Trailblazer: New Horizons in 3.5 Roleplaying, is a self-styled “system optimizer” for the 3.x system previously used by the Dungeons and Dragons role-playing game. Authors Benjamin “Wulf Ratbane” Durbin and Chris “Glassjaw” Neveu dove deep into the System Requirements Document (SRD), analyzed its most common (and not so common) complaints from gamers, and generated what may be one of the best version of the 3.x system outside Wizards of the Coast (WotC), Malhavoc Press, and Paizo Publishing.
At first glance, Trailblazer (TB) seems similar to WotC’s Unearthed Arcana (now out of print) rules supplement, offering new classes, feats, and alternative systems. And it can work that way: TB is very modular, and GMs can pick and chose which features to include in their campaigns. However, TB can also replace much of the 3.x system in a similar manner to Malhavoc’s Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved. That’s because the authors take pains to explain how the various sub-systems: the class balances, feats, spells, encounter generation, etc., are balanced against each other. Even D&D Third Edition author Monte Cook never gave this much detail in his books of Experimental Might.
Okay, ‘nuff intro. Here what’s in Trailblazer:
Introduction covers the authors’ goals and philosophies, the issues gamers have had with the 3.x system over the years, and how TB deals with them.
Next is The Spine. In brief, it is a statistical analysis of the “behind the scenes” math that makes up the 3.x system. These five pages break down monsters’ most important stats, character stats, the interaction of their attacks, defenses, saves, and magic items, and how they affect – and not affect -- each other. Math geeks will have a field day.
Emerging from the Spine’s data is the section on Class Rebalancing. Yes, Auntie Em, fighters are the worse class to play in the long run, and here’s the math to prove it. Same with rogues. Thus, both get the most radical changes several sections later under Character Classes: fighters get Expert Weapon Proficiency, which allows them to optimize their weapons by increasing damage (up to 3d8), allow said weapon to be thrown; or give reach to a two-handed weapon. You want that to duplicate that dagger-throwing hero from fiction who kills with a toss of her blades? Now you can.
And rogues? Fighter BAB under certain circumstances (called combat tactics) and sneak attack that’s effective against pretty much anything. Rogue players will now focus on getting that flanking attack instead of worrying if the creature’s immune to its best ability.
Other class changes include increased hit dice for sorcerers, wizards, and rogues; more spells for the bard (8th level!); barbarian’s greater DR; an easier method to turning undead for clerics; giving control of both the druid and ranger’s animal companions to the DM; a less mix/maxing Wild Shape ability; replacing the paladin’s spell list and getting rid of that mount; and a “temporary” familiar for the sorcerer and wizard. (Order of the Stick fans will be in stitches.)
An all-new Rest Mechanic basically changes the familiar “rest for eight hours” to recharge the party’s abilities to ten minutes. Yes, you read that right. Ten minutes. GM’s don’t worry: rules are provided to deal with those pain-in-the arse “scry, teleport, and surprise attack” spell tactics with this new mechanism.
Iterative Attacks section replaces the cumbersome 0/-5/-10/-15 with a simpler system which, at the same time, mathematically does more damage to the target.
Action Points (AP) form the core to Trailblazer system, and the authors go into some depth discussing how they deal with many of 3.x’s troublesome issues (e.g. Save or Die spells, class balance, etc.) In brief, player characters get a certain number of APs per level which, when expended, allow them add to their attacks; reroll a failed d20 roll; or stabilize a dying PC. “Exploding dice” and AP “enhancements” are also covered in this section.
I heart playing spellcasters, and Trailblazer’s two Spellcasting pages are, by far, my favorite section. It resolves that annoying issue of nerfed spellcasters when they multiclass.
So how does it work? Every class has what is called the “Base Magic Bonus” (BMB), which varies depending on said class The BMB is used to determine the PC’s caster level, spell slots per day, and readied spells per day, all on one chart. Thus, to determine a multi-classed PC’s caster level, simply add up his BMB and look at the chart. A multi-classed cleric 4/wizard 4, for example, would have a BMB of 8: her Cure Moderate Wounds add +8 (not +4) to its effects and her fireballs inflict 8d6 of damage, not 4d6 as per under the 3.x system. Before powergamers start clamoring for this chart, note that she can only prepare and cast a total of four 0-level spells; four 1st-level spells; three 2nd-level spells; and two 3rd level spells (not including extra spells from high ability scores). This is significantly less than under the 3.x system, where a 4th level cleric has five 0-spells alone. The BMB also provide other limits.
Combat is expanded with the inclusion of Combat Reactions (CR) and Combat Exploits (CE). These are modifiers all PCs can use in combat even when it’s not their turn. They can, using CRs, aid other PCs in their attack (+2 to attack), defend them (+2 to AC), and even reduce damage via DR. CE offer more attack options if the PC is willing to take penalty.
Complex and game-slowing maneuvers like bull rush, sunder, and – our favorite – grapple, are simplified using Combat Maneuver Bonus (CMB) and Combat Maneuver AC (CMAC). These work like regular attacks with a successful roll forcing the condition on the victim…er…target.
Other system changes in Trailblazer include simplified Skills (hello Perception, goodbye Concentration); Feats (specific weapons requirements are now replaced by type); Magic (Polymorph!); and the Encounter Budget system. The latter replaces 3.x’s CR/EL with a simple, yet elegant system of assigning XPs to each monster’s CR. The GM calculates the amount of total XP necessary to challenge the PCs (the encounter budget), then selects the monsters until that budget is filled.
