Class Rebalance
This section begins with a numerical evaluation of each of the eleven core classes' basic chassis. Hit dice, ability score increases, feats, BAB progression, save progressions, skill points, spellcasting ability, and class features are each assigned a point value and summed up to get the chassis value of each class. Simple numerical increases like Trap Sense +1 becoming Trap Sense +2 are not counted, nor are extra uses per day of a given ability. An exception to the former rule is made for class features which are 'core' to the class in question. Sneak Attack is mentioned as an example, I assume something like Favored Enemy to be another. Some notes:
For starters, this obviously assumes that all class features are created equal. They're not, but they do come closer in Core than anywhere else with the obvious exception of the Druid.
Spellcasting is valued differently from other class features. This is good. Its comparative value is measured by the total number of spell levels a class gets and the maximum spell level it gets. This fails to take into account the vesatility of prepared casters and ends up putting the Sorcerer above the Cleric, Druid, and Wizard in terms of spellcasting ability.
BAB progression includes a base value for the progression quality (Good/Medium/Poor) and a flat extra value for each iterative attack. The text notes that iteratives are included so that PCs and monsters can be better compared, because monsters usually use natural weapons and thus don't get iteratives. This is true, but it seems to fail to take into account the fact that many monsters instead get multiple natural attacks, which have a better attack bonus than iteratives.
The first thing I did was check if the Barbarian's Illiteracy was counted as a class feature. It is not.
A look at the comparison table of the core classes according to their ranking system reveals some interesting results. Druid is at the top, followed by Cleric, Sorcerer, and Wizard in that order. After that, again in order, are Monk, Ranger, Bard, Barbarian, Paladin, Rogue, Fighter.
Apart from the outlier of the Monk being judged unfairly high due to its saves and glut of class features, as well as the Sorcerer being put above the wizard due to the extra spell slots, this is surprisingly close to the ballpark for a system that judges the classes based on a point buy.
A number of changes are made to classes as conclusions of this. Since most of these concern, well, classes, we'll discuss them in more depth when treating the chapter about classes, because then they'll be OGL and now they're not. In summary: Classes whose skill points are deemed too low are brought up; the same applies to hit dice; all classes get two Good saves and one Poor save, and you get to choose which ones those are; Spellcasting is standardized onto a single progression that all spellcasting classes work from (including Paladins and Rangers). Regarding class features, the text only claims they "brought down the peak and boosted the bottom".
My thoughts: Most of this is hard to evaluate without seeing the classes themselves. There's a number of passive boosts that benefit most classes, but in any case they're just changes to the chassis for now, not the class features themselves. The spellcasting changes are treated in detail in this chapter and the next two (also in the Magic chapter. It's as spread out and convoluted as it sounds).
Customizing Monsters
This is designated as a mechanics change and therefore highly recommended, but it isn't in and of itself much of a change. Rather, this section gives you a sort of recipe for customizing monsters by yourself using the Spine. It consists mostly of two tables and some text.
The first table assigns a range of fractional CR values to monster types based on their HD, BAB, saves, and miscellaneous traits. Miscellaneous traits here doesn't mean things like immunities, but refers to lack of ability scores. A lack of Int is a CR penalty, as is a lack of Con.
The second table is a huge and byzantine compilation of how CR will change if you mix and match HD sizes, saves, and BAB progression. For example, if I wanted to make an Aberration with d10 hit dice instead of d8, that would be an upwards change of +1/50 CR.
The ultimate point of this segment is to tell you in an excessively long-winded and convoluted way (with mathematical proof!) that changing a monster's base metrics while keeping its amount of HD and abilities constant probably won't change its CR significantly, so you can totally make a Dragon with d4 hit dice and not worry too much if you want.
The second but shorter part of the section is more substantial, telling you how to customize a monster with class levels. Rather than add an arbitrary amount of class levels on top of the monster, you leave the chassis alone and just slap on the class features of the class you want, then refer back to the table in the class rebalance chapter to figure out how much this changes the CR by. The example given is of a hill giant (12 d8 HD, medium BAB, good Fort save) with the abilities of a seventh-level Cleric. The statblock stays the same and it instead gets 7th-level Cleric spellcasting, Turn Undead, and two domains, and its CR changes from 7 to 10. Doing the same with 7 levels of Barbarian will result in only a +1 CR.
My thoughts: The first part is a lot of words for not a whole lot of value. The second part is more interesting and useful. It's not exactly a groundbreaking innovation, but it stands a good chance of being useful for people who go by the CR system. At the same time, it's somewhat simpler in application than just gestaling class levels onto a monster, as some people do.
Rest Mechanic
This mechanic is intended to deal with the 15-minute workday (or 10-minute adventuring day, as Trailblazer calls it). It's also nigh-impossible to sum up in vague terms without giving an inaccurate picture of the mechanics, so I'm going to lean heavily on Fair Use here.
