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Thank you, pad.
Oops, forgot to roll HP.
+ 8 CON + 4 FCB = 41 Total.
I'm feeling pretty good about that!
Good enough to scrap Toughness and take Improved Initiative for a 1st level feat.
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Was a specific setting ever properly settled on BTW?
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Do you mean setting (as in Varisia, River Kingdoms, Etc.)? Or do you mean the theme of the game?
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Setting. I know it was a bit vague as to where the Broken Broadsword actually was. I floated The Shackles but there's been about 100 posts since the last I checked.
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"In the end, the setting used will be a decision collectively made by those players selected for the game and myself."
That is what the GM stated
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Ah, so submitting with a pirate lass might be a dicey prospect then?
...Then again, having a pirate fangirl be stuck in a landlocked nation would be pretty funny if it shook out that way anyway.
Maybe even better than actually being a pirate, now I think of it.
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Especially if in a bar for adventurers.
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Ah, so submitting with a pirate lass might be a dicey prospect then?
...Then again, having a pirate fangirl be stuck in a landlocked nation would be pretty funny if it shook out that way anyway.
Maybe even better than actually being a pirate, now I think of it.
Love this idea! :D
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Especially if in a bar for adventurers.
Ok, so, a pirate walks into a bar...
I should note, for the record, that Lysander’s tropes are the (obvious) Master Swordsman, and somewhere between “Idle Rich” and “Gentleman Adventurer”. He came from wealth, was mostly bored with the things his family *wanted* him to do, and so became a wandering duelist because that actually interested him. He *wants* to be the World’s Greatest Swordsman, but is a long way from getting there.
Raquel’s tropes are Noble Fugitive and Really Royalty Reveal (with a healthy dose of Gender Bender), as well as Fun Personified.
Let's see about HP:
1st level: 8
2nd level:
3rd level:
4th level:
So 27. Adding the bonus from 14 Con (+2 per level) that ends up being 35 HP.
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...and says, "I must be drunk, I can't find the harbor outside!" The barkeep, puzzled, replies, "Your done for tonight. There isn't a ocean, sea, or lake for 300 miles..."
---------
Damnit, I went and looked for character art for my concepts to help me narrow down my ideas... but instead I ended up with more?!
"Love-Redeemed Daughter of Evil Cultist"
- alternate look, more hellboy-esque
- alternate look
"Quirky Problem-Solving Bookworm Wizard, with classic Take-the-Glasses-Off Syndrome"
- alternate look
"Amnesiac Female Jason Bourne type Hitwoman"
- alternate look
Oh, and a new addition: "Loud-mouthed, Brash, Drunken (& Pint Sized) Barbarian"
With so much energy for the above options I had considered dropping both "A Girl and her Pet" and "Angsty Dark Elf Dual-Wielding Ranger", until I found one avatar, that may just be the Queen of Tropes!!!
- Dual Wielding Swords
- Giant Swords
- Glamazon
- Evil is Sexy
- Female Armor / Battle Bikini
- Combat High Heels
- A Girl and Her Pet
Okay, let's be serious, that is too much trope (especially bad, outdated tropes). I do hope I can narrow down an idea soon! Everyone is submitting awesome characters!
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@Tara Ravenheard
Go for it! All of these are great :).
The pint sized one is also cool, given that I can enlarge as a free action, I think I could throw you at idiots because 2 levels of size difference.
Who needs telekinetic charge?
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Varvara I know, right? It's a comically badass character, has a late 90s almost disney-esque feel to it. But so many characters already have a form of rage, how many can honestly be let in?
Rdknight yea, that is one Trope-y picture! I also found a good one for Joska, I will send it to you later.
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You are all nuts, and I love it! Tara, you are welcome to submit more than one application if you so choose.
As for setting, I am leaning more and more toward Brevoy/River Kingdoms/Ioboria. As stated earlier, it will be decided with the selected group, but feels like a good, underutilized region.
And no, I will not be selecting a party of entirely raging barbarians... That would make this game Stonefall: the Beginning!
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I am not raging!
I am just an almost comically shortsighted drummer girl who, when feeling a flash of artistic inspiration, ocassionally confuses the heads of random things around her with drums, and my axe with my drumstick.
My dear, said the devil in Varvaras head, you better roll a nat 20 on that bluff, as you dont actually have a drumstick in your inventory and your perform drums sucks balls, also, your axe is 2 handed, most drum sticks arent. Did you consider just becoming a hellknight instead? So many things would be easier....
NEVER came Varavara mental answer.
Outlander is a campaign trait, albeit a generic one. Is it generic enough to be allowed for picking?
