Session this evening ended, my GM and I were disagreeing on a rules question -- he quickly made a ruling and moved on (like a good GM should) but I still want to have the question resolved for next time.
Regarding two-handed weapons; the text referring to using them in a single hand says
SRD wrote:
Two hands are required to use a two-handed melee weapon effectively.
My GM ruled that it is as a wrong-sizing rule, and is a -2 penalty. I think that it means that you cannot make attack rolls at all, and is it "ineffective". What do you guys think?
First question: Is it possible for a character to grapple two foes at once?
Let's assume our grappler, Gary, is a human monk.
As far as I understand, you only need a single free hand (or grasping limb) to grapple, if you are humanoid. So, Gary enters a grapple with someone on turn 1 as a standard action. On turn 2, he maintains the grapple as a move action. My question is, if there were a second enemy, adjacent to both Gary and the first enemy, could Gary begin a grapple against that enemy also, without letting go of the first?
Second question: can Gary attack with Flurry of blows on the second turn after initiating a grapple, without losing hold of his enemy?
Below is a set of house-rules that I have created, borrowed and mutated from several sources, and I would like your opinions on them, especially the magic item rules.
KILBOURNE'S PATHFINDER HOUSE-RULES
BASIC THINGS
Character Generation
Spoiler:
- Characters will no longer be created on any sort of rolling or point-buy system. I find that rolling is too random; some characters bordering on the god-like with their stats, and others barely above the average housewife, and not even on par with the average adventurer. All characters will receive the same choice of statistic arrays. There are a choice of arrays, all at approximately the same point-buy value. These stat arrays, from most specialized to most generalized, are:
- Major NPC's will also be built on these rules. Bwahahahaha!
- High point-buys benefit everyone, but especially classes that have a great spread of useful statistics. Low point buys only punish or hinder some people, and those are mostly the non-magical classes. The reason that I've chosen higher point-buy arrays is that it doesn't penalize anyone.
- If you guys really, really, really want to, we can roll for stats. It'll be 5d6, dropping the two lowest dice. You get to gamble that you get awesome stats... but if you roll low, crappy stats, you have to keep them. You have been warned. I will say no more on this.
- Any class that is not an Intelligence-based caster, such as the Wizard or Witch, now has at least 4 + Int skill ranks per level, or more if they normally do so. No more dumping on the Fighter. Witches and Wizards are the only classes who have 2 basic skill ranks per level, adding their intelligence modifier as normal. Not having skills is lame-ass bullcrap, especially for adventurers. B+~*!es love skills.
- There is an alternate system for skills and skill ranks, detailed below. If you want, we can play by the old rules, but mine are super awesome.
- At first level, all characters receive double their first hit die, plus their Constitution modifier. For example, a first level Cleric with a Constitution modifier of 2 (statistic of 14) would have 18 HP at first level ([d8 x2] + 2 Con modifier = 18). Characters from 2nd level and onward may roll for the chance of receiving high hit points, or take half of their hit die* plus their Constitution modifier. This choice is made at each level. This change will allow characters to have a better chance of surviving first few levels, while not having a massive health pool at higher levels.
- You now have something called a Damage Threshold; see new rules below. This replaces the optional massive damage rule. There is now a rule for injuries! Hooray!
- Saving Rolls: You may now choose your statistic (and relevant modifier) to assign to each save; either Constitution or Strength for Fortitude saves; either Wisdom or Charisma for your Will saves; either Dexterity or Intelligence for your Reflex saves. This choice, once made, cannot be changed. Unless, you know... reincarnation or massive ability drain or something like that. We can negotiate.
- Initiative may be determined by Dexterity, Wisdom, or Intelligence. If a character has a class feature that allows any combination of those modifiers, such as the Inquisitor's Cunning Initiative ability, then that character may use that new modifier twice to determine their initiative score (or a mix of two modifiers).
- This may be something that you didn't feel needs to be said, but I do want to be clear: Any player is allowed to play a character of any gender, as long as they do so sincerely and with regards to the feelings of their fellow players (basically, don't be a dick).
- At first level, all characters get any mundane arms and armor they wish, that suit their character class and/or build. This depletes their starting gold amount to a tenth of it's original amount (for example, a fighter would have his sword(s) and armor, and 17.5 gp, as they begin with 175 gp). They may also choose to have any mundane item they wish (and can carry). If a character is created at 2nd level or higher, they may choose any masterwork items they wish, and an amount of wondrous magical items determined by the GM.
- Character encumbrance rules will be in effect, keep this in mind. Once you find a bag of holding, completely disregard them.
- Being an elf or half-elf is no longer a pre-requisite for the Arcane Archer prestige class. Being evil is no longer a pre-requisite for being of the Assassin prestige class. Weapon Finesse is no longer a pre-requisite for the Duelist prestige class, but the character must attack using their Dexterity modifier.
- Any 3.5e base class is allowed for play, except for anything from Dragon magazine. I will allow no spells or magical items outside of the Pathfinder books, except on a case-by-case basis. Some of that stuff was broken, yo.
- You may play any creature without racial hit die, if it fits into the setting. (Races such as tiefling, aasimar, sylph, tengu, etc.) Other setting-specific rules for races will be handed out with the appropriate world-pack, prior to playing (if any).
* Dice are not actually a full spread of numbers, math-wise. Because they begin at one, the half-value of a, for example, six-sided die is closer to 3.5 rather than 3. That means that the half value for dice, rounded to the closest whole number, is commonly one value higher than you might think. For hit die, this means that Greg the Fighter taking half of his hit-die gives him 6 HP, rather than 5.
The half value of each die, in this system of house-rules, is 1 higher than half of the actual numerical value that would apply logically. For example, half of a d6 is 4, and half of a d20 is 11.
Hero Points
Spoiler:
- If any of you have played in my games before, you know I award 'action points' that can alter combat and non-combat encounters. Instead of action points, campaigns will now use Hero Points, as per the rules detailed in the Advanced Players Guide (pg. 322).
Damage Threshold
Spoiler:
- All characters have a new statistic, known as a Damage Threshold (DT). On your character sheet, display this value underneath your total Hit Point (HP) value.
- This statistic is equal to the character's total Fortitude save, character level, and the value of their greatest hit-die. For example, Greg the Fighter (Human Fighter 6) has a damage threshold of 21; 5 from his fortitude save, 6 from his level, and 10 from his hit-die value. Levin the Wizard (Elf Wizard 6) has a damage threshold of 14; 2 from his save, 6 from his level, and 6 from his hit-die.
- Spells and items that increase fortitude saves also increase a creature's damage threshold, as the fortitude save is a component of the damage threshold. If a creature has more than two classes, with differing hit dice, the creature may choose the more favorable hit die value for their damage threshold. This includes racial hit-die, if applicable.
- Damage reductions apply to damage rolls before they are compared to the damage threshold of the creature being attacked. E.g. If the attack does not bypass the damage reduction of the creature, then you may consider the creature's damage threshold to be higher by the value of their damage reduction (because it has reduced the incoming damage). Damage reduction still applies to HP damage, if it is not bypassed.
- Example: If a character has a damage threshold of 22, and gains DR 2/-, then you may consider his damage threshold to have risen to 24, while still applying the damage reduction value of 2 to HP loss as well.
- Creatures larger than Medium size gain a bonus to their damage threshold. This size bonus is +5 for Large, +10 for Huge, +20 for Gargantuan and +50 for Colossal. This bonus is applied or removed, as appropriate, if a creature changes size.
- You can improve your damage threshold with the feat Improved Damage Threshold, increasing your damage threshold by 5. This feat may only be taken once.
- Attacks that deal massive amounts of damage can impair or incapacitate you regardless of how many hit points you have remaining. Your damage threshold determines how much damage a single attack must deal to reduce your combat effectiveness, or in some cases, kill you. When a creature takes damage in excess of his damage threshold, he moves along a metric known as the Condition Track, reflecting injury and combat fatigue. There are five levels on the condition track. A creature may only move up or down the condition track in single steps. The penalties of the condition track also modify a creature's damage threshold.
>> Normal State (no conditional penalties) <<
> -1 penalty to all defenses and saving throws; -1 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks.
> -2 penalty to all defenses and saving throws; -2 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks.
