Group Project: Class Abilities as Feats for UA Generic Classes
- Thread starter AFGNCAAP
- Start date
Camarath
Pale Master Tarrasque
For many feat trees that is the point making the character choose which tree they wished to take by choosing thier good save. Also some feat trees I felt should be limited to the expert class because of thier power and focus these feats have save two saves over +6.Ferrix said:
Well generic class ability feats seem to be generally weaker or less available that base abilities. I tried to keep that theme in my feats.
AFGNCAAP
First Post
Wow! Thanks for the replies!
Sorry I haven't responded earlier--been busy with a job hunt.
To tell you the truth, I'm quite impressed with what's been written up so far. I like that Rage was broken up into multiple feats (the same way that the generic classes deal with Sneak Attack).
IIRC, I think that trapfinding is already covered by Trap Sense in UA, btw.
As for the Monk's Bonus ability, how about making it a bit more generic? IIRC, there are some optional classes that permit characters to gain an AC bonus from a high Int score (or, in another instance, add their Int bonus to attack rolls). Maybe something called "Mindful Defense," which requires either a 13+ Int or 13+ Wis, and grants the chosen stat's bonus to AC while unarmored & whatnot. (The feat could only be taken once, so there's no taking the feat twice to gain AC bonus from both stats).
Also, are some of the feats you propose an alternative to existing ones (like your write-up of Smite)?
Sorry I haven't responded earlier--been busy with a job hunt.
To tell you the truth, I'm quite impressed with what's been written up so far. I like that Rage was broken up into multiple feats (the same way that the generic classes deal with Sneak Attack).
IIRC, I think that trapfinding is already covered by Trap Sense in UA, btw.
As for the Monk's Bonus ability, how about making it a bit more generic? IIRC, there are some optional classes that permit characters to gain an AC bonus from a high Int score (or, in another instance, add their Int bonus to attack rolls). Maybe something called "Mindful Defense," which requires either a 13+ Int or 13+ Wis, and grants the chosen stat's bonus to AC while unarmored & whatnot. (The feat could only be taken once, so there's no taking the feat twice to gain AC bonus from both stats).
Also, are some of the feats you propose an alternative to existing ones (like your write-up of Smite)?
Camarath
Pale Master Tarrasque
Some DMG Prestige class abilities
ENHANCE ARROW [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Weapon Focus (longbow or shortbow), Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells, BAB +4
Benefit: Every nonmagical arrow you nock and let fly becomes magical, gaining a +2 enhancement bonus. Unlike magic weapons created by normal means you need not spend experience points or gold pieces to accomplish this task. However, your magic arrows only function for you.
IMPROVED ENHANCE ARROW [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Enhance Arrow, Weapon Specialization (longbow or shortbow), BAB +8
Benefit: Your enhancement bonus when using the Enhance Arrow feat increases to +5.
IMBUE ARROW [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Enhance Arrow, Ability to cast 2nd-level arcane spells
Benefit: You gain the ability to place an area spell upon an arrow. When the arrow is fired, the spell’s area is centered on where the arrow lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows you to use the bow’s range rather than the spell’s range. It takes a standard action to cast the spell and fire the arrow. The arrow must be fired in the round the spell is cast, or the spell is wasted.
RANGED LEGERDEMAIN [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Ability to cast 3st-level arcane spells, Disable Device, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand 10 ranks
Benefit: Once per day per 4 levels you can perform one of the following class skills at a range of 30 feet: Disable Device, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand. Working at a distance increases the normal skill check DC by 5, and an you cannot take 10 on this check. Any object to be manipulated must weigh 5 pounds or less. You must have at least 1 rank in the skill being used.
IMPROMPTU SNEAK ATTACK [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Improved Sneak Attack, Ability to cast 3st-level arcane spells
Benefit: Once per day per five levels you can declare one melee or ranged attack you make to be a sneak attack (the target can be no more than 30 feet distant if the impromptu sneak attack is a ranged attack). The target of an impromptu sneak attack loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, but only against that attack. The power can be used against any target, but creatures that are not subject to critical hits take no extra damage (though they still lose any Dexterity bonus to AC against the attack).
At 7th level, an arcane trickster can use this ability twice per day.
DEATH ATTACK [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Greater Sneak Attack, Crippling Strike, Int 13+
Benefit: If you study your victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, you can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect you or recognize you as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + the your Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per two of your charcter levels. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once you have completed the 3 rounds of study, you must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.
If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if you do not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before you can attempt another death attack.
