User:Tavis McCricket

File:Ebon.jpg

My favorite NPC of all time.

Save vs. Aardvark

The name is actually Tavish. I typoed my own name.

To Do

• Finalize advanced feat progression (V1 vs. V2).
  • Version 1: One feat every odd level. Ten feats total, three more than standard 3.5.
  • Version 2: One extra feat every sixth level, starting at 1st (1, 6, 12, 18). Eleven feats total, four more than standard 3.5.
  • In games I run, I utilize V2, but I find myself leaning towards V1. Even though it is less feats on a 20 level progression, it provides a 'smoother' progression, and kills dead levels for standard 3.5 Fighters (elimination of dead levels is not a balancing point for this change, nor the motivation).
• Make Charisma useful for all classes outside of skill checks. Currently, outside of skill checks, and specefic class features, Charisma does nothing (it offers no static benefit).
  • Does Charisma need to be 'fixed'?
  • How will this affect Bards, Paladins, and Sorcerers (and a handful of other non-PHB classes).
• Attribute equality. Physical attributes do more things than mental attributes (See above, Charisma has zero universal functionality outside of skill checks).
  • 'Buffing' mental attributes widens the gap between casters and physical/melee. It makes casters stronger, and can exacerbate MAD in physical/melee classses.
  • Physical attributes modify 2-4 things each, outside of skill checks, while mental modify 0-2.
• Mettle>Evasion (or at least Mettle=/=Evasion, balance wise).
  • If mettle were sub-divided into Fortitude and Will, what would you call them (or rather, which is still mettle?)?
  • Mette->Fortitude, Force of Will->Will, Evasion->Reflex(?).
  • Both Fortitude and Will are late game instant death saves. Is evasion inferior to mettle at all levels of gameplay, or just the late/end game?
• Been toying with switching initiative from Dexterity to Intelligence (since reaction time is just as much mental as it is physical). So, a compromise?
  • (Dex+Int)/2=Initiative(?)
  • Change Improved Initiative to "Pick either Dexterity or Intelligence. This modifier now governs your initiative bonus. In addition, you recieve +4 on initiative checks." Most all other 'Improved' feats change how a mechanic works, and gives a +4, this change would bring Improved Initiative in line with other such feats, and allow for non-dex characters to get higher in combat initiative.
  • However, if changed as above, would benefit casters more than physical/melee (and be of little use to rouges).
• Make called shots work.
  • Seriously.
  • If a level 1 commoner stabs a 20th level fighter in the eye, regardless of level disparity, it'll do more than 1d4 damage.
  • Hit points (IMO) reflect the level of general trauma a player can sustain before succombing to injury. When you're hit by an arrow for 7 damage, your character hasn't actually been shot (because then he would likely die, regardless of damage rolled, or remaining hit points). Or, it can be viewed as ones ability to avoid lethal damage, either by experience (HP via class levels), or simply being sturdier than most (HP via Con mod).
  • If viewed as the latter, this is why BAB goes up with level, but AC doesn't. Effectively, your hitpoints are a buffer between realism (shot and killed) and enjoyable gameplay.
  • Given the above, called shots bypass hitpoints in favor of reality (that is, great axe to the face kills you, not simply deal 1d12 damage).

Wiki Feedback

I'd like to solicit some opinions about an ability I'm working on for barbarians. In reality, it's two mutually exclusive abilities that a barbarian gets to pick between at level 15. I'm mainly looking for how they stack up against each other. In my eyes, they aren't equal, but I'm not sure I can accurately state which one has the edge over the other.

• -Gain Beastial Rage (Ex): At 15th level, a barbarian can lose himself when raging. He assumes animalistic qualities, granting the following benefits. His land speed is doubled, and he gains a +10 competence bonus on all Jump, Climb, and Swim checks (as well as climb and swim speeds equal to half his modified base land speed). He gains an additional +4 Strength when raging, double fast healing, as well as Evasion. A barbarian that gains beastial rage does not gain silent fury. A barbarian in a beastial rage cannot voluntarily end the rage, nor can he use consumables (like potions). A barbarian in a bestial rage cannot decline to make a will save, even against harmless spells. A barbarian with beastial rage as a class ability becomes chaotic if they are not already.
• -Gain Silent Fury (Ex): At 15th level, a barbarian can be utterly consumed by his rage, yet remain in complete control. Rather than being a frothing madman, he becomes even more cold and calculating, resulting in the following benefits. He gains his Constitution modifier to his AC as natural armor, and is able to make all skill checks normally. He gains an additional +4 Constitution when raging, 1.5 times normal DR, as well as Mettle. A barbarian that gains silent fury does not gain beastial rage. A barbarian in a silent fury that voluntarily ends his rage take 1d8 damage for each round left in the rage (this damage bypasses all DR). A barbarian in a silent fury does not benefit from any morale bonuses. A barbarian with silent fury as a class ability can no longer be chaotic, and may become lawful without negatively impacting any of his class abilities.

The link to the rules I'm adapting can be found below. Everything in that document is tenative, and I welcome feedback on all of it.

House Rules

My Variants (3.5)