Skester's page

Editing this post to make better sense.

Should a magical item that is command word activated or use-activated require either charged or Charges per day?

If so, default cost would be 5 times per day. 10 times per day would be double cost. What about unlimited - personally I say this should be the same price as 50 charges per day - or 10 times the cost.

That way you could have <insert gods name here> healing hand. A glove that casts cure light wounds (command word).

Command word item, level 1 spell, level 1 cast, body slot = 1,800 gold.

Unlimited use would be 18,000 gold.

This would not be a low level item. But for a group of decent level, with access to higher level healing spells. It wouldn't be a combat item (maybe to stabalize), and would primarily be used after combat to bring the party back up to full without wasting all the clerics spells.

This allows the cleric to save those spells for cool stuff instead. The party may not even need a cleric with one of these.

And it would cut down on the "combat, rest, combat, rest..." cycle that you can see quite a bit of.

Skester.

One of my guys came up with this. I'm not to sure to allow it. Am I misreading the rules, or is it "possible"

Holy Symbol of Curing.
Use-activated spell (so it takes a standard action) - Cure Light
Wounds, cast at level 1. 2000gp
No body slot affinity. x2

So for 4000 gold, you basically have an unlimited wand of cure light wounds.

Skester

Here are some of my houserules.

I know much of this has been posted and said. Just wanted to add my 2 cents in.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Monks are proficient with the club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shortspear, short sword, scimitar, shuriken, siangham, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with unarmed combat devices/weapons such as the gauntlet, elbow/knee spikes and the toe blade.

Flurry of Blows (Ex):
Change the second paragraph to:

When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with weapons he is proficient in. He may attack with unarmed strikes and weapons interchangeably as desired. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a monk applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether he wields a weapon in one or both hands. The monk can’t use any weapon other than a weapon he is proficient in as part of a flurry of blows.
Due to the fast and furious nature of the Flurry of Blows, it it harder to connect with a critical strike. All blows made with weapons, while being strong and deadly have a considerable reduction in their ability to deliver truely devastating blows. If the monk decides to use the Flurry of Blows, then all weapons have a threat range of 20, with a critical damage multiplier of x2. If a weapon has a magical ability to increase it's threat range, or the improved critical feat can be applied, then the threat range increases to 19-20. The damage multiplier is always x2 however.

** Myself, like many have always hated that the monk's special ability is limited to stereotypical "monk" weapons. This allows them to use any weapon they want with flavour, but helps to balance it out with regards to "power weapons" and the use of Flurry. Also, this way if the Monk wishes to spend a feat on a weapon, they can still use that weapon (thinking of Jet Li with a long spear).

Unarmed Strike (this is where I get booed)
I think that a Monk actually does too much DICE damage with a punch. I mean 2d10 - sure you can get 20, but you can also get 2. Average is still only 11 points per hit, and you have to rely on magic to increase this average. I know they aren't fighters, but I'd like a way to balance it more, so they aren't doing more damage than a 2 Handed Axe, but at the same time make Str not as important.

Unarmed damage
1st - 4th 1d6 damage
5th - 10th 1d8 damage
11th - 15th 1d10 damage
16th+ 2d6 damage

To balance this out:

Monk Training (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a Monk can select one weapon type to focus in. Whenever he attacks with this weapon, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, 15th and 19th) a monk becomes further trained in another weapon. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls when using this weapon. In addition, the bonuses granted by previous weapons increase by +1 each. For example, when a Monk reaches 7th level, he recieves a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with one weapon, and a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls with the weapon selected at 3rd level.
For the purposes of this ability, unarmed strikes, and the use of weapons/devices that increase unarmed strike attacks and damages are considered one weapon (unarmed attacks, gauntles, knee/elbow spikes, toe blades).

Iron Skin (EX): Instead of taking the Monk's AC bonus (Wisdom Bonus to AC, the increase every 4 levels), AND the Unarmoured speed bonus, the Monk has been trained to harden his skin and reduce the damage of blows. The monk gains Damage Reduction 2/-. This increases to 3/- at levels 5, 4/- at level 10, and 5/- at level 15.
By spending 1 point from his Ki pool, a monk can increase his DR by 2/- for one round.

