Adslahnit
2010-01-02, 11:21 AM
As an avid fan of D&D 4e, I have taken it upon myself to write up this large batch of homebrew errata for the Player's Handbook that addresses various balance issues of the game. Since the following only covers the Player's Handbook, it runs into a few compatibility and balance problems from supplementary material. For example, the revision to Divine Challenges clashes with the Mighty Challenge heroic feat; a highly unnecessary feat tax, I might add (shame on you, WotC, for patching severe class issues with tax feats rather than errata; the Painful Oath paragon feat is the most glaring example, and worse still is the fact that it does not help heroic-tier avengers). Likewise, the alteration to Lay on Hands conflicts with the Untiring Virtue paragon feat, and the upgrade to Warlock's Curse renders the property of the Vicious Rod and the first benefit of the Warlock's Wrath heroic feat superfluous.
Rest assured, I plan on moving on to homebrew errata for other supplements, including Dragon Magazine (the Student of Caiphon, especially), in due time. Consider the changes to the Holy Avenger, the Bracers of Mighty Striking, and the Bracers of the Perfect Shot previews of how I plan on fixing the Radiant Weapon, the Staff of Ruin, the Bracers of Archery, the Iron Armbands of Power, the Chaos Shard Implement, and various dragonshard augments; even if you consider them item taxes along the lines of Weapon Focus that supposedly keep characters up with the system's intended damage curve, it is difficult to dispute that they severely tower above most other items of their respective categories to an overpowering degree and that they should not exist in their current state.
Version 2 changes:
• Error in Twin Strike's Target line corrected.
• Error in Warlock Class Features page numbering corrected.
Version 3 changes:
• Force the Battle toned down because it is a rather ludicrous power.
• Follow-Up Blow toned down less such that it is not strictly inferior to Force the Battle.
• Cry Havoc not deleted such that the Battle Captain remains worthwhile.
• Battle Inspiration toned down less such that the Battle Captain remains worthwhile.
• Greater Ice Storm upgraded to balance out level 29 wizard daily powers in the Player's Handbook.
• Legion's Hold toned down less to balance out level 29 wizard daily powers in the Player's Handbook.
• Meteor Swarm upgraded to balance out level 29 wizard daily powers in the Player's Handbook.
Version 4 changes:
• Priest's Shield upgraded slightly.
• Fate of the Void pact boon given a slight boost.
• Major typographical error in the Wand of Accuracy corrected.
• Lasting Frost made to stack with existing cold damage.
• Utility and daily powers gained from paragon multiclassing toned down.
Version 5 changes:
• Inescapable Force, Lasting Frost, Lightning Arc, Resounding Thunder, Psychic Lock, and Solid Sound overhauled.
• Soldier of the Faith prerequisites lightened.
.txt file:
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.docx file, Calibri, 12-point, single-spaced, two columns:
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.pdf file, Calibri, 12-point, single-spaced, two columns:
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Player's Handbook
New Updates
Races
Dragon Breath
Page 34: Replace the entire Targets line with "Target: Each creature in burst." On the Attack line, replace all instances of "+ 2" with "+ 3". On the Hit lines, replace all instances of "Constitution" with "Strength, Constitution, or Dexterity," "+4 bonus" with "+6 bonus," and "+6 bonus" with "+9 bonus." This standardizes the power to match wording of other close attacks and the new attack bonus progression for attack powers with neither the Implement keyword nor the Weapon keyword, and also removes the unnecessary limitation of a Constitution-exclusive damage bonus.
Tiefling Ability Scores
Page 48: Replace "+2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma" with "+2 Constitution or +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence." This opens up the race as an option for characters with a +2 racial bonus to Constitution and Intelligence, something that was not previously possible in the rules without the use of monster races.
Tiefling Skill Bonuses
Page 48: Replace "+2 Bluff, +2 Stealth" with "+2 Arcana, +2 Bluff or +2 Endurance." This gives the tiefling race thematic skill bonues that play to its new strong ability scores. Stealth is of limited use to the race as a whole and is not as fitting as the Arcana and Endurance skills.
Infernal Wrath
Page 48: Replace "Minor Action" with "Free Action." Add the following as a line before the Effect line: "Trigger: An enemy hits you with an attack" Replace the text in the Effect line with "Until the end of your next turn or until you hit with an attack against the triggering enemy, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a bonus to damage rolls equal to your Constitution, Intelligence, or Charisma modifier against the triggering enemy." This standardizes the wording of the power to match similar effects, allows it to function effectively for tieflings lacking a high Charisma score, gives the power a duration, making its use with Infernal Wrath-related feats clearer.
Powers
Keywords
Page 55: Add the following as a fifth paragraph of the section: "If an effect would add acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder damage to your attack powers, or if it would change the damage type of your attack powers to include any one of those damage types, your attack powers do not gain the appropriate damage type keyword unless the effect states so. For example, if a tiefling paladin were to wield a Flaming Bastard Sword, she could convert the damage of her Holy Strike at-will into fire and radiant damage, but the power itself would still have only the divine, radiant, and weapon keywords, leaving it ineligible for the Hellfire Blood heroic feat. However, if a warlock were to enter a paragon path that would let her change the damage type of her Eldritch Blast to lightning damage and give it the lightning keyword, then her Eldritch Blast would then have the arcane, implement, and lightning keywords, making it compatible with the Lightning Arc paragon feat." Add the following as a sixth paragraph of the section: "Some options, such as feats, magic items, and class features, have effects that come into play when you use certain powers. For example, the Solid Sound paragon feat increases your defenses when you use a power with the force or thunder keyword. Any benefits that you gain from these options are considered to originate from those options, not from the powers that that they affect. Therefore, if you had the Solid Sound feat, your force and thunder powers would not be considered powers that increase your defenses, as the defense increase comes from a feat, not from the power." These additions clarify how damage type additions or changes affect the keywords of a power, prevent certain types of magic weapons from being used to make all of a character's attacks compatible with options keyed to damage types, and explain how options that upgrade powers interact with other such options.
Cleric
Cleric Bonus to Defense
Page 60: Replace "+2 Will" with "+1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +1 Will." As a divine class, the cleric should receive a +1 bonus to all non-AC defenses.
Cleric Class Skills
Page 60: Add Athletics (Str) to the list of cleric class skills. Classes with a Strength-based, weapon-using build available to them should generally have Athletics as a class skill for the sake of theme and for ensuring that such characters can make good use of their Strength score with regards to skills.
Channel Divinity
Page 61: Add the following as a third paragraph to the class feature: "You can use your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Intelligence modifier when making Religion checks, and you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your Reflex defense. While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your AC defense. While you are wearing no armor or cloth armor, you gain a +3 bonus to AC. This bonus to AC does not stack with any other bonus to AC you would gain from wearing no armor or cloth armor." Religion is a mandatory skill for divine characters, and so they should be able to use it with efficacy even without a high Intelligence score. This ensures that divine characters who have high Wisdom and Charisma are not handicapped by drastically low non-AC defenses, giving them higher Reflex and initiative as compensation. This also allows such characters to take up the aesthetic of a divine servant in priestly robes without sacrificing much AC.
Healer's Lore
Page 61: Replace "Wisdom" with "Wisdom or Charisma." Add the following as a third sentence: "This does not affect the temporary hit points or regeneration that you grant." This ensures that battle clerics with high Strength and Charisma can make use of the class feature, and also clarifies that this feature does not apply to temporary hit points and regeneration.
Lance of Faith
Page 63: Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a ranged basic attack." Upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Priest's Shield
Page 63: On the Hit line, delete "and you and one adjacent ally gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end of your next turn." Add the following as an additional line: "Effect: You and one adjacent ally gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end of your next turn." Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack." The power was exceedingly weak previously and was in need of its hit effect being turned into an actual Effect. Also, upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Righteous Brand
Page 63: On the Hit line, replace "melee attack rolls against the target equal to your Strength modifier until the end of your next turn" with "his or her next melee attack roll made against the target before the end of your next turn equal to your Charisma modifier." This power's highly potent rider effect should be tied to the battle cleric's secondary ability score, such that clerics of the build cannot rely purely on Strength for the power. Restricting the power bonus to the next melee attack roll against the target also brings it in line with the potency of other at-wills.
