I've been tinkering with ways of bringing the thief-acrobat from 1st Edition into C&C. Moreso, I've been interested in filling out the 'archetypes' in ways that suit my gameworld and make real use of weapons and items my players often dismiss. What I've come up with so far is a class that I think functions well on its own but which can also multiclass well to create a dangerous thief/acrobat, an interesting swashbuckler (fighter/acrobat) or a Thom Merelin type from Wheel of Time (a bard/acrobat).
In any case, I'd love to get some feedback on it, for rules clarity and balance-wise. If anyone has the time or inclination, I'd love to know what you think.
ACROBAT
Some few men and women are blessed with balance, grace and athleticism beyond the pale of even the most nimble rogue. Possessing exceptional agility and reflexes, they move with the litheness of a cat, honing their natural born or hard-learned talents to become gifted performers, surprising thieves, or deadly killers. They are acrobats, no less disciplined than monks in their desire to exploit the bodys potential as an exceptional tool, though often without a monks interest in any spiritual or mystical journey involved in honing that tool into a deadly weapon.
Acrobats are those characters who perform amazing feats of balance, dexterity and agility, be it tumbling, flipping, leaping, vaulting, or balancing on hands, toes, fingers or heads. They boast exceptional hand-eye coordination as well, showing uncanny skill when wielding any small object they can juggle or flip; particularly knives, daggers, darts, and light hammers. While not always hardy or muscle-bound, such characters have a knack for slipping gracefully into or out of trouble and showing a unique flair when they do.
Acrobats can be encountered filling a number of roles in the game world. Some are traveling tumblers and wandering performers born showmen executing the latest daredevil trick to astound audiences and earn coin and favor among the rich and poor alike. Still others are masterful second-story thieves, using their skills to enter homes, towers, and palaces far above or beyond where the materially fortunate think to post sentries or bolt windows and lock doors. Some acrobats become deadly bodyguards or spies, where a flick of the wrist from their capable hands can lay a man low before they know where the blade came from.
As acrobats must rely on uninhibited and unencumbered movement in order to make full use of their abilities, they may wear no heavier than soft leather or padded armor. They favor light weapons that are easy to carry and manipulate with subtle skill over the heavier or more unwieldy weapons of the warrior classes. It should come as no surprise that most acrobats particularly favor weapons that can be juggled and easily thrown. Heavy weapons and bulky armor interfere with an acrobats unique talents, and as a result are shunned and never used by members of this class.
Should multi-classing be an allowable option in your campaign, thief/acrobats, bard/acrobats, and fighter/acrobats are particularly well-suited combinations in which class abilities greatly complement one another.
ABILITIES
Thrown Weapon Mastery: An acrobat is an expert at throwing small, hand-held weapons quickly and with deadly accuracy. This ability confers a +1 bonus to hit and a +1 bonus to damage when making ranged attacks using the following: dagger, dart, knife, or light hammer. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the bonuses increase by +1 to a maximum of +5 to hit and +5 to damage at 16th level. In addition, beginning at 6th level, an acrobat may throw two such weapons in a round. At 12th level he may throw three such weapons in a round. Thrown weapon mastery only works when the weapon is actually thrown and not when wielded as a melee weapon.
Tightrope Walking (Dexterity): Acrobats may move quickly across narrow surfaces, even taught rope, with surprising speed and control. When barefoot or using soft-soled shoes or boots and carrying no greater than a light load, acrobats may move at speed across a narrow ledge, beam, or rope of up to 60 in length with a successful Dexterity check. Distances greater than 60 may be attempted by making additional Dexterity checks. Acrobats may also ascend or quickly descend a rope, beam or narrow ledge of up to a 45 angle. A +1 CR may be added to the Dexterity check per 5mph of wind or per point of damage taken while tightrope walking. It is assumed that barefooted non-acrobats carrying no greater than a light load may attempt a 30 tightrope walk at movement by making a Dexterity check, unmodified by class levels unless a rogue, assassin, or monk. Carrying a moderate load imposes a -4 penalty to the acrobats roll, while a heavy load imposes a -8 penalty to the roll.
