Roleplaying feats! Feats that depend on your character's circumstances and actions. These feats are intended to be very powerful, in exchange for being tricky to obtain and/or use.
Alcoholism:
Prerequisites: You must have drunk at least 25 beers in the last five days. Or the equivalent in alcohol content.
Congrats, you're an alcoholic! Gain +2 to Fortitude saves, +4 while inebriated, +6 while drunk. Some will find your drinking cool and sexy (+4 to all social skills while openly drinking) others will find it unpleasant and pitiful (-2 to all social skills while openly drinking) at the GM's discretion. Or roll percentage die or something. You also lose 5-20 years off your lifespan, but who keeps track of that?
Blind Faith:
Prerequisites: At least one level in a divine casting class, absolute faith in your god.
Your complete, mindless devotion makes it difficult for enemies to penetrate your mind. Gain +4 to Will saves while in combat. Any effect, magical or mundane, that creates doubt in your faith disables this feat.
Expert Inciter:
Prerequisite: Survive angering a ruler, deity, head of government, or direct superior at least five times.
You have a knack for angering your betters. Gain +3 to all attempts to annoy someone, and if goaded target must make a (DC 10 + half level + Cha) Will Save or gain a -2 penalty to all attack rolls and skill checks for 1d6 minutes. If target makes the save you cannot use this ability on them again for 24 hours.
Fight Another Day:
Prerequisite: Flee from ten different encounters successfully (combat is over).
You are very good at being very bad at combat. When you fall below a quarter of your maximum hit points, you gain a +2 Dodge bonus to AC and CMD and gain 5 ft of base movement speed.
Nightmare Fetishist:
Prerequisite: Willingly keep in close contact with one of the following creature subtypes: demons, daemons, devils, aberrations, vermin, monstrous humanoids, fire, or undead for 1 week. (Each specific type must be noted.) 7 ranks in one Knowledge skill.
What others may find disturbing, you enjoy with a grotesque appreciation. You gain +2 to Will saves against fear effects and a +2 Insight bonus to AC, CMD, and skill checks against the creature subtypes you've encountered.
Paragon:
Prerequisite: 5 skill ranks in any one skill, help other characters level up fifteen times.
You are talented at bringing out the best in others by example. Whenever you make a skill check, your allies gain a +4 morale bonus to the same skill check if you succeeded. Whenever you successfully attack or use a combat maneuver against a target, your allies gain +2 to attack and CMB against that target until the next round.
Premiere Hostage:
Prerequisite: Get taken hostage three times.
You are the world's expert on being taken hostage. Gain +3 to Bluff, Stealth, Escape Artist, and Diplomacy with your captors, increased to +6 if trained. You can also adjust your ransom, if any, up or down by 50%.
Vengeful Fury:
Prerequisite: Have a friendly character who you've known for at least a month die.
You become enraged when you lose a friend. After a party member who you have known well dies, you may enter a Rage state (like the Barbarian class feature) for 3 rounds. This duration is refreshed if another friend dies. Great with disposable pets.
Xenophobic:
Prerequisite: Kill another sentient being solely due to its race, species, or origin.
Racism or Racial Hatred or whatever you call it. Gain +2 to attack and damage against a particular race, species, or demographic that is not your own.
Also, shields are effective. If it was as simple as "just attack their feet", shields would not have been used for thousands of years.
With a sword? Maybe.
With a hand covered with electricity? Not so much.
drbuzzard wrote:
Higher AC gives you the time to kill the target. If someone is standing there and taking every hit, their offense will often be insufficient to kill the target in time. If you have a sword and board which actually went for a high AC, they can avoid the vast majority of blows and win. Yes, you do less damage, but HP are not an infinite pool on the attacker.
The difference between an AC focused build and one which blows it off can be over 10 points of AC (at mid levels).
Just do a casual DPR comparison of the two opponents beating on each other, and the high AC will rip apart the glass cannon.
It is a shibboleth of this forum that AC is considered crap and offense everything. When the rubber meets the road in actual play, I see a whole different game.
Okay, two level 6 human fighters.
Fighter A has a +1 flaming greatsword, +1 full plate, a belt og G.Str, Bracers of Armor +1, 0 Dex. He has an AC of 10 + 10 (armor) + 1 (bracers) = 21 AC.
Her stats (15 point buy) are Str 17+2(racial bonus)+1(level 4 bonus)+2(Belt of G.Str (13), 10 Dex, 14 Con (5), 7 int (-4), 11 Wis (1), and 7 Cha (-4).
She has 10 (start)+5d10(class)+12(con)+6(Favored class)+6(toughness). She has 61 HP.
Her feats are Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Greatsword, Weapon Specialization: Greatsword, Toughness, Iron Will, Greater Iron Will, Improved Sunder, and Step Up.
Her attack bonus will be 6(BAB)+6(Str)+1(magic)+1(Weapon Training)+1(Weapon Focus), for a total of +15/10 to hit.
Her greatsword will deal 2d6(base)+9(Str x 1.5)+1(magic)+2(Weapon Spec)+1(Weapon Training)+1d6 fire damage, for a total of 3d6+13 damage. With power attack, she will have +13/+8 (3d6+19, 19/20 x2) damage.
Fighter B has a +2 heavy steel shield, +2 chainmail, and a +1 longsword, along with +1 bracers of armor.
He has 10(start)+5d10(class)+12(Con)+6(Favored Bonus) = 55 HP.
His AC is 10+8(armor)+5(shield)+3(Dex)+1(Dodge)+1(Bracers), for a total of 27.
His feats are Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Longsword, TWF, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Focus, Improved TWF, Weapon Specialization: Longsword, and Dodge.
His attack bonus with her longsword is 6(BAB)+3(Str)+1(magic)+1(Weapon Focus), for a total of +11/+6.
With his shield, he has 6(BAB)+3(Str)+1(Weapon Training).
Total, with TWF, Fighter B has +9/+8/+4/+3.
His damage is 1d8+3+1+2 (1d8+5, 19/20 x2) with the longsword, and 1d6+1+1(1d6+2, x2) for the shield.
He can also fight defensively to gain +2 AC, at a cost of -4 to his attacks.
Now let's make them fight!
Round one: Fighter A sees Fighter B, and sunders his weapons and armor, rendering him defenseless, then kills him.
Joking!
Round one: Fighter A attacks Fighter B without Power Attack, getting a 5 on all of her attack rolls. She misses with both attacks.
Fighter B also gets a 5 on all of his attack rolls, and does not fight defensively. He also misses with every attack.
Round two: Fighter A gets a 10 on all of her attack rolls. She cannot hit his AC, and deals no damage.
Fighter B also gets a 10 on all of his attack rolls. He also misses every single attack.
Round three: Fighter A gets a 15 on both of her attacks. Success! She hits him once for 3d6+13 damage (23). He's pretty hurt.
Fighter B also gets a 15, and hits with both of his primary attacks, dealing 1d6+2 and 1d8+5 (15) damage. She's scratched.
Round four: Fighter A, through some kind of miracle, gets a 20 on all rolls. She crits twice with the greatsword, dealing 10d6+52 damage (87), cleaving poor Fighter B in half.
Fighter B is miraculously raised by his teammates, and through a miracle spell, also gets a 20 on all of his rolls. He hits with every single attack, dealing 4d6+8 (21) and 4d8+20 (38) damage. Fighter A is left at -13 HP, but she is still alive.
