Jon, Would you mind posting the info for sphere casting clerics and wizards? I'd like to take a look at them and see if It's something I could pick up and replicate what I want my character to do. Which is mainly buffing and utility.
On Multiple Incanter Domains: Incidentally, the thing about getting those bonus powers as an Incanter is that you are sacrificing some of your higher-level bonuses. If someone was planning on playing an Incanter 1-20, I'd probably allow them to take five Domains if that's what they wanted to do. For a one level dip, though, I feel like it would be kind of cheating to gain lots of extra abilities without ever having to pay the cost. XD;
@Cyndrius: It could go either way, really. Spheres is nice like that. Personally, I prefer a unified flavor for the character, but that's just because it fits my idea better. XD
Casting: The sphere cleric may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. The sphere cleric is considered a High-Caster and uses Wisdom as his casting ability modifier. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.) This replaces the spells class feature.
Spell Pool: The sphere cleric gains a small reservoir of energy he can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to his level + his Wisdom modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.
Magic Talents: A sphere cleric gains 1 magic talent at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter.
Necromantic Focus: A sphere cleric who chooses to channel positive energy at 1st level gains the Life sphere as a bonus magic talent. A sphere cleric who chooses to channel negative energy gains the Death sphere as a bonus magic talent. They gain an additional talent from this sphere at every odd level beyond 1st. This replaces spontaneous casting.
Domains: A sphere cleric gains domains as normal, but does not gain domain spells. Instead, they gain a bonus magic talent at 1st level, chosen from the spheres associated with his selected domains. He gains an additional magic talent from one of those domains at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. The spheres associated with each domain are as follows: Air (Weather), Animal (Alteration), Artifice (Creation), Chaos (Fate), Charm (Mind), Community (Protection), Darkness (Dark), Death (Death), Destruction (Destruction), Earth (Nature), Evil (Fate), Fire (Nature), Glory (Enhancement), Good (Fate), Healing (Life), Knowledge (Divination), Law (Fate), Liberation (Warp), Luck (Fate), Madness (Mind), Magic (Divination), Nobility (War), Plant (Nature), Protection
(Protection), Repose (Life), Rune (Enhancement), Scalykind (Alteration), Strength (Enhancement), Sun (Light), Travel (Warp), Trickery (Illusion), Void (Warp), War (War), Water (Nature), Weather (Weather). This modifies the domains class feature.
Recommended Casting Tradition: The classic feel of the cleric can be recreated through taking the divine petitioner casting tradition.
Casting: The sphere wizard may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. The sphere wizard is considered a High-Caster and uses Intelligence as his casting ability modifier. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.) This replaces the spells class feature.
Spell Points: The sphere wizard gains a small reservoir of energy she can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to her level + her Intelligent modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.
Magic Talents: A sphere wizard gains 3 magic talents every 2 levels. (2 at 1st level, 1 at 2nd level, 2 at 3rd level, 1 at 4th level, etc.)
Sphere Specialization: A sphere wizard gains a sphere specialization of her choice from the list of sphere specializations included in the Incanter class description. This replaces the arcane school and arcane bond class features.
Recommended Casting Tradition: The classic feel of the wizard can be recreated through selecting the traditional magic casting tradition.
Well, you have several days to learn, and the basic rules are only about 1500 words or so. It's simply finding out what each Sphere can do that takes time, but the names are a pretty solid summary of each of them. If you're surprised by anything in Destruction I'll be a little sad.Yes it's the time it takes to learn the various spheres that I'm worried about. I won't feel comfortable choosing any of them until I know what they actually do rather than simply the themes..
Alright, quick rundown:
Alteration is good for self-buffing and adding some abilities from monsters to yourself. Good for the occasional buff or three- Especially beastial reflexes. Think Wildshape split into a thousand pieces.Conjuration grants you a eidolon without evolutions, which you buy with other talents. You can gain multiple, but must get separate evolutions for each of them. Very good for just making some BBEG.
Creation is the Minor Creation (Base sphere), Fabricate (A talent), and Major Creation (Spend a talent) line of feats in about six or so talents. Great for the general utility of having most mundane items at-will.
Darkness makes a lot of darkness, with a standard action. Has meld talents which grants some spellcasting. GOod for some battlefield control with Solid Darkness, making it kinda like the Fog spells.
Death is Necromancy- Animate Dead as a temporary effect with no cost, and the Wizards debuffs.
Destruction is all the blast spells, plus some battlefield control with the Wall shape.
