Have you seen Bladebound Magus from UM? I think that Combat Sorcerer could use some of its stuff. Perhaps exchange eldritch blast for black blade?
I didn't buy Ultimate Magic (was rather disappointed with the APG and especially with what I've seen so far of the poorly-named "Ultimate Combat" playtest materials), but I'll be sure to check that one out on the PFSRD.
As a general rule, I'll allow almost any option from almost any source, if a player requests it -- provided that I can review it and maybe suggest tweaks beforehand. If a player invests in something like Ultimate Magic and likes it, I see no reason why that person should be deprived of a return on that investment simply because he or she happens to be playing in my home game instead of someone else's.
We modified all of Kirth's feats. Most stayed the same but some were expanded. A few were modified for power level, though most remained untouched. Alot were modified for versatility, like the feat that did something special for giving the Shaken condition was expanded to sickened and other conditions as well.I'd love to see what you came up with! Do you have a Word file for them?
Yeah
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1USNDEc2U1hHfaGC7nwV_4Vq-o8APJg1SL9uLXtz q3J8/edit?hl=en_US#
Because casters seem to have less of an advantage (though still an advantage in our 3.5 and Pathfinder games) we juiced some of the feats for arcance or general and slightly nerfed the combat feats. You may or may not agree but we have found a wonderful balance thus far.
I was going to do this for every doc but to be honest I got kinda lazy after tackling the 50 or so pages of this thing lol
They are still in the same order and we took some out and merged them with others (most of which I talked to you about on here). Let me know what you think
An additional clarification from another thread:
To my knowledge, Kirth does not mind people using/altering his houserules in any way. He would appreciate being credited however. I think over in the houserules thread we have someone who just posted his own tweaks that his group has been using. Asking him directly will be your best bet.
Yeah. Basically, my houserules are only that -- modifications (in some cases very EXTENSIVE modifications, but still...) of existing rules that I use at my table. If other people like them, good for them! Those people should feel free to use any or all of this stuff, changing as much as needed for their groups, with one very important caveat:
Because these are modifications of published (and in many cases copyrighted) material, they are meant for personal home use only. No copyright challenges are in any way intended. Houserules are NOT, and never should be, intended as a playable-out-of-the-box rules compendium or variant OGL game, and should never, ever be treated as such. I cite the source of all non-open original source material -- that means at least one person in my group has bought a copy of that reference, and if other people are going to want to use that stuff in their games, I'd expect them to own a copy of that actual original material as well. In other words, if I reference something like "feat X supersedes Strike Q from the Tome of Battle," then your group really needs to own a copy of the Tome of Battle if you're going to use that. Don't try to rely on my houserule notes as a sole reference, and try to cut Hasbro out of their rightful share and then claim "well, I was just using this other dude's stuff..."
If you like some of my changes, it's cool to mention that "some Kirth Gersen dude came up with a lot of these mods, maybe you'll see him around somewhere." But that's as far as it goes.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Merged Hamatulatsu into Versatile Unarmed Combat:
You employ a variety of unarmed fighting styles, allowing you to alter the type of damage your attacks deal.
Prerequisite: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (unarmed strike).
Benefit: As a swift action, you can opt for your unarmed strikes to deal your choice of bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. Once you make this choice, your unarmed strikes continue to deal the chosen damage type until you use another swift action to change it.
Synergy: If you have the Critical Focus feat and at least 6 ranks in Bluff, if you succeed in confirming a critical hit with an unarmed attack, you may make an opposed Bluff check as an immediate action to attempt to demoralize your opponent. The critical threat range of your unarmed attacks resets to its default, however.
Source: Players Handbook II. This feat also subsumes the Hamatulatsu feat, from the Pathfinder Chronicles Campaign Setting.
Am working a bit on the various piercing weapon-specific feats, and the combat maneuvers feats... more to come on that.
... aaaaaaand spent most of the weekend looking at the Alchemist, because people told me it was cool. And it actually kind of is, but also -- true to form -- it's a bit clunky as well.
1. First thing was to get rid of the daily limit on bombs. Yes, I know barbarians and bards have to track daily rounds of X, but tracking bombs and spells and mutagens and the inevitable potions and doses of poison -- all for the same PC -- makes me not ever want to play one, ever. So bomb limits are out. Just throw them all you want.
