Holding to my new general policy with my work, the details of this class will no longer be available on site.
So, here is the link to the Blue Mage, all set up in a PDF. If you have any artwork you'd like to see in it, suggestions, or see any mistakes, please let me know. I'll still watch the thread for your comments.
The class, the Blue Mage, an arcane warrior with no set and determined role, able to copy his foes and his allies abilities.
Lugritor still has his PDf, the original, with pictures. Blue Mage. (Lugritor, if you take it down, let me know and I'll remove the link.)
Is has a few edits now. - I removed the option to use ranged weapons on many of the powers - I altered the name of Taste Some of your Own Medicine
http://community.wizards.com/play-by-post_haven
The Play-by-Post recruitment hub for the forums. Stop by, join us, and sign up for some games while you are there
Role: Varies Power Source: Arcane Key Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence, Strength
So far its good, aside from natural leeriness about multiple roles in one class. Still I like the concept of the Blue Mage.
Armor: Cloth, Leather, Hide Weapon Proficiencies: Simple Melee, Simple Ranged Bonus to Defense: +1 Reflex, +1 Will
Still seems pretty decent.
Hit Points at 1st level: 12 + Constitution score HP per Level Gained: 5 Healing Surges: 6 + Constitution modifier
12/6 is Striker HP/Healing Surge and the most middle of the line, I would be tempted to make him a full striker (in role typing) and let him dabble at the others, but I don't know to be honest.
Trained Skills: From the list below, choose four. Arcana, Dungeoneering, Insight, Nature, Perception, Religion, Streetwise
Add on Bluff or Diplomacy and Atheltics. That way he has some for all his abilities, and more than one for Charisma.
Build Options: Blue Warrior, Blue Wizard Class Features: Vast Knowledge, I know That Trick, Blue Mage Tactics
Vast Knowledge When making a skill check to identify an enemy, you gain a +2 bonus to the check. This increases to +4 at 11th level, and +6 at 21st level.
Doesn't seem unbalanced par say and interesting.
I Know That Trick You have a +2 bonus to your defenses against any power or monster attack that you currently are able to use.
Fairly mundane I like it.
Blue Mage Tactics Blue Warrior: You gain proficiency with one martial military weapon of your choice and a +1 bonus to hit when using this weapon. Blue Wizard: You have the ability to use the wizard cantrips Light and Mage Hand.
I think this is pretty decent and even.
Implements A Blue Mage is able to use wands, rods, and staffs as implements. When using a power gained through a power with the Enemy Skill keyword, a Blue Mage may apply the enhancmenet bonus from either his implement or his weapon at his discretion.
do you plan on making a 'Enemy Weapon' type thing like the Pact blade? Otherwise this puts the Blue Warrior behind a bit.
Mystic Strike With a quick spell, you imbue your weapon with a small bit of magic to enhance it's accuracy. At-Will * Arcane, Weapon Standard Action * Melee or Ranged Weapon Target: 1 creature Attack: Strength +1 vs. AC -----Increase to Strength +2 at 21st level. Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier -----Increase to 2[W] + Strength modifier at 21st level.
Seems odd that it increases to Str+2 It seems like Sure Strike and that Ranger power, might be better to start it at Str+2
Mystic Blast Gathering your magic, you launch an assault of your foe from a distance. At-Will * Arcane, Implement Standard Action * Range 10 Target: 1 creature Attack: 2d4 + Charisma modifier damage. -----Increase to 4d4 + Charisma modifier damage at 21st level.
Toss on 'counts a basic ranged attack'. Otherwise a bit underpar of the Magic Missile which is where it should be.
Melee Talent At-Will * Arcane, Enemy Skill After witnessing your foe attack, you completely understand how it was performed, enabling you to duplicate it. Immediate Reaction * Personal Prerequisite: You must have successfully identified the type of creature using the attack. Trigger: You are struck by an at-will melee attack, or are adjacent to creature using an at-will attack or at-will power. Effect: Make a skill check using the skill associated with the triggering creatures type. The DC for this check is 20 + 1/2 the creatures level. Add +1 to the DC for every 10 levels the creature has (+1 at 11. +2 at 21, +3 at 31). If you succeed on this check, you may use the power that triggered it until you use this power again.
As this is the heart of the class I will now induce Mathmode to test the DC 1st level creature: DC 20 1st level BlueMage bonus: 5(trained)+3(skillfocus)+2(racial)+5(attribute) = +15 at best 75% expected is 5(trained)+3(attribute) = +8 so 60% This stays more or less the expected, except that level 11 it drops to 55% (though the odds of having Skill Focus increases), and at level 21 drops to 50% (though I bet most will have skill focus for all the knowledge skills).
As it stands, Nature, Arcana, and Religion will almost always be selected by a blue mage.