Divination is basically the Divination school in the Spheres of Power system, plus a few good buffs.
Enhancement is basically the spells that replicate magic items- Though also has Animate Object available.
I'll make a post later going into further detail, but that's the first six or so spheres. I suggest, if you want a quick rundown, to read The Orrery: Handbook to Spheres of Power.
A question regarding the Spheres of Power system:
Would a character gestalting two caster classes have one set of powers totalling the features of the two, or would they function as per "Multiple Traditions"?
I'd treat it as multiclassing, myself- Yous till have the same tradition for both classes, same spellpoint pool, ect. From my limited understanding, that's how the Devs ruled it when someone brought Gestalting up. Gain talents from both classes, but otherwise, is multiclassing.
Jon, Would you mind posting the info for sphere casting clerics and wizards? I'd like to take a look at them and see if It's something I could pick up and replicate what I want my character to do. Which is mainly buffing and utility.
I would steer away from a cleric- It might be a full caster, but it gets about twelve talents in total, plus bout four from a specific sphere. I would, instead, recomend the Incanter- While it has Poor BaB, it has 8 talents at this level, and can gain Channel Energy, and two domains, plus two bonus feats. I really don't like the Sphere Wizard, but it's SLIGHTLY better than a Incanter, with 5 bonus feats vs the Incanter's 4 (at 4, 8, 12, and 16)
Good spheres for buffing are Alteration (Movement Modes), Life (Healing), and Fate (Numerical bonuses), Divination has a decent buff or two, and Protection is the best. Enhancement doesn't stack with magic items, so avoid that. Time sphere grants good buffs, and War Sphere focuses on buffing, but most of their abilities are somewhat lackluster, with Rallies being better- Read up the spellcrafting rules and use them heavily with totems, or take that drawbacks that remove totems and just ignore them. WIth utility, can't go wrong with the Creation and Illusion spheres, which are giant toolboxes.
I'm gonna back out. The concept is very interesting, but I've got into another game and think I have a strong chance at a second. And I was iffy about Gestalt at best.
Sorry to see you go.
When is the closing date?
NOTICE
Applications will be open until 23.59 on Monday the 8th GMT. I will be announcing the players later that evening, with a little luck, or possibly Tuesday depending on how much I feel like napping.
NOTICE
Applications will be open until 23.59 on Monday the 8th GMT. I will be announcing the players later that evening, with a little luck, or possibly Tuesday depending on how much I feel like napping.
TY I must have missed that.
Bummer, Indescribable. But enjoy the other game.
And yes, Monday the 8th. Feel free to tweek and alter things up 'till that point.
Can't wait
Sphere looks neat, but I'm really not comfortable trying to learn it by monday, because I've got a bit of a busy weekend ahead.
Also, with the Spiritualist's Phantom being involved, plus gestalt, I've already got a lot on my plate.
I'm going to stick with vancian magic.
I'll try to finish up tonight. Even though it's looking incredibly popular.
I'll try to finish up tonight. Even though it's looking incredibly popular.
Yeah, I'm seriously looking into hiding in a blanket fort when it comes time to select applicants.
quick question so I make sure i get it right...i get 2 magic talents at first level, and one every two levels if I'm a magus? I just want to make sure when i'm finishing up my toon....
I think it's three at first, since you gain one at every level, but otherwise yeah.
I want to put my best foot forward to find the missing princess. I offer my skills.
OK boys and girls - here's who we have so far. If I've missed you, or put you in the wrong section, or linked to an old version of the character, give me a bell.
Incomplete Sheets - Sheets missing either crunch or fluff.
derpidruid - Martyear Safan - Half-Elf - Sacred Shield Paladin 5/Life Shaman 5
TheWaskally - Lukas Shipwright - Human - Clever Godling 5/Ranger (Freebooter) 5.
Complete Sheets
JohnnyCat93 - Daggerproof Haalan - Human - White-Haired Witch 2/Strangler Snakebite Strike 3/Serpentfire Adept 5
GM Arkwright - Segeant Irra Sarusek - Gnome - Bard (Soundstriker)/Oracle
hallowsinder - Julie De Vult - Human - Fighter 5/Incanter 4-Mystic 1.
TheGodd*amMan - Bene Gesserit - Human - Unchained Monk/Reincarnated Druid 5
DekoTheBarbarian - Stirling - Half-Elf - Shere Bard - Unchained Martial Artist Monk 5
mourge40k - Matthew Hazeman - Human - Eldritch Guardian Fighter/Empiricist Sleuth Investigator 5
Philo Pharync - Kiyomi - Kitsune - Eliciter/Elementalist 5
Cydrius - Lady Karnelia - Changeling - Haunted Oracle of the Occult/Spiritualist
Bane88 - Christaph Van Archaos - Elan - Psion/Psychic Sorcerer
fearcupher - Aritian Gestavah - Human - Abjurer/Ecclesitheurge Cleric of Groetus 5
Viscount K - Aaron Archaos - Human? - Chosen One Paladin/Swashbuckler
Malkav the Maven - Half-Orc - Scholar 2/Factotoum 3 - Magus 5
Rednal - Ellara - Human - Incanter 5/Shifter 5
Lady Karnelia isn't 100% complete, I've yet to write up her appearance, but she is practically so. Feel free to leave her where she is.
Generally speaking, you take the Spherecasting archetype for the class, which tells you what to replace. ^^
Alright thanks. I probably shouldn't have erased that question post, in hindsight. I'll take a look at that.
Jon, could I get an official word on how two gestalt sphere classes stack?
EDIT: There doesn't seem to be a Sphere Oracle nor a Sphere Spiritualist. Mh. Yeah, this is getting to be too much trouble for my taste.
In fairness, Spiritualists are newer than the Spheres of Power book. XD;
Oracle we can do, though.
Casting: The sphere oracle may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. The sphere oracle is considered a High-Caster and uses Charisma as his casting ability modifier. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.) This replaces the spells class feature.
Spell Pool: The sphere oracle gains a small reservoir of energy he can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to his level + his Charisma modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.
Magic Talents: A sphere oracle gains 1 magic talent every level.
Oracle’s Strength (Su): A sphere oracle gains +1 spell point at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter. This replaces mystery spells.
Oracle’s Curse: If the sphere oracle selects a curse that normally grants bonus spells (for example, Haunted), he does not gain spells. Instead, he gains a bonus magic talent at 1st, 5th, 10th, and 15th levels, chosen from the sphere associated with that curse (for example, Haunted would grant magic talents from the Telekinesis sphere).
Recommended Casting Tradition: The classic feel of the oracle can be recreated through taking the Verbal Casting drawback.
Hm. I'm somewhat less busy than I expected in the end, so I'm going to explore the possibility of switching either one or both of my classes to sphere-style.
Could someone explain to me how one translates the pathfinder classes into a sphere equivalent?
Also, Jon, I'd like your personal stance on how two sphere classes gestalt together. Do you have the sum of both talents and power points with his caster level being the highest of both?
I can give you the Oracle Archetype. It basically replaces casting, and any Curse (such as Haunted) that gives spells instead gives related Spheres (so the Telekentic Sphere) at 1st and again every 5 levels. If a class doesn't have an archetype use that as a general idea for what to replace.
With Gestalting two Sphere types, combine there Spell Points into one big pool and use the higher or the caster types for deciding your caster level. If you do a particularly horrible trick with it I might ask you to split them up, but for now just treat it as one, terrifying lump.
Casting: The sphere oracle may combine spheres and talents
to create magical effects. The sphere oracle is considered a
High-Caster and uses Charisma as his casting ability modifier.
(Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents and may select a casting
tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.)
This replaces the spells class feature.
Spell Pool: The sphere oracle gains a small reservoir of energy
he can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell
pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to his
level + his Charisma modifier (minimum: 1). This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.
Magic Talents: A sphere oracle gains 1 magic talent every
level.
Oracle’s Strength (Su): A sphere oracle gains +1 spell point
at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter.
This replaces mystery spells.
Oracle’s Curse: If the sphere oracle selects a curse that normally grants bonus spells (for example, Haunted), he does not
gain spells. Instead, he gains a bonus magic talent at 1st, 5th,
10th, and 15th levels, chosen from the sphere associated with
that curse (for example, Haunted would grant magic talents
from the Telekinesis sphere).
*Lots of Stuff*
I'm very sorry, I missed this initially. Or possibly blanked it and ran screaming for bed. I am fuzzy on the details.
- Yes, FCB can suck. The number of times I've stared, sadly, at the single HP I grabbed while someone else got a shiny new spell. However, I can assure you there will be plenty of downtime to craft things. Honest.
- I approve of Dwarvern Arcadia.
- I'll allow Mental Forger and Runeforger. We can always discuss things if it proves too scary.