Lore Seeker and Missionary are extremely strong for traits, though Exile is literally just Reactionary.
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So it’s been three days and several more characters . It seems like a good time for another list.
Ideas
Locmore: something with dwarves
Almonihah: tengu samurai/monk?
Trevor86: alchemist
Tara Ravenheart: Several good ideas
Valjoen_KC: a Half-orc Lore Oracle /DG Enlightened Paladin
Storm Dragon: a pirate fangirl
Posted characters
Grumbaki: Bharaz Silverhelm Male Dwarf Gloomblade Fighter/DG Elementalist Shifter
Mightypion: Varvara Ulyanova Vladimirovna female human Abyssal Bloodrager/DG Oracle
Simeon: Mykas Human inquisitor of the Pale Horse /DG Slayer
Robert Henry: Boram the Burglar unchained rogue/DG (burglar/Knife master)
SmooshieBanana: Lilianne Nightshade Female Half-Elf Blood Conduit, Crossblooded (Medusa-Salamander), Primalist Bloodrager/DG Alchemist
pad300 Male Half-orc Shaman (unsworn)/DG Summoner(unchained)(soulbound)
trawets71: Warren Connery Human Male Fighter/DG (Two Weapon Warrior/Dragonheir Scion)
Hack Anslash: Reynolt "Rain" Silvervein Male Dwarf Bard/DG Ranger
Brainiac: Raquel Cailean Female human cleric of Cayden Cailean/DG Bard
Ouachitonian: Lysander the Swordsman Male Elf Swashbuckler (Inspired Blade)/DG Fighter
Mus: Sam Florin Male Human unchained summoner (soulbound summoner)/DG paladin (holy tactician)
TheWaskally: Kyrian Vasila Male Aasimar Cleric/DG Sorcerer
JonGarrett: Seraphina Firedancer Female Changeling(Orc) Crossblooded Sorcerer/DG Bloodrager
Jereru:Elf Magus(Hexcrafter)/DGBard (Dervish Dancer)
AdamWarnock: Shalyna Alathriel Female Tiefling Magus(Bladebound)/DGRanger
rdknight: Nisli Griova Female Sylph Sky Druid / DG Witch (Ashiftah)
If I’ve missed anyone, or gotten information wrong I apologize. Please let me know and I will adjust the list when I post it again.
Just a reminder:
Everyone, keep the questions and characters coming! I think at this point, based on the extra time necessary to use the Demi-Gestalt system, I am going to be looking at next Sunday, the 21st, as the final day of recruitment.
Wow. The last one touches the trope event horizon in which any and all tropes are pulled in irrevocably and compacted together so tightly no individual trope continues to exist. All is trope. Sign, signifier, and signified have been irreducibly melded into one.
Dunno, I think this one is giving it a run for its money.
By the way, I made a template of the format I use when I don't use Herolab to make my characters. Y'all can find it here.
It's going to be tweaked for this one to add a section for the Demi-Gestalt.
A quick check to see if I understand how Demi-Gestalt works with the "free archetypes" variant.
Say I want to play a Vigilante, with Zealot and...we'll say Warlock for free. The second option doesn't really matter ATM.
I would need to spend a Boon Feat (gained at levels 1, 2, and 4) to get access to the first three spell levels of casting for Zealot, and I could spend another for Warlock's if I wished.
I would also need to spend a Feat if I wanted access to its the Domain/Inquisition it gets.
I'm pretty sure on this.
The thing I'm most unclear on is: how would Zealot Talents work?
Zealot Talents is a feature that just adds new options that the Vigilante can take with their Vigilante Talents class feature. Do I need to buy entry to "count as" a Zealot? If so, would I gain a talent as well, or is my whole Boon Feat eaten up just gaining access to the list?
Meanwhile, I am trying to figure out how to add "extreme mood swings" to my build in a reasonably efficient manner. Fits my character to a T. Will probably take it at level 5.
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Still filling in the details for the rebuild (I think I understand the demi-gestalt rules), but obviously wanted to dot in with my Avatar. I am going Alchemist / DG Brawler... Brewer first, Boxer second!
Storm Dragon, Oblivion said before you only gain spellcasting from your primary class, not your subclass. That's why I went Alchemist primary, with Brawler as my subclass (as opposed to the opposite). Spending a boon feat grants you access to the subclass's spell list to use with your primary class's spell slots, not the subclass' casting itself. So, I *think* you could go Vigilante (Zealot) as your primary, then pick up Warlock (and another if you'd like) as your sub. You could then spend a Boon Feat to add the Warlock's spell list to the Zealot's, and then spend boon feats to gain the Mystic Bolt ability.
