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Xefas
2013-01-07, 02:33 AM
Notes

This class is a renovation of the Solar Hero (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=240706). There were some aspects of the class that I was using to create mechanical similarity to the Exalted Storyteller system, but ultimately just ended up meshing really poorly with D&D.

This version has no Castes. The problem with the five Castes was that, in Exalted, the idea is that one Caste is the fighting caste, two are social, one is stealth, and one is utility. This doesn't actually work for Exalted, and it sure as hell didn't work for D&D. It made coming up with new abilities a nightmare, as D&D is primarily combat focused, while the Castes are meant to emphasize other things (the fact that Exalted has horrendous problems with this too only exacerbates the issue).

I'm replacing this by using a more D&D-esque mechanic. The Ability Scores. Each special ability is a logical extension of extraordinary strength/dexterity/intelligence/etc. Using the game's own internal logic, rather than fighting it, should make it easier to come up with mechanics.

This version has no Arete/Motes. In Exalted, you have a resource pool that stays more-or-less static throughout much of the game, increasing in size only rarely. Trying to do the scaling Arete with every level in a 20-level system just made pricing and scaling abilities unnecessarily complicated and annoying.

Instead, I've got Heroic Focus, which you'll have to read about below. It's static throughout all levels, and I think lends itself more to the non-magical aesthetic I'm going for.

This version has a shorter tiering system for its abilities. Rather than seven levels, its got four. I think this will, in the end, make progression throughout the levels of the class smoother, and make it easier to create new abilities.

My goal is still to create a powerful non-magical class that can be a higher-tier replacement for the fighter, rogue, monk, barbarian, knight, swashbuckler, marshal, warblade, crusader, swordsage, and any of those other poor mundane bastards I missed.

The Sun Hero

The Sun is the greatest nurturer, bringing life and warmth to all living things, helping them grow and prosper. The Sun is the greatest destroyer, burning the regions of the world that cannot withstand its light into cracked wastelands and scouring deserts. The Sun is the greatest arbiter of truth, illuminated all that it wishes to, with its all-encompassing brilliance, and casting all into darkness when it chooses to hide its face. The Sun is authority and confidence incarnate, too great to be ignored, too powerful to resist, impossible to put off course, impossible to argue with.

Throughout history, heroes have come in all shapes, size, exploits, and dispositions, and their infinite variance will continue onward to the end of time. They will be grouped and cataloged by every possible measure and quality. Here, we acknowledge those legendary people that share the unbound, unconquerable, undeniable qualities of the Sun. With the strength of their arms, they topple mountains. With their fleetness of foot, they dance in between drops of rain. With grit and conviction, they stand in flames without flinching. With keen minds, they build wonders that shape the course of the world. With their wits, they catch invisible arrows in the dark. With their words, they sway the hearts of nations.

Hit Die: d10
Skill Points: 2 + intelligence modifier
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Any), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Perform, Profession, Ride, Search, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, Swim, Tumble, Use Rope
Proficiencies: Sun Heroes are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as all shields (including Tower Shields), and light, medium, and heavy armor. Although the way a Sun Hero develops their legend may favor particular arrays of armaments, each is capable of utilizing most equipment at its most basic aptitude.

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special

1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|The Sun's Mythos, Heroic Focus, Mythos Known, Exceptional Mythos
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Flawless Form
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Arete
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Flawless Form
6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Arete
7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Fantastic Mythos
8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Flawless Form
9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Arete
10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+7|Flawless Form
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+8|Arete
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+8|Legendary Mythos
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+9|Flawless Form
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+9|Arete
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+10|
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+10|Flawless Form
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+11|Arete
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+11|Exalted Mythos
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+12|Flawless Form
[/table]

The Sun's Mythos: A Sun Hero's power is expressed in terms of one or more "Mythos", the building blocks of the legend that they are, and the stories that they have told and will tell. While any given Mythos varies from the rest, they share some similar traits. They are grouped in six categories, depending on which of the six Ability Scores they are an expression of. They are always Extraordinary abilities, and when they reference a difficulty class for an imposed saving throw, that saving throw is always calculated as (10 + 1/2 class level + the ability modifier of the category it belongs to, unless otherwise stated). When a Mythos references a "level" that is not clearly defined in some other way, such as "character level", it refers to "class level" as in the number of levels one has in the Sun Hero class.

Each Mythos is listed with several factors before their description. These are "Level/Ability", "Action", and "Prerequisite".

The Level of a Mythos ranges from 1 to 4, typically referred to as Exceptional, Fantastic, Legendary, and Exalted. Exceptional Mythos are feats of skill that seem like they would be possible for a normal mortal to do, but are still very impressive. Leaping back and forth between two walls to climb a tall building, for instance. Fantastic Mythos stretch possibility to the breaking point, replicating the exploits of fairy-tale heroes. For example, while falling through the air, kicking or punching with such great force that it propels the hero in a direction of his choice. Legendary Mythos are still very human in appearance, but in a heightened, idealized, 'super-human' form. Jumping so hard that it shatters the ground beneath the hero, and launches him through the air, into the villain's citadel, a few hundred miles away (after a short travel time). Exalted Mythos are the tales of humans grown too larger-than-life for the world they live in. Jumping so high that you escape the atmosphere, and come crashing back to earth like a blazing meteor.

The Action of a Mythos is typically one of "Standard", "Move", "Swift", "Immediate", "Full", "Supplemental", "Indefinite", or "Permanent". The first five require the kind of action of the same name to perform. Supplemental Mythos enhance an action (which will be noted in the Mythos' description), requiring however long the supplemented action would normally take. For instance, a Mythos that supplements an attack takes however long that attack takes; perhaps a standard action for a basic attack, or a fraction of a full-round action if you are making a full-attack.

Unless otherwise noted, the use of all Supplemental Mythos must be decided upon before making the roll that they supplement, and a single action can only be modified by a single Supplemental Mythos at a time. A Permanent Mythos is an always-active benefit the character enjoys that requires no action to perform. Indefinite Mythos require that the Hero commit a portion of his Focus (see the Heroic Focus class feature), but remain active as long as they are committed to. De-activating a committed Indefinite Mythos is a free action. Activating an Indefinite Mythos is a standard action unless otherwise noted.

The Prerequisite line of a Mythos will list any other Mythos that are required to learn it, as well as more unusual requirements, such as ranks in a given skill. Not listed on this line are the Inherent Prerequisites that all Mythos share, dependent on their level. Exceptional Mythos always require at least a 16+ in the ability score to which they belong. Fantastic Mythos require a 20+, Legendary Mythos require 24+, and Exalted Mythos require a score of 30 or higher.

Not all ability scores are equally valid, however. To calculate whether your ability score is high enough to qualify for a given level of Mythos, only take into account your Base score, plus any Inherent-type bonuses. One's Base score includes bonuses attained from the Arete and Flawless Form class features, as well as the additional ability point all characters gain every four levels, and permanent, untyped, Exceptional bonuses, such as that gained by the Warhulk prestige class. Bonuses obtained from one's racial traits are never valid. The power of the Sun Hero thrives on how exceptional a person is as an individual, not on how exceptional a Feral Half-Minotaur Half-Ogre Mineral Warrior is as compared to a human.

Heroic Focus: Sun Heroes are capable of maintaining staggering amounts of physical and mental exertion, and enduring physical and mental strain. However, just as a normal mortal would have trouble holding their focus on listening to a conversation in one ear, listening to a song in the other, reading a book in their lap, writing a letter with one hand, and cooking dinner in the other, all simultaneously with perfect attention and proficiency, so too is the epic focus of a Sun Hero finite.

In effect, they have five "Focus Points", or "Focus Slots" - whatever is easiest to visualize. When they activate an Indefinite Mythos, they 'fill' or 'commit' one of these points/slots with that Mythos. So, at the best of times, they can have a maximum of five Indefinite Mythos active at once.

Focus can also be Taxed. When the Hero must Tax a Focus, they choose one of their slots/points, and it becomes unusable for about 5 minutes time, at which point it returns to normal. If a Focus is already filled with an Indefinite Mythos, and is Taxed, that Mythos is automatically deactivated.

The three ways a Focus will become Taxed are:
-A Sun Hero may Tax one Focus to activate an Immediate-Action Mythos even if they have no available Immediate Actions to spend.
-A Sun Hero may Tax one Focus to Supplement an action with two valid Supplemental Mythos simultaneously.
-Some Mythos may require a Tax.

Finally, Focus can be Burnt. The power of the Sun burns hot and bright, and even its exemplars must tread carefully to contain such might. Some Mythos will inflict Focus Burn. Upon activating one of these Mythos, there is a 50% chance that one of the Hero's Focus will be Burnt. A Burnt Mythos functions like being Taxed, but remains unusable until the Hero has rested for 8 hours.

Mythos Known: A 1st level Sun Hero begins play with three Exceptional Mythos that he qualifies for if this is his first level in a PC character class. At every level after that, they automatically learn one new Mythos of any level they are capable of using that they meet the prerequisites for.

For characters that multiclass into Sun Hero after having taken levels in another PC character class, the 1st level of Sun Hero grants only a single Exceptional Mythos, rather than three.

A Sun Hero also has the ability to learn more Mythos, above the single one allotted to him at each level, by spending time, money, and experience points. If he is being taught a new Mythos by another Sun Hero, the training time is a mere 24 hours. However, if he is innovating a Mythos from the workings of his own mind and body alone, he requires two days for an Exceptional Mythos, a week for a Fantastic Mythos, two weeks for a Legendary Mythos, and a month for an Exalted Mythos.

During their training, a Sun Hero will require certain implements, depending on the nature of the Mythos being learned. For an Exceptional Mythos that inflicts increased physical damage, perhaps he will need sheets of steel to cut through, again and again, until all that remains is scrap metal and his new destructive knowledge. For a similar Fantastic Mythos, he might need sheets of mithril; for a Legendary Mythos, sheets of adamantine, and for an Exalted Mythos, sheets of orichalcum. For more social endeavors, he might spend his money carousing, or courting nobility. For matters of the spiritual, he might donate the money to the poor, and meditate on the nature of morality; purchase planar relics and meditate on the nature of the universe; or obtain hallucinogenic incense and... meditate on the nature of the universe.

Regardless, an Exceptional Mythos takes 1000gp and 250xp to learn. A Fantastic Mythos takes 5,000gp and 500xp. A Legendary Mythos takes 10,000gp and 1,000xp. An Exalted Mythos takes 20,000gp and 2,000xp.

Learning Mythos above the standard amount requires astounding, nearly single-minded focus. A Sun Hero may only utilize this ability while more than half of his effective character level (ECL) is devoted to levels in the Sun Hero class.

Flawless Form: Even those attributes that the Sun Hero neglects far surpass the flaws of the common man. At 2nd level, and every three levels thereafter, the Sun Hero permanently adds two points to his lowest ability score (disregarding external bonuses, such as from spells, magic items, or other temporary effects). If there is a tie, the player chooses which ability receives the bonus.

Arete: Much like a good story, a Sun Hero is exaggerated, an idealized specimen of his people; harder, better, faster, stronger, than the rest. At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, the Sun Hero permanently adds one point to two different ability scores of his choice.

---

Notes On Creating Mythos

The below is a list of example Mythos abilities for the Sun Hero. It is not intended to be the comprehensive list of what is possible for the highly varied heroes of legend. Sun Heroes are free to create new Mythos as they see fit, either through their natural accumulation by leveling up, or through the use of their ability to innovate new ones at any time; although the Example Mythos should be used as guidelines in terms of mechanical power, as well as narrative power for a given level. For example, while it might be possible to mechanically balance the ability to summon an outsider at 1st level, this is narratively dissonant with the themes of the Sun Hero.

A Sun Hero is about superhuman extrapolation of human capabilities. A person can throw a rock a few feet. A Sun Hero can throw a rock thousands of feet while blindfolded in a rainstorm, perfectly striking the center of a bullseye with enough force to turn the stone building that it was hidden inside of into shattered ruin, using only his left foot. A person cannot shoot lightning of his hands. A Sun Hero cannot shoot lightning out of his hands.

See what I'm getting at? Now, as a Sun Hero attains higher levels of Mythos, they may, with enough justification, bend their bars a little, though not break them. A Sun Hero could never summon an Outsider in the like of a Summon Monster spell. But, perhaps, with a Legendary Charisma Mythos, along with significant risk, uncertainty, and effort, they could use a Perform skill to create a work of art so stunningly beautiful that it lures an Outsider from beyond the veil of worlds who is willing to bargain with you. After all, there are plenty of legends about mundane people catching the attention of supernatural forces without the use of magical power. Just not easily or simply, the way magic allows a wizard to.

Some other things that a Sun Hero Mythos can explicitly not do:
-Travel backward through time.
-Resurrect a creature that has been dead more than a few minutes.
-Grossly alter the user's physical form. Philistine Giant Training (Fantastic Strength) is about the limit of body modification for the Sun Hero. Leave this kind of stuff to the Cosmos and Moon Heroes.
-Allow you to shuffle around your other Mythos in any way. That's a Machine Hero thing.
-Grant the use of spellcasting, or other magical sub-systems, such as Binding or Incarnum. Technically, learning magic is something normal people can do. But that's something that Sun Heroes can't turn up to 11 like they do most other things.
-Bestow immortality. They can stave off the effects of aging, and lengthen one's natural lifespan, but there's a point where even a Sun Hero must pass away. (Or become an Oblivion Hero, but that's preposterous.)

Xefas
2013-01-07, 02:34 AM
Example Mythos
(Still very much a work in progress.)

Exceptional

Strength


Boundless Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain a +1 inherent bonus to your Strength ability score. Furthermore, you have unlocked the insight to push past your perceived limits. At any time, but only once ever, you may spend a day training yourself, sacrifice 250 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +2.

At 7th level, you unlock the ability to break your limits once again. At any time after completing your first level of training, but only once ever, you may spend two days training yourself, sacrifice 500 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +3.

At 10th level, you may transcend your limitations once more, obtaining the ability to, after the second tier of training, once, spend a week training, sacrifice 1,000 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +4.

At 13th level, you may achieve a final tier of ascension, after completing all other trials, once, you may spend two weeks in training, sacrifice 2,000 experience points, and increase your inherent bonus to +5.

Fire and Stones Method
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain Power Attack as a bonus feat. In addition, all melee weapons benefit from that feat as if they were two-handed, regardless of their actual specification. If you already possess the Power Attack feat, you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

Fists of Iron Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. In addition, the base damage of your unarmed attacks increases as if you were three size categories larger, or four size categories if you have nothing held in either hand. This increase in effective size does not stack with any other effect that increases the effective size category of your unarmed strikes, except for Feats and other Mythos. If you already possess the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

At 4th level, the effective size of your unarmed strikes increases by another category, and they bypass damage reduction as if they were magical.

Fists of Orichalcum Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Fists of Iron Technique

Spells and other magical effects that enhance or improve manufactured weapons or natural weapons may also be used to improve your unarmed attacks (such as the spell 'Greater Magic Weapon'). Furthermore, your unarmed attacks automatically overcome all damage reduction that can be overcome by a specific material, such as cold iron, silver, adamantine, or something more exotic.

Foe-Humbling Strike
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Supplemental
Prerequisite: Fire and Stones Method

This Mythos supplements a melee attack modified by your Power Attack feat. If you hit and deal damage, the target must make a Fortitude save or be knocked prone.

Hammer-and-Anvil Crush
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain Improved Bull Rush as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. In addition, when you successfully Bull Rush a target into a solid barrier, you can keep pushing, which forces both the target and the barrier to take damage equal to your Strength modifier plus 1d6 damage per 5ft of additional movement that could have occurred, but was stopped by the barrier. Alternatively, if the barrier is weak enough that its (Hardness + Current Hit Points) is lower than your Strength modifier (usually in the case of, say, glass), you may choose to break the barrier, deal (Strength modifier) damage to your target, lower the amount of movement you are allowed to force with the current Bull Rush by 5ft, and continue onward with the pushing.

If you already possess the Improved Bull Rush feat, you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

Meteor-Tossing Method
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Steel Comet Pitch

You ignore the attack penalty for a number of range increments equal to your Strength modifier when making a ranged attack with a thrown weapon. In addition, you gain the Throw Anything feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. If you already possess the Throw Anything feat (CWar), you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

Peerless Parkour Style
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Undaunted Athlete Technique

While this Mythos is active, every Strength-based skill check you make after the first in the same round gains a cumulative +2 bonus (so, if you make two jumps, a climb, and then another jump, the first jump is normal, the second gains a +2, the climb gains a +4, and the last jump gains a +6). In addition, you may make Charge actions that do not move in a straight line, so long as any non-straight movement is with jumping or climbing.

At 4th level, you may take Run actions that are not in a straight line, so long as any non-straight movement is with jumping or climbing.

Steel Comet Pitch
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain the Brutal Throw and Power Throw feats (CAdv) as bonus feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. If you already possessed either of those feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Strength-Increasing Exercise
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain the Natural Heavyweight feat (PlaH), even if you do not have the proper heritage. If you already possess the Natural Heavyweight feat, you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

At 4th level, you also gain the Powerful Build racial trait.

Thunderclap Rush
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Supplemental
Prerequisite: Hammer-and-Anvil Crush

This Mythos supplements a melee attack made on your turn. If you hit and deal damage, your opponent must make a Fortitude save. If they fail, you have the option to forgo all other actions until the end of your current turn (including partial actions, such as further attacks as part of the full-attack action you might currently be in) in order to immediately initiate a Bull Rush against them.

Undaunted Athlete Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: At least one of "Jump 4 ranks", "Swim 4 ranks", or "Climb 4 ranks".

If you have at least 4 ranks in Jump, you no longer increase the DC of a Jump check if you do not have a running start. If you have 4 ranks in Swim and/or Climb, you gain a Swim and/or Climb speed equal to 1/2 your land speed, respectively.

At 4th level, your Swim and Climb speeds increase to equal your land speed, and you gain a +4 bonus on Jump checks if you have a running start.

Unsurpassed Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Strength as its key ability. If you already had ranks in the chosen skill, they are refunded as you break yourself of your old learning in preparation for replacement with the perfection of the Sun, and may be spent as normal the next time you level up.

You immediately gain four skill ranks in the chosen skill. Every day after you gain this Mythos, you add one more rank to the chosen skill, until you reach the maximum number of ranks you may have in that skill. This continues as your capacity for new skill ranks increases, always ensuring you have the maximum mastery available.

This Mythos may be learned multiple times, choosing a different skill each time.


Dexterity


Boundless Dexterity Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain a +1 inherent bonus to your Dexterity ability score. Furthermore, you have unlocked the insight to push past your perceived limits. At any time, but only once ever, you may spend a day training yourself, sacrifice 250 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +2.

At 7th level, you unlock the ability to break your limits once again. At any time after completing your first level of training, but only once ever, you may spend two days training yourself, sacrifice 500 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +3.

At 10th level, you may transcend your limitations once more, obtaining the ability to, after the second tier of training, once, spend a week training, sacrifice 1,000 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +4.

At 13th level, you may achieve a final tier of ascension, after completing all other trials, once, you may spend two weeks in training, sacrifice 2,000 experience points, and increase your inherent bonus to +5.

Deadeye Archer Method
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Any ranged attacks you make deal additional points of damage on a successful hit equal to your Dexterity modifier. You gain the Point Blank Shot feat as a bonus feat. If you already possess the Point Blank Shot feat, you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

Graceful Acrobat Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Tumble 4 ranks and/or Balance 4 ranks

If you have at least 4 ranks in Tumble, you no longer take the -10 penalty for Accelerated Tumbling. If you have at least 4 ranks in Balance, you no longer take the -5 penalty for Accelerated Movement, and may always take 10 on Balance checks, even if threatened or distracted.

At 6th level, you may always take 20 on Balance checks, even if threatened or distracted.

Impeccable Sharpshooting Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Deadeye Archer Method

You gain the Precise Shot and Sharp-Shooting (CWar) feats as bonus feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. If you already possessed either of those feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Iron Flurry Onslaught
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Standard
Prerequisite: Nimble Blade Agility

Make two melee attacks at your highest base attack bonus. If the second attack has the same target as the first, it suffers a -1 penalty. If both attacks are made with the same weapon, the second attack suffers an additional -2 penalty.

At 6th level, you may make a third attack. This attack suffers a cumulative -1 penalty for each previous attack aimed at the same target as part of the same activation of this Mythos. If all of the attacks made as part of the same activation of this Mythos utilize the same weapon, it suffers an additional -2 penalty.

At 11th level, you may make a fourth attack, with the same rules as the third. At 16th level, you may make a fifth attack, with the same rules.

Lock-Opening Touch
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Swift
Prerequisite: Open Lock 4 ranks

As part of this Mythos, make an Open Lock check. If the lock is non-magical, your check automatically succeeds. With a mere flick of the wrist, the mechanisms inside conform to your will. If the lock is magical, or magically reinforced, a check is required as normal. If a locking spell would not allow a skill check to undo it (such as 'Arcane Lock'), you may unlock it with a DC of (the spell's caster level + the level of the spell).

Nimble Blade Agility
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain the Weapon Finesse feat. In addition, you may apply its effects to any melee weapon, regardless of its classification. Further, you may substitute your Dexterity modifier in place of your Strength modifier for the purposes of determining the bonus damage you deal with melee attacks. If you already possessed Weapon Finesse, you must replace it with another feat that you qualify for.

Rain of Feathered Death
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Deadeye Archer Method

You gain the Rapid Shot and Manyshot feats as bonus feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. If you already possessed either of those feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Shadow-at-Sunset Method
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Hide 4 ranks, or Move Silently 4 ranks

If you have at least 4 ranks in Hide, you gain a +2 bonus on Hide checks in Shadowy Illumination, and a +4 bonus on Hide checks in Darkness. If you have at least 4 ranks in Move Silently, you no longer take the -5 penalty to move up to your normal speed while moving silently.

At 4th level, if you are successfully hidden from all observers, you may always take 10 on Move Silently checks, even if threatened or distracted.

Twin Blade Ambidexterity
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain Two-Weapon Fighting and Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting as bonus feats. If you already possessed either of those feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Reflex Sidestep Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: -

While active, this Mythos allows you to retain your Dexterity bonus to AC even if you are caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, you still lose your Dexterity bonus if immobilized.

At 5th level, you can no longer be flanked, unless the attacker has four or more character levels than you do.

Seven Shadow Evasion
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Reflex Sidestep Technique

While active, if you make a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack or effect that normally deals half damage or has a partial effect on a successful save, you instead negate the effect on yourself entirely.

Unsurpassed Dexterity Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Dexterity as its key ability. If you already had ranks in the chosen skill, they are refunded as you break yourself of your old learning in preparation for replacement with the perfection of the Sun, and may be spent as normal the next time you level up.

You immediately gain four skill ranks in the chosen skill. Every day after you gain this Mythos, you add one more rank to the chosen skill, until you reach the maximum number of ranks you may have in that skill. This continues as your capacity for new skill ranks increases, always ensuring you have the maximum mastery available.

This Mythos may be learned multiple times, choosing a different skill each time.


Constitution


Adamant Skin Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Iron Skin Concentration

You gain Damage Reduction 2/-. At 4th level, this increases to 4/-. At 10th level, this increases to 6/-. At 16th level, this increases to 8/-.

Armored Scout Invigoration
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You reduce the Armor Check Penalty, and increase the Maximum Dexterity Bonus, of any armor you wear by your Constitution modifier. If this would reduce the Armor Check Penalty to 0, then you also take no movement speed penalty for wearing it, and you may sleep in it as restfully as you would in any clothing.

At 4th level, you are always considered to have someone helping you don armor, cutting donning time in half, and allowing you to don half-plate and full-plate without help.

Body-Mending Meditation
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Integrity-Protecting Prana

You are always aware of Poison and Disease effects targeting you. Furthermore, this Mythos expands the functions of Integrity-Protecting Prana to encompass Poison and Disease effects in addition to its normal defensive repertoire.

Boundless Constitution Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain a +1 inherent bonus to your Constitution ability score. Furthermore, you have unlocked the insight to push past your perceived limits. At any time, but only once ever, you may spend a day training yourself, sacrifice 250 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +2.

At 7th level, you unlock the ability to break your limits once again. At any time after completing your first level of training, but only once ever, you may spend two days training yourself, sacrifice 500 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +3.

At 10th level, you may transcend your limitations once more, obtaining the ability to, after the second tier of training, once, spend a week training, sacrifice 1,000 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +4.

At 13th level, you may achieve a final tier of ascension, after completing all other trials, once, you may spend two weeks in training, sacrifice 2,000 experience points, and increase your inherent bonus to +5.

Impregnable Durability Meditation
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Immediate
Prerequisite: -

This Mythos may be activated in response to a critical hit being threatened against you. The threat automatically fails, turning the attack into a normal hit.

Integrity-Protecting Prana
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Immediate
Prerequisite: Concentration 4 ranks

As a Permanent benefit, you are always aware of Petrification and Polymorph effects targeting you, as well as any effect that seeks to change you into a different kind of creature, alter your physical composition into an inanimate compound, or manipulate your size.

This Mythos may be activated in response to one of the aforementioned effects. Make a Concentration check with a DC equal to the DC of the saving throw to resist the effect. If you succeed, your saving throw is made with a +4 bonus.

If the effect has no saving throw associated with it, you may still make a Concentration check, with a DC equal to (10 + 1/2 the user's character level + their lowest mental ability modifier). If you succeed, instead of gaining a bonus on the saving throw, your success allows you to make a Fortitude saving throw to negate the effect, with the DC calculated the same as for the Concentration check.

At level 4, the saving throw bonus granted by this Mythos increases from +4 to +10. In the case of enforcing a saving throw on an effect that did not have one, you now gain a +4 bonus on the saving throw. At level 10, the saving throw bonus increases from +10 to complete immunity. For an enforced saving throw, the bonus becomes +10. At level 16, rather than enforcing a saving throw, if an effect does not have a saving throw, your Concentration check negates it entirely.

Iron Skin Concentration
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Your body reacts to a lack of protective equipment by becoming highly aware of itself, subconsciously aiding you in turning away from attacks and rolling with strikes to reduce their severity, granting you a permanent +4 Armor Bonus to your armor class. You may activate this Mythos as if it were Indefinite to increase this bonus to +6.

At 5th level, when you commit to this Mythos as if it were Indefinite, the bonus increases to +8.

Ox-Body Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain the Toughness, Endurance, and Diehard feats as bonus feats. If you already possessed any of those feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Spirit Strengthens the Skin
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Ox-Body Technique

You gain the Improved Toughness (LM) and Great Fortitude feats as bonus feats. If you already possessed either of those feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Unsurpassed Constitution Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Constitution as its key ability. If you already had ranks in the chosen skill, they are refunded as you break yourself of your old learning in preparation for replacement with the perfection of the Sun, and may be spent as normal the next time you level up.

You immediately gain four skill ranks in the chosen skill. Every day after you gain this Mythos, you add one more rank to the chosen skill, until you reach the maximum number of ranks you may have in that skill. This continues as your capacity for new skill ranks increases, always ensuring you have the maximum mastery available.

This Mythos may be learned multiple times, choosing a different skill each time. If you're wondering, this might be useful if you have a way to change the key ability of skills, which would allow skills other than Concentration to key from Constitution.

Intelligence


Boundless Intelligence Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain a +1 inherent bonus to your Intelligence ability score. Furthermore, you have unlocked the insight to push past your perceived limits. At any time, but only once ever, you may spend a day training yourself, sacrifice 250 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +2.

At 7th level, you unlock the ability to break your limits once again. At any time after completing your first level of training, but only once ever, you may spend two days training yourself, sacrifice 500 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +3.

At 10th level, you may transcend your limitations once more, obtaining the ability to, after the second tier of training, once, spend a week training, sacrifice 1,000 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +4.

At 13th level, you may achieve a final tier of ascension, after completing all other trials, once, you may spend two weeks in training, sacrifice 2,000 experience points, and increase your inherent bonus to +5.

Durability-Enhancing Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Any Craft Skill 4 ranks

At your choice, any item you craft is one step more durable (leather is as wood, wood is as stone, stone is as iron, iron is as mithril, etc) as far as its Hardness and Hit Points are concerned. If no such analogue can be ascertained, simply assume it has +3 Hardness and +10 Hit Points per inch of thickness. If the enhanced item could be broken with a Strength check, then the DC for such a check is increased by 5.

At 7th level, items you construct may be made up to two steps more durable. At 13th level, items you construct may be made up to three steps more durable.

Excellent Student Learning
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Supplemental
Prerequisite: -

This Charm supplements an effort to remember something. Simply name something that you have experienced. You recall it perfectly. In this way, you might remember the entirety of an epic poem word-for-word that you only heard once when you were 11 months old, or the exact thousand-character password you saw for less than a second a few years ago which was written in a language you don't understand.

Sometimes it is reasonable to assume a character would know something, but it is not quite certain. For example, when making a Knowledge (Arcana) check to recall the abilities of a Green Dragon. Perhaps you've run into a Green Dragon before the game started. Perhaps not. In this case, make the Knowledge check as you normally would. However, if you succeed, you recall (Intelligence modifier) additional useful pieces of information, above the normal amount allotted for your check. If you fail the check, it's reasonable to assume that you've never run into the proposed item before.

Frugal Merchant Method
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Appraise 4 ranks

You gain the Diligent feat as a bonus feat. In addition, when shopping in civilized lands in which you are not openly hated (or are disguised in such communities), you may consider the settlement one size category larger for the purposes of its GP Limit (DMG pg137.

At 4th level, when you Appraise an item, if your check results exceeds 20, you can tell whether the item is magical or non-magical in nature. If your check exceeds 30, you understand all magical properties of the appraised item. If there is a magical effect obscuring the true nature of a magical item, you pierce such effects if your Appraise check exceeds (20 + the effect's caster level).

Instantaneous Violence Calculation
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain the Improved Initiative feat as a bonus feat. In addition, in an encounter in which you were not Surprised, you may substitute your Intelligence modifier in place of your Dexterity modifier for the purposes of calculating your Initiative bonus. If you already possess the Improved Initiative feat, you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

Library-Reading Meditation
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Supplemental
Prerequisite: -

This Mythos supplements an action to read some written text. You do so at hundredfold speed (about 25,000 words per minute), understanding everything you read as if you had done so meticulously and with the intention of recalling it later. This does not allow you to activate written magical items (such as scrolls) any faster, as the speed of your mind far outstrips the time it takes for the magic itself to function.

If the text is encoded, broken, or written in an archaic or otherwise difficult-to-comprehend form, you may substitute a Knowledge check in place of a Decipher Script check to understand it. Choose whichever Knowledge check seems most appropriate (Knowledge [Religion] for religious texts, Knowledge [Nobility] for texts denoting royal lineages, and so on).

If the text is magical (such that it could be deciphered with a 'Read Magic' spell), you may still understand it, so long as you succeed on a DC 20 Knowledge (Arcana) check.

Omniprepared Hoarder Attitude
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Frugal Merchant Method

By spending a few hours shopping, you may create a Gear Reserve. When you do so, mark down how much money you wish to put in your Reserve, subtracting that amount from your current funds, as well as the maximum value of any single item in your Reserve, as determined by the size of the settlement in which you shopped.

As a move action, you may produce an item of your choice from your Gear Reserve. This item:
-Must have been capable of being bought in the community in which you created the Gear Reserve.
-Must have been capable of being discreetly stored on your person, such as in a bag, pouch, or concealed elsewhere.
-Must be non-magical in nature, though it may be alchemical.

Otherwise, it may be any item. Subtract its value from your Gear Reserve. If you are ever thoroughly searched, with no compartment or crevice left to mystery, you must immediately define all the contents of your Gear Reserve. If you have one or more places that were not searched, you may choose to keep your Gear Reserve secret, but mark down that the entire contents of your undefined Gear Reserve must have been able to fit in those compartments.

"A werewolf? Hah, I guess it's a good thing I bought this... Silver Longsword! last time we were in town."

Omniscient Armament Mastery
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

By handling and training with an exotic weapon, armor, or shield for 1 hour, you gain permanent proficiency with it. With five minutes of practice, you may transfer the effects of one feat that functions only for a particular weapon (such as Weapon Focus (Scimitar)) to another valid weapon that you are proficient with, provided that you have the new weapon on hand.

Peerless Paragon of Crafting
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Durability-Enhancing Technique

Any item you craft is automatically considered "Masterwork", with no additional resources or time required to make it so.

Ready in Eight Directions Stance
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Superb Readiness Defense

You gain the Karmic Strike feat (CW) as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. In addition, when utilizing your Karmic Strike feat, if an opponent's melee attack misses you, but only by a margin equal to the bonus you are currently deriving from your Combat Expertise feat, they still trigger an attack of opportunity from you, as if they had hit. If you already possess the Karmic Strike feat, you must replace it with another feat that you qualify for.

At 4th level, when an opponent triggers an attack of opportunity from your Karmic Strike feat, is outside of your threatened area, but only 5ft outside of that area, you may move 5ft towards them, to place them within your threatened area, and make your allotted counterattack. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Superb Readiness Defense
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain the Combat Expertise and Dodge feats as bonus feats, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. In addition, you automatically apply the basic dodge-bonus effect of your Dodge feat to every combatant that you are aware of, rather than choosing a single one. However, if you have additional effects that trigger upon selecting a target for your Dodge feat, or only effect the target of your Dodge feat, you must still select a single target for these additional powers to be applied to. If you already possessed either of those feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Surprise-Crushing Cynicism
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Instantaneous Violence Calculation

You gain the Danger Sense feat (CA) as a bonus feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. In addition, when you participate in an encounter, Initiative is rolled and the Initiative Order is noted before the Surprise round takes place. If you would be first in the Initiative Order, and there is a Surprise round, you are not Surprised and may act in the Surprise round even if you would not normally be able to.

At 4th level, you need not be first in the Initiative Order to act during a Surprise round; you need only have an Initiative that is higher than at least one of the characters that is acting in the Surprise round. However, if you happen to be first in the Initiative Order anyway, and are able to communicate with your allies, you have enough time to warn them, and they are not considered Flat-Footed during the Surprise round.

Trap-Foiling Dungeon Veterancy
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Search 4 ranks, Disable Device 4 ranks

Like a Rogue, you may locate traps with a DC higher than 20 using the Search skill, and you may disarm magical traps using the Disable Device skill, as well as bypassing traps without disarming them if you beat the DC by 10 or more. In addition, you add your Intelligence modifier as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class and to all Reflex saves against the attacks and effects of traps. Finally, you are never considered Flat-Footed against the attacks or effects of traps.

Unsurpassed Intelligence Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Intelligence as its key ability. If you already had ranks in the chosen skill, they are refunded as you break yourself of your old learning in preparation for replacement with the perfection of the Sun, and may be spent as normal the next time you level up.

You immediately gain four skill ranks in the chosen skill. Every day after you gain this Mythos, you add one more rank to the chosen skill, until you reach the maximum number of ranks you may have in that skill. This continues as your capacity for new skill ranks increases, always ensuring you have the maximum mastery available.

This Mythos may be learned multiple times, choosing a different skill each time.


Wisdom


Boundless Wisdom Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Wisdom
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain a +1 inherent bonus to your Wisdom ability score. Furthermore, you have unlocked the insight to push past your perceived limits. At any time, but only once ever, you may spend a day training yourself, sacrifice 250 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +2.

At 7th level, you unlock the ability to break your limits once again. At any time after completing your first level of training, but only once ever, you may spend two days training yourself, sacrifice 500 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +3.

At 10th level, you may transcend your limitations once more, obtaining the ability to, after the second tier of training, once, spend a week training, sacrifice 1,000 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +4.

At 13th level, you may achieve a final tier of ascension, after completing all other trials, once, you may spend two weeks in training, sacrifice 2,000 experience points, and increase your inherent bonus to +5.

Dungeon-Delver's Sight
Level/Ability: Exceptional Wisdom
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Keen Senses Technique, Spot 4 ranks

Through extensive training in the dark, your sense of sight has adapted almost perfectly to such locales. You gain Darkvision without a limited range; you can see just as far in darkness as you would normally.

Flawless Diagnosis Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Wisdom
Action: Full-Round
Prerequisite: Heal 4 ranks

Choose a willing or helpless target within your Reach. You instantly know their current and maximum hit points, any Status Conditions afflicting them, ongoing negative spell effects, ability damage, drain, or burn, energy drain, poison, disease, and any temporary penalties.

With each activation of this Mythos, you may zero in on one particular affliction on a target. Make a Heal check with a DC equal to the DC of the saving throw that the target had to make to resist the effect, or (in the case that it does not have a DC to resist) the Challenge Rating of the effect's originator. If you succeed, you know what caused the effect in a general sense. You can tell that this poison came from a rattlesnake, or that this strength penalty came from a Ray of Enfeeblement, but nothing more specific. If you fail, then that particular effect continues to elude you, regardless of further activations of this Mythos.

Keen Senses Technique
Level/Ability: Exceptional Wisdom
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: At least one of "Spot 4 ranks", "Listen 4 ranks", or "Survival 4 ranks"

If you have at least 4 ranks in Spot, you ignore the first fifty feet of distance for determining the penalty to Spot checks taken for distance. If you have at least 4 ranks in Listen, you ignore the first fifty feet of distance for determining the penalty to Listen checks taken for distance. If you have at least 4 ranks in Survival, you gain the "Scent" special quality.

Relief-Granting Gesture
Level/Ability: Exceptional Wisdom
Action: Standard
Prerequisite: Heal 4 ranks

Choose a willing or helpless target within your Reach. With a jab or caress, a kind word or inspirational grunt, you create an intense release of adrenaline and endorphins in the target's body. As a morale effect, any time the target makes a roll, they reduce any penalties (that exist as part of a temporary ongoing negative effect) that hamper the roll by a total number equal to one plus one per three class levels. This includes penalties as part of afflictions such as ability damage, energy drain, and so on.

The effects of this Mythos last for 1 minute. A single target cannot benefit from this Mythos more than once per 24 hours.

At 4th level, a target can benefit from your Relief-Granting Gesture up to once per hour.

Shadow-Stalking Discipline
Level/Ability: Exceptional Wisdom
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Keen Senses Technique

When you succeed on a Spot or Listen check to reveal the presence of an invisible or likewise totally concealed target, you instead automatically 'pinpoint' them (see the Invisibility special ability description (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#invisibility)).

At 4th level, if at least two of your sight, hearing, and smell can reveal the presence of a target, you can effectively "see" them. You know exactly where they are, what they're doing, and receive no penalties to act on them, and they do not receive bonuses to act on you.

Unsurpassed Wisdom Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Wisdom
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Wisdom as its key ability. If you already had ranks in the chosen skill, they are refunded as you break yourself of your old learning in preparation for replacement with the perfection of the Sun, and may be spent as normal the next time you level up.

You immediately gain four skill ranks in the chosen skill. Every day after you gain this Mythos, you add one more rank to the chosen skill, until you reach the maximum number of ranks you may have in that skill. This continues as your capacity for new skill ranks increases, always ensuring you have the maximum mastery available.

This Mythos may be learned multiple times, choosing a different skill each time.


Charisma


Aggression-Dense Personality
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Authority-Radiating Spirit

A rampaging Tarrasque is very big and very scary. What's so scary about you? You pack all that violence and rancor into a far smaller package. You're like a tiny neutron star of mean-spiritedness.

You take no penalty on your Intimidate checks due to being a smaller size category than the target.

Authority-Radiating Spirit
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Bluff 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks

You gain the Persuasive feat as a bonus feat. In addition, you may use the Intimidate skill to 'demoralize' a target as a move action, rather than a standard action. If you already possess the Persuasive feat, you must replace it with another feat you qualify for.

Boundless Charisma Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain a +1 inherent bonus to your Charisma ability score. Furthermore, you have unlocked the insight to push past your perceived limits. At any time, but only once ever, you may spend a day training yourself, sacrifice 250 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +2.

At 7th level, you unlock the ability to break your limits once again. At any time after completing your first level of training, but only once ever, you may spend two days training yourself, sacrifice 500 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +3.

At 10th level, you may transcend your limitations once more, obtaining the ability to, after the second tier of training, once, spend a week training, sacrifice 1,000 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +4.

At 13th level, you may achieve a final tier of ascension, after completing all other trials, once, you may spend two weeks in training, sacrifice 2,000 experience points, and increase your inherent bonus to +5.

Effortless Attack Coordination
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Standard
Prerequisite: -

Choose a target that you can perceive, and order your allies to attack it. The first attack against the chosen target made by an ally that heard your order receives a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier.

At 4th level, you also grant this bonus to the first attack made by the second ally that heard your order and attacked your chosen target.

Epic Zeal of Virtue
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

The multiverse has its objective definitions of 'Good' and 'Evil', and that's all well and good, but the moment that these definitions attempt to trespass on the sanctity of your Will, that is too far.

You are always aware when an effect would attempt to discern your alignment, whether to communicate this information to another, or because its other effects are dependent on the answer (such as a Holy Word spell). By focusing on your own self-image, you may project whichever alignment you wish for the purposes of resolving such effects. To appear Lawful Evil to avoid a Blasphemy spell, you might recall memories of your past, painting them in a negative light, thinking of yourself as manipulative and callous. To project the mien of a Chaotic Good character to fool a Detect Law spell, you might think of all the times in your life when you've stood up against unyielding authority or injustice, no matter how small, and conveniently disregarding the fact that some of those times you might have been doing so for selfish reasons.

Note that, while the player of a player-character is always free to insist that their Sun Hero is capable of summoning up some shred of whichever feelings they need to in order to project the most optimal self-image for a given effect, this need not always be the case. A Sun Hero driven to guilt and depression may not be capable of thinking of themselves as Good (even if that's their actual alignment). A Sun Hero that has spent decades surrounded by simpering sycophants may have lost the ability to consider themselves as Evil.

Heroism-Encouraging Presence
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: -

While this Mythos is active, Allies that can perceive you receive a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear. You do not grant yourself this bonus. This Mythos is immediately deactivated if you come under a fear effect, and you cannot activate this Mythos while under a fear effect.

Misleading Grace Chicanery
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Unpredictable Maiming Cleverness

Your style of fighting incorporates constant use of minor feints and misdirections. You may substitute your Charisma modifier in place of your Strength modifier for the purposes of determining your ability bonus to attack and damage rolls with melee attacks.

Respect-Commanding Attitude
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Supplemental
Prerequisite: Any Perform Skill 4 ranks

This Mythos supplements a Perform check. Those that hear it must make a Will save equal to the supplemented Perform check or become 'fascinated' as the condition, with one exception. The threat of imminent physical harm instantly breaks the effect, rather than allowing a new saving throw. This fascination will last for as long as you play, although a single creature need only save against this Mythos once per 24 hours (regardless of whether they succeeded or failed the first time).

Ruthless Assassin Instincts
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Unpredictable Maiming Cleverness

You gain the Sneak Attack class feature, identical to the Rogue class feature of the same name, though you only possess 1d6 Sneak Attack dice, and this amount does not improve automatically with level. In addition, Sneak Attack dice amassed from Sun Hero Mythos do not stack with the Sneak Attack dice of other classes - they overlap (A character with 1d6 Sneak Attack from their Sun Hero levels, and 2d6 Sneak Attack from their Rogue levels would only deal 2d6 bonus damage on a successful Sneak Attack).

At 4th level, you gain a bonus feat. This bonus feat may be any [Ambush] feat, Deadly Precision, Arterial Strike, Hamstring, Maiming Strike, Staggering Strike, or Telling Blow. You must meet the prerequisites of the chosen bonus feat.

Upgrade: This Mythos may be taken a second time if you are of at least 4th level. In this case, you gain an additional die of Sneak Attack and another bonus feat from the given list that you meet the prerequisites for.

Unpredictable Maiming Cleverness
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Bluff 4 ranks

You gain the Improved Feint feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. Furthermore, you do not take a penalty on Bluff checks to feint against non-humanoid targets, or creatures of animal intelligence. You may activate this Mythos as if its duration were Indefinite. While active in this way, you may make Feints as swift actions, rather than move actions.

At 4th level, you gain the permanent ability to perform Feints against non-intelligent creatures, fooling even the unnatural senses of golems and zombies.

Unsurpassed Charisma Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Charisma as its key ability. If you already had ranks in the chosen skill, they are refunded as you break yourself of your old learning in preparation for replacement with the perfection of the Sun, and may be spent as normal the next time you level up.

You immediately gain four skill ranks in the chosen skill. Every day after you gain this Mythos, you add one more rank to the chosen skill, until you reach the maximum number of ranks you may have in that skill. This continues as your capacity for new skill ranks increases, always ensuring you have the maximum mastery available.

This Mythos may be learned multiple times, choosing a different skill each time.

Xefas
2013-01-07, 02:35 AM
Fantastic

Strength


Bone-Crushing Dreadnaught Stance
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Foe-Humbling Strike

While this Mythos is active, every melee attack that you make, modified by your Power Attack feat, that threatens a Critical Hit, is automatically Confirmed.

Dominoes-and-Catapults Style
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Soldiers Like Ragdolls

While this Mythos is active, while Bull Rushing a target, you may force them into another creature's space. In this case, the creature whose space is being invaded must choose to either make a Reflex save or an opposed Bull Rush check against the check you are currently using. If they succeed on the Reflex save, the Bull Rush continues as normal, moving through the creature's space unchanged. If they succeed on the opposed Bull Rush check, the Bull Rush immediately ends with no additional effects.

If they fail on either check, the Bull Rush ends, both take damage from Hammer-and-Anvil Crush as if the second creature were an impacted barrier, and both fall prone.

Earth-Shattering Heel
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Standard
Prerequisite: Thundering Shockwave Clap

Striking a solid surface, most often with a powerful kick, but any unarmed strike will do, you create a shockwave in a (Strength modifier x 5)ft Radius, but only along the struck surface. Creatures supported by that surface must make a Reflex save or be knocked prone. In addition, you may also choose to deal damage to the surface as if with an unarmed attack. In this case, if you overcome its Hardness and deal damage, without destroying it, the area targeted by this Mythos becomes Difficult Terrain.

Leaf on the Wind
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Peerless Parkour Style

While this Mythos is active, you may use your incredible strength to control the speed and direction with which you fall. No matter how fast you are falling, you may slow yourself to a leisurely 60ft per round, pushing back the wind itself with your heroic biceps. Furthermore, as a move action, you may alter your angle of descent by up to 45 degrees, although you may not descend at an angle more than 45 degrees away from a straight plummet.

Limitless Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Boundless Strength Excellency

With your immense strength, you bend the natural barriers that your body enforces upon you, unlocking hidden potential that would otherwise be impossible. While active, this Mythos grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Strength. However, such reckless abuse of your healthy limitations is potentially deadly. If this Mythos is forcibly deactivated, either by being Taxed or Burnt, or by some more exotic effect, you immediately take 2 points of Strength damage as your muscles tear and bones crack.

If you possess any combination of Limitless Strength Excellency, Limitless Dexterity Excellency, and Limitless Constitution Excellency, you may activate each of them that you know with the same action, and maintain them all as if they were a single Mythos, occupying a single point of your Heroic Focus.

At 10th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 4. At 16th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +6, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 6.

Philistine Giant Training
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Strength-Increasing Exercise, Medium or smaller natural size

Such is the arduous nature of your training, and the heroic power of your body, that your bones and musculature have expanded to the point where you tip into the next size category up (with all associated benefits, except for the automatic increase in Strength, Constitution, or Natural Armor, and the automatic decrease in Dexterity that are normally the effects of a change in size). Note that, due to the enormous gap between Large and Huge size, Huge and Gargantuan, and Gargantuan to Colossal, relative to the comparatively smaller difference between Medium and Large, and smaller sizes, this Mythos is ineffective at sufficiently increasing one's size if their natural size category is not Medium or smaller. You would still get bigger, but not enough to count.

Shooting-Star Arch
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Meteor-Tossing Method

While active, this Mythos adds a number of range increments to your thrown weapons equal to your Strength modifier, and doubles the size of each range increment.

Soaring Predator Leap
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Swift
Prerequisite: Peerless Parkour Style, Jump 10 ranks

Make a Jump check. You may move up to the distance indicated by the check result.

Soldiers Like Ragdolls
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Thunderclap Rush

Whenever you successfully Bull Rush a target, you may continue to move them without needing to move with them. In this case, you've sent them hurtling away with pure brute force. If they impact a barrier, you may choose to have them take damage as if you were still pushing them with Hammer-and-Anvil Crush.

Strength Excellence Curriculum
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Boundless Strength Excellency

With this Mythos, you may train others much as you have trained yourself. You may train up to (Intelligence modifier) pupils at a time, but may not grant any pupil a higher inherent bonus to their ability scores than you, yourself, have. The first tier of training requires two days. You must pay 250 experience per pupil, and each pupil must pay 500 experience. This training grants them a +1 inherent bonus to their Strength.

The second tier of training requires a week. You pay 500xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 1,000xp each. This increases any +1 inherent bonus they have to +2. The third tier requires two weeks. You pay 1,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 2,000xp each. This increases any +2 inherent bonus they have to +3. The fourth and fifth tiers require a month. You pay 2,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 4,000xp each. This increases any +3 inherent bonus they have to +4, or any +4 inherent bonus they have to +5, respectively.

If you possess any combination of Strength Excellence Curriculum, Dexterity Excellence Curriculum, and Constitution Excellence Curriculum, you may utilize them all simultaneously, using the same training time to train multiple ability scores (although you still pay the experience cost for each individually; this just cuts down on training time).

Tavern-Clearing Cleave
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Bone-Crushing Dreadnaught Stance

While this Mythos is active, when you make a melee attack modified by your Power Attack feat, choose a second target, either in the same space as the first, or in a contiguous space that is still within your Reach. Apply your attack to the second target as well.

At 10th level, choose a third target. This target may be in a space contiguous to either of your first two targets.

Thundering Shockwave Clap
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Standard
Prerequisite: Fists of Orichalcum Technique

You must have two hands free to use this Mythos. Bringing your hands together with bone-shattering force, you create a shockwave in a (Strength modifier x 5)ft Cone. Creatures caught in this area must make a Fortitude save. A creature that fails must choose to either be knocked prone, or to be blown back to the edge of the effect's area. A creature that fails by 4 or more does not get to choose; both happen to it. The effects of this Mythos are considered to be the equivalent of Windstorm-force winds, blowing away most gases and fogs, extinguishing all exposed flames, toppling most furniture, and so on.

Unattainable Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: 10 ranks in the chosen skill

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Strength as its key ability, and that you have at least 10 ranks in. You gain a +10 competence bonus on all checks made with the chosen skill.

At 10th level, increase this bonus to +15. At 16th level, increase this bonus to +20.

Wind-Crushing Exertion
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Leaf on the Wind, Jump 10 ranks

This Mythos permanently modifies Leaf on the Wind. While that Mythos is active, as long as you have a free limb, you may make a single Jump check per round without requiring a solid surface to push off from. With a powerful thrust from your excessively muscled limbs, you displace enough air to propel yourself forward. Every Jump check that you make, before touching a solid surface again, suffers a cumulative -2 penalty. Note that, if you fail to Jump at least 5ft in a particular round, you immediately begin to fall, and may not use the double-jumping function of this Mythos again until you touch a solid surface.


Dexterity


Dexterity Excellence Curriculum
Level/Ability: Fantastic Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Boundless Dexterity Excellency

With this Mythos, you may train others much as you have trained yourself. You may train up to (Intelligence modifier) pupils at a time, but may not grant any pupil a higher inherent bonus to their ability scores than you, yourself, have. The first tier of training requires two days. You must pay 250 experience per pupil, and each pupil must pay 500 experience. This training grants them a +1 inherent bonus to their Dexterity.

The second tier of training requires a week. You pay 500xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 1,000xp each. This increases any +1 inherent bonus they have to +2. The third tier requires two weeks. You pay 1,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 2,000xp each. This increases any +2 inherent bonus they have to +3. The fourth and fifth tiers require a month. You pay 2,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 4,000xp each. This increases any +3 inherent bonus they have to +4, or any +4 inherent bonus they have to +5, respectively.

If you possess any combination of Strength Excellence Curriculum, Dexterity Excellence Curriculum, and Constitution Excellence Curriculum, you may utilize them all simultaneously, using the same training time to train multiple ability scores (although you still pay the experience cost for each individually; this just cuts down on training time).

Flashing Edge of Dawn
Level/Ability: Fantastic Dexterity
Action: Supplemental
Prerequisite: Iron Flurry Onslaught

This Mythos supplements a Full-Attack. You take no iterative penalties to your attacks. In addition, if you have a feat or ability that grants additional attacks with offhand weapons (such as Improved Two-Weapon Fighting), they do not take the special penalty applied to them (although, you still take the basic penalty for wielding multiple weapons, if applicable). Note that this Mythos supplements the Full-Attack itself, not the individual attacks themselves, which may still be supplemented by other Mythos.

Limitless Dexterity Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Dexterity
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Boundless Dexterity Excellency

With your immense strength, you bend the natural barriers that your body enforces upon you, unlocking hidden potential that would otherwise be impossible. While active, this Mythos grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Dexterity. However, such reckless abuse of your healthy limitations is potentially deadly. If this Mythos is forcibly deactivated, either by being Taxed or Burnt, or by some more exotic effect, you immediately take 2 points of Dexterity damage as your muscles tear and bones crack.

If you possess any combination of Limitless Strength Excellency, Limitless Dexterity Excellency, and Limitless Constitution Excellency, you may activate each of them that you know with the same action, and maintain them all as if they were a single Mythos, occupying a single point of your Heroic Focus.

At 10th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 4. At 16th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +6, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 6.

Shadow-Refining Alacrity
Level/Ability: Fantastic Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Seven Shadow Evasion

As long as you are wearing no armor, light armor, or armor from which you suffer no movement speed penalty or armor check penalty, you may benefit from Seven Shadow Evasion and Reflex Sidestep Technique without the need to activate and maintain them.

Sun Hides Its Face
Level/Ability: Fantastic Dexterity
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Shadows-at-Sunset Method

You may use the Hide skill even while being observed, as long as you have Concealment, or are within an area of at least Shadowy Illumination or darker.

Surprise-Anticipation Method
Level/Ability: Fantastic Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Shadow-Refining Alacrity

While you are unconscious, but your unconsciousness is not being enforced by some effect (such as a Sleep spell), you automatically awaken upon an attack being declared on you (before the attack roll is made), and may immediately rise from prone and roll initiative without an action required.

Furthermore, if your unconsciousness is being enforced by some effect, but you are not immobilized in some way, and you are currently benefiting from Reflex-Sidestep Technique, when an attack is declared on you, you may roll initiative anyway, and stand from prone without an action. While participating in an encounter in such a way, you are still unconscious and may not take actions normally disallowed in such a state, but you are not considered Helpless, and retain your Dexterity bonus to your Armor Class as if you were awake. Every round in this state, at the beginning of your turn, you may make a new saving throw against each effect that is enforcing your unconsciousness.

If the encounter ends without you ever waking up, your rest is not considered to have been broken for the purposes of natural healing, or abilities that recharge after a certain amount of uninterrupted rest.

Unattainable Dexterity Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Dexterity
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: 10 ranks in the chosen skill

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Dexterity as its key ability, and that you have at least 10 ranks in. You gain a +10 competence bonus on all checks made with the chosen skill.

At 10th level, increase this bonus to +15. At 16th level, increase this bonus to +20.


Constitution


Constitution Excellence Curriculum
Level/Ability: Fantastic Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Boundless Constitution Excellency

With this Mythos, you may train others much as you have trained yourself. You may train up to (Intelligence modifier) pupils at a time, but may not grant any pupil a higher inherent bonus to their ability scores than you, yourself, have. The first tier of training requires two days. You must pay 250 experience per pupil, and each pupil must pay 500 experience. This training grants them a +1 inherent bonus to their Constitution.

The second tier of training requires a week. You pay 500xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 1,000xp each. This increases any +1 inherent bonus they have to +2. The third tier requires two weeks. You pay 1,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 2,000xp each. This increases any +2 inherent bonus they have to +3. The fourth and fifth tiers require a month. You pay 2,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 4,000xp each. This increases any +3 inherent bonus they have to +4, or any +4 inherent bonus they have to +5, respectively.

If you possess any combination of Strength Excellence Curriculum, Dexterity Excellence Curriculum, and Constitution Excellence Curriculum, you may utilize them all simultaneously, using the same training time to train multiple ability scores (although you still pay the experience cost for each individually; this just cuts down on training time).

Enduring Mountain Method
Level/Ability: Fantastic Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Concentration 10 ranks, Body-Mending Meditation

You are always aware of Stunning, Paralysis, and Daze effects targeting you. Furthermore, this Mythos expands the functions of Integrity-Protecting Prana to encompass Stunning, Paralysis, and Daze effects in addition to its normal defensive repertoire.

Limitless Constitution Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Constitution
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Boundless Constitution Excellency

With your immense strength, you bend the natural barriers that your body enforces upon you, unlocking hidden potential that would otherwise be impossible. While active, this Mythos grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Constitution. However, such reckless abuse of your healthy limitations is potentially deadly. If this Mythos is forcibly deactivated, either by being Taxed or Burnt, or by some more exotic effect, you immediately take 2 points of Constitution damage as your muscles tear and bones crack.

If you possess any combination of Limitless Strength Excellency, Limitless Dexterity Excellency, and Limitless Constitution Excellency, you may activate each of them that you know with the same action, and maintain them all as if they were a single Mythos, occupying a single point of your Heroic Focus.

At 10th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 4. At 16th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +6, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 6.

Never Give Up, Never Surrender
Level/Ability: Fantastic Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Spitting Teeth At The Grave

The first time in an encounter that you are reduced to negative hit points, you may immediately recover from one point of Taxed Focus, if you so choose. In addition, while you have negative hit points, you gain a morale bonus to your Armor Class equal to (2 x the number of Indefinite Mythos currently committed to your Heroic Focus), and you gain a morale bonus on all attack rolls equal to (1 x the number of points of Focus you currently have Taxed or Burnt).

Spitting Teeth At The Grave
Level/Ability: Fantastic Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Spirit Strengthens The Skin

You no longer die until you reach negative (Constitution score) hit points, rather than negative ten hit points. With the Diehard feat, you may remain active (though Disabled, as normal) up until this new threshold.

At level 10, you no longer die until you reach negative (1/2 maximum hit points) hit points.

Truth Shines Through
Level/Ability: Fantastic Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Enduring Mountain Method

You are always aware of Mind-Affecting effects targeting you, excluding Fear and Illusion effects. Furthermore, this Mythos expands the functions of Integrity-Protecting Prana to encompass Mind-Affecting Effects that are not Fear or Illusion based, in addition to its normal defensive repertoire.

Unattainable Constitution Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: 10 ranks in the chosen skill

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Constitution as its key ability, and that you have at least 10 ranks in. You gain a +10 competence bonus on all checks made with the chosen skill.

At 10th level, increase this bonus to +15. At 16th level, increase this bonus to +20.


Intelligence


Concealing Wonderful Toys
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Omniprepared Hoarder Attitude

When you Craft, you may create an Artisan Reserve, or add to an existing Artisan Reserve, rather than producing an item. You may choose the DC for such a check (note that a higher DC is harder to reach, but yields faster progress). Mark down how much the effective value of your Artisan Reserve is, as well as which crafting skill the items inside of it were created with (an Artisan Reserve may only be tied to a single skill at a time; you must create multiple separate Reserves to use different skills).

As a move action, you may produce an item from your Artisan Reserve. This item:
-Must have been capable of being crafted by you.
-Must have been capable of being discreetly stored on your person, such as in a bag, pouch, or concealed elsewhere.
-Must be non-magical in nature, though it may be alchemical.

Otherwise, it may be any item. Subtract its value from your Artisan Reserve. If you are ever thoroughly searched, with no compartment or crevice left to mystery, you must immediately define all the contents of your Artisan Reserve. If you have one or more places that were not searched, you may choose to keep your Artisan Reserve secret, but mark down that the entire contents of your undefined Artisan Reserve must have been able to fit in those compartments.

Exemplary Panoply-Forging Prowess
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Peerless Paragon of Crafting

You may use the Craft skill to craft Magic Items. The kind of Craft required is based on what the basic item actually is (Weaponsmithing for a magic sword, Jewelerycrafting for a magic necklace, Blacksmithing for magic horseshoes, etc). The raw materials to do so are equal to 1/2 the market value. You may set any DC you wish before making the Craft check (remember: a lower DC is easier to meet, but makes less progress). Upon completing the item, you must spend 1/25th of the market value in XP to finalize the process. You may not craft a Magic Item with a caster level higher than your class level.

Obviously, a Sun Hero has no magic of his own to imbue an item with. Instead, for each spell listed as a requirement for creating the item, you must include one exotic ingredient that resonates with the replaced spell. If the ingredient is culled from a monster (which is most common), the challenge rating of the monster must be at least equal to the level of the replaced spell (a CR 2+ monster for a 2nd level spell, for instance). Other exotic components (such as using the fire from an erupting volcano as a forge for your sword, or the grapes from a vineyard in the Ninth Circle of Hell to make especially evil wine) are possible, though their "effective challenge rating" is up to the group to decide.

(Some examples of resonating ingredients are the ashes from a defeated Small Fire Elemental or the severed glands of a Fire Beetle replacing a "Burning Hands" spell. A pound of gargoyle flesh for a "Stone Shape" spell. An Aboleth's brain instead of a "Project Image" spell.)

Intelligence Excellence Curriculum
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Boundless Intelligence Excellency

With this Mythos, you may train others much as you have trained yourself. You may train up to (Intelligence modifier) pupils at a time, but may not grant any pupil a higher inherent bonus to their ability scores than you, yourself, have. The first tier of training requires two days. You must pay 250 experience per pupil, and each pupil must pay 500 experience. This training grants them a +1 inherent bonus to their Intelligence.

The second tier of training requires a week. You pay 500xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 1,000xp each. This increases any +1 inherent bonus they have to +2. The third tier requires two weeks. You pay 1,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 2,000xp each. This increases any +2 inherent bonus they have to +3. The fourth and fifth tiers require a month. You pay 2,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 4,000xp each. This increases any +3 inherent bonus they have to +4, or any +4 inherent bonus they have to +5, respectively.

If you possess any combination of Intelligence Excellence Curriculum, Wisdom Excellence Curriculum, and Charisma Excellence Curriculum, you may utilize them all simultaneously, using the same training time to train multiple ability scores (although you still pay the experience cost for each individually; this just cuts down on training time).

Limitless Intelligence Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Boundless Intelligence Excellency

With your immense intellect, you bend the natural barriers that your mind enforces upon you, unlocking hidden potential that would otherwise be impossible. While active, this Mythos grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Intelligence. However, such reckless abuse of your healthy limitations is potentially deadly. If this Mythos is forcibly deactivated, either by being Taxed or Burnt, or by some more exotic effect, you immediately take 2 points of Intelligence damage as your mind runs haywire.

If you possess any combination of Limitless Intelligence Excellency, Limitless Wisdom Excellency, and Limitless Charisma Excellency, you may activate each of them that you know with the same action, and maintain them all as if they were a single Mythos, occupying a single point of your Heroic Focus.

At 10th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 4. At 16th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +6, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 6.

Occult Demesne-Shaping Construction
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Exemplary Panoply-Forging Prowess, Spellcraft 10 ranks

You have attained a unique understanding of the flow of magical energies and, while you may not shape it yourself, you may construct equipment that controls this flow, causing it to pool into more easily usable forms, not entirely unlike how you mundanely manipulate magic to create enchanted items via this Mythos' prerequisite.

Each magical focal point you create, called a Demesne, is crafted like a magical item, using Exemplary Panoply Forging Prowess. The cost in raw materials is 5,000gp. You may utilize any Craft skill you wish to create a Demesne, and its aesthetic will be shaped heavily by this. Craft (Sculpting) might lend itself to a circle of statues, or a neolithic henge. Craft (Jewelry) might create an immense 3-dimensional jewel-encrusted astrolabe. Craft (Tailoring) may yield a towering spire of white dresses, floating eerily in an unseen draft of mystical energy. Whatever the case, each Demesne must be aspected to a particular school of magic, and its location must resonate with that school of magic.

Abjuration Demesnes favor places of protection, such as a citadel, fort, barracks, or orphanage. Conjuration Demesnes favor places that symbolize interconnection and movement, such as a crossroads, the site of a planar gateway, a dock, or a major trade route. Divination Demesnes prefer secret places, such as a secluded monastery, an ancient and hidden cave network, or a lonely mountain peak. Enchantment Demesnes favor places of communication, such as a post office, a public forum, or a senate house. Evocation Demesnes favor places where the primal elements rage, such as a dormant (or active) volcano, a thundering river, a windswept plateau, or a fault line. Illusion Demesnes prefer places of enticement and entertainment, such as a theatre, a tavern, or a brothel. Necromancy Demesnes prefer places of death, like a graveyard or catacomb, the site of a great battle, or a coliseum (for those that incorporate the element of Life into their Necromancy, they also favor hospitals, gardens, and serene forest groves). Transmutation Demesnes prefer places of significant change or creation, such as geysers or hotsprings where large amounts of water convert to steam, busy kitchens where masses of raw ingredients convert into food, or foundries where crucibles of impure stone become pure workable metal.

The size of a given Demesne may vary, but they are never smaller than a single-room hut or small house, in total. In addition, they are precise and immobile instruments that tap into the geomantic magic of the surrounding area; moving them renders them useless, and they are often easily broken or sabotaged (though they may be fixed with the Craft skill as normal). Just by existing, a Demesne creates a 1-mile radius of altered magic. In this area, spells and the effects of magic items that match the aspect of the Demesne are utilized at +1 caster level, and those that do not suffer a -1 caster level penalty. Furthermore, creatures with at least 4 ranks in Spellcraft can feel a disturbance in the area. If they have the Track feat, they may make a DC 30 Survival or Spellcraft check to lead them to the Demesne creating the disturbance. With or without the Track feat, a DC 35 Spellcraft check will allow someone to sense the specific caster level alterations at play here. A new Demesne cannot be created within the area of disturbed magic emitted by another Demesne.

A character that has the same Craft skill as was used to create the Demesne may use it as a masterwork workshop to create an Essence Core of the same Aspect (such as a "Necromancy Core"), with raw materials costing 250gp (for a 500gp value) and a DC of the crafter's choice. Every Core takes the shape of a small bauble, but the exact appearance is up to the creator. A Craft (Tailoring) Necromancy Core might appear as a square of black and white cloth, about the size of a handkerchief or bandana, while a Craft (Blacksmithing) Illusion Core might be a small metal puzzle box. Regardless of its shape, each Core is magical, and emits a faint aura of its aspected school.

An Essence Core has three uses. First, it may be attached to an item, which occupies the same slot as an Augment Crystal MiC. This causes the item to glow with light as bright as a torch, and lightly hum with energy. If such an item is sundered, it explodes in a 5ft radius, forcing those in the blast to make a DC 15 Reflex save or take 2d6 damage. The Core does not take damage from this blast, though the overload causes it to become depleted, losing 100gp of its value each time. A Core that loses all of its value ceases to function. Secondly, it may be used by a Hero with the ability to craft magic items using exotic magical components (such as through Exemplary Panoply-Forging Prowess) as part of the crafting process, filling the requirement of any spell of the same school as the Core's aspect. This fully depletes the Core. Third, it may be used by a spellcaster to fill in for any other material component (but not focus component) for a spell of the same school as its aspect. This depletes the Core by an amount of value equal to the value of the material component it is being substituted for. Multiple Cores may be used in a single casting to fill in for a very expensive component.

Occult Patron Purchases
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Appraise 10 ranks, Omniprepared Hoarder Attitude

You may produce magical items from your Gear Reserves.

Unattainable Intelligence Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: 10 ranks in the chosen skill

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Intelligence as its key ability, and that you have at least 10 ranks in. You gain a +10 competence bonus on all checks made with the chosen skill.

At 10th level, increase this bonus to +15. At 16th level, increase this bonus to +20.

Utility-Belt Stocking Practices
Level/Ability: Fantastic Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Exemplary Panoply-Forging Prowess, Concealing Wonderful Toys

You may produce magical items from your Artisan Reserves.

"I had a feeling we'd need some +1 [Aquatic] Humanoid Bane Arrows last week..."


Wisdom


Limitless Wisdom Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Wisdom
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Boundless Wisdom Excellency

With your immense intellect, you bend the natural barriers that your mind enforces upon you, unlocking hidden potential that would otherwise be impossible. While active, this Mythos grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Wisdom. However, such reckless abuse of your healthy limitations is potentially deadly. If this Mythos is forcibly deactivated, either by being Taxed or Burnt, or by some more exotic effect, you immediately take 2 points of Wisdom damage as your mind runs haywire.

If you possess any combination of Limitless Intelligence Excellency, Limitless Wisdom Excellency, and Limitless Charisma Excellency, you may activate each of them that you know with the same action, and maintain them all as if they were a single Mythos, occupying a single point of your Heroic Focus.

At 10th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 4. At 16th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +6, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 6.

Unattainable Wisdom Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Wisdom
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: 10 ranks in the chosen skill

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Wisdom as its key ability, and that you have at least 10 ranks in. You gain a +10 competence bonus on all checks made with the chosen skill.

At 10th level, increase this bonus to +15. At 16th level, increase this bonus to +20.

Wisdom Excellence Curriculum
Level/Ability: Fantastic Wisdom
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Boundless Wisdom Excellency

With this Mythos, you may train others much as you have trained yourself. You may train up to (Intelligence modifier) pupils at a time, but may not grant any pupil a higher inherent bonus to their ability scores than you, yourself, have. The first tier of training requires two days. You must pay 250 experience per pupil, and each pupil must pay 500 experience. This training grants them a +1 inherent bonus to their Wisdom.

The second tier of training requires a week. You pay 500xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 1,000xp each. This increases any +1 inherent bonus they have to +2. The third tier requires two weeks. You pay 1,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 2,000xp each. This increases any +2 inherent bonus they have to +3. The fourth and fifth tiers require a month. You pay 2,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 4,000xp each. This increases any +3 inherent bonus they have to +4, or any +4 inherent bonus they have to +5, respectively.

If you possess any combination of Intelligence Excellence Curriculum, Wisdom Excellence Curriculum, and Charisma Excellence Curriculum, you may utilize them all simultaneously, using the same training time to train multiple ability scores (although you still pay the experience cost for each individually; this just cuts down on training time).


Charisma


Charisma Excellence Curriculum
Level/Ability: Fantastic Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Boundless Charisma Excellency

With this Mythos, you may train others much as you have trained yourself. You may train up to (Intelligence modifier) pupils at a time, but may not grant any pupil a higher inherent bonus to their ability scores than you, yourself, have. The first tier of training requires two days. You must pay 250 experience per pupil, and each pupil must pay 500 experience. This training grants them a +1 inherent bonus to their Charisma.

The second tier of training requires a week. You pay 500xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 1,000xp each. This increases any +1 inherent bonus they have to +2. The third tier requires two weeks. You pay 1,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 2,000xp each. This increases any +2 inherent bonus they have to +3. The fourth and fifth tiers require a month. You pay 2,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 4,000xp each. This increases any +3 inherent bonus they have to +4, or any +4 inherent bonus they have to +5, respectively.

If you possess any combination of Intelligence Excellence Curriculum, Wisdom Excellence Curriculum, and Charisma Excellence Curriculum, you may utilize them all simultaneously, using the same training time to train multiple ability scores (although you still pay the experience cost for each individually; this just cuts down on training time).

Heartless Killer Methodology
Level/Ability: Fantastic Charisma
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Vicious Weak-Point Exploitation

While this mythos is active, add two additional dice to your Sneak Attack.

At 10th level, add a third die.

Limitless Charisma Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Charisma
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Boundless Charisma Excellency

With your immense intellect, you bend the natural barriers that your mind enforces upon you, unlocking hidden potential that would otherwise be impossible. While active, this Mythos grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Charisma. However, such reckless abuse of your healthy limitations is potentially deadly. If this Mythos is forcibly deactivated, either by being Taxed or Burnt, or by some more exotic effect, you immediately take 2 points of Charisma damage as your mind runs haywire.

If you possess any combination of Limitless Intelligence Excellency, Limitless Wisdom Excellency, and Limitless Charisma Excellency, you may activate each of them that you know with the same action, and maintain them all as if they were a single Mythos, occupying a single point of your Heroic Focus.

At 10th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 4. At 16th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +6, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 6.

Terrible Sun-King Condemnation
Level/Ability: Fantastic Charisma
Action: Supplemental
Prerequisite: Terrifying Apparition of Glory, Epic Zeal of Virtue

This Mythos supplements an Intimidate check made to demoralize. If the demoralization succeeds, you may force those effected to temporarily conform to your world-view out of fear. Choose an alignment (if you are demoralizing multiple targets, you may choose a different alignment for each one if you wish). For (charisma modifier) minutes, they are considered that alignment, in addition to their own, and any effect dependent on alignment always treats them as the least advantageous choice between the two. A character that already has a second alignment from Terrible Sun-King Condemnation cannot be effected by this Mythos again until their prior extraneous alignment has worn away.

At 10th level, the duration of this effect increases to (charisma modifier) hours. At 16th level, it increases to (charisma modifier) days.

Terrifying Apparition of Glory
Level/Ability: Fantastic Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Aggression-Dense Personality, Intimidate 10 ranks

You gain Imperious Command (DotU) as a bonus feat. In addition, when you demoralize a target with your Intimidate skill, you may choose to apply your demoralization check against all enemies within 10 feet of you. If you already possess the Imperious Command feat, you must replace it with another feat that you qualify for.

You may activate this Mythos as if it were Indefinite. While active in this way, you may demoralize with your Intimidate skill as a swift action.

Unattainable Charisma Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: 10 ranks in the chosen skill

Upon purchasing this Mythos, choose a Sun Hero class skill that has Charisma as its key ability, and that you have at least 10 ranks in. You gain a +10 competence bonus on all checks made with the chosen skill.

At 10th level, increase this bonus to +15. At 16th level, increase this bonus to +20.

Vicious Weak-Point Exploitation
Level/Ability: Fantastic Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Ruthless Assassin Instincts

Even those creatures without humanoid organ systems have places at which they are more vulnerable. Add an additional die to your Sneak Attack ability, and you may now execute Sneak Attacks and Critical Hits against Constructs, Undead, and Plants. Unfortunately, Oozes and Elementals are still a little bit too homogenous and amorphous to be properly abused.

Xefas
2013-01-07, 02:36 AM
Legendary

Strength


Endless Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Legendary Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Limitless Strength Excellency

You have become so comfortable operating outside of your body's normal range of healthy activity, that it has become the new standard for you. The 'Action' of your Limitless Strength Excellency becomes 'Permanent'.

Horizon-Hurling Tactics
Level/Ability: Legendary Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Toppling Behemoth Leverage

While this Mythos is active, when you successfully Bull Rush a target, instead of moving them an additional 5 feet for every 5 points by which you succeed, you may move them 5 feet for every 2 points by which you succeed.

Toppling Behemoth Leverage
Level/Ability: Legendary Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Soldiers Like Ragdolls

When you Bull Rush a creature larger than yourself, they are considered to be your size category for the purposes of bonuses they receive on the opposed check to resist.

Nation-Spanning Vault
Level/Ability: Legendary Strength
Action: Full-Round
Prerequisite: River-Crossing Leap

Make a Jump check. Replace the number of feet you may travel with an equal number of miles. You may move up to the distance indicated by this amount. If you decide to leap over 1 mile, you create a destructive impact when you land, dealing 5d6 bludgeoning damage to everything within about (miles traveled) feet. Items that any character currently has equipped or attended do not take damage. You and anyone you are carrying are similarly exempt. This damage bypasses hardness, wrecking scenery and structures in your wake. If you decide to leap over 30 miles, the accuracy with which you do so is reduced. You land 2d6-2 miles off target in a random direction. You may subtract another 2 from this roll (to a minimum of 0) for each of the following conditions that you meet.

-You know the general area you are leaping toward, and the surrounding lands very well, having traveled among them on several occasions.
-You succeed on a Knowledge (Geography) check with a DC equal to the number of miles you are leaping, rolled after you begin the jump.
-You have at least five minutes to concentrate and focus on making your jump as accurate as possible.

If the speed at which you travel, or the duration of the leap is of any importance, assume that each mile takes about 30 seconds to traverse.

Use of this Mythos inflicts Focus Burn.

River-Crossing Leap
Level/Ability: Legendary Strength
Action: Move
Prerequisite: Jump 16 ranks, and either Wind-Crushing Exertion, or Soaring Predator Leap

Make a Jump check. Double the result. You may move up to the distance indicated by the final result.

At 16th level, triple the result instead of doubling it.

Universal Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Legendary Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Add a perfection bonus to every Strength-based skill check and every Strength-based ability check equal to your Strength modifier.

In addition, increase the competence bonus granted by any purchase you have of Unattainable Strength Excellency by your Strength modifier.


Constitution


Endless Constitution Excellency
Level/Ability: Legendary Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Limitless Constitution Excellency

You have become so comfortable operating outside of your body's normal range of healthy activity, that it has become the new standard for you. The 'Action' of your Limitless Constitution Excellency becomes 'Permanent'.

Immunity to Everything Technique
Level/Ability: Legendary Constitution
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Invincible Essence Reinforcement

You have a lot of hit points, which represent your distance from death. But, some will tell you that they're irrelevant. They will try to change the rules so that your hit points don't matter. Lesser warriors will simply accept that only one class of being is allowed to change the rules, and everyone else must live with it. The Sun Hero says 'No'.

While this Mythos is active, whenever you would be inflicted with one of the effects that may be defended against by your Integrity-Protecting Prana, or by any effect that would instantly kill you regardless of your hit point total, you may instead negate that effect and take Xd6 points of damage, where X is equal to the lower of (the effect's effective spell level) or (1/2 the user's character level, rounded down). If an effect has no user or spell level, it just deals 1d6 damage.

This damage cannot be wholly negated (doing so causes the original effect to take place, as you've prevented your body from absorbing and dispersing the effect), although it may be reduced, such as through damage reduction.

Invincible Essence Reinforcement
Level/Ability: Legendary Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Concentration 16 ranks, Truth Shines Through

You are always aware of Energy Drain and Death effects targeting you. Furthermore, this Mythos expands the functions of Integrity-Protecting Prana to encompass Energy Drain and Death effects in addition to its normal defensive repertoire.

Universal Constitution Excellency
Level/Ability: Legendary Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Add a perfection bonus to every Constitution-based skill check and every Constitution-based ability check equal to your Constitution modifier.

In addition, increase the competence bonus granted by any purchase you have of Unattainable Constitution Excellency by your Strength modifier.

Intelligence


Magitechnological Principle Breakthrough
Level/Ability: Legendary Intelligence
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Occult Demesne-Shaping Construction

Whenever you craft a magical item, you may choose to instead have the item be magitechnological in nature. Magitech has the following alterations:

-Magitech is obviously alien and weird in some way. Clothing incorporates unnatural materials; a Robe of Blending might appear as a shiny black jumpsuit, while Wings of Flying might be a jetpack fitted with seemingly extraneous pistons and belching clouds of steam. Weapons tend to have some moving parts; a +1 Flaming Longsword might have a superheated chainsaw in place of a blade, while a +1 Precise Force Longbow might have a series of cogs and gears that adjust the string as it's pulled, as well as a glass scope. Scrolls and potions might look like grenades, syringes, or cartridges. And so on.

-Magitech is loud. A DC 0 Listen check (modified by distance, of course) is required to hear Magitech while it is in use. Compensating for this flaw requires an additional 3000gp to be added to the cost, or a 10% cost increase, whichever is lower.

-Magitech isn't technically magic. It doesn't produce a magical aura, can't be dispelled or suppressed by magic, and all of its effects are considered Extraordinary in nature, functioning in dead magic or anti-magic zones just fine. The Use Magic Device skill can never be used to operate Magitech. Rather, the appropriate Craft skill or a universal Profession (Magitech Engineer) skill has the same functionality as the Use Magic Device skill, but for Magitech. And, while a Hero with the appropriate Mythos is required to make Magitech, any character with the appropriate Craft skill or Profession (Magitech Engineer) may fix broken Magitech.

-Magitech requires power. Unless it is a single-use item, like a Medical Spray of Cure Light Wounds, an item of Magitech ceases to function without an attached Essence Core of the appropriate aspect (Magitech that includes multiple schools of magic may function off an Essence Core with an aspect fitting any of its schools). While socketed into a piece of Magitech, an Essence Core ceases to be magical in nature, and stops emitting a magical aura.

-Magitech is capable of being mass-produced. As long as you oversee the operation directly, expending the normal amount of crafting time, you may have up to (Intelligence modifier x 100) workers with the appropriate Craft skill, each working on a different copy of the exact same piece of Magitech, even if they are not capable of crafting magical items. Raw material costs must be payed for each item being made, obviously, and you are responsible for paying the XP cost for every item being produced. Each worker makes their own Craft check, but you are considered to be Aiding Another on them, granting a +2 bonus (usually) to their roll.


Charisma


Endless Charisma Excellency
Level/Ability: Legendary Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Limitless Charisma Excellency

You have become so comfortable operating outside of your body's normal range of healthy activity, that it has become the new standard for you. The 'Action' of your Limitless Charisma Excellency becomes 'Permanent'.

Enemy-Castigating Judgment
Level/Ability: Legendary Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Terrible Sun-King Condemnation, Intimidate 16 ranks

First, this Mythos modifies Terrible Sun-King Condemnation, allowing you to declare a target as "Anathema", rather than one of the nine multiversal alignments. This defines them through you - defines them as your enemy; your shadow. They are the antagonist to your protagonist, the villain to your hero.

Second, all of your attacks are effectively "Anathema Bane", adding a +2 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls against them, that stack with other enhancement bonuses, and dealing an additional 2d6 damage through the sheer weight of the pain, fear, and guilt you inflict on them for being such wretched people.

Third, when you Terrifying Apparition of Glory to demoralize all targets within 10 feet, your demoralization also extends outward to all Anathema within 30 feet (at 16th level, this improves to 60ft).

Fourth, to declare someone your Anathema is to truly hate them in a way that is so fundamental to your being, that very little could ever induce you to helping them. For the purposes of effects that originate from you, no one you have ever declared as Anathema may be considered an "Ally" (such as effects that grant a bonus to "all allies within X feet" or similar).

Scribing the Roll of Darkness
Level/Ability: Legendary Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Enemy-Castigating Judgment

Upon attaining this Mythos, you must define a group of people that will be permanently considered Anathema to you. This group may be as specific as you like (such as "All Silver-Haired Elves Born in Waterdeep"), or it can be quite broad, to the point of "All Males" or "All Living Things", or it can be a smattering, such as "Undead, Evil and/or Chaotic Outsiders, and all things composed or animated by the essence of the Plane of Shadows or the Negative Energy Plane". It may even incorporate class features or allegiances, such as "All Outsiders and Divine Spellcasters that do not worship me as their deity", or "All people that were born in, or are citizens of, Halta".

After you have chosen, the choice cannot be undone, save if the chosen group is wiped to absolute extinction (which you will intuitively be aware of as a feeling of final resolution and relief). In this case, you may choose a new group. This need not be immediate. You may wish to retain an extinct foe as your Anathema in case new members ever come into existence.

You may always tell if someone is Anathema or not simply by looking at them. Some primal hate just seethes inside of you, telling you that the one before you is a hated foe. However, it is theoretically possible for a spellcaster that is aware of the existence of this Mythos and how it functions to innovate one or more spells capable of hiding this distinction (as well as to design spells capable of detecting it as well).

Finally, it is possible to, with an hour of instruction, and 100xp expended by the pupil, to teach those with class features that function against targets of a specific alignment or type, to instead target your Anathema (such as a Paladin's Smite Evil, Detect Evil, and Turn Undead) with the same effect (losing the ability to effect the previous targets in the process).

Undoing this transformative training requires a quest of philosophical penance, equivalent to those often associated with a casting of Atonement.

Universal Charisma Excellency
Level/Ability: Legendary Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Add a perfection bonus to every Charisma-based skill check and every Charisma-based ability check equal to your Charisma modifier.

In addition, increase the competence bonus granted by any purchase you have of Unattainable Charisma Excellency by your Charisma modifier.

Xefas
2013-01-07, 02:38 AM
Exalted

Strength


Immeasurable Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Exalted Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Endless Strength Excellency

Even though your Limitless Strength Excellency has become a Permanent Mythos, you gain the ability to activate it as if it were Indefinite. In this case, while active, it grants a +6 perfection bonus to your Strength, above and beyond its normal enhancement bonus, but you once again risk taking 6 ability damage should it be forcibly deactivated.

Sky-Shattering Daystar Cataclysm
Level/Ability: Exalted Strength
Action: Full-Round
Prerequisite: Nation-Spanning Vault, Jump 22 ranks

You leap high into the air, sixty miles or more, which, assuming an earth-like world, leaves you adrift between atmosphere and the terrible dark beyond. This first jump takes about fifteen minutes. There, you float for a few moments, before beginning your magnificent descent. You can choose nearly anywhere in the world, given enough familiarity to steer in that direction, and with the assumption that such a place is accessible to the sky. Your fall takes about five minutes.

When you finally strike the ground, you do so as a blazing cataclysm from the sky, dealing 20d6 bludgeoning damage and 10d6 fire damage to everything within one mile of your point of impact, the former of which bypasses Hardness, likely leaving a broken ruin in your wake. (Items that any character currently has equipped or attended do not take damage. You and anyone you are carrying are similarly exempt.) Those that take damage must make a Reflex save or be knocked prone. Finally, the area destroyed by your landing continues to burn with superheated air for about an hour afterward, dealing 1d4 fire damage every round to all who remain within.

Use of this Mythos inflicts Focus Burn.


Constitution


Dying A Warrior's Death
Level/Ability: Exalted Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Immunity to Everything Technique

If damage from Immunity to Everything Technique would cause you to be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, you instead take enough damage to be reduced to 1 hit point, and then immediately heal hit points of damage equal to the amount you just took, as your body refuses to die in such an ignoble way.

Immeasurable Constitution Excellency
Level/Ability: Exalted Constitution
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Endless Constitution Excellency

Even though your Limitless Constitution Excellency has become a Permanent Mythos, you gain the ability to activate it as if it were Indefinite. In this case, while active, it grants a +6 perfection bonus to your Constitution, above and beyond its normal enhancement bonus, but you once again risk taking 6 ability damage should it be forcibly deactivated.


Charisma


Glorious Golden Visage of Horror
Level/Ability: Exalted Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Scribing the Roll of Darkness

Anathema that can perceive you take a -2 penalty on all saving throws, attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks. In addition, when you use your Intimidate skill to demoralize, you automatically apply your check against every Anathema that can perceive you.

Immeasurable Charisma Excellency
Level/Ability: Exalted Charisma
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Endless Charisma Excellency

Even though your Limitless Charisma Excellency has become a Permanent Mythos, you gain the ability to activate it as if it were Indefinite. In this case, while active, it grants a +6 perfection bonus to your Charisma, above and beyond its normal enhancement bonus, but you once again risk taking 6 ability damage should it be forcibly deactivated.

Xefas
2013-01-07, 02:39 AM
This post just in case stuff spills over.

Amechra
2013-01-07, 12:46 PM
Radness.

Whenever you write things, I feel joy in my hoary heart.

One question, though: does Peerless Parkour Style nullify the penalties from Wind-Crushing Exertion? Or, more pointedly, are they supposed to?

I rather like the Unsurpassed <Blank> Excellency Mythos, both mechanically and fluff-wise, though I am kinda worried about the fact that a given Sun Hero will have, at least, a +73 to any skill that they care about, if they are willing to invest the Mythos into it.

How do Wind-Crushing Exertion and Nation-Spanning Vault interact?

Xefas
2013-01-07, 02:33 PM
One question, though: does Peerless Parkour Style nullify the penalties from Wind-Crushing Exertion? Or, more pointedly, are they supposed to?

I don't think it does. Peerless Parkour grants a bonus for every Jump or Climb you make after the first in a round. Wind-Crushing Exertion only allows you to make a single air-jump per round. So, the bonus from Peerless Parkour wouldn't really come into play after the first round that you're double-jumping.


I rather like the Unsurpassed <Blank> Excellency Mythos, both mechanically and fluff-wise, though I am kinda worried about the fact that a given Sun Hero will have, at least, a +73 to any skill that they care about, if they are willing to invest the Mythos into it.

Note that Unattainable [Stuff] Excellency is a competence bonus, and thus does not stack with +skill magic items. Unattainable Jump Excellency, for instance, does not stack with a Ring of Jumping. So, I think that softens things a little. But, yes, they can be quite skill-monkey-ish. That's intended.


How do Wind-Crushing Exertion and Nation-Spanning Vault interact?

You could Nation-Spanning Vault without ground under you, I guess? It might be useful for fast-travel through some of those more awkward planes.

Or do you mean can you air-jump while in the middle of hurdling through the sky as part of a Nation-Spanning Vault? Yes. Although, doing a normal air-jump while in the middle of a Nation-Spanning Vault would abort the super-jump you're already performing. You'd still take the Focus Burn, but I suppose it could be useful to, for instance, be leaping over tall buildings in a single bound, notice someone getting mugged in an alleyway underneath you, and abort the jump to go rocketing down on the mugger's head.

You could also Nation-Spanning Vault while in the middle of a Nation-Spanning Vault (two Focus Burn, but eh) if you needed to change direction.

(I feel like there should be a Mythos that creates an area-knockdown/knockback whenever you use Wind-Crushing Exertion. Gonna have to work on that.)

Xefas
2013-01-07, 11:45 PM
Added eight more Fantastic Mythos.

Honestly, I'm surprised there hasn't been a little more input so far. I was at least expecting the typical battery of "Anything that isn't 'I move 20ft and attack for 1dX+Y damage' is Magic!" responses.

Something I'm particularly interested in getting feedback on is whether or not the Heroic Focus mechanic is clear on how it functions, and whether or not it feels particularly... fightery/heroic/non-magical/intuitive/necessary?

Amechra
2013-01-08, 12:00 AM
I actually really like the Heroic Focus concept; a pool that doesn't get larger as you level, but which gets more uses, feels more mundane to me than getting an OMFG large pool over time.

Scerpico
2013-01-08, 09:34 AM
Indeed, while I can't say anything concrete before playing it myself it seems to be a simple,workable system that allows for a fine amount of versatility while retaining the overall theme.

DO have a question though; when you say that each level of mythos has a stat requirement before they can be accessed does this refer to base stats or total? restricting it to base stats would more or less necessitate acquiring a broader range of low level mythos (which might be what you intend given that your lower stats rise so much faster than your higher ones)

jojolagger
2013-01-08, 02:34 PM
Sadly short on time now, but have to say I like it before I go.
Will post more later, I like where this is going.

Xefas
2013-01-08, 02:54 PM
DO have a question though; when you say that each level of mythos has a stat requirement before they can be accessed does this refer to base stats or total? restricting it to base stats would more or less necessitate acquiring a broader range of low level mythos (which might be what you intend given that your lower stats rise so much faster than your higher ones)

Currently, its just your total stat that qualifies you. Once I get a few necessary Mythos up, I'm planning on it becoming (Base + Permanent Bonuses Added By Mythos), specifically excluding Racial Bonuses. You have to be exemplary for your race, and not just an average Feral Half-Minotaur or whatever.

But I don't quite have the Mythos infrastructure for that yet. The Mythos that grant permanent ability bonuses will be slightly more interesting than just "Boom. Thou Hast a +2".

Scerpico
2013-01-08, 03:02 PM
Currently, its just your total stat that qualifies you. Once I get a few necessary Mythos up, I'm planning on it becoming (Base + Permanent Bonuses Added By Mythos), specifically excluding Racial Bonuses. You have to be exemplary for your race, and not just an average Feral Half-Minotaur or whatever.

But I don't quite have the Mythos infrastructure for that yet. The Mythos that grant permanent ability bonuses will be slightly more interesting than just "Boom. Thou Hast a +2".

Glad to hear that, the crux of the Sun Hero seemed to be internal excellence shining through and, to me at least, relying on a collection of magic items to access your class features flies in the face of that theme.

Are you planning on including the more 'magicky' Solar charms such as Glorious Solar Sabre or will you be sticking closer to the Charles Atlas archetype?

Xefas
2013-01-08, 03:57 PM
Are you planning on including the more 'magicky' Solar charms such as Glorious Solar Sabre or will you be sticking closer to the Charles Atlas archetype?

If there is a Glorious Solar Sabre Mythos, it won't create a lightsaber for you. It'll be more like "While wielding a weapon, you gain a +X competence bonus on attack and damage rolls. If the weapon you are wielding possesses an enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, this competence bonus overlaps but does not stack with it, as your innate skill outstrips the artificial mastery granted by the magic in the weapon." So, you can pick up any sword, and have it match the magical blades of those that must rely on such crutches.

There might very well be other nuances and such (adding hit points and hardness to the weapon you wield? overcoming damage reduction?), but I feel like that would be the gist.

Scerpico
2013-01-08, 04:16 PM
Cool.

Another question if I may; under mythos such as Fists of Iron Technique and the like where it mentions a feat that you must swap out if you posses said feat upon purchasing the mythos do you still count as having the technique for the purposes of prequisites?
For example the feat from Tomb of Battle that enhances your unarmed damage, would/could a Sun hero who takes FIT qualify?

kardar233
2013-01-08, 04:27 PM
Wow. This is ridiculously awesome. The only problem I can see with this is that even the Exceptional Mythos are so useful that any mundane character will at least dip this. I really want to play one of these now.

Amechra
2013-01-08, 05:00 PM
Melee has always been about the dips.

I'm just waiting for enough Mythos to play one to 20; right now, you'd have to just focus on Strength, and that is sad-making.

So...

Where's the Mythos that turns Burritos into Lightning? /injoke.

kardar233
2013-01-08, 08:16 PM
Also, in some places it's unclear whether the effect of a Mythos is based on Character Level or Class Level, like Iron Flurry Onslaught.

hierophant
2013-01-08, 08:47 PM
The first thing to jump out at me is this is awesome.

The second thing is those dead levels. Maybe a free d20 re-roll per day at 4th, 10th and 16th level - or if that's too much, a floating take 10 instead? That would be nifty. Oh, oh! Since taking 10 is quite mediocre (which Sun Heroes clearly aren't), make it a free take 10 1/day at level 4, upgrading to a take 15 and take 20 as upgrades.
It's an idea, anyway.

I'm not too sure about the 50% chance for focus burn. I'd make it a yes/no thing - maybe just 100% burnt for the rest of the encounter.

Anyway, I like what I see so far. Keep up the great work!

General Patton
2013-01-08, 11:53 PM
The Solar Hero has ascended to ever greater heights of transcendent excellence. Once this is more finished I might see if I can get a DM to allow it and a group to play as nothing but Sun Heroes.

Xefas
2013-01-08, 11:56 PM
Another question if I may; under mythos such as Fists of Iron Technique and the like where it mentions a feat that you must swap out if you posses said feat upon purchasing the mythos do you still count as having the technique for the purposes of prequisites?

If a Mythos grants you a bonus feat, you genuinely own that feat for all purposes. So, having Fists of Iron Technique would qualify you for the Superior Unarmed Strike feat, yes. I hope that answers your question? If not, then I'm not sure what the question is.


Wow. This is ridiculously awesome. The only problem I can see with this is that even the Exceptional Mythos are so useful that any mundane character will at least dip this. I really want to play one of these now.

Well, the Sun Hero is meant to be a higher tier alternative to most mundane character classes. But, it's definitely a question of the amount of power you want in your character. People still play Healers, for instance, even though the Cleric class is just better in every way. In some situations, someone might still want to play a Barbarian - for instance, if the rest of the party is a Warmage, Rogue, and Healer.

My hope is that the Sun Hero is the 'mundane' you bring when the rest of the party is a Sorcerer, Favored Soul, and Psion. (Or maybe Wizard, Druid, and Cleric, but that means I've overshot a little.)

Still, I think that the modular nature of the Sun Hero actually makes it quite easy to empower or de-power as you see fit. You could make a lower tier Sun Hero just by lowering the number of Mythos they gain by leveling, and increasing the cost to innovate more (or, to really shove it down there, remove the innovation ability entirely). You could also increase their power significantly by lowering the cost and training time to innovate new Mythos, allowing them to gain enormous (largely at-will) versatility.



I'm just waiting for enough Mythos to play one to 20; right now, you'd have to just focus on Strength, and that is sad-making.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. When they call Wizards "Batman", it's a metaphor. For the Intelligent Sun Hero? Less so. :smallwink:


Also, in some places it's unclear whether the effect of a Mythos is based on Character Level or Class Level, like Iron Flurry Onslaught.

That's a good catch, I'll go specify that. It's supposed to be Class Level.



The second thing is those dead levels.

You may notice that many Mythos upgrade at levels 4, 10, and 16. That's intentional! If a Mythos upgrades, I try to put the upgrade in those dead levels, unless I strongly feel there's a reason to bump it up or down. They give me an easy guideline to go by.

If someone ends up somehow not having any such upgrading Mythos, they still get +1 to their BAB, all saves, a new Mythos, and (at level 4 and 16) one of the stat boosts that all characters get. They're not that dead.


I'm not too sure about the 50% chance for focus burn. I'd make it a yes/no thing - maybe just 100% burnt for the rest of the encounter.

Focus Burn is my answer to "per day". I feel like hard "You get exactly X number of things per day" is too inorganic. And it's a staple of vancian casting, for one - I feel like having exactly 5 special moves per day associates it too strongly with magic. The variable of having between five and ten, or even upwards of that, feels more organic to me. If you have a day where you end up using an unusually large number of Focus Burning moves, then your character was able to push themselves, like an athlete managing to run faster today than he ever has before. If you burn out really fast, then you were having an off day, or the challenges happened to be particularly tiring. There's a very human element there. Rather than the very neat and well defined magical "You have exactly 2 magic missiles and 1 burning hands, no matter how hard you try ever."

TimeLegend
2013-01-09, 12:16 AM
Amazing I must say. I honestly do get the feel that this is SUPER! Fighter and some of those Mythos are just crazy and awesome at once. It honestly is a very solid class that could be used by even first timers to the game if I do say so myself.

Good Job.

hierophant
2013-01-09, 12:16 AM
You may notice that many Mythos upgrade at levels 4, 10, and 16. That's intentional! If a Mythos upgrades, I try to put the upgrade in those dead levels, unless I strongly feel there's a reason to bump it up or down. They give me an easy guideline to go by.

If someone ends up somehow not having any such upgrading Mythos, they still get +1 to their BAB, all saves, a new Mythos, and (at level 4 and 16) one of the stat boosts that all characters get. They're not that dead.

I hadn't actually noticed that, so that's... alright. I'll go over it again with that in mind.
But to point out - BAB, Saves, etc - yes, you always get that for levelling up. Not really a selling point. And stat boost is only if you're not multiclassing.


Focus Burn is my answer to "per day". I feel like hard "You get exactly X number of things per day" is too inorganic. And it's a staple of vancian casting, for one - I feel like having exactly 5 special moves per day associates it too strongly with magic. The variable of having between five and ten, or even upwards of that, feels more organic to me. If you have a day where you end up using an unusually large number of Focus Burning moves, then your character was able to push themselves, like an athlete managing to run faster today than he ever has before. If you burn out really fast, then you were having an off day, or the challenges happened to be particularly tiring. There's a very human element there. Rather than the very neat and well defined magical "You have exactly 2 magic missiles and 1 burning hands, no matter how hard you try ever."

Now, that's a really convincing rationale! As much as it irks me one Sun Hero might burn out all his focus in 5 rounds, while another uses the same abilities all day long without consequence (yes, yes, unlikely, but still) - I understand where you're coming from.
I'm now actually sold on different Mythos selections allowing a character to burn brighter but shorter, or lower and steadier.

Primal Fury
2013-01-09, 05:17 PM
It's good to see you're getting back into this project; it was always one of my favorites. What do you plan on doing with the mental attributes though? I mean, I see that Charisma can serve as the "mind-control tree" to give a bit of combat effectiveness, but what are your plans for Wisdom and Intelligence?

jojolagger
2013-01-09, 07:19 PM
What are your plans for Intelligence?
We already have some hints.


When they call Wizards "Batman", it's a metaphor. For the Intelligent Sun Hero? Less so. :smallwink:

Primal Fury
2013-01-09, 09:13 PM
So... we're talkin' tons of skills useful in any conceivable situation, a utility belt filled with awesome gadgets, and just generally being prepared for anything, even things that were meant to surprise you?

Sounds good to me!

Xefas
2013-01-09, 11:22 PM
So... we're talkin' tons of skills useful in any conceivable situation, a utility belt filled with awesome gadgets, and just generally being prepared for anything, even things that were meant to surprise you?

That's the idea, yeah.

You can also look at some of the skills that each ability uses to get an idea. Charisma will have some Unnatural Mental Influence stuff based on Diplomacy and Intimidate. But, it also does combat-Feinting, which keys from Bluff (I predict that Dexterity will get rather bloated eventually, so the Feint tree will likely also get Sneak Attack-ish related things). Gather Information? Got some ideas there. Disguise? Maybe a Mythos or two, if that. Disguising one's self I see as potentially more in-theme for every other type of Hero. Not entirely out of theme - they can still take Disguise Excellencies after all, but not so important that they'll get a whole host of powers for it.

Wisdom skills include Spot and Listen, so expect sense-enhancing Mythos. Survival and Handle Animal (Shadowfax-Breeding Origination Schema? Epona-Summoning Bellow? Thorn-Removing Manticore Savior?). Sense Motive (and the Will save functions on Wisdom) - social defenses, perhaps. Inevitable Victory Meditation will either get some interesting expansions, or it'll be scrapped for future use as a mechanic either in the Star Hero base class or the Martial Hero prestige class. (Don't I sound ambitious? Now if I only I could get a week where I work less than 65 hours. -_-)

Arbane
2013-01-10, 01:46 AM
As a fan of Exalted, I'm loving this.

Also for Charisma, how about Warlord-like combat-leadership abilities?

I would be mightily amused if you can sneak the Bureaucracy Charms in here somewhere. Maybe under Intelligence?

One thing that bugs me is that if I understood the free ability-score raises, if a character's highest stat at level one was 17, the highest they could get it to by level 20 (without cheating with tomes and such) would only be 28. So, no Exalted Mythos for them...:smallfrown:

General Patton
2013-01-10, 01:48 AM
Thorn-Removing Manticore Savior

I know of only one incident where the Androcles Lion trope was done with a manticore. You wouldn't happen to be referencing what I think you're referencing, would you?


MLP:FiM

Arbane
2013-01-10, 01:59 AM
I know of only one incident where the Androcles Lion trope was done with a manticore. You wouldn't happen to be referencing what I think you're referencing, would you?


Well, the most powerful good-guy character in that series IS Solar-themed.... :smallbiggrin:

Xefas
2013-01-10, 02:24 AM
Also for Charisma, how about Warlord-like combat-leadership abilities?

You can see the beginning of that idea in Heroism-Encouraging Presence and Effortless Attack Coordination. So, yes, definitely.


I would be mightily amused if you can sneak the Bureaucracy Charms in here somewhere. Maybe under Intelligence?

Frugal Merchant Method is a definite Intelligence Mythos. You may also eventually see something resembling Heavenly Mandate Marking, Visage Made Law, and Insightful Buyer Technique. Legend Lives On, maybe, maybe not. The odds of straight organization-altering Mythos like Bureau-Rectifying Method making it in are slim. Not because they aren't possible - but because (1) it's not really the focus of D&D as a system and (2) to do them properly, I'd probably have to draw up a basic framework for 'organizations' as a mechanical entity, and that's time I could be spending on the other Heroes!


I know of only one incident where the Androcles Lion trope was done with a manticore. You wouldn't happen to be referencing what I think you're referencing, would you?

If, by the completion of this class, you can't play as Gilgamesh Fluttershy who is also secretly Batman, then I have failed. :smalltongue:

edit: The second Exalted-tier Mythos is up.

jojolagger
2013-01-10, 03:25 AM
One thing that bugs me is that if I understood the free ability-score raises, if a character's highest stat at level one was 17, the highest they could get it to by level 20 (without cheating with tomes and such) would only be 28. So, no Exalted Mythos for them...:smallfrown:
That is already on the to do list.


The Mythos that grant permanent ability bonuses will be slightly more interesting than just "Boom. Thou Hast a +2".

See?
If you get +1,+2,+3, +4 from and ability score granting mythos at each level, you'll be able to get the 30 needed for exalted with a starting score of 13. If there isn't a +stat one at Exceptional and it just goes +1,+2, +3 (plus whatever else), you'll still only need 16, which should be easy enough for your focus stat.
That is also ignoring possible manipulation of how it will ignore racial modifiers, which would let you dump a stat from 14 to 4 via templates, use flawless form to shift it up to maybe 16, and then be at 26 without racial modifiers and ignoring other bonuses. (That is honestly the only seemingly abusable thing I could find. And is awesome in its own way. Find -10 worth of racial INT penalties, have INT 6, read at 25000 words per minute with prefect recall. Oh, and everything you make is masterwork. "Thog better smith than town smith.")

Arbane
2013-01-11, 02:45 AM
That is already on the to do list.

How about reversing the +1 and +2 adds? Every three levels, you get a +1 to your lowest stat, and on the next level, you get +2 to put wherever you want.

Xefas
2013-01-12, 04:02 AM
So, here are some ability-boosting Mythos for your perusal. Specifically, the Strength versions; but you can assume symmetry for the other abilities. With these, the way to calculate your ability scores for the purposes of meeting Mythos prerequisites would be (Base + Inherent).


Boundless Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Exceptional Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

You gain a +1 inherent bonus to your Strength ability score. Furthermore, you have unlocked the insight to push past your perceived limits. At any time, but only once ever, you may spend a day training yourself, sacrifice 250 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +2.

At 7th level, you unlock the ability to break your limits once again. At any time after completing your first level of training, but only once ever, you may spend two days training yourself, sacrifice 500 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +3.

