So I am planning a campaign set on Nirn, the world of the Elder Scrolls (Skyrim and etc.) series. I have figured out or written most of the homebrew rules I needed to bring it together, but I am struggling with one point. Bloody birthsigns. I have had a few ideas, like using that one system used in the World of Midnight, but I only faintly remember how those worked. So I am looking for any and all suggestions on how to implement these astrological wonders into Pathfinder. Please help.
Wait, the world's name was not Tamriel?
Tamriel was the continent, Nirn was the world, Mundus was the plane.
Also *cough cough* shameless self-promotion *cough cough* (far from finished but at least it's a start)
I like Kazarath; your thread is really good. I might use your Tamerielic races for the campaign. And your birthsigns are good but I really wanted something more extensive, maybe something that levels with the players. Thank you.
Well it's still a big work in progress, one that I'll get around to finishing eventually. Perhaps we could work together on it in the future.
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take whatever works for you, discard at will =)
The Apprentice:
Gain an extra spell slot of every spell level you can cast. All spells deal double damage to you. If a spell has a duration, any effects last twice as long.
The Atronach:
Gain an extra spell slot of every spell level you can cast, plus one extra spell slot of your highest available spell level you can cast. If you cannot cast magic, you pick a class of your choice with magical ability to which you apply these spell slots. Use your character level as caster level. You have a 50% chance of absorbing any spell that affects you, like a rod of absorption, recharging your spell slots as you wish. You do not regain spells in the normal capacity of your class at all, but must still go through any ritual, prayer, or studying that is required.
The Lady:
+2 Birthsign Bonus to Wisdom and Constitution.
The Lord:
You can grant yourself Regeneration 5 for (wisdom modifier) worth of rounds on yourself equal to 3 + wisdom modifier. You take 25% more damage from fire sources.
The Lover:
You gain the ability to render an opponent paralyzed once per day with your touch for charisma modifier worth of rounds. You become fatigued for the same period.
The Mage:
You gain an extra spell slot of your highest available spell level.
The Ritual:
You gain the ability to channel positive energy as a cleric two level lower than yourself (minimum 1). You also gain the Turn Undead feat.
The Serpent:
Once per day, you may touch someone, dealing them damage equal 1d10 + your character level. At the same time you receive a Remove Poison and targeted Dispel Magic, and remove the fatigued condition.
The Shadow:
You may go invisible once per day for one minute, as per the invisibility spell.
The Steed:
The steed increases all your movement speeds by 10 ft. and grants you a birthsign bonus to initiative equal to +4.
The Thief:
You gain a birthsign bonus to dexterity equal to +2. Your land speed increases by +5. You may reroll one die once per day, before you know the results of your first roll.
The tower:
You gain a bonus to Open lock checks equal to half your level. It is always considered a class skill to you. Once per day you may grant yourself Damage Reduction 5/- for 10 rounds.
The Warrior:
You gain a +2 birthsign bonus to Strength and Constitution.
Wouldn't the Atronach give you LESS spell slots in exchange for 50% spell absorption? Or at the least make them take longer to prepare.
Based on oblivion, no, it grants the highest fortify magicka of all the signs
Based on oblivion, no, it grants the highest fortify magicka of all the signs
Yes, but at the cost of only being able to recharge them via potions/your own spell absorption.
Pathfinder doesn't have a mana system, so the best way to simulate that would be to make it damn hard for him to recharge his spells once he's used them and/or give him something like "temporary spell slots". Say every time he absorbs a spell he gets to cast that spell back for free, but can't recharge it when he prepares/recharges his spells when resting.
Would you take a sign that gave you less spells per day than normal and does not let you get spells back by sleeping? The only way you can get spells is by encountering other spellcasters, so having extra spells to make up for the fact you won't be getting back those slots any time soon is reasonable. Well, at least to me.
Would you take a sign that gave you less spells per day than normal and does not let you get spells back by sleeping? The only way you can get spells is by encountering other spellcasters, so having extra spells to make up for the fact you won't be getting back those slots any time soon is reasonable. Well, at least to me.
I didn't say you couldn't get them back by sleeping. I said you took a little longer to prepare them in the morning, maybe make it take a conscious effort for spontaneous casters to get their spells.
You are right, I said they do not get them back in the morning, not you. I translated the Oblivion birthsigns as accurately as possible. You are welcome to clock them all down in power, but realistically, those birthsigns in oblivion were just as powerful in game as they are here. I was going for emulation and accuracy not balance.
Being able to turn invisible for one minute a day is powerful regardless of level. How powerful the Atronach birthsign actually is as currently written depends on how often you encounter casters.
Motionmatrix: thank you for your feed back. You're Birthsigns are close to what I imagined so with a little refinement I may just use them; though I'd still like to do something similar to Midnight, though I vaguely remember it.
Rynjin: as well to you thanks for your input. All insight is wanted.
And Kazarath: I look forward to working with you in the future. Maybe I'll even share my homebrew Dovahkiin class and Dragon, Dovah bestiary with you.