> -5 penalty to all defenses and saving throws; -5 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks.
> -10 penalty to all defenses and saving throws; -10 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks; move at half speed only.
> Helpless; unconscious or disabled.
- Display your condition track status underneath your DT value, on your character sheet. The easiest way is with a series of ✘'s or ✔'s, up to 5. You may also use a specific die as a counter, or a series of tokens, whatever your preference is.
- You can improve your condition by spending a Standard action, that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, to move up the condition track by one step. Magical healing that meets or exceeds your damage threshold also improves your condition by a single step. Resting normally for eight consecutive, uninterrupted hours removes all conditions affecting a creature and returns it to its normal state (except if it had been lowered to the last step of the track, Disabled; magical or mundane assisted healing is then required to begin moving up the condition track). The spell Lesser Restoration can move a creature one step up the condition track; Restoration and Greater Restoration remove all conditions and return a creature to its normal state.
- This system has been adapted from the Star Wars Saga Edition d20 rules, for use with Pathfinder. Just so you know where it came from, credit where credit is due, etc. Also, you know who to blame if you get pwnt in combat.
- I will help you invent class features and feats that take advantage of this system, to either move an enemy down the track quickly, or yourself and allies back up your own track more effectively. There will also be features that get bonuses depending on how injured you are, etc. Just let me know, and we can sit down to make some stuff up. Full disclosure: we'll steal class features from Star Wars d20.
- Hit Points are an abstraction of a character's effort expended to avoid deadly blows. The only strikes that actually "hit" your character, in game terms, are the blows that take you down the condition track, and the final blow that kills them. All others are strikes that are wearing them down to that point. Higher hit points and damage thresholds are merely a character being more able and likely to shrug off those preliminary damages.
- Hit Points are tracked by the player during combat, however, other characters are not aware of other creatures' or characters' total remaining hit points, unless they succeed on a DC 15 Heal check. Conditions on the condition track are readily apparent when others have full perception of the creature.
Alignment
Spoiler:
- The classic alignments will no longer exist.
- Alignments will be reduced to four basic terms; Lawful, Altruistic, Pragmatic and Selfish. The alignments in the game world will be any combination of those terms, with the exception of Altruistic/Selfish mixes, as they are antonyms. The last alignment, Evil, will still exist as its own special case, as it is entirely different from any other alignment in terms of scope of action. These new alignments will help to determine what sort of person your character is, and how people will react to your actions.
- This means you may end up adventuring with someone who is very Altruistic, and someone who is very Selfish, and not have a problem with either of them.
- The new alignments will help define characters on their basic beliefs, motivations and actions, and I feel will do a stronger job than the 9 classic alignments.
- Actions are still defined by 'good' and 'evil', as determined by the world's pantheon of gods (or ultimate ethical power). However, your good/evilness is no longer tattooed on your soul, and the results of good and evil actions fade from your magically detectable aura over time. If you murder someone in cold blood, you may have a moderate aura of "evil" for several years, but stealing a candy may only hold for an hour or two -- or a day at most, should you be proud of your theft. Spells like Detect Evil will detect such things as this, and shouldn't be too mechanically different than before, as it was subject to GM discretion in most cases.
- The only classic alignment remaining will be Evil. It is impossible for any mortal creature to have this alignment, and it can only be gained upon immortality and bargaining with one of the Elder Evil Gods (or whatever is setting-appropriate). There is nothing any mortal can achieve that is actual, true, Evil.
- There is no longer a hard-and-fast alignment restriction on classes, especially the Paladin, Monk and Barbarian. Monks and Barbarians may now be of any alignment. Paladins must be 'good' and hold to the tenets of their faith, but otherwise are not restricted to "lawfulness", or even Altruism in the strictest sense. Paladins may now cheat, lie, steal, gamble, use poison, traps and even execute the helpless, should they deem it necessary -- but only to serve the greater good, not merely themselves. In essence, Paladins are the ultimate Pragmatists, and must always be thinking of the greater benefit. These values and tenets are usually the same as the Paladin's god or gods.
Parry
Spoiler:
- I know that Armor Class is supposed to incorporate the idea of a character parrying and blocking attacks as they fight their antagonists, but none of the components that go into AC show that inclusion. Parrying, as a set of rules, should make combat more interesting for martial characters, force people to be engaged even when it is not their turn, and adds an active defense for everyone that they can interact with at any time.
- When an opponent attacks you in melee range, you may attempt to parry a single attack from that opponent before you know whether or not the attack is successful. This attempt is an attack of opportunity (which also means you may not attempt to parry while flat-footed). You must be wielding a weapon or using a natural weapon to make a parry attempt. When you choose to make a parry attempt, you make an attack roll at a -4 penalty as an opposed roll to your opponent's attack roll (as per conditions on the attackers turn). If you beat your opponent's total, you have successfully parried his blow, causing him to fail to hit you. If you fail to parry the blow, you become off-balance and are easily struck, and you are treated as flat-footed for that attack, and it has successfully struck you. No other attack in that round treats you as being flat-footed due for failing a parry attempt.
- You automatically fail to parry on a natural 1. You are unable to successfully parry if your opponent rolls a natural 20. If the attacker and defender both roll a natural 20, the attack still hits, but the critical hit check automatically fails.
- You can not normally parry ranged attacks, magic, or combat maneuvers.
- You can make a parry attempt against a Charge at a -6 penalty. You can not set an attack against a charge and parry at the same time.
- You can attempt to parry a Disarm or Sunder attempt made on an item you wear that is not your weapon at a -6 penalty. Sunder and Disarm attempts against your weapon can not be parried.
- You can attempt to parry a melee touch attack at a -10 penalty. Parrying a touch attack always uses your Dexterity modifier on the attack roll rather than your Strength modifier.
- Combat Expertise/Fighting Defensively: The penalty to attack rolls from use of the Combat Expertise or while fighting defensively does not apply to parry attempts. A creature retains their ability to parry effectively when fighting to protect themselves.
- Total Defense Action: While taking the total defense action as a full-round action, you may still make parry attempts, but you may not make riposte attacks. In addition to the +4 dodge bonus to AC, you receive a +4 circumstance bonus to your parry attempts.
- Combat Reflexes: You may make as many parry attempts as you have Attacks of Opportunity. Having good Combat Reflexes gives you more opportunities to parry attacks.
- Deflect Arrows: If you have the Improved Parry feat, it counts as having having the Improved Unarmed Strike feat for the purposes of gaining the Deflect Arrows feat. If you have the Deflect Arrows feat, you may use your weapon to deflect a ranged attack as normal without requiring a free hand. You may not use the Snatch Arrows feat with a weapon, and Improved Parry does not qualify you for Snatch Arrows.
- Improved Unarmed Strike: If you have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you may make parry attempts while unarmed.
- Parrying Weapons: the following weapons should have their description appended to add: "When using this weapon, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to parry an attack."
- Dagger
- Hanbo
- Quarterstaff
- Short Sword
- Long Sword
- Rapier
- Kama
- Sai
- Rhoka
- Aldori Dueling Sword
- Elven Curve Blade
- Two-Bladed Sword
- Parry- Related Feats:
- Improved Parry [General, Fighter]: You are very adept at parrying your enemies' attacks with your own weapon. Prerequisites: Dexterity 13 or Intelligence 13. Benefit: Your penalties on attack rolls made for parrying attempts are lessened by 4. Special: A fighter may select this as one of his fighter bonus feats.
- Friendly Deflection [General, Fighter}: Your skillful prowess in combat allows you to fend for your allies. Prerequisites: Improved Parry. Benefit: When you are adjacent to an ally who in being attacked, you may make a parry attempt to negate the blow against them, at a -4 penalty. The attacker's blow must be one that you would normally be able to parry, if it were directed at you. If you are using a reach weapon, you may consider space you threaten with that weapon to be within the bounds of parrying, for this feat. Special: A fighter may select this as one of his fighter bonus feats. Normal: You may only parry blows directed at yourself.
