Simple kit mod idea, is it overpowered?

Gnoll

Hi everyone and anyone that may give me some balancing advice. I'm just starting to learn some coding and moding for the BG series despite playing it for like a decade.

I had an idea for a gladiator character that I hope to eventually turn into an NPC mod. The kit is loosely inspired by Mazzy's abilities, but not as a consequence of divine favor. I like the idea of a fighter having nonmagical "abilties" if they are truly exceptional/different than a common soldier or guard. The kit would be basically as follows:

Advantages

• Frenzy: Acts as Draw Upon Holy Might, gains a use at 1st level, again at 10th, and 20th
• Bravado: Acts as Remove Fear, one use at level 1, and again at level 3
• Spectacle: Acts as Cloak of Fear one use at level 7, again at level 15
• Arena Solidarity: Acts as defensive harmony, gains a use level 10, again at level 20
• Agility: Acts as Mazzy's Haste, gains a use at level 10, again at level 20

Disadvantages

• Heaviest armor they can wear is splint
• No bludgeoning weapons
• No ranged weapons
• Limited to two proficiency points, can't reach three proficiency points in two-weapon fighting

My attempt is, like the barbarian it trades armor and proficiency for some abilities, but I don't know if there should be a fatigue component as well like the berserker. Additionally, the casting time is reduced to match that of innate abilities, so essentially a casting time of 0, which is a large advantage as well. Are repeated uses of these abilities too much? Would it be better to have them be only each once a day?

For what it's worth, the NPC would be a half-gnoll with high strength and dexterity, and average constitution. Probably 17/18 for strength and dexterity, and maybe 15 or 16 for constitution.

Let me know what you think! Any ideas or perspective are appreciated.

Full descriptions/reasoning for the abilities are listed below:

Frenzy

Gladiators live and die in short, brutal encounters in arenas, pit, and coliseums all across Faerun. In a fit of desperation, cunning, or bravery, a gladiator draws upon hidden reserves of energy to overpower <PRO_HISHER> opponents in a brief frenzy. When <PRO_HESHE> does this, <PRO_HISHER> Strength, Constitution, and Dexterity are all raised by 1 point for every 3 levels of the gladiator. A 3rd-level gladiator would have <PRO_HISHER> abilities raised by 1, while a 12th-level gladiator would have <PRO_HISHER> abilities raised by 4.

Bravado

A gladiator understands that many fights in an arena are won due to mental fortitude. By swaggering, laughing, or displaying the utmost confidence, the gladiator bolsters <PRO_HISHER> morale, as well of <PRO_HISHER> allies. The recipients' morale will gradually reset to normal as the duration runs out. If the recipients are affected by magical fear, this is negated.

Spectacle

As a gladiator becomes more experienced in fighting, <PRO_HISHER> comes to better understand the psychological nature of combat. <PRO_HESHE> learns to intimidate, mock, taunt, and terrify opponents through the use of body language, displays of weapons, cries and yells, and the spectacle of this display.

In a 15-ft. radius all other characters and creatures must roll a successful Save vs. Spell or run away in panic for 4 rounds. Party members are immune to the effects, although they may find the gladiator's spectacle disquieting.

Arena Solidarity

Gladiator battles are as diverse as the arenas in which they take place and the fighters themselves. Usually gladiators fight one another in pairs, but at times they also fight wild animals or groups of enemies. In these situations it is common for gladiators to also fight in pairs or in groups. These bonds made in the arena, especially if two or more gladiators go on to become a team, are strong. Different fighting styles can blend together and the best gladiators learn eachother's movements, strengths, and weaknesses.

Working like a pack of wolves or lions, the gladiators work together in attack and defense, becoming something greater than the sum of their parts. All allies within a 15-ft. radius of the gladiator gain a +2 bonus to <PRO_HISHER> Armor Class. This lasts for 6 rounds or until dispelled. Those affected can move outside of this initial area and still enjoy the benefits of the harmony.

Agility

Gladiators learn in arenas, fighting pits, and coliseums to avoid wild animals, the weapons of other gladiators, and dangerous obstacles and traps. In a flood of hysterical adrenaline, experienced gladiators rely on years of practice and experience to increase their agility to supernatural levels. When this spell is cast, all creatures affected function at double their normal movement rate, gain a -2 initiative bonus, and receive an extra attack per round. The effect lasts for 3 rounds + 1 round/level.

OlvynChuru

I wouldn't call it overpowered; most of those abilities could already be cast as spells by a paladin. And the kit's limitation to 2 proficiency points in a weapon or style means the kit loses fighters' main advantage over paladins, rangers, and barbarians.

semiticgoddess

I'd call it only slightly underpowered. I'd rate an unkitted fighter as slightly stronger than this kit. Since most parties already have access to most of those spells, the only meaningful spell here is Frenzy, which is a great spell but doesn't really compensate for the loss of plate mail, ranged weapons, and crushing weapons.

It's not weak, though. It's a perfectly reasonable kit design.

Gnoll

Okay thank you for the feedback. I may also then put the proficencies back up to three and think about other changes!

Neverused

The loss of crushing weapons also means absolutely no way to kill Clay golems, if I'm not mistaken.

But yeah, I'd definitely say unkitted fighter over this, almost every day of the week: there's simply not enough for the loss of grand-mastery and armor choices.

Some vague ideas for a gladiator theme: add a couple "tricks" or something it could pull. Not sure how it'd be done (I suspect @subtledoctor could help you here, if he's willing), but something like abilities that'd add effects to melee hits, like Slow, Blind (for like 3 seconds, long enough to cancel a large variety of medium range spells), negative saves similar to Archer's Called Shot, or maybe even some defensive capabilities similar to a Blade's or possibly a Swashbuckler.

Skitia

I would allow one proficiency point in crushing weapons, and maybe three in everything else except styles and zero for bow/sling/etc or even outright prevented as you have it.

For a Good PC character, Frenzy is a bit duplicated, so is not a good choice. Maybe give it an aggressive theme with disregards to one's safety, I.E.: + critical chance with a melee weapon and bonus damage at the cost of accuracy and armor class, or maybe it gives them +1 APR for a while at the cost of accuracy or a damage penalty, something to wipe out low AC mobs quickly. Or a Dirty Fighting sort of ability, where their attack does X damage with a chance of blinding, etc.

You could also remove Remove Fear and just have them gain immunity to fear for the self.

Gnoll

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll do some more thinking as to tradeoffs and the potential uniqueness that may match the style better. Probably back to the drawing board for a bit.

I may think about modifying it to be based more on a barbarian than actual fighter. The ultimate goal is kind of for the character/gladiators to have less refined training in weapons or combat than a soldier for example, but make up for it as a barbarian does in force or other physical ability.

I like the idea of doing some abilities along the lines of how a gladiator is part showman/showwoman. Attacks designed to incapacitate or cause extra bleeding damage or something like that. As much as a gladiator wants to survive a fight to the death, he wants almost as much for the crowd to be on his side. Something like that may be hard to directly translate to skills or abilities against bandits for example, but it is something I will think about.