PDA

View Full Version : Pathfinder [PF/3.5 class]The Temporalist: a time manipulator! [PEACH]



AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-11, 11:59 PM
Hello! Welcome to the Temporalist, a time traveler that's drawn inspiration from Madoka Magica, Homestuck, and Braid. I'm branding it a "time manipulator" rather than a "time traveller" because it really doesn't do all that much time travel. No jumping years into the future to see if the party manages to vanquish the BBEG, and you won't receive cryptic warnings from a future self that you then need to pass on to a past self to avoid a paradox. The temporalist's time powers are confined to small-scale time manipulation instead of long-range jumps. You'll also notice that none of the manipulations or talents deal damage, and it doesn't cast spells. Other than its time abilities, the temporalist is a martial class at heart. It still has to use a sword to kill stuff, which is why it doesn't break action economy in half. Please, examine and critique honestly! :smallsmile:


The Temporalist

"Their mistakes are hidden from each other, tucked away between the folds of time, safe." -Braid

A temporalist is a wielder of time, leaping through the time stream and stretching causality nearly to the breaking point. A temporalist sees a myriad of future possibilities constantly coalescing into the present, but for even the most powerful of temporalists, what's done is done.

Adventures: A temporalist might adventure for the sheer variety of it. Temporalists realize that life is fleeting, and that every moment is precious. The insight a temporalist has into the nature of time causes many to realize how short their lives really are, and as skilled as they may be, there's no time to waste. A temporalist may have made a grave mistake that she wants to go back and fix, or received a cryptic message from their future selves.

Characteristics: A temporalist blinks around the battlefield, striking key targets and incapacitating others. A temporalist is skilled with a blade, but can also unleash a hailstorm of arrows instantaneously while time is paused, making her a powerful archer as well. Though the temporalist learns a wide variety of manipulations, none deal direct damage; instead, each manipulation grants a new way to warp time, which can be useful in or out of combat.

Alignment: Since all temporalists must bow to the universal law of cause and effect, many are Lawful. However, some see causality as the only law that binds them, and so take on Chaotic alignments.

Religion: Many temporalists are devoted to gods of magic or knowledge, but just as many are dedicated to the deities of fate that they believe represent the inevitability of time. Some temporalists have been granted their abilities to fulfill a specific destiny, so they are particularly likely to follow deities of fate.

Background: Temporalists can come from a myriad of backgrounds. Some take to their powers through careful study, much as wizards do. Some find time magic bestowed upon them, and must learn to control their newfound capabilities; often, temporal skills are mysteriously granted to those with particularly strong destinies to ensure those destinies are realized. An ascetic or cleric with extremely deep insight into the nature of the world can also develop control over the flow of time.

Races: Any race can give birth to temporalists, but members of shorter-lived races are more likely to cultivate their powers. Short-lived races often embrace time magic as a chance to fix their mistakes, while longer-lived races are more likely to recognize that the natural progression of time heals all wounds.

Other Classes: Temporalists identify most with sorcerers, oraclesPF, and favored souls3.5, who also find themselves in control of magic they may not completely understand. They may also identify with wizards, especially diviners, transmuters, and conjurers, who seek greater control over the world around them.

Role: A temporalist is extremely mobile on the battlefield, and is capable of dealing high melee damage. A temporalist's manipulations also grant her time-related utility both in and out of combat.

Adaptation: The temporalist fits well into almost any setting or campaign, as it does not rely on any power source more specific than the flow of time itself. For a campaign that revolves around longer-duration time travel, the Temporal Wanderer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308317) might work better, but the temporalist is designed to be able to fit smoothly into a campaign without disrupting the campaign or the world. The temporalist is a low Tier 3 / high Tier 4 class. It is designed to not be difficult to DM for, and a temporalist is incapable of ever causing a paradox.

Abilities: The temporalist is martial at heart, so Strength and Constitution are important for her combat prowess. Ranged temporalists also rely on Dexterity for aiming. There are a number of different ways for one to gain temporal powers, represented by a choice of mental ability scores: a temporalist can use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma for her class features.
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: Self-taught, as Bard
Starting Gold: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105 gp)

Class Skills
The temporalist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are AcrobaticsPF (Dex), Balance3.5 (Dex), Climb (Dex), Craft (Int), Hide3.5 (Dex), Jump3.5 (Dex), Move Silently3.5 (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Profession (Wis), Search3.5 (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), and StealthPF (Dex).

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier)PF or (4 + Int modifier) x 43.5
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: (4 + Int modifier)



Level
Base Attack Bonus
Fort
Ref
Will
Special


1st
+0
+0
+2
+2
Temporal Connection, Moments, Pause


2nd
+1
+0
+3
+3
Manipulation


3rd
+2
+1
+3
+3
Talent, Technique


4th
+3
+1
+4
+4
Manipulation


5th
+3
+1
+4
+4
Talent, Bonus Combat Feat


6th
+4
+2
+5
+5
Manipulation, Improved Pause


7th
+5
+2
+5
+5
Talent, Technique


8th
+6/+1
+2
+6
+6
Manipulation


9th
+6/+1
+3
+6
+6
Talent, Bonus Combat Feat


10th
+7/+2
+3
+7
+7
Manipulation


11th
+8/+3
+3
+7
+7
Talent, Technique


12th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+8
Manipulation


13th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+8
Talent, Bonus Combat Feat


14th
+10/+5
+4
+9
+9
Manipulation


15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+9
Talent, Technique


16th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+10
Manipulation


17th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+10
Talent, Bonus Combat Feat


18th
+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+11
Manipulation


19th
+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+11
Talent, Technique


20th
+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+12
Manipulation, Temporal Mastery






Class Features
All of the following are class features of the temporalist.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The temporalist is proficient in light armor and all simple and martial weapons. If the temporalist wears medium or heavy armor or a shield, each of her manipulations suffer a chance to fail equal to the armor's arcane spell failure chance. Note that the Medium Armor and Heavy Armor talents allow a temporalist to use her manipulations without fail while wearing bulkier armor.

Moments (Su): A temporalist has a pool of Moments equal to her temporalist level plus her primary ability score modifier, which she uses to fuel her time manipulations. A temporalist's Moments passively and automatically restore at a rate of one Moment per hour. Each of her manipulations has a Moment cost that must be paid to use it.

Temporal Connection: A temporalist's connection to the time flow can come about in various ways, which determine the ability scores she uses for her class features. The temporalist's "primary ability score" referenced throughout the text is determined by how a temporalist obtained her powers. A temporalist's choice of connection also determines some of the Techniques she can learn.

Some temporalists, called erudite temporalists, gain their powers much like a wizard does, through careful study and analysis. The primary ability score for erudite temporalists is Intelligence, and an erudite gains additional Moments equal to her Intelligence modifier or her level, whichever is lower. Also, an erudite temporalist gains Spellcraft (Int) as a bonus class skill.

Others, called enlightened temporalists, gain their time powers through an exceptional understanding of the world around them. Enlightened temporalists use Wisdom as their primary ability score. To comprehend that all is interconnected makes time manipulation just a matter of will. Instead of regaining one Moment per hour, an enlightened temporalist regains Moments each hour equal to half her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), spaced evenly throughout the hour. For example, an enlightened temporalist with a Wisdom score of 18 (+4) regains two moments per hour, or one every thirty minutes. Also, an enlightened temporalist gains Perception (Wis)PF or Spot (Wis) and Listen (Wis)3.5 as bonus class skills.

Finally, a third type of temporalist finds powers bestowed upon them, and has to learn to control them, much like a sorcerer. These temporalists, called innate temporalists, use Charisma as their primary ability score. Innate temporalists' control of her temporal reserves is less precise and less consistent than that of erudite or enlightened temporalist. Whenever an innate temporalist spends Moments, she has a chance equal to 5% * her Charisma modifier to regain 1 Moment. Also, an innate temporalist gains Diplomacy (Cha) as a bonus class skill.

Pause (Su): Pausing time is the most basic of a temporalist's abilities. At 1st level, by spending one Moment as a move action, a temporalist can stop time for the rest of the world long enough to take one move action.

While time is paused, other creatures are invulnerable to the temporalist's melee attacks and cannot be targeted. Ranged weapon attacks made while time is paused are all resolved against their targets' ACs as soon as time is unpaused, but note that the Greater Pause or Extended Pause class features are required to pause time long enough to make attacks. Other creatures or objects cannot move or take any actions, even free actions. However, anything the temporalist is touching (such as her clothes, her weapon, or the air around her) is unaffected. The temporalist is still harmed by normal and magical fire, cold, gas, and other environmental hazards with a non-instantaneous duration. For example, a Fireball cannot harm a temporalist when time is paused because a Fireball is instantaneous, but a temporalist who pauses time and jumps into lava still burns.

When time unpauses, everything continues as if it had not stopped at all. Projectiles resume motion, and other creatures do not perceive the pause in any way; a temporalist who pauses time, moves, and resumes time appears to have teleported, but moving while time is not actually teleportation and is therefore not prevented by Dimensional Lock or similar spells. A temporalist cannot use manipulations, cast spells, activate powers, activate magical items, or activate any supernatural or spell-like abilities while time is paused. Any measures of time that continue to affect the temporalist while time is paused, such as durations of spells applied to the temporalist, timekeeping devices on the temporalist's person, or any durations referred to by temporalist class features, continue to advance while time is paused. For example, if a temporalist pauses time while holding a clock, the temporalist would see the clock continue to tick while time was paused, but an observer would see the time on the clock instantly jump forward.

Manipulations (Su): As she becomes more formidable, a temporalist learns a variety of ways to manipulate time. All manipulations are active supernatural abilities, so they do not provoke attacks of opportunity and cannot be dispelled, but they cease to function in an Antimagic Field. A temporalist learns one manipulation at 2nd level and an additional manipulation every other level thereafter. Manipulations that allow saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 the temporalist's level + their primary ability score modifier. Each manipulation has a caster level equal to the temporalist's level for the purposes of dispelling.

Barrier: You create a wall of pure temporal energy that cannot be crossed. This manipulation creates a vertical, translucent wall that shimmers with temporal energy. The wall cannot be curved or bent, has no thickness, and is up to five feet long per level and twenty feet high. The first creature that comes into contact with the barrier rewinds its personal time to the beginning of its round, but does not regain its actions. For example, if a creature takes a move action to run toward the wall, provokes an attack of opportunity, takes damage from it, and touches the barrier, it returns to where it was at the beginning of its turn. The damage from the attack of opportunity is undone, but the creature does not regain its move action. After sending back one creature, the barrier disappears. Creating a barrier costs 2 Moments and is a move action.

Extended Pause: You can stop time for a longer duration. As a full-round action, you can choose to pause time for any number of rounds, up your primary ability score modifier. Doing so requires spending 3 Moments per round of frozen time.

Leap: You learn how to leap forward in the time stream. By spending 2 Moments as a move action, you can leap forward any amount of time up to your primary ability score modifier in minutes, but you must choose how far to go before making the jump. After that long, you leap back into the space you left, or the nearest empty space if the space you jumped from is occupied. While you are gone, you cannot be detected by any means short of a Wish spell. You can take other creatures with you by touching them, but they can make a Will save to resist leaping through time with you. For example, if you leap three minutes into the future, then you disappear from time for three minutes. After three minutes, you reappear in the same space as if no time had passed for you.

Steal Time: With this manipulation, you take some of a target's time and use it for yourself. By spending 1 Moments as a standard action that requires a melee touch attack, you can deny a touched target their next standard action. They receive a Will save to negate the effect. If they fail the save, they cannot take a standard action on their next turn and you can either take another standard action immediately or you can convert the stolen standard action into temporal energy and regain 2 Moments.

Bubble: This manipulation stops time except in a radius, giving you valuable time to think or discuss. Time is stopped, as Pause, for everything except within a 20 foot radius of you. When you create a time bubble, each creature on the edge makes a Reflex save, and if they pass, they can take a free five-foot step inside. Those who fail are caught on the edge of the time bubble, so part of their body is stopped while blood continues to flow through the rest. They suffer the effects of the Implosion manipulation with no save, even if you do not know Implosion. Creating a time bubble takes 3 Moments and one minute of meditation, but can last for up to an hour. Prerequisite: Temporalist 4.

Lock: You can lock yourself in time, and return to that time and condition later. By spending 3 Moments as a move action, you can "lock" your position and status, which includes hit points, condition, and any magical effects affecting you. After that, for a number of rounds equal to your primary ability score modifier, you can spend a move action and an additional 1 Moment to return to that position and status. You can return to a locked point in time only once. Returning to your locked state does not restore your Moment count. Prerequisite: Temporalist 4.

Accelerate: You speed up the flow of time, causing yourself and your allies to move more quickly. As a standard action that costs any number of Moments, one creature per Moment spent gains the effects of a Haste spell PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/h/haste) 3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/haste.htm) for one round per level. Prerequisite: Temporalist 6.

Decelerate: You can also slow down the flow of time to hinder a group of opponents. As a standard action that costs any number of Moments, one creature per Moment spent is affected by a Slow spell PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/slow) 3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/slow.htm). Each targeted creature makes a Will save or is slowed for one round per level. Prerequisite: Temporalist 6.

Quickened Pause: You learn a shortcut in the way you pause time, letting you do so more quickly but for a shorter duration. This manipulation functions as Pause, but costs 2 Moments instead of 1 and is an immediate action rather than a swift action. Also, you only have enough time within a quickened pause to take a 5-foot step instead of an entire move or standard action. Prerequisite: Temporalist 6.

Shared Pause: You can pause time for others as well as yourself. This functions as the Extended Pause manipulation, but you can leave time unpaused for other creatures, allowing them to act as well. Doing so costs 3 Moments per creature per round and you must remain in contact with all unpaused creatures or they too become paused. Others affected by Shared Pause suffer the same restrictions you do: they cannot use manipulations, cast spells, activate powers, activate magical items, or activate any supernatural or spell-like abilities while time is paused. Prerequisites: Extended Pause, Temporalist 6.

Portent: You risk a glimpse at the raw flow of time itself. When you use this manipulation, choose a potential action and a number of possibilities, from one to your primary ability score modifier. Viewing a portent costs 1 Moment per possibility. You can see that many possible results of the action being considered, along with a general sense of how likely each result is. You can see multiple possible futures, but you are not prepared for such overwhelming knowledge. The more possibilities you choose to view, the longer you must gaze into the time stream, and the more mentally overwhelming its effects become. You are staggered for 1 round per future viewed, and you take 1d3 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage per future viewed, but this damage recovers at a rate of one point per hour instead of one point per day. When you achieve Temporal Mastery at 20th level, you no longer take mental ability score damage from this manipulation. Prerequisite: Temporalist 8.

Implosion: By speeding one section of a target's body and slowing another, you can cause massive blood loss and organ damage. Causing a creature to implode requires a melee touch attack, costs 4 Moments, and is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The target makes a Fortitude save. If they fail, they take 2d6 damage per temporalist level and are staggered for a round if they survive. If the target makes the save, they suffer no effects. Implode fails when used against a creature immune to critical hits. Prerequisite: Temporalist 12.

Reverse: You learn how to travel back to your own past. By spending 5 Moments as a swift action, you can go back one round in your personal time. You return to your position, hit points, and status of exactly one round before. You can use any actions you have left in the turn. For example, if you reverse time at the beginning of your turn, then you go back one round in your personal time to the beginning of your previous turn; if you use Reverse at the end of your turn, then you return to the end of your previous turn. The only condition not affected is your moment count. Time is not affected for others. Prerequisite: Temporalist 12.

Talents (Ex): At 3rd level, and every other level thereafter, a temporalist discovers a secret that improves her time magic. Unlike manipulations, which are all active abilities, talents are all passive bonuses. They grant additional Moments, give bonuses, or enhance manipulations. Each Talent can be learned only once.

Medium Armor: You gain Medium Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. You can now wear medium armor without suffering a chance for your manipulations to fail.

Heavy Armor: You gain Heavy Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. You can now wear heavy armor without suffering a chance for your manipulations to fail. Prerequisite: Medium Armor.

Conductive Weapon: You can make touch attacks for manipulations that require a touch attack (like Steal Time and Implosion manipulations) as part of a weapon attack instead of with a touch.

Premeditation: Your skill in wielding time grants you brief glimpses of the future. You can apply the lesser of your primary ability score modifier or your level to initiative instead of your Dexterity modifier.

Insight: Your extensive work with time travel gives you flashes of insight into what is about to happen. Whenever you make a Reflex save, you gain an untyped bonus to that save equal to the number of Moments you have spent in the last round.

Foresight: Bending time allows you to see a split second into the future, just enough to know the location of a blade or arrow. Whenever you spend any number of Moments, you gain a dodge bonus against the next incoming attack this round equal to the number of Moments spent. This bonus does not stack with itself.

Manipulation Focus: Extensively practicing one manipulation makes it easier to use. When you learn this talent, choose a manipulation. That manipulation permanently costs 1 less Moment each time you use it. This talent cannot reduce the cost of a manipulation to 0 Moments.

Extra Moments: Use of time travel has strengthened your mental reserves. Your maximum number of Moments is increased by half your level.

Finesse: You gain Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat. In addition, you can apply your half your Dexterity modifier in addition to your Strength modifier to melee damage rolls with weapons affected by the Weapon Finesse feat.

Battlefield Agility: Whenever you take a move action to move ten feet or less, you provoke no attacks of opportunity from the movement.

Efficiency: You recover Moments twice as quickly. Erudite and innate temporalists regain one moment every half hour instead of every hour. Enlightened temporalists regain moments each hour equal to their full Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).

Coordinated Attacks: You can attack an enemy in the same place as your past self to deal additional damage. Whenever you successfully hit an enemy with an attack that you already hit with an attack this round, the second attack deals additional damage equal to your primary ability score modifier (minimum 1). This damage is the same type as the attack (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing).


Bonus Feats: At 5th level, and every four levels thereafter, a temporalist gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat featsPF or fighter bonus feats3.5. She must meet the prerequisites for these feats as normal.

Improved Pause: At 6th level, a temporalist learns how to put time on hold more easily. A temporalist can now Pause as a swift action rather than a move action.

Techniques: At 3rd level and every four levels thereafter, a temporalist learns a new technique that redefines them. Unlike manipulations and talents, each type of temporalist has a group of techniques specific to their temporal connection, called specific techniques. A temporalist can choose a technique that corresponds to their temporal connection, and any temporalist can choose universal techniques. Unlike manipulations, which are active abilities, and talents, which are passive bonuses, every technique represents a fundamental shift in a temporalist's style. Some techniques are supernatural abilities and some are extraordinary abilities. Each technique can be learned only once.

Rewind (Su): You discover how to turn back the clock, not only for yourself, but for the rest of the world as well. By spending 6 Moments as a standard action, you can rewind time for the entire world by just a moment. Everything becomes just as it was one round ago, and only you remember what happened in that round. It is the beginning of your turn one round before you rewound, and you can take a full round of actions. The only thing not affected is your moment count. Prerequisites: Reverse manipulation, Temporalist 11.

Retry (Su): Through careful study, you learn the art of micro-reversals, stepping back in time by a fraction of a second to attempt something again. By spending 2 Moments as a free action, you can reroll one d20 roll, but must take the second result. Because retrying a roll is a free action, you can retry any number of times, spending 2 Moments each time and always taking the last result. Prerequisites: Temporalist 7.

Attunement (Ex): You are completely at peace, and your attunement to your inner self strengthens you mentally and physically. Choose one mental and one physical ability score; you gain a +1 inherent bonus to each of them. This bonus increases to +2 at 13th level and an additional +1 every two levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 19th level. Prerequisite: Temporalist 11.

Enlightened Body (Ex): You walk the last steps on your path to enlightenment. You gain immunity to poison, fatigue, and fear, as well as the dazed, dazzled, and sickened conditions. Prerequisite: Temporalist 7.

Perfection (Ex): Your body finally achieves true physical perfection. You become immune to diseases, exhaustion, and aging, as well as the petrified, stunned, and nauseated conditions. You longer take penalties to your ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged, but any penalties you have already taken remain in place. You cannot die of old age, but can still be killed. Prerequisite: Enlightened Body, Temporalist 15.

