Sorcerer Fix - Continued from "D&D Rules" (PART 4)

[Khaalis]

Shifter Reply - 1st of 3

The first paragraph or so on the shapechanger lineage split it between were's and other shape changers, "Shifter sorcerers are the descendant of a
natural shapeshifter such as a doppelganger or were-creature far in
their family's past. These sorcerers gain the following abilities and
restrictions."

Yet non of the abilities are suited to anything other then a Were creature's descendent.

Why not a lunar lineage that is seperate?

Hmm… actually I tried to make the abilities to enfold both sides of the shapechanger coin. There are 2 distinct types of shifters – Were-creatures and the Doppelganger/Slaad/Rakshasa group.

Lets look at it piece by piece.

1st - Disguise Class skill, Disguise & Bluff Skill Bonuses: Doppelganger/Rakshasa/Slaad based
1st - Alter Self: Doppelganger/Rakshasa/Slaad based
1st - Can Learn All appearance or shape altering spells: Doppelganger/Rakshasa/Slaad based
1st - Can Learn All Compulsion spells: Doppelganger/Rakshasa/Slaad based
8th – Were-Shape Animal/Hybrid: Were-creature based
14th – Improved Were-Shape: Were-creature based
20th – Were-Appearance: Were-creature based
20th – Darkvision: Shapechanger Type (All)
20th – Scent: Were-creature based
20th – Spell Resistance: Rakshasa/Slaad based
20th – DR 15/Silver: Were-creature based (Only by default, though other Shapeshifters get DR as well but to varied damage types and I didn’t want to bring something like “Holy” into the mix).

Shifter Lineage Spell List: Doppelganger/Rakshasa/Slaad based
0–prestidigitation; 1st-disguise self; 2nd-detect thoughts; 3rd-suggestion; 4th-polymorph; 5th-baleful polymorph; 6th-mislead; 7th-statue; 8th-iron body; 9th-shapechange

Overall it comes out to:
Doppelganger/Rakshasa/Slaad based: 6 abilities
Were-creature based: 5
Shapechanger all: 1 ability

I think it came out relatively balanced between the two types.

Now with that said, there is no reason you cant toss the Shifter and go with a design of your own taste. Again, these lineages are just examples of the overall template. Technically you could make 4 Lineages from this one concept, though there would be quite a bit of overlap.

For a purely Lycanthrope lineage I would grant something like this:

Skills: Handle Animal and Survival as class skills
Spells: Learn all Transmutation spells, and all spells with the Animal designator regardless of spell list.
Banned: Necromancy, energy descriptors

Abilities
1st – Feral Focus (3+Cha mod/day): Temporarily gain a +2 bonus to Strength, a +2 bonus to Constitution, and a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, , but he takes a –1 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases the sorcerer’s hit points by 1 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the focus when their Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While focused, a sorcerer cannot use any Charisma or Intelligence-based skills, or any abilities that requires social interaction or cognitive thought including casting spells or activating magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. They can use any feat they have except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A fit of feral focus lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the sorcerer’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A sorcerer may prematurely end their focus. At the end of the focus, the sorcerer loses the feral focus modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (–2 penalty to Strength, –2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter. A sorcerer can only use feral focus once per encounter. Entering a feral focus takes no time itself, but a sorcerer can do it only during their action, not in response to someone else’s action.
8th – Were-Shape Animal/Hybrid: As Shifter
14th – Improved Were-Shape: As Shifter
20th - At 20th level, a lycanthropic sorcerer gains the Lycanthrope (Natural) template, choosing an animal type based on alignment as follows, though the sorcerer’s alignment does not change to that of the typical lycanthrope’s.
Werebear if the sorcerer is LG, NG, LN or CG
Wereboar or Weretiger if the sorcerer is N, NG, NE, LN or CN
Wererat if the sorcerer is LE, LN or NE
Werewolf if the sorcerer is CE, CN or NE
• Also gain Darkvision out to 60’ (from Shapechanger subtype)
• The lycanthropic sorcerer’s damage reduction improves to 15/silver.

Shifter Lineage Spell List: 0–know direction; 1st-longstrider (or speak with animals); 2nd-bull’s strength; 3rd-greater magic fang; 4th-polymorph; 5th-overland flight; 6th-transformation; 7th-summon natures ally VII; 8th-animal shapes; 9th-shapechange


Thoughts?

 

[Khaalis]

Alien Reply – 2nd of 3

I had originally imagined the alien mindset as making the individual unable to distinguish between these weird people here and that weird looking wall there, but I can see your point about it being based off of expectation.

Wasn’t trying to slam it or anything. Hope you understood that. I was just having trouble getting a full picture of the lineage from the way it was described mixed with its abilities.

Chaotic Lineage: Chaotic sorcerers are the descendant of one of many possibilities that have led to them being an arcane receptacle of chaotic energies. Possibilities include some distant magical experiment with Chaos magic or conception occurring on the Plane of Chaos; but most likely the Chaos Sorcerer has a direct line of descent from Chaotic Outsiders. However the sorcerer has found herself here, she and others like her share some common characteristics that include finding others of their 'kind' and most other humanoids to be strange and somewhat alien. These self-same humanoids find her alien and somewhat apprehensive, as well, although they probably have no solid idea why. Still, the Chaos sorcerer seek to understand more about themselves and the alien world they live in. These sorcerers gain the following abilities and restrictions:

If I might suggest some editorial edits?…

Chaos Lineage: Chaos sorcerers derive their chaotic power from a multitude of possibilities such as being exposed to a connection to a plane of chaos at birth, experiments involving chaos magic, or by being the direct descendent of a chaotic outsider species from one of the various the planes of chaos such as the Slaad who revel in mixing with humanoids on the material plane. Chaos sorcerers, seeing the world through their inherent chaotic nature tend to regard most other beings to be somewhat strange or alien, only truly finding themselves at ease with others that see the world from the same perspective. At the same time, the chaos sorcerer is usually seen as an oddity at best by others as well, since their views and interactions with the world around them seem just as alien to others as most beings seem to the chaos sorcerer.

Benefits: Chaos sorcerers gain an inherent Survival as a class skill and a +1 to Intimidate skill checks. Often, they find themselves out on their own, fending for themselves. Their alien qualities lend themselves to Intimidation, whether intentional or not. They bear their arcane energy closer to the surface than most other spellcasters, and while that energy from within can usually be handled under most circumstances, it focuses itself in ways almost as alien as the sorcerer themself. Chaos sorcerers can make a Lesser Confusing Gaze a number of times per day equal to 3 + sorcerer's Cha modifier.
[Lesser Confusing Gaze (Su): Any creature within 30 feet that meets the sorcerer's gaze is affected as if by lesser confusion (caster level equal to sorcerer's caster level; Will DC 10 + ½ the sorcerer’s level + sorcerer’s Charisma modifier / Will negates)]
Finally, Chaos sorcerers can manipulate magical energy in a Chaotic fashion and find that they are able to choose any spell from the Abjuration and Illusion schools, regardless of the spell list.

If I might suggest some editorial/mechanics edits again?…

Benefits: Chaos sorcerers gain Survival as a class skill as well as gaining a +1 to all Intimidate skill checks as they often find themselves out on their own, fending for themselves and their alien qualities lend themselves to be rather intimidating to those around them, whether intentional or not. Chaos sorcerers bear their arcane energy closer to the surface than most other spellcasters, and while that energy is usually controlled under most circumstances, it focuses itself in the ability to make use a special supernatural Lesser Confusing Gaze attack a number of times per day equal to 3 + the sorcerer's Charisma modifier.
Lesser Confusion Gaze: This special attack takes effect when opponents look at the sorcerer’s eyes. The gaze attack acts as a Lesser Confusion spell with the following exceptions. The range of the gaze attack is 30 feet and the duration is equal to one round per sorcerer level each time it is activated. The saving throw for a gaze attack is a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the sorcerer’s level + the sorcerer’s Charisma modifier). A successful saving throw negates the effect. Each opponent within range of the gaze attack must attempt a saving throw each round at the beginning of their turn in the initiative order. Only looking directly at the chaos sorcerer leaves opponents vulnerable. Opponents can avoid the need to make the saving throw by not looking at the chaos sorcerer, in one of two ways.
Averting Eyes: The opponent avoids looking at the chaos sorcerer’s face, instead looking at its body, watching its shadow, tracking it in a reflective surface, and so on. Each round, the opponent has a 50% chance to not need to make a saving throw against the gaze attack. The chaos sorcerer with the gaze attack, however, gains concealment against that opponent.
Wearing a Blindfold: The opponent cannot see the chaos sorcerer at all (also possible to achieve by turning one’s back on the sorcerer or shutting one’s eyes). The chaos sorcerer gains total concealment against the opponent.
The chaos sorcerer can actively gaze as an attack action by choosing a target within range. That opponent must attempt a saving throw but can try to avoid this as described above. Thus, it is possible for an opponent to save against a chaos sorcerer’s gaze twice during the same round, once before the opponent’s action and once during the sorcerer’s turn.
Gaze attacks can affect ethereal opponents. A chaos sorcerer is immune to the gaze attack of other chaos sorcerers.
Allies of the chaos sorcerer might be affected. All the sorcerer’s allies are considered to be averting their eyes from the sorcerer with the gaze attack, and have a 50% chance to not need to make a saving throw against the gaze attack each round it is activated.

