I_Got_This_Name
2007-06-18, 10:13 PM
One frequent gripe is that characters who multiclass often find themselves behind the curve on their key abilities, with no way (short of a rebuild) of catching back up again; a character who takes one level of less-than-full BAB has a BAB permanently behind all other characters of their level, and a mage who gives up a caster level has that level gone, forever. Compared to their level, gaining +1 level of existing class casting is a holding pattern, not new power.
With that in mind, I propose the following system:
At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, a character picks a Primary Feature from the following list, provided they meet the prerequisites. Every class they take from that point forward advances that Primary Feature. If you don't meet the prerequisites for any when you reach a level where you gain one, you can hold off on gaining one until a later level, but must take the first one for which you meet the prerequisites (you may choose between any that you qualify for at the same level)
As compensation, remove all casting progression from mage prestige classes. I'd consider cutting all prestige classes down to Cleric BAB at best, but that's kicking the fighters while they're fighters; consider doing so for Nine Swords prestige classes, though. Nine Swords prestige classes other than the Master of Nine should have their maneuver progression removed. It might also not be too bad to nerf the skill points of 6 + intelligence modifier PrCs, and strip Sneak Attack from them.
Designer's Note: These aren't intended to re-balance classes, merely to make multiclassing involve fewer sacrifices.
Primary Feature List:
Ambusher
Prerequisite: 5 or more levels in a class that grants Skirmish, Sneak Attack, or Sudden Strike
Benefit: Select one class that grants Skirmish, Sneak Attack, or Sudden Strike. You gain that class feature as though your class level in the selected class equalled your character level, not counting levels in other classes which provide one of the above-mentioned abilities .
Combat Aptitude
Prerequisite: Combined levels in classes granting 1/level base attack bonus progression totalling 5th+.
Benefit: Your base attack bonus is equal to your hit dice, regardless of which progression each individual hit die provides. When wielding manufactured weapons or unarmed strikes, you make iterative attacks according to your new BAB.
Combat Fortitude
Prerequisite: At least 5 hit dice as d10s or d12s
Benefit: All of your hit dice are d10s, except for those that are naturally larger. If you have 5 or more d12 hit dice, all of your hit dice are d12s. This applies retroactively; you gain one hit point for each d8 hit die you had, two for each d6, and three for each d4, doubled for your first hit die; if your hit dice become d12s, increase these numbers by one, and gain one hit point for each d10 (if this feature had previously upgraded all of your hit dice to d10s, and you then upgrade further to d12s, gain hit points from the current d10s, not their original die sizes). Additionally, your base fortitude save increases to +2, plus 1/2 your character level, whenever it is less than that.
Divine Mission
Prerequisite: Paladin (http://corporation.walagata.com/fax/wiki/index.php/Paladin) level 5th+
Benefit: You gain Mantles with your character level, not your Paladin level.
Expert Combatant*
Prerequisite: Fighter level 5th+
Benefit: You gain fighter bonus feats as though your fighter level equaled your character level. Additionally, you qualify for feats as though you were a fighter of your character level, but only for satisfying prequisites of Fighter Level x+.
Lure of Shadow
Prerequisite: Shadowcaster level 5th+
Benefit: Your Shadowcaster caster level is equal to your character level, and you gain one Mystery for every character level that you gain, and gain access to new levels of Mysteries as per your character level. You gain no other class features of the Shadowcaster class, such as extra Fundamentals, Umbral Sight, or Sustaining Shadow; paths accessed entirely through Mysteries granted by other class levels provide no bonus feats. If using a fix that instead grants a bonus feat for paths completed, Mysteries gained from this feature grant bonus feats, to a maximum of one bonus feat per three Shadowcaster class levels.
Magical Study
Prerequisite: Spellcaster (or see below) level 5th+
Benefit: Select a spellcasting class that you have at least 5 levels in. Whenever you gain a level in another class, you gain spells known and spells per day for that spellcasting class as though you had gained a level of that spellcasting class, but this only affects the highest available spell level (a 4th-level Sorcerer/5th-level fighter with this ability would have 6/6/4/4/4 spells per day, plus bonus spells, and know 6/3/2/2/2).
You gain no extra spell slots for specialization, nor do you gain domain slots; additionally, you are restricted to one bonus spell slot for a high ability score per class and per spell level, for all spell levels accessed through this feature (if you have this ability for two classes, you gain one bonus spell for each class, but they must be assigned to different spell levels). If you have access to domains from the class this ability is selected for, you may choose, when preparing spells, to turn one spell slot per spell level provided by this feature into a domain slot; you may do this to as many or as few spell levels as you like, and may turn them back when you next prepare spells; essentially, one slot per level granted by this ability can be used as a normal spell slot or a domain spell slot, in a class that grants domains.
This applies retroactively; you gain this immediately for all levels you had prior to gaining this ability. Additionally, your caster level is equal to your hit dice, and Spellcraft and Concentraton are class skills for all of your classes.
Special: You can take this Primary Feature twice. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take this feature, it applies to a different class. This may be applied to the Warlock or Dragonfire Adept. In that case, it affects invocations known and Eldritch Blast/breath weapon damage. If this is applied to Artificer, Use Magic Device (instead of Spellcraft) becomes a class skill, and it applies to the Artificer's infusions. If this is applied to a Truenamer, Truespeak becomes a class skill instead of Spellcraft. Finally, if it is applied to a Psionic class, it grants Psicraft (instead of Spellcraft) and affects manifestations instead of spellcasting.
Master Shapeshifter
Prerequisite: Wild Shape ability or Shapechange Druid level 5th+
Benefit: You can use Wild Shape or your Druidic Shapechange ability as a Druid of your character level.
Musician
Prerequisite: Bard level 5th+
Benefit: Perform is a class skill for all of your classes. Additionally, levels in all of your classes stack with levels of Bard for determining the effectiveness of your Bardic Music ability, its uses per day, and which Bardic Music effects you can generate.
Pact Seal
Prerequisite: Binder level 5th+
Benefit: You may bind Vestiges as a Binder of your character level. This affects your Effective Binder Level, the number of Vestiges that you can bind, and the highest level of Vestige that you can bind, but does not affect Pact Augmentation, Soul Guardian, or any other Binder class features, nor can you bind four Vestiges at once through this ability.
Presense of a General
Prerequisite: Marshal (or Marshal (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=752414)) level 5th+
Benefit: Your Major Aura bonus and Minor Auras known advance as though your Marshal level is equal to your character level.
Skillful
Prerequisite: 5 or more hit dice that grant at least 6 + intelligence modifier skill points per hit die.
Benefit: All skills that are class skills for any one of your levels are class skills for all of them. Additionally, all of your hit dice grant 6 + intelligence modifier skill points. These benefits apply retroactively; if you purchased skill ranks at cross-class cost, those ranks are doubled. Additionally, your base reflex save increases to +2, plus 1/2 your character level, whenever it is less than that.
Sublime Training
Prerequisite: Crusader, Swordsage, or Warblade level 5th+
Benefit: Select one of the three classes listed above that you have at least five levels in. You gain additional maneuvers and stances known as though you gained a level in the selected class whenever you gain a character level, regardless of what class the level is gained in. Additionally, your initiator level for that class equals your character level. You gain maneuvers and stances known retroactively when you take this ability.
Special: This ability should be a prerequisite for the Master of Nine prestige class (all other Tome of Battle prestige classes should have their martial progression removed); this ability does not apply when you gain a level in Master of Nine.
Superior Study
Prerequisite: Magical Study
Benefit: Select a class that you have taken Magical Study for. You cast spells as a member of that class of your character level. This supercedes Magical Study. Additionally, your base will save increases to +2, plus 1/2 your character level, whenever it is less than that.
Supreme Artisan
Prerequisite: Artificer level 5th+
Benefit: Your craft reserve immediately improves to that of an Artificer of your character level, and advances every time you gain a level. Additionally, your Artificer level for purposes of making items, and your effective caster level for item creation, are equal to your character level
True Loyalty
Prerequisite: Level 5th+ in a class granting a Familiar, Special Mount, Animal Companion, or other companion
Benefit: Select one of your companions granted by a class and improved based on your class level. You may use your character level in place of your class level for these purposes.**
Unbridled Rage
Prerequisite: Barbarian level 5th+
Benefit: All of your class levels count as Barbarian levels for purposes of determining the effectiveness of your Rage and the number of Rage uses per day you have. You cannot gain Mighty Rage through this ability, but you gain all other Barbarian class features with Rage in their names.
(Designer's note: Mighty Rage is a clear capstone, and I'm reluctant to give capstone abilities to people who ditch a class)
Unswerving Devotion
Prerequisite: Paladin level 5th+
Benefit: Your Aura of Good, Lay on Hands, and Smite Evil abilities improve based on your character level, not your Paladin level. Additionally, you may freely return to Paladin after multiclassing out of it.
Way of the Fist
Prerequisite: Monk level 5th+
Benefit: Your monk AC bonuses, unarmed damage, flurry of blows, ki strike, and stunning attack function as though you were a monk of your character level. Additionally, the normal prohibition on monks returning to the Monk class after multiclassing does not apply to you.
Way of the Soul
Prerequisite: Monk level 5th+
Benefit: Your base saving throws are calculated as though you were a monk of your character level (replacing all other base saving throw bonuses). Additionally, you have the speed bonus of a monk of your character level, and gain the Diamond Soul, Improved Evasion, Slow Fall, and Wholeness of Body abilities as a monk of your character level. Additionally, the normal prohibition on monks returning to the Monk class after multiclassing does not apply to you.
*Designer's note on Expert Combatant: Not sure how balanced this one is, or how much I like this one. Regardless, all of the other classes qualified you for at least two good ones at 5th level except the dedicated casters, and they're good enough to need you two spend two of these to keep up just to be balanced, and qualify for one at 5th and one at 10th, so. . .
**It may not be unbalanced to allow this ability to allow Rangers to have an animal companion with their effective Druid level (rather than effective Ranger level) equal to their character level.
With that in mind, I propose the following system:
At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, a character picks a Primary Feature from the following list, provided they meet the prerequisites. Every class they take from that point forward advances that Primary Feature. If you don't meet the prerequisites for any when you reach a level where you gain one, you can hold off on gaining one until a later level, but must take the first one for which you meet the prerequisites (you may choose between any that you qualify for at the same level)
As compensation, remove all casting progression from mage prestige classes. I'd consider cutting all prestige classes down to Cleric BAB at best, but that's kicking the fighters while they're fighters; consider doing so for Nine Swords prestige classes, though. Nine Swords prestige classes other than the Master of Nine should have their maneuver progression removed. It might also not be too bad to nerf the skill points of 6 + intelligence modifier PrCs, and strip Sneak Attack from them.
Designer's Note: These aren't intended to re-balance classes, merely to make multiclassing involve fewer sacrifices.
Primary Feature List:
Ambusher
Prerequisite: 5 or more levels in a class that grants Skirmish, Sneak Attack, or Sudden Strike
Benefit: Select one class that grants Skirmish, Sneak Attack, or Sudden Strike. You gain that class feature as though your class level in the selected class equalled your character level, not counting levels in other classes which provide one of the above-mentioned abilities .
Combat Aptitude
Prerequisite: Combined levels in classes granting 1/level base attack bonus progression totalling 5th+.
Benefit: Your base attack bonus is equal to your hit dice, regardless of which progression each individual hit die provides. When wielding manufactured weapons or unarmed strikes, you make iterative attacks according to your new BAB.
Combat Fortitude
Prerequisite: At least 5 hit dice as d10s or d12s
Benefit: All of your hit dice are d10s, except for those that are naturally larger. If you have 5 or more d12 hit dice, all of your hit dice are d12s. This applies retroactively; you gain one hit point for each d8 hit die you had, two for each d6, and three for each d4, doubled for your first hit die; if your hit dice become d12s, increase these numbers by one, and gain one hit point for each d10 (if this feature had previously upgraded all of your hit dice to d10s, and you then upgrade further to d12s, gain hit points from the current d10s, not their original die sizes). Additionally, your base fortitude save increases to +2, plus 1/2 your character level, whenever it is less than that.
Divine Mission
Prerequisite: Paladin (http://corporation.walagata.com/fax/wiki/index.php/Paladin) level 5th+
Benefit: You gain Mantles with your character level, not your Paladin level.
Expert Combatant*
Prerequisite: Fighter level 5th+
Benefit: You gain fighter bonus feats as though your fighter level equaled your character level. Additionally, you qualify for feats as though you were a fighter of your character level, but only for satisfying prequisites of Fighter Level x+.
Lure of Shadow
Prerequisite: Shadowcaster level 5th+
Benefit: Your Shadowcaster caster level is equal to your character level, and you gain one Mystery for every character level that you gain, and gain access to new levels of Mysteries as per your character level. You gain no other class features of the Shadowcaster class, such as extra Fundamentals, Umbral Sight, or Sustaining Shadow; paths accessed entirely through Mysteries granted by other class levels provide no bonus feats. If using a fix that instead grants a bonus feat for paths completed, Mysteries gained from this feature grant bonus feats, to a maximum of one bonus feat per three Shadowcaster class levels.
Magical Study
Prerequisite: Spellcaster (or see below) level 5th+
Benefit: Select a spellcasting class that you have at least 5 levels in. Whenever you gain a level in another class, you gain spells known and spells per day for that spellcasting class as though you had gained a level of that spellcasting class, but this only affects the highest available spell level (a 4th-level Sorcerer/5th-level fighter with this ability would have 6/6/4/4/4 spells per day, plus bonus spells, and know 6/3/2/2/2).
You gain no extra spell slots for specialization, nor do you gain domain slots; additionally, you are restricted to one bonus spell slot for a high ability score per class and per spell level, for all spell levels accessed through this feature (if you have this ability for two classes, you gain one bonus spell for each class, but they must be assigned to different spell levels). If you have access to domains from the class this ability is selected for, you may choose, when preparing spells, to turn one spell slot per spell level provided by this feature into a domain slot; you may do this to as many or as few spell levels as you like, and may turn them back when you next prepare spells; essentially, one slot per level granted by this ability can be used as a normal spell slot or a domain spell slot, in a class that grants domains.
This applies retroactively; you gain this immediately for all levels you had prior to gaining this ability. Additionally, your caster level is equal to your hit dice, and Spellcraft and Concentraton are class skills for all of your classes.
Special: You can take this Primary Feature twice. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take this feature, it applies to a different class. This may be applied to the Warlock or Dragonfire Adept. In that case, it affects invocations known and Eldritch Blast/breath weapon damage. If this is applied to Artificer, Use Magic Device (instead of Spellcraft) becomes a class skill, and it applies to the Artificer's infusions. If this is applied to a Truenamer, Truespeak becomes a class skill instead of Spellcraft. Finally, if it is applied to a Psionic class, it grants Psicraft (instead of Spellcraft) and affects manifestations instead of spellcasting.
Master Shapeshifter
Prerequisite: Wild Shape ability or Shapechange Druid level 5th+
Benefit: You can use Wild Shape or your Druidic Shapechange ability as a Druid of your character level.
Musician
Prerequisite: Bard level 5th+
Benefit: Perform is a class skill for all of your classes. Additionally, levels in all of your classes stack with levels of Bard for determining the effectiveness of your Bardic Music ability, its uses per day, and which Bardic Music effects you can generate.
Pact Seal
Prerequisite: Binder level 5th+
Benefit: You may bind Vestiges as a Binder of your character level. This affects your Effective Binder Level, the number of Vestiges that you can bind, and the highest level of Vestige that you can bind, but does not affect Pact Augmentation, Soul Guardian, or any other Binder class features, nor can you bind four Vestiges at once through this ability.
Presense of a General
Prerequisite: Marshal (or Marshal (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=752414)) level 5th+
Benefit: Your Major Aura bonus and Minor Auras known advance as though your Marshal level is equal to your character level.
Skillful
Prerequisite: 5 or more hit dice that grant at least 6 + intelligence modifier skill points per hit die.
Benefit: All skills that are class skills for any one of your levels are class skills for all of them. Additionally, all of your hit dice grant 6 + intelligence modifier skill points. These benefits apply retroactively; if you purchased skill ranks at cross-class cost, those ranks are doubled. Additionally, your base reflex save increases to +2, plus 1/2 your character level, whenever it is less than that.
Sublime Training
Prerequisite: Crusader, Swordsage, or Warblade level 5th+
Benefit: Select one of the three classes listed above that you have at least five levels in. You gain additional maneuvers and stances known as though you gained a level in the selected class whenever you gain a character level, regardless of what class the level is gained in. Additionally, your initiator level for that class equals your character level. You gain maneuvers and stances known retroactively when you take this ability.
Special: This ability should be a prerequisite for the Master of Nine prestige class (all other Tome of Battle prestige classes should have their martial progression removed); this ability does not apply when you gain a level in Master of Nine.
Superior Study
Prerequisite: Magical Study
Benefit: Select a class that you have taken Magical Study for. You cast spells as a member of that class of your character level. This supercedes Magical Study. Additionally, your base will save increases to +2, plus 1/2 your character level, whenever it is less than that.
Supreme Artisan
Prerequisite: Artificer level 5th+
Benefit: Your craft reserve immediately improves to that of an Artificer of your character level, and advances every time you gain a level. Additionally, your Artificer level for purposes of making items, and your effective caster level for item creation, are equal to your character level
True Loyalty
Prerequisite: Level 5th+ in a class granting a Familiar, Special Mount, Animal Companion, or other companion
Benefit: Select one of your companions granted by a class and improved based on your class level. You may use your character level in place of your class level for these purposes.**
Unbridled Rage
Prerequisite: Barbarian level 5th+
Benefit: All of your class levels count as Barbarian levels for purposes of determining the effectiveness of your Rage and the number of Rage uses per day you have. You cannot gain Mighty Rage through this ability, but you gain all other Barbarian class features with Rage in their names.
(Designer's note: Mighty Rage is a clear capstone, and I'm reluctant to give capstone abilities to people who ditch a class)
Unswerving Devotion
Prerequisite: Paladin level 5th+
Benefit: Your Aura of Good, Lay on Hands, and Smite Evil abilities improve based on your character level, not your Paladin level. Additionally, you may freely return to Paladin after multiclassing out of it.
Way of the Fist
Prerequisite: Monk level 5th+
Benefit: Your monk AC bonuses, unarmed damage, flurry of blows, ki strike, and stunning attack function as though you were a monk of your character level. Additionally, the normal prohibition on monks returning to the Monk class after multiclassing does not apply to you.
Way of the Soul
Prerequisite: Monk level 5th+
Benefit: Your base saving throws are calculated as though you were a monk of your character level (replacing all other base saving throw bonuses). Additionally, you have the speed bonus of a monk of your character level, and gain the Diamond Soul, Improved Evasion, Slow Fall, and Wholeness of Body abilities as a monk of your character level. Additionally, the normal prohibition on monks returning to the Monk class after multiclassing does not apply to you.
*Designer's note on Expert Combatant: Not sure how balanced this one is, or how much I like this one. Regardless, all of the other classes qualified you for at least two good ones at 5th level except the dedicated casters, and they're good enough to need you two spend two of these to keep up just to be balanced, and qualify for one at 5th and one at 10th, so. . .
**It may not be unbalanced to allow this ability to allow Rangers to have an animal companion with their effective Druid level (rather than effective Ranger level) equal to their character level.