D&D 3.5 Scifi RP/Coreworlds Bound (Turn 1/20)
We used the world up. We went out into the black-in new, powerful ships of steel and ceramic, on rocket powered wings and solar sails. We made new worlds...Elves, Men and Dwarves-different, but the same. We still never learned a thing. Our troubles followed us to the stars.
We still need heroes.
But, no one was born a Hero-they are made, typically by the times. This is where you are...just another Freelancer, working for for Pelacorp-guarding the freighter caravans as they make the dangerous journey through the mid-rim to the gleaming core worlds-where rest and luxury await, safety and plenty-and your paycheck. But...even a few barrels of food are likely to attract trouble, these days. Plenty enough for you to handle, hopefully. You've just got to get there, first.Method of play: Roll 20.net
Method of chargen: 36 Point Buy, Starting Level 1, Max HP+10 (Feat)
WBL: 1500 'Gold Credit' or 'GC' ((which is the same as gold))
Concept: Essentially D&D 3.5 in SPACE!
Just make a level 1 character using the standard D&D 3.5 rules, as modified by the houserules below. But keep in mind-you're designing both a character and his or her personal spacecraft-INT, CHA and WIS are more likely to be your own personal skills whilst STR, CON and DEX are more related to your ship. Most combat rules are unchanged-but nearly everything is fluffed differently. Greatswords are now powerful missile weapons you install on your ship instead of 'wielding', for example. This is a fairly experimental idea, so first just make a LV.1 character, changing nothing-and we'll start jury rigging everything from there. Note, this game is going to be heavy on RP to make up for (in my opinion) fairly simple combat system. Lore exists as we write it-this is a D&D future, where Orc Warlords pilot battlecruisers and Kobold snub fighters swarm from derelicts to attack the unwary, so design accordingly! When designing a char, also design what sort of craft they are flying.
House rules:
Combat takes place three 'ranges'-Close, Medium and Far. When battling, both sides place themselves in this way, each with their own sides-battles with multiple sides will have multiple fields. Close vs Close is melee to melee-standard range. Medium is considered bow range, and can hit up to three ranges afar-which is medium on the other side-moving forward or back obviously changes this. Long range is typically the point where you can escape the fight, and few weapons reach this far-though if they do, they can affect the entire field. Passing into or out of a range (enemy ships can occupy the same zone) forces an attack of opportunity-as would firing a long ranged weapon in close proximity.
Heavy crossbows (including their repeating forms) have their base damage die increased by one step. As this is a modification to the base item, it stacks with any other effects of that type.
Crossbows can be made to utilize the user's Strength bonus by mechanisms that provide more resistance, and recoil when fired that requires a stronger user in order to utilize properly. This otherwise works just like composite bows, including the +75 (light) or +100 (heavy) gold per + of strength bonus on the 'pull'.
Crossbows, but not bows can ignore a number of points of armor or natural armor bonus equal to the strength bonus of the crossbow or the strength bonus of the wielder, whichever is the lower. Crossbows do not bypass AC that is not armor or natural armor, and if the target has less armor or natural armor than you have penetrating power the remainder has no effect. Yes, this does effectively give you Str and Dex to hit with a crossbow against armored foes.
Composite bows and crossbows can have their pull increased, but not decreased by a skilled bowyer. This requires materials of a total cost of the price difference between the current and the new item + 50 gold, 1 hour of time, and a successful Craft (bowyer) check made at the end of this process. The DC on this skill check is 10 + the new composite bonus of the bow + 2 if the bow or crossbow is an exotic weapon. Failing this check requires the bowyer to restart the hour long process from the beginning but their materials remain intact. Failing by 5 or more ruins the materials but does not harm the bow or crossbow. Yes, the DC is intentionally low. That's because...
A new wondrous item exists in the form of the Sniper's Bowstring. Despite its name, it also works fine with any crossbow, including magical bows and crossbows. Any bow or crossbow fitted with a Sniper's Bowstring automatically counts as composite adjusted to their current Strength score. Its market value is 1,000 gold and can be crafted by anyone with a CL of 3, Craft Wondrous Item, and Bull's Strength.
Conjuration (calling) effects no longer exist. If this is the entire purpose of the spell or item (Planar Ally, Planar Binding, etc) those spells do not exist. If the spell or item has other functions (Gate, Candle of Invocation, etc), it still has them but can no longer call creatures. Conjuration (summoning) effects are unaffected. If the entire point of a prestige class is summoning a perma minion, that's fine.
Shapechange no longer exists. Alter Self and Polymorph...probably don't exist.
The Celerity line of spells no longer exist.
Mordenkainen's (Game) Disjunction no longer exists. If you want to turn off enemy magic items, use a Chain Dispel. Then you don't destroy your own loot.
