redkobold
Explorer
I did not get any input on an old post so I am resurrecting this topic and inserting the class rather than attaching it as a file.
I like d20 modern with its defense bonus and especially talent trees and am starting to develop 20 level core fantasy classes based on the d20 modern core classes.
Here is the Strong Fighter. I took some guidance and ideas from Classically Modern by Merlin's Workshop and Malladin's Gate Press Darklore rules.
Next I will work on the Quick Fighter basing him on the Fast Hero. HD d8. BAB as Ranger. Saves as Ranger. He will get a few talent trees based on dexterity. This will be for a non-spell casting ranger type or swashbuckler. Some archery type feats will be put on a talent tree. He will lack medium and heavy armor proficiencies.
Following that I will have the Tough Fighter build around constitution and related abilities. The barbarian can be made with this kit. HD d12, BAB as Barbarian. Saves as Barbarian. Rages will be on a talent tree.
I also want to integrate divine and arcane spellcasting into the above three physical archetype fighters. What are some ideas for that? I am thinking prerequisites of ranks of knowlegde in religion and arcana respectively at a level requiring the fighter to be 3rd or 4th level to gain access to a divine or arcane spellcasting talent tree.
Anyway, following is the Strong Fighter...keep in mind that I will be using armor as damage reduction and magic armaments of more than +1 will be extremely rare.
THE STRONG FIGHTER
Ability: Strength
Hit Die: 1d10
Action Points: Strong Fighter heroes gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded down, at 1st level and every time they attain a new level in this class.
Class Skills: The Strong Fighter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (current events, streetwise, tactics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Also, the starting occupation selected can provide additional class skills to choose from.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x?4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Starting Feats: A Strong Fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, a fighter gets a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The fighter gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two fighter levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. A fighter must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A fighter is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.
Table: The Strong Fighter
BAB: as Fighter
Fort, Ref, and Will Saves: as Fighter
Class Features: Talent and Bonus Feat at First Level. Bonus Feat every even level. Talent every odd level.
Defense Bonus: as Strong Hero and increasing to +6 at 11th level, +7 at 13th, +8 at 15th, +9 at 17th, +10 at 19th, and +11 at 20th level.
Rep Bonus: +1 at 5th Level, +2 at 9th, +3 at 15th level.
Class Features
The following are class features of the Strong Fighter.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Strong Fighter selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he or she can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.
Extreme Effort Talent Tree
A Strong Fighter can push him or herself to make an extreme effort. The effort must relate either to a Strength check or a Strength-based skill check. You must decide to use this ability before making the check.
Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus on the check.
Improved Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonus provided by extreme effort (+4 total).
Prerequisite: Extreme effort.
Advanced Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonuses provided by extreme effort and improved extreme effort (+6 total).
Prerequisites: Extreme effort, improved extreme effort.
Ignore Hardness Talent Tree
The Strong Fighter has an innate talent for finding weaknesses in objects. This allows a Strong Fighter to ignore some of an object’s hardness when making a melee attack to break it.
Ignore Hardness: The Strong Fighter ignores 2 points of an object’s hardness.
Improved Ignore Hardness: The Strong Fighter ignores 2 additional points of an object’s hardness (for a total of 4).
Prerequisite: Ignore hardness.
Advanced Ignore Hardness: The Strong Fighter ignores 2 additional points of an object’s hardness (for a total of 6).
Prerequisites: Ignore hardness, improved ignore hardness.
Melee Smash Talent Tree
The Strong Fighter has an innate talent that increases melee damage.
Melee Smash: The Strong Fighter receives a +1 bonus on melee damage.
Improved Melee Smash: The Strong Fighter receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+2 total).
Prerequisite: Melee smash.
Advanced Melee Smash: The Strong Fighter receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+3 total).
Prerequisites: Melee smash, improved melee smash.
Unarmed Damage Talent Tree (From Darklore by Malladin’s Gate Press)
Many Strong Fighters are simple brawlers who fight in the taverns and streets of the cities. Others are highly trained professional boxers or fist-fighters. All of these characters are capable of delivering powerful strikes with their hands alone.