2. Next point of business was to merge all the archetypes, and the Master Chymist, into the base class (largely by means of the Discoveries feature). This was easier than you'd think, and sort of makes me wonder why Paizo didn't just do that in the first place.
3. As for the mutagenic form, allowing scaling bonuses for all physical attributes and natural AC (sort of the way the barbarian's rage works now), and then leaving discoveries for "extras" like natural attacks, seemed like a logical next step. I'm torn about the mechanic, though. The way I have it now, the bonus is equal to 1 + the level of the highest-level extract you still have available for use. For example, a 10th level alchemist with a 4th level extract handy would, upon drinking his mutagen, gain a +5 bonus to Str, Dex, Con, and natural AC, and would take a -5 penalty to Int (minimum 2). Why? I mean, I know that seems clunky and artificial, but what it does is to encourage a cost-benefits analysis of using all your extracts up front, vs. maybe using your mutagen earlier on. The way Paizo has it set up, the mutagen is obviously a last resort, unless you're a Master Chymist, in which case you don't really care about using your extracts. Merging the two means that some decisions need to be made, about using the one vs. the other.
4. Finally, I added some spells to the formula list, and allow for variant extracts that work by injecting into the subject (animate dead) or by being thrown like grenades (pyrotechnics). And of course they now get 7th level extracts, starting at 19th level.
Thoughts/opinions?
Not really an expert on the alchemist but I know recently that there have been a lot of posters on these boards saying the alchemist killed the rogue and took his stuff (mainly looking at the vivisectionist giving up his bomb ability to gain sneak attack and rogue talents).
Why not merge the alchemist into the rogue class you created? Use the vivisectionist from ultimate magic as a guide or add a phrase to the sneak attack section that you can use a bomb to give you one attack a round where you gain your sneak attack bonus, close to how bombs work now and reminiscent of some of the other old 3.5 optimization board builds that used rogue throwing exploits. Alchemists are already poison masters, so that fits the rogue archetype. Skill mastery and skill excellence can get focused into alchemy which makes the extracts skill based spells like for the rogue, only since they are so focused they can gain their spell casting ability earlier (and lets them go all the way up to 9th level spells for extracts). Not sure what to do with mutagens though, maybe have it scale and replace the evasion, uncanny dodge, and improved uncanny dodge choices for upgrades.
I think it is something that could work but I would have to think about it some more. Also it plays to my master plan of convincing you that rogues need two good saves rather than just one (just like the alchemist). Of course once you start thinking about merging the two classes there are all kinds of ways you could rewrite the alchemist, the rogue, or both.
On to the specific points
1. I agree, bombs should be unlimited.
2. I agree, take a look at the alchemist at d20pfsrd.com for some more archetypes if you have not already.
3. Mutagenic form makes sense and works more like the reserve feats
4. The reanimator archetype from ultimate magic incorporates animate dead along with create undead and create greater undead so there is a precedent for this.
Why not merge the alchemist into the rogue class you created? Use the vivisectionist from ultimate magic as a guide or add a phrase to the sneak attack section that you can use a bomb to give you one attack a round where you gain your sneak attack bonus, close to how bombs work now and reminiscent of some of the other old 3.5 optimization board builds that used rogue throwing exploits.
I had used the vivisectionist as a start for an alchemist/rogue mutliclassing talent, but I can see your point. Still, the alchemist as-is is like a psychotic blend of wizard, rogue, and barbarian; it would be hard to reproduce that using the rogue, or even a rogue/wizard.
That's a very good point about stepping on the rogue's toes, though -- it's one I'll need to think about.
Thanks!
OK, going back for a second to the idea of specialist wizards as a prestige class, I've come up with a tentative abjurer. Overall, there are three things to remember:
With those reminders, here's the draft Abjurer:
HIT DICE: D8; Medium BAB
Level: Special
1st: Abjurant armor, abjurant dispelling, protective ward, spontaneous abjuration, unimpeachable abjuration
2nd: Swift abjuration, urgent shield
3rd: Disruptive touch, extended abjuration, swift counterspelling
4th: Aura of banishment, unstable bonds
5th: Bestow abjuration, counterspelling mastery, energy absorption
Abjurant Armor (Su): Any time you cast a spell that grant you an armor and/or shield bonus to AC, you gain an additional enhancement bonus equal to your abjurer specialist level. This ability supersedes the Abjurant Champion’s prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Mage.
