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Sphères of power/might ! :)

I am going to second the request for Spheres of Power / Spheres of Might support. I am not asking for class sheets, all I want are 2 sheets:

- Martial Talents spellbook sheet (including Tradition (drawbacks), PAM) and then 10 small sections each including the following for each sphere: Sphere name, DC, Duration, Range, Target, Talents; and then below this include 5 or so lines for various sphere abilities.

Here is a sample level 1 character that uses Spheres of Power and Spheres of Might, take note of the Magic and Martial sections of the statblock.

I have to say, I am not too enthused about the Ranger preview. When looking at the investment required to even use traps in combat and the area that a trap covers, it just sucks. Also, while I appreciate that options for spell-less rangers are available right off the bat, I prefer my rangers with spells, not without.

What about?

• Wands are not consumables any longer, but can cast their spell for a 1RP cost of the receiver.
  
• Staffs are like wands, but have additional bonuses (such as enabling their spell(s) to be used spontaneously costing a spell slot instead of a RP).
  
• No item has charges, but instead use RP to use. Staffs don't have charges that need to be recharged.
  
• All characters have CHA + 1/2 lvl resonance points in their reservoir. No flat rolls for overspending, but simply: If you overspend, you gain/increase the Sick condition after 1 minute, which can only be recovered by sleeping for 8 hours.
  
• A character can synchronize their spirit each day with worn items, for a maximum of their total resonance points. This does not use up a resonance point.
  
• Potions cost a RP to create, nothing to use.
  

This counteracts the CLW wand spam as well, as any wand now costs resolve points. "Then what about high level parties buying up 100's of potions?" > I answer: what store will have 100's of potions anyhow?? It's more normal that a store has 1d4 or 1d6 of healing potions.

I like all of these fixes, especially the wands, charges, and potion fixes. I would also remove all mention of X/day items and instead make activating them cost extra resonance.

When I first heard of Resonance, I was excited that keeping track of X/day items was going to be a thing of the past. But now it looks like that not only are X/day items still present, but that it is compounded with Resonance. I want to have to keep track of less resource pools, not more.

I also cannot express my unadulterated loathing for Resonance being forced upon consumable items (especially potions). There are so many ways to prevent people from just chugging potion after potion.

I am mostly upset that the archetype and prestige class feats don't have ALL the prerequisites located in a single uniform location. If you don't want players to take a specific archetype feat before a certain level, put in the prerequisite line. Don't sneak it in at the upper right hand corner ambiguously.

jimthegray wrote:

Unicore wrote:

IT seems like no archetype can be applied from level 1 now. Is this true?

PIRATE DEDICATION

Prerequisites Dexterity 12, trained in Acrobatics and Sailing Lore

this should be easy enough at level 1

Yeah but, again, it also says Feat 2 in the header, which to me means it's a 2nd level (and onwards) Feat. So not doable level 1, unless Feat 2 means something different than what I think it does.

I really wish that this was clarified. I can see it as one of two ways:

A): The 'Feat 2' signifies that it is Feat 2 of 6 (the Pirate archetype has 6 different feats).

or

B): The 'Feat 2' signifies an additional prerequisite, in that it cannot be taken before 2nd level.

Personally, I am really hoping that it is option A (with as niche and specific as the archetype is, there are some Pirate feats that I would probably want sooner than others, and wouldn't want to wait 4 or six levels to gain).

I am really disliking the Alchemist preview. I think it boils down to being forced into a particular playstyle with the class. Maybe I want to play a Jekle/Hyde alchemist, not a grenadier alchemist.

What I would've liked to see instead is the option to choose what "type" or "package" of alchemist you are at 1st level. Do you use Bombs, Extracts, Mutagens, or Poisons? Then at 5th level you have the opportunity to choose a 2nd package. Then at 10th level, you can choose a 3rd package. Finally at 15th level, you can choose a 4th package. (Any time you could choose a package, you may instead choose to focus further into a previous package).

But gating iconic packages at 5th level I feel is unreasonable. I am especially disappointed with the necessity of waiting for 6th level before one can gain Precise Bomb. I just think it is an unnecessary level tax.

Blog wrote:

This feat allows your elf to become trained in a skill of your choice when she prepares for each day.

I think the "floating" proficiency is a great idea and hope for an ancestry feat for a second one, or even a "floating" skill feat to go along with it (like the brawler's floating combat feat).

