Drejk's page

The oldest celebrity blogger in the world, Kirk Douglas passed away yesterday, at the ripe old age of 103 years.

*raises glass in the memory of many great roles*

The spell-casting rules lack a vital subtype of casting action that would be composed of purely mental activity, separate from Verbal, Somatic, or Material casting. This voids possibility of psychic casters, mind-bending aberrations using their own weird magic, and creates such weirdness as Verbal components being used by Ki Powers...

Proposal:

Merge all the casting actions into a single Casting action, with Verbal, Somatic, or Material subtype applied according to specific spell or ability, with possibility of action using none of those to represent purely-mental casting.

Ok, ok, I know. The playtests haven't finished yet and I am already thinking how to alter the mechanics... Bear with me for a moment though.

As some of the readers noted, the add +1 per level to everything creates very inflated numbers, though I understand the idea behind it to limit the spread of numbers on each level.

It came to my mind that it could be represented a bit differently though. Drop adding +1 to level to everything, and instead, when interacting with opposition that has level (such as NPCs, monsters, traps), apply a bonus or penalty to relevant check based on difference between levels. Depending on how significantly would the GM want the level to impact the game, the modifier could be +/–1 per 1 level of difference, per 2 levels of difference, or for a much flatter impact, even per 3, 4, or 5 levels. What's more, the impact could be more carefully tuned by using different rations for opposition that is of higher level than the one that is of lower level. For example, if we would want the game where defeating opposition is more challenging in general, the penalty against higher level challenges could be —1 per level of difference, but the bonus against lower level opposition would be +1 per two levels of difference, making lower level threats viable for longer time.

Another important element of this change would be adding a cap to the maximum bonus/penalty — with the default cap of +/–5. This would make level difference still a thing, but at the same time would mean that creatures and traps of higher/lower level would still have a degree of meaningful role in the game, while at the same time, higher level creatures would still be dangerous.

No more 20th level dwarf barbarians with Charisma 8, and no training in Deception being sure their lie to a 1st level noble, city magistrate, or a guard passes more or less undetected...

This would allow for getting rid of the annoying, lacking an easy formula to calculate on fly DC per levels table, having a single range for each of easy, medium, challenging, hard, very hard, and legendary difficulties for actions that don't have levels.

Of course there is a drawback to this solution: instead of having everything written down, you would have to apply the modifier on specific rolls, but if that would mean you don't have to have to erase whole character sheet each time you level up, it's a sacrifice I am willing to make...

Issue #1 — Naming: Ancestry feats, class feats, skill feats, and general feats are all named "feats", which was noted by some posters as confusing and unwieldy. This also may contribute to expectation that they will be comparable in scale of their effects.

Proposed solution: Renaming. Ancestry feats could be called ancestry perks. Class feats could be named class talents. Skill feats could be called skill techniques. General feats would be feats.

Issue #2 — Progression: There are some issues with the current order in which the characters gain their feats, diminishing players choices, and locking them into options that might not always be desirable.

At the moment the PC gets 1 ancestry feat at 1st level, and every 4 level thereafter, 1 general feat at 3rd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, 1 class feat and 1 skill feat at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter (plus possibly 1 class feat at 1st level, and possibly a skill feat at every level for rogue).

While the progression of class feats and skill feats is mostly fine, the alternating general and ancestry feat progression means the player HAS to pick ancestry feats even if uninterested in them (because many of them are lackluster or not really fitting the ideas the player has for the character).

Proposed solution: The characters should get a free choice of feat at 1st level and every two levels thereafter, with the players deciding if they want to pick ancestry perk, feat, class talent, or skill technique for those universal picks. Additionally, each character should get 1 ancestry perk at 1st level (allowing them to have two ancestry perks at 1st level if they use their general 1st level pick for ancestry perk), and 1 class talent and 1 skill technique at each even level.

This would allow better customization of characters than the current progression. It would also require some additional work on human perks.

I hoped that the 2nd edition would expand the role of non-magical healing and give some more support to non-magical healers...

Well, let's say that aside of alchemical healing, it isn't nearly as good as I hoped...

The basics: Medicine skill allows single untrained use - Administer First Aid. Like the old Heal skill it allows stabilizing dying creature and stopping bleeding. So far so good, it's really a common sense necessity or the low level characters would die even more than they do.

Fine... Except... Now it requires healer's tools. The new actions rules will help alleviate that a bit, but only to a degree: stride toward the dying comrade, drop weapon and shield (free action), pull out the healer's tools, administer the first aid... Valeros The Third should pray that you won't need to walk more than your stride range or maneuver around enemies to reach him.

This requirement seriously undercuts the utility of untrained Medicine skill use, forcing everyone to carry a healer's tools, and spend more actions than is sensible to disarm themselves, ready tools, and then rearm themselves. And before anyone says that it's unrealistic to administer first aid without healer's tools, I'd counter with the fact that it's equally unrealistic to prevent someone from dying without medical training in the first place.

Possible solution: Either drop the healer's tool requirement, or add a clause allowing the character to use improvised materials to administer first aid, by using available pieces of cloth, etc. Possibly by adding clause that doing so without healer's tools, gives the subject infected 1 condition that would bestow penalties to saving throws against disease and reducing natural healing until properly treated.

I'd also like to propose an additional improvement of this action for trained characters:

Critical success: (trained in Medicine only) The creature at 0 Hit Points gains 1 Hit Point and removes 1 level of dying condition.

The advanced: Those trained in Medicine can use it to... Treat Disease and treat Poison. That's it. No long-term medical care for wounded, no treating deadly wounds...

Oh, yes, you can use Medicine skill to actually restore Hit Points... By picking Battlefield Medic feat. Which, unless you are Rogue, you need to be 2nd level and means you won't pick any other skill feat until level 4th.

The Battlefield Medic feat has it's issues too:
It requires DC 20 check. Fine at higher levels, not so fine at levels 1-3, when you would be the most reliant on the healing provided by that skill. Additionally, to get the most of it you better have master/legendary proficiency in Medicine, which leads us to the final issue with medicine skill:

Medicine is a Signature skill for exactly those classes that need it the least: Alchemist, Cleric, Paladin (via Hospice Knight feat), Sorcerer (Angelic bloodline), all of which have access to other forms of healing, instead of classes that would have better use for the higher proficiency tiers in Medicine skill.

That is especially bad in case of Legendary Medic feat which allows those with signature medicine do what they might be able to be doing anyway with their spells and alchemical concoctions in the first place.

Lack of long-term care and treating deadly wounds is exacerbated by the fact that natural healing rates vary much more wildly than in 1st edition: Constitution bonus (minimum 1) × character level, which might mean that downtime and camping is unnecessarily extended for the group waiting for the low Constitution characters to catch up with the party juggernauts.

Proposed solution is to add Treat Wounds exploration/downtime activity: a character trained in Medicine can spend 1 hour to treat wounds of a willing or incapacitated living character and make a Medicine check to restore a number of hit points equal to result of the check –10 or maybe half the result, the exact balancing of the amount restored would have to be tested; making the result of the check directly influence the amount of healing provided would reward good Medicine skill and good roll unlike the unwieldy way the Battlefield Medic handles it at the moment. Each creature could benefit from Treating deadly wounds once before resting.

Battlefield Medic feat grant the character option to use Treat Wounds as an action in combat. Possibly with another skill feat allowing the medic to use it once on the subject as an action and once as a hour-long activity.

Another feat could allow the medic to incorporate Treating Wounds activity into their daily preparation routine and make it affect up to six or more targets

All the non-magical classes should have a class option or feat that would allow them to pick Medicine as a signature skill, or it could be made into a general/skill feat available to all.

"Legendary Medic" feat should be actually a Master Medic because it's benefits should be available to non-magical healers earlier than 15th level. The actual Legendary Medic should really be Legendary, like reviving someone who died a few rounds ago.

Another action that could be added to trained Medicine skill could be Treat Shock: make a Medicine check to reduce dying condition - maybe I missed something but as far as I can tell, the only way to remove dying condition at the moment is to spend whole round with 1 or more Hit Points at the rate of one level of dying condition per round. This action would allow to remove it faster, letting the patient suffer another critical hit sooner than usual.

Looking through your posts on "Posts" tab of "<your name> page" seems to be wonky: sometimes clicking on the number of the page number button or one of the previous/next buttons sends you to the first page instead, which makes looking through older posts unhandy.

Am I missing something or do the weapons outrange sensors easily?

Sensors have the same range categories as weapons (short/5 hexes, medium/10 hexes, long/20 hexes). They have a passive range of twice their range category and an active range of five times the range category, with a cumulative –2 penalty to associated checks for each range increment beyond first.

Weapons, on the other hand, can fire at up to 10 range increments...

Is that intentional? How do you fire weapons at targets you don't see? There seems to be no provisions for attacking blindly for starship weapons (which would make no sense for non-tracking weapons anyway because of the distances and angles involved).

*sigh*

Another writer has passed away.

George Romero died on Sunday

*sigh*

Another of those who significantly shaped our hobby passed away.

This is a continuation of my stalker base class, after the name change and reduction of the shadow weavings role - which became focus of a sibling Shadowshifter class that I will post in the future.
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Shadowjack

Role: A shadowjack taps the power of shadows to distract, disrupt, and harm her opponents.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Class Skills: The shadowjack’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge [local] (Int), Knowledge [planes] (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight Of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Shadowjacks are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, whips, hand crossbows, repeater crossbows, and light armors.

Class Features:

Bonus Feat: At 1st level, a shadowjack gains one of the following feats as a bonus feat: Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Improved Unarmed Strike, Point-Blank Shot, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus, or Weapon Finesse. She does not need to meet its prerequisites.

Tenebrous Lash (Su): A shadowjack can direct the power of shadows to lash at the bearers of her marks with a standard action. Each mark inflicts 1d6 points of damage to its bearer. Damage from multiple marks are added together and count as single source of damage before applying hardness and checking for massive damage. Using this ability removes all the triggered marks.

At 5th level, a shadowjack can use this ability as a move action. At 9th level, she can activate it as a swift action.

