This is my first post as I am hoping to migrate from Giant in the Playground to here for my homebrewing. I have
much more to come, but some of it will probably be a significant amount of work to re-code for the formatting here.
P.E.A.C.H. stands for "
Please
Examine
And
Critique
Honestly".
This first one makes "Dumb Jock" less of an oxymoron in D&D.
Physical Training FocusSome people use their understanding to gain greater insight into how to perform better physically... others don't let having the attention span of a squirrel on a sugar rush stop them from having the acrobatic skills of one.Prerequisites: Intelligence 11 or lower (minimum 3)
Strength greater than Intelligence OR size Tiny or smaller
Constitution greater than Intelligence OR
no Constitution score (such as most constructs and undead)
Dexterity greater than Intelligence
BenefitFor the purposes of skill points per level replace your intelligence modifier with 1.
DrawbackYou may not put skill points into or take feats that give bonuses to NORMALLY cross-class Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma based skills, and such skills that NORMALLY are class skills count as cross class (but never exclusive to another class) EXCEPT FOR Listen and/or Spot if those are, respectively, class skills. This means (for example) that a Rogue with this trait can still put skill points into Use Magic Device, but he only gets 1 skill rank per 2 skill points he puts into it and a can have a maximum number of ranks in the skill of (Character Level +3)/2.
For the above purposes, "Speak Language" is considered to be an Intelligence based skill. Which means, for example, that a fighter with this trait can't put skill-points into "Speak Language" and a bard with this trait would treat "Speak Language" as a cross-class skill. There are still no skill rolls involved and still no such thing as "partially fluent" in a language.
SpecialIf you have both this and the Dabbler trait, your effective Intelligence Modifier for purposes of skill points is 3. In other words, you apply this one first.
Roleplaying IdeasCharacters with this trait might be "jocks" or very at harmony with their own bodies but a bit befuddled by the world around them.
Next up, we have something for when the "Jack of All Trades" feat doesn't go far enough to serve your character concept and other diversified character concepts.
Should this have additional benefits to eliminate (or even just reduce) the delay in getting into Prestige Classes?
DabblerYour studies are eclectic.BenefitCount your intelligence
modifier as being 2 points higher for purposes of calculating your skill-points*. At first level you select two skills that are either knowledge skills or can be used untrained. Treat these as always being class skills. You also only require 3 ranks in a skill to gain a synergy bonus from it, rather than 5, provided you have at least 1 rank in the skill that the synergy bonus is granted TO.
*So 4 effective intelligence
points for this purpose, usually granting 8 additional skill points at 1st level and 2 at each level after that.
DrawbackYour skill rank maximum for class skills is 2+(3/4 level). Your skill rank maximum for cross-class skills is (level+4)/3.
SpecialIf you have both this and the Physical Training Focus trait, your effective Intelligence Modifier for purposes of skill points is 3. In other words, you apply this one second.
Roleplaying IdeasCharacters with this trait may flit from interest to interest, never devoting themselves to any one pursuit for very long at a time.
This next one lets those with poor social skills (whether from the player, the character, or both) speak up with much less fear. Might also have a place in socially focused character builds in low level campaigns or ones where the GM makes such things a big challenge for even highly focused characters. ((What do people think of this in
each of those two roles?)
InoffensiveYou don't often get what you want, but at least things don't get any worse.BenefitWhen making a diplomacy check you reduce all DCs 10 points for the purposes of if you make the situation worse than (or the same as) it was before. Similarly, when attempting a Gather Information check, you are 10 points more likely (applied as a reduction to your DCs or penalty to the rolls of others as necessary) to avoid being thought of as suspicious, or attracting attention. When using the Aid Another action with Diplomacy or Gather Information, you bestow this benefit instead of providing a numerical bonus, provided you succeed on your own check.
This 10 point DC reduction and aid another effect applies to Animal Empathy if you select to have all effects of this trait apply to that class feature.
DrawbackYou take a -2 penalty on Diplomacy checks and Gather Information checks (and animal empathy if selected). You provide no numerical bonus when using the Aid Another action with Diplomacy or Gather Information.
SpecialWhen you take this trait you may decide to have it apply to Animal Empathy or not. Once made this choice is permanent.
Roleplaying IdeasCharacters with this trait may not be very pushy, except when they are intentionally being so (IE making an intimidate attempt). They may simply state their desires in a way that makes it clear they are simply making them known in case it matters to anyone. When working with a group they smooth over any ripples in negotiations with outsiders.
((Question to reviewers: Should Inoffensive also grant the benefit that any Sense Motive check against your bluff checks that doesn't succeed by at least 2 (5?) means they don't believe you, but also aren't sure enough to hold your possible lie against you. Maybe a -2 to bluff and a 5 point margin of "doubt"?))
A bit of intro to this next one: Was making a sniper character for a player to use in my game and was reading a handbook or two to figure out how to do it better. Whipped up this trait to fix a common gripe. And yes, it is inspired by Hawkeye's statement in
The Avengers.
Should I drop the second pre-requisite for this?
"I see better from further away"You prefer to take the long (range) view of things.Prerequisites- Proficient with at least one weapon with a range increment of greater than 30' (NOT counting the Far-Shot or other range-extending feats, magic such as the Distance enhancement, etc)
- 4 Ranks in Spot (P.F. 1 rank in Perception) OR Skill Focus [Spot]
BenefitYou count as having the Point Blank Shot feat for Pre-requisites, including for Prestige classes (but see below). You can deal Precision Damage out to 1 range increment (whatever that is for the individual weapon after accounting for feats, enhancements, etc.), but, again, see below.
SpecialIf you achieve 6th level in Ranger you may replace the Manyshot bonus feat with the Far-Shot feat, or any feat that has Far-Shot as a pre-requisite. If you do so, you must meet all pre-requisites of the feat you select EXCEPT for dexterity score and the Point Blank Shot feat (if it has one or both of those as requirements).
DrawbackYou take a -2 penalty to attacks rolls (including melee attacks) at ranges of 30 feet or less. Within this range you also take a -2 to Spot checks. You do not gain precision based damage within this range.
You may never gain the Point Blank Shot feat or any feat that can substitute for it. If a class grants it you may instead select a different feat that has that feat as a prerequisite and that you qualify for. If you would gain it from an item and the item offers no alternative benefit if you already have it, then you do not gain anything from that aspect of the item. If it offers an alternative if you already have that feat then you may select such an alternative as if you had it.
Roleplaying IdeasYou may literally hang back from where-ever important things are happening, perhaps favoring high perches.
This last one I am least sure is not overpowered.
Careful ReaderYou have great skill with the activating of scrolls, but at the cost of speed.
BenefitYou treat all spells on scrolls as being one spell level and three caster levels lower for purposes of deciphering and/or activating them. The effects of a successfully activated scroll are unaffected by this trait.
DrawbackReading a scroll requires one full round, plus one round for each spell level. The reduction to effective spell level does
not apply to this.
Roleplaying IdeasYour speech when verbalizing written information may be precise but slow. You might never insert your own thoughts in leu of the text as written (unless, perhaps you are doing so very much intentionally) no matter how nonsensical and rife with errors the work may be.