Hyperion Voyages
Class Fixes
( ⇪ House Rules )
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Table: Starting Gold and Starting Ages (green for simple classes, yellow for skilled classes, and red for complex classes) |
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| Archivist | 5d4×10 (125) | Healer | 4d4×10 (100) | Savant | 5d4×10 (125) |
| Ardent | 5d4×10 (125) | Hexblade | 6d4×10 (150) | Scout | 5d4×10 (125) |
| Artificer | 5d4×10 (125) | Incarnate | 5d4×10 (125) | Shadowcaster | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Barbarian | 4d4×10 (100) | Jester | 4d4×10 (100) | Sha’ir | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Bard | 4d4×10 (100) | Knight | 6d4×10 (150) | Shaman | 4d4×10 (100) |
| Battle Dancer | 5d4×10 (125) | Lurk | 5d4×10 (125) | Shugenja | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Beguiler | 6d4×10 (150) | Mariner | 5d4×10 (125) | Sohei | 6d4×10 (150) |
| Binder | 5d4×10 (125) | Marshall | 5d4×10 (125) | Sorcerer | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Cleric | 5d4×10 (125) | Master | 5d4×10 (125) | Soulborn | 6d4×10 (150) |
| Crusader | 6d4×10 (150) | Monk | 5d4 (12.5) | Soulknife | 5d4×10 (125) |
| Death Master | 5d4×10 (125) | Mountebank | 5d4×10 (125) | Spellthief | 4d4×10 (100) |
| Divine Mind | 6d4×10 (150) | Mystic | 3d4×10 (75) | Spirit Shaman | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Dragon Shaman | 4d4×10 (100) | Nightstalker | 4d4×10 (100) | Swashbuckler | 6d4×10 (150) |
| Dragonfire Adept | 2d4×10 (50) | Ninja | 4d4×10 (100) | Swordsage | 4d4×10 (100) |
| Dread Necromancer | 6d4×10 (150) | Noble | 6d8×10 (270) | Totemist | 2d4×10 (50) |
| Druid | 2d4×10 (50) | Paladin | 6d4×10 (150) | Truenamer | 4d4×10 (100) |
| Duskblade | 6d4×10 (150) | Psion | 3d4×10 (75) | Warblade | 5d4×10 (125) |
| Factotum | 6d4×10 (150) | Psychic Warrior | 5d4×10 (125) | Warlock | 4d4×10 (100) |
| Favored Soul | 5d4×10 (125) | Ranger | 6d4×10 (150) | Warmage | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Fighter | 6d4×10 (150) | Rogue | 5d4×10 (125) | Wilder | 4d4×10 (100) |
| Gener. Expert | 5d4×10 (125) | Samurai (CW) | 2d4×10 (50) | Wizard | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Gener. Spellcaster | 3d4×10 (75) | Samurai (OA) | 6d4×10 (150) | Wu Jen | 3d4×10 (75) |
| Gener. Warrior | 6d4×10 (150) | Racial Hit Dice use their lore-based favored class. | |||
Ardent
The Rules-As-Intended (RAI) has been clarified by the designer as to what was meant when the rules were written and how they were play-tested at WotC. Namely, the Ardent selection of powers based on power point limit was intended to be interpreted as by Class level, not Manifester level.
Archivist
A prayerbook is assumed to have an expansion containing all cleric orisons. This expansion is as many pages long as there are cleric orisons. However, this does not increase the value or weight of the prayerbook in any way. Thus, the 100 stated pages in the prayerbook can be used entirely on spells higher than 0-level.
The archivist, similar to the druid and rogue, has two dead levels. When a class can fill eighteen out of twenty levels with special abilities, the distinctive lack of abilities during two of those levels stands out like a beacon. The two dead level abilities presented here take into account that archivists gain two new spells at every level, reducing the significance of their dead level abilities.
Logical Mind (Ex): At 16th level, an archivist refines their deductive thinking to an efficient, objective edge. An archivist can now decipher two pages of script in 1 minute (10 consecutive full round actions), or 1 page of script in 30 seconds (5 consecutive full round actions) on a successful Decipher Script check. In addition, an archivist no longer draws false conclusions from a failed Decipher Script check.
Academic (Ex): At 19th level, the archivist becomes so certain in the use of Decipher Script that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a skill check with Decipher Script, the archivist may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so.
Designer’s Note: Despite the mechanical advantages of these two abilities, they are largely trumped by the fact that any archivist who placed maximum ranks into Decipher Script, a thematic skill for archivists, experiences no difficulty reading even the most obscure writing.
Artificer
(MoE p53 sidebar)
Artificers benefit in a specific way from prestige classes that have “+1 level of existing spellcasting class” as a level advancement benefit. An artificer taking levels in such a prestige class does not gain any of his class abilities, but he does gain an increased caster level when using his infusions. Levels of prestige classes that provide +1 level of spellcasting effectively stack with the artificer’s level to determine his effective caster level. An artificer gains access to higher-level infusions at these prestige class levels as though he had gained a level in the artificer class.
An artificer can qualify for prestige classes with spellcasting level requirements (as long as they do not specifically require arcane or divine casting), even though his infusions aren’t spells. Prestige classes with caster level requirements are also well suited to the artificer. An artificer’s caster level for his infusions fulfills this requirement.
Classes that advance only arcane or divine spellcasting classes, specifically, would not benefit an artificer, because infusions are neither arcane nor divine in nature. Likewise, a prestige class with a prerequisite to cast a specific spell would be unavailable to an artificer.
(Likewise, all of the above effects function identically in all the reasonable ways for a psionic artificer regarding prestige classes that have “+1 level of existing manifesting class” as a level advancement benefit.)
Bard
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
The bard has ten dead levels but gains spells per day and spells known during each one of those levels (which can be considered special abilities in their own right). Still, certain prestige classes grant +1 level of arcane spellcasting at every level along with powerful abilities to boot. This means that minor abilities are permissible during each dead level.
Rally Performance (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a bard hones his skill as a public musician and can reroll a Perform check once per day, but only when attempting to impress audiences for the purpose of earning money. A bard must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. See Perform on page 79 of the Player’s Handbook.
Refine Performance (Ex): At 4th level, a bard learns how to make his performances more appealing to the public of a prosperous city and is considered to have rolled at least a 2 on each d10 or d6 when determining how much money was earned each day from a Perform check. See Perform on page 79 of the Player’s Handbook. At 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 16th, and 17th level, a bard is considered to have rolled 1 number higher on each d10 (for example, a least 3 at 5th level, at least 4 at 7th level, etc.). By extension, a bard is considered to have rolled at least 3 on each d6 at 7th level, at least 4 at 11th level, and at least 5 at 16th level. At 19th level, a bard earns the maximum amount of money for his performance.
Designer’s Note: Refine performance is largely ineffectual to bards, since adventuring will typically earn more gold than public performances ever will. This ability merely secures their publicly regarded acclaim.
Battle Dancer
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
Beguiler
The beguiler has seven dead levels, but gains spells per day during each one of those levels. During 2nd and 3rd level, however, and every odd level thereafter, beguilers merely gain more spontaneous spell slots per day of the spells they already know. While some of their dead levels coincide with gaining access to higher level spells, not all of them do. Regardless, the beguiler is a potent class in the right hands, and so their dead level abilities are relatively minor.
Clever Wording (Ex): At 4th level, a beguiler starts mastering the ability to verbally transmit information to another character without others understanding it. A beguiler has to fail a Bluff check by 6 or more when delivering a secret message before false information is implied or inferred. Failure by 5 or more means a beguiler can’t get the message across. See Bluff checks on pg. 67 of the Player’s Handbook. These failed Bluff increments increase by 1 at 9th, 13th, 16th, and 18th level, when a beguiler has to fail a Bluff check by 10 or more before false information is implied or inferred.