As you can see, in nearly all situations, Fighter A deals more damage, hits more often, and is generally more effective. Don't forget in the above encounter, Fighter B held a significant advantage with the consistency of the numbers better suited to his multiple attacks, as well as the Natural 20 being more effective with his x2 crit on his shield.
Fighter A has a 45% chance of hitting with her first attack, and a 20% chance of hitting with her second. She deals an average of 23 damage (max 31) with each attack.
Fighter B has, in order, 45%, 40%, 20%, and 15% chance of connecting with his attacks. They also deal less damage (avg 9 and 5, max 13 and 8) and are more spread out.
To put it simply, AC doesn't counter DPR very well. And if you went overboard, fighting defensively with Combat Expertise, you would never hit anything.
RedDogMT: I don't quite share your sentiments at Shield Master being "small stuff." They literally become the most accurate TWF weapons in the game, save bucketloads gold on enhancing shields instead of normal weapons, and increase your AC to boot.
rainzax: Your fighting defensively-modifiers are quite intriguing, but don't they're optimal. Very few players fight defensively anyway, and I really don't want to force shield user to lower their damage output even more.
Lemmy: If we remove TWF penalties, cue the hundreds of rogues who will shred people with spiked shields with no penalty. Even if they don't have shield proficiency, getting it is essentially two weapon focuses.
As for the cover bit...not really. I suppose kite shields and tower shields might work like that, and they do under the pathfinder systems.
But most shield just won't work that way. Bucklers are TINY, not what you think when you picture a shield in your head. Try stretching your hands so your pinkie finger is as far as possible from your thumb, and then connect your thumbs. THAT is the size of a typical buckler, and as you can tell, it doesn't really cover much.
As for the larger shields? Well, what we typically picture as a shield, metal, with a triangular bottom, is a heater shield. It typically is as wide as a large human chest, and I suppose it will be hard for them to target your right arm or something. The other 70% of your body? Not so much. And if you actively attempt to use your shield as cover (maybe a fighting defensive bonus) you compromise your attack and remove any positional advantage you may have. Not to mention, they can just hit your feet while you try to cover your chest.
If you need help finding images of shields, you can trying googling for renaissance reenactments, they are pretty accurate.
I don't think shields are underpowered. There's a feat that gives an extra +1 to the bonus from shields. In addition, enchanted shields can quickly improve the armor class of a shield-wielder above and beyond that of natural armor and regular armor.
Tangent, the problem with this line of thinking is that AC, or any sort of defense, isn't worth anything compared to attack. Higher AC just extends a fight, and decreases your offensive strength, which makes the enemy live longer, and due to the systems in pathfinder, an enemy at 1 hp is just as dangerous as one with 154 hp.
Instead of allowing an enemy to let off ten attacks, which still may hit you, it is usually better to forgo defense of offense and limit them to, say, six attacks.
I guess I should say that a goal of mine was to improve the quality of fighting with a one-handed weapon with a shield. It's a bit unfair, I think, that one needs a dozen feats to catch up in effectiveness to other guys who just use a two-handed weapon with a floating shield.
This is why I wish to adjust a shield's base mechanics, rather than create feats or something of the like. The problem with PF shields is how killing enemies ASAP is usually more effective than stalling and chipping away at their health, which is why people go the TWF route for the DPR.
Typically, a staller fights defensively round after round with an AC of 31 or something, which is...less than effective. TWF requires a lot of Dex, and makes the fighter even more MAD. I'm trying to avoid taking away from the TWF route, while still creating benefits for those who don't want/don't have TWF.
Here is suggestion #7, intended to replace 3/4.
- Bucklers provide +2 to AC when there is only one active opponent in your threatened area. Other shields get +1 when there are multiple active enemies in your threatened area.
And #8, for the heck of it.
- Light shields do not exist. Light shields suck, are completely useless, and I have not encountered a single situation where one would use a light shield in place of a heavy shield or buckler. People who use light shields are struck by lightning every round, dealing 15d6 damage, Reflex save for half.
Explanation for 3/4/7:
In a one-on-one duel, mobility is key. Armor and heft matter less*, which is why people don't wear plate armor and use broadswords in duels.
Big shields are designed to protect you while putting the bare minimum of thought into the process. Stray blows, random crossbow bolts, debris, and the like. But while in a duel, you simply don't need as much surface area to adequately protect yourself**, which is why most duelists used bucklers if they used a shield at all.
Thus, the #3/4 shield mechanics. Bucklers are lighter and just as useful as bigger shields in one-on-one fights, while bigger shields provide more fire-and-forget defense.
In other words, Bucklers are more effective than other shields in specific situations, which is why they get a total +3 bonus instead of bringing them to par with heavy shields. The other shields get +1, since that +1 will typically be more useful against multiple opponents.
*I'm not sure if people started using lighter swords, and people wore less armor to compensate, or vice-versa. Historically, changes in armor usually happened after changes in weapons.
** As well as the shield's additional weight being needless and tiring.
While shield should (and do) make for substandard weapons, and I would love to see a mechanism that makes them useful, I don't think they should be able to receive a feat that is roughly four feats in one. IMO, the one who thought up Shield Master should be publicly spanked in front of his coworkers.
Lemmy, your build is one of the most original things I have ever seen on these forums. You deserve a mention for that. But if touch attacks are supposed to be able to go through materials with ease, then shields shouldn't do much, unless...:
Deflector Shields!
Prerequisite: Shield Proficiency
Benefit: You have learned to use your shield to parry blows. Your shield AC applies to touch attacks.
Rainzax, I kinda brainfarted on the flat-footed bit. I do agree with your paradigm, except that I would make all shields add to Reflex saves. After all, you either duck behind it, or raise it to deflect blows, both of which fall under "Reflex."
As for #6...I kinda imagined that with a shield, one could be less focused on provoking an attack when counterattacking, which is why you get free AoOs. After all, the existence of Combat Reflexes implies that one must have great reflexes to take advantage of an opponent's mistake without exposing yourself.
We've all heard the common complaints about shields, useless, crippled DPR, yadda yadda. Here are some possible fixes. Keep in mind that not all of these are meant to be implemented at once, so please don't complain about "OMG BONUS TO REF AND FORT SO OP >=("
1. Add shield bonus to Reflex saves.
2. Double all inherent shield bonuses.
3. Bucklers add another +1 to AC if you are not being flanked.
4. Non-Buckler shields add another +1 to AC if flanked.
5. Add all/half shield bonus to touch AC.
6. Add shield bonus to number of Attacks of Opportunity per round.
This grey, square cloth embroidered with golden keys can be wrapped around a Tiny or smaller object. After 1 round, the object vanishes. Folding the handkerchief in on itself and opening it makes the object reappear.
Living creatures can survive inside the cloth for 1d4+1 minutes before asphyxiating.
Oh, and I just realized that there are currently no spells with the darkness descriptor that allow a saving throw. I feel like a moron.
(And as for the Sickly/Poison Use, I think a race known for their cunning nature and practicality would be aware of their faults and be extra careful with poison. This is not necessarily for the use of poison as a weapon; this is more like public education used for the transport of hazardous materials and wastes, etc. This was inspired by the hundreds of brilliant scientists who killed themselves by accidentally absorbing less than five grams of a toxic substance, whether by ingestion, breathing, or skin contact. Yes, poisons are really that dangerous IRL.)
