One set of classes that I would love to see updated (but wont) are the classes from the Dragon Compendium. So I worked on this for a while; I didn’t think many need a big boost in power (although I did feel the savant needed a boost in purpose) so I feel I made minor adjustments in most cases. Many of the changes I suggest or just modifications to match other classes. Some are just things that I felt could use a minor correction. Then there are other abilities that I added because I thought they made the classes more interesting through all twenty levels and I didn’t think they increase the power that much. I didn’t bother listing modifications for class skill’s or hit dice because those are usually trivial to change.
Battle Dancer
The Dance of Reckless Bravery is activated when you start a charge against an enemy.
Adjust the skill requirements for tumble to be three less.
Didn't think of any changes for this that I fell in love with, so I left it alone for the most part.
Death Master
Change cantrips to be the same as the PRPG wizard.
Change rebuke undead to be like the PRPG cleric’s channel energy (negative only).
Also, instead of getting an undead minion a death master can choose to have access to one of the following domains: Chaos, Death, Destruction, and Evil. He uses his death master level as his effective cleric level.
Jester
Change cantrips, spells per day, and spells known to be the same as the PRPG bard.
A jester can cast arcane spells in light armor with no arcane failure chance.
Reduce skill rank requirements by three.
Change Vexing Dialogue to so that Spellcraft replaces Concentration.
Fruitful Comedy: Like Bone Rattler except at 13th-level and it affects plants instead of undead.
Adamantine Joke: Like Bone Rattler except at 16th-level and it affects constructs instead of undead.
Unstoppable Pun: At 19th-level any creature can be affected your antics as long as they have a mind. The jester’s mind-affecting jester’s performance abilities function as normal against creatures that are immune to mind-affecting effects, but possess intelligence scores although these creatures get a +2 bonus on their saves against such abilities. Creatures that lack intelligence scores remain immune to the jester’s talents.
Gain Bonus Feats at 10th, 14th, and 18th level: Must pick from this list and still meet the prerequisites (Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Spell Focus (enchantment), Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Skill Focus [for any jester class skill], Quick Draw)
Add this as a Jester’s Performance
Last Laugh (Su): A jester of 20th level or higher with 20 or more ranks in Perform (comedy) can use his performance to cause one enemy to die of laughter. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear the jester perform and be within 30 feet. The target must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 jester’s level + jester’s Charisma modifier) or begin laughing in an increasing manner. If the target fails the save then they can only take a single standard or move action for next three turns. Also, if they had failed, on the fourth turn after save they must make a second Will save at the same DC, with a –5 penalty to the save, or be unable to take any action for the next ten turns. If they have fail the previous save, on their next turn they must make a Fortitude save against the same DC or die (creatures that can’t die are destroyed). A single creature can’t be under of the effect of two different Last Laugh effects at the same time. This is a mind-affecting, language-dependant effect.
Montebank
Bloodline: A mountebank chooses either the Abyssal or Infernal sorcerer bloodline. She gets the Bonus Feats from the bloodline and she gets the bloodline power as if she were a sorcerer of her mountebank level.
She can cast the spells off of the bonus spells list (assuming she her mountebank level is at least the number noted) as spell-like abilities. To use one she must expend three of her uses of her infernal patron ability. The time required to use them are the casting time for the individual spells and if the spell has an expensive material component then the mountebank must provide it.
She can turn on and turn off her bloodline as a standard action. When it is off she loses access to her bloodline powers and the changes to her appearance that they create disappear, but she keeps the bonus feats and access to the bonus spells.
Infernal Escape: replace teleport with greater teleport.
Savant
Arcane Armor: A savant can cast arcane savant spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance.
Class skills: Don’t change. (I just wanted to be able to say this and I didn’t think I would get a chance later)
Academic Lore: Change this to match the new Bardic Knowledge (1 bonus rank per class level in single knowledge skill, add half class level [min 1] to all knowledge skills, and make checks untrained)
New Abilities:
Assist Talent (Ex): At 2nd level gains the ability to lend additional assistance to his allies a limited number of times per day. He can use assist points to activate his Assist Talents. An assist talent gives a single ally access to an additional ability for a short time.
He has a number of assist points equal to one half his savant level plus his Intelligence modifier.
You can spend 1 assist point while using the aid another action to grant an additional bonus equal to half your savant level to the target you aiding.
