Blink Knight
2014-07-11, 06:58 PM
Most of these are snatched off the internet, the rest I made up recently. I might fire test them later to see how they work out in a game, but first I'd have to think of a game idea and even a short one would take a while. So for now my focus is on proofreading, editing, and supplementing in that order. If there's something else that comes up that fits with the design goals of 1: Make weaker options stronger and more versatile. 2: Do not raise the overall power ceiling much, if at all. 3: Make concepts that should be viable function in an intended, viable form. 4: Avoid the biggest facepalm inducing moments of the system. 5: Leave strong options that have weaknesses alone. 6: Ensure that the overall game does not revolve around single characters or archetypes (*cough*full casters*cough*), meaning that different characters do well or poorly in different situations then it might end up added. Right now the only things in that deliberation phase are thematic power buffs for the Healer and Knight classes that'd enable the former to take the pain of their allies as it is being inflicted and then recover it quickly and make the latter a lot harder to walk around. As I'm not exceptionally familiar with either class I'm not certain about the implementation yet.
All that having been said, cue spoiler tag bomb.
This also affects all alignment variations.
Blasphemy
Evocation [Evil, Sonic]
Level: Clr 7, Evil 7
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 40 ft.
Area: Nonevil creatures in a 40-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Any nonevil creature within the area of a blasphemy spell must make special Will save (DC = spell’s save DC - creature’s HD + your caster level + 1). or suffer the following ill effects.
Save result Effect
Failed save Dazed
Failed save by 2-5 Weakened, dazed
Failed save by 6-10 Paralyzed, weakened, dazed
Failed save by 11 or more Killed, paralyzed, weakened, dazed
The effects are cumulative and concurrent.
Dazed
The creature can take no actions for 1 round, though it defends itself normally.
Weakened
The creature’s Strength score decreases by 2d6 points for 2d4 rounds.
Paralyzed
The creature is paralyzed and helpless for 1d10 minutes.
Killed
Living creatures die. Undead creatures are destroyed.
Furthermore, if you are on your home plane when you cast this spell, nonevil extraplanar creatures within the area are instantly banished back to their home planes. Creatures so banished cannot return for at least 24 hours. This effect takes place regardless of whether the creatures hear the blasphemy. The banishment effect allows a Will save (as above, but at a -4 penalty) to negate.
To qualify as a blasting spell for the purposes of this discussion a spell must have a primary function of doing damage. If a spell only does damage it qualifies as a blasting spell. If a spell does damage and has an additional effect it only counts as a blasting spell if the additional effect is less useful than HP damage. (hint: it's probably not) Thus Orb of ______ spells do not qualify. Lesser Orb of ______ spells do. It should be obvious what the difference is between blasting spells and save or loses that happen to do damage.
All blasting spells have the following changes made to them:
SR: All blasting spells have SR: No. If they already are SR: No, they continue to be.
Damage: If the base damage dice of the spell are D4, D6, or D8, add 1 damage per die. If the base damage dice are D10 or D12, add 2 damage per die. The usual damage dice limits still apply. This bonus damage is of the same type as the spell itself.
Barbarians gain DR x/- equal to their Con modifier or their Barbarian class level, whichever is lower. This is in addition to the DR x/- gained at level 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 and any DR x/- the Barbarian has from items.
Barbarians of level 11 or higher also have Mettle, but only while raging.
Fighters max out at level 6.
Monks get full BAB.
Monks and Unarmed Swordsages gain Versatile Strike.
All Smite abilities are per encounter instead of per day, last for one round per use, and have half normal effect on neutral alignments if applicable.
Paladins have good Will saves, and every six levels they can take a bonus feat from the following list: Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will.
Rangers get both the ranged line and the TWF line. If you're using an alternate Ranger progression it replaces one of these (your choice).
As ITWF and GTWF no longer exist, Rangers get Two Weapon Defense and Two Weapon Parry at levels 6 and 11 instead. They still get Two Weapon Fighting at level 2.
Paladins and Rangers have full caster level. Their actual access to spells remains unchanged.
Paladin casting is now Charisma based.
Ranger's Animal Companion progresses at the same rate as the Druid's.
Evoker Wizards, Warmages, and Sorcerers who have Evocation spells as at least a third of their total spells known do one additional damage per damage die. Such characters can also ignore a number of points of energy resistance on their targets equal to their caster level. This must be applied or not applied to all targets within the spell area and can be chosen at the time of casting. If the target does not actually have any energy resistance, this has no effect. This ability requires no action beyond that required to cast the spell and can be used at will.
Warmage Edge has its bonus cut in half, but it applies to each die. Minimum 1 point per die. This ability is capped at your Warmage level, even if your caster level is higher for any reason. Thus a CL 20th Warmage who only actually has 15 levels of Warmage only applies the bonus to 15 dice. PRC levels that advance Warmage spellcasting count as Warmage levels for this purpose. Caster level boosts do not.
Warlocks can Eldritch Blast as an attack action as long as it is your turn. This includes Invocations that alter or enhance Eldritch Blast. Any other Invocation still has its usual casting time. Yes, this means you can full attack with it, applying the same or different invocations to each blast. Haste will even grant you an extra shot.
The official Hexblade fix is in.
Tome of Battle classes, when using a maneuver that specifies they attack once and deliver the effect of the maneuver can full attack with the maneuver, but it will only be used on the first attack of the sequence or the first pair of attacks for those TWF maneuvers. If a maneuver does already allow you to full attack and gain the benefit on each swing you still do. Yes, this does mean Warblades can use a maneuver, then full attack and use a second maneuver while recovering both.
Swordsages get Adaptive Style as a bonus feat. It only applies to maneuvers learned from being a Swordsage. It otherwise functions exactly the same.
Crusader and Warblade stance progression is delayed by 1 level, so as to match up to the levels at which new stances become available.