Prescience (Su): Your ability to see time is no longer restricted to vague portents. You enter a state of true comprehension, and the folds of time open themselves before you. Doing so is a swift action, lasts for any number of rounds, and costs 5 Moments per round. While in a prescient state, treat all d20 rolls as if you rolled a 20 on the die. Until you achieve Temporal Mastery at 20th level, you take 1 point of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage each round. Prerequisite: Temporalist 15.

Ascetic Ways (Ex): You gain the Improved Unarmed Strike3.5/PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/improved-unarmed-strike-combat---final) feat, even if you do not meet the prerequisites. As long as you wear light or no armor, you gain the Unarmed Strike and Flurry of Blows class features as a monk3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm) PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk) of your temporalist level.

Destined for Glory (Su): ​You have been preordained for a grander destiny, and temporal powers have bestowed themselves upon you to make sure you get there. You gain a +1 luck bonus on all rolls, which increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 15th level. Prerequisite: Temporalist 7.

Smite (Su): You have been granted time magic to fulfill a specific destiny, and anyone who tries to stop you is fated to die. Up to a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier, you can call the inexorable forces of time to help defeat your enemy. This functions as the Paladin's Smite Evil 3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/paladin.htm#smiteEvil) PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/paladin#TOC-Smite-Evil-Su-) class feature, but is automatic and requires no action. Smite only functions against targets you are fated to defeat, at DM discretion. This isn't intended to be useful against every single enemy, but it should come up about as often as a Paladin's Smite Evil.

Familiar: A companion has been bestowed upon you! Unlike a normal familiar, it is not under your direct control; its singular purpose is to help you realize your grander destiny, so it can be played by the DM, at DM discretion.This functions as a wizard's familiar3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm#familiars) PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/familiar), but could also be a creature from the Improved Familiar list3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#tableImprovedFamiliarbyAlignment) PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/improved-familiar). Despite the normal alignment prerequisites, your familiar's alignment is not restricted by your own. It can Pause time once per day, but does not know any manipulations, talents, or techniques.

Greater Pause: You become able to create more powerful pauses, not just quicker ones. You can now take a standard action within a pause, instead of just a move action. You still cannot use manipulations, cast spells, activate powers, activate magical items, or activate any supernatural or spell-like abilities while time is paused. Prerequisite: Temporalist 11.

Revelations (Su or Sp): You discover a revelation about the true nature of time. You learn two time revelation from Pathfinder's Oracle (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/oracle/mysteries/paizo---oracle-mysteries/time) All mentions of "oracle level" instead refer to your temporalist level, and all references to Charisma are replaced with your primary ability score. You must meet the prerequisites for each revelation, if applicable. DCs for revelations are equal to 10 + 1/2 your level + your primary ability score modifier. Unless otherwise stated, activating a revelation is a standard action. Note that this technique includes Pathfinder material, and may or may not be allowed in a 3.5 campaign, at DM discretion. This technique cannot be learned multiple times to select more than two revelations. Prerequisite: Temporalist 7.

Bonded Object: You create a magical object that accompanies you through time. Such objects can be anything from a buckler with an hourglass to a set of magical timetables. While you hold your bonded object, which requires one or both hands, all manipulations cost 1 less Moment each time you use them. This bonus does not stack with the cost reduction from the Manipulation Focus talent. As a move action (or a free action if you have the Quick Draw feat), you can stow your bonded object in an extradimensional storage space or draw it out. This extradimensional space functions as a Bag of Holding. If you attempt to use any manipulation without holding your bonded object, your manipulation has a 5% chance to fail per hour you have been separated from it (minimum 5%).

The object of your temporal bond always travels with you whenever you move through time, even if it is not on you. For example, if you are disarmed while holding a bonded sword and then use the Reverse manipulation to travel back one round in your personal time, the bonded sword would also return to where it was six seconds ago: in your hand.

As long as you have at least one Moment left, your bonded object's hardness is increased by 20. However, if the object of your temporal bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per temporalist level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Your bonded object automatically has an enhancement bonus (if it is a weapon or tool used for a skill) equal to 1 + 1 per four levels. For the purposes of dispel checks to destroy it, your bonded object's caster level is equal to your temporalist level. With DM permission, the bonded object can also be sentient, as Pathfinder's Bladebound Magus (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo---magus-archetypes/bladebound) archetype.

Out Of Time: You learn to pull some spare time from your future into the present. You can continue to spend Moments even when you have none remaining. As long as the number of Moments you have is less than zero, you are slowed, as the spell 3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/slow.htm) PF (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/slow). The slow effect cannot be removed or dispelled by any means until your moment count becomes positive again. If the number of Moments you have is below zero by more than your primary ability score modifier, you must make a Will save at a DC of 10 - (3 times your Moment count, which increases the DC because your moment count is negative) each round or vanish completely from existence. Your actions are not undone, but you simply cease to exist, leaving no remains behind. If you fail the save, you cannot be returned by any means short of a carefully worded Wish or Miracle; because you are not merely dead, even a True Resurrection cannot restore you.

Momentum (Su): Your temporal manipulation fuels itself, and huge time warps restore your energy. At the beginning of each turn, roll 1d10. If the result is less than the number of Moments you've spent in the last round, then you recover one Moment. (Therefore, the more Moments you have spent, the more likely you are to roll under that number and recover one.) Prerequisite: Temporalist 7.

Vivisectionist (Ex): You have learned how to strike at key locations, either through studying anatomy or through underhanded experience. You gain sneak attack, as the rogue class feature, with a damage boost equal to 1d6 per three levels.

Temporal Mastery (Ex): At 20th level, a temporalist looks upon the infinite flow of time itself. The Portent manipulation, if she knows it, no longer causes mental ability score damage. She sees the past, the present, and the future with every gaze. Any attacks the temporalist makes can strike an enemy passing through that space up to one round in the future or one minute in the past. Attacks directed at an enemy's past self target flat-footed AC, but deal damage in the present instead of dealing damage retroactively. Attacks directed at an enemy's future self have no effect if the enemy does not pass through that square next round, but are resolved against their flat-footed AC if they do.

In addition, the temporalist can see everything that has happened in the last day and everything that could happen in the next hour with every gaze. This functions as a permanent Scrying (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/scrying) effect, but only in an area the temporalist can see for one hour in the future or 24 hours in the past. The future is a maelstrom of undefined probability, and there is not one definite path, so the temporalist sees only the 1d4 most likely futures and their likelihood, as determined by the GM.

10/11/2013: Posted
10/12: Was going to make some talents Ex instead of Su, then realized they should all be Ex.
10/13: Changed intelligence to a mental stat of choice, giving bonuses based on how the temporalist got her powers. Made Stasis usable in an AMF.
10/14: Changed a couple things to make them easier to read.
10/16: Enlightened (WIS-based) temporalists now get a bonus to WIS skills and all saves equal to the number of moments they have. Also, Rewind and Reverse now clarify that they don't reverse the number of moments a temporalist has.
10/16: Was going to make an alternate version at a higher tier, but decided it would be better off as its own class.
10/21: Added Halt, Tilt, and Implode powers. Also added the Extended Pause and Full Pause talents. Fixed some typos. I'll redo the level distribution soon, I promise!
10/21: Redid the level distribution. At even levels, you get a power. At odd levels, you get a talent and either a bonus feat or a bonus determined by your mental stat of choice. INT temporalists learn to turn back time for longer, WIS temporalists get some big passives, and CHA temporalists get a medley of different things.
10/21: Cut the mental stat bonuses. They were just too hard to write. Instead, you only get one, and it's at 6. I'm still looking for something to put at the levels where a temporalist gets only talents (10, 14, and 18). Still, I think it's done enough that I can take off the [WIP] tag.
10/22: Added the Manifestations and Possibility Storm powers, as well as the Enduring Futures and Warped Futures talents. Also, you can no longer use any powers during a Pause.
11/1: Back to work! Added techniques, moved the Retry power to the Erudite's Improved Connection, moved the Rewind power to an Erudite technique, moved Out Of Time talent to a universal technique, and clarified that an Innate's Improved Connection replaces their Temporal Connection instead of stacking with it. Temporal Connection is now one minute instead of one round, but the scrying effect is unchanged. Rewrote the "background" intro blurb. All talents that say "lesser of ability score or level" now just say "ability score". Cut Extended, Immediate, and Full Pause talents (but not Flickering). Momentum is now a technique, and it has been reworked and strengthened. Finally, changed the wording on Pause. Again.
11/3: Deleted the Dilate power. Compress power has been replaced by Bubble. Added Steal Time, Transfer Time, and Barrier powers.
11/4: Added Quickened Pause power, Tempo talent, and Quickened Pace technique.
11/5: Clarified the DC and CL of powers from the erudite's Arcane Dabbler technique. Added the Conductive Weapon, Finesse, Agility, and Bonus Feat talents.
11/6: Clarified that movement during a pause looks like teleportation, but it's not. Added an example for Pause.
11/7: Changed a small text/table disjoint typo.
11/12: Clarified that Pause is Supernatural.
11/13: Minor wording clarifications. Changed Agility talent from "DEX replaces STR" to "1/2 DEX + STR replaces STR".
2/7/2014: Revisited this again with some minor changes. I want this to be balanced enough that any DM would allow it in a game, which it (at this point) is still not.
2/8/2014: Major changes! Pause is now a move action and lasts for only a move action. At 6th level, it becomes a swift action again, and the Greater Pause technique (available at 10th level) extends it to a standard action. Temporal Connections have been redone. You can no longer use psionic powers or any activated spell-like or supernatural abilities during a Pause, and I've added some more language to make sure it's not misinterpreted. Powers now Manipulations: You longer learn one at 2nd level; Manifestations, Transfer Time, and Stasis cut; Tilt split into Accelerate and Decelerate; Freeze renamed to Extended Pause, Halt renamed to Shared Pause, and Implode renamed to Implosion; Implosion now needs two failed saves to blow someone up; Barrier can now only affect one creature; the wording of Lock has been adjusted; and prerequisite levels added for manipulations. Manipulations have been rearranged into level order.
Talents: Clarified that each talent can only be learned once; Tempo, Warped Futures, Enduring Futures, Flickering Pause, and Bonus Feat cut; Efficiency now reads "1 Moment every 40 minutes" instead of "1d2 moments per hour"; Premeditation now applies primary ability score mod to initiative instead of dexterity mod.
Techniques: Clarified that each technique can only be learned once; Quickened Pace and Arcane Dabbler cut; Attunement reduced from all scores to one mental and one physical; Enlightened Body has been buffed, and its secondary effect is now Perfection; Bonded Object cost reduction no longer stacks with Power Focus.
2/12/14: Redid the levels. Manipulations are now at even levels and you learn a Technique at 3, but you only have a couple choices.
6/28/14: Took a look at this again and tweaked a couple numbers. I really ought to add more Manipulations and Talents. And Techniques, too.
9/5/14: Rewrote the Temporal Connections because I finally have a chance to play this in a test game. I can't believe it's been almost a year since I first posted this. Also minor edits made and Agility talent added.

Phelix-Mu
2013-10-12, 02:16 PM
Hi there,

I like this concept; I posted some thoughts in your brainstorming thread.

Now, the critique!

1.) Some talents should be Ex it seems to me. If they are insights not based on direct Su use (like learning to use your major class feature in Medium Armour), that seems Ex. Some of them are clearly still Su. It shouldn't matter much either way.

2.) Need AMF nerf 90% of your concept? Time exists in an AMF. Why can't time be manipulated in an AMF?

My point here is: How much stronger would the whole thing be if it worked in an AMF? Is an Ex Temporalist going to break the game into tiny pieces, where the Su one does not?

3.) A power or talent that improves skill checks needs to be there. Toss a bone to skillmonkeys.:smallwink:

I'll give the powers and talents a more thorough read in a bit and report back.

It is generally really good. And non-magical! I'm a big fan of that.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-12, 03:30 PM
Quoting you from the other thread, because this was written first:

Let me just put in a kudos as this is a good use of creative intellect. While time stuff is probably not good in my personal setting, it's pure gold in some variations that I've been working with lately. As a fan of time travel since the old Doctor Who, I confess that this all makes my heart go pitter patter.

Let me add my thought: Int-based classes are cool. In fact, I'm rather partial to them. But, there are a metric ton of them. Consider a feat or ACF in the vein of Kung-fu Genius or something like that, that allows the temporalist to work off of a different stat.

For fluff, consider that the Int-based Temporalist is a scientist manipulating quanta of time stuff or some such in a highly analytical manner, planning strategic advantage, and operating on a truly "next-level" of intellect (as non-linear time mechanics usually give lesser minds minor aneurysms).

But, perhaps there is a different type of Temporalist (or, indeed, a different class using similar mechanics). Consider the Wis-based time manipulator. "I feel time." Or, to the cliche, "I SEE TIME." This character would operate intuitively, bending time out of a strange instinct (I'm feeling a Haruhi reference coming on) for survival or benefit. By sensing the weak spots, the divergent timelines, and the flux inherent in reality, the character can determine how to allocate their class features. Not as intellectual, but still a very interesting concept, somewhat more mystical or meta. Or something.

I could come up with some compelling fluff for a Cha-based one, too. And someone earlier mentioned one based off of Con. It could be done. And I've always liked classes that didn't restrict players to one or two fairly obvious stat arrays (as it tends to restrict the types of characters that can be made following that concept...no idiot wizards, for example).

Anyway, I highly like the concept. Will look forward to reading the class itself when I get some more time.

I'm going to add a class feature that allows a temporalist to choose what mental stat to use, and during the currently dead levels, the temporalist gets a bonus related to their stat of choice. I'm thinking that the advanced study done by an INT temporalist grants a bunch additional moments. A CHA temporalist's powers have a (25 - 5* level)% chance to fail, but a 5% chance to cost 0 moments (to a maximum of 25% at 5th level) as they learn through experience how to control their powers. For WIS... I'll have to work on that one later.


I like this concept; I posted some thoughts in your brainstorming thread.

Thanks! :smallbiggrin:


Now, the critique!

1.) Some talents should be Ex it seems to me. If they are insights not based on direct Su use (like learning to use your major class feature in Medium Armour), that seems Ex. Some of them are clearly still Su. It shouldn't matter much either way.

That's a good catch. I added the armor talents after I wrote the "Talents" ability, and they should definitely be Ex rather than Su.


2.) Need AMF nerf 90% of your concept? Time exists in an AMF. Why can't time be manipulated in an AMF?

My point here is: How much stronger would the whole thing be if it worked in an AMF? Is an Ex Temporalist going to break the game into tiny pieces, where the Su one does not?

I chose to have the powers all be Su because Su abilities are magical, but not spell-like, whereas Ex abilities are by definition. I might change some of the powers to Ex (I'm looking at Stasis and... actually just stasis), but I don't want to change just one. For all the other powers, would just be strange to be able to use them in an AMF.


3.) A power or talent that improves skill checks needs to be there. Toss a bone to skillmonkeys.:smallwink:

The insight talent gives INT (soon to be a mental stat of choice) to Reflex and Perception. What skills are you referring to? It seems unnatural for time manipulation to give bonuses to, say, Intimidate, Handle Animal, or UMD.


It is generally really good. And non-magical! I'm a big fan of that.

Thanks! That means a lot :smallsmile:

Phelix-Mu
2013-10-12, 03:54 PM
The reason I bring up the non-magical/magical, AMF-thingy is because AMF/dead magic zones nerf a huge amount of the game, so that bugs me. In a monk fix of which I am a fan, the creator made some stuff Su that explicitly works in an AMF (which seems a contradiction in terms, but meh, I liked it).

Moreover, I haven't spent too much time thinking of how to exploit the powers, but you could probably get around a normal AMF anyway, with, say, rewind. I think there is some other stuff, combos, perhaps, that could work to run down the duration of an enemy AMF. Not sure; the limited durations you use really cut down on obvious abuses, particularly in the area of combos.

Anyway, the concept seems cool. I would refer you to a concept pitched in a "Mundane Tier 2: Can it be done?" kind of thread from months ago, where the whole idea was just to give theoretical class x a bunch of extra actions. Skill use was faster, twice as many actions per round after a certain level. Kind of a Flash as a base class. It was an interesting concept. As your concept is both more versatile, but also more limited by the x uses/y time of moments, it is probably landing somewhere in tier 3. Always a good place to land.

I'll do a more critical review of the powers tonight, but they all sound awesome. You have a good eye for dispensing cool, without dispensing the kind of high explosives that tend to get homebrew nixed from campaigns.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-13, 07:59 AM
The reason I bring up the non-magical/magical, AMF-thingy is because AMF/dead magic zones nerf a huge amount of the game, so that bugs me. In a monk fix of which I am a fan, the creator made some stuff Su that explicitly works in an AMF (which seems a contradiction in terms, but meh, I liked it).

Moreover, I haven't spent too much time thinking of how to exploit the powers, but you could probably get around a normal AMF anyway, with, say, rewind. I think there is some other stuff, combos, perhaps, that could work to run down the duration of an enemy AMF. Not sure; the limited durations you use really cut down on obvious abuses, particularly in the area of combos.

I was going to make the armor talents Ex, but then I kept reading and realized that they should all be Ex. So Ex talents it is! It didn't even occur to specify that Stasis could be used in an AMF, but it was a good suggestion and has been implemented.


Anyway, the concept seems cool. I would refer you to a concept pitched in a "Mundane Tier 2: Can it be done?" kind of thread from months ago, where the whole idea was just to give theoretical class x a bunch of extra actions. Skill use was faster, twice as many actions per round after a certain level. Kind of a Flash as a base class. It was an interesting concept. As your concept is both more versatile, but also more limited by the x uses/y time of moments, it is probably landing somewhere in tier 3. Always a good place to land.

Even more so because that's exactly where I was aiming. Was the consensus that the "flash base class" hit tier 2?


I'll do a more critical review of the powers tonight, but they all sound awesome. You have a good eye for dispensing cool, without dispensing the kind of high explosives that tend to get homebrew nixed from campaigns.

I'm honored! That's exactly what I was going for (and also why it's so difficult to write more powers) so that's really great to hear.

Phelix-Mu
2013-10-13, 08:19 AM
The poster of the Flash concept had suggested that, with enough power behind it, it might even approach tier 1, as it would simply be capable of doing more faster (like moving a distance so great so fast that it was tantamount to teleporting...like Flash). With the normal tools of optimization, that could be very powerful, and lead to the kind of encounter and challenge bypassing that typifies the strongest classes.

I was a little more skeptical, but I think the suggestion was that the Flash would already be on top of a skillmonkey/potpourri of mundane abilities (and maybe have the whole d12, all good saves, full BAB, evasion/mettle, etc, which was the baseline we were dealing with). Maneuvers may also have been in that mix. I wish I'd bookmarked that thread. I bring it up a lot these days.

My suggestion for the thread was all the best of everything mundane and class basics, all skills, floating feats every other level that could be reassigned each day, and maneuvers known as swordsage, with refresh as a warblade, from any discipline. I think I also tossed the factotum inspiration points in there. And we weren't sure that even hit tier 2. Basically, cracking out of tier 3 without access to a list of abilities to choose from as big as a whole spell list is very hard. At least without designing a new subsystem that is basically spellcasting by another name.

I did like the Flash concept, and my idea, which I called Project X, or the Variable. Hehe, yay for cheesy names!

EDIT: Sorry I didn't get around to a more detailed critique. I should have time tomorrow, but I don't want to rush it. In particular, I want to think about the possibilities of combining existing extra actions with the powers to maybe allow unintended combos. I'll check again, but did you have some clause that prevented one from nesting the powers within each other via things like interrupts and such? I don't even know how I would go about pulling that off, but it strikes me that might lead to some exploits.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-13, 08:38 AM
Ooh, huh, interesting. Isn't tier 2 defined as "having one way to break the game"? If you could pause time for an arbitrarily long duration, that would certainly break the game.


EDIT: Sorry I didn't get around to a more detailed critique. I should have time tomorrow, but I don't want to rush it. In particular, I want to think about the possibilities of combining existing extra actions with the powers to maybe allow unintended combos. I'll check again, but did you have some clause that prevented one from nesting the powers within each other via things like interrupts and such? I don't even know how I would go about pulling that off, but it strikes me that might lead to some exploits.

No rush, don't worry about it. You're right, I should add a clause to Pause that says you can't use other powers during a time stop. If you were to, say, Lock within a Freeze, then when you returned to the locked state, time shouldn't be frozen. But I'm not sure how to clarify that combos like that don't work without banning them outright.

silphael
2013-10-14, 02:03 PM
I think your temporalist could be str, dex or con based too : str, because he's just forcing the time in the way he wants, and dex because he is so nimble he manages to jump in all the crackles in time?

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-14, 03:13 PM
I think your temporalist could be str, dex or con based too : str, because he's just forcing the time in the way he wants, and dex because he is so nimble he manages to jump in all the crackles in time?

I could see dex, maybe, but definitely not strength. And no one's given an actual reason for a constitution base. I want a temporalist to need at least one mental attribute, to represent the different ways they get their powers.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-16, 07:33 PM
As it is, it looks more like a Tier 5 to me. It doesn't get nearly enough Powers/Talents, and the Powers it has are either a bit weak, or good later on and very powerful in the early levels, making it a bit of a one-trick pony in the beginning.

Because of this comment, and because I realized it's completely true, I've decided to rework the class. The temporalist will have a wider variety of powers to choose from, and I won't be as strict about making them all different ways to manipulate time. However, I kinda like this version in its tier 5 simplicity, so I'll keep it around in case anyone wants to use it. It's more likely to be approved for a game anyway.

So, for the newer version, here's what I have so far. There are three strata (I only use "strata" because "level" and "tier" are already taken) of powers: basic, advanced, and expert. You get a basic power every level from 1-8, an advanced power every level from 9-16, and an expert power every level from 17-20. Expert powers line up nicely with 9th level spells, and I want them to have similar effects, like restarting a battle, pausing time for the whole party, or the like. The stat-based bonuses, currently named "temporal connection" but referred to as "stat-based bonuses" for clarity, depend on whether you choose intelligence, wisdom, or charisma for class features. Here's what I have so far for the new table:

{table=head]Level|Class features
1|Moments, Basic power, stat-based bonus
2|Basic power, talent
3|Basic power, combat feat
4|Basic power, talent
5|Basic power, stat-based bonus
6|Basic power, talent
7|Basic power, combat feat
8|Basic power, talent
9|Advanced power
10|Advanced power, talent
11|Advanced power, combat feat
12|Advanced power, talent
13|Advanced power, stat-based bonus
14|Advanced power, talent
15|Advanced power, combat feat
16|Advanced power, talent
17|Expert power
18|Expert power, talent
19|Expert power, combat feat
20|Expert power, talent, capstone[/table]

What feedback is there on what I have so far? Do you like the new direction? Do you have ideas for powers you'd like to see? Is there anything it's important to include? I'm looking for anything I can get, but more is always better.

Helping_Head
2013-10-18, 03:34 AM
You don't have a way to travel back in time on your own. You can leap forward which means you disappear. And you say you bring others with you. What if you split it so you can send enemies into the future. They are disoriented for the first round that they appear.

Not only do you get rid of an enemy which i think is pretty important you hinder them when they come back.

You can make an intuitive temporalist gain moments faster. 5 minutes?

I can't tell if the moments are too few or too high. In the first level you can use pause 9 times within the first our. IT then takes 9 hours to get them back though you can wait an hour to use it again.

What about temporal clones that you can send test situtions. They are from a different timeline/choice so their deaths or injuries don't affect you at all. Instead of traveling back and forward you can make a ability to travel sideways to a different timeline. You can roll all the clones abilities and you get to see the results and you can choose to go along with that round as you already rolled it, or you can perform a different action.

The_Final_Stand
2013-10-18, 06:10 AM
^^The general idea of the class runs on Stable Time Loops (as discussed in the mechanics thread). There are no "other timelines".

Suggestions I have for powers:

Haste allies and slow enemies
Allow allies to benefit from pausing
For direct damage, speed one section of an opponent, slow another, observe as lack of bloodflow or something does weird stuff
For utility, the ability to pause objects in time so they don't corrode, decay, etc.?
Save or Die by pausing someone permanently?
Some form of divination by jumping forward and back, but the future self is intentionally vague as to what happens?


Of those, the one I'm least sure about is the divination one.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-18, 06:50 AM
^^The general idea of the class runs on Stable Time Loops (as discussed in the mechanics thread). There are no "other timelines".

Actually, it doesn't. There's no way to do stable time loops without a possibility of paradox, and I wanted to completely avoid paradoxes. The only way to cause a paradox is if you have really bad luck with the Double Time power (for example, if someone readied a Hold Person in response to an action by your past self), but I figured I could handwave that away. Also, the temporal wanderer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=308317) is much more focused on stable time loops, and it's done well enough that I couldn't top it even if I wanted to. I want the temporalist to be much more focused on small-scale time manipulation, so that it fills a different niche under the umbrella term of "time travel". It doesn't actually do that much time travel, which is why I chose to brand it as a time manipulator instead.


Suggestions I have for powers:

Haste allies and slow enemies
Allow allies to benefit from pausing
For direct damage, speed one section of an opponent, slow another, observe as lack of bloodflow or something does weird stuff
For utility, the ability to pause objects in time so they don't corrode, decay, etc.?
Save or Die by pausing someone permanently?
Some form of divination by jumping forward and back, but the future self is intentionally vague as to what happens?


Of those, the one I'm least sure about is the divination one.


Haste allies and slow enemies has been done to death, but maybe that's because it's a classic.
Allowing allies to benefit from pausing was something I had written down for the Chronarch, a much more high-power version of this class aimed at Tier 3. However, the chronarch might never see the light of day, because I recently lost all my work. I may as well toss it in.
That's an excellent idea for damage! I would never have thought to do that.
Solid utility. I feel like it might be too situational, but I'm planning on expanding the number of powers given as soon as I have more down to make room for situational powers like that.
It's a solid way to raise it a tier, but Save-or-dies just aren't fun. I'd rather not include it if I don't need to, but I could be persuaded to do so if you think it's important. Also, none of the other abilities offer a save. The only way I could see myself adding that in is if the moment cost scaled with the target's save.
There's a bit of divination already with the Portent power and the capstone, but I don't want a temporalist to be able to travel into the past. It's a convoluted mechanic just asking for paradoxes, and saying "the future self can only be vague" seems like a heavy-handed and unintuitive way to limit it.



You don't have a way to travel back in time on your own. You can leap forward which means you disappear. And you say you bring others with you. What if you split it so you can send enemies into the future. They are disoriented for the first round that they appear.

Not only do you get rid of an enemy which i think is pretty important you hinder them when they come back.

That was the idea, that you can leap forward and take an enemy with you as well. Though if you're suggesting a power that can make others jump forward without you, I don't see why not.


You can make an intuitive temporalist gain moments faster. 5 minutes?

Maybe not 5 minutes, but that's a good idea.


I can't tell if the moments are too few or too high. In the first level you can use pause 9 times within the first hour. IT then takes 9 hours to get them back though you can wait an hour to use it again.

I'm not sure either. If you want to playtest it, that would be absolutely fine. (In other words, awesome). I may or may not be playing a temporalist in an upcoming E6 game, so we'll see how that goes.


What about temporal clones that you can send test situtions. They are from a different timeline/choice so their deaths or injuries don't affect you at all. Instead of traveling back and forward you can make a ability to travel sideways to a different timeline. You can roll all the clones abilities and you get to see the results and you can choose to go along with that round as you already rolled it, or you can perform a different action.

That reminds me of a quote I almost used to open the class. "You figure you'd better cool it with the time travel. You don't want to see the Dave corpses start piling up. Especially if one of them winds up being you." It's from Dave Strider, a time traveler of Homestuck fame. I don't want to assume a variety of different timelines, some of which are doomed and one of which is not. I remember seeing another time traveler that did that better, and the temporal wanderer can do that too. What I want to avoid with the temporalist is making "just another time traveler" or doing something another class can do better, which is why I've been so selective with the mechanics that make it in.

Phelix-Mu
2013-10-18, 02:35 PM
Alright. First, apologies for dropping this thread earlier; I've been teaching myself Exalted this week and running two pbps/playing in two pbps, in addition to the normal stuff. Whacky times.

That said, here is my cool idea that may or may not work with your concept.

As I mentioned before, I am a bit of a Doctor Who fan. Spoiler alert (though I try to be vague in hopes of not actually spoiling).
An interesting thing that happened in a recent episode was a person with foreknowledge of someone's timeline went throughout that timeline and left little hints to that person, helping him to avoid difficulties, solve problems faster, be aware of danger, and so forth.

So, basically, this would be a talent tree. The first allows one to whisper back in time to oneself, providing an insight bonus to checks. It should probably scale to remain relevant.

The second talent (requiring the first), would allow one to warn oneself. This amounts to Uncanny Dodge or the like.

The third talent in the tree represents some kind of practical immunity to surprise (perhaps as foresight). To make it quite that awesome, you might also need a minimum level.

I think one of your powers already does something like this, but maybe this would allow a passive version that grants more utility.

I do like the power upgrade. While I am a fan of flavorful low-tier stuff (big monk fan...*wipes a tear away*), balancing power-levels is difficult for many DMs that look to advise their players on what might work (especially in the anomalous realm of homebrew).

Once again, I renew the promise for a more critical review, especially in light of your more ambitious take on the class.

EDIT: Oh, I did kind of like the temporal shades concept. Maybe if they weren't corporeal, but were like echoes of a past self or something. Thus, they could talk, scout, observe, and so forth, but not interact in a meaningful way with what was around them. Doctor Who plays with ideas like this occurring in time wrinkles/around time fissures, and how the phenomena created lead to all manner of superstition. Could be a neat tangent direction to take a couple powers in.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-18, 09:05 PM
That said, here is my cool idea that may or may not work with your concept.

As I mentioned before, I am a bit of a Doctor Who fan. Spoiler alert (though I try to be vague in hopes of not actually spoiling).
An interesting thing that happened in a recent episode was a person with foreknowledge of someone's timeline went throughout that timeline and left little hints to that person, helping him to avoid difficulties, solve problems faster, be aware of danger, and so forth.

So, basically, this would be a talent tree. The first allows one to whisper back in time to oneself, providing an insight bonus to checks. It should probably scale to remain relevant.

The second talent (requiring the first), would allow one to warn oneself. This amounts to Uncanny Dodge or the like.

The third talent in the tree represents some kind of practical immunity to surprise (perhaps as foresight). To make it quite that awesome, you might also need a minimum level.

I think one of your powers already does something like this, but maybe this would allow a passive version that grants more utility.

Since the tier 3 version (spoiler alert: It will be called the Chronarch) needs more powers, I need to expand the definition of powers from this narrow, focused vision to something broader. This would fit in great there!


I do like the power upgrade. While I am a fan of flavorful low-tier stuff (big monk fan...*wipes a tear away*), balancing power-levels is difficult for many DMs that look to advise their players on what might work (especially in the anomalous realm of homebrew).

I do like lower tier stuff. I worry that a DM who sees (or thinks they see) the words "time travel" and a table packed full of class features would instantly ban it from a campaign.


Once again, I renew the promise for a more critical review, especially in light of your more ambitious take on the class.

I recently lost all my progress. It'll probably take me a while, if I ever do get around to it.


EDIT: Oh, I did kind of like the temporal shades concept. Maybe if they weren't corporeal, but were like echoes of a past self or something. Thus, they could talk, scout, observe, and so forth, but not interact in a meaningful way with what was around them. Doctor Who plays with ideas like this occurring in time wrinkles/around time fissures, and how the phenomena created lead to all manner of superstition. Could be a neat tangent direction to take a couple powers in.

Cool. I'll add that in the next update, then.

Palanan
2013-10-18, 09:53 PM
So, a few thoughts massive, disjointed point-by-point commentary on the Temporalist.

First, I approve of the overall concept, with modest nips and tucks in time rather than grand leaps back and forth by years or centuries. Too much Star Trek has left me with a decided dislike of time travel, as a plot device or anything else.

Interesting choice to make it fundamentally martial outside of its defining time-tricks...not sure how I feel about that yet.

Also, I've glanced through the other posts in this thread, but I'm focusing my comments on what's currently presented in the OP. So, with that in mind, time to dive in....


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
A temporalist sees a myriad of future possibilities constantly coalescing into the present....

This reminds me of a Mistborn burning atium. :smalltongue:


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
A temporalist may have received a call to action from their future selves, or made a grave mistake that she wants to go back and fix.

--Wait, what? In your notes you specifically said the temporalist wouldn't be getting any cryptic warnings from future selves. :smallconfused:


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Temporal Connection: A temporalist's connection to the time flow can come about in various ways, which determine the ability scores she uses for her class features.

I like this; it allows for a broader variety of potential origin stories, and opens up some good roleplaying possibilities.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
...an Erudite gains additional moments equal to her class level....

I would strongly suggest capitalizing Moments wherever mentioned in the class features, to help distinguish them in the text as special powers--and to give them, well, greater moment. :smalltongue:


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Moments (Su): A temporalist has a pool of moments equal to her temporalist level plus twice her primary ability score modifier....

Hmm. Why twice the ability mod? Makes for slightly confusing math, at least for the English majors among us, and for some reason I keep wanting to multiply instead of add. Maybe it's just me.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Pause: Pausing time is the most basic of a temporalist's powers. At 1st level, by spending one moment as a swift action....

This is an example of why I suggest capitalizing the Moments. I happened to read this phrase when I was glancing through earlier, and "spending one moment as a swift action" really confused me. It makes more sense now, but capitalizing Moments would help clarify that these are precise units of temporal power, rather than just a brief span of time or something else entirely.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
The temporalist is still harmed by normal and magical fire, cold, gas, and other environmental hazards....

I would suggest clarifying and expanding this text a little. I assume you mean for the temporalist to take damage from area effects during a Pause? This seems to be implied, but I would recommend spelling it out a bit more.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
When the time stop ends, everything continues as if it had not stopped at all.

DANGER, DANGER!! Need to reword this to clarify that you're talking about a Pause, rather than a Time Stop spell. (It's obvious in context, both in the paragraph and the class description overall...but even so, Time Stop is an iconic temporal spell, so best to avoid the phrase.)


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
A temporalist cannot cast spells while time is paused.

I assume this is for multiclass temporalist/spellcasters? Again, probably fairly obvious from context, but better to spell it out.

Also, does this apply to activating magic items as well?


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
A temporalist can leave time unpaused for other creatures, but only by touching them.

This could stand to be reworded, since there was a squinching of the eyes the first time I read it. I'm also not sure how this really works--do you touch someone before you Pause time, or during? This ability could be situationally important, so its use and mechanics should be defined in more detail.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
A temporalist can unpause time as part of an attack.

This...gets a little confusing, and again some more detailed mechanics would go a long way in clarifying what you have in mind. For the graphically minded among us, a wee chart could be helpful.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Freeze: ...As a move action, you can choose to pause time for any number of rounds, up to half your primary ability score modifier.

I assume this is rounded down, as per the standard 3.5 approach? Might want to specify that to be sure.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Leap: You learn how to leap forward in the time stream....

I'm not seeing how long you're able to remain in the future, which would be of paramount importance. If you leap two minutes ahead, can you remain at that point for a round, a minute, or what? And what are the increments of the leap? Can you specify rounds, or seconds, or is it only available in quanta of one minute apiece?

Also, you need some sort of mechanic to account for what happens when the temporalist jumps ahead two minutes, only to discover that a rhino's moved into the space she'd been in when she started the leap. Does she take damage but remain in the same space? Is she shunted to the nearest open spot, like a dimension-door gone bad? What happens if she ends the leap from that new spot and snaps back into a space which is preoccupied by something else in her departure time?

All of this can and will come up in a gaming session, so you need some mechanics to account for these possibilities.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
After that long, you leap back into the space you left, having perceived only a moment's passage.

"Long" is an awkward term in itself here, and seems to be standing in for an undefined span of time. This will need to be reworded when the related issues above are clarified and resolved.

Also, "only a moment's passage" is another dab of evidence for how useful it is to distinguish Moments from moments. :smallbiggrin:


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Dilate: You can slow down time, but only in a limited radius. By spending 2 moments as a move action, you can slow time to half speed within a radius of 20 feet for up to one hour per temporalist level.

Seriously, you've been reading Brandon Sanderson, haven't you? This ability (and several others related to it) appear in The Alloy of Law.

--But one hour per temporalist level? That seems like quite a lot, and I'm not sure what the benefits would be.

Also, you should clarify whether area effects and environmental conditions still reach normally across the radius of effect, both before and during its operation. Likewise for ranged attacks, telepathy (woo, instant headache!) and all manner of other conditions and effects.

Also also, be prepared for someone to activate this ability when they're at three thousand feet and falling fast, and then try to argue physics with the DM. Apart from the gentle pitter-patter of collapsing catgirls, this will also be a moment when the DM wishes the mechanics had been more precisely defined. :smalltongue:


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Compress: You can speed up time, but only in a limited radius. By spending 2 moments as a move action, you can accelerate time to double speed within a radius of 20 feet of you....

This last clause was missing from the otherwise nearly-identical text for Dilate, so you might want to add or subtract as necessary.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Lock: You can lock yourself in time, and return to that time and condition later.

Ahh, the save point. This one, I have some trouble with, because unlike the other abilities, in which you're moved unchanged through time, this one essentially rewrites your being whenever it's used. This is fundamentally different from the other abilities we've seen so far, and it doesn't really seem to fit.

Thus far the temporalist has either manipulated local time--slowing or accelerating it--or shot herself slightly forward and back through time. The Lock ability is something else entirely, and apart from the theoretical issues (how are you regenerating yourself and reinitializing magical effects which the temporalist explicitly has no control over?) it also seems much too powerful--you can do this several times a day, every day, and that seems both out of place and more than a little overboard.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Portent: ...

This is awesome. The ability name, the ability itself...this is burning atium in its purest form. Maybe it's a relatively minor ability, but I love it.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Double Time: You can jump into your own future, coexisting with you future self for a few moments to provide crucial aid.

Kind of confusing (at least for English majors) and again, this seems to brush up against those temporal paradoxes you promised us wouldn't crop up. I dunno about this one.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Return: You returns to your position, hit points, and status of exactly one round before.

This sounds like Lock Lite, and I have the same reservations as I did about Lock itself.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Rewind: You discover how to turn back the clock, not only for yourself, but for the rest of the world as well. By spending 5 moments as a standard action, you can rewind time for the entire world by just a moment.

Okay, now you've been watching Galaxy Quest. :smalltongue:

This is immensely powerful. I could see an uber-BBEG manipulating events for decades or centuries, leading up to a point where synchronized actions all around the planet could be catastrophically altered with a single use of this ability. And all for the low, low cost of 5 Moments?

You can change the world at least once a day, if not more so. To my instincts, this is far too powerful.

There's a similar ability, or at least a spell, in the Wheel of Time RPG which unweaves an individual from the fabric of spacetime, erasing their presence and all their actions for the past two weeks or something. I think that was the equivalent of a ninth-level spell or whatnot. Thing is, that was limited to a single individual. This...changes the whole frackin' planet.

I would put an area limit on this--miles at most, hundreds of feet at best. Otherwise spelljammers will be crossing the aether to take out temporalists wherever they can.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Foresight: ...You receive the lower of your primary ability score modifier or your temporalist level as a permanent insight bonus to AC.

Hm. Why the lower of two different things? Why not just one or the other? That would seem a little simpler, at least for the player trying to keep track of Moments, Pauses, powers and all the rest.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
*Talents*

In general, these are really cool, and they feel a little less...strained, perhaps, as if these came more easily to you. They flow well and make great sense in the context of the class overall.


Originally Posted by AttilaTheGeek
Temporal Mastery (Ex): At 20th level, a temporalist looks upon the infinite flow of time itself.

This is cool as a capstone...or would be, except it's tremendously limited when compared to the Rewind power. That affects an entire planet; Temporal Mastery only touches on anything within the temporalist's field of view, and if she's underground or in a dense forest (to say nothing of more embarrassing situations) that won't be much. (Inside a purple worm, anyone?)