Additionally, chaos sorcerers can also learn any spell from the Abjuration and Illusion schools of magic as well as any spell with the Chaos descriptor, regardless of the spell list from which it comes.

Special Limitation: Chaos sorcerers are heavily influenced by the nature of their ancestor or the nature of the experiment, and because of that Chaotic heritage, they must always be Chaotic, and this shows in their Aura as well. Chaos sorcerers can never use any item or spell that has the Law descriptor. Any Chaos sorcerer that pushes themselves to other alignments along the Law-Chaos axis find that they are suppressing the mystical energy within themselves and can never progress in the Sorcerer class again. Also, Chaos sorcerers find their personalities alien to others and suffer a -2 penalty against on all Social skills, except for Intimidate, which they excel at, willingly or unwillingly. They have trouble with Divination, never having a good mental reference for what they see or hear, suffering a -1 caster level on these spells.

Some more editorial/mechanics suggestions again?…

Special Limitation: Chaos sorcerers are heavily influenced by the nature of their ancestor or the nature of the experiments used on them. Due to that heritage, chaos sorcerers have a natural connection to the way of chaos and must therefore always be of a chaotic alignment. This natural connection to chaos is so strong that their Aura gives off a strong radiation of chaos in addition to that of their magical aura (see the Detect Evil spell for more details). They may also never learn any spell, spell-like ability or supernatural ability with the Law descriptor nor that belongs to the Law clerical domains. The sorcerer cannot use spell completion or spell trigger items that activate banned spells, as they just do not work for the sorcerer. Chaos sorcerers find their personalities alien to others and find it difficult to relate to most beings, thus suffering a -2 penalty on all Social skills, except for Intimidate which they are naturally adept at. They also have trouble with Divination spells, never really having a good mental reference for what they see or hear in reference to the world around them, and thus suffering a -1 caster level on these spells. Due to their strong affinity to magic of chaos, they are left with a natural weakness toward magic of law, receiving a –2 penalty to all saving throws against any spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability of the law descriptor or used by creatures of the law subtype. A chaos sorcerer who becomes any non-chaotic alignment or learns a prohibited spell, spell-like ability or supernatural ability may no longer gain levels as a sorcerer but retains all sorcerer abilities. Also, like a member of any other class, a chaos sorcerer may be a multiclass character, but they face a special restriction. A chaos sorcerer who gains a new class or template that involves racial or bloodline or heredity related abilities that are contradictory to a Chaotic orientation (for example Axiomatic), may never again raise their sorcerer level and loses all sorcerer lineage abilities (including their bonus spells known and lineage based spell-like abilities, but not including weapon proficiencies and standard spells known).

Lineage Spells: The Chaos sorcerer has a specific affinity with chaos magic that manifests in a Lineage Spell List. These Lineage spells may never be changed through spell swapping or through spell evolution, but only through Innate Ability Evolution. These Lineage Spells are gained as bonus known spells as soon as the sorcerer is able to cast spells of that level. The sorcerer gains the Aberrant Lineage spell list.
Chaotic Lineage Spell List: 0 - prestidigitation, 1 – lesser confusion, 2 - misdirection, 3 – displacement, 4 - confusion, 5 - mislead, 6 - repulsion, 7 - spell turning, 8 – cloak of chaos, 9 – freedom

I might suggest a few changes. Since they have lesser confusion as a gaze attack, and later confusion, do you want to double it with a required spell that duplicates the same effect? I might suggest replacing lesser confusion and confusion with: Protection from Law at 1st and Chaos Hammer for 4th. Another good substitution might be Word of Chaos for 7th.

