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Anachronity
2011-11-13, 04:34 PM
I am DMing a campaign with a group of players who are fairly familiar with the rules of 3.5e D&D and I want to try and create a more balanced system than the current one. What follows is a system by which you create your own custom base class. There is no such thing as prestige classes or multiclassing in this system, but it is entirely possible to design your base class so that it specializes in multiple things. I have been told that my system is similar to Mutants and Masterminds, but I have never personally played that game.

The system works by starting with what is basically a sorcerer without spells or a familiar. You begin with a d4 hit die, 2+int skills, a low BAB, and one good saving throw of your choice. All skills are considered to be class skills except for speak language, use magic device, spellcraft, and possibly a few others. You then use 120 feature points to improve the class with qualities, specializations, and features.

A quality is a basic aspect of the class (base attack bonus, saving throws, weapon proficiencies, etc.). A specialization is a group of similarly-themed abilities gained over the course of your class levels, mostly based off of 3.5e prestige classes and unusual base classes. A feature is an ability that has appeared in multiple different classes or that could easily fit in to a number of different classes, unlike specializations and qualities, the exact level that a feature is gained at will be determined by the DM with the exception of spellcasting and situations where a clear distribution is easy to assign (if a character has a total of 10d6 points of sneak attack damage, he would gain the sneak attack damage over his levels at the same rate as a rogue). Features that are not distributed over levels tend to be gained early on, usually within the first 8 levels.

Feature Points: 120

Qualities
Med. BAB: 13 pts, -3 if you have Improved Unarmed Strike, -1 per level of armor proficiency
High BAB: 15 pts, -5 if you have Martial Weapon Proficiency (requires med. BAB)

2nd High Saving Throw: 10
All High Saving Throws: 12 (requires 2nd High Saving Throw)
Increase HD: 8 pts, -2 cost if you have Med. BAB, additional -1 cost if you have High BAB (D12 maximum)
+2 skill points/level: 4 pts (8/level maximum)
Martial Weapon Proficiency: 5 pts
Improved Unarmed Strike (at level 1): 5 pts
Light armor proficiency (and small shields): 2 pts
Medium armor proficiency (and large shields): 3 pts
Heavy armor proficiency (and tower shields): 3 pts
Use Magic Device as class skill: 5 pts

Specializations (no more than two)
Rager: 10 pts (requires chaotic alignment)
Paragon: 6 pts
Healer: 28 pts
Kineticist: 26 pts
Bard: 18 pts
Occult Slayer: 32 pts
Mindbender: 34 pts
Marshal: 32 pts
Assassin: 24 pts (requires 5d6+ sneak attack damage)
Disciple: 38 pts (requires Improved Unarmed Strike and lawful alignment)

Features
Wild Empathy: 3 pts (gained at 1st level)
Animal Companion: 19 pts (as druid, requires Wild Empathy)

Combat Foresight: 14 pts (Int or Wis modifier as dodge bonus to AC, may not be taken multiple times, functions only while unarmored but is not lost when surprised/flatfooted. This feature is gained at 1st level)

Spellcasting: varies

Familiar: 2 pts (requires spellcasting, as sorcerer/wizard)
Geomancy: 6 pts per +1, evenly distributed throughout levels (requires spellcasting, see description, max +5)
Turn Undead: 20 pts (as cleric)
Rebuke Undead: 22 pts (requires necromancy school, as cleric)

Armored Casting (requires corresponding armor proficiency, no spell failure for casting in...)
Light armor: 6 pts, -2 if you have a medium BAB, free if you have a high BAB.
Medium armor: 6 pts, -2 if you have a medium BAB, free if you have a high BAB. (requires light armor casting)
Heavy armor: 4 pts, -2 if you have a medium BAB, free if you have a high BAB. (requires medium armor casting)
none of these abilities allow you to use shields without a chance of arcane spell failure.

Evasion: 6 pts (requires a high reflex save)
Improved Evasion: 5 pts (requires evasion)
Mettle: 6 pts (removes partial effects of spells/abilities on a sucessful fort/will save, requires high fort. and will saves)
Uncanny Dodge: 5 pts, -1 if you have no armor proficiencies
Improved Uncanny Dodge: 6 pts (requires uncanny dodge)

Fast Movement: 3 pts per +5 ft, evenly distributed throughout levels (max +50)

Sneak Attack: 2 pts per 1d6, evenly distributed throughout levels (precision damage no longer applies to spells/magic) (max 10d6)

Skirmish: 4 pts per 1d6 (+1 ac per 2 dice of damage, rounded up), evenly distributed throughout levels (precison damage no longer applies to spells/magic) (max 5d6)

Bonus Feat: 3 pts, evenly distributed throughout levels (max 12)
Bonus Talent: 1 pt, evenly distributed throughout levels (max 12)

And now some explanations: Geomancy is the same as the "Leylines" ability of the Geomancer prestige class, a Talent is basically like a lesser feat (such as Run, Acrobatic, and all those other feats that never get taken because there are clearly better choices out there)

The specializations are based off the following classes
Rager: Barbarian's Rage ability, along with improvements to that ability
Paragon: based loosely off of the Paladin, can exist in flavors other than Lawful Good
Healer: An expanded version of the lay on hands ability that also allows curing of status defects at higher levels (like the Dragon Shaman)
Kineticist: based off of the Pyrokineticist PrC, specific element of damage can be chosen, each element has its own benefits/drawbacks based on how common immunity to that element is.
Bard: A 3.5e Bard's bardic music abilities.
Occult Slayer: based off the PrC of the same name.
Mindbender: Slightly altered version of the PrC of the same name.
Marshal: based off of the Marshal base class.
Assassin: based off of the DMG's Assassin PrC.

A Disciple is basically a monk, but characters taking the Disciple specialization choose one of five 'styles' each based off of one of the five ability scores other than constitution. This was done to 'cure' the monk of his multiple attribute dependency

Style of the Tempered Beast: Based off of Strength, focuses on the Bull Rush mechanic.
Style of the Striking Serpent: Based off of Dexterity, focuses on high mobility.
Style of the Boundless Dream: Based off of Intelligence, focuses on disarming opponents and causing the fatigue condition with an ability similar to Stunning Fist.
Style of the Adamant Mind: Based off of Wisdom, focuses on breaking objects with attacks and focusing a single opponent, most similar to the traditional monk.
Style of the Perfect Self: Based off of Charisma, focuses on demoralizing and weakening opponents and attacking at a distance with ki energy.

Each style gains bonuses specifically designed to counteract mechanics unfriendly to unarmed combat in their area. Disciples of the Adamant Mind, for example, gain the ability to use their wisdom modifier rather than their strength modifier and treat their unarmed strike as a two-handed weapon in opposed checks for sundering weapons. Each style also does damage based on the relevant ability score rather than strength when making unarmed attacks (Disciples of the Tempered Beast apply 1 1/2 their Str modifier to attacks instead) as well as gaining AC bonuses to somewhat offset their lack of armor.

Spellcasting has been significantly changed, it is now only possible to choose up to 3 different schools of magic which you may cast spells from. For example, it costs 77/88/99 feature points to get spell progression up to 9th level with access to 1/2/3 different spell schools, respectively. Divination has been made significantly more self-reliant and many of the more overpowered spells have been removed or nerfed. The list of spells known is a set number, as opposed to wizards who can potentially have access to every spell on the wizard's spell list. The number of spells known will be significantly higher than for a sorcerer, however. There is no longer a difference between Arcane and Divine spells and many Divine spells have been removed. Material Components no longer exist (except for costly material components). Instead, there exists a "counter component" for many spells (possibly every spell, I'm not sure yet). A counter component is a mundane object that is specific to each spell that will completely counteract a spell if the counter component is in the possession of a spell's target, but the counter component is then consumed (for spells affecting more than one target, only the one possessing the CC is unaffected). The counter components for most spells are largely unknown except for a few instances, such as Phantasmal Killer being counteracted by a small object of childhood comfort. The counter-component of a specific spell could be determined with a little research, but I'm operating under the assumption that most spells in the player's handbook are so popular specifically because they have an unusually uncommon CC (or possibly none at all).

In terms of feedback, I would love to hear about more ideas for features and specializations. I prefer to avoid specializations based on unusually specific PrC's. I would also like feedback on the balance in terms of point costs (the average character class made using this system should be roughly Tier 4 or 5, significantly stronger than a Fighter) and any glaring flaws. For the purpose of finding rules loopholes, assume access to most of the feats in the Player's Handbook and Player's Handbook II (excluding Leadership). I would also like to include the Druid's Wildshape as a feature or specialization, but I can't figure out a way to include it that would be balanced.

bobthe6th
2011-11-13, 05:44 PM
I really like the idea of a custome classes, much like I liked the idea of generic classes. but some ideas...

to balence magic without a ton of nerfing, you could make it like psionics. spells don't scale freely, but they do scale all the way. then just give full casters the PP of full manifesters and make them pay PP = CL for spells to be at full power. make summon monster into create astral construct, and make all the gate/planer binding summon simple generic creatures like the constructs. all of these can look like whatever the caster wishes, so gate can still seem to summon a balor but with less broken. bam, conjuration is a lot less book work and a lot less broken. for extra fun perhapce kick all the damage spells out, and make healing/harming the necromancy it should be... summon energy my ass, it is manipulation of life energy, the very idea of necromancy.


might use the shape shifting variant from PHBII for the druid, with perhaps some custom forms... perhaps let them get a form that slowly grows in power, with additional forms every few levels.

like at first level it gets a natural attack and some nat ac, then next level they can add a another natural attack or a breath weapon ect., but the choices of abilities are set in stone. then at like 4th level they get another form of equal power, gaining power at the same rate as the main form. this repeats at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th for a total of 6 forms at 20th. so if a player wants to make a warewolf it isn't crazy overpowered, and you don't need to memorize the MMs so you know all the broken monsters.

as for an interesting feature/spechilazation, how about maneuvers? make them expensive and limited like spell casting, 1-3 schools depending on the amount of feature points you spend and recovery methods that lower the point cost. so a sword sages recovery method would lower the price by like 20 points, were the warblades and crusaders would be normal, and a method were you regain a manuver every time you drop a foe would lower it by like 30.

another idea would be to add a combo feature. you buy a combo with feature points, an if you pull it off you get an affect. so like a charge bull rush followed by a trip the next round followed by a DC X jump check activates the combo move frenzied drop that lets you attack adding the amount you passed the jump check by to damage.


edit: could you give some more detail the specializations? I would like to try this in a campaign I'm starting... would help me not need to read a dozen homebrew links...

edit 2: you might want to make spells custom as well, with a set amount of feature points that are based on spell level. so like damage would be one facet, a condition would be another, area, range ect. so you could say make the spell sleep, and at higher levels you could make a fireball that causes the affected to be blinded.

Anachronity
2011-11-13, 07:22 PM
@bobthe6th: I see what you're saying, basically they would create their own custom form, like choosing between rend or a wolf's trip at level 5 (presumably with more options than that) including types of natural attacks and then basically describe what the form looks like. That's a pretty cool idea.