You might have noticed by now that I really don't like Rewind. Without Rewind, Temporal Mastery is nicely boss. With Rewind, it's kind of a sideshow at its own ascension.


Minor editorial points:

Characteristics: ...Though the temporalist learns a wide variety of powers....

Background: ...the powers of a temporalist are often passed down to one's children.

Role: A temporalist is extremely mobile on the battlefield, and is capable of high single-target damage.

"High single-target damage" is an awkward phrase; I would suggest "capable of delivering massive damage to a single target" or something similar.

Some temporalists, called erudites, gain their power much like a wizard does....

Portent: ...but this damage recovers at a rate of 1 point per hour instead of 1 per day.

Double Time: You can jump into your own future, coexisting with your future self for a few moments to provide crucial aid.

Reverse: ...You returns to your position, hit points, and status of exactly one round before.

Premeditation: ...You receive the lower of your primary ability score gence modifier...

"Gence" is evidently an artifact from a previous version. Either that or your cat jumped on the keyboard. :smalltongue:

Power Focus: ...When you learn this talent, choose a power. That power costs 1 fewer less moment each time you use it.
.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-18, 11:20 PM
So, a few thoughts massive, disjointed point-by-point commentary on the Temporalist.

Woah! This is great feedback, all of it. Thank you so much! I'll go through each point and address what I can.

Edit: This turned out to be really, really long. I'll spoiler it for length.

First, I approve of the overall concept, with modest nips and tucks in time rather than grand leaps back and forth by years or centuries. Too much Star Trek has left me with a decided dislike of time travel, as a plot device or anything else.

One of my main goals with the class was to make a class that manipulated time in a way that hadn't been done before. There are a million chronomancers out there...


Interesting choice to make it fundamentally martial outside of its defining time-tricks...not sure how I feel about that yet.

...almost all of which cast spells. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but I don't want to just write a cheap knock-off of one of the myriad time travelers. Also, the only way to pause time in core/pathfinder is Time Stop, a 9th-level spell. I couldn't make a 9th-level spell's mechanics a defining class feature without doing something else to stop it from ending encounters by itself. That something is taking away spells.


--Wait, what? In your notes you specifically said the temporalist wouldn't be getting any cryptic warnings from future selves.

That's... a very good point. You'll see a lot of disjointed writing here, which is because I only ever spent about half an hour a day on it over the course of a week. You've also pointed a lot of it out, which is very helpful.


I like this [Temporal Connection]; it allows for a broader variety of potential origin stories, and opens up some good roleplaying possibilities.

I'd love to take credit, but it was Phelix-Mu's idea.


Let me add my thought: Int-based classes are cool. In fact, I'm rather partial to them. But, there are a metric ton of them. Consider a feat or ACF in the vein of Kung-fu Genius or something like that, that allows the temporalist to work off of a different stat.

For fluff, consider that the Int-based Temporalist is a scientist manipulating quanta of time stuff or some such in a highly analytical manner, planning strategic advantage, and operating on a truly "next-level" of intellect (as non-linear time mechanics usually give lesser minds minor aneurysms).

But, perhaps there is a different type of Temporalist (or, indeed, a different class using similar mechanics). Consider the Wis-based time manipulator. "I feel time." Or, to the cliche, "I SEE TIME." This character would operate intuitively, bending time out of a strange instinct (I'm feeling a Haruhi reference coming on) for survival or benefit. By sensing the weak spots, the divergent timelines, and the flux inherent in reality, the character can determine how to allocate their class features. Not as intellectual, but still a very interesting concept, somewhat more mystical or meta. Or something.


I would strongly suggest capitalizing Moments wherever mentioned in the class features, to help distinguish them in the text as special powers--and to give them, well, greater moment.

I was so close to using the adjective "momentous" somewhere in the text, just because it's such a great pun, but I decided against it. In the next update, it shall be done.


Hmm. Why [does a temporalist have moments equal to class level plus] twice the ability mod? Makes for slightly confusing math, at least for the English majors among us, and for some reason I keep wanting to multiply instead of add. Maybe it's just me.

At 1st level, a temporalist will have somewhere between 14 and 18 in their mental stat of choice, depending on the character generation method. I didn't want a temporalist to be able to pause time only three times a day at first level, especially if they're stuck with +0 BAB and no bonus combat feat.


I would suggest clarifying and expanding this text [Pause] a little. I assume you mean for the temporalist to take damage from area effects during a Pause? This seems to be implied, but I would recommend spelling it out a bit more.

The intent was that if you pause time and jump into lava, you're still going to burn. However, if you pause time after a Fireball, you take no damage because it's instantaneous. I'll also change "time stop" to "pause".

Yes, there is a special prohibition against casting spells during a pause, even though the temporalist gets no spells. Can you imagine how crazy a temporalist 1 / Wizard X would be? It's like straight wizard, but gives up a caster level to take an extra standard action (1+INT mod) times per day. The more high-op applications this class has, the less likely it is to be approved for a campaign. As written, it doesn't apply to magic items, but it should.


A temporalist can leave time unpaused for other creatures, but only by touching them.

I'm just going to cut this.


This [unpausing as part of an attack]...gets a little confusing, and again some more detailed mechanics would go a long way in clarifying what you have in mind. For the graphically minded among us, a wee chart could be helpful.

I don't want to make a chart, because charts are hard and they imply that something is really complicated. Like the grapple rules (http://www.darthsanddroids.net/episodes/0343.html). I think I'll just reword it. How's this?

Old: A temporalist can unpause time as part of an attack. If she does so, the target is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC because they have no time to react to the attack.

New: A temporalist can unpause time as part of a melee attack, just before her sword strikes its target. If she does so, the attack is resolved against its target's flat-footed AC because the target has no time to move out of the way.

Must I cut the "has no time" pun?

Do you think the later sentence "Any ranged attacks a temporalist makes while time is paused remain in the air until time is unpaused, at which point all the attacks are resolved at the same time against their targets' flat-footed AC" should be moved forward in the paragraph, or remain where it is? It might be causing confusion because it's not related to unpausing time, but it uses the same concept (attacks made during a pause target flat-footed AC). I could also make it its own paragraph, but it seems short.

Freeze is rounded down, as usual.

For Leap, I will add a clause to leap that shunts the temporalist in a random direction and deals damage, copied from (if I recall correctly) Dimension Door. I'll also reword it to try and make more sense, but I won't do so now because I have to be up in a few hours, so I want to finish this post as quickly as I can.


Seriously, you've been reading Brandon Sanderson, haven't you? This ability [Dilate] (and several others related to it) appear in The Alloy of Law.

--But one hour per temporalist level? That seems like quite a lot, and I'm not sure what the benefits would be.

Also, you should clarify whether area effects and environmental conditions still reach normally across the radius of effect, both before and during its operation. Likewise for ranged attacks, telepathy (woo, instant headache!) and all manner of other conditions and effects.

Also also, be prepared for someone to activate this ability when they're at three thousand feet and falling fast, and then try to argue physics with the DM. Apart from the gentle pitter-patter of collapsing catgirls, this will also be a moment when the DM wishes the mechanics had been more precisely defined.

To be honest, I've never heard of Brandon Sanderson. I'm actually far less cultured than you think I am :smallredface:

Dilate is useful if you are... impatient, I guess? I wrote Compress first, which is far more applicable, then figured there should be an opposite. I might cut it, but I really need more powers. Good point on Compress- I'll be sure to add that for Dilate.

Lock was originally Rewind, a spell I wrote for NikolaTesla's first and only homebrew spell competition. There, it was 8th level, but it, like Time Stop, is far less potent on a melee chassis. Here, it's the same idea. You're not "regenerating yourself and reinitializing magical effects which the temporalist explicitly has no control over", you're just going back a couple rounds in your personal time. Locking costs three moments, plus an additional one if you use it, so I don't think it's that cheap. I could raise the cost, but I still want Reverse to be as expensive or more so.

Reverse, while I'm on the topic, really is Lock-lite. The biggest difference is that you don't need to have spent a move action in advance to Reverse. I see Reverse as an escape: "Oh, I'm surrounded, I'd better go back in time to before I was surounded". Lock, in contrast, lets you decide at any time during the fight to go back to where you started.Also, reading that power again, I'm really sorry for writing "you returns".

Rewind, while I'm on a roll, is, I think, being completely misunderstood. If everyone and everything goes back six seconds, then no one notices. The only one who has perceives any time change at all is the Temporalist. I see this as a way to un-screw up. For example, if the king takes an arrow to the heart, you can go back in time a few seconds and push him out of the way before the arrow arrives. And if the king was going to be shot, then the world was going to change anyway. It's basically letting the temporalist retry the last six seconds, that's all.

Anyway, back to the other powers.

Double Time was added because a friend had proposed the name and I really needed more powers. As soon as I can, I'll cut it.

Portent is also my favorite power. I don't know what it is about it, but it seems to come together in a way that none of the others do. All the others (except Double Time) sprang into my head almost fully formed. Portent, on the other hand, was an idea that took shape over a couple different drafts. It's totally down to GM fiat, but I hope GMs respond to it responsibly.

The "lesser of X or level" talents are to stop temporalist 4 (soon to be 2) from being a "mental stat of choice to something awesome" dip. For the most part, level will be higher anyway, it's just to make it less dippable. Fewer optimization tricks means more DMs allowing it in their games.

I've been wanting to say this the entire post, and I think I have already: the talents are absolutely less strained. They were much, much easier to come up with. I wrote down ideas for two thirds of the talents you see here during the last ten minutes of a particularly boring class. I'm glad to hear you like them!

And, finally, Temporal Mastery. I am defending its existence alongside rewind because rewind does not have massive universe-wide effects. Instead, it merely allows the temporalist to redo the last six seconds in context, whereas Temporal Mastery is a permanent scrying through time. I'm going to change it to see up to 24 hours backwards or one hour forward, seeing only the 1d4 most likely times and learning roughly how likely each of them are. While writing it, I imagined a temporalist 20 saying "Oh, so the BBEG went through here, but covered his tracks? He went this way, but if we follow, he's probably prepared an ambush around that bend there."

Also, thanks for the minor editorial points. Without you, I've got no one else to take a fine-toothed comb to my writing, and so grammar errors abound when I read the same passages over and over and over again.

At this point, it's after midnight my time, so I'll toss up this monster of a post. Thank you so much for your feedback; it really means a lot. If you ever write more homebrew, just drop me a PM and I'll check it out with equal vigor :smallsmile:

Edit to add: To-do list for the next update.
Write up the new powers
Fix grammatical errors
Redo level distribution (power every other level, talent every other, feat every four)

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-21, 04:34 PM
Huge update!

A temporalist now gets 50% more powers, because there are now almost 50% more powers to choose from! A temporalist now also gets 50% more talents and 50% more other class features! (Previously only Temporal Connection and Temporal Mastery; feats don't count as class features.)

As usual, I continue to welcome all feedback. Please leave comments!

Forrestfire
2013-10-24, 02:19 PM
[concept and fluff]
My first impressions are that I love the idea of the class. It's a very neat idea, and the fluff is well-done.


Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Starting Age: Self-taught, as Bard
Starting Gold: 3d6 x 10 gp (average 105 gp)

Class Skills
The temporalist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are AcrobaticsPF (Dex), Balance3.5 (Dex), Climb (Dex), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Hide3.5 (Dex), Jump3.5 (Dex), Listen3.5 (Wis), Move Silently3.5 (Dex), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), PerceptionPF (Wis), Profession (Wis), Search3.5 (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot3.5 (Wis), and StealthPF (Dex).

Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Int modifier)PF or (4 + Int modifier) x 43.5
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: (4 + Int modifier)

{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+0|
+0|
+2|
+2|Temporal Connection, Moments, Pause

2nd|
+1|
+0|
+3|
+3|Power, Talent

3rd|
+2|
+1|
+3|
+4|Power

4th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Talent, Bonus Combat Feat

5th|
+3|
+1|
+4|
+4|Power

6th|
+4|
+2|
+5|
+5|Talent, Improved Connection

7th|
+5|
+2|
+5|
+5|Power

8th|
+6/+1|
+2|
+6|
+6|Talent, Bonus Combat Feat

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

10th|
+7/+2|
+3|
+7|
+7|Talent

11th|
+8/+3|
+3|
+7|
+7|Power

12th|
+9/+4|
+4|
+8|
+8|Talent, Bonus Combat Feat

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

14th|
+10/+5|
+4|
+9|
+9|Talent

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+5|
+9|
+9|Power

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Talent, Bonus Combat Feat

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+5|
+10|
+10|Power

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+6|
+11|
+11|Talent

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+6|
+11|
+11|Power

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+6|
+12|
+12|Talent, Bonus Combat Feat, Temporal Mastery[/table]


Two good saves, medium BAB, average skills... Seems fairly standard, no issues there. On to the class features!



Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The temporalist is proficient in light armor and all simple and martial weapons. If the temporalist wears medium or heavy armor or a shield, each of her powers suffer a chance to fail equal to the armor's arcane spell failure chance. Note that the Medium Armor and Heavy Armor talents allow a temporalist to use her powers without fail while wearing bulkier armor.


Again, fairly standard for a squishy-type fighter, so I've got nothing to say about it.


Temporal Connection: A temporalist's connection to the time flow can come about in various ways, which determine the ability scores she uses for her class features. The temporalist's "primary ability score", referenced throughout the text, is determined by how a temporalist got her powers.

Some temporalists, called erudites, gain their power much like a wizard does, through careful study and analysis. The primary ability score for erudite temporalists is Intelligence, and an Erudite gains additional Moments equal to her class level or her Intelligence modifier, whichever is higher.

Others, called enlightened temporalists, gain their time powers through an exceptional understanding of the world around them. Enlightened temporalists use Wisdom as their primary ability score. To comprehend that all is interconnected makes time manipulation just a matter of will. An enlightened temporalist's connection to the universe grants them an insight bonus to all saving throws and all Wisdom-based skills equal to their Wisdom modifier.

Finally, a third type of temporalist finds powers bestowed upon them, and has to learn to control them, much like a sorcerer. These temporalists, called innate temporalists, use Charisma as their primary ability score. For an innate temporalist, sometimes the connection to time is stronger than others. An innate temporalist's powers have a (25 - 5 per level)% chance to fail (so they have no failure chance at levels 5 or above), but they also have a 5% chance to cost no Moments, to a maximum of 25% at 5th level.


I actually didn't notice these on the first read-through. That is a really cool way to set the different types of temporalist apart from each other. I'm not sure which is the strongest, but they are all pretty awesome.


Moments (Su): A temporalist has a pool of Moments equal to her temporalist level plus twice her primary ability score modifier, which she uses to fuel her time manipulation powers. A temporalist's Moments passively and automatically restore at a rate of one Moment per hour. Each of her powers has a Moment cost that must be paid to use the power.


I feel like "passively and automatically restore" could just be "passively restore" or "automatically restore" and it'd read better.



Pause: Pausing time is the most basic of a temporalist's powers. At 1st level, by spending one Moment as a swift action, a temporalist can take an additional move or standard action, which does not count towards her actions for the turn.

While time is paused, other creatures are invulnerable to the temporalist's attacks and spells and cannot be targeted. Other creatures or objects cannot move or take any actions, even free actions. The temporalist is still harmed by normal and magical fire, cold, gas, and other environmental hazards with a non-instantaneous duration. For example, a Fireball cannot harm a temporalist when time is paused, because a Fireball is instantaneous, but a temporalist who pauses time and jumps into lava still burns. When time unpauses, everything continues as if it had not stopped at all. Projectiles resume motion, spell duration continues to decrease, and other creatures do not perceive the pause in any way; a temporalist who pauses time, moves, and resumes time appears to have teleported. A temporalist cannot cast spells while time is paused. A temporalist cannot pause time again or use powers while time is paused.

A temporalist can unpause time as part of a melee attack, just before her sword strikes its target. If she does so, the attack is resolved against its target's flat-footed AC, because the target has no time to move out of the way. Any ranged attacks a temporalist makes while time is paused remain in the air until time is unpaused, at which point all the attacks are resolved at the same time against their targets' flat-footed AC.


I'm confused by how this works... It's at its heart a nerfed time stop effect, and fairly awesome... Except that it then goes on to have a clause for attacking within the pause, after having said you can't attack or target other creatures during the pause. I think it's saying "you can make a single attack as you unpause time, denying the enemy their dexterity bonus to armor class", but as it is I'm not sure how it's supposed to be read.

Can a temporalist set up a bunch of ranged attacks in a time stop and then fire them off all at once? Because that's actually really cool.

Also, can you attack objects during the pause? Would it cause you to do stuff like ignore hardness or would it, in effect, pull any object you struck into the time stop as well during the moment you touched it?



Powers (Su): A temporalist learns a variety of powers she can use to manipulate time. All powers are active supernatural abilities, so they do not provoke attacks of opportunity and cannot be dispelled, but they cease to function in an Antimagic Field. A temporalist learns one power at 2nd level, one power at 3rd level, and an additional power every other level thereafter.


These seem neat. A small amount of powers that you can use a bunch of times in a day.


Freeze: You can stop time for an extended duration. As a move action, you can choose to pause time for any number of rounds, up your primary ability score modifier. Doing so requires spending 1 Moment per round of frozen time.

I'm assuming that it works the same way as Pause? It's probably unneeded, but I prefer to be as comprehensive as possible, so you might want to say that it works the same was as pause. ("... you can choose to pause time for a number of rounds of your choice, up to a maximum number of rounds equal to your primary ability score modifier. This works as if you had used the pause ability, and doing so requires spending 1 Moment per round of frozen time.").

What happens if someone full attacks with a bow during it? Would it sit the arrows in the air until the time stop ends, then hit the enemy's flat-footed AC? Seems like a strong alpha strike tool.


Tilt: You can tilt the flow of time, making it move more quickly for some while slowing others. As a move action that costs 2 Moments, choose a number of creatures, up to your primary ability score modifier. They are under the effects of Haste, as the spell, for one minute. Also, choose another group of creatures, up to your primary ability score modifier. They are Slowed, as the spell, for one minute. Affected creatures can make a saving throw at a DC of 10 + 1/2 your temporalist level + your primary ability score modifier to negate the effects.


Interesting. If you take it early, it gives you amazing buffing potential (level 2 to make your fighter-type party member hit twice with his power attacking greatsword seems like a fairly awesome use), and it keeps getting powerful as you level up and the buff and debuff means more as the people you're buffing or debuffing get stronger. I like it.


Leap: You learn how to leap forward in the time stream. By spending 2 Moments as a move action, you can leap forward any amount of time up to your primary ability score modifier in minutes, but you must choose how far to go before making the jump. After that long, you leap back into the space you left, or the nearest empty space if the space you jumped from is occupied. You can take other creatures with you by touching them, but they can make a Will save to resist leaping through time with you.


I love time hop, so I love this. Sadly, it's not as good as actual time hops, because it can't hit objects and you have to go as well, but it's still really cool. However, since at its best it's a complicated dodge effect, I'd probably not take it unless I had nothing else I wanted. It'd always be there on the list, tempting me to take it at the next Power level XD


Dilate: You can slow down time, but only in a limited radius. By spending 2 Moments as a move action, you can slow time to half speed within a radius of 20 feet of you for up to one hour per temporalist level. Since time itself is being slowed, not just creatures themselves, creatures within the effect perceive no change in the flow of time, even as two minutes pass for the outside world for every minute within. To one inside the radius, it merely appears that the outside world is moving twice as fast. In combat, every creature outside the radius can take twice as many actions per round. Creatures receive no save to resist the effects, but can return themselves to normal time by leaving the radius.


I feel like there's a disconnect between what it's doing and what the effect actually does. I'd probably have the creatures inside the radius only act every other round, instead of speeding up the world around it. The current implementation just seems kinda clunky to me. Other than that, it's a neat debuff effect, sorta like a mass bestow curse that only last a little while.


Compress: You can speed up time, but only in a limited radius. By spending 2 Moments as a move action, you can accelerate time to double speed within a radius of 20 feet of you for up to one hour per temporalist level. Since time itself is moving faster, not just creatures themselves, creatures within the effect perceive no change in the flow of time, even as one minute passes for the outside world for every two minutes within. To one inside the radius, it merely appears that the outside world is moving at half speed. In combat, every creature inside the radius can take twice as many actions per round, but if every creature in combat is within the radius, then they all perceive time to be equal, so the effects of compression can be omitted for simplicity. Creatures receive no save to resist the effects, but can return themselves to normal time by leaving the radius.

:smalleek:

This is ridiculously good. Doubled spells, ranged attacks, and buff time, then you dismiss it and wade into melee. Or just keep it up and murder things from range.

I'm not sure if I'd nerf it, change it, or what, but in a situation where you use it to your advantage (which is most of them), it's like a more ridiculous version of 3.0 haste. This is an autopick for anyone taking the class. Unless it can't be dismissed, in which case it's still ridiculously good, just not as good. Some form of flight and a bow (especially if you have rogue levels to toggle pauses to sneak attack every round) will make sort work of any encounters not in enclosed space, though.

Ironically, if it can't be dismissed voluntarily, the long duration is actually a disadvantage XD


Stasis: You can put herself and creatures around you into a temporal stasis. As a standard action, you can pause time for yourself and all creatures within 10 feet of you, and they do not receive a save to resist. Creatures farther than 10 feet from you are unaffected. Doing so costs 3 Moments per round, and you can unpause time at any time as a free action. Unlike other supernatural abilities, Stasis can be used within an antimagic field.


Is this working the same way as the Pause ability above? Because if so, holy crap. Even if the rest of the party only has basic ranged weapons, 6 points to throw two rounds worth of ranged full attacks at your enemies is ridiculous. It will likely only happen once a day, but still ridiculous.


Or does it freeze them with no save? Because if so, still holy crap. That is one hell of a crowd-control effect.


Lock: You can lock yourself in time, and return to that time and condition later. By spending 3 Moments as a move action, you can "lock" your position and status, which includes hit points, condition, and any magical effects affecting you. After that, for a number of rounds equal to your primary ability score modifier, you can spend a move action and an additional 1 Moment to return to that position and status.


Oooh, a save point ability. That's really cool. :smallbiggrin:

Seems fairly useful in situations where you're running into a fight you're not sure you'll win, even if it does only last a few rounds. I'm assuming you can Pause time and then take the move action to return as well.

Does Lock "save" your Moment pool as well?


Manifestations: The future is a chaotic tempest of possibility, and with this power, you can fulfill more than one of your possible futures. You can manifest any number of possible future selves as a swift action, up to your primary ability score modifier, and doing so costs 2 Moments per possible future self. Your present self disappears as you split into multiple manifestations.

Since each manifestation is only a possible future, they appear shadowy and translucent. They take actions independently and simultaneously, and can take as many actions this round as you had left before activating this power. Because they are your possible future selves, they deal damage as you and have your statistics, but cannot use powers. When a manifestation takes damage, that possible future becomes an impossibility, and it disappears. As each manifestation disappears, the others become more opaque as those futures become more likely. When all but the last have disappeared, that future (now the present) becomes the definite one, and that manifestation becomes you. As a non-action, you can decide not to pursue one of the possible futures to make a manifestation disappear. You know anything learned by any of the manifestations and see through their eyes simultaneously. You can maintain the manifestations for a maximum number of rounds equal to your primary ability score modifier.

This is probably my favorite ability of the ones so far. It's just such a flavorful ability, and since they can't use powers of their own, it's mostly going to be used to make more attacks I guess? I continue to see the makings of a strong dakka archer build with this class.


Possibility Storm: You master the chaos of your own possible futures. This functions as the Manifestations power, but costs 5 moments, summons a number of manifestations equal to your primary ability score modifier, and lasts only until the beginning of your next turn. At that point, you must decide which future to make real and which to discard. Choose one manifestation- the others disappear. However, from there, the process begins anew. You split into many possible selves, each of which lasts for up to one round. At the beginning of your following turn, the process repeats, up to a number of rounds equal to your primary ability score modifier.


This is interesting. It effectively multiplies your attacks by your primary stat modifier each round, then teleports you around.

Also, for these two abilities, where are the duplicates summoned to? Your square? Adjacent? Some area you can see? Might want to put something in for that.

Halt: You can pause time for others as well as yourself. This functions as the Freeze power, but you can leave time unpaused for other creatures, allowing them to act as well. Doing so costs 1 Moment per creature per round. Prerequisite: Freeze.

Ok, this is the one that's more of a "holy crap the archers in the party would love this." Powerful, powerful ability if you have anyone who can stack ranged attacks at all.


Implode: By speeding one section of a target's body and slowing another, you can cause massive blood loss and organ damage. Causing a creature to implode requires a melee touch attack, costs any number of Moments (at least one), and is a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity. The target makes a Fortitude save at a DC of 10 + twice the number of Moments spent + your primary ability score modifier. If they fail, they take 2d6 damage per temporalist level, and are staggered for a round if they survive. Implode fails when used against a creature immune to critical hits.


That's really cool, and it's nice that you gave the class the ability to do the obvious combat trick for time manipulation. I'm wondering if it should be a save for half (or 1/4th level damage, to make it like disintegrate), or do anything at all if they succeed the save.


Retry: You learn the art of micro-reversals, stepping back in time by a fraction of a second to attempt something again. By spending 1 Moment as a free action, you can reroll one d20 roll. You must take the second result. Because activating this power is a free action, you can retry any number of times, spending 1 Moment each time and always taking the last result.


I don't really have much else to say about this, but it's really good, and something I'd definitely have to pick up, especially on a melee temporalist. Power attacking with enough to make the attack a coinflip, then try again to make sure I definitely hit? Yes please.


Portent: You risk a glimpse at the raw flow of time itself. When you use this power, choose a potential action and a number of possibilities, from one to your primary ability score modifier. Viewing a portent costs 1 Moment per possibility. You can see that many possible results of the action being considered, along with a general sense of how likely each result is.

You can see a number of possible futures, but you are not prepared for such overwhelming knowledge. The more possibilities you view, the longer you gaze into the time stream, and the more mentally overwhelming its effects become. You are staggered for 1 round per future viewed, and you take 1d3 points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma damage per future viewed, but this damage recovers at a rate of one point per hour instead of one point per day.

This is actually really cool, if extremely DM-dependent. In a campaign where seeing the future is useful, I'd definitely pick it up for using on days off to divine stuff.


Reverse: You learn how to travel back to your own past. By spending 4 Moments as a swift action, you can go back one round in your personal time. You return to your position, hit points, and status of exactly one round before. The only condition not affected is your moment count. Time is not affected for others.


That's pretty cool. A retroactive save point power. Neat.


Rewind: You discover how to turn back the clock, not only for yourself, but for the rest of the world as well. By spending 5 Moments as a standard action, you can rewind time for the entire world by just a moment. Everything becomes just as it was one round ago, and only you remembers what happened in that round. It is the beginning of your turn one round before you rewound, and you can take a full round of actions. The only thing not affected is your moment count. Prerequisite: Reverse.

I'm personally not a fan of this ability. The way I see it, it's either extremely useful (rewind to capitalize on something or undo an event) or not strong (because the event was one that instagibbed you, or you can't afford the amount of moments needed, or you can't change the event). But hey, it's not every class that gets to activate the Omega 13 when they need to. It's a flavorful ability at least.


Bonus Feats: At 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, a temporalist gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat feats (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats). She must meet the prerequisites for these feats as normal.


I like these. Bonus feats are always good for a combat class.


Talents (Ex): At 2nd level, and every other level thereafter, a temporalist discovers a secret that improves her time manipulation skills. Unlike powers, which are all active abilities, talents are all passive bonuses. They grant additional Moments, give bonuses, or enhance powers. A temporalist gains two talents instead of just one at


I'm really liking that the class is mostly build on these modular class features.


Medium Armor: You gain Medium Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. You can now wear medium armor without suffering a chance for your powers to fail.

Heavy Armor: You gain Heavy Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. You can now wear heavy armor without suffering a chance for your powers to fail. Prerequisite: Medium Armor.

Are these both worth an entire Talent to be taken? I'm not sure if they could be collapsed together and it'd be balanced, but they seem on the week side for dedicating two who levels of class features to it.


Premeditation: Your skill in time manipulation grants you brief glimpses of the future. You receive the lower of your primary ability score modifier or your temporalist level as a permanent insight bonus to initiative.


Strong, useful, but not overpowered. A time mage should have better chances at going first in a fight. I like it.


Insight: Your extensive work with time travel gives you flashes of insight into what is about to happen. You receive your primary ability score modifier as a permanent insight bonus to Reflex saves and Perception checks.


This is neat, but completely useless for Wisdom-based temporalists because it doesn't stack with their baseline bonus. Was this intended?


Foresight: You can see a split second into the future, just enough to know the location of a blade or arrow. You receive the lower of your primary ability score modifier or your temporalist level as a permanent dodge bonus to AC.


I'd just add the primary ability score modifier instead of making it needlessly complicated. All it's doing is nerfing the possibility of a level 2 AC bonus if the character has a good primary stat.


Momentum: After an extensive burst of time travel, you become attuned to the temporal energies you have been manipulating. At the beginning of each turn, if you have spent 6 or more Moments in the last two rounds (real rounds, not necessarily perceived rounds), then you recover 1 Moment.


Neat, but it seems a little weak, honestly. Maybe for every 6 Moments spent, you'd recover 1?


Quickened Pause: You have honed your reflexes, and now can pause time as a reaction to another's action. You can Pause time as an immediate action rather than a swift action.


Whoo boy, this one is strong. It's like the unholy offspring of Abrupt Jaunt and Celerity :smalleek:

Not saying you should nerf it, but it's so immediately good that any temporalist that doesn't take it is doing it wrong.


Extended Pause: You have learned to put time to a stop for a couple seconds longer. Your Pause power now lasts long enough to take a standard and a move action, or two move actions.


This one is also very, very strong. Spammable time stops, even for a single full round action, are extremely powerful, especially when a ranged character can fully attack freely as the ability is written.


Full Pause: Your Pause power lasts long enough to take a full turn of actions. You can take a full-round action and a swift action within a Pause, or two move actions and a swift action, or a standard, move, and swift action. Prerequisite: Extended Pause


This one lets you cheaply nest pauses if you want, continually stacking ranged full attacks or setting up whatever. On an archer temporalist, it's ridiculous, but less so on other ones.


Flickering Pause: You can unpause time for a split second before stopping it again, just long enough to land a blow. You can now deliver multiple melee attacks while time is paused, and they are all resolved against their targets' flat-footed ACs. Note that you can still deliver one melee attack during a pause by unpausing just as the attack strikes, and it is still resolved against flat-footed AC.


This one brings the melee temporalists up to the power of the ranged ones, letting them stack their full attacks as they want.

For reference, the only other thing that I can think of that grants multiple full attacks in the same round is Time Stands Still, a 9th-level Diamond Mind maneuver. Flickering Pause with Extended Pause lets you do that, and denies them Dex to AC during it. With Full Pause, you can instakill pretty much every enemy you face by going nova, and you will still have a bunch of Moments left over, since it will probably only take 4-6 full attacks to kill a boss fight if you actually have damage.

This class gets it at level 6.

Overall reaction to these last four abilities: :smalleek:


Enduring Futures: Your possible future selves summoned by the Manifestations or Possibility Storm powers each have a number of hit points equal to the higher of your primary ability score or your Constitution score. The manifestations do not disappear until they have taken that much damage, but when you assume the form of the final manifestation, you take as much damage as it has taken.


This one is fairly neat. Not sure how powerful it is, seeing as the most use I see of the Manifestation abilities are for spamming attacks and then blinking out of melee range.


Warped Futures: Your possible future selves summoned by the Manifestations or Possibility Storm powers can use powers of their own. However, they all draw from your pool of Moments. They also cannot use the Reverse, Rewind, Manifestations, or Possibility Storm powers.


Depending on how many moments the character can get, this becomes fairly good if you're using the abilities to do damage.

If you're using Pauses to chain full attacks, it's much weaker, as you won't need the Manifestation abilities to kill anything in combat.


Power Focus: Extensively practicing one power makes it easier in the future. When you learn this talent, choose a power. That power costs 1 less Moment each time you use it.


... For how long? Does it reduce permanently, or per round? Or is it meant to reduce the base cost of the power by 1 point? Is there a minimum cost to use an ability? Because as written, it lets you get infinite standard actions by activating Freeze over and over again.


Extra Moments: Use of time travel has strengthened your mental reserves. Your maximum number of Moments is increased by your primary ability score modifier.


This is a useful ability. A bit boring, but it's the practical sort of boring, so it works.


Out Of Time: Even when you have no Moments remaining, you can pull some spare time from your future into the present. You can continue to spend, even when you have none remaining. As long as the number of Moments you have is less than zero, you are slowed (http://paizo.com/prd/spells/slow.html), as the spell. The slow effect cannot be removed or dispelled by any means until your moment count becomes positive again. If the number of Moments you have is below zero by more than your primary ability score modifier, you must make a Will save at a DC of 10 - (3 times your Moment count, which increases the DC because your moment count is negative) each round or vanish completely from existence. If you fail the save, you cannot be returned by any means short of a carefully worded Wish or Miracle.


I don't like this as a Talent, personally. I think it's something every temporalist should have no matter what their specialty is, since it's a fairly standard abuse of time magic.


Efficiency: You recover Moments 50% faster. Each hour, you recover 1d2 Moments, instead of just one.
I like it. More of the "boring utility", but these aren't meant to be super flashy.


Improved Connection: At 6th level, a temporalist strengthens her connection to the flow of time.

An erudite temporalist masters one power she knows. All numeric effects of that power are doubled. For example, if she chooses Rewind, she can rewind for two rounds; if she chooses Freeze, she can halt for twice as long; if she chooses Tilt, then all creatures' bonuses and penalties are doubled, and so on. The power's Moment cost is not affected. This choice is permanent once made.

An enlightened temporalist takes a step towards physical perfection. She gains a +1 inherent bonus to all ability scores. This increases to +2 at 9th level and +1 every three levels thereafter, to a maximum of +5 at 18th level.

An innate temporalist discovers how to use her powers more easily. Whenever she uses a power, the power has a 1/3 chance to cost no moments.


The erudite temporalist has the strongest of these, followed by the free inherent bonuses of the enlightened temporalist. I'm not sure what I'd do with the innate temportalist to bring it up, but it may just be fine. The innate temporalist is the weakest of them anyway (if only because of inconsistency), so it might be a good idea to rethink how they work a bit.


Temporal Mastery (Ex): At 20th level, a temporalist looks upon the infinite flow of time itself. The Portent power, if she knows it, no longer causes mental ability score damage. She sees the past, the present, and the future with every gaze. Any attacks the temporalist makes can strike an enemy passing through that space up to one minute in the future or one minute in the past. Attacks directed at an enemy's past self target flat-footed AC, but deal damage in the present instead of dealing damage retroactively. Attacks directed at an enemy's future self have no effect if the enemy does not pass through that square up to one minute in the future, but are resolved against their flat-footed AC if they do.

In addition, the temporalist can see everything that has happened in the last day and everything that could happen in the next hour with every gaze. This functions as a permanent Scrying (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/scrying) effect, but only in an area the temporalist can see and for one hour in the future or 24 hours in the past. The future is a maelstrom of undefined probability, and there is not one definite path, so the temporalist sees only the 1d4 most likely futures and their likelihood, as determined by the GM.


This is an awesome capstone, but requires a ridiculous amount of bookkeeping and I could see it being a huge hassle to actually play with. I'm not sure what I'd do to make it easier to use, because it's so flavorful, but that is my main concern about it.


In any case, I love the class, but it has some abilities that are weak and several abilities that are ridiculously overpowered.

For instance, a temporalist with the Freeze power and the Power Focus talent can act in stopped time for an infinite amount of standard actions by activating Freeze for 0 Moments, using a standard action, then activating it again as a move action to get another round of apparent time. Use a ranged weapon of choice to set up as many attacks as you want, and all your enemies die to sheer weight of numbers the moment it ends. A level 6 erudite one can do full round actions in it as well, because he gets two rounds per Freeze.

(This can be fixed by giving Power Focus a clause to make it so you can't have powers cost 0 Moments)

A temporalist of the and the Extended Pause and Full Pausetalents has the ability to make one ranged full attack per Moment spent, and one with Flickering Pause can do so with melee attacks.

The Quickened Pause talent is amazing, not as good as Celerity as you can't cast spells, but it lets you full attack if you have other talents based on pausing, or just move away. At the very least, it's a better Abrupt Jaunt.

I'm not sure how I'd rework these exploits, but they are definitely there, and it'd suck to remove the ability to use more stopped time, since it fits the class so well. In any case, I do like the class a lot, and I wish you luck in getting it balanced :smallsmile:

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-24, 06:29 PM
I actually didn't notice these [Temporal Connection bonuses] on the first read-through. That is a really cool way to set the different types of temporalist apart from each other. I'm not sure which is the strongest, but they are all pretty awesome.

Thank you! That's exactly what I was going for with these. I feel like Enlightened is probably the strongest, followed by Erudite and then Innate. Do you agree?


works... It's at its heart a nerfed time stop effect, and fairly awesome... Except that it then goes on to have a clause for attacking within the pause, after having said you can't attack or target other creatures during the pause. I think it's saying "you can make a single attack as you unpause time, denying the enemy their dexterity bonus to armor class", but as it is I'm not sure how it's supposed to be read.

That is a correct reading. I've reworded it a couple times, but it looks like it still doesn't make sense. If you read "can make a single attack as you unpause time, denying the enemy their dexterity bonus to armor class" and hadn't seen the temporalist before, would you understand what it meant?

The only reason that needs to be included is so that melee temporalists can use a Pause just as effectively as archers can. If an archer can make attacks during a pause, but a melee temporalist can't, then that might make melee completely unusable.


Can a temporalist set up a bunch of ranged attacks in a time stop and then fire them off all at once? Because that's actually really cool.

Yes! A temporalist can absolutely do that. Do you have an alternate wording to suggest to make that clearer, or do you think it's fine as is?


Also, can you attack objects during the pause? Would it cause you to do stuff like ignore hardness or would it, in effect, pull any object you struck into the time stop as well during the moment you touched it?

Good question. It should pull the object into the pause (I want to avoid the phrase "time stop" because of the spell), so I'll add that in.


I'm assuming that it [Freeze] works the same way as Pause? It's probably unneeded, but I prefer to be as comprehensive as possible, so you might want to say that it works the same was as pause. ("... you can choose to pause time for a number of rounds of your choice, up to a maximum number of rounds equal to your primary ability score modifier. This works as if you had used the pause ability, and doing so requires spending 1 Moment per round of frozen time.").

It does work the same way. I had thought the wording "you can pause time" would make that clear, but it's good to know it doesn't.


What happens if someone full attacks with a bow during it? Would it sit the arrows in the air until the time stop ends, then hit the enemy's flat-footed AC? Seems like a strong alpha strike tool.

That is correct. Freeze is basically an extended pause (not to cause confusion with the talent, which may or may not be cut).


Interesting. If you take it [Tilt] early, it gives you amazing buffing potential (level 2 to make your fighter-type party member hit twice with his power attacking greatsword seems like a fairly awesome use), and it keeps getting powerful as you level up and the buff and debuff means more as the people you're buffing or debuffing get stronger. I like it.

Do you think Tilt is too strong? That is my only worry with the power


I love time hop, so I love this. Sadly, it's not as good as actual time hops, because it can't hit objects and you have to go as well, but it's still really cool. However, since at its best it's a complicated dodge effect, I'd probably not take it unless I had nothing else I wanted. It'd always be there on the list, tempting me to take it at the next Power level XD

Leap is to Time Hop as Immediate Pause is to Celerity. If the power is too similar to the spell, then it's too strong, but if it has too many drawbacks, it's too weak. Time Hop is absolutely crazy, so I tried to make Leap similar, but not ridiculous.


I feel like there's a disconnect between what it [Dilate] is doing and what the effect actually does. I'd probably have the creatures inside the radius only act every other round, instead of speeding up the world around it. The current implementation just seems kinda clunky to me. Other than that, it's a neat debuff effect, sorta like a mass bestow curse that only last a little while.