Monk Feats: Like the Fighter I have some Monk Only Feats:

Improved Iron Skin
- Requires Monk Level 6, Iron Skin ability.
Increases the Monks Damage Reduction by 1.

Greater Iron Skin
- Requires Monk Level 11, Improved Iron Skin Feat
Increases the Monks Damage Reduction by 1, stacks with Improved Iron Skin.

Willow Step
- Requires Monk AC Bonus (Ex)
Increases the Monks AC by 1 if he is unarmoured and unencumbered. This feat may be taken more than once, it's effects stack. This may be taken as a Monk Bonus Feat.

Otherwise the Monk is pretty much the same.
Skester

Hey guys,

Just wanted to take a poll of what people think a high level fighter should be capable of. About 18th-20th level range. Just wanted to see what people general perception of a fighter are. At this level Gods owe their clerics favours, and Mages can alter reality....

So what can a fighter do? And remember that they left the heroic and entered superheroic about 10 levels ago. We are talking about Hercules, Achilles and Conan type stuff here. Their primary ability score will most likely be in the 30's, even the high 20's without magic.

Should a fighter be able to...
Wielding just a sword, no armour, face a small army of "regular warriors" (1st - 3rd level) and not only win, but have the carnage worse than when the Bride tore through the crazy 88s?

Survive being knocked off that castle floating in the clouds, fall all the way to earth and get back up again?

Not only survive that angry titan squishing him with his foot, but bench press up the foot as an act of defiance?

Jump on the back of a flying dragon, climb his way to the head and then using his strength grab onto the horns and direct the dragons path into the mountain - and survive?

Stop the tumbling boulder from squishing a now senior Indiana Jones by brute strength alone?

Using the same sword against a same strength 1st level combattant, have it do more damage consistantly?

After the Balor puts the smack down on him, get up, seemingly not that hurt and go "that all you got?"

Please give more examples.

I'd like to know where you thing a high level fighter should stand in power? If you say "no, they shouldn't be able to do that" - I'd like to know why as well.

P.S. I converted a 20th level dwarf over recently and he had over 600 hit points (more defense than offense)

Skester

Here's the situation. I recently added on the Pathfinder rules to my game. Before that I wasn't even using the Control Undead rules because I wanted to avoid this.

One of my players is a Necromancer - speciality wizard using the Unearthed Arcana option to get a Skeletal Minion. Basically a buffed skeleton with hit dice equal to his level. Well, during the final battle this weekend the Evil Cleric they were fighting took control of "Bones" and had him start attacking the party.

According to the rules, the Necromancer has no way of getting control back - maybe via the Control Undead spell, but that's not permanent cause this guy is Intelligent. Well, I guess it would end with the death of the BBEG.

Now this is where it becomes even stickier. The party Cleric, also Evil then took control of the skeleton from the BBEG.

Bones only gets one save? Any intelligent undead (wights, etc) would only get one save - not one save a day? And basically he's a permanent cohort now (okay doesn't gain levels, but still). So the party's evil cleric now has control over the party's necromancer's minion permanently unless he give him up?

I'm just trying to get the rules for creating and controlling undead straight in my mind. I don't want the Necromancer to be creating lots of undead only to have the cleric take them away from him (though I am sure they may try that to get their own little army).

And I also want to avoid the situation where The necromancer is creating fairly powerful skeletal minions only to have the cleric steal them.

Skester.

I've read a lot of posts about how a fighter isn't good enough at high levels. Myself and my players all agree. The fighter should have a number of abilities unique to fighters only that are just based off of their battlefield prowess. A lot of you may or may not agree with this, but here is a rough, rough draft of what I'd do to fix it. A 20th level fighter should own his opponents in combat.