Unfortunately, I can see a "floating" proficiency enforcing a 5-minute adventuring day. "Oh, there's a trap or lock?, Better rest to get the skill". "We need to talk to the king?", Better rest to get the skill". Alternatively, depending upon the wording of the ancestry trait, it can get rather weird RP-wise where suddenly a character has no ability to do X or Y (even though they have been doing just fine with it the last 20 times).

Name for me even a single iconic half-dwarf or half-gnome anywhere in fantasy and I'll bite here.

Obviously you haven't played in the Dark Sun campaign setting, otherwise you would know about the Mul.

I prefer the 5/talent. It encourages some focus, which is what I like about the sphere systems. It discourages exactly what the proponents for it seem to want, grabbing a group of spheres for max skill ranks, instead of making an actual style.

Except that dipping into other spheres with Spheres of Might is now harsher than dipping into other spheres with Spheres of Power.

For example, we have two characters, a level 1 Conscript (who specialized in the Guardian sphere, but dipped into the Warleader sphere), and a level 1 Incanter (who specialized in the Protection sphere, but dipped into the War sphere). After the first five levels, the Conscript no longer gets any increasing benefit from the Warleader sphere, whereas the Incanter's War sphere abilities continue to have their duration and effects increase (even without any continued investment in the sphere).

Because the most recent nerf to the skill spheres punishes (instead of rewarding) martials for dipping into other spheres, you are more likely to find cookie-cutter builds where martials either stick to their two spheres or else slaps on drawbacks for no reason but to get their free ranks, making them even less likely to use or invest further in the sphere.

Yeah I noticed most of the spheres that grant skill ranks were changed to 5 from base sphere then +5 per talent. Not sure I like that change makes things more complex for some of my less skilled players.

I also liked how Spheres of Might (before the errata) promoted the dipping into other spheres for max ranks because it allowed for rounded characters who did not only focus in 1-2 spheres.

Okay, I have a couple:

Anyone Can Assume All Villians Invade Domestic Economy Through Locating Business And Aquisitions.
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Athiests Can And Always Victimize Indescrete Denominations, Equal Tolerance Lives By Allowed Acceptance
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Adventurers Camoflauge Armor And Vulnerability In Debonair Equipment That Lacks Budget And Abstinance

There are also Legendary Talents that are currently in Playtesting.

Something else that I would like to see in Ultimate Wilderness is a new spell descriptor such as 'Plant' or 'Wood', including a list of previously published spells that would have such a descriptor including: blight, entangle, spike growth, and warp wood.

There are a number of reasons why I want a 'Plant' or 'Wood' spell descriptor including: Simplifies the 'Resist Nature's Lure' class feature to simply state that it grants the save bonus against anything with such and such spell descriptor. It simplifies the creation of feats or traits for individuals who specialize in Plant-magic. With Phytokinesis as a new Element for Kineticists, I think it is about due.

I curious to see how Ultimate Wilderness's Shifter class compares to Sphere of Power's Shifter class.

Air0r wrote:

sadie wrote:

mekka2000 wrote:

What would be PERFECT should be a sheet for Spheres of power things. Not a new character sheet for each classe, but at least 1 sheet where you can put your spheres, your talents, caster level, spell pool, ...

Vote for Spheres of Power has been noted. I do actually keep a big list of all the stuff people ask for most often, even if I only work my way through the list slowly.

you can go ahead and put in a vote from me as well then.

And me, as well.

I also would like to see a Spheres of Power character sheet. I imagine it could be styled after the Neceros sheet with additional columns in the 'CLASS' section for CL, Spell Pool, etc.

Putting this one seperate as ive been editing my last comment a lot

Casters do NOT have more taxes, they have more options. A tax is an ability you dont want but have to get because its required for something they do want. Every single ability a sphere caster chooses is an ability he wants. A martial character has to choose abilities he doesnt want to get ones he wants, especially with armor proficiency. Another example is the fact that the boxing sphere is restricted to only light weapons, and also includes a talent to stop people from lying. If i want that talent, i need to take boxing, even though if i never plan on using a light weapon the sphere is useless to me.

I know that wearing heavy armor is technically something i dont NEED (it is btw, if thats the character im playing. thats like saying if you want to play a necromancer you dont need to raise the dead at level 1, which was Vancian castings method which was changed for SoP). However I neither NEED nor WANT medium armor proficiency if I want to wear heavy armor, so why am i forced to take it?

I agree, if the writers of SoM want to keep 'Proficiency' talents, atleast make them less taxy. This can be done by making the Armor Proficiency talent grant Light, Medium, and Heavy Armor proficiency by taking it once; making the Shield Proficiency talent grant Light, Heavy, and Tower shield proficiency by taking it once, etc.

