TheCrazyMuffinMan
First Post
This system eschews levels, hit dice, and the need for abstraction, while retaining as much advancement capability as possible without them.
This is necessarily 100% OGL content
Tentative Factsheet
Handling Personal Advancement
*Experience points are currency to buy skills, spells, feats, skill ranks and ability points.
*Level-based class powers are also bought with XP, but only for the class in question. Class powers that grant universally available feats are instead available at a 30% XP discount to the class. Where XP purchase may be considered illogical (as with familiars and mounts), a quest or a monetary purchase may be substituted.
*Spell levels are replaced by higher XP costs, and spells have ability and spell prerequisites just like feats. Spells assigned to a domain have the spell of the previous domain 'level' as a prerequisite.
*Any spell available to a class under the old system is available to it under Skillshop, and XP costs to purchase them are fixed regardless of level differences between classes under the old system.
*Class hit die types are replaced with initial ability bonuses, dependent on each class.
*Most things based on caster level are instead based on the caster's prime requisite, or a fixed number for magic items and artifacts.
*Initial skills are added normally (except for the adjusted INT modifier), and further skills and ranks are purchased with XP
*Saving throw bonuses are equal to CON for Fortitude, WIS for will, and DEX for reflex. Poor saves for a class (Normally +6 at 20) halve this value. Classic modifiers are ignored.
Handling personal stats
*Hit points are based directly on constitution. One has max HP equal to their CON score. The classic con modifier is ignored.
Creatures that have no CON score instead use Strength for their HP base, Protection values, the base for how HD-based abilities and spells affect them, and other qualities that are normally Con-dependent. They use Charisma for this if they also lack a Strength score (as Incorporeal creatures do).
*AC is replaced with Evasion and Protection.
Evasion is equal to a character's Dexterity plus any size, deflection, dodge, circumstance, or luck bonuses to that would affect AC, and the classic dex modifier is ignored. The Monk's Wisdom bonus to AC affects evasion. Anything that would deny a player a Dex bonus to AC instead reduces Evasion by Dexterity-10 for that length of time. This is checked against attack rolls.
Protection is equal to a characters Constitution + any armor (including natural), shield or enhancement bonuses that would affect AC + damage reduction (where applicable). This is checked against damage.
*Ability modifiers are equal to (Ability-10)
*The death threshold is -Max HP instead of -10. This includes HP from CON as well as from Toughness feats.
Base Attack Bonus is equal to STR * class modifier (or DEX * class modifier if Weapon Finesse is in use) . The class modifier is equal to (Classic BAB at level 20)/20. Extra attacks can be bought at 3000XP*current number of full-round attacks. You can have no more than 1 attack for every +5 in BAB or portion thereof. Each successive attack is at 5 less than the previous (Ex: 4 attacks at BAB 18 = +18/+13/+8/+3, with no further attacks purchaseable until BAB 21).
*All attack roll bonuses apply normally.
*Grapple checks are made on BAB+ d20 + Size mod v. defender's grapple check.
*Attack rolls are made on (BAB+ d20 + Size mod + any appropriate attack roll bonuses) v. (Evasion + d20 + Size mod)
*Armor that lowers max dex bonus instead penalizes Evasion by (Dex-Max Dex Bonus)-10
*Damage is dealt based on (Weapon damage + STR) - (Defender's Protection), and the classic str modifier is ignored. If all damage is protected, another attack roll is made, checked against protection instead of evasion. A success means that the defender is dealt 1 damage. Critical hits always deal at least x damage, where x is the crit modifier.
*On a critical threat, a confirmation roll that also goes critical will either ignore protection or apply normal post-critical damage, whichever would yield the higher result.
Negative Levels and Level Loss
*Negative levels are replaced with ruinations. A ruination will penalize all ability scores, skill checks and saves by 2. The defender is allowed a fortitude save (DC 10 + N + current number of ruinations) to avoid each, and a natural 1 on the save means the defender is slain and rises as the undead creature that caused the ruination (or a wight, if no creature is specified). N is based on the spell user's prime requisite if a spell causes it, or the creature's Charisma modifier if a creature causes it directly.
*24 hours after receiving a ruination (except as a temporary penalty from a fixed source such as an artifact), its recipient must make a fortitude save (DC is based on the same things as at the time of infliction) or have all ability scores and skill ranks drained by 2 (to a minimum of zero). A natural 1 on the save means death, with the above transformation effect.
*Where resurrection would cause level loss, it instead causes 2 points of Constitution drain.
Spells, feats and abilities
*Enervation and Energy Drain cause 1 and 2 ruinations, respectively.
*Toughness simply adds +1 to one's HP total rather than +3.
*A spellcaster has spell slots equal to the value of their prime requisite, and a spell always costs a number of spell slots equal to its level under the old system. There is a feat called "Spell Acumen" that adds an extra spell slot each time it is taken. 0-level spells cost nothing, and are available to any class that can legally cast them, but they can still only be cast as many times per day as they would at level 1 under the classic system.
*Sneak attack deals +2 damage for each time it is purchased, instead of +1d6 every two levels.
*Spells and abilities that affect hit dice, or do damage or heal damage based on dice instead do it based on a fixed number. Extra dice based on level or enhancement simply multiply the fixed value.
*Heal fully restores HP
*Harm reduces HP to 1
*Raise Dead restores HP to 1
*Mass Spell is a metamagic feat that adds 4 to the slot cost of the spell, and can be applied to any single-target spell.
