Author Topic: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime  (Read 308549 times)

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #40 on: May 10, 2012, 12:26:13 AM »
So, the Ethereal Plane is sort of another plane, except that it acts in almost no ways like a distinct plane, instead being a sort of parallel dimension to every other plane. It also gets confused a lot with just being incorporeal. So, in my ultimate revision of never going to happen, it won't actually be a distinct plane, instead being a, well, parallel dimension to every other plane.

Creatures on the ethereal dimension are considered Ethereal. Those that aren't are Material.
Similarly, Incorporeal vs. Corporeal will be made clear as being different (and, in fact, as being on an independent axis from Ethereal/Material). A Ghost, for example, goes from Ethereal Corporeal to Material Incorporeal when it manifests. Shadows are normally Material Incorporeal but become Ethereal Incorporeal when subject to an Ethereal Jaunt spell. And so on and so forth.

Ethereal being a status rather than a distinct plane means two things. One, you can't use Plane Shift to hop into the Ethereal Plane (since it no longer exists). Two, if you're Ethereal (or are temporarily Material but normally not), you're not extraplanar any more.

On a side note, if this change goes through, either all Etherealizing spells (and similar effects) will work the other way if you're already Ethereal, or there will be a new line of spells and abilities for Material jaunts and whatnot. Probably the former, not the latter.

Offline Braininthejar

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #41 on: May 10, 2012, 07:05:26 PM »
An Arcane archer with spell progression of his own (somewhat like assassin) and no casting requirements on entry, so that it can be used to upgrade archer characters rather than downgrade caster chars.

(someone has probably already done that?)

I did that.

Beats anything I could brew... (most importantly, its elegant in its simplicity - something I tend to have problems with) Any plans to expand the spell list as stated, or are you too busy with new stuff to come back to it?

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #42 on: May 10, 2012, 08:17:13 PM »
Thanks for the good words :)

The spell list is just what I picked out of the SRD. There are probably a couple other spells in there that fit. I haven't even touched any other books, so I'm sure there are plenty of spells in there that will work. So if I ever get any other books (lol) or feel like borrowing a copy of Spell Compendium, I might add some more if I think of it. But mostly I tend to forget about adding more to my old brew once I'm done with it, unfortunately. So I probably won't be changing it. Until then, you're welcome (and encouraged) to add spells from other sources to it if you use it.

Offline TravelLog

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #43 on: May 10, 2012, 08:34:30 PM »
The Enigma, a Gunslinger/Incarnate PrC. WIP.

Requires:
   Skills (3.5): Knowledge (the planes) 4 ranks, Spot 8 ranks, Tumble 2 ranks.
   Skills (PF): Acrobatics 1 rank, Knowledge (the planes) 2 ranks, Perception 5 ranks.
   Feat: Soul of Fortune
   Class Feature: Grit
   Class Feature: Deeds
   Class Feature: Nimble +1
   Meldshaping: Ability to bind a soulmeld to a chakra
   Meldshaping: Ability to shape at least 3 soulmelds

d8 HD, full BaB, good Will/Ref.

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New Feats:
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- Needs more deeds. I want to have about 5-8 to give out over the 10 class levels. Say, 1-2 each at levels 1, 4, 7, 10.
- Still need to fill out some of the firearm chakra binds.
- Wandering Soul needs to be finalized.
- Existing class features and deeds need levels assigned.
- Deep Midnight at High Noon. Not a clue what it does, but I have to have it. Probably a feat?
Terminology:
Cyan
Cerulean
Midnight
Indigo
Sapphire

I'm definitely a big fan of where this is headed. You're keeping things unique and interesting, and I really have nothing negative to say at this point, though I'll definitely be going back over everything once the class is finished.

One feature I'd like to see is generating some form of "Soul Bullets" rather than needing mundane ones. Maybe add a floating enhancement pool for bullet enhancements that scales over the course of the class.

Another of the things that struck me is that in addition to deeds, I think it'd be cool to see some unique Gunmelds that occupy either Hands, Arms, or Brow (or a combination) that grant unique and powerful abilities to your bullets.

Some possibilities:
  • Gunslinger's Eye: Gain a bonus to ranged attack rolls and see through illusions/invisibility, boost to Perception.
  • Bulletswarm Gauntlets: Ranged attacks are made as a cone, invest more essentia to increase area of affect.
  • Dimensional Barrel: Bullets are able to pass through force effects and strike ethereal creatures, as well as move through X feet of solid object, where X is (5 ft. times the amount of invested essential)

Just a few examples. But I thought it'd be cool.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #44 on: May 10, 2012, 10:46:51 PM »
Thanks for the feedback. Those sound like cool ideas. I could have sworn there was a deed already that let you shoot without needing bullets. Since there isn't, Cerulean Detonation will probably have that merged in. And I certainly hope to add some of those gunslinger-themed soulmelds.

