I guess I'm just in a house ruling kind of mood lately
Here is my main beef with certain racial/evolved levels:
1) Some levels don't have momentum. Basically for some levels, its hard to convince someone to take the first level. Or sometimes the 1st level is really good, but going further down the track just isn't worth it.
2) When spellcasters lose spell access, they need to get something major to convince them to stay on track....when casters start losing spells they really lose power quickly.
3) Magisters are far easier to racial level than runethanes, mage blades, and witches as they lose very little compared to those classes.
4) The first evolved level should really be worth it. In the setting, its not just "another level." It shows a commitment to the dragon side, or at least the stigma that you do. Its also dangerous, that con damage could kill some character if its rolled right.
5) I don't like +1 stat mods as a rule. +1 to str, +1 con for example might give a character a mod bump in 2 stats...or it might do absolutely nothing for him. I like the levels to have a little more consistency.
6) Some of the levels are too geared towards spellcasters or fighter types. Some are supposed to be that way, but others not as much. I tried to give a little incentive to lost archetype on some of them.
First off: When a racial or evolved level gives a caster level, this stacks with the spellcasters level for purposes off: 1) the strength, and maximum number of runes at a time 2) witchery strength 3) Athame's enhancement bonus 4) The greenbond's bonus to his infuse with life (it does not help increase the dice, just the bonus at the end, I just need a good way to say that) 5) Magister's staff hp and hardness.
And without further ado:
Human
I don't like +1 to stats, but I didn't want the stacking to get out of hand. Other than that, human evolved levels are pretty good.
1 +2 ability score [any]*, bonus feat [any], +1 spells
2 as 1
3 as 2
*An ability score can only be enhanced by this ability once.
Dracha
The dracha will never be a good spellcasting class, can't help that. The only real problem with the dracha is overcoming that initial +0 BAB for the fighter types, after that initial hurdle, there's definately incentive to stay with the dracha.
1 +2 Str, +2 Con
2 flight (clumsy), +1 nat armor
3 flight (average), bite feat for free.
The evolved levels of the dracha are pretty good. Breath weapon and better flight are already attractive. I increased the stats to round them out, and took away perfect flight (I can see a sprtye with perfect flight, but its a little weird with a big dracha).
4 Breath weapon, +1 nat armor
5 +2 str, claws, flight (good)
6 +2 con, pounce, +1 nat armor.
Loresong Evolved levels
1 SPA, Faen Caster feat +1 spells
2 +2 dexterity, +1 spells
3 +2 int, +1 spells.
The lordsong gets the faen caster feat (not just the template) at 1st level. I changed most of the templates to the feat. The main reason is to further help the hybrid casting classes. By giving them access to more types of spells, it helps offset the loss of their main class abilities. **There's a caveat, if the caster already has that feat, or gains it later, they gain a +1 caster level to those kinds of spells.
Quickling Evolved levels
Again, I want to get over the +0 BAB hump. Once over the initial hump, the quickling is attractive to take for finesse/ranged fighters. I took a bit away from 2nd level, but I think the fact that you still get another +1 BAB, and there's another +2 just a level away still makes it attractive to take.
1 +2 dex, +10 speed
2 +1 dodge to AC
3 +2 dex, +10 speed
Sprtye levels
The sprite needs a little more oomph in its first level for spellcasters to get over losing spells, but I was hard pressed to think of much. I made sure the dex bonus counted...I also boosted the 3rd level to make it a little more attractive overall.
1 +2 dex, SLA
2 SLA +1 spells
3 SLA, Extra SLA, perfect flight, Faen Caster feat
Extra SLA: All the SLA from 1st and 2nd level gain an extra use per day.
**If the sprtye has the faen caster feat from evolved loresong levels, he recieves a +1 caster levels to faen spells. If the sprtye also has the feat, he gains an additional +1 caster level.
The 1st evolved level needs a lot of help. Consider you are minimum a 7th level character when you have this. In addition, a fighter has given up +2 BAB, and a spellcaster has given up 3 levels worth of spells!! I gave them a powerful ability at 4th, Quicken SLA...which you normally can't get till 10th.
4 +2 dex, glowing aura, SLA, Quicken SLA (as the feat)
5 SLA, +1 spell
6 SLA, Enhance SLA, +1 spell
Enhance SLA: All SLA gained from sprtye "racial levels" can now be cast in their heightened version.
Giants
Giants are supposed to have a fair number of spellcasters among their ranks, so I wanted to reflect that in their levels. I mean, no caster in his right mind is going to take 3 giant levels, they don't even get caster levels. I was a little hesitant about the giant losing any str bonus at first level, but I think there is still lots of incentive for fighters to go giant. And I think this makes sense in game. Giants are already strong, so at first they seek control and understanding...then move back towards their physical nature.