- I have no idea how to cost the Investigator stuff. I'll think on it.
- You can grab two drawbacks if you really want, sure.
History added to the profile here.
Oh, I'm going to LOVE it when the files are out. XD Here's an actual sheet for Ellara. I'm PRETTY sure it's right.
Appearance
Female human Incanter 5/Shifter (Beastmind) 5/ gestalt 5
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +7; Senses Perception +12
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+1 deflection, +1 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 40 (5d8)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +8
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +7 (1d4+4)
Special Attacks 1 shards of iron strike
Spheres Known
. . Alteration (Avian Transformation, Bestial Reflexes, Dragon Transformation, Elemental Transformation, Greater Transformation, Size Change) (Drawback: Lycanthropic)
. . Destruction (Energy Blade, Forceful Blast [deals Force Damage, d8 instead of d6], Greater Blast) (Drawback: Energy Focus [Force])
. . Divination (Blindfolded Oracle)
. . Life (Fount of Life, Greater Healing)
. . Protection (Armored Magic) (Drawback: Protected Soul)
. . Warp (Emergency Teleport, Extradimensional Storage)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 14, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 18, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Extra Bestial Trait, Energy Specialization, Improved Energy Blade, Improved Initiative, Martial Training I, Melee Blaster, Power Attack,
Traits reactionary
Skills Appraise +8, Bluff +3, Climb +7, Diplomacy +5, Disguise +6, Fly +8, Handle Animal +6, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge (history) +7, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (nature) +7, Knowledge (nobility) +7, Linguistics +6, Perception +12, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +5, Survival +10, Swim +6
Languages Common, Elven; steal language
SQ academy trained (trait), bestial trait, enhanced attacks, evasion, lingering transformation, mental transformation, quick transformation, shifter, spell pool, wild empathy
Other Gear belt of natural armor +1, guided amulet of mighty fists, ring of protection +1, 2,500 gp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
1 Shards of Iron Strike (Readied, 1/Encounter) (Ex) Attack foe, if successful they are staggered for one round
Academy Trained (Trait) (Ex) You have attended one of several magical academies, and have picked up a few interesting tricks. Benefit: As a favoured class bonus, you may gain a new spell or Sphere Talent every two levels.
Bestial Trait (Ex) At 2nd level and every 4 levels thereafter, the shifter gains a bestial trait, representing the ways she has changed through her assumption of other forms. The shifter may choose to keep these traits when she assumes other forms, even if the trait wo
Energy Specialization (Force) Choose one blast type group. Your destructive blasts using blast types from that group gain a +2 insight bonus to caster level.
Enhanced Attacks (Su) Starting at 4th level, the shifter’s magic begins to augment her natural attacks, in both his normal and transformed shapes. All the shifter’s natural attacks are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th lev
Evasion (Ex) This functions identically to the rogue ability.
Improved Energy Blade You may activate the Energy Blade talent as a swift action when making a melee or ranged weapon or natural weapon attack, but not a touch attack. The next successful attack deals your destructive blast damage in addition to its normal damage.
Lingering Transformation (Ex) At 4th level, when the shifter applies a shapeshift to herself and maintains it through concentration or decides not to maintain the shapeshift at all, the shapeshift lasts an additional number of rounds equal to 1/2 her shifter level before ending.
Martial Training I (Broken Blade) You’ve learned the basics in a martial discipline.
Melee Blaster Melee Destructive Blasts (inc. Energy Blade) don't provoke Attacks of Opportunity.
Mental Transformation (Ex) At 2nd level, the beastmind’s transformations affect his mind as well as his body, increasing his abilities. While shapeshifted, the beastmind gain a +1 bonus to Acrobatics, Climb, Survival, and Swim skill checks. This increases by 1 for every 8 sh
Merciful Spell You can cast a spell that deals non-lethal damage instead of lethal damage.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Quick Transformation (Ex) The shifter may use the Alteration sphere to apply a shapeshift to herself and only herself as a move action. Maintaining this effect through concentration only requires a move action each round.
Shifter (Ex) At first level the shifter gains the Alteration sphere as a bonus magic talent. The shifter uses her class level as her caster level for this sphere. This stacks normally with caster levels gained from other sources.
