Custom Scout Class: Rifter

By BJZSN, in Descent: Journeys in the Dark

Decided to try my hand at another Scout class, the Rifter. The main focus of this class is its ability Rift Swap, which allows it to exchange itself with another figure. Most of the other skills will revolve around this starting skill, buffing or changing it in some way. I'm posting this now so I can look at it later today and to see how the community feels about the class mechanic in general (and yes, I'm well aware the skills themselves are very rough). By no means are any of these skills completed. Hopefully I can clean it all up in the next couple of days. Suggestions are appreciated as always.

Edit: I may have to rethink the starting Skill Rift Swap. As it stands, all other skills relate to Rift Swap being used in some way. If Rift Swap isn't being used almost every turn then the class in general loses a lot of oomph, especially since Rift Swap is more of a situational card in itself, it may not get used as often as I like. I'd like to keep the other skills the same so I'm thinking I'll have to rework Rift Swap in some way. If that doesn't work, I may have to revamp the class completely. If anyone has suggestions I'm all ears at this point.


Starting Weapon: Pathfinder *DONE
Ranged, 2-Handed, B/Y Dice
Bow, Rune
Surge: +1 Range
Surge: +1 Damage
Surge: Gain 2 movement points

Starting Other Item: Ring of Secrets *DONE
Trinket
While Rift Walk is exhausted. exhaust this card to spend 1 Fatigue. If you do, reroll a power or defense die.

Starting Skill: Rift Walk 0 Fatigue *DONE
You cannot perform Move actions and you cannot be Immobilized.
Action: Exhaust this card during your turn to choose a figure within 5 spaces of you. Place your figure in an empty space adjacent to the chosen figure.
This counts as entering that space. You may trade with any adjacent heroes after placing your figure.

Starting Skill: Rift Swap 1 Fatigue *DONE
Exhaust this card to place a hero figure chosen with Rift Walk in the space you previously occupied. This counts as entering that space.

1XP Skill: Pocket Dimension 1 Fatigue *DONE
Exhaust this card during your turn to choose another hero within 5 spaces of you.
You and the chosen hero may immediately trade cards as per normal trading rules.

1XP Skill: True Vision 0 Fatigue *REVISE
While Rift Swap is exhausted, figures do not block your line of sight.

1XP Skill: Avaricious Grasp 1 Fatigue *DONE
Use this card after you perform Rift Walk to search a search token within 3 spaces of you.

2XP Skill: Interdimensional 0 Fatigue *REVISE
While Rift Swap is exhausted, apply +1 to each of your attributes and add 1 grey die to your defense pool.

2XP Skill: Aether Manipulation 0 Fatigue *REVISE
Each time you resolve Rift Walk, recover 1 Damage.
Each time you resolve Rift Swap, the chosen hero recovers 1 Damage.

2XP Skill: Traverse Plane 0 Fatigue *REVISE
You may move 2 spaces before or after using Rift Swap.

3XP Skill: Position of Power 2 Fatigue *DONE
Use this card after you perform Rift Walk that chooses a monster to perform an attack targeting the chosen monster adding 1 green die to your attack pool.

3XP Skill: Rift Walker 0 Fatigue *REVISE
Each time you resolve Rift Swap, place a hero token on a figure that was chosen with Rift Swap.
While a hero has a hero token placed by this skill, once per round he may reroll 1 die.
While a monster has a hero token placed by this skill, each attack that targets it gains Pierce 1 and Doom.
Remove each hero token placed by this skill at the start of your next turn.

Edited by BJZSN

Sounds like a character using a portal gun.

Name for 3XP skill: Disorientation.

1XP skill, (something to the effect of gravity pull and some appropriate cost) place a hero token in an open spot within 3 spaces of this hero. Monsters passing through this or adjacent space must spend 1 extra movement point each movement. Remove at end of overlord turn.

2XP skill, (name) Rifter and heroes adjacent to Rifter may attack from the hero token used for (gravity pull) for melee, line of sight, and ranged attacks.

16 hours ago, backupsidekick said:

Sounds like a character using a portal gun.

Name for 3XP skill: Disorientation.

1XP skill, (something to the effect of gravity pull and some appropriate cost) place a hero token in an open spot within 3 spaces of this hero. Monsters passing through this or adjacent space must spend 1 extra movement point each movement. Remove at end of overlord turn.

2XP skill, (name) Rifter and heroes adjacent to Rifter may attack from the hero token used for (gravity pull) for melee, line of sight, and ranged attacks.

I really like the skill name Disorientation, I'mma gonna use it.

I think I may try to avoid putting in a skill that requires the use of a hero token since I've already got a skill that does so. Good suggestions though.

I'd like for anyone looking at this topic to give me their thoughts on the starting skill Rift Swap if possible. The entire class revolves around the use of it so I wanna make sure its worth using in the first place or the whole class falls apart. Is the fatigue cost good or bad, is the Action requirement too much or just right, etc.

Added a new skill:

2XP Skill: Interdimensional 0 Fatigue
While Rift Swap is exhausted, add 1 green die to your attack pool.

Changed the name of Disorientation to Rift Walker since I made a small change to it. Also added another skill and changed Interdimensional & Position of Power:

1XP Skill: True Vision 0 Fatigue
While Rift Swap is exhausted, figures do not block your line of sight.

