Comments on Riskbreaker Kit, Topic split by Sikret Options

[lroumen]

The Riskbreaker is extremely interesting, but he seems more like a chore to keep alive. I have some ideas on how to play with him (I started a quick game to try out some things), but he could use a fun upgradeable ring and/or amulet that provides some protection options to take him out of the continuous baby-sitting bin. Without such a bonus, I believe that the riskbreaker will not be played. People should have an incentive to play him. Have people find the item in the early game, then have them upgrade it in the mid-game.

Perhaps the item should provide "Shield" thrice a day for when blur runs out after the so-manieth time the opponents cast "True Sight". Further bonuses might be something like +2AC, +2 saving throw vs spells, 10% resistance to fire/cold/magic damage. Later improve it to +3 and +15% or something.... minor bonuses add up through an entire game.

[lroumen]

The Riskbreaker is designed to go with 2-weapon style and use his own improved haste abilities to fight opponents. He has little defense except for Blur and a decent AC bonus every few levels.

Some quick math:
Considering this, his amount of attacks per round will probably be around 6 on average.
It depends on proficiencies and on the fact that his improved haste is not always up.
I'm guessing that he has a good enough THAC0 to hit tough monsters for about 3-4 times per round.
15% chance to gain a bonus would then be around once every two rounds, hence quite often.
Against bad AC foes, the occurrence is higher since you hit more often each round (5-6 times).
That is slightly worrying.
The AC decrease is fine, the 20HP heal is fine, but I'm concerned that if Hard Hit triggers too often, the bonus damage becomes unrealistic.

There are some possibilities to make it seemingly more balanced.
1. Lower the conditional damage so that it becomes 10d4+4 or make it 5d8+8. To me, that is already an astonishing amount of bonus damage.
2. Lower the chance to 10%.

The rest of the abilities look fine. Chain Breaker Stance may seem too powerful to people, but considering that you gain less improved haste abilities throughout your leveling than that of the previous riskbreaker version, that particular bonus of Chain Breaker Stance is fine.

[Raven]

There are some possibilities to make it seemingly more balanced.
1. Lower the conditional damage so that it becomes 10d4+4 or make it 5d8+8. To me, that is already an astonishing amount of bonus damage.
2. Lower the chance to 10%.

I agree. I think the combination of GWW with 'Hard Hit' and a nasty melee weapon would be too powerful with 10d8+8 bonus damage happening 15% of the time.

Btw what kind of damage is the 'Hard Hit'?

Also does the Regeneration of 12 hp per round from the Chain Breaker Stance include the doubling from the Improved Haste? Or will it work out to be 24 hp per round?

[Sikret]

I agree. I think the combination of GWW with 'Hard Hit' and a nasty melee weapon would be too powerful with 10d8+8 bonus damage happening 15% of the time.

I'm not sure if I have conveyed what I had in mind properly in the description. The 15% is the total probability of those three effects. Each of them has only 5% chance to happen and never more than one of them will happen. In other words, with each successful hit there is 15% chance for something to happen; if something is to happen, then each of those three effects have 33% chance to tbe the picked effect.

I agree that deciding over a optimal amount of additional damage the Hard Hit effect applies is really difficult. It shouldn't be too high to kill humans with a single shot but on the other hand, it should be high enough to be meaningful against golems. The average of 10d8+8 is 53. multiplying it by 5% (its chance to happen per hit) results in 2 and half damage average, which is still much lower than a Kensai's damage bonus at the same level.

With these explanations, do you still think that it is too much? Comments will be appreciated.

Btw what kind of damage is the 'Hard Hit'?

Crushing.

Also does the Regeneration of 12 hp per round from the Chain Breaker Stance include the doubling from the Improved Haste? Or will it work out to be 24 hp per round?

No, it's actually 6hp per round. It becomes effectively 12hp because of the Imp. Haste. However, as an afterthought, I think it's better to disconnect "Chain Breaker Stance" from Imp. Haste and replace its Imp. Haste with 25% resistance to physical damage and reduce its duration to 5 rounds.

The new revised list of advantages I am thinking about is something like this:

Advantages:
- +2 Bonus to save vs. Breath Weapon.
- Makes critical hits at a roll of 17 or better (instead of the usual 20).
- Gains "Blur" every 5 levels.
- +2 bonus to Armor class for every 6 levels.
- Gains "Improved Haste" at levels 11, 16 and 21.
- Once the Riskbreaker reaches level 15, each of his successful hits will have 15% chance to apply a random effect picked from the following pool: "Hard Hit" on target (applies 10D8 +8 additional damage), "Risk Increment" on target (applies -4 penalty to AC for 2 rounds), Healing the Riskbreaker for 20 hp.
- Gains the ability "Chain Breaker Stance" at levels 17 and 23.
- Gains the innate ability "Risk Decrement" at levels 18, 24 and 30.

Chain Breaker Stance:
This ability applies the following effects to the caster for 5 rounds:
- 25% resistance to physical damage
- 25 strength
- Regenerating 12 hp per round

Keep criticizing and sending your comments and suggestions please. It's not easy to balance this complex kit unless more people cooperate.

Also, do others agree with hankiwi that the 20 hp healing effect is not appropriate? If yes, do you suggest to omit it or to replace it with a new effect?

[lroumen]

I'm not sure if I have conveyed what I had in mind properly in the description. The 15% is the total probability of those three effects. Each of them has only 5% chance to happen and never more than one of them will happen. In other words, with each successful hit there is 15% chance for something to happen; if something is to happen, then each of those three effects have 33% chance to tbe the picked effect.

I agree that deciding over a optimal amount of additional damage the Hard Hit effect applies is really difficult. It shouldn't be too high to kill humans with a single shot but on the other hand, it should be high enough to be meaningful against golems. The average of 10d8+8 is 53. multiplying it by 5% (its chance to happen per hit) results in 2 and half damage average, which is still much lower than a Kensai's damage bonus at the same level.

With these explanations, do you still think that it is too much? Comments will be appreciated.

5% each and only one of the three when it triggers.
I understood that, but having played a bit with the riskbreaker I do think that it's still too much. I did some math as well and I don't think this is about damage over time, but about burst damage, and that is simply too much.