea, Nise, Calistria, Rolterra, Asmodeus, or Rovagug, and be within one step of the deities alignment.
Hit Dice: d8

Class Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Diplomacy, Craft, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Planes) Linguistics, Perception, Profession (Sailor), Spellcraft, Survival, Swim
Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Progression


Class Features


Spell List


Looking for feedback on the idea and advice on how to make the class more appealing at low levels. Right now he only really starts getting good at lv 9

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 Post subject: Re: [PF] World Explorer
PostPosted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 11:34 pm 
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So I'm still going over it but I have a few questions and observations about the class so far.

Alignment and Deities
So why do you need a deity here? I assume for the spellcasting? If that's the case why that list of particular deities? If your going to have a list that long and with that many options why have a list at all?

Skills
Any reason Knowledge (Nature) isn't on the list? Seems it would be pretty appropriate with the emphasis on exploration and the natural world. Also why Knowledge (Planes)? Is this organization extraplaner as well?

Weapon/Armour Proficiency
Just a heads up but the Cutlass is part of a splat book. Nothing wrong with that but there is a chance people won't be able to find it if they are limited to just the core/SRD books.

Windrigger
The DC is effectively pointless; at 1st level your going to have between 8-10 ranks in Profession (Sailor) so the odds of failing are so low as to not matter. You might just want to make it a flat static modifier so long as you are at the helm of the ship in question. You might also want to make it a +10ft bonus - possibly increasing as you level. As is it's too small a bonus to make much difference.

Deep Breath
This is okay but it could really be a little better. As an immediate improvement (and to really hammer home the underwater combat thing) you may consider letting it remove the penalty on taking standard actions underwater - allows them to function and even battle underwater just as long as just flat increasing duration.

Ship Bond
So I really like the idea behind this ability but it makes my math hurt. Basically it comes down to this; at level 3 PC's should have around 3000gp worth of gear. A Keelboat is worth 13,000gp. I'm not sure how I'd fix it though. I'd have to do more research into the vehicle rules for Pathfinder.

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 Post subject: Re: [PF] World Explorer
PostPosted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:11 pm 
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Deities: All of those deities relate to travel, exploration, or the sea in some way.

Skills: It would make sense for knowledge Nature, I'll probably add that. They are an extraplanar organization. Their main goal is to explore every single plane

I thought about taking out the DC for Windrigger, originally Burst of Speed had a DC but I removed it. Both Windrigger and Burst of Speed are actual features so I didn't want to tinker with them too much.

Deep Breath is another actual ability, but I could see ramping it up more as you level

Boat: Yah, but Pathfinder doesn't really have much for smaller boats. It pretty much goes right from Rowboat to Colossal sized boats.

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 Post subject: Re: [PF] World Explorer
PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 7:25 am 
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I'd make it a prestige class. I don't think a base class should have this much "nice boat" in it.
Also let's you have a more aggressive feature progression.

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 Post subject: Re: [PF] World Explorer
PostPosted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 8:46 am 
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I want it to be something a player can start with though, not something they have to work for

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 Post subject: Re: [PF] World Explorer
PostPosted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 7:06 pm 
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Why? I personally think it's rather boring to have an entire character based around driving a vehicle. It also means most serious seafarers will be nigh-identical to each other, as opposed to a prestige class where they can enter from different base classes and use the aspects for different means. Throw in some fun stuff like classes being able to treat the boat as their animal companion/familiar for class features (I have no idea what this would do), or summoner being able to spend evolution points on the boat, get a little wacky.

It's also missing one of the core-parts of pathfinder which is inherent flexibility. Aside from spells, there is little choice when it comes to class features.
Sailing talent, boat upgrade, tidal omen, whatever floats your boat kek

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 Post subject: Re: [PF] World Explorer
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2014 12:39 pm 
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So, after briefly looking it over:

General Comments - While I appreciate the theme, there does need to be something before level 9 and level 13 that allows them to function with some proficiency off of their ship and on land as well. As much as you don't want it to be a prestige class, no one is going to want to take the class unless they can begin at 9th level or beyond if they're bound to the ocean and can't really do anything on land. You're kinda excluding them from dungeon delves and the like and overly dependent on staying on their ship.

Windrigger - I'd increase the base speed to 10 ft over 5 ft. One reason being that people are gonna want a slightly better bonus for being trapped on their own ship, and the other is that it's gonna be annoying to divide an extra 5 ft in half for Land Sailing.

Spell List - I'm not 100% sure, but the majority of spell casters also get Read Magic as part of their 0 level spells and can prepare it on the spot when needed.

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