Seal of Binding
Page 71: Replace the text of the Sustain Standard line with "Each time you sustain the power, you and the target both take 2d10 + Wisdom modifier damage, the target remains stunned and protected against all other attacks until the end of your next turn, and you can't regain hit points or temporary hit points until the end of your next turn." This clarifies the duration of the effects of sustaining the power and also prevents clerics from using the power while supported by regeneration and healing from allies in order to create a one-sided situation.
Weapon Training
Page 72: Delete the feature entirely. The Astral Vibrance feature is a strong enough feature, and Weapon Training unnecessarily makes the paragon path even more powerful.
Astral Wave
Page 73: Replace "Implement" with "Weapon", and replace "burst 8" with "burst 2." On the Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the Hit line, replace "2d8 + Wisdom" with "2[W] + Strength." The battle cleric build makes use of Strength and Charisma and weapon powers, and so this power should be commensurately altered to suit the build. Also, close burst 8 is too far-reaching for a power of this level.
Terrifying Insight
Page 73: Replace the text of the class feature with "You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with divine implement powers that target Will." The former version of the class feature was far too potent and unbalanced.
Battle Cry
Page 74: On the Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the Hit line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." The battle cleric build makes use of Strength and Charisma and weapon powers, and so this power should be commensurately altered to suit the build.
Solar Wrath
Page 74: Replace "burst 8" with "burst 2." Close burst 8 is too far-reaching for a power of this level.
Battle Pyres
Page 74: Remove the Implement keyword and add the Weapon keyword. On the Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the first Hit line, replace "2d8 + Wisdom" with "2[W] + Strength," and replace "secondary attack" with "secondary weapon attack." On the Secondary Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the second Hit line, replace "5d10 + Wisdom" with "3[W] + Wisdom." The battle cleric build makes use of Strength and Charisma and weapon powers, and so this power should be commensurately altered to suit the build.
Fighter
Fighter Trained Skills
Page 75: Replace "three trained skills" with "four trained skills." Three skill trainings are far too little for any character who wishes to be of good use in non-combat encounters.
Fighter Class Skills
Page 75: Add Insight (Wis) and Perception (Wis) to the list of fighter class skills. The fighter is the archetypical font of martial intuition, reading enemy movements and responding to them with wits and acuity, and is also the archetypical guard, watching over his or her ward with a keen eye. Making these two skills available to them does not break their theme and expands their options during skill challenges.
Fighter Bonus to Defense
Page 75: Replace "+2 Fortitude" with "+1 Reflex, +1 Will." Every fighter is guaranteed to have a high Strength score, ensuring a strong Fortitude defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Reflex and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the lopsided defenses caused by +2 Fortitude.
Fighter Weapon Talent
Page 76: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with weapon attacks and martial powers. You are also proficient with one superior melee weapon of your choice. While you are wielding a shield or a weapon that you are proficient in, you can use your Constitution modifier or your Wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for determining your AC in no armor or light armor." This removes the unnecessary restriction of weapon types from the class feature and makes it compatible with martial powers that do not bear the Weapon keyword, such as those involving shield attacks. As well, this also gives more support to lightly-armored fighters. These changes bring the class feature up to the level of Battlerager Vigor and Tempest Technique.
Reaping Strike
Page 77: Replace the text of the Miss line with the following: "Strength modifier damage." Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack." The reduced damage for oe-handed weapons was unnecessary, and upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Sure Strike
Page 77: Add the following as an additional line: "Effect: After the attack, you gain combat advantage against the target until the end of your next turn." This makes the power actually worthwhile compared to other fighter at-will powers.
Tide of Iron
Page 77: On the Hit line, delete "if it is your size, smaller than you, or one size category larger." This restriction on the power is unnecessary and arbitrarily makes it useless against Huge and Gargantuan monsters.
Rain of Steel
Page 79: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, as long as you are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with and are able to make opportunity attacks, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes damage equal to 2 + your Strength modifier." The previous version involved a damage roll and could thus generate disproportional amounts of damage through bonuses to damage rolls.
Storm of Blows
Page 82: On the Weapon line, replace "Gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Dexterity modifier" with "slide the target 1 square on a hit." The original incarnation of this power offered an overpowering amount of damage and shifting against multiple enemies.
Unyielding Avalanche
Page 82: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, you gain a +1 power bonus to AC and saving throws, and as long as you are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with and are able to make opportunity attacks, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes damage equal to 4 + your Strength modifier and is slowed until the end of its turn." The previous version involved a damage roll and could thus generate disproportional amounts of damage through bonuses to damage rolls, and the encounter-long regeneration offered too much resilience.
Reaper's Stance
Page 85: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, you gain a +1 power bonus to attack rolls, and as long as you are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with and are able to make opportunity attacks, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes damage equal to 6 + your Strength modifier and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). The previous version involved a damage roll and could thus generate disproportional amounts of damage through bonuses to damage rolls. The 19-20 critical range was superfluous for most fighters, as they would most likely already possess such a critical range by levle 25, and the power bonus to damage rolls was too over the top. Replacing these benefits with a more modest bonus to attack rolls balances the power.
Force the Battle
Page 86: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, as long as you are wielding a weapon you are proficient with and can make opportunity attacks, you can make a melee basic attack as a free action any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you." The original version of the power is rather over-the-top, even for a level 29 daily power, especially when compared to other fighter powers of the same level. This tones it down appropriately.
Kensei Prerequisites
Page 87: Add "Fighter Weapon Talent class feature" after "Fighter class." This prevents the paragon path from being abused by virtually any weapon-using character multiclassed into fighter.
Kensei Focus
Page 87: Replace the text of the feature with "When you use a weapon power or a martial power, you can score a critical hit on a roll of a natural 19 or 20." This replaces the previous ambiguous feature with one more suited for a level 11 feature.
Kensei Mastery
Page 87: Replace the text of the feature with "The bonus to attack rolls from your Fighter Weapon Talent class feature increases to +2." This replaces the previous feature, which offered too large benefit and had a highly unnecessary and unflavorful restriction, with one more suited for a level 16 feature.
Masterstroke
Page 87: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex. This attack can score a critical hit on a roll of a natural 18, 19, or 20." This increases the strength of the power to match that of other level 11 encounter powers.
Dirty Fighting
Page 87: Replace the second sentence of the description of the feature with "When you hit a creature that you have marked and that you have combat advantage against using a weapon power or a martial power, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Wisdom modifier." This clarifies the benefit of the feature, preventing it from being used to increase static damage, ongoing damage, and implement power damage, and tones down its previously overwhelming potency.
Steel Grace
Page 88: Replace the description of the feature with the following: "You can use any melee fighter at-will power as a melee basic attack, provided that you make the attack with a light blade or a heavy blade that is not a polearm. When you score a critical hit with a weapon attack using a light blade or a heavy blade that is not a polearm, after the entire attack is resolved, you can shift your speed and then mark each enemy adjacent to you at the destination square until the end of your next turn." This opens up the feature to include fighter at-will powers other than the ones in the Player's Handbook and also elevates its usefulness to put it in line with other paragon path's features.
Fantastic Flourish
Page 88: Replace "Ranged 5" with "Close burst 5." Replace the text of the Target line with the following: "One enemy in burst other than the one you just hit." This prevents the power from provoking opportunity attacks, which was not the intent of the power.
Crescendo Sword
Page 88: On the Effect line, replace "one daily power you have already used" with "one daily power, other than Crescendo Sword, that you have already used for today." This clarifies that the power cannot be used to continuously recharge itself.
Paladin
Paladin Class Skills
Page 89: Add Athletics (Str) to the list of paladin class skills. Classes with a Strength-based, weapon-using build available to them should generally have Athletics as a class skill for the sake of theme and for ensuring that such characters can make good use of their Strength score with regards to skills.