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Well, the main reason I wanted to take Zealot as an archetype is so I could still count as an Avenger or Stalker for talents, so that doesn't really work for my needs. Then again Zealot is just kinda better than base Vigilante anyway, especially since I can bump my BaB to full, so meh.
Seems weird that it would just be flatout stronger to go Inquisitor with Vigilante subclass in all instances though then. Hrm.
I'll probably end up just doing that. There's only a couple of Vigilante talents I really want anyway.
Oh! I'm still not 100% on how Talent features work. One per Boon Feat? More? I'd assume more since you can get full progression Domains and such with only two Boon Feats, but it's not listed I don't think.
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No, others had it right. I wanted to take Vigilante (no archetype) as primary class, then Zealot and...something else for Demi-Gestalt.
Rethinking it now since it doesn't seem to work the way I need it to.
I guess I COULD be Vigilante (Zealot) and then pick an archetype for Demi-Gestalt that hard-locks you into Avenger or Stalker for the extra talent access though, now I think of it. Accomplishes what I want just...clunkier and kind of a nitpicky distinction that needs to be made lol.
Am morbidly curious about how an Omdura, using both alternative archetypes for the Demi-Gestalt, would work out. Most likely will use Suli for the race; possibly will have Sarenrae as the deity of choice- given the Qadiran connections between both.
After playing around with some ideas this weekend, I'm now leaning towards a sorcerer demi-gestalted with Cross-blooded and Mongrel Mage archetypes--basically a sorcerer with too many bloodlines. :D
Thanks to the GM for extending this another week. I'm working on Shalyna's complete submission now. I decided to tank Charisma, and when I say tank, I do mean tank. Poor girl has a CHA of 3 after it is all said and done. The good news is that she isn't going to be using CHA much, and she'll be pretty deadly in combat thanks to spells and a pretty good STR score.
Think I've settled on Inquisitor/Vigilante, but I'm still unclear on how the Boon Feats work with Talents (how many do I get?).
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Storm Dragon Oblivion and Locmore look to be correct on their interpretations. Pad300's work out likewise is doable. I am sorry your idea doesn't manifest as you'd like. The demi-gestalt system is obviously still a work in progress, and just like any alternate rule, not everything lines up perfectly. Indeed, that is often the case, especially when trying to maximize output over building to a thematic concept. I think one of the issues, unfortunately, is that Zealot and Warlock should never have been listed as Archetypes, but rather included with the base class as additional Vigilante Specializations (that's what they really are). And really, the larger problem is they tried to create a "Catch All" highly customizable class, when it should have been 4 individual "Vigilante" classes (Avenger, Stalker, Warlock, Zealot... A to Z!).
As to whether the Inquisitor is more powerful than the Zealot-Vigilante, that is debatable. It is a focused class with a single concept, built around that. The Vigilante is highly customizable (with a wealth of both social and combat talents), but customizability has always had a cost in both D&D and Pathfinder class design. To your final question, each Talent would require 1 Boon Feat (from a quick review, most are equivalent to a feat or a little more - if there is a talent that mimics an ability I have already called out as having a higher cost, then it would get that cost instead).
Pad300 hmm, Swashbuckler's Deeds hit an interesting point, similar to Bardic Music. Starting Panache is lower than rounds for BM, but also has a manner to recharge throughout the day, so that in a negligible difference. I am going to say 1 Boon Feat to gain Panache/Grit and two Deeds, 1 Boon Feat per two additional Deeds.
Today is a good day to..o The Omdura is an interesting choice, I just glanced over it and am intrigued by the Inquisitor-meets-Bard-meets-Paladin concept of it.
AdamWarnock I am morbidly intrigued by your concept with a 3 Charisma, and am curious how the 3 will manifest in your character's personality. Do also realize that puts you in a very susceptible realm for being incapacitated by Cha damage attacks.
Gotcha. One last question (probably): do I need to spend a Boon Feat just to gain access to my Specialization or would that be rolled into buying the Alternate Identity feature?
Re: Deeds, you might want to consider making it 1 Feat per "package" rather than a flat 2 Deeds. Deeds come in clusters of several Deeds per level. Eg. a Gunslinger gets 3 Deeds each at 1st, 3rd, 7th, etc.
GM, I know you'd mentioned being wary of prestige classes that can stack abilities on top of demi-gestalt, but what about ones that wouldn't?
My idea for Mykas was to take levels in mortal usher. They're distinct from basically every class, and don't have much overlap with inquisitor or slayer.
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For Prestige classes and attaining them early because of Demi-gestalt, we could just allow prestige classes but at the required level as if you were a normal non-gestalt character working hard to get the class requirements.