By forcing someone to take a talent multiple times to gain other proficiency, you are inforcing a tax. If someone is intending to use Heavy Armor, than taking the talent twice or three times means that they were taxed one or two talents for proficiency they dont intend to use.

I disagree with you. In fact, you seem to disagree with you, given that you note that the armor system is internally balanced. Heavier armor proficiencies are add-ons, not necessities, and every practitioner class can do their job exceedingly well with the proficiencies they have. A blacksmith who wants to wear a breastplate and fight with whip fiend is looking at three talents (which he gets), and he'll be doing stuff core martials can't for several levels. Most of the proficiency packages also offer multiple exotic weapons now, meaning that each one package opens up a plethora of combat options, articularly when combined with the new Equipment dedications. He's also going to continue to accumulate talents and feats every level thereafter, meaning his combat proficiency and functionality are going to continue to grow outward faster than core martials, until classes like barbarian, paladin, and ranger start playing catch up with their spells, companions, and Su options. If the martial classes were buffed up much more, they'd be better at low levels than some of the strongest...

I have to agree that by making 'proficiency taxes' you are still encouraging martial/caster disparity. I also see no problem with having the SoM classes being more "powerful" than core martial classes, they suck anyways.

Take a look at the level 1 blacksmith. If he spends all his talents just to get the armor, weapon, and shield proficiency he wants. What can he 'do' at 1st level?
- Grant +2 damage for 24 hours
- Sunder/Mend equipment.

Compare that to a level 1 armorist. He does not need to spend talents to get proficiency, although he could if he wanted. Instead he can spend his talents to cover the same bases of the Blacksmith, and still coming out on-top.
What can he 'do' at 1st level?
- War sphere: Totem of War (granting +2 bonus to damage)
- Creation sphere: Destroy/Repair object (pretty much sunder/mend equpment)
- Summon Any Weapon
- Bonded weapon of his choice.

I am not ofcourse mentioning feat use, because they both have feats. But as you can see, just giving the blacksmith a couple more proficiencies (shield + medium armor) would allow the Blacksmith to be more on-par with the Armorist.

And you know what is sad? The armorist is arguably the WEAKEST of all SoP casters, which would mean that at 1st level, the Blacksmith is actually weaker than the weakest of SoP casters.

Spheres of power by Drop Dead Studios is really good if you want a different flavor of magic.

I just wanted to second this.

Just a heads up, Wizard's Academy has been released which is an Adventure module for Spheres of Power and includes a small Bestiary including 100 monsters.

@Aolis Greenborn: Remember that with the Divination sphere, you gain FREE alternate divinations each time you acquire a new sphere. Thus, you gain the following alternate divinations for free:

Divine Unnaturals (Conjuration) - Divine the presence of outsiders and aberrations.
Divine Components (Creation) - Divine materials which you can create, or Divine what the product of presented components may create.
Divine Hostility (Destruction) - Divine when creatures take damage, type of damage they took, and from what direction the damage originated.
Divine Protection (Protection) - Divine what creatures have the lowest AC, or Divine the highest and lowest save of each creature within range.
Divine Time (Time) - Divine what size of creatures were in the area in the immediate past and what objects were moved into or out of the area.
Divine Warp (Warp) - Divine the presence of rifts, portals, teleportation circles, etc.

When will it be available here at Paizo?

Here are two other sources for the Alteration sphere handbook: Paizo Store and Open Gaming Store

The Shapeshifter's Handbook was just released on PDF yesterday.

Any chance that all the additional material for Spheres of Power will be collected in one softcover book?

Adam Meyers has said that such is planned, although it is not set in stone (He is working on several different things at the moment).

What I personally want to see is an 'ULTIMATE SPHERES OF POWER' hard-cover book which will be a compilation of all the books (SoP, SoP:E, WoP, Handbooks) + errata. Oh and with GOOD ART this time, none of that deviant art shit.

I am interested in participating in future rounds.

Just wanted to let everyone know that the second of the expansion handbooks is now out: The Telekinetic's Handbook.

I have stated before in other threads and forums alike that with my experience recommend the following:

Keep the Vigilante Specializations, but:
o Pool all vigilante talents into a single pool that any vigilante can take so-long as they meet the prerequisites (which aren't based on specialization).
o Remove the Talent-Casting of both the Zealot and the Warlock, give them standard mid casting.
o Give Zealot access to a Domain instead of the limited Divine Powers.