- Riposte [General, Fighter]: Your combat skills have progressed to a point where you may parry a blow and immediately respond with an attack of your own. Prerequisites: Dexterity 15 or Intelligence 15, base attack +4, Improved Parry. Benefit: When you successfully parry an attack, you may immediately make a melee attack against the opponent you just parried at your full base attack bonus. This attack is a part of the same action used to make the parry attempt, which means parrying and following up with a riposte uses a single attack of opportunity. Regardless of the number of parry attempts you can make in a round, you can only make a single riposte. This feat does not give you extra attacks of opportunity during a round or allow you to make an attack of opportunity when you would be denied one for being surprised, helpless, or in a similar situation. Special: A fighter may select this as one of his fighter bonus feats.
- Riposte Mastery [Tactical, Fighter]: As you parry your opponent's blows, you gain better control of your opponent and the battle. Prerequisites: Dexterity 15 or Intelligence 13, Improved Parry, Riposte. Benefit: This feat allows the use of several tactical maneuvers, each of which requires that you attempt a special attack immediately following a successful parry.
- Press the Advantage: After successfully parrying an attack, you may immediately attempt to bull rush the opponent you parried in place of your normal riposte attack. You gain a +2 bonus to the check as if you were charging. Your opponent does not receive an attack of opportunity against you, even if you do not have the Improved Bull Rush feat.
- Disarming Flourish: After successfully parrying an attack, you may immediately attempt to disarm the weapon with which your opponent just attacked in place of your normal riposte attack. You may only disarm that weapon with which your opponent attacked, not any other item he possesses. Your opponent does not receive an attack of opportunity against you, even if you do not have the Improved Disarm feat.
- Unbalancing Blow: After successfully parrying an attack, you may immediately attempt to trip the opponent you parried in place of your normal riposte attack. Make a melee touch attack with your weapon instead of an unarmed melee touch attack. Your opponent does not receive an attack of opportunity against you, even if you are using a weapon which does not normally allow trip attacks and do not have the Improved Trip feat.
- Quick Feint: If you have the Improved Feint feat, then after successfully parrying an attack, you may immediately attempt to feint against the opponent you parried in place of your normal riposte attack. You receive a bonus to your Bluff check equal to the amount by which your parry attempt exceeded your opponent's attack. This uses your Immediate Action for the round.
- Sudden Grab: If you are unarmed, then after successfully parrying an attack, you may immediately attempt to start a grapple against the opponent you parried in place of your normal riposte attack. You provoke attacks of opportunity as normal.
- Normal: Without this feat, a riposte attack can only be a standard melee attack. Special: A fighter may select this as one of his fighter bonus feats.
- This parry rule was borrowed from a poster on the GITP forums whose name I cannot remember. Apologies to the author.
Skills
Spoiler:
- Some skills have been eliminated or brought into a single skill together. If two or more skills are now a single skill, you need only to put skill ranks into the remaining skill. If a class has a skill listed, but not the new broader skill, they may consider the broader skill to be a class skill.
- Appraise has been melded into Perception (Wisdom).
- Escape Artist is now a part of Acrobatics (Dexterity).
- Climb, Ride and Swim are now Athletics (Strength). [The skill Climb may be substituted on Pathfinder-standard character sheets.]
- Knowledge (Nobility) is now a part of Knowledge (History).
- Knowledge (Arcana) may be used in place of Knowledge (Planes).
- Use Magic Device is no longer a skill, but merely a check made by adding character level and charisma modifier to a d20 roll. All characters are able to activate magical devices, given enough personal power and conviction.
- New System: Upon character creation, characters choose, from their class skills list, a number of skills to be trained in. This number is equal to the amount of skill ranks available to the character at their level (usually level 1). These trained skills must be chosen from their class skills. If a created character has more skill choices available than class skills, they may choose as many trained skills as they have excess ranks to receive a +3 bonus to, as if they had chosen the Skill Focus feat. For example, Greg the Fighter, with an intelligence of 12, chooses 5 skills from his class skills to become trained in them. They become his trained skills. If Greg gained greater Intelligence, and another point of modifier, he would choose another class skill to become a trained skill.
A character also has the choice, upon creation, to spend a second point to gain Skill Focus in a trained skill (as if they had more ranks than class skills).
- Skill checks: If the skill is a trained skill, the check is 1d20 + character level + relevant skill modifier + other modifiers (such as items, etc.). If the skill is not a trained skill, they roll with 1d20 + half character level (rounded down) + relevant skill modifier + other modifiers. Taking a 10 and taking a 20 still exist. Here they are again, for clarity:
- Trained: d20 + character level + ability + other
- Untrained: d20 + half-level + ability + other
- Some skills checks cannot be made untrained, whether or not it is a class skill. These restricted skills are Disable Device, Handle Animal, all Knowledge skills (except Local, if your character is from or has adventured extensively in the area), Linguistics, Profession (any), Sleight of Hand, and Spellcraft. A character must have selected these skills as one of their trained skills in order to make a check for it, otherwise the character must make an improvised roll at a -15 penalty. If a character has a trained skill that they and the GM agree is relevant to the check (such as Knowledge (Arcana) for a Spellcraft check), they may substitute that skill for the proper skill, at a -10 penalty. They cannot take a 10 or 20 on this check.
- Taking the skill Linguistics as a trained skill grants as many bonus languages to a character equal to the value of their Intelligence modifier, if positive, and an additional language every two character levels. This is in addition to any starting languages the character may have. If they have no, or a negative, Intelligence modifier, they may choose a single language to learn in addition to their starting languages every two character levels.
- Characters may take the feat Skill Training: "Choose one untrained skill from your class skill list. You may now consider that skill a trained skill. This feat may be taken as many times as a character has untrained class skills."
- Multi-class characters: When you select a new class, you do not gain new trained skills. Instead, your list of class skills expands to include those of the new class. You may select a single class skill from your newly expanded skill list to become a trained skill. This new trained skill must be from the class skills of your new class. If you take the Skill Training feat, you may choose a new trained skill from your expanded list of class skills.
Character Classes
Spoiler:
- Only changes will be listed. If the class you want isn't on here, that means it didn't get any changes.
Barbarian
- Rage: No Fatigue penalty from exiting a rage. For every HD the Barbarian has he gains Fast Healing 1 while raging. You may never enter/exit a Rage on the same round that you enter/exit a Rage.
- 8th level: +10′ Move (per Fast Movement)
- 16th level: +10′ Move (per Fast Movement)
Druid
- Wild Spell is no longer a feat; druids receive this ability automatically at 5th level. Who doesn't take this feat, seriously?
Fighter
- Now proficient with an exotic weapon of their choice at 4th level, plus another for every 2 fighter levels past 4th.
- Aldori Swordlord fighter archetype is automatically proficient with the Aldori dueling sword exotic weapon.
Monk
- Monk unarmed damage/abilities can be applied with other natural weapons and all monk weapons
Paladin
- May be either Wisdom or Charisma-based for class abilities and spells.
- May be all alignments barring CE; must have strict code or discipline to adhere to. Breaking the code will cause the paladin to 'fall'.
- Need not have a god from which you gain your powers, but it is recommended (who's gonna back you up if you piss off another god?).
Ranger
- Hide in Plain sight works anywhere, once gained
- May choose to lose all spell-casting and instead gain an animal companion at 1st level, following Druid rules. Ranger must be of the Skirmisher archetype.
Rogue
- Hide in Plain Sight (from Shadowdancer prestige class) is an available choice for Advanced Talents
Anti-paladin
- If we're using my new alignment system, this class doesn't really matter. Otherwise, you probably won't play this, because evil campaigns are weird.
- The cardinal Don't Be a Dick rule applies.
Witch
- Variant: you may play the witch as a Charisma-based class; change the spell progression to the progression of the Sorcerer. Charisma becomes your primary stat for all class abilities (which were previously Intelligence-based). You now have 4 + Int skills per level, rather than 2.
- Variant: you may play the witch as a Wisdom-based class; your spell progression remains the same.. Wisdom becomes your primary statistic for all class abilities (which were previously Intelligence-based). You now have 4 + Int skills per level, rather than 2.
Samurai
- This class is available as per the Ultimate Combat Playtest pdf. When Ultimate Combat is released, you may use that version
Ninja
- Ditto from Samurai
Gunslinger
- You may use the Alvena gunslinger class, created by J. Scott Mohn.
- If the setting has firearms, we will use the Alvena firearms rules, detailed in the gunslinger base class pdf file
FEATS
Spoiler:
Some feats just shouldn't be feats. Seriously.
