The Ghost Knight's page

Very interested in how this progresses.

The Midnight d20 setting had a feat based magic system. If you left out any specific class (in Midnight it was Channeler) then acquiring spells would be very slow. Also, the setting changes the schools of magic to much more reflect a "Lord of the Rings" style spells instead of lobbing fireballs.

This site has all the Open Content

http://darknessfalls.leaderdesslok.com/

Take a look at this...

From Iron Heroes (revised) Man-at-Arms class (IH's "ordinary" fighter)

"Wild Card Feats: At 5th, 11th, and 20th level, you gain access to a wild card feat, a feat that can change each day. This represents the broad range of training and fighting styles to which you have been exposed. You can pick a feat to fill the “wild card” slot as a standard action. You retain this feat for the rest of the day. After you rest for eight hours, the wild card slot resets to empty, allowing you to choose a different feat to fill its place. The wild card feat represents the broad, varied nature of your training."

I took out the system specific language.

Hope this helps.

Actually the Trail Blazer solution would be pretty cool make fighter about attacks of opportunity. Give fighters two good saves one bad (your choice) give them 4 skill points. Then give them a bonus AoP's a bonus +D6 damage and a +1 to combat maneuvers during AoP's that scales every odd level.

By level 19 you will have 11 attacks of opportunity as well as 10d6 on those attacks and 10 bonus to combat maneuvers during those attacks of opportunity.

I actually think the other Trail Blazer addition of the Expert Weapon Proficiency is a great idea that lets the fighter be less dependent on magic items etc.

Also, the "wild feat" concept (Iron Heroes) lets fighters be much more versatile in combat situations.

I LOVE Multi-class Archtype's Warbound Juggernaut's Warbond class ability giving the fighter a combat pool to use various feats on the fly during combat. I'd just give that as a "normal" fighter class feature.

As to the OP, all good saves, and 4+ skill points with additional skills are a must.

Of course The Talented Fighter from RGG.

I don't know if I'd do ALL of the above but, I think they would help.

I was going to offer a rebuttal but there's no point. Believe what you will, that despite of all evidence to the contrary, that this one particular project is going to earn the wrath of all mighty, all knowing, WotC, and that they'll swoop in and cut its thread short like the norns of old.

I think you are right here. This thread and this project in particular is just way too risky to expand upon. Other major TSR/WotC campaign settings have been converted but MTG's Ravnica is just too precious and monitored by WotC to be converted. WotC has already contacted me for my meager participation in this thread. They found me because I googled "Ravnica conversion d20" and found another forum/wesite/thread that sis some work on converting it.

I didn't see it referenced yet, but have you looked at the Divine Rules from the 3.5 SRD? These make for some pretty nasty stats.

Did you get a cease and desist from WotC?

It does indeed infringe on copyright, but there are plenty of examples (with their own websites) doing this type of thing, as well as on these boards.

Admittedly I don't know much of Golarion history, but I can comment on post apocalyptic stuff. This is a great idea for rediscovering the lost greatness of the world.

If you start just after the apocalypse, you can kill off the most learned and wise out there so knowledge/science/magic can start at square one.

As Scavion noted 1st level clerics really mess with the hardships of an apocalyptic event, thus I'd suggest some separation from the divine planes to cut off or change divine magic. Also, the PC's could then discover why the gods are gone and re-establish divine magic to the standard rules. If you do this be sure to adjust for low to no healing magic. Life gets much more dangerous

Same thing with arcane magic, and its rediscovery.

Technologically if Azlant and Thassilon were steel age, I'd suggest making steel forging a "lost science". Steel would be available as equipment weapons and armor but getting them fixed/repaired would also be a chore, and acquiring new steel equipment very expensive. Not to mention you will likely be in a barter economy as coins would be mostly worthless,as food and water are more necessary than metal bits. "Newly" made versions of standard equipment could be made with inferior materials, bronze etc.

