Homebrew DesignRoll up your sleeves and get working: there's lots of homebrewin' to be done! Post your custom creation for critiques or review those of your peers.
Before we even begin, one more big thanks to ErrantX and Vorpal Tribble, whose regular contests inspired me to make my own! Also, another big thanks to ErrantX, whose format I'm completely stealing.
The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will run through 11:59 EST of July 15th.
Soon after a poll will be opened for voting that will last through July 29th.
Rules
1) You will be creating at least one, but but up to four 'original' sets of substitution levels. They can be either racial (examples of racial substitution levels can be found here), membership-based (examples of membership-based substitution levels can be found here), or something else of your own imagining. However, if submitting multiple sets of substitution levels, all of them must contain a common thread, whether they're all for the same class, they all require the character to be a goblinoid, they're all for the same organization, or something else.
2) Entries must include name, requirements, tables, and description of abilities. Incomplete entries at the deadline will be disqualified.
3) Entries must be 3.5, and should probably be using the standard format below. The format isn't required, but it makes everybody's life easier, especially voters.
4) Post all entries in this thread. Post all conversation, questions, etc in the chat thread.
5) Maximum of one entry per participant. You cannot enter a legacy weapon and a minor artifact, you must choose one or the other.
6) Entries must be your own work, and must not be copied for other places. Only new work may submitted; no previously posted work will be accepted. Such entries will be disqualified.
7) No reserving posts. Feel free to tweak your creation, but the initial post must include the basics.
Voting
There will be three categories for voting: Playground Favorite, Best Connection, and Wish I'd Thought of That! Entrants are allowed to vote for themselves, but that's usually poor form, and you're encouraged not to unless you truly believe yours is far and away superior.
Playground Favorite: This is the basic one. Any member of the playground who wishes to will vote for whichever entry they like the best. Whoever gets the most votes wins.
Best Connection: For this category, voters are to vote for whichever entries fit together the best. Maybe it's three sets of membership-based
substitution levels that have abilities that work well together, maybe it's two for the same class that can each take it completely different directions. Whichever set seems the most like a planned set, rather than a random compilation!
Wish I'd Thought of That!: Only the entrants are allowed to vote in this category. Entrants will PM me their vote for whichever entry they wish they had made themselves. Maybe you really liked the fluff behind and wish you'd thought it up; maybe you think the fluff is dumb, but one of the mechanics really caught your fancy and you wish you could've used it in your own creation. Whatever! Pick the one you most wish you'd thought of!
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
Last edited by DaTedinator : 07-29-2010 at 11:52 PM.
Reason: It's over!
Description of the substitution levels, and why members of that race/organization are different from the norm.
Hit Die: dx.
Requirements
To take a [name] substitution level, a character must [meet these requirements], and be about to take his Xth, Yth, or Zth level of [class].
Class Skills
[Name] substitution levels have the class skills of the standard [class] class, plus [any additional skills].
Skill Points at Each Level: X + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the [name] substitution levels.
Class Feature: Description goes here.
This substitution feature [augments/replaces/whatever] the standard [class]'s [class feature] class feature.
Spellcasting class table
Spoiler
Table: [Name] Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting
Xth
+X
+X
+X
+X
Class features
Same as [class]
Xth
+X
+X
+X
+X
Class features
Same as [class]
Xth
+X
+X
+X
+X
Class features
Same as [class]
Non-spellcasting class table
Spoiler
Table: [Name] Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Xth
+X
+X
+X
+X
Class features
Xth
+X
+X
+X
+X
Class features
Xth
+X
+X
+X
+X
Class features
__________________
I love evaluating and critiquing homebrew material, but I barely even lurk these days. PM me a link if you want me to look your stuff over, and I will if I notice/have the time.
Thanks to Dashwood for the avatar!
My Homebrew; please feel free to critique it. In fact, you are encouraged.
When Warforged discover true emotion, considering their warrior mind, it's not really surprising some use it to fight better. These warriors are some of the toughest of the Warforged, with armour that is near impenetrable, and still offensive capabilities through their rage.
Hit Die: d12.
Requirements
To take a Warforged Barbarian substitution level, a character must be a Warforged, and be about to take his 1st, 3rd, or 7th level of Barbarian.
Class Skills
Warforged Barbarian substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Barbarian class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Warforged Barbarian substitution levels.
Construct Toughness: Since Warforged are constructs, they are extremely tough, especially when combined with the fortitude of barbarians
Warforged Barbarians gain a bonus to hit points equal to double their class level.
Heavy Armour: Warforged that become Barbarians are the toughest of the lot, and have improved armour.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Barbarian's Fast Movement class feature. Instead, they gain Admantine Body and Improved Fortification as bonus feats.
Resilient: Warforged Barbarians are extremely hard to kill, as their armoured plating stops most blows.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Barbarian's Trap Sense class feature. The Warforged Barbarian gets Improved Damage Reduction as a bonus feat, and gains it again every time the Warforged Barbarian would usually gain an increase in their bonus from Trap Sense. Additionally, they gain an armour bonus to AC equal to the bonus they would have had from Trap Sense.
Impenetrable Body: An experienced Warforged Barbarian's armour plating are exceptional, and very hard to pierce with weaponry.
This substitution feature augments the standard Barbarian's Damage Reduction class feature. They gain the Improved Damage Reduction feat every time they would normally gain Damage Reduction. Additionally, all the Warforged Barbarain's Damage Reduction from warforged feats changes to DR x/-.
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
1
+1
+2
+0
+0
Construct Toughness, Heavy Armour, Rage 1/day, Illiteracy
Enchantment works best when the recipients unwillingly let it enter their emotions. Tibbits beguilers have developed their own style, with more personality and enchantment than stealth and know-how. They tend to love attention, and charm those they desire, with magic, cute purring, or both. Tibbit Beguilers come in all shapes, colors, and alignments, as feline curiosity is universal.
Tibbit beguilers, or Enchant-a-cats as mused by some, first started when Sir Tigger became curious. "I wonder if I can get anyone I want to like me?" Sir Tigger was also very vain, and tried to be adorable to every noble he met in cat form, with no success. After being yelled at, and even kicked, took to beguilement, and with practice, learned how to use the innate adorableness of a cat, with beguilement, and was the first reputed to cast while as a cat.
After that, love and adoration came way too easily. Sir Tigger would go disguise himself with illusion spells, use enchantment to charm nobility, use his guile to become pampered, only to run out in the middle of the night, and brag to the other tibbits he knew. It all came so easily that Sir Tigger was then fabled to try to beguile the king of the kingdom. No one can agree on the story after that, with many saying that his curiosity killed him.
Many others, inspired by the tale, took up beguilement, with much better success than Sir Tigger. The beguiler tradition was then to pass between tibbits in the night, with formal instruction out of the sight of everyone.
Hit Die: d6.
Requirements
To take a Tibbit Beguiler substitution level, a character must be a Tibbit, and be about to take his 1st, 2nd, 5th, or 10th level of Beguiler.
Class Skills
Tibbit Beguiler substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Beguiler class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier. (with 4x the skill points for first level.)
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Tibbit Beguiler substitution levels.
Emotion Magic (Ex):Your force of personality lets you truly understand the emotions of people. It makes your enchantment accepted much more readily, and your illusion much more believable. You use your charisma stat to determine your save DCs, bonus spells per day, and highest level spell you can cast, instead of your intelligence stat.
This substitution feature replaces the INT-based spellcasting the Beguiler normally has.
Look at the cute kitty! (Su):D'aw...... A quick charm developed by other tibbits, this technique magnifies the sympathy of those that would dare strike you, making them suddenly hesistant to do so. As an immediate action, choose a subject within 30' of you, and spend a spell slot. That subject must make a will save (DC = 10 + spell level expended + CHA modifier), or they take a penalty to all attacks made against you that round equal to the spell level spent plus 1. You may use this ability after someone has declared attacks (or spells cast) on you. This ability is a mind-affecting ability.
At 8th level, this ability is usable at 60'.
At 14th level, this ability is usable at 90'.
In addition, any subject that fails to make the save and has targeted you with a spell immediately stops the spell, and wastes the spell (and action used to cast it). You must expend a 7th level spell or higher to gain this ability.
At 20th level, this ability is usable at 120',
In addition, anyone that is affected by this ability and causes you to die will feel their sympathy overtake them. They start involuntarily crying over your death, fall to the floor, and question why they killed you in the first place, doing nothing else in the process. That person cannot take any actions and is treated as prone and helpless for 10 minutes. You must expend a 9th level spell or higher to gain this ability.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Beguiler's Cloaked Casting class feature, at all levels. It also replaces the standard Beguiler's Surprise Casting class feature at level 2 and 6.
Meow Meow Meow Meow (Ex): You master Sir Tigger's signature style, and find that casting in cat form is no different than being a short human. You can cast beguiler spells in cat form, but must still provide verbal, somatic, and material components for your spells. You can substitute paw movement and feline sounds for the verbal and somatic components, and can use material components that are on your person. (This has caused the need for cat collars that store spell components.) This class feature does not give you the ability to speak in cat form nor does it give you opposable thumbs.
This substitution feature replaces the Beguiler's Silent Spell bonus feat at level 5.
Undeniable (Ex):Being the paragon of all things charming, you reach out and affect those who would normally not think about compassion. You can affect any subject with a INT score of 1 or higher with your mind-affecting spells and abilities (like the "Look at the cute kitty!" class feature if you have it), regardless if they are normally immune to it. (This class ability even supercedes the Mind Blank spell.) Such creatures get a bonus of 10 minus your CHA modifier (This bonus can never be negative, but it can be 0.) to any saves against your mind-affecting spells and abilities.
This substitution feature replaces the Beguiler's Still Spell bonus feat at level 10.
Feral bards are rare but dangerous heralds of the wild. They perform the savage anthems and rhythms of nature with voice and drums, eschewing most other forms of performance. They know songs that spur their allies to savagery and freedom in combat.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a feral bard substitution level, a character must have the feral template and be about to take his 1st, 3rd, or 12th level of bard.
Class Skills
Feral bard substitution levels have the class skills of the standard bard class, plus Spot and Survival.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the feral bard substitution levels.
Inspire Rage (Su): The feral bard’s chants and rhythms inspire a violent fury in his allies. At 1st level, a feral bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill may use his bardic music to instill rage in his companions. Any willing ally (including the bard) who can hear the bard gains a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution, and a +1 morale bonus to Will saves. However, while under this effect, they are under the same restrictions to their actions as a raging barbarian. This effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 3 rounds after. After this effect ends, the ally is fatigued until the end of the encounter. At 8th level, and at every six bard levels after, the Strength and Constitution bonus go up by +2, and the Will bonus by +1.
This substitution feature replaces the standard bard’s inspire courage class feature.
Inspire Pack Tactics(Su): The feral bard inspires his allies to work together as a team, in order to be more efficient and deadly. A feral bard of 3rd level or higher who has 6 or more ranks in a Perform skill can cause his allies to work better together. Allies must be within 60 feet and be able to see and hear the feral bard. While the bard is performing, all bonuses from aid another attempts and flanking are doubled. This stacks with any other ability that increases bonuses from flanking or aid another. The effect lasts as long as the feral bard concentrates, up to 1 minute.
This substitution feature replaces the standard bard's inspire competence class feature.
Song of the Free Spirit (Su): The feral bard plays a fast and wild beat, urging his comrades to break free of their shackles. A feral bard of 12th level or higher who has 15 ranks or more in a Perform skill may enhance his allies’ movement. All allies within 60 feet of the bard who can see and hear him gain a 20-feet morale bonus to all forms of movement that they possess. In addition, they are treated as though under the effects of a freedom of movement spell. This effect lasts as long as the feral bard concentrates, up to two minutes. The feral bard can not use this ability on himself.
This substitution feature replaces the standard bard's song of freedom class feature.
Feral Cleric
Feral clerics are truly frightening embodiments of their god’s wrath. They focus on keeping civilization in check, rather than undead, and use their body’s strength to help channel their powers.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To take a feral cleric substitution level, a character must have the feral template, and be about to take his 1st, 6th, or 10th level of cleric.
Class Skills
Feral cleric substitution levels have the class skills of the standard cleric class, plus Intimidate.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Spoiler
Table: [Name] Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Turn humanoids
Same as cleric
6th
+4
+5
+2
+5
Share vitality
Same as cleric
10th
+7/3
+7
+3
+7
Dangerous metamagic
Same as cleric
Class Features
All the following are class features of the feral cleric substitution levels.
Turn Humanoids (Su): Feral clerics are able to send the civilized races running. At 1st level, they gain the ability to turn humanoids. This functions identically to a good cleric’s turn undead, except that you do not destroy humanoids if you have twice their Hit Dice in levels; instead, you deal nonlethal damage equal to their max HP and send them unconscious.
This substitution feature replaces the standard cleric’s turn undead class feature.
Share Vitality (Su): The feral cleric can learn to share his ability to shrug off blows with his allies. At 6th level, as a swift action, a feral cleric can give up his fast healing in order to grant it to an ally within 60 feet of him. He can maintain this ability for up to ten minutes. If the feral cleric is knocked unconscious, his fast healing immediately reverts to him.
This substitution feature replaces the standard cleric‘s 3rd-level spell slot he would gain that level. From now on, he always has one less 3rd-level slot then the class table indicates.
Dangerous Metamagic (Su): The feral cleric is capable of tapping into his physical prowess to fuel his divine powers. At 10th level, three times per day, a feral cleric may spontaneously apply metamagic to spells without raising the spell level by taking Constitution damage equal to 1 + the normal level adjustment of the metamagic being applied (minimum 1).This damage, being willingly taken by the cleric, can not be prevented or reduced, nor can it be healed by any spell short of miracle. The feral cleric must know the metamagic feat he is applying to his spell.
This substitution feature replaces the standard cleric’s 5th-level spell slot he would gain that level. From now on, he always has one less 5th-level slot then the class table indicates.
Feral Ranger
Feral rangers are strong and deadly warriors of the wild. Instead of using bows or swords, they prefer to head into combat with their amazing hand-to-hand combat.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To take a feral ranger substitution level, a character must have the feral template and be about to take his 2nd, 6th, or 11th level of ranger.
Class Skills
Feral ranger substitution levels have the class skills of the standard ranger class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Spoiler
Table: [Name] Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting
2nd
+2
+3
+3
+0
Wrestling style
Same as ranger
6th
+6/1
+5
+5
+2
Improved wrestling style
Same as ranger
11th
+11/6/1
+7
+7
+3
Wrestling style mastery
Same as ranger
Class Features
All the following are class features of the feral ranger substitution levels.
Wrestling Style (Ex): A feral ranger disdains the weaponry his more civilized cousins use, preferring to fight with his bare hands. At 2nd level, he gains Improved Grapple as a bonus feat, without needing to meet the prerequisites.
This substitution feature replaces the standard ranger's combat style class feature.
Improved Wrestling Style (Ex): A feral ranger is skilled at wrestling things far larger than himself. At 6th level, treat all positive size modifiers on grapple checks opposing the feral ranger as though they were halved (for example, a Large creature would only get a +2 modifier from size when grappling the feral ranger.)
This substitution feature replaces the standard ranger's improved combat style class feature.
Wrestling Style Mastery (Ex): The feral ranger can wrestle anything without problem. At 11th level, creatures no longer get a size bonus on grapple checks opposing the feral ranger (penalties still apply.)
This substitution feature replaces the standard ranger’s combat style mastery class feature.
Humans are awesome and flexible. Sometimes this means they can be extra-awesome humans and also spellcasters. But sometimes they don't feel like casting spells, so instead they develop tricky ways to hit people.
Hit Die: d10.
BAB: Full
Requirements
To take a martial human paragon substitution level, a character must be a human, have at least one level in a martial initiator class, and be about to take his 1st, 2nd or 3rd level of human paragon.
Class Skills
Martial Human Paragon substitution levels have the class skills of the standard human paragon class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the martial human paragon substitution levels.
Martial Focus: At 1st level, a martial human paragon only chooses 8 skills to be class skills instead of 10. This level counts as full BAB instead of 3/4. Also, this level counts as a full initiator level for any one initiating class you have.
Martial Proficiency: At 2nd level, instead of casting progression, this level counts as a full initiator level for any one initiating class you have. Also, this level is full BAB. As a final bonus, you may add one maneuver that you qualify for and which is in one of the allowed disciplines for your initiating class to your maneuvers known.
At 3rd level, instead of casting progression you may choose a fighter bonus feat you qualify for. You have this feat. With 8 hours of rest, you may change this feat to a different fighter bonus feat, but you must still qualify for the new feat. If you are using this feat to qualify for other feats and then change out the floating feat, you may not use the feats that chain off of it because you don't have the pre-requisite. In addition, this level also counts as a full initiator level for any one initiating class you have. Also, this level is full BAB.
This substitution feature replaces the standard human paragon's spellcasting advancement class feature and modifies the class skill list.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
+1
+0
+0
+2
Adaptive Learning
2nd
+2
+0
+0
+3
Bonus Feat, Bonus Maneuver
3rd
+3
+1
+1
+3
Versatile Fighting, Ability Boost (+2)
Sneaky Human Paragon
Humans are awesome and flexible. Sometimes this means they can be extra-awesome humans and also spellcasters. But sometimes they don't feel like casting spells, so instead they develop other skills.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a sneaky human paragon substitution level, a character must be a human, have at least one die of sneak attack and be about to take his 1st, 2nd or 3rd level of human paragon.
Class Skills
Sneaky Human Paragon substitution levels have twelve skills as class skills, chosen by the player.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the sneaky human paragon substitution levels.
At 1st level, you have more skill points and class skills than a standard human paragon.
At 2nd level, instead of casting progression, choose a skill. You may take 10 on that skill even if there are distractions, but not if the skill does not normally allow taking 10 in any circumstances (UMD et al). With 8 hours of rest, you may change the skill that gets this feature to a different skill. This does not let you use skills untrained.
At 3rd level, instead of casting progression you gain a die of sneak attack. You may stack this with previous sneak attack dice, or use it as a sudden strike or skirmish die instead if you have sudden strike or skirmish already.
This substitution feature replaces the standard human paragon's spellcasting advancement class feature.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Adaptive Learning
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Favorite Skill, Bonus Feat
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+3
+1d6 sneak attack, Ability Boost (+2)
Psionic Human Paragon
Humans try many varieties of power. Some use internal reflection and meditation to unlock secret powers of the mind. Humans in particular can bend the rules of which schools of thought can use which powers.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a psionic human paragon substitution level, a character must be about to take his 2nd or 3rd level of human paragon.
Class Skills
Psionic human paragon substitution levels have the class skills of the standard human paragon class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the psionic human paragon substitution levels.
At 2nd level, you gain one level of manifester progression in any one psionic class you already have manifesting from. In addition, choose any psionic power from any list and add it to your powers known for the class you added the level of manifesting to.
At 3rd level, you gain one level of manifester progression in any one psionic class you already have manifesting from.
This substitution feature replaces the standard human paragon's casting progression and bonus feat class feature.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Manifesting
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Additional Power
+1 Manifester Level
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+3
Ability Boost (+2)
+1 Manifester Level
Pact Magic Human Paragon
Some humans channel the spirits of legendary creatures and personages from the past. If there is a path to power, you can bet that some humans are exploring it, and sharing souls with ancient and malevolent or mysterious semi-real powers is no exception.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a human paragon binder substitution level, a character must be about to take his 2nd or 3rd level of human paragon and have at least one level of binder.
Class Skills
Human Paragon Binder substitution levels have the class skills of the standard human paragon class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the human paragon binder substitution levels.
Class Feature: At 2nd level, you gain an additional level of binding progression for one binding class you already have binding from, but not any other class features. In addition, you gain access to the vestige Theodoroosevelt.
At 3rd level, you gain an additional level of binding progression for one binding class you already have binding from, but not any other class features.
This substitution feature replaces the standard human paragon's spellcasting advancement.
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Binding
2nd
+1
+0
+0
+3
Theodoroosevelt, Bonus Feat
+1 Binder Level
3rd
+2
+1
+1
+3
Ability Boost (+2)
+1 Binder Level
Vestige: Theodoroosevelt
Spoiler
Vestige Level:3rd
Binding DC: 20
Special Requirement: None.
Legend: In a far distant time and land, there lived a great ruler. He was known for his enthusiasm and his wide range of competencies. On his death bed, when Death himself came for the great ruler, he jumped from his death bed and challenged Death to a wrestling match. For seven days and nights they wrestled, until Death was called away to deal with a pandemic. But the match was not over, so the great leader slipped away through a crack in the planes and ended up as a vestige.
Manifestation: At first, nothing can be noticed except the sound of an approaching horse. Then you see a hat, as though someone is riding a horse up a hill towards you. Soon you see the great leader on his steed, in full military regalia. He speaks loudly and has little patience for nuances of diplomacy and caution. Theodoroosevelt will only appear to people of human blood who have the second level of Pact Magic Human Paragon.
Sign: You have an excellent moustache.
Influence: You are unwilling to back down from conflict.
Granted Abilities: When bound, Theodroosevelt gives you some of his indomitability and human resourcefulness. Die Hard: You gain the feat Die Hard, even if you do not qualify for it. Human Resourcefulness: Choose a number of skills that you are not trained in and which cannot be used untrained equal to your Constitution modifier. You may make checks with these skills as though you were trained in them, and gain a bonus equal to half your binder level to these skills. Arms of Fire:In the great leader's time, men fought with strange metal weapons that shoot fire and little metal balls, called a gun. You gain one of these. It is a one handed exotic ranged weapon that does 1d8 damage with a range increment of 50'. You are proficient in this weapon, and it never needs to be reloaded. You may take iterative attacks with a gun if you have enough BAB, and it may be used with Manyshot and Greater Manyshot as though it were a bow. If anyone who is not bound to Theodorosevelt tries to use one of these "guns" it does not function. In addition, every shot fired from this "gun" does bonus fire damage equal to your effective binder level. Bear Wrestler: You gain a +4 bonus to grapple checks for each size category your opponent is larger than you. In addition, you may initiate a grapple with a creature of any size. Inspirational Oratory: You may use Inspire Courage as a bard of half your effective binder level. However, you may not sustain the inspiration, so it lasts only for the round you speak it and five additional rounds, as normal. Once you have used this ability, you may not do so again for five rounds.
Warforged druids are uncommon, but as welcome into the ranks of druids as any other. Many have problems adapting to the lifestyle but, in time, they adapt themselves, and their vocation, to an ideal compromise.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a Warforged Druid substitution level, a character must be a member of the Warforged race, and be about to take his 1st, 5th, or 9th level of Druid.
Class Skills
Warforged Druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Druid class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Warforged Druid substitution levels.
Natural Metal Body: The gods of nature demand that druid forsake the use of metal armor, which seemingly completely excludes Warforged from ever joining the ranks of the druid. These same gods, however, realize that the Warforged's metal body is it's natural form, and while other warforged might augment their bodies to fit the rules, it is not necessary. A Warforged Druid is not held to the prohibition against metal armor other druids are held to. This only applies, however, to their natural metal bodies. They are still prohibited from wearing other metal armor or altering their body to some other metal construction (say, with the Adamantite Body feat).
This substitution feature replaces the standard Druid's Nature Sense class feature.
Clockwork Wild Shape: A Warforged's body is very different from that of nearly any other mortal race. Using natural magic to shift his form fully into that of an animal thus takes more effort, but to merely alter his shape, and leave the composition the same, is much easier.
This ability alters the standard Druid's Wild Shape ability in the following ways:
A Warforged Druid can use the standard Wild Shape ability as a full round action instead of as a standard action. As a standard action, the Warforged Druid can perform a Clockwork Wild Shape, which functions identically to normal wild shape, except the Warforged Druid maintains his warforged racial features while in a Clockwork Wild Shape. Additionally, the Clockwork Wild Shape is obviously not a natural animal, appearing as a Warforged as if he had been shaped as the animal instead of as a humanoid.
Any effect that affects Wild Shape also affects Clockwork Wild Shape.
Natural Weapon Arsenal: Warforged are known for being able to augment themselves, the Warforged Druid takes it to an extreme, altering his natural ability to attack with his ability to change shape.
When returning to your Warforged shape from a Clockwork Wild Shape or Wild Shape, you can morph your slam attack into an attack from the creature you most recently took the form of. When reverting to Warforged form, choose a natural attack from your current wildshape. Treat your slam attack as if it were that natural attack.
This replaces the Druid's standard Venom Immunity ability.
Warforged Druid Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Animal Companion, Natural Metal Body, Wild Empathy
Same as Druid
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Clockwork Wild Shape
Same as Druid
9th
+6/+1
+6
+3
+6
Natural Weapon Arsenal
Same as Druid
Dragonborn Druid
The Dragonborn are champions of Bahamut, transformed from their mortal form into the very form of a dragon by the dragon-god himself. Some, thus transformed, turn their new form to the defense of the world, and those who take up the mantle of druid find a unique set of powers available to them.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a Dragonborn Druid substitution level, a character must be a Dragonborn of Bahamut, and be about to take his 1st, 4th, or 5th level of Druid.
Class Skills
Dragonborn Druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Druid class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Dragonborn Druid substitution levels.
Breath Weapon: Dragons are a proud race, and Bahamut's dragonborn are no different. They will not risk the creatures they protect by travelling with one, and instead rely on the power within themselves. Dragonborn Druids gain a breath weapon as the Dragonfire Adept class feature. Additionally, the damage their breath weapon does progresses as a Dragonfire Adept's breath weapon, and they share the same breath effect progression and breath effects.
This ability replaces the Druid's standard Animal Companion, Wild Empathy, and Nature Sense abilities.
Scales: The Dragonborn's new body protects him from the perils that would harm the natural world, even if he lacks the natural magical resistance to the magics of the fey. A Dragonborn Druid gains a +1 bonus to his natural armor, and an additional +1 bonus every 5th level after this one (+2 at 9th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 19th).
This ability replaces the Druid's standard Resist Nature's Lure ability.
Draconic Companion: The Dragonborn have been given a new life as a dragon, the greatest of all creatures. They have no need for any other form. Bahamut knows that fighting alone may not be enough, so he grants the Dragonborn Druid a companion to assist him. The Dragonborn Druid gains a Draconic Companion as the Dragon Cohort feat (Draconomicon). The Dragon Cohort gains abilities as a standard Druid Animal Companion.
This ability replaces the standard Druid Wild Shape ability.
Dragonborn Druid Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Breath Weapon 1d6
Same as Druid
4th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Scales
Same as Druid
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Draconic Companion
Same as Druid
Changeling Druid
Changelings are a unique race, each with their own identity but so capable of changing themselves to suit another. When a changeling takes up the mantle of the druid, typically they prefer to act within the cities, and those that do have the potential to turn their druidic talents to augment their racial abilities. They become unique forces for nature, even within the confines of a city wall.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a Changeling Druid substitution level, a character must be a Changeling, and be about to take his 1st, 5th, or 13th level of Druid.
Class Skills
Changeling Druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Druid class plus Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Changeling Druid substitution levels.
Urban Casting: Changelings are most at home in the city, using their own natural talents to further their goals. A Changeling druid has found a new way to draw upon their natural magics, to benefit more from their own charming nature.
Changeling druids cast and prepare spells in the same was as a standard druid, with the exception that the highest level spell they can cast, bonus spells, as well as the difficulty class for his spells, is based on Charisma instead of Wisdom.
This ability replaces the Druid's standard Animal Companion, Wild Empathy and Nature Sense abilities.
Humanoid Shape: A changeling druid can use its druidic magic to further the abilities he has gained from his doppelganger heritage. A changeling druid gains Humanoid Shape, as Wild Shape with the exception that it can only be used to transform into Humanoid forms. Any effects that affect Wild Shape also apply to Humanoid Shape, and any class levels that advance Wild Shape's uses per day also advance Humanoid Shape's uses per day.
At level 8, instead of being able to take Large shapes, the Changeling Druid can take on Monstroud Humanoid shapes.
At level 11, instead of being able to take Tiny shapes, the Changeling Druid can take on Large shapes.
At level 12, instead of being able to take on Plant shapes, the Changeling Druid can take on Giant shapes.
Beyond this, he gains wildshape forms as normal.
This ability replaces the Druid's standard Wild Shape ability.
Social Dexterity: Where other druids are only learning the basics of becoming other people, the Changeling Druid has spent his entire life wearing another's face. As such, he instead spends his time learning to better use his abilities to more completely fool those he needs to fool. The Changeling Druid gains the Assume Quirk and Second Impression skill tricks (Complete Scoundrel).
This ability replaces the Druid's standard Thousand Faces ability.
Changeling Druid Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2
Urban Casting
Same as Druid
5th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Humanoid Shape
Same as Druid
13th
+9/4
+8
+4
+8
Social Dexterity
Same as Druid
Raptoran Druid
The raptorans are a race uniquely oriented to become druids. Their ancient pact with the elementals that originally gave them wings gives them a connection to the very air we breathe other druids can't hope to emulate. Their natural wings are also a feature unique to their race, and they learn quickly how to use them to augment their druidic abilities.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a Raptoran Druid substitution level, a character must be a Raptoran, and be about to take his 1st, 5th, or 15th level of Druid.
Class Skills
Raptoran Druid substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Druid class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Raptoran Druid substitution levels.
Raptoran Shapeshifting: Raptoran druids are most at home with the bodies granted to them by the air elementals. The typical transformative abilities of the druid do not suit them, but that doesn't mean they have to give up the ability entirely.
Raptoran Druids gain the Shapeshift ability (as described in the PHBII, pg 39) with the exception that their wings are always a part of their shapeshifted forms. When shapeshifted, their form tends to be bird-like. A raptoran druid in predator form might appear as an eagle or hawk instead of a wolf. As a ferocious slayer, they might be rocs or griffons.
This ability replaces the Druid's standard Wildshape ability.
Avian Companion: A raptoran druid does not forsake a companion entirely, but his pact with the air elementals requires his companion be able to join him in the skies.
A raptoran druid gains an animal companion, as the standard druid ability, but the companion must have a fly speed.
This ability augments the Druid's standard Animal Companion ability.
Natural Flight: The raptoran's wings typically develop slowly as they grow, but a raptoran druid's deeper connection to the air elementals and his own natural magic give his wings increased ability, greater than a typical raptoran.
At level 5, a raptoran druid can fly at a speed of 40ft (average maneuverability) and flying requires no more exertion than walking or running.
At level 10, the raptoran druid's flight speed increases to 60ft (good maneuverability).
A raptoran druid shapeshifted into aerial form uses whichever flight speed is greater.
This ability replaces the druid's standard Wildshape ability.
Aerial Mastery: When detached from the earth, the raptoran druid's connection to the air elementals that gave him his wings is even more powerful. Their energies swirl around him, and empower his magics.
At level 15, any [Air] spell a raptoran druid casts while flying is automatically maximized.
This ability replaces the Druid's standard Timeless Body ability.
"I am become Death, Destroyer of Worlds." --Strozak-Mei, Cabal Warlock
There is a little known cult of warlocks that refers to themselves only as "the Cabal". These Cabalists take their fiendish heritage in a direction entirely different from the average warlock: through ancient pacts and rituals, they channel the demons and devils through their own fiendish blood, warping their bodies into hideous parallels of the lower planes themselves.
Becoming a Cabal Warlock
The Cabal is an extremely loosely affiliated organization. Its only purpose is to spread the rituals and pacts among those they believe deserve them - that is, anyone with fiendish heritage, a pact with the fiends, or a notable ancestor who formed such a pact.
The Cabal makes a point of finding such individuals as soon as possible, and this is the only requirement the Cabal makes of its members: to keep an eye out for potential additions to their ranks, and to show these new recruits the ways of the Cabal. The Cabal does not, officially at any rate, punish those who refuse their ways, and will even give new opportunities to join should one who has refused seek them out.
The Cabal cares not what its members do with the powers they grant, being interested only in the power itself. Therefore, membership is available to any and all races, any and all alignments, though the vast majority of members are Evil. Quite a few endeavor to keep track of those they have recruited, and those who refused their offers, treating them as potential rivals.
The Cabal itself does not hold meetings, though a Cabalist is usually trivial to recognize by those who know of it, as their bodies are deformed from their fiendish claws, tails, and even wings. Cabal members, upon meeting, rarely treat each other with kindness or generosity, given that most are Evil, but a certain degree of respect for the path they each walk down is the norm.
Requirements
To take a Cabal Warlock substitution level, a character must be a member of the Cabal, and must be about to take his 1st, 2nd, 4th, or 12th level of Warlock.
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Cabal Warlock substitution levels.
Hit Die: d12. Note: Only the four levels of Cabal Warlock get d12 HD, every other level of Warlock has the usual d6.
Skills Class Skills: Cabal Warlock substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Warlock class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Base Attack Bonus and Saving Throws - A Warlock who takes the 1st level Cabal Warlock substitution level treats all levels in Warlock as having a full Base Attack Bonus progression (as Fighter), and also has a good Fortitude saving throw but a poor Will saving throw. Note that any Warlock who does not take the 1st level of Cabal Warlock substitution levels will have a different base attack bonus and different saves from those listed on the table above.
Eldritch Claw (Ex) - A Warlock who takes the Cabalist substitution level at 1st does not gain the Eldritch Blast feature, now or ever. Instead, they gain Eldritch Claw - a primary Natural Weapon that deals 1d6 + his Strength modifier in Slashing damage at 1st level. The Eldritch Claw's damage does not change with the size of the Cabal Warlock.
Any effect that adds to Eldritch Blast damage instead adds to the Cabal Warlock's Eldritch Claw damage; upon taking the 1st Cabal substitution level for Warlock, a character cannot under any circumstances gain Eldritch Blast as well. This includes further levels of Warlock, the class features of other classes, items, spells, and anything else.
An Eldritch Claw of a given amount of damage qualifies as an Eldritch Blast of the same amount of damage for anything that requires Eldritch Blast. However, any ability that triggers off of the use of Eldritch Blast (such as the Hellfire Blast feature of the Hellfire Warlock) does not trigger from the use of the Eldritch Claw.
The Eldritch Claw is extraordinary, unlike the Eldritch Blast and most Invocations, and therefore may be used where ordinary Invocations could not be. It is also therefore not subject to Spell Resistance, and deals full damage to objects (though it is, of course, affected by Hardness and the like). Though the Eldritch Claw has an effective spell level determined as if it was an Eldritch Blast, as an Extraordinary effect it is not stopped by, for example, a Globe of Invulnerability. However, the Eldritch Claw requires a regular attack roll, not a touch attack roll.
The Eldritch Claw is always considered to be Magic for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction, and also overcomes any types of Damage Reduction that the Cabal Warlock himself has (so, a Warlock 3 with DR 1/Cold Iron would have an Eldritch Claw that is treated as Cold Iron for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction), with two exceptions. One, the Eldritch Claw does not overcome Damage Reduction /-, even if the Cabal Warlock has such Damage Reduction, and two, it only overcomes Damage Reduction /Epic if the Cabal Warlock has such Damage Reduction and is treated as an Epic character.
Eldritch Essence Invocations may be applied to the Eldritch Claw once per round as a free action. This Essence applies to the Eldritch Claw attack and to any Fiendish Growths used in this round (see below). No target may suffer from the effects of an Eldritch Essence twice in one round: the first time the target is hit by an Eldritch Claw or Fiendish Growth, it must make a Saving Throw as normal for the Eldritch Essence (assuming the Essence allows a Saving Throw), and regardless of whether or not it succeeds, it cannot be subject to the Essence again until the Cabal Warlock's next turn. Eldritch Essences remain Invocations, and therefore Spell-like Abilities, and thus cannot be applied in antimagic fields, even though the Eldritch Claw and Fiendish Growths may be used.
Blast Shape Invocations may not be used with the Eldritch Claw at all, and are effectively replaced by Fiendish Growths.
Fiendish Growths (Ex)
Unlike Blast Shapes, which may be applied when desired to Eldritch Blast attacks, Fiendish Growths are always active on the Cabal Warlock. The majority of these are primary Natural Weapons, which means they cannot be used in the same attack sequence as the Eldritch Claw, but any that note the option of being secondary Natural Weapons may be used in addition to whichever primary Natural Weapons you have available. Each Growth is treated the same as the Eldritch Claw for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction.
Fiendish Growths are selected as Invocations using the Cabal Warlock's normal Invocations known. They may be selected on normal Warlock levels so long as the Warlock has the Eldritch Claw feature.
Fiendish Growth List
Spoiler
Least Fiendish Growths
Lilitu Sting - Gain a Sting attack as a primary Natural Weapon that deals Piercing damage equal to your Eldritch Claw damage. This Sting is considered a weapon with a 10 ft. reach. You threaten squares that this Sting can reach, and may make Attacks of Opportunity with it.
Tail of the Stygian Dragon - As a primary Natural Weapon, gain a Tail attack that does Bludgeoning and Piercing damage equal to the damage of your Eldritch Claw. When used as a part of a full-attack action, this attack may target up to three targets who are in contiguous squares and adjacent to you.
Lesser Fiendish Growths
Bulezau Horns - Gain a Gore attack as a primary Natural Weapon that deals Bludgeoning and Piercing damage equivalent to the Slashing damage of an Eldritch Claw. When used at the end of a Charge, these horns deal double damage.
Hezrou Jaws - This secondary Natural Weapon does half as much damage as an Eldritch Claw's Slashing damage, but as damage that counts as Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing. As a secondary Natural Weapon, it may be used during a full-attack alongside the Eldritch Claw.
Greater Fiendish Growths
Glabrezu Claws - Gain a second Claw attack that may be used a primary Natural Weapon; both Eldritch Claws may be used as a pair of primary Natural Weapons on a full attack. The second Claw is identical in all ways to the first.
Tentacles Like Unto Dagon - Gain a pair of Tentacle attacks as secondary Natural Weapons. These Tentacles are considered weapons with a Reach of 10 ft., but unlike most Reach Weapons, they may be used to attack adjacent squares as well. These attacks each deal half the damage of an Eldritch Claw attack, except that the damage is considered Piercing and Bludgeoning, rather than Slashing.
Vrock Wings - As a pair of secondary Natural Weapons, you may make two Wing attacks that each deal half as much Bludgeoning damage as an Eldritch Claw deals Slashing damage. You also gain a Fly speed 10 ft. faster than your Land move speed with Good maneuverability.
Dark Fiendish Growths
Flames of the Balor - Whenever you are attacked in melee by a weapon without Reach or with a Natural Weapon, you may make a reflexive attack roll that deals damage equal to your Eldritch Claw Slashing damage on a hit. Despite the appearance of flames wreathing your body, this damage is entirely untyped, as you burn with the flames of the Abyss.
Marilith Arms - Gain four additional arms; the hands of each of these is tipped with claws which maybe used as secondary Natural Weapons that deal half the damage an Eldritch Claw. Further, if the Cabal Warlock has the Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, or Greater Two-Weapon Fighting feats, these are swapped for the Multiweapon Fighting, Improved Multiweapon Fighting, and Greater Multiweapon Fighting feats, respectively.
Bastion of the Lower Planes (Ex) - A Warlock taking the 2nd level Cabal Warlock substitution level does not gain the Detect Magic class feature. Instead, the Cabal Warlock may add his Charisma modifier to Will saving throws. This feature does not stack with the Paladin's Divine Grace class feature, or with any other abilities that do not stack with Divine Grace, such as the Crusader's Indomitable Soul.
Fiendish Carapace (Ex) - A Warlock taking the 4th level Cabal Warlock substitution level gains a Natural Armor bonus to AC equal to his Constitution bonus (if any), instead of the Deceive Item class feature.
Fiendish Summons (Sp) - A Warlock taking the 12th level Cabal Warlock substitution level does not gain the Imbue Item class feature. Instead, he gains a bonus Invocation Known, which is treated as a Greater Invocation equivalent to a 6th level spell. With this Invocation, he may use Summon Monster VI, as the spell, except that he may only summon Evil-aligned creatures, and any creatures still summoned from a previous use of the Invocation immediately vanish whenever the Invocation is used anew.
At 14th level, this Invocation is automatically upgraded to mirror Summon Monster VII, with the same caveats as before, and counts as equivalent to a 7th level spell. At 16th, it is replaced by a Dark Invocation (equivalent to an 8th level spell) which mimics Summon Monster VIII except as above. At 18th, it is upgraded one final time, to act as Summon Monster IX, again except as above, and is equivalent to a 9th level spell.
The Cabal Warlock may also be treated as meeting any requirement that could be fulfilled by casting any Summon Monster spell up to the one his Fiendish Summons ability currently mimics.
Last edited by DragoonWraith : 06-21-2010 at 01:05 AM.
The shifter’s wild nature lends itself well to a life as a totemist. A shifter totemist is often a well respected member of his community. They often work with the more common shifter druid and ranger. Unlike most other totemists, the shifter totemist concentrates more on bringing his inner beast to the fore than communing with other magical creatures.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a shifter totemist substitution level, a character must be a shifter about to take his 1st, 3rd, or 8th level of Totemist.
Class Skills
Shifter totemist substitution levels have the class skills of the standard totemist class, plus Balance, Climb and Jump.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Shifter Totemist substitution levels.
Meldshaping: This functions in all way like the normal Totemist meldshaping ability’s but shifter totemist gains access to the Lycanthrope avatar soulmeld described below. The soulmeld is available only through taking a shifter totemist substitution level.
Cobalt Shifting:
A shifter totemist who takes the 1st-level racial substitution level learns to blend their study of soul energy with their innate wild nature. You treat incarnum feats as shifter feats for the purpose of determining the number of times per day you can use your shifting ability and the ability’s duration.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Totemist's Wild empathy class feature.
Soul Shifting (Su):
A shifter totemist who takes the 3rd-level racial substitution level learns to use incarnum to augment their ability to shift. While shifting, as a swift action, you can invest essentia in your shifting ability as if it was a soulmeld.
This grant you a bonus depending on the specific trait as follow:
-Beasthide: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, the natural armor bonus granted by this trait improves by 1.
-Cliffwalk: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, your climb speed granted by this trait improves by 5 feet.
-Dreamsight: Unlike the other traits, you don’t need to be shifting to invest essentia in this trait. For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, the bonus to Handle Animal and Wild Empathy checks granted by this trait improves by 2. In addition, as long as you have at least one point of essentia invested in this trait you can make Wild Empathy check as if you had the standard totemist’s Wild Empathy class feature.
-Gorebrute: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage roll made with your horn.
-Longstride: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, the bonus to your land speed granted by this trait improves by 5 feet.
-Longtooth: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage roll made with your bite.
-Razorclaw: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage roll made with your claws.
-Swiftwing: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, your fly speed granted by this trait improves by 5 feet.
-Truedive: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, your swim speed granted by this trait improves by 5 feet.
-Wildhunt: For every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, the range of your scent ability granted by this trait improves by 5 feet. In addition for every point of essentia you invest in your shifting ability, you gain a +2 bonus on survival check.
If you have multiple shifter traits (from the extra shifter trait feat for example) the benefit from invest esentia apply to all of them.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Totemist's Totem protection class feature.
Incarnum Shifting (Su):
A shifter totemist who takes the 8th-level racial substitution level has a greater connection to the wild when shifting, allowing them to better tap into the incarnum of the world.
When you use your shifting ability you gain 2 points of bonus essentia. This essentia disappears when the shifting ends.
This substitution feature replaces a standard totemist’s ability to rebind a totem soulmeld gained at 8th level. A shifter totemist instead gains that class feature at 12th level, and thereafter the number of times per day she can use that ability is reduced by one.
Table: Shifter Totemist Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Meldshaping
1st
+0
+2
+2
+0
Cobalt Shifting, illiteracy
As Standard Totemist
3rd
+2
+3
+3
+1
Soul Shifting
As Standard Totemist
8th
+6/+1
+6
+6
+2
Incarnum Shifting
As Standard Totemist
Lycanthrope Avatar
Spoiler
Descriptors: None Classes: Shifter Totemist Chakra: Arms, Brow, Feet, Hand, Heart or Shoulder(Totem) Saving Throw: (none) You shape incarnum into an imposing hybrid of beast and humanoid around you. This semi transparent corporeal shape precise feature changes depending on your particular link to a certain type of lycantrhope. It fits over your armor and clothing but never hinders you.
Lycanthropes are savage creatures that always have amazing physical shape. When shaping this soulmeld you benefit from that fact.
You gain a +2 insight bonus on Balance, Climb and jump checks.
Essentia: Every point of essentia invested in Lycanthrope avatar increases the insight bonus by 2.
Chakra Bind (Arms) Your Lycantrope avatar solidify around your arm giving you fur, scales or skin as appropriate for the type. This allow to tap into the savage instinct of the Lycanthrope.
You gain the benefit of the Multiattack feat. If you already have this feat you gain the benefit of improve multiattack instead.
Chakra Bind (Brow) Your Lycantrope avatar doesn’t change but you feel him protecting your mind
You gain a +2 bonus to will save. For every point of essentia you invest in your Lycanthrope avatar you the bonus to your will save improves by 1.
Chakra Bind (Feet) Your Lycantrope avatar seem to flow around your feet granting you better traction.
You may move through any sort of non-magical difficult terrain at your normal speed.
Chakra Bind (Hand) Your Lycantrope avatar envelope your hand granting them unnatural hardness.
Any natural weapons you’ve gained with your shifting ability are considered made of adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction or hardness.
Chakra Bind (Heart) Your Lycantrope avatar look bigger and more impressive than before.
You gain the benefit of the Extra shifter trait feat. You chose which trait to gain when shaping this soulmeld. If you already have the Extra shifter trait feat, you gain its benefit a second time and can choose a third shifter trait (an exception to the normal rule that you cannot gain the benefit of this feat twice.
Chakra Bind (Shoulder) Your Lycantrope avatar seem to shine with a silver light.
You gain Damage reduction 2/Silver. For every point of essentia you invest in your Lycanthrope avatar your damage reduction provide by this soulmeld improves by 1.
Chakra Bind (Totem) By taking the Lycantrope avatar as your Totem, he fuse completely with you giving you the appearance of an hybrid lycanthrope and augmenting your physical ability considerably.
When shaping this soulmeld, choose strength, dexterity or constitution, you gain a +1 insight bonus to this ability score. For every point of essentia you invest in your Lycanthrope avatar the insight bonus provide by this soulmeld improves by 1.
Binders as a rule are pretty rare. This is also true in the shifter community, but contrary to most other race shifters are more accepting of them, because anyone with a talent useful to the community has his place. This means that shifter binder have an easier time practicing their art and learn to better combine it with their racial special ability.
Hit Die: d10. Shifter Binder wild lifestyle mean that they are more durable than most other Binder, only the five levels of shifter binder get d10 HD, every other level of Binder has the usual d8.
Requirements
To take a shifter binder substitution level, a character must be a shifter about to take his 2nd, 4th, 6th, 11th, or 18th level of binder.
Class Skills
Shifter binder substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Binder class, plus Balance, Climb and Jump.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the shifter binder substitution levels.
Soul Binding (Su): This functione in all way like the normal Binder binding ability’s but Shifter Binder gain access to one exclusive Vestige Granes the First Cursed available only to them.
Pact augmentation (Su): At 2nd level, the shifter binder learns how to channel power from their bound vestige toward their shifting nature.
In addition to the normal list of options offered by the standard binder pact augmentation ability a shifter binder has one more choice. When choosing your pact augmentation ability, you can choose to gain 1 more use of your shifting ability for the day. As normal, if you choose this ability multiple times, its effects stack. If you have chosen this ability once already, rebound a vestige later during the day and chose this ability again it does not grant you an additional use for the day, but merely allows you to retain it if you did not already use it.
This substitution feature augments the standard binder's pact augmentation class feature but does not replace it.
Bonus feat: The shifter binder continues to train in their innate shifting ability during their entire lives. In addition to the standard choice of bonus feat gained at 4th, 11th and 18th level, a shifter binder can also select any one shifter feat he qualifies for in place of another feat from the list.
This substitution feature augments the standard binder's bonus feat class feature but does not replace it.
Vestige shifting (Su): At 6th level, the shifter binder learns how to use the energy from their shifting to augment their ability to use the power of their bound Vestige.
When you are shifting, your effective binder level is treated as one higher for the purpose of determining the effects of vestige’s special abilities. In addition, while shifting, if you use a vestige ability that can only be used once every 5 rounds, you may end the shifting (losing all bonuses and special abilities as normal) as a free action to reduce the number of rounds you have to wait to reuse the ability by a number of rounds equal to the number of rounds you had left when you have ended your shifting. For example if you have 2 round left of shifting when you use the vestige ability and chose to end it you could reuse that ability after only 3 rounds instead of the normal 5.
This substitution feature replaces the standard binder's Soul guardian (immune to fear) class feature.
Table: Shifter Binder Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Binding
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3
Pact augmentation (1 ability), suppress sign
Same as Binder
4th
+3
+4
+1
+4
Bonus feat
Same as Binder
6th
+4
+5
+2
+5
Vestige shifting
Same as Binder
11th
+8/+3
+7
+3
+7
Bonus feat
Same as Binder
18th
+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
Bonus feat
Same as Binder
Granes the First Cursed
Spoiler
Level: 5th Binding DC: 25 Legend: Not a lot is know on Granes’ life. The leading theory is that he was alive in very ancient times when magic was just beginning to be explored. He might have been an elf of some sort. It is assumed that he was a magic user and that he was experimenting on animals, for what purpose we will probably never know. Something went wrong with one experiment and he was cursed. He became the first lycanthrope, the specific type is unknown, but being the first one and as he grants the binder the ability to assume multiple animal form this seem plausible that he could manipulate his own animal form. How he came to be a vestige is also shrouded in mystery. Multiple explanations exist, from being rejected by his deity due to his curse, to damage to his soul from it. We will probably never know. Special requirement: None. Manifestation: If you are a shifter a humanoid form appears suddenly in the seal, seemingly a combination of multiple animals. He talks in an unknown language, apparently ranting about something. He nods or frowns when you address him, but offers no other reaction. When the binding is complete, his shape changes into a hybrid form of the animal you have chosen for your alternate form ability, becomes translucent and moves to envelope you before disappearing. as if fusing with you.
If you're not a shifter nothing happen and you can't bind Granes. Sign: You grow fur on your back. Influence: Once per hour you are compelled to study the first animal you encounter for at least 1 minute.
Granted abilities:
Alternate Form: Upon binding Granes, choose one of the following animals: Dire Bat, Boar, Brown Bear, Eagle, Dire Rat, Shark (medium), Tiger, Wolf or Wolverine. If your effective binder level is 12th or higher you can also choose: Dire Bear, Dire Boar, Dire EagleRS p186, Dire Wolf, Dire Wolverine or Shark (large), and at 16th you could also choose: Dire Tiger.
You can assume the form of the chosen animal. You do not assume the ability scores of the animal, but instead add the animal’s physical ability scores modifiers to your own ability scores for example a Wolf as the following physical ability score Str 13 Dex 15 Con 15 so a Wolf modifier are Str +2 Dex +4 Con +4 in consequence when taking wolf form (or hybrid wolf form) you would add those modifier to your own ability score. You can also assume a bipedal hybrid form with prehensile hands and animalistic features gaining the same increase to your ability scores. You can stay in animal or hybrid shape for a number of rounds equal to your effective binder level. Once the duration of Alternate Form has ended, you cannot use this ability again for 5 rounds.
Animal Will: You gain the benefit of the Iron Will feat
Damage reduction: You gain Damage reduction 5/Silver
Animal command:You can rebuke or command animals and lycanthropes as an evil cleric rebukes or commands undead with an effective cleric level equal to your effective binder level. Once you have used this ability, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.
Shifters often have a very martial outlook on life. so it shouldn’t be surprising that a fair number of them are martial adepts. Swordsages are the most common because the swordsage philosophy is more in tune with their lifestyle. Across the years, shifter swordsages have develop a secret technique to better compliment their special gift. particularly in dealing with the Tiger claw discipline because of its bestial nature.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a Shifter Swordsgae substitution level, a character must be a shifter about to take his 1st, 5th, or 7th or 15th level of swordsage
Class Skills
Shifter swordsage substitution levels have the class skills of the standard swordsage class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the shifter swordsage substitution levels.
Maneuvers: Shifter swordsages follow the normal swordsage progression of learning maneuvers, but they have access to one exclusive Tiger Claw maneuver (described below) only available to those who take a shifter swordsage racial substitution level.
Stances: Shifter swordsages follow the normal swordsage progression of learning stances but they have access to one exclusive Tiger claw stance (described below) only available to those who take a shifter swordsage racial substitution level.
Discipline focus (Shifting) (Ex): At 1st level, the shifter swordsage learns a special way to use their shifting in conjunction with the martial discipline.
This benefit changes depending on your shifter trait:
-Beasthide: You can ignore up to 2 point of natural armor when using a strike from your chosen discipline.
-Cliffwalk: Climb become an associate skill of your chosen discipline in addition to the normal ones. You can substitute a climb check for any skill check needed when using maneuver from your chosen discipline.
-Dreamsight: The save DCs of any maneuvers that you perform from your chosen discipline are increase by 1, if they have a save DC.
-Gorebrute: The horns granted by your shifting are considered discipline weapons of your chosen discipline for all purposes and you gain the benefit of the weapon focus (horns) feat.
-Longstride: If you have move at least 10ft immediately before doing so, you gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls when initiating a strike from your chosen discipline.
-Longtooth: The bite granted by your shifting is considered a discipline weapon of your chosen discipline for all purposes and you gain the benefit of the weapon focus (bite) feat.
-Razorclaw: The claws granted by your shifting are considered discipline weapon sof your chosen discipline for all purposes and you gain the benefit of the weapon focus (claw) feat.
-Swiftwing: You gain a +1 bonus to damage roll when initiating a strike from your chosen discipline if you do so from higher ground.
-Truedive: Swim become an associate skill of your chosen discipline in addition to the normal one. You can substitute a swim check for any skill check needed when using maneuver from your chosen discipline.
-Wildhunt: While in a stances from your chosen discipline, you can’t be detected with the scent special ability.
If you have multiple shifter traits (from the extra shifter trait feat for example) you gain all the benefits that apply.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Swordsage Discipline focus (Weapon focus).
Extra shifting (Ex): At 5th level, the shifter swordsage uses his mastery of martial techniques to better tap into their wild nature. You gain another use per day of your shifting ability, and your shifting lasts a turn longer. At 15th level you gain that ability a second time for a total of two bonus shifting per day and 2 bonus rounds to the durations of your shifting.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Swordsage quick to act +2 and +4. Reduce the bonus granted by this ability by 1 each time so a 5th level Shifter swordsage gain only a +1 bonus to initiative and a 15th level one only a +2 assuming he has taken both substitution level.
Shifting recovery (Ex): At 7th level, the shifter swordsage learns to use the energy from their shifting to use their maneuver more often. When shifting you can as a swift action to end it, losing all bonus associated with it. By doing so, you recover a number of maneuvers you have expanded equal to the number of rounds of shifting you have remaining.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Swordsage Sense magic class feature.
Table: Shifter Swordsage Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Maneuvers
1st
+0
+0
+2
+2
Quick to act +1, Discipline focus (Shifting)
Same as Swordsage
5th
+3
+1
+4
+4
Extra shifting
Same as Swordsage
7th
+5
+2
+5
+5
Shifting recovery
Same as Swordsage
15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+9
Extra shifting
Same as Swordsage
New maneuvers:
Spoiler
Claws of the Dire Tiger
Tiger Claw (Stances) Level: Shifter swordsage 3 Prerequisite: One Tiger Claw maneuver Initiation action: 1 swift action Range: Personal Target: You Duration: Stances
You know the secret to increase the effectiveness of your natural weapon, and you are delighted in demonstrating the result to your enemy.
While you are in this stance, the damage of the natural weapon you gain while shifting increases by one step, as if you were one size category larger. Each time you hit an opponent with one of the effected natural weapon, on the next round you increases the damage done by this weapon by another step against that opponent until the end of the encounter to a maximum of 4 step. For example a longtooth shifter has a bite attack dealing 1d6 damage (+1 per 4 character level + str + other bonus) with this stance this change to 1d8 if he hit with his bite an opponent on the next round his bite will deal 2d6 damage if he hit again on the next round he will deal 3d6 damage.
This effect stacks with any other effect that would increase the damage dealt by your natural weapon.
Lycanthrope Fury
Tiger Claw (Strike) Level: Shifter swordsage 5 Prerequisite: Two Tiger Claw maneuvers Initiation action: 1 Full-round action Range: Melee attack Target: One creature or more creature
Fueled by the rage of you lycanthrope heritage, you use the opening created by one attack to strike harder with the next one.
You must have at least one natural weapon to initiate this maneuver
Make a full attack against one creature using at least one natural weapon. You gain a cumulative +1 bonus to attack roll for each of the previous attacks that hit. For example a shifter swordsage attacking with two daggers and a bite would gain a +1 to attack on the second dagger attack if the first hit and a +2 with the bite if the first two attacks with the dagger hit. In addition, each attack deals an additional 2d6 damage.
I want to give a big thank you to Sliver for proofreading my work, so Thank you Sliver I own you one.
__________________ Latest homebrew:The Avatars of Magic, powerful monster each dedicated to ne school of magic.
Blood magic. The phrase conjures up mental images of cultists making humanoid sacrifices to a dark god or spilling their own blood to power their tainted spells. However, despite the fact that blood magic, called maho in Rokugan, has vile connotations, blood isn't inherently evil; one can spill one's own or another's blood for good, such as bloodletting to remove poison if there is no shugenja close enough to cure it or becoming blood brothers with a trusted fellow samurai. The Disciples of the Sanguine Way follows this interpretation, teaching its adherents that blood is simply a source of powerful ki, as icky or dark as it might seem, and its use for good or evil is the choice of the one through whose veins it flows.
Mystic of the Pulsing Veins (Shugenja)
Air, earth, fire, and water are the most commonly-known elements, but in truth they are simply four of the many elements to which a shugenja might devote himself. Why not metal, or wood...or blood? Orders practicing the mystical arts of wood and metal are few and far between, but the Disciples of the Sanguine Way are happy to teach the mysteries of the Order of the Pulsing Veins to any shugenja who seeks that knowledge.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a Pulsing Veins substitution level, a character must be a member of the Disciples of the Sanguine Way or find a shugenja trained by them to teach him, must possess blood, and must be about to take his 1st, 4th, or 8th level of shugenja.
Class Skills
Pulsing Veins substitution levels have the class skills of the standard shugenja class plus Autohypnosis.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Pulsing Veins substitution levels.
Blood Focus: Shugenjas of the Order of the Pulsing Veins learn water and fire magic primarily, drawing upon the healing powers of the literal liquid flowing through their veins and the fiery passion of figurative boiling blood to work their magic. At 1st level, a shugenja of this Order focuses on both water and fire magic, becoming able to choose either water or fire spells for their order spells known despite the two elements normally being opposed but losing access to both air and earth spells in return
In addition, he must choose the Order of the Pulsing Veins to be his elemental order:
Spoiler
Order of the Pulsing Veins spells
0—discern bloodlineRoD
1—blade of bloodPHB2
2—puppeteerSpC
3—burning bloodCArc
4—bloodstarSpC
5—thalassemiaStorm
6—parboilSand
7—extract blood elementalSpC (as extract water elementalSpC, but 1 blood elemental is extracted per size category above Small and it lasts for 1 round/level)
8—avascular massSpC
9—internal fireCArc
This substitution feature augments the standard shugenja's Element Focus class feature.
Sense Blood (Sp): Where most shugenjas gain the ability to listen to the elements of the world around them, shugenjas of the Order of the Pulsing Veins have ears only for the rhythm of pulsing veins. This focused perception is less useful, but also less strenuous, relative to sensing the elements: the shugenja may now choose to sense blood in addition to the four elements, but sensing blood may be done at will rather than consuming a daily use of sense elements. In addition, the shugenja gains a +4 bonus on Listen checks against creatures with blood.
The shugenja's magical powers fuel these mystical senses. He permanently decreases his number of 2nd level spells per day by 1 and loses the 1 non-order 2nd level spell gained at 4th level. This substitution feature augments the standard shugenja's sense elements class feature and replaces the spell known and spell per day as described above.
Maho Component: A shugenja must substitute a drop of blood for a spell’s material component or focus, if any. He may use his own blood or someone else's, at his option. If he uses his own, the minor knife cut to draw the requisite blood is a free action that becomes a normal part of casting the spell. The shugenja does not need to make a Concentration check to complete the spell, despite the wound. Using this ability deals the shugenja 1 point of damage; this damage may not be prevented through DR or any other means. Substituting blood for a costly material component requires drawing a greater amount of blood, according to the table below. When using blood to replace a costly component, the shugenja must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage taken + spell level) to successfully cast the spell.
Component Cost (gp)
Damage Dealt
1–50
5
51–300
11
301–750
17
750+
23
The shugenja's magical powers infuse his blood to grant him this ability. He permanently decreases his number of 4th level spells per day by 1 and loses the 1 non-order 4th level spell gained at 8th level. This substitution feature replaces only the spell known and spell per day as described above.
Table: Pulsing Veins Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Spellcasting
1st
+0
+0
+0
+2
Blood Focus, sense elements
Same as shugenja
4th
+2
+1
+1
+4
sense blood
Same as shugenja
8th
+4
+2
+2
+6
Maho Component
Same as shugenja
________________________________________________
Shinobi of the Thousand Cuts (Ninja)
Ninjas are renowned for their quick, silent assassinations and high-jumping athletic ability, but the Disciples of the Sanguine Way teach the more martially-inclined among them that dozens of minor bleeding wounds can be more effective than a single solid thrust and that all the mystery and acrobatics in the world won't make up for a bit of arsenic in a glass of wine. Thus, ninjas trained under the Disciples focus less on sneaking themselves into enemy territory and extracting themselves safely and more on sneaking poison into enemy bloodstreams and extracting blood painfully.
Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To take a Thousand Cuts substitution level, a character must be a member of the Disciples of the Sanguine Way or find a ninja trained by them to teach him, must possess blood, and must be about to take his 1st, 4th, or 7th level of ninja.
Class Skills
Thousand Cuts substitution levels have the class skills of the standard ninja class, with the exception that Climb and Jump are replaced by Autohypnosis and Heal.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Thousand Cuts substitution levels.
Bloodletting Strike (Ex): The first time in a given round the ninja executes a successful sudden strike with a light slashing or piercing weapon, he may reduce his number of sudden strike damage dice by 1 to inflict a bleeding wound. His target loses 3 hit points at the start of its turn on the next round and every round thereafter until the bleeding is stopped by a Heal check (DC 10 + ninja's Dex modifier) or the application of magical healing. Multiple bleeding wounds are cumulative, with each additional wound increasing the Heal check DC by +4 or requiring a separate healing spell to stop each one. At 6th, 12th, and 18th level, the number of successful sudden strikes to which the ability may apply each round increases by one, and at 3rd level and above the ninja may trade out multiple dice of sudden strike damage for extra bleeding damage on a 1d6-for-3 basis (so for instance a 13th level ninja who trades out all of his sudden strike dice for bleeding damage inflicts a bleeding strike with the first three successful sudden strikes he makes in a round and each bleeds for 21 damage per round). This ability does not affect a creature that does not possess blood.
This substitution feature augments the standard ninja's sudden strike class feature and replaces the trapfinding and Acrobatics class features.
Poison in the Blood (Ex): Blood calls to blood, and as a Sanguine Way ninja's poison, more often than not, is the ninja's own blood refined by his ki into one of many lethal concoctions, the poisoned tip of a ninja's blade finds the slightest purchase in a creature's hide where another's would be turned aside. As a swift action, a ninja may spend 1 ki point and deal himself 3 damage to draw blood from a small wound, turn it to poison, and apply it to a light piercing or slashing weapon. The poison chosen may be any contact or injury poison with a DC less than or equal to 10 + ninja level or with a market price of 100gp per ninja level, whichever is lower. In addition, if the ninja misses a creature's AC by an amount less than or equal to its armor, shield, and natural armor bonuses to AC or his damage is reduced to 0 by DR, any contact or injury poison on his weapon is inflicted on his target in spite of that. Finally, as long as he has at least one daily use remaining in his ki pool, the ninja is immune to any poison he could draw from his blood with this ability.
This substitution feature replaces the standard ninja's Great Leap class feature.
Flowing Ki (Su): The ninja's ki flows constantly through his veins; should he ever exhaust his mystical strength, a prick of the skin will bring more ki bubbling to the surface from the wellspring of his soul. Whenever a ninja's ki pool is empty, he may take 2 Con damage as a standard action to replenish his pool by an amount equal to one-half his class level plus his (newly-reduced) Constitution modifier. If the ninja is immune to Constitution damage or is otherwise prevented from taking the Constitution damage, this ability has no effect. After having replenished his ki pool via this feature, for the rest of the day he gains a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves as well as Will saves for having at least one daily use in his ki pool.
This substitution feature augments the standard ninja's Ki Power class feature and replaces the Speed Climb feature.
Table: Thousand Cuts Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
1st
+0
+0
+2
+0
Ki power, sudden strike +1d6, Bloodletting Strike
4th
+3
+1
+4
+1
Poison in the Blood
7th
+5
+2
+5
+2
Flowing Ki
________________________________________________
Warrior of the Bloodstained Daisho (Samurai)
The study of iaijutsu is common among samurai, allowing them to defeat their foes within instants of their swords leaving their sheathes with a minimum of bloodshed; such duels are a matter of honor, and one should respect one's opponent enough to not unduly mutilate their body. The samurai of the Sanguine Way, however, follow a different path. Reveling in the carnage of battle and living for the fear and awe of their lessers, they elevate their talents of kiai projection to an art form to inspire fear in their fellow beings on and off the battlefield. Such samurai skirt the line between control and fury, between honor and dishonor. Though it is whispered that they have been tainted and are unfit to serve, they do not dishonor those to whom they swear allegiance, nor do they fall victim to the power of the Shadowlands, but their cruelty and bloodthirst make every day a struggle against their inner demons, the reason many of them turn to the learned Disciples to be trained to control their impulses while still indulging them. Few believe their inner conflict to be the manifestation of anything more than conflicting desires--but if they have been tainted, what of it? If you turn to blood magic in the service of your lord and the greater good, these Disciples reason, why not take advantage of blood magic's dark reputation to scare off opponents and even the odds?
Hit Die: d12
Requirements
To take a Bloodstained Daisho substitution level, a character must be a member of the Disciples of the Sanguine Way or find a samurai trained by them to teach him, must possess blood, and must be about to take his 3rd, 9th, or 15th level of samurai.
Class Skills
Bloodstained Daisho substitution levels have the class skills of the standard samurai class plus Autohypnosis and Heal.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Bloodstained Daisho substitution levels.
Bloodcurdling Smite (Ex): Once per day, a samurai of 3rd level or higher can give a fearsome cry during combat that strikes fear into his enemies' hearts and makes them easy targets. As a standard action, the samurai may give a ki-powered shout and make a single melee attack, which gains a bonus on the attack roll equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum +1) and a bonus on the damage roll equal to his ranks in Intimidate. Additionally, his voice is so forceful that he can actually burst his opponents' blood vessels with his shout: creatures adjacent to the samurai when he uses this ability must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ samurai level + Cha modifier) or become permanently blinded or deafened (equal chance for either) as their eyeballs rupture or their eardrums blow out from the extreme pressure. As a samurai gains levels, he can make a bloodcurdling smite more often according to the normal samurai Kiai Smite progression.
This substitution feature augments the standard samurai's Kiai Smite class feature.
Shogun of Fear (Ex): By 9th level, the samurai has become a master of his fearsome fighting technique, to the point that his dreadful visage leering over his slashing blades can paralyze his enemies with terror. He gains Freezing the Lifeblood as a bonus feat, treating his samurai level as his monk level to determine uses per day and usable only with his katana or wakizashi rather than unarmed strikes.
This substitution feature does not replace any standard samurai class feature.
Disembowel (Ex): No Disciple of the Sanguine Way completes his training without spilling a little blood along the way, and by adapting the ritual of seppuku to battlefield conditions Sanguine Way samurai learn how to spill quite a bit of blood when they need to. Once per day per four class levels, as a full-round action the samurai may make a single attack with his katana or wakizashi which, if it hits, forces his target to make a Fortitude save against DC 10 + damage dealt or die instantly from the trauma and massive blood loss. Performing this attack provokes attacks of opportunity, and it does not affect creatures immune to critical hits.
This substitution feature does not replace any standard samurai class feature.
Table: Bloodstained Daisho Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
3rd
+3
+3
+1
+1
Bloodcurdling Smite 1/day
9th
+9/+4
+6
+3
+3
Shogun of Fear
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+5
+5
Disembowel
________________________________________________
Grandmaster of the Crimson Path (Monk)
Monks of the Sanguine Way, like the shugenja Disciples, don't detour too far off the path of study of the uninitiated monk. They still learn to reinforce their bodies with ki, run and strike fast, and do other monk-like things, they just give it a blood-flavored twist...and in the case of their more advanced techniques, there's usually some twisting of other creatures' blood going on as well.
Hit Die: d10
Requirements
To take a Crimson Path substitution level, a character must be a member of the Disciples of the Sanguine Way or find a monk trained by them to teach her, must possess blood, and must be about to take her 7th, 12th, or 15th level of monk.
Class Skills
Crimson Path substitution levels have the class skills of the standard monk class plus Autohypnosis and Heal.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Crimson Path substitution levels.
Still the Beating Heart (Ex): The monk's ki constantly nourishes her body and grants her conscious control over her blood. She gains fast healing 1, is immune to bleeding damage or blood draining attacks, and automatically stabilizes when reaching negative hit points. In addition, she can feign death flawlessly: as a full-round action, the monk may enter a trance during which she appears dead for all intents and purposes, even to magical means of sensing life or unlife. The only way to tell that the monk is actually alive is to succeed on a Spot or Heal check against her (DC 15 + monk level + monk's Wis modifier). The monk may stay in this trance for up to 1 day plus 1 day per point of Constitution bonus, after which she must spend an equal amount of continuous time resting before being able to do so again, and while in this trance she doesn't need to eat, drink, or breathe. She isn't conscious of her surroundings, but she may set a trigger condition that will bring her out of the trance early.
This substitution feature replaces the standard monk's Wholeness of Body class feature.
Ride the Crimson River (Su): The monk eventually learns to manipulate others' blood in addition to her own, and so gains the ability to transport herself via the blood of living creatures. As a move action, she can make a melee touch attack to enter another living creature of her size category or larger that possesses blood and instantaneously pass up to 100 feet per monk level to another living creature within line of sight that possesses blood. When exiting a creature, she chooses an adjacent space in which to appear; the entry and destination creatures are flat-footed against her attacks until the end of the monk's next turn, and the monk may make a flurry of blows against the destination creatures after exiting it, representing the violent force exiting its body.
If the monk knows a creature's name and recites it when using this ability, she may use that creature as her destination even if she lacks line of sight or line of effect to that target. If she possesses the Mingle the Lifeblood ability described below, she may use any linked creature as a destination creature regardless of distance as long as they are both on the same plane.
This substitution feature replaces the standard monk's Abundant Step class feature.
Mingle the Lifeblood (Su): Combining one's blood with that of one's opponent also mixes the ki flowing in it, and thereby creates a mystical connection that the monk can exploit. Once per day, the monk may inflict up to 2 points of damage per monk level on herself (minimum 2 damage) to use this ability upon making a successful unarmed attack against a creature that possesses blood. Should the target fail a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ monk level + Wis modifier), it takes an equal amount of damage as well, and for up to one week thereafter, the monk and the target are linked. She can sense the target's direction relative to her at all times as well as its distance to an accuracy of the nearest mile and is aware of its general condition as per the status spell. As long as this link lasts, the monk ignores any miss chances or cover bonuses to AC the target possesses and may make unarmed attacks against the target at a distance up to 30 feet, warping its blood and damaging it from the inside without requiring physical contact or even line of sight within that range.
This substitution feature replaces the standard monk's Quivering Palm class feature.
Table: Crimson Path Substitution Levels
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
7th
+5
+5
+5
+5
Still the Beating Heart
12th
+9/+4
+8
+8
+8
Ride the Crimson River
15th
+11/+6/+1
+9
+9
+9
Mingle the Lifeblood
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
Desert Crusader
"They flew to us upon the backs of griffons, their trumpets lifting the city from despair, the insignia of Pelor blazing proudly upon their armor under the desert sun. One by one, they charged against the invading dragons, golden lances piercing through blue scales wherever we looked. We cheered at their coming, and we cheered at their glory, for our city was saved." - Jameline Zari, citizen of Shalak.
Within the Great Desert, conflict has gone on for centuries now between the crusaders of various faiths vying for supremacy. It was through experience that these warriors understood the need for mobility in engagements within those open spaces and upon those bare dunes. Through a combination of training and divine gift, these crusaders have learned to call upon the aid of divinely-bestowed mounts to bear them to battle, by earth or sky.
Hit Die: d10.
Requirements
To take a desert crusader substitution level, a character must be of a desert race (new races presented in Sandstorm also qualify) about to take his 1st, 2nd, or 6th level of crusader.
Class Skills
Desert crusader substitution levels grant the same class skills as the standard crusader class. A desert crusader who follows the Path of Sky gains Tumble as a class skill, while losing Balance as one.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Maneuvers Known
Maneuvers Readied
Stances Known
1st
+1
+2
+0
+0
By Earth or Sky, Devoted Companion
5
5 (2)
1
2nd
+2
+3
+0
+0
Aegis of Wind
5
5 (2)
2
6th
+6/+1
+5
+2
+2
Onslaught of Fire 1/day
7
5 (2)
2
By Earth or Sky: Upon taking the 1st level desert crusader substitution level, the crusader must choose to follow the Path of Earth or Path of Sky. This choice will affect both the types of maneuvers he can learn and the types of devoted companions that will be available at higher levels.
A crusader that follows the Path of Sky studies the forces of wind and sun, gaining access to maneuvers from the Desert Wind discipline. In exchange, such a crusader may never learn maneuvers from the Stone Dragon discipline via the crusader class (he may still learn them through other means such as multiclassing or feats). Tumble permanently becomes a crusader class skill for him, while Balance no longer is a class skill.
A crusader that follows the Path of Earth instead studies the immobility of earth and sand, keeping the Stone Dragon discipline but forgoing those of the Desert Wind. Through his mounted training, he learns to be able to use Stone Dragon maneuvers and stances even when he himself is not touching the ground, as long as his mount is. Additionally, if he is in a Stone Dragon stance while on his mount, the stance does not end if his mount moves, even if it normally would, as long as he himself does not leave his mount.
Devoted Companion (Ex): A crusader who takes the 1st level desert crusader substitution level gains the service of a special steed to carry him into battle. The devoted companion is completely typical for its kind except as noted below. As a crusader advances in class level, the mount’s power increases as shown on the table. If a crusader releases his mount from service or his companion perishes, he may gain a new one by fasting and praying for 24 uninterrupted hours. This feature replaces all instances of the Furious Counterstrike and Steely Resolve class features of the standard crusader class.
A crusader of class level 4 or higher or higher may select from alternative lists of mounts. Should he select a devoted companion from one of these alternative lists, the creature gains abilities as if the character’s class level were lower than it actually is. Subtract the value indicated in the appropriate list header from the character’s class level and compare the result with the class level entry on the table to determine the devoted companion’s powers. (If this adjustment would reduce the crusader’s effective class level to 0 or lower, he can’t have that creature as a devoted companion until he gains more class levels.)
Aegis of Wind (Su): When a crusader who takes the 2nd level desert crusader substitution level moves at least 10 feet from his original location in one round, he gains a bonus to dodge AC equal to his Charisma modifier. This benefit lasts until the start of his next turn, and only takes effect if he is wearing light or no armor. This replaces the Indomitable Soul class feature of the standard crusader class.
Onslaught of Fire (Su): A crusader who takes the 6th level desert crusader substitution level learns to unleash his inner fury and burning rage into a torrential series of strikes. Once per day, as a free action, he may add his Charisma modifier to his next melee attack this turn. If that attack hits, he may immediately make another melee attack at the same target with the same attack bonus and damage modifiers, but with all damage converted to fire damage. This replaces the Smite class feature of the standard crusader class. At 18th level, a crusader who took the 6th level desert crusader substitution level learns to use Onslaught of Fire an additional time per day, though he may not use it more than once per round.
The Desert Crusader's Devoted Companion
A desert crusader's devoted companion is superior to a normal mount of its kind and has special powers, as described below. The powers and HD of the devoted companion is based on the desert crusader's class level. If the devoted companion is an animal, it counts as a magical beast instead. The devoted companion always has the same alignment as the desert crusader.
Bonus HD: Extra Hit Dice based on creature type, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Extra Hit Dice improve the mount’s base attack and base save bonuses, with progressions based on creature type. Creatures originally of the animal type still gain HD appropriate to the animal type, regardless of being considered magical beasts. The mount gains additional skill points or feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster’s Hit Dice.
Natural Armor: The number on the table is an improvement to the mount’s existing natural armor bonus.
Strength: Add this figure to the mount's Strength score.
Intelligence: Set the mount's Intelligence score to this value unless its Intelligence is naturally higher.
Empathic Link (Su): The desert crusader has an empathic link with his mount out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The crusader cannot see through the mount’s eyes, but they can communicate empathically. Note that even intelligent mounts see the world differently from humans, so misunderstandings are always possible. Because of this empathic link, the crusader has the same connection to an item or place that his mount does, just as with a master and his familiar.
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a mount takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage if the saving throw fails.
Sublime Mount (Ex): The desert crusader's mount is trained to fight alongside martial adepts, allowing the crusader to use maneuvers more easily while on the saddle. If the mount charges an enemy, the crusader may initiate a standard action strike in place of a regular attack at the end of the charge, gaining the usual benefits and penalties of charging on a mount. This also allows initiating a standard action strike between movements when performing a Ride-By Attack.
In addition, while mounted upon his companion, the crusader may initiate full-round strikes that allow for a charge attack, causing his mount to charge instead. Any movement changes from the maneuver carry over to the mount (such as the flight from Searing Charge, the unrestricted movement of Bounding Assault, or the ability to ignore attacks of opportunity from Battle Leader's Charge), and both the crusader and his mount gain the bonuses and penalties from charging (if any). However, only the crusader gains the effects from the strike unrelated to movement (such as the damage bonus from Searing Charge or the damage reduction from Doom Charge; maneuvers that normally affect allies, like War Master's Charge, still do).
Share Stance and Boosts: While the desert crusader is within 5 ft of his mount, he may have his mount gain the abilities of the stance that he is utilizing. The stance must be on the following list to be shared this way:
Martial Spirit
Thicket of Blades
Immortal Fortitude
Diamond Mind:
Stance of Clarity
Pearl of Black Doubt
Hearing the Air
Iron Heart:
Punishing Stance
Absolute Steel
Dancing Blade Form
Supreme Blade Parry
Setting Sun:
Step of the Wind
Giant Killing Style
Shifting Defenses
Ghostly Defense
Shadow Hand:
Child of Shadow
Assassin's Stance
Dance of the Spider
Step of the Dancing Moth
Balance on the Sky
Stone Dragon:
Stonefoot Stance
Crushing Weight of the Mountain
Roots of the Mountain
Giant's Stance
Strength of Stone
Tiger Claw:
Blood in the Water
Hunter's Sense
Leaping Dragon Stance
Wolverine Stance
Wolf Pack Tactics
White Raven:
Press the Advantage
In addition, while they are within 5 ft of each other, the crusader may choose to use various boosts, counters, and untyped maneuvers on his mount instead of himself. Some maneuvers are noted as "Shared with both," which means that both you and your mount are affected at the same time. The maneuvers must come from the following list to be shared this way:
Cloak of Deception - Shared with both.
Shadow Jaunt - Shared with both.
Shadow Stride - Shared with both.
Shadow Blink - Shared with both.
One With Shadow - Shared with both.
Stone Dragon:
Boulder Roll
Tiger Claw:
Sudden Leap
Dancing Mongoose
Raging Mongoose
Share Saving Throws: For each of its saving throws, the mount uses its own base save bonus or the crusader’s, whichever is higher. The mount applies its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn’t share any other bonuses on saves that the master might have.
Improved Speed (Ex): The mount's speed increases by 10 feet.
One Mind (Su): The crusader's connection with his mount deepens. From now on, the two of them can communicate telepathically any time as long as they are on the same plane, and the crusader can see and hear through the senses of his mount as a standard action. In addition, while the two of them are near each other, their tenacity and resolve are combined, granting both the crusader and his mount a +4 bonus to saves against compulsion and fear effects while they are within 30 ft of each other.
Devoted Ideal (Ex): The crusader's mount becomes a paragon of his highest ideals. If the crusader is evil, the mount gains the Fiendish template. If the crusader is good, the mount gains the Celestial template. If the crusader is lawful, the mount gains the Axiomatic template (Planar Handbook). If the crusader is chaotic, the mount gains the Anarchic template (Planar Handbook). Only one of these templates may be gained at a time, and if more than one is applicable, then the crusader chooses which one his mount has the first time this ability becomes available. If he would later gain a different devoted companion, he may choose a different template to grant to that companion.
One Body (Su): The crusader and his mount become bonded by ties of loyalty and camaraderie, each willing to give up his own life to save the other. Whenever the crusader and his mount are within 30 ft of each other and either one would take hit point damage, the other may willingly choose to give up their own hit points equal to up to half of the total damage dealt, reducing the original damage by the same amount. This willing hit point loss does not count as taking damage and cannot be reduced due to damage reduction or energy resistances.
In addition, if the crusader willingly gives up hit points for his mount this way, he gains a bonus to attack and damage against the one who originally dealt the damage based on the hit points the crusader lost. This bonus lasts for 1 minute. Likewise, if the mount willingly gives up hit points for the crusader, it gains the same bonus against the originator of the damage based on the amount the mount lost, lasting for 1 minute.
HP Lost
Bonus
1-9
+1
10-14
+2
15-19
+3
20-24
+4
25-29
+5
30+
+6
Improved Mettle (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Fortitude or Will saving throw for half or partial effect, a mount suffers no effect if it makes a successful saving throw and half or partial effect if the saving throw fails.
One Soul (Su): The crusader's soul and that of his mount's are inextricably linked, entwining their fighting spirits into a deadly force. They fight together perfectly, their spirits renewed at the sight of each other such that neither can die while the other lives. As long as the crusader is within 30 ft of his mount, neither the crusader nor his mount can die of hit point loss unless both of them have hit points below -9. If only one of them has hit points below -9, he remains alive for as long as the two of them remain within 30 ft of each other, and the other one does not go below -9 hit points.
If a creature has less than 0 HP, he still falls unconscious unless he has the Diehard feat or something similar. In addition, effects that would kill a creature regardless of hit point damage (such as Death effects, massive damage, Constitution damage, or negative levels) would still kill a crusader or his mount even if the two of them are within 30 ft of each other. This ability only prevents death by hit point loss.
Devoted Companion Choices
The standard list of devoted companions consists of Camel, Heavy Horse, Riding Dog, and War Pony. A new desert crusader starting play must select his devoted companion from this list. As he gains class level, new options for devoted companions open up.
An alternative devoted companion may be selected as long as the crusader is of an appropriate level. In addition, certain devoted companion choices have indicators next to their names which bestow further requirements upon the crusader. A creature marked with [Air] may only be selected by a desert crusader who has selected the Path of Sky, while a creature marked with [Earth] may only be selected by one who has selected the Path of Earth. A creature with an alignment by its name such as [Chaotic], [Lawful], [Good], or [Evil] requires a crusader with an alignment that does not oppose the creature's indicated alignments on any axis.
Most creatures listed here are found in the SRD. Creatures marked with * are found in Sandstorm.
"Their arrows came out of nowhere, swift as a desert storm. My men fell one by one to the deadly hail, and I had no recourse but to run. I caught only glimpses of them as I fled, but those glimpses now haunt me in my dreams. They were merciless and deadly, their stone cold expressions never wavering as they released arrow after arrow. Were I never to meet another one in this lifetime, it would be too soon." - Phinerous Rayan, former bandit leader.
Though warblades typically rely on their melee prowess to defeat foes, the desert elves have mastered a different style of martial combat, merging their extensive knowledge of archery along with their mastery of the sublime way. Such "warbows," as they're often called colloquially, are deadly fighters who single-mindedly guard their clans within the desert wastes. Over time, other races of the desert have learned these arts from the elves, through few outside the wastes have mastered these techniques.
Hit Die: d10. Desert warblades are less resilient than their melee-focused peers, preferring instead to keep their distance from foes and fire arrows from afar.
Requirements
To take a desert warblade substitution level, a character must be of a desert race (new races presented in Sandstorm also qualify) about to take her 1st, 5th, or 7th level of warblade.
Class Skills
Desert warblade substitution levels grant the same class skills as the standard warblade class, minus Craft and Swim, plus Handle Animal, Knowledge (Nature), Ride, Spot, and Survival.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character). Warriors need a variety of skills to survive the harshness of the wastes.
Class Features
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Maneuvers Known
Maneuvers Readied
Stances Known
1st
+1
+2
+0
+0
Battle Clarity (Reflex saves), Weapon Aptitude, Adept of the Bow
3
3
1
5th
+5
+4
+1
+1
Bonus Feat
6
4
2
7th
+7/+2
+5
+2
+2
Close Combat Shot
7
4
2
All the following are features of the desert warblade's racial substitution levels:
Weapon Proficiencies: A warblade that takes the 1st level desert warblade substitution level gains martial weapon proficiencies with all ranged martial weapons. In exchange, she does not gain the normal warblade proficiencies with two-handed melee martial weapons.
Maneuvers: A warblade that takes the 1st level desert warblade substitution level loses access to Stone Dragon as a warblade discipline forever (she may still learn Stone Dragon maneuvers via multiclassing or through the Martial Study/Martial Stance feats). In exchange, she gains the ability to select maneuvers from the Desert Wind discipline.
Adept of the Bow (Ex): A warblade who takes the 1st level desert warblade substitution level undergoes extensive training with ranged weapons, gaining the ability to use certain martial maneuvers with a bow instead of melee weapons (see below for which maneuvers are affected and how this works). In addition, she now recovers warblade maneuvers with a swift action followed by a ranged attack with a bow, rather than a melee attack.
Bonus Feat: A warblade taking the 5th level desert warblade substitution level gains access to additional bonus feat choices outside of the standard warblade list. A warblade that has taken this substitution level chooses from the expanded list at 9th, 13th, and 17th levels as well.
Extra Bonus Feat List: Alertness, Animal Affinity, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Greatbow or Composite Greatbow) [CWar], Far Shot, Improved Mounted Archery [CWar], Mounted Archery, Ranged Disarm [CWar], Ranged Pin [CWar], Ranged Sunder [CWar], Self-Sufficient, Shot on the Run.
Close Combat Shot (Ex): A warblade taking the 7th level desert warblade substitution level learns to fire a bow carefully even in the rigors of melee combat. She no longer provokes attacks of opportunity for firing a bow. In addition, when wielding a bow, the warblade threatens every square within her natural reach, and may fire her bow at enemies that provoke attacks of opportunity from her within that area. This ability replaces the standard warblade's Battle Cunning (damage) class feature.
Ranged Maneuvers List
Through her Adept of the Bow class feature, a desert warblade gains the ability to use martial maneuvers with ranged weapons. Here is a list of all maneuvers and stances from the Desert Wind, Diamond Mind, Iron Heart, and Tiger Claw disciplines that can be used when the desert warblade is wielding a bow.
Some of these maneuvers are changed to accommodate a ranged adept. A warblade with Adept of the Bow may not use these maneuvers with melee weapons. A maneuver marked as "standard replacement" simply needs to replace all instances of "melee" with "ranged." If such a maneuver has "Range: Melee attack," change the range to "Range: Maximum weapon range." Other maneuvers require more changes than standard replacement to work with ranged attacks, while some require no changes at all (maneuvers that received no changes may still be used with melee weapons as normal). A maneuver within these disciplines not listed here cannot be used while wielding a bow.
Desert Wind:
Spoiler
1st Level:
Blistering Flourish: No changes.
Burning Blade: Standard replacement.
Flame's Blessing: No changes.
Wind Stride: No changes.
2nd Level:
Fire Riposte: No changes.
Flashing Sun: Standard replacement.
Hatchling's Flame: No changes.
3rd Level:
Death Mark: Standard replacement.
Fan the Flames: No changes.
Holocaust Cloak: No changes.
Zephyr Dance: No changes.
4th Level:
Firesnake: No changes.
Searing Blade: Standard replacement.
5th Level:
Dragon's Flame: No changes.
Leaping Flame: No changes.
Lingering Inferno: Standard replacement.
6th Level:
Fiery Assault: Standard replacement.
Ring of Fire: No changes.
7th Level:
Inferno Blade: Standard replacement.
8th Level:
Rising Phoenix: No changes.
Wyrm's Flame: No changes.
9th Level:
Inferno Blast: No changes.
Diamond Mind:
Spoiler
1st Level:
Moment of Perfect Mind - No changes.
Sapphire Nightmare Blade - Standard replacement.
Stance of Clarity - No changes.
2nd Level:
Action Before Thought - No changes.
Emerald Razor - Standard replacement.
3rd Level:
Insightful Strike - Standard replacement.
Mind Over Body - No changes.
Pearl of Black Doubt - No changes.
4th Level:
Mind Strike - Standard replacement.
Ruby Nightmare Blade - Standard replacement.
5th Level:
Disrupting Blow - Standard replacement.
Hearing the Air - No changes.
Rapid Counter - Standard replacement.
6th Level:
Insightful Strike, Greater - Standard replacment.
Moment of Alacrity - No changes.
7th Level:
Avalanche of Blades - Standard replacement.
Quicksilver Motion - No changes.
8th Level:
Diamond Defense - No changes.
Diamond Nightmare Blade - Standard replacement.
Stance of Alacrity - No changes.
9th Level:
Time Stands Still - No changes.
Iron Heart:
Spoiler
1st Level:
Punishing Stance - Standard replacement.
Steel Wind - Special changes.
Spoiler
Steel Wind
Iron Heart (Strike) Level: Desert Warblade 1 Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: Maximum weapon range Target: Two creatures
Through a combination of sheer accuracy and unmatched talent, you fire two arrows at once, aiming at multiple opponents. As you initiate this strike, you make two ranged attacks, each against a different foe within range. Resolve each attack separately.
Steely Strike - Standard replacement.
2nd Level:
Disarming Strike - Standard replacement.
Wall of Blades - Special changes.
Spoiler
Wall of Blades
Iron Heart (Counter) Level: Desert Warblade 2 Initiation Action: 1 immediate action Range: Personal Target: You
Your weapon mastery transforms your arrow into an extension of your body, allowing you to fire it with the accuracy and timing needed to make a precise block.
When an enemy makes a ranged or ranged touch attack against you, you can initiate this counter to oppose that attack by making an attack roll with a bow. Use the higher of your AC (or touch AC for ranged touch) or your attack roll as your effective AC against the incoming attack. You can't use this maneuver if you are denied your Dexterity bonus to AC against your attacker. You can decide to use this ability after you learn the result of your opponent's attack.
3rd Level:
Absolute Steel - No changes.
Exorcism of Steel - Standard replacement.
Iron Heart Surge - No changes.
4th Level:
Lightning Recovery - Standard replacement.
Mithral Tornado - Special changes.
Spoiler
Mithral Tornado
Iron Heart (Strike) Level: Desert Warblade 4 Prerequisites: Two Iron Heart maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: Half a range increment Target: All opponents within half a range increment
When you initiate this strike, you make a ranged attack against every opponent within half a range increment. Resolve each attack separately. You gain a +2 bonus on each of these attacks, which are otherwise made at your highest attack bonus.
5th Level:
Dazing Strike - Standard replacement.
Iron Heart Focus - No changes.
6th Level:
Iron Heart Endurance - No changes.
7th Level:
Finishing Move - Standard replacement.
Scything Blade - Standard replacement.
8th Level:
Adamantine Hurricane - Special changes.
Spoiler
Adamantine Hurricane
Iron Heart (Strike) Level: Desert Warblade 8 Prerequisite: Three Iron Heart maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: Half a range increment Targets: All opponents within half a range increment
You fire your bow in a circle around you, striking out at nearby enemies. You fire with the speed and ferocity of a lightning bolt, forcing your enemies on their reflexes for protection rather than their armor and shields.
You make two ranged attacks against each opponent within half a range increment of you when you initiate this maneuver. You receive a +4 bonus on each of these attacks, which are otherwise made with your highest attack bonus.
Supreme Blade Parry - No changes.
9th Level:
Strike of Perfect Clarity - Standard replacement.
Tiger Claw:
Spoiler
1st Level:
Blood in the Water - No changes.
Hunter's Sense - No changes.
Sudden Leap - No changes.
3rd Level:
Flesh Ripper - Standard replacement.
Leaping Dragon Stance - No changes.
5th Level:
Dancing Mongoose - No changes.
7th Level:
Hamstring Attack - Standard replacement.
Prey on the Weak - No changes.
8th Level:
Raging Mongoose - No changes.
White Raven:
Spoiler
1st Level:
Bolstering Voice - No changes.
Douse the Flames - Standard replacement.
Leading the Attack - Standard replacement.
2nd Level:
Tactical Strike - Standard replacement.
3rd Level:
Lion's Roar - No changes.
Tactics of the Wolf - Special changes.
Spoiler
Tactics of the Wolf
White Raven (Stance) Level: Desert Warblade 3 Prerequisite: One White Raven maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: 60 ft Target: You Duration: Stance
This stance allows you and your allies to gain additional benefits against a flanked opponent. Under your direction, your allies coordinate their actions to a much greater degree than normal. Your advice and shouted orders make them an unstoppable team. Like a wolf pack, your allies fight together to devastating effect.
When allies within 60 ft flank a foe, they gain a bonus to damage rolls against that opponent equal to 1/2 your initiator level (if you flank the foe as well, you also gain the bonus).
White Raven Tactics - No changes.
4th Level:
Covering Strike - Standard replacement.
White Raven Strike - Standard replacement.
5th Level:
Flanking Maneuver - Special changes.
Spoiler
Flanking Maneuver
White Raven (Strike) Level: Desert Warblade 5 Prerequisites: Two White Raven maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 standard action Range: Maximum weapon range Target: One creature
When an enemy is flanked by your allies, all of you form a potent combination. Your attacks complement each other, leaving the flanked opponent in a tenuous position.
You can use this strike when any number of allies are flanking an opponent you designate. As part of this maneuver, you make a ranged attack against the flanked opponent. If your attack hits, any ally flanking your foe can immediately make an attack against that creature. These extra attacks are not attacks of opportunity.
Your allies must be able to see you to gain the benefit. The coordination needed between you and your companions demands that you watch each other's attacks, though you do not need to hear each other.
Press the Advantage - No changes.
6th Level:
Order Forged from Chaos - No changes.
7th Level:
Clarion Call - Special changes.
Spoiler
Clarion Call
White Raven (Boost) Level: Desert Warblade 7 Prerequisite: Three White Raven maneuvers Initiation Action: 1 swift action Range: 60 ft. Area: 60-ft.-radius burst centered on you
You are an inspiring figure on the battlefield. Your personal victories are shared by your allies, allowing them to draw courage and vigor from your actions.
If during your turn a ranged attack you make reduces an opponent to fewer than 0 hit points, you can initiate this maneuver. Once it is initiated, all allies within range can immediately either make one attack at their highest attack bonus or take a single move action. These allies must be able to see and hear you. These extra attacks are not attacks of opportunity.
Swarming Assault - Standard replacement.
8th Level:
Swarm Tactics - No changes.
White Raven Hammer - Standard replacement.
"They claim to follow the Way of Light, yet they use that name only to deceive. Though they claim to venerate the sun, they still consort with those who traverse in darkness and blaspheme Pelor's name by night. They call their powers 'magic,' yet in truth, their trickery and spells call upon the hellfire of fiends. Theirs is not a brotherhood, but a cult of the damned in disguise. We cannot allow their heresies and lies to continue." - Sir Avonius Kain, Knight Captain of the Holy Sun.
Within the dunes of the Great Desert, there once was a mystical temple called Isherihad, where dwelled the Brotherhood of the Nightborn Sun. It was a very secretive order, oft told in legends and myths, whose mystics called upon the powers of night and day to unleash deadly magics upon their foes. A hundred years ago, the Knights of the Holy Sun led a great crusader against this temple, destroying it and scattering its adepts and its knowledge to the winds. Now, these scattered adepts and their students wander the Great Desert, teaching their art to those they deem worth of the knowledge, waiting for the day that their temple would be reborn.
Hit Die: d8.
Requirements
To take a desert swordsage substitution level, a character must be of a desert race (new races from Sandstorm also qualify) about to take his 1st, 4th, or 8th level of swordsage.
Class Skills
Desert swordsage substitution levels grant the same class skills as the standard swordsage class, minus Swim and Knowledge (Local), plus Spellcraft and Knowledge (Arcana).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or six times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Maneuvers Known
Maneuvers Readied
Stances Known
1st
+0
+0
+2
+2
Quick to Act +1, Dichotomy of Day and Night, Arcane Focus
6
4
1
4th
+3
+1
+4
+4
Force of the Tranquil Storm
9
5
2
8th
+6/+1
+2
+6
+6
Stance of the Insatiable Wind
13
7
3
Dichotomy of Day and Night: A swordsage taking his 1st level desert swordsage substitution level must choose between learning the Way of Light or the Way of Shadow. This choice is irrevocable, and sets the swordsage's path and the types of arcane maneuvers he may gain henceforth. Swordsages of the Nightborn Sun consider both paths to be equal means to the same ends, and individual swordsages are free to choose upon which path they would descend.
A desert swordsage of the Way of Light loses access to the Shadow Hand discipline, and replaces Desert Wind with its arcane equivalent, the Arcane Sun discipline. He may not select from Shadow Hand for swordsage maneuvers, though he may still gain maneuvers from that discipline via multiclassing, feats, and magic items. However, he may never select maneuvers from the default Desert Wind again, with the sole exceptions of the Martial Study/Stance feats and Martial Scripts. Any class or item that would grant maneuvers from the Desert Wind school to this swordsage grants an equal level maneuver from the Arcane Sun discipline instead.
A desert swordsage of the Way of Shadow loses access to the Desert Wind discipline, and replaces Shadow Hand with its arcane equivalent, the Blackened Moon discipline. He may not select from Desert Wind for swordsage maneuvers, though he may still gain maneuvers from that discipline via multiclassing, feats, and magic items. However, he may never select maneuvers from the default Shadow Hand again, with the sole exceptions of the Martial Study/Stance feats and Martial Scripts. Any class or item that would grant maneuvers from the Shadow Hand school to this swordsage grants an equal level maneuver from the Blackened Moon discipline instead.
The desert swordsage's caster level for arcane maneuvers is equal to his initiator level, and his key ability score for arcane maneuvers is Wisdom.
Arcane Focus (Ex): A swordsage who takes the 1st level desert swordsage substitution level gains the Weapon Focus feat for touch spells and ranged touch spells. This replaces the Weapon Focus standard swordsages get with discipline weapons.
Force of the Tranquil Storm (Su): A swordsage taking the 4th level desert swordsage substitution level gains the ability to apply his Wisdom bonus to caster level checks against spell resistance. This replaces the Insightful Strikes class feature. If a swordsage who has taken this variant would otherwise gain Insightful Strikes again for a second discipline, instead he adds his Wisdom bonus to his caster level to determine how hard his spells are to dispel and counterspell.
Stance of the Insatiable Wind (Su): While in a discipline's stance, a swordsage who takes the 8th level desert swordsage substitution level may ignore energy resistance equal to twice his initiator level for the purposes of maneuvers and stances from that discipline that would deal energy damage. This replaces the Defensive Stance class feature. If a swordsage with this substitution level would otherwise gain Defensive Stance again for a second discipline, he is able to completely ignore all energy resistances and immunities with his maneuvers and stances from that discipline instead.
Arcane Disciplines
Arcane disciplines are martial disciplines which have spells in place of martial maneuvers. All arcane disciplines are mirrors of standard disciplines, but are more powerful, representing a higher grasp of those disciplines than standard adepts can achieve. All of the maneuvers in these disciplines are arcane maneuvers, which have far more similarities with spells than martial maneuvers. They are learned and readied like standard maneuvers, and can be readied alongside them. "Casting" them acts the same as initiating them, though they still require verbal and/or somatic components if the base spell required them (however, material components, XP components, foci, and divine foci are not required). They can be initiated as usual for maneuvers, and they can be restored after expending the same way that other maneuvers are refreshed. Arcane spell failure do not apply to them.
Arcane maneuvers are considered arcane spells, and allow spell resistance if the spell itself does. The caster level for these spells is equal to initiator level, and with the save DC being 10 + maneuver level + primary attribute (Wis for desert swordsage). Initiating an arcane maneuver does not provoke attacks of opportunity, may not be interrupted, and does not require Concentration checks in stressful situations. They can still be dispelled and countered just like spells, and they do not function in antimagic fields. Arcane initiator classes do not gain the equivalent of bonus spell slots for high attributes.
Arcane maneuvers may not be gained via the Martial Study/Stance feats, selected for class maneuvers known (besides specific arcane adept classes), nor gained from items, unless the adept already possesses a maneuver from the school. An arcane discipline is considered the same discipline as its base discipline, and share the same discipline skill and weapons as the base. For the purposes of requirements arcane maneuvers count as maneuvers of the original discipline and vice versa (a requirement of "three Desert Wind maneuvers" may take any combination of three Desert Wind and/or Arcane Sun maneuvers).
Like regular maneuvers, arcane maneuvers are divided into strikes, boosts, counters, and stances. Unless otherwise stated here, an arcane maneuver works just like the spell it is based on. All arcane maneuvers function according to their type, like so:
Level: An arcane maneuver has maneuver level equal to the level given in the list below, regardless of the original spell level of the spell. Initiation Action: All arcane maneuvers have initiation action listed besides them, replacing the spells' original casting times. Strikes always require either standard or full-round actions to initiate. Boosts and stances require swift actions, while counters require immediate actions. Range: If the original spell has a range of "close," the maneuver has a range of 30 ft. If the spell's range is "medium," the maneuver's range is 60 ft. If the spell's range is "long," the maneuver's range is 120 ft. Otherwise, the maneuver's range is the same as the spell's range. Stances always have personal range. Target: If a boost or counter has a single target, the target must be the caster. If a boost or counter has multiple targets, one of the targets must be the caster, and the remaining targets must be willing allies. Stances only target the caster. Duration: Arcane maneuvers that are counters or boosts have a duration of only 1 round, with both ending at the beginning of your next turn. Stances last for as long as you remain in the stance. Strikes have the same duration as the original spells. An adept may not hold the charge of a touch spell maneuver for more than one round.
Arcane maneuvers have prerequisites based on their maneuver level, as listed.
Arcane Sun:
Spoiler
Arcane Sun
Counterpart: Desert Wind
1st Level: (No prerequisites)
Accelerated Movement [SpC] - Stance, swift
Blades of Fire [SpC] - Boost, swift
Burning Hands - Strike, standard
Expeditious Retreat - Boost, swift
Kelgore's Fire Bolt [PHB2] - Strike, standard
2nd Level: (No prerequisites)
Bladeweave [SpC] - Boost, swift
Fireburst [SpC] - Strike, full-round
Fly - Boost, swift
Heatstroke [SpC] - Strike, standard
Longstrider - Stance, swift
3rd Level: (Requires 1 Arcane Sun maneuver)
Balor Nimbus [SpC] - Stance, swift
Combust [SpC] - Strike, standard
Downdraft [SpC] - Strike, full-round
Gust of Wind - Counter, immediate
Haste - Boost, swift
4th Level: (Requires 1 Arcane Sun maneuver)
Blast of Flame [SpC] - Strike, full-round
Fire Wings [SpC] - Stance, swift - (Special: You may not initiate maneuvers while flying via this stance.)
Flashburst [SpC] - Strike, standard
Freedom of Movement - Counter, immediate
Searing Light - Strike, standard
5th Level: (Requires 2 Arcane Sun maneuvers)
Flame Whips [SpC] - Boost, swift
Firestride Exhalation [DM] - Strike, full-round
Inferno [SpC] - Strike, standard
Wind Wall - Counter, immediate
Wreath of Flames [DM] - Stance, swift
6th Level: (Requires 2 Arcane Sun maneuvers)
Fire Shield - Stance, swift - (Special: Fire damage version only)
Haze of Smoldering Stone [DM] - Strike, full-round - (Special: Does not grant fire resistance for knowing the maneuver)
Lucent Lance [SpC] - Strike, standard
Wall of Fire - Counter, immediate
7th Level: (Requires 3 Arcane Sun maneuvers)
Cyclonic Blast [SpC] - Strike, full-round
Fire Storm - Strike, full-round
Haste - Stance, swift
Ray of Light [SpC] - Strike, standard
8th Level: (Requires 3 Arcane Sun maneuvers)
Delayed Blast Fireball - Strike, standard
Radiant Assault [SpC] - Strike, standard
Sunburst - Strike, full-round
Wind Walk - Stance, swift - (Special: You may have any number of willing allies within 30 ft share the effects of this stance)
9th Level: (Requires 4 Arcane Sun maneuvers)
Detonate [PHB2] - Strike, standard
Meteor Swarm - Strike, full-round
Blackened Moon:
Spoiler
Blackened Moon
Counterpart: Shadow Hand
1st Level: (No prerequisites)
Chill of the Grave [SpC] - Strike, standard
Ebon Eyes [SpC] - Stance, swift
Ice Dagger [SpC] - Strike, standard
Invisibility - Boost, swift
Nightshield [SpC] - Counter, immediate
2nd Level: (No prerequisites)
Claws of Darkness [SpC] - Boost, swift
Creeping Cold [SpC] - Strike, standard
Death Armor [SpC] - Counter, immediate
Ice Knife [SpC] - Strike, standard
Spider Climb - Stance, swift
3rd Level: (Requires 1 Blackened Moon maneuver)
Belker Claws [SpC] - Strike, standard
Cloud of Knives [PHB2] - Stance, swift
Darkfire [SpC] - Boost, swift
Greater Invisibility - Boost, swift
Shadow Spray [SpC] - Strike, standard
4th Level: (Requires 1 Blackened Moon maneuver)
Armor of Darkness [SpC] - Counter, immediate
Greater Blink [SpC] - Counter, immediate
Icelance [SpC] - Strike, standard
Shadow Form [SpC] - Boost, swift
Zone of Silence - Stance, swift
5th Level: (Requires 2 Blackened Moon maneuvers)
Corona of Cold [SpC] - Stance, swift
Mislead - Boost, swift
Ray of Dizziness [SpC] - Strike, standard
Shadowy Grappler [SpC] - Strike, standard
Superior Invisibility [SpC] - Boost, swift
6th Level: (Requires 2 Blackened Moon maneuvers)
Dragon Breath [SpC] - Boost, swift - (Special: White, Brass, Copper, or Silver only)
Fire Shield - Stance, swift - (Special: Cold damage version only)
Mirror Image - Counter, immediate
Night's Caress [SpC] - Strike, standard
7th Level: (Requires 3 Blackened Moon maneuvers)
As the Frost [PHB2] - Boost, swift
Fleshshiver [SpC] - Strike, standard
Shadow Phase [SpC] - Stance, swift
Slay Living - Strike, standard
8th Level: (Requires 3 Blackened Moon maneuvers)
Avasculate [SpC] - Strike, standard
Ghostform [SpC] - Counter, immediate
Heat Drain [SpC] - Strike, full-round
Shadow Walk - Stance, swift - (Special: You may have any number of willing allies within 30 ft share the effects of this stance)
9th Level: (Requires 4 Blackened Moon maneuvers)
Energy Drain [SpC] - Strike, standard
Field of Icy Razors [SpC] - Strike, full-round - (Special: Range is long instead of medium)
Arcane Maneuvers and Requirements
Knowledge of arcane maneuvers do satisfy requirements based on spellcasting ability (such as "able to cast 5th level spells"). Adepts that can initiate arcane maneuvers do have a caster level, and can satisfy specific spell requirements as long as they have an arcane maneuver that duplicates the spell, but they do not have spells known or spell slots.
If a prestige class would advance arcane spellcasting, it may be used to advance an arcane adept's maneuvers. In such a case, levels in which a prestige class would advance an adept's casting are added fully to the adept's class level to determine initiator level and maneuvers known, readied, and stances, though he may only select maneuvers and stances known from arcane disciplines during those levels (levels in which a PrC does not advance casting only adds 1/2 to initiator level, as normal).
An arcane adept may supply the spell necessary for crafting an item if he knows a maneuver that acts as the spell required. Finally, spell trigger and spell completion items treat him as having the spell on his class spell list if the spell contained within the item is part of an arcane discipline that the adept knows a maneuver of.
Arcane Maneuvers and Metamagic Feats
Directly after readying maneuvers, you can choose to exchange any number of those maneuvers for unreadied arcane maneuvers you know with metamagic feats applied, simultaneously unreadying the current maneuvers and readying the metamagic'd arcane maneuvers. The total level of the arcane maneuver level + metamagic level adjustment must be less than or equal to level of the maneuver that you swapped out. This happens immediately after readying and requires no additional actions. You cannot have a maneuver along with a metamagic adjusted version of that maneuver readied at the same time, and you must have the metamagic feats that you apply to your maneuvers. Treat a metamagic adjusted maneuver as a maneuver of its original level without metamagic feats for purposes such as save DCs and Globe of Invulnerability (unless the metamagic applied is Heighten Spell, which does increase effective maneuver level). Metamagic feats may not be used on stances.
Example: A 5th level desert swordsage has 10 maneuvers known (one 3rd level manuever, three 2nd level maneuvers, and the rest 1st level) and may ready 6 of them. He possess the feats Extend Spell and Empower Spell. When readying maneuvers, he readies Insightful Strike (3rd), Claw at the Moon (2nd), and Mountain Hammer (2nd), plus several other maneuvers, leaving Burning Hands, Expeditious Retreat, and Blades of Fire unreadied. Immediately after readying those, he swaps Insightful Strike for Empowered Burning Hands, Claw at them Moon for Extended Expeditious Retreat, and Mountain Hammer for Extended Blades of Fire. The three maneuvers he swapped out must remain unreadied until he reselects his readied maneuvers yet again.
The following metamagic feats may be used with arcane maneuvers:
Spoiler
Chain Spell [CArc] - (Special: May only be applied to strikes)
Consecrate Spell [BoED]
Corrupt Spell [BoVD]
Enlarge Spell
Empower Spell
Energy Admixture [CArc]
Energy Substitution [CArc]
Explosive Spell [CArc]
Extend Spell - (Special: May only be applied to boosts and counters)
Fiery Spell [Sand]
Fortify Spell [CArc]
Heighten Spell
Lord of the Uttercold [CArc]
Maximize Spell
Nonlethal Substitution [BoED]
Piercing Cold [Frost]
Purify Spell [BoED]
Quicken Spell - (Special: Changes standard action initiation to swift action)
Rapid Spell [CDiv] - (Special: Changes full-round initiation to standard action)
Reach Spell [CDiv]
Sculpt Spell [CArc]
Searing Spell [Sand]
Silent Spell
Split Ray [CArc]
Still Spell
Transdimensional Spell [CArc]
Twin Spell [CArc]
Violate Spell [BoVD]
Widen Spell
Sudden Metamagic feats may likewise be applied to arcane maneuvers. Those may each be used once per day without being readied beforehand when you initiate an arcane maneuver, causing that maneuver to act as if readied with the metamagic feat for the rest of the encounter (even if you regain the maneuver and use it again).
We've got some great entries up here, and two more days to see more! Bump for the last two days of the contest!
__________________
I love evaluating and critiquing homebrew material, but I barely even lurk these days. PM me a link if you want me to look your stuff over, and I will if I notice/have the time.
Thanks to Dashwood for the avatar!
My Homebrew; please feel free to critique it. In fact, you are encouraged.
1/4 done. Let's see if I can finish the rest in time. Still to come: fighter substitutions, rogue substitutions, cleric? substitutions.
Substitution Levels: Child Prodigy
Child of the Books
She was a strange child - eccentric, but strange, as if she has never before encountered a traveling bard. Sure, I fancy myself quite the storyteller, but most would just come, listen my stories, and leave to continue with whatever else they did in their busy lives. She was the only one who listened to my tales from beginning to end - twenty hours of Sir Jeigan's tales - and even as I left the bar she accompanied me with an awkward expression, as if she couldn't figure what to ask me.
"Mister, can you tell more stories like that?" she finally blurted. Her eyes were wide and full of curiosity; she was a young girl, likely no older than ten, with a nobleman's attire and the most innocent gaze that I have ever seen in my life. I was almost wondering what sort of negligent noble would let his daughter into such a commoner's tavern - and 'til dark, too! If it wasn't for her clothes I would almost think her abandoned.
A pair of street muggers approached us. I readied my rapier, preparing to protect the child; I'm a bit of the heroic type, you see, and it's just a few common street thugs - nothing to write home about. To my surprise, the girl leaped in front of me; she waved her hands, and out of nowhere a hoard of angels descended upon the miscreants. Such a young girl summoning the likes of angels; I fancy myself a traveler, but even I have never seen anything like this. The thieves, too - they spent little time running like a bunch of cowards.
A minute later they were out of sight; the girl turned back to me. I was still mesmerized by what had just transpired, but she did not seem to notice. "I really think Sir Jeigan is amazing," she giggled, with that childish face unblemished, "the way that he defeated that army of dragons with one blow." Her hands waved through the air as if in imitation, and a shining blade sliced through the sky before my very own eyes. "And those words that he spoke afterwords; ah, mister, can I please come with you? I'd love to hear more of your great stories."
With that, I have gained a most curious companion. The girl was every bit as innocent and pure as a child, although that amazing display of power was no isolated incident. Illusions, transfigurations, fonts of destruction; it's as if she was a god dwelling in the body of a youth.
Honestly, to this day, I still could not understand that girl.
~ From the adoptive father of Elise Chevariska, an imaginative child prodigy.
Magic is a mysterious that is difficult to grasp and tricky to master; for many of the lucky ones, it means decades and centuries of study just to cast a simple cantrip, and for others, even a lifetime of study and meditation upon its mysteries would deny the pupil of even a glimpse of its knowledge. There are some, however, that are gifted with extraordinary intelligence; even as a child, they could read and decipher draconic runes with only a cipher in hand. These geniuses are often identified early on by an unusual love of books, and once found, it's difficult for a genius to escape the whirlwind of ever-increasing expectations from their society - and most dreadedly, from their very own parents.
Children of the Book are such geniuses; often spurred by supernatural blood or some other uncanny gift, they were confined to reading books and studying magic with little outside contact. Some of these children are not even gifted, for that matter; born to a family of great and studious mages, some were simply driven night-and-day to study under the risk of disownment, and for these children, life is only as described in one of their many objective encyclopedias and the few slivers of conversation they may overhear. For many of these children, however, magic is a byproduct of both their studies and their imaginations; through trial and error, and through their natural curiosity and lack of stubborn faith, children of the books utilize their natural imagination to open new realms of power for even the most traditional of magic.
Hit Die: d4.
Requirements
To take a Child of the Books substitution level, a character must be under adulthood age using the variant rules for Child Wizard (see below for rules for a Child Wizard), must not have chosen Illusion as a barred school, and be about to take her 1st, 5th, 10th, or 15th level of Wizard.
Variant Rules: Child Wizard
A child wizard is a character under minimum adult age that is taking her first level in wizard, and wishes to take any substitution levels in Child of the Books. These children are frail casters, having spend truly the entirety of her child life pouring through tomes of magic. Child wizards gains a untyped +2 bonus to INT and a -2 penalty to STR and CON. She also suffers a -2 untyped penalty to her sense motive skill.
Class Skills
Child of the Books substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Wizard class, minus Profession.
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Child of the Book substitution levels.
Imagination (Memory): The memory of a child is many times greater than that of a frail, old scholar. Upon sight and comprehension of a new spell, a child can commit all of its draconic symbols to memory, thusly recalling their preparation without a written guide. A child of the book does not begin the game with a spellbook, and she does not require a spellbook to prepare her spells, instead memorizing all of her spells. She still learns spells as a wizard, and she still requires material components (ink) as normal to learn spells in the form of mmemonics and notes.
This substitution feature removes the standard Wizard's dependency on a spellbook.
Lore: A child genius is the product of hard work and unimaginable lonliness. As these children are rarely allowed stories of escape and fantasy, they often turn to their history and religions as a alternate source of fun, and throughout the years have garnered a diverse knowledge of the world that even bards and cloistered clerics regard with envy. This class feature is identical to the bard's bardic knowledge class feature, using the child of the book's wizard (and wizard substitution) levels in place of the bard levels. She may also make untrained knowledge checks for all knowledge skills.
This substitution feature replaces the standard Wizard's Scribe Scroll bonus feat.
Imagination (Projection) (Sp): A child of the book's imagination is her greatest companion during her long studies; while most wizards see illusion as simply another tool of their studies, to a child, their illusions are a projection of their own heart and soul - a representation of the innocence that lies beneath their hearts - that they may project onto the real world as wispy images. A child of the book may cast Minor Image as an at-will spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to her child of the book levels plus her wizard levels. This ability has a save DC of 12 + Int Bonus.
This substitution feature replaces the bonus feat that a Wizard obtains at level 5. The child of the books also loses one of her first-level spell slots (which may be a specialist spell slot).
Imagination (Flexibility) (Ex): For many adults, our minds are already molded and inflexible; we are less willing to adapt our beliefs to changing circumstances, and our minds are completely shielded from ideas we may consider ludicrious. With an open mind full of curiosity, the child of the books seek out and push the boundaries of prepared magic; this, combined with their magic specialty, allows them to quickly exchange the preparation of a spell with another with which they are extensively familiar.
A tenth-level child of the books may choose one spell of each spell level from their specialty schools (for generalists, you may pick spells from any school of magic); the child of the books may spontaneously convert a prepared spell slot into a spell of the appropriate level from this list much like a cleric spontaneously casts cure or inflict spells. She gains a new spontaneous spell from her specialty school every time she gains a new spell level, although she may not change her spontaneously casted spells or gain more than one spontaneously casted spell per spell level from this feature (by leveling down or otherwise).
This substitution feature replaces the bonus feat that a Wizard obtains at level 10. The child of the books also loses one of her fifth-level specialist spell slots (which may be a specialist spell slot).
Imagination (Imitation) (Ex): Even the powers most unimaginable are often simply workings of magic that cannot be comprehended by ordinary people; for most they are complex, hellish, or otherwise too complex or undesirable to comprehend, although the child of the book's genius can often pierce through these intricate layers of these energies to find the magical mechanisms from within. A number of times per day equal to the child of the books's Int bonus, as a full-round action, she may try to decipher the spell-like or supernatural abilities of an enemy that she has already identified and studied extensively (requiring a knowledge check that beats the target DC by at least 15). She must have observed the ability at least once during the encounter, and may make an opposed spellcraft check with DC equal to 10 + effective caster level of ability + enemy's will save bonus + 1d20. Upon success, the child of the book successfully deciphers the magic behind the ability, and may use it anytime in the next 24 hours, although any restrictions on the spell-like ability (such as usage limits and cast time) still apply; she may also counterspell the spell-like ability with a readied action anytime during the next 24 hours. If the check fails, she may not attempt to imitate the same ability for 24 hours. This may not be used on salient divine abilities.
This substitution feature replaces the bonus feat that a Wizard obtains at level 15.
Table: Child of the Books
Level
BAB
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Special
Spellcasting
1th
+0
+0
+0
+2
Lore, Imagination (Memory)
Same as Wizard
5th
+2
+1
+1
+4
Imagination (Projection)
Same as Wizard
10th
+5
+3
+3
+7
Imagination (Flexibility)
Same as Wizard
15th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+9
Imagination (Imitation)
Same as Wizard
Last edited by Felyndiira : 07-14-2010 at 08:31 PM.
"Enrik." She was surprised; I could feel her hands against my back, carefully examining the scars from my early days. "These burn scars - how did you get them?"
"It's the results of my training, when I first began to master the way of the Desert Wind." My reply was simple. She was an outsider to my family; while I considered her a friend, our traditions would mean little to her, and it would be dishonorable for me to push my problems onto a trusted friend.
"At six? But you're just a child! Did your father actually strike you with the sword?"
"Father taught me that age is of no relevance if one wishes to master the desert wind, and that the only way to truly understand its principles is to feel it with my own body," I answered. "It would bring even greater shame to our family if I proved unworthy to succeed the family blade. Besides, a scar is a common mark in the battlefield; if an enemy were to strike me down with his blade, I would be lucky to leave with only a scar."
"That sounds awfully rehearsed," she replied, managing an awkward smile.
"It's just one of the codes of our family. I recited it twenty times a day ever since I could read."
~ From the Journal of Enrik White, the eldest son of a renowned swordsage.
For those growing up in a martial culture or a family of accomplished warriors, life could represent a continuous stream of discipline and continuous training. Many warriors of the Far East - and even many noblemen of the west - understand that expertise in battle and a disciplined will is rarely a spontaneous product, and their children would, day and night, practice with their chosen weapons, seeking one day to master the final secrets of their family style.
Children of the Blade are young; without having spend a true day in a field where real people are extinguished with a single error, they often become fighters of theory over raw experience. Practitioners of martial arts at a young age, they often shun the practical fighting styles of the fighter for displined movements, and are frequently ill-prepared for the grueling gray-and-gray world; fortunate, it is, that these disciples would finally be able to leave their orderly worlds and blossom. As adventurers, everyday, they seek to challenge the boundaries of their blade art, hoping to push the limits of their martial maneuvers and write a new chapter in their family's ancestral style.
Hit Die: d10.
Requirements
To take a Child of the Blade substitution level, a character must be under adulthood age using the variant rules for Child Fighter (see below for rules for a Child Fighter), and be about to take his first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, or fifteenth level of Fighter.
Variant Rules: Child Fighter
A child Fighter is a character under minimum adult age that is taking his first level in Fighter, and wishes to take any substitution levels in Child of the Blade. These children are trained in martial combat and martial lore; they are sometimes trained as leaders and sometimes as strategists, although they lack the combat experience of which many true fighters boast. Child Fighters gains a untyped +2 bonus to DEX and a -2 penalty to WIS. He also suffers a -2 untyped penalty to her sense motive skill.
Class Skills
Child of the Blade substitution levels have the class skills of the standard Fighter class, plus Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge [Nobility] (Int), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier (or four times this number as a beginning character).
Class Features
All the following are class features of the Child of the Book substitution levels.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A child of the blade is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields). In addition, she gains proficiency with one exotic weapon of her choice, and may use this weapon as if it is a martial weapon.
Martial Specialist: A child of the blade is a master of tactical warfare. A conventional fighter's hit-with-sword policy is foreign to him, and in its place, he seeks to fight using organized movements and his family's unique trademarks. Pick one martial discipline. A child of the blade's fighter levels and fighter substitution levels count as initiator levels (rather than 1/2 initiator levels) for the purpose of learning martial maneuvers from that discipline, and they stack with any existing initiator levels from non-fighter classes that the child of the blade may possess. He also gains the key skill for that martial discipline as a class skill. A child of the blade also gains Martial Study as a bonus feat at his first level, which can only be applied to his chosen discipline.
Lightning Reflexes: Quickness and flexibility are the pillars of many traditional martial arts schools; even the most brutish of students are taught to evade an incoming blade, and children - who are often more fragile than adults - especially so. A child of the blade gains Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat at the first level.
Bonus Feat: This is the same as the fighter bonus feat that he gains at the first level.
Evasion (Ex): A third-level child of the blade prides himself on his reflexes, allowing him to dance around magical fire and ice with impressive agility. If he makes a successful reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if the child is wearing light armor or no armor.
Discipline (Precision) (Ex): A child of the blade is skilled in precise strikes and memorized techniques rather than simple, powerful blows. He is treated as having the weapon finesse feat, although he may also use his dexterity score in place of his strength score for all weapons that are not considered heavy and that the child has proficiency with.
Discipline (Sudden Charge) (Ex): A fifth level child of the blade is an opportunist in battle; he realizes that a powerful offense complements a good defense, and that the element of surprise is his greatest weapon against an enemy. To use Sudden Blade, a child of the blade must choose the ready action, targetting all squares that the child of the blade may charge into. Anytime an opponent takes a move action, a full-round action, or takes an action that provokes an attack of opportunity within this radius, the child of the blade may expend the readied action to rush into the opponent's square without provoking an attack of opportunity, throwing his entire weight at an opponent and knocking it 5 feet + 5 feet per CON modifier, and interrupting the action without allowing a concentration check. Because enemies eventually become aware of sudden charges, this may only be used 1 + INT modifier per encounter. A child of the blade may also choose to give up this ability for a bonus fighter feat.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A seventh-level child of the blade is quick to react to any dangers, using his learned flexibility and ingrained discipline to react to unknown dangers. He retains his dexterity bonus to AC even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker, although he will still lose this bonus if immobilized. Uncanny Dodge can be used only if the child is wearing light armor or no armor.
Discipline (Deflecting Blade) (Ex): A child of the blade recognizes that a sturdy weapon under a displined wielder is as a potent shield; whenever he is targetted by a melee, non-touch attack, he may use one of his attacks of opportunity for that round to deflect the attack with his weapon by making an opposed attack roll, at a -2 penalty, against the incoming attack. If the child's attack roll beats the incoming attack, the attack is negated. If the child's attack roll beats the incoming attack by 15 or more, he may also make an attack of opportunity against the opponent, and the opponent may no longer make any more attacks during that round. If the child's attack roll does not beat the opposing attack roll, he suffers a temporary -10 penalty to AC and loses all dexterity and dodge bonuses to AC for that attack. He must spend additional attacks of opportunity to deflect multiple attacks, such as full attacks or attacks from multiple targets; he suffers an additional -3 penalty for every subsequent attack that he attempts to block. A child of the blade may also choose to give up this ability for a bonus fighter feat.
Bonus Maneuver: A child of the blade continues his mastery of his chosen discipline, or he may choose to expand his knowledge of the martial arts. He gains either the martial study or the martial stance feat at level 5 (provided that he meets all of the pre-requisites), and again at level 9, 13, and 15.
Discipline (Rapid Maneuver) (Ex): A ninth-level child of the blade is a true master of his learned discipline, recalling the most complex of blade art as if it is ingrained into his very own body; whenever he is granted of an attack of opportunity against an opponent, a child of the blade may apply one of his strike maneuvers to the attack of opportunity or substitute one of his other martial maneuvers for the attack. A child of the blade may also choose to give up this ability for a bonus fighter feat.
Discipline (Splitting Blade) (Ex): To many warriors honed in the art of battle, magic is a mysterious force to be avoided if at all possible; a child of the blade recognizes that magical force, once summoned, is simply another material object that can be affected by a disciplined mind and a quick blade. Whenever an opponent makes a ranged touch attack against a child of the blade, he may use one of his attacks of opportunity to attempt to deflect the oncoming attack with an attack roll. He must successfully hit against an AC of 10 + Caster Level of spell + Caster's Primary Casting Stat Bonus to deflect a spell, and may reflect the spell back at the caster if his attack roll beats the effective spell AC by 20 or more. If the child fails to deflect an attack using this ability, the attack succeeds without needing to bypass touch AC. A child of the blade may also choose to give up this ability for a bonus fighter feat.
Discipline (Cunning Counter) (Ex): Parry, attack; the most basic maneuvers of a good warrior was ingrained upon the child of the blade since childhood, and he has learned to create new opportunities from combining these simple disciplines. Every time an opponent misses the child of the blade with a melee attack, whether through deflecting blade or AC, the child of the blades can spend an attack of opportunity to disorient the opponent by making an attack roll against the opponent's touch AC. If the attack succeeds, the opponent is disoriented, suffering -3 to all attacks, a -3 penalty to saves, a -3 penalty to AC, and a -3 penalty to all skill and ability checks until his next turn. In addition, the opponent has a 20% chance to trip and fall prone. Alternatively, the child may simply spend one of his attacks of opportunity to counterattack the target as if making a regular attack of opportunity. A child of the blade may also choose to give up this ability for a bonus fighter feat.
Discipline (Redirected Counter) (Ex): Through sheer will and quick reflexes, a child of the blade's counter maneuvers extend beyond just personal protection, as if it is an umbrella that can encompass even his closest allies. A 13th level child of the blade can use his counterattacks to reverse a strike against his allies or to protect his charge. As an immediate action, he may use his counter maneuvers against an attack that is directed at any character within 20 feet as long as all other prerequisites of the maneuver is satisfied.
Discipline (Sudden Maneuver) (Ex): Quickness and flexibility are the child of the blade's main weapons; his practice with his martial discipline is ingrained ever since his youth, and manifests itself as sudden, spontneous, and completely unexpected feats of superhuman power. Once per day, as an immediate action, the child of the blade may use any of his readied maneuvers regardless of initiation time, as long as he meets the other conditions to do so. A child of the blade may also choose to give up this ability for a bonus fighter feat.
Bonus Stance: A child of the blade greatly expands his mastery of the martial disciplines. At level 15, he may learn a new martial stance of seventh level or lower from any discipline, even if he does not meet the pre-requisites.
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