At 10th level, you may transcend your limitations once more, obtaining the ability to, after the second tier of training, once, spend a week training, sacrifice 1,000 experience points, and increase this inherent bonus to +4.

At 13th level, you may achieve a final tier of ascension, after completing all other trials, once, you may spend two weeks in training, sacrifice 2,000 experience points, and increase your inherent bonus to +5.

Limitless Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Indefinite
Prerequisite: Boundless Strength Excellency

With your immense strength, you bend the natural barriers that your body enforces upon you, unlocking hidden potential that would otherwise be impossible. While active, this Mythos grants you a +2 enhancement bonus to your Strength. However, such reckless abuse of your healthy limitations is potentially deadly. If this Mythos is forcibly deactivated, either by being Taxed or Burnt, or by some more exotic effect, you immediately take 2 points of Strength damage as your muscles tear and bones crack.

If you possess any combination of Limitless Strength Excellency, Limitless Dexterity Excellency, and Limitless Constitution Excellency, you may activate each of them that you know with the same action, and maintain them all as if they were a single Mythos, occupying a single point of your Heroic Focus.

At 10th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 4. At 16th level, the enhancement bonus increases to +6, but the amount of potential ability damage also increases to 6.

Strength Excellence Curriculum
Level/Ability: Fantastic Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Boundless Strength Excellency

With this Mythos, you may train others much as you have trained yourself. You may train up to (Intelligence modifier) pupils at a time, but may not grant any pupil a higher inherent bonus to their ability scores than you, yourself, have.

The first tier of training requires two days. You must pay 250 experience per pupil, and each pupil must pay 500 experience. This training grants them a +1 inherent bonus to their Strength.

The second tier of training requires a week. You pay 500xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 1,000xp each. This increases any +1 inherent bonus they have to +2.

The third tier requires two weeks. You pay 1,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 2,000xp each. This increases any +2 inherent bonus they have to +3.

The fourth and fifth tiers require a month. You pay 2,000xp per pupil, and your pupils pay 4,000xp each. This increases any +3 inherent bonus they have to +4, or any +4 inherent bonus they have to +5, respectively.

If you possess any combination of Strength Excellence Curriculum, Dexterity Excellence Curriculum, and Constitution Excellence Curriculum, you may utilize them all simultaneously, using the same training time to train multiple ability scores (although you still pay the experience cost for each individually; this just cuts down on training time).

Endless Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Legendary Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Limitless Strength Excellency

You have become so comfortable operating outside of your body's normal range of healthy activity, that it has become the new standard for you. The 'Action' of your Limitless Strength Excellency becomes 'Permanent'.

Immeasurable Strength Excellency
Level/Ability: Exalted Strength
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: Endless Strength Excellency

Even though your Limitless Strength Excellency has become a Permanent Mythos, you gain the ability to activate it as if it were Indefinite. In this case, while active, it grants a +6 perfection bonus to your Strength, above and beyond its normal enhancement bonus, but you once again risk taking 6 ability damage should it be forcibly deactivated.


(If I were writing a Dresden Files book, this would be where I mention the seemingly obligatory story about a suburban housewife heaving a truck off of her child in a fit of adrenaline-fueled super-strength. But seriously, he uses that a lot, right? It's not just me?)

Amechra
2013-01-12, 08:31 AM
To calculate it out, someone starting with a Strength of 10 would have, without counting Arete or anything other than Mythos, a Str of 27 (10+5 Inherent+6 Enhancement+6 Perfection)

So, if you really wanted to focus on a given ability score, without templates...

A Half-Orc Sun Hero with a PB 18 in Strength (giving them a 20 due to racial bonus) would, if they focused all of their increases into Strength, give them a Str of 48.

That puts them at equal levels of strength to the Tarrasque.

Which should be easier to hit; maybe have Perfected Form grant +1 to the two lowest ability scores you have, while Arete gives you 2 +1s to spread around that can't be applied to the same ability score?

So you could get a +6 Strength and Constitution, or whatever, while the two lowest ability scores you have get to catch up (+5 Int and +5 Cha over 20 levels sounds fair.)

Xefas
2013-01-13, 03:31 AM
A Half-Orc Sun Hero with a PB 18 in Strength (giving them a 20 due to racial bonus) would, if they focused all of their increases into Strength, give them a Str of 48.

With just the Mythos available right now, and no external aid of any kind, a Human Sun Hero can currently get to being able to lift about ~30,000 lbs over his head. I could be wrong, but I think that's a moderately sized house.

Which, obviously, means that we have a long way to go. Moderately sized houses at level 20? Scoff. Guffaw. So on.

(edit: Actually, I think, depending on how the math for Tremendous Strength in Carrying Capacities works, it might be 60,000 lbs. I'm not sure if 20 points of Tremendous Strength would multiply your load by 8, or if it would multiply by 4 and then 4 again.)


Which should be easier to hit; maybe have Perfected Form grant +1 to the two lowest ability scores you have, while Arete gives you 2 +1s to spread around that can't be applied to the same ability score?

I'm considering this. Anyone else have an opinion to weigh in?

(Aside: Mythos Prerequisites have been modified, the new Excellencies are more-or-less implemented, and I added a few Exceptional Dexterity Mythos.)

Merchant
2013-01-13, 12:56 PM
Your work always impresses me. I don't know Exalted but the way you talk about and convert it blows my mind.

What are the differences between Sun, Star, and Martial Heroes? Are they going to be split between the different attributes too?

Xefas
2013-01-13, 01:08 PM
What are the differences between Sun, Star, and Martial Heroes? Are they going to be split between the different attributes too?

I'm thinking the only other Heroes that would use the attributes would be Moon Heroes, Oblivion Heroes, and Machine Heroes. Cosmos Heroes, Star Heroes, Element Heroes - and the prestige classes, Martial Heroes, Sorcerer Heroes, and Akuma Heroes, would not.

If someone hasn't done the explaining by the time I get back from the party I'm currently late to, I will write a little explanatory post about my vision for some of the other Exalts. But I gotta go!

Vauron
2013-01-13, 04:07 PM
Some rough descriptions of what I expect from the Heros Merchant asked about:

Star Heros are based on the Sidereal Exalted, who are endowed with power by the Maidens of Fate. Sidereals gain abilities that are often roundabout, esoteric, or fate based. For instance, one Sidereal charm makes the target believe that your statement was a lie, while another lets you dodge basically anything by keeping the fate of the attack from touching you. Sidereals are also well equipped to be the power behind the throne, more than the ruler themselves, such that one of their titles is 'Vizier'. While Sun Heros are very straightforward, I expect that Star Heros will have Mythos that require you to think laterally on how to get things done.

Moon Heros are based on the Lunar Exalted, the chosen of many faced Luna. Lunars, well. I will say that, where Solars focus more on skill, Lunars focus more on raw potential. Where Solars might have a charm based on their skill with a blade, Lunars might have a similar charm based on how strong they are. The only expectation of the Moon Heros I have is that it will probably include shapechanging.

Martial Hero: In Exalted, there are many martial arts, some of which are quiet powerful. Odds are, this will be the prestige class to take if you wish to learn stuff like the Righteous Devil Style or Five Dragons Fight As One Style.

Frak, might as well do the other classes.

Akuma Heros will almost certainly be based on the Akuma of Exalted. Akuma have made a deal with one of the Yozi in order to gain power. The Yozi are sorta-kinda like the Titans of Greek myth: Powerful entities beyond the gods who created Creation. If you remember the Primordialist class Xefas made a while back, the disciplines it has access to are based on the Yozi. An Akuma Hero will almost certainly very wildly depending on which Yozi is chosen. The Silent Wind would certainly give different abilities than the Principle of Hierarchy.

Sorcerer Heros will almost certainly draw on the Sorcery, and quite possibly the Necromancy, from Exalted. Sorcery is full of big effects, effects which often take awhile to cast. The fall of Jericho's walls would fit well as an example of Sorcery, as would the Kamikaze which sunk the fleets of Kublai Khan.

Oblivion Heros would be based on the Abyssal Exalted. Abyssals are essentially the dark mirror of Solars. Abyssals are one of the exalts I'm least familiar with, but I expect them to get lots of debuffs and death related stuff.

Element Heros would be based on the Dragonblooded. If you want to know what to expect from them, go watch Avatar: The Last Airbender and imagine that Plantbenders are also a thing. Also, as the Dragonblooded are soldiers, not warriors, I expect that Element Heros will make extensive use of teamwork and Mythos that work better with the aid of other Element Heros.

Machine Heros would be based on the Alchemical Exalted. Alchemicals are champions created by their nation in order to help deal with the myriad threats present in Autochthonia. Alchemicals basiclly start as Terminators, than eventually Autobots if you last long enough. My main expectation is that Machine Heros will be most capable of switching their Mythos around.

Cosmos Heros are based on Infernal Exalted, I think. While they also draw on the Yozi like Akuma Heros do, a Cosmos Hero will probably be able to draw on more than one Yozi. Additionally, they would probably become like unto one of the Yozi themselves, save that the Cosmos Hero would be free to act as it wishes.

Xefas
2013-01-13, 10:57 PM
Vauron has a pretty good summary. To expand a bit on their mechanics:


Oblivion Heroes will have six sets of powers, each one based on an Ability Score, much like the Sun Heroes. However, they will have a splash of the supernatural, in the form of Death and Undeath related powers. Don't think "Evil", though. There will be Mythos that allow you to be the Caretaker of the Dead just as much as the Horseman of the Apocalypse, a benevolent Lord of the Underworld just as much as a horrific Lich King.

Cosmos Heroes will have somewhere between five and eight sets of powers (with the potential for others to homebrew more), each based on a fallen titan. Their powers will often be supernatural in nature, may occasionally alter your physical appearance, and will sometimes offer you a choice; to permanently inflict some kind of odd mutation or derangement on yourself in exchange for increased power. They will likely not use Heroic Focus, but will instead use Titanic Persona. This mechanic will reward you for acting a bit... odd, but not 'Evil', never Evil. Just odd.

Element Heroes, I currently plan to have five sets of powers, each based on the four Elemental Planes, and then one based on a fifth element, Wood, which is a product of the four planes meeting on the Prime. As Vauron noted, expect some straight bending-the-elements, but also actions that resonate with a certain element. Air Mythos will allow you to be stealthy, for instance. Fire Mythos might allow you to ignite passion in other people. Wood will have some healing and friendship-with-animals stuff. That sort of thing. I want to work in a pretty solid teamwork system, where multiple Heroes can combine different-element Mythos to do extra stuff.

Star Heroes are weird. Rather than having a few really big sets of powers, they will have a lot of smaller sets, each based on a constellation, a skill, and a thematic statement. When designing new Mythos, you have to design an entire Constellation, and a single Constellation might be really tall and thin (covering Exceptional through Exalted tiers of power, but only a few at each level) or really short and wide (maybe covering only Fantastic and Legendary tiers, but with a lot of Mythos in those tiers). The exact progression of a Constellation will often be obtuse, shoving 'Make A Person My Familiar' Mythos in the middle of your 'I Am Good At Riding A Mount' chain of Mythos, based on its thematic statement, but they always have a capstone ability, that requires all other Mythos in the constellation, and will tend to be unusually potent for its tier of power in some way.

Machine Heroes obtain their Mythos as direct upgrades to their physical body, situated in six sets, one for each Ability Score. A Strength Mythos might be a set of huge pistons set into the Alchemical's biceps and elbows, that they can activate when they use their arms to add a surge of additional force. An Intelligence Mythos might be something akin to an alchemical hard-drive, that lets you upload and save your thoughts and memories, allowing you to access them as simply as you would open a file on a computer. With the added benefit that, if the Mythos is extracted and implanted into someone else, they would also have access to the thoughts and memories saved on it. Because, yes, a Machine Hero may, through an involved process, have their old Mythos taken out, and have new Mythos put in. This incredible versatility will have balancing drawbacks, of course.

Moon Heroes will have the six Ability Score sets, but they take a different direction with each than the Sun Heroes. They're tricksters, shapeshifters, and ever-evolving ultimate lifeforms. A Constitution Mythos might allow them to use their blood and bones as weapons. A Charisma Mythos might allow them to change their form, such that they have no distinguishing features, but everyone that sees them interprets them as having the identity of a trusted friend. A Dexterity Mythos might allow their shadow to operate independently, manipulating objects far beyond their reach.

Martial Heroes are those Heroes that have chosen to focus on Supernatural Martial Arts, losing some skill with their native Mythos in the process. Each Style will likely only span a single tier (tentatively named, Fundamental Styles will be Fantastic in quality, while Conceptual Styles will be Legendary, and Shinmaic Styles will be Exalted). Expect extremely few Permanent Mythos, and quite a lot of synergistic Action-based Mythos (as in, Swift Action, Standard Action, etc).

Sorcerer Heroes use very powerful, but cumbersome and potentially dangerous magic, in exchange for a loss of potency for their native Mythos. Emerald Circle rituals are the easiest, safest, and the most likely to be used in a direct conflict. Sapphire Circle rituals can give you advantages, alter engagements, or present new options for you, but using them in a straight fight is typically a matter of desperation more than strategy. Adamant Circle rituals aren't the kind of thing you use to kill someone with, so much as level the city they're in. "A sorcerer that powerful doesn't engage opponents, he alters the course of entire battles." They will also likely map to Fantastic/Legendary/Exalted, much as the Martial Hero Styles.

Akuma Heroes are Heroes that have, in a moment of madness and/or desperation, forsaken their free will and the rights to their soul to the same fallen titans that power the Cosmos Heroes (who are also the only Heroes that cannot become Akuma). They gain access to the Mythos of one fallen titan, in additional to remaining highly potent with their own powers, but they suffer some from the shackles that now bind them.

Don't even get me started on Epic Destinies...

Merchant
2013-01-14, 01:12 AM
Okay I get it. That Is Awesome.

Do your exalted ToN schools work with any of these? Or is it just for the 'lesser' classes that the Sun hero replaced?

Vauron
2013-01-14, 11:29 AM
Just out of curiosity, Steward or Terrifying Argent Witch?

Amechra
2013-01-14, 01:02 PM
Hopefully Terrifying Argent Witch, just because that version is so much cooler (and has a niche!)

And I doubt he's going to do Fair Folk, though a few of their "Mythos" as a side thing might be interesting...

Xefas
2013-01-15, 12:16 AM
Do your exalted ToN schools work with any of these? Or is it just for the 'lesser' classes that the Sun hero replaced?

In my mind, the Hero classes aren't meant to exist in the same 'world' as my Exalted-inspired Tome of Battle disciplines. Although, as you say, I suppose they could work as reflections of the power of the legendary Heroes, as used by lesser warriors.

It would be largely redundant for a Cosmos Hero to take, say, the Malfeasant Heart discipline, as he'll be able to replicate everything it does, and more, with better and more interesting mechanics, with his native Malfeas Mythos. Same with the Oblivion Heroes and Relentless Dusk, the Star Heroes and Throne Shadow, etc, etc.


Just out of curiosity, Steward or Terrifying Argent Witch?

The Moon Heroes, if/when I get to them, will be my own vision, based on how I first interpreted them, before reading Manual: Lunars. I had this grand and amazing idea in my mind that was phenomenally disappointed by reality.

It, also, just so happens, by pure coincidence, that my vision is almost identical to the Terrifying Argent Witches. :smalltongue:



And I doubt he's going to do Fair Folk, though a few of their "Mythos" as a side thing might be interesting...

I'm getting ahead of myself just talking about non-Sun Heroes. It'd be crazy to contemplate things like the fallen races, behemoths, Fair Folk, and so on.

Merchant
2013-01-16, 09:16 AM
I was wondering how wisdom and intelligence differ. You have a mythos that you get to roll die ahead of time. I always saw tactics as an intelligent thing. Are you just focusing around the skills right. Knowledge and craft are quite handy for all kinds of situations.

Would you place a mythos that grants a foresight like ability to wisdom or intelligence. Which attribute would Sherlock Holmes be in?

Xefas
2013-01-18, 09:41 AM
New Mythos.
Exceptional Intelligence: Frugal Merchant Method, Omniprepared Hoarder Attitude
Fantastic Intelligence: Concealing Wonderful Toys, Occult Patron Purchases, Utility-Belt Stocking Practices


I was wondering how wisdom and intelligence differ. You have a mythos that you get to roll die ahead of time. I always saw tactics as an intelligent thing. Are you just focusing around the skills right. Knowledge and craft are quite handy for all kinds of situations.

I was already talking about getting rid of Inevitable Victory Meditation. I just did. It, or something like it, will probably reappear in Intelligence at some point.


Would you place a mythos that grants a foresight like ability to wisdom or intelligence. Which attribute would Sherlock Holmes be in?

Sherlock Holmes is kind of a weird case, just because D&D doesn't seem to really know where to put observational skills. Spot is a measure of your ability to observe your surroundings, and has very little to do with actual eyesight (you get a bonus to it as you age, for instance). It's Wisdom-based. Search is a measure of your ability to... observe your surroundings in a very slightly different way. It's Intelligence-based.

Sherlock Holmes uses abilities that would fall under both, because they're very similar. I could see Super-Detectives coming in either variety, honestly. The hyper-analytical and educated vs the grizzled with gut-instincts that always turn out to be right. In the end, I don't think D&D can model those two with significant enough differences to make them distinctly interesting, but we'll see.

Xefas
2013-01-19, 02:37 AM
I hate to double post, but there are new Mythos, and no one had anything to say today.

Exceptional Constitution: Elevated By Exaltation
Fantastic Constitution: Spitting Teeth At The Grave, Never Give Up Never Surrender
Exceptional Charisma: Ruthless Assassin Instincts

I'm really interested in what y'all have to say about the previously posted new Intelligence Mythos, as well as Elevated By Exaltation. Other discussion is fine, of course; I just think those are the most unusual at the moment.

Weimann
2013-01-19, 07:56 AM
Oh, look, Xefas does Exalted in D&D! You've made many starts on these types of projects, and I always enjoy reading them. I'll peruse this one now. :smallsmile:

Doorhandle
2013-01-19, 08:44 AM
Oh, look, Xefas does Exalted in D&D! You've made many starts on these types of projects, and I always enjoy reading them. I'll peruse this one now. :smallsmile:

Agreed.

I have but 1 thing to say that isn't redundant: For a charisma power you must have the ability to slap a person in the face, in such a manner that they must fight off the strong urge to thank you.

Weimann
2013-01-19, 10:27 AM
I've read through the entirety of the Exceptional Mythos, and I can have found no obvious problems so far. Really good and interesting, as always!

You've requested critique on Ruthless Assassin Instincts, Frugal Merchant Method, Omniprepared Hoarder Attitude and Elevated By Exaltation. I'll give my thoughts.

Ruthless Assassin Instincts - From what I understand, it's a second tier Mythos that provides a pretty weak version of sneak attack. It logically justified by stemming from a feint-enhancing Mythos. I'd call it neither overpowered or inappropriate. If I remember correctly, I don't think you can get sneak attack though any other Exceptional Mytos, can you? It might be appropriate for a Dexterity Mythos to provide full sneak attack progression?

Frugal Merchant Method - I see no problems with this.

Omniprepared Hoarder Attitude - This effect is cool, but it might be a bit more typical of Star Heroes, if you plan on going there with this project. Compare Celestial Drifter's Panoply from Shards. If you don't, the effect is cool for Solars too. I assume one cannot use this to serve up boatloads of healing potions or similar, correct?

Elevated By Exaltation - This, I am sceptical of. Not only is the actual purpose of it murky for me (beyond "I want to reroll my character" and that should be a discussion between the DM and the player, not a mechanical effect), but I also have a hard time seeing a Sun Hero theme in it. I'd be more accepting of it as a Moon Hero Mythos, for example.

I must also mention Misleading Grace Chicanery, since I'm sceptical of the value of just changing base ability calculations outright. It does have ample precedence in D&D, but to me it always felt tacky. It makes me wonder, why not any other ability too?

Xefas
2013-01-19, 04:00 PM
I have but 1 thing to say that isn't redundant: For a charisma power you must have the ability to slap a person in the face, in such a manner that they must fight off the strong urge to thank you.

Sounds doable.



Omniprepared Hoarder Attitude - This effect is cool, but it might be a bit more typical of Star Heroes, if you plan on going there with this project. Compare Celestial Drifter's Panoply from Shards. If you don't, the effect is cool for Solars too. I assume one cannot use this to serve up boatloads of healing potions or similar, correct?

Potions are magical, so no. If I do Star Heroes, they may also get a similar Mythos, as extraordinary preparedness is something they should be able to do as well. Celestial Drifter's Panoply isn't particularly comparable, as it essentially converts your car's trunk into a Bag of Holding, which is a different effect altogether. The 'retroactively claim to have taken something from it' is very limited and secondary, less about exceptional long-term planning, and more about short-term cleverness (you must have used the Trunk of Holding in the same scene).


Elevated By Exaltation - This, I am sceptical of. Not only is the actual purpose of it murky for me (beyond "I want to reroll my character" and that should be a discussion between the DM and the player, not a mechanical effect), but I also have a hard time seeing a Sun Hero theme in it. I'd be more accepting of it as a Moon Hero Mythos, for example.

You don't get to 'reroll' your character, as no abilities can be lowered - only improved. Sun Heroes, and really, all/most non-spellcasters, are dependent on having multiple decent ability scores. A Druid only needs a high Wisdom. A 16 point buy Druid and a 40 point buy Druid actually don't operate all that differently past the early levels. A Swordsage, on the other hand, needs decent Dex, Con, and Wis just to be moderately non-bad at their job, and a few points in Str and Int aren't awful ideas either. The Sun Hero is a little better in that regard, but starting out with low scores can limit them from being as versatile as I'd like.

So, if you go into a game with the standard point-buy from the DMG (25 points), and want to play a smart fighter type Sun Hero, you can go from having an ability array like 10/13/12/16/10/10, to having an array like 10/16/14/16/10/10. As in, you got a little tougher and more dextrous, and now have access to both Dex Mythos and Int Mythos, without sucking at everything else. It's not a character rebuild - you just got a little bit better at what you wanted to be good at, but couldn't, because the ability score generation was against you. The Druid is still doing amazingly, whatever point buy he's using.


I must also mention Misleading Grace Chicanery, since I'm sceptical of the value of just changing base ability calculations outright. It does have ample precedence in D&D, but to me it always felt tacky. It makes me wonder, why not any other ability too?

It's possible that other ability scores could have similar Mythos in them. I just haven't made them yet. Its just another MADness reducing protocol.

Weimann
2013-01-19, 04:40 PM
Potions are magical, so no. If I do Star Heroes, they may also get a similar Mythos, as extraordinary preparedness is something they should be able to do as well. Celestial Drifter's Panoply isn't particularly comparable, as it essentially converts your car's trunk into a Bag of Holding, which is a different effect altogether. The 'retroactively claim to have taken something from it' is very limited and secondary, less about exceptional long-term planning, and more about short-term cleverness (you must have used the Trunk of Holding in the same scene).That kind of makes the Mythos even more Star Hero-like in my mind. :smallbiggrin: But again, it's a pretty cool effect and I don't see much problem with a Sun Hero having it too.


You don't get to 'reroll' your character, as no abilities can be lowered - only improved. Sun Heroes, and really, all/most non-spellcasters, are dependent on having multiple decent ability scores. A Druid only needs a high Wisdom. A 16 point buy Druid and a 40 point buy Druid actually don't operate all that differently past the early levels. A Swordsage, on the other hand, needs decent Dex, Con, and Wis just to be moderately non-bad at their job, and a few points in Str and Int aren't awful ideas either. The Sun Hero is a little better in that regard, but starting out with low scores can limit them from being as versatile as I'd like.

So, if you go into a game with the standard point-buy from the DMG (25 points), and want to play a smart fighter type Sun Hero, you can go from having an ability array like 10/13/12/16/10/10, to having an array like 10/16/14/16/10/10. As in, you got a little tougher and more dextrous, and now have access to both Dex Mythos and Int Mythos, without sucking at everything else. It's not a character rebuild - you just got a little bit better at what you wanted to be good at, but couldn't, because the ability score generation was against you. The Druid is still doing amazingly, whatever point buy he's using.I see where you're coming from, certainly. I'm just thinking that if the group decided to use 25-point buy, or indeed roll their stats, they probably have their reasons for that. If they wanted to use 32-point buy, they'd just do that. Y'know? I'd rather see a line in the introduction that recommended a 32-point buy character creation. I feel like the starting line isn't something that benefits from being mechanised.


It's possible that other ability scores could have similar Mythos in them. I just haven't made them yet. Its just another MADness reducing protocol.Quite. It's mostly a preference from my side, anyway.

Xefas
2013-01-20, 01:36 AM
That kind of makes the Mythos even more Star Hero-like in my mind. :smallbiggrin: But again, it's a pretty cool effect and I don't see much problem with a Sun Hero having it too.

I'm also envisioning a Star Hero Mythos of omni-prepardedness that allows them to give an item the fate of whatever item they would need for a particular situation. So, if they need a crowbar, but they have a shoe, they give the shoe the fate of a crowbar, and pry the door open with it.

I could probably stick that in The Quiver Constellation, alongside the Mythos that lets you turn your insults into arrows.


I see where you're coming from, certainly. I'm just thinking that if the group decided to use 25-point buy, or indeed roll their stats, they probably have their reasons for that. If they wanted to use 32-point buy, they'd just do that. Y'know? I'd rather see a line in the introduction that recommended a 32-point buy character creation. I feel like the starting line isn't something that benefits from being mechanised.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like the offending part of the Mythos is the verbage, not the effect (which is perfectly valid - verbage is important). The effect is to give a permanent bonus to one's ability scores, but to have the amount scale depending on how low your ability scores are.

Am I correct in saying that using the same terms as those reserved for use in character generation makes it seem a bit... crass, or like cheating? Because I have no problem changing that part. Or is the problem with the scaling ability bonus?

Weimann
2013-01-20, 06:08 AM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like the offending part of the Mythos is the verbage, not the effect (which is perfectly valid - verbage is important). The effect is to give a permanent bonus to one's ability scores, but to have the amount scale depending on how low your ability scores are.

Am I correct in saying that using the same terms as those reserved for use in character generation makes it seem a bit... crass, or like cheating? Because I have no problem changing that part. Or is the problem with the scaling ability bonus?It's actually more the effect, I'm afraid.

It just seems that the purpose of this Mythos is to say "you should play this game with 32-point buy", and while it's good to make the players aware of this, it's still traditionally a choice that D&D players get to make about their game. I mean, it's conceivable that someone wants a (relatively) more low-powered game even when it's about demi-gods, or enjoys the idea that the players only have access to one Mythos category at the start or whatever. It's more honest to say (in a sidebar or whatever) "I recommend 32-point buy for these reasons" rather than "never mind those 25-point buy guys, you get to play 32". It punishes those who actually sticks to the agreement made in the beginning of the game, which hurts the social contract between them.

I mean, you do what you want, and it's not like I can't ban this Mythos in my (highly hypothetical) games. I won't start a crusade against it or anything, but if you want my opinion, there it is. :smalltongue:

Xefas
2013-01-20, 06:42 AM
It just seems that the purpose of this Mythos is to say "you should play this game with 32-point buy", and while it's good to make the players aware of this, it's still traditionally a choice that D&D players get to make about their game.

Alright, maybe you can suggest an alternative?

The purpose is this.

The most powerful classes in 3.5 D&D depend very little on having a lot of ability points. Regardless of whether the group decides to play 'gritty soldiers' or 'demigods', they will have the capacity to be demigods, because the ability score generation method is largely irrelevant to them.

The Sun Hero, I wish to be of a similar level of potential competence.

The Sun Hero, I wish to rely on having a lot of ability points.

Reconcile.

Using the terminology of the point-buy system seemed the most easily understandable and the least exploitable, when compared with something like "If your highest ability is W, then gain X, if it's Y, then Z.", or "If the sum modifier of your ability scores is W or lower, gain X, if it's Y or higher, gain Z" or something like that.

Arbane also suggested fiddling with Arete and/or Flawless Form, which may also contain a solution.

Amechra
2013-01-20, 09:19 AM
Don't forget my suggestion!

Xefas
2013-01-20, 09:59 AM
Don't forget my suggestion!

Right, that one too!

(Just added [Fantastic Charisma: Vicious Weak-Point Exploitation, and Heartless Killer Methodology] to continue the Sneak Attack line. I'm really going to have to do some test fights to see how the limited pool of Indefinite Mythos works out. If the distinction isn't a big enough deal, or if it's too big a deal, etc.)

Weimann
2013-01-20, 11:49 AM
Alright, maybe you can suggest an alternative?

The purpose is this.

The most powerful classes in 3.5 D&D depend very little on having a lot of ability points. Regardless of whether the group decides to play 'gritty soldiers' or 'demigods', they will have the capacity to be demigods, because the ability score generation method is largely irrelevant to them.

The Sun Hero, I wish to be of a similar level of potential competence.

The Sun Hero, I wish to rely on having a lot of ability points.

Reconcile.

Using the terminology of the point-buy system seemed the most easily understandable and the least exploitable, when compared with something like "If your highest ability is W, then gain X, if it's Y, then Z.", or "If the sum modifier of your ability scores is W or lower, gain X, if it's Y or higher, gain Z" or something like that.

Arbane also suggested fiddling with Arete and/or Flawless Form, which may also contain a solution.Hm, hm. I must admit, my mind was in a place where the game did not have the Core classes and such but only the X Hero classes (a true "Exalted in D&D" game, if you will), so I guess my reference was a bit off. If you put it like that, I can kind of see what you're going for better.

So I can see the problem, but no, I don't really have any good mechanical solutions. I guess just give Sun Heroes many ability points, and give them other sweet and related powers? Which you have already done very well though the different Mythos.

My opinion on Elevated by Exaltation remains, and one can add to the criticisms that if you have an "all class" game where everyone starts from 32-point buy, then it will make no difference either way.

Again, it's not that big a deal, though. It's just one Mythos, it's not something that makes or breaks the class (and if it does, then that's a problem in itself). Really, as I said, the class gets lots of ability points and related special effects anyway. I think it'll be okay both with and without this Mythos.

jojolagger
2013-01-20, 02:00 PM
Why not just tag the desired scaling effect onto Flawless form, where if the ability is below (value, possibly modified by level) then it gains an extra point from it?
Heck, that wording still works if using the more distributed stat gains Amechra advised.

If you make the value to be below (10 +1/4th level) then at level 20 the value you get extra points below is directly below the value that gives you the lowest tier mythos, and at lower levels, the stats flawless form pulls you towards efficiently are slightly above average.

Weimann
2013-01-20, 02:31 PM
I had a look at the other Mythos, and they look decent from what I can tell, too. I'm not entirely sure I like Occult Patron Purchases and by extension Utility-Belt Stocking Practices, for the previously discussed "I have endless health potions" thing, but that's a small thing. I guess some people like that; myself, I abhor consumables and such as a whole.

Since you asked specifically, Spitting Teeth At The Grave and Never Give Up, Never Surrender looks cool and balanced to me.

It's an interesting choice that the Charisma tree gets the sneak attack Mythos (Mythi?), but I can't say I disapprove of that. On the one hand, Hide and Move Silently is in Dexterity, but Charisma has the feint skill and it certainly is breath of fresh air to let the "social" stat carry some personal combat application. Helps towards dumping Charisma too bad, too. :smalltongue:

Xefas
2013-01-21, 03:43 AM
I took Elevated By Exaltation out while I think about what to do.

But fear not! Eight more Charisma Mythos fill the void.

Exceptional Charisma: Epic Zeal of Virtue, Authority-Radiating Spirit, Aggression-Dense Personality
Fantastic Charisma: Terrifying Apparition of Glory, Terrible Sun-King Condemnation
Legendary Charisma: Enemy-Castigating Judgment, Scribing the Roll of Darkness
Exalted Charisma: Glorious Golden Visage of Horror

I hope no one thought the 'Hero' in 'Sun Hero' implied inherent goodness :smalltongue:.

Amechra
2013-01-21, 10:55 AM
So that's how you make a Ranger out of a Sun Hero. Huh.

May I suggest something? In Dragon Magic, there is a spell called Adoration of the Frightful; it causes anyone within the range of the spell's area of effect that is currently suffering from a fear effect has to make a save or instantly become Friendly towards you.

I think that could be dropped in here somewhere...

Weimann
2013-01-21, 06:11 PM
Authority-Radiating Spirit, Aggression-Dense Personality, Terrifying Apparition of Glory - 'S good.

Epic Zeal of Virtue - Does the last paragraph have any mechanical implications at all, or is it just advice for playing with it?

Terrible Sun-King Condemnation - The Mythos states that it affects the target through fear. Does that mean immunity or other countermeasures to fear can negate the effect?

Enemy-Castigating Judgment - Since this is an upgrade to Terrible Sun-King Condemnation, the same question applies. If the enhancement bonus stacks with other enhancement bonuses, doesn't that just make it an untyped bonus? Also, shouldn't it be "Judgement"?

Scribing the Roll of Darkness - As written, the only real mechanical effect this Mythos has is that it lets you know if someone is Anathema automatically (and the teaching thing, but that's pretty circumstantial). Should one assume that the "Anathema Bane" effect from Terrible Sun-King Condemnation also applies?

Glorious Golden Visage of Horror - I might misjudge the impact of this effect, but it seems a bit meh, both mechanically and in terms of imagery. Maybe some additional effect against Anathema?

Rhyvurg
2013-01-21, 06:50 PM
My God this is awesome. Even unfinished I plan on playtesting this at the first opportunity.

Xefas
2013-01-22, 12:01 AM
Epic Zeal of Virtue - Does the last paragraph have any mechanical implications at all, or is it just advice for playing with it?

It's just a little extra flavor. A player could invoke it to make some kind of interesting statement about their character (unfortunately, D&D is one of those systems that doesn't reward that kind of thing), or you could use it against NPCs. Imagine bumming a Sun Hero out so badly that he can't use his Holy Greatsword anymore, because he can only feed it "I'm Chaotic Evil".


Terrible Sun-King Condemnation - The Mythos states that it affects the target through fear. Does that mean immunity or other countermeasures to fear can negate the effect?

IIRC, use of the Intimidate skill is always a fear effect, so immunity to fear protects against everything.


Enemy-Castigating Judgment - Since this is an upgrade to Terrible Sun-King Condemnation, the same question applies. If the enhancement bonus stacks with other enhancement bonuses, doesn't that just make it an untyped bonus?

Effectively, yes. I'm just using the wording of the "Bane" quality that already exists in D&D.


Also, shouldn't it be "Judgement"?

This might be one of those "color/colour", "saber/sabre", etc, things. Both 'judgment' and 'judgement' appear as valid spellings of the same word at Dictionary.com, if that counts for anything.


Scribing the Roll of Darkness - As written, the only real mechanical effect this Mythos has is that it lets you know if someone is Anathema automatically (and the teaching thing, but that's pretty circumstantial). Should one assume that the "Anathema Bane" effect from Terrible Sun-King Condemnation also applies?

It allows you to declare an entire group of people as Permanent Anathema. So, you don't have to individually judge each and every one (which would be temporary anyway). This declaration doesn't rely on Intimidate, either, so you can turn fear-immune enemies into Anathema, such as Undead.

Anathema-bane works on everything you've declared Anathema, regardless of what effect you use. It doesn't work on other peoples' Anathema though.


Glorious Golden Visage of Horror - I might misjudge the impact of this effect, but it seems a bit meh, both mechanically and in terms of imagery. Maybe some additional effect against Anathema?

A Sun Hero has "Undead, and Chaotic and/or Evil Outsiders" as his Anathema group. He walks into Hell. Every round, as a swift action, he uses his Imperious Command feat (through Terrifying Apparition of Glory) to force the thousands of devils that just descended upon him to cower in abject fear and humiliation.

He proceeds to walk into the Bronze Citadel, unmolested, and fight the Archduke of Avernus one-on-one, while the numberless legions of Baator bow impotently on the sidelines, far more scared of the Sun Hero than the eternity of torment that awaits them for their inaction.


My God this is awesome. Even unfinished I plan on playtesting this at the first opportunity.

If you get to, post a playtest report! :smallbiggrin:

Salbazier
2013-01-22, 03:25 PM
This is awesome.

Definitely better than the previous version. Heroic Focus mechanic is quite neat.



Don't even get me started on Epic Destinies...

Devil-Tiger? Dream of the first Age thingie?

Xefas
2013-01-22, 11:20 PM
Devil-Tiger? Dream of the first Age thingie?

Here's my notepad file, if you're interested.

Sun Hero
--Solar Hero
--Virtue Hero
--Mandate Hero

Oblivion Hero
--Void Hero
--Monument Hero
--Eternity Hero

Cosmos Hero
--Eidolon Hero
--Primordial Hero
--Manumit Hero

Star Hero
--Sidereal Hero
--Nox Hero
--Samsara Hero

Machine Hero
--Municipal Hero
--Apostate Hero
--???

Moon Hero
--Chimera Hero
--Lunar Hero
--???

Element Hero
--Conflux Hero
--Omphalos Hero
--Dynasty Hero

Salbazier
2013-01-23, 12:13 AM
Here's my notepad file, if you're interested.

Sun Hero
--Solar Hero
--Virtue Hero
--Mandate Hero

Oblivion Hero
--Void Hero
--Monument Hero
--Eternity Hero

Cosmos Hero
--Eidolon Hero
--Primordial Hero
--Manumit Hero

Star Hero
--Sidereal Hero
--Nox Hero
--Samsara Hero

Machine Hero
--Municipal Hero
--Apostate Hero
--???

Moon Hero
--Chimera Hero
--Lunar Hero
--???

Element Hero
--Conflux Hero
--Omphalos Hero
--Dynasty Hero


Wow, those are... seems would be really cool. Especially Nox Hero (I like Nocturnals), Municipal Hero (play a city? Awesome) and the Cosmos ones. I have no idea what some of those would be, though. Like Manumit or Omphalos (play an Elemental Pole?).

Vauron
2013-01-23, 12:43 AM
Wow, those are... seems would be really cool. Especially Nox Hero (I like Nocturnals), Municipal Hero (play a city? Awesome) and the Cosmos ones. I have no idea what some of those would be, though. Like Manumit or Omphalos (play an Elemental Pole?).

'Playable city' seems unlikely. That sounds more like what you become once you hit level 30, and that is not a common level for games to take place at at all.

Xefas
2013-01-23, 01:32 AM
Wow, those are... seems would be really cool. Especially Nox Hero (I like Nocturnals), Municipal Hero (play a city? Awesome) and the Cosmos ones. I have no idea what some of those would be, though. Like Manumit or Omphalos (play an Elemental Pole?).

I haven't read Nocturnals, but I suspect the idea will be similar. The Star Hero sheds the limitations on its abilities, attaining the ability to manipulate time and space and blur the line between reality and potential, until the material world falls away from them entirely and they become as infinite and empty as the darkness between the stars.

In contrast to the Conflux Hero (http://darkkenjie.deviantart.com/art/Avatar-Aang-132315327), who seeks to be the master of the five elements (and an immortal, reincarnating one, at that), the Omphalos Hero sees beyond this. He sees that there are not five elements, but many - and he synchronizes himself with one of these other myriad sources of power. Over time, he sheds his old Mythos, shifting his essence to a pure embodiment of the new element, until, at the height of his power, he becomes a new Elemental Pole, creating the basis for a new Inner Elemental Plane, with all the ramifications thereof. What happens to the Prime when Lightning is no longer a Quasi-Elemental Plane, but a full-fledged building block upon which all matter is formed? Something truly unique, surely. (And you wouldn't need to choose a pre-existing pseudo-element either; you could do something weird, like Metal, or Flesh, or Glass.)

The Manumit Hero (name subject to change) sees his other options. He looks at the fallen titans. They are quite powerful. He could become one of them (the Primordial Hero), an unbound god-slaying horror that would sunder the Great Wheel and turn all that Is into its personal plaything, subject to its broken, psychotic whims for all time. Sounds okay, but a little bit constraining... and crazy... and "evil?". So, perhaps the perfect solution would be to become a new titan altogether (the Eidolon Hero)! One that hasn't been broken by the gods. One that could be the exact embodiment of the Hero's ideals, rather than the ideals of someone else. Something truly wondrous.

Yes, those two ideas sum up the pinnacle of the paths most Cosmos Heroes will consider. But there is another. The Manumit Hero looks at these paths, and looks at the titans. He has been inside their skin. He has known their minds better than any outsider ever could. He sympathizes with them - something no Lawgiver had ever done, even those with so-called infinite compassion. He thinks about his own potential, but he thinks about their potential as well. And so, he finds a titan, and cuts out its heart.

As the heart dies, the titan collapses, its very Self unravels into the narrative of its being, its world implodes into songs and poems, its people become memories and whispers, its body becomes a scintillating legend, quivering on the precipice between reality and the place where every story goes once everyone has forgotten it. But the Hero remembers! He leaps into the roiling chaos of the dying story, and becomes a new heart, stabilizing it, becoming at once its protagonist and its author. And, in that moment, the two become one. The Hero is no longer himself, and the Titan is no longer itself. But they are something in between, something different, something new. The chains of the Lawgivers no longer bind this new gestalt demiurge, and so it emerges on an unsuspecting cosmos, for good or ill; leaving no trace of the broken monster that it once was; giving hope and freedom to a creature that had none.

(In short, everyone is gonna go Eidolon Hero, except me and Gensh =P.)

Rhyvurg
2013-01-23, 05:11 PM
If this Eidolon Hero is an Infernal thing... No, no thank you. Me and Infernals have a hate/hate relationship. To me, Infernals are all about playing as the story itself and that's... boring, frankly. I'd rather be someone in the world that things happen to rather than being the world and making things happen. I don't want to define reality. Because once you have that level of control...what then?

Vauron
2013-01-23, 05:45 PM
If this Eidolon Hero is an Infernal thing... No, no thank you. Me and Infernals have a hate/hate relationship. To me, Infernals are all about playing as the story itself and that's... boring, frankly. I'd rather be someone in the world that things happen to rather than being the world and making things happen. I don't want to define reality. Because once you have that level of control...what then?

Again, Epic Destiny. Epic Destinies, especially not the capstone which is most of what has been mentioned, are not really something you play at all, ever. Its more like, at the end of your character's last adventure, this is what happens to them. If anything, Epic Destinies shape the campaign that comes next, as your old characters are now legends whose actions have forever shaped the face of the world.

Xefas
2013-01-23, 11:40 PM
If this Eidolon Hero is an Infernal thing... No, no thank you. Me and Infernals have a hate/hate relationship. To me, Infernals are all about playing as the story itself and that's... boring, frankly. I'd rather be someone in the world that things happen to rather than being the world and making things happen. I don't want to define reality. Because once you have that level of control...what then?

Well, I meant "Everyone, that plays an Infernal to that point, is gonna go Eidolon Hero...". Not everyone that plays a Hero. Just look at how popular Devil-Tigers are in comparison to other forms of Infernal transcendence. If you don't like Infernals, it doesn't apply. (Although, if your objection is to just Infernals, and not to freakish transformations, I think everyone will have at least one super weird inhuman Epic Destiny. Cosmos Heroes are the only ones that must be super weird inhuman.)

That aside, Vauron is right in that Epic Destinies mostly set up your next campaign. An example might be the Scarlet Empress' last great adventure being the storming of the Imperial Manse. This act completed her Dynasty Hero Epic Destiny, which resulted in the Realm (her descendants) reigning for centuries afterward and becoming a powerful centerpiece on a multiversal scale, completely altering the landscape of the next campaign, where the same players presumably start off as Solars, and have to deal with the fun aftermath of their previous' characters exploits, like the Wyld Hunt.

"What will be my lasting mark on the universe?" is the primary concern for choosing an Epic Destiny. The fact that you accidentally get unspeakably awesome powers in the process is secondary, in my opinion.

Primal Fury
2013-01-24, 12:50 AM
IBecause once you have that level of control...what then?
You get into raucous fist-fights with other reality-defining behemoths.

Duh. :smalltongue:

Rhyvurg
2013-01-24, 02:53 AM
I don't know, there are Solar epic destinies already, I kind of like the idea of adding one to an epic Primodialist just for kicks. On a related note, what about an Incarnae-themed destiny to go with this class?

vasharanpaladin
2013-01-24, 03:19 PM
I don't know, there are Solar epic destinies already, I kind of like the idea of adding one to an epic Primodialist just for kicks. On a related note, what about an Incarnae-themed destiny to go with this class?

Krimm did the Infernal Exalted destinies, Xefas did two specifically for the primordialist and tangentially related to becoming the patron baernoloth or the Triumphant Howl of the Devil-Tiger tree, both mutually exclusive of course. Or am I misreading that first sentence?

As to the second... isn't that what the Solar, Lunar and Sidereal destinies are? :smallwink:

Rhyvurg
2013-01-24, 06:39 PM
Yes and no, but Xefas' destinies are for making Devil-Tigers, I mean something for the hinted Solar-becomes-UCS thing from RotSE.

Xefas
2013-01-24, 11:36 PM
Yes and no, but Xefas' destinies are for making Devil-Tigers, I mean something for the hinted Solar-becomes-UCS thing from RotSE.

You'll want the Virtue Hero Epic Destiny for that. You can become the Unconquered Sun, or an Unconquered Sun, depending. You'll have to define your four Virtue Fulcrums. Compassion/Conviction/Temperance/Valor might get you something like Exalted's Sol Invictus. Whereas becoming the Honesty/Kindness/Loyalty/Generosity Sun would get you something else. And being the Vanity/Ambition/Zeal/Mettle Sun is quite different altogether.

Samsara Hero will be Maiden-esque. That last Moon Hero destiny might become "Wyld Hero" ("Beyond Hero"?), and focus on becoming Luna-esque. Although, depending on what I'd do with Moon Heroes, the Lunar Hero or Chimera Hero might end up being the Luna~ish one. IIRC, the Terrifying Argent Witch limit system is based on Luna being the ultimate Chimera, or something like that? With a fractured, ever-shifting personality.

vasharanpaladin
2013-01-24, 11:41 PM
Yes and no, but Xefas' destinies are for making Devil-Tigers, I mean something for the hinted Solar-becomes-UCS thing from RotSE.

Wait, that's a thing? :smalleek:

Xefas
2013-01-24, 11:48 PM
Wait, that's a thing? :smalleek:

In the module "Return of the Scarlet Empress", Sidereals get an Astrological Charm that lets you bump somebody up into the slot of a deceased God. Towards the end of the module, it's possible that the Ebon Dragon and his minions could've killed the Unconquered Sun. In this case, a Sidereal may be willing to promote someone - perhaps a PC - to being the Unconquered Sun.

The upside being that you become perfect in every way and attain infinite power. The downside being that you lose your Exaltation, which is, in many ways, considerably more beneficial.

The far more entertaining use for that Charm is to, of course, promote mortals you don't like to being something like a God of Beauty (they have to be willing), and then using your other Sidereal shenanigans after the fact to get them demoted to God of Chamber Pots, or something.

Rhyvurg
2013-01-25, 04:09 PM
Things like that is why I never understood why more people don't play Siddies, they practically get free reign to ignore the rules.

Weimann
2013-01-25, 05:13 PM
The reason more people don't play Sidereals is that until pretty recently, they weren't actually playable due to gross incompetence when it came to creating their Charmset. So that's a pretty big thing.

The Sidereal errata hit simultaneously with the 2.5 errata, and even then, it only did the heavy work such as replacing non-functional Charms wholesale; the fine tuning would have required much more effort.

Not terribly long after that, 3e was announced, and that immediately put Sidereals on yet another waiting list to get playable again.

So they haven't had the best of rides in 2e. Which, as you say, is too bad, since much of their stuff could have been freaking sweet. Throne Shadow Style is, in my opinion, one of the pinnacles of 2e.

Xefas
2013-01-26, 02:19 AM
I haven't posted any Mythos for a while, just because work and sickness. But I puzzled out some ideas for the Martial Hero today. Any thoughts?

Combo Chains: Many Martial Arts Mythos have a Combo Type, listed as some variation of "Movement-Combo", "Attack-Combo", "Counter-Combo", "Grapple-Combo", "Aerial-Combo", and so on. These descriptors can be anything, and some esoteric Styles may also have esoteric combo tags associated with them. The function of these tags is to set up a Combo Bonus.

Some Martial Arts Mythos have additional effects or uses if the last action the user performed had a specific Combo Type. This action could have been used on the same turn, but it doesn't necessarily need to be. As long as the last action you performed (not including Free or Immediate Actions) had the specified tag, it does not matter if it was on a prior turn. Some Mythos may even have benefits for a longer combo chain, specifying multiple types, which must have been utilized in the exact given order, on adjacent actions. For example, to gain the benefit of a Mythos that has the requirement "Stealth-C, Movement-C, Attack-C", your last three actions must have been, in the specific order, using a Stealth Combo Mythos, then using a Movement Combo Mythos, then using an Attack Combo Mythos. If this requirement is met, you get the final Mythos' special combo benefit.

Free and Immediate Action Mythos, as previously stated, do not break Comboes. However, if they have a Combo Type, you may choose to insert your use of that Mythos into your Combo, but you may just as easily not.

My hope is that not only will combos be an extra dimension to add distinctiveness to each Style (and distinctiveness to Martial Arts vs other Mythos), but also make the "Martial Arts Master" archetype, the kind of person who learns an excessive number of different styles rather than focusing on a few, extremely entertaining to play.

Rhyvurg
2013-01-27, 05:10 PM
Looks cool. There should be Mythos with multiple combo types, like Arial+Grapple, so people can get more creative with what they do.

Xefas
2013-01-28, 02:55 AM
I was off from work today, and I got to playtest the Sun Hero! Unfortunately, scrounging up a full group on short notice is a little beyond my means at the moment, so it was just a quick 1on1 affair, using the "Hollow's Last Hope" module, a free pdf from Paizo, for a party of 1st level adventurers. Since I was alone, we bumped my Sun Hero up to level 2 and, in the interest of possibly leveling up in-play, I also started with enough experience to be halfway to level 3 (2,000xp). A single level 2.5 character is totally equal to four level 1 characters, right? ...right?

Campaign log inside for those interested.

Here was my character, named for the example character often used in forum discussions for the Solar Exalted, which is itself named for some lady in some movie that has no relation to the actual character I'm playing, I don't think.


Profile
The Invincible Sword Princess, Sun Hero 2
Medium Humanoid (Human), Chaotic Neutral
Age: (>-_-)=@)x.x) , Height 6' 3", Weight 210lbs, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown
XP: 2,000

(32 point buy)
Str: 10, Dex: 16, Con: 16, Int: 14, Wis 10, Cha 12

Offense
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30ft
Size/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Bab/Grapple: +2/+2

Melee: Masterwork Greatsword +7 (2d6+4) [19-20/x2]

Ranged: Masterwork Longbow +6 (1d8) [x3]

Defense
Hit Points: 24
Armor Class: 19
Flat-Footed: 16
Touch: 13
Fortitude: +6
Reflex: +6
Will: +3

Feats and Skills
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
Bonus Feats: Toughness, Endurance, Diehard
Skills: Climb +7, Jump +7, Tumble +10, Listen +5, Intimidate +6

Equipment
Weapons: Masterwork Greatsword, Masterwork Longbow
Armor: -
Other: Masterwork Climbing Gear, Potion of Cure Light Wounds x2
Money: 25g

Mythos
Known: Iron Skin Concentration, Ox-Body Technique, Nimble Blade Agility, Iron Flurry Onslaught

Heroic Focus
1: Iron Skin Concentration
2: Open
3: Open
4: Open
5: Open


So, here's how it went. I'm going to attempt to tell this more like a story and less like a play-by-play commentary, so there may be some, uh, post-production dramatizations. That said, out-of-character and mechanical talk will be in italics.

Act 1: Falcon's Hollow and a Series of Seemingly Unrelated Events

The travels of the Invincible Sword Princess have brought her to this tiny spit of nowhere, but the seeming dearth of civilization suits her just fine. She is, first and always, an individual, and swears no lasting oath to any organization, nation, or code. Her quest is one of self-discovery and self-perfection. Every day is a hunt for a new challenge, to test her strength, and push her limits.

As it would happen, one afternoon, she strides into Falcon's Hollow, a logging town recently beset by a vicious and stubborn illness that is steadily claiming the lives of its citizens. "How very unfortunate that this predicament is unrelated to my skillset. Perhaps there is another town down the road with a more murder-accessible emergency."

DM: ... =|
Me: =P

But, contrary to the Princess' assumed lack of proficiency in the situation, she is soon approached by people from the town as she attempts to purchase rations for her continued journey. Something about her makes them think she might be able to help. Maybe its because she's an enormous slab of solid muscle whose only possessions are two weapons and a tunic. She idly wonders, for the first time, if that sort of ensemble would cast her in a certain light.

When asked if she can cure them of their terrible blight, she answers "I suppose nothing's impossible.", which they quickly take to mean that she's capable of doing so. That wasn't what she meant, but the persistent pleas of the townsfolk inspire her to at least give it a shot. It's a new challenge, if nothing else. So, as the first order of business, she asks around for someone that might be able to teach her about the profession of curing plagues. "Who knows?" the Princess thinks, "Maybe I'll be just as badass at herbalism as I am at repeatedly stabbing people, places, and objects. Can't hurt to give it a shot."

