
BlueStorm |
For reasons that are... Setting specific, as well as for allowing better class synergy; I think it may be prudent to convert all daily abilities to working under a single pool... Specifically a Ki Pool.
Some of the ideas I've worked out, others I'm not sure of. And then there's the one's I have a fair idea of, but don't have the maths worked out for.
Here's What I've got so far for the classes that don't already have Ki.
Spell-casters: Spells can be cast using Ki, Which I imagine would generally cost 1/2 their Spell level rounded up. I'm presuming the Ki points would be worked out using a similar 1/2 equation for the spell slots.
Barbarians: Use Ki to activate Rage, Ki is burned during rage at a certain rate. I assume that they get a Ki point for each round of rage.
Cavaliers/Samurai: Presumably get a number of Ki points dependent on their normal uses of the challenge ability. I'm not sure which way the numbers would go. Spend a Ki point to use a Challenge.
I have no idea on some of the others. And I'm not good at mathematically working out the conversions.
Anyone know how to take this idea and run with it... without making it as unbalanced as all hell?
I'm kinda making this idea cause... some Super Epic level Campaign I've been planning for a long time is kinda... hard to keep going at full power when the various Multiclassed stuff end up making it feel like you can't use the full range of abilities to the extent one expects of Epic characters.
Like... a level 20 Ninja only has 10 Ki points for stuff without the Ability score modifier. But considering one of the supplements I want to use has a Ki power I'd expect to use hundreds of times a day at Level 100 (of various mixed stuff)... Well... Yeah. It's hard to do without synergizing it to heck and back.
Also something I'd like a relative Ki cost for: Elemental Fist.
(P.S. Due to some Minor questions over some... Stuff. I'm considering allowing multiple applying of the Modifiers. Mainly due to things like the number of rounds of Rage allowing a constitution modifier, when this isn't usually counteracted by anything like Ki points or whatever. But When Ki points usually stack, they only let you use one Modifier. or is a single modifier the cost of synergy?)

Darkwolf117 |

It sounds like you've got a fairly good plan as is. My biggest concern would be balancing it among the classes.
As to doing that... I think my best idea would be to list out everything that is going to require Ki points (in other words, I guess most of the resources that a class has).
Then, tally up how much each class gets in a given day to find what seems a good baseline amount of ki to be gained from leveling. This way, leveling in one class doesn't give far more ki points than leveling in other class, which could then be used for the one that gave less. If they are all going to use them, they should all advance about the same amount, I think.
After you've got a baseline for advancement, adjust how much ki the abilities cost accordingly, so that they still have approximately the same progression the classes would under normal circumstances.
That's just pretty much off the top of my head though, and I haven't looked at any numbers to see how it might go. Possibly a start though, at least.

Turin the Mad |

If spell casters are garnering GOBS of ki to power all of their spells, then perhaps one should consider that all ki users gain ki pools based on the gains of full casters.
I'd probably use the sorcerer's spells/day to generate the base ki pool based on the 1/2 ki per spell level, add in the casting ability score with attendant increases in ki pool and basically you have an all-ki setting. 1-6 casters [bards, summoners] get full pools too, although most class abilities consume ki - performance and summons for example. Change the eidolon to cost ki but not interfere with summons, be summonable as a move or swift action, etc. Certain class abilities simply shouldn't cost anything - versatile performance, jack of all trades, etc.
Rage would burn ki like candy - 1 ki per round + a ki cost per rage power used + increasing costs based on stuff like having greater rage, the various feats that permit burning extra rage to get larger or still take full rounds while at 0 or negative hit points and so on. Or just throw such things into Rage as bonuses, toss out the 1/rage stuff and the rage powers that provide immunities simply add icing onto the cake of Rage. [In trade, they don't get to smash stuff or make floors into gravel like other Ragers do.]
1-4 casters get half ki pools - paladins and rangers - as they have largely passive abilities with a small number of goodies that would burn ki. Smite Evil is the big one, especially if detect evil has a ki cost the "evil radar syndrome" will stop PDQ. Smite Evil burns ki per round per declared target, or maybe per minute, depending on how the playtests go.
Just a few dribblings for you.