Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Maneuvers Known | Maneuvers Readied | Stances Known |
1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Ordered Action +1, Time Piece | 6 | 6 (2) | 1 |
2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Reconstructed Biology | 6 | 6 (2) | 2 |
3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Stopped Clock | 7 | 6 (2) | 2 |
4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Ordered Action +2, Reconstructed Biology (25% fortification), Self-Repair | 7 | 6 (2) | 2 |
5 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Reconstructed Biology (disease immunity) | 8 | 6 (2) | 2 |
6 | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | -- | 8 | 6 (2) | 2 |
7 | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Daylight Savings (move action) | 9 | 6 (2) | 2 |
8 | +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Ordered Action +3 | 9 | 6 (2) | 3 |
9 | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Reconstructed Biology (poison immunity) | 10 | 6 (2) | 3 |
10 | +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 | -- | 10 | 7 (3) | 3 |
11 | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Reconstructed Biology (50% fortification) | 11 | 7 (3) | 3 |
12 | +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Daylight Savings (standard action), Ordered Action +4 | 11 | 7 (3) | 3 |
13 | +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Clockwork Motion | 12 | 7 (3) | 3 |
14 | +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 | -- | 12 | 7 (3) | 4 |
15 | +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 | -- | 13 | 7 (3) | 4 |
16 | +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Ordered Action +5 | 13 | 7 (3) | 4 |
17 | +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Daylight Savings (full-round action) | 14 | 7 (3) | 4 |
18 | +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Reconstructed Biology (75% fortification) | 14 | 7 (3) | 4 |
19 | +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | -- | 15 | 7 (3) | 4 |
20 | +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Mechanized Transcendence, Ordered Action +6, Reconstructed Biology (critical immunity) | 15 | 8 (4) | 4 |
Climb Ranks | Maximum Spell Level |
0-3 | 0th |
4-7 | 1st |
8-11 | 2nd |
12-15 | 3rd |
16-19 | 4th |
20+ | 6th |
Climb Ranks | Enhancement Bonus |
7-10 | +1 |
11-14 | +2 |
15-18 | +3 |
19-22 | +4 |
23+ | +5 |
Here we go. Where would you like me to start?
Crushing Juggernaut
I'm skipping the notes you're working with and moving on to the maneuvers.
I was going to write something about how your class capstone makes the DR less useful but then I realized that isn't really important. Also, gaining an extra 40 DR from a level 8 maneuver is just fine.
Crushing Advance is pretty interesting. I really like Overwhelming Advance.
Why would I want to use Muscle Through and Takedown as opposed to the trample ones?
Staredown has a typo, feat instead of fear.
Unstoppable is a very nice level 6 stance.
Okay ideas and referencing your notes:
Level 1 could use another maneuver. Maybe a rush that lets you move normal speed through enemy squares without provoking AoOs? (I have no idea if that's too powerful for level 1 or if it's outside the scope of the discipline).
The level 3 stance notes don't seem to fit with everything else. Crushing Juggernaut makes me feel like the goal is to get to your target and then smash it into little bits. Lots of single target and damage mitigation, the multi-target ones are all movement related.
I really like the imagery behind the level 9 strike notes.
Solidity also sounds good, as does the SR since magic immunity is a pretty standard golem trait.
I missed that the target couldn't avoid the overrun attempt. That makes more sense (although yeah, I think a little damage would help).
4 including a stance for first level makes me happy. It's not something I'll fight for though.
Level 9 strike name ideas: The Crushinator, Unstoppable Force (although maybe that's the move through walls by breaking them maneuver), Juggernaut Crush, Adamantine Strike, Golem Assault, Berserk (verb)
Intimidate Check SR sounds cool but seems like it might be a little swingy so I'm on the fence.
Maybe a stance that gives enemies in reach penalties based on your ranks in Intimidate?
Beatdown makes a nice combo with other manuevers.
I like Gatecrasher.
Jostle is nice, free move and enemy reposition.
Terrorizing Assault is also nice.
Shifting Steel
...you have two level one stances. The first one seems meh (unless sheathing weapons gives a bonus besides Iajatsu Focus).
I'm getting a Bloodstorm Blade feel out of this school (which is not a bad thing).
How does Advancing Storm interact with thrown weapons?
Haste as a stance, nice.
Ohh, Blurred Alacracity is both nice and thematic.
Spring Attack as a maneuver, makes sense.
I'd like to see some math for Infinte Blade Works vs Mithral Flurry. IBW just doesn't seem that much better.
After looking at everything the thrown weapons stance now seems out of place.
Sparking Clash is pretty cool!
Magpie Parry looks fine, kneejerk reaction is that it's too high level though.
In that case it's fine. I'm not familiar enough with ToB to remember what existing maneuvers there are for comparison.
Shifting Steel
New maneuvers look fine.
Mechanus Hand
Absolute Restraint - I'd add "(including purely mental actions)" to the text if that's the intent, just for clarification.
Arresting Blow - See Absolute Restraint
Arcane Denial - I assume it also blocks friendly spells?
Axiomatic Might - For a level 8 stance this feels pretty weak.
Pithing Strike - It's powerful but that's some extreme separation of abilities in the list so it's probably okay.
Wholeness Rightly Assumed - No hp healing? I ask because of the flavor text.
I'm against multiple stances at the same level for the same school.
You could move Axiomatic Might to a lower level stance and have scaling benefits including DR (apparently I'm going to keep bringing up scaling benefits stances), or you could leave it as it is and "become an inevitable" (fluff wise).
DR 5/Chaotic, Fast healing that doesn't heal chaotic damage (maybe capped), SR, and the existing lawful-aligned weapon text.
That might be too much.
Climb Ranks | Enhancement Bonus |
7-10 | +1 |
11-14 | +2 |
15-18 | +3 |
19-22 | +4 |
23+ | +5 |
Mechanus's Armory: What happens if the equipment already has an enhancement bonus?
Mechanus's Armory: What happens if the equipment already has an enhancement bonus?
Same deal as with Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Vestment, and any other case of multiple bonuses of the same type. They don't stack and only the highest one applies.
Mechanus's Armory: What happens if the equipment already has an enhancement bonus?
Same deal as with Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Vestment, and any other case of multiple bonuses of the same type. They don't stack and only the highest one applies.
And what are your concerns with it?
Mechanus's Armory: What happens if the equipment already has an enhancement bonus?
Same deal as with Greater Magic Weapon, Magic Vestment, and any other case of multiple bonuses of the same type. They don't stack and only the highest one applies.
And what are your concerns with it?
As I said, I'm not sure about keeping the DR or not. It's probably fine with just the enhancement bonus part, but I wanted a second opinion.
Dungeon Crusher gaining unarmed strike bonuses is weird.
Reckless Assault is kind of meh but probably in line with printed level one stances.
Imposing Presence is cool, but how many fear effects will it really affect?
Sorry, I didn't specify. Right now I'm viewing this project as self-contained. So if I'm playing a Clockwork Warrior with the three disciplines in this thread, how many fear effects will Imposing Presence really affect? Is the stance only useful if used with material outside of this project? If so it should probably be replaced. If not, and you think it needs a boost, grant a small bonus against enemies currently affected by one of your fear effects?
I don't even remember what the class looked like before, it's been a long time.
Clockwork Warrior
I feel like it needs Jump as a class skill, it's got all the other class skills but Swim. Swim feels like it can be left out for thematic reasons.
Reconstructed Biology says that you become immune to critical hits at 20th level, which technically means that you're not immune to precision damage as well.
Stopped Clock - "After activating this ability, you fall into a catatonic state up to 1 minute per level later (chosen when you activate the ability), unless you cancel with another full-round action. You can trigger the catatonia up to 1 minute early as an immediate action." I honestly am having issues deciphering this duration text.
For daylight savings, just expect every Clockwork Warrior to have the best action they can have saved up at the beginning of each encounter (because they'll just save up every minute until they get into an encounter) and use that for your analysis.
You've got some dead levels: 6 and 14.
Ohhhhh. Yes, the second wording is much better. Thank you. Interesting, makes me think of the clockwork guy from Hellboy.
If you really like the Daylight Savings ability we could adjust it. Make it a free action activation ability usable 1/encounter and have the actions be swift > move > standard so you never get a full-round action. That might be enough of a nerf.
I'll just go straight down the list then.
Crushing Juggernaut
The intimidate maneuvers are the least cool things about this discipline. I like it a lot though.
Mechanus Hand
Why Climb?
Blades of Thunder has a typo "defened".
Inevitable Pursuit needs its language adjusted. It says "as long as the distance you cover is less than or equal to your speed.", but then says "You can use your opponent's movement mode and speed for this instead of your own, whichever is better." The intent is obvious, use the opponent's swim/fly/climb/whatever speed instead of your own, but if you're using your opponent's speed instead of your own then that would imply for all purposes, including the distance limitation.
Mechanus's Armory - does the enhancement bonus stack or overlap?
Pithing Strike - Psionics should mention psi-like abilities.
I'll just go straight down the list then.
Crushing Juggernaut
The intimidate maneuvers are the least cool things about this discipline. I like it a lot though.
Can you elaborate on that?
QuoteMechanus Hand
Why Climb?
Grip strength, mostly. There's not a strong flavor connection, although there is a bit with Maug locking hands giving bonuses to Climb.
QuoteBlades of Thunder has a typo "defened".
Inevitable Pursuit needs its language adjusted. It says "as long as the distance you cover is less than or equal to your speed.", but then says "You can use your opponent's movement mode and speed for this instead of your own, whichever is better." The intent is obvious, use the opponent's swim/fly/climb/whatever speed instead of your own, but if you're using your opponent's speed instead of your own then that would imply for all purposes, including the distance limitation.
Are any of the following better?
