The following selection of houserules is designed to allow characters to have a more epic feel. The intent is to give characters more flexibility and less need to conserve their powers, but to not increase the the upper level of what they can do by much. The basic premise is that each class has three possible additions that either allow them to use their current powers more often or give them an additional set of powers. I'm interested in feedback and suggestions, both on the conceptual level and on ways to word things better.
Barbarian
*Berserker: Rage powers can be used outside of rage. Powers that have a limited number of uses per rage cause the Barbarian to become fatigued for ten minutes if used more than once in the same minute.
*Wildman: The Barbarian gains Track, Wild Empathy, Woodland Stride, Swift Tracker, Quarry, Camouflage, Hide in Plain Sight, and Improved Quarry as if he was a Ranger. These abilities are not limited by favored enemy requirements, and favored terrain requirements are treated as if the Barbarian had all terrain except Urban and Planes favored.
*Paragon: The Barbarian chooses one attribute - the modifier of that attribute is added to the Barbarian's AC, CMD, CMB, and all attack rolls and saves. In addition, whenever the Barbarian is affected by a spell with a duration longer than instantaneous that allows a save, he may continue to make a new save each round until the effect ends.
Bard
*Spellmaster: The Bard gains spells at the same rate as a Sorceror. He may choose spells from either the Bard list or the Sorceror list, using the Bard list if a spell appears on both.
*Duelist: The Bard gains the Canny Defense and Precise Strike abilities. He also gains the Parry ability at level 5, the Riposte ability at level 10, the No Retreat ability at level 12, and at 16th level he gains the Crippling Critical ability. His levels in Bard also count as levels of Fighter for the purpose of qualifying for feats.
*Soloist: The Bard can use his Bardic Music ability an unlimited number of rounds per day. The rounds per day he would normally have gotten may be expended to apply a second performance to one already in progress.
Cleric
*Heirophant: The Cleric can cast spells provided by class levels (but not those provided by a high Wisdom modifier, domains, or other effects) without expending them, in the same matter as Orisons, so long as they are at least two levels lower than the highest level of spell the Cleric can cast. If the spell is cast within one minute of a previous casting, it is expended as normal unless the Cleric makes a knowledge (religion) check at a DC of 20 + 5 per each casting within the last minute. The Cleric may not use these slots to prepare a spell that allows him to prepare additional spells or recall a spell that has been cast.
*Polytheist: The Cleric worships multiple deities, no two of which can be further than one alignment step apart. This gives the Cleric two additional domains and a second domain spell slot at each level.
*Theurge: The Cleric gains access to Arcane spells using the Medium Spellcasting progression detailed below. The Cleric's save DCs and bonus spells for his arcane progression are based on Intelligence, and he draws spells from the Wizard spell list. He prepares and learns new arcane spells in the same manner as a Wizard, including requiring a spellbook.
Druid
*Shifter: All Wild Shape abilities are gained two levels earlier. The Druid may also change into magical beast shapes when allowed by the spells Wild Shape mimics, and Wild Shape functions as beast shape IV at level 8. At level 14 it functions as form of the dragon I, and this increases to form of the dragon II and level 16 and form of the dragon III at level 18.
*Elder: The Druid can cast spells provided by class levels (but not those provided by a high Wisdom modifier, domains, or other effects) without expending them, in the same matter as Orisons, so long as they are at least two levels lower than the highest level of spell the Druid can cast. If the spell is cast within one minute of a previous casting, it is expended as normal unless the Druid makes a knowledge (nature) check at a DC of 20 + 5 per each casting within the last minute. The Druid may not use these slots to prepare a spell that allows him to prepare additional spells or recall a spell that has been cast.
*Theurge: The Druid gains access to Arcane spells using the Medium Spellcasting progression detailed below. The Druid's save DCs and bonus spells for his arcane progression are based on Intelligence, and he draws spells from the Wizard spell list. He prepares and learns new arcane spells in the same manner as a Wizard, including requiring a spellbook.
Fighter
*Paragon: The Fighter chooses one attribute - the modifier of that attribute is added to the Fighter's AC, CMD, CMB, and all attack rolls and saves. In addition, whenever the Fighter is affected by a spell with a duration longer than instantaneous that allows a save, he may continue to make a new save each round until the effect ends.