AdamWarnock I am morbidly intrigued by your concept with a 3 Charisma, and am curious how the 3 will manifest in your character's personality. Do also realize that puts you in a very susceptible realm for being incapacitated by Cha damage attacks.
I do and I willingly accept that. It's part of the fun of playing a character with low stats.
As for how I plan to play Shalyna, I don't want to make her abrasive, so I thought I'd go with how I've played low CHA characters before and have her be self-conscious and soft-spoken. Timid and shy rather than abrasive and rude, if you will. Of course, playing out a CHA 3 character is going to be interesting since I've never gotten that low before.
I still need to buy gear, pick skills, and pick spells, but Shalyna's other stats are done. The fluff isn't much, but it's enough to place her. Iobaria could be anywhere. I just thought that was the most likely given what I've seen in this thread.
I still need to write up Thunderous Howl's personality, but he's a foil to her. Confident and talkative. I imagine anyone trying to steal him would be begging for Shalyna to take him back.
Money: 7,000 GP
PP: 0
GP: 7,000
SP: 0
CP: 0
Encumbrance: [TOTAL_GEAR_WEIGHT]. (w/o Backpack: [CARRIED_GEAR_WEIGHT])
Light - 76 lbs.
Medium - 77 - 153 lbs.
Heavy - 154 - 230 lbs.
----------------------------
[ITEM] Quantity: [QUALITY] | W: [WEIGHT] | Cost: [COST]
-- [SPECIAL_PROPERTIES/DESCRIPTION/MECHANICS]
----------------------------
Thunderous Howl W: 6 lbs. | Cost: -
-- Attack: +9/- | Damage: 1d10+4/1d10+5 S | Critical: 19-20/2x | Range: -
----------------------------
[ARMOR] W: [WEIGHT] | Cost: [COST]
-- AC: [ARMOR_BONUS] | Max DEX: [MAX_DEX] | ACP: [ARMOR_CHECK_PENALTY] | Spell Failure: [ARCANE_SPELL_FAILURE_CHANCE]
----------------------------
[ITEM] W: [WEIGHT] | Cost: [COST]
-- [SPECIAL_PROPERTIES/DESCRIPTION]
----------------------------
[ITEM] W: [WEIGHT] | Cost: [COST]
-- [SPECIAL_PROPERTIES/DESCRIPTION]
----------------------------
[ITEM] W: [WEIGHT] | Cost: [COST]
-- [SPECIAL_PROPERTIES/DESCRIPTION]
============================
EQUIPPED GEAR
Magic Item Slots
HEAD:
--
HEADBAND:
--
EYES:
--
SHOULDERS:
--
NECK:
--
CHEST:
--
BODY:
--
ARMOR:
--
BELT:
--
WRISTS:
--
HANDS:
--
FEET:
--
RING (LEFT):
--
RING (RIGHT):
--
GEAR LOCATIONS
Backpack
MAIN COMPARTMENT
-- [ITEM]
SIDE COMPARTMENT (LEFT)
-- [ITEM]
SIDE COMPARTMENT (RIGHT)
-- [ITEM]
OUTSIDE
-- [ITEM]
[CONTAINER]
-- [ITEM]
Class: Magus(Bladebound) 4
Demi-Gestalt Ranger
Background: Bounty Hunter
Advance: Combat
Alignment: Neutral Good (NG)
Race: Tiefling
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Infernal, Draconic, Elven, Goblin
Senses: Perception +2
Initiative: +6 (+4 DEX, +2 Rectionary)
============================
Fortitude: +6 (+4 from Magus, +2 from CON)
Reflex: +7 (+1 from Magus, +4 from DEX, +2 from Lightning Reflexes)
Will: +6 (+4 from Magus, +2 from WIS)
============================
HP: 44 (4d10+8)
AC: 15/15/10 (+4 DEX, +0 Armor, +1 Dodge)
CMD: 21
============================
CMB: +7
Unarmed Strike
--Attack: +7 | Damage: 1d3+3 B (Nonlethal) | Critical: 20/x2 | Range: -
Thunderous Howl
--Attack: +9/- | Damage: 1d10+4/1d10+5 S | Critical: 19-20/2x | Range: -
============================
STR: 16 +3 (16 (10 POints))
DEX: 18 +4 (15 (7 Points), +2(Racial), +1(Level 4 Advance))
CON: 14 +2 (14 (5 Points))
INT: 18 +4 (16 (10 Points), +2(Racial))
WIS: 14 +2 (12 (2 Points), +2(Background))
CHA: 03 -4 (7 (-4 Points), -2(Racial), -2(Background))
============================
Skill Points: 36
Magus: 8
Intelligence Mod: 16
Favored Class Bonus: 4
Background Skills: 8
Armor Check Penalty: 0
Acrobatics (DEX)^ +4 Ranks: 0
Athletics (STR)*^ +3 Ranks: 0
Appraise (INT)° +4 Ranks: 0
Artistry (INT)*° +4 Ranks: 0
Bluff (CHA) -2 Ranks: 0 (-4 CHA, +2 Racial)
Craft (INT)*° +4 Ranks: 0
Diplomacy (CHA) -4 Ranks: 0
Disable Device (DEX)^† - Ranks: 0
Disguise (CHA) -4 Ranks: 0
Escape Artist (DEX)^ +4 Ranks: 0
Fly (DEX)*^ +4 Ranks: 0
Handle Animal (CHA)*†° - Ranks: 0
Heal (WIS)* +2 Ranks: 0
Intimidate (CHA)*° -4 Ranks: 0