- Weapon Finesse is no longer a feat. At character generation, you choose your specific statistic to determine your attack rolls; either Dexterity or Strength. Any weapon may be wielded in this way, including two-handed weapons and pole-arms. If you choose Strength, you gain the benefit of adding your Strength modifier to your damage rolls in addition to attacks rolls, if the weapon is wielded in one hand, or 1.5x your Strength modifier if the weapon is wielded in two hands. If you choose Dexterity, you cannot add your Strength modifier to damage, even if you have one, but gain the benefit of a higher AC from Dexterity, and greater chance to hit with both ranged and melee weapons. Ranged weapons are always rolled with the Dexterity modifier.
- Agile Maneuvers is no longer a feat, on the same basis that Weapon Finesse is no longer a feat. The choice is made are character creation, and is generally the same as chosen for melee attack. See the feat listing in the Core Rulebook for more details.
- A character, if they wish to, may spend a day re-training, and may change their melee to-hit statistic from Strength to Dexterity, or vice versa. Like, I dunno, permanent ability drain or something like that gets your character and suddenly your strength goes down the toilet. You just get to change it if you want, right? Okay good.
- Power Attack is no longer a prerequisite for feats, nor is it a feat itself. Any character may choose to "Attack Powerfully" at any time, if they have a BAB of +1 or higher, gaining damage (if the attack hits) equal to double the value that was sacrificed from the attack roll, up to the characters BAB. Any value up to the BAB may be chosen. For example, Greg the Fighter attacks powerfully, and has a BAB of +6. He may choose to sacrifice up to -6 from his attack roll, gaining +12 to damage, should the attack hit. However, Greg now suffers a -6 to all attacks for the remainder of the round, including attacks of opportunity.
- A new feat shall be added, called Shock Trooper, that allows a character to attack powerfully, and move the penalty from their attack roll to their AC score, reflecting the recklessness of the attack. For example, to gain +10 to a damage roll, a character would sacrifice -5 from their AC for the remainder of the round. When attacking with the feat Shock Trooper, a character cannot Fight Expertly, nor as a ranged attack.
- A character cannot choose to parry powerfully, nor riposte powerfully.
- Deadly Aim is no longer a prerequisite for feats, nor is it a feat itself. It functions as "Attack Powerfully", but with ranged attack rolls. The feat Shock Trooper cannot be used with ranged attacks of any kind.
- Combat Expertise is no longer a prerequisite for feats, no is it a feat itself. Any character may choose to "Fight Expertly" at any time, if they have a BAB or +1 or higher, gaining a dodge bonus to AC, up to the characters BAB, equal to the value sacrificed from their attack rolls. For example, Greg the Fighter fights expertly, and has a BAB of +6. He may choose to sacrifice up to -6 from his attack roll, gaining a +6 Dodge bonus to his AC for the remainder of the round, whether or not his attack is successful.
- This rule replaces both "fighting defensively" and the feat "combat expertise".
- Total defense, as a full round action, still exists.
- Lunge is no longer a feat, nor a prerequisite for feats. Any character with a BAB of +1 or higher may choose to gain an additional 5 feet of reach with any melee weapon they are currently wielding, and take a -2 penalty to their AC for the rest of the round, and a -2 penalty to that specific attack roll. Any combination of attacks may be lunge attacks or normal attacks, but lunging provokes an attack of opportunity from threatening creatures. Multiple lunging attacks in a single round do not additionally penalize the character's AC or attack rolls; they are all made at the same penalty. Attacks of opportunity can not be lunges.
- Feat trees will now scale as you level. If you take Two-Weapon fighting, at any level where you meet the prerequisites, you may also receive Improved or Greater Two-Weapon Fighting automatically, should you qualify for it. This means that at the level where a character would normally take the next feat in their chain, they instead gain it automatically, and it does not take up the choice of feat for that character level. This applies to any discrete feat chain, usually with a Improved/Greater/Mastery division. If a feat has only a single other feat as a prerequisite, and the character has that prerequisite feat, then he automatically gains that upgraded feat at a point where he is able to.
- Eschew Feats no longer exists, as material components for spells no longer exist if they have a negligible cost (such as any component found in the spell component pouch provided to the Wizard class). Spell components are a bad joke that need to leave forever. Sorcerers now receive a bloodline bonus feat instead of Eschew Materials. No arcane spell-casters require a material component for any spell, but they do require a focus, as a Cleric or Paladin does. This may be any object that is specifically important to the caster, such as an earring, or broken sword (you get the idea). Except for Sorcerers, who just go.
- Characters gain the feat Master Craftsman for free if they have 7 or more ranks in Craft or an appropriate Profession (or have reached 7th level in my home-brew skill system). Everyone can make magical things if they are good enough at making things in general. Item creation feats can be gained in this as well, for free, as the non-caster character reaches the appropriate level for the Item Creation feat, plus 7 (the first five ranks).
GAME CHANGERS, HOO-AH!
Spoiler:
- Introduction: One of the biggest problems with the d20 fantasy systems (D&D 2e, 3e, 3.5e and Pathfinder) is that Martial and Magical characters are extremely disparate in terms of power. The main difference, to sum it up, is that it will always be "more effective" to Colour Spray a group of enemies than it is to hit them until they die. ("For your new level, Greg the Fighter, you get to trip enemies better, and have a +1 to hit! Levin the Wizard, you now get 5 new spells, two of which bend reality to your whims"). Magic is just more effective than martial prowess, every time. It gets worse at higher levels, where wizards and witches can stop time, summon inter-dimensional beings to do their bidding, destroy entire country-sides on a whim, and get whatever they please through the use of Wish... and the fighter now has the ability to never be disarmed, and the barbarian can rage without getting tired. Sadly, both of those perks can be given through magic at even earlier levels (locked gauntlet, an item, and Remove Fatigue).
This doesn't mean that magic should be weaker -- it's an integral part of the system, and characters are measured on a power metric (the Challenge Rating and Effective Character Level systems for challenges) that requires them to have a certain amount of magical items per level, as dictated by their Wealth By Level guideline. Where that breaks down is that martial characters rely on magical means to stay competitive, while magical characters need only rely on themselves, as they are able to make their own magical items. The rules rely on magic.
Another problem is the attribute dependencies. A wizard, witch, sorcerer, oracle, cleric or druid really only needs one attribute; their casting stat. It's nice to have higher stats in other places, but they really only need that 18 or 20 in one place. Everyone else needs Strength (to hit things) Dexterity (to hit things from far away, and not get hit), Constitution (don't catch diseases! try not to die!), Wisdom (anti-mindrape), Intelligence (skillzz, b~!%$es love skillszs), and/or Charisma (to talk to people. Or, you know, just tons of Intelligence, as long as that Cha score isn't giving you a negative in Diplomacy).
There are some martial classes that can get by on a little, like the Paladin; once you hit third level, just pump that Str and Cha -- but others, like the Monk, still require all but Charisma in order to stay reliable throughout a campaign. I've gotten some basic conclusions out of this: mainly, these games are not finely balanced, but instead finely functional. It's also apparent that while stabbing things is fun, you will live longer if you can stop time, or summon tentacles to rape an army while they freeze in a snowstorm you also summoned (heyooo Ranna!) --> It's fine if you don't get that reference.
In order to keep up with monsters and other enemies on the Challenge Rating metric, all characters, but especially martial characters, need statistic-boosting items -- magical items that grant Intelligence +2, or Constitution +4, or Charisma +6. Martial characters, on top of need those lovely Strength +4 belts and tomes, etc, also need their +2 and +3 weapons, all made of magical materials.
That all costs money, and all requires magic -- but not just any magic: boring magic. Magic that gives you a "+number" is lame. That's not fun magic! It's just a number! Unfortunately, these stat-boosters are integral to the game rules. These next house-rules change some of the fundamentals of the game itself, with the intention of giving all characters staying power over many levels without giving stat-boost items, and to give some fundamental magic back into magical items.
Leveling Up!
- Characters, as they level, will receive upgrades to their basic scores (abilities, skills, AC, etc.) in addition to the normal rules. They will follow the following metric:
Deflection (Su): At 2nd level you gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC. This bonus increases to +3 at 6th level, and by an additional +1 every 6 levels thereafter.