Languages: Dark Stalkers begin play speaking Common. Dark Stalkers with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).
Alternative Racial Traits:
Light Adaptation: Some Dark Stalker born near or on the surface become used to the sun. They gain low-light vision, and lose their Light Blindness racial trait. This trait replaces Darkvision.
Resilient: Some rare Dark Stalkers are born with strange physiologies that render them resistant, rather than vulnerable to certain effects. A Dark Stalker with this trait gains a +2 bonus on their fortitude saves. This trait replaces Sickly and Adlivun Magic.
Diplomatic: Dark Stalkers are used to forging beneficial agreements among multiple factions. This racial trait grants a Dark Stalker a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks involving two intelligent parties. This racial trait replaces poison use.
Racial Subtypes:
Surface-Born: These Dark Stalkers were born near or on the surface, and have adapted to its ways. Replace the Poison Use and Darkvision racial traits with Light Adaptation and Diplomatic.
Racial Feats
Survival Instincts: You have inherited some of the desperate survival instincts of your human ancestors. You gain +1 to your attack and damage rolls and concentration checks when at half or less HP.
Adlivun Focus: The radius of the shroud and its maximum spawning distance is increased by 10 feet. Also, any wind that affects the shroud is treated as one step lower than it actually is.
This feat allows also increases the minutes available for the Adlivun by 2.
The Dark Stalker must have the Adlivun Magic and Darkvision racial traits to obtain this feat.
Adlivun Mastery: The shroud of darkness can create supernatural darkness, and the radius of the shroud and the maximum distance from which it spawns increases by another 10 feet, and any wind effect is treated as two levels lower than it actually is. The Adlivun also gains the ability to see through supernatural darkness.
The Dark Stalker must have the Adlivun Focus feat before he can get this feat.
Night Hunter: The Adlivun gains a +1 bonus on his attack rolls and a +1 bonus on his critical confirmation rooms when he has concealment against his target from dim light or darkness.
Unrelated Note: It occurred to me that most racial traits were slightly more powerful and specific versions of already-existing feats, or completely useless. For the former, Hard-headed, and for the latter, Multitalented Mastery. I tried to strike a balance between focused and balanced, but I would like to know if some are too powerful or weak.
Oh, and a retroactive edit:
Adlivun Magic:Dark Stalkers with an Intelligence score of 11 or higher have access to the following spell-like ability: As a standard action, they can create a 20-foot radius shroud of darkness, centered within 20 feet. This shroud lowers the current light level by two levels. This shroud can last up to three minutes plus one more minute per the Dark Stalker’s Intelligence bonus. These minutes do not have to be consecutive, but must be in one-minute increments.
A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the shroud in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the shroud in 1 round.
I wanted to convert Dark Stalkers into a race. It seemed like a fascinating concept.
Dark Stalkers are the descendants of a tribe of humans who retreated underground after some cataclysmic event. There, they formed pacts with strange aberrations and dark gods, and underwent many magical transformations and experiments, until what emerged centuries later could not be recognizably human.
Physical Description: Dark Stalkers have distinctive pale, almost bloodless-looking skin and large, invariably black irises. They stand taller than most elves, and most have a slight build. Their limited gene pool creates very little variance of their physical form, so it is common for them to mark themselves in other ways. Strange hairstyles or adornments, tattoos or piercings, and even self-inflicted scars are common.
Society: Generations later, Dark Stalker society has forgotten their predecessors, and they live in large communal groups led by meritocracy. Their struggle to survive has created a cultural disapproval of special treatment. They understand the concept of friendship, but they are raised to treat everyone as equally as possible. This homogenous society has very little sentimental value, and it is common for a Dark Stalker to not know his family, for everyone is to be treated as their "family." They prefer to call themselves the Adlivun, but most do not truly care what the other races call them.
For years, Dark Stalkers believed themselves to be the only beings in the cold darkness. When their outcasts returned, raving about the light and the surface, they were skeptical. When they confirmed the existence of other races with their own eyes, they were very split. Some wanted to stay in their ancestral homes, safe in the dark, while others wished to reap the surface's plentiful resources. The two groups eventually split into separate communities, but strong political ties still connect them.
Relations: Dark Stalkers view all races as strange. They do not understand the sheer variety of other races, even within their own species. As such, they tend to treat every individual as a random variable. They are also baffled at the idea of wasting resources, bringing them into conflict with the more whimsical gnomes and halflings. Humans are as much of a curiosity to them as they are to humans. Half-elves and half-orcs are treated as no different from the seemingly endless ever-changing multitudes of their kind. Dark Stalkers perhaps get along best with elves, whom they can form mutually beneficial trade relations, and dwarves, who they view as spiritual cousins, of sorts.
Alignment and Religion: The practical nature of most Dark Stalkers drive them to be Neutral. Their lack of tradition and history, along with their strong emphasis on community, cause them to worship gods of home, family, and the earth, with which they feel a spiritual connection.
Adventurers: Most Dark Stalker adventurers are the mavericks and the outcasts, the ones who, perhaps inspired by tales of great individuals among the other races, go off alone to explore the world which seems far more vast then before. However, a group of Dark Stalkers seeking to begin a new colony on the surface are not uncommon. As such, most oddball Dark Stalkers become mercenaries (fighters), travelers (bards), or seekers of peace in nature (Druids). The more practical Dark Stalkers, perhaps sent on a mission for the benefit of the community, become seekers of knowledge (wizards), integrate themselves into another order, whether of honor, thievery, or religion.
Racial Traits
+2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution: Dark Stalkers are frail, but surprisingly strong and analytical.
Medium: Drow are Medium creatures, and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Dark Stalkers have a base speed of 30 feet.
Darkvision: Dark Stalkers can see in the dark up to 90 feet.
Adlivun Magic: Dark Stalkers add +1 to the DC of any of their spells with the Darkness descriptor.
Also, Dark Stalkers with an Intelligence score of 11 or higher have access to the following spell-like ability: They can create a 20-foot radius shroud of darkness, centered within 20 feet. This shroud lowers the current light level by two levels. This shroud can last up to three minutes plus one more minute per the Dark Stalker’s Intelligence bonus. These minutes do not have to be consecutive, but must be in one-minute increments.
A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the shroud in 4 rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the shroud in 1 round.
Light Blindness: Dark Stalkers are blinded for one round by abrupt exposure to bright light, and are dazzled as long as they remain in a brightly-lit area.
Poison Use: Dark Stalkers are skilled in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves.
Ambidextrous: A Dark Stalker reduces the penalties for attacking with two weapons by -1. (This also includes unarmed strikes with IUS)
Sickly: A Dark Stalker’s malformed physiology renders it especially vulnerable to attacks on the body. They get a -2 penalty on their Fortitude saving throws against poison and disease and death effects.
I Don't Understand What You're Talking About
Prerequisites: 7 or less Int, or 7 or less Cha.
The DC to intimidate or bluff you is increased by +6.
Derpy
Prerequisites: 7 or less Wis or Dex, or 8 and no higher Wis and Dex.
Any roll of 2 or 3 or 4 is treated like a natural 1. Instead of fumbling, an extra-disastrous effect happens (See the chart below). A roll of 19 is treated as a natural 20. A natural 20 automatically confirms the crit and does x4 crit, or is treated like a roll of 30, or the next save is an automatic success without a roll.
Consult this list. Roll 1d20 whenever you roll a natural 1/2/3/4.
1: You hit yourself with your weapon.
2: You take double damage on the next strike that hits you.
3: You get a -10 penalty on your next d20 roll.
4: You roll 2 dice for your next d20 roll and take the worse result.
5: You trip and fall prone.
6: You instantly sunder the nearest object, or if there are no objects within reach, your clothing, your magic items, the floor of a ship, etc. Pick the worst possible result.
7: You faint and fall unconscious for 1 minute. Takes a DC 10 Heal check to revive you.
8: You becomes sickened.
9: You lose one of your spells. Player must pick one of their highest level spells.
10: Your next diplomacy roll is counted as a roll of -10.
11: Lightning strikes you for 5d6 damage. Or if that is not possible, a piece of the ceiling drops on you for 5d6 damage.
12: You become flat-footed for one round.
13: Your roll counts as a natural 20.
14: You hit an ally within reach. If that is not possible, you hit an enemy within reach. The attack is automatically an critical hit.
15: You drop whatever you're holding.
16: You cramp your leg and are treated as if in difficult terrain for one round.
17: You cramp both your legs and become staggered for one round, along with the effect for 16.
18: Your roll is treated as if it was the actual number the die landed on. A 2, 3, etc.
19: Nothing happens.
20: You roll twice and take both results.
I decided that speed needs more love. It seems too useless as it is. Only good for positioning or scouts.
Improved Charge
Prerequisite: Base Speed 35 ft.
Charging grants a +4 bonus to attack instead of the usual +2. AC penalty remains unchanged.
Devastating Charge
Prerequisite: Base Speed 40 ft.
Charging grants +2 to damage. Increases by +1 for every 20 ft of movement.
Blur of Speed
Prerequisite: Base Speed 40 ft.
Character gains +4 to AC against AoOs for movement.
Quick Attack
Prerequisite: Base Speed 45 ft.
When making a single attack, can full attack instead with a -4 penalty. Can be used on a charge, on a readied action, literally any time you are making a single attack. Any precision damage or extra damage on that specific attack does not apply to the other attacks.
So you can't use Vital Strike to effectively double your damage.
Yeah, the last one is powerful. But you either need to burn 4 feats on Fleet, be a barbarian and get fleet, or be a monk.
Does anyone have any ideas of their own? I'd be interested in seeing other speed-related feats, or feedback.
"Unison Training" seems stronger than the ability that it is replacing, as does "Sum of Parts".
As a matter of personal taste, I don't like abilities that are replace / rendered useless later on (see "Fast Swap" and "Switch Mastery").
Also, I'm not sure what an "intermediate action" is. Did you mean, "immediate action"?
Yup. I keep switching Intermediate with immediate by mistake. Silly me.
Well, of course its stronger than Weapon Training, other than it being a level late. In exchange, you give up all armor training other then medium.
Perhaps I should remove the Medium Armor Training?
The Switch Hitter knows that each weapon has its strengths and weaknesses. Rather then specializing, the Switch Hitter asks, “Why not both?”
Versatility:
The Switch Hitter can stow his current weapon and draw another one as a free action. This can only be done with one-handed and light weapons. At 6th level, this can be done with two-handed weapons and non-ammunition ranged weapons (like the bow).
This replaces the bonus feat at 1st level.
Fast Swap:
At second level, the Switch Hitter receives a +1 dodge bonus to AC against Attacks of Opportunity when he stows or draws a weapon. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels after second.
This replaces Bravery.
Unison Training:
At sixth level, the Switch Hitter selects two weapons to gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels after fifth. In addition, any feats that designated a single weapon are treated like they affect both weapons.
Weapon Focus: X will also affect Weapon Y, and eventually Z.
In addition, one can also select an improvised weapon instead. This way, a polearm user can use the butt of his polearm, or an archer can use his weapon like a club. Still eats the -4 penalty for improv.
This replaces Weapon Training 1-4.
Improved Unison Training:
At 7th level, the Switch Hitter can select another weapon to gain the benefits of his Unison Training.
This replaces Armor Training 3-5.
Switch Mastery:
At 19th level, a Switch Hitter no longer provokes when swapping weapons. Also, he can change weapons as an intermediate action.
This replaces Armor Mastery.
Sum of Parts:
At 20th level, a Switch Hitter must select Weapons X, Y, and Z for his Weapon Masteries.
This was basically my attempt at an inverse of a typical archetype; rather than specializing, it spreads its focus out.
Currently, COG only works on a disarmed opponent. I think this is silly.
New and Improved Catch Off Guard:
You do not suffer any penalties for using an improvised melee weapon. During the surprise round or round you first use your improvised weapon, your opponents are flat=footed against any attacks you make with that weapon.
I think this suits the 'spirit' of the feat more nicely. While you can't potentially use it repeatedly like the old version, this one is more universal.
The one thing I am split on is how this will apply to multiple improvised weapons. Should a guy who breaks off a table leg, smashes a guy over the head with it, then picks up a meat cleaver and attacks with it, receive the bonus?
1. It also takes a knight time to judge his swing. Professional fencers don't swing wildly as fast as possible.
As far as weapon fighting, at least an attacker has a weapon to attack AND defend with. I did my share of sparing in my younger years (fencing, kendo, knife fighting, wing chun, and muay thai), and while I do not consider my self an expert in hand to hand combat, I do feel I have a legitimate perspective on the difference between using a missile weapon and a melee weapon.
Oh, err, I fear I may have gave the wrong impression. I am totally fine with anyone being able to fire a drawn bow without provoking. Getting it drawn, on the other hand...
Maybe have bows draw an arrow as a free action that provokes. Moving with a drawn bow reduces your speed by something.
Does the combination of a readied Vital Strike with the Deadshot line do enough to justify using it?
My character is a Fighter sniper who gets a pretend Sneak Attack by using the vital strike line with Improved Deadshot. He seems to be doing okay, but I'm wondering if I'm gimping my team by choosing a less-than-stellar option.
A stone golem is created with a stone copy of a quarterstaff in his hand. Is this a natural or manufactured weapon? Does he get multiple attacks if it is a natural?
1. It also takes a knight time to judge his swing. Professional fencers don't swing wildly as fast as possible.
4. I feel that crossbows need a niche to become useful. Not a clear choice over the bow, but as a doable option. Stealth seemed appropriate, since it should be much easier to sniper with a X-bow while prone, then a bow while standing.
Perhaps I should simply state that one should receive a bonus to stealth while being prone, or when most of your body is obstructed. After all, all that is be visible of a prone sniper should be his head.
5. I feel that if Str crossbows existed, it would essentially become a clone of the bow. The only difference is that one needs Rapid Reload/Crossbow Mastery, while the other needs Point-Blank Master.
Hrmm. I like it for the most part, but the level 15 power seems a bit unclear. It seems more like an ambush tactic to me. Fight a giant, use Daring Escape to charge in and trap the giant, then rip him to pieces. Feel free to blast him with point-blank spells and such, removing the need for concentration checks.
Perhaps a rework is in order? Or include a bit that says "Enemies cannot make attacks of opportunity against the Cavalier or his allies in response to movement for one round."
One thing you may not have noticed: by RAW, Cleave and Great Cleave can be used on ranged weapons. All the feat says is that the enemies you are trying to hit must be adjacent, and within reach.
I kinda liked the post earlier, where it's as simple as, "The fighter ignores # of prerequisites." Seemed a lot simpler.
And yeah, Rangers are ridiculously overpowered. Full BAB, spells, Gravity Bow, Animal Companion, boosts to attack and damage and initiative that are supposed to be limited, but look! There's a spell for that too! Hunter's Howl and Instant Enemy.
This is an attempt to define what players can and cannot do while jumping. Especially when it comes to strength.
Yan Zhi Cheng holds the unofficial record for the highest jump with both legs, reaching about 8 feet. This is assuming he had above-average strength and dexterity, so I will assign him a score of 18 for each.
A character with 10 Str can jump 1 foot. Every point in Str increases the height of his vertical jump by 1 foot. Jumping horizontally is used with Acrobatics, as normal.
So basically, feel free to have your Fighter with 26 Str and a belt of Giant's Str jump like freaking Superman. :)
I swear to all the gods, if one more person makes a snide comment on how its 'just a RPG,' not real life, I will find a way to make them pay.
Exactly What it Says on the Tin. And I know you've probably read a ton of threads like this, but hear me out.
1. Crossbows don't provoke when firing. Simple as that.
Explanation:
Unlike regular bows, when you reload a crossbow, its ready to fire. All you have to do is aim and pull the trigger. If a guy with a longsword is in your face, with a bow, you have to notch the arrow and pull before the aiming and firing, while with a X-bow, you just have to pull the damn trigger.
Saves a feat and allows non-fighters to get ranged attacks in melee.
2. Crossbows do 1d10/1d12 damage. For light/heavy, respectively.
More on Damage:
Bows still win on the damage department, I'm afraid. A regular bow simply is more efficient at transferring force from the frame to the projectile. But the higher die value will be more appealing to a lower level character.
3. Crossbows get -3 as their range penalty. Simple physics. Most bows were shot in an arc, while crossbow bolts are designed to have a straighter trajectory. That is also why crossbows are simple weapons.
A Note:
I think it is indeed possible for a sufficiently trained shooter to use his crossbow in an arc, but that training already exists in the Far Shot feat.
4. Lying prone while firing a crossbow grants +2 to attack, and if sniping with Stealth, reduces the penalty by -10.
There. The crossbow isn't entirely superior to the bow. It is a tool, to be used in certain situations.
Logically, shouldn't faster characters be more effective when charging? A guy who runs 60 feet in 6 seconds is going to do less damage than a person who runs 90 feet in 6 seconds.
20. Elizabeth Redbeard and her servant Gregor Malk
A tragic accident led to Miss Redbeard becoming Polymorphed from a mid-level fighter into a small red rabbit. This was due to her sensitivity about her last name, and they have been kicked out of an inn more than once when she attacked anyone who makes a comment on her masculine appearance. Unfortunately, one of her would-be victims was an epic-level transmuter.
Her squire, Gregor, a plucky young fellow, has been ordered to travel the land and find a cleric strong enough to undo the enchantment. They haven't had much luck yet.
Fortunately, Redbeard is still a terror on the battlefield. No one really knows how.
Basically, I am confounded by the simplicity of the Dirty Trick combat maneuver. I want to make it a combat maneuver that any class could use, regardless of feats. I mean, come on, does it take any special training to throw gravel at someone's eyes? To spit in someone's face?
I can see how shoving someone while avoiding their flailing takes skill. Ditto for disarming and stealing and the others. But kicking a guy in the nuts is really more like a normal attack, rather than some complicated and risky action.
Oh, and I also came up with a condition that represents a state of visual impairment less severe than complete blindness but more severe than dazzled.
Distracted:
Target gets a -2 penalty to attack rolls, Reflex saves, dexterity-based skill checks, initiative, and visual Perception checks.
Major Changes:
- Dirty Tricks can be performed without provoking, as a standard action. Removing the condition requires a standard action. The condition lasts 1 round + 1 round by every 5 your CMB result exceeds the target's CMD.
- Improved version adds +2 to CMB and CMD for it. Also, it can be used in place of a melee attack once per round.
- Greater version adds +2 to CMB and CMD. Removing the condition requires a Heal check as a standard action that provokes.
The DC of the Heal check is 10 + 1/2 level + Str/Dex modifier* * Depends if player has Agile Maneuvers or not.
Naturally, the flexible nature of the Dirty Trick may cause need for on-the-fly readjustments for DCs and actions.
Minor Changes:
- Dirty Tricks that target the eyes no longer blind the targets, but Distract them instead. The exception is for those who are already distracted, who are blinded instead. For example, if a guy trips into a mud pit, he is distracted, since he had mud all over his face. Throwing shards of glass at his eyes will turn a distraction into blindness.
- List of Conditions that Dirty Tricks can cause: Distracted, Dazzled, Entangled, Deafened, Shaken, Sickened.
This is really, really weird. I haven't really played a psion, so I have no idea how well this would work. But I do appreciate the amount of work that has been put into it.
The Staff Magus seems like a meaningless archtype. The main selling point of the magus, the ability to crit with spells, doesn't synergize at all with the quarterstaff's x2 crit.
Actually, let's just take a look at what you get:
- ability to use the staff one-handed.
- ability to use the staff normally, which prevents casting
- earlier Weapon Specialization: Quarterstaff
- Shield bonus to AC using the staff's enhancement bonus.
- Staves are treated as quarterstaffs at level 10.
- Ability to recharge staves at a pretty high cost.
No one is going to use the staff as a double weapon if they want to cast. Using a quarterstaff anyway is a terrible idea. The weapon specialization is nice, but nothing mind-blowing. The shield bonus is the only real positive I can see about the thing. As for the enchanced staves, well, you're still better off getting a real quarterstaff and enhancing it.
Now, here is what you give up:
- Weapon proficiencies, and heavy and medium armor proficiencies. Nasty, but the Quarterstaff Defense makes up for it, somewhat.
- FIGHTER TRAINING. Say goodbye to GWF and GWS.
- Ability to reliably hit with crit spells, aka most of your damage.
Conclusion: You nerf your damage output, in multiple ways, for some slightly higher defense.
I think this needs a fix. Here's my idea:
Staff Magus 2.0:
Staff Casting
A Staff Magus can use the Quarterstaff as a double weapon or use a two-handed grip, but is still able to cast spells. The Magus can also enhance both ends of his staff as a single swift action.Less spell damage for more weapon damage. Besides, the image of a guy in robes beating a dragon to death with a big stick is freaking hilarious.
Staff Flexibility
At first level, the Magus can use the quarterstaff as a one-handed weapon. As a swift action, the magus can adjust his grip on the staff (which doesn't provoke) to treat it as a reach weapon, or to shift it back. This is the SM's main shtick, having reach with melee touch attacks.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
The Magus is proficient with light armor and doesn't have the arcane spell failure chance while wearing it. This replaces the normal armor and weapon proficiencies of the Magus. Less defense for offense.
Staff Defense
At 7th level, the Magus gains a dodge bonus to his AC equal to his staff's enhancement bonus. This replaces his normal armor proficiencies. This is supposed to represent parrying with the staff, which is why it's a dodge bonus. Apparently, magic is magnetic, and like deflects like.
Staff Channel
The Magus can channel his ranged touch attack through his staff, adding the staff's enhancement bonus to his attack roll. Come on, you see wizards channel spells through their staffs all the time in literature and other stuff.
Well...instead of damage reduction, why don't you try increasing the number of hit points? The idea is that outsiders would have incredible endurance and resilience, but weren't actually immune to damage.
This is not a balance issure, this is a list of quirky effects that one could apply to a weapon. It is not intended to be balanced, but interesting.
Flaming: Player gets Energy Resist Fire 5.
Frost: Player gets Energy Resist Cold 5.
Corrosive: +1 to damage on metal foes, and +1 to CMB and damage when sundering a metal object.
Shock: +1 to hit against foes wearing metal armor. Another stackable +1 if the foe is wet. Add another +1 if the fluid is especially conductive, like seawater.
Agile: Since the weapon itself seems to be unusually nimble, the holder gets +1 to CMD against that weapon. Disarm, Sunder, etc.
Keen: Extra-sharp? Player can use the weapon as a surgical instrument, emergency boning knife, shaving razor, mandolin, etc...
Idea: Fighters should get good Will saves. Also, they should be able to choose between good Reflex or good Fort saves (So 2 good save total).
Reasoning: Fighting something requires focus. And while the wizard can sit back and summon something to take care of the problem, the martial classes have to concentrate on the fight while some really weird stuff happens. They have to keep fighting, even when they get stabbed, zapped, turned inside out, etc. There are plenty of real-life soldiers who have had something awful happen to them in the middle of combat, shrugged it off, and kept fighting. I think that is the definition of willpower.
Also, this bit is admittedly less concrete, but I think that most soldiers, back in the 17th century (dawn of the musket) were either used to taking blows or avoiding them. Its pretty logical that one who has been dodging blows his entire life would be terrible at taking them, and vice-versa.
1. The goal of a RL slashing weapon is A) touch an exposed area; and B) drag along that area while applying forward pressure to cut flesh.
2. This makes those weapons terrible at chopping, which is why you never see anyone using a cutlass as a machete.
3. RL bludgeoning weapons use momentum, aided by the weapon's heft, to damage flesh through brute force, rather than, say, cutting open a vein and letting someone bleed to death.
4. Bludgeoning weapons are effective against skeletons, since slashing weapons, in theory, are ineffective against harder materials like bone.
5. Certain slashing weapons, like the machete, rely on their heft to chop rather than slice. This makes a butcher's cleaver, a knife, good at chopping through bone.
6. Shouldn't weapons like the greataxe be able to penetrate DR/bludgeoning?
I was brainstorming for some ideas, when I looked at the vigor and wounds system that Paizo offered, and I got a weird idea.
It's this: Every class has a pool of Effort(need help with the name) points, which is made of half their total hit die plus their Con modifier.
It's Con because this represents physical exhaustion.
This pool represents the effort it takes for the character to take blows, or roll with them, etc. Basically, the first points of damage drain from the Effort Points, not regular HP. Once that is gone, they start receiving hit point damage as normal. However, unlike normal hit points, the class regenerates a number of Effort points equal to their Con modifier, minimum +1 of course. I guess I should tweak that number, maybe make up a feat or something that gives you a larger pool, or speeds up the regenerating. Let's move on.
For the martial classes, this pool won't really matter; basically being an extra bunch of hit points that replenish themselves. It gets more interesting when you apply it to casters.
Casting a spell will drain points from the caster (Because I am a firm believer that casting a spell should take some freaking effort, and the thin-as-a-stick elf shouldn't lift 500+ lbs rocks without breaking a sweat). It will drain as much points as the effective spell level. This hopefully will prevent casters from going nova, and force them to conserve spells in battle.
Apologies, but I couldn't find a better way to explain this part without an example.
If someone has 2 Effort points left, and he is hit for 15 damage, he receives 13 points of damage and the pool is completely drained.
Also, if a caster would cast a spell that would bring his pool down to negatives, he receives twice that spell's effective level in nonlethal damage and becomes fatigued. He can continue to strain himself until he falls unconscious. If he repeats this, he becomes exhausted. Again, and he falls unconscious.
Level 5 wizard with 14 con has a pool of 4. He can cast 2 third level spells, in two rounds without hurting himself.
If we go with this system, it is also possible to add little balancing tweaks, such as sorcerers not spending as much points (representing their natural talent) or maybe certain classes adding other modifiers, like the Monk adding his Wis to the points replenished each round.
So how does it look? Stupid? Pointless? Complicated? Please let me know.
I'm wondering if the Overrun combat maneuver is worth using. You can't use it with a weapon, so weapon focus and magic bonuses are out*. You can't even Power Attack with it(which does make me wonder why it's a prerequisite). And the effect, knocking someone prone, isn't very useful either, compared to grappling them or tripping them, which can at least be done with a weapon from a distance.
Is it worth investing in?
*I dare you to show me a way to push someone aside with a weapon.
I'm whatever level I need to be to get the job done.
Catchy phrase, but even a level 20 rogue won't kill me with a single stab. And the bats don't care as long as they get to suck fresh blood. I suppose a full adventuring party could conceivably defeat my beasts, but you are alone! *cackles as lightning strikes in the distance*
ATTACK MY MINIONS! BWHAHAHAHAH!
** tries to summon Vampire Bat Swarm **
BWHAHAHAHAHAHHA! Now, you are doomed!
SNEAK ATTACK STAB!
Concentrate your way through THAT, bat fan!
Let's do some math. I'm going to assume that you are level 12, for now. A single sneak attack would deal 6d6 + 1d4 + 3 (for magic weapons). On average, that attack would deal 26.5 damage, or 27 to be generous. I have 10d8(aristocrat) as well as 4d10(bat wrangler) plus 4x14(Con) + 14 (toughness), or 137 health. Even if your sneak attack dealt maximum damage, I'd still be alive, I'm afraid. Remember?
I recall dying on the thirteenth stab, I believe. It was quite painful. It is fortunate that I am not petty enough to care about such slights. But the point is, it took and will take more than dozen stabs to finish me off, and unfortunately for you, you do not have that kind of time.
Now, where was I? Oh, yes. *casts Summon Bat VII defensively successfully* Now die.
This isn't a new race or anything; I'm just inserting an idea. Both the 3.5 and Pathfinder rules agree that sorcerers are simply people born with an innate talent for magic. Therefore, shouldn't this really be a race?
Why would a person with talent for magic be a class in itself? Are [u]rangers[/u] born with an animal companion by their side? Are all monks raised in a monastery?
I don't know how to fix this (yes, I am saying there is a problem. A logical problem). But I think it should be at least open to discussion. Here are my suggestions:
- Sorcerers are like half-something templates, in that they replace some racial traits with their own.
- No matter what class they choose, the sorcerer should have some access to magic. It could be as simple as a cantrip.
- Sorcerers should (obviously) have bonuses to their magic.
- Some kind of penalty to offset these changes. Maybe have them get something like a curse, like the oracle, or maybe have them pick a stat they have to suck in, like the opposite of a human's +2 bonus.
- Alternatively, make them slightly overpowered. It's just for fun, after all.
- To keep some vestige of the original class, why not have them be able to substitute Cha for Int/Wis for caster classes?
The Paragon can tell a joke and give a Fearless Laugh as a full round action. The Paragon's enemies who can hear, see and understand the Paragon when she does so get a penalty to attack rolls.
