EDIT: What about multiple animal companions? total CR no more than half?
Maybe do it by EL: 2 at CR -2, 4 at CR -4, etc.
EDIT: What about multiple animal companions? total CR no more than half?Maybe do it by EL: 2 at CR -2, 4 at CR -4, etc.
Yeah that makes it so having multiple animal companions isn't necessarily a bad choice.
Feats review through page 36
Note: Don’t forget to update the page numbers after you edit your feats, the current sections do not match the page numbers you list.
Note: Some of your combat feats are included in other sections (arcane, general etc.), is that intentional since you seem to infer that they should all fall under the combat feat section.
Note: I would suggest just removing all the racial feats and seeing if you can roll them all into the races section.
Page 1 Reword the first section to “sorcerer bloodline, it is usually not required. However, it is generally possible to have”. Under the benefit of the aberration blood line, possibly reword to “You have two physical abnormalities that grant you two racial bonuses.” Question on aberration blood, it would make more sense to restrict it to a 1st level feat, possibly reword it to “You may only gain this feat at 1st level with one exception; you may select this feat more than once.”
Page 2 Starspawn aberration needs (HERITAGE) added. Would you want to reword ability focus to “Choose an exceptional, spell-like, or supernatural ability you possess, whether through a feat, class, or racial feature.” Under careful speaker change the reference to “intimidate” to “browbeat”.
Page 3 Would you want to change the name of practiced companion to practiced bond, it applies to both animal companions and familiars; instead of druid level do you want to say druid or wizard level, or possible bonding character class level; finally under source companion is misspelled. Do you want the eldritch claws title name to be more general (inferring that a natural weapon other than claws can be enhanced)? I would suggest a rewording of the additional favored terrain feat to “a +2 bonus, and, you can increase the bonus of any one existing favored terrain (including the new”. For Fey blood I think it makes sense restricting it to a 1st level feat, also possibly rewording to “At least one of your ancestors was a fey, there are traces of that blood in you.” “color rarely or never seen among your race” “You can extinguish very small fires (a small candle flame at most) with a word, from a distance of up to 15 feet.”
Page 5 Under intimidating prowess change “intimidate” to “browbeat”.
Page 6 Under leadership reword to “attract loyal companions, devoted followers, and subordinates who assist you.”. I would reword mind over body to “Benefit: You heal ability damage more quickly than normal. You heal each damaged ability score a number of ability points per day equal to 1 + your Constitution bonus. Normal: You heal ability damage at a rate of 1 point per ability damaged per day” to be in line with the current pathfinder rules.
Page 7 Under oath, delete “by cavaliers” in the 3rd paragraph; reword to “Oath of Justice: You swear to bring a specific individual or creature to justice, be it through capturing the individual or slaying him. “; reword to “Oath of Protection: You vow to protect one individual and keep him from harm. When you make this oath, you nominate one creature. If that creature does not take any lethal or nonlethal damage from melee or ranged attacks, for 24 hours, your target receive a +1 morale bonus to his AC whenever you are adjacent to the target of this oath.”; under oath of loyalty change selects to select.
Page 9 Is Power over shadow a heritage feat? Also should the acclimatization bonus with poison immunity scale with level?
Page 10 Racial heritage seems kind of weak as a feat, also shared insight would be better if it was rolled under the races section for half-elf.
Page 11 Is the feat skilled worth it as a feat? Courtesan should be changed to perform “(any)”.
Page 12 I would likely roll steel soul and stone faced into the dwarven section in the races document.
Page 14 Do you really need the note about metamagic feats in this section and the metamagic feat section? I would likely roll Animated weapon, bonded item attunement, and summon item into the standard bonded item for wizard, as the wizard’s level increases the wizard gains these feats for free. In fact I am tempted to add staff fighting (so something similar) in that progression also.
Page 16 Under improved counter spell archmage is misspelled. Under arcane disciple change “who” to “that”. Under the energy shield example, for alphabetical purposes swap acid with fire.
Page 17 Under piercing evocation swap electricity with fire for alphabetical purposes.
Page 18 Change obtain familiar prereq to knowledge (lore); also change “cakes” to “requires”. Under Imbue missile swap bullet for sling stone for alphabetical purposes and the spellstrike feat should be one word.
Page 19 Under Kin mastery do you want to change to wording to something like “as a cleric with the turn undead feat” and do you really want it to be ½ your level rather than your full sorcerer level?
Page 20 Should the natural spell be under the divine feats section?
Page 21 Greater spell focus gains you a “competence” bonus. Spell penetration is out of alphabetical order.
Page 23 I would likely list arcane talent and warped mind under general feats rather than arcane feats. Reading teleport sense makes me think that an upgrade for the rogue’s breach sense ability is in order, breach sense works on summoned creatures also though so maybe it is okay, but I like the bonus to initiative that teleport sense gives you and the combat reflexes bonus would be nice for a rogue with breach sense to gain.
Page 25 Does touching with a channel spell provoke an attack of opportunity.
Page 26 Under deafening spell drow of the underdark should be in italics. Under entangling spell delete the word minimum.
Page 27 Under irresistible evocation you forgot the word “uses”. Under the numbing cold evocation did you want to allow a save for the dex penalty?
Page 28 Under searing evocation a suggested change to the wording is “affected creatures with immunity to fire still take half damage (a quarter damage on a successful save). Creatures with the [fire] subtype can tell the spell is hotter than normal but take no damage.”
Page 29 Does fell weaken cause the Str penalty even on a successful save?
Page 33 Under shape spell for alphabetical purposes line and ray are out of order.
Page 35 Under the Thanatopic spell, change Knowledge (religion) to Knowledge (The planes).
