Okay, I've been having issue with the Auto Bonus Progression rules, and decided that what they really need, is a complete rewrite, so that it's more dynamic... a pick-n-choose system. The key here is remembering that we want to remove the 'must have' of items, the incrementally getting-better armor (Uh-oh, they reached a new level, their +1 should get to +2, so now to find a place to add that for everyone)... Because of this, and seeing that melee types all have certain things shared across all their lists (Boots of Speed), I'm creating something more modular that lets a player pick-n-choose.
First thing I've done is analyzed the player's equipment and wishlists... I see that with the exception of Wizard/Sorcerers, at least 67% of their wishes fall (in regards to Character Wealth by Level) into Resistance/ACs/weapons/stats/boots of speed/, rarely does anyone have more than 33% of their wishlist value as something other... Except Wizards who spend a lot on Wands (in my group) and at least 1 staff... (This is where the real problem lies... when people's gear needs to be more than the remaining wealth available).
So, I start out with 2/3 vs 1/3 (as opposed to the current ABP where your Character Wealth by Level is halved). 2/3rds of your value is in ABP and your character only gets 1/3rd...
Here's my initial thoughts for the ABP table... where we basically set the wealth per level to 1/3rd, and the other 2/3rds become points by dividing the remaining amount by 1,000... (KISS)
Level 02: 001 pts - Wealth: 500
Level 03: 002 pts - Wealth: 1,000
Level 04: 004 pts - Wealth: 2,000
Level 05: 007 pts - Wealth: 3,500
Level 06: 011 pts - Wealth: 5,000
Level 07: 016 pts - Wealth: 8,000
Level 08: 022 pts - Wealth: 11,000
Level 09: 030 pts - Wealth: 15,000
Level 10: 040 pts - Wealth: 21,000
Level 11: 055 pts - Wealth: 28,000
Level 12: 072 pts - Wealth: 36,000
Level 13: 094 pts - Wealth: 47,000
Level 14: 125 pts - Wealth: 62,000
Level 15: 160 pts - Wealth: 80,000
Level 16: 210 pts - Wealth: 100,000
Level 17: 275 pts - Wealth: 135,000
Level 18: 350 pts - Wealth: 180,000
Level 19: 450 pts - Wealth: 230,000
Level 20: 600 pts - Wealth: 300,000
Following that, there are the groupings.
The character receives a resistance bonus to all saving throws based on ABP points spent.
+1 resistance Prerequisites: none. Cost: 1 ABP Point
+2 resistance Prerequisites: +1 resistance. Cost: 3 ABP Points
+3 resistance Prerequisites: +2 resistance. Cost: 5 ABP Points
+4 resistance Prerequisites: +3 resistance. Cost: 7 ABP Points
+5 resistance Prerequisites: +4 resistance. Cost: 9 ABP Points
The character can attune herself to one suit of armor and one shield in her possession; she can change that attunement once per day. If she selects a normal set of clothing as her armor, it counts as having a starting enhancement bonus of +0. Attuning to a new piece of armor allocates all ABP points spent on armor enhancements to the newly attuned piece of armor (similarly for a shield). Note: A piece of armour's enhancement bonus can only go to +5 still, the additional levels are for additional weapon properties, such as 'fortification', which can only be purchased through ABP points. Other armor properties that have a static value comes out of the character's wealth, not ABP Points.
+1 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: attuned piece of armor or shield. Cost: 1 ABP Point
+2 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +1 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 3 ABP Points
+3 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +2 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 5 ABP Points
+4 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +3 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 7 ABP Points
+5 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +4 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 9 ABP Points
+6 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +5 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 11 ABP Points
+7 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +6 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 13 ABP Points
+8 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +7 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 15 ABP Points
+9 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +8 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 17 ABP Points
+10 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +9 enhancement bonus to this piece of attuned armor/shield. Cost: 19 ABP Points
The character can attune herself to any one weapon in her possession, and can change that attunement once per day. Attuning to a new weapon allocates all ABP points spent on weapon enhancements to the newly attuned weapon. Note: A weapon's enhancement bonus can only go to +5 still, the additional levels are for additional weapon properties, such as 'flaming', which can only be purchased through ABP points. Other weapon properties that have a static value comes out of the character's wealth, not ABP Points.
