Grod_The_Giant
2011-11-22, 01:22 PM
I enjoy D&D at mid-to-high levels. Characters have come into their own in terms of both power and story. They have time to enter a prestige class or two, have gotten most of their iconic abilities, and so on, but things haven't gotten utterly broken. There are still plenty of fun monsters, and characters are generally strong enough that the DM doesn't have to worry about accidentally killing them.
There is, however, one downside: magic items. Buying magic items takes longer than almost anything else during character generation. Characters rely on numerical boosts from their gear to function, in many respects, but it's not 'cool.' What 10th level sorcerer would be without his Cloak of Charisma +4... but how many of said sorcerers really care about that item? The average mid-level character will have lots of smallish magic items that often provide individually insignificant boosts in power, but in combination become effective.
That ain't cool. I want to make magic items rare again. I want every item the players find to be new and exciting. No +2 swords-- instead, the Sinner's Sword, a legendary weapon once carried by the Saint of Sinners, and said to be able to be unbreakable. A flying carpet should be a big deal. And so on.
Of course, doing so means finding some way to make characters effective without all their toys, so I present to you the following changes. These replace the standard level-up benefits, and are divided into three categories: general, offensive, and defensive.
These abilities are intended to provide a sufficient amount of power to make up for the severe reduction in magic items, while retaining a level of grit. That means no flashy spell-like abilities, no arbitrary growth of wings, and so on. Scaling items were rejected in favor of generic bonuses to all items, in the hopes of fostering a Conan-esqe attitude of "eh, just a sword. I'll throw it at the guard over there and grab another one from the guy I killed last round." Players should be attached to their characters, and the occasional rare artifact-- not their equipment.
I admit that this probably benefits casters more than melee. I hope that this is balanced out by an increased demand for party buffs, however-- without magic items that provide mobility and defensive bonuses, casters will hopefully be forced to use more of their time to help their allies.
General Abilities
{table=head]Level|Feats|Ability Increases|Saves|Skills|Mobility
1st |1st ||||
2nd |2nd||||
3rd||1st|||
4th|3rd||+1 ||+10ft
5th ||||1st|ACP -1
6th |4th|2nd|||
7th |||||
8th |5th ||+2 ||+20ft
9th ||3rd|||
10th |6th |||2nd|ACP -2
11th |||||
12th |7th |4th|+3||+30ft
13th |||||
14th |8th ||||
15th ||5th||3rd|ACP -3
16th |9th ||+4||+40ft
17th |||||
18th |10th|6th |||
19th |||||
20th |11th||+10|5th |ACP -4, +50ft[/table]
Feats: At 1st, 2nd, and every additional even-numbered level, a character gains one feat of his choice.
Ability Score Increases: At level 3, and every subsequent third level, a character can increase on ability score of his choice by 2.
Resistance Bonus to Saves: At level 4, a character gains a +1 resistance bonus to all saves. This bonus increases by 1 at every subsequent fourth level.
Competence Bonus to Skills: At level 5, a character gains a +10 competence bonus to a skill of his choice. This skill must be a class skill, and he must have at least (1/2 level) ranks in it at the time he gains the bonus. At ever subsequent fifth level, he gains another such bonus, which he can assign either to a new skill or to a previously boosted skill, increasing its bonus to +20, +30, and so on.
Mobility Bonus: At level 4, a character gains a +10 ft bonus to all movement speeds. At every subsequent fourth level, this bonus improves by 10ft.
Armor Check Penalty Reductions: At level 5, a character may reduce the armor check penalty from any armor he wears by 1. At every subsequent fifth level, this reduction improves by 1.
Offensive Abilities
{table=head]BAB|Full BAB
+1|
+2|
+3|
+4|+1 enhancement bonus, weapon counts as magic
+5 |
+6 |
+7 |
+8 |+2 enhancement bonus
+9 |
+10 |
+11 |
+12 |+3 enhancement bonus
+13 |
+14 |Aligned Weapon
+15 |
+16 |+4 enhancement bonus
+17 |
+18 |
+19|
+20|+5 enhancement bonus
[/table]
Enhancement Bonus- All characters receive an enhancement bonus to attack and weapon damage rolls, based on their base attack bonus. Additionally, at the first level he receives a enhancement bonus, he weapon counts as magic for the purpose of overcoming DR and damaging incorporeal entities.