Channel Divinity
Page 91: Add the following as a third paragraph to the class feature: "You can use your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Intelligence modifier when making Religion checks, and you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your Reflex defense. While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your AC defense. While you are wearing no armor or cloth armor, you gain a +3 bonus to AC. This bonus to AC does not stack with any other bonus to AC you would gain from wearing no armor or cloth armor." Religion is a mandatory skill for divine characters, and so they should be able to use it with efficacy even without a high Intelligence score. This ensures that divine characters who have high Wisdom and Charisma are not handicapped by drastically low non-AC defenses, giving them higher Reflex and initiative as compensation. This also allows such characters to take up the aesthetic of a divine servant in priestly robes without sacrificing much AC.
Divine Challenge
Page 91: Replace the second paragraph of the Effect line with the following: "While a target is marked, it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls for any attack that doesn't include you as a target. Until the mark ends, the target takes radiant damage equal to 3 + your Strength or Charisma modifier the first time each round it makes an attack that doesn't include you as a target. The damage increases to 6 + your Strength or Charisma modifier at 11th level and 9 + your Strength or Charisma modifier at 21st level." This standardizes the class feature's wording to match that of Divine Sanction and also allows Strength/Wisdom-based paladins to use it effectively without any need for feats.
Lay on Hands
Page 91: Replace "At-Will (Special)" with "Encounter." Replace the text of the Special line with the following: "When you spend an action point, you regain the use of this power and can use it immediately as a free action. Using this power as a free action still expends it." The previous, pseudo-daily usage of this power is an unnecessary holdover from a previous edition that does not mesh well with the system for at-will, encounter, and daily powers.
Enfeebling Strike
Page 92: Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack." Upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Stunning Smite
Page 99: On the Secondary Target line, replace "Each" with "One." On the Secondary Hit line, replace "stunned" with "dazed." This power is already highly accurate, being a weapon attack that targets Will, and it toning it down in this manner brings its level of power down to that of other defenders' level 27 encounter powers.
Certain Justice
Page 100: On the Hit line, replace the second sentence with "If the target is marked by you, it is also weakened and dazed until the end of its next turn." The power was previously capable of shutting down the offensive capabilities of a monster for the entire encounter.
Ranger
Archer Fighting Style
Page 104: Replace the text of the class feature with "Because of your focus on ranged attacks, you can designate any enemy you can see as your quarry when you use your Hunter's Quarry class feature, and you can load any ranged weapon as a free action." This replaces the negligible bonus feat of Defensive Mobility with a benefit that complements the combat methods of an archery ranger well and also makes it easier for such a ranger to wield a crossbow.
Prime Shot
Page 104: Add the following as a second sentence: "This bonus does not apply if you are adjacent to the target." This prevents the class feature from being abused with methods that allow ranged attacks to be made without provoking opportunity attacks.
Two-Blade Fighting Style
Page 104: Replace the third sentence of the class feature with "In addition, while you are not wielding heavy armor and are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with, you can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for determining your AC defense." There is very little reason for two-weapon rangers to receive Toughness as a bonus feat. Meanwhile, they are in drastic need of an AC increase, and allowing them to use their Wisdom modifier for their AC solves the issue.
Twin Strike
Page 105: Replace the entire Targets line with the following: "Target: One creature." On the Attack line, replace "two attacks" with "make two attack rolls. If either hit, resolve the attack as a single hit with your main weapon. If either score a critical hit, resolve the attack as a single critical hit with your main weapon." Replace the text of the first Hit line with "1[W] damage. If both attack rolls hit, you add your Strength modifier (melee) or your Dexterity modifier (ranged) to the damage roll." Twin Strike was too strong for an at-will power, and this revision brings it in line with other ranger at-wills.
Disruptive Strike
Page 106: Replace the text of the Hit line with the following: "1[W] damage. The target takes a penalty to its attack roll equal to your Wisdom modifier." As an out-of-turn basic attack that virtually guaranteed a miss on the previous attack, the original version of this power was overpowered and in need of a downgrade.
Great Ram Arrow
Page 111: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex." Replace the text of the Hit line with the following: "4[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you push the target a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier and knock it prone. The target cannot stand up from prone (save ends)." Replace the text of the Miss line with the following: "2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you push the target 2 squares and knock it prone." Archery rangers should not be using Strength, and so this power's rider effect is altered to fit the true secondary score of the build. This revision also brings the effectiveness of the power in line with other level 19 daily powers.
Follow-Up Blow
Page 113: Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Once per round, when you hit with a melee or close weapon attack using your main weapon, you can make a melee basic attack as a free action against each enemy adjacent to you after the triggering attack is resolved. You can target Reflex with this melee basic attack." Even the previously errata'd version was too strong for a level 29 daily power, as it allowed for long attack chains when used in conjunction with other ranger powers. This tames the power down to a more appropriate level.
Three-in-One Shot
Page 113: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex." Replace the second sentence of the attack line with the following: "If the first attack hits, the second and third attacks hit automatically." On the Hit line, replace "2[W]" with "4[W]." The power is otherwise completely overshadowed by Five-Missile Dance.
Battlefield Experience
Page 113: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "You can designate more than one creature as your quarry at a time, up to a number equal to your Wisdom modifier. You must still use a minor action to designate a single creature as your quarry. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls against any creature designated as your quarry." This clarifies the mechanics of the first half of the class feature and prevents the second half from being used to grant allies the +1 bonus to attack rolls as well.
Archery's Glory
Page 114: Replace "Encounter" with "Daily." The generation of action points on an encounter basis is overpowered and clashes with the rules for action point limitations.
Chosen Prey
Page 114: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You never provoke opportunity attacks and cannot be marked by any beast, any magical beast, or any creature designated as your quarry. Once per round, when you score a critical hit against a beast, a magical beast, or a creature designated as your quarry, you can shift your speed and then make a ranged basic attack as a free action after the critical hit is resolved." The previous version of the class feature was highly situational and very weak.
Pinpointing Arrow
Page 114: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex. You can make two attack rolls and use the higher result." On the Hit line, replace "2[W]" with "3[W]." The original version of the power was too weak for a level 11 encounter power.
Beast Stalker's Target
Page 114: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex. You can make two attack rolls and use the higher result." Replace the text of the Hit line with the following: "5[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is pushed a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier and knocked prone." The original version of the power was too weak for a level 20 daily power.
Cruel Recovery
Page 114: Delete "the amount of damage you dealt from Hunter's Quarry +." The original version granted far too much temporary hit points on an at-will basis.
Blade Storm
Page 115: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "Once per round, when you hit a creature with a melee or close weapon attack, one creature adjacent to it takes damage equal to your Wisdom modifier." Blade Storm had initially provided rangers with an overwhelming amount of bonus damage each round, and it did not even use the proper secondary score of the two-weapon build (Wisdom). This revision maintains the paragon path's theme of spreading out damage across multiple enemies while altering the feature to be more balanced.
Twin-Blade Storm
Page 115: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "Once per round, when you hit a creature with a melee or close weapon attack, two creatures adjacent to it take damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. This replaces the benefit of your Blade Storm feature." This changes Twin-Blade Storm commensurately to match the revision to Blade Storm.
Rogue
Rogue Bonus to Defense
Page 116: Replace "+2 Reflex" with "+1 Fortitude, +1 Will." Every rogue is guaranteed to have a high Dexterity score, ensuring a strong Reflex defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Fortitude and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the lopsided defenses caused by +2 Reflex.
Artful Dodger
Page 117: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You gain a bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks equal to your Charisma modifier. As a move action, you can shift a number of squares equal to 1 + half your Charisma modifier. When you miss with a weapon power using a weapon compatible with your Sneak Attack class feature, after the entire attack is resolved, you can slide the target 1 square and shift 1 square in any order, and then gain combat advantage against the target until the end of your next turn." A bonus to AC against opportunity attacks simply cannot compare to the straightforward Sneak Attack damage increase of the Brutal Scoundrel class feature, especially when most characters would try to avoid opportunity attacks through shifting anyway, and when monsters with opportunity attacks that target Fortitude, Reflex, or Will would ignore the bonus to AC altogether. This revision increases the versatility of Artful Dodger rogues to compensate.
Rogue Weapon Talent
Page 117: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with weapon powers made using a dagger, a hand crossbow, a shuriken, or a sling." This removes any ambiguity from the power's wording and simplifies it to function with the otherwise low-key weapons available to the rogue.
Deft Strike
Page 118: Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack if used as a melee attack, or as a ranged basic attack if used as a ranged attack." Upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Dagger Precision
Page 127: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "When you make an attack roll for a weapon power using a dagger or a weapon that you can treat as a dagger for the purpose of the Rogue Weapon Talent class feature, you can score a critical hit on a roll of a natural 19 or 20." This tones down the previously ludicrous 18-20 critical range that the feature offered, prevents its abuse in the hands of implement-users with a dagger implement, and makes it compatible with weapons such as the parrying dagger and the kukri.
Warlock
Warlock Bonus to Defense
Page 129: Replace "+1 Reflex, +1 Will" with "+1 Fortitude, +1 Will." Most warlocks are going to have a high Intelligence score, thus ensuring a strong Reflex defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Fortitude and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the somewhat lopsided defenses for Fey Pact, Dark Pact, and some Star Pact warlocks caused by +1 Reflex and +1 Will.
Warlock Class Skills
Page 129: Add Diplomacy (Cha) and Stealth (Dex) to the list of warlock class skills. Warlocks are skilled pactmakers and bargainers, and Fey Pact warlocks are adept at stealthily slinking around.
Warlock Class Features
Page 129: Add Ritual Casting as an additional warlock class feature.
Warlock Class Features
Pages 130-131: Add the following as an additional warlock class feature: "Ritual Casting. You gain the Ritual Caster feat as a bonus feat, allowing you to use magical rituals (see Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook (see Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook). You own a ritual book, and it contains three rituals of your choice that you have mastered: Hand of Fate and two 1st-level rituals. Once per day, you can use Hand of Fate to consult your patron without expending components." These skilled and knowledgeable arcanists should logically be able to use rituals, especially since such practices are how their pacts are made in the first place.
Misty Step
Page 130: Add the following as a second sentence to the second paragraph of the class feature: "Until the end of your next turn, you gain the concealment from your Shadow Walk class feature, and you gain combat advantage against enemies that were adjacent to you either at the origin square or the destination square of your teleportation." Misty Step is the weakest of the warlock pact boons, and this revisions brings it up to par with the other boons.
Fate of the Void
Page 131: Replace the second and third paragraphs of the feature with the following: "When an enemy under your Warlock's Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, you gain a +1 bonus to a single attack roll, damage roll saving throw, skill check, ability check, or damage roll that you make before the end of your next turn. This bonus can be applied after you make the roll and are informed of its success or failure. If you choose to gain a bonus to a damage roll, the +1 bonus is instead 2 additional damage (4 at 11th level, 6 at 21st level). This bonus is cumulative; if three cursed enemies drop to 0 hit points or fewer before the end of your next turn, the bonus is a +3 bonus (or 6 additional damage)." This upgrades the usefulness of the pact boon and ensures that it is not wasted as often.
Prime Shot
Page 131: Add the following as a second sentence: "This bonus does not apply if you are adjacent to the target." This prevents the class feature from being abused with methods that allow ranged attacks to be made without provoking opportunity attacks.
Shadow Walk
Page 131: Add the following as a second sentence to the class feature: "Even when you do not have this concealment, while you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use the lower of your Constitution modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for determining your AC defense." This ensures that warlocks who focus on Constitution and Charisma and eschew Intelligence are not fraught with poor AC.
Warlock's Curse
Page 131: Add the following as a sixth sentence to the first paragraph: "This extra damage can be applied when you hit with an attack that does not deal damage, but if you do so, you gain no bonuses to the damage roll." On the table for Warlock's Curse extra damage, replace "1d6" with "1d10", "2d6" with "2d10", and "3d6" with "3d10." This allows warlock powers that do not deal damage to benefit from this striker class feature, and also boosts the noticeably low striker damage that warlocks previously doled out.
Dire Radiance
Page 131: Add the Cold keyword. Replace the text of the Attack line with the following: "Constitution or Charisma vs. Reflex." Replace the text of the first Hit line with the following: "1d6 + Constitution or Charisma modifier cold and radiant damage. If the target willingly moves, shifts, or teleports towards you before the end of your next turn, it takes 4 + Constitution or Charisma modifier cold and radiant damage after the movement is resolved. This extra damage applies only once per use of this power and does not occur if you the target is marked by you." Replace the text of the second Hit line with the following: "Increase damage to 2d6 + Constitution or Charisma modifier and extra damage to 8 + Constitution or Charisma modifier at 21st level." This gives the power a thematically appropriate second damage type, makes the power usable by Star Pact warlocks focusing on Charisma and Intelligence, renders it slightly more accurate (by targeting Reflex instead of Fortitude), prevents the power from being abused through marking, prevents the extra damage from gaining unbalancing bonuses to damage rolls, and clarifies that the extra damage applies only once.
Eyebite
Page 132: Add the Radiant keyword. Replace the text of the first Hit line with the following: "1d6 + Charisma modifier psychic and radiant damage, you slide the target 1 square, you shift 1 square, and until the start of your next turn, you are invisible to the target as long as you do not have it marked. If the target makes a melee or ranged attack against you before the start of your next turn, it takes 3 + Charisma modifier psychic and radiant damage before the attack is resolved. This extra damage applies only once per use of this power and does not occur if you have the target marked." Replace the text of the second Hit line with the following: "Increase damage to 2d6 + Charisma modifier and extra damage to 6 + Charisma modifier at 21st level." This gives the power a thematically appropriate second damage type, grants the power greater control potential to compensate for its weaknesses, prevents it from being abused by defenders, and gives it a use against monsters with blindsight, tremorsense, or truesight.
Hellish Rebuke
Page 132: Add the Necrotic keyword. Replace the text of the first Hit line with the following: "1d6 + Constiution modifier fire and necrotic damage. If you take damage from a source other than yourself before the end of your next turn, the target takes 3 + Constitution modifier fire and necrotic damage before the damage is resolved. This extra damage applies only once per use of this power and does not occur if you have any enemy marked." Replace the text of the second Hit line with the following: "Increase damage to 2d6 + Constitution modifier and extra damage to 6 + Constitution modifier at 21st level." This gives the power a thematically appropriate second damage type, prevents the power from being abused through marking, prevents the extra damage from being abused through damaging oneself, prevents the extra damage from gaining unbalancing bonuses to damage rolls, and clarifies that the extra damage applies only once.
Warlord
Warlord Bonus to Defense
Page 143: Replace "+1 Fortitude, +1 Will" with "+1 Reflex, +1 Will." All warlords are guaranteed to have a high Strength score, thus ensuring a strong Fortitude defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Reflex and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the somewhat lopsided defenses for Inspiring Presence and Bravura Presence warlords caused by +1 Fortitude and +1 Will.
Commander's Strike
Page 145: On the Target line, replace "One creature" with "One creature within reach." Delete the Attack line and the Hit line. Add the following as an Effect line: "One ally of your choice can make a melee basic attack against the target with a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Intelligence modifier. The ally must be able to reach the target." This substantially clarifies how the power functions.
Lead the Attack
Page 145: On the Hit line, replace "power bonus to attack rolls against the target equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier" with "+2 power bonus to attack rolls against the target." The power previously granted far too large an attack bonus for a level 1 daily power that scaled overpoweringly well.
Battle Inspiration
Page 153: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "When a bloodied ally spends a healing surge through your Inspiring Word power, the ally gains a power bonus to attack rolls equal to half your Intelligence modifier until the end of the ally's next turn." The previous version of the power had ambiguous wording and granted an enormous bonus to attack rolls and speed with but a single use of Inspiring Word.
Tough as Nails
Page 154: On the second sentence, replace "Constitution" with "Intelligence or Charisma." Constitution is not a key ability score for the warlord class and should have no place in a warlord paragon path feature.
Honor and Glory
Page 155: Replace "+2" with "+1." A +2 untyped bonus to attack rolls for allies on a regular basis is too effective for a paragon path feature of this level.
Rest assured, I plan on moving on to homebrew errata for other supplements, including Dragon Magazine (the Student of Caiphon, especially), in due time. Consider the changes to the Holy Avenger, the Bracers of Mighty Striking, and the Bracers of the Perfect Shot previews of how I plan on fixing the Radiant Weapon, the Staff of Ruin, the Bracers of Archery, the Iron Armbands of Power, the Chaos Shard Implement, and various dragonshard augments; even if you consider them item taxes along the lines of Weapon Focus that supposedly keep characters up with the system's intended damage curve, it is difficult to dispute that they severely tower above most other items of their respective categories to an overpowering degree and that they should not exist in their current state.
Version 2 changes:
• Error in Twin Strike's Target line corrected.
• Error in Warlock Class Features page numbering corrected.
Version 3 changes:
• Force the Battle toned down because it is a rather ludicrous power.
• Follow-Up Blow toned down less such that it is not strictly inferior to Force the Battle.
• Cry Havoc not deleted such that the Battle Captain remains worthwhile.
• Battle Inspiration toned down less such that the Battle Captain remains worthwhile.
• Greater Ice Storm upgraded to balance out level 29 wizard daily powers in the Player's Handbook.
• Legion's Hold toned down less to balance out level 29 wizard daily powers in the Player's Handbook.
• Meteor Swarm upgraded to balance out level 29 wizard daily powers in the Player's Handbook.
Version 4 changes:
• Priest's Shield upgraded slightly.
• Fate of the Void pact boon given a slight boost.
• Major typographical error in the Wand of Accuracy corrected.
• Lasting Frost made to stack with existing cold damage.
• Utility and daily powers gained from paragon multiclassing toned down.
Version 5 changes:
• Inescapable Force, Lasting Frost, Lightning Arc, Resounding Thunder, Psychic Lock, and Solid Sound overhauled.
• Soldier of the Faith prerequisites lightened.
.txt file:
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.pdf file, Calibri, 12-point, single-spaced, two columns:
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Player's Handbook
New Updates
Races
Dragon Breath
Page 34: Replace the entire Targets line with "Target: Each creature in burst." On the Attack line, replace all instances of "+ 2" with "+ 3". On the Hit lines, replace all instances of "Constitution" with "Strength, Constitution, or Dexterity," "+4 bonus" with "+6 bonus," and "+6 bonus" with "+9 bonus." This standardizes the power to match wording of other close attacks and the new attack bonus progression for attack powers with neither the Implement keyword nor the Weapon keyword, and also removes the unnecessary limitation of a Constitution-exclusive damage bonus.
Tiefling Ability Scores
Page 48: Replace "+2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma" with "+2 Constitution or +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence." This opens up the race as an option for characters with a +2 racial bonus to Constitution and Intelligence, something that was not previously possible in the rules without the use of monster races.
Tiefling Skill Bonuses
Page 48: Replace "+2 Bluff, +2 Stealth" with "+2 Arcana, +2 Bluff or +2 Endurance." This gives the tiefling race thematic skill bonues that play to its new strong ability scores. Stealth is of limited use to the race as a whole and is not as fitting as the Arcana and Endurance skills.
Infernal Wrath
Page 48: Replace "Minor Action" with "Free Action." Add the following as a line before the Effect line: "Trigger: An enemy hits you with an attack" Replace the text in the Effect line with "Until the end of your next turn or until you hit with an attack against the triggering enemy, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a bonus to damage rolls equal to your Constitution, Intelligence, or Charisma modifier against the triggering enemy." This standardizes the wording of the power to match similar effects, allows it to function effectively for tieflings lacking a high Charisma score, gives the power a duration, making its use with Infernal Wrath-related feats clearer.
Powers
Keywords
Page 55: Add the following as a fifth paragraph of the section: "If an effect would add acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder damage to your attack powers, or if it would change the damage type of your attack powers to include any one of those damage types, your attack powers do not gain the appropriate damage type keyword unless the effect states so. For example, if a tiefling paladin were to wield a Flaming Bastard Sword, she could convert the damage of her Holy Strike at-will into fire and radiant damage, but the power itself would still have only the divine, radiant, and weapon keywords, leaving it ineligible for the Hellfire Blood heroic feat. However, if a warlock were to enter a paragon path that would let her change the damage type of her Eldritch Blast to lightning damage and give it the lightning keyword, then her Eldritch Blast would then have the arcane, implement, and lightning keywords, making it compatible with the Lightning Arc paragon feat." Add the following as a sixth paragraph of the section: "Some options, such as feats, magic items, and class features, have effects that come into play when you use certain powers. For example, the Solid Sound paragon feat increases your defenses when you use a power with the force or thunder keyword. Any benefits that you gain from these options are considered to originate from those options, not from the powers that that they affect. Therefore, if you had the Solid Sound feat, your force and thunder powers would not be considered powers that increase your defenses, as the defense increase comes from a feat, not from the power." These additions clarify how damage type additions or changes affect the keywords of a power, prevent certain types of magic weapons from being used to make all of a character's attacks compatible with options keyed to damage types, and explain how options that upgrade powers interact with other such options.
Cleric
Cleric Bonus to Defense
Page 60: Replace "+2 Will" with "+1 Fortitude, +1 Reflex, +1 Will." As a divine class, the cleric should receive a +1 bonus to all non-AC defenses.
Cleric Class Skills
Page 60: Add Athletics (Str) to the list of cleric class skills. Classes with a Strength-based, weapon-using build available to them should generally have Athletics as a class skill for the sake of theme and for ensuring that such characters can make good use of their Strength score with regards to skills.
Channel Divinity
Page 61: Add the following as a third paragraph to the class feature: "You can use your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Intelligence modifier when making Religion checks, and you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your Reflex defense. While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your AC defense. While you are wearing no armor or cloth armor, you gain a +3 bonus to AC. This bonus to AC does not stack with any other bonus to AC you would gain from wearing no armor or cloth armor." Religion is a mandatory skill for divine characters, and so they should be able to use it with efficacy even without a high Intelligence score. This ensures that divine characters who have high Wisdom and Charisma are not handicapped by drastically low non-AC defenses, giving them higher Reflex and initiative as compensation. This also allows such characters to take up the aesthetic of a divine servant in priestly robes without sacrificing much AC.
Healer's Lore
Page 61: Replace "Wisdom" with "Wisdom or Charisma." Add the following as a third sentence: "This does not affect the temporary hit points or regeneration that you grant." This ensures that battle clerics with high Strength and Charisma can make use of the class feature, and also clarifies that this feature does not apply to temporary hit points and regeneration.
Lance of Faith
Page 63: Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a ranged basic attack." Upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Priest's Shield
Page 63: On the Hit line, delete "and you and one adjacent ally gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end of your next turn." Add the following as an additional line: "Effect: You and one adjacent ally gain a +1 power bonus to AC until the end of your next turn." Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack." The power was exceedingly weak previously and was in need of its hit effect being turned into an actual Effect. Also, upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Righteous Brand
Page 63: On the Hit line, replace "melee attack rolls against the target equal to your Strength modifier until the end of your next turn" with "his or her next melee attack roll made against the target before the end of your next turn equal to your Charisma modifier." This power's highly potent rider effect should be tied to the battle cleric's secondary ability score, such that clerics of the build cannot rely purely on Strength for the power. Restricting the power bonus to the next melee attack roll against the target also brings it in line with the potency of other at-wills.
Seal of Binding
Page 71: Replace the text of the Sustain Standard line with "Each time you sustain the power, you and the target both take 2d10 + Wisdom modifier damage, the target remains stunned and protected against all other attacks until the end of your next turn, and you can't regain hit points or temporary hit points until the end of your next turn." This clarifies the duration of the effects of sustaining the power and also prevents clerics from using the power while supported by regeneration and healing from allies in order to create a one-sided situation.
Weapon Training
Page 72: Delete the feature entirely. The Astral Vibrance feature is a strong enough feature, and Weapon Training unnecessarily makes the paragon path even more powerful.
Astral Wave
Page 73: Replace "Implement" with "Weapon", and replace "burst 8" with "burst 2." On the Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the Hit line, replace "2d8 + Wisdom" with "2[W] + Strength." The battle cleric build makes use of Strength and Charisma and weapon powers, and so this power should be commensurately altered to suit the build. Also, close burst 8 is too far-reaching for a power of this level.
Terrifying Insight
Page 73: Replace the text of the class feature with "You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with divine implement powers that target Will." The former version of the class feature was far too potent and unbalanced.
Battle Cry
Page 74: On the Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the Hit line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." The battle cleric build makes use of Strength and Charisma and weapon powers, and so this power should be commensurately altered to suit the build.
Solar Wrath
Page 74: Replace "burst 8" with "burst 2." Close burst 8 is too far-reaching for a power of this level.
Battle Pyres
Page 74: Remove the Implement keyword and add the Weapon keyword. On the Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the first Hit line, replace "2d8 + Wisdom" with "2[W] + Strength," and replace "secondary attack" with "secondary weapon attack." On the Secondary Attack line, replace "Wisdom" with "Strength." On the second Hit line, replace "5d10 + Wisdom" with "3[W] + Wisdom." The battle cleric build makes use of Strength and Charisma and weapon powers, and so this power should be commensurately altered to suit the build.
Fighter
Fighter Trained Skills
Page 75: Replace "three trained skills" with "four trained skills." Three skill trainings are far too little for any character who wishes to be of good use in non-combat encounters.
Fighter Class Skills
Page 75: Add Insight (Wis) and Perception (Wis) to the list of fighter class skills. The fighter is the archetypical font of martial intuition, reading enemy movements and responding to them with wits and acuity, and is also the archetypical guard, watching over his or her ward with a keen eye. Making these two skills available to them does not break their theme and expands their options during skill challenges.
Fighter Bonus to Defense
Page 75: Replace "+2 Fortitude" with "+1 Reflex, +1 Will." Every fighter is guaranteed to have a high Strength score, ensuring a strong Fortitude defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Reflex and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the lopsided defenses caused by +2 Fortitude.
Fighter Weapon Talent
Page 76: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with weapon attacks and martial powers. You are also proficient with one superior melee weapon of your choice. While you are wielding a shield or a weapon that you are proficient in, you can use your Constitution modifier or your Wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for determining your AC in no armor or light armor." This removes the unnecessary restriction of weapon types from the class feature and makes it compatible with martial powers that do not bear the Weapon keyword, such as those involving shield attacks. As well, this also gives more support to lightly-armored fighters. These changes bring the class feature up to the level of Battlerager Vigor and Tempest Technique.
Reaping Strike
Page 77: Replace the text of the Miss line with the following: "Strength modifier damage." Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack." The reduced damage for oe-handed weapons was unnecessary, and upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Sure Strike
Page 77: Add the following as an additional line: "Effect: After the attack, you gain combat advantage against the target until the end of your next turn." This makes the power actually worthwhile compared to other fighter at-will powers.
Tide of Iron
Page 77: On the Hit line, delete "if it is your size, smaller than you, or one size category larger." This restriction on the power is unnecessary and arbitrarily makes it useless against Huge and Gargantuan monsters.
Rain of Steel
Page 79: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, as long as you are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with and are able to make opportunity attacks, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes damage equal to 2 + your Strength modifier." The previous version involved a damage roll and could thus generate disproportional amounts of damage through bonuses to damage rolls.
Storm of Blows
Page 82: On the Weapon line, replace "Gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Dexterity modifier" with "slide the target 1 square on a hit." The original incarnation of this power offered an overpowering amount of damage and shifting against multiple enemies.
Unyielding Avalanche
Page 82: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, you gain a +1 power bonus to AC and saving throws, and as long as you are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with and are able to make opportunity attacks, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes damage equal to 4 + your Strength modifier and is slowed until the end of its turn." The previous version involved a damage roll and could thus generate disproportional amounts of damage through bonuses to damage rolls, and the encounter-long regeneration offered too much resilience.
Reaper's Stance
Page 85: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, you gain a +1 power bonus to attack rolls, and as long as you are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with and are able to make opportunity attacks, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you takes damage equal to 6 + your Strength modifier and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). The previous version involved a damage roll and could thus generate disproportional amounts of damage through bonuses to damage rolls. The 19-20 critical range was superfluous for most fighters, as they would most likely already possess such a critical range by levle 25, and the power bonus to damage rolls was too over the top. Replacing these benefits with a more modest bonus to attack rolls balances the power.
Force the Battle
Page 86: Remove the Weapon keyword. Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Until the stance ends, as long as you are wielding a weapon you are proficient with and can make opportunity attacks, you can make a melee basic attack as a free action any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to you." The original version of the power is rather over-the-top, even for a level 29 daily power, especially when compared to other fighter powers of the same level. This tones it down appropriately.
Kensei Prerequisites
Page 87: Add "Fighter Weapon Talent class feature" after "Fighter class." This prevents the paragon path from being abused by virtually any weapon-using character multiclassed into fighter.
Kensei Focus
Page 87: Replace the text of the feature with "When you use a weapon power or a martial power, you can score a critical hit on a roll of a natural 19 or 20." This replaces the previous ambiguous feature with one more suited for a level 11 feature.
Kensei Mastery
Page 87: Replace the text of the feature with "The bonus to attack rolls from your Fighter Weapon Talent class feature increases to +2." This replaces the previous feature, which offered too large benefit and had a highly unnecessary and unflavorful restriction, with one more suited for a level 16 feature.
Masterstroke
Page 87: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex. This attack can score a critical hit on a roll of a natural 18, 19, or 20." This increases the strength of the power to match that of other level 11 encounter powers.
Dirty Fighting
Page 87: Replace the second sentence of the description of the feature with "When you hit a creature that you have marked and that you have combat advantage against using a weapon power or a martial power, you gain a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Wisdom modifier." This clarifies the benefit of the feature, preventing it from being used to increase static damage, ongoing damage, and implement power damage, and tones down its previously overwhelming potency.
Steel Grace
Page 88: Replace the description of the feature with the following: "You can use any melee fighter at-will power as a melee basic attack, provided that you make the attack with a light blade or a heavy blade that is not a polearm. When you score a critical hit with a weapon attack using a light blade or a heavy blade that is not a polearm, after the entire attack is resolved, you can shift your speed and then mark each enemy adjacent to you at the destination square until the end of your next turn." This opens up the feature to include fighter at-will powers other than the ones in the Player's Handbook and also elevates its usefulness to put it in line with other paragon path's features.
Fantastic Flourish
Page 88: Replace "Ranged 5" with "Close burst 5." Replace the text of the Target line with the following: "One enemy in burst other than the one you just hit." This prevents the power from provoking opportunity attacks, which was not the intent of the power.
Crescendo Sword
Page 88: On the Effect line, replace "one daily power you have already used" with "one daily power, other than Crescendo Sword, that you have already used for today." This clarifies that the power cannot be used to continuously recharge itself.
Paladin
Paladin Class Skills
Page 89: Add Athletics (Str) to the list of paladin class skills. Classes with a Strength-based, weapon-using build available to them should generally have Athletics as a class skill for the sake of theme and for ensuring that such characters can make good use of their Strength score with regards to skills.
Channel Divinity
Page 91: Add the following as a third paragraph to the class feature: "You can use your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Intelligence modifier when making Religion checks, and you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your Reflex defense. While you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use the lower of your Wisdom modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for your AC defense. While you are wearing no armor or cloth armor, you gain a +3 bonus to AC. This bonus to AC does not stack with any other bonus to AC you would gain from wearing no armor or cloth armor." Religion is a mandatory skill for divine characters, and so they should be able to use it with efficacy even without a high Intelligence score. This ensures that divine characters who have high Wisdom and Charisma are not handicapped by drastically low non-AC defenses, giving them higher Reflex and initiative as compensation. This also allows such characters to take up the aesthetic of a divine servant in priestly robes without sacrificing much AC.
Divine Challenge
Page 91: Replace the second paragraph of the Effect line with the following: "While a target is marked, it takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls for any attack that doesn't include you as a target. Until the mark ends, the target takes radiant damage equal to 3 + your Strength or Charisma modifier the first time each round it makes an attack that doesn't include you as a target. The damage increases to 6 + your Strength or Charisma modifier at 11th level and 9 + your Strength or Charisma modifier at 21st level." This standardizes the class feature's wording to match that of Divine Sanction and also allows Strength/Wisdom-based paladins to use it effectively without any need for feats.
Lay on Hands
Page 91: Replace "At-Will (Special)" with "Encounter." Replace the text of the Special line with the following: "When you spend an action point, you regain the use of this power and can use it immediately as a free action. Using this power as a free action still expends it." The previous, pseudo-daily usage of this power is an unnecessary holdover from a previous edition that does not mesh well with the system for at-will, encounter, and daily powers.
Enfeebling Strike
Page 92: Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack." Upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Stunning Smite
Page 99: On the Secondary Target line, replace "Each" with "One." On the Secondary Hit line, replace "stunned" with "dazed." This power is already highly accurate, being a weapon attack that targets Will, and it toning it down in this manner brings its level of power down to that of other defenders' level 27 encounter powers.
Certain Justice
Page 100: On the Hit line, replace the second sentence with "If the target is marked by you, it is also weakened and dazed until the end of its next turn." The power was previously capable of shutting down the offensive capabilities of a monster for the entire encounter.
Ranger
Archer Fighting Style
Page 104: Replace the text of the class feature with "Because of your focus on ranged attacks, you can designate any enemy you can see as your quarry when you use your Hunter's Quarry class feature, and you can load any ranged weapon as a free action." This replaces the negligible bonus feat of Defensive Mobility with a benefit that complements the combat methods of an archery ranger well and also makes it easier for such a ranger to wield a crossbow.
Prime Shot
Page 104: Add the following as a second sentence: "This bonus does not apply if you are adjacent to the target." This prevents the class feature from being abused with methods that allow ranged attacks to be made without provoking opportunity attacks.
Two-Blade Fighting Style
Page 104: Replace the third sentence of the class feature with "In addition, while you are not wielding heavy armor and are wielding a melee weapon that you are proficient with, you can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for determining your AC defense." There is very little reason for two-weapon rangers to receive Toughness as a bonus feat. Meanwhile, they are in drastic need of an AC increase, and allowing them to use their Wisdom modifier for their AC solves the issue.
Twin Strike
Page 105: Replace the entire Targets line with the following: "Target: One creature." On the Attack line, replace "two attacks" with "make two attack rolls. If either hit, resolve the attack as a single hit with your main weapon. If either score a critical hit, resolve the attack as a single critical hit with your main weapon." Replace the text of the first Hit line with "1[W] damage. If both attack rolls hit, you add your Strength modifier (melee) or your Dexterity modifier (ranged) to the damage roll." Twin Strike was too strong for an at-will power, and this revision brings it in line with other ranger at-wills.
Disruptive Strike
Page 106: Replace the text of the Hit line with the following: "1[W] damage. The target takes a penalty to its attack roll equal to your Wisdom modifier." As an out-of-turn basic attack that virtually guaranteed a miss on the previous attack, the original version of this power was overpowered and in need of a downgrade.
Great Ram Arrow
Page 111: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex." Replace the text of the Hit line with the following: "4[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you push the target a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier and knock it prone. The target cannot stand up from prone (save ends)." Replace the text of the Miss line with the following: "2[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and you push the target 2 squares and knock it prone." Archery rangers should not be using Strength, and so this power's rider effect is altered to fit the true secondary score of the build. This revision also brings the effectiveness of the power in line with other level 19 daily powers.
Follow-Up Blow
Page 113: Replace the text of the Effect line with the following: "Once per round, when you hit with a melee or close weapon attack using your main weapon, you can make a melee basic attack as a free action against each enemy adjacent to you after the triggering attack is resolved. You can target Reflex with this melee basic attack." Even the previously errata'd version was too strong for a level 29 daily power, as it allowed for long attack chains when used in conjunction with other ranger powers. This tames the power down to a more appropriate level.
Three-in-One Shot
Page 113: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex." Replace the second sentence of the attack line with the following: "If the first attack hits, the second and third attacks hit automatically." On the Hit line, replace "2[W]" with "4[W]." The power is otherwise completely overshadowed by Five-Missile Dance.
Battlefield Experience
Page 113: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "You can designate more than one creature as your quarry at a time, up to a number equal to your Wisdom modifier. You must still use a minor action to designate a single creature as your quarry. In addition, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls against any creature designated as your quarry." This clarifies the mechanics of the first half of the class feature and prevents the second half from being used to grant allies the +1 bonus to attack rolls as well.
Archery's Glory
Page 114: Replace "Encounter" with "Daily." The generation of action points on an encounter basis is overpowered and clashes with the rules for action point limitations.
Chosen Prey
Page 114: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You never provoke opportunity attacks and cannot be marked by any beast, any magical beast, or any creature designated as your quarry. Once per round, when you score a critical hit against a beast, a magical beast, or a creature designated as your quarry, you can shift your speed and then make a ranged basic attack as a free action after the critical hit is resolved." The previous version of the class feature was highly situational and very weak.
Pinpointing Arrow
Page 114: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex. You can make two attack rolls and use the higher result." On the Hit line, replace "2[W]" with "3[W]." The original version of the power was too weak for a level 11 encounter power.
Beast Stalker's Target
Page 114: On the Attack line, replace "AC" with "Reflex. You can make two attack rolls and use the higher result." Replace the text of the Hit line with the following: "5[W] + Dexterity modifier damage, and the target is pushed a number of squares equal to your Wisdom modifier and knocked prone." The original version of the power was too weak for a level 20 daily power.
Cruel Recovery
Page 114: Delete "the amount of damage you dealt from Hunter's Quarry +." The original version granted far too much temporary hit points on an at-will basis.
Blade Storm
Page 115: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "Once per round, when you hit a creature with a melee or close weapon attack, one creature adjacent to it takes damage equal to your Wisdom modifier." Blade Storm had initially provided rangers with an overwhelming amount of bonus damage each round, and it did not even use the proper secondary score of the two-weapon build (Wisdom). This revision maintains the paragon path's theme of spreading out damage across multiple enemies while altering the feature to be more balanced.
Twin-Blade Storm
Page 115: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "Once per round, when you hit a creature with a melee or close weapon attack, two creatures adjacent to it take damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. This replaces the benefit of your Blade Storm feature." This changes Twin-Blade Storm commensurately to match the revision to Blade Storm.
Rogue
Rogue Bonus to Defense
Page 116: Replace "+2 Reflex" with "+1 Fortitude, +1 Will." Every rogue is guaranteed to have a high Dexterity score, ensuring a strong Reflex defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Fortitude and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the lopsided defenses caused by +2 Reflex.
Artful Dodger
Page 117: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You gain a bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks equal to your Charisma modifier. As a move action, you can shift a number of squares equal to 1 + half your Charisma modifier. When you miss with a weapon power using a weapon compatible with your Sneak Attack class feature, after the entire attack is resolved, you can slide the target 1 square and shift 1 square in any order, and then gain combat advantage against the target until the end of your next turn." A bonus to AC against opportunity attacks simply cannot compare to the straightforward Sneak Attack damage increase of the Brutal Scoundrel class feature, especially when most characters would try to avoid opportunity attacks through shifting anyway, and when monsters with opportunity attacks that target Fortitude, Reflex, or Will would ignore the bonus to AC altogether. This revision increases the versatility of Artful Dodger rogues to compensate.
Rogue Weapon Talent
Page 117: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with weapon powers made using a dagger, a hand crossbow, a shuriken, or a sling." This removes any ambiguity from the power's wording and simplifies it to function with the otherwise low-key weapons available to the rogue.
Deft Strike
Page 118: Add the following as an additional line: "Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack if used as a melee attack, or as a ranged basic attack if used as a ranged attack." Upgrading low-key powers into basic attacks makes them more attractive choices and also provides characters with more options for basic attacks.
Dagger Precision
Page 127: Replace the text of the class feature with the following: "When you make an attack roll for a weapon power using a dagger or a weapon that you can treat as a dagger for the purpose of the Rogue Weapon Talent class feature, you can score a critical hit on a roll of a natural 19 or 20." This tones down the previously ludicrous 18-20 critical range that the feature offered, prevents its abuse in the hands of implement-users with a dagger implement, and makes it compatible with weapons such as the parrying dagger and the kukri.
Warlock
Warlock Bonus to Defense
Page 129: Replace "+1 Reflex, +1 Will" with "+1 Fortitude, +1 Will." Most warlocks are going to have a high Intelligence score, thus ensuring a strong Reflex defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Fortitude and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the somewhat lopsided defenses for Fey Pact, Dark Pact, and some Star Pact warlocks caused by +1 Reflex and +1 Will.
Warlock Class Skills
Page 129: Add Diplomacy (Cha) and Stealth (Dex) to the list of warlock class skills. Warlocks are skilled pactmakers and bargainers, and Fey Pact warlocks are adept at stealthily slinking around.
Warlock Class Features
Page 129: Add Ritual Casting as an additional warlock class feature.
Warlock Class Features
Pages 130-131: Add the following as an additional warlock class feature: "Ritual Casting. You gain the Ritual Caster feat as a bonus feat, allowing you to use magical rituals (see Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook (see Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook). You own a ritual book, and it contains three rituals of your choice that you have mastered: Hand of Fate and two 1st-level rituals. Once per day, you can use Hand of Fate to consult your patron without expending components." These skilled and knowledgeable arcanists should logically be able to use rituals, especially since such practices are how their pacts are made in the first place.
Misty Step
Page 130: Add the following as a second sentence to the second paragraph of the class feature: "Until the end of your next turn, you gain the concealment from your Shadow Walk class feature, and you gain combat advantage against enemies that were adjacent to you either at the origin square or the destination square of your teleportation." Misty Step is the weakest of the warlock pact boons, and this revisions brings it up to par with the other boons.
Fate of the Void
Page 131: Replace the second and third paragraphs of the feature with the following: "When an enemy under your Warlock's Curse is reduced to 0 hit points or fewer, you gain a +1 bonus to a single attack roll, damage roll saving throw, skill check, ability check, or damage roll that you make before the end of your next turn. This bonus can be applied after you make the roll and are informed of its success or failure. If you choose to gain a bonus to a damage roll, the +1 bonus is instead 2 additional damage (4 at 11th level, 6 at 21st level). This bonus is cumulative; if three cursed enemies drop to 0 hit points or fewer before the end of your next turn, the bonus is a +3 bonus (or 6 additional damage)." This upgrades the usefulness of the pact boon and ensures that it is not wasted as often.
Prime Shot
Page 131: Add the following as a second sentence: "This bonus does not apply if you are adjacent to the target." This prevents the class feature from being abused with methods that allow ranged attacks to be made without provoking opportunity attacks.
Shadow Walk
Page 131: Add the following as a second sentence to the class feature: "Even when you do not have this concealment, while you are not wearing heavy armor, you can use the lower of your Constitution modifier or your Charisma modifier in place of your Dexterity or Intelligence modifier for determining your AC defense." This ensures that warlocks who focus on Constitution and Charisma and eschew Intelligence are not fraught with poor AC.
Warlock's Curse
Page 131: Add the following as a sixth sentence to the first paragraph: "This extra damage can be applied when you hit with an attack that does not deal damage, but if you do so, you gain no bonuses to the damage roll." On the table for Warlock's Curse extra damage, replace "1d6" with "1d10", "2d6" with "2d10", and "3d6" with "3d10." This allows warlock powers that do not deal damage to benefit from this striker class feature, and also boosts the noticeably low striker damage that warlocks previously doled out.
Dire Radiance
Page 131: Add the Cold keyword. Replace the text of the Attack line with the following: "Constitution or Charisma vs. Reflex." Replace the text of the first Hit line with the following: "1d6 + Constitution or Charisma modifier cold and radiant damage. If the target willingly moves, shifts, or teleports towards you before the end of your next turn, it takes 4 + Constitution or Charisma modifier cold and radiant damage after the movement is resolved. This extra damage applies only once per use of this power and does not occur if you the target is marked by you." Replace the text of the second Hit line with the following: "Increase damage to 2d6 + Constitution or Charisma modifier and extra damage to 8 + Constitution or Charisma modifier at 21st level." This gives the power a thematically appropriate second damage type, makes the power usable by Star Pact warlocks focusing on Charisma and Intelligence, renders it slightly more accurate (by targeting Reflex instead of Fortitude), prevents the power from being abused through marking, prevents the extra damage from gaining unbalancing bonuses to damage rolls, and clarifies that the extra damage applies only once.
Eyebite
Page 132: Add the Radiant keyword. Replace the text of the first Hit line with the following: "1d6 + Charisma modifier psychic and radiant damage, you slide the target 1 square, you shift 1 square, and until the start of your next turn, you are invisible to the target as long as you do not have it marked. If the target makes a melee or ranged attack against you before the start of your next turn, it takes 3 + Charisma modifier psychic and radiant damage before the attack is resolved. This extra damage applies only once per use of this power and does not occur if you have the target marked." Replace the text of the second Hit line with the following: "Increase damage to 2d6 + Charisma modifier and extra damage to 6 + Charisma modifier at 21st level." This gives the power a thematically appropriate second damage type, grants the power greater control potential to compensate for its weaknesses, prevents it from being abused by defenders, and gives it a use against monsters with blindsight, tremorsense, or truesight.
Hellish Rebuke
Page 132: Add the Necrotic keyword. Replace the text of the first Hit line with the following: "1d6 + Constiution modifier fire and necrotic damage. If you take damage from a source other than yourself before the end of your next turn, the target takes 3 + Constitution modifier fire and necrotic damage before the damage is resolved. This extra damage applies only once per use of this power and does not occur if you have any enemy marked." Replace the text of the second Hit line with the following: "Increase damage to 2d6 + Constitution modifier and extra damage to 6 + Constitution modifier at 21st level." This gives the power a thematically appropriate second damage type, prevents the power from being abused through marking, prevents the extra damage from being abused through damaging oneself, prevents the extra damage from gaining unbalancing bonuses to damage rolls, and clarifies that the extra damage applies only once.
Warlord
Warlord Bonus to Defense
Page 143: Replace "+1 Fortitude, +1 Will" with "+1 Reflex, +1 Will." All warlords are guaranteed to have a high Strength score, thus ensuring a strong Fortitude defense. Giving the class a +1 bonus to Reflex and Will balances and smooths out its non-AC defenses, rather than the somewhat lopsided defenses for Inspiring Presence and Bravura Presence warlords caused by +1 Fortitude and +1 Will.
Commander's Strike
Page 145: On the Target line, replace "One creature" with "One creature within reach." Delete the Attack line and the Hit line. Add the following as an Effect line: "One ally of your choice can make a melee basic attack against the target with a bonus to the damage roll equal to your Intelligence modifier. The ally must be able to reach the target." This substantially clarifies how the power functions.
Lead the Attack
Page 145: On the Hit line, replace "power bonus to attack rolls against the target equal to 1 + your Intelligence modifier" with "+2 power bonus to attack rolls against the target." The power previously granted far too large an attack bonus for a level 1 daily power that scaled overpoweringly well.
Battle Inspiration
Page 153: Replace the text of the feature with the following: "When a bloodied ally spends a healing surge through your Inspiring Word power, the ally gains a power bonus to attack rolls equal to half your Intelligence modifier until the end of the ally's next turn." The previous version of the power had ambiguous wording and granted an enormous bonus to attack rolls and speed with but a single use of Inspiring Word.
Tough as Nails
Page 154: On the second sentence, replace "Constitution" with "Intelligence or Charisma." Constitution is not a key ability score for the warlord class and should have no place in a warlord paragon path feature.
Honor and Glory
Page 155: Replace "+2" with "+1." A +2 untyped bonus to attack rolls for allies on a regular basis is too effective for a paragon path feature of this level.