Pole Vaulting (Dexterity): An acrobat may clear significant heights by using a leverage device such as a teeter board or by making a 20 running start utilizing a pole at least 4 greater than their own height. A successful Dexterity Check allows an acrobat to clear 2x their own height by pole-vaulting, with an additional 1 cleared for every +1 CR added to the Dexterity check. Typically, a successful Dexterity roll greater than the CR indicates the acrobat clears the obstacle and lands on his feet, while a roll equal to the CR means he has barely cleared the obstacle and tumbles to a crouching position (-4 to AC) from which he must recover the following round. In any case, an acrobat may never pole-vault higher than 4x his own height. Non-acrobats cannot pole-vault.
Jumping (Strength): Standing or running, an acrobat possesses an uncanny ability to leap significant heights or distances even without the aid of a springboard or pole.
High Jump: With a successful Strength check, an acrobat may perform a high jump, clearing a minimum of their own height +1 (rounded up). They may high jump an additional 1 per +1 CR added to the rolls difficulty. Success indicates the acrobat has fully cleared the distance and may land in a standing and ready position, if possible and desired. An acrobat may successfully perform a standing high jump of no higher than 6 for small-sized acrobats, 9 for medium-sized acrobats and 12 for large-sized acrobats in any event.
Broad Jump, Standing: Similarly, an acrobat may perform a standing broad jump, leaping forward up to their own height (rounded up to the nearest foot) by making a successful Strength check. They may clear an additional 1 of distance per +1 CR added to the rolls difficulty. Acrobats can clear up to 2x their own height (rounded up) by performing a standing broad jump.
Broad Jump, Running: By running at least 20, an acrobat may jump a distance of up to 2x their height (rounded up) with a successful Strength check. They may clear an additional 1 per +1 CR added to the rolls difficulty.
Acrobats weighed down by equipment and gear may jump with difficulty. An acrobat lightly encumbered suffers no penalty to jumping Strength checks, while a moderately encumbered acrobat suffers a -4 penalty to such a check and a heavily encumbered acrobat suffers a -8 penalty to their check. It is assumed that non-acrobats may attempt a jump up to the minimum distance allowed for acrobats: height for standing high jumps, 1x height for standing broad jumps, and 2x height for running broad jumps.
Tumbling (Dexterity): It is assumed that acrobats are adept at complex tumbles, juggling, balancing acts, flips, and rolls. In combat they possess the luck and skill required to maneuver through tight spots and duck into or away from danger and misfortune.
Dodge: A first level acrobat may use tumbling to dodge up to three attackers in a round and still act normally by making a successful a Dexterity Check, with a Challenge Rating equal to the combined To Hit rolls of all melee combatants threatening him. Success indicates the acrobat gains a +2 bonus to his armor class for that round. If the acrobat chooses to sacrifice their action for the round, they instead gain a +4 bonus to their armor class instead of the normal +2 bonus granted by the dodge maneuver. At 10th level, an acrobats dodge AC bonus increases to +3 and +6 when sacrificing their action to dodge. At 12th level they may dodge any number of attackers threatening them provided they succeed in making their Dexterity Check. See the C&C Players Handbook, page 119 for more information on dodging.
Tumbling Dive: Against a spell or attack requiring a Dexterity saving throw (for example, a fireball or an exploding cask of oil), an acrobat may choose to roll with the attack or use his tumbling to dive for cover, foregoing his next action to instead suffer no damage with a successful Dexterity Saving Throw, or half-damage with a failed Saving Throw. If the acrobat has already acted during the round he initiates this maneuver, he immediately forgoes his actions on the next round while he recovers from his tumbling dive. An acrobat may perform this maneuver only once per round. The Castle Keeper may determine that a tumbling dive is impossible in certain situations (such as when bound, trapped, or impeded in some fashion).
Safe Fall: Using tumbling, an acrobat may fall up to 10 and take no damage with a successful Dexterity check. Falls beyond 10 add +1 to the CR for every additional 5 fallen, and success indicates the acrobat takes no damage from the fall.