Some feats, twists and abilities can improve damage die used to determine tenebrous lash damage. In such case the damage die progression is 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, and 1d12 unless noted otherwise.

Some twists can add secondary effects to the tenebrous lash. All saving throws against secondary effects have DC of 10+one-half shadowjack class level+the shadowjack’s Charisma modifier. The saving throw DC can be increased with Ability Focus (tenebrous lash) feat. All secondary effects of the shadow lash are considered shadow effects.

Tenebrous Marks (Su): A shadowjack can mark her enemies with wisps of shadowstuff. Each time a shadowjack hits a corporeal opponent with a manufactured weapon she is proficient with or with an unarmed strike she may place a tenebrous mark upon the target. Alternatively, a shadowjack can take a standard action to place a tenebrous mark on a touched creature or object or take a full-round action to place up to six marks on willing or restrained recipients within reach. A shadowjack can have up to two tenebrous marks active at any one time, plus one additional at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter with a maximum of 12 marks at 20th level. Multiple marks can be placed on a single creature or object. The shadowjack can harmlessly remove any number of her existing tenebrous marks with a free action. A tenebrous mark vanish immediately if the distance between the recipient and the shadowjack exceeds 50 feet. A shadowjack is aware of a general direction toward all of her tenebrous marks but not their precise location.

A shadowjack using ghost touch weapon, being incorporeal or affected by any other effect that allows full interaction with incorporeal creatures can place her tenebrous marks on incorporeal creatures.

Shadow Pool (Su): At 2nd level, a shadowjack gains a pool of shadow energy points, known as shadow motes, that can be used to power various magical abilities. The number of motes in the shadowjack's shadow pool is equal to 1/2 her shadowjack level + her Charisma modifier. Shadow pool replenishes each morning after eight hours of rest or meditation. This hours do not need to be consecutive.

A shadowjack can spend a shadow mote as a swift action to gain darkvision with 60 feet range or increase range of existing darkvision by 60 feet for one hour. In addition, she can spend one mote to increase her speed by 20 feet for one round. Finally, a shadowjack can spend one mote to gain +4 insight bonus to Stealth checks for 1 round.

Shadow Twist: At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, a shadowjack learns a secret technique that draws upon training and shadows to expand her capabilities. Any saving throws enforced by the shadowjack’s twists have saving throw DC of 10 + half the shadowjack level + the shadowjack’s Charisma bonus.

Shadow Weaving (Su): At 3rd level, a shadowjack can weave shadows into simple temporary objects. She can shape a weapon, a pair of identical light weapons, a quiver producing unlimited arrows, bolts, darts or sling stones, a light shield, a suit of light armor, a suit of non-descript clothing, a warm cloak, a mask, a bedroll, a waterskin, a backpack or a sack, a 10-ft. long pole, a 50-ft. long rope, or a set of masterwork tools. Weaving an object requires 1 minute of precise manual work. The shadow weaving dissolves immediately when the shadowjack dismisses it, starts creating a new shadow weaving, dies or the item is destroyed, and after one round when the shadowjack falls asleep or loses consciousness, or the item is more than 5 feet from the shadowjack. Any weapon created with this ability counts as magic weapon.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): At 7th level, a shadowjack can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as she is within 10 feet of an area of darkness or dim light, a shadowjack can hide herself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind. She cannot, however, hide in her own shadow.

Shadow Walker (Sp): At 11th level, a shadowjack can use shadow walk for a total number of hours per day equal to her level. The time spent shadow walking does not need to be consecutive, but must be used up in increments of 1 hour. The shadowjack can spend one hour of her shadow walk spell-like ability to travel between material plane and the Shadow Plane.

Greater Tenebrous Mark (Su): At 13th level, a shadowjack can spend one shadow mote as a standard action to place a greater tenebrous mark upon a single creature or object within line of sight. The shadowjack can have only one greater tenebrous mark active at any one time but it does not count against the limit of regular tenebrous marks and it isn’t restricted by the tenebrous marks’ distance limit. When the shadowjack activates her tenebrous lash she may exclude the greater shadow mark if she wishes so.

Gloom Wave (Su): At 15th level, a shadowjack can spend one shadow mote as a standard action to place one gloom mark on each enemy within line of sight. Gloom marks work like regular tenebrous marks in all respects, including dissipation range, except they do not count against regular tenebrous mark limit and they dissipate harmlessly at the end of the shadowjack’s following turn.

Potent Shadows (Su): At 17th level, a shadowjack can spend one shadow mote as a free action to make each of her tenebrous marks count as two marks for all purposes, until the start of the shadowjack’s next turn.

Shadow Adept: Upon reaching 20th level, a shadowjack becomes master of shadows. From now on she can select different secondary effect for each target affected by her tenebrous lash, can activate tenebrous lash as an immediate action, and the tenebrous lash damage die improves by one step. Additionally, the shadowjack’s darkvision penetrates magical darkness of any type.

I wanted to make a healer class that would rely on a spirit companion to deliver healing spells. Then it occurred to me that incoming spiritualist class might be a suitable base for this idea so I decided to wait instead.

After reading the final spiritualist version I decided to make this archetype:

Spirit Healer (Spiritualist Archetype)
Spirit healer and her phantom brings relief and solace to to injured and afflicted.

Psychic Healing: A spirit healer adds mass cure light wounds, mass cure moderate wounds, and reincarnate to her spell list and can undercast cure wounds spells. At 1st level she learns cure light wounds as a bonus spell known, replacing it with cure moderate wounds at 4th level, cure serious wounds at 7th level, cure critical wounds at 10th level, mass cure light wounds at 13th level, and finally mass cure moderate wounds at 16th level. This ability replaces bonded senses feature.

Bonded Healing (Su): At 3rd level, when the phantom is confined within the spirit healer’s consciousness, the spirit healer cast conjuration (healing) spells at +1 caster level. When the phantom is manifested, the spirit healer adds the phantom’s Charisma bonus to hit points provided by the healing spells cast via the phantom’s deliver touch spell ability. Both bonuses increase by 1 at 8th, 13th, and 18th level. At 17th level, the spirit healer gains bonus to caster level of her healing spells while her phantom is manifested as well. This ability replaces bonded manifestation and dual bond.

Deathwatch (Sp): At 5th level, a spirit healer can use deathwatch at will as long as she concentrates. At 9th level, she no longer needs to concentrate upon this spell becoming aware of condition of any creature within range that she can see or touch. This ability replaces detect undead and see invisibility features.

Deny Death (Su): At 7th level, once per day, a spirit healer can cast any cure wounds spell on a recently slain creature and revive it as per breath of life spell if the spell’s healing increases its hit points above negative Con. At 11th level and every four levels thereafter, the spirit healer can use this ability an additional time per day. This ability replaces calm spirit feature.

Fused Consciousness (Su): A 10th level spirit healer does not receive benefits of bonded senses when her phantom is manifested. This alters fused consciousness feature.

Spirit Resurrection (Sp): At 16th level, a spirit healer can send her phantom into the nether realms, to bring back single dead creature to life as per true resurrection spell, except the search for the deceased soul takes 4d6 hours. The phantom must be present during the casting and has to take with it valuables worth at least 25,000 gp as offerings and bribes for guardians and deities of the afterlife. This ability replaces call spirit feature.

I might have a complementary emotional focus or two coming later.

GRAmel has currently a sale on RPG Now: GRAmel.

Includes Adventurers! Beasts & Barbarians, Nemezis, Peacekeepers, and Wolsung.

Cybertech implants are restricted by Intelligence and Constitution scores. Having more implants with total implantation score higher than your Constitution bestows penalty to saving throws.

Undeads don't have Constitution score. Lack of ability scores is different than having 0 ability score.

Should the undead with implants count as having more implantation value than their nonexistent Constitution score, or should they ignore lack of Constitution, thus for practical purposes counting it as infinite for purpose of comparing it to implantation value?

I would like to start with statement that I love undercast rules! In fact I think that undercastish-rule should be in effect for all spellcasters - knowing one spell should let you know its lesser versions (be it lesser/greater or I, II, III, IV...)

No information about eventual availability of pdf version in the future? Or was WotC explicit that there won't be pdf anytime soon?

Good Old Games has a sale for Master of Magic!

Master of Magic.

There are other games on sale this weekend too. Patrician 1 & 2, Tropico and Tropic 3 among the others.

Could we get option to sign reviews with alias instead of the account name?

I start this thread foreseeing incoming flow of not so serious comments and vague complaints of dedicated voters.

I'll start with noting that the fourth item I saw was veiled spell in a can. It was... Quick.

Only today!

I wonder what they will give for free tomorrow...

Gog.com gives Fallout 1, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics for free today!

Get your free copy optimized for Windows XP and Windows 7 (possibly Windows 8 as well, no promises though) on Good Old Games!

Nelson Mandela died.

When I was watching the news me and my mother each thought that Morgan Freeman would look just right to play him in his final years.

EDIT: And now I read that Morgan Freeman already played Nelson Mandela in 2009.

When I was looking through one of the playtest threads I thought it would be useful feature to be able to search thread for posts made by any Paizo staff with simple check of a box without having to making multiple searches for each staff member individually.

Farewell...

He lived long.

Still, he would have so many more stories to tell...

Where's the photo of our precioussssss?!

I dreamed today of hunting and woke up with idea which I don't recall seeing in other MMO RPGs yet (aside of specific quests): baits.

Baits could either work by influencing aggro mechanic (increasing aggro radius, increasing aggro intensity, making the affected monster move beyond their regular maximum range) and/or with respawn mechanics (increasing respawn rate of specific types of monsters).

Possible applications:
- increasing effectiveness of hunting - increasing spawn rate of wolves would allow for gathering more hides at the cost of meat required to bait them.

- using monsters as distraction, guards and complication - e.g. baiting trolls to stay in the middle of the road forcing the caravan to change route or engage the trolls and risk wasting resources).

- initiating escalations involving specific monsters - baiting trolls to move near enemy settlement.