1 +2 wis, giant caster feat
2 +2 str, +2 con
3 Large Size
Evolved giants are supposed to be very rare anyway, so I actually depowered the evolved levels a tad.
4 +2 str
5 +2 con, +1 spells, +10 ground speed
6 +1 nat armor bonus
Litorians
Litorians are already a dream class for fighters, but I wanted spellcasters to at least be able to dabble. I also wanted to differentiate litorians and sibeccai a bit more. For the evolved levels, I made sure 4th was worth it with my new progression...6th is already so nice many would take 5th just to get it.
1 +2 dex, litorian caster feat
2 scent, +10 speed
3 +2 str, bite feat
4 +2 dex, +1 attack and damage with bite
5 +1 nat AC, +1 spells
6 +2 str, claws, pounce
Mojh
With the con penalty, few fighters are going to take it. Which is fine, since few casters would take dracha. The only thing with mojh levels was to make the 1st level a little more appealing. I also recognize how incredibly powerful the dragon caster feat is, so I'm going to require evolved levels to get it. The evolved levels are fine, as they all offer spells.
1 SLA, sense the unseen, free use of dragon template
2 SLA, +1 spells
3 SLA, +1 nat armor, +1 spells
4 Dragon caster feat, +1 spells
5 +2 int, +1 nat armor, +1 spells
6 +2 nat armor, Enhance SLA, +1 spells
Enhance SLA: All SLA of mojh can be cast as heightened.
Sibeccai
Pretty much what I did to litorians
1 +2 con, bite feat, sibbecai caster
2 scent, weapon focus (bite)
3 +2 dex, weapon spec (bite)
4 +2 con, +1 nat armor
5 +2 attack, damage with bite +1 spells
6 +2 dex, free weapon spec, improved grab
Verrick
Verrick are already pretty attractive for casters, although there's not much for fighters. Mainly I worked on getting over the hump at 2nd level for casters.
1 SLA, +1 spells
2 SLA, +2 wis
3 +2 int, Extra SLA, +1 spells
4 SLA, +1 spells
5 +2 wis, +1 spells
6 +2 int, Enhance SLA, +1 spells
Extra SLA: All SLA of 1st and 2nd level get an extra 1/day.
Enhance SLA: All SLA for the verrick can be cast as heightened.
Here is my main beef with certain racial/evolved levels:1) Some levels don't have momentum. Basically for some levels, its hard to convince someone to take the first level. Or sometimes the 1st level is really good, but going further down the track just isn't worth it.
2) When spellcasters lose spell access, they need to get something major to convince them to stay on track....when casters start losing spells they really lose power quickly.
3) Magisters are far easier to racial level than runethanes, mage blades, and witches as they lose very little compared to those classes.
4) The first evolved level should really be worth it. In the setting, its not just "another level." It shows a commitment to the dragon side, or at least the stigma that you do. Its also dangerous, that con damage could kill some character if its rolled right.
5) I don't like +1 stat mods as a rule. +1 to str, +1 con for example might give a character a mod bump in 2 stats...or it might do absolutely nothing for him. I like the levels to have a little more consistency.
6) Some of the levels are too geared towards spellcasters or fighter types. Some are supposed to be that way, but others not as much. I tried to give a little incentive to lost archetype on some of them.
First off: When a racial or evolved level gives a caster level, this stacks with the spellcasters level for purposes off: 1) the strength, and maximum number of runes at a time 2) witchery strength 3) Athame's enhancement bonus 4) The greenbond's bonus to his infuse with life (it does not help increase the dice, just the bonus at the end, I just need a good way to say that) 5) Magister's staff hp and hardness.
And without further ado:
Human
I don't like +1 to stats, but I didn't want the stacking to get out of hand. Other than that, human evolved levels are pretty good.
1 +2 ability score [any]*, bonus feat [any], +1 spells
2 as 1
3 as 2
*An ability score can only be enhanced by this ability once.
Dracha
The dracha will never be a good spellcasting class, can't help that. The only real problem with the dracha is overcoming that initial +0 BAB for the fighter types, after that initial hurdle, there's definately incentive to stay with the dracha.
1 +2 Str, +2 Con
2 flight (clumsy), +1 nat armor
3 flight (average), bite feat for free.
The evolved levels of the dracha are pretty good. Breath weapon and better flight are already attractive. I increased the stats to round them out, and took away perfect flight (I can see a sprtye with perfect flight, but its a little weird with a big dracha).
4 Breath weapon, +1 nat armor
5 +2 str, claws, flight (good)
6 +2 con, pounce, +1 nat armor.