Page 36 Under widen spell add “be” before widened.
Looks like I lost a previous post, fortunately I keep everything saved for a bit.
I am looking over how pathfinder changed ability damage right now. Seems like ability damage no longer actually reduces the ability score (except for Con), characters just gain a penalty. Ability drain is required to actually lower the score now. One could make a failed save inflict ability drain and a successful save inflict half that number in ability damage and it may work out. Of course, the problem with drain affects is that you need to recalculate the entire character sheet after it happens (do you still qualify for feats, redo your saves, did encumbrance change your move, attack bonuses, bonus spells, maximum spells you can cast, a bunch of skills, etc.) Making the drain like poison could just increase the math each round and may slow down play.
Kirth I was going to ask you how you feel about a few 4E mechanics I actually liked (though they are few and far between):
1 Passive Perception (also a star wars saga thing)
2 Multiple attribute saves (actually liked this aspect of 4e as it made it so you could imagine your character reacting differently than other characters but still saving)
Kirth I was going to ask you how you feel about a few 4E mechanics I actually liked (though they are few and far between):
1 Passive Perception (also a star wars saga thing)
2 Multiple attribute saves (actually liked this aspect of 4e as it made it so you could imagine your character reacting differently than other characters but still saving)
1. I don't know what this is -- I own neither 4e nor SAGA.
2. This keeps coming up and I keep saying no, for the following reasons:
your passive perception is like basically when you are conctantly taking ten for perception because you are passively aware but you can choose to become actively aware though (thus getting to roll)
your passive perception is like basically when you are conctantly taking ten for perception because you are passively aware but you can choose to become actively aware though (thus getting to roll)
That actually sounds like a very good idea. It sets a static DC to sneak up on the party, rather than artificially alerting the players to trouble by saying "Hey! Roll Perception, will you?"
your passive perception is like basically when you are conctantly taking ten for perception because you are passively aware but you can choose to become actively aware though (thus getting to roll)That actually sounds like a very good idea. It sets a static DC to sneak up on the party, rather than artificially alerting the players to trouble by saying "Hey! Roll Perception, will you?"
yeah it also eliminates the having to make players roll perception checks all the time for stuff so that when you want them to roll to see if they find the secret door ahead it doesn't look suspicious.
suprised you have never played saga kirth. It is actually one of the best systems I have played, the only thing I would say is Jedi were better than everyone else in it. But I mean come on. Your a jedi lol.
I am not sure what else was a part of saga but it is out of print and I dont have the book anymore otherwise I would bring up the main points.
One big one was this:
Action points AND Destiny points.
where an action point was minor and small and a destiny point was something impossible and incredible (they use luke blowing up the death star as a destiny point example)
I actually do this at my table as opposed to hero points. The destiny point stuff I have seen is so much fun because they literally are not afraid to ask for anything (though I do keep it within reason).
suprised you have never played saga kirth.
I'm not that much of a Star Wars geek. I even liked "Episode II" (I admit this knowing full well that I risk alienating everyone on the thread by doing so).
suprised you have never played saga kirth.I'm not that much of a Star Wars geek. I even liked "Episode II" (I admit this knowing full well that I risk alienating everyone on the thread by doing so).
O.o
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Feats review through page 36
1. Note: I would suggest just removing all the racial feats and seeing if you can roll them all into the races section.
2. Would you want to change the name of practiced companion to practiced bond
3. I would reword mind over body to “Benefit: You heal ability damage more quickly than normal. You heal each damaged ability score a number of ability points per day equal to 1 + your Constitution bonus. Normal: You heal ability damage at a rate of 1 point per ability damaged per day” to be in line with the current pathfinder rules.
1. Already done -- received much the same suggestion from others upthread, and it was a very good one.
2. Yes! Thanks.
3. I've rolled Mind over Body and the faster ability score recovery feat into Fast Recovery (see under EGG of Coot avatar).
More later, when I get a chance to go over them. BTW, the sorcerer corrections are done -- thanks again.
suprised you have never played saga kirth.I'm not that much of a Star Wars geek. I even liked "Episode II" (I admit this knowing full well that I risk alienating everyone on the thread by doing so).
I am just going to pretend you never said that, I like your houserules that much.
what about combining the blind sense ability the monk, ranger, and rogue can select. Monks currently need an advanced sutra to gain blind sight while rangers and rogues at higher levels get it for free (just change it so blind sense replaces blind sight as an advanced sutra for the monk). I would use the rogue's wording under blind sense for all 3.
Actually, I'm thinking of just axing those sutras entirely, since the Blind-Fight feat now scales to provide much the same benefit:
BLIND-FIGHT (COMBAT)Prerequisite: Perception 1 rank.
Benefit: In melee, every time you miss because of concealment, you can reroll your miss chance percentile roll one time to see if you actually hit.
An invisible attacker gets no advantages related to hitting you in melee. That is, you don’t lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, and the attacker doesn’t get the usual +2 bonus for being invisible. The invisible attacker’s bonuses do still apply for ranged attacks, however.
You do not need to make Acrobatics skill checks to move at full speed while blinded.
Special: The Blind-Fight feat is of no use against a character who is the subject of a blink spell.
Normal: Regular attack roll modifiers for invisible attackers trying to hit you apply, and you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC. The speed reduction for darkness and poor visibility also applies.
Source: This feat now subsumes the Improved Blind Fight and Greater Blind Fight feats, from the Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
For the eagle eyes feat, would you want to have it subsumed by the hawkeye fighter talent and the various keen sense talents of some of the other classes.
Finally, you could probably remove the druid feat practiced bond since they should be able to take the practiced companion feat.