Knowledge (arcana) (INT)*‡ - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (dungeoneering) (INT)*‡ - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (engineering) (INT)‡° - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (geography) (INT)*‡° - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (history) (INT)‡° - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (local) (INT)‡ - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (nature) (INT)*‡ - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (nobility) (INT)‡° - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (planes) (INT)*‡ - Ranks: 0
Knowledge (religion) (INT)‡ - Ranks: 0
Linguistics (INT)†° - Ranks: 0
Lore (INT)*†° - Ranks: 0
Perception (WIS)* +2 Ranks: 0
Perform (CHA)° -4 Ranks: 0
Profession (WIS)*†° - Ranks: 0
Ride (DEX)*^ +4 Ranks: 0
Sense Motive (WIS) +2 Ranks: 0
Sleight of Hand (DEX)^†° - Ranks: 0
Spellcraft (INT)*† - Ranks: 0
Stealth (DEX)*^ +6 Ranks: 0 (+4 DEX, +2 Racial)
Survival (WIS)*° +2 (+4 to Track) Ranks: 0
Use Magic Device (CHA)*† - Ranks: 0
* class skill
^ Armor Check Penalty
† Trained Only
‡ Can make Untrained, but limited to DC 10
° Background Skill
============================
Level 1 - Weapon Focus(Heavy Blades)
Level 1(Boon) - Ranger: Favored Enemy(Undead)
Level 2(Boon) - Ranger: Track
Level 3 - Lightning Reflexes
Level 4(Boon) - Dodge
DODGE (COMBAT)
Your training and reflexes allow you to react swiftly to avoid an opponent’s attacks.
Prerequisite: Dex 13.
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC. This bonus increases to +5 against attacks of opportunity caused when you move out of or within a threatened tile. A condition that makes you lose your Dex bonus to AC also makes you lose the benefits of this feat.
LIGHTNING REFLEXES
You have faster reflexes than normal.
Benefit: You get a +2 bonus on all Reflex saving throws
WEAPON FOCUS (COMBAT): Heavy Blades
Choose one weapon group listed under the fighter’s Weapon Training class feature.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with at least one weapon from the selected weapon group, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using any weapon from the selected group.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new weapon group.
============================
Prepared Spells
- ][SPELL_NAME] ([COMPONENT])
- [SPELL][SPELL_NAME] ([COMPONENT])
- [SPELL][SPELL_NAME] ([COMPONENT])
----------------------------
Spell Book
V - Vocal Component
S - Somatic Component
F - Spell Focus Component
M - Material Component
D - Divine Focus Component
Cantrips
Abjuration
][SPELL_NAME] ([COMPONENT])
Conjuration
Divination
Enchantment
Evocation
Illusion
Necromancy
Transmutation
Universal
1st-Level Spells
Abjuration
Conjuration
Divination
Enchantment
Evocation
Illusion
Necromancy
Transmutation
============================
Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, and –2 Charisma.
Type: Outsider(Native)
Size: Medium
Base Speed: 30 ft.
Languages: Tieflings begin play speaking Common and either Abyssal or Infernal. Tieflings with high intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Infernal, and Orc. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Fiendish Resistance: Tieflings have cold resistance 5, electricity resistance 5, and fire resistance 5.
Skilled: Tieflings gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Stealth checks.
Spell-like ability: Tieflings can use darkness once per day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for this ability equals the tiefling’s class level.
Darkvision: Tieflings can see perfectly in the dark for up to 60 feet.
Prehensile Tail: Many tieflings have tails, but some have long, flexible tails that can be used to carry items. While they cannot wield weapons with their tails, they can use them to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. This racial trait replaces fiendish sorcery.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A magus is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. A magus is also proficient with light armor. He can cast magus spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a magus wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass magus still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Spells: A magus casts arcane spells drawn from the magus spell list. A magus must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the magus must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a magus’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the magus’s Intelligence modifier.