Lineage Abilities: The Chaos sorcerer's connection with the chaotic magic within themselves becomes stronger as they become more attuned with their own volatile natures, and that of others. At 8th Level, the sorcerer's Lesser Confusing Gaze becomes a Confusing Gaze, with the creature affected as per the spell, Confusion. The sorcerer can choose, if they wish, to downgrade their Gaze to Lesser Confusion at the time of the Gaze. At 14th Level, the sorcerer's Gaze symbolizes their true Chaotic power and becomes a Gaze of Insanity, with the creature affected as per the spell, Insanity. The sorcerer can choose, if they wish, to downgrade their Gaze to Lesser Confusion or Confusion at the time of the Gaze. At 20th Level, the sorcerer's heritage transforms her fully. Her soul and her body merge to become one unit, and she changes type to Outsider (Chaotic, Native), but no change in Hit Die, BAB, or skill points is made. This leaves her immune to any spell that targets humanoids only, and she also gains Darkvision out to 60'. The swirling arcane energies within them lash out at other magic and grant her Spell Resistance of 30 and her body's transformation finalizes with granting her Damage Resistance of 10/Law.

Again, just some tweaks? (I would suggest dropping the downgrade on the vision, as it seems a bit off that they would wish to reduce the gaze attack as it is not a permanent effect, but something that is activated only when they wish to use it.)

Lineage Abilities: The chaos sorcerer's connection with the chaotic magic within themselves becomes stronger as they become more attuned with their own volatile natures, and that of others. At 8th level, the sorcerer's gaze attacks increases in power from acting as a Lesser Confusion spell to acting as a Confusion spell.
……….At 14th level, the sorcerer's gaze attack is empowered even more by the true chaotic source of their innate power, increasing to act as an Insanity spell.
………..At 20th level, a chaos sorcerer becomes so attune to their chaotic aura that they become one with their chaotic lineage gaining the outsider type as well as the augmented, native and chaotic subtypes. The sorcerer does not go through any noticeable physical changes however. They are forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the sorcerer’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, the chaos sorcerer gains the following benefits.
• Darkvision out to 60’.
• Gain Spell Resistance (Ex): This grants spell resistance of 30.
• Gain Damage Reduction (Su): Grants damage reduction 10/law, which allows them to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a non-lawful weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn’t have similar damage reduction.
• Gain Smite Law (Su): Three times per day, the sorcerer may make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to their HD (maximum of +20) against a lawful foe.
Unlike other outsiders, the sorcerer can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be. Also unlike other outsiders, native outsiders still need to eat and sleep.


Thoughts??


Edit: PS: I like the idea so much I am going to add it to the official list of samples.

 

[Khaalis]

Familiars – 3rd of 3

I recognize I may be in the minority on this, but I've always been a little stuck on the wizard getting a familiar. The wizard learns his arcane talents in relative isolation, learning to weave the patterns of the world into a form useful to him, where the sorcerer does the same by force of personality. It just seems a little more logical, to me, that the caster whose personal magnetism powers his magic gains the aid of a small animal, drawn to him by the vagaries of magic and changing as his power grows.
If one uses the "familiars must be bound by a specific ritual" formula, then it should be a wizard-only trait. If the animal's connection to the caster is less clearly defined, my own mind leans towards sorcerer-only.
But I suppose it is a sacred cow, so to speak, and it's hard to find something to give to wizards in place of it. The item familiar concept is neat, but...animals can run away. This can be incredibly important, if one's DM is malicious.
But yeah. Anyway. Great work!

1st – thanks for the compliments. Always nice to know the project isn’t totally in vain.

