Gul Kai Ruk's page

Awesome! Thanks. :)

I only just discovered Words of Power. I like it, but it also suffers from a couple problems: 1) it's got very little support, and 2) in some ways it's not that far from Vancian Casting. Why does the Wizard have to prepare individual words in slots?

(Game Balance is the answer, of course, and I respect that, but flavor-wise it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.)

If worse comes to worse, this is definitely the route I'd take. (I'll have to expand the word options a bit to get some of the most flavorful spells, but it's a good option.)

I really like the idea behind True Sorcery (free-form spellcasting), but (as plenty of people before me have noted) the DCs are ridiculous.
I'm wondering if any of you have seen (a) working fix(es) for any aspects of the spellcasting system?

Additionally, thematically speaking (as opposed to game balance considerations in this case), I don't particularly love that the spellcaster only ends up able to cast a small (~1/4-1/3) of the spells to be cast. While the True Sorcery Spellcaster gains unrivaled versatility with the spells related to the Talents he has, he again only ends up with a small subset of those Talents. It's hard to think of him as truly versatile without that second element at play.

I'm all for their riding large wolves (no wings, possibly capable of flight).

I've seen Jason Buhlmann point out time and time again that he wants the Sorceror and Wizard to fill different niche's. My suggestion would be to take a que from the Wilder and it's Wild Surge ability. In effect, it lets the Wilder boost the "caster level" by 1-6 (depending on level) for free, but having a chance of suffering a loss of power and being dazed.

A Sorceror doesn't gain the same benefits from a Wild Surge as a Wilder does (psionics use power points to manifest powers, and the Wild Surge provides those as well), so my suggestion is to allow the Sorceror to cast spells and Surge them, gaining a +1 - +6 bonus to Caster Level on those spells, in exchange for having to make say a Fortitude save or be dazed.

Wild Surge rules: From D20SRD.org

I like it. Sign me up for this.

I'd like to see the staggering changed slightly:

level 1 - 1st level spells
level 3 - 2nd level spells
level 5 - 3rd level spells
level 8 - 4th level spells

And then continuing as normal.

The only two levels that I really think are hard on sorcerers are 4th (When they're still firing the same type of spells they did at level 1) and 5th, where as others have mentioned the sorc just can't keep up with the firepower of the rest of the party.

I totally agree with this. The power disparity between 1st level and 2nd level spells is pretty glaring and even worse going from 2nd to 3rd. If the sorcerer were at least allowed some dignity early on I think it would go a long way to appeasing everyone. As is, they are gimped to start. Not being gimped to start and having bloodlines to flesh them out would do the trick IMHO.

Most know of this variant listed in the OGL from the Unearthed Arcana.

So I amoung a lot like the idea of an armored caster so I would like to request that this variant be adopted and adapted for PDnD. With the listed powers it would make a great option with a lot of fun and support.

I am looking for support on this please.

So what to you guys think, are you with me?

Would you be looking to keep the bloodlines? I think it's a great idea and seems like it would be balanced.

Myself I think bloodlines are they way to go. They do need them more often however

First off, sorry for stealing your avatar.

Secondly, I don't disagree with the bloodlines being paramount. I only suggested the shift to spell points because it appears the Sorcerers spells will remain staggered. I think they should be unstaggered to even out Sorcerer/Wizard dynamic, but having the truly flexible casting provided by spell points might negate/at least temper this disadvantage.

I agree that the universal school needs it powers tone down. Instead metamagic mastery it would good that universal got ability to helps their versatility.

here's idea me and brother came up with to replace metamagic mastery

Spell Recall (Su): You may sacrifice any spell you know to prepare a spell one level lower. Using this ability is full-round action. You may use this ability once per day for every five caster levels you possess.

Spell Recall is a great idea. Part of me (I think it's the munchkin/power gamer side) wants to keep Metamagic Mastery but push it back to the capstone ability, but Spell Recall is an excellent, and also flavorful, ability that seems to be balanced against other options.

I'm really not a big fan of prohibited schools in Pathfinder, as they really aren't prohibited. I have houseruled that those prohibited school spells are two levels higher for memorization, and spell trigger and completion items require a spellcraft check of DC 20 + spell level.

I like this fix immensely. I hated in 2e, 3e, and 3.5 that you could never cast the spells in opposition to your chosen specialty. This fix maintains the flavor that you're just not as talented with certain schools while not making you feel like you've been gimped.

Warning: Messes with backwards compatibility

I was reading another thread which was calling for the unstaggering of Sorcerer spell progression. While I completely agree that a Sorcerer should progress equally to the other full casting classes, what about giving them spell points so that they'd truly be flexible casters. If a sorcerer's casting is so innate, then why is he limited to casting a certain amount of various spell levels. Let him draw on his own personal power to cast whatever spells he wants.

Any thoughts? Too powerful? Not enough?

In my opinion, the *vastly* smaller spell-list of the Spontaneous caster is the *only* balancing mechanic needed against the Prepared caster who can have every single core spell, ever (FOR FREE!, in the case of a Cleric or Druid). Again, in my opinion, the Sorcerer could have the same level aquisition as a Cleric, Druid or Wizard, the same ability to use Metamagic Feats (which already are costing a feat, in addition to boosting the level of the spell-slot required) *and* the bonus Feats of a Wizard, and still be balanced against that Wizard, because the Sorcerer may be able to cast more spells per day, and may be able to choose flexibly from his dinky little list of Spells Known, but will never be able to say, 'Okay, let's rest here, I'll prepare a Dispel Magic and a Knock tomorrow so that we can see what's behind this magically-trapped door.'

I completely agree. Fewer spells known is a major limiting factor. The Wizard can be ready for any situation given a day or two. The sorceror cannot. Ever.