Spell Pool (18/day) (Ex) Incanters and Shifters gain a small reservoir of energy they can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to their class level + their casting ability modifier (minimum: 1). This
Steal Language (Su) At 5th level, a shifter can not only change her body, but also her mind. The shifter may touch a target, gaining for 24 hours the ability to speak and understand one language that creature speaks. This can work on animals and other creatures that don
Wild Empathy (Ex) A shifter gains wild empathy as the druid class feature, treating her shifter levels as druid levels for this purpose.
--------------------
"By the order of House Khalavest, I have come to serve the Royal Family. You may command my services as you desire."
Ellara is the result of considerable research by House Khalavest - while extremely human in her basic appearance, the truth is that she's closer to being a homonculus. Through various magical processes, they combined the life energies of several of the House's more powerful magicians and used that to generate a baby in a sorceress who emphasized healing powers (and was thus judged far safer to put an experiment in - she volunteered).
Even before birth, House Khalavest was busy experimenting on Ellara, infusing her with the innate magical energy that would later become the basis of her powers - and the experiments continued after her birth, through her childhood, and right into her adolescence. At that point, they finally decided to stop and see what had happened.
As it turned out... quite a lot.
Ellara's most notable power is her mastery of shapeshifting. She's capable of transforming her body in an almost frightening variety of ways, with everything from sprouting wings to changing size to even converting her body into elemental energy. This allows her to adjust to differing situations in mere moments, taking whatever form is most useful for the task at hand. In combat, her specialty is a rapid series of strikes with natural weapons that she spontaneously grows from her body.
Outside of her rapidly-shifting physical form, Ellara's talents are relatively diverse. She's capable of unleashing destructive blasts (including converting them into force or sonic noise to help get around resistances), and her abilities in Divination are a great help for finding hidden things.
She was also infused with healing energies, including a store of healing power she tries to keep topped-up as often as possible. This allows her to heal herself or others at a moment's notice, and her sudden regeneration of power has often come as a nasty surprise to those who've fought her in combat. Finally, just to screw with people, she was given the ability to generate magical armor for herself and teleport short distances.
Of course, while it's full of researchers, House Khalavest is NOT full of idiots, and they were perfectly aware of the trouble that could be caused if such a powerful experiment went rogue. Accordingly, from an early age, they were careful to drill the values and teachings of society into her, and as a result she's loyal to her house, then the Royal Family, then Ambervale as a whole (in that order).
As a gesture of loyalty towards the Crown, House Khalavest has recently given Ellara's services to the Royal Family, to be used in whatever capacity they desire. This is both a test of her abilities in real-world scenarios and a way of emphasizing that while they may do interesting and dangerous research, the house is not (currently) opposing the throne.
-------------------------------
SPHERES
Alteration (B)
-Avian Transformation
-Bestial Reflexes
-Dragon Transformation
-Elemental Transformation
-Greater Transformation (B)
-Size Change
-Drawback: Lycanthropic
Destruction
-Energy Blade
-Forceful Blast (deals Force Damage, d8 instead of d6) (B)
-Greater Blast
Divination
-Blindfolded Oracle
Life
-Fount of Life
-Greater Healing
Protection
-Armored Magic (B)
-Drawback: Protected Soul
Warp
-Emergency Teleport
-Extradimensional Storage
-------------------------
Spheres Known Breakdown:
TOTAL: 17 (not counting bonuses)
Incanter: 10 (+2 Bonus)
2 (Base)
8 (Level)
Armored Magic (from Protected Soul Drawback)
Forceful Blast (from Energy Focus Drawback)
Shifter: 5 (+2 Bonuses)
2 (Base)
3 (Level)
Alteration (Bonus)
Greater Transformation (from Lycanthropic Drawback)
Academy Trained Trait: 2
2 (5 levels, gaining 1 every even level)
Drawbacks:
Alteration:
-Lycanthropic
Destruction:
-Energy Focus (Force)
Protection:
-Protected Soul
When will you make your party choices?
Later Monday night to Tuesday, unless things go horribly wrong. Cutoff is 23.59 GMT on Monday.
Oops! Forgot that I didn't "actually" post the sheet (hope you don't mind mythweavers).
Noted, I have updated my notedpad to reflect the sheet.
Aaron's pretty close to complete, I've certainly made all the major choices. Still got a trait or two to figure out and a little leftover gold, but that's about it...
Excepting the Spheres of Power stuff. I haven't even begun to glance at it, and technically Paladins are spellcasters. I'm giving some serious thought to just taking an archetype that drops spellcasting so I don't have to figure it out just now. =p I'm kinda interested in it, I'm just a little low on time at the moment - I may get to it this weekend, but otherwise I'll ditch spellcasting somehow, I guess.
