Chronologist
First Post
How awesome would it be for your character to be directly descended from a god? It's a cool idea, but unless you want to spend your whole class playing a Godling (from Super Genius Games, you can find it on the d20 pathfinder srd), it's difficult to do. Below is my own solution to the problem, P.E.A.C.H would be welcome.
Benefits:
As a Demigod, you have one intrinsic benefit regardless of level; your aging process stops at adulthood. You can never get attribute benefits for old age, neither do you die of old age.
Second, you do not receive magical items as quest rewards, and other members in the party do not get your share of the loot. Your share of the loot is reduced to gp equal to your character level squared x 10, which you can spend on services, food, and lodging, and which can be replenished whenever the party receives treasure.
At 1st level, select a Domain of your choice from the list of Domains a Cleric has access to. You gain access to the Domain abilities of that domain, except that you substitute your Wisdom modifier with 1/2 your character level, rounded down, for the purpose of determining the number of uses and save DC of these powers. You do not gain access to the domain spells from that domain, even if you have levels of Cleric. At 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level, you gain access to another domain.
At 2nd level, you gain access to a magical weapon or implement of your choice. If you choose a weapon, it is a +1 weapon of your choice, gaining an additional +1 enhancement bonus at level 6, 10, 14, and 18. It also gains a +1 special ability enhancement at 4th level, which improves by 1 at level 8, 12, 16, and 20. Whenever you gain a level, you can change the special enhancements your weapon has. You can manifest the weapon as a move action, it lasts until you fall unconscious, and you cannot be disarmed or have the weapon sundered.
If you choose an implement, at 2nd level you instead gain 2 additional level 1 spells you can cast each day. At 4th level, you gain 2 additional level 2 spells, at 6th level, you gain access to 2 additional level 3 spells, etc, up to 18th level when you get 2 more level 9 spells. At 20th level you gain 20 additional levels worth of spells you can cast or prepare each day, which you can change each day. If you cannot cast spells of the level the implement provides, you gain additional spells of whatever level you can cast.
At 3rd level, and level 7, 11, 15, and 19, you select and gain the benefits of two of the following five options. They stack.
- +1 competence bonus to saving throws
- +1 dodge bonus to armor class
- +1 natural armor bonus to armor class
- +10 foot land speed
- +2 competence bonus to all skill checks
At 20th level, you ascend to the status of Demigod, gaining Divine Rank 0 and all associated benefits therein.
Sample Character: Blair, a level 9 Changeling Rogue with Demigod
Domains: Madness, Trickery, Strength. She can use each of the Domain's first level granted powers 8 times per day. The DC for all abilities is 18. Aura of Madness, Master's Illusion, and Might of the Gods last 9 rounds each.
Her weapon is a +2 Keen Screaming (1d4 sonic damage) rapier
She chose to gain a +1 dodge bonus to armor class, +10 foot movement speed, and a +4 bonus to skill checks.
So, what do you think? If anything, it is a little underpowered compared to the abilities that other character get, with the Domains giving a nice boost at level 8 to keep up in the mid to high levels, but it gets left behind after about level 14. It's viable for warriors and casters both. Plus, it's simple enough so as not to clutter the player is a dozen new abilities, which is kinda the point of alternative item systems.
Benefits:
As a Demigod, you have one intrinsic benefit regardless of level; your aging process stops at adulthood. You can never get attribute benefits for old age, neither do you die of old age.
Second, you do not receive magical items as quest rewards, and other members in the party do not get your share of the loot. Your share of the loot is reduced to gp equal to your character level squared x 10, which you can spend on services, food, and lodging, and which can be replenished whenever the party receives treasure.
At 1st level, select a Domain of your choice from the list of Domains a Cleric has access to. You gain access to the Domain abilities of that domain, except that you substitute your Wisdom modifier with 1/2 your character level, rounded down, for the purpose of determining the number of uses and save DC of these powers. You do not gain access to the domain spells from that domain, even if you have levels of Cleric. At 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level, you gain access to another domain.
At 2nd level, you gain access to a magical weapon or implement of your choice. If you choose a weapon, it is a +1 weapon of your choice, gaining an additional +1 enhancement bonus at level 6, 10, 14, and 18. It also gains a +1 special ability enhancement at 4th level, which improves by 1 at level 8, 12, 16, and 20. Whenever you gain a level, you can change the special enhancements your weapon has. You can manifest the weapon as a move action, it lasts until you fall unconscious, and you cannot be disarmed or have the weapon sundered.
If you choose an implement, at 2nd level you instead gain 2 additional level 1 spells you can cast each day. At 4th level, you gain 2 additional level 2 spells, at 6th level, you gain access to 2 additional level 3 spells, etc, up to 18th level when you get 2 more level 9 spells. At 20th level you gain 20 additional levels worth of spells you can cast or prepare each day, which you can change each day. If you cannot cast spells of the level the implement provides, you gain additional spells of whatever level you can cast.
At 3rd level, and level 7, 11, 15, and 19, you select and gain the benefits of two of the following five options. They stack.
- +1 competence bonus to saving throws
- +1 dodge bonus to armor class
- +1 natural armor bonus to armor class
- +10 foot land speed
- +2 competence bonus to all skill checks
At 20th level, you ascend to the status of Demigod, gaining Divine Rank 0 and all associated benefits therein.
Sample Character: Blair, a level 9 Changeling Rogue with Demigod
Domains: Madness, Trickery, Strength. She can use each of the Domain's first level granted powers 8 times per day. The DC for all abilities is 18. Aura of Madness, Master's Illusion, and Might of the Gods last 9 rounds each.
Her weapon is a +2 Keen Screaming (1d4 sonic damage) rapier
She chose to gain a +1 dodge bonus to armor class, +10 foot movement speed, and a +4 bonus to skill checks.
So, what do you think? If anything, it is a little underpowered compared to the abilities that other character get, with the Domains giving a nice boost at level 8 to keep up in the mid to high levels, but it gets left behind after about level 14. It's viable for warriors and casters both. Plus, it's simple enough so as not to clutter the player is a dozen new abilities, which is kinda the point of alternative item systems.