Agreed on both counts.
Page 9 Is Power over Shadow a heritage feat?
Yes. And I also notice I left out the following text after the Shadow Walking skill table:
Action: Changing currency or altering probabilities is a full-round action. Moving throughout the planes, or finding items or creatures among them, requires a number of hours equal to the DC of the task.
Source: This feat and skill are adapted from Roger Zelazny’s “Amber” novels.
Also should the acclimatization bonus with poison immunity scale with level?
Rolled into Craft (Toxicology) instead. In general, I'd rather strengthen skills than proliferate feats, so please be on the lookout for other examples where I can do that!
Page 11 Is the feat skilled worth it as a feat?
No, it's really not. I recommend the following:
RACIAL HERITAGE (HERITAGE)Benefit: Choose another humanoid race. You count as both your actual race and the chosen race for any effects related to race. For example, if you choose dwarf, you are considered both a human and a dwarf for the purpose of taking traits, feats, how spells and magic items affect you, and so on.
You also gain any one of the racial abilities granted to members of that race (high elf’s elven immunities, human’s extra skill points, mountain dwarf’s favored terrain, etc.).
Source: Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
I would likely roll Animated weapon, bonded item attunement, and summon item into the standard bonded item for wizard, as the wizard’s level increases the wizard gains these feats for free. In fact I am tempted to add staff fighting (so something similar) in that progression also.
Yes! Nice one. Here's what I have so far:
BONDED ITEM
TABLE B-1: BONDED ITEM ABILITIES
Minimum Class Level ... Abilities
1st ... Arcane focus, recall spell
2nd ... Attunement
6th ... Specialist implement
10th ... Summon item
14th ... Specialist implement, improved
18th ... Swift summoning
Arcane Focus (Ex): While using your bonded object, the object acts as an arcane focus component for your spells, eliminating the need for material components costing less than 5 gp. If attempt to cast a spell without your bonded object worn or in hand, you must use the normal material components, and must succeed at a concentration check (1d20 + your wizard caster level + your Intelligence modifier) or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 15 + (2 x the spell's level). A bonded weapon automatically has the somatic property, allowing you to perform somatic spell components with the hand holding the item.
Recall Spell (Sp): A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that you have in your spellbook and are capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by you, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the wizard's level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities. The bonded object cannot be used to cast spells from your opposition schools (see Arcane School).
Attunement (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, you are always aware of the approximate distance and relative direction of your bonded item. This ability supersedes the Reliquarian’s “attunement” prestige class feature, from Relics & Rituals: Excalibur (Sword & Sorcery Studios).
Arcane Implement (Su): Starting at 6th level, you gain one of three abilities dependent upon the type of bonded item you possess and possibly upon your specialist school (if applicable).
Summon Item (Sp): Starting at 10th level, you can summon your bonded item to appear immediately in your hand as a standard action. The weapon can be up to 10 miles per class level away, although if it is in someone else's possession or in a locked room, you must make a concentration check (DC 25) to summon it. This ability supersedes the Mage Blade class feature of the same name, from Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved (Malhavoc Press).
Arcane Implement, Improved (Su): At 14th level, the arcane implement ability gained at 6th level improves.
Swift Summoning (Sp): Starting at 18th level, you can use your summon item ability as a free action once per round.
SPECIALIST IMPLEMENTS
This option appeared as “Focus Caster” in Dragon magazine, issue 348. Specific powers depend on your specialist school, as follows.
Kirth is there mechanics for the following:
tanking - as in drawing agro (as a wow player at my table referred to it). Personally I hate the idea but a player wants what a player wants so I was wondering if this system had mechanics built in for that.
Wild Mage - is there a wild mage type wizard and sorceror? just curious I looked and couldn't find one and they were one of my favorite things to play back in the day.
Kirth is there mechanics for the following:
1. tanking - as in drawing agro (as a wow player at my table referred to it). Personally I hate the idea but a player wants what a player wants so I was wondering if this system had mechanics built in for that.2. Wild Mage - is there a wild mage type wizard and sorceror? just curious I looked and couldn't find one and they were one of my favorite things to play back in the day.
1. You don't use Jedi mind control to force them to attack you. Instead, use the threat zone talent and/or preemptive movement and the check maneuver (if you have Improved Forcing Maneuvers, you can deal damage and stop movement with the same attack of opportunity). After that, there are enough feats preventing movement through your threatened area (check out the Vigilant Defender stance especially).
2. Yes -- see Wizards, under Esoteric Branches. The Wild Mage is there.
2. Yes -- see Wizards, under Esoteric Branches. The Wild Mage is there.
*face palm* sorry kirth guess I didnt read well
I know you said earlier your group had no interest in the alchemist, but a way to incoporate bombs would be through your weapon proficiencies. I really like what you did with them and plan to incorporate thrown alchemy items into it.
The rationale is alchemist's fire/frost/shock lose some umph after a few levels and while giving full alchemist bomb scale damage may be a little much, scaling it up with proficiency would give the effect.
I'm thinking of doing the same with smokesticks for cloud bombs and thunderstones for sonic and force. Maybe even add a 'mixing' feat as well.
I don't think there is a need for mutagens, but I thought I'd throw this idea for bombs out there for consideration.
I don't think there is a need for mutagens, but I thought I'd throw this idea for bombs out there for consideration.
I haven't even read the alchemist, to be honest. I'll have to take a look at it one of thses days.
I don't think there is a need for mutagens, but I thought I'd throw this idea for bombs out there for consideration.I haven't even read the alchemist, to be honest. I'll have to take a look at it one of thses days.
