Are There Any Classes or Class Abilities That You Wished Was Done Differently?

[ShroudedInLight]

So, back on topic.

The thing that bugs me about the Skald is that I've never seen one in a party that can take full advantage of Raging Song. Most classes in the game have some element of casting that gets turned off during rage. I know that not buffing the Wizard with Raging song isn't that big of a deal (after all, what benefit were they getting from Inspire Courage?) but it still bugs me all the same.

[Darigaaz the Igniter]

I wish there were more prestige classes released in the hardcover books that weren't tied to the golarion setting. Like, I understand that archetypes mostly supplanted the need for so many prestige classes, but at the same time it's always interesting seeing how different combinations of classes worked or didn't work to create entry for prestige classes.

[Dragonborn3]

ShroudedInLight wrote:

So, back on topic.

The thing that bugs me about the Skald is that I've never seen one in a party that can take full advantage of Raging Song. Most classes in the game have some element of casting that gets turned off during rage. I know that not buffing the Wizard with Raging song isn't that big of a deal (after all, what benefit were they getting from Inspire Courage?) but it still bugs me all the same.

They might have been using rays?

[Dragon78]

That 1st level sorcerer bloodline powers were at will. Along with similar class abilities .

That there were ways of increasing cantrip damage like feats and/or class features.

That every class with any casting ability got cantrips.

That the cleric spell list got disrupt undead and alignment based damaging "cantrips".

That wizard/sorcerer got damage based cantrips for electricity, fire, force, negative energy, and sonic.

That psychics got damage based "cantrips" for fire, electricity, force, and mind

That psychics got healing and curative spells.

[ShroudedInLight]

Dragonborn3 wrote:

They might have been using rays?

True, it also frustrates Magi and anyone else with spellstrike. Reach casters (who want to cast spells on their turn and poke during other people's turns) and a few other builds that wanna cast spells and receive bonuses on their attack rolls.

[Sysryke]

ShroudedInLight wrote:

So, back on topic.

The thing that bugs me about the Skald is that I've never seen one in a party that can take full advantage of Raging Song. Most classes in the game have some element of casting that gets turned off during rage. I know that not buffing the Wizard with Raging song isn't that big of a deal (after all, what benefit were they getting from Inspire Courage?) but it still bugs me all the same.

I played a skald several years ago, so maybe I'm misremembering, but are you certain those who receive the benefits are limited the same way a normal barbarian in rage is? I seem to recall the AC penalty, but no restrictions on actions. Maybe we just had enough martial types that it just didn't come up as much, but I thought the buffs without the normal rage restrictions was one of the perks of the skald.

[Dragonborn3]

That is... a good point. I never saw it before, but nothing I see in Skald's Raging Song calls out being unable to cast spells while under its effects. I could be wrong.

[Wonderstell]

Dragonborn3 wrote:

That is... a good point. I never saw it before, but nothing I see in Skald's Raging Song calls out being unable to cast spells while under its effects. I could be wrong.

It's a quality of the Inspired Rage performance specifically, not the Raging Song.

Inspired Rage:

Inspired Rage (Su): At 1st level, affected allies gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution and a +1 morale bonus on Will saving throws, but also take a –1 penalty to AC. While under the effects of inspired rage, allies other than the skald cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the song’s bonuses on Will saves increase by 1; the penalty to AC doesn’t change. At 8th and 16th levels, the song’s bonuses to Strength and Constitution increase by 2. (Unlike the barbarian’s rage ability, those affected are not fatigued after the song ends.)

If an ally has her own rage class ability (such as barbarian’s rage, bloodrager’s bloodrage, or skald’s inspired rage), she may use the Strength, Constitution, and Will saving throw bonuses, as well as AC penalties, based on her own ability and level instead of those from the skald (still suffering no fatigue afterward). However, inspired rage does not allow the ally to activate abilities dependent on other rage class abilities, such as rage powers, blood casting, or bloodrager bloodlines; the ally must activate her own rage class ability in order to use these features.

***

Some archetypes removes the "can't concentrate" restriction while giving out Rage Powers, such as Court Poet, Spell Warrior, and Twilight Speaker. Do note that the Court Poet has a PFS "clarification" that goes counter to the designer's intention, replacing its Rage Powers with extra rounds of Raging Song.