POISON USE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Heal 6 ranks
Benefit: You are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.
HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Uncanny Dodge, Hide 15 ranks, Reflex +6
Benefit: You can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as you are within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, you can hide yourself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.
You cannot, however, hide in your own shadow.
SHADOW JUMP [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Hide in Plain Sight, Reflex +10
Benefit: You gain the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. You can jump up to a total of 20 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 20 feet or two jumps of 10 feet each. Every every three charcter levels you possess the distance a you can jump each day increases by 40 feet. This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment.
PRECISE STRIKE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Weapon Finesse, Dodge, Combat Expertise, BAB +6
Benefit: You gain the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing weapon, gaining an extra 2d6 damage added to your normal damage roll.
When making a precise strike, you cannot attack with a weapon in your other hand or use a shield. Your precise strike only works against living creatures with discernible anatomies. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to a precise strike, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits also protects a creature from a precise strike.
ACROBATIC CHARGE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dodge, Mobility,Tumble 10 ranks, Reflex +6
Benefit: You gain the ability to charge in situations where others cannot. She may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain.
Elaborate Parry [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dodge, Combat Expertise
Benefit: If you choose to fight defensively or use total defense in melee combat, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC per two charcter level you possess.
DEFENSIVE STANCE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Endurance, Toughness, BAB +6
Benefit: Twice per day you can adopt a defensive stance, you gain phenomenal strength and durability, but cannot move from the spot you are defending. You gain +2 to Constitution, a +1 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +2 dodge bonus to AC. The increase in Constitution increases the your hit points by 1 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the defensive stance when the Constitution score drops back 2 points. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While in a defensive stance, you cannot use skills or abilities that would require you to shift your position. A defensive stance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. You may end your defensive stance voluntarily prior to this limit. At the end of the defensive stance, you are winded and take a -2 penalty to Strength for the duration of that encounter. Using the defensive stance takes no time itself, but you can only do so during his action.
IMPROVED DEFENSIVE STANCE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Defensive Stance , BAB +8
Benefit: Your bonuses during your defensive stance each become +2 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, a +2 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. You can use defensive stance two additonal times per day.
MOBILE DEFENSE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Improved Defensive Stance, Dodge, BAB +12
Benefit:You can adjust your position while maintaining a defensive stance. While in a defensive stance, you can take one 5-foot step each round without losing the benefit of the stance. You can use defensive stance two additonal times per day.
DAMAGE REDUCTION [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Toughness, Base Fort Save +6
Benefit: You gains damage reduction 2/-. Subtract 2 points from the damage the you take each time you are dealt damage from a a weapon or a natural attack.
IMPROVED DAMAGE REDUCTION [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Damage Reduction, Base Fort Save +9
Benefit: You gains damage reduction increases to 4/-.
GREATER DAMAGE REDUCTION [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Improved Damage Reduction, Base Fort Save +12
Benefit: You gains damage reduction increases to 6/-.
LORE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Int 13+
Benefit: You may make a special lore knowledge check with a bonus equal to your character level + your Intelligence modifier to see whether you know some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), you gain a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful lore knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. You may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.
DC (Type of Knowledge)
10 (Common, known by at least a substantial minority drinking; common legends of the local population.)
20 (Uncommon but available, known by only a few people legends.)
25 (Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.)
30 (Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge.)
GREATER LORE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Lore, Spellcraft 9 ranks, Int 15+
Benefit: You gain the ability to understand magic items, as with the identify spell.
TRUE LORE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Greater Lore, Spellcraft 12 ranks
Benefit: Once per day you can use your knowledge to gain the effect of a legend lore spell or an analyze dweomer spell.
ENHANCE ARROW [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Weapon Focus (longbow or shortbow), Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells, BAB +4
Benefit: Every nonmagical arrow you nock and let fly becomes magical, gaining a +2 enhancement bonus. Unlike magic weapons created by normal means you need not spend experience points or gold pieces to accomplish this task. However, your magic arrows only function for you.
IMPROVED ENHANCE ARROW [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Enhance Arrow, Weapon Specialization (longbow or shortbow), BAB +8
Benefit: Your enhancement bonus when using the Enhance Arrow feat increases to +5.
IMBUE ARROW [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Enhance Arrow, Ability to cast 2nd-level arcane spells
Benefit: You gain the ability to place an area spell upon an arrow. When the arrow is fired, the spell’s area is centered on where the arrow lands, even if the spell could normally be centered only on the caster. This ability allows you to use the bow’s range rather than the spell’s range. It takes a standard action to cast the spell and fire the arrow. The arrow must be fired in the round the spell is cast, or the spell is wasted.
