Author Topic: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...  (Read 5144 times)

Offline wotmaniac

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game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« on: February 23, 2015, 02:30:20 PM »
... with a couple of modifications.  And I'd like some feedback (the nature of which is up to the respondents).
For those not familiar, HERE's what Lightning Warrior looks like.

Premise:
I was thinking about giving a gestalt game another try.  However, for a long laundry list of reasons, the specific mechanics of gestalt just aren't setting right with me (I personally don't have issues with it; it's just related to what I'm wanting to accomplish in this specific instance). 

Proposal:
I want to take the Lighting Warrior, make some modifications, and have everybody play that class (again, in lieu of gestalt).
Modifications:
- HD = d12 (instead of d20 ... because that's just silly)
- Class Skills = choose 10 + Craft + Profession (Knowledges selected individually).
- Class features = completely wipe the listed class features (except for casting and light-armor casting) and replace with a fighter-progression of "bonus feats", that are used just like Generic Classes (with expanded options ... plus more as needed).
- Casting:
  -- 1) choose @ character creation whether you cast wizard/sorcerer, cleric, or druid spells.  Cannot be changed once selected. 
  -- 2) All casting uses the Spirit Shaman model. (i.e., spontaneously cast from a daily selection; CHA and WIS/INT for casting)
  -- 3) options exist for expanding spell lists: e.g.., Bardic Music feat/feature lets you add bard spells; take a feat to add Paladin spells you your cleric list, or to add Ranger spells to your druid list; etc.

Prestige classes aren't really needed - by using the Generic Class model, you can just buy that shit ala carte (naturally, prereqs still apply, of course).

I'm not worried about what a munchkin can do with this, because 1) I can't even find those anymore, and 2) I can deal with that shit as it pops up.

Thoughts? 

thanks.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2015, 02:34:45 PM by wotmaniac »

Offline Keldar

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2015, 08:50:55 PM »
It might be a little overpowered with the Obtain Familiar feat. 
It probably will take most of the fun out of optimization for anyone that likes that, being so very straight forward.  Other than that, without knowing what you're planning to do I can't see any comments to make. 

Offline Baad Speeler

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2015, 10:59:41 PM »
This game kind of came about from a joking reference that I made. I said the purpose of gestalt was to emulate lightning warrior as closely as possible. Everything took off from there.
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Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2015, 04:38:21 PM »
The Generics allow some medium early qualifying tricks. 
If you're going no PrCs then that is no problem.

DMM Heighten on Divine with the Arcane list too = trouble.
DMM anything on Druid, is a distraction from the normal druid goodies; probably no problem.

(clicks the link) ... I don't see anything jump out as a big problem.

Option 3 ... hmm ... Archivist "can" do this better, so I doubt a real problem arises here.
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Offline wotmaniac

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2015, 04:36:31 AM »
I'm thinking about replacing aforementioned casting with "'casting' of your choice", selected from base-class casters.  "Casting" category also includes Warlock/DFA, Initiators, Binding, Incarnate, Psionics, etc.  Everything else about this is ala carte; so why not this - right?

It might be a little overpowered with the Obtain Familiar feat. 
ZOMFG! I totes forgot about that ... I'll have to address that one right away.   :p
Quote
It probably will take most of the fun out of optimization for anyone that likes that, being so very straight forward.  Other than that, without knowing what you're planning to do I can't see any comments to make.
Well, I have multiple goals.  The pre-premise is that I'm having to recruit a whole new batch of players (save for Baad Speeler, who's all I've got left at the moment); the ultimate goal being that I want to attract players that are naturally going to be a good fit (I'll go ahead and give my full pitch here in just a minute).
- plug-n-play: pick your class features, feats, spells, and skills, and get to playing. 
- harder to fall in to a "fail" character.  "Broken" characters are easier to see coming.  Less disparity between players.
- Players at my table should have the competence to navigate this class.  This is a "weed-out" feature.
- still enough variety and flexibility that each character feels distinctly different.
So, if they player(s) can navigate this class no problem, and they can buy-in and have fun with it; I think I'll have keepers.

My concern is this: while I certainly am excited about this and would be all over this if I were a player ... what should I expect as a reaction from prospective players?

