I know it's been done to death, but here's my take on removing the Big Six from the game, and replacing them with scaling bonuses. Please feel free to discuss or critique, or to use in whole or in part in your own game. (I'll do my best to format this sensibly without tables)
Weapons no longer have a specific enhancement bonus. They are either magical or they are not. Magical weapons have an enhancement bonus based on the wielder's level, as shown in the chart below:
Level/HD, Enhancement
- 1-7, +1
- 8-11, +2
- 12-15, +3
- 16-19, +4
- 20+, +5
Magical weapons cost the same as a +1 weapon under the standard rules. Magical weapons may have additional properties, the price of which is calculated as if the base weapon had a +1 enhancement bonus.
Like weapons, armor no longer has a specific enhancement bonus. Magical armor, shields and robes exist with enhancement bonuses based on the wielder's level, as shown in the chart below:
Level/HD, Armor/Robe Enhancement, Shield Enhancement
- 1-4, +1, +1
- 5-6, +2, +1
- 7-8, +2, +2
- 9-10, +3, +2
- 11-12, +3, +3
- 13-14, +4, +3
- 15-16, +4, +4
- 17-18, +5, +4
- 19-20, +5, +5
Magical armor and shields cost the same as their +1 versions under the standard rules. Magical armor and shields may have additional properties, the price of which is calculated as if the base weapon had a +1 enhancement bonus.
Magical robes cost 1000gp plus the value of the underlying robe (magical robes are often made of expensive materials). Any magical robes from sourcebooks with a value over 1000gp provide this enhancement bonus. If the robes become nonmagical (for example, if they have a limited number of charges), they lose their enhancement bonus as well. Magical robes may not have armor special qualities added to them.
Creatures who have great experience fighting naturally become used to combat, and it becomes harder to land damaging blows on them. This is represented by a Hero bonus to AC. Hero bonus is based on class only, not racial hit dice.
Level, Total AC Bonus, Flat-footed AC Bonus, Touch AC Bonus
- 1, +0, +0, +0
- 2-3, +1, +1, +0
- 4-5, +2, +1, +1
- 6-7, +3, +2, +1
- 8-9, +4, +2, +2
- 10-11, +5, +3, +2
- 12-13, +6, +3, +3
- 14-15, +7, +4, +3
- 16-17, +8, +4, +4
- 18-19, +9, +5, +4
- 20+, +10, +5, +5
Creatues also receive a Hero bonus to ability scores as they increase in level. Hero bonuses should be tracked separately from starting ability score values. Hero bonuses to ability scores replace both stat enhancing items and the standard ability score increases at each fourth level. Hero bonuses are permanently assigned to ability scores when a creature increases in level, and may not exceed one third the character's total level (rounded up).
Level, Total Hero Bonus, Maximum Bonus to a Single Ability
- 1, +0, +0
- 2, +1, +1
- 3, +2, +1
- 4, +3, +2
- 5, +4, +2
- 6, +5, +2
- 7, +6, +3
- 8, +7, +3
- 9, +8, +3
- 10, +9, +4
- and so on...
Finally, creatures get a Hero bonus to all of their saving throws.
Level, Saving Throw Bonus
- 1, +0
- 2-5, +1
- 6-9, +2
- 10-13, +3
- 14-17, +4
- 18+, +5
Because characters will no longer need to purchase these items, the expected wealth by level needs to be decreased. I believe the correct value should be somewhere between a 50% and 66% decrease. This won't apply to the first few levels.
Of course, my players naturally found a hole in this system right away. One of my players is playing a summoner, and this system will work oddly with that class. My first thought was that each time the summoner gets a bonus, he must choose (permanently) whether it goes to the eidolon or the summoner.