Contortionist (Dexterity): Acrobats have learned to squeeze through tight areas and loosen bonds and shackles through a combination of agility, concentration, and the willful dislocation of joints. A physically bound, roped, manacled, or shackled acrobat may attempt a Dexterity Check, its CR modified by the complexity of the item or the skill of the binder, to squirm free of such constraints. Additionally, they may squeeze through bars or tight spaces as narrow as 4 inches for small creatures (or the width between standard portcullis bars), 6 inches for medium creatures, and 12 inches for large creatures, by succeeding at a successful Dexterity check. Such uses of this ability take up to one minute (1d6 rounds) per attempt. Failure indicates the acrobat cannot free himself from his bonds or possibly that he is stuck or trapped and unable to extricate himself from a potentially embarrassing position. Finally, acrobats may add their class level to any attempts to slip out of a grapple or hold. Magical bonds or spells which entangle, hold or constrict the acrobat cannot be overcome using this ability.
Climb (Dexterity): An acrobat may climb walls or sheer surfaces as well as a rogue of equal level.
Pick Pockets (Dexterity): An acrobats nimbleness and quick hands allow him to pick pockets or perform sleight-of-hand as well as a rogue of equal level.
PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Dexterity
HIT DIE: d6
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS: Blowpipe, cat-o-nine-tails, club, dagger, dart, light hammer, hand axe, hand crossbow, knife, light crossbow, longsword, mace, main gauche, quarterstaff, rapier, sap, shortbow, short sword, sickle, sleeve tangler, spiked gauntlet, sling, whip.
ARMOR: Leather armor, leather coat, padded.
ABILITIES: Thrown weapon mastery, tightrope walking, pole vaulting, jumping, tumbling, climb, contortionist, pick pockets
Level HD BtH EPP
1/ d6/ +0/ 0
2/ d6/ +1/ 1,501
3/ d6/ +1/ 3,251
4/ d6/ +2/ 7,501
5/ d6/ +2/ 15,001
6/ d6/ +3/ 30,001
7/ d6/ +3/ 60,001
8/ d6/ +4/ 120,001
9/ d6/ +4/ 240,001
10/ d6/ +5/ 450,001
11/ +2 HP/ +5/ 625,001
12/ +2 HP/ +6/ 800,001
13+ 175,000 per level
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Moorcrys
Class Option/Working in Progress: The Acrobat
Cool write up, Moorcrys. I have a version that Serleran did a while back and I'd be glad to post it (with his permission, of course) as a contrast to what you have.
R-
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Rigon o' the Lakelands, Baron of The Castles & Crusades Society
The Book of the Mind
R-
_________________
Rigon o' the Lakelands, Baron of The Castles & Crusades Society
The Book of the Mind
Castles & Crusades: What 3rd Edition AD&D should have been.
TLG Forum Moderator
House Rules & Whatnots
My Game Threads
Monday Night Online Group Member since 2007
TLG Forum Moderator
House Rules & Whatnots
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Monday Night Online Group Member since 2007
Here's Serleran's Thief-Acrobat based off of the 1e class:
Thief-Acrobat
Everything as Rogue, except as follows:
A character of the rogue class may opt to take a level of thief-acrobat after attaining 5th level as a rogue. Doing so allows the character access to the benefits of the thief-acrobat, but also subjects the character to the
restrictions.
Stunted Development: Upon entering the thief-acrobat class, the character must forgo increasing other trained abilities, instead focusing on those gained by the new class. Strictly speaking, the character can only add up to +5 for level in the following abilities: Pick Pockets, Traps, Open Locks, and Decipher Script; these abilities are not lost, only diminished. Decipher Script, specifically, is even more restricted, and the character loses the ability to utilize scrolls, regardless of penalty.
