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NPC Generic Classes: For NPCs in campaigns using the Generic Class variants
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<blockquote data-quote="index" data-source="post: 1649274" data-attributes="member: 21195"><p><strong>Here's another book:</strong></p><p></p><p>AFGNCAAP wrote:</p><p></p><p>> I more or less wrote up all five mainly for anyone interested, but my</p><p>> big goal was just to write up a generic NPC version of the Commoner</p><p>> class--they're pretty much the only ones who I couldn't see being</p><p>> covered by the current 3 generic classes.</p><p></p><p>> Ideally, I can see NPCs being a multi-class mix between levels in the</p><p>> Generic commoner class, plus some levels in 1 of the 3 generic PC</p><p>> classes: Adepts could be Commoner/Spellcasters, NPC Warriors could be</p><p>> Commoner/Warriors, and NPC Experts could be Commoner/Experts.</p><p>> Aristocrats could start off with levels in a PC class, then later</p><p>> multiclass with Commoner to "dilute" them out.</p><p></p><p>I can see that, but as I said, I have issues with the DMG</p><p>NPC Commoner class.</p><p></p><p>> I am very slowly working on translating some of the class abilities</p><p>> into feats for use with the generic classes. However, I've considered</p><p>> a few things along the way:</p><p></p><p>> In some cases, class abilities should remain as class abilities--they</p><p>> just come off as being too powerful for use as a feat or feat chain.</p><p>> However, in such cases as these, I think that a specially-geared</p><p>> Prestige Class that uses those abilities wouldn't be out of order.</p><p></p><p>I disagree. The whole point of Generic Classes is to reduce</p><p>the number of classes. Despite what the UA says about the</p><p>option of using PrCs with Generic base classes, I believe</p><p>that bringing back PrC bloat throws all the benefits of</p><p>Generic classes out the window. In my opinion, simplifying</p><p>class choices is a worthy enough goal to translate current</p><p>class abilities into feats or feat chains. You can give</p><p>them prereqs so that Generic characters have to simulate</p><p>traditional characters before taking them.</p><p></p><p>In the UA, they've already started translating special</p><p>abilities into feats -- note that they are available only as</p><p>Generic Class Bonus feats, not as ordinary feats.</p><p></p><p>> With the current form of the Spellcaster class, specializing in spells</p><p>> modifies that ability's hindrance: if you can only learn/know a</p><p>> limited # of spells in the first place, then why even consider</p><p>> learning those spells (or for that matter, spells not from your school</p><p>> of specialization)?</p><p></p><p>I don't understand what you're saying here.</p><p></p><p>(But yeah, I don't like that the Generic Spellcaster is</p><p>distinctly weaker than ordinary clerics and wizards. Why</p><p>don't they get 2nd level spells at 3rd level instead of 4th</p><p>level? Maybe this was done to make up for the lack of</p><p>arcane spell failure from armor.)</p><p></p><p>> What about some relatively basic class abilities, like unlimited spell</p><p>> access to a spell list at the "cost" of needing to memorize spells (as</p><p>> with the wizard class), or prepared daily spells with limited</p><p>> spontaneous casting (like the druid & cleric)? Or cleric/wizard</p><p>> domains? Seems like another thing for a PrC.</p><p></p><p>No, it seems like another thing for a feat:</p><p></p><p>Spell Preparation - prereq: 1st level Generic Spellcaster -</p><p>In addition to the usual spells a Generic Spellcaster learns</p><p>progressing in levels, you can also learn any wizard (if</p><p>arcane) or cleric or druid (if divine) spell through</p><p>scrolls, spell trading, or spell research, but all of your</p><p>spells, including those Generic Spellcasters usually learn,</p><p>must be written down in a spellbook and prepared from that</p><p>spellbook previous to each casting much like a wizard. The</p><p>number of spells you may cast each day maxes out at five per</p><p>spell level, not six. If you later multi-class between the</p><p>two Generic Spellcaster classes, you must decide at the 1st</p><p>level of your second Spellcaster class, whether or not this</p><p>feat also applies to the second class. If you are already</p><p>past 1st level in a Generic Spellcaster class, you may take</p><p>this feat only by taking 1st level in the other Generic</p><p>Spellcaster class and applying it to that class, or by using</p><p>a Wish, Miracle, or similar magic.