Aligned Weapon- Any weapon wielded by a character with a BAB of +14 or greater counts as aligned with one axis (good, evil, chaotic, or lawful), based on the character's alignment and chosen when he gains the level granting him the BAB. A lawful good paladin, for example, can have his weapons treated as either lawful or good-aligned. A neutral good fighter, on the other hand, can only have his weapons treated as good-aligned.
Defensive Abilities
{table=head]Level|No Armor Proficiency|Light Armor|Medium Armor|Heavy Armor|Shields
1st |||||
2nd ||||+1 competence |
3rd|||+1 competence |DR 2/-|+1 shield
4th||+1 competence ||+2 competence |
5th |+1 competence ||DR 2/-||
6th |||+2 competence |DR 4/-, +3 competence |+2 shield
7th |||||
8th ||+3 competence ||+4 competence |
9th |||+3 competence |DR 6/-|+3 shield
10th |+2 competence |DR 2/-|DR 4/-|+5 competence |
11th |||||
12th ||+3 competence |+4 competence |DR 8/-, +6 competence |+4 shield
13th |||||
14th ||||+7 competence |
15th |+3 competence ||DR 6/-, +5 competence |DR 10/-|+5 shield
16th ||+4 competence ||+8 competence |
17th |||||
18th |||+6 competence |DR 12/-, +9 competence |+6 shield
19th |||||
20th |+4 competence |DR 4/-, +5 competence |DR 8/-|+10 competence |
[/table]
Characters use the column for whatever armor they are wearing.
Special Exception— the Monk, and similar unarmored melee classes, are always treated as if they were wearing light armor for the purposes of these tables.
Competence Bonus- Characters wearing armor gain a competence bonus to armor class, as indicated on the table above.
Damage Reduction- Characters wearing armor gain damage reduction, as indicated on the table above. This DR stacks with any other form of DR they might gain.
Shield Bonus- A character wielding a shield he is proficient with gains a bonus to the shield armor the shield provides based on his level. For example, a 6th level fighter wielding a heavy steel shield gains a +4 shield bonus to armor class, as opposed to the usual +2.
New Feats
Note that "Heroic" feats are purposed to allow some pseudo-magical effects back into the game, and aren't recommended for "gritty" campaigns.
Hero's Touch
Prerequisite: BAB +8, Charisma 13 or Wisdom 13
Benefit: Chose one +1 weapon enchantment, such as flaming or ghost touch. Any weapon you wield gains the benefit of that enchantment.
Hero's Touch, Improved
Prerequisite: BAB +16, Charisma 15 or Wisdom 15, Hero's Touch
Benefit: Chose one +2 weapon enchantment, such as flaming burst or holy. Any weapon you wield gains the benefit of that enchantment. You may only add one of the benefits from a Hero's Touch feat at a time.
Special: If the +2 enchantment you wish to chose is an upgrade of the +1 ability from the original Hero's Touch feat-- for example, flaming and flaming burst-- you may trade out the original enhancement for a new one. For example, if Kursk the Barbarian chooses the frost enchantment with Hero's Touch, and the icy burst enchantment with Hero's Touch, he may trade the original frost enchantment for a ghost touch enchantment instead.
Heroic Jump
Prerequisite: Jump 10 ranks
Benefit: You gain a "leap speed" based on your total Jump modifier (see: Skill-Movement Conversion table). Your armor check penalty is doubled when determining this modifier.
You may jump any distance up to your leap speed as without having to make a check. If, after moving your complete leap speed (including up-and-down motion) you remain in mid-air, you begin falling. Having a running start gives you a +10ft bonus to leap speed. For example, a fighter with a leap speed of 40ft could jump 30ft straight up to attack an dragon flying overhead. He then falls 10ft safely (the remainder of his leap speed) and takes damage for the remaining 20ft of fall distance.
If you roll a jump check, you may add your leap speed in place of your normal Jump modifier.
Heroic Swim
Prerequisite: Swim 10 ranks
Benefit: You gain a swim speed, based on the Skill-Movement Conversion table below. You may also hold your breath underwater for twice the normal duration before you start having to make checks.
Heroic Climb
Prerequisite: Climb 10 ranks
Benefit: You gain a climb speed, based on the Skill-Movement Conversion table below.
