Orc War Drummer

[Sputnik]

So, we got a peek at what Valefort is cooking up for the Orcbloods. I think the 'flavah' is just right for this PRC. Let's take a look:

Dust settled for the Orc PRC, here is what I'll try to do, it may change after testing but that will be the basis for the PRC :

Orc War Drummer

While Orcs have no bardic tradition nothing whips them into a frenzy more easily than War Drummers. Using everything from elaborate drums to hollow trees the War Drummers can often be found in large orcish war parties.

Requirements:
Race: Orc
Alignment: Any non-lawful, non-good.
Skills: Perfom 6 ranks
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Feats: Iron will, Skill Focus : Perform

Class Features:
Hit Die: d8
Base Attack Bonus: High
High Saves: Will
Weapon Proficiencies: None
Armor Proficiencies: None
Skill Points: 4 + Int Modifier.
Class Skills: Perform, Listen, Intimidate, Taunt, Survival, Tumble


Class Abilities:
Level 1: Battle rythm +1
Level 2:
Level 3: Inspire fear
Level 4: Orders to Charge
Level 5: Orc War March, Battle rythm +2

Battle rythm: A war drummer inspires his fellow Orcs into a frenzy (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. This gives a bonus to hit and damage. It starts at +1, and becomes +2 at 5th level. It does not stack with bard inspire courage or dread pirate inspire courage.

Inspire fear: Instead of encouraging his brethren an Orc War Drummer of 3rd level can choose to play ominous, demoralizing rythms. Enemies of the War Drummer must pass a save vs fear or suffer a -2 penalty to hit, damage and saves. DC is 15 + War drummer levels + perform ranks/3.

Orders to Charge: At 4th level a War Drummer is able to signal the charge in a particularly enthralling way. The nearby allies gain +30% movement speed, +1 dodge AC, as well as the benefits from Furious Charger and Powerful Charge. If the War Drummer has Barbarian or Frenzied Berserker levels his allies also gain strength bonuses equal to half the bonuses of the War Drummer rage or frenzy.

The bonuses last for 10 rounds, cooldown : 4 minutes.

Orc War March: At 5th level an Orcish War Drummer, through skill and habit, is able to inspire fear in his enemies while playing a Battle Rythm.

I understand things are not set in stone yet. That's good. Doubly so, coupled with the fact that Valefort shared the rough draft before it went live. This allows us players to ask questions and maybe help QC to iron out some kinks BEFORE it goes live, which will save everyone much time with regards to delevels/RCR tokens and whatnot.

..Good show!

Now, to the questions/suggestions:

Race: Orc -Does this include Half-Orcs?
I definitely think it should.

Battle rythm: - What is the range for this ability?
- The description states that it bolsters against fear, yet there is nothing mechanically representing this. Is this intentional?
I suggest adding a bonus to saves matching the other bonuses (+1 at 1st, +2 at 5th).

Inspire fear: - What is the range for this ability?
- Are the perform ranks calculated into the DC as the total sum (after stat bonuses, gear, feats ect..) or just base skill points invested (33 at lvl.30) ?

Orders to Charge: - Does the movement bonus stack with Haste?
-Does it stack with Orc or barbarian fast movement and other non-haste speed bonuses such as monk speed?
-What is the range of the ability?
-Does it only affect allies within range when the ability is first activated (like Haste), or will it affect any ally as long as they are within the AoE while the ability is active (Like Paladin 'Aura of Courage') ?
-Do the STR bonuses from Rage and Frenzy stack when calculating the bonuses granted to allies?
-Do the STR bonuses granted to allies stack with existing STR bonuses they may already have (from gear or Bull's STR) ?
-Does the cooldown timer start when the ability is first activated, or after it expires?
I suggest replacing the Powerful Charge and Furious Charger feats with something better, like Dire Charge. This is because without Dire Charge, almost no one past the early levels uses Charge due to the one attack per round limitation. The only use for the feat in later levels is for the temporary speed boost, which this ability already provides

[Valefort]

Race: Orc -Does this include Half-Orcs?
I definitely think it should.

Yes

Battle rythm: - What is the range for this ability?
- The description states that it bolsters against fear, yet there is nothing mechanically representing this. Is this intentional?

It was a hasty copy paste from the inspire courage feat because that's how it will function (and that's why it won't stack with other sources of inspire courage), that should also answer the range question : bard inspiration range, the references to fear will likely go away for now.

Inspire fear: - What is the range for this ability?
- Are the perform ranks calculated into the DC as the total sum (after stat bonuses, gear, feats ect..) or just base skill points invested (33 at lvl.30) ?

