Blitzer Class

[NeloAngelo]

So I had a inspiration today at work. I asked a player of mine his thoughts and he said and i quote"Who would want to play the definition of "Suck""? Which inspired me more to see what i could do. Took me a whole two hours. Not really complete. But its a start. But i thought id throw the idea to you all here perhaps you have a better idea for it. So here goes.

I show you Blitzer!



(I hear there screams of laughter)
To be clean I put it on PDF.

The Idea was for a Blitzballer who supported the party through de-buffs and moral bonuses. It was a lot harder than I thought making what little I did but it gets.. the ball rolling. Thoughts?

I apologize for any grammar errors or typos.

[Mirron]

I'm not really good at balance, so it might actually be fine, but it seems pretty strong to me. But I'm not really sure what the average physical class would be like. Seems like it manages to capture a Blitzer pretty well though.

[NeloAngelo]

I'm not really good at balance, so it might actually be fine, but it seems pretty strong to me. But I'm not really sure what the average physical class would be like. Seems like it manages to capture a Blitzer pretty well though.

Yeah. I haven't play-tested it yet Will probably work on it a lot more. I somehow felt it didnt have as much but too much as well so i fight with myself.

[Mirron]

I can see that. It feels like if you tweaked it some it would work well as a general throwing weapon focused class too, which I liked the idea of. I wish I had a better idea of what was well-balanced, would make it easier to design things.

[NeloAngelo]

I can see that. It feels like if you tweaked it some it would work well as a general throwing weapon focused class too, which I liked the idea of. I wish I had a better idea of what was well-balanced, would make it easier to design things.

Ive made some classes before on other games So this is a first for me. I feel there are stronger classes but maybe up to par with archer and gunner. I myself aren't fluid in the throwing rules so i had to do some research for it and i felt bad making it to where it only got one attack with that throw even late levels. Hence Power shot and Ricochet. Think ill make one and throw one in as a helpful Npc somewhere next game see what happens with it.

[Mirron]

Archer/Gunner are what it should be compared to for sure. Both of those are probably pretty close to what an ideal throwing weapon job would do, since they're both more ranged attackers as well.

[silverwerret]

Have you checked out the FFX D20 book on GitP? If just for the inspiration/ideas

[Fatal Rose]

Zeta Kai made one in his FFXD20 book.

Edit: just read the post above mine.

[Biyama]

from the description, this sounds like it should be a bard archetype with a unique versatile performance

[NeloAngelo]

from the description, this sounds like it should be a bard archetype with a unique versatile performance

yeah wwasnt my greatest creation. I popped it in two hours for shit and giggles. Ive been meaning to rework it. Just busy.

[Biyama]

Kinda surprised they don't get swim as a class skill

[Zwordsman]

Edit: oh.. was this like 2 years old and I didn't notice? Whups. a lot of this wouldn't have applied back then, as al ot didn't exist. Though i guess if you ever wanted to update it now

Kay I so would play this.
I have made a ton of pathfinder throwing characters. It’s pretty hard to make a good one.
This one is pretty nifty! I have some notes based on my past experience with throwers (so many. Mostly 3/4th bab based though)
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Blitzball. Consider making it a D8. Like a Chakram in pathfinder. It isn’t much, but the difference between a thrown knife and chakram is so darn much in pathfinder. Not super needed. But something I suggest.
Also consider adding in a blurb about how a blitzballer can still throw underwater at full effect. You’d be surprised how many folks do not allow many things when it comes to water.
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Needs swim as a class skill
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So. about the returning property. Scratch that. and reword it. Look at the Shield Champion brawler in pathfinder.
The problem with returning is... it comes back far too late. Basically if you move after you throw it... its returning to the wrong place and you've lost your thrown weapon. it won’t' return until right before you're next turn. So people can easily just... pick it up and take it. or keep it from returning somehow. Its honestly pretty useless enchantment.
Instead go read Shield Champion Brawler from Pathfinder (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/hybrid-c...d-champion). That is the absolute best example of a thrown martial made yet in official lit.
You should also gift the class Far Shot like Shield Champion does.
It bounces back to you once the attack finishes. That way you could use it with movement and it'll always return to you at the end of your attack sequence instead of after your turn. That way makes so much more sense. Honestly you could move Ricochet to 5 like that class is. Or keep it at 7 because of the status effect balls.
Basically this'll make it work with so much more moves. Shot on the run is an example. Although not the best example of a throwing move.
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There are some moves that would rarely be used honestly.