Loresong Evolved levels
1 SPA, Faen Caster feat +1 spells
2 +2 dexterity, +1 spells
3 +2 int, +1 spells.
The lordsong gets the faen caster feat (not just the template) at 1st level. I changed most of the templates to the feat. The main reason is to further help the hybrid casting classes. By giving them access to more types of spells, it helps offset the loss of their main class abilities. **There's a caveat, if the caster already has that feat, or gains it later, they gain a +1 caster level to those kinds of spells.
Quickling Evolved levels
Again, I want to get over the +0 BAB hump. Once over the initial hump, the quickling is attractive to take for finesse/ranged fighters. I took a bit away from 2nd level, but I think the fact that you still get another +1 BAB, and there's another +2 just a level away still makes it attractive to take.
1 +2 dex, +10 speed
2 +1 dodge to AC
3 +2 dex, +10 speed
Sprtye levels
The sprite needs a little more oomph in its first level for spellcasters to get over losing spells, but I was hard pressed to think of much. I made sure the dex bonus counted...I also boosted the 3rd level to make it a little more attractive overall.
1 +2 dex, SLA
2 SLA +1 spells
3 SLA, Extra SLA, perfect flight, Faen Caster feat
Extra SLA: All the SLA from 1st and 2nd level gain an extra use per day.
**If the sprtye has the faen caster feat from evolved loresong levels, he recieves a +1 caster levels to faen spells. If the sprtye also has the feat, he gains an additional +1 caster level.
The 1st evolved level needs a lot of help. Consider you are minimum a 7th level character when you have this. In addition, a fighter has given up +2 BAB, and a spellcaster has given up 3 levels worth of spells!! I gave them a powerful ability at 4th, Quicken SLA...which you normally can't get till 10th.
4 +2 dex, glowing aura, SLA, Quicken SLA (as the feat)
5 SLA, +1 spell
6 SLA, Enhance SLA, +1 spell
Enhance SLA: All SLA gained from sprtye "racial levels" can now be cast in their heightened version.
Giants
Giants are supposed to have a fair number of spellcasters among their ranks, so I wanted to reflect that in their levels. I mean, no caster in his right mind is going to take 3 giant levels, they don't even get caster levels. I was a little hesitant about the giant losing any str bonus at first level, but I think there is still lots of incentive for fighters to go giant. And I think this makes sense in game. Giants are already strong, so at first they seek control and understanding...then move back towards their physical nature.
1 +2 wis, giant caster feat
2 +2 str, +2 con
3 Large Size
Evolved giants are supposed to be very rare anyway, so I actually depowered the evolved levels a tad.
4 +2 str
5 +2 con, +1 spells, +10 ground speed
6 +1 nat armor bonus
Litorians
Litorians are already a dream class for fighters, but I wanted spellcasters to at least be able to dabble. I also wanted to differentiate litorians and sibeccai a bit more. For the evolved levels, I made sure 4th was worth it with my new progression...6th is already so nice many would take 5th just to get it.
1 +2 dex, litorian caster feat
2 scent, +10 speed
3 +2 str, bite feat
4 +2 dex, +1 attack and damage with bite
5 +1 nat AC, +1 spells
6 +2 str, claws, pounce
Mojh
With the con penalty, few fighters are going to take it. Which is fine, since few casters would take dracha. The only thing with mojh levels was to make the 1st level a little more appealing. I also recognize how incredibly powerful the dragon caster feat is, so I'm going to require evolved levels to get it. The evolved levels are fine, as they all offer spells.
1 SLA, sense the unseen, free use of dragon template
2 SLA, +1 spells
3 SLA, +1 nat armor, +1 spells
4 Dragon caster feat, +1 spells
5 +2 int, +1 nat armor, +1 spells
6 +2 nat armor, Enhance SLA, +1 spells
Enhance SLA: All SLA of mojh can be cast as heightened.
Sibeccai
Pretty much what I did to litorians
1 +2 con, bite feat, sibbecai caster
2 scent, weapon focus (bite)
3 +2 dex, weapon spec (bite)
4 +2 con, +1 nat armor
5 +2 attack, damage with bite +1 spells
6 +2 dex, free weapon spec, improved grab
Verrick
Verrick are already pretty attractive for casters, although there's not much for fighters. Mainly I worked on getting over the hump at 2nd level for casters.
1 SLA, +1 spells
2 SLA, +2 wis
3 +2 int, Extra SLA, +1 spells
4 SLA, +1 spells
5 +2 wis, +1 spells
6 +2 int, Enhance SLA, +1 spells
Extra SLA: All SLA of 1st and 2nd level get an extra 1/day.
Enhance SLA: All SLA for the verrick can be cast as heightened.
