Bonus for the characters

[Beholder Bob]

I'm thinking of adding astrological signs which give minor bonuses, but I need to make the bonuses fair/even. Does what I have here seem even reletive to each other - and if not, suggestions to make it even...

Note: your sign is randomly determined after race and stats assigned....

gain +1 initiative
gain +1 save vs compulsions, +1 concentrate
gain +1 save vs death effects, go to -1 hp further before death
gain +1 save vs fear effect, act as if +1 hd vs intimidate
gain +1 save vs illusions
gain +1 save vs scry, +1 gather information
gain +2 situation mod w/ diplomacy w opposite sex
gain +2 to appraisal
gain +2 to rolls to bluff
gain 1 rank in CHA based skill - ignore cross class limit
gain 1 rank in DEX based skill - ignore cross class limit
gain 1 rank in INT based skill - ignore cross class limit

I thought about tying it to my magic system, but then the impact mainly lies with magic casters. I did think, though, I could give a penalty to saves against certain schools of magic....

My schools of magic
Khemia: Sympathetic magic, Alchemy, the manipulation of matter and release of stored energies.

Astrology: Tap into the flow of celestial lines of force, granting some divination, harnessing the local lines to create astral constructs, and the purpose (but not shape or form) of creatures and objects.

Cabalism: Manipulate the raw numbers and formula that describe creatures and objects. The power of glyphs, wards, probable fates, and temporary life to objects.
Diabolism: Mastery of earth and fire, bending it to your will. Earth is born of fire in the volcano.
Stratomany: Mastery of water and sky, thunder and lightning, weather and cold. Water is born from the air.
Necromancy: Manipulation of the soul and spirit, the animating force of life. Fear, domination, and death magic.
Sarcomancy: Magic of the flesh, blood, and bone. Animate the dead, alter your body.
Mesmerism: Alteration of thought, controlling minds, and purely mental illusions.
Oneiromancy: The magic of sleep, dreams, and illusions. Perception, the quasi real, and some divination.
Shadowmancy: Abominations, things that should not be, and annihilation. Darkness, mirrors, and madness.
Unseelie Arts: Fey minions, faerie magics, glamours, transformations, and bending realities rules.
and of course, Common Arcanus: 'nuff said.

BB

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Note: your sign is randomly determined after race and stats assigned.

Why?

I mean, assuming you use point buy, why not pick? There are only two that are noticiably more powerful than the rest, the initiative and Diplomacy bonuses. Why not just tone those down and let the player choose? Alternately, power up all the rest. Figure that these are worth "half" a feat and go from there.

 

[RandomPrecision]

I guess you've been reading the thread about uses for d12's...

I'd determine it randomly, but then again, I don't use point-buy for ability scores; I use the roll 4d6-take best 3 method, and assign an ability to each total. Somehow, I think if I did use a less random/more control method (like point-buy), I'd want to select which astrological sign I got. I'd just try to balance it a bit, and go with whatever works. As a general rule, if there are some astrological bonuses that people would always pick over others, they aren't balanced, either due to the overpoweredness of the ones they are picking, or the underpoweredness of the ones they aren't.

 

[DragonTurtle]

So if you compare them to feats, + 2 to appraise is half a feat and + 1 to initiative is 1/4th a feat. And +1 to limited saves is 1/3rd a feat.

Also you may want to name the bonuses to determine stacking, it could be something as simple as astrological bonus.

I like the idea of birth signs and these do not break a campaign world the way spell like powers would. For example I have seen where one sign would give the character the ability to charm person 1/day. Can you imagine a world where 1/12 the population could charm someone everyday?!

These are not particularly broken or unbalanced, some characters will benefit more that others depending on what class they take. I would like to be given the choice of picking a sign, however random is fine as well.

PS I already find myself putting flavor behind the signs, for example the Viper for +1 to initiative. Did you have the actual signs developed?

 

[Beholder Bob]

Ok - this is what I've got so far, but its still in the flexible stage - and still toying with a penalty associated with the signs as well...


SNAKE adaptable, greedy, jealous
TORTOISE friendly, grounded, responsible
CROCODILE cold, spontaneous, nosey, independent
MOTH dreamer, obsessive, reckless
SPIDER detached, manipulating, patient
CRAB assertive, cheap, possessive
RAY adventurous, artistic, temperamental
SHARK competitive, direct, impulsive
BEAR spiritual, careless, dedicated
COUGAR sensual, resourceful, argumentative
WOLF talkative, social, rude
BAT shy, scattered, gossipy
EAGLE serious, receptive, opportunist
OWL organized, rigid, preachy

With more detail so far for the snake & tortoise

The snake person is very smooth, and glides through social settings without upsetting the waters. They quickly insinuate themselves into social groups without drawing attention. They tend to be greedy and jealous, whether with money, friends, or food portions. The major aspect of the snake, the Asp, are noted for their powerful presence and intensity.

The Tortoise person plans for the future and possible contingencies. Focused more on the future then the present, the Tortoise person is friendly but perhaps a little distant. The major aspect of the Tortoise, the old father, are noted for defensive thinking that leaves them unassailable.

SNAKE Gain +1 to diplomacy & gather info checks
TORTOISE gain +2 to rolls to sense motive
CROCODILE gain +1 save vs death effects, go to -1 hp further before death
MOTH gain 1 rank in INT based skill - ignore cross class limit
SPIDER gain +2 to rolls to bluff
CRAB gain +2 to appraisal
RAY gain 1 rank in DEX based skill - ignore cross class limit
SHARK gain +1 initiative
BEAR gain +1 save vs fear effect, act as if +1 hd vs intimidate
COUGAR gain +2 situation mod w/ diplomacy w opposite sex
WOLF gain 1 rank in CHA based skill - ignore cross class limit
BAT gain +1 save vs scry, +1 gather information
EAGLE gain +1 save vs illusions
OWL gain +1 save vs compulsions, +1 concentrate

I'm not too thrilled with the astrological bonus I have so far, specicially for crab & spider.

BB

 

[BiggusGeekus]

How's this for Crab and Spider? Spider kinda sorta overlaps with owl, but it's still a very good choice of a spellcaster.

SNAKE Gain +1 to diplomacy & gather info checks
TORTOISE gain +2 to rolls to sense motive
CROCODILE gain +1 save vs death effects, go to -1 hp further before death
MOTH gain 1 rank in INT based skill - ignore cross class limit
SPIDER gain +1 to rolls to concentration, +1 DC to spell saves when casting any spell with a casting time of over 1 round.
CRAB gain +2 to appraisal, +2 to bluff checks when lying about the value of appraised goods
RAY gain 1 rank in DEX based skill - ignore cross class limit
SHARK gain +1 initiative
BEAR gain +1 save vs fear effect, act as if +1 hd vs intimidate
COUGAR gain +2 situation mod w/ diplomacy w opposite sex
WOLF gain 1 rank in CHA based skill - ignore cross class limit
BAT gain +1 save vs scry, +1 gather information
EAGLE gain +1 save vs illusions
OWL gain +1 save vs compulsions, +1 concentrate

I'm not too thrilled with the astrological bonus I have so far, specicially for crab & spider

 

[Beholder Bob]

BiggusGeekus:

SPIDER gain +1 to rolls to concentration, +1 DC to spell saves when casting any spell with a casting time of over 1 round.

CRAB gain +2 to appraisal, +2 to bluff checks when lying about the value of appraised goods


Cool! I really like the DC increase w spells that take longer - though it puts too much bonus dependent on the sign on being a spell caster, I think I'll steal this idea for a feat!

Weave Spell: casting a spell that normally takes a standard action over a full round increases the DC by +1, while spending 2 full rounds on the spell increases the DC by +2. If injured while casting a spell with this feat, your check to maintain the spell suffers a -4 penalty.

Not a meta magic (you use it on the fly) - encouraging longer spell casting for greater power, but with commiserate risk of losing the spell.

Hmm, what about

Spider: Increase the DC to sense motive against you by 3.

I like what you did with crab! The adventurers book puts haggling as an offshoot of diplomacy (if my few remaining gray cells are working correctly), so +2 appraise & +2 to haggle checks?

Oh, just to explain a bit of the logic used in this, I've improved/increased concentration so that its useful to fighters and such as well, it has uses to resist pain and recover from fear and is now a class skill for warriors and spell casters (if a wizard with high concentration can override the pain from an arrow strike to finish a spell, the fighter should be able to grin and tough it when hurt as well, sort of...). I mention this as I commented on the spider ability being too focused on spell casters, and then have concentration as a bonus modifier. Shrug.

Concentration


Overcome Pain is a free action that, on a successful roll, reduces any pain penalty currently suffered to ½ for 1 round. For caltrop wounds, it allows 1 round of normal movement. DC 18 or save DC, whichever is worse.
Failure 5+: attempt fail, may not attempt for 1 minute

Overcome Fear is a free action that can be made on any round following the PC coming subject to a fear effect. If made, the amount of fear suffered drops 1 step. The DC is 20 or equal to the save for the fear effect, whichever is worse.
Failure 5: attempt fails, may not try again.

Retain Consciousness is a Move Action made when the PC would otherwise fall unconscious. Every round the roll is made, the PC clings to consciousness for 1 more round. The base DC is 20, increasing by 1 each round the condition that would knock the PC unconscious continues (i.e. negative HP).

BB