This type of setting is ripe for rewarding PC involvement. By discovering things, places, people, science, and magic they literally shape the world. Chaos also reigns, with a lot of survival of the fittest/subsistence level adventuring. Rising and falling of petty warlords. Little to no political environment, or politics of violence.

lastly, d20 Midnight is a nice apocalyptic setting that could give you many good ideas and rules for subsistence adventuring.

Interesting stuff, good gaming to you.

I found it a strange concept as well, but it seems to make sense that you would need to at least trade something for such a powerful weapon, often capable of many things mundane weapons were not. I suppose the intimate bond you forge with the weapon that allows you to carve out legends with it takes a very piece of your soul.

In the end, it's all really about having Night Demon, katana forged by otherwordly powers that is totally sweet 'n stuff than having a +5 Keen Katana, or so-forth.

I too have always felt the penalties to stats, especially like attack penalties to a weapon, were counter intuitive. The fact that the item needs some sort of penalty to balance it does seem fair.

Instead of a bonus feat for Legacy-ing the item, how about a feat tax for each tier of Legacy?

i never have, people enjoy my games well enough without me pulling house rules out of thin air whenever it suits me :)

NEVER!?!

If you ever have, you've technically made a house rule as you have "changed" the rule as written in your "house".

BUT to the point of the thread, as many have said, yes and no.

Yes if it moves your story/game

No if it doesn't move your story/game

Not a personal criticism of the OP, we've all come across threads regarding, "Can X be done inside the rules?" I think just because the game does have A LOT of rules, that make a good attempt at covering many situations in game, doesn't mean the story isn't more important.

Don't let the rules hold the story hostage.

2cp submitted

I unfortunately haven't tested this type of system out, but I like the idea of creating the spell you want at the time so these are my top three. They are all skill based

Mythic Earth EN publishing, love it simple and quite cool

Monte Cooks World of Darkness White Wolf?, it even has some of the familiar D&D/F spells stat'ed out.

True Sorcery Mongoose? A bit too complex but great potential

I think they have real potential as the crafting of a spell (range, effect damage etc) is totally up to the caster which generates a Difficulty Number, roll over it boom spell, each have a "drain" aspect to limit unlimited spell use. For game play purposes figuring your favorite spells before hand is encouraged.

Just as a reference, Trailblazer (Bad Axe Games) for d20 had some great additions to the base fighter.
Also, Mike Mearl's Iron Heroes has a nice starting point for powering up the fighter. The Man-at-Arms class(basically a fighter) has the "Wild Feat" much like the OP's.

The Ghost Knight wrote:

OP, most of your responses seem to be defending his tactics then complaining that there is no "fixing" the "problem". Plenty of posters have posted well reasoned and reasonable counters/rules interpretations.

I'm not defending his tactics, I'm trying to determine A) whether or not they're legitimate (opinions differ) and B) if so, how best to deal with them. I'm not really satisfied with "counters" that require me to engage in what Vivianne calls "a DM/player power struggle", which is what I've been implicitly advised to do by several people on this board. It's not something that either myself or my players signed up for. I'm sure many people are used to playing like that - in fact, I know several gaming groups in which the DM and the players are constantly trying to "one up" each another (complete with "revenge characters" and such), and that's fine if they enjoy such gameplay - but I'm not running such a game at the moment. If I do at some point in the future, it will be after I have more experience and with due warning to my players.

Sorry I can't get my tablet to delete most of the quoted text.

I agree with not starting an arms race. That isn't good for any game. To your lettered responses
A.I think the tactic is legit if you want it to be. Mushy rules need defining. Work with your players to define the rules/tactics but you have final say as the DM. I really think this will go a long way to solving most to all game rules problems.

B. I don't think "dealing" with it the best term but we can go with it. The best way to deal with it is to have your encounters/villains act according to what the player's tactics dictate. Not all monsters are smart per se but about every bestiary entry makes them all seem cunning. If they get shot from an unknown location they should/would run and hide and wait for an opportunity and or search for the sniper. As you said IIRC this is your first time DMing or inexperienced with it. As a player if your party was being sniper what would you do? The antagonists NPC would likely do the same when you are DMing them. That is the "fairest" DM counter tactic in my opinion. Further your world is a living breathing world. Word WILL get around about an infamous sniping halfling devastating the opposition and logically anyone who wants to compete will start preparing for it.