The combo thing you're talking about sounds much more like a higher-level feat with a few prerequisites than an actual class feature.

The custom spell thing will either be too limited to possibly encompass all the different things spells can do or be far too easy to break. I will be encouraging custom spell creation by my players, but I'm going to rely on my extensive experience with D&D (relative to my players, anyways) to ensure the spells they make are balanced rather than a time-consuming are difficult-to-balance system

I don't like maneuvers, or anything else from book of the nine swords. Using a system similar to the PP system for psionics might be a good idea, though.

Here are the Specializations

Rager
Rage (Ex): A Rager may fly into a rage 1/day for every four levels, starting at 1/day at first level.
While raging, A Rager gains +4 to Strength and constitution, +2 to will saves, and -2 to armor class. A rage lasts for (3 + new constitution modifier) rounds, after which the Rager becomes fatigued. While raging, a Rager cannot use and skills based on Charisma, Dexterity, or Intelligence other than Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride. He cannot use the concentration skill or any ability requiring patience or concentration, including spells and spell-like abilities (but supernatural abilites can be used). Rage may only be used once per encounter.

Improved Rage (Ex): At 9th level, the bonuses from rage increase to +6 strength and constitution, as well as +3 to will saves. They improve again to +8 str/con and +4 will saves at 17th level.

Indomitable Will (Ex): at 10th level, the Rager gets an additional +4 bonus to will saves against enchantment spells and spell-like abilities while raging.

Tireless Rage (Ex): At 13th level, the Rager no longer becomes fatigued after raging.

Paragon
When choosing the Paragon specialization, choose Good, Evil, Law, or Chaos. The Paragon may not choose an alignment that is not part of his own alignment.

A Paragon strives to uphold the core values of his chosen alignment. A Paragon cannot work with
beings of the opposed alignment for prolonged periods of time, nor may he commit any act that clearly contradicts his chosen alignment. In addition to these basic and easy-to-circumvent restrictions, you are expected to play your character in a manner befitting his chosen alignment. Failure to adhere to the chosen alignment reasonably well will cause the Paragon to lose all Paragon abilities. Unintentional results of an action will not count against you if the action in question did not seem likely to generate those results.

Detect Alignment (Sp): The Paragon has the ability to use the alignment detection spell corresponding to the opposing alignment at will (evil opposes good, law opposes chaos).

Smite Alignment (Su): The Paragon may attempt to smite an enemy 1/day per 4 levels,
starting at 1/day at level 1. When attempting a smite attack, the Paragon gains his charisma bonus to the attack roll. If the attack misses, the smite attempt is wasted, but if the attack hits and the enemy is of the opposing alignment (evil opposes good, law opposes chaos), the Paragon does bonus damage on the attack equal to his level.

Protection from Alignment (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the Paragon constantly recieves the benefit of a protection spell against the opposing alignment, gaining +2 to AC and Saves against effects of the opposing alignment, as well as immunity to mind controlling effects and causing aversion to outsiders and elementals of the warded alignment.

Aura (Su): Beginning at 7th level, the Paragon emits an aura with a range of 10 feet. The effect of this aura depends on the Paragon's chosen alignment
Evil: -2 saves to enemies
Good: +2 saves to allies
Chaotic: -2 AC to enemies
Lawful: +2 AC to allies

Healer
Healing Hands (Su): The Healer may heal an amount of damage equal to 8 + (4 x level) + (2 x cha mod) each day. For example, a 8th level character with the Healer prestige and 16 charisma can heal 66 hit points of damage per day. The Healer may spend any amount of his daily healing ability with each use, to a maximum of 4 + (2 x level) + (cha mod) points in a single standard action. This ability can be used to damage undead with a successful touch attack, and the Healer does not decide how many points to spend until after the attack is determined to be successful.

Restoration (Su): Beginning at 6th level, you can spend 6 points of healing to cure the subject of 1 point of ability damage or remove the dazed, fatigued, or sickened condition. For 10 points of healing, you may remove the exhausted, nauseated, or stunned condition or cure the subject of a single instance of poison. You may cure damage and status effects with the same standard action, so long as you do not spend more than the maximum number of points.

Pristine Health (Su): Beginning at 9th level, the cost of using Healing Hands on yourself (including restoration and greater restoration effects) is halved. This also allows you to heal more hit points to yourself in a single standard action than would normally be possible, since you reach the healing limit half as fast.

Greater Restoration (Su): Beginning at 12th level, you can spend 14 points of healing to cure a point of ability drain or remove the blinded or deafened condition or remove a single instance of disease. For 20 points of healing you can remove a negative level.

Restorative Aura (Su): Beginning at 15th level, you gain an aura out to 10 feet that gives all allies fast healing 2. You may supress or resume this aura as a free action.

Kineticist
When choosing the Kineticist specialization, you must choose an element to use out of the following: fire, cold, force, or electricity. Other types of damage (such as negative energy, acid, or physical damage types) may be discussed with the DM.

Fire: you gain +1 damage per die of damage (ex: 2d6+2 instead of 2d6)
Cold: +1 save DC against unarmored or lightly armored organic targets
Electricity: +2 attack/+2 save DC against targets wearing or made of significant amounts of metal (equivalent of medium armor)
Force: -1 damage per die of damage, -1 save DC to Overwhelm (force recieves penalties because almost nothing is immune to force damage).

Energy Lash (Su): beginning at 1st level, you may create a whiplike projection of your chosen energy as a move-equivalent action. As a touch attack (only 5 ft reach), you deal 1d6 points of damage of your chosen element. The Energy Lash persists until dismissed as a free action. The damage increases by 1d6 per 3 levels beyond first. the reach of the lash increases to 10 ft at 6th level, and again to 15 ft at 11th level. The Energy Lash is not physical, and so cannot be used to trip or disarm enemies (even if made of force). Strength bonuses are not added to Energy Lash damage. The Energy Lash is treated as a weapon with regard to sneak attacks, feats, and attacks of opportunity, and can be used with one hand.

Energy Blade (Su): beginning at 2nd level, you may wreathe your hand and any weapon or object (but not your energy lash) held in it with your chosen energy as a move-equivalent action. Objects affected do not take damage from the energy (unless you want it to). If used as a weapon, the object (or your hand) deals 1d6 points of damage of the chosen energy type. This damage increases by 1d6 per 5 levels beyond 2nd. If you desire, you may instead make a melee touch attack to deal only the energy damage. This ability can be dismissed as a move action, and ends immediately if the affected object leaves your hand.

Energy Attunement (Su): at 3rd level, you gain resistance 5 to your chosen element. This resistance increases to 10 at level 6, and to 15 at level 9. At level 12, you become immune to your element.

Energy Bolt (Su): beginning at 5th level, you may make a ranged touch attack (80 ft. range) with a bolt of your chosen energy as a standard action. The energy bolt does 2d6 damage, +1d6 per two levels beyond 5th. In addition, the bolt has an extra effect based on your chosen element:
Fire: -2 to skills and checks for 2 rounds
Cold: -1 to Fortitude saves for 2 rounds
Electricity: -1 to attack for 2 rounds
Force: -1 to AC for 2 rounds

Energy Blast (Su): beginning at 8th level, you may create a 10 ft. burst of your chosen energy as a standard action, with a range of 40 ft. this burst does damage equal to your energy bolt, but does not apply any of the other effects. Those affected may make a reflex save (DC 10+cha mod+1/2 level) for half damage.

Overwhelm (Su): beginning at 16th level, you may overwhelm a target within 20 ft with energy as a full round action. The target must make a fortitude save (DC 10+cha mod+1/2 level) or immediately die, if that save succeeds, the target instead takes 10d6 damage of the appropriate type. If your element is force, the save DC is reduced by 1. This ability does not affect targets who are immune to your element, while targets who are resistant to your element gain a +2 bonus on their save to avoid death.

Bard
The Bard specialization is just the Bardic Knowledge and Bardic music abilities verbatim from the PHB. You might consider nerfing the DC on fascinate, though.

Occult Slayer
Inquisitor's Hand (Ex): The Occult Slayer gains +1 to attack against any opponent capable of casting spells. This bonus increases by +1 for every two spell levels above 1st that the highest level spell that opponent has available to cast is. If the Occult Slayer is using a melee weapon, he gains an additional damage bonus equal to twice the attack bonus. Inquisitor's Hand only accounts for the highest level spell the target has available, not the highest spell level the target knows.

Detect Magic (Sp): The Occult Slayer may use detect magic as the spell at will.

Hunter of Magic (Ex): At any time the Occult Slayer is able to detect magical auras, he may
track a lingering magical aura with a survival check, with the DC depending on the remaining duration of the lingering aura.
5+ rounds remaining: DC 25
1+ minutes remaining: DC 20
3+ minutes remaining: DC 15
5+ minutes remaining: DC 10
The Occult Slayer may track any lingering aura with a remaining duration longer than 8 minutes automatically.

Magical Defense (Ex): The Occult Slayer is highly practiced in evading and resisting magical effects. At 2nd level, the Occult Slayer gains +1 to all saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level and +3 at 8th level.

Bonus Feats: At 3rd level, the Occult Slayer gains Mage Slayer as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. If the Occult Slayer already has that feat, he may choose another feat.

Pierce Defenses (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the Occult Slayer may make a targeted dispel attempt with his attack 3/day as though casting dispel magic, with a bonus equal to his level to the dispel attempt (and not capped at +10). This ability replaces an attack, and must be declared before the result of the attack is known, a miss will consume a daily use of this ability; ongoing spell effects are dispelled before damage is applied, thus an Occult Slayer attempting to dispel a Stoneskin spell with Pierce Defenses would deal full damage with that attack if he succeeded in dispelling the Stoneskin spell. The Occult Slayer may not use this ability more than once per round. He may use this ability once more per day for every 3 levels beyond 4th. The name of this ability only reflects its most common use, the Occult Slayer could instead dispel a negative spell effect on an ally with a touch.

Rebound (Su): Beginning at 5th level, the Occult Slayer may redirect any spell targeted at the Occult Slayer, the Occult Slayer's square, or any adjacent creature or square 1/day. The redirected spell is targeted as though it was cast from the Occult Slayer's square, with the Occult Slayer making all relevant targetting decisions. For spells with multiple targets, the Occult Slayer can only redirect the spell if all of the targets are adjacent, although he may still use this ability to cancel himself as a target even if the other targets are not adjacent. The Occult Slayer may use this ability 2/day at 10th level, 3/day at 15th level, and 4/day at 20th level.

Vicious Strikes (Ex): At 7th level and higher, if the Occult Slayer attacks an enemy while that enemy is casting a spell (by readying an action, usually), the Occult Slayer does double damage for that attack (which affects the DC of the resulting concentration check).

Spell Resistance (Su): At 10th level, the Occult Slayer gains spell resistance equal to 12 + his class level.