Aim for one. it takes far too long for that. I might consider making it 1/2 level and a move action, or 1/4th and a swift action. A full round simply will rarely if ever be used. Archer can get away with spending such a long time aiming. But throw builds are always ALWAYS within charging close range distance. So they can't afford to wait so long. If they aren’t full attacking them to death, they have to be moving so they aren’t full attacked. If you’re worried about usefulness. Put a cooldown on the ability. Roll a d4 and it can’t be used again until it’s over (representing relaxing your nerves from being hyper focused aiming) I suggest the swift action with a cooldown the most. Even if the cool down is just something like every other round.

For a similar reason. Power Shot will probably rarely if ever be used. The bonus damage doesn't really keep up with the cost of a full round. Especially once you can richoet instead—technically rules wise. I can hit an opponent and ricochet off the floor next to him (*Eating one attack hitting AC 5) and bounce into the guy again. Power shot probably shouldn’t have to compete directly with Ricochet-which it does due to both of them eating a full round action. Additionally, a similar move in pathfinder, Dead Shot for gunslingers. Is already far stronger than this and far more ranged. All for the same action cost (admittedly also costs a bullet. But negligible really)

So I would make Power Shot a standard attack. This would compare favorably with other things like Vital Strike (historically a horrible use of action), Gunslinger's(pathfinder) Pistolero’s Up Close and Deadly. (the exchange for not costing points, would be that you do not do partial damage. And in general FF classes are a bit stronger on the martial side anyway. And you are building for FF not pathfinder (which historically loves to hamper martials. Don’t do this. One reason FFD20 is so wonderful is any style of play is completely valid because it’s so well balanced and even between them. It is missing Thrown and this is your chance to make it shine!)
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The buffing feels a bit off, or strange. Perhaps because it is only one thing and the rest focuses on attacking. Not really a bad thing just something I noted. I can’t really think of a solution for that. Other than just fusing skillshot and cheers into one feature, making a couple more Cheers and increasing the frequency that the blitzer gets to choose to ever 3 levels. Make both of them run off the 3+cha (or 1/2lv +cha). Name the class feature something like. Blitz Lore or How the game is played or Blitzball Skills, and then subcategorize them as cheers and skillshots.
That way you could have a blitzballer who buffs and one who debuffs. without trodding over eachother's feet.
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In the end. If you are worried about it being too strong with the above changes. I do have one final suggestion and that is to make them 3/4th bab instead of full bab. This wouldn’t be bad either and would still keep in line with stuff that they do. If you do, do that, then I strongly suggest the 1/2LV+Cha format over the 3+cha. That way they can truly be more debuff. I mean the HD and the Points are already 3/4th bab set.
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As a suggestion for keeping the debuff going, AND because it was one of my favorite moves in FFX. I might suggest making one of the Limit Breaks the debuff ball. Hit the target and it applies all the Skill Shots that you know +1 of your choice (per activation chose one) (or I guess give a Blitz Lore at level 1) I’d replace Line Breaker. Sphere Shot is just too perfect. Line breaker is pretty cool, but it also relies on a combat action and the class doesn’t really gain any bonuses to it. So after a point it would get harder to use it. It would suck to lose a multi-hit move. but if it’s trying to be a debuff class to, it would be good for it to have a good support of it.
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Pathfinder style feat Startoss is perfect for this class. though parts of it is already built in.
I'd love to play a debuffing centric one. I’d rarely ever Cheer, but I think there are more than enough Buffing ones (though it would make a good archetype) but so few great debuffing non magic ones.