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Selinia
2011-10-16, 12:16 AM
Just a heads-up, this class is no longer being actively maintained. It is a fun class in its own right, I would like to think, and anyone is of course still welcome to use it, but active development on this version of the magical girl has stopped.

If you'd like to use, comment on, and participate in the construction the Magical Girl, I direct you to the Tome of Radiance (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258654) project, which makes a lot of changes for the better and runs off of a much smoother base system. While it may not yet have the pile of supporting content that the MG 1.0 has accrued, it is a sounder, more flexible system that I strongly reccommend using for your love-and-justice-enforcing needs!


The Magical Girl

"Well, I guess I am a little demonic, now that you mention it. But that just means I'll have to use my hellish powers get get you to listen to me!"
-Nanoha, a magical girl


A Note for everyone reading this:

Hello, everyone! It's a pleasure to meet you all! This is really my first time homebrewing... well, anything on this scale before. So I'll probably mess things up. Badly. But I really want to make this into a worthwhile project, and I'll greatly appreciate any advice anyone can give me! I'll be rambling on in these little spoilers through this whole document (speaking of which, thanks to T.G. Oskar, from whom I borrowed much of the post format for this presentation), so bear with me, and thank you all for your help!

But I think one topic that I ought to address here is... well, why Magical Girls? The answer is that magical girls are awesome. They don't just fight the bad guys - in many cases, they actually end up redeeming them! Magical girls exemplify the spirit of doing what's right, regardless of whether it ought to be possible. And really, is there anything that defines a band of adventuring heroes more than that?

So, while I can get rather silly from time to time in this class (because face it, it's hard not to), this isn't a 'joke class'. It's light-hearted, yes, but it is intended to be something you could actually drop into a serious fantasy setting without issue.


It is an accepted fact that Good is an actual, tangible force in the world. Many are those who crusade in its name, from the flights of angels to paladins of the mortal worlds. But there are some – a rare, precious few – who are something more. Those possessed of a kindness, mercy, and innocence so strong that it shines forth as a radiant power all its own.

They are the Mahou Shojo – the Magical Girls. And they fight to bring the light to those places where no other thinks it can be brought. The world may laugh at the innocence in their eyes, but their very existence argues that maybe things are not so dark as they seem.

Making a Magical Girl

Abilities: Charisma is important to all magical girls, as it powers their Illuminations and aids them in their efforts to redeem their former foes. Strength helps their capabilities in melee, where they will spend most of their time in combat. Constitution is as desirable for them as it is for any class planning to be on the front line, and Magical Girls are notorious for their stubborn refusal to die. And as a front-line fighter with relatively weak armor, Dexterity could benefit her defensive capabilities greatly.

Races: Magical girls can be of any sentient race – however, the majority comes from those races with complex societies and interpersonal relationships. A notable minority even comes from races most consider to be purely evil, and these are often even more passionate than their ‘pampered’ kin, driven to drag their people back from the brink of darkness. Despite the name, there are in fact male members of this class as well – though ‘Magical Boys’ tend to not be referred to as such. To their face, anyway.

Alignment: All magical girls are good when they awaken their powers, and the vast majority stays that way. Their very essence is tied up in their alignment, and to lose that is to have a fundamental part of their being ripped away.

Starting Gold: As bard

Starting Age: Most magical girls come into their power early, perhaps out of the innocence of childhood. When rolling for age, roll as a Bard - but subtract the total from adult age rather than adding it (to a minimum of half an adult’s age). If rules are in place that would reduce the statistics of child characters, the magical girl is exempt from them.

Class Skill List: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)

Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Now, a magical girl is by no means a skillmonkey. Actually, she makes an absolutely terrible skillmonkey, most of the time; most magical girls are too young to have picked up on the kind of skill a lot of adventurers would need, and don't really have the patience for learning them if they did.

But magical girls are people-people. They interact well with others - making friends is a snap, and people just seem to trust them easily. So most interaction skills are a breeze for her - her natural charisma just takes over, and she can make an excellent party face. The notable missing link here is Bluff. Duplicity just isn't really in a magical girl's nature; for all that they might try, they never really seem to make better than utterly mediocre liars.

Magical Girl

Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Device, Merciful, Pure of Heart, Illuminations (First Level)

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Costume (Max +1)

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Power of Friendship, Radiant Focus

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Not Without Fear

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Costume (Max +2)

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Illuminations (Second Level)

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Shrug it Off

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Costume (Max +3)

9th|
+6/+1|
+3|
+6|
+6|Stubborn

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|The Meaning of Courage

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+7|Illuminations (Third Level), Costume (Max +4)

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Device – Limit Form

13th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Mettle

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9|Costume (Max +5)

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|Voice of Light

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Illuminations (Fourth Level)

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Costume (Max +6)

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Font of Life

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Come back!

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|True Illumination[/table]

So, the big meaty table here. I had to start by asking myself what exactly magical girls did, before deciding how they went about doing it. Which was tricky - they tend to go it mostly solo in their own medium, and just using their moves as a reference would be terribly unhelpful. So I thought about it in a more thematic sense, and came upon what would eventually drive the class.

Magical girls, at their heart, are fighting to protect their friends. They're stubborn, tough, and always get back up no matter how hard you knock them down. Oddly enough, that sounded like a defender-style class to me. So I made it one. She has a 3/4 BAB progression, two good saves, and a number of abilities that boost her endurance and ability to defend her allies. Some of them (like mettle) are of a pretty general nature, but I'll be going over my reasoning for all of them as we get there.

A d8 HD may seem small for a defender, but a magical girl is probably going to have a fairly high Con score - it directly helps some of her abilities. And further, she can move on and off of the front lines a bit more easily than most 'tanks'.

Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Magical Girl.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Magical Girls are proficient with all simple weapons, and with light armor.

Now, you may be thinking; "But I thought you said she was a defender! How is she supposed to be a credible threat with only the crudest of weapons, and the flimsiest of armor?". That's actually a good question.

The answer is that, again, the magical girl is inexperienced. She doesn't have the kind of training a fighter or paladin might have, so she has to rely on something a little different for her equipment. Read on!

Device (Su): A Device is the symbol of a Magical Girl’s power – a peerless tool, suffused with the power of light and good. At 1st level, a Magical Girl acquires her device, which appears in the form of a simple or martial melee weapon of her choice. The Device is always of Masterwork quality (and usually appears quite ornate), and otherwise functions as a normal weapon of its type. A Magical Girl is always proficient with her Device, but if it is a martial weapon she is still not proficient with the mundane weapon it is modeled after. A magical girl may convert her device into a small trinket of her own design, and recall it to its weapon form with nothing but a thought. Doing so is an action equivalent to sheathing or drawing a weapon, respectively.

A magical girl may choose her device for feats requiring a specific weapon choice, such as Weapon Specialization. However, the benefits of such feats apply only when she is wielding her device, not with mundane weapons of its type.

And here's the first half of the answer to that question - so soon, too! In essence, a magical girl picks a single martial weapon to be proficient with. The empathetic weapon that grows with its wielder is a staple of the magical girl genre; she gives up the versatility to change weapons as more martial counterparts might, but gains a potent tool in exchange. Many later abilities involve the device, so one's choice here is a pretty important one.

Merciful (Ex): Whenever a Magical Girl deals damage with a melee attack or an Illumination, she may choose to deal non-lethal damage instead with no penalty to attack or damage rolls.

This is mostly a fluff ability. Seriously, when was the last time you heard of a magical girl actually killing anyone? While nothing stops them from cutting loose with lethal firepower, a magical girl will often prefer to subdue or capture whenever remotely possible.

Pure of Heart (Ex): A Magical Girl is innocent and pure – such is the source of her power. Unlike a paladin, they have no formal code, since those who would be disinclined to follow these tenets would never become a Magical Girl in the first place. However, most have a personal code of some sort, or at the very least certain morals they would never violate.

For the average Magical Girl, the mere thought of breaking their code is horrifying enough and the guilt over minor transgressions to can be punishment in its own right. But should one become jaded enough that she is no longer is of good alignment, or should she knowingly commit an act of great evil, the Magical Girl immediately loses access to her Illuminations, her Power of Friendship, Voice of Light, and Come Back! She retains her other class abilities, and may even continue taking levels in Magical Girl, but that radiant innocence is irrevocably lost to her.

What is this? An alignment-based ability-loss clause? Why yes, it is. Normally, I hate alignment restrictions... but, like the paladin, I think it is justified in this case. A magical girl literally gets many of her powers from the purity of her good alignment. Take that away, and you take away a lot of what she is.

Now, one might note a couple differences from the paladin's ability-loss clause. First is that she actually keeps a good many of her abilities. Losing their purity doesn't mean they've lost their will to fight. In the same vein, she can continue to gain magical girl levels if she wants. This probably isn't the best option, but its there.

The last though, is that there isn't an actual 'atonement' option. A paladin who commits a heinous deed offends her god, and atonement smooths over the transgression. But no quest or deed can regain a magical girl's innocent worldview once it is lost.

Illuminations (Su): The fountain of light within the soul of a Magical Girl is no mere metaphor – they have within them a veritable maelstrom of radiant energy, which they can evoke in powerful techniques called Illuminations. A Magical Girl has knowledge of all Illuminations of any level she is capable of evoking, but can only have a fixed number of them ready to use at any given time (as seen on the table below). Changing her prepared Illuminations requires the Magical Girl spend an hour mulling over good memories, practicing weapon drills with her Device, reading a favorite book, or some other introspective and non-stressful activity.

Evoking Illuminations consumes motes of radiant energy. A Magical Girl has a Mote Pool equal to her class level, and begins each encounter with a number of motes equal to half her Mote Pool (minimum one). At the beginning of each of the Magical Girl's turns, she gains an additional mote. At fifth level, and ever five levels thereafter, a Magical Girl's per-turn mote accumulation increases by one (to a maximum of five motes per turn at level 20). If a Magical Girl would ever accumulate a number of motes greater than her Mote Pool, the excess motes are lost.

Illuminations Ready
{table=head]Class Level | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4
1st |
1 |
- |
- |
-

2nd |
1 |
- |
- |
-

3rd |
2 |
- |
- |
-

4th |
2 |
- |
- |
-

5th |
2 |
- |
- |
-

6th |
2 |
1 |
- |
-

7th |
3 |
1 |
- |
-

8th |
3 |
2 |
- |
-

9th |
3 |
2 |
- |
-

10th |
3 |
2 |
- |
-

11th |
3 |
2 |
1 |
-

12th |
3 |
3 |
1 |
-

13th |
3 |
3 |
2 |
-

14th |
3 |
3 |
2 |
-

15th |
3 |
3 |
2 |
-

16th |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1

17th |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1

18th |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2

19th |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2

20th |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2[/table]

So, Illuminations. These are a magical girl's primary 'active' abilities, and they function a bit like what you get if you put maneuvers, psionics, and prepared spellcasting into a blender. In terms of stopping power, the first of those categories was the one with the most influence. They're a easily readied 'bag of tricks' a magical girl can use to her advantage from encounter to encounter without worry, but they aren't bottomless like a martial adept's are.

Individual lluminations are detailed further in their own section.

Motes now regenerate in-combat.

This is probably the single biggest change in the entire Power of Love update, and it really changes the dynamic of the class. While she starts with less, a magical girl's combat endurance (previously her greatest, and arguably fatal, flaw) is vastly improved by this change. While using her more powerful Illuminations will still eat through Motes extremely quickly, she won't ever run completely dry in the middle of battle. Instead of constantly rationing a finite resource, she now has to balance between building up her supplies by sticking to weaker abilities or mundane attacks and burning through her stored motes with the more powerful ones.

Costume (Su): At second level, luminous energy begins to actually coalesce around the Magical Girl in physical form. With practice, she can learn to direct this energy into attuned items, strengthening her seemingly modest equipment and creating upgrades seemingly out of thin air. These –almost universally flashy and elaborate – costumes border on being synonymous with Magical Girls in the minds of those who have seen them in action.

A Magical Girl may claim a single suit of light armor as a part of her costume by practicing in it for a total of eight hours (which need not be consecutive, but must consist of 1-hour increments). She may attune a new suit of armor any time she likes, but may only ever be attuned to one at a time. If she wishes, she may attune any number of wondrous items to her costume - costume points may not be allocated to wondrous items, but they are summoned and dismissed along with the rest of the costume. A magical girl is still constrained by the normal limits for magical items and body slots.

She gains 1 Costume Point at 2nd level, and gains additional points as shown on the table below. These may be placed in either her costume or her device, and they may be re-allocated whenever she is able to change her prepared Illuminations.

By spending a full round action to dramatically shout some magical words and wave her Device around, a magical girl may immediately change into her costume; this effectively instantly replaces any armor she might have been wearing with the costume. As part of this action, the magical girl may make a disguise check as if she was trained in the skill, with a bonus of [+5 multiplied by the maximum bonus of her costume] to the check. Viewers must overcome this to recognize the magical girl, but the check may not be used to disguise oneself as any specific individual. If someone actually sees the magical girl transform, they automatically succeed their check.

An identical full-round action may be made to dismiss the costume, causing it to vanish from her person and restoring whatever she was wearing beforehand. If a magical girl attunes to a new set of armor while the previous one is dismissed, the prior costume simply materializes at her feet.

{table=head]Class Level | Costume Points
1st |
-

2nd |
1

3rd |
2

4th |
2

5th |
3

6th |
4

7th |
4

8th |
5

9th |
6

10th |
6

11th |
7

12th |
8

13th |
8

14th |
9

15th |
10

16th |
10

17th |
11

18th |
12

19th |
12

20th |
13[/table]

Much as how the device is a magical girl's answer to the inability to use normal martial weapons, the costume is a partial answer to her weak armor. However, rather than giving her a suit of heavy armor, the costume gives her a series of effects that can be applied and shuffled around as she sees fit. While she will never have the AC of say, a fighter or paladin who can use shields and wear plate, she's got some tricks to make up for that.

The actual costume elements are detailed in their own section further down.

Radiant Focus (Su): The battlefield is a chaotic place, and it's easy to lose touch with oneself when embroiled in open conflict. By taking a moment to catch her breath and refocus, a Magical Girl of third level or higher may call forth an inner surge of spiritual power.

As a move action, the Magical Girl may make a Concentration check with a DC equal to 10 + (the number of motes currently in the magical girl's mote pool). If she is successful, she gains additional motes equal to her per-turn mote income.

Power of Friendship (Ex): At third level, a Magical Girl starts to understand something on a fundamental level that even many of the most zealous evangelists of good sometimes come to doubt. There is good in everyone. Of course, weapons are still nice to have around… how else are you supposed to get those poor misguided villains to sit down and listen? But with time and effort, a Magical Girl may eventually make fierce friends of even her most bitter enemies.

To begin the process, the Magical Girl must spend time talking one-on-one with the creature she wishes to redeem. Few evil creatures are terribly interested in this prospect, and this is usually done while they are in captivity. Any creature without an Int score is immune to this process by virtue of being mindless, and the target must be being taken care of reasonably well – not even a magical girl can get a prisoner to open up if they are being abused or neglected by their captors.

At the end of a session (which must last at least three hours, but can be more), the target creature makes a Will saving throw with a DC equal to that of the Magical Girl’s Illuminations. Mark the success or failure. Each day the Magical Girl continues to visit the prisoner and spends the necessary time with them, repeat the saving throw. If the prisoner accumulates ten failures, their moral alignment shifts one step towards Good. However, if the prisoner ever makes three successful saves in a row, they become immune to the Magical Girl’s Power of Friendship until she gains another level in this class (at which point the process must be begun anew).

Creatures with an alignment subtype (such as many Outsiders) are very difficult to sway with this power. They receive a bonus to their saving throw equal to their Cha modifier.

You probably recognize this as a somewhat slimmed-down version of the redemption rules in the Book of Exalted Deeds. Because that's what it is. This is another fluff ability, but one with some major implications to it. This isn't in any way 'leadership lite', and the magical girl has no authority over those she redeems, but leaving a trail of friends behind her could have some long-term impacts for the campaign.

Not without Fear (Ex): At 4th level, a magical girl will never run or cower as a result of a fear effect. However, any other effects – such as penalties to rolls – still apply.

Magical girls don't run away or abandon their friends. Ever. Partially, this is more fluff, but it definitely has its uses. Because even if fear is washing over hear, setting her hands shaking and knees trembling, a magical girl can find the strength to keep up the fight.

Shrug it off (Ex): At 7th level, the Magical Girl may add her Con modifier as a dodge bonus to AC. Since this relies on a Magical Girl’s ability to brace herself for an inevitable hit, she loses this bonus any time she would lose her Dex bonus to AC.

At this point, most of a magical girl's defender-y friends are bound to have goodies like full plate, fancy enchanted shields, and other such niceties. She thinks that stuff is all silly. In the genre, it isn't uncommon for a a magical girl to get knocked around like a ping-pong ball, and get up almost completely unharmed. Because of the power of love. Or determination. Or awesome. Probably all three.

Stubborn (Ex): At 9th level, the Magical Girl may add her Cha modifier to Will saving throws against mind-affecting abilities.

What's that, mister villain? You want to make her betray her allies? Hahaha. That's a good one!

The Meaning of Courage (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, whenever a magical girl is subject to a fear effect, she draws from her reserves of courage and faces it. A shaken magical girl negates the penalties and actually gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks against the source of fear; a frightened magical girl furthermore ignores the compulsion to run away and ignores difficult terrain and other natural impediments when drawing near the enemy; a panicked magical girl gains a +2 bonus to Armor Class. Penalties to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks still apply on the magical girl for any creature of object that is not the source of fear. If the magical girl manages to defeat or destroy the source of fear, she is healed from the condition.

I stole this particular tasty tidbit from the retooled paladin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193554) - which is a totally awesome thing, by the way, and something you should go look at if you haven't seen it already. I love the thematic-ness of this ability so very much, and find it is very fitting for portraying the conquest of fear rather than mundanely ignoring it.

Device – Limit Form (Su): At 12th level, a Magical Girl’s bond with her device becomes so strong that she can push it to perform seemingly impossible feats. As a swift action, a Magical Girl may push her Device to its absolute limit. This causes the Device to temporarily transform into a much more powerful form – aside from being visually impressive, this has the following effects. Entering limit form consumes a number of motes equal to half the magical girl's current mote total, rounded up.

The Device’s damage die increases by two steps, and the size of the damage die of any Blast illuminations the magical girl uses while wielding it are increased by one step. Additionally, whenever the Magical Girl uses a Full Attack or Charge action, she may use a single Strike illumination she has prepared as part of the attack without spending an additional action. She must still pay the mote cost for the illumination, and she may not use this ability in tandem with any illumination possessing an evocation action of greater than 1 standard action.

However, there are notable drawbacks to leaving one's device in limit form. While extremely powerful, the surging power also renders a device extremely unwieldy, and unable to channel more subtle forms of light. So long as her device is in Limit Mode, the magical girl is unable to use Burst illuminations. The Magical Girl’s Device remains in Limit Mode until the end of the encounter, or until she falls unconscious, whichever comes first. Limit Mode can also be dismissed as a swift action.

This is pretty straightforward. Spend some of your resources for the encounter for a buff -and more importantly, the ability to mix potent illuminations into maneuvers they don't normally work with. Spiffy, and it gives her a bit more melee firepower - at the cost of endurance.

As of the Power of Love update, this has been changed from a flat cost to a tax, ala an aura. Five motes is a little too cheap when you're getting three each turn, and anything more would be absurdly unwieldy to deploy. A tax levies a price, and a steep one, but does so in a much more accessible manner.

Mettle (Ex): Beginning at 13th level, if a magical girl makes a successful Will or Fortitude save that would normally reduce the save’s effect, she suffers no effect from the spell at all. Only those spells with a saving throw entry of “partial” or “half” are affected by this ability, and only for purposes of Will and/or Fortitude saves with these descriptors.

Mettle is mettle. Everyone probably knows what this is. Why this, and not evasion? With the way the class is built so far, magical girls are pretty much the epitome of sheer stubborn endurance - only sissies go jumping out of the way of every measly little fireball.

Voice of Light (Su): Beginning at 15th level, a Magical Girl’s empathy and compassion transcends the limits of language. Her verbal communication is automatically understood by any creature capable of language, so long as it can hear her; this is a purely spoken effect, and does not extend to written communication of any sort.

In addition, a Magical Girl may henceforth take 10 on any Diplomacy, Handle Animal, or Gather Information check (she may still roll normally if she chooses, but must accept the result). Once per day, she may take 20 on such a roll instead, without altering the time it takes to use the skill.

Remember how I said that magical girls are good faces? Because they are. Will they replace a bard, who can convince someone that they need to make a donation to the Critical Brigade for the War on Moon-Terrorists? No. But while they can't get that kind of fantastical result, she can get reliable ones. Most of the time.

Font of Life (Ex): At 18th level, a magical girl lives and breathes luminous energy – it floods her veins, and keeps her standing when anyone else would have been felled by their wounds. She is never considered disabled or staggered, even if she has less than 0 hit points or her nonlethal damage exceeds her current hit point total.

Furthermore, she may continue to fight even if she has less than -10 hit points, but only to an amount of negative hit points equal to 10 plus half her character level plus her Constitution modifier. Instant death effects and attacks that destroy the body still affect the magical girl if successful.

This is the other ability our magical heroine here shares with the retooled paladin - a penchant for being really, really hard to kill. Whatever disadvantage she might have retained from her d8 hit die is pretty much blown out of the water by now.

Come back! (Su): The tears of a magical girl are precious things – wept in the purity of grief, they call out beyond the barriers of life and death. At 19th level and beyond, a magical girl can attempt to restore life to a fallen friend. Once per week, she may mourn over a body and shed tears upon it – this functions as the True Resurrection spell, with the following modifications: an identifiable body is required for the effect to function, no material components are required, and the subject must have been dead for no more 24 hours in order to function. Past that, they have drifted far enough from the mortal world that only powerful magic can reach them.

A good cry can be quite therapeutic. Despite the resurrection being free, this ability is still pretty limited - but far from useless, by a long shot. A once-a-week Get Out of (some) Death Free card is something I'm sure any party would be happy to have.

True Illumination (Su): The barrier between the magical girl and the radiant power she channels has all but dissolved. Her innocence and purity, preserved against all odds in the darkness of the world, beam forth with a fury that angels might envy. At 20th level, a magical girl forevermore becomes a Native Outsider with the Good subtype, with all the traits that implies. Further, she can no longer be aged by any means mundane or magical, and will never die of old age.

However, the most spectacular benefit of her new form lies in her ability to call upon a single True Illumination. Once selected, this cannot be changed and is always considered prepared; otherwise, it functions as an ordinary Illumination in all respects.

I follow the philosophy on capstone of 'if they've come this far, them a cookie, they deserve it'. The agelessness and outsider-ness are really the tasty icing on the capstone cake that is the True Illumination they select. Like the rest of the illuminations, they'll be showing up below. Directly below, in fact - our tour of the class features seems to have come to a close, so Illuminations and Costume elements are next!

Selinia
2011-10-16, 12:17 AM
Illuminations

Hello again! Now, I'd like everyone to please pardon the fact that this section is very much under construction. The Illuminations present are only the barest of skeletons, and more will be coming steadily as I evaluate and write them up. Suggestions and help in this regard are greatly appreciated! I won't be going through and commenting on them individually like I did with the class features, but don't hesitate to point out on or another to ask questions about it.


Illuminations are potent effects that a magical girl may evoke in battle by expending motes of radiant energy. Since these motes refresh themselves continuously throughout an encounter, a magical girl has great flexibility in their use. Using an illumination is referred to as ‘evoking’ it, and your evoker level is equal to your level in the magical girl class. To evoke an illumination, you must be able to speak and move. Additionally, she must either have a free hand to make gestures with or be wielding your device to channel energy through.

Whenever an illumination offers a saving throw, unless otherwise noted, the DC is equal to [10 + half the magical girl’s evoker level + her Cha modifier]. Evoking illuminations is a largely instictual process, and while some illuminations provoke attacks of oppertunity, there is no risk of fumbling an illumination if damage is sustained while it is being evoked.

There are five categories of illumination, divided into four levels of power.

Strikes manifest as physical attacks, generally dealing increased damage or having some other effect (such as inflicting a status effect). Most strikes are made as part of a melee attack – if the attack is successful, the target suffers the effects of the strike along with normal melee damage from the attack. Since a strike manifests as a single independent action, it may not be combined with other attacks by the full attack action, even if the strike itself is a full-round action. Nor can a strike be used as part of a special attack (such as a charge or bull rush attempt), though some strikes might allow such attacks as part of their evocation.

Strikes share the most with ToB maneuvers. Generally, they ratchet on effects to attacks - rarely do they actually do extra damage, instead applying buffs to the magical girl or debuffs to her target.

Strikes have been left largely untouched. Aside from being generally more practical for the mote regeneration, like all illuminations are now. By mid-levels, there are pretty good odds a magical girl can use Strikes to largely replace basic melee attacks!

Blasts are ranged attacks channeling various effects. To successfully target a blast, you must succeed on a ranged touch attack (using the magical girl’s Cha modifier for the attack roll instead of her Dex modifier). Using a blast in melee provokes attacks of opportunity.

Blasts really come in two varieties. Some are damage-less, and are usually a smaller action (like swift, or move), generally eating up a chunk of motes for a buff or debuff at a distance. Others actually deal direct damage (and are usually suffixed with 'buster') - these tend to hit hard, but chew up the motes disproportionately fast. Both options give the magical girl options when melee isn't one - or when it simply isn't the best tactical choice.

As of the Power of Love update, Blasts are now universally damage-dealing attacks. They still often have status effects tacked on, but the non-damaging Blasts had so little in common with their cousins that they have been made into an entirely new category.

Bursts are potent special abilities that create unique and unusual effects on behalf of the magical girl evoking them. To successfully target an enemy with a burst, you must succeed on a ranged touch attack (using the magical girl’s Cha modifier for the attack roll instead of her Dex modifier). If a burst does not target an enemy, no such roll is required. Using a burst in melee provokes attacks of opportunity.

Bursts are the fourth, and newest, flavor of Illumination. Sort of. In truth, they're simply a re-coloring of the previously oddball Blasts that had more in common with each other than their shooty counterparts. They never deal direct damage, but they are often among the least expensive illuminations and give a magical girl a great deal of her versatility.

Auras function somewhat differently from other evocations. Rather than being instant effects, for their duration their effect applies to all targets within a radius of the magical girl. Their mote cost is paid when they are evoked (which is always a swift action). At the beginning of each subsequent turn, you may choose to either dismiss them or pay their mote cost again to maintain them for a turn – both options are free actions.

Auras can generate some seriously potent effects, but the price tag is as steep as it is obvious - motes are a precious resource for a magical girl, and keeping an aura (or worse, more than one of them) running can seriously reduce her combat endurance.

While Auras function identically to their original selves, the fact that a magical girl now regenerates Motes in combat buffs them significantly. While difficult to keep up for long periods of time, a magical girl can now manifest auras without horribly hemorrhaging motes.

Barriers manifest specialized objects or zones on the battlefield, allowing a tactically-minded magical girl opportunities to direct combat in favor of her allies. Their mote cost is paid when they are evoked (which is always a swift action). At the beginning of each subsequent turn, you may choose to either dismiss them or pay their mote cost again to maintain them for a turn – both options are free actions. Barriers often have secondary effects that are triggered when they are maintained. Unless otherwise noted, bonuses granted by barriers do not stack - only the highest bonus applies. Barriers dissipate at the end of an encounter.

Level One Illuminations

Beacon of Serenity
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Instantaneous
Target: One Creature
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)

There is a peacefulness in the steady light that cannot be simply shattered by spell or steel. The target creature is girded in a mist-like cloak of faintly shining light, gaining temporary hit points equal to [Evoker Level + Cha modifier]. These temporary hit points do not stack with themselves, but they stack with other sources of temporary hit points. Temporary hit points granted by this illumination vanish at the end of an encounter.

Divine Buster
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium Range (100 + 10/evoker level ft.)
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous

In the simple but reliable ability known as a favorite of magical girls everywhere, you unleash a bullet of raw energy to bombard your foes. Your target takes damage equal to (1d6 + your Cha mod).

[B]Fragile Shell
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Barrier, See text

Focusing you create a brittle wall to hinder your enemies. A shell appears as a semi transparent wall, a quarter inches thick, ten feet tall, and [up to 5 feet per point of your Cha modifier] long. The wall can be any length or shape you desire (including horizontal placement, or being positioned in midair), so long as it forms a continuous unit.

The wall physically present and blocks movement, however it does not block line of sight or line of effect. Instead, any attack or effect that would pass through the wall must attempt to break through. If a damaging effect or attack would attempt to pass through the wall, it rolls its damage when it would first hit the wall. It then deals that damage to the wall, up to the wall's hit point total. If there is damage left over after the walls health is fully depleted, the attack or effect proceeds to hit its target, dealing the remaining damage. If the effect does not deal damage it instead deals twice its caster level (or equivalent) in damage, and the caster level is reduced to half the remaining 'damage' it could deal (rounded up). If the attack or effect does not reduce the wall's health to 0, it is successfully stopped and has no further effect.

Each 5 foot length of the wall has its own hit point total, but if any is reduced to 0, the entire wall is destroyed and the illumination's effect ends. Each segment of the wall has an amount of hp equal to (5 + you Charisma mod + your evoker level). You may as an immediate action spend 1 or more motes to heal the wall. The first mote spent fully heals all segments of the wall, while each additional mote grants each segment temporary hit points equal to the normal maximum of a segment until the start of your next turn.

[B]Glimmering Echo [Strike]
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

Residual energy from your strike hangs around the target of your attack. Until the start of your next turn, whenever the target is hit by an attack, they take additional damage equal to your Cha modifier. The extra damage does not apply to this illumination.

Heartbreaker [Strike]
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Full-Round Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Saving Throw: See Below

Sometimes, the best defense is just to hit them so hard they can’t hit back effectively. As part of this strike, make a full-attack action. For every successful hit, the target receives a -4 penalty to damage rolls. At the beginning of each of their turns, they may make a Fort save – a successful save reduces the penalty by 2. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves, but they do refresh the penalty if it has been worn down by saves.

Homing Shot [B]Contributed by Owrtho
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close Range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One or more creatures, see text
Duration: Instantaneous, see text

More complex than a Divine Buster, this blast creates multiple small homing shots that may attack various enemies around the magical girl. You create a number of shots equal to (1/2 you Cha mod + 1 per 3 evoker levels rounded down). Each shot may target a different creature, or more than one shot may target the same creature. For each creature you target, make a single ranged touch attack, regardless of how many shots you are firing. and ignore partial cover and cover. Total cover is ignored if a path could be found such that the target does not have total cover, without leaving the range of Homing shot or moving any objects. Each shot deals 1d3 damage.

In addition, you may withhold a number of shots from firing immediately up to half your evoker level (rounded up). Any number of these held shots may be fired as an immediate action, or during your turn as a free action. At the start of any of your turns during which you are holding shots, you must pay 1 mote or they dissipate harmlessly. If you would use Homing Shot while you still have held shots remaining, the shots you are currently holding count toward your limit of held shots.

If Prismatic Calling is used with this blast, each shot deals +1 damage per die of prismatic damage instead of gaining the dice of prismatic damage.

Luminous Rain
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Instantaneous
Target: One Creature
Saving Throw: Will negates

The target of your attack is bathed with a pearly radiance by a blast of conjured rain, sharply illuminating critical openings in their fighting style. Allies (including you) receive a bonus against your target until the start of your next turn. You may select any of the following bonuses when you use this ability, but a single creature can only be subjected to one of them at a time.


+3 to attack rolls against the target
+3 to AC against attacks made by the target
+3 to damage rolls against the target
+3 to disarm, grapple, bull rush, or trip attacks made against the target


[B]Spotlight
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Target: 10 ft. radius burst
Duration: Barrier

With a flourish of your device, you call a bright white spotlight down upon the target area. Affected spaces are filled with bright light, regardless of prior lighting conditions and functioning even in magical darkness. Further, the occupants of affected spaces lose the benefit of any concealment, and take a -1 penalty to AC, attack, and damage rolls (if they are enemies) or gain a +1 bonus to AC, attack, and damage rolls (if they are allies). When you pay motes to maintain this illumination, you may reposition its area of effect anywhere within range.

[B]Vigil of Candles [Aura]
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: 10 ft. radius
Target: You
Duration: Aura

At your command, the air fills with semi-tangible pricks of light. With vigilance and quick thinking, you can direct these lights to intercept attacks that might otherwise harm you or your allies. Whenever you or an ally in your aura is targeted by a melee attack, as a free action, you may cause that attack to suffer a -3 penalty to its attack and damage rolls for that attack. You may only inflict this penalty upon a given attack once.

Using this ability counts as an attack of opportunity.

Wandering Waltz [Strike]
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature

Beauty can be found in the strangest of places - even the midst of battle is compared by some to a graceful dance. As part of this illumination you may move up to half your speed. During this movement, and for the remainder of your turn, you gain a bonus to your AC equal to your Cha modifier against attacks of opportunity.


Level Two Illuminations


Angel Buster
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium Range (100 + 10/evoker level ft.)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

While no light can really be called ordinary in the hands of a magical girl, this particular technique allows one to tap into the radiance of the Upper Planes themselves. Your target takes [6d6 + Cha modifier] damage. If the target is evil, and has the Aberration, Dragon, Outsider [evil], or Undead type, the variable damage from the illumination is maximized.

[B]Blinding Buster
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium Range (100 + 10/evoker level ft.)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See below

You assault your foes with a torrent of such brightness that it steals away their very sight. Your target takes (6d6 + your Cha mod) damage, and gains the blinded condition for one round. With a successful fortitude save, the target is dazzled rather than blinded.

[B]Borealis [Aura]
Mote Cost: 2
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: 30 ft. Radius
Target: You
Duration: Aura

Ribbons of soothing light twist and turn through the air around you, gently licking away your wounds as you dance through them in battle. Whenever a creature under the effect of this aura makes a successful attack, they regain health equal to [half your evoker level + your Cha modifier, rounding up].

Chains of Concordance
Mote Cost: 2
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Instantaneous
Target: One Creature

Often, a capture is preferable to a kill in the eyes of a magical girl. A foe restrained is a foe that may later be reasoned with. This illumination plays that philosophy to a T, calling upon shackles of light to bind your target. The target must make a grapple check, opposed by the grapple check of the chains. The chains have a grapple modifier of [your evoker level + your Cha modifier + 4], and are immune to all types of damage. If the target frees himself from the grapple, the chains immediately vanish - otherwise, they remain until the end of the encounter.

[B]Rainbow Road
Mote Cost: 2
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Barrier

It is a well-known and oft-cited fact that nothing moves faster than light. Calling upon this peerless alacrity, you may lay forth a twisting banner of shimmering, prismatic hues that allows you to traverse even the roughest terrain with ease. You may designate a number of spaces within range equal to your Cha modifier - the chosen spaces must form a continuous path, but the shape of the path may be chosen freely. If you wish, you may place the spaces in midair, effectively creating a bridge or floating platform solid only to you or those you designate. The spaces are never solid to objects or attacks, and do not provide cover or block lines of sight or effect.

It only costs you or your allies half a point of movement to enter a space affected by this ability. Enemies are unaffected by a rainbow road, and cannot stand upon an airborne road unless you wish to allow them to. When you pay motes to maintain this illumination, you may add an additional number of spaces equal to you Cha modifier - these new spaces must still form a continuous path with the old ones.

[B]Resounding Blow [Strike]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

Your zeal allows you to manifest a luminous echo of your weapon, striking at your foe in your wake. If the innate melee attack made as part of this strike hits, immediately make another melee attack with the same weapon at your highest attack bonus, but add her Cha modifier to the attack and damage roll.

Shining Rampart
Mote Cost: 2
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Barrier

Focusing your courage and fortitude along with your luminous energy, you conjure a barrier of pure resolve. A rampart appears as a shimmering wall, three inches thick, ten feet tall, and [up to 5 feet per point of your Cha modifier] long. The wall can be any length or shape you desire (including horizontal placement, or being positioned in midair), so long as it forms a continuous unit.

The wall is not physically present, and does not block line of sight or line of effect, but it greatly weakens any attack passing through it. Any attack or effect that passes through the wall suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls and save DCs, and a -4 penalty to damage rolls. When you pay motes to maintain this illumination, you may increase the the penalties to attack rolls and save DCs by an additional 1, and the penalty to damage rolls by an additional 2 (to a maximum of -5 and -10, respectively). Allies are exempt from the effects of this illumination.

[B]Shooting Star [Strike]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates

Like the nighttime phenomenon for which it is named, your weapon captures the attention of your foe, making it difficult for them to concentrate on anything else. For a number of rounds equal to your Cha modifier, the target is considered flat-footed against anyone but you. This effect ends at once if you end your turn without being adjacent to the affected creature.

Sunny Daze [Strike]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See below

The pain of your blow is overwhelmed by a flood of soothing energy, slackening muscles and filling your target’s vision with a warm glow. Your target is unable to make any attacks for one round, after which they make a fortitude save. If they succeed, the effect ends. Otherwise, they are dazzled until the end of the encounter or until they take a standard action to focus and clear their head.


Level Three Illuminations

Cursebreaker's Anthem [Aura]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: 30 ft. radius
Target: You
Duration: Aura

Holding your head high, you call on your friends to fight through their pain and fear. Whenever a creature other than you affected by this aura is targeted by an effect that allows a save, both of you may make the appropriate saving throw, with your respective save values, and use the higher of the two totals.

Dance of Lights [Aura]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: 30 ft. radius
Target: You
Duration: Aura

Filled with the graceful motion of the light, your foes begin to find striking you and your allies to be a task akin to chasing moonbeams – and about as productive. Creatures affected by this aura gain the benefits of Evasion and Mettle. If they already possess either of these abilities, they gain the Improved version instead. If they already possess Improved Evasion or Improved Mettle, they gain no further benefit.

Fountain Buster
Mote Cost: 5
Evocation Action: 1 Standard action
Range: Medium Range (100 + 10/evoker level ft.)
Target: One target
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See below

The magical girl taps into the hope and life of the world itself, sending the radiant energy upward in a mighty eruption. The magical girl hurls a beacon of energy at the target creature, dealing (9d6 + double your Cha modifier) damage. Additionally, all enemies within five feet of the target must make a reflex saving throw or be knocked prone by the subsequent geyser of light. The spaces affected by this remain filled with a wide puddle of liquid light for the remainder of the encounter, counting as difficult terrain for any enemies attempting to pass through it.

If Fountain Buster misses its target, it still impacts somewhere - determine where it falls as you would a splash weapon.

[B]Hauling Anchor [Strike]
Mote Cost: 5
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: See below
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates

Your assault knocks the target clean out of the present, setting their mind adrift in a sea of memories - both good and bad. The target is confused (as the spell) for a number of rounds equal to your Cha modifier. However, whenever they roll a result that would let them act normally for a turn, they may make a new Will saving throw to avoid drifting back into memory.

Heartstrings’ Chord
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous

Though they call it by different names, even the most hardened fighters will cede the importance of understanding one’s opponent – and understanding people is something magical girls do very well. You attune yourself to the target of this attack; until you attack a different target, you receive a bonus to attack rolls against the target, and to AC against melee attacks it makes. This bonus is equal to your Cha modifier. This effect may only be placed on one target at a time: if used a second time, the new target supersedes the old one.

[B]Pilot Lights
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Target: 15 ft. radius burst
Duration: Barrier

As you take your next steps, they are mirrored in faintly gleaming glyphs in the area you designate. By following the motions of your battle-dance, allies who spend a swift action within the area of this effect may add your Cha modifier to any single d20 roll they make before the beginning of their next turn. Any given ally can only benefit from this effect once per turn.

[B]Shining Proclamation
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See below

You call out to an opponent, your voice full of light, diverting their thoughts to you and possibly disrupting whatever they were trying to accomplish. The target must immediately make a concentration check as if they had just taken damage equal to the [Your evoker level + twice your Cha modifier].

[B]Sound the Bells [Strike]
Mote Cost: 5
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: See below
Duration: Instantaneous

You strike your foe like a sacred gong, the mighty blow sending a paean of light ringing through the air. All enemies within 30 ft take (3d6 + Cha modifier) damage. For each point of damage dealt, you may heal one point of damage from a nearby ally. You may distribute this healing however you wish among any allies within 30 ft.

Swallow Buster
Mote Cost: 5
Evocation Action: 1 Standard action
Range: Medium Range (100 + 10/evoker level ft.)
Target: One target
Duration: Instantaneous

This ability deals (9d6 + double your Cha mod) to your target. Unlike most blast illuminations, you do not need to make a ranged touch attack to use this effect - a swallow buster strikes unerringly, ignoring all forms of concealment, cover, or miss chance. You may even target locations within range that are blocked from your line of sight, such as around a corner or on the other side of a narrow arrow slit.

You must still aim at the correct square to hit a target that you cannot see.

[B]Vigil of Stars [Aura]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: 10 ft. radius
Target: You
Duration: Aura

At your command, the air fills with blazing pinpoints of light. With vigilance and quick thinking, you can direct these lights to intercept attacks that might otherwise harm you or your allies. Whenever you or an ally in your aura is targeted by a melee attack, as a free action, you may cause that attack to suffer a penalty to its attack and damage rolls equal to [2 + your Cha mod] for that attack. You may only inflict this penalty upon a given attack once.

Using this ability counts as an attack of opportunity.


Level Four Illuminations

Bunker Buster
Mote Cost: 6
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: 120 ft.
Area: 120 ft. line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half

Eschewing discreet bolts of energy, you release radiant power in an implacable flood. Targets caught in the effect take (12d6 + double your Cha modifier) damage. Unlike most Blast Illuminations, this one requires no ranged touch attack.

[B]Hammer it Home [Strike]
Mote Cost: 6
Evocation Action: 1 Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See below

Magical girls are rather infamous for their 'percussive therapy' approach to many problems. Justly deserved or not, this strike is a manifestation of said approach - literally shaking loose memories of past misdeeds in the target's head. The target is nauseated for one round by the abrupt reminder, after which they must make a Will saving throw or be nauseated for a number of rounds equal to your Cha modifier. If the target is evil, it receives -3 to its saving throw. If it is good, it receives +3 to its saving throw.

Immaculate Plea
Mote Cost: 4
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates

Even in the heat of battle, the words of a magical girl are difficult to ignore. You may make a simple request, which may take one of two forms. If you command it to Subdue, it will spend its next round doing everything in its power to subdue an enemy of your choosing (though a target cannot be convinced to try and subdue itself), whether through non-lethal damage or other means it may have at its disposal. If you command it to Protect, it will consider an ally of your choosing (which can be you, if you wish) as its own ally for a number of rounds equal to your Cha modifier, or until that ally attacks it, whichever comes first.

[B]Light of the Martyr [Aura]
Mote Cost: 4
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: 30 ft. Radius
Target: You
Duration: Aura

You take on the suffering of others, selflessly enduring what might slay your frailer friends. Whenever a creature under the effects of this aura takes damage, you may choose you may choose to make fortitude save against DC 20. Succeed, and you take half of the damage total, with your ally taking no damage. Fail and you both take half of the damage.

Raising Heart [Strike]
Mote Cost: 6
Evocation Action: 1 Full-Round action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

You let your adrenaline sweep you up in the thrill of the fight, numbing you to the feeble strikes of your foes. As part of this strike, make a full-attack action. For every successful hit, you gain DR 5/- until the beginning of your next turn. This stacks with any damage reduction you may already possess from another source.

Shining Phalanx
Mote Cost: 4
Evocation Action: 1 Standard action
Range: Medium Range (100 + 10/evoker level ft.)
Target: Empty space within range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See below

Focusing your spirit, you call into being a radiant duplicate of yourself in the target square. Though of vague features, it bears a clear resemblance to you, and shares your AC, attack bonus, and saves. Whenever you use a move action to move, the duplicate can move using any movement speeds you possess. Whenever you use an attack or strike, the duplicate can make a single basic attack at your highest bonus. The duplicate may not make attacks of opportunity, but it is considered to be threatening adjacent squares and can flank with an ally. If the duplicate is dealt damage, you can either take an equal amount of damage yourself to sustain it or allow it to dissipate.

[B]Starlight Rampart
Mote Cost: 2
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Barrier

With your unshakable resolve at hand, you are capable of calling forth a barrier of absolute protection. A rampart appears as a wall of solid silver light, three inches thick, ten feet tall, and [up to 5 feet per point of your Cha modifier] long. The wall can be any length or shape you desire (including horizontal placement, or being positioned in midair), so long as it forms a continuous unit.

The wall is immune to damage of all kinds, and it is unaffected by most spells, including dispel magic. However, disintegrate immediately destroys it, as does a rod of cancellation, a sphere of annihilation, or a mage’s disjunction spell. Breath weapons and spells cannot pass through the wall in either direction, although dimension door, teleport, and similar effects can bypass the barrier. It blocks ethereal creatures as well as material ones (though ethereal creatures can usually get around the wall by floating under or over it through material floors and ceilings). Gaze attacks can operate through a starlight rampart.


True Illuminations

[B]Megaton Smackdown [Strike]
Mote Cost: 8
Evocation Action: 1 Standard action
Range: Melee attack
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

You infuse your weapon with righteous energy, making it momentarily stronger and sharper than any mortal tool. Also, indecently large, to the point where it would be silly if not the fact it is scarily and illogically effective. If you are wielding your device, it automatically enters Limit Mode for free as part of this strike. Further, all your weapon damage rolls (including those made as part of Strikes) are considered to be maximized until the end of the encounter – rather than rolling, simply assume each die falls on the maximum value. Dice assigned maximum value this way are not actually rolled, and do not trigger any effect that would result from a dice being rolled for its maximum value. If you wish to actually roll some or all of the dice anyway you may, but you must accept the results.

Starlight Breaker
Mote Cost: 12
Evocation Action: 1 Full-Round action
Range: 160 ft.
Area: 160 ft. by 15 ft. line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See below

Some people might say that the key to a successful ranged attack lay in such subtleties as aiming, or precision. Those people do not have the power to conjure a tactical nuke made of love. Targets of the ability take 100 damage. Additionally, they must make a Reflex, Will, and Fortitude save. If they fail the Reflex save, they are dazed for one round. If they fail the Will save, they are blinded and deafened until the end of the encounter. If they fail the fortitude save, they are exhausted until the end of the encounter. If they fail all three, they immediately take sufficient nonlethal damage to fall unconscious, regardless of their current level of health. Unlike most illuminations, Starlight Breaker always deals nonlethal damage, and requires no ranged touch attack.

[B]Symphony of the Light Eternal [Aura]
Mote Cost: 7
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: 60 ft. Radius
Target: You
Duration: Aura

There is a light – a great light, true and pure beyond all others. Opening yourself as a beacon, you allow a tiny fragment of that light to shine into the world in all its glory, free of the weights of taint and corruption. Under such radiance, the earth and air themselves sing with joy, and pain and death find no purchase in the hearts of you or your allies. Creatures under the effect of this aura are immune to death effects, may continue fighting with negative hit points as if they had the Diehard feat, and may not have their hit points reduced below -9 by hit point damage. When this aura ends, any creature affected by it automatically stabilizes if they have negative hit points.



[B]Costumes

Finally, onto the costumes. After all, this would hardly be a magical girl class if not for a plethora of lovely costumes to don! This section, like Illuminations, is still under construction. Expect more costume elements to be added regularly as they come to mind.

A magical girl’s costume is very much a part of her. Spun into being less by craftsmanship or careful enchantment than by the whimsical imaginings of their owner, they are often blatantly exotic or impractical in appearance… not that that reduces their true and undeniable effectiveness. While the specifics change frequently, most magical girls keep the same general aesthetic for their costume throughout their career – as a player, you ought to put some thought into this, and put together something suitable. While many costume elements have a common manifestation, these are just guidelines.

Mechanically, a magical girl has 1 costume point for every 2 levels she possesses. These may be spent freely on the following effects – however, the number of points that may be spent on a single effect is limited by the magical girl’s level (1 initially, increasing by 1 on every third level).

If a piece of a magical girl’s costume is somehow lost, she can regain it by spending 1d4+1 hours looking for it. Somehow, no matter how improbable (or outright impossible) it might be, they always turn up eventually.

A magical girl’s costume can be enchanted like a normal piece of weaponry or armor. If an item has an enhancement bonus, the Enhance costume element can stack with the existing bonus – but the total enhancement bonus still cannot be brought above the limit for the magical girl. For example, a 8th level magical girl using a +1 suit of enchanted armor as her costume could spend 2 points on the Enhance costume element – but no more, as this would bring her to her limit of a +3 effect.

Costume Elements

Avenging [Device]
Some Devices are more apt to leap to attack than to defense, often in the hands of wielders who find that good marks in the former are a good way to make up for lax attention to the latter. When she puts points in this costume element, a magical girl chooses a creature type (selecting from Aberration, Dragon, Outsider [evil], and Undead). Each point allocated to this effect causes weapon attacks (including strikes) against creatures of the chosen type to gain +2 to attack and damage rolls. This has no effect against non-evil creatures, even if their type matches. Points spent on the Avenging quality tend to make it look more like an actual weapon and less like the stylized toys many devices resemble.

Brilliant [Device]
Any Device can be said to channel light, but those with this effect go further still. Brilliant devices catch light: they reflect it, magnify it, amplify it into more than it was before. When a magical girl downs an enemy or scores a critical hit, she immediately gains two motes for every point allocated to this costume effect. A device with the Brilliant quality tends to gain lots of reflective surfaces and sparkling embedded stones. At high values, the weapon itself has been known to turn into solid silver or gold - almost invariably, this comes off as incredibly gaudy, but a few magical girls have been known to wield Brilliant devices with class and style.

Discreet [Costume]
Magical girls adore light. The wield it, revel in it, and to an extent, are made of it. But sometimes, flash and glamor are not an options, and recklessness risks more than it can hope to save. Not all magical girls grasp this, but those that do have come to favor this costume effect for its generous utility, bending light around its user that it might never reach the eyes of those who wish them harm. Each point invested in the Discreet costume effect grants the magical girl a +5 bonus on both Hide and Move Silently checks. If at least three points are invested in this effect, whenever the magical girl occupies an area of shadowy illumination enemies treat her as if she were standing in total darkness. Points spent on this effect tend to cause a costume to mute its colors and dial back more vibrant patterns. At high levels, the costume seems to subtly shift hues, ever moving to match its surroundings and the ambient lighting in the air.

Enhanced [Device, Armor]
The most basic of costume elements, each point allocated to the Enhance element gives the weapon or armor a +1 enhancement bonus. This functions like a normal enhancement bonus in all respects. Unlike other effects, points allocated in Enhanced give their benefits to both costume and device simultaneously. Points spent on the Enhanced effect tend to make the item more ornate and flashy – costumes might gain additional frills or bits of jewelry, and devices might become larger or gain engravings or other decorative elements.

Heavy [Armor]
While very straightforward, this costume element is undeniably effective. For every point allocated to this effect, the magical girl gains damage reduction 2/Evil, which stacks with other sources of DR. If at least three points are allocated to this effect, the magical girl gains an additional hit point for each hit die she possesses. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. For each point allocated to this effect beyond the third, the magical girl gains an additional hit point per hit die. As the name implies, points spent on the Heavy quality tend to make a costume bulkier and more solid. At high values, it can look much more like a suit of heavy armor than the light ensembles a magical girl typically wears.

Lucky [Costume, Device]
As any adventurer can tell you, luck matters. It may not be a physical thing, something that can be weighed or measured, but it is an undeniable fact that magical girls seem to have rather more than their fair share of it - particularly those who put their trust in this costume effect. Each point allocated to this effect grants the magical girl one special lucky moment per day, beginning with the day after she infuses a costume with this effect (if a magical girl has multiple costumes with the Lucky effect, daily uses are shared between all of them). At any time, the magical girl may spend a lucky moment to roll a relevant check twice, taking the better of the two results. If this effect is applied to her costume, these rerolls may be spent on either saving throws or on skill checks with Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution based skills. If this effect is allocated to a device, the rerolls may be applied to attack rolls or damage rolls. If at least three points are allocated to this effect, the magical girl may roll three dice (or sets of dice) rather than two, choosing the best. If at least six points are allocated to this effect, she may roll four times, rather than two. The cosmetic effects of this costume effect are difficult to generalize, as no two people have exactly the same notions about where luck comes from - each magical girl is likely to adorn her outfit differently, with whatever charms or symbols she thinks most likely to bring her good fortune.

Nimble [Costume]
Magical Girls are rather notorious for their agility, sprinting across rooftops and dancing over enormous gaps with ease. Many of them owe a measure of their success in that field to this costume element. For each point allocated to it, this effect reduces a costume's armor check penalty and increases its maximum dexterity bonus by one each. Further, each point grants the magical girl a +5 bonus to Jump, Swim, Climb, Tumble, and Balance checks. If at least three points are allocated to this effect, she may add her Charisma modifier to her Dexterity modifier to determine her bonus to AC, though she remains limited by her costume's maximum Dexterity bonus. Points allocated to this effect tend to make a costume sleeker and more aerodynamic, hugging closely to its wearer's body and moving with her effortlessly. At high levels, even the bulkiest armor becomes like a second skin, no more a burden to its wearer than the air through which she moves.

Oversized [Device]
Simply put, the ‘business end’ of the magical girl’s weapon is abnormally large – yet somehow, this doesn’t impact its balance in the slightest. Each point allocated to this effect adds +3 to weapon damage rolls (including strikes). The cosmetic effect of this should be fairly obvious, but one should be warned that engaging limit mode (or worse, Megaton Smackdown) when the magical girl’s device is already this big is likely to have some very silly results.

Prismatic [Device]
Along with Thematic, Prismatic is among the oldest costume elements - the world's first magical girls knew to call upon the elements around them long before the races of the world built the gods their mighty temples. A device with this effect deals an additional 1d6 damage for each point invested in it, of a type chosen when she invests points in this effect (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). If sonic is selected, the bonus damage is equal to 1d4, rather than 1d6. If the magical girl's costume possesses the Thematic effect as well, and if it is attuned to the same element as the Prismatic effect, the damage dice become d8s instead (or d6s, if sonic damage is being used). Points invested in this effect tend to style a device after the chosen element, often shifting the color scheme and patterns to something thematically appropriate. At high levels, it is not uncommon for the weapon to become an embodiment of the element itself - a sword of crackling fire, or a flail with dangerous icy spikes.

Protective [Device]
A common costume effect among magical girls with less-than-durable friends, a Protective device is the bane of those who would try and ignore its wielder. Each point allocated to this effect gives the magical girl +1 to the attack roll on attacks of opportunity, and increases the tumble DC to ignore attacks of opportunity from her by 3. Points spent on the Protective quality tend to make a device sleeker and more rounded, better to deflect incoming attacks. At high values, it can easily seem that the entire Device is formed of a single flawlessly crafted piece of whatever it happens to be made of.

Quick [Armor]
Magical girls are not known as the most patient beings in the world; for those that exemplify this, there is the Quick costume effect. Each point allocated to this effect increases the magical girl’s land speed by 10 feet. If at least three points are allocated to this effect, the magical girl gains the benefit of the Run feat. If at least four points have been spent, she gains the benefit of the Mobility feat. If at least five points have been spent on this effect, she gains the benefit of the Spring Attack feat. If at least six points have been spent on this effect, she gains the benefit of the Bounding Assault feat. Points allocated to the Quick effect tend to slim down a costume to the bare essentials, stripping away excess material and resulting in an ensemble with much greater ease of movement. This effect has gained a small amount of infamy for the zeal with which some magical girls designate elements of their attire as ‘excessive’.

Thematic [Armor]
This iconic costume element gives a magical girl a strong affinity for a particular type of energy, letting her shrug it off with ease. When she puts points in this costume element, a magical girl chooses an energy type to theme her costume after (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). This may be changed whenever the magical girl re-allocates the points on her costume. The magical girl gains energy resistance 7 against the chosen type of energy for every point allocated to this costume effect. Points spent on the Thematic quality tend to give it a unifying color scheme to match the chosen element, sometimes with stylized patterns thrown in for good measure. At higher values, actual elemental energy may gather around the costume for purely cosmetic effect (such as gemstones made of ice, or glowing lines of electricity).

Weightless [Armor]
This costume element makes the magical girl so light that the ground itself seems to bounce away from her. She gains a fly speed equal to her base land speed, with clumsy maneuverability. However, the effect is short-lived; she must still end her turn on solid ground, or she will fall. Each point spent on the Weightless effect improves her maneuverability by one step. If at least three points have been spent on the effect, the magical girl no longer needs to end her turn on solid ground, and may fly and hover freely (even if her maneuverability is not good enough to hover under normal circumstances). If four points have been spent on the effect, the magical girl gains the benefit of the Flyby Attack feat. If five points have been spent on the effect, the magical girl gains the benefit of the Improved Flyby Attack feat. If six points have been spent on this effect, the magical girl's fly speed doubles. Points spent on the Weightless quality tend to make a costume appear more billowy and lightweight, with lots of ribbons and other floaty things attached. At higher values, it might appear that the costume is caught up in a perpetual breeze, blowing about in a dramatically appropriate fashion at the slightest provocation.

Selinia
2011-10-16, 12:18 AM
Core Feats


Awaken Device [Pathfinder]
You call to the dormant power of your device, awakening it to full consciousness.

Prerequisites: Evoker Level 2 and any one of the Device, Exotic Device, Trinket, or Ranged Device class features
Benefits: Your device becomes an Intelligent Item (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items). You may assign mental ability scores and powers to your device freely, so long as the sum of all base price modifiers you add to it does not total more than [500 * your evoker level] gp. Whenever your evoker level increases, you may add further effects up to your new maximum.
Special: Upon reaching evoker level 10, the maximum sum of all base price modifiers for your device becomes [1000 * evoker level].

Barely Felt It
In an astonishing display of either hardheadedness or sheer willpower, you somehow manage to resist attacks by not noticing them. It's probably best to not think too hard about it.

Prerequisites: Shrug it Off class feature
Benefits: You may apply your Con modifier to AC even when flat-footed.

Blazing Mist Contributed by Serafina
Morning reveals all - mist is sheared away, and darkness banished. Calling upon the mystical insights of the dawn, you serve as a surrogate for the rising sun, piercing even the most insidious deceptions with your radiance.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Morning Mist Style, 9 ranks in Sense Motive, Wisdom 17
Benefits: You can always take 10 on Sense Motive checks, even if stress and distractions would normally prevent you from doing so. Further, whenever you line an enemy with mist using the ability of the Morning Mist Style feat, all enemies within 20 feet of that enemy are revealed as if being viewed by a Truesight spell. This benefits anyone who views the affected creatures, and lasts until the end of your next turn.

Cleansing Mist Contributed by Serafina
As the dawn washes away the clinging shadows of night, you have learned to call upon the mists to cleanse your foes of the enchantments shrouding their true self.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, Morning Mist Style, 7 ranks in Sense Motive, Wisdom 15
Benefit: You gain a bonus to Sense Motive checks equal to your Charisma modifier. Additionally, whenever you line an enemy with mist using the ability of the Morning Mist Style feat, you can make a targeted dispel against that creature as per the Dispel Magic, using a Sense Motive check instead of a Caster level check.

Echoes of Light
At your behest, the energies of your auras can linger on without proper maintenance - but not without consequence to them.

Prerequisites: Ability to evoke level two Illuminations
Benefits: If you have sustained an Aura for at least two turns (counting the turn you evoked it), you may choose to sustain it for a turn without paying any motes. However, by doing so you become unable to sustain that aura further. You must choose to allow that aura to fade when given the option on your next turn, and cannot evoke it again for the remainder of the encounter.

Evolved Device Contributed by LoneMage210
Sensing your proficiency, your device has deigned to unlock another of its forms - one that a lesser magical girl would never be able to use to its fullest effect.

Prerequisites: Device
Benefit: Choose one weapon of a type different than your device. As a swift action, you may cause your device to assume the form of that weapon, gaining all the properties of its new design. This transformation lasts indefinitely, and the device may revert to its original form with another swift action.

A magical girl may choose a ranged weapon with this ability, even if she does not possess the ranged device class feature - the inverse also being true for those that do not possess a melee device.

Expanded Wardrobe
While most magical girls prefer to stick with one familiar garment, you happily partake in a wider ensemble.

Prerequisites: Stylish, Ability to allocate 3 points to one costume effect
Benefits: You may attune to a second costume, independent of the first. Each of these costumes has its own pool of costume points, and you can freely re-arrange both whenever you could re-arrange one. Whenever you change into your costume, you may choose between the two. If you wish, you may also bind yourself to an armor that you have already designated as your costume instead, allowing you to summon the same armor with a different allocation of costume points.
Special: Despite the fact that it is not dismissed along with the rest of your costume, your device may still have different costume point allocation for your two costumes. If you are not currently wearing either costume, it uses the point allocation of the costume you wore last.

Heavy Costume Contributed by LoneMage210
You have learned to feel even your bulkier equipment as a part of you, and can begin to channel energy through it no differently than your lighter attire.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, Medium Armor Proficiency or Heavy Armor Proficiency
Benefit: You may designate as your costume any suit of armor you are proficient with, not just light armor. Medium or Heavy armor designated as a costume counts as one category lighter for all purposes - this stacks with the effect of mithril armor.

Impassioned Gambit
You have nerves of steel and the grit of a mountain, ready and willing to put everything on the line to protect your friends - even at risk of your own safety, if need be.

Prerequisites: Protective Reflexes
Benefits: When an enemy you threaten targets an ally with an attack, you may make an attack of opportunity against them, hurling yourself into the fray in hopes of drawing their attention. If the enemy wishes, they may immediately change the target of their attack to you - if they do so, the enemy gains a +4 bonus on their attack roll, and may resolve the attack before you resolve your attack of opportunity.

Indignant Glare Contributed by Serafina
Your fierce protectiveness of your allies rattles enemies to their core

Prerequisites: Protective Reflexes
Benefit: You treat Intimidate as a class skill for all present and future classes you take. Further, you may ignore size modifiers on your Intimidate checks, and can attempt to Demoralize enemies that would normally be immune to fear. Such creatures receive a bonus to their saving throw equal to their Cha modifier, however, and mindless creatures remain completely immune.

Additionally, whenever an enemy you threaten targets one of your allies with a hostile action, you can attempt to Demoralize that enemy as an immediate reaction that counts as an attack of opportunity. If you are successful, that enemy does not become shaken, but becomes frightened the next time they target one of your allies. This effect ends if the affected enemy deals damage to you, or at the end of the encounter, whichever comes first.


Luminous Symphony Contributed by Serafina
Your performance is laced with radiant power - if you're good, and lucky, maybe even enough to sustain your magic on its own!

Prerequisites: Radiant Focus class feature
Benefit: You can make Performance checks instead of Concentration checks when using Radiant Focus. Whenever you successfully use Radiant Focus, the next time you pay the maintenance cost of an aura it is reduced by 1 for every multiple of 10 you succeed on the check. This can reduce the cost of the Aura to 0, but never below.