Ranged Talent At-Will * Arcane, Enemy Skill After witnessing the wizard launch his attack, you completely understand how it was performed, and are able to duplicate it. Immediate Reaction * Personal Prerequisite: You must have successfully identified the type of creature using the attack. Trigger: You are stuck by an at-will ranged power, or are adjacent to a creature using an at-will attack or at-will power. Effect: Make a skill check using the skill associated with the triggering creatures type. The DC for this check is 20 + 1/2 the creatures level. Add +1 to the DC for every 10 levels the creature has (+1 at 11. +2 at 21, +3 at 31). If you succeed on this check, you may use the power that triggered it until you use this power again.
Merge this into the one above, unless its your intent to basically have no other at wills unless human. Really I am strongly tempted to say turn them into class features simply because of Dilettante.
Flaming Weapon Encounter * Arcane, Weapon, Fire Channelling fire magic through your blade, you set it aflame before you make your attack. Standard Action * Melee or Ranged Weapon Target: 1 creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier fire damage.
Minor thing, put Dex vs AC for ranged, heavy thrown specifically allows this to be overwritten but as is, for some reason when I am using a crossbow I get to use strength.
Thundering Attack Encounter * Arcane, Weapon, Thunder You enhance your weapon with the power of thunder before you attack. Standard Action * Melee or Ranged Weapon Target: 1 creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier thunder damage and the target is knocked prone and pushed 1 square.
Same with this one, knock prone or pushed 2 squares, I dislike both affects as prone remove movement.
Freezing Blast Encounter * Arcane, Implement, Cold You unleash a frezzing blast of cold air that slows your foes down. Standard Action * Close Blast 5 Target: All creatures in the blast Attack: Charisma vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d4 + Intelligence cold damage and the targets are slowed.
Until your next turn or (save ends) after slowed. Blast 3 I would be more comfortable with, but its probably ok at blast 5.
Encounter Talent Encounter * Arcane, Enemy Skill Witnessing your foe using his powerful attack, you manipulate the magic around you to duplicate it. Immediate Reaction * Personal Prerequisite: You must have successfully identified the type of creature using the attack. Trigger: You are stuck by an encounter power, or are adjacent to a creature using an encounter power. Effect: Make a skill check using the skill associated with the triggering creatures type. The DC for this check is 20 + 1/2 the creatures level. Add +1 to the DC for every 10 levels the creature has (+1 at 11. +2 at 21, +3 at 31). If you succeed on this check, you may use the power that triggered it until you use this power again.
How about 10/15/20 for the DC for at will/encounter/daily. This way dailies are the hardest to pick up and at wills are pretty easy, then you can remove their other at wills and they have ot pick them up from a monster (except humans), and can really replace the encounter and daily too, make them earn it. Though thats probably a bit harsh.
1st level Daily Spells Acid Blast Daily * Arcane, Implement, Acid You unleah a blast of acid. Standard Action * Close Blast 3 Target: All creatures in the blast Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + Charisma modifier acid damage. Miss: Half damage.
See this is why I think the cold one should be close blast 3. As is the freezing blast affects 16 more squares, and deals 2 less damage per target AND slows them.
Dazing Strike Daily * Arcane, Weapon, Lightning Your strike dazes your foe with a jolt of electricity. Standard Action * Melee or Range Weapon Target: 1 creature Attack: Strength vs. AC Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier lightning and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn. Miss: 1/2 damage and the target suffers a -1 penalty to hit until the end fo your next turn.
I would up this to Stunned on hit, Dazed on Miss, but I like Stunning things.
Daily Talent Daily * Arcane, Enemy Skill As your foe unleashes his most powerful ability, you are studying it, ready to unleash it yourself. Immediate Reaction * Personal Prerequisite: You must have successfully identified the type of creature using the attack. Trigger: You are stuck by an encounter power with a recharge or by a daily power, or are adjacent to a creature using an encounter recharge power or daily power. Effect: Make a skill check using the skill associated with the triggering creatures type. The DC for this check is 20 + 1/2 the creatures level. Add +1 to the DC for every 10 levels the creature has (+1 at 11. +2 at 21, +3 at 31). If you succeed on this check, you may use the power that triggered it until you use this power again.[/sblock]
See my notes above.
2nd Level Utility Spells Skill Duplication Encounter * Arcane, Enemy Skill With a touch, you steal knowledge from your target, allowing you to be as capable as they are. Minor Action * Adjacent creature Attack: Charisma vs. Will -----Special: A willing target is automatically affected by this power. Hit: Pick one of the target's skill modifiers. You may use modifier in place of your own for your next skill check using that skill.
I dislike utilities with attacks in them, but this is still firmly a utility power, so I guess its alright.
Elemental Ward Encounter * Arcane You just manage to erect a ward in time to protect yourself from an attack. Immediate Interrupt * Personal Trigger: You are struck by an attack with the fire, cold, lightning, thunder, or acid keyword. Effect: You gain resistance to the triggering damage type equal to your Charisma modifier until the beginning of your next turn. If the power has multiple damage types, you gain resistance to all of them.
Seems decent enough.