Lastly take a look with the player at his choices for his character and their source book and if you as the DM are uncomfortable/unsure how to adjudicate the feats traits etc. Explain this to the player and disallow them until you can adjudicate them or if it something you don't want in your campaign explain this and build the character WITH the player so both of you can feel like a win win. Never just let players build their characters without DM input so that you can decide BEFORE problems arise. If you don't players will build characters according to THEIR interpretation of the rules. Where it should be built with YOUR interpretation of the rules.

My biggest problems with Vancian magic is that it is generally successful, barring concentration check failures. Many abilities of non-casters require a dice roll, which casters generally do not.

Some balancers for me are, limit/change the levels for some spells, See "Midnight" OGL setting. or "Dark Legacies"

Use a skill/feat based system. ENWorlds "Mythic Earth" or Green Ronin's "True20: True Sorcery"

Man I feel like I should get some endorsement money for plugging all those.

To the OP, I'm not particularly experienced with Pathfinder but I have learned a few things in my course of D&D and some of the problems you've mentioned. Here are my observations and some comments on your problem.

ONE: read Insufferable Smartypants lengthy post, he is spot on.

TWO: "abstract mechanic that it's hard to determine when it does or does not apply, common sense doesn't necessarily cut it." Mr Magpie

-As the DM, "CUT IT" you parse the rule, be reasonable and stick to it. That is the role of DM, you control the world and how it ultimately works. (again be reasonable)

THREE: "The easiest way to combat rules lawyer players is to remind them of Rule 0 and Rule 1. Rule 0 is that all rules are optional if you say so. Rule 1 is that you, and only you, are the final rulebook interpretation authority for your campaign." Barry Armstrong (very Gygax'ian of you)

-This goes hand in hand with the above advice. Be reasonable but YOU make the decisions. Hash the rules out with the players but you are the JUDGE.

OP, most of your responses seem to be defending his tactics then complaining that there is no "fixing" the "problem". Plenty of posters have posted well reasoned and reasonable counters/rules interpretations.

I don't think Kirth Gersen is kidding you in any carnal way.
Spell casters have much more utility. Healing everyone, teleporting in and out of places. Divination, BIG deal. High level damage out put spells.
Martials, well fight. All the above lets one character (spell caster) support and keep alive and provide important information to all the party plus duplicate many other classes' abilities to boot through the use of spells.

Any thoughts/plans for a fighter/paladin say Holy Swordsman?

Plz send me a copy so that my childhood memories may be rekindled.

Rosewrym@gmail.com

Thanks

More bad guys.
Try not to let them take a break to refresh abilities, keep the pace up.
Treat the party like 4th level characters with those CR's

or

Have them regenerate their ability scores (2d6+6 works) and have them start with 1st level wealth.

The Martial Artist from "a fistful of denarii" would probably meet your requirements for an unarmored swordsman - if only costs a few dollars for 10 base classes - most of them very good.

yep that is a good one too

"Archetypes of the Jade Oath" from Rite Publishing has the Kensai monk archetype it is quite good, and may suit your needs.

I haven't. Looked at it in a long time so I don't recall much sorry. But supping the points would be a good start. Id compare similar abilities with Pathfinder and try to crunch the numbers. Not an easy task however.

It is on scribd so you can only view it not download unless you contribute a document (just write a sentence on a word document and upload) It is from 3.0 but it may be a starting point.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/23719453/Class-Construction

Also just for some reference information (not really a construction engine) BadAxe game's Trailblazer is a great resource for analysis of the 3.5 classes.

For a more martial paladin an easy way would be to give them the ancestral weapon (I think that was the name of it) feat for free from the book of exalted deeds and just take out the GP requirement. OR Item Familiar feat from Unearthed Arcana. I'd take out the spells and the divine bond class features in exchange. OR the Complete Warrior variant Paladin. OR Genius Guide to Martial Archetypes. Those are just with a little looking. Hope those help

Brilliant energy,construct bane undead bane . Could do a pretty good job.

