So, I decided to go on an imagination spree, for whatever reason. I gave my players the following character creation guidelines.
-If you can find it in the Pathfinder OGL, it's fair game. Mostly. (Brownie points for RPing it well.)
-All characters start with 10 in all abilities, and get 20 points on a 1-for-1 basis to buy better scores. You must dedicate a 9 in order for a racial score to dump an ability to 7 (thus gaining only a single point from it).
-I gave each character 1 3.5 book to play with. One player took exactly what I thought he would (Bo9S), and another went for Races of Destiny for Chameleon, an interesting choice.
But then I went and did something funny when my players were struck with indecision. They went and took their time plotting out their characters, I went and spent some time plotting out, well, a single die roll.
In ten pages of my notebook, I wrote things outlandish and assigned them all a number. Each character gets to roll a D10, and then that number would belong to them. No duplicates. Each number had a powerful ability attached to it, available as soon as play starts. Each number goes as thus:
1) Gain a Cleric domain. You gain the abilities of a Cleric domain using your character level as your Cleric level. If you take Cleric levels later, you must take this domain. However, you continue to use it as described (Cleric level for Domain = Character level). Nobody rolled this.
2) You gain the powers of an Alchemist of 1/2 your character level. A Monk character ended up rolling this one.
3) Select any one Arcane spellcasting class. You gain all 0-level spells this class can cast in your own list of spells known. If you have ANY casting ability whatsoever, you can prepare and use these spells (or spontaneously cast them if that's what your class does) as regular 0-level spells for your class. Otherwise, you can use each spell once per day with the casting of these spells limited to 3 times a day. Nobody rolled this one.
4) Gives the free use of Dimension Door at will as part of a move action (or as a standard action if you are denied a move action), but with the following limitations: You may move up to your base land speed, then use Dimension Door in increments of 5 feet for every 2 HD you have. I also put in the caveat that this qualifies one for the Dimensional Agility feat line. A Rogue player rolled this one. He had no idea what he rolled until all rolls were accounted for.
5) You gain a second Swift action to use per round, plus increases to base speed, and a boost to the Quicken Spell feat (still only once per round, but less spell levels required). Nobody.
6) Gain proficiency with all simple and martial weapons. If you already have proficiency with one or the other, you instead gain exotic weapon proficiencies. In addition, you can apply any feat that normally only applies to one weapon instead to all weapons in a weapons group (see Fighter weapons groups). For any weapon you are proficient with and wielding, you gain +1 to crit damage multipliers and your threat range doubles (does not stack with feats or other such enhancements). The Fighter in the group ended up rolling this one. He's happy to have grand crits.
7) Gives a bonus to Perception checks and to Spellcraft checks made to identify and counter spells. Gain a bonus to AC against crit confirmation. Gain the benefits of Uncanny Dodge. Nobody.
8) Gives a bonus equal to 1/2 your level on Bluff and Sense Motive checks, makes all skills class skills, and gives a bonus to any skill labeled as a class skill for any of your classes. Nobody.
9) You can switch between caster or martial progression under certain circumstances. If you have decreased caster levels, you gain the next step better. (4 level casters become 6, 6 becomes 9.) These extra levels are as standard caster progression, but the higher levels you gain above your normal can only be used for Metamagic-enhanced spells. If you are already a full caster, you may use any Metamagic feat that increases a spell level by 1 without increasing the spell level or cast time.
On the martial side of things, you gain the next step of BAB. 1/2 becomes 3/4, and 3/4 becomes full. If you already have full BAB, you are instead considered permanently under the effects of Haste (as an EX ability instead of a Spell). My GMPC ended up rolling this, as we have NO CASTERS in the party.
10) Gestalt any 2 core/base classes or any 1 core/base with 1 prestige class you qualify for. Paladin/Crusader character.
Now, none of the players knew any of these when I told them to roll a D10. They just knew they were getting something "special". Now my Rogue player has had to completely reassess his feat progression and the entire build. The Monk has no idea what to do with free Alchemy (he's never even looked at the class). God help us when the Paladin/Crusader starts using White Raven Tactics on the Munchkin Rogue. And the Fighter? I hope she hits those crits often, because that's what she's got to work with.
I know its homebrew as heck, but I wanted something to differentiate these characters from the humdrum of the standard characters, other than deciding which spells to learn at first level and which version of a sword do I want to stab people with.
I guess my questions become:
1) How screwy is this, really?
2) How will this honestly affect CR?
3) Would any of you run this in your games?
4) Mistake? (I'm still going with it to find out by experience.)
What would be the justification for these characters gaining these random abilities? Especially since if they had known them before they had chosen their careers (In Character), they all may have chosen a different career path. It may have been far better for you to give them the random result before they chose their character classes.
Looks to be far too over the top for my taste. However, that is the beauty of this game. If you have a group that likes the same things that you do, then push it to the limit.
They did not get the results of their rolls until everyone had rolled and they had given me their initial (level 1) classes. The only one that changed was the Paladin. Everyone else made these powers fit into the identities they already had.
The Fighter killed her father, who had the idea that she was a godless monster. The Monk's temple was destroyed by said Fighter, so he follows her around, giving sage advice and tries to coach her along the path of righteousness and tolerance. The Paladin had been orphaned and abandoned at a monastery, and has of late come to be accepted by 2 orders of her militaristic faith (The Paladins and the Crusaders of the order). The Rogue became a pickpocket to try to gain himself enough money to True Resurrection his parents, and ends up finding a way out of his troubles by follwing a path to Thoon. All of these were player concepts. I love it, and I'm going to try to incorporate these ideas into my campaign.