Author Topic: Swappable Abilities  (Read 1052 times)

Offline Stratovarius

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Swappable Abilities
« on: December 18, 2015, 01:33:19 PM »
Swappable Abilities

So, the goal of this is to create a number of abilities that, while they might not be 100% drop in with one another, are similar enough in balance that they can easily be changed out. There's two primary aspects to this to start, which is the skirmish/sneak attack/etc. line, and the various rages that exist. I've tried to make them all trigger at the same levels as one another in order to make things easier to use. To use this, pick one activation, one type, and all restrictions of a given category (Rage, Precision Damage, Bloodlust).

If there's any type of Rage or Precision Damage I've missed, please let me know.

Rages
A barbarians's anger, a Savage's frenzy, or the mystical focus of a Sohei, all of these are merely aspects of a controlled burst of inner emotion, focused outwards.

Activations
Uses/Day: 1 use every 2 levels (either odds or evens). Duration is 3 + (newly improved) Con modifier rounds.
On Damage Dealt: A character who deals damage in combat against a (living) enemy scents blood, which causes him to fly into a rage the following round. A character cannot end his rage voluntarily. It ends only when all creatures he has wounded in combat are dead or have fled the battle.
On Damage Received: A character who is dealt damage in combat responds by flying into a rage. A character cannot end his rage voluntarily. It ends only when the creature(s) that wounded him are dead or have fled the battle.

Types
Blood Frenzy (Ex): While in a blood frenzy, a character gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Dexterity, and –4 to Armor Class. If his attacks bring an opponent to negative hit points, he immediately gains an additional attack against its fallen foe. At 5th, 10th, 15h, and 20th level, increase the benefits by +2.
Rage (Ex): In a rage, a character temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. At 5th, 10th, 15h, and 20th level, increase the benefits to Strength and Constitution by +2.
Ki Frenzy (Ex): A character gains the ability to focus her ki power into a frenzy of berserk energy. In this frenzied state, she temporarily gains +2 to Strength and +2 to Dexterity. Her speed increases by 10 feet, and she can choose to make a flurry of blows with a full attack action in melee, making one extra attack per round while suffering a —2 penalty on every attack. At 5th, 10th, 15h, and 20th level, increase the benefits to Strength and Dexterity by +1, and increase the bonus to movement by +5 feet.
Frenzy (Ex): While frenzied, a character gains a +6 bonus to Strength and, if she makes a full attack action, gains a single extra attack each round at her highest bonus. (This latter effect is not cumulative with haste or other effects that grant additional attacks.) However, she also takes a —4 penalty to Armor Class and takes 2 points of nonlethal damage per round. At 5th, 10th, 15h, and 20th level, increase the benefit to Strength by +3.
Resilient Fury (Ex): A character gains a +4 bonus to Constitution, and damage reduction 2/-. At 5th, 10th, 15h, and 20th level, increase the benefits to Constitution by +2 and the damage reduction by 1/-.

Restrictions
Calm Mind: While raging, a character cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats.
Fatigue: At the end of the rage, the character loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter. This can only be applied to rages that have a duration, instead of triggering.

Precision Damage
The lethal precision of the rogue, the fast and deadly assault of the scout, or the sudden blade of the ninja.

Activations
Flanking: The character’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the character flanks her target.
Dexterity: Whenever a character’s target is denied a Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), the character deals extra damage with her attack.
Movement: A character deals extra damage on all attacks she makes during any round in which she moves at least 10 feet away from where she was at the start of her turn.
Accuracy: A character deals extra damage on all attacks she makes when wielding a light or one-handed piercing weapon, and having no weapon or shield in the off-hand.
Psychic: A character deals extra damage on the first attack of each round she makes against a living, nonmindless target.

Types
Sneak Attack/Sudden Strike/Precise Strike (Ex): A character's damage bonus is 1d6 at 1st, and increases by 1d6 every odd level.
Skirmish (Ex): A character's damage bonus is 1d6 at 1st, and increases by 1d6 for every four levels gained above 1st (2d6 at 5th, 3d6 at 9th, 4d6 at 13th, and 5d6 at 17th level). At 3rd level, a character's bonus to armour class is +1, and increases by +1 for every four levels gained above 3rd (+2 at 7th, +3 at 11th, +4 at 15th, and +5 at 19th level).
Flanker's Grace (Ex): A character gains a bonus to speed of +10 feet at 1st, and increases by +10 for every four levels gained above 1st (+20 at 5th, +30 at 9th, +40 at 13th, and +50 at 17th level). At 3rd level, a character's bonus to armour class is +1, and increases by +1 for every four levels gained above 3rd (+2 at 7th, +3 at 11th, +4 at 15th, and +5 at 19th level).
Psychic Strike (Su): A character's damage bonus is 1d8 at 1st, and increases by 1d8 for every five levels gained above 1st (2d8 at 5th, 3d8 at 10th, 4d8 at 15th, and 5d8 at 20th level).

Restrictions
Living: Damage only applies against creatures that are not immune to criticals.
Range: Precision damage only applies within 30 feet of the target.

Bloodlust
Bloodlust is kind of off on its own, as it's halfway between a rage and precision damage. It follows the Skirmish pattern, but does not deal precision damage.

Activations
Damage: A character deals additional damage against any creature or object that has already been dealt damage this round.

Types
Bloodlust (Ex): A character's damage bonus is 1d6 at 1st, and increases by 1d6 for every four levels gained above 1st (2d6 at 5th, 3d6 at 9th, 4d6 at 13th, and 5d6 at 17th level). At 3rd level, a character attack bonus is +1, and increases by +1 for every four levels gained above 3rd (+2 at 7th, +3 at 11th, +4 at 15th, and +5 at 19th level).

Restrictions
Living: Damage only applies against living creatures.