I think I followed the steps to have access to the playtest but haven't gotten a reply from the admin. My user tag is ghostblade.(can you tell I like ghosts?)

You want a class progression to represent Orlandu?

Currently he would be just a big multiclass character maybe with Cleric 5 and Fighter 4 or straight cleric 9, dark knight 2 , holy knight 5, divine knight 4. There are feats like the Lune Knight feat that basically allows a character to use knight swords for dragoon abilities (Isilud Tengille). A feat called Holy Swordsman that could allow the wielder to bypass alignment requirements and be able to use the other sword skills.

I wasn't really desiring a write up just if it would be a prestige all its own or a multi class as you did. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

I loved the Paladin PrC from Amethyst d20. Can't wait to see it and the other PrC Pathfinder-ized. Love this setting love your product. Write as fast as you can!

I k ow you are past the PrC bit, but with you excellent take on the knight classes antmy thoughts on Orlandu the Holy Swordsman. Love to see to see your take on that one.

I'd say remove the wisdom requirement, and make the effect "whenever saving against fear, roll 1d20 two times and keep the best result". That's how the paladins ability works in my campaign, and it makes it far harder to fail.

I like that, you may have changed my mind on this, and Paladin immunity

I see your reasoning Dilvish and I think i agree, the kicker is Ethereal creatures are on another plane, and Ghost Touch's intent seems to be as you said incorporeal creatures on the same plane.

thanks

the language is a bit different for incorporeal and ethereal, so I'm just asking the question...

If you are ethereal and strike at a creature on the material plane with a Ghost Touch weapon can you strike it for damage?

I am of the opinion that you can anyone else interpret it a different way? and why?

to reflect battle hardening etc here is what I'm going to go with unless there are any more suggestions

Dauntless
You have faced many dangers and are able to steel yourself from fear
Prerequisites:, Iron Will, Wisdom 12, Base attack bonus +7
Benefit: You are immune to fear (magical or otherwise)

I think this is fair it fulfills all the motivations I had in creating it now and i think it preserves enough balance. Besides NPC's can take the feat too

thanks again for the input

Personally, I absolutely DESPISE absolutes.

Immune to fear.. Buddy.. I'm sure if a god stares you down, you're gonna s~*# yourself.

You have a point, that is why I suggested the level based modifier. however, apparently paladins at third level can stare down a god ;)

My only real thought in making this feat was that virtually the only character who can shrug off fear effects is the Paladin and they get it at the lowly level of 3. It just seemed to me that either those with a fierce will or battle hardened veterans would at some point would overcome their fear or simply lack that emotion.

I agree with all the posters that it does depend on the prevalence of fear inducing effects.

It looks like Wisdom 13, and Iron will would probably suffice as prerequisites. To me that Wisdom score is above average showing a strong force of personality and Iron Will is that choice to steel yourself against fear.

However, what about instead of 'immunity' the character would apply their half their level to their Will save vs fear effects such as:

Dauntless
You have faced many dangers and are able to steel yourself from fear
Prerequisites:, Iron Will, Wisdom 13
Benefit: You may add 1/2 your level to your Will saves verses fear effects

thanks again for all the input

what do you all think about this as a feat

Dauntless
You have faced many dangers and are able to steel yourself from fear
Prerequisites:, Iron Will, Wisdom 14
Benefit: You are immune to fear (magical or otherwise)

any thoughts on balance, proper prerequisites etc

thanks in advance

*listening to the crickets*

First time poster here just wanted some thoughts on what to do with 5 level prestige classes. (I couldn't find anything related to this on these forums)

The PF conversion guide has guidelines for PrC saving throw progression but it really only addresses 10 level PrC. Should I stick with the source material ST or just use the conversion guide up to level 5?

As a side note: what to do with 'Sudden Strike' as the rules for Sneak Attack have changed.

Just drop the sneak attack phrase as it pertains to "flanking" or scrap sudden strike altogether for Sneak Attack(and would this make classes like the Dread Commando overpowered)?

thanks in advance