Same idea for the range, I'll hijack one of the bard inspiration to do this. Regarding perform just ranks, the DC will already be high (and if you want it you've got to pay ).

Orders to Charge: - Does the movement bonus stack with Haste?
-Does it stack with Orc or barbarian fast movement and other non-haste speed bonuses such as monk speed?
-What is the range of the ability?
-Does it only affect allies within range when the ability is first activated (like Haste), or will it affect any ally as long as they are within the AoE while the ability is active (Like Paladin 'Aura of Courage') ?
-Do the STR bonuses from Rage and Frenzy stack when calculating the bonuses granted to allies?
-Do the STR bonuses granted to allies stack with existing STR bonuses they may already have (from gear or Bull's STR) ?
-Does the cooldown timer start when the ability is first activated, or after it expires?

-Probably won't stack with haste
-Will stack with Orc speed
-Haste like range ? Maybe larger, like bardic inspiration.
-Yes, one time cast like haste.
-No, will take the highest.
-Not sure yet.
-Cooldown always starts immediately after activating it.

I suggest replacing the Powerful Charge and Furious Charger feats with something better, like Dire Charge. This is because without Dire Charge, almost no one past the early levels uses Charge due to the one attack per round limitation. The only use for the feat in later levels is for the temporary speed boost, which this ability already provides

Good point.

[aaron22]

can a bard/drummer have a bard inspiration other than courage running at the same time as battle rhythm?

[chad878262]

can a bard/drummer have a bard inspiration other than courage running at the same time as battle rhythm?

No. I think Bard will not be allowed to take War Drummer, but even if so, one inspiration at a time and Battle Rhythm is an inspiration, mechanically speaking.

[aaron22]

nope. no good start over.

[chad878262]

nope. no good start over.

[Akroma666]

Suggestion:
Allow extended rage to add rounds to the Orders to Change.

[aaron22]

This class can cross-class the Perform Skill.

what does this mean exactly?

[Valefort]

That you can spend points on perform when taking a level in that class, some skills can be barred entirely.

[chad878262]

This class can cross-class the Perform Skill.

what does this mean exactly?

In vanilla NWN2 classes other than Bard could not put skill points in Perform. Stating a class can cross-class perform means they can put points in Perform, at a 2 for 1 cost and a max of 16 (1/2) unless they took a class that opens up the perform skill such as Bard or Dervish.

[aaron22]

there are not many prc's that grant perform that do not require bard songs.

[chad878262]

there are not many prc's that grant perform that do not require bard songs.

Dervish, Bladesinger/Deathsinger at a minimum.

Regardless Orcs by lore are not bards. The War Drummer is not a story teller and has nothing in relation to a Bard.

[aaron22]

there are not many prc's that grant perform that do not require bard songs.

Dervish, Bladesinger/Deathsinger at a minimum.

Regardless Orcs by lore are not bards. The War Drummer is not a story teller and has nothing in relation to a Bard.

bladesinger is elf.
shadowdancer does too but that has it's own craziness of RP

alright, so orcs dont tell stories. but the prc has perform attached to it so i am searching for alternatives. where is the synergy?

[chad878262]

there are not many prc's that grant perform that do not require bard songs.

Dervish, Bladesinger/Deathsinger at a minimum.

Regardless Orcs by lore are not bards. The War Drummer is not a story teller and has nothing in relation to a Bard.

bladesinger is elf.
shadowdancer does too but that has it's own craziness of RP

alright, so orcs dont tell stories. but the prc has perform attached to it so i am searching for alternatives. where is the synergy?

The synergy for War Drummer is quite large, actually... Barbarian 20/WD5/X5 would be gaining +2 AB/Damage and -2 to enemies who fail their save without losing much since WD is high BAB... F12/WD5/BG3/WoD10 seems like it would be a good build where WD Battle Rhythm helps you land those EDM hits while WoD gives better saves... An Orc Cleric 25/WD5 might be a leader of his/her people inspiring them on to greater savagery in Gruumsh's name. An Orc Rogue/Assassin can benefit from the high BAB and additional AB/Damage plus debuff to enemy helps their squishiness... The Inspiration being an 'always' on bardic type inspiration at a cost of only 5 levels and a couple feats makes this a solid class for many different builds, which was kind of the point... It supports many build types.

[aaron22]

i do not doubt that the inspiration is money without having to eat a penalty for taking bard/other base class. im trying to find some synergy with the perform skill. i whipped up a couple builds with it and like the inspiration and high bab and high will at only a 5 level cost. im just trying to find a way to get some perform for a lower cost because orc walks in with an int penalty.