I have to say kirth it is one of my favorite classes.
you might like it. Its just very unique. The summoner I was always very "meh" on but the alchemist was something I played several times after I got the APG
Honestly it might be able to be bundled into another class (as I think some of the complications with it could go) such as wizard.
If you really ran with it, it could easily be its own class. Basically like an items/tech/magic guy.
Kirth I was tossing around something in my head today in my illness.
How do you feel about sneak attack?
Maybe its just me but I was mulling it over today and other than the traditional thief in first edition (Backstab if you remember) it doesn't rear its head so much in literature and common movies.
Honestly, I do not like the idea that a rogue Mechanically (unless going another route to ascertain such benefits) must attack a flatfooted foe. It also to me does not seem to make sense how (despite intelligence or knowledge of anatomy at all) you can hit "where it hurts" better just because you are a Rogue class.
Perhaps I am just fussing with myself but I just have seen the sneaky caniving backstabber as more of a side note instead of a main class feature. With that said I dont know if there should be a choice at first level between two paths of sneak attack.
In a nutshell I like the bonus damage that happens only rarely, but I think the occurence of that damage is based merely on the first edition stuff carrying over when it doesn't seem to mechanically make sense (after all trapfinding didn't make sense just for Rogues but they were the only ones that got it).
Just curious for your thoughts on the matter.
Perhaps I am just fussing with myself but I just have seen the sneaky conniving backstabber as more of a side note instead of a main class feature. With that said I don't know if there should be a choice at first level between two paths of sneak attack.
If you can think of another selling point, I'm all for it, but I don't see the rogue as a thief anyway (a wizard or sorcerer is a LOT better at defeating traps and getting into vaults). Imagine the rogue in the rile of a "striker" rather than as a "skill monkey" and it falls into place. Take away sneak attack, or even gimp it, and the rogue fails to come close to living up to the other classes. It does NOT need to be gimped, in my opinion.
To play the type of character you're imagining, in these houserules it's actually better to be a multiclass rogue/wizard or rogue/sorcerer with the Arcane Trickster talent.
I found Crusader of Logic's houserules, if anyone wants to read them.
Thanks for the link. He has some of the same types of fixes we do, although he spends most of his time debugging spells I've never heard of (power word: maladroit ?). It's also clear that rather than incorporate the ToB stuff into the core classes, in practice he just uses ToB classes and deep-sixes the core martials as just not worth the time to fix (which isn't a bad solution, just different).
Perhaps I am just fussing with myself but I just have seen the sneaky conniving backstabber as more of a side note instead of a main class feature. With that said I don't know if there should be a choice at first level between two paths of sneak attack.If you can think of another selling point, I'm all for it, but I don't see the rogue as a thief anyway (a wizard or sorcerer is a LOT better at defeating traps and getting into vaults). Imagine the rogue in the rile of a "striker" rather than as a "skill monkey" and it falls into place. Take away sneak attack, or even gimp it, and the rogue fails to come close to living up to the other classes. It does NOT need to be gimped, in my opinion.
To play the type of character you're imagining, in these houserules it's actually better to be a multiclass rogue/wizard or rogue/sorcerer with the Arcane Trickster talent.
haha
purhaps the name is all that bugs me. I digress. I will think on the matter.
Feats review pages 37 – 72
Page 37 Under aquatic breath is it a supernatural “ability”? Under daunting vision change “intimidate” to “browbeat”.
Page 38 Did you want to rename gloom strike? To make it alphabetical under hexblade’s curse change to “The target takes a penalty on ability checks, attacks, saves, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls”.
Page 39 Does sickening grasp provoke an attack of opportunity?
Page 40 Under Wind guided arrows change the end sentence to “This feat works only on thrown or projectile weapons; it can't affect energy attacks, powers, spells, or the like.” To put it in alphabetical order.
Page 42 Bane of the clockwork as written seems very narrow, do you want to merge it into class features or possibly also include undead being affected by the feat. Would you like to merge shadow attack into blind-fight, I think it would make more sense. I agree that black doubt seems a little narrow.
Page 43 Careful attack seems narrow, can it be merged with something else. I am also not sure banzai charge is worth a feat, did you want to merge it into power attack?
Page 44 I would lean towards subsuming combat advantage into the Knowledge (warfare) skill. Under epic combat reflexes I would add the clause “unless you have the improved combat reflexes feat” after “you still cannot make more than one attack of opportunity for a given opportunity.”
Page 45 Under critical dodge change the wording to “You must be aware of the attack and not (be) flat-footed, and you must declare the attempt before damage is rolled.”
Page 46 Under improved forcing maneuvers the improvements are not in alphabetical order.
Page 47 Under greater forcing maneuvers delete the “If you have the improved weapons maneuver feat” on the forced disarm section. Also the improvements under this section are not in alphabetical order.
Page 48 Under giant slayer change the wording to “If your base attack bonus is +11 or higher, you have at least 11 ranks in Acrobatics, and you successfully use the Acrobatics skill you can enter the space of a creature at least one size larger”. I am not a fan of the increased vigor feats as written, but then I do not know if they are a free, full round, immediate, standard, or move action to activate. Also as written I think the max for increased vigor would be 40, but I would not mind 48 being the max either. I would propose to make them free actions whenever your hit points drop to 10 or below and are not dead, another possibility would be to lower the hit point gain to a d6 if you want to make them per encounter abilities. I agree with merging improved initiative and superior improved initiative. I would merge inspiration victory in with lead the charge to make the resulting feat a little better and less situational.
Page 49 Under mounted combat change the two references of ride check to handle animal check; reword the first bullet point to something like “When calculating the CMB for these maneuvers, use the mount’s size modifier and apply your base attack bonus and your mount’s or your Strength bonus, whichever is higher.”; removed the reference to improved weapon maneuvers under the third bullet point; does the spring attack feat also apply to the mounted combat feat. Finally I wonder if you would like to add an option under mounted combat or spirited charge to give something like the whirlwind attack feat to mounted characters.
Page 50 Under the no retreat feat do you want to change the wording to “This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity from the creature you are following.” Also the extra choices under spirited charge are not in alphabetical order
Page 51 I would merge the canny opportunist into combat reflexes (you already have done some merging by allow you to make attacks of opportunity while flat footed under combat reflexes).
Page 55 Under the example for student of war some references need to be changed; change knowledge devotion to student of war, change two instances of knowledge religion to knowledge the planes, change possess to possesses.
Page 56 Under baffling defense remove the reference to provoking an attack of opportunity unless you have the improved tricky maneuvers feat. For improved and greater tricky defense the improvements are not in alphabetical order.
Page 57 In the 1st bullet point under whirlwind attack you have two periods at the end.
Page 58 Inquisitors and rangers also get medium armor proficiency for free.
Page 59 Impact reduction and shield mastery could likely be merged.
Page 60 Under Shield proficiency favored souls and inquisitors also gain it for free.
Page 61 Under exotic shield proficiency change ride checks to “handle animal checks while riding”. Do you want to delete the shield specialization feat?
Page 62 Under axe fighting and attack with opposition the weapons listed are not in alphabetical order. Under catch off guard should the thrown weapon attack bonus scale?
Page 63 With the new weapon finesse feat allowing Dex bonuses for damage do you want to remove the combat insight feat?
Page 65 Under Hamatulatsu change the “intimidate” to a “bluff” check. Under polearm parry you could say “When an opponent threatened by you makes a melee attack against an ally or you,” so you could delete the last sentence.
Page 66 Do you want to incorporate the spear fighter feat into more spear’s exotic weapon proficiencies. Does stunning finger provoke an attack of opportunity and does it still deal normal attack damage? I would reword a couple parts of stunning fist to “(DC 10 + half your base attack bonus + your Wisdom modifier). In addition to dealing damage normally, a defender who” and “Creatures immune to critical hits, constructs, incorporeal creatures, oozes, plants, and undead, cannot be stunned.”
Page 68 I would recommend to merge versatile unarmed combat into exotic weapon proficiency unarmed combat; if you do this you will need to remove the reference to it being a prereq under the Hamatulatsu feat.
Page 70, The greater weapon maneuvers improvements are not in alphabetical order; I would reword the section under Halbschwert: to “a foe grappling you without”.
Page 71 Do you still want martial weapon proficiency to reference rune blades? Weapon reach seems weak, I would likely incorporate it under some of the exotic weapon proficiencies.
Page 72 Greater wrestling maneuver’s improvements are not in alphabetical order; I would reword: maintain grapple to “checks to damage the opponent, move, and/or pin, as if”, great unbalance to “and cannot make attacks of opportunity even if a feat would allow him to do so.”, reword great throw’s first paragraph to “but the opponent lands in any square you threaten of your choice. On landing, the opponent takes damage as if you had successfully hit him with an unarmed” and 3rd paragraph to “additional 5 ft. to the maximum distance he or she is thrown and you know longer need to threaten that square.”; finally under the normal section reword to “Maintaining a grapple, or grappling to damage an opponent, move, or pin is a standard action.” To put it in alphabetical order.
After looking over the strike feats I was wondering if you would want to just change most of the rogue's ambush talents to allowing them to gain strike feats instead. If you do this I would also give rogues the ability to qualify for and gain the advancement bonuses of these feats as if their rogue level counted for the required BAB.
1. I am also not sure banzai charge is worth a feat, did you want to merge it into power attack?
2. I would merge the canny opportunist into combat reflexes (you already have done some merging by allow you to make attacks of opportunity while flat footed under combat reflexes).
1. Look at it in conjunction with the Skirmish feat and I think you'll see the value.
2. Yes; I agree. In fact, Epic Combat Reflexes would logically be part of the scaling as well, to yield a feat that looks something like this:
COMBAT REFLEXES (COMBAT)
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity equal to your Dexterity bonus or your normal number of iterative attacks from your base attack bonus, whichever is higher. With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.
Special: The Combat Reflexes feat does not allow a rogue to use his opportunist ability more than once per round, nor does it allow more than one counterattack using the Riposte fighter talent.
Normal: A character without this feat can make only one attack of opportunity per round and can’t make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.
Source: This feat also subsumes the Epic Combat Reflexes feat from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document (“Epic Feats”), and the Canny Opportunist feat from Dragon magazine, issue 340.
1. Did you want to rename gloom strike?
2. Would you like to merge shadow attack into blind-fight, I think it would make more sense.
1. Yes; "Gloom Attack" might be more fitting. And maybe it should go in with the rogue's ambush talents instead?
2. Done; Shadow Attack is now the BAB +6 improvement to Blind-Fight.
Wizard's arcane bond (object) has been reworked as follows. The benefits scale with levels (1st, 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th), and the functions differ depending on whether your object is an amulet/ring, a staff, a wand, or a weapon. The new Appendix B for wizards looks like this:
APPENDIX B: BONDED OBJECTS
Enhancing Bonded Items: You can add additional magic abilities to your bonded object as if you had the Imbue Item feat and appropriate Craft skill, if you meet the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a wizard with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see the Imbue Item feat). If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new wand. The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the wizard who owns it. If a bonded object's owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.