Abjurant Dispelling (Ex): You gain a competence bonus on dispel checks equal to your abjurer specialist level. This Arcanum supersedes the minor abjuration esoterica from the Master Specialist prestige class (Complete Mage).
Protective Ward (Su): As a standard action, you can create a 10-foot-radius field of protective magic centered on you that lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier. All allies in this area (including you) receive a deflection bonus to their AC for 1 round. This bonus is equal to +1 per abjurer specialist level you possess. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
Spontaneous Abjuration (Sp): You gain the ability to sacrifice prepared spells in order to produce abjuration effects, much as a druid can cast spontaneous summon nature’s ally spells. Your choices are as follows: 1st—shield or protection from evil (etc.); 2nd—resist energy; 3rd—dispel magic; 4th—lesser globe of invulnerability; 5th—dispel evil (etc.); 6th—greater dispel magic; 7th—banishment; 8th—protection from spells; 9th—disjunction.
Unimpeachable Abjuration (Ex): Your abjuration spells are particularly difficult to defeat with spells or effects that dispel them. You add your abjurer specialist level as a competence bonus to the DC to dispel any abjuration spell or effect you create.
Swift Abjuration (Su): Starting at 2nd level, you can cast abjuration spells as a swift action, as if you had applied the Quicken Spell feat (but without any change in level or casting time). The maximum spell level you can quicken in this manner is equal to half your abjurer specialist level (round up). This ability supersedes the Abjurant Champion prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Mage.
Urgent Shield (Sp): Starting at 2nd level, you can create a temporary shield of force granting you a shield bonus to AC equal to your abjurer specialist level as an immediate action. This is useable once per day per abjurer class level you possess. You can’t activate this ability in response to an attack you are unaware of. Source: Players Handbook II.
Disruptive Touch (Su): At 3rd level, you gain the ability to disrupt spellcasting with a touch. As a melee touch attack, you can place a disruptive field around the target. While the field is in place, the target must make a concentration check (DC 15 + twice the spell’s level) to cast any spell or to use a spell-like ability, in addition to any other required concentration checks. If the check is failed, the target’s spell is wasted. This field lasts for a number of rounds equal to the highest-level Abjuration spell you have prepared and ready for use. Source: Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
Extended Abjuration (Su): At 3rd level, you automatically double the duration of any abjuration or other personal protective spell (such as blur) you cast on yourself, as if you had applied the Extend Spell feat (but without any change in level or casting time). This arcanum supersedes the Abjurant Champion prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Mage.
Swift Counterspelling (Su): At 3rd level, you gain Improved Counterspell as a bonus feat. You may attempt to counterspell an opponent’s spell once per day as an immediate action (instead of a readied or held action). You must use a spell at least one level higher than the spell being countered to use this ability. You can use this ability once per day per abjurer specialist level you possess. Source: Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
Aura of Banishment (Su): At 4th level, you gain the ability to emit a 30-foot aura of banishment for a number of rounds per day equal to your class level. Any summoned or called creature in the area must make a Will save each round (DC 10 + half your class level + your Intelligence modifier). Once the creature fails a Will saving throw, it is staggered as long as it remains inside the aura. If it fails a second Will saving throw, it is immediately sent back to its home plane and the spell that summoned it immediately ends. If that spell summoned more than one creature, only the creature that failed its saving throws is affected. These rounds do not need to be consecutive. Source: Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
Unstable Bonds (Su): Also at 4th level, your touch can disrupt the bonds that hold a summoned or called creature on this plane. As a melee touch attack, you can cause a summoned or called creature to become shaken and staggered for a number of rounds equal to your abjurer class level. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier. Source: Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
Bestow Abjuration (Sp): At 5th level, when casting an abjuration spell that normally has a range of personal, you can instead choose to cast it as a touch spell that affects a single creature. When casting an abjuration spell that is an emanation centered on you, you can instead choose to cast it as a touch spell that emanates from the touched creature. You can use this ability up to three times per day. You must be at least 16th level to learn this Arcanum, which supersedes the major abjuration esoterica from the Master Specialist prestige class (Complete Mage).
Counterspelling Mastery (Su): Starting at 5th level, when you counterspell a spell, it is turned back upon the caster as if it were fully affected by a spell turning spell. If the spell cannot be affected by spell turning, then it is merely counterspelled.
Energy Absorption (Su): At 5th, you gain a daily amount of energy absorption equal to 3 x your caster level. Whenever you take energy damage, apply immunity, vulnerability (if any), and resistance first and apply the rest to this absorption, reducing your daily total by that amount. Any damage in excess of your absorption is applied to you normally.
And the draft Conjurer, which subsumes the Summoner class as well.
Level: Special
1st: Augment summoning, bolster summons, eidolon, spontaneous summoning
2nd: Create gear, improved calling
3rd: Deceptive summons, rapid summons
4th: Dimensional steps
5th: Creator’s will, truename
Augment Summoning: You gain Augment Summoning as a bonus feat at 1st level, even if you do not meet the prerequisite. The bonus to Strength and Constitution conferred by this feat improves by an additional +1 per conjurer specialist level after the 1st, to a maximum of +8 at 5th level. Source: 3.5 edition System Reference Document, “Class Variants: Specialist Wizard Variants.”
Bolster Summons (Su): Add your conjurer specialist level to the DC of any caster level check made to dispel your conjuration spells or summoned creatures. Your summoned creatures also your conjurer specialist level as a bonus to Will saves against banishment and dismissal. This ability supersedes the moderate conjuration esoterica from the Master Specialist prestige class (Complete Mage), and also the Enhanced Summoning variant from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document, “Specialist Wizard Variants.”
Eidolon (Su): You can, at your option, trade your arcane bond for control over a summoned entity, an “eidolon,” that exists on the Prime Material Plane to do your bidding. Eidolons are detailed under the Summoner base class in the Pathfinder Advanced Players Guide. Use your total conjuration caster level as your effective summoner level when determining the abilities of your eidolin.
Spontaneous Summoning (Sp): You can "lose" a prepared spell to cast any summon monster spell of an equal or lower level.
Create Gear (Su): Starting at 2nd level, as a standard action, you can create any object that weighs no more than 1 pound per wizard level you possess. The item remains for 1 minute before fading away, although it disappears after one round if it leaves your possession. Creating an item to an exact specification might require a Craft skill check, subject to referee discretion. The object must be made of simple materials, such as wood, stone, glass, or metal, and cannot contain any moving parts. You could use this ability to create a dagger, but not a vial of alchemist’s fire. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier. Source: Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
Improved Calling (Su): At 2nd level, the normal HD limit for your planar ally and planar binding spells (including lesser and greater versions) increases by 2. This ability supersedes the Malconvoker’s prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Scoundrel.
Deceptive Summons (Su): Starting at 3rd level, when casting a summon monster spell, you can attempt an opposed Bluff check as a free action. If your check succeeds, the duration of the effect is doubled (as if by the Extend Spell feat), and the summoned creature might be subject to additional effects as described below. If it fails, the duration remains as normal and no additional effects can be applied. If you fail the check by 5 or more, the creature breaks free of your control and is hostile toward you (though it still disappears as normal when the spell’s duration ends). If you use this ability when summoning multiple crea-tures, you must attempt an opposed skill check separately against each creature you wish to affect.
This ability supersedes the Malconvoker prestige class feature of the same name, from Complete Scoundrel.
Rapid Summons (Sp): Starting at 3rd level, whenever you cast a prepared arcane spell from the conjuration (summoning) school that takes one full round to cast (e.g., summon monster), the casting time is reduced to a full attack action. Conjurations that normally require a full attack action take you standard action instead (allowing you to cast and take a move action in the same round). If you cast a conjuration spell that would normally take only a standard action (by eliminating somatic and material components), you can cast it as a swift action.
Casting a spell in this way is taxing and requires a Fortitude save (DC 15 + spell level) to resist becoming fatigued. Swift casting is especially taxing, and is limited to three times per day.
This ability supersedes the major conjuration esoterica from the Master Specialist prestige class (Complete Mage), and also the Academae Graduate feat from the Pathfinder Player’s Guide: Curse of the Crimson Throne (Paizo publishing).
Dimensional Steps (Sp): At 4th level, you can gain the ability to teleport up to 30 feet per caster level per day as a standard action. This teleportation must be used in 5-foot increments and such movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You can bring other willing creatures with you, but you must expend an equal amount of distance for each additional creature brought with you.
