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[Solifuge]

   Hmm, the feats seem balanced so it should work. I am basing my below statement on the assumption that 1. Con bonus boosts hp and 2. DR is damage reduction in a form similiar to 3.5 so if either of those assumptions are wrong I probably am as well
   One thing that is important to note though is that depending on how stat generation works thick skin could be considered overpowered unless you mean something other then damage reduction as in DR. If you use point buy then every tank will take it hands down and when something is that clear cut its more of a fake choice.

One quick question, from my understanding you are using pathfinder, how closely are you following it and how different is what your using from 3.5?

I'm deviating from both in the letter of the rules, though I'm doing my best to keep to the spirit of them. For instance, these feats are simplified and sometimes more general forms of vanilla 3.5/Pathfinder Class Feats. Take "Rapid Strike", for instance; it's mechanically the same as Rapid Shot and Flurry of Blows, just without the weapon type limiters. I don't see the sense in having 2 feats for the same thing, and see no harm in making them a bit more versatile, since the -2 penalty is a self-balancing measure. Similarly, "Canny Defense" is a feat form of the Monk's AC Bonus, made to fit 2 archetypes; the Int-based Swashbuckler or Battlemage, and the Wis-based Monk or Ranger.

[Akhier the Dragon hearted]

   Rapid strike is a 2 feat penalty to my min maxing mind but yes I agree with what you have done with the rapid nonsense. I can understand why D&D set it up as such but it ends up just being annoying. One thing I might suggest is allowing it to be taken multiple times and having it power up like the monks flurry of blows ability though that could be overpowered as the monks ability is only meant to be used at close range with a limited number of tools that they clumped under the title of special monk weapons.

[Kadzar]

So, looking at the Adept, I'm guessing magic is going to be skill-based. Is that correct?

[Solifuge]

That's the current plan, though I have 3 different implementations I'm sorting between right now.

The most developed one uses a Power Point system like Psionics, which creates a generic pool of points to use in Ki Powers, Spellcasting, and possibly Energy Channeling and Bardic Performance too. These abilities require certain Feats to unlock, and subsequent feats unlock higher circles of spell effects as well. I'm also considering having feats that allow you to take certain vows, which increase your point pool.

It's still up in the air, though.

[Akhier the Dragon hearted]

   If your going with a point based system over a vancian magic system you will need to find a way to balance the spells a character gets. Just like sorcerers are balanced by having fewer known spells but more castings of whatever they want a point based magic system will need even stricter control of spells known.

Edit: It seems like you might want to take a look at how GURPS does its magic system. I just took a look at the 4th edition GURPS Magic book and it seems to have an interesting take on spells as skills though you would probably have to tweak some things if you do use it in some form though even if you don't a quick look will probably give you some ideas.

[Solifuge]

Mechanics - Character Reputation:



Effects of Reputation:
Reputations are what your character is known for, and they affect social skill checks when relevant. A famed philosopher might have a reputation for being Wise, which inspires confidence in her opinions. A notable pirate might have a reputation as Captain Blackheart, which earns him respect among pirates, and fear among the common folk. These reputations also have a number of points invested in them, which relates to the strength of this reputation, and how much it affects your social skills. In game, these might look like "Wise: 2" or "Captain Blackheart: 3", where the number of points invested in the reputation determines the bonus or penalty to skill checks the GM determines are relevant.

When deciding on a reputation for your character, remember that reputations should also be generally beneficial, though they might work against you in specific situations. If "Captain Blackheart" was trying to intimidate some merchants into surrendering their goods, his reputation would help with his intimidation attempts. If he was trying to convince port authorities at a lawful trading post to let him dock and sell his "legitimate trade-goods", it might work against him. The effects of multiple reputations can stack where appropriate. Depending on the situation, a positive reputation may soften a bad one, while a negative reputation can sour a good one as well.

Reputation doesn't apply to every situation. If you're in a situation where your identity is hidden, or your reputation is unknown to those around you, it won't affect your social skills for better or for worse. Reputation generally only applies to social skill checks, not task-related checks. For example, it will not affect your bluff check to feint when attacking, but if an opponent in combat is familiar with a fearful reputation you have, it may influence in-combat Intimidation checks against them.