I like the idea of allowing the specialists to cast their spells in a higher spell slot I'd say one level higher would be sufficient, but if people are really worried that it'd be overpowering then +2 levels would still be good. Then they're only casting 7th level or below spells in their prohibited schools (pre-epic anyways).

Jason Bulmahn wrote:

Interesting thoughts everyone. Instead of killing the extra spells for universalists, I think I am more interested in weakening their other powers a bit to keep them in line for their ultimate flexibility.

Thoughts?

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

Well metamagic mastery is way to powerful, it's enough to just be able to alter a spell spontaneously without casting time. the fact that it doesn't alter the spell level though, maximized meteor swarms? no thank you heck it's 8th level, you can use it the same level you gain it to silent your highest level spells 4 times per day. You can apply metamagic feats to your highest level spells, the feats were design specifically so that you couldn't do that. That was how they were balanced. At the very least you need to include the rule that you can't use this to alter a spell that you wouldn't have been able to cast if you had been preparing it normally. There's a reason that the swift version of metamagic all took a feat to do it once a day. now you just go universalist and take the normal metamagics while the enchanters with their horrible dazing touch, and their meh okay aura of despair are looking at you with jelousy because they have a 1 per day that took them a feat to get.

I don't particularly care for the HoTA flavorwise and also don't know if it should add your Int mod to dam. I don't think it's particularly off balance-wise, but what justification do we have for the extra damage.

I really love the idea that a Universalist is a Specialist in Metamagic, but definitely agree that metamagic mastery is too powerful. A line should be added to state that you must still be capable of casting a spell of that level.

Mastery of All Schools needs to be toned down or removed in favor of something else. If we gave each specialist a similar bonus in their school (what to do for Abjuration? possibly bonus on +2/+4 dispel checks and +4 to overcome SR) and changed the Universalist's to +1 DC and +2 to overcome SR, would that work?

Along the lines of making the Universalist a Specialist when it comes to metamagic, how about making the Metamagic Mastery ability the capstone (either the original or the toned down version). This would require us to come up with a new 8th level ability, but I'm sure we can come up with something.

I think that making acid/cold/fire/lightning/sonic spells bypass SR is an excellent fix.

I also wouldn't be opposed to including a feat(s) to allow the spellcaster to 1) add +1 damage per damage die or 2) add primary casting stat modifier to damaging spells with said energy descriptors.

Much as I enjoy having extra spell slots as a Universalist I agree that it's a bit overpowered. I thought that the balance between the 3.5 Generalist and a 3.5 Specialist was actually quite well done. 3.P should definitely ditch the extra spell slots for Universalists.

I love the Universalist school powers and think that the Universalist needs some school powers. Whether or not they should be kept 'as is' is another story. The Universalist capstone is quite a doozy. Don't get me wrong, as a player who loves wizards already, I'd love +2 to DCs and +4 to overcome SR, but should I really be better than a specialist at casting the same spells.

I for one completely agree with the OP. In fact, my main objections were regarding the disparity between the capstones you highlighted and other schools' capstones. Well done!

When I picture a monk flurrying, he's using all the limbs/weapons in his arsenal. That, to me, seems as though it's special action to me. Flavorwise it seems wrong.

That said, I don't have a problem allowing the monk access to TWF and Flurry from a purely mechanical standpoint.

I love that a rogue can pick up these magic talents. There is quite a lot of flavor there. Having a single 0-level and a single 1st level spell-like ability a limited number of times a day is not a big deal. Rogues, IMHO, are dabblers. Why not let them dabble with magic? It's not like they can't utilize far more potent magic in the form of UMD, right?

Keep the minor and major talent.

I definitely like what you've done with Detect Evil. Full support on that one.

I'd like to see the Paladin, as has been said before, have access to Tower Shield proficiency and the Weapon Specialization feat tree. I don't think it hurts the fighter at all (since he now gets his training bonus).

I think his spellcasting definitely needs a bump. I'd propose that he be bumped to full caster level, but if that is too much then how about Paladin level minus 3 (I'd like to see that mirrored with the Ranger's spellcasting and Animal Companion, but that's another story/thread).

The Lay on Hands mechanic is great. And though I'm parroting others with this: how does the paladin handle/interact with the Extra Turning/Channeling feat?

Smite Evil: It needs to be against any creature of Evil alignment. If he is going to be the champion of good he must be able to effectively deal with evil. All evil. I'm okay with an extra 1/level damage vs vanilla evil and I'm thinking 1d4/level vs the real nasty critters (undead and evil outsiders). I will say that the increase in duration is excellent and much needed.

Holy Champion: I'd also like to see this changed to DR 10/- vs Evil.

I completely agree with the OP

I'm all for keeping it as is. I don't read any "free silent and still spell while utilizing this feat" clause, and I think that Druid's Wild Shape nerf is more than enough to bring it back in line with other casters.

When I first perused the Pathfinder ruleset and noticed the addition of the +1 HP or +1 Skill Point for favored classes I thought it was awesome. I tend to play to type and so it worked out wonderfully. And then I thought to myself, what if I want to play something more exotic? What if I'd like to play Varghul the Verbose, Half-0rc Illusionist extraordinaire? Never mind that it's a horribly handicapped premise, I shouldn't be "punished" further for choosing to play this memorable off-type character.

Some people have said that to play against your type, missing out on the bonus, is not a punishment, but in a game of mostly (read: almost entirely) combat, it definitely is. 20 HP is no joke to the wizard whose HP have been increased by 40% (20th level Wizard Avg HP is 50).

As it stands now, the metamind is a horrible class. 5/10 manifesting is unforgivable. How do we fix this? I would think that making it a 9/10 class would do the trick.

Any fixes already out there?