New Specialization - Legionnaire of the Dead

[Dragon Son]

Here's another specialization, this one's exclusively a dwarven one, I'm really interested in feedback!

Legionnaire of the Dead – Dwarf Warrior or Rogue, Requirements: Willpower 3, the character must willingly let go of all his material goods to his heirs, if he has any, and join the Legion of the Dead, for the rest of the dwarven society he is as good as dead.

A great deal of importance is placed on the appearance of nobility and justice amongst the dwarves. The actions of one family member can often severely diminish an entire House's place in the social hierarchy of the dwarves. Some disgraced dwarves will choose to go through a ceremonial "death" to clear their names and the names of their families. They walk out of Orzammar into the Deep Roads to fight darkspawn for the rest of their lives as a member of the Legion of the Dead. When one of their number dies, the Legion will bury him or her within the stone, and celebrate the fact that the fallen has finally found peace.
(The fluff text above is taken from the Dragon Age wiki)

Novice: Life Debt – The Legionnaire has nothing left to lose, from this fatalism he draws strength. He adds +2 to any Willpower roll to resist fear/inimidation, this bonus applies even against magical effects.

Journeyman: Bloody Exchange – The Legionnaire will sell his life dearly, each time he is successfully damaged by a Darkspawn, (at least 1+ damage) he can perform a counterattack against his enemy. The character can use this power up to once per round, this counterattack cannot produce any kind of stunts.

Master: Ferocity – When up against any type of Darkspawn, the Legionnaire fights with unequaled ferocity. All combat stunts cost -1 point when the dwarf attacks Darkspawn, this reduction stacks with any other talent/power that reduces the cost of specific stunts (minimum 1).

[shonuff]

I think the novice and journeyman abilities are too strong. Life Debt doesn't completely fit lore because Sigrun acts afraid in DA:Awakenings. That, and this completely negates class builds. I would probably say +1 or +2 to Willpower (Morale) checks, and maybe just against darkspawn.

Bloody Exchange seems much stronger than other journeyman talents. Duelists, for example, only get a +1 to damage. Berserkers get a +3 to damage. A second attack as a free action (admittedly with caveats) would be much stronger. I would suggest, if you want to keep the attack, restricting stunt points and strength bonus from the second attack. But I would probably switch it out to something like "after taking damage from darkspawn gains a +3 bonus to damage rolls for remainder of encounter."

[Loswaith]

Looks ok, though I'd swap the ranks for Ferocity and Bloody exchange.

Though like shonuff, for Life Debt, I'd likely go with +2 bonus to courage, self-discipline and/or morale tests to resist fear/intimidation from darkspawn. That said I think it could work as immunity to fear just from darkspawn too without breaking the balance too much as well.

[shonuff]

Looks ok, though I'd swap the ranks for Ferocity and Bloody exchange.

Though like shonuff, for Life Debt, I'd likely go with +2 bonus to courage, self-discipline and/or morale tests to resist fear/intimidation from darkspawn. That said I think it could work as immunity to fear just from darkspawn too without breaking the balance too much as well.

Yeah, immunity to darkspawn fear wouldn't be too bad, although magical darkspawn fear could be a little game-breaky. A GM couldn't use a powerful debilitator as a boss, so it'd be nuke-nuke-nuke-nuke... it could get old.

[Dragon Son]

Though like shonuff, for Life Debt, I'd likely go with +2 bonus to courage, self-discipline and/or morale tests to resist fear/intimidation from darkspawn. That said I think it could work as immunity to fear just from darkspawn too without breaking the balance too much as well.

Good point. I think I'll make it a +2 against fear/Intimidation, not just against darkspawn.

Bloody Exchange seems much stronger than other journeyman talents. Duelists, for example, only get a +1 to damage. Berserkers get a +3 to damage. A second attack as a free action (admittedly with caveats) would be much stronger. I would suggest, if you want to keep the attack, restricting stunt points and strength bonus from the second attack. But I would probably switch it out to something like "after taking damage from darkspawn gains a +3 bonus to damage rolls for remainder of encounter."

You are right, as a solution I'll make it so that the counterattack does not produce stunts in itself. Do you think that would be enough to make Bloody Exchange somewhat more balanced?

Edit on the way, thank you once again shonuff and Loswaith.

[Dragon Son]

Final Edit complete.

[shonuff]

The counterattack might still be too strong. At upper levels, that could be 9d6+ whatever bonuses have been accumulated per round. I think it might depend on your campaign, though. If darkspawn are a rare encounter, then it wouldn't really matter and the legionnaire could shine in those encounters. If darkspawn are frequently encountered, then I think the legionnaire would be too strong.

There is also the issue that 2-handed warriors would benefit much more than rogues. 3d6 vs. 1d6 is a 7 damage (average) difference.

What about something like adding 1d6 damage per attack after suffering damage from a darkspawn (for the remainder of the encounter)?

[Dragon Son]

What about something like adding 1d6 damage per attack after suffering damage from a darkspawn (for the remainder of the encounter)?

Hmmm you might be right, the thing is that I can visualize a lot better the Bloody Exchange as it is written now, you know answering a wounding strike with a strike of your own, I thought that by saying that you can only perform this counterattack when you are actually damaged, not just hit, and by excluding any chance for stunts it would be somewhat balanced.