Incidentally, Ellara's mainly meant to be a problem-solver in the sense of getting into places. Very deadly in combat once she has a chance to shift, which... is a smaller part of the game. XD *Somewhat intentional decision, since not EVERYONE should be a Diplomancer type*
Yeah, I figured at least one or two people will be less diplomancer. They will be viewed as delicious prey.
I'll prolly be good at diplomancing, but I'll hopefully also be good at combat on my monk side.
Hey Jon
Does the Mesmerist have a spheres of power version? I'm guessing not if spiritualist doesn't. How do you want to handle this?
Also Jon - stats before templating (posting for sake of transparency)
Human (Dual Talented):
Str: 15+1 (lvl4) +2 (human)
Dex: 14
Con: 13
Int: 10
Wis: 14
Cha: 14 +2 (human)
Still being worked on but may as well throw him in before the window slams shut. :)
Hailing from a very interesting noble house, Haelrath Monsigbris. Just another scion to low on the latter to pay much mind to, considering his great great great grandparents are still alive and in charge of the house while he is not even the eldest. He has had much free time. ;)
Dice rolling for extra transparency.
Also are feats from Way of the Wicked allowed?
While I will definantly have some diplomacy ability, it will not be her focus- Her focus will be on equiping my allies and on information gathering (Presuming that the Investigator one is not banned).
- Yes, FCB can suck. The number of times I've stared, sadly, at the single HP I grabbed while someone else got a shiny new spell. However, I can assure you there will be plenty of downtime to craft things. Honest.
- I approve of Dwarvern Arcadia.
- I'll allow Mental Forger and Runeforger. We can always discuss things if it proves too scary.
- I have no idea how to cost the Investigator stuff. I'll think on it.
- You can grab two drawbacks if you really want, sure.
Alright, thank you for answering my questions-
On Favored Class Bonuses: While that is certainly the case, it would be me bemoaning the loss of a Hit point when my character is knocked out (An undeniable boon that is also INCREDIBLY versatile) to trade away for a simple method to burn through a unlimited resource faster. However, while I do not doubt that I will have plenty of time to craft, I would still enjoy having the FCB when I need some sort of magic item YESTERDAY (Such as, let's say, we discover that we have to infiltrate Evil Cultist Y's hideout, and infiltrate their knowledge. We have the big guy of the party capture person X, the Paladin gathers information about their habits while I spend a couple hours beating out a Stalker's Mask, then we send our Rogue in to set it up for us to kill everyone there.
However, without the favored class bonus, it would take two days to make the mask, which we just might not have. With the FCB, I can craft it within one day, or maybe just four hours if I make haste. That is why I want the Wizard Dwarf FCB- So that scinarios like those can be put into place without taking days to make the single magic item we need. The Hit points, however, would be more useful in the general sense, in that I'm less likely to die.
Thank you for the Kingdom- Bella's Father will love that he has a chance to establish a trade alliance with Ambervale.
Personally, looking at it, I'd compare it to a Bloodline- Which, when looking at it, doesn't bode too well in the long-term.
Arcane Bloodline Bonus: A familiar is incredibly useful, scales with level, grants a scouting partner, and immense versatility. Can Aid Another. Can use to increase your HP by 50%. In this Gestalt setting, can be used as a kinda-animal-companion with the mauler familiar archetype. At higher levels, with Improved Familiar and some gold, you can use it to double your action economy with wands. Aid Another can grant +2 to all skills you have ranks in, and many you don't.
Inspiration: Grants +1d6 to any roll, limited times per day except for Knowledge checks. Limited times per day. Looking between the two, the Inspiration is slightly less versatile, but this is still incredibly versatile.
Result: +2 for Arcane Bloodline. Aid another by itself is a slightly weaker version of Inspiration, at-will, with a bonus of granting it's owner a myriad of new options, including +2 to perception and casting touch spells through your familiar, plus them maybe dropping down caltrops and other items. It's just amazing how useful a familiar is, especially if it can actually fly. Might be +3, I don't know.
Metamagic Adept: Decreases casting time for Metamagic Spells 1/day, increasing by one every four levels. This is slightly less powerful, but is still an action economy BLOWOUT. Very limited in number of uses, however, but very valuable, and increases in uses every level.
Comparison: Ceaseless Observation- Gain Int to a lot of skills. Very very good, bordering on top of the line. Int to a dozen different skills is rather nice.