</p><p></p><p>(Should this be an option instead of a feat?)</p><p></p><p>Domain of Spells - prereq: Generic Spellcaster - Pick one of</p><p>the domains of spells listed for clerics in the PH. Add</p><p>these to your spells known list without using up any of your</p><p>spells known slots. This may only be taken as one of your</p><p>bonus feats for your Generic Spellcaster class. You do not</p><p>gain any domain powers. You may take this feat twice, once</p><p>each for different domains. At character level ten (minimum</p><p>class level six), you may take this feat a third time. At</p><p>character level twenty (minimum class level eleven), you may</p><p>take this feat a fourth and final time.</p><p></p><p>Domain Power - prereq: Domain of Spells, Generic Spellcaster</p><p>- You may gain the domain power that goes along with one of</p><p>your Domain of Spells feats. You may take this feat more </p><p>than once, each time matching another Domain of Spells you </p><p>already have.</p><p></p><p>List of Spells - prereq: Generic Spellcaster - Pick up to</p><p>ten spells that all belong to a spell progression or a spell</p><p>theme. These spells can be added to your list of spells</p><p>known via spell research, found scrolls, or spell trading</p><p>without counting against your limited number of spells known.</p><p>If you are both an arcane and a divine Generic Spellcaster,</p><p>then you must chose which this feat applies to. You may</p><p>take this feat more than once, each time picking a different</p><p>list of spells or a different Generic Spellcaster class.</p><p></p><p>The first time you take this feat, it must be as a Generic</p><p>Spellcaster Bonus Feat, not an ordinary feat, but thereafter</p><p>it may be taken as an ordinary feat.</p><p></p><p>You may not pick a list with more than 45.5 spell levels,</p><p>counting 0-level spells as 1/2.</p><p></p><p>Examples of valid lists include:</p><p></p><p>Protection from Evil, Protection from Good, Protection from</p><p>Law, Protection from Chaos, Protection from Undead, Magic</p><p>Circle against Evil, Magic Circle against Good, Magic Circle</p><p>against Law, Magic Circle against Chaos, Magic Circle</p><p>against Undead.</p><p></p><p>Summon Monster I through IX. (Optionally research a</p><p>suitably weak Summon Monster 0 to round out the list.)</p><p></p><p>Summon Undead I through IX.</p><p></p><p>Summon Nature's Ally I through IX.</p><p></p><p>Lesser Planar Binding, Planar Binding, Greater Planar</p><p>Binding. (Your DM might optionally allow you to research</p><p>additional spells to fill in the lower level gaps in the</p><p>list. You may not add Binding to this list because it does</p><p>not call creatures from elsewhere.)</p><p></p><p>Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Magic.</p><p></p><p>Fireball, Heightened Empowered Fireball, Heightened Enlarged</p><p>Fireball, Heightened Quickened Fireball, Delayed Blast</p><p>Fireball, Heightened Still Silent Fireball, Heightened</p><p>Enlarged seven times Fireball.</p><p></p><p>Fireball, Electric Burst (energy substitution version of</p><p>fireball), Acid Burst, Sonic Burst, Freezing Burst, Positive</p><p>Energy Burst (version that summons Positive Material Plane</p><p>energy to damage undead without damaging living creatures).</p><p></p><p>Alter Self, Polymorph, Polymorph Any Object.</p><p></p><p>Charm Person, Charm Monster, Mass Charm Person, Mass Charm</p><p>Monster.</p><p></p><p>Power Word Blind, Power Word Kill, Power Word Stun.</p><p></p><p>Reduce Person, Shrink Item, Mass Reduce Person.</p><p></p><p>Reduce Person, Enlarge Person, Mass Reduce Person, Mass</p><p>Enlarge Person.</p><p></p><p>Dimension Door, Teleport, Greater Teleport, Teleport Object,</p><p>Teleport Circle, Gate</p><p></p><p>Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Mass Bear's</p><p>Endurance, Mass Bull's Strength, Mass Cat's Grace</p><p></p><p>Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, Owl's Wisdom, Mass Eagle's</p><p>Splendor, Mass Fox's Cunning, Mass Owl's Wisdom</p><p></p><p>Not valid:</p><p></p><p>Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Eagle's</p><p>Splendor, Fox's Cunning, Owl's Wisdom</p><p></p><p>Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Cone of Cold. (The basics of each</p><p>spell are different.)</p><p></p><p>Symbol of Death, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Insanity, Symbol</p><p>of Pain, Symbol of Persuasion, Symbol of Sleep, Symbol of</p><p>Stunning, Symbol of Weakness. (52 spell levels total,</p><p>otherwise this list would be valid. Remove one or two from</p><p>this list to get a valid list.)