Magic Vestment and Barkskin now gives a bonus of +1 per 2 CLs, rounded down, minimum +1 and maximum +8. Shield of Faith now gives a bonus of +2, +1 per 3 CLs rounded down, max 8. Greater Magic Weapon remains unchanged, but if you prepare any of these spells in a slot 4 levels higher than the spell is for you or cast them spontaneously out of a slot 4 levels higher you can instead cast a Mass version of that type, targeting up to one target (people for Barkskin and Shield of Faith, armor or shields for Magic Vestment, weapons for Greater Magic Weapon) per caster level within 30 feet. The exceptions are Rangers and Barkskin, who can cast a mass Barkskin out of a 4th level spell slot and Artificers, who can cast a Mass Greater Magic Weapon out of a 6th level infusion slot.
Anyone who would normally have 2 + Int skills instead has 4 + Int skills. Those that already have 4 or more skill points per level remain unchanged.
The following skills have been combined: Balance and Tumble = Acrobatics (Dex). Handle Animal and Ride = Animal Affinity (Wis). Climb, Jump, and Swim = Athletics (Str). Listen and Spot = Notice (Wis). Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate = Persuasion (Cha). Hide and Move Silently = Stealth (Dex). Disable Device, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand = Thievery (Dex). Decipher Script and Forgery = Wordsmithing (Int). In addition Use Rope is now a function of Escape Artist and Survival is a function of Knowledge (nature).
Untrained Knowledge skills can reveal information with a DC higher than 10. Of course you're still untrained, so don't expect miracles here.
When using the Craft skill to create a non magical item, determine the time it will take to complete the item using the formula for magic items (1,000 gold/day) instead of the existing formula. If this would result in a time of less than 1 day instead use the following formula: Less than 50 gold = 1 hour, 51-250 gold = 2 hours, every 125 gold or fraction thereof = +1 hour. Yes, this does mean you can make most mundane gear rather quickly. Good for you.
Permanent increases to Intelligence provide retroactive skill points. Temporary increases to Intelligence do not grant additional skills.
Feats:
All characters with a feat called 'Heroic Durability'-increasing starting hitpoints by 10.
Some feats have been rendered unnecessary or less useful. See other sections for details.
The Weapon Focus line automatically scales with HD. At 4 you are considered to have Weapon Specialization for all purposes, at 8 Greater Weapon Focus, and at 12 Greater Weapon Specialization. Note that it does not matter what class those levels are in. And yes, that does include monsters. All of these extra feats apply to the same weapon type as the original, which must be acquired normally. In addition this line of feats applies to a category of weapons rather than a single type chosen from the following list: Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing. You can still take Weapon Focus more than once, but it must apply to a different category each time.
The Toughness feat grants 3 + HD HP, and cannot be taken more than once.
Improved Toughness grants 3 + HD HP, requires Toughness and a base Fortitude save of +2, and can still only be taken once.
Metamagic cost reducers cannot reduce the cost of any given metamagic below 1 or by more than 1. Thus Extend Spell cannot be reduced below a +1 spell level metamagic, Empower Spell cannot be reduced below a +1 spell metamagic, and Maximize cannot be reduced below a +2 spell metamagic. Metamagic rods and Sudden Metamagic feats still work normally. Divine Metamagic also works normally, however Nightsticks are considered to grant the Extra Turning feat and the Extra Turning feat no longer stacks with itself. Thus, more than one Nightstick is pointless. In addition Divine Metamagic can only be fueled by Turn Undead, and not any other Turn abilities you might have.
Improved Two Weapon Fighting and Greater Two Weapon Fighting no longer exist.
Two Weapon Fighting grants you a number of offhand attacks equal to the number of main hand attacks you are entitled to, and does not impose additional to hit penalties for a one handed weapon in the off hand. It also no longer has any prerequisites. Happy birthday.
Two Weapon Defense provides an Insight bonus to AC equal to the number of mainhand attacks you can make derived from BAB.
A third feat exists in the Two Weapon Fighting line called Two Weapon Parry. It requires both of the previous feats and a BAB of 11. With it you can 'hold' a pair of attacks from Two Weapon Fighting, and use those attacks as an Immediate action against an attack made on you. This pair of attacks can either be your primary pair or one of your secondary pairs. If either of your attack rolls are higher than the attack roll of the attack, the attack is parried and does not harm you. If both attack rolls are higher, the attack is parried and if the attack rolls are also sufficient to hit the enemy's AC + 4, you hit them normally with your attacks. If neither are higher, the parry fails and the attack is resolved normally. You must choose to use your stored Parry before learning the result of the attack roll. Parries not used by the start of your next turn are lost.
Improved Trip no longer requires Combat Expertise.
Improved Critical and Keen stack. Happy birthday. In addition Improved Critical applies to a category of weapons rather than a single type chosen from the following list: Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing.