+1 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: attuned weapon. Cost: 2 ABP Point
+2 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +1 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 6 ABP Points
+3 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +2 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 10 ABP Points
+4 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +3 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 14 ABP Points
+5 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +4 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 18 ABP Points
+6 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +5 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 22 ABP Points
+7 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +6 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 26 ABP Points
+8 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +7 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 30 ABP Points
+9 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +8 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 34 ABP Points
+10 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +9 enhancement bonus to this attuned weapon. Cost: 38 ABP Points
The character gains an innate deflection bonus based on the ABP points spent.
+1 deflection bonus Prerequisites: none. Cost: 2 ABP Point
+2 deflection bonus Prerequisites: +1 deflection bonus. Cost: 6 ABP Points
+3 deflection bonus Prerequisites: +2 deflection bonus. Cost: 10 ABP Points
+4 deflection bonus Prerequisites: +3 deflection bonus. Cost: 14 ABP Points
+5 deflection bonus Prerequisites: +4 deflection bonus. Cost: 18 ABP Points
The character gains an innate deflection bonus based on the ABP points spent.
+1 natural armor bonus Prerequisites: none. Cost: 2 ABP Point
+2 natural armor bonus Prerequisites: +1 natural armor bonus. Cost: 6 ABP Points
+3 natural armor bonus Prerequisites: +2 natural armor bonus. Cost: 10 ABP Points
+4 natural armor bonus Prerequisites: +3 natural armor bonus. Cost: 14 ABP Points
+5 natural armor bonus Prerequisites: +4 natural armor bonus. Cost: 18 ABP Points
The character chooses an ability (Strength, Constitution or Dexterity for physical; Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma for mental) to be their primary ability. Raising that primary physical ability uses the following table for ABP point costs.
+2 Ability Score Prerequisite: none. Cost: 4 ABP Points.
+4 Ability Score Prerequisite: +2 reached in primary ability via ABP Points. Cost: 12 ABP Points.
+6 Ability Score Prerequisite: +4 reached in primary ability via ABP Points. Cost: 20 ABP Points.
Each additional +1 Prerequisite: +6 or higher reached in primary ability via ABP Points. Cost: 28 ABP Points.
The character's non-primary abilities can be raised using the following table for ABP point costs.
+2 Ability Score Prerequisite: Primary ability chosen. Cost: 6 ABP Points.
+4 Ability Score Prerequisite: +2 reached in secondary ability via ABP Points. Cost: 24 ABP Points.
+6 Ability Score Prerequisite: +4 reached in secondary ability via ABP Points. Cost: 54 ABP Points.
Each additional +1 Prerequisite: +6 or higher reached in secondary ability via ABP Points. Cost: 28 ABP Points.
For 12 ABP Points, the character may act as though affected by a haste spell for up to 10 rounds each day. This haste effect's duration need not be consecutive rounds.
NOTE: I'm looking for advise here, not suggesting that others use this rule system... Are there other 'common' items that should be added, so half the party don't all need the same item? In our group, half the characters have a Ring of Sustenance, but not sure that should apply (and the idea that there are a lot of these so the rulers of starving countries are always 'comfortable' can make sense), but most lose them for better rings at higher levels. Also... any suggestions for that Wizard/Sorcerer type that doesn't want their 'wealth' wasted on weapons/ac/etc? That want a powerful Staff, a bag-of-holding filled with Wands and Metamagic Rods, etc? I feel like for those, I'll have to let them go without the ABP entirely, making them really 'wealthy', but hard to thematically justify why there's so much loot specifically for them... :P
Forgot to take into account Amulet of the Mighty Fist:
The character gains an enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls with unarmed attacks and all natural weapons.
+1 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: None. Cost: 4 ABP Point
+2 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +1 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 8 ABP Points
+3 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +2 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 20 ABP Points
+4 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +3 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 28 ABP Points
+5 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +4 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 36 ABP Points
+6 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +5 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 44 ABP Points
+7 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +6 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 52 ABP Points
+8 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +7 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 60 ABP Points
+9 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +8 enhancement bonus natural weapons. Cost: 68 ABP Points
+10 enhancement bonus Prerequisites: +9 enhancement bonus to natural weapons. Cost: 76 ABP Points
Yeah, this just takes us back to one of the inherent problems APB was trying to fix. the issue was a player would spend ALL of his WBL on his weapon, maxing it out before moving onto maxing out his armor. instead APB forces things to build evenly, and nothing gets a huge focus.
Your system goes back to this, allowing a character to put all of his ABP points into a single item/place, maxing it out, while letting the other categories not advance at all.
My solution has the same issue Sam brought up, but it's simpler to just use both regular magic items and ABP together. You just have to forbid the stacking of such, which is mostly already covered by the rules regarding bonus stacking. As for weapons and armor, you just say that applying ABP to them temporarily overrides their own bonuses and bonus-based special qualities.
Adding ABP in this way is also a lot easier to run in an AP or module, where you don't want to modify half of the loot.
Yeah, this just takes us back to one of the inherent problems APB was trying to fix. the issue was a player would spend ALL of his WBL on his weapon, maxing it out before moving onto maxing out his armor. instead APB forces things to build evenly, and nothing gets a huge focus.
Your system goes back to this, allowing a character to put all of his ABP points into a single item/place, maxing it out, while letting the other categories not advance at all.
Actually, as a GM, that was never my problem (Since I don't let a player create their own inventory). I use the ABP system because I don't want 6 Cloaks of Resistance +1, followed by finding 6 Cloaks of Resistance +2, etc... and having 6 Rings of Protection +1 (and Amulet of Natural Armour +1), followed by (repeat ad-nauseum).
By having a system that inherently gives the bonuses that the encounters expect the heroes to have, you avoid having to plant items just so they meet the basic standards. That being said, there is validity in the realization that someone might put all their ABP Points into a single item (Like said weapon).
That, and the current ABP system is a bit broken, as it assumes such things as there being a +5 limit to stats via tomes, of a character with multiple natural attacks having to buy each one separately (though I can see how that would be broken in the other direction as well, potentially), etc... things that the non-ABP system allows for, but which were curtailed in the ABP system...
And not everyone wants it spread out. Personally, I don't think any of my players would put more than 50% of their wealth into a single item, especially since you want to spend those points right away... at level up.
But, let's do the math (this is me 'thinking aloud' really):
Swashbuckler wants a +1 Agile Keen Rapier. That's 18 ABP points, attainable at level 8, with 4 pts to spare (so +1 Resistance, +2 AC). The more balanced Paladin has what at that point? +1 Keen Falchion (10 ABP Points), leaving 12 for +2 Resistance (5 pts), +3 AC (5 + 2 pts)? Seems okay at that point...
Perhaps higher levels? Let's try a +5 Agile Keen Rapier (96 ABP Points), so level 14 minimum? Even that seems fair... not seeing the problem?
Actually, as a GM, that was never my problem (Since I don't let a player create their own inventory). I use the ABP system because I don't want 6 Cloaks of Resistance +1, followed by finding 6 Cloaks of Resistance +2, etc... and having 6 Rings of Protection +1 (and Amulet of Natural Armour +1), followed by (repeat ad-nauseum).By having a system that inherently gives the bonuses that the encounters expect the heroes to have, you avoid having to plant items just so they meet the basic standards. That being said, there is validity in the realization that someone might put all their ABP Points into a single item (Like said weapon).
We play in a semi magic rich world, and allow crafting and shopping. With those thoughts in place, it's pretty easy for the party to sell anything and everything a GM drops, and buy/craft what they want. I personally hate playing is games that are so magic poor that the only magic I ever get is what little the GM dribbles out.
and I like the APB system, it does what it is meant to do, and I like how it builds in a balanced method, instead of allowing total focus in one item or ability.
Your deflection numbers clash with existing biased pricing guidelines.
How so? They're based on Ring of Protection levels...