Author Topic: Threshold Index & General Discussion  (Read 4357 times)

Offline Stratovarius

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Threshold Index & General Discussion
« on: October 13, 2015, 03:05:40 PM »
This system is based around the idea of playing with the reality of things, as the Shadow Conjuration spells can do. It is very much a work in progress at this point, with only a skeleton of ideas in existence.

Rules
Threshold

Base Classes
Thresholder

Prestige Classes
None

Thresholds (Spells)
Thresholds

Feats
Feats

Races
Duskscale Pybyr

Magic Items & Artefacts
None

Monsters & Templates
None

Other
None
« Last Edit: December 21, 2020, 10:05:02 PM by Stratovarius »

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2015, 07:44:48 PM »
Mostly a note to myself (and anyone who wants to take a stab at things):
Shadows - Summons and summon boosts
Gaps - Counters and strikes
Phantasms - Buffs, changes in the world, illusionary terrain, storms, etc. Most AoEs.

Goals:
5 Thresholds at each type/level combination - so 5 level 1 gaps, 5 level 1 shadows, etc.
1 Base Class
5 Prestige classes

Once the basics are in place, I'll see about turning it into a full 3 base system.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2015, 07:14:24 AM by Stratovarius »

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2015, 08:55:07 PM »
Added a couple new shadow Thresholds, and ran the Shadowborn line out to IX.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2015, 11:02:31 AM »
Added 5 new shadow thresholds (level 2)

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2016, 11:12:01 AM »
Added 4 new shadow thresholds (level 3). 24 more to finish Thresholds. About 85 between Gaps and Phantasms. Blah.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2016, 07:18:32 PM »
Added 12 more thresholds (4, 5, 6). 12 to go to finish Thresholds.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2016, 02:38:20 PM »
New abilities for the Thresholder. And a new feat.

Beyond and Between (Su): A thresholder knows not only how to create magic from the interstices of the world, but also how to force himself into those cracks. Any of the following abilities can be activated as a move action, and cancelled as a move action. Duration is permanent until cancelled. See the table for which levels these are gained at.
  • Of Two Minds: The thresholder splits himself into two parts, neither quite as capable as the whole. When entering combat, you roll initiative twice. Once you know the results of your initiative roll, you designate one roll for your standard action, and one for your move action. You take your standard action on the init designated for it, and your move action on the init designated for it. You may not take full round actions. When you enter this ability, you must designate whether your swift action is paired with your move or your standard action. You may only use it on that initiative. If you enter this ability during combat, roll a second initiative and follow the procedure above. If you end this ability during combat, you take your whole turn on the lower of your two initiatives. 
  • Forked Life: Shifting some of his physical reality into a separate realm, the thresholder ignores much of the material world. He takes only 50% damage from any attacks, but can only use either a standard or a move action each turn.
  • Thoughts Asunder: By splitting his mind, he shrugs off much of attacks that would otherwise plague him. All spells, abilities, and effects that target the Thresholder and require Will saves have a 50% chance of failure (before the save or spell resistance). However, all of his mental ability modifiers are reduced by 50%, and he loses all access to the highest level of thresholds he knows.
  • Betwixt the Spells: Magic, too, can be put through the whims of the thresholder. All spells and spell-likes (and similar abilities like powers, necros, spellsong, etc.) have a 50% chance of not affecting the thresholder. However, all of his thresholds increase their casting action by one step (swift -> move, move -> standard, standard -> full round, etc.).
  • Upon a Crowned Head: A threshold can, of course, twist reality in another diration. All thresholds decrease their casting action by one step (full round -> standard, standard -> move, move -> swift, etc.). However, the thresholder takes double damage from all attacks.
Reality Twist [Threshold]
Prerequisites: Able to use 2nd level thresholds
Benefit: When you create a threshold, all creatures within a 5 ft radius have their reality halved or reduced by 25%, whichever is less (creatures and objects are normally at 100% reality). You can target your space (it does not affect you), adjacent to you, or in the space of or adjacent to your target (if any). The effect lasts for 1 round. The reality twist takes effect in conjunction with the threshold taking effect (not before or after). Any creature you summon with the threshold is immune to the effect.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2020, 07:44:11 AM »
Added four level 7 Shadow Thresholds, and two level 9 Shadow Thresholds.

Four level 8 and two level 9 thresholds to go to finish Shadows.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2020, 10:50:44 AM »
Finished all Shadows. 45 of the little buggers done.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2020, 04:26:56 PM »
Added 6 gaps.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2020, 03:55:09 PM »
Added 5 gaps.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #11 on: December 21, 2020, 10:08:57 AM »
Added 13 new Phantasms (finishing levels 1-3), and gave the Thresholder class features and threshold capacity limits. Everything's playable up until level 5 now (missing some feats, obv).

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #12 on: December 21, 2020, 02:59:20 PM »
5 new feats added

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2020, 10:06:44 PM »
A potential race for this system now added - Duskscale Pybyr

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2020, 12:43:47 PM »
4 new feats added.

(click to show/hide)

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #15 on: April 06, 2021, 10:05:46 AM »
More feats:

Enlarged Presence
Prerequisites: Able to use thresholds
Benefit: Reality is a funny thing, changeable at the whim of those who know it best. As an immediate action, you may increase your own reality by taking a penalty on your rolls. For every 10% you increase your reality, you take a -1 penalty to all dice rolls (including damage) and saving throw DCs of your thresholds and abilities. This benefit and reduction both remain until the end of your next round.

Upon a Whim
Prerequisites: Fade Away
Benefit: Whenever your personal reality is below 100%, you may choose to spend a move action to become incorporeal for one round.

Simply Not There
Prerequisites: Fade Away
Benefit: Whenever you are incorporeal, you can look through all natural walls and earth as if was transparent. Unnatural walls and obstacles, such as those created by magic, still prevent vision. This only provides line of sight, it does not grant line of effect.

Betwixt Worlds
Prerequisites: Able to use thresholds, Thresholder level 3rd
Benefit: Whenever your personal reality is below 100%, you gain concealment equal the amount it is below 100%. So a character with 80% reality would have 20% concealment.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #16 on: May 30, 2021, 10:58:35 AM »
Idea to save for later - Trifold, a class that switches between the three different types of gap to gain benefits.

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #17 on: June 01, 2021, 07:53:07 AM »
Five new gaps -

Defense Abated
Level: Gap 4
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Effect: 20-ft.-radius spread
Effect Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

Just because something is there one moment does not mean that it needs to be there the next. Affected creatures lose 5 damage resistance and spell resistance to all damage types for every 10% reality of this threshold. This does not affect immunities. This threshold is 30% real.

Destruction
Level: Gap 4
Casting Time: 1 move action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Target: One creature
Effect Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates, see text

What is there and not there become twisted and intertwined. Each round, the target loses access to one extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like ability, chosen randomly. It remains lost for one round and is restored at the beginning of the next round. Spellcasting and similar abilities are considered a valid ability for this threshold. The target gets a Fortitude save to resist for that round. For every 20% reality of this threshold, the target loses another ability for the round. This threshold is 20% real.

There and Not
Level: Gap 4
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Effect: 20-ft.-radius spread
Effect Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex partial, see text

Solid ground becomes a quagmire as parts of it appear and disappear, shimmering in and out of existence. A creature unable to levitate, fly, or otherwise free itself from the warped ground sinks until hip- or chest-deep, reducing its speed to 5 feet and causing a -2 penalty on attack rolls and AC. At 60% real, all creatures trapped in the mire in the area take 1d3 fire, 1d3 cold, and 1d3 negative energy damage per caster level. At 100% real, creatures in the area must save against the unreality affecting them, destroying their person entirely. A Reflex save negates this. This threshold is 30% real.

Uncaring Gate
Level: Gap 4
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Target: One creature
Effect Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

To a thresholder, every point is connected to every other. It just takes knowledge of how to walk the path that connects them. The thresholder can move one creature anywhere 10 ft. of their starting location for every 10% reality of this threshold. They do not generate AoO for movement of this sort, and the creature does not need to arrive in a safe location. If this was used in response to an attack, the attack has a 50% chance of failing. This threshold is 20% real.

World Afire
Level: Gap 9
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Personal
Area: 1 mile-radius spread/level
Effect Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half

The world tears, twisting and writhing as what is real and unreal merge and blend. All creatures in the area take 1d3 fire, 1d3 cold, and 1d3 negative energy damage per caster level. At 40% real, creatures that failed their save catch fire. At 70% real, creatures that failed their save are slowed for one round. At 100% real, creatures that failed their save take a -6 penalty to strength. This threshold is 20% real.

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #18 on: June 01, 2021, 01:37:27 PM »
Another five gaps -

Burning Shadow Shield
Level: Gap 5
Casting Time: 1 move action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Target: Self
Effect Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None

The nullity of the void surrounds the thresholder, promising unreality to those who would strike him. Any creature who strikes the thresholder in melee combat takes 1d4 fire, 1d4 cold, and 1d4 negative energy damage per caster level. At 40% real, the striking creature catches fire. At 70% real, the striking creature is slowed for one round. At 100% real, the striking creature takes a -6 penalty to strength. This threshold is 20% real.

Infusion of Burning Shadow
Level: Gap 5
Casting Time: 1 increase
Effects: Gap thresholds

Your gap threshold becomes 20% less real and any creature affected by the threshold takes 1d3 fire, 1d3 cold, and 1d3 negative energy damage per two caster levels.

Nothingness, Mass
Level: Gap 5
Casting Time: 1 swift action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Target: One creature/level, no two of which can be more than 60 ft. apart
Effect Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates

As per Nothingness, except as given above.

Nudge
Level: Gap 5
Casting Time: 1 increase
Effects: Gap thresholds

Any creature affected by the threshold is moved 5 ft for every 10% reality of the threshold in a direction of the thresholder's choice. This movement is considered a teleportation effect and does not generate attacks of opportunity.

Returned Message
Level: Gap 5
Casting Time: 1 immediate action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft. level)
Target: One spell, threshold, or similar
Effect Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None

The spell unravels as it approaches the thresholder, becoming tattered and spent. Moments later, it reforms headed towards the one who cast it originally. When used in response to the thresholder being the target of a spell, threshold, or similar, the affected spell does not affect the thresholder and instead rebounds on its caster. This can affect a spell whose level is equal to the reality percentage divided by 10. At 100% real, it affects all spells, thresholds, and similar that target the thresholder for the next round. This threshold is 40% real.

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Re: Threshold Index & General Discussion
« Reply #19 on: June 09, 2021, 11:13:10 PM »
Moved Thresholder, Threshold Feats, and the Threshold Rules into the Magics of Arhosa PDF. This included significant cleaning up and explaining of the thresholding rules (feats and the base class are untouched).