- tactical manipulation of monsters - e.g. drawing monster guards away from guarded area to avoid combat or drawing monsters into larger group to fry them with AoE magic.

After a few months I am attempting to overhaul my Blaster base class trying to make it more generic - allowing for both Black and White Mages as well as Gray in between.

Mage

Role: Mages invoke raw magic to blast their enemies out of existence and devastate anything that opposes them.

Alignment: Any.

Base Attack Bonus: Low
Good Saving Throws: Will
Hit Dice: d6.

Class Skills: The mage’s class skills are Craft (Int), Knowledge [arcana] (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Mages with Intelligence selected as their primary ability score treat all Knowledge skills as class skills.
Mages with Wisdom selected as their primary ability score treat Perception and Survival as their class skills.
Mages with Charisma selected as their primary ability score treat Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive as their class skills.

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Mages are proficient with simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of shield or armor.

Level.. Special
1......... Mage bolt (1 mana), mage order, mana mantle, mana pool
2......... Extra matrix
3......... Attunement (1st matrix)
4......... Extra matrix
5......... Mage bolt (2 mana)
6......... Extra matrix
7......... Attunement (2nd matrix)
8......... Extra matrix
9......... Mage bolt (3 mana)
10....... Extra matrix, mage-adept
11....... Attunement (3rd matrix)
12....... Extra matrix
13....... Mage bolt (4 mana)
14....... Extra matrix
15....... Mage-master
16....... Extra matrix
17....... Mage bolt (5 mana)
18....... Extra matrix
19.......
20....... Extra matrix, mage-lord

Class Features:

Mage Bolt (Su): Mages’ primary ability is projection of bolts of destructive energy. Mage bolt is a ranged touch attack with range of 100 feet with base damage of one die plus one additional die per two levels beyond first. The type of damage and damage die size is determined by the element matrix used. Using this ability provokes attacks of opportunity but cannot be disrupted by damage.

When the mage bolt is fired, mages have to pick one element matrix determining damage die, damage type and eventual saving throw. They can spend one mana point from their mana pool to add additional effects to the bolt, selected from the element matrix used, other compatibile matrices known and general shaping options. At 5th level mages gain ability to spend up to two mana points with one additional mana point per four class levels beyond 5th.

Mage Beam (1, 2 or 3 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a 30 feet (1 point), 60 feet (2 points) or 120 feet (3 points) line. Affected creatures that make a successful saving throw suffer half damage.

Mage Blast (2, 3 or 4 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a tiny bead that flies up to 100 feet and explodes into 20 feet radius burst. Three point version has 30 feet radius and four point version has 40 feet radius. Affected creatures that make a successful saving throw suffer half damage.

Mage Nova (1, 2 or 3 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a circular burst centered on the mage with the radius of 10 feet (1 point), 20 feet (2 points) or 30 feet (3 points). Affected creatures that make a successful saving throw suffer half damage. The mage may include or exclude oneself from the area of mage nova.

Mage Wave (1, 2 or 3 mana points): The mage bolt morphs into a 15 feet (1 point), 30 feet (2 points) or 60 feet (3 points) cone-shaped burst.

The DC of any required save is equal to 10+1/2 the mage’s level+the mage’s primary ability bonus.

Mage Order: Each mage belongs to one of the orders—black, white, grey or possibly one of more exotic ones. The mage order determines starting known matrices.
List of matrices not complete. Each mage has two matrices known at 1st level with at least one being elemental matrix - white mages know Vital matrix and one other.

Mana Pool: Each mage has a pool of raw magic energy used to power their abilities equal to Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma bonus. At second level and every two levels thereafter mana pool increases by 1 point. Spent mana points are regained after eight hours of rest, although those hours don’t need to be consecutive.

At 1st level, mages have to select one of Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma as their primary ability score. Selected ability is used to calculate their mana pool, saving throw DCs and efficiency of other abilities.
Mana pool probably will be increased to class level+primary ability bonus to help the mages power their high end abilities at later levels.

Mana Mantle (Su): Mages can wave their magic into defensive ability as well as offensive. While conscious, mages have armor bonus to AC equal to the lower of their class level and their power ability bonus. This is a force effect. They also add lower of their class level and their power ability bonus to all damage inflicted, temporary hit points granted and healing provided by their mage bolt and its morphs.

Extra Matrix: Mages master one additional matrix at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter.

Attunement (Su): After reaching 3rd level, mages can attune to one of their matrices gaining its attunement effect. The attunement can be changed after eight hours of sleep while mana points are refreshed. At 7th and 11th level mages gain ability to attune to one additional matrix at the same time.
Attunements at levels 15th and 19th are under consideration.

Mage-adept: At 10th level mages pick one of the following abilities:

Acolyte: The mage gains cohort as per the Leadership feat.

Bonded item: The mage gains bonded item using own class level in place of caster level. Instead of allowing casting of an extra spell it possess 2 mana points, replenishing each day, that can be used to power the mage’s abilities.

Combine elements: Grants the ability to combine two elmental matrices in single mage bolt. The effect uses lower damage dice, inflicts half damage of each type and allows using augmentations of both elements.

Familiar: The mage gains a regular familiar that has a 2 point mana pool or Improved Familiar feat. The mage uses own class level in place of wizard level and arcane caster level to determine abilities of the familiar and meeting prerequisites of feats. Mana points possesed by regular familiar can be used by its master while adjacent and replenish once per day.

Manacrafter: The mage learned secrets of creating mana-powered magic items. This works like item creation feat but allows for creation of specific items: ioun stone (mana battery), ioun stone (matrix), mage rods, mana elixirs, mana staves, matrix. Additionally, the mage can recharge magic staves by expenditure of mana points.

Mage-master: At 15th level mages pick one of the following abilities or select one additional ability listed under mage-adept. The same ability cannot be selected more thanm once.

Master element: The mage improves the die used by single elemental matrix by one step. Elemental matrix die progression is 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12.

Mage-lord: A 20th level mages wield the ultimate power over raw magic.
This will be a capstone ability. At the moment I consider having mage-lords increase all damage die of their mage bolts by one step, cumulative with master element ability.

More abilities to pick at mage-adept and mage-master tiers might be possible in the future. Gray order will be added once I get a nice special ability for them. Orders also differ in access to matrices which will be finalized once I have a complete list of matrices.

One of the major designers and editors of Chaosium passed away.

Lynn Willis

After many weeks of hanging from an Ash-tree, stabbing myself in the side with pencil, drinking water from Mimir's well by gallons and sacrificing my eyesight by looking into the computer screen I managed to assemble the following class:

It's primary role is a melee combatant that uses runes to augment own equipment and invoke a number of magical effects. Some of the abilities are not finished. In its current incarnation major runes effects stack with magic items. Originally the class was meant to create temporary magic items by placing runes on non-magical items - they would occupy slots normally and bestow typical bonus types (enhancement bonus to ability scores and natural armor, deflection bonus to AC, resistance bonus to saving throws and so on) and scale with the runethane's level.

Runethane

Role: Runethanes study the runes and use them to imbue their weapons and armor.

Alignment: Any, but lawful Runethanes are more common than chaotic ones.

Base Attack Bonus: High
Hit Dice: d10.
Good Saving Throws: Fortitude, Will
I am torn between this or Fortitude being only good save and hoping that Word-wise will grant enough bonus to saves.

Class Skills: The runethane’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Knowledge [all] (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features:

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Runethanes are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light and medium armors and shields (but not tower shields).

Minor Runes: A runethane can create small runestones imbued with magic by etching, inscribing, drawing or painting a minor rune upon a piece of bone, wood or stone. A desperate runethane can paint a minor rune with a bit of own blood as long as he has access to sharp improvised tool suffering 1 point of nonlethal damage in the process. Creating a minor rune requires one minute of work.

Each day, a runethane can create two minor runes plus one additional at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter. After the runethane rests and regains use of this ability he may choose to maintain any of the existing minor runes, They retain their power and count against the number of minor runes available for that day. Existing minor runes that weren’t maintained lose their power.

Bearer of a runestone gains its benefits as long as he carries it somewhere on his person. Minor runes that require triggering work once and are destroyed immediately after activation.

Rune Craft: A runethane can select item creation feats (except Brew Potion and Scribe Scroll) and use them treating his class level in place of caster level.

Rune Lore: A runethane becomes familiar with secrets of words and symbols adding half his level (minimum +1) to all Linguistics checks, Use Magic Device checks made to activate spell-completion or spell-trigger items, Perception checks made to find magical traps and Disable Devices checks made to disarm magical traps. A runethane can use Disable Devices to disarm magical traps and effects of spells and spell-like abilities that work like traps, including glyphs, explosive runes, and symbols.

Word-wise (Ex): A 2nd level runethane familiarity with words allows him to add his Intelligence bonus (minimum +1) to saving throws against language-dependent effects, explosive runes, glyphs, sepia snake sigil, symbols and similar effects that take form of writing or are triggered by reading.

Major Runes: A 3rd level runethane learns how to imbue his equipment by drawing major runes upon worn items. Inscribing a major rune requires one hour of drawing, inscribing or painting, while reciting silent incantations and meditation. A desperate runethane can paint a major rune with a bit of own blood as long as he has access to sharp improvised tool suffering 1 point of nonlethal damage in the process. Major runes last until dismissed by the runethane who created them or removed with erase or similar magic. A runethane can have only one major rune active at 3rd level with one additional rune available at the same time at 7th level and every four levels thereafter.

Item inscribed with major rune grants a specific bonus determined by the rune used and the type of item holding it. Only the runethane that inscribed the rune can benefit from its effects. For all other characters the rune is powerless.

Effects of multiple runes of the same type don’t stack.

Rune Power: A 4th level runethane improves his minor runes gains +1 bonus to various numeric effects of runestones he crafted. This bonus increases by 1 every four levels thereafter.

Unleash Rune (Sp): A 5th level runethane can invoke power of one of the major runes he has currently inscribed and active. Unleashing rune takes a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity and can be done once per day plus one additional time per four levels beyond the fifth. Unleash rune uses the runethane’s Intelligence bonus to determine saving throw DC and concentration checks.