Further, you can double an auras maintenance cost (before reducing it) to have it affect all allies who hear you perform for one round. Should the Aura have negative effects, you can have it affect all enemies who hear you perform instead. You must choose whether or not to amplify an aura in this manner when you evoke it - the increased cost lasts until the aura is allowed to fade.

Additionally, whenever an enemy you threaten targets one of your allies with a hostile action, you can attempt to Demoralize that enemy as an immediate reaction that counts as an attack of opportunity. If you are successful, that enemy does not become shaken, but becomes frightened the next time they target one of your allies. This effect ends if the affected enemy deals damage to you, or at the end of the encounter, whichever comes first.


Magical Mentor
Some mentor animals like to take a more active role in their charge's affairs, using their abilities for more than just advice. Yours is one.

Prerequisites: Mentor Animal class feature, Ability to evoke level two Illuminations
Benefits: Your mentor animal may cast spells as an Archivist of a level equal to one-third your magical girl level, rounded down, using your magical girl class level as a caster level.

Martial Evoker
Well used to melee combat, you have learned how to weave your evocations into the off-beats and lulls in battle.

Benefit: You gain a bonus to AC equal to your Charisma modifier against attacks of opportunity provoked by evoking your illuminations.

Morning Mist Style Contributed by Serafina
The Mist of Self shrouds the soul of every living thing. Most of the time it is invisible, intangible - but like the rosy fingers of dawn, you have learned to wield the ethereal touch that casts the hidden into sharpest focus.

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, 5 ranks in Sense Motive, Wisdom 13
Benefit: As a free action, you may cause any unarmed attack you make until the beginning of your next turn deal force damage, in addition to their usual damage types. Additionally, all damage dealt by your unarmed attacks is nonlethal damage (as per the Merciful class feature) for the duration of the effect.

While using this style you may, once per round when you hit a single foe with two or more unarmed strikes, line them with softly glowing mist. Creatures encased in such mist treat all targets as having partial concealment, and cannot gain any benefits of concealment when targeted by others. The mist dissipates at the beginning of your next turn.

Prismatic Calling
Light is made of many colors - with effort, you can bring forth those you wish from within the radiance of your Illuminations.

Prerequisites: Radiant Focus class feature
Benefits: When you use a damaging Blast illumination, you may pay one additional mote before any attack or damage rolls are made. If you do, select an element (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). The attack's damage is considered to be that damage type. Further, if you are wielding a device with the Prismatic costume effect, you may add the damage of that feature to the damage of the augmented blast. If you possess the Spirit Shot class feature, you may augment it with this ability, but you do not receive any additional dice of damage.

Protective Reflexes Contributed by Serafina
Your eagerness to leap to your allies' defense invigorates you, substituting agility for stubborn endurance. So long as there are foes who would hurt your friends, you will not let them past without a fight.

Prerequisites: Con 15
Benefits: You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Constitution bonus. Additionally, you may make attacks of opportunity even while flat-footed.

Radiant Crafting Contributed by Serafina
Ordinarily, the proper assembly of the delicate enchantments needed to enhance an item can take years to study. But when the item itself is willing, certain shortcuts can be taken.

Prerequisite: Evoker Level 5, 8 ranks in Use Magic Device
Benefit: You can enchant the devices and costumes of Magical Girls (not just your own) as if you had the Craft Magical Weapons and Armor feat. You treat your Evoker level as your Caster Level for this purpose, and may ignore any requirements for specific spells involved in the item's crafting.

Radiant Soul
Even beyond most of your compatriots, your soul is a beacon of radiance from which springs a seemingly endless river of energy.

Prerequisites: Illuminations class feature
Benefits: Your mote pool increases by four, and the number of motes you begin an encounter with increases accordingly. Additionally, whenever you gain motes by focusing, you gain an additional mote.
Special: Upon reaching evoker level 10, this feat increases the size of your mote pool by an additional four motes (for a total of eight), and the bonus to motes gained by focusing increases by one (for a total of two).

Reverberating Light Contributed by Serafina
The light of your performance spills forth like an echoing cascade, crashing over enemies in a cacophony of radiance.

Prerequisites: Luminous Symphony, Perform 9 ranks
Benefits: Whenever you deal damage with an Illumination, you can make a Perform check as a free action by paying one mote. You deal additional sonic damage based on the result of your Perform check, as shown on the table below. This damage is only dealt once per target per illumination, even if that illumination is capable of striking a single target multiple times.

{table=head] Check Result | Extra Damage
10-20 | 2D6
21-30 | 3D6
31-40 | 4D6
41-50 | 5D6 (maximum)
[/table]

Right Makes Might
You throw your full effort into every blow you make, letting passion and boldness more than compensate for finesse.
Prerequisites: Device, Power Attack, must have a two-handed weapon as a device
Benefit: When you make a power attack (including as part of a Strike), you may spend a mote to cancel an amount of power attack penalty equal to your Charisma modifier. This applies to only a single attack, though the cost may be paid for each part of a full attack if you wish to do so.

Shazam! Contributed by Prime32
You and your alter ego are different ages, or even different species.

Prerequisites: Costume +1
Benefit: While in costume, your size increases by one category (if you are Small or smaller) or reduces by one category (if you are Medium or larger). This otherwise functions as enlarge person or reduce person respectively. You cannot don your costume without changing size or vice versa, though if you have multiple costumes you choose which receive this benefit (minimum one).

Shield of Light Contributed by Serafina
You breathe light, and can sense its presence in the air around you. Though you may lack a measure of monastic discipline, there is a quiet serenity that comes to those who realize that it is never truly dark.

Prerequisites: Costume class feature
Benefits: By spending one mote part of an attack, you can choose to take a –1 penalty on melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to grant adjacent allies a +1 dodge bonus to their Armor Class and reflex saves. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every +4 thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the dodge bonus increases by +1. You can only choose to use this feat when you declare that you are making an attack or a full-attack action with a melee weapon, and you must either have a free hand to wield your radiant shield or be wielding a physical shield to reinforce. These bonuses and penalties last until the beginning of your next turn.

Additionally, you can designate a shield (including exotic shields such as Battle Cloaks or Shield Gauntlets) as part of your costume, and you are automatically proficient with it. If you choose to do so, your shield's armor check penalty and maximum dexterity bonus are modified by your costume features, and it benefits from the Oversized costume feature if used as a weapon. While wielding a shield, by spending an additional mote, you may apply the AC bonuses from this feat to all allies within 10 feet of you.

Stylish
Whether through meticulous craftsmanship or simple loving care, your costume is notably more elaborate than it used to be.

Prerequisites: Costume class feature
Benefits: You gain an additional costume point, which may be allocated normally.
Special: Upon reaching evoker level 10, this feat grants an another costume point (for a total of two).

Twinned Device
By the whims of fate, you have come into possession of a second device, sibling of your own trusted weapon.

Prerequisites: Device, Two-Weapon fighting, must have a light or one-handed weapon as a device
Benefit: You gain a second device, identical to your first in nearly every way. These two devices are assigned costume points collectively - any effect applied to one also applies to the other. Mundane enchantments must still be placed upon each individually.

If you possess the Evolved Device feat and select a one-handed weapon as your device's second form, you may convert one or both of your devices at any time, and with the same swift action if you wish. If you selected a two-handed weapon as your device's second form, your second device vanishes until you return to a one-handed form.



Multiclass Feats

Busou Shoujo [Pathfinder] Contributed by Prime32
You have turned your magical talents towards fighting with weapons.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, and Magus Arcana (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) or Black Blade (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo---magus-archetypes/bladebound)
Benefit: Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with Magus spells and Arcane Pool.
Special: If you have the Device and Black Blade class features, you may choose to designate your Device as your Black Blade, even if it is not a weapon of the correct type.
Special: If you have the Mentor and Black Blade class features, they are combined into a single entity with the higher mental stats of the two, which can switch between its forms as a move action. Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining its Bardic Knowledge modifier.

Cerulean Illumination Contributed by Amechra
For a moment there, your eyes offer a glimpse to a soul swathed in the souls of others, others who have gone before.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, Must have an Essentia pool.
Benefit: You gain the ability to invest Essentia into your Illuminations. If you do so, you gain a bonus to the damage dealt by that Illumination equal to twice the essentia invested into that Illumination. This does not allow non-damaging illuminations to deal damage.

In addition, you may now power essentia receptacles with your Motes; if you do so, your investiture limit is equal to your Costume bonus, and you must pay the amount "invested" in motes each round, or else no longer be able to use that essentia receptacle for the rest of the encounter.

Demonic Delinquent Contributed by Prime32
You've perverted your nefariously evil powers through your excessive good nature - your infernal ancestors would be terribly ashamed of you, you know.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, Eldritch Blast 2d6
Benefit: Your magical girl and warlock levels stack for determining your costume bonus and damage reduction. Your Blast illuminations deal additional damage equal to your eldritch blast damage. Additionally, your Merciful class feature applies to your invocations and Eldritch Blast.

Heart's Blade Contributed by Amechra
Everyone has a blade in their heart!

Prerequisites: Psychic Strike +1d8, Costume +1
Benefit: Your Soulknife and Magical Girl levels stack for the purpose of determining your Costume Bonus and your Psychic Strike damage.

In addition, you may designate your Device as your Mind Blade; if you do so, it gains the benefit of any feats that improve either your Device or your Mind Blade.

Illuminated Crafter [External Homebrew] Contributed by Owrtho
Your soul shows its light in the things you make.

Prerequisites: Illuminations, Evoker Level 2, Soulcrafting (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215075)
Benefit: Half your levels in Soulcrafter stack with you magical girl levels for determining evoker level as well as your mote pool and readied illuminations. In turn, half your levels in Magical girl stack with your levels in soulcrafter for determining your manifester level including number of soulcrafts and augments, as well as available augments. If levels in another class would advance your manifestor level or evoker level for either the soulcrafter or magical girl, they count as levels in said class for the purposes of this feat.

Additionally, you gain the benefits of Soulcraft Form (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12925061&postcount=22) even if you don't meet the prerequisites, except that it is permanently designated to your device. This does not actually grant the feat, and as such cannot be used to qualify for anything else.
Special: If you have the Mistbreaker Archetype, you gain the benefits of the Soulcraft Talisman feat instead of the Soulcraft Form feat, and it permanently designates your unarmed strike.
If you take the evolved device feat, you may soulcraft your device in either form, but may still only have one instance of it soulcrafted at a time.
If you take the twinned device feat, you may soulcraft two copies of your device so long as they fit requirements of the twinned device feat. You may choose to soulcraft both as a single soulcraft, but if you do so any augments you apply only apply to one of them (though not all augments need to be applied to the same one).

Illuminating Song Contributed by Amechra
The flow of sound through your heart mimics the flow of light through your soul.

Prerequisites: Inspire Competence, Costume class feature.
Benefits: Your levels in Magical Girl and Bard stack when determining the size of your mote pool, your evoker level, and the bonus granted your Inspire Courage ability.

Life Unbound [Pathfinder] Contributed by Prime32
Tapping into your magical girl powers relieves you from your body's normal limitations.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, Oracle's Curse (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle) class feature, ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and oracle levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with oracle spells and the effects of your oracle's curse. You do not suffer the negative effects of your Oracle's Curse while in costume.

Luminous Ally [Pathfinder] Contributed by Serafina
Tied so closely to your essence, your Eidolon has begun to share your connection with the forces of light.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, Summon Monster II spell-like ability, Eidolon class feature
Benefits: Your Summoner and Magical Girl levels stack to determine your Motes and everything but the Evolution Pool and Maximum Attacks of your Eidolon. You can no longer evoke Blast or Strike Illuminations. Instead, your Eidolon can evoke Blast and Strike Illuminations using your Mote Pool.

Luminous Bloodline [Pathfinder] Contributed by Serafina
Regardless of your Ancestry, your good nature suffuses your blood.

Prerequisites: Radiant Focus, two Bloodline Powers
Benefits: Your Magical Girl and Sorcerer levels stack to determine your amount of Motes and your Bloodline class feature.You can activate any Bloodline Power by paying a number of Motes equal to half the level where you received it (rounded up, minimum 1).

Luminous Champion [Pathfinder] Contributed by Serafina
The gods of good recognize your crusade as their own. Though you may not offer them devotions so regularly as their other followers, they lend their aid to you regardless.

Prerequisites: Aura of Courage, Mercy
Benefits: Your Paladin and Magical Girl levels stack to determine your Costume Bonus and your Lay on Hands class features. You also add your Magical Girl levels to determine which Mercies you can take, as well as your effective Cleric level for Channeling Energy. You can spend a Standard Action to use Lay on Hands and Mercies on anyone within your Aura-Illuminations or whom you have targeted with a Burst-Illumination this round.

Luminous Shadow
You realize that just because it might hide in the dark, the light is no less bright; with practice, perhaps you can even learn to find it there.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, Ghost Step class feature
Benefit: Your ninja and magical girl levels stack to determine the number of motes you receive each encounter, as well as your daily pool of ki points. Additionally, you may wear your costume and still count as unarmored for the purpose of ninja class features.

Luminous Shadow [Pathfinder] Contributed by Serafina
You realize that just because it might hide in the dark, the light is no less bright; with practice, perhaps you can even learn to find it there.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, No Trace +1
Benefits: Your Ninja and Magical Girl levels stack to determine your Motes, your Ki Pool and No Trace class features as well as any level prerequisites and effects of your Ninja Tricks.

Magitech Costume [External Homebrew]
Your Costume is not just an expression of your personality, but also of your ingenuity
Prerequisites: Costume +1, 1 Magitech Upgrade
Benefits: Your Magitech Crusader and Magical Girl Class levels stack to determine the enhancement bonus of your Magitech Armor, as well as your Armor Sentience and Armor Sense class features and the save DCs of your magitech upgrades. You may designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume, even if it is not light armor.

Additionally, you gain access to the following Upgrade (it must still be acquired normally if you wish to benefit from it).


Radiant Core: Your armor has adapted to use your own luminous energy as a power source, channeling the power of your spirit effortlessly. Whenever you assign costume points, you may assign an additional costume point. This costume point is purely artifical in nature, and as such is not constrained by costume limits. Thus, it can be used to bring the number of points allocated to an effect over a magical girl's usual maximum. Unlike most upgrades, this upgrade may be taken a second time - its effects stack.


Radiant Mind, Luminous Body Contributed by Serafina
You breathe light, and can sense its presence in the air around you. Though you may lack a measure of monastic discipline, there is a quiet serenity that comes to those who realize that it is never truly dark.

Prerequisites: Costume, Still Mind
Benefits: You gain your Bonus to AC while wearing your Costume, despite being armored. Further, you can replace a single melee attack with a standard action Strike Illumination (but not a Blast you prepared with the Mistbreaker archetype) when executing a Flurry of Blows. If you do so, any save DC of the Strike is reduced by two.

Additionally, you may add your Magical Girl class levels to your Monk class levels to determine your AC Bonus, Fast Movement, Slow Fall, High Jump, Wholeness of Body and Diamond Soul class features, if you have them (though you do not gain these features if you do not already possess them). You may add your Monk class levels to your Magical Girl class levels to determine the size of your Mote pool and your Evoker level for illuminations.

Radiant Wind Contributed by Serafina
There is fury in the shifting sands and burning steppes, true. But for those who know how to look, the same power lies in every leaf, raindrop, and thunderbolt.

Prerequisite: One Desert Wind Maneuver, Prismatic Calling feat
Benefit: When you deal energy damage with a martial maneuver, you may use your Prismatic Calling feat with it as if it were a Blast.
Special: If you have the Prism class feature, you can apply any Prism that applies to a Strike Illumination to a Strike Maneuver that you have already enhanced with Radiant Wind.

Rider of Light [Pathfinder] Contributed by Serafina
Your mount is more than a mere vehicle for battle - you have attuned to it with your very soul, granting it a portion of your radiant power.

Prerequisites: Mount or Divine Bond (Mount) class feature, Costume +1
Benefit: Your Magical Girl levels stack with your Cavalier-levels to determine the effect of your Mount class feature and your Expert Trainer class feature. Further, while you are mounted, your mount gains the benefits of any of the following costume elements you have assigned: Avenging, Discreet, Nimble, Oversize, Prismatic, Quick, Weightless.

You can summon or dismiss your mount whenever you summon or dismiss your Costume. Your Mount always returns to full hitpoints at the end of the day, even when slain. If you have a Divine Bond with a Mount, your Paladin levels stack with your Magical Girl levels to determine its effects. You can summon and dismiss your Mount whenever you summon or dismiss your costume. Damage to your Mount only vanishes at the end of the day, instead with every summoning.
Special: If appropriate to your setting, your Mount can take a fantastic form, such as that of a Magical Beast or even that of a machine. This does not grant it any special features or alters its statistics in any way, and it remains its original type of creature.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal Archetype, your Mount can be your Mentor Animal.

Sacred Champion Contributed by Prime32
Some benevolent deity has taken you under their wing, sharing a little of the light of divinity with your own more mortal radiance.

Prerequisites: Ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells and ready 2 illuminations per encounter, Turn Undead
Benefit: Your cleric and magical girl levels stack to determine your effective cleric level when turning undead and your number of motes per encounter. Paladins count as clerics of their class level -3.

Soulcraft Costume [External Homebrew] Contributed by Owrtho
You've learned to combine your soulcrafting with your costume abilities.

Prerequisites: Illuminated Crafter, Costume +1
Benefit: You gain access to the Augmented and Soulcrafted costume elements. Note they only apply to armor if you have made the armor a soulcraft talisman or a soulcraft form with the feat of the same name. Their effects are as follows:

Augmented [Device, Armor]
Your device and if applicable armor may have an additional augment applied to it when you soulcraft it. Each time you take this costume element, an additional augment may be applied to the device or armor.

Soulcrafted [Device, Armor]
Your device and and if applicable armor are treated as being +1. This does not stack with the Enhanced costume element. You may spend an augment when soulcrafting the device or armor to change this costume element to any one other that you do not have the maximum amount of points in. This only applies to the specific device or armor soulcrafted, thus you may not put an armor costume element on a device or vice versa, and the points applied this way do not count toward the maximum that may be applied for other devices or armor. This change lasts for as long as the device or armor remains soulcrafted.

Sunflower Disciple
Nature is harsh at times - but like many harsh things, it can be mellowed with kindness and sincerity as truly as with force of will.

Prerequisites: Costume +1, ability to prepare 2nd level druid spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and druid levels stack for determining your mote pool, your wild empathy bonus, your animal companion class feature, and your caster level for druid spells.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal and Animal Companion class features you can designate your mentor animal as your animal companion; in this case your druid and magical girl levels also stack for determining its Bardic Knowledge modifier. While you cannot normally change your mentor animal, you may choose to have it permanently assume the form of one of the possible druid animal companions upon taking this feat.



Archetypes

Mentor Animal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13652962&postcount=328)

Kofū Shōjo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13652973&postcount=329)

Spirit Shooter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13652978&postcount=330)

Mistbreaker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13652982&postcount=331)

Devicer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13540123&postcount=224)

Stargazer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13533806&postcount=208)


Prestige Classes

The Dark Magical Girl (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12086448&postcount=37)

The Costumed Crusader (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12107738&postcount=50)

The Sempai (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12736697&postcount=91)

The Prism Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13456932&postcount=127)

The Magical Idol (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13813738&postcount=362)

The Aerial Mage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13813749&postcount=363)

Amechra
2011-10-16, 01:13 AM
I'm sorry for what I'm about to say...

HOW DARE YOU STEAL MY MIND-THOUGHTS! AND DO A BETTER JOB THAN WHAT I WAS PLANNING!

In other words, welcome to 'brewing; hope you stay around.

DualShadow
2011-10-16, 11:01 AM
Your costume idea is awesome, I was wondering if you will make a PrC or chain of feats themed around switching the weapon and/or armor like Erza Scarlet in Fairy Tail?

Elfstone
2011-10-16, 12:07 PM
Nice. Very nice. I love the T.G. Oskar Style as well.

Since this sin't complete, I will reserve judgement on the class as a whole, but I like what I see.

Minor nitpick, you forgot to change "paladin" to "magic girl" in the 18th level ability Font of Life (Ex).

Keep up the good work!

Tanuki Tales
2011-10-16, 12:42 PM
The level of epic that this contains is off the charts!

I can only hope that one day my ideas are as well formulated, well thought out and presented as gorgeously as this class was.

Amechra
2011-10-16, 01:19 PM
What formula did you use for mote costs?

And could you please consider a mote recharge method? 20 uses IN ALL at 20th level is rather scarce, especially since your Illuminations are your strongest class features...

Selinia
2011-10-16, 01:35 PM
What formula did you use for mote costs?

And could you please consider a mote recharge method? 20 uses IN ALL at 20th level is rather scarce, especially since your Illuminations are your strongest class features...

My formula for the illuminations' costs was mostly gut instinct. I haven't really done this before, and wasn't exactly sure what to use. Advice on this would be appreciated, and its what I felt weakest on from a balance standpoint.

As for a recharge method, I'm... not really sure. I strongly considered implementing one, at least at higher levels (one that stuck around for a while was a simple 'regain one mote/round from lvl 11 onwards'). The idea is supposed to be that a magical girl should be able to use her illuminations found-to-round for most of a fight if she uses lower-cost ones, but will probably run out if she relies only on her most recent acquisitions.


Your costume idea is awesome, I was wondering if you will make a PrC or chain of feats themed around switching the weapon and/or armor like Erza Scarlet in Fairy Tail?

The magical girl can already switch her costume around with only a half-hour of preparation, and most of them are general enough that I'm not entirely sure if 'combat re-tailoring' would be a viable PrC concept on its own. Perhaps a more general costume-based PrC, giving up some illuminations and class abilities for quickly swappable passive buffs.

Its a thought. The first PrC I'll be making is the Dark Magical Girl though, so that they have something to resort to if they lose their purity of heart. And before that, I need to put meat on the bones of the skeleton that is my illumination list. But the idea shall not be forgotten!


Nice. Very nice. I love the T.J. Oskar Style as well.

Since this sin't complete, I will reserve judgement on the class as a whole, but I like what I see.

Minor nitpick, you forgot to change "paladin" to "magic girl" in the 18th level ability Font of Life (Ex).

Keep up the good work!

Oh, find/replace, thou hast betrayed me! Issue fixed.


I'm sorry for what I'm about to say...

HOW DARE YOU STEAL MY MIND-THOUGHTS! AND DO A BETTER JOB THAN WHAT I WAS PLANNING!

In other words, welcome to 'brewing; hope you stay around.

YOUR MIND-THOUGHTS, I AM SORRY FOR STEALING THEM.

In other words, thank you. And thanks to everyone commenting so far, the support is loveliness. Also, two feats have been added to the Feat section - they're kind of lonely right now, but they're pretty basic concepts. Most power sources have a feat or two that gives them more of whatever resource the class uses (be it maneuvers, spells/day, or whatever), so it seemed a fairly safe bet to have a couple that did a similar thing.

Amechra
2011-10-16, 01:41 PM
Whoops, I misread motes as being per day; if they are per encounter, they don't need a recharge.

Oh, and may I make a suggestion for Dark Magical Girl? Rage, or some form thereof, or replace the Illuminations with carefully altered shadowcasting...

Prime32
2011-10-16, 02:28 PM
So, the big meaty table here. I had to start by asking myself what exactly magical girls did, before deciding how they went about doing it. Which was tricky - they tend to go it mostly solo in their own medium, and just using their moves as a reference would be terribly unhelpful. So I thought about it in a more thematic sense, and came upon what would eventually drive the class.

Magical girls, at their heart, are fighting to protect their friends. They're stubborn, tough, and always get back up no matter how hard you knock them down. Oddly enough, that sounded like a defender-style class to me. So I made it one. She has a 3/4 BAB progression, two good saves, and a number of abilities that boost her endurance and ability to defend her allies. Some of them (like mettle) are of a pretty general nature, but I'll be going over my reasoning for all of them as we get there.
I question the accuracy here. First, Nanoha was far from a typical magical girl show. Madoka was closer, despite being a deconstruction.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalGirl

"Fighting to protect their friends" is a rather limited subset of Magical Girl shows, and those series usually involve a team. Plenty of MGs don't do any fighting at all, and just use magic to solve (and create) everyday problems, and/or become celebrities. I suppose those cases could be mostly wizards/bards with weird fluff though.

For one thing, magical girls tend to have vaguely-defined powers that do whatever the plot demands. Sailor Moon shoots a beam of light with a cheesy name and it might disintegrate an enemy, or turn a demon into a human, or break a curse, or erase someone's memories (seems like Turn Undead and a few abilities powered by it to me). Story climaxes are usually resolved by the protagonist doing something which could only be statted as a miracle spell, so they should get the ability to cast it at high levels.

For another, they tend to have cute mascots as power sources and/or advisors. So a variant familiar which trades Share Spells for bardic knowledge and the ability to talk.

I don't see anything saying that you need a trinket to transform and activate your powers (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TransformationTrinket). You can't just leave that part out! :smalltongue:

Many magical girls are completely unrecognisable when in costume, even if their appearance doesn't change in any way - that should be an option.

The Diplomacy stuff works, albeit most girls aren't as sadistic about it as Nanoha. :smalltongue:

I'd suggest giving a monk-style AC bonus while in costume, but based on Cha. Otherwise you'll see a lot of monk/swordsage dips.

Selinia
2011-10-16, 03:08 PM
Whoops, I misread motes as being per day; if they are per encounter, they don't need a recharge.

Oh, and may I make a suggestion for Dark Magical Girl? Rage, or some form thereof, or replace the Illuminations with carefully altered shadowcasting...

I like this idea. A variant Rage could prove quite interesting - possibly using rounds as fuel for her other abilities. And converting the motes one loses by losing Pure of Heart into rounds of the new effect, the entrant would be somewhat compensated for the ability she had to give up to qualify.


I question the accuracy here. First, Nanoha was far from a typical magical girl show. Madoka was closer, despite being a deconstruction.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalGirl

"Fighting to protect their friends" is a rather limited subset of Magical Girl shows, and those series usually involve a team. Plenty of MGs don't do any fighting at all, and just use magic to solve (and create) everyday problems, and/or become celebrities. I suppose those cases could be mostly wizards/bards with weird fluff though.

For one thing, magical girls tend to have vaguely-defined powers that do whatever the plot demands. Sailor Moon shoots a beam of light with a cheesy name and it might disintegrate an enemy, or turn a demon into a human, or break a curse, or erase someone's memories (seems like Turn Undead and a few abilities powered by it to me). Story climaxes are usually resolved by the protagonist doing something which could only be statted as a miracle spell, so they should get the ability to cast it at high levels.

For another, they tend to have cute mascots as power sources and/or advisors. So a variant familiar which can always talk and has bardic knowledge.

Nanoha may be a good bit different than most magical girl shows, but she is also a lot closer to someone who would be on an adventuring party in a fantasy setting. Thus, Nanoha (well, to be precise, more along the lines of Fate or the Wolkenritter - Nanoha is more range-based) is the baseline from which I extrapolated the class. Solving everyday problems is well and good for a show, but a D&D base class has to have the firepower to pull their weight in (and preferably, out of) combat.

The 'vaguely-defined powers' are Illuminations, because for all fluff is nice, vagueness is something you don't want in rules. They can easily be different from one battle to the next, and something she can do today might be mysteriously impossible in a later 'episode'. A talking familiar/companion is on my to-do list, either as a ACF or a full PrC. Some manner of Miracle-like effect could be interesting, and I will look into it.

I guess the short version is, I was working with the combat-oriented subgenre of MGs in the first place, because D&D is a pretty combat-oriented game. If one wanted to make a more strictly accurate magical girl, they'd probably want to use another system.

EDIT: To address the following points, which I missed replying the first time.


I don't see anything saying that you need a trinket to transform and activate your powers. You can't just leave that part out!

Many magical girls are completely unrecognisable when in costume, even if their appearance doesn't change in any way - that should be an option.

Doh. I feel silly for forgetting about these now. I'll be heading back momentarily to cover these most vital of issues.

I'm thinking just allowing a magical girl to don her costume as a full-round action by waving her Device around and saying the magic words. If she wishes, she can make a Disguise check as part of the process, with a bonus of [5 times the maximum bonus of her device] and treating it like a class skill for this one purpose. If she does, someone has to beat the disguise check to recognize her (no matter how flimsy her 'disguise' might be).

EDITEDIT: This has been added to the costume feature, albeit with clumsier wording than I'd like. I'll probably polish that up later.


The Diplomacy stuff works, albeit most girls aren't as sadistic about it as Nanoha.

Nothing says you have to beat someone up to redeemify them. You just have to keep them in one place. Why, there's all sorts of ways to get someone to listen to you... like... umm...

...maybe you could drug them?


I'd suggest giving a monk-style AC bonus while in costume, but based on Cha. Otherwise you'll see a lot of monk/swordsage dips.

She actually has this at 7th level (albeit, keyed off of Con instead of Cha). I might have undershot things though, and switching it to Cha, or even adding a scaling bonus, is something I'm very much considering. Either way, I don't think dips are too much of an issue, as anything 'dipping' seven levels is either a magical girl dipping something else, or a rather high-level character.

Selinia
2011-10-16, 08:47 PM
Small update:

Added Shooting Star as a second-level Illumination. Largely shutting down a foe's ability to make AoOs could be quite helpful in a melee-heavy party.

Added Shining Proclamation as a third-level Illumination. Rather situational, but potentially life-saving against enemy casters. Gets better if you have a Arcana-savvy buddy who can let you know which spells are most worth countering.

Added Hammer it Home as a fourth-level Illumination. Making your opponent sit back and think about what he's done has never been quite this forceful before.

Currently working on:

Devising a more standard formula for Illuminations. I feel like I'm shooting a little blind here, and getting a base to work from will help me make more of them, quicker.

Prime32
2011-10-16, 10:04 PM
What about a feat to give you multiple Costumes? That's pretty common. Heck, maybe even a PrC which gives you lots of them, and gives each one an SLA. (or you could associate some illuminations with the costume)

And Illuminations needs moar curse-breaking/undead-turning/demon-censuring/memories-of-evil-actions-erasing. Maybe an attack that's more effective against one type chosen from the Favoured Enemy list? (allowing for Dark Magical Girls to use anti-human magic or whatever)

John Cribati
2011-10-16, 10:57 PM
I do not see Hit Dice for this class. It could be because it's midnight where I am, but I feel the need to bring it up.

The-Mage-King
2011-10-16, 11:17 PM
I do not see Hit Dice for this class. It could be because it's midnight where I am, but I feel the need to bring it up.

Indeed. I do not see it either.

May I suggest a d8? Nice, medium sized, perfect for quasi-casters.

Selinia
2011-10-17, 12:18 AM
Well, this is dreadfully embarrassing. :smallsigh:

I could have sworn I put in her Hit Die! I even reference it in one of my commentary boxes. But yes, she has a d8. Small for a defender, but she has abilities to back it up.

Also, another small update:

Added Angel Buster as a second-level Illumination, and...

Added Avenging as a costume effect that can be slapped on a device. The two, separately or in tandem, give the aspiring demon-exorcising magical girl some potent tricks.

Added Cursebreaker's Anthem as a third-level Illumination. This... is probably actually overpowered. It'll probably either get bumped to fourth level or nerfed. Balance thought on this one are very welcome.

Added the Expanded Wardrobe feat, which gives the fashion-conscious magical girl a bit more variety in her attire. I like the idea of a costume-based character enough that I'll likely be making a PrC of it. As soon as I get through the stuff in front of it.

Tweaked illumination costs - they now operate on a simple, standard scale. Auras and 'utility' Blasts cost motes, and Strikes and 'attack' Blasts cost [Illumination level*1.5] motes.

[I]Currently working on:

More illuminations.

Amechra
2011-10-17, 05:23 PM
Thanks for the formula... it allows other people to brew stuff for your class.

DracoDei
2011-10-17, 11:11 PM
If Devoted Spirit Amulets allow you to use stances, then Megaton Hammer is infinite damage in combination with the middle level one for a Chaotic(or neutral??) aligned magical girl ... then again, one can't close all the loop holes.

Incidentally, this isn't the first try at such a thing on these boards, but I think I like yours more... can't remember enough to easily find the other one I don't think...

The-Mage-King
2011-10-17, 11:31 PM
Incidentally, this isn't the first try at such a thing on these boards, but I think I like yours more... can't remember enough to easily find the other one I don't think...

Perhaps the one in this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140247)?

Selinia
2011-10-17, 11:47 PM
If Devoted Spirit Amulets allow you to use stances, then Megaton Hammer is infinite damage in combination with the middle level one for a Chaotic(or neutral??) aligned magical girl ... then again, one can't close all the loop holes.

Ah, that slipped past me. May not be able to close all the loopholes. In this case, it should be simple enough to clarify that the dice are not rolled, and do not trigger any effect that would trigger upon rolling maximum damage on a dice. It may not be possible to close all the loopholes, but there's no sense in letting them go once they've been spotted. Thanks for pointing that out.


Incidentally, this isn't the first try at such a thing on these boards, but I think I like yours more... can't remember enough to easily find the other one I don't think...

Perhaps the one in this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140247)?

Ah, that is interesting. I did quite a bit of searching through the boards for a magical girl class, and came up with nothing, but I hadn't thought to look at senshi. While the mahou shojo in that thread is woefully unfinished, the senshi itself actually seems like it could have some interesting synergy with my version of the magical girl. Again, thanks for showing me this.

The-Mage-King
2011-10-18, 12:29 AM
Ah, that is interesting. I did quite a bit of searching through the boards for a magical girl class, and came up with nothing, but I hadn't thought to look at senshi. While the mahou shojo in that thread is woefully unfinished, the senshi itself actually seems like it could have some interesting synergy with my version of the magical girl. Again, thanks for showing me this.

Senshi? You mean Sentai? Indeed it seems to be able to synergize well with this...

Hm...

Party of Sentai and Magical Girls?


Anyway, not a problem. Awesome homebrew must be spread around, no?

Selinia
2011-10-18, 01:33 AM
Oops. That was silly of me - somehow the 'magical girl' and 'super sentai' wires in my brain crossed in a manner that resulted in me thinking (and apparently typing) about Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi.

Also, another update:

Added Wandering Waltz as a first-level Illumination. Mobility is always nice, and the level-one illuminations tend to have nice, rounded effects.

Added Chains of Concordance as a second-level Illumination. I've gotten much more of a feeling by now that the magical girl defends through debuffs and status effects as much as actual defensive prowess or AoOs. This gives them a nifty new snatchy-effect to help them out with that.

Added Hauling Anchor as a third-level Illumination. Confusion seems to synergize well with a defender to me - the 'bad' option of the target attacking you is actually something you were kind of going for anyway, and most of the others still reduce the amount of damage the target is putting out.

Added Immaculate Plea as a fourth-level Illumination. Because magical girls can make the strangest things seem like a good idea at the time.

Also, Tweaked Borealis to buff it slightly. Its cost was bumped up a point when I standardized the Illuminations' costs, and it was just lackluster compared to everything else at the level (particularly its direct competition Cursebreaker's Anthem).

As of now, I'm actually pretty happy with the volume of Illuminations the class has - there's finally a representative of each of the four categories in each level, and six or seven choices at each level still means a magical girl can only take half of her options with her at most. More illuminations are almost certainly going to be added as I think of them (or if someone presents a good idea for one), but I won't be actively brainstorming them just to fill the lists up anymore.

Currently Working On:

The Mentor alternate class feature. Also, feats.

Prime32
2011-10-18, 03:12 PM
Senshi? You mean Sentai? Indeed it seems to be able to synergize well with this...

Oops. That was silly of me - somehow the 'magical girl' and 'super sentai' wires in my brain crossed in a manner that resulted in me thinking (and apparently typing) about Sailor Moon and the Sailor Senshi.Well technically senshi is "warrior(s)", and sentai is "team(s) of warriors" (with senshi used to refer to individual members)...

And while we're on the topic:
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=11792
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=13260

Selinia
2011-10-19, 01:53 AM
Ooohhh, shiny. Many thanks, some of that stuff seems like it could be adapted for great useful justice. Also, I hate Tuesdays.

Also-also, an update!

Added the Mentor Animal Alternate Class Feature! These little creatures give all manner of helpful advice - valuable, given that magical girls are hardly known for their ironclad common sense.

Added the Echos of Light feat. Auras have some interesting effects, and this provides some interesting flexibility in their use.

Added the Barely Felt It feat. Because attacking someone from off-screen just isn't fair.

Tweaked the Symphony of the Light Eternal True Illumination - it now provides protection against death by hit-point loss, not just death effects. While not quite invulnerability, it comes pretty close - and targets your entire team to boot. That should bring it up into the league of its Strike and Blast counterparts.

Currently working on:

The Dark Magical Girl PrC. Also, feats.

As always, if you have an idea for additions in any section, suggest away!

Prime32
2011-10-19, 09:47 AM
Added the Mentor Animal Alternate Class Feature! These little creatures give all manner of helpful advice - valuable, given that magical girls are hardly known for their ironclad common sense.

A mentor animal may never have the form of any familiar which would require a minimum caster level.First, there are no familiars which require that unless you take the Improved Familiar feat, so it would make more sense to ban Improved Familiar. Second, there are MGs with more powerful companions, though many of them need to stay in a weaker form most of the time. Maybe Improved Familiar can be used for 1 minute/level/day, but also grants some other bonus? Maybe a feat which lets the mentor cast spells as a wizard of one-third your class level (caster level = your class level), but only while in this powered-up state?


A mentor animal's Hit Dice, Hit Points, Attacks, Saving Throws, and Skills are all calculated identically to those of a familiar.I don't think this part is necessary. *shrug*


Starting at 1st level, the mentor animal will share some of its vast collection of knowledge with the magical girl. If asked, the mentor can make a knowledge check on the behalf of the magical girl, with a bonus equal to [its Int score + the magical girl's class level]. The information this can retrieve is very similar in nature to bardic knowledge, and the DC for a given fact should be roughly the same. "Roughly" isn't very useful. It would be easier just to say "The mentor gains Bardic Knowledge as a bard of its master's class level."

radmelon
2011-10-19, 11:56 AM
I read the title and I knew I had to read this. It looks great, really fits the flavor well, and gives a lot of utility. A good excuse to play a good guy.

However, I would like to add that divine buster seems a tad over powered. 3d6+ damage at lvl 1 is too much.

gkathellar
2011-10-19, 02:36 PM
The group I usually play with doesn't usually allow homebrew, but I am prepared to beg in order to play this class. This is just ... magnitudes of awesome.

(Also, OP, is that a Princess Waltz avatar? You may be my new favorite person.)

userpay
2011-10-20, 12:54 AM
Must... resist... urge... to... imitate... Kore wa... Zombie... Desu ka...

deuxhero
2011-10-20, 01:02 AM
I always felt Nanoha style MGs were Warlocks myself.

Must be good?

So what is a Dark Magical Girl? Alternate class entirely? Blackguard style PRC? Warlock?

Selinia
2011-10-20, 01:24 AM
First, there are no familiars which require that unless you take the Improved Familiar feat, so it would make more sense to ban Improved Familiar. Second, there are MGs with more powerful companions, though many of them need to stay in a weaker form most of the time. Maybe Improved Familiar can be used for 1 minute/level/day, but also grants some other bonus? Maybe a feat which lets the mentor cast spells as a wizard of one-third your class level (caster level = your class level), but only while in this powered-up state?

I don't think this part is necessary. *shrug*

"Roughly" isn't very useful. It would be easier just to say "The mentor gains Bardic Knowledge as a bard of its master's class level."

Again, I thank you! I'm terrible when it comes to wording things eloquently, and tend to use entirely too much wordcount for what I'm trying to get across. I'll be trimming up the Mentor's features now.

Also, an improved-mentor feat (or even feat-chain) is an excellent idea, which I shall be definitely using.


I read the title and I knew I had to read this. It looks great, really fits the flavor well, and gives a lot of utility. A good excuse to play a good guy.

However, I would like to add that divine buster seems a tad over powered. 3d6+ damage at lvl 1 is too much.

Indeed it is. That is... a point I'd somehow missed. I'll tick a damage dice off of it (down to 2d6+cha), but it is worth noting that it is also usable only once per encounter at level one (while martial maneuvers grant only +1d6 damage at level one, they can also be used pretty much every turn).


The group I usually play with doesn't usually allow homebrew, but I am prepared to beg in order to play this class. This is just ... magnitudes of awesome.

(Also, OP, is that a Princess Waltz avatar? You may be my new favorite person.)

If you convince them, I'd be absolutely full of adoration for you if you tell me how it goes. Nothing quite like playtesting to spot the kinks in something. Hopefully I'll have enough material out to offer some build choices by that point. However, I'm sad to say I don't really know who this avatar is supposed to be - but I saw an adorable girl with an adorable giant hammer in the avvie adoption center, and I couldn't just leave her there!


I always felt Nanoha style MGs were Warlocks myself.

Must be good?

So what is a Dark Magical Girl? Alternate class entirely? Blackguard style PRC? Warlock?

Warlocks are one way to look at it, but I felt the idea warranted a class of its own.

As for the alignment, yes - Dark Magical Girls are a PrC that I'm currently working on. They're not quite a 'blackguard' though; they actually can be any alignment they want - evil, neutral, or even a cynical good. It's less an 'evil' class than what happens when a magical girl gets jaded and world-weary from her constant battles.

And thanks to everyone chiming in what they like (and what needs to be fixed)! I really appreciate both. Unfortunately, no update tonight. :smallfrown: Weekdays tend to make it hard to make progress on big things like PrCs. I should hopefully have at least some stuff tomorrow though.

Renchard
2011-10-20, 04:07 PM
Looking through the illuminations, I don't see any specifically flavored for energy attacks (like Fire Attacks, a la Sailor Mars). Seems to me it might be a good fit for the class.

Also, excellent work!

Selinia
2011-10-21, 09:41 AM
The thing is, most of the damage a magical girl deals is untyped - in most cases, that's better than dealing elemental damage. Still, some flexible elementalsim couldn't hurt - hence the new feat. I thank you for the idea. :smallsmile:

For now, another very small update, only two feats.

Added the Magical Mentor feat. Archivist struck me as a better fit here than wizard. Divine magic is more support and healing oriented for the most part, which fits better with a mentor's role in relation to a magical girl. Even the most combat-oriented mentor animals still essentially play backup to their charge.

Added the Prismatic Calling feat. While it's likely to often be a downgrade from typeless damage, being able to produce a given element on demand is both fitting and reasonably practical.

Good news is that the Dark Magical Girl should be up later today, barring something coming up for me unexpectedly. So there's that.

Prime32
2011-10-21, 03:49 PM
Added the Magical Mentor feat. Archivist struck me as a better fit here than wizard. Divine magic is more support and healing oriented for the most part, which fits better with a mentor's role in relation to a magical girl. Even the most combat-oriented mentor animals still essentially play backup to their charge.
Your mentor animal may cast spells as an Archivist of a level equal to one-third your magical girl level (rounded down), using your magical girl class level as a caster level.
The wording is ambiguous on whether it refers to archivist levels or spell levels. Deleting "a level equal to" would fix this.

Selinia
2011-10-22, 02:23 AM
But first, thanks for pointing out that wording issue. It should be fixed now.

Hey, everyone! You know how I said I would probably have the Dark Magical Girl up by tonight? Weee~eeell... you also know that thing where something ends up taking much longer than you thought?

Yeah, that.

Still, I am working on it, despite hitting some difficulties. So I figure, since I can't give any 'real' content tonight, I'll post up the skinless organ-monster of my progress on the class so far. Critique and advice are welcome, and I readily acknowledge that this is no-where near done and there are likely entire concepts which will need to be re-worked.

Level
1 Sad Eyes, Rage of Tears
2 Bleak Revelation: Denial
3 Numbed Body, Costume (Max +1)
4 Bleak Revelation: Anger
5 Ravaged Mind
6 Bleak Revelation: Bargaining, Costume (Max +2)
7 Deadened Heart
8 Bleak Revelation: Despair
9 Lost Spirit, Costume (Max +3)
10 Bleak Revelation: Closure

Class Features: All of the following are class features of the dark magical girl.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A dark magical girl gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Sad Eyes (Ex): A dark magical girl has seen the hate and terror the world hides just beneath its surface… but some part of her still remembers what it was like to be able to look around in wonder at the splendor of it all. She may add half of her magical girl class level (rounded down) to the number of rounds of Rage of Tears she can sustain each encounter.

Rage of Tears (Ex): For a dark magical girl, fury and sadness are one and the same. She put her whole being into protecting the world, into fighting for goodness and light – and the world paid her back with the cruel joke of the impossibility of their task. So she does the only thing she can: lash out, with all her pain and hurt.

As a free action that can only be taken during her turn, a dark magical girl can fly into a rage of tears. While in this state, she gains a +4 bonus to Charisma, a +2 bonus to Strength, and a +2 bonus to Dexterity. Additionally, she may make use of Strike-type illuminations. For the purposes of evoker level and the maximum level of illumination she can use, add together her magical girl and dark magical girl levels. When using illuminations in this manner, the dark magical girl does not pay the mote cost of the effects – instead, the cost is subtracted from the number of rounds left remaining in her rage of tears.

A dark magical girl’s rage of tears lasts for a number of rounds equal to [her (newly improved) Cha modifier + one half her class level, rounded down]. She may enter her rage only once per encounter, but there is no limit to how many times she can enter it per day.

A dark magical girl may not voluntarily end a rage of tears until the encounter is over; once unleashed, the raw torrent of emotion cannot be bottled up again without great effort. If a dark magical girl is forced out of her rage by running out of rounds to fuel it, her fury expends itself and leaves her a sobbing emotional wreck. For the remainder of the encounter, she takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and ability and skill checks.

Costume (Su): Though she no longer wields them for original intended purpose, a dark magical girl’s tools have not deserted her. Indeed, she often comes to cherish and value her device and armor as the only companions upon whom she can completely rely. This functions identically to the magical girl class feature of the same name, and magical girl and dark magical girl levels stack to determine how many costume points she may allocate to her costume. To determine the maximum point value for her costume’s features, add together the maximum values granted by her two instances of this class feature. (For example, a Magical Girl 7/Dark Magical Girl 3 would have 5 costume points, and maximum point value of +3)

Bleak Revelation (Ex): A dark magical girl’s heart is a raw and battered thing – once broken, it now wallows in a torrent of awful realizations. The world is far from a perfect place, and to be faced with all its flaws and depravities at once is a horrifying ordeal. But the dark magical girl endures. Even as they slowly numb her, she learns a harsh lesson from the revelations: that if she wishes to survive in this world, she will have to become just as terrible.

Denial: People lie. They perform heinous crimes, yet never will they admit that something might actually be their fault. At second level, the dark magical girl learns to do the same. She receives a bonus equal to her class level on bluff checks made to seem innocent of wrongdoing, and on sense motive checks to catch a lie. Additionally, while in her rage of tears, the dark magical girl may add her Cha modifier to melee attack rolls against flat-footed opponents.

Anger: Love is fragile, but hate endures. A happy family of many years can be rent asunder with a mere handful of ill-placed words, and the peace between nations is only as long as the temper of their rulers. A dark magical girl knows full well the power of rage, but at fourth level she truly embraces her anger. While in her rage of tears, she may add her Cha modifier as a bonus to weapon damage rolls.

Bargaining: Mortals are cowards. They will give up anything for just one more day of life; family, friends, and the people who rely on them are just coinage when it comes down to the final choice between life and death. At sixth level, the dark magical girl turns this to her advantage. She receives a bonus equal to her class level on intimidate checks. Additionally, while in her rage of tears, any enemy that hits the dark magical girl with a melee attack takes damage equal to her Cha modifier or the damage of their own attack (whichever is lower).

Despair: Your pain was for nothing. This is the hardest of all lessons for most magical girls to come to accept; that one can spend their entire life doing good, only to see their works collapse the moment they draw their last breath. But at eighth level, the dark magical girl finally runs out of arguments. She throws herself into every battle with an almost suicidal fury, seeming to care little whether she lives or dies. While in her rage of tears, a magical girl can eschew defense completely in a bloody frenzy: at the beginning of each turn, she may reduce her AC by an amount up to her Cha modifier. For each point sacrificed this way, she gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls until the end of the turn.


Numbed Body (Ex): At third level, a dark magical girl has learned to block out physical pain as so much noise. All the cuts and bruises in the world can’t compare to the pain she feels inside. While in her rage of tears, a dark magical girl can expend a round of her rage as an immediate action to gain DR/- equal to her Cha modifier against a single attack.


Overall Intention:

This is intended to be a very offensive class, in sharp opposition to the more protective magical girl. The big 'gimmick' of the class is that it operates on a fuse - her Rage of Tear isn't just a buff, it is (supposed to) power many of her class features. The more she 'pushes it' and spends rounds on offensive boosts, the more likely she is to have a nasty breakdown.

In role terms, she'd be a high-risk striker - someone you could play and always feel like you were 'walking a tightrope'. The penalty for overspending isn't terrible, but its enough to make one think carefully about trying to risk it. Dark magical girls are often as powerful - or more so - than a their heroic counterparts, but they're also emotionally unstable and prone to breaking at very bad times.

Major problems:

1. The 'sacrificed feelings' line is not done. Obviously. These were originally going to be defensive abilities fueled by Rage, while the Revelations were going to be the offensive ones.

2. Too much keying off of Cha, and too many lazy +Cha to X bonuses. I need to come up with some more interesting effects, and they completely miss the intended mechanic of risky spending. The Bleak Revelations border on un-recoverable in their current state. Also, they're a little too depressing and nihilistic even for a class themed on loss of innocence and the pain of exposure to the worst parts of the world. Also-also, they're not even done - I stopped myself to think on it before finishing up with their current nonsensical pattern.

Possible Solutions:

1. I'm leaning towards making the 'sacrificed feelings' be passive utility boosts, each with a Cha/Day SLA. These are self-boosts and internal modifiers only, and don't eat up precious Rage rounds.

2. These will be what they were intended to be - Strike-Illumination-Like abilities, with boosted damage and rider effects in exchange for lighting a fire on the other end of your Rage-candle. Generally speaking, they're the 'heavy hittiers' of the class - this is what you're probably coming for when you PrC in. The strike-illumination capability itself will likely be struck.

On the bright side, weekend means more time to work on this. Hopefully, a cleaner and more sensible version ought to be going up very soon. I just thought this might be worth putting up as something to look at. Apologies.

Amechra
2011-10-22, 06:58 PM
I mades you a feat. I hope you bes happy.

Illuminating Song
The flow of sound through your heart mimics the flow of light through your soul.
Prerequisites: Inspire Competence, Costume class feature.
Benefits: Your levels in Magical Girl and Bard stack when determining the number of Motes you may use per encounter and the bonus derived from your Inspire Courage.

In addition, as long as you are under the effects of your own Bardic Music, you may choose to deal Sonic damage instead of the normal untyped damage with your Illuminations.

Selinia
2011-10-24, 12:14 AM
The Dark Magical Girl



"You say you know no sadness? How can you look at me like that and still say that?"
-Fate, a dark magical girl

A magical girl is an innocent. Her eyes view the world with joy and wonder, seeing every pain and sorrow as something to ease, every evil as a foe to fight. The are the purest crusaders of goodness and light in the world, and for most, that worldview is unshakable. But on those rare and terrible occasions in which that innocence is lost, a magical girl falls hard. For most, realizations of the hardships of the world are a fact of life - for a magical girl, each one is another pebble in an avalanche that slowly buries their entire worldview.

These Dark Magical Girls wield a power all their own - the power of their hurt and loss, and their anger at the treason of the world. Lost and uprooted, they are warriors whose reason to fight has been stripped away. Seldom is their new one half so wholesome.


Requirements
To become a dark magical girl, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Special: Must have the Pure of Heart class feature – and must have lost your innocence as detailed in that ability.
Special: Must have the Power of Friendship class feature (you still qualify even if you cannot access it due to your loss of innocence.

Qualifying for the class isn't really hard, and you don't have to build for it. Becoming a dark magical girl isn't something one trains for - it's a cruel violation, and few would ever walk this path voluntarily.

One notable feature is that, despite the overwhelmingly bleak and cynical nature of this class, you don't actually have to be evil to take it. A lot of dark magical girls are actually neutral - self-interested, but still essentially decent people who are hurting very badly. A few even remain good-aligned; often the most tragic of all - continuing to fight the battle of right despite growing feelings that her work is futile.

Class Skill List: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

This is essentially the same as the magical girl's list, with a few notable additions - the more world-weary dark magical girls are far more willing to lie, steal, bully and con than they were before their fall.


Dark Magical Girl

Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Sad Eyes, Rage of Tears, Memories of Light, Suppress Emotions

2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Bleak Revelation: Denial

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Numbed Body, Costume (Max +1)

4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Bleak Revelation: Anger

5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|Ravaged Mind

6th|
+6|
+2|
+5|
+5|Bleak Revelation: Bargaining, Costume (Max +2)

7th|
+7|
+2|
+5|
+5|Deadened Heart

8th|
+8|
+2|
+6|
+6|Bleak Revelation: Despair

9th|
+9|
+3|
+6|
+6|Lost Spirit, Costume (Max +3)

10th|
+10|
+3|
+7|
+7|Bleak Revelation: Acceptance[/table]


Saves are shared with the magical girl, but you probably noticed that the DMG gets full BAB. She's a bruiser, and being able to hit her foes often and hard is a rather big part of a striking role. It isn't big, but the few extra BAB points are a nice perk. They spend less time dwelling on happy memories, and much more on on brutal and violent ones - fighting ability is the one thing a dark magical girl has that she knows for sure will remain hers no matter what, and she often obsesses over it.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the dark magical girl.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A dark magical girl gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Why would she? Her costume is probably still better anyway.

Sad Eyes (Ex): A dark magical girl has seen the hate and terror the world hides just beneath its surface… but some part of her still remembers what it was like to be able to look around in wonder at the splendor of it all. She may add her magical girl class level to the number of motes she gains when she enters a Rage of Tears.

This is by and large a fluff ability. A high-level magical girl who falls is getting hurt much more than a low level one. It is far from an optimal choice, but there is at least a small perk here.

Rage of Tears (Ex): For a dark magical girl, fury and sadness are one and the same. She put her whole being into protecting the world, into fighting for goodness and light – and the world paid her back with the cruel joke of the impossibility of their task. So she does the only thing she can: lash out, with all her pain and hurt.

As a free action that can only be taken during her turn, a dark magical girl can fly into a rage of tears. While in this state, she gains a +4 bonus to Charisma, a +2 bonus to Strength, and a +2 bonus to Dexterity.

A dark magical girl’s rage of tears lasts for a number of rounds equal to her (newly improved) Cha modifier. She may enter her rage only once per encounter, but there is no limit to how many times she can enter it per day.
A dark magical girl may end her rage early as a swift action, and doing so may have various effects depending on the revelation she is currently channeling. However, when her rage ends, her fury expends itself and leaves her a sobbing emotional wreck. For the remainder of the encounter, she takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and ability and skill checks.

A dark magical girl's rage ends at the end of an encounter, regardless of how many rounds are remaining. She cannot enter a rage of tears outside of combat.

This is the crux of the PrC - almost every single ability it has is active during the rage of tears, or triggers as part of its end. At first level it's just a statistical boost, but it gains other effects through the revelations she learns. The concept of 'risking rounds' turned out to be far too unwieldy to be practical, so it was replaced with the idea of end-of-rage effects. A dark magical girl can positively erupt in a number of very nasty ways, but doing so takes a serious toll on her.

Suppress Emotions (Ex): Many Dark Magical Girls learn to cope with their emotions by suppressing them. While this does temporarily alleviate the pain, it does nothing to help their mental stability and comes with consequences of its own. As a swift action, while in rage of tears, the dark magical girl may choose to suppress her emotions. While doing so she gains none of the normal benefits from being in her rage of tears, instead taking a -2 penalty to charisma and gaining a +1 bonus to will saves.

Each turn she begins while suppressing her emotions increases the number of remaining rounds in her rage of tears by 1, rather than reducing it. Despite losing the other benefits of her rage, a dark magical girl still gains motes while suppressing her emotions - and the seething, bottled feelings amplify the energy beyond its usual limits. If she begins her turn with her emotions suppressed, a dark magical girl gains additional motes equal to [her class level + her magical girl level, divided by 5]. She may not channel any of her bleak revelations while suppressing her emotions. Ceasing to suppress her emotions is a swift action.

Costume (Su): Though she no longer wields them for original intended purpose, a dark magical girl’s tools have not deserted her. Indeed, she often comes to cherish and value her device and armor as the only companions upon whom she can completely rely. This functions identically to the magical girl class feature of the same name, and magical girl and dark magical girl levels stack to determine how many costume points she may allocate to her costume. To determine the maximum point value for her costume’s features, add together the maximum values granted by her two instances of this class feature. (For example, a Magical Girl 7/Dark Magical Girl 3 would have 5 costume points, and maximum point value of +3).

When everyone else has forsaken you, you can always count on your murderstick. It never really liked them anyway. A magical girl's device is one of the few powers she keeps when she falls from innocence, and a dark magical girl continues it along its progression at pretty much the same rate it would have gone.

Memories of Light (Su): When a dark magical girl's emotions are at their peak, her soul raw and bare before her, some faint echo of what she once was resounds within her. When she flies into a rage of tears, a dark magical girl gains a number of motes equal to [her class level + her magical girl class level]. Further, she gains an additional mote each turn she sustains her rage. At fifth level, she gains one additional mote per turn.

These motes may be spent on either strike or blast illuminations - a dark magical girl chooses which type of illumination she will specalize in when she gains this class feature, and the choice can not be changed. When using these illuminations, she possesses an evoker level of [her class level + her magical girl class level]. She does not need to prepare illuminations, and is considered a magical girl of her evoker level for the purpose of determining the highest level of illumination she may access.

Bleak Revelation (Ex): A dark magical girl’s heart is a raw and battered thing – once broken, it now wallows in a torrent of awful realizations. At each even-numbered level, she gains further insight into the depravities of the world she once thought pure. When she enters her Rage of Tears, the dark magical girl can choose to channel any of the revelations she has learned as a part of that rage, though only one revelation may be channeled at a time. Switching to channel a different revelation is a swift action.


Denial

At second level, the dark magical girl learns of the deceit and willful blindness of a world that sees her pain and does nothing to ease it. When channeling the revelation of denial, the dark magical girl may make take a 5-foot-step as an immediate action when an enemy she threatens takes a 5-foot-step, so long as the movement would allow her to threaten the target again. Additionally, her melee attacks may ignore an amount of DR up to her Cha modifier. Ending her rage of tears while channeling the revelation of denial allows a dark magical girl to pound her broken spirit into the ground itself; a number of spaces within 40 feet up to twice her (raging) Cha modifier become difficult terrain until the end of the encounter, and enemies that move through such spaces take damage equal to twice the number of motes the dark magical girl had when she ended her rage. She and her allies may move through these spaces as if they were normal terrain.

Anger

At fourth level, the dark magical girl learns that love is fragile, but hate has power all its own – if the world has no justice, she will make her own bloody vengeance. When channeling the revelation of anger, any enemy that damages the dark magical girl in melee takes damage equal to her Cha modifier. Ending her rage of tears while channeling anger allows the dark magical girl to make a single melee attack at her highest bonus; if the attack is successful, it is automatically a critical hit, and the critical multiplier increases by one for every five motes the dark magical girl had when she ended her rage. If the attack misses, it deals damage as if it had been a normal hit.

Bargaining

At sixth level, the dark magical girl comes to realize that for all the talk of nobility and sacrifice on the wind, the world is driven by fear – people will pay any price, and worship any heroic dupe, for just a little more life. While channeling the revelation of bargaining, any creature hit by one of the dark magical girl’s attacks takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls and AC for one full round. This penalty is cumulative if she makes multiple attacks against the same target. Ending her rage of tears while channeling bargaining forces all enemies within 30 feet to make fortitude save with a DC of [10 + the dark magical girl’s class level + her (improved) Cha modifier]; creatures that fail the save are treated as shaken until the end of the encounter, but the penalties inflicted by that condition are increased by one for every four motes the dark magical girl had when she ended her rage.

Despair

At eighth level, a dark magical girl finally succumbs to the terrible truth that everything she went through was ultimately pointless – she could have fought on to her very last breath for the light, and it wouldn’t have mattered one bit in the end. While channeling the revelation of despair, the dark magical girl gains a bonus to attack and damage rolls whenever she is not a full health. This bonus is initially +1, and increases by an additional +1 for every ten points by which her current health is lower than her maximum health. Ending her rage of tears while channeling despair deals damage equal to [the dark magical girl’s maximum hit points - her current hit points + four times the number of motes she had when she ended her rage] to each enemy within 30 feet, allowing a fortitude save with a DC of [10 + the dark magical girl’s class level + her (improved) Cha modifier] for half damage.

Acceptance

At tenth level, a dark magical girl takes the final and most difficult step in her journey: learning to accept what she has learned, and to find her place in a world much darker than she had ever imagined. She has tempered her sorrow to a peerless edge, and can wield it as deftly as any master with their weapon. One per encounter, as a standard action, the dark magical girl can generate an effect as if she had ended her rage of tears without actually doing so.

The Rage of Tears is the crux of this class, but the Bleak Revelations are what makes it shiny and interesting. I'd like to think that all four of the channelable revelations would see use, and they all have their own moments to shine. The 'nukes' you can blast each one into are quite potent, at the expense of essentially swallowing a Crushing Despair spell effect.

The capstone is quite flashy, allowing freer use of the class's strongest options. I'm not quite sure if this is overpowered or not, and input on it in particular is welcome.

Numbed Body (Ex): At third level, a dark magical girl has learned to block out physical pain as so much noise. All the cuts and bruises in the world can’t compare to the pain she feels inside. Once per encounter she may gain DR/- equal to her Cha modifier for one round, which stacks with any other DR she may possess. She gains an additional use of this ability per encounter at fifth level, and every odd-numbered level thereafter. Expending a use of Numbed Body (on this or any other ability) is an immediate action.

Ravaged Mind (Ex): At fifth level, the dark magical girl’s mind has become a broken thing, but the lessons etched into it are not soon forgotten. By expending a use of Numbed Body, she may treat a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check she has just made as if the result had been a 10.

Deadened Heart (Ex): At seventh level, the dark magical girl feels almost nothing past the pall of her sadness – worldly afflictions mean little to her. By expending a use of Numbed Body, she may purge a single poison or disease (even a magical one) from her system, completely removing its effects. Alternately, she may remove any one of the following conditions if they are afflicting her: Blinded, Dazed, Deafened, Exhausted, Fatigued, Nauseated, or Sickened.

Lost Spirit (Ex): At ninth level, a dark magical girl’s grief has etched itself so strongly into her that it seems capable at times of overwriting death itself. When the dark magical girl would be slain by a death effect, she may expend two uses of her Numbed Body to instead be reduced to -9 hit points and instantly stabilized.

This quartet of abilities may not be as spectacular, but they grant some stability and utility to the class. Their uses each day are quite limited, but they are more a perk than the star of the show. I doubt they will go unused, to be certain.

