Classes of Middle Earth

A subforum for making a d20 Middle-earth.
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Grimathor
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Classes of Middle Earth

Post by Grimathor » Tue Dec 18, 2007 6:08 pm

Non Caster

PHB: Bard(no spells), Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger(no spells), Rogue
C Adv: Scout
C War: Swashbuckler
PHB II: Knight
Mini Hbk: Marshal
Other: Alchemist(3rd party source)

Caster

For the most part Middle Earth is a low magic setting and therefore magic should be very rare. However the following classes could fit within the feel of Middle Earth quite easily.

PHB: Cleric, Druid(no shape shifting), Sorcerer
C Arc: Warmage, Warlock(would limit to evil only)
C Div: Favored Soul
PHB II:Duskblade
Mini Hbk: Healer
Other: Shaman(3rd party source)

The other alternative is make a casting class with more than one type. A class that could choose say arcane or divine or nature magic for eg.

Xeorsos
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Re: Classes of Middle Earth

Post by Xeorsos » Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:47 pm

I like your ideas here, but I feel the need to expand on a few of your decisions:

Bard - This is an awful, awful choice as you've listed it. For the bard (essentially a casting class) to be worthwhile without casting would require a serious amount of beefing up. It's designed with balance in mind, and that balance included 7 levels of, albiet, weaker spellcasting. Some ideas to beef it up could be increasing its BAB, granting Bardic Music feats every 3 or 4 levels (about the times it would be getting new spell levels), beefing up bardic music (perhaps giving it some of the songs from bardic prestige classes, like Warchanter and Virtuoso), upping its skill set, giving it precision damage (a weakened scout's ability would be great, but sneak attack would work as well), etc.

Druid - Druids suffer from a weaker spell list than a cleric, and make up for it with their shapeshifting ability. By eliminating shapeshifting you take away a key advantage they have, and essentially make them a poorer choice than Cleric. This could be remedied by granting druids the ability to cast like a Spirit Shaman, and retaining their ability to spontaneously summon nature's ally.

Ranger - The no-spells variant would be a fine substitution.

Sorcerer - Honestly, I like this, but I'd still call it "Wizard." After all, it's Middle Earth, and the highest billing mages called themselves Wizards, regardless of the mechanics behind it.

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TetNak
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Re: Classes of Middle Earth

Post by TetNak » Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:50 pm

I think this thread might want to be put in the graveyard as Grim is no longer on the site.
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Vardaen
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Re: Classes of Middle Earth

Post by Vardaen » Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:00 pm

Unless someone else is going to run with it.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Vardaen
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Re: Classes of Middle Earth

Post by Vardaen » Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:03 pm

This is going to the graveyard from inactivity.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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