Level Special

1 Bonus Feat
2 Bonus Feat
3 Armour Training
4 Fighter Lesser Ability
5 Weapon Training
6 Fighter Lesser Ability
7 Armour Training
8 Fighter Lesser Ability
9 Weapon Training
10 Fighter Ability
11 Armour Training
12 Fighter Ability
13 Weapon Training
14 Fighter Ability
15 Armour Training
16 Fighter Major Ability
17 Weapon Training
18 Fighter Major Ability
19 Armour Mastery
20 Fighter Major Ability

Armor Training (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a fighter gains added protection from the armor he is wearing. Whenever he is wearing armor, he gains an additional +1 armor bonus to his armor class and he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0). This armor class bonus applies to the Fighters Touch AC as well. Every 4 levels thereafter (7th, 11th, 15th and
19th), a fighter gains even more protection, increasing these bonuses by +1 each time, for a total of +5 to armor class at 19th level, with a –5 reduction to the armor check penalty. These bonuses apply even with the fighter is flat footed or denied AC, but not when helpless or unconscious.

Fighter Lesser Ability

Shield Specialization: When a fighter uses any type of shield the shield provides added protection. The fighter gains an additional +1 shield bonus to his armor class and he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0).

Shield Defense: The Fighter shield bonus is added to the fighters touch armor class.

Truly Intimidating: As a move equivalent action, the fighter may make an intimidation check against all opponents currently threatened by the fighter. If he succeeds, all opponents threatened by him must attack the fighter the following round, ignoring other opponents as they see the fighter as the biggest threat.

Armour Mastery (Ex): The fighter gains DR 1/- for every level of Armor Training he possesses (DR 1/- at level 3, 2/- at level 7, 3/- at level 11, 4/- at level 15 and 5/- at level 17).

Weapon Expertise: Any weapon the fighter has a bonus with Weapon Training in does increased damage by one step. 1d4 becomes 1d6. 1d6 becomes 1d8, 1d8 becomes 1d10, etc.

Damaging Attack: The Fighter may ignore the first 5 points of DR by an opponent.

Bonus Feat: The fighter may take a Fighter Bonus Feat

Fighter Abilities

Shield Specialization II: Requires Shield Specialization. When a fighter uses any type of shield the shield provides added protection. The fighter gains an additional +1 shield bonus (for a total of +2) to his armor class and he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (for a total of 2, to a minimum of 0). In addition, as a move equivalent action, the fighter may provide additional protection to an ally in a 5 foot adjacent square, providing the shield bonus to the allies AC in addition to his own. If the ally has an existing shield bonus, take whichever one is higher. The fighter can only protect one such ally a turn.

Armor Mastery II (Ex): Requires Armor Mastery. The fighter gains DR 2/- for every level of Armor Training he possesses (4/- at level 10, 6/- at level 11, 8/- at level 15 and 10/- at level 17).

Truly Intimidating II: Requires Truly Intimidating. As a move equivalent action, the fighter may make an intimidation check against all opponents currently threatened by the fighter. If he succeeds, all opponents threatened by him must attack the fighter the following round, ignoring other opponents as they see the fighter as the biggest threat. In addition, all those that failed their save are Shaken for 1 round + Chr modifier in rounds.

Powerful Strike: Requires Power Attack: Once per round, you can try a free trip attack on any opponent you do damage to with a Power Attack.

Shrug it off: As a full round action, the fighter shrugs off damage that would fall a lesser mortal. He heals ½ his hit points and makes a free intimidation check against all opponents who see him do so. Any opponents that fail are Shaken for 1 round plus the fighters Charisma modifier in rounds. The fighter may do this 1/day.

Retributive Strike: Designate an opponent that has damaged you. On your next attack if you hit you automatically deal double damage to that opponent.

Retalitory Strike: Requires Retributive Strike: Once per round, when an opponent successfully hits you, you receive an automatic attack of opportunity against the opponent.

Opportunistic Strike: 5 Foot steps made within your threatened area provoke an attack of opportunity by you.

Just that good: Once per round, you may make a free attack against an opponent who’s CR is less than or equal to half your level. This bonus attack takes place during your standard attack action.