A magus can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score.
A magus may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the magus decides which spells to prepare.
Cantrips: A magus can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.
Spellbooks: A magus must study his spellbook each day to prepare his spells. He cannot prepare any spell not recorded in his spellbook except for read magic, which all magi can prepare from memory. A magus begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level magus spells plus three 1st-level magus spells of his choice. The magus also selects a number of additional 1st-level magus spells equal to his Intelligence modifier to add to his spellbook. At each new magus level, he gains two new magus spells of any spell level or levels that he can cast (based on his new magus level) for his spellbook. At any time, a magus can also add spells found in other spellbooks to his own.
A magus can learn spells from a wizard’s spellbook, just as a wizard can from a magus’s spellbook. The spells learned must be on the magus spell list, as normal. An alchemist can learn formulae from a magus’s spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist spell list. A magus cannot learn spells from an alchemist.
Arcane Pool (Su) (4/day): At 1st level, the magus gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/3 his magus level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the magus prepares his spells.
At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.
Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the magus.
A magus can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.
Spell Combat (Ex): At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.
Spellstrike (Su) At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon’s critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.
Magus Arcana: As he gains levels, a magus learns arcane secrets tailored to his specific way of blending martial puissance and magical skill. Starting at 3rd level, a magus gains one magus arcana. He gains an additional magus arcana for every three levels of magus attained after 3rd level. Unless specifically noted in a magus arcana’s description, a magus cannot select a particular magus arcana more than once. Magus arcana that affect spells can only be used to modify spells from the magus spell list unless otherwise noted.
Arcana: Blackblade (Ex)
Black Blade (Ex) At 3rd level, the bladebound magus’ gains a powerful sentient weapon called a black blade, whose weapon type is chosen by the magus (see sidebar). A magus with this class feature cannot take the familiar magus arcana, and cannot have a familiar of any kind, even from another class.
Instead of the normal arcane pool amount, the bladebound magus’s arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/3 his level (minimum 1) plus his Intelligence bonus.
This ability changes the Arcane Pool class feature and replaces the magus arcana gained at 3rd level.
Black Blade Basics
A black blade is bonded to a particular magus, much like a familiar, but in more of a partnership than a master-servant relationship.
Intelligence: This is the intelligence score of the black blade. It starts at 10 and increases by 1 for every two levels of the bladebound magus (at 3rd level, 5th level, and so on).
Wisdom and Charisma: As the bladebound magus increases in level, so do the Wisdom and Charisma of the black blade. These abilities start at 6 and increase by 1 for every two levels of magus.
Ego: A black blade starts with an ego of 5, and that ego increases as the blade becomes more powerful, as per the Black Blade Progression. In cases where a wielder and the black blade come into conflict, like any intelligent item, a black blade can attempt to exert its dominance (see Intelligent Items). Due to its flexible and powerful nature, a black blade has a nonstandard ego progression.
Languages and Skills: A black blade starts with Common as a language. As the black blade increases in Intelligence, it manifests knowledge of languages and arcane lore. Upon reaching an Intelligence of 12, it gains a bonus language of the GM’s choice, and gains 1 rank in Knowledge (arcana). Each time the sword gains a bonus to Intelligence, it gains another language and another rank in Knowledge (arcana).
Senses: A black blade is aware of everything around it like a creature that can see and hear. It can be blinded and deafened as if it were a creature. It uses the saving throws of its magus, even if the magus is not currently wielding the black blade.
Black Blade Arcane Pool: A black blade has an arcane pool with a number of points equal to 1 + its Intelligence bonus.
Black Blade Ability Descriptions
A black blade has special abilities (or imparts abilities to its wielder) depending on the wielder’s magus level. The abilities are cumulative. A black blade normally refuses to use any of its abilities when wielded by anyone other than its magus, and acts as a masterwork weapon of its type.
Alertness (Ex): While a magus is wielding his black blade, he gains the Alertness feat.
Black Blade Strike (Sp): As a free action, the magus can spend a point from the black blade’s arcane pool to grant the black blade a +1 bonus on damage rolls for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, this ability gives the black blade another +1 on damage rolls.
Telepathy (Su): While a magus is wielding or carrying his black blade, he can communicate telepathically with the blade in a language that the magus and the black blade share.
Unbreakable (Ex): As long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool, a black blade is immune to the broken condition. If broken, the black blade is unconscious and powerless until repaired. If destroyed, the black blade can be reforged 1 week later through a special ritual that costs 200 gp per magus level. The ritual takes 24 hours to complete.