Natural Armor (Ex): At 3rd level you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to natural armor. This bonus increases by +1 at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 12th level.
Endure Elements (Ex): At 3rd level you become immune to the effects of being in a hot or cold environment. You can exist comfortably in conditions between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit without having to make Fortitude saves (as described int the Dungeon Master's Guide) for up to 48 hours. After that point you receive only half the normal non-lethal damage from these conditions.
Empowered Strike (Su): At 4th level you gain a +1 enhancement bonus on all attack and damage rolls. In effect, any weapon you wield functions as a +1 magic weapon, and can overcome the damage reduction of a creature as though it were a magic weapon. This enhancement increases by +1 at 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter. At 10th level any weapon you wield is also considered to have your alignment, so for example if you had an aura of Chaotic Good you would ignore damage reduction x/good and x/chaotic. At 7th level, and again every 4 levels thereafter, choose one of the following magic weapon special abilities to apply to any single weapon you wield: Bane, Defending, Flaming, Frost, Ghost Touch, Keen, Ki Focus, Merciful, Mighty Cleaving, Spell Storing, Shock, Throwing, Thundering, Vicious. This enhancement cannot be changed once chosen. At 7th level, your weapon is now a Legendary Weapon, and must be named to reflect this power within it. If you lose this weapon, you may gain a new one, with new enhancements of your choice, by purchasing a basic weapon and spending a week in contemplation and training with it, enchanting it with your inherent heroic power.
Ability Score Enhancement (Ex): At 4th level you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to one ability score. At 8th level and every four levels thereafter you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to an additional ability score, and each previous ability's enhancement increases by +2.
Resistance (Ex): At 4th level you gain a +1 resistance bonus to saving throws. This bonus increases by +1 at 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter.
Sustenance (Ex): At 5th level you no longer need to eat or drink.
Flight (Su): At 9th level you gain a fly speed equal to your base land speed with average maneuverability. At 13th level this increases to double your base land speed with good maneuverability, and at 17th level it increases again to triple your base land speed with perfect maneuverability. This ability grants flight in the most mechanical of terms, and can be described in any way appropriate to the character or situation.
Fortification (Ex): Starting at 7th level, when you are affected by a sneak attack or critical hit you have a chance to negate the effect and take normal damage, depending on level: 7th: 10% 11th: 25% 15th: 50% 19th: 75%.
Mind Shielding (Ex): At 8th level you become immune to detect thoughts, discern lies, and any attempt to discern your alignment. If you are unconscious, incapacitated, sleeping, or otherwise unable to control your own thoughts, your alignment is detectable.
Damage Reduction (Su): You gain damage reduction 5/magic at 10th level. At 15th level this increases to 5/magic and silver (if you are lawful), or 5/magic and cold iron (if you are chaotic), or 5/magic and adamantine (if you are neutral). At 20th level this increases to 10/epic and silver (if you are lawful), or 10/epic and cold iron (if you are chaotic), or 10/epic and adamantine (if you are neutral).
Energy Resistance (Ex): At 10th level you gain resistance 5 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic energy. This increases to resistance 10 at 15th level and resistance 15 at 20th level.
Spell Resistance (Su): Starting at 11th level you gain spell resistance equal to your ECL + 10.
Greater Sustenance (Ex): At 12th level you no longer need to breath.
Freedom of Movement (Ex): Starting at 14th level you can act as if continually under the effect of a freedom of movement spell.
Regeneration (Ex): Starting at 17th level you heal 1 point of damage per level every hour rather than every day. (This ability cannot be aided by the Heal skill.) Nonlethal damage heals at a rate of 1 point of damage per level every 5 minutes.
True Seeing (Su): At 18th level you gain a continuous true seeing ability, as the spell.
Perfection/Godhood (Ex): At 20th level you transcend mortal limits. You become an outsider, gaining the outsider type with appropriate alignment subtypes and the native subtype (though you do not need to eat, sleep, or breath). Other bonuses or templates may be negotiated with the GM, as per appropriate to your character.
- This metric is to assume the place of any "mundane" magical items that are considered mandatory for an adventuring party, and are afforded if the same magical items were purchased on the Wealth By Level guidelines. This system allows the Wealth By Level guide to disappear, and be replaced by Wondrous Items rather than stat-boosters. This metric also allows monster and NPC's from published resources to remain as they are, with their published magical items, as the the player characters are now following the same upgrade metric, albeit without actual items doing so.
Magical Items
Spoiler:
- First, there are no (zero, none, nada, zip, 0%) stat-boosting or +number items. The maximum mundane quality anything can be is Masterwork. Exotic materials still exist and have game effect, as they have very high 'cool factor' and cannot be replaced without a full system overhaul.
- All magical items that the party finds will be Wondrous Items, Scrolls, Potions, Rods or Staves. No other kinds of magic will be given to the party, as they are replaced by the above table. Scroll and Potions will be restricted to 3rd level spells or below, and wands will no longer exist (can be re-described with the powers of a stave or rod, if the player wishes). This means that anything magical you receive is actually magical, and does actually magical things.
- In terms of treasures, expect to find old coins, gems and non-magical treasures such as silks, spices and fine artwork.
- How many fingers do you have? That's how many rings you can wear. Only two function at a single time and it takes a full-round action to switch one for another.
- Want belts? You can wear tons of belts, anime style. Too bad there aren't any stat-boosting items, or else that would be awesome. Anyway, if you want to wear tons of belts, you can, but each belt more than a single belt incurs a -1 Armor Check Penalty.
- Clothing, whether magical or not, fits under armor, whether or not that is magical too. Clothing also fits under other clothing, but you incur a -1 Armor Check Penalty for each stacked item per equipment slot.
- Stack items per equipment slots incur a -1 Armor Check Penalty per item over slot limit. Armor of the same type can never stack. All penalties of stacked equipment are cumulative (such as speed reduction, etc.)
Iterative Attacks
Spoiler:
- Any class that grants you enough BAB to have multiple, iterative attack, your character may now attack with all of those iterative attacks as a standard action, rather than a full attack action. This means you may now move up to your speed, and then attack with all of your attacks. Four iterative attacks would roll as per normal. If your class has a feature that would normally allow you to do this, such as Pounce, you gain an extra attack, at your highest Base Attack Bonus. Attacking at the end of a charge, if you have two iterative attacks or more, restricts you to two attacks at your highest BAB.
- Full attack actions still exist. The maximum penalty for each iterative attack is reduced to -5. So four attacks at the 20th level would roll as +20/+15/+15/+15, if there was a full-attack action made.
- Extra attacks, such as natural attacks, can only be made during full attacks. Only BAB allows extended standard attacks.
- This means that you still need to full-attack to use Two-Weapon Fighting.
Weapons
Spoiler:
- All bows have a strength rating that does not cost any extra money. This strength rating is generally determined by the supposed user, at creation of the weapon. You cannot use the bow if your strength rating is less than the bow's. Bows larger than medium gain +30 feet to their maximum distance, increasing with increased size.
- Magical ammunition can no longer be broken. It's magic; it doesn't ever break. If you take the time to search for it and pick it up, it'll stay until you break it on purpose. Mundane imagination is also more resistant to breaking; arrows and bolts only break half the time, and anything made of metal (shuriken, etc.) doesn't break at all.
- It is possible to find 'Legendary Weapons' like Glamdring, or Makoto the Weeping Blade -- they start at their original legendary enhancement, and improve from your character upgrades from there. Your interaction only adds to the great history of the weapon.
Armor as Damage Reduction
Spoiler:
- In this system, armor offers two benefits against attacks: a minor bonus to AC, which functions just like the armor bonus in the standard d20 rules but is usually lower in value; and damage reduction. You can determine the new armor values and damage reduction based on the standard armor bonus.
- To determine the armor’s damage reduction, divide the armor’s normal armor bonus by 2 (rounding down). To determine the armor’s new armor bonus, subtract the DR from the normal armor bonus. For example, studded leather has a normal armor bonus of +3. That gives it a DR of 1/- (half of 3, rounded down) and a new armor bonus of +2 (3 minus 1). All other values, such as armor check penalty and arcane spell failure remain the same.