Runic Secret: At 6th level, a runethane learns one runic secret that expands his use of runes. One additional runic secret is learned at 10th and 14th levels.

Rune Master: At 20th level, a runethane becomes master of runes... To do, together with 18th level ability.

As some may notice, I have mercilessly butchered runes, mixing Old Futhark, Young Futharc and Anglo-Saxon Futhorc signs, names and meanings. I have also deliberately changed meaning of some (like god becoming spirit and Tiwaz becoming storm) and added allegorical association to certain concepts.

Just for fun of designing own Black Mage-inspired class I rigged the following class:

Blaster

Role: A blaster projects primal energy as bolts, beams and waves, destroying his enemies and everything around.

Alignment: Any.

Base Attack Bonus: Low
Good Saving Throws: Will
Hit Dice: d6.

Class Skills: The blaster’s class skills are Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Knowledge [arcana] (Int), Knowledge [planes] (Int), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int)

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Blasters are proficient with simple weapons but not shields or armor. Any armor worn interferes with blasters’ spell blast ability.

Level.. Special
1......... Mana pool, spellblast 1
2......... Extra matrix
3......... Mana mantle
4......... spellblast 2
5......... Attunement
6......... Extra matrix
7......... Spellblast 3
8.........
9.........
10....... Extra matrix, spellblast 4
11....... Attunement
12.......
13....... Spellblast 5
14....... Extra matrix
15.......
16....... Spellblast 6
17.......
18....... Extra matrix
19....... Nova blast
20....... Ultimate devastation

Class Features:

Mana Pool: A blaster powers his abilities with raw magical energy. Each blaster has a mana pool containing a number of points equal to his class level times the ability bonus of primary ability score, chosen at 1st level. Spent mana points are regained after eight hours of rest, although those hours do not need to be consecutive.

Each blaster has to select the ability score that governs his magical abilities: Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma. Selected ability score is used to calculate mana pool, concentration checks and DC of saving throws against his abilities.

Spellblast (Sp): Iconic ability of blasters, spellblast projects raw magic shaped by one of the matrices known by the blaster in a primal approximation of an actual spell. Spellblast is treated as a spell-like ability with spell level equal to number of mana points spent to activate it. Unlike regular spell-like abilities, spellblast requires somatic components and may suffers from spell failure chance of any armor worn.

A blaster may apply metamagic feats to spellblasts as if they were spells, spending one additional mana point per level of spell adjustment. Applying one or more metamagic feats to a spellblast extends the casting time to one full-round action. A total number of mana points spent cannot exceed the regular limit of mana points per spellblast.

At 1st level, a blaster can spend up to one mana point on a single spellblast. At 4th level he can spend two mana points with one additional point at 7th, 10th, 13th and 16th levels.

Intelligence: Grants armor bonus to AC equal to lower of Intelligence bonus or class level.
Wisdom: Adds Wisdom bonus to initiative checks.
Charisma: Adds Charisma bonus to all saving throws.

Attunement (Su): After reaching 5th level, a blaster can attune to one of his elemental matrices gaining the attunement benefit. He can change the element he is attuned to after eight hours of rest while he regains his mana points. At 11th and 17th level he can attune to one more element at the same time.

Nova Blast (Sp): At 19th level, a blaster can unleash all the remaining power in a sudden blast. This is an immediate action that uses up all of the blaster’s remaining mana points. Nova blast deals damage equal to mana points expended to all creatures and unattended objects within 60 feet, including the blaster and his allies, or half on a successful saving throw. The blast uses damage type and saving throw of single elemental matrix of the blaster’s choice producing corresponding lingering effect within range and secondary effect on victims that failed their saving throw. This is an equivalent of a seventh level spell.

After using nova blast, a blaster drops unconscious for 1d4 rounds and awakes exhausted.

Ultimate Devastation: At 20th level, a blaster becomes master of destruction. All his spellblasts have their cost reduced by 1 point (to a minimum of 0).

Both nova blast and ultimate devastation might get some redesign, especially the former one. Extra abilities at 9th and 15th level will be added - probably related to Mana Mantle and based upon ability score picked as mana source.

This is what I wanted to do for some time: a shadow-wielding class. Initially those were two classes: Shadowcaster (very vaguely related to 3rd edition class of that name and only in flavor of using shadow, no mechanical relations) and Shadow Stalker. Somewhere during the early development I decided to fuse them into single class. During the writing I finally decided to drop "Shadow" part from the name to avoid unwieldy constructions in description of its abilities (which already use shadow a lot).

Stalker

Role: A stalker taps the power of shadows to deceive and hinder the opponents and weaves darkness itself into tools and weapons to be used as needed.

Alignement: Any.

Base Attack Bonus: Medium progression.
Hit Dice: d8.

Good Saving Throws: Reflex and Will.

Class Skills: The stalker’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge [local] (Int), Knowledge [planes] (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight Of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 6 + Int modifier

Level.. Special
1......... Shadow lash, shadow mark 2
2......... Shadow mark 3, stalker knack
3......... Shadow weaving 1
4......... Shadow mark 4, stalker knack
5......... Shadow lash (move action)
6......... Shadow mark 5, stalker knack
7......... Shadow weaving 2
8......... Shadow mark 6, stalker knack
9......... Shadow lash (swift action)
10....... Shadow mark 7, stalker knack
11....... Shadow weaving 3
12....... Shadow mark 8, stalker knack
13.......
14....... Shadow mark 9, stalker knack
15....... Shadow weaving 4
16....... Shadow mark 10, stalker knack
17.......
18....... Shadow mark 11, stalker knack
19....... Shadow weaving 5
20....... Shadow mark 12, shadow master, stalker knack

Class Features:

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Stalkers are proficient with all simple weapons, light and one-handed martial weapons, whips, repeater crossbows and light armors. They are also proficient with any weapon and armor they craft for themselves with their shadow weaving ability.

Shadow Lash (Su): A stalker can direct the power of shadows to lash at the bearers of his marks with a standard action. Each mark inflicts 1d6 points of damage to its bearer. Damage from multiple marks are added together and count as single source of damage before applying damage reduction or hardness and checking for massive damage. Using this ability removes all the triggered marks.

At 5th level, a stalker can use this ability as a move action. At 9th level, he can activate it as a swift action.

Some feats, knacks and abilities can improve damage die used to determine shadow lash damage. In such case the damage die progression is 1d6, 1d8, 1d10 and 1d12 unless noted otherwise.

Some knacks can add secondary effects to the shadow lash. All saving throws against them are made against DC of 10+one-half stalker class level+the stalker’s Dexterity modifier. The saving throw DC can be increased with Ability Focus (Shadow Lash). All secondary effects of the shadow lash are considered shadow effects.

Shadow Mark (Su): A stalker can mark his enemies with wisps of shadowstuff. Each time a stalker hits a corporeal opponent with a manufactured weapon he is proficient with or with an unarmed strike he may place a shadow mark upon the target. Alternatively, a stalker can take a standard action to place shadows mark on a touched creature or object or full-round action to place up to six marks on willing recipients.

A stalker can have up two shadow marks active at any one time, plus one additional at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter to a maximum of 12 marks at 20th level. Multiple marks can be placed on a single creature or object. The stalker can remove harmlessly any number of his existing shadow marks with a free action. Shadow mark vanish immediately if the distance between the recipient and the stalker exceeds 50 feet.

A stalker is aware of a general direction towards all of his shadow marks.

A stalker using ghost touch weapon, being incorporeal or while being subject to another effect that allows full interaction with incorporeal creatures can place his shadow marks on incorporeal creatures.

Stalker Knack: At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, a stalker learns a secret technique that draws upon training and shadows to expand his capabilities. Knacks marked with asterisk (*) grant secondary effect to the stalker’s shadow lash ability. A single activation of shadow lash can only benefit from single secondary ability.

Each knack can be selected only once, unless noted otherwise.

Shadow Weaving (Su): A stalker can draw substance from the Plane Of Shadow and weave it into useful forms. At 3rd level, a stalker is capable of shaping and maintaining single weave. He may create and maintain one additional weave at 7th level and every four levels thereafter. A stalker that has a maximum number of weaves active has to dissolve one of them when he starts creating a new one. Shadow weaves that were destroyed cannot be reshaped until the stalker rests for at least eight hours, although those hours do not need to be consecutive.

Weaving a shadow into a usable form requires one minute of work and concentration (certain weaving require more time to shape) and complex gestures and cannot be performed wile the stalker is grappled, helpless, paralyzed, pinned or otherwise prevented from precise manual movement.

Shadow weaves dissolve into unshaped shadowstuff when the stalker dies or becomes unconscious for more than 1 round but not when he is asleep. A stalker can deliberately dissolve any of his shadows as a move action.

Shadow weaves are yet to be written. At the moment I know that the most basic use of this ability will be creation of tools and weapons, with possibility of creating magical trinkets and quasi-real servitors available at higher levels.

Shadow Master: Upon reaching 20th level, a stalker becomes master of shadows. From now on he can select different secondary effect for each target affected by his shadow lash, can activate it as immediate action and its damage die improves by one step.
This ability might see some revision or expansion as well.

Things to do:
- Shadow weaving.
- Abilities for 13th and 17th level (possibly assassin's Hide in Plain Sight at 13th level, we'll see).
- I am thinking about giving this class a pool of shadow motes, similar to ki points (1/2 level plus Dex modifier) and a number of knacks that would use them but I wonder if I really want to add another variable to track beside shadow marks and shadow weavings. Using them would allow for more powerful abilities that could be used a limited number of times per day, however.

So far so good but there are things that, after the initial reading, don't exactly seem to fit.

Champion's Path Ability Perfect Strike has to be renamed. There is already a feat of the same name.

All the abilities that deal with familiars/eidolons/animal companions probably would fare better as universal path abilities instead of being path-specific. Why, for example, Guardian and Hierophant can have Beast Fury and Mythic Companion while others can't? There is great probability that Archmage is a wizard with Improved Familiar or Champion is a Ranger with animal companion - both would benefit greatly from those abilities.