Lively Discourse (Ex): At 12th level, a beguiler gains the ability to relay detailed messages, especially those that require specific locations, people and times. The DC is 30 to relay intricate messages with a Bluff check.
Piqued Hearing (Ex): At 17th level, a beguiler is so attuned to conversations with secret messages that noticing them becomes effortless. A beguiler within 30 feet of a conversation containing a secret message is entitled to a Sense Motive check to intercept the transmitted message as if actively listening for it. The beguiler must first be able to hear the conversation with a Listen check.
Designer’s Note: These abilities are based on a single iteration of the Bluff skill. As a character class that treats lying and manipulation as tools, a beguiler will most likely take maximum ranks in Bluff. These abilities ensure that beguilers are the foremost experts at disseminating information, thereby dominating their niche.
Cleric
The cleric has nineteen dead levels, but this is mitigated by their one and only special ability: turn or rebuke undead. The turning damage for this ability steadily increases every level (2d6 + the cleric’s level + the cleric’s Charisma modifier). Still, a prestige class that grants +1 level of divine spellcasting, normal turn or rebuke undead advancement, and special abilities at every level opens the door for a minor dead level ability.
Undead Intuition (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a cleric can identify undead creatures during an encounter from any distance. The cleric gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (religion) checks to identify undead creatures, but gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge checks on page 78 of the Player’s Handbook. Moreover, the cleric can make these Knowledge (religion) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each cleric level the character takes after 2nd level.
Designer’s Note: Undead identification is only one part of the Knowledge (religion) skill, and even then, undead intuition does not reveal the strengths or weaknesses of a creature. Knowledge (religion) and undead intuition combined, however, will permit clerics to recognize any undead creature on sight, which seems realistic for clerics.
Crusader
Trading-Out
Upon reaching 3rd level, and at every odd-numbered class level after that (5th, 7th, 9th, and so on), you can choose to learn a new stance in place of one you already know. In effect, you lose the old stance in exchange for the new one. You can choose a new stance of any level you like, as long as you observe your restriction on the highest-level stances you know (ToB, page 39); you need not replace the old stance with a stance of the same level. For example, upon reaching 9th level, you could trade in a single 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- or 4th-level stance for a stance of 5th level or lower, as long as you meet the prerequisite of the new stance. You can swap only a single stance at any given level.
See Also: ToB CustServ FAQ , particularly note that unlike feats, if you lose the prerequisite needed to learn a maneuver or stance, you don’t lose the maneuver/stance.
Divine Mind
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
(Errata)
Replace the last sentence of the Power Points/Day entry with: “A 1st-level divine mind gains no power points; his bonus power points (if he is entitled to any) become available when he begins to accrue the power points provided by his class at 2nd level.”
In the Half Giant Divine Mind Starting Package, replace ‘Weapon Focus (longsword)’ with ‘Power Attack’.
Dragonfire Adept
(DrM p24)
When taking a class that specifies ‘+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting’, a Dragonfire Adept taking levels in such a prestige class does not gain any other benefits of that level increase, but she does gain an increased caster level when using her invocations and increased damage with her breath weapon. Levels of prestige classes that provide +1 level of spellcasting effectively stack with the Dragonfire Adept’s level to determine her breath weapon damage and save DC. She also gains new invocations at each prestige class level as though she had risen a level in the Dragonfire Adept Class.
Dragon Shaman
Dragon Shamans get Knowledge (Arcana) as a class skill, because that’s the skill used to identify and know things about dragons.
Dread Necromancer
A number of facets of the Dread Necromancer class are broken (they simply don’t work). The following is an attempt to fix them.
The “Charnel Touch” ability is treated as if it were a held charge of a touch-range spell except that the Dread Necromancer must make the touch with a hand and only discharges the effect when he wants to do so. Thus, it can affect allies and if it would affect an enemy requires an action appropriate for a touch attack (a standard action normally, although it can be part of a full attack). A dread necromancer who has not expended his use of Charnel Touch that round is considered armed as if holding the charge on a touch-range spell.
A Dread Necromancer’s “Rebuke Undead” ability is equivalent to that of an evil-aligned cleric of a level equal to your Dread Necromancer level. The “Undead Mastery” ability is based on caster level, not class level.
The “Negative Energy Burst” affects all designated creatures within the radius or all creatures in the radius with designated exceptions, at the Dread Necromancer’s option.
The “Fear Aura” ability is passive and radiates constantly but can be turned on or off as a free action on your initiative.
The “Scabrous Touch” and “Enervating Touch” abilities are additional effects added onto the Charnel Touch ability.
For the purposes of delivering touch spells and charnel touch effects, a ghostly visage familiar touches using its incorporeal touch attack (while not attached to a host).
The “Negative Energy Resistance” ability grants its saving throw bonus against all effects that use negative energy (including energy drain, ability damage caused by negative energy, ability drain caused by negative energy, and inflict spells, among other negative energy effects).
The “Light Fortification” ability applies to all precision damage, not just critical hits.
The “Lich Transformation” ability does, in fact, transform a Dread Necromancer into a lich, it’s just that all of the class features you’ve had up this point are essentially the same as a lich, you just didn’t have the undead type or your phylactery yet.
A Dread Necromancer does not have death ward on the 3rd level of their spell list, instead gaining all of the magic circle spells at the 3rd level of their spell list. Corrupt spells are added to her spell list, and are an exception to the normal rule that a spontaneous spellcaster must have the Corrupt Arcana feat to cast them.
Druid
The druid is the second-place offender of dead levels. For a class to have special abilities for eighteen out of twenty levels, one wonders how two more abilities would have made a difference, especially at such high levels (17th and 19th level). The two dead level abilities presented here adequately fill those gaps without derailing the original class design.
Woodland Sprint (Ex): At 17th level, a druid may move at her normal speed through thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated. She does not take damage or suffer any other impairment, since she becomes immune to such magical effects.
Repel Nature’s Lure (Ex): At 19th level, a druid gains spell resistance against the spell-like abilities of fey (such as dryads, pixies, and sprites) equal to her current druid level + 10. To affect the druid with a spell-like ability, a fey spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level; see Spell Resistance on page 177 of the Player’s Handbook) that equals or exceeds the druid’s spell resistance.
Designer’s Note: Woodland sprint and repel nature’s lure are direct extensions of the woodland stride and resist nature’s lure abilities of druids. While resist nature’s lure in particular may be considered powerful, this ability is granted at a high enough level so as to have a negligible impact on game balance.
Duskblade
The duskblade has six dead levels, but gains a single new spell at every level with a generous number of spell per day to cast from their repertoire. Duskblades also enjoy a full base attack bonus and can wear up to medium armor without spell failure. While their spell selection is limited, duskblades are not shy in the arcane or physical power departments. As such, their dead level ability should be restrictive at best.
Elven Insight (Ex): At 8th level, a duskblade better understands how elves think after having pursued their ancient racial profession to this point. A duskblade can use their Intelligence ability modifier (instead of Charisma) when making Diplomacy and Gather Information checks with elves or in elven communities. At 9th level, a duskblade gains a +1 bonus on these skill checks. These bonuses increase by +1 at 12th, 14th, 17th, and 19th level.
Designer’s Note: As every member of this character class is mentored by an elf (see Alignment, pg. 19 of the Player’s Handbook II), elven insight has been balanced by making this ability dependant on interacting with elves. The ability is balanced by the fact that duskblades do not count Diplomacy or Gather Information as class skills, but treat Intelligence as one of their primary ability scores.
Erudite
The erudite was updated in errata to where instead of having a limit on unique powers per level per day, it was changed to unique powers per day period, which all but cripples the erudite class. For that reason and others, certain very specific things should not count against that unique powers per day limit.
Realize that according to Rules-As-Written (RAW) for all of psionics, all of the power points spent on a power (both for the initial manifesting cost and the augmentation cost) has to all come from the same source. The new general rule for unique powers per day is this:
“If and only if the erudite uses his own personal power points in the initial manifesting cost of manifesting a power and that power is only accessible from his erudite power list does it count against his unique powers per day limit.”
This parallels the single-source rule mentioned above and how spell slots between different spellcasting classes don’t overlap (the unique powers per day limitation is similar in basic concept to spell slots).
The following are descriptions of a few things this general rule excludes because of its phrasing:
Effects which don’t in-fact draw from his erudite abilities don’t count towards an erudite’s unique powers per day limit. This also includes powers accessed through the “Manifest an Unknown Power from Another’s Powers Known” rules.
Powers that are manifested from a separate power point pool (such as a cognizance crystal) and powers which don’t draw from a power point pool at all (such as spell-to-power cantrips) don’t count towards an erudite’s unique powers per day limit.
| GM’s Note: The spell-to-power variant itself is banned in this setting, but you get the point here. |
An erudite that takes levels in the Metamind prestige class does not apply new powers used with the “Free Manifesting” ability as counting towards an erudite’s unique powers per day limit (just like it wouldn’t be the case if he also had levels in Wilder and the power known was from that list), as their initial manifesting cost is “free”. Likewise, powers accessed during a “Font of Power” don’t count towards an erudite’s unique powers per day limit (since the power points from Font of Power come from an infinite but separate supply of power points).
(Errata)
In the 1st sentence about XP Cost, it says “[…] expend 20 experience points per erudite level, which […]”. Replace “erudite” with “power”.
In the Erudite starting package, delete ‘ primal fear *,’.
Factotum
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
Favored Soul
The favored soul has thirteen dead levels, but gains new spells per day or spells known during each one of those levels. The favored soul is a curious character class in that no special abilities are received at 1st level, creating something of a conceptual design void. This void is offset by having all good saving throws, but mechanical bonuses and spell choices alone can leave some people feeling cold at 1st level.
Faith Healing (Su): Starting at 1st level, a favored soul can selectively channel a small amount of divine energy when handling the wounds of a dying creature. The favored soul is so certain in the use of first-aid (see Heal, pg. 75 of the Player’s Handbook) that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a first-aid check on anybody who is within one step of their deity’s alignment, the favored soul may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so. At 6th level, these first-aid checks heal 1 point of damage. This amount increases by 1 hit point every five levels thereafter (11th and 16th).
Knowledge Specialty (Ex): At 1st level, a favored soul can choose whether to make Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion) a class skill. Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed.
Exalted or Vile Presence (Su): At 2nd level, a favored soul is more influential when interacting with people of the same faith. A favored soul gains a +2 bonus on Charisma when using any skill that treats Charisma as the key ability, but only when interacting with people who worship the same deity. This bonus increases by +1 at 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 14th, 18th, and 19th level. A favored soul gains one-half of this bonus (rounded down) when interacting with anybody who is within one step of their deity’s alignment. When making Use Magic Device checks, this bonus also applies to magic objects that are divinely created or intelligent objects with alignments.
Designer’s Note: As every favored soul worships a god (see Religion, pg. 7 of Complete Divine), exalted presence and faith healing have been balanced by making both abilities dependant on a deity’s alignment. Knowledge specialty merely offers a class skill option that was perhaps “intended” for favored souls.
Fighter
The fighter, with nine dead levels (one at every odd level), has one of the most logical progressions of special abilities. They gain a bonus feat every two levels if you imagine the first bonus feat to be granted during a conceptual “0” level for apprentices. As an option-based class, their dead level abilities also incorporate a degree of choice in keeping with the overall fighter level design.
Physical Prowess (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a fighter gets a bonus to some aspect of his ability checks that makes him a better warrior. The fighter gains an additional bonus at 5th level and every two fighter levels thereafter (7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, and 19th). The bonus must be drawn from the following list.
Applied Force (Ex): A fighter can administer force to the weakest points of inanimate objects effectively, giving the character a +1 bonus on Strength checks to break or burst items (see page 165 of the Player’s Handbook).
Combat Bearing (Ex): A fighter can steady himself to fight in precarious situations, giving the character a +1 bonus on Dexterity checks to avoid falling when damaged while balancing or moving quickly across difficult surfaces (see Balance on page 67 of the Player’s Handbook).
Stamina Reserve (Ex): A fighter can push his body more than normal, giving the character a +1 bonus on Constitution checks to continue running (see page 144 of the Player’s Handbook) and to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march (see page 164 of the Player’s Handbook).
Designer’s Note: At most, physical prowess can be abused by taking the same bonus nine times in a row. Having done so, however, the character will be a 19th-level fighter and should be rewarded for his devotion to a single class without multiclassing. If that means the character can easily bend bars or break doors, so be it. Such destructive force is their due.
Generic Classes
| GM’s Note: Generic Classes are only available in cyberspace. |
Oddly, the descriptions for the Generic Classes don’t mention their Level 1 starting gold, so the following list is what they each have for their starting cash:
- Warriors have cash as a Fighter: 6d4×10 (150gp)
- Experts have cash as a Rogue: 5d4×10 (125gp)
- Spellcasters (Arcane and Divine) have cash as a Sorcerer: 3d4×10 (75gp)
As usual, assume your character owns one outfit of normal clothes worth 10gp or less. (See Clothing, PHB p131) Note however that NPCs may make assumptions about you based on your clothing or equipment.
Spellcasters still cast a spell as if it was a spell of its class (arcane or divine). If a spell could be either arcane or divine for that spell level, when learning the spell it must be specified whether it’s learned as arcane or divine and cannot be changed afterwards except through trading out the spell as a sorcerer can.
Healer
The Spell Compendium says this about Healers and adding spells to their list:
“Add spells concerned with healing, removing affliction, providing protections, and providing for needs. In particular, add higher-level versions of spells the healer can already cast, such as mass restoration.”