Singular Purpose (Ex): At 17th level, any spellcaster that the Occult Slayer hits with an attack
must make a DC (10 + Wisdom Modifier + 1/2 level) fortitude save or die. The target must have a
Base Attack Bonus less than or equal to four times the Occult Slayer's Inquisitor's Hand bonus
against that target for Singular Purpose to work. If the attack is delivered with a melee weapon,
the DC is increased by 3.

Mindbender
Telepathy (Su): The Mindbender can communicate telepathically with a range of 20 ft, +10 ft per level beyond 1st to a maximum of 100 ft at 9th level. This allows the Mindbender to communicate with any creature that has a language. The mindbender must be able to telepathically communicate with a creature in order to use Charm, Mindread, Push the Weak Mind, Visage of Horror, Dominate, or Mindfreak.

Charm (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, the Mindbender may use charm person as a spell-like ability 1/day, except that the duration is 5 minutes per level and the range is equal to the range of the Mindbender's telepathy (DC 11 + Int mod). The Mindbender may use this ability an additional time per day for every 3 levels beyond 2nd. At 8th level, this ability becomes charm monster rather than charm person (DC 14 + Int mod).

Manipulation (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level, the Mindbender gains a +1 competence bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive. These bonuses increase by +1 for every 3 levels beyond 3rd, to a maximum of +5 at 15th level.

Mindread (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the Mindbender may read the surface thoughts of a creature within range of his telepathy as a standard action, but must be able to see the subject. The subject is allowed a will save DC 10 + 1/2 level + Int modifier in order to resist this effect, success indicates that the Mindbender cannot attempt to read the same creature's thoughts again for an hour. The effect lasts as long as the Mindbender maintains concentration (the use of this ability draws some attention, but the Mindbender can use this ability discreetly with a bluff check opposed by an observer's sense motive check. If the observer has reason to believe his mind is being read (and is correct in this assumption), he gets a +4 bonus to this check).

Enthrall (Sp): Beginning at 5th level, the Mindbender may change the duration of his Charm ability to 48 hours 1/day. This ability can be used 2/day at 12th level.

Push the Weak Mind (Sp): Beginning at 6th level, the Mindbender may use Suggestion as a spell-like ability 2/day, plus an additional time per day per 3 levels beyond 6th. The will save for this effect is DC 13 + Int modifier. Unlike the normal suggestion spell, this Suggestion lasts 20 minutes per level and has a range equal to the range of the Mindbender's telepathy.

Visage of Horror (Sp): Beginning at 9th level, the Mindbender may use Phantasmal Killer as a spell-like ability 1/day, plus an additional time per day per 4 levels beyond 9th. The save DC for this effect is DC 15 + Int modifier. Unlike the normal Phantasmal Killer spell, the range is equal to the Mindbender's telepathy range.

Dominate (Sp): Beginning at 15th level, the Mindbender may use Dominate Monster as a spell-like ability 1/day. The will save for this effect is DC 18 + Int modifier. Unlike the normal Dominate Monster spell, this Dominate Monster lasts for 2 hours per level, has a range equal to the Mindbender's telepathy range, and automatically succeeds against targets already dominated by the Mindbender (thus renewing the duration). The Mindbender may use this ability 2/day at 20th level.

MINDFREAK!!! (Sp): Beginning at 19th level, the Mindbender may use Wierd as a spell-like ability 1/day. The save DC for this effect is DC 19 + Int modifier. Unlike the normal Wierd spell, the range of this ability is equal to the Mindbender's telepathy range and all targets must be within that range.

Marshal
Auras (Ex): The Marshal may project one minor aura and one major aura at the same time. Auras may be activated as a swift action and deactivated as a free action. The Marshal's aura is not magical in origin, and involves "haranguing, ordering, directing, encouraging, cajoling, or calming" allies in order for the benefits to be gained. Thus, if an ally is unable to hear or act upon the Marshal's communication (often verbal, although not always) that ally will not recieve the benefits of the aura (for example, if the ally is confused or simultaneously blind and deaf). The Marshal's aura normally affects all allies within 60 ft, including the Marshal. Auras do not function of the Marshal is dazed, unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to be heard or understood by allies.

Minor Auras: The Marshal knows one minor aura at level 1, and learns an additional minor aura every two levels afterwards until 8 minor auras are known (i.e. levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15). Minor auras grant bonuses of an amount equal to the Marshal's charisma modifier.

Major Auras: The Marshal chooses a major aura at level 2 and gains an additional major aura every four levels afterwards. The bonus a major aura provides is equal to the total number of major auras the Marshal knows.

All bonuses granted by a Marshal's auras are circumstance bonuses and do not stack with eachother.


Grant Move Action (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the Marshal may, as a standard action, grant all allies within 30 ft other than himself an immediate move action. These move actions are resolved during the Marshal's turn, after which the turn order continues normally. The Marshal may use this ability an additional 1/day for every 4 levels beyond 4th. This ability follows the same restrictions as the Marshal's auras with regards to the Marshal needing to effectively communicate with those affected.

list of minor auras
Accurate Strike: Cha bonus to critical confirmation rolls
Art of War: Cha bonus to disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts
Demand Fortitude: Cha bonus on Fortitude saves
Determined Caster: Cha bonus on rolls to overcome spell resistance
Force of Will: Cha bonus on Will saves
Master of Opportunity: Cha bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity
Master of Tactics: Cha bonus to damage rolls when flanking
Motivate Charisma: Cha bonus to Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks
Motivate Constitution: Cha bonus to Constitution checks and Constitution-based skill checks
Motivate Dexterity: Cha bonus to Dexterity checks, Dexterity-based skill checks, and initiative
Motivate Intelligence: Cha bonus to Intelligence checks and Intelligence-based skill checks
Motivate Strength: Cha bonus to Strength checks and Strength-based skill checks
Motivate Wisdom: Cha bonus to Wisdom checks and Wisdom-based skill checks
Over the Top: Cha bonus to damage rolls when charging
Watchful Eye: Cha bonus on Reflex saves

list of major auras (MAB=Major Aura Bonus)
Hardy Soldiers: MAB as damage reduction
Motivate Ardor: MAB to damage rolls
Motivate Attack: MAB to attack rolls
Motivate Care: MAB to Armor Class
Motivate Urgency: MAB x 5 to movement speed
Resilient Troops: MAB to all saves

Assassin
Poison Use (Ex): An Assassin may not accidentally poison himself when applying poison to a blade.

Poison Resistance (Ex): An Assassin of 2nd level or higher gets a +1 bonus to saves against poison. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level and to +3 at 8th level.

Bonus Feat: The Assassin gains Improved Feint as a bonus feat at 3rd level. He may choose another feat if he already has Improved Feint.

Death Attack (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, if the Assassin studies a specific victim for 3 rounds, then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully applies sneak attack damage, the victim must make a fortitude save DC 10 + level + Intelligence modifier or either die or become paralyzed (Assassin's choice). The Assassin can undertake other activities while studying the target as long as he remains focused on the target (no fighting), but the target must either be completely unaware of the Assassin as a combatant (the Assassin may not make a death attack after becoming invisible in an ongoing combat if the target saw the Assassin earlier in the combat and has any significant suspicion that the Assassin is still present) or not be aware the Assassin is studying him if in a non-combat situation (if visible to the target, the Assassin may make a bluff check at a +10 bonus opposed by the target's sense motive check to conceal his intent) and not have any (good) reason to believe the Assassin is unfriendly. If the Death Attack is used to paralyze the victim, the paralysis lasts for 1d6 rounds, plus an additional round per level of the Assassin. After studying the victim, the Assassin must make the Death Attack within 3 rounds, during which any sneak attack on the victim may be a death attack. Once a Death Attack is successfully made (regardless of whether the victim fails or succeeds his saving throw) the ability ends, and the Assassin must spend another 3 rounds of studying to make a second Death Attack (assuming the target somehow was not made aware of the Death Attack). The Assassin may also choose to paralyze the victim of a Coup de Grace attack, in which case the damage dealt is subdual. The paralysis lasts the same duration as for a Death Attack.

Invisibility (Sp): Beginning at 8th level, the Assassin may cast invisibility as a spell-like ability 3/day.

Combat Study (Ex): Beginning at 11th level, the Assassin may study a target for Death Attack even if the target is aware of him. The Assassin no longer needs to remain focused on the target when studying him, but the Assassin may not study more than one target at a time.

Efficient Killer (Ex): Beginning at 20th level, the Assassin can sacrifice 3 dice of damage from any sneak attack to make it a Death Attack, but only during his turn and not more than once per round.

Disciple - None of the Styles except the Style of the Striking Serpent are finished yet, I would appreciate suggestions on abilities. There should be roughly one ability each for levels 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, and 16-20, although many of the abilities are just there to offset the mechanical disadvantages of using unarmed strikes to perform special combat actions (it is not directly mentioned here, but the improved unarmed strike feat causes your unarmed attacks to be considered as two-handed for the purposes of disarming opponents.)
When taking this specialization, you must choose from one of four combat styles.
Style of the Tempered Beast
Style of the Striking Serpent
Style of the Boundless Dream
Style of the Adamant Will
Style of the Perfect Self

Ki Strike (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the Disciple's unarmed attacks are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances, damage reduction, and various types of defenses (such as incorporeality).

Purity of Body (Ex): Beginning at 6th level, the Disciple is immune to all diseases that are not magical or supernatural. At 9th level, he is immune to all poisons.

Diamond Soul (Su): Beginning at 14th level, the Disciple gains spell resistance equal to 10 + level.

Timeless Body (Ex): Beginning at 17th level, the Disciple no longer ages or accrues penalties to physical abilities due to aging. The mental bonuses of aging still apply, and the Disciple still dies when his lifespan ends.

Perfection: At 20th level the Disciple's type changes to Outsider (native) and the Disciple gains Damage Reduction 10/magic. The Disciple may still be brought back to life as though he were a creature of his original type, and may be treated as a creature of his original type in any situation where having the Outsider type would be detrimental.

Styles
When choosing the Disciple of the Fist specialization, choose a single style of combat. Once chosen, the style cannot be changed. The initial list of non level-dependent benefits for each style only apply if the Disciple is fighting unarmed and unarmored.


Style of the Tempered Beast

Your unarmed strikes gain 1+1/2 times your strength modifier to damage, rather than the usual 1 times. In addition, you may initiate a bull rush as part of any successful unarmed attack (decided after all other effects of the attack are determined) so long as that attack is made during your turn and you have enough movement left for that turn to perform the bull rush.


Enhanced Bull Rush (Ex)
You gain the Improved Bull Rush feat fo' free at 1st level. Beginning at 3rd level, you may add up to 5 feet to the distance of any successful Bull Rush, plus another 5 feet per 5 levels beyond 3rd.