Result: +1 for investigator- Ceaseless Observation is a major boon for literally the entire class, Int to four skills is quite frankly amazing, especially since it reduces the need for Charisma and Dexterity, while remaining at will. While the action ecnomy advantage is wonderful, the ability to become closer to SAD is invaluable.
New Arcana: Gain 2 Wizard spells added to your spell list. Seriously- You can't argue that that isn't freaking AMAZING, it's essentially a bonus feat which can spread out a dozen paces! Though it would probably just be shifted to a bonus sphere, which is still a feat.
Investigator Talent: Gained earlier, but is also essentially a bonus feat. Except that most of the feats are near worthless for anybody but a pure investigator, since you lack most of their class features.
Results: +1 to Investigator: I'll admit, I granted it earlier, but it's still balanced in comparison to adding, let's say, life or time to your spheres.
School Power: +2 to the DC of a Sphere. Equal to two feats, and stacks with them.
another Investigator Talent: One feat.
Results: +1 to +1.5 to Bloodline- +2 to DCs is incredibly awesome, being two feats in one. You can't beat that in most spheres.
Spell Slots to Charges: Well f+!+. This is just unbeatable- No casting time ajustments, plus being able to cast level 4 spells with level 3 spell slots is awesome, if you can't find a charged item that holds higher level spells than 4. Actually, staves- So make that level 9 spells.
Investigator: Another talent.
Yeah, It's weaker than a bloodline. Might be on the slightly higher-end of the Domain tree, like Travel, which grants a move action teleport, +10 to speed, and freedom of movement 5 rounds a day, increasing with level. I'd say buff it to bloodline strength- Grant Brew Potion at level 1, and a talent at level 3 and every five levels after, instead of six. Alternatively, at level 4, grant Brew Potion, and grant alchemy as a paladin gains spells- Limited, but there- And doing better as you level. Alternatively, maybe a few divination talents strewn every once in a while.
Alright, thank you for the Drawbacks!
Now, onto MOAR REQUESTS. Mostly stuff you might have missed-
I posted an explanation for my Schemas, but it pretty much boiled down to this: I don’t want to have to re-allocate my money every level, and I have a strong dislike of most every consumable (The only one I don’t mind are Feather Token (Tree)s). Think of it like my version of a spell list, only slightly weaker, but highly versatile: Half my WBL is used to buy a level 3 spell if I craft it for myself. If I decide to treat myself like a six level caster, and nab schema from the Bard and Summoner list, I gain about one or two per day, not including my actual items. Not to mention, with the use of Schemas for spellcasting, I combine the worst of sorcerers (Not being able to change their spell lists) with Wizards (Not being able to change their spells per day).
That, and I kinda crafted my inventory a while buck under the presumption that I could use Schemas and Eternal Wands. So... I’d have to redesign my entire inventory. I’d rather not spend that much time on it.
May I, as an option in case I decide I don’t want a Homoculus Familiar, gain a Clockwork Familiar, given to her by her father? They are gained at the same level natively (CL 7), both have similar thematic connotations (People makeing companions), and both have useful abilities.
Alternatively, may I request a Expeditious messenger, ported from Ebberon, as my familiar?
Any chance of being able to craft mundane and alchemical items without dipping into the limited pool I can craft?
I take it I can’t take two more drawbacks for a fourth trait?
...The idea of anyone thinking of Ellara as prey amuses me. XD
Hey Jon
Does the Mesmerist have a spheres of power version? I'm guessing not if spiritualist doesn't. How do you want to handle this?
Treat them as a mid-caster, getting a talent at every caster level.
Dice rolling for extra transparency.
Also are feats from Way of the Wicked allowed?
Yes, Way of the Wicked is fine. Just finished that game. Gooood campaign.
Now, onto MOAR REQUESTS. Mostly stuff you might have missed-
I posted an explanation for my Schemas, but it pretty much boiled down to this: I don’t want to have to re-allocate my money every level, and I have a strong dislike of most every consumable (The only one I don’t mind are Feather Token (Tree)s). Think of it like my version of a spell list, only slightly weaker, but highly versatile: Half my WBL is used to buy a level 3 spell if I craft it for myself. If I decide to treat myself like a six level caster, and nab schema from the Bard and Summoner list, I gain about one or two per day, not including my actual items. Not to mention, with the use of Schemas for spellcasting, I combine the worst of sorcerers (Not being able to change their spell lists) with Wizards (Not being able to change their spells per day).That, and I kinda crafted my inventory a while buck under the presumption that I could use Schemas and Eternal Wands. So... I’d have to redesign my entire inventory. I’d rather not spend that much time on it.
