Roxxy
2014-09-19, 09:00 PM
These rule changes are aimed at buffing melee in general, and high mobility melee in particular, while also fitting the general of my campaign setting (mostly focused on monster hunting and bounty hunting, magitech, partially inspired by anime, borrows a lot from European, Asian, and Native American sources). These are intended for use between levels 4 and 12. I included higher level content for scaling options to be consistent, but these rules aren't really meant to be used for high level play (or very low level play, for that matter).
Magic items that don’t have to be frequently recharged are rare and special. I use Evil Lincoln’s rules for replacing magic items, which you can find here , but with Purchase DC replaced by Enhancement Points, which mimic Wealth by Level on a 1 to 1 basis and are used to purchase the effects of magic items (no consumable items) . These effects become supernatural abilities of the character who purchased them. This is explained by the fact that, within the lore of my campaign setting, some people are a bit more magical than others, but not because of a Sorcerer bloodline or Oracle curse. These people generate stats with 25 point buy (10 or 15 is much more common) and get the benefits of this magical enhancement system, allowing them to be stronger, faster, smarter, and so on than the average person and use a touch of magic. This actually meshes pretty well with my setting’s explanation of where magic comes from.
Down. With. CHRISTMAS TREE!
Combat Expertise is no longer a feat, it is the way fighting defensively works. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
It’s not like anybody even uses the damn thing.
Improved Shield bash is not a feat. If you are proficient with a shield, you do not lose your shield bonus when bashing. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
Sword and board needs a bit of a buff, and effective shield bashing isn’t something the average sword and board warrior would skip during training, given that it was a very common technique.
Power Attack and Deadly Aim are no longer feats, it is something people of Str 13 (PA) or Dex 13 (DA) and BAB 1 can do. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does so long as the character has the requisite ability score and BAB.
Almost every Str based melee character takes Power Attack anyway, so might as well just let them have it. Deadly Aim is the same basic mechanism and cost/benefit as Power Attack, so might as well give the ranged guys that.
The bonus from Point Blank Shot increases to +2 at 6 BAB, +3 at 11 BAB, and +4 at 16 BAB. If something had Point Blank Shot as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
As written, Point Blank Shot just plain sucked, and I can’t find a rationale to keep it as a requirement for almost all other archery feats.
Vital Strike can be used in conjunction with Spring Attack or Shot on the Run. This does not make Vital Strike an attack action, and does not allow any other non-attack action to be used with Spring Attack or Shot on the Run.
I can’t figure out if it is or is not an attack action to use Vital Strike, but my understanding is that it normally cannot be used with Shot on the Run or Spring Attack.
Weapon Finesse is not a feat, it is a weapon property that applies to all weapons that the feat could normally be applied to, plus shortspears, spears, and quarterstaffs. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does
Because I think 5e had that one right, and because rapidly whirling spears and quarterstaffs is awesome and should totally be a thing for Dex builds.
Slashing Grace does not have Weapon Focus as a prerequisite.
Slashing Grace shouldn't need Weapon Focus. That’s too steep a requirement for what it does.
A shortspear or spear can do slashing or piercing damage.
I’ve seen reports of Chinese spearmen using the weapons to both slash and stab. Regardless of whether this is true or not, it is cool, so it is incorporated into the rules.
Monks are proficient with the longspear. Shortspears and spears are considered monk weapons.
They are already proficient with shortspears and spears, and it seems thematically appropriate. Also, more whirling spears :D.
If something had Mounted Combat as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
Mounted Combat isn’t necessarily weak as a feat, it’s just not an ability that needs to be a basic prerequisite for mounted characters.
Dodge gives you +1 to AC and +1 to reflex saves. At level 10 it goes up to 2/2. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does
Dodge sucks as written, and doesn't need to be a prerequisite for anything.
The following feat chains scale with level, meaning that if you have the first feat in the chain, you get the subsequent ones at no cost when you meet the prerequisites.
*Two Weapon Fighting/Improved Two Weapon Fighting/Greater Two Weapon Fighting
*Vital Strike/Improved Vital Strike/Greater Vital Strike
*Improved Dirty Trick/Greater Dirty Trick
*Improved Disarm/ Greater Disarm
*Improved Feint/Greater Feint
*Improved Reposition/Greater Reposition
*Improved Steal/Greater Steal
*Improved Trip/Greater Trip
*Improved Bull Rush/Greater Bull Rush
*Improved Drag/Greater Drag
*Improved Overrun/Greater Overrun
*Improved Sunder/Greater Sunder
*Iron Will/Improved Iron Will
*Great Fortitude/Improved Great Fortitude
*Lighting Reflexes/Improved Lightning Reflexes
*Weapon Focus/Greater Weapon Focus
*Weapon Specialization/Greater Weapon Specialization
All of these chains are too expensive for what you get.
Greater Weapon Focus is not restricted to Fighters, but does have a BAB 6 requirement.
With Weapon Focus scaling with level and being a common enough prerequisite for feats non-Fighters take, this one had to go.
All those +2/+2 to skill feats improve to +4/+4 at 10th level. These feats and Skill Focus both allow rerolling one failed skill check related to the feat once per day at 10th level.
Those feats weren't worth the cost.
Jump heights listed for Acrobatics checks are quadrupled and distances doubled.
Why yes, I am a fan of anime. Why do you ask?
Characters that have a shield apply it’s full AC bonus to reflex saves against area of effect attacks or rays that deal elemental damage. Mage Armor can also apply it's full AC bonus in these situations.
How often do you see a knight blocking a dragon’s breath attack with his shield in fantasy art? All the time, and it is cool. I feel the same about when spellcasters throw up a force field to block fireballs and stuff.
No Summoners, Dimension Door, Teleport, or resurrection magic.
Just booting things I particularly dislike from the game.
Generally, I prefer something similar to E6, but terminating at either 8th or 12th level.
Higher level play be crazy.
I use Golarion, but much of the game takes place on a heavily explored and settled version of Arcadia, mostly the western portion. Avistan, Tien, and Arcadian people are all present in large numbers and are considered thematically appropriate for the game, and mixed ethnicity characters aren’t at all uncommon. The common language is Taldane, but Tien is almost as heavily used. The Dragon Empires character options can most certainly be used (though any Samurai are probably ronin immigrants), and I have quite the affection for catfolk.I do allow planetouched. CRB, APG, UM, UC, ACG are allowed, ARG options for already allowed races are allowed, other ARG options or races not specifically mentioned as allowed can be discussed with me.
The standard Fighter, Rogue, Monk, and Cavalier are not banned, but I prefer to use the talented versions from Super Genius Games instead.
I consider them to be somewhat better.
Members of the Machinesmith class are not particularly uncommon in my setting.
I run a high magitech version of Golarion, so Machinesmiths fit in well and fill a character role the increased tech level opens up. It is also available on the D20PFSRD, which makes it easily accessible to players.
I like spell points as written by Super Genius Games, but their use is negotiable. They will either be applied to everybody or nobody.
I double check 3PP before saying yes as a precaution (I consider both balance and the theme of the game when deciding), but I own and view favorably the following items:
*Alchemist’s Discoveries (Super Genius Games)
*Beyond Bloodlines (Super Genius Games)
*All of the talented PDFs for the Fighter, Rogue, Monk, and Cavalier (Super Genius Games)
*Fey Archetypes (Rite Publishing)
*Secrets of the Masquerade Reveler (Rite Publishing)
*Grit and Gunslingers (Super Genius Games)
*Heroes of the Jade Oath (Rite Publishing)
*Heroes of the West (Little Red Goblin Games)
*Kitsune Compendium (Everyman Gaming)
*Classes of NeoExodus: Machinesmith (Louis Porter Jr. Design)
*Gothic Campaign Compendium (Legendary Games)
I use all of the above to varying degrees, and don’t be surprised to see content from 3PP monster books. How much I use the Gothic Campaign Compendium or allow it to be used by players heavily depends on whether the party as a whole is going towards games with optimistic or pessimistic leanings. It’s a book I reserve for more pessimistic games.
I don’t like evil or evil-leaning Neutral PCs.
Maxximilius archetypes (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n9uc?Maxximiliuss-Archetypes-20-More-grey-matter#1) and multiclass archetypes (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rb2x?Multiclass-Archetypes-VIII-MCAs-Unlimited) are considered on a case by case basis.
Changing rules: Given the amount of 3PP content and house ruling, there will be a balance issue eventually. Rules will not be changed during play, but balance issues will be resolved in between sessions. If it’s a PbP, the rule will be modified after the encounter is resolved. Players will always be informed of any rules changes.
I understand that changing the rules on the players in the middle of play is massively irritating, but I will still have to resolve balance issues.
So, what balance issues did I open up and not notice? I'm sure I did something, somewhere. Do my rules come off as reasonable?
Magic items that don’t have to be frequently recharged are rare and special. I use Evil Lincoln’s rules for replacing magic items, which you can find here , but with Purchase DC replaced by Enhancement Points, which mimic Wealth by Level on a 1 to 1 basis and are used to purchase the effects of magic items (no consumable items) . These effects become supernatural abilities of the character who purchased them. This is explained by the fact that, within the lore of my campaign setting, some people are a bit more magical than others, but not because of a Sorcerer bloodline or Oracle curse. These people generate stats with 25 point buy (10 or 15 is much more common) and get the benefits of this magical enhancement system, allowing them to be stronger, faster, smarter, and so on than the average person and use a touch of magic. This actually meshes pretty well with my setting’s explanation of where magic comes from.
Down. With. CHRISTMAS TREE!
Combat Expertise is no longer a feat, it is the way fighting defensively works. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
It’s not like anybody even uses the damn thing.
Improved Shield bash is not a feat. If you are proficient with a shield, you do not lose your shield bonus when bashing. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
Sword and board needs a bit of a buff, and effective shield bashing isn’t something the average sword and board warrior would skip during training, given that it was a very common technique.
Power Attack and Deadly Aim are no longer feats, it is something people of Str 13 (PA) or Dex 13 (DA) and BAB 1 can do. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does so long as the character has the requisite ability score and BAB.
Almost every Str based melee character takes Power Attack anyway, so might as well just let them have it. Deadly Aim is the same basic mechanism and cost/benefit as Power Attack, so might as well give the ranged guys that.
The bonus from Point Blank Shot increases to +2 at 6 BAB, +3 at 11 BAB, and +4 at 16 BAB. If something had Point Blank Shot as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
As written, Point Blank Shot just plain sucked, and I can’t find a rationale to keep it as a requirement for almost all other archery feats.
Vital Strike can be used in conjunction with Spring Attack or Shot on the Run. This does not make Vital Strike an attack action, and does not allow any other non-attack action to be used with Spring Attack or Shot on the Run.
I can’t figure out if it is or is not an attack action to use Vital Strike, but my understanding is that it normally cannot be used with Shot on the Run or Spring Attack.
Weapon Finesse is not a feat, it is a weapon property that applies to all weapons that the feat could normally be applied to, plus shortspears, spears, and quarterstaffs. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does
Because I think 5e had that one right, and because rapidly whirling spears and quarterstaffs is awesome and should totally be a thing for Dex builds.
Slashing Grace does not have Weapon Focus as a prerequisite.
Slashing Grace shouldn't need Weapon Focus. That’s too steep a requirement for what it does.
A shortspear or spear can do slashing or piercing damage.
I’ve seen reports of Chinese spearmen using the weapons to both slash and stab. Regardless of whether this is true or not, it is cool, so it is incorporated into the rules.
Monks are proficient with the longspear. Shortspears and spears are considered monk weapons.
They are already proficient with shortspears and spears, and it seems thematically appropriate. Also, more whirling spears :D.
If something had Mounted Combat as a prerequisite, it no longer does.
Mounted Combat isn’t necessarily weak as a feat, it’s just not an ability that needs to be a basic prerequisite for mounted characters.
Dodge gives you +1 to AC and +1 to reflex saves. At level 10 it goes up to 2/2. If something had it as a prerequisite, it no longer does
Dodge sucks as written, and doesn't need to be a prerequisite for anything.
The following feat chains scale with level, meaning that if you have the first feat in the chain, you get the subsequent ones at no cost when you meet the prerequisites.
*Two Weapon Fighting/Improved Two Weapon Fighting/Greater Two Weapon Fighting
*Vital Strike/Improved Vital Strike/Greater Vital Strike
*Improved Dirty Trick/Greater Dirty Trick
*Improved Disarm/ Greater Disarm
*Improved Feint/Greater Feint
*Improved Reposition/Greater Reposition
*Improved Steal/Greater Steal
*Improved Trip/Greater Trip
*Improved Bull Rush/Greater Bull Rush
*Improved Drag/Greater Drag
*Improved Overrun/Greater Overrun
*Improved Sunder/Greater Sunder
*Iron Will/Improved Iron Will
*Great Fortitude/Improved Great Fortitude
*Lighting Reflexes/Improved Lightning Reflexes
*Weapon Focus/Greater Weapon Focus
*Weapon Specialization/Greater Weapon Specialization
All of these chains are too expensive for what you get.
Greater Weapon Focus is not restricted to Fighters, but does have a BAB 6 requirement.
With Weapon Focus scaling with level and being a common enough prerequisite for feats non-Fighters take, this one had to go.
All those +2/+2 to skill feats improve to +4/+4 at 10th level. These feats and Skill Focus both allow rerolling one failed skill check related to the feat once per day at 10th level.
Those feats weren't worth the cost.
Jump heights listed for Acrobatics checks are quadrupled and distances doubled.
Why yes, I am a fan of anime. Why do you ask?
Characters that have a shield apply it’s full AC bonus to reflex saves against area of effect attacks or rays that deal elemental damage. Mage Armor can also apply it's full AC bonus in these situations.
How often do you see a knight blocking a dragon’s breath attack with his shield in fantasy art? All the time, and it is cool. I feel the same about when spellcasters throw up a force field to block fireballs and stuff.
No Summoners, Dimension Door, Teleport, or resurrection magic.
Just booting things I particularly dislike from the game.
Generally, I prefer something similar to E6, but terminating at either 8th or 12th level.
Higher level play be crazy.
I use Golarion, but much of the game takes place on a heavily explored and settled version of Arcadia, mostly the western portion. Avistan, Tien, and Arcadian people are all present in large numbers and are considered thematically appropriate for the game, and mixed ethnicity characters aren’t at all uncommon. The common language is Taldane, but Tien is almost as heavily used. The Dragon Empires character options can most certainly be used (though any Samurai are probably ronin immigrants), and I have quite the affection for catfolk.I do allow planetouched. CRB, APG, UM, UC, ACG are allowed, ARG options for already allowed races are allowed, other ARG options or races not specifically mentioned as allowed can be discussed with me.
The standard Fighter, Rogue, Monk, and Cavalier are not banned, but I prefer to use the talented versions from Super Genius Games instead.
I consider them to be somewhat better.
Members of the Machinesmith class are not particularly uncommon in my setting.
I run a high magitech version of Golarion, so Machinesmiths fit in well and fill a character role the increased tech level opens up. It is also available on the D20PFSRD, which makes it easily accessible to players.
I like spell points as written by Super Genius Games, but their use is negotiable. They will either be applied to everybody or nobody.
I double check 3PP before saying yes as a precaution (I consider both balance and the theme of the game when deciding), but I own and view favorably the following items:
*Alchemist’s Discoveries (Super Genius Games)
*Beyond Bloodlines (Super Genius Games)
*All of the talented PDFs for the Fighter, Rogue, Monk, and Cavalier (Super Genius Games)
*Fey Archetypes (Rite Publishing)
*Secrets of the Masquerade Reveler (Rite Publishing)
*Grit and Gunslingers (Super Genius Games)
*Heroes of the Jade Oath (Rite Publishing)
*Heroes of the West (Little Red Goblin Games)
*Kitsune Compendium (Everyman Gaming)
*Classes of NeoExodus: Machinesmith (Louis Porter Jr. Design)
*Gothic Campaign Compendium (Legendary Games)
I use all of the above to varying degrees, and don’t be surprised to see content from 3PP monster books. How much I use the Gothic Campaign Compendium or allow it to be used by players heavily depends on whether the party as a whole is going towards games with optimistic or pessimistic leanings. It’s a book I reserve for more pessimistic games.
I don’t like evil or evil-leaning Neutral PCs.
Maxximilius archetypes (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2n9uc?Maxximiliuss-Archetypes-20-More-grey-matter#1) and multiclass archetypes (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rb2x?Multiclass-Archetypes-VIII-MCAs-Unlimited) are considered on a case by case basis.
Changing rules: Given the amount of 3PP content and house ruling, there will be a balance issue eventually. Rules will not be changed during play, but balance issues will be resolved in between sessions. If it’s a PbP, the rule will be modified after the encounter is resolved. Players will always be informed of any rules changes.
I understand that changing the rules on the players in the middle of play is massively irritating, but I will still have to resolve balance issues.
So, what balance issues did I open up and not notice? I'm sure I did something, somewhere. Do my rules come off as reasonable?