Gaining and Losing Reputation:
The reputation of your character grows as they increase in level, symbolizing their growing renown. They gain new Reputation Points that can be spent to increase their existing reputation, or put toward a new one. Most characters have only have one reputation, symbolizing what they're best known for, but they may take multiple reputations if they so choose. Though you can suggest any reputations for your character, the GM has the final say in whether it is appropriate for their actions. At level 2, you gain your first point of Reputation. You gain an additional point at 4th level, and every 2 levels thereafter:

Level   | Reputation
1       | -
2       | 1 point
3       | -
4       | 2 points
5       | -
6       | 3 points

Major events can also influence a character's reputation. For example, a character known for being Brave is challenged to a public first-blood duel by one of their rivals. The character learns that their rival has laid a trap meant to kill them during the duel, and decides not to show up. As a result, the GM decides that this wasn't in keeping with their reputation, and the character loses a point from their Brave reputation. They may spend that lost point on a new appropriate reputation, such as Cautious, or keep the point free for later. Reputation changes can be suggested by players after major events, but as usual the GM must approve these changes.

Reputation Examples:
Reputations may be general or specific. Here are a few examples of more general reputations:
ex. Ambitious, Beautiful, Bold, Carouser, Clever, Dedicated, Dependable, Well-Educated, Fanatical, Fierce, Generous, Hard Worker, Heroic, Honest, Honourable, Indomitable, Loyal, Stubborn, Tough, Vengeful.

Specific Reputations might relate to a persona your character has created, or be an element from their background that became public knowledge:
ex. Desert Rose, Nature's Guardian, Old Ironclad, Spymaster, Wild Girl.

[Akhier the Dragon hearted]

   That is an interesting system though I feel I would probably end up with a heap of level 1 specifics so I could have a really long and interesting name, even my forum name shows this somewhat though I have went away from being called Akhier the Dragon Hearted which would infer closeness to dragons to Akhier Dragonheart which is more of a normal first name last name setup. Come to think of it I would probably use Akhier for my characters name and have the Dragon Hearted be his first level reputation.

[Solifuge]

Added a complicated supernatural power, which grants familiar-like Animal Companions. The flavor and design is based on the Skinchangers from "Song of Ice and Fire". I might eventually break it up into multiple feats, but for now this is how it works:

Feral Bond (Supernatural):
You have the ability to form a psychic connection with a wild creature, which will serve you loyally as an Animal Companion.

Gaining an Animal Companion:
In order to form a Feral Bond with a creature, the creature must be of the Animal subtype, must have an attitude of Indifferent or better toward you, and must be of equal or lower level than you. To bind an animal to you requires a Standard Action; you must first touch the target animal, which may attempt a Will save (DC 10 + your Character Level + your Charisma Modifier) to resist. The DC is increased by +2 if it's attitude is Friendly, and by +4 if it is Helpful.

If it succeeds in resisting, you cannot attempt another Feral Bond with that animal for 24 hours. Since the animal can sense your intentions during the attempt, it may feel agitated or threatened after a failed Bond, causing its attitude to worsen. If it does not resist, the animal immediately becomes bound to you as an Animal Companion. You can have more than one Animal Companion, but their combined total levels cannot exceed your Character Level; if the level of a new companion would increase this beyond your level, the attempt to form a Bond will fail.

Controlling Animal Companions:
After a Bond is formed, you may direct your Animal Companions as normal using the Handle Animal skill, but as a Free Action instead of a Standard Action. Additionally, you may reach out to one of your Animal Companions within 1 mile, mentally possessing them as a Full-Round Action. This allows you to share their senses, understand their emotional state, and directly control their actions for the round. You may maintain this connection as long as you like, though it still requires a Full-Round Action each round. The effect ends immediately if you and the Companion are more than 1 mile apart, and you may only use this ability on one companion at a time.