The Princess is pointed in the direction of the town's resident snake-oil-slinger, Laurel Real-Last-Name-Unknown. "Perhaps some sort of convict on the run from the law. Or an abbreviation for The Black Popess Crowned In Laurels of Bone and Garbed In The Alb of The Last Desperate Prayers Of Damned Souls Seeking Empty Salvation From Bleak Nothingness. To my sensibilities, that would be a perfectly standard name for a human being to have." she considered. Her own name felt bland by comparison.

Once there, the Princess inquired about the plague to Laurel. "Indeed! My theory is that it is some fungus based affliction that is contagious via-". The Princess cut her short, abruptly. "Yes, yes. That's fine and good. Just load me up with the herbalizing knowledge so I can punch this disease so hard that its grandma will be puking blood for a week."

Silence. "You... you don't know how a disease works. Do you?" offered Laurel, tentatively.

"I assume a demon is involved."

For a hard minute, only the sounds of labored coughing could be heard from outside. "Right. I. Right. Okay. I have this list of ingredients that are scattered about a variety of treacherous and monster-infested locales. If you could fetch them, I can cure the plague."

DM: I'll even mark them on your quest log! =D

For a moment, the Invincible Sword Princess was taken with a small measure of legitimate sadness. "Well, that's fine, too, I guess... Seems more my speed." Dreams of wearing a long-beaked plague-doctor mask while brutally pummeling bacteria from the torsos of a procession of grateful patients slowly melted away from her mind, and died.

There was, of course, a catch. Laurel had no idea where the ingredients were, although she supplied that the Princess might be able to discover their whereabouts from a hunter up at a nearby logging camp. With plot hook in hand, the Princess set out, marching a good ten miles up the road. Along the way, the drifting afternoon clouds took on shapes, in her mind, of eager young physicians prescribing piledrivers of wellness to a gruesome assortment of tumorous demons.

"It was never meant to be!" she shouted, hours later, having arrived at the camp. She was mid-headbutt at the time.

Me: Screaming nonsense and breaking someone's nose with my face constitutes an Intimidate check, I assume?

To be fair, the lumberjacks at the camp, described as being exceptionally surly (DM: Exceptionally.), had initially dismissed the Princess with a variety of very nasty and hurtful insults. After straddling one of the fallen workmen, too unlucky to have gotten away, and pummeling him amidst cries of "I'll never cure dissentary with these fists, but they can still teach you manners!", Milon Rhoddam, the hunter that she had asked for, finally appeared. (Fun fact: Effecting someone's behavior with Intimidate requires one minute of activity.)

DM: It turns out that no amount of nonlethal damage will actually kill someone. Much to that poor man's chagrin, I'm sure.

The hunter was initially unfriendly, but warmed to the Princess when he found out that she was out to cure the "blackscour taint". Apparently his son had the disease, and so he was eager to help in any way he could.

Me: Eager enough to join my party?
*DM scrolls around in the pdf for a minute*
DM: ...No.
Me: =(

He drew her a map, anyway. So, heading north, towards the closest ingredient, moss that grows on the eldest tree in Darkmoon Vale, she happens upon a pack of two wolves, approaching her aggressively between the trees of the steadily thickening forest.

The Invincible Sword Princess wins initiative, and charges one of the wolves, drawing her weapon as part of the charge, but rolls very low and misses her target miserably. The wolves move into a flanking position, and both attack. But, even with the flanking bonus, both of them miss. A riveting start to the game!

Next turn, the Princess uses a standard action to activate her Iron Flurry Onslaught Mythos, allowing her to send one attack at each wolf, at a slight penalty. The first attack connects, with a low damage roll, but still manages to reduce the wolf to about half hit points. The second attack hits for moderate damage, almost killing the other wolf in a single strike. The wolves both use a Withdraw action to move 100ft away, not provoking an attack of opportunity; clearly fleeing the battle. They're outside of the Princess' charging range.

So, next turn, she drops her sword as a free action, pulls out her bow as a move action, and shoots at the weaker one as a standard action. It narrowly connects (fortunately, they moved exactly 100ft away, so it was still within a single range increment for a Longbow), and kills its target. The other then takes a Run action, and successfully flees the Princess.

The Princess gains 600xp. Holy crap. That puts her quite close to leveling up. This solo adventuring thing is lucrative!

The Princess continues onward. The day is tending towards evening by now, and she begins to be hungry and thirsty. Fortunately, the map says she's headed towards a lake. After taking a drink from the lake, and setting about gathering some wood for a fire, and maybe something that could be used to spear a few fish, she hears a pitiful howl in the distance, like a wounded animal. "Excellent! Sounds like dinner I don't have to catch!" she says aloud, to no one. She readies her sword, just in case the beast still has some fight in it, before investigating.

A little ways to the west of her little makeshift camp, along the bank of the lake, the Princess finds a large-eared red fox caught in a small mechanical trap. Licking her lips, she makes to put it out of its misery, but a snap reflex causes her to shift abruptly, just in time to dodge an arrow coming from somewhere in the treeline, some 50ft away (That's just description. She was actually flat-footed for the attack.). Leaving no time to gather herself, two large hunting birds swoop down and rake at the Princess, leaving a large gash across her right arm and face (for 2 and 1 damage, respectively). Combat is joined.

The Princess rolls initiative after the previous ambush round, putting her in the lead once more. She activates Iron Flurry Onslaught, throwing one attack at each bird. One connects, killing the bird. The other narrowly misses. Another arrow comes from the trees, and misses by a wide margin. The bird attacks again, threatening a critical hit, but not confirming it, for a whopping 1 damage. She's down to 20/24 hit points.

The Princess uses Iron Flurry Onslaught again, aiming both attacks at the bird. The first connects and kills it. For her move action, she advances closer to where she thinks the arrows are coming from. Surprisingly, the attacker leaps down from his perch and begins to flee. The DM shakes his head and gestures at his computer screen.

...Which puts the attacker just in Charge distance of the Princess. She charges, and absolutely brutalizes the creature into a tattered and thoroughly deceased mess. She notes that it's some kind of humanoid creature that she's never seen before, nor knows anything about. (A hobgoblin, for the folks at home.)

That's another 350xp, putting the Princess 50xp away from leveling up.

With no sign of additional opposition, the Princess turns back to the trapped fox. She releases the creature, briefly considers the possibility of being able to bandage and heal its wounded leg, and then promptly guts and eats it before retiring to bed. Or, at least, the "bed" that is grass and rocks. (This rest heals her 2 hit points. Also, the DM informs me that, in the night, three villagers have died of blackscour taint.)

Act 2: Eldermoss 1/1, Rat's Tail 1/1

In the morning, the Invincible Sword Princess goes Invincible Spear Fishing for breakfast, and continues on her journey. Along the way, she finds a tree she can't identify, covered in a substance she can't identify, with three small dead creatures pinned to it that she can't identify. She wonders if perhaps she should read more books.

Eventually, she finds her way to an immense clearing, idyllic and serene, without a trace of blood or violence, surrounding a truly enormous tree of untouched majesty. The Princess readies her weapon, because this isn't her first time at the rodeo, and approaches.

Me: If there's actually a plague demon, I'm going to laugh.
DM: That would be considerably less bizarre than what's about to happen.

As she nears the tree in order to inspect it for moss, a long, scaly, fanged blur explodes from the underbrush and rockets in a coiled pounce to maul the Princess.

This creature was described to me as a snake with a raptor face and T-Rex arms. Anyway, in the surprise round, it hits with its bite for a staggering 9 damage, and attempts to establish a hold with a free grapple check. Thankfully, it fails. However, it also gets two free rakes, for 2 damage each. The Princess is at 9/24 hit points. Not great. She does win the initiative roll, however.

Par for the course, the Invincible Sword Princess activates Iron Flurry Onslaught, aiming both attacks at the "Tatzlwyrm", and connecting with both of them, killing it in one round. Ah, I forgot how much I missed low-level rocket tag.

That's another 600xp, bringing the Princess up to 3,550xp. Enough for a level up! I was tempted to, at that very moment, write up an Exceptional Constitution Mythos related to healing, but resisted the urge.

The effects of the level up were as follows:
+9 max hit points (5.5 base + 3 Con)
+1 base attack bonus
+1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution (Arete)
Feat: Steadfast Determination (PHBII)
+1 Climb, Jump, Tumble, Listen, Intimidate
Mythos: Spirit Strengthens The Skin (adding another 3 hit points)

So, her hit points are instead at the manageable 21/36. I'm going to continue with italics for this next part, because of a hiccup with D&D being a dumb system. The Princess goes to collect the moss from the tree, and I'm informed that it requires a Search check. I make a Search check, and fail. ...So, I guess the module is over? I can never find the quest item I need, so the story is just done. That's great. Wonderful storytelling. Anyway, so we disregard D&D being dumb, and I just get the macguffin that's required for the story to progress.

Sack of moss and dirt (and a little bark, just to be sure) in hand, the Princess takes a moment to rest in the clearing and appreciate her brief brush with life-threatening peril. She lops off a sizable chunk of the snake-o-saur, with the intent to save it for lunch later that day, before continuing on to the next destination.

Which she finds without incident! The cottage is exactly where it was marked on her map. A filthy, ugly, fetid, stinking little hovel, surrounded by scarecrows and gruesome paraphernalia culled from what appears to be both beast and man. Perhaps a little overly paranoid, the Princess regards the scarecrows with her sword, as if expecting them to spring to life. She decapitates one just to make sure. And then decapitates another to make double sure. That out of the way, she proceeds to the rotted door, barely still wedged in place, and tries to kick it down. Which she fails at. With a sigh, she splits it into four clean pieces with a few swipes of her sword, and enters.

Inside are shelves filled with row after row of both garbage, and what is effectively garbage to one who is not versed in the ways of magic and alchemy. In the center is an enormous rune-inlaid cauldron, and on the far wall is a chair made of human teeth, upon which sits what is obviously not an undead creature, dressed in what are obviously not a mage's robes, in what is obviously not a witch's house. Wasting no time, the Princess leaps across the room and attacks the corpse before her, ruining both it, and the grotesque furniture it was perched upon in a collision of steel.

That was when the cauldron attacked.

Initiative rolled. The Invincible Sword Princess wins again! Improved Initiative is kind of the bomb.

The hut is too small to charge in, so an Iron Flurry Onslaught will have to do. The first hit connects, but deals a paltry amount of damage in light of the cauldron's Hardness. The cauldron retaliates, but misses. Next round, the Princess attacks twice more. And misses both times. The cauldron attacks. And misses. The Princess attacks twice more, and hits once, dealing a little damage. The cauldron attacks, and misses. The Princess attacks, and hits once, dealing a little damage. The cauldron attacks, and hits for 4 damage, and tries to initiate a grapple, but fails. The Princess attacks, and hits once, dealing a little damage. The cauldron attacks, and hits for 5 damage, threatening a critical hit, but not confirming it. The Princess attacks, and hits with both attacks, for a little damage each. The cauldron attacks, and misses. The Princess attacks, and hits, and the cauldron finally keels over and died.

The Princess gains another 600xp, for a total of 4,150xp, and has 14/36hp. For reasons stated before, we skip the Search check to locate the macguffin required to continue the story. Because we want to continue the story. I failed all the checks to find anything else, though.

Wounded and weary, the Princess decides to trek south back to the river with her spoils, the "Rat's Tail" root, and set up another makeshift camp. By now, it is well into the afternoon, and she roasts some of the reptile meat she acquired earlier, before deciding to get some intense rest in order to recover for the last leg of the adventure.

Act 3: Faffing About, And Then A Dungeon

The Princess rests for the day, and into the night, and into the day again, tending to her wounds and lounging by the riverside (She recovers 6 hit points from 24 hours of rest. At some point, I'm asked to make a Spot check, and fail. But nothing comes of it. I'm told that another villager died of the blackscour taint.) Her thoughts turn to the plight of the village. Their suffering doesn't concern her all that much. Rather, it's the idea of failing at the task that she set for herself that eats at her. "Part of being a hero is knowing when to push your limitations." she says, before taking another day to recuperate. (That's another 6 hit points, and a whopping 8 villagers just died, bringing the death toll to 12.) In the night, however, she's greeting by the oddest sight. A tiny reptilian zombie shambles out of the woods, moaning and clutching a sign with writing that the Princess cannot read.

(Me: I stab it.
*dice are rolled*
DM: Alright. 75xp.
Me: Does that count as breaking my total bedrest?
DM: Mmmmmmnaaaw.)

Almost completely recovered, the Princess rests for yet another day. (Up to 32 hit points, and 5 more villagers die, bringing us to 17. I'm asked to make another Spot check, fail, and nothing comes of it. Again!) Bringing her up to full strength, she finishes by resting another day, and then gathers up her things to set out for the monastery where she's assured that the final ingredient resides. (36/36, and 11 villagers just died! So, 28.) On the way, she finds another unidentifiable tree, with unidentifiable goo, and unidentifiable corpses.

Finally, she arrives at the ruined monastery, as the evening approaches sunset. This proves to be an unwise decision, as two nocturnal wolves howl from inside the inner courtyard. The Invincible Sword Princess takes this moment to enter a defensive posture, before they reveal themselves and make to charge.

The Princess is taking the Total Defense action. And, for the first time, loses initiative.

The first wolf charges, and misses with its bite. The Princess takes this opportunity to butcher it with an Iron Flurry Onslaught. The second wolf charges and hits, dealing 3 damage, and attempting trip the Princess, but fails. The Princess takes a single, more accurate hit, and misses, against all odds. The Wolf attacks again, hitting for 3 damage, and failing to trip. The Princess uses Iron Flurry Onslaught, misses with the first hit, and hits with the second, nearly killing the wolf. It uses a Withdraw action in an attempt to flee into the wood. The Princess charges and kills it.

Another 600xp, for 4825xp total. 30/36 hit points.

Adding two more wolves to her list of kills for the adventure, the Princess enters the courtyard of the monastery. It is littered with rubble and broken training equipment, along with a dried up well, and the relatively recent remains of a dead humanoid creature. Noting that Laurel didn't mention anyone that had come exploring up here and never came back, she investigates the corpse and any belongings it might have that could be useful. She leaves a few oddments she has no use for, such as the thieve's tools, but takes a length of rope, flint and steel, oil, torches, a potion of cure light wounds, and 42 gold pieces; could come in handy.

From the courtyard, there seem to be two entrances that lead deeper into the monastery, but also an entrance to a lone watchtower. "Might be something handy in there, too!" she says, dicing up the watchtower door with her unreasonably large sword.

As soon as she enters, an enormous spider lands on her head, sinking its poisonous fangs into her shoulder for 5 damage. The poison is shrugged off easily. Initiative is rolled, the Princess wins, and gets her first critical hit of the game, mincing the spider into tiny chitinous ribbons.

+300xp, 5125xp total, 25/36 hit points.

The freak of nature dealt with, the Invincible Sword Princess takes an unseemly amount of pleasure from stomping on its more average sized kin as she goes about searching the tower. The stairs prove too treacherous to utilize, but she finds a shortsword of excellent craftsmanship among the spoiled and ruined stores on the lower level.

Re-entering the courtyard, night is coming on, and so the Princess fashions a torch from her supplies. Faced with an eastern and northern entrance, she takes the northmost one. The door is ajar, but she destroys it anyway for good measure. She swears something about spiders under her breath.

Inside is a long corridor. First, she goes eastward, finding only useless rubble. Next, she goes westward, until she finds a door on the right. Inside is a large room with no doors, covered in racks and stands that could have once held weapons and armor. She searches around, but finds nothing of value.

Continuing down the corridor, there is another door on the left, which she enters to find yet another pair of wolves.

Initiative is rolled, and the Princess wins. The room is small, so she has no problem moving to the far wall, wedging herself into a corner as to prevent herself from being flanked, and then attacking one of the wolves. She hits and lightly wounds it. The wolves surround her other two sides, and attack, but without the ability to flank, and no room to charge, their attacks are easily dodged.

At the end of the round, another figure enters the room from the same door as the Princess. It is a small reptilian creature that the Princess recognizes as the same variety as the zombie she dealt with a few nights ago. It is brandishing a wicked shortsword, and though she cannot understand the words it hisses at her, its intent is clear. Fortunately, the wolves are in the way, so it can't move to attack yet!

The Princess uses an Iron Flurry Onslaught, aiming one attack at each wolf, connecting with both, but only lightly wounding them. The first wolf misses, but the second hits with its bite for 2 damage, and succeeds in dragging the Princess to the ground; Prone.

Recognizing this as a bad situation, the Princess attempts to get up, provoking an attack of opportunity from both wolves. The first hits, dealing 6 damage, and tripping her again, prolonging her Prone state. The second one misses. She tries to attack one of the wolves, but misses. Then, the wolves get to attack. Both hit, dealing 4 damage each.

The Princess attempts to get up again, provoking attacks of opportunity. The first wolf hits for 3 damage, but fails to trip her again. The second wolf misses. The Princess lets loose with an Iron Flurry Onslaught, hitting with both attacks, killing the most wounded wolf, and severely wounding the other. The wounded wolf takes a Withdraw action to retreat deeper into the monastery. The Princess is at 6/36 hit points, and that's when the kobold gets his turn. Gurtlekep attacks with his sword, but misses.

A twinge of fear in her gut, the Princess chooses to Fight Defensively, but misses. Gurtlekep attacks, and misses. The Princess drinks a potion, provoking an attack of opportunity, but Gurtlekep misses, and misses again on his turn. The potion heals a measly 3 hit points, bringing her up to 9/36.

The Princess attacks normally, but misses. Gurtlekep attacks, and hits, for 4 damage. The Princess attacks, and hits, killing the kobold instantly.

This battle grants a hilarious 1200xp, bringing the Princess up to 6,325; a level up. Before the level up, she's at 5/36hp.

For the level up:
+9 max hit points (5.5 base + 3 Con + 1 Spirit Strengthens the Skin)
+1 base attack bonus
+1 Fort, Ref, Will
+1 Climb, Jump, Tumble, Listen, Intimidate
Mythos: Reflex Sidestep Technique (which she immediately commits one of her Heroic Focus to)

That's 14/45hp. Not amazing.

Battered and bleeding, the Princess searches the kobold's equipment, leaving his common daggers and thieves tools, but taking his curative potion and fine shortsword as spoils. She decided to drink a potion, but it feels like a dud (2 hit points?!). So she goes for a second. It's weak too. (3?! You gotta be kidding me gaaaaaame.) Still, she's better than before, and heads deeper into the monastery.

The next room seems more well kept than the rest of the ruin, with very little debris. In the far corner is a pile of treasure, including many coins, potions, and the special Ironbloom Mushrooms that are required as the final ingredient in the cure. As soon as the Princess takes a single step in, an enormous grey-furred wolf, too big to be natural, with eyes a terrible glowing red, leaps from the shadows directly in front of her, and snarls (an Intimidate check, but it failed). The Princess stands strong, hands on her weapon, but unflinching.

Its growls somehow, unnaturally, impossibly, become comprehensible human speech. "I am the one they call Greypelt, master of this house! And you are trespassing!"

"I am the one they call the Invincible Sword Princess, master of this blade. And I'm here to do more than trespass. I'm also here to steal." she nods meaningfully at the pile of treasure, and smirks. The monster's jowls somehow twist into something resembling a smug smile. "Is that so? That's all you want, clumsy human? A few shiny coins? I could be convinced to part with them, if you'd prefer some more honest work."

The Princess thought for a moment. Honest or dishonest, the work didn't much matter to her. But something about her still-bleeding head and chest wounds made her reconsider a fight. "I'm listening." she said, majestically dribbling blood down her chin as she did so. The monster told her of other denizens in the monastery that were uninvited guests of which he did not wish to risk his own hide fending off. He wanted them removed and, in exchange, he would part with several hundred gold pieces.

"Agreed." she said, backing away cautiously, before ducking back into the corridor. Once outside, she drank her last potion (8 hit points! Gods. At last. That's 27/45) and sheathed her sword, before reappearing in the doorway. The worg looked at her quizzically, oversized teeth bared. "Yes? Is there a problem?"

Without a word, the Princess lept into a sprint, aiming directly for the treasure pile. The worg was too quick for her, and snapped its menacing jaws in attack, but she merely grabbed him by the muzzle and used him to launch herself into a beautiful cartwheel, careening across the room, and snatching up the mushrooms into her arms.

That was a successful Tumble check to avoid an attack of opportunity, by the way. We roll initiative, and by all the gods, this was the worst possible time for me to roll as badly as I did. Greypelt wins initiative and attacks, hitting the Princess for 7 damage, and tripping her. On her turn, she gets up from prone, provoking an attack of opportunity. Greypelt hits again, for 5 damage, but fails to re-trip her. His attack of opportunity spent, she doesn't bother tumbling as she flees back through the previous room and into the corridor.

The path isn't straight enough to Charge, so Greypelt must pursue with a normal attack. He hits for 7 more damage, and trips. The Princess gets up from prone, dodging the attack of opportunity, and flees again, making it out into the courtyard, near the main gate. Once again, the path isn't straight enough to Charge, so Greypelt must simply double-move to keep up.

Out here? Out in the open? The Princess takes a Run action, fleeing very quickly; too quickly to be charged. So, Greypelt is forced to Run as well, in order to keep up. His movement speed far outstrips hers, so he is able to run ahead. However, her current Tumble bonus is +12 (7 ranks + 3 dex + 2 synergy), so she is capable of consistently and easily avoiding his attacks of opportunity. And, when he does get in an attack, her Reflex Sidestep Technique allows her to retain her Dexterity bonus, even though she's running.

And so they Run. And Run. And Run. Into the forest, they go. It seems like a stalemate, but for two differences. The Invincible Sword Princess has two more points of Constitution than Greypelt (15 to 17), which is two more rounds she can Run without having to make a Constitution check, along with another +1 on said check. The other difference? **********in' Endurance feat! This marks the first time that I've ever used the Endurance feat. And oh. Oh, it was glorious.

The two figures bounded gracefully through the moonlit forest, twin shadows dancing in time with one another. "I will kill you, filthy human! Puny human! Weak human!" howled the monster, slashing and snapping at the Princess' heels. She remains quiet, until she notices the wolf-beast begin to slow.

"It's funny, wolf. Humans are quite weak. We aren't very fast. We don't have thick hides, or fangs, or claws. Our senses are dull. We just aren't good at very many things. But, you know what we are good at? Breathing, sweating, and running for miles without getting tired."

As the grey shadow fell back into the gloom, panting, livid, shrieking its unearthly rage into the blackness, the Invincible Sword Princess shouted back once more, "And we can be pretty smart when we want to be!"

Act 4: In The Nick of Time

The Princess forces herself to run for as long as she can, marching when she can't, carrying on through the night and into the day (7 more villagers died, bringing the death toll to 35). At one point, leaping into a river and swimming across, not stopping to rest a single moment, with her precious cargo in hand.

At last, she returns to Falcon's Hollow, with all three ingredients, and delivers them to Laurel. The herbalist begins brewing immediately, and the exhausted Princess collapses in the corner of the house for some much needed rest.

Mere hours later, the cure is distributed, and the town is in a benevolent uproar. "All hail to the Invincible Sword Princess! Who can question her name this day?" Eventually, the subject of a reward is brought up, but the Princess scoffs at it. "I didn't do this for the money. I did it for the lessons and the scars. Feed me, put me up for the night, and I'll be gone in the morning... ^_~"


Profile
The Invincible Sword Princess, Sun Hero 4
Medium Humanoid (Human), Chaotic Neutral
Age: (>-_-)=@)x.x) , Height 6' 3", Weight 210lbs, Hair: Black, Eyes: Brown
XP: 7,125 (+800 from "defeating" Greypelt)

(32 point buy)
Str: 10, Dex: 17, Con: 17, Int: 14, Wis 10, Cha 12

Offense
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30ft
Size/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Bab/Grapple: +4/+4

Melee: Masterwork Greatsword +9 (2d6+4) [19-20/x2]

Ranged: Masterwork Longbow +8 (1d8) [x3]

Defense
Hit Points: 45/45
Armor Class: 19
Flat-Footed: 16
Touch: 13
Fortitude: +9
Reflex: +7
Will: +7

Feats and Skills
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Steadfast Determination
Bonus Feats: Toughness, Endurance, Diehard, Improved Toughness, Great Fortitude
Skills: Climb +9, Jump +9, Tumble +12, Listen +7, Intimidate +8

Equipment
Weapons: Masterwork Greatsword, Masterwork Longbow
Armor: -
Other: Masterwork Climbing Gear, Masterwork Shortsword x2, Flint and Steel, 50ft Rope
Money: 67g

Mythos
Known: Iron Skin Concentration, Ox-Body Technique, Nimble Blade Agility, Iron Flurry Onslaught, Spirit Strengthens The Skin, Reflex Sidestep Technique

Heroic Focus
1: Iron Skin Concentration
2: Reflex Sidestep Technique
3: Open
4: Open
5: Open


Things I learned.


Improved Initiative is probably the best feat ever. Somewhere in the Dex Mythos, there needs to be some Initiative boosting stuff. Without this feat, I would have, at best, not been able to complete the module in time (countdown to 40 dead villagers, which I barely made anyway) due to taking more damage and needing more rest. I dunno, maybe the importance is exacerbated by the fact I was going solo.

I thought that Iron Skin Concentration wasn't a very useful Mythos. Until I started building this character and realized just how freaking expensive armor is at low levels, and how crippling armor check penalty and the maximum dex rating can be.

Nimble Blade Agility and, I assume by extension, other MADness reducing Mythos are stupidly good. Not having to care about Strength made my whole character concept possible. Either I need more of these, or I need to find a way to make them unnecessary.

Playing a low level Sun Hero really felt like playing a stronger, tougher Fighter with a few more options. Which is good, I guess. I found building my character quite interesting. I swung back and forth between ability score combinations, Str/Int, Str/Con, Str/Dex, Str/Dex/Con, Dex/Con/Int, Str/Con/Int, Dex/Int, etc, etc, before settling on one, just because the combinations of possible Mythos interested me. Wis and Cha aren't really in there because I need to write more Mythos for them.

I really want to see how un-fightery it starts to feel at mid level.

It's really easy to say things like "Bah, boosts to natural healing are worthless!" when you have a divine spellcaster right behind you, wand of healing in hand. Lost in an evil forest, alone, with a time limit, and random encounters, I really wanted some natural healing boosts. I think the Wolverine schtick isn't really a Sun Hero schtick, but I feel like I could slip in a small natural healing boost somewhere in Exceptional Constitution without it feeling weird. (Oh, and I didn't even bother with half the dungeon. Fighters going all day my ass. =P)

Going solo nets you insane amounts of experience; good god.