[Sysryke]

Forgot about the concentration line. That pretty much makes spells a nope, unless someone knows a work around. I guess I'm just remembering the no fatigue for all, and confusing that with the Skald not having the restrictions. Guess it was just me who got to Rage Song and still cast. Thanks for the clarification Wonderstell.

[Mudfoot]

Derklord wrote:

Mudfoot wrote:

it would have been nice if there were more workable healing methods that didn't involve divine casters or CLW wands.

Oh yeah, it would be awesome if arcane casters had a healing spells. Shame Paizo would never create something like that!

I did say "more methods". One Evil arcane spell that involves (hard to find) devils ichor or (costly) unholy water isn't quite the range of standard options divine casters get. And yes, bards, alchemists, recent options for the Heal skill, Summon Suitable Monster, etc exist too. But wands are far more effective than these until very high level.

Of course hit points are only part of the equation. There's condition removal, and divine casters are better at that too.

[Senko]

Derklord wrote:

Senko wrote:

As for the wands are the default form of healing our usual GM is very firmly against magic marts so finding magical items capable of healing is rare and usually we are reliant on the class not items.

So, you want classes to be different to offset that your GM removed an intended part from the game? Am I getting this right?

Of course, being "firmly against magic marts" is absolutely no reason not to have wands in the game - magic loot is a thing that exists. Indeed, if ever PC party uses healing wands, intelligent enemy groups carrying wands with them is absolutely logical.

Mudfoot wrote:

it would have been nice if there were more workable healing methods that didn't involve divine casters or CLW wands.

Oh yeah, it would be awesome if arcane casters had a healing spells. Shame Paizo would never create something like that!

Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of more healing options, but it has absolutely nothing to do with divine and not-divine casting. Fun fact: Every arcane caster can heal (and use healing wands), but not every divine caster can!

Albatoonoe wrote:

I wish the Skald would've ditched the spellcasting entirely in favorite if of more martial and at will abilities. More so than any of the other Advanced Classes (save maybe the Bloodrager), the Skald feels the two parent classes duct taped together.

Have you ever actually played or seen a Skald in action? Rage powers for the party are pretty huge, way more impactful than a Bard's performances, and the Spell Kenning ability is absolutely amazing.

No I want healing options that aren't divine magic in theme. Cleric, Oracle, Paladin. I was merely pointing out that our GM is against magic marts.

I never said it had to be arcane the skill would be workable or give a martial character some healing ability. I also don't feal fast healing 1 requiring evil components is a valid response for divine casters still being the main healer option with others getting bits and pieces.

As Mudfoot said there are other options if you want to do this healing spell or that healing option but none of them equal the full healing options that divine casters get. In fact I know there's an arcanist variant white mage that gets some healing not sure what off the top of my head. The point is if you want healing options you generally default to divine spells or as mentioned wands which is not necessarily how everyone wants to play. On the other hand if you don't want a divine caster for numerous reasons you take a severe hit on the healing options especially if you aren't able or don't wish to spend money on consumeable resources.

[Dragon78]

That Rogues got prof. with boomarang, lasso, net, whip, and all dagger/knife-like weapons and maybe some other throwing weapons.

That Druids and Shifters got prof. with blowgun, bolas, great club, handaxe, net and maybe a few other ones.

That Fighters got one free exotic weapon prof.

[Mudfoot]

I have a trivial fighter archetype that swaps Tower Shield for one EWP.

[JiCi]

Fighter
Revamp all the archetypes so their class features would replace the bonus feats instead of the Weapon/Armor Training. Seriously, the Weapon Master Handbook finally gave the Fighter a boost, but almost every archetype replace Weapon/Armor Training, thus barring you from taking the Advanced Training options.

[ShroudedInLight]

I give all classes with full BAB 1 Exotic Weapon Proficiency at level 1 and again at 5, 10, 15, and 20. Lets folks get stuff like nets, lassos, slaver's crossbows, and other weird but cool weapons alongside the normal exotics that just do on average +1 damage.

Also boosts the fact that you're playing a class that likely has near zero spell access.

On that note, would have loved nets, bolas, and the like to be catagorized as equipment instead of exotics. Makes them almost never see play without house rules.

[Dragon78]

Alternate weapon prof. list for different cultures(at least based on continent), I mean an exotic weapon to one culture would be a common one to another.