A 2nd level savant can use improved aid another and one other assist talent chosen from the list below. A savant can pick another assist talent at 6th level and every four levels afterward.
To receive the benefit of an assist talent, the ally must be within range of the savant’s skill assistance. You can only use an assist talent once per turn. Unless otherwise noted it takes a move action to activate and it lasts until the beginning of the savant’s next turn. Using an assist talent does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Talent List
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Direct Accuracy (Ex): The target gets a bonus to her next attack roll equal to half your savant level. (2 assist points)
Direct Arcane Magic (Ex): When you use this ability you expend one of your prepared arcane savant spells that have a casting time of 1 full round action or less. The target(s) can now cast that spell. The caster level of the spell is either the savant’s caster level or the arcane caster level of the target whichever is higher. The target must still provide all components of the spell as necessary. The target suffers arcane failure chance for this spell if the spell has a somatic component normally, but can ignore the failure chance of light armor. The save DC for this spell is determined using the target’s Charisma modifier. To choose this ability your savant level must be 6th level at minimum. (1 assist point per level of the spell slot used for the spell)
Direct Blow (Ex): The target gets a bonus to damage on the next attack where sneak attack could apply. The bonus to damage is equal to half your savant level. (1 assist point)
Direct Divine Magic (Ex): When you use this ability you expend one of your prepared divine savant spells that have a casting time of 1 full round action or less. The target(s) can now cast that spell. The caster level of the spell is either the savant’s caster level or the divine caster level of the target whichever is higher. The target must still provide all components of the spell as necessary. The save DC for this spell is determined using the target’s Wisdom modifier. To choose this ability your savant level must be 10th level at minimum. (1 assist point per level of the spell slot used for the spell)
Direct Mind (Ex): If the target is under the being controlled or compelled by an enchantment spell or effect or a fear effect after failing a saving throw, they immediately can attempt the saving throw again at the same DC to remove the effect. This talent requires a standard action instead of a move action. To choose this ability your savant level must be 6th level at minimum. (3 assist points)
Direct Overpowering Spell (Ex): The target gets a bonus to the next roll to beat spell resistance equal to half your savant level. (2 assist points)
Direct Resiliency (Ex): The target gains temporary hit points equal to your savant level. (1 assist point)
Direct Stealth (Ex): This ability allows the target to move at full speed using Stealth without penalty. (1 assist point)
Direct Ledgewalker (Ex): This ability allows the target to move along narrow surfaces at full speed using Acrobatics without penalty. (1 assist point)
Quick Assist (Ex): At 11th level a savant can spend an additional two assist points when using an assist talent to activate the talent as a swift action. This does not affect talents that don’t take a move action to activate.
Improved Assist (Ex): At 20th level a savant can spend double the number of points an assist talent requires and spend an additional swift action to be able to affect an additional ally with the talent. They still must be within range of the skill assistance to be affected.
Sha’ir
Cantrips
Cantrips would work like the sorcerer. He can cast 0-level spells from his known 0 level spells without making the skill check to prepare them. (He would still be able to cast other 0 level spells using his higher level spell slots.
Gen Familiar
Some changes to familiars should probably be carried over to gens. The Sha’ir gets one automatically at first level, he doesn’t lose experience when the familiar dies, it takes a week until you can replace it, and 8 hours plus 200 gp per sha’ir level to recover a familiar.
Also a Sha’ir can attempt to make a plea for a spell without his gen, but then he takes a –5 penalty on the check.
Domain Spells
Since domains have changed so this might need to be looked at as something that should be modified to match. My initial idea is to remove all references to preparing or learning divine spells. Then when he starts meditating to recover spells (At least I think that is how they do it) he can send of his gen for an hour and when it returned he would gain the domain powers of a single domain (chosen from the one’s a Sha’ir normally had access to) until he meditated again (and sent his gen was sent to gain the domain). He would use his Sha’ir level in place of the cleric level and would use Wisdom instead of Charisma for DCs. (To continue the use of the non-casting stat for the domains )
Modifying the Diplomacy Check and Spell Recovery
Every sha’ir level you take you get one free rank that goes into Diplomacy (like the bardic knowledge ability gives you free ranks in a single Knowledge)
Instead of making a Diplomacy check you instead roll a d20 with a bonus of your Sha’ir level versus a DC of (10 + Spell Level x2). You have a +2 bonus when attempting to get one of your known spells, -2 penalty for every time you have failed to retrieve this spell this day, -1 penalty per level this spell is adjusted by a metamagic feat (except Heighten in which case you get a +1 bonus per level of adjustment).