I might wind up cutting it. It seems to be somewhat low on applications.


:smalleek:

This [Compress] is ridiculously good. Doubled spells, ranged attacks, and buff time, then you dismiss it and wade into melee. Or just keep it up and murder things from range.

I'm not sure if I'd nerf it, change it, or what, but in a situation where you use it to your advantage (which is most of them), it's like a more ridiculous version of 3.0 haste. This is an autopick for anyone taking the class. Unless it can't be dismissed, in which case it's still ridiculously good, just not as good. Some form of flight and a bow (especially if you have rogue levels to toggle pauses to sneak attack every round) will make sort work of any encounters not in enclosed space, though.

Ironically, if it can't be dismissed voluntarily, the long duration is actually a disadvantage XD

Surprisingly enough, I didn't even think of that. Yeah, that's... kind of an issue. Compress was intended to be a primarily out-of-combat power, with applications along the lines of "Okay, we need X hours to prepare/ make a plan/ get ready, but we only have Y hours." What if I said nothing can go in or out of the radius? That way, it would maintain its out-of-combat applications without being ridiculous in combat. However, I worry that if that was the case, it wouldn't be worth taking at all. What do you think?


Is this [Stasis] working the same way as the Pause ability above? Because if so, holy crap. Even if the rest of the party only has basic ranged weapons, 6 points to throw two rounds worth of ranged full attacks at your enemies is ridiculous. It will likely only happen once a day, but still ridiculous.


Or does it freeze them with no save? Because if so, still holy crap. That is one hell of a crowd-control effect.

Do you think it's too strong? Balance is my greatest concern with this class.


Oooh, a save point ability. That's really cool. :smallbiggrin:

Seems fairly useful in situations where you're running into a fight you're not sure you'll win, even if it does only last a few rounds. I'm assuming you can Pause time and then take the move action to return as well.

Does Lock "save" your Moment pool as well?

No, it does not. I remembered to say that for Reverse and Rewind, but not for Lock. I'll add it in.


This [Manifestations] is probably my favorite ability of the ones so far. It's just such a flavorful ability, and since they can't use powers of their own, it's mostly going to be used to make more attacks I guess? I continue to see the makings of a strong dakka archer build with this class.

Or for scouting, or for distractions, or for being in more than one place at the same time... the possibilities are endless?


This is interesting. It effectively multiplies your attacks by your primary stat modifier each round, then teleports you around.

Also, for these two abilities, where are the duplicates summoned to? Your square? Adjacent? Some area you can see? Might want to put something in for that.

They are different possible decisions you could make, so they start in the same space as you. Not just in your square, but literally where you are. (For game purposes, in your square).



Halt: You can pause time for others as well as yourself. This functions as the Freeze power, but you can leave time unpaused for other creatures, allowing them to act as well. Doing so costs 1 Moment per creature per round. Prerequisite: Freeze.

Ok, this is the one that's more of a "holy crap the archers in the party would love this." Powerful, powerful ability if you have anyone who can stack ranged attacks at all.

Too powerful, do you think? I'm going to double the cost on Halt and Freeze from 1 to 2 Moments/ round to get rid of the free Freeze trick, but other than that do you think it's too bad?


That really cool, and it's nice that you gave the class the ability to do the obvious combat trick for time manipulation. I'm wondering if it should be a save for half (or 1/4th level damage, to make it like disintegrate), or do anything at all if they succeed the save.

I thought about saying staggered anyway?


I don't really have much else to say about this, but it's [I]really good, and something I'd definitely have to pick up, especially on a melee temporalist. Power attacking with enough to make the attack a coinflip, then try again to make sure I definitely hit? Yes please.

Retry? Yeah, I'm going to make it an Erudite-only level 6 power. Enlightened will get an ability for either two or three (not sure) moments to instantly take 20, and I'm thinking of leaving Innate as is. Thoughts?


I'm personally not a fan of this ability. The way I see it, it's either extremely useful (rewind to capitalize on something or undo an event) or not strong (because the event was one that instagibbed you, or you can't afford the amount of moments needed, or you can't change the event). But hey, it's not every class that gets to activate the Omega 13 when they need to. It's a flavorful ability at least.

I think I'm going to cut Rewind, just to keep with the theme of "what's done is done".


I'm really liking that the class is mostly build on these modular class features.

That model makes it a lot harder to write, but I am extremely proud of the final product.


Are these [Medium and Heavy Armor] both worth an entire Talent to be taken? I'm not sure if they could be collapsed together and it'd be balanced, but they seem on the week side for dedicating two who levels of class features to it.

I'd rather have armor be underpowered than overpowered, especially because it's supposed to be a lightly-armored combatant and not as tough as a fighter.


This is neat, but completely useless for Wisdom-based temporalists because it doesn't stack with their baseline bonus. Was this intended?

Nope. I will fix it, though.


I'd just add the primary ability score modifier instead of making it needlessly complicated. All it's doing is nerfing the possibility of a level 2 AC bonus if the character has a good primary stat.

But I thought that if I didn't say "lower of level or primary ability score", then Temporalist 2 or Temporalist 3 would be an excellent wizard or cleric dip for INT or WIS to initiative and AC.


Neat, but it seems a little weak, honestly. Maybe for every 6 Moments spent, you'd recover 1?

It shall be buffed!




Whoo boy, this one is strong. It's like the unholy offspring of Abrupt Jaunt and Celerity :smalleek:

Not saying you should nerf it, but it's so immediately good that any temporalist that doesn't take it is doing it wrong.



This one is also very, very strong. Spammable time stops, even for a single full round action, are extremely powerful, especially when a ranged character can fully attack freely as the ability is written.



This one lets you cheaply nest pauses if you want, continually stacking ranged full attacks or setting up whatever. On an archer temporalist, it's ridiculous, but less so on other ones.

You can't activate powers from within a pause, including pause. But I will cut the pause talents (except maybe extended) for being too good.

I need to sleep now, but I'll finish this in the morning.


This one brings the melee temporalists up to the power of the ranged ones, letting them stack their full attacks as they want.

For reference, the only other thing that I can think of that grants multiple full attacks in the same round is Time Stands Still, a 9th-level Diamond Mind maneuver. Flickering Pause with Extended Pause lets you do that, and denies them Dex to AC during it. With Full Pause, you can instakill pretty much every enemy you face by going nova, and you will still have a bunch of Moments left over, since it will probably only take 4-6 full attacks to kill a boss fight if you actually have damage.

This class gets it at level 6.

Overall reaction to these last four abilities: :smalleek:



This one is fairly neat. Not sure how powerful it is, seeing as the most use I see of the Manifestation abilities are for spamming attacks and then blinking out of melee range.



Depending on how many moments the character can get, this becomes fairly good if you're using the abilities to do damage.

If you're using Pauses to chain full attacks, it's much weaker, as you won't need the Manifestation abilities to kill anything in combat.



... For how long? Does it reduce permanently, or per round? Or is it meant to reduce the base cost of the power by 1 point? Is there a minimum cost to use an ability? Because as written, it lets you get infinite standard actions by activating Freeze over and over again.



This is a useful ability. A bit boring, but it's the practical sort of boring, so it works.



I don't like this as a Talent, personally. I think it's something every temporalist should have no matter what their specialty is, since it's a fairly standard abuse of time magic.


I like it. More of the "boring utility", but these aren't meant to be super flashy.



Stuff I haven't responded to yet:
The erudite temporalist has the strongest of these, followed by the free inherent bonuses of the enlightened temporalist. I'm not sure what I'd do with the innate temportalist to bring it up, but it may just be fine. The innate temporalist is the weakest of them anyway (if only because of inconsistency), so it might be a good idea to rethink how they work a bit.



This is an awesome capstone, but requires a ridiculous amount of bookkeeping and I could see it being a huge hassle to actually play with. I'm not sure what I'd do to make it easier to use, because it's so flavorful, but that is my main concern about it.


In any case, I love the class, but it has some abilities that are weak and several abilities that are ridiculously overpowered.

For instance, a temporalist with the Freeze power and the Power Focus talent can act in stopped time for an infinite amount of standard actions by activating Freeze for 0 Moments, using a standard action, then activating it again as a move action to get another round of apparent time. Use a ranged weapon of choice to set up as many attacks as you want, and all your enemies die to sheer weight of numbers the moment it ends. A level 6 erudite one can do full round actions in it as well, because he gets two rounds per Freeze.

(This can be fixed by giving Power Focus a clause to make it so you can't have powers cost 0 Moments)

A temporalist of the and the Extended Pause and Full Pausetalents has the ability to make one ranged full attack per Moment spent, and one with Flickering Pause can do so with melee attacks.

The Quickened Pause talent is amazing, not as good as Celerity as you can't cast spells, but it lets you full attack if you have other talents based on pausing, or just move away. At the very least, it's a better Abrupt Jaunt.

I'm not sure how I'd rework these exploits, but they are definitely there, and it'd suck to remove the ability to use more stopped time, since it fits the class so well. In any case, I do like the class a lot, and I wish you luck in getting it balanced :smallsmile:

Forrestfire
2013-10-24, 08:15 PM
I'll respond to any responses all at once, but just so you know, a good amount of me asking for clarifications is probably me being thorough (like with the Freeze and pausing, or other stuff that I felt could be clearer in the way it's written). I prefer to write homebrew like a Magic card, with the goal of being as clear as possible, and accounting for any possible questions that might come up.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-24, 09:16 PM
I'll respond to any responses all at once, but just so you know, a good amount of me asking for clarifications is probably me being thorough (like with the Freeze and pausing, or other stuff that I felt could be clearer in the way it's written). I prefer to write homebrew like a Magic card, with the goal of being as clear as possible, and accounting for any possible questions that might come up.

That is a great way to write homebrew. It's just difficult to tell when I'm getting the concept across correctly, because I know what I mean no matter how I say it.

anacalgion
2013-10-24, 09:53 PM
Does the Improved Connection ability replace the Temporal Connection ability? I can't see anything that says that it does, so does an Innate Temporalist have a 25% chance of a power not costing moments, and then a 33% chance on top of that (which is about a 50% chance for a free power)? Or is there something I'm missing?

AttilaTheGeek
2013-10-24, 09:56 PM
Does the Improved Connection ability replace the Temporal Connection ability? I can't see anything that says that it does, so does an Innate Temporalist have a 25% chance of a power not costing moments, and then a 33% chance on top of that (which is about a 50% chance for a free power)? Or is there something I'm missing?

It is supposed to normally stack, but that one replaces it, I just forgot to say so. Thank you for pointing that out :smallsmile:

AttilaTheGeek
2013-11-01, 01:32 PM
I'm back! I took a week off from the forums to work on my college application, but I just submitted my app to MIT, so my fate is sealed.

Anyway, my plans for the next update include:
Raising the cost of Freeze and Halt powers from 1 and 1 to 2 and 3, respectively
Removing or fixing excessively powerful Pause talents
Changing talents that say "Lower of level or attribute to X rolls" to just "attribute to X rolls"
I have something interesting planned for the Retry and Rewind powers.
Which is big enough that it really deserves two bullet points.
I'll add a couple more powers.
Fix Compress. Still not sure how.
Potentially make Immediate Pause its own power. (I'd name it Celerity, but that might create confusion with the spell. Still, there are only so many words. Any random word or combination of words is probably a Sor/Wiz spell out there somewhere.)
Clarify wording for Pause... again.


Edit: It is done! From the changelog:
11/1: Back to work! Added techniques, moved the Retry power to the Erudite's Improved Connection, moved the Rewind power to an Erudite technique, moved Out Of Time talent to a universal technique, and clarified that an Innate's Improved Connection replaces their Temporal Connection instead of stacking with it. Temporal Connection is now one minute instead of one round, but the scrying effect is unchanged. Rewrote the "background" intro blurb. All talents that say "lesser of ability score or level" now just say "ability score". Cut Extended, Immediate, and Full Pause talents (but not Flickering). Momentum is now a technique, and it has been reworked and strengthened. And changed the wording on Pause. Again.

Rebonack
2013-11-08, 04:34 PM
They say time is money, but for the Temporalist time is heaps of dead monsters.

This is a really neat class. It sorta reminds me of ToME's Temporal Warden class, though I suppose anyone who uses timestop to fire a zillion arrows is going to end up with some degree of similarity. Though a few issues come to mind for me.

First, the Cha based Temporalist's ability makes me feel a little bit squeamish. Having a chance of flubbing your Powers is a nasty effect, even if that effect goes away by level 5. I would suggest instead having a chance of the Power costing twice as many Moments and only failing if you run out of Moments as a result. That offers better symmetry with the positive effect and doesn't hose the player if they happen to roll poorly.

Second, I feel as though you missed the mark if you were aiming for T4 on this guy. He can break action economy, has great ranged and melee combat potential, can lay down some really wicked disables, offers mobility out the singularity, and sports some nice out of combat utility powers as well.

Cheesecake All Over the Ceiling Tier: Able to do EVERYTHING amazingly well to the point of being game-breaking. Can switch up their game-breaking combo on a day to day basis.
(Not here)
Cheesecake All Over the Floor Tier: Able to do EVERYTHING amazingly well to the point of being game-breaking. However, they're limited by spell selection.
(Not here)
Shot For the Moon and Hit a Satellite Tier: Able to do a few things amazingly well with some potential for breaking the game.
(Not here)
Everyone Tries to Make These Tier: Able to do one thing amazingly well while being okay at other things OR able to do all things really well without being amazing.
==>(Right here!)<==
You're Special Just the Way You Are Tier: Able to do one thing amazingly well and falling flat on everything else OR able to do many competently, though not standing out in any real way.
(Not here)
Have You Tried Turning it Off and Back On? Tier: Not even good at doing the thing they're supposed to be good at OR they're so unfocused they end up kind of awful at everything.
(Not here)
Samurai Tier: Samurai Samurai Samurai Samurai Samurai
(Not here)

I feel like you would really have to gut this poor guy if you wanted to nerf him down to Rogue/Ranger/Barbarian level. He's too good at too many combat functions (while also having some solid out of combat functions) to be classified as T4.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-11-09, 10:43 AM
They say time is money, but for the Temporalist time is heaps of dead monsters.

And here I was thinking you were about to make a pun about how it hasn't gotten any comments recently. :smalltongue: But hey, if you're an adventurer, dead monsters are money.


This is a really neat class. It sorta reminds me of ToME's Temporal Warden class, though I suppose anyone who uses timestop to fire a zillion arrows is going to end up with some degree of similarity. Though a few issues come to mind for me.

Thanks! I'm not actually familiar with the Temporal Warden, but I'll check it out.


First, the Cha based Temporalist's ability makes me feel a little bit squeamish. Having a chance of flubbing your Powers is a nasty effect, even if that effect goes away by level 5. I would suggest instead having a chance of the Power costing twice as many Moments and only failing if you run out of Moments as a result. That offers better symmetry with the positive effect and doesn't hose the player if they happen to roll poorly.

Makes sense, and a good point.


Second, I feel as though you missed the mark if you were aiming for T4 on this guy. He can break action economy, has great ranged and melee combat potential, can lay down some really wicked disables, offers mobility out the singularity, and sports some nice out of combat utility powers as well.

T4 was the original goal, but that was back when the class only got six powers (instead of ten), five talents (instead of ten), and no Techniques. At that point, it was T5 at best, so then I readjusted for T3.


I feel like you would really have to gut this poor guy if you wanted to nerf him down to Rogue/Ranger/Barbarian level. He's too good at too many combat functions (while also having some solid out of combat functions) to be classified as T4.

I thought about having an alternate version at a lower tier, but I didn't think it would be worth the trouble. What do you think?

Rebonack
2013-11-09, 02:34 PM
I thought about having an alternate version at a lower tier, but I didn't think it would be worth the trouble. What do you think?

If you wanted to drop him down a Tier I would suggest axing his out of combat utility and all of his disable abilities. That would still leave him as a potent, mobile combatant but it would restrict his other options.

Personally I think he's at a good spot right now. Rangers and Barbarians play just fine with Bards and Warblades.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-11-09, 03:15 PM
Personally I think he's at a good spot right now. Rangers and Barbarians play just fine with Bards and Warblades.

Yeah, I agree. I don't have any plans to axe features; it's pretty much done as is, and I was mostly just looking for final feedback.

JKTrickster
2013-11-10, 09:47 AM
There's a small typo. Are you supposed to get 3 techniques in total (10th, 14th, and 18th) or 4 techniques in total (6th, 10th, 14th, 18th).

The text says you start at 10th level, and the table says you start at 6th. I know text trumps table but let's just get it cleared up here.

AttilaTheGeek
2013-11-10, 09:52 AM
There's a small typo. Are you supposed to get 3 techniques in total (10th, 14th, and 18th) or 4 techniques in total (6th, 10th, 14th, 18th).

The text says you start at 10th level, and the table says you start at 6th. I know text trumps table but let's just get it cleared up here.

Good point, that was actually a typo in the text. You used to get something different at 6th, but I just made those into techniques and forgot to change the text. Thank you for pointing that out!

JKTrickster
2013-11-10, 11:37 AM
No problem! I've seen the class progressing for a while now so that's how I knew something was a amiss :smallwink:

I just have to say its a really cool class! I really the potential of character :smallbiggrin:

Just wondering - you neglected to label Pause as Extraordinary, Supernatural, or something else. Might want to correct that :smallwink:

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-06, 10:41 PM
I'm bringing this back to get some more final feedback on it. Since the last update, I've changed a couple powers, added some more techniques, and generally cleaned up the wording. I want this to be a final draft, ready for a game. If you're coming in to critique this class, know that I'd appreciate any criticism, but I'm specifically looking for feedback in regards to balance. If you were a DM, would you allow a player to play a Temporalist? Why or why not?

Plato Play-Doh
2014-02-07, 11:38 AM
I like it. I'd be willing to let a player use this class. It's really cool, could add to a campaign from a roleplaying and narrative perspective in interesting ways, and doesn't seem like it would overshadow the other players or be super unbalanced. Looks good. I do have one question: in the description of moments, you say that the moment pool is equal to class level + primary ability score. Then, in the description of the erudite under Temporal Connections, you say that an erudite gains additional moments equal to their intelligence modifier. Does this mean that they have class level + (intelligence modifierx2) moments or did you mean for them to be the only ones who added their primary ability score to their moment pool? It's fine either way, just asking for clarification.

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-07, 12:53 PM
I like it. I'd be willing to let a player use this class. It's really cool, could add to a campaign from a roleplaying and narrative perspective in interesting ways, and doesn't seem like it would overshadow the other players or be super unbalanced. Looks good.

Thank you! I'm glad to hear it's passed the test :smallsmile:


I do have one question: in the description of moments, you say that the moment pool is equal to class level + primary ability score. Then, in the description of the erudite under Temporal Connections, you say that an erudite gains additional moments equal to their intelligence modifier. Does this mean that they have class level + (intelligence modifierx2) moments or did you mean for them to be the only ones who added their primary ability score to their moment pool? It's fine either way, just asking for clarification.

All temporalists have moments = level + primary ability score, and Erudites get additional moments on top of that equal to level or INT mod, whichever is lower. That means at low levels, where the level < INT mod (say you have 16 INT at first level), then you'd get bonus moments equal to your level. But at high levels, where your INT mod is less than your level (maybe you have 32 INT for a +12 mod at level 20), then you can only get as many bonus moments as your INT mod. I thought that the phrase "additional moments" would make it clear that it's on top of the regular amount; what about the wording as it stands made that unclear?

Jormengand
2014-02-07, 12:54 PM
Hmm... I like it. A few things:

Abilities aren't in level order. Bonus feats should be written out after talents. I know you like screwing about with time, but can you at least keep your ability descriptions in chronological order? :smalltongue:

Ability to timestop, only better because you can actually attack things, at second level? A grey elf temporalist (PF: A goddamn human temporalist) can have 9 of these "Moment" things at second level, allowing them to shoot someone three times before that person even knows they exist. Even Pause allows you to Charge and then make a Full Attack, putting a psychic warrior to shame.

Also, the haste/slow effect can be happening at second level, and can be turning a relatively fair 5v5 fight into a slaughter.

Due to the definition of pause time, Stasis seems to entitle creatures in the area to a free move and standard action. You can't actually take the action to stop it, assuming it's meant to act more like Microcosm - which is a ninth-level power, by the way.

Bubble can be used as the nastiest trap in the world. If someone leads a party into an area where a Bubble has been in the making for 9 rounds, and the Bubble is then completed, these people are frozen in time for long enough for the Temporalist and his friends to fire six hundred arrows each at the poor sods who are frozen in time. At second level.

Lock seems very Iron Heart Surge. Costs a lot, though.

Manifestations cannot use powers. That's all well and good, and I know what you mean, but RAW this might lead to some very irritated Psion/Temporalists. manifestations is also a bit headache-inducing, but seems to allow you to come up with another four copies of you who, so long as they can dodge attacks, get to keep doing whatever they like. There's nothing stopping them casting spells or invoking invocations or uttering utterances (we're not sure about manifesting powers), and it doesn't look like they use up any spell slots /Law of Resistance/whatever, which could be... problematic.

It doesn't seem to have any non-cheesy practical applications, either.

Halt seems like it's going to result in some phenomenally happy wizards. Actually, Bubble seems like it might, too.

Implode does... quite a lot of damage. 2d6/level quickly becomes distinctly silly, not to mention your ability to do this more than once per round.

Steal Time seems a lot weaker than the others. Either you're trading standard actions, or you're paying 2 of your precious moments to take someone's standard action, or the thing fails in the first place and you lose your standard action.

Transfer Time is the kind of thing that makes every wizard worth his salt want a small legion of the damn things filling all of his second-level and above Leadership slots. I've seen people permit Leadership (weird, huh?) and by about tenth level there's very little stopping a sorcerer with maxed-out CHA taking eight or so extra full rounds, allowing him to screw around with the world on his own terms instead of the world's. And sorcerers run out of spell slots - imagine a truenamer or whatever running around with that - he can fling out eight different utterances at your face without really giving much thought to the LoR, and giving no thought whatsoever to the action economy.

Barrier puts all Wall Of spells to shame. Also, it can be combined with Epic Combat Reflexes and a well-placed sunder attack versus the floor to provide yet another of those infinite damage loops we know and hate. And DW kobolds were stupid enough as-is, we don't need something else for them to screw with.

Also, it's still capable of causing an infinite loop even if you don't use ECR - just make sure you're standing over it at the beginning of your round and then smash the floor (or open a trapdoor). You go back where you were at the beginning of the round, and fall again... and again... and again... and again...

Not to mention the fact that you can start at X, put a Barrier at Z, go and stand at Y, put another barrier at X and walk into Y - you can infinite loop yourself back to X a millioninfinitely many times over.

Portent is like... can't remember the name, but it's a fairly high-level spell. You should totally stop making your second-level abilities work like high-level spells.

Reverse... could probably be used for some kind of cheese. The fact that it allows you to shrug off high-level spells is a bit worrying, even if it comes at a high cost.

*Sigh* All right, let's have a look at the rest:

Medium armour/heavy armour is meh. You can just walk out of attacks anyway, but I suppose it lets you one-up a sorcerer.

Conductive weapon is cool, but is it really meant to let you steal some guy's standard action/make him blow up by shooting him?

Premeditation is pretty good - everyone likes bonuses to initiative, and given that this one's probably a +4-5 at low levels and +8-9 at high levels, it's about a feat or two. As though there were characters who didn't take II anyway.

Foresight is generally better than being able to wear medium orand heavy armour - it probably gives a better bonus (difference between chain shirt and full plate is +5, your PAS mod is probably the same at first and more at higher levels), it makes you have a low FFAC instead of a low TAC, and you - temporalist that you are - are unlikely to be flat-footed and being attacked. It's not overpowered, it's just better.

Flickering Pause allows you to do silly things, especially with a gun - why, yes I think I will make a full attack action against FFTAC. If you're a rogue at the same time, you're able to full attack sneak attack every round.

Enduring Futures is meh. It lets things take an extra hit when you use one specific ability. It's pretty much only useful if you were actually planning to cheese that particular power up.

Warped Futures is again probably only actually useful for cheese purposes - like getting your future selves to hand over their full rounds of actions, maybe?

Power Focus is ridiculous. If you take it twice, then at fourth level you can Freeze time for about 14 rounds. That's basically an instant win.

Extra Moments is very ridiculous. At sixth level, you're now Freezing time for up to about 25 rounds, depending on what you're doing with your INT.

Finesse is meh. There are talents here which are, or can easily be, strictly better than a bonus feat. So meh.

Agility is meh. I mean, it's better than a feat if you have at all decent DEX (even if it's 14, that's weapon focus everything and quite a lot of thirds of a skill focus) but it's only going to be good if you've got a really high DEX or/and are using strength-based skills a lot.

Bonus Feat: Why do we have Finesse here?

Efficiency is wierdly worded. It implies that you acquire moments faster, and you acquire more of them, and although the overnight example shows this not to be the case, it's confusing at best. Also, could you not just recover them every 45 minutes?

Tempo. Ohhh wow. Now, see, most classes would be like "Oh, well, that's not very good." But a temporalist, a temporalist can take a third round of actions every round. And there are other classes who are very much limited by their inability to use more than one swift action per round. If you want to be able to kill everything in a round, this is the talent for you. Nothing says you can't take the same talent more than once, either, so every two levels you can be adding more and more swiftfull-round actions to the mix. Ohhh wow.

Temporal Mastery looks pretty crazy, but is actually just a bit odd. As always, there's probably a way to abuse it, but I can't think of one this time.

Essentially, homebrewers are usually dissuaded from screwing with the action economy. You've built an entire class based on doing so, and it utterly wrecks the game if used right (or wrong) is insanely front-loaded, emulates high-level spells only better, and at second level, and has some abilities which can cause the entire world to stand still while a single infinite loop resolves itself in the space of a move action. It's a good idea, it's well presented, and if used as intended it works well - but you can bet your sweet life that it will not be used as intended, whether the players themselves are trying to break it or not.

It's a good start. It needs some serious fixing.

Andion Isurand
2014-02-07, 06:27 PM
I would suggest one take a peek at this PrC: The Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327)

I also brewed a spell that seemed like a natural progression for this type of thing.

TEMPORAL TIDE
Transmutation [Time]
Level: Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S
Targets: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 60 ft. apart
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless) or Will negates

This spell functions like haste (PH 239) and slow (PH 280). All allied targets are affected by a haste effect (as the spell), while all enemy targets are affected by a slow effect (again, as the spell). A successful Will save negates the slow effect.
This spell may not be countered or dispelled by haste or slow.

Alabenson
2014-02-08, 12:32 AM
Skills: I would consider having some variance in what class skills are available based on which primary ability score is choosen.

Proficiencies: The wording of the arcane spell failure explanation is somewhat cumbersome.

Temporal Connection: If possible, you should give some consideration to finding a more flavorful term for the primary ability score.
The description for how the erudites gain additional moments is somewhat overly complicated. I would advise tying them to just the Int modifier instead of Int or class level, and simply state that erudites have a pool of Moments equal to class level + double Int mod.

Pause: My immediate concern regarding this ability is that it arguably makes the temporalist the premier dip for a huge number of builds, both martial and spellcasting. I would strongly consider giving Pause at a later level if at all due to the action economy advantage it gives.

Powers: Again, I would advise changing the name to something more evocative, especially since the term “Powers” is already used in D&D to denote Psionic abilities.
Stasis: You should outline precisely what the effects of being put into temporal stasis are in the description.
Lock: The wording on this ability is somewhat unclear, especially the last sentence.
Manifestations: I would very strongly recommend adding language preventing the manifestations from using any form of spellcasting and not just the temporalist’s native abilities. Otherwise, this could lend itself to a hideous level of abuse in the hands of a multiclass character.
Barrier: My main concern with this ability is that the rewinding effect seems like it could be very cumbersome.

Bonus Feats: In 3.5 terms, would “combat feats” mean Fighter Bonus Feats?

Talents: I really have to question why Finesse is a talent, as it should be already covered by the existing Bonus Feats.

Techniques:
Attunement: This ability seems exceedingly overpowered compared the other options available. I would change it to gaining a +1 inherent bonus to a single ability score, with additional +1 bonuses gained at the appropriate class levels.
Enlightened Body: I have to question why you specify additional bonuses to be gained the level following taking this ability.
Prescience: This ability needs specification as to whether it counts as natural 20’s for the purposes of critical threats and automatic hits.
Smite: This ability is singularly underwhelming. I would advise strengthening it considerably.

Overall, as a DM I would be extremely hesitant to permit this class in one of my games due to its power as a dip class. Pause is essentially a mini Time Stop, and Manifestations as written is potentially more gamebreaking than many 9th level spells.

Plato Play-Doh
2014-02-08, 09:59 AM
My thoughts on it might be slightly skewed, as I tend to like low-level, low-magic adventures when I DM, and my players are relatively heavy RPers (we have explicit rules in our group against meta-gaming. You get caught meta-gaming at my (or my friends') table, you die.)

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-08, 10:16 PM
First off, thanks for all the feedback! I've made major changes, including deleting several gamebreaking abilities completely.

Here is the total list of changes, spoiled for length:
Overall:

Pause is now a move action and lasts for only a move action.
At 6th level, it becomes a swift action again, and the Greater Pause technique (available at 10th level) extends it to a standard action.
Temporal Connections have been redone
You can no longer use psionic powers, magic items, or any activated spell-like or supernatural abilities during a Pause, and I've added some more language to make sure it's not misinterpreted.
Powers now Manipulations:
You longer learn one at 2nd level
Manifestations, Transfer Time, and Stasis have been cut.
Tilt is split into Accelerate and Decelerate, with a required level of 5 each
Freeze renamed to Extended Pause, Halt renamed to Shared Pause, and Implode renamed to Implosion
Implosion now needs two failed saves to blow someone up
Barrier can now only affect one creature before disappearing
Wording of Lock has been adjusted
prerequisite levels added for manipulations
Manipulations have been rearranged into level order from lowest to highest.

Talents:
Clarified that each talent can only be learned once
Tempo, Warped Futures, Enduring Futures, Flickering Pause, and Bonus Feat have been cut.
Efficiency now reads "1 Moment every 40 minutes" instead of "1d2 moments per hour".
Premeditation now applies primary ability score mod to initiative instead of dex (previously in addition to dex)

Techniques:
Clarified that each technique can only be learned once
Quickened Pace and Arcane Dabbler cut
Attunement reduced from all scores to one mental and one physical
Enlightened Body has been buffed, but its secondary effect is now Perfection
Bonded Object cost reduction no longer stacks with Power Focus.


Jormengand:

Abilities aren't in level order. Bonus feats should be written out after talents. I know you like screwing about with time, but can you at least keep your ability descriptions in chronological order? :smalltongue:

That was a typo, really. :smallredface:


Ability to timestop, only better because you can actually attack things, at second level? A grey elf temporalist (PF: A goddamn human temporalist) can have 9 of these "Moment" things at second level, allowing them to shoot someone three times before that person even knows they exist.

It's a little less bad now; you don't get a power until third level. Besides, you have to use your entire daily resources to do so. I want to nerf the erudite's extra moments, too. I'm thinking about saying pause only lasts a move action but erudites get to pause for a standard action, but I'm not sure about that.


Even Pause allows you to Charge and then make a Full Attack, putting a psychic warrior to shame.

I've had a lot of trouble with how to address this. Pause isn't broken at low levels or at all for single-classed temporalists, and I think it can open a lot of interesting ways to solve problems if it's put to good use. However, as long as it lasts at least as long as a move action, it lets someone move and full attack. I could argue that everyone should be able to move and full attack anyway, but they can't, so that's moot. I don't know how to make this ability not the best dip ever while still keeping it fun and effective for single-classed temporalists.

I figured it out: just make Pause take a move action to activate. That way, it still lets a player use time stop hijinks out of combat, but doesn't grant action economy advantage at level one. It goes back to being a swift action activation at level six, well out of dipping range, but I'm considering moving that up to eight or so.


Also, the haste/slow effect can be happening at second level, and can be turning a relatively fair 5v5 fight into a slaughter.

Due to the definition of pause time, Stasis seems to entitle creatures in the area to a free move and standard action. You can't actually take the action to stop it, assuming it's meant to act more like Microcosm - which is a ninth-level power, by the way.

Both of those powers have been deleted completely.


Bubble can be used as the nastiest trap in the world. If someone leads a party into an area where a Bubble has been in the making for 9 rounds, and the Bubble is then completed, these people are frozen in time for long enough for the Temporalist and his friends to fire six hundred arrows each at the poor sods who are frozen in time. At second level.

Bubble now has a minimum level of 5 and gives a Reflex save to step inside.


Lock seems very Iron Heart Surge. Costs a lot, though.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?


Manifestations cannot use powers. That's all well and good, and I know what you mean, but RAW this might lead to some very irritated Psion/Temporalists. manifestations is also a bit headache-inducing, but seems to allow you to come up with another four copies of you who, so long as they can dodge attacks, get to keep doing whatever they like. There's nothing stopping them casting spells or invoking invocations or uttering utterances (we're not sure about manifesting powers), and it doesn't look like they use up any spell slots /Law of Resistance/whatever, which could be... problematic.

It doesn't seem to have any non-cheesy practical applications, either.

Yeah, I just got rid of that entire power.


Halt seems like it's going to result in some phenomenally happy wizards. Actually, Bubble seems like it might, too.

Others can no longer cast spells / use powers / etc while you pause time for them.


Implode does... quite a lot of damage. 2d6/level quickly becomes distinctly silly, not to mention your ability to do this more than once per round.

It's based off Disintegrate. It's supposed to kill someone if it works, but not work very often, so it now requires two consecutive failed saves. Also, you could only do it once a round; you could not (and still cannot) use powers manipulations during a pause.


Steal Time seems a lot weaker than the others. Either you're trading standard actions, or you're paying 2 of your precious moments to take someone's standard action, or the thing fails in the first place and you lose your standard action.

Steal Time now costs one moment, but I don't think it needs to be buffed more than that.


Transfer Time is the kind of thing that makes every wizard worth his salt want a small legion of the damn things filling all of his second-level and above Leadership slots. I've seen people permit Leadership (weird, huh?) and by about tenth level there's very little stopping a sorcerer with maxed-out CHA taking eight or so extra full rounds, allowing him to screw around with the world on his own terms instead of the world's. And sorcerers run out of spell slots - imagine a truenamer or whatever running around with that - he can fling out eight different utterances at your face without really giving much thought to the LoR, and giving no thought whatsoever to the action economy.

Well, I'm glad I got rid of that power.


Barrier puts all Wall Of spells to shame. Also, it can be combined with Epic Combat Reflexes and a well-placed sunder attack versus the floor to provide yet another of those infinite damage loops we know and hate. And DW kobolds were stupid enough as-is, we don't need something else for them to screw with.

Also, it's still capable of causing an infinite loop even if you don't use ECR - just make sure you're standing over it at the beginning of your round and then smash the floor (or open a trapdoor). You go back where you were at the beginning of the round, and fall again... and again... and again... and again...

Not to mention the fact that you can start at X, put a Barrier at Z, go and stand at Y, put another barrier at X and walk into Y - you can infinite loop yourself back to X a millioninfinitely many times over.

Barrier now only works once and costs only one Moment.


Portent is like... can't remember the name, but it's a fairly high-level spell. You should totally stop making your second-level abilities work like high-level spells.

It now has a required level of 9, and at that point it's one of only four powers you pick, so I don't think it's all that bad?


Reverse... could probably be used for some kind of cheese. The fact that it allows you to shrug off high-level spells is a bit worrying, even if it comes at a high cost.

It now can't be used until level 11, at which point I think it's fair.


Premeditation is pretty good - everyone likes bonuses to initiative, and given that this one's probably a +4-5 at low levels and +8-9 at high levels, it's about a feat or two. As though there were characters who didn't take II anyway.

It now applies primary ability score mod to initiative instead of dex, but I might have to nerf it farther.


Flickering Pause allows you to do silly things, especially with a gun - why, yes I think I will make a full attack action against FFTAC. If you're a rogue at the same time, you're able to full attack sneak attack every round.

Enduring Futures is meh. It lets things take an extra hit when you use one specific ability. It's pretty much only useful if you were actually planning to cheese that particular power up.

Warped Futures is again probably only actually useful for cheese purposes - like getting your future selves to hand over their full rounds of actions, maybe?

All three of those have been removed.


Power Focus is ridiculous. If you take it twice, then at fourth level you can Freeze time for about 14 rounds. That's basically an instant win.

It doesn't stack with itself. Like Spell Focus, it applies to a different power manipulation every time.


Extra Moments is very ridiculous. At sixth level, you're now Freezing time for up to about 25 rounds, depending on what you're doing with your INT.

I might get rid of it, but I already need more talents than I have.


Bonus Feat: Why do we have Finesse here?

Bonus Feat has been cut.


Efficiency is wierdly worded. It implies that you acquire moments faster, and you acquire more of them, and although the overnight example shows this not to be the case, it's confusing at best. Also, could you not just recover them every 45 minutes?

Yes. Yes you could. I didn't think of that.


Tempo. Ohhh wow. Now, see, most classes would be like "Oh, well, that's not very good." But a temporalist, a temporalist can take a third round of actions every round. And there are other classes who are very much limited by their inability to use more than one swift action per round. If you want to be able to kill everything in a round, this is the talent for you. Nothing says you can't take the same talent more than once, either, so every two levels you can be adding more and more swiftfull-round actions to the mix. Ohhh wow.

I first thought of it as "yeah, you just go a little faster", but then I thought about it some more and realized it had to go.


Temporal Mastery looks pretty crazy, but is actually just a bit odd. As always, there's probably a way to abuse it, but I can't think of one this time.

I may or may not redesign the capstone, depending on what other people think of it.


Essentially, homebrewers are usually dissuaded from screwing with the action economy. You've built an entire class based on doing so, and it utterly wrecks the game if used right (or wrong) is insanely front-loaded, emulates high-level spells only better, and at second level, and has some abilities which can cause the entire world to stand still while a single infinite loop resolves itself in the space of a move action. It's a good idea, it's well presented, and if used as intended it works well - but you can bet your sweet life that it will not be used as intended, whether the players themselves are trying to break it or not.

It's a good start. It needs some serious fixing.

I've made steps to delete the worst offenders, scale back the rest, and get rid of as many infinite loops as I can think of. I almost abandoned it a long time ago, but I'm determined to make it work because I believe, as you do, that the idea is good. To that end, I think this counts as "serious fixing"- do you?


I would suggest one take a peek at this PrC: The Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327)

Interesting! I incorporated Haste into a manipulation, but I think the rest of the class is too focused on that one spell to be applicable.

Alabenson, also spoiled for length:

Skills: I would consider having some variance in what class skills are available based on which primary ability score is choosen.

Each temporal connection now grants a bonus class skill (or two, in the case of Spot/Listen)


Proficiencies: The wording of the arcane spell failure explanation is somewhat cumbersome.

How so? Is it clear, at least? I'd rather it be cumbersome than ambiguous.


Temporal Connection: If possible, you should give some consideration to finding a more flavorful term for the primary ability score.
The description for how the erudites gain additional moments is somewhat overly complicated. I would advise tying them to just the Int modifier instead of Int or class level, and simply state that erudites have a pool of Moments equal to class level + double Int mod.

The reason why the bonus is equal to the lower of the two is so that it's not too strong at either low or high levels. For example, a first-level temporalist might have 16 in their mental stat of choice, so a non-erudite has 4 moments. Here, the Erudite has 5, for a decent increase but not an extreme one. If they instead got three more moments (from their INT mod of +3), they'd be almost twice as effective as any other temporalist. But on the other end, say a temporalist at 20 has a 30 in their mental stat for a +10 modifier. Most temporalists have 30 moments, but erudites have 40. The "lower of the two" doesn't really come into effect after level four or so, but it's in there to prevent erudites from being the strongest choice at low levels.


Pause: My immediate concern regarding this ability is that it arguably makes the temporalist the premier dip for a huge number of builds, both martial and spellcasting. I would strongly consider giving Pause at a later level if at all due to the action economy advantage it gives.