The person who wrote this module hates saving throws, and the people who boost them. He also loves the Search skill, and hates the people who don't boost it.

Level one is stupidly lethal. We should rename it level 0, and just shunt everything down one. =P

Amechra
2013-01-28, 03:58 AM
Alright, a few things:

1. That was highly entertaining.
2. You need to make a Mythos that lets you punch diseases out of people. Hell, start it off with a Mythos that lets you, I don't know, let's you use an attack roll in place of a Heal check.
3. You don't need to do Wolverine; even just having it so you get the benefits of someone accelerating your healing (so you get 3*level HP back each night, instead of 2*level.)

Draken
2013-01-28, 10:39 AM
The Faster Healing feat in Complete Warrior might be about what you want there. Requires +5 base fort save and more or less doubles your natural rate of healing. It also allows you to get your natural healing on even if you spend the whole day hiking, if my reading is correct.

It has a slight miswriting, apparently, in the sections that describe its interaction with the heal skill. Namely, the fact that the numbers are wrong for the heal skill.

Very entertaining, anyway!

Also, you should probably have gone and taken 20 with those search checks. They can be retried, after all.

Also, I concur on the utility of those oft-maligned little feats. I have a character with run as a bonus right now and it is just so, so fun (he also has sonic damage on his fists, so a thing I did with him with our group besieging a small fortress - at level three - was run up to the wall and punch a hole in it, still managed to miss a touch attack, however).

Xefas
2013-01-28, 02:26 PM
So, there's a sequel to this module, called "Crown of the Kobold King" (maybe it explains why there were two random unexplained kobolds in this module). If I can rope another DM sometime (some Sunday), would y'all be interested in the continued adventures of the Invincible Sword Princess? Or is one enough for now? :smalltongue:



Also, you should probably have gone and taken 20 with those search checks. They can be retried, after all.

I would prefer if there were, instead, consequences if I failed a check, rather than either "The story stops" or "The check is so easy anyone can take 20 and succeed, so the check is meaningless because it doesn't actually check anything".

Weimann
2013-01-28, 02:50 PM
I must concur with previous posters, that adventure was very entertaining. The chase scene through the forest became a very fitting climax, and I found it to be the best example in the story of the legendary feats a Sun Hero can achieve. I'd love to see a sequel if you have the chance to play it.

Edge
2013-01-28, 03:07 PM
The continuing adventures of the Invincible Sword Princess sound fun and interesting.

Also, I really like what you've done with this class, Xefas. My only question would be to ask what your rationale is for putting the sneak attack-based Mythos under Charisma.

Xefas
2013-01-28, 03:30 PM
Also, I really like what you've done with this class, Xefas. My only question would be to ask what your rationale is for putting the sneak attack-based Mythos under Charisma.

1) It seems like a logical continuation of Feinting.
2) I think the Dex Mythos are going to end up being kinda bloated. They get a variety of straight melee stuff, TWF melee stuff, ranged stuff, dodging stuff, hiding stuff, and acrobatic stuff. Whereas Charisma is getting intimidate stuff, social stuff, lying stuff, maybe some weird personality stuff like Epic Zeal of Virtue, and that's it. Adding feinting/tricky stuff will help to even it out a bit.
3) I like having some more-or-less direct combat stuff in the mental ability scores, just like there are some non-combat stuff in the physical ability scores.

Edge
2013-01-28, 03:45 PM
1) It seems like a logical continuation of Feinting.
2) I think the Dex Mythos are going to end up being kinda bloated. They get a variety of straight melee stuff, TWF melee stuff, ranged stuff, dodging stuff, hiding stuff, and acrobatic stuff. Whereas Charisma is getting intimidate stuff, social stuff, lying stuff, maybe some weird personality stuff like Epic Zeal of Virtue, and that's it. Adding feinting/tricky stuff will help to even it out a bit.
3) I like having some more-or-less direct combat stuff in the mental ability scores, just like there are some non-combat stuff in the physical ability scores.

Sound reasoning there. Can't argue with that.

I notice that Wisdom seems a little under-represented, so just a couple of ideas here:


Mythos to enhance your tracking. Not exactly sure what form this should take, but it seems fitting.
Building the sense-enhancement out to blindsense/blindsight and maybe hearing thoughts, or seeing the current attitude of others as an aura around them (in a manner similar to Assassin's Creed's Eagle Sense, if you're familiar with it)
Meditative exercises, perhaps to speed up hp recovery, heal ability damage faster, and maybe give another chance to save against persistent effects.

Draken
2013-01-28, 05:31 PM
Continue with the adventures, I say.

Also, where is Wyld-Shaping Technique going to land? Int, Wis or Cha?

The curiosity is killing me.

Arbane
2013-01-28, 06:30 PM
Also, where is Wyld-Shaping Technique going to land? Int, Wis or Cha?

Outside of Limbo, where would you use that in D&D?

Edge
2013-01-28, 06:36 PM
Outside of Limbo, where would you use that in D&D?

Manifest zones of Kythri in an Eberron campaign spring to mind. The Ethereal Plane and Plane of Shadow might also be malleable enough.

Draken
2013-01-28, 07:43 PM
Could also argue for any Divinely Morphic plane (aka: all of the outer planes).

Amechra
2013-01-28, 08:00 PM
Out of curiosity, are there going to be any Ride-based Mythos?

I mean, I really like Worthy Mount Technique in theory...

Xefas
2013-01-28, 11:30 PM
I notice that Wisdom seems a little under-represented, so just a couple of ideas here:

Out of curiosity, are there going to be any Ride-based Mythos?

There will be Mythos for everything! You just have to wait.



Also, where is Wyld-Shaping Technique going to land? Int, Wis or Cha?

If there is a Mythos that resembles Wyld Shaping Technique, it will be in Charisma, and it will be awesome (but for different reasons than Exalted's Wyld Shaping Technique is).

Rhyvurg
2013-01-30, 12:21 AM
Dang, I don't think any playtest report I make will be half that entertaining.

Xefas
2013-02-03, 02:11 AM
There've been a few tweaks (and a few grammatical/spelling errors fixed), the most notable of which is for Mythos Known.

See, while discussing a few things with my good meatspace pal, DM-from-Hollows-Last-Hope-Playtest (also a valid Abyssal name), we talked about the possibility of continuing the playtest into an actual campaign sort of deal. Then we talked about Wealth By Level stuff; specifically, the Princess has a lot less stuff than a 4th level character's WBL. We talked about giving her some money to compensate, and then I mentioned how I'd want to use it to train up some more Mythos.

But there was that pesky rule about not being able to do that until 6th level. That didn't seem right to me somehow, so I examined why I'd put that rule in, and it was largely to prevent multiclassing abuse. It would be really attractive for, say, a high level battle-focused Cleric, to whom 1000gp and 250xp is chump change, to grab one level of Sun Hero, and just buy all the Exceptional Mythos that he has the stats for (or, rather, a lot of them; you know what I mean).

So, well, I think I found a better solution, which does not punish low level Sun Heroes, but still prevents high level multiclass shenanigans.

As to whether plans are shaping up to have a second session of the Adventures of the Invincible Sword Princess tomorrow; that's still up in the air. It might happen, it might not. Even coordinating the lives of a mere two busy adults is a hassle, it would seem. So, here's to hoping I get to gut some kobolds tomorrow (I hear that there's some kind of bowl-shaped spectacle transpiring elsewhere in the world? Sounds odd.), if not, maybe next week.

Weimann
2013-02-03, 09:49 AM
Requiring the majority of your Character Levels to be in Sun Hero in order to learn more Mythos than normally allowed is a good idea, I feel. It gives flexibility while preventing dipping. There's an editing artefact in the Notes On Creating Mythos spoiler, though; it still talks about the level 6 requirement.

Xefas
2013-02-03, 09:45 PM
So, unfortunately, the Invincible Sword Princess did not get to go a'slayin' today. We'll see about next Sunday, I guess.

I did add five Exceptional Intelligence Mythos today, however. Instantaneous Violence Calculation, Ready In Eight Directions Stance, Superb Readiness Defense, Surprise-Crushing Cynicism, and Trap-Foiling Dungeon Veterancy.


There's an editing artefact in the Notes On Creating Mythos spoiler, though; it still talks about the level 6 requirement.

Ah, thanks! I never would've caught that. :smallredface:

Rhyvurg
2013-02-04, 02:51 AM
So, unfortunately, the Invincible Sword Princess did not get to go a'slayin' today. We'll see about next Sunday, I guess.

I did add five Exceptional Intelligence Mythos today, however. Instantaneous Violence Calculation, Ready In Eight Directions Stance, Superb Readiness Defense, Surprise-Crushing Cynicism, and Trap-Foiling Dungeon Veterancy.



Ah, thanks! I never would've caught that. :smallredface:

*reads, considers*

Good stuff, but the Dodge thing feels like a bit much for something you could get at level 1. Maybe make it an expansion of the mythos you get as you level.

Xefas
2013-02-05, 03:01 AM
A little thing I was inspired to do today. For those of you that like Infernals:


By Pain Reforged
Level/Titan: Exceptional Malfeas
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: -

Malfeas feels pain, but is not impeded by it, for it is his nature to suffer. Broken and bleeding, he is still the King of the Primordials, wearing his pain as a carapace. You gain the Endurance and Diehard feats as bonus feats. If you already possessed either of these feats, you must replace them with other feats you qualify for.

Persona: Willingly retreating from a conflict inflicts you with Focus Burn. While utilizing your Diehard feat to remain active with negative hit points, you are not considered 'Disabled', and may act normally. However, at the end of any turn that you utilize both a Move and Standard Action, or a Full-Round Action, your current hit point total is reduced by 1.

By Agony Empowered
Level/Titan: Exceptional Malfeas
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: By Pain Reforged

Malfeas has lost. He has suffered. He has endured misery that by all reckoning should have overwhelmed any being, no matter how vast and powerful. And yet, he fights onward. You extend the threshold of negative hit points you may accumulate before death by (Constitution modifier x Class Level) points. The effects of your Diehard feat extend to maintaining your activity into any negative hit point total, so long as you are not dead, of course.

Persona: You no longer add your Constitution modifier to the number of hit points you gain for each Hit Die, and all such bonuses are retroactively removed. You extend the threshold of negative hit points you may accumulate before death by (Constitution modifier x Class Level) points. In addition, you gain a +1 morale bonus on all damage rolls while you have a negative hit point total. This bonus increases by 1 for every 10 negative hit points you have.

By Terror Satiated
Level/Titan: Fantastic Malfeas
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: By Agony Empowered

Malfeas has felt pain. A lot of pain. It has not destroyed him, but the trauma it has inflicted is deeper than the physical. In the most secret chambers of the Demon City's mind, he contains the truest and most hated facet of his scarred personality, locking it away out of shame where he hopes none will find it. Fear. At one time, he was the invincible Empyreal Chaos. This being had never felt pain or loss or hardship. He was perfect in every way, and not a moment did he ever feel displeasure or discomfort. Until his death. Just as mortals build houses and locks and doors to feel safe, hoarding themselves and their loved ones and their possessions away from the world, Malfeas covers himself in layers of callous and brass armor, filling himself with everything he feels he might need – anything to stave off death should it come for him again.

With this Mythos, you gain an extradimensional space within yourself that is capable of holding 100 pounds of inanimate objects (excluding things that are also extradimensional spaces, such as bags of holding) per class level. For each size category above Medium, multiply this capacity by 10. By spending a full-round action, you may absorb an unattended object no larger than yourself that you are capable of lifting off the ground. Should the amount of capacity available diminish (such as from your size suddenly lessening), you vomit forth enough items, starting with the heaviest, to bring you down to your new maximum. Calling forth an item into your hands is a swift action.

Persona: Items you absorb do not simply go away. At least part of each item is displayed on you in some way. An absorbed greatsword might cause a blade of brass flesh to protrude upward from one of your shoulder-blades. A statue might be represented by the statue's face protruding in brass flesh from your chest. These deformities further protect you. Just as the brass towers of the Demon City absorb the searing heat of the Green Sun, for every 100 pounds you currently have absorbed, you gain 1 Fire Resistance (to a maximum of your class level).

By Rage Recast
Level/Titan: Fantastic Malfeas
Action: Permanent
Prerequisite: By Terror Satiated

As Malfeas fills his body with countless miscellany, guarding his core insecurity, protecting himself, ensuring his shame is never discovered, his discomfort only grows. What if it isn't enough? No one can find out what lurks in that heart of hearts. So he lashes out with the accumulated armory within, taking on terrifying forms to battle those who would trespass.

As a swift action, you may "equip" a weapon or shield that is within your extradimensional space, but without removing it from that space. This act forces the item to push through your flesh, stretching it to impossible lengths, effectively transforming the limb the item would be equipped to into that item. However, as part of you, the item cannot be targeted separately, and therefore cannot be disarmed or sundered. If you equip an item that you require both hands to use effectively, one limb is transformed into the item, and the other shrivels into a calloused, vaguely arm-shaped mass, incapable of being used for any purpose, but its strength and functionality is transferred to your other arm, allowing you to consider yourself to be wielding that item with both hands for all purposes, even though you technically are not.

Another swift action may retract these virtually equipped items, or replace them with a different choice.

Persona: While your extradimensional space is less than 90% full, you are perpetually Shaken. While your extradimensional space is at least 90% full, you gain an additional option. As a full-round action, you may relax some of the space-folding nature of your innards, causing your body to balloon outward into a freakish giant; countless odd shapes protruding from every inch of your lumpy, twisted flesh. This transformation is enough to push any character of Medium size or smaller up a single size category, with all associated benefits, penalties, and alterations (with the exception that this increase does not alter the capacity of your extradimensional space). A character that is already Large or larger gets bigger, but not big enough to go all the way to next category; they instead gain the Powerful Build racial trait. You may reverse this transformation, but doing so is difficult, and requires 5 minutes of concentration to suck all the paraphenalia back into the physics-defying folds of your guts.

(Persona portions of a Mythos, by default, do not effect your character. However, at any time, you may choose to activate the Persona part of a Mythos. Once made, this choice is absolutely permanent, and you must live with its benefits and drawbacks forever.)


Good stuff, but the Dodge thing feels like a bit much for something you could get at level 1. Maybe make it an expansion of the mythos you get as you level.

I assume you mean the part of Superb Readiness Defense that lets you apply Dodge to everyone? That part is just to bring it in line with being, more or less, a slightly situational +1 AC bonus. Kind of like the Improved Natural Armor feat, which is just a straight, slightly situational, +1 AC bonus; none of this declaring a single target thing.

I don't think +1 AC is all that crazy, even at level 1. But I may have lost some perspective. I wouldn't mind hearing your reasoning on the matter.

Amechra
2013-02-05, 03:50 AM
Sweet, I now have a bit more basis for how your Adorjan mythos work...

By Agony Empowered is a really neat effect, though you do realize that Diehard only works down to -10 HP? You might want to let that expand the effect...

The power of Superb Readiness Defense is highly dependent on your answer to the following question:

Does this mythos let me apply feats and effects that only work against creatures that I have assigned as "guy I'm dodging" to everyone?

Because in that case, I'm immune to Power Attack by 6th level at the very least; it can have potent and unforseen consequences beyond "+1 AC".

Salbazier
2013-02-05, 08:40 AM
I thought it should be 'sated' at first but according to google it should be 'satiated'.

Anyway, nice to see some new intelligence Mythos.

How you got to be immune from power attack with dodge feat? Well, if necessary just solve by adding a line 'you still choose a specific target for effects that modify how Dodge feat works or reliant on it' or somesuch.

I like your version of BRR. Its even more appropriate to Malfeas than random mutations.

Draken
2013-02-05, 09:56 AM
My prime worry about By Agony Empowered's persona effect is that Diehard doesn't have any interaction with non-lethal damage.

So when your constitution stops giving you hit points and starts giving you a larger death threshold, you are suddenly much more vulnerable to a rogue with a sap. Or being punched in the face repeatedly.

Which is kind of silly for Malfeas.

Ahem, excuse me. For MALFEAS.

By the way, I think the word is satiated, not satieted. But I really think 'sated' would fit better.

Xefas
2013-02-05, 02:47 PM
Sweet, I now have a bit more basis for how your Adorjan mythos work...

The Persona there worked very differently (there was a sliding scale involved). But the basic idea is the same, I guess; you get more power if you become more like your patron.


By Agony Empowered is a really neat effect, though you do realize that Diehard only works down to -10 HP? You might want to let that expand the effect...

Right. I wish the Core feats hadn't been written quite so... like they are. The Diehard feat just unnecessarily restates the effects of the Disabled condition and how negative hit points work. Which is fine, except they're presented like parts of the feat itself. But, anyway, I fixed it.


Does this mythos let me apply feats and effects that only work against creatures that I have assigned as "guy I'm dodging" to everyone?


I forgot about those. Fixed.



I like your version of BRR. Its even more appropriate to Malfeas than random mutations.

Spoilered for rampant non-Sun-Hero related talk.
Yeah, as absolutely awesome as that Charm was, it didn't feel all that Malfean to me, and the chain of logic leading to it wasn't that great. "I'm in pain" -> "I'm a general shapeshifter that makes Lunars of similar Essence jealous because I used to be a person who also wasn't a shapeshifter, but was incorporeal I guess".

By Terror Satiated is a bridge for the new By Rage Recast, which I think has some better Yozi narrative logic behind it. "I'm in pain" -> "But I fight on" -> "Because I'm scared of death" -> "And so my pain and fear make me lash out at others."

The Scar-Writ Saga Shield tree would branch off and make that chain "I'm in pain" -> "But I fight on" -> "And my fights leave me scarred" -> "But that's okay, because my scars show how tough I am to have survived" (Viridian Legend Exoskeleton).

The Beauty Without Malice tree would branch off and make the chain "I'm in pain" -> "But there's still hope" -> "As long as I'm the center of attention" -> "I can just be the beautiful thing they see me as" -> "And we'll all pretend we're not in pain" -> "And cavort like we still loved life" -> "Even though we know once the music stops, we'll all be dead inside".

These are the kinds of things I'm thinking about for the Cosmos Hero. Courtesy of some of Revlid's musings, I'm thinking each Titan will have two introductory Mythos, and all other Mythos will branch off from those. So, half of all Malfeas logic will start with "I'm in pain", and the other half will be "They are lesser than me" (Insignificant Embers Intuition).

Adorjan's might be something like "I'm the wind" (Wind-Born Stride) and "They need to be free" (Something that isn't Sacred Kamilla's Inhalation).

This all has nothing to do with the Sun Hero, though, whom I must finish first.

My prime worry about By Agony Empowered's persona effect is that Diehard doesn't have any interaction with non-lethal damage.

That's true. There may just be a Mythos that makes you immune to non-lethal damage and other pain-based effects. Or I may work in something else. I dunno.


By the way, I think the word is satiated, not satieted. But I really think 'sated' would fit better.

That's funny! I actually looked the word up to make sure I was spelling it correctly, and just typed it wrong anyway. :smallredface: Oh well, fixed.

DracoDei
2013-02-05, 02:52 PM
You do realize that when using the elite array, or the standard rolling mechanic it isn't necessarily possible to start at level 1 with a 16 in a stat before racial adjustments, right?

Amechra
2013-02-05, 04:18 PM
That's what (wossname; it's a Constitution Exceptional Mythos) is for; it gives you 32 PB if you would have less.

Alternatively, talk to your DM about it. Explain that you need ability scores of at least 16 to use this class. If they don't want to change their generation method, pick a different class.

Rhyvurg
2013-02-05, 04:53 PM
I assume you mean the part of Superb Readiness Defense that lets you apply Dodge to everyone? That part is just to bring it in line with being, more or less, a slightly situational +1 AC bonus. Kind of like the Improved Natural Armor feat, which is just a straight, slightly situational, +1 AC bonus; none of this declaring a single target thing.

I don't think +1 AC is all that crazy, even at level 1. But I may have lost some perspective. I wouldn't mind hearing your reasoning on the matter.

Yeah that. It feels out of line with the other "feat+" mythos. Like, Fire And Stones Method is a better Power Attack, and Instantaneous Violence Calculation is a better Improved Initiative (which is frikkin' awesome), but Superb Readiness Defense is a feat+ and another feat besides. Also, low-level abilities that scale are always awesome, the dodge everyone bonus should be something you get at a higher level, like the expansions of Ready in Eight Directions Stance, Surprise-Crushing Cynicism, etc. and all the Boundless Excellencies. It's not very different mechanically, but it's nice when you have more things to look forward to.

Weimann
2013-02-05, 05:41 PM
That's what (wossname; it's a Constitution Exceptional Mythos) is for; it gives you 32 PB if you would have less.

Alternatively, talk to your DM about it. Explain that you need ability scores of at least 16 to use this class. If they don't want to change their generation method, pick a different class.Actually, Elevated by Exaltation was removed for revision. I'd suggest just telling your DM that this plays best with 32-point buy or equivalent.

Xefas
2013-02-06, 04:01 PM
You do realize that when using the elite array, or the standard rolling mechanic it isn't necessarily possible to start at level 1 with a 16 in a stat before racial adjustments, right?

Yes. As Amechra and Weimann covered, I had a Mythos built for dealing with this, but it (which may end up being a Mythos, or a class feature, or a suggestive sidebar) is under revision at the moment.


Yeah that. It feels out of line with the other "feat+" mythos. Like, Fire And Stones Method is a better Power Attack, and Instantaneous Violence Calculation is a better Improved Initiative (which is frikkin' awesome), but Superb Readiness Defense is a feat+ and another feat besides.

Not all feats are created equal, and thus a balance point of "two feats or one feat+" would be flawed. Ox-Body Technique gives three feats, for instance, because one of them is weak, another is extremely weak, and the third is just okay. Toughness and, say, Improved Initiative, just aren't even comparable, despite being technically the same resource.

If Superb Readiness Defense read "Gain Combat Expertise and a +1 dodge bonus to AC", would you have a problem with that level of power?

Avalon®
2013-02-07, 02:58 PM
Any upcoming Mythos for the Legendary and Exalted tiers?

I'm planning on using this in an epic game that's recruiting right now and I'd like to know what options I have other than being a flaming meteor on those tears.

There also seems to be a lack of Mythos that tax or burn focus as well as rules on how to forcefully remove focus.

Xefas
2013-02-18, 12:33 AM
The Extraordinary Intelligence Mythos, Genius Craftsman Improvisation has been removed. In its place are the Fantastic and Legendary Mythos, Occult Demesne-Shaping Construction and Magitechnological Principle Breakthrough, respectively.

My theoretical Exalted-tier cap to that tree is Nature-Blaspheming Lord of Archgenesis, but that's still under construction.

Any upcoming Mythos for the Legendary and Exalted tiers?

Unfortunately, I quit my job about a week ago and, in additional to scrambling to find another, my boss is pretty dead set on working me like a dog for the last two weeks he has me (still one week to go -_-). After a 13 hour shift in the kitchen, I'm not much up for writing Mythos, so much as collapsing in a heap to get some rest before the next one. On the plus side, the extra work means a little extra money to tide me over to my next job. And, I'm gunning for something with, paradoxically but not unlikely, fewer hours and more money. If everything works out, you may end up seeing an increase of brewing speed for me in the future.

Also,

...I'd like to know what options I have other than being a flaming meteor on those tears.


Exalted players are so wonderfully jaded. :smalltongue:

Amechra
2013-02-18, 05:08 AM
Good luck on finding a new job!

I do have to say, I like the mythos. They be nice.

Avalon®
2013-02-18, 09:11 AM
Ouch. Good luck on finding a new job!

Hope those new mythos are awesome! :smallbiggrin:

Weimann
2013-02-18, 07:13 PM
Ouch. Good luck on finding a new job!

Hope those new mythos are awesome! :smallbiggrin:They're in the first post, you can check for yourself. :smalltongue:

And from what I can see, they are. The new Mythos introduces demesne, manse and hearthstones, which is cool. Given your situation regarding setting and similar, I can understand introducing such things though Mythos; otherwise, it would probably be better to have it as general setting information, but since you want the Sun Hero to be playable in all settings, you're running uphill in that regard.

Avalon®
2013-02-24, 08:47 AM
Would the enhancement and perfection bonuses gained from the Limitless <Ability> Excellency and the Immeasurable <Ability> Excellency respectively count as part of the base ability score for the purposes of qualifying for higher level mythos?

Rhyvurg
2013-03-16, 10:14 PM
Don't tell me this class isn't going to be completed?

Allnightmask
2013-03-17, 12:29 AM
Ever since Adamant Cuisine discipline I only can hope Xefas doesn't get trounced by creative fatigue on his projects.

Xefas
2013-03-17, 06:06 AM
Don't tell me this class isn't going to be completed?

I'm thinking it may benefit from a new chassis again, like the Solar Hero -> Sun Hero shift. Not quite as big a revision as that, but too big to just be some tweaks to this version. I've been able to do some more playtesting, and it made me consider the following changes.


1) Have Excellencies and Mythos as two different categories of abilities. In practice, it sucked to have to choose between passive skill bonuses and cool tricks with the same resource. Designing, this would also give me a place to put stuff that I think should be accessible to all Sun Heroes, without having to put them in an ability score.

2) Have Mythos be more expensive to acquire, but in larger packages. It's difficult for me to explain exactly what this would be like, and why, without actually showing some examples. But, suffice it to say, I expect this would make things a lot easier/faster to design, and make picking which Mythos to learn more enjoyable as a player.

3) Ability score increases; something needs to happen here. Something is weird, and I'm not entirely sure what. I think that incorporating Ability Score training, reminiscent of (but probably not identical to) the Boundless Ability Excellencies, as a default power of the Sun Hero might help, instead of it needing to be purchased. And maybe some scaling ability score bonus based on how invested a character is in the Mythos of a particular ability. I dunno. I may be able to obviate the need for the Arete and Flawless Form class features, too.


So, scrapping most of it. But that's iteration, I guess. I haven't given up on the idea of "tier 1 mundane character that alludes to Exalted and has cool proper nouns", if that's what you're concerned about.

edit:
Also, writing up the Invincible Sword Princess sessions got really cumbersome, due to a number of reasons. They might still happen, but without the detailed play-by-play of each combat, with exact hit point and damage numbers and everything. With the length of the module getting longer, and me getting more used to my character (spending more time roleplaying), and the time between having the session and transcribing it increasing, that kind of detail became frustrating. I sat down to write Session 2, and looked at this sea of numbers in my notes, and tried to remember if this decrease of 2 hit points or that decrease of 4 hit points was the third wolf bite, or the second dagger strike from the fourth kobold, etc etc. And, y'know, a lot of the time it boiled down to "I won initiative and stabbed him repeatedly in the face". And I really just wanted to pave over that with some flowery prose. So, that may actually just be what I do.