Optional rule: Player should tell an actual joke with it.
Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Augmented Aid:
The Paragon adds her Cha bonus to her Aid Another checks, and gives an additional +2 bonus when assisting in a skill check.
Prerequisite: Vicious War Cry; Wrath:
The Paragon can spend two more uses of her battle cries at the beginning of a War Cry to gain a +3 bonus on her(and her only) attack and damage rolls.
Prerequisite: Surging Rally; Hope:
The temporary hit points healed by the Paragon's surging Rally become actual hit points.
I feel that I should put that these were thought of on the spot while sleep-deprived, so I can give no assurances on the quality of these Powers. Some part of me realizes that some or all of these are incredibly overpowered, but I am far too tired to utilize additional brainpower.
An additional note about War Cry vs Dazzling Display:
Paragon 5 vs Cleric 5* (War Cry)
*Assuming the highest bonus one has is +4.
The Paragon makes an Intimidate check, which when maxed out has a bonus of 5 + 4 + 3 + 1d20 = 12 + 1d20 = average 22.5 DC, minus the cleric. So a final average DC of 21.5.
That cleric, at level five, has 1d20 + 8 as his will save, excluding buffs and magic items. 1d20 + 8 vs DC 22 = 7/20, or 65% chance of the War Cry working on the cleric.
Paragon 5 vs Cleric 5 (Dazzling Display)
The Paragon’s Intimidate is 12 + 1d20. The DC would be 5 + 4 + 10, or 19. In other words, Dazzling Display will work 14/20 times. The Paragon has a 70% chance of success, a small disadvantage to the War Cry.
2.5. Barbarian 5 vs Paragon 5 (both)
However, this is the best-case scenario. A cleric has great Wisdom and Will saves. Now, let’s compare it to the worst case scenario, a Barbarian.
A level 5 Barbarian, at best, would have 3 + 1d20 as his save. Combine that with our average of DC 22.5, minus 1(22), and the poor barbarian has a 18/20 chance of being affected by the War Cry. The Paragon has a 90% chance of affecting the Barbarian, and remember, this is if the Barbarian has 14 Wis, not exactly a prime stat for the Big B.
Now, let’s move on to Dazzling Display.
The DC is 10 + 2(wis) + 5, or 17. The Paragon has 12 + 1d20. The Paragon would succeed 16/20 times, or 80%.
Unlike the previous test, the War Cry has a small yet notable advantage over the Dazzling Display. This is probably due to the Dazzling Display DC relying less on Wisdom and Class for its success rate.
4’s a Party (Dazzling Display)
Nothing has changed for Dazzling Display. The Paragon still has a 70% chance of affecting the Cleric, and an 80% chance of affecting the Barbarian.
Four’s a Party (War Cry)
However, most enemies do not fight alone. Let’s say that there is an enemy adventuring party of four. The Paragon’s Intimidate is 1d20 + 12. Subtract by 4, and the average Will DC is going to be 18.5 (19). Now the cleric, with a +8 bonus to Will, has a 10/20 chance of being affected by the War Cry. The Barbarian’s 3 + 1d20 against 19 gives a 15/20 chance of being affected. In other words, the Paragon has a 50% chance of affecting the cleric, and a 75% chance of affecting the Barbarian.
Comparison
Dazzling Display is completely unaffected by the number of targets. War Cry, on the other hand, is strongly affected. A four person party reduced the chance of success by 15%, a significant difference. What does this mean?
5.5. Statistics for Easier Viewing
Dazzling Display
Affecting a lone Cleric 5: 70%
Affecting a lone Barbarian 5: 80%
Affecting a 4-person party: Unchanged.
War Cry
Affecting a lone Cleric 5: 65%
Affecting a lone Barbarian 5: 90%
Affecting a 4-person group w/Cleric 5: 50%
Affecting a 4-person group w/Barbarian 5: 75%
Conclusion
Dazzling Display is still good at what it does: Indiscriminately affecting multiple targets within range. War Cry, on the other hand, seeks out the weaker and isolated targets. Also, while War Cry deploys quicker, it is nearly always inferior to the Dazzling Display in terms of success rates. It should be noted that Dazzling Display sometimes has a chance of a longer affliction, while War Cry’s shakening effect always lasts for a single round.
Firstly, I'd like to thank those who helped me refine my base class. Now, onward!
The Paragon
Role: The Paragon's main purpose is to support her allies. She uses her force of will and personality to rally her allies and bring fear to her enemies. While she is not a caster nor the greatest melee combatant, she can still kick ass and take names, but her true strength comes forward when she fights with her allies.
Alignment: Any.
Starting Wealth: 4d6 x 10 (average 140 gp).
Hit Die: d8.
Skill Points Per Level: 5 + Int Modifier*
Base Attack Bonus: Medium progression.
Good Saves: Will, Reflex.
Not-So-Good Saves: Fortitude.
Proficiencies: The Paragon is proficient in all armors and simple and martial weapons. The Paragon is proficient with all shields with the exception of tower shields.
Class Skills: The Paragon’s class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge: Dungeoneering (Int), Knowledge: History (Int), Knowledge: Local (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride(Dex), Survival (Wis).
Class Features
Bonus Feats:
From 1st level, and every 4 levels after (5,9,13,17) the Paragon receives a free combat or teamwork feat.
Note: This is half as many bonus feats as the Fighter.
Battle Cry:
Starting at 1st level, the Paragon can give out one of her battle cries during combat. Each battle cry gives certain bonuses, starting at +1 at first level, and rising by +1 for every four paragon levels she obtains. All battle cries affect those who can hear, see, and understand the Paragon(this is a sound and language dependent effect). The Paragon can give a number of battle cries each day equal to 3 + her charisma bonus. All battle cries last a number of rounds equal to the Paragon's Charisma bonus + the number of allies affected at the start of the battle cry or her Cha bonus*, whatever is higher. Only one battle cry can be in effect at a time. Activating one ends the previous one.
*Aka x2 her Cha bonus.
Synchronized Attack:
Starting at third level, the Paragon can coordinate an attack with an ally to aid both. The Paragon readies one attack at the highest BAB to strike at the same time as an ally. Both her and her ally receive a +1 bonus to their attack rolls, which rises to +2 at 6th level, and every four levels after (+3 at 10th, +4 at 14th, etc). Note: this can be done with any attack roll.
If the Paragon multiclassed to wizard, her Acid Splash will work as well as a crossbow shot.
Fighter Training:
Starting at 3rd level, the Paragon’s paragon levels count as fighter levels for the purpose of obtaining feats.
Paragon Powers:
As a Paragon gains experience, she learns certain techniques and tricks to defend her party. Starting at 2nd level, a Paragon gains one Paragon Power. She gains an additional Paragon Power for every 2 levels of Paragon attained after 2nd level. A Paragon cannot select an individual power more than once.
Intercept Attack:
At 7th level, the Paragon can take a five foot step into an adjacent ally’s square as an intermediate action (provoking no Attack of Opportunity) to grant the ally cover, but giving her AC a -4 penalty as long as she is in that ally's square. Both the Paragon and her ally do not incur squeeze penalties for this movement. This movement counts at 10 ft for her movement next round.