Dragon Kick (Ex)
Beginning at 5th level, you may perform a Dragon Kick as a full-round action. You make a single melee attack against an opponent at a +2 bonus. If this attack hits, you may make a bull rush attempt without entering the target's square, and may push that opponent any distance, up to the full distance indicated by the opposed bull rush check, without moving with the target. If the target collides with a wall during this movement, he takes 1d6 damage for each 5 feet of knockback remaining. If the target would collide with another creature, the second creature must make a reflex save with a DC equal to (10 + 1/2 your level + your str mod) or be struck by the initial target. In such a case, if the creature struck is no more than one siza category smaller than the initial target, the target's movement stops and both the target and the other creature take damage as if the target had struck a wall. The creature struck must then make a special opposed strength check as though being tripped, with you using your initial bull rush check and the size modifier of the initial target, or be knocked prone. if the creature struck is two or more size categories smaller than the initial target, that creature is dealt 1d6 damage per 5 feet of knockback remaining and knocked prone while the initial target continues moving past. In any case, the initial target is knocked prone unless it beats your initial bull rush check by 5 or more. Like most bull rush attempts, you may only bull rush the initial target if it is not more than one size category larger than you. However, if the target is not more than two size categories larger than you then a dragon kick can still knock it prone (but not move it). A Dragon Kick does not count as a full attack action, so enhanced mobility does not apply. At 12th level and higher, you may make a Dragon Kick as a standard action.


Strength of the Monkey King (Ex)
Beginning at 15th level, you gain a bonus on all opposed strength checks equal to half of your
opponent's strength modifier, while your opponent is penalized by the same amount.


Style of the Striking Serpent

Your unarmed strikes do bonus piercing damage equal to your dexterity modifier. This bonus is lost against creatures that are immune to critical hits. You may also use your dexterity modifier in place of your strength modifier as a bonus on attack rolls, as though with the Weapon Finesse feat. In addition, you gain a 5 ft movement bonus for every 2 points of dexterity bonus you have and may deflect a single projectile aimed at you with a DC 15 reflex save once per round. You cannot deflect unusual or extraordinary projectiles, and must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. If the projectile has a magical enhancement bonus, the save DC increases by that amount. You also gain Uncanny Dodge, but only gain the benefits while unarmored. The Uncanny Dodge ability of this style qualifies you for the Improved Uncanny Dodge feature, but that feature will also only function while unarmored (unless you also take the normal Uncanny Dodge for some strange reason).


Flurry of Blows (Ex)
Beginning at 3rd level, when making a full attack while unarmed, you may make an additional unarmed attack at your highest attack bonus.


Sudden Strike (Ex)
Beginning at 8th level, you may move up to your maximum movespeed and make a single unarmed attack as a standard action while unarmored. The movement must occur before the attack but does not provoke attacks of opportunity.


Blurred Stance (Su)
Beginning at 13th level, you may avoid 50% of attacks as though benefiting from total concealment until the start of your next turn as a move-equivalent action. This ability does not grant any other benefits of total concealment, and does not work if you are wearing armor.


Abundant Step (Su)
Beginning at 18th level, you may teleport up to 15 feet in any direction as part of any move action, charge, or use of your Sudden Strike ability (but not a move-equivalent action) while unarmored. The teleportation may take place at any point in the movement, but cannot be spread out among multiple teleports. This ability does not provoke attacks of opportunity (although the movement might) and may not be used more than once per turn.


Style of the Boundless Dream

You may use your intelligence modifier in place of your strength modifier when determining attack and damage bonuses and when making disarm attempts. You gain a dodge bonus to Armor Class equal to your intelligence bonus while unarmored. This bonus is not lost when surprised or flat-footed, but does not stack with the Combat Foresight feature.


Bonus Feat
You gain Improved Disarm as a bonus feat at level 1


Tiring Strike (Ex)
Once per round, during your turn, you may replace a normal unarmed attack with a tiring strike. You must declare that an attack is a tiring strike before it is rolled. If the tiring strike hits, the target must make a DC (10 + 1/2 level + int modifier) will save or become fatigued for 3 rounds. You may use this ability 3/day, plus an additional time per day for every 2 character levels. If a target fails a saving throw against your Tiring Strike while already exhausted, it falls unconscious for 3d10 minutes. Creatures without discernable anatomies are immune to this ability, as are undead, constructs, and creatures who do not sleep.


Rolling Weapon (Ex)
Beginning at 9th level, whenever you successfully disarm an opponent's melee weapon you may immediately make a single attack on that opponent using the weapon. You are considered proficient with the weapon for the purpose of this attack if the weapon is not exotic and may use your intelligence modifier in place of your strength modifier as a bonus to attack and damage. You may emulate the momentum of a disarmed weapon as a move-equivalent action, allowing you to use your intelligence modifier in place of your strength modifier and gain proficiency benefits with a held weapon for a single attack.


Sleepwalk (Su)
Beginning at 13th level, you may spend 3 rounds murmuring to an unconscious subject. If the subject fails a DC (12 + 1/2 level + int modifier) will save, the subject immediately regains consciousness and you gain control of the subject as though through a domination spell for 1 hour per character level. This ability is a mind-affecting domination effect. If the effect ends or is surpressed before the subject would otherwise regain consciousness, the subject again falls unconscious.


Style of the Adamant Will

You may use your wisdom modifier in place of your strength modifier when determining attack and damage bonuses. In addition, your unarmed strikes are treated as a two-handed weapon for sunder attempts. You may use your wisdom modifier in place of your strength modifier when making sunder attempts. You gain a dodge bonus to Armor Class equal to your wisdom bonus while unarmored. This bonus is not lost when surprised or flat-footed, but does not stack with the Combat Foresight feature.


Bonus Feat
You gain Improved Sunder as a bonus feat at level 1


Stunning Fist (Ex)
Once per round, during your turn, you may replace a normal unarmed attack with a stunning attack. You must declare that an attack is a stunning attack before it is rolled, thus a missed attack wastes a daily use. If the stunning attack deals damage to the target, he must make a DC (10 + 1/2 level + wis modifier) fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. You may use this ability 3/day, plus an additional time per day for every 2 character levels. Creatures without discernable anatomies are immune to this ability, as are undead, constructs, and similar creatures.


Unyielding Hands (Ex)
Beginning at 3rd level, your unarmed attacks ignore an amount of hardness equal to your wisdom modifier when striking objects. At 7th level, this amount doubles to twice your wisdom modifier. At 11th level, your unarmed strikes are considered to be adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and ignoring hardness.


Unerring Gaze (Su)
Beginning at 9th level, you may choose a single target that is visible to you and within direct line-of-sight as the target of Unerring Gaze as a full-round action. You then gain +2 to attack and damage against this target. In addition, the save DC of your Stunning Fist and Quivering Palm abilities increase by 2 when used against the target and you can see through all magical effects concealing the target as though with a True Seeing spell. You are aware of the target's exact location for as long as the target remains on the same plane as you and this ability is active, but the effects of Unerring Gaze are lost if you lose direct line-of-sight to the target and do not regain it within 4 rounds. Unerring Gaze may be used with minimal concentration in non-combat situations, but you may not engage in any sort of combat while activating Unerring Gaze.


Quivering Palm (Ex)
Beginning at 12th level, you may replace a normal unarmed attack with a Quivering Palm attack 1/day, but only once per round and only during your turn. You must declare that an attack is a Quivering Palm attack before it is rolled, but a missed attack does not waste a daily use of Quivering Palm. If the Quivering Palm deals damage to the target, he must make a DC (13 + 1/2 level + wis modifier) fortitude save or immediately die. Quivering Palm may be used an additional time per day for every 5 levels beyond 12th. Creatures without discernable anatomies are immune to this ability, as are undead, constructs, and similar creatures. The death effect from Quivering Palm is not magical, and thus is not prevented by spells or effects that would not prevent death from normal hitpoint damage.


Style of the Perfect Self

You may use your charisma modifier in place of your strength modifier when determining damage bonuses on unarmed attacks. In addition, adjacent enemies have their armor class reduced by an amount equal to your charisma modifier and enemies who make attack rolls against you recieve a morale penalty to their attack roll equal to your charisma modifier (enemies who are immune to fear are immune to morale penalties).


Wave Fist (Su)
Beginning at 3rd level you may make ranged attacks with your unarmed strikes at a range of 30 feet, no increment. When making these attacks, you may use your charisma modifer when determining both attack and damage bonuses, rather than your dexterity and strength modifiers. You may not apply your charisma bonus to the attack modifier if the target is already having his armor class reduced by your Syle of the Perfect Self benefits.

If you see the term "prestige," that's just the old name for what I now call a specialization (I felt that it shouldn't be called a prestige when it is completely reasonable for a character to have more than one of it).

Also something I forgot to mention: there is a statistic that every character has called "enhanced mobility" which is equal to 5*(1/2 dex modifier). A character may move a distance of up to 5 ft + his enhanced mobility value before making a full attack, but this movement cannot exceed half of the character's movement speed and provokes attacks of opportunity from any opponent that is not being attacked in the ensuing full attack. There will likely be one or more feats to improve a character's enhanced mobility statistic.

bobthe6th
2011-11-13, 08:05 PM
the idea with the combo is similar to the tactical feats, were you need to do x then y then z to get benefit A, so there is a reason to do something other than full attack. if you get rid of ToB then you might want to give melee some more options... perhapce a spechilazation that lets you add int/combat to a lot of combat effects, like insightful strike/weapon expertise. so perhaps

fencing

skillful strike(EX): at first level you get the weapon finesse feat for free. when you use weapon finesse on a weapon you add your dexterity modifier to damage in place of your strength score. this damage bonus does not apply against targets immune to precision damage.

precise strike(EX): at 5th level, you may add your int modifier to attack roll when you are finessing a weapon.

basic anatomy(EX): at 9th level, you may add your int modifier to damage rolls when you are finessing a weapon. this bonus damage does not ably against targets with immunity to precision damage.

basic engendering(EX): at 13th level, you may apply damage from basic anatomy and skillful strike against constructs and undead.

abnormal studies(EX): at 17th level, you may apply the damage from basic anatomy and skillful strike against any target normally immune to precision damage.


now you don't need to be a rouge to fight intelligently.

Anachronity
2011-11-15, 10:48 PM
I made a Shapeshifter specialization based on bobthe6th's suggestion. I think it should probably be priced at about 34 points considering it is more extensive than most other specializations.

Shapeshifter
Shapeshift (Su): The Shapeshifter can assume an alternate form from 1st level. This form is the same size as the Shapeshifter's normal size, and may be bipedal or multipedal at the Shapeshifter's option. Multipedal forms can carry heavier loads and gain bonuses against trip attacks, but may have difficulty using equipment designed for humanoids. When in the alternate form, the Shapeshifter gains his choice of a natural attack from the following list

Bite: 1d6 + str mod (cannot be used in conjunction with a gore or tail slap)
2 Claws: 1d4 + str mod each
Gore: 1d6 + str mod (cannot be used in conjunction with a bite or tail slap)

If the Shapeshifter has more than 2 types of natural attacks, he must choose a single type as his primary natural attack. All attacks other than the primary attack take a -5 penalty to hit and only gain 1/2 str mod to damage.
In addition, the Shapeshifter gains both scent and low-light vision and gains a +2 bonus to his choice of strength, dexterity, or constitution. All choices are made when the Shapeshifter first assumes an alternate form, and can be changed each time if desired. The Shapeshifter can maintain his alternate form for a number of rounds per day equal to his constitution modifier plus twice his level (con mod + 2 x level). Improvements to constitution from using Shapeshift do not increase the time that can be spent in a Shapeshifted form. The exact appearance of the alternate form is up to the Shapeshifter and may be insectoid, reptilian, mammalian, or any other characteristics that are not excessive or fantastic. Changing forms requires a standard action (and another standard action to change back).
The Shapeshifter gains an additional natural attack at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level.


