Author Topic: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime  (Read 308973 times)

Offline Elves

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #900 on: August 16, 2020, 03:55:14 AM »
Maybe better for 4e where wider spaces are the norm? Cramped spaces could be accommodated by having weak effects for straight lines and right angles (or if using the rune points system, a checkerboard pattern, which would look like a dotted line if done in a corridor). There should also just be a class feature you can put your points into when you can't form any shapes to gain some consolation benefit.

Double move being standard play could be interesting.

Focused on the "Age of Warriors" content ATM but may do a quick demo for it.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2020, 04:11:11 AM by Elves »

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #901 on: September 28, 2020, 12:14:57 PM »
Living Spell Companion ACF
Classes: Druid 1, Ranger 4
Replaces: Animal Companion

Attract a living spell as a companion like you otherwise would an animal companion. This follows most of the same rules as an animal companion. An otherwise mindless living spell companion has an Intelligence score of 1 instead, so it gains feats and skills. You can handle your living spell companion using the Handle Animal skill and teach it tricks as though it were an animal. Attracting a living spell companion also requires expending a spell slot of the living spell's spell level or higher.

Living spell companions do not gain bonus animal HD based on your effective druid level. Instead, their caster level increases by that amount, increasing their statistics, such as HD, size, and SR, accordingly.

The improvement to the animal companion's natural armor bonus also applies to the living spell companion's deflection bonus to AC. The improvement to the animal companion's Strength and Dexterity scores also applies to the living spell companion's Charisma score.

You can only attract living spells of spells on your spell list from the class that grants this class feature, and only of the minimum caster level for their spell level. Initially, you can only attract living spells of spells up to 1st-level. For every 3 effective druid levels beyond 1st, you can accept a -3 penalty to your effective druid level for animal companion advancement to attract a living spell of one level higher, up to a maximum of 6th-level living spells at -15 to your effective druid level at 16th level or higher.

Additionally, if you have the animal affinity ability, you can use it to influence living spells, although you suffer a -4 penalty on your check to do so.

Offline perovskite

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #902 on: December 28, 2020, 02:57:45 AM »
Access to psionic powers more like what it was in 2e:

A psion starts out at 1st level with access only to powers of their chosen discipline, and gains access to additional disciplines as he or she advances. Access to a second discipline is at 2nd level, third at 6th, fourth at 10th, fifth at 14th, and sixth at 18th level. The powers list for each subtype of psion expands to include all powers falling into that discipline, from every psionic class.

A psion still has a maximum number of powers known and maximum level of power known as per the current table in XPH, and can't have more powers from a secondary discipline than the primary discipline. Probably even max out the level for the second, third, etc disciplines as max level of primary discipline minus one for the second discipline, minus two for the third, etc. Leading to, for example:

Nomad 20:
Psychoportation- maximum 9th level powers; access to the discipline gained at 1st class level
Clairsentience- max 8th level powers, access to the discipline gained at 2nd class level
Metacreativity- max 7th level powers, access to the discipline gained at 6th class level
etc


Or just expand the psion subtype power lists to include all powers not given in the general psion/wilder list.

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #903 on: December 28, 2020, 05:17:28 PM »
Sort of like Ardent/Divine Mind mantle powers, then, but with each discipline and every power on it rather than just 7-10 powers at a time? I'd be a little concerned about the lower max level cap on the later-granted disciplines, as you'd be forced to take lower-level powers in places of your high level powers from your main discipline. That sort of limitation would work better for a spellcaster who can learn spells of lower levels independently of their higher level spells known (whether it's like a Wizard who has no limit to spells known of any level or like a Sorcerer who keeps learning new lower-level spells alongside new spells known of their higher level spells).

Offline perovskite

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #904 on: December 29, 2020, 01:01:57 AM »
Garryl- More or less, yes.

Really the purpose of the level cap would be to keep people from saying things like, "The only metacreativity power I want is True Creation, so I'll just select access to metacreativity at 18th level and not bother with any other metacreativity powers." That is, someone with no experience with a given discipline picks the most powerful powers that discipline has to offer. But thinking about it, yeah, that's unnecessary. No one would bat an eye at a wizard who took no necromancy spells until 17th level, when he picked up Energy Drain.

If I get around to implementing this in the home game I shall nix that restriction. Thanks for the feedback.


Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #905 on: March 06, 2021, 02:18:01 AM »
Scalar Perception
Illusion/Transmutation spell? High-level maneuver? PrC class feature?