- An armor’s enhancement bonus (if any) increases its armor bonus to AC, but has no effect on the armor’s damage reduction. A +3 chain shirt, for example, adds +5 to AC and grants damage reduction 2/-. (But it's not like you'll be find these kind of things anyway, right? Enhancement bonuses, booooo!)
- The damage reduction granted by armor stacks with other damage reduction of the same type (that is, damage reduction that has a dash after the number). A 7th-level barbarian wearing a breastplate has DR 3/- (1/- from his class levels and 2/- from his armor). A fighter wearing full plate armor who is the target of a stoneskin spell, however, has DR 4/- from the armor and 10/adamantine from the spell.
- Shields function normally in this variant, granting their full shield bonus to AC. Unlike with armor, a shield’s effectiveness is measured wholly by its ability to keep an attack from connecting with your body.
- A creature’s natural armor also provides a modicum of damage reduction. Divide the monster’s natural armor bonus (not including any enhancement bonus) by 5 to determine the monster’s damage reduction. The same value is subtracted from the monster’s natural armor bonus to find the monster’s new AC. If the creature already has damage reduction, either add the value gained from natural armor (if the existing damage reduction is of the same type) or treat it as a separate DR value (if it is of a different type).
- For example, a mummy normally has a natural armor bonus of +10. This gives it DR 2/-, and its natural armor bonus is reduced by 2 points to +8 (making it’s AC 18). Since the mummy already has DR 5/- as a special quality, its total damage reduction becomes DR 7/-.
- A mature adult red dragon has a natural armor bonus of +24. This gives it DR 4/-, and its natural armor bonus is reduced by 4 points to +20 (making its AC 28). The dragon’s existing damage reduction is 10/magic, so the two damage reduction values remain separate.
- Finally, a frost giant has a +9 natural armor bonus, so it gains DR 1/- from natural armor. The chain shirt it wears gives it an additional DR 2/-. If the frost giant were a 7th-level barbarian, the barbarian class levels would give it DR 1/-. These three values add up to DR 4/-. The giant’s AC would be 20 (10, +8 natural armor bonus, +2 chain shirt).
Is an oracle with the curse of blindness susceptible to gaze attacks? Also, are they able to cover their eyes with a mundane object (such as a blindfold) and retain their Extraordinary abilities of blindsight, etc.?
Credit where credit is due: Portions of this class were created by a Mr. Joshua Roberts, for the Pathfinder Database, here. I altered it for my own purposes. Any changes from his original version are mine. I thought that the original class was too weak, and could have been something more than presented. This is that class. More discussion at the bottom.
Wild Shifter
The children of the wild are so in tune with nature that they can take its very form, feeling the touch of the wild within them at all times. Mostly born within druidic circles, a Wild Shifter is an unusual being born with the power to alter its form to that of predatory beasts. Many embrace the druidic religion of their parents and become Druids. But some are more drawn to the wild than even their Druid parents and leave the safe confines of the circles to learn from nature itself. These primeval people are known as Wild Shifters.
Adventurers: Wild shifters are a breed apart from members of even their own race and family. The power of the wild flows strongly within them, and may cause them to grow restless in a single location. Many wild shifters adventure out of a compulsion to expand natural territories, hunt exotic preys, or even to escape a terrible predator of their own. Other wild shifters may elect to protect their own space, keeping the lands they live in safe from outsiders, much like some of their druid brethren. There are even wild shifters whom are searching for a home, ranging far across the world for the perfect lands.
Characteristics: A wild shifter is a swift and savage combatant, possessing the ability to transform themselves into ruthless predators. They excel at remaining in wait in their normal form, or perhaps stalking their prey in the night, before suddenly shifting into a terrible predator to take their quarry. The wild shifter is effective in almost any environment, but is most comfortable and at home with in a natural setting, where he can move across the land at his whim. With swift reflexes, supernatural perception, and deadly natural attacks, Wild Shifters are a force “of nature” to be reckoned with.
Alignment: Any non-lawful. A wild shifter is a primal soul, and chafes under the weight of laws and societal restrictions. However, this does not mean that wild shifters as a whole consider society to be evil; in fact, many have ties to the Druidic cults of the deeper wilds, and understand the importance of both natural and artificial laws. Wild shifters of a good alignment will protect those they respect and care for, and those of an evil alignment hunt all creatures with a terrible impunity.
Religion: A wild shifter gains his power directly from the natural forces, much like a Druid or Ranger. A wild shifter will very rarely take on the god of an organized religion, as the touch of the wild is felt by wild shifters most strongly, and it is unlikely that a wild shifter would have met a convincing emissary of any of the more aloof and distant gods.
Races: Elves are the most likely of races to be a wild shifter, living traditionally in the forests of the world, but wild shifters may be of any race. Humans and half-elves are the most adaptable of wild shifters, ready for any situation, and half-orcs and dwarves make the fiercest and staunchest of predators. Halflings, gnomes and elves are sly hunters, tricking their prey into trapping themselves or harrying them to exhaustion.
Abilities: Charisma is the most important ability to a Wild Shifter, as the force of their self is what propels their transformations and the powers they game while shifted. Wisdom allows them to grow more deeply in touch with the natural land, and Intelligence favors every predator. Wild Shifters rely on Strength to propel their attacks, and ruthlessly hunt down their prey, and Dexterity to nimbly move as their instincts command. Constitution is as important for Wild Shifters as it is for any character, as it can mean the difference between life and death.
Spoiler:
Charisma controls the wild shifter's shift powers, Strength is the to-hit stat, and others for utility. I believe that classes should be a limited MAD; more than the Wizard (SAD) and less that the Monk(super-MAD)
15th: Natural Armor +4, Power of the Predator (Greater), Magic Fang (Adamantine)
16th: Damage Reduction 4/-, Shift Power
17th: Natural Armor +5, Hide in Plain Sight
18th: Shift Power, Bonus Feat
19th: Damage Reduction 5/-
20th: Leader of the Primal Hunt, Shift Power[/table]
Spoiler:
Full BAB and two good saves, much like the Paladin. Damage reduction and other class features make up for the lack of heavy armor
Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Wild Shifter is proficient with the following weapons: simple weapons, and the scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with Wild Shift.
Wild shifters are proficient with light armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. A wild shifter may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description.
A wild shifter who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to use any of his supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.
Fast Movement (Ex): A wild shifter’s land speed is faster than the norm for her race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when he is wearing no armor, light armor and not carrying a heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the wild shifter’s speed because of any load carried or armor worn. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to the wild shifter's land speed.
Nature Sense (Ex): A wild shifter gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.
Wild Shift (Ex): A wild shifter’s commune with nature, the druidic blood running through his veins, and years of focus and material sacrifice grants him the ability to change his form at will. As a Wild Shifter progresses in power he learns to take on many forms from the predators of the wild.
Starting at 1st level, a Wild Shifter can retain his wild shift for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st, he can shift for 2 additional rounds. Temporary increases to Charisma, such as from Eagles Splendor, do not increase the total number of rounds that a wild shifter can shift per day. A wild shifter can shift as a free action, and is fatigued afterward for a number of rounds equal to 2 times the number of rounds spent shifted. A wild shifter cannot shift himself while fatigued or exhausted. The total number of rounds of shifting per day is renewed after resting for 8 hours, although these hours do not need to be consecutive.
While in his shifted form, the wild shifter gains a +4 morale bonus to his Dexterity and Wisdom, as well as a +2 morale bonus to all saves. While shifted, a shifter cannot cast spells, use Intelligence-based skills, or communicate above a simple, animalistic level.
At 11th level, when the wild shifter enters his shifted form, the morale bonus to his Dexterity and Wisdom increases to +6 and the morale bonus to his saves increases to +4.
At 20th level, the morale bonus to Dexterity and Wisdom when shifted increases to +8, and the morale bonus to saves increases to +6.
Power of the Predator (Ex): At first level Wild Shifter gains claws on each hand. These claws can be retracted or exposed at the wild shifter's will, as a free action. When attacking he may make one additional attack using any combination of natural attacks as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat (even if the Wild Shifter does not meet the prerequisites for the feat) For medium size claws do 1d6 points of slashing damage. Small creatures do 1d4.
At 8th level, the Wild Shifter can attack as if using Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the Wild Shifter does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).