Weapon Expertise II: Requires Weapon Expertise. Any weapon the Fighter has a +2 bonus or higher with Weapon Training has its damage increased by two steps. 1d4 base becomes 1d8, 1d6 becomes 1d10, 1d8 becomes 1d12.

Damaging Attack II: Requires Damaging Attack. The fighter may ignore the first 10 points of DR by an opponent.

Fighter Bonus Feat

Fighter Major Abilities

Shield Specialization III: Requires Shield Specialization II. When a fighter uses any type of shield the shield provides added protection. The fighter gains an additional +1 shield bonus (for a total of +3) to his armor class and he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (for a total of 3, to a minimum of 0). In addition, as a free action, the fighter may provide additional protection to an ally in a 5 foot adjacent square, providing the shield bonus to the allies AC in addition to his own. If the ally has an existing shield bonus, take whichever one is higher. The fighter may only protect one such ally a turn.

Armor Mastery III (Ex): Requires Armor Mastery II. The fighter gains DR 3/- for every level of Armor Training he possesses (12/- at level 15 and 15/- at level 17).

Armor Mastery IV (Ex): Requires Armor Mastery III. The fighter gains DR 4/- for every level of Armor Training he possesses (20/-).

Sweeping Blades: Requires Mobility: The fighter may make a charge attack, running his full distance. He attacks everything along his path that he would threaten with a charge attack and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Panther Like Reflexes: Requires Opportunistic Strike. Attacking you in hand to hand provokes an attack of opportunity by you against the opponent.

Battlefield Presence: Once per combat, the fighter may make an intimidation check against all opponents that can see him. Opponents that are intimidated are unable to act for 1 round except to defend, and are shaken for 1 round + charisma modifier in rounds.

Battle Master: Requires Great Cleave. During your attack, you receive a free attack against any opponent you threaten whose CR is equal to or lower than ½ your level.

Weapon Expertise III: Requires Weapon Expertise II. Any weapon the Fighter has a +3 bonus or higher with Weapon Training has its damage increased by three steps. 1d4 base becomes 1d10, 1d6 becomes 1d12, etc.

Damaging Attack III: Requires Damaging Attack II. The fighter ignores Damage Reduction.

Fighter Bonus Feat

What do you think? *ducks behind cover*

Skester

With the upcoming book, I can't wait to take a look at the Monk class. Being a huge fan of the chinses martial arts movie genre, I've always had a problem with the Monk class. It just seemed to lack the versatility and playstyle I was hoping for. Where are the Monks who use the Sabre, Straight Sword or Spear? What about the fantastic acrobatic displays - sure you can move super fast and tumble past your opponents, but what if you want to leap up on that 10' wall? The large damage dice that a high level monk could deal just seemed like an overcompensation for the lack of cheaper magical items that could give them combat bonuses.

Then there's martial arts (via feats) vs the Monk. I like the idea of the Big Half Orc Fighter specializing in Martial Arts, doing massive damage with his fists (Light Armour training, Close weapon group) Two Weapon Fighting feats, Improved Trip, Improved Grapple, etc, just pounding away doing impressive damage.

Or the Rogue Martial Artists, tumbling around his opponent, using his magic spell ability to cast Jump and be able to leap small buildings, and just using improved feint to do that one attack that does massive sneak attack damage.

So my question is, if you add Martial Artist Feats, is the Monk really needed? Can what you are looking for be simulated with other classes and multiclassing?

For the most part I think it can. The only thing I see missing is the unarmoured AC bonus from wisdom and a few things of flavour. If the monk class stays, how can it be improved? How can we add flexibility?

And if we go the way of Martial Arts feats, what should they be like?

Should they start out as a 1d4, then goto 1d6 then 1d8 in a feat chain? Should they allow full damage on the off hand when using two weapon fighting? How about allowing the "shield" bonus with two weapon fighting? What about gauntlests or other items (monk's bindings around the hands and feat) that allow magical bonuses?

What are your thoughts?

Skester.