2XP Skill: Interdimensional 0 Fatigue
While Rift Swap is exhausted, apply +1 to each of your attributes and add 1 grey die to your defense pool.

3XP Skill: Position of Power 1 Fatigue
Use this card after you perform Rift Swap that chooses a monster to perform an attack targeting the chosen monster adding 1 green die to your attack pool.

3XP Skill: Rift Walker 0 Fatigue
Each time you resolve Rift Swap, place a hero token on a figure that was chosen with Rift Swap.
While a hero has a hero token placed by this skill, once per round he may reroll 1 die.
While a monster has a hero token placed by this skill, each attack that targets it gains Pierce 1 and Doom.
Remove each hero token placed by this skill at the start of your next turn.

Edited by BJZSN

Added a weapon and trinket:

Starting Weapon: Pathfinder
Ranged, 2-Handed, B/Y Dice
Bow, Exotic
Surge: +1 Range
Surge: +1 Damage
Surge: Gain 2 movement points

Starting Other Item: Ring of Secrets
Trinket
While Rift Swap is exhausted. exhaust this card to spend 1 Fatigue. If you do, reroll a power or defense die.

I may have to rethink the starting Skill Rift Swap. As it stands, all other skills relate to Rift Swap being used in some way. If Rift Swap isn't being used almost every turn then the class in general loses a lot of oomph, especially since Rift Swap is more of a situational card in itself, it may not get used as often as I like. I'd like to keep the other skills the same so I'm thinking I'll have to rework Rift Swap in some way. If that doesn't work, I may have to revamp the class completely. If anyone has suggestions I'm all ears at this point.

Maybe use Rift Swap to enter an empty space within 3 spaces in addition to its current effect? That will make it essentially a weaker move action in the beginning of the game but more attractive to use as the hero acquires more skills. That will make Rift Swap a lot less situational since it can now be used to also move past obstacles, water, more easy searching etc. It might break some quests though.

14 hours ago, Ceasarsalad101 said:

Maybe use Rift Swap to enter an empty space within 3 spaces in addition to its current effect? That will make it essentially a weaker move action in the beginning of the game but more attractive to use as the hero acquires more skills. That will make Rift Swap a lot less situational since it can now be used to also move past obstacles, water, more easy searching etc. It might break some quests though.

Truthfully, after thinking about it yesterday I'm probably gonna revise the starting skill altogether. The original concept was to have a Scout that had a unique movement mechanic different to any other class. My idea is that the first part of the starting skill will be that you cannot perform Move actions and you cannot be Immobilized (so you can still spend fatigue to move). The second part would be the unique movement mechanic I'm trying to come up with. The original idea for the movement mechanic was to swap with figures to get around which can be used tactically, but as is it's too situational I'll have to change it around a nice bit. I agree with you that as a starting skill, being able to place within 3 spaces may be too strong. It's not a bad suggestion at all though. It'll be useful if I work it into the revision. Seriously, any suggestions are great for me because they help get the ball rolling in some way or another, thanks!

Edited by BJZSN
2 hours ago, BJZSN said:

The original concept was to have a Scout that had a unique movement mechanic different to any other class. My idea is that the first part of the starting skill will be that you cannot perform Move actions and you cannot be Immobilized (so you can still spend fatigue to move).

I wish I had insight to provide but I'm only able to express my encouragement and excitement for this mechanic. I think a class that can only move via fatigue or swapping out with another figure would be an amazing idea and I hope you are able to figure out a way to implement it. Great job and thanks for all your hard work.

11 minutes ago, Nightowl444 said:

I wish I had insight to provide but I'm only able to express my encouragement and excitement for this mechanic. I think a class that can only move via fatigue or swapping out with another figure would be an amazing idea and I hope you are able to figure out a way to implement it. Great job and thanks for all your hard work.

Thanks! And no worries, I'll find a way to make it work. It's just a matter of time.

Okay so I've come up with something. Not finished or anything, just an idea for the rework that may work given a bit of tinkering. I realize the mechanic here can be abused (mostly to screw with objective-holding monsters), but I wanna try and make this work since this is a revision that I feel has 'some' traction. I haven't changed any of the other skills around since I'm not sure where this is going. I'll be tweaking this when I get some more ideas with it (I don't think too well) but if anyone has some input I'll gladly accept.

Edit: The wording is quite rough, but unintentional. I'll fix it when I settle on how the mechanic will work. Also reworded Rift Swap to add an Awareness test.

Starting Skill: Rift Walk 0 Fatigue
You cannot perform Move actions and you cannot be Immobilized.
Action: Exhaust this card during your turn to choose a figure within 5 spaces of you. Place your figure in an empty space adjacent to the chosen figure.
This counts as entering that space.

Starting Skill: Rift Swap 1 Fatigue
You may test Awareness after you resolve Rift Walk.
If you pass, exhaust this card to place the figure chosen with Rift Walk in the space you previously occupied. This counts as entering that space.
This skill costs 1 additional fatigue if a Large figure was chosen with Rift Walk.
This card cannot be used if the chosen figure cannot legally occupy the new space.

Edited by BJZSN