Combat Master: The Fighter gains two bonus combat feats instead of one at each even-numbered class level.
*Thug: The Fighter gains Sneak Attack +1d6 at first level, this ability improves by +1d6 at fifth level and every five levels after that. He may choose the following Rogue talents instead of Bonus Combat Feats: Bleeding Attack, Rogue Crawl, Slow Reactions, Stand Up, and Surprise Attack. At level 10, the list expands to include Crippling Strike, Opportunist, and the No Retreat class feature of the Duelist.
Monk
*Ki Master: The Monk regains one Ki point per minute.
*Ritualist: The Monk gains access to divine spellcasting using the same spell progression as a Ranger, plus 3 Orisons. The Monk's save DCs and bonus spells are based on Wisdom. The Monk prepares these spells through one hour of meditation, and has access to all spells on his spell list.
*Mentalist: The Monk gains access to arcane spellcasting using the same spell progression as a Ranger, plus 3 Cantrips. The Monk's save DCs and bonus spells are based on Intelligence. The Monk prepares these spells through one hour of meditation and has access to all spells on his spell list. The Monk's spells never have verbal or somatic components, as if they were affected by the Still Spell and Silent Spell feats.
Paladin
*Saint: The Paladin gains all available Mercies. At 15th level, his Mercy ability also functions as break enchantment, and at 18th level it functions as restoration.
*Crusader: The Paladin can activate his Smite Evil ability at will.
*Devout: The Paladin's spellcasting abilities improve to use the Medium Spellcasting progression detailed below, and his spell list expands.
Ranger
*Beastman: The Ranger gains the Wild Shape ability as if he was a Druid of the same level, but is limited to animal and plant forms. He also gains an additional feat option at each level of Combat Style, regardless of which path he chose: 2nd - Improved Unarmed Strike, 6th - Multiattack, 10th - Improved Grapple, 14th - Greater Grapple, 18th - Improved Natural Attack.
*Wanderer: The Ranger's Favored Enemy and Favored Terrain bonuses are each equal to the highest bonus he possesses in each. The Ranger also starts with an additional Favored Terrain and Favored Enemy at first level.
*Shaman: The Ranger's spellcasting abilities improve to use the Medium Spellcasting progression detailed below, and his spell list expands.
Rogue
*Trickster: The Rogue gains access to Arcane spells using the same spell progression as a Ranger, plus 3 Cantrips. His save DCs and bonus spells are based on Intelligence. All spells the Rogue casts this way require a minimum of one full round casting time and require verbal and somatic components. However, the Rogue may delay the final completion of the spell until a later time, at which point he can complete the spell as a free action with no verbal or somatic components. The Rogue may have only one spell held in this way at a time. The Rogue prepares his spells from a spellbook just like a Wizard. His spellbook begins all 0-level spells, and he may add one spell to it for free at each level.
*Duelist: The Rogue gains the Canny Defense and Precise Strike abilities. He also gains the Parry ability at level 5, the Riposte ability at level 10, the No Retreat ability at level 12, and at 16th level he gains the Crippling Critical ability. His levels in Rogue also count as levels of Fighter for the purpose of qualifying for feats. The Rogue may select Deflect Arrows (as the Duelist class ability) and Acrobatic Charge as rogue talents.
*Exemplar: The Rogue adds half his class level to all skills. This bonus does not stack with the +3 class skill bonus.
Sorceror
*Font of Power: The Sorceror regains one spell per day of each level every hour. Starting at level 15, for one minute per day the Sorceror may cast all his known spells at will.
*Battlecaster: The Sorceror gains medium BAB progression and his hit die increases to a d8. He also gains proficiency with all martial weapons and light and medium armor. He ignores up to 30% of the arcane spell failure chance from his armor. If he casts a spell with a range of touch and holds the charge, he may discharge the spell with any successful weapon attack, including ranged weapons.
*Bloodline Disciple: The Sorceror gains an additional 2 spells per day of every level, these can only be used to cast spells granted by his bloodline. Additionally, some of the abilities granted by his bloodline improve:
---Aberrant - Acidic Ray ray can be used at will, Long Limbs applies to all melee attacks and affects the Sorceror's threatened area.