Skill-Movement Conversion
{table=head]Modifier|1-5|6-10|11-15|16-20|21-25|26-30|31-40|41-50|51-60|61-80
Speed|10ft|20ft|30ft|40ft|50ft|60ft|70ft|80ft|90ft |100ft[/table]
There is, however, one downside: magic items. Buying magic items takes longer than almost anything else during character generation. Characters rely on numerical boosts from their gear to function, in many respects, but it's not 'cool.' What 10th level sorcerer would be without his Cloak of Charisma +4... but how many of said sorcerers really care about that item? The average mid-level character will have lots of smallish magic items that often provide individually insignificant boosts in power, but in combination become effective.
That ain't cool. I want to make magic items rare again. I want every item the players find to be new and exciting. No +2 swords-- instead, the Sinner's Sword, a legendary weapon once carried by the Saint of Sinners, and said to be able to be unbreakable. A flying carpet should be a big deal. And so on.
Of course, doing so means finding some way to make characters effective without all their toys, so I present to you the following changes. These replace the standard level-up benefits, and are divided into three categories: general, offensive, and defensive.
These abilities are intended to provide a sufficient amount of power to make up for the severe reduction in magic items, while retaining a level of grit. That means no flashy spell-like abilities, no arbitrary growth of wings, and so on. Scaling items were rejected in favor of generic bonuses to all items, in the hopes of fostering a Conan-esqe attitude of "eh, just a sword. I'll throw it at the guard over there and grab another one from the guy I killed last round." Players should be attached to their characters, and the occasional rare artifact-- not their equipment.
I admit that this probably benefits casters more than melee. I hope that this is balanced out by an increased demand for party buffs, however-- without magic items that provide mobility and defensive bonuses, casters will hopefully be forced to use more of their time to help their allies.
General Abilities
{table=head]Level|Feats|Ability Increases|Saves|Skills|Mobility
1st |1st ||||
2nd |2nd||||
3rd||1st|||
4th|3rd||+1 ||+10ft
5th ||||1st|ACP -1
6th |4th|2nd|||
7th |||||
8th |5th ||+2 ||+20ft
9th ||3rd|||
10th |6th |||2nd|ACP -2
11th |||||
12th |7th |4th|+3||+30ft
13th |||||
14th |8th ||||
15th ||5th||3rd|ACP -3
16th |9th ||+4||+40ft
17th |||||
18th |10th|6th |||
19th |||||
20th |11th||+10|5th |ACP -4, +50ft[/table]
Feats: At 1st, 2nd, and every additional even-numbered level, a character gains one feat of his choice.
Ability Score Increases: At level 3, and every subsequent third level, a character can increase on ability score of his choice by 2.
Resistance Bonus to Saves: At level 4, a character gains a +1 resistance bonus to all saves. This bonus increases by 1 at every subsequent fourth level.
Competence Bonus to Skills: At level 5, a character gains a +10 competence bonus to a skill of his choice. This skill must be a class skill, and he must have at least (1/2 level) ranks in it at the time he gains the bonus. At ever subsequent fifth level, he gains another such bonus, which he can assign either to a new skill or to a previously boosted skill, increasing its bonus to +20, +30, and so on.
Mobility Bonus: At level 4, a character gains a +10 ft bonus to all movement speeds. At every subsequent fourth level, this bonus improves by 10ft.
Armor Check Penalty Reductions: At level 5, a character may reduce the armor check penalty from any armor he wears by 1. At every subsequent fifth level, this reduction improves by 1.
Offensive Abilities
{table=head]BAB|Full BAB
+1|
+2|
+3|
+4|+1 enhancement bonus, weapon counts as magic
+5 |
+6 |
+7 |
+8 |+2 enhancement bonus
+9 |
+10 |
+11 |
+12 |+3 enhancement bonus
+13 |
+14 |Aligned Weapon
+15 |
+16 |+4 enhancement bonus
+17 |
+18 |
+19|
+20|+5 enhancement bonus
[/table]
Enhancement Bonus- All characters receive an enhancement bonus to attack and weapon damage rolls, based on their base attack bonus. Additionally, at the first level he receives a enhancement bonus, he weapon counts as magic for the purpose of overcoming DR and damaging incorporeal entities.
Aligned Weapon- Any weapon wielded by a character with a BAB of +14 or greater counts as aligned with one axis (good, evil, chaotic, or lawful), based on the character's alignment and chosen when he gains the level granting him the BAB. A lawful good paladin, for example, can have his weapons treated as either lawful or good-aligned. A neutral good fighter, on the other hand, can only have his weapons treated as good-aligned.