Creator’s Will (Sp): At 5th level, you can cast minor creation at will as a spell-like ability. You can have no more than one minor creation active at a time. If you cast the spell again, the previous casting immediately ends. If your conjuration caster level is 11th or higher, this ability improves to major creation. Source: Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide.
True Name (Sp): At 5th level, your researches into ancient tomes and your inquisitions of bound spirits have led you to one of the best-hidden secrets of the multiverse: the true name of an outsider—the name that defines the very essence of the creature and that gives the speaker control over the being. This outsider can have no more than 12 Hit Dice. Once per day, you can speak the common name by which the outsider is known, and the outsider travels to you as if you had cast planar binding upon it. It must obey you to the best of its ability, without pay or bargaining for its services, for its fear that you might release its true name to the wider world is enough to bring even the most recalcitrant of outsiders to bear.
If the creature is within 100 feet, as a move action, you may punish it by deliberately mispronouncing its name, wracking its very essence and giving it the sickened and staggered conditions for 1 round (even if the creature is normally immune to these conditions). You cannot use true name in an area of silence, but the creature does not have to be able to hear you for it to be harmed by the ability.
It is in your best interest to call this creature only sparingly, and occasionally reward it in some fashion to mollify its wrath. If you repeatedly fail to offer it a reward appropriate to its type and ethos, the creature may begin plotting ways to destroy the bond between you, whether by creating an accident that will destroy your memory of the name, by plaguing you with nuisances or dangers until you vow never to call on it again, or by actively seeking to destroy you through its own devices or those of an underling. If this creature is of a lawful type and you are violating its ethos, its superiors may even destroy it or you rather than allow you to contaminate their servant further. Worse, they may establish situations where it is necessary for you to summon this outsider, opening gateways to infernal or angelic interference, in order to gain a foothold on the Material Plane.
If your total conjuration school caster level is 16th level or higher, the creature may have up to 18 Hit Dice and the call acts as greater planar binding instead of planar binding.
OK, going back for a second to the idea of specialist wizards as a prestige class, ...
ACK! Now I'm going to have to rethink my attitude towards Specialists and PrCs! So far, it looks great.
... aaaaaaand spent most of the weekend looking at the Alchemist, because people told me it was cool. And it actually kind of is, but also -- true to form -- it's a bit clunky as well.
1. First thing was to get rid of the daily limit on bombs. Yes, I know barbarians and bards have to track daily rounds of X, but tracking bombs and spells and mutagens and the inevitable potions and doses of poison -- all for the same PC -- makes me not ever want to play one, ever. So bomb limits are out. Just throw them all you want.
2. Next point of business was to merge all the archetypes, and the Master Chymist, into the base class (largely by means of the Discoveries feature). This was easier than you'd think, and sort of makes me wonder why Paizo didn't just do that in the first place.
3. As for the mutagenic form, allowing scaling bonuses for all physical attributes and natural AC (sort of the way the barbarian's rage works now), and then leaving discoveries for "extras" like natural attacks, seemed like a logical next step. I'm torn about the mechanic, though. The way I have it now, the bonus is equal to 1 + the level of the highest-level extract you still have available for use. For example, a 10th level alchemist with a 4th level extract handy would, upon drinking his mutagen, gain a +5 bonus to Str, Dex, Con, and natural AC, and would take a -5 penalty to Int (minimum 2). Why? I mean, I know that seems clunky and artificial, but what it does is to encourage a cost-benefits analysis of using all your extracts up front, vs. maybe using your mutagen earlier on. The way Paizo has it set up, the mutagen is obviously a last resort, unless you're a Master Chymist, in which case you don't really care about using your extracts. Merging the two means that some decisions need to be made, about using the one vs. the other.
4. Finally, I added some spells to the formula list, and allow for variant extracts that work by injecting into the subject (animate dead) or by being thrown like grenades...
I like to look at them like the tech guys of the DND world.
infact I would love it if you could incorporate an alchemist gunner somehow.... :)
Hey Kirth, are you still looking for players in SW Houston? If so, can you shoot me an e-mail at psychicmachinery at hotmail dot com?
OK, going back for a second to the idea of specialist wizards as a prestige class...