Tightrope Walking (Dexterity): A thief-acrobat can ordinarily walk a tightrope (any sort of rope, or wire, of about one inch thickness) without the need for a check. However, under windy, or wet conditions, a check is required, at the Castle Keeper's discretion, with the recommended difficulties as follows, cumulative per condition:
Light Wind -1
Moderate Wind -2
Heavy Wind -4
Light Wetness -1
Moderate Wetness -2
Downpour -6
10 Foot Balance Pole +2
This ability assumes the character does not wish to travel more than their
walking speed, or at a degree greater than standard walking (up to a 45 degree angle is allowable.) The character can move at greater speed, and angles, but must make a check to do so. Moving at running speeds requires a check at -6, and one at greater than 45 degrees, but less than 75 (more than this should bea climbing check) incurs a -2. Finally, if the character is using a very thin (less than 1 inch) rope, a check is always required, and is made at -2. Any failure results in the character falling, suffering appropriate damage as applicable. Note: any character can use this ability, but those not so trained are always required to make a check, and are limited to half normal speed; they cannot attempt to move quicker.
Jump (Strength or Dexterity): A successful check allows the character to move a number of feet indicated by the modifier to the check, as detailed below. The maximum distance of any jump is a function of the character's height. The difficulty modifier is applied per foot of additional movement. Movement made in this way counts for the total distance a character can travel in a round. A failed check results in the character moving the minimum distance allowed for the type of jump, with attendant results; for example, if a character wished to perform a running jump across a seven foot gap, but failed, five feet would still be cleared, and the character would fall for the remaining two, with results appropriate to the situation. Note: no check is required to move the minimum distances allowed.
Type of Jump Min Distance Difficulty Mod. Max Distance
Running Jump 5 feet +1 +600%
Standing Jump 3 feet +2 +200%
Running High Jump 2 feet +4 +150%
Standing High Jump 2 feet +8 +50%
Backwards Jump 1 foot +8 +25%
Very fast characters (those with a movement of greater than 30 feet per round)gain a +2 bonus on all checks where speed and momentum are applicable, such as all running jumps. Very slow characters (those with a movement of 15 feet per round or less) apply a -2 penalty to all jumps.
Vault (Dexterity): By means of pole, speed, and proper placement, a thiefacrobat is able to fling himself over obstacles, much like a catapult. The use of this ability requires a pole of at least 10 feet length, and at least 30 feet of running room; the longer the pole, the more room needed, typically at a 3 to 1 ratio so a 20 foot pole would need 60 feet to gather the required speed. This ability functions nearly identically to that of Jump, except the minimum distance is the length of the pole. For each additional foot, the character suffers a -1 penalty, with a maximum distance equal to the pole plus 150% of the character's height. No check is normally needed, if the character simply wants to cover the specified minimum distance; to land on one's feet requires a check. No damage is sustained from the use of this ability, and it does not protect the character from landing in a hazardous area. Use of this ability counts as the character's movement for a round. Alternatively, a lever mechanism, such as a springboard might be used. These follow the same rules as above, except the minimum distance covered is reduced to 8 feet; maximum distance and cumulative penalties, however, remain the same.
Evasion (Dexterity): A thief-acrobat is well trained in tumbling, springing, and otherwise outmaneuvering an opponent through feats of acrobatic skill. In practice, this training grants the thief-acrobat several benefits: A thief-acrobat that is fighting an unarmed opponent, or against those which rely on natural weapons such as claws, gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class per 6 levels attained as a thief-acrobat. The thief-acrobat must have at least 10 feet of unoccupied space and must move the same distance for this ability to be effective; movement with this ability counts against the total movement possible in a round, and the character cannot run or charge when using it. If a thief-acrobat has initiative over a selected opponent, and has at least 10 feet of unoccupied space, the character may make Dexterity save modified by the Base to Hit of the opponent. If this save is successful, the thief-acrobat suffers no damage from the first attack delivered by the selected opponent; additional attacks from the same opponent are not ignored, or reduced. Note: If
the selected opponent misses, the ability is still used. A thief-acrobat must
move at least 10 feet in the round this ability is used, and cannot attack.
Movement with this ability counts against the total movement possible in a
round, and the character cannot run or charge when using it. When exposed to an area effect allowing Dexterity save, the thief-acrobat makes a saving throw as normal; however, if the thief-acrobat has movement remaining, it can be used to reduce or eliminate the effects. A successful save reduces damage and other effects by half (or as appropriate to the effect's descriptor); a successful save at a -10 penalty reduces damage to zero. Note: the thief-acrobat does not have to declare an attempt to save with the -10 penalty; instead, if the total of the save check is 10 or more higher than the save difficulty, then apply no damage or other effect to the character. Use of this ability precludes the character from gaining initiative the following round, and requires the character to have at least 10 feet of remaining movement to be active.
