Capstone Brainstorming Thread

[Mbando]

Trying to brainstorm some suggested capstone abilities. My criteria:

• Core to the class concept in Pathfinder
• Meaningful, something that would be worth dedicating yourself to a single role for
• Not overpowering--shouldn't be something people need to have to be successful

Most of these are taken from/adapted from the PF Reference Document.

Barbarian: ?

Bard: Enrapture (SU). A bard of 20th level or higher can use his performance to cause one enemy to be utterly enraptured/despodent from joy or sorrow. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear the bard perform for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The creature is mesmerized until the bard ends their performance. This is a mind-affecting charm effect that relies on audible and visual components.

Cleric: ?. A kind of epic turning might be good here, but turning in PF isn't a class ability, but a feat. Suggestions?

Druid: Wildshape at will (Su).

Fighter: Weapon Mastery (Ex): At 20th level, a fighter chooses one weapon, such as the longsword, greataxe, or longbow. Any attacks made with that weapon have a bonus to critical hits. In addition, they cannot be disarmed while wielding a weapon of this type.

Monk: Perfect Self: At 20th level, a monk becomes a magical creature. He is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk's creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, the monk gains damage reduction 10/chaotic, which allows him to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonchaotic weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn't have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type.

Paladin: Holy Champion (Su): At 20th level, a paladin becomes a conduit for the power of her god. Whenever she uses smite evil and successfully strikes an evil outsider, the outsider is also subject to a banishment, using her paladin level as the caster level (her weapon and holy symbol automatically count as objects that the subject hates). After the banishment effect and the damage from the attack is resolved, the smite immediately ends.

Ranger: Master Hunter (Ex): A ranger of 20th level becomes a master hunter. He can always move at full speed while using Survival to follow tracks without penalty, and gains the druid Trackless Step ability while in favored terrain. Additionally, the ranger adds their wisdom bonus to all damage rolls against any of their favored enemies.

Rogue: ?

Sorcerer: Bloodline Mastery (Ex): A sorcer of 20th level has fully connected with their bloodline, and gains the immunities of that line, e.g. sneak attack for elementals and abberants; acid, cold and petrification for celestial; paralysis, sleep and your damage type for draconic, fire & poison for infernal; poison and charm for Fey, etc.

Wizard: Planar Familar (Ex): At 20th level, a wizard's bond extends to the planes, and their familiar or bonded object becomes a planar creature. The familiar is an outsider, and based on the wizard's alignment, has immunities based on the plane of alignment.

Suggestions?

[Nihimon]

I think it's important to make sure the Capstone abilities are related to the very core of a class, and not just to one particular build of that class. Smiting Evil is something that every Paladin does. However, not all Wizards actually use or want Familiars.

I see that your suggestions for the Sorcerer Capstone are dependent on the Sorcerer's bloodline. I think something similar might need to be done with Wizards where their Capstone is based on their Arcane School. If that's not practical, perhaps a choice between a Capstone based either on their familiar or on their bonded object.

[Mbando]

I think that's a great idea Nihimon--more work for the Devs, but it would be totes badass to have a capstone that relfected your choice of school.

[Valkenr]

It may be worth it to have a handful of capstones for every Archetype based on what skill paths you take.

[Mbando]

More choices=more gooder in my book. I would guess there might be a cap on how much time and energy the devs would want to contribute to this, but I'd be all for it.

[Nihimon]

I could see it being reasonable to have a variety of Capstone abilities, each with their own prerequisites, and allowing a character to select one for which they qualify.

[DeciusBrutus]

I would go the opposite way: make the capstone ability one that mitigates a single weakness of the character.

Monks might get an armor-piercing attack, if one of their weaknesses is difficulty punching through enchanted metal. Sorcerers might get a short, fast, uniterruptible, cheap teleport that makes it harder to pin them down in melee. Fighters might be able to block or parry ranged spells.

Non-capstone characters will already have mitigated their weaknesses by other, probably superior, means.

[Elorebaen]

I think the criteria for game systems should include meaningful player interaction. This is the primary engine of the entire game, so it better be supported in every way.

[Antilogy]

I agree with Mbando's criteria above and Nihimon's statement that the capstone abilities should be related to the very core of the class not just a specific build.

I really dislike the idea of having the capstone ability mitigate a weakness. The capstone should be iconic to the class.

Consider this a hearty second for Mbando's first post.

[Xein]

Antilogy wrote:

I agree with Mbando's criteria above and Nihimon's statement that the capstone abilities should be related to the very core of the class not just a specific build.

I really dislike the idea of having the capstone ability mitigate a weakness. The capstone should be iconic to the class.

Consider this a hearty second for Mbando's first post.

Agreed. Capstones should feel rewarding and worthwhile.

Wild Shape at will improves quality of life and aids versatility.

Something of that caliber, while not completely necessary, would definitely make me reconsider multiclassing my druid, if that's the direction they end up going in.

[Arlock Blackwind]

wiard , well the familiar thing would not get by me with smiles because there is already a improved familiar feat and does not even come close to a ability like damage reduction unless you could control an outsider of more than 10HD and thats just rediculus for a familiar. No a wizard capstone should follow a more generalist wizard build unless you have a school focus. like for generalists lvl 20 should mean something like ability to make minor artifacts or cast persistant spells like control weather for more sustained limitations. for evocation specialists something like controling the type of damage you do with a spell on a whim. like turning a fire ball into an iceball or lightning into a line of acid spray. for summoners i can see an excessive improved familiar or being able to extend the duration significantly of summoned creatures. for necromancers, for cryin out loud not all necromancers are evil because how else are you going to have a non-divine funeral or a speak with dead without raised eyebrows. for necromancers i would do something like a life link ability to where you can share a hp pool with a creature and only drop when both hit negative hp. follow the trend and you can get a feel of some good ideas. i would do cleric to but i feel this post is already to long.