At 15th level, the Wild Shifter can attack as if using Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the Wild Shifter does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).
Natural Armor (Ex): A Wild Shifter receives a cumulative +1 bonus to Natural Armor at 2nd, 5th, 11th, 15th, and 17th levels.
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a wild shifter leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. He may choose to leave a trail if so desired.
Damage Reduction (Ex): A Wild Shifter receives damage reduction 1/- at 7th level. The damage reduction rises by 1 at 10th, 13th, and 19th level.
Bonus Feats: At 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 14th, and 18th levels, a Wild Shifter is granted a bonus feat from the list below if the prerequisites of the feat are fulfilled.
Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack (a Wild Shifter can take this feat multiple times but for a different attack each time), Multiattack, Hover, Flyby Attack, Ability Focus, and Wing Over.
Magic Fang (Su): Starting at 4th level, the natural weapons gained from shifting gain an enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls equal to 1/4 your druid level, and they are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level they may be treated as mithral, and at 15th, adamantine.
Venom Immunity (Ex): At 9th level, a wild shifted is immune to all poisons.
Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): While in any natural environment, within 10 feet of an area of dim light, a wild shifter can hide himself from view in the open without anything to actually hide behind, using the Stealth skill.
Leader of the Primal Hunt (Ex): At 20th level a Wild Shifter can maintain his wild shift indefinitely, becoming the ultimate predator. Their body becomes timeless, and they no longer suffer the effects of aging and cannot be magically aged. Even if the wild shifter comes to a violent end, he spontaneously reincarnates (as per the spell) 24 hours later in a place of his choosing within 20 miles of his place of death. They have become a primal force of nature, and gain the elemental subtype.
Shift Powers (Ex): At 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th levels a Wild Shifter receives one of the following shift powers. All shift powers apply simultaneously when wild shift is activated. Unless stated otherwise, all shift powers may only be taken once.
Aspect of the Cat (Ex): The wild shifter's muscles become lean and defined, and his gait more deliberate. While shifted, the wild shifter increases his base speed by 10 feet, and he gains a +4 bonus on Acrobatics and Climb checks. A shifter must not be wearing medium or heavy armor, or more than a moderate load.
Aspect of the Raptor (Ex): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift he grows wings (fly speed 40 ft with poor maneuver ability) and a +5 to Perception. The appearance is decided by the shifter at the time of choosing this power, and may not be altered afterwards. His eyes grow large, and his nose hooked. A Wild Shifter must be at least 8th level before selecting this shift power.
Beastly Assault (Ex): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift he gains the pounce and rake special abilities. At 10th level the damage from the wild shifter's claws increases by a die level (1d6 become 1d8, etc., as per the weapon size chart). This increase in damage die stacks with all feats and other shift abilities.
Reptilian Fury (Ex): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift his skin become rough, and teeth long and sharp. He gains a natural armor bonus equal to half his charisma bonus, rounded down, and a bite attack. This bite may be used as part of a full attack action at the shifter's full base attack bonus –5. The shifter may also deal their bite damage automatically after any successful grapple check (either to maintain or escape a grapple). The bite deals 1d4 points of damage (assuming the shifter is Medium; 1d3 points of damage if Small) plus half the shifter's Strength modifier.
The Dire Beast (Su): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift he grows one category larger as the Enlarge Person spell. A Wild Shifter must be 6th level before selecting this shift power.
The Ancestor (Su): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift he gains a size category larger as the Enlarge Person spell. A Wild Shifter must be 15th level before selecting this shift power and must have the Power of the Dire Beast shift power. This power stacks with the Power of the Dire Beast shift power. A medium creature would effectively become huge.
Scorpion's Sting (Ex): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift he gains a poisonous tail that does 1d6 damage plus a poison special attack. Sting—injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Strength damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus. A Wild Shifter must be 6th level before selecting this shift power.
Stalker's Grace (Ex): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift ability he gains his charisma modifier to stealth, low-light vision, a +4 bonus to perception, and the scent special ability. He retains low-light vision when not shifted. If of a race that has low-light vision or better, this ability improves that natural ability by one step, i.e. low-light vision becomes dark-vision.
Venomous Maw (Ex): When a Wild Shifter with the Reptilian Fury ability uses his bite attack, it gains a poison special attack. (Bite—injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Strength damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 racial bonus) and a climbing speed of 30 feet. A Wild Shifter must be 6th level before selecting this shift power.
Power of the Amphibian (Ex): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift ability he gains a swim speed of 30 feet and a tongue attack as a giant frog (Primary attack with a reach equal to three times the shifters normal reach. The tongue does no damage on an attack, but can be used to grab. The shifter does not gain the grappled condition when using a tongue in this manner.). A Wild Shifter must be 4th level before selecting this shift power.
Thorny Devil (Ex): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift ability he grows thorns over the extent of his body. The thorns do 1d4 damage to anyone who attacks or touches the Wild Shifter (this includes allies). The Wild Shifter must be 4th level before selecting this shift power.
Naturally Attuned (Su): A wild shifter with this power may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at his normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Any growth that has been magically manipulated to impede, motion, however, still affect him. He also gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey.
Power of the Vine (Su): When a Wild Shifter uses his wild shift ability he gains the ability to use Entangle Spell as a supernatural ability as many times per day as his Charisma modifier. The Wild Shifter must be 14th level before selecting this shift power.
Fearless Beast (Ex): While shifted, the shifter is immune to the shaken and frightened conditions. A shifter must be at least 12th level before selecting this shift power.
Focus (Ex): While shifted, the wild shifter adds her level as an enhancement bonus on all Climb and Swim skill checks as well as Acrobatics skill checks made to jump. When making a jump in this way, the shifter is always considered to have a running start.
Frenzied Beast (Ex): The shifter gains a +1 morale bonus to all melee attack and damage rolls for one round. This bonus increases by +1 for every 4 levels the shifter has attained. This power is used as a swift action and can only be used once per shifting.
Internal Fortitude (Ex): While shifted, the wild shifter is immune to the sickened and nauseated conditions. A shifter must be at least 8th level before selecting this shifted power.
Eyes of the Beast (Ex): After scoring a critical hit or dealing lethal damage to a foe, the wild shifter may make an Intimidate check against one adjacent foe as an immediate action. If the shifter successfully demoralizes her opponent, the foe is shaken for 1d4 rounds + 1 round for every 5 points by which the shifter's check exceeds the DC.
Ragged Claws (Ex): The shifter can make a grapple attempt against one target in place of a melee attack. If successful, the target takes damage equal to the barbarian’s Strength modifier and is grappled by the wild shifter. Using this ability does not provoke an attack of opportunity. At the end of the wild shifter's turn he also gains the grappled condition.
Sudden Chase (Ex): As an immediate action, the wild shifter can move up to double his normal speed when an adjacent foe moves away from her. He must end her movement adjacent to that enemy. The wild shifter provokes attacks of opportunity as normal during this movement. This power can only be used once per shift.
Savage Vigor (Su): As a move action, the wild shifter heals 2 points of damage per shifter level, and gains fast healing 2 for a number of rounds equal to the shifter's current Charisma modifier (minimum 1). A wild shifter must be at least 4th level before selecting this power. This power can be used only once per day and only while shifted.
Indomitable(Ex): The wild shifter may shift even if fatigued. While shifted after using this ability, the wild shifter is immune to the fatigued condition. Once this shift ends, the wild shifter is exhausted for 10 minutes per round spent shifted.
Terrifying Howl (Ex): The wild shifter unleashes a terrifying howl as a standard action. All shaken enemies within 30 feet must make a Will save (DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the wild shifter's level + the shifter's Charisma modifier) or be panicked for 1d4+1 rounds. Once an enemy has made a save versus terrifying howl (successful or not), it is immune to this power for 24 hours. A wild shifter must have the Eyes of the Beast to select this rage power. A wild shifter must be at least 8th level before selecting this power.
Supernatural Reflexes (Ex): While shifted, the wild shifter can make two additional attacks of opportunity per round and receives a +2 bonus to Reflex saves.
Fight or Flight (Ex): The wild shifter gains a +1 dodge bonus to her Armor Class for a number of rounds equal to the shifter's current Charisma modifier (minimum 1). This bonus increases by +1 for every 6 levels the wild shifter has attained. Activating this ability is a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. This power can only be used once per shift.