More to follow. Suggestions?
This is necessarily 100% OGL content
Tentative Factsheet
Handling Personal Advancement
*Experience points are currency to buy skills, spells, feats, skill ranks and ability points.
*Level-based class powers are also bought with XP, but only for the class in question. Class powers that grant universally available feats are instead available at a 30% XP discount to the class. Where XP purchase may be considered illogical (as with familiars and mounts), a quest or a monetary purchase may be substituted.
*Spell levels are replaced by higher XP costs, and spells have ability and spell prerequisites just like feats. Spells assigned to a domain have the spell of the previous domain 'level' as a prerequisite.
*Any spell available to a class under the old system is available to it under Skillshop, and XP costs to purchase them are fixed regardless of level differences between classes under the old system.
*Class hit die types are replaced with initial ability bonuses, dependent on each class.
*Most things based on caster level are instead based on the caster's prime requisite, or a fixed number for magic items and artifacts.
*Initial skills are added normally (except for the adjusted INT modifier), and further skills and ranks are purchased with XP
*Saving throw bonuses are equal to CON for Fortitude, WIS for will, and DEX for reflex. Poor saves for a class (Normally +6 at 20) halve this value. Classic modifiers are ignored.
Handling personal stats
*Hit points are based directly on constitution. One has max HP equal to their CON score. The classic con modifier is ignored.
Creatures that have no CON score instead use Strength for their HP base, Protection values, the base for how HD-based abilities and spells affect them, and other qualities that are normally Con-dependent. They use Charisma for this if they also lack a Strength score (as Incorporeal creatures do).
*AC is replaced with Evasion and Protection.
Evasion is equal to a character's Dexterity plus any size, deflection, dodge, circumstance, or luck bonuses to that would affect AC, and the classic dex modifier is ignored. The Monk's Wisdom bonus to AC affects evasion. Anything that would deny a player a Dex bonus to AC instead reduces Evasion by Dexterity-10 for that length of time. This is checked against attack rolls.
Protection is equal to a characters Constitution + any armor (including natural), shield or enhancement bonuses that would affect AC + damage reduction (where applicable). This is checked against damage.
*Ability modifiers are equal to (Ability-10)
*The death threshold is -Max HP instead of -10. This includes HP from CON as well as from Toughness feats.
Base Attack Bonus is equal to STR * class modifier (or DEX * class modifier if Weapon Finesse is in use) . The class modifier is equal to (Classic BAB at level 20)/20. Extra attacks can be bought at 3000XP*current number of full-round attacks. You can have no more than 1 attack for every +5 in BAB or portion thereof. Each successive attack is at 5 less than the previous (Ex: 4 attacks at BAB 18 = +18/+13/+8/+3, with no further attacks purchaseable until BAB 21).
*All attack roll bonuses apply normally.
*Grapple checks are made on BAB+ d20 + Size mod v. defender's grapple check.
*Attack rolls are made on (BAB+ d20 + Size mod + any appropriate attack roll bonuses) v. (Evasion + d20 + Size mod)
*Armor that lowers max dex bonus instead penalizes Evasion by (Dex-Max Dex Bonus)-10
*Damage is dealt based on (Weapon damage + STR) - (Defender's Protection), and the classic str modifier is ignored. If all damage is protected, another attack roll is made, checked against protection instead of evasion. A success means that the defender is dealt 1 damage. Critical hits always deal at least x damage, where x is the crit modifier.
*On a critical threat, a confirmation roll that also goes critical will either ignore protection or apply normal post-critical damage, whichever would yield the higher result.
Negative Levels and Level Loss
*Negative levels are replaced with ruinations. A ruination will penalize all ability scores, skill checks and saves by 2. The defender is allowed a fortitude save (DC 10 + N + current number of ruinations) to avoid each, and a natural 1 on the save means the defender is slain and rises as the undead creature that caused the ruination (or a wight, if no creature is specified). N is based on the spell user's prime requisite if a spell causes it, or the creature's Charisma modifier if a creature causes it directly.
*24 hours after receiving a ruination (except as a temporary penalty from a fixed source such as an artifact), its recipient must make a fortitude save (DC is based on the same things as at the time of infliction) or have all ability scores and skill ranks drained by 2 (to a minimum of zero). A natural 1 on the save means death, with the above transformation effect.
*Where resurrection would cause level loss, it instead causes 2 points of Constitution drain.
Spells, feats and abilities
*Enervation and Energy Drain cause 1 and 2 ruinations, respectively.
*Toughness simply adds +1 to one's HP total rather than +3.
*A spellcaster has spell slots equal to the value of their prime requisite, and a spell always costs a number of spell slots equal to its level under the old system. There is a feat called "Spell Acumen" that adds an extra spell slot each time it is taken. 0-level spells cost nothing, and are available to any class that can legally cast them, but they can still only be cast as many times per day as they would at level 1 under the classic system.
*Sneak attack deals +2 damage for each time it is purchased, instead of +1d6 every two levels.
*Spells and abilities that affect hit dice, or do damage or heal damage based on dice instead do it based on a fixed number. Extra dice based on level or enhancement simply multiply the fixed value.
*Heal fully restores HP
*Harm reduces HP to 1
*Raise Dead restores HP to 1
*Mass Spell is a metamagic feat that adds 4 to the slot cost of the spell, and can be applied to any single-target spell.
More to follow. Suggestions?
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