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #45 on: May 16, 2012, 11:58:52 AM »
Thinking up a sort of magic-reading race that "sees" by looking at auras rather than light.

- Does not see light. Not considered blinded, though. Immune to blinding from light-based effects, although other forms of blinding (such as through the Blindness/Deafness spell) still affect them normally.
- Can get a general sense of environment, enough to move around and fight about as effectively as a sighted race. Specific details, such as written text, color, facial features, etc. are not sensed in any significant sense. Ignores the effects of illumination (or lack thereof).
- Permanent Arcane Sight-like sense of magical auras. CL equals HD. This also grants them a form of sight similar to blindsight that allows them to detect any creatures or objects with magical auras within sight. Mundanely hidden auras (such as through the Sleight of Hand and Hide skills) still require a successful Spot check to detect, although Xs have a +5 racial bonus on such checks.
- Individual Xs have unique or near-unique magical auras detectable with Detect Magic and similar effects, with a caster level of 0 and of the Universal school. Other races usually don't know the nuances to differentiate these auras between similar Xs, but those who become familiar with them can learn to recognize them.
- Xs have a -5 racial penalty on Disguise and Hide checks. The very concept of altering one's visual profile is foreign to them.
- Xs have a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks against creatures with spell-like or supernatural abilities, or with natural magical auras, but a -2 penalty against those without due to their inability to read body language. Sense motive checks have no bonus or penalty against creatures without innate magical auras but that have them temporarily due to spells or wearing magic items.
- Xs have a +2 racial bonus on Bluff checks. Much of their body language is expressed through fluctuations of their magical auras that other races don't detect. Their visual body language, meanwhile, is less expressed and often much more random regardless of the situation.
- Magic Aura as an SLA a few times per day (or maybe at will).

Written language still exists for Xs. They primarily use inks made from naturally-occurring magical fungi that have trace magical auras. X writing is difficult to read without seeing its magical aura (readers who know the language need a DC 15 Decipher Script check to read it, which can be done untrained and retried if failed; all other Decipher Script attempts have their DCs increased by 10).



Also, another unrelated thing.
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« Last Edit: May 16, 2012, 02:16:03 PM by Garryl »

Offline FireInTheSky

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #46 on: May 16, 2012, 09:07:47 PM »
I know someone who has a char that's part Radiance Elemental.  Among other things, one of the consequences is that her natural vision is flipped.  She can see the entire electromagnetic spectrum, except for the narrow band that humans normally see.  All infrared and longer wavelengths, and all ultra-violet and shorter wavelengths are visible to her.  She can also naturally see magical auras, and has taught herself to be able to read and understand them.  She can read a person's aura and "know" their alignment without having to spend a spell.  She doesn't need Detect Magic because she can just see it.  And if she wants to read something written mundanely, then she casts Faerie Fire on the document.

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #47 on: May 17, 2012, 09:57:48 AM »
Completed: http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=5372

Mage base class

Point-based, encounter/at will spellcaster. Psion meets Warlock meets Spirit Shaman, I guess.

Side note: Spirit Shamans also use retrieved spells. I've tried to make what few mechanics deal with retrieved spells compatible with them, too.

All about Mage spellcasting:
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Skill Points: 2+Int
Class Skills: Pretty much as Wizard
Proficiencies: Wizard

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Feats:
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Items:
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« Last Edit: June 10, 2016, 01:26:22 PM by Garryl »

Offline sirpercival

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #48 on: May 17, 2012, 10:09:01 AM »
Point-based, encounter/at will spellcaster. Psion meets Warlock meets spirit Shaman, I guess.

- Mage spells are arcane spells.
- A Mage has a pool of MP used to cast her spells, the size of which is based on her class level and her Intelligence modifier. A Mage regenerates a certain amount of MP each round based on her class level and Intelligence modifier. This regeneration can not grant a Mage more than her maximum MP at any one time. A Mage with MP in excess of her maximum loses half of the excess (rounded up) each round at the beginning of her turn.
- Casting a spell costs a certain amount of MP based on the level of the spell slot the spell would occupy after all modifiers (such as metamagic) have been considered.
- Casting a spell with a duration other than instantaneous impedes the Mage's ability to cast further spells. Her maximum MP is reduced by the spell's cost for as long as the spell remains in effect.
- All Mage spells are dismissible.
- Mages cast spells from the Sor/Wiz spell list.
- A Mage can have a limited number of spells retrieved at once, based on her class level. She can cast any of her retrieved spells spontaneously and at will as long as she can pay the MP cost. Retrieved spells must be retrieved in the form that they could be prepared (which mostly means with metamagic already applied). A Mage can change her retrieved spells with 15 minutes of study or meditation. A Mage can only select her retrieved spells from among the spells she knows.
- A Mage has a spellbook and learns spells as a Wizard. The highest level spell she can learn, retrieve, and cast as a Mage is based on her class level and her Intelligence score.

- Starting at 4th level, a Mage can dismiss her Mage spells as an immediate action. At 9th level, this improves to a free action (even if it is not her turn).
- Power Burn: At 6th level, a Mage can voluntarily take 1d6 points of damage as a free action to gain 1 MP, which can exceed her normal maximum MP. This ability can be used at will, even multiple times per turn. The damage caused by Power Burn cannot be shared, reduced, or prevented in any way, and ignores regeneration and temporary hit points.

I very much like this idea.  Questions: Is there a limit to what level spells can be cast?  Like, can you only spend X amount of MP on a given spell (like psionics)?  If it's instead a hard spell level cap, does that apply to metamagicked spells too?
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Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #49 on: May 17, 2012, 10:39:39 AM »
Still figuring out the details, and numbers are just off the top of my head. The most powerful spell castable (with metamagic and everything) will be limited by the effective spell slot it would occupy. So metamagicked spells will follow the same limits as if you were preparing them out of normal spell slots (eg: Quickened Fireball works like a 7th level spell for max level and cost, Extended Mage Armor is 2nd, etc.). I'll probably toss in some metamagic feats and metamagic reduction somewhere along the line.

Offline Braininthejar

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #50 on: May 21, 2012, 05:15:24 PM »
A series of special features for Sigil factions

(something alonge the lines : a free feat but with drawbacks)

for each faction - there were whole prestige classes for them but all turned out rather underwhelming

Offline sirpercival

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #51 on: May 21, 2012, 07:19:52 PM »
A series of special features for Sigil factions

(something alonge the lines : a free feat but with drawbacks)

for each faction - there were whole prestige classes for them but all turned out rather underwhelming

Should be affiliations instead.
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Offline sirpercival

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #52 on: May 21, 2012, 08:13:41 PM »
Conversion classes, which change your type.  2 levels each, require specific feats:

~Draconic Conversion requires Dragontouched (or dragonblood subtype) & Draconic Heritage feats
~Outsider Conversion requires Celestial or Infernal Heritage feats
~Fey Conversion requires Fey Heritage feats
~Aberrant Conversion requires Aberration Blood feats

All change your creature type to the relevant stuff, give you a couple unique abilities.

Maybe a secondary thing for Outsider to grant an alignment subtype.
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Offline Braininthejar

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #53 on: May 22, 2012, 08:29:42 AM »
Quote
Should be affiliations instead.

From what I remember, some factions gave actual supernatural abilities in 2nd edition. ( Like the Dustmen being so "separated from life" that they were ignored by undead. )

Offline sirpercival

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #54 on: May 22, 2012, 08:44:45 AM »
Quote
Should be affiliations instead.

From what I remember, some factions gave actual supernatural abilities in 2nd edition. ( Like the Dustmen being so "separated from life" that they were ignored by undead. )

So?  This seems like exactly the kind of thing that affiliations are designed for.
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Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #55 on: May 23, 2012, 10:39:40 AM »
New Wizard ACF: Sorcerer
Level: Wizard 1st
Replaces: Spellbook, Scribe Scroll
Benefits: You use Charisma instead of Intelligence to determine your spellcasting ability. You do not need a spellbook to prepare the Wizard spells you know, nor do you prepare your spells in advance. Instead, you cast your spells spontaneously. You gain 2 additional spell slots of each spell level you can cast. However, you cannot learn new spells from scrolls, spellbooks, or other sources, and the number of 1st level spells you know at 1st level is reduced to 3 (instead of 3 + your Intelligence modifier). You still learn 2 spells of your choice at each subsequent Wizard level, although this number cannot be increased by effects that modify the number of free spells you add to your spellbook each level, such as the Collegiate Wizard feat. Effects that generically add spells known, such as the Extra Spell feat, still function normally for you.
Special: If you choose to specialize, you cannot select Evocation as a banned school.


Fusion Spell [Metamagic]
Prerequisites: Quicken Spell, Repeat Spell, or Twin Spell.
Benefit: A fused spell contains two spells in one. When you apply this metamagic feat to a spell, choose another spell you know from the same spell list that could be cast from a spell slot 3 levels lower than the first spell's spell level. You may apply metamagic to the second spell as normal, independently of the first spell, as long as the final spell slot it would use is still within the specified limits. Metamagic applied to the first spell similarly does not affect the second spell. When you cast the fused spell, its casting time is the longer of the two spells, but you cast both spells as part of the same action and from the same spell slot. A fused spell requires a spell slot two levels higher than normal.
Special: Sorcerers require a spell slot only one level higher than normal, rather than two, when applying this metamagic feat to their Sorcerer spells.