Special Attack: Beginning at 3rd level, the Shapeshifter gains one of the following special attacks when assuming an alternate form with the Shapeshift ability.
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Trip Attack (Ex) (requires bite attack): The Shapeshifter may attemp to trip the subject of a successful bite attack as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If the trip attempt fails, the target may not react to attempt to trip the Shapeshifter.

Improved Grab (Ex) (requires bite, claw, or tentacle attack): The Shapeshifter may initiate a grapple as a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity upon a successful attack with any of the required natural weapons.

Rend (Ex) (requires claw attacks): If the Shapeshifter hits a single target with two or more claw attacks in a full attack action, he deals an additional amount of damage equal to two of the type of die used to determine claw attack damage plus 1 1/2 str bonus.

Rake (Ex): If the Shapeshifter begins his turn in a grapple, he can make two additional rake attacks at 1d4 + 1/2 str mod damage each without the usual penalty to attack for a secondary attack. The Shapeshifter may also make these rake attacks as part of a pounce.

Pounce (Ex) (requires claw attacks): The Shapeshifter may make a full attack at the end of a charge action.

Powerful Charge (Ex) (requires gore attack): The Shapeshifter deals damage with his gore attack as a creature 3 size categories larger (1d6 -> 3d6, 1d8 -> 4d6) and uses 1 1/2 times his str bonus if that gore attack is made as part of a charge or partial charge.

Venomous Bite (Ex) (requires bite attack): your bite attacks are poisonous (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + con modifier, initial/secondary damage of 1d4 con).
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Form Control (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the stat bonus while Shapeshifted improves to +4 to one stat and +2 to a second stat chosen from str, dex, or con (up from the original +2). In addition, the amount of time the Shapeshifter may remain Shapeshifted each day is doubled.


Improved Natural Attacks (Ex): Beginning at 5th level, the Shapeshifter may choose natural attacks from either the previous table or the following table. All natural attacks chosen from the previous table increase in damage by one category (1d4 -> 1d6, 1d6 -> 1d8). The Shapeshifter also gains the benefits of the multiattack feat while in his alternate form (secondary attack type penalty reduced to -2). The Shapeshifter may not choose a type of natural attack more than once with the exception of the tentacle natural attack.

Tail Slap: 1d10 + str mod (cannot be used in a grapple or in conjunction with a bite, sting, or gore)
2 Tentacles: 1d4 + 1/2 str mod (can be chosen more than once)
Sting: 1d4 + 1/2 str mod + poison (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + con modifier, initial/secondary damage of 1d6 dex) (cannot be used in conjunction with a tail slap)


The Shapeshifter may also choose a second special attack type for which he meets the requirements. In addition, the Shapeshifter's natural attacks now count as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.


Improved Form Control (Ex): Beginning at 8th level, the Shapeshifter may take forms that are one size category larger or smaller than his normal form, with a corresponding modification to reach and natural weapon damage. In addition, the stat bonus while Shapeshifted improves to +6 to one stat and +4 to a second stat chosen from str, dex, or con. A large-sized creature gains 5 ft of reach to attacks made with claws and weapons if bipedal and gains reach to bite attacks if quadrupedal. A large-sized creature gains 5 ft of reach with tail slap attacks regardless of form and gains 5 ft of reach with up to two tentacle attacks (even if more than two are possessed). Further, the amount of time the Shapeshifter may remain Shapeshifted each day is doubled again to 4x the original limit.


Greater Natural Attacks (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, the Shapeshifter may choose any of the following in place of a natural attack.
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Cruel Bite: The Shapeshifter's bite attack gains a threat range of 19-20/x3 and increases in damage by one category (1d8 -> 2d6 or 2d6 -> 3d6).

Fly Speed: The Shapeshifter gains wings and a fly speed equal to twice his land speed with good maneuverability. In addition, the Shapeshifter gains two wing buffet attacks that do 1d4 + 1/2 str mod, but cannot use these while flying.

Swiftness: The Shapeshifter's land speed increases by 30 feet, this does not affect other modes of movement, even if those modes of movement are based on land speed.

Burrow Speed: The Shapeshifter gains a burrow speed equal to half his land speed (rounded down). In addition, the Shapeshifter's claw attacks (if any) increase in damage by one category (1d6 -> 1d8 or 1d8 -> 2d6).

Fast Healing: The Shapeshifter gains fast healing 3. This value increases by 1 per 3 levels beyond 10th.
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In addition, the Shapeshifter gains a swim speed equal to his land speed when in a form with a tail slap attack and gains a climb speed equal to 3/4 his land speed (rounded down) when in a form with claws or tentacles as natural weapons.


Improved Special Attack: Beginning at 11th level, the Shapeshifter may choose either an additional special attack from the Special Attack table or any of the following Improved Special Attacks.
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Breath Weapon (Su): 30 ft. cone, 5d6 fire or acid damage, (chosen upon Shapeshifting) DC (10 + 1/2 HD + con modifier) reflex save for half. Damage increases by 1d6 per 2 levels beyond 9th.

Electric Shock (Su): 10 ft. burst, 3d8 electricity damage, DC (10 + 1/2 HD + con modifier) reflex save for half. Victims failing their reflex save must make an additional fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. Damage increases by 1d8 per 3 levels beyond 9th.

Fearsome Roar (Su): All Creatures within 120 feet must make a DC (13 + 1/2 HD + cha modifier) will save or be shaken. Creatures within 30 feet that fail their will save are frightened instead. Allies of the Shapeshifter are not affected by this ability (unless they do not recognize the Shapeshifter as an ally).
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The Shapeshifter may use a total of 3 Improved Special Attacks per day, regardless of the number of times he Shapeshifts. This limit increases to 5/day at 16th level.


Greater Form Control (Ex): Beginning at 14th level, the Shapeshifter may Shapeshift as a move action. In addition, the stat bonus while Shapeshifted improves to +6 to two stats chosen from str, dex, or con and +2 to the third stat not chosen.


Flurry of Fangs (Ex): Beginning at 15th level, the Shapeshifter may make an additional attack with a claw or bite in a full attack action by taking a -2 penalty to all other attacks for that action.


Second Nature (Ex): Beginning at 16th level, the Shapeshifter is no longer limited in how long he may maintain his Shapeshift ability.


Greater Special Attack: Beginning at 18th level, the Shapeshifter may choose either an additional special attack from the Special Attack table or any of the following Greater Special Attacks.
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Petrifying Breath (Su): 30 ft. Cone, DC (10 + 1/2 HD + con modifier) fortitude save or be permanently turned to stone.

Death Gaze (Su): 30 ft. Gaze, DC (10 + 1/2 HD + con modifier) fortitude save or die. This ability does not affect allies like most gaze attacks. This ability can be activated or deactivated during your turn as a free action, but every 3 rounds (rounded up) that it is active counts as a daily use of your Greater Special Attack ability.
------------
The Shapeshifter may use a total of 3 Greater Special Attacks per day, regardless of the number of times he Shapeshifts.

Form Mastery (Ex): At 20th level the Shapeshifter is no longer vulnerable to precision-based damage (critical hits, sneak attacks, etc.) and cannot have his form altered against his will (including petrification). In addition, he may take forms up to two size categories different from his normal form when Shapeshifting.


now you don't need to be a rouge to fight intelligently.

Sneak attack is very similar thematically to intelligence-based precision damage bonuses, you do not have to be a rogue in this system to take sneak attack damage, nor do you need to take a full 10d6 progression. There is also a feature that allows you to gain a dodge bonus to AC equal to your int modifier while unarmored. It might be a good choice to allow that feature to work with light armor, however.

Anachronity
2011-11-17, 01:36 PM
I just got finished with the list and descriptions of almost all the feats. I plan on expanding upon the Combat Expertise tree and possibly adding more feats for casters since I removed all of the metamagic feats. I will also probably add more feats like Far Hand and Hide in Plain Sight (in particular, a modified version of Leap of the Heavens), but this is mostly complete.

Feats are much stronger on average (but there are hopefully fewer broken feats) and favor fighter-type characters over spellcasters. Talents are about on-par with the strongest of feats that never got taken (mostly because there were always a few feats that were much better, talents no longer need to compete with these feats).

Be warned that this is a fairly large spoiler, as this is about 1 1/2 books' worth of feats/talents. There is a table to go with all of these, but it is not legible when copy/pasted into the format this forum uses.

Feats

There are 2 new classifications of feats: Dedicated and Supernatural

Dedicated feats require the specification of one or more options upon taking the feat. The options, once chosen, cannot later be changed. A dedicated feat can be taken multiple times, but two instances of the same feat cannot be dedicated to the same option. If a dedicated feat has another dedicated feat as a prerequisite and both feats refer to the same type of option (weapon types, armor types, skill types, etc.), you can only dedicate that feat to something its prerequisite is dedicated to (for example, if you take Spell Focus (conjuration), you could not use it as a prerequisite for Spell Focus (necromancy)).

Supernatural feats are treated exactly like supernatural abilities and do not work in situations where a supernatural ability would not work (such as in an antimagic zone). These feats represents an individual's mastery of some aspect, skill, or ability to the point where the individual gains supernatural proficiency.

Augment Summoning (feat, general)
Requirements: Spell Focus (conjuration)
Benefit: Any creature conjured by a spell you cast gains a +4 enhancement bonus to strength and constitution for the duration of the spell that summoned it.

Adaptable Flanker (feat, general)
Requirements: Vexing Flanker, BAB +4
Benefit: For the purpose of determining flanking, you are considered to be in every square adjacent to you that you could occupy in addition to the square you currently occupy.

Armor Focus (feat, general)
Requirements: proficiency with heavy armor, BAB +6
Benefit: When wearing armor, you increase its armor bonus to AC by 1. In addition, you reduce the armor check penalty of armor you wear by 2.

Armor Specialization (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: Armor Focus, BAB +12
Benefit: When wearing medium or heavy armor of masterwork quality, you gain damage reduction 2/-. When wearing light armor of masterwork quality, you gain damage reduction 1/-. This damage reduction stacks with other types of damage reduction, as it reflects your ability to catch incoming blows in just the right way due to your familiarity with the armor. As such, you also lose this damage reduction in situations where you are denied your dexterity bonus to armor class.

Blind-Fight (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: If you would miss an attack due to concealment, you may reroll the concealment check once more and use the results of the new roll instead.
You do not lose your dexterity bonus to armor class or take any other armor class penalties because you cannot see an opponent.
You do not take any penalties to movespeed for being blind.

