[3.5/E6] Rizban's E6 Compendium

[planswalker]

I am not attacking you. I am not saying that the rules should work the way I describe. I am informing you of a valid reading of the ability which you quite clearly did not intend.

except that it's NOT a valid reading.

He gains them at the appropriate level. That doesn't mean 1st level. It means at the level when it is appropriate for him to cast spells of that level. Nothing in the wording contradicts that. The only thing going on here is your terrible misunderstanding of what the "general versus specific" argument means.

Regardless, the bonus feat thing is an old debate which I am sure we have both heard all sides of and which I doubt either of us is likely to have our opinions changed on.

well, when you specifically invent unwritten rules to support your side, it's amazing what you can make up.

In the interest of not getting into a fruitless and potentially volatile argument on pointless semantics I'll concede the point.

no comment

Just be aware that someone could read it the way I had and not all who do so will take my "if it's ridiculous but technically legal you still shouldn't do it" stance.

you know, when you allow yourself to intentionally misunderstand what is actually clearly and explicitly outlined, you can come up with all sorts of crap that is "legal". Especially when it stems from your misunderstanding of the fundamental concepts for how the system works.

[Jeriah]

Wow... That's just... Just no.

It is NOT a valid interpretation of the rules to say that you can do something because the rules don't say you can't. The rules say what you can do. "Specific" means a change to existing general rules and requires an explicit statement saying exactly the change. If no such statement exists, then you must use the existing general rules.

I'm known for twisting rules and wringing every last perk out of them and get in trouble for it with my group constantly, but even I wouldn't read the bonus spells entries that way. Even if I did, it would be limited to 2nd level spells, because the spellblade never gets 3rd level spells.

[darklink_shadow]

Thanks Jeriah. You spoke my mind better than I could formulate words today.

[jojolagger]

The expert capstone effect Epiphany says it makes each inspiration point count as two points for determining bonus and effects. However, the wordings of most of the insight abilities don't have the bonuses or effects scale off how many points were spent, so it doesn't seem to do anything. (Only the Assassin, skirmisher, and Trapsmith capstone effects scale off points spent.)

Also, the specialization bonus and insight bonus to your focus skill don't stack, which might be good for balance, but makes it less effective to use insight for something you're good at, which seems weird.

[Jeriah]

The expert capstone effect Epiphany says it makes each inspiration point count as two points for determining bonus and effects. However, the wordings of most of the insight abilities don't have the bonuses or effects scale off how many points were spent, so it doesn't seem to do anything. (Only the Assassin, skirmisher, and Trapsmith capstone effects scale off points spent.)

Also, the specialization bonus and insight bonus to your focus skill don't stack, which might be good for balance, but makes it less effective to use insight for something you're good at, which seems weird.

I can't say much to the first part, because I haven't really read it. The second might be justified as being consistently good at some things while having some occasional flashes of insight into things with which you aren't very good. I really haven't even read that class yet though, so maybe that doesn't apply. It was just a thought.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Hey Rizban, how are we doing? Guess things have been busy lately? Just seems awhile since we've conversed, and I'm still making sure Troubadour is done (by waiting on your response to my PEACH) before moving on down the list.

[stack]

I believe Riz had some computer issues recently. Not sure on the current status.

[inuyasha]

love
Spheres: Chaos, Life?

Spoiler

Show

Granted Power
Choose one

1. Charm person A number of times per day equal to your charisma modifier
2. The ability to heal damage equal to your charisma modifier*your level per day, this can be split to heal more people, and you can heal yourself

1 - Charm person Makes one person your friend
1 - Hideous laughter Makes someone collapse into lots of laughter
2 - Calm emotions You make someone calm down
2 - Suggestion You use your charm and wit to make someone do something
3 - Geas, lesser You cast a powerful spell to make someone do an important thing for you
3 - Charm monster Makes one monster your friend

Did I do it right?

I'm willing to contribute (even though ive never played E6)

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Pokes Rizban.

What happened to this thread? It was a bumping and a grinding along, and all of a sudden, we haven't had a post in almost a month!

[D-naras]

If that bothers you, you should see the pauses that happen at Gnorman's E6 thread, the thread that spawned this one.

[Jeriah]

Rizban disappeared about a month ago. I haven't seen him anywhere online, this site, Skype, MSN, Facebook, or anything. I don't know what happened to him, but I'm a little bit concerned that I haven't heard back from emails or anything.

[Gnorman]

If that bothers you, you should see the pauses that happen at Gnorman's E6 thread, the thread that spawned this one.

Hey, that's a cheap shot!

But seriously, it is hard to find time to work on these things. I'm sure real life just took priority for Rizban, and he'll return when he can.

[D-naras]

Hey, that's a cheap shot!

But seriously, it is hard to find time to work on these things. I'm sure real life just took priority for Rizban, and he'll return when he can.

But I need my Gnorman fiiiix.....
Both of your homebrews are awesome by the way.

[Jeriah]

I like the flavor of some of Gnorman's stuff, but I really prefer the way Riz has this setup. I really like how he has kept the fluff text of each aspect almost exclusively limited to the crunch of each class, allowing each player to pick what they can do without tying a lot of extraneous material to it. The few fluff aspects that got translated into rules (e.g. alignment restrictions) seem to be limited and flavorful in ways that make real sense. I really like that whether you channel positive or negative energy as a Priest is based on your patron deity's alignment rather than your own. That just makes a lot of sense to me.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

I like the flavor of some of Gnorman's stuff, but I really prefer the way Riz has this setup. I really like how he has kept the fluff text of each aspect almost exclusively limited to the crunch of each class, allowing each player to pick what they can do without tying a lot of extraneous material to it. The few fluff aspects that got translated into rules (e.g. alignment restrictions) seem to be limited and flavorful in ways that make real sense. I really like that whether you channel positive or negative energy as a Priest is based on your patron deity's alignment rather than your own. That just makes a lot of sense to me.

I think he's mentioned at some point adding a little more fluff in the mix, after everything was said and done, but yes, I agree that its so far so good. :)

[Jeriah]

I think he's mentioned at some point adding a little more fluff in the mix, after everything was said and done, but yes, I agree that its so far so good. :)

I'd be disappointed if he added more fluff to most of it. I've always felt like the mechanics and the fluff should be separated. Whereas I hated Miko's character, I really think she got it right by being a Samurai without levels in the class.

Classes should be what you can do, not who you are. I'm always disappointed when I read RPG manuals and see endless descriptions of "what you are" in the "what you can do" sections.

Yeah, it makes sense for certain PrCs or ACFs or something that is meant to be one small, specific aspect tied to something in the setting. I'm totally fine with that. It's when the core mechanics get tied too tightly to some particular setting fluff that I have issues with it. Core mechanics should work irrespective of setting, and tying aspects of them to a particular setting just bothers me. I mean, sometimes I just want to play the paladin class without it being so tightly restricted by fluff and having to wheedle the DM until he capitulates.

[Rizban]

Sorry about that guys. Real life had me too busy to even think about the forums for awhile. Things seem to be slowing down now though.

(Wombat's Review of:)Skillful Classes(PART 3!)

The Troubadour

Spoiler

Show

Interesting that the bard has the least amount of skills of the skillful. I'd have thought the acrobat might have been.

The acrobat should also have had 6+ rather than 8+. A typo on my part that I completely missed but will be corrected when I again update this.

Class Features

Alright, so I could do this all day, with no limitation, so long as I'm performing? No perform check, or negatives after a certain amount of time? You'd think the troubadour might get tired of playing the instrument or what not for hours.

There are no drawbacks to continuing it beyond inability to be silent and any other situational problems the DM might have arise.

Are there concentration checks to continue playing if something attacks the troubadour?

As written, no, but that's something that should definitely be considered... Perhaps require a Perform check rather than a Concentration check. After all, it's an attempt to maintain a performance.

See bolded area - did you mean natural charm AND wit?

Yes.

Seems a little underwhelming to me. *shrug*

It is, but it isn't worthless. Frankly, I kind of like it. It reflects his ability to get around, know what's going on, and generally survive in a city without actually having to do any "real" work.

However, I really like this one.

Who doesn't?

[QUOTE=TheWombatOfDoom;15361131]I approve of all limitations on this. I like it. Well done putting in "he must use the second check".

What dark secrets? It's not like they get any bonuses to knowledge save knowledge: local in cities. I like the ability, just not the fluff.

Agreed. It's something I've edited and will post in the next update.

Wouldn't be easier to say that they get better saves to their Will period? Or is that too much?

They already have a Good Will Save. I don't want to just bump it up even higher, but a troubadour should be able to almost always resist those specific kinds of abilities.

I'd recomend using something better to start off your ability description than "for some reason". It just strikes me as odd for the entity that's describing the class feature to say - "I don't know why luck favors the troubadour...but it does!" It'd be better to say, "Few know exactly why the troubadour is favored by luck, but whyever the case, they always seem to come out on top." An upgraded social graces. Nice.

Haha, yeah. I had something else there, accidentally deleted it at some point, couldn't remember what I had written, and threw that in as a placeholder... Never did get back to it. I'll have something there eventually though.

Cool, though Harmonize might be a better word for it. Can I choose to use the same aura two different ways, such as inspire ability?

I think I'll probably use that rename. I'm going to say no, it has to be two different auras.

Inspiring Auras

Spoiler

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So this affects any spell that has verbal components?

Spoiler

Show

It's the same as the standard 3.5 bard ability. First sentence: "(but not spells that simply have verbal components)"

In bolded area, I don't think you meant ability score, I think you meant "ability". Otherwise, pretty cool.

You're right.

I get to choose between upping the party's HP, possibly AC, or attacks, or even one of the other abilities for something or another. I'd likely commonly choose STR or CON, unless for a specific situation. WAIT. nevermind. this is only for checks, not abilities. Sadface. Can I stop the song and change it to a different ability at will?

Yeah, but it takes a standard action to start it up again with a different ability. You select the affected ability upon activation.

I could technically really do this for the skill that's being used all the time, since I can use this aura as many times as I want per day, all day. So if I have a team mate trying to do a jump check, I sing for that aura, and now he needs a climb check, so I change to that, and so on.

Yep.

Not to mention, how about an ally that is trying to listen (or some other conflicting skills)? I'm singing loudly to make someone hear better? Something I've always wondered about and want your take on.

That's why it says "Certain uses of this ability are infeasible, as ruled by the DM." Listen and Move Silently should fall into that category.

Everybody gets to sleep in their armor, so long as I sing while you sleep!

Sleeping in armor isn't affected by this. This aura doesn't remove the condition, just the penalties associated with the condition while it is active. You're still fatigued, you just don't feel it.

Oh wow! A very nice one. That's a pretty big bonus to AC. What if you did Dex bouns to AC, so they'd get the max of their armor, or some such. If you'd like to keep it as is, I'll not complain, I just don't see what kind of AC bonus this is. Natural? Circumstance? so on...

Honestly, I've been considering changing this one to damage reduction instead of an AC bonus...

One problem I see with this is there's not a lot of things that affect enemies. I count 3 enemy debuffs, and 11 buffers. I don't suppose there's a way to fan that out more?

Agreed. I kind of ran out of harmful aura ideas that aren't overly devastating and then hit the max number of auras I really wanted. I'd be interested to see suggestions though.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Sorry about that guys. Real life had me too busy to even think about the forums for awhile. Things seem to be slowing down now though.

RIZBAN! I'm glad you're okay! I was kinda worried.

And a response!

[stack]

Rizban's back!

Too bad I ran out of time to run that playtest. I can keep up with a few games, but can't run anything now.

[Amechra]

One quick question:

Why not have Craft Knacks apply to all skills that would qualify?

So if I had Rapid Construction, it would apply to all Craft skills I have at least 4 ranks in.

EDIT: Shouldn't you need to spend 2 motes per +1 spell level when using metamagic as an Augur?

After all, otherwise they can Persist 2nd level spells by 6th level, and Quicken 3rd level spells.

Which is a problem, because normally you'd need to be pretty optimized to pull that off.

[Rizban]

We've got an update!

Changelog

• Class: Acrobat – Number of class skills corrected.
• Class: Expert
  • Edited the Epiphany capstone ability to be more useful.
  • Insightful Strike slightly reworded and bonus type added.
• Class: Troubadour
  • Typos fixed
  • Mental Resistance ability slightly edited.
  • Fortune's Friend ability slightly edited.
  • Inspirational Speech renamed to Harmonizing Aura
  • Inspiring Auras:
    • Distraction – Changed “Immediate” to “Swift or Immediate”
    • Inspire Ability – slight clarification and addition to ability
    • Inspire Competence – slight clarification
• Class: Spellblade
  • Typos fixed
  • Surging Conduit – slight clarification
  
  
  
• Archetype: Green Mage – Nonexistent ambiguity clarified to more explicitly prevent intentional misinterpretation.
• Archetype: Priest – Nonexistent ambiguity clarified to more explicitly prevent intentional misinterpretation.
• Archetype: Red Mage – Nonexistent ambiguity clarified to more explicitly prevent intentional misinterpretation.

---

1Also, I've started posting some work on the first expansion to this system:
The R'E6 Census of Peoples and Races

---

1

[inuyasha]

Hey rizban just to wonder, how was that domain I made? I hope I made it right

[Rizban]

love
Spheres: Chaos, Life?

Spoiler

Show

Granted Power
Choose one

1. Charm person A number of times per day equal to your charisma modifier
2. The ability to heal damage equal to your charisma modifier*your level per day, this can be split to heal more people, and you can heal yourself

1 - Charm person Makes one person your friend
1 - Hideous laughter Makes someone collapse into lots of laughter
2 - Calm emotions You make someone calm down
2 - Suggestion You use your charm and wit to make someone do something
3 - Geas, lesser You cast a powerful spell to make someone do an important thing for you
3 - Charm monster Makes one monster your friend

Did I do it right?

I'm willing to contribute (even though ive never played E6)

It looks okay, but I'm not sure I want to take things in that particular direction. At the moment, I'm kind of planning to avoid combining any of the alignment spheres with any of the others. I'd like to get the domains I currently have on the list finished up before I consider adding new domains to the list. Priests already have the most widely varied possible spell list available...

[Rizban]

As I've mentioned, I've been working on the Blue Mage, an incarnum based archetype. I'm also effectively discarding the entire soulmeld list and writing up my own soulmelds to make them more appropriate to R'E6. It was convenient that the classes already have their chakra binds divided into 6 tiers.


That said, I'd like some input on the archetype (and suggestions for the capstones) prior to including it in the first posts. Yes, this is essentially going to be the Incarnate. I'll probably eventually do a Soulborn and Totemist based archetype as well.

Blue Mage

Spoiler

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The blue mage possesses mastery of the mysterious soul-stuff known as Incarnum. No two blue mages are the same, and it is impossible to predict them. They are capable of completely changing their abilities from day to day.

Prerequisites: Blue Mage is available to any Combat or Skillful class.
Archetype Skills: A blue mage gains Concentration and Knowledge (the planes) as class skills if he does not already possess them.
Archetype Proficiencies: A blue mage gains proficiency with any weapons or armor granted by his soulmelds.

The Blue Mage
{table=head]

Level

|

Soulmelds

|

Essentia

|

Chakra[div]Binds[/div]

|Open Chakras

1st

|

2

|

1

|

1

|Crown

2nd

|

3

|

2

|

1

|Feet, Hands

3rd

|

3

|

3

|

1

|Arms, Brow, Shoulders

4th

|

4

|

4

|

1

|Throat, Waist

5th

|

4

|

5

|

2

|Heart

6th

|

4

|

6

|

2

|Soul[/table]

Archetype Features

Lesser Archetype Power

• Meldshaping: A blue mage may shape incarnum soulmelds drawn from the blue mage soulmeld list. He knows and can shape any soulmeld from this list. The Difficulty Class of the blue mage's soulmelds, if appropriate, is equal to 10 + the number of points of essentia invested in the soulmeld + the blue mage's Wisdom modifier. His meldshaper level is equal to his blue mage class level.
  A blue mage may only shape a number of soulmelds per day. He may shape a number of soulmelds equal to his Constitution score -10 or the maximum appropriate for his level (given in the above table), whichever is lower.
  A blue mage must get a good night's rest and spend one hour meditating to shape his soulmelds for the day. Soulmelds remain shaped until the blue mage chooses to unshape them, such as when he decides to shape new melds, or when a spell or effect causes it to unshape.
  Additionally, at 1st level, a blue mage gains access to a pool of essentia, packets of energy that can be invested into his soulmelds to increase their power. A blue mage's number of essentia is shown on the table. Essentia can be invested into any soulmeld or moved from one to another as a swift action.
• Chakra Bind: A blue mage is able to bind his soulmelds to his chakras, increasing the powers of his soulmelds or granting him new abilities. Binding a soulmeld to a chakra prevents a blue mage from wearing an item in the body slot associated with the chakra.
  A blue mage may only have a limited number of soulmelds bounds to chakras, and only to certain chakras, based on his level. The number of binds and the open chakras are shown on the table. At 1st-level, a blue mage can only bind one soulmeld, and he can only bind it to his crown chakra.

Moderate Archetype Power

• Expanded Essentia Capacity (Ex): At 3rd level, a blue mage's maximum essentia capacity increases by one. This affects all soulmelds, feats, and any other essentia receptacles that he possesses.

Greater Archetype Power

• Rapid Reshaping (Su): Once per day, a blue mage may use a full-round action to unshape any one soulmeld he has shaped and shape a different soulmeld of his choice. This action provokes attacks of opportunity. If the unshaped soulmeld was bound to a chakra, the new soulmeld may also be bound to the chakra appropriate for that soulmeld.

Capstone: A blue mage adds one additional option to his class' capstone ability.

• Brawler – Soul-Rending Strike (Su): After confirming a critical hit against a living foe, a brawler may choose to not deal additional critical strike damage. If he does so, he gains one temporary essentia, which can be immediately invested in any essentia receptacle as a free action. If the target of the attack has an essentia pool, it is reduced by 1. This temporary essentia lasts for 1 minute.
• Gladiator – : ???
• Sentinel – : ???
• Acrobat – : ???
• Expert – : ???
• Troubadour – : ???

---

1

[Arcanist]

Blue Mage

Spoiler

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The blue mage possesses mastery of the mysterious soul-stuff known as Incarnum. No two blue mages are the same, and it is impossible to predict them. They are capable of completely changing their abilities from day to day.

Prerequisites: Blue Mage is available to any Combat or Skillful class.
Archetype Skills: A blue mage gains Concentration and Knowledge (the planes) as class skills if he does not already possess them.
Archetype Proficiencies: A blue mage gains proficiency with any weapons or armor granted by his soulmelds.

The Blue Mage
{table=head]

Level

|

Soulmelds

|

Essentia

|

Chakra[div]Binds[/div]

|Open Chakras

1st

|

2

|

1

|

1

|Crown

2nd

|

3

|

2

|

1

|Feet, Hands

3rd

|

3

|

3

|

1

|Arms, Brow, Shoulders

4th

|

4

|

4

|

1

|Throat, Waist

5th

|

4

|

5

|

2

|Heart

6th

|

4

|

6

|

2

|Soul[/table]

Archetype Features

Lesser Archetype Power

• Meldshaping: A blue mage may shape incarnum soulmelds drawn from the blue mage soulmeld list. He knows and can shape any soulmeld from this list. The Difficulty Class of the blue mage's soulmelds, if appropriate, is equal to 10 + the number of points of essentia invested in the soulmeld + the blue mage's Wisdom modifier. His meldshaper level is equal to his blue mage class level.
  A blue mage may only shape a number of soulmelds per day. He may shape a number of soulmelds equal to his Constitution score -10 or the maximum appropriate for his level (given in the above table), whichever is lower.
  A blue mage must get a good night's rest and spend one hour meditating to shape his soulmelds for the day. Soulmelds remain shaped until the blue mage chooses to unshape them, such as when he decides to shape new melds, or when a spell or effect causes it to unshape.
  Additionally, at 1st level, a blue mage gains access to a pool of essentia, packets of energy that can be invested into his soulmelds to increase their power. A blue mage's number of essentia is shown on the table. Essentia can be invested into any soulmeld or moved from one to another as a swift action.
• Chakra Bind: A blue mage is able to bind his soulmelds to his chakras, increasing the powers of his soulmelds or granting him new abilities. Binding a soulmeld to a chakra prevents a blue mage from wearing an item in the body slot associated with the chakra.
  A blue mage may only have a limited number of soulmelds bounds to chakras, and only to certain chakras, based on his level. The number of binds and the open chakras are shown on the table. At 1st-level, a blue mage can only bind one soulmeld, and he can only bind it to his crown chakra.

Moderate Archetype Power

• Expanded Essentia Capacity (Ex): At 3rd level, a blue mage's maximum essentia capacity increases by one. This affects all soulmelds, feats, and any other essentia receptacles that he possesses.

Greater Archetype Power

• Rapid Reshaping (Su): Once per day, a blue mage may use a full-round action to unshape any one soulmeld he has shaped and shape a different soulmeld of his choice. This action provokes attacks of opportunity. If the unshaped soulmeld was bound to a chakra, the new soulmeld may also be bound to the chakra appropriate for that soulmeld.

Capstone: A blue mage adds one additional option to his class' capstone ability.

• Brawler – Soul-Rending Strike (Su): After confirming a critical hit against a living foe, a brawler may choose to not deal additional critical strike damage. If he does so, he gains one temporary essentia, which can be immediately invested in any essentia receptacle as a free action. If the target of the attack has an essentia pool, it is reduced by 1. This temporary essentia lasts for 1 minute.
• Gladiator – : ???
• Sentinel – : ???
• Acrobat – : ???
• Expert – : ???
• Troubadour – : ???

---

1

Ah, I remember having the idea of a Blue Mage that uses Incarnum at one point... Good times, GOOD times... It didn't turn out too well... Mostly because I tried to please EVERYBODY (including myself). I'm slowly starting to notice that you can't please everyone at once

I'm actually eager to see how this will turn out though

[Jeriah]

We've got an update!

Changelog

• Class: Acrobat – Number of class skills corrected.
• Class: Expert
  • Edited the Epiphany capstone ability to be more useful.
  • Insightful Strike slightly reworded and bonus type added.
• Class: Troubadour
  • Typos fixed
  • Mental Resistance ability slightly edited.
  • Fortune's Friend ability slightly edited.
  • Inspirational Speech renamed to Harmonizing Aura
  • Inspiring Auras:
    • Distraction – Changed “Immediate” to “Swift or Immediate”
    • Inspire Ability – slight clarification and addition to ability
    • Inspire Competence – slight clarification
• Class: Spellblade
  • Typos fixed
  • Surging Conduit – slight clarification
  
  
  
• Archetype: Green Mage – Nonexistent ambiguity clarified to more explicitly prevent intentional misinterpretation.
• Archetype: Priest – Nonexistent ambiguity clarified to more explicitly prevent intentional misinterpretation.
• Archetype: Red Mage – Nonexistent ambiguity clarified to more explicitly prevent intentional misinterpretation.

---

1Also, I've started posting some work on the first expansion to this system:
The R'E6 Census of Peoples and Races

---

1

Yay! Updates!

[Rizban]

Changelog

• General: Once again, we have a minor post shuffle to accommodate additional material
  
  
• Class: Brawler – Slight update to Quick Acrobat.
• Class: Sentinel – Warding ability changed to grant a Warding bonus rather than a Cover bonus to the ward's AC.
• Class: Magus – Speak Language added to skill list.
• Class: Spellblade – Combat Training ability added.
  
  
• Archetype: Breathstealer – Unarmed Combat ability added.
• Archetype: Trapsmith – Open Lock added to skill list.

[Jeriah]

Nice ability on the Spellblade. Now you just need to get some Combat feats in place for it to use.

Trapsmith definitely needed that skill to make it worthwhile.

Since I haven't really messed with the other items on the change list, I don't have much else to say about them.

[stack]

IUAS was much needed for the breathstealer. Stupid feat taxes.

Letting the spellblade get combat feats is nice too. Had you rejected that idea earlier, or am I just fuzzy from a crazy summer?

[Rizban]

It was an idea I had rejected earlier, yes. I'm still a bit leery of it and am seriously considering giving it a limit of class level -2.