RANGED LEGERDEMAIN [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Ability to cast 3st-level arcane spells, Disable Device, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand 10 ranks
Benefit: Once per day per 4 levels you can perform one of the following class skills at a range of 30 feet: Disable Device, Open Lock, or Sleight of Hand. Working at a distance increases the normal skill check DC by 5, and an you cannot take 10 on this check. Any object to be manipulated must weigh 5 pounds or less. You must have at least 1 rank in the skill being used.
IMPROMPTU SNEAK ATTACK [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Improved Sneak Attack, Ability to cast 3st-level arcane spells
Benefit: Once per day per five levels you can declare one melee or ranged attack you make to be a sneak attack (the target can be no more than 30 feet distant if the impromptu sneak attack is a ranged attack). The target of an impromptu sneak attack loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, but only against that attack. The power can be used against any target, but creatures that are not subject to critical hits take no extra damage (though they still lose any Dexterity bonus to AC against the attack).
At 7th level, an arcane trickster can use this ability twice per day.
DEATH ATTACK [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Greater Sneak Attack, Crippling Strike, Int 13+
Benefit: If you study your victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, you can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect you or recognize you as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + the your Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per two of your charcter levels. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once you have completed the 3 rounds of study, you must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.
If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if you do not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before you can attempt another death attack.
POISON USE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Heal 6 ranks
Benefit: You are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.
HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Aura, Uncanny Dodge, Hide 15 ranks, Reflex +6
Benefit: You can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as you are within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, you can hide yourself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind.
You cannot, however, hide in your own shadow.
SHADOW JUMP [SUPERNATURAL]
Prerequisites: Hide in Plain Sight, Reflex +10
Benefit: You gain the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some shadow. You can jump up to a total of 20 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 20 feet or two jumps of 10 feet each. Every every three charcter levels you possess the distance a you can jump each day increases by 40 feet. This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment.
PRECISE STRIKE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Weapon Finesse, Dodge, Combat Expertise, BAB +6
Benefit: You gain the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing weapon, gaining an extra 2d6 damage added to your normal damage roll.
When making a precise strike, you cannot attack with a weapon in your other hand or use a shield. Your precise strike only works against living creatures with discernible anatomies. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to a precise strike, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits also protects a creature from a precise strike.
ACROBATIC CHARGE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dodge, Mobility,Tumble 10 ranks, Reflex +6
Benefit: You gain the ability to charge in situations where others cannot. She may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement. Depending on the circumstance, she may still need to make appropriate checks to successfully move over the terrain.
Elaborate Parry [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dodge, Combat Expertise
Benefit: If you choose to fight defensively or use total defense in melee combat, you gain an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC per two charcter level you possess.
DEFENSIVE STANCE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Endurance, Toughness, BAB +6
Benefit: Twice per day you can adopt a defensive stance, you gain phenomenal strength and durability, but cannot move from the spot you are defending. You gain +2 to Constitution, a +1 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +2 dodge bonus to AC. The increase in Constitution increases the your hit points by 1 points per level, but these hit points go away at the end of the defensive stance when the Constitution score drops back 2 points. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While in a defensive stance, you cannot use skills or abilities that would require you to shift your position. A defensive stance lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the character’s (newly improved) Constitution modifier. You may end your defensive stance voluntarily prior to this limit. At the end of the defensive stance, you are winded and take a -2 penalty to Strength for the duration of that encounter. Using the defensive stance takes no time itself, but you can only do so during his action.
IMPROVED DEFENSIVE STANCE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Defensive Stance , BAB +8
Benefit: Your bonuses during your defensive stance each become +2 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, a +2 resistance bonus on all saves, and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. You can use defensive stance two additonal times per day.
MOBILE DEFENSE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Improved Defensive Stance, Dodge, BAB +12
Benefit:You can adjust your position while maintaining a defensive stance. While in a defensive stance, you can take one 5-foot step each round without losing the benefit of the stance. You can use defensive stance two additonal times per day.
DAMAGE REDUCTION [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Toughness, Base Fort Save +6
Benefit: You gains damage reduction 2/-. Subtract 2 points from the damage the you take each time you are dealt damage from a a weapon or a natural attack.
IMPROVED DAMAGE REDUCTION [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Damage Reduction, Base Fort Save +9
Benefit: You gains damage reduction increases to 4/-.