Pause at level one is now no action advantage at all. I realized it didn't have to be extra actions to get across what I wanted to do, so it now takes a move action to do and stops time for a move action. Still, at 6th level (out of dipping range) it goes back to being a swift action because at that point it's not too bad. At 10th level, an optional Technique lets you extend it back to a standard action again, if you want. Since pretty much all you can do with that standard action that you couldn't do with a move is attack, I don't think that's anything to worry about.


Powers: Again, I would advise changing the name to something more evocative, especially since the term “Powers” is already used in D&D to denote Psionic abilities.

Powers are now called Manipulations. At least I got rid of Manifestations, or we'd have players trying to say "Manifestations Manipulation" five times fast.


Stasis: You should outline precisely what the effects of being put into temporal stasis are in the description.

Or I could just get rid of stasis instead. I think that's for the best.


Lock: The wording on this ability is somewhat unclear, especially the last sentence.

How's this? The idea is that it resets your condition and hit points, but not your Moment count.


Lock: You can lock yourself in time, and return to that time and condition later. By spending 3 Moments as a move action, you can "lock" your position and status, which includes hit points, condition, and any magical effects affecting you. After that, for a number of rounds equal to your primary ability score modifier, you can spend a move action and an additional 1 Moment to return to that position and status. You can return to a locked point in time only once. Returning to your locked state does not restore your Moment count. Prerequisite: Temporalist 5.


Manifestations: I would very strongly recommend adding language preventing the manifestations from using any form of spellcasting and not just the temporalist’s native abilities. Otherwise, this could lend itself to a hideous level of abuse in the hands of a multiclass character.

Manifestations has just been removed entirely.


Barrier: My main concern with this ability is that the rewinding effect seems like it could be very cumbersome.

I didn't want to cut Barrier, but it was difficult to keep track of and excessively powerful, so now it affects only the first creature to walk through it and then disappears.


Bonus Feats: In 3.5 terms, would “combat feats” mean Fighter Bonus Feats?

Yes, it does. I'd just forgotten that they weren't called Combat Feats.


Talents: I really have to question why Finesse is a talent, as it should be already covered by the existing Bonus Feats.

The Bonus Feat talent has been removed, and Finesse is a talent so you don't have to spend a feat on it.


Attunement: This ability seems exceedingly overpowered compared the other options available. I would change it to gaining a +1 inherent bonus to a single ability score, with additional +1 bonuses gained at the appropriate class levels.

It now boosts only two scores, one mental and one physical.


Enlightened Body: I have to question why you specify additional bonuses to be gained the level following taking this ability.

I didn't want to give that many immunities at the same time, but I didn't want to only give a couple. It has now been buffed and split into Enlightened Body and Perfection.


Prescience: This ability needs specification as to whether it counts as natural 20’s for the purposes of critical threats and automatic hits.

You can no longer crit during Prescience.


Smite: This ability is singularly underwhelming. I would advise strengthening it considerably.

Really? I raised the cap on it (not that the cap was ever a big deal to begin with), but I don't see it as being that weak. Is it?


Overall, as a DM I would be extremely hesitant to permit this class in one of my games due to its power as a dip class. Pause is essentially a mini Time Stop, and Manifestations as written is potentially more gamebreaking than many 9th level spells.

Since Pause no longer grants an action economy advantage until level six (and I'm thinking about moving that back too), many infinite loops have been closed, and Manifestations has been removed entirely, what do you think now?

Thank you all so much for the feedback! I can't believe I thought the last version of this was ready to play, but I find myself saying that about every draft :smallsmile:

Ilorin Lorati
2014-02-13, 02:14 AM
This past Sunday one of my players used the previous version of Temporalist - they didn't have enough time to make the necessary alterations before updating.

Let me just thank you a million bloody times for the massive nerf to Tilt. The single combat I allowed her to use it in pretty much made me cry.

She'll be updated to this version by next week, and I'll see what I can do about getting some notes about the experience when we get into combat.

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-13, 09:42 AM
This past Sunday one of my players used the previous version of Temporalist - they didn't have enough time to make the necessary alterations before updating.

Let me just thank you a million bloody times for the massive nerf to Tilt. The single combat I allowed her to use it in pretty much made me cry.

She'll be updated to this version by next week, and I'll see what I can do about getting some notes about the experience when we get into combat.

They played it in a game?! :smallbiggrin: What abilities did they choose? What's their build? What level was it at? How creatively did they use the time stop mechanics? Tell me everything!

I think the most major changes are done with regards to level distribution and basic mechanics. At this point, all that's left to do is add more manipulations, talents, and techniques and fine-tune the ones that are left. Thank you for allowing a player to play my class, even though I'm still making tweaks :smallsmile:


Talent and Manipulation levels have been flipped: you learn Manipulations at even levels (starting at 2) and Talents at odd levels (starting at 3)
You learn a Technique at 3, but there are only a couple options now; I'm working on more.

Ilorin Lorati
2014-02-13, 10:47 AM
This was second level and she picked up Foresight as her talent and Tilt as her Power. Aside from the use of Tilt that completely removed half the creatures from combat (and thus cut all my onions - I should know better to allow a class through without ripping apart everything in it, but Tilt slipped through my radar), she used Pause a couple of times to keep her distance from the boss. I don't actually think she used any of her moments to deal extra damage.

I'll be honest though, the only reason I let her start using it was because I hadn't seen any updates to it in a while. ;) It's fine though, it'll be easier to give feedback to the designer than try to make balance adjustments myself.

JKTrickster
2014-02-23, 10:12 PM
Hey!

I've always liked your class and I'm currently playing it in a campaign! If you want, I'll PM you the link later!

It's really high level so I'm not sure how well you would like it.

Some questions:

Is there a reason why Decelerate has its own Save DC? In Manipulations, you mention each Manipulation has a standard DC but Deceleration doesn't follow the same formula.

If that was your intent, you could rephrase it as "if no Save DC is listed, then it follows [formula]. Otherwise Save DC is as specified". Or something like that?

For Efficiency you state that you gain Moments 50% faster. Wouldn't that be 30 minutes instead of 40? :smallconfused:

For Talents you should mention that Manipulation Focus is the only Talent that you can learn multiple times. Makes it much clearer (again).

For the Techniques: Revelations, can you choose it again if you choose different Revelation from the Oracle class?

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-24, 07:08 PM
Hey!

I've always liked your class and I'm currently playing it in a campaign! If you want, I'll PM you the link later!

That would be great! I'd love to see how it's played.


Is there a reason why Decelerate has its own Save DC? In Manipulations, you mention each Manipulation has a standard DC but Deceleration doesn't follow the same formula.

If that was your intent, you could rephrase it as "if no Save DC is listed, then it follows [formula]. Otherwise Save DC is as specified". Or something like that?

That was an artifact from when each Manipulation with a DC had the DC equal to the spell it was based off of. Decelerate is based off Slow, a 3rd-level spell, so it had DC 13 + primary ability score modifier. However, when I moved all Manipulations to a unified DC, I just forgot to change that one. Thank you for pointing it out!


For Efficiency you state that you gain Moments 50% faster. Wouldn't that be 30 minutes instead of 40? :smallconfused:

One Moment every 30 minutes is twice as many Moments as one per hour. One Moment every 40 minutes is three every two hours, or 50% more.


For Talents you should mention that Manipulation Focus is the only Talent that you can learn multiple times. Makes it much clearer (again).

Yes I should.


For the Techniques: Revelations, can you choose it again if you choose different Revelation from the Oracle class?

No you cannot. Both of these have been clarified; thanks for pointing them out.

JKTrickster
2014-02-25, 03:23 PM
Nope totally fine! I'm actually kind of glad with these changes - it really powers the class down.

It does have less options and that's kind of a bummer.

Since you might add new ones in the future, one weakness of this class is the lack of AoE abilities. Is this on purpose? Do you think new Manipulations might help with that?

Also:

Right now a ranged Temporalist would be much better than a melee Temporalist (especially in Pathfinder). Is this on purpose?

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-25, 09:57 PM
It does have less options and that's kind of a bummer.

I'm planning on doing another update sometime soon with a bunch more Manipulations, Talents, and Techniques. However, since people are playing it in campaigns, I'd rather make changes all at once so that players and DMs can keep track of any extra options added.


Since you might add new ones in the future, one weakness of this class is the lack of AoE abilities. Is this on purpose? Do you think new Manipulations might help with that?

No, it's not really intentional, but it is a fundamental weakness of pretty much all martial classes in 3.X. However, Manipulations do just that: manipulate time. An area damage manipulation would be out of place, and so I probably won't include anything like it. Besides, lack of area damage is not a crippling weakness.


Right now a ranged Temporalist would be much better than a melee Temporalist (especially in Pathfinder). Is this on purpose?

No, it's not. In the update I mentioned above, I'll probably add one or two things to encourage melee temporalists.

JKTrickster
2014-02-26, 07:43 AM
I didn't actually mean area damage - I was thinking more area control.

After all they control Time right? Mess with Time a little and you get weird effects all over the place.

For example, the Wall and the Slow were the main staples of it in the last iteration. But now both of them are much weaker. This gives room for other Manipulations that allow some AoE Control.

I know this might seem out of place but it really complements the style of the class.


I know that you're probably waiting until you're done and updating it. It's fine - right now the class is probably around a low - mid Tier 3 (depending on optimization).

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-26, 10:57 AM
Right now a ranged Temporalist would be much better than a melee Temporalist (especially in Pathfinder). Is this on purpose?

Actually, on second thought, is this really true? Yes, the class features support ranged over melee to a certain extent, but melee is, by itself, much stronger than ranged.


I didn't actually mean area damage - I was thinking more area control.

After all they control Time right? Mess with Time a little and you get weird effects all over the place.

For example, the Wall and the Slow were the main staples of it in the last iteration. But now both of them are much weaker. This gives room for other Manipulations that allow some AoE Control.

I know this might seem out of place but it really complements the style of the class.

I've got a couple manipulations in the works. Here are the first drafts of two I'm considering:


Amplify: 3 Moments, standard action, target takes damage or healing equal to the damage or healing it's taken in the last attack or healing spell, Will negates.

Vortex: 2-3 Moments, standard action, places a temporal vortex anywhere within 60 feet. Anyone who moves towards it (5ft steps included) can move twice as quickly, and anyone who moves away from it moves at half speed.(I will probably include the ability to flip it to give a speed bonus for moving away, but it might be as its own manipulation.)


I know that you're probably waiting until you're done and updating it. It's fine - right now the class is probably around a low - mid Tier 3 (depending on optimization).

That's exactly where I'm aiming. There's a lot you can do to make it more versatile, especially out of combat, with creative use of time stopping. Therefore, I don't want to build it at too high of a tier by itself.

JKTrickster
2014-02-27, 12:27 AM
Oh of course ranged is better.

In Pathfinder Ranged is considered one of the better fighting styles. Go Wis, get the Guided enchantment (or just a Bonded Object Bow and do it for free) and viola!

You have someone who can always full attack Flat Footed opponents and can move away as a swift action. Any obstacles or threats can be easily dodged/circumvented through clever uses of time stopping.

Literally this class will kite like no one else.

~~

On the issue of Tiers, I think it just needs just a little more options and it'll be perfect. Sure Time Stopping provides a lot of versatility, but this class doesn't have as much raw power as it used to have so its okay.

You may want to consider giving more abilities to the Int or Cha Temporalists. It feels like Wis gets all the love.

~~

Hmm Amplify should probably be called Echo (or something similar). That's what it sounds like anyway :smallbiggrin:

And is it possible to continuously "Amplify/Echo" a target over and over again? Would be an interesting tactic - Full Attack on Round 1, Amplify Round 2 - Infinity. (Of course that's where the Will Save comes in).

Vortex seems okay but what is the effective range? Or can it affect people no matter how far away they are?

You should clarify what type of movement counts as "towards" and "away from". I would define them as simply as possible: e.g. your final destination is closer/farther than your initial destination.

It should probably be 3 moments and allow the Temporalist to "flip" it with a move action with no Moments (or swift action with Moments). It seems like a waste of a Manipulation to separate that function out.

AttilaTheGeek
2014-02-28, 08:58 AM
I had a whole big long post typed up, but then my tablet crashed (oh, how I love it), so forgive me if this reply seems short.


Oh of course ranged is better.

In Pathfinder Ranged is considered one of the better fighting styles. Go Wis, get the Guided enchantment (or just a Bonded Object Bow and do it for free) and viola!

You have someone who can always full attack Flat Footed opponents and can move away as a swift action. Any obstacles or threats can be easily dodged/circumvented through clever uses of time stopping.

Literally this class will kite like no one else.

Are you referring here to the Extended Pause manipulation? I'm thinking about saying all you can do within it is move, because that's really what it's for. If I did that, I'd lower its cost to 2 Moments/round.


You may want to consider giving more abilities to the Int or Cha Temporalists. It feels like Wis gets all the love.

I've been trying to think of more Int- and Cha-only manipulations as well as a way to nerf the Wis Temporal Connection, but I haven't come up with anything worth including.


Hmm Amplify should probably be called Echo (or something similar). That's what it sounds like anyway :smallbiggrin:

That's exactly what it should be called!


And is it possible to continuously "Amplify/Echo" a target over and over again? Would be an interesting tactic - Full Attack on Round 1, Amplify Round 2 - Infinity. (Of course that's where the Will Save comes in).

I guess, but you'd run out of Moments anyway and Amplify Echo only affects the single last attack or healing spell, so spamming it would be worse than full attacking.


Vortex seems okay but what is the effective range? Or can it affect people no matter how far away they are?

I'm thinking you can place it anywhere within 60ft, it has a 60ft radius of effect, you can move it up to your move speed with a move action, and you can flip it with a swift action that costs no moments.


You should clarify what type of movement counts as "towards" and "away from". I would define them as simply as possible: e.g. your final destination is closer/farther than your initial destination.

I wanted to have it calculate for every five-foot increment of movement so that any five-foot part of a move action costs two squares of movement if you end up farther away from the Vortex but costs only half a square of movement if it brings you closer. Do you think that's too complicated?

I also wanted to toss out some more ideas for other talents and manipulations. They're just drafts, so they're not formally written, but I made sure to include all the salient details.

Sprint (Talent): Your movement speed is doubled or increased by half while time is Paused.

Shatter through Time (talent, new name needed): Whenever you make a Sunder attack while time is paused, the target subtracts their Dexterity modifier from their CMD in Pathfinder or something equivalent in 3.5. If you hit, add your primary ability score modifier to the damage dealt. The idea is that, while something is frozen, it's easier to shatter it.

Dispel (Manipulation, new name needed): You attempt to dispel magical effects active on a target by speeding up their magical aura. Any magical effects affecting the target have their durations decreased by one minute per Temporalist level (so combat buffs are removed but all-day ones are not), and those that have no duration remaining expire immediately. 2-3 Moments, standard action, 30ft range, no save.

Temporal Charge (Manipulation): You stop time long enough to rush an opponent and deliver a single blow. As a full-round action, Pause time for long enough to charge at an opponent, but you can't do anything besides charge. Your charge attack hits their flat-footed AC and gets some bonus, probably primary ability score to hit and/or damage. Costs 2 Moments, or maybe only one. I want this to be the boost to melee temporalists I said I would add.

Change "1 Moments" to "1 Moment" in Steal Time
Clarify that cost reductions from Bonded Object or Manipulation Focus cannot reduce the cost of a manipulation to 0 Moments
Double costs of Accelerate and Decelerate
Increase duration of Bubble
Rearrange manipulations into level order
Put Improved Pause and Bonus Feats after Techniques
Remove space between "Fighter Bonus Feats" and 3.5 superscript in Bonus Feats
Increase DC for Out of Time technique

Vadskye
2014-03-06, 09:16 PM
Temporal Connection: Why would grant the "saving throws" ability to Wisdom, when Wisdom is already a saving throw ability? Enlightened temporalists will have ludicrously high Will saves, and some of the highest saves in the game in general. I'm deeply suspicious of adding a full casting stat to saves in general; the bonus is simply too high. I'd add some sort of sensory ability here instead, since you're already adding the perception skill(s). The premeditation talent would be a perfect replacement.

I'm also suspicious of the Cha ability, to a lesser degree. In combat, it depends how "spammable" Moments are; adding your casting stat to your first attack essentially guarantees a hit every time. Out of combat, you can essentially add Cha to any roll, which is a little weird fluff-wise.

Pause: What is the "duration of a move action"? Move actions aren't normally considered to be "shorter" than standard actions, just different. It's also ambiguous how this works. The temporalist spends a move action to do nothing but pause time, yes? So they then have a standard action remaining - but time is stopped for the "duration of a move action". So they can spend a move action to move while time is stopped... what if you want to spend a standard action? Does time revert back to normal before the completion of your action?

Also, there's all sorts of weirdness involved in stopping time as a readied action. Just something to keep in mind.

Manipulations:
Barrier: What exactly is rewound when you "rewind personal time"? Location is - what about hit points, spell slots, etc.? I'm pretty sure this is trivially breakable if you rewind the uses of any abilities. I'd refluff it so it explicitly only rewinds location. Also, this needs a duration so you can't spam an arbitrary number of barriers in your sanctum/personal dungeon/etc.

Extended Pause: This is going to create headaches for DMs. "I swing my sword at my foe so that the strike will connect just after time goes back to normal". "I wrap all of my foes in nets." "I handcuff my foe." "I unroll my portable hole underneath my foe." The uses of stopped time are limited only by the imagination, even if creatures must remain in a fixed location and can't be directly damaged.

The counterargument may be that you just have to trust your players not to abuse it. But... if you don't abuse it, this is just an excessively complicated teleportation. The whole point of "stopping time" is that time is stopped, and you have free reign to act.

As a side note, I tend not to like abilities which can let players "nova" all of their resources at once, and this makes that extremely easy.

Leap: Can this be dispelled? Also, this is a level 1 ability which can take a boss out of a fight for an extended period of time. As a bonus, the rest of the party can create arbitrarily brutal traps and preparation for when you both return. One way to combat the "nuke your foe when he gets back" approach would be to randomize your return location within some distance of the place that you left from.

Steal Time: Spend one Moment to gain two Moments? Heck no; that removes all limitations on Moment expenditure. This ability would be balanced if it simply denied the touched creature its standard action. If you want to steal the time, you could make it grant you Haste for a round, but a full extra standard action / 2 moments is way too strong.

Bubble: Reflex saves don't grant movement or 5' steps. Just say that they can choose which side of the edge they fall on, as Wall of Fire does. Also, there is something very strange about the fluff of a class that can stop time for an hour in a radius at a mere 4th level. Starting out so high makes it hard to improve later.

Quickened Pause: Immediate action is massive: that's invincibility against any single attack directed at you (and negates full attacks to boot if they already moved). Remember Abrupt Jaunt, the wizard ACF? It's incredibly broken. This about as bad. Why not take the "Quickened" namesake and make it a swift action? Much less broken, and you could grant the full move action.

Lock: Does this restore uses of abilities other than Moments? Assuming no, this could work, but it feels like a higher level ability, not a 4th level ability.

Shared Pause: The cost on this is insane: You can burn through your entire allotment instantly. That sort of nova is generally not good design.

Portent: Should have a time limitation on the consequences that can be observed, like Augury and Divination do. Also note that the damage is easy to remove/ignore with Lock.

Implosion: The chance of spending 4 moments and a standard action to do nothing is way too high. 2d6/level is high, but not that much higher than a fighter/barbarian's DPR. And of course it pales in comparison to Disintegrate, which is not the most optimized spell around.

Reverse: This explicitly restores everything except moment count, so it restores spells and other uses. The 12th level restriction means you can't dip this into a caster build, but I bet there's still a way to abuse this.

Talents: If these are gained every other level, you'll have almost all of them at the end of a 20-level build. Acquisition rate should be lower, or there should be more.

Efficiency: "50% faster" is a thoroughly unintuitive concept.

Insight: So enlightened temporalists add double Wisdom to both Reflex and Will saves? :smallconfused:

Agility: This seems very out of fluff.

I'll look at the techniques later, but here's my first pass!