Defensive Abilities
{table=head]Level|No Armor Proficiency|Light Armor|Medium Armor|Heavy Armor|Shields
1st |||||
2nd ||||+1 competence |
3rd|||+1 competence |DR 2/-|+1 shield
4th||+1 competence ||+2 competence |
5th |+1 competence ||DR 2/-||
6th |||+2 competence |DR 4/-, +3 competence |+2 shield
7th |||||
8th ||+3 competence ||+4 competence |
9th |||+3 competence |DR 6/-|+3 shield
10th |+2 competence |DR 2/-|DR 4/-|+5 competence |
11th |||||
12th ||+3 competence |+4 competence |DR 8/-, +6 competence |+4 shield
13th |||||
14th ||||+7 competence |
15th |+3 competence ||DR 6/-, +5 competence |DR 10/-|+5 shield
16th ||+4 competence ||+8 competence |
17th |||||
18th |||+6 competence |DR 12/-, +9 competence |+6 shield
19th |||||
20th |+4 competence |DR 4/-, +5 competence |DR 8/-|+10 competence |
[/table]
Characters use the column for whatever armor they are wearing.
Special Exception— the Monk, and similar unarmored melee classes, are always treated as if they were wearing light armor for the purposes of these tables.
Competence Bonus- Characters wearing armor gain a competence bonus to armor class, as indicated on the table above.
Damage Reduction- Characters wearing armor gain damage reduction, as indicated on the table above. This DR stacks with any other form of DR they might gain.
Shield Bonus- A character wielding a shield he is proficient with gains a bonus to the shield armor the shield provides based on his level. For example, a 6th level fighter wielding a heavy steel shield gains a +4 shield bonus to armor class, as opposed to the usual +2.
New Feats
Note that "Heroic" feats are purposed to allow some pseudo-magical effects back into the game, and aren't recommended for "gritty" campaigns.
Hero's Touch
Prerequisite: BAB +8, Charisma 13 or Wisdom 13
Benefit: Chose one +1 weapon enchantment, such as flaming or ghost touch. Any weapon you wield gains the benefit of that enchantment.
Hero's Touch, Improved
Prerequisite: BAB +16, Charisma 15 or Wisdom 15, Hero's Touch
Benefit: Chose one +2 weapon enchantment, such as flaming burst or holy. Any weapon you wield gains the benefit of that enchantment. You may only add one of the benefits from a Hero's Touch feat at a time.
Special: If the +2 enchantment you wish to chose is an upgrade of the +1 ability from the original Hero's Touch feat-- for example, flaming and flaming burst-- you may trade out the original enhancement for a new one. For example, if Kursk the Barbarian chooses the frost enchantment with Hero's Touch, and the icy burst enchantment with Hero's Touch, he may trade the original frost enchantment for a ghost touch enchantment instead.
Heroic Jump
Prerequisite: Jump 10 ranks
Benefit: You gain a "leap speed" based on your total Jump modifier (see: Skill-Movement Conversion table). Your armor check penalty is doubled when determining this modifier.
You may jump any distance up to your leap speed as without having to make a check. If, after moving your complete leap speed (including up-and-down motion) you remain in mid-air, you begin falling. Having a running start gives you a +10ft bonus to leap speed. For example, a fighter with a leap speed of 40ft could jump 30ft straight up to attack an dragon flying overhead. He then falls 10ft safely (the remainder of his leap speed) and takes damage for the remaining 20ft of fall distance.
If you roll a jump check, you may add your leap speed in place of your normal Jump modifier.
Heroic Swim
Prerequisite: Swim 10 ranks
Benefit: You gain a swim speed, based on the Skill-Movement Conversion table below. You may also hold your breath underwater for twice the normal duration before you start having to make checks.
Heroic Climb
Prerequisite: Climb 10 ranks
Benefit: You gain a climb speed, based on the Skill-Movement Conversion table below.
Skill-Movement Conversion
{table=head]Modifier|1-5|6-10|11-15|16-20|21-25|26-30|31-40|41-50|51-60|61-80
Speed|10ft|20ft|30ft|40ft|50ft|60ft|70ft|80ft|90ft |100ft[/table]