List of the Paragon’s Battle Cries
Rallying Shout:
The Paragon gives an inspirational shout of some sort (Protect the princess! For Dead Guy! Make us rich, men!). This is a move action that provokes an Attack of Opportunity. The Paragon and her allies receive temporary hit points equal to their 1d8 + the Paragon’s class levels + her Cha bonus. They also receive a morale bonus to their will saves(equal to the Battle cry’s bonus).
War Cry:
The Paragon gives a fearsome cry after doing something intimidating (killing an enemy, desecrating a corpse, or something else, or during the surprise round) as a swift action.* The Paragon makes an Intimidate check, with a penalty equal to the number of enemies affected. All affected enemies make a will save, DC equal to the results of the Intimidate check. Those who fail their saves are shaken for 1 round. In addition, the Paragon and her allies receive a morale bonus on their attack rolls and reflex saves.
Clarification: This fear effect does not stack with other conditions to create a more severe one. Also, the prerequisites for this Battle Cry can be a standard action, a move action, whatever. Killing someone may be part of a full round action, bashing your sword against your shield might be a move action, or hell, if your character is particularly disturbing(or under an illusion making her look like a demon), drawing back your hood and screaming as a free action might do the trick. But in the end, it’s the GM’s call. So a typical War Cry would go like this: execute prisoner as a standard action + swift action War Cry.
*Depending on personal preference, the GM can make this a standard action. I recommend you still allow it for free (in terms of time, not uses) during the surprise round.
Fearless Laugh:
Whether because of mockery, triumph, or genuine mirth, this brief bit of levity motivates the Paragon and her allies. The Paragon can laugh as a free action. All allies affected can re-roll their will saves once against a fear or compulsion effect. In addition, the Paragon and her allies receive a bonus to all caster level checks, concentration checks, and ranged attack rolls.
List of Paragon Powers The ones without prerequisites have none. Also, unless otherwise specified, all bonuses count as morale bonuses.
Prerequisite: Dex 14; Evasion:
Like the Rogue Class Feature.
Strong Lungs:
The Paragon can give an additional 3 battle cries per day.
Inspiring Charge:
The Paragon can give a free battle cry during a charge. Also, if the player makes a Princess Bride quote, he must eat his character sheet.
Defending Paragon:
The Paragon adds her shield bonus, if any, to all adjacent allies when fighting defensively. Also, those with the Two-Weapon Defense feat receive an additional +1 shield bonus. This bonus cannot exceed the Paragon’s battle cry bonus. Fighting defensively only gives a -2 penalty to the attack roll.
Swiftstriking Paragon:
The Paragon gains an additional attack with her off-hand weapon during an attack of opportunity. She incurs the normal penalties for this attack.
The Paragon threatens an additional 10 feet with her ranged weapon. This stacks with the Snap Shot line of feats.
Prerequisites: 10 ranks in Spellcraft; Spellbreaking Paragon:
When an enemy casts defensively in your threatened area, the Paragon can make a Spellcraft check in a similar manner to counterspelling. If the Paragon’s check succeeds, he can make an attack of opportunity.
Reasoning-so-I’m-not-burnt-at-the-stake: This is another way of saying, character level 10 and minus 10 skill points as a prereq. I figured that was a decent enough prerequisite, as well as a level cap. If this ability still seems too overpowered, I’d like to know.
Formation Fighting:
During a battle cry, the Paragon can select one of her teamwork feats. All of her allies affected by her battle cry are treated as if they possess that feat.
Prerequisite: Paragon 6; Steadfast Ally:
The Paragon can give herself DR 5/- as an immediate action for a number of rounds equal to her Con bonus. These rounds do not have to be consecutive.
Prerequisite: Paragon 6, Evasion; Reactive Ally:
The Paragon can grant one of her adjacent allies Evasion as an immediate action a number of times equal to her Dex bonus.
Clarification: If the Paragon and her ally are attacked by a Fireball spell, then a dragon’s acid line in the same round, it counts as two separate “times.”
Prerequisite: Paragon 6; Relentless Ally:
The Paragon can move an additional 10 feet per round for a number of rounds equal to her Str modifier. This is an immediate action, and the rounds do not have to be consecutive.
Prerequisite: Paragon 6; Swift Intercept:
The Paragon can move up to 10 feet when using her Intercept Attack ability. This still counts as 10 feet of movement.
Prerequisite: Paragon 4; Battle Fury:
The Paragon can spend a use of her battle cry to rage like the Barbarian class ability. This rage lasts a number of rounds equal to the Paragon’s Cha modifier. The Paragon cannot activate another battle cry or end her [i][rage/i] as long as she is [i][raging./i]
Another Bonus Feat:
Do you really need an explanation? Another combat or teamwork feat.
Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Inspiring Laugh:
The Paragon and her allies affected by the her Fearless Laugh gain a bonus to their fortitude saves as well.
Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Vicious War Cry:
The Paragon and her allies who are affected by her War Cry gain a bonus to their rolls to confirm critical hits, and can choose to receive the bonus to their attack or damage rolls.
Prerequisite: Paragon 8; Surging Rally:
The Paragon and her allies affected by her Rallying Shout gain a morale bonus to their AC as well.
Soul Caller:
The Paragon’s Rallying Shout affects unconscious allies as well.
Force of Will:
The Paragon can spend two uses of her battle cries as a free action to ignore any mind-effecting effects, difficult terrain, the stun and staggered conditions, and being fatigued or exhausted for one round. Rounds spent count towards the duration of any spells or spell-like effects.
Prerequisite: Defending Paragon; Defender of the Fallen:
The Paragon receives a bonus equal to her Cha modifier to AC, attack and damage rolls, and CMD when she is adjacent to an unconscious ally. This effect lasts a number of rounds equal to her Cha modifier.
Willpower:
The Paragon can spend a use of her battle cry as an intermediate action when sent to negative HP. She automatically stabilizes and remains conscious and isn’t staggered for a number of rounds equal to her Cha bonus.
Clarification: The Paragon still dies when sent under negative HP equal to her Con value. She is still vulnerable to bleed effects and other forms of constant damage.
So...what do you think? Too overpowered? Did I miss anything like BAB? Please read and review.
*One lower than the Bard, one higher than what the Fighter should have.
Hey, don't be so narrow-minded about bats. I have a pet bat. His name is Dilan, and he's about the size of my fist and likes eating oranges. He also has an unfortunate habit of flying into my fridge, I mean, ice chest, which is why he's no longer allowed in the garage(or storeroom).
You're a monster. A BAT WRANGLING monster.
*pokes out tongue* Nah-nah-NAH-NAH-nah!
In all seriousness, don't worry. Believe me, one of the best ways to counteract fear is with knowledge. Vampire bats live in caves or old buildings, typically in moist and warm areas...oh, wait, that's where roughly 99% of all adventurers' explorations take place. Ah, well, it was worth a shot.
Hey, don't be so narrow-minded about bats. I have a pet bat. His name is Dilan, and he's about the size of my fist and likes eating oranges. He also has an unfortunate habit of flying into my fridge, I mean, ice chest, which is why he's no longer allowed in the garage(or storeroom).
*yawns* The good thing about having a literal army of clerics at your disposal is that...oh, gee, I wouldn't know. Now time to shake off those pesky negative levels...
Anyway, you've already established that Erzen is a cranky old grump who needs to lighten up. However, as much as you dislike him, do you think he is the kind of person who would walk away if people were in danger?
*cackles, because he needs to get it out of his system*