More real world pantheons(with domains, favored weapons, etc.) like they did with the Egyptian deities.

That Druids, Hunters, and Rangers are "nature magic" users, not divine casters.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

I was thinking about this recently: I wish Tactician started as a Move action. It should be a cool ability and would really have changed the dynamics of Teamwork feats. Jumping straight to a swift at 9th is too long to wait.

It's a tiny change, but I would also swap the Life Shaman's level 1 Spirit spell to Cure Light Wounds. It got cut and pasted from Life Oracles, who always get CLW known.

[Melkiador]

Markov Spiked Chain wrote:

It's a tiny change, but I would also swap the Life Shaman's level 1 Spirit spell to Cure Light Wounds. It got cut and pasted from Life Oracles, who always get CLW known.

Might be better if they just got a hex for spontaneously casting cure spells like a cleric.

[KahnyaGnorc]

Dragon78 wrote:

Alternate weapon prof. list for different cultures(at least based on continent), I mean an exotic weapon to one culture would be a common one to another.

Rename "Exotic Weapons" to something like "Advanced Weapons." Then, have cultural flavor for different weapons and make the split between the three categories purely mechanical. You want something that behaves like a martial weapon, but has an extra property or wider threat range? Advanced Weapon!

[Set]

KahnyaGnorc wrote:

Rename "Exotic Weapons" to something like "Advanced Weapons." Then, have cultural flavor for different weapons and make the split between the three categories purely mechanical. You want something that behaves like a martial weapon, but has an extra property or wider threat range? Advanced Weapon!

Definitely. There's no need for a feat to learn a weapon that's culturally 'exotic' but mechanically no better than a martial weapon of the local culture.

A feat investment should represent a weapon that's flat out better, or gives an ability not available to martial weapons.

And, building on that, since the difference between Simple and Martial, and Martial and Exotic, is one feat, it shouldn't take a ton of feats to bridge that gap.

So, a single feat should allow a Sling or Crossbow user to be competitive (*not* 100% equal in all things, just competitive!) with a Longbow user.

[ShroudedInLight]

Exotic weapons also just, aren't worth the feat for the most part. Most of them don't pass the Weapon Specialization bar of +2 damage in comparison to their martial equivielent. Or they only add a single new damage type (there is a feat that lets you change damage types freely, forget what its called if thats a big deal for your campaign). The end result is that you've spent a feat and gotten less than a feat in return, so folks really only obtain them once they can buy proficiency with an Ioun stone or if they get the proficiency for free from their race/class.

The only ones that are really worth it are ones that expand the critical hit multiplier and even then only if you can easily apply Keen to them (Falcata and Tongi). The one handed non-whip reach weapons (Gnome Flick Mace and Flying Talon), and finally the Waveblade for being a Monk weapon with 18-20 innate threat range. Otherwise, its just not worth a feat slot.

A lot of them are cool and flavorable, but just not really mechanically interesting enough to eat up one of your customizable options.

[Sysryke]

You make a very good argument here. Would an Exotic/Advanced weapon be worth a trait? I feel like most of the time, that's the only reason folks really want the weapon anyway. It just "looks" cool, or really "fits" their character concept.

[Markov Spiked Chain]

Fauchard is also worth it for many builds. There's no other 18-20 reach option.

[Melkiador]

It’d be a huge project but the low exotics probably just need to be buffed a little. Most could just use a better threat profile or range.

[Mudfoot]

Having one EWP for a trait, or several for a feat, is probably reasonable. After all, you probably won't use more than one exotic weapon anyway.

Some of the worse exotics shouldn't be exotic in the first place. Sure they're weird and uncommon and "exotic" in the conventional meaning of the word, but nobody will take them anyway, even if martial.

[giant floob]

I always thought it was stupid that intimidate was a charisma skill. It makes much more sense that it’d be strength and then intimidating prowess would give charisma to intimidate.

At the moment you get situations where a troll has +9 to intimidate due to intimidating prowess, but a troll fighter cr10 has negative to intimidate as he doesn’t. It’s also the case that the most terrifying member of most groups is the 3 foot halfling bard wearing a silk shirt and playing a flute.

I’m 100% behind the no 2+ int skill points, I hardly ever play paladin or fighter just because I hate having so few skills.

