Drolyt
2010-02-15, 10:03 AM
Okay I've mentioned a few times that I'm working on a 3.5 variant. Unfortunately I've been busy and within the next two weeks I've got 4 or 5 mid terms, so yeah. I'll get the fighter posted soon but here is a general overview of the ideas I've been toying around with. None of its final... I'm still working out the kinks. This project will likely take me a long time. This list is not comprehensive, I may have forgot some things I'm still working on.
1. General Changes, in no particular order
Hit points increased. The following is what I'm thinking: Either 4, 8, or 12 hit points per level (depending on class), doubled at first level, + Constitution Score at 1st level, + Constitution Modifier at every level thereafter.
In the vein of the above, toughness will now be a feat chain (as in 3.0 splat books) that provide significant and generally worthwhile hit point bonuses (for casters between double-triple hit points if they take the whole chain), but because the bonuses are static it will be necessary to buy every feat in the chain to maintain usefulness at high levels.
Classes now go from levels 1-30, although 21-30 is still considered epic. 31+ will use special rules not yet determined, but the only NPCs at that level are things like Archfiends, Celestial Paragons, Elemental Lords, Eldritch Abominations, and Deities. Player Characters can reach those levels if they want, but I presume most games will not go that high.
Characters will have less attacks. Full BAB characters will get additional attacks at 11th and 21st levels. Maximum number of attacks possible will be 8, which is using superior two-weapon fighting with a haste effect, but most characters will have 3 or 4 at 30th level depending on whether they have a haste effect (and they should).
Weapons now deal more damage in the hands of higher level characters. This way weapon choice will be more important.
AC works a little differently. All characters have a Defense bonus like the one in UA and armor instead grants DR. Shields still improve AC, and are more useful now because they are one of the few things that do (a lot of bonuses are getting nixed). Natural Armor will also become damage reduction; there will be a division between hard to hit creatures and those who simply have high DR.
Saves will be more like AC, static numbers that are rolled against. This is primarily for the benefit of spellcasters, who will now get to roll to hit instead of the monster rolling to see if it got hit. Alternatively it might be like the player's roll all the dice variant in UA, I'm not sure yet. I'm actually leaning towards the later.
Immunities of any sort are rarer. Generally only creatures directly composed of a particular energy (fire elementals for fire, undead for negative/necromantic, etc.) are immune to that energy and generally heal from it. A gold dragon, for example, would not be immune to fire, though it would probably have resistance. Conversely resistances (and DR) will be more common, both for enemies and for PCs, and will be important for survival against high damaging foes.
Magic items now have requirements for use. The limiting factor on magic items will not be WBL but a combination of these requirements and the fact that all magic items will either fill a slot or require a free hand to use.
Due to the above magic item crafting is now an effect of the craft skill that doesn't require any feats or any xp expenditure. It could be a great money maker for the PCs but since WBL is no longer an issue that's fine.
For that matter higher level magic items are probably not for sale in most campaigns (up to DM) but now it is a simple matter of having at least one character in the party with the craft skill and obtaining the appropriate reagents, so you can avoid the magic mart world without screwing your players.
Skills will be condensed. In general everyone will get at least 4 + int modifier skill points per level and have larger skill lists (I'm considering nixing class skill lists altogether, tell me what you think about that).
Racial abilities improve with level, and there are also racial feats.
There will be three methods of multiclassing: Multiclassing, which is just like 3.5 multiclassing, Dual-Classing, which is taking multiple classes at once and is similar to pre 3e multiclassing, and Muticlass Feats, which are similar to but more powerful than the multiclass feats in 4e. You can only use one method for a given class; eg you could not Multiclass as a Fighter and then gain a multiclass feat for the Fighter.
2. Spellcasters, in no particular order
Caster Level now equal to Character Level, making multiclassing easier
Different Casters use different methods of casting (eg prepared, spontaneous, spell points etc.)
Following included in core: Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid (possibly a PRC), Warlock, Psion, probably not wilder (5-7 spellcasting classes)
All spellcasters will have means to "recover" their spent spells without having to rest for 8 hours, although that remains the most effective means of recovery.
All spells will be augmentable in a similar manner to psionic powers, which will also help multiclassing
Save or Die spells will now deal Necromantic Damage (which replaces negative energy damage) instead of killing outright; essentially fortitude version of evocation spells.
Save or Suck spells nerfed but still useful.
Arcane spellcasters will have some access to healing spells (divine casters still better however).
Schools will be reworked.
School specialization will no longer involve banning schools, but will instead be one of several options for wizards at first level that grant them special abilities (not bonus spells, which was too powerful).