If you went with the Morrowind birthsigns, you could have the Warrior give a birthsign bonus to attack rolls, and the thief give a dodge bonus to AC (if you don't prefer straight attribute buffs) :D
Actually, now that I think of it, Morrowind birthsign magicka bonuses were based on INT, not just flat rates like in Oblivion. Perhaps you want to implement that for your birthsigns - your primary casting attribute modifier is multiplied for the purposes of calculating bonus spell slots ?
My 2 cp on the Atronach issue...
I'd go with more spell slots, and SR as well. No regaining spells per day, instead when you are affected by a hostile spell, you regain a spell slot of the offending spell or lower. No idea how balanced this would be.
I have to admit, giving the Atronach SR and have him regain some measure of magic back would be very appropriate in flavor and mechanically easy to deal with.
If you went with the Morrowind birthsigns, you could have the Warrior give a birthsign bonus to attack rolls, and the thief give a dodge bonus to AC (if you don't prefer straight attribute buffs) :D
Actually, now that I think of it, Morrowind birthsign magicka bonuses were based on INT, not just flat rates like in Oblivion. Perhaps you want to implement that for your birthsigns - your primary casting attribute modifier is multiplied for the purposes of calculating bonus spell slots ?My 2 cp on the Atronach issue...
I'd go with more spell slots, and SR as well. No regaining spells per day, instead when you are affected by a hostile spell, you regain a spell slot of the offending spell or lower. No idea how balanced this would be.
Yeah, I like where you are coming from. I need to look back into how Morrowind handled the Signs. That game's mechanics were built close to a pen and paper idea.
Here is what I am thinking based on all of the suggestions:
The Warrior
Those with this sign receive a +1 to attack rolls and another +1 every four levels. The Warrior also allows those born under it to treat the damage of their weapons as one step higher.
The Thief
Those of this sign receive a bonus to Stealth equal to half their level and may move their full movement without causing a penalty to Stealth.
The Mage
Those born under the Mage add half their level as a bonus to Spellcraft tests. They also receive one additional spell per day for each level of spell they may cast.
Thoughts on these?
The Tower
Those born under the Tower add half their class level to Disable Device tests and always count as have a set of thieves tools on themselves.
The Atronach
Those of the Atronach gain SR equal to 9 + their level. They also treat their casting modifier as x2 for determining bonus spells; they do not gain spells back after an eight hour rest. They regain spell slots by either taking a week of preparation, or when they successfully save against a spell they my instantly prepare a spell of the level that hit them or lower.
Still awaiting feed back.
The Steed
The Steed grants a +10 feet of movement, +10 feet per every four levels. Those of the Steed also gain Quick Draw as the feat.
The Apprentice
Those born under the Apprentice gain 2 extra spells per day for each level of casting, as well as treating all their spells as +1 level higher. However those of the Apprentice also take a -2 to all saves vs. spells; duration of harmful effects of spells last twice as long.
I was going to suggest making them something similar to traits but based on comments I realized you're looking for something a little more powerful. They all look interesting so far and pretty well balanced among each other. The only thing I could think to possibly change would be for the speed bonus from the steed to increase by +5 every four levels instead of +10. Also, though I'm pretty sure it's implied, I would only allow the steeds bonus to apply to land speed if I were you.
Definitely need to mention the land specific but you think 10 feet is too much?
One thing - Tower seems a little weaker than the other signs that give 1/2 level bonuses. The Thief effectively gives you the Fast Stealth rogue talent for free, and the Mage gives an extra spell slot of each level. However, the Tower's bonus really is only effective if you can't afford mwk thief's tools (either due to gold or encumbrance), or if you end up having your tools stolen/lost. It seems to me that beyond early level, it is not quite comparable as it doesn't scale like the others.
One thing - Tower seems a little weaker than the other signs that give 1/2 level bonuses. The Thief effectively gives you the Fast Stealth rogue talent for free, and the Mage gives an extra spell slot of each level. However, the Tower's bonus really is only effective if you can't afford mwk thief's tools (either due to gold or encumbrance), or if you end up having your tools stolen/lost. It seems to me that beyond early level, it is not quite comparable as it doesn't scale like the others.
Suggestions?
Maybe the ability to cast knock one or more times a day as a spell-like ability?
Probably should have done that from the start.
The Tower
Those born under the Tower add half their class level to Disable Device tests and always count as have a set of thieves tools on themselves. Those under it can also cast the spell knock 1/day, plus once more per day per every four levels.
Just a technicality, you should probably word it as "Those born under it can also cast knock as a spell-like ability 1/day, using their character level as their caster level. They gain an additional use per day every four levels."
Just a technicality, you should probably word it as "Those born under it can also cast knock as a spell-like ability 1/day, using their character level as their caster level. They gain an additional use per day every four levels."
My bad. I will make sure to correct in my final compilation.
Definitely need to mention the land specific but you think 10 feet is too much?
I think starting them off with +10 is fine but I think it should be reduced to +5 every four levels as the Fleet feat only grants a +5 bonus.
Definitely need to mention the land specific but you think 10 feet is too much?I think starting them off with +10 is fine but I think it should be reduced to +5 every four levels as the Fleet feat only grants a +5 bonus.
I see what you meant but I will likely leave it at 10 feet per 4 levels.