Oh, I’d also like an unchained Cavalier. Monstrous mounts should be a given. They should also remove 80% of the rubbish orders no one takes. 2 good saves would go a long way. Maybe a few order specific buffs when not mounted? It’d be nice to Tank and provide support when you can’t charge around easily. Personally I wouldn’t mind giving them a familiar that can turn into a mount at will.

I’d like more ways to apply SLA’s and conditions to weapons, currently unarmed has divine strike, staggering blow, and many more - apart from not wanting martials to have any fun I have no idea why you don’t get anything comparable.

Last thing I’d like is a removal of spell failure chance on arcane magic. It’s just annoying,

[Melkiador]

Intimidate isn’t just making someone afraid. You already have the threat of deadly weapons for that. It’s making someone do what you want by threat. Strength doesn’t matter.

[Sysryke]

+1 to Melkiador's post.

Charisma is about more than just looks. It's total force of personality. If the game hadn't established Will as the mental save decades ago, I'd almost call Charisma will.

Intimidation doesn't just have to be about threats of violence. People can also be intimidated when they meet their heroes, or somebody of great fame. To be intimidated is to be somehow overwhelmed or thrown off balance. Game mechanics may just have that result in shaken condition, but fascinated, dazzled, maybe even dazed could all be appropriate too.

[Set]

Sysryke wrote:

Charisma is about more than just looks. It's total force of personality. If the game hadn't established Will as the mental save decades ago, I'd almost call Charisma will.

[tangent] Back in the days of 3.0 (before they got rid of it in 3.5) there was a thing called Spell Power in a few Prestige Classes that gave +1 DC to spell attacks, and, IIRC, Spell Focus gave +2 DC right out of the box.

As a result, spell save DCs were wildly high, at times, and one proposed fix was to bump up saves respectively (in a sort of arms-race) by having half of your Charisma modifier add to Will saves, half of your Int mod add to Reflex saves and half of your Str mod add to Fortitude saves.

So a Wis 16, Cha 14 cleric would have +3 to Will saves from Wisdom and +1 (+2 halved) from their high Charisma.

Thankfully they just cut Spell Focus down and ditched Spell Power entirely, IIRC, but it was an interesting idea, and would change the save profile for some classes and creatures (high Str dragons, for instance, would have even more insane Fortitude saves, and their universally high Charisma scores would just further bump their Will saves). [/tangent]

[Sysryke]

On that tangent, this was one of the things I liked from 4E. . . . .I'll wait for the gasps, chokes, and screaming to die down . . . . .

Joking aside, each save became a choice between two stats. Take the better mod, not both. So Str or Con for fort, Dex or Int for reflex, Wis or Cha for will. It helped heroic characters have different thematic ways to deal with hazards.

Although, now that I think about it, since perception is a Wis based skill, Wis makes more sense for an alternative boost to reflex. Int then should go to will; smart enough to see through or reason your way out of illusions/enchantments. That takes a rework to the whole fundament of saving throws though.

[giant floob]

Sysryke wrote:

+1 to Melkiador's post.

Charisma is about more than just looks. It's total force of personality. If the game hadn't established Will as the mental save decades ago, I'd almost call Charisma will.

Intimidation doesn't just have to be about threats of violence. People can also be intimidated when they meet their heroes, or somebody of great fame. To be intimidated is to be somehow overwhelmed or thrown off balance. Game mechanics may just have that result in shaken condition, but fascinated, dazzled, maybe even dazed could all be appropriate too.

Yeah, I get that intimidation can be about much more than big and scary, I just think 90% of the time it isn’t. Living in the country side I’ve seen people intimidated by cows, horses, aggressive rams, farmers with shotguns, farmers mums with shotguns. Outside of farm life I’ve seen people intimidated by bullies at school and at work, as a rough figure I’d say 90% of the intimidation that happens in real life is based in size and strength. I’m not saying intimidating someone with your sheer force of personality isn’t impossible, it’s just a lot less common than your run of the mill thuggery.

[Sysryke]

I'm not saying you're wrong, but think you're looking at only one dynamic of intimidation. Think of mean girls, overbearing teachers/bosses/parents, or even anyone without muscles with a gun. Intimidation does come from a real (or perceived) imbalance of power, but that power doesn't automatically come from size or strength. I've seen the classic "big bully", but I've seen just as many who weren't all that physically imposing. That's something that's going to very from person to person. It just depends on who the evil @$$holes were at your school.

