Have you guys seen Trailblazer?

[Water Bob]

Have you seen Trailblazer, from Badaxe Games? From a quick-flip-through, it almost looks like required reading for the 3.5 GM.

Bad Axe Games

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Yup, I finally picked it up several weeks ago, and I'm very happy I did. I'm still digesting it, but I think it's going to be really useful to me in the future, especially the design info.

 

[Dandu]

It's a bunch of fixes the likes of which I have never felt a terrible need for.

 

[Scurvy_Platypus]

While I'm not a fan of their Action Points approach, overall I really dig Trailblazer. It's more what I'd hoped Pathfinder would be.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

It's a bunch of fixes the likes of which I have never felt a terrible need for.

What fixes do you feel a need for?

 

[Dandu]

A fundamental rebalancing of the power levels of spellcasters vs melee classes would be nice.

That and a better mechanic for picking up hookers.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

So you're of the thought that Trailblazer didn't rebalance the spellcaster classes against the rest? Or that Trailblazer didn't go far enough?

 

[Starbuck_II]

A fundamental rebalancing of the power levels of spellcasters vs melee classes would be nice.

That and a better mechanic for picking up hookers.

Yeah, Trailblazer doesn't do that.
They add some cool ideas though.
Attack of opportunities are in a broader range:
1. normal attack of opportunity
2. Aid another
3. Dodge
4. Block
Both are used up for standard opportunities. Sadly, they changed when you get the normal ones (provoke when leaving a square adjacent to creature not entering).
So Reach no longer matters except for hitting.

They tried to rate the classes, but some howe they rated Monk above any non-caster (1/2 casters are also surpassed). They over estimate the monk.

They removed extra attacks from BAB past 2 (so you have to TWF or haste or Flurry if want more).
You don't have penalty anymore from Multiple attacks from BAB (both from full BAB) after reach 16 BAB.
Basically:
BAB 6: 2 attacks with -2 penalty
BAB 11: 2 attacks with -1 penalty
BAB 16: 2 attacks no penalty

Druid unaffected as no affect on Natural attacks (but they took away Animal Companion).

Added 10 minute rest (need action point to refill spells) to supplement the 8 hour rest. X/day abilities beside spellcasting come back after 10 minute rest.
Spellcasters must spend action point if want spells back beside all 0th/1st single target spells (those come back without action point).

Action point useage gives
Ritual spells (Or)
1 gamebreaker (releport, raise dead, etc).
1 permanent creation (Wall of Iron,
Restricted (the rest of spells):
All of them.

So basically, it is attempt to link Scry + Fry since need action points to cast without 8 hour rest.

You get new abilities (action point ones).

Condensed skills. No more Multiclas penalty. Upgrades 1/2 elf and 1/2 orc.

Every caster is now a spontanous caster. Basically they stole World of Warcraft D20's idea (you prepare spells not spell slots, you spontanously cast those any way you like).

They did upgrade multiclassing in casters. A Level 9 Cleric/Level 9 Wizard can cast 9th level spells in both classes.

Pallys/Rangers can cast cantrips at 1st level.
Bards get bonus to cast with thematic spells: Enchantment, Conj, Illusion, Divination.
A Multiclassed Bard can cast 7th level spells (Bard 7/Sorceror 8 for example can cast 7th level Bard and 7th level Sorceror spells).

WildShape is different... hard to explain. You have tables (like reading AD&D again).
Fighter is now Weapon Master (becomes better with a weapon): increase base damage, Crit, threat, or add special quality like Trip.
They also get Punishing Strike extra damage with Attack of opportunities)

Monk doesn't get Full BAB, but get bonuses to hit instead (so he hits same but gets second attack still slower).
Monks get trapfinding.

Pallys lost Mount, but gained divine weapon. Pallys are now God focused like FR Pallys, but 4 alignments: LG, CE, CG, and LE.

Sneak attacks works on almost everything (but incorporeals, Concealment, etc). Rogues also get bonus to hit (when would qualify for sneak attk), but not full BAB.

They tried to nerf crafting feats. But couldnt figure out how so recommends not using non- charged items.

Added a mini-Quicken Metamagic (same as Quicken but no spell slot increase). More limited to what spells can be limited though. Useable 3/rest (that means the 8 hour one).

Meduim armor no longer slows you. Bash wit Buckler.

Caster is a Character level check not a skill.

New combat Exploits (Fighting Defensively is example in 3.5):
1) Wild Swing (mini-Power Attack): -2 hit, +1 damage or -4 hit, +2 damage.
2) Cleaving Strike: -2 hit to all attacks this round, if kill a creature get a cleave.
3) Reckless Strike (-2 AC, +1 hit or +2 damage) or (-4 hit, +2 hit or +4 damage)
4) Defensive roll: -2 AC, DR 1/- or -4 AC, DR 2/-.

 

[Dandu]

So you're of the thought that Trailblazer didn't rebalance the spellcaster classes against the rest? Or that Trailblazer didn't go far enough?

From what I can tell, a full spellcaster is still a Tier 1 or 2 class, while the Monk got a tiny power boost. This does not seem to be going far enough.

 

[Water Bob]

Yeah, Trailblazer doesn't do that.
They add some cool ideas though.

Even if you don't change a thing about your game, Trailblazer will give you a better understanding of how the game works mechanically. As a GM, that's gold.

I don't like a lot of the fixes, myself. For example, I don't like people being able to be fully healed in 10 minutes with all their powers and spells and everything. And, I don't like point-buy generation systems.

But, the thought of giving 1st level characters a number of beginning hit points equal to that character's CON score is interesting. And, the BAB work on extra attacks starting at 6th level is worth the read, too. Plus the slimming down of grappling and turning undead--both worth a look.