Just Close Enough Encounter * Arcane, Teleportation With a sudden teleport, you jump adjacent to an enemy so you can duplicate his ability. Immediate Interrupt * Personal Trigger: A creature within 3 squares makes an attack, or uses an at-will power or encounter power. Effect: You may teleport up to three squares, and must be adjacent to the triggering creature.
and must end adjacent to the triggering creature (to keep it in line from what I recall of teleport powers).
Mystic Strike neede something interesting to make it different than a basic attack. Making it start as +2 actually makes it better than the ranger and fighter powers, since they don't add a stat to damage with them.
That was the idea with Thundering Attack. You knock them down and back, to ensure they can't counter attackmon the next turn.
Dropped Freezing Blast to blast 3 and correct the Dexterity issue on ranged attacks.
I wanted to keep the ranged and basic at-will skill thefts seperate to provide some diversity among the class. If you want to be fron-line, you grab the Blue Warrior tactics, take Melee Talent and Mystic Strike to specialize in picking in melee. The Blue Mage takes Mystic Blast and Ranged Talent to specialize in staying back. If you want to be nice and generic, you grab both talents and have only your basic attack until you steel something. Or you could have a warrior pick up Mystic Strike and Ranged Talent. Then he fights in the front line, byt when an enemy controller blasts him, he retaliates with the same attack.
Since the skill check is based on seperate skills I calculated the check as Intelligence based and having roughly 16 starting. Not counting Skill Focus and Racial bonuses, making these beneficial, and putting points into Intelligence keeps the necessary roll as roughly 11 to 12 throughout your career. Of course, the Wisdom based skills (Dungeoneering and Nature) would fall behind a bit, requiring Skill Focus to help keep up.
As for the roll, if you don't have good starting stats for the proper skill, mastering abilities could already be difficult. So leaving it flat across the board seems fair. Maybe a 5 point increase for Daily level powers.
Finally, the roll really can vary. With enough Healing Surges expended, you can maintain powers from any role. Though the natural nature of the class is probably strikerish. I am considering increasing the total healing surges to allow a bit more use of that part of the clas though.
http://community.wizards.com/play-by-post_haven
The Play-by-Post recruitment hub for the forums. Stop by, join us, and sign up for some games while you are there
Mystic Strike neede something interesting to make it different than a basic attack. Making it start as +2 actually makes it better than the ranger and fighter powers, since they don't add a stat to damage with them.
I always forget that is a personal houserule to make them useful.
That was the idea with Thundering Attack. You knock them down and back, to ensure they can't counter attackmon the next turn.
I'm just thinking compared to most powers at level 1 its a tad overpowered, but that's a little harder for me to gauge to be honest, as there is no true single target controller (which is where that power falls). In a way it makes up for the lack of marking. So it might be ok.
I wanted to keep the ranged and basic at-will skill thefts seperate to provide some diversity among the class. If you want to be fron-line, you grab the Blue Warrior tactics, take Melee Talent and Mystic Strike to specialize in picking in melee. The Blue Mage takes Mystic Blast and Ranged Talent to specialize in staying back. If you want to be nice and generic, you grab both talents and have only your basic attack until you steel something. Or you could have a warrior pick up Mystic Strike and Ranged Talent. Then he fights in the front line, byt when an enemy controller blasts him, he retaliates with the same attack.
See here is the underlying problem with them as at will attacks: Half Elves now have the perfect power to hoist. Its like I tell people with their summons, at will attacks need to be pretty mundane, if you make something that is noticeably above the mark power wise, then you have just given the Half Elf race something that will Always been chosen. I would suggest moving them to class features (the two at wills), specifically because of Half Elves.
Since the skill check is based on seperate skills I calculated the check as Intelligence based and having roughly 16 starting. Not counting Skill Focus and Racial bonuses, making these beneficial, and putting points into Intelligence keeps the necessary roll as roughly 11 to 12 throughout your career. Of course, the Wisdom based skills (Dungeoneering and Nature) would fall behind a bit, requiring Skill Focus to help keep up.
Yeah, it generally stays 11-12 which is a 45-50% chance, at wills are noticeable weaker, allowing them on 15 (which would be 6+ or 75% of the time), probably wouldn't hurt too much. The encoutners at 20 then Daily at 25. Thoguh I worry about that, as I know if I played a blue mage I would select those abilities for Encounter and Daily powers, and it makes the Daily not useable much as people don't use dailies a lot, but with it allowing recharges it might be ok.
As for the roll, if you don't have good starting stats for the proper skill, mastering abilities could already be difficult. So leaving it flat across the board seems fair. Maybe a 5 point increase for Daily level powers.
MAybe, but I like the idea of the +5/type, simply because it adds flavor.
Finally, the roll really can vary. With enough Healing Surges expended, you can maintain powers from any role. Though the natural nature of the class is probably strikerish. I am considering increasing the total healing surges to allow a bit more use of that part of the clas though.
Why would you need to spend a healing surge? Its not listed in your powers to maintain it, and would make them substantially weaker if it was.