When possessing an Animal Companion, you lose the ability to sense with your own body. Pain and other strong sensations may still be distantly felt, as though through from a dream or memory. If you or the Companion you are posessing are injured or subjected to sufficient shock, you must succeed at a Concentration Check or immediately end the posession effect. See Table: Concentration Check DCs for difficulty; treat the Spell Level as 0, and add your Charisma Modifier for the check.

Losing an Animal Companion:
The death of an Animal Companion is a traumatic experience. Should a companion you're Bonded with die, you must immediately attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC 15 + Companion Level), or suffer 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per level of the Animal Companion. Failure by 5 or more renders you Staggered, and any other animal companions bound to you Confused, for 1 round, +1 round for every additional 5 points you failed by.

Animal Companions and Leveling:
Over time, your Bond can empower your Companions as well. Whenever you gain a level (or gain a feat, if at maximum level), you may elect to increase the level of any of your current Companions, or wait to form a link with a new animal. You can increase their level by any ammount, so long as the combined levels of your Companions doesn't exceed your Character Level. These levels cannot be changed once assigned, but you recoup any levels invested in an Animal Companion 24 hours after they are released from the Bond or slain.

For example: a 4th level character can have a 3rd-level Wolf and a 1st-level Hawk as Animal Companions. If the Wolf should die in combat, they can form a new Bond with three 1st level Companions, one 2nd and one 1st level Companion, or a single 3rd level Companion after 24 hours.

[Kadzar]

Would it be possible to have an Extraordinary version of this, something without a psychic bond and possession ability?

[Solifuge]

Well, you can always do it the mundane way and buy an animal (or raise one from youth), and use the Handle Animal skill to tame and train it. This requires no feats, only money, skill, and perseverance. There's no arbitrary level limit on this (you could lead a whole pack of tame dogs, or have a highly-trained and armored warhorse), but they don't gain the empathic bond and are nothing more than trained animals. Still, this is what the average person does, and is the method the Exemplarate would approve of.

Feral Bond is for people who want a wizardly Familiar, or level-scaling Animal Companion, which acts as an extension of their character. Also for those who don't care if Magick is taboo.

[Akhier the Dragon hearted]

   Maybe if you split it into multiple feats you can split it into something like what Kadzar seems to want. The first level of it could just be the bonding with animals and gaining the ability to command them as a free action. Its a good starting point and would be enough for some people. The current setup you have is not really that good for someone that just wants a special animal companion without any magic nonsense. Also there should be some kind of bonus to your handle animal checks with bound animals, maybe a certain bonus that is spread as you want between all of them so you could have a single loyal dog who would do whatever you wanted or a pack of dogs who simply follow you everywhere.

[Kadzar]

Yeah, it's also good for a paladin or cavalier-type character to not have their mount shot from beneath them mid-charge from a high-level spell.

[Solifuge]

Player death shouldn't be the only form of loss in a campaign. Theft of items, the death of a henchmen or loyal pet, the loss of prestige and respect after being publicly shamed... the PCs should be immune to none of it. I see nothing wrong with having their mount be shot and killed. All I see there is plot hook, a cue for character growth, and a reason to seek revenge, especially if they raised the mount themselves. It's a risk that taking a pet into battle all the time carries.

Besides, I want to differentiate Animal Companions from normal pets, and think making them a bit like familiars helps that. Having one should carry a cost, in exchange for the benefit of doubling your effective actions per round... much as their is a cost for Spellcasting, a cost for Raging, etc. Moreover, there's a perfectly robust Animal Handling system in game which few people ever use because they can just get an Animal Companion... which seems silly to me.

[Akhier the Dragon hearted]

   Huh, I guess I did not mention but I wanted the loss from a bonded familiar to stay. Also I think we hit the point that is different between Kadzars want and what you presented. You want a magical animal companion which is more like a familiar, while what Kadzar wants is more like a druids animal companion.

[Solifuge]

I do like the idea of having the lite version of this allow you to use Handle Animal as a free action... and MAYBE letting the animal level with you. Beyond that it would be a normal hunting dog, hawk, horse, gryphon, or or so on. The higher level one lets you empathically bond with it, command multiple, etc. etc.

Still requires some thinking.