---Abyssal - Claws have unlimited duration, Strength of the Abyss applies to Constitution in addition to Strength
---Arcane - The Sorceror gains the ability to prepare additional Arcane spells using the same spell progression as a Ranger and the same preparation rules as a Wizard, including the need for a spellbook. The save DC for these spells is still determined by Charisma, and the Sorceror does not gain bonus spell slots for having a high ability score.
---Celestial - Heavenly Fire can be used at will, Conviction becomes available at level 10 (level 15 grants an additional use per day)
---Destined - Touch of Destiny can be used at will, Fated applies constantly.
---Draconic - Claws have unlimited duration, the Sorceror gains +2 to an attribute every third level. This bonus goes to Strength at 3rd, Constitution at 6th, Intelligence at 9th, Charisma at 12th, Strength at 15th, and Dexterity at 18th.
---Elemental - Elemental Ray can be used at will, Elemental Burst can be used an additional time at 6th, 12th, and 15th levels.
---Fey - Laughing Touch can be used at will, Fleeting Glance is measured in minutes per level.
---Infernal - Corrupting Touch can be used at will, Hellfire can be used an additional time at 6th, 12th, and 15th levels.
---Undead - Grave Touch can be used at will, Incorporeal Form is available at 10th level and the duration can be divided up in increments of one round.
Wizard
*Archmage: The Wizard can cast spells provided by class levels (but not those provided by a high Intelligence modifier, specialization, or other effects) without expending them, in the same matter as cantrips, so long as they are at least two levels lower than the highest level of spell the Wizard can cast. If the spell is cast within one minute of a previous casting, it is expended as normal unless the Wizard makes a knowledge (arcana) check at a DC of 20 + 5 per each casting within the last minute. The Wizard may not use these slots to prepare a spell that allows him to prepare additional spells or recall a spell that has been cast.
*Specialty Scholar: The Wizard may sacrifice prepared spells to spontaneously cast spells from his chosen school of specialization (not available to Universalist Wizards). Additionally, when casting a spell of his chosen school the Wizard gains +2 to his caster level and increases the save DC by 2.
*Open Minded: The Wizard gains an additional two skill points per level and gains access to divine spells using the Medium Spellcasting progression detailed below. The Wizard's save DCs and bonus spells for his divine progression are based on Wisdom, and he may choose to use either the Druid or Cleric spell list. He prepares divine spells in the same way as the class whose spell list he chose. If he chose the Druid spell list, he may learn the Druidic language by spending a skill point on Linguistics.
Medium Spellcasting
Level 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
1---- 3 0
2---- 3 1
3---- 4 2
4---- 4 2 0
5---- 4 3 1
6---- 4 3 2
7---- 4 4 2 0
8---- 4 4 3 1
9---- 4 4 3 2
10--- 4 4 4 2 0
11--- 4 4 4 3 1
12--- 4 4 4 3 2
13--- 4 4 4 4 2 0
14--- 4 4 4 4 3 1
15--- 4 4 4 4 3 2
16--- 4 4 4 4 4 2 0
17--- 4 4 4 4 4 3 1
18--- 4 4 4 4 4 3 2
19--- 4 4 4 4 4 4 2
20--- 4 4 4 4 4 4 3
Spell Lists:
*Ritualist
0 Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Guidance, Light, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Resistance, Stabilize, Virtue
1 Bane, Bless, Bless Water, Cure Light Wounds, Curse Water, Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Doom, Endure Elements, Hide from Undead, Inflict Light Wounds, Magic Stone, Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good, Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith
2 Aid, Align Weapon, Augury, Calm Emotions, Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Death Knell, Delay Poison, Desecrate, Find Traps, Gentle Repose, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Make Whole, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy, Lesser Restoration, Status, Undetectable Alignment, Zone of Truth
3 Bestow Curse, Contagion, Continual Flame, Create Food and Water, Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Deeper Darkness, Dispel Magic, Glyph of Warding, Inflict Serious Wounds, Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good, Magic Vestment, Prayer, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Speak with Dead, Water Breathing, Water Walk
4 Animate Dead, Break Enchantment, Breath of Life, Death Ward, Dimensional Anchor, Dismissal, Divination, Holy Smite, Inflict Critical Wounds, Neutralize Poison, Order's Wrath, Lesser Planar Ally, Poison, Restoration, Sending, Unholy Blight, Atonement, Hallow, Unhallow, Mark of Justice, Scrying
*Mentalist
0 Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Prestidigitation.