For reasons unknown Champion ended with two path abilities that would suit the Guardian equally or more - Stanch Wounds and To The Death. Another Champion ability that could suit Guardian well is Armor Master.

Why Archmage, Champion and Hierophant can't pick additional 1st level abilities as a path abilities like Guardian, Marshal or Trickster?

A few more path abilities look like they could be universal path abilities: Itemcraft, Unwavering Skill.

Now, returning to reading the rest.

RedBrick Retiring post on RedBrick discussion forum.

EDIT: Small clarification in spoiler.

In the constant search for more monsters I decided to brew (or maybe assemble would be a more correct term in this case) a new subtype of chaotic Outsiders. While I do not intend to explicitly refer to Gorum in their description, I do not deny that are inspired by The Lord In Iron spontaneous creation from the tides of war - Battlewrought are intended to be spirits of war (I would say demons of war, but regretfully D&D shoehorned the term into very particular subtype of fiends) that inhabit physical shells formed of shattered armors, discarded weapons, fragments of fortifications, broken siege engines, and other debris lingering on battlefields fused together into imitation of humanoid (more or less, but not always) - creatures most responsible for their very existence.

Battlewrought subtype: Battlewrought are spirits of war inhabiting shells composed of shattered arms and armor from the planar battlefields. They have the following traits:

• Constructed (Ex): Although battlewrought are living outsiders, their bodies are constructed of physical components, and in many ways function like constructs. For the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger's favored enemy and bane weapons), battlewrought count as both outsiders and constructs. They are immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). Battlewrought are not subject to nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. They are not at risk of death from massive damage. They have bonus hit points as constructs of their size.

• Saves: A battlewrought’s good saving throws are Fortitude and Reflexes.

• Skills: A battlewrought counts Acrobatics, Climb, Intimidate and Swim as class skills in addition to general outsider skills.

• Regeneration (Ex): Battlewrought have regeneration/lawful. The regenerated amount varies by the type of battlewrought.

• Truespeech (Su): A battlewrought can speak with any creature that has a language as if using tongues (caster level 14th). This ability is always active.

• Body Weaponry (Ex): All the weapons, shields and armors wielded by battlewrought are parts of its body. They cannot be disarmed. They can be sundered but regenerate in one round if broken and 1d4+1 rounds if destroyed. The same applies to any other body part of the battlewroughts.

• Wrought For Battle (Ex): Battlewrought HD count as fighter levels when meeting prerequisites of combat feats. They also gain bonus combat feats as if their outsider HD were fighter levels.

I'll design for food too! And I eat less than those two!

Today I present a draft of a new Aeon - Caen ("power"), guardians of energy as expressed by fire, cold and the lightning.
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Aeon, Caen
A spherical shape of swirling fire mixed with ice. The whole creature cracks with static energy from time to time, extending two tendrils from it's center, one made of flame and one of ice.

Caen CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium Outsider (aeon, cold, extraplanar, fire)
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., sense heat; Perception +17
Defense
AC 24, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+2 deflection, +6 Dex, +6 natural armor)
HP 125 (10d10+70); fast healing 5
Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +11
Defensive Abilities absorb energy; Immune cold, critical hits, electricity, fire, poison; Resist electricity 10; SR 21
Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)
Melee fiery touch +13 melee touch (5d6 fire), icy touch +13 melee touch (5d6 cold)
Ranged icy flame ray +16 ranged touch (10d6 cold and fire damage plus freezing flame)
Special Attacks freezing flame
Spell-like Abilities (CL 10th)
At-will - jolt (+16 ranged touch, 1d3 electricity), ray of cold (+16 ranged touch, 1d3 cold), spark
3/day - lightning leap (as ride the lightning but cast time is one standard action and duration is instantaneous, DC 19, 10d6 electricity damage), summon monster V (only fire, ice or lightning elementals)
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 22, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 19
Base Atk +10; CMB +13; CMD 29 (can't be tripped)
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Toughness
Skills Fly +20, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (nature) +20, Knowledge (planes) +20, Perception +17, Spellcraft +15, Stealth +19
Languages envisaging
SQ extension of all, no breath, void form
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair or trio
Treasure standard
Special Abilities

Absorb Energy (Ex): A caen heals one point of damage per three points of electric damage rolled against it.

Freezing Flame (Su): Any creature struck with both fiery touch and icy touch in the same round has to make a Reflex saving throw (DC 18) or becomes entangled with burning ice for 1d4 rounds. While entangled the victim suffers 1d6 points of fire damage and 1d6 points of cold damage per turn. Entangled creature can take a full-round action to free oneself from the flaming ice with a Strength check or Escape Artist check against saving throw DC. The saving throw DC is Strength-based.

Icy Flame Ray (Su): A caen can fire a ray of energy dealing half cold and half fire damage. A creature struck with it has to make a Reflex saving throw (DC 18) or is entangled with burning ice as per freezing flame.

Sense Heat (Su): A caen detects presence of open fire, all effects with cold or fire descriptor and all creatures with cold or fire subtype within 60 feet. This works like blindsense.

Caens are guardians of energy - duality of fire and ice, and the power that flows between those two oppositions. They are rarely met on the Material Plane as they focus their efforts on disruptions of balance between fire and ice on a cosmic scale. Only a rare cataclysm, natural or artificial, creates power imbalance necessary to draw their attention.
A caen stands six feet tall and weights around 150 pounds. It's central body is misty and steamy and crackles silently with static energy from time to time.

No, it is not another shapeshifter class.
As usual, the balance of this class was never actually tested and as such should be used with care.
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Metamorph

Role: Metamorph taps the mysteries of lifeforce to acquire features of various beasts and magical monsters slowly turning into an exotic inhuman entity.

Hit Dice: 1d10
Base Attack Bonus: High
Good Saves: Fortitude, Reflex
I am tempted to changing HD to 1d12 and removing Reflex from favored saves.

Class Skills: Metamorph class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge [arcana] (Int), Knowledge [nature] (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Metamorphs are proficient with simple weapons, light armors and all natural attacks.
Evolutions: At first level, a metamorph begins his transformation gaining the ability to acquire inhuman traits. He has a pool of evolution points used to select between available evolutions equal to 2+class level. At 4th level and every five levels thereafter one additional point is added to evolution pool.

All metamorphs may select basic magic, bite, burrow, claws, climb, darkvision, fast healing, flight (winged), gore, grab, improved damage, improved natural armor, low-light vision, magic attacks, major magic, minor magic, rake, reach, resistance, scent, slam, swim, tentacle, ultimate magic and wing buffet evolutions plus any evolutions listed in their origins. Metamorph must meet level and needed evolution requirements of each evolution selected.
List of evolutions is not final. This mostly applies to evolutions available through origins feature below.

Maximum Attacks: As metamorphs gain new appendages and natural weapons they have a plethora of extra attacks available. The capabilities of the body not always match the capabilities of the instincts and mind limiting a maximum number of natural attacks a metamorph can normally make with full attack to three. At 4th level and every five levels thereafter one more natural attack can be made with full attack to a maximum of 7 natural attacks at 19th level.

Origins: At first level, a metamorph selects source of his evolutions, be it weird alchemy, animalistic spirits, stealing the souls of defeated foes or surgical grafting.

Bonus Feat: At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, a metamorph gains bonus feat selected from the following list: Ability Focus, Aspect Of The Beast, Diehard, Endurance, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Hover, Improved Critical (one natural attack type), Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (one natural attack type).

Ability Increase: At 6th level, a metamorph can select evolution ability increase once. At 12th and 18th levels he may select ability increase evolution for the second and third time. He must spend evolution points on this evolutions normally.
This may end cut away - ability increase would be so obvious choice that I already changed it from being selectable for each ability score independently.

Evolution Peak: At 20th level, a metamorph changes his type or subtype, depending upon his origins.

Transmogrify: At 20th level, a metamorph is no longer bound by his current form. He may spend twenty four hours alone meditating and reshaping oneself into a new form. This allows him to change his evolutions spending evolution points in a new way. Using this ability within 30 days of previous use bestows a negative energy level for the following thirty days. Multiple negative energy levels gained from overusing this ability stack.

Since long-long time, I wanted to make a class that would be versatile skill monkey that would not be Rogue or Bard. I like those two classes (ok, PF Bard more, especially since archeologist archetype was published) but something different is what I would like to present.

Also, thanks to SmiloDan for inspiration with some of his new base classes in his thread. There were skill monkeys somewhere inside to find, but it's worth looking through.

Savant

Role: A savant is master of skills, using his intellect, intuition, training, patience, sure hand and a few canny tricks to succeed against hardships and challenges.

Alignement: Any

Hit Dice: d8

Base Attack Bonus: Medium progression

Good Saving Throws: Will

Class Skills: The savant treats all skills as class skills.

Skill Ranks Per Level: 8 + Int modifier

Class features:

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Savants are proficient with all simple weapons and light armors.

Ingenious Intution (Ex): A savant can often rely on intutive leaps of logic to help him solve problems. Ingenious intution allows adding Intelligence modifier (minimum +1) as an insight bonus to attack roll, saving throw or skill check. This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to savant class level plus Wisdom modifier.

Savant Knowledge (Ex): A savant adds half his class level (minimum +1) to all Knowledge checks. He may make Knowledge checks untrained regardless of check DC.

Skill Mastery (Ex): A savant selects one skill to master on each level. He may take 10 on all skill checks with mastered skills, regardless of circumstances.

Skill Trick: A savant learns one skill trick every level.
Skill tricks are currently work in progress. I intend them to be much weaker than feats, granting minor benefits to using certain skills but I don't have as much of them as I would like (i.e. at least 2 per skill).

Bonus Feat: At 2nd level savant gains additional feat other than item creation or metamagic. One additional feat is gained at at 6th, 10th, 14th and 18th levels. A savant must meet all the prerequisites of the feat to select it.

Upon reaching 6th level and every four levels thereafter a savant can choose to learn a new bonus feat in place of feat he has already learned. In effect, the savant loses the bonus feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot be one that was used as a prerequisite for another feat, prestige class, or other ability. A savant can only change one feat at any given level.