/OnRant
On familiars… My issues are varied. For one I am not thrilled with the whole sacred-cow aspect of it. I personally think it is silly that ALL arcane casters have to have familiars. As I stated earlier this is a literary hold-over that never went away. From my stand, Familiars should be an option. Not all practitioners of the “Art” have familiars. This is a personal choice. Yet in game mechanics – its only a choice if the player wishes to give up one of his more potent class abilities. From a purely game mechanics point of view, in my opinion, Wizards should have gotten “Bonus Feat” at 1st level in place of Familiar and “Summon Familiar” should have been an optional feat. Its companion should also have been “Item Familiar”. When was the last time you saw the great wizards of literature – Gandolf, Saruman, Raistlin, Dalamar, Elminster, Merlin, etc. – with a familiar? You don’t. What do they almost all have in common though?? The Wizard’s Staff! Where is that reflected in D&D? In crappy, incredibly expensive magic items. Bleh!
/offRant

Now as for Sorcerers with familiars, I don’t like them being able to use the “Summon” ritual aspect. Sorcerers specifically don’t have the knowledge to do such a thing at 1st level. What makes more sense to me is an Item Familiar – something that could absorb their magical presence and over time take on a Personality of its own that is a reflection of the sorcerer’s, or even as you say having something alive yet that is gained through the use of their personality – would be closer in mechanics to the Animal Companion (as per druid).

Thoughts?

 

[Hardhead]

EDIT: This is now a pointless post.

 

[Mark Causey]

Wasn’t trying to slam it or anything. Hope you understood that. I was just having trouble getting a full picture of the lineage from the way it was described mixed with its abilities.

That's what the discussion is about ... taking raw ideas and shaping them I'd rather have you pick it apart than to say, "It's your version, have fun. Next question?"

If I might suggest some editorial edits?…

You cleaned up my chaotic ramblings well, as well as truly defined the gaze vision, making it more than just a cut and paste from the Umber Hulk.

I might suggest replacing lesser confusion and confusion with: Protection from Law at 1st and Chaos Hammer for 4th. Another good substitution might be Word of Chaos for 7th.

I had been thinking about putting those in, but thought that they would need the confusion spells to 'explain' their vision; but why do sorcerers, much less Chaos Sorcerers, need to 'explain' where they learned something? I would almost imagine an in-game prohibition of taking the top 5 spells of the player's choice for any given spell learning event and making them choose randomly

Again, just some tweaks? (I would suggest dropping the downgrade on the vision, as it seems a bit off that they would wish to reduce the gaze attack as it is not a permanent effect, but something that is activated only when they wish to use it.)

Mainly, this was for the Insanity Vision, as that is pretty close to permanent.

• Gain Smite Law (Su): Three times per day, the sorcerer may make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to their HD (maximum of +20) against a lawful foe.

Perfect addition. Now I get to make that sorcerer, and figure out how to make him summon pseudonatural creatures WITHOUT branching out to a prestige class, because I want to stick all the way to 20 ... ;(

[

Edit: PS: I like the idea so much I am going to add it to the official list of samples.

Well, thanks for helping me getting it to that point, I'm glad I could suggest .. hopefully it will also give people ideas for other 'alignment' sorcerers.

AtR

 

[Coredump]

Just letting you all know that there are still folks eagerly reading... even if we (I) don't have much to add.

Thanks to all of you.

.

 

[Khaalis]

Ok - to attempt to appease a wider range of taste, what would be the opinion on changing the 2nd level Arcane Sense into a Mutable Sorcerer ability?

This would allow more flexibility, but is a less "Core" feel - though the Ranger and the Monk now both use Mutable styles.


Sorcerer Ability: A sorcerer is not a defined term beyond that they share manipulation of arcane magic in common. Sorcerers can develop vastly different abilities from one another, usually as a reflection of their lineage, but other times it is a reflection of the sorcerer's upbringing and environmental influence. Sorcerers can fill many roles such as hedge wizards, fortune hunters, opportunists, charlatans, alchemists, demonologists, planar travelers, street wizards, investigators, adventurers, oracles and many other concepts as influenced by their surroundings. The varied abilities required by each different specialty are a reflection of the sorcerer’s specific culture and heritage. At 2nd level the sorcerer gains one option from the list below that reflects the type of sorcerer they are developing into.

Animal Companion (Ex): A sorcerer may use their presence and natural charm to gain an animal companion. This is a free-willed animal and acts in all respects as a druid's animal companion (see the Druid in the Player's Handbook.)

Arcane Sense (Sp): The sorcerer is so in tune with magic that they can feel magic flow through them as well as sense its presence and flow in all things around them as well. As a result of this deep attunement, at 2nd level, the sorcerer’s senses allow them to see as if using detect magic (as the spell) a number of times per day equal to their Charisma modifier. This spell-like ability is activated as a standard action that draws an attack of opportunity and requires full concentration for as many rounds as the sorcerer wishes to attain information (as the spell description).

Bonus Feat: The sorcerer may choose a bonus feat from the following list, though any necessary prerequisites must be bet. These bonus feats should focus on the sorcerer’s spell-like abilities, social skills, heredity, and any other arcane pursuit. Heritage can count for feat prerequisites per DM approval.
EXAMPLE WotC FEATS
Player's Handbook: Alertness, Augment Summoning, Combat Casting, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Counterspell, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Magical Affinity, Negotiator, Persuasive, Self-Sufficient, Skill Focus, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Toughness
Book of Exalted Deeds: Ancestral Relic, Animal Friend, Celestial Familiar, Exalted Companion, Exalted Wild Shape, Gift of Faith, Nimbus of Light, Nymph’s Kiss, Sacred Vow (& associated vows), Sanctify Martial Strike, Servant of the Heavens, Spell Focus (Good)
Complete Warrior: Arcane Strike, Improved Familiar
Draconomicon: Dragon Familiar, Dragoncrafter, Dragonfriend, Dragonthrall, Frightful Presence, Sense Weakness
Tome & Blood: Arcane Defense, Arcane Preparation, Augment Summoning, Extra Slot, Extra Spell, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Spell Specialization

Item Familiar: The sorcerer may choose to imbue an item with a part of thei magical essence and eventually have it mirror their personality, thus gaining the ability to create an item familiar, using the “Item Familiar" option from the Unearthed Arcana (p.170). Note that a sorcerer cannot have both a familiar and an item familiar unless they possess the Extra Familiar feat.

Spontaneous Metamagic (Ex): Choose one metamagic feat of choice from either: Enlarge Spell, Extend Spell, Heighten Spell, Silent Spell, or Still Spell (only feats with up to a 1 spell level adjustment may be chosen for this ability). This metamagic feat is a virtual feat that may be used “on-the fly” to effect any lineage spell (and only lineage spells) the sorcerer knows, a number of times per day equal to the sorcerer’s Charisma modifier. This feat is used without prior preparation, increased spell level or extended casting time. The maximum level of spell to which a caster can apply a metamagic feat is equal to the maximum spell level they are capable of casting, minus the spell level adjustment of the metamagic feat. If the result of this calculation is less than 0, then that metamagic feat cannot be used on any of the sorcerer's spells. A caster can apply more than one metamagic feat to a spell, or even the same metamagic effect more than once (if allowed by the feat's description). However, to determine the maximum level of spell that can be so affected, add together the spell level adjustments given for the various feats. The Heighten Spells feat may be used to increase a spell's effective level (for purpose of save DC's and so on) up to the maximum spell level you are capable of casting. The spell is treated as a spell of that level for purposes of save DC and similar effects, but does not require a higher-level spell slot.

Thoughts & Discussion?

 

[Zoatebix]

More flexibility is always good, but the bonus feat option seems like the short end of the stick. One could say that's the price of flexibility, but I think that they should get something a little more dynamic than a single feat.

If they choose to give up the second-level power, perhaps they get a bonus feat at levels 2, 10, and 18 instead?
-g

 

[Khaalis]

Actually some of those feats are quite potent, especially if stacked well with their powers. For example a sorcerer specialized in summoning spells would gain a great deal of benefit from the bonus Augment Summoning feat. BoED feats are all quite powerful. I am not sure about the balance of giving multiple feats (even at staggered levels) over a single ability at 2nd level though. Especially when it throws in the mechanic that only 1 such option would gain continuing benefits at higher levels. Others thoughts on this?

 

[Coredump]

(Good ol'Khaalis, waits till I say I have nothing to add... then gives me something to comment on..

I like the mutable aspect, but I think less flexibility is better in this case. Adding too much flexibility removes flavor. Look at the fighter... just a pile of feats. I say keep the animal companion, arcane sense, item familiar, and get rid of the 'bonus feat' and metamagic. They get a feat every 3 levels, use those for metamagic.

Augment summoning (for example) seems better suited as a lineage advantage. I would look for more choices that would be selected due to flavor, not due to power. Maybe some sort of heightened senses or such.

.