Simply put, the mechanic takes a leaf from 4e and introduces a "rest period", defined as 10 in-game minutes of no more than conversation and light activity. A rest period does the following things:
-All per rest class features refresh. This includes all class features that were per day in core (spells work slightly differently).
-Characters heal half of their hit points.
-"Rote" spells are refreshed. This includes cantrips and any single-target spell with a duration counted in minutes or shorter.
-All ongoing spells on a character end, whether beneficial or harmful.
Additionally, for an action point (yes, kids, action points are a thing) you can do any of the following. It's not explicitly stated, but the implication is that the uses are separate and you can benefit from as many of them as you have points to spend, so if you want to heal up fully and get back your Teleport, that would cost two AP.
-You can heal up to full instead.
-You can refresh all "Restricted" spells, defined as any spell that's neither rote or ritual.
-You can refresh one "Ritual" spell per AP you spend, defined as spells with an XP cost, the "big three gamebreakers" Divination/Commune, Raise Dead, and Teleport (as well as, presumably, similar spells), and other spells that the DM deems fit to include in this category which might prove disruptive with overuse (examples given are anything that creates permanent resources and anything that works on an enemy with no attack roll or save).
In any case, everything refreshes as normal at the normal pace as well, so the regular 8-hour rest stays untouched.
The reasoning behind the introduction of this rest period is twofold: When exploring a largely static area, it means that you only have to handwave ten minutes of the PC resting rather than handwaving a whole day of the PCs trekking back to town, resting, and possibly getting up to stuff that has nothing to do with the adventure. When exploring a living and responsive area, it means that the DM only needs to figure out what the environment is doing in those ten minutes rather than for a whole day.
As a side note, the authors recommend using Wandering Monsters in order to force the PCs to seek out an actual safe area rather than dropping everything on the spot and resting there.
My thoughts: I have mixed feelings on this. It's something of a stealth boost for any classes that rely on abilities usable a fixed number of times per day (Paladin, Barbarian, etc). As an incidental effect, it nerfs Persistent buffs. They also happen to make things like Endure Elements rather useless as a side effect of the same.
At the same time, Rote spells are a lot more accessible and may, with proper use, be effectively at will, which also boosts casters. Refreshing Restricted and Ritual spells is somewhat trickier, given that action points are relatively sparse and very useful, but you still get them back after a regular rest in any case. Depending on a bunch of factors of the DM's style, this could end up being either a boost or a small to medium nerf to spellcasters.
Finally, the reasoning given for the introduction of the rest period gives us another look at Trailblazer's underlying assumptions. The authors are clearly working off the idea of a stereotypical dungeon crawl mode of gaming.
Iterative Attacks
What sticks out about this section is the reasoning for changing the iterative attack rules. Supposedly, it's not the number of attacks in a full attack that causes a slowdown, but the fact that each attack is made at a progressively lower bonus. Additionally, the Trailblazer team is of the opinion that PCs are supposed to hit monsters often, and for lots of damage, which is accomplished by the first and second iteratives, whereas the third and fourth often miss.
With those premises in mind, iterative attacks are changed at follows: At BAB +6, you get a second attack in a full attack at your full BAB, but both are made at a penalty. When you would get more iteratives at BAB +11 and +16, instead the penalty is reduced and eliminated, respectively.
According to undisclosed math, this method supposedly increases the damage dealt by martial characters against most monsters by up to 15% (against edge cases that you hit on a 3 or less or only on a 18 or more, damage will go down).
My thoughts: First of all, the idea that the increasing penalties are the problem is dubious, given that trivial measures such as keeping your sheet properly updated should cut most of the brainspace involved in calculating your bonus.
The change does equate iterative attacks with other "flurry" style abilities (Whirling Frenzy, Flurry of Blows, Rapid Shot), which is aesthetically pleasing.
It's possible that this rule is also intended to make moving+attacking vs. standing still and full attacking slightly less of a no-brainer. If that's the case, it doesn't do much in that direction.
If the math cited is accurate, that makes a nice stealth boost to martial classes. I'm tentatively willing to give the benefit of doubt given that Trailblazer's numbers so far seem to hold up within the framework of their premises. Whether the premises hold up is another matter, given that this community is generally used to making the third and fourth iteratives hit.
The rule does relieve some pressure on attack bonus to hit even at a large penalty on top of Power Attack, allowing that effort to go into some other area of competence. I'm inclined to count that as a plus, but at the level of optimization where it comes up, you will probably be in the space where damage goes down due to this rule.
A mixed bag, overall, though I like it for most games short of high-optimization games.
Next time: Action points. And, I finally get to show rather than tell!