In nature or on the farm, think of the hound dog that fears the skunk, the mouse that spooks the elephant, or the stag that shies from the snake.

[Set]

Sysryke wrote:

In nature or on the farm, think of the hound dog that fears the skunk, the mouse that spooks the elephant, or the stag that shies from the snake.

Or the tiny spider puffing itself up and waving it's little arms threateningly and relentlessly advancing while the 140 lb. human retreats down the hallway...

It is amazing that something so tiny (that doesn't have an Intelligence score and can't even have ranks in the Intimidate skill, by the game rules!) can succeed at an Intimidate check on such a large target in the real world. :)

[avr]

Most spectacularly, a small terrier puppy who slipped her collar & leash and dived into a field with near a hundred red deer...I'm just glad the farmer wasn't anywhere nearby. The puppy's charisma would definitely have been higher than her strength.

There's two, maybe three different uses for Intimidate in PF1. In combat terrifying enemies with threats or your combat skill and its results, out of combat making people do what you want with threats implied or explicit, and maybe giving orders and having them obeyed. I've seen the last anyway, not sure if it's official anywhere. I think having the ability to back your threats up is important but there's plenty of ways to do that without muscle in PF. Charisma seems more important.

A halfling bard who's described as being entirely unscary but who has intimidate up to here is basically a problem with the description IMO.

[Dragon78]

That if a class(base or from archetypes) got a class ability from another class, that it wasn't a weaker/nerfed version of that class's feature.

That archetypes didn't give nerfed, weaker, less useful, etc. class feature replacements....especially on purpose.

[Dragon78]

More customization for weapon/armor prof., class skills, racial abilities, class features, etc. for character creation.

I really wish it was a point to the stat for point buys so a 20 point buy would give you 20 stat points to distribute as wish. For example you could have 18, 18, 14, 10, 10, 10 or 16, 16, 16, 12, 10, 10, or 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10. That is before racial mods and level stat growth.

[shaventalz]

Dragon78 wrote:

I really wish it was a point to the stat for point buys so a 20 point buy would give you 20 stat points to distribute as wish. For example you could have 18, 18, 14, 10, 10, 10 or 16, 16, 16, 12, 10, 10, or 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10. That is before racial mods and level stat growth.

This one was a holdover from earlier editions, I think, but the system-as-implemented makes sense to me.

It's the same reason upgrading your weapon from +2 to +3 costs significantly more than upgrading from +1 to +2. Specializing more is harder. A higher bonus to one thing you care about is generally worth more than small bonuses to multiple things.

Which is scarier - a level 1 fighter with stats of 18/18/18/7/12/7, or one with stats of 14/14/14/14/12/12? Point-buy-as-implemented says the first is MUCH more deadly in a fight, and for good reason. Point-buy-as-you-suggest implies that they're both equally powerful.

[Senko]

shaventalz wrote:

Dragon78 wrote:

I really wish it was a point to the stat for point buys so a 20 point buy would give you 20 stat points to distribute as wish. For example you could have 18, 18, 14, 10, 10, 10 or 16, 16, 16, 12, 10, 10, or 14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 10. That is before racial mods and level stat growth.

This one was a holdover from earlier editions, I think, but the system-as-implemented makes sense to me.

It's the same reason upgrading your weapon from +2 to +3 costs significantly more than upgrading from +1 to +2. Specializing more is harder. A higher bonus to one thing you care about is generally worth more than small bonuses to multiple things.

Which is scarier - a level 1 fighter with stats of 18/18/18/7/12/7, or one with stats of 14/14/14/14/12/12? Point-buy-as-implemented says the first is MUCH more deadly in a fight, and for good reason. Point-buy-as-you-suggest implies that they're both equally powerful.

Is that anything tied to first ed's % jumps where you'd get slowly from +0 -+3/+1 as you rise to 17 strength then when you hit 18 you have a % roll that ranges from +3/+1 to +6/+3?

[ShroudedInLight]

I wish the rules for adding classes to monsters were based off gestalt rules rather than the absurd boosts that come from adding class levels.