In my opinion…. My review does not do justice to this product. From a metamagic system that doesn’t need to be readied to a creature template that will make sure the Big Bad encounter will be memorable even for min-maxers/powergamers, Trailblazer is chock full of new ideas, options, and systems on every page. And while I don’t agree with all of them (e.g., trapfinding for monks?), you can see how they make sense. Trailblazer has made me reexamine the viability of my 3.x Corebooks and alternatives like the Pathfinder RPG Corebook.
At first glance, Trailblazer (TB) seems similar to WotC’s Unearthed Arcana (now out of print) rules supplement, offering new classes, feats, and alternative systems. And it can work that way: TB is very modular, and GMs can pick and chose which features to include in their campaigns. However, TB can also replace much of the 3.x system in a similar manner to Malhavoc’s Arcana Unearthed/Arcana Evolved. That’s because the authors take pains to explain how the various sub-systems: the class balances, feats, spells, encounter generation, etc., are balanced against each other. Even D&D Third Edition author Monte Cook never gave this much detail in his books of Experimental Might.
Okay, ‘nuff intro. Here what’s in Trailblazer:
Introduction covers the authors’ goals and philosophies, the issues gamers have had with the 3.x system over the years, and how TB deals with them.
Next is The Spine. In brief, it is a statistical analysis of the “behind the scenes” math that makes up the 3.x system. These five pages break down monsters’ most important stats, character stats, the interaction of their attacks, defenses, saves, and magic items, and how they affect – and not affect -- each other. Math geeks will have a field day.
Emerging from the Spine’s data is the section on Class Rebalancing. Yes, Auntie Em, fighters are the worse class to play in the long run, and here’s the math to prove it. Same with rogues. Thus, both get the most radical changes several sections later under Character Classes: fighters get Expert Weapon Proficiency, which allows them to optimize their weapons by increasing damage (up to 3d8), allow said weapon to be thrown; or give reach to a two-handed weapon. You want that to duplicate that dagger-throwing hero from fiction who kills with a toss of her blades? Now you can.
And rogues? Fighter BAB under certain circumstances (called combat tactics) and sneak attack that’s effective against pretty much anything. Rogue players will now focus on getting that flanking attack instead of worrying if the creature’s immune to its best ability.
Other class changes include increased hit dice for sorcerers, wizards, and rogues; more spells for the bard (8th level!); barbarian’s greater DR; an easier method to turning undead for clerics; giving control of both the druid and ranger’s animal companions to the DM; a less mix/maxing Wild Shape ability; replacing the paladin’s spell list and getting rid of that mount; and a “temporary” familiar for the sorcerer and wizard. (Order of the Stick fans will be in stitches.)
An all-new Rest Mechanic basically changes the familiar “rest for eight hours” to recharge the party’s abilities to ten minutes. Yes, you read that right. Ten minutes. GM’s don’t worry: rules are provided to deal with those pain-in-the arse “scry, teleport, and surprise attack” spell tactics with this new mechanism.
Iterative Attacks section replaces the cumbersome 0/-5/-10/-15 with a simpler system which, at the same time, mathematically does more damage to the target.
Action Points (AP) form the core to Trailblazer system, and the authors go into some depth discussing how they deal with many of 3.x’s troublesome issues (e.g. Save or Die spells, class balance, etc.) In brief, player characters get a certain number of APs per level which, when expended, allow them add to their attacks; reroll a failed d20 roll; or stabilize a dying PC. “Exploding dice” and AP “enhancements” are also covered in this section.
I heart playing spellcasters, and Trailblazer’s two Spellcasting pages are, by far, my favorite section. It resolves that annoying issue of nerfed spellcasters when they multiclass.
So how does it work? Every class has what is called the “Base Magic Bonus” (BMB), which varies depending on said class The BMB is used to determine the PC’s caster level, spell slots per day, and readied spells per day, all on one chart. Thus, to determine a multi-classed PC’s caster level, simply add up his BMB and look at the chart. A multi-classed cleric 4/wizard 4, for example, would have a BMB of 8: her Cure Moderate Wounds add +8 (not +4) to its effects and her fireballs inflict 8d6 of damage, not 4d6 as per under the 3.x system. Before powergamers start clamoring for this chart, note that she can only prepare and cast a total of four 0-level spells; four 1st-level spells; three 2nd-level spells; and two 3rd level spells (not including extra spells from high ability scores). This is significantly less than under the 3.x system, where a 4th level cleric has five 0-spells alone. The BMB also provide other limits.
Combat is expanded with the inclusion of Combat Reactions (CR) and Combat Exploits (CE). These are modifiers all PCs can use in combat even when it’s not their turn. They can, using CRs, aid other PCs in their attack (+2 to attack), defend them (+2 to AC), and even reduce damage via DR. CE offer more attack options if the PC is willing to take penalty.
Complex and game-slowing maneuvers like bull rush, sunder, and – our favorite – grapple, are simplified using Combat Maneuver Bonus (CMB) and Combat Maneuver AC (CMAC). These work like regular attacks with a successful roll forcing the condition on the victim…er…target.
Other system changes in Trailblazer include simplified Skills (hello Perception, goodbye Concentration); Feats (specific weapons requirements are now replaced by type); Magic (Polymorph!); and the Encounter Budget system. The latter replaces 3.x’s CR/EL with a simple, yet elegant system of assigning XPs to each monster’s CR. The GM calculates the amount of total XP necessary to challenge the PCs (the encounter budget), then selects the monsters until that budget is filled.
In my opinion…. My review does not do justice to this product. From a metamagic system that doesn’t need to be readied to a creature template that will make sure the Big Bad encounter will be memorable even for min-maxers/powergamers, Trailblazer is chock full of new ideas, options, and systems on every page. And while I don’t agree with all of them (e.g., trapfinding for monks?), you can see how they make sense. Trailblazer has made me reexamine the viability of my 3.x Corebooks and alternatives like the Pathfinder RPG Corebook.