</p><p></p><p>(Is List of Spells too powerful as written? (Would it be</p><p>too powerful for ordinary Sorcerers?) Should it be limited</p><p>to one 0-level spell, one spell of 1st level or less, one</p><p>spell of 2nd level or less, one spell of 3rd level or less,</p><p>one spell of 4th level or less, one spell of 5th level or</p><p>less, one spell of 6th level or less, one spell of 7th level</p><p>or less, one spell of 8th level or less, and one spell of</p><p>9th level or less?)</p><p></p><p></p><p>Fast Spell Progress - prereq: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level Generic</p><p>Spellcaster - You gain access to each successive spell level</p><p>one class level earlier than most Generic Spellcasters. The</p><p>price is that most of your spells don't work properly when</p><p>you wear armor. For any spell of 2nd level or higher, you</p><p>suffer spell failure in armor or bulky clothes exactly as a</p><p>standard wizard does. But because you don't bother</p><p>practicing how to cast spells with only a limited range of</p><p>motion, you learn and can cast one 2nd level spell at 3rd</p><p>class level, one 3rd level spell at 5th class level, one 4th</p><p>level spell at 7th class level, etc. These spells learned</p><p>are not in addition to your usual spells learned, you're</p><p>merely learning your normal number a little early. If you</p><p>are a multi-classed Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and Generic</p><p>Spellcaster (divine), you must chose whether this feat</p><p>applies to one class or both. If you have only one Generic</p><p>Spellcaster class but later pick up the other, you must</p><p>chose whether this feat also applies to the second. You</p><p>must make this choice before attaining 4th class level in</p><p>the second class.</p><p></p><p>(Should Fast Spell Progress be an option instead of a feat?)</p><p></p><p>Further, I suggest changing the prerequisite for Weapon</p><p>Specialization to: Weapon Focus with same weapon, +4 BAB,</p><p>Generic Warrior.</p><p></p><p>All of my original material is Open Gaming Content.</p><p>(Copyright 2004 Justin Harris, see the Open Gaming License</p><p>at http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/OGLv1.0a.rtf .)</p><p></p><p>Here's one I don't think is original, so it might not be OGC:</p><p></p><p>Practiced Spellcaster - prereq: Generic Spellcaster - Your</p><p>caster level receives a bonus of +4, with a maximum equal to</p><p>your hit dice. If you are a multi-classed Generic</p><p>Spellcaster with both Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and</p><p>Generic Spellcaster (divine), you may take this feat twice,</p><p>once for each class.</p><p></p><p>And an improved version that I think is original:</p><p></p><p>Improved Practiced Spellcaster - prereq: Practiced</p><p>Spellcaster feat, Generic Spellcaster class - You must take</p><p>this as a Generic Spellcaster Bonus feat, you may not take</p><p>this as an ordinary feat - Your caster level is equal to</p><p>your hit dice. This feat applies to either Generic</p><p>Spellcaster (arcane) or Generic Spellcaster (divine),</p><p>depending on which version of the prerequisite feat you</p><p>took. To take this feat twice so that it applies to both </p><p>Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and Generic Spellcaster </p><p>(divine), you must have the prerequisite feat twice.</p><p></p><p>(Improved Practiced Spellcaster might be too powerful, and</p><p>yet it doesn't address the main weakness of multi-classed</p><p>spellcasters: access to higher spell levels.)</p><p></p><p>> How well do Generic PC classes & normal PrCs mix? The PrCs still use a</p><p>> set class skill list, and in some cases, are built for specific core</p><p>> classes to take.</p><p></p><p>According to UA, PrCs are allowed with Generic base classes,</p><p>but the language used discourages them. I have never liked</p><p>PrCs -- they add too much complexity to the game, too much</p><p>stuff DMs and players have to know in detail to avoid nasty</p><p>surprises. I say simulate the basic abilities of PrCs with</p><p>multi-classing, and the special abilities with feats, and</p><p>the very special abilities with bonus feats.</p><p></p><p>At the least, I would build PrCs from scratch or at least</p><p>drastically simplify them. If it can be accomplished by</p><p>multi-classing within a reasonable number of character</p><p>levels, with a reasonable number of feats, do not make a PrC</p><p>for it. The point of Generic Classes is to move as much</p><p>'flavor' out of the classes and into the character. This</p><p>increases the importance of character personality, and</p><p>limited the usual straight-jacketing that classes generally</p><p>represent.</p><p></p><p>Most PrCs should be converted from classes to organizations</p><p>with entrance requirements. Want to be an Arcane Archer?</p><p>Find an organization that teaches versions of attack spells</p><p>that are targeted with missile weapons instead of having</p><p>independent ranges of their own. Prove to them that you are</p><p>worthy to join. (This includes crafting your own bow,</p><p>speaking only in elvish for the entire testing and training</p><p>time, passing several archery contests while the judges</p><p>shoot blunt arrows at you, and a demonstration of your</p><p>casting ability.) Once you've proven yourself and taken the</p><p>proper vows, the grand master of the order will put you</p><p>through a secret process that replaces the attack spells</p><p>you've learned (such as fireball) with missile-targeted</p><p>versions (such as flame burst missile). (He uses an item</p><p>based on Limited Wish.) Or, if you have the Spell</p><p>Preparation feat (arcane or divine), you are simply given</p><p>the opportunity to scribe such spells into your spell book.</p><p></p><p>Want to be a Mystic Theurge? They tend to be loners or to</p><p>operate in pairs of mentor and apprentice. Find a mentor,</p><p>demonstrate your arcane and your divine spell-casting</p><p>ability, and ask for teaching to continue your path as a</p><p>multi-classed spellcaster. Want to be a Warder of</p><p>Kramailtrof? Sorry, the elves there tend to train all the</p><p>warders they need from the youths of their own villages. If</p><p>you are a true friend of the elves, and have great renown as</p><p>a protector of the common people, slayer of undead, and</p><p>slayer of demons, then they might name you an honorary</p><p>member and maybe one of them will even invite you on patrol</p><p>around the ruins of Kramailtrof. Just don't be too quick to</p><p>judge half-fiends, a few of them have turned out not to be</p><p>innately evil. And ghosts are not necessarily evil either.</p><p></p><p>> What about psionics? Would it be necessary to use/create a Psychic</p><p>> generic character class, or would it be a variant of the existing</p><p>> Spellcaster class?</p><p></p><p>I don't know enough about 3e and 3.5e psionics to tell. The</p><p>only time I've gamed with much psionics was a 2e Athas</p><p>(Darksun) game.</p><p></p><p>Is there anything that can be done psionically that can't be</p><p>done by having a Generic Spellcaster research new spells?</p><p></p><p>I hate to say it, but perhaps we need Generic Spellcaster</p><p>(psi) as an addition to Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and</p><p>Generic Spellcaster (divine)?</p><p></p><p>> Anyways, these are just a few things that I've been contemplating when</p><p>> creating stuff for the Generic character classes.</p><p></p><p>I like that someone else seems to be a fan of the Generic</p><p>Classes. I just think the system needs to be KEPT simple,</p><p>at least as far as classes go. Keeping the classes simple</p><p>gives more room for feats and skills, and character</p><p>personality, to shine.</p><p></p><p>--index</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="index, post: 1649274, member: 21195"] [b]Here's another book:[/b] AFGNCAAP wrote: > I more or less wrote up all five mainly for anyone interested, but my > big goal was just to write up a generic NPC version of the Commoner > class--they're pretty much the only ones who I couldn't see being > covered by the current 3 generic classes. > Ideally, I can see NPCs being a multi-class mix between levels in the > Generic commoner class, plus some levels in 1 of the 3 generic PC > classes: Adepts could be Commoner/Spellcasters, NPC Warriors could be > Commoner/Warriors, and NPC Experts could be Commoner/Experts. > Aristocrats could start off with levels in a PC class, then later > multiclass with Commoner to "dilute" them out. I can see that, but as I said, I have issues with the DMG NPC Commoner class. > I am very slowly working on translating some of the class abilities > into feats for use with the generic classes. However, I've considered > a few things along the way: > In some cases, class abilities should remain as class abilities--they > just come off as being too powerful for use as a feat or feat chain. > However, in such cases as these, I think that a specially-geared > Prestige Class that uses those abilities wouldn't be out of order. I disagree. The whole point of Generic Classes is to reduce the number of classes. Despite what the UA says about the option of using PrCs with Generic base classes, I believe that bringing back PrC bloat throws all the benefits of Generic classes out the window. In my opinion, simplifying class choices is a worthy enough goal to translate current class abilities into feats or feat chains. You can give them prereqs so that Generic characters have to simulate traditional characters before taking them. In the UA, they've already started translating special abilities into feats -- note that they are available only as Generic Class Bonus feats, not as ordinary feats. > With the current form of the Spellcaster class, specializing in spells > modifies that ability's hindrance: if you can only learn/know a > limited # of spells in the first place, then why even consider > learning those spells (or for that matter, spells not from your school > of specialization)? I don't understand what you're saying here. (But yeah, I don't like that the Generic Spellcaster is distinctly weaker than ordinary clerics and wizards. Why don't they get 2nd level spells at 3rd level instead of 4th level? Maybe this was done to make up for the lack of arcane spell failure from armor.) > What about some relatively basic class abilities, like unlimited spell > access to a spell list at the "cost" of needing to memorize spells (as > with the wizard class), or prepared daily spells with limited > spontaneous casting (like the druid & cleric)? Or cleric/wizard > domains? Seems like another thing for a PrC. No, it seems like another thing for a feat: Spell Preparation - prereq: 1st level Generic Spellcaster - In addition to the usual spells a Generic Spellcaster learns progressing in levels, you can also learn any wizard (if arcane) or cleric or druid (if divine) spell through scrolls, spell trading, or spell research, but all of your spells, including those Generic Spellcasters usually learn, must be written down in a spellbook and prepared from that spellbook previous to each casting much like a wizard. The number of spells you may cast each day maxes out at five per spell level, not six. If you later multi-class between the two Generic Spellcaster classes, you must decide at the 1st level of your second Spellcaster class, whether or not this feat also applies to the second class. If you are already past 1st level in a Generic Spellcaster class, you may take this feat only by taking 1st level in the other Generic Spellcaster class and applying it to that class, or by using a Wish, Miracle, or similar magic. (Should this be an option instead of a feat?) Domain of Spells - prereq: Generic Spellcaster - Pick one of the domains of spells listed for clerics in the PH. Add these to your spells known list without using up any of your spells known slots. This may only be taken as one of your bonus feats for your Generic Spellcaster class. You do not gain any domain powers. You may take this feat twice, once each for different domains. At character level ten (minimum class level six), you may take this feat a third time. At character level twenty (minimum class level eleven), you may take this feat a fourth and final time. Domain Power - prereq: Domain of Spells, Generic Spellcaster - You may gain the domain power that goes along with one of your Domain of Spells feats. You may take this feat more than once, each time matching another Domain of Spells you already have. List of Spells - prereq: Generic Spellcaster - Pick up to ten spells that all belong to a spell progression or a spell theme. These spells can be added to your list of spells known via spell research, found scrolls, or spell trading without counting against your limited number of spells known. If you are both an arcane and a divine Generic Spellcaster, then you must chose which this feat applies to. You may take this feat more than once, each time picking a different list of spells or a different Generic Spellcaster class. The first time you take this feat, it must be as a Generic Spellcaster Bonus Feat, not an ordinary feat, but thereafter it may be taken as an ordinary feat. You may not pick a list with more than 45.5 spell levels, counting 0-level spells as 1/2. Examples of valid lists include: Protection from Evil, Protection from Good, Protection from Law, Protection from Chaos, Protection from Undead, Magic Circle against Evil, Magic Circle against Good, Magic Circle against Law, Magic Circle against Chaos, Magic Circle against Undead. Summon Monster I through IX. (Optionally research a suitably weak Summon Monster 0 to round out the list.) Summon Undead I through IX. Summon Nature's Ally I through IX. Lesser Planar Binding, Planar Binding, Greater Planar Binding. (Your DM might optionally allow you to research additional spells to fill in the lower level gaps in the list. You may not add Binding to this list because it does not call creatures from elsewhere.) Dispel Magic, Greater Dispel Magic. Fireball, Heightened Empowered Fireball, Heightened Enlarged Fireball, Heightened Quickened Fireball, Delayed Blast Fireball, Heightened Still Silent Fireball, Heightened Enlarged seven times Fireball. Fireball, Electric Burst (energy substitution version of fireball), Acid Burst, Sonic Burst, Freezing Burst, Positive Energy Burst (version that summons Positive Material Plane energy to damage undead without damaging living creatures). Alter Self, Polymorph, Polymorph Any Object. Charm Person, Charm Monster, Mass Charm Person, Mass Charm Monster. Power Word Blind, Power Word Kill, Power Word Stun. Reduce Person, Shrink Item, Mass Reduce Person. Reduce Person, Enlarge Person, Mass Reduce Person, Mass Enlarge Person. Dimension Door, Teleport, Greater Teleport, Teleport Object, Teleport Circle, Gate Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Mass Bear's Endurance, Mass Bull's Strength, Mass Cat's Grace Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, Owl's Wisdom, Mass Eagle's Splendor, Mass Fox's Cunning, Mass Owl's Wisdom Not valid: Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, Owl's Wisdom Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Cone of Cold. (The basics of each spell are different.) Symbol of Death, Symbol of Fear, Symbol of Insanity, Symbol of Pain, Symbol of Persuasion, Symbol of Sleep, Symbol of Stunning, Symbol of Weakness. (52 spell levels total, otherwise this list would be valid. Remove one or two from this list to get a valid list.) (Is List of Spells too powerful as written? (Would it be too powerful for ordinary Sorcerers?) Should it be limited to one 0-level spell, one spell of 1st level or less, one spell of 2nd level or less, one spell of 3rd level or less, one spell of 4th level or less, one spell of 5th level or less, one spell of 6th level or less, one spell of 7th level or less, one spell of 8th level or less, and one spell of 9th level or less?) Fast Spell Progress - prereq: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level Generic Spellcaster - You gain access to each successive spell level one class level earlier than most Generic Spellcasters. The price is that most of your spells don't work properly when you wear armor. For any spell of 2nd level or higher, you suffer spell failure in armor or bulky clothes exactly as a standard wizard does. But because you don't bother practicing how to cast spells with only a limited range of motion, you learn and can cast one 2nd level spell at 3rd class level, one 3rd level spell at 5th class level, one 4th level spell at 7th class level, etc. These spells learned are not in addition to your usual spells learned, you're merely learning your normal number a little early. If you are a multi-classed Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and Generic Spellcaster (divine), you must chose whether this feat applies to one class or both. If you have only one Generic Spellcaster class but later pick up the other, you must chose whether this feat also applies to the second. You must make this choice before attaining 4th class level in the second class. (Should Fast Spell Progress be an option instead of a feat?) Further, I suggest changing the prerequisite for Weapon Specialization to: Weapon Focus with same weapon, +4 BAB, Generic Warrior. All of my original material is Open Gaming Content. (Copyright 2004 Justin Harris, see the Open Gaming License at http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/OGLv1.0a.rtf .) Here's one I don't think is original, so it might not be OGC: Practiced Spellcaster - prereq: Generic Spellcaster - Your caster level receives a bonus of +4, with a maximum equal to your hit dice. If you are a multi-classed Generic Spellcaster with both Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and Generic Spellcaster (divine), you may take this feat twice, once for each class. And an improved version that I think