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View Full Version : Pathfinder Homebrew PoW Discipline(Chess Master) and Race (Caissan): Requesting Feedback!



Fii
2016-06-15, 10:44 AM
I've created a new discipline, new races, and new traits/feats/weapons for those races. I'd like feedback on all of it.
The races are chess pieces- they are collective referred to as Caissans, as they are very closely related.
Thank you for your feedback.

Chess Master: skill: Knowledge(Martial). Associated Weapon Group: Natural, Heavy Blades and Polearms.


Queen’s Assault: Strike - +2 hit, crit range of weapon improved by 1 for this strike. Not multiplied.
I Adjust: Strike - Attack against Touch AC.
Pawn Block: Counter - Aid Another ally’s AC with +2. If the attack would miss vs new AC, negated.
Pawn’s Advance: Boost - Speed +10 for 1 round.
White Pawn Stance: Stance - +2 Initiative, +1d6 dmg vs foes you beat at initiative. +1d6 every 5 lvls.
Black Pawn Stance: Stance - First melee attack against you per round provokes AoO from you specifically. +2 hit.


Knight’s Leap: Strike - Use acrobatics move through threatened squares at full speed +10 bonus. Attack foe +4.
Chessman’s Strike: Strike - Make a Know(Martial) check in place of attack roll. Deal bonus damage = ranks.
King’s Gambit: Strike - Attack foe. Take a 5ft step. If threaten another foe from new position, extra attack.
Rook’s Guard: Counter - Accept a hit. Automatically hit foe in turn (no crit). Add initiator mod to dmg.
Bishop’s Boon: Boost - You and all allies flanking your foe get an extra +2 bonus for flanking.


Bishop’s Pair Strike: Strike - Charge attack vs foe without the AC penalty. If flanking, extra attack vs foe.
King’s Assist: Boost - Push foe 5ft with each successful attack.
Knight’s Trap: Boost - When you threaten more than 1 foe, your target may choose to accept your attack as a regular hit. If he does not, roll against a second foe as normal but do bonus damage equal to your know(martial) ranks.
Bishop’s Stance: Stance - You may flank with yourself. If you flank with allies, +4. Stacks with Bishop’s Boon.
Knight’s Tour: Stance - You do not provoke AoO for moving through an enemy’s square at half speed. Reach +5ft.


Knight’s Surprise: Strike - +5d6 dmg. Double if surprise round.
En Passant: Counter - Atk foe before resolving their actions. If the foe attempted or succeeded in moving past or through a square you threaten, this attack is a critical threat.
Castle by Hand: Strike - Trade places with an ally, they make a free attack against your foe.
Castle: Counter - Trade places with willing ally, foe’s attack goes against them and their AC.They get +2 AC.


Rook’s Advance: Strike - Charge Attack. May make 1 attack at full BAB vs ALL foes within reach on the way.
Check: Counter - Know(Martial) to negate, foe must move away from you. Provokes AoO when he does.
Knight’s Gambit: Strike - Attack one foe within reach. +8d6 dmg, and you may make a free 10ft step.
Rook Stance: Stance - Foes w/i reach roll will 1/rd, save negates or atk only person with this stance. Reach+10.
Queen’s Gambit: Strike - Score auto crit with +level dmg (not multiplied) vs enemy. If they survive, their next attack against you auto crits.

Queen’s Castle: Strike - Know(Martial) check in place of CMB on a bullrush attempt, +5ft/10ft moved.
Bishop’s Thrust: Strike - Attack foe. If hit, forfeit damage to give flanking ally automatic crit.
King’s Luft: Boost - Teleport one willing ally to an unoccupied position when you hit a foe successfully.
Queen’s Stance: Stance - +initiator level to confirm crits. Improve crit threat range by 1. Stacks will all other effects.


King’s Pin: Strike - +8d6 dmg and foe is rooted in place for initiator mod rounds.
Stalemate Strike: Strike - If hit, +10 hit, deal any dmg the foe deals to you in the next round back on them.
Promotion: Counter - Make acrobatics check to roll through foe’s square. Succeed: attack negated, you may borrow any one 6th level or lower
maneuver from an ally for 1 rd. It is considered readied, but is not expended by your ally.


Checking Strike: Strike - Attack [F-R] and force foe to forfeit his turn/flee to unthreatened square will save negates.
Queen’s Capture: Strike - +12d6 dmg, ignores DR.
King’s Stance: Stance - Forfeit a [F-R] to grant adjacent allies haste.


Checkmate: Counter - When struck by foe, Full-Attack vs foe. All attacks threaten critical and crit multiplier +1.


Trade one discipline for Chess Master, gane Hone Weapon as a bonus feat.

Masters of the Chequer'd Field; Alignment: Any; Symbol: A chessboard or a chess piece.

Discipline: A Master of the Chequer'd Field may trade access to one martial discipline of his choice for access to the Chess Master discipline.

Oath: Bound by the longstanding traditions of the “First Masters," the chess-savvy forefathers of the organization, the Masters come from any background bound by a love of the game. The order welcomes people be they knightly Paladins, whose skills of strategy have in part been imparted by hours of honing their skill in the literal game, or curious Bards whose knowledge of the various variations of the most common openings yields an unexpected advantage. The initiation always takes place the same way: an initiate plays a game of chess against his higher ranking mentor. If he fails, he must try again the next day and each day thereafter until he succeeds at winning or achieving stalemate. Upon his eventual victory, he signs a contract of his own construction stating his allegiance. His mentor, when satisfied with it, will sign as well- thus sealing the deal. The oath must be acceptable to the mentor, and therefor must be of some substance. “<Make your own oath of allegiance.>”

Allegiance Benefit: In addition to access to the Chess Master discipline (exchanging a discipline of their choice), Masters of the Chequer'd Field benefit from Hone Weapon as a Bonus Feat, even if they don’t meet the pre-req.

Masters of the Chequer'd Field who violate their oaths (see above) immediately lose this bonus and must begin again as an initiate- losing any rank that they formerly held. He must therefore play until he wins his way back in. Alternatively, he may craft a masterwork chess set worth at least 300g and donate it to the order, upon which time he will be accepted back into the fold.

Description: The Masters of the Chequer'd Field began as 2 brothers who both, having grown up to be generals, ended up on rival sides of a battle. Each unable to slay the other, they agreed to settle the battle by way of a standard game of chess after which the loser would surrender. The brothers, however, achieved only stalemate, and eventually came to a decision to both leave accordingly. After the war, they formed the organization to train people in their family’s traditional style.

Although the brothers have since died, the organization lives on. Many well respected warriors hold the honor of having trained under the Masters.

They will divide their recruits into two teams (white and black) and often pit them against each other as a human chess match- with the exception that they will battle the foes they are expected to capture, risking themselves in the process. The test for achieving a higher rank within the order may well be to be the player in such a game and defeating a respected opponent.

Upon graduation, they are free to do whatever they please so long as they do not act against the Masters. The order will provide advice and counsel upon request. They provide weapons training as well, and study reputable texts of strategy and tactics. Some members are scholars, some war-born generals. They believe strongly in skill and the pursuit of self-betterment.

Sometimes the members of the order will be contacted and offer a contract with an ally of the order to assist tactically. These contracts are expected to be kept.

Common Tasks: The organization offers its own quests on behalf of patrons who have come seeking assistance. Sometimes members will be dispatched to ensure a victory in an importable battle. Sometimes, members compete in chess tournaments simply to showcase their skill. Members may give lectures and demonstrations at universities and royal courts. The organization throws several events each year that are wide-scale mock reenactments of famous battles. They, being extremely well versed in history and martial knowledge, are often offered lucrative contracts for turning the tide of a war. Whether members are dispatched as advisors or soldiers, they may assume they’ll be well rewarded for their work.

Available Services: Chess lessons, Chess sets, tournament hosting and officiating, tactics and strategy lessons, weapons training, battle reenactments, advice.

The Masters also retain skilled craftsmen able to produce equipment both magical and mundane, available to their members in good standing at a discount (10% off per rank, max 50% off). They will also buy products from them for 5% more per rank than the average merchant max 75%. The Masters are interested in buying large amounts of land, and will pay members for any they happen to claim on their travels.


Chess Master: 1/day take 20 on a skill check as if you’d rolled a 20 on the FIRST roll, even if you’d otherwise be unable to. This
means that once per day you may take 20 without increasing the time.
Devoted Pawns: Choose 2 skills. You may take 10 with them even when threatened and one of them is a class skill for you.
Black’s Advantage: When you use the delay action to willingly lower your initiative, you receive a +2 trait bonus to attacks and
damage vs any foes that went before you that originally would have gone after (had you not delayed).
White’s Advantage: You gain an extra attack of opportunity per round. +1 insight initiative.

Capture: +1 trait to any one combat maneuver check that does no damage to its target.
Point Value: If nat. roll value on a skill check(Pawn: 1 Knight/Bishop: 3 Rook: 5 Queen: 9 King:20), ½ time and auto succeed.
Blitz: One Mundane Craft takes half as long. (Double progress per day).
Cheapo: +2 to Craft(Trapmaking) and Disable Device is a class skill.
Extension of the Whole: Integrated Caissan Weapon.Select one manufactured weapon. It is MW, may be enchanted as normal,
and is part of you. It can’t be disarmed. It may meld with you.

Weapon-Trained: Proficiency with 1 Caissan or Exotic weapon.
Shared initiative: 1/day, before initiative is rolled, select an ally. Use their mod instead of yours.
As One: +4 trait aid other instead of +2.
All Together Now: +1 Trait bonus when flanking (for a total of +3.)

Castle Walls: You may benefit from 2 shields instead of 1. Other rules apply as normal. (ACP, max dex, etc.)
Over and Out: You may use acrobatics checks to leap over opponents (DC set by their height) instead of passing through their
square. May also use for +1 to hit for attacking from the high ground.
In Passing: +2 trait to hit when attack foes who attempted to move past you and failed.
Bishop’s Mending: Cast Mending at will CL = HD.
King’s Court: 1/day treat a morale bonus as an insight bonus.
Queen’s Parlay: +2 to resist checks/saves that force you to attack a given target instead of another.


Knight’s Charge: You may qualify for mounted feats as though you had the mounted combat feat.
Rook’s Rush: You may shield bash with Tower Shields. They do 1d6 or 1d8(spiked). Count as Heavy Shields for feats etc.
Bishop’s Blessing: 1/day you may use channel energy a cleric of your level using the Forge alternate feature.
Forge: Heal—Creatures in metal armor gain a channel bonus to Armor Class until the end of your next turn.
Alternatively, you may repair damage to metal objects and metal constructs as if they were creatures, and this healing is enhanced (see Variant Channeling above). Harm—The damage effect is enhanced (see Variant Channeling above) against metal constructs and unattended metal objects.
King’s Will: 1/day roll a will save for a follower. Double Leadership Followers, does not stack with the ring.
Queen’s Threat: You count as a fighter for Critical Feats.
Pawn’s Promotion: 1/day Enlarge Person as CL= your HD. You may choose to trade out pawn racials for other Caissan’s racials
(weaknesses included) while enlarged.


Caissan Weapon Proficiency: Proficiency with all Caissan Weapons.



All of these count as discipline weapons for Chess Master
Queen Blade: [Exotic][Light] 1d6 dmg, crit 20, x4, slashing. Costs 40g, weighs 3lbs, counts as light and heavy for disciplines.
Rook Shield: Counts as a tower shield except costs 50g, +6 shield AC, +1 max dex, -12 ACP, 50% arcane failure, weighs 60lb.
Knight Lance: As a lance, but does not require being mounted. Must still charge for double damage. Costs 20g.
Bishop Bow: This is as a composite longbow, except that it uses dex instead of str, but reduces the range by 20ft for each +1 to a
minimum/maximum of 10ft range at +5 dex dmg.
Pawn Katar: [Exotic][Light] 1d6 dmg, 19-20, x3 piercing. Costs 40g weighs 3lbs.
King’s Sword: As greatsword but as swift splits into 2 light weapons that do 1d6 19-20, x2 P or S. Holds whetstone edge all day.


The Caissan Races are a race of related constructs, each resembling a vaguely humanoid chess piece of the same name.
All races listed below know Common and Caissan, their racial language. Caissan is a very structured, grammar-heavy language that was constructed in order to give orders and instructions quickly and concisely while eliminating ambiguity. As a result, it is not very poetic but is often invoked for use in contracts. What it lacks in artistic applications it makes up for in legal ones.


0 Small(+1 size AC/atks, –1 CMB/CMD, +4 size Stealth)Spd 20, Stand Lang,
[-1] Speed Slow: never affected by encumbrance, etc.
[-2] +2 Cha, –2 Int. +2 Dex, -4 Str.
[2] Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes as a bonus feat.
[1] Craftsman: +2 racial all Craft or Profession checks to create objects from metal or stone.
[20] Construct: no Con (Treat as 10). L-L Vis, Darkvis 60ft. immune mind-
affecting(charms/compuls/morale/patterns/phant)/effects req Fort(unless affects obj.
s/harmless)/ability dmg/drain, fatigue/exh./energy drain/ NL dmg/mass. dmg. Can’t heal,
can be repaired or Craft Construct. Spells:Make Whole. Fast Healing still works.
destroyed at <=0 HP. Cannot be raised or resurrected.+10 HP. Do not need to breathe,
eat, or sleep, but can.


[0] Medium, Spd 20, Stand Lang,
[-1] Speed Slow: never affected by encumbrance, etc.
[4]All-Around Vision: +4 racial Perception checks and making them immune to flanking.
[-1] Light Sensitivity: dazzled in an area of bright light.
[-2] +2 Cha, –2 Int. +2 Str, -4 Dex.
[20] Construct: no Con (Treat as 10). L-L Vis, Darkvis 60ft. immune mind-
affecting(charms/compuls/morale/patterns/phant)/effects req Fort(unless affects obj.
s/harmless)/ability dmg/drain, fatigue/exh./energy drain/ NL dmg/mass. dmg. Can’t heal,
can be repaired or Craft Construct. Spells:Make Whole. Fast Healing still works.
destroyed at <=0 HP. Cannot be raised or resurrected.+20 HP. Do not need to breathe,
eat, or sleep, but can.


[0]Medium, Spd 30, Stand Lang,
[-2] +2 Wis, –2 Int. +2 Dex, -4 Str.
[2] Spell-Like: Expeditious Retreat @ Will.
[20] Construct: no Con (Treat as 10). L-L Vis, Darkvis 60ft. immune mind-
affecting(charms/compuls/morale/patterns/phant)/effects req Fort(unless affects obj.
s/harmless)/ability dmg/drain, fatigue/exh./energy drain/ NL dmg/mass. dmg. Can’t heal,
can be repaired or Craft Construct. Spells:Make Whole. Fast Healing still works.
destroyed at <=0 HP. Cannot be raised or resurrected.+20 HP. Do not need to breathe,
eat, or sleep, but can.


[0] Medium, Spd 30, Stand Lang,
[-2] +2 Int, –2 Wis. +2 Str, -4 Dex.
[1]Relentless +2 CMB bull rush/overrun while both are standing on the ground.
[1]Stability +4 racial CMD resisting bull rush or trip attempts while standing on the ground.
[20] Construct: no Con (Treat as 10). L-L Vis, Darkvis 60ft. immune mind-
affecting(charms/compuls/morale/patterns/phant)/effects req Fort(unless affects obj.
s/harmless)/ability dmg/drain, fatigue/exh./energy drain/ NL dmg/mass. dmg. Can’t heal,
can be repaired or Craft Construct. Spells:Make Whole. Fast Healing still works.
destroyed at <=0 HP. Cannot be raised or resurrected.+20 HP. Do not need to breathe,
eat, or sleep, but can.


[0] Medium, Spd 30, Stand Lang,
[-2] +2 Int, –2 Cha. +2 Dex, -4 Str.
[2] Jumper: always considered running start when Acro to jump.
[20] Construct: no Con (Treat as 10). L-L Vis, Darkvis 60ft. immune mind-
affecting(charms/compuls/morale/patterns/phant)/effects req Fort(unless affects obj.
s/harmless)/ability dmg/drain, fatigue/exh./energy drain/ NL dmg/mass. dmg. Can’t heal,
can be repaired or Craft Construct. Spells:Make Whole. Fast Healing still works.
destroyed at <=0 HP. Cannot be raised or resurrected.+20 HP. Do not need to breathe,
eat, or sleep, but can.


[0] Medium, Spd 30, Stand Lang,
[-2] +2 Wis, –2 Cha. +2 Dex, -4 Str.
[4] Spell-Like: Make Whole @ Will.
[-2] Light Blindness: Bright light blinds for 1 rd; subsequent rds dazzled in it.
[20] Construct: no Con (Treat as 10). L-L Vis, Darkvis 60ft. immune mind-
affecting(charms/compuls/morale/patterns/phant)/effects req Fort(unless affects obj.
s/harmless)/ability dmg/drain, fatigue/exh./energy drain/ NL dmg/mass. dmg. Can’t heal,
can be repaired or Craft Construct. Spells:Make Whole. Fast Healing still works.
destroyed at <=0 HP. Cannot be raised or resurrected.+20 HP. Do not need to breathe,
eat, or sleep, but can.



This is all being made for a Level 10 game for 6 players, one each of (Queen: Stalker; King: Warlord; Pawn: Zealot; Knight: Harbinger; Bishop: Mystic; Rook: Warder).
Advanced Template.
Up to 2 Major Drawbacks (for up to 2 extra feats).
Up to 2 Drawbacks (for up to 2 extra traits).
For Cloak of Resistance: The cost is ⅔ what it would normally cost for a bonus to Will and Ref, or ⅓ for one score.
No multiclassing, but archetypes allowed.
Everyone starts with the Masters of the Cheq’uered Field tradition and must trade one discipline for Chess Master.
This means everyone gets the Hone Weapon feat as a bonus feat. I’ll also give you the whetstone for free.
Custom Items allowed upon approval.

Fii
2016-06-19, 07:31 PM
Still seeking input.. I worked very, very hard on this.

Thealtruistorc
2016-06-19, 09:16 PM
Salute from a fellow chess player. The premise behind all of these is quite clever. However, I think some flavor text would go a long way in solidifying what you have here.

The discipline is interesting, but I'm sort of curious about what the overall design is going for. For example, the Cursed Razor Discipline is about compounding as much pain as possible at once, scarlet throne is about fighting and maneuvering with a large weapon, and thrashing dragon is about being a whirling dervish. What is the overall design motif you are going for with with Chess Master? (It could use a catchier name. I suggest working with some sort of Chess term. En Passant sounds like a solid name). I would also advise a different discipline skill; knowledge (martial) would be perfect.

Also, for some of the maneuvers, when you say automatic crit do you mean threat or confirmation? I would advise the former.

Finally, the race's traits are oddly organized. I would suggest putting all of the racial traits together in one bar.

Fii
2016-06-20, 10:31 PM
Salute from a fellow chess player. The premise behind all of these is quite clever. However, I think some flavor text would go a long way in solidifying what you have here.

The discipline is interesting, but I'm sort of curious about what the overall design is going for. For example, the Cursed Razor Discipline is about compounding as much pain as possible at once, scarlet throne is about fighting and maneuvering with a large weapon, and thrashing dragon is about being a whirling dervish. What is the overall design motif you are going for with with Chess Master? (It could use a catchier name. I suggest working with some sort of Chess term. En Passant sounds like a solid name). I would also advise a different discipline skill; knowledge (martial) would be perfect.

Also, for some of the maneuvers, when you say automatic crit do you mean threat or confirmation? I would advise the former.

Finally, the race's traits are oddly organized. I would suggest putting all of the racial traits together in one bar.

Salute!
First- the discipline skill IS Knowledge(Martial)- it says that on the very first line, so I don't know why you think it isn't or what you think it is.
Second- I do need a better name, not sure what to go with though. I do like En Passant (it's my favorite move in all of chess, afterall- so few people are taught to recognize it, so when it rarely comes up, it is the perfect trap).
Third- It's going for utility and mobility I suppose- it's based on what the chess pieces do. If that isn't enough of a binding theme, then I'll work on it. What do you suggest? I mean, each of the pieces moves a certain way, and I wanted that reflected here.
Fourth- D'oh! It is supposed to be automatic critical threat. My bad, I didn't catch that that wasn't clear.
Five- I am certainly glad that you think it is clever, and regarding flavor text- I'll keep that in mind and improve upon what I have.

VoodooPaladin
2016-06-21, 09:31 PM
I like it! Martial discipline, non-living Construct race (with extreme dimorphism!), lots of exotic weapons and traits and... ooh! So good to see this kind of effort put in.

Questions
>The Bishop Bow and King's Sword don't list prices. Is this intentional?
>Also, is Knowledge (Martial) a real thing? I assume so, but I can't be sure since I don't actually own Path of War.

Fii
2016-06-22, 02:42 AM
I like it! Martial discipline, non-living Construct race (with extreme dimorphism!), lots of exotic weapons and traits and... ooh! So good to see this kind of effort put in.

Questions
>The Bishop Bow and King's Sword don't list prices. Is this intentional?
>Also, is Knowledge (Martial) a real thing? I assume so, but I can't be sure since I don't actually own Path of War.
Yes, they cost the sameas the weapons to which they are most similar.

Yes knowledge(martial) is real. PFSRD has three path of war classes on its website, the other three are beta google documents. Knowledge(Martial) is used to identify the Path of War stuff.

Thealtruistorc
2016-06-22, 07:45 AM
Yes, they cost the same as the weapons to which they are most similar.

Yes knowledge(martial) is real. PFSRD has three path of war classes on its website, the other three are beta google documents. Knowledge(Martial) is used to identify the Path of War stuff.

The other three classes were released a few months ago. Path of War Expanded is now available.

For the record, it has been clarified that all the racial weapons are exotic, right?

The fluff about the language is a nice touch.

Also, I find it strange that the classes uses knowledge (martial) as its class skill but has numerous abilities that are based off of other skills. (for example, promotion and knight's leap both use acrobatics checks). It would be fairly easy to fix this by adding in the caveat "use a knowledge (martial) check in place of an acrobatics check."

The other funky thing that slightly bothers me is the restrictive nature of the races' ability score modifiers. I know that this is likely the result of using the advanced race guide's race builder, but that has become infamous for overvaluing or undervaluing certain traits. I feel that the construct type could safely be reduced to 15 RP without much problem, and I would advise tweaking some of the races to accommodate this (maybe change their racial modifiers to the typical +2/+2/-2 seen in most races, with knights taking a penalty to charisma as a result of players forgetting where they are).

The last issue I have is that some of the maneuvers have vague descriptions, and could benefit from the full writeups seen in the Path of War books. Bishop's thrust is an example of a simplified description muddling the intent of the maneuver (how much damage do you sacrifice? All of it?).

Fii
2016-06-23, 07:03 AM
1: Good to know, I'll look into actually buying it then.

2: Yes, they are all exotic.

3: Thank you!

4: I see your point. I will change that when my headache goes away. (Migraines past 3 days- why I haven't been quick to reply to you).

5: Yeah their scores are because of the race builder. That and I couldn't penalize con because they are constructs, so for physical options.. there's only one way to go. I don't really think that they're all necessarily more dexterous than strong, but I did need the extra points for racials. I'll consider pretending constructs are 15 RP. I didn't want some of them to suffer light blindness/sensitivity, but needed to put weaknesses somewhere to get them things.

6: Hm, nice catch. It's actually supposed to be half of your damage, not all of it. I'll fix that too. I'll consider giving them all writeups if there are no glaring problems with the premise of the discipline.