Choose a creature. You manipulate the link between perception and reality to interact with a distant creature as though it were much closer and much smaller than it actually is. While it is further away from you than your reach and there are no other creatures or objects visible to your in a direct line between you and the subject, you treat that creature as being in the space a distance away from you equal to your reach along a line to the subject. This allows you, for example, to make melee attacks against it regardless of distance, and affect it with short-range auras or spells, or even affect it with area attacks and effects that extend into that nearby space. Note that an attempt to grapple the subject normally will fail, as once you move into the space it seemingly occupies, it will still be further away, but an attempt to pull the creature into your space with Improved Grab will still succeed. Further, any interactions between you and the subject are made as though the creature were of a smaller size category than it actually is, based on its actual distance from you.

Subject's
Actual Distance
Subject's Actual Size
FineDiminutiveTinySmallMediumLargeHugeGargantuanColossal
> your reachFineDiminutiveTinySmallMediumLargeHugeGargantuan
> 2x your reachFineDiminutiveTinySmallMediumLargeHuge
> 4x your reachFineDiminutiveTinySmallMediumLarge
> 8x your reachFineDiminutiveTinySmallMedium
> 16x your reachFineDiminutiveTinySmall
> 32x your reachFineDiminutiveTiny
> 64x your reachFineDiminutive
> 128x your reachFine

This effect immediately ends if you lose sight of the subject for 1 round or if another creature or object remains visible to you within a direct line between you and the subject for 1 round.

Offline perovskite

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #906 on: March 17, 2021, 12:11:20 AM »
Weapon Master (3.0 Sword And Fist) Rework

Prerequisites- BAB +5, Dex 13, weapon focus, weapon specialization, combat reflexes; intimidate 4 ranks

Class basics- d10 HP, good BAB, poor fort, good reflex, poor will;

Class skills- balance (dex), climb (str), concentration (con), craft (wis), intimidate (cha), jump (str), listen (wis), sense motive (wis), spot (wis), tumble (dex); 2+ int modifier skill points per level

Special- The class abilities for the weapon master apply only to weapons for which you have both weapon focus and weapon specialization. Some abilities apply to a single type of weapon, even if you have weapon focus and weapon specialization for more than one.

Class Features

Ki Damage- At 1st level, once per day per weapon master level, you may choose to inflict maximum damage with your weapon instead of rolling dice. This applies only to the base die or dice for your weapon, and does not apply to additional damage dice (for example, from sneak attack). Flat bonuses (for example, a smite or power attack) apply normally. You must decide whether to use this ability before you roll for damage. This ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1+ your Wisdom modifier.

Increased Multiplier- At 2nd level, you gain the ability to increase the critical hit multiplier of your chosen weapon. For example, if your chosen weapon is the greataxe, you increase the critical hit damage multiplier from x3 to x4. You must decide whether to use this ability before you attack for the round. You may use this ability once per day for every two weapon master levels you possess (2/day at 4th, 3/day at 6th, etc). At 9th level, the critical hit multiplier increases by two steps (eg, from x2 to x4). This ability lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1+ your Wisdom modifier.

Superior Weapon Focus- At 3rd level you gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls with any weapon for which you have the feat weapon focus. This stacks with similar bonuses from the weapon focus feat chain (greater focus, melee weapon mastery, etc).

Superior Combat Reflexes- At 5th level, you use the sum of your dexterity and wisdom modifiers to determine the number of additional attacks of opportunity you may make per round.

Ki Critical- At 7th level, you gain Improved Critical as a bonus feat for one weapon. If you already have Improved Critical, then the critical hit range for your chosen weapon expands by +2. This stacks with the feat Improved Critical, but not with any other means of expanding a weapon’s critical threat range. Further, this ability is applied after Improved Critical. Thus a longsword’s threat range with both Improved Critical and Ki Critical would be 15-20 [(2x2) + 2], not 13-20 [(2+2) x 2]. If you have weapon focus and weapon specialization with more than one weapon, you must select which weapon to which Ki Critical will apply. This choice cannot be changed.