Iron Heart Surge has been rewritten to be sensible. See addendum for details.
Paladins turn undead as a Cleric of their level + 3.
Rangers get one of two abilities: Either their animal companion improves and maxes out at a creature of a CR equal to Ranger level instead of HD equal to Ranger level or they gain the ability to Wild Shape as a Druid of their level -3.
Armor grants damage reduction as follows: Light: None. Medium: 1 + Half enhancement rounded down + 1 if magic/Bludgeoning or Piercing. Heavy: 3 + Enhancement/Piercing. Natural: 1 + natural armor / 3 rounded down/Slashing. Bracers: 1 + 1 per 4 enhancement bonus after 1/-.
Magic armors also require a magic weapon to bypass.
Adamantine armors also require an adamantine weapon, and grants or improves existing armor damage reduction by 3.
Damage Reduction from any source also grants 4% damage reduction per point (max 60%). The percentage is checked first and is of the same type as the flat damage reduction.
If a given creature has more than one type of damage reduction each is checked separately (percentage, then flat).
Damage nullification functions similarly to damage reduction but with one key difference. If it isn't sufficient to reduce damage to zero it has no effect. Damage nullification is not bypassed by anything, even effects that bypass damage reduction.
The Invulnerability armor property grants DR 5/Epic and damage nullification 5.
Barbarians gain damage nullification 1 at every even level except 2.
Crusaders gain damage nullification 1 at level 1 + 1 per 3 levels after.
Damage reduction and nullification of the same type stacks. Exception: Bracers of Armor and regular armor do not stack, only the higher numerical bonus counts.
Anything with at least 8 HD bypasses DR/Magic even without a magic weapon.
At 12 HD, you pick one metal (Adamantine, Cold Iron, Silver) and bypass that form of damage reduction.
At 16 HD you pick a second metal and also bypass damage reduction as an aligned creature.
Metalline is now a +1 property.
Silver no longer penalizes damage.
Cold Iron no longer makes a magic item more expensive to enchant.
Some feats have been rendered unnecessary or less useful. See other sections for details.
Anyone with Weapon Focus and at least 4 HD automatically gains Weapon Specialization. At 8 HD you automatically gain Greater Weapon Focus, and at 12 HD you automatically gain Greater Weapon Specialization. This entire line of feats affects a single damage type of your choice (Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing). In the event your chosen attack deals more than one type of damage it benefits from each relevant feat.
The Toughness feat grants 3 + HD HP, and cannot be taken more than once.
Improved Toughness grants 3 + HD HP, requires Toughness and a base Fortitude save of +2, and can still only be taken once.
Metamagic cost reducers cannot reduce the cost of any given metamagic below 1 or by more than 1. Metamagic rods and Sudden Metamagic feats still work normally. Divine Metamagic still works normally, but beware of Dispels!
Improved Two Weapon Fighting and Greater Two Weapon Fighting no longer exist.
Two Weapon Fighting grants you a number of offhand attacks equal to the number of main hand attacks you are entitled to, and does not impose additional to hit penalties for a one handed weapon in the off hand. It also no longer has any prerequisites. In addition, as long as you have the feat attacking once with each hand is an attack action. When making an Attack of Opportunity, you can strike once with each hand as a single AoO.
Two Weapon Defense provides an Insight bonus to AC equal to the number of mainhand attacks you can make derived from BAB.
A third feat exists in the Two Weapon Fighting line called Two Weapon Parry. It requires both of the previous feats and a BAB of 11. With it you can 'hold' a pair of attacks from Two Weapon Fighting, and use those attacks as an Immediate action against an attack made on you. This pair of attacks can either be your primary pair or one of your secondary pairs. If either of your attack rolls are higher than the attack roll of the attack, the attack is parried and does not harm you. If both attack rolls are higher, the attack is parried and if the attack rolls are also sufficient to hit the enemy's AC + 4, you hit them normally with your attacks. If neither are higher, the parry fails and the attack is resolved normally. You must choose to use your stored Parry before learning the result of the attack roll. Parries not used by the start of your next turn are lost.
Improved Trip no longer requires Combat Expertise.
Improved Critical and Keen stack. In addition Improved Critical applies to a category of weapons rather than a single type chosen from the following list: Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing.
Improved Sunder no longer exists, and magic items are indestructible.
Any of the feats that give +2 to 2 different skills no longer exist. If they were needed somewhere as a prerequisite, now you don't.
All three of the feats that give +2 to a save still do, except that if your base save bonus of that type is at least +6 you also no longer auto fail saves of that type on a natural 1. You must still actually roll high enough to save normally. If your base save bonus of that type is at least +12 you gain the following additional effect: Fortitude/Will: Mettle. Reflex: Evasion. If you already have these abilities for any reason you instead get a 1/day reroll on a failed save of that type. You must choose to use it after you know you failed the save, but before knowing what the result of doing so is.
Monks are proficient with their own bodies. They are also automatically proficient with gauntlets, which are considered a Monk weapon and do the listed damage or their unarmed strike damage, whichever is the greater. Versatile Strike functions with gauntlets.
Craft feats no longer grant a discount on the gold cost of an item, and no longer have an XP cost. They still cost the usual amount of time, but are granted automatically to anyone with a sufficient caster level.
If you would be granted a bonus feat that you already have, you can instead take any feat you qualify for. Proficiencies are not considered feats for this purpose. This also only applies to abilities that grant you a specific feat. It only applies to abilities that make you choose a feat from a list if you have every feat on that list.
Multiattack, and Improved Multiattack are no longer restricted to natural weapons. They also grant the same benefit for manufactured weapons, and do not require you to have natural weapons to take them.
Power Attack functions with ranged weapons at a 1:1 ratio.
Versatile Strike is a Free action.
Everyone gets maximum HP per HD.
There is no such thing as multiclass penalties.
Fractional BAB is in effect.
Fractional saves are in effect, but you can get the first level bonus more than once.
LA buyoff is in effect (ask about LA 2 or higher).
Iterative attacks from Base Attack Bonus have a penalty of -5, non stacking. This penalty can be further reduced with feats. Refer to feats section for more details.
Full attacks are a Standard action. You still need Pounce in order to benefit from charge based effects on a full attack.
If you have at least 1 BAB, you are granted the Power Attack feat. This only functions with weapons you are proficient with.
If you have at least 1 BAB, you are granted the Point Blank Shot feat. This only functions with weapons you are proficient with.
If you have at least 4 BAB, you are granted the Precise Shot feat. This only functions with weapons you are proficient with.
You can become proficient with any weapon by training with it for (7 days - your BAB, minimum 1 day) and making an Int check. The DC is 5 for Simple weapons, 10 for Martial weapons, 15 for Exotic weapons. You cannot take 10 on this check. If this check fails you can try again from the beginning, but if it fails by 5 or more you cannot reattempt to learn that weapon until your BAB permanently improves.
You can become proficient with any armor by training with it for (14 days - your BAB + the armor bonus of the armor, minimum 1 day) and making an Int check. The DC is 7 + the armor bonus of the armor. You cannot take 10 on this check. If this check fails you can try again from the beginning, but if it fails by 5 or more you cannot reattempt to learn that armor until your BAB permanently improves. If the armor has other negative effects such as arcane spell failure or violates Druidic oath you still suffer those drawbacks.
If you have resistance to energy from a permanent, inherent source such as a racial bonus, this stacks with any resistance you have from non permanent and/or inherent sources such as the Resist Energy spell, or a Ring of Greater Fire Resistance. Other sources of elemental resistances still do not stack.
The death window is extended by 50% of your max HP for most creatures.
Certain other creature types have different death rules, knowledge checks will reveal what is involved.
Certain weak creature types have (sometimes greatly) been improved, again knowledge skills will reveal what you're up against.
Spell Resistance also grants bonuses to AC, touch AC, and saves vs spells, SLAs, and supernatural abilities = (SR -10) / 3 rounded down + 1 or the user's HD, whichever is lower. This bonus takes effect even vs SR: No spells.
All non Mass Cure spells gain a bonus equal to the user's Wis bonus (if any) per die. This is regardless of the source of the cure, be it from spell, wand, potion, or other item.
Mass Cure spells gain two additional dice (D8s) of healing, and gain a bonus equal to the user's Wis bonus (if any) per two dice, rounded up.
Other forms of HP recovery, such as Repair spells function in the same way except with Int or Cha (whichever is the caster's associated stat) in place of Wisdom.
Iron Heart
Level: Warblade 3.
Prequisite: One Iron Heart maneuver.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action or 1 immediate action, see text
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Instantaneous.
WEEABOO!!! ...Fightan' Magick!
Your fighting spirit, dedication, and training allow you to overcome almost anything to defeat your enemies.
When you use this maneuver as a Standard action, choose one of the following conditions currently in effect on you:
Blinded, Dazzled, Deafened, Exhausted, Fatigued, Immobilized, Shaken, Sickened.
Blinded improves to Dazzled, Exhausted improves to Fatigued, and any other condition on this list ends immediately. The duration of the Dazzled or Fatigued conditions in this case remains the same as whatever effect inflicted them, though you can use Iron Heart Surge again to remove them entirely. Further, if the effect that caused one of these conditions is a persistent area effect, that effect cannot reinflict the same condition on you provided that you leave it as a single Move action on your next turn. You otherwise have no protection against being debilitated again in the same way, or a different way or even by the same effect. And yes, that does mean Drow and Orc Warblades can still Iron Heart Surge the sun... at which point they stop being dazzled, and don't get dazzled by the sun again if they go inside immediately. If not, they get dazzled again. And if someone cases Flare on them, they still get dazzled. And that's it. :P
When you use this maneuver as an Immediate action, choose one of the following conditions about to be inflicted upon you:
Confused, Cowering, Dazed, Fascinated, Frightened, Nauseated, Panicked, Paralyzed, Stunned.
Frightened or Panicked improves to Shaken, Nauseated improves to Sickened, and any other condition on this list ends immediately. The duration of the Shaken or Sickened conditions in this case remains the same as whatever effect inflicted them, though you can use Iron Heart Surge again to remove them entirely. Further, if the effect that caused one of these conditions is a persistent area effect, that effect cannot reinflict the same condition on you provided that you leave it as a single Move action on your next turn. You otherwise have no protection against being debilitated again in the same way, or a different way or even by the same effect.
If you use Iron Heart Surge in this way, you do not get a Standard action on your next turn. You still get a Move action, and free actions, can still make Attacks of Opportunity, and attackers are at no special advantage against you as a result of using Iron Heart Surge.
You also surge with confidence and vengeance against your enemies, gaining a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
All creatures with wealth (including you) have 50% more of it.
Keen and Improved Critical stack.
Burst type effects (elemental burst, holy burst, etc) have the burst aspect of their damage doubled. The basic on hit damage remains unchanged.
Magic armor, magic shields, enhancement bonus to natural armor items, and deflection bonus to AC items have the cost of said properties reduced by 50%. This does not alter the cost of the base armor. One handed weapons have all associated costs including the base item reduced by 25%. Two handed weapons are unchanged.
The maximum enhancement bonus possible on armor is now +8, not +5. Magic armor and shields can still only have up to +9 worth of special properties in total. Magic weapons keep the same limitations.
Dust of Sneezing and Choking, Thought Bottles, and any other infinite loop/TO material does not exist.
Amulet of Natural Attacks no longer exists. Instead it's Bracers of Natural Attacks, to dodge the off slot mark up and make the price 4k * bonus squared.
Vorpal now triggers on a critical hit, not just on a natural 20.
The Bane weapon enchantment also bypasses all damage reduction by creatures of that type, even if you could not normally bypass that type of damage reduction with that type of attack and even if that type of damage reduction normally cannot be bypassed at all.
Any weapon labeled as 'finesseable' will allow you to use your Dexterity for attack and damage instead of your Strength if you so choose. It's just something you can do.
The Aptitude weapon enhancement does not exist.
Bugbears gain Powerful Build.
Elves (all surface variants) have been combined into a single elf race and now get -2 Con, +2 any stat (including Con). Their other racial features are unchanged. Drow are still alive and stabbing everyone well, including each other.
Half elves gain bonus skill points as humans. This is in addition to all of their other features.
Half orcs gain a bonus feat as humans. This is in addition to all of their other features.
Tieflings have -2 Wis instead of -2 Cha. Their other stats are unchanged.
Heavy crossbows (including their repeating forms) have their base damage die increased by one step. As this is a modification to the base item, it stacks with any other effects of that type.
Crossbows can be made to utilize the user's Strength bonus by mechanisms that provide more resistance, and recoil when fired that requires a stronger user in order to utilize properly. This otherwise works just like composite bows, including the +75 (light) or +100 (heavy) gold per + of strength bonus on the 'pull'.
Crossbows, but not bows can ignore a number of points of armor or natural armor bonus equal to the strength bonus of the crossbow or the strength bonus of the wielder, whichever is the lower. Crossbows do not bypass AC that is not armor or natural armor, and if the target has less armor or natural armor than you have penetrating power the remainder has no effect. Yes, this does effectively give you Str and Dex to hit with a crossbow against armored foes.
Composite bows and crossbows can have their pull increased, but not decreased by a skilled bowyer. This requires materials of a total cost of the price difference between the current and the new item + 50 gold, 1 hour of time, and a successful Craft (bowyer) check made at the end of this process. The DC on this skill check is 10 + the new composite bonus of the bow + 2 if the bow or crossbow is an exotic weapon. Failing this check requires the bowyer to restart the hour long process from the beginning but their materials remain intact. Failing by 5 or more ruins the materials but does not harm the bow or crossbow. Yes, the DC is intentionally low. That's because...
A new wondrous item exists in the form of the Sniper's Bowstring. Despite its name, it also works fine with any crossbow, including magical bows and crossbows. Any bow or crossbow fitted with a Sniper's Bowstring automatically counts as composite adjusted to their current Strength score. Its market value is 1,000 gold and can be crafted by anyone with a CL of 3, Craft Wondrous Item, and Bull's Strength.
A new item exists, the throwing dagger. As you might expect from the name, they are finely balanced for throwing, and have a range increment of 30 feet. However they are not suited for close quarters combat. Melee attacks with a throwing dagger take a -2 penalty. They are otherwise identical to daggers.
Class skills no longer exist.
Anyone who would normally have 2 + Int skills instead has 4 + Int skills. Those that already have 4 or more skill points per level remain unchanged.
The following skills have been combined: Balance and Tumble = Acrobatics (Dex). Handle Animal and Ride = Animal Affinity (Wis). Climb, Jump, and Swim = Athletics (Str). Listen and Spot = Perception (Wis). Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate = Persuasion (Cha). Hide and Move Silently = Stealth (Dex). Disable Device, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand = Thievery (Dex). Decipher Script and Forgery = Wordsmithing (Int). In addition Use Rope is now a function of Escape Artist, Survival is a function of Knowledge (nature), and Concentration is a factor of Spellcraft (Con for Concentration, Primary Casting Stat for Spellcraft).
Untrained Knowledge skills can reveal information with a DC higher than 10.
When using the Craft skill to create a non magical item, determine the time it will take to complete the item using the formula for magic items (1,000 gold/day) instead of the existing formula. If this would result in a time of less than 1 day instead use the following formula: Less than 50 gold = 1 hour, 51-250 gold = 2 hours, every 125 gold or fraction thereof = +1 hour.
Permanent increases to Intelligence provide retroactive skill points. Temporary increases to Intelligence do not grant additional skills.
When using the Use Magic Device skill to emulate caster level, you may not emulate a caster level higher than your own. If you have no caster level, you may not emulate a caster level higher than your hit dice. If your skill check would yield a higher result than your CL or HD, it is instead capped at your CL or HD.
The following spells do not exist: The Celerity line, any Conjuration: Calling effect (these spells still have any non creature calling functions, if any), Mordenkainen's Disjunction, Shapechange.
Teleportation spells and effects are subject to the same limitations as scrying spells.
Magic Vestment, Barkskin, and Shield of Faith now gives a bonus of +2, +1 per 3 CLs rounded down, max 8. Greater Magic Weapon remains unchanged, but if you prepare any of these spells in a slot 3 levels higher than the spell is for you or cast them spontaneously out of a slot 3 levels higher you can instead cast a Mass version of that type, targeting up to one target (people for Barkskin and Shield of Faith, armor or shields for Magic Vestment, weapons for Greater Magic Weapon) per caster level within 30 feet. The exception is Rangers and Barkskin, who can cast a mass Barkskin out of a 4th level spell slot. In addition, Dragonskin is +1, +1 per 2 CLs rounded down, max 8. The energy resistance part remains the same, and there is no multi target option.
The +4 enhancement to a stat line of spells (Bull's Strength/Cat's Grace/Bear's Endurance/Fox's Cunning/Owl's Insight/Eagle's Splendor.) has a duration of 10 minutes/level.
Mage Armor is an Abjuration spell.
Enlarge Person has a Standard action casting time. This also affects similar effects, such as Expansion.
Beneficial spells automatically bypass your spell resistance. Beneficial is from the perspective of the recipient.
Blasphemy and similar effects have been rewritten to be sensible. See addendum for details.
Power Word spells have all HP caps increased by 50% vs classed humanoids or monstrous humanoids and 100% vs anything else.
Power Word: Maladroit and Weaken are instead 2nd level spells that apply ability penalties, as Ray of Clumsiness or Enfeeblement. The durations are a static one minute but the severity of the penalty depends on HP: 1st tier = 4d4, 2nd tier = 2d4, 3rd tier = 1d4.
All that having been said, cue spoiler tag bomb.
This also affects all alignment variations.
Blasphemy
Evocation [Evil, Sonic]
Level: Clr 7, Evil 7
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 40 ft.
Area: Nonevil creatures in a 40-ft.-radius spread centered on you
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Any nonevil creature within the area of a blasphemy spell must make special Will save (DC = spell’s save DC - creature’s HD + your caster level + 1). or suffer the following ill effects.
Save result Effect
Failed save Dazed
Failed save by 2-5 Weakened, dazed
Failed save by 6-10 Paralyzed, weakened, dazed
Failed save by 11 or more Killed, paralyzed, weakened, dazed
The effects are cumulative and concurrent.
Dazed
The creature can take no actions for 1 round, though it defends itself normally.
Weakened
The creature’s Strength score decreases by 2d6 points for 2d4 rounds.
Paralyzed
The creature is paralyzed and helpless for 1d10 minutes.
Killed
Living creatures die. Undead creatures are destroyed.
Furthermore, if you are on your home plane when you cast this spell, nonevil extraplanar creatures within the area are instantly banished back to their home planes. Creatures so banished cannot return for at least 24 hours. This effect takes place regardless of whether the creatures hear the blasphemy. The banishment effect allows a Will save (as above, but at a -4 penalty) to negate.
To qualify as a blasting spell for the purposes of this discussion a spell must have a primary function of doing damage. If a spell only does damage it qualifies as a blasting spell. If a spell does damage and has an additional effect it only counts as a blasting spell if the additional effect is less useful than HP damage. (hint: it's probably not) Thus Orb of ______ spells do not qualify. Lesser Orb of ______ spells do. It should be obvious what the difference is between blasting spells and save or loses that happen to do damage.
All blasting spells have the following changes made to them:
SR: All blasting spells have SR: No. If they already are SR: No, they continue to be.
Damage: If the base damage dice of the spell are D4, D6, or D8, add 1 damage per die. If the base damage dice are D10 or D12, add 2 damage per die. The usual damage dice limits still apply. This bonus damage is of the same type as the spell itself.
Barbarians gain DR x/- equal to their Con modifier or their Barbarian class level, whichever is lower. This is in addition to the DR x/- gained at level 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 and any DR x/- the Barbarian has from items.
Barbarians of level 11 or higher also have Mettle, but only while raging.
Fighters max out at level 6.
Monks get full BAB.
Monks and Unarmed Swordsages gain Versatile Strike.
All Smite abilities are per encounter instead of per day, last for one round per use, and have half normal effect on neutral alignments if applicable.
Paladins have good Will saves, and every six levels they can take a bonus feat from the following list: Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will.
Rangers get both the ranged line and the TWF line. If you're using an alternate Ranger progression it replaces one of these (your choice).
As ITWF and GTWF no longer exist, Rangers get Two Weapon Defense and Two Weapon Parry at levels 6 and 11 instead. They still get Two Weapon Fighting at level 2.
Paladins and Rangers have full caster level. Their actual access to spells remains unchanged.
Paladin casting is now Charisma based.
Ranger's Animal Companion progresses at the same rate as the Druid's.
Evoker Wizards, Warmages, and Sorcerers who have Evocation spells as at least a third of their total spells known do one additional damage per damage die. Such characters can also ignore a number of points of energy resistance on their targets equal to their caster level. This must be applied or not applied to all targets within the spell area and can be chosen at the time of casting. If the target does not actually have any energy resistance, this has no effect. This ability requires no action beyond that required to cast the spell and can be used at will.
Warmage Edge has its bonus cut in half, but it applies to each die. Minimum 1 point per die. This ability is capped at your Warmage level, even if your caster level is higher for any reason. Thus a CL 20th Warmage who only actually has 15 levels of Warmage only applies the bonus to 15 dice. PRC levels that advance Warmage spellcasting count as Warmage levels for this purpose. Caster level boosts do not.
Warlocks can Eldritch Blast as an attack action as long as it is your turn. This includes Invocations that alter or enhance Eldritch Blast. Any other Invocation still has its usual casting time. Yes, this means you can full attack with it, applying the same or different invocations to each blast. Haste will even grant you an extra shot.
The official Hexblade fix is in.
Tome of Battle classes, when using a maneuver that specifies they attack once and deliver the effect of the maneuver can full attack with the maneuver, but it will only be used on the first attack of the sequence or the first pair of attacks for those TWF maneuvers. If a maneuver does already allow you to full attack and gain the benefit on each swing you still do. Yes, this does mean Warblades can use a maneuver, then full attack and use a second maneuver while recovering both.
Swordsages get Adaptive Style as a bonus feat. It only applies to maneuvers learned from being a Swordsage. It otherwise functions exactly the same.
Crusader and Warblade stance progression is delayed by 1 level, so as to match up to the levels at which new stances become available.
Iron Heart Surge has been rewritten to be sensible. See addendum for details.
Paladins turn undead as a Cleric of their level + 3.
Rangers get one of two abilities: Either their animal companion improves and maxes out at a creature of a CR equal to Ranger level instead of HD equal to Ranger level or they gain the ability to Wild Shape as a Druid of their level -3.
Armor grants damage reduction as follows: Light: None. Medium: 1 + Half enhancement rounded down + 1 if magic/Bludgeoning or Piercing. Heavy: 3 + Enhancement/Piercing. Natural: 1 + natural armor / 3 rounded down/Slashing. Bracers: 1 + 1 per 4 enhancement bonus after 1/-.
Magic armors also require a magic weapon to bypass.
Adamantine armors also require an adamantine weapon, and grants or improves existing armor damage reduction by 3.
Damage Reduction from any source also grants 4% damage reduction per point (max 60%). The percentage is checked first and is of the same type as the flat damage reduction.
If a given creature has more than one type of damage reduction each is checked separately (percentage, then flat).
Damage nullification functions similarly to damage reduction but with one key difference. If it isn't sufficient to reduce damage to zero it has no effect. Damage nullification is not bypassed by anything, even effects that bypass damage reduction.
The Invulnerability armor property grants DR 5/Epic and damage nullification 5.
Barbarians gain damage nullification 1 at every even level except 2.
Crusaders gain damage nullification 1 at level 1 + 1 per 3 levels after.
Damage reduction and nullification of the same type stacks. Exception: Bracers of Armor and regular armor do not stack, only the higher numerical bonus counts.
Anything with at least 8 HD bypasses DR/Magic even without a magic weapon.
At 12 HD, you pick one metal (Adamantine, Cold Iron, Silver) and bypass that form of damage reduction.
At 16 HD you pick a second metal and also bypass damage reduction as an aligned creature.
Metalline is now a +1 property.
Silver no longer penalizes damage.
Cold Iron no longer makes a magic item more expensive to enchant.
Some feats have been rendered unnecessary or less useful. See other sections for details.
Anyone with Weapon Focus and at least 4 HD automatically gains Weapon Specialization. At 8 HD you automatically gain Greater Weapon Focus, and at 12 HD you automatically gain Greater Weapon Specialization. This entire line of feats affects a single damage type of your choice (Bludgeoning, Piercing, Slashing). In the event your chosen attack deals more than one type of damage it benefits from each relevant feat.
The Toughness feat grants 3 + HD HP, and cannot be taken more than once.
Improved Toughness grants 3 + HD HP, requires Toughness and a base Fortitude save of +2, and can still only be taken once.
Metamagic cost reducers cannot reduce the cost of any given metamagic below 1 or by more than 1. Metamagic rods and Sudden Metamagic feats still work normally. Divine Metamagic still works normally, but beware of Dispels!
Improved Two Weapon Fighting and Greater Two Weapon Fighting no longer exist.
Two Weapon Fighting grants you a number of offhand attacks equal to the number of main hand attacks you are entitled to, and does not impose additional to hit penalties for a one handed weapon in the off hand. It also no longer has any prerequisites. In addition, as long as you have the feat attacking once with each hand is an attack action. When making an Attack of Opportunity, you can strike once with each hand as a single AoO.
Two Weapon Defense provides an Insight bonus to AC equal to the number of mainhand attacks you can make derived from BAB.
A third feat exists in the Two Weapon Fighting line called Two Weapon Parry. It requires both of the previous feats and a BAB of 11. With it you can 'hold' a pair of attacks from Two Weapon Fighting, and use those attacks as an Immediate action against an attack made on you. This pair of attacks can either be your primary pair or one of your secondary pairs. If either of your attack rolls are higher than the attack roll of the attack, the attack is parried and does not harm you. If both attack rolls are higher, the attack is parried and if the attack rolls are also sufficient to hit the enemy's AC + 4, you hit them normally with your attacks. If neither are higher, the parry fails and the attack is resolved normally. You must choose to use your stored Parry before learning the result of the attack roll. Parries not used by the start of your next turn are lost.
Improved Trip no longer requires Combat Expertise.
Improved Critical and Keen stack. In addition Improved Critical applies to a category of weapons rather than a single type chosen from the following list: Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing.
Improved Sunder no longer exists, and magic items are indestructible.
Any of the feats that give +2 to 2 different skills no longer exist. If they were needed somewhere as a prerequisite, now you don't.
All three of the feats that give +2 to a save still do, except that if your base save bonus of that type is at least +6 you also no longer auto fail saves of that type on a natural 1. You must still actually roll high enough to save normally. If your base save bonus of that type is at least +12 you gain the following additional effect: Fortitude/Will: Mettle. Reflex: Evasion. If you already have these abilities for any reason you instead get a 1/day reroll on a failed save of that type. You must choose to use it after you know you failed the save, but before knowing what the result of doing so is.
Monks are proficient with their own bodies. They are also automatically proficient with gauntlets, which are considered a Monk weapon and do the listed damage or their unarmed strike damage, whichever is the greater. Versatile Strike functions with gauntlets.
Craft feats no longer grant a discount on the gold cost of an item, and no longer have an XP cost. They still cost the usual amount of time, but are granted automatically to anyone with a sufficient caster level.
If you would be granted a bonus feat that you already have, you can instead take any feat you qualify for. Proficiencies are not considered feats for this purpose. This also only applies to abilities that grant you a specific feat. It only applies to abilities that make you choose a feat from a list if you have every feat on that list.
Multiattack, and Improved Multiattack are no longer restricted to natural weapons. They also grant the same benefit for manufactured weapons, and do not require you to have natural weapons to take them.
Power Attack functions with ranged weapons at a 1:1 ratio.
Versatile Strike is a Free action.
Everyone gets maximum HP per HD.
There is no such thing as multiclass penalties.
Fractional BAB is in effect.
Fractional saves are in effect, but you can get the first level bonus more than once.
LA buyoff is in effect (ask about LA 2 or higher).
Iterative attacks from Base Attack Bonus have a penalty of -5, non stacking. This penalty can be further reduced with feats. Refer to feats section for more details.
Full attacks are a Standard action. You still need Pounce in order to benefit from charge based effects on a full attack.
If you have at least 1 BAB, you are granted the Power Attack feat. This only functions with weapons you are proficient with.
If you have at least 1 BAB, you are granted the Point Blank Shot feat. This only functions with weapons you are proficient with.
If you have at least 4 BAB, you are granted the Precise Shot feat. This only functions with weapons you are proficient with.
You can become proficient with any weapon by training with it for (7 days - your BAB, minimum 1 day) and making an Int check. The DC is 5 for Simple weapons, 10 for Martial weapons, 15 for Exotic weapons. You cannot take 10 on this check. If this check fails you can try again from the beginning, but if it fails by 5 or more you cannot reattempt to learn that weapon until your BAB permanently improves.
You can become proficient with any armor by training with it for (14 days - your BAB + the armor bonus of the armor, minimum 1 day) and making an Int check. The DC is 7 + the armor bonus of the armor. You cannot take 10 on this check. If this check fails you can try again from the beginning, but if it fails by 5 or more you cannot reattempt to learn that armor until your BAB permanently improves. If the armor has other negative effects such as arcane spell failure or violates Druidic oath you still suffer those drawbacks.
If you have resistance to energy from a permanent, inherent source such as a racial bonus, this stacks with any resistance you have from non permanent and/or inherent sources such as the Resist Energy spell, or a Ring of Greater Fire Resistance. Other sources of elemental resistances still do not stack.
The death window is extended by 50% of your max HP for most creatures.
Certain other creature types have different death rules, knowledge checks will reveal what is involved.
Certain weak creature types have (sometimes greatly) been improved, again knowledge skills will reveal what you're up against.
Spell Resistance also grants bonuses to AC, touch AC, and saves vs spells, SLAs, and supernatural abilities = (SR -10) / 3 rounded down + 1 or the user's HD, whichever is lower. This bonus takes effect even vs SR: No spells.
All non Mass Cure spells gain a bonus equal to the user's Wis bonus (if any) per die. This is regardless of the source of the cure, be it from spell, wand, potion, or other item.
Mass Cure spells gain two additional dice (D8s) of healing, and gain a bonus equal to the user's Wis bonus (if any) per two dice, rounded up.
Other forms of HP recovery, such as Repair spells function in the same way except with Int or Cha (whichever is the caster's associated stat) in place of Wisdom.
Iron Heart
Level: Warblade 3.
Prequisite: One Iron Heart maneuver.
Initiation Action: 1 standard action or 1 immediate action, see text
Range: Personal.
Target: You.
Duration: Instantaneous.
WEEABOO!!! ...Fightan' Magick!
Your fighting spirit, dedication, and training allow you to overcome almost anything to defeat your enemies.
When you use this maneuver as a Standard action, choose one of the following conditions currently in effect on you:
Blinded, Dazzled, Deafened, Exhausted, Fatigued, Immobilized, Shaken, Sickened.
Blinded improves to Dazzled, Exhausted improves to Fatigued, and any other condition on this list ends immediately. The duration of the Dazzled or Fatigued conditions in this case remains the same as whatever effect inflicted them, though you can use Iron Heart Surge again to remove them entirely. Further, if the effect that caused one of these conditions is a persistent area effect, that effect cannot reinflict the same condition on you provided that you leave it as a single Move action on your next turn. You otherwise have no protection against being debilitated again in the same way, or a different way or even by the same effect. And yes, that does mean Drow and Orc Warblades can still Iron Heart Surge the sun... at which point they stop being dazzled, and don't get dazzled by the sun again if they go inside immediately. If not, they get dazzled again. And if someone cases Flare on them, they still get dazzled. And that's it. :P
When you use this maneuver as an Immediate action, choose one of the following conditions about to be inflicted upon you:
Confused, Cowering, Dazed, Fascinated, Frightened, Nauseated, Panicked, Paralyzed, Stunned.
Frightened or Panicked improves to Shaken, Nauseated improves to Sickened, and any other condition on this list ends immediately. The duration of the Shaken or Sickened conditions in this case remains the same as whatever effect inflicted them, though you can use Iron Heart Surge again to remove them entirely. Further, if the effect that caused one of these conditions is a persistent area effect, that effect cannot reinflict the same condition on you provided that you leave it as a single Move action on your next turn. You otherwise have no protection against being debilitated again in the same way, or a different way or even by the same effect.
If you use Iron Heart Surge in this way, you do not get a Standard action on your next turn. You still get a Move action, and free actions, can still make Attacks of Opportunity, and attackers are at no special advantage against you as a result of using Iron Heart Surge.
You also surge with confidence and vengeance against your enemies, gaining a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn.
All creatures with wealth (including you) have 50% more of it.
Keen and Improved Critical stack.
Burst type effects (elemental burst, holy burst, etc) have the burst aspect of their damage doubled. The basic on hit damage remains unchanged.
Magic armor, magic shields, enhancement bonus to natural armor items, and deflection bonus to AC items have the cost of said properties reduced by 50%. This does not alter the cost of the base armor. One handed weapons have all associated costs including the base item reduced by 25%. Two handed weapons are unchanged.
The maximum enhancement bonus possible on armor is now +8, not +5. Magic armor and shields can still only have up to +9 worth of special properties in total. Magic weapons keep the same limitations.
Dust of Sneezing and Choking, Thought Bottles, and any other infinite loop/TO material does not exist.
Amulet of Natural Attacks no longer exists. Instead it's Bracers of Natural Attacks, to dodge the off slot mark up and make the price 4k * bonus squared.
Vorpal now triggers on a critical hit, not just on a natural 20.
The Bane weapon enchantment also bypasses all damage reduction by creatures of that type, even if you could not normally bypass that type of damage reduction with that type of attack and even if that type of damage reduction normally cannot be bypassed at all.
Any weapon labeled as 'finesseable' will allow you to use your Dexterity for attack and damage instead of your Strength if you so choose. It's just something you can do.
The Aptitude weapon enhancement does not exist.
Bugbears gain Powerful Build.
Elves (all surface variants) have been combined into a single elf race and now get -2 Con, +2 any stat (including Con). Their other racial features are unchanged. Drow are still alive and stabbing everyone well, including each other.
Half elves gain bonus skill points as humans. This is in addition to all of their other features.
Half orcs gain a bonus feat as humans. This is in addition to all of their other features.
Tieflings have -2 Wis instead of -2 Cha. Their other stats are unchanged.
Heavy crossbows (including their repeating forms) have their base damage die increased by one step. As this is a modification to the base item, it stacks with any other effects of that type.
Crossbows can be made to utilize the user's Strength bonus by mechanisms that provide more resistance, and recoil when fired that requires a stronger user in order to utilize properly. This otherwise works just like composite bows, including the +75 (light) or +100 (heavy) gold per + of strength bonus on the 'pull'.
Crossbows, but not bows can ignore a number of points of armor or natural armor bonus equal to the strength bonus of the crossbow or the strength bonus of the wielder, whichever is the lower. Crossbows do not bypass AC that is not armor or natural armor, and if the target has less armor or natural armor than you have penetrating power the remainder has no effect. Yes, this does effectively give you Str and Dex to hit with a crossbow against armored foes.
Composite bows and crossbows can have their pull increased, but not decreased by a skilled bowyer. This requires materials of a total cost of the price difference between the current and the new item + 50 gold, 1 hour of time, and a successful Craft (bowyer) check made at the end of this process. The DC on this skill check is 10 + the new composite bonus of the bow + 2 if the bow or crossbow is an exotic weapon. Failing this check requires the bowyer to restart the hour long process from the beginning but their materials remain intact. Failing by 5 or more ruins the materials but does not harm the bow or crossbow. Yes, the DC is intentionally low. That's because...
A new wondrous item exists in the form of the Sniper's Bowstring. Despite its name, it also works fine with any crossbow, including magical bows and crossbows. Any bow or crossbow fitted with a Sniper's Bowstring automatically counts as composite adjusted to their current Strength score. Its market value is 1,000 gold and can be crafted by anyone with a CL of 3, Craft Wondrous Item, and Bull's Strength.
A new item exists, the throwing dagger. As you might expect from the name, they are finely balanced for throwing, and have a range increment of 30 feet. However they are not suited for close quarters combat. Melee attacks with a throwing dagger take a -2 penalty. They are otherwise identical to daggers.
Class skills no longer exist.
Anyone who would normally have 2 + Int skills instead has 4 + Int skills. Those that already have 4 or more skill points per level remain unchanged.
The following skills have been combined: Balance and Tumble = Acrobatics (Dex). Handle Animal and Ride = Animal Affinity (Wis). Climb, Jump, and Swim = Athletics (Str). Listen and Spot = Perception (Wis). Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate = Persuasion (Cha). Hide and Move Silently = Stealth (Dex). Disable Device, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand = Thievery (Dex). Decipher Script and Forgery = Wordsmithing (Int). In addition Use Rope is now a function of Escape Artist, Survival is a function of Knowledge (nature), and Concentration is a factor of Spellcraft (Con for Concentration, Primary Casting Stat for Spellcraft).
Untrained Knowledge skills can reveal information with a DC higher than 10.
When using the Craft skill to create a non magical item, determine the time it will take to complete the item using the formula for magic items (1,000 gold/day) instead of the existing formula. If this would result in a time of less than 1 day instead use the following formula: Less than 50 gold = 1 hour, 51-250 gold = 2 hours, every 125 gold or fraction thereof = +1 hour.
Permanent increases to Intelligence provide retroactive skill points. Temporary increases to Intelligence do not grant additional skills.
When using the Use Magic Device skill to emulate caster level, you may not emulate a caster level higher than your own. If you have no caster level, you may not emulate a caster level higher than your hit dice. If your skill check would yield a higher result than your CL or HD, it is instead capped at your CL or HD.
The following spells do not exist: The Celerity line, any Conjuration: Calling effect (these spells still have any non creature calling functions, if any), Mordenkainen's Disjunction, Shapechange.
Teleportation spells and effects are subject to the same limitations as scrying spells.
Magic Vestment, Barkskin, and Shield of Faith now gives a bonus of +2, +1 per 3 CLs rounded down, max 8. Greater Magic Weapon remains unchanged, but if you prepare any of these spells in a slot 3 levels higher than the spell is for you or cast them spontaneously out of a slot 3 levels higher you can instead cast a Mass version of that type, targeting up to one target (people for Barkskin and Shield of Faith, armor or shields for Magic Vestment, weapons for Greater Magic Weapon) per caster level within 30 feet. The exception is Rangers and Barkskin, who can cast a mass Barkskin out of a 4th level spell slot. In addition, Dragonskin is +1, +1 per 2 CLs rounded down, max 8. The energy resistance part remains the same, and there is no multi target option.
The +4 enhancement to a stat line of spells (Bull's Strength/Cat's Grace/Bear's Endurance/Fox's Cunning/Owl's Insight/Eagle's Splendor.) has a duration of 10 minutes/level.
Mage Armor is an Abjuration spell.
Enlarge Person has a Standard action casting time. This also affects similar effects, such as Expansion.
Beneficial spells automatically bypass your spell resistance. Beneficial is from the perspective of the recipient.
Blasphemy and similar effects have been rewritten to be sensible. See addendum for details.
Power Word spells have all HP caps increased by 50% vs classed humanoids or monstrous humanoids and 100% vs anything else.
Power Word: Maladroit and Weaken are instead 2nd level spells that apply ability penalties, as Ray of Clumsiness or Enfeeblement. The durations are a static one minute but the severity of the penalty depends on HP: 1st tier = 4d4, 2nd tier = 2d4, 3rd tier = 1d4.