Known spells take 1d4+1 rounds to recover.
Other spells take 1d4+1 minutes to recover.
Minor Adjustments
Recognize Genie Works: Let this ability also work off of Appraise as well since that fits the theme of the skill.
Urban Druid:
Orisons for the urban druid would be modified to match the druids.
Instead of getting an urban companion the urban druid can instead get access to one of the following domains using his urban druid level as his effective cleric level and using his Wisdom bonus instead of his Charima bonus for determining the DC: Artifice, Community, Law, Nobility, Protection.
Adjust Urban Shape so that the urban druid gets 1 use per day at 4th level and an additional use every two levels afterward. At twentieth level urban shape can be used at will.
Urban shape uses the same rules as the revised druid’s wild shape except that the forms urban shape can take are limited to humanoids and the urban companion list (the aberrations on the companion list are treated as animals for the purpose of this ability) and the spells urban shape mimics are different.
4th level: transform into humanoids (small and medium) and vermin (small and medium)
When taking the form of a humanoid it functions as alter self.
When taking the form of a vermin it functions as vermin form I.
6th level: expands to include large and tiny vermin. Also small and medium animals are now available.
When taking the form of a vermin it functions as vermin form II.
When taking the form of an animal it functions as beast shape I.
8th level: expands to include huge vermin, more animals (large and tiny), and constructs (small and medium).
When taking the form of a vermin it functions as vermin form III.
When taking the form of an animal it functions as beast shape II.
When taking the form of a construct it functions as construct body I.
10th level: expands to include huge and diminutive animals and more constructs (large and tiny).
When taking the form of an animal it functions as beast shape III.
When taking the form of a construct it functions as construct body II.
12th level: expands to include huge constructs.
When taking the form of a construct it functions as construct body III.
12th level: expands to include gargantuan constructs.
When taking the form of a construct it functions as construct body IV.
alter self, beast shape, vermin form, construct body
4th – alter self (2), vermin form I (2)
6th – vermin form II (3), beast shape I (3)
8th – vermin form III (4), beast shape II (4), construct body I (5)
10th – beast shape III (5), construct body II (6)
12th – construct body III (7)
14th – construct body IV (8)
Construct Body I
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a piece of the object/creature whose form you plan to assume)
Effect
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min/level (D)
Description
When you cast this spell you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the construct type or Small or Medium non-magical object. If you use a piece of an object you assume the form of an animated version of that object. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, blind, constrict, and hardness 2. If the form you assume does not possess the ability to move, your speed is reduced to 5 feet and you lose all other
forms of movement. Your gear melds with your body for the duration of this spell; if the form can wield a weapon then your weapons do not meld with your body.
Note: Hardness from this spell does not stack with Damage Reduction or energy resistance. If there is a situation where both apply, use the better value.
Small construct: If the form you take is that of a Small construct and a +2 natural armor bonus.
Medium construct: If the form you take is that of a Medium construct, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your Strength, and a +2 natural armor bonus.
Construct Body II
Description
This spell functions as construct body I except that it allows you to assume the form of a Tiny or Large creature of the construct type or Tiny or Large non-magical object. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, blind, constrict, hardness 5, and trample. If the form you assume does not possess the ability to move, your speed is reduced to 5 feet and you lose all other forms of movement. You are also immune to critical hits and sneak attacks while in construct shape. If the creature has vulnerability to one element, you gain that vulnerability.
Note: Hardness from this spell does not stack with Damage Reduction or energy resistance. If there is a situation where both apply, use the better value.
Tiny construct: If the form you take is that of a Tiny construct, you gain a +4 enhancement bonus to your Dexterity and a +2 natural armor bonus.
Large construct: If the form you take is that of a Large construct, you gain a +4 enhancement bonus to your Strength and a +4 natural armor bonus.
Construct Body III
Description
This spell functions as construct body II except that it allows you to assume the form of a Huge creature of the construct type or a huge non-magical object. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: blindsight 40 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, blind, constrict, hardness, and trample. If the form you assume does not possess the ability to move, your speed is reduced to 5 feet and you lose all other forms of movement. You are immune to critical hits and sneak attacks while in construct shape. Also while in construct shape, you don’t need to eat, breathe, or sleep. If the creature has vulnerability to one element, you gain that vulnerability.