Brawler: The character with this talent does 1d4 of either subdual or bludgeoning damage with their unarmed attacks. Small characters deal 1d3 bludgeoning damage instead. This is an extraordinary ability.
Flurry of Blows I: Characters with this talent are skilled at delivering a fast and furious attack of accurately placed unarmed attacks. As a full attack action, they may make one extra attack in the round at their highest attack modifier. However, all attacks are at an additional -2 penalty to hit. For example, at sixth level, a Strong Fighter has two attacks at +8 and +3. He may instead make three attacks at +6, +6 and +1. The damage for the offhand attack is not reduced. If the character wishes to make an offhand attack with a melee weapon, or attack with a melee weapon and make an offhand unarmed strike, they cannot use flurry of blows and must apply the usual penalties for two-weapon fighting. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Brawler
Flurry of Blows II: As Flurry of Blows I except the penalty to all attacks made during the flurry is reduced to – 1.
Prerequisites: Brawler , Flurry of Blows I
Flurry of Blows III: As Flurry of Blows I except there is no penalty to the attacks when using this talent.
Prerequisites: Brawler , Flurry of Blows I, Flurry of Blows II
Street Fighter: The Strong Fighter’s unarmed damage is increased by one dice class. Medium sized characters can now cause 1d6 damage and small characters 1d4. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites : Brawler
Pugilist: The character with this talent is the master of their unarmed attacks. The Strong Fighter’s unarmed damage is increased by one more dice class. Medium sized characters can now cause 1d8 damage and small characters 1d6. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Brawler, Flurry of Blows I, Street Fighter.
Weapon Specialization Talent Tree
A Strong Fighter is, above anything else, a master of arms. Characters that develop this talent tree enhance their prowess with a chosen weapon. Each level of this tree can be purchased multiple times, each time selecting a different weapon.
Weapon Specialist: Gain +1 to hit and damage with the selected weapon. This is an extraordinary ability.
Weapon Expert: Gain an additional +1 to hit and damage with the selected weapon. A character with this talent will therefore have +2 to hit and damage with their chosen weapon. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Weapon Specialist
Weapon Master: Gain an additional +1 to hit and damage with the selected weapon. A character with this talent will therefore have +3 to hit and damage with their chosen weapon. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Weapon Specialist, Weapon Expert.
Adrenaline Talent Tree
The character has talents give a surge of adrenaline in dire circumstances, temporarily increasing abilities or health.
Fearless: The character gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves to resist fear effects and on level checks to oppose Intimidate checks.
Nip-Up: Stand up from a prone position as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Prerequisites: Fearless
Action Boost: This ability allows the character to spend 2 action points in a round. The individual can spend 1 action point, see the result of the roll, and then decide to spend a second point, as long as he or she does so before the Gamemaster reveals the result of the action.
Prerequisites: Nip-Up
Adrenaline Rush: Temporarily increase one of the character’s physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution). The character spends 1 action point and gets to increase the selected ability score by 1d4+1 points. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to the character’s class level. At the end of the duration, the character is fatigued for 1d4+1 rounds.
Prerequisites: Action Boost
Delay Damage: Once per day delay the damage dealt by a single attack or effect for a number of rounds equal to the character’s class level.
Prerequisites: Action Boost
Improved Adrenaline Rush: As per Adrenaline Rush but the character can temporarily increase two physical ability scores. At the end of the duration, the character is fatigued for 1d6+2 rounds.
Prerequisites: Adrenaline Rush
Damage Threshold: Increases the character’s massive damage threshold by 3 points. This increase stacks with the increase provided by the Improved Damage Threshold feat.
Prerequisites: Delay Damage
Combat Awareness Talent Tree
The character has an instinctive awareness and reactions while in combat.
Combat Sense: Designate a single opponent during an action and receive a +1 competence bonus on attacks against that opponent. The character may select a new opponent on any action.
Improved Combat Sense: As Combat Sense but the bonus increases to +2.
Prerequisites: Combat Sense, BAB 8+
Sudden Action: Once per day the character can suddenly burst into action when the situation calls for it. The character can change his or her place in the initiative order, moving higher in the count by a number less than or equal to the character’s class level, as the character sees fit. The character can declare the use of this ability at the start of any round,before anyone else takes an action.
Prerequisites: Combat Sense
Defensive Stance Talent Tree
The character has a talent that aids him or her to protect allies while in combat.
Harm’s Way: Once per round, if the character is adjacent to an ally who is targeted by a direct melee or ranged attack (not an area effect), the character can subject take the attack in the ally’s stead. If the attack hits the character, he or she takes damage normally. If it misses, it also misses the ally. The character must declare his or her intention to place him or herself in harm’s way before the attack roll is made. The character selects his or her ally either prior to combat or immediately after the character makes his or her initiative check. The character cannot change his or her ally for the duration of the combat.
Defensive Strike: If an opponent makes a melee attack against the character and misses while the character is using the total defense option, the character can attack that opponent on his or her next turn (as an attack action) with a +4 bonus on his or her attack roll. The character gains no bonus against an opponent who doesn’t attack the character or against an opponent who makes a successful attack.
Prerequisites: Harm’s Way, BAB 7+
Blanket Protection: The character can use his or her expertise to provide protection for up to six allies (not including him or herself). The character spends 1 action point and takes a full-round action to issue orders and directions. Doing this provides the character’s allies with a +1 insight bonus to Defense for 3 rounds.
Prerequisites: Defensive Strike, BAB 8+
Tactical Awareness Talent Tree
The character can react quickly and aid others in combat.
Tactical Aid: As an attack action, the combat aware character provides tactical aid to any single ally (but not him or herself) within sight and voice range of the character’s position.
As a full-round action, the combat aware character provides tactical aid to all of his or her allies (including him or herself) within sight and voice range of the character’s position. This
aid provides either a competence bonus on attack rolls or a dodge bonus to Defense (character’s choice). This bonus is equal to the character’s Intelligence modifier (minimum +1), and it lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-half of the character’s class level, rounded down.
Prerequisites: BAB 6+
Improved Reaction: The character gains a +2 competence bonus on initiative checks.
I like d20 modern with its defense bonus and especially talent trees and am starting to develop 20 level core fantasy classes based on the d20 modern core classes.
Here is the Strong Fighter. I took some guidance and ideas from Classically Modern by Merlin's Workshop and Malladin's Gate Press Darklore rules.
Next I will work on the Quick Fighter basing him on the Fast Hero. HD d8. BAB as Ranger. Saves as Ranger. He will get a few talent trees based on dexterity. This will be for a non-spell casting ranger type or swashbuckler. Some archery type feats will be put on a talent tree. He will lack medium and heavy armor proficiencies.
Following that I will have the Tough Fighter build around constitution and related abilities. The barbarian can be made with this kit. HD d12, BAB as Barbarian. Saves as Barbarian. Rages will be on a talent tree.
I also want to integrate divine and arcane spellcasting into the above three physical archetype fighters. What are some ideas for that? I am thinking prerequisites of ranks of knowlegde in religion and arcana respectively at a level requiring the fighter to be 3rd or 4th level to gain access to a divine or arcane spellcasting talent tree.
Anyway, following is the Strong Fighter...keep in mind that I will be using armor as damage reduction and magic armaments of more than +1 will be extremely rare.
THE STRONG FIGHTER
Ability: Strength
Hit Die: 1d10
Action Points: Strong Fighter heroes gain a number of action points equal to 5 + one-half their character level, rounded down, at 1st level and every time they attain a new level in this class.
Class Skills: The Strong Fighter’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are:
Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (current events, streetwise, tactics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Read/Write Language (none), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Also, the starting occupation selected can provide additional class skills to choose from.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (2 + Int modifier) x?4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Starting Feats: A Strong Fighter is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, a fighter gets a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The fighter gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two fighter levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. A fighter must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums.
These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A fighter is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.
Table: The Strong Fighter
BAB: as Fighter
Fort, Ref, and Will Saves: as Fighter
Class Features: Talent and Bonus Feat at First Level. Bonus Feat every even level. Talent every odd level.
Defense Bonus: as Strong Hero and increasing to +6 at 11th level, +7 at 13th, +8 at 15th, +9 at 17th, +10 at 19th, and +11 at 20th level.
Rep Bonus: +1 at 5th Level, +2 at 9th, +3 at 15th level.
Class Features
The following are class features of the Strong Fighter.
Talents
At 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, the Strong Fighter selects a talent from the following talent trees. Some trees have a set order that must be followed, while others provide a list to choose from. As long as the hero qualifies, he or she can select freely from any and all talent trees. No talent can be selected more than once unless expressly indicated.
Extreme Effort Talent Tree
A Strong Fighter can push him or herself to make an extreme effort. The effort must relate either to a Strength check or a Strength-based skill check. You must decide to use this ability before making the check.
Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus on the check.
Improved Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonus provided by extreme effort (+4 total).
Prerequisite: Extreme effort.
Advanced Extreme Effort: The effort requires a full-round action and provides a +2 bonus that stacks with the bonuses provided by extreme effort and improved extreme effort (+6 total).
Prerequisites: Extreme effort, improved extreme effort.
Ignore Hardness Talent Tree
The Strong Fighter has an innate talent for finding weaknesses in objects. This allows a Strong Fighter to ignore some of an object’s hardness when making a melee attack to break it.
Ignore Hardness: The Strong Fighter ignores 2 points of an object’s hardness.
Improved Ignore Hardness: The Strong Fighter ignores 2 additional points of an object’s hardness (for a total of 4).
Prerequisite: Ignore hardness.
Advanced Ignore Hardness: The Strong Fighter ignores 2 additional points of an object’s hardness (for a total of 6).
Prerequisites: Ignore hardness, improved ignore hardness.
Melee Smash Talent Tree
The Strong Fighter has an innate talent that increases melee damage.
Melee Smash: The Strong Fighter receives a +1 bonus on melee damage.
Improved Melee Smash: The Strong Fighter receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+2 total).
Prerequisite: Melee smash.
Advanced Melee Smash: The Strong Fighter receives an additional +1 bonus on melee damage (+3 total).
Prerequisites: Melee smash, improved melee smash.
Unarmed Damage Talent Tree (From Darklore by Malladin’s Gate Press)
Many Strong Fighters are simple brawlers who fight in the taverns and streets of the cities. Others are highly trained professional boxers or fist-fighters. All of these characters are capable of delivering powerful strikes with their hands alone.
Brawler: The character with this talent does 1d4 of either subdual or bludgeoning damage with their unarmed attacks. Small characters deal 1d3 bludgeoning damage instead. This is an extraordinary ability.
Flurry of Blows I: Characters with this talent are skilled at delivering a fast and furious attack of accurately placed unarmed attacks. As a full attack action, they may make one extra attack in the round at their highest attack modifier. However, all attacks are at an additional -2 penalty to hit. For example, at sixth level, a Strong Fighter has two attacks at +8 and +3. He may instead make three attacks at +6, +6 and +1. The damage for the offhand attack is not reduced. If the character wishes to make an offhand attack with a melee weapon, or attack with a melee weapon and make an offhand unarmed strike, they cannot use flurry of blows and must apply the usual penalties for two-weapon fighting. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Brawler
Flurry of Blows II: As Flurry of Blows I except the penalty to all attacks made during the flurry is reduced to – 1.
Prerequisites: Brawler , Flurry of Blows I
Flurry of Blows III: As Flurry of Blows I except there is no penalty to the attacks when using this talent.
Prerequisites: Brawler , Flurry of Blows I, Flurry of Blows II
Street Fighter: The Strong Fighter’s unarmed damage is increased by one dice class. Medium sized characters can now cause 1d6 damage and small characters 1d4. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites : Brawler
Pugilist: The character with this talent is the master of their unarmed attacks. The Strong Fighter’s unarmed damage is increased by one more dice class. Medium sized characters can now cause 1d8 damage and small characters 1d6. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Brawler, Flurry of Blows I, Street Fighter.
Weapon Specialization Talent Tree
A Strong Fighter is, above anything else, a master of arms. Characters that develop this talent tree enhance their prowess with a chosen weapon. Each level of this tree can be purchased multiple times, each time selecting a different weapon.
Weapon Specialist: Gain +1 to hit and damage with the selected weapon. This is an extraordinary ability.
Weapon Expert: Gain an additional +1 to hit and damage with the selected weapon. A character with this talent will therefore have +2 to hit and damage with their chosen weapon. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Weapon Specialist
Weapon Master: Gain an additional +1 to hit and damage with the selected weapon. A character with this talent will therefore have +3 to hit and damage with their chosen weapon. This is an extraordinary ability.
Prerequisites: Weapon Specialist, Weapon Expert.
Adrenaline Talent Tree
The character has talents give a surge of adrenaline in dire circumstances, temporarily increasing abilities or health.
Fearless: The character gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves to resist fear effects and on level checks to oppose Intimidate checks.
Nip-Up: Stand up from a prone position as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Prerequisites: Fearless
Action Boost: This ability allows the character to spend 2 action points in a round. The individual can spend 1 action point, see the result of the roll, and then decide to spend a second point, as long as he or she does so before the Gamemaster reveals the result of the action.
Prerequisites: Nip-Up
Adrenaline Rush: Temporarily increase one of the character’s physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution). The character spends 1 action point and gets to increase the selected ability score by 1d4+1 points. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to the character’s class level. At the end of the duration, the character is fatigued for 1d4+1 rounds.
Prerequisites: Action Boost
Delay Damage: Once per day delay the damage dealt by a single attack or effect for a number of rounds equal to the character’s class level.
Prerequisites: Action Boost
Improved Adrenaline Rush: As per Adrenaline Rush but the character can temporarily increase two physical ability scores. At the end of the duration, the character is fatigued for 1d6+2 rounds.
Prerequisites: Adrenaline Rush
Damage Threshold: Increases the character’s massive damage threshold by 3 points. This increase stacks with the increase provided by the Improved Damage Threshold feat.
Prerequisites: Delay Damage
Combat Awareness Talent Tree
The character has an instinctive awareness and reactions while in combat.
Combat Sense: Designate a single opponent during an action and receive a +1 competence bonus on attacks against that opponent. The character may select a new opponent on any action.
Improved Combat Sense: As Combat Sense but the bonus increases to +2.
Prerequisites: Combat Sense, BAB 8+
Sudden Action: Once per day the character can suddenly burst into action when the situation calls for it. The character can change his or her place in the initiative order, moving higher in the count by a number less than or equal to the character’s class level, as the character sees fit. The character can declare the use of this ability at the start of any round,before anyone else takes an action.
Prerequisites: Combat Sense
Defensive Stance Talent Tree
The character has a talent that aids him or her to protect allies while in combat.
Harm’s Way: Once per round, if the character is adjacent to an ally who is targeted by a direct melee or ranged attack (not an area effect), the character can subject take the attack in the ally’s stead. If the attack hits the character, he or she takes damage normally. If it misses, it also misses the ally. The character must declare his or her intention to place him or herself in harm’s way before the attack roll is made. The character selects his or her ally either prior to combat or immediately after the character makes his or her initiative check. The character cannot change his or her ally for the duration of the combat.
Defensive Strike: If an opponent makes a melee attack against the character and misses while the character is using the total defense option, the character can attack that opponent on his or her next turn (as an attack action) with a +4 bonus on his or her attack roll. The character gains no bonus against an opponent who doesn’t attack the character or against an opponent who makes a successful attack.
Prerequisites: Harm’s Way, BAB 7+
Blanket Protection: The character can use his or her expertise to provide protection for up to six allies (not including him or herself). The character spends 1 action point and takes a full-round action to issue orders and directions. Doing this provides the character’s allies with a +1 insight bonus to Defense for 3 rounds.
Prerequisites: Defensive Strike, BAB 8+
Tactical Awareness Talent Tree
The character can react quickly and aid others in combat.
Tactical Aid: As an attack action, the combat aware character provides tactical aid to any single ally (but not him or herself) within sight and voice range of the character’s position.
As a full-round action, the combat aware character provides tactical aid to all of his or her allies (including him or herself) within sight and voice range of the character’s position. This
aid provides either a competence bonus on attack rolls or a dodge bonus to Defense (character’s choice). This bonus is equal to the character’s Intelligence modifier (minimum +1), and it lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-half of the character’s class level, rounded down.
Prerequisites: BAB 6+
Improved Reaction: The character gains a +2 competence bonus on initiative checks.
