Solaris
2015-01-29, 08:44 PM
Partly inspired by a discussion about what ought to have been in core, and partly coming about from my own incessant habit of tinkering with things, I've devised some rough ideas on lowering the bottom rung for PC classes to even out the power issues somewhat. My intention is that there be no classes that are simply a waste of levels to take as anything more than a dip, like the monk and the CW samurai, but at the same time retaining their extant identities more than just 'replace monk with unarmed swordsage'.
Barbarian was left unmodified on account of my wanting to keep one class simple enough that it's just 'I hit things', without having it be the lame fighter.
In general: A class's initiator level is its BAB. Only actual initiator classes (a definition broadly expanded) contribute maneuvers known/max manuevers, though.
Fractional saves and BAB are in use, encouraging multi-classing.
The caster level bonus for non-casters is in use (see UA for details). This encourages gishes.
Battle Dancer: Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Battle Dancer abilities are usable in light armor.
Battle Sorcerer: Can gain swordsage maneuvers/stances as spells.
Druid: Gains animal companion at 4th level. The animal companion's abilities progress at the druid's level -3.
Duskblade: Can gain swordsage maneuvers/stances as spells.
Fighter: Keeps bonus feats, gains warblade maneuver/stance progression.
Gains 4 + Int skills/level.
Knight: Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression.
Ninja: Sneak attack instead of sudden strike.
Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
All abilities are usable in light armor.
Monk: Full BAB.
Gains 6 + Int skills/level.
Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Monk abilities are usable in light armor.
Paladin: Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression. Can gain paladin spells as maneuvers (see arcane swordsage variant for details).
Smite evil works for all attacks until the next turn, and is a free action to activate.
Loses spellcasting, and instead gains the Martial Paladin ACF from CW.
Gains 4 + Int skills/level.
Ranger: Gains animal companion at 1st level, as PHB druid. Loses spellcasting, and instead gains the Martial Ranger ACF from CW.
Loses combat styles, gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression. Can gain ranger spells as maneuvers (see arcane swordsage variant for details).
Wild shape ACF: Lose maneuver/stances, gains barbarian rage at 2nd level and wild shape as druid (starting at 6th level and continuing as druid -1).
Samurai: OA version, not CW version.
Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression.
Sorcerer: Gets Eschew Materials and a Heritage feat as bonus feats at 1st level. Gains 1 heritage or metamagic bonus feat at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels.
Soulborn: Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression, but maneuvers known/readied are halved.
Soulknife: Gains psychic warrior power progression or swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Gains AC bonus as swordsage.
Might be removed entirely and replaced with a feat chain.
Swashbuckler: Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Maybe warblade instead?
Witch (new class): As UA battle sorcerer, but gains the witch spell list (see DMG) and a clerical domain. Familiar gains the chassis (bonus HD, Str/Dex boost, natural armor boost, method of calculating abilities) of an animal companion with the Intelligence and special features of a familiar, and druid/ranger animal companions are available.
Any problem combinations or classes I overlooked?
Barbarian was left unmodified on account of my wanting to keep one class simple enough that it's just 'I hit things', without having it be the lame fighter.
In general: A class's initiator level is its BAB. Only actual initiator classes (a definition broadly expanded) contribute maneuvers known/max manuevers, though.
Fractional saves and BAB are in use, encouraging multi-classing.
The caster level bonus for non-casters is in use (see UA for details). This encourages gishes.
Battle Dancer: Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Battle Dancer abilities are usable in light armor.
Battle Sorcerer: Can gain swordsage maneuvers/stances as spells.
Druid: Gains animal companion at 4th level. The animal companion's abilities progress at the druid's level -3.
Duskblade: Can gain swordsage maneuvers/stances as spells.
Fighter: Keeps bonus feats, gains warblade maneuver/stance progression.
Gains 4 + Int skills/level.
Knight: Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression.
Ninja: Sneak attack instead of sudden strike.
Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
All abilities are usable in light armor.
Monk: Full BAB.
Gains 6 + Int skills/level.
Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Monk abilities are usable in light armor.
Paladin: Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression. Can gain paladin spells as maneuvers (see arcane swordsage variant for details).
Smite evil works for all attacks until the next turn, and is a free action to activate.
Loses spellcasting, and instead gains the Martial Paladin ACF from CW.
Gains 4 + Int skills/level.
Ranger: Gains animal companion at 1st level, as PHB druid. Loses spellcasting, and instead gains the Martial Ranger ACF from CW.
Loses combat styles, gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression. Can gain ranger spells as maneuvers (see arcane swordsage variant for details).
Wild shape ACF: Lose maneuver/stances, gains barbarian rage at 2nd level and wild shape as druid (starting at 6th level and continuing as druid -1).
Samurai: OA version, not CW version.
Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression.
Sorcerer: Gets Eschew Materials and a Heritage feat as bonus feats at 1st level. Gains 1 heritage or metamagic bonus feat at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels.
Soulborn: Gains crusader maneuver/stance progression, but maneuvers known/readied are halved.
Soulknife: Gains psychic warrior power progression or swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Gains AC bonus as swordsage.
Might be removed entirely and replaced with a feat chain.
Swashbuckler: Gains swordsage maneuver/stance progression.
Maybe warblade instead?
Witch (new class): As UA battle sorcerer, but gains the witch spell list (see DMG) and a clerical domain. Familiar gains the chassis (bonus HD, Str/Dex boost, natural armor boost, method of calculating abilities) of an animal companion with the Intelligence and special features of a familiar, and druid/ranger animal companions are available.
Any problem combinations or classes I overlooked?