Pratfall (Dexterity): A thief-acrobat is a master of heights, able to negate, or partially reduce damage sustained from falls and other mishaps. Whenever the thief-acrobat falls, a Dexterity save is allowed to reduce damage. Every four levels attained, the thief-acrobat automatically reduces a cumulative die of damage, so that a 8th level thief-acrobat automatically reduces 2d6 damage from any fall; this means a fall of 20 feet or less deal the thief-acrobat no damage at 8th level, for example. Should the character fall a greater distance than this amount, a Dexterity save is allowed with a difficulty equal to double thedice inflicted (a fall of 50 feet would be a difficulty of 10, for example); success on this save reduces a number of dice equal to half the thief-acrobat's (rounded down) level. Example: A 6th level thief-acrobat is walking a tightrope from one parapet to the next, and a sudden gush of wind causes the character to fall. He falls 70 feet. 1d6 dice of damage is automatically reduced, meaning he will be taking 6d6. He opts to make a save, with a difficulty of 14. He makes the save with a lucky natural 20, and reduces the remaining damage by 3 (half of 6) dice, suffering much less from the mishap.
R-
_________________
Rigon o' the Lakelands, Baron of The Castles & Crusades Society
The Book of the Mind
Thief-Acrobat
Everything as Rogue, except as follows:
A character of the rogue class may opt to take a level of thief-acrobat after attaining 5th level as a rogue. Doing so allows the character access to the benefits of the thief-acrobat, but also subjects the character to the
restrictions.
Stunted Development: Upon entering the thief-acrobat class, the character must forgo increasing other trained abilities, instead focusing on those gained by the new class. Strictly speaking, the character can only add up to +5 for level in the following abilities: Pick Pockets, Traps, Open Locks, and Decipher Script; these abilities are not lost, only diminished. Decipher Script, specifically, is even more restricted, and the character loses the ability to utilize scrolls, regardless of penalty.
Tightrope Walking (Dexterity): A thief-acrobat can ordinarily walk a tightrope (any sort of rope, or wire, of about one inch thickness) without the need for a check. However, under windy, or wet conditions, a check is required, at the Castle Keeper's discretion, with the recommended difficulties as follows, cumulative per condition:
Light Wind -1
Moderate Wind -2
Heavy Wind -4
Light Wetness -1
Moderate Wetness -2
Downpour -6
10 Foot Balance Pole +2
This ability assumes the character does not wish to travel more than their
walking speed, or at a degree greater than standard walking (up to a 45 degree angle is allowable.) The character can move at greater speed, and angles, but must make a check to do so. Moving at running speeds requires a check at -6, and one at greater than 45 degrees, but less than 75 (more than this should bea climbing check) incurs a -2. Finally, if the character is using a very thin (less than 1 inch) rope, a check is always required, and is made at -2. Any failure results in the character falling, suffering appropriate damage as applicable. Note: any character can use this ability, but those not so trained are always required to make a check, and are limited to half normal speed; they cannot attempt to move quicker.
Jump (Strength or Dexterity): A successful check allows the character to move a number of feet indicated by the modifier to the check, as detailed below. The maximum distance of any jump is a function of the character's height. The difficulty modifier is applied per foot of additional movement. Movement made in this way counts for the total distance a character can travel in a round. A failed check results in the character moving the minimum distance allowed for the type of jump, with attendant results; for example, if a character wished to perform a running jump across a seven foot gap, but failed, five feet would still be cleared, and the character would fall for the remaining two, with results appropriate to the situation. Note: no check is required to move the minimum distances allowed.
Type of Jump Min Distance Difficulty Mod. Max Distance
Running Jump 5 feet +1 +600%
Standing Jump 3 feet +2 +200%
Running High Jump 2 feet +4 +150%
Standing High Jump 2 feet +8 +50%
Backwards Jump 1 foot +8 +25%
Very fast characters (those with a movement of greater than 30 feet per round)gain a +2 bonus on all checks where speed and momentum are applicable, such as all running jumps. Very slow characters (those with a movement of 15 feet per round or less) apply a -2 penalty to all jumps.