Ki Whirlwind- At 10th level, as a standard action, you may make two melee attacks at your maximum base attack bonus on each enemy you threaten. If you are using the Tome of Battle, this ability is replaced by a bonus feat: Martial Study: Adamantine Hurricane (ToB page 66). In that case, you do not need to meet the prerequisites for Adamantine Hurricane, but you must meet prerequisites for any other martial study or martial stance feats you may take. This bonus feat does not count toward the regular maximum of three martial study feats. Further, like a normal maneuver, Adamantine Hurricane can only be used once per encounter unless recovered. Ki Whirlwind, on the other hand, can be used any number of times per encounter.

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Notes

- The official version of Weapon Master had the following prerequisite feats: dodge, mobility, combat reflexes, combat expertise, whirlwind attack, weapon focus, Dex 13. The implicit prerequisites then included Int 13 and spring attack. So seven feats, which is pretty excessive for a feat tax, especially a mundane melee type. Given that the only class ability related to whirlwind attack in the original (Ki Whirlwind) is essentially duplicated by Mithril Tornado, it became a class feature, not an upgrade to a really expensive feat, and all the related prerequisites went away.

- I removed the skill knowledge (weaponry). I don't know if that was a skill in 3.0, but it isn't now. I added craft (cause weapons), and concentration (mostly for a dash of flavor, not cause there's anything related to it), as well as balance, climb, jump and tumble, also as much for flavor as anything else.

-A little bit of googling revealed that the guy who designed the class, when asked if the Ki Critical class feature would stack crit ranges in 3.5e, apparently he said, yes, it should, as an exception to the normal 3.5e rules <citation needed>.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2021, 03:42:19 PM by perovskite »

Offline Garryl

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #907 on: May 08, 2021, 05:31:12 PM »
Rhythm-based combat.

Each character has an offensive and defensive beat and a tempo. Beat is a score which always stays in the range of 0-99, and tempo affects how much beat changes with every action. Larger numbers are not better or worse than small numbers. Beat cycles through this 100-point range, and the objective is to synchronize your offensive beat with your opponent's defensive beat for maximum effect.

When making an attack, subtract the defender's defensive beat from the attacker's offensive beat. If the result in negative, add 100 repeatedly until the result is 0 or higher. If the result is somehow 100 or higher, take only the 10s digits and below (ie: modulo 100). The result is thus always in the range of 0-99. This is called the attack's rhythm.

Add the rhythm to the attacker's accuracy and subtract the defender's avoidance. If the result is 0 or less, the attack misses and has no effect on the defender. If it's 1-50, the attack grazes and has a minimal or reduced effect. If it's 51-100, the attack hits and has its normal effect. If it's 101 or higher, the attack crits and has an enhanced effect.
- Side note: Original thought was that the  Rhythm + Acc - Avd would be a percentage multiplier to damage and might affect other effects in other ways, but that's too complicated for quick tabletop calculations.
- Number ranges might need adjustment. Rather than a hard 1-50, 51-100, and 101+, instead the defender might have a graze range (result <= graze range is a graze) and a crit threshold (result > crit threshold is a crit), or perhaps the attacker might have a crit factor (result > 100  - crit factor is a crit).

After resolving an attack, advance the attacker's offensive beat and the defender's defensive beat by their respective tempo scores. Do the same modulo 100 thing to the results to keep them in the range of 0-99.

Similarly, at the start of each character's turn, advance their offensive and defensive beats by their tempo score.

Offline Skyrock

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #908 on: May 30, 2021, 02:56:31 PM »
Adapt the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat to use with standard action ToB maneuvers as a swift action. That would give standard action strikes longevity even after multiple attacks per full-attack become available.
- should be limited to relatively low-level maneuvers (can the table be adapated?)
- 3x/day use limit doesn't fit with the way ToB paces out resource use; should have a different limiter related to encounters, rather than per day

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #909 on: May 30, 2021, 03:04:53 PM »
Adapt the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat to use with standard action ToB maneuvers as a swift action. That would give standard action strikes longevity even after multiple attacks per full-attack become available.
- should be limited to relatively low-level maneuvers (can the table be adapated?)
- 3x/day use limit doesn't fit with the way ToB paces out resource use; should have a different limiter related to encounters, rather than per day

Quicken Strike
Prerequisites: One or more strikes known, initiator level 10 or higher
Benefit: Choose one of the creature’s strikes, subject to the restrictions described below. The creature can use that ability as a quickened strike once per encounter. Using a quickened strike is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The creature can perform another action — including the use of another strike — in the same round that it uses a quickened strike. The creature may use only one quickened strike per round. The creature can only select a strike with a level less than or equal to half its initiator level (round down) – 4.

Like so?

