Talk:Cantripologist, Variant (3.5e Class)

Credit and reason behind the details

First off I'd like to give credit to Foxwarrior, who created the class from which I made this variant. Much of what is in this class has been carried over. This class was difficult to keep flavorful and balanced and wherever I was uncertain I erred on the side of underpowered. Any advice is welcome.

BAB: as cleric This is a notable difference from Foxwarrior's version of the cantripologist. Many cantrips require the character to make an attack roll so I felt that the cantripologist needed a BAB progression better than slow. At first I used BAB as fighter but that seemed too much. Why it's not overpowered: The cantripologist still lacks the HP to stand in melee combat so this will be almost exclusively used for spells. Advice welcome.

Spells per day: Each level the cantripologist gains 1.5x their new level rounded down cantrips per day. Advice welcome.

Spells per casting: This progression allows the cantripologist to effectively cast spells of equal level as a wizard of its level. This seemed the simplest and most obvious progression to me, it may need to be faster. Advice welcome.

Constant Cantrip: This allows for the cantripologist to have the effects of cantrips constantly at hand, the player begins to look more toward solutions involving magic. At 11th level the cantripologist can cast single cantrips quickened and so is likely to have many very low level buffs constant. Keep in mind that a spell like ability is essentially silenced and stilled for free. If the cantripologist runs out of spells, rather than being completely useless, he is still able to function, albeit at a much lower level. Advice welcome

Spells known per day: This was a very different choice from the standard and results in a casting style that is part sorceror part wizard. The cantripologist maintains its high versatility without being so multifunctional that it is impossible to catch off guard. Advice welcome particularly on #

Craft Spell: I highly recommend that anyone playing a cantripologist make some new spells of their own. I'll be showing a few I've created especially for this class soon. I made this a passive ability so that the cantripologist utilizing a function integral to their class doesn't detract from the plot of the game. It still take three days to prevent abuse.

Saves: As wizard, seemed right. --Umberandphos 12:17, 14 September 2011 (MDT)

Craft Spell

Damage spells: 1d3, close range, pick an element, ranged attack roll, SR, no save [nice and simple]

-or: 1 damage, long range, no element, no attack roll, SR, no save

-or: 1d4, touch, pick an element, melee attack roll, SR, no save

-or: 1d6, close range, only affects one type from ranger favored enemies, ranged attack roll, SR, no save

Mix and match to taste.

Debuff Spells: range close: dazzeled, flat footed range touch: fatigued, checked, entangled, knocked down, shaken, -or: apply some more reuirements and penalties (one type of creature only, other) to use better effects

Buff Spells: +1 to all skill checks of specific type for 10 rounds (1 minute)

Creation: create any object worth less than 15gp (for cheap items create multiple and make it CL dependent but always under 15gp) for 10 rounds per caster level (1 minute per caster level)

Other: A cantrip should accomplish some task reasonable doable by mundane means, perhaps slightly faster or in more universal circumstance. Try looking at higher level spells and figuring our how a cantripologist of sufficient level could emulate a similar, if perhaps lesser, effect. If it is not possible you may want to create a new cantrip which allows it.

Flavor/Power: The power of the cantripologist depends heavily on flexibility. The more cantrips he is able to create the better. However, be wary of creating anything overpowered and, if you do, be quick to remove it. --Umberandphos 12:17, 14 September 2011 (MDT)

Balance Testing

Here are some results from my initial balance testing session. I pitted a single cantripologist against a single opponent of his CR in a plain with standard physics at every level 1-20. I gave him only srd cantrips. this is literally the worst case scenario for a cantripologist so these results don't really say much but I figured I'd post them.

1-5: lose

6: win

7-14: lose

15: win

16-20: lose --Umberandphos 12:17, 14 September 2011 (MDT)

Merge with primary?

I've placed a suggestion that this class be merged with the Cantripologist_(3.5e_Class) and some details of my thoughts on the 2 classes on that class's discussion page. You might want to take a look. --Moginheden 4:06, 11 December 2011 (MDT)

Note

This class is useless because this variant rule: Spell Points