Tibalt'S rules and homebrew compilation

[Tibalt]

If you did that, you'd be best off setting it up as an equation with an example table going up to two million GP, as that's enough for a decently equipped three-player party at level 20. I find that linked exponents work well for this kind of math. Like, you have the GP value on one exponent and the HP reduction on another, smaller, exponent.

Interesting, I'll try that.

I'd suggest having a way to remove the reduction involving high level spells that need serious investment to access, like 7th or 8th level healing spells, or stuff with costly material components like Resurrection.

Not sure what you mean there. Like having no hp cost for items with those spells ?

[Morphic tide]

Prestige Classes

Banned Prestige Classes

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- Hathran
- Incantatrix
- Planar Shepherd
- Dweomerkeeper
- Cancer mage
- Vermin lord
- Spelldancer
- Illithid Savant
- Beholder Mage
- Thrallherd
- Tainted Scholar
- Tainted Sorcerer
- Prestige Paladin
- Prestige Bard
- Ur-Priest

Why ban PRC Paladin and Bard without giving the same considerations for PRC Ranger? It'd help if you gave reasons why they are banned next to the name, but as-is, the only thing the PRC Bard and Paladin are guilty of is invalidating the original version for dipping, and even then only for specific builds. Mounted combat is not cheap as a Cleric, so PRC Paladin works best for a highly sub-optimal build because otherwise it eats a feat and skill ranks for entry requirements that won't be useful. Illithid Savant is only as broken as the features available to it, which is fairly easy to control, and the cheese of unlimited features requires a large group of other Illithid Savants and a permissive DM. Thrallherd is only as broken as a player's ability to manage the masses of Thralls, and the DM's willingness to let them use those Thralls that effectively.

[Morphic tide]

Not sure what you mean there. Like having no hp cost for items with those spells ?

No, having specific high-level spells be able to restore the HP cost. Like (True) Resurrection. It makes recovering from the damage possible, but expensive.

[Bohandas]

If common sense is the motivation behind this one, then the creature's HD should also play a factor in the number of negative HP.

Not necessarily, since due to the odd design of D20 HD as often as not represent a lot of stuff entirely unrelated to durability

[Tibalt]

No, having specific high-level spells be able to restore the HP cost. Like (True) Resurrection. It makes recovering from the damage possible, but expensive.

Looks like a good idea, but wouldn't that be a little contradictory ? (Spend HP to spare gold on items and then spend gold to get HP back)

Why ban PRC Paladin and Bard without giving the same considerations for PRC Ranger? It'd help if you gave reasons why they are banned next to the name, but as-is, the only thing the PRC Bard and Paladin are guilty of is invalidating the original version for dipping, and even then only for specific builds. Mounted combat is not cheap as a Cleric, so PRC Paladin works best for a highly sub-optimal build because otherwise it eats a feat and skill ranks for entry requirements that won't be useful. Illithid Savant is only as broken as the features available to it, which is fairly easy to control, and the cheese of unlimited features requires a large group of other Illithid Savants and a permissive DM. Thrallherd is only as broken as a player's ability to manage the masses of Thralls, and the DM's willingness to let them use those Thralls that effectively.

I simply forgot the Prestige Ranger. I don't want to include base and prestige versions of the same classes (as suggested in the SRD, for what it's worth...). I'm not sure that the fact that a precise concept is not viable with a particular class is necessarily a good reason to include them. There are other options.

Concerning Thrallherd/leadership/etc, it's more or less a matter of having only 1 character per player and a party of adventurer, not an army.

[Tibalt]

If you did that, you'd be best off setting it up as an equation with an example table going up to two million GP, as that's enough for a decently equipped three-player party at level 20. I find that linked exponents work well for this kind of math. Like, you have the GP value on one exponent and the HP reduction on another, smaller, exponent.

Still not sure I'm doing this right.

Something like this ?

x	Market Price (1000x^3)	HP cost (x^1,7)
1	1000	1
2	8000	3
3	27000	6
4	64000	11
5	125000	15
6	216000	21
7	343000	27
8	512000	34

[Morphic tide]

Still not sure I'm doing this right.

Something like this ?

x	Market Price (1000x^3)	HP cost (x^1,7)
1	1000	1
2	8000	3
3	27000	6
4	64000	11
5	125000	15
6	216000	21
7	343000	27
8	512000	34

Yes, that's the sort of thing I'm thinking of. For the "fixing", I'm thinking something like being able to use a 7th or 8th level spell slot and diamonds to restore the cost thing by 50-60% of the value of the diamonds. My thinking is to make it so that you end up paying the same GP value for items once you get that high level, but you have the advantage of choosing the item yourself without much available DM interference.

[Ursus Spelaeus]

- [Still looking for a name]: Weakening touch, pain touch, freezing the lifeblood

How about 'Dim Mak' or 'Pins & Needles'?

[Tibalt]

My thinking is to make it so that you end up paying the same GP value for items once you get that high level, but you have the advantage of choosing the item yourself without much available DM interference.

This is, indeed, very relevant. Fixed the table for crafting and modified Limited Wish, Greater Restoration, True Resurrection, bend reality and matter manipulation so they can restore the HP spent for crafting magic items by sacrificing gp and gems. I also waived the XP cost of a few spells.

How about 'Dim Mak' or 'Pins & Needles'?

Pressure points of course! Though, I'll go with something more generic such as "pressure points technique". Thanks!

[Tibalt]

Hexblade

Class skills (4+int)
The Hexblade's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Good saves: Fortitude and Will

Curse: 1 +CHA / day
Curse = swift action
Ability to cast in light or medium armor and while carrying a light shield or buckler
At 6th level, the hexblade can cast one hexblade spell per day as a swift action, as long as its original casting time is a standard action or faster. He gains an additional use of this power at levels 8, 11, 14, and 18.
CL = hexblade level
Full hexblade level to determine familiar's powers

0th level spells = 0th level wizard/sorcerer spells
5th level spells
- Blight
- Feeblemind
- Mind Fog
- Nightmare
- Phantasmal Thief
- Prying Eyes
- Telekinesis
- Waves of fatigue

6th level spells
- Acid Fog
- Eyebite
- Illusory Pit
- Imbue familiar with spell ability
- Suggestion, mass
- Mage's Sword
- True Seeing
- Waves of exhaustion

Spellthief

The Spellthief's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable device (Dex), Gather information (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (dex) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

CL = Spellthief level

Good Saves: Ref and Will

Spells per day

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Hexblade/Spellthief Level	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	2	0	-	-	-	-	-
3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-
4	2	2	0	-	-	-	-
5	2	2	1	-	-	-	-
6	2	2	2	-	-	-	-
7	2	2	2	0	-	-	-
8	2	2	2	1	-	-	-
9	2	2	2	2	-	-	-
10	2	2	2	2	0	-	-
11	2	2	2	2	1	-	-
12	2	2	2	2	2	-	-
13	2	2	2	2	2	0	-
14	2	2	2	2	2	1	-
15	2	2	2	2	2	2	-
16	2	2	2	2	2	2	0
17	2	2	2	2	2	2	1
18	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
19	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
20	2	2	2	2	2	2	2

Spells Known

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Hexblade/Spellthief Level	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
2	3	1	-	-	-	-	-
3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-
4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-
5	3	2	2	-	-	-	-
6	3	2	2	-	-	-	-
7	3	2	2	1	-	-	-
8	3	2	2	2	-	-	-
9	3	2	2	2	-	-	-
10	3	2	2	2	1	-	-
11	3	2	2	2	2	-	-
12	3	2	2	2	2	-	-
13	3	2	2	2	2	1	-
14	3	2	2	2	2	2	-
15	3	2	2	2	2	2	-
16	3	3	2	2	2	2	1
17	3	3	3	2	2	2	2
18	3	3	3	3	2	2	2
19	3	3	3	3	3	2	2
20	3	3	3	3	3	3	2

[Tibalt]

Shadowcaster

Mouseferatu's fix

1) Charisma determines the DC to save against your mysteries. Intelligence determines the highest level mystery you can cast.

2) Grant bonus mysteries per day based on Charisma. These would work just like bonus spells. For instance, if your Cha is 14, you can cast one extra mystery of 1st-level equivalent and one of 2nd-level equivalent per day. (Note that each mystery does give an equivalent level, even though you don't learn them by level.)

3) Eliminate the rule that says you have to take mysteries in a given Path in order. If you want to jump around, so as to broaden your versatility, you can.

4) Within a category—Apprentice, Initiate, Master—you must have at least two mysteries of any given level before you can take any mysteries of the next higher level. For instance, you must have two 1st-level mysteries before you can take any 2nds, and at least two 2nds before you can take any 3rds.

5) Eliminate the rule that says you get a bonus feat equal to half the number of paths you have access to. Instead, you get a bonus feat equal to the total number of Paths you complete. Thus, while you are no longer required to take the entirety of a given Path, there's still encouragement to do so.

6) You may “swap out” mysteries, just as a sorcerer does spells known. If you “un-complete” a Path in this way, however, you lose access to the bonus feat you gained from completing that Path. (You can regain access by re-completing the Path, completing a different Path and choosing that feat as your new bonus, or selecting that feat as a normal feat at your next opportunity.)

7) Once your Apprentice Mysteries become supernatural abilities, change the save DC from 10 + equivalent spell level + Cha to 10 + 1/2 caster level + Cha. This makes them useful even against high-HD opponents, and follows the pattern for other supernatural abilities.

Class skils (2+int)

Concentration (con or wis), craft (int), knowledge (arcana) (int), knowledge (the planes) (int), persuasion (Cha), profession (wis), spellcraft (int), perception (wis) stealth (dex) and Use Magic Device (Cha)

[Tibalt]

Warlock

Class skills (4+int)
The Warlocks's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Athetics (Str), Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Use magic device (Cha).

Eldritch blast = attack action

Invocations Known

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Warlock level	Blast Shape Invocations	Eldritch Essence Invocations	Other invocations
1	1	1	1
2	1	1	2
3	1	1	2
4	1	1	3
5	1	1	3
6	2	2	4
7	2	2	4
8	2	2	5
9	2	2	5
10	2	2	6
11	3	3	7
12	3	3	7
13	3	3	8
14	3	3	8
15	3	3	9
16	4	4	10
17	4	4	10
18	4	4	11
19	4	4	11
20	4	4	12

[Tibalt]

Beguiler

Class skills (6+int)
The Beguiler's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con or Wis), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Dex or Int), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language, Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Dread Necromancer

Class skills (2+int)
The Dread Necromancer's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disguise (Cha), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (Religion) (Int), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Stealth (Dex).

0th level Dread Necromancer's Spells
- Inflict Minor Wounds
- Detect Magic
- Detect Poison
- Disrupt Undead
- Touch of fatigue

Warmage

Class skills (2+int)
The Warmage's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Arcana) (Int), Knowledge (History) (Int), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis) and Spellcraft (Int).

Beguiler/Dread Necromancer/Warmage Spells per day

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Level	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	6	4	-	-	-	-	-
2	6	5	-	-	-	-	-
3	6	6	3	-	-	-	-
4	6	6	4	-	-	-	-
5	6	6	5	3	-	-	-
6	6	6	6	4	-	-	-
7	6	6	6	5	3	-	-
8	6	6	6	6	4	-	-
9	6	6	6	6	5	3	-
10	6	6	6	6	6	4	-
11	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
12	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
13	7	7	7	7	7	7	4
14	7	7	7	7	7	7	5
15	8	8	8	8	8	8	5
16	8	8	8	8	8	8	6
17	9	9	9	9	9	9	6
18	9	9	9	9	9	9	7
19	10	10	10	10	10	10	7
20	10	10	10	10	10	10	8

[Tibalt]

Archivist

Class skills (2+int)
The Archivist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Perception (wis), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Hit Dice: d4

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Archivists are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield.

Good Save: Will
Poor saves: Fortitude, Reflex


Spells per day

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Archivist level	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	3	1	-	-	-	-	-
2	4	2	-	-	-	-	-
3	4	2	1	-	-	-	-
4	4	3	2	-	-	-	-
5	4	3	2	1	-	-	-
6	4	3	3	2	-	-	-
7	4	4	3	2	1	-	-
8	4	4	3	3	2	-	-
9	4	4	4	3	2	1	-
10	4	4	4	3	3	2	-
11	4	4	4	4	3	2	1
12	4	4	4	4	3	3	2
13	4	4	4	4	4	4	2
14	4	4	4	4	4	4	3
15	5	5	5	5	4	4	3
16	5	5	5	5	4	4	4
17	5	5	5	5	5	5	4
18	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
19	6	6	6	6	5	5	5
20	6	6	6	6	6	6	6

[Morphic tide]

Archivist

Class skills (2+int)
The Archivist's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Perception (wis), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Spells per day

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Archivist level	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	3	1	-	-	-	-	-
2	4	2	-	-	-	-	-
3	4	2	1	-	-	-	-
4	4	3	2	-	-	-	-
5	4	3	2	1	-	-	-
6	4	3	3	2	-	-	-
7	4	4	3	2	1	-	-
8	4	4	3	3	2	-	-
9	4	4	4	3	2	1	-
10	4	4	4	3	3	2	-
11	4	4	4	4	3	2	1
12	4	4	4	4	3	3	2
13	4	4	4	4	4	4	2
14	4	4	4	4	4	4	3
15	5	5	5	5	4	4	3
16	5	5	5	5	4	4	4
17	5	5	5	5	5	5	4
18	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
19	6	6	6	6	5	5	5
20	6	6	6	6	6	6	6

Still broken as hell. Keep in mind that they are still strictly better at casting than a Bard, Paladin, Druid and Cleric combined. Their big problem is that they are a Divine Wizard without a spell list restriction, not that they are a full caster. Seriously, they are exactly as broken in your fix as they are without it because you lowered all the competition just as much as them.

[Tibalt]

Still broken as hell. Keep in mind that they are still strictly better at casting than a Bard, Paladin, Druid and Cleric combined. Their big problem is that they are a Divine Wizard without a spell list restriction, not that they are a full caster. Seriously, they are exactly as broken in your fix as they are without it because you lowered all the competition just as much as them.

Not that it really changes anything in regard of the problem you highlighted, but I decided to weaken its chassis a little bit.

Even though they might be more versatile than other casters, this advantage is slightly mitigated by the fact that there is no spell list restriction for other casters either for 7th - 9th level spells (even if there's a feat tax).

Now between better chassis, turning pools, domain powers, wild shape, spontaneous casting and animal companion, there are a lot of reasons one would want to play a druid or a cleric over an archivist. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how the archivist is that broken compared to other full casters.

It's like having the choice between the sweetest dessert in the world, or the sweetest dessert in the world with one more spoonful of sugar. Either way, you get pretty much the same thing.

TL;DR: Tier 1 classes give you Type 2 diabetes.

[Tibalt]

Psion

Class skills (2+int)
The psion’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Psicraft (Int). In addition, a psion gains access to additional class skills based on his discipline:

Seer (Clairsentience)
Gather Information (Cha), Perception (Wis).

Shaper (Metacreativity)
Persuasion (Cha), Disguise (Cha), and Use Psionic Device (Cha).

Kineticist (Psychokinesis)
Autohypnosis* (Wis), Disable Device (Dex or Int), and Persuasion (Cha).

Egoist (Psychometabolism)
Autohypnosis (Wis), Acrobatics (Dex) and Heal (Wis).

Nomad (Psychoportation)
Athletics (Str), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis).

Telepath (Telepathy)
Persuasion (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Bonus Feats: Add Heroic power, legendary power and mythic power to bonus feats list.

Wilder

The wilder’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Persuasion (Cha), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis).

Psychic Warrior

The psychic warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Perception (Wis).

Bonus Feats: Add Heroic power, legendary power and mythic power to bonus feats list.

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Psion/Wilder Level	Maximum power level known
1	1
2	1
3	2
4	2
5	3
6	3
7	4
8	4
9	5
10	5
11	6
12	6
13	6
14	6
15	6
16	6
17	6
18	6
19	6
20	6

[Morphic tide]

Not that it really changes anything in regard of the problem you highlighted, but I decided to weaken its chassis a little bit.

Even though they might be more versatile than other casters, this advantage is slightly mitigated by the fact that there is no spell list restriction for other casters either for 7th - 9th level spells (even if there's a feat tax).

Now between better chassis, turning pools, domain powers, wild shape, spontaneous casting and animal companion, there are a lot of reasons one would want to play a druid or a cleric over an archivist. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see how the archivist is that broken compared to other full casters.

It's like having the choice between the sweetest dessert in the world, or the sweetest dessert in the world with one more spoonful of sugar. Either way, you get pretty much the same thing.

TL;DR: Tier 1 classes give you Type 2 diabetes.

Magic>no Magic. Near universal spell access is better than all those things, if it starts to get out of hand. Animal companion? Summon Monster largely replaces it, and it's a liability to have a familiar or animal companion because replacing them is painful. Turning pools? Largely only useful for Divine Metamagic, otherwise they are too situational and replaced by spells. Better chassis? Need I remind you that Wizard is in the top three broken classes? Wild Shape? Replaced, and bettered, by the Polymorph spells.

Everything you mentioned is replaceable by spells. All of it, no exceptions. That's why Archivist is broken. Because spells already invalidate all the non-spell tricks that the other classes have.

As for your Psion fix, I'd go with the Psychic Warrior PP progression, or keep the normal Psion progression. 126 PP is utterly worthless at level 20 unless you are a cheesemonger. If you want to nerf the PP, you can base it on a purchase of Psionic Talent every level, which falls behind the actual Psion PP progression quite a bit.

I mean, it's not like reducing the maximum power level known does much, because many powers are designed to work from 1-20 because of augmentations, and reducing the maximum PP is just going to get Strongheart Vest Body Fuel spammed to work around it with continuous PP regeneration. Bestow Power loop is also available.

Seriously, nerfing Psion and Wilder is hard because the inherent nature of the classes makes it hard. Nerfing the maximum power level does nothing of note to several Psion characters because they rely on augmenting low level powers anyway. Nerfing maximum PP doesn't do anything of note in the sort of games that Psions are broken in because they are going to be packing endless PP regeneration from Incarnum feats anyway. Screwing with the chassis doesn't hurt them at all because of course the chassis is meaningless for a t2 or t1 class.

You seem not to understand that it's the spells themselves that are broken with the t1 and t2 classes. Low-level spells like Color Spray and other save-or-suck spells largely invalidate any attempt at balance by messing with the chassis. A half-caster Cleric with nothing else changed is still immensely broken. DMM makes a lot of the slot nerf meaningless, the fact that they still have access to their entire spell list is still making them broken, they can still outdo the melee fighters in melee. What makes Druids so broken is quite specifically the class features. Wildshape is already almost invalidating Fighters, as is Animal Companion, and then Natural Spell lets the Druid keep their broken casting while they are in full "Fighter replacement" mode.

[Tibalt]

Wild Shape? Replaced, and bettered, by the Polymorph spells.

Considering that polymorph is capped at 10HD at level 20 and polymorph any object has a 2 feats tax (and competes for the 8th level spell slot). Not so sure...

Animal companion? Summon Monster largely replaces it, and it's a liability to have a familiar or animal companion because replacing them is painful.

Summon monster is more about utility. Also, summon monster is OK at the level you get it, but remember it's capped at summon monster VI (unless you spend feats for higher versions, in which case you're taking summon monster IX instead of, say, Time Stop). Also, "Casting Time: 1 round" vs animal companion being there already...

I don't want to turn this into a "are spells better than everything else" debate, we're on the same side on this. I'm just saying each individual T1 spell lists are already incredibly powerful and adding more is just a drop in the ocean. Of course you're gonna be much more versatile if you have access to all divine spell lists instead of just one. Theres also the fact that availability of those spell lists for the archivist can be very DM-dependent.

As for your Psion fix, I'd go with the Psychic Warrior PP progression, or keep the normal Psion progression. 126 PP is utterly worthless at level 20

Uh ? Yes, that's why he gets 126 PP at level 12, not 20. I did not finish filling the table yet, so maybe that's why you were mistaken. I'm going to fill it so he gets about the same PP as a sorcerer's #spells*spell level of the same level.

I mean, it's not like reducing the maximum power level known does much, because many powers are designed to work from 1-20 because of augmentations, and reducing the maximum PP is just going to get Strongheart Vest Body Fuel spammed to work around it with continuous PP regeneration. Bestow Power loop is also available.

Even if some powers are augmentable, it still limits access so some higher level effects; but I might actually cap the the max pp you can spend on a power at the equivalent of a 6th level power. Also reminds me I wanted to put Bestow Power on the ban list and also modify Body Fuel so you can't mitigate the ability damage (or straight out ban it if I don't find an elegant way to modify it). Any other PP regeneration methods I should know of ?

You seem not to understand that it's the spells themselves that are broken with the t1 and t2 classes. Low-level spells like Color Spray and other save-or-suck spells largely invalidate any attempt at balance by messing with the chassis.

While I totally agree that Color Spray and other save-or-suck spells are powerful effects, I believe that if it's enough to break your campaign, the probem is probably poor campaign/encounters design. I also think that I got rid of a lot of broken stuff in the spells/powers section but if you notice something missing, I'll be glad to update it.

A half-caster Cleric with nothing else changed is still immensely broken. DMM makes a lot of the slot nerf meaningless, the fact that they still have access to their entire spell list is still making them broken, they can still outdo the melee fighters in melee. What makes Druids so broken is quite specifically the class features. Wildshape is already almost invalidating Fighters, as is Animal Companion, and then Natural Spell lets the Druid keep their broken casting while they are in full "Fighter replacement" mode.

One of the big advantage of DMM is being able to add metamagic to stuff you normally could not (namely, high level spells). This is party mitigated by the lack of high level spells to add metamagic to. I'm not really worried about clerics wasting their spell slots to emulate a fighter. I'm quite certain that a dedicated fighter is gonna be better at his own job than an animal companion (not talking about the core fighter here). Also, Natural Spell now being a +1 metamagic, we're not really talking about full casting when druid's are in wildshape.

It is probably of interest to note that I'm not trying to put everything at the same tier.

Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming!

[Morphic tide]

Actually, the Bestow Power loop requires a feat that you should ban on principle: Midnight Augmentation. It's a metapsionics reducer that keys off of Essentia invested. So instead of banning Bestow Power, which is the only way for Manifesters to transfer power between each other, ban the feat that makes it result in infinite PP.

As for Body Fuel, I'd stick a cooldown on it rather than make it irresistible, or make a general rule that Ability Burn is not Ability Damage. Because the Body Fuel trick relies on Strongheart Vest's ability damage resistance.

In general, removing indefinite workday access while also stripping much of the capacity to function at high levels is still not nearly enough to stop the t1 classes. They are t1 because they are nearly impossible to nerf properly. Even through everything you've done, you still havn't solved the problem of casters being stronger because things like Color Spray are still usable and still game screwing at level 20. You just don't see it often because casters rarely run that low on spells.

You are mistaken in thinking that the full caster status is what makes them broken. It's having the spells they do that makes them broken. First level save-or-suck never stops working entirely, so your nerfs just lead to save-or-suck being dominant. Leading to enemies who can never do anything significant.

There's literally nothing short of using a whitelist, a list of allowed spells, that can fix casters. You have to ban so many spells that you fundamentally have to start over from scratch and make a list of allowed spells, rather than disallowed ones. Because optimizers dig around limits. They dig for the most out of the way trick possible to get power. Pun Pun was made from one single badly written ability in a rulebook nobody thought to optimize from. The Omnicifer, wielder of infinite skill checks, was made from a fringe interaction of several things that were typically seen as garbage. High TO is covered in mixing stuff nobody ever saw a reason to mix before, and it thrives on restraints.

[Tibalt]

Actually, the Bestow Power loop requires a feat that you should ban on principle: Midnight Augmentation. It's a metapsionics reducer that keys off of Essentia invested. So instead of banning Bestow Power, which is the only way for Manifesters to transfer power between each other, ban the feat that makes it result in infinite PP.

Well neither of them seems broken without the other so it's more a matter of which one seems the most interesting to keep. Other casters can't transfer spells per day either. I'm not convinced on which one to get rid of yet.

As for Body Fuel, I'd stick a cooldown on it rather than make it irresistible, or make a general rule that Ability Burn is not Ability Damage. Because the Body Fuel trick relies on Strongheart Vest's ability damage resistance.

I probably prefer the cooldown option as the latter doesn't fix the problem with, say, Naberius.

Even through everything you've done, you still havn't solved the problem of casters being stronger because things like Color Spray are still usable and still game screwing at level 20. You just don't see it often because casters rarely run that low on spells.

I like Color Spray too, but maybe we're going a bit overboard with this. "Game screwing at level 20" ? I'm not so sure.

Let's take a gnome Wizard 20 with Shadow weave magic, spell focus, greater spell focus, 34 int (18 +5 tome + 6 item + 5 levels). Color Spray's DC is 27 (10 + 1 (spell level) + 12 (int) + 1 (gnome) + 1 (spell focus) + 1 (greater spell focus) + 1 shadow weave magic)

Now let' take a look at the SRD:

CR20:

Spoiler

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Tarrasque: Immuned to it (Carapace)
Wyrm Black dragon: +23 will without items or buffs (85% chance to resist)
Ancient Brass dragon: +21 will without items or buffs (75% chance to resist)
Very old Bronze dragon: +23 will without items or buffs (85% chance to resist)
Very old copper dragon: +21 will without items or buffs (75% chance to resist)
Old Red Dragon: +21 will without items or buffs (75% chance to resist)
Old silver dragon: +21 will without items or buffs (75% chance to resist)
Balor: +19 will (65% chance to resist, 85% with unholy aura)
Pit Fiend: +21 will (75% chance to resist, 95% with unholy aura)

At that level, everyone's running around with mind blank and having saves high enough requires little to no efforts. Not exactly game breaking.

You are mistaken in thinking that the full caster status is what makes them broken. It's having the spells they do that makes them broken. First level save-or-suck never stops working entirely, so your nerfs just lead to save-or-suck being dominant. Leading to enemies who can never do anything significant.

That's a sophism. The premise that "save-or-suck" systematically leads to enemies being unable to do anything significant is false. The easiest counter-example being a mirror fight.

High TO is covered in mixing stuff nobody ever saw a reason to mix before, and it thrives on restraints.

Gotta say I'm not against the idea to beget new TO tricks through restraints.

[Tibalt]

Dragon Shaman (Dragonfire Adept)

Hit Die: d12

Level	BAB	Saves	Special	Draconic Auras Known	Invocations Known
1	+0	+2/+0/+2	Draconic Aura +1, totem dragon, breath weapon 1d6, dragontouched, least invocations	3	1
2	+1	+3/+0/+3	Skill Focus, Breath effect, Scales +2	3	1
3	+2	+3/+1/+3	Draconic Adaptation, Breath weapon 2d6	4	2
4	+3	+4/+1/+4	Draconic Resolve, Dragonkin	4	2
5	+3	+4/+1/+4	Draconic Aura +2, Breath weapon 3d6, breath effect	5	2
6	+4	+5/+2/+5	Touch of vitality (heal wounds), Damage reduction 5/magic, lesser invocations	5	3
7	+5	+5/+2/+5	Breath weapon 4d6, Scales +3	6	3
8	+6	+6/+2/+6	Skill Focus, Scales +4, Bonus Feat	6	4
9	+6	+6/+3/+6	Breath weapon 5d6, Energy Immunity	7	4
10	+7	+7/+3/+7	Draconic aura +3, Breath effect, breath weapon range doubles	7	4
11	+8	+7/+3/+7	Breath weapon 6d6, greater invocations, touch of vitaity (remove conditions)	7	5
12	+9	+8/+4/+8	Scales +5, breath effect, Draconic Wings	7	5
13	+9	+8/+4/+8	Draconic Adaptation (Share with allies), Scales +6	7	6
14	+10	+9/+4/+9	Commune with dragon spirit, breath weapon 7d6	7	6
15	+11	+9/+5/+9	Draconic Aura +4, Breath effect	7	6
16	+12	+10/+5/+10	Damage reduction 10/magic, dark invocations, skill focus	7	7
17	+12	+10/+5/+10	Scales +7, Breath weapon 8d6	7	7
18	+13	+11/+6/+11	Scales +8, Bonus Feat	7	8
19	+14	+11/+6/+11	Bonus Feat	7	8
20	+15	+12/+6/+12	Draconic Aura +5, Breath weapon 9d6, breath effect	7	8

Class Skills (4 + Int)
The Dragon Shaman’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Perception (Wis), Persuasion (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (None), Spellcraft (Int) and Use Magic Device (Cha).

- Breath weapon as Dragonfire Adept, damage type based on totem dragon, qualifies for metabreath feats
- No alignment restrictions on breath effects.
- Skill focus: any
- Totem Dragon: No alignment restriction, +2 DC to some breath effects (+4 if both, see table), adds new class skills and gives +2 to those skills.
- Bonus Feats: (must still meet prerequisite) Metabreath feats, Improved Flight, flyby attack, draconic aura (stacks with class feature), double draconic aura, draconic feats, frightful presence, extra invocation, ability focus, toughness, dodge.

Spoiler: Totem dragon

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Totem Dragon	Class skills	Breath effects increased DC
Black	Stealth, Athletics	Acid, Sickening
Blue	Stealth, persuasion	Electricity, Paralyzing
Brass	Gather information, survival	Fire, Weakening
Bronze	Disguise, Survival	Electricity, Paralyzing
Copper	Stealth, athletics	Acid, Sickening
Gold	Disguise, Heal	Fire, Sleep
Green	Stealth, persuasion	Acid, Weakening
Red	Appraise, forgery	Fire, Sleep
Silver	Disguise, persuasion	Cold, Slow
White	Stealth, athletics	Cold, Slow

Spoiler: Breath effects min level

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Min level	breath effect
2nd	Fire
2nd	Frost
2nd	Lightning
2nd	Acid
2nd	Sickening
5th	Shaped
5th	Slow
5th	Weakening
10th	Cloud
10th	Enduring
10th	Sleep
10th	Thunder
15th	Discorporating
15th	force
15th	Paralysing
15th	Fivefold

[Tibalt]

Knight (Marshal)

Hit Die: d12

Level	BAB	Saves	Special	Minor Auras	Major Auras
1	+1	+2/+0/+2	Knight's Challenge, Fighting Challenge +1, Knight's Code, Skill focus (persuasion), Minor Aura	1	0
2	+2	+3/+0/+3	Major Aura +1, Mounted Combat, Shield block +1	1	1
3	+3	+3/+1/+3	Bulwark of Defense, Special Mount	2	1
4	+4	+4/+1/+4	Grant move action 1/encounter, Armor Mastery (Heavy), Test of mettle	2	1
5	+5	+4/+1/+4	Fighting Challenge +2, Bonus Feat, Vigilant Defender	3	2
6	+6	+5/+2/+5	Shield block +2, Shield Ally	3	2
7	+7	+5/+2/+5	Major Aura +2	4	2
8	+8	+6/+2/+6	Call to battle, Grant standard action 1/encounter	4	2
9	+9	+6/+3/+6	Grant action (move action activation)	5	3
10	+10	+7/+3/+7	Fighting Challenge +3, Bonus Feat	5	3
11	+11	+7/+3/+7	Shield block +3	5	3
12	+12	+8/+4/+8	Grant swift action 1/encounter, Daunting Chalenge	6	3
13	+9	+8/+4/+8	Grant move action 2/encounter	6	3
14	+14	+9/+4/+9	Major Aura +3, improved shied ally	6	4
15	+15	+9/+5/+9	Fighting Challenge +4, Bonus Feat	7	4
16	+16	+10/+5/+10	Shield block +4, Double Grant Action, Bond of loyalty	7	4
17	+17	+10/+5/+10	Impetuous Endurance	7	4
18	+18	+11/+6/+11	Grant action (Swift action activation)	7	4
19	+19	+11/+6/+11	Grant Standard action 2/encounter	8	4
20	+20	+12/+6/+12	Fighting Challenge +5, Loyal beyond death, Major Aura +4, Grant Action (Self)	8	5

Class Skills (4 + Int)
Athletics (Str), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (int), Hande Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Persuasion (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language and Survival (Wis)

Knight's Code: The restrictions on flanking and striking flat-footed opponents only apply for a target of the knight'S fighting challenge.

Knight's Challenge: You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to your class level + your Charisma bonus (minimum once per day)

Fighting Challenge (Ex):[...] If it does not meet these requirements, a use of this ability is NOT expended.

Call to Battle (Ex):As a swift action, you can expend one use of your knight's challenge ability to grant an ally another save against a mind-affecting effect.

Bonus Feats: Add Martial study, Martial stance, draconic aura, double draconic aura, White Raven defense, Clarion Commander.

Special Mount (Sp): As Paladin's class feature.

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Knight Level	Bonus HD	Natural Armor Adj.	Str Adj.	Int	Special
3rd-7th	+2	+4	+1	6	Empathic Link, improved evasion, share spells, Share saving throws
8th - 10th	+4	+6	+2	7	Improved Speed
11th - 14th	+6	+8	+3	8	Command creatures of its kind
15th - 20th	+8	+10	+4	9	Spell Resistance

Grant Action: A Knight activates this ability as a standard action. Starting at 9th level, a Knight can activate this ability as a standard action or as a move action. Starting at 18th level, a knight can activate this ability as a standard, a swift or a move action.

A character can take only one extra granted action per round. Starting at 16th level, a knight can grant two actions with a single activation of this ability (expending two uses of the grant action ability). This is an exception to the "only one extra granted action per character per round" rule.

At 20th level, a knight can use the grant action ability on himself.

[Tibalt]

Scout (Combat Trapsmith)

Hit Die: d8

Level	BAB	Saves	Special
1	+0	+0/+2/+0	Skirmish, Trapfinding
2	+1	+0/+3/+0	Uncanny dodge
3	+2	+1/+3/+1	Fast Movement +10ft, Skirmish, trackless step
4	+3	+1/+4/+1	Bonus Feat, Poison Use
5	+3	+1/+4/+1	Evasion, Skirmish
6	+4	+2/+5/+2	Flawless Stride, Combat Trapping, Trap Sense +1
7	+5	+2/+5/+2	Skirmish, Skill Focus (Craft[Trapmaking])
8	+6	+2/+6/+2	Camouflage, Bonus Feat
9	+6	+3/+6/+3	Skirmish, Improvised Materials, Trapsense +2
10	+7	+3/+7/+3	Blindsense 30ft, Expert Trapsetter
11	+8	+3/+7/+3	Fast movement +20ft, skirmish
12	+9	+4/+8/+4	Bonus Feat, Trapsense +3, Throw Traps
13	+9	+4/+8/+4	skirmish, Master Trapsetter
14	+10	+4/+9/+4	Hide in plain sight
15	+11	+5/+9/+5	skirmish, Trapsense +4
16	+12	+5/+10/+5	Bonus Feat, Grandmaster Trapsetter
17	+12	+5/+10/+5	skirmish, Reactive Trapsetting
18	+13	+6/+11/+6	Free Movement, Trapsense +5
19	+14	+6/+11/+6	skirmish
20	+15	+6/+12/+6	blindsight 30ft, Bonus feat, Double Trapsetting

Class Skills (8 + Int)
Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Dex), Heal (wis), Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Dex), Speak Language, Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha), Use Rope (Dex).

Bonus Feats: Add improved skirmish, Martial Study, Martial stance

Skirmish (Ex): Starting at first level and every odd level thereafter, a scout chooses a special skirmish ability. The scout applies those special abilities during any round in which he moves at least 10 feet away from where he was at the start of his turn. Each ability requires a minimum scout level.

Spoiler: Skirmish abilities

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Skirmish abilities	Minimum Scout Level
+1d6 damage	1
+1 competence bonus to AC	1
Studied Foe (as Rogue'S Special ability)	1
+Dex Mod precision damage (can be taken only once)	3
+2 competence bonus to AC	5
+1d6 precision damage, +1 competence bonus to AC	7
Slow	9
+2d6 precision damage	9
Bullrush	11
Wounding	13
Increase effective size for Bullrush by 2 size categories (max Colossal)	15

Slow (Ex): Any creature hit by a scout with this skirmish ability is treated as targeted by a slow spell with a caster level equal to the scout's class level. The DC for this effect is 13 + scout's dex mod.

Bullrush (Ex): When a scout with this skirmish ability hits a creature, he makes a dexterity check opposed by the creatures strength check. The creature adds a +4 bonus for each size category larger than Medium or a -4 penalty for each size category smaller than Medium. The creature gets a +4 bonus if he has more than two legs or is otherwise exceptionally stable. If the scout beats the creature’s Strength check result, he pushes it back 5 feet plus an additional 5 feet for each 5 points by which his check result is greater than the creature’s check result. (Note: The creature provokes attacks of opportunity if he is moved (except from the scout)). The scout can't choose to move with the target like in a normal bullrush attempt. The scout is considered medium size and can't push back creatures of huge size or larger.

Wounding (Ex): As the wounding magic weapon property.

Increase effective size: The scout can affect a creature 2 size categories larger with the bullrush skirmish ability and gains a +8 bonus to his dexterity check.

Combat Trapping (Ex): As Combat Trapsmith's ability. At 6th level, you can learn two traps from the list below, provided you meet the prerequisites. At each even level thereafter, you add one additional trap to your repertoire, to a maximum of nine traps known. Whenever you attain a new level in this class, you can choose to replace any one previously learned trap with a new trap. The save DC for your traps is 10 + 1/2 scout level + your Int modifier.

Improvised Materials: As Combat Trapsmith's ability.

Expert Trapsetter: As Combat Trapsmith's ability.

Throw Traps: At 12th level, you can throw a trap instead of setting it in an adjacent square. You must succeed in a ranged attack roll against AC 5 and you take a -2 penalty to this roll for each square between you and the square you want to set the trap in. If you fail your attack roll, the trap has no effect.

Master Trapsetter: At 13th level, you can set a combat trap as a move action without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Grandmaster Trapsetter: At 16th level, you can set a combat trap as a swift action without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Reactive Trapsetting: At 17th level, you can choose to set a combat trap instead of making an attack of opportunity when a creature moves out of a square you threaten. You must set this trap in a square adjacent to the one the creature is leaving.

Double Trapsetting: At 20th level, you can set two traps at the same time. You can set them in different squares and make seperate ranged attack rolls for each if you throw them.

Spoiler: Additional Combat Traps

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Trap Name (Craft DC)	Prerequisites	Effect
Envenomer (19)	Craft (Alchemy) or (Poisonmaking) 3 ranks, Scout level 8	Init/Sec dmg: 1d10 CON
Confusiogenerator (23)	Scout level 10	2d6 lightning damage and confuses target
Befuddler, Great (23)	Craft (Alchemy) 5 ranks, Scout level 11	Mind Fog
ThornSprouter (25)	Scout level 13	Wall of Thorns
Negater (27)	Scout level 15	Antimagic Field
GroundShaker (29)	Scout level 17	Earthquake

Envenomer: A cloud of gas poisons every creature in a 10-ft.-radius emanation, centered on the trapped square. As poison spell. (Fortitude negates).

Confusiogenerator: A bolt of lightning strikes any creature that steps on the trapped square and arcs to up to once secondary target per 2 scout levels over 10th level. Each affected creature are dealt 2d6 electricity damage and become confused. A successful reflex save halves the damage and negates the confusion. The number of secondary target is decided at the moment the trap is set.

Beffudler, Great: As beffudler, except the target is affected by the effect of a Mind Fog spell instead. (Will Negates)

ThornSprouter: A wall of thorny brush (as Wall of Thorns spell, except Up to eight 5-ft cubes) sprouts from the trapped square. The exact configuration of the wall is decided at the moment the trap is set.

Negater: An invisible barrier emanates (10-ft radius) from the trapped square and suppresses any spell or magical effect used within, brought into, or cast into the area, but does not dispel it (as an Antimagic Field). This effect lasts 5 rounds, then the trap stops working.

GroundShaker: As earthquake spell centered on the trapped square, but with a radius of only 20 feet.

Spoiler: Modified Combat Traps

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-Entangler: requires Scout level 6
-Equalizer: requires Scout level 6
-Flashbang: requires Scout level 7
-Scorcher, great: requires Scout level 10, deals 1d6 fire damage / 2 scout level)
-Sleep: requires Scout level 9
-Spiderweb: requires Scout level 8
-Stinkburst: requires Scout level 9

[nonsi]

.
Dragon Shaman and Knight seem solid.

AFAICT, your Scout offers no noticeable overall advantage over a decently built Swift Hunter (faster gain of features at the expense of BAB cancel out each other. No fav. enemy/terrain is a net loss).
For starters, give it high Fortitude and lose Battle Fortitude in favor of something more useful.

[Tibalt]

Hmmmm indeed.

Woud having available skirmish abilities based on the actual scout level be a strong enough incentive ?

[nonsi]

Hmmmm indeed.

Woud having available skirmish abilities based on the actual scout level be a strong enough incentive ?

Not sure what you mean by that.

[Tibalt]

Not sure what you mean by that.

Each odd level, the scout chooses how the skirmish improves based on the skirmish abilities table.

A scout 3/Ranger 17 with swift hunter could still only choose: +1d6 damage or +1AC or Studied Foe or +Dex dmg.

Spoiler

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1: +1d6 dmg
3: +1 AC
5: +Dex dmg
7: Studied Foe (Undead)
9: +1d6
11: +1d6
13: +1d6
15: +1d6
17: +1d6
19: +1d6
Total: +7d6+Dex, +1 AC with Studied Foe (Undead)

A scout 20 could eventually choose from the whole list.

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1: +1d6
3: +1 AC
5: +Dex dmg
7: Studied Foe (Undead)
9: Slow
11: +2d6
13: +2d6
15: +2d6
17: +2d6
19: +2d6
Total: +11d6+Dex, +1AC with Studied Foe (Undead) and Slow

Skirmish (Ex): Starting at first level and every odd level thereafter, a scout chooses a special skirmish ability. The scout applies those special abilities during any round in which he moves at least 10 feet away from where he was at the start of his turn. Each ability requires a minimum scout level.

Spoiler: Skirmish abilities

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Skirmish abilities	Minimum Scout Level
+1d6 damage	1
+1 competence bonus to AC	1
+Dex Mod precision damage (can be taken only once)	1
Studied Foe (as Rogue'S Special ability)	1
+2 competence bonus to AC	5
+1d6 precision damage, +1 competence bonus to AC	7
Dimensional Anchor	7
Slow	9
+2d6 precision damage	9
Bullrush	11
Increase effective size for Bullrush skirmish ability by 2 size categories (max Colossal)	15

I'm planning on maybe adding more skirmish abilities.

[Tibalt]

Shugenja

Class skills (4+int)
The Shugenja's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con or Wis), Craft (Int), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Persuasion (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int).

Shugenja orders:

At 1st level, a Shugenja chooses an order (regardless of his favored elemental). He receives a bonus spell known of each spell level when he becomes able to cast spells of that level. In addition, he gets a special ability at 2nd (Novice), 8th (Initiate), 14th (Elder) and 20th (Transcendent) based on his order.

Spoiler: Order of the All-Seeing Eye

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Identify
2: Augury
3: Divination
4: Blistering Radiance
5: Zone of Revelation
6: Prying Eyes

Spoiler: Special abilities

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Novice of the All-Seeing Eye: Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Initiate of the All-Seeing Eye: Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Elder of the All-Seeing Eye: Immune to Surprise (Ex)

Transcendent of the All-Seeing Eye: Permanent Choose Destiny (Ex): As the spell

Spoiler: Order of the Consuming Flame

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Nimbus of Light
2: Shatter
3: Bestow Curse
4: Flame Strike
5: Slay Living
6: Fire Spiders

Spoiler: Special Abilities

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Novice of the Consuming Flame: Fire Resistance (5)

Initiate of the Consuming Flame: Mortuary Incineration (Su): As a standard action, you can turn a dead creature's corpse to dust. If you do so, you gain 2 temporary hit points per Shugenja level, your fire resistance is doubled and the save DC of your spells (and immolation ability) is increased by 2. This effect lasts 1 round per Shugenja level and subsequent use of this ability while it's still in effect replaces the previous use (you can never have more than 2 temporary hit points per Shugenja level, +2 DC and double base fire resistance with this ability). Fire Resistance (10)

Elder of the Consuming Flame: Soulfire (Ex): Immunity to all death spells, magical death effects, and energy drain, and any negative energy effects (such as from chill touch or inflict spells).
Fire Resistance (15)

Transcendent of the Consuming Flame: Immolation (Su): Once per day, as a standard action, you can immolate yourself. This produces a cloud of flame in a up to 20 feet radius spread (minimum 5 feet). Each creature in the area takes 2d6 damage per Shugenja level (Reflex half). The DC is 10+1/2 shugenja level+CHA. Half of this damage is fire; the rest results directly from divine power and is therefore not subject to fire resistance. This action kills you. At the end of the round, you are restored to life (as per the True Resurrection Spell) within 30 feet of the place you immolated yourself. This ability triggers itself if you die and the daily use of this ability has not been expended yet.
Fire Resistance (20)

Spoiler: Order of the Forbidding Wasteland

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Calm Animals
2: Scent
3: Restoration, lesser
4: Searing Exposure
5: Phantom Stag
6: Antilife Shell

Spoiler: Special Abilities

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Novice of the Forbidding Wasteland*: Aura of the Wasteland (Su): Once per encounter, you can activate this ability with a standard action. Squares in a 5 feet radius centered on you are treated as if covered by a layer of loose sand about 1 foot deep. It costs 2 squares of movement to move into such square and the DC of tumble checks into such square increases by 2. Flying creatures ignore this effect. This effect lasts 1 round per Shugenja level or until you desactivate it with a standard action.

Initiate of the Forbidding Wasteland: Improved Aura of the Wasteland (Su): Creatures that enter the radius of your aura (and each round they stay within its radius) must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 +1/2 shugenja level + CHA) or become fatigued.

Elder of the Forbidding Wasteland: Greater Aura of the Wasteland (Su): The radius of your aura increases to 10 feet.

Transcendent of the Forbidding Wasteland: Supreme Aura of the Wasteland (Su): Squares within the radius of your aura are treated as if covered by a layer of loose sand about 3 feet deep. It costs 3 squares of movement to move into such square for medium or larger creatures and 4 squares for small or smaller creatures. Tumbling is impossible within the radius of your aura. Flying creatures ignore this effect. Creatures that enter the radius of your aura (and each round they stay within its radius) must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 shugenja leve +CHA) or become exhausted.

Spoiler: Order of the Gentle Rain

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Vigor, lesser
2: Augury
3: Vigor
4: Freedom of Movement
5: Commune
6: Heroes' Feast

Spoiler: Special Abilities

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Novice of the Gentle Rain: Turtle Companion: As druid's animal companion (Snapping turtle only). At 10th level or higher, you can select a Giant Dire Turtle as your animal companion. Use your Shugenja level – 9 for the purpose of determining the Aquatic Dire Tortoise companion’s characteristics and special abilities.
Hold Breath(Ex): 8x CON score

Initiate of the Gentle Rain: Swim Speed at base land speed

Elder of the Gentle Rain: Water Breathing (Ex)

Transcendent of the Gentle Rain: Rain of Eternal Life (Su): Once per day, you can call forth a downpour (with all the normal effects of a downpour) in a Cylinder (80-ft. radius, 80 ft. high) centered on you. In addition, any ally (including yourself) that dies while in the area of effect of the Rain of Eternal Life is automatically restored to life (as per a True Resurrection Spell) at the end of the round. This effect lasts 5 rounds.

Spoiler: Dire Giant Turtle

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Huge Animal (Aquatic)
Alignment: Always neutral
Initiative: +3 (-2 Dex, +4 feat, +2 Ref); Senses: low-light vision, Listen +6, and Spot +6

AC: 24 (-2 size, -3 Dex, +19 natural), touch 5, flat-footed 25
Hit Dice: 14d8+112 (175 hp)
Fort +16, Ref +7, Will +9

Speed: 20 ft., Swim 20 ft.
Space/reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Base Attack +10; Grapple +26
Attack: Bite +16 melee
Full Attack: Bite +16 melee
Damage: Bite 2d6+12
Special Attacks/Actions: Lightning strike, Improved Grab

Abilities: Str 26, Dex 6, Con 25, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 6
Special Qualities: Hold Breath, low-light vision
Feats: Alertness; Endurance; Toughness, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack
Skills: Hide -1, Listen +6, and Spot +6
Advancement: 15-28 HD (Huge); 29-42 HD (Gargantuan)

Climate/Terrain: Aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pair
Treasure: None

+8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can move through water at its swim speed without making Swim checks. The creature can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. The creature can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Lightning Strike (Ex): A dire tortoise can lash out very rapidly. On the first round of combat, it gets a surprise round regardless of whether it has been noticed. A creature that notices the dire tortoise is still treated as flat-footed during this round.

Spoiler: Order of the Impenetrable Crucible

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Sanctuary
2: Spell Immunity, lesser
3: Nondetection
4: Secure Shelter
5: Death Ward
6: Blade Barrier

Spoiler: Special Abilities

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Novice of the Impenetrable Crucible: Magic Circle against Prohibited Element (Su): You are permanenty affected by an effect that functions like Magic Circle against Evil, except that the benefits apply to attacks from creatures with a subtype of your prohibited element and to spells with a descriptor of your prohibited element.

Initiate of the Impenetrable Crucible: Mettle (Ex)

Elder of the Impenetrable Crucible: Call Shield Guardian (Sp): Once per week, you can use this ability as a standard action to call a Shield Guardian. This Shield Guardian obeys you until it is destroyed or dismissed (standard action). If you call a Shield Guardian while you still have one under your control, the first one is dismissed.

Transcendent of the Impenetrable Crucible: Enter the Crucible (Su): Once per day, you can use this ability as a standard action. It creates a temporary demiplane named The Crucible (see below) in which you and target creature within 30 feet (will save negates, DC10 +1/2 shugenja level + CHA) are planeshifted instantly. The target creature is dazed on its first round in The Crucible. This demiplane cannot be accessed by any other means and neither the creature nor you can leave it until the other one dies or is destroyed.

Spoiler: The Crucible traits

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The Crucible is a self-contained featureless 100 feet X 100 feet X 100 feet cubic demiplane with a flat ground (which is also the ceiling) that seems made of frosted glass. Because it is self-contained, its temporary inhabitants can see infinite reflections of themselves. This is a rather disorienting effect and creatures in The Crucible must make a DC10 Wisdom check every round until they succeed or be dazed. A creature that fails his Wisdom check gets a +2 cumulative bonus to his Wisdom checks against this effect. You are immune to this effect. Blind creatures or creatures with their eyes closed are not affected by this effect.

- Static Morphic
- Mildly neutral-aligned
- Subjective directional gravity: Only up or down (towards the ground/ceiling)
- Enhanced magic. All spells and spell-like abilities used may be employed as if they were improved by the Quicken Spell feat. Already quickened spells and spell-like abilities are unaffected, as are spells from magic items. Spells so quickened are still prepared and cast at their unmodified level. As with the Quicken Spell feat, only one quickened spell can be cast per round.
- Normal Time
- Shadowy Illumination

In addition, some planar traits are modified randomly each 1d6 rounds according to the following table.

Roll 1d100	Special	Magic Traits
1-24	Bright light. Extreme heat. Except for the squares the creature and you are currently standing on, the ground is transformed into lava (70 feet deep). The air is also filled with smoke. (See extreme heat, lava effects and smoke effects).	Enhanced magic. Spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor and spells on the Fire Shugenja list are both maximized and enlarged (as if the Maximize Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities that are already maximized or enlarged are unaffected by this benefit. Limited Magic. Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create water, with the water descriptor or on the Water Shugenja list don't work.
25-48	Downpour. Except for the squares the creature and you are currently standing on, the ground is transformed into water (70 feet deep). A 50 feet diameter major maelstrom (see stormwrack) appears in the middle.	Enhanced magic. Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create water, with the water descriptor or on the Water Shugenja list are both extended and enlarged (as if the Extend Spell and Enlarge Spell metamagic feats had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities that are already extended or enlarged are unaffected by this benefit. Limited Magic. Spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor and spells on the Fire Shugenja list don't work.
49-72	Except for the squares the creature and you are currently standing on, each square is treated as if under the effect of an earthquake spell cast each round (cave and open ground effect combined).	Enhanced magic. Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create earth or stone, spells with the earth descriptor and spells on the Earth Shugenja list are both empowered and extended (as if the Empower Spell and Extend Spell metamagic feats had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities that are already empowered or extended are unaffected by this benefit. Limited Magic. Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create air, spells with the air descriptor and spells on the Air Shugenja list don't work.
73-96	Except for the squares the creature and you are currently standing on, the ground disappears. A 50 feet diameter tornado appears in the middle and the the rest of the plane is beaten by a windstorm (see wind effects).	Enhanced magic.Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create air, spells with the air descriptor and spells on the Air Shugenja list are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell metamagic feats had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Limited Magic. Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create earth or stone, spells with the earth descriptor and spells on the Earth Shugenja list don't work
97-100	Ground disappears. No Gravity Silence. Illumination decreases to total darknesss.	Impeded Magic. To cast a spell, the caster must make a Spellcraft check (DC20 + the level of the spell). If the check fails, the spell does not function but is still lost.

Spoiler: Order of the Ineffable Mystery

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Entropic Shield
2: Obscure Object
3: Dispel Magic
4: Dispelling Screen
5: Break Enchantment
6: Globe of Invulnerability

Spoiler: Special Abilities

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Novice of the Ineffable Mystery: Bonus Feat: Spell Penetration

Initiate of the Ineffable Mystery: Sound of Silence (Ex): You may cast Shugenja spells one or more levels lower than your maximum spell level (max 5th level spells) without verbal components.

Elder of the Ineffable Mystery: Empty Space (Su): Three times per day, as a standard action, you may suppress gravity in a 5 foot radius per 2 Shugenja levels centered on you. This effect lasts 5 rounds.

Transcendent of the Ineffable Mystery: Transcend the Void (Ex): You gain the Void subtype

Spoiler: Void Subtype

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Void creatures are made of the same empty space that comprises the Void. Normal creatures (that is, creatures without the void subtype) cannot see them unless the void creature makes its presence known, either by an act of will (a free action) or by attacking. A void creature has total concealment (50% miss chance) unless it reveals itself. See invisibility and invisibility purge don't reveal void creatures, but true seeing does. Blindsight and blindsense don't reveal void creatures. Members of the void disciple class can see void creatures. Once it reveals itself, a void creature remains visible until it uses a free action to conceal itself again.

Spoiler: Order of the Perfect Sculpture

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Animate Rope
2: Soften Earth and Stone
3: Column of Ice
4: Minor Creation
5: Stone Shape, Greater
6: Mudslide

Spoiler: Special Abilities

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Novice of the Perfect Sculpture: Tremorsense (Ex): 5 feet / 2 shugenja levels.

Initiate of the Perfect Sculpture: Bonus Feat: Sculpt Spell

Elder of the Perfect Sculpture: Earth Glide (Su): You can move through earth like an earth elemental, gliding through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. This burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of your presence. A move earth spell cast on an area where you are earth gliding flings you back 30 feet, stunning you for 1 round unless you succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save. Using this ability is a standard action. Each use lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + your CHA modifier.

Transcendent of the Perfect Sculpture: World Shaper (Su): This ability is similar to the Undermaster spell, except that you can activate or desactivate it with a swift action. It can be active a maximum of 10 rounds each day.

Spoiler: Order of the Spring Zephyr

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Spoiler: Bonus Spells Known

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1: Obscuring Mist
2: Blur
3: Capricious Zephyr
4: Phantom Battle
5: Dream
6: Skyhurling

Spoiler: Special Abilities

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Novice of the Spring Zephyr: Air Mastery (Ex): Airborne creatures take a -1 penalty on attack and damage rolls against you.

Initiate of the Spring Zephyr: Call Flying Mount (Su): As a full-round action, you can call a flying mount. This mount can be a giant eagle, giant owl, or pegasus. Its alignment is the same as yours. The mount remains with you until it is slain or dismissed. It requires food and rest.
Calling a mount is a conjuration (calling) effect. If the mount dies, you can either have the mount raised from the dead or call another mount. You may only call a replacement mount after 7 days.

Your mount is superior to a normal creature of its kind and has special powers, as described below.

Spoiler: Flying Mount

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Shugenja Level	Bonus HD	NA adj.	Str adj.	Special
8th - 10th	2	+4	+1	Empathic Link, Share Spells, Improved Evasion, Improved Natural attacks
11th - 13th	4	+6	+2	Improved Fly Speed (+10ft)
14th - 16th	6	+8	+3	Command Creature of its kind
17th - 20th	8	+10	+4	Spell Resistance (5+Shugenja level)

Elder of the Spring Zephyr: Whirlwind (Su): As a standard action, you can transform yourself into a whirlwind. You can be in that form for up to 1 round per 2 shugenja levels per day. In this form, you gain a fly speed equal to your base land speed (perfect maneuvrability).
In whirlwind form, you are treated one size category larger and occupy the space of a creature of that size. The whirlwind is up to 50 feet tall. You control the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet.

Your movement while in whirlwind form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if you enter the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the whirlwind if it touches or enters the whirlwind, or if you move into or through the creature’s space.
Creatures one or more size categories smaller than you might take damage when caught in the whirlwind and be lifted into the air. An affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 10 + ½ shugenja level + CHA) when it comes into contact with the whirlwind or take 3d6 points of damage. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking 1d8 points of damage each round. A creature with a fly speed is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the whirlwind. The creature still takes damage but can leave if the save is successful.
Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where you carry them or to escape the whirlwind. Creatures caught in the whirlwind can otherwise act normally, but must make a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a -4 penalty to Dexterity and a -2 penalty on attack rolls. You can have only as many trapped inside a whirlwind as 5 times your maximum load.
You can eject any or all carried creatures as a free action (but only once a round), depositing them in a square adjacent to wherever the whirlwind happens to be. The ejected creatures take falling damage as normal.
If the whirlwind’s base touches the ground, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on you and has a diameter equal to half the whirlwind’s height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment.
Those caught in the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.
In whirlwind form, you cannot make melee attacks and do not threaten the area around you.

Reverting to your normal form is a standard action.

Transcendent of the Spring Zephyr: Mystic Gust of the Spring Zephyr (Su): As a standard, while in whirlwind form, you can affect any or all creatures that share your space (or trapped in the whirlwind) with one of the following effects.

- 20D6 Lightning damage + stunned for 1 round. A successful reflex save halves the damage and negates the stunning.
- Return to Nature (as the spell)
- Banishment (as the spell)

The save DC of all these effects is equal to 10 +1/2 shugenja level + CHA.

Spells known
(First number: Spell of the favored element; Second number: Spell of any element; doesn't count the order bonus spell known)

Spoiler

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Shugenja level	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	3+2	1+1	-	-	-	-	-
2	3+2	2+1	-	-	-	-	-
3	3+3	2+1	1+0	-	-	-	-
4	3+3	2+2	1+1	-	-	-	-
5	4+3	2+2	1+1	1+0	-	-	-
6	4+3	3+2	2+1	1+1	-	-	-
7	4+4	3+2	2+1	1+1	1+0	-	-
8	4+4	3+2	2+2	2+1	1+1	-	-
9	5+4	3+2	2+2	2+1	1+1	1+0	-
10	5+4	3+2	3+2	2+2	2+1	1+1	-
11	5+4	3+2	3+2	2+2	2+1	1+1	1+0
12	5+4	3+2	3+2	2+2	2+2	2+1	1+1
13	5+4	3+2	3+2	2+2	2+2	2+2	2+1
14	5+4	3+2	3+2	3+2	2+2	2+2	2+2
15	5+4	3+2	3+2	3+2	3+2	3+2	2+2
16	5+4	3+3	3+2	3+2	3+2	3+2	3+2
17	5+4	3+3	3+3	3+3	3+2	3+2	3+2
18	5+4	3+3	3+3	3+3	3+3	3+3	3+2
19	5+4	4+3	3+3	3+3	3+3	3+3	3+3
20	5+4	4+3	4+3	4+3	3+3	3+3	3+3

Spells per day

Spoiler

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Shugenja level	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
1	6	4	-	-	-	-	-
2	6	5	-	-	-	-	-
3	6	6	3	-	-	-	-
4	6	6	4	-	-	-	-
5	6	6	5	3	-	-	-
6	6	6	6	4	-	-	-
7	6	6	6	5	3	-	-
8	6	6	6	6	4	-	-
9	6	6	6	6	5	3	-
10	6	6	6	6	6	4	-
11	6	6	6	6	6	5	3
12	6	6	6	6	6	6	4
13	7	7	7	7	7	7	4
14	7	7	7	7	7	7	5
15	8	8	8	8	8	8	5
16	8	8	8	8	8	8	6
17	9	9	9	9	9	9	6
18	9	9	9	9	9	9	7
19	10	10	10	10	10	10	7
20	10	10	10	10	10	10	8

[nonsi]

Each odd level, the scout chooses how the skirmish improves based on the skirmish abilities table.

A scout 3/Ranger 17 with swift hunter could still only choose: +1d6 damage or +1AC or Studied Foe or +Dex dmg.

Spoiler

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1: +1d6 dmg
3: +1 AC
5: +Dex dmg
7: Studied Foe (Undead)
9: +1d6
11: +1d6
13: +1d6
15: +1d6
17: +1d6
19: +1d6
Total: +7d6+Dex, +1 AC with Studied Foe (Undead)

A scout 20 could eventually choose from the whole list.

Spoiler

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1: +1d6
3: +1 AC
5: +Dex dmg
7: Studied Foe (Undead)
9: Slow
11: +2d6
13: +2d6
15: +2d6
17: +2d6
19: +2d6
Total: +11d6+Dex, +1AC with Studied Foe (Undead) and Slow

I'm planning on maybe adding more skirmish abilities.

Oh, now I get it.

Let's see...

Swift Hunter makes Skirmish more effective vs. Fav. Enemy, accumulates with Fav. Enemy and renders Studied Foe almost moot (one is definitely not enough). The Scout is a bit behind here, even if you go for 2d6s all the way from level 11 and on.
The Scout is inferior in both BAB and spells, but has more versatile class features. I think that the Ranger's superior SL access puts it (and Swift Hunter) a head of the Scout, even with the Scout's better built-in features (some of which are quite situational, e.g. trackless Step, Flawless Stride and Camouflage). It's hard for me to see how the Scout's advantageous built in features compensate for its spell inferiority vs. the Ranger. (and then there's BAB).
The only place where the Scout has some level of (i.e. marginal) advantage, is in skill points, but the Ranger has more class skills.