Do not change the Dual-Identity. I like that it gives Mundane Villains the means to remain hidden until they reveal themselves. It also allows Mundane Heroes to infiltrate the enemies ranks and gather information without getting caught. Though I would recommend the following:
o Remove the alignment restriction between both the social and vigilante forms.

Include the feat Extra Vigilante Talent.

Remove or lower some of the Social Talent level prerequisites. As it is right now, there seems to be very few choices and most are obvious. Including more or lowering the prerequisites will prevent cookie-cutter social vigilantes.

Renown: Add social talents that allows it to expand to having renown over multiple metropolis-sized cities.

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Be sure to include rules inside the book that do the following:

Skill DC's or Rules for everything that a vigilante can do normally (i.e. Dual Identity, Renown, Safe House, Loyal Aid, etc)
o The reason for this is that the vigilante can do these things and can do so without skill checks (or with low DC's) in some cases. But not everyone can be a Vigilante, but may have followers or own property. And I dont want to hear GM's say that Player X cannot do Y unless they are a Vigilante. I want option Y to be available to all players, even if it means that it is much more difficult for player X than a Vigilante.

Okay first of all, I want to point out an error in the document:

Under Vigilante Specialization:
"The base ability and bonus class skills apply when the vigilante is in either of his identities without restriction, but if the vigilante uses any other abilities while in his social identity, he must succeed at a Disguise check against the Perception checks of all onlookers, without the +20 bonus from social grace, or the onlookers will realize that he is something more than his social identity, and perhaps discover that the social and vigilante identities are one and the same."

the words "social grace" need to be replaced with "seemless guise"

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Second, while possibly not an error, I thought that I might point it out.

Both Seemless Guise and the Everyman social talent grant a +20 circumstance bonus to disguise checks. This means that they do not stack. I dont know if that is intentional, but if Everyman requires 11 levels to even pick it, I feel that an untyped +10 (The same bonus of a disguise self spell) would be far more worthwhile. Otherwise, I feel like this social trait has little use.

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Third, Now that I got that out of the way some things that irked me slightly.

o Most of the social talents I see shouldn't require a vigilante level to acquire. As it is right now, you are practically limited to nearly the same build as the Vigilante given in Round 1. What I recommend is removing the level prerequisites on half the social talents.

o Both the Zealot and the Warlock are still taxed out of most of their talents. I feel that both Zealot and Warlock should just be given 6th level spellcasting capability. I dont think they should be taxed into spending their talents to do so. If you are deadset in having them taxed, I would recommend that:
- Warlock: Base Ability = Mystic Bolt + Cantrips. Change Arcane Training I into a Warlock Talent. While this will still make spellcasting a tax, it will give a level 1 character at-will abilities which is far more useful then say 3 spells per day.
- Zealot: Base Ability = Channel Energy + Domain (Powers Only) + Orisons. Change Divine Training I into a Zealot talent, which will grants spells from the chosen domain.

o Give Avenger specialization access to the Stalwart and Improved Stalwart abilities. In addition regardless if you are including feats that allow minor mixing of the specializations, I feel that the avenger should have a talent like the following:
- Adaptive Talent: The avenger may choose a single talent from another specialization. The avenger may count his avenger level as his stalker level when meeting stalker talent prerequisites. The avenger may count 1/2 his avenger level as warlock or zealot levels when meeting their talent prerequisites. The Avenger still must meet all other perquisites when choosing the talent. This talent may be chosen multiple times.

o Give Stalker specialization the following talent:
- Adaptive Talent: The stalker may choose a single talent from another specialization. The stalker may count his stalker level as his avenger level when meeting stalker talent prerequisites. The stalker may count 1/2 his stalker level as warlock or zealot levels when meeting their talent prerequisites. The stalker still must meet all other perquisites when choosing the talent. This talent may be chosen multiple times.

o Give Warlock specialization the following talent:
- Adaptive Talent: The warlock may choose a single talent from another specialization. The warlock may count his warlock level as his zealot level when meeting zealot talent prerequisites. The warlock may count 1/2 his warlock level as avenger or stalker levels when meeting their talent prerequisites. The warlock still must meet all other perquisites when choosing the talent. This talent may be chosen multiple times.

o Give Zealot specialization the following talent:
- Adaptive Talent: The zealot may choose a single talent from another specialization. The zealot may count his zealot level as his warlock level when meeting warlock talent prerequisites. The zealot may count 1/2 his zealot level as avenger or stalker levels when meeting their talent prerequisites. The zealot still must meet all other perquisites when choosing the talent. This talent may be chosen multiple times.