Sorcerers will receive different bonuses depending on their heritage.
Warlocks will receive different bonuses depending on whom they made their pact for magical powers with (although the term carries negative connotations, there could be for example Warlocks who get their powers from Celestial Paragons)
Clerics will now have more limited spells lists. There will be a "general" cleric spell list and a number of "domain" lists. They can learn extra spells with feats however.
Clerics can be either a champion of a cause or a follower of a deity.
Druids may or may not be made into a Cleric Prestige class.
Psions will be incorporated into the spellcasting system (psionic powers will be listed alongside spells for example, and there is no difference between say Psionic Plane Shift and regular old Plane Shift; only the latter still exists), but still cast (manifest) in their own way.
Wilders will probably be nixed. They aren't anything important.
Sorcerers will know more spells and in general be more versatile than before, though Wizards will remain the most versatile spellcaster. Sorcerers and Wizards will have slightly different spell lists.
Utility spells (transport, divination, raise dead, etc.) do not have to be prepared ahead of time because they already have a long casting time (ie preparation is the act of casting most of the spell so you only have to finish it during combat, but utility spells don't work that way). Utility spells work differently for classes such as Sorcerer with a set number of spells known.
Damage focused spells are now almost exclusively either evocation (for elemental/energy damage) or necromancy (for spells that drain life force). Conjuration has few or no damage spells. Most damage spells have secondary effects like the orbs in CA or the psionic energy attacks. Fire spells will typically do the most damage and starts fires, Acid spells are DOT and may cause poison or disease (which are also getting reworked), Cold spells Slow or Freeze but only for a round, Lightning spells have the longest range and may stun or paralyze for a round, and Sonic spells tend to Deafen or stun and do less damage because they are harder to resist. Force spells generally do less damage than other spells and have no secondary effect but are almost impossible to resist or dodge. Most area effect spells can now exclude allies.
3. Other Classes
Fighters are the most similar to what they were before. The main changes are that they get even more bonus feats and can swap out their bonus feats 1/day. The fighter's thing has always been that he had no real special abilities but was the best in combat. I'm trying to stick to that by giving him nothing but Fighter bonus feats, which are all combat oriented. I am not, however, opposed to the Fighter having nice things. Some Fighter bonus feats may give him outright supernatural powers. But the point is I'm not trying to redefine the fighter, just make him better.
Rogues are still in the planning stages. I'm thinking giving them different ways to set off sneak attack besides just flanking (perhaps some abilities that make the target flat-footed) and also allowing sneak attack to be replaced by something other than +damage. Some of the alternate attacks would work just fine on creatures immune to sneak attack. Cutting down on the number of monsters that are randomly immune to sneak attack would be good too.
Monks I have no idea. With the creation of a new Unarmed Combat feat chain for the Fighter I'm not sure what the Monk's role is anymore.
Paladins might be made into a prestige class. Rather, multiple prestige classes, at least three: Paladin (LG), Avenger (CG), and Blackguard (Any E). Instead of granting their own spellcasting they will grant Cleric spellcasting that would stack with actual Cleric levels. Smite would be made more interesting as well, and Lay on Hands/Remove Disease would be made more useful. The typical entry would be either Fighter, Cleric, or Cleric/Fighter.
Ranger would have both archery and two weapon combat styles. It might also be made into a PRC.
Swashbuckler/Duelist would also be included, but might be a PRC.
Barbarian is definitely not a PRC. I'm thinking when a Barbarian enters a Rage they get a certain number of rage points. Each round they have to spend some (probably just 1) to stay in rage and they gain several abilities that use rage points. They will also gain DR, energy resistances, and the toughness feat chain as bonus feats. The result is that in their Rage they can do all kinds of cool things, but outside it they are just really tough Fighters with no bonus feats.
Bard might be a PRC.
There may be a Knight class that represents that Archetype, although that is already represented by Fighter and Paladin pretty well. It might a PRC, the NG or LN version of the Paladin.
Finally, I'm not sure what to name this new system. I don't want anything like "D20(insert random letter here)". The only thing I can come up with is Myths and Monsters, which doesn't seem to be taken (I actually had other, better ideas, but they were taken) but I'm not sure if that's a good name. Any help on that front would be greatly appreciated.
Edit: Things I forgot:
Cantrips will have unlimited use.
Arcane Spell Failure Chance will probably be nixed. It wasn't really a disadvantage anyways.
I will probably add a class similar to the MH Marshal or the 4e Warlord.