Damaged Items: A bonded object has a minimum hardness of 5 + half your class level, and has 25 hp + 2 per class level you possess.
If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time you prepare your spells. If the object of an arcane bond is destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enhancements of the previous bonded item.
You can designate an existing magic item as your bonded item. This functions in the same way as replacing a destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item.
BONDED ITEM ABILITIES
TABLE B-1: BONDED ITEM ABILITIES
Level ... Abilities
1st ... Arcane focus, arcane implement
2nd ... Attunement
6th ... Arcane implement, improved
10th ... Summon item
14th ... Arcane implement, greater
18th ... Swift summoning
Arcane Focus (Ex): While using your bonded object, the object acts as an arcane focus component for your spells, eliminating the need for material components costing less than 5 gp. If attempt to cast a spell without your bonded object worn or in hand, you must use the normal material components, and must succeed at a concentration check (1d20 + your wizard caster level + your Intelligence modifier) or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 15 + (2 x the spell's level). A bonded weapon automatically has the somatic property, allowing you to perform somatic spell components with the hand holding the item.
Arcane Implement: Your bonded object gains a special ability based upon its type (amulet or ring, staff, wand, or weapon; see specific bonded item descriptions below).
Attunement (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, you are always aware of the approximate distance and relative direction of your bonded item. This ability supersedes the Reliquarian’s “attunement” prestige class feature, from Relics & Rituals: Excalibur (Sword & Sorcery Studios).
Arcane Implement, Improved: Starting at 6th level, your bonded item gains an additional ability dependent upon its type (see below).
Summon Item (Sp): Starting at 10th level, you can summon your bonded item to appear immediately in your hand as a standard action. The weapon can be up to 10 miles per class level away, although if it is in someone else's possession or in a locked room, you must make a concentration check (DC 25) to summon it. This ability supersedes the Mage Blade class feature of the same name, from Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved (Malhavoc Press).
Arcane Implement, Greater: At 14th level, the improved arcane implement ability gained at 6th level improves again.
Swift Summoning (Sp): Starting at 18th level, you can use your summon item ability as a free action once per round.
AMULET OR RING
Recall Spell (Sp): Starting at 1st level, a bonded amulet or ring can be used once per day to cast any one spell that you have in your spellbook and are capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by you, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the wizard's level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities. The bonded object cannot be used to cast spells from your opposition schools (see Arcane School).
Specialist Implement (Su): Specific powers gained for the improved arcane implement and greater arcane implement abilities depend on your specialist school, as follows (these options appeared as “Focus Caster” in Dragon magazine, issue 348).
STAFF
Spellstaff (Sp): A 1st level bonded staff is treated as a Staff magic item, even if you do not have the Imbue Item feat. It has 10 charges when fully charged, and can be recharged as normal for a magic staff. At 1st level, choose one 1st level spell to imbue into the staff; this spell can then be cast using charges from the staff. When you gain access to a new level of spells, you can add one spell of that level to the staff’s repertoire. For example, a 5th level wizard’s staff would have one 1st level, one 2nd level, and one 3rd level spell in it.
Staff Fighting (Su): Starting at 6th level, both ends of your staff have an enhancement bonus equal to half the number of charges remaining in the staff. If you strike a foe with both ends of a magic staff in the same round, you can immediately activate one of the spells from the staff as a swift action. The spell must target or be centered either on you or the target struck (or on any corner of your or your target's space, in the case of an area spell). This ability supersedes the Eilserv School feat, from Drow of the Underdark.
Retributive Strike (Sp): At 14th level, you gain the ability to intentionally break your staff as a standard action (ignoring its hardness and hp). All charges in the staff are released in a 30-foot spread dealing force damage. All within 10 feet of the broken staff take hit points of damage equal to 8 times the number of charges in the staff, those between 11 feet and 20 feet take damage equal to 6 times the number of charges, and those 21 feet to 30 feet distant take 4 times the number of charges in hp. A Reflex save (DC 10 + half your class level + your Intelligence modifier) reduces damage by half. You have a 50% chance (01–50 on d%) of traveling to another plane of existence, but if you do not (51–100), the explosive release of spell energy destroys you (no saving throw).
WAND
Eldritch Blast (Sp): Starting at 1st level, you gain the ability to fire a bolt of energy from your wand as a standard action. This strikes as a ranged touch attack (a ray) with close range (25 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 levels), dealing 1d6 damage per level of the highest-level spell you have prepared and ready to cast. If you have the Imbue Item feat, you can imbue your wand with enhancement bonuses to attacks and damage and/or magical weapon properties which apply to the eldritch blast it creates.
Your eldritch blast otherwise functions as the sorcerer class feature of the same name, except that you need your bonded wand in order to invoke it. The nature of your eldritch blast, and the type of damage it deals, depend on your specialist school or esoteric branch (as described below). For those that mimic specific sorcerer eldritch blasts, the improved blast ability is gained at 6th level (in place of your improved arcane implement ability), and the greater blast is gained at 14th level (in place of your greater arcane implement ability). If you have levels in sorcerer, your wizard levels and sorcerer levels stack for purposes of determining your wand’s eldritch blast abilities.
WEAPON
Arcane Enhancement (Su): As long as you have an arcane spell of at least 1st level prepared and uncast, your bonded weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus when you are wielding it. This bonus increases by +1 per level of the highest-level spell you have remaining thereafter (e.g., a 17th level wizard’s athame has an effective enhancement bonus of +9 as long as he has at least one 9th level spell prepared and uncast).
Enhancement bonuses gained in this manner do not stack with existing bonuses, but can be “spent” on weapon properties instead (flaming, defending, etc.), as long as the weapon’s minimum enhancement bonus is +1. You can change out your bonded weapon’s properties each day when you prepare spells.
If any special weapon property’s cost is not fully covered by remaining enhancement bonus potential, that property becomes inactive. For example, a 5th level wizard might have a +1 holy bonded weapon (total +3 enhancement). If he expends his 3rd level spells, the weapon would no longer have the holy property.
Athame Defense (Su): Starting at 6th level, your bonded weapon strikes at anyone other than you who picks it up or attempts to use it, unless you specifically command it not to. The item strikes once per round until dropped, using your attack bonuses. Resolve the attack as if you were wielding the weapon. This ability supersedes the Mage Blade class feature of the same name, from Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved (Malhavoc Press).
Mageblade (Ex): Starting at 14th level, you gain the effects of the Spellstrike and Battle Touch feats, but these apply only to your bonded weapon.
Page 43 Careful attack seems narrow, can it be merged with something else.
Let's merge Attack with Opposition into it, since they're similar in intent (avoiding reciprocal damage while attacking). The prerequisites would be Dodge and Weapon Finesse (which both seem appropriate), but nix Improved Weapon Maneuvers.
Weapon reach seems weak, I would likely incorporate it under some of the exotic weapon proficiencies.
Either that or, more simply, merge it into Deft Opportunist feat (I've gone ahead and done that).
Question about Stunning Fist: is there a very good reason not to simply get rid of it? Monks could get Staggering Strike as a bonus feat option instead; that way, each round they could decide to make a single stunning attack, a stunning full-attack (at -5 to hit), or normal attacks with no stunning. This would eliminate a martial "per day" ability, which both hosutonderek and TOZ are philosophically opposed to. A monk with Critical Focus and Hamatulatsu would be terrifying.
Monks needed stunning fist to stay competitive (nah, the pathfinder monk is not really competitive but whatever) before. Your monk gains enough abilities that stunning fist is less of a needed boost. I like standardizing the classes more, making them all play by the same rules. This is similar to what I was noticing about the rogue ambush talents, they work somewhat similar but differently than the strike feats (some are better, some are worse) and it may just be better to give rogues access to the strike feats themselves (writing them up similar to how you wrote up the executioner strike feat). For example just give the rogue access to the arcane boost feat rather than letting them select the arcane sneak attack rogue talent, and blinding strike would be nice for a rogue (I did not see a way to cause blindness in the ambush talents). The bleeding strike and the rogue’s talent seem about equal but work differently. Also your strike feats seem to scale better for the most part (debilitating strike and hamper defense are some exceptions) and for quite a few of the ambush talents I would rather just take the feat, as long as you think it would be fair to allow the rogue to substitute their rogue level for the BAB requirements and BAB feat advancements (otherwise probably not). Even with upgraded strike feats I cannot see rogues really wanting to wade into front line combat with their usually lower AC and hit points (not to mention they will still have a lower chance to hit).
Wizard's arcane bond (object) has been reworked as follows. The benefits scale with levels (1st, 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th), and the functions differ depending on whether your object is an amulet/ring, a staff, a wand, or a weapon. The new Appendix B for wizards looks like this:
APPENDIX B: BONDED OBJECTS
** spoiler omitted **...
I really like these ideas--especially the staff and weapon--but I have a couple of comments/questions:
1) The evoker's wand doesn't get any special abilities? That seems counterintuitive.
2) A bonded wand basically allows the wizard to gain a sorcerer's class feature... which means that class feature is basically worth a feat (albeit only for spellcasters--but that's basically everybody except for barbarians, fighters, and rogues). I notice the same holds true for familiars. How would you compare those two features to other class features--for instance, favored terrain or an animal companion? Would those also be worth a feat? I saw your earlier musings on animal companions and think those are interesting, just wondering if you had any thoughts on this.
How would you compare those two features to other class features--for instance, favored terrain or an animal companion? Would those also be worth a feat?
Yes. In fact, there's already a feat that will give you a favored terrain with a +2 bonus.
An animal companion feat would be limited -- you wouldn't get full HD as effective druid level, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out. Also note that a fighter can get a mount as an animal companion as a fighter talent.
Some amount of "gray area" between one class and the next is more or less intentional.
1) The evoker's wand doesn't get any special abilities? That seems counterintuitive.
It just means I haven't thought of them yet. Suggestions are welcome! Tentative ideas were to affect a cone at 6th level (rather than just a ray), and to deal double damage at 14th (2d6 per level of spell), but I haven't thought those through yet.
How would you compare those two features to other class features--for instance, favored terrain or an animal companion? Would those also be worth a feat?Yes. In fact, there's already a feat that will give you a favored terrain with a +2 bonus.
The only feat I saw was Additional Favored Terrain, which requires you to already have a favored terrain--different from Obtain Familiar or Bonded Item, which are much more widely available.
An animal companion feat would be limited -- you wouldn't get full HD as effective druid level, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out. Also note that a fighter can get a mount as an animal companion as a fighter talent.
Yeah, but I want a panther for my sorcerer! I'm personally considering just adding additional creaturs to the Improved Familiar list--the choices from all the splatbooks were weirdly specific, without any seeming rhyme or reason. Hippogriffs and winter wolves (Complete Warrior) are okay, but not tigers or riding dogs? Pfft. But then, when you get big creatures, you also want them to be tough enough to survive melee for at least a little while, so I'm still trying to figure out some streamlined way to combine the animal companion and familiar rules.
I'm still trying to figure out some streamlined way to combine the animal companion and familiar rules.
Me, too. Note that animal companions are now CR </= half your effective druid level, which is more straightforward than pages of tables. Maybe for wizards, your improved familiar would have max CR as if your effective druid level were your arcane caster level -1 if an animal, or -3 if an outsider like a quasit. Any "excess" CR would provide familiar benefits by level.
I should mention that in our home game, one PC wizard aims to bind the party's monk as his familiar.
Here is the last of the feats document.
Page 74 Did you merge the elven accuracy feat, and how many times a day can you reroll the miss chance? For block arrow did you want to say “be” flat-footed. Finally, deadeye shot is not in alphabetical order.
Page 75 Under deflect arrow did you want to say “be” flat-footed.
Page 76 Under penetrating shot did you want to say “confirm” rather than “conform”?
Page 78 Did you really want (any) after improved combat maneuvers under the prereqs for ranged maneuvers. Under rapid shot is the additional arrow “at your highest attack bonus”?
Page 80 Under combat feats, stances second paragraph do you want an “a” before “knowledge (warfare)”?
Page 84 Would you want to merge steadfast pike with something?
Page 85 Under Awesome blow, your improved wrestling maneuvers does more damage, did you want to upgrade awesome blow to 2d6 x 1 ½ str bonus damage?
Page 86 Did you really want to allow bleeding strike to stack with itself with the striking mastery feat? Also I noticed that bleeding strike has a lot more prereq than a lot of the +6 BAB requiring feats, is that intentional?
Page 90 Now that Wisdom determines your ability to hit with ranged attacks do you want have insightful strike only apply to melee attacks, otherwise it would be an auto include for all archers.
Page 91 Rallying strike, did you want to change the “3d6 damage” reference to hit points; also having the allies gain a +1 seems minor, do you need it? Now that will saves are based off of charisma do you want rattling strike to first hit charisma and then wisdom?
Page 96 For aligned strike the alignments listed are not is alphabetical order. Same thing under avenging strike.
There are a lot of channeling feats, I would be tempted to consider merging some of them. I also would wonder the same thing on the various necromancer feats based off of corpsecrafter.
Page 98 Under demonic obedience change to “the” planes in the prereqs and are the spell like abilities at a caster level equal to your hit dice or your divine caster level?
Page 100 I would be tempted to change the wording on divine impetus to “You can spend one channel energy use as a free action to gain an additional swift action that round. You can only use this ability once a round.” Under divine wrath do you want to change the last paragraph to “The save DC is increased by +2 if your weapon has a ×3 damage multiplier, or by +4 if it is ×4. You can also use this ability in response to being critically hit on the opponent that struck you even if the attack incapacitates or kills you”.
Page 102 Under imbued healing change “spot” to “perception” and change “swim” to “athletics checks to swim. Under Lamashtu’s mark change “intimidate” to “bluff checks to browbeat.”
Page 103 Would you want to merge the resurrection sense into the rogue’s true death talent?
Page 104 For the retrieve spell should the prereq be channel energy rather than turn/rebuke undead? Do you want the sacred spell to have similar wording to the violate spell (and same spell slot addition also)?
Finally I noticed that the rogue’s hamstring talent does not have a DC for the heal skill check.
And with that I have read through everything. I like your house rules am I am interested to see where they go from here. My wife will be finishing up with her training in June so I will not have as much time to go through version 3.0 next Dec as I did this year, but I could go through the current versions you have for some more edits around May if you would like.
A monk with Critical Focus and Hamatulatsu would be terrifying.
I don't know whether you've modified it in your house rules, but Hamatulatsu does not stack with Improved Critical. Also, developer comments (by James Jacobs IIRC) suggests that Hamatulatsu is slated for nerfing and paring down in the revised Inner Sea supplement since it does too many things in one feat.
As a general point, you might want to keep your watch on the Ultimate Combat rules and, frankly, since I think your houserules have tremendous merit, you should weigh in on the playtest if you haven't already. Sean Reynolds was soliciting input on martial arts styles recently.
To play the type of character you're imagining, in these houserules it's actually better to be a multiclass rogue/wizard or rogue/sorcerer with the Arcane Trickster talent.
Not unlike the Grey Mouser, eh? Now, THAT's classic D&D, no?
Not unlike the Grey Mouser, eh? Now, THAT's classic D&D, no?
I like to think so! Leiber's Fafhrd & Gray Mouser, Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions, Bellairs' The Face in the Frost, Zelazny's Amber series, Moorcock's Eternal Champion stories are what drive my personal vision of what D&D "is."
As a general point, you might want to keep your watch on the Ultimate Combat rules and weigh in on the playtest if you haven't already. Sean Reynolds was soliciting input on martial arts styles recently.
I tend to feel that PF is too far in the direction of "backwards compatibility" and "screw melee" in its core values, so to speak, to really get anything useful to them out of any input I might offer. I like the company, I love their APs, and I like JJ, SKR, and EM very much... but I rewrote most of the game because I disagreed with the fundamental assumptions about how it should work.
Page 11 Is the feat skilled worth it as a feat?No, it's really not. I recommend the following:
RACIAL HERITAGE (HERITAGE)
** spoiler omitted **
This feat is ridiculously strong...basically you can spend a feat to gain darkvision, a skill point a level, bonus to saves against magic, etc.
If you're going to include this feat, I suggest doing away with all half-breed classes, and call this "Half-blood". For the price of a feat, you're a mutt from one race and a racial ability from another. You can choose which basis you'd prefer, it would affect which parent race you favor, and eliminate a lot of the crap about half-orcs and half-elves. No arguing about how half-elves aren't as good as elves...they can be elves who blow a feat to gain more skill points (yeah, some nice half-elven potential there) or humans who don't want to have to sleep, or something.
===Aelryinth