Vault (Dexterity): By means of pole, speed, and proper placement, a thiefacrobat is able to fling himself over obstacles, much like a catapult. The use of this ability requires a pole of at least 10 feet length, and at least 30 feet of running room; the longer the pole, the more room needed, typically at a 3 to 1 ratio so a 20 foot pole would need 60 feet to gather the required speed. This ability functions nearly identically to that of Jump, except the minimum distance is the length of the pole. For each additional foot, the character suffers a -1 penalty, with a maximum distance equal to the pole plus 150% of the character's height. No check is normally needed, if the character simply wants to cover the specified minimum distance; to land on one's feet requires a check. No damage is sustained from the use of this ability, and it does not protect the character from landing in a hazardous area. Use of this ability counts as the character's movement for a round. Alternatively, a lever mechanism, such as a springboard might be used. These follow the same rules as above, except the minimum distance covered is reduced to 8 feet; maximum distance and cumulative penalties, however, remain the same.
Evasion (Dexterity): A thief-acrobat is well trained in tumbling, springing, and otherwise outmaneuvering an opponent through feats of acrobatic skill. In practice, this training grants the thief-acrobat several benefits: A thief-acrobat that is fighting an unarmed opponent, or against those which rely on natural weapons such as claws, gains a +1 bonus to Armor Class per 6 levels attained as a thief-acrobat. The thief-acrobat must have at least 10 feet of unoccupied space and must move the same distance for this ability to be effective; movement with this ability counts against the total movement possible in a round, and the character cannot run or charge when using it. If a thief-acrobat has initiative over a selected opponent, and has at least 10 feet of unoccupied space, the character may make Dexterity save modified by the Base to Hit of the opponent. If this save is successful, the thief-acrobat suffers no damage from the first attack delivered by the selected opponent; additional attacks from the same opponent are not ignored, or reduced. Note: If
the selected opponent misses, the ability is still used. A thief-acrobat must
move at least 10 feet in the round this ability is used, and cannot attack.
Movement with this ability counts against the total movement possible in a
round, and the character cannot run or charge when using it. When exposed to an area effect allowing Dexterity save, the thief-acrobat makes a saving throw as normal; however, if the thief-acrobat has movement remaining, it can be used to reduce or eliminate the effects. A successful save reduces damage and other effects by half (or as appropriate to the effect's descriptor); a successful save at a -10 penalty reduces damage to zero. Note: the thief-acrobat does not have to declare an attempt to save with the -10 penalty; instead, if the total of the save check is 10 or more higher than the save difficulty, then apply no damage or other effect to the character. Use of this ability precludes the character from gaining initiative the following round, and requires the character to have at least 10 feet of remaining movement to be active.
Pratfall (Dexterity): A thief-acrobat is a master of heights, able to negate, or partially reduce damage sustained from falls and other mishaps. Whenever the thief-acrobat falls, a Dexterity save is allowed to reduce damage. Every four levels attained, the thief-acrobat automatically reduces a cumulative die of damage, so that a 8th level thief-acrobat automatically reduces 2d6 damage from any fall; this means a fall of 20 feet or less deal the thief-acrobat no damage at 8th level, for example. Should the character fall a greater distance than this amount, a Dexterity save is allowed with a difficulty equal to double thedice inflicted (a fall of 50 feet would be a difficulty of 10, for example); success on this save reduces a number of dice equal to half the thief-acrobat's (rounded down) level. Example: A 6th level thief-acrobat is walking a tightrope from one parapet to the next, and a sudden gush of wind causes the character to fall. He falls 70 feet. 1d6 dice of damage is automatically reduced, meaning he will be taking 6d6. He opts to make a save, with a difficulty of 14. He makes the save with a lucky natural 20, and reduces the remaining damage by 3 (half of 6) dice, suffering much less from the mishap.