Spellcasting will be much simplified
Some sort of mechanic to allow spellcasters to bypass antimagic fields if they are poweful enough (perhaps a CL check instead of complete negation).
Edit #2: Psychic Warrior will also be a class. Mindblade will be rolled into Psychic Warrior or made into a feat tree.
1. General Changes, in no particular order
Hit points increased. The following is what I'm thinking: Either 4, 8, or 12 hit points per level (depending on class), doubled at first level, + Constitution Score at 1st level, + Constitution Modifier at every level thereafter.
In the vein of the above, toughness will now be a feat chain (as in 3.0 splat books) that provide significant and generally worthwhile hit point bonuses (for casters between double-triple hit points if they take the whole chain), but because the bonuses are static it will be necessary to buy every feat in the chain to maintain usefulness at high levels.
Classes now go from levels 1-30, although 21-30 is still considered epic. 31+ will use special rules not yet determined, but the only NPCs at that level are things like Archfiends, Celestial Paragons, Elemental Lords, Eldritch Abominations, and Deities. Player Characters can reach those levels if they want, but I presume most games will not go that high.
Characters will have less attacks. Full BAB characters will get additional attacks at 11th and 21st levels. Maximum number of attacks possible will be 8, which is using superior two-weapon fighting with a haste effect, but most characters will have 3 or 4 at 30th level depending on whether they have a haste effect (and they should).
Weapons now deal more damage in the hands of higher level characters. This way weapon choice will be more important.
AC works a little differently. All characters have a Defense bonus like the one in UA and armor instead grants DR. Shields still improve AC, and are more useful now because they are one of the few things that do (a lot of bonuses are getting nixed). Natural Armor will also become damage reduction; there will be a division between hard to hit creatures and those who simply have high DR.
Saves will be more like AC, static numbers that are rolled against. This is primarily for the benefit of spellcasters, who will now get to roll to hit instead of the monster rolling to see if it got hit. Alternatively it might be like the player's roll all the dice variant in UA, I'm not sure yet. I'm actually leaning towards the later.
Immunities of any sort are rarer. Generally only creatures directly composed of a particular energy (fire elementals for fire, undead for negative/necromantic, etc.) are immune to that energy and generally heal from it. A gold dragon, for example, would not be immune to fire, though it would probably have resistance. Conversely resistances (and DR) will be more common, both for enemies and for PCs, and will be important for survival against high damaging foes.
Magic items now have requirements for use. The limiting factor on magic items will not be WBL but a combination of these requirements and the fact that all magic items will either fill a slot or require a free hand to use.
Due to the above magic item crafting is now an effect of the craft skill that doesn't require any feats or any xp expenditure. It could be a great money maker for the PCs but since WBL is no longer an issue that's fine.
For that matter higher level magic items are probably not for sale in most campaigns (up to DM) but now it is a simple matter of having at least one character in the party with the craft skill and obtaining the appropriate reagents, so you can avoid the magic mart world without screwing your players.
Skills will be condensed. In general everyone will get at least 4 + int modifier skill points per level and have larger skill lists (I'm considering nixing class skill lists altogether, tell me what you think about that).
Racial abilities improve with level, and there are also racial feats.
There will be three methods of multiclassing: Multiclassing, which is just like 3.5 multiclassing, Dual-Classing, which is taking multiple classes at once and is similar to pre 3e multiclassing, and Muticlass Feats, which are similar to but more powerful than the multiclass feats in 4e. You can only use one method for a given class; eg you could not Multiclass as a Fighter and then gain a multiclass feat for the Fighter.
2. Spellcasters, in no particular order
Caster Level now equal to Character Level, making multiclassing easier
Different Casters use different methods of casting (eg prepared, spontaneous, spell points etc.)
Following included in core: Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid (possibly a PRC), Warlock, Psion, probably not wilder (5-7 spellcasting classes)
All spellcasters will have means to "recover" their spent spells without having to rest for 8 hours, although that remains the most effective means of recovery.
All spells will be augmentable in a similar manner to psionic powers, which will also help multiclassing
Save or Die spells will now deal Necromantic Damage (which replaces negative energy damage) instead of killing outright; essentially fortitude version of evocation spells.
Save or Suck spells nerfed but still useful.
Arcane spellcasters will have some access to healing spells (divine casters still better however).
Schools will be reworked.
School specialization will no longer involve banning schools, but will instead be one of several options for wizards at first level that grant them special abilities (not bonus spells, which was too powerful).
Sorcerers will receive different bonuses depending on their heritage.
Warlocks will receive different bonuses depending on whom they made their pact for magical powers with (although the term carries negative connotations, there could be for example Warlocks who get their powers from Celestial Paragons)
Clerics will now have more limited spells lists. There will be a "general" cleric spell list and a number of "domain" lists. They can learn extra spells with feats however.
Clerics can be either a champion of a cause or a follower of a deity.
Druids may or may not be made into a Cleric Prestige class.
Psions will be incorporated into the spellcasting system (psionic powers will be listed alongside spells for example, and there is no difference between say Psionic Plane Shift and regular old Plane Shift; only the latter still exists), but still cast (manifest) in their own way.
Wilders will probably be nixed. They aren't anything important.
Sorcerers will know more spells and in general be more versatile than before, though Wizards will remain the most versatile spellcaster. Sorcerers and Wizards will have slightly different spell lists.
Utility spells (transport, divination, raise dead, etc.) do not have to be prepared ahead of time because they already have a long casting time (ie preparation is the act of casting most of the spell so you only have to finish it during combat, but utility spells don't work that way). Utility spells work differently for classes such as Sorcerer with a set number of spells known.
Damage focused spells are now almost exclusively either evocation (for elemental/energy damage) or necromancy (for spells that drain life force). Conjuration has few or no damage spells. Most damage spells have secondary effects like the orbs in CA or the psionic energy attacks. Fire spells will typically do the most damage and starts fires, Acid spells are DOT and may cause poison or disease (which are also getting reworked), Cold spells Slow or Freeze but only for a round, Lightning spells have the longest range and may stun or paralyze for a round, and Sonic spells tend to Deafen or stun and do less damage because they are harder to resist. Force spells generally do less damage than other spells and have no secondary effect but are almost impossible to resist or dodge. Most area effect spells can now exclude allies.
3. Other Classes
Fighters are the most similar to what they were before. The main changes are that they get even more bonus feats and can swap out their bonus feats 1/day. The fighter's thing has always been that he had no real special abilities but was the best in combat. I'm trying to stick to that by giving him nothing but Fighter bonus feats, which are all combat oriented. I am not, however, opposed to the Fighter having nice things. Some Fighter bonus feats may give him outright supernatural powers. But the point is I'm not trying to redefine the fighter, just make him better.
Rogues are still in the planning stages. I'm thinking giving them different ways to set off sneak attack besides just flanking (perhaps some abilities that make the target flat-footed) and also allowing sneak attack to be replaced by something other than +damage. Some of the alternate attacks would work just fine on creatures immune to sneak attack. Cutting down on the number of monsters that are randomly immune to sneak attack would be good too.
Monks I have no idea. With the creation of a new Unarmed Combat feat chain for the Fighter I'm not sure what the Monk's role is anymore.
Paladins might be made into a prestige class. Rather, multiple prestige classes, at least three: Paladin (LG), Avenger (CG), and Blackguard (Any E). Instead of granting their own spellcasting they will grant Cleric spellcasting that would stack with actual Cleric levels. Smite would be made more interesting as well, and Lay on Hands/Remove Disease would be made more useful. The typical entry would be either Fighter, Cleric, or Cleric/Fighter.
Ranger would have both archery and two weapon combat styles. It might also be made into a PRC.
Swashbuckler/Duelist would also be included, but might be a PRC.
Barbarian is definitely not a PRC. I'm thinking when a Barbarian enters a Rage they get a certain number of rage points. Each round they have to spend some (probably just 1) to stay in rage and they gain several abilities that use rage points. They will also gain DR, energy resistances, and the toughness feat chain as bonus feats. The result is that in their Rage they can do all kinds of cool things, but outside it they are just really tough Fighters with no bonus feats.
Bard might be a PRC.
There may be a Knight class that represents that Archetype, although that is already represented by Fighter and Paladin pretty well. It might a PRC, the NG or LN version of the Paladin.
Finally, I'm not sure what to name this new system. I don't want anything like "D20(insert random letter here)". The only thing I can come up with is Myths and Monsters, which doesn't seem to be taken (I actually had other, better ideas, but they were taken) but I'm not sure if that's a good name. Any help on that front would be greatly appreciated.
Edit: Things I forgot:
Cantrips will have unlimited use.
Arcane Spell Failure Chance will probably be nixed. It wasn't really a disadvantage anyways.
I will probably add a class similar to the MH Marshal or the 4e Warlord.
Spellcasting will be much simplified
Some sort of mechanic to allow spellcasters to bypass antimagic fields if they are poweful enough (perhaps a CL check instead of complete negation).
Edit #2: Psychic Warrior will also be a class. Mindblade will be rolled into Psychic Warrior or made into a feat tree.