Offline Skyrock

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #910 on: May 30, 2021, 03:19:25 PM »
Alt take after Discord discussion:

Quicken Maneuver
[Fighter]
Prerequisites: 1+ maneuvers known, initiator level 6+
Benefit: When you initiate a maneuver taking up a standard action or move action, and of a level no higher than half your initiator level -2 (minimum of 1, maximum of 6), you can activate this feat to initiate this maneuver as a swift action instead. You can use this feat once per encounter. Using a quickened maneuver is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. You can perform another action - including the use of another maneuver - in the same round that you use a quickened maneuver. You may use only one quickened maneuver per round.
Special: You can acquire this feat multiple times, each time gaining one extra use of Quicken Maneuver per encounter.
« Last Edit: May 30, 2021, 04:11:00 PM by Skyrock »

Offline Skyrock

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #911 on: June 02, 2021, 12:28:35 PM »
There is a lot of DR derived from class-levels that is scaling so slowly that it becomes useless (Barbarian, Sohei, Green Star Adept, likely many others).

Ablative Damage Reduction ACF
Level: [whenever you gain DR1 to DR5 from class levels, non-complete list of examples]
Replaces: You gain double(?) the DR your class level would normally grant you. However, every time you receive damage, the DR is reduced by 2(?) until it is down to DR0.
If your DR derived from class levels improves to DR6+, only the portion up to DR5 gets doubled, and your new minimum DR gets set to DR(regular DR from non-ACF class levels)-5. The math of this part obviously needs to be tweaked depending on the final numbers.

Any other DR you might possess from spells, templates or any other sources keeps working normally.

EDIT: Another way could be to increase DR by a flat +5, ablate by 2 each hit down to a minimum of improved DR -10 (minimum of 0). That math might work more smoothly.
« Last Edit: June 02, 2021, 01:04:39 PM by Skyrock »

Offline Versatility_Nut

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #912 on: June 02, 2021, 02:39:32 PM »
Needs to have a recovery method involved, and could probably be rendered as a full replacement by class level given the intent of having it scale DR to be useful. 10th level for DR 2 is still terrible. For wording on the current version, perhaps use "You gain twice the DR your class level would normally give you, to a maximum of DR 10/-"

Offline Skyrock

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #913 on: June 02, 2021, 02:43:47 PM »
For recovery, I was thinking "per encounter" in the Factotum sense.

Offline Versatility_Nut

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #914 on: June 02, 2021, 11:01:08 PM »
On an unrelated note, I've been thinking about furnishing the Psionic Artificer as a properly distinct class, which means needing counterparts to the actually-useful Homunculi. Fortunately, we have some Mind's Eye content to get started, including an unconverted 3.0 helper and a PRC exclusive.

As indicated by bringing those up, I'd go with the Power-shaped ectoplasmic creatures being the well-supported Homunculus counterpart, rather than alternate Psicrystals. The consequence of wording the updated Tether Hound and Astral Tasker (renamed Ectoplasmic Tasker) to benefit from existing Astral Construct support means including the benefits of Ectopic Form and Skin of the Construct, so any Menu A effects can be looted and they can all be turned into the suite of weird, so the Menu A effects need to stick to the power level of Astral Construct even with higher base Power levels, and they should match CR despite this.

Easy with a utility form like the Astral Taskers, since the whole point is versatility and being Ethereal is a ridiculously swingy mess, significantly more difficult with Tether Hounds as-written, but then their whole gimmick is being days/level guards to a days/level lockdown Power. Invert the relationship, having the Tether Hounds sustain Metacreativity effects, and one can justify a considerable surcharge. Make it hours/level duration instead to make it not demand an untenable surcharge, and throw in an Ecto Protection effect to help justify the low value of the minion.

So, to spit out the Powers in question without the suite of statblocks and menu items:

(click to show/hide)

---

The big question is how to balance the monsters, as they do need to stick to the CR schedule for Ectopic Form, and how far exactly the messing-with-functionality menu options should go. Such as where to put the Tether Hounds gaining the option to steal valid Tether targets and "digest" them for duration (which would make it technically playable entirely as the impermanent spell effect, 'specially with the days/level augment). The technical limit for the Tasker is 6th level, while the Tether Hound can reach 7th level. Given this, Menu B for the tasker would probably be 3rd-4th and C would be 5th+, while the Tether Hound could use the Astral Construct's functionality. Though notably, 10th level 19pp Astral Constructs don't exist, so actually filling the full PP scale isn't strictly necessary and thus the Taskers could be kept to 5th level at 15pp.