May I, as an option in case I decide I don’t want a Homoculus Familiar, gain a Clockwork Familiar, given to her by her father? They are gained at the same level natively (CL 7), both have similar thematic connotations (People makeing companions), and both have useful abilities.
Alternatively, may I request a Expeditious messenger, ported from Ebberon, as my familiar?
Any chance of being able to craft mundane and alchemical items without dipping into the limited pool I can craft?
I take it I can’t take two more drawbacks for a fourth trait?
You can take the Investigator stuff at 2 points.
Schemas sound fine.
Clockwork familiar is also OK.
Yes, Mundane and Alchemical (but not potions) is fine.
You can take a Major Drawback for two traits if you wish.
...The idea of anyone thinking of Ellara as prey amuses me. XD
She can't eat people at a party.
...
She can't eat everyone at a party.
Probably not everyone, no. And she'd be on her best behavior (she's not a wild animal, after all - she has human sensibilities).
It's just... y'know... when you can shapeshift into the type of predator best suited for a particular target, you usually don't think of yourself as prey. XD
If you had Ellara and Julie at a party back to back, I think they* could eat everybody. :P
*Ellara doing the eating, Julie pre-cutting the meat.
I completely missed this thread :(. This is a really awesome premise, and I'm interested in joining.
A quick question, though - Path of War was mentioned on page 1, and I see that no one else has used it (save a few feats from the Martial Training line). Did you decide that you're okay with PoW materials in the end, or are the PoW classes off the table?
For my character concept, I'm looking to resurrect an old character idea that deals with the ideas of loss and regret. She'll be a middle-aged lady who made mistakes in her life, left her family and children in search of fame and adventure, and has, for a long time, regretted this choice. She'll take a more motherly role in the party, and her main purpose in guiding the princess will likely be to see that she does not make similar mistakes (on a grander level as the eventual head of a nation).
Mechanically, I want her to be a martial artist-type character. I'm looking at Aegis/Soulknife [Deadly Fist] on one side, and something on the other. That something will probably be stalker or mystic [Aurora Soul] if PoW is okay, or Psychic Warrior [Meditant] or Monk if not.
Whew! It took me most of Saturday night, but here is Lukas Shipwright. GM JohnGarrett, if you have any questions about Lukas's sheet, please message me. (Yawn) I'm going to bed.
this sounds amazing...wish i'd come across it with more time to spare. good luck with the campaign.
Aaron's a decent talker, but his version of Sense Motive is going to be Detect Evil.
*vramm* "The Princess has been eagerly waiting to hear your suit, ambassador. Please, step this way."
*vramm* "..." *SMITE*
Okay, so as funny as that is, it's probably a lie, based solely on my intention to Prestige Class into Inheritor's Crusader, which has a Sense Motive prereq. I've long wanted to take that class, but never gotten the opportunity. Gestalt says I can finally go for it! Also, check out that Sword Against Injustice ability. Man, I love it.
I completely missed this thread :(. This is a really awesome premise, and I'm interested in joining.
A quick question, though - Path of War was mentioned on page 1, and I see that no one else has used it (save a few feats from the Martial Training line). Did you decide that you're okay with PoW materials in the end, or are the PoW classes off the table?
For my character concept, I'm looking to resurrect an old character idea that deals with the ideas of loss and regret. She'll be a middle-aged lady who made mistakes in her life, left her family and children in search of fame and adventure, and has, for a long time, regretted this choice. She'll take a more motherly role in the party, and her main purpose in guiding the princess will likely be to see that she does not make similar mistakes (on a grander level as the eventual head of a nation).
Mechanically, I want her to be a martial artist-type character. I'm looking at Aegis/Soulknife [Deadly Fist] on one side, and something on the other. That something will probably be stalker or mystic [Aurora Soul] if PoW is okay, or Psychic Warrior [Meditant] or Monk if not.
You can use Path of War. Just keep in mind you'll have to explain how you warped reality and broke time and space. I never got a full grasp of the system.
I've decided that I'm not going to be using SoP. I want the powers and abilities of the classes to be used in conjunction with my spells. Namely the domains and school powers. It is an interesting system and one that I will definitely pick up eventually.
I'm dropping out, good luck to those who are in the running.
I'm dropping out, good luck to those who are in the running.
Good luck with your other stuff.