GREATER DAMAGE REDUCTION [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Improved Damage Reduction, Base Fort Save +12
Benefit: You gains damage reduction increases to 6/-.
LORE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Int 13+
Benefit: You may make a special lore knowledge check with a bonus equal to your character level + your Intelligence modifier to see whether you know some relevant information about local notable people, legendary items, or noteworthy places. (If the you have 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (history), you gain a +2 bonus on this check.)
A successful lore knowledge check will not reveal the powers of a magic item but may give a hint as to its general function. You may not take 10 or take 20 on this check; this sort of knowledge is essentially random.
DC (Type of Knowledge)
10 (Common, known by at least a substantial minority drinking; common legends of the local population.)
20 (Uncommon but available, known by only a few people legends.)
25 (Obscure, known by few, hard to come by.)
30 (Extremely obscure, known by very few, possibly forgotten by most who once knew it, possibly known only by those who don’t understand the significance of the knowledge.)
GREATER LORE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Lore, Spellcraft 9 ranks, Int 15+
Benefit: You gain the ability to understand magic items, as with the identify spell.
TRUE LORE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Greater Lore, Spellcraft 12 ranks
Benefit: Once per day you can use your knowledge to gain the effect of a legend lore spell or an analyze dweomer spell.
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dcollins
Explorer
Interesting project. I've spent some thought on this, and was actually sketching out something very similar even before UA was released with this variant. Personally, I'm only interested in core PHB class powers and not psionics.
On the one hand, I'd like PHB classes to be replicable through feat selections. However, clearly divine casters have been down-powered by taking away the full armor, BAB, and hit points that core clerics usually have. They don't even get domains by the UA. That's maybe a real problem considering how few people now want to play clerics even though common wisdom says they're the strongest class.
The other thing is you've got to keep in mind the number of feat slots available to fill with powers. I think suggestions above may have presented too many feats to be functional.
Example #1: The UA Warrior class has 11 bonus feats. That's usually plenty to divide among warrior-type class powers -- such as Barbarian (Uncanny Dodge, Fast Movement, maybe 2 levels of Damage Reduction, and 6 of Rage).
Example #2: However, the UA Spellcaster has only 5 bonus feats. That already makes the core Wizard down by one feat (core has 4 + Scribe Scroll + Summon Familiar). The Cleric is really not replicable (can get Turn Undead, Light + Medium Armor Proficiency, Shield Proficiency, and one Martial Weapon). The Druid would also have a tough time squeezing all their powers into 5 slots (maybe Animal Companion, Wilderness Stride, and 3 levels of Wild Shape?). Or maybe assume that "Druids" actually memorize polymorph self a number of times and have a feat selections to help that out.
On the one hand, I'd like PHB classes to be replicable through feat selections. However, clearly divine casters have been down-powered by taking away the full armor, BAB, and hit points that core clerics usually have. They don't even get domains by the UA. That's maybe a real problem considering how few people now want to play clerics even though common wisdom says they're the strongest class.
The other thing is you've got to keep in mind the number of feat slots available to fill with powers. I think suggestions above may have presented too many feats to be functional.
Example #1: The UA Warrior class has 11 bonus feats. That's usually plenty to divide among warrior-type class powers -- such as Barbarian (Uncanny Dodge, Fast Movement, maybe 2 levels of Damage Reduction, and 6 of Rage).
Example #2: However, the UA Spellcaster has only 5 bonus feats. That already makes the core Wizard down by one feat (core has 4 + Scribe Scroll + Summon Familiar). The Cleric is really not replicable (can get Turn Undead, Light + Medium Armor Proficiency, Shield Proficiency, and one Martial Weapon). The Druid would also have a tough time squeezing all their powers into 5 slots (maybe Animal Companion, Wilderness Stride, and 3 levels of Wild Shape?). Or maybe assume that "Druids" actually memorize polymorph self a number of times and have a feat selections to help that out.
Camarath
Pale Master Tarrasque
A divine Spellcaster can learn spell from the Cleric, Druid and Wizard/Sorc spell lists (as can the arcane Spellcaster) so that is a bit of a boost.dcollins said:
The abilities are in some cases a bit to split-up to recreate some of the classes with the generic class (such as the Monk). But I think it unlikely that many players would recreate any of the existing classes when choosing abilities ala cart as feats and that the feats should be limited so that a charcter would not be able to gain a large number of synergistic abilities.dcollins said:
