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View Full Version : working on a campaign houserules, base classes, and feats (3.5, WIP)



lunar2
2012-02-14, 04:30 PM
so, working with an idea i had last week (that was hashed out in a thread in the D20 section), i want to build a campaign/ setting where magic is weaker than a standard campaign, but also easier and more common, to the point where anyone with a CHA score of at least 10 can pull off a cantrip/orison, even without class levels. i plan on tweaking the rules (mostly weapon related stuff), as well as creating 5 classes to base the world off of (knight, scout, rogue, sage, and civilian), and improving the feat selection, since i only have the SRD to work with. note that unless i decide otherwise, the 5 classes i mentioned will be the only classes available in this campaign.



attacks: melee attacks, but not melee touch attacks, add strength modifier to damage. 2 handed weapons add 1.5x strength, off hand or light weapons add .5x strength (as normal). ranged attacks, but not ranged touch attacks, add DEX to damage. thrown weapons, as well as projectile weapons that have a strength rating, add 1/2 strength to damage as well as full DEX, up to the maximum rating of the weapon (so a +2 strength composite longbow actually requires an 18 strength to properly wield, and deals 1d8+2+DEX damage). two handed thrown weapons, such as a giant's rock, add full STR + DEX to damage.

weapon-like spells: some spells function like weapons, in that they use an attack roll to determine success and deal HP or nonlethal damage, or duplicate a combat maneuver as their primary function. these spells are treated as normal weapons (threatening a critical on 20 x2, benefiting from weapon related feats, adding STR or DEX to damage, etc.) only if they target AC, instead of touch AC. a weapon-like spell that normally targets touch AC may instead target AC (caster's option at time of casting) in order to gain the benefits of a weapon.

Death: you die when your CON score reaches 0, you gain negative levels equal to your HD, or when your HP reaches negative (CON score + HD)

Two Weapon Fighting: Fighting with 2 weapons incurs certain penalties. if you have a 1 handed weapon in each hand, you take a -4 penalty to all attacks with your main hand, and a -6 penalty to all attacks with your off hand. wielding a light weapon in your off hand, or a valid one handed weapon in combination with weapon finesse, reduces the penalty to your off hand to -4. the two weapon fighting feat reduces all penalties by 2. you can always make as many attacks with your off hand as with your main hand.

Spells: all spells are CHA based. any creature with a CHA of 10 or better can cast an orison off the adept list at CL 1. high ability scores increase orisons, as extrapolated off the bonus spells table (+1 at 10, +2 at 18, etc.). spells are not expended when cast, and are cast as divine unless specified otherwise. all classes have access to their entire spell list.



Power Attack: you may apply a penalty to all attack rolls you make in a round in order to gain a bonus to damage rolls. you may not apply a penalty that exceeds your BAB. the damage bonus you gain depends on the type of weapon you use for the attack.
one handed weapon, or normal projectile weapon: bonus is equal to penalty taken.
two handed weapon, strength rated projectile weapon, or any thrown weapon: bonus equals 1.5x the penalty taken.
light weapon, or any weapon wielded in the off hand: bonus is equal to 1/2 the penalty taken.
Prerequisites: BAB +1

Weapon Focus: select a weapon you are proficient with. you gain benefits when using this weapon, based on your character level.
level 1 or higher: +1 on attack rolls
level 5 or higher: +2 on damage rolls
level 9 or higher: critical threat range doubled
level 13 or higher: additional +1 on attack rolls
level 17 or higher: additional +2 on attack rolls
Special: you can take this feat multiple times. each time, you must apply it to a different weapon.
Special: You can apply this feat to weapon-like spells (see Houserules above). you must be able to cast the spell in order to apply this feat to that spell, and each spell must be chosen individually for this feat (you can't take weapon focus: ray, but you can take weapon focus: Scorching Ray)
Prerequisites: proficiency with chosen weapon, BAB +1

Toughness: You gain 3 HP, plus 1 HP per HD. you also gain a +2 bonus to fortitude saves.
Prerequisites: base fortitude save +2, CON 13

Dodge: You gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC against all opponents. this bonus improves to +2 at level 8, and +3 at level 16. you gain a +2 bonus to Reflex saves.
Prerequisites: base Reflex save +2, Dex 13

Die Hard: You are no longer considered disabled or dying if your hp reaches 0 or lower, although you still die at negative (CON score + HD). you gain a +2 bonus to will saves.
Prerequisites: base will save +2, Wis 13, Endurance

Weapon Finesse: With a light weapon, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls and damage rolls. If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls.
Prerequisite: BAB +1.

Skill Focus: you gain a +3 bonus to 1 skill of your choice. this bonus improves to + 5 at level 10, and +7 at level 20.
Special: you can take this feat multiple times. each time, you must pick a different skill to apply the benefit to.
Prerequisites: 4 ranks in the selected skill.

Talents: this is a generic tweak to the various skill boosting feats. you gain a +1 bonus to the two skills listed, and an additonal +1 at every 5th level.

Metamagic feats: metamagic feats are applied at casting, not preparation, do not increase spell level, and are usable 3/day each. heighten spell raises effective spell level by 2 and caster level by 4.


Knight: the knight class is used for front line soldiers, well trained nobility, and anyone with a cavalry or heavy armored fighting style.
HD: D8
BAB: +1 per level
Saves: good fortitude and will saves
Skills: 4+ per level.
Class skills: The knight’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: knights are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields.
Mount (Su): A knight's magical ability manifests as a sentient warhorse (light, heavy, or pony, character's choice). use the base stats of the appropriate warhorse type, but add skill points and feats by the player's choice. the mounts of high level knights are superior to the basic mount as outlined below:
{table=head]Knight level|Bonus HD|Natural Armor Adj.|Str./Con. Adj.|Int|Special
1-2|+0|+0|+0|6|Speak, Share Spells
3-5|+2|+2|+1|7|Evasion
6-8|+4|+4|+2|8|Devotion
9-11|+6|+6|+3|10|Pegasus
12-14|+8|+8|+4|+2|Multiattack
15-17|+10|+10|+5|+4|Improved Evasion
18-20|+12|+12|+6|+6|half celestial/fiend[/table]
Speak: a Knight's mount is extraordinarily intelligent for a creature of it's kind, and can speak any languages known by its master.
Share Spells (Ex): At the Knight’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her mount. The mount must be within 5 feet of her at the time of casting to receive the benefit. If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the mount if the mount moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the mount again, even if it returns to the knight before the duration expires.
Additionally, the knight may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her mount (as a touch range spell) instead of on herself. A knight and her mount can share spells even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the mount’s type.
Evasion (Ex): If an mount is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.
Devotion (Ex): A mount gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.
Pegasus: the mount becomes a pegasus. it still gains all benefits of being a mount. the pegasus mount's alignment matches that of its master.
Multiattack: A mount gains Multiattack as a bonus feat if it does not already have that feat.
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.
Half-celestial/Fiend: the mount gains either the half celestial or half fiend template, depending on its master's alignment. a neutral mount may take either template. a templated mount still gains all benefits of being a mount.
Spellcasting: a knight's spellcasting progression is the same as an adept's, but its caster level is equal to 1/2 its class level, rounded down, minimum 1.
Spell list: still to come.

so, that's the knight so far, and i've got to go soon.

the scout will be similar the knight, but with good fort and reflex saves, only light armor proficiency (no shields), 6+ int skills, and an animal companion instead of a mount.

the rogue will have medium bab, good reflex and will, rogue proficiencies, 8+ skills and will be naturally skilled (+1 to all skill checks at 1st level, +1 every 5th level).

the sage will have a d6 HD, poor BAB, good will saves, 2+ int skills, sorcerer proficiencies, casts as arcane, has full caster level and all spells on the spell list, and has circle magic (multiple sages working together over a period of time can cast higher level spells).

the civilian will have D4 HD, poor BAB, no good saves, no proficiencies, 4+ skill points, work skills (craft, profession) as class skills, and item creation feats as bonus feats.

everyone gets spell slots as an adept, and spells don't expend when cast.