Talk:Epic Path

Rename CMB / CMD

• Change all references to Maneuver Check / MC replaces the term CMB, refers to physical maneuvers.
• new term: Caster Check / CC, refers to magic maneuvers.
  • Calculated as CMB, but uses caster stat instead of strength.
• Change all references to Combat Maneuver Defense / CMD to Resilience

Notable Changes Since Last Game

• Point-Blank Shot (Feat) greatly improved, making ranged attacks much more approachable.
• Updated way CMB and CMD are calculated. See new character sheet for details
• Class abilities which grant bonuses to combat maneuvers should have been updated (notably, Brawler's Dirty Fighting feature)
  • Ask each player to review and ID any maneuvers which their class grants bonuses to; I may have missed some.
  • Max bonus from a class should be +5 to either CMB or CMD
  • renamed "Run" feat to "Runner" (to disambiguate the run action)
• Parade armors (incl. coat of arms and martial regalia) no longer provide a circumstance bonus to diplomacy and intimidate
• Warlord's stance (Hold the Line) updated slightly to make combat maneuvers more viable for them.
• Revamped skill crits -- grants a +5 to the result.
• Added Piloting skills (Aviator, Delver, Drover, and Sailor), removed from Profession skills.

Skill Refactoring Project

I've decided that naturally talented skills never suffer an armor check penalty. This kills a little more of the "LOL Melee" element of skills.

Bards currently get both Spellcraft and Spycraft bailiwick skills. Should they have to choose one? or get both? Either way, no other class gets that.

• Knobs to turn when replacing existing skill benefits:
  • training bonus (+1 to +4) -- class or race
  • remapping/class skill (worth up to a +12)
  • improved crit range for one skill (as high as 16-20)
  • improved crit outcome for a skill (instead of +5, it could be as high as +20)
  • if we had all the skill uses well mapped out, we could offer some skills to sub in for a specific skill use of another skill
    • e.g. diplomacy to barter with a merchant, instead of barter; barter would still be useful for appraising things, etc.
    • e.g. might for climbing, instead of movement
    • it would be like a partial re-mapping for one specific use of a non-optimally statted skill to an optimally statted skill.

• it's "Integral" not "Inherent"

Changes being made:

• class skills: no longer a numeric bonus -- instead, allows you to remap the skill to the ability modifier of your choice

• class features / racial traits
  • any bonus provided is a 'training bonus' -- +1 to +4 (1st / 10th / 20th / 30th) (maximum)
  • does not stack with itself -- a race trait training bonus doesn't stack with a class feature training bonus on the same skill

• feats:
  • skill focus, or single-skill bonus -- feat bonus -- +1 to +5 (1st / 8th / 16th / 24th / 32nd)
  • dual-skill feats -- feat bonus -- +1 to +3 (1st / 12th / 24th)
  • feats which give incidental skill bonuses -- feat bonus -- +1 and some other benefit
    • same bonus type; does not stack with itself

• magic items:
  • enhancement bonus: range +1 to +18 (same progression as weapons/armor; cost around 1/8th of armor -- cheap-ish)
  • integral bonus: range of your level - ranks in the skill in question
    • your ranks + integral can never exceed your level
    • ranges from +1 to +35, but expensive (1/2 armor?)
    • does NOT count as ranks for purposes of prerequisites, etc., just another way to boost the skill

In general, any bonus we haven't reviewed will need to be divided by 4-ish (drop fractions; minimum 1) until it gets reviewed.

Need to review the size bonuses/penalties table (it gives a stealth bonus for small creatures, for example)

Bonuses and penalties we need to revise/review:

• Invisibility gives +20 to