Cover Spell [Metamagic]
Prerequisites: Delay Spell or Quicken Spell.
Benefit: You can cast a spell in such as way as to hold its energies around you as a protective barrier. A cover spell does not take effect immediately when cast. Instead, its energies stay in reserve surrounding you. When you are attacked, you can discharge this effect as an immediate action, granting you a bonus to AC equal to the spell's level against that attack and producing the spell's normal effects. You can still discharge the spell's effects when not under attack, but doing so takes the spell's normal casting time. A cover spell remains for up to 1 hour before dissipating without effect if you haven't discharged it by then. A cover spell requires a spell slot four levels higher than normal, and can only be applied to spells that Quicken Spell could be applied to.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2012, 11:44:08 AM by Garryl »

Offline phaedrusxy

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #56 on: May 27, 2012, 11:54:48 PM »
Random idea I thought I'd throw in here, since I don't have one of these threads of my own:

Lead Sheeting/Plating, for warforged, which makes them immune to all divinations. It could be a warforged component or a "body" feat. I'm not sure which would be more balanced. I feel like it is probably worth a feat, but I actually hate most of the "body" feats (except adamantine). You're usually better off just wearing armor (or not, depending on your class).
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Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #57 on: May 29, 2012, 03:46:37 PM »
Weapon categories: These are to replace the previous distinctions of light/one-handed/two-handed (which are perfectly fine, except that I find them cumbersome). I'm also including a little bit of the TWF and natural weapon changes I suggested earlier in this thread (reply#7, I think).

Light: Suffers reduced penalties when used as a secondary weapon (see the multi-weapon fighting rules), in a grapple, and probably a couple of other things.
 - Unlike 3.5E light weapons, these get the usual increased Str bonus when used in multiple limbs.
Balanced: Usable in one limb easily enough.
 - Replaces the old one-handed designation.
Heavy: Requires more than one limb to wield. By default, heavy weapons always require at least 2 limbs.
 - Replaces the old two-handed designation.

Wielding weapons with multiple limbs:
 - If your Str modifier is positive, you add (Str * 0.5 (1 + #limbs used)) to melee damage rolls, minimum (Str * 1).
 - For every limb used beyond the first, add +4 to your opposed Disarm and Sunder attack rolls.

Using weapons designed for larger size categories than you forces you to treat the weapon as one category heavier (light -> balanced -> heavy) for each size category of difference. If the weapon is already heavy, it instead requires twice as many limbs to wield for each subsequent size category of difference.

Using weapons designed for smaller size categories than you forces you to treat the weapon as one category lighter (heavy -> balanced -> light) for each size category of difference. If the weapon is heavy, it instead requires half as many limbs to wield (rounded up) for each subsequent size category of difference, becoming balanced only when the number of limbs needed is reduced to 1. Light weapons designed for smaller creatures are unusable.

Double Weapons: These weapons can be used as either a single heavy weapon, as a single balanced weapon, or as two light weapons as once.

Power Attack: Now grants a bonus on damage equal to the penalty you take multiplied by the number of limbs used. Works with light weapons.

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #58 on: June 05, 2012, 10:34:58 AM »
Point Charge Spell [Metamagic]
Prerequisites:
Benefit: You can focus the power of a wide area spell into a single point, amplifying its power upon a single target. Rather than affect an area, a point charge spell targets a single creature (or object, if the original spell also affected objects) within range. Your caster level for the spell and its save DC increase based on the area of the original spell. A point charge spell requires a spell slot of the spell's normal level. This metamagic can only be applied to spells with an area defined as a burst or spread.

Minimum RadiusCaster LevelSave DC
Less than 5 ft.+0+0
5 ft.+1+0
10 ft.+2+1
20 ft.+4+2
40 ft.+7+3
100 ft. or more+10+4

Not really sure on the balance of this. It's probably very borked.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2016, 04:48:09 PM by Garryl »

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #59 on: June 10, 2012, 09:58:00 AM »
Hammer Fist (reworking)

Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike, STR 13
Dwarf or BAB+6 and Medium or larger

Benefit: You add one and a half times your Strength bonus on your damage when you hit with an unarmed strike. This extra damage does not apply if you make a flurry of blows attack or if you are holding anything in either hand. You must use both hands to make the unarmed attack.  You are treated as wielding a two-handed weapon for the purposes of Power Attack and other feats and abilities that are dependent on whether you are wielding a light, one-handed, or two-handed weapon.  You may not benefit from Weapon Finesse while using this feat.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2012, 05:47:03 PM by Jackinthegreen »