Okay, here's the reveal:
I actually plan on still going the getalt route.  1 track this class, and 1 racial track; for a Planescape campaign.
I had originally wanted to go with tri-stalt; but have decided that it gets too fidgety ; and I have found that people get too bogged down with manipulating their class combos, and forget about the bigger picture.
But I still want the in-game effect.  Grab the powerful monster race of your choice, add the class features you want, and BAMB!, you're ready to get playing.
The upside of a class like this is: you still get the chassis you want (and were probably going to have anyway) and all the abilities you want, without having to agonize over your class choices or having your "build" looking like a demonic Frankenstein of class combos.
The only real downside that I see is that people may be turned off at first look by the prospect of "only 1 class" .... but my feeling is that this would be an extremely myopic view.

So, after all that rambling .... does this seem like it would have enough appeal to be used as a recruiting concept?



The Generics allow some medium early qualifying tricks. 
If you're going no PrCs then that is no problem.

DMM Heighten on Divine with the Arcane list too = trouble.
DMM anything on Druid, is a distraction from the normal druid goodies; probably no problem.

(clicks the link) ... I don't see anything jump out as a big problem.

Option 3 ... hmm ... Archivist "can" do this better, so I doubt a real problem arises here.
Well, I've long-ago patched DMM to eliminate abuse; so that's not a worry.
Otherwise, yeah, that's what I hoped.

Offline Unbeliever

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2015, 09:51:54 AM »
Honestly, it seems like a lot of sturm and drang that distracts from whatever you're aiming for.  You'll spend a long time just explaining how to make characters, and be presenting them with an unfamiliar method for doing so, for a payoff that I don't quite see.  If you want to run 1 race | 1 class gestalt for Planescape, I'd just do that directly.  I think the one class set-up might be a turnoff, as is limiting the distinction between characters.  There's also something kind of un-D&Dish about this by decoupling classes from the features so severely.  This is slightly hyperbolic, but it's almost like just go play M&M or something more purely effects-based.  And, by setting up the chasis the way you are, I'd be shocked if you got any non-spellcasters. 

Offline wotmaniac

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2015, 10:08:38 AM »
And, by setting up the chasis the way you are, I'd be shocked if you got any non-spellcasters. 
Well, I actually see that as a feature.  So there's that.

Eh, just something I was tossing around.  I didn't think it'd be too arduous, being as the rules are on the SRD. 
But you may have a point.


Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2015, 12:32:53 PM »
It might be a little overpowered with the Obtain Familiar feat. 
:lmao Thread over in 1 post!!
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Offline wotmaniac

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2015, 04:05:22 PM »
Sorry for the delay ... work has been hectic.  Anyway ...
Post a full sample build for us
I'm not sure if this is in the spirit of "put your money where your mouth is" or of "let's see what you're expecting, so that we may be more informed in our replies" ..... but in either case, here goes a few off the top of my head (these will be relatively straight-forward, as I imagine the "average" player might be able come up with):

I'll call the first one Nature's Fury
(click to show/hide)

Next, Ultimate Batman
(click to show/hide)

Lightbringer
(click to show/hide)

Buffy McBuffer
(click to show/hide)

And that looks like a complete party.  So, there you go.
Forgive the slapdash presentation.  I really did just shit these out on the spot.

P.S.
BTW, I think I would want to start this game around level-8.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2015, 04:09:56 PM by wotmaniac »

Offline Baad Speeler

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2015, 07:00:42 PM »
For this game, I'm planning on playing a pixie half dragon. I'm just torn on spell casting. Something Int based. Maybe a beguiler? I don't know. Any ideas?
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Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: game idea: everyone plays a Lightning Warrior ...
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2015, 05:21:15 PM »
1e Faerie Dragons had near evenly split Wiz/Druid casting.  So like if the casting was basically Sorc, but had 3 spells known per level 1 Enchantment 1 Wiz pick 1 Druid pick.  Or slight variant Generic Caster.  Dragon racial on the other side.


3.0e Rakshasa, fill in the Sorc casting, use Abjurant Champ in there, with obvious Abj focus,  Monk 2 and Cleric 1 for basic assistance for the Rakshasa weakness.  Leaves nearly 13 total levels left for more goodies.  Play the Tigress in Kung Fu Panda, zexiest Angelina Jolie in like 10 years, eh?

3.0e Flesh Golem, goes full boogie Incarnum, mainly to lightning swarms for a lite-version Necrocarnate HP trick.  Incarnum Blade prc for early access (believe it or not).  Frankenstein BooBerry MacGyver and Anti-Magic.
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