Improved Sunder, and anything else relating to breaking magic items no longer exists. You can still tunnel through dungeons with your adamantine greatsword if you want, but the gods will smite you if you think about breaking that shiny magic sword. Just kidding, but seriously. Don't be a Sundertard. Not all of these effects are feat related, but the ones that aren't also do not exist. If they were needed somewhere as a prerequisite... well now you don't need them. Enjoy using your feats to actually help yourself.
Any of the feats that give +2 to 2 different skills no longer exist. If they were needed somewhere as a prerequisite, now you don't.
All three of the feats that give +2 to a save still do, except that if your base save bonus of that type is at least +6 you also no longer auto fail saves of that type on a natural 1. You must still actually roll high enough to save normally. If your base save bonus of that type is at least +12 you gain the following additional effect: Fortitude/Will: Mettle. Reflex: Evasion. If you already have these abilities for any reason you instead get a 1/day reroll on a failed save of that type. You must choose to use it after you know you failed the save, but before knowing what the result of doing so is. If the reroll is worse than the original roll, well too bad.
Monks are proficient with their own bodies (finally! They still fail though). They are also automatically proficient with gauntlets, which are considered a Monk weapon and do the listed damage or their unarmed strike damage, whichever is the greater.
Craft feats no longer grant a discount on the gold cost of an item, and no longer have an XP cost. They still cost the usual amount of time, but are granted automatically to anyone with a sufficient caster level.
Items:
WBL has been increased by 50%. This also means enemies will have 50% more treasure (and use that treasure against you). Beware!
Keen and Improved Critical stack. A winner is you.
Burst type effects (elemental burst, holy burst, etc) have the burst aspect of their damage doubled. The basic on hit damage remains unchanged.
Magic armor, magic shields, enhancement bonus to natural armor items, and deflection bonus to AC items have the cost of said properties cut in half. Thus armor and shields are 500 * bonus squared and natural armor and deflection items are 1,000 bonus squared. Magic weapons keep the same cost.
The maximum enhancement bonus possible on such items is now +8, not +5. Magic armor and shields can still only have up to +9 worth of special properties in total. Magic weapons keep the same limitations.
There is no such thing as Dust of Sneezing and Choking. The Thought Bottles swallowed it all, before they were also erased from existence.
Monks suck a barrel of cocks. But if you really want to play one anyways, gauntlets are considered an unarmed strike and can be enchanted the same as any other weapon.
The following items do not exist: All of those minor SR items in the DMG, the Brilliant Energy weapon property (it's just bad), and all those shitty named items in the DMG (It's a trap!).
Vorpal now triggers on a critical hit, not just on a natural 20. Yes, I am aware that lets a fool with IC: Slashing and a Keen Vorpal slashing weapon behead people 45% of the time or so. It's a fucking +5 enchantment, it needs less fail and more awesome. To dual wield with it you need two such weapons, at a minimum cost of 196,000 gold. Also Vorpal was errataed so Death Ward blocks it, and if some dumbass is running around without Death Ward at these levels they deserve what's coming to them. This also makes Heavy Fort block it. See previous comment.
The Bane weapon enchantment also bypasses all damage reduction by creatures of that type, even if you could not normally bypass that type of damage reduction with that type of attack and even if that type of damage reduction normally cannot be bypassed at all! Now non Artificers might actually use it!
Any weapon labeled as 'finesseable' will allow you to use your Dexterity for attack and damage instead of your Strength if you so choose.
General changes:
* Alignment is now relative, and alignment restrictions are no longer enforced.
Everyone gets maximum HP per HD.
There is no such thing as multiclass penalties.
Fractional BAB is in effect.
Fractional saves are in effect, but you can get the first level bonus more than once.
Iterative attacks from Base Attack Bonus have a penalty of -5, non stacking. Yes, this does mean a 20th level Warblade swings at +20/+15/+15/+15. This penalty can be further reduced with feats.
Full attacks are a Standard action. You still need Pounce in order to benefit from charge based effects on a full attack.
If you have at least 1 BAB, you can Power Attack with any weapon you are proficient in and are treated as if you have the Power Attack feat without actually taking it. Yes, this does include ranged weapons. Call it a Headshot. Also see feat section.
If you have at least 1 BAB, you can Point Blank Shot with any ranged weapon you are proficient in and are treated as if you have the Point Blank Shot feat without actually taking it. Also see feat section.
If you have at least 4 BAB, you can Precise Shot with any ranged weapon you are proficient in and are treated as if you have the Point Blank Shot feat without actually taking it. Also see feat section.
You can become proficient with any weapon by training with it for (7 days - your BAB, minimum 1 day) and making an Int check. The DC is 5 for Simple weapons, 10 for Martial weapons, 15 for Exotic weapons. You cannot take 10 on this check. If this check fails you can try again from the beginning, but if it fails by 5 or more you cannot reattempt to learn that weapon until your BAB permanently improves.
You can become proficient with any armor by training with it for (14 days - your BAB + the armor bonus of the armor, minimum 1 day) and making an Int check. The DC is 7 + the armor bonus of the armor. You cannot take 10 on this check. If this check fails you can try again from the beginning, but if it fails by 5 or more you cannot reattempt to learn that armor until your BAB permanently improves. If the armor has other negative effects such as arcane spell failure or violates Druidic oath you still suffer those drawbacks.
Classes:
Barbarians gain DR x/- equal to their Con modifier or their Barbarian class level, whichever is lower. This is in addition to the DR x/- gained at level 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 and any DR x/- the Barbarian has from items.
Barbarians of level 11 or higher also have Mettle, but only while raging.
All Tier five classes recieve a point of free LA for every level they take, or it may be gestalted with a monster class.
Monks get full BAB. Not that that will stop them from failing.
Paladin Smite Evil can be used x times per encounter instead of per day and applies to any attacks made for one round, including AoOs. In addition if you Smite a target that is neither Good nor Evil the Smite still has half normal effect. Note the change to Smite also applies to any other Smite abilities with the target lines changed accordingly.
Paladins have good Will saves, and every six levels they can take a bonus feat from the following list: Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Iron Will. Before you laugh, keep in mind what those feats do now.
Rangers need not choose between ranged and melee. They get both the ranged line and the TWF line. If you're using some alternate Ranger progression it replaces one of these (your choice).
As ITWF and GTWF no longer exist, Rangers get Two Weapon Defense and Two Weapon Parry at levels 6 and 11 instead. They still get Two Weapon Fighting at level 2.
Paladins and Rangers have full caster level. Their actual access to spells remains unchanged.
Paladin casting is now Charisma based. Happy birthday.
Ranger's Animal Companion progresses at the same rate as the Druid's.
Evoker Wizards, Warmages, and Sorcerers who have Evocation spells as at least a third of their total spells known do one additional damage per damage dice. This is applied before any multipliers, thus an Evoker Wizard 10 casting Fireball as a Standard action does 20d6+40. Such characters can also ignore a number of points of energy resistance on their targets equal to their caster level. This must be applied or not applied to all targets within the spell area and can be chosen at the time of casting.
Warmage Edge has its bonus cut in half, but it applies to each die. Minimum 1 point per die. Thus an 18 Int Warmage does an additional 2 damage per die. This ability, unlike the others is capped at your Warmage level, even if your caster level is higher for any reason. Thus a CL 20th Warmage who only actually has 15 levels of Warmage only applies the bonus to 15 dice.
Warlocks can Eldritch Blast as an attack action as long as it is your turn. Happy birthday.
There was a Hexblade fix around written by the creators. I can't find it, but it's in.
Tome of Battle classes, when using a maneuver that specifies they attack once and deliver the effect of the maneuver can full attack with the maneuver, but it will only be used on the first attack of the sequence or the first pair of attacks for those TWF maneuvers. If a maneuver does already allow you to full attack and gain the benefit on each swing you still do. Yes, this does mean Warblades can use a maneuver, then full attack and use a second maneuver while recovering both.
Swordsages get Adaptive Style as a bonus feat. It only applies to maneuvers learned from being a Swordsage. It otherwise functions exactly the same. Fuck you feat taxes.
~Damage Types
Bludgeoning=Beam Weapons
Piercing=Mass Drivers
Slashing=Missiles and Rockets
~Classes to Ships ((This is only a rough approximation. Consider your role and species))
Barbarian=Gunboat
Fighter=StarFighter
Cleric=Support Ship
Rouge=Interceptor
Paladin=Ship-of-the Line (Smite attacks become specialized weapons for battling other factions)
Wizard/Sorcerer='Technical' Ship (spells become technical abilities-think an ECM or Scanner/Electronic warfare craft)
Ranger=Scout
Monk=No one will pick monk anyway...
Bard='Civilian' Freighter (think Milennium Falcon)
Druid=Bioship (Think Moira)
~Alignment ((this replaces the standard dictomy, but works similar in regards to alignment effects-you're only changing affecting a morality versus affecting a general style technology and your allegiences. Also, you can only pick one if you like-note the different types. You can get a general idea of the factions ideal by the quote.))
Good=White Star (The Free Worlds)
Evil=Beastcraft (The Devouring Armada)
Law=Imperial (The Iron Throne)
Chaos=Wildespace (No Gods, No Kings)
Lawful Good=Alliance (United we Stand)
Lawful Evil=Hellmarch (Kneel before us)
Chaotic Good=Confederacy (Our cause is just)
Chaotic Evil=Reaver (Everything Burns)
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Topic: D&D 3.5-Scifi/Coreward Bound (Sign-ups and Character Creations-3 Spots remain) (Read 8100 times)