Class Design: Syphon Step 2
- Sustained Syphon Dice 4
- Burst Syphon Dice 1
- Mutation Choices 2
This patreon poll is going out to everyone because I've currently got fewer scriveners than usual, so it'll be important to get extra votes in.
It's been decided that the Syphon will be a Dex+Charisma Utility Martial. The thing that denotes Utility Martials from Pure Martials is a unique mechanic or feature (or a couple of them) that they often have in place of the more straightforward damage output that a Pure Martial uses. I've got a couple of ideas for some combinations to make use of, and it'll be helpful to have people put their input in on what they'd like to see used.
The first ability set that I've laid out is as follows: The Syphon has a Syphon die that grows as they gain levels, similar to a Monk's Martial Arts die or a Blood Hunter's Hemocraft die. This would primarily be used by the Syphon to add to their attacks when they deal damage to a disabled opponent; the opening they get whenever they can attack an opponent who is disabled in one way or another allowing them to drain essence from them to heal and sustain themselves. They would augment and take advantage of this mechanic by learning a series of poisons and concoctions that they can craft over each long rest to create those conditions that let them easily drain their enemies and heal themselves.
The second ability set is somewhat similar, but closer to the idea of a Rogue; the Syphon has a much larger pool of additional dice, but instead of constantly applying it when they attack a disabled opponent, they have a limited number of uses which they can use to deal significant burst damage and dramatically heal themselves when they're injured, which creates an interesting dynamic of going for immediate burst or waiting until you need healing to use your syphon abilities.
The third ability functions more similarly to a warlock; instead of having a set of dice, the Syphon gains a number of different mutations and alterations they can apply to themselves that help them gain the upper hand in combat; different powers to heal themselves or enfeeble their enemies while maintaining the self-sustaining skirmisher ideal that the class is based on.