is original: Improved Practiced Spellcaster - prereq: Practiced Spellcaster feat, Generic Spellcaster class - You must take this as a Generic Spellcaster Bonus feat, you may not take this as an ordinary feat - Your caster level is equal to your hit dice. This feat applies to either Generic Spellcaster (arcane) or Generic Spellcaster (divine), depending on which version of the prerequisite feat you took. To take this feat twice so that it applies to both Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and Generic Spellcaster (divine), you must have the prerequisite feat twice. (Improved Practiced Spellcaster might be too powerful, and yet it doesn't address the main weakness of multi-classed spellcasters: access to higher spell levels.) > How well do Generic PC classes & normal PrCs mix? The PrCs still use a > set class skill list, and in some cases, are built for specific core > classes to take. According to UA, PrCs are allowed with Generic base classes, but the language used discourages them. I have never liked PrCs -- they add too much complexity to the game, too much stuff DMs and players have to know in detail to avoid nasty surprises. I say simulate the basic abilities of PrCs with multi-classing, and the special abilities with feats, and the very special abilities with bonus feats. At the least, I would build PrCs from scratch or at least drastically simplify them. If it can be accomplished by multi-classing within a reasonable number of character levels, with a reasonable number of feats, do not make a PrC for it. The point of Generic Classes is to move as much 'flavor' out of the classes and into the character. This increases the importance of character personality, and limited the usual straight-jacketing that classes generally represent. Most PrCs should be converted from classes to organizations with entrance requirements. Want to be an Arcane Archer? Find an organization that teaches versions of attack spells that are targeted with missile weapons instead of having independent ranges of their own. Prove to them that you are worthy to join. (This includes crafting your own bow, speaking only in elvish for the entire testing and training time, passing several archery contests while the judges shoot blunt arrows at you, and a demonstration of your casting ability.) Once you've proven yourself and taken the proper vows, the grand master of the order will put you through a secret process that replaces the attack spells you've learned (such as fireball) with missile-targeted versions (such as flame burst missile). (He uses an item based on Limited Wish.) Or, if you have the Spell Preparation feat (arcane or divine), you are simply given the opportunity to scribe such spells into your spell book. Want to be a Mystic Theurge? They tend to be loners or to operate in pairs of mentor and apprentice. Find a mentor, demonstrate your arcane and your divine spell-casting ability, and ask for teaching to continue your path as a multi-classed spellcaster. Want to be a Warder of Kramailtrof? Sorry, the elves there tend to train all the warders they need from the youths of their own villages. If you are a true friend of the elves, and have great renown as a protector of the common people, slayer of undead, and slayer of demons, then they might name you an honorary member and maybe one of them will even invite you on patrol around the ruins of Kramailtrof. Just don't be too quick to judge half-fiends, a few of them have turned out not to be innately evil. And ghosts are not necessarily evil either. > What about psionics? Would it be necessary to use/create a Psychic > generic character class, or would it be a variant of the existing > Spellcaster class? I don't know enough about 3e and 3.5e psionics to tell. The only time I've gamed with much psionics was a 2e Athas (Darksun) game. Is there anything that can be done psionically that can't be done by having a Generic Spellcaster research new spells? I hate to say it, but perhaps we need Generic Spellcaster (psi) as an addition to Generic Spellcaster (arcane) and Generic Spellcaster (divine)? > Anyways, these are just a few things that I've been contemplating when > creating stuff for the Generic character classes. I like that someone else seems to be a fan of the Generic Classes. I just think the system needs to be KEPT simple, at least as far as classes go. Keeping the classes simple gives more room for feats and skills, and character personality, to shine. --index [/QUOTE]
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