R-
_________________
Rigon o' the Lakelands, Baron of The Castles & Crusades Society
The Book of the Mind
Castles & Crusades: What 3rd Edition AD&D should have been.
TLG Forum Moderator
House Rules & Whatnots
My Game Threads
Monday Night Online Group Member since 2007
TLG Forum Moderator
House Rules & Whatnots
My Game Threads
Monday Night Online Group Member since 2007
Ghul wrote:
Okay, just thought of something I would change -- thrown weapon bonus: I would make it match a fighter's weapon specialization rate, i.e 1st level, 7th level, and presumably 13th and 19th as well.
--Ghul
Hey Ghul --
Thanks for the input.
It was a consideration of mine, to bring it in line with fighter specialization (I like the simplicity of relatively parallel class ability progression). A couple things about it made me bump it a bit... I want an acrobat to be the 'master' of thrown light weapons, and with a fighter's to-hit bonus and weapon specialization, the acrobat would never be better than a fighter at using them if I keep them on par, in fact they'll get considerably worse. The bonus to hit and damage, and their ability to throw more than one per round, keeps them 'viable' to my mind in terms of keeping up the ability to damage alongside the fighters, rangers, and backstabbing thieves. With their low armor and hit points, I envision an acrobat as a highly mobile opponent, tumbling around the battlefield and deadly accurate with their knives or daggers, but unable to stand against the direct onslaught of an armored warrior. If I slow down the thrown weapon progression and damage increase, they will lose their punch and yet remain lightly armored and with few hit points. Without some kind of punch like a rogue's backstab or an assassin's death attack, the acrobat wouldn't hold much appeal in combat. Also I made sure to limit the ability to weapons with a max base damage rating of 1d4, so I was trying to keep the ability effective with these weapons even at higher levels yet not overpowering at lower levels.
Lemme know what you think, you may have a better way of handling it.
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Moorcrys
Rigon wrote:
Cool write up, Moorcrys. I have a version that Serleran did a while back and I'd be glad to post it (with his permission, of course) as a contrast to what you have.
R-
Thanks Rigon and Serleran --
Serl's is definitely more true to the Unearthed Arcana thief-acrobat. I like the modifiers for wind and wetness and the jump tables I'm sure are a bit more accurate. I also like the backwards jump inclusion.
I went with a 'universal class' because I always liked the idea of starting what you wanted to play right away and because to my mind not every acrobat needs to be a thief. With the old school multiclassing ways, you could combine the rogue and the acrobat and be able to do both and the exp cost would balance out to the same as a single classed monk...
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Moorcrys
Moorcrys wrote:
Hey Ghul --
Thanks for the input.
It was a consideration of mine, to bring it in line with fighter specialization (I like the simplicity of relatively parallel class ability progression). A couple things about it made me bump it a bit... I want an acrobat to be the 'master' of thrown light weapons, and with a fighter's to-hit bonus and weapon specialization, the acrobat would never be better than a fighter at using them if I keep them on par, in fact they'll get considerably worse. The bonus to hit and damage, and their ability to throw more than one per round, keeps them 'viable' to my mind in terms of keeping up the ability to damage alongside the fighters, rangers, and backstabbing thieves. With their low armor and hit points, I envision an acrobat as a highly mobile opponent, tumbling around the battlefield and deadly accurate with their knives or daggers, but unable to stand against the direct onslaught of an armored warrior. If I slow down the thrown weapon progression and damage increase, they will lose their punch and yet remain lightly armored and with few hit points. Without some kind of punch like a rogue's backstab or an assassin's death attack, the acrobat wouldn't hold much appeal in combat. Also I made sure to limit the ability to weapons with a max base damage rating of 1d4, so I was trying to keep the ability effective with these weapons even at higher levels yet not overpowering at lower levels.
Lemme know what you think, you may have a better way of handling it.
Moor--
What you propose above is well thought out, balanced, and most logical. I retract my previous comment, as you've convinced me. Hmmm... Now I'd like to look at Serl's acrobat and your acrobat, and compare them side by side. Maybe a few of Serl's ideas can meld into yours, such as the backwards jump.
Great work!
--Ghul