I recently have been reading the system of Kirthfinder by Kirth Gersen and.. I wouldn't say that I've gotten an obsession but I don't have a better word for it, because in some cases there are things that I absolutely adore about the system whilst other things I'm more apprehensive about.
I was wondering what might happen if I was to try to take aspects from KF and translate them to PF, whether that would break anything or still be okay.
Things I want to Transfer
Equipment: Equipment in Kirthfinder is handled by giving each type of weapon a Simple, Martial, and Exotic Proficiency, meaning that if you wanted to use for example a Spear, Simple Proficiency would act normally for Spears, Martial makes it a one handed weapon, lets you throw it 10 feet, and gives it Brace, and Exotic proficiency gives them access to the KF feat "Skewer Foe" OR for another example, Arming swords (longswords in PF terms) start in simple proficiency taking a -4 circumstance penalty to attacks (basically being its non proficiency penalty) Martial acts normal for longswords, whilst Exotic proficiency gives you the choice of either getting 18-20 critical range and finesse. or gain the ability to deal 1d12 instead of 1d8 against creatures bigger than you.
Numen: Instead of gold buying magic Items, you buy magic items with a level based resource called "Numen". This allows one to replicate a lot of fantasy and folklore where someone just finds a unique item (for example Heracles takes the pelt of the nemean lion to wear as armor, he doesn't need to pay money to have it turned into +3 hide armor, he just takes it and adds it to his equipment) or can use Imbue Item in place of all of the magic item crafting feats to get more out of their numen or gain other benefits.
Feats: The place where this idea probably breaks down. A number of feats scale with level rather than being static (and just the fact that feats are generally better in KF because a number of feats are often rolled into one) However... I just like the idea of feats scaling to BaB or skills or whatever because of the fact that players can gain a lot, and a lot of builds/abilities that would be seen as too feat costly in PF have a chance in this. here are a few examples.
WEAPON FINESSE [FINESSE]
You are trained in using your agility in melee combat, as opposed to brute strength.
Benefit: With a light weapon, natural weapon, or weapon with the [finesse] property made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls and when calculating CMB. Additionally, you can substitute your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier when calculating any Strength-dependent DCs for [strike] feats (q.v.) and/or [strike] talents you possess.
If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls.
• If your base attack bonus is +6 or greater, you can apply your Dexterity bonus instead of your Strength bonus on damage rolls as well as attack rolls. Any Strength penalty to damage still applies, however.
• If your base attack bonus is +11 or higher, you can apply your Strength modifier and/or your Dexterity modifier to damage (either or both, at your option), and can choose which modifier to apply to attacks and CMB.
• If your base attack bonus is +16 or higher, you can apply both your Strength bonus (if positive) and your Dexterity bonus to attacks, CMB, and damage.
Special: Other feats requiring this feat gain the [Finesse] descriptor.
SKILL FOCUS [SKILL]
Choose a skill. You are particularly adept at that skill.
Benefit: If the skill in question is not a class skill for you, it becomes one. This gives you the +3 class skill bonus and access to the “class skill” abilities listed under that skill (Chapter 4).
If the skill in question is already a class skill, you gain a competence bonus on all checks involving that skill equal to half your number of ranks (minimum +3). In addition, your critical success range for that skill (Chapter 1) increases to 19-20.
Special: If the skill is not a class skill for you, you can take this feat twice: once to make the skill a class skill, and a second time to gain the competence bonus and expanded crit range. If the skill is already a class skill, you can select this feat only once with that skill, but can still take Skill Focus with other skills.
RESIST ENERGY [SKILL]
Prerequisite: Endurance 1 rank.
Benefit: Choose an energy form (acid, cold, electricity, fire, negative energy, or sonic). You gain resistance 5 against that type of energy; this stacks with any existing resistance to that type.
For every 4 ranks in Endurance you possess, this resistance increases by 5 points (i.e., at 16 ranks you have resistance 25). At 20 ranks, you are immune to that energy type.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times; each time, choose a different energy type.
SHIELD BASH, IMPROVED
You can protect yourself with your shield, even if you use it to attack.
Prerequisites: Exotic Shield Proficiency, Two-Weapon Fighting.
Benefit: When you perform a shield bash, you may still apply the shield’s shield bonus to your AC.
• If your base attack bonus is at least +6, when shield bashing with a magic shield, your shield’s enhancement bonus to AC can be applied as an enhancement bonus to attacks and damage as well. The maximum enhancement bonus that can be applied in this manner is equal to +1 per 4 points of your base attack bonus.
• If your base attack bonus is at least +11, your shield bash deals damage as if your shield were one size larger (1d4 for a light shield, 1d6 for a heavy shield; or 1d6 for a light spiked shield, 1d8 for a heavy spiked shield). This does not stack with the bashing shield property.
• If your base attack bonus is at least +16, when fighting with a shield, you can make normal weapon attacks (with the two-weapon fighting penalty) but hold your shield bashes (Chapter 7 – held actions). Any time before your next turn, when you are attacked by an opponent, you can spend an immediate action to make one of the held shield bashes against that opponent; if this bash damages the target, the attack that triggered it misses. This simulates the Crusader’s shield counter maneuver, from the Tome of Battle.
I guess that it might be quicker to mention what I hate about the system rather than what I like...
Basically what I hate so much that I act like it's a deal breaker is around Multi-classing. I have no personal problem with multi-classing and like the fact that you can mix and match things like Fighter and Cleric or Rogue and Soccerer or Ranger and Monk or whatever combination you can find the right synergy options for.. However I don't like the fact that some specific things that were originally base classes in their own right are now relegated to multi class status. Like the Alchemist for example. There is something about saying "I am an Alchemist" that "I combined rogue, Barbarian, and Wizard in a certain way to mix together spell casting, rage-like mutagens, and alchemical item bombs" does not.
Second thing that isn't really important that I'm unsure about is that I want to use the Spheres systems by Drop Dead Studios, but don't really know how I would change them to give them the narrative power base classes do in Kirth if I was to swap them over.
Third is simple but stupid: I don't really like the new perogative that basically anyone level 15 and above is considered a Demigod. Again just personal preferences here because I feel like that decision kinda screws over high level play when your players become essentially the god kings of mankind by 20
Now for topic 2: why I shoehorned in a Fighter Improvement angle to all this.
Because although I'm one of the people that defends fighter, Because it relates to my KF bellyaching that KF instead of just giving armor and weapon training it gives them unique talents throughout their career, but if I was to bring those talents in alone they'd probably break something.