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Xuldarinar
2015-08-23, 07:17 PM
COMPLETE TAINT
-'Taint' is metaphysical substance that adheres to the soul of a creature and builds up over the course of their life. This can happen due to direct exposure to Tainted energies and areas, or as the byproduct of certain kinds of extreme actions. Taint gradually corrupts and twists the soul, and can also have outward effects upon the body which that soul inhabits. Generally a person with Taint is not infectious to others through simple contact, but beings whose body is their soul (ghosts, outsiders, etc) can inflict Taint even by a simple touch.

-Taint is difficult to remove by force without damaging the soul in the process (as such, effects which do so normally only work without on willing targets - the major exceptions are the direct intervention of a deity, the powers of artifacts, and the effects of certain planar locations), but a person can meditate and practice an ascetic lifestyle in highly purified areas (e.g. areas with no ambient Taint) in order to gradually expunge it from themselves naturally. Individuals undergoing this process may decrease their Taint score by 0.1 points per week (however, individuals with sufficiently high Taint corrupt the local environment over time, and so they must continually move to avoid their own effects making their environment incapable of helping them lose Taint). When attempting to cleanse taint by means of spells, even if a subject is willing they may only 'willingly' have taint removed from with a spell once per day. Furthermore, a spell cannot effect a taint score that is of a higher value than it's spell level, rounded down. If the target is unwilling, treat their taint score as 2 points higher for this purpose. For instance, restoration may be used to decrease the taint score of an individual who's taint score is 4, but not of one who's taint score is 5 or greater. If the target is unwilling, then restoration may be used to decrease the taint score of an individual who's taint score is 2, but not of one who's taint score is 3 or greater. When miracle or wish are used for this purpose, they use the level of miracle or wish for this purpose and not the level of the spell they are emulating.


Atonement: This spell can be used to remove taint, but with limits. First, it always requires a quest. Second, the the caster decides how much taint to remove when casting atonement, up to a maximum to the caster's level/10. This use of atonement costs the caster 500 xp, and can reduce a taint score to 0.
Heal: This spell reduces a character's taint by 0.1 points per three caster levels, but cannot reduce a taint score below 1.
Miracle/Wish: These spells cannot remove taint except by duplicating other spells mentioned here.
Remove Curse/Remove Disease: These spells reduce the character's taint score by 0.1, but they cannot reduce a taint score below 1.
Restoration: This spell reduces a character's taint score by 0.1 points per four caster levels, but it cannot reduce a taint score below 1.
Greater Restoration: This spell reduces a character's taint score by a number of points equal to the caster level/10. Greater restoration can reduce a taint score to 0.



-When Taint is removed by force, it inflicts a certain amount of XP loss. This cannot cause the target to lose a level, though it can inflict upon them level drain that can only be removed by regaining XP lost and they will not be able to gain a new level until they have re-earned the lost XP. Level drain gained in this way may not be restored by use of restoration, though greater restoration may dispel a single level of level drain per casting. The amount of XP lost is equal to 50xp multiplied by the square of the amount of Taint the person has, rounded down. If multiple points of Taint are removed at once, this is calculated in sequence. So. if someone has exactly 8 points of Taint and then has 0.2 removed by magic, they lose 3,200xp (50*64) + 2,450xp (50*49).

-A creature's Taint score is an indication of how much of this corrupting influence has accumulated upon them. In terms of the metaphysical substance, this is a logarithmic scale - someone with 10 points of Taint has four times as much metaphysical corruption as much as someone with 9 points of Taint. This also means that in practice, once someone is sufficiently tainted, things that would previously have increased their Taint score will no longer do so.


Casting an [Evil] spell: +0.1 Taint, up to 2
Bringing an evil outsider physically to the material plane (e.g. Gate, not Summon Monster): +0.3 Taint, up to 3
Prolonged exposure to Tainted areas: +0.1 Taint/day, up to the area's Taint score
Prolonged exposure to, and usage of, Tainted magic items: +0.1 Taint/day or use, up to the item's Taint score.
Performing sacrificial killings of sentient beings: +0.5 Taint, up to 3
Raising a creature as sentient Undead: +0.5 Taint, up to 5
Being raised as Undead: +1 Taint, up to 7
Destroying or consuming a creature's soul: +1 Taint, up to 7
Being struck directly by a soul-bodied creature with Taint: +0.1 Taint, up to their Taint -1


-In general, non-sentient undead have about 1-2 points of Taint, sentient undead have about 3-5 points of Taint (with higher HD undead typically having more taint), and evil outsiders have from 5-8 points of Taint. Only uniquely powerful/evil creatures are found with 9 or 10 points of Taint.

-Taint Resistance: Characters with Taint Resistance treat their Taint level as higher for the purpose of determining whether they gain Taint from an action.

TAINTED AREAS
-Any area that has a Taint score tends to suffer from certain issues. As an area's Taint score increases, life generally has a harder time - fertility rates drop, plants grow more poorly, disease becomes more rampant, etc. At 2 points of Taint, harmful creatures both natural and supernatural are attracted to the area and may prey on its inhabitants; the entire area behaves as if permanently under the effects of an Unhallow spell. At 3 points of Taint, an area becomes corrupted enough that improperly buried dead spontaneously animate as undead. An area with 5 points of Taint is effectively as corrupt as many areas in the lower planes, and supernaturally evil events occur frequently - things in the environment become actively hostile to life, a person's ill intentions automatically transform themselves into a magical curse without the intervention of a spellcaster, etc. An area with more than 5 points of Taint corresponds to an incredibly intense locus of evil - possibly twisting those who spend overly long there into fiendish creatures, or worse.

-Thankfully, taint can be fended off in the world, although it takes time. The hallow spell can halt the advancement of taint through an area and, provided the area remains under the effects of a hallow spell for an entire year, provided the hallow is strong enough, the taint of an area can be removed. While an area of taint is under the effects of a hallow spell, if the hallow has a caster level equal to at least twice the taint score of the area, treat the taint score of the area as 1 point lower. This further decreases by -0.1 points of taint for every week the hallow spell remains in effect, to a minimum of 1. If the hallow is interrupted at any time, the effort is lost and must be reinstated by another casting of hallow. If the hallow effect is not strong enough to overcome the taint score of the area, it will simply counteract the unhallow effect upon the area until the hallow ends. This will only cleanse the area of the hallow spell, not the surrounding area, so large areas could require many individuals working simultaneously to completely cleanse them.

TAINTED MAGIC ITEMS
-Sometimes a magic item is created and infused with taint, or by repeated or exceptionally vile use an object becomes tainted, whether it was magical to begin with or not. Such an item possesses a taint score in their own right. Using a tainted magic item can increase the user's taint score by +0.1 by being placed on their person, though this may not occur more than once per day, with an additional increase of +0.1 per 24 hours and per use of the item. This increase in taint cannot increase the user's taint score over the taint score of the item granting the taint. Tainted magic items typically are stronger than their traditional counterparts, often possessing augmented or additional abilities.

TAINT-ABSORBING ITEMS
-There are natural substances that absorb taint and thus protect this that carry them. These items, as they absorb taint, darken, soften, and gradually rot. During this time, it absorbs all taint to which the carrier is exposed, to a maximum of +0.7 points. Multiple items protect the carrier from more taint, but only to a point. If a character carries multiple taint-absorbing items, they all break down at the same rate, distributing the absorbed taint among every item carried. The presence of multiple items seems to amplify the taint even as it is absorbed, described on the following table:

Number of Items Points Absorbed
1 +0.7
2 +1.2
3 +1.5
4 +1.6
5 +1.5
6 +1.2
7 +0.7

-Regardless of what they are made of, and the work required to shape them appropriately, taint-absorbing items typically cost ~100gp each.

EFFECTS OF TAINT
There are certain effects which scale numerically with Taint score.


The numerical consequences of Taint concern a character's susceptibility to the influences of evil, as well as how effective the beneficial influences of positive energy are to them. Characters with Taint are more strongly affected by spells and effects with the [Evil] descriptor, as well as spells and effects which channel negative energy. Such spells affect the character as if they were 1 caster level higher per two points of Taint. Similarly, spells with the [Good] descriptor and spells which channel positive energy behave as if 1 caster level lower per two points of Taint. If this lowers the caster level to or below zero, the creature is involuntarily immune to the effects of the spell (even if beneficial).
A creature with Taint cannot cast [Good] spells of spell level above 9 - their Taint score.
Creatures with Taint are more susceptible to manipulation by creatures of supernatural evil. They suffer a penalty on opposed skill checks against such creatures equal to their Taint score. Creatures of the undead type or with the evil subtype are themselves immune to this particular consequence of Taint.


-In addition, at specific levels of Taint there are additional effects which begin to occur.


Touched by Evil
(Taint: 1)
-The character detects as Evil with regards to spells which detect alignment (in addition to their actual alignment).


Oddity*
(Taint: 2)
-The character develops a minor physical or mental indication of their corruption. This could be something like odd swellings of joints or limbs, oozing sores, a tendency towards brief (e.g. non-debilitating) visual hallucinations of a horrific form, etc. This trait is strictly something that is reflected through roleplaying and has no statistical effect.


Vile Presence
(Taint: 3)
-Natural animals (e.g. undomesticated) behave oddly around the character. This acts as an aura of radius 5ft per point of Taint, DC 10 + Taint + HD/2, inflicting the Shaken condition. Vermin and the like are drawn to the character rather than repelled.


Distortion*
(Taint: 4)
-There is some significant physical or mental indicator of the Taint. Mechanically the character gains a +1 to one stat and a -2 to another stat as a result of this effect. For instance, their body could become grotesquely swollen, reducing their Dexterity but increasing their Constitution. The signs of Taint should be fairly obvious to anyone interacting with the character for an extended time, unless the character takes intentional steps to conceal it.


Corrupting Influence
(Taint: 5)
-The character begins to have a corrupting influence on the area around them. This process occurs over a matter of weeks, and is limited to places within 20ft per point of Taint to where the character commonly spends their time. Plants grow more slowly, die more readily, and generally appear unhealthy. Milk sours in the pail. Over time, this inflicts ambient Taint on the environment, adding 0.1 point of Taint to the environment per point the character possesses for each month they spend in one place, with a maximum of the character's Taint score -2.


Wracked Soul
(Taint: 6)
-The character's soul has been so twisted and corrupted as to be nearly unrecognizable from what it once was. The character may still have good intentions, but those intentions and feelings are distorted away from reality by the corruption. The character may no longer realize the consequences or morality of their actions. The character retains their alignment as written on their sheet and can advance in classes requiring that alignment or take abilities corresponding to that alignment, but with respect to all external effects they behave as if Evil on the moral axis. When manifesting abilities dependent on having a non-evil alignment, those abilities manifest in ways that appear corrupted towards evil.


Warped form*
(Taint: 7)
-The character gains an extreme physical or mental alteration as a result of their Taint. Such examples, to use as a guide for developing alterations include: One of the character's hands becomes a distended, bleeding wreck through which protrude blade-like extensions of their bones. The character gains a natural attack that inflicts Taint, but has difficulty using objects with that hand, suffering a -3 penalty to rolls involving such; the character's eyes become swirling holes into the void - while they suffer a -5 penalty to Perception checks, but they can see and interact with Incorporeal beings as if they were fully solid; the character constantly hears maddening whispers urging them to do horrible things inflicting a -2 penalty on Will saves, but allowing them to use Commune 2/day to try to glean some useful information from the whispers; the character's flesh begins to fall off in chunks but seems to be endlessly renewed - character loses 2 points of Con but gains Fast Healing equal to HD/5.


Aura of Misfortune
(Taint: 8)
-Those around the character have a tendency to suffer as the universe itself is distorted slightly into a more hateful place in the vicinity. People tend to become more cruel and follow their baser instincts within the character's aura (non-mechanical effect). Harsh words issued in anger may spontaneously take the form of real curses (there is a 5% chance each day that someone or something the character interacts with spontaneously gains a curse as per a cursed magical item or Bestow Curse spell). Additionally, creatures within the aura (including the character) who do not have the evil subtype suffer a -1 Profane penalty to all saving throws. The radius of the aura is the same as the aura of fear against animals.


Mouthful of Ashes
(Taint: 9)
-The character is rendered incapable of perceiving the good in anything. All emotions they experience, all senses they have always manifest only in terms of selfish or negative impressions. This extends even to their ability to comprehend the reasons for the actions of others - a person who sacrifices themselves to save another doesn't appear noble, they appear deluded; a person who exhibits affection for another never appears to be in love, but always in lust; etc. Mechanically, the character automatically fails Sense Motive checks to detect things of this sort. Additionally, creatures with the good subtype appear to the character as insubstantial, only tenuously existing within reality. The character suffers a 50% miss chance against such creatures, but so too do they suffer a 50% miss chance against the character.


Well of Sin
(Taint: 10)
-The character's actions themselves are distorted in such a way so as to prevent them from having Good results. The character cannot use any effect or ability with the [Good] descriptor. All other effects and abilities they produce automatically gain the [Evil] descriptor if they did not already have it. A character with 10 points of Taint cannot gain any more Taint.

-In addition, there is a semi-non-mechanical effect of this: anyone receiving a benefit of any kind from the character is cursed to suffer a tragedy worse than the benefit in the near future, unless that benefit was drawn from or accompanied by the suffering of another. If this fate is thwarted, the person instead simply gains a small amount of Taint themselves (from 0.1 to 1 point depending on the scale of the benefit, up to a maximum of 7). Generally this should not be tracked explicitly, but simply taken as the fact that as the physical embodiment of Evil in the world the character makes the world a worse place by virtue of existing.


*[Evil] outsiders and the like already have this implicitly in terms of the statistics of their race, and should not gain an additional effect of this sort.

Xuldarinar
2015-08-23, 07:19 PM
FEATS OF TAINT
-Below are a series of feats all relating to taint. Feats listed as [Tainted] can only be taken by those who have taint. Anyone with a tainted feat who reduces her Taint score to below the feat's prerequisites loses access to the feat. She does not, however, lose the feat itself; she has no empty slot to fill with something else, and she instantly regains use of the feat should she once more raise her taint score to the appropriate level. Anyone possessing a tainted feat is treated as an evil outsider for spells and effects, such as a magic circle against evil or paladin's Smite Evil. Tainted feats are treated as supernatural abilities, and thus do not function with the area of an antimagic field.

Corrupted Power [Tainted, Psionic]
By calling upon the taint clinging to your mind, you add a malign power to your powers.
-Prerequisites: Subverted Mind, Taint 3
-Benefit: This feat adds the evil descriptor to a power. Furthermore, if the power deals any physical damage to a subject, the target also takes either 2 points of Constitution damage or 4 points of Wisdom damage, declared upon manifesting the power. The power deals this ability damage only to a single target, even if the power itself affects an area or more than one subject (in which case you choose the target affected). You may use this ability once per day, plus one additional time per day for every five levels you possess. Using this ability increases your Taint score by +0.1. This cannot raise your Taint score above 5.
-Special: You must declare whether you are using this feat before manifesting the power. If you use this feat on a creature that is immune to the ability damage, that daily use of the feat is expended. You cannot combine this feat with Corrupted Strike on a single attack. If you have both feats, you must elect to use one or the other on a given attack.

Corrupted Spell [Tainted]
By calling upon the taint clinging to your soul, you add a malign power to your spells.
-Prerequisites: Tainted Spellcasting, Taint 3
-Benefit: This feat adds the evil descriptor to a spell. Furthermore, if the spell deals any physical damage to a subject, the target also takes either 2 points of Constitution damage or 4 points of Wisdom damage, declared upon manifesting the spell. The spell deals this ability damage only to a single target, even if the spell itself affects an area or more than one subject (in which case you choose the target affected). You may use this ability once per day, plus one additional time per day for every five levels you possess. Using this ability increases your Taint score by +0.1. This cannot raise your Taint score above 5.
-Special: You must declare whether you are using this feat before casting the spell. If you use this feat on a creature that is immune to the ability damage, that daily use of the feat is expended. You cannot combine this feat with Corrupted Strike on a single attack. If you have both feats, you must elect to use one or the other on a given attack.

Corrupted Strike [Combat, Tainted]
By calling upon the taint clinging to your body, you add a malign power to your melee attacks.
-Prerequisites: Malevolent Surge, Taint 3
-Benefit: This feat makes your unarmed or melee attacks evil for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Furthermore, if you successfully attack and deal damage to a creature, the target also takes either 2 points of Constitution damage or 4 points of Wisdom damage. You may use this ability once per day, plus one additional time per day for every five levels you possess. Using this ability increases your Taint score by +0.1. This cannot raise your Taint score above 5.
-Special: You must declare whether you are using this feat before making your attack. If you use this feat on a creature that is immune to the ability damage, that daily use of the feat is expended. You cannot combine this feat with Corrupted Power or Corrupted Spell on a single attack. If you have either feat as well as this one, you must elect to use one or the other on a given attack.

Forbidden Knowledge [Tainted]
Be it by the places you dwell or a direct contribution of the taint that stains you, you find you have knowledge of things best left unknown.
-Prerequisites: Malevolent Surge, Bardic Knowledge or Lore class feature, Taint 2
-Benefit: When you make a bardic knowledge or lore check, add a bonus to the check equal to your taint score, provided the question touches on supernatural, horrific, tainted, or otherwise forbidden subjects. (What qualifies as such is to the DM's discretion). Making a check of this sort, whether it succeeds or fails, increases your taint score by +0.1. This cannot increase your score over 3.

Malevolent Dilettante [Tainted]
As you further delve into magical knowledge and the taint clinging to your very soul, you find spells that you previously couldn't wield are now within your grasp.
-Prerequisites: Tainted Spellcasting, Taint 5.
-Benefit: If you have access to a spell with the [Evil] descriptor in written form, you can prepare it regardless as to what spell list it is from, whether it is arcane, divine, or psychic and regardless of if you are a prepared spellcaster or a spontaneous spellcaster. The prepared spell remains in your mind and occupies one of your daily spell slots unit you cast it or change it. Preparing and casting a spell in this manner increases your taint score by +0.1. This cannot increase your Taint score over 7.

Malevolent Surge [Tainted]
You have learned to tap into the corruption clinging to your body and soul. Even if only for an instant, what ever you draw might just be just enough to ensure your survival.
-Prerequisites: Taint 1.
-Benefit: Once per day, you can add a profane bonus equal to twice your Taint score to any single attack roll, saving throw, or check. You must make the decision to add the bonus before you roll the die. Utilizing this feat increases your taint score by +0.1. This cannot increase your Taint score over 2.

Subverted Mind [Tainted, Psionic]
Your psyche has been corrupted, and you have learned to put this to your advantage
-Prerequisites: Malevolent Surge, Manifester level 1st, Taint 2.
-Benefit: For the purpose of determining power DC and the minimum ability score required to manifest a power of a given level, you may add your Taint score to the ability score you use to manifest powers. Furthermore you gain a number of bonus power points equal to your Taint score times your character level. Whenever you manifest a power your taint score increases by 0.1. This cannot increase your Taint score over 3.

Tainted Fury [Tainted]
You can channel the corruption of your body and soul into your rage.
-Prerequisites: Malevolent Surge, Rage class feature, Taint 2.
-Benefit: Whenever you enter rage, the morale bonus you gain to your Strength and Constitution is increased by your Taint score, but your penalty to your Armor Class is increased by half of your Taint score. When trying to cancel rage, you must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + twice your Taint score) or you'll be unable to cancel rage. If you fail on this save, you attempt to attack the nearest creature at your next opportunity. When you leave rage, you must succeed on a Fort save (DC 10 + your Taint score + the number of rounds spent in rage) or be sickened for 1-minute. Whenever you enter rage, and have your taint score increase by 0.1. This cannot increase your Taint score over 3.

Tainted Smite [Tainted]
Your soul has been twisted by corrupting forces, and you have been all too happy to put it to use. Now your greatest tool has become as warped as the Abyss itself. If you ever did, you no longer care what it does to you. No foe is safe from your fury. You have become a corrupt avenger.
-Prerequisites: Corrupted Strike, Smite class feature, Taint 5.
-Benefit: By taping into the malevolent energies infesting your form, your smite becomes effective against all foes. Whenever you choose to smite a target, regardless of the target's alignment, you add your Taint score to your attack rolls and thrice that score on damage rolls against the target of your smite. If the target of your smite has a lower Taint score than you, then for every attack landed upon them by you increases their taint score by 0.1. You no longer gain a deflection bonus to your AC against attacks made by the target of your smite. If your target is immune to the effects of taint, the smite is wasted. Whenever you attempt to smite a target your taint score increases by 0.1. This cannot increase your Taint score over 7.

Tainted Spellcasting [Tainted]
You channel the corruption of your body and soul into your spellcasting.
-Prerequisites: Malevolent Surge, Caster Level 1st, Taint 2.
-Benefit: For the purposes of determining spell DCs and the minimum ability score to cast a spell of a given level, you may add your Taint score to the ability score you use to cast spells. Furthermore, you may acquire bonus spell slots based on your Taint score, treating it as an ability score 10 points higher for this purpose. Bonus spell slots acquired from taint may only only be used to cast spells of the [Evil] descriptor. For the purpose increasing your Taint score, all spells you cast are treated as having the [Evil] descriptor, and casting evil spells may now elevate your Taint score up to a maximum of 3.
-Special: If you are a divine spellcaster who prepares their spells, it takes you twice as long for you to pray for your spells each day, but you may now be up to two steps away from your patron deity.

Vile Thoughts [Tainted, Psionic]
As you further pry into your mind and explore the corruption that clings to it, you find you can emulate effects you've studied.
-Prerequisites: Corrupted Power, Taint 5.
-Benefit: If you have access to a spell with the [Evil] descriptor in written form, you may expend a number of power points to prepare it and cast it, treating it for all intents and purposes as a psionic power manifested using the number of power points you expended to prepare it. The prepared spell remains in your mind until you cast it or regain power points for the day. Preparing and manifesting a spell in this manner increases your taint score by +0.1. This cannot increase your Taint score over 7.

ARCHETYPES OF TAINT


CORRUPTION CALLER (UNCHAINED SUMMONER)(WiP)

-Intrinsic Corruption: A corruption caller always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a corruption caller, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a maho-tsukai In order to advance as a corruption caller, she must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. This applies, even when her spellcasting as a corruption caller would be advanced by another class. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased, including spell slots and caster level though they do not lose access to spells known. If the corruption caller's Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Malevolent Surge: At 1st level, a corruption caller gains the malevolent surge feat as a bonus feat.

-Summon Horror: A corruption caller uses summon horror in place of summon monster. This replaces the summoner's summon monster spell-like ability.

-Eidolon of Taint: A corruption caller must select the elemental eidolon subtype. A corruption caller gains a special verity of elemental formed of the very essence of evil itself, known as a taint elemental. This alters the summoner's eidolon class feature.

Elemental (Taint)

Formed of the very taint of evil, these eidolons are linked to evil itself. Generally, a taint elemental eidolon appears as a creature made entirely of taint itself, a creature of decay, but there is some variation. Taint elemental eidolons are violent and cruel. They tend to throw themselves into battle and seek to torment and kill.

Alignment: Any Evil (Typically Chaotic Evil).

Base Form: Biped (limbs [arms], limbs [legs], slam), quadruped (limbs [legs, 2], bite), or serpentine (bite, improved natural armor, reach , tail, tail slap).

[B]Base Evolutions: The base evolutions of an elemental eidolon depend entirely on its chosen element, in this case that can be said to be Evil itself. The eidolon gains the following evolutions and abilities, which can vary depending on its element.

At 1st level, all elemental eidolons gain immunity to paralysis and sleep. In addition, given their nature, taint elemental eidolons afflict taint with their attacks as soul-bodied creatures. A taint elemental eidolon has a taint score equal to 1/3 the summoner's character level, rounded up. A taint elemental eidolons gain Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat.

At 4th level, all elemental eidolons add 1 point to their evolution pools.

At 8th level, a taint elemental eidolon gains Corrupted Strike as a bonus feat.

At 12th level, all elemental eidolons gain immunity to bleed, poison, and stun. In addition, they can no longer be flanked.

At 16th level, all elemental eidolons gain immunity to critical hits and do not take additional damage from precision-based attacks, such as sneak attack.

At 20th level, ???



MAHO-BUJIN (SAMURAI)
-Often those unsatisfied with their progression through training, there are those that choose to invite the tainting essence of evil into themselves and use it to enhance their martial prowess. Such a thing is never without a cost, however. As time wears on, so too does the malign essence clinging to a maho-bujin's soul, eventually leaving behind not a master but a servant. A maho-bujin has the following class features.

-Intrinsic Corruption: A maho-bujin always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a maho-bujin, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a maho-bujin. In order to advance as a maho-bujin, he must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. For example, a maho-bujin cannot advance to 4th-level as a maho-bujin until she possess a Taint score of 2. Should their Taint score decline beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased. If the Maho-Bujin's taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Crimson Road (Ex):Maho-bujins are capable of striking far more frequently than most. Each additional attack is made a base attack bonus 3 points lower than the previous instead of 5. This cannot provide the maho-bujin with more attack than she possesses points of taint. This replaces the samurai's mount class feature.

-Malevolent Surge: At 1st level, a maho-bujin gains the malevolent surge feat as a bonus feat. This replaces the samurai's resolve class feature.

-Death Knell (Su): Starting at 4th level, whenever a maho-bujin strikes the killing blow upon a creature, he may gain 1d8 temporary hit points and a +2 bonus to strength. Additionally, if he is also a spellcaster with the tainted spellcaster feat, his effective caster level gains a +1 bonus. This effect lasts for 10 minutes per HD of the slain creature. Utilizing this class feature increases the maho-bujin's Taint score by 0.1. This cannot increase the mayo-bujin's Taint score above 3. This replaces the mounted archer class feature.

-Unbound Corruption (Su): Starting at 8th level, a maho-bujin adds their Taint score to all attack rolls. This replaces the samurai's order ability gained at 8th level.

-Corrupted Strike: At 9th level, a maho-bujin gains Corrupted Strike as a bonus feat. This replaces the samurai's greater resolve class feature.


MAHO-TSUKAI (ORACLE)
-Chosen by vile powers, and both gifted and cursed with the capacity to wield bloodied magics, the maho-tsuki is one destined to spread taint wherever they walk. Great beings of taint have chosen him, and in time the maho-tsukai not only comes to accept it, but embrace it. A maho-tsukai has the following class features

-Intrinsic Corruption: A maho-tsukai always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a maho-tsukai, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a maho-tsukai In order to advance as a maho-tsukai, she must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. This applies, even when her spellcasting as a maho-tsukai would be advanced by another class. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased, including spell slots and caster level though they do not lose access to spells known. If the maho-tsukai's Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Vile Blooded Magic: A maho-tsukai must use blood in place of any spell's material component. Naturally, there are two choices for the source of the blood: Herself or someone else.
-If she uses her own blood, a minor cut to draw the requisite blood is a free action that becomes a normal part of casting the spell. Using this ability deals 1 point of damage to her, but she does not need to make a Concentration check to successfully cast the spell, despite the wound.
-Substituting blood for a costly material component requires drawing greater amount of blood. A maho-tsukai deals more damage to herself when drawing a larger amount of blood, as shown in the accompanying table. Also, when using blood to replace a costly component in this way, she must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage taken + spell level) to successfully cast the spell.

Component Cost Damage Dealt
50gp or less 5
51gp - 300gp 11
301gp - 750gp 17
751gp or more 23

-If the maho-tsukai draws someone else's blood to use as material component, the rules given above generally apply. If the source of blood is willing, or helpless, and is adjacent to the maho-tsukai, she can make a minor cut to obtain a small amount of blood as a free action during the casting of the spell.
-No single source of blood can be used to replace costly material component unless the character or current creature's hit points is enough to absorb all the damage without dying.
-In addition, a maho-tsukai who learns metamagic feats may apply them by paying an additional cost in blood. By draining her blood, she can enhance her spells without using a higher-level spell slot, the cost being a number of points of Constitution damage equal to the spell slot adjustment of the metamagic feat. By no means can a maho-tsukai enhance a spell to a level higher than she can cast by normal means. If she lacks a Constitution score, she is unable to use her blood in this manner, though she still must pay the cost in blood for casting spells with material components. This ability replaces the oracle revelation acquired at 1st level.

-Malevolent Surge: A maho-tsukai gains Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat at 1st level.

-Tainted Spellcasting: A maho-tsukai gains Tainted Spellcasting as a bonus feat at 3rd level. Furthermore, when she later acquires revelations, she may also add her Taint score to her Charisma score for the purpose of using revelations. This replaces the oracle revelation acquired at 3rd level.

-Corrupted Spell: A maho-tsukai gains Corrupted Spell as a bonus feat at 7th level. This replaces the oracle revelation acquired at 7th level.

-Malevolent Dilettante: A maho-tsukai gains Malevolent Dilettante at 13th level.


SUBVERTED PSION (PSION)
(I'll come up with flavor text later.)

-Intrinsic Corruption: A subverted psion always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a subverted psion they start with a Taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a subverted psion. In order to advance as a subverted psion, she must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. This applies, even when her manifesting as a subverted psion would be advanced by another class. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased, including power points and number of power points they may expend in manifesting a power, though they do not lose access to powers known. If the subverted psion's Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Depraved Research: When pursuing independent research to learn a new power, a subverted psion pays only 500gp per week and gain as a bonus to their Spellcraft check equal to their Taint score to learn powers that duplicate spells, powers, and other effects with the Evil descriptor.

-Malevolent Surge: A subverted psion gains Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat at 1st level. This replaces the bonus feat normally gained at 1st level.

-Subverted Mind: A subverted psion gains Subverted Mind as a bonus feat at 5th level. In addition, for the purpose of using their discipline abilities, a subverted psion may add their Taint score to their Intelligence score. This replaces the bonus feat normally gained at 5th level.

-Corrupted Power: A subverted psion gains Corrupted Power as a bonus feat at 8th level. This replaces the bonus feat normally gained at 10th level.

-Vile Thoughts: A subverted psion gains Vile Thoughts as a bonus feat at 15th level. This replaces the bonus feat normally gained at 15th level.

TAINTED SHADEWRIGHT (SHADEWRIGHT (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?443078-The-Shadewright-a-shadow-conjuring-gish-with-multifaceted-archetypes))


-Intrinsic Corruption: A tainted shadewright always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a tainted shadewright, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a tainted shadewright. In order to advance as a tainted shadewright, she must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. This applies, even when her call shadows ability would be advanced by another class. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased, including spell level and the size of their shadow reservoir. If the tainted shadewright's Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Tainted Reservoir (Su): The tainted shadewright draws her power not from pure umbral energy but from a pool of tainted energy through which she uses to siphon energy from the Shadow Plane. The tainted reservoir functions in all regards as the shadow reservoir except that it utilizes the tainted shadewright's Taint modifier in place of her Charisma modifier. Additionally, any class feature that draws points from this pool takes on the [Evil] descriptor, becoming an evil act and increasing the tainted shadewright's Taint score by +0.1 points, up to a maximum of 1, +1 for every three levels the tainted shadewright possesses beyond 1st level. This ability alters shadow reservoir.

-Malevolent Surge: A tainted shadowwright gains Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat at 1st level.



TAINTED SORCERER (SORCERER)
-While most find their decent into darkness an intentional one or something they fail to realize until it is too late to turn back, the tainted sorcerer is one born to descend into darkness. The very essence of taint runs through their veins, and in time they come to not only accept it, but to embrace it. A tainted sorcerer has the following class features.

-Bloodline: Tainted sorcerers are drawn from those bloodlines tied to taint. A tainted sorcerer's bloodline must be selected from the following: Abyssal, Accursed, Daemon, Div, Ghoul, Infernal, Oni, Pestilance, Rakasha, and Undead. Other bloodlines may be used, with DM permission.

-Intrinsic Corruption: A tainted sorcerer always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a tainted sorcerer, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a tainted sorcerer. In order to advance as a tainted sorcerer, she must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. This applies, even when her spellcasting as a tainted sorcerer would be advanced by another class. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased, including spell slots and caster level though they do not lose access to spells known. If the tainted sorcerer's Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Vile Blooded Magic: A tainted sorcerer must use blood in place of any spell's material component. Naturally, there are two choices for the source of the blood: Herself or someone else.
-If she uses her own blood, a minor cut to draw the requisite blood is a free action that becomes a normal part of casting the spell. Using this ability deals 1 point of damage to her, but she does not need to make a Concentration check to successfully cast the spell, despite the wound.
-Substituting blood for a costly material component requires drawing greater amount of blood. A tainted sorcerer deals more damage to herself when drawing a larger amount of blood, as shown in the accompanying table. Also, when using blood to replace a costly component in this way, she must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage taken + spell level) to successfully cast the spell.

Component Cost Damage Dealt
50gp or less 5
51gp - 300gp 11
301gp - 750gp 17
751gp or more 23

-If the tainted sorcerer draws someone else's blood to use as material component, the rules given above generally apply. If the source of blood is willing, or helpless, and is adjacent to the tainted sorcerer, she can make a minor cut to obtain a small amount of blood as a free action during the casting of the spell.
-No single source of blood can be used to replace costly material component unless the character or current creature's hit points is enough to absorb all the damage without dying.
-In addition, a tainted sorcerer who learns metamagic feats may apply them by paying an additional cost in blood. By draining her blood, she can enhance her spells without using a higher-level spell slot, the cost being a number of points of Constitution damage equal to the spell slot adjustment of the metamagic feat. By no means can a tainted sorcerer enhance a spell to a level higher than she can cast by normal means. If she lacks a Constitution score, she is unable to use her blood in this manner, though she still must pay the cost in blood for casting spells with material components. This ability replaces her 1st-level bloodline power.

-Malevolent Surge: A tainted sorcerer gains Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat at 1st level. This ability replaces her Eschew Materials bonus feat.

-Tainted Spellcasting: A tainted sorcerer gains Tainted Spellcasting as a bonus feat at 3rd level. Furthermore, when she later acquires bloodline powers, she may also add her Taint score to her Charisma score for the purpose of using bloodline powers. This replaces her 3rd-level bloodline power.

-Corrupted Spell: A tainted sorcerer gains Corrupted Spell as a bonus feat at 7th level. This replaces her 7th-level bloodline feat.

-Malevolent Dilettante: A tainted sorcerer gains Malevolent Dilettante at 13th level. This replaces her 13th-level bloodline feat.


TAINTED SOUL (KINETICIST)
-Some kineticists are capable of affecting the world around them, not by their vitality but by utilizing the vile essence that afflicts their souls.

-Intrinsic Corruption: A tainted soul always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a tainted soul, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a tainted soul. In order to advance as a tainted soul she must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased. If the tainted souls Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Malevolent Surge: A tainted soul gains Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat at 1st level.

-Vile Talent: A tainted soul uses her Taint score to determine her damage with wild talents, the DCs of Constitution-based wild talents, the duration of wild talents with a Constitution-based duration, her bonus on concentration checks for wild talents, and the other Constution-based effects of all her wild talents. This ability alters the kineticist's key ability score of wild talents.

Decay (Ex): At 1st level, a tainted soul can draw additional power from the taint afflicting her soul, channelling more power than normal but causing it to rotting away at her body. Some of her wild talents allow her to accept burn in exchange for a greater effect, while others require her to accept a certain amount of burn to use that talent at all. Decay functions in burn's place. For each point of decay she accepts, a tainted soul takes 1 point of nonlethal damage per character level, a -1 penalty to Strength or Charisma based checks, and gains +0.1 points of taint, to a maximum of the level of the wild talent for which the tainted soul took the point of decay for. These penalties alleviate at a rate of 1 point per minute the tainted soul has not utilized decay. This damage can’t be healed by any means other than getting a full night’s rest, which removes all decay and associated nonlethal damage and penalties, but not the taint gain. Damage from decay can’t be reduced or redirected, and a tainted soul incapable of taking damage can’t accept decay. A tainted soul can accept only 1 point of decay per round per point of taint she possesses. If a tainted soul is reduced to 0 by decay, they will appear as a rotted corpse until the nonlethal damage has been removed. If the tainted soul accepts a point of decay, the wild talent the point of decay is taken for acquires the Evil descriptor. This replaces, and functions in the place of, the kineticist's burn class feature.

-Cruel Blasts: At 3rd level, and every 2 levels thereafter, in place of an infusion a tainted soul may select an antipaladin cruelty, using her kineticist level as her antipaladin level for the purpose of determining which cruelties she may choose from and her Taint score in place of her Charisma modifier for the purpose of saves against these cruelties. By accepting 1 point of decay she may apply one of these cruelties to a blast. This alters the kineticist's infusions.



TAINTED WARRIOR (FIGHTER)
-A tainted warrior has the following class features.

-Intrinsic Corruption: A tainted warrior always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a tainted warrior, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a tainted warrior. In order to advance as a tainted warrior, he must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased. If the tainted warrior's Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Malevolent Surge: A tainted warrior gains Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat at 1st level. This ability replaces the bonus combat feat normally gained at 1st level.

-Corrupted Strike: A tainted warrior gains Corrupted Strike as a bonus feat at 8th level. This ability replaces the bonus combat feat normally gained at 8th level.




VILE OCCULTIST (OCCULTIST)
-A vile occultist gains the following class features.

-Intrinsic Corruption: A vile occultist always possesses a Taint score. If a character begins play as a vile occultist, they start with a taint score of 1. If not, then a character must acquire a taint score of atleast 1 before being able to become a vile occultist. In order to advance as a vile occultist she must possess a Taint score of atleast 1/3 their level, rounded up. This applies, even when her spellcasting as a vile occultist would be advanced by another class. Should their Taint score fall beneath the minimum for a range of levels, for the purpose of all class features they are reduced to the greatest level they could possess with that taint score until their Taint score is increased, including spell slots and caster level though they do not lose access to spells known. If the vile occultist's Taint score is reduced below 1, they lose access to all class features with exception to their weapon proficiencies until their Taint score is returned to 1.

-Malevolent Surge: A vile occultist gains Malevolent Surge as a bonus feat at 1st level.

-Tainted Implements (Su): At 1st level, a vile occultist acquires an implement associated with her chosen implement schools, possessing a taint score of 1. A vile occultist's class features that utilize implements require the use of implements possessing a taint score equal to the minimum taint score required for a vile oculist of the level the class feature becomes available, and gain a +1 bonus to her effective class level for the purpose of utilizing that class feature, for every point of taint the implement exceeds that. For example; If a vile occultist utilizes a skull with a taint score of 5 in using the pain wave focus power, the vile occultist treats their occultist level as 2 levels higher for the purpose of utilizing that focus power. However, a vile occultist utilizing a bone with a taint score below 3 could not utilize pain wave. Every time a vile occultist utilizes a tainted implement, it gains +0.1 points of taint, up to a maximum of the vile occultist's taint score, or the maximum taint score that can be gained for doing a particular act, whoever is higher. This alters the occultist's Impliments class feature.

-Vile Focus (Su): A vile occultist can invest a portion of the taint that afflicts their soul into his chosen implements for the day, allowing him to utilize a variety of abilities depending on the implements and the amount of taint invested in them. A vile occultist has a number of points of vile focus, which functions near identically to mental focus, equal to her occultist level + her Taint score; these points refresh each day. She can divide her vile focus between her implements in any way she desires.
-Additionally, by preforming a ritual and focusing on an implement, tainted or otherwise, a vile occultist can infuse the implement with taint. Doing so increases the taint score of the implement by +0.1 for every 6 minutes spent focusing on the item. This cannot increase the implement's taint score above their own and requires an expenditure of 1 point of Vile Focus per 0.1 of increase.

-Tainted Spellcasting: A vile occultist gains Tainted Spellcasting as a bonus feat at 3rd level. This replaces the focus power gained at 3rd level.

-Corrupted Spell: A vile occultist gains Corrupted Spell as a bonus feat at 7th level. This replaces the focus power gained at 7th level.

-Malevolent Dilettante: A vile occultist gains Malevolent Dilettante as a bonus feat at 13th level. This replaces the focus power gained at 13th level.


TAINTED SCHOLAR (LOREMASTER)
Great secrets await those minds skilled enough to unearth them, and great secrets unlock equally great power. No secret is barred from a tainted scholar's grasp, even those never meant to be known to mortals. This knowledge often comes at a cost, but for knowledge and the power that comes with it, there is none too great. A tainted scholar has the following class features.

Requirements: All requirements are identical to the lore master except as follows;
-Feats: Tainted Spellcasting and Skill Focus (Knowledge [any individual Knowledge skill])

Secrets: Instead of using the usual table available to loremasters, a tainted scholar refers to the following table;

Level + Taint Score Secret Effect
1 Blooded Metamagic Apply metamagic feats by paying a cost in blood. One point of Constitution damage per level slot adjustment. Cannot be used to raise a spell higher than you normally could, nor can be used if you lack a Constitution score.
2 Stanch Automatically become stable when your hit points drop below 0. You still die if you reach -10 hit points.
3 Death Knell death knell as a spell like ability 1/day.
4 Clarity of True Madness Once per day, add your taint score as a bonus to one Wisdom-based skill check or Will save. Must be done before the check or save is rolled.
5 Wholesome Corruption Once per day, add your Taint score as a bonus to one Constitution-based skill check or Fort save. Must be done before the check or save is rolled.
6 Bloodseeking Spell As part of the action used to cast a spell that deals hit point damage, you may deal 3 points of damage to yourself. The spell does an extra 1d6 points of damage to each target of the spell. This does not effect creatures lacking blood or a similar substance.
7 Thicker than Water DR Taint/piercing or slashing.
8 Tainted Knowledge Any one tainted feat
9 Forbidden Arcana 1 bonus 1st-level spell
10 Greater Forbidden Arcana 1 bonus 2nd-level spell

Outré Lore (Sp) At 6th level, your knowledge of lore beyond the realm of common experience is broadened and magically augmented. Once per day you can use contact other plane as a spell-like ability. Using this spell-like ability increases your taint score 0.1, or 0.2 if contacting a plane far removed. This is doubled if you contact a plane far removed from your own. If your Intelligence and Charisma decrease as a result, the Taint acquired is doubled. This cannot increase your Taint score over 4, nor can it be utilized if your Taint score is less than 3. This replaces the loremaster's Greater Lore.

Heretical Lore: At 10th level, you gain contacts among the evil creatures of the planes. These beings can rescue you from extreme situations or otherwise grant wishes. Once per day, you can call upon theses entities to grant you a limited wish. However, using this ability increases your Taint score by 1d4/10 points and imposes upon you a geas/quest that requires you to perform some evil act in repayment for the favor. This cannot increase your Taint score over 5, nor can it be utilized if your Taint score is less than 4. This replaces the lore master's True Lore.




For reference, if desired or needed, for the class feature shared among most of the archetypes.
Level Minimum Taint Score
1st 1
2nd 1
3rd 1
4th 2
5th 2
6th 2
7th 3
8th 3
9th 3
10th 4
11th 4
12th 4
13th 5
14th 5
15th 5
16th 6
17th 6
18th 6
19th 7
20th 7



Not all of Complete taint is contained in this thread. The rest can be found below.

Tainted Beastiary (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?444327-Complete-Taint-Tainted-Bestiary): An installment of Complete Taint centered around creatures that are uniquely tied to taint.
Keepers of the Hallowed Doctrine (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?444886-Complete-Taint-Keepers-of-the-Hallowed-Doctrine): An installment of Complete Taint that is focused on equipping players to combat taint.

Xuldarinar
2015-08-23, 07:20 PM
(Reserved, JUST in case I need it. I will be making no more posts after this one. If no responses come in, I'll put edits on this one to show updates, till someone feels like commenting.)


Planned Content: (Updated 9/24/15)


Corrupt Avenger Archetype (Paladin) Complete. Not as an archetype but the feats in place are sufficient.
Finish Tainted Warrior. The only problem isn't the class features, though that feels empty, but rather that you don't gain all your taint needed through progression. You'll need to participate in some 'extracurricular activities' to get where you need to go. This problem exists achieving 7th, 16th, and 19th.
More Feats It gets harder, better and stronger. Faster though? It can take ages.
Monsters They have their post. The link is on this page. Above here in fact.



Also: I more than welcome people to make their own home-brew based on the above taint system. If you do so, I welcome you to post a link to said content here. If you rather it be something included in a post of mine here, feel free to send it, or a link to it. to me.

Amechra
2015-08-23, 09:05 PM
For the love of The Guy Upstairs, why are you calculating Taint in 10ths of a point? I mean, I get the general concept... except you specifically state that the scale is logarithmic with regards to 4. Wouldn't it make sense to measure Taint in quarters of a point, if you are going to do fractional increases at all?

I mean, I could see the following as a (simplified) way of getting the logarithmic effect you want:

• Each Tainting act would have a Taint rating from one to nine (I personally would just borrow the table in Fiendish Codex II, but that's just me.)
• If you commit a Tainting act with a rating greater than your own, increase your rating to match the rating of that act and lose all of your Quarters.
• If you commit a Tainting act with a rating equal to your own, gain a Quarter.
• If you commit any lesser Tainting act, there is no effect.
• Once you have 3 Quarters, trade them in and increase your Taint rating by 1.

Then you could have stuff that requires you to spend Quarters to use. Sure, it prevents you from gaining Taint, but it requires you to frequently commit atrocities.

Hmm...

Otherwise, most of this looks quite well thought out - I'm not exactly sure what your logic is concerning Taint absorbing items, though.

Specifically, why is having seven items worse than having just one?

Xuldarinar
2015-08-24, 03:13 AM
For the love of The Guy Upstairs, why are you calculating Taint in 10ths of a point? I mean, I get the general concept... except you specifically state that the scale is logarithmic with regards to 4. Wouldn't it make sense to measure Taint in quarters of a point, if you are going to do fractional increases at all?


I mean, I could see the following as a (simplified) way of getting the logarithmic effect you want:

• Each Tainting act would have a Taint rating from one to nine (I personally would just borrow the table in Fiendish Codex II, but that's just me.)
• If you commit a Tainting act with a rating greater than your own, increase your rating to match the rating of that act and lose all of your Quarters.
• If you commit a Tainting act with a rating equal to your own, gain a Quarter.
• If you commit any lesser Tainting act, there is no effect.
• Once you have 3 Quarters, trade them in and increase your Taint rating by 1.

Then you could have stuff that requires you to spend Quarters to use. Sure, it prevents you from gaining Taint, but it requires you to frequently commit atrocities.

Hmm...


Admittedly, that is a component that was expressed in someone's initial crack at it and thus lingered there when I created the homebrew, expanding upon the proposed system. I could alter the system to center around quarters, or I can alter that figure.



Otherwise, most of this looks quite well thought out - I'm not exactly sure what your logic is concerning Taint absorbing items, though.

Specifically, why is having seven items worse than having just one?

In essence it is HoH's rules regarding taint absorbing items, though the points absorbed are divided by 10. I assume such a thing is in place to discourage just stacking up taint resistant items. Im going to change that +0.1 to a +0.7, because... that actually doesn't makes any sense sense.

Ethereal Gears
2015-09-21, 08:14 AM
This looks like a really cool system. I haven't checked all the numbers (and math isn't my strong suit), but I really like the feel and flavor of this concept. The description of the effects of different taint scores is really cool. If one were to consider it standard-issue for evil outsiders to have the levels of taint you're suggesting for them, that would change them in rather drastic ways though. I would probably consider it for demons and qlippoth and such, but the very uncontrollable and chaotic aspect of many of the effects of higher taint scores really seem more applicable to afflicted, damned mortals than scheming pit fiends, et cetera. Still though, I think this looks positiviely neat!

Cheers,
- Gears

Aergoth
2015-09-21, 08:52 AM
Xuldarinar, would you mind if I borrowed the bones of this system for something I'm working on?
It just strikes me that it would work really well for Angel Cults as well as the metaphysical taint of evil.

It's also a really nice implementation of what I remember from HoH and UA, one of my favourite subsystems to be honest.

Xuldarinar
2015-09-21, 09:39 AM
This looks like a really cool system. I haven't checked all the numbers (and math isn't my strong suit), but I really like the feel and flavor of this concept. The description of the effects of different taint scores is really cool. If one were to consider it standard-issue for evil outsiders to have the levels of taint you're suggesting for them, that would change them in rather drastic ways though. I would probably consider it for demons and qlippoth and such, but the very uncontrollable and chaotic aspect of many of the effects of higher taint scores really seem more applicable to afflicted, damned mortals than scheming pit fiends, et cetera. Still though, I think this looks positiviely neat!

Cheers,
- Gears


Xuldarinar, would you mind if I borrowed the bones of this system for something I'm working on?
It just strikes me that it would work really well for Angel Cults as well as the metaphysical taint of evil.

It's also a really nice implementation of what I remember from HoH and UA, one of my favourite subsystems to be honest.

Im glad the both of you enjoy it, and I more than welcome people to make use of it; either as is, for the subject of their own brew, or for the framework of something entirely new.

Ethereal Gears
2015-09-21, 10:40 AM
Well, on that note, let me just say that I am currently GMing a campaign where a country is slowly having the boundaries between the Material and Outer Planes start thinning within its borders, and this has given me a lot of inspiration. I may well yoink large swathes of it for the areas where Abyssal terrain is bleeding through.

noob
2015-09-21, 12:50 PM
When a place is tainted there is no way to reduce its taint so is there is not a risk that quite fast all the material plane will be full of level five or higher taint?
Also can I have a place hallowed 100 times with 100 active good spells and full of level 10 taint?(I really like those kind of places so I find rather logical your rules allows that also now I will have an easier time playing paladins with that system(paladin without the alignment restriction))

Xuldarinar
2015-09-21, 01:54 PM
When a place is tainted there is no way to reduce its taint so is there is not a risk that quite fast all the material plane will be full of level five or higher taint?

Glad you made note of that. I forgot to include rules for reducing the taint level of areas. I've now added them.



Also can I have a place hallowed 100 times with 100 active good spells and full of level 10 taint?(I really like those kind of places so I find rather logical your rules allows that also now I will have an easier time playing paladins with that system(paladin without the alignment restriction))

I've adjusted the rules to allow for the cleansing of tainted locations. As stated now: If the taint score is more than twice the caster level of the hallow effect, the hallow effect simply works as if cast on an area effected by unhallow.

If twice the taint score is equal to or less than the caster level of the hallow effect, then the highest taint score an area can possess is 9, until the hallow effect is removed. Now, if you are referring to the paladin possessing a level 10 taint, they cannot be the one to cast the spell and in fact cannot cast any spell of the evil descriptor. As for paladins without the alignment restriction, I do find it liberating but the text has a little more to it than simply waving the alignment.

Xuldarinar
2015-09-21, 07:26 PM
Now, I've something to ask of everyone. What would you most like to see in regards to taint? I've some ideas myself, but I want feedback.


Content against Taint (you can also specify any of the below with it)
Deities
Monsters
More Archetypes
More Feats
Other (Specify)

spikeof2010
2015-09-23, 05:08 PM
Now, I've something to ask of everyone. What would you most like to see in regards to taint? I've some ideas myself, but I want feedback.


Content against Taint (you can also specify any of the below with it)
Deities
Monsters
More Archetypes
More Feats
Other (Specify)


More Archetypes and Feats (Preferably those for 8 or higher taint.

Also "Epic" taint, as in, some how you manage to do something so inconceivably evil that you get a taint level higher than 10. I was thinking eldritch horrors.

Xuldarinar
2015-09-23, 09:04 PM
More Archetypes and Feats (Preferably those for 8 or higher taint.

Also "Epic" taint, as in, some how you manage to do something so inconceivably evil that you get a taint level higher than 10. I was thinking eldritch horrors.

I'll develop some more feats as ideas come to me. Archetypes, of course I am always happy to provide for.

+10 taint levels... I think i'll reserve that for a special class of entity, but we'll see. Beyond the taint levels of mortal-ken and demon-kind alike. Do keep in mind, it is near impossible to achieve those heights. Daemons, in their actions, only really get up to a 7. Very little can be done to reach 8 and above without unique measures.

For this moment, i've something I am working on.

spikeof2010
2015-09-23, 10:30 PM
Could you do an archetype on the summoner? Something about building your Eidolon from pure taint?

Xuldarinar
2015-09-23, 10:32 PM
Could you do an archetype on the summoner? Something about building your Eidolon from pure taint?

No, I don't... I should get on that.


Edit: Actually, should I do it with the summoner or the spiritualist?

Aergoth
2015-09-23, 11:49 PM
I'd like to see a "he who fights with monsters" style archetype for taint, but I'm not sure how it would fit best.
(Actually two thoughts occur)
Tainted Ranger archetype, because I imagine once you start slipping you can get to some fairly depraved measures against a favoured enemy.
And a class that tries to fight taint with taint, if that's even doable. I'm thinking gaining taint resistance as a class feature and the ability to move taint around?

Xuldarinar
2015-09-24, 01:31 AM
I'd like to see a "he who fights with monsters" style archetype for taint, but I'm not sure how it would fit best.
(Actually two thoughts occur)
Tainted Ranger archetype, because I imagine once you start slipping you can get to some fairly depraved measures against a favoured enemy.
And a class that tries to fight taint with taint, if that's even doable. I'm thinking gaining taint resistance as a class feature and the ability to move taint around?

He who fights with monsters... A tainted individual who fights the tainted..


A tainted ranger archetype is very doable, as would be a tainted inquisitor archetype, and I will certainly create the former if not the latter within 24 hours of this post.


A class that fights taint with taint I think is doable, not easy but doable. That being said; one that moves taint around.. I've attempted that before on numerous occasions, though never with this iteration of the taint system. I never could quite get it to where I am happy. If I ever find myself up to the challenge, I'll do it, but otherwise that is regretfully an area I leave to the community to develop. As it stands, there is no rule saying a Corrupt Avenger (A throughly corrupt paladin who has tainted smite, a feat I may be adjusting in the future) can't go around slaying everything corrupt he or she finds.

Aergoth
2015-09-24, 09:17 AM
I might have to try it myself then.

I've also been wondering, between this and the hallowed doctrine, there's not a lot of monk support. Is that because the class as it stands published by paizo is lackluster, or is there another reason?
I ask because I've been working on a monk fix (among numerous others)

Xuldarinar
2015-09-24, 09:42 AM
I might have to try it myself then.

I've also been wondering, between this and the hallowed doctrine, there's not a lot of monk support. Is that because the class as it stands published by paizo is lackluster, or is there another reason?
I ask because I've been working on a monk fix (among numerous others)

If you do, I look forward to seeing it.

The lack of monk content is strictly an oversight. If people want content for the monk, either tainted or abilities to repeatedly punch taint, I'll gladly produce it.

Xuldarinar
2015-10-14, 05:46 PM
Digging this up because a suggestion has come up.

Replacing XP loss in this with (temporary) negative levels. What do we think?