Bullet06320
2015-09-18, 02:27 AM
as originally posted by DlowFunk on WOTC boards on Sept 11 2008
http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1583921
I was reading an old thread recently on another forum and they were talking about the Class Feature Variants in Unearthed Arcana. One gentleman said something about using one variant to qualify for another variant, and that got my mind racing with the potential that a Variant Chain could hold.
Offered up here for your optimizing pleasure...
Variant Chaining
The first set of variants listed here simply swap class feature of one class for another.
Primary Variants
A Barbarian (UA)
Lose: Rage, greater rage, indomitable will, tireless rage, mighty rage.
Gain: Favored enemy (as ranger); archery combat style, improved archery combat style, and archery combat style mastery (as ranger).
B Bard (UA)
Lose: Bardic knowledge, inspire courage, inspire competence,
inspire greatness, inspire heroics.
Gain: Animal companion (as druid), nature sense (as druid),
resist nature’s lure (as druid), wild empathy (as druid).
C Cleric (UA)
Lose: Turn undead.
Gain: Smite evil, if the cleric would normally channel positive energy, or smite good, if the cleric would normally channel negative energy (as paladin); aura of courage (as paladin).
D Druid (UA)
Lose: Armor and shield proficiency, wild shape (all versions).
Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC)*, fast movement (as monk), favored enemy (as ranger), swift tracker (as ranger), Track (as ranger).
E Druidic Avenger (UA)
Lose: Animal Companion, Spontaneous Summoning spells, -4 Wild Empathy Checks
Gain: Fast Movement (as Barbarian), Rage (as Barbarian), Tireless Rage (as Barbarian),
F Fighter (UA)
Lose: Bonus feats.
Gain: Sneak attack (as rogue).
G Monk (UA)
Lose: Enhancement bonus to unarmored speed, bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (retain Wisdom bonus to AC when unarmored).*
Gain: Damage reduction (as barbarian).
H Paladin (UA)
Lose: Lay on hands, turn undead, remove disease.
Gain: Favored enemy (as ranger; may only select aberrations, dragons, giants, monstrous humanoids, evil outsiders, or undead).
I Ranger (UA)
Lose: Combat style, improved combat style, combat style mastery.
Gain: Wild shape (as druid; Small or Medium animals only), fast movement (as barbarian).
J Trap Expert (Ranger) (DS)
Lose: Track, Swift Tracker
Gain: Trapfinding, Disable Device as Class Skill
K Rogue (UA)
Lose: Sneak attack.
Gain: Bonus feats (as fighter).
L** Sorcerer/Wizard (UA)
Lose: Familiar.
Gain: Animal companion (as druid; treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level).
M** Wizard (UA)
Lose: Scribe Scroll, wizard bonus feat list.
Gain: Bonus feat list (as fighter; bonus feats gained at 1st level and every five levels as wizard).
* Note that variant D gives Wisdom to AC bonus but variant G does NOT take it away.
** I see no actual potential with variants L or M but I figured I'd include them anyway.
Secondary Variants
Listed here are variants whose prereq's can be met using the variants above:
Barbarian
1 Lose: Fast Movement (Barbarian)
Gain: Spirit Totem (CC)
2 Lose: Damage Reduction (Barbarian)
Gain: Totem Manifestation
3 Lose: Rage (Barbarian)
Gain: Berzerker Strength (PH2)
4 Lose: Trap Sense (Barbarian or Rogue)
Gain: Spell Sense (CM)
Druid
5 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid or Ranger)
Gain: Phynxkin Companion (DrM)
6 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid) AND Wild Empathy (Druid)
Gain: Elemental Comanion (CM)
7 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid) AND Wild Shape (Druid)
Gain: Shapeshift (PH2)
8 Lose: Wild Shape (Druid)
Gain: Aspect of the Dragon (DrM)
9 Lose: Wild Shape (Druid)
Gain: Spider Shape (Und)
Fighter
10 Lose: Fighter Feat Any Even Level
Gain: Resolute @ any even level (CC)
11 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 2 and Lvl 6
Gain: Dungeon Crasher (DS)
12 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 4 or higher
Gain: Aligned Strike (CC)
13 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 6
Gain: Elusive Attack (PH2)
14 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 8 or Higher
Gain: Armor of God (CC)
15 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 12
Gain: Counter Atack (PH2)
16 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 16
Gain: Overpowering Attack (PH2)
Monk
17 Lose: Reduced Fast Movement (Monk)
Gain: Standing Jump (DS)
Ranger
18 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid or Ranger)
Gain: Phynxkin Companion (DrM)
19 Lose: Animal Companion (Ranger)
Gain: Distracting Attack (PH2)
20 Lose: Animal Companion (Ranger)
Gain: Spiritual Guide (CC)
21 Lose: Favored Enemy 1st Lvl only (Ranger)
Gain: Arcane Hunter (CM)
22 Lose: Wild Empathy (Ranger)
Gain: Spiritual Connection (CC)
Rogue
23 Lose: Trapfinding (Rogue)
Gain: Antiquarian (CC)
24 Lose: Trapfinding (Rogue)
Gain: Poison Use (Und)
25 Lose: Trap Sense (Rogue)
Gain: Death's Ruin (CC)
26 Lose: Trap Sense (Rogue)
Gain: Penetrating Strike (DS)
27 Lose: Trap Sense (Barbarian or Rogue)
Gain: Spell Sense (CM)
Sources:
CC -Comlete Champion
CM - Complete Mage
DrM - Dragon Magic
Und - Drow of the Underdark
DS - Dungeonscape
PH2 - Players Handbook 2
Example Chain:
Lets begin with a basic Barbarian.
First we apply the Primary Variants.
Apply Variant A:
Lose: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage
Gain: Favored enemy (Ranger); Archery Combat Style, Improved Archery Combat Style, and Archery Combat Style Mastery (Ranger).
A Chained to Variant I:
Lose: Combat Style, Improved Combat Style, Combat Style Mastery.
Gain: Wild shape (Druid; Small or Medium animals only), Fast Movement (Barbarian).
I Chained to Variant D:
Lose: Armor and Shield proficiency, Wild Shape (all versions).
Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (Monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), Fast Movement (Monk), Favored Enemy (Ranger), Swift tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger).
D Chained to Variant G:
Lose: Enhancement bonus to unarmored speed (Monk), Bonus to Armor Class when Unarmored (retain Wisdom bonus to AC when unarmored).
Gain: Damage reduction (Barbarian).
Here we have a Barbarian that:
Loses: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage and Armor & Shield proficiencies
Gains: a 2nd Fast Movement (Barbarian), a 2nd Damage Reduction (Barbarian), 2 Favored Enemies (Ranger), Swift Tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger), and Wisdom to AC (Monk).
Now if we apply some Secondary Variants:
Variant 1
Lose: Fast Movement (Barbarian)
Gain: Spirit Totem (CC)
Variant 2
Lose: Damage Reduction (Barbarian)
Gain: Totem Manifestation (CC)
Variant 20
Lose: Favored Enemy 1st Lvl only (Ranger)
Gain: Arcane Hunter (CM)
What we're left with is:
Loses: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage and Armor & Shield proficiencies
Gains: 1 Normal Favored Enemy (Ranger), Favored Enemy against ANY Arcane Magic user, Swift Tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger), Wisdom to AC (Monk), a Spirit Totem (Lion, of course), and a Totem Manifestation.
Thoughts:
I could see a DM not allowing this in his game due to the complexity of it. However, I do not see any "Brokenness" about it. It's still a matter of trade-offs. This just sweetens the pot!
this is reference in
http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1151316
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9795.msg331321
the ACF thread on WOTC boards and Brilliant Gameologists boards but the link there is broken
so here is the original post saved over here for everyone
http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1583921
I was reading an old thread recently on another forum and they were talking about the Class Feature Variants in Unearthed Arcana. One gentleman said something about using one variant to qualify for another variant, and that got my mind racing with the potential that a Variant Chain could hold.
Offered up here for your optimizing pleasure...
Variant Chaining
The first set of variants listed here simply swap class feature of one class for another.
Primary Variants
A Barbarian (UA)
Lose: Rage, greater rage, indomitable will, tireless rage, mighty rage.
Gain: Favored enemy (as ranger); archery combat style, improved archery combat style, and archery combat style mastery (as ranger).
B Bard (UA)
Lose: Bardic knowledge, inspire courage, inspire competence,
inspire greatness, inspire heroics.
Gain: Animal companion (as druid), nature sense (as druid),
resist nature’s lure (as druid), wild empathy (as druid).
C Cleric (UA)
Lose: Turn undead.
Gain: Smite evil, if the cleric would normally channel positive energy, or smite good, if the cleric would normally channel negative energy (as paladin); aura of courage (as paladin).
D Druid (UA)
Lose: Armor and shield proficiency, wild shape (all versions).
Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC)*, fast movement (as monk), favored enemy (as ranger), swift tracker (as ranger), Track (as ranger).
E Druidic Avenger (UA)
Lose: Animal Companion, Spontaneous Summoning spells, -4 Wild Empathy Checks
Gain: Fast Movement (as Barbarian), Rage (as Barbarian), Tireless Rage (as Barbarian),
F Fighter (UA)
Lose: Bonus feats.
Gain: Sneak attack (as rogue).
G Monk (UA)
Lose: Enhancement bonus to unarmored speed, bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (retain Wisdom bonus to AC when unarmored).*
Gain: Damage reduction (as barbarian).
H Paladin (UA)
Lose: Lay on hands, turn undead, remove disease.
Gain: Favored enemy (as ranger; may only select aberrations, dragons, giants, monstrous humanoids, evil outsiders, or undead).
I Ranger (UA)
Lose: Combat style, improved combat style, combat style mastery.
Gain: Wild shape (as druid; Small or Medium animals only), fast movement (as barbarian).
J Trap Expert (Ranger) (DS)
Lose: Track, Swift Tracker
Gain: Trapfinding, Disable Device as Class Skill
K Rogue (UA)
Lose: Sneak attack.
Gain: Bonus feats (as fighter).
L** Sorcerer/Wizard (UA)
Lose: Familiar.
Gain: Animal companion (as druid; treat sorcerer or wizard as a druid of half his class level).
M** Wizard (UA)
Lose: Scribe Scroll, wizard bonus feat list.
Gain: Bonus feat list (as fighter; bonus feats gained at 1st level and every five levels as wizard).
* Note that variant D gives Wisdom to AC bonus but variant G does NOT take it away.
** I see no actual potential with variants L or M but I figured I'd include them anyway.
Secondary Variants
Listed here are variants whose prereq's can be met using the variants above:
Barbarian
1 Lose: Fast Movement (Barbarian)
Gain: Spirit Totem (CC)
2 Lose: Damage Reduction (Barbarian)
Gain: Totem Manifestation
3 Lose: Rage (Barbarian)
Gain: Berzerker Strength (PH2)
4 Lose: Trap Sense (Barbarian or Rogue)
Gain: Spell Sense (CM)
Druid
5 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid or Ranger)
Gain: Phynxkin Companion (DrM)
6 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid) AND Wild Empathy (Druid)
Gain: Elemental Comanion (CM)
7 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid) AND Wild Shape (Druid)
Gain: Shapeshift (PH2)
8 Lose: Wild Shape (Druid)
Gain: Aspect of the Dragon (DrM)
9 Lose: Wild Shape (Druid)
Gain: Spider Shape (Und)
Fighter
10 Lose: Fighter Feat Any Even Level
Gain: Resolute @ any even level (CC)
11 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 2 and Lvl 6
Gain: Dungeon Crasher (DS)
12 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 4 or higher
Gain: Aligned Strike (CC)
13 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 6
Gain: Elusive Attack (PH2)
14 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 8 or Higher
Gain: Armor of God (CC)
15 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 12
Gain: Counter Atack (PH2)
16 Lose: Fighter Feat Lvl 16
Gain: Overpowering Attack (PH2)
Monk
17 Lose: Reduced Fast Movement (Monk)
Gain: Standing Jump (DS)
Ranger
18 Lose: Animal Companion (Druid or Ranger)
Gain: Phynxkin Companion (DrM)
19 Lose: Animal Companion (Ranger)
Gain: Distracting Attack (PH2)
20 Lose: Animal Companion (Ranger)
Gain: Spiritual Guide (CC)
21 Lose: Favored Enemy 1st Lvl only (Ranger)
Gain: Arcane Hunter (CM)
22 Lose: Wild Empathy (Ranger)
Gain: Spiritual Connection (CC)
Rogue
23 Lose: Trapfinding (Rogue)
Gain: Antiquarian (CC)
24 Lose: Trapfinding (Rogue)
Gain: Poison Use (Und)
25 Lose: Trap Sense (Rogue)
Gain: Death's Ruin (CC)
26 Lose: Trap Sense (Rogue)
Gain: Penetrating Strike (DS)
27 Lose: Trap Sense (Barbarian or Rogue)
Gain: Spell Sense (CM)
Sources:
CC -Comlete Champion
CM - Complete Mage
DrM - Dragon Magic
Und - Drow of the Underdark
DS - Dungeonscape
PH2 - Players Handbook 2
Example Chain:
Lets begin with a basic Barbarian.
First we apply the Primary Variants.
Apply Variant A:
Lose: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage
Gain: Favored enemy (Ranger); Archery Combat Style, Improved Archery Combat Style, and Archery Combat Style Mastery (Ranger).
A Chained to Variant I:
Lose: Combat Style, Improved Combat Style, Combat Style Mastery.
Gain: Wild shape (Druid; Small or Medium animals only), Fast Movement (Barbarian).
I Chained to Variant D:
Lose: Armor and Shield proficiency, Wild Shape (all versions).
Gain: Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (Monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), Fast Movement (Monk), Favored Enemy (Ranger), Swift tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger).
D Chained to Variant G:
Lose: Enhancement bonus to unarmored speed (Monk), Bonus to Armor Class when Unarmored (retain Wisdom bonus to AC when unarmored).
Gain: Damage reduction (Barbarian).
Here we have a Barbarian that:
Loses: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage and Armor & Shield proficiencies
Gains: a 2nd Fast Movement (Barbarian), a 2nd Damage Reduction (Barbarian), 2 Favored Enemies (Ranger), Swift Tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger), and Wisdom to AC (Monk).
Now if we apply some Secondary Variants:
Variant 1
Lose: Fast Movement (Barbarian)
Gain: Spirit Totem (CC)
Variant 2
Lose: Damage Reduction (Barbarian)
Gain: Totem Manifestation (CC)
Variant 20
Lose: Favored Enemy 1st Lvl only (Ranger)
Gain: Arcane Hunter (CM)
What we're left with is:
Loses: Rage, Greater Rage, Indomitable will, Tireless Rage, Mighty Rage and Armor & Shield proficiencies
Gains: 1 Normal Favored Enemy (Ranger), Favored Enemy against ANY Arcane Magic user, Swift Tracker (Ranger), Track (Ranger), Wisdom to AC (Monk), a Spirit Totem (Lion, of course), and a Totem Manifestation.
Thoughts:
I could see a DM not allowing this in his game due to the complexity of it. However, I do not see any "Brokenness" about it. It's still a matter of trade-offs. This just sweetens the pot!
this is reference in
http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1151316
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=9795.msg331321
the ACF thread on WOTC boards and Brilliant Gameologists boards but the link there is broken
so here is the original post saved over here for everyone