The following is the replacement Healer spell list (sorted below by healer spell level, bold entries are in the SRD):
| Level | Spells | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 0: | • create water • cure minor wounds • dawn (SpC 59) • deathwatch • detect magic |
• detect poison • foraging charm (D302 49) • guidance • light • mending |
• purify food and drink • read magic • resistance • virtue |
| 1st: | • bless • bless water • blessed aim (SpC 31) • calm animals • conviction (SpC 52) • cure light wounds • delay disease (SpC 63) • endure elements • faith healing (SpC 87) • foundation of stone (SpC 99) • goodberry |
• healthful rest (SpC 111) • hold animal • incite (SpC 121) • inhibit (SpC 123) • invest light protection (PH2 115) • lesser vigor (SpC 229) • longstrider • omen of peril (SpC 149) • protection from chaos • protection from evil |
• protection from law • remove fear • remove paralysis • resurgence (SpC 174) • sanctuary • shield of faith • spell flower (SpC 198) • speak with animals • touch of jorasco (RoE 190) • whelm (PH2 128) |
| 2nd: | • aid • barkskin • bear’s endurance • benediction (CC 116) • body ward (CC 117) • bull’s strength • calm emotions • close wounds (SpC 48) • conduit of life (CC 118) • consecrate • cure moderate wounds • divine insight (SpC 70) • divine protection (SpC 70) • delay poison • eagle’s splendor |
• ease pain (BoED 97) • enthrall • estanna’s stew (BoED 99) • false life • gentle repose • ghost touch armor (SpC 102) • halt undead • healing lorecall (SpC 110) • hydrate (SSt 117) • lesser restoration • lesser spell immunity (SpC 199) • make whole • owl’s wisdom |
• protection from negative energy (SpC 163) • remove addiction (BoED 105) • remove nausea (BoED 105) • remove blindness/deafness • remove disease • resist energy • shared healing (MoE 101) • shield other • soul ward (CC 127) • stabilize (SpC 204) • summon elysian thrush (SpC 214) • whelming blast (PH2 128) |
| 3rd: | • aid, mass (SpC 8) • antidragon aura (SpC 14) • attune form (SpC 17) • channeled divine shield (PH2 106) • create food and water • crown of protection (PH2 108) • cure serious wounds • dispel magic • energy aegis (PH2 111) • faith healing wand (CoV 55) • heart’s ease (BoED 100) • hold person • inevitable defeat (PH2 115) • insignia of healing (RoD 166) |
• invest moderate protection (PH2 115) • magic circle against chaos • magic circle against evil • magic circle against law • magic vestment • mantle of chaos (SpC 137) • mantle of good (SpC 137) • mantle of law (SpC 138) • mass aid (SpC 8) • mass conviction (SpC 52) • mass lesser vigor (SpC 229) • mass resist energy (SpC 174) |
• mass resurgence (SpC 175) • neutralize poison • prayer • protection from energy • refreshment (BoED 105) • remove curse • remove nausea (BoED 105) • restoration • safety (SpC 179) • shield of warding (SpC 188) • status • tiny hut • vigor (SpC 229) • wind wall |
| 4th: | • astral hospice (SpC 17) • blood of the martyr (BoED 92) • channeled divine health (PH2 106) • contingent energy resistance (SpC 52) • convert wand (CoV 53) • cure critical wounds • death ward • delay death (SpC 63) • freedom of movement • last breath (SpC 130) • glory of the martyr (BoED 99) |
• greater resistance (SpC 174) • greater status (BoED 100) • healing spirit (PH2 114) • mass cure light wounds • mass shield of faith (SpC 188) • panacea (SpC 152) • planar tolerance (SpC 159) • positive energy aura (SpC 161) • recitation (SpC ???) • reincarnate |
• rejuvenation cocoon (SpC 172) • remove fatigue (BoED 105) • revenance (SpC 175) • secure shelter • seed of life (CC 127) • sheltered vitality (SpC 188) • spell immunity • stoneskin • sustain (BoED 109) • wall of chaos (SpC 233) • wall of good (SpC 233) • wall of law (SpC 233) |
| 5th: | • atonement • aura of evasion (SpC 18) • break enchantment • dance of the unicorn (SpC 58) • darts of life (CC 118) • divine agility (SpC 69) • energetic healing (BoED 98) • greater vigor (SpC 229) |
• heal animal companion (SpC 110) • healing circle (CC 122) • invest heavy protection (PH2 115) • magic convalescence (PH2 118) • mass cure moderate wounds • mass whelm (PH2 128) |
• positive energy aura (SpC 161) • raise dead • revivify (SpC 176) • seed of life (SpC 127) • spell resistance • stalwart pact (SpC 204) • stone to flesh • true seeing • warding gems (BoED 111) |
| 6th: | • energy immunity (SpC 80) • greater dispel magic • greater restoration • heal • heroes’ feast • hold monster • mass bear’s endurance • mass bull’s strength |
• mass cure serious wounds • mass eagle’s splendor • mass owl’s wisdom • regenerate • rejection (SpC 172) • revive outsider (SpC 175) |
• secure corpse (BoED 106) • superior resistance (SpC 174) • repel wood • tortoise shell (SpC 221) • vigorous circle (SpC 229) |
| 7th: | • aura of vitality (SpC 18) • fortunate fate (SpC 99) • mass cure critical wounds |
• mass restoration (SpC 174) • mass spell resistance (SpC 199) • overwhelm (PH2 120) |
• rejuvenating light (CC 126) • renewal pact (SpC 173) • repulsion • resurrection |
| 8th: | • antimagic field • cloak of chaos • death pact (SpC 60) • discern location |
• greater spell immunity • holy aura • mass death ward (SpC 61) • mass heal |
• protection from spells • repel metal or stone • shield of law |
| 9th: | • antipathy • foresight • gate • mass hold monster • pavilion of grandeur (SpC 152) |
• prismatic sphere • sublime revelry (BoED 109) • sympathy • true resurrection |
• undeath’s eternal foe (SpC 226) • unyielding roots (SpC 228) |
Hexblade
(Errata)
A hexblade’s starting gold is 6d4 × 10.
A hexblade can utter only one hexblade’s curse per round, even if he gets multiple curses per day.
(Homebrew; by Mike Mearls, creator of the Hexblade class)
- Good Fortitude save (as Fighter).
- Curse ability usable 1 + the hexblade’s Cha modifier per day (with additions at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels).
- Curse ability usable as a swift action.
- Curse ability does not count as used if the target makes his save.
- Ability to cast in light or medium armour and while carrying a light shield or buckler.
- At 6th level, the hexblade can cast one hexblade spell per day as a swift action, as long as its original casting time is a standard action or faster. He gains an additional use of this power at levels 8, 11, 14, and 18.
The hexblade has five dead levels, the first of which occurs at 6th level. Their hexblade’s curse and aura of unluck abilities both follow a logical progression (one every four levels) as do their bonus feats (one every five levels). Hexblades consistently gain new spells per day during all of their dead levels, and so their dead level ability simply embellishes what is normally a 0-level spell to sorcerers and wizards.
Forced Omens (Ex): At 6th level, a foreboding sense of doom travels with the hexblade, as candle lights flicker, fresh food turns green, or the air becomes stale. A hexblade adds prestidigitation to their list of spells known. See the spell description on pg. 264 of the Player’s Handbook. If a hexblade already knows this spell, the character may choose a different 1st level spell. Prestidigitation is treated as a bonus spell, and thus prestidigitation cannot be traded for another 1st level spell.
At 8th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as if augmented by the Silent Spell feat without using up a higher-level spell slot. At 11th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as a spell-like ability, lacking both somatic and verbal components, but is still limited to their spell slots per day. At 14th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation a number of additional times per day equal to 3 + their Charisma modifier. At 18th level, a hexblade can cast prestidigitation at will. The prestidigitation spell disappears from their list of spells known at this level.
Designer’s Note: Despite the fact that prestidigitation is designed to be an ineffectual cantrip, a clever hexblade will find new and resourceful uses for this spell beyond simply creating a dramatic entrance. Keep in mind that prestidigitation has a range of 10 feet, can only lift 1 pound of weight, and is restricted to affecting non-living material.
Jester
A jester can cast jester spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. However, like any other arcane spellcaster, a jester wearing medium or heavy armor or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component (most do). A multiclass jester still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.
Inspiring Quip can be used on two adjacent opponents when either one misses an attack, and the effect applies to both creatures. The bonus from Inspiring Quip increases by +1 at the 8th, 14th, and 20th levels.
Taunt is oddly worded. It means that if there’s a clear path, they’ll charge instead regardless of how many attacks of opportunity they provoke (although it gets another save for each one it provokes, to then be able to choose to stop the charge or redirect the charge to an adjacent opponent).
Knight
The knight has the unique honor of being the only character class with a single dead level. Indeed, this class boasts nineteen levels of special abilities and then nothing at 18th level. Well, that’s not entirely true. Knights do gain a point of base attack bonus (which they get every level), hit points (which they get every level), and higher saving throws of every type (which only happens once every six levels). I can’t imagine why 18th level was neglected, so the following ability was created to reflect the societal influence.
Gallant Nature (Ex): At 18th level, a knight has a persuasive way of gaining favors from the aristocracy. A knight can reroll a Diplomacy check once per day, but only when attempting to influence the attitudes of nobility or royalty. A knight must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. See Diplomacy on pg. 73 of the Player’s Handbook.
Designer’s Note: Having class skill access to Knowledge (nobility and royalty), this ability playfully gives high level knights a decent chance to get noticed by the prince or princess of their choice. The ability is balanced by the fact that knights do not count Diplomacy as a class skill, but treat Charisma as one of their primary ability scores.
Lurk
(Errata)
In “Table 1-6: Lurk Augments by Level”, delete the entire row of “8th Reach Attack”
In Mental Assault, replace ‘For every 2 power points spent […]’ with ‘For every 4 power points spent […]’.
Monk
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
Unarmed strikes are a simple weapon, but monks by RAW don’t have proficiency in unarmed strikes or simple weapons. I’m house-ruling that monks also have proficiency with unarmed strikes.
The Improved Unarmed Strike feat gained through the Unarmed Strike ability gains the fixes to the Improved Unarmed Strike feat. A monk that selects the Stunning Fist feat gains the fixes to the Stunning Fist feat.
A monk does not suffer an off-hand penalty when attacking unarmed. This means that if he’s attacking unarmed and that attack would be within the “off-hand” sequence of the full-attack routine, the off-hand penalty is reduced to that of the primary hand.
For example, when only using unarmed strikes, before accounting for ability modifiers, feats, and non-monk BAB, a 1st-level human monk’s longest possible full attack routine would be – 6 (flurry) / – 6 (primary hand) / – 6 (other hand) / – 6 (leg) / – 6 (other leg), or – 4 (flurry) / – 4 (primary hand) / – 4 (other hand) / – 4 (leg) / – 4 (other leg) with the Two-Weapon Fighting Multiweapon Training feat. Unarmed strikes are light weapons and normally reduce the penalties by 2, but that benefit was negated in this example because the routine includes a – 2 flurry of blows.
The following abilities count as having the flurry of blows ability for the purposes of meeting prerequisites:
- A chaos monk’s “Flailing Strike”
- A kensai fighter’s “Rain of Blows” or “Storm of Blows” (D310 p36)
A chaos monk and sidewinder monk don’t lose any of the bonus feats attributed to a standard monk, so they qualify for most standard monk feature-swapping variants.
Mountebank
Deceptive Attack counts as the Sneak Attack ability for the purposes of prerequisites, feats, spells, powers, and prestige class abilities. If you have the Sneak Attack ability from another class, you add both your Sneak Attack and Deceptive Attack dice when determining your Sneak Attack dice for prerequisites.
Gain Spot and Listen as class skills.
Paladin
The paladin has eight dead levels, none of which occur until 7th level. Despite being front loaded with special abilities, paladins gain smite evil and remove disease for the remainder of their levels, along with a special mount and minor spellcasting abilities. Despite these abilities, paladins still gain nothing except for base attack bonuses, hit points, and skill points at 7th and 13th level. Their dead level ability comes with two choices, the first of which has a prerequisite.
Righteous Cause (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a paladin is either rewarded with a bonus to form a lawful community or route out duplicitous intent. The paladin gains an additional bonus at 8th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, and 19th level. The bonus must be drawn from one of the following two abilities.
Inspiring Presence (Ex): A paladin can become the rallying standard for decency and fairness. If a paladin takes the Leadership feat (see page 106 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide), the character gains +1 to her leadership score, but only for the purpose of attracting 1st-level followers.
Discerning Insight (Ex): A paladin can recognize when a person is trustworthy or not, giving the character a +1 bonus on Sense Motive checks when trying to get a “hunch” about the subject’s personality after a 1-minute conversation (see Sense Motive on page 81 of the Player’s Handbook).
Designer’s Note: Inspiring presence is weakened by the fact that it comes with a prerequisite feat. Discerning insight grants a bonus to Sense Motive checks, which is a class skill for paladins. If the paladin really needed to sense evil-aligned intent, she would simply use her 1st-level ability to detect evil at will. The “hunch” bonus is largely an incentive to role-play.
Mystic
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
Pugilist
In Dragon Magazine 310, page 37, there is an unarmed strike variant fighter called “Pugilist”. The pugilist bonus feat list should include “Deflect Arrows”.
It also describes a special ability called “Shake it Off”. It says…
“The pugilist develops non-lethal damage only and reduces the duration of all stunning effects by 1 round, with a minimum of 1 round. The pugilist can take this ability multiple times; its effects stack.”
This was corrected in Dragon Magazine #313’s Scale Mail article. It should say…
“The pugilist has fast healing 1 that applies only to nonlethal damage. This ability also reduces the duration of all stunning effects by 1 round, to a minimum of 1 round. The pugilist can take this ability multiple times; its effects stack.”
Ranger
Whenever you choose a favored enemy, you immediately gain as a class skill in that class the branch of knowledge associated with that favored enemy’s type.
The ranger has five dead levels, the first of which occurs at 12th level. Their favored enemy bonuses follow a logical progression (one every five levels) if you imagine the 1st favored enemy ability to be granted during a conceptual “0” level for apprentices. Rangers consistently gain new spells per day during all of their dead levels, and so their dead level abilities augment the minor aspects of what rangers are already good at doing.
Woodland Hunter (Ex): At 12th level, a ranger can make “get along in the wild” checks while moving at his full overland speed. See Survival on page 83 of the Player’s Handbook.
Perceptive Tracker (Ex): At 14th level, a ranger never takes longer than a full-round action to find tracks with a Survival check. A second roll is still required to follow any discovered tracks.
Seasoned Explorer (Ex): At 16th level, a ranger can make Survival checks to gain a bonus on Fortitude saves against severe weather while moving at his full overland speed. See Survival on page 83 of the Player’s Handbook.
Instinctive Tracker (Ex): At 18th level, a ranger takes a standard action to find tracks with a Survival check, allowing the character to simultaneously move at his speed.
Survivalist (Ex): At 19th level, the ranger becomes so certain in the use of Survival that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making a skill check with Survival, the ranger may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so.
Designer’s Note: These abilities are all based around the “fine print” uses of Survival that rarely see use in all but the most outdoor-centric adventures. These abilities merely add, in unassuming ways, to the wilderness supremacy that rangers already enjoy.
Rogue
The rogue is the biggest offender of dead levels. Similar to the druid, the rogue is missing two special abilities out of twenty levels, but unlike the druid, the rogue has no spells to shore up these deficiencies. More unusual still is the distinctive lack of a crowning 20th-level ability to complete the class. As such, rogues can enjoy more significant dead level abilities than normal.
Makeshift Tools (Ex): At 14th level, a rogue becomes so familiar with mechanisms and traps that the character can make Disable Device checks without a set of thieves’ tools at no penalty. See Disable Device on page 72 of the Player’s Handbook.
Skilled Saboteur (Ex): At 20th level, a rogue makes quick work out of mechanisms and traps, disabling devices in one-half the normal time. See Disable Device on page 72 of the Player’s Handbook. A device that normally takes 1 round to disable now takes 1 standard action, allowing the character to make a move action afterward.
Designer’s Note: While the skilled saboteur ability takes the idea of a “flavorful” dead level ability one step further to be a “beneficial” ability, players needed a significant incentive to actually take all twenty levels of the rogue class.
Samurai
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
Oriental Adventures version
(OA Dragon Update)
Ancestral Daisho: When a samurai of at least 4th level wields his own ancestral katana or wakizashi, the weapon is considered an honorable weapon for the purpose of bypassing the damage reduction of certain creatures.
Complete Warrior version
(Errata)
A samurai’s starting gold is 2d4 × 10.
The last sentence of the samurai’s kiai smite ability should change as indicated in red:
“As a samurai gains levels, he can make a kiai smite more often. However, a samurai cannot make more than one kiai smite during any given round. ”
The samurai has six dead levels, the first of which occurs at 4th level. The samurai class is a highly specialized warrior who is extremely talented at demoralizing opponents, two-weapon fighting, and making a single decisive strike. Their primary dead level ability offers an alternate use of a daily charged ability by developing a skill that samurai are already good at using.
Breaking Stare (Ex): At 4th level, the samurai can internalize their mastery of kiai into making a subject fear for their life. When attempting to change behavior, a samurai can spend 1 use of their kiai smite ability to negate a target’s Wisdom modifier for a single Intimidate check. At 9th level, a samurai negates a target’s modifiers on saves against fear. At 13th level, a samurai negates a target’s immunity from being intimidated for being a paladin of 3rd level or higher. At 15th level, a samurai reduces the size modifier of a target by one category. At 18th level, a samurai reduces the size modifier of a target by two categories.
Interrogator (Ex): At 19th level, the samurai becomes so certain in the use of Intimidate to change behavior that the character can use it reliably even under adverse conditions. When making an Intimidate check to change behavior, the samurai may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent the character from doing so.
Designer’s Note: While breaking stare can be extremely useful, it requires the samurai to spend a daily use of a primary combat ability and only applies to changing behavior, not demoralizing opponents. Interrogator is downplayed by the fact that a 19th level samurai is assumed to have taken maximum ranks in Intimidate to better use their staredown, mass staredown, and improved staredown abilities.
Scout
(Errata)
Add Disable Device to the scout’s list of class skills. (This addition fits with the flavor of the class.)
The second sentence of the skirmish class feature should read as follows (new text indicated in red): She deals an extra 1d6 points of damage on all attacks she makes during any round in which she moves at least 10 feet away from where she was at the start of her turn. The extra damage applies only to attacks made after the scout has moved at least 10 feet. The skirmish ability cannot be used while mounted.
This update should be made wherever the skirmish ability description is presented (see also pages 31, 56, and 177).
Shadowcaster
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
On “Table 2-2: Uses per Mystery per Day”, the number of uses per mystery per day for 6th level mysteries at your 17th class level should be 2, not 3.
(Homebrew; by Ari Marmell, creator of the Shadowcaster class and who has freely admitted that the class was not properly playtested)
- Charisma determines the DC to save against your mysteries. Intelligence determines the highest level mystery you can cast.
- Grant bonus mysteries per day based on Charisma. These would work just like bonus spells. For instance, if your Cha is 14, you can cast one extra mystery of 1st-level equivalent and one of 2nd-level equivalent per day. (Note that each mystery does give an equivalent level, even though you don’t learn them by level.)
- Eliminate the rule that says you have to take mysteries in a given Path in order. If you want to jump around, so as to broaden your versatility, you can.
- Within a category — Apprentice, Initiate, Master — you must have at least two mysteries of any given level before you can take any mysteries of the next higher level. For instance, you must have two 1st-level mysteries before you can take any 2nds, and at least two 2nds before you can take any 3rds.
- Eliminate the rule that says you get a bonus feat equal to half the number of paths you have access to. Instead, you get a bonus feat equal to the total number of Paths you complete. Thus, while you are no longer required to take the entirety of a given Path, there’s still encouragement to do so.
- You may “swap out” mysteries, just as a sorcerer does spells known. If you “un-complete” a Path in this way, however, you lose access to the bonus feat you gained from completing that Path. (You can regain access by re-completing the Path, completing a different Path and choosing that feat as your new bonus, or selecting that feat as a normal feat at your next opportunity.)
- Once your Apprentice Mysteries become supernatural abilities, change the save DC from “10 + equivalent spell level + Cha” to “10 + 1/2 caster level + Cha”. This makes them useful even against high-HD opponents, and follows the pattern for other supernatural abilities.
Also, be aware there was a web enhancement for the Shadowcaster.
Sha’ir
You get your first gen familiar for free (much like how a wizard gets his first basic spellbook for free). A gen familiar’s Elemental Travel ability should say it uses greater plane shift.
It’s recommended you get the Mercantile Background feat (and hold onto a reserve of 100gp at all times) so that you can easily replace your gen familiar if necessary.
Expired castings don’t count against your spells per day limit. Being handed a spell identification means you don’t have to make a spellcraft check for it (obviously), so your gen familiar doesn’t require a spellcraft check to give you a casting of a spell you name (in this regard, the elemental powers-that-be for sha’irs act the same as the divine powers-that-be for clerics).
Shaman
(OA Dragon Update)
The shaman’s martial arts abilities are weak, and improving them slightly does not unbalance the class.
| Table: Shaman Unarmed Damage | ||
| Shaman Level | Damage (Small) | Damage (Medium) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st~5th | 1d4 | 1d6 |
| 6th~11th | 1d6 | 1d8 |
| 12th~17th | 1d8 | 1d10 |
| 18th~20th | 1d10 | 2d6 |
Unarmed Strike: Like monks, shamans are trained to fight unarmed. At 1st level, a shaman gains Improved Unarmed Strike. Also, like a monk, a shaman deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: Shaman Unarmed Damage.
Bonus Feat: At 4th level and every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th, and 20th), a shaman gains a bonus martial arts feat. The shaman must choose these feats from the following list: Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Falling Star Strike, Freezing the Lifeblood, Greater Kiai Shout (Complete Warrior), Iron Will, Kiai Shout (Complete Warrior), Pain Touch (Complete Warrior), Stunning Fist, Unbalancing Strike. The shaman must meet all the normal prerequisites for the feats he selects.
Shugenja
(Errata)
The shugenja’s spell progression chart is misaligned. The 8th-level and 9th-level columns should shift down two levels (with 8th-level spells becoming available at 16th level and 9th-level spells at 18th level).
The shugenja has nineteen dead levels, but this is mitigated by their sense elements ability (the range of which increases by 5 feet each level) and gaining new spells known at every level (which can be considered special abilities in their own right). In choosing an element focus at 1st level, however, a shugenja immediately prohibits an entire descriptor of magic, limiting their spellcasting options, thus allowing for a minor ability.
Elemental Recognition (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a shugenja can identify creatures with an elemental subtype during an encounter from any distance. The shugenja gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (the planes) checks to identify such creature types, but gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge on pg. 78 of the Player’s Handbook. Moreover, the shugenja can make these Knowledge (the planes) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each shugenja level the character takes after 2nd level.
Designer’s Note: Elemental identification is only one part of the Knowledge (the planes) skill, and even then, elemental recognition does not reveal the strengths or weaknesses of a creature. Knowledge (the planes) and elemental recognition combined, however, will permit shugenja to recognize any creature with an elemental subtype on sight, which is thematically supported by their abilities.
Sohei
| Table: Sohei Special Abilities | |
| Level | Special |
|---|---|
| 1st | Ki frenzy 1/day, Weapon Focus |
| 2nd | Deflect Arrows |
| 3rd | Dieharder |
| 4th | Ki frenzy 2/day |
| 5th | Strength of mind |
| 6th | Defensive strike |
| 7th | Damage reduction 1/- |
| 8th | Ki frenzy 3/day |
| 9th | Mettle |
| 10th | Damage reduction 2/- |
| 11th | Greater frenzy |
| 12th | Ki frenzy 4/day |
| 13th | Damage reduction 3/- |
| 16th | Damage reduction 4/-, ki frenzy 5/day |
| 17th | Tireless frenzy |
| 19th | Damage reduction 5/- |
| 20th | Whirlwind frenzy, ki frenzy 6/day |
Following the lead of the revised barbarian, the sohei’s special abilities shift considerably, as shown on Table: Sohei Special Abilities. She also gains new abilities.
Dieharder: The sohei gains Dieharder as a bonus feat at 3rd level. This replaces the Remain Conscious feat.
Greater Frenzy: At 11th level, a sohei’s bonuses to Strength and Dexterity during her frenzy each increase to +4, the penalty she suffers on attack rolls when making a flurry of blows is reduced to -1, and her speed increases by 20 feet during her frenzy.
Tireless Frenzy: At 17th level and higher, a sohei’s bonuses to Strength and Dexterity during her frenzy each increase to +6, she suffers no penalty on attack rolls when making a flurry of blows, and her speed increases by 30 feet during her frenzy.
Sorcerer
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
The sorcerer, similar to the cleric, has nineteen dead levels. The sorcerer parts from the cleric, however, in that new spells known are gained at every level (which can be considered special abilities in their own right). Still, a prestige class that grants +1 level of spellcasting and special abilities at every level makes a minor dead level ability infinitely possible.
Magical Affinity (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a sorcerer can identify a certain creature type during an encounter by virtue of inheriting his magical ability from a member of that creature type, even if the creature’s form or type has changed to something else. The type must include at least one creature with an arcane spell-like ability (such as dragon, magical beast, or outsider). Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. The sorcerer gains a +2 bonus on checks with the relevant Knowledge skill to identify such creatures, but he gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge on page 78 of the Player’s Handbook. Moreover, the sorcerer can make these Knowledge checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each sorcerer level the character takes after 2nd level.
Designer’s Note: The magical affinity ability merely allows sorcerers to say, “That’s a dragon!” or “That’s a magical beast!” The advantage of this ability surfaces when, for example, a dragon or magical beast assumes a form with a type other than its own.
Soulknife
| GM’s Note: Be aware of the improvements. |
If a soulknife has a base attack bonus of +1 or higher, he may materialize his mindblade as a free action combined with a regular move (much like drawing a weapon). If he has the Two-Weapon Fighting feat and the shape mind blade ability, his ability to reshape his mindblade into two identical short sword mind blades (one in each hand) can be done as a move action (as opposed to a full-round action) or as a free action combined with a regular move. This Two-Weapon Fighting ability does not extend to other mind blade forms.
Spirit Shaman
| Table: Spirit Shaman Guide Meld | ||
| Spirit Guide | Characteristics | Key Ability |
|---|---|---|
| Badger | Orderliness, tenacity | Intelligence |
| Bear | Strength, endurance | Constitution |
| Buffalo | Abundance, good fortune | Strength |
| Cougar | Balance, leadership | Dexterity |
| Coyote | Humor, trickiness | Charisma |
| Crane | Balance, majesty | Dexterity |
| Crow | Intelligence, resourcefulness | Intelligence |
| Eagle | Perception, illumination | Charisma |
| Elk | Pride, power, majesty | Strength |
| Fox | Cleverness, distraction | Intelligence |
| Hawk | Awareness, truth | Wisdom |
| Lizard | Elusiveness | Dexterity |
| Otter | Joy, laughter | Charisma |
| Owl | Wisdom, night | Wisdom |
| Rabbit | Conquering fear, safety | Dexterity |
| Raccoon | Curiosity | Intelligence |
| Scorpion | Defense, self-protection | Dexterity |
| Snake | Power, life force, potency | Strength |
| Spider | Interconnectedness, industry | Wisdom |
| Turtle | Love, protection | Charisma |
| Vulture | Vigilance, death | Intelligence |
| Wolf | Loyalty, interdependence | Wisdom |
Spirit shamans are similar to sorcerers in that spells are cast spontaneously, but different in that their spells known can be changed each day (by proxy through a spirit guide). Wisdom determines which higher level spells a spirit shaman can cast, while Charisma modifies the Difficulty Class of their spells. As a spellcasting class that requires two ability scores to access the druid spell list, with abilities that are largely restricted to incorporeal creatures, the dead level ability for spirit shamans can be somewhat generous.
Heal Undead (Su): At 1st level, a Spirit Shaman adds all of the inflict wounds spells to their spirit shaman spell list, enabling them to heal incorporeal undead (a common kind of spirit). When such an inflict spell is cast on an incorporeal undead, it bypasses the normal miss chance afforded to incorporeal creatures, as if it was a force effect.
Guide Meld (Su): At 8th level, the spirit shaman is constantly influenced by the characteristics of their spirit guide as the two become natural extensions of each other. A spirit shaman gains a +1 bonus on ability checks using the key ability of their chosen spirit guide. This bonus increases by +1 at 12th, 14th, and 18th level. See Ability Checks on pg. 65 of the Player’s Handbook.
Designer’s Note: The key abilities for guide meld are extrapolated from the spirit guide characteristics in Complete Divine. The key abilities for bear, buffalo, cougar, eagle, fox, and owl are based on the ability bonuses granted by the bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, and owl’s wisdom spells (respectively).
Swashbuckler
(Errata)
A swashbuckler’s starting gold is 6d4 × 10.
(Web)
The swashbuckler has six dead levels, the first of which occurs at 4th level. Their grace and dodge bonus both follow a logical progression (one every nine and five levels) with no spell-like or supernatural abilities to shore up their martial skills. In keeping with their grandiose approach to combat, the following dead level ability is intended to reflect their larger-than-life celebrity as adventurers.
| Table: Swashbuckler Seduction | ||
| Secret | DC | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Common | 10 | Password told to the city guard, known by 16 or more people |
| Uncommon | 20 | Identity of thieves’ guild leader, known by 9 to 16 people |
| Valuable | 30 | A merchant ship hauling exotic goods, known by 5 to 8 people |
| Deadly | 40 | Plans to invade a foreign land, known by 3 to 4 people |
| Unutterable | 50 | The mental disability of a king, known by 3 or less people |
| * The DC assumes that the nonplayer character is indifferent. The Bluff check is modified by -20 if the NPC is hostile, -10 if the NPC is unfriendly, +5 if the NPC is friendly, and +10 if the NPC is helpful. | ||
Seduction (Ex): At 4th level, a swashbuckler has a lascivious way of acquiring knowledge through less than diplomatic channels. A swashbuckler gains an additional use of the Bluff skill called seduce to learn secret. The swashbuckler can use charm, flirtation, or seduction to learn a coveted secret that is known by a nonplayer character. In order for this iteration of the Bluff skill to work, the nonplayer character must find the swashbuckler physically attractive and be in a position to actually know the secret in question. There are five kinds of secrets that can be learned with a seduce to learn secret check. The fewer people that know a secret, the greater their loyalty to keep that secret.
A typical seduce to learn secret check takes 1d4+1 hours and requires seduction. If the check succeeded by 10 or more, the attempt takes 1d4+1x10 minutes and only requires flirtation. If the check succeeded by 20 or more, the attempt takes 1d4+1 minutes and merely requires charm. Retries are not possible as the target becomes too suspicious.
At 9th level, a swashbuckler gains a +1 bonus on seduce to learn secret checks. This bonus increases by +1 at 13th, 15th, 18th, and 19th level.
Designer’s Note: The seduction ability can be a powerful tool in the hands of a lusty swashbuckler, but still requires that the character figure out which NPC has knowledge of a desired secret, represented by a Gather Information check. If you want to make the seduce to learn secret action available to all characters, simply reduce the skill usage duration to one-half the normal time for a swashbuckler of 4th level.
Swordsage
The unarmed swordsage adaptation gets the monk’s Unarmed Strike ability.
Swordsages get all the fixes applied to the Crusader for Trading-Out.
Thri-Kreen Racial Class
(Errata)
In the 2nd to last sentence of Racial Hit Dice, replace ‘2 + Int modifier’ with ‘4 x (2 + Int modifier)’.
| GM’s Note: This correction ultimately doesn’t matter in this campaign setting, it’s only mentioned here for completions sake. |
Truenamer
The Law of Resistance only increases the Truespeak DC by +1 for each subsequent successful utterance. Resting for 1 hour removes these DC increases.
The Law of Sequence does not stop you from using the same utterance before a currently-running instance of it ends, but successfully speaking the utterance again ends the running instance of that utterance. In addition, you can dismiss any ongoing utterance of yours with a duration outright as a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Dismissing an utterance does not require a Truespeak check, but you must meet the same requirements a spellcaster must have to dismiss a spell (all utterances with a non-instantaneous non-permanent duration are dismissable, and dismissing involves a trivially-simple reversed version of the original utterance).
| GM’s Note: The Truespeak skill also has a Skill Advantage. |
Warblade
Warblades get all the fixes applied to the Crusader for Trading-Out.
Warmage
Add the following to the “Warmage Edge” ability:
“Spells in this category which have a caster level cap (such as burning hands or magic missile) instead have double that cap (for example, burning hands now has a cap of 10d4 and magic missile can have a maximum of 9 missiles).”
Note that according to the class’s Weapon and Armor Proficiency section, at 8th level a warmage gains proficiency in medium armor.
The warmage has ten dead levels, but remains unequalled in their ability to deal arcane damage. The warmage knows and can spontaneously cast virtually all of the most potent evocation spells. These are in turn augmented by bonus feats, extra damage per spell, and their ability to learn whatever new evocation spells strike their fancy. The intense specialty of warmages, however, comes at the sacrifice of a utilitarian purpose. Their dead level ability plays into their existing focus.
Evocation Sense (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a warmage can recognize the material, somatic, and verbal component of evocation spells. The warmage gains a +1 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify an evocation spell being cast by another creature. See Spellcraft on pg. 82 of the Player’s Handbook. This bonus increases by +1 at 4th, 5th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th, 18th, and 19th level.
Designer’s Note: At most, evocation sense combined with maximum Spellcraft ranks can make warmages the single best counterspeller of the game, but only when negating evocation spells. This ability is balanced by the fact that warmages must ready an action to counterspell instead of casting a spell themselves. This goes against everything the warmage was designed to do, namely discharge grotesque amounts of arcane damage.
Warlock
(Errata)
Second paragraph of the Eldritch Blast ability description:
Change “An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a spell whose level is equal to one-half the warlock’s class level (round down), with a minimum spell level of 1st and a maximum of 9th when the warlock reaches 18th level or higher” to “An eldritch blast is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell. If you apply a blast shape or eldritch essence invocation to your eldritch blast (see page 130), your eldritch blast uses the level equivalent of the shape or essence.”
Any other references to eldritch blast being something other than the equivalent of a 1st-level spell should be disregarded.
Any other references claiming that eldritch blast is not an invocation should be disregarded.
A warlock can use eldritch blast at will.
Change this section as follows:
Invocations and Eldritch Blast: Eldritch blast is an invocation. Other invocations provide a warlock with the ability to modify his eldritch blast or add new eldritch attacks.
(CAr p18)
Warlocks benefit in a specific way from prestige classes that have “+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class” or “+1 level of existing spellcasting class” as a level advancement benefit. A warlock taking levels in such a prestige class does not gain any of his class abilities, but he does gain an increased caster level when using his invocations and increased damage with his eldritch blast. Levels of prestige classes that provide +1 level of spellcasting effectively stack with the warlock’s level to determine his eldritch blast damage (treat his combined caster level as his warlock class level when looking at [Complete Arcane] Table 1–1: The Warlock to determine eldritch blast damage) and his eldritch blast caster level (half his total caster level from his warlock levels and his levels in the prestige class that grant him an increased spellcasting level). A warlock also gains new invocations known at these prestige class levels as though he had gained a level in the warlock class.
A warlock cannot qualify for prestige classes with spellcasting level requirements, as he never actually learns to cast spells. However, prestige classes with caster level requirements, such as the acolyte of the skin, are well suited to the warlock. A warlock’s caster level for his invocations fulfills this requirement. See page 71 in Chapter 3 for more details on caster level requirements, spellcasting level requirements, and specific spell requirements for feats and prestige classes.
Wilder
Taking any levels in wilder changes your physiology, intrinsically making you vulnerable to the effects of psychic enervation. Thus, the dazed condition caused by psychic enervation (much like the case for celerity) cannot be mitigated by any immunities from creature type, racial features, or other effects. Effects which specifically interact with psychic enervation still act as normal. Otherwise, no matter what happens, psychic enervation will daze you until the end of your next turn and you always lose as many power points as your wilder level.
Wizard
All spellbooks are assumed to have an expansion containing all wizard cantrips. This expansion is as many pages long as there are wizard cantrips. However, this does not increase the value or weight of the spellbook in any way. Thus, the 100 stated pages in the spellbook can be used entirely on spells higher than 0-level.
There is no reason not to become a domain wizard if you aren’t a specialist wizard. Also, a domain wizard adds all domain spells to the list of spells they can prepare from memory (like read magic).
The wizard has fifteen dead levels, but she shares a lot in common with the sorcerer in that new spells are gained at every level (which can be considered special abilities in their own right). The primary difference between the two classes is that while sorcerers lose nothing by taking a prestige class granting +1 level of arcane spellcasting at every level, wizards miss out on up to four metamagic or item creation feats. As such, wizards are granted the least significant dead level ability.
Animated Script (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a wizard can magically animate the writing in their spellbook, causing the inked symbols and words to migrate across the page. Doing so increases the Spellcraft DC for another wizard attempting to decipher or prepare spells from their spellbook by the inscribing wizard’s Intelligence modifier +1 at the cost of 5 gp per inscribed page. See Spells Copied from Another’s Spellbook or Scroll on page 179 of the Player’s Handbook. For each level in which the character does not gain a bonus feat after 2nd level, the wizard can increase the Spellcraft DC by +1 at the cost of an additional 5 gp per inscribed page (for example, +2 for 10 gp per page at 3rd level, +3 for 15 gp per page at 4th level, +4 for 20 gp per page at 6th level, and so on). The inscribing wizard can will their animated writing to stop, at which point the Spellcraft DC to copy a spell from another’s spellbook returns to normal (DC 15 + spell level).
Designer’s Note: This ability is entirely flavorful for wizards who like to keep their spell repertoire closely guarded (even more than they already guard their spellbooks).
Wu Jen
The wu jen has thirteen dead levels, but gains new spells at every level (which can be considered special abilities in their own right). Similar to wizards, wu jens use the same mechanic of recording spells into a spellbook (with largely similar spell lists), and can therefore prepare for any situation with enough foresight and planning. Although wu jens eventually master a single element, they are not restricted from casting the spells of other elements. Elemental mastery did, however, inform their second dead level ability.
Intuitive Spirit: At 2nd level, the watchful spirit that looks out for the wu jen also helps provide expertise. Choose one Knowledge skill. Once per day, when making a skill check with this Knowledge skill, a wu jen can reroll their skill check before any information is disclosed. The wu jen takes the better of the two rolls. At 4th level, this reroll can also be used to decipher or identify anything with a Spellcraft check, but not learn or prepare spells. At 5th level, this reroll can also be used to avoid distraction from nonmagical motion or weather with a Concentration check, but not from damage or grappling.
Elemental Bond (Ex): Starting at 7th level, a wu jen can recognize the material, somatic, and verbal component of any spell from their elemental mastery list (including spells that are designated as “all”). The wu jen gains a +1 bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify these spells being cast by another creature. See Spellcraft on pg. 82 of the Player’s Handbook. This bonus increases by +1 at 8th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 19th, and 20th level.
Designer’s Note: Intuitive spirit was an effort to incorporate the watchful spirit idea of the wu jen more. Elemental bond, combined with maximum Spellcraft ranks, can make wu jens exceedingly good at counterspelling elemental mastery spells, but this is offset by the fact that wu jens do not cast spontaneously, preparing all of their spells ahead of time.
by:
Ternal