Interesting...the main downside I see, is that the base wizard is then unlike other caster classes--in all others, you choose some sort of specialization from the beginning. I think you'd be better off modeling specialist wizards on the oracle, with a selection of powers based on specialty (can't remember if this is how you currently have it set up--haven't looked over your classes in a while).
The ability for non-wizards to access the class is nice...I'm just not sure the impact on the base wizard is worth it. Though, I suppose you could leave the existing specializations in place, with the specialist PrCs going a step further than the base class. Perhaps the PrC could give access to additional specialist arcana? Then it's fully compatible with your existing wizard class.
Interesting...the main downside I see, is that the base wizard is then unlike other caster classes--in all others, you choose some sort of specialization from the beginning. I think you'd be better off modeling specialist wizards on the oracle, with a selection of powers based on specialty (can't remember if this is how you currently have it set up--haven't looked over your classes in a while).
That's an interesting thought, and a good point that leads in an interesting direction:
Let's think about it, we have an elemental (fire) bloodline, a Fire domain, a Flame mystery, and an elementalist (fire) wizard. It would sure be easier if all casters just picked a "speciality" (bloodline, domain, mystery, whatever) from a common menu, wouldn't it? That would be really hard to implement, though, outside of a classless "a-la-carte" system (which I still would vastly prefer).
Interesting...the main downside I see, is that the base wizard is then unlike other caster classes--in all others, you choose some sort of specialization from the beginning. I think you'd be better off modeling specialist wizards on the oracle, with a selection of powers based on specialty (can't remember if this is how you currently have it set up--haven't looked over your classes in a while).That's an interesting thought, and a good point that leads in an interesting direction:
Let's think about it, we have an elemental (fire) bloodline, a Fire domain, a Flame mystery, and an elementalist (fire) wizard. It would sure be easier if all casters just picked a "speciality" (bloodline, domain, mystery, whatever) from a common menu, wouldn't it? That would be really hard to implement, though, outside of a classless "a-la-carte" system (which I still would vastly prefer).
It would definitely simplify matters, though I think right now the variation in such abilities between classes helps to differentiate them beyond base casting mechanics. I can't say I have a solution yet myself...been focusing on cleaning up skills, feats, and the combat system before redesigning the classes.
Carrying that thought a little farther...fire, water, air, earth, life, and death can all be generalized well to all caster classes. Probably alignment/outsider based abilities as well. Wizard schools, not so much. So perhaps the solution is to retain specialist wizards by school, but to introduce specialization PrCs based on elemental forces, which are more generic.
What if the PrCs were just added as options? If you wanted a necromancer, you could play a 16th level wizard (necromancer specialist), or you could play an 11th level wizard/5th level necromancer.
...or you could play a cleric 11/necromancer 5, and cast Death domain spells and wizard necromancy spells of up to 8th level as a 16th level caster, and also cast general cleric spells as an 11th level caster, and would have your domain abilities plus an impressive array of necromancy abilities.
So long as you can separate arcana intended for high-level wizards from the PrC class abilities, that could work nicely.
UPDATE:
Wizards:Still working on specialists -- I'm sorry to give up the "prestige specialist" idea, but ingrained specialties from level 1 seems to be too sacred a cow for me to butcher just now. What I'm now leaning towards is staggering the specialist's spell aquisition a bit, so that the "specialist" slot is a "+1" like the sorcerer's bloodline spell. This will make playing a specialist less of a "gimme" (as they'll have the SAME number of spells as a geenral wizard, rather than more). This allows me to add some class features without overpowering them.
Barbarians: Meanwhile, I restructured the barbarian so the rage power progression more closely matches the monk and ranger spell progressions (rage powers at 2nd and 4th levels, improved rage powers at 6th and 8th, greater rage powers at 10th and 12th, mighty rage powers at 14th and 16th, primal rage powers at 18th and 20th levels). This meant reshuffling the powers from 4 lists into 5.
Working on the rogue (see profile) and barbarian (see last post) again got me thinking about the alchemist. Also, the "are rogues underpowered" thread convinced me to make a quick stop by the Den and like places to look for ideas. The latter are all about the alchemist fire/acid flask thrower, and that's really the basis of the alchemist class, too. I added this talent:
Grenadier (Ex): A rogue with the Craft (Alchemy) skill can use alchemist’s fire, acid flasks, and other splash weapons to increased effect. As long as you have at least 1 rank in Craft (alchemy) + 2 ranks per additional +1d6 of sneak attack damage, you deal damage with such weapons equal to your sneak attack damage, rather than the standard 1d6 damage. For example, a rogue with 7 ranks in Craft (alchemy) would deal 4d6 damage with a hurled acid flask, rather than 1d6 damage. This talent provides for the favored rogue “builds” of the “CharOps” boards. An equivalent of a Pathfinder Alchemist character would be made using a rogue/wizard/barbarian with this talent and the Arcane Trickster talent (q.v.).
With the right talents and such, a rogue 10/wizard 6/barbarian 4 would cast spells as a 13th level wizard (just like the alchemist's extracts), would throw flasks for 10d6 each (just like the alchemist's bombs), and would rage as a 9th level barbarian (better than the alchemist's mutagen). Simply adding more barbarian levels to the mix would simulate the Master Chymist PrC.
@ Christopher Hauschild -- see above. After all, I'm doing with the alchemist more or less what you recommended 2 months ago! Thanks.
Hey folks. I've been seeing a lot of work and updating to the rules on this thread, and I can't seem to get at the links in TOZ's first post. Did I miss something, is there a new home for the latest versions?
Btw Kirth, don't know if I ever said, but your rules are impressive and very cool! Thanks.
Quick question... where is the Shadow Walking skill described?
It's been a nomad; at first it was in the Feats document under the "Power over Shadow" feat, but then that feat became a racial feature. Ultimately, the skill will appear in the Races document in the "Powerful Races" section (Amber-blooded), since they're the only ones who will get to use it.
Regarding up-to-date documents, the ones linked (if they start working again) are the Version 2.0 ones (think of that as the Beta playtest) from December 2010 (I'm on roughly version 2.5 now). I hope to have Version 3.0 more or less complete by the time TOZ gets back from deployment, and hopefully he and I can work together after that to (a) do some more playtesting! and (b) find a more permanent on-line home for them -- my web skills are not up to that task.
Quick question... where is the Shadow Walking skill described?It's been a nomad; at first it was in the Feats document under the "Power over Shadow" feat, but then that feat became a racial feature. Ultimately, the skill will appear in the Races document in the "Powerful Races" section (Amber-blooded), since they're the only ones who will get to use it.
Regarding up-to-date documents, the ones linked (if they start working again) are the Version 2.0 ones (think of that as the Beta playtest) from December 2010 (I'm on roughly version 2.5 now). I hope to have Version 3.0 more or less complete by the time TOZ gets back from deployment, and hopefully he and I can work together after that to (a) do some more playtesting! and (b) find a more permanent on-line home for them -- my web skills are not up to that task.
Cool, excellent...except I can't see your current versions, but I understand. I probably can't convince my group to try them wholesale anyway; but I've been tinkering on my own rules for quite a while, and I like your take on things.
And....holy crap TOZ! You're on deployment? I didn't even realize you were serving. Thank you! (Just so we're clear, I never served but have great respect for those who do...even if they are no-it-all rules lawyers--KIDDING!)
Edited to add snark.
|
I hope to have Version 3.0 more or less complete by the time TOZ gets back from deployment, and hopefully he and I can work together after that to (a) do some more playtesting!
I will have four weeks off when I do return, although they may be split into two sets of two weeks. I will let you know.
Edited to add snark.
Thanks! You really know what I like. :)
Also, I was unable to log into the FTP server, so there is definitely something wrong.
I'd like to see a "Kirth-enated" version of
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/adamant-entertainment/art ificer
First off: ixnay on the infinite free metamagic. That sort of thing never ended well in 3.5, and I don't want to re-introduce it (so far I've limited reduced-cost metamagic to the generalist wizard and the arcane bloodline sorcerer, with sharp limits on usage). The Adamant archivist gets as much as he wants, subject to a limit on how many charges are in his wand or whatever... and he gets it at only 6th level.
For "weird science" items, on the surface it looks like a reasonable spell progression. But now consider that he can scrap items to make other ones, given time, and each item has 1 + half level uses/day -- and that anyone else can use these items with a trivial UMD check. That means he potentially casts more times per day than any sorcerer, can essentially cast imbue with spell ability at will, and can swap out the entire spell list as needed, given some advance notice. And that's before we get to combining spell effects in a single item, which means every spell beyond the 1st one is automatically Quickened, at no cost. "Ah," you say, "but it only goes to 4th level!" That's true for when his friends use them, but at 18th level (for example) the artificer himself can instead metamagic a 4th level spell to 13th level -- and automatically apply a quickened invisibility when the spell goes off.
Also, what's up with the odd number of skill points per level?
In a home game, I'd probably suggest that the player to roll up maybe a bard, take a bunch of craft skills, and we'd cosmetically alter his "spells known" as a collection of gadgets with the same effects -- and for bardic inspiration, we'd swap out playing an instrument for tinkering with machinery and parts.
I will have four weeks off when I do return, although they may be split into two sets of two weeks. I will let you know.
Looking forward to it! We miss you.
Likewise. The Austin group doesn't click like the Houston group.
You'd like the new players too -- quirky, good sense of humor, and get really into their characters.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/3rd-party-classes/s/shaman
For flavor, see the new druid -- you can get the detect spirits, speak with spirits, and spirit guide from that class. As far as specific mechanics, basically it looks like this Shaman can cast any spell at all, but you have to go through a big rigamarole with Knowledge, summoning, and control checks, some of which is well-defined, and some of which is GM fiat. Ugh. I'd suggest that the player roll up a druid. We'd claim that when he or she casts spells, it's actually the spirits using spell-like abilities on his or her behalf, but keep the same mechanics as druid spellcasting. We could sub out arcane spells as desired, using the Expanded Arcana feat. In the end, I think we'd have a passable substitute with none of the wonky mechanics.
|
|
Kirth, did I show you this yet?
Also, apologies to anyone that doesn't have the documents downloaded, our provider is retarded at the moment. :(
|
|
We'll probably be switching to a new provider when this one comes up for renewal. I'll ask Ross to update the links or just make a new thread when that happens.
In the meanwhile, if anyone wants the documents they can drop me a line at triomegazero @ yahoo.com and I will email them to you when I can.
In the meanwhile, if anyone wants the documents they can drop me a line at triomegazero @ yahoo.com and I will email them to you when I can.
Or I can send the most recent drafts: list email addys here in spoilers, and I'll send out a mass email when I get enough requests (TOZ, you'll be first on the list, of course).
In the meanwhile, if anyone wants the documents they can drop me a line at triomegazero @ yahoo.com and I will email them to you when I can.Or I can send the most recent drafts: list email addys here in spoilers, and I'll send out a mass email when I get enough requests (TOZ, you'll be first on the list, of course).
I heard that!
Thanks Kirth.
In the meanwhile, if anyone wants the documents they can drop me a line at triomegazero @ yahoo.com and I will email them to you when I can.Or I can send the most recent drafts: list email addys here in spoilers, and I'll send out a mass email when I get enough requests (TOZ, you'll be first on the list, of course).I heard that!
** spoiler omitted **
Thanks Kirth.
Would love to see it!
In the meanwhile, if anyone wants the documents they can drop me a line at triomegazero @ yahoo.com and I will email them to you when I can.Or I can send the most recent drafts: list email addys here in spoilers, and I'll send out a mass email when I get enough requests (TOZ, you'll be first on the list, of course).
Well you saw me over on that other (really old) thread a bit ago Kirth. I'd love to take a look.
Kirth, now that my wife is done with her schooling I do not have the same amount of free time I used to, but I would love to check out the new documents when you get a chance to send them out.
Kirth, now that my wife is done with her schooling I do not have the same amount of free time I used to, but I would love to check out the new documents when you get a chance to send them out.
I'll be very happy to send them! And your past editorial work has already improved things 100%.
|
|
Our webspace is back in service. Unfortunately, whatever caused the outage has deleted every hosted file.
Needless to say, we will be switching providers. Until we do, I will not be posted new links. We have put in a trouble ticket and hope that they can perform data recovery, but I am not hopeful. I will let you know if the current links become active again.
When we have new hosting, I will upload the current revisions Kirth is sending out, and most likely create a new thread.
Sorry for the bad news gang.
Dotting. Will be sure to check these out when I get the chance.
Got your email Kirth. I have only glanced over a few things (particularly equipment and a bit of feats) but so far I'm liking what I see. I'm especially pleased to see how you worked out the weapon proficiencies. I'll give some real feedback after I've had a chance to actually review things.