Like 4/4/2/2/0/-2 is such a huge stat boost and then you start adding additional hit dice? A Succubus with 12 levels of Sorcerer is a 20 HD monster and that just seems unreasonable when it would have been easier to use gestalt rules and make it a 12 HD monster.

I know its only like, parallel to class discussion but it was on my mind the other day.

[pad300]

ShroudedInLight wrote:

I wish the rules for adding classes to monsters were based off gestalt rules rather than the absurd boosts that come from adding class levels.

Like 4/4/2/2/0/-2 is such a huge stat boost and then you start adding additional hit dice? A Succubus with 12 levels of Sorcerer is a 20 HD monster and that just seems unreasonable when it would have been easier to use gestalt rules and make it a 12 HD monster.

I know its only like, parallel to class discussion but it was on my mind the other day.

Yes, the rules adding class levels to monsters are easily abused to produce enormously under-CR'ed critters.

[Dragon78]

Personally you should only add class levels to monsters that are 0HD races. For the rest just use those class base templates.

[Sysryke]

Dragon78 wrote:

Personally you should only add class levels to monsters that are 0HD races. For the rest just use those class base templates.

This triggers a confession. I was young, I didn't know what I was doing, and I needed the gold pieces . . . . .

Seriously though, my first time GMing Pathfinder went really well for about 2 months/8 sessions, then ended in a disastrous TPK. I tried to do an homage to the Sanderson sisters (we're all big Hocus Pocus fans). I made 3 harpies level 15 witches with their whole alotment of spells up and ready for the day. Didn't realize what I'd done until it was way too late, and the whole group had insisted I not pull any punches or fudge any numbers. It was so bad . . . . . and the children got eaten :(

Edit: Maybe they were level 13. We were a party of 7 or 8, level 11 or 12, ridiculously equipped, gestalts. Either way, it still was pretty terrible.

[ShroudedInLight]

Dragon78 wrote:

Personally you should only add class levels to monsters that are 0HD races. For the rest just use those class base templates.

Eh, named characters enjoy the full treatment. Templates are for advanced but still throw-away enemies, or if I'm tragically low on time. I will take the time to put together 15 levels of Magus on a Pugwampi, because it also gives me the time to work on the character's personality and choices.

[Senko]

ShroudedInLight wrote:

Dragon78 wrote:

Personally you should only add class levels to monsters that are 0HD races. For the rest just use those class base templates.

Eh, named characters enjoy the full treatment. Templates are for advanced but still throw-away enemies, or if I'm tragically low on time. I will take the time to put together 15 levels of Magus on a Pugwampi, because it also gives me the time to work on the character's personality and choices.

An Advanced, Mighty, Lucky, Fey Planet Dragon vs 1st level characters?

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/dragon-world/

[ShroudedInLight]

I mean, stack enough templates on anything and it can kill a party. You're the GM, its not hard to kill the players. All I meant is that I use templates to spice up normal monsters, anything with a name and a personality that needs class features will get the full treatment.

[Senko]

It was a joke. Curse humour not translating easily online. I'm almost certain the world dragon was a joke monster with its 27 CR and blacking out the sky from horizon to horizon when it flies and then giving one templates is just adding insult to injury because they aren't necessary.

[Dragon78]

Getting a free martial or exotic weapon prof. and 3-5 additional class skills would be nice for character creation.

[ShroudedInLight]

Whoopsidaisy, sorry Senko, I should have looked at the World Dragon statline otherwise I'd have gotten it. For some reason I saw Fey Planet Dragon and thought it was a Wyrmling.

No idea how I managed to dyslexia that hard, I don't even have the condition.

[Senko]

ShroudedInLight wrote:

Whoopsidaisy, sorry Senko, I should have looked at the World Dragon statline otherwise I'd have gotten it. For some reason I saw Fey Planet Dragon and thought it was a Wyrmling.

No idea how I managed to dyslexia that hard, I don't even have the condition.

Fair enough I've done similiar things myself.

[Dragon78]

Options that you could change one or more class features from a list. Archetypes are nice but many times they replace something you do not want to change.

An optional rule that lets you get one class ability/feature(for free) from another class at 1st level would be nice. Stuff like bardic knowledge, channel, evasion, lay on hands, monk AC, unarmed strike(brawler/monk), uncanny dodge, shifter claws, trap finding, etc.