Versatile Focus: At 3rd level, a savant gains the ability to focus upon a particular field of activity. After eight hours of rest he may meditate and train for one hour to gain one of the following abilities:

Improved Mastery (Ex): At 4th level, a savant gains +1 bonus to skill checks while taking 10 or taking 20. These bonuses improves by 1 at 8th level and every four levels thereafter.

Lore Master (Ex): At 5th level, a savant can, once per day, take 20 on a single Knowledge check as a standard action. This ability can be used one more time per day at 11th and 17th levels.

Analytical Mind (Ex): At 9th level, a savant gains +2 inherent bonus to Intelligence score. This bonus increases to +4 at 13th level, and to +6 at 17th level.
Analytical mind was based upon Abyssal-bloodline sorcerer inherent bonus to Strength scalling.

Versatile Genius (Ex): At 20th level, a savant reaches peak of his mental abilities allowing versatility unknown to others. Whenever a savant meditates to change his versatile focus he may exchange any of his bonus savant feats for different feats as long as he meets prerequisites for new feats.

Alternate favored class bonuses:

Dwarf: Add +1/2 of a mastered skill.

Elf: Add +1/4 to savant knowledge bonus.

Gnome: Add +1/2 of a skill trick.

Half-elf: Add +1/3 of a daily Ingenious Intuition use.

Human: Add +1/4 to improved mastery bonus.

Class feats:

Extra Intuition
Prerequisites: Ingenious Intuition
Benefits: Ingenious Intution ability can be used two more times per day. This feat can be taken multiple times and it’s effects stack.

Ingenious Strike
Prerequisites: Igenious Intuition
Benefits: Whenever character uses Ingenious Intuition ability to gain insight bonus to weapon attack roll the same bonus applies to weapon damage roll.

Shared Intution
Prerequisites: Ingenious Intution
Benefits: Whenever character uses Ingenious Intution ability to gain insight bonus to a saving throw, he may, as an immediate action, grant the same bonus to saving throw against the effect that triggered the save to all his allies within 20 feet that can hear him. A savant needs a line of sight to his allies to target them with this ability.

I was wondering about adding more options to evolution lists. First because I would like to see more varied Eidolons and second because I am considering using evolution rules beyond Eidolons (two of my current pet projects is using evolutions to build vestiges for slightly reimagined Binder and making an evolutionist base class that gains evolutions as it's primary feature).

I'll start with review of universal monster abilities from Bestiaries (abilities that are already covered by evolutions are omitted. Numbers in parentheses are vague estimations of evolution point costs.

Ability Damage (?): Eidolons can deal ability damage with poison so I think it would not be unreasonable to allow them deal modest amount of ability damage with their attacks through other ways.

Ability Drain: Rarely opponents are meet more than once so ability drain would be pointless most of the time.

All-Around Vision (1-2): Grants immunity to flanking. Reduces combat advantage gained by multiple opponents and reduces possibility of falling to sneak attacks, but they are used against PCs moderately often or rare.

Amorphous (at least 4, probably more): Grants immunity to extra precision and critical damage. Would be quite powerful ability as it is not granted to PCs often.

Amphibious: Effectively available by combing gills and swim evolutions.

Attach (1-2?): Comparable to grab I think, not suffering from size limitation but also does not bestow grappling penalties to the opponent.

Bleed (?): Eidolons are already capable of inflicting continous (ability) damage with poison and can gain bleed damage with feats (Bleeding Critical, some style feats) so I think that they could be given bleed damage as evolution. Judging the point cost and damage per round is needed.

Blood Drain (4?): How one may not want to have vampiric grappling eidolon? Exact priving should be based upon Constitution damage inflicted.

Burn (+1 or +2): Logical expansion to Energy Attack (fire) evolution. Again, Eidolons are already capable of continous damage so it should not be more unbalancing.

Change Shape (?): Something more along the lines of disguise self as a humanoid/animal could be available or true polymorph effect limited to mostly cosmetic effects.

Compression (?): For all those large or huge eidolons. Should be costly, otherwise it would be too obvious choice for anything larger than Medium.

Construct Traits (8?): Maybe gained as a constructed quality possessed by Inevitables. Should be pricey.

Damage Reduction (2-3?): Damage type-based and material-based DR options in addition to alignement-based DR would be nice.

Disease (?): Long term effects are of little usef to PCs most of the time. They might get their use in certain circumstances.

Distraction: Quite powerful ability. Should be only available (if ever) when we get Eidolons with swarm subtype.

Energy Drain: Unlimited energy drain is another ability that might be too powerful if made available to PCs.

Fear: Eidolons can have frightful presence but I would not be completly opposed to limited fear abilities.

Ferocity (probably 3 or 4): Could be available. Would save spending feats on Endurance/Diehard for Eidolon. Question is how much points it should be worth? Also, it would be quite obvious choice for Summoner to pick with Aspect.

Gaze: Really, really depends upon condition bestowed - it should also be limited to active gazes (unless the condition caused by the gaze would be dazzled). Constant passive auras (which regular gaze actually is) are quite powerful abilities as they don’t eat resources (either limited uses or actions) while bestowing conditions that are normally staple of more limited abilities.

Heat (+1): Improved version of energy attack (fire).

Immunity: Immunties to certain types of effects and conditions could be added. I can see having immunity to gaze effects and patterns being part of blind monster eidolon. Also, immunity to posions and immunity to diseases (currently available as a very specifc package with 6-point undead appearance evolution).

Paralysis: Rather too much to be made avaialable to PCs.

Plant Traits: Something like plantlike subtype for outsiders would be good (similar to constructed quality).

Powerful Charge (#): Yes, please. Cost should be adjusted for extra damage - 1 point per 1d6?

Regeneration: We have got fast healing. Regeneration would be overkill unless it would be limited somehow (like x rounds/day and stopped by common type of damage).

Rock Catching: Very specific ability. Probably too specific.

Rock Throwing (3-4): To make a viable giant-like builds. Should require slam attack and large size as prerequisites.

Stench (?): Or how to make your party hate your Eidolon. Like most constant aura effects should be pricey if allowed.

Telepathy (2+): Eidolons can already communicate with their masters. This would make the eidolon into universal translator - good thing to have in case of multi-utility eidolon.

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Avenger (Inquisitor Archetype)

Avenger is an agent of divine retribution - holy assassin that strikes enemies of the faith.

Good Saves: Reflex, Will
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge [arcana] (Int), Knowledge [local] (Int), Knowledge [nobility] (Int), Knowledge [religion] (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight Of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis) and Swim (Str)

Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Avengers gain proficiency in all light martial weapons but lose proficiency in medium armors and shields.

Divine Shadow (Ex): An aveneger wearing light or no armor and carrying a light or no encumberance adds half his class level (minimum +1) to all Disguise and Stealth checks. This ability replaces stern gaze.

Grace Of Insight (Ex): An avenger wearing light or no armor and carrying a light or no encumberance may use his Wisdom score in place of Strength, Dexterity or Intelligence when qualifing for and using combat feats. This ability replaces domain.

Sneak Attack (Ex): An avenger gains sneak attack working like a rogue’s ability of the same name dealing 1d6 points of bonus damage. An avenger inflicts additional die of bonus damage at 4th level and every three levels thereafter. This ability replaces judgement.

Combat Feat: At third level level and every three levels thereafter, the avenger gains a bonus combat feat. He must meet prerequisites of that feat normally. When reaching 6th level and every three levels thereafter, an avenger can choose to exchange on of his bonus combat feats to another one. Feats that are prerequisites for other feats cannot be retrained in this way. This ability replaces solo tactics and bonus teamwork feats.

Haste (Sp): At 5th level, an avenger can haste self, as per spell of the same name, for a number of rounds per day equal to his class level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. Activating haste is a swift action. This ability replaces discern lies.

Oath Of Enemity (Su): An 8th level avenger can, once per day, take a swift action to designate single creature within line of sight as his chosen enemy. Oath of enemity grants +2 scared bonus (or profane in case of avengers dedicated to evil deities or avengers dedicated to neutral deities that selected profane instead of sacred bonus) to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, CMB, ability and skill checks and caster level checks made to penetrate Spell Resistance against the target.
If the avenger kills the target of his oath of enemity he immediately heals 2d8 points of damage.

Oath of enemity lasts until the target dies, the avenger designates a new target or next time the avenger rests and regains use of this ability.

At 12th, 16th and 20th level oath of enemity bonus increases by 1, can be declared one additional time per day and heals additional 1d8 points of damage when the target is killed.

This ability replaces second judgement, greater bane and third judgement.

Evasion: At 11th level, an avenger gains Evasion. This ability replaces Stalwart.

Avenger’s Stab (Ex): At 17th level, an avenger can, once per day, treat the targets of his oath of enemity as flat footed for one round. This ability replaces slayer.

Oathsworn Slayer (Ex): At 20th level, an avenger becomes epitome of divine retribution. He automatically confirms critical threats against the target of his oath of enemity. All his critical hits against the target of his oath of enemity deliver sneak attack. The target of oath of enemity that is flanked, flat-footed or otherwise denied Dexterity bonus to AC suffers maximum damage from sneak attack dice when a critical hit is scored.

Vaclav Havel died yesterday.

I was thinking about making captain class losely based upon Lord Of The Rings Online class of the same name, with elements borrowed from 4th edition Warlord and earlier 3.0/3.5 attempts at such leader class for some time (a few years actually) but was lately goaded into action by Detect Magic comment in his Guardian thread.
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Captain
Role: Captains combine their strength at arms with ability to inspire and lead their allies.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Dice: d10.
Class Skills: Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge [engineering] (Int), Knowledge [geography] (Int), Knowledge [history] (Int), Knowledge [nobility] (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perform [oratory] (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis) and Survival (Wis).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4+Int modifier.

Base Attack Bonus: Good Progression.
Good Saving Throws: Fortitude, Will.

