I'm basing these questions on the assumption that this rule only applies to characters who were at positive hit points and reduced to -10 hit points in a single hit.
(Correct)
A. Are the normal dying and stabilization rules still in effect? (I.E.: when reduced to -1 through -9 you still become unconscious and roll stabilization checks)
B. If a character becomes stable at -10 or below, or
conscious and disabled at that same number, what happens to his hit points? Per the current rules, characters with less than -9 HP are dead.
Normal dying and stabilization rules are in effect. I've added a line to state that you return to -9hp if you make the save.
This phrasing feels very loaded to me.
For starters, you definitely need a fully inclusive list on what counts as "equivalent" to magic for the purposes of this rule.
Secondly, you also need to clearly define what counts as access to magic. After all, a Rogue 20 with max ranks in Use Magic Device certainly has "access" to magic, even though it's not a class feature. Another scenario worth considering involves classes like Chameleon, who even without ranks in UMD can selectively have access to magic on a daily basis.
Finally, this is an unintentional nerf to build types that are very feat starved but have access to magic as an incidental, such as the stock Swift Hunter build of Scout 4/Ranger 16.
*looks around for "attached"*
>.>
<.<
...Uhh....
Yea, this is for my players. You could probably do a search for "Fighter 2.0 pathfinder" and it should show up.
This is the first thing on the list that made my head snap up on reading it.
How does the monk function under this rule? Does this mean that the monk, now with full BAB, takes his entire attack routine for the round as a standard action? Do you only get a two attacks when you flurry; one for the normal standard action melee attack, plus one extra for flurry (which turns into two extra for Greater Flurry at Monk 11?). Is this now an entirely separate action that can no longer be used as part of a full attack action? This feels like a one line change for something that would require a full rewrite.
I guess this makes the Full Attack action worthless for monks after 9th level?
The first question I have is whether or not this would preclude a druid from taking the
Wild Cohort feat. If not, then that feat will likely replace Natural Spell as the "required" feat for all druid builds.
I'd have to think about it.
For starters this has the same problem as the first rule; "gains access to magic" needs to be more rigidly defined as to whether that would include characters with ranks in Use Magic Device and special circumstances like Chameleon, or even characters in possession of magic items (does someone wearing a Ring of Invisibility also not have "access" to magic?). I next want to question why they even bothered to call out Paladins and Rangers on that list. They both gain access to their respective spell lists two full levels before they get a second attack from their good BAB.
Adjusted
Additionally, this is a
massive buff to rogues and ranged combat. Potentially game-breaking. When fighting a rogue in melee combat, the most important strategy is to keep yourself as mobile as possible, and to not let him flank you for the sneak attack damage. Now a mid to high level rogue can easily Tumble into a flank and deliver his full attack routine every single round. Specialist archers (but not, rangers, apparently...) can take a move action to retreat from advancing enemies and then use full attacks with Rapid Shot to pepper their foes that are trying to advance on them. Even with the advancing side taking double moves to the archers single moves, it is still quite possible that the archers could easily kill them before their targets can close to melee.
This is on purpose
While I don't disagree with the principle of condensing some of the combat feats together, it bothers me when it is combined with the measure of giving non-magic classes four additional feats everyone else. This will in turn make various useful quality of life feats, such as Improve Initiative, Skill Focus, Combat Reflexes, or Mage Slayer gimmies on almost every character.
I'm ok with that.
This additionally exacerbates the mechanical advantages handed to various mundane classes. In addition to the extra skill points, they can now spread them around to extra places they wouldn't be able to, which not only makes feats like Knowledge Devotion a gimmie on such characters, it also takes away out-of-combat jobs from classes who used to specialize in that thing. An archivist who was once relegated to digging up information for the party no longer would have that role to play as basically anyone can now do it. Though whether or not this is a good or bad thing I suppose is a matter of perspective.
I'm also OK with this.
In my personal opinion, implementing ALL of these changes at once is going too far. I don't doubt that a couple of tweaks would make the game more interesting by opening up options for non-spellcasters, but you are taking a sledgehammer to the rules without considering some of the deeper ramifications, which will lead to unintended consequences.
MWAH HA HA HA HA!!!!(Can this be the official color for Chaotic Evil?)
In addition to my recommendation for a clearly defined and fully inclusive list of what counts as "access to magic" as well as the clarifications for Flurry of Blows, my only other direct suggestion would be to make the extra damage on bows that Rangers get, as well as the damage from the Deadly Agility feat subject to the same rules as precision damage. This would stop it from totally devaluing Strength based builds, since as it stands Dexterity would now count for attack, damage, Armor Class, and Reflex saves, more or less turning Dex-based builds into a one-stat class. Which if I am not mistaken is the main complaint regarding primary spellcasters.
Hmmm......