Elemental Beast, Lesser (Su): As a swift action, the wild shifter can cause his melee attacks to deal an additional 1d6 points of energy damage (acid, cold, electricity, or fire) for 1 round. A wild shifter must be at least 4th level to select this shift power. This power can only be used once per shift.
Elemental Beast (Su): While shifted, all of the wild shifter's melee attacks deal an additional 1d6 points of energy damage (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). The type is chosen when the wild shifted begins her shift. A wild shifter must have the lesser elemental shift power to select this shift power. A wild shifter must be at least 8th level to select this shift power. Note that the wild shifter can still use her lesser elemental shift power while using this shift power, but he must select a different energy type.
Elemental Beast, Greater (Su): While shifted, all of the wild shifter's critical hits made with melee weapons deal an additional 1d10 points of energy damage (2d10 if the weapon deals ×3 damage on a critical hit, 3d10 if the weapon deals ×4 on a critical hit). The type of this damage is the same as the type chosen for the elemental shift power. A wild shifter must have the elemental shift power to select this shift power. A wild shifter must be at least 12th level to select this shift power.
Primal Endurance(Ex): Once per shift, the wild shifter can try to avoid serious harm from an attack. The wild shifter must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to the damage that would be dealt by the attack. The wild shifter's armor check penalty applies on this saving throw. If the save succeeds, the wild shifter takes half damage from the attack and the damage is non-lethal. The wild shifter must elect to use this ability after the attack roll is made, but before the damage is rolled. A wild shifter must be at least 10th level to select this shift power.
Cackling Killer (Ex): While shifter, the wild shifter can take a –1 penalty to AC to gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls. The AC penalty increases by –1 and the attack roll bonus increases by +1 at 4th level and every four levels thereafter.
Touch of the Fey (Ex): While shifted, the wild shifter can use a move action to impart his Cackling Killer modifier to all willing allies within 30 feet for a number of rounds equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1). A wild shifter must have the cackling killer shift power to select this shift power.
Spirit Soul, Lesser (Su): While shifted, the wild shifter is surrounded by spirit wisps that harass his foes. These spirits make one slam attack each round against a living foe that is adjacent to the wild shifter. This slam attack is made using the wild shifter's full base attack bonus, plus the wild shifter's Charisma modifier. The slam deals 1d4 points of negative energy damage, plus the wild shifter's Charisma modifier.
Spirit Soul (Su): While shifted, the spirits that surround the wild shifter make it difficult for his enemies to see him. The spirits grant the wild shifter a 20% miss chance against ranged attacks and melee attacks made by creatures that are not adjacent to the wild shifter (typically due to reach). A wild shifter must have the lesser spirit soul shift power to select this shift power. A wild shifter must be at least 6th level to select this shift power.
Spirit Soul, Greater (Su): While shifted, the spirits that surround the wild shifter become dangerous to any enemy adjacent to the wild shifter. Living enemies adjacent to the wild shifter at the start of his turn take 1d8 points of negative energy damage. In addition, the spirit wisps can now attack foes that are up to 15 feet away from the wild shifter and the slam attack deals 1d6 points of negative energy damage. A wild shifter must have the spirit soul shift power and be at least 10th level to select this shift power.
Spoiler:
This class was built using Joshua Roberts' "Wild Shifter", but the powers I picked were mostly from the Ranger, Druid and Barbarian class features. Passive features were mostly Druid and Ranger, and the 'shift power' and the benefits of it were pulled from a Barbarian's rage powers and bonuses, mostly from the Advanced Players Guide. The stat bonuses from the shift are pulled from the 'Serene Barbarians' alternate class, author unknown.
This class is intended to be an answer to the Paladin, from the natural aspect. I hope that it is balanced; lack of heavy armor gave me the idea for a high hit-die and damage reduction, like the barbarian -- but I wanted the flavor of light armor only, and so gave a natural armor boost at the scaling prescribed by Wealth By Level tables and the Big Five. The shift powers should match up with the level by which the abilities can be generated by spells (wings at the time that casters can use Fly, etc.) I front-loaded the powers slightly, as my friends and I mostly play in low-level games, and as such wanted to gain use of this class' features without having to play into higher levels. Pounce and Rake were a tough choice, but this class is hard for AC in early levels, and is meant to be on par, in some ways, with such classes as the Barbarian and Rogue at that point. Later the Wild Shifter catches up in terms of AC and damage reduction, and should be on par in terms of damage across the melee board. And suggestions and criticisms appreciated.
Again: I take no ownership of the Wild Shifter by Joshua Roberts. This is merely a change to that class. I claim creation of any changes between this class and that, and acknowledge ownership of all borrowed class features from the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game by Paizo.
Also, I'm going to apologize for once again bringing up the verisimilitude of weapons in an abstracted table-top game. I know we've been over this sort of thing before before, but the GG literally has a Guisarme-hook incorporated into the design, and so I am confused.
I'm going to be starting to GM two different groups this fall, and they're interested in adventuring in the same persistent world, and have their actions affect the other group (mainly indirectly). The world has elements of Eberron (no Good/Evil alignments, skyships, trains, some guns, etc.) and the Wild West (most of the game for group or the other will take place on the Frontier, and the politics associated with that). I will also not restrict them to a specific place, and am willing to let them roam as they please: "Let's go be pirates!", "...OK!", etc.
One of those groups is made up entirely of girl gamers (at their own request), and will have several first-time players. They want to have a light-hearted game style, lots of swashbucklery and monster-hunting and getting into minor trouble with the law.
The other group will be made up mostly of guys, and generally look for a darker, more dangerous style of story. Our last game was quite dark in terms of the forces faced, such as Old Gods that harked to Lovecraft and Mignola's Hellboy.
Players in these groups are friends, and have played together very successfully before. We're all friends, so I doubt either group is looking for a PC vs PC world, but I do think they want to still have that interaction between them, by dint of their actions in the game.
What suggestions do you have for story and world elements that can be altered from one session to the other by what each group is doing? I was thinking bounties could be collected or set by one or the other (one group getting paid to take out the others' enemies) or they could hear tavern-tales of the the other groups' exploits in other parts of the world. What sort of things do you suggest? And what sort of things would you have liked to see if you were playing in a game like this?
Hey! I'm playing in a homebrew-plot game which has been fairly low-magic so far. We're all at level 5, and the only magic items we have are a couple of +1 enhancement trinkets won way way way back in our first session, and a tool-style item (sends a handwritten message anywhere you have already been or seen instantaneously, if sealed with The Signet of IM).
In terms of weapons, there have only been some flavor-drops... boomerang shuriken for the monk (no ammo required!) and a thorny shield with a +1dmg on bashing. So nothing super fancy there, however useful they are.
Our weapons are all base-level, and after about eight sessions or so in and out of major cities, we have only seen basic armor and weapons for sale... no scrolls, wands, pendants, rings, cloaks, bracers, or potions. At all.
Now, this is not a bad thing. It makes the flavor of the world a lot more visceral and ability-based, and I think we like it how it is. However, we are also now very wealthy. Exceedingly so, especially since we critical-bluffed our way into receiving the heirloom fortune of a dead PC, worth millions of gold in title deeds and bullion.
What to do with all of that MONEY?! There's nothing to buy other than arrows and rations. Any suggestions?
We're a group of 6 PC's in our first Pathfinder game ever, and over the course of 8 or so sessions, killed a lot of things. However, we seem to do it very very quickly. The problem we're facing is that we are either winning handily in 3 or less rounds, or we risk a TPK at round 1 and go into a full retreat. Is this normal? My GM is asking us for ideas as players of what we would like to see change, so I'm asking for your advice as well.
We brainstormed that lowering damages and saves on enemies, but doubling (or just upping in general) the HP would make for longer, more varied battles, but I have no idea what balance issues this would cause.
What advice do you have for us?
We are all now at level 5.
Witch (first rpg, fast learner)
Monk (experienced)
Wizard (first rpg)
Druid (first rpg still can't find her BAB on her sheets)
Summoner (experienced)
and a Bard/Barbarian gestalt (experienced)
The veterans sit next to the learners, so we're ok in terms of tactics, but I thought more information would be better.