Level.. Special
1......... Captain's presence +1, tactical strike 1/day
2......... Coordination, cunning grace
3......... Advanced tactics
4......... Tactical strike 2/day
5......... Bonus feat, captain's presence +1
6......... Advanced tactics
7......... Tactical strike 3/day
8......... Improved coordination
9......... Advanced tactics
10....... Captain's presence +1, tactical strike 4/day
11....... Bonus feat
12....... Advanced tactics
13....... Tactical strike 5/day
14....... Greater coordination
15....... Advanced tactics, captain's presence +1
16....... Tactical strike 6/day
17....... Bonus feat
18....... Advanced tactics
19....... Tactical strike 7/day
20....... Captain's presence +1, leader of men

Class Features

EDIT: Weapon And Armor Proficiency: A captain is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light, medium and heavy armor and shields (but not tower shields).

Captain's Presence (Ex): A captain extends commanding presence that bolsters vigilance of his allies within 20 feet that can see and hear him. The range of this ability extends by additional 10 feet at 2nd level and every two levels thereafter.
Captain's presence grants +1 morale bonus to initiative checks and Perception checks. This bonus increases by 1 at 5th level and every five levels thereafter.
Captain's presence is suppressed when the captain is frightened, panicked, cowering, sleeping, unconscious, paralyzed, petrified or otherwise incapacitated.

Tactical Strike (Ex): Once per day, a captain can make an attack action against single opponent that delivers one of possible combat effects in addition to regular damage:

Missed tactical strike is not expended and can be used again. A captain can make a tactical strike one additional time per day at 4th level and every three levels thereafter.

Coordination (Ex): A captain lends aid to his allies whenever he can. Starting at 2nd level captain can grant +2 bonus to attack rolls or +2 dodge bonus to AC for one round to one ally affected by the captain's captain's presence. Benefits of coordination are suppressed when the affected ally is unconscious, incapacitated, stunned or otherwise prevented from acting on orders issued by the captain.
Coordination is language-dependent ability that can be used as a swift action for a number of times per day equal to ½ captain level plus his Charisma modifier.

Cunning Grace (Ex): At 2nd level, a captain mastered optimizing his defenses against hostile effects and gains bonus equal to his Intelligence bonus (if any) to all saving throws.

Advanced Tactics (Ex): At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, a captain selects one advanced tactic. Each advanced tactic expands effects of the captain's captain's presence, coordination or tactical strike abilities.

Bonus Feat: At 5th, 11th and 17th level captains gain additional combat or teamwork feats. They must meet all the requirements of selected feats.

Improved Coordination (Ex): At 8th level, a captain can choose to grant two coordination effects to one ally or one coordination effect to two of his allies with single use of his coordination ability.

Greater Coordination (Ex): At 14th level, a captain can choose to grant three coordination effects to one ally or one coordination effect to three of his allies with single use of his coordination ability.

Leader Of Men (Ex): Not yet implemented.

Captain's feats

Extra Coordination
Prerequisites: Coordination class feature.
Benefits: Character gains two additional daily uses of coordination feature.
Special: Character can gain Extra Coordination multiple times. Its effect stacks.

Extra Tactics
Prerequisites: Advanced tactics class feature.
Benefits: Character learns one additional advanced tactic.
Special: Character can gain Extra Tactics multiple times.

Extra Tactical Strike
Prerequisites: Tactical strike class feature.
Benefits: Character can use tactical strike one additional time per day.
Special: Character can gain Extra Tactical Strike multiple times. Its effect stacks.

As you can see its not quite finished: its capstone ability is missing and I am sure that more advanced tactics will be added.
Any comments, critique, judgement and playtesting is welcome.

Inspired by the conversion done by SmiloDan but wanting to do something that would be more different from Complete Arcana Warlock I have designed the following version of Warlock:

I kept the Eldritch Bolt but reworked it into permanent ranged attack that scale more like ranged weapon (testing will be need to check if I even got close to such scalling, current version is freshly written). Invocations were reworked completly into class resource that is spend to gain certain benefits, similar to ki points. They role was taken by hexes borrowed from the witch class. Novelty feature is metamorphosis (ok, not so novelty for those familiar with Warcraft - questing for Gul'dan skull to finish Illidan's metamorphosis into demon was quite... interesting).

Warlock
Role: Warlocks draw the power from dark planes and their fiendish denizens gaining the ability to fire bolts of unholy energy and transform for a short time into eldritch monstrosities.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Dice: d8.
Class Skills: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge [arcana] (Int), Knowledge [planes] (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Ranks Per Level: 4+Int modifier.

Base Attack Bonus: Medium Progression.
Good Saving Throws: Will.

Level..Special
1.........Eldritch Bolt, Eldritch Invocation, Eldritch Pact, Forbidden Secret, Metamorphosis
2.........DR 1/varies, Hex
3.........Eldritch Bolt +1, Forbidden Secret
4.........DR 2/varies, Hex
5.........Augment Bolt 1, Forbidden Secret
6.........DR 3/varies, Hex
7.........Eldritch Bolt +2, Forbidden Secret
8.........DR 4/varies, Hex
9.........Augment Bolt 2, Forbidden Secret
10........DR 5/varies, Hex
11........Eldritch Bolt +3, Forbidden Secret
12........DR 6/varies, Hex
13........Augment Bolt 3, Forbidden Secret
14........DR 7/varies, Hex
15........Eldritch Bolt +4, Forbidden Secret
16........DR 8/varies, Hex
17........Augment Bolt 4, Forbidden Secret
18........DR 9/varies, Hex
19........Eldritch Bolt +5, Forbidden Secret
20........DR 10/varies, Eldritch Apotheosis, Hex

Class Features
Weapon And Armor Proficiency: Warlocks are proficient with all simple weapons and light armors but not shields.

Eldritch Bolt (Su): 1st level Warlock gains the ability to project bolt of devastating energy with a 60 feet range. On a successful ranged touch attack eldritch bolt inflicts 1d8 points of damage, half of which is unholy (or chaotic for qlippothic pact) and half is of energy type associated with the warlock's eldritch pact. At 3rd and every four levels thereafter warlock gains +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with his eldritch bolt.
Eldritch bolt is treated as a ranged attack that provokes attacks of opportunity and benefits from all bonuses and penalties applying to ranged weapon attacks. Single bolt is fired with an attack action and multiple bolts can be fired with a full attack action.
One free and unrestrained hand is required to fire eldritch bolts.

Eldritch Invocation (Su): Warlocks can call upon the dark powers for aid. They may use eldritch invocation a number of times per day equal to their Charisma bonus (minimum 1) plus one additional time per two class levels.
Warlock can use single invocation as a swift action to fire one additional eldritch bolt at highest base attack bonus as a part of full attack. He may also use invocation to activate metamorphosis as an immediate action. Finally he may use invocation to gain +4 profane bonus to single Charisma-based ability or skill check made against Outsiders with subtype asociated with their pact. Certain forbidden secrets grant additional uses for invocation.
Warlock has to be able to speak to use any invocation.

Eldritch Pact: 1st level Warlock selects single patron representing the source of his power: abyssal, daemonic, infernal or qlippothic. Each pact grants DR equal to one-half Warlock level and energy resistance of 5+Warlock level against associated energy type.

Forbidden Secrets: As the descend on their path to darkness warlocks learn many eldritch secrets that alter them and their powers in unpredictable way. Certain forbidden secrets grant additional abilities while using metamorphosis ability.
At 1st level and every two levels thereafter warlock selects one of the following forbidden secrets:

Metamorphosis (Su): Starting at the first level Warlocks can temporarily invoke the unholy energies and act as the vessel for the dark power. Activating this ability is a swift action that grants fast healing 2, resistance to acid, cold, electricity and fire equal to one-half Warlock level, darkvision with 60 feet range (or 60 feet increase to existing darkvision) and +10 bonus to Disguise checks. Warlock emanates aura of evil with strength equal to evil outsider of his HD while using metamorphosis.
Certain forbidden secrets grant additional abilities or enhance existing ones while metamorphosis is active.
All the natural attacks gained in metamorphosis are treated as magic and evil.
Metamorphosis can be used for a total number of rounds per day equal to Warlock level. Those rounds do not need to be consecutive. Maintaining active metamorphosis or turning it off is not an action. While on the plane associated with his eldritch pact time spent metamorphosed does not count against the daily limit.

Hex: Warlocks learn a number of magic tricks, called hexes, that grant them powers or weaken their foes. At 2nd level, a warlock gains one hex of his choice. He gains one additional hex on 4th level and every two levels beyond 2nd. A warlock cannot select individual hex more than once.
Unless otherwise noted, using hex is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The save DC to resist the hex is equal to 10 + ½ the warlock's level + the warlock's Charisma modifier.
This ability is otherwise identical to Hex feature of the witch class.

Augment Bolt: Starting at 5th level Warlock can apply additional effects to his eldritch bolt selected from the list of available augmentations for a total equal to his augmentation rating. At 5th level he can have up to one point of augmentation with one additional point available every four levels beyond 5th.
Changing the set of augmentations active requires one minute of concentration. Warlock may make an invocation to change set of augmentations active as a full-round action.
Unless otherwise noted augmentation act as magic weapon qualities of the same name. Warlock has to select his augmentations before making an attack roll and cannot change them until the beginning of his following turn.

Major Hex: Starting at 10th level and every two levels thereafter Warlock can select major hex whenever he could select a new hex.

Grand Hex: Starting at 18th level and every two levels thereafter Warlock can select grand hex whenever he could select a new hex.

Eldritch Apotheosis: After reaching 20th level Warlock becomes infused with unholy power ceasing to be mortal entity and becoming one with his masters. His type changes to Outsider with native, evil and augmented subtypes and ceases to age.

I intend to add more secrets and augmentations in the future.
All the opinions, comments, platesting and questions are welcome. Especially I would like pointing errors and things that are unclear and need rewriting.

