Syne
2008-07-29, 01:44 PM
Soul Marks
An alternative to magic/psionic items
[hr]
Soul Marks are a form of ‘ability kits’ that work similarly to classes. They provide various abilities stretched across 10 levels. They may be picked up by paying a certain (as of yet undecided) price in experience points but one can advance in them at a certain (yet undecided) rate every level. They usually provide supernatural, spell-like, or psi-like abilities, but may also provide bonus feats and extraordinary abilities. They are meant to partially or totally replace magic items.
Soul Marks cannot be bought with gold, ensuring that there is no risk to game balance if characters find mountains of gold wherever they go (in a magical item-free game), nor can they be taken from their fallen owners. In some cases they might be traded for services rendered, with ‘traded’ meaning a caster will sacrifice some of his XP to perform a ritual that grants you a certain Mark.
Most Soul Marks provide at least some limited use abilities (x/day, x/encounter). With a high Charisma score one can gain additional uses of any limited use ability. Currently, the form is 1 use of any ability per 2 points of Charisma modifier. This is supposed to solve the problem of Charisma being a useless stat to most characters.
To preserve a semblance of game balance, Soul Marks would have to at least partially emulate abilities previously provided by magical items (such as enhancement bonuses, and so forth), however they would also have hosts of original abilities. Just to shake things up a bit.
Now, perhaps to answer the most important question: Why am I doing this? Well, because I dislike how the game forces you to rely on external sources of power. It heavily dilutes the awesomeness of your character. Actually, I even dislike magical items in general. There are only so many characters you can make that wield a ‘magic sword’ before the concept becomes old. Also, because I am bored and am about to be even more so, when I return to the IDF.
At present, this is merely a concept. I'd like to hear some feedback before I start wasting my unreasonably large amounts of free time on it.
Here is an example of a Soul Mark.
Spirit of Fire
This is a Mark gained by those with a powerful connection to fire, such as servants of fire deities, adepts of the Desert Wind discipline, and masters of fire magic.
[hr]
{table=head]Level| Abilities
1| Fire Blade, Greater Fire Blade, Fire Resistance 5, Improved Fire Spell +1, 1 use/day
2| Fire Blade +1
3| Fire Resistance 10
4| Fire Blade +2, 2 uses/day, Fire Arc
5| Fire Burst, Fire Resistance 15, Greater Fire Spell +1,
6| Fire Blade +3, 3 uses/day, Improved Fire Spell +2
7| Fire Resistance 20
8| Fire Blade +4, 4 uses/day
9| Fire Resistance 25
10| Fire Blade +5, Greater Fire Spell +2, 5 uses/day
[/table]
Fire Resistance (Su)
1st Level, No Uses (Constant)
No Action (Constant)
Permanent
You gain fire resistance 5 at 1st level. Your fire resistance increases by 5 every odd-numbered level (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th).
Fire Blade (Su)
1st Level, 1 Use
Free Action
Encounter
Choose one of the weapons you are currently wielding. The weapon explodes in flames that do not harm you or your weapon. All the physical damage the weapon deals is converted into fire damage for the rest of the encounter or until you take a free action to end the effect. In addition, you deal +1 extra point of fire damage for every 2 Mark levels you have.
Greater Fire Blade (Su)
1st Level, 1 Use
Swift Action
1 Round or Until Expended
You may use this ability on any weapon under the Fire Blade effect. The size and heat of the flames increase, allowing you to deal 1d6 points of extra fire damage per Mark level on your next attack with it.
Improved Fire Spell (Su)
1st Level, 1 Use/2 Uses
No Action, Part of Casting the Spell
N/A
When you cast a spell with the Fire descriptor you can use this ability to apply a +1 bonus to the spell's effective caster level. At 6th level you can spend an additional use to apply a +2 bonus to the spell's effective caster level instead.
Greater Fire Spell (Su)
5th Level, 1 Use/2 Uses
No Action, Part of Casting the Spell
N/A
When you cast a spell with the Fire descriptor you can use this ability to increase the spell's effective level by +1. At 10th level you can increase the spell's effective level by +2 by paying an additional use.
Fire Arc (Su)
3rd Level, 1 Use
Standard Action
Instantaneous
You can deal 1d6 points of damage per Mark level to all creatures occupying 3 adjacent squares. The squares must be adjacent to you and every square must be adjacent to at least one other square. Creatures in the area may take a Reflex save to take half damage.
Fire Burst (Su)
5th level, 2 Uses
Standard Action
Instantaneous
You can deal 1d6 points of damage per Mark level to all creatures within 10 feet of you. Creatures in the area may take a Reflex save to take half damage.
An alternative to magic/psionic items
[hr]
Soul Marks are a form of ‘ability kits’ that work similarly to classes. They provide various abilities stretched across 10 levels. They may be picked up by paying a certain (as of yet undecided) price in experience points but one can advance in them at a certain (yet undecided) rate every level. They usually provide supernatural, spell-like, or psi-like abilities, but may also provide bonus feats and extraordinary abilities. They are meant to partially or totally replace magic items.
Soul Marks cannot be bought with gold, ensuring that there is no risk to game balance if characters find mountains of gold wherever they go (in a magical item-free game), nor can they be taken from their fallen owners. In some cases they might be traded for services rendered, with ‘traded’ meaning a caster will sacrifice some of his XP to perform a ritual that grants you a certain Mark.
Most Soul Marks provide at least some limited use abilities (x/day, x/encounter). With a high Charisma score one can gain additional uses of any limited use ability. Currently, the form is 1 use of any ability per 2 points of Charisma modifier. This is supposed to solve the problem of Charisma being a useless stat to most characters.
To preserve a semblance of game balance, Soul Marks would have to at least partially emulate abilities previously provided by magical items (such as enhancement bonuses, and so forth), however they would also have hosts of original abilities. Just to shake things up a bit.
Now, perhaps to answer the most important question: Why am I doing this? Well, because I dislike how the game forces you to rely on external sources of power. It heavily dilutes the awesomeness of your character. Actually, I even dislike magical items in general. There are only so many characters you can make that wield a ‘magic sword’ before the concept becomes old. Also, because I am bored and am about to be even more so, when I return to the IDF.
At present, this is merely a concept. I'd like to hear some feedback before I start wasting my unreasonably large amounts of free time on it.
Here is an example of a Soul Mark.
Spirit of Fire
This is a Mark gained by those with a powerful connection to fire, such as servants of fire deities, adepts of the Desert Wind discipline, and masters of fire magic.
[hr]
{table=head]Level| Abilities
1| Fire Blade, Greater Fire Blade, Fire Resistance 5, Improved Fire Spell +1, 1 use/day
2| Fire Blade +1
3| Fire Resistance 10
4| Fire Blade +2, 2 uses/day, Fire Arc
5| Fire Burst, Fire Resistance 15, Greater Fire Spell +1,
6| Fire Blade +3, 3 uses/day, Improved Fire Spell +2
7| Fire Resistance 20
8| Fire Blade +4, 4 uses/day
9| Fire Resistance 25
10| Fire Blade +5, Greater Fire Spell +2, 5 uses/day
[/table]
Fire Resistance (Su)
1st Level, No Uses (Constant)
No Action (Constant)
Permanent
You gain fire resistance 5 at 1st level. Your fire resistance increases by 5 every odd-numbered level (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th).
Fire Blade (Su)
1st Level, 1 Use
Free Action
Encounter
Choose one of the weapons you are currently wielding. The weapon explodes in flames that do not harm you or your weapon. All the physical damage the weapon deals is converted into fire damage for the rest of the encounter or until you take a free action to end the effect. In addition, you deal +1 extra point of fire damage for every 2 Mark levels you have.
Greater Fire Blade (Su)
1st Level, 1 Use
Swift Action
1 Round or Until Expended
You may use this ability on any weapon under the Fire Blade effect. The size and heat of the flames increase, allowing you to deal 1d6 points of extra fire damage per Mark level on your next attack with it.
Improved Fire Spell (Su)
1st Level, 1 Use/2 Uses
No Action, Part of Casting the Spell
N/A
When you cast a spell with the Fire descriptor you can use this ability to apply a +1 bonus to the spell's effective caster level. At 6th level you can spend an additional use to apply a +2 bonus to the spell's effective caster level instead.
Greater Fire Spell (Su)
5th Level, 1 Use/2 Uses
No Action, Part of Casting the Spell
N/A
When you cast a spell with the Fire descriptor you can use this ability to increase the spell's effective level by +1. At 10th level you can increase the spell's effective level by +2 by paying an additional use.
Fire Arc (Su)
3rd Level, 1 Use
Standard Action
Instantaneous
You can deal 1d6 points of damage per Mark level to all creatures occupying 3 adjacent squares. The squares must be adjacent to you and every square must be adjacent to at least one other square. Creatures in the area may take a Reflex save to take half damage.
Fire Burst (Su)
5th level, 2 Uses
Standard Action
Instantaneous
You can deal 1d6 points of damage per Mark level to all creatures within 10 feet of you. Creatures in the area may take a Reflex save to take half damage.