When an opponent adjacent to you moves, you can initiate this maneuver to immediately move to any square adjacent to her as soon as she stops moving. You can use any movement mode available to you, or if your opponent moved normally, whichever movement mode and speed she used. The distance you cover must be less than or equal to your speed you use. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
When an opponent adjacent to you moves, you can initiate this maneuver to immediately move to any square adjacent to her as soon as she stops moving, as long as the distance you cover is less than or equal to your speed. You can use your opponent's movement mode and speed for this instead of your own, whichever is better. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
When an opponent adjacent to you moves, you can initiate this maneuver to immediately move up to your speed to any square adjacent to her as soon as she stops moving. If your opponent moved normally, you can use whichever movement mode and speed she used instead of your own, if better. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
QuoteMechanus's Armory - does the enhancement bonus stack or overlap?
Overlap, just like all typed bonuses.
Since you had this same question earlier in the thread when the disciplines were still under construction, I'm just going to add a reminder about it in the stance description.
QuotePithing Strike - Psionics should mention psi-like abilities.
Thanks.
QuoteQuoteBlades of Thunder has a typo "defened".
Inevitable Pursuit needs its language adjusted. It says "as long as the distance you cover is less than or equal to your speed.", but then says "You can use your opponent's movement mode and speed for this instead of your own, whichever is better." The intent is obvious, use the opponent's swim/fly/climb/whatever speed instead of your own, but if you're using your opponent's speed instead of your own then that would imply for all purposes, including the distance limitation.
Are any of the following better?
When an opponent adjacent to you moves, you can initiate this maneuver to immediately move to any square adjacent to her as soon as she stops moving. You can use any movement mode available to you, or if your opponent moved normally, whichever movement mode and speed she used. The distance you cover must be less than or equal to your speed you use. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
When an opponent adjacent to you moves, you can initiate this maneuver to immediately move to any square adjacent to her as soon as she stops moving, as long as the distance you cover is less than or equal to your speed. You can use your opponent's movement mode and speed for this instead of your own, whichever is better. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
When an opponent adjacent to you moves, you can initiate this maneuver to immediately move up to your speed to any square adjacent to her as soon as she stops moving. If your opponent moved normally, you can use whichever movement mode and speed she used instead of your own, if better. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
I'm getting slightly different readings off of the three. Is the intent that you can't move more than your normal movement speed as part of this maneuver?
Shifting Steel
Battle Dancer - having the timer be 1 minute feels odd given that it's for in combat. I'd write "(10 rounds)" after 1 minute, everyone should know that 10 rounds = 1 minute so I'm not pushy about this, it's just that minutes never equate to combat time in my brain.
Dancing Steel - Full attack as a level 4 maneuver feels too early, but that's just a gut reaction. I don't know if it actually is a problem.
Infinite Blade Works - I was trying to figure out why this is so much better than the Diamond Mind maneuver so I looked it up and Avalanche of Blade is a level 7 maneuver so this is fine.
Swift Retort looks familiar. :smirk
All in all this discipline looks really well put together. The only thing that popped into my head would be a stance that invalidates the Bloodstorm Blade prestige class, the stance version of Torrent of Steel. It isn't needed, just what popped into my head.
Shifting Steel
Battle Dancer - having the timer be 1 minute feels odd given that it's for in combat. I'd write "(10 rounds)" after 1 minute, everyone should know that 10 rounds = 1 minute so I'm not pushy about this, it's just that minutes never equate to combat time in my brain.
I was thinking about changing the stance slightly so that you don't have to track exactly when you last attacked each creature. The current version technically requires you to track it, since 10 rounds after your last attack against a creature, you lose the +1 bonus for attacking that specific creature, even though you keep the bonuses for every other creature you've attacked in that time.
Possible new version:
While you are in this stance, you can fluidly flow from foe to foe, the momentum of battle carrying your swordplay to new heights of speed and skill. You gain a +1 bonus on melee attack rolls and melee weapon damage rolls for each enemy beyond the first that you have attacked this encounter while in this stance. This bonus stacks up to a maximum of +5 (after attacking six different enemies).
QuoteDancing Steel - Full attack as a level 4 maneuver feels too early, but that's just a gut reaction. I don't know if it actually is a problem.
Just out of curiosity, what level would you peg it at?
QuoteInfinite Blade Works - I was trying to figure out why this is so much better than the Diamond Mind maneuver so I looked it up and Avalanche of Blade is a level 7 maneuver so this is fine.
I actually ran the numbers in the past and with the kind of numbers that I expect to come up around level 17 without serious optimization (specifically, that your attack bonus roughly equals your target's AC), the average number of hits winds up pretty close to Diamond Mind's time stands still. Time stands still is better if you get bonus attacks or use multiple weapons (which provide no benefit for infinite blade works), are facing miss chances, or just have a lower attack bonus, while infinite blade works scales really well with a higher attack bonus.
QuoteSwift Retort looks familiar. :smirk
:sh
QuoteAll in all this discipline looks really well put together. The only thing that popped into my head would be a stance that invalidates the Bloodstorm Blade prestige class, the stance version of Torrent of Steel. It isn't needed, just what popped into my head.
Thanks.
I already feel like Shifting Steel is stepping on the Bloodstorm Blade's toes with those two boosts. I don't really want to outdo the class as a whole (even if it would still have a few neat things, like thrown attacks counting as melee).