These are a few ideas I had about new options for barbarians:
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Chem Berserker
Chem Berserkers are result of tinkering with humanoid physiology. Some of them are self-made, through the ingestion of toxic herbs and minerals while others are product of alchemical mutagens tested upon them - either due to pure curiosity of their creators or deliberate attempts to create chemically-empowered killing machines. Chem Berserkes have following class features:

Class Skills: Chem Berserkers remove Handle Animals from their class skill list and replace it with Heal.

Alchemical Rage (Ex): This ability counts and works like regular barbarian rage except it grants +4 alchemical bonus to Strength, +2 natural armor bonus and -2 Intelligence penalty instead of morale bonus to Strength, Constitution and Will save and penalty to AC. After Alchemical Rage ends character is sickened instead of being fatigued. Chem Berserker cannot enter Alchemical Rage while sickened or nauseated but can use it while fatigued or exhausted.
Greater Alchemical Rage grants +6 alchemical bonus to Strength and +4 natural armor bonus. Mighty Alchemical Rage grants +8 alchemical bonus to Strength and +6 natural bonus.
This ability alters Rage, Greater Rage and Might Rage features.

Poison Resistance: 3rd level Chem Berserkers gain +1 bonus to all saving throws against poisons. This bonus increases by one at 6th level and every three levels thereafter.
This ability replaces Trap Sense.

Stable Rage: Starting at 17th level Chem Berserker no longer becomes sickened after end of her rage. This ability replaces Tireless Rage.

Rage Powers: The following rage powers complement the chem berserker archetype: Internal Fortitude, Regenerative Vigor, Renewed Vigor, Renewed Vitality.

Watchful Barbarian
Not every barbarian focuses his anger into burst of might and resilience. A few channel their rage into animalistic state of enhanced awareness that hones their senses and reactions instead. Watchful Barbarian have following class features:

Quickening Rage (Ex): This ability counts as and works like regular barbarian rage except it grants +4 morale bonus to Dexterity and Wisdom scores instead of Strength and Constitution and grants no bonus to Will saves nor penalty to AC. Greater Quickening Rage feature grants +6 morale bonus to Dexterity and Wisdom scores and Might Quickening Rage grants +8 morale bonus.
This ability alters Rage, Greater Rage and Mighty Rage features.

Vigilant Dodge: 7th level Watchful Barbarian gains +1 dodge bonus to AC. This bonus increases by 1 at 10th level and every three levels thereafter.
This ability replaces Damage Reduction.

Rage Powers: The following rage powers complement the watchful barbarian archetype: guarded stance, quick reflexes, rolling dodge, scent, swiftfoot.

Watchful barbarian I actually used in play - as a 3rd level bandit leader with bow and flaming arrows. He performed moderately well, taking into the account that combat took place in rather cramped conditions preventing him from really shining. Which means that he actually managed to harm three characters before falling to their blades.

New Feats

Burst Of Furious Might
Every barbarian can draw upon his anger to show extraordinary strength, however some are capable of doing it without actually raging.
Prerequisites: Rage feature that grants bonus to Strength.
Benefits: As a swift action character can call upon his inner rage to grant him sudden burst of Strength. Using this ability grants +4 bonus to Strength until the end of the Barbarian's turn and expends one round of rage. This bonus increases to +6 for Barbarians with Greater Rage feature and +8 with Mighty Rage feature. Bonus type of this ability matches type of Strength bonus granted by Rage feature possessed (usually morale).

Invoke Totem
You have learned how to call upon your totem without loosing oneself to the rage.
Prerequisites: Any totem rage power
Benefits: As a swift action character can call upon his totem. He gains benefits of his totem rage powers as if was raging for one round per point of Charisma bonus (minimum 1 round). Using this ability expends two rounds of rage.

An entity that my players have encountered during the previous session, while exploring abandoned and ruined library and escorting famous (if a bit absent-minded) sage Alarion Kir:

Spectral Librarian
A ghostly shape of an old man with a large book in his left hand watches his surroundings with stern gaze.
Spectral Librarian CR 3
XP 800
LN Medium Undead (incorporeal)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., booksense; Perception +2
Defense
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 deflection, +1 Dex)
HP 30 (4d8+12)
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +6
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2, incorporeal, rejuvenation
Offense
Speed fly 30 ft. (good)
Melee incorporeal touch +4 (1d4 negative energy plus fear)
Ranged spectral page +5 (1d8+4 negative energy)
Special Attacks spectral assistants; tales of doom
Statistics
Str –, Dex 12, Con –, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 16
Base Atk +3; CMB +3, CMD 14
Feats Ability Focus (Tales Of Damnation), Weapon Focus (spectral page)
Skills Fly +5, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (geography) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9
Languages Common, two others
Ecology
Environment abandoned libraries
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure none
Special Abilities

Booksense (Su): Spectral Librarian can sense presence of "his" books within 100 feet. He can always pinpoint location of creatures carrying any of the books taken from his library, even while hidden or invisible. Booksense is powerless against protections capable of fooling true seeing. Spectral Librarian can perceive creatures not carrying his books normally but ignores them unless attacked.

Fear (Su): Any creature struck with the Spectral Librarian's incorporeal touch attack has to make a Will saving throw against DC of 15 or becomes frightened for 1 round.

Librarian's Wrath (Su): Spectral Librarian may take a standard action to produce burst that pushes all adjacent creatures five feet away from him and silences them until the begining of his following turn. A successful Will saving throw against DC of 15 negates the silence. This is a sonic effect with Charisma-based saving throw DC.

Rejuvention (Su): Destroyed Spectral Librarian returns to existence within 1d10 days unless the books he was guarding are destroyed or moved to functioning library.

Spectral Assistants (Su): At the beginning of his turn Spectral Librarian can summon spectral vestiges of his assistants on adjacent squares as a free action. He can summon any number of them, with a maximum in existence at any one time equal to his HD. Spectral assistants are treated as incorporeal Undeads with AC 12 and 1 hit point capable of moving up to 20 feet per round. Spectral assistant adjacent to living creature carrying on of the librarian's books makes an incorporeal touch attack with a +1 bonus – upon successful hit assistant discorporates trying to possess the target (Will save against DC of 11 negates, saving throw may be repeated each turn). Possessed creature is staggered and dominated into returning the book on its rightful place. This is a mind-affecting Necromancy effect.

Tales Of Doom (Su): Once per turn, as a swift action, Spectral Librarian reads a random passage from the tome wielded in the off-hand and a spectral page flies unerringly towards one sentient living creature within 30 feet. Target of this ability is affected with random condition, determined by the tale being read.
1 – Tale Of Dread: Target is shaken.
2 – Tale Of Plague: Target is sickened.
3 – Tale Of Damnation: Target is staggered.
4 – Tale Of Darkness: Target is blinded as long as the tale is in effect.
5 – Tale Of Betrayal: Target performs attacks of opportunity against his allies as if they were foes.
6 – Tale Of Decay: Target suffers 1d8 points of negative energy damage per turn.
A Will saving throw with DC of 17 might be made at the beginning of each of the victim's turns to end the effect. Tales Of Doom are language-dependent mind-affecting Enchantment effects and their saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Spectral Librarians are restless spirits of those who obsessively devoted their lives to books – and died violently when they beloved books were threatened or thrown into chaos. Their obsession is all that remains of their personality – they are driven to protect their books from everyone and everything and keep them ordered according to their personal, often esoteric or confusing system, sometimes twisted and corrupted by their madness. Yet, as incorporeal beings they are incapable of affecting material world most of the time driving them deeper into their insanity when they are unable to correct slightest deviations from their beloved patterns.

There are some differences between the original version they faced and the one presented here.

As a result of playing too much Lord Of The Rings Online I started to wonder about how to represent Lore-Master in Pathfinder. I must admit certain degree of fondness for nature-related wizards (I remember making Animist Wizard career for Warhammer RPG 1st edition many years ago) and thus decided to make it Wizard archetype.
The first step is moderately easy: Animal Companion is ready, well described feature. The question is what feature it would replace? For a Druid, Animal Companion can be replaced by Domain (bonus spell of each spell level and some special abilities). Close equivalent of Arcane School feature.
Second step: Animist-Wizard should have access to spells affecting animals, so he gets feature that expands his spell list with certain animal-related spells.
Third step: With Animal Companion having Familiar as well would be certainly too much (at least without taking Eldritch Heritage feat). So Arcane Bond feature should be limited to bonded item option - initially I thought about removing Arcane Bond and replacing it with Lore feature but Lore-Masters seem to have strong bonds with their staves that I decided to keep it.

So here it is:

Animist-Wizard (Wizard Archetype)

Animist-wizards are arcanists studying animals and plants. They delve into natural lore with the fervor and focus other wizards reserve for more unearthly endeavors.

Animal Companion: Animist-wizards learn how to befriend and bond with an animal companion. This ability fonctions like druid animal companion ability using animist-wizard level as effective druid level. This ability replaces Arcane School feature.

Animal Magic: Animist-wizards learn how to bridge the gap between animal and sapient mind and can affect animals with mind-affecting spells as if they were humanoids. This feature replaces Scribe Scroll bonus feat.

Arcane Bond: Animist-wizards bond with their animal companion uses the same spiritual ties that other wizards use to bond with familiar and because of this they are limited to bond object option with staff, wand or weapon as available choices.

Expanded Spell List: Animist-wizard add animal messenger, animal trance, awaken, greater magic fang, hide from animals, magic fang, raise animal companion and speak with animals.

War Staff: Animist-wizard learn how to wield tools of magic as tools of war. They may use any magic staff as a quarterstaff and any magic wand as club. If their bonded item is staff or quarterstaff they may empower it with magic as if it was both a magic staff and a weapon. This ability replaces 5th level bonus wizard feat.

Warrior Priest feat gives +1 to initiative check and +2 to concentration checks when casting defensively and while grappled.
In comparison Improved Initiative gives +4 to initiative and Combat Casting grants +4 bonus to concentration checks within the same circumstances, which suggest that +2 to initiative is worth half a feat. That notion would be backed up by traits, themselves worth about half a feat each, granting +2 bonus to initiative checks as well.
Who thinks that Warrior Priest should give +2 to initiative and +2 to concentration checks to be more in tune with other feats and traits?