Butcher (feat, general)
Requirements: Great Cleave, BAB +6
Benefit: Whenever you gain an extra attack from your Great Cleave feat (whether or not you are able to use it), you gain a cumulative +2 morale bonus to all attack rolls you make until the end of the encounter. You may not gain this bonus more than once per creature, nor do you gain it for summoned creatures. The morale bonus gained from this feat stacks only with itself, not with other morale bonuses.

Cleave (feat, general)
Requirements: Power Attack
Benefit: If you deal enough damage with a melee attack to kill a creature or render it unconscious, you gain an additional melee attack against another creature within reach with the same weapon and same bonus that dropped the previous creature. You can only gain a maximum of one extra attack per round this way and you cannot use the extra attack to make special attack actions like a disarm or trip attempt.

Combat Acrobat (feat, tactical)
Requirements: Balance 9 ranks, Tumble 9 ranks
Benefit
Acrobatic Recovery: If an effect would cause you to fall prone, you can make a DC 20 Balance check to remain on your feet.

Sure-Footed Maneuver: You can ignore the movement penalty of up to 4 squares of difficult terrain during any action involving movement by succeeding on a DC 15 Tumble check. If you fail this check by 5 or more you fall prone.

Combat Expertise (feat, general)
Requirements: Int 13
Benefit: When using the attack action or full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty to attacks of any amount up to your full base attack bonus to gain a dodge bonus to armor class equal to the penalty on attack rolls. These penalties and bonuses last until your next turn.

Combat Reflexes (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You may make an additional number of attacks of opportunity per round equal to your dexterity bonus, but may not make more than one attack per provoked attack of opportunity.
You may make attacks of opportunity even while flat-footed.

Crippling Pain (feat, general)
Requirements: Power Attack
Benefit: When you use your power attack feat against an opponent, that opponent must make a DC (10 + strength mod + Power Attack mod) fortitude save or be sickened for 1 round. If an opponent fails his saving throw against this feat while already sickened because of it (an opponent sickened only by other sources doesn't count) he becomes nauseated for 1 round in addition to being sickened (a nauseated creature cannot take any actions other than a single move action). Creatures whose combined armor and natural armor bonus to armor class is higher than your combined strength modifier and Power Attack modifier are not affected, nor are creatures who do not feel pain.

Crossbow Sniper (feat, general)
Requirements: Dex 12, Weapon Focus with a type of crossbow, BAB +1
Benefit: When using a crossbow to which you have dedicated a Weapon Focus talent, you gain a bonus on damage rolls equal to your Dexterity bonus.

Crushing Strike (feat, general)
Requirements: Weapon Mastery (bludgeoning), BAB +12
Benefit: When making attacks with a bludgeoning weapon, each successful attack cumulatively reduces the target's armor class by 2 until your next turn.

Defensive Sweep (feat, general)
Requirements: BAB +15
Benefit: If an opponent begins his turn and ends his turn inside of your threat range without leaving it at some point, that opponent provokes an attack of opportunity at the end of his turn.

Diehard (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You do not die until your negative hit point total reaches your constitution score or 10, whichever is higher.
When your hit point total becomes negative, you may choose to remain disabled rather than unconscious. When taking a partial action while disabled, you do not lose a hitpoint after finishing the action.

Dodge (feat, general)
Requirements: Dex 13
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to armor class (all dodge bonuses stack)

Driving Attack (feat, general)
Requirements: Weapon Mastery (piercing), BAB +12
Benefit: Whenever you make a successful melee attack with a piercing weapon, you may push the target back 5 feet and deal an amount of bonus damage equal to your strength modifier. If you do not choose to push the target back, you do not gain the bonus to damage. In addition, you can use piercing reach weapons against adjacent creatures as easily as against foes at a distance.

Extra Turning (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain 4 additional daily uses of your ability to turn or rebuke undead
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, its effects stack.

Far Hand (feat, supernatural)
Requirements: 12+ ranks in Sleight of Hand, 12+ ranks in Disable Device, Skill Mastery in the Sleight of Hand and Disable Device skills, Deft Hands talent, Nimble Fingers talent
Benefit: You may use the Sleight of Hand, Use Rope, Open Lock, and Disable Device skills from a distance of up to 20 feet without physically touching the object(s) manipulated. The use of this feat is considered a force effect.

Great Cleave (feat, general)
Requirements: Cleave, BAB +3
Benefit: There is no limit to the number of extra attacks you can gain in a single round with your Cleave feat.

Great Fortitude (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus to fortitude saves, and may use your strength modifier rather than your constitution modifier to determine your bonus to fortitude saves.

Greater Spell Focus (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: Spell Focus
Benefit: The DCs of your spells and spell-like abilities of the school of magic you dedicate this feat to increase by 1.

Greater Spell Penetration (feat, general)
Requirements: Spell Penetration
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance. This bonus stacks with that gained from Spell Penetration.

Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (feat, general)
Requirements: Dex 17, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, BAB +11
Benefit: You may make a third attack with your off-hand weapon at a -10 penalty as part of a full attack action.

Greater Weapon Specialization (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, BAB +6
Benefit: You gain +2 damage on attacks with the weapon type you dedicate this feat to.

Hide in Plain Sight (feat, supernatural)
Requirements: 12+ ranks in Hide, 12+ ranks in Move Silently, Skill Mastery in the Hide and Move Silently skills, Stealthy talent
Benefit: You may hide even while being observed if within 5 feet of an appropriately-sized shadow. This feat is negated by any magic that allows the detection of invisible creatures, but you may still hide in a conventional manner in such a situation.

Hindering Opportunist (feat, general)
Requirements: Combat Reflexes, BAB +3
Benefit: Whenever an opponent provokes an attack of opportunity from you, you can choose to replace that attack with an aid another action targeting that opponent, if applicable. In addition, attacks of opportunity you make that are provoked by an opponent making a ranged attack give that opponent a penalty to that ranged attack equal to half of your base attack bonus, regardless of whether or not the attack of opportunity hits.
Rules Change: Aiding an ally against an opponent gives a bonus equal to half of your base attack bonus, rather than a static +2.

Improved Bull Rush (feat, general)
Requirements: Str 13, Power Attack
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to all opposed strength checks involved in a bull rush. In addition, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when initiating a bull rush.

Improved Counterspell (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: When counterspelling, you may use any spell of the same school as the target spell as long as it is of a higher spell level than the target spell.

Improved Critical (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: Weapon Focus, BAB +8
Benefit: The critical threat range of the weapon type you dedicate this feat to is doubled.

Improved Disarm (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You do not provoke attacks of opportunity when attempting to disarm an opponent. You also gain a +4 bonus on opposed rolls made to disarm an opponent.

Improved Dodge (feat, general)
Requirements: Dex 15, Dodge
Benefit: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to armor class. This bonus increases to +2 if you are not wearing armor or using a shield.

Improved Feint (feat, general)
Requirements: Combat Expertise
Benefit: You can make a bluff check to feint in combat as a swift action, although the opponent is still only flat-footed for your next attack, even if that attack is part of a full attack action.

Improved Grapple (feat, general)
Requirements: Improved Unarmed Strike
Benefit: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when making a touch attack to start a grapple. You also gain a +4 bonus on all grapple checks, regardless of whether you started the grapple.

Improved Initiative (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on initiative checks.

Improved Overrun (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: When you attempt to overrun an opponent, the target may not choose to avoid you. You also gain a +4 bonus on strength checks to knock down your opponent. Your mount may make a free hoof attack against any opponent you successfully knock down during an Overrun attack.

Improved Precise Shot (feat, general)
Requirements: Dex 17, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, BAB +9
Benefit: Your ranged attacks ignore the AC bonus granted to targets by anything less than total cover, and the miss chance granted to targets by anything less than total concealment. Total cover and total concealment still provide their normal benefits to the target.

Improved Trip (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You do not provoke attacks of opportunity when you attempt to trip an opponent while unarmed. You also gain a +4 bonus on all opposed strength checks to trip an opponent.

Improved Unarmed Strike (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You are considered to be armed even while unarmed, no longer provoking attacks of opportunity while unarmed. In addition, your unarmed strikes are treated as a two-handed weapon for the purpose of disarming opponents, can deal either lethal or non-lethal damage at your option with no penalty, and deal 1d6 damage rather than 1d3 (for a medium creature, 1d4 for a small creature or 1d8 for a large creature).

Iron Will (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus to will saves, and may use your charisma modifier rather than your wisdom modifier to determine your bonus to will saves.

Lightning Reflexes (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus to reflex saves, and may use your intelligence modifier rather than your dexterity modifier to determine your bonus to reflex saves.

Mobility (feat, general)
Requirements: Dodge
Benefit: You gain a +4 dodge bonus to attacks of opportunity that are provoked by moving out of (or within) a threatened area. In addition, your enhanced mobility rating (the distance you can move before making a full attack) increases by 5 ft.
Rules Change: A character can move a distance equal to 5 ft. plus his enhanced mobility rating before making a full attack.

Mounted Combat (feat, general)
Requirements: 1+ rank in the Ride skill
Benefit: You may make a ride check in response to a melee or ranged attack once per round. If you do, you may use your ride check in place of your mount's armor class for that attack. In addition, you take only half the normal penalty when using a ranged attack while mounted (-2 instead of -4 if your mount takes a double move, -4 instead of -8 if your mount is running).
When charging while mounted, you do not need to end your movement adjacent to the opponent's square.

Point Blank Shot (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain +1 to attack and damage when making ranged attacks on any opponent within 30 feet of you.

Power Attack (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: On your turn, before making the first attack roll, you may choose to subtract a number from all melee attack rolls and increase your effective strength modifier by the same amount for the purpose of determining damage for those attacks. This number may not exceed your base attack bonus and applies on all melee attacks made until your next turn.

Precise Shot (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You do not take a -4 penalty to ranged attacks made against targets engaged in melee.

Rapid Shot (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You can make one additional attack at your full base attack bonus when making a full attack with (a) ranged weapon(s). If you do so, all attacks made as part of that full attack take a -2 penalty. In addition, you may make 2 ranged attacks with a standard action, although both attacks take a -5 penalty.

Sidestep (feat, general)
Requirements: Improved Dodge
Benefit: Whenever a melee attack misses against you when it is not your turn, determine if that attack would hit your touch AC. If the attack would also miss your touch AC, you may move 5 ft. immediately without provoking attacks of opportunity (possibly interrupting a full attack). This ability may not be used more than once per round.

Skill Focus (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to the skills that this feat is dedicated to.
Special: This feat is dedicated to up to two different skills.

Skill Mastery (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: 9+ ranks in skills to be mastered, Skill Focus
Benefit: You may take 10 on skills to which this feat is dedicated to, even in stressful situations.
Special: This feat is dedicated to up to two different skills, both of which must have a Skill Focus feat dedicated to them.

Slashing Flurry (feat, general)
Requirements: Weapon Mastery (slashing), BAB +12
Benefit: Whenever you would make a melee attack with a slashing weapon during your turn, you may make an extra attack at your full base attack bonus in addition to the original attack once per turn at the cost of a -5 penalty to all attacks made for the remainder of your turn (the penalty applies to both of your attacks, but does not extend to attacks of opportunity you make after your turn ends). If you make the extra attack during a full attack action, the penalty is reduced to -2 instead.

Spell Focus (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: none
Benefit: The DCs of your spells and spell-like abilities of the school of magic you dedicate this feat to increase by 1.

Spell Penetration (feat, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance.

Spring Attack (feat, general)
Requirements: Mobility, BAB +4
Benefit: You are not limited to attacking only before or after moving. This feat applies to any action involving movement, during which you may take any action involving attacks that you are able to, given the normal action limit each round. For example, a fighter who gets 3 attacks with a full attack and who has enhanced mobility 10 could make his 3 attacks at any point in his enhanced mobility movement, rather than only at the end of it. A ranger with the rapid shot feat could take a move action to move 15 feet out of cover, take a standard action to shoot two arrows down a hallway, and then move the remaining 15 feet back into cover (assuming he has a movespeed of 30 feet). This feat does not let you move in any way you could not already, nor does it give you additional attacks in a turn or allow you to use spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities (unless the latter is specifically described as replacing an attack). All attacks made are resolved before you continue moving, if a spring attack changes conditions such that you are no longer able to move, you may not finish the rest of your spring attack. Your movement during a spring attack does not normally provoke an attack of opportunity from any opponent that you make a melee attack against as part of that spring attack.

Stalwart Defense (feat, general)
Requirements: Hindering Opportunist, BAB +9
Benefit: When an opponent you threaten attempts an attack against one of your allies and you are aware of that ally, you can forfeit one of your attacks of opportunity for the round to attempt an aid another action targeted at the attacking opponent and aiding the attacked ally.

Vexing Flanker (feat, general)
Requirements: Combat Reflexes
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to attacks when flanking rather than a +2 bonus. In addition, you deal +2 damage to flanked opponents.

Weapon Mastery (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: Greater Weapon Specialization, BAB +9
Benefit: When you take this feat, it is dedicated to any of the following: melee/thrown weapons that deal piercing damage, melee/thrown weapons that deal bludgeoning damage, melee/thrown weapons that deal slashing damage, or projectile weapons. You must have a Greater Weapon Specialization feat dedicated to a weapon that falls into the category you want to dedicate this feat to.
All feats other than the Weapon Supremacy feat dedicated to a type of weapon that falls into the category of weapons that this feat is dedicated to apply their benefits to all other weapons within the dedicated category (for instance, if you have Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus, and Greater Weapon Specialization all dedicated to longswords and you dedicate this feat to melee/thrown slashing weapons, you may apply all of those feats to any weapon that deals slashing damage, such as an axe or a greatsword).
In addition, you gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage with weapons that fall into the dedicated category.

Weapon Specialization (feat, dedicated)
Requirements: Weapon Focus, BAB +3
Benefit: You gain +2 damage on attacks with the weapon type you dedicate this feat to.

Weapon Supremacy (feat, dedicated)
Description: You have dedicated your life to mastery with the weapon you hold, the weapon you always hold. It has almost literally become a part of you, its use so natural that you sometimes find it has blood on it even though you have no memory of using it. The song that it sings when it strikes is entrancing to you, and you know one thing. This is your weapon, there are many others like it, but this one is yours.
Requirements: Improved Critical, Weapon Mastery, one of any of the following: Crushing Blow, Driving Attack, or Slashing Flurry; BAB +15
Benefit: When you take this feat, you must dedicate it to a weapon that falls within the category chosen for your Weapon Mastery feat. You gain the following benefits when wielding a weapon to which you have dedicated this feat.
-You cannot be disarmed of your chosen weapon unless you voluntarily choose to be.
-If your chosen weapon is a light or one-handed melee weapon, you can attack foes while being grappled without penalty and without making a grapple check. You may attack foes outside of the grapple with your chosen weapon as though you were not being grappled, and may make normal attacks or full attacks as normal. However, you still do not threaten any squares while being grappled.
-If your chosen weapon is a two-handed melee weapon, you may use it in a grapple as though it were a light weapon.
-When making a full attack action with your chosen weapon, you may apply a +5 bonus to any one attack made with the chosen weapon during that action.
-When you roll a 1 on attack rolls with the chosen weapon, the attack is not an automatic miss.
-At any point during each of your turns, even while performing another action, you may make a single free attack with your chosen weapon at your full base attack bonus.
-You gain a +1 bonus to armor class
Special: Unlike other dedicated feats, you may only take this feat once.

Whirlwind Attack (feat, general)
Requirements: Spring Attack, BAB +11
Benefit: When taking the full attack action, you may forfeit your attacks and instead make two attack rolls, with the second one made at a -5 penalty. You then apply the results of those attack rolls against all opponents that you threaten (you choose the order in which the attacks are resolved). While Whirlwind Attack does not normally affect allies, you may not choose to exclude allies from the effects if you are using a reach weapon or have a reach greater than 5 ft. You may voluntarily lower your reach to 5 ft. for the duration of a Whirlwind attack to avoid affecting allies, if you desire. Whirlwind Attack does not work with certain natural attacks (bite attacks, gore attacks, sting attacks, and other types of natural attack that require more than simple swinging or stabbing motion to be effective).

Talents

Talents have the same classifications as normal feats, and are mechanically the same in every way. The primary difference between talents and feats is that talents tend to have less effect.

Acrobatic (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Jump and Tumble checks.

Agile (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Balance and Escape Artist checks.

Alertness (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Spot and Listen checks
Special: The master of a familiar gains the benefits of this feat whenever the familiar is within arm's reach.

Animal Affinity (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Handle Animal and Ride checks.

Athletic (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Climb and Swim checks.

Combat Casting (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +3 bonus on Concentration checks made to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability while on the defensive or grappling.

Deceitful (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Disguise and Forgery checks.

Deft Hands (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Sleight of Hand and Use Rope checks.

Diligent (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Appraise and Decipher Script checks.

Investigator (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Gather Information and Search checks.

Magical Aptitude (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Spellcraft and Use Magic Device checks.

Negotiator (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.

Nimble Fingers (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Disable Device and Open Lock checks.

Persuasive (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Bluff and Intimidate checks.

Stealthy (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Hide and Move Silently checks.

Dash (talent, general)
Requirements: Run
Benefit: You gain a 5 ft. bonus to move speed when wearing light armor or no armor.

Endurance (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. Also, you may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.

Far Shot (talent, general)
Requirements: proficiency with a ranged weapon
Benefit: When you use a projectile weapon, the range increment is increased by one-half. When you use a thrown weapon, the range increment is doubled.

Improved Shield Bash (talent, general)
Requirements: proficiency with small or large shields
Benefit: When you perform a shield bash, you may still apply the shield's bonus to your AC.

Keen-Eared Scout (talent, general)
Requirements: Listen 6 ranks, Alertness
Benefit: When you successfully make a listen check, you may gain cumulative additional information based on the amount by which you beat the Listen check.
If you beat the check by 5 or more, you determine the size, speed, and direction of the source of the noise.
If you beat the check by 10 or more, you determine the precise current position of the creature or object that caused the sound.
If you beat the check by 15 or more, you determine the type of armor the creature wears and the approximate weight of the load it is carrying.
If you beat the check by 20 or more, you learn the creature's type and subtypes.
In addition, you gain a +5 bonus on Listen checks made to pinpoint an invisible creature.

Quick Draw (talent, general)
Requirements: BAB +1
Benefit: You can draw a weapon as a free action rather than a move-equivalent action. You may draw hidden weapons as a move-equivalent action rather than a standard action. A character with this talent may throw large or heavy weapons at his full normal rate of attack.

Rapid Reload (talent, general)
Requirements: proficient with one or more types of crossbow
Benefit: You may load hand crossbows and light crossbows as a free action. You may load heavy crossbows as a move action. This allows you to fire a hand crossbow or light crossbow at your full normal rate of attack.

Run (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You may move 5x your movespeed while running with a light load or 4x your movespeed while running with a medium or heavy load (or while in medium or heavy armor). In addition, you retain your dexterity bonus to armor class while running and gain a +4 bonus to jump checks made with a running start.

Shield Focus (talent, general)
Requirements: proficient with shields (but not necessarily tower shields)
Benefit: You are able to ignore the armor check penalty and arcane spell failure chance imposed by a buckler or a small or large shield. You do not recieve a -2 penalty to attacks when using a tower shield.

Shield Specialization (talent, general)
Requirements: Shield Focus
Benefit: When using a shield or tower shield, you increase that shield's shield bonus to AC by 1.

Shield Ward (talent, general)
Requirements: Shield Focus
Benefit: You can apply your shield bonus to your touch AC. In addition, you gain a bonus to all checks and rolls made to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, or trip attempts equal to your AC bonus from your shield.

Track (talent, general)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You may track other creatures by using traces of their passage. See the PHB pg 101 for details.

Two-Weapon Defense (talent, general)
Requirements: Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: When wielding a double weapon or two weapons, you gain a +1 shield bonus to AC from your off-hand weapon. When fighting defensively, using the total defense action, or using the Combat Expertise feat, this bonus increases to +2.

Weapon Finesse (talent, general)
Requirements: BAB +1
Benefit: You may use your Dexterity modifier rather than your Strength modifier as a bonus on melee attacks for light weapons and rapiers made for a creature of your size category.

Weapon Focus (talent, dedicated)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the weapon type to which you dedicate this talent to. You may not dedicate this talent to a type of weapon you are not proficient with.

Greater Weapon Focus (talent, dedicated)
Requirements: Weapon Focus, BAB +4
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the weapon type to which you dedicate this talent to.

Simple Weapon Proficiency (talent, proficiency)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You gain proficiency with all simple weapons

Martial Weapon Proficiency (talent, proficiency)
Requirements: proficient with simple weapons
Benefit: You gain proficiency with all martial weapons

Exotic Weapon Proficiency (talent, dedicated proficiency)
Requirements: proficient with martial weapons, BAB +1
Benefit: You gain proficiency with the exotic weapon type to which you dedicate this talent.

Light Armor Proficiency (talent, proficiency)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You are proficient with light armor, causing you to apply armor check penalty only to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble checks.

Medium Armor Proficiency (talent, proficiency)
Requirements: proficient with light armor
Benefit: You are proficient with medium armor.

Heavy Armor Proficiency (talent, proficiency)
Requirements: proficient with light and medium armor
Benefit: You are proficient with heavy armor.

Shield Proficiency (talent, proficiency)
Requirements: none
Benefit: You are proficient with all types of shield except tower shields.

Tower Shield Proficiency (talent, proficiency)
Requirements: proficient with all types of shield except tower shields.
Benefit: You are proficient with tower shields!

Brew Potion (talent, item creation)
Requirements: able to cast spells
Benefit: You can create a potion of any 3rd level or lower spell that you know and that targets one or more creatures. Brewing a potion takes one day. When you create a potion, you set the caster level, which must be sufficient to cast the spell in question and no higher than your own level. The base price of a potion is (spell level x caster level x 50 gp). To brew a potion, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half this price.
When you create a potion, you make any choices that you would normally make when casting the spell. Whoever drinks the potion is the target of the spell.
Any potion that stores a spell with a costly material component or an XP cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you must expend the material component or pay the XP when creating the potion.
Despite the name of this talent, the spell does not have to be stored in a potion, per se (although this is by far the most common version). The spell can generally be contained in any mundane object, and is usually released by breaking or consuming the object (in which case the one releasing the spell is the target). It is also possible to make magical oils that can be applied to an object, though in this case the oil must be thoroughly applied, as opposed to thrown or poured upon.

Scribe Scroll (talent, item creation)
Requirements: able to cast spells
Benefit: You can create a scroll of any spell that you know. Scribing a scroll takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. The base price of a scroll is (spell level x caster level x 25 gp). To scribe a scroll, you must spend 1/25 of this base price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of this base price.
Any scroll that stores a spell with a costly material component or an XP cost also carries a commensurate cost. In addition to the costs derived from the base price, you must expend the material component or pay the XP when scribing the scroll.
While parchment is typical, scrolls can be scribed on any available surface using any medium which will leave legible marks on the surface. Once scribed, the writing that the 'scroll' consists of is magically preserved from normal wear and tear (keyword being NORMAL, you could scribe a 'scroll' in sand on a beach, but it would only last a little longer than normal). Whatever medium is used, raw materials are still required, causing the cost of scribing the scroll to be the same.

Xechon
2011-11-17, 07:51 PM
Not to ruin the fun, you did a good job with your system up there and all, and I'm sure it took a lot of time... but this already exists. In a formal, official form too.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Character_Class_Design_Guidelines_(DnD_Guideline)
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Class_Construction_System_(DnD_Guideline)

The second link is the actual system, the first guidelines to find out exactly what you want for your class.

bobthe6th
2011-11-17, 08:07 PM
both of those links are broken, just saying. one was deleated, the other just dosn't link to the righ place

Xechon
2011-11-17, 09:41 PM
Hm, that's odd. Okay, goto dandwiki.com > Revised 3rd edition Homebrew content > Guidlines > Character Class Design Guidelines (DnD Guideline) and
Class Construction System (DnD Guideline)

Sorry about broken links, hope this helps.

Anachronity
2011-11-24, 02:53 PM
@ Xechon: The system you linked to consists more of general guidelines for helping a DM create a custom base class. The custom class system I've described is intended to be used by players who will have an active interest in making classes as powerful as possible, thus the rules of making the classes must be much more limiting. The reason I'm making this custom class system is to eliminate the need for multiclassing (with the associated possible exploits such as one-level dips for a desired class feature) with a system that will hopefully be more balanced than core 3.5e and still allow for a great deal of customization.

Xechon
2011-11-25, 12:16 AM
Ha, okay. Just wanted to get that out there really bad for everyone that posts their own classes that are supposedly compatible with 3.5. And the only real way to completely get rid of Multiclass is to get rid of classes themselves, but that's a long process, and I'm still working on it. Yours looks good overall though.

JackRackham
2011-11-25, 12:09 PM
This is really interesting, but you might be a little generous with the feature points. I'm all for beefing up the non-casters, though, so whatever. If you were looking to maintain the current d&d balance though, that's not what this is. Anyway, I would definitely have full arcane spellcasting cost around 100 points, full divine maybe 85-95, some variation depending on spontaneity versus prepared casting. 3/4 casting, maybe 60 points, 1/2 casting for 30-40. Also, just a suggestion, but I would look at incorporating some of the cool factotum mechanics as a specialization.


An example of what one could do: Almost a Fighter-Rogue gestalt

Full BAB + Martial Proficiency: 28 pts
D8 HD: 10 pts (38)
8 Ski/Lvl: 12 pts (50)
Light Armor: 2 pts (52)
UMD: 5 pts (57)
Sneak Attack: 20 pts (77)
Evasion, Uncanny Dodge: 11 (88)
10 Bonus Feats: 30 (118)

Anachronity
2011-11-26, 11:26 AM
@JackRackham: HAH! your example only has a d8 hit die, your argument is completely invalid!

All joking aside, I see the problem that you are presenting, I guess I was assuming that the player would take at least one prestige, but clearly this is will not always be the case. Does this costing setup seem better? I reduced feature points to 110, bonus feats cost a bit more, and it now costs 24 points total for 8 skill points/level.

Feature Points: 110

Qualities
Med. BAB: 13 pts, -3 if you have Improved Unarmed Strike, additional -1 per level of armor proficiency
High BAB: 15 pts, -5 if you have Martial Weapon Proficiency (requires med. BAB)

2nd High Saving Throw: 10
All High Saving Throws: 12 (requires 2nd High Saving Throw)

Increase HD: 8 pts, -2 if you have Med. BAB, additional -1 if you have High BAB, +2 for each instance beyond the first (d12 maxumum)

+2 skill points/level: 5 pts, +3 for each instance beyond the first (8/level maximum)

Martial Weapon Proficiency: 5 pts
Improved Unarmed Strike (at level 1): 4 pts
Light armor proficiency: 2 pts
Medium armor and shield proficiency: 3 pts
Heavy armor and tower shield proficiency: 3 pts

Specializations
Rager: 12 pts
Paragon: 12 pts
Healer: 28 pts
Kineticist: 25 pts
Bard: 23 pts
Occult Slayer: 26 pts
Mindbender: 30 pts
Marshal: 27 pts
Shapeshifter: 40 pts
Assassin: 24 pts (requires 5d6+ sneak attack damage)
Disciple: 42 pts (requires Improved Unarmed Strike)

Features
Use Magic Device: 5 pts

Wild Empathy: 3 pts
Animal Companion: 19 pts (as druid, requires Wild Empathy)

Combat Foresight: 14 pts (Int or Wis modifier as dodge bonus to AC, may not be taken multiple times, functions only while unarmored but is not lost when surprised/flatfooted)

Spellcasting: varies (see separate document)

Familiar: 2 pts (requires spellcasting)
Geomancy: 6 pts per +1, evenly distributed throughout levels (requires spellcasting, see description, max +5)
Turn Undead: 20 pts (requires spellcasting
Rebuke Undead: 22 pts (requires necromancy school)

Armored Casting (requires corresponding armor proficiency, no spell failure for casting in...)
Light armor: 6 pts, -2 if you have a medium BAB, free if you have a high BAB.
Medium armor: 6 pts, -2 if you have a medium BAB, free if you have a high BAB. (requires light armor casting)
Heavy armor: 4 pts, -2 if you have a medium BAB, free if you have a high BAB. (requires medium armor casting)
none of these abilities allow you to use shields without a chance of arcane spell failure.

Evasion: 6 pts (requires a high reflex save)
Improved Evasion: 5 pts (requires evasion)
Mettle: 6 pts (removes partial effects of spells/abilities on a sucessful fort/will save, requires high fort. and will saves)
Uncanny Dodge: 5 pts, -1 if you have no armor proficiencies
Improved Uncanny Dodge: 6 pts (requires uncanny dodge)

Fast Movement: 3 pts per +5 ft, evenly distributed throughout levels (max +50)

Sneak Attack: 3 pts per 1d6, evenly distributed throughout levels (precision damage no longer applies to spells/magic) (max 10d6)

Skirmish: 5 pts per 1d6 (+1 ac per 2 dice of damage, rounded up), evenly distributed throughout levels (precison damage no longer applies to spells/magic) (max 5d6)

Bonus Feat: 4 pts, evenly distributed throughout levels (max 12)
Bonus Talent: 1 pt, evenly distributed throughout levels (max 12)

I'm still wondering about the choice of prices for specializations, but that is something that will almost certainly require playtesting. Luckily, none of the players I'm DMing for are blatant minimaxers.

This is the table for feature point costs based on maximum spell level obtained and number of schools you have access to. Some creative interaction between player and DM will be required to figure out progressions with an unusual maximum spell level, like 8th or 5th.

Spellcasting Feature Cost
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th

1 school 10 15 21 29 37 46 56 66 77

2 schools 16 21 28 36 44 53 63 74 88

3 schools 22 28 35 44 53 62 73 85 99

I'm mostly getting rid of the difference between divine and arcane spells, and am essentially using arcane spellcasting as a basis and remaking a few iconic divine spells to fit into the school system (I know all divine spells already have a school, but their current distribution would be a bit imbalanced in this system). Casters will be limited by the schools they choose rather than the type of spellcasting.

The only issue there would be figuring out where all the divine spells go, cure spells are traditionally conjuration, but I'm not sure the conjurors need the help. Right now I think the best places to put healing is either in evocation or necromancy, evocation could be flavored as evoking positive energy rather than conjuring anything.

Most formerly divine spells other than the cure spells will have the additional requirement (within the spell text) of "fervent devotion to the cause of one or more deities," with divine spells being reflavored into effects that don't cause an immediate effect themselves, but rather they allow a request to be made of a divine entity and/or his or her servants with the power of the spell comes from those entities (I cast Flame Strike as a devotee of Pelor and, so long as my use of the spell falls within his standards, one of his angels grants the requested effect). I like this reflavor because it would allow many divine spells (but specifically not most healing effects) to be divination spells, allowing me to nerf some of the more game-breaking divination spells and still allow the divination school to stand up by itself.

Does any of that sound reasonable, or am I just blending all the magic into a big, nasty smoothie?

bobthe6th
2011-11-26, 12:17 PM
hmm... might just spin evocation into a prestige. it is way to overpowered be conjurition. giving it healing/inflicting might make sense, but it should be necromancy.

Anachronity
2011-11-27, 10:45 AM
@bobthe6th: Do you think "prestige" sounds more natural? I'm caught between "prestige" and "specialization" and I can't decide which sounds better.

Anyways, the Kineticist specialization is like a miniature evoker. It basically does as much damage as a Warlock (not a lot), but all of its abilities are supernatural and some of them improve normal weapon damage. The idea is that a character who would otherwise have few ranged options could take this specialization so that he has a highly reliable ranged attack (Kineticist abilities are all supernatural) that does decent damage and also gain some good elemental damage buffs to his weapons. I'm planning on improving the evocation school in general since many people (yourself included, if I recall) consider evocation spells to be significantly underpowered relative to other schools.

Yea, I think Necromancy makes the most sense, I suppose I could make the healing spells available to multiple different schools, as they fit thematically into any of those 3 schools. Necromancy should definitely get the inflict spells, though.

bobthe6th
2011-11-27, 11:13 AM
well... specialization does sound about as good as prestige.

also, all you really need to do is nurf conjuration and transmutation(vis a vis shape change), and perhaps enchantment and illusion. evocation is an ok school, it just does very little conjuration can't do. if conjuration is just summons and teliporting, it might be do able. as is conjuration can blast better (no SR, attack rolls) then envocation along with its other shtick.


also, thought this might makes sense if added to your system (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199946)

it was an attempt to balance the fighting styles, so perhaps spinning it into five different specializations/prestige. then if someone wants to be the true master of a weapon, he can take a prestige.