General 3.5 Core balance fix (3.5 Core, PEACH)

[Yitzi]

COMPLETE

I've been posting class-specific fixes, but they're really meant to work together, so this thread is for the whole shebang. The components can be found in their own seperate threads:
- Wizard offense, defense, utility, miscellaneous,
-sorcerer,
-monk,
-cleric,
-druid,
-barbarian,
-fighter and paladin part 1,
-paladin part 2,
-ranger,
-rogue

Due to the possible large size, I'm breaking it into 3 posts. The first is for general changes and those that affect primarily monsters, the second for caster-specific, and the third is stuff for noncasters. So:

-Miss chances do not stack, but rather overlap (if all of the same nature, such as concealment), or are rolled totally separately (if of different natures). This is really just RAW.
-Cheesy tricks fail to work. If the DM wants, he may determine a houserule on the spot to fix the loophole; otherwise, he just declares that it doesn't work. The definition of a cheesy trick is up to the DM, but generally refers to something that works by Rules-as-Written but not Rules-as-Intended, or that works by the rules but clearly would not work in a fictional world that the rules are meant to emulate.
-All allies, except those gained by effects such as Dominate (i.e. those that explicitly grant direct control of the subject's actions), are not "second PCs", but rather NPCs whom the character has some degree of influence over. (This is actually RAW, and simply is worth re-elaborating.)
-Leadership gives followers but not cohorts. A character of at least 9th level with at least 13 charisma who already has Leadership may take the Improved Leadership feat to gain a cohort as well. A leader can choose his cohort's race, primary class, and alignment (subject to DM approval), but no more. He may advise the cohort regarding matters such as feat, skill, and spell choice and multiclassing, but it is the cohort's decision whether to follow the advice.
-Whenever a creature has a spell-like ability that imitates a spell with variable XP cost, it can only imitate the usage with minimal cost unless the description indicates otherwise.
-A djinni's Wind Walk and a nightmare's Astral Projection and Etherealness can only target the "caster" themselves.
-Any ability that cannot be used by a summoned creature also cannot be forced by any means of commanding or controlling a creature. The only exception is a noble djinni granting wishes to its captor; even in such case, the capture must have been by natural means rather than a spell such as Planar Binding.
-Inherent bonuses do not exist. Instead, any effect that would grant an inherent bonus instead permanently increases the creature's ability score (by the amount the bonus would have been for.) A creature's total ability score (including increases gained every 4 levels, but not including bonuses or penalties) cannot exceed 18 plus one-fourth its HD. (Note that if a monster as presented in the MM with no class levels has scores other than 10 or 11, the difference is considered a racial bonus or penalty.)

[Yitzi]

-A caster can only prepare spells once per day, no matter how much he rests.
-Spell Power, an Orange Ioun Stone, etc. boost caster level for most purposes, but not for the purposes of any bonus to a d20 roll (such as a caster level check or dispel check), the DC of such a roll, the maximum HD of a target, or the maximum HD of a polymorph form.
-If an illusion allows a save to negate it when it's interacted with, careful sensory perception (e.g. a Search check) counts as careful study (and therefore interaction) for this purpose. (This is actually probably RAW already, but just to make it clear.)
-Called creatures take a share of the party's loot and XP, determined as follows:

Spoiler

1. A called creature reduces gained XP, calculated as follows:
After winning the fight, calculate (for each party member) the experience gained for defeating every called creature that fought alongside you (as per DMG page 38). If any creature is 8 levels than the party member (and therefore would provide no XP), it doesn't count; if it is 8 levels higher than the party member (and would therefore provide no XP) it counts as infinite. Divide the result by 300 times your ECL. The called creatures count as this portion of a party member when dividing the listed XP by the number of party members to calculate actual XP.
2. A called creature also takes a share of the treasure (above and beyond any spent to gain their aid). For each party member, find (on the table on the DMG p.38) the XP for ECL equal to the encounter level and CR equal to the party member's ECL (in essence, reverse the numbers.) Again, if the ECL is too low for any XP this is 0; if it's too high this is infinite. Then do the same for each called ally (using ECL equal to encounter level and CR equal to the ally's CR). Add all the numbers (for party members and allies) together, and divide each ally's result by this sum. This is the portion of the treasure, by monetary worth, taken by that ally; the party may choose which portion it is (so long as it comes out to the right value.)
If the encounter level is more than the highest-level ally CR or party member ECL by at least 8, then the denominator will be 0, so this method won't work. In such case, the division of treasure, like the XP award, must be determined by the DM.
If the encounter level is less than the highest-level ally CR or party member ECL by at least 8, then the denominator will be infinite, so this method won't work. In such case, all party members and allies with the highest ECL/CR present split the treasure evenly (and, for party members, afterward split it with the entire party.)

-Allies gained by any other spell with a duration of at least 24 hours take a share of the XP like a called creature, but not of treasure.

New rule: Condition levels

Spoiler

Each condition has up to three levels. If you cause an effect (via magic or similar abilities, but not poisons or extraordinary abilities) that would normally bestow the second or third level, and the person fails their save by 4 or less, they take the first level instead. Likewise, if the effect would bestow the third level, and they fail their save by at least 5 but less than 10, it bestows the second level instead. The spell can never bestow a more extreme effect than the ability or spell description says.
If someone is already suffering from the first-level condition, each of these numbers is reduced by 2 (so failing by 1-2 has no further effect, failing by 3-7 bestows the second level, and failing by 8 or more can bestow the third level.) If someone is suffering the second level, failing by 6 is sufficient to bestow the third level. This does not apply to certain conditions, noted below.
If the save is for a partial effect, the effect that occurs on a save will always occur, regardless of condition levels.

And now for the condition types (currently only conditions found in sorcerer/wizard spells):

Condition	First Level	Second Level	Third Level	Examples
Visual Impairment*+*	Dazzled	Blurry Vision	Blind	Flare, Glitterdust
Charming	Trusting until save	Charmed until save	Charmed	Charm Person,Command Undead
Compulsions***	Effect 1 round	Effect until save	Normal Effect	All Enchantment(Compulsion) and Illusion(Pattern) spells not under another category, Control Undead
Sleep	Drowsy (as Lullaby spell) 1 round/level	Sleep until save	Sleep	Lullaby,Sleep,Deep Slumber
Unconsciousness	Staggered	Stunned until save	Stunned or Unconscious	Color Spray
Blindness	Blind 1 round	Blind until save	Blind (normal duration)	Color Spray,Blindness/Deafness
Fear	Shaken	Frightened or panicked	Damage,possible death	Cause Fear, Scare, Phantasmal Killer
Deafness	Deaf until save	Deaf (normal duration)	N/A	Blindness/Deafness
Movement impeded	Staggered	Slowed (as the spell)	Paralysed	Ghoul Touch,Slow (but not Hold Person)
Nausea*	Sickened	Nauseated until save	Nauseated	Stinking Cloud
Tiredness*+*	Fatigue	Exhaustion	N/A	Touch of Fatigue, Ray of Exhaustion
Curse***	20% effect	50% effect	Full effect	Bestow Curse
Planar Travel****	Travel to native plane only	Travel to any nonhazardous plane	Travel to any plane	Dismissal, Banishment, Plane Shift, Maze
Feeblemind*+*	-2 to INT and CHA for 1 minute/level	1d6 INT and CHA damage, 50% arcane spell failure chance until key ability is fully healed	normal effect	Feeblemind
Soul Manipulation****	Dazed 1 round	Dazed 1 round, save again following round	Normal effect	Magic Jar, Trap the Soul
Harmful bodily transformation**	5d6 damage	1d6 damage/level	normal effect	Baleful Polymorph, Flesh to Stone, Destruction, Implosion, Temporal Stasis, Imprisonment
Energy Drain****	1d4 negative levels	1 negative level/caster level	Death	Enervation, Energy Drain, all necromancy death effects

And now some explanations of things found in the table (not including what's already in the rules or self-explanatory):

Blurry Vision: The creature isn't quite blind, but can't see clearly. All enemies have concealment, and the creature has -10 to spot and search checks.
Trusting: The creature gets -2 on Wisdom checks and Sense Motive checks against the caster
Until Save: The creature gets to make a new save each round as a free action (at the end of their turn); on success, the effect is broken. The effect also ends after its duration is up, as usual.
X% effect: Numerical effects are rounded to the nearest whole number (or up if it's right in between.) Non-numerical effects have that chance of applying each round (so a "50% to take no action" curse at 20% efficiency would cause the creature to fail to act 10% of the time.)
Planar Travel effects: If the plane the target would be sent to does not fulfill the criteria, the spell fails. A hazardous plane is one with enviromental or planar effects that cause some sort of harm. (Enviromental effects present on only a small minority of the plane don't count here.)

*All stink-based Nausea effects are also blocked by Delay Poison and immunity to poison. Distraction-based nausea effects are not so blocked, and are not affected by the condition levels system.
**The target may choose to take the normal effect instead of damage. If it takes damage, the reduction to the failure needed for a higher level lasts for 1 minute/caster level, and applies only to the exact same spell.
***Lower levels make higher levels easier to attain only for compulsions and curses with the same effect.
****Lower levels do not make higher levels easier to attain (except by penalizing saves).
*+*Different versions of this effect do not stack. Only the most powerful applies.

Spell changes:

Spoiler

Arcane spells (including those also available through a domain)

Spoiler

-Grease: When you are on a slippery area (such as a Grease spell or ice), Balance checks are necessary but you are not considered to be balancing for purposes of losing DEX bonus to AC.
-Disguise Self, Alter Self, etc: All bonuses to disguise checks provided by Illusion and Polymorph-type spells are circumstance bonuses, apply only when in the new form, and do not stack with each other.
-Ray of Enfeeblement has a Fort save for half. Waves of Fatigue has a Fort save to negate. Waves of Exhaustion has a Fort save to reduce the effect to fatigue, or exhaustion if the target is already fatigued. Energy Drain has a Fort save to only take 1d4 negative levels.
-Web: When determining whether a Web provides cover, use the normal rules for determining cover. Thus, a creature on the edge of the web has cover from opponents outside the web, but they do not have cover from it. For determining total cover, use the normal rules for determining total cover.
-See Invisibility can target others. It is therefore available in potion form (a roll on random tables of 81 for a minor potion, 37 for medium, or 11 for major.)
-Mirror images can be targeted like creatures, including by abilities such as Magic Missile and Whirlwind Attack. Destroying an image does count as dropping a creature for the Cleave feat. Furthermore, mirror images must each be within a 5' distance to each other image. There can be up to 2 images (including the real thing) in a 5' square, so that means the maximum, except when flying, is actually 7 images plus the caster.
-Alter Self cannot give you a form greater than your HD, even if you somehow boost your caster level.
-Knock takes 5 minutes to cast.
-Rope Trick can have a casting time of 1 standard action, 1 minute, 10 minutes, or 1 hour (caster's choice.) The duration is equal to the casting time (treating a standard action casting time as 1 round) multiplied by the caster's level (minimum 5 minutes).
-Black Tentacles do not regrapple a creature that escapes them.
-Minor Creation, etc.: Poisons, or anything found under "special substances and items", cannot be made with Minor Creation (or anything based on it).
-Solid Fog/Acid Fog: It is possible to move through these spells with a Strength check (but not an Escape Artist check) as if it were a Web spell. You may first roll the check and then decide whether to use the check or move 5'. Anyone outside the fog attacking a creature inside it takes the same -2 to melee attack and damage as someone inside it does.
-There are numerous changes that affect most or all polymorph-type spells:

Spoiler

-Racial traits that are mental in nature (such as a human's bonus feats or an elf's proficiencies) are not affected (gained or lost), except by Polymorph Any Object when it changes the target's mental ability scores.
-The spell cannot increase your natural armor by more than one-third your caster level.
-All such spells except Alter Self do allow full use of extra limbs.
-Physical ability scores are not set equal to the new form, but rather partially changed: If the subject's size increases, it gets a +2 size bonus to Strength and a -2 size penalty to Dexterity for each step of size increase. If the subject's size decreases, it gets a -2 size penalty to Strength and a +2 size bonus to strength for each step of size increase. If after these changes the subject has a higher ability score (excluding all bonuses) in any physical ability than the new form, the score decreases to match the new form. If the subject has a lower ability score than the new form, it gets an enhancement bonus equal to the difference between its current score and that of the new form. This enhancement bonus is capped at +4 for Polymorph, +6 for Polymorph any Object, and +8 for 9th level spells.

-When a Conjuration (Teleportation) spell involves a maximum weight (such as Teleport, Greater Teleport, or Teleport Object), objects inside Bags of Holding and Portable Holes do count toward that weight.
-Contact Other plane is restricted to general one-word answers such as those described in the spell description. Specific one-word answers such as names are not allowed. In addition, the table assumes a question of normal difficulty. If the question is particularly difficult (or, in particular, if powerful forces are acting to obscure the answer), or particularly easy, the probability that the contacted being knows the answer may be adjusted accordingly.
-The Bigby's Hand line of spells never gets a bonus on checks for the caster's key ability score, but may use the caster's key ability score instead of its own strength score whenever that is to its advantage. In addition, when grappling the hand uses 3/4 the caster level (rounded down), not the actual caster level.
-A Wall of Iron is made of extremely impure iron, which cannot be made into anything usable except by magic (or by smelting it as if it were ore). As created, it still has full hit points.
-Legend Lore only works on information that was once known by a substantial group of people, even if not generally known. It could not, for instance, be used to find out where a thief hid an item that he stole, unless the knowledge was learned, spread among a group, and then forgotten.
-M's Magnificent Mansion has variable casting time and duration just like Rope Trick, but has twice the duration of a Rope Trick with the same casting time and caster level.
-A simulacrum lasts only 2 days per caster level. As that time approaches, it begins losing hit dice at a rate of one per day, reaching 0 at the end of 2 days per caster level. (So its HD is equal to the number of days left or the original HD, whichever is less.)
-Maze has a Will save to negate, but at a -4 penalty.
-Polymorph Any Object (when not being used to imitate another spell) is completely overhauled:

Spoiler

You can choose to use Polymorph Any Object in a number of ways:
1. You can polymorph any creature or nonmagical object up to 100 cu. ft/level (but not part of an object) into another object. The created object must be of a form that can be created by Major Creation, but may be larger (up to 100 cu. ft/level); creating a complex item requires an appropriate skill check just as Major Creation does. When used in this manner, the spell has a duration equal to that of a Major Creation spell creating such an item, and a casting time of 1 standard action (if the new form is less than 1 cu. ft/level) or 1 minute (if it is more).
2. You can polymorph one creature into another. This works like the Polymorph spell, except that the creature need not be willing (if it is not, it is entitled to a Fortitude save). In addition you may choose to either change the subject's intelligence score in accordance to the rules for physical ability scores, or to set it equal to the new form's normal intelligence score (up to a maximum of your own intelligence score, excluding bonuses). When used in this manner, the spell has a casting time of 1 standard action and a duration of 1 week (if the intelligence score is not changed) or permanent (if it is), but the creature's experience gain is adjusted accordingly.
3. You can polymorph an object (not a creature) into a creature that would be an eligible choice for Polymorph. The resulting creature is like a normal specimen of its type for all purposes, but its mental ability scores cannot exceed your own. When used in this manner, the spell has a casting time of 1 standard action and a duration of 1 week.

-Imprisonment has a material component: A powder composed of diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire dust with a total value of at least 10,000 gp.
-Wish can create any item of up to 25,000 value, whether magical or not, with only 5000 XP expenditure. It cannot, however, create any more valuable items, but it can aid in item creation:

Spoiler

-A single Wish spell can cut the creation time in half, or reduce it by 10 days. If this reduces the time to zero, the item may be created on the spot (using up all appropriate materials.)
-A single Wish spell can allow the creation of an item without a single given prerequisite. If the prerequisite is a metamagic feat or a spell not on the wizard/sorcerer class list, two Wish spells cast in immediate succession are required. If the prerequisite is available only to epic-level characters, the Wish spell used must be heightened.

-Wish: If a creature gained skill points for some level based on an intelligence score less than its current value, it can gain the extra skill ranks through a casting of Wish. Each casting can only grant ranks in a single skill, and cannot grant more than 10 ranks (but if the character is still "under", another casting can grant more.)

Divine spells

Spoiler

-Divination: The more general the question, the more cryptic the answer.
-Divine Power is replaced by the Pathfinder version: The enhancement bonus to STR and change to BAB are replaced by a luck bonus equal to 1/3 your level (maximum 6) to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and Strength-based ability and skill checks and by a bonus attack similar (and nonstacking) to that granted by Haste. The bonus hit points stay where they are.
-When Forbiddance is granted by an alignment domain, only those alignments shared by the caster and his deity count. When the caster channels negative energy, unholy water is used instead of holy water.
-Spike Growth, Spike Stones, and Wall of Thorns each have their casting time increased to 1 minute.
-Winds created by Control Winds have a Fortitude DC either equal to 10+spell level+caster’s key ability score (like a spell) or the DC to resist such a wind if it occurs naturally (as by the table on page 95 of the DMG), whichever is less. When Control Winds creates a tornado, its size is limited to a size of 50’ radius for every 3 levels.
-When Fire Seeds is used to create bombs, each casting of the spell has a different command word (which is not under your control). It is therefore impossible to set off more than 8 bombs at once.

Spells that can be arcane or divine (not counting domains):

Spoiler

-Comprehend Languages only helps with relatively common languages (those that can be taken with the Speak Language skill). If you need a Decipher Script check to understand it, Comprehend Languages won't help you.
-Wind Wall imposes only a -4 penalty to ranged attacks that go through it, like a severe wind. If the attacker is not aware of the existence of the wind wall, the attack automatically misses unless the attack is aided by divination effects such as True Strike.
-Stone Shape works only on entire stone objects and unworked stone, not on a portion of a worked stone object.
-Stoneskin is DR 10/magic, not 10/adamantine. In compensation, the material component is only the granite, no diamond dust (so no material component cost.)
-Gate: When Gate is used to call creatures, it has a 10 minute casting time. When this is done by an arcane caster, the creature is entitled to a Will save and negotiations just as a Lesser Planar Binding spell; the negotiations may be accelerated to up to one offer per round, but escape attempts are accelerated to the same degree. If the spell is cast by a divine caster, the creature or creatures must be of an appropriate subtype (matching part of either the caster's alignment or domains), or else cannot be controlled. A candle of invocation is the divine version (and requires such in its creation), or can instead be used to upgrade a Planar Binding spell to the arcane version of Gate.
-Shapechange: When cast by a wizard, Shapechange works just like Polymorph except with regard to the duration and the ability to change form (not regaining hit points) each round. When cast by a druid, it works the same way, except that the list of allowable types is: animal, elemental, fey, ooze, plant, vermin. (Note that elemental form is druid-only, since it is not allowed through Polymorph.) When cast by a cleric as a domain spell, it is the same, except restricted to animal form.

New spells:

Spoiler

Greater Polymorph:

Spoiler

Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Willing living creature touched
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

This spell functions like polymorph, except that it enables the subject to assume the form of any single nonunique creature (of any type) from Fine to Colossal size. The assumed form cannot have more than your caster level or the subject's HD (whichever is less) in Hit Dice (to a maximum of 25 HD). Unlike polymorph, this spell allows incorporeal or gaseous forms to be assumed. In addition, the maximum enhancement bonus to physical ability scores (subject to the normal comparison to the new form's score) is +8.

The subject gains all extraordinary and supernatural abilities (both attacks and qualities) of the assumed form, but loses its own supernatural abilities. It also gains the type of the new form in place of its own. The new form does not disorient the subject. Parts of the subject's body or pieces of equipment that are separated from it do not revert to their original forms.

The subject can become just about anything you are familiar with. If you use this spell to create a disguise, you get a +10 bonus on your Disguise check.

Divert Teleport:

Spoiler

Abjuration
Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, M
Casting time: 1 minute; see text
Range: Same plane; see text
Area: 60-ft. square per level (S), to a height and depth of 10 ft./level
Duration: 1 month/level
Saving throw: None or Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: No or Yes; see text

Divert Teleport wards an area against teleportation, redirecting any teleports into the area to another designated location.

Divert Teleport does not normally allow a save, but if the new location is directly hazardous (e.g. into lava or a potentially deadly trap or into a solid object, but not simply into enemy forces), the teleporters are entitled to saves and spell resistance to negate the entire teleport (returning to where they started).

Divert Teleport cannot be dispelled, and even M's Disjunction has only a 1% level chance of destroying it.

Material component: 25 gp worth (5 pounds) of powdered silver. Half the powdered silver must be sprinkled around the border of the affected area, and the other half must then be placed at the desired new target for the teleportation. The spell is not completed until this is done, which can increase the casting time beyond one minute, depending on the size of the area, the distance to the new target, and the caster’s speed. During the process, any planar travel (including Conjuration (teleport) spells) ruins the spell.

Sorcerer:

Spoiler

-A sorcerer may choose to learn one of his spells known with one or more metamagic effects (including Quicken Spell if he so desires). If he does so, it takes a Spells Known slot as its level including the metamagic cost, and he may not cast the spell without the metamagic effect (unless he learns it in that form as a seperate spell known), but he may (and must) apply the effect to that spell without spending the extra time for casting the spell spontaneously.
A sorcerer does not need the relevant metamagic feat in order to learn and cast a spell affected in this manner by Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Silent Spell, or Still Spell, but does require the relevant feat to cast (but not to learn) a spell affected by Empower Spell, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, or Widen Spell.

-A sorcerer may use Charisma rather than Intelligence as the key ability score for the Spellcraft skill.

Child of Magic (level 1, Su)

Spoiler

A sorcerer is naturally magical in a way that few other beings are. He gains spell resistance equal to 5+class level. This spell resistance can be lowered or raised as a free action, even when it is not his turn. Furthermore, Spell Penetration gives no bonus on checks to penetrate this spell resistance.
In addition, if any spell or spell-like ability is resisted by this ability, the sorcerer may make a spellcraft check (DC 15+spell level) in order to learn the spell (including any metamagic applied to it), adding it to his spells known. If the spell is not on his class list, the DC is doubled, and he loses knowledge of the spell after 1d4 rounds.
Holding on to a large amount of spell knowledge is difficult, however. One hour after learning a spell in this manner (if it was on his class list), the sorcerer must make a Charisma check each hour (DC=10+spell level). If he succeeds, he may keep the spell, but must make another check in another hour, with the DC increasing by 2 each hour. If he fails the check, he loses knowledge of the spell. He may choose to lose a different spell instead, in which case the new spell takes the place of the lost spell.
If the sorcerer was the spell's only target, he may also attempt to absorb the resisted spell. If he does so, he must make a Charisma check (DC=15+1/2 spell level, rounded down). If he is successful, he may choose one of the following three effects:

Spoiler

1. The sorcerer heals 1d6 damage per spell level. Any additional points above his maximum are gained as temporary hit points that fade after 1 hour.
2. The sorcerer regains one spell slot of the level of the absorbed spell or lower.
3. The sorcerer removes negative conditions affecting him, up to an amount "bought" by the levels of the negated spell: Each point of ability damage affecting him may be removed for 1 spell level, the Dazed, Dazzled, Fatigued, and Sickened conditions may be removed for 1 spell level each, blindness, deafness, exhaustion, nausea, and stunning may be removed for 3 spell levels each, and anything removable with Remove Curse (including Mummy Rot, for which no caster level check is necessary), as well as confusion and insanity, may be removed for 5 spell levels. If he is affected by poison or disease (excluding Mummy Rot), he may gain an extra saving throw (with no penalties for failure) at the effect's normal DC to remove the effect (even if it would normally require more saves), and a +2 bonus on the save for each additional spell level spent.

Attempting to absorb a spell is risky, however; if the sorcerer fails his Charisma check, he takes 1d6 damage per spell level.

For purposes of this ability and all sorcerer special abilities, metamagic effects do increase a spell's level just as they increase the required spell slot.

Neutralize Magic (level 5, Su)

Spoiler

A sorcerer can use his magical nature to interfere with the spellcasting of others. This ability may be used at will, and works just like an uncapped Dispel Magic (using a class level check instead of the caster level check) used as a counterspell. It may not be used to dispel an existing effect.
If a sorcerer successfully neutralizes a spell, he may make a spellcraft check to learn it, just as if he had resisted it with his Child of Magic ability.
Spell-like abilities may be neutralized just like spells.

Enhanced Sorcerer Abilities (level 10, 15, 20, Su)

Spoiler

At level 10, and every 5 levels afterward, a sorcerer may gain one of the following abilities:
-Draw Magic: A sorcerer may use his Neutralize Magic ability to attempt to dispel a single existing spell. He takes a -5 penalty on his class level check for this purpose. Alternatively, he may attempt to use Neutralize Magic as Remove Curse ability, but to do so he requires a class level check (DC 11+spell level of cursing spell+caster level of cursing spell) with a -5 penalty. This ability may not be combined with any other Enhanced Sorcerer Ability except for Explosive Neutralization.
-Redirect Magic: A sorcerer may attempt to use Neutralize Magic to change the targeting of a spell rather than countering it. The new target must have been a valid target for the original spell. Area targeting can be affected by this ability. This ability may not be used in conjunction with Draw Magic, Explosive Neutralization, or Absorb Magic.
-Explosive Neutralization: A sorcerer may attempt to explosively release the magic of a neutralized spell. If he chooses to do so, and successfully neutralizes the spell, it creates a 5' burst around the caster that does 1d6 damage per spell level. The caster is not entitled to a save to resist the damage, but all other individuals caught in the burst may make a reflex save (DC=10+1.5Xspell level, rounded down) to take half damage. This ability may not be used in conjunction with Redirect Magic or Absorb Magic. If it is used in conjunction with Draw Magic the sorcerer takes an additional -5 penalty to his class level check, and the damage done is multiplied by the portion of the spell's duration that remains.
-Absorb Magic: If a sorcerer successfully neutralizes a spell, he may attempt to absorb it, just as if he had resisted it with his Child of Magic ability and was the only target. This ability cannot be used in conjunction with Draw Magic, Redirect Magic, or Explosive Neutralization.
-Cautious Absorption: A sorcerer can learn to absorb magic in a safer manner. A sorcerer with this ability who fails, by less than 5 points, a charisma check to absorb magic takes no damage.
-Reactionary Neutralization: A sorcerer with this ability may, once per round, use Neutralize Magic as a free action, even on an opponent's turn. The turn after he does so, he loses his standard action (but may take a move action as normal.)

An epic sorcerer does not gain additional Enhanced Sorcerer Abilities every 5 levels, but may gain one instead of a bonus feat.

Cleric (Domain-associated spells):

Spoiler

Not all gods grant the same spells to their clerics. Each god has particular areas of expertise (represented by domains), and these affect what spells are available to a cleric of that god. (Clerics without a god should choose 4 domains that fit their general beliefs, subject to approval by the DM. Their actual domains must be chosen from among these.)

Each god grants the spells listed for each of the domains below that they possess (whether the cleric has chosen the domain or not), as well as the spells listed for the "universal" domain. Note that a spell may have different levels for different lists; in such case, the cleric may choose which level he wants the spell to count as.
If a cleric gains the ability to spontaneously cast a spell, he also gains access to that spell even if it is on none of his deity's domain lists.
A cleric may use wands and scrolls of any cleric spell regardless of whether it is associated with one of his deity's domains, but must use his deity's available domains when determining valid effects of the Miracle spell.

Domain lists:
Air:

Spoiler

1:Obscuring Mist
2:Resist Energy*, Silence
3:Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Protection from Energy*, Sound Burst, Summon Monster III**, Wind Wall
4:Air Walk, Dismissal~, Lesser Planar Ally**, Summon Monster IV**
5:Plane Shift (to air-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V**
6:Banishment~, Greater Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VI**, Wind Walk
7:Control Weather, Summon Monster VII**
8:Greater Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VII**
9:Gate**, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Monster IX**

*Electricity only
**As an air spell only
~Earth creatures only

Animal:

Spoiler

1:Summon Monster I
2:Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Eagle's Splendor, Summon Monster II*
3:Neutralize Poison, Poison, Summon Monster III*
4:Giant Vermin, Repel Vermin, Summon Monster IV*
5:Insect Plague, Summon Monster V*
6:Antilife Shell, Mass Bear's Endurance, Mass Bull's Strength, Mass Eagle's Splendor, Summon Monster VI*
7:Summon Monster VII*
8:Summon Monster VIII*
9:Summon Monster IX*

*Extraplanar versions of animals and vermin only

Chaos:

Spoiler

1:Detect Law, Entropic Shield, Protection from Law, Summon Monster I*
2:Align Weapon*, Bane, Cause Fear, Shatter, Sound Burst, Summon Monster II*, Undetectable Alignment
3:Magic Circle Against Law, Summon Monster III*
4:Bestow Curse, Contagion, Dismissal~, Glyph of Warding, Lesser Planar Ally*, Summon Monster IV*
5:Dispel Law, Plane Shift (to Chaotic-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V*
6:Animate Objects, Banishment~, Blade Barrier, Forbiddance, Insect Plague, Planar Ally*, Summon Monster VI*, Symbol of Fear
7:Summon Monster VII*, Word of Chaos
8:Cloak of Chaos, Greater Planar Ally*, Summon Monster VII*, Symbol of Insanity
9:Gate*, Summon Monster IX*

*Cast as a Chaotic spell only
~Creatures with the Lawful subtype only

Death:

Spoiler

1:Cause Fear, Curse Water, Deathwatch, Detect Undead, Doom, Hide from Undead, Inflict Light Wounds
2:Darkness, Death Knell, Desecrate, Inflict Moderate Wounds
3:Animate Dead, Blindness/Deafness, Contagion, Eagle's Splendor, Inflict Serious Wounds, Speak with Dead
4:Deeper Darkness, Inflict Critical Wounds, Poison
5:Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Plane Shift (negative-dominant planes only), Slay Living,
6:Create Undead, Harm, Mass Inflict Moderate Wounds
7:Destruction, Mass Inflict Serious Wounds, Undeath to Death
8:Create Greater Undead, Mass Inflict Critical Wounds, Resurrection, Symbol of Death, Symbol of Weakness
9:Energy Drain, Soul Bind

Destruction:

Spoiler

1:Inflict Light Wounds
2:Inflict Moderate Wounds, Shatter
3:Contagion, Death Knell, Inflict Serious Wounds, Sound Burst
4:Bestow Curse, Inflict Critical Wounds
5:Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Plane Shift (negative-dominant planes only)
6:Harm, Mass Inflict Moderate Wounds, Insect Plague, Slay Living
7:Destruction, Mass Inflict Serious Wounds
8:Earthquake, Mass Inflict Critical Wounds
9:Implosion

Earth:

Spoiler

1:Magic Stone
2:Resist Energy*
3:Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Meld Into Stone, Protection from Energy*, Stone Shape, Summon Monster III**
4:Dismissal~, Lesser Planar Ally**, Summon Monster IV**
5:Plane Shift (to earth-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V**
6:Banishment~, Greater Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VI**
7:Summon Monster VII**
8:Earthquake, Greater Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VII**
9:Gate**, Summon Monster IX**

*Acid only
**As an earth spell only
~Air creatures only

Evil:

Spoiler

1:Bane, Curse Water, Deathwatch, Detect Good, Protection from Good, Summon Monster I*
2:Align Weapon*, Cause Fear, Death Knell, Desecrate, Doom, Summon Monster II*, Undetectable Alignment
3:Animate Dead, Contagion, Magic Circle Against Good, Summon Monster III*
4:Bestow Curse, Blindness/Deafness, Dismissal~, Lesser Planar Ally*, Summon Monster IV*
5:Dispel Good, Plane Shift (to Evil-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V*, Symbol of Pain, Unhallow
6:Banishment~, Create Undead, Forbiddance, Planar Ally*, Summon Monster VI*
7:Blasphemy, Summon Monster VII*
8:Greater Planar Ally*, Summon Monster VII*, Unholy Aura
9:Gate*, Soul Bind, Summon Monster IX*

*Cast as an Evil spell only
~Creatures with the Good subtype only

Fire:

Spoiler

1:Endure Elements
2:Continual Flame, Resist Energy*
3:Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Protection from Energy*, Summon Monster III**
4:Dismissal~, Lesser Planar Ally**, Searing Light, Summon Monster IV**
5:Flame Strike, Plane Shift (to fire-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V**
6:Banishment~, Greater Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VI**
7:Summon Monster VII**
8:Fire Storm, Greater Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VII**
9:Gate**, Summon Monster IX**

*Fire or Cold only (Glyph of Warding and Greater Glyph of Warding must be Fire)
**As a fire spell only
~Water creatures only

Good:

Spoiler

1:Bless, Bless Water, Detect Evil, Protection from Evil, Summon Monster I*
2:Aid, Align Weapon*, Consecrate, Detect Undead, Gentle Repose, Hide from Undead, Shield Other, Summon Monster II*, Undetectable Alignment
3:Create Food and Water, Magic Circle Against Evil, Summon Monster III*
4:Dismissal~, Lesser Planar Ally*, Summon Monster IV*
5:Dispel Evil, Hallow, Plane Shift (to Good-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V*
6:Banishment~, Blade Barrier, Disrupting Weapon, Forbiddance, Mark of Justice, Planar Ally*, Summon Monster VI*
7:Holy Word, Summon Monster VII*
8:Holy Aura, Greater Planar Ally*, Summon Monster VII*
9:Gate*, Soul Bind, Summon Monster IX*

*Cast as a Good spell only
~Creatures with the Evil subtype only

Healing:

Spoiler

1:None
2:Cure Moderate Wounds, Gentle Repose
3:Consecrate, Cure Serious Wounds, Neutralize Poison
4:Cure Critical Wounds, Restoration
5:Break Enchantment, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Plane Shift (positive-dominant planes only), Raise Dead
6:Mass Cure Moderate Wounds, Heal
7:Mass Cure Serious Wounds, Heroes' Feast, Regenerate, Greater Restoration, Resurrection
8:Mass Cure Critical Wounds
9:Mass Heal, True Resurrection

Knowledge:

Spoiler

1:Comprehend Languages, Deathwatch, Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Detect Undead
2:Augury, Find Traps, Locate Object, Zone of Truth
3:Invisibility Purge, Speak with Dead
4:Discern Lies, Divination, Scrying
5:True Seeing
6:Find the Path
7:Greater Scrying
8:Discern Location
9:None

Law:

Spoiler

1:Command, Detect Chaos, Protection from Chaos, Summon Monster I*
2:Align Weapon*, Bless, Calm Emotions, Enthrall, Hold Person, Shield of Faith, Summon Monster II*, Undetectable Alignment, Zone of Truth
3:Aid, Magic Circle Against Chaos, Summon Monster III*
4:Discern Lies, Dismissal~, Lesser Planar Ally*, Summon Monster IV*
5:Greater Command, Dispel Chaos, Mark of Justice, Plane Shift (to Lawful-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V*, Symbol of Sleep
6:Banishment~, Forbiddance, Geas/Quest, Planar Ally*, Summon Monster VI*
7:Dictum, Summon Monster VII*
8:Greater Planar Ally*, Shield of Law, Summon Monster VII*
9:Gate*, Summon Monster IX*

*Cast as a Lawful spell only
~Creatures with the Chaotic subtype only

Luck:

Spoiler

1:Divine Favor, Entropic Shield
2:Aid, Magic Weapon, Resist Energy
3:Bestow Curse, Prayer, Protection from Energy
4:None
5:Break Enchantment, Greater Magic Weapon, Spell Resistance
6:Find the Path, Mark of Justice
7:Control Weather
8:None
9:None

Magic:

Spoiler

1:None
2:Silence
3:Dispel Magic, Invisibility Purge, Undetectable Alignment
4:Spell Immunity
5:Break Enchantment, Spell Resistance
6:Antimagic Field, Dispel Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Greater Dispel Magic
7:None
8:Greater Spell Immunity
9:None

Plant:

Spoiler

1:None
2:None
3:None
4:None
5:None
6:Antiplant Shell
7:None
8:Fire Storm
9:None

Protection:

Spoiler

1:Endure Elements, Entropic Shield, Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith
2:Bear's Endurance, Bless, Hide from Undead, Obscuring Mist, Resist Energy, Shield Other
3:Aid, Dispel Magic, Find Traps, Glyph of Warding, Magic Circle Against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Magic Vestment, Meld into Stone, Protection from Energy, Undetectable Alignment, Wind Wall
4:Obscure Object, Repel Vermin, Spell Immunity
5:Spell Resistance, Wall of Stone
6:Antilife Shell, Mass Bear's Endurance, Blade Barrier, Dispel Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Greater Dispel Magic, Forbiddance, Greater Glyph of Warding
7:Antimagic Field, Heroes' Feast, Refuge, Repulsion, Symbol of Weakness
8:Cloak of Chaos, Holy Aura, Shield of Law, Greater Spell Immunity, Unholy Aura
9:None

Strength:

Spoiler

1:Magic Stone, Magic Weapon
2:Bless, Bull's Strength, Command, Inflict Light Wounds
3:Aid, Hold Person, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Magic Vestment, Shield Other
4:Blindness/Deafness, Inflict Serious Wounds, Spell Immunity
5:Inflict Critical Wounds, Righteous Might
6:Mass Bull's Strength, Greater Command, Slay Living
7:Antilife Shell, Symbol of Weakness
8:None
9:None

Sun:

Spoiler

1:Bless Water, Detect Undead, Endure Elements
2:Consecrate, Magic Stone
3:Daylight, Eagle's Splendor, Searing Light
4:None
5:Disrupting Weapon, Flame Strike
6:Undeath to Death
7:None
8:None
9:None

Travel:

Spoiler

1:Endure Elements
2:None
3:Create Food and Water, Locate Object, Water Breathing, Water Walk
4:Air Walk, Dismissal, Repel Vermin, Stone Shape
5:Plane Shift
6:Banishment, Find the Path, Forbiddance, Wind Walk, Word of Recall
7:Control Weather*, Ethereal Jaunt, Refuge
8:Dimensional Lock
9:Astral Projection, Etherealness, Gate**

*Removal of phenomena only
**Planar Travel purpose only

Trickery:

Spoiler

1:Cause Fear, Hide from Undead, Obscuring Mist
2:Darkness, Doom, Eagle's Splendor, Enthrall, Silence, Undetectable Alignment
3:Blindness/Deafness, Deeper Darkness, Find Traps, Meld into Stone, Obscure Object
4:Discern Lies
5:Symbol of Sleep
6:Mass Eagle's Splendor, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Persuasion
7:Ethereal Jaunt, Symbol of Stunning
8:Symbol of Insanity
9:Etherealness

War:

Spoiler

1:Bane, Bless, Cause Fear, Divine Favor*, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Shield of Faith
2:Doom, Inflict Light Wounds, Aid, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Shatter, Shield Other, Sound Burst, Spiritual Weapon
3:Align Weapon, Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Magic Vestment, Prayer
4:Bestow Curse, Inflict Serious Wounds, Divine Power*, Greater Magic Weapon
5:Flame Strike, Inflict Critical Wounds, Righteous Might*
6:Mass Bear's Endurance, Blade Barrier, Mass Bull's Strength, Greater Dispel Magic, Heroes' Feast, Mass Inflict Light Wounds, Slay Living
7:Harm, Mass Inflict Moderate Wounds, Symbol of Stunning
8:Mass Inflict Serious Wounds
9:Mass Inflict Critical Wounds, Soul Bind, Symbol of Death

*For war-domain clerics only

Water:

Spoiler

1:Bless Water, Curse Water, Obscuring Mist
2:Resist Energy*
3:Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Protection from Energy*, Summon Monster III**, Water Breathing, Water Walk
4:Control Water, Dismissal~, Lesser Planar Ally**, Summon Monster IV
5:Plane Shift (to water-dominant planes only), Summon Monster V
6:Banishment~, Greater Glyph of Warding (blast glyph*), Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VI**
7:Summon Monster VII**
8:Greater Planar Ally**, Summon Monster VIII**
9:Gate**, Storm of Vengeance, Summon Monster IX**

*Acid or Cold only
**As a water spell only
~Fire creatures only

Universal:

Spoiler

0:All Cantrips

1:Cure Light Wounds, Remove Fear

2:Comprehend Languages, Delay Poison, Make Whole, Owl's Wisdom, Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law, Remove Paralysis, Lesser Restoration, Sanctuary, Status

3:Augury, Calm Emotions, Continual Flame, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Eagle's Splendor, Enthrall, Gentle Repose, Helping Hand, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Resist Energy, Silence, Spiritual Weapon

4:Create Food and Water, Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Death Ward, Deeper Darkness, Dimensional Anchor, Dispel Magic, Freedom of Movement, Imbue with Spell Ability, Invisibility Purge, Locate Object, Neutralize Poison, Protection from Energy, Sending, Tongues

5:Atonement, Commune, Cure Critical Wounds, Divination, Plane Shift (deity's home plane and cleric's native plane only), Repel Vermin, Restoration, Scrying, Spell Immunity

6:Break Enchantment, Mass Cure Light Wounds, Mass Owl's Wisdom, Raise Dead, True Seeing

7:Mass Cure Moderate Wounds, Greater Dispel Magic, Geas/Quest, Heal, Word of Recall

8:Antimagic Field, Mass Cure Serious Wounds, Refuge, Greater Scrying

9:Mass Cure Critical Wounds, Dimensional Lock, Miracle, Greater Spell Immunity

Druid:

Spoiler

-When using Animal or Plant (but not Elemental) Wildshape, the new form's hit dice may not exceed half the character's druid level. A druid does not gain the ability to take Huge forms until level 20.
-All medium and large animals on the level 1 list are moved to level 4. The level 4 list is moved to level 8, the level 7 list to level 12, the level 10 list to level 16, and the level 13 list to level 20. The normal level 16 list is not available. As before, the adjustment to the druid's level for determining companion abilities is a penalty of one less than the minimum level for the list.

[Yitzi]

New and changed feats:

Spoiler

All of the following may be taken as fighter bonus feats.
Greater Two-weapon Fighting no longer exists; its functionality has been absorbed into Two-weapon Fighting.

Take the Blow:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Con 13, Armor Proficiency (Medium)
Benefit: Whenever you are attacked and not deprived of your Dexterity bonus to AC, you may choose to give up a number of points of Dodge bonus or Dexterity bonus to AC in order to gain damage reduction. The number of points given up may not exceed the AC bonus granted by your armor (including Enhancement bonuses.) When wearing light armor or using a Mage Armor spell or Bracers of Armor, you gain DR 1/- for every 2 points of AC bonus given up. When wearing medium armor, you gain DR 1/- for every point of AC given up, and when wearing heavy armor you gain DR 2/- for every point of AC given up, provided you are proficient in heavy armor. This DR stacks with all others.
The DR from this feat is applied before bonus damage from sneak attacks and critical hits; if the DR reduces the damage taken to 0, the bonus damage is not applied.
For purposes of this feat, mithral armor is considered to be the same category (light, medium, heavy) as a non-mithral version of the same armor, but heavy armor proficiency is still needed to gain DR equal to 2 times the AC bonus given up.
A Dexterity bonus to AC that would be lost due to heavy armor may not be given up in order to use this feat.

Armor Mastery:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Armor Proficiency (Medium), BAB +16
Benefit: Your speed is not decreased when wearing medium or heavy armor. In addition, you may treat armor as one category lighter (to a minimum of light armor) for purposes of allowing class features and feats to be used. You only get the benefit of this feat when wearing armor you are proficient with.

Combat Expertise:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: Int 13.
Benefit: When you use the attack action or the full attack action in melee, you can take a penalty of any number up to your BAB on your attack roll and add the same number as a dodge bonus to your Armor Class. The changes to attack rolls and Armor Class last until your next action. This feat may not be used in conjuction with fighting defensively.
In addition, when using the total defense action, you gain an additional dodge bonus equal to 2 less than your BAB (minimum 0). This additional bonus is not increased by 50% for someone with 5 ranks in Tumble.
Special: When using more than one feat that allows you to take a penalty up to your BAB to your attack roll in order to gain other bonuses, the total penalty to your attack roll may not exceed your BAB.

Improved Defense:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Int 13, 5 ranks Tumble.
Benefit: The dodge bonus gained from fighting defensively, from the total defense action, and from using the Combat Expertise feat is doubled. This stacks with all other increases; as usual, two doublings equals a tripling, and so on.

Greater Disarm:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm, BAB +6.
Benefit: Whenever you successfully disarm an opponent, the weapon lands 15 feet away from its previous wielder, in a random direction. You also gain a +4 bonus on the opposed attack roll you make to disarm your opponent; this bonus stacks with that from Improved Disarm.

Greater Feint:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved Feint, BAB +6.
Benefit: When making a Bluff check in order to feint, you may use your BAB instead of your ranks in Bluff.

Greater Trip:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Int 13, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, BAB +6.
Benefit: When you attempt to trip an opponent, the opponent must use its Dexterity modifier to oppose your Strength check. You also gain a +4 bonus on your Strength check to trip your opponent; this stacks with the bonus from Improved Trip.
Normal: The opponent may use either its Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier, whichever is higher, to oppose your Strength check.
Special: When you make a trip attack granted by the Knockdown feat, the opponent may use its Strength modifier to oppose your Strength check even if you have this feat. You still get the +4 bonus to the check.

Dodge:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 13
Benefit: During your action, you designate an opponent. You receive a dodge bonus to Armor Class against attacks from that opponent equal to the sum of your dodge and dexterity bonuses to AC from other sources (minimum 1, maximum 5). You can select a new opponent on any action.

A condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses. Also, dodge bonuses stack with each other, unlike most other types of bonuses.

Improved Dodge:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge
Benefit: When attacked by an enemy in melee, the attacker must add its Dexterity modifier to the attack roll instead of its Strength modifier. Your Armor, Shield, Natural Armor, and Deflection bonuses to AC are reduced by a proportion equal to the ratio of the attacker's Strength score and Dexterity score.
Normal: A melee attacker adds its Strength modifier to the attack roll, unless it has the Weapon Finesse feat or is incorporeal.
Special: This feat only functions when it is of benefit to you, whether you are aware of the situation or not. It does not function when you use Take the Blow.

Improved Mobility:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Dodge, Mobility, BAB +2
Benefit: You gain 5 ranks in Tumble. These ranks do not stack with those bought for skill points, but work normally with respect to skill checks, synergies, and prerequisites.

Improved Critical:

Spoiler

Choose one type of weapon
Prerequisites: Proficient with weapon, BAB +8; see Special.
Benefit: When using the weapon you selected, your threat range is doubled.
Special:You can gain Improved Critical multiple times. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.
This effect doesn’t stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon, except for the Deadly Aim feat.
When the selected weapon is a piercing thrown weapon (or can be used as such), or is a projectile weapon with ammunition that does piercing damage, Improved Critical may be taken with a BAB of less than +8 (but at least +1). If the weapon can also be used as a melee or non-piercing weapon, Improved Critical does not apply to it in that capacity until you have BAB +8 or higher.

Greater Grapple:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, BAB +6.
Benefit: When making an opposed Grapple check against an opponent, you may halve all strength bonuses, size bonuses, and BAB deriving from racial hit dice, as well as the bonus gained from a barbarian's Grappler ability, for both you and your opponent. You also gain a +4 bonus on all grapple checks; this stacks with the bonus from Improved Grapple. In addition, you do not automatically fail to start a grapple against an opponent two or three sizes larger than you (but you do fail against an opponent four or more sizes larger than you.)

Mounted Combat:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: Ride 1 Rank.
Benefit: Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a Ride check (as a reaction) to negate the hit. The hit is negated if your Ride check result is greater than the opponent’s attack roll. (Essentially, the Ride check result becomes the mount’s Armor Class if it’s higher than the mount’s regular AC.) For every 5 ranks in Ride you have beyond the first, you may attempt to negate an additional hit each round in this manner, but the second such attempt takes a -5 penalty to the ride check, the third takes a -10 penalty, and so on.

Ride-By Attack:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Ride 1 Rank, Mounted Combat.
Benefit: When you are mounted and use the charge action, you may move and attack as if with a standard charge and then move again (continuing the straight line of the charge). Your total movement for the round can’t exceed double your mounted speed. If you choose to exercise this option, you and your mount do not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that you attack, and you need not attack from the closest square from which you threaten the opponent.

Point Blank Shot:

Spoiler

Benefit: You get a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls, and an additional +5 on attack rolls to confirm critical hits, with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.

Deadly Aim:

Spoiler

Choose one type of ranged weapon with which you have taken the Improved Critical feat.
Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Improved Critical with selected weapon, BAB +1
Benefit: You may take a penalty of -1 to your attack roll with a selected ranged weapon in order to double your critical threat range. This doubling stacks with that granted by Improved Critical; as usual, two doublings equal a tripling.
You may apply this feat multiple times to a single attack, up to a maximum penalty equal to your BAB.
If Improved Critical does not apply to an attack, neither does Deadly Aim.
Special: When using more than one feat that allows you to take a penalty up to your BAB to your attack roll in order to gain other bonuses, the total penalty to your attack roll may not exceed your BAB.

Improved Deadly Aim:

Spoiler

Choose one type of ranged weapon with which you have taken the Deadly Aim feat.
Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Improved Critical with selected weapon, Deadly Aim with selected weapon, BAB +8
Benefit: When using Deadly Aim, you may choose to decrease your threat range by 2 (so a 17-20 threat range would become 19-20) in order to increase your critical multiplier by 1. You may apply this ability as many times as you wish to a single attack. If your weapon has a base critical modifier of X3, you may decrease your threat range by 1 to increase your critical multiplier by 1.

Precise Shot:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: Point Blank Shot
Benefit: You can shoot or throw ranged weapons at an opponent engaged in melee without taking the standard -4 penalty on your attack roll. In addition, whenever you make a ranged attack you can choose a single ally; this ally gives no soft cover to your target.

Parry:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: BAB +4
Benefit:Whenever you attack with a melee weapon, you can elect not to take one or more of your attacks. At any time before your next turn, you can attempt to parry a melee attack against you that would do slashing or crushing damage. To parry the attack, make an attack roll, using the same bonuses and penalties as an attack you chose to forego during your previous action. Do not apply penalties due to fighting defensively or using Combat Expertise. If your attack roll is greater than the roll of the attacking creature, the attack automatically misses. If your attack roll exceeds the opponent's attack roll by 5, you may choose to bind the opponent's weapon, preventing both it and your weapon from being used until the end of the opponent's next turn.
SpecialYou take a -4 penalty on the attack roll to parry an attack that would do crushing damage.
You may not parry an attack against which you would not be entitled to a Dexterity bonus to AC.
You may parry more than one attack each round, but each one must use a different foregone attack.
You must choose to parry an attack before the attack roll has been made.
You may not parry with a natural weapon. In order to bind a natural weapon, you must exceed the opponents attack roll by at least 10.
You may not parry while using the Rapid Attack feat.

Improved Parry:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Parry, Combat Reflexes, BAB +11
Benefit:You may spend an attack of opportunity to parry an attack. You take a -4 on the attack roll to parry when used in this manner.

Greater Bull Rush:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, BAB +6.
Benefit: When you attempt to bull rush an opponent, you may negate all modifiers for size and stability for both you and your opponent. You also gain a +4 bonus on the opposed Strength check you make to push back the defender; this stacks with the bonus from Improved Bull Rush.

Greater Overrun:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, Improved Overrun, BAB +6.
Benefit: When you attempt to overrun, your opponent must use his Strength modifier to oppose your Strength check. You also gain a +4 bonus on your Strength check to knock down your opponent; this stacks with the bonus from Improved Overrun.
Normal: The opponent may use either its Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier, whichever is higher, to oppose your Strength check.

Greater Sunder:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Str 13, Power Attack, Improved Sunder, BAB +6.
Benefit: When you destroy an item, you can choose to destroy it with a clean break. An item destroyed with a clean break can be repaired using the craft skill (restoring any magical properties) as though it were only damaged, although magical repair treats it as broken. You also gain a +4 bonus on any attack roll made to attack an object held or carried by another character; this stacks with the bonus from Improved Sunder.

Penetrating Blow:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Str 15, Power Attack.
Benefit: When making a melee attack, you may choose to ignore armor and natural armor bonuses to AC. If you do so, the damage is reduced by an amount dependent on the target's armor or natural armor: Light armor, force armor (such as a Mage Armor spell or bracers of armor), or the natural armor of a creature without a particularly tough hide, reduce the damage by an amount equal to the AC they would normally grant. Medium armor (including mithral versions of medium armor), or the natural armor of a creature with a tough hide or scales, reduce the damage taken by twice the bonus they normally grant to AC. Heavy armor (or a mithral version thereof) or the natural armor of a creature with a carapace or exoskeleton reduces the damage by three times the normal bonus to AC.
Special: If using this feat causes the damage done, excluding precision damage, to be reduced to 0 or lower, the attack does no damage.
When wielding a metal bludgeoning weapon, the damage cannot be reduced to less than your strength modifier. You still lose the benefit of precision damage if the damage would otherwise be reduced to 0 or less.

Shield Mastery:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: Shield Proficiency
Benefit: If an enemy misses you with a melee weapon while you are wielding a shield you are proficient in, and the enemy's natural roll is equal to your shield bonus to AC or less, the enemy may neither attack nor threaten with that weapon until the beginning of his next turn. If this causes the enemy to not threaten any square, he provokes an attack of opportunity from you.
Special: You may only use this ability with a shield you are wielding (not an animated shield). You also may not use this ability with a shield that gives no AC bonus against the attack for any reason.

Warder:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: Shield Proficiency, BAB +4
Benefit: When wielding a light shield or medium shield you give half your shield bonus to AC as a shield bonus to the AC of all adjacent allies. When using a tower shield, you give an AC bonus equal to your Shield bonus to AC.
Special: You may only use this ability with a shield you are wielding (not an animated shield). You also may not use this ability against an attack against which you would not be entitled to both your shield bonus and dodge bonus (if it targeted you).

Improved Warder:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: Shield Proficiency, Warder, BAB +8
Benefit: You may add your dodge and Dexterity bonuses (if any) to your shield bonus when determining the bonus granted by the Warder feat. The total bonus granted still may not exceed your actual (i.e. not counting this feat) shield bonus to AC.

Two-Weapon Fighting:

Spoiler

Prerequisite: Dex 15
Benefit: Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are reduced. The penalty for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6. See the Two-Weapon Fighting special attack. In addition, you gain iterative attacks for your off-hand weapon from a high BAB just as you do for your primary weapon.
NormalIf you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon. When fighting in this way you suffer a -6 penalty with your regular attack or attacks with your primary hand and a -10 penalty to the attack with your off hand. If your off-hand weapon is light the penalties are reduced by 2 each. (An unarmed strike is always considered light.)

Improved Two-Weapon Fighting:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: You take no penalties for fighting with two weapons.

Two-Weapon Defense:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Two-Weapon Fighting, Parry, BAB +4
Benefit: You may choose to parry an attack with more than one weapon. This uses a foregone attack from each weapon and uses the lowest attack roll among them, but gives a +5 bonus to the attack roll for each weapon after the first.

Two-Weapon Pin:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Two-Weapon Fighting
Benefit: When you take a full attack action to attack with two weapons, and hit with one weapon, make a Strength check, opposed by the Strength or Dexterity check of your opponent (using whichever modifier is higher). You get a +4 bonus for every size category you are larger than Medium or a -4 penalty for every size category you are smaller than Medium, and your opponent is entitled to the same bonuses and penalties based on his size. If you win the check, you may immediately make an attack with the other weapon (if you have such an attack left in your attack sequence) against the same target, and the target loses his Dexterity bonus against this attack.
Special: Even though your opponent loses his Dexterity bonus against the attack, it does not allow you to make a sneak attack against him. (You may, however, make a sneak attack if you would qualify for it without this feat.)

Two-Weapon Trap:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 15, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Pin
Benefit: When you take a full attack action to attack with two weapons, you may make, as a paired set, an attack from the sequence with each of the weapons. The opponent must divide his Dexterity bonus to AC (as well as any similar bonuses, such as Dodge bonuses or a monk's AC bonus) between the two attacks. Even if he chooses to allocate no bonus to one of the attacks, he is not considered to be deprived of his Dexterity bonus to AC.

Rapid Attack:

Spoiler

Prerequisites: Dex 13, Weapon Finesse, BAB +4
Benefit: Whenever you make an attack or full attack while using Weapon Finesse, you may choose to make a rapid attack instead. When making a rapid attack, replace each attack to which you would normally be entitled (except those gained from magical effects such as Haste or a Speed weapon) with a number of attacks equal to your Dexterity bonus.
When making a rapid attack, you are considered to have a strength of 10 (if it is normally higher), and so gain no strength bonus to damage or to opposed rolls and may not use any feats that require a strength of more than 10.
In addition, any weapon used in a Rapid Attack is considered to have damage of 1d6 or its usual damage, whichever is less.
Also, magical effects and bonuses to damage (such as that done by a +1 weapon or a flaming weapon) apply only on those attacks to which you would normally be entitled.
Finally, you may not deal any form of precision damage while using a Rapid Attack.

Weapon Focus:

Spoiler

Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray or touch attack, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You gain a 25% increase to the numerical benefits gained from the following feats when used with the chosen weapon: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Improved Disarm, Greater Disarm, Improved Trip, Greater Trip, Improved Sunder, Greater Sunder. You may choose to instead gain a +1 bonus on the attack roll with the selected weapon.
If you are entitled to multiple percentage bonuses to the effects of a feat, add together all the percentages before applying the result to the effect of the feat and rounding down.

Weapon Specialization:

Spoiler

Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray or touch attack, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 4th.
Benefit: You gain a 25% increase to the numerical benefits gained from the following feats when used with the chosen weapon: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Improved Disarm, Greater Disarm, Improved Trip, Greater Trip, Improved Sunder, Greater Sunder. You may choose to instead gain a +2 bonus on the damage roll with the selected weapon.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.
If you are entitled to multiple percentage bonuses to the effects of a feat, add together all the percentages before applying the result to the effect of the feat and rounding down.

Greater Weapon Focus:

Spoiler

Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray or touch attack, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, fighter level 8th.
Benefit: You gain a 25% increase to the numerical benefits gained from the following feats when used with the chosen weapon: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Improved Disarm, Greater Disarm, Improved Trip, Greater Trip, Improved Sunder, Greater Sunder. You may choose to instead gain a +1 bonus on the attack roll with the selected weapon.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.
If you are entitled to multiple percentage bonuses to the effects of a feat, add together all the percentages before applying the result to the effect of the feat and rounding down.

Greater Weapon Specialization:

Spoiler

Choose one type of weapon. You can also choose unarmed strike or grapple (or ray or touch attack, if you are a spellcaster) as your weapon for purposes of this feat.
Prerequisites: Proficiency with selected weapon, Greater Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Weapon Focus with selected weapon, Weapon Specialization with selected weapon, fighter level 12th.
Benefit: You gain a 25% increase to the numerical benefits gained from the following feats when used with the chosen weapon: Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Deadly Aim, Improved Disarm, Greater Disarm, Improved Trip, Greater Trip, Improved Sunder, Greater Sunder. You may choose to instead gain a +2 bonus on the damage roll with the selected weapon.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of weapon.
If you are entitled to multiple percentage bonuses to the effects of a feat, add together all the percentages before applying the result to the effect of the feat and rounding down.

New equipment rules:

Spoiler

-When the Craft skill is used to repair a damaged item (or one broken with a clean break), the process takes only one day. Alternatively, the character may make a quick repair, which takes only one hour, requires half the normal raw material cost (one-tenth the item's nonmagical cost), and has a DC 5 lower than that to craft the item, but the item takes a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls, and if magical has unreliable functioning (as a cursed item with that property). The penalties last until the item is repaired normally.
-There is a new type of weapon: A shifting weapon (+1 effective enhancement bonus) may turn into another weapon on command. Melee weapons can only turn into other melee weapons, projectile weapons into other projectile weapons, and thrown weapons into other thrown weapons. Ammunition cannot have the Shifting property. If an item can be used in melee or thrown, it can be treated as either, but not as both for a single weapon. When an Identify spell indicates that a weapon is shifting, it also indicates all available forms.
Changing the form of a shifting weapon is a standard action. When determining the price of a shifting weapon, the prices of all of its forms must be paid for seperately, but the masterwork component only needs to be paid once, and each type of special material must only be paid for once (using the form for which it is most expensive.)
It is possible to split a shifting melee weapon with a +2 or higher actual enhancement bonus into two weapons, suitable for two-weapon fighting; in this case, the pair of weapons is considered to be the weapon's form. When this is done, each magical property and enhancement of the item, except the Shifting property, applies to only one of the weapons (chosen at the time the weapon is split.)
When wielding two shifting weapons, it is possible to absorb one into the other when changing the form of the latter. The absorbed weapon gives no benefit, but is kept safe until the weapons are split again.
A True Sight spell allows the recipient to see all possible forms of a shifting weapon.

When rolling treasure, the top two numbers (for a minor item) or top number (for an medium or major item) assigned to the Flaming, Frost, and Shock properties instead indicate a Shifting weapon with 1d4+1 randomly selected forms. A randomly generated Shifting weapon will have all forms of the same special material (if any.)

A shifting weapon has a strong aura of transmutation, a CL of 15, and requires Polymorph Any Object to create.

-Shifting armor works similarly to a shifting weapon, but can also take the form of a normal set of clothes. When randomly rolling armor, rolling a 30-32 (for a minor item) or 8 (for a medium item) results in a Shifting item instead; in addition, if spell resistance of 15 or higher is rolled, there is a 10% chance that the item is also Shifting, and the spell resistance is reduced by 2.

Skill (and skill-boosting item) changes:

Spoiler

-When using the Diplomacy skill to change an individual's opinion, the DC to improve the target's attitude is increased by the target's hit dice plus his wisdom modifier. This increase is not applied to the DC to avoid lowering the target's opinion. The increase also does not apply to Diplomacy checks used for purposes other than changing an individual's attitude, although DM-required Diplomacy checks to persuade someone to do something may have such an adjustment included in the DC.
-An item cannot give a bonus to a skill greater than +15 (rather than the +30 of RAW.)
-Items boosting skills involving social interaction are assumed to compensate for the result of the target being aware of the item, and therefore are capped at a +5 boost. It is possible to make an item that does not compensate for such, and thus is both half price and can give up to a +15 boost, but if the target is aware of, or even suspects, the item and its purpose the item fails to work and also creates a -5 suspicion modifier to the check.

Monk:

Spoiler

The monk gets the following abilities, making him an extremely powerful anti-caster.
-level 5: Soulspell. Beginning at 5th level, a monk may designate one beneficial spell affecting her, plus one additional spell for every 4 levels after 5th, as a soulspell. Whenever an attempt is made to dispel the soulspell, the monk is allowed a Will save (with the DC equal to the DC the dispelling effect would normally have if it allowed a save) to negate the dispel.

-Avoid Impediment (Su): At 6th level, a monk gains the ability to shrug off hindrances to her mobility. Whenever she is affected by a magical effect that would be blocked by Freedom of Movement, she may make a will save once per round as a free action to remove it. If such an effect impedes her movement but she is not the target (such as a web or solid fog spell), she may make a will save once per round; succeeding on the save allows her to move normally for that round.
This does not protect against nonmagical hindrances to movement such as grappling or being underwater.

-Purity of Sight (Su): At 8th level, a monk gains the ability to see past illusion effects. Whenever she is aware of the existence of a visual illusion effect (including effects such as Blur, Displacement, or Mirror Image), she may make a Will save once per round as a free action to ignore it, as though affected by a True Seeing spell. Once an effect has been negated in this manner it remains negated, even if the target afterward leaves the monk’s sight and then returns.

-Inviolate Soul (Ex): At 9th level, a monk gains immunity to possession or mental control, as though protected by a Protection from Evil spell. This effect does not grant any of the other benefits of the spell, such as a bonus to AC or saves or protection from summoned creatures.

-Purity of Form (Su): At 10th level, a monk gains the ability to recover from inimical effects that change her form, such as a Flesh to Stone or Baleful Polymorph spell. Whenever affected by such an effect, she may make one Fortitude save per round as a free action to remove it. If the effect reduces her Fortitude save bonus or would prevent her from making the save, she may roll the save as though not affected by it.

-Diamond Spirit (Ex): At 14th level, a monk gains added resistance to death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and negative energy effects (including the saving throw necessary 24 hours after gaining a negative level). Whenever targeted by such an effect, the monk is entitled to a Fortitude save to negate it (even if she normally would not be), and may add her Wisdom bonus to the saving throw.

-Superior Reflexes (Ex): At 16th level, a monk using a delay action may choose to interrupt another character’s action with her turn (as though she had readied the interruption, although she may use a full round’s worth of actions rather than just a single standard or shorter action.) After the interruption is finished, the interrupted character finishes his action if still able to do so. The monk’s new initiative count becomes that of the interrupted character, and she acts immediately ahead of the interrupted character.

-Resolute Strike: At 17th level, when a monk attacks, with an unarmed strike or natural weapon, a target protected by a deflection bonus, he may make a Will save (DC=10+2Xdeflection bonus). If the save is successful, the attack ignores the deflection bonus. (If the save fails, the attack resolves normally.)

-Greater Diamond Soul: At 18th level, a monk's spell resistance increases by 5, to 15+class level.

-Empty Body is improved: While ethereal, the monk may use Abundant Step at will, but each usage counts as an extra round spent ethereal. The ethereal state may be entered or exited as a free action.

Fighter:

Spoiler

The fighter now gets a bonus feat at every level not divisible by 3 instead of first level and every even level.

Barbarian:

Spoiler

The barbarian gains a special ability at 10th level, and once every 3 levels afterward (just like a rogue). The barbarian's abilities can be chosen from the following list. Unless otherwise noted, these abilities may only be used when raging and each one may only be taken once:

Grappler:

Spoiler

If the barbarian attempts to begin a grapple, and the provoked AoO does damage, he may make a Fortitude save, with DC equal to the damage done, to continue with the grapple anyway. In addition, the barbarian gets a +4 bonus to his grapple checks, increasing to +6 at level 11 and +8 at level 20.

Throw:

Spoiler

The barbarian may, as a full-round action, lift above his head an item weighing up to twice his maximum load. The following round, he may spend a full-round action to throw the item as an improvised thrown weapon.
This requires an attack roll, with a penalty depending on the weight of the item: An item weighing up to the barbarian's light load takes only the -4 penalty for an improvised weapon, an item weighing more than his light load takes an additional -3 penalty for -7 total, an item weighing more than his medium load takes an additional -3 penalty for -10 total, and an item weighing more than his heavy load takes an additional -5, for a total penalty of -15 to the attack roll. An item larger than the barbarian himself always takes the full -15 penalty.
If the item hits, it does damage as though hurled with the Telekinesis spell (if it is too heavy to be hurled with that spell, it deals the damage such an item would do if it were possible), with no special rules for weapons.
A barbarian with both this ability and the Grappler ability may, as a full-round action, use a Grapple check to lift a grappled creature no larger than himself above his head (provided its weight is not too high); if the creature does not escape by the next round, he may throw it as he would throw an item.
A thrown item that hits a structure or structural feature that is not freestanding, it does no damage. Instead, the item makes a strength check to break the item, with an effective strength bonus equal to 1/10th the damage it would have done (rounded down). If the barbarian has the Break Item special ability, the bonus from the ability applies to this roll.

Break Item:

Spoiler

The barbarian adds +2 to strength checks to break items. This bonus increases to +3 at level 11, and +4 at level 20.

Improved Power Attack:

Spoiler

When the barbarian uses the Power Attack feat, he adds 25% to the total damage increase from the feat. This ability may be taken more than once.

Battle Rush (borrowed and slightly modified from Ashtagon's idea in this thread):

Spoiler

If the barbarian inflicts melee damage to an enemy that threatens him at the beginning of his turn, he gets temporary hit points equal to half the damage done. These temporary hit points are lost first as usual, and automatically vanish at the end of the rage.

Desperate Rage:

Spoiler

If the barbarian's hit points are equal to less than the amount gained from his rage through an increased constitution score, then the bonuses to Strength and Will saves from the rage are doubled for as long as this state lasts. Numerical bonuses from the Grappler and Break Item abilities are doubled as well.

Unstoppable:

Spoiler

If the barbarian is at 0 or fewer hit points, he may make a Fortitude save, with DC equal to the negative of his hit points, to resist all effects of his low hit points (being disabled, dying, or dead). Even if the Fortitude save succeeds, any strenuous action still deals one point of damage, as it would for a disabled character or a dying character with the Diehard feat. He must make the Fortitude save every time he takes damage (including the damage that puts him at or below 0 hit points), as well as once per round at the beginning of his turn. For purposes of this ability, nonlethal damage is treated as if it were a direct reduction of the barbarian's hit points.

Feat: A barbarian may gain a bonus feat instead of an ability. This feat must either be Power Attack or have Power Attack as a prerequisite, and applies even when the barbarian is not raging. This choice may be taken more than once.

Paladin:

Spoiler

The paladin now gets a bonus feat at 2nd level and every 6 levels afterward, in addition to his existing abilities.

The paladin's Smite Evil is boosted by the following changes:

Spoiler

1. The paladin may Smite Evil with a ranged attack just as he would with a melee attack.
2. The paladin gets one use of Smite Evil per level, rather than the progression given in the PHB.
3. As a full-round action, the paladin may make a single melee (but not ranged) attack, and apply multiple uses of Smite Evil to it, up to a maximum of one-fifth his total uses for the day. The damage bonuses from the different uses stack, but the Charisma bonuses to the attack roll overlap. Because this is only a single attack, even though it is a full-round action, it may be used from a moving mount (provided it is used at the end of the move).

Blackguard:

Spoiler

The blackguard's Smite Good is boosted by the following changes:
1. The blackguard may Smite Good with a ranged attack just as he would with a melee attack.
2. The blackguard gets one use/day of Smite Good per level, rather than the progression given in the DMG.
3. As a full-round action, the blackguard may make a single melee (but not ranged) attack, and apply multiple uses of Smite Good to it, up to a maximum of one-fifth his total uses for the day. The damage bonuses from the different uses stack, but the Charisma bonuses to the attack roll overlap. Because this is only a single attack, even though it is a full-round action, it may be used from a moving mount (provided it is used at the end of the move).

Ranger:

Spoiler

Favored enemy change:

Spoiler

Whenever a ranger chooses a new favored enemy, or increases the bonus to an existing favored enemy, he may choose, in addition to the standard bonuses listed in the PHB, one of the following features, which then affects all attacks against such creatures (or attacks by such creatures, in the case of a defensive bonus):
1. Sneak attack 2d6. This works just as the rogue ability of the same name. If the favored enemy type is naturally immune to sneak attacks (such as oozes or undead), it is still subject to this sneak attack (unless the creature is protected from sneak attacks in some manner as well). This ability may be chosen more than once, and the effects stack. (If a creature falls into two categories of favored enemy, however, the effects from the two categories overlap.)
2. Superior critical. The ranger automatically confirms all critical hits against the favored enemy. If the favored enemy type is naturally immune to critical hits, the ranger may affect them with critical hits anyway (unless the creature is protected from critical hits in some other manner as well).
3. The ranger gets a +4 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by such creatures, and a +4 bonus on all saves against abilities granted by a race of the favored enemy type or a template that changes the creature's race to that type. The save bonus applies regardless of whether the creature is actually of that type; a ranger with Abberration as a favored enemy would get a bonus against the spell-like abilities of a half-dragon aboleth even though it is a dragon rather than an aberration.
This ability may be taken more than once; the effects stack. (If a creature falls into two categories of favored enemy, however, the effects from the two categories overlap.)
4. The ranger's attacks are automatically considered to have a particular property for purposes of bypassing the damage reduction and regeneration of the favored enemy, or of something that gained such a property from being of a race of that type (even if it does not have the type due to a template). The property depends on the selected creature type:

Spoiler

Construct: Adamantine
Dragon: +2 to magical enhancement bonus (so a nonmagical weapon is considered magical, and a +4 or better weapon is considered epic).
Elemental (Earth): Bludgeoning
Fey: Cold Iron
Giant: Fire or acid (this is randomly selected when the ability is chosen, and may not be changed.)
Magical Beast: +2 to magical enhancement bonus.
Monstrous humanoid: +2 to magical enhancement bonus.
Outsider (Chaotic): Cold Iron. If the ranger is lawful-aligned, the attack is also considered to be lawful-aligned.
Outsider (Evil): Cold Iron or Silver or +2 to magical enhancement bonus (choose one when this ability is taken; it may not be changed. This ability may be taken up to three times to get the others.) If the ranger is good-aligned, the attack is also considered to be good-aligned.
Outsider (Good): +2 to magical enhancement bonus. If the ranger is evil-aligned, the attack is also considered to be evil-aligned.
Outsider (Lawful): Chaotic. This requires the ranger to himself be chaotic.
Outsider (any elemental): +2 to magical enhancement bonus.
Undead: Bludgeoning
Other enemies: This ability may not be taken for such enemies.

If an enemy belongs to more than one favored enemy category, the effects may all be applied, but increases to effective magical enhancement bonus do not stack.
5. A +10 bonus to all knowledge checks regarding creatures of the favored enemy type. A knowledge check to which this ability applies is always considered trained. This may only be taken once for each favored enemy, and the effects overlap for a creature falling into more than one favored enemy category.

Combat Style change:

Spoiler

When a ranger reaches 2nd level, he may pick one feat to be the "root" of his combat style. This feat must be available as a bonus fighter feat, and must have either have a Dexterity prerequisite or either be Point Blank Shot or Mounted Combat or have one of them as a prerequisite, or be Combat Reflexes or Improved Unarmed Strike or Weapon Finesse.
At second level, sixth level, and eleventh level, the ranger may get any one feat that is marked as a bonus fighter feat and has the root feat as a prerequisite (or is itself the root feat). He must fulfill all prerequisites other than possession of the root feat.
Feats gained through this ability may only be used when wearing light armor or no armor. If a ranger later takes the feat normally, he may immediately replace it with another eligible feat.

-Balance is added to the ranger's list of class skills. If he takes 5 ranks in Jump, Swim, or Climb, he may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier as the key ability for that skill, and he gains a swim speed (for Swim) or climb speed (for Climb) equal to half his land speed, with all the associated advantages.
-The ranger is proficient with the net as well as all simple and martial weapons.
Level 1: The ranger gets Fast Movement just like (and overlapping with) the barbarian ability.
Level 3: The ranger may hide after attacking as a free action, and may do it even within 10' of his enemy. He still takes a -20 penalty.
Level 5: The ranger gets Blind-fight as a bonus feat.
Level 7: The ranger gets the Camouflage ability at this point instead of level 13.
Level 13: The ranger may hide in plain sight, but takes a -20 penalty on the Hide check to do so.
Level 17: The ranger takes no penalty to hide after attacking or to hide in plain sight.

Rogue:

Spoiler

The rogue adds the following to the list of available special abilities gained at level 10 and every 3 levels afterward:
-Expanded Sneak Attack (Ex): The rogue may sneak attack from up to 60 feet away (rather than the usual 30).
-Hide in Plain Sight (Ex): The rogue can use the Hide skill even while being observed. This requires a move action, and the Hide check is made at a -10 penalty. The rogue likewise only takes a -10 penalty to her hide check (rather than the normal -20) when sniping. In addition, the rogue can hide without cover or concealment, but takes a -10 penalty (which stacks with all others) to the Hide check when doing so.

[Yitzi]

And one more reserved just in case.

[NeoSeraphi]

I suggest you change the paladin's remove disease uses to daily, and eventually give them the ability to remove curse, remove fear (that one makes sense given his Aura of Courage), and break enchantment.

Suggestion for Greater Diamond Soul: In addition to increasing the amount of SR the monk gets, I suggest giving the monk the ability to raise and lower his SR as an immediate action (At 18th level, an improvement from the original Diamond Soul) (Assuming immediate actions exist in Core-only games)

...So what does hold person do then?

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

I suggest you change the paladin's remove disease uses to daily, and eventually give them the ability to remove curse, remove fear (that one makes sense given his Aura of Courage), and break enchantment.

That's definitely the way to go if you want to focus on the paladin-as-status-healer archetype. I don't really see that as well-supported, though (Pathfinder nonwithstanding), and would rather go for the paladin-as-holy-warrior archetype.

Suggestion for Greater Diamond Soul: In addition to increasing the amount of SR the monk gets, I suggest giving the monk the ability to raise and lower his SR as an immediate action (At 18th level, an improvement from the original Diamond Soul) (Assuming immediate actions exist in Core-only games)

Immediate actions do exist in Core (e.g. casting Feather Fall), if not by that name, but I don't really see any reason that a monk should get that ability. (He also shouldn't need it; most magical protections are duplicated by his class abilities, and those few that aren't, such as Fly, can usually be duplicated by items (which ignore his SR when he's the one using them.) Throw in Soulspell so even a CL 5 Fly can't be easily dispelled, and he should do just fine.

...So what does hold person do then?

I'm not quite sure what the question is. If the target succeeds on their save, nothing, if they fail by less than 5 it paralyzes them one round, if they fail by 5-9 it paralyzes them until they make a successful save (the save is a free action, so they could, for instance, cast a silent stilled spell in the same round they try to make a save to break it), and if they fail by 10 or more it paralyzes them until they make a successful save (the save is a full-round action, so they can't cast a silent stilled spell that round.)

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

That's definitely the way to go if you want to focus on the paladin-as-status-healer archetype. I don't really see that as well-supported, though (Pathfinder nonwithstanding), and would rather go for the paladin-as-holy-warrior archetype.

No arguments here. Still, if you're going to leave remove disease in the class, you should at least change it to daily uses.

Immediate actions do exist in Core (e.g. casting Feather Fall), if not by that name, but I don't really see any reason that a monk should get that ability. (He also shouldn't need it; most magical protections are duplicated by his class abilities, and those few that aren't, such as Fly, can usually be duplicated by items (which ignore his SR when he's the one using them.) Throw in Soulspell so even a CL 5 Fly can't be easily dispelled, and he should do just fine.

Whether he needs it or not, he should get it as a reflection of his ability to control his body more and more easily as he advances through the class. I don't know, it just makes sense to me, that's all.

I'm not quite sure what the question is. If the target succeeds on their save, nothing, if they fail by less than 5 it paralyzes them one round, if they fail by 5-9 it paralyzes them until they make a successful save (the save is a free action, so they could, for instance, cast a silent stilled spell in the same round they try to make a save to break it), and if they fail by 10 or more it paralyzes them until they make a successful save (the save is a full-round action, so they can't cast a silent stilled spell that round.)

Alright

[Ashtagon]

A creature's total ability score (including increases gained every 4 levels, but not including bonuses) cannot exceed 18 plus one-fourth its HD.

Gold dragons just got a lot weaker and dumber and downright socially awkward.

[Ziegander]

Originally Posted by Ashtagon

Gold dragons just got a lot weaker and dumber and downright socially awkward.

While I agree that the "ability scores max out at 23" rule is one of the worst houserules I've ever seen, I don't understand the above sentiment. A score of 23 in Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma is still far above the stats of any human you're ever going to meet (IRL).

[Ashtagon]

Originally Posted by Ziegander

While I agree that the "ability scores max out at 23" rule is one of the worst houserules I've ever seen, I don't understand the above sentiment. A score of 23 in Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma is still far above the stats of any human you're ever going to meet (IRL).

Comparing creatures that have wings, breathe fire, and are 40 feet long to a puny human is not reasonable. And that's before you consider magic.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

No arguments here. Still, if you're going to leave remove disease in the class, you should at least change it to daily uses.

Why? It's not something he's likely to need all that often.

Whether he needs it or not, he should get it as a reflection of his ability to control his body more and more easily as he advances through the class. I don't know, it just makes sense to me, that's all.

Spell resistance is really a measure of his soul rather than his body. And he can control it, it just takes a bit of focus.

Originally Posted by Ashtagon

Gold dragons just got a lot weaker and dumber and downright socially awkward.

Perhaps I wasn't clear; if a monster begins with high ability scores, that counts as a racial bonus. Adding that now. Thanks for pointing out the potential confusion.

[Dryad]

Comparing creatures that have wings, breathe fire, and are 40 feet long to a puny human is not reasonable. And that's before you consider magic.

By this reasoning, the game system itself is unreasonable, because that is exactly what it's meant to do.

OP:
I quite agree with the spirit of the tightening of rules, but some (GM may simply decide that cheesy strats don't work) should be... Well; self-explanatory, since the game tells us that whatever the GM decides is right, basically.

Other things are possibly solutions that only work against people who treat the system as a book of law, and try to find any loophole. To people like me, they don't mean much, and seem to overcomplicate things.

I do complete agree with your take on miss-chance, and have used a similar idea myself for a long time. I also love your tier-system of conditions! It makes no sense that someone could take both the penalties of being blinded as well as those of having blurry vision. Thanks for making a clear and understandable list!

[Ziegander]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

Perhaps I wasn't clear; if a monster begins with high ability scores, that counts as a racial bonus. Adding that now. Thanks for pointing out the potential confusion.

That's even stupider, sorry if I offend, but the only saving grace that could possibly be gleaned from the "max 23" rule was helping to provide some parity between PC and monster ability scores. Now you are simply making melee impossible and PC save DCs are going to be FAR outpaced by monsters save DCs.

[Realms of Chaos]

Um... the alteration to the ability score caps, as currently written, doesn't actually do anything. Because it wasn't specified that racial bonuses don't count (which I think was the intention), no bonus other than that gained through HD (which can't raise your ability scores above 18 + 1/4 HD) counts towards that maximum.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by Dryad

OP:
I quite agree with the spirit of the tightening of rules, but some (GM may simply decide that cheesy strats don't work) should be... Well; self-explanatory, since the game tells us that whatever the GM decides is right, basically.

Other things are possibly solutions that only work against people who treat the system as a book of law, and try to find any loophole. To people like me, they don't mean much, and seem to overcomplicate things.

Indeed; a notable portion of this (NOT all, though) is really just meant to make such things clearly not be an issue. Others are actually really needed even in a normal game, though.

Originally Posted by Ziegander

That's even stupider, sorry if I offend, but the only saving grace that could possibly be gleaned from the "max 23" rule was helping to provide some parity between PC and monster ability scores. Now you are simply making melee impossible and PC save DCs are going to be FAR outpaced by monsters save DCs.

Nonsense, for several reasons:
1. It's not meant to provide parity between PC and monster ability scores, but rather less difference between a PC's most important score (where he can no longer apply inherent bonuses on top of advancement increases) and secondary abilities (where now he can apply more than 5 from wishes and tomes/manuals).
2. Melee is nowhere near impossible. You can still reach 23 before bonuses, meaning 29 (+9 bonus) with bonuses (even restricting things to items), so even a fighter who picks entirely useless feats (which is essentially an NPC class) can get 20+9+5(weapon enhancement)=+34 bonus. That's quite enough to hit anything (except a defensively optimized PC-type) with a very decent chance.
3. PC save DCs will actually tend to improve as a result of this change, since the "inherent bonus" slot will boost their secondary abilities rather than primary abilities, and saves are usually based off secondary abilities. This was actually part of the original goal of the change.

Remember, in the old system you were also capped at 18+1/4 HD, simply because there's no way to start with more than 18 or increase the base score more than once every 4 levels. So the only way it weakens PCs is by removing inherent bonuses with the replacement not being usable on the key ability score.

Originally Posted by Realms of Chaos

Um... the alteration to the ability score caps, as currently written, doesn't actually do anything. Because it wasn't specified that racial bonuses don't count (which I think was the intention), no bonus other than that gained through HD (which can't raise your ability scores above 18 + 1/4 HD) counts towards that maximum.

As I said to Ziegander, it indeed would do nothing by itself. But when combined with the change to inherent bonuses (which turns them into an actual increase to an ability score), it does provide a much-needed cap on those.

[Ziegander]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

2. Melee is nowhere near impossible. You can still reach 23 before bonuses, meaning 29 (+9 bonus) with bonuses (even restricting things to items)[...]

Ahhh, sorry then, my mistake. The rule as written sounded to me like ability scores simply can not exceed 23, which would be... insane, but if you intend ability scores to cap at 23 before any bonuses well, then that makes a good deal more sense.

[Yitzi]

Yeah, a cap of 23 after bonuses at high levels would get sort of silly.

[Yitzi]

Sorcerer features are up; they can also be found by themselves here.

[Glimbur]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

As I said to Ziegander, it indeed would do nothing by itself. But when combined with the change to inherent bonuses (which turns them into an actual increase to an ability score), it does provide a much-needed cap on those.

Suppose a hypothetical human wizard. He takes 20 levels in wizard, which you wouldn't expect due to his Int and PrC's being better, but that's a different discussion. Wizard 20. Starts with 18 Int. Stat increase at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20. Int is now 23. Under the normal system, he can also read a book of +5 Int and get 28 Int. He can also age to middle aged or old if he really wants more Int. Under your system, he is stuck at 23 base int. The difference between 23 Int and 28 Int is a few plusses in skills you can already do easily by level 20, and a 3rd, 4th, and 5th level spell per day. Add in the +6 item we would expect and we are comparing 29 to 34 Int. This is an extra 6th, 7th, and 8th level spell per day. Significant? Somewhat. Is it worth making a new rule over? I disagree with you here: I don't think it is. Inherent bonuses help high level PCs be more distinct from lower level ones. Even the humble fighter appreciates another +2-3 to hit and +2-4 damage which he could get from a Manual of Gainful Exercise.

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Glimbur

Suppose a hypothetical human wizard. He takes 20 levels in wizard, which you wouldn't expect due to his Int and PrC's being better, but that's a different discussion. Wizard 20. Starts with 18 Int. Stat increase at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20. Int is now 23. Under the normal system, he can also read a book of +5 Int and get 28 Int. He can also age to middle aged or old if he really wants more Int. Under your system, he is stuck at 23 base int. The difference between 23 Int and 28 Int is a few plusses in skills you can already do easily by level 20, and a 3rd, 4th, and 5th level spell per day. Add in the +6 item we would expect and we are comparing 29 to 34 Int. This is an extra 6th, 7th, and 8th level spell per day. Significant? Somewhat. Is it worth making a new rule over? I disagree with you here: I don't think it is. Inherent bonuses help high level PCs be more distinct from lower level ones. Even the humble fighter appreciates another +2-3 to hit and +2-4 damage which he could get from a Manual of Gainful Exercise.

I don't think Yitzi is worried about the extra 6th, 7th, and 8th level spells per day. I think he's more concerned about the +3 bonus to all save DCs (+4 if you include old-venerable age, +5 if you're a race that has a +2 bonus to Intelligence)

With DCs, every single point counts, because it's a potential 5% increase in every one of your offensive spells succeeding. That +5 there...that's a 25% increased success rate. That's incredibly significant, much more so than a +7 bonus to damage with a two-handed weapon (Though that itself is also pretty significant considering it applies to every attack roll)

Plus, you have to consider epic levels. Epic spellcasting focuses on Spellcraft checks. Every point of Intelligence increases the threshold for more and more powerful spells you can create and cast. (That +5 bonus? That's 5 more points I could spend creating a spell and still take 10 on my Spellcraft checks to cast it)

[Glimbur]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

I don't think Yitzi is worried about the extra 6th, 7th, and 8th level spells per day. I think he's more concerned about the +3 bonus to all save DCs (+4 if you include old-venerable age, +5 if you're a race that has a +2 bonus to Intelligence)

With DCs, every single point counts, because it's a potential 5% increase in every one of your offensive spells succeeding. That +5 there...that's a 25% increased success rate. That's incredibly significant, much more so than a +7 bonus to damage with a two-handed weapon (Though that itself is also pretty significant considering it applies to every attack roll)

Plus, you have to consider epic levels. Epic spellcasting focuses on Spellcraft checks. Every point of Intelligence increases the threshold for more and more powerful spells you can create and cast. (That +5 bonus? That's 5 more points I could spend creating a spell and still take 10 on my Spellcraft checks to cast it)

Let's look at some monsters, since players mostly fight monsters in a standard game.

A Wyrm Black Dragon is CR 20, so the party should be able to take 4 of them in a day and be pretty beat up/exhausted of resources. That means a OHKO shouldn't be feasible, but it should be possible. Saving bonuses are +26/+19/+23. Core doesn't particularly have Ref or Die spells, so we will consider a hypothetical Fort Save or die spell, as well as a Will or Die spell. DC for a 9th level spell from our 20th level wizard is 10+9(level)+9 or 12 for a total DC of 28 or 31. Dragon makes that on a 5 versus an 8 assuming a will save, and that is ignoring its SR of 26... which should mostly be ignored as it will be beaten by the wizard on a roll of 6 on d20. There's about a 14.5% chance of the dragon dying to the wizard with an ability cap versus 29% chance of dying to the wizard without the ability cap, assuming the wizard knows to use a will save spell and that there is a will save or die spell at 9th level (there's Imprisonment, which is a touch spell, and Dominate Monster, which is pretty nice to land on a dragon).

A Balor is also CR 20. Saves are 22/19/19 with 28 SR except it has Unholy Aura at will so saves are really 26/23/23. That's better than the dragon wiht better SR, so the wizard has even less of a chance of ending the encounter in one spell.

The Tarrasque is CR 20 and has saves of 38/29/20 with SR 32 and immunity to rays, lines, cones, and magic missiles. Again Dominate Monster would be cute, but again the odds are not great: even the uncapped wizard has DC of 31 so Terry needs to roll less than an 11 and the wizard needs to roll a 12 or more. Possible? Yes, but it is worse than a coin flip and Terry can kill at least one person a round given the chance.

Yitzi isn't planning on including racial bonuses in the cap, and we haven't heard if old age applies or not, so it's at most a +4 difference.

I didn't consider Epic because, honestly, Epic is even worse at being balanced than pre-epic. I also didn't consider Epic Spellcasting because it is terrible without mitigation and with mitigation Spellcraft is irrelevant. I posted in this old thread to explain why.

[YouLostMe]

This is quite a lot, and I do appreciate the work here. One thing I'd like to pitch in is about those condition tracks: They are bad.

One thing condition tracks do is stack with each other, and you have shown. Now, I couldn't really understand the special DC stuff about each track, but I do believe that the more afflicted you are by an effect of a certain level, the easier it is to afflict you with an effect of the next level. That's a big deal, because it means that parties will be more effective if everyone is spamming the same kinds of abilities. Stun will be more useful is everyone runs stun, or everybody but the damage guy runs stun. This will encourage parties to play similar characters, which is almost against the iconic nature of D&D. I dislike that, and would prefer that if a character is affected by ANY tier 1 effect, it becomes easier for him/her to be hit with ANY tier 2 effect.

Please correct me if I'm wrong in my assumptions. I are not always the read gud.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

I don't think Yitzi is worried about the extra 6th, 7th, and 8th level spells per day. I think he's more concerned about the +3 bonus to all save DCs (+4 if you include old-venerable age, +5 if you're a race that has a +2 bonus to Intelligence)

With DCs, every single point counts, because it's a potential 5% increase in every one of your offensive spells succeeding. That +5 there...that's a 25% increased success rate. That's incredibly significant, much more so than a +7 bonus to damage with a two-handed weapon (Though that itself is also pretty significant considering it applies to every attack roll)

This; it's mainly because of the effect on DCs. Of course, decreasing the number of different spells a wizard can prepare helps too, as does allowing the fighter to increase his CON with manuals far more effectively.

Plus, you have to consider epic levels. Epic spellcasting focuses on Spellcraft checks.

Epic spellcasting is broken anyway; I think a modified version of the epic metamagic replacement posted here a while back is a better way to go.

Originally Posted by Glimbur

Let's look at some monsters, since players mostly fight monsters in a standard game.

A Wyrm Black Dragon is CR 20, so the party should be able to take 4 of them in a day and be pretty beat up/exhausted of resources. That means a OHKO shouldn't be feasible, but it should be possible. Saving bonuses are +26/+19/+23. Core doesn't particularly have Ref or Die spells, so we will consider a hypothetical Fort Save or die spell, as well as a Will or Die spell. DC for a 9th level spell from our 20th level wizard is 10+9(level)+9 or 12 for a total DC of 28 or 31. Dragon makes that on a 5 versus an 8 assuming a will save, and that is ignoring its SR of 26... which should mostly be ignored as it will be beaten by the wizard on a roll of 6 on d20. There's about a 14.5% chance of the dragon dying to the wizard with an ability cap versus 29% chance of dying to the wizard without the ability cap, assuming the wizard knows to use a will save spell and that there is a will save or die spell at 9th level (there's Imprisonment, which is a touch spell, and Dominate Monster, which is pretty nice to land on a dragon).

That's the wizard's fault for targeting the dragon's best saves. Instead, he should be forgetting about save-or-dies (which have been nerfed anyway by the condition levels fix) and using Reflex save spells (which he does have a pretty decent chance of hitting with, and will probably do some damage even without), or buffs, or some of those no-save debuffs or combat control spells he has.

so the wizard has even less of a chance of ending the encounter in one spell.

That's a feature, not a bug.

Originally Posted by YouLostMe

This is quite a lot, and I do appreciate the work here. One thing I'd like to pitch in is about those condition tracks: They are bad.

One thing condition tracks do is stack with each other, and you have shown.

The intent was not that they should stack substantially except where they would anyway (and nausea, which really should include "sickened" as well). Fixed.

Now, I couldn't really understand the special DC stuff about each track, but I do believe that the more afflicted you are by an effect of a certain level, the easier it is to afflict you with an effect of the next level. That's a big deal, because it means that parties will be more effective if everyone is spamming the same kinds of abilities.

Sort of. You'll get a better chance of getting someone totally taken out of the fight, but on the flip side you get no effect if someone just barely misses their save (since two sickened effects, for instance, don't stack.)

Stun will be more useful is everyone runs stun, or everybody but the damage guy runs stun. This will encourage parties to play similar characters, which is almost against the iconic nature of D&D.

Except that if everyone plays a wizard so they can spam stun, they'll be extremely vulnerable to classes and monsters that are strong against wizards, and they will find themselves having to escape or face a TPK relatively often.

I dislike that, and would prefer that if a character is affected by ANY tier 1 effect, it becomes easier for him/her to be hit with ANY tier 2 effect.

Except that makes no sense. Why should being dazzled make you more vulnerable to nausea? Better to rely on the fact that party diversity is still needed for the same reasons as usual, and on the fact that spamming the same effect over and over is a double-edged sword.

Please correct me if I'm wrong in my assumptions. I are not always the read gud.

Done.

[Glimbur]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

That's the wizard's fault for targeting the dragon's best saves. Instead, he should be forgetting about save-or-dies (which have been nerfed anyway by the condition levels fix) and using Reflex save spells (which he does have a pretty decent chance of hitting with, and will probably do some damage even without), or buffs, or some of those no-save debuffs or combat control spells he has.



That's a feature, not a bug.

We're talking past each other here. As I understood it, the point of putting a cap on attributes was to reduce the power of spellcasters to end an encounter in one spell. If they are casting spells which do damage, or debuffs, or buffs, then they are being team players because they do things which help the party but do not invalidate them. A polar ray (though I don't know why you would cast that spell) does damage, as does the barbarian, so they are working as a team. A Heightened Finger of Death ignores the barbarian's contribution and makes him feel useless and angry. So, let's start over: what is your design goal in capping attributes?

Actually, you already answered that question. I should read the thread.

1) It will encourage PC's to have lower high ability scores, but it doesn't follow that, for example, a Wizard who cannot get a +5 Tome of Int would buy a +5 Tome of Wis instead of Pearls of Power or staves or similar. It seems more likely that highest scores will be lower and low scores will be unaffected. Why is this a design goal, anyway?
2)+34 to hit is ok for attacking a Balor, with AC 35 (really 39 due to at-will Unholy Aura) means your primary will hit on a 5. But your secondary needs a 10, your third attack needs a 15, and forget about your fourth attack. The wyrm black dragon also has a 39 AC. Is hitting with about two attacks a round in melee really enough to stand toe to toe with a dragon's 46/41/41/41/41/41 attack routine? That's a slugfest that will only end one way: pureed PC. That's not really your fault though, Dragons are murder machines. Consider the Balor again. It swings at only 31/26/21/16 with a vorpal weapon and 30/25 with a flaming entangling whip. Hey, that whip calls for a Str check to resist it. The Balor has a 35 Str. Our 20th level fighter with ability caps cannot have more than 29 Str after a +6 item.
tl;dr You can hit once, but iteratives are hindered, and one attack a round at high levels is pretty garbage.
3)What saves are based on secondary attributes? Full casters are all SAD in core, and save DC is a plenty good reason to boost an attribute for MAD casters like Favored Soul. Paladins and Knights and other Cha-influenced brawlers would like more Cha... but removing options isn't the best way to encourage variety.

Except that if everyone plays a wizard so they can spam stun, they'll be extremely vulnerable to classes and monsters that are strong against wizards, and they will find themselves having to escape or face a TPK relatively often.

You don't have to be a wizard to stun. Monks can do it, there's a Sudden Stunning property in DMG II which Cha-based melee characters like, Clerics and Druids can probably stun thanks to so many spells to choose, some fighting style feats allow stunning, and the list goes on. Choose an affliction, and there are probably many ways to induce that in an opponent. Look at fear/intimidate optimization and you see the results of a condition track.

[NeoSeraphi]

Alright, I wasn't planning to join the fray on this particular discussion, but it seems necessary given the numbers that are being thrown around.

Yitzi. You can't adjust the rules for PCs while completely ignoring the rules for monsters. It doesn't work that way. If you lower the power of every class while letting monsters stay just as powerful, the CR system falls completely out of whack.

AC is a broken mechanic. This isn't something you can argue, it's fact. Unless you can wear full plate, and more than half the classes can't, your AC will be 30 or less unless you're shapeshifting somehow. (10+10 for a +5 breastplate +3 Dex is 26 for a barbarian, 10+5 Class +10 Wis +5 Dex is 30 for a tank-monk, 10+9 for a +5 chain shirt +10 Dex is 29 for a rogue)

This means, if you're getting full-attacked by a monster, you're going to get hit almost every time at higher levels. So how do you kill a monster? You have to nerf it somehow before you charge in.

It's like...*shudders* It's like Final Fantasy XIII. In order to make every role seem important, rather than just blasters and DPR, monsters gain all kinds of immunities to melee and energy damage, so you have to stun or daze or petrify them instead of just straight up hitting them with your sword.

You, on the other hand, have nerfed DCs and debuffs, as well as PC melee stats, while keeping all monsters untouched.

Now you're going to charge at a monster who was CR'ed with the intent of facing PCs capable of casting miracle, flesh to stone, and destruction, but with a 29 in two stats and your defensive spells killed, no Shock Trooper, no Heedless Charge, etc.

You know why non-Core exists? Because the MM is poorly designed. Because regeneration, DR, level-draining, rending, grappling, swallowing hole, and other things, are poorly designed. Because you're going to fight monsters as superhumans, when you need to be a monster to fight a monster.

If you want to kill the tarrasque with damage, you're doing it wrong. If you want to kill a dragon with damage, you're doing it wrong. Monsters are designed to be challenging to sub-optimized, equal to optimized, and devastating to unoptimized, at least in Core-only (which is why all that extra material was released. Because monsters are too powerful)

So by nerfing damage, by nerfing debuffs, by nerfing stats themselves without improving AC or weakening enemies, you're basically setting up higher level games to be completely unbalanced and challenging, requiring immense amounts of optimization from the players who can't optimize because there are limits on their power, when there are no such limits on monsters.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by Glimbur

We're talking past each other here. As I understood it, the point of putting a cap on attributes was to reduce the power of spellcasters to end an encounter in one spell. If they are casting spells which do damage, or debuffs, or buffs, then they are being team players because they do things which help the party but do not invalidate them. A polar ray (though I don't know why you would cast that spell) does damage, as does the barbarian, so they are working as a team. A Heightened Finger of Death ignores the barbarian's contribution and makes him feel useless and angry. So, let's start over: what is your design goal in capping attributes?

To take things literally: The main reason to cap ability scores is so that wish/tomes/manuals can't increase ability scores without bound (now that they're actual increases rather than inherent bonuses).

To answer the question you meant: Primary ability scores are now effectively capped 5 points earlier in order to weaken SAD builds and classes, and in particular casters, with the eventual goal that they should not make the rest of the party useless.

1) It will encourage PC's to have lower high ability scores, but it doesn't follow that, for example, a Wizard who cannot get a +5 Tome of Int would buy a +5 Tome of Wis instead of Pearls of Power or staves or similar.

It seems more likely that highest scores will be lower and low scores will be unaffected.

The lowest and least important scores (e.g. WIS for a wizard) will indeed be unaffected. But the intermediate scores (DEX for a wizard, or WIS for a monk, or CON for anyone) will be increased.

Why is this a design goal, anyway?

Because SAD classes are too strong as things stand, and MAD classes too weak.

2)+34 to hit is ok for attacking a Balor, with AC 35 (really 39 due to at-will Unholy Aura) means your primary will hit on a 5. But your secondary needs a 10, your third attack needs a 15, and forget about your fourth attack. The wyrm black dragon also has a 39 AC. Is hitting with about two attacks a round in melee really enough to stand toe to toe with a dragon's 46/41/41/41/41/41 attack routine?

Probably not. That's where class features and feats (and of course the advantage of fighting 4 against 1) come in.

Consider the Balor again. It swings at only 31/26/21/16 with a vorpal weapon and 30/25 with a flaming entangling whip. Hey, that whip calls for a Str check to resist it. The Balor has a 35 Str. Our 20th level fighter with ability caps cannot have more than 29 Str after a +6 item.

So the fighter only has a 34% chance to win the check (of course, if he fails he can try to escape again; hopefully he's gotten Resist Fire from the wizard or cleric). Meanwhile, the rest of the party's attacking the Balor (he's only got one whip.)

Also, the Balor needs to hit; with the right feat set (involving upcoming feats), that can be made highly unlikely (albeit at the cost of the fighter giving up his own to-hit.)

Also, keep in mind that under "normal" rules he can only get 5 better than that, so it's not such a big difference. Balors are tough enemies, usually requiring tactics and teamwork to beat.

tl;dr You can hit once, but iteratives are hindered, and one attack a round at high levels is pretty garbage.

True, but Rage or feats will help quite a bit with that.

3)What saves are based on secondary attributes?

All of them except Reflex for rangers and rogues and Will for divine casters.

You don't have to be a wizard to stun. Monks can do it, there's a Sudden Stunning property in DMG II which Cha-based melee characters like

This is for Core. I.e. no DMG II.

Clerics and Druids can probably stun thanks to so many spells to choose, some fighting style feats allow stunning, and the list goes on. Choose an affliction, and there are probably many ways to induce that in an opponent. Look at fear/intimidate optimization and you see the results of a condition track.

That usually assumes resources from splatbooks.

[NeoSeraphi]

Yitzi, I think you missed my points in the post above your most recent one...

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

Yitzi. You can't adjust the rules for PCs while completely ignoring the rules for monsters. It doesn't work that way. If you lower the power of every class while letting monsters stay just as powerful, the CR system falls completely out of whack.

But I'm not lowering the power of every class. So far I've done the casters (which are lowered), and a few overall changes (which lower them a bit); I have yet to do the fighter, the barbarian, the paladin, and the ranger, all of which get substantial boosts.

Unless you can wear full plate, and more than half the classes can't, your AC will be 30 or less unless you're shapeshifting somehow. (10+10 for a +5 breastplate +3 Dex is 26 for a barbarian, 10+5 Class +10 Wis +5 Dex is 30 for a tank-monk, 10+9 for a +5 chain shirt +10 Dex is 29 for a rogue)

I'm planning to provide some new feats to help boost AC. But even so, the only classes that will really rely on AC to help them survive will be fighter, paladin, and cleric (and probably druid.) Wizards and sorcerers will have to rely on their allies and/or mobility, monks will rely on mobility, barbarians will rely on their hit points and DR, and rogues, bards to some extent, and rangers will rely on their hide checks (and also, in the case of rogues, on not staying in the fight after the first hit)

This means, if you're getting full-attacked by a monster, you're going to get hit almost every time at higher levels. So how do you kill a monster? You have to nerf it somehow before you charge in.

There are a number of decent nerfs that casters can do with a decent chance of success. Nothing battle-winning, but Shaken or Sickened are some pretty decent debuffs.

Now you're going to charge at a monster who was CR'ed with the intent of facing PCs capable of casting miracle, flesh to stone, and destruction, but with a 29 in two stats and your defensive spells killed, no Shock Trooper, no Heedless Charge, etc.

A 29 instead of a 34 isn't all that much worse. And there might not be a Shock Trooper, but there will be powerful feats to replace them.

You know why non-Core exists? Because the MM is poorly designed. Because regeneration, DR, level-draining, rending, grappling, swallowing hole, and other things, are poorly designed. Because you're going to fight monsters as superhumans, when you need to be a monster to fight a monster.

How are all those things poorly designed? Most of them are relatively straightforward to counter, and the few exceptions I plan to make melee classes more powerful against. Not that grappling a Tarrasque will ever become a viable strategy, but against dragons it'll be quite feasible.

If you want to kill the tarrasque with damage, you're doing it wrong. If you want to kill a dragon with damage, you're doing it wrong. Monsters are designed to be challenging to sub-optimized, equal to optimized, and devastating to unoptimized

The problem is that "optimization" seems to help out the casters more than anyone else, and that makes it no fun for non-casters who can't use non-Core.

So by nerfing damage, by nerfing debuffs, by nerfing stats themselves without improving AC or weakening enemies, you're basically setting up higher level games to be completely unbalanced and challenging, requiring immense amounts of optimization from the players who can't optimize because there are limits on their power, when there are no such limits on monsters.

The monsters face the exact same limits; they just don't tend to use the same effects as often. (That said, the condition levels change will be a relief when fighting a basilisk.)

But overall, your post seems to be working on the assumption that what's been done so far is a representative sample of boosts and nerfs, while it's not (it has far more nerfs than boosts as compared to the completed version.)

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

Yitzi, I think you missed my points in the post above your most recent one...

That would be because I had started responding when you posted it. Dealt with now.

[NeoSeraphi]

Originally Posted by Yitzi

But I'm not lowering the power of every class. So far I've done the casters (which are lowered), and a few overall changes (which lower them a bit); I have yet to do the fighter, the barbarian, the paladin, and the ranger, all of which get substantial boosts.

You did do the fighter. I was part of that thread. The feats you wrote didn't help at all. Don't you remember that math I used to prove that melee didn't need help hitting things? Though to be fair, that was using the Core-only inherent bonus, which you just removed, nerfing melee pretty hard.

I'm planning to provide some new feats to help boost AC. But even so, the only classes that will really rely on AC to help them survive will be fighter, paladin, and cleric (and probably druid.) Wizards and sorcerers will have to rely on their allies and/or mobility, monks will rely on mobility, barbarians will rely on their hit points and DR, and rogues, bards to some extent, and rangers will rely on their hide checks (and also, in the case of rogues, on not staying in the fight after the first hit)

Hide checks do nothing against creatures with blindsight or tremorsense. If the character's only reasonable defense is stripped, then it's not a good system. And giving options to improve AC as feats, which most characters only get 7 of, is not a good option either. (See also: Dodge)

One of the classes who will need the AC boost most, the rogue, will not be able to take it because he needs to spend 3 feats on Two-Weapon Fighting and one on Weapon Finesse.

Mobility does not help the monk when he's provoking attacks of opportunity for moving in and attacking (Especially with his low AC) Skirmishers suck against creatures with reach (AKA: Half the monsters in the MM with a CR of 7 or higher)

There are a number of decent nerfs that casters can do with a decent chance of success. Nothing battle-winning, but Shaken or Sickened are some pretty decent debuffs.

Shaken is not a "decent" debuff. A -2 penalty to all actions does not help against a creature with +30 to hit if a character's AC is 23. Same for sicken. Now, nausea and frighten, those are some decent debuffs.

A 29 instead of a 34 isn't all that much worse. And there might not be a Shock Trooper, but there will be powerful feats to replace them.

I've seen your new fighter feats. They're not "powerful".

How are all those things poorly designed? Most of them are relatively straightforward to counter, and the few exceptions I plan to make melee classes more powerful against. Not that grappling a Tarrasque will ever become a viable strategy, but against dragons it'll be quite feasible.

That's great. What I'm telling you now is that your current design has weakened melee. If you're going to change that, good. That was my intent. As it is now, most melee characters would die. Plain and simple.

The monsters face the exact same limits; they just don't tend to use the same effects as often. (That said, the condition levels change will be a relief when fighting a basilisk.)

No they don't. They get to keep their ridiculous stats, insane natural armor, and high damage output from natural weapons. The Giant put it best

Let's turn the magic off. You're a human with 29 Int and 8 Str. While I? I am still a dragon.

And before you miss the point completely, the Anti-Magic Field in that comic is not literal. It's a metaphor for your conditions nerf.

[Yitzi]

Originally Posted by NeoSeraphi

You did do the fighter. I was part of that thread. The feats you wrote didn't help at all.

That's why I rethought the whole idea of the fighter and have a completely different plan (focusing not on vertical power but horizontal power and the ability to change the rules), which is why I didn't use the old fighter fix in this one like I did for the monk/

Hide checks do nothing against creatures with blindsight or tremorsense.

Most creatures with blindsight tend to ignore AC with their most powerful attacks as well; when fighting an Yrthak, things are of course going to be different than usual.

Tremorsense is more likely to be an issue, but note that it gives only the location (like blindsense does); it does not remove concealment. So the successful hide check will still give total concealment, for a 50% miss chance (25% if the enemy has Blind-Fight), which is pretty decent.

And giving options to improve AC as feats, which most characters only get 7 of, is not a good option either. (See also: Dodge)

It'll help the fighter (who gets a lot more than 7) and the paladin (who under the new rules gets more), and maybe a few that can use it particularly well (note that it's not going to be static bonuses, but rather something more along the lines of Combat Expertise).

One of the classes who will need the AC boost most, the rogue, will not be able to take it because he needs to spend 3 feats on Two-Weapon Fighting and one on Weapon Finesse.

Or he can ditch Two-Weapon Fighting, stay away from the enemy, and use ranged attacks. Or if he prefers he can go for Spring Attack so that he never ends his turn next to the enemy (this of course works a lot better with an ally who focuses on combat control). Naturally, this means that he won't be as useful in combat as a fighter or barbarian, but he's far more effective outside of combat (while rogues can't easily be strongly "optimized" in the normal sense, an optimally-played rogue is second only to an optimally-played bard in effectiveness.)

Or he can talk the party wizard into giving him Improved Invisibility, which gives him not only easy sneak-attacks and a much-needed boost to hit, but also 50% miss chance.

Mobility does not help the monk when he's provoking attacks of opportunity for moving in and attacking (Especially with his low AC)

That's what Mobility and Spring Attack are for. And of course he can go after enemies that can't take effective attacks of opportunity, such as archers and casters.

Skirmishers suck against creatures with reach (AKA: Half the monsters in the MM with a CR of 7 or higher)

True; the monk is somewhat of a niche class.

Shaken is not a "decent" debuff. A -2 penalty to all actions does not help against a creature with +30 to hit if a character's AC is 23.

You shouldn't be facing something with +30 to hit (barring enemies with PC classes) until level 17 or 18 at the earliest, and by that point there's something seriously wrong if you can't push your AC well above 23.

I've seen your new fighter feats.

That was the old version, which was based on the idea of changing bonuses. The new version is based more on the idea of changing the rules.

That's great. What I'm telling you now is that your current design has weakened melee. If you're going to change that, good. That was my intent. As it is now, most melee characters would die. Plain and simple.

Probably, but not as badly as you imply. After all, the Tarrasque's attack, while powerful, is nothing that can't be survived for some time by a 20th level party with a few good buffs and some decent tactics, and Swallow Whole might look impressive but requires Improved Grab, which is countered by a level 4 spell.

No they don't. They get to keep their ridiculous stats, insane natural armor, and high damage output from natural weapons. The Giant put it best

Let's turn the magic off. You're a human with 29 Int and 8 Str. While I? I am still a dragon.

As I said; the limits are technically the same, they just affect the PCs more. (Of course, so do the upcoming boosts.)

And before you miss the point completely, the Anti-Magic Field in that comic is not literal. It's a metaphor for your conditions nerf.

And yet the dragon still waited until V separated him/herself from the party.