1 Protection from Good/Evil/Chaos, Endure Elements, Shield, Grease, Obscuring Mist, Comprehend Languages, Identify, True Strike, Charm Person, Hypnotism, Sleep, Burning Hands, Shocking Grasp, Color Spray, Disguise Self, Magic Aura, Silent Image, Ventriloquism, Chill Touch, Ray of Enfeeblement, Animate Rope, Enlarge Person, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Reduce Person
2 Arcane Lock, Protection from Arrows, Resist Energy, Fog Cloud, Glitterdust, Detect Thoughts, See Invisibility, Hideous Laughter, Touch of Idiocy, Continual Flame, Darkness, Flaming Sphere, Gust of Wind, Shatter, Blur, Invisibility, Minor Image, Mirror Image, Ghoul Touch, Spectral Hand, Blindness/Deafness, Alter Self, Darkvision, Knock, Levitate, Make Whole, Pyrotechnics, Rope Trick, Spider Climb
3 Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Magic Circle against Good/Evil/Chaos, Nondetection, Protection from Energy, Sleet Storm, Stinking Cloud, Arcane Sight, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Tongues, Deep Slumber, Hold Person, Suggestion, Daylight, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Wind Wall, Displacement, Invisibility Sphere, Major Image, Gentle Repose, Vampiric Touch, Blink, Fly, Gaseous Form, Haste, Shrink Item, Slow, Water Breathing
4 Dimensional Anchor, Lesser Globe of Invulnerability, Remove Curse, Stoneskin, Black Tentacles, Dimension Door, Minor Creation, Secure Shelter, Solid Fog, Arcane Eye, Detect Scrying, Charm Monster, Confusion, Crushing Despair, Fire Shield, Ice Storm, Resilient Sphere, Shout, Wall of Fire, Wall of Ice, Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer, Rainbow Pattern, Bestow Curse, Enervation, Telekinesis
*Devout (In addition to the normal Paladin and Cleric spell lists)
6 Dictum, Holy Word
*Shaman (In addition to the normal Ranger and Druid spell lists)
6 Control Weather, Heal
*Trickster (In addition to the normal Wizard spell list)
1 Arcane Lock, Locate Object, Darkness, Invisibility, Phantom Trap, Knock, Rope Trick, Spider Climb
2 Dispel Magic, Explosive Runes, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Deep Slumber, Keen Edge, Shrink Item
3 Remove Curse, Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
4 Break Enchantment, Secret Chest, Symbol of Sleep, Seeming, Fabricate, Telekinesis
Notes:
-This is not a final product. I'm still tweaking things, but before I fine-tune I'd like feedback on the larger idea.
-I already know the bloodline disciple ability for the Sorcerer needs work, but I was running out of ideas and I didn't want to hold up feedback on the entire project.
-These are not intended for use with multiclassing or prestige classes.
-In CR terms, I'm aiming for something in about the 2-3 level, with the idea that characters using these rules could theoretically play alongside Vampires and similar creatures who used the normal rules.
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Really, I'd love to play in that game, but there are a number of problems I'm seeing. Namely regarding spellcasters.
Now, I realize that improving upon spellcaster's abilities is difficult, but right now I can't see a reason not to play one. Bards get all the Duelist abilities, Wizards, Druids, and Clerics get even more insane spellcasting, and Sorcerers get such huge buffs I can see them edging out classes like Rogue and Barbarian.
Now, don't get me wrong. You're houseruling something, and I think that, as far as houseruled power-ups are concerned, you did a decent job. But know that increasing power like that often doesn't truly balance out the way you'd think. My 15 point-buy party I'm DM'ing for regularly takes out enemies that are 2-3 CR's higher than they are. I would imagine a group with your changes could take out enemies of 3-4 higher on an average day.