Note: Hardness from this spell does not stack with Damage Reduction or energy resistance. If there is a situation where both apply, use the better value.
Huge construct: If the form you take is that of a Huge construct, you gain a +8 enhancement bonus to your Strength, a –2 penalty to your Dexterity, a +2 enhancement bonus to your Constitution, and a +6 natural armor bonus.
Construct Body IV
Description
This spell functions as construct body III except that it allows you to assume the form of a Gargantuan creature of the construct type or a gargantuan non-magical object. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: blindsight 40 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, blind, constrict, hardness, and trample. If the form you assume does not possess the ability to move, your speed is reduced to 5 feet and you lose all other forms of movement. You are immune to critical hits and sneak attacks while in construct shape. Also while in construct shape, you don’t need to eat, breathe, or sleep. If the creature has vulnerability to one element, you gain that vulnerability. If the creature has magic immunity or spell resistance, you gain spell resistance 12 + caster level.
Note: Hardness from this spell does not stack with Damage Reduction or energy resistance. If there is a situation where both apply, use the better value.
Gargantuan construct: If the form you take is that of a Gargantuan construct, you gain a +12 enhancement bonus to your Strength, a –4 penalty to your Dexterity, a +4 enhancement bonus to your Constitution, and a +9 natural armor bonus.
Vermin Form I
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume)
Effect
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 min/level (D)
Save none; see text
Description
When you cast this spell you can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the vermin type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities you gain the listed ability: climb 20 feet, darkvision 60 feet, and scent.
If the form you take had poison instead you gain one of the poisons below based on the ability score the poison damaged. If the damage is not represented on the list of poisons then this spell cannot replicate that poison. The DC of the poison uses the DC 10 + spell level + Constitution bonus. If it is not an injury poison reduce the DC by 2.
Strength Damage Poison
Effects
Frequency 1 round (2); Effect 1 Str damage; Cure 1 save
Dexterity Damage Poison
Effects
Frequency 1 round (2); Effect 1 Dex damage; Cure 1 save
Constitution Damage Poison
Effects
Frequency 1 round (1); Effect 1 Con damage; Cure 1 save
Vermin Form II
Description
This spell functions as vermin form I except that it allows you to assume the form of a Tiny or Large creature of the vermin type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities you gain the listed ability: climb 20 feet, darkvision 60 feet, scent, and acid sting.
In addition, when you cast this spell if you use any poisons from vermin form I, their limited frequency increased by 1.
Tiny vermin: If the form you take is that of a Tiny vermin, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your Dexterity and a +1 natural armor bonus.
Large vermin: If the form you take is that of a Large vermin, you gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your Strength and a +2 natural armor bonus.
Vermin Form III
Description
This spell functions as vermin form II except that it allows you to assume the form of a Huge creature of the vermin type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities you gain the listed ability: climb 20 feet, darkvision 60 feet, scent, acid sting, constrict (natural attack damage), improved grab, tremorsense 60 feet.
In addition, the following poisons are added to the list available:
Greater Strength Damage Poison
Effects
Frequency 1 round (4); Effect 1 Str damage; Cure 2 saves
Greater Dexterity Damage Poison
Effects
Frequency 1 round (4); Effect 1 Dex damage; Cure 2 saves
Greater Constitution Damage Poison
Effects
Frequency 1 round (3); Effect 1 Con damage; Cure 1 save
Huge vermin: If the form you take is that of a Huge animal, you gain a +4 enhancement bonus to your Strength, a –2 penalty to your Dexterity, and a +4 natural armor bonus.
Any advice or comments?
Is any of this content owned by Paizo? Is any of it OGL? As I recall, Dragon content was 100% owned by WotC.
Is any of this content owned by Paizo? Is any of it OGL? As I recall, Dragon content was 100% owned by WotC.
No. No. Most of it, I think there are things like the comics that might not be owned by WotC.
However I believe that doesn't stop it from being discussed on the forums even though it wont be in the PRPG books.
However I believe that doesn't stop it from being discussed on the forums even though it wont be in the PRPG books.The Alpha 3 forum is not quite the best place for that then.
Yeah, I wasn't sure where exactly to put it though. I just asked somewhere and went with the first suggestion I got.
Is there a better place to put this? I was either going to put it in the Dragon Compendium forum or the PRPG forum (the original materials or the system they are being converted too). Should I move my post to the General PRPG forum instead of the Alpha 3 section?