Spell Recall (Su): At 4th level, the magus learns to use his arcane pool to recall spells he has already cast. With a swift action he can recall any single magus spell that he has already prepared and cast that day by expending a number of points from his arcane pool equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The spell is prepared again, just as if it had not been cast.
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a ranger selects a creature type from the ranger favored enemies table. He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. A ranger may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures.
At 5th level and every five levels thereafter (10th, 15th, and 20th level), the ranger may select an additional favored enemy. In addition, at each such interval, the bonus against any one favored enemy (including the one just selected, if so desired) increases by +2.
If the ranger chooses humanoids or outsiders as a favored enemy, he must also choose an associated subtype, as indicated on the table below. (Note that there are other types of humanoid to choose from—those called out specifically on the table below are merely the most common.) If a specific creature falls into more than one category of favored enemy, the ranger’s bonuses do not stack; he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.
Track (Ex): A ranger adds half his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks.
- Ever Wary, Magical Lineage, Reactionary
EVER WARY (TIEFLING)
Constant fear that your fiendish nature might provoke a sudden attack ensures that you never completely let down your guard.
Effect: During the surprise round and before your first action in combat, you can apply half your Dexterity bonus (if any) to your AC. You still count as flat-footed for the purposes of attacks and effects.
REACTIONARY
You were bullied often as a child, but never quite developed an offensive response. Instead, you became adept at anticipating sudden attacks and reacting to danger quickly.
Effect: You gain a +2 trait bonus on initiative checks.
MAGICAL LINEAGE: Shocking Grasp
One of your parents was a gifted spellcaster who not only used metamagic often, but also developed many magical items and perhaps even a new spell or two—and you have inherited a fragment of this greatness.
Effect: Pick one spell when you choose this trait. When you apply metamagic feats to this spell that add at least 1 level to the spell, treat its actual level as 1 lower for determining the spell’s final adjusted level.
- Doubt
Doubt
You lack confidence in your abilities or confidence in the universe at large.
Effect: Whenever you fail a skill or ability check, you take a –4 penalty on that type of skill or ability check for the next hour.
Alignment: Neutral Good (NG)
Type: Bastard Sword
Languages: Common, Telepathy
Senses: Perception -2
Arcane Pool: 1
INT: 11 *0
WIS: 07 *0
CHA: 07 *0
EGO: 05
A black blade is a particular form of intelligent weapon gained by a magus with the bladebound archetype. There are several ways a magus might gain this weapon. Sometimes it just appears among the magus’s possessions, and its origin is a mystery. Other times the magus finds a black blade during an adventure or event of some kind. Sometimes a black blade is passed down generation to generation in an ongoing search for a magus who can unlock its true potential.
A black blade is always a one-handed slashing weapon, a rapier, or a sword cane. The magus chooses the blade’s type upon gaining the blade, and once chosen, it can’t be changed. As a bladebound magus increases in level, his black blade gains power.
A black blade is independently conscious but features some personality traits reflecting its wielder. A black blade always has the same alignment as its wielder and even changes its alignment if its wielder does. The blade typically works toward its wielder’s goals, but not always without argument or backlash. Each black blade has a mission, and while sometimes two or more black blades will work in concert, each mission is singular in purpose (the black blade’s mission is usually up to the GM and the needs of the campaign or the adventure, or a GM can determine the weapon’s purpose randomly using Table: Intelligent Item Purpose). Some black blades are very open about their missions, but most are secretive. Certain sages have speculated that an invisible hand or arcane purpose moves these weapons.
Black Blade Progression
Magus Level: 3rd–4th
--Enhancement Bonus: +1
--INT: 11
--WIS/CHA: 7
--EGO: 5
--Special: Alertness, black blade strike, telepathy, unbreakable
Magus Level: 5th–6th
--Enhancement Bonus: +2
--INT: 12
--WIS/CHA: 8
--EGO: 8
--Special: Energy attunement
Magus Level: 7th–8th
--Enhancement Bonus: +2
--INT: 13
--WIS/CHA: 9
--EGO: 10
--Special: -
Magus Level: 9th–10th
--Enhancement Bonus: +3
--INT: 14
--WIS/CHA: 10
--EGO: 12
--Special: Teleport blade
Magus Level: 11th–12th
--Enhancement Bonus: +3
--INT: 15
--WIS/CHA: 11
--EGO: 14
--Special: —
Magus Level: 13th–14th
--Enhancement Bonus: +4
--INT: 16
--WIS/CHA: 12
--EGO: 16
--Special: Transfer arcana
Magus Level: 15th–16th
--Enhancement Bonus: +4
--INT: 17
--WIS/CHA: 13
--EGO: 18
--Special: —
Magus Level: 17th–18th
--Enhancement Bonus: +5
--INT: 18
--WIS/CHA: 14
--EGO: 22
--Special: Spell defense
Magus Level: 19th–20th
--Enhancement Bonus: +5
--INT: 19
--WIS/CHA: 15
--EGO: 24
--Special: Life drinker
Shalyna is a short woman with pale skin, crimson hair, and gray eyes. She's stronger than she appears, thanks to her fiendish heritage. Her ears are pointed thanks to her elven father. She prefers clothes that hide and conceal her. Her skin is covered in geometric markings.