The biggest problem is HP. You're looking at a group that has increased power, going against higher level monsters and other baddies, with the same hit points (except Sorcerer, which would get bumped up to a d8 under your rules).
Personally, if you're looking for a way to increase party capabilities that has a fairly reasonable power curve, I recommend using the Gestalt variant from Unearthed Arcana. Essentially, it allows the characters to gain all of the powers of 2 classes simultaneously, but you only gain the better of the two classes abilities. For example, a Fighter/Wizard gestalt gets:
Full BAB
Wizard Spellcasting Progression
Fighter AND Wizard bonus feats
Familiar
Good Fort. AND Will saves
d10 HD
Despite the obvious power level of the various combos you can make, the limit of actions per round cuts down the power rating of these combos quite a bit. Additionally, the rule allows for progression in only 1 prestige class at a time to help balance it out a bit.
But, with all that being said, I really like your changes, too. I just feel that it REALLY tips the scale towards casters; even more so than it already is.
Question: you do realize that the intent is for each class to take only one of the three options, right? Some of your wording implies otherwise.
Gestalt rules are nice, but they don't get at one of the chief things I'm trying to avoid with these rules, which is the number of abilities that are limited by per day uses. Since spellcasters are almost entirely composed of abilities with a limited number of uses, these rules do favor them a bit. And I'm okay with favoring them some, because high-fantasy games should have a lot more magic. I just don't want to do it to the extent that other classes become unimportant. What kinds of things need to be added to the non-spellcasting options to make them better?
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Ah, I missed the part about picking one of the abilities. That being said...
Some of the abilities have considerably more face value than others. Taking the limit of special "High Fantasy" abilities, I'd actually say that Sorcerer is probably now the most balanced class, which also allows for a nice Eldritch Knight feel to it.
Abilities such as those that allow you to place any other ability score to AC instead of Dexterity. For example, I would ALWAYS choose Paragon for my Barbarian, because I could just pump strength into the stratosphere. Now, I realize that's what you're trying to accomplish, but the other choices need to be a bit more "seductive".
Abilities I would take another look at:
Theurge and Open-minded: These are TOO good. I can't see a reason not to take them, especially compared to specialty scholar.
Remove Sorcerer spellcasting from Bard and add Exemplar.
I'll get back to you with more.
*Also, Cleric has some hard choices. Nice job.
I really like the ideas you're working with here. That would be a truly epic game to play in. I don't have the time to really consider all the balance issues right now, but the only thing that jumps out at me upon first reading is that the Hierophant, Elder, and Archmage abilities really seem to step on the Sorcerer's toes. The Sorcerer's defining ability is the ability to cast more spells than the other guys, but those abilities give the Cleric, Druid, and Wizard effectively unlimited casting (and once they get 9th level spells, that means unlimited 7th level spells). Granted, they can't spam all their spells at once, but even the Font of Power ability doesn't seem to make up for the difference.
It might play out better than I think it will, but it just doesn't look right to me.
Otherwise, I'm loving the heck out of a lot of the other options, especially for the Bard and Ranger!
@Davor - It's interesting the you pick out Theurge and Open-Minded as to powerful, as those were the abilities I was most worried about not being powerful enough. Sorcerer spellcasting isn't getting removed from the Bard, but I'll strongly consider adding Exemplar.
@wynterknight - I think you may be right. What I had hoped would be the balancing factor is that Sorcerers would get more spells and higher level spells, but that seems to not be the case. Font of Power Sorcerers also have the advantage of being able to "nova" better, dropping all of their spells at once if necessary, while the others have to ration their spells more carefully or risk expending them.
More frequent spellcasting is the core concept of this whole project, so I don't want to cripple it too much. What I'm thinking of doing now is dropping the Knowledge check to retain a spell if it was cast in the last minute, and limiting it to only 6th level and lower spells.
As a separate option, I'm considering splitting the project in two - make all prepared spellcasters gain a version of the Archmage/Elder/Hierophant ability, all spontaneous spellcasters get Font of Power, and give some kind of bonus to the non-spellcasters. Then include the remaining class additions as an entirely separate project.