Both the Tasker and Tether Hound should be defensively focused, the former as a utility entity that shouldn't really be fighting in the first place and the latter as a keystone to keeping other things running for astonishing durations. But I'm not sure how this should break down, beyond the Tasker having some form of miss chance due to being non-solid and wanting the Tether Hound be Medium at baseline for the +20 HP. Probably have the Hound heavily focused on HP because it's expected to be underleveled, being ahead on size and RHD to the Astral Construct, but behind for Strength. Maybe give Evasion and scaling Dexterity to cut out AoE risk, leading to better Touch AC.

...Given the "uniqueness" of Arbalester, it's probably fitting to analogize with an entirely new Construct. For the sake of variety, based on throwing stuff instead of normal ranged weapons, and keeping the "made around weapon" effect, but copying it instead of some sort of Returning effect, so Special Materials don't apply. Being unintelligent isn't a big issue because thrown doesn't have that much feat support and it's going to have terrible BAB so requirements are unlikely, rely on Menus to force the matter with bonuses. Possibly double as a disposable Charger thanks to the requirements involved, just by genericizing the properties, balanced against decently-honed single-target damage Powers?

Offline Versatility_Nut

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #915 on: June 04, 2021, 11:52:01 PM »
So, thinking in terms of workload for a Psionic Artificer now, first leg is obviously finishing off the Homunculus counterpart suite, including rules for permanent construction that carry more Homunculi properties and Ectopic Forms with effects from the menus of the new creations. Rethinking things, the Arbalester substitute will definitely be a more firm alternative to Psychokinetic Weapon, having the duplication be Menu A for the benefit of both thrown and TWF characters.

Second leg would be creating more Psionic items and typical "Craft check for the body" Constructs to fill out things for them to make, particularly focusing on utility and quality of life properties. This would necessarily end up involving more new Powers for the missing effects, possibly focused on more "conduit" sets like the Stygian powers to justify true Psionic Golems. I'll be wanting to avoid printing any pure counterpart, which is at its most annoying with ability enhancements.

Third leg is working on Psicrystal shenanigans, including a framework for external construction independent of Psicrystal Affinity so the Psionic Artificer can use these, as well, instead of it being limited to a system of Psions and Psychic Warriors making themselves a solid combatant. Any Manifesting would definitely be separating PP recovery, powers available, and PP storage, to cut into buying your way to ridiculous amounts of burst damage and daily output.

Then the final leg is the Psionic Artificer itself, needing only cover Infusion-counterparts and the class features themselves, which both operate primarily as a find-and-replace exercise. Important to do this last because working out all the tools first allows asking some questions about how they fit together to avoid breaking things all over again.

Offline Versatility_Nut

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #916 on: June 06, 2021, 05:32:50 PM »
Okay, so, posting the basic "core" of the Taskers here in case something happens so I don't lose like four hours of work:

(click to show/hide)

Feel free to comment on the capabilities here, any derived stats missed, and the combat value relative to Astral Constructs (the 50% surcharge should keep it under control...), or the underlying ideas in the previous two posts. And also ideas on what feats to give the Tether Hounds by default, because I'm keeping them Intelligent... Might also make the weapon-user 2 Int for technical allowance of feats.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2021, 05:35:12 PM by Versatility_Nut »

Offline Skyrock

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #917 on: June 19, 2021, 08:28:18 PM »
https://jrients.blogspot.com/2010/11/consolation-prize-based-weapon.html

Consolation prizes: Add special effects to weapons that are triggered when you roll a nat 1 for damage.
- in 3.5 might need to be restricted to suboptimal weapons like greatclubs, or exotic weapons that are not worth learning normally
- special clause for 1/d2 weapons (e.g. through size) to avoid auto-effects

Offline Stratovarius

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #918 on: June 19, 2021, 09:02:34 PM »
How does this work with weapons that roll multiple d4, which are going to roll a natural one every other attack?

Offline Skyrock

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Re: 1001 Homebrew Ideas to Flesh Out Sometime
« Reply #919 on: June 19, 2021, 09:15:16 PM »
Quick solution would be to only apply the effect when all dice come up as nat 1s, making them much rarer with multiple dice. 2d4 would be a 1/16 chance, 2d6 would be 1/36, 3d4 would be 1/80.