Shalyna is timid, rarely speaking and often stuttering when she does. She is kind, but often does her good deeds in secret, fearing reprisals and rejection.
Shalyna's father is an elven necromancer that made a deal with a fiend in which she was as much a part of the bargain as a result of it. Some twist of fate gave her a kind desposition and despite her father's attempts to make her a more respectable evil minion, she never managed to get the attitude right. So she was assigned to supervise the goblins that served her father.
One night, Shalyna escaped on a whim and traveled to Iobaria. There she became a bounty hunter and a skilled exterminator of undead. On one of her misadventures, she found a magic sword of black iron, Thunderous Howl. Somehow, she'd also gained a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense mercenary that broods in the darkest corner of the Broken Broadsword.
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Pad300 give me a few hours to revisit the swashbuckler build, figure out a better feat cost for the deeds. The level-based packages might be a good idea.
Simeon That prestige class gets +1d6 dmg per two levels to pretty much all attacks, Vital Strike, some other fluff, half its non-prestige class's advancement, and was released in the final book of the last AP of 1st edition (Swan song level power creep)...
Storm Dragon 'designating' your specialization for the purposes of access to abilities would be included in the "alternate identity" talent. However, any further benefits from the specialization (the Avenger's increase in BA or the Stalker's Sudden Strike) would have to be acquired through the already established rules.
Application rate has definitely been a little in the last few days, so I will be holding to be cut off date of the end of day on Sunday, November 21st.
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Perfect, that's what I figured.
Just need to decide whether I go that route, or give in to the temptation of spending most of my Boon feats on...Feats to go with the very thematic but ridiculously Feat intensive Sword and Pistol piracy route.
Another question I thought about last night, how does Advancing spellcasting work for a 6 caster? I'm guessing it ups progression (you'd get 2nd level spells at 3 instead of 4, 3rd at 5 instead of 7, etc.) but otherwise do nothing unless you also have a full caster subclass to spend a Boon Feat to grab their spell list for?
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Storm Dragon If you take your Advance in casting, a 6-level caster would increase to a 9-level caster. So, you could play an inquisitor, magus, bard, or alchemist with a full 9-level casting progression. Bard or Inquisitor, as spontaneous casters, would use the charts for Sorcerer/Oracle; Magus and Alchemist, the charts for prepared casters like Druid/Cleric/Wizard.
You would still use your own spell list, and we would create an appropriate addition for 7th-9th level. If you had a full caster as your subclass, you could also spend boon feats to access their spell list.
Skills and spells picked. Just need to get gear and update the fluff.
Storm Dragon If you take your Advance in casting, a 6-level caster would increase to a 9-level caster. So, you could play an inquisitor, magus, bard, or alchemist with a full 9-level casting progression. Bard or Inquisitor, as spontaneous casters, would use the charts for Sorcerer/Oracle; Magus and Alchemist, the charts for prepared casters like Druid/Cleric/Wizard.
You would still use your own spell list, and we would create an appropriate addition for 7th-9th level. If you had a full caster as your subclass, you could also spend boon feats to access their spell list.
Interesting, it's something else to consider for me. I have most of my character nailed down, but I'll mull over whether I want to jump to full BaB or 9 levels of casting.
Basic character notes: Tien immigrant, pirate fangirl, Inquisitor of Besmara.
Tropes in general would be "fish out of water" and "oblivious criminal aspirant" with a twist of "foreign cultures are always cooler". She finds the histories and traditions of people down here in [Wherever the Game is Set] quite quaint and fascinating. Somewhat of a tourist-y vibe, and grew up on tales of pirate derring-do, and kind of missed the memo that real life pirates are violent, brutal thugs rather than the swashbuckling adventurers 5 sp novels paint them as.
Oh, I forgot to ask: what level of firearms are available (if any?). Early or Modern?
Well, as much as I want to try out demi-gestalt, I have to admit I'm probably already playing as many characters as I can handle, so I'm not going to build a submission.