Selinia
2011-10-24, 12:24 AM
I mades you a feat. I hope you bes happy.

Illuminating Song
The flow of sound through your heart mimics the flow of light through your soul.
Prerequisites: Inspire Competence, Costume class feature.
Benefits: Your levels in Magical Girl and Bard stack when determining the number of Motes you may use per encounter and the bonus derived from your Inspire Courage.

In addition, as long as you are under the effects of your own Bardic Music, you may choose to deal Sonic damage instead of the normal untyped damage with your Illuminations.

I do be happy! This has been added to the feat list. Bard is a natural compliment to the magical girl both mechanically and thematically, and a this feat allows the blending of two great tastes that taste great together. I can see either class taking the other as a dip with this - a bard going magical girl for the more support-styled Illuminations and the Costume, or the magical girl going bard for a buff that doesn't drain her precious motes.

Compliments, and this has been added to the feat list. Also...

Update day!

The Dark Magical Girl is finally up! Critique and advice are welcome as always.

Currently Working On:

The Costumed Crusader PrC. A smaller project than the DMG, and one that hopefully shouldn't take overlong. Also, Amechra has inspired to likely devise a few more multiclass feats for compatible classes. Paladin and Marshal stand out from the crowd as appropriate, as well as possibly Sorcerer.

DualShadow
2011-10-24, 02:04 PM
I was wondering if you have though about having Bhu (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165573) designer of the Cat Burglar class have a go at making a Magical Girl/Cat Burglar PrC?

Amechra
2011-10-24, 07:05 PM
Unlimited Joy
Watashi wa chō shiawasedesu!
Prerequisites: The ability to Rage, Costume +1
Benefit: Your levels in Barbarian and Magical Girl stack for the purpose of determining the daily uses of your Barbarian Rage and the bonus for your Costume class feature.

In addition, you may enter into a state of supreme joy and love for the world; by expending a daily use of Rage, you may enter into Bliss. While you are under the effects of Bliss, you gain a +4 bonus to Charisma and Wisdom and DR 2/-. You may stay in your state of
Bliss for a number of rounds equal to 3+your Charisma modifier; when your Bliss ends, you regain half the number of Motes you have spent so far this encounter, and you are Fatigued one round later.

Heart's Blade
Everyone has a blade in their heart!
Prerequisites: Psychic Strike +1d8, Costume +1
Benefit: Your Soulknife and Magical Girl levels stack for the purpose of determining your Costume Bonus and your Psychic Strike damage.

In addition, you may designate your Device as your Mind Blade; if you do so, it gains the benefit of any feats that improve either your Device or your Mind Blade.

Cerulean Illumination
For a moment there, your eyes offer a glimpse to a soul swathed in the souls of others, others who have gone before.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Must have an Essentia pool.
Benefit: You gain the ability to invest Essentia into your Illuminations. If you do so, you gain a bonus to the damage dealt by that Illumination equal to twice the essentia invested into that Illumination.

In addition, you may now power essentia receptacles with your Motes; if you do so, your investiture limit is equal to your Costume bonus, and you must pay the amount "invested" in motes each round, or else no longer be able to use that essentia receptacle for the rest of the encounter.

Whose Soul is a Shelter for All
There are many roles you will be called upon to play; one of them is... shepherd.
Prerequisites: Power of Friendship, Ability to bind 2nd level Vestiges
Benefit: Your Binder and Magical Girl class levels stack to determine your Effective Binder Level and the number of Motes you gain at the beginning of each encounter.

However, you lose the ability to use Illuminations and the 1/5 rounds abilities that Vestiges grant. Instead, you may use the 1/5 rounds abilities of any vestige you bind at will, as long as you are able to pay the Mote cost, as listed on the table below.

{table=head]Vestige Level|Mote Cost
1-2|1
3-4|3
5-6|4
7|5
8|7[/table]

Draken
2011-10-24, 09:11 PM
Despair

At eighth level, a dark magical girl finally succumbs to the terrible truth that everything she went through was ultimately pointless – she could have fought on to her very last breath for the light, and it wouldn’t have mattered one bit in the end. While channeling the revelation of despair, the dark magical girl gains a bonus to attack and damage rolls whenever she is not a full health. This bonus is initially +1, and increases by an additional +1 for every ten points by which her current health is lower than her maximum health. Ending her rage of tears while channeling despair deals damage equal to [the dark magical girl’s maximum hit points - her current hit points], allowing a fortitude save with a DC of [10 + the dark magical girl’s class level + her (improved) Cha modifier]for half damage.


To who?

I could go into msn to ask this, but it is faster this way. That part of bleak revelation is missing its target(s), as is it might very well be dealing the damage to yourself.

Prime32
2011-10-24, 09:48 PM
Magical Apprentice
Prerequisites: Costume +1, ability to prepare and cast 2nd-level arcane spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and wizard levels stack for determining your costume bonus and arcane caster level. When preparing spells you can choose to convert one or more Illumination slots into wizard spell slots of the same level or vice versa; this modification lasts until you prepare spells again.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal and Familiar class features you can designate your mentor animal as your familiar; in this case your wizard and magical girl levels stack for determining its Bardic Knowledge modifier.

Magical Thief
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Trap sense +1, Trapfinding
Benefit: Your magical girl and rogue levels stack for determining your costume bonus and trap sense bonus. Add Hide, Move Silently and Search to your magical girl class skills.

*insert magical girl/ninja feat here*

Sacred Champion
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells and ready 2 illuminations per encounter, Turn Undead
Benefit: Your cleric and magical girl levels stack to determine your effective cleric level when turning undead and your number of motes per encounter. Paladins count as clerics of their class level -3.

?
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Eldritch Blast 2d6
Benefit: Your magical girl and warlock levels stack for determining your costume bonus and damage reduction. Your Blast illuminations deal additional damage equal to your eldritch blast damage. Your Merciful class feature applies to your invocations.

Amechra
2011-10-24, 10:06 PM
Opinions on my feats? Do they seem balanced?

Selinia
2011-10-25, 02:31 AM
Unlimited Joy
Watashi wa chō shiawasedesu!
Prerequisites: The ability to Rage, Costume +1
Benefit: Your levels in Barbarian and Magical Girl stack for the purpose of determining the daily uses of your Barbarian Rage and the bonus for your Costume class feature.

In addition, you may enter into a state of supreme joy and love for the world; by expending a daily use of Rage, you may enter into Bliss. While you are under the effects of Bliss, you gain a +4 bonus to Charisma and Wisdom and DR 2/-. You may stay in your state of
Bliss for a number of rounds equal to 3+your Charisma modifier; when your Bliss ends, you regain half the number of Motes you have spent so far this encounter, and you are Fatigued one round later.

Heart's Blade
Everyone has a blade in their heart!
Prerequisites: Psychic Strike +1d8, Costume +1
Benefit: Your Soulknife and Magical Girl levels stack for the purpose of determining your Costume Bonus and your Psychic Strike damage.

In addition, you may designate your Device as your Mind Blade; if you do so, it gains the benefit of any feats that improve either your Device or your Mind Blade.

Cerulean Illumination
For a moment there, your eyes offer a glimpse to a soul swathed in the souls of others, others who have gone before.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Must have an Essentia pool.
Benefit: You gain the ability to invest Essentia into your Illuminations. If you do so, you gain a bonus to the damage dealt by that Illumination equal to twice the essentia invested into that Illumination.

In addition, you may now power essentia receptacles with your Motes; if you do so, your investiture limit is equal to your Costume bonus, and you must pay the amount "invested" in motes each round, or else no longer be able to use that essentia receptacle for the rest of the encounter.

Whose Soul is a Shelter for All
There are many roles you will be called upon to play; one of them is... shepherd.
Prerequisites: Power of Friendship, Ability to bind 2nd level Vestiges
Benefit: Your Binder and Magical Girl class levels stack to determine your Effective Binder Level and the number of Motes you gain at the beginning of each encounter.

However, you lose the ability to use Illuminations and the 1/5 rounds abilities that Vestiges grant. Instead, you may use the 1/5 rounds abilities of any vestige you bind at will, as long as you are able to pay the Mote cost, as listed on the table below.

{table=head]Vestige Level|Mote Cost
1-2|1
3-4|3
5-6|4
7|5
8|7[/table]

Well, these are nice, to say the least! I particularly like Cerulean Illumination and Unlimited Joy. Which isn't to say I don't like the other two (I do), merely that binders and soulknives are classes I have had little experience with.

Still, these open up a lot of interesting build options, and I can't see anything wrong with them balance-wise (prior disclaimer in effect here). So into the feat list they go!


To who?

I could go into msn to ask this, but it is faster this way. That part of bleak revelation is missing its target(s), as is it might very well be dealing the damage to yourself.

Doh. It is supposed to specify to every enemy within 30 feet. Silly mistake on my part, ought ot be fixes now.


I was wondering if you have though about having Bhu (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165573) designer of the Cat Burglar class have a go at making a Magical Girl/Cat Burglar PrC?

That is something I had not thought. But it is something I now have thought, and I think such an idea may well be a good one. I'll look into it.


Magical Apprentice
Prerequisites: Costume +1, ability to prepare and cast 2nd-level arcane spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and wizard levels stack for determining your costume bonus and arcane caster level. When preparing spells you can choose to convert one or more Illumination slots into wizard spell slots of the same level or vice versa; this modification lasts until you prepare spells again.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal and Familiar class features you can designate your mentor animal as your familiar; in this case your wizard and magical girl levels stack for determining its Bardic Knowledge modifier.

Magical Thief
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Trap sense +1, Trapfinding
Benefit: Your magical girl and rogue levels stack for determining your costume bonus and trap sense bonus. Add Hide, Move Silently and Search to your magical girl class skills.

*insert magical girl/ninja feat here*

Sacred Champion
Prerequisites: Ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells and ready 2 illuminations per encounter, Turn Undead
Benefit: Your cleric and magical girl levels stack to determine your effective cleric level when turning undead and your number of motes per encounter. Paladins count as clerics of their class level -3.

?
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Eldritch Blast 2d6
Benefit: Your magical girl and warlock levels stack for determining your costume bonus and damage reduction. Your Blast illuminations deal additional damage equal to your eldritch blast damage. Your Merciful class feature applies to your invocations.

Lovely feats! A questions though (this also applies to Cerulean Illuminations up above, to an extent) -

Is the MG/Warlock feat intended to allow the non-damaging blast illuminations to deal damage? Given that most of those are swift actions, and are cheaper than the damaging blasts, this feat could be a little overpowered. I'm going to put it in the list clarifying that such an action does not work, but clarify me if I'm wrong.

Where flavor text or names were missing, I filled in my own. Feel free to overrule them on your feats though, if you have something you'd prefer.

I've also tossed in a pair of my own multiclass feats, but tonight is not a huge update night (from me, anyway - thanks to all you who are contributing!). The Costumed Crusader ought to be up tomorrow night though.

Prime32
2011-10-25, 12:45 PM
Is the MG/Warlock feat intended to allow the non-damaging blast illuminations to deal damage? Given that most of those are swift actions, and are cheaper than the damaging blasts, this feat could be a little overpowered. I'm going to put it in the list clarifying that such an action does not work, but clarify me if I'm wrong.Right.

Looking at Costume Elements, Heavy seems a little underwhelming while Thematic could do with something that lets you use your element offensively, even if it's minor.

Life Unbound
Tapping into your magical girl powers relieves you from your body's normal limitations.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Oracle's Curse (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle) class feature, ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and oracle levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with oracle spells and the effects of your oracle's curse. You do not suffer the negative effects of your Oracle's Curse while in costume.

Shazam!
You and your alter ego are different ages, or even different species.
Prerequisites: Costume +1
Benefit: While in costume, your size increases by one category (if you are Small or smaller) or reduces by one category (if you are Medium or larger). This otherwise functions as enlarge person or reduce person respectively. You cannot don your costume without changing size or vice versa, though if you have multiple costumes you choose which receive this benefit (minimum one).

DracoDei
2011-10-26, 03:17 PM
Ah, that slipped past me. May not be able to close all the loopholes. In this case, it should be simple enough to clarify that the dice are not rolled, and do not trigger any effect that would trigger upon rolling maximum damage on a dice. It may not be possible to close all the loopholes, but there's no sense in letting them go once they've been spotted. Thanks for pointing that out.
That works. Some loopholes though... I THINK just take too many words, and make stuff too confusing to close (can't think of a specific one of hand). Good that this doesn't seem to be one of them.

Ah, that is interesting. I did quite a bit of searching through the boards for a magical girl class, and came up with nothing, but I hadn't thought to look at senshi. While the mahou shojo in that thread is woefully unfinished, the senshi itself actually seems like it could have some interesting synergy with my version of the magical girl. Again, thanks for showing me this.
You are quite welcome.

I was wondering if you have though about having Bhu (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165573) designer of the Cat Burglar class have a go at making a Magical Girl/Cat Burglar PrC?
Cat Burglar goes with everything... eeeevvveerrrrythiiiinggg....
admittedly some combinations make slightly more sense than others, but Bhu hath spoken and so shall it be.

Unlimited Joy
Watashi wa chō shiawasedesu!
Prerequisites: The ability to Rage, Costume +1
Benefit: Your levels in Barbarian and Magical Girl stack for the purpose of determining the daily uses of your Barbarian Rage and the bonus for your Costume class feature.

In addition, you may enter into a state of supreme joy and love for the world; by expending a daily use of Rage, you may enter into Bliss. While you are under the effects of Bliss, you gain a +4 bonus to Charisma and Wisdom and DR 2/-. You may stay in your state of
Bliss for a number of rounds equal to 3+your Charisma modifier; when your Bliss ends, you regain half the number of Motes you have spent so far this encounter, and you are Fatigued one round later.
As written this requires a standard action (since you didn't specify an action). OF course, it IS a very powerful ability especially with that end ability (although most battles won't last that long).




Whose Soul is a Shelter for All
There are many roles you will be called upon to play; one of them is... shepherd.
Prerequisites: Power of Friendship, Ability to bind 2nd level Vestiges
Benefit: Your Binder and Magical Girl class levels stack to determine your Effective Binder Level and the number of Motes you gain at the beginning of each encounter.

However, you lose the ability to use Illuminations and the 1/5 rounds abilities that Vestiges grant. Instead, you may use the 1/5 rounds abilities of any vestige you bind at will, as long as you are able to pay the Mote cost, as listed on the table below.

{table=head]Vestige Level|Mote Cost
1-2|1
3-4|3
5-6|4
7|5
8|7[/table]
Losing all Illuminations seems a bit steep...

Amechra
2011-10-26, 03:34 PM
Whose Soul is Shelter for All is made for a Binder who wants to dip Magical Girl...

I might revise it, though; however, Zceryll's summons, among other things...

DracoDei
2011-10-26, 03:58 PM
Maybe make it "The highest level of illuminations you would otherwise have access to", instead of "all illuminations"?

LoneMage210
2011-10-26, 10:37 PM
Hmm, an interesting Base Class to use for interesting games, although the whole "Loss of Innocence" sounds a bit dangerious depending on the game itself...

I've been doing some research on Pathfinder classes so here's some concepts to think of while I think of some corny names for them later.

???
???
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Arcane Pool (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) class feature, ability to cast 2nd-level Arcane spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and Magus levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with Magus spells, Arcane Pool and Magus Arcana.
Special: [Notes on Mentor Animal, Device and the Bladebound Archtype]

???
???
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Deeds and Grit (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger) class features
Benefit: Your magical girl and Gunslinger levels stack for determining your costume bonus, and avalible Deeds.

Selinia
2011-10-27, 02:09 AM
The Costumed Crusader

"It isn't ridiculous! In fact, there's still some room left for more ribbons, I think..."
-Usagi, a Costumed Crusader

Nearly every magical girl has a certain attachment to her costume. The elaborate (often impractically so by conventional logic) outfits are a calling card, a symbol. The costume of a well-known magical girl might become shorthand for fighting the good fight across the land.

Sometimes though, a magical girl finds a closer affinity to her armor and device than to the focused disciplines of Illuminations. These are the costumed crusaders - cheerfully resorting to an entire arsenal of bigger sticks rather than worry about finesse on the battlefield.

Requirements
To become a costumed crusader, you must fulfill the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feat: Stylish
Special: Must have the Costume class feature, and must be able to allocate two points to a single costume effect.

Again, simple requirements - only Stylish is something you have to make an effort to get, and even that is minimal. This is a fairly small prestige class, and the requirements for getting in are likewise fairly easy to meet.

Class Skill List: Concentration (Int), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Only changes from the magical girl list are armor and weaponsmithing being added. They probably won't see much use, but it at least shows that a costumed crusader has a degree of expertise with equipment. Draw up enough imaginary suits of armor, and you might pick up a few actual worthwhile insights along the way into real ones.

Costumed Crusader

Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special | Illuminations / Evoker Level

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Costume, Bonus Costume Point, Expanded Wardrobe, Magical Makeover, Unfocused Illuminations | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Favorite Flavor (One effect), Costume (+1), Quick Transformation (Standard Action) |
---

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Favorite Flavor (Two effects), Bonus Costume Point, Costume Damage | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Favorite Flavor (Three effects), Costume (+2), Quick Transformation (Move Action) |
---

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Bonus Costume Point, Ribbons of Light, Expanded Wardrobe | +1 level of existing illumination-using class
[/table]

Blah, blah. The chassis is identical to the magical girl.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A costumed crusader gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

As with most magical girl PrCs, why would they even want this? Their costume is better than almost any equipment they might otherwise wield.

Costume (Su): This functions identically to the magical girl class feature of the same name, and magical girl and costumed crusader levels stack to determine how many costume points she may allocate to her costume. To determine the maximum point value for her costume’s features, add together the maximum values granted by all her instances of this class feature.

Bonus Costume Point: At first, third, and fifth levels, the costumed crusader gains an additional costume point, which may be allocated normally.

Its worth discussing these two as a unit, since they are. The long and short of it is that, simply enough, a costumed crusader averages a costume point per level, rather than a costume point every other level. Not an insignificant boost. They also can get Costume +3 a little earlier than a pure magical girl.

Expanded Wardrobe (Su): You may attune to a second costume, independent of the first. Each of these costumes has its own pool of costume points, and you can freely re-arrange both whenever you could re-arrange one. Whenever you change into your costume, you may choose between the two.

Despite the fact that it is not dismissed along with the rest of your costume, your device may still have different costume point allocation for your two costumes. If you are not currently wearing either costume, it uses the point allocation of the costume you wore last. At fifth level, the costumed crusader gains an additional costume.

This ability stacks with the feat of the same name.

Another early-get ability - the CC gets this sooner than a MG would be able to afford the feat (and can afford the feat sooner as well, if you feel like it). This plays a big part in making up for the versatility that a magical loses by not getting her higher level illuminations.

Magical Makeover (Su): A costumed crusader isn’t content to just fine-tune her outfit – she has to look perfect wearing it as well! Whenever the costumed crusader dons her costume, she may radically change her own appearance along with it – anything from a simple shift in hair color to looking like a totally different person. This functions identically to the spell Disguise Person, and the +10 bonus from that spell may be applied to the disguise check made to conceal the costumed crusader’s identity from viewers.

The exact nature of any cosmetic changes must be decided ahead of time, but may be chosen independently for each costume the costumed crusader possesses.

Be whoever you want to be! This is mostly fluffy in nature, but it is obviously a big boon for any magical girl working to keep her identity a secret.

Illuminations: At 1st, 3rd, and 5th levels, the costumed crusader gains an increase in all aspects of her illuminations class feature, as if she had gained a level in magical girl. At 2nd and 4th levels, she gains a +1 bonus to her evoker level and increases the size of her mote pool by one.

You get more motes, and your save DCs and such go up, but you lose out on higher-level illuminations and can prepare fewer at a time. Simple enough - it hurts given how potent some of the high-level illuminations are, but its the trade-off for the rest of the stuff you get in this PrC.

Sometimes, simple and clean is best! Rock it like a spellcaster, girls, because as of the Power of Teamwork update, magical girl PrCs advance illuminations via a method with which I'm sure we are all quite familiar.

Favorite Flavor (Ex): The costumed crusader starts to refine her ability to design her favorite costumes beyond anything an ordinary magical girl could achieve. At second level, and again at third and fourth levels, she selects a single costume element as a favorite. When allocating costume points, a favored costume element has a capacity one higher than the costumed crusader could normally allocate. The Enhance costume effect is too widespread and generic to add that signature flair to, and may not be selected as favored.

Even when they have a bunch of different costumes, a magical girl's outfits tend to share a few key traits in common. This is pretty flexible, and conveniently gives you three extra slots to put your three extra costume points in, so you don't have to go buying half of all the costume abilities available before you run out.

Quick Transformation (Su): At second level, a costumed crusader has mastered changing into and out of her various costumes, and can do so in what seems like the blink of an eye. Summoning or dismissing her costume is now a standard action, rather than a full-round action. Additionally, she may summon an alternate costume while she is already wearing one, allowing her to replace her costume without first dismissing it. At fourth level, she may summon or dismiss her costume as a move action.

Nobody interrupts a magical girl. That would be rude. Also, it's hard to interrupt a transformation sequence when they fast-forward through it in ~3 seconds. This makes 'combat-swapping' an actual viable tactic, even if the decision is still a tricky one.

Costume Damage (Ex): An ordinary magical girl’s costume is almost always spotless, but the costumed crusader realizes that a little wear and tear here and there never hurt anybody. Whenever she suffers damage from an attack and is not flat-footed, she can use her costume’s structure to dampen the blow. By reducing the number of points allocated in a single costume effect by one, the costumed crusader may decrease the damage total by seven. However, costume effects damaged in this way remain so until the costumed crusader has an opportunity to re-allocate the points in her costume (at which time all damages are repaired fully).

If you change into a different costume while your current costume is missing points, the new costume immediately loses points to match it (though you may still choose which abilities pay the cost).

Oftentimes an attack that looks like it ought to be lethal only ends up tearing holes in/scuffing up/burning away bits of a magical girl's costume. This is best as an emergency lifesaver, but it can be useful in a lot of situations if you're willing to give up some of your edge to keep your health up.

Ribbons of Light (Su): At fifth level, the costumed crusader learns how to spin material out of nothing but light itself, literally armoring herself in the purity of her own soul. Once per day, as a full-round action, the costumed crusader can generate a number of additional costume points equal to her Charisma modifier, allocating them to each of her available costumes immediately. These additional costume points last until the end of the encounter.

And last but not least, in-combat costuming reaches its pinnacle. Given that a CC is going to be using lower-level 9and therefore lower-cost) illuminations than she normally would be at her magical girl level, she's bound to have a few spare motes on hand. In particular,this can be very useful if you need a particular Thematic or Avenging costume element.

Selinia
2011-10-27, 02:27 AM
Sorry this is late! Again. I think I should stop saying 'tomorrow', because something always comes up to obstruct it. Ah well, the costumed crusader is up! More costume elements (and a couple revamps of existing ones, like heavy) will be coming out soon to compliment it.

In other news:


Right.

Looking at Costume Elements, Heavy seems a little underwhelming while Thematic could do with something that lets you use your element offensively, even if it's minor.

Life Unbound
Tapping into your magical girl powers relieves you from your body's normal limitations.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Oracle's Curse (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle) class feature, ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and oracle levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with oracle spells and the effects of your oracle's curse. You do not suffer the negative effects of your Oracle's Curse while in costume.

Shazam!
You and your alter ego are different ages, or even different species.
Prerequisites: Costume +1
Benefit: While in costume, your size increases by one category (if you are Small or smaller) or reduces by one category (if you are Medium or larger). This otherwise functions as enlarge person or reduce person respectively. You cannot don your costume without changing size or vice versa, though if you have multiple costumes you choose which receive this benefit (minimum one).

Yay pathfinder classes! Oracle seems like an oddly good fit - the sick seer girl who can suddenly run and jump and play thanks to her power is such a sweet concept.

Shazam is nice too, but it reminds me of the fact that I currently have no clue what the mechanical effect of playing as a kid would be. Would a young human (or elf or dwarf or half-orc or etc) just be 'human + small size'? Are there rules for that sort of thing?



Cat Burglar goes with everything... eeeevvveerrrrythiiiinggg....
admittedly some combinations make slightly more sense than others, but Bhu hath spoken and so shall it be.

Was going to PM-send tonight to see about that topic, but then, 3AM. Not sleeping is fun.


As written this requires a standard action (since you didn't specify an action). OF course, it IS a very powerful ability especially with that end ability (although most battles won't last that long).

Actually, the thing that kind of appealed to me about it was the fact that the feat is arguably better with a low Cha score. Ordinary magical girls would suffer hugely from a Cha score low enough to regularly trigger the end ability, but a barbarian/MG might well have a much lower Cha than someone coming in from a class like oracle or bard.


Losing all Illuminations seems a bit steep...

Whose Soul is Shelter for All is made for a Binder who wants to dip Magical Girl...

I might revise it, though; however, Zceryll's summons, among other things...

As I said before, I know little enough about Binders (let alone supplements for them) to be unqualified in balancing them. However, let me know if you find a good tweak to the feat, and I'll change it. My two cents though is that losing all illuminations should probably be avoided, if possible. That's taking away so much of the MG side of things that you're almost just playing a binder with an alternate resource system.

Prime32
2011-10-27, 08:42 AM
Shazam is nice too, but it reminds me of the fact that I currently have no clue what the mechanical effect of playing as a kid would be. Would a young human (or elf or dwarf or half-orc or etc) just be 'human + small size'? Are there rules for that sort of thing?
For human children I generally use halflings (strongheart halflings are closer still). PF even has a feat for this (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/childlike). It also has the Young (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-template-young-cr-1) template, but it's not really intended for PCs.


Hmm, an interesting Base Class to use for interesting games, although the whole "Loss of Innocence" sounds a bit dangerious depending on the game itself...

I've been doing some research on Pathfinder classes so here's some concepts to think of while I think of some corny names for them later.

???
???
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Arcane Pool (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) class feature, ability to cast 2nd-level Arcane spells
Benefit: Your magical girl and Magus levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with Magus spells, Arcane Pool and Magus Arcana.
Special: [Notes on Mentor Animal, Device and the Bladebound Archtype]

???
???
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Deeds and Grit (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger) class features
Benefit: Your magical girl and Gunslinger levels stack for determining your costume bonus, and avalible Deeds.These are kind of excessive. You're not just increasing numbers, you're practically turning your Magical Girl levels into gestalt Magical Girl//X levels (particularly for the gunslinger, who qualifies with a 1-level dip at that). Conversely, you get practically nothing for levelling up in your second class.

Let me give it a try:

Busou Shoujo
You have turned your magical talents towards fighting with weapons.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, and Magus Arcana (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) or Black Blade (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo---magus-archetypes/bladebound)
Benefit: Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with Magus spells and Arcane Pool.
Special: If you have the Device and Black Blade class features, you may choose to designate your Device as your Black Blade, even if it is not a weapon of the correct type.
Special: If you have the Mentor and Black Blade class features, they are combined into a single entity with the higher mental stats of the two, which can switch between its forms as a standard action. Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining its Bardic Knowledge modifier.

Gunslinger Girl
SHOOOOOOOOT!!
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Gun Training (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger)
Benefit: Your Magical Girl and Gunslinger levels stack for determining your costume bonus and the effects of your Nimble and Gun Training class features. Your magical girl levels also count as gunslinger levels for the purposes of prerequisites.

EDIT:

Magical Idol
You live for the stage, and your powers earned you your first big break.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Famous (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/celebrity), Inspire Competence
Benefit: While in costume your Magical Girl and Bard levels stack to determine your costume bonus and the effects of your Famous and Gather Crowd class features.

Draken
2011-10-27, 09:10 AM
The Costumed Crusader

http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j326/Selinia-the-Mad/3f7c7a4df8f2492dfbfb63f18431d6b4648dba65-1-1.jpg

"It isn't ridiculous! In fact, there's still some room left for more ribbons, I think..."
-Usagi, a Costumed Crusader

Nearly every magical girl has a certain attachment to her costume. The elaborate (often impractically so by conventional logic) outfits are a calling card, a symbol. The costume of a well-known magical girl might become shorthand for fighting the good fight across the land.

Sometimes though, a magical girl finds a claser affinity to her armor and device than to the focused disciplines of Illuminations. These are the costumed crusaders - cheerfully resorting to an entire arsenal of bigger sticks rather than worry about finesse on the battlefield.

Requirements
To become a costumed crusader, you must fulfill the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Feat: Stylish
Special: Must have the Costume class feature, and must be able to allocate two points to a single costume effect.

Again, simple requirements - only Stylish is something you have to make an effort to get, and even that is minimal. This is a fairly small prestige class, and the requirements for getting in are likewise fairly easy to meet.

Class Skill List: Concentration (Int), Craft [Armorsmithing] (Int), Craft [Weaponsmithing] (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Only changes from the magical girl list are armor and weaponsmithing being added. They probably won't see much use, but it at least shows that a costumed crusader has a degree of expertise with equipment. Draw up enough imaginary suits of armor, and you might pick up a few actual worthwhile insights along the way into real ones.

Costumed Crusader

Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Costume, Bonus Costume Point, Expanded Wardrobe, Magical Makeover, Unfocused Illuminations

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Favorite Flavor (One effect), Costume (+1), Quick Transformation (Standard Action)

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Favorite Flavor (Two effects), Bonus Costume Point, Costume Damage

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Favorite Flavor (Three effects), Costume (+2), Quick Transformation (Move Action)

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Bonus Costume Point, Ribbons of Light
[/table]

Blah, blah. The chassis is identical to the magical girl.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A costumed crusader gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

As with most magical girl PrCs, why would they even want this? Their costume is better than almost any equipment they might otherwise wield.

Costume (Su): This functions identically to the magical girl class feature of the same name, and magical girl and costumed crusader levels stack to determine how many costume points she may allocate to her costume. To determine the maximum point value for her costume’s features, add together the maximum values granted by all her instances of this class feature.

Bonus Costume Point: At first, third, and fifth levels, the costumed crusader gains an additional costume point, which may be allocated normally.

Its worth discussing these two as a unit, since they are. The long and short of it is that, simply enough, a costumed crusader averages a costume point per level, rather than a costume point every other level. Not an insignificant boost. They also can get Costume +3 a little earlier than a pure magical girl.

Expanded Wardrobe (Su): You may attune to a second costume, independent of the first. Each of these costumes has its own pool of costume points, and you can freely re-arrange both whenever you could re-arrange one. Whenever you change into your costume, you may choose between the two.

Despite the fact that it is not dismissed along with the rest of your costume, your device may still have different costume point allocation for your two costumes. If you are not currently wearing either costume, it uses the point allocation of the costume you wore last. This ability stacks with the feat of the same name. If the costumed crusader has both, she may attune herself to three costumes rather than two.

Another early-get ability - the CC gets this sooner than a MG would be able to afford the feat (and can afford the feat sooner as well, if you feel like it). This plays a big part in making up for the versitility that a magical lose sby not getting her higher level illuminations.

Magical Makeover (Su): A costumed crusader isn’t content to just fine-tune her outfit – she has to look perfect wearing it as well! Whenever the costumed crusader dons her costume, she may radically change her own appearance along with it – anything from a simple shift in hair color to looking like a totally different person. This functions identically to the spell Disguise Person, and the +10 bonus from that spell may be applied to the disguise check made to conceal the costumed crusader’s identity from viewers.

The exact nature of any cosmetic changes must be decided ahead of time, but may be chosen independently for each costume the costumed crusader possesses.

Be whoever you want to be! This is mostly fluffy in nature, but it is obviously a big boon for any magical girl working to keep her identity a secret.

Unfocused Illuminations: While she may be less inclined to focus it directly than the average magical girl, the costumed crusader’s soul is no less radiant for it. Her levels in costumed crusader and magical girl stack to determine how many motes she begins an encounter with and her evoker level for illuminations.

You get more motes, and your save DCs and such go up, but you lose out on higher-level illuminations and can prepare fewer at a time. Simple enough - it hurts given how potent some of the high-level illuminations are, but its the trade-off for the rest of the stuff you get in this PrC.

Favorite Flavor (Ex): The costumed crusader starts to refine her ability to design her favorite costumes beyond anything an ordinary magical girl could achieve. At second level, and again at third and fourth levels, she selects a single costume element as a favorite. When allocating costume points, a favored costume element has a capacity one higher than the costumed crusader could normally allocate. The Enhance costume effect is too widespread and generic to add that signature flair to, and may not be selected as favored.

Even when they have a bunch of different costumes, a magical girl's outfits tend to share a few key traits in common. This is pretty flexible, and conveniently gives you three extra slots to put your three extra costume points in, so you don't have to go buying half of all the costume abilities available before you run out.

Quick Transformation (Su): At second level, a costumed crusader has mastered changing into and out of her various costumes, and can do so in what seems like the blink of an eye. Summoning or dismissing her costume is now a standard action, rather than a full-round action. Additionally, she may summon an alternate costume while she is already wearing one, allowing her to replace her costume without first dismissing it. At fourth level, she may summon or dismiss her costume as a move action.

Nobody interrupts a magical girl. That would be rude. Also, it's hard to interrupt a transformation sequence when they fast-forward through it in ~3 seconds. This makes 'combat-swapping' an actual viable tactic, even if the decision is still a tricky one.

Costume Damage (Ex): An ordinary magical girl’s costume is almost always spotless, but the costumed crusader realizes that a little wear and tear here and there never hurt anybody. Whenever she suffers damage from an attack and is not flat-footed, she can use her costume’s structure to dampen the blow. By reducing the number of points allocated in a single costume effect by one, the costumed crusader may decrease the damage total by four. However, costume effects damaged in this way remain so until the costumed crusader has an opportunity to re-allocate the points in her costume (at which time all damages are repaired fully).

If you change into a different costume while your current costume is missing points, the new costume immediately loses points to match it (though you may still choose which abilities pay the cost).

Oftentimes an attack that looks like it ought to be lethal only ends up tearing holes in/scuffing up/burning away bits of a magical girl's costume. This is best as an emergency lifesaver, but it can be useful in a lot of situations if you're willing to give up some of your edge to keep your health up.

Ribbons of Light (Su): At fifth level, the costumed crusader learns how to spin material out of nothing but light itself, literally armoring herself in the purity of her own soul. By spending two motes as a free action, she may immediately allocate a single costume point to her current costume (she is still constrained by normal maximums for costume effects). These conjured costume effects last until the end of the encounter or until she changes into a different costume, whichever comes first.

And last but not least, in-combat costuming reaches its pinnacle. Given that a CC is going to be using lower-level 9and therefore lower-cost) illuminations than she normally would be at her magical girl level, she's bound to have a few spare motes on hand. In particular, I can see this as being very useful if you need a particular Thematic or Avenging costume element.

God, it is huge.

Selinia, I do believe your class skill choices make this the only class ever to not have all craft skills as class skills.

DualShadow
2011-10-27, 10:17 AM
With the Favorite Flavour ability upping the max allowed points by 1, I think that it would be fun to add an extra ability in these elements.

Something like the seventh point in Thematic give an elemental aura that hurt anyone attacking the MG in melee.

Quick, might gives a small dodge bonus to AC.

Heavy could add some extra HP and resistance to bull rush, trip and/or grapple.

Oversized could augment the weapon damage size by one step or turn the +2 into a +3.

Protective making the MG gain some minor ability to take a blow for someone or deny safe 5-ft steps.

Avenging could similarly to Oversized turn the +2 into +3 and/or ignore DR or other protective abilities.

Keep up the good work Selinia.

DracoDei
2011-10-27, 11:42 AM
Sometimes though, a magical girl finds a claser affinity to her armor and device than to the focused disciplines of Illuminations.
Should be "closer".

LoneMage210
2011-10-27, 03:14 PM
For human children I generally use halflings (strongheart halflings are closer still). PF even has a feat for this (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/childlike). It also has the Young (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-template-young-cr-1) template, but it's not really intended for PCs.

These are kind of excessive. You're not just increasing numbers, you're practically turning your Magical Girl levels into gestalt Magical Girl//X levels (particularly for the gunslinger, who qualifies with a 1-level dip at that). Conversely, you get practically nothing for levelling up in your second class.

Let me give it a try:

Busou Shoujo
You have turned your magical talents towards fighting with weapons.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, and Magus Arcana (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) or Black Blade (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo---magus-archetypes/bladebound)
Benefit: Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with Magus spells and Arcane Pool.
Special: If you have the Device and Black Blade class features, you may choose to designate your Device as your Black Blade, even if it is not a weapon of the correct type.
Special: If you have the Mentor and Black Blade class features, they are combined into a single entity with the higher mental stats of the two, which can switch between its forms as a standard action. Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining its Bardic Knowledge modifier.

Gunslinger Girl
SHOOOOOOOOT!!
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Gun Training (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger)
Benefit: Your Magical Girl and Gunslinger levels stack for determining your costume bonus and the effects of your Nimble and Gun Training class features. Your magical girl levels also count as gunslinger levels for the purposes of prerequisites.

EDIT:

Magical Idol
You live for the stage, and your powers earned you your first big break.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Famous (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/celebrity), Inspire Competence
Benefit: While in costume your Magical Girl and Bard levels stack to determine your costume bonus and the effects of your Famous and Gather Crowd class features.

Ah thanks Prime, sometimes I rush things without thinking...

I have a few Archtype concepts for Magical Girl, with a few notes on series of Origin:

Makai Knight: A jaded Magical Girl who has the Innocence beaten out of her by her teacher(s), forsaking for Pure of Heart, Illuminations, Power of Friendship, and Voice of Light, but can designate an Exotic Weapon as a Device, can use Medium or Heavy Armor as a Costume, Warblade-like Hitdie and bonuses, as well as special Costume features for her Mount in exchange, as well as gaining an alternate variant of "Come Back!" and (Level 20 replacement for True Illumination) (Series of Origin: GARO) [A Medium/Heavy Armor-variation of the Magical Girl. Unarmed variant also gives Monk-like Unarmed Strike progression.]

Makai Priest: A jaded Magical Girl who forsakes Pure of Heart, Power of Friendship, Illuminations (including True Illumination), and Voice of Light but gains Monk-like Unarmed Strike progression, and limited Cleric-like spellcasting in exchange, as well as gaining an alternate variant of "Come Back!"(Series of Origin: GARO) [A limited Cleric that fights like a Monk, though optionally can also fight with a specialized Construct]

Puella Magi: A seemly immortal Magical Girl, who uses Martial weapons to fight Outsiders, though abuse of Illuminations and falling into significante despair has dire conquences enough to shake up the worldview of other (non-Jaded) Magical Girls... (Series of Origin: Puella Magi Madoka Magica) [A Magical Girl who if she uses too many Motes without killing enough Outsiders, can become a very dangerious Outsider themselves.]

Space Knight: A Magical Girl that draws upon the stars. (Series of Origin: Sailor Moon)

Prime32
2011-10-27, 07:41 PM
Puella MagiThere are Sanity and Taint rules in the SRD, and Ravenloft has rules on "Dark Powers checks". I think those are enough to represent them.

Also, aren't the "jaded" parts of the GARO-inspired stuff covered by Dark Magical Girl? You could probably cover that with a paladin multiclass and a new feat which lets you use heavy armor.
I will now link Saviour in the Dark for no reason other than its awesomeness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuOrQko1c1w

Amechra
2011-10-27, 08:00 PM
You need something to emulate Magical Knight Rayearth, just because.

It would need to replace Illuminations with some system to just use their willpower to power through everything.

LoneMage210
2011-10-27, 08:31 PM
There are Sanity and Taint rules in the SRD, and Ravenloft has rules on "Dark Powers checks". I think those are enough to represent them.

Also, aren't the "jaded" parts of the GARO-inspired stuff covered by Dark Magical Girl? You could probably cover that with a paladin multiclass and a new feat which lets you use heavy armor.
I will now link Saviour in the Dark for no reason other than its awesomeness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuOrQko1c1w

Yea, although the Makai Knight and Makai Priest are Jaded from 1st Level to 20th whereas a Dark Magical Girl develops into her Jaded nature, and perhaps you have a point, although TBH, a Magical Girl that fights like a Warblade (or Unarmed Swordsage for that matter) would make for a laugh...

Also, you do have a point on Puella Magi... although I would think it'll be interesting if a PC winds up commiting to playing the resulting Elderich Horror that comes out of being a Puella Magi...


You need something to emulate Magical Knight Rayearth, just because.

It would need to replace Illuminations with some system to just use their willpower to power through everything.

Yea, shame I got nothing... and unfortinately out of Magical Warrior, I'm drawing a blank for one inspired by Cutey Honey, except maybe as a Bluffing specialist with "Manifest Disguise" as a significante Class Feature...

The-Mage-King
2011-10-28, 12:18 AM
It would need to replace Illuminations with some system to just use their willpower to power through everything.



So, uh, Iron Heart and Diamond Mind maneuvers, plus Mettle?

LoneMage210
2011-10-28, 10:58 AM
Yea...

Ah crap! Also forgot to make an Unarmed Magical Girl Archtype... which gives... Improved Unarmed Strike and Unarmed Strike Progression in exchange for Weapon Profiencies or something... based on the worlds of Pretty Cure and Kamen Rider

The-Mage-King
2011-10-28, 12:35 PM
Ooh, archetype idea: White Devil. Fear effects. Everywhere. All of them.

LoneMage210
2011-10-28, 07:25 PM
Yea, well, let me have a bit of fun...

Expanded Device Selection
Prerequisites: Device, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Any)
Benefit: You can designate an Exotic Weapon you are Proficient in as your Device.
Note: Well, let's face it, some Magical Girls are quite "out there" when it comes to Devices... Signum from Nanoha As, for example, uses a whip as her Device, or rather, a part of her Device.

Expanded Costume Base
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Medium Armor Proficiency
Benefit: You can designate a suit of Medium Armor as your Costume.
Special: If you have Heavy Armor Proficiency, your Costume choices expand even further, able to designate a suit of Heavy Armor as your Costume.
Note: Prime32, you may have a point about the Makai Knight Archtype, but this feat is there to expand Base Armor choices for the Costume feature, without forsaking Pure of Heart and related stuff (or dip in Paladin and use this feat as you suggested :smalltongue:)

Cute Witch
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Hex (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/witch) Class Feature
Benefit: Your magical girl and witch levels stack for determining your costume bonus, and Caster Level for Witch spells.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal Class Feature, you can designate your Mentor Animal as your Familar, if so, then your Witch and Magical Girl levels are stacked to determine Natural Armor bonuses.
Note: I'm not sure what Hexes to restrict to be honest, so this is up in the air, but the Cute Witch IS a Magical Girl Archtype that can be portrayed like this... although honestly I'm not the best Feat Forger...

*Insert Summoner/Magical Girl feat idea here, something related to the eidolon?*

Togath
2011-10-29, 12:17 AM
Yea...

Ah crap! Also forgot to make an Unarmed Magical Girl Archtype... which gives... Improved Unarmed Strike and Unarmed Strike Progression in exchange for Weapon Profiencies or something... based on the worlds of Pretty Cure and Kamen Rider

Kamen rider doesn't seem like a magical girl(though I suppose the classes crunch could work for it, but fluff wise the class would be an odd fit), the pretty cure comment makes sense though

Selinia
2011-10-29, 02:26 AM
For human children I generally use halflings (strongheart halflings are closer still). PF even has a feat for this (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/childlike). It also has the Young (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/simple-template-young-cr-1) template, but it's not really intended for PCs.

These are kind of excessive. You're not just increasing numbers, you're practically turning your Magical Girl levels into gestalt Magical Girl//X levels (particularly for the gunslinger, who qualifies with a 1-level dip at that). Conversely, you get practically nothing for levelling up in your second class.

Let me give it a try:

Busou Shoujo
You have turned your magical talents towards fighting with weapons.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, and Magus Arcana (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) or Black Blade (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo---magus-archetypes/bladebound)
Benefit: Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining your costume bonus, caster level with Magus spells and Arcane Pool.
Special: If you have the Device and Black Blade class features, you may choose to designate your Device as your Black Blade, even if it is not a weapon of the correct type.
Special: If you have the Mentor and Black Blade class features, they are combined into a single entity with the higher mental stats of the two, which can switch between its forms as a standard action. Your Magical Girl and Magus levels stack for determining its Bardic Knowledge modifier.

Gunslinger Girl
SHOOOOOOOOT!!
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Gun Training (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger)
Benefit: Your Magical Girl and Gunslinger levels stack for determining your costume bonus and the effects of your Nimble and Gun Training class features. Your magical girl levels also count as gunslinger levels for the purposes of prerequisites.

EDIT:

Magical Idol
You live for the stage, and your powers earned you your first big break.
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Famous (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo---bard-archetypes/celebrity), Inspire Competence
Benefit: While in costume your Magical Girl and Bard levels stack to determine your costume bonus and the effects of your Famous and Gather Crowd class features.

Lovely as usual, and thanks for the halflings-as-children suggestion. Magical Idol made me giggle - Celebrity Bard/Magical Girl is such a perfect match.


Selinia, I do believe your class skill choices make this the only class ever to not have all craft skills as class skills.

I... didn't even think of that. Somehow I thought Craft was piecemeal, like Knowledge. Gah, that's what I get for doing a lot of my work on these things between 12 and 3AM.


With the Favorite Flavour ability upping the max allowed points by 1, I think that it would be fun to add an extra ability in these elements.

Something like the seventh point in Thematic give an elemental aura that hurt anyone attacking the MG in melee.

Quick, might gives a small dodge bonus to AC.

Heavy could add some extra HP and resistance to bull rush, trip and/or grapple.

Oversized could augment the weapon damage size by one step or turn the +2 into a +3.

Protective making the MG gain some minor ability to take a blow for someone or deny safe 5-ft steps.

Avenging could similarly to Oversized turn the +2 into +3 and/or ignore DR or other protective abilities.

Keep up the good work Selinia.

Favorite Flavor (combined with the faster costume growth of the CC in general) is pretty powerful as it is, letting a magical girl get the best effects of her Costume much earlier than normal. I like the idea, but I think adding even more effects on top of things like perma-flight and programmable Favored Enemy is probably a bit much.

Heavy is getting a buff though.


Ah thanks Prime, sometimes I rush things without thinking...

I have a few Archtype concepts for Magical Girl, with a few notes on series of Origin:

Makai Knight: A jaded Magical Girl who has the Innocence beaten out of her by her teacher(s), forsaking for Pure of Heart, Illuminations, Power of Friendship, and Voice of Light, but can designate an Exotic Weapon as a Device, can use Medium or Heavy Armor as a Costume, Warblade-like Hitdie and bonuses, as well as special Costume features for her Mount in exchange, as well as gaining an alternate variant of "Come Back!" and (Level 20 replacement for True Illumination) (Series of Origin: GARO) [A Medium/Heavy Armor-variation of the Magical Girl. Unarmed variant also gives Monk-like Unarmed Strike progression.]

Makai Priest: A jaded Magical Girl who forsakes Pure of Heart, Power of Friendship, Illuminations (including True Illumination), and Voice of Light but gains Monk-like Unarmed Strike progression, and limited Cleric-like spellcasting in exchange, as well as gaining an alternate variant of "Come Back!"(Series of Origin: GARO) [A limited Cleric that fights like a Monk]

Puella Magi: A seemly immortal Magical Girl, who uses Martial weapons to fight Outsiders, though abuse of Illuminations and falling into significante despair has dire conquences enough to shake up the worldview of other (non-Jaded) Magical Girls... (Series of Origin: Puella Magi Madoka Magica) [A Magical Girl who if she uses too many Motes without killing enough Outsiders, can become a very dangerious Outsider themselves.]

Space Knight: A Magical Girl that draws upon the stars. (Series of Origin: Sailor Moon)

Interesting ideas. I don't intend to do any more magical girl stuff that directly involves being jaded or 'evil' for some time - The Dark MG covers a lot of that, and there's plenty of other ground to cover - but I will definitely be making more archetypes all around. As soon as I scrounge up enough writing time to actually get stuff done. Stupid busy week. :smallsigh:


Ooh, archetype idea: White Devil. Fear effects. Everywhere. All of them.

This will happen. At some point.


Yea, well, let me have a bit of fun...

Expanded Device Selection
Prerequisites: Device, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Any)
Benefit: You can designate an Exotic Weapon you are Proficient in as your Device.

Expanded Costume Base
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Medium Armor Proficiency
Benefit: You can designate a suit of Medium Armor as your Costume.
Special: If you have Heavy Armor Proficiency, your Costume choices expand even further, able to designate a suit of Heavy Armor as your Costume.


Cute Witch
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Hex (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/witch) Class Feature
Benefit: Your magical girl and witch levels stack for determining your costume bonus, and Caster Level for Witch spells.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal Class Feature, you can designate your Mentor Animal as your Familar, if so, then your Witch and Magical Girl levels are stacked to determine Natural Armor bonuses.


Cute Witch is nice. I've gone and tweaked Expanded Device a tiny bit, to reflect the fact that a magical girl only actually designates her device once - when you enter the class. Now it allows the device to shift back and forth, instead of designating a new one. I also smoothed the wording out on Expanded Costume Base, to simply allow for designating any type of armor you are proficient with.

Draken
2011-10-29, 03:54 PM
I also just noticed your basic skill list for the magical girl is missing Craft and Profession entirelly.

Edit: And given that Tumble is there, maybe adding Balance would be a good idea.

'nother edit: It is also missing knowledge and spellcraft, pretty much any class that isn't 100% mundane has spellcraft and every class other than fighter, ninja, swashbuckler and barbarian has one or another knowledge (History, Local, Nature, Religion and Arcana would fit here, I think)

Prime32
2011-10-29, 09:41 PM
Expanded Costume Base
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Medium Armor Proficiency
Benefit: You can designate a suit of Medium Armor as your Costume.
Special: If you have Heavy Armor Proficiency, your Costume choices expand even further, able to designate a suit of Heavy Armor as your Costume.
Note: Prime32, you may have a point about the Makai Knight Archtype, but this feat is there to expand Base Armor choices for the Costume feature, without forsaking Pure of Heart and related stuff (or dip in Paladin and use this feat as you suggested :smalltongue:)You could simplify this to
Knight's Costume
Prerequisites: Costume +1
Benefit: You can designate any suit of armor with which you are proficient as part of your Costume.
Normal: A magical girl may only use light armor as part of her costume.
(The name was a little vague; "Exotic Device" for the other one? :smalltongue:)
EDIT: I see Selinia has already done the first. Standard action to switch weapons on Evolved Device is a bit much - move action? Plus the ability to take the feat multiple times? Why are Devices limited to melee weapons anyway?

For Cute Witch, I'd also allow magical girl levels to stack with witch levels for determining the effects of hexes. But add 2nd-level arcane spells as a prereq, so you need three levels of witch to qualify.

EDIT2: Going back to Sacred Champion, it could use some caster level stacking in addition to turn undead.

LoneMage210
2011-10-29, 09:54 PM
Yea, whoops... man I should read though Classes more carefully... I'm still drawing a blank on the Summoner/Magical Girl feat...

Anyhow, until I see some Archetype examples, I think I've seen enough to start making sample Adventurers

Prime32
2011-10-29, 09:56 PM
Yea, whoops... man I should read though Classes more carefully... I'm still drawing a blank on the Summoner/Magical Girl feat...Base it on summon monster rather than the eidolon and be Card Captor Sakura? Add a clause for Mentors that rather than summoning an Eidolon, you transform your Mentor into it.

LoneMage210
2011-10-29, 10:22 PM
Hmm, maybe... although the Synthesist archtype for Summoner would be quite... strange, merging with your Mentor Animal and use it as a shield of sorts...

Edit: Right Archtype but wrong name...

Edit 2: Might I suggest adding as an alternate to Turn Undead, "Channel Energy xd6" for Sacred Champion Requirements, for players that use Pathfinder-style Cleric and/or Pathfinder-style Paladin?

Edit 3: Here's a sample Adventurer, with the fact noted:

Masaki Andou, Lord Knight of the 3rd Order

Character Level: 10

Race: Human

Alignment: Lawful Good

Lauguages known: Common

Class Levels: Magical Girl 5/Paladin 5

STR: 20 (+5), DEX: 18 (+4), CON: 14 (+2), INT: 8 (-1), WIS: 6 (-2), CHA: 20 (+5)

HP: 69

Move: 30 ft.

BAB: +8/+3

Melee: +14/+9 (+15/+10 w/ Cyfis active), Ranged: +12/+7

Ranged (Illumiations): +13

Armor Class: 22, Flatfoot 19, Touch 14 (w/o Costume), (33 (Flatfoot 28, Touch 15) (w/ Costume))

Fort: +12, Reflex: +14, Will +10

Commonly Readied Illuminations: 1st - Luminous Rain, Heartbreaker, Wandering Waltz

Commonly Used Spells (Caster Level: 2nd, Save DC: 14, Spells Per Day: 3/-/-/-): 1st - Cure Light Wounds, Bless, Endure Elements, Hero's Defiance, Knight's Calling,

Equipment: Discutter (Right Hand/Device, +1 Holy Longsword, 1d8+6 Slashing, +2d6 vs Evil creatures, worth 18,015 GP), Armor of Cybuster (Armor/Costume, Mithril Dwarven-Forged Reinforced Dwarven Plate, worth 13,600 GP, 1 Costume Point in Enchant, and Quick), Knight's Breastplate (Armor, Breastplate worth 200 GP), Knight's Shield of Langran (Left Hand, +3 Heavy Shield worth 9020 GP), Knight's Belt (Belt of Strength +4 Belt, worth 8,000 GP)

Loose Change: 165 GP

Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Weapon Focus (Long Sword), Expanded Costume Base, Channel Smite

Skills (ACP -6, -4 w/ Costume): Acrobatics +6 (+8 w/ Costume), Athlectics +13 (+15 w/ Costume), Knowledge [Langranian Nobility] +6, Ride +8 (+10 w/ Costume)

Abilities and Resistances: Pure of Heart, Mentor Animal (Shiro: Cat Familar, 34 HP, Str 3, Dex 15, Con 8, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 7 w/ Bardic Knowledge, knows Augury at CL5), Power of Friendship, Costume (+2), Smite Evil (2/day), Divine Grace, Lay on Hands (7/day), Divine Health (Immunity to all Disease), Channel Energy (8/day, 3d6 Posistive Energy, Will DC 17 for Undead), Mercy (Fatigued), Divine Bond (Cyfis: +1 Enchantment Bonus for 5 minutes)

GM Notes: This is Masaki Andou as a Lord Knight and thus has the Armor of Cybuster. If you are basing it off as a Knight before he became a Lord Knight, use the following equipment: Armor of Jahom (Armor/Costume, +1 Chainmail worth 1,150 GP and 1 Costume Point in Quick), Blade of Jahom (Right Hand/Device, +1 Longsword worth 2,015 GP), Knight's Shield of Langran (Left Hand, +1 Shield worth 1020 GP), Knight's Belt (Belt of Strength +2 Belt, worth 4,000 GP), and reduce his Character Level by 5 (removing and adding feats nessary so he can use all the replacement equipment, as well as adjusting his Class Levels as needed.).

Masaki Andou Lore (Knowledge [Langranian Nobility] or [Nobility]):
DC 5: Masaki Andou is one of the many Royal Knights in Langran, resposible for protecting the Kingdom
DC 10: Although he is of good nature, he has a tendency to barge into things head on without thinking.
DC 15: The armor Masaki wears is of standard Knight's issue, although the armor he manifests can be recreated to a certain degree, with enough skill in Armor Crafting.

A friend also asked me about Costume: What happens if you try to use your Costume if you're wearing Cursed Armor for some god-forsaken reason?

TherianTheorist
2011-11-01, 09:04 PM
Now i want to have a campaign based around magical boys just to balance the universe out... or maybe just play takuto from star driver.

LoneMage210
2011-11-02, 07:23 AM
Unfortiantely, Cybody Manifestor may or may not be part of the Archtypes the creator has planned...

Another example Adventurer, this time a Princess of a kingdom.

Princess Ichiji Kyuseishuu el Langranius, Gunner of the 13th Order

Character Level: 10 (ECL: 14)

Race: Half-Celestial Human

Alignment: Netural Good

Language: Common, Celestian, Abyssal, Infernal

Class Levels: Magical Girl 3/Gunslinger 5/Dark Magical Girl 2

STR: 17 (+3) (19 (+4) if Rage of Tears is Active), DEX: 20 (+5) (22 (+6) if Rage of Tears is active), CON: 18 (+4), INT: 17 (+3), WIS: 20 (+5), CHA: 22 (+6) (24 (+7) if Rage of Tears is active)

HP: 82

Grit: 7

Move: 30 ft. Ground, 60 Ft. Flight (Good Mobility) (w/o Costume), 50 ft. Ground, 100 Ft. Flight (Good Mobility) (w/ Costume)

BAB: +9/+4

Melee: +13/+8 (+14/+9 w/ Rage active), Ranged: +16/+11 (+17/+12 w/ Rage active)

Armor Class: 19, Flatfoot 11, Touch 18 (w/o Costume), (25, Flatfoot 17, Touch 18 (w/ Costume))

Fort: +9 (+13 vs Poisons), Reflex: +11 (+12 if Rage of Tears is active), Will +12

Spell-like Abilities (Caster Level 10, Spell DC 16): Protection from evil 3/day, bless 1/Day, Aid 1/Day, detect evil 1/Day, Cure serious wounds 1/Day, neutralize poison 1/Day, Holy smite 1/day, remove disease 1/day, Dispel evil 1/day

Equipment: Shirikawa Crested Revolver (Left Hand, +2 Holy Revolver, 1d6+7 Bash/Pierce, +2d6 vs Evil Creatures, worth 36,000 GP), Princess Outfit (Chest, Clothing worth 4000 GP), Shirikawa Crested Chain Shirt (Armor/Costume, Mithral Chain Shirt worth 1,100 GP, 2 Costume Points into Enchant, 2 Costume Points to Quick), Princess' Warhammer (Left Hand/Device, +1 Adamantine Warhammer, 1d8+4 Bash worth 5012 GP), Princess' Tiara (Head, +2 Crown of Dexterity, worth 4,000 GP)

Other Items: 50 Metal Cartidges, Gunsmith's Kit, Healer's Kit

Loose Change: 20 GP

Feats: Dodge, Skill Focus (Heal), Gunsmith, Weapon Focus (Revolver), Deft Shootist Deed, Extra Grit, Gunslinger Girl

Skills: Acrobatics +19, Athlectics +17, Diplomancy +20, Heal +25, Knowledge [Langranian Local] +17, Perception +19, Ride +12

Abilities and Resistances: DR 5/Magic, Resist Acid, Cold and Electricity 10, Spell Resistance 20, Immunity to Disease, Daylight, Smite Evil, Pure of Heart (Innocence Lost), Costume (+3, 4 Costume Points), Sad Eyes, Rage of Tears (Duration of 8 Rounds/Encounter, can be used as many times in one day, -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and ability and skill checks when Rage ends), Deeds (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/gunslinger#TOC-Deeds) (Deadeye, Gunslinger's Dodge, Quick Clear, Pistol Whip, and Utility Shot known), Gun Training (Revolver, Pistol), Nimble +3, Bleak Revelation: Denial (Ignores 7 points of DR while in Rage, When Rage of Tears end, creates a 14-square zone with her centered. Enemies treat this zone as Difficult Terrain)

GM's Note: Ichiji is a jaded Magical Girl and as such, should be treated with caution. If you want a more innocent Ichiji, you can reduce her character level by 4, remove her Dark Magical Girl levels and replace her equipment (except the Princess Outfit) as follows: Shirikawa Crested Revolver (Left Hand, +1 Revolver, 1d6+6 Bash/Pierce, worth 6,000 GP), Princess' Hammer (Left Hand/Device, Adamantine Warhammer, 1d8+3 Bash worth 3012 GP), Shirikawa Crested Chain Shirt (Armor/Costume, Mithral Chain Shirt worth 1,100 GP, 1 Costume Points into Enchant). Remember to prepair her Illuminations when using this version of the Princess Gunner, and also to reduce her Class levels as needed.

Ichiji Kyuseishuu Langranias Lore (Knowledge [Langranian Nobility] or [Nobility])
DC 5: Ichiji is one of the many Princesses of the Langran Royal Family, and is one of the sweeter princesses.
DC 10: Compaired to her more... refined sisters however, she also shows some fighting talent using both Warhammer and the recently invented Revolver, and thus is a Knight of Shirikawa's personal 13th Order, as one of the few Knights from the Royal Family.
DC 15: Her Costume and Weapon are of both Shirikawa family origin, and were forged specifically to her sweet-sounding requests.
DC 25: While usually known as a secret, Ichiji has been known to have taken female chambermaids for "comfort", ever since her innocence has been lost to bandits.

Knowledge [Planes]
DC 10: Ichiji is in reality a very shy, yet soft-spoken half-Angel, created though the King's desire to have a powerful Magical Girl amoung his Knight's ranks.
DC 20: She can be identified by the swan-like wings on her back when in her Princess outfit, although she can make them disappear at-will.

and one of the Queens of the Kingdom

Elyssia von Langranius, the High Queen of Langran

Character Level: 15

Race: Tiefling

Alignment: Netural Good

Class Levels: Magical Girl 7/Dark Magical Girl 8

Languages: Common, Infernal, Celestial

Senses: Darkvision (60 ft.)

STR: 16 (+3) (18 (+4) w/ Rage of Tears), DEX: 13 (+1) (15 (+2) w/ Rage of Tears), CON: 16 (+3), INT: 13 (+1), WIS: 12 (+2), CHA: 21 (+5) (23 (+6) w/ Rage of Tears)

HP: 101

Move: 50 ft. Ground/Flight (Good)

BAB: +12/+7/+2

Melee: +18/+13/+8 (+19/+14/+9 w/ Rage Active), Ranged: +16/+11/+6 (+17/+12/+7 w/ Rage active)

Armor Class: 35, Flatfoot 34, Touch 17 (w/o Costume), (37, Flatfoot 35, Touch 17 (w/ Costume))

Fort: +13, Reflex: +15 (+16 if Rage of Tears is active), Will +16

Spell-like Abilities (Caster Level 15, Spell DC 14): Darkness 1/day

Equipment: Elyssia's Katana (Both Hands/Device, +3 Keen, Holy Jade Katana, 1d8+6 Slashing (Crit: 16-20/x2), +2d6 vs Evil Creatures, worth 79,250 GP, 1 point into Oversized, Secondary Form: +3 Keen, Holy Jade Seven-Branched Sword 1d10+6 (Crit: 19-20/x3), +2d6 vs Evil Creatures), Noble's Dueling Outfit (Armor, +2 Leather Armor worth 4,010 GP), Queen's Armor (Armor/Costume, +5 Mithril Chain Shirt worth 26,100 GP, 4 points to Weightlessness, 2 points into Quick), Queen's Overcoating (Armor, +5 Mithril Chahar-Aina worth 29,075 GP), Queen's Bracers (Wrist, +5 Mithril Dastana worth 26,025 GP), Royal Cloak of Langran (Shoulder, +5 Cloak of Resistance worth 25,000 GP), Queen's Ring of Protection (Ring, +3 Ring of Protection worth 9,000 GP)

Other Items: Disguise Kit

Loose Change: 1,490 GP

Feats: Fiendish Heritage (Kyton-Spawn), Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Katana), Barely Felt It, Exotic Weapon Profiency (Seven-Branched Sword), Evolved Device (Seven-Branched Sword)

Skills: Acrobatics +18, Bluff +27, Disguise +13, Ride +15, Sense Motive +19, Stealth +21, Use Magic Device +22

Abilities and Resistances: Resist Fire, Cold and Electricity 5, Pure of Heart (Innocence Lost), Costume (+4, 7 Costume Points), Power of Friendship, Not without Fear, Shrug it Off, Sad Eyes, Rage of Tears (Duration of 9 Rounds/Encounter, can be used as many times in one day, -2 penalty to attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, and ability and skill checks when Rage ends), Bleak Revelation: Denial (Ignores 6 points of DR while in Rage, When Rage of Tears end, creates a 12-square zone with her centered. Enemies treat this zone as Difficult Terrain),Bleak Revelation: Anger (Attackers attacking the Dark Magical Girl in melee takes 7 Untyped damage while in Rage, when Rage ends, make a Melee attack at highest bonus: This attack is an automatic Critical Threat), Bleak Revelation: Bargaining (While in Rage, creatures hit by Elyssia take a -2 to Attack and AC for a full round. When Rage ends, all enemies within 30 ft make a DC 24 Fortitude Save or be shaken for the encounter), Bleak Revelation: Despair (During a Rage, Elyssia gains +1 to Attack Rolls now, and an additional +1 for every 10 points of damage she takes. When Rage ends, all damage she accumulates during the fight is sent to every enemy within 30 feet of her, DC 24 Fort for half damage), Numbed Body (DR 7/- for 1 round, 3/day), Ravaged Mind (Expend 1 use of Numbed Body to Take 10 on attack roll, saving throw, or skill check), Deadened Heart (Expend 1 use of Numbed Body to purge the body of Poison or Disease, or purge the following Status Effects: Blinded, Dazed, Deafened, Exhausted, Fatigued, Nauseated, or Sickened.)

GM's Note: The High Queen of Langran is perhaps one of the major characters in any Langranian-based campaign. Elyssia can also be proven to be a tricky challenge to any would-be Regicidal adventurer, due to her SLA and her multitude of decoys sent to throw people off. In combat, her Rage of Tears can also prove to be a disaster for would-be Regicidal Adventures, though she is rarely (if ever) alone, sometimes being around Knights of the 1st, and/or 13th Orders, turning a seemly simple assassination attempt into a potential for a major brawl. If you are using a lower-level version of the Queen, make the adjustments to her equipment as needed, as well as make the needed adjustments to her Class Levels.

Elyssia von Langranius Lore (Knowledge [Langranian Nobility] or [Nobility])
DC 5: Elyssia is one of the Queens of Langran, in fact the Queen closest to the current King of Langran.
DC 10: The equipment carried by Elyssia are not of Langranian origin, but of a distant country where she was captured from. In addition, due to the complexity of her Device, it is close to impossible to duplicate.
DC 15: The High Queen uses her sorrow as a weapon, due to the cruelity of the other Queens from her demon-like heritage.
DC 30: She sometimes takes female chambermaids over to her room for comfort, but sometimes she even takes princesses or other queens over if she really needs to comfort herself.

Knowledge [Planes]
DC 10: Elyssia is an unexpected choice for a Magical Girl, due to her demonic nature, especially a spawn of a Kyton.
DC 15: She can be identified by her seemly tanned skin, raven-black hair, and several red marks around her skin, especially around the neck.
DC 20: Additionally, there are some Arcane Runes on her right arm, indicating a Binder was attempting to tie her to the caster. However, she has successfully resisted such attemps, and glows when an Arcane Caster tries to use magic in her presences.

DeAnno
2011-11-03, 01:05 AM
I was looking through this and really liked the flavor, though the lack of ... potence in most of the illuminations compared with their steep cost was a little troubling. For example, the Swallow Buster on an 11th level Magical Girl does 9d6 + double Cha on a Ranged Touch attack, with a Save for half and a neat second chance mechanic. Assuming she did nothing else with her Motes, she could use this ability twice per encounter.

However, one must consider that an out-of-the-box 11th level Warlock for example can do 6d6 damage with his Eldritch Blast at will, that this is a ranged touch attack with no save, and that he will usually be getting some sort of neat rider of similar value to the one on Swallow Buster. While the Warlock is certainly more strikery than a Magical Girl, it is a similar sort of class in terms of how it gets its powers and thus it's a little troubling how much of a gap this is.

Generally, I think the biggest problem is that a large majority of Illuminations require both attack rolls and saving throws, which is more or less giving the target two chances to escape the mechanic. While Tome of Battle has many similar strikes that allow a save, it's also much more generous in handing out strikes that deal large amounts of bonus damage or have other perks which don't allow saves. In my personal experience, stuff like Emerald Razor and Charging Pounce are usually a lot more useful than the save effect strikes.

On the subject of Auras, many of them seem to offer fairly small benefits compared to their constant cost, often in the form of minor bonuses to d20 rolls. Dance of Lights seemed like a particular offender in this area, though I didn't look at each aura in detail. In general, these sorts of minor bonuses are not well policed in 3.5e, and maintaining the effects for longer than one round (perhaps an entire encounter, but at moderately increased cost) would probably not be out of line.

Lastly, whether or not you agree with some of my more balance oriented suggestions above, I had an idea about the Pure of Heart ability. While I agree with your reasoning for permanent ability loss, 3.5e is a very nasty place, and their are quite a few spells and effects that can change one's alignment against one's will. I would suggest that immunity to all magical alignment changing effects be added into this ability, both for mechanical reasons and the rather fitting feeling of it.

Razanir
2011-11-06, 10:52 AM
Can we get a PF version of this?

Prime32
2011-11-06, 04:24 PM
Can we get a PF version of this?Remove Concentration, Gather Information, Jump and Tumble from the class skills, add Acrobatics and Fly. Done. :smallconfused:

Amechra
2011-11-06, 08:54 PM
Needs to have some option based off Princess Tutu.

(Look it up; it's crazy good.)

LoneMage210
2011-11-12, 06:11 PM
Hmm, I think we got enough ground covered... I got no other ideas on Magical girl Multi-classing foolery, even if I got more adventurers down...

Here's an Enchantment specific to Magical girls

Illuminating Weapon
Aura: Moderate Enchantment, CL: ??? (Lesser Illuminating Weapon), ??? (Illuminating Weapon), or ??? (Greater Illuminating Weapon), Price: ???
---
Description: This weapon glows with a faint light, as if it was a weapon ment to be used by Good-Aligned characters. However, a Magical Girl can use such a weapon to store in reserve 10 Motes (5 Motes if it's a Lesser Illuminating Weapon, or 15 Motes if it's a Greater Illuminating Weapon) to be used in an encounter. A Magical Girl weilding such a weapon can use the Motes stored on the weapon to power her Illuminations. Non-Magical Girls treat this weapon as a Holy weapon except that for every Mote that is stored, an additional d6 is delt against Evil Creatures, although for every such use, one Mote is expended per attack. Evil-Aligned characters that touch the weapon gain 1 Negitive Level (2 Negitive Levels if it's a Greater Illuminating Weapon) that cannot be removed while weilding such a weapon (although once removed from such a creature, the Negitive Level goes away with it).
---
Requirements: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, ???, Creator must be a Magical Girl

This enchantment, while I have no idea what is a suitable spell for it, nor the CLs, is basically a way for a Magical Girl to store Motes, and can be drawn upon in place of her own Motes. The other trait (weaponized Motes) is a surprize for Fluff's sake, and shouldn't really be used but then again... loot is loot so...

To clarify the Bonus damage thing, let's say... Erika, a human Rogue, uses a +8 Greater Illuminating Scythe (Yes this makes it an Epic weapon, no I'm just screwing around) with the max Motes stored, (15), if she were to hit an unaware Dr Hell over the head with it, she'd deal 2d4+2d6+15d6+15d6 (2d4 Base Weapon, 2d6 from Holy, 15d6 from Sneak Attack, +15d6 from Stored Motes)

jseah
2011-11-12, 09:34 PM
Lol. I step into homebrew while bored and find this! XD

The class is roughly T4 in power level. Its about equivalent to Barbarian.
Motes used out of combat should regenerate to max in 5 minutes.

I would suggest the number of motes they get should increase by 1.5 to 2x. And expanding options for all illuminations.
eg. simple one for damaging blasts is the ability to channel them: Concentrate for up to level/4 rounds, release as immediate action, deals bonus damage = 1/3 base damage per round channeled
Come on, Starlight Breaker isn't the same if you can just fire it off. Need to hang around a giant ball the size of a cloud.

I'd strongly suggest a Utility type of Illumination.
You need a Dispel-like effect. You need teleports. Especially defensive teleports.

--------------------------

Damaging strikes/blasts need a way to scale. Spend +1 mote for +2d6 damage? Cap damage at character level (not evoker level)

Swallow Buster is practically useless. If you want a chasing blast, here's how I'd model it:
On miss, the thing hangs around and makes another attack the next turn. (no action required) And it keeps hanging around until end of encounter or it hits something.
Lower damage to equivalent of earlier level for balance.

--------------------------

Magical girls are meant to be defensive you say?
You don't have a shield. Forcefields and all that. How are you going to defend allies without one?

Make an illumination for it? Perhaps a special Aura-type. (zero cost to sustain but costs to absorb damage) Creates a flat translucent wall ala wall of force but coloured.
Serves to break up enemy groups and create defensive cover for allies (and enemies but hopefully not all of them)

So, suggestion:
Flash (Strike)
Teleport up to 2x land speed in line of effect and make an attack with device with +2 attack bonus (counts as charging).

Shield (Aura)
Cost: Special
Action: Immediate
Creates a flat surface 1 inch thick perpendicular to magical girl (side must face her)
Flat surface breaks line of effect and acts basically identically to wall of force.
Sustaining wall costs zero motes. When wall takes damage, damage / character level (round down) is the number of motes that must be spent to sustain wall or it breaks.
Illumination colliding with wall costs motes equal to Illumination mote cost to block, effect is ignored; Spell colliding with wall costs motes equal to spell level to block, effect is ignored (including disjunction!)
- Area effects only count when they are created and the area hits the wall. Once the wall has blocked an effect, that effect now costs zero to block if it continues to hit the wall


And finally, a suggestion for a True Illumination:
I See Things Your way (??)
Mote Cost: 0
Evocation Action: 3 hours
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous

Sometimes, just sometimes, a magical girl can find that her very innocence prevents her from understanding some things about the world. When using Power of Friendship, a magical girl can use this Illumination to gain insight into the target's worldview.
The magical girl does not understand the target completely, but builds a deeper bond and greater understanding. This allows her to learn the answer to one question regarding the goals and desires of the target, even if the target is unwilling to tell. This can be repeated for each session of Power of Friendship, answering a different question each time.

Most magical girls that use this rare Illumination stick to the more mundane use of the power. Few know that it can be used in a far more powerful manner, at far greater cost.

A magical girl can use this Illumination to gain *true* understanding of the target's worldview. This much greater understanding allows the magical girl to shift the target's moral alignment twice as if the target had failed two saves against Power of Friendship.
This instant redemption leaves a mark on the magical girl, however, as the close brush with a more cynical worldview can taint her innocence. The magical girl must succeed on a will save DC 20 or lose innocence as described in Pure of Heart. The DC of this will save is increased by 4 each time this application of Illumination is used.

If you haven't already thought of the moral problem:
Instant redemption at risk of falling that is negated by a will save? Almost like the magical girl is deliberately trying to forget things. And a brush too close to mind control. =P

What? I like my inner cynic.

LoneMage210
2011-11-17, 08:31 PM
Hmm, haven't heard from the creator for awhile... I'll summerize an Archtype then...

Illumination Specialist: Alternate Illumination track/dedicated bonus slots for a group of Illuminations?

... hmm, trying to think of something but a template that turns you into a living Device of sorts, like the weapons of Soul Eater, or Fi from Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword? Not sure of LA or perks with it...

... now that I think about it, I need to find a good picture of Soul, Fi, Tsubaki or the Thompson twins, or hell any combination of the four...

Prime32
2011-11-18, 10:07 AM
Magical girls are meant to be defensive you say?
You don't have a shield. Forcefields and all that. How are you going to defend allies without one?This. Getting a giant spike driven through your chest and standing back up is a shonen thing; MGs usually dodge or use barriers.

Also, needs a PrC which puts vestiges in the MG's costumes (I'm thinking something that's to binder what ur-priest is to cleric).

Dragonus45
2011-11-19, 11:07 PM
They do kinda both, but right now im looking at tweaking this a bit for my pathfinder game. Im thinking of making the motes per fight your level+cha mod. Also im working on some barrier illuminations but i cant think of how to stat them and balance them. Also i was thinking of finding a way to make a version that focuses more on blasting and range like Nanoha instead of fate.

And i had a second thought, what if you were to make an ability like second wind or thought of friends or something fluffy like that where the MG thinks friends in one of those montages of happy moments and then starts to kick ass again. Have it allow her to regain motes one per encounter.

LoneMage210
2011-11-27, 09:39 PM
Haven't heard from the creator of the class in awhile, not sure what to do myself...

Dragonus45
2011-12-01, 09:16 AM
I dont want to make to many changes to the version im gonna use without at least getting permision, is it considered rude to pm him? Im bad enough at reality etiquette let alone forum etiquette.

Soilborn
2011-12-30, 03:29 AM
This thread needs more attention. I had my heart set on making an archer MG, but no it's melee only.

Also need more utility in Illuminations, etc etc etc.

There is so much promise to this idea. Where's the creator? :(

Dragonus45
2011-12-31, 06:01 AM
Not sure, i worked a little on some idea i had for the class, but i dont want to post anything without the express permission of the op.

Selinia
2012-02-15, 02:07 AM
~Always look toward the brilliant light of hope. Revive!!~

The Power of Love Update!
Part 1

So. Heya. Here I am again.

I did not intend to abandon this project. Stuff just... got in the way. Some of it good stuff, like holidays and things, some less good. Homebrew (and unfortunately, my PbPs in general), got pushed back by all manner of business, and I just couldn't find the time to keep up.

Now, I'm working to rectify that. Appropriately enough, on Valentines Day in some times zones shut up - because if anything would revive a magical girl, it'd be the Power of Love, and today is rather famous for having plenty of that to go around. So to celebrate, I'm going to drop something of a mega-update, staggered between the 14th and 15th. Overhauling some aspects of the base class itself, adding new options, and generally just throwing a bunch of digital confetti in the air.

Today, the main attractions are the tweaked Magical Girl and the two new Archetypes.

Of all the balance issues that seemed to crop up with the MG, one really seemed to shine in almost every assessment - she has no endurance. For what they can do, Illuminations burn out entirely too fast. That has been rectified, hopefully, in a fairly simple manner. Rather than individually re-balance every single illumination, I went straight to the source and gave magical girls in-combat mote regeneration (at the cost of starting combat with their mote pool only half full). Nothing fancy, but hopefully functional, and only a few illuminations needed serious re-balancing to compensate.

The archetypes address two glaring omissions. The Kofū Shōjo allows one to play something much closer to a 'classic' magical girl. She dodges, defends with barriers and shields rather than stubbornness and hot blood, and relies almost entirely on her powers and magical trinket as opposed to crudely beating an opponent with her device. The Spirit Shooter is, wonder of wonders, a ranged magical girl. Lacking in some of the resilience and melee options of the basic model, but making up for it with the ability to lay down some serious punishment from a distance.

Tomorrow, expect to see a couple of PrCs! Until then, I'd be thrilled to hear anyone's opinions on the new stuff or changes, and am happy to hear suggestions as I always am.

Prime32
2012-02-15, 07:10 AM
I'd suggest expanding Come Back! to additional effects, like miracle or wide-area blasts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMzjxDzrgk4), at the cost of the user's life.

Story Time
2012-02-15, 07:24 AM
I just want to say I'm really happy to see this project continue! :smallsmile:

And I also like Selinia's avatar image...cute-giant-hammer with fashionable accessories. :smallbiggrin:

NineThePuma
2012-02-15, 12:29 PM
Theres a typo in Device - Limit Form where it refers to it as a daily ability, and then seems to refer to it as an encounter/at-will ability.

TherianTheorist
2012-02-16, 09:50 AM
I've been using this class.
if you want to see a playtest, you can go here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226908).
I can try and answer any questions about my experince.

Selinia
2012-02-17, 03:34 AM
The Sempai

"That's right, smile! This is all going to get better. Trust me."
-Mami, a Sempai[/CENTER]

Nobody should have to fight alone. Fighting, even if that fight is the good fight, is hard. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, particularly for someone as young as most magical girls when they begin their career. Many end up sort of fumbling things out, getting a grip on what they can and should do. But the lucky ones find a sempai.

The name originated from an honorific given to an upperclassman, and while not strictly accurate, came to stick as the descriptor of a very particular class of magical girl. Above and beyond what other magical girls practice, sempai are beacons of hope and good cheer for their companions, even when things seem at their darkest. They lend a level head and a dash of experience to temper the passion of the reckless, and kind promises and encouragement to steel the hearts of the timid. They are teachers, of a sort. And like all the best teachers, sempai find themselves driven to set a shining example for their trainees to follow.


Requirements
To become a sempai, you must fulfill all the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Skills: Diplomacy 8 ranks, Sense Motive 8 ranks
Special: Must have the Not Without Fear class feature
Special: Must have a less experienced adventurer (usually, but not necessarily another magical girl) to help train in the ways of love and justice.

I'm not a huge fan of obtuse entry requirements, so this is again fairly simple. Skill-wise, being a sempai demands that you be taking advantage of your natural knack for being a party face, but... you were doing that anyway, right?

Somewhat trickier is the fluff requirement of training someone. Like any such requirement, it requires a bit of cooperation with the DM... but honestly, if the DM is allowing you to play as a magical girl in the first place, I doubt they'd mind putting a rookie into one of your adventures for you to help tutor.

Class Skill List: Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge [History] (Int), Knowledge [Local], Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Additions from the magical girl list are Bluff, Profession, and a couple of Knowledges. Sempai are quite a bit more even-minded and practical than an average magical girl, and their wider base of knowledge reflects that. They're not sages by any means, but they certainly have a degree of 'street smarts'. By definition, they've got some experience under their belt, and they put it to good use.

Sempai

Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special | Illuminations / Evoker Level

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Grace, Empathy, Illuminations, Costume |
---

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Trainees (2), Stay in Touch!, Pep Talk (+1) | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3|Pep Talk (+2) | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Costume (Max +1), Fight as a Team! | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Trainees (3), Pep Talk (+3) | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Follow My Lead! |
---

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Pep Talk (+4) | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

8th|
+6|
+2|
+6|
+6|Costume (Max +2), Wait for my Signal! | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

9th|
+6|
+3|
+6|
+6|Trainees (4), Pep Talk (+5) | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

10th|
+7|
+3|
+7|
+7|Pose as a Team! | +1 level of existing illumination-using class[/table]


Saves and BAB are the same as a magical girl, for the same reasons as a magical girl. Sempai have talents, but aren't really any better or worse at the basic stuff.

Class Features

Grace (Ex): At the beginning of an encounter, you gain a bonus to your AC and saving throws equal to your Cha modifier (up to a maximum bonus of your Sempai class level). Each time you are hit, and each time you fail a saving throw, this bonus decreases by one (to a minimum of +0).

Empathy (Ex): A sempai is a phenomenal listener, capable of spotting and rooting out the most deep-seated problems. She gains a bonus to Sense Motive checks equal to her class level.

A proper sempai exhibits only the greatest elegance and refinement when her underclassmen are watching! To some, she can seem like a blur at time, always doing just the right thing at just the right time. Of course, nick a hero and they still bleed, and a few solid hits will quickly break through her tricks - while such antics may be impressive, and even useful, nobody can actually sustain a fighting style like that for long in the heat of combat.

A sempai misses out on a lot of the defensive buffs a pure magical girl would get, but while it isn't exactly huge, this ability can help her keep up some staying power.

Costume (Su): This functions identically to the magical girl class feature of the same name, and magical girl and sempai levels stack to determine how many costume points she may allocate to her costume. To determine the maximum point value for her costume’s features, add together the maximum values granted by all her instances of this class feature.

And so on and so forth. Sempai advances costuming, just like DMG and CC do. There's not much left to say here, other than it's a useful ability to have.

Illuminations / Evoker Level: At each level except 1st and 6th, the sempai gains an increase in all aspects of her illuminations class feature, as if she had gained a level in magical girl. At 1st and 6th levels, she gains a +1 bonus to her evoker level and increases the size of her mote pool by one.

This is the same quasi-growth a costumed crusader gets. The Power of Love update, oddly, actually made this ability worse - it doesn't increase mote regeneration rates. I intend to keep things that way for PrCs - they have enough other toys to play with that a pure magical girl can afford to keep a bigger fountain of motes to play with.

Bam! Pow! Standardized growth rates for illuminations! Perhaps more than any of the others, sempai really benefits from the change, being a 10-level class that was previously prone to giving up significantly more than it gained.

Trainees (Ex): At 2nd level, a sempai may take up to two characters under her wing as trainees. To be able to attune a trainee, the sempai must spend an hour performing some simple bonding activity with them (from sparring to friendly conversation), and the trainee themselves must agree to the arrangement. A sempai can discharge any of her trainees at any time, but may only have two trainees at once. At 5th level, she may attune herself to up to three trainees. At 9th level, she may attune herself to up to four trainees. Any of sempai's allies she possesses by virtue of a class feature or feat (such as a mentor animal or the cohort granted by Leadership) automatically count as Trainees for the purposes of the sempai's abilities, and do not count against her limit of trainees.

Despite the name, a sempai technically has no true power or authority over her trainees or their actions. A modicum of respect is generally considered appropriate, but every group is bound to form its own dynamics over time.

This here is the root of the class's abilities. A sempai is a kind of direct-connect bard, if you will. She grants bonuses to her team, but usually only a few members of it, and the bonuses tend to be to interactions with her in various forms. By 9th level, she can bond with an average-sized adventuring party

Stay in Touch! (Su): You may communicate telepathically with any of your trainees within a radius of [100 ft * your class level]. Your trainees cannot directly communicate with one another using this ability, but you can relay messages between them if you wish.

Telepathy. Magical girl team leaders were coordinating their trainees through social networking before the Wizard Internet even existed.

Mostly a fluff ability, but it's bound to come in handy at some point or another.

Pep Talk (Ex): Through constant encouragement, advice, and leading by example, you can help your trainees tap into potential they didn’t know they had. Giving a pep talk takes ten minutes, and requires the attention of both your trainees and yourself. You can give a pep talk traveling overland, performing simple labor, or other such mundane tasks, but not while performing any stressful or mentally challenging activity. The effects of a pep talk last until the end of the next encounter the recipient fights, or until they receive another pep talk, whichever comes first.

You need not give the same pep talk to each of your trainees, and may give different bonuses to each of them in a single session. When giving a pep talk, you may benefit from it as well, though you must choose your benefit from among those you have granted to your trainees in that session.

When you give a pep talk, any trainees listening to you gain a +1 bonus to certain actions or attributes, based on the pep talk given. At 3rd level, and every odd numbered level thereafter, this bonus increases by +1.

Pep Talks:

Never Lose Your Cool: Gain a morale bonus equal to the sempai’s pep talk bonus on all saving throws.
Keep Moving Forward: Gain a morale bonus to base land speed equal to 5 ft per point of the sempai’s pep talk bonus.
Listen to your Heart: Increase the size of your mote pool by an amount equal to twice the sempai’s pep talk bonus, and gain an equal morale bonus to concentration checks.
Don’t Get Cocky: Gain a dodge bonus equal to the sempai’s pep talk bonus to Armor Class.
Expect the Unexpected: Gain a morale bonus equal to the sempai’s pep talk bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts, as well as to resisting those maneuvers.
You Can Only Lose Once: Gain a morale bonus equal to the sempai’s pep talk bonus on initiative checks. Additionally, gain the benefits of the Uncanny Dodge class feature.
Fight the Good Fight: Gain a morale bonus equal to the sempai’s pep talk bonus on attack and damage rolls made while charging, flanking, or making an attack of oppertunity.
Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us: Gain a morale bonus equal to the sempai’s pep talk bonus on checks made to overcome spell resistance, as well as to the save DCs of spells, powers, maneuvers or illuminations used.


In essence, prepared bardsong with a really wide range of things to potentially boost (many of which were taken or tweaked from a marshal's auras). A sempai doesn't have to waste action in combat to get this up, but she may not always have the right talks ready either, and might not have time to whip up new once if combats are coming fast. And there's always the tricky choice of assigning optimized individual pep talks, or going for a blanket one so you can benefit from the bonuses as well. I'm not quite sure how good or bad this is, and may need to tweak it later.

Fight as a Team! (Ex): At 4th level, you know the fighting styles of your trainees so well that you can tailor your own to compliment theirs in the right circumstances. When you flank a creature with one of your trainees, both of you receive a flanking bonus equal to your Charisma modifier against that creature, rather than the usual +2.

Magical girls are (usually) a melee class. They've got a good few abilities to help them deal with AoOs. That adds up to a class that likes to flank people, and with this ability, people like to flank with them more than ever.

Follow My Lead! (Ex): After a time, following a sempai’s example becomes such a reflexive action that it is sometimes possible to jump at her reaction to danger with greater alacrity than at the threat itself. At 6th level, when rolling for initiative, a sempai allows her trainees take the better result between their own roll and the sempai’s. Additionally, if a sempai acts in the surprise round, her trainees may do so as well.

Because initiative is good? Going first is a good thing. Friends share good things. I'm writing these author's notes at 3AM, and it shows, doesn't it? A lot of these abilities speak for themselves. The leader of a group seems to have a disproportionate chance of being the one to spot any incoming enemies, and getting people to listen can apply to warning shouts as well.

Wait For My Signal! (Ex): An experienced sempai knows how to lure and bait enemies in such a way that her allies can make a decisive blow against the enemy, and she has trained them to do the same for her. At 8th level, at the beginning of her turn, a sempai may accept a -4 penalty to AC for one round. If she does, for the duration of that round, attacks made against the sempai provoke attacks of opportunity from her trainees. Additionally, any her trainees, at the beginning of their turn, may choose to accept a -2 penalty to AC. If they do, for the duration of that turn, attacks against them provoke attacks of opportunity from their sempai.

This is another ability whose utility is something I somewhat question. It could be very good, or very bad. Or just sort of middling, I guess. Aside from the obvious tactic of using it to get more attacks against powerful foes, this can serve as a potent defensive tactic if enough trainees are bunched nearby. Which is a place your other abilities ensure they should be happy to be.

Pose as a Team! (Su): There is power in emotions, and when those emotions are shared, a conduit is created along which mighty forces can flow. At 10th level, as a full-found action, the sempai may strike a dramatic pose. Any of the sempai’s trainees within 20ft may take an immediate action to strike complementary poses. Any of the sempai’s trainees who do so are rapidly garbed in complementary costumes, and gain the full benefit of any costume elements the sempai have allocated (other than Enhance, which is far too direct and unfocused a use of power to point at someone else). This effect persists until the end of the encounter.

While the trainees’ attire visibly and dramatically shifts in appearance to match the themes of the sempai’s costume, it is not actually replaced in the same manner a magical girl’s costume is, and continues to grant any effects it had previously granted. Only armor elements are shared in this manner – the trainees’ weapons do not get the benefits of any points the sempai might have allocated to her device.

Adventurers are known for many things, but color-coordination is not one of them. Through the power of pulchritude and matching aesthetics, a sempai's trainees can become a snazzily themed super-team. There are quite a few potent effects a magical girl's costume can have, and giving an entire group flight, heavy energy resistance, or crazy base land speed is nothing to sneeze at.

Selinia
2012-02-17, 03:37 AM
Been back to the project for a couple days, and I'm already delivering results on my trusty timetable of [Schedule + 24 to 48 Hours]! I really need to figure out how to either work faster or set more realistic goals. Probably both. But in any case, new PrC for leader-ly inclined magical girls. Comments, critique, welcome.


I'd suggest expanding Come Back! to additional effects, like miracle or wide-area blasts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMzjxDzrgk4), at the cost of the user's life.

Another interesting idea. Self-martyring magic could fuel an entire Archetype. Losing a character isn't fun, but sometimes can be worth it if the situation is just right.


I just want to say I'm really happy to see this project continue! :smallsmile:


Happy to continue it! :smallsmile:


Theres a typo in Device - Limit Form where it refers to it as a daily ability, and then seems to refer to it as an encounter/at-will ability.

Oops, that was a blunder on my part. It's supposed to be once-per-day. Technically you can also only activate it once in an encounter, but that's sort of redundant.


I've been using this class.
if you want to see a playtest, you can go here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226908).
I can try and answer any questions about my experince.

This is very interesting. It also makes me squee that somebody is actually honest-to-goodness playing my class. I'll most definitely be taking a look at some of your combats, and possibly bouncing a couple queries off of you as well if I find any I'd like to ask. Thanks!

Heliomance
2012-02-17, 06:49 AM
Uh... nothing in the prereqs for the Sempai requires you to be a Magical Girl to enter.

Prime32
2012-02-17, 06:51 AM
Self-martyring magic could fuel an entire Archetype.Eh... I don't know about that. It's both widely available and extremely situational.

jseah
2012-02-17, 06:43 PM
Uh... nothing in the prereqs for the Sempai requires you to be a Magical Girl to enter.
Special: Must have the Not Without Fear class feature

--------------------------------------------------------

Nice to see an update.

Allowing motes to regen in combat makes MGs alot better now.

Now, Warlock is more similar than ToB, but I would play an MG over a warlock if I was just considering combat power. Only just though, they're about even.

Can I push for inclusion of the Shield and Flash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12208806&postcount=78)?

Channelling raw damage attacks would allow magical girls to serve as threat of damage (immediate action release) while recharging motes.

Basically, I think the MG class is good but still lacking in defences. You need interrupts, zone control and teleportation.

Heliomance
2012-02-18, 06:37 AM
Special: Must have the Not Without Fear class feature

That wasn't there when I posted :P
Check my post time and the last edit time on the class

jseah
2012-02-18, 12:41 PM
Whop, that's what I get for not reading I guess.

Senpai bonuses should apply to cohort gained with the Leadership feat. (aka. cohort, if any, should be considered a trainee all the time)

Owrtho
2012-02-18, 01:47 PM
Personally, I would suggest changing the special requirement for the Sempai from "Must have helped train a less experienced adventurer (usually, but not necessarily another magical girl) in the ways of love and justice." to "Must have a less experienced adventurer (usually, but not necessarily another magical girl) to helped train in the ways of love and justice."
Given that a sempai is usually just someone with more experience in such shows who is willing to try imparting it to the lead, without having to have already trained people before.

Also, is the Power of Love update likely to change the Dark Magical Girl at all? After all, while the magical girl has had her illuminations changed from a finite limit per encounter to a regenerating one, the Dark Magical Girl still has her abilities rather limited for each encounter.

And while I'm posting, is there a chance that any shield or barrier forming illuminations will be made? As it is there don't really seem to be any.

All said, I quite like the classes.

Owrtho

Selinia
2012-02-21, 02:47 PM
Uh... nothing in the prereqs for the Sempai requires you to be a Magical Girl to enter.

That was the result of me failing to properly transfer everything over from the text document I'd been keeping it in. Thanks for pointing it out.


Special: Must have the Not Without Fear class feature

--------------------------------------------------------

Nice to see an update.

Allowing motes to regen in combat makes MGs alot better now.

Now, Warlock is more similar than ToB, but I would play an MG over a warlock if I was just considering combat power. Only just though, they're about even.

Can I push for inclusion of the Shield and Flash (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12208806&postcount=78)?

Channelling raw damage attacks would allow magical girls to serve as threat of damage (immediate action release) while recharging motes.

Basically, I think the MG class is good but still lacking in defences. You need interrupts, zone control and teleportation.

There are definitely more Illuminations in the works, and I'm looking for most of them to be of a more utilitarian nature - as you say, movement and zone control are things a magical girl is somewhat lacking in options for. I can't say your suggestion will get in exactly as is, but shield and flash are very likely to make it in some form or fashion, because they're very cool.


Senpai bonuses should apply to cohort gained with the Leadership feat. (aka. cohort, if any, should be considered a trainee all the time)

I like this idea, and think it could probably expand to cover all the 'class feature' followers you can get. Animal companions, familiars, cohorts, and mentor animals all have a pretty deep connection to their character, but aren't usually powerful enough that they'd warrant a Sempai spending a trainee slot on them.


Personally, I would suggest changing the special requirement for the Sempai from "Must have helped train a less experienced adventurer (usually, but not necessarily another magical girl) in the ways of love and justice." to "Must have a less experienced adventurer (usually, but not necessarily another magical girl) to helped train in the ways of love and justice."
Given that a sempai is usually just someone with more experience in such shows who is willing to try imparting it to the lead, without having to have already trained people before.

Agreed. This is a valid point, and this wording comes closer to what I'd intended. I'll be swapping it in.


Also, is the Power of Love update likely to change the Dark Magical Girl at all? After all, while the magical girl has had her illuminations changed from a finite limit per encounter to a regenerating one, the Dark Magical Girl still has her abilities rather limited for each encounter.

The DMG is likely to be revamped to some extent, as she now rather pales next to her mote-regenerating cousin. I'm still trying to think of a way to buff it while keeping the spirit of the mechanics intact, but when I can think of a good way, change will be made.


And while I'm posting, is there a chance that any shield or barrier forming illuminations will be made? As it is there don't really seem to be any.


Yes, there is a very good chance.

There should be an actual update with actual content later today.

NineThePuma
2012-02-21, 03:26 PM
What if loss of Innocence didn't take away your mote pool, or becoming a DMG restored it? It would keep its regeneration and DMG levels would stack with MG levels to determine its size and regeneration rate.

Then, you tie Rage of Tears to your Mote Pool, like an Aura. When you channel Revelations, it will also consume motes, though perhaps not as many. When you end your Rage early, you voluntarily empty your mote pool, and the abilities scale based on motes sacrificed in this way.

The -2 penalty is for when you have less than 1/4 of your mote pool; it represents getting yourself back together because, no matter how hurt you are, you're still needed and you have to have it together.

LibrarianHuntar
2012-02-22, 02:19 PM
What if your a boy? Is your class Magical Girl still?
Gender: Male
Class: Magical Girl 1
Heh heh heh.

Owrtho
2012-02-22, 02:52 PM
What if your a boy? Is your class Magical Girl still?
Gender: Male
Class: Magical Girl 1
Heh heh heh.

Then, I would direct your attention to Mahou Shounen Fight (http://www.mahoushounenfight.com/), or, if somewhat worse, Kampfer (http://www.mangareader.net/363/kampfer.html), or, if particularly bad, Sparkling Generation Valkyrie Yuuki (http://www.sgvy.com/archives/Edda1/Cover.html).
Or you could always just end up like Tuxedo Mask. Who knows.
Owrtho

Prime32
2012-02-22, 03:38 PM
What, no Kore wa Zombie desu ka (tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Anime/KoreWaZombieDesuKa)?

LibrarianHuntar
2012-02-23, 09:14 AM
I've heard of Mahou Shounen Fight, Kampfer, and Sparkling Generation Valkyrie Yuuki, but I meant in-game. Okay, according to my predictions yeah, you instantly die of shame.

I would actually use this in my campaign, but it's biggest weakness, alignment change, would happen instantly. In my campaign the primodorials created existance and part of life, but the gods shaped it, gave it rules. Those who release the primordials (primodorialists) can remove one persons alignment as one of there abilities at first level, so this class would lose most of its usefullnes pretty quickly.

silphael
2012-02-23, 10:18 AM
Uh? Forced atonement at first level? That seems rather strange...

NineThePuma
2012-02-23, 11:06 AM
That seems like a personal issue, rather than one with the class.

DracoDei
2012-03-30, 06:34 PM
The title of the empathy ability of the Sempai needs to be bolded, and a blank line put above it.

Trainees Expect this to get swapped around daily in some groups based on the needs of the day. More often in a few. I am trying to say that the crunch doesn't quite match the fluff, since it involves repetitively explaining something that the new "trainee" has heard dozens of times.

Expect the Unexpected: Gain a morale bonus equal to the sempai’s pep talk bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts.
-Fluff-wise this should apply to RESISTING those things.

Follow my lead is pretty boss, especially if you are willing to drop a feat and/or pump your Dex. Looking back I see that you have put CON and STR above Dex, which seems SLIGHTLY odd in the case of Con (I would have to review the class as a whole to know for sure).

And experienced sempai knows how to lure and bait enemies
-Should be "An" not "And"

Wait for my Signal! At higher levels I hear that AC becomes difficult to keep up to levels where it makes a difference(EDIT: Although if you really invest in it I hear you can make it high enough to be nearly unhittable). As such, I think this ability will prove pretty powerful sooner or later. Don't know if 13 is high enough level for that effect to kick in.

Which is a place your other abilities ensure they should be happy to be.
-Which abilities? I see a flanking bonus. Are illuminations a short-range aura in many cases? *Checks*. Yes, some of them are.

Pose as a Team! Yeah... Capstone-y... MIGHT be overpowered, but I doubt it.





Wikipedia-like cross-indexing: My own light armor and poor weapons Defender (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229090).

Story Time
2012-05-14, 06:53 PM
Greater than hate,
Greater than venge,
Greater than thirst,
Greater than want,
Greater than law,
Greater than theft,
Greater than ambition,
Greater than sorrow,
Greater than peace,
Greater than war,
Greater than angst,
Greater than adventure,
Greater than wealth,
Greater than ardor,
Greater than loyalty,
Greater than sympathy,
Greater than empathy,
Greater than haste,
Greater than every flavor of greed...

Love...conquers all.



:smallsmile:

...just a sincere encouragement.

Cassus
2012-06-18, 10:09 AM
Howdy! I just read over your new Mistbreaker archetype, and a couple of things jumped out at me.

1. Cool! I absolutely plan on playing one of these.

2. Normally if you attempt an unarmed strike, you provoke an attack of opportunity from your target; I can't see anything in the archetype that changes that. You might want to give them Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat or something.

3. "Blazing Spirit" confers "all the benefits associated with a device." Does that include the Masterwork bonus? And looking ridiculously oversized in Limit Form? Hehe.

4. How does Blazing Spirit interact with natural weapons other than unarmed strikes, if at all?

5. Seek Out the Truth looks like it's on par with Stubborn, but remember that it takes a lot more work to get a save against an illusion than it does against a mind-affecting ability. You might want to add in the ability to roll a save against illusions if you so much as see them.

Overall most of the trades it makes seem fair-- adding Charisma to hit and damage is awesome, but manufactured weapons tend to be a lot more awesome than unarmed strikes.

Lix Lorn
2012-06-18, 12:58 PM
Ooh, an update and a fresh post.
Hiya! I was linked to this a while back and had an idea for a costume bit, but couldn't suggest it cause I thought it was necro. Anyway, I was going to request some sort of costume element that gave you a bonus against AoOs. There's one to improve your ability to make them, and it'd really help out the archetype with the ranged weapons. I was planning on making a Star-Shooter Sempai as an NPC in a game of mine, and her ranged weapons+base contact abilities conflict slightly. Anyway, just a suggestion, and I really like what you've done here. :smallsmile:

Selinia
2012-06-18, 07:37 PM
2. Normally if you attempt an unarmed strike, you provoke an attack of opportunity from your target; I can't see anything in the archetype that changes that. You might want to give them Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat or something.


It was supposed to have that to begin with. Fixed.



3. "Blazing Spirit" confers "all the benefits associated with a device." Does that include the Masterwork bonus? And looking ridiculously oversized in Limit Form? Hehe.


I'm going to go with 'yes' on the Masterwork bonus, and will make that explicit in the text. Unarmed strikes get enough flack with the absurd overpricing of the equipment that boosts them.

As for Limit Form, I'd leave the cosmetics up to the player. Maybe they get oversized doom-gauntlets.

Or maybe their hair just gets yellow and spiky.



4. How does Blazing Spirit interact with natural weapons other than unarmed strikes, if at all?


I'm going to have to go with 'it doesn't work on natural weapons'. Unarmed builds need a bunch of oddball perks to make them work - it's kinda their thing. Natural weapons on the other hand tend to be pretty strong on their own merits.



5. Seek Out the Truth looks like it's on par with Stubborn, but remember that it takes a lot more work to get a save against an illusion than it does against a mind-affecting ability. You might want to add in the ability to roll a save against illusions if you so much as see them.


True. I rather overlooked that most illusions need to be interacted with to disbelieve. Ability is patched up now.


Ooh, an update and a fresh post.
Hiya! I was linked to this a while back and had an idea for a costume bit, but couldn't suggest it cause I thought it was necro. Anyway, I was going to request some sort of costume element that gave you a bonus against AoOs. There's one to improve your ability to make them, and it'd really help out the archetype with the ranged weapons. I was planning on making a Star-Shooter Sempai as an NPC in a game of mine, and her ranged weapons+base contact abilities conflict slightly. Anyway, just a suggestion, and I really like what you've done here. :smallsmile:

Hiya to you as well!

While I like the idea; to be perfectly honest the class already has quite a few ways to deal with AoOs. To begin with, they tend to have high AC if they devote a few costume points to it - even if the Spirit Shooter loses Shrug it Off, three points in Nimble will still likely peg her as one of the most defensively potent members of a group. Alternately, Weightless just outright lets you fly, which bypasses a lot of issues with battlefield mobility. If you don't mind investing a few points in it, Quick also gives free Mobility at 4CP.

That said, there's a definite empty niche - I just don't think that a costume element is quite the way to go about it. I've gone ahead and added a new feat though - it ought to cover you nicely if you intend to get shoot-y in melee. :smallsmile:

Lix Lorn
2012-06-18, 08:10 PM
Ooooh. That's pretty fair reasoning ^^

Owrtho
2012-06-18, 11:12 PM
Glad to see this is updating again. Thought I'd check if you plan to fix the wording on the Sempai's special prerequisite soon as you'd mentioned you would earlier.

Also, since it seems the DMG is still lacking in ability compared to the normal magical girl since the Power of Love update, I thought I'd suggest an idea I had that might bring it up to a similar level of power again.

Grant at first level an ability does something like:
Suppress Emotions (Ex): Many Dark Magical Girls learn to cope with their emotions by suppressing them. While this does temporarily alleviate them, it does nothing to help them and comes with consequences of its own. While in rage of tears, as a swift action the dark magical girl may choose to suppress her emotions. While doing so she gains none of the normal benefits from being in her rage of tears, instead taking a -2 penalty to charisma and gaining a +1 bonus to will saves. Additionally, rounds spent suppressing her emotions do not subtract from her total remaining rounds for rage of tears. Instead suppressing the emotions causes the feelings to fester making them all the stronger when finally they do escape again. Each turn she begins while suppressing her emotions increases the total remaining rounds of her rage of tears by [insert some means of calculating a number here, possibly just the number 1]. She still gains motes while suppressing her emotions, but at half the amount she would gain each round while normally using her rage of tears. She may not channel any of her bleak revelations while suppressing her emotions.

Might need some work, but with that I'd suggest possibly increasing the number of motes gained per turn to the current amount + what a normal magical girl would gain per round for her evoker level. Might also be worth allowing the DMG to use blast illuminations and if you add them barrier illuminations (as those are often seen used by DMGs in my experience).

Also, how does the DMG interact with the Spirit Shooter Archetype?
Lastly, I'd suggest a feat that allows the magical girl to have an additional form for her device (without it requiring one of the two forms be an exotic weapon). I once designed a magical girl character who used an umbrella for a device which was represented as a spike shield that could turn into a short spear using a homebrewed feat. While the game sadly didn't take off, the idea of a two form device might still be interesting to others.

Owrtho

Selinia
2012-06-19, 01:09 AM
Glad to see this is updating again. Thought I'd check if you plan to fix the wording on the Sempai's special prerequisite soon as you'd mentioned you would earlier.

Yes, and done. Thanks for reminding me.



Also, since it seems the DMG is still lacking in ability compared to the normal magical girl since the Power of Love update, I thought I'd suggest an idea I had that might bring it up to a similar level of power again.

Grant at first level an ability does something like:
Suppress Emotions (Ex): Many Dark Magical Girls learn to cope with their emotions by suppressing them. While this does temporarily alleviate them, it does nothing to help them and comes with consequences of its own. While in rage of tears, as a swift action the dark magical girl may choose to suppress her emotions. While doing so she gains none of the normal benefits from being in her rage of tears, instead taking a -2 penalty to charisma and gaining a +1 bonus to will saves. Additionally, rounds spent suppressing her emotions do not subtract from her total remaining rounds for rage of tears. Instead suppressing the emotions causes the feelings to fester making them all the stronger when finally they do escape again. Each turn she begins while suppressing her emotions increases the total remaining rounds of her rage of tears by [insert some means of calculating a number here, possibly just the number 1]. She still gains motes while suppressing her emotions, but at half the amount she would gain each round while normally using her rage of tears. She may not channel any of her bleak revelations while suppressing her emotions.

Might need some work, but with that I'd suggest possibly increasing the number of motes gained per turn to the current amount + what a normal magical girl would gain per round for her evoker level. Might also be worth allowing the DMG to use blast illuminations and if you add them barrier illuminations (as those are often seen used by DMGs in my experience).


Hmmm... I'll look over this, but I am hesitant to allow Blasts or boost the Mote regeneration too high, lest the DMG become strictly superior to the MG. She alrready has full BAB, higher save DCs courtesy of Rage of Tears, a larger encounter-start mote pool, and the ability to use any Strike illumination without preparation. She could still use a bit of a boost, because she does lose a lot in return, but I'd prefer that boost to be internal rather than just leeching more off of the magical girl.

Currently, I'm leaning towards the following two changes:


Make Numbed Body (and the other abilities that run off of it) Uses/Encounter instead of Uses/Day. I grow increasingly irked that half the levels in the class don't really do anything consistently, and I have a bit of a vendetta against dailies and their five-minute-workday mentality.
Implement Suppress Emotions, as above, with one major change: the mote incomes are reversed. While raging, a DMG gains her current, rather small quantity of motes. While her emotions are suppressed, she gains them at an accelerated rate, as her pent-up emotions fester and compound upon themselves. The idea being that the DMG dances between holding back and building up power and cutting loose and smashing things to pieces.


Barrier illuminations are something I will likely get into, but I'm on the fence as to whether they should be their own Illumination type or just a stylistically linked series of Auras and Bursts.



Also, how does the DMG interact with the Spirit Shooter Archetype?


Currently? It doesn't. I'm not happy with that though.

My current workaround is planned to be a clause that lets the DMG choose between Blasts and Strikes when she selects how she channels her power, but Spirit Shoot is still a terrible, terrible PrC choice for a ranged magical girl. Given how radically different it goes about combat compared to the other styles of magical girl, Spirit Shooter does present a bit of a conundrum with its habit of locking itself out of options. Currently Costumed Crusader is really the only PrC that supports them fully - although to be perfectly fair, a costumed crusader longbow spirit shooter is probably the highest damage-per-round build the entire class has to offer.



Lastly, I'd suggest a feat that allows the magical girl to have an additional form for her device (without it requiring one of the two forms be an exotic weapon). I once designed a magical girl character who used an umbrella for a device which was represented as a spike shield that could turn into a short spear using a homebrewed feat. While the game sadly didn't take off, the idea of a two form device might still be interesting to others.


Done. Well, actually, I just took the 'exotic' part out of Evolved Device: it now just gives your device a second form, the second form being selected from any weapon you are proficient with. Since magical girls only have Simple proficiencies naturally it still makes snagging better proficiency sets attractive, but it isn't mandatory.

DracoDei
2012-06-19, 01:27 AM
Glad to see this is updating again. Thought I'd check if you plan to fix the wording on the Sempai's special prerequisite soon as you'd mentioned you would earlier.

Also, since it seems the DMG is still lacking in ability compared to the normal magical girl since the Power of Love update, I thought I'd suggest an idea I had that might bring it up to a similar level of power again.

Grant at first level an ability does something like:
Suppress Emotions (Ex): Many Dark Magical Girls learn to cope with their emotions by suppressing them. While this does temporarily alleviate them, it does nothing to help them and comes with consequences of its own. While in rage of tears, as a swift action the dark magical girl may choose to suppress her emotions. While doing so she gains none of the normal benefits from being in her rage of tears, instead taking a -2 penalty to charisma and gaining a +1 bonus to will saves. Additionally, rounds spent suppressing her emotions do not subtract from her total remaining rounds for rage of tears. Instead suppressing the emotions causes the feelings to fester making them all the stronger when finally they do escape again. Each turn she begins while suppressing her emotions increases the total remaining rounds of her rage of tears by [insert some means of calculating a number here, possibly just the number 1]. She still gains motes while suppressing her emotions, but at half the amount she would gain each round while normally using her rage of tears. She may not channel any of her bleak revelations while suppressing her emotions.
Owrtho

If it expends the duration, what is keeping you from walking around for a few hours building up hours of Rage of Tears (and capped out motes)?

Amechra
2012-06-19, 02:02 AM
You accepting PrCs?

Because someone suggested a PrC that crosses this and my Pariah (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13253151#post13253151) class...

And I intend to build it.

Owrtho
2012-06-19, 03:48 AM
Hmmm... I'll look over this, but I am hesitant to allow Blasts or boost the Mote regeneration too high, lest the DMG become strictly superior to the MG. She alrready has full BAB, higher save DCs courtesy of Rage of Tears, a larger encounter-start mote pool, and the ability to use any Strike illumination without preparation. She could still use a bit of a boost, because she does lose a lot in return, but I'd prefer that boost to be internal rather than just leeching more off of the magical girl.

I can understand the mote regeneration issue. As for blasts, I don't see them as being a huge issue, and many DMGs have some form of ranged attack (then again this may just be that most Magical Girl series I'm familiar with feature predominantly ranged combat, thus making the concept of melee magical girls seem somewhat strange to me). I'd forgotten about the not preparing strike illuminations though. In fact I'm not sure it even occurred to me that they lost the need to prepare them when I'd read the class before. Given that there really isn't a need for an increased mote regen, particularly with the other abilities gained.
As for the possibility of choosing between strikes or blasts, the biggest issue I can see is simply that there are so few blasts it doesn't quite compare to the versatility of strikes. That said they do offer some ranged potential to the otherwise melee DMG, but I'm not sure how much that would be needed, particularly at the loss of strikes (that is assuming the DMG isn't a spirit shooter and thus unable to effectively use strikes).


Currently, I'm leaning towards the following two changes:


Make Numbed Body (and the other abilities that run off of it) Uses/Encounter instead of Uses/Day. I grow increasingly irked that half the levels in the class don't really do anything consistently, and I have a bit of a vendetta against dailies and their five-minute-workday mentality.
Implement Suppress Emotions, as above, with one major change: the mote incomes are reversed. While raging, a DMG gains her current, rather small quantity of motes. While her emotions are suppressed, she gains them at an accelerated rate, as her pent-up emotions fester and compound upon themselves. The idea being that the DMG dances between holding back and building up power and cutting loose and smashing things to pieces.


I'd forgotten those were only daily uses. While refreshing my memory I'd noted rage of tears was per encounter and assumed the rest were as well. That should work well.
The change to suppress emotions does seem to fit better. I'd possibly suggest a larger penalty to charisma while doing so in that case, to make the illuminations weaker while using suppress emotions with the accelerated mote gain rate. Then again, given the bonus to charisma from rage of tears, she there already will be a fair gap in charisma between normal rage and suppress emotions, but it would help encourage saving up in suppress, then swapping over to unleash it all.


Barrier illuminations are something I will likely get into, but I'm on the fence as to whether they should be their own Illumination type or just a stylistically linked series of Auras and Bursts.

Well, I think the key factor with this is how much variety you plan to offer with them. While not one of the more explored fields of magic in fiction, barriers do offer a wide range of versatility that can be tailored to given tasks. At the same time, a handful of more simple versions could be used to cover most situations, if perhaps not as well. If you plan to add a good selection of barrier illuminations (such as 1 or more per level of illuminations), then I'd suggest making it a distinct category. Otherwise I'd suggest having it tie into the other groups.
That said, the other benefit of making barriers their own group is you can more easily reference them. For example, I'd personally think the DMG should have access to barriers, if only because they are frequently portrayed as a basic magic for any magical girl in series that have them (or one possibility would be letting the DMG choose access to any two of strikes, blasts, and barriers). That said, even if you don't go with that, a barrier maiden Archetype would fit fairly well with the Magical Girl class, and would likely benefit from being able to easily reference them.


Currently? It doesn't. I'm not happy with that though.

My current workaround is planned to be a clause that lets the DMG choose between Blasts and Strikes when she selects how she channels her power, but Spirit Shoot is still a terrible, terrible PrC choice for a ranged magical girl. Given how radically different it goes about combat compared to the other styles of magical girl, Spirit Shooter does present a bit of a conundrum with its habit of locking itself out of options. Currently Costumed Crusader is really the only PrC that supports them fully - although to be perfectly fair, a costumed crusader longbow spirit shooter is probably the highest damage-per-round build the entire class has to offer.

I'm not quite sure that they're that poorly off. True some of the more melee centric benefits won't be as useful, but from what I can tell, the main issue for the spirit shooter is the advancing of spirit shots. Provided that is advanced and still usable, they can do fairly well. Arguably a DMG gun using spirit shooter could benefit quite well due to the charisma mod to damage and the buff from rage of tears (not to mention starting with more motes when entering the rage of tears). Still from what I've seen, most all strikes seem useless to a spirit shooter due to the requirement of melee attacks.

As for highest damage-per-round, I think a heavy hand bombard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152229) spirit shooter might be able to give it a fair run (assign costume points to brilliant and prismatic), particularly if it can manage to enter the bombard PRC, though I'll admit that does require another source of homebrew and a handful of feats.


Done. Well, actually, I just took the 'exotic' part out of Evolved Device: it now just gives your device a second form, the second form being selected from any weapon you are proficient with. Since magical girls only have Simple proficiencies naturally it still makes snagging better proficiency sets attractive, but it isn't mandatory.

That does work well enough.


If it expends the duration, what is keeping you from walking around for a few hours building up hours of Rage of Tears (and capped out motes)?

That should have mentioned that it can't exceed the starting amount.

Owrtho

Selinia
2012-06-20, 08:25 AM
Dark Magical Girl tweaks made.


You accepting PrCs?

Because someone suggested a PrC that crosses this and my Pariah (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=13253151#post13253151) class...

And I intend to build it.

Go ahead! If something is loopy I might ask you to fix it, but for the most part this class is open to contribution from anyone - feats, PrCs, or whatever. :smallsmile:

And I admit I'm quite curious as to how exactly that particular combo would work.


I can understand the mote regeneration issue. As for blasts, I don't see them as being a huge issue, and many DMGs have some form of ranged attack (then again this may just be that most Magical Girl series I'm familiar with feature predominantly ranged combat, thus making the concept of melee magical girls seem somewhat strange to me). I'd forgotten about the not preparing strike illuminations though. In fact I'm not sure it even occurred to me that they lost the need to prepare them when I'd read the class before. Given that there really isn't a need for an increased mote regen, particularly with the other abilities gained.
As for the possibility of choosing between strikes or blasts, the biggest issue I can see is simply that there are so few blasts it doesn't quite compare to the versatility of strikes. That said they do offer some ranged potential to the otherwise melee DMG, but I'm not sure how much that would be needed, particularly at the loss of strikes (that is assuming the DMG isn't a spirit shooter and thus unable to effectively use strikes).

I admit that Blasts are still probably the weakest part of the Illumination list. I'll probably get down to storming up some more of them before I get into any business with Barriers and such, because you're right - Blasts are generally the most common attack magic used in magical girl shows, and its a shame that the current selection is so bland.



I'd forgotten those were only daily uses. While refreshing my memory I'd noted rage of tears was per encounter and assumed the rest were as well. That should work well.
The change to suppress emotions does seem to fit better. I'd possibly suggest a larger penalty to charisma while doing so in that case, to make the illuminations weaker while using suppress emotions with the accelerated mote gain rate. Then again, given the bonus to charisma from rage of tears, she there already will be a fair gap in charisma between normal rage and suppress emotions, but it would help encourage saving up in suppress, then swapping over to unleash it all.


I honestly don't fuss over the penalty - given that it exists at all, the only reason a DMG would ever use illuminations in Suppress would be an emergency.

All of which aside, there's always the perpetual question of when (and if) a dark magical girl ought to unleash her Revelation nukes. Well-timed, those can end encounters - but with very heavy price.



Well, I think the key factor with this is how much variety you plan to offer with them. While not one of the more explored fields of magic in fiction, barriers do offer a wide range of versatility that can be tailored to given tasks. At the same time, a handful of more simple versions could be used to cover most situations, if perhaps not as well. If you plan to add a good selection of barrier illuminations (such as 1 or more per level of illuminations), then I'd suggest making it a distinct category. Otherwise I'd suggest having it tie into the other groups.
That said, the other benefit of making barriers their own group is you can more easily reference them. For example, I'd personally think the DMG should have access to barriers, if only because they are frequently portrayed as a basic magic for any magical girl in series that have them (or one possibility would be letting the DMG choose access to any two of strikes, blasts, and barriers). That said, even if you don't go with that, a barrier maiden Archetype would fit fairly well with the Magical Girl class, and would likely benefit from being able to easily reference them.


All good points on Barriers. I'll have that backed up to think about - it isn't something I want to half-do.



I'm not quite sure that they're that poorly off. True some of the more melee centric benefits won't be as useful, but from what I can tell, the main issue for the spirit shooter is the advancing of spirit shots. Provided that is advanced and still usable, they can do fairly well. Arguably a DMG gun using spirit shooter could benefit quite well due to the charisma mod to damage and the buff from rage of tears (not to mention starting with more motes when entering the rage of tears). Still from what I've seen, most all strikes seem useless to a spirit shooter due to the requirement of melee attacks.


The problem is that Spirit Shot doesn't get advanced by any of the PrCs as-is. And I'm hesitant to allow it to - spirit shot progression is very powerful, and its the bulk of the Spirit Shooter's appeal. If I make it something you can easily carry over into PrCs, there would be comparatively little reason to stay in the core class. It's in an awkward situation where its too important to do without, and too powerful to carry over.

I think Spirit Shooter will get some more options once there are more 5 level PrCs though - those fit into its progression much more easily.



As for highest damage-per-round, I think a heavy hand bombard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152229) spirit shooter might be able to give it a fair run (assign costume points to brilliant and prismatic), particularly if it can manage to enter the bombard PRC, though I'll admit that does require another source of homebrew and a handful of feats.


That is a thought that had not occurred to me - with spirit shot's reload-bypass, the raw damage of a bombard could get scary fast. I... actually want to see how this would work out, the mental image is highly amusing.



That should have mentioned that it can't exceed the starting amount.


I took the simple route and just specified that Rage of Tears only works in combat. So... you can't use it to get a bonus to diplomacy checks or something, and you definitely can't walk around accumulating rounds. There isn't a hard cap in combat though, beyond your willingness to waste turns with your best class feature turned off.

DracoDei
2012-06-20, 09:08 AM
The problem is that Spirit Shot doesn't get advanced by any of the PrCs as-is. And I'm hesitant to allow it to - spirit shot progression is very powerful, and its the bulk of the Spirit Shooter's appeal. If I make it something you can easily carry over into PrCs, there would be comparatively little reason to stay in the core class. It's in an awkward situation where its too important to do without, and too powerful to carry over.
This sounds like a case for stealing Martial Maneuvers "initiating levels plus one half of all other levels" mechanic. Haven't even looked at Spirit Shot, but having it grow at half-rate for Magical Girl centric PrC levels, and not at all for levels of other classes and PrCs sounds like just the thing for the problem you describe.


I took the simple route and just specified that Rage of Tears only works in combat. So... you can't use it to get a bonus to diplomacy checks or something, and you definitely can't walk around accumulating rounds. There isn't a hard cap in combat though, beyond your willingness to waste turns with your best class feature turned off.
That works.

Owrtho
2012-06-20, 03:09 PM
I admit that Blasts are still probably the weakest part of the Illumination list. I'll probably get down to storming up some more of them before I get into any business with Barriers and such, because you're right - Blasts are generally the most common attack magic used in magical girl shows, and its a shame that the current selection is so bland.

I'd try giving some suggestions, but spell ideas have never been my strong point (part of the reason why ethercasting is still so lacking in mist forms). That said, perhaps watching some Nanoha might give me some ideas.

Actually, speaking of Nanoha, perhaps an Archetype based on the Belkan cartridge system. It could have to do with storing energy in cartridges between combat, reducing the number of motes the magical girl begins an encounter with. The cartridges could then be used to buff attacks or illuminations.


I honestly don't fuss over the penalty - given that it exists at all, the only reason a DMG would ever use illuminations in Suppress would be an emergency.

All of which aside, there's always the perpetual question of when (and if) a dark magical girl ought to unleash her Revelation nukes. Well-timed, those can end encounters - but with very heavy price.

Valid points.


All good points on Barriers. I'll have that backed up to think about - it isn't something I want to half-do.

I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with.


The problem is that Spirit Shot doesn't get advanced by any of the PrCs as-is. And I'm hesitant to allow it to - spirit shot progression is very powerful, and its the bulk of the Spirit Shooter's appeal. If I make it something you can easily carry over into PrCs, there would be comparatively little reason to stay in the core class. It's in an awkward situation where its too important to do without, and too powerful to carry over.

I think Spirit Shooter will get some more options once there are more 5 level PrCs though - those fit into its progression much more easily.


This sounds like a case for stealing Martial Maneuvers "initiating levels plus one half of all other levels" mechanic. Haven't even looked at Spirit Shot, but having it grow at half-rate for Magical Girl centric PrC levels, and not at all for levels of other classes and PrCs sounds like just the thing for the problem you describe.

I was just about to suggest the same thing.


That is a thought that had not occurred to me - with spirit shot's reload-bypass, the raw damage of a bombard could get scary fast. I... actually want to see how this would work out, the mental image is highly amusing.

My character (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=406120) from this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244839) game is a Sentai/Magical Girl who uses heavy hand bombards. Given that both classes end up allowing + charisma mod to damage (even if only on spirit shots for the magical girl), I do worry that a minimum damage roll of 23 might be a bit much (since that means rolling all 1s on 3d8+3d6).


I took the simple route and just specified that Rage of Tears only works in combat. So... you can't use it to get a bonus to diplomacy checks or something, and you definitely can't walk around accumulating rounds. There isn't a hard cap in combat though, beyond your willingness to waste turns with your best class feature turned off.

As mentioned before me, that does take care of the issue.

Owrtho

DracoDei
2012-06-20, 03:20 PM
My character (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=406120) from this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244839) game is a Sentai/Magical Girl who uses heavy hand bombards. Given that both classes end up allowing + charisma mod to damage (even if only on spirit shots for the magical girl), I do worry that a minimum damage roll of 23 might be a bit much (since that means rolling all 1s on 3d8+3d6).
I wouldn't allow charisma modifiers to stack if I were the GM... or maybe it would just increase it to x1.5 instead of x2 charisma mod*.

*Actually I would do 0.75x(charisma SCORE -10), because I am mathematician at heart, but that is beside the point.

Owrtho
2012-06-20, 05:07 PM
I wouldn't allow charisma modifiers to stack if I were the GM... or maybe it would just increase it to x1.5 instead of x2 charisma mod*.

*Actually I would do 0.75x(charisma SCORE -10), because I am mathematician at heart, but that is beside the point.

But you also seem to be forgetting that with gun using spirit shooters, for each previous spirit shot you've hit the target with that turn, it deals an additional Cha mod damage. That said, you could account for that by making the equation (0.75 + 0.5 per previous spirit shot to hit the target this turn)x(charisma score - 10). All said though, the high damage output was completely unintentional. I'd just wanted to play a guy turned magical girl turned sentai who compensated for his lost manhood by using an oversized gun. I avoided taking rapid shot since the penalty to attack didn't seem overly significant given the spirit shots are touch attacks and the amount of damage the third hit would deal being ridiculous (a minimum of 35, maximum 71 without criticals or maneuvers).

Owrtho

Lix Lorn
2012-06-20, 08:25 PM
I wouldn't allow charisma modifiers to stack if I were the GM... or maybe it would just increase it to x1.5 instead of x2 charisma mod*.

*Actually I would do 0.75x(charisma SCORE -10), because I am mathematician at heart, but that is beside the point.
Well whether it as written stacks depends on wording.
If it says they may replace their Str mod with Cha mod, it doesn't stack, but if either one just adds +cha mod damage, then it stacks unless you rule zero.

NineThePuma
2012-06-20, 08:53 PM
I think I still need to run one of these.

Selinia
2012-06-21, 02:27 AM
This sounds like a case for stealing Martial Maneuvers "initiating levels plus one half of all other levels" mechanic. Haven't even looked at Spirit Shot, but having it grow at half-rate for Magical Girl centric PrC levels, and not at all for levels of other classes and PrCs sounds like just the thing for the problem you describe.


Yes, thank you, superb idea and done. Spirit Shot now scales at half speed in any class that has the Illuminations or Focused Illuminations class feature.



Actually, speaking of Nanoha, perhaps an Archetype based on the Belkan cartridge system. It could have to do with storing energy in cartridges between combat, reducing the number of motes the magical girl begins an encounter with. The cartridges could then be used to buff attacks or illuminations.

Idea cataloged. Expect to see this at some point, though I'm torn as to whether it would make a better Archetype or PrC. I lean towards the latter, simply because cartridges are a power-up: devices work fine without them, and did so for quite some time. PrC also gives a lot more room to put in some nice detail on the system.

Downside is of course that PrCs are more time-consuming that archetypes to write. :smallsigh:



My character (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=406120) from this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244839) game is a Sentai/Magical Girl who uses heavy hand bombards. Given that both classes end up allowing + charisma mod to damage (even if only on spirit shots for the magical girl), I do worry that a minimum damage roll of 23 might be a bit much (since that means rolling all 1s on 3d8+3d6).


With any ability or build where the majority of the focus is on dealing damage, I tend to be very open-minded as to what might be considered 'broken', particularly once the game starts heading into the mid levels and beyond. Because face it, pure damage is bad. It just isn't an efficient way of dealing with things as the levels tick up. Despite how cool her costume abilities are, a magical girl's most potent tools are still her illuminations, which that build sacrifices to a great degree. She's very good at what she does, but I wouldn't call her broken by any means (particularly if you rule-zero a Cha-modifier suppressant, because stacking modifiers always gets wonky).

Ironically, the one thing in that character that is probably going to be nerfed is Vigil of Candles. It offers way too much for a first level illumination, and will likely be reduced to doling out a fixed penalty rather than Cha mod in the very near future. The present version will likely be renamed and bumped down to a higher tier.

In other news, I've been struck by a desire to give Elemental Magical Girls some attention: elemental affinity is a big part of many magical girl lineups, and it has been rather neglected in this class. To kick things off, the Prismatic Calling feat is now substantially less terrible. Also, an elemental-themed five-level PrC is very near completion, so heads up for that in the next couple days.

Story Time
2012-06-21, 06:26 AM
In other news, I've been struck by a desire to give Elemental Magical Girls some attention[...]

And the multitudes rejoiced! :smallbiggrin: Mine have, anyway.

Selinia
2012-06-26, 12:14 AM
The Prism Knight

"Let's get this rolling! Blazing Crimson Garnet, turn up the heat!"
-Mai, a Fire Prism Knight

Light is a melding of many colors - all of them, in fact, from every point along the spectrum. Most of those who wield light do so as a whole, wielding the unified luminescence as a single potent entity. Most of those who bother breaking it down do so only to cherry-pick the most virulent effects of each color.

Prism knights see things differently. They devote their focus to a single facet of light, bonding with and studying it to the exclusion of the others. While some might argue that this costs them their greater understanding of light as a whole, the prism knight's monochrome endeavors grant her unrivaled mastery over manifestations of their chosen hue.

Crackling yellow sparks, burning red flames, chilling blue ice or vibrantly pink music... each to walk this path finds the element which resounds with them most. With that power in hand, they are a force unlike any other in the arsenal of light.

Requirements
To become a prism knight, you must fulfill the following criteria.
Skills: Concentration 9 ranks
Feats: Prismatic Calling, Radiant Soul
Special: Must be able to prepare second level illuminations.

Given that the PrC revolves around Illuminations to a large extent, I felt it would be appropriate to include the Radiant Soul feat in the requirement. Given that way this class likes to eat extra motes, starting combat with a few extra worth of buffer is something that's bound to be quite useful in short fights. Prismatic Calling is a given, and many of the class' feature interact with it in some way.

I'm normally not too fond of PrCs that begin at odd levels like 6, but I don't think Prism Knight is hurt by it much. Magical Girl 6 is a pretty solid level, granting both a costume point and second level illuminations.

Class Skill List: Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge [Arcana] (Int), Knowledge [The Planes] (Int), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Prism knights manipulate their illuminations in some esoteric ways, and they understand them a good bit better than an average 'I hit things and then sparkles!' magical girl. Two Knowledges (Arcana and The Planes) and Spellcraft won't make her a party sage, but they're there.

Prism Knight

Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special | Illuminations

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2| Affinity, Themed Costume (+1), Unfocused Illuminations | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3| Prisms (1), Elemental Familiarity | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+3| Prisms (2), Elemental Conduit | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4| Prisms (3), Themed Costume (+2) | +1 level of existing illumination-using class

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4| Prisms (4), Elemental Heart | +1 level of existing illumination-using class
[/table]

Standard magical girl PrC chassis. Not much more to say here.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A prism knight gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Affinity (Su): Rather than using the pure white light to which many illuminations default, a prism knight gains a special affinity for a single color of radiance. At 1st level, she chooses an energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) to be her affinity element. This does not prohibit her use of other elements in costume effects or illuminations, but many of the prism knight’s class features apply only to her affinity element.

Attunement to a single element. This is fairly important, as your choice of element determines quite a few of your class features. The core prisms will stay the same, but there are abilities on the side that are pretty radically different depending on which of the big five you select.

Illuminations: A prism knight centers her focus on a single color of light, gaining great insight into her powers, but her overall understanding of light is no less refined. Her levels in prism knight and magical girl stack to determine all aspects of her Illuminations class feature.

Yep. The Prism Knight is officially the first magical girl PrC to fully advance Illuminations. Illuminations are what it does - it uses more motes than any other magical girl class, and it needs every last one to get the most out of its class features.

Themed Costume (Su): A prism knight’s focus gives her a degree of insight into her affinity element that other magical girls could only dream of – but her adaptability and versatility suffers for it. A prism knight does not gain costume points or increase the investment limit for her costume effects. At 1st level, and again at 4th level, she permanently ingrains one point each of the Thematic and Prismatic effects into her costume, each keyed to her affinity element. These permanent effects cannot be reallocated, do not consume costume points, and do not count against the maximum number of costume points the prism knight may invest in any given effect.

Many of the prism knight’s class features reference the damage dealt by her Prismatic costume element, referring to it as Prismatic damage.

Costume progression, but limited to a couple of costume elements. Prismatic is arguably one of the best costume elements, while Thematic is arguably one of the most situational. Still, the inability to access the +3 effects of costume elements until significantly later is probably the biggest price paid by the prism knight.

Prisms (Su): As the prism knight grows in power, she learns to coax the unique powers of her affinity element out from the muddled mess of light that normally comprises an illumination. At each level beyond 1st, she acquires new talents for the shaping of her illuminations – the prisms for which her class is named. Unless otherwise noted, any prism effect that deals damage deals damage of the prism knight’s affinity type. No more than one prism effect may be applied to any single illumination.

A prism knight selects her prisms from the following list, and may choose new ones any time she can ready her illuminations. She may ready one prism at 2nd level, and an additional prism at each level thereafter.


Chromatic Blow: When evoking a blast or burst, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to convert the illumination to a strike. It gains all the intrinsic characteristics of a strike, requiring a melee attack to hit and inflicting the effects of the prism knight’s weapon along with the effects of the blast of burst.

Elemental Assault: The prism knight may use Prismatic Calling in conjunction with any attack with her device, even mundane blows. No more than one non-strike attack may be so enhanced each turn.

Incandescent Cascade: After evoking a blast, the prism knight may pay an additional two motes to immediately evoke the same blast again as a free action. She must still pay the full mote cost of the blast on this second evocation.

Lashing Light: When evoking a strike, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to convert it to a burst. The strike gains a range of Short (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.), provokes attacks of opportunity, and is a Cha-based ranged touch attack. Further, the strike deals only the prism knight’s prismatic damage, losing the base damage of the attack. A strike converted into a burst otherwise functions as normal, essentially allowing you to make the attack at range.

Many as One: When an ally within 60 feet of the prism knight makes a melee attack, she may pay two motes as a free action to evoke a standard-action strike and add its effects to the attack. She must still pay the full cost of the strike she chooses to evoke, and may only use this ability once per turn.

Painter's Smite: When evoking a strike, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to amplify the effects of that illumination, raising the save DC by 1 for every die of prismatic damage the prism knight possesses.

Piercing Call: When evoking a blast or burst, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to amplify the effects of that illumination, raising the save DC by 1 for every die of prismatic damage the prism knight possesses.

Primal Pulse: When evoking a blast or burst illumination, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to cause the effect to manifest as an intense explosion of her affinity element. Enemies adjacent to the illumination’s target take splash damage equal to her Prismatic damage dice. If the blast or burst targets an area, the damage is dealt to enemies in the illumination’s area of effect instead.

Realm of Color: When paying an aura’s upkeep, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to double the aura’s radius for one round.

Supersaturate: When paying an aura’s upkeep, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to whip up a furious storm of her affinity element. Enemies within her aura’s radius are dealt her prismatic damage.

Unflinching Radiance: When paying an aura’s upkeep, the prism knight may pay one additional mote to reduce the ability of nearby enemies to resist her affinity element. Any enemy within her aura radius loses an amount of resistance to the prism knight’s affinity element equal to the resistance granted by her Thematic costume element. Creatures with elemental immunity are treated as if they originally had a resistance of 50. Resistance cannot be reduced below zero.


The meat and potatoes of the class, which can essentially be summed up as 'Metamagic for Illuminations'. I'm likely to add more of these over time, but there's a pretty healthy starter list at the moment. These can add a lot of versatility to a magical girl's illumination list, but using them regularly can be a pricy proposition - like many aspects of the magical girl, it's a resource managing exercise.

Elemental Familiarity (Su): At 2nd level, the prism knight may convert damage from a Blast illumination (or spirit shot, if applicable) into her affinity element, without paying an additional mote to use Prismatic Calling. She must still use and pay for Prismatic Calling if she wishes to add her prismatic damage dice to the attack.

Additionally, the prism knight has learned to manipulate her element in a much more precise manner than before, manifested as a supernatural ability derived from her affinity element.

Fire: The prism knight can fuel a nearby flame with her blazing spirit, causing an eruption of smoke or flame. This functions identically to the spell Pyrotechnics, treating the prism knight's evoker level as her caster level. Once used, this ability takes 1d4+1 rounds to recharge. If the prism knight wishes, she may render the effects of this ability harmless, creating an explosive display for purely cosmetic purposes.

Acid: The prism knight can force her essence into the chinks of an object, steadily corroding it into its natural components. This is a touch attack dealing [1d6/evoker level + Cha mod] acid damage to a single object, ignoring the object's hardness. Objects destroyed by this ability decompose into their raw components - a metal plate, for example, might drop away as a pile of unworked ore. Using this ability is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, and it may not be used to target a creature under any circumstances.

Cold: The prism knight can exude calm and stillness into her surroundings, condensing water from the air - or converting water into ice. Used to create water, this ability functions identically to the spell Create Water, treating the prism knight's evoker level as her caster level. Used to create ice, this ability may freeze solid up to one gallon of liquid water per evoker level - the prism knight may attempt to freeze ice in a particular shape through use of a Craft check, as the spell Fabricate. The ice is mundane in nature, but will not begin to melt until the prism knight is not longer in physical contact with it, even if the ambient temperature is above freezing. Using either form of this ability is a full-round action which provokes attacks of opportunity.

Electricity: The prism knight can harmonize with the electric currents in her surroundings, allowing her to shift certain objects about as if they were extensions of her own body. This functions as the spell Mage Hand, but with a duration of Concentration and a maximum load of [5 lbs/evoker level]. Objects that are normally resistant to conducting electricity, such as stone or wood, count as double their actual weight for the purposes of this ability's carrying capacity.

Sonic: The prism knight can catch her own voice, sending it far away and returning with the response of another. This functions as the spell Whispering Wind, but may record a twenty-five word reply and return it to the prism knight after delivering the initial message.

Elemental Conduit (Su): At 3rd level, the prism knight may use Prismatic Calling in conjunction with strike illuminations. The prismatic damage added by Prismatic Calling stacks with the prismatic damage on the prism knight’s device.

Additionally, the strength of the prism knight's affinity for her chosen element has begun to alter even her most basic interactions with her radiant powers. She gains one of the following supernatural abilities, derived from her affinity element.

Fire: The prism knight can burn brighter than ever before - but like the flames she has attuned herself to, that radiance comes with a price. The prism knight may use her Radiant Focus ability as a swift action, but she takes 1d8 points of damage for each mote regained in this manner. The prism knight may still use Radiant Focus normally if she wishes to, and may still only use Radiant Focus once per turn. Damage taken through this ability cannot be reduced by any means.

Acid: The prism knight channels the caustic essence of acid, purging from her body that which does not belong. As a move action, she may remove any of the following conditions from herself: Sickened, Nauseated, Confused, or any one poison or disease. Using this ability costs three motes.

Cold: The radiance of the prism knight takes solid form, light itself condensing into a luminous sheet of ice to protect her. When the prism knight takes damage, she may pay any number of motes as a free action to reduce that damage. Each mote she expends in this manner negates a number of points of damage equal to her class level.

Electricity: The prism knight is a living dynamo, channeling trace amounts of radiant power even when completely at rest. At the beginning of combat, she gains a number of motes equal to 3/4 of her mote pool, rounded down, rather than 1/2 of it.

Sonic: The prism knight can broadcast her illuminations more brightly and clearly than ever before. The range of her burst and blast illuminations is doubled, and the radius of her auras increases by 50%.

Elemental Heart (Su): At 5th level, whenever the prism knight dons her costume, its elemental energy permeates her very being, rendering her as much a being of the elements as one of mortal flesh. While in costume, the prism knight has a 50% chance to negate any critical hit made against her, and gains a +4 bonus to her charisma score.

Additionally, her attunement with her chosen element reaches its highest point - its essence infuses her and flows through her no less than the blood in her veins. She gains one of the following supernatural abilities, derived from her affinity element.

Fire: The prism knight is a living, breathing furnace of burning light. Whenever the prism knight deals her prismatic damage, she deals an additional two points of damage per die.

Acid: The prism knight can feel and empathize with light at its simplest, most basic level, and understands better than any other the building blocks of her illuminations. Once per encounter, as a full-round action, the prism knight may replace one of her prepared illuminations with another of the same level or lower. This replacement lasts until the end of the encounter, at which point her illuminations revert back to those she has prepared normally.

Cold: The prism knight is a pristine sculpture of near-perfect spiritual clarity. A number of times per encounter equal to her Cha modifier, a prism knight may make use of a Prism effect without paying an additional mote.

Electricity: The prism knight is capable of channeling even the most erratic power fluidly, and surpasses all others in the flexibility and versatility of her power. She select an additional three Prisms when choosing which effects to prepare.

Sonic: The prism knight resonates with her surroundings just as clearly as she does with herself, and can draw upon the ambient light of the air to aid her in broadcasting her powers. Whenever she is sustaining any number of illuminations, such as auras, her total (not per-illumination) mote upkeep is reduced by one. This ability cannot reduce her upkeep to zero - if she is sustaining illuminations, a prism knight must always pay at least one mote per turn.

And these three abilities are why elements matter. Each of the five offers some pretty unique benefits, and I like to think affinity element is an actual choice now rather than just slapping on acid or electricity and calling it a day.

Selinia
2012-06-26, 12:16 AM
Right then, the Prism Knight. This class has been giving me a headache all weekend.

As you might have noticed, I've flagged this class as a beta - I don't consider it anywhere near its final format, but it is technically playable. It's going to be fixed up, but there are a number of ways that could potentially happen: I could embrace a more separated elemental theme (currently the elemental stuff feels rather forced, and not very flavorful at all), deal with status effects, or something else entirely. I honestly don't know for now, so I'm going to sit on that thought - and see if someone else can suggest something I've not run through already.

In the meantime, I'm going to step back and overhaul the illumination list a bit. This can wait until I've got a better idea of what to do with it.

Owrtho
2012-06-26, 04:23 AM
On the prism knight, while it looks good so far, some bits of it feel somewhat incomplete. The meta illumination list for example feels it could use a little expanding. Off hand, it might be worth adding a note that a spirit shooter can treat their spirit shot as a blast illumination for the Prisms.

As a side note, themed costume does not actually specify that the permanent points need be spent on the element the prism knight is focused on.

A possible idea for a Prism would be one that allows a continuous damage on a successful hit. Possibly something like causing a fortitude or reflex save on hit, and if failed the target takes 1d4 damage of the chosen element per round for a number of rounds equal to the number of die of prismatic damage the prism knight possesses.

Possibly adding one or two illuminations specific to each element might also help. If you go with two, there could be one more flavourful utility type illumination, and one that is more combat effective. As an example of more flavourful illuminations, fire might provide an aura that gives off heat, making it so those in range need not make saves against cold temperatures, while cold might get an aura doing the reverse (both of which might specify an ability to be used outside of combat). That said, correspond illuminations to be granted by the other elements are harder to come up with. Acid just melts things, but based on that might get a corrosive touch that isn't much use in combat, but can be used for things like breaking locks, chains, etc. Electricity I'm unsure of in a fantasy setting, but in a modern one would be able to do something with electronics, otherwise best I can think of off hand is making light... Sonic, I similarly am unsure on, possible something communication related, such as an ability to converse long distance. They might even each get something later that if used for given Prisms, get added bonuses to make them combat capable (such as the heat/cold aura getting an extra d6 of damage when used with Elemental Assault). Combat specific illuminations could just be based off somewhat more iconic spells or abilities showcasing more unique aspects of each element.

Anyway, on the whole, I think a mostly matching chassis for each element is a good idea, but each should likely get a little something to show what is different about it compared to the others aside from what word you put next to the damage you're dealing/resistant to. If I come up with anything else, I'll let you know.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-06-26, 05:50 AM
First of all, i love this class :smallbiggrin:
As such i want to help you designing it as much as possible, hence, a lot of suggestions from me:

First, something for flavor: Make it possible to designate wondrous items as part of your costume.
Either as many as you want, or maybe one per maximum costume point (obviously still following the normal rules on magic item slots).
Something like "In addition to a suit of armor, you can also designate worn wondrous items (like hats, gloves or googles) as part of your costume. This does not change their effect in any way, but they get summoned and dismissed as part of your costume and can be retrieved like other parts of it. You can assign one wondrous item per maximum costume point you have."

I wouldn't grant any statistic benefits, but it would ensure that a Magical Girls outfit would match her costume (found lime-green boots? Now they match your Costumes look!). And i can't really imagine a Magical Girl in her "civilian clothes" wearing all the stuff an adventurer normally does.


Some mechanical suggestions:
- Device: How about allowing "Weapon Focus: Device" and other feats? Soulknifes can do that for their Mindblades as well, and it would greatly benefit those who have Evolved Devices.

- Power of Friendship: Right now it is really really hard to succeed at this, because you have to suceed ten times while the captive only has to succeed three times. Either change that, or introduce a way where the enemy has to reset his successes (and you can try again if he was already at three successes). Ideally when he escapes on his own (to prevent release-and-recapture shenanigans) and is captured/defeated again.
Also, i'd LOVE it if you can make a check immediately after you have bested an enemy, as long as you had a proper conversation during the fight - that would be soo fitting to Nanoha (and other shows)!

- Evolved Device feat: I would remove the need to be proficient with the weapon in question. Right now the feat does nothing a Transformative-weapon enchantment doesn't do. Other than gaining an exotic Device, and an exotic weapon isn't worth two feats! If the feat instead allows you to pick ANY weapon (and gain proficiency with it due to being your device) it is useful for those who want an exotic device as well as those who want their weapon to transform, without forcing you to take martial or exotic weapon proficiency. Also, you might want to allow ranged weapons with this (and melee weapons for Spirit Shooters). Exotic weapon proficiency is already a weak feat and would hardly be overpowered with an improved version.

- Rainbow road: This would greatly benefit if you could make paths in the air with it (aking to wingroad in StrikerS). You can already fly at this level anyway, so it'd hardly be overpowered.

- Swallow Buster: I don't see the point of this. You will hit most of the time anyway (since Blasts target Touch-AC), and almost all enemies with high Touch-AC have a high Reflex save as well. Maybe if it allowed you to attack a second time if the first attack hits and the enemy doesn't make a save or such, but otherwise this is almost completely pointless.

- Enhanced Costume: Since you can enchant your device and costume anyway, why would you ever take this? I'd at least allow you to use the enhancement-bonus to add weapon- or armor-properties.

- Sacred Champion Feat: Taking this via Paladin-levels is extremely hard (and then only provides a small benefit). An alternate version for Paladins that doesn't require that much spellcasting (and a Paladin class feature instead) would be nice.



Last but not least, i am currently writing a Handbook for this class (still very incomplete). You can find it here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f_gSISstb3ztSWnN3t9TqQr5DVnr3-L5xElsWXaC4LQ/edit). All input and criticism is welcome!

Serafina
2012-06-26, 08:41 AM
Some more stuff:

First, a question:
What stats does the Mentor Animal use? Just the stats of whatever animal you pick, with a modified intelligence?
If that is so, it's reaaaly squishy, and as of now it is unclear whether and how you can regain it once its slain. Maybe a simple "has half HP of mistress and uses her saves, can be regained within a week if slain"?


Taking the Busou Shoujo-feat is a really nice way to simulate intelligent devices from Lyrical Nanoha due to the Black Blade. If you take the Mentor Animal Archetype as well you can even simulate unison devices!
The Arcana pool of the Black Blade (as well as your own) is meanwhile a decent way to simulate a Cartridge system.



Here are some changes that make this a Pathfinder-class (most should be obvious, but can't harm to list them somewhere):

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Replace all mentions of "Balance" and "Tumble" with "Acrobatics"

Radiant Focus: Use Perform instead of Concentration (makes Perform useful)

Weightless: If you invest 5 points, you provoke no attacks of Opporunity from the creature you target with your standard action during Flyby Attack.

Quick: If you invest 6 points, you can make a second attack when using Spring Attack.

Archetype Clarification: Whenever a feat allows levels of another class to advance a class feature, they also advance any class feature gained by an Archetype that replaces or alters said class feature. When only the effect of a class feature is advanced, but no new versions of that class feature are granted, then only the effect of the Archetype-feature you gain from your levels in that class is advanced.
Example: When you have the Busou Shoujo and the Bladebound-Archetype, your Magical Girl levels advance your Black Blade (since Black Blade alters your Arcana Pool class feature).
When you have the Illuminating Song feat and the Archivist-Archetype, you advance your Naturalist ability instead of Inspire Courage.

Illuminating Song Your Bard and Magical Girl levels stack when determining your Mote Pool (but not your llluminations), the number of rounds for your Bardic Performance and the Bonus granted by your Inspire Courage class feature.

Sacred Champion: Prerequisites: Ability to ready 2 illuminations per encounter, Channel Energy 2D6
Benefit: Your cleric and magical girl levels stack to determine your Channel Energy Class feature and your Mote Pool (but not your Illuminations). Paladins count as clerics of their class level.
Note: Channel Energy 2D6 sets the minimum Cleric-levels at 3 without requiring spellcasting, and Paladins get it at 4th-level.

Selinia
2012-06-27, 02:41 AM
First off, Assorted Tweaks and Errata. Nothing major here - just a few basic presentation and balance tweaks. Thanks to Serafina for a lot of these - her Magical Girl handbook pointed out some glaring disparities in some of the most basic abilities.


The Illumination and Costume lists are now alphabetized. I can't be the only one who was getting a headache scrolling through that mess.
Beacon of Serenity now scales more effectively, using Evoker Level + Cha rather than a Cha multiplier.
Vigil of Candles is now hardcapped. It scaled a tad too well before, and a magical girl with Combat Reflexes or some other source of extra AoOs could create a near-invulnerability bubble with little effort. It's still quite potent, but it generally won't produce the automisses it used to.
Angel Buster no longer nerfs itself against its non-favored enemies, and packs a significantly flashier wallop when it connects with the nasties it's meant for.
Borealis is now a second-level illumination, and scales more fluidly.
Rainbow Road can now be used to create midair platforms, bridges, and the like - with you choosing who can stand on them and who can't. The ability has also been clarified to not apply to enemies.
Dance of Lights is now a third-level illumination. You still grant evasion and mettle to your buddies. It's still one of the better illuminations on the list. It just costs more now.
Sound the Bells still deals crummy damage, but shines in its role as a hordebreaker - the more outnumbered your team is, the better that healing is going to get, drawing directly from the pool of damage dealt and applying where it's most needed.
Swallow Buster takes a page from the darkness-attacking book of Magic Missile. No longer content to be effectively an autohit, it now is an autohit - not the most economical Blast, but an excellent choice for dealing with high Touch AC baddies or incorporeal fools.
Light of the Martyr now actually does something.
Device - Limit Form has been patched to remove the loophole allowing the use of a full-attack Strike to sneak in two full attacks in a single action. That... wasn't intended.


There are likely more tweaks like these on the way, along with some genuinely new illuminations to flesh out those lists, but this is a start for now.


On the prism knight, while it looks good so far, some bits of it feel somewhat incomplete. The meta illumination list for example feels it could use a little expanding. Off hand, it might be worth adding a note that a spirit shooter can treat their spirit shot as a blast illumination for the Prisms.

As a side note, themed costume does not actually specify that the permanent points need be spent on the element the prism knight is focused on.

A possible idea for a Prism would be one that allows a continuous damage on a successful hit. Possibly something like causing a fortitude or reflex save on hit, and if failed the target takes 1d4 damage of the chosen element per round for a number of rounds equal to the number of die of prismatic damage the prism knight possesses.

Possibly adding one or two illuminations specific to each element might also help. If you go with two, there could be one more flavourful utility type illumination, and one that is more combat effective. As an example of more flavourful illuminations, fire might provide an aura that gives off heat, making it so those in range need not make saves against cold temperatures, while cold might get an aura doing the reverse (both of which might specify an ability to be used outside of combat). That said, correspond illuminations to be granted by the other elements are harder to come up with. Acid just melts things, but based on that might get a corrosive touch that isn't much use in combat, but can be used for things like breaking locks, chains, etc. Electricity I'm unsure of in a fantasy setting, but in a modern one would be able to do something with electronics, otherwise best I can think of off hand is making light... Sonic, I similarly am unsure on, possible something communication related, such as an ability to converse long distance. They might even each get something later that if used for given Prisms, get added bonuses to make them combat capable (such as the heat/cold aura getting an extra d6 of damage when used with Elemental Assault). Combat specific illuminations could just be based off somewhat more iconic spells or abilities showcasing more unique aspects of each element.

Anyway, on the whole, I think a mostly matching chassis for each element is a good idea, but each should likely get a little something to show what is different about it compared to the others aside from what word you put next to the damage you're dealing/resistant to. If I come up with anything else, I'll let you know.

Owrtho

As usual, all excellent points. This was a wonderful mental jumpstart, and I think I've got some fuel to get to rebuilding the Prism Knight shortly. The idea of themed utility abilities for each element is particularly nice, and will definitely see use.


First of all, i love this class :smallbiggrin:
As such i want to help you designing it as much as possible, hence, a lot of suggestions from me:

First, something for flavor: Make it possible to designate wondrous items as part of your costume.
Either as many as you want, or maybe one per maximum costume point (obviously still following the normal rules on magic item slots).
Something like "In addition to a suit of armor, you can also designate worn wondrous items (like hats, gloves or googles) as part of your costume. This does not change their effect in any way, but they get summoned and dismissed as part of your costume and can be retrieved like other parts of it. You can assign one wondrous item per maximum costume point you have."

I wouldn't grant any statistic benefits, but it would ensure that a Magical Girls outfit would match her costume (found lime-green boots? Now they match your Costumes look!). And i can't really imagine a Magical Girl in her "civilian clothes" wearing all the stuff an adventurer normally does.


Always wonderful to hear someone is getting some enjoyment out of this. :smallsmile:

All I can say here is sure, why not? I see no reason for them to not be able to dismiss her magical items if she doesn't like toting them around.



Some mechanical suggestions:
- Device: How about allowing "Weapon Focus: Device" and other feats? Soulknifes can do that for their Mindblades as well, and it would greatly benefit those who have Evolved Devices.

In retrospect, this is a much cleaner way of allowing device weapon-focusing than I currently have. So presto, changed.


- Power of Friendship: Right now it is really really hard to succeed at this, because you have to suceed ten times while the captive only has to succeed three times. Either change that, or introduce a way where the enemy has to reset his successes (and you can try again if he was already at three successes). Ideally when he escapes on his own (to prevent release-and-recapture shenanigans) and is captured/defeated again.
Also, i'd LOVE it if you can make a check immediately after you have bested an enemy, as long as you had a proper conversation during the fight - that would be soo fitting to Nanoha (and other shows)!

One thing to bear in mind is that a captive must make three successes in a row, while the magical girl need only make ten successes total. Against all but the most strong-willed enemies, the odds are in the favor of the magical girl, even if the process takes a while.

I like the idea of a capture-based instant persuasion roll, but it would likely involve stapling another highly-situational paragraph onto a fluff ability that's already a bit bulky.

It can be tricky, but changing alignments isn't something that is done casually, and it isn't meant to be. Even the Befriender herself generally needs a full season of beatdowns to turn a couple of enemies into allies - and they're often pretty Neutral to begin with.



- Evolved Device feat: I would remove the need to be proficient with the weapon in question. Right now the feat does nothing a Transformative-weapon enchantment doesn't do. Other than gaining an exotic Device, and an exotic weapon isn't worth two feats! If the feat instead allows you to pick ANY weapon (and gain proficiency with it due to being your device) it is useful for those who want an exotic device as well as those who want their weapon to transform, without forcing you to take martial or exotic weapon proficiency. Also, you might want to allow ranged weapons with this (and melee weapons for Spirit Shooters). Exotic weapon proficiency is already a weak feat and would hardly be overpowered with an improved version.


You make a very valid point. I fell into the all-to-common trap of overvaluing Exotic weaponry without any real reason to. This is tweaked up to allow any melee weapon, and explicitly allows Spirit Shooters to get a ranged one. That said, I'd rather not get the two muddled up - letting spirit shooters have a melee device or a normal magical girl have a ranged one blurs the line between them a bit too much for my taste. If a melee MG wants to shoot, she can use a blast. If a Spirit Shooter needs to brawl, she can Strike with a mundane combat knife and a free hand. No need to go further.



- Rainbow road: This would greatly benefit if you could make paths in the air with it (aking to wingroad in StrikerS). You can already fly at this level anyway, so it'd hardly be overpowered.

- Swallow Buster: I don't see the point of this. You will hit most of the time anyway (since Blasts target Touch-AC), and almost all enemies with high Touch-AC have a high Reflex save as well. Maybe if it allowed you to attack a second time if the first attack hits and the enemy doesn't make a save or such, but otherwise this is almost completely pointless.


Both these rather underwhelming abilities have been given a bit of a boost. See above errata.



- Enhanced Costume: Since you can enchant your device and costume anyway, why would you ever take this? I'd at least allow you to use the enhancement-bonus to add weapon- or armor-properties.

Expect to see something very much along these lines when I get to to overhauling some of the costume abilities.



- Sacred Champion Feat: Taking this via Paladin-levels is extremely hard (and then only provides a small benefit). An alternate version for Paladins that doesn't require that much spellcasting (and a Paladin class feature instead) would be nice.


I'm rather unhappy with many of the multiclass feats right now, which are a little scattered in terms of usefulness. Major overhauls are scheduled, albeit with a bit of a queue in front of them at the moment.



Last but not least, i am currently writing a Handbook for this class (still very incomplete). You can find it here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f_gSISstb3ztSWnN3t9TqQr5DVnr3-L5xElsWXaC4LQ/edit). All input and criticism is welcome!

A... handbook?

For the magical girl?

Somebody is writing a handbook for my class? :smalleek:

*Faints*

In all seriousness though, wow. I am very impressed - I can't say I've ever seen a handbook for a homebrew class before, though I'm sure they're out there somewhere. You seem to have a very solid grip on the class (heck, you caught a few exploits I've missed in all the time since I made the thing), but if you've got any questions I'd love to help fill this out however I can.

Only thing I can think of off the cuff is possibly adopting a five-star system. You're very heavy with the blue, and it might be nice to differentiate 'This is an excellent, top of the line option' from 'this is effectively mandatory for a certain build'.


Some more stuff:

First, a question:
What stats does the Mentor Animal use? Just the stats of whatever animal you pick, with a modified intelligence?
If that is so, it's reaaaly squishy, and as of now it is unclear whether and how you can regain it once its slain. Maybe a simple "has half HP of mistress and uses her saves, can be regained within a week if slain"?

The mentor animal is rather fragile, yes, but not quite that fragile. Their stats are calculated like those of a familiar - which means their saves are those of their owner and their hit die are equal to those of the owner, among other things. I've clarified this, since it was rather vague.

Still, they're not intended for combat, for the most part - though a dip in Druid and the Sunflower Druid feat can make them pretty formidable if you really want to invest there. Most of the time a magical girl's mentor animal will be hiding in her backpack, scurrying off to the side of the battlefield, or keeping itself out of trouble in some other manner.

They have an auto-rez as well now, since permakilling a magical girl's talking kitty wasn't intentional, and is... rather harsh.



Taking the Busou Shoujo-feat is a really nice way to simulate intelligent devices from Lyrical Nanoha due to the Black Blade. If you take the Mentor Animal Archetype as well you can even simulate unison devices!
The Arcana pool of the Black Blade (as well as your own) is meanwhile a decent way to simulate a Cartridge system.


Huh. That's an interesting connection. I'm not honestly that familiar with the Magus, but that seems like a neat starting point for some build or another. Assuming of course the magical girl can find a way to surmount the attribute dissynergy - I seem to remember Charisma being pretty much useless for Magi, while they love Int and Dex.



Here are some changes that make this a Pathfinder-class (most should be obvious, but can't harm to list them somewhere):

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Replace all mentions of "Balance" and "Tumble" with "Acrobatics"

Radiant Focus: Use Perform instead of Concentration (makes Perform useful)

Weightless: If you invest 5 points, you provoke no attacks of Opporunity from the creature you target with your standard action during Flyby Attack.

Quick: If you invest 6 points, you can make a second attack when using Spring Attack.

Archetype Clarification: Whenever a feat allows levels of another class to advance a class feature, they also advance any class feature gained by an Archetype that replaces or alters said class feature. When only the effect of a class feature is advanced, but no new versions of that class feature are granted, then only the effect of the Archetype-feature you gain from your levels in that class is advanced.
Example: When you have the Busou Shoujo and the Bladebound-Archetype, your Magical Girl levels advance your Black Blade (since Black Blade alters your Arcana Pool class feature).
When you have the Illuminating Song feat and the Archivist-Archetype, you advance your Naturalist ability instead of Inspire Courage.

Illuminating Song Your Bard and Magical Girl levels stack when determining your Mote Pool (but not your llluminations), the number of rounds for your Bardic Performance and the Bonus granted by your Inspire Courage class feature.

Sacred Champion: Prerequisites: Ability to ready 2 illuminations per encounter, Channel Energy 2D6
Benefit: Your cleric and magical girl levels stack to determine your Channel Energy Class feature and your Mote Pool (but not your Illuminations). Paladins count as clerics of their class level.
Note: Channel Energy 2D6 sets the minimum Cleric-levels at 3 without requiring spellcasting, and Paladins get it at 4th-level.

Nice to see. I may create a 'pathfinder-friendly' version of this at some (distant) point, but you hit all the major points I can think of for a quick and easy conversion.

Serafina
2012-06-27, 05:32 AM
Hey, nice changes :)
Made all the bad illuminations worthwhile. Now i have to go and change my ratings.

Another thing that might qualify as an exploit (sorry that i didn't catch that before):
When using Limit Form, you can use Glimmering Echo and then make your full attack, adding your Charisma bonus to all damage with said full attack.

That makes this Illumination very powerful at higher levels for its cost. It depends on your hitting with the Strike itself, but that can be easily achieved with rerolls from the Lucky-CQ if needed.

With a Charisma bonus of 10 (reasonable for a high-level MG), that would be about 30 extra damage (assuming that your main attack, your haste attack and your secondary attack hit) - on your own attack, plus whatever your allies do.
Hardly gamebreaking IMO, just probably more powerful than intended for a first-level illumination.

If you don't want that to happen, it can be fixed with a single modification:
"This bonus damage does not apply to this strike or any other attacks you make this turn"



In all seriousness though, wow. I am very impressed - I can't say I've ever seen a handbook for a homebrew class before, though I'm sure they're out there somewhere. You seem to have a very solid grip on the class (heck, you caught a few exploits I've missed in all the time since I made the thing), but if you've got any questions I'd love to help fill this out however I can.Honestly, handbook-writing isn't that hard if you restrict yourself to a narrow area (in this case it's Pathfinder-only so far, and will probably stay that way for quite a while). More importantly, it's fun :)


Huh. That's an interesting connection. I'm not honestly that familiar with the Magus, but that seems like a neat starting point for some build or another. Assuming of course the magical girl can find a way to surmount the attribute dissynergy - I seem to remember Charisma being pretty much useless for Magi, while they love Int and Dex.Well, the main intent of such a multiclass would be taking 3-4 levels of Magus (4 if you want 2nd-level spells and class features depending on your Archetype) in order to get a Black Blade and an Arcana Pool.
The former gives you an intelligent weapon with a scaling enhancement-bonus and some special abilities (notably +1/4 level bonus damage, spell resistance and life leech). The latter allows you to enhance your weapon further via swift actions.
You wouldn't need that much Intelligence either - 12 suffices to cast 2nd-level spells, and since you will only cast buff-spells anyway your spells per day are not that important. Nor will you have many Magus Arcana, thus no need for a large Arcana Pool.

Another trick is to take the Mentor Animal MG-Archetype to boost your Black Blades Intelligence (since your Charisma will be its Int-score and thus most likely higher).

Nothing broken (and probably weaker than a straight magical girl), just a very fun build IMO. Gets reasonably powerful if you take the 3rd-party Tovenaar-Archetype (which replaces your spellcasting with plenty Domains and Inquisitions).


Now then, gotta make some adjustments to that handbook^^


Edit: Rainbow road may need a note that it doesn't block movement if placed in mid-air. It's clearly not supposed to, but a quick addition like "these spaces do not count as obstacles and do not block movement" would make it clearer.

Serafina
2012-06-27, 03:05 PM
Just took a look at the Archetypes.

The Barrier Maiden ability of the Kofū Shōjo is strictly worse than Shrug it Off. My suggestion would be that the AC-Bonus applies to allies around her like an aura. Optionally only if she has her aura active, with a bonus depending on the level of the Aura.

The Spirit Shooter could use an option for Composite Longbows and a free Gunsmithing-feat when selecting Firearms for her device. Not necessary since it's already a powerful Archetype though.

The Mist Breaker could really use the Monks Unarmed Damage Progression (without it, unarmed attacks are strictly worse than armed ones).

Owrtho
2012-06-27, 04:00 PM
You make a very valid point. I fell into the all-to-common trap of overvaluing Exotic weaponry without any real reason to. This is tweaked up to allow any melee weapon, and explicitly allows Spirit Shooters to get a ranged one. That said, I'd rather not get the two muddled up - letting spirit shooters have a melee device or a normal magical girl have a ranged one blurs the line between them a bit too much for my taste. If a melee MG wants to shoot, she can use a blast. If a Spirit Shooter needs to brawl, she can Strike with a mundane combat knife and a free hand. No need to go further.

Personally, I don't think that allowing evolved device to grant melee or ranged weapons for magical girls who use the opposite would be too much intermixing. There are plenty of magical girl shows where the weapon swaps between a ranged and melee form. Further, the key difference is that spirit shooters have spirit shoot while lacking limit-form, while normal magical girls have the reverse. A normal magical girl would also still need to buy ammo. The main benefits to selecting a device form counter to your build would be getting the costume bonuses to it and not needing to put away the device and draw a normal weapon of the other type (you can just change the forms).

It might also be worth noting how evolved device interacts with twinned device. Do both devices have to remain in the same form, or may one be in the evolved form and the other in the normal form?

Unrelated, spirit shooters seem to lack any support in the area of strike illuminations. While spirit shoot is nice, some illuminations to add choice effects to attacks like strikes would be useful.

I also figured I'd ask, spirit shoot notes that character abilities reducing reload time make the mote cost go down, but would this also apply to temporary reductions of reload time, such as maneuvers that make your reloading faster for a given duration? An example would be the Black Tempest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5471518) maneuver.


The Spirit Shooter could use an option for Composite Longbows and a free Gunsmithing-feat when selecting Firearms for her device. Not necessary since it's already a powerful Archetype though.

The thing to keep in mind is that the class is designed for 3.5 which lacks composite bows and the gunsmithing feat.

Owrtho

The-Mage-King
2012-06-27, 04:11 PM
The thing to keep in mind is that the class is designed for 3.5 which lacks composite bows and the gunsmithing feat.

Owrtho

Er... Bows (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#longbowComposite), you're (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#shortbowComposite) wrong on.


Also, this is looking good, Selinia.

Owrtho
2012-06-27, 05:22 PM
Er... Bows (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#longbowComposite), you're (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm#shortbowComposite) wrong on.

I should have been more clear in that 3.5 doesn't have them as a type distinct from shortbows and longbows.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-06-27, 05:29 PM
Well, there are Multiclass-feats for PF-classes, and Archetypes are a PF-concept.

Anyway, examples of melee/ranged-weapon transformations in Nanoha:
- Signums Sword transforms into a Bow at the end of A's
- Teanas guns can be used as daggers in StrikerS


Keep in mind that all this change would add is versatility.
When you are Melee-focussed, your Bow will be weaker and less accurate than your melee attacks, and all you gain is a ranged attack that doesn't require motes.
When you are ranged-focussed, your melee attack will likewise be weaker and inaccurate (unless you take another feat, Weapon Finesse). Granted, you can use Strikers - but you don't want to be in melee anyway.

Heck, i think this feat should get the option to add a third device (at level 10). Visually and conceptually appealing, but doesn't add much more power to a charater (a character could have a reach, non-reach and ranged weapon, but that's not significantly stronger than having just one or two of those since you'll still be specialized for one of them).

Lix Lorn
2012-06-27, 06:17 PM
Personally, I don't think that allowing evolved device to grant melee or ranged weapons for magical girls who use the opposite would be too much intermixing. There are plenty of magical girl shows where the weapon swaps between a ranged and melee form. Further, the key difference is that spirit shooters have spirit shoot while lacking limit-form, while normal magical girls have the reverse. A normal magical girl would also still need to buy ammo. The main benefits to selecting a device form counter to your build would be getting the costume bonuses to it and not needing to put away the device and draw a normal weapon of the other type (you can just change the forms).

I like the idea of one ranged and one melee device.

I also really hope you add back in the original version of Vigil of Candles somewhere. It was just an awesome image.

Draken
2012-06-27, 06:49 PM
Well, there are Multiclass-feats for PF-classes, and Archetypes are a PF-concept.

If I recall correctly, those feats were actually mostly made by other people in the thread (Prime32, for instance) and archetypes actually exist in 3.5, just not named or defined as such. PF archetypes are ultimately just a colection of alternate class features.

Selinia
2012-06-28, 12:11 AM
No major additions tonight, but I've made some additional tweaks as detailed below.


Hey, nice changes :)
Made all the bad illuminations worthwhile. Now i have to go and change my ratings.

Another thing that might qualify as an exploit (sorry that i didn't catch that before):
When using Limit Form, you can use Glimmering Echo and then make your full attack, adding your Charisma bonus to all damage with said full attack.

That makes this Illumination very powerful at higher levels for its cost. It depends on your hitting with the Strike itself, but that can be easily achieved with rerolls from the Lucky-CQ if needed.

With a Charisma bonus of 10 (reasonable for a high-level MG), that would be about 30 extra damage (assuming that your main attack, your haste attack and your secondary attack hit) - on your own attack, plus whatever your allies do.
Hardly gamebreaking IMO, just probably more powerful than intended for a first-level illumination.

If you don't want that to happen, it can be fixed with a single modification:
"This bonus damage does not apply to this strike or any other attacks you make this turn"


Honestly? I don't mind that. It wasn't an intended interaction, but it doesn't strike me as an overpowered one. Limit Form in general is somewhat situation, since it effectively replaces an aura in your mote budget and makes it harder to regularly use the more powerful illuminations (and access their nasty status effects). Not to mention that by the time a magical girl has a bonus high enough to be getting that level of damage out of it, the rest of the adventuring party is going to be rolling in their own endgame features. Bards will be handing out fistfuls of inspire courage, Initiators/Manifesters/Casters will be getting their 8th and 9th level spell-equivalents, and everyone in general is going to be busy being awesome.

If the combo came online sooner, I'd be more worried, but Limit Form doesn't even show up until the midgame. By that point pure damage has lost a lot of its luster, and high-damage tricks become much more acceptable.



Edit: Rainbow road may need a note that it doesn't block movement if placed in mid-air. It's clearly not supposed to, but a quick addition like "these spaces do not count as obstacles and do not block movement" would make it clearer.

Fair enough. Clarification made.


Just took a look at the Archetypes.

The Barrier Maiden ability of the Kofū Shōjo is strictly worse than Shrug it Off. My suggestion would be that the AC-Bonus applies to allies around her like an aura. Optionally only if she has her aura active, with a bonus depending on the level of the Aura.

Interesting suggestion, which I went and split in half. When she has an aura up, the AC bonus applies to any ally in the aura as well as herself. When she uses a non-aura illumination, the AC bonus bumps up for a turn. It's potentially a very potent boost, though it still relies on the Kofū Shōjo managing her motes carefully.



The Spirit Shooter could use an option for Composite Longbows and a free Gunsmithing-feat when selecting Firearms for her device. Not necessary since it's already a powerful Archetype though.

The spirit shooter can now properly repair her ranged device, though she still can't make other firearms like it. I've also made it explicit that the archetype's weapons refer to the Pathfinder firearm system. I'm sure there are 3.5 rules for firearms (actually, several sets of them that I can think of), but the pathfinder set has the huge advantage of being openly available on their SRD.



The Mist Breaker could really use the Monks Unarmed Damage Progression (without it, unarmed attacks are strictly worse than armed ones).

This doesn't seem like it would hurt anything, considering how mild that progression is. I've also tossed in the monk's no-off-hand-attacks clause, mainly to be able to mix in kicks and martial arts with the pure fisticuffs.


Personally, I don't think that allowing evolved device to grant melee or ranged weapons for magical girls who use the opposite would be too much intermixing. There are plenty of magical girl shows where the weapon swaps between a ranged and melee form. Further, the key difference is that spirit shooters have spirit shoot while lacking limit-form, while normal magical girls have the reverse. A normal magical girl would also still need to buy ammo. The main benefits to selecting a device form counter to your build would be getting the costume bonuses to it and not needing to put away the device and draw a normal weapon of the other type (you can just change the forms).

It might also be worth noting how evolved device interacts with twinned device. Do both devices have to remain in the same form, or may one be in the evolved form and the other in the normal form?

Some good arguments were made all around, and Evolved Device now allows a magical girl to choose something outside her ordinary weapon type. I've also clarified the interaction of that feat with Twinned Device - namely, that you can shift each of your devices freely, so long as you keep them one-handed devices.



Unrelated, spirit shooters seem to lack any support in the area of strike illuminations. While spirit shoot is nice, some illuminations to add choice effects to attacks like strikes would be useful.

Strike illuminations are, by and large, melee attacks. It's one of their primary traits, so I'm not sure that any spirit shooter is ever going to be getting too much use out of strikes. There are a good number of ranged illuminations for them to focus on, after all, not to mention the heavy mote investment of Spirit Shot.

That said, there are far fewer purely ranged illuminations than there could be. When I get a chance to write up more, expect to see some focus in that area.


I also figured I'd ask, spirit shoot notes that character abilities reducing reload time make the mote cost go down, but would this also apply to temporary reductions of reload time, such as maneuvers that make your reloading faster for a given duration? An example would be the Black Tempest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5471518) maneuver.


I'm going to say yes on this. The restriction is primarily just to keep item abuse out - I didn't want someone getting a major discount from a handful of dirt-cheap paper cartridges (though they're still useful to have for mundane shooting).


I like the idea of one ranged and one melee device.

I also really hope you add back in the original version of Vigil of Candles somewhere. It was just an awesome image.

Vigil of Candles is effectively the same as it was, just not quite as overpowering. The original, or a close variant of it, is likely to crop up at a higher illumination level where the hefty effect can be more appropriately priced.

Lix Lorn
2012-06-28, 01:35 PM
Vigil of Candles is effectively the same as it was, just not quite as overpowering. The original, or a close variant of it, is likely to crop up at a higher illumination level where the hefty effect can be more appropriately priced.
It was the overpoweringness I liked! :smalltongue:

Well, more the potential. Most of the time it'd be a 3-5 bonus, but there's always the POTENTIAL of a +10.

Serafina
2012-06-28, 02:46 PM
I have just reformatted the Handbook - aside from a common layout, i also split it into several seperate documents, since that is easier to handle in many cases. A complete, one-document version will be provided once i have finished most of it.

Part 1 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a95_il0be1nO1BqTxHv_SVKLHGWJMb8dizH56N4Le6o/edit)
Part 2 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bylHhL3tnUlyeJtxHrhyx0KkgvCEniOOIba_vhvWHIs/edit)
Part 3 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/17oahkbPVcf9hnaqQ_wnEXZ_r3KK6f9UUE0_GmOZd6dU/edit)

Qwertystop
2012-06-28, 05:05 PM
According to this, any archetype that replaces the Device and Device - Limit Form abilities doesn't actually have an equivalent for Limit Form. Intentional?

Serafina
2012-06-30, 03:47 PM
I would like to propose a feat:

Wing Road
Prerequisites: Ability to evoke level two Illuminations
Benefits: Your Rainbow road no longer dissipates when you place another one. Instead, you can pay 1 mote per turn to sustain all instances of your Rainbow Road - if you do not pay that cost, all but one instances dissipate. You can only maintain up to one instance of Rainbow Road per two Evoker levels. The range of Rainbow Road increases to Medium (100+10/Evoker Level ft.). Rainbow Road is always prepared and does not count against your limit of prepared Illuminations.



Why? Well, aside from being visually awesome, it'd allow more complex tactical setups with Rainbow Road. The main benefit of Rainbow road is the faster movement speed (you have easy acces to flight at that level already, and we all know that it'll be common at higher levels). - the way it is currently constructed it will mostly benefit you and maybe allies that move in the same direction. This feat would allow you to use it in a much more tactical manner.
Since it only applies to one specific Illumination, it's only be fair that you always have it prepared as well.

Thoughts?

Lix Lorn
2012-06-30, 04:08 PM
It would also allow you to create a long, winding race track...

Serafina
2012-06-30, 05:37 PM
Just for the fun of it, representing the cast of Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS with these rules:

Nanoha: Straight-up Magial Girl 20. Radiant Soul, Martial Evoker feats. Longspear-device.
Fate: Magical Girl 20. Evolved Device Feat, Bardiche&Scythe. Lots of points in quick costume. Some melee feats.
Signum: Magical Girl 13/Magus 3. Busou Shojo Feat, War Warder Archetype. Heavy Costume feat & Mithral Plate Armor. Evolved Device Feat, Greatsword&Scorpion Whip.
Vita: Magical Girl 13/Magus 3. Busou Shojo Feat, Kensai-Archetype. Pistol Maul device (Greathammer with better Sundering). Lots of points in oversized device.
Shamal: Magical Girl 13/cleric 3. Kofu Shojo Archetype. Healing&Knowledge Domain. Sacred Champion Feat, Merciful Healer Archetype. No weapon device. Various Channeling Feats.
Subaru: Magial Girl 12. Mistbreaker Archetype. Gauntlet (not as a device though). Wing Road Feat.
Teana: Magical Girl 10/Gunslinger 2. Spirit Shooter & Mysterious Stranger Archetype. Twinned&Evolved Device, Pistol&Short Sword. Two-Weapon Fighting.
Caro: Summoner 12 (i wish i could work Magical Girl into this somehow, but Summoner really works best for her).
Erio: Magial Girl 12 (despite being male). Lance Device. Ranks in Ride, rides Caros Eidolon. Mounted Combat&Charger feats.
Hayate: No idea how to represent her - Leadership&Bombardment magic don't translate well into rules.

Serafina
2012-07-01, 08:46 AM
My idea for a Belkan Cartridge System ŕ la Lyrical Nanoha. Can just as easily use Pearls, Charms or similar items, depending on the style of your Magical Girl. It's partially based on the Pathfinder Magus Arcane Pool&Arcana.
Please review!


Cartridge System: Your connection to your inner light is more worldly than that of other Magical Girls. However, that doesn't mean it is weaker - while it is harder for you to call forth huge amounts of radiant energy, you have learned how to store it in small foci and release it whenever you need it to achieve extraordinary results.

At third level, you learn how to store small amounts of magical energy in small items, such as pearls, trinkets or cartridges. You can explosively release that energy to enhance your Illuminations. This ability replaces Radiant Focus.

You can prepare a number of Cartridges daily equal to 1/2 your Evoker level + your Charisma modifier. You can prepare new cartridges once per day as part of changing your Illuminations. Unspent cartridges do not vanish at the end of the day, but you can never exceed your daily cartridges that way.

One or more Cartridges can be spent whenever you activate an Illumination. The action required and effects depend on the Illumination. The amount of Cartridges you can expend on a single Illumination is limited by your Maximum Costume Bonus and can never exceed 4.
Strike For each Cartridge expended, you gain a bonus to attack rolls during your turn equal to 1/2 your Maximum Costume Bonus (minimum 1). If you spend two Cartridges your effective Charisma modifier increases by 1 for the purpose of this Strike. If you spend four Cartridges it increases by 2 instead. This is a Swift Action.
Blast: If you expend one Cartridge, the damage die of your Illumination increase by one step. If you expend two Cartridges, your Illumination deals bleed damage equal to the Blasts number of damage die. If you expend three Cartridges, the Blast becomes Empowered. If you expend four Cartridges, the DC of the Blast (if any) increases by 2. All effects are cumulative. This is a move action.
Burst: For each Cartridge expended, your effective Charisma modifier increases by one for the purpose of determining the effect of the Burst. This is a free action.
Aura: For each Cartridge expended, the radius of your Aura expends by 10 ft. If you expend at least two Cartridges, you can anchor the Aura to an area - it emanates from one square you select as if you would occupy that square, instead of emanating from you. If you expend three Cartridges, you can anchor the Aura to a creature - it emanates from that Creature instead of you. If you expand four Cartridges, you can spend a move action each turn instead of paying the mote cost to maintain the Aura. All effects are cumulative. This is a Standard Action.

I built this around the concept of explosive, decisive attacks - in exchange for endurance. Loosing Radiant Focus means you are limited by your innate mote regeneration, which means that you'll quickly run out of steam in an encounter. In exchange you can deliver more devastating attacks - but only every so often per day. I sincerely hope it's balanced, so please review!

Serafina
2012-07-01, 09:42 AM
Alternate Version for the Cartridge System, using feats:

Cartridge System:
You have learned to store some of your magic in small trinkets and use them to enhance your Device.
Prerequisite: Radiant Focus
Benefits:You gain the Magus Arcane Pool class feature. You use your Charisma instead of Intelligence to determine the size of your Arcane Pool and the effect of any of your Arcana.
Special: If you gain the Arcane Pool class feature from any other class, your class levels in Magical Girl and that class stack. You must choose which attribute deterimes size and effect of your Arcane Pool&Arcana.

Explosion!
You have learned how to power your attacks by rapidly expending Cartridges.
Prerequisite: Cartridge System
Benefit: You can learn one Magus Arcana. Count your Magical Girl level as levels in Magus for the purpose of selecting your Arcana. You can only learn Arcana that requires the expenditure of Arcane Pool points.
Special: You can select this feat multiple times. Each time you must select one new Arcana.

New Arcana:

Maximized Illumination:
Prerequisite: Magical Girl 12
Benefit: You can maximize an Illumination by spending three points from your Arcane Pool. If that Illumination is a strike, the damage die of your melee attack that is part of that strike is also maximized


This is definitely simpler than the Archetype-version, and probably more balanced as well. It also adds a large amount of customization choices to the Magical Girl.

DracoDei
2012-07-01, 09:57 AM
In the non-feat version you need to specify if the benefits are cumulative for auras.

For the feats under Explosion you want "expending" not "expanding".

Serafina
2012-07-01, 10:25 AM
In the non-feat version you need to specify if the benefits are cumulative for auras.

For the feats under Explosion you want "expending" not "expanding".Done and done. Thanks :smallsmile:


Also playing with an multiclass-feat for summoners. The basic idea is advancing your Eidolon by stacking Summoner&Magical Girl level for the purpose of your Eidolon, except for your Evolution pool and the number of attacks your Eidolon can have. You'd also loose the ability to use Blast&Strike Illuminations, but could expend an action (swift probably) to make your Eidolon use them.

Still working on the Prerequisites for the feat though, as well as what it should advance on the Magical Girl side.

Owrtho
2012-07-01, 12:55 PM
The cartridge system looks interesting, though I recall that Selinia mentioned an idea to make it into a PRC before I'd brought it up as a possible Archetype. Anyway, it seems to work in the meantime. That said, it lacks the ability to enhance normal attacks with your device, and it may be worth mentioning how it would interact with spirit shot (since you can take it with the spirit shooter archetype).

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-01, 02:20 PM
Well, if you use the feat-version you can simply give your weapon enhancement boni and special abilities, which works just fine with a Spirit Shooter.


That being said, a different approach at an Archetype (just throwing ideas out there until Selinia picks one ;) )

Cartridge System
You unleash explosive bursts of energy stored in small cartridges to boost your attacks beyond that what other Magical Girls are capable of.

Cartridge System: At third level, you learn to store some of your energy in small cartridges.
You gain a number of Cartridges per day equal to 1/3rd your Magical Girl level + your Charisma modifier. This pool can be refreshed once per day as part of changing your prepared Illuminations.

You can spend a swift action to load a Cartridge into your device, granting it a +1 Enhancement bonus for one minute. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level and by another +1 ever four levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. This Enhancement Bonus stacks with any existing Enhancment Bonus of the weapon. If you have the Twinned Device feat it applies to both of your weapons.

You can also add special properties by lowering the granted Enhancement Bonus by their cost (a +1 property would lower it by 1 and so on). You can add the following properties: Corrosive, Corrosive Burst, Flaming, Flaming Burst, Frost, Icy Burst, Keen, Shocking, Shocking Burst, Speed and Vorpal. If your Device is a Ranged Weapon, you can also add the Distance and Seeking quality.
These qualities do not stack with qualities of the same name already on the weapon and can not be used to exceed the maximum +10 enhancment bonus of a weapon.

If you also have levels in the Magus class, you blend your Cartridge System and your Arcane Pool class features. Your Levels in Magus and Magical Girl stack in order to determine the Enhancement Bonus you can grant your weapon. You add the Dancing quality and any qualities gained from Magus Arcana to the qualities you can grant your weapon. You have a number of Cartridges points equal to 1/2 your levels in Magus + 1/3 your levels in Magical Girl + either Intelligence OR Charisma, whichever is higher. You can expend Cartridges in order to activate Magus Arcana. Any effect that alters the number of Arcane Pool points you have alters the amount of Cartridges instead.

Because you have to modify your Device to accept Cartridges, you gain one costume point less than normal. You can still take other Archetypes that influence your Costume ability.

Cartridge Load: At eight level, you learn to transform your Device by spending Cartridges, boosting your Illuminations. Activating a form requires one swift action and the expenditure of one Cartridge, unless mentioned otherwise.
Each transformation lasts for a number of rounds equal to your maximum costume bonus, unless otherwise mentioned. Activating another form cancels the previous form.
You gain one form at 8th level, a second form at 13th level and a third form at 18th level.

Accel Mode: Your device shifts its form to boost your Blast Illuminations. Your Damage Die with Blast Illuminations and Spirit Shot increase by one step.
Assault Form: Your device shifts it's form to boost your Strike Illuminations. You gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to 1/2 of your Maximum Costume Bonus with all your Strikes.
Buster Mode: Your device sprouts stabilizing wings or similar features to compensate for excess recoil. While in this form, you can exectue any Blast-Illumination as a Full-Round action. If you do so, you ignore all concealment (including total concealment) and any object that grants your target concealment takes damage from your Blast even if it otherwise deals non-lethal damage.
Raketenform: Your Device propels you forward to strike the enemy. You can move your speed and execute a single standard-action strike. This form ends immediately afterwards and does not last for several rounds.
Schlangenform: Your Device shifts into a long, flexible form. You can execute any standard-action Strike Illumination as full-round action by spending two Cartridges. If you do so, the Strike hits all enemies in a 30 ft. cone. This form ends immedeatly afterwards and does not last for several rounds.

Further modifications to your device are required, so you loose another costume point. Your ability with Illuminations is also less broad than that of other magical girls, so you can prepare one less 2nd-level Illumination at 8th level, one less 3rd-level Illumination at 13th level and one less 4th-level Illumination at 18th-level.

Limit Mode: Limit Mode does not end any of your Devices Cartridge Load forms and simply makes any visual changes more impressive.

Blaster System: At 14th level, your Cartridge System allows you to unlock your Devices Ultimate form. You can spend two Cartridges to Empower an Illumination, increasing all numerical values (but not Save DCs) by 50%. You can instead spend three Cartridges to Maximize all numerical values of an Illumination. Both also apply to your weapon damage as part of a Strike Illumination. However, you take 2D6 damage per level of the Illumination that is empowered or maximized. This damage is not reduced by Damage Reduction or similar effects.

There - even closer to the original shows purpose of Cartridges. Further forms can be added if someone comes up with ideas. It also allows more device-shifting shenanigans (and since it's not tied to real weapons, you can come up with really outlandish descriptions!)
I hope the lost Costume points and prepared Illuminations are sufficient compensation for the new abilities - if not, it'd be easy to increase the amount of lost costume points, for example.

On another note, i really think that Limit Form needs a bonus to Blast Illuminations - right now it does nothing for them. An increase in damage die would work well IMO, given that it is normally a 1/day ability.

Selinia
2012-07-02, 12:18 AM
Right then, first off, Changes:


The Prism Knight is out of Beta, after some heavy revision! The Prisms have been condensed into a single class feature, and the class now gains some genuinely elemental-themed abilities as it levels. It's still a little odd as a class, but I think it's a much more interesting choice than it used to be.
The feat list has been alphabetized. Boring, but practical.
Device - Limit Form has been altered in functionality. I may have mentioned that I dislike per-day (especially 1/Day) effects, and think they're clunky enforcers of the five minute workday. Limit form now operates at-will, and serves as something of a toggle - activating it lets the magical girl let loose a boatload of brute force, but at the cost of versatility and finesse.


Not a ton, but the last few days have been rather busy and all my GitP activities have gotten a little swamped.


I have just reformatted the Handbook - aside from a common layout, i also split it into several seperate documents, since that is easier to handle in many cases. A complete, one-document version will be provided once i have finished most of it.

Part 1 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a95_il0be1nO1BqTxHv_SVKLHGWJMb8dizH56N4Le6o/edit)
Part 2 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bylHhL3tnUlyeJtxHrhyx0KkgvCEniOOIba_vhvWHIs/edit)
Part 3 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/17oahkbPVcf9hnaqQ_wnEXZ_r3KK6f9UUE0_GmOZd6dU/edit)

Again, you have a ton of appreciation for the work you're putting into these. Let me know when you've got them to the point where you feel they're fully presentable, and I'll put a link to your handbook into one of the class posts. :smallsmile:


According to this, any archetype that replaces the Device and Device - Limit Form abilities doesn't actually have an equivalent for Limit Form. Intentional?

The archetypes don't always replace features 1:1, but they usually have something that fills a similar role. Spirit shooters have spirit shot full attacks, which have enough bonuses that limit forming them would be a tad overkill, for example.


I would like to propose a feat:

Wing Road
Prerequisites: Ability to evoke level two Illuminations
Benefits: Your Rainbow road no longer dissipates when you place another one. Instead, you can pay 1 mote per turn to sustain all instances of your Rainbow Road - if you do not pay that cost, all but one instances dissipate. You can only maintain up to one instance of Rainbow Road per two Evoker levels. The range of Rainbow Road increases to Medium (100+10/Evoker Level ft.). Rainbow Road is always prepared and does not count against your limit of prepared Illuminations.

Why? Well, aside from being visually awesome, it'd allow more complex tactical setups with Rainbow Road. The main benefit of Rainbow road is the faster movement speed (you have easy acces to flight at that level already, and we all know that it'll be common at higher levels). - the way it is currently constructed it will mostly benefit you and maybe allies that move in the same direction. This feat would allow you to use it in a much more tactical manner.
Since it only applies to one specific Illumination, it's only be fair that you always have it prepared as well.

Thoughts?

This would be an excellent feat... were it not for the fact that Rainbow Road is slated for conversion into a Barrier illumination, and will have the above effect, more or less, as its default. Barriers are congealing as a counterpart of auras - sustained effects on the battlefield that can provide a tactical edge in exchange for upkeep. I'm hoping to have the first batch of Barriers out tomorrow, but I know better than to set hard deadlines for myself at this point. :smallsigh:


Just for the fun of it, representing the cast of Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS with these rules:

Nanoha: Straight-up Magial Girl 20. Radiant Soul, Martial Evoker feats. Longspear-device.
Fate: Magical Girl 20. Evolved Device Feat, Bardiche&Scythe. Lots of points in quick costume. Some melee feats.
Signum: Magical Girl 13/Magus 3. Busou Shojo Feat, War Warder Archetype. Heavy Costume feat & Mithral Plate Armor. Evolved Device Feat, Greatsword&Scorpion Whip.
Vita: Magical Girl 13/Magus 3. Busou Shojo Feat, Kensai-Archetype. Pistol Maul device (Greathammer with better Sundering). Lots of points in oversized device.
Shamal: Magical Girl 13/cleric 3. Kofu Shojo Archetype. Healing&Knowledge Domain. Sacred Champion Feat, Merciful Healer Archetype. No weapon device. Various Channeling Feats.
Subaru: Magial Girl 12. Mistbreaker Archetype. Gauntlet (not as a device though). Wing Road Feat.
Teana: Magical Girl 10/Gunslinger 2. Spirit Shooter & Mysterious Stranger Archetype. Twinned&Evolved Device, Pistol&Short Sword. Two-Weapon Fighting.
Caro: Summoner 12 (i wish i could work Magical Girl into this somehow, but Summoner really works best for her).
Erio: Magial Girl 12 (despite being male). Lance Device. Ranks in Ride, rides Caros Eidolon. Mounted Combat&Charger feats.
Hayate: No idea how to represent her - Leadership&Bombardment magic don't translate well into rules.

I'd argue that Fate probably has at least a dip in Costumed Crusader - she seems to have multiple costumes at least, and relies more on martial power than Nanoha does. Hayate though is easy - she's an Oracle with the Life Unbound feat, using it to overcome the penalties of the Lame oracle's curse. :smalltongue:


My idea for a Belkan Cartridge System ŕ la Lyrical Nanoha. Can just as easily use Pearls, Charms or similar items, depending on the style of your Magical Girl. It's partially based on the Pathfinder Magus Arcane Pool&Arcana.
Please review!


Cartridge System: Your connection to your inner light is more worldly than that of other Magical Girls. However, that doesn't mean it is weaker - while it is harder for you to call forth huge amounts of radiant energy, you have learned how to store it in small foci and release it whenever you need it to achieve extraordinary results.

At third level, you learn how to store small amounts of magical energy in small items, such as pearls, trinkets or cartridges. You can explosively release that energy to enhance your Illuminations. This ability replaces Radiant Focus.

You can prepare a number of Cartridges daily equal to 1/2 your Evoker level + your Charisma modifier. You can prepare new cartridges once per day as part of changing your Illuminations. Unspent cartridges do not vanish at the end of the day, but you can never exceed your daily cartridges that way.

One or more Cartridges can be spent whenever you activate an Illumination. The action required and effects depend on the Illumination. The amount of Cartridges you can expend on a single Illumination is limited by your Maximum Costume Bonus and can never exceed 4.
Strike For each Cartridge expended, you gain a bonus to attack rolls during your turn equal to 1/2 your Maximum Costume Bonus (minimum 1). If you spend two Cartridges your effective Charisma modifier increases by 1 for the purpose of this Strike. If you spend four Cartridges it increases by 2 instead. This is a Swift Action.
Blast: If you expend one Cartridge, the damage die of your Illumination increase by one step. If you expend two Cartridges, your Illumination deals bleed damage equal to the Blasts number of damage die. If you expend three Cartridges, the Blast becomes Empowered. If you expend four Cartridges, the DC of the Blast (if any) increases by 2. All effects are cumulative. This is a move action.
Burst: For each Cartridge expended, your effective Charisma modifier increases by one for the purpose of determining the effect of the Burst. This is a free action.
Aura: For each Cartridge expended, the radius of your Aura expends by 10 ft. If you expend at least two Cartridges, you can anchor the Aura to an area - it emanates from one square you select as if you would occupy that square, instead of emanating from you. If you expend three Cartridges, you can anchor the Aura to a creature - it emanates from that Creature instead of you. If you expand four Cartridges, you can spend a move action each turn instead of paying the mote cost to maintain the Aura. All effects are cumulative. This is a Standard Action.

I built this around the concept of explosive, decisive attacks - in exchange for endurance. Loosing Radiant Focus means you are limited by your innate mote regeneration, which means that you'll quickly run out of steam in an encounter. In exchange you can deliver more devastating attacks - but only every so often per day. I sincerely hope it's balanced, so please review!

This is really interesting, but I'd rather not get into the muddled territory of PrCs and Archetypes doing the same thing - and I really am working on a PrC for this.

That said, some of the cartridge abilities have been noted carefully. They'll likely prove very useful in making the PrC. :smallwink:


Alternate Version for the Cartridge System, using feats:

Cartridge System:
You have learned to store some of your magic in small trinkets and use them to enhance your Device.
Prerequisite: Radiant Focus
Benefits:You gain the Magus Arcane Pool class feature. You use your Charisma instead of Intelligence to determine the size of your Arcane Pool and the effect of any of your Arcana.
Special: If you gain the Arcane Pool class feature from any other class, your class levels in Magical Girl and that class stack. You must choose which attribute deterimes size and effect of your Arcane Pool&Arcana.

Explosion!
You have learned how to power your attacks by rapidly expending Cartridges.
Prerequisite: Cartridge System
Benefit: You can learn one Magus Arcana. Count your Magical Girl level as levels in Magus for the purpose of selecting your Arcana. You can only learn Arcana that requires the expenditure of Arcane Pool points.
Special: You can select this feat multiple times. Each time you must select one new Arcana.

New Arcana:

Maximized Illumination:
Prerequisite: Magical Girl 12
Benefit: You can maximize an Illumination by spending three points from your Arcane Pool. If that Illumination is a strike, the damage die of your melee attack that is part of that strike is also maximized


This is definitely simpler than the Archetype-version, and probably more balanced as well. It also adds a large amount of customization choices to the Magical Girl.

This strikes me as the most concise version of the cartridge system by far. With a couple minor tweaks when I have a bit more time, these feats will likely form a 'basic' cartridge system that the PrC will expand upon. The one thing I really intend to tweak is to make this something independant of the Magus arcana - too much bleed eliminates the uniqueness of a Magus/Magical Girl PrC, after all.


Well, if you use the feat-version you can simply give your weapon enhancement boni and special abilities, which works just fine with a Spirit Shooter.


That being said, a different approach at an Archetype (just throwing ideas out there until Selinia picks one ;) )

Cartridge System
You unleash explosive bursts of energy stored in small cartridges to boost your attacks beyond that what other Magical Girls are capable of.

Cartridge System: At third level, you learn to store some of your energy in small cartridges. You gain the Arcane Pool class feature of the Magus, but your Arcane Pool is only equal to 1/3th your class levels (rounded down) +Charisma modifier and referd to as your Cartridges. If you also have levels in the Magus class, you combine your Arcane Pool from both classes, but you only gain either your Intelligence or your Charisma-modifier to it.

You can not add the Dancing quality to your Device. You can however add the Corrosive and Corrosive burst quality. If your device is a ranged weapon, you can also add the Distance and Seeking qualities.

Because you have to modify your Device to accept Cartridges, you gain one costume point less than normal. You can still take other Archetypes that influence your Costume ability.

Cartridge Load: At eight level, you learn to transform your Device by spending Cartridges, boosting your Illuminations. Activating a form requires one swift action and the expenditure of one Cartridge, unless mentioned otherwise.
Each transformation lasts for a number of rounds equal to your maximum costume bonus, unless otherwise mentioned. Activating another form cancels the previous form.
You gain one form at 8th level, a second form at 13th level and a third form at 18th level.

Accel Mode: Your device shifts its form to boost your Blast Illuminations. Your Damage Die with Blast Illuminations and Spirit Shot increase by one step.
Assault Form: Your device shifts it's form to boost your Strike Illuminations. You gain a bonus to attack rolls equal to 1/2 of your Maximum Costume Bonus with all your Strikes.
Buster Mode: Your device sprouts stabilizing wings or similar features to compensate for excess recoil. While in this form, you can exectue any Blast-Illumination as a Full-Round action. If you do so, you ignore all concealment (including total concealment) and any object that grants your target concealment takes damage from your Blast even if it otherwise deals non-lethal damage.
Raketenform: Your Device propels you forward to strike the enemy. You can move your speed and execute a single standard-action strike. This form ends immediately afterwards and does not last for several rounds.
Schlangenform: Your Device shifts into a long, flexible form. You can execute any standard-action Strike Illumination as full-round action by spending two Cartridges. If you do so, the Strike hits all enemies in a 30 ft. cone. This form ends immedeatly afterwards and does not last for several rounds.

Further modifications to your device are required, so you loose another costume point. Your ability with Illuminations is also less broad than that of other magical girls, so you can prepare one less 2nd-level Illumination at 8th level, one less 3rd-level Illumination at 13th level and one less 4th-level Illumination at 18th-level.

Limit Mode: Limit Mode does not end any of your Devices Cartridge Load forms and simply makes any visual changes more impressive.

Blaster Mode: At 14th level, your Cartridge System allows you to unlock your Devices Ultimate form. Your Device can enter Limit Mode by expending two Cartridges, instead of just once per day. However, each time you execute a Strike or Blast Illumination while using Blaster Mode you take 1D6 damage per level of the Illumination, which is not reduced by Damage Reduction or similar effects.

There - even closer to the original shows purpose of Cartridges. Further forms can be added if someone comes up with ideas. It also allows more device-shifting shenanigans (and since it's not tied to real weapons, you can come up with really outlandish descriptions!)
I hope the lost Costume points and prepared Illuminations are sufficient compensation for the new abilities - if not, it'd be easy to increase the amount of lost costume points, for example.

On another note, i really think that Limit Form needs a bonus to Blast Illuminations - right now it does nothing for them. An increase in damage die would work well IMO, given that it is normally a 1/day ability.

As above, I'm not sure I can implement an archetype until the PrC is done, but you have a lot of interesting ideas. And ideas are like delicious engine fuel/candy hybrids that I can consume when my brain-train is traveling perpendicular to the ground in a downward direction.

Serafina
2012-07-02, 02:07 AM
Aww, i prefer Archetypes over Prestige Classes most of the time*. Still, nice to know that you're working on it :smallsmile:

Also, i am VERY glad to hear that you are working on Barriers! My basic idea is Immediate-action Damage Reduction, very curious what you have in mind!
And last but not least, nice work on the Prism Knight. Specific effects for specific elements are what i missed most in the previous incaration.

To honor your work, i'll put something about Prestige classes into the Handbook today.



I'd argue that Fate probably has at least a dip in Costumed Crusader - she seems to have multiple costumes at least, and relies more on martial power than Nanoha does. Hayate though is easy - she's an Oracle with the Life Unbound feat, using it to overcome the penalties of the Lame oracle's curse.You don't necessarily need Costumed Crusader or the Expanded Wardrobe feat in order to have multiple Costumes - after all, you can easily relocate your points within an hours rest, and IIRC we never see Fate switch costumes mid-battle.
Prism Knight fits her much more nicely IMO, given her affinity for Electrical Attacks (she's the only one other than Signum and Hayatate to clearly use elemental attacks)

Hayate works well as a Blaster Oracle/Magical Girl, but that just doesnt do her justice :smallwink:

* Warning: Rant!
Why?
Because they advance all the relevant features of the class without leaving some unadvanced. Because they deliver their abilities spread over as many levels as they want, instead of 5 or 10. Because they are often friendlier to multiclassing (such as in my latest proposition, where anything that advances your costume bonus advances your cartridges), especially with multiclass-feats. Because they can transform a class as radically as you want, instead of just tacking on new abilities.
Also, practically everyone is using the Cartridge System in Lyrical Nanoha, so an Archetype would probably work better than a Prestige Class to represent it in that specific setting.
/rant

Serafina
2012-07-02, 02:44 AM
Also for all those who haven't seen it yet:
Recruiting Threat for a Magical Girl game. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=248148)


And to save on postage, an edit:
I edited my latest post on a Cartridge System Archetype.
Blaster Mode has been altered and renamed and now allows you to Empower or Maximize your Illuminations in exchange for Cartridges and taking damage (between 2D6 and 10D6), instead of entering Limit Mode (which has now become pointless). It also comes with the loss of a third costume point.
I also spelled out how you can use your Cartridge System to enhance your weapon, instead of just referring to the Magus class - better to keep it all in one post than requiring lots of cross-references.



Why am i doing this? As stated, i prefer Archetypes over Prestige classes, so if i can convince Selinia, yay me. If not, i hope my work does provide at least some inspiration-candy.

A Belkan Knight Prestige Class could provide more Cartridges and additional forms for your device, including unique ones. By the way, i took a bit of inspiration from Magus Arcana for the effects, though ultimtely there are only a few worthwhile ones.

And Edit 2: Apparently my former edits didn't register, that should be fixed by now.

Owrtho
2012-07-02, 11:06 PM
The Prism Knight is out of Beta, after some heavy revision! The Prisms have been condensed into a single class feature, and the class now gains some genuinely elemental-themed abilities as it levels. It's still a little odd as a class, but I think it's a much more interesting choice than it used to be.

The revised Prism Knight seems much better. The added bits of elemental specific traits really help to fill it out.


This would be an excellent feat... were it not for the fact that Rainbow Road is slated for conversion into a Barrier illumination, and will have the above effect, more or less, as its default. Barriers are congealing as a counterpart of auras - sustained effects on the battlefield that can provide a tactical edge in exchange for upkeep. I'm hoping to have the first batch of Barriers out tomorrow, but I know better than to set hard deadlines for myself at this point. :smallsigh:

Glad to hear about the addition of Barrier illuminations. As a thought, perhaps have a subtype of barrier illuminations that if prepared may be activated as an immediate action to protect against a single attack or effect, but they cost motes every time, thus depending on the situation those ones may be better to use the quick activation or the standard sustained duration depending on if you expect to need the protection regularly. Mind quick activated barriers wouldn't stack with the same barrier when sustained, and due to it using an immediate action, the magical girl would only be able to quick activate a single time each turn. They might also cost an additional mote compared to the normal cost of the barrier, but that might not be needed.


You gain a number of Cartridges per day equal to 1/3rd your Magical Girl level +1 your Charisma modifier.

This sentence seems to be lacking in clarity. I suspect a typo may have occurred.


Why am i doing this? As stated, i prefer Archetypes over Prestige classes, so if i can convince Selinia, yay me. If not, i hope my work does provide at least some inspiration-candy.

While I tend to prefer PRCs over Archetypes, I do find they do have key places. I'd agree the earlier access of cartridges can be useful. That said, both versions may well have their place.

Owrtho

DrakeRaids
2012-07-02, 11:44 PM
Mistbreakers cannot qualify for might makes right, correct? Since they don't get device.

Edit: err right makes might. It was 1 am. >>

Serafina
2012-07-03, 01:44 AM
Mistbreakers cannot qualify for might makes right, correct? Since they don't get device.Easily amendable by doing one of the following:

Prerequisites: Device, Power Attack, must have a two-handed weapon as a device or the Improved Unarmed Strike Feat
Benefit: When you make a power attack (including as part of a Strike), you may spend a mote to cancel an amount of power attack penalty equal to your Charisma modifier. This applies to only a single attack, though the cost may be paid for each part of a full attack if you wish to do so. You can only use this on attacks with a two-handed weapon or your unarmed strike.

And i think it should be amended - unarmed combatants deserve (and need!) nice things, and Might Makes Right is one of the nicest things that happens to Magical Girls.



This sentence seems to be lacking in clarity. I suspect a typo may have occurred.Thanks again, didn't catch that.

Serafina
2012-07-03, 04:57 AM
Some suggestions for Pathfinder Multiclass feats.


Luminous Shadow (Pathfinder Version)
Prerequisites: Costume +1, No Trace +1
Benefits: Your Ninja and Magical Girl levels stack to determine your Motes, your Ki Pool and No Trace class features as well as any level prerequisites and effects of your Ninja Tricks.

Basic Rework to adapt the existing feat to the Pathfinder-Ninja.

Luminous Ally
Prerequisites: Costume +1, Summon Monster II spell-like ability. Your Eidolon must not have the Limb (Arms) Evolution
Benefits: Your Summoner and Magical Girl levels stack to determine your Motes and everything but the Evolution Pool and Maximum Attacks of your Eidolon. You can no longer evoke Blast or Strike Illuminations. Instead, your Eidolon can evoke Blast and Strike Illuminations using your Mote Pool.

This was a tough one. Without advancing the Eidolon a Summoner is pretty pointless, but if you advance it too much then taking levels in Summoner becomes pointless. I hope i found a nice balance here.

Luminous Champion
Prerequisites: Aura of Courage, Mercy
Benefits: Your Paladin and Magical Girl levels stack to determine your Costume Bonus and your Lay on Hands class features. You also add your Magical Girl levels to determine which Mercies you can take, as well as your effective Cleric level for Channeling Energy and Lay on Hands.
You can spend a Standard Action to use Lay on Hands and Mercies on anyone within your Aura-Illuminations or whom you have targeted with a Burst-Illumination this round.

Having level stack for Smite Evil struck me as too powerful. Instead you gain a Paladins support abilities and some improvement to them.

Luminous Bloodline
Regardless of your Ancestry, your good nature suffuses your blood.
Prerequisites: Radiant Focus, two Bloodline Powers
Benefits: Your Magical Girl and Sorcerer levels stack to determine your amount of Motes and your Bloodline class feature.You can activate any Bloodline Power by paying a number of Motes equal to half the level where you received it (rounded up, minimum 1).

Any hit in a spell-casting class hurts, but Sorcerers are powerful anyway. Thus, you'll be clearly weaker than a straight Sorcerer. In exchange for some lost spells your Bloodline becomes significantly better.

Owrtho
2012-07-03, 06:45 PM
Well, given the recently linked magical girl game, I've found myself with the desire to play a character similar to Kuro from Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA 2wei! (if you aren't familiar, she's like a magical girl version of Archer from Fate/Stay Night). Thus in my quest for something similar, I came across this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215075) class, which seems to do well at the making a variety of weapons from nowhere thing. So I thought I'd make a feat to combine the two some. Feedback is appreciated.

Illuminated Crafter
Your soul shows its light in the things you make.

Prerequisites: Illuminations, Evoker Level 2, Soulcrafting (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215075)
Benefit: Half your levels in Soulcrafter stack with you magical girl levels for determining evoker level as well as your mote pool and readied illuminations. In turn, half your levels in Magical girl stack with your levels in soulcrafter for determining your manifester level including number of soulcrafts and augments, as well as available augments. If levels in another class would advance your manifestor level or evoker level for either the soulcrafter or magical girl, they count as levels in said class for the purposes of this feat.

Additionally, you gain the benefits of Soulcraft Form (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12925061&postcount=22) even if you don't meet the prerequisites, except that it is permanently designated to your device. This does not actually grant the feat, and as such cannot be used to qualify for anything else.

Special: If you have the Mistbreaker Archetype, you gain the benefits of the Soulcraft Talisman feat instead of the Soulcraft Form feat, and it permanently designates your unarmed strike.
If you take the evolved device feat, you may soulcraft your device in either form, but may still only have one instance of it soulcrafted at a time.
If you take the twinned device feat, you may soulcraft two copies of your device so long as they fit requirements of the twinned device feat. You may choose to soulcraft both as a single soulcraft, but if you do so any augments you apply only apply to one of them (though not all augments need to be applied to the same one).

I think that generally captures the idea. There aren't any feats that cause improvement of evoker level already to base it off, but given what soulcrafters do, it seemed there would be too much overlap if it advanced costumes. I considered full manifester level advancement, but given it is similar to illuminations for the magical girl thought that would be too much. Anyway, it also seemed that the device should get to be a soulcraft similar to how heartblade makes it count as a mindblade, and for the prerequisites I feel feats like these should be available by level 3.

Owrtho

Owrtho
2012-07-04, 12:54 AM
Right then, sorta two other ideas I came up with since my last post. First, a minor expansion on the last post, being rather more of a follow up feat:

Soulcraft Costume
You've learned to combine your soulcrafting with your costume abilities.

Prerequisites: Illuminated Crafter, Costume +1
Benefit: You gain access to the Augmented and Soulcrafted costume elements. Note they only apply to armour if you have made the armour a soulcraft form with the feat of the same name. Their effects are as follows:

Augmented [Device, Armor]
Your device and if applicable armour may have an additional augment applied to it when you soulcraft it. Each time you take this costume element, an additional augment may be applied to the device or armour.

Soulcrafted [Device, Armor]
Your device and and if applicable armour are treated as being +1. This does not stack with the Enhanced costume element. You may spend an augment when soulcrafting the device or armour to change this costume element to any one other that you do not have the maximum amount of points in. This only applies to the specific device or armour soulcrafted, thus you may not put an armor costume element on a device or vice versa, and the points applied this way do not count toward the maximum that may be applied for other devices or armour. This change lasts for as long as the device or armour remains soulcrafted.


The main thing that would do is grant some of the rapid variability of soulcrafting to armour point allocation, but at the same time would take up augments to use hopefully balancing it out. Thoughts on this would be appreciated.

The other thing I thought up was a pair of blast illuminations. The full details aren't worked out, but the basic gist it. The main thing I noticed is that many magic girl shows have magical girls create a group of homing shots. Currently, the magical girl has no way of emulating that (outside of possibly playing a spirit shooter with lots of attacks per turn). That said, magic missile would do fairly well for the emulation purposes, so I came up with an illumination slightly based on that, though with certain things weaker to help be in keeping with the other level 1 blast illumination (also I felt another level 1 blast was needed). The second is a more advanced form of the previous, that helps to emulate the fact that some shows have the homing shots held at ready. Not quite sure what level it would fit at. Also not quite sure how missile number should be determined for either of them.

Homing Shot
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close Range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One or more creatures, see text
Duration: Instantaneous

More complex than Divine Buster, this blast creates multiple small homing shots that may attack various enemies around the magical girl. You create a number of shots equal to (1/2 you Cha mod + 1 per 3 evoker levels rounded down). Each shot may target a different creature, or more than one shot may target the same creature. Shots make a ranged touch attack against the target, and ignore partial cover and cover. Total cover is ignored if a path could be found such that the target does not have total cover, without leaving the range of Homing shot or moving any objects. Each shot deals 1d3 damage.

If Prismatic Calling is used with this blast, each shot deals +1 damage per die of prismatic damage instead of gaining the dice of prismatic damage.


[B]Held Homing Shot [Blast]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close Range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One or more creatures, see text
Duration: See Text

This illumination acts as homing shot with the following changes. Each shot deals 1d4 damage rather than 1d3. Additionally, shots need not be fired instantaneously. Any number of shots may be held back rather than fired upon using this illumination. At the start of any turn that you have held shots remaining, you must pay 1 mote or all currently held shots fade. You may fire up to your Charisma mod held shots as an immediate action, or any number during your turn as a free action. You select targets for held shots upon firing them. If you use this illumination while you still have held shots, it produces a number of shots less than normal equal to how many held shots you have left.

Anyway, as mentioned some of the numbers might need adjustment, but the goal is to have a handful of weak shots to deal with multiple enemies. No cap on the number of missiles, as that is one of the main weaknesses of magic missile. Given the number though, it might be worth making you only roll 1 attack roll for the shots, with held shot having you roll every time you fire one or more.

Owrtho

Selinia
2012-07-04, 05:36 PM
Changes:


Barrier Illuminations make their debut! Spotlight, Shining Rampart, Rainbow Road, Pilot Lights, and Starlight Rampart provide new tactical options to the discerning magical girl. I'm still not entirely fixed on these, and they will likely change once I get a feel for what they are and how they work. Any input is valued highly here.
Added the Vigil of Stars aura illumination, for those that miss the pre-nerf version of Vigil of Candles. At a higher illumination level, it now faces real competition - but it still offers one of the best defenses around against AC-targeting attacks.
Added the Homing Shot blast illumination, opening up new choices at level one and allowing for an iconic magical girl maneuver.
Added a significant number of multiclass feats, thanks to the fine folks here in the thread! Also, tagged a number of multiclass feats as [Pathfinder] or [External Homebrew], to help clarify which feats apply to what.
Added the Devicer archetype. Want to play with a complicated magical toy from level one? Here's your chance to do so. The devicer loses a degree of adaptability and endurance, but gains reliability and power in exchange.




Also, i am VERY glad to hear that you are working on Barriers! My basic idea is Immediate-action Damage Reduction, very curious what you have in mind!
And last but not least, nice work on the Prism Knight. Specific effects for specific elements are what i missed most in the previous incaration.

To honor your work, i'll put something about Prestige classes into the Handbook today.

Barriers were a struggle, and I'm still not entirely sure they won't be re-collapsed into Bursts and Auras. The thing is, while immediate-action DR makes a good illumination (Vigil of _____ does exactly that, when you get down to it), it's hard to base an entire category around. So I'm basically stretching the definition of barrier to encompass zones are boundaries of all sorts. We'll see how that works out.

Also, I'm not sure if anyone else is running into this, but I can't view Part 4 of your handbook - it claims I don't have permission. Perhaps you didn't set it as public?



You don't necessarily need Costumed Crusader or the Expanded Wardrobe feat in order to have multiple Costumes - after all, you can easily relocate your points within an hours rest, and IIRC we never see Fate switch costumes mid-battle.

Prism Knight fits her much more nicely IMO, given her affinity for Electrical Attacks (she's the only one other than Signum and Hayatate to clearly use elemental attacks)

Fate changes costumes mid-fight in the end-of-season throw-down with Reinforce in one of the last episodes of A's. I'm pretty sure that she does so in one of her fights with Signum as well. Admittedly, her secondary costume basically just ditches the cape and adds on some glowy wing-bits. I have no clue why I remember that tidbit.



Hayate works well as a Blaster Oracle/Magical Girl, but that just doesnt do her justice :smallwink:

Fair enough. The alternative is a Mailman Sorcerer. :smalltongue:



Aww, i prefer Archetypes over Prestige Classes most of the time*. Still, nice to know that you're working on it :smallsmile:

* Warning: Rant!
Why?
Because they advance all the relevant features of the class without leaving some unadvanced. Because they deliver their abilities spread over as many levels as they want, instead of 5 or 10. Because they are often friendlier to multiclassing (such as in my latest proposition, where anything that advances your costume bonus advances your cartridges), especially with multiclass-feats. Because they can transform a class as radically as you want, instead of just tacking on new abilities.
Also, practically everyone is using the Cartridge System in Lyrical Nanoha, so an Archetype would probably work better than a Prestige Class to represent it in that specific setting.
/rant

All of that is quite fair. Personally, I see the split a bit like this:

Archetypes represent a style of combat - something integral to a character's basic class. They fill essentially the same role as a base class, in that they define what the character is fundamentally capable of.

PrCs represent unique specializations and skills added onto that baseline of competence. They refine a certain set of abilities without detracting from the original class - a Spirit Shooter operates differently from a baseline magical girl from square one, but a Prism Knight is simply a magical girl who has chosen a specific field of study at the expense of others.

To that end, I've decided that I'll go ahead and make a cartridge-based archetype and a cartridge-based PrC. The archetype (which is a mashup of the ones you presented, by and large) represents the StrikerS universe, where the system is effectively ubiquitous. The PrC is intended to be more reflective of their A's incarnation - something new and not fully understood, that an already accomplished magical girl can use to wield existing power in new ways.


Mistbreakers cannot qualify for might makes right, correct? Since they don't get device.

Edit: err right makes might. It was 1 am. >>

Easily amendable by doing one of the following:

Prerequisites: Device, Power Attack, must have a two-handed weapon as a device or the Improved Unarmed Strike Feat
Benefit: When you make a power attack (including as part of a Strike), you may spend a mote to cancel an amount of power attack penalty equal to your Charisma modifier. This applies to only a single attack, though the cost may be paid for each part of a full attack if you wish to do so. You can only use this on attacks with a two-handed weapon or your unarmed strike.

And i think it should be amended - unarmed combatants deserve (and need!) nice things, and Might Makes Right is one of the nicest things that happens to Magical Girls.


Mistbreakers can't use Right Makes Might (which I'm on the verge of renaming, given how confusing the name is). They do effectively get Twinned device for free though, since they can duel-wield their fists with no penalty and Blazing Spirit applies to all their unarmed attacks. Power attack is generally a pretty terrible choice for non-two-handed weapons anyway.

So while it isn't a feat mistbreakers can take, they don't loose much out of the deal. They're much better off taking advantage of the many options for getting more attacks and applying the magical girl's many options for boosting fixed damage - Oversized, Prismatic, and even Enhanced (made slightly better for mistbreakers by the moronic pricing of amulets of mighty fists) if they feel like dumping the points.


Well, given the recently linked magical girl game, I've found myself with the desire to play a character similar to Kuro from Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA 2wei! (if you aren't familiar, she's like a magical girl version of Archer from Fate/Stay Night). Thus in my quest for something similar, I came across this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215075) class, which seems to do well at the making a variety of weapons from nowhere thing. So I thought I'd make a feat to combine the two some. Feedback is appreciated.

Illuminated Crafter
Your soul shows its light in the things you make.

Prerequisites: Illuminations, Evoker Level 2, Soulcrafting (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215075)
Benefit: Half your levels in Soulcrafter stack with you magical girl levels for determining evoker level as well as your mote pool and readied illuminations. In turn, half your levels in Magical girl stack with your levels in soulcrafter for determining your manifester level including number of soulcrafts and augments, as well as available augments. If levels in another class would advance your manifestor level or evoker level for either the soulcrafter or magical girl, they count as levels in said class for the purposes of this feat.

Additionally, you gain the benefits of Soulcraft Form (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12925061&postcount=22) even if you don't meet the prerequisites, except that it is permanently designated to your device. This does not actually grant the feat, and as such cannot be used to qualify for anything else.

Special: If you have the Mistbreaker Archetype, you gain the benefits of the Soulcraft Talisman feat instead of the Soulcraft Form feat, and it permanently designates your unarmed strike.
If you take the evolved device feat, you may soulcraft your device in either form, but may still only have one instance of it soulcrafted at a time.
If you take the twinned device feat, you may soulcraft two copies of your device so long as they fit requirements of the twinned device feat. You may choose to soulcraft both as a single soulcraft, but if you do so any augments you apply only apply to one of them (though not all augments need to be applied to the same one).

I think that generally captures the idea. There aren't any feats that cause improvement of evoker level already to base it off, but given what soulcrafters do, it seemed there would be too much overlap if it advanced costumes. I considered full manifester level advancement, but given it is similar to illuminations for the magical girl thought that would be too much. Anyway, it also seemed that the device should get to be a soulcraft similar to how heartblade makes it count as a mindblade, and for the prerequisites I feel feats like these should be available by level 3.

Owrtho

As usual, this seems very nicely thought out. I've looked through the class in question, and can't really see it breaking in interaction with the magical girl. So to the list it goes. And there isn't any taboo on advancing evoker level - it's mainly used for save DCs and a handful of effects that would become worthless if they didn't scale with level, so it's easily one of the more conservative things to advance.


Right then, sorta two other ideas I came up with since my last post. First, a minor expansion on the last post, being rather more of a follow up feat:

Soulcraft Costume
You've learned to combine your soulcrafting with your costume abilities.

Prerequisites: Illuminated Crafter, Costume +1
Benefit: You gain access to the Augmented and Soulcrafted costume elements. Note they only apply to armour if you have made the armour a soulcraft form with the feat of the same name. Their effects are as follows:

Augmented [Device, Armor]
Your device and if applicable armour may have an additional augment applied to it when you soulcraft it. Each time you take this costume element, an additional augment may be applied to the device or armour.

Soulcrafted [Device, Armor]
Your device and and if applicable armour are treated as being +1. This does not stack with the Enhanced costume element. You may spend an augment when soulcrafting the device or armour to change this costume element to any one other that you do not have the maximum amount of points in. This only applies to the specific device or armour soulcrafted, thus you may not put an armor costume element on a device or vice versa, and the points applied this way do not count toward the maximum that may be applied for other devices or armour. This change lasts for as long as the device or armour remains soulcrafted.


The main thing that would do is grant some of the rapid variability of soulcrafting to armour point allocation, but at the same time would take up augments to use hopefully balancing it out. Thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Again, while I've obviously never seen the soulcrafter in play, nothing jumps out as broken here. It's the kind of hybrid feat I like - blending together the features of two classes to create something interesting in its own right.



The other thing I thought up was a pair of blast illuminations. The full details aren't worked out, but the basic gist it. The main thing I noticed is that many magic girl shows have magical girls create a group of homing shots. Currently, the magical girl has no way of emulating that (outside of possibly playing a spirit shooter with lots of attacks per turn). That said, magic missile would do fairly well for the emulation purposes, so I came up with an illumination slightly based on that, though with certain things weaker to help be in keeping with the other level 1 blast illumination (also I felt another level 1 blast was needed). The second is a more advanced form of the previous, that helps to emulate the fact that some shows have the homing shots held at ready. Not quite sure what level it would fit at. Also not quite sure how missile number should be determined for either of them.

Homing Shot
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close Range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One or more creatures, see text
Duration: Instantaneous

More complex than Divine Buster, this blast creates multiple small homing shots that may attack various enemies around the magical girl. You create a number of shots equal to (1/2 you Cha mod + 1 per 3 evoker levels rounded down). Each shot may target a different creature, or more than one shot may target the same creature. Shots make a ranged touch attack against the target, and ignore partial cover and cover. Total cover is ignored if a path could be found such that the target does not have total cover, without leaving the range of Homing shot or moving any objects. Each shot deals 1d3 damage.

If Prismatic Calling is used with this blast, each shot deals +1 damage per die of prismatic damage instead of gaining the dice of prismatic damage.


[B]Held Homing Shot [Blast]
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close Range (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One or more creatures, see text
Duration: See Text

This illumination acts as homing shot with the following changes. Each shot deals 1d4 damage rather than 1d3. Additionally, shots need not be fired instantaneously. Any number of shots may be held back rather than fired upon using this illumination. At the start of any turn that you have held shots remaining, you must pay 1 mote or all currently held shots fade. You may fire up to your Charisma mod held shots as an immediate action, or any number during your turn as a free action. You select targets for held shots upon firing them. If you use this illumination while you still have held shots, it produces a number of shots less than normal equal to how many held shots you have left.

Anyway, as mentioned some of the numbers might need adjustment, but the goal is to have a handful of weak shots to deal with multiple enemies. No cap on the number of missiles, as that is one of the main weaknesses of magic missile. Given the number though, it might be worth making you only roll 1 attack roll for the shots, with held shot having you roll every time you fire one or more.

Owrtho

I really like Homing Shot, and it fills an interesting niche both thematically and tactically (beyond giving level one spirit shooters a choice in their first illumination). As you say, the numbers may need a little reworking, but it seems fine for the moment.

I'm not entirely sure what function Held Homing Shot has though - the closest thing I can think of is using them to repeatedly plink enemies to ruin their concentration on something, but it seems underwhelming when it shares a level with Blinding and Angel busters.

Owrtho
2012-07-04, 08:36 PM
Barrier Illuminations make their debut! Spotlight, Shining Rampart, Rainbow Road, Pilot Lights, and Starlight Rampart provide new tactical options to the discerning magical girl. I'm still not entirely fixed on these, and they will likely change once I get a feel for what they are and how they work. Any input is valued highly here.

Yay, Barriers!


Added the Devicer archetype. Want to play with a complicated magical toy from level one? Here's your chance to do so. The devicer loses a degree of adaptability and endurance, but gains reliability and power in exchange.

Aw, no Spirit Shooter/Devicer mixing? It wouldn't seem like it would be that powerful. Might be worth noting that one can mix them, and if they do so note if Spirit Shot can benefit from any of the forms.



Barriers were a struggle, and I'm still not entirely sure they won't be re-collapsed into Bursts and Auras. The thing is, while immediate-action DR makes a good illumination (Vigil of _____ does exactly that, when you get down to it), it's hard to base an entire category around. So I'm basically stretching the definition of barrier to encompass zones are boundaries of all sorts. We'll see how that works out.

Well, when you start looking into the different variations on barriers, there are actually quite a few that you could use to fill things out while using only barriers rather than just zone encompassing boundaries. Also there really should be a level 1 barrier that is actually a barrier. Hence why I suggest something like:

Fragile Shell
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Barrier, See text

Focusing you create a brittle wall to hinder your enemies. A shell appears as a semi transparent wall, a quarter inches thick, ten feet tall, and [up to 5 feet per point of your Cha modifier] long. The wall can be any length or shape you desire (including horizontal placement, or being positioned in midair), so long as it forms a continuous unit.

The wall physically present and blocks movement, however it does not block line of sight or line of effect. Instead, any attack or effect that would pass through the wall must attempt to break through. If a damaging effect or attack would attempt to pass through the wall, it rolls its damage when it would first hit the wall. It then that damage to the wall, up to the walls hp. If there is damage left over after the walls hp is depleted, the attack or effect proceeds to hit the target, dealing the remaining damage. If the effect is non damaging it instead deals twice its caster level (or equivalent), and the caster level is reduced to half the remaining 'damage' it could deal (rounded up). If the attack or effect does not reduce the walls hp to 0, it is successfully stopped and has no further effect.

Each 5 foot length of the wall has its own hp, however if any is reduced to 0, the entire wall is destroyed and the illumination comes to an end. Each segment of the wall has an amount of hp equal to (5 + you Charisma mod + your evoker level). You may as an immediate action spend 1 or more motes to heal the wall. The first mote spent fully heals all segments of the wall, while each additional mote after grants each segment temporary hit points equal to the max hp of a segment for the remainder of the round.

May need some cleaning up. Point is, it's a weak, breakable barrier.

Anyway, one way to come up with different barriers is to play with different combinations of basic properties barriers often get. Those I can think of off hand are as follows (note this is mostly personal terminology, these are also not organized):

[B]Brittle/Fragile: Barrier can be destroyed, usually allowing the attack that destroyed it to proceed through and hit the target (or the next barrier in the way). Breaking any point may cause the entire thing to be destroyed (this is usually the case).

Reflecting: Barrier reflects back things it successfully blocks. Usually hits the one you fired them, but not always.

Hard or Soft: Hard barriers flat out stop things or else give way (often destroying them). Soft barriers just weaken things that pass through.

Regenerating: Barrier can heal on its own. Often combine with Brittle/Fragile, and done so one part can be broken without destroying the whole thing.

Semi-permeable: Some things can pass through the barrier while others can't. This may distinguish between things like allies/enemies, attacks/creatures, energy types, direction of movement through the barrier (this would generally mean a one way barrier), etc.

Intersection Cut or Hold: If the barrier intersects an existing object, if it cuts it where the barrier overlaps, or if it instead results in the barrier holding the object in place. The former can be used offensively to harm a target, while the latter can pin it in place. Likely grant a reflex save to avoid intersection.

Movable, Bound, or Static: Movable barriers can be moved independent of other things. This may be changing the dimensions, making an elevator, creating a crushing wall, making a means of transportation, etc.
Bound means it is bound to a specific object or individual, and maintains its position relative to said object or individual. A common example is a bubble shaped barrier that surrounds and protects the Magical Girl and moves with her.
Static barriers, once placed and do not move (at least not relative to the world or other similar frame of reference).

Opaque or Transparent: Barrier can't or can be seen through, this may impact ability to aim at those on the other side.

Effect: Barrier has some special effect on things or individuals that try to pass though rather than just reducing the force or damage they deal. This may mean the barrier deals damage (like a wall of fire), or may result in other less direct effects like exhaustion, forgetfulness, happiness, lightness, increased weight, disorientation, re-angling, duplication, teleportation, etc. May result in offensive, defensive, buffing, or miscellaneous type barriers.

As a quick example of mixing the above for something new. Take the Fragile Shells illumination above and make an improved form with regeneration. Destroying one segment doesn't break the whole thing. Every time you pay the upkeep cost it fully heals. Destroyed segments cost one extra mote each when you pat the upkeep cost to restore them (may have the option to not restore them.

Hopefully this helps with coming up with barriers. I'll post any other ideas I come up with.


As usual, this seems very nicely thought out. I've looked through the class in question, and can't really see it breaking in interaction with the magical girl. So to the list it goes. And there isn't any taboo on advancing evoker level - it's mainly used for save DCs and a handful of effects that would become worthless if they didn't scale with level, so it's easily one of the more conservative things to advance.

Again, while I've obviously never seen the soulcrafter in play, nothing jumps out as broken here. It's the kind of hybrid feat I like - blending together the features of two classes to create something interesting in its own right.

Glad you like it. I did notice one thing I overlooked though. Specifically it should mention that you ignore weight limits on soulcrafting for your device. I'd not thought about the chance someone might have heavier weapons when I first typed it up.


I really like Homing Shot, and it fills an interesting niche both thematically and tactically (beyond giving level one spirit shooters a choice in their first illumination). As you say, the numbers may need a little reworking, but it seems fine for the moment.

I'm not entirely sure what function Held Homing Shot has though - the closest thing I can think of is using them to repeatedly plink enemies to ruin their concentration on something, but it seems underwhelming when it shares a level with Blinding and Angel busters.

Glad you like it. In retrospect, you're right that the held portion of the later form isn't that powerful. I was mainly thinking of its use for tactics or combos, such as making a group of them while out of range where it's safe, then rushing in and letting them fly. Or holding them when you don't know where the target is, then launching them when they show themself. Also the possibility of using them to clear a path for a stronger blast that you need to fire in the same round the path is cleared. Still those are all rather situational an not too strong.

Anyway, the held part could likely be folded into the normal homing shot. Something like an added paragraph saying:

In addition, you may withhold a number of shots from firing immediately equal to half your evoker level (rounded up). Any number of these held shots may be fired as an immediate action, or during your turn as a free action. (If homing shot is changed to one attack roll, rather than individuals for each hot add this: Roll a new attack roll each time you fire one or more held shots, rather than using the one from initially using the illumination.) At the start of any of your turns during which you are holding shots, you must pay 1 mote or they dissipated harmlessly. If you would use Homing Shot while you still have held shots remaining, the shots you are currently holding count toward your limit of held shots.

Might also then add a see text not to spell duration after the instantaneous.

Thoughts?

Owrtho

Qwertystop
2012-07-04, 09:54 PM
One thing about which I'm confused:
You have Illuminations called Strikes. They work through physical attacks. They are explicitly compared to ToB maneuvers, implicitly to those maneuvers which are also called Strikes, and act similarly to the Strikes that are Illuminations...

And yet you don't have a multiclass feat for this and an Initiator class?

sreservoir
2012-07-04, 11:22 PM
the mote pool suffers a bit from the defining-an-encounter; as it is, it invites shenanigans aimed at making encounters "start" at a point when there isn't much threat yet, so as to start regenerating motes earlier and thus to have more motes available; there is, also, a certain peculiarity in that it is more advantageous to explore during an encounter -- it is beneficial to, say, leave a not entirely harmless enemy in case one encounters more enemies, so as to be able to have a full mote pool when running into new threats.

that's ... really, that's the problem with having recharging per-encounter abilities that aren't fully charged at the beginning of an encounter.

Serafina
2012-07-05, 02:05 AM
Yay, Cartridges! Yay Barriers! Yay Multiclass feats! Yay Selinia!


@Barriers:
Huh, they're all swift actions? Strikey me as very strange, given how often they are thrown up at the last second while an enemies attacks fly at the Magical Girl. Functionally that also means that they differ less from Auras or Blasts - they DO because they affect spaces, but having some or all of them as Immediate Actions (which wouldn't break the action economy, since it blocks you from using swift actions next turn) would make them more unique.

And while i said "immediate action DR", it doesn't have to be limited to DR - i quite like the effects you cooked up for the Barriers so far.

I'm also missing personal protection Barriers. To stay in the spirit of current Barriers, i'd turn them into some that provide Protection to the occupants of the space, but only affect a single space and can't be repositioned - that way you have a disadvantage while bunkering down.


Here are some of my ideas, do with them what you like (including ripping them apart and melting their parts down for new ideas, as you have done before :smallbiggrin: )

Defenser (1st-level)
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Short
Target: 1 square
Duration: Barrier

*fluff which i am too lazy to write*
Everyone in the affected square gains damage reduction equal to your charisma modifier. This increases to twice your Charisma modifier at Evoker level 10 if you pay an additional Mote.

Since this was my first suggestion, i made it the most basic Barrier Illumination. DR 4 or 5 is powerful at lower levels, and later it can become DR 20-30 at the cost of spending more motes.

Radiant Shield (2nd-level)
Mote Cost: 2
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short
Target: 1 square
Duration: Barrier

*fluffy stuff about shield blinding enemies*
Enemies who attack those in the affected square gain -4 to their attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier

The malus isn't huge, but since it lasts for plenty of rounds it'll discourage enemies from attacking. Note that this one probably shouldn't ever be an immediate action - players would just evoke it for one round to give an enemy a penalty (since hes already attacking he cant decice to stop), which isn't the intended usage.


Panzerschild (3rd-level)
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Short
Target: 1 Square
Duration: Barrier

*fluffy stuff about making target immovable*
Everyone in the affected square gains a bonus to AC and Saves equal to half your Charisma modifier as well as immunity to combat maneuvers.

The good part here is immunity to combat maneuvers, such as Trip, Bull rush etc. Something unique. Shouldn't be too powerful since the target is still confined to one square and eating motes and actions.


Sakura Storm (5th-level)
Mote Cost: 4
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: own square on activation, Short thereafter
Target: 1 square
Duration: Barrier

Thousands of small, petal-shaped energy disks form around the target, shielding it from harm and punishing everyone who tries.
Everyone attacking someone in the affected square gains 50% Concealment and your charisma modifier to saves. Everyone who makes a melee attack (including those with reach) takes 4D6+your charisma modifer damage and 5 bleed damage. Ranged attacks that miss due to concealment (including rays) can be redirected using your BAB+charisma modifier, but only inflict half damage if the redirected attack hits.
You can move the affected square as a Standard Action. If an enemy is within the affected square, he suffers from a 50% miss chance due to his enemies being concealed and does not gain any defensive benefit from Sakura Storm other than the Concealment. He also takes 8D6+twice your Charisma modifer damage and 10 stacking bleed damage each round he is within the Sakura Storm.

Okay, so in this case you CAN move the area by. I just had the idea, and a non-moving storm sounded weird. Also a bit of an idea-dump

Serafina
2012-07-05, 02:27 AM
Okay, since i just had this idea:
How about re-writing some 1-st level Illuminations so that they remain useful at higher levels? My intended method was upgrading them at a certain Evoker Level (such as 10). You can then pay extra motes to achieve more powerful effects. Another idea is to make it dependent on maximum Costume Bonus
My Defenser Barrier was one such idea. I'll present a couple of others here.

Divine Buster [Blast]
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium Range (100 + 10/evoker level ft.)
Target: One Creature
Duration: Instantaneous

In the simple but reliable ability known as a favorite of magical girls everywhere, you unleash a bullet of raw energy to bombard your foes. Your target takes damage equal to (1d6 + your Cha mod). You can pay additional motes and deal 3D6 extra damage per mote paid. You can only spend a number of extra motes equal to your Maximum Costume Bonus.

There, now you actually have a reason to take Divine Buster at higher levels. At level 5 you can deal 4D6 damage (2 less than a 2nd-level illumination for the same cost, one level earlier. At level 8 it's 7D6 for 3, at 11 10D6 for 4 motes. That's more damage for 1 less mote than an 3rd-level Illumination, but also doesn't deal any extra effects. At 14 it's 13D6 for 5 and at 16 16D6 for 6 motes. Still only one time your charisma modifer, which should be around 10 and therefore worth 2-3 dice at this level. Pretty balanced with the other Blasts IMO.

Heartbreaker [Strike]
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Full-Round Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One Creature
Saving Throw: See Below

Sometimes, the best defense is just to hit them so hard they can’t hit back effectively. As part of this strike, make a full-attack action. For every successful hit, the target receives a -4 penalty to damage rolls. At the beginning of each of their turns, they may make a Fort save – a successful save reduces the penalty by 2. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves, but they do refresh the penalty if it has been worn down by saves. At Evoker Level 10 you can pay an additional mote when activating this Illumination to increase the attack penalty to -6.

Sure, it already scales with your attacks, but you only have medium BAB and iteratives are **** anyway. At level 10 you'd only hit the target up to three times with haste (or four with TWF), if you are lucky and actually hit all the time. That'd be a -12 (16) to attacks, but more likely -8 (12) against any melee enemies (who tend to have good AC). Intended to Balance out the fact that Iteratives are very unlikey to hit.

Luminous Rain [Burst]
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short Range (25 + 5/two evoker levels ft.)
Duration: Instantaneous
Target: One Creature
Saving Throw: Will negates

The target of your attack is bathed with a pearly radiance by a blast of conjured rain, sharply illuminating critical openings in their fighting style. Allies (including you) receive a bonus against your target until the start of your next turn. You may select any of the following bonuses when you use this ability, but a single creature can only be subjected to one of them at a time.
+3 to attack rolls against the target
+3 to AC against attacks made by the target
+3 to damage rolls against the target
+3 to disarm, grapple, bull rush, or trip attacks made against the target
At Evoker Level 10 you can pay two additional motes when activating it to double the effects of this Illumination

Another Illumination that becomes weaker and weaker as you progress upwards. +6 to attack for 3 motes and swift action is a fair price at level 10 IMO

Serafina
2012-07-05, 02:52 AM
Well then! Cartridge System!


Love the name. Straightforward, yet non-specific enough to not fall into one specific anime (*cough* Nanoha *cough*)

Allowing an Exotic Device is a nice, fitting touch. Exotic Weapons really aren't that powerful in the first place - most just add qualities for combat maneuvers, which the Magical Girl isn't that good with anyway. It's most useful for Two-Weapon Wielders, where the weapons improve the most.

Loss of Costume points: Straight-forward penalty. Better worded than my version, too.

Cartridge Load: Loosing Radiant Focus is painful. But you gotta have a disadvantage somewhere, and you can use Cartridges to achieve the same effect. I really like that idea - you found a great compromise between removing it entirely and not having any meaningful penalties.

Cartridge Boost: That should be "load a Cartridge into HER device", by the way. Not much to say otherwise, other than that its very nice :)

Cartridge Overclock: Ah - the really unique part of this ability. And i WISH i had thought of replacing Limit Form to gain an ability! So much that i actually slapped myself for not thinking of it.

Accel Form is finally something for Spirit Shooters and Blasts. Note that Spirit Shooters can't technically take this Archetype - they don't get Limit Form to replace it with somethin else. Also, the Spirit Shooter ability is really really powerful - iterative touch attacks with full BAB are PAINFUL, and spirit shooters gain a lot of damage boni that makes it all the worse.
A level 12 Spirit Shooter using guns would reliably hit the target 6 times with this. The damage would be about 25D8+10D6+130=277, which is absolutely insane at this level. Yes, it degrades rapidly against targets with good Touch-AC - but a lot of monsters and characters don't have that.

Assault Form - does pretty much the same as Limit Form (no one cares about the +1/+2 damage that gets anyway). Except that it doesn't slow down your mote regeneration.

Buster Form: Probably the weakest by now. Taking a full-round action hurts. Useful, but i'd personally add that it ignores full concealment. Oh, and i'd love it if the paragraph that allows you to damage the object that granted said concealment! The visual benefit should be obvious, mechanically it'd allow you to blast a path for your allies. Something like this
"If the concealment was granted by physical cover, she deals the damage of the Illumination to that object in addition to dealing it to the target."



Overall: Very well done, i love it!

Serafina
2012-07-05, 03:48 AM
One thing about which I'm confused:
You have Illuminations called Strikes. They work through physical attacks. They are explicitly compared to ToB maneuvers, implicitly to those maneuvers which are also called Strikes, and act similarly to the Strikes that are Illuminations...

And yet you don't have a multiclass feat for this and an Initiator class?You could make one?

Personally:
The Crusader has too little class features to make mixing worth it.
The Swordsage has a couple of options. I think i could do something here, i'll give it a shot.
And i think you could do something with the Warblade as well.

Radiant Wind
Prerequisite: 1 Desert Wind Maneuver, Prismatic Calling feat
Benefit: All fire damage from the Desert Wind Disciplin becomes the damage type of your Prismatic damage. You can pay one mote every time you exectue a Desert Wind Strike Maneuver to add half your Prismatic Damage to the Strike Maneuver.
Special If you have levels in Swordsage, your levels in Swordsage stack to determine your Evoker Level and your Discipline Focus class feature.
Special: If you have the Prism class feature, you can apply any Prism that applies to a Strike Illumination to a Strike Maneuver that you have enhanced with Radiant Wind.

Desert Wind is a really nice school - it just sucks that it always deals fire damage, the most-resisted type in the game. This feat fixes that, and adds extra damage to boot. And it blends with Prism Knight as well. The class-stacking is weak and MAD, but you already gain plenty of other benefits.

Radiant Blade
Prerequisites: Battle Ardor, Costume +1
Benefits: You can use your Charisma-modifer instead of your Intelligence-modifier for Battle Clarity, Battle Ardor, Battle Cunning, Battle Skill and Battle Mastery. Your Warblade levels stack with your Magical Girl levels to determine your Costume Bonus.

A charismatic Warblade with a fancy costume. Pretty simple IMO.

Serafina
2012-07-05, 03:49 AM
the mote pool suffers a bit from the defining-an-encounter; as it is, it invites shenanigans aimed at making encounters "start" at a point when there isn't much threat yet, so as to start regenerating motes earlier and thus to have more motes available; there is, also, a certain peculiarity in that it is more advantageous to explore during an encounter -- it is beneficial to, say, leave a not entirely harmless enemy in case one encounters more enemies, so as to be able to have a full mote pool when running into new threats.

that's ... really, that's the problem with having recharging per-encounter abilities that aren't fully charged at the beginning of an encounter. Since an encounter is entirely defined by the GM, i thin that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Also, talking to enemies before attacking is perfectly in line with Magical Girls :smallbiggrin:

Snowfire
2012-07-05, 04:06 AM
Since an encounter is entirely defined by the GM, i thin that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Also, talking to enemies before attacking is perfectly in line with Magical Girls :smallbiggrin:

Oh so much.

It basically comes down to if you're playing in a setting where you can get away with the normal Magical Girl schtick. If you're not...well you might have some trouble. At least until you turn the world into one where you can do the normal Magical Girl schtick.

Serafina
2012-07-05, 05:28 AM
I am updating the Handbook (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a95_il0be1nO1BqTxHv_SVKLHGWJMb8dizH56N4Le6o/edit) with the new stuff Selinia gave us. Also, Part 4 (previously an incoherent mess) is now accessible (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hz1DU2jtXEA5CS2kLUFIKF3dypyKLbxxxRrv-hL24Fw/edit) (though still quite incomplete on prestige classes).

Serafina
2012-07-05, 06:12 AM
Now that i have looked properly over the Dark Magical Girl - someone needs to make a Multiclass feat for DMG and Barbarian. Probably something that stacks Motes, rounds of Barbarian Rage and something else. Hmmm...

Owrtho
2012-07-05, 07:35 AM
First, it occurs to me that homing shot should have a minimum number of shots listed (likely 2), and with that it may be worth slightly altering the shot amount (such as making it half charisma mod + 1/3 evoker level rounded up).


@Barriers:
Huh, they're all swift actions? Strikey me as very strange, given how often they are thrown up at the last second while an enemies attacks fly at the Magical Girl. Functionally that also means that they differ less from Auras or Blasts - they DO because they affect spaces, but having some or all of them as Immediate Actions (which wouldn't break the action economy, since it blocks you from using swift actions next turn) would make them more unique.

I feel it is worth noting in most magical girl shows that the barriers seem to be more of the "completely transparent until actively blocking something" rather than the "thrown up immediately before blocking something" with certain key exceptions.

Also, it may be a difference between pathfinder and 3.5, but in 3.5 immediate actions don't take away your next turn swift action.


And while i said "immediate action DR", it doesn't have to be limited to DR - i quite like the effects you cooked up for the Barriers so far.

I agree that various effects could fit as immediate actions, such as a barrier that is actually a wall and blocks movement. It could be thrown up as an immediate action to stop an enemy, and if you use it like that, they need to make a reflex save to stop in time or risk running into it for some (likely minor damage), the save could be based distance they're moving. Either way they would be blocked from continuing though.


I'm also missing personal protection Barriers. To stay in the spirit of current Barriers, i'd turn them into some that provide Protection to the occupants of the space, but only affect a single space and can't be repositioned - that way you have a disadvantage while bunkering down.


I'd agree there aren't enough personal protection options yet. That said, if one is acting in keeping with the source, most personal protection barriers in magical girl shows follow the one being protected. On the other hand, most static ones are larger and able to protect a few people or a key location.

Actually, given the static barriers are often maintained by one (or a few) individual(s) who otherwise don't fight while doing so, perhaps have some barriers that may be enhanced, or have the mote cost reduced for the round if you spend a full round action focusing on it (that could also be a feat or part of an archetype).

While thinking on it, it might be worth adding barriers to the list of illuminations the DMG class may choose from.

Owrtho

Snowfire
2012-07-05, 08:05 AM
Actually, given the static barriers are often maintained by one (or a few) individual(s) who otherwise don't fight while doing so, perhaps have some barriers that may be enhanced, or have the mote cost reduced for the round if you spend a full round action focusing on it (that could also be a feat or part of an archetype).

Owrtho

Barrier Maiden, perhaps? :smallbiggrin:

Serafina
2012-07-05, 08:49 AM
Also, it may be a difference between pathfinder and 3.5, but in 3.5 immediate actions don't take away your next turn swift action.
Actually, yes they do. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_immediateaction&alpha=)

Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action, and counts as your swift action for that turn. You cannot use another immediate action or a swift action until after your next turn if you have used an immediate action when it is not currently your turn (effectively, using an immediate action before your turn is equivalent to using your swift action for the coming turn). You also cannot use an immediate action if you are flat-footed.
However, Immediate Action barriers would need a line like "you need not spend a swift action in your next turn to maintain a Barrier that you have activated ou of your turn."

In the end there is no real reason to have all Barriers work exactly the same way. So yes, theres definetly a place for Barriers who affect a person, rather than a square, IMO. Which neatly solves the problem of the barrier moving with the person, but limits the tactical utility of affecting a different person each turn.


As for Barrier Maidens: We already have them ;) I'd like the idea that Kofu Shojos "Barrier Maiden" class features applies to boni given by Barriers:
"You also increase any Boni to Saves or AC and any Damage Reduction granted by your barriers by your Wisdom bonus".
Something like that - would make Wisdom much more useful for that Archetype.

Edit: Or maybe better yet:
Barrier Maiden (Su):
(...other text...). You also add your Wisdom modifier to your Charisma modifier to determine the effect of your Barrier-Illuminations.

Regalus
2012-07-05, 03:34 PM
I know that the discussion is currently focused on the new barrier illuminations but I have a question. Has anyone considered altering the Mist Breaker's interaction with blast Illuminations so that rather than eliminating them whole sale she converts them into Strikes which use Melee touch attacks? Bonus points for allowing them to add their Modified Unarmed damage from their Blazing Spirit class feature to the damage of these special "Strike" Illuminations.

For example, homing 'shot' could be converted into a psudo-full attack; allowing the Mist Breaker the same number of melee touch attacks as she would've gotten shots against adjacent opponents, and would otherwise operate the same. While the Busters become super light charged power attacks.

As it stands, the loss of blast illuminations is a severe blow to the archetype, greater in some some ways to the drawbacks of some of the other archetypes. After all, even the Kofu Shoujo and Spirit Shooter can still prepare strike illuminations if they need to. Having the Mist Breaker convert Blasts into melee touch attacks stays in theme with the Mist Breaker without shooting it in the foot by loosing roughly 1/4 of the magical girl's options; which just so happens to be the portion containing most of their raw fire power.

This alteration would help the Mist Breaker better fulfill its design goal as the Melee expert of the Magical Girl Archetypes, keep it on par with the other Archetypes, as well as providing it with a niche in terms of illumination interaction on par with the one Kofu Shojo and the Spirit Shooter currently possess with Blast and Burst Illuminations.

So, what do you guys think?

Lix Lorn
2012-07-05, 04:03 PM
While it's not my call, that sounds pretty cool to me.

Serafina
2012-07-05, 04:12 PM
I can't see anything wrong with that. It's still a drawback (since you don't have ranged attack anymore) of course, but at least you don't loose your really damaging Illuminations (because Strikes mostly don't do damage)

I would actually propose something akin to the Magus (yeah yeah, i do like that class) Spellstrike-ability here:

Flurry of Light
At Xth(?) level, the Spirit Breaker can prepare Blast Illuminations. However, she can not evoke them normally as ranged attacks. Instead, a a Full-Round Action, she can make all her melee attacks at a -2 penalty and evoke a Blast Illumination that needs a Touch-Attack to hit. She makes an attack roll with her full BAB -2 against AC (not Touch-AC) for this Blast Illumination, if it hits it deals additional damage equal to her Unarmed Strike damage.
This can be combined with Two-Weapon Fighting normally. The Blast can not profit from Prismatic Calling.


That'd effectively be Flurry of Blows like a Monks, with the added benefit of a Blast Illuminations damage. While it might seem similar to Limit Mode at first, it has a couple of difference
-The Blast needs to hit AC instead of Touch-AC, therefore loosing a major benefit of Blasts.
- All Attacks take a -2 penalty. Nothing crippling, but noticeable especially at lower levels.
- It can not be used on a charge.

Let's see. A low-level (say, 6th) character with TWF and this ability could make three attacks: 1 normal, 1 TWF, 1 Flurry. She would deal her unarmed damage (1D8+2D6+8) on each hit that lands, plus 6D6+5 if the Illumination hits. All Attacks are made at +7 (+4 BAB, -2 TWF, -2 Flurry, +5 Cha, +1 MW, +1 WF), which is hardly overwhelming. The maximum damage dealt is 3D8+12D6+29, which works out to an average of 84 - again, assuming that all attacks hit.
In comparison, a Magical Girl using the same Blast Illumination will do 8D6+5 (due to prismatic calling) - 41 average damage, but almost guaranteed to hit and at range.

Owrtho
2012-07-05, 04:54 PM
Actually, yes they do. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_immediateaction&alpha=)

Huh, how have I never seen that part of the description before. Man that is stupid. Well, now I know something to houserule in games I run.


However, Immediate Action barriers would need a line like "you need not spend a swift action in your next turn to maintain a Barrier that you have activated ou of your turn."

Except you don't. Maintaining a barrier is a free action, not a swift action. Thus even if you lose your swift action the turn after activating it, you still can maintain it. Unless you mean that you would keep your swift action to use for anything. If it wasn't a free action, you wouldn't be able to have more than one barrier at a time.

Speaking of that, it seems that most any barrier that is actually a barrier, should have the option to place more than one of them at a time. After all, who doesn't want the ability to make a maze using barriers? Or strategically block various paths that are not close enough for one continuous barrier? The increased mote cost would be enough that it doesn't seem likely to be that powerful. As for the ones like the spotlights, those could just be stated to not stack with themselves, at which point yo could have barriers default to multiples of the same one being allowed.

Owrtho

Regalus
2012-07-05, 05:00 PM
Awesome stuff

IMO this should be included as part of the base feature for preparing their illuminations, or something it unlocks at level 5 or something, after all even the magus can still use offensive spells separately from their special flurry; but that's just my humble opinion.

Serafina
2012-07-06, 12:37 AM
Yes it probably should be available pretty soon. It's not too powerful, and i really dislike Archetypes (or classes for that matter) whose playstyle-defining features only come online by mid-level or later.

If anything i am somewhat worried that the damage gets out of hand during the later levels, where you can reliably hit with a -4 modifier and Blast damage gets higher. But:
A 16th-level Magical Girl would probably attack with +20/20/20/15/15/10. Each hit deals 8D8+2D6+11 damage, with 9D6+14 damage from the Illumination. Assuming an average of 4 hits (including the Illumination), that works out to 261 damage. Mind you, she's more likely to land 3 hits against most CR-appropriate Monsters, and against some she can't flurry if she wants to hit properly and/or needs outside boni.

Conclusion:
The ability seems pretty balanced with the rest of the magical Girl - it only adds damage, and not too much of it as far as i can see for now. I'd actually remove my paragraph that forbids prismatic damage from being added to the Blast.

Serafina
2012-07-06, 03:28 AM
Since Selinia just pointed out that Magical Girls make good mounted combatants, a new multiclass feat!

Rider of Light:
Prerequisites:Mount or Divine Bond (Mount) class feature, Costume +1
Benefit: Your Magical Girl levels stack with your Cavalier-levels to determine the effect of your Mount class feature, your Expert Trainer class feature and your Costume bonus. You can summon or dismiss your mount whenever you summon or dismiss your Costume. Your Mount always returns to full hitpoints at the end of the day, even when slain.
If you have a Divine Bond with a Mount, your Paladin levels stack with your Magical Girl levels to determine its effects. You can summon and dismiss your Mount whenever you summon or dismiss your costume. Damage to your Mount only vanishes at the end of the day, instead with every summoning.
Special: If appropriate to your setting, your Mount can take a fantastic form, such as that of a Magical Beast or even that of a machine. This does not grant it any special features or alters its statistics in any way, and it remains its original type of creature.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal Archetype, your Mount can be your Mentor Animal.

This is mostly intended for the Cavalier - if you are a Paladin you're supposed to take it in concert with Luminous Champion. Bog-standard level-stacking, and the ability to summon your mount doesn't really do much, except maybe keep your mount out of the way in ambushes eliminate eventual problems of transporting it. As a general rule, IMO, everything you gain from class features should be available to you regardless of situation anyway, so this is hardly a huge advantage, just a fix for a problem.

Might require some work on the wording to make it less convoluted, but i think it gets across what i planned.

DrakeRaids
2012-07-06, 09:58 AM
Since cartridge boost stacks with other enhancement bonuses, that means You could stack it multiple times correct? Is this intended?

Serafina
2012-07-06, 10:09 AM
Most likely not, Selinia probably just forgot to add a " Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves." paragraph.
The practically identical ability of the Magus doesn't stack with itself either.

userpay
2012-07-06, 12:11 PM
Being that I'm working on an app for the magical girl game I would like to make a request, is there any chance that a multiclass feat could be made for Magitech Templar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176276)? While the Devicer archetype strikes pretty close it doesn't quite reach mecha girl status. Heavy Costume would need to either be integrated or a requirement I would think.

Along the same vein I'm somewhat disappointed that Spirit Shooter and Devicer can't be combined (since I am going for a shooty Magical Girl/Magitech Templar) though I suppose Evolved Device might be the closest workaround. If you have a Twinned Device would Evolved Device work on both at the same time?

Serafina
2012-07-06, 12:52 PM
Actually, Spirit Shooter and Devicer are, as far as i can tell, supposed to be combinable.

As for a Multiclass-feat: Those are easy.
Pick a signature but not too strong ability from your class. If it has spells, caster level for those might also be an option, as are minor abilities (such as wild empathy). You should generally not gain new class features from a Multiclass feat, just advance existing ones.
On the magical girl side you take either costume bonus or motes, and Evoker level is also an option.
Place your benefits thusly that entry requires 2 or 3 levels in your class and 2 or 3 in the Magical Girl class. The stronger your class and the ability advanced by your feat, the higher the entry requirements should be.
Last but not least, pick features that blend similar features, such as animal companions/familiars and your device/mentor animal.

There, done - you just created a multiclass feat.

And now, an example.
The Magitech Templar has three major abilities: Magitech Armor, Magitech Upgrades and Armored Sense Upgrades.
Only the first is actually scaling with level, and the latter two grant new abilities instead of advancing old ones. Hence, advancing Magitech Armor is the best choice.
Now, the Magitech Templar obviously relies on his armor. Hence, advancing his Costume is the best choice.
Now we are advancing two very similar abilities - both are armor. Add a Paragraph that allows you to designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume.

Okay, so now we have to check the power of this Multiclass feat.
A Level 18 Magical Girl who has it and two Levels in Magitech Templar gains a free +5 armor and one Magitech Upgrade. That's not particulary strong - a +5 armor is cheap at level 20. Certainly not worth loosing your True Illumination and Come Back for.
A Level 18 Magitech Templar on the other hand gains 13 Costume points. That's quite powerful.

Conclusion: For a Magical Girl the feat and a dip are a weak option. For a Magitech Templar the feat and a dip are a very strong option. I guess we need some adjustment. This can be done by increasing the required level in Magical Girl, or by advancing another Magitech Templar class feature.

However, we are pretty much out of class features that wouldn't require us to break the "no new features" option. However, Upgrades are only a small feature, so they are an option. Obviously we can't let them stack fully or we'd almost have a Gestalt-character. Solution: Tie them to Magical Girl level in a way that is not advanced by levels in Magitech Templar, and grant one or maybe two upgrades at those levels. Let's go with 1 Upgrade at Evoker level 10.

Okay, what do we have now?
A Magical Girl 18/2 gains a free +5 Armor and two Armor upgrades. That's better, but is it worth it?
A Magitech Templar 17/3 looses two upgrades, one Sense Upgrade and his Capstone in exchange for 13 costume points. Still powerful, but more equal than before.

Okay - we don't want to raise the Magitech Templar entry requirement for this feat higher than 2, since it's already pretty weak. And we only have one class feature left - that you gain at level 3. Ah, but we don't have to have all features that are advanced as requirements! Simpy state that it gets advanced when you have it! Now obviously we can't fully advance Senses either, so lets take the same option at before - upgrade at Evoker Level X. Lets take 12, and move the old upgrade to 8 to space it out.

Now a Magical Girl 17/3 gets two Upgrades and two Sense Upgrades. Yes, that's something that lets the flavor shine trough without being too powerful.

However, a Magitech Templar 17/3 is still gains a massive boost! He can summon his armor whenever he wants AND he gains 13 whole costume points. That's a LOT for one feat and a small loss of features. Maybe we should reduce that a bit. Limiting the Maximum Costume bonus should help! No need to reduce the amount of points as well when we do that tough.

Okay, so what do we have?
Magitech Costume
Your Costume is not just an expression of your personality, but also of your ingenuity
Prerequisites: Power of Friendship, 1 Magitech Upgrade
Benefits: Your Magitech Crusader and Magical Girl Class levels stack to determine the Bonus of your Magitech Armor and your amount of costume points. Add half your Magitech Crusader levels to your Magical Girl levels to determine your Maximum Costume Bonus. You may designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume, even if it is not light armor. You add your Magical Girl levels to determine the effects and DCs of your Magitech Upgrades. If you have Armor Sentience and Armored Sense Upgrade, you add your Magical Girl levels to determine their effects and DCs.
Special: At Evoker Level 8, you gain a Magitech Upgrade. At Evoker Level 12, you gain a Armored Sense Upgrade.

There we go - a Multiclass feat.

userpay
2012-07-06, 01:07 PM
Actually, Spirit Shooter and Devicer are, as far as i can tell, supposed to be combinable.

Well I think technically they are I just wasn't quite sure considering how they both replace Device and Device - Limit Form. More of a double check if you will.


As for a Multiclass-feat: Those are easy.
Pick a signature but not too strong ability from your class. If it has spells, caster level for those might also be an option, as are minor abilities (such as wild empathy). You should generally not gain new class features from a Multiclass feat, just advance existing ones.
On the magical girl side you take either costume bonus or motes, and Evoker level is also an option.
Place your benefits thusly that entry requires 2 or 3 levels in your class and 2 or 3 in the Magical Girl class. The stronger your class and the ability advanced by your feat, the higher the entry requirements should be.
Last but not least, pick features that blend similar features, such as animal companions/familiars and your device/mentor animal.

There, done - you just created a multiclass feat.

And now, an example.
The Magitech Templar has three major abilities: Magitech Armor, Magitech Upgrades and Armored Sense Upgrades.
Only the first is actually scaling with level, and the latter two grant new abilities instead of advancing old ones. Hence, advancing Magitech Armor is the best choice.
Now, the Magitech Templar obviously relies on his armor. Hence, advancing his Costume is the best choice.
Now we are advancing two very similar abilities - both are armor. Add a Paragraph that allows you to designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume.

Okay, so now we have to check the power of this Multiclass feat.
A Level 18 Magical Girl who has it and two Levels in Magitech Templar gains a free +5 armor and one Magitech Upgrade. That's not particulary strong - a +5 armor is cheap at level 20. Certainly not worth loosing your True Illumination and Come Back for.
A Level 18 Magitech Templar on the other hand gains 13 Costume points. That's quite powerful.

Conclusion: For a Magical Girl the feat and a dip are a weak option. For a Magitech Templar the feat and a dip are a very strong option. I guess we need some adjustment. This can be done by increasing the required level in Magical Girl, or by advancing another Magitech Templar class feature.

However, we are pretty much out of class features that wouldn't require us to break the "no new features" option. However, Upgrades are only a small feature, so they are an option. Obviously we can't let them stack fully or we'd almost have a Gestalt-character. Solution: Tie them to Magical Girl level in a way that is not advanced by levels in Magitech Templar, and grant one or maybe two upgrades at those levels. Let's go with 1 Upgrade at Evoker level 10.

Okay, what do we have now?
A Magical Girl 18/2 gains a free +5 Armor and two Armor upgrades. That's better, but is it worth it?
A Magitech Templar 17/3 looses two upgrades, one Sense Upgrade and his Capstone in exchange for 13 costume points. Still powerful, but more equal than before.

Okay - we don't want to raise the Magitech Templar entry requirement for this feat higher than 2, since it's already pretty weak. And we only have one class feature left - that you gain at level 3. Ah, but we don't have to have all features that are advanced as requirements! Simpy state that it gets advanced when you have it! Now obviously we can't fully advance Senses either, so lets take the same option at before - upgrade at Evoker Level X. Lets take 12, and move the old upgrade to 8 to space it out.

Now a Magical Girl 17/3 gets two Upgrades and two Sense Upgrades. Yes, that's something that lets the flavor shine trough without being too powerful.

However, a Magitech Templar 17/3 is still gains a massive boost! He can summon his armor whenever he wants AND he gains 13 whole costume points. That's a LOT for one feat and a small loss of features. Maybe we should reduce that a bit. Limiting the Maximum Costume bonus should help! No need to reduce the amount of points as well when we do that tough.

Okay, so what do we have?
Magitech Costume
Your Costume is not just an expression of your personality, but also of your ingenuity
Prerequisites: Power of Friendship, 1 Magitech Upgrade
Benefits: Your Magitech Crusader and Magical Girl Class levels stack to determine the Bonus of your Magitech Armor and your amount of costume points. Add half your Magitech Crusader levels to your Magical Girl levels to determine your Maximum Costume Bonus. You may designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume, even if it is not light armor. You add your Magical Girl levels to determine the effects and DCs of your Magitech Upgrades. If you have Armor Sentience and Armored Sense Upgrade, you add your Magical Girl levels to determine their effects and DCs.
Special: At Evoker Level 8, you gain a Magitech Upgrade. At Evoker Level 12, you gain a Armored Sense Upgrade.

There we go - a Multiclass feat.

Thanks a lot for the breakdown! I've always considered myself bad at homebrewing as I tend towards fluff as mechanics as opposed to balanced mechanics. I'll keep that breakdown in mind for future situations where I want to combine two classes.

Also if it helps I was planning on taking the Repeating Crossbow Upgrade (except as a gun), making that my Device, and twinning it if possible though I'll probably double check with the DM on that last part without having that as a second Upgrade as well. I was also potentially looking at the Evolved Device to beable to switch it into Power Fist for giggles though I'll probably save that for when the game turns into gestalt later on (if he allows me to swap the multiclass feat out at that time).

Serafina
2012-07-06, 01:17 PM
Well, technically, that's not an option.
While you designate an existing armor as your device (hence, no problem designating your Magitech-armor as such - even if the feat didn't state so, you could do it with the feat that allows you to designte heavy armor), you do NOT designate an existing weapon as your Device.
Instead, your Device takes the form of a specific weapon. That has various effects, most notable of all is that your Device can't be a weapon with a unique enchantment (such as a Songblade) nor of a special material.

However, i see nothing wrong with designating an armor-integratd weapon as your device. Simply add "if your armor has integrated weapons, one of these can be treated as your device".

userpay
2012-07-06, 02:13 PM
So how does this sound to be added in? "If your armor has an integrated weapon you may designate it as your device, if you have the same weapon integrated twice and you have the Twinned Device feat you may designate both of them as your devices."

DrakeRaids
2012-07-06, 05:59 PM
I hae a multiclass feat for the Harrowed (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188148) and Magical Girl. A character I'm playing in another game uses Harrowed to give her a superpowered evil side, and the classes actually mesh pretty well. In any case, here it is. Not really happy with the name, and not sure on the balance really. Imput welcome

Tenebrous Dawn
Benefit: Tenebrous Touch (2d6) and Power of Friendship
Effect: Sometimes when a soul is shadowed, that simply gives it the means to shine all the brighter. The Harrowed Magical Girl may spend a single mote extra mote when she invokes a strike, blast, or burst illumination. Should the illumination succeed then the target takes the wielders Tenebrous Touch once in addition to all other effects, and for the purpose of developing her Tenebrous Touch and its DC's, the characters magical girl and harrowed levels stack. Furthermore, as long as she has half her mote pool or more full, the magical girl enjoys a +1 save against The Monster Within.

Owrtho
2012-07-06, 07:17 PM
Well, technically, that's not an option.
While you designate an existing armor as your device (hence, no problem designating your Magitech-armor as such - even if the feat didn't state so, you could do it with the feat that allows you to designte heavy armor), you do NOT designate an existing weapon as your Device.
Instead, your Device takes the form of a specific weapon. That has various effects, most notable of all is that your Device can't be a weapon with a unique enchantment (such as a Songblade) nor of a special material.

However, i see nothing wrong with designating an armor-integratd weapon as your device. Simply add "if your armor has integrated weapons, one of these can be treated as your device".

In this case, the easiest method might be to have a separate feat that allows you to integrate your device into your armour. Something like:

Integrated Device
You have learned to integrate your device into your armour.
Prerequisites: Magitech Costume, any Magitech Upgrade that grants a weapon
Benefit: You may as a swift action combine your device with any weapon built into your Magitech Armor from a Magitech Upgrade. This causes the weapon to gain all the benefits of being your device, including benefiting from costume points and feats or abilities that effect your device. Changing your device back to its normal form is likewise a swift action.
Special: If you have the twined device feat, you may combine your device with two integrated weapons at a time.

Anyway, another class that might allow a similar idea would be a magical girl/engineer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114229) mix.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-07, 02:04 AM
Speaking of Integrated Devices:

Devices in Magical Girl shows are often capable of doing quite a few things, and so are the Magical Girls themselves.
While their Illuminations represent their combat abilities really well, they do nothing to represent their utility-abilities. Fortunately, Magical Girls have Use Magic Device. Unfortunately, we rarely if ever see a Magical Girl pulling out an Item other than her Device.

Solution: Allow Devices to duplicate the Functions of Wands and Scrolls.
Since this is not a huge advantage, it shouldn't carry a huge cost, such as an Archetype, Feat or Prestige class. Instead, it should be a specific enchantment or a new class feature.

Class Feature:
Device Magic
Many Magical Girls learn to use their connection to the light for more than just combat. By preparing special ingredients and with the aid of their device, they can achieve a wide array of miraculous effects.
At 5th level, a Magical Girl can integrate Spell Trigger items into her device. She can integrate a Scroll or Wand into her Device via a ceremony that takes one hour. If she succeeds on a Use Magic Device check, the wand or a number of scrolls equal to half her class level are destroyed. Instead, her device gains exactly the same amount of spells and charges that the wand or scrolls had. If the check fails, nothing happens and she can try again on the next day. A Device can hold any number of charges and spells.

Once her Device contains charges and spells, a Magical Girl can activate them like any other spell trigger item, but needs to spend at least a full round action. She needs to succeed on a Use Magic Device check and gains her Devices Enhancement Bonus (if any) to it. The DCs are equal to the DCs to activate the Item she transferred the spell from, but she may use her Charisma to fulfill attribute requirements. The spells work exactly as if they had been cast from the item was integrated into the device.

This ability works with Trinkets, Ranged Devices and other variant Archetypes.

This is first and foremost a way to store wands and scrolls conveniently. As a small bonus, the Magical Girl gets a small bonus (1-5) to her UMD-check, and she can activate higher-level spells without buying scrolls from a Sorcerer or Oracle, which makes accessing them a bit easier (though it was possible before)

And a feat
Mystic Trinket
You far surpass the mystic abilities of more martial Magical Girls.
Prerequisites: Evoker Level 10, Trinket
Benefits: You can integrate a Staff spell trigger item into your Trinket. This works the same way as Device Magic. You only transfer the spells, not any other abilities of the staff.
You use your Evoker Level and Charisma to determine the effects of the spells that were stored in the staff. You can recharge one charge per day to one staff that has been integrated into your device. You can integrate multiple staffs into your trinket, but they all share the same charges when you do so.
Activating a spell stored in this manner has a DC of 20+twice the spell level.

Okay, this effectively gives a Magical Girl the abiliy to cast 9th-level spells. If she has the money to spend on such expensive items, that is, and if her GM allows her access to them. It also always requires a full-round action and a UMD-check to activate[, with the potential to loose charges. That, along with the full-roumd action, should make it cumbersome enough that she won't cast in battle. I also limited it to Kofu Shojos to make them a more attractive Archetype.
This feat really needs som review and opinion, since the ability to recharge staffs is quite a huge boon. However, i think that Kofu Shojos need a good boost - they loose access to most of the feat support and Prestige Classes that Magical Girls get, so a feat exclusively for them seems pretty nice.

Selinia
2012-07-07, 04:50 AM
*Turns around and works on character building for a day. Returns.*

SO MANY POSTS. :smalleek:



As for Barrier Maidens: We already have them ;) I'd like the idea that Kofu Shojos "Barrier Maiden" class features applies to boni given by Barriers:
"You also increase any Boni to Saves or AC and any Damage Reduction granted by your barriers by your Wisdom bonus".
Something like that - would make Wisdom much more useful for that Archetype.

Edit: Or maybe better yet:
Barrier Maiden (Su):
(...other text...). You also add your Wisdom modifier to your Charisma modifier to determine the effect of your Barrier-Illuminations.

Done. Kofū shōjo now adds Wis to Cha to determine the effects of her Barriers. It seemed the most forthright and universally useful ways to go about it, and it's arguably the class's weakest archetype to begin with.


I know that the discussion is currently focused on the new barrier illuminations but I have a question. Has anyone considered altering the Mist Breaker's interaction with blast Illuminations so that rather than eliminating them whole sale she converts them into Strikes which use Melee touch attacks? Bonus points for allowing them to add their Modified Unarmed damage from their Blazing Spirit class feature to the damage of these special "Strike" Illuminations.

For example, homing 'shot' could be converted into a psudo-full attack; allowing the Mist Breaker the same number of melee touch attacks as she would've gotten shots against adjacent opponents, and would otherwise operate the same. While the Busters become super light charged power attacks.

As it stands, the loss of blast illuminations is a severe blow to the archetype, greater in some some ways to the drawbacks of some of the other archetypes. After all, even the Kofu Shoujo and Spirit Shooter can still prepare strike illuminations if they need to. Having the Mist Breaker convert Blasts into melee touch attacks stays in theme with the Mist Breaker without shooting it in the foot by loosing roughly 1/4 of the magical girl's options; which just so happens to be the portion containing most of their raw fire power.

This alteration would help the Mist Breaker better fulfill its design goal as the Melee expert of the Magical Girl Archetypes, keep it on par with the other Archetypes, as well as providing it with a niche in terms of illumination interaction on par with the one Kofu Shojo and the Spirit Shooter currently possess with Blast and Burst Illuminations.

So, what do you guys think?

]I can't see anything wrong with that. It's still a drawback (since you don't have ranged attack anymore) of course, but at least you don't loose your really damaging Illuminations (because Strikes mostly don't do damage)

I would actually propose something akin to the Magus (yeah yeah, i do like that class) Spellstrike-ability here:

Flurry of Light
At Xth(?) level, the Spirit Breaker can prepare Blast Illuminations. However, she can not evoke them normally as ranged attacks. Instead, a a Full-Round Action, she can make all her melee attacks at a -2 penalty and evoke a Blast Illumination that needs a Touch-Attack to hit. She makes an attack roll with her full BAB -2 against AC (not Touch-AC) for this Blast Illumination, if it hits it deals additional damage equal to her Unarmed Strike damage.
This can be combined with Two-Weapon Fighting normally. The Blast can not profit from Prismatic Calling.


That'd effectively be Flurry of Blows like a Monks, with the added benefit of a Blast Illuminations damage. While it might seem similar to Limit Mode at first, it has a couple of difference
-The Blast needs to hit AC instead of Touch-AC, therefore loosing a major benefit of Blasts.
- All Attacks take a -2 penalty. Nothing crippling, but noticeable especially at lower levels.
- It can not be used on a charge.

Let's see. A low-level (say, 6th) character with TWF and this ability could make three attacks: 1 normal, 1 TWF, 1 Flurry. She would deal her unarmed damage (1D8+2D6+8) on each hit that lands, plus 6D6+5 if the Illumination hits. All Attacks are made at +7 (+4 BAB, -2 TWF, -2 Flurry, +5 Cha, +1 MW, +1 WF), which is hardly overwhelming. The maximum damage dealt is 3D8+12D6+29, which works out to an average of 84 - again, assuming that all attacks hit.
In comparison, a Magical Girl using the same Blast Illumination will do 8D6+5 (due to prismatic calling) - 41 average damage, but almost guaranteed to hit and at range.[/SPOILER]

I am hesitant to include the 'flurry' version of this ability. Not so much because the damage is high, but because it is very close to being strictly better than limit form. I like magus, but some things ought to stay in their domain - or in the domain of a proper multiclass PrC.

However, I will add the ability to punch people with Blasts as an intrinsic part of the class from level one, because glub it all why not. It at least give an alternate road to building a mistbreaker than two-weapon fighting flurries of doom.



Speaking of that, it seems that most any barrier that is actually a barrier, should have the option to place more than one of them at a time. After all, who doesn't want the ability to make a maze using barriers? Or strategically block various paths that are not close enough for one continuous barrier? The increased mote cost would be enough that it doesn't seem likely to be that powerful. As for the ones like the spotlights, those could just be stated to not stack with themselves, at which point yo could have barriers default to multiples of the same one being allowed.

Owrtho

Fair enough. Restriction on barrier sustaining removed. Too tired to utilize greater loquaciousness.


Yes it probably should be available pretty soon. It's not too powerful, and i really dislike Archetypes (or classes for that matter) whose playstyle-defining features only come online by mid-level or later.

If anything i am somewhat worried that the damage gets out of hand during the later levels, where you can reliably hit with a -4 modifier and Blast damage gets higher. But:
A 16th-level Magical Girl would probably attack with +20/20/20/15/15/10. Each hit deals 8D8+2D6+11 damage, with 9D6+14 damage from the Illumination. Assuming an average of 4 hits (including the Illumination), that works out to 261 damage. Mind you, she's more likely to land 3 hits against most CR-appropriate Monsters, and against some she can't flurry if she wants to hit properly and/or needs outside boni.

Conclusion:
The ability seems pretty balanced with the rest of the magical Girl - it only adds damage, and not too much of it as far as i can see for now. I'd actually remove my paragraph that forbids prismatic damage from being added to the Blast.

See my mention above. I genuinely like the ability, but it seems out of place on a mere archetype. For one thing, archetypes don't give out free candy - for everything you gain, you have to lose something. And honestly, the only ability I can see the mistbreaker losing that would be big enough for this to replace is Limit Form, which I think they really ought to keep.

It's something I like, and I'll keep it in mind, but I have a hard time seeing it outside a PrC. Some things are good enough that the only currency you can really buy them with are class levels.


Since Selinia just pointed out that Magical Girls make good mounted combatants, a new multiclass feat!

Rider of Light:
Prerequisites:Mount or Divine Bond (Mount) class feature, Costume +1
Benefit: Your Magical Girl levels stack with your Cavalier-levels to determine the effect of your Mount class feature, your Expert Trainer class feature and your Costume bonus. You can summon or dismiss your mount whenever you summon or dismiss your Costume. Your Mount always returns to full hitpoints at the end of the day, even when slain.
If you have a Divine Bond with a Mount, your Paladin levels stack with your Magical Girl levels to determine its effects. You can summon and dismiss your Mount whenever you summon or dismiss your costume. Damage to your Mount only vanishes at the end of the day, instead with every summoning.
Special: If appropriate to your setting, your Mount can take a fantastic form, such as that of a Magical Beast or even that of a machine. This does not grant it any special features or alters its statistics in any way, and it remains its original type of creature.
Special: If you have the Mentor Animal Archetype, your Mount can be your Mentor Animal.

This is mostly intended for the Cavalier - if you are a Paladin you're supposed to take it in concert with Luminous Champion. Bog-standard level-stacking, and the ability to summon your mount doesn't really do much, except maybe keep your mount out of the way in ambushes eliminate eventual problems of transporting it. As a general rule, IMO, everything you gain from class features should be available to you regardless of situation anyway, so this is hardly a huge advantage, just a fix for a problem.

Might require some work on the wording to make it less convoluted, but i think it gets across what i planned.

Implemented, with a few tweaks. Costume is an ability that no feat should ever fully stack - it's too general, and too powerful. It would be like making a multiclass feat for Wizard that let you stack your levels for the purposes of spells per day. Since there's a nice discussion of it right below, I'll get to it there, but in this specific case there was a pretty happy solution. Rather than making levels stack for costume bonuses, I've set it to allow the mount to share certain costume abilities while you are astride it.

For a Cavalier primary, MG secondary, it'll give a flexible ability. Weightless alone would easily be worth the price of entry in many builds (even at one point, it's still flight for a martial class - extremely rare, and nothing quite matches the look of shock on the face of a flying enemy when you charge them), along with the handful of basic illuminations they'll get along the way.

For a MG primary, you get a mount, obviously. The costume sharing is primarily to avoid the paradoxical and nonsensical situation of a mid-level magical girl suffering a significant decrease in mobility on mounting up. Between quick, nimble, and weightless, magical girls are really good at getting where they need to be - even if their mount is summonable, it seems odd to deny them their perks to get them in a saddle.


Since cartridge boost stacks with other enhancement bonuses, that means You could stack it multiple times correct? Is this intended?

This was not intended. Derp. Fixed is all I can say here. :smallsigh:


Actually, Spirit Shooter and Devicer are, as far as i can tell, supposed to be combinable.

They are now. I had intended them to be mergable for square one, but that was before I implemented the Cartridge Overclock idea (which is the main thing keeping them incompatable, as you can't replace Device - Limit Form twice). A devicer can now choose to give up Cartridge Overclock to keep her Limit Form ability (or trade it away for something else).

You still can't combine overclock and spirit shot though - if you could, there would be almost no reason to play a straight spirit shooter. Although if your Teana has a Subaru around, there's pretty much no reason for that anyway.



As for a Multiclass-feat: Those are easy.
Pick a signature but not too strong ability from your class. If it has spells, caster level for those might also be an option, as are minor abilities (such as wild empathy). You should generally not gain new class features from a Multiclass feat, just advance existing ones.
On the magical girl side you take either costume bonus or motes, and Evoker level is also an option.
Place your benefits thusly that entry requires 2 or 3 levels in your class and 2 or 3 in the Magical Girl class. The stronger your class and the ability advanced by your feat, the higher the entry requirements should be.
Last but not least, pick features that blend similar features, such as animal companions/familiars and your device/mentor animal.

There, done - you just created a multiclass feat.

And now, an example.
The Magitech Templar has three major abilities: Magitech Armor, Magitech Upgrades and Armored Sense Upgrades.
Only the first is actually scaling with level, and the latter two grant new abilities instead of advancing old ones. Hence, advancing Magitech Armor is the best choice.
Now, the Magitech Templar obviously relies on his armor. Hence, advancing his Costume is the best choice.
Now we are advancing two very similar abilities - both are armor. Add a Paragraph that allows you to designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume.

Okay, so now we have to check the power of this Multiclass feat.
A Level 18 Magical Girl who has it and two Levels in Magitech Templar gains a free +5 armor and one Magitech Upgrade. That's not particulary strong - a +5 armor is cheap at level 20. Certainly not worth loosing your True Illumination and Come Back for.
A Level 18 Magitech Templar on the other hand gains 13 Costume points. That's quite powerful.

Conclusion: For a Magical Girl the feat and a dip are a weak option. For a Magitech Templar the feat and a dip are a very strong option. I guess we need some adjustment. This can be done by increasing the required level in Magical Girl, or by advancing another Magitech Templar class feature.

However, we are pretty much out of class features that wouldn't require us to break the "no new features" option. However, Upgrades are only a small feature, so they are an option. Obviously we can't let them stack fully or we'd almost have a Gestalt-character. Solution: Tie them to Magical Girl level in a way that is not advanced by levels in Magitech Templar, and grant one or maybe two upgrades at those levels. Let's go with 1 Upgrade at Evoker level 10.

Okay, what do we have now?
A Magical Girl 18/2 gains a free +5 Armor and two Armor upgrades. That's better, but is it worth it?
A Magitech Templar 17/3 looses two upgrades, one Sense Upgrade and his Capstone in exchange for 13 costume points. Still powerful, but more equal than before.

Okay - we don't want to raise the Magitech Templar entry requirement for this feat higher than 2, since it's already pretty weak. And we only have one class feature left - that you gain at level 3. Ah, but we don't have to have all features that are advanced as requirements! Simpy state that it gets advanced when you have it! Now obviously we can't fully advance Senses either, so lets take the same option at before - upgrade at Evoker Level X. Lets take 12, and move the old upgrade to 8 to space it out.

Now a Magical Girl 17/3 gets two Upgrades and two Sense Upgrades. Yes, that's something that lets the flavor shine trough without being too powerful.

However, a Magitech Templar 17/3 is still gains a massive boost! He can summon his armor whenever he wants AND he gains 13 whole costume points. That's a LOT for one feat and a small loss of features. Maybe we should reduce that a bit. Limiting the Maximum Costume bonus should help! No need to reduce the amount of points as well when we do that tough.

Okay, so what do we have?
Magitech Costume
Your Costume is not just an expression of your personality, but also of your ingenuity
Prerequisites: Power of Friendship, 1 Magitech Upgrade
Benefits: Your Magitech Crusader and Magical Girl Class levels stack to determine the Bonus of your Magitech Armor and your amount of costume points. Add half your Magitech Crusader levels to your Magical Girl levels to determine your Maximum Costume Bonus. You may designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume, even if it is not light armor. You add your Magical Girl levels to determine the effects and DCs of your Magitech Upgrades. If you have Armor Sentience and Armored Sense Upgrade, you add your Magical Girl levels to determine their effects and DCs.
Special: At Evoker Level 8, you gain a Magitech Upgrade. At Evoker Level 12, you gain a Armored Sense Upgrade.

There we go - a Multiclass feat.

This actually strikes me as a good place to give my own thoughts on multiclass feats, since a lot of people are making them (which I love and appriciate, don't get me wrong). I don't pretend to be an expert here, but I think I might have a useful thought or two in my sleep-deprived ramblings.

The first thing to bear in mind is that a multiclass feat is not a multiclass PrC. The latter has much stiffer entry requirements, and often advances most or all of the major features of each half. Multiclass feats are multicalssing-lite, and should be treated as such. There are certain things they should never advance - finding what they should is the biggest part of making a multiclass feat.

There are, in a broad sense, two types of scaling, which I'll name here for convenience. Luxury Scaling actually makes something better realative to a character's level. A level 20 magical girl's costume, for example, is going to be a much bigger portion of her character's power than a level 5 magical girl's will be. Necessity Scaling, in contrast, only increases to meet the challenges of a higher level. Caster level stacking and save-DC stacking are prominent examples of this, as is any form of animal companion. If they don't scale, they fade to uselessness very quickly - or even become outright liabilities.

As a rule of thumb, we want to stack our two classes when it comes to Necessity Scaling, but stay away from stacking Luxury Scaling. Of course, not all classes have the abilities to make this practical - magical girl only has one real necessity scaling ability: evoker level. Evoker level is boring as glub, which is where we get into the interesting part.

The other half of a multiclass feat is Merging. Take two class features, and make them more than the sum of their parts. Often, this comes in the form of an conversion - an ability that takes features from one half of the class to fuel the other, so that even a dip level can be a significant part of one's playstyle without actually adding much power. I'm talking and thinking in circles, so here's an example using the above as a baseline:


Magitech Costume
Your Costume is not just an expression of your personality, but also of your ingenuity
Prerequisites: Costume +1, 1 Magitech Upgrade
Benefits: Your Magitech Crusader and Magical Girl Class levels stack to determine the enhancement bonus of your Magitech Armor, as well as your Armor Sentience and Armor Sense class features and the save DCs of your magitech upgrades. You may designate your Magitech Armor as your Costume, even if it is not light armor.

Additionally, you gain access to the following Upgrade (it must still be acquired normally if you wish to benefit from it).


Radiant Core: Your armor has adapted to use your own luminous energy as a power source, channeling the power of your spirit effortlessly. Whenever you assign costume points, you may assign an additional costume point. This costume point is purely artifical in nature, and as such is not constrained by costume limits. Thus, it can be used to bring the number of points allocated to an effect over a magical girl's usual maximum. Unlike most upgrades, this upgrade may be taken a second time - its effects stack.


And there you go. A MG primary will benefit from the plethora of passive scaling abilities a Templar gets, along with bypassing the need for the Heavy Costume feat. A Templar primary gets access to the incredible flexibility of a costume - and if they're willing to sink a pair of Upgrades, they can access the powerful three-point costume effects with just two levels in magical girl.

Which is another minor point I'd like to make - don't make the entry requirements too harsh on these. Again, they're not PrCs. Anyway, rambling done, and the revised Magitech costume has been added to the feat list.


I hae a multiclass feat for the Harrowed (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188148) and Magical Girl. A character I'm playing in another game uses Harrowed to give her a superpowered evil side, and the classes actually mesh pretty well. In any case, here it is. Not really happy with the name, and not sure on the balance really. Imput welcome

Tenebrous Dawn
Benefit: Tenebrous Touch (2d6) and Power of Friendship
Effect: Sometimes when a soul is shadowed, that simply gives it the means to shine all the brighter. The Harrowed Magical Girl may spend a single mote extra mote when she invokes a strike, blast, or burst illumination. Should the illumination succeed then the target takes the wielders Tenebrous Touch once in addition to all other effects, and for the purpose of developing her Tenebrous Touch and its DC's, the characters magical girl and harrowed levels stack. Furthermore, as long as she has half her mote pool or more full, the magical girl enjoys a +1 save against The Monster Within.

It is almost 6AM. I cannot intelligently critique anymore. I am out of mind-thoughts. I expended them all above. Just letting you know that I intend to give this a fair look once I'm thinking at a capacity a few steps above grape jello. The same goes for anything else I missed.

userpay
2012-07-07, 11:34 AM
They are now. I had intended them to be mergable for square one, but that was before I implemented the Cartridge Overclock idea (which is the main thing keeping them incompatable, as you can't replace Device - Limit Form twice). A devicer can now choose to give up Cartridge Overclock to keep her Limit Form ability (or trade it away for something else).

You still can't combine overclock and spirit shot though - if you could, there would be almost no reason to play a straight spirit shooter. Although if your Teana has a Subaru around, there's pretty much no reason for that anyway.

This is where I was a little confused but now I'm a little disappointed as I really wanted to use the two together. I mean Devicer seems perfectly suited to guns after all but you need Spirit Shooter in order to get access to good ranged abilities. One thing to note though Cartridge Overclock - Accel Form mentions using Spirit Shots... Which you can't use since in order to take the two archetypes together you have to give up Cartridge Overclock to begin with. Typo or are you still somehow planning on integrating the two down the road?


This actually strikes me as a good place to give my own thoughts on multiclass feats, since a lot of people are making them (which I love and appriciate, don't get me wrong). I don't pretend to be an expert here, but I think I might have a useful thought or two in my sleep-deprived ramblings.

The first thing to bear in mind is that a multiclass feat is not a multiclass PrC. The latter has much stiffer entry requirements, and often advances most or all of the major features of each half. Multiclass feats are multicalssing-lite, and should be treated as such. There are certain things they should never advance - finding what they should is the biggest part of making a multiclass feat.

There are, in a broad sense, two types of scaling, which I'll name here for convenience. Luxury Scaling actually makes something better realative to a character's level. A level 20 magical girl's costume, for example, is going to be a much bigger portion of her character's power than a level 5 magical girl's will be. Necessity Scaling, in contrast, only increases to meet the challenges of a higher level. Caster level stacking and save-DC stacking are prominent examples of this, as is any form of animal companion. If they don't scale, they fade to uselessness very quickly - or even become outright liabilities.

As a rule of thumb, we want to stack our two classes when it comes to Necessity Scaling, but stay away from stacking Luxury Scaling. Of course, not all classes have the abilities to make this practical - magical girl only has one real necessity scaling ability: evoker level. Evoker level is boring as glub, which is where we get into the interesting part.

The other half of a multiclass feat is Merging. Take two class features, and make them more than the sum of their parts. Often, this comes in the form of an conversion - an ability that takes features from one half of the class to fuel the other, so that even a dip level can be a significant part of one's playstyle without actually adding much power. I'm talking and thinking in circles, so here's an example using the above as a baseline:



And there you go. A MG primary will benefit from the plethora of passive scaling abilities a Templar gets, along with bypassing the need for the Heavy Costume feat. A Templar primary gets access to the incredible flexibility of a costume - and if they're willing to sink a pair of Upgrades, they can access the powerful three-point costume effects with just two levels in magical girl.

Which is another minor point I'd like to make - don't make the entry requirements too harsh on these. Again, they're not PrCs. Anyway, rambling done, and the revised Magitech costume has been added to the feat list.

I don't know... To me it feels like the MG is getting all the benefits, this is also assuming you stick with minimum levels to qualify.


MG
Gets better armor, armor bonus scales, gets/scales Armor Sentience, DCs of Magitech stuff scales.

Templar
MG still scales its Templar's DC/armor bonus/Sentience (which it would get if it didn't take MG anyway) but none of the MG abilities scale unless you spend class features/feats and that's for a maximum of 3 points (not counting feats since you'd probably only spend one or two feats on Stylish). Then again I'm not as familiar with MG as I am with Templar so there might be something I'm missing.


Now granted I might be undervaluing costume points, I'm trying to compare them to Templar's upgrades though Templar's upgrades are probably more like a combination of illuminations and costume points, but that doesn't appear to be an even trade. Also no designating integrated weapons (Power Fist, Repeating Light Crossbow) as devices?

Serafina
2012-07-07, 11:56 AM
I don't know... To me it feels like the MG is getting all the benefits, this is also assuming you stick with minimum levels to qualify.


MG
Gets better armor, armor bonus scales, gets/scales Armor Sentience, DCs of Magitech stuff scales.

Templar
MG still scales its Templar's DC/armor bonus/Sentience (which it would get if it didn't take MG anyway) but none of the MG abilities scale unless you spend class features/feats and that's for a maximum of 3 points.


Now granted I might be undervaluing costume points (I'm trying to compare them to Templar's upgrades) but that doesn't appear to be an even trade. Also no designating integrated weapons (Power Fist, Repeating Light Crossbow) as devices?Yes, you ARE underestimating costume points.

Let's assume you have 10 costume points (16th level) with my original version
That can give your weapon +18 damage and then another +4D6 elemental damage. That's quite a boost for three levels and a feat, especially when you are dual-wielding.
That was just way too much, especially since its not the only thing you gain from those three class levels.

Now, Selinias version MAY be a bit on the weak side, i don't know enough about the values of Magitech Upgrades. I think at the very least it could also advance Evoker level as well, since right now you are corret - it advances nothing on the Magical Girl side.


Since we are speaking of armor, something occured to me:
Expanded Wardrobe REQUIRES you to bind to another suit of armor to gain its benefits. While that can be beneficial, it means that you can't just shift your costume points around - which is pretty much the main reason why you would take that feat.
And spending money on an entire new set of armor is kinda a bad idea. The feat isn't that good in the first place, and this really kills it.

Hence, a change:
"You can also bind yourself to an armor that you have already designated as your costume instead, summoning the same armor with a different allocation of costume points".

userpay
2012-07-07, 12:39 PM
Yes, you ARE underestimating costume points.

Let's assume you have 10 costume points (16th level) with my original version
That can give your weapon +18 damage and then another +4D6 elemental damage. That's quite a boost for three levels and a feat, especially when you are dual-wielding.
That was just way too much, especially since its not the only thing you gain from those three class levels.

Now, Selinias version MAY be a bit on the weak side, i don't know enough about the values of Magitech Upgrades. I think at the very least it could also advance Evoker level as well, since right now you are corret - it advances nothing on the Magical Girl side.

Duly noted.

Aye Evoker level and maybe one or two more costume points (without spending upgrades/feats, maybe reduce the upgrade to takeable once) for the Templar I would think at least. As is if one were to go MG dipping Templar they'd still fall into the situation you mention whereas Templar dipping MG doesn't come close. From my perspective (and note I haven't had a chance to take a close look at illuminations just yet) Templar focus's more on defense whereas MG is defensive/offensive depending on the build. You take away the need for MG to put points into defense and you see the offense scale faster than you would with a Templar.

Hmm... Maybe this would be better off as a PrC rather than a multiclass feat.

Story Time
2012-07-07, 01:23 PM
Out of mind-thoughts? I'll share one. :smallbiggrin:



Magitech Costume

"By the power of Love and Justice, you shall be punished!"
The trinket costume device opened and summoned forth a Gundam. :smalleek:


No, I wouldn't seriously suggest this as a class feature. :smalltongue:

Serafina
2012-07-07, 01:26 PM
Eh, if we take Nanoha as a guideline the Gundam will be squished anyway :smalltongue:
(Depending on the series of course, some experimental gundams have really insane firepower).

Story Time
2012-07-07, 01:37 PM
It's not so much the fire-power that interests me... See, I have this mental image of this cute little girl who smiles almost always, but she goes missing from time to time. Even from her friends who know her secret.

And where do they find her? In the mechanic pit, tuning her costume. She'd be a gear-monkey, splattered with grease, cranking tools, blowing colored bubble gum, and listening to girl-pop songs on head-phones while she worked.

"...hide where love can save us!" ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

She'd be multi-talented. :smallbiggrin: :smalltongue:

userpay
2012-07-07, 01:52 PM
So if we were to use MG and Templar in a PrC… Hmm… Well let’s use Strike Witches as an example for now since that’s the only show that comes to my mind (or at least one that I’ve fully watched) where the two are used together. Remember that I’m not as familiar with MG as Templar so there’s probably several parallels from MG that I’ll miss.
Overall the magic and tech level for Strike Witches would probably be considered low powered. The following spoiler is a listing of all the magic demonstrated in the anime.
Most of their magic went to utilizing the Striker Units so they didn’t have more than one or two magic abilities.
Barriers: All characters could do this at varying strengthsSanya V. Litvyak: Radio/visual enhancement
Charlotte E. Yeager: Super Speed
Gertrud Barkhorn: Super Strength
Perrine H. Clostermann: AoE Lightning
Sakamoto Mio: Far Sight and Special Sword Technique
Miyafuji Yoshika: Healing
Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke: Blindsense?
Lynette Bishop: Bullet Magic
Erica Hartmann: Manipulates Wind?
Francesca Lucchini: Take in, Manipulate, and Discharge Magic
Eila Ilmatar Juutilainen: Future Sense
The striker units could easily be a mix of costume points and Magitech Upgrades so both would progress but probably at half speed.
Magic wise the characters were specialized so probably no advancement on illuminations at least in terms of gaining new ones. Evoker level advancement is a possibility and certain abilities they showed also fall under Magitech Upgrades and Armored Sense Upgrades.
Barriers could be represented by enhancement bonus + certain upgrades so the enhancement bonus should still scale, but possibly at half rate.
None of the equipment showed sentience (aside from possibly the enemy) so probably no advancement for Armor Sentience/Armored Sense Upgrades outside of scaling if they already have an ability.
Armor Expertise is a possibility but not necessary.

NineThePuma
2012-07-07, 02:10 PM
I would argue that Strike Witches doesn't really embody the Magical Girl feel that we have from this class.

On the other hand, magitech templar + Magical Girl brought this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG0ep-C4OAc) to mind.

userpay
2012-07-07, 02:27 PM
I would argue that Strike Witches doesn't really embody the Magical Girl feel that we have from this class.

On the other hand, magitech templar + Magical Girl brought this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG0ep-C4OAc) to mind.

Perhaps not but at least for what I've watched there is very little that combines the two much less to the point of what you said.

Actually looking at the existing PrCs combining MG and Templar could well be a variant of Costumed Crusader. Can PrC's have archetypes?

NineThePuma
2012-07-07, 02:33 PM
According to Pathfinder itself, no, but we're homebrewing. Screw the rules, we're doing what's awesome.

Owrtho
2012-07-08, 06:13 PM
Just realized a typo with soulcrafted costume.
"Note they only apply to armor if you have made the armor a soulcraft form with the feat of the same name."
should read:
"Note they only apply to armor if you have made the armor a soulcraft talisman or a soulcraft form with the feat of the same name."

Anyway, PRC archetypes seem to be an interesting idea, provided they fit the concept.

Owrtho

userpay
2012-07-10, 10:19 PM
So for Oversized is it apply able to ranged weapons? Along the same vein would the effect apply to blasts instead of strikes for Spirit Shooters?

Selinia
2012-07-10, 10:50 PM
Stargazer

"Do you ever just, like, look up and think about all the stuff up there? Just waiting for us? Would it really hurt for us to maybe... say hi or something?"
-Jade Harley, a Stargazer

It is arguably the first step to becoming a magical girl that is the hardest of all. The step forward, to shout out in defiance against the darkness and take up the mantle of light. Some receive the aid of a mentor animal, to guide them and show them the way. But for others, that is not enough. These souls have a radiance no less mighty, but one turned inward and away from the world. Their lot is often a painful one - to look upon shadows that they cannot muster the brightness to cast aside.

But there are strange things among the stars, many of them capable of communicating in ways most mortal minds will never comprehend. Some of these alien beings offer of themselves a bond, shaping their very essence to forge a conduit through which the faint of heart but strong of spirit could shine. Thus are born Stargazers - beings for whom two souls have merged to create a single brilliant light.

Class Features:

A stargazer gains all of the class features listed below.

Skills: A stargazer adds Knowledge (All) to her class skills. She does not gain Perform or Diplomacy as class skills.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Stargazers are not proficient with any weapons or armor. What is more, a stargazer wearing armor smothers her connection her her soulbound companion - unlike most magical girls, her illuminations suffer from Arcane Spell Failure chance when garbed in armor of any kind.

Soulbound Companion (Su): At some point, every stargazer has bonded with an otherworldly entity. More than a mere channel for her power, the being is part of her, fundamentally fused to her very essence. Calling or dismissing a soulbound companion is a swift action, and it may be brought into any space adjacent to the stargazer.

A soulbound companion is not a true summoned creature, however, being neither an independent entity nor entirely real. The companion occupies a single space, but does not impede movement in any way, and can even share its space with other creatures regardless of size. It cannot be targeted by any means, and is not subject to an form of effect or damage. Additionally, a soulbound companion does not possess its own initiative, and acts only in response to impetus from the stargazer.

Whenever the stargazer uses an action to move (including special movement, such as charging or running, but not including any movement that does not directly result from an action, such as five-foot-steps or the effects of a martial maneuver), the soulbound companion may move with a fly speed equal to the stargazer's base land speed, and perfect maneuverability. The soulbound companion is unimpeded by physical or magical obstructions, but is incapable of moving more than [25 + 5/two evoker levels] feet from the stargazer. If it would be forced outside this radius (such as my the movement of the stargazer herself) the soulbound companion vanishes at once, though it may be called anew with no delay or penalty.

As a standard action, the stargazer can force her soulbound companion to make an attack. This is a melee touch attack with a reach of five feet, dealing 1d8 force damage on a successful hit. This damage increases by 1d8 when she achieves an evoker level of 3, and again at each odd-numbered evoker level thereafter (to a maximum of 10d8 at EL 19). The stargazer treats her soulbound companion as her device: she may allocate costume points to its attack, and may use Strike illuminations through her soulbound companion's attacks as if they were her own.

The exact aesthetics of a soulbound companion are highly variable, and each one is unique to its stargazer partner.

This ability replaces Device.

Illuminations: The stargazer uses her Int, rather than Cha, for all purposes relating to the use and resolution of Illuminations (including save DCs, attack rolls with bursts and blasts, and Cha-dependant effects of specific illuminations).

Costume: The stargazer may not attune to any form of armor as a costume - only unarmored clothing.

Empathy (Ex): At 4th level, the stargazer's bond with her soulbound companion begins to flow in both directions, letting her begin to understand the surging maelstrom of spirits all around her. The stargazer may add her Int modifier to sense motive checks, and to perception checks to detect living creatures.

This ability replaces Not Without Fear.

Guardian Spirit (Su): At 7th level, the stargazer learns to direct her companion in the subtle arts of defense. Whenever her soulbound companion makes an attack, any ally sharing its space gains a bonus to AC until the spirit companion's next turn. This bonus is equal to the stargazer's Int modifier.

This ability replaces Shrug it Off.

Many as One (Su): At 10th level, the stargazer's inhuman resonance with the life all around her has reached a point where it actively pours into the world around her. Whenever she benefits from a morale bonus, she may share that bonus with all allies within 10 ft of her or her soulbound companion. Whenever the stargazer suffers from the shaken, frightened, or panicked conditions, all enemies within 10 ft of her or her soulbound companion must make a DC [10 + 1/2 Evoker Level + Int] Will saving throw or face an identical condition for as long as they remain within that radius.

This ability replaces The Meaning of Courage.

Manifest Companion (Su): At 12th level, the stargazer's power has grown to the point where she may bring her soulbound companion into full, physical existence as a writhing mass of ectoplasmic power. Manifesting her companion or dissolving it back into its ethereal state are both move actions.

While physically manifest, the companion fully occupies its square, blocking movement, providing flanking bonuses, and otherwise acting as appropriate for a physical creature. While in this form, it may be attacked - it possesses an AC equal to [the stargazer's AC + her Int modifier], but does not have a health total. Instead, any damage dealt to it in this state is dealt to the stargazer as nonlethal damage. In addition, while manifest, the stargazer may take a full-round action to make a full attack with her soulbound companion's attack. For the purposes of such a full attack, treat the stargazer's base attack bonus as equal to her HD.

Tabula Rasa (Su): At 15th level, the stargazer's link to the thoughts around her has reached its purest level. Beyond mere senses and crude outpourings of emotion, the stargazer's soulbound companion has at last shared its most unsettling ability - an ability which allows the stargazer to link with another on the same fundamental level she shares with her companion. When her soulbound companion makes a successful attack against its target, the stargazer may forgo dealing damage to inflict the following effect instead. The target is entitled to a Will save with a DC of [10 + 1/2 Evoker Level + Int]. On a successful save, it has no effect, and the target becomes immune to this ability for 24 hours. The stargazer may voluntarily lower the save DC for this effect, to a minimum of 10.

The stargazer enters the mind of a creature, learning everything that creature knows. The stargazer can erase memories as she sees fit, potentially warping opinions, or even alignment. Severe changes to personality and changes to alignment can be corrected by a break enchantment spell (although an atonement spell might be needed as well, depending on circumstances). Alterations to memories and subtler thoughts can be restored only through use of a miracle or wish.

Using this ability is mentally straining and emotionally disturbing, and if the stargazer is not careful she will find it rebounding upon her and ravaging her consciousness. When she uses this ability, successful or not, the stargazer must make a Will saving throw with a save DC equal to that which was used against this ability's target. If the stargazer fails, she instantly acquires 1d4+1 negative levels. These negative levels fade at a rate of one per hour.

This ability replaces Voice of Light.

radmelon
2012-07-10, 11:14 PM
Okay, 50 internets for the homestuck reference. You deserve it.

The archetype is very nice as well. I like the mind-altering ability, even if I think it fits strangely with the magical girl theme.

Owrtho
2012-07-11, 12:51 AM
Stargazer

This is amazing, and I really want to use it, if only it didn't fit the magical girls I'm currently working on. That said, this combine with an ozodrin/harrowed/beast sculpted combo could be entertaining if you wanted to go with a more eldritch horror stargaze type theme.

The Homestuck reference is quite nice too.


Soulbound Companion (Su): ...
As a standard action, the stargazer can force her soulbound companion to make an attack. This is a melee touch attack with a reach of five feet, dealing 1d8 force damage on a successful hit. This damage increases by 1d8 at 3rd level, and again at each odd-numbered level thereafter (to a maximum of 10d8 at 19th level). The stargazer treats her soulbound companion as her device: she may allocate costume points to its attack, and may use Strike illuminations through her soulbound companion's attacks as if they were her own.

Anyway, I'd think you might want to provide the option for iterative attacks. Also, can this be used for things like martial maneuvers, charge attacks, sneak attacks, etc. Seems such things would be worth noting.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-11, 01:06 AM
You DO get Iterative Attacks.
At level 12.
But that only means that you can't make a second attack at level 8-11.

Also, Holy **** - Strikes as Touch Attacks? Ouch!
Given how nasty some strikes are, that is a really really powerful ability.

Also, since Illuminations are supernatural abilities, you do not suffer from Arcane Spell Failure in the first place. Unless you want to imply that Magical Girls can use their Costume to not suffer from ASF with the spells of Arcane Classes, which i don't think you do.

Draken
2012-07-11, 01:15 AM
Also, since Illuminations are supernatural abilities, you do not suffer from Arcane Spell Failure in the first place. Unless you want to imply that Magical Girls can use their Costume to not suffer from ASF with the spells of Arcane Classes, which i don't think you do.

As the entry says, normally magical girls don't suffer ASF on their illuminations, but Stargazers do.

Amechra
2012-07-11, 02:44 AM
Excuse me as I steal the wording for the Companion ability... It fits something that I've been meaning to write.

Owrtho
2012-07-11, 05:35 AM
You DO get Iterative Attacks.
At level 12.
But that only means that you can't make a second attack at level 8-11.

Ah, I'd overlooked that it specifically states you gain the ability to make full-attacks while the companion is manifested. In that case never mind that part.

Anyway, it might be worth having stargazers get Int to replace Cha for abilities of PRCs that advance evoker level? Otherwise the various PRCs all suffer from the stat change unless the stargazer makes sure to prioritize a high Charisma as well as a high Intelligence. That said, it would seem a bit odd for a DMG with her rage of tears making her smarter and suppressing her emotions making her less intelligent.

Owrtho

Lix Lorn
2012-07-11, 07:24 AM
That said, it would seem a bit odd for a DMG with her rage of tears making her smarter and suppressing her emotions making her less intelligent.

Owrtho
Why? A Magical Girl's power is her emotions. If she suppresses them, she suppresses who and what she is. It's only logical that she is less while she does, no?

Serafina
2012-07-11, 08:53 AM
By the way, how is Megaton Smackdown supposed to interact with Devicer?
If you pick Cartridge Overclock, you don't get Limit Form. But Megaton Smackdown puts your Device into Limit Form...
So
- does your Device go into Limit Form when you use Megaton Smackdown, regardless of whether you have that ability?*
- or does Megaton Smackdown just maximize your weapon damage rolls, which easily makes it the weakest of all True Illuminations?

Also, if you DO get Limit Form that way, then how would it interact with Assault Form? Could you make add a second Strike to a Full Attack or Charge via Assault Form while in Limit mode*, or would that be an either/or?


*That's how it would work by RAW right now

Serafina
2012-07-11, 08:57 AM
Ah, I'd overlooked that it specifically states you gain the ability to make full-attacks while the companion is manifested. In that case never mind that part.

Anyway, it might be worth having stargazers get Int to replace Cha for abilities of PRCs that advance evoker level? Otherwise the various PRCs all suffer from the stat change unless the stargazer makes sure to prioritize a high Charisma as well as a high Intelligence. That said, it would seem a bit odd for a DMG with her rage of tears making her smarter and suppressing her emotions making her less intelligent.

OwrthoYou really want to play Stargazer 20 right now, because your Companions damage only stacks with class level.
The easiest solution would be changing that to Evoker level, in which case Multiclassing and all Prestige classes become useful again.

Another issue where Charisma is required would be the Nimble costume ability - you add Charisma to AC, and a Stargazer won't have much Charisma.

Serafina
2012-07-11, 09:44 AM
Okay then - Intelligent Devices.
The Trinkets and tools used by Magical Girls are often intelligent to some degree. Right now this can be represented in two ways:


Take the Mentor Animal Archetype, three mostly useless levels in Magus with the Black Blade Archetype and the Bosou Shojo feat.
This gives your device an Intelligence equal to your Charisma, half your level in all Knowledge skills, the ability to cast Augury, a scaling Enhancement Bonus, a small boost to its damage and later the ability to grant you Spel Resistance and temporary Hitpoints for you when you kill someone.

This is quite clumsy - it requires Multiclassing and the Black Blade abilities don't really match well with the Magical Girl IMO.


Enchant your Device into an Intelligent Item. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items) This eats up your WBL and the Item can oppose you (depending on the GM). In exchange for a lot of money it can cast some spells (up to 4th-level) and gain up to 10 ranks in a skill.

For example, an Intelligent Device created with the Intelligent Item rules that can speak, has baseline human Intelligence would cost 1000 gp in addition to the base cost.


Now, i think that the Intelligent Item rules actually work very well here. They are rarely used (in my experience anyway), much less custom-designable by players.

I think the following Paragraph would be a very nice addition:
A Magical Girls Device can be enchanted normally. If it is made into an Intelligent Item, it will always obey the Magical Girl and change alignment if she does as long as its Ego is lower than her Charisma.


Alternatively or additionally, a feat (i think an entire archetype is too much) that grants an intelligent device would be rather nice. I'll try to come up with something.

Snowfire
2012-07-11, 11:46 AM
Okay then - Intelligent Devices.
The Trinkets and tools used by Magical Girls are often intelligent to some degree. Right now this can be represented in two ways:


Take the Mentor Animal Archetype, three mostly useless levels in Magus with the Black Blade Archetype and the Bosou Shojo feat.
This gives your device an Intelligence equal to your Charisma, half your level in all Knowledge skills, the ability to cast Augury, a scaling Enhancement Bonus, a small boost to its damage and later the ability to grant you Spel Resistance and temporary Hitpoints for you when you kill someone.

This is quite clumsy - it requires Multiclassing and the Black Blade abilities don't really match well with the Magical Girl IMO.


Enchant your Device into an Intelligent Item. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items) This eats up your WBL and the Item can oppose you (depending on the GM). In exchange for a lot of money it can cast some spells (up to 4th-level) and gain up to 10 ranks in a skill.

For example, an Intelligent Device created with the Intelligent Item rules that can speak, has baseline human Intelligence would cost 1000 gp in addition to the base cost.


Now, i think that the Intelligent Item rules actually work very well here. They are rarely used (in my experience anyway), much less custom-designable by players.

I think the following Paragraph would be a very nice addition:
A Magical Girls Device can be enchanted normally. If it is made into an Intelligent Item, it will always obey the Magical Girl and change alignment if she does as long as its Ego is lower than her Charisma.


Alternatively or additionally, a feat (i think an entire archetype is too much) that grants an intelligent device would be rather nice. I'll try to come up with something.

Or you could simply take the Mentor Animal Archetype and combine it with an Intelligent Weapon enchantment on the device. Pay the baseline cost and class features and get a Intelligent Item/Mentor Animal fusion.

Serafina
2012-07-11, 12:44 PM
Mentor Animal does currently not allow you to designate your device as your mentor unless you do it via Magus-Multiclassing.

Featwise, i was actually thinking of something similar to Awaken Arcane Bond. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/3rd-party-feats/paizo-fans-united/item-creation-feats/awakened-arcane-bond-item-creation)
It would have to be adjusted for the fact that the Magical Girl has no caster level and no way to instill spell effects into her Item (which makes Intelligent Items much weaker.


Craft Device
You have learned how to improve the basic structure of your device.
Prerequisite: Evoker Level 5, 5 ranks in appropriate Craft skill
Benefit: You can improve your device as if you had the Craft Magical Weapons and Armor feat. Treat your Evoker level as your Caster Level for this purpose.

Intelligent Device
You have forged a bond with your Device, awakening its Intelligence
Prerequisite: Craft Device, Evoker Level 11
Benefit: You can turn your Device into an Intelligent Item (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items). You only pay 50% of the listed costs (in total only 25% due to crafting the Item yourself). The Ego of your Device may not be higher than your Evoker Level, but it never has any personality conflicts with you. You may imbue your Intelligent Device with Spelltrigger effects per the Intelligent Item rules even if you can not cast the necessary spells. Your Intelligent Device may not have a Special Purpose and can only use its abilities while within 30 ft. of you.

Snowfire
2012-07-11, 12:52 PM
Mentor Animal does currently not allow you to designate your device as your mentor unless you do it via Magus-Multiclassing.

Featwise, i was actually thinking of something similar to Awaken Arcane Bond. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/3rd-party-feats/paizo-fans-united/item-creation-feats/awakened-arcane-bond-item-creation)
It would have to be adjusted for the fact that the Magical Girl has no caster level and no way to instill spell effects into her Item (which makes Intelligent Items much weaker.


Craft Device
You have learned how to improve the basic structure of your device.
Prerequisite: Evoker Level 5, 5 ranks in appropriate Craft skill
Benefit: You can improve your device as if you had the Craft Magical Weapons and Armor feat. Treat your Evoker level as your Caster Level for this purpose.

Intelligent Device
You have forged a bon with your Device, awakening its Intelligence
Prerequisite: Craft Device, Evoker Level 11
Benefit: You can turn your Device into an Intelligent Item (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items). You only pay 50% of the listed costs (in total only 25% due to crafting the Item yourself). The Ego of your Device may not be higher than your Evoker Level, but it never has any personality conflicts with you. You may imbue your Intelligent Device with Spelltrigger effects per the Intelligent Item rules. Your Intelligent Device may not have a Special Purpose.

Or that. That works much better.

Serafina
2012-07-11, 01:01 PM
And if someone just wants some basic intelligence for her Device, 1000 Gold would give you an Item with 10 in Mental Stats and with Speech. Hardly useful for anything other than fluff of course.

Qwertystop
2012-07-11, 02:28 PM
And if someone just wants some basic intelligence for her Device, 1000 Gold would give you an Item with 10 in Mental Stats and with Speech. Hardly useful for anything other than fluff of course.

It can also give Aid Another for stuff like Perception, Search, Knowledge, etc. Sometimes that +2 really matters.

Selinia
2012-07-11, 11:52 PM
Devicer

"Cartridge Load!"
-Teana, a Devicer

The forces of light count among their ranks some of the best and brightest minds to grace the world, and more than a few have chosen to lend their aid to the cause of magical girls. The fruit of their research was the Advanced Device - a system that automates many of the strenuous magic tasks a magical girl might otherwise have to perform manually. What were at first oddities have by now become common in some regions, and there are those who have never used a device without these new features.

These devicers often rely more heavily on their advanced tool than most magical girls, and it undoubtedly restricts their progress in some areas. But they wield a unique potential all their own, and for better or worse their versatile and powerful tools may represent the future of magical girls everywhere.

Class Features:

A devicer gains all of the class features listed below.

Device: A devicer may a select simple, martial, or exotic melee weapon to serve as their device. Additionally, she may still replace her device with the effect of another archetype if she wishes, despite it being modified by this ability.

Costume: A devicer does not gain a costume point at levels 5, 11, or 17.

Cartridge Load (Su): At 3rd level, devicer has learned to craft and maintain automated cartridges of radiant power, which can be loaded into her device and used to fuel extraordinary bursts of power. The devicer may store a number of cartridges equal to [1/2 her magical girl level + her Cha mod], and may refresh her supply once per day as part of preparing new illuminations. As a move action, the devicer may expend a cartridge to regain motes equal to her per-turn mote regeneration. She may only use this function once per turn.

This ability replaces Radiant Focus.

Cartridge Boost (Su): At 5th level, the devicer learns how to use cartridges for more than simple recharging, drawing on their power to push her device far beyond its normal limits. She can spend a swift action to load a Cartridge into your device, granting it a +2 Enhancement bonus for one minute. This bonus increases to +3 at 9th level and by another +1 ever four levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. This Enhancement Bonus stacks with any existing Enhancement Bonus of the weapon, but does not stack with additional uses of this ability. If the devicer possesses the Twinned Device feat this effect applies to both of her weapons.

The Devicer can also add special properties by lowering the granted Enhancement Bonus by their cost (a +1 property would lower it by 1 and so on). She can add the following properties: Corrosive, Corrosive Burst, Flaming, Flaming Burst, Frost, Icy Burst, Keen, Shocking, Shocking Burst, Speed and Vorpal. If her Device is a Ranged Weapon, you can also add the Distance and Seeking quality.

These qualities do not stack with qualities of the same name already on the weapon and can not be used to exceed the maximum +10 enhancment bonus of a weapon.

Cartridge Overclock (Su): At 12th level, the devicer learns to use cartridges to fuel her weapon's most powerful abilities, transforming it into a form capable of amplifying her powers to ever greater heights - if only for a short time. Overclocking her device in this manner requires a swift action, and consumes one cartridge. Activating a new transformation while a transformation is already active will suppress the original transformation regardless of remaining duration. Each time she uses this ability, she may choose any of the following forms for her device:

Accel Form: The devicer's weapon shifts its form to better channel the raw power of Blast Illuminations. When using a blast illumination, she may deal an additional two points of damage for each damage die roll. This transformation lasts for a number of rounds equal to the devicer's maximum costume bonus.

Assault Form: The devicer's weapon shifts its form to grant the swiftness and accuracy to better target her Strike Illuminations. Whenever the devicer uses a Full Attack or Charge action, she may use a single Strike illumination she has prepared as part of the attack without spending an additional action. She must still pay the mote cost for the illumination, and she may not use this ability in tandem with any illumination possessing an evocation action of greater than 1 standard action. This transformation lasts for one round.

Buster Form: The devicer's weapon sprouts stabilizing wings or similar features to compensate for excess recoil. While in this form, the devicer can execute any Illumination as a Full-Round action. If she does so, she receives a bonus to attack rolls equal to 1/2 her maximum costume bonus, and ignores miss chance and concealment. This transformation lasts for a number of rounds equal to the devicer's maximum costume bonus.

This ability replaces Device - Limit Form. A magical girl can choose to not gain the Cartridge Overload class feature (despite the usual rules for archetypes), allowing her to keep her Device - Limit Form class feature instead.

userpay
2012-07-12, 12:22 AM
Devicer's Accel Form still references Spirit Shooters Accel Form despite being unable to take Cartridge Overclock if you are a Spirit Shooter.

Selinia
2012-07-12, 01:16 AM
Whew. Lots of replies to get to. But first, as usual, changelog -


Stargazer archetype added. Everyone has probably noticed that, since it spilled into the actual thread, but thought I ought to include it here for completeness' sake. For all your deliciously evil-thought-devouring and warlock-emulating needs.
Fixed a number of typos. Editing, huzzah.
Expanded Wardrobe now allows for multi-binding the same piece of equipment. An excellent option for those fashion-concious magical girls unable to keep up on the latest trends with their current allowance.
Radiant Wind feat added. Somewhat specific, but ToB and Magical Girl synergize well enough without a more generalized feat that I didn't feel the need to include a more general scaling element. That's PrC territory (and yes, an initiator/MG PrC is coming up soon).
Radiant Crafting and Awaken Device feats added, with a few tweaks.
Added the Fragile Shell illumination. Level 1 actual barrier, ho. Working on adapting some more barriers from the suggestions. Illuminations are probably the hardest thing to work with for this class, for me at least, but I'll keep plugging away here.
Devicer converted to link format to free up room for above feats. IT BEGINS.
Stargazer now scales with evoker level, rather than class level. PrC and Multiclass friendliness +100%.



You could make one?

Personally:
The Crusader has too little class features to make mixing worth it.
The Swordsage has a couple of options. I think i could do something here, i'll give it a shot.
And i think you could do something with the Warblade as well.

Radiant Wind
Prerequisite: 1 Desert Wind Maneuver, Prismatic Calling feat
Benefit: All fire damage from the Desert Wind Discipline becomes the damage type of your Prismatic damage. You can pay one mote every time you execute a Desert Wind Strike Maneuver to add half your Prismatic Damage to the Strike Maneuver.
Special If you have levels in Swordsage, your levels in Swordsage stack to determine your Evoker Level and your Discipline Focus class feature.
Special: If you have the Prism class feature, you can apply any Prism that applies to a Strike Illumination to a Strike Maneuver that you have enhanced with Radiant Wind.

Desert Wind is a really nice school - it just sucks that it always deals fire damage, the most-resisted type in the game. This feat fixes that, and adds extra damage to boot. And it blends with Prism Knight as well. The class-stacking is weak and MAD, but you already gain plenty of other benefits.

Radiant Blade
Prerequisites: Battle Ardor, Costume +1
Benefits: You can use your Charisma-modifer instead of your Intelligence-modifier for Battle Clarity, Battle Ardor, Battle Cunning, Battle Skill and Battle Mastery. Your Warblade levels stack with your Magical Girl levels to determine your Costume Bonus.

A charismatic Warblade with a fancy costume. Pretty simple IMO.

The thing with the Tome of Battle classes is that they stack with everything innately. Half of your levels in other classes count as initiator levels, which makes them quite multiclass-friendly. Multiclassing is built into the subsystem - if I want to blend them harder, I'd need a PrC to really do it justice.

Incidentally, next PrC: Magical Girl Initiator.


Yes, you ARE underestimating costume points.

Let's assume you have 10 costume points (16th level) with my original version
That can give your weapon +18 damage and then another +4D6 elemental damage. That's quite a boost for three levels and a feat, especially when you are dual-wielding.
That was just way too much, especially since its not the only thing you gain from those three class levels.

Now, Selinias version MAY be a bit on the weak side, i don't know enough about the values of Magitech Upgrades. I think at the very least it could also advance Evoker level as well, since right now you are corret - it advances nothing on the Magical Girl side.

I might point out that the feat does advance costume on the magical girl side - what is more, it advances maximum costume bonus. Yes, it takes some investment on the magitech templar side, but having read through existing upgrades I'm convinced that the two you spend would be a sound investment. Cha to AC, permaflight, one of the best reroll mechanics around - and you can swap it around in a way that you really can't with other upgrades.

So I suppose the short version is that while it only brings in one feature from the magical girl side, it's a pretty potent one.



Since we are speaking of armor, something occured to me:
Expanded Wardrobe REQUIRES you to bind to another suit of armor to gain its benefits. While that can be beneficial, it means that you can't just shift your costume points around - which is pretty much the main reason why you would take that feat.
And spending money on an entire new set of armor is kinda a bad idea. The feat isn't that good in the first place, and this really kills it.

Hence, a change:
"You can also bind yourself to an armor that you have already designated as your costume instead, summoning the same armor with a different allocation of costume points".

This is a really good catch. Change made.


Just realized a typo with soulcrafted costume.
"Note they only apply to armor if you have made the armor a soulcraft form with the feat of the same name."
should read:
"Note they only apply to armor if you have made the armor a soulcraft talisman or a soulcraft form with the feat of the same name."

Anyway, PRC archetypes seem to be an interesting idea, provided they fit the concept.

Owrtho

Thanks for the catch, fixed.


So for Oversized is it apply able to ranged weapons? Along the same vein would the effect apply to blasts instead of strikes for Spirit Shooters?

Yes, on both. Spirit shooters can has heavy weapons.


Okay, 50 internets for the homestuck reference. You deserve it.

The archetype is very nice as well. I like the mind-altering ability, even if I think it fits strangely with the magical girl theme.

I'd accept the internets, but I'm rocking a Procrastination sylladex and I really don't want to deal with the hassle of captchaloguing right now.

Maybe later.


This is amazing, and I really want to use it, if only it didn't fit the magical girls I'm currently working on. That said, this combine with an ozodrin/harrowed/beast sculpted combo could be entertaining if you wanted to go with a more eldritch horror stargaze type theme.

The Homestuck reference is quite nice too.

Anyway, I'd think you might want to provide the option for iterative attacks. Also, can this be used for things like martial maneuvers, charge attacks, sneak attacks, etc. Seems such things would be worth noting.

Owrtho

The soulbound companion's attack can't be used for maneuvers, etc - it really has more in common with a warlock's Eldritch Blast than anything else. It's a nasty, highly accurate attack that tosses out damage which rises on a fixed scale and can be affixed with some seriously nasty riders. If the kofu shojo is a support caster, the stargazer is a pretty brutal offensive one.


You DO get Iterative Attacks.
At level 12.
But that only means that you can't make a second attack at level 8-11.

Also, Holy **** - Strikes as Touch Attacks? Ouch!
Given how nasty some strikes are, that is a really really powerful ability.

Also, since Illuminations are supernatural abilities, you do not suffer from Arcane Spell Failure in the first place. Unless you want to imply that Magical Girls can use their Costume to not suffer from ASF with the spells of Arcane Classes, which i don't think you do.

Stargazers are specifically a special case - they suffer from ASF chance despite supernatural abilities not normally doing so. The touch-attack strikes are their strongest feature, in all liklihood, and I couldn't help but feel that being able to almost guarantee status effects like that needed something to counteract it.


By the way, how is Megaton Smackdown supposed to interact with Devicer?
If you pick Cartridge Overclock, you don't get Limit Form. But Megaton Smackdown puts your Device into Limit Form...
So
- does your Device go into Limit Form when you use Megaton Smackdown, regardless of whether you have that ability?*
- or does Megaton Smackdown just maximize your weapon damage rolls, which easily makes it the weakest of all True Illuminations?

Also, if you DO get Limit Form that way, then how would it interact with Assault Form? Could you make add a second Strike to a Full Attack or Charge via Assault Form while in Limit mode*, or would that be an either/or?


The first, technically. The true illuminations need an overhaul, I admit - among other things, I intend to introduce true illuminations that stand in for the 'style shift' archetypes (those that get rid of the device for something else), and true illuminations for Barriers and Bursts. Right now, the class' capstone just flat-out isn't worth it a lot of the time.


You really want to play Stargazer 20 right now, because your Companions damage only stacks with class level.
The easiest solution would be changing that to Evoker level, in which case Multiclassing and all Prestige classes become useful again.

Another issue where Charisma is required would be the Nimble costume ability - you add Charisma to AC, and a Stargazer won't have much Charisma.

The former issue fixed - companion damage now scales with evoker level rather than class level.

I don't really mind the Nimble issue though - it's a single costume element, and it buffs durability. Durability is one of the costs of being able to shove lockdown effects down enemies' throats while laughing at concepts such as 'armor class' and 'saving throws'.


Okay then - Intelligent Devices.
The Trinkets and tools used by Magical Girls are often intelligent to some degree. Right now this can be represented in two ways:


Take the Mentor Animal Archetype, three mostly useless levels in Magus with the Black Blade Archetype and the Bosou Shojo feat.
This gives your device an Intelligence equal to your Charisma, half your level in all Knowledge skills, the ability to cast Augury, a scaling Enhancement Bonus, a small boost to its damage and later the ability to grant you Spel Resistance and temporary Hitpoints for you when you kill someone.

This is quite clumsy - it requires Multiclassing and the Black Blade abilities don't really match well with the Magical Girl IMO.


Enchant your Device into an Intelligent Item. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items) This eats up your WBL and the Item can oppose you (depending on the GM). In exchange for a lot of money it can cast some spells (up to 4th-level) and gain up to 10 ranks in a skill.

For example, an Intelligent Device created with the Intelligent Item rules that can speak, has baseline human Intelligence would cost 1000 gp in addition to the base cost.


Now, i think that the Intelligent Item rules actually work very well here. They are rarely used (in my experience anyway), much less custom-designable by players.

I think the following Paragraph would be a very nice addition:
A Magical Girls Device can be enchanted normally. If it is made into an Intelligent Item, it will always obey the Magical Girl and change alignment if she does as long as its Ego is lower than her Charisma.


Alternatively or additionally, a feat (i think an entire archetype is too much) that grants an intelligent device would be rather nice. I'll try to come up with something.

Mentor Animal does currently not allow you to designate your device as your mentor unless you do it via Magus-Multiclassing.

Featwise, i was actually thinking of something similar to Awaken Arcane Bond. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/3rd-party-feats/paizo-fans-united/item-creation-feats/awakened-arcane-bond-item-creation)
It would have to be adjusted for the fact that the Magical Girl has no caster level and no way to instill spell effects into her Item (which makes Intelligent Items much weaker.


Craft Device
You have learned how to improve the basic structure of your device.
Prerequisite: Evoker Level 5, 5 ranks in appropriate Craft skill
Benefit: You can improve your device as if you had the Craft Magical Weapons and Armor feat. Treat your Evoker level as your Caster Level for this purpose.

Intelligent Device
You have forged a bond with your Device, awakening its Intelligence
Prerequisite: Craft Device, Evoker Level 11
Benefit: You can turn your Device into an Intelligent Item (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/intelligent-items). You only pay 50% of the listed costs (in total only 25% due to crafting the Item yourself). The Ego of your Device may not be higher than your Evoker Level, but it never has any personality conflicts with you. You may imbue your Intelligent Device with Spelltrigger effects per the Intelligent Item rules even if you can not cast the necessary spells. Your Intelligent Device may not have a Special Purpose and can only use its abilities while within 30 ft. of you.

Both feats added, both of them slightly tweaked.

Radiant Crafting lets you maintain the equipment of any magical girl. Not a huge issue in most cases, but it struck me that in most shows (not just magical girl ones, even) there's one character who does maintenance and upgrading for the entire team's equipment. The ability to ignore spell requirements makes you one of the more versatile enchanters in the game, even if you've got a limited audience for your upgrades.



Here are some of my ideas, do with them what you like (including ripping them apart and melting their parts down for new ideas, as you have done before :smallbiggrin: )

Defenser (1st-level)
Mote Cost: 1
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Short
Target: 1 square
Duration: Barrier

*fluff which i am too lazy to write*
Everyone in the affected square gains damage reduction equal to your charisma modifier. This increases to twice your Charisma modifier at Evoker level 10 if you pay an additional Mote.

Since this was my first suggestion, i made it the most basic Barrier Illumination. DR 4 or 5 is powerful at lower levels, and later it can become DR 20-30 at the cost of spending more motes.

Radiant Shield (2nd-level)
Mote Cost: 2
Evocation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Short
Target: 1 square
Duration: Barrier

*fluffy stuff about shield blinding enemies*
Enemies who attack those in the affected square gain -4 to their attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to your charisma modifier

The malus isn't huge, but since it lasts for plenty of rounds it'll discourage enemies from attacking. Note that this one probably shouldn't ever be an immediate action - players would just evoke it for one round to give an enemy a penalty (since hes already attacking he cant decice to stop), which isn't the intended usage.


Panzerschild (3rd-level)
Mote Cost: 3
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Short
Target: 1 Square
Duration: Barrier

*fluffy stuff about making target immovable*
Everyone in the affected square gains a bonus to AC and Saves equal to half your Charisma modifier as well as immunity to combat maneuvers.

The good part here is immunity to combat maneuvers, such as Trip, Bull rush etc. Something unique. Shouldn't be too powerful since the target is still confined to one square and eating motes and actions.


Sakura Storm (5th-level)
Mote Cost: 4
Evocation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: own square on activation, Short thereafter
Target: 1 square
Duration: Barrier

Thousands of small, petal-shaped energy disks form around the target, shielding it from harm and punishing everyone who tries.
Everyone attacking someone in the affected square gains 50% Concealment and your charisma modifier to saves. Everyone who makes a melee attack (including those with reach) takes 4D6+your charisma modifer damage and 5 bleed damage. Ranged attacks that miss due to concealment (including rays) can be redirected using your BAB+charisma modifier, but only inflict half damage if the redirected attack hits.
You can move the affected square as a Standard Action. If an enemy is within the affected square, he suffers from a 50% miss chance due to his enemies being concealed and does not gain any defensive benefit from Sakura Storm other than the Concealment. He also takes 8D6+twice your Charisma modifer damage and 10 stacking bleed damage each round he is within the Sakura Storm.

Okay, so in this case you CAN move the area by. I just had the idea, and a non-moving storm sounded weird. Also a bit of an idea-dump

Good stuff here - but it's late, and I can't get around to dissecting this just yet. Bluh.

@Userpay, because multiquote broke: Noted and Fixed. Can't believe I missed that this long - with multiple people pointing it out, at that. Derp. I may find a way to integrate the two more smoothly at some point, but right now the only thing I can think of for spirit shooters is the work it into the nebulous Cartridge PrC.

* * * * *

...Did I miss anything?

userpay
2012-07-12, 01:49 AM
I might point out that the feat does advance costume on the magical girl side - what is more, it advances maximum costume bonus. Yes, it takes some investment on the magitech templar side, but having read through existing upgrades I'm convinced that the two you spend would be a sound investment. Cha to AC, permaflight, one of the best reroll mechanics around - and you can swap it around in a way that you really can't with other upgrades.

So I suppose the short version is that while it only brings in one feature from the magical girl side, it's a pretty potent one.

While Templar should have a decent cha if multiclassing with MG I wouldn't necessarily depend on cha being high, Templar can be a very MAD class, especially if the cha only benefits AC which Templar already gets plenty of.
Templar gets perma flight as well, propulsion upgrade.
Rerolls... Granted.
Being able to swap around the artificial points whenever you assign new points is nice but the only time that you'll get new costume points if you focus Templar is when you take the upgrades. Not much opportunity to swap there.

Mostly from what I see MG gets a big boost to defense while Templar only gets a small boost (with one or two powerful options granted) to utility.


Yes, on both. Spirit shooters can has heavy weapons.

Cool, you might want to specify that in Oversized.


@Userpay, because multiquote broke: Noted and Fixed. Can't believe I missed that this long - with multiple people pointing it out, at that. Derp. I may find a way to integrate the two more smoothly at some point, but right now the only thing I can think of for spirit shooters is the work it into the nebulous Cartridge PrC.


Might the Cartridge PrC be the next one after Magical Girl Initiator? It just strikes me as odd that Cartridge fits Spirit Shooter perfectly yet they can't fully utilize it.

Serafina
2012-07-12, 03:01 AM
Yay for crafting feats.:smallbiggrin:

And for free as well, which is excellent!
Is it intended that you can surpass that limit by spending actual money?

Lix Lorn
2012-07-12, 09:50 AM
I'd accept the internets, but I'm rocking a Procrastination sylladex and I really don't want to deal with the hassle of captchaloguing right now.

Maybe later.
And in one post you become my new favourite person.

Qwertystop
2012-07-12, 08:57 PM
So, the first Magical Girl game had more entrants than space. Anybody willing to run another game, for those who missed the cut and are still interested? 3.PF.

Serafina
2012-07-14, 02:19 PM
I recently started to watch Symphogear, so i am considering to work on translating it into this class. Mostly area-effect debuffing and damaging Illuminations, revolving around singing, obviously.

I can think of three ways to do this:
- Add illuminations that do these things. Would favor any Magical Girl, but doesn't catch the essence of what i want to do.
- Add an Archetype that buffs Illuminations via singing. Catches the essence, but would have to be combined with custom Illuminations
- Add a Prestige class that grants special Bardic-Music like songs.

I think i'll go for the Archetype and add a few Illuminations - the Magical Girl is very short on area effects anyway.

Story Time
2012-07-14, 04:56 PM
I know...that I haven't seen Symphogear...but if all it is is the addition of singing...that doesn't seem like enough for an archetype. Wouldn't new illuminations be enough?

Rather, let me ask it this way, "Should a specific concept or theme really be anchored to only one archetype? If most of the archetype is defined by Illuminations, rather than Class Abilities, what does the archetype really offer that's special?"

...I know...I'm just being honest...but I'd rather have new illuminations for all classes than one class that hoards good ideas...

1
I...probably shouldn't say more. But I'll offer this:
There's nothing wrong with a Prestige Class that enhances Illuminations with specific flavor or special abilities. It could completely re-flavor a character. But I don't think that having an exclusive list of illuminations for a single class is the best way to go.

Um...I don't really mean to argue... Sorry. :smallfrown:

Serafina
2012-07-14, 05:07 PM
Feats

Luminous Symphony
Prerequisite: Radiant Focus
Benefit: You can make Performance checks instead of Concentration checks when using Radiant Focus. Whenever you successfully use Radiant Focus, the next time you pay the maintenance cost of an aura it is reduced by 1 for every multiple of 10 you succeed on the perform check. This can reduce the cost of the Aura to 0, but never below.
You can double an auras maintenance cost (before reducing it) to have it affect all allies who hear you perform for one round. Should the Aura have negative effects, you can have it affect all enemies who hear you perform instead.
Special: You can take this feat if you have any Archetype feature that replaces Radiant Focus. It's effects trigger whenever you use that feature. If the feature does not require a ckeck, you can make the Performance check as a free action when you use it. If the feature does not require an action, you can spend a move action to trigger this feat.

A way to make use of your Perform skill that doesn't require Bardic Performance. Auras are already very good buffs, this makes them better at the cost of constant move actions.

Reverberating Light
Prerequisite: Luminous Symphony
Benefit: Whenever you hit with a Illumination, you can make a Perform check by paying one mote. You deal additional sonic damage based on the result of your Perform check. That damage is only dealt once per round, regardless of how many hits you achieve with that Illumination. For Homing Shot, this damage is applies like Prismatic Calling.
{table=head] Check Result | Extra Damage
10-20 | 2D6
21-30 | 3D6
31-40 | 4D6
41-50 | 5D6 (maximum)
[/table]
Jup, it's Iajutsu Focus. Except nerfed quite a bit, because it works without quickdraw-shenanigans and of a skill based upon your main-stat that has other uses as well. Damage progression may need some adjustment though.

Masterpiece: you can take this by sacrificing a 4th-level Bard Spell Known, or by taking a feat.
Swan Song
Prerequisite: Lyrics of Light
Benefit: You can perform a piece of such deadly beauty that your own being is torn apart. As a full-round action, by spending four rounds of bardic performance, you can make a Perform check. You must continue to spend full-round actions if able until you have performed for four rounds.
Each round creates an effect that affects all enemies within 60 feet. The next round creates a new effect and repeats the previous effects, who now increase their radius by 60 feet (to 120, then 180 and then 240 feet). This is always centered upon yourself, regardless of other abilities that allow you to project your Bardic Performance, such as Arcane Enhancers.
First Round: Affected Enemies become shaken and entangled.
Second Round: Affected Enemies become fatigued and take damage equal to your Perform-check.
Third Round: Affected Enemies become nauseated and take bleed damage equal to your Evoker-level.
Fourth Round: Affected Enemies become Paralyzed and take a number of negative levels equal to half your Perform-check, but never enough to equal their hitdice.
Enemies can not prevent any of these effects via saves, immunities, damage reduction or any other means. All effects are Extraordinary Abilities and last for 24 hours or until healed. The bodies of enemies killed by this ability are destroyed.

At the end of this performance you take 6D6 constitution damage.. This damage can not be prevented in any way and only healed via natural regeneration at a rate of 1 point per day. You can not use this performance if you do not have a constitution score. If you die due to the constitution damage, your body is utterly destroyed without a trace, and your soul can only be restored via sufficiently powerful magic after a month.

If you have a ranged device, the area of effect may instead be a 120 feet long, 10 foot wide beam, which increases each round as described above. You must choose this when you select this feat and can not change it later on.

Okay, this is utterly deadly - to you as much as the enemy. You apply a large amount of damage and, even worse, a laundry list of conditions that result in totally helpless enemies that bleed to death. All without means of preventing it, other than running away or preventing you from singing.
Of course, you are very likey to die due to taking 21 Constitution damage on average, and even if you survive you will be crippled for a long time.



The Magical Idol Singer

http://www.emptyblue.it/data/wallpaper/SenkiZesshouSymphogear/senki_zesshou_symphogear_0093_thumb.jpg


Requirements
To become a Magical Idol singer, you must meet the following prerequisites:
Feats: Luminous Symphony
Skills: Perform 5 (any) ranks
Despite being named Magical Idol Singer, there is no real reason to restrict her to just Singing, so you can use any sort of performance.

Skills: Bluff, Knowledge (History, Local, Nobility), Linguistics, Perform

You're still a Magical Girl, but your abilities lend themselves more towards your social site. The Knowledge skills are mostly for flavor though.

Hit Die: D8
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special | Casting

1st|+0|+0|+1|+1| Voice of Light, Costume, Unfocussed Illuminations, Song of Joy | +1 Illumination

2nd|+1|+1|+1|+1| Rapture of the Song: +2 AC | +1 Bard

3rd|+2|+1|+2|+2| Song of Sorrow | +1 Illumination

4th|+3|+1|+2|+2| Rapture of the Song: +2 Saves, Arcane Performance| +1 Bard

5th|+3|+2|+3|+3| Ballad of Friendship | +1 Illumination

6th|+4|+2|+3|+3|Chorus of Light | +1 Bard

7th|+5|+2|+4|+4| Lyrics of Light | +1 Illumination

8th|+6/+1|+3|+4|+4| Rapture of the Song: Freedom of Movement | +1 Bard

9th|+6/+1|+3|+5|+5| Melody of Magic | +1 Illumination

10th|+7/+2|+3|+5|+5| Perfect Chorus | +1 Bard[/table]
The same chassis as the Magical Girl, plus half Bardic Spellcasting, full Costume and half Illumination progression, in addition to boni while singing and lots of new songs.

Voice of Light: Add your Magical Idol Girl levels to your Bard levels or levels in one other class that grants Bardic Performance to determine the effects of your Bardic Music class ability. If you do not have any levels in Bard or another class that grants Bardic Performance, you gain Bardic Performance like a Bard of your class level.
You can start your Bardic Performance as a Move Action. At 7th-level, you can start it as a Swift Action.

As a free action, you can spend two Motes to gain one additional round of Bardic Performance per day. You can do so multiple times per encounter, but each time you do so during the same encounter the mote cost increases by one, up to your mote regeneration per round All rounds of performance not spent at the end of the encounter are lost.
So you get and advance Bardic Performance, regardless of whether you're already a Bard or not. And since you're supposed to do something other than Perform (and for all those who don't take Bard-levels for this Archetype), you can use it as a Move-Action right away.

A limitation to rounds/day is a pain in the ass. This ability fixes that, and you can perform all day long, eventually at the cost of not regenerating any motes.

Costume: Add your Magical Idol Girl levels to your Magical Girl levels to determine all effects of your costume.
Because who has ever heard of a Idol Singer without a fancy dress?

Unfocused Illuminations: Add your Magical Idol class levels to your Magical Girl class levels to determine your number of Motes, their regeneration and your Evoker Level.
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th level you add one level to your Magical Girl class for determining your prepared Illuminations and the maximum level of your Illuminations
You can use Motes for your Bardic Performance, so they advance fully. You also get new Illuminations, because you're still supposed to be a Magical Girl, just one with a different style.

Spellcasting: At 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th level, you advance your Bardic Spellcasting as if you had just taken a level in Bard, even if you do not have any levels in that class. You do not gain any other benefits you would have gained if you had taken a level in Bard.
Bardic spellcasting is mostly Utility-casting, so this doesn't make you much stronger in Combat. However, you CAN use it to fuel your Arcane Performances. And you still don't need a single level in Bard.

Bardic Performance: The Magic Idol Singer gains new Bardic Performances. These work in all ways like other Bardic Performances. The Save-DC for all Bardic Performances that allow a save is equal to 10+(1/2 of all levels that advance your Bardic Performance)+your Charisma modifier. The targets of your performance must be able to perceive it just like with normal Bardic Performances.

Refrains: You can only use a Refrain when you sing the song of the same name. Activating a Refrain costs a number of rounds of Bardic Music and needs an action to activate which depends on the Refrain.
Those are your main class features. Refrains are blatantly stolen from the Seeker of the Song, except that yours are less repetitive.

Song of Joy(Su): Your voice fills all who hear it with vibrant joy. They gain all the benefits of your Inspire Courage ability. However, the bonus to saves applies to all Will-saves instead of just those against fear and charms. In addition, the boni are untyped boni that do not stack with other Bardic Performances.

Song of Joy, Refrain:(Su) As an immediate action that consumes three uses of Bardic Performance, you can make a Performance Check. All allies can use the result of your check in place of one saving throw until the end of your next round.
It's Inspire Courage, except that it stacks with other boni. Such as Heroism. You also get Countersong, except that it's actually reactive and works against every type of spell - in other words, you'll actually use it.

Song of Sorrow (Su): Your song expresses your sorrow that you must fight your opponents. Enemies affected take the boni granted by your Inspire Courage as penalties if they fall a Will-saving throw. This is a fear-effect, and enemies take the penalty of this song when they make their saving throw against it.

Song of Sorrow, Refrain (Su): As a move action that consumes two uses of Bardic Music, you can sing a melody that weights your enemies down with despair. Enemies within 60 feet who fail a Will-save treat all terrain as difficult for two rounds, and all their movement provokes attacks of Opportunity. This is a fear-effect.
A wide-area debuff. Unless you are up against a large number of enemies OR your group doesn't need Inspire Courage (maybe they hit anyway, maybe they are spellcasters), Song of Joy is better though. The Refrain however allows you to keep enemies from maneuvering, and we all know how powerful that can be.

Ballad of Friendship (Su): Affected allies automatically succeed on aid another attempts. The boni granted by aid another are increased by your Inspire Courage bonus, regardless of the bonus granted by the aid another action.

Ballad of Friendship, Refrain (Su): As a Standard Action that consumed two uses of Bardic Music, you allow all allies to use aid another as a move action until the beginning of your next turn.
If you really really need to succeed at something, use this. It's situational, but it can grant a larger increase than Inspire Courage.

Lyrics of Light (Su): Your song brings forth a brilliant display of light that seems to wash away all problems. Affected allies gain Fast Healing equal to twice your Inspire Courage Bonus.

Lyrics of Light, Refrain (Su): As a Standard Action that consumes four uses of Bardic Music, you can make a Perform Check. Affected allies within 60 feet are healed by an amount of Hitpoints equal to your Perform check, while affected enemies within 60 feet take damage equal to your Perform check. Enemies can make a Will-save to take half damage.
You'll really use this for the refrain. It's probably amongst the strongest option against hordes, though spamming it will be expensive

Melody of Magic (Su): Music and Magic are one and the same to you, and your magic performs according to your song. Affected allies add 2 to the DC of all their abilities, add +4 to their Combat Maneuver checks and +4 to their saves and CMD.

Melody of Magic, Refrain (Su): As a Standard-Action that consumes five uses of Bardic Music and four Motes, up to 10 affected allies can immediately use a 2nd-level Illumination, using your Charisma and Evoker level to determine its effects.
This buffs everything that matters at higher levels. And remember that you can sing two songs by now, so you don't even have to choose and will probably keep this running all the time.

Arcane Performance (Su): When you start a Bardic Performance, as a free action, you can sacrifice an arcane spell per day to choose one of the following options. You can sacrifice multiple spells to gain multiple options, and each option performs at the level of the spell you sacrificed to gain it. You can sacrifice multiple spells to trigger the same option, in which case you add the spell levels together to determine its effects.
All effects that mirror spells use your Evoker Level as your Caster Level.

Dancing Spotlights: You create four pillars of light per level of the sacrificed spell. You can direct them as if you had cast Dancing Lights.
A creature who shares a space with those lights gains a +1 competence bonus to skill checks for each sphere in its square, up to twice the level of the sacrificed spell. It also gains a +1 morale bonus to attack for each four spheres (rounded down) in its square.
Arcane Amplifiers: You can choose one square per level of the spell sacrificed. Your performance can be perceived as if you were standing in those squares in addition to your own square. Creatures in that square are deafened (if your performance is audible) or blinded (if your performance is visual) for as long as they remain in that square if they fail a save against your Bardic Music.
Luminous Choreography: Each time you take a Move action during your turn for any purpose, you create one Mirror Image. If you do not take a Move action during your turn, your Mirror Images vanish. You can have a number of Mirror Images equal to the level of the spell sacrificed. You gain a +1 bonus to perform checks for each Mirror Image you have. The Mirror Images can look and move however you want and appear in adjactend spaces, but still perform otherwise as per the spell.
Ocean of Cheers: One ally per level of the sacrificed spell can make an Aid Another Perform check to aid your own Perform checks. They gain a +2 bonus to their perform checks for each level of the spell sacrificed. For each ally that succeds, the DC of your Bardic Performance increases by one.
Radiant Fog: Fog spreads around you, covering a 5 ft. radius centered on you per level of spell sacrificed. This works like Fog Cloud, but never impedes perception of your performance. Allies within the fog receive a +5 bonus to their Acrobatics checks to move trough threatened squares per level of spell sacrificed, and enemies receive an equal penalty.

All effects last as long as you continue to perform. If you switch from one kind of bardic performance to another, the effects do not end - only when you continue to perform a Bardic Performance altogether. You can end individual arcane performances whenever you wish as a free action.
You are your own rock-concert! And you get a way to effectively use those low-level spellslots you have.

Rapture of the Song: While you maintain any Bardic Performance, you gain a +2 Dodge Bonus to your AC. At 4th-level, you also gain a +2 sacred Bonus to your saves. At 8th-level, you have Freedom of Movement while Performing.This is blatantly stolen from hte Seeker of the Song, except that it stacks with everything else.

Luminous Chorus: At 6th-level, you can maintain two Bardic Performances at the same time. You must make a Concentartion Check using your Caster Level and your Charisma modifier against a DC of 25 to start the second performance and to maintain it each round. The second Performance consumes rounds of Bardic Performance normally.
You can maintain two songs at the same time, but at the risk of constantly needing to spend actions to do so.

Perfect Chorus: You no longer need to make Concentration checks to start or maintain a second performance, and you only consume one round of Bardic Performance per round while singing in chorus.
Your Capstone. Combine two buffs at your leisure.

Archetypes: If you have levels in Bard, any Archetype that alters specific uses of Bardic Performance is compatible with this class: You advance all features of Bardic Performance, including new performances, just as if you had taken levels in Bard.
However, if you lose the ability to affect others with Bardic Performance, or lose Bardic Performance altogether, your Archetype is incompatible.
If your Archetype is incompatible you keep track of both seperately. For example, a level 4 Bard with the Dervish Dancer Archetype and five levels in Magical Idol Singer would gain Battle Dance as a 4th-level Bard and Bardic Performance as a 5th-level Bard, instead of gaining Battle Dance as a 9th-level Bard.
You can take all compatible Bard Archetypes even if you do not have levels in Bard, in which case you only gain the features that are exchanged for Bardic Performances. You can also take Bardic Masterpieces.
Bards gain some nice alternate Performances - and so do you. However, you're really supposed to support your group, so no switching your Performances for pure self-buffing.


Adaptation to 3.5:
If you wish to use this class with D&D 3.5-rules, add all skills on the Magical Girl skill list to its skill list, change the save progression to bad for Fortitude and Good for Will and Reflex, and treat each daily activation of Bardic Performance as two rounds of Bardic Performance for the purpose of paying assosciated costs. Also, each Arcane Performance only lasts 1 minute per level of the sacrificed spell.
Since Pathfinder- and 3.5 Bardic Music works fundamentally different, i had to choose one or the other to write this class. And Pathfinders way to measure Bardic Music just lent itself better to the Refrain-mechanic i had in mind. Still, no reason you shouldn't use this with 3.5, so there you go.

Owrtho
2012-07-14, 08:17 PM
Can anyone explain how to do class tables?

Well, the easiest method would be to just try quoting one of the posts that has a 10 level prc with your desired selection of BAB and saves, then edit the abilities. That said, to actually make tables on your own, it would be:
{table=head]header1|header2|header3|header4|header5|header6|he ader7
row1-1|row1-2|row1-3|row1-4|row1-5|row1-6|row1-7
row2-1|row2-2|row2-3|row2-4|row2-5|row2-6|row2-7
row3-1|row3-2|row3-3|row3-4|row3-5|row3-6|row3-7
row4-1|row4-2|row4-3|row4-4|row4-5|row4-6|row4-7
row5-1|row5-2|row5-3|row5-4|row5-5|row5-6|row5-7
row6-1|row6-2|row6-3|row6-4|row6-5|row6-6|row6-7[/table]

which looks like:

{table=head]header1|header2|header3|header4|header5|header6|he ader7
row1-1|row1-2|row1-3|row1-4|row1-5|row1-6|row1-7
row2-1|row2-2|row2-3|row2-4|row2-5|row2-6|row2-7
row3-1|row3-2|row3-3|row3-4|row3-5|row3-6|row3-7
row4-1|row4-2|row4-3|row4-4|row4-5|row4-6|row4-7
row5-1|row5-2|row5-3|row5-4|row5-5|row5-6|row5-7
row6-1|row6-2|row6-3|row6-4|row6-5|row6-6|row6-7[/table]

| is used to separate columns, while <br /> is used for line breaks within the boxes, however do note there is an error with the forum where any time the post is edited or previed, it changes the <br /> to <br> thus requiring manually changing it back. If you remove the "=head" part, then the top row won't have the different colouring.

Also, here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124688) you will find a linked thread for table making.


Requirements
To become a Magical Idol singer, you must meet the following prerequisites:
Feats: Illuminating Song
Skills: Perform 5 (any) ranks


Aw, no strait magical girl music/singer prc?

Edit: Huh, I just realized, I wasn't thinking when typing up homing shot, it was intended to ignore all concealment, and ignore cover as it currently is written to ignore total concealment.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-15, 03:41 AM
Thanks!

I think i also need something musical that actually enhances Illuminations and ideally works of a Perform check (instead of just prerequisites).
Here's what i can think of right now:


Luminous Symphony
Prerequisite: Radiant Focus
Benefit: You can make Performance checks instead of Concentration checks when using Radiant Focus. Whenever you successfully use Radiant Focus, the next time you pay the maintenance cost of an aura it is reduced by 1 for every multiple of 10 you succeed on the perform check. This can reduce the cost of the Aura to 0, but never below.
You can double an auras maintenance cost (before reducing it) to have it affect all allies who hear you perform for one round. Should the Aura have negative effects, you can have it affect all enemies who hear you perform instead.
Special: You can take this feat if you have any Archetype feature that replaces Radiant Focus. It's effects trigger whenever you use that feature. If the feature does not require a ckeck, you can make the Performance check as a free action when you use it. If the feature does not require an action, you can spend a move action to trigger this feat.

A way to make use of your Perform skill that doesn't require Bardic Performance. Auras are already very good buffs, this makes them better at the cost of constant move actions.

Reverbing Light
Prerequisite: Luminous Symphony
Benefit: Whenever you hit with a Standard-action Strike Illumination, you can make a Perform check by paying one mote. You deal additional sonic damage based on the result of your Perform check.
{table=head] Check Result | Extra Damage
10-20 | 2D6
21-30 | 3D6
31-40 | 4D6
41-50 | 5D6 (maximum)
[/table]
Jup, it's Iajutsu Focus. Except nerfed quite a bit, because it works without quickdraw-shenanigans and of a skill based upon your main-stat that has other uses as well. Damage progression may need some adjustment though.

Also, changed the Prerequisite of my PrC to Luminous Symphony, and you gain Bardic Music if you don't have any Bard levels.

Owrtho
2012-07-15, 01:07 PM
Luminous Symphony
Prerequisite: Radiant Focus

Well, the only issue I can see with it now, is that a devicer can't get in (though an equivalent version could likely be done using cartridges rather than ). As for if that's a problem or not is up to you.

I also just realized that you're using unfocussed illuminations. I noticed you mentioned it giving half illumination progression, but at present it doesn't learn any new illuminations. You could possibly have it fully advance illuminations on some levels, similar to the advancing of bardic spellcasting (possibly offset from that).

Owrtho

userpay
2012-07-15, 01:21 PM
Actually if you could progress illuminations (or at least the option to) instead of bardic casting that would make it more interesting for me.

Serafina
2012-07-15, 01:33 PM
You can now take Luminous Symphony when you have an Archetype that replaces it.

Magical Idol Singer now fully advances your Motes and their regeneration and grants half progression on Bardic Spellcasting AND known Illuminations. You're supposed to use Illuminations after all, and Bardic spellcasting isn't so powerful that half progression would break anything.

Owrtho
2012-07-15, 01:53 PM
You can now take Luminous Symphony when you have an Archetype that replaces it.

Magical Idol Singer now fully advances your Motes and their regeneration and grants half progression on Bardic Spellcasting AND known Illuminations. You're supposed to use Illuminations after all, and Bardic spellcasting isn't so powerful that half progression would break anything.

A few things to note. First, the table doesn't show illuminations advancing at first level, though the ability description does. One of those needs to be changed so they match.

Second, as mentioned above, the option for an acf that replaces all bardic casting progression with full illumination progression would be quite nice (and arguably some would appreciate the reverse as well).

Third, on Luminous Symphony, can you use it if you don't have Radiant Focus? Could a Devicer make use of the ability when using Cartridge Load? Sure it doesn't normally need the concentration check, but it is still useful to have.

Also, on Voice of Light, the ability to gain extra bardic music should be clarified. At the moment it seems to only be usable once per day, though it looks like you intended it to be regaining a daily use. Also, while you state it is only usable in combat, you should state that any extra rounds above their normal maximum are lost at the end of the encounter (or possible above what they started the encounter with).

Lastly, and this is directed at Selinia, I noticed on the Stargazer, you loose the device, but keep device - limit form. Is this intentional, and if so what does entering limit form do?

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-15, 02:03 PM
I did a bit of editing before you posted, maybe it got lost. At any rate, yes, you can just make a Perform check to use the feat when using Cartridge Load. In addition, if there are every any ACFs that take away Radiant Focus without replacing it with something similar you can just make a move action to activate the feat.

The Table is in error, thanks for pointing that out.

You can already gain third-level Illuminations by taking 1 level in Bard, 10 in the PrC and 6 in Magical Girl. So i don't really see a need to grant full Illumination progression, especially since your Motes DO scale fully.

And yes, the wording on Voice of Light is a bit iffy now.
I'll change it thusly:
You can spend 2 motes as a free action to gain another round of Bardic Performance. You can do this as often as you want per encounter, but each time the mote cost increases by 1.


Last but not least, please note that this is based of the Pathfinder-Bard, so it works with rounds/day rather than activations/day. It actually works better if you are planning on switching between songs a lot, and makes scaling the cost for refrains easier.

Draken
2012-07-15, 02:13 PM
Just for the record, Selinia is on a plane to Europe and might be awhile before her next response.

Owrtho
2012-07-15, 02:39 PM
You can already gain third-level Illuminations by taking 1 level in Bard, 10 in the PrC and 6 in Magical Girl. So i don't really see a need to grant full Illumination progression, especially since your Motes DO scale fully.

Given you don't need any levels in bard to qualify, I'm not sure why you mentioned that that in the build. The reason for the suggestion is more due to the chance of players who want to stay pure illumination based rather than messing with suddenly getting spells due wanting a singing magical girl. The option to give up bardic spellcasting to gain full illumination progression would alleviate this.


And yes, the wording on Voice of Light is a bit iffy now.
I'll change it thusly:
You can spend 2 motes as a free action to gain another round of Bardic Performance. You can do this as often as you want per encounter, but each time the mote cost increases by 1.

To be honest, provided the extra rounds gained are lost after the encounter, I don't see any real reason to have the cost increase each time you use it. That said, you should specify that it can only be used once per round, and that rounds gained this way are used before your normal daily allotment of rounds. Essentially what you're doing is changing your bardic music into a 2 mote to maintain aura illumination. Given a once per round limit, you would always end up using your normal rounds when using a refrain unless you held off on starting your performance at the start of the encounter to build up the extra rounds.


Last but not least, please note that this is based of the Pathfinder-Bard, so it works with rounds/day rather than activations/day. It actually works better if you are planning on switching between songs a lot, and makes scaling the cost for refrains easier.

I'd noticed as much, and have considered the scale of things accordingly.


Just for the record, Selinia is on a plane to Europe and might be awhile before her next response.

Good to know.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-16, 01:57 AM
Okay, lets look at some builds.

3rd-level Bard/10th-level Magic Idol Singer/7th-level Magical Girl:
You gain Inspire Courage +4, 3rd-level Bard Spells, 3rd-level Illuminations and a +6/11 Costume, as well as Con to AC and Versatile Performance (which can be swapped out for a variety of things) and +2 to AC/Saves and Freedom of Movement.
With your method you could get either 5th-level Bard spells/2nd-level Illuminations or 1st-level Bard spells/4th-level Illuminations.

Magical Idol Singer 10/Magical Girl 10:
Inspire Courage +4, 2nd-level Bard Spells, 3rd-level Illuminations, +6/13 Costume, as well as Con to AC/Charisma vs Mind-affecting and +2 to AC/Saves and Freedom of Movement.
(Note that you can take Illuminating Song via this PrC and gain the Inspire Courage Benefits).
With your Method that would be 5th-level Illuminations - in which case you got Inspire Courage +4, powerful songs (and two of them at once) and +2 to defenses in exchange for Mettle and Limit Form. You don't loose any Motes, Illuminations or Costume bonus, and that seems too much to me.

Magical Idol Singer 7/Magical Girl 13
All of the above minus Freedom of Movement, plus Mettle and Limit Form.
With your Method that would still be 5th-level Illuminations - in exchange for your highest-level class features. Font of Life matters, granted - but other than that you lost pretty much nothing in exchange for Inspire Courage +4, most of your powerful songs (and still two of them at once if you want) and +2 to AC and Saves.


No, i want this PrC to blend Magic Music and Illuminations and give you most of both - but not all of it.

Owrtho
2012-07-16, 02:25 AM
Okay, lets look at some builds.

...

No, i want this PrC to blend Magic Music and Illuminations and give you most of both - but not all of it.

A valid argument. Part of the issue I had with it seems to stem from the fact I was thinking of the 3.5 bard spell list, which has far more spells that are not particularly suited to a musical performer. The Pathfinder bard seems to have a much better spell list in that regard from skimming over it.

That said, I still feel that in some ways granting arcane magic feels a bit off, particularly given the lack of bard levels as an entry requirement (then again, my bias against having arcane magic for bards may also be impacting things). I'd suggest removing it entirely, but that might reduce the power of the class a bit much. I'd also possibly suggest coming up with a pool of music related abilities that might be akin to spells or illuminations, but using performance checks, and more immediate effects than the Bardic Performance abilities, though that would require a bit more work to have a pool of balanced ones that either are gained at set levels, or are selected from as you level up.
They could be abilities that require you to be using a bardic performance, and end up being a mix of performance enhancers (as in spotlights, lazer lights, smoke, dimming the lights etc.) and key performance parts (such as power chords, solos, instrumental bits, etc.) that have various effects, like dancing lights, fog cloud, for the former group and sonic attacks, or one round buff/debuffs for the latter group. If they're standard or full-round actions, it would mean they essentially take the place of attacking or blasts/strikes for the round, and they would require a performance check (which would likely impact the power) and that you are using a bardic performance (though would not use rounds of it). They could add a little variety in the effects of the bardic performances gained, since you could supplement the main effect of a performance with them (though there might be song affinities, such as each gaining a minor bonus to the perform check when used during one song, and a penalty when used during one other one). Might also give them cooldowns.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-16, 03:34 AM
A Performance Enhancer is actually a very good idea.
And since you don't like Arcane spells, how about this:

Arcane Performance: When you start a Bardic Performance, as a free action, you can sacrifice an arcane spell per day to choose one of the following options. You can sacrifice multiple spells to gain multiple options, and each option performs at the level of the spell you sacrificed to gain it.

Dancing Spotlights: You create glowing spheres of light as if you had cast Dancing lights one time for each level of the spell sacrificed. A creature who shares a space with those lights gains a +1 competence bonus to skill checks for each sphere, up to four times the level of the sacrificed spell. If also gains a +1 morale bonus to attck for each four spheres (rounded down), up to the level of the sacrificed spell.
Arcane Amplifiers: You can choose one square per level of the spell sacrificed. Your performance can be perceived as if you were standing in those squares in addition to your own square. Creatures in that square are deafened (if your performance is audible) or blinded (if your performance is visual) for as long as they remain in that square if they fail a save against your Bardic Music.
Luminous Choreography: Each time you take a Move action during your turn for any purpose, you create one Mirror Image. If you do not take a Move action during your turn, your Mirror Images vanish. You can have a number of Mirror Images equal to the level of the spell sacrificed. You gain a +1 bonus to perform checks for each Mirror Image you have. The Mirror Images can look and move however you want and appear in adjactend spaces, but still perform otherwise as per the spell.
Ocean of Cheers: One ally per level of the sacrificed spell can make an Aid Another Perform check to aid your own Perform checks. They gain a +2 bonus to their perform checks for each level of the spell sacrificed. For each ally that succeds, the DC of your Bardic Performance increases by one.

All effects last as long as you continue to perform. If you switch from one kind of bardic performance to another, the effects do not end - only when you continue to perform a Bardic Performance altogether.

This ability will be somewhat limited since it runs off your limited pool of spells. It mostly revolves around enhancing your performance with various trappings we use for rock&pop-concerts. Mechanically, it enhances your performance and gives out small boni to you or your allies.

Owrtho
2012-07-16, 04:37 AM
That works rather well. It also allows those who don't want to deal with spells to treat them more like a use pool for Arcane Performance. You should note that you can sacrifice multiple spells for a single effect, in which case you use the combine spell level. Arguably the list could use some adding, but a nice start (I'd suggest a smoke machine one based on fog cloud (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/f/fog-cloud), likely with spell level determining radius).

Dancing spotlights could use some clarification. Do you count all spheres, or just those in the square with the creature? Last sentance should begin with it, not if. Why do you specify the 4 times spell level sacrificed and spell level sacrificed when determining bonuses, while you can only ever have a number of spheres equal to the spell level sacrificed, and the number you have is what determines the bonuses granted?

At the end, I think you mean only when you cease your bardic performance altogether. Can you willingly end Arcane performance effects?

It might be worth adding something akin to key song parts as well (I feel like I'm forgetting the proper term). They could be a standard action and perform check to activate, require you are in the midst of a bardic performance cost a spell slot, and have a cooldown (possibly shared), and have effects like various aoe (that originate from you or Arcane Amplifiers) sonic damage effects (possibly also some things like deafening, shaken, an opposite to shaken, dazed, random movement, etc. but only for one round).

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-16, 05:21 AM
Nice idea with the fog machine.

Radiant Fog: Fog spreads around you, covering a 5 ft. radius centered on you per level of spell sacrificed. This works like Fog Cloud, but never impedes perception of your performance. Allies within the fog receive a +5 bonus to their Acrobatics checks to move trough threatened squares per level of spell sacrificed, and enemies receive an equal penalty.


Dancing spotlights;
You gain 4 spotlights per spell level.
You can move them in groups of 4 like Dancing Lights.
For each Spotlight in your square (or an allies) you gain +1 competence on skill checks.
For each full multiple of four spotlights in your square you gain +1 morale to attack.

So if you sacrifice a second-level spell, you gain eight spotlights.
You could use them two fill four squares, twice two adjactend to each other. Those in those squares would gain +2 to skill checks.
Or you could fill two squares with 4 each, giving those withint +4 to skills and +1 to attack.
Or you could fill one square with 8, giving +8 to skills and +2 to attack.

I realize that i don't actually need to impose a limit on the attack bonus, and i think i will reduce the limit for skills to twice the spell level - so you could only get up to +4 to skills here.

Willingly end them? Sure, why not?


You can already do refrains, i think that's enough for special musical effects.


Edit: changed the formating to fit other Pathfinder-classes, mostly the skill list and save progression.
Added a way to use this class with 3.5. Notably, 1 daily activation of performance is considered to be worth two rounds of performance for paying refrain costs.


And added a section about Archetypes. It's mostly about the Archeologist, Dawnflower Dervish and Dervish Dancer Archetypes, all of whom don't use tpyical Bardic Performances at all - instead they only affect themselves, which is really not in the spirit of this class. You can still take them, you just don't advance the abilities they gain instead of Bardic Performance by taking levels in this class.

Serafina
2012-07-16, 12:21 PM
And since this is supposed to be a Symphogear-inspired class:

Masterpiece: you can take this by sacrificing a 4th-level Bard Spell Known, or by taking a feat.
Swan Song
Prerequisite: Lyrics of Light
Benefit: You can perform a piece of such deadly beauty that your own being is torn apart. As a full-round action, by spending four rounds of bardic performance, you can make a Perform check. You must continue to spend full-round actions if able until you have performed for four rounds.
In the first round, each enemy within 60 feet takes damage equal to your perform check and become shaken.
In the second round, all enemies within 120 feet take the effects of the first round. All enemies within 60 feet become entangled and fatigued
In the third round, all enemies within 180 feet take the effects of the first round, and all enemies within 120 feet take the effects of the second round. All enemies within 60 feet take bleed damage equal to your evoker level and become nauseated.
In the fourth round, all enemies within 240 feet take the effect of the first round, all enemies within 180 the effects of the first and second and all enemies within 120 feet the effects of the first, second and third. All enemies within 60 feet become paralyzed and take negative levels equal to your perform check.
No saves against are allowed against this ability. It counts as a extraordinary effect and thus works inside an Antimagic Field. Damage can not be prevented by any means.
All conditions last for 24 hours or until healed.
At the end of this performance you take 6D6 constitution damage.. This damage can not be prevented in any way and only healed via natural regeneration at a rate of 1 point per day. You can not use this performance if you do not have a constitution score. If you die due to the constitution damage, your body is utterly destroyed without a trace, and your soul can only be restored via sufficiently powerful magic after a month.

Okay, this is utterly deadly - to you as much as the enemy. You apply a large amount of damage and, even worse, a laundry list of conditions that result in totally helpless enemies that bleed to death. All without means of preventing it, other than running away or preventing you from singing.
Of course, you are very likey to die due to taking 21 Constitution damage on average, and even if you survive you will be crippled for a long time.


Okay, this is really powerful if the enemy can't run away. Yes, you can effectively kill anything if they are dumb enough to stick around you for four rounds. Well, as long as you have allies to finish of the no-save no-antimagic paralyzed foe - because you are most likely dead. Permanently if you don't have True Ressurection.

Anyway, i hope it's not too powerful, or too situational to take.

By the way, inspired by this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMzjxDzrgk4) (spoiler for the first episode of Symphogear, but worth it).

Owrtho
2012-07-16, 02:59 PM
Dancing spotlights;
...

Ah, I'd misread it as producing one light per spell level sacrificed, not one casting of dancing lights.


You can already do refrains, i think that's enough for special musical effects.

Given the point of the class is doing things with music, that seems a bit off. Anyway, refrains are specific to given songs and cost rounds of bardic performance.
In any event, it seems like sound and music based abilities would call for some shorter ranged AoE damage effects. At present, there are 5 ways magical girls can deal AoE damage. Two are line illuminations, one is gun using spirit shots of a high enough level, two are prisms from the prism knight (blasts/bursts have an explosion on hit and damage to enemies in your aura range), and the last is the lyrics of light refrain.
Aside from the refrain and the prism knight aura one, they tend to be long ranged focused. There are a few low level bard that provide options (Chord of Shards (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/c/chord-of-shards), Sound Burst (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/sound-burst), Thundering Drums (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/t/thundering-drums), Discordant Blast (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/d/discordant-blast), Shout (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/shout), Wall of Sound (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/w/wall-of-sound), Deafening Song Bolt (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/d/deafening-song-bolt), Deadly Finale (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/d/deadly-finale)) but for those that would rather avoid having to deal with spell, that isn't much help.

Also figured I'd point out, due to not being a bard, the Magical Idol singer can't get Masterpieces at present. If you want it to be able to, you should likely note that.

Owrtho

Serafina
2012-07-16, 03:49 PM
Technically they should, just like you can take variant domains if you get domains. Still, i'll add a mention of it in my next edit.

Also, i think Magical Girls in general need some area-illuminations, so i won't ad too much to the Magical Idol Singer. Lyrics of Light refrain already has plenty of power (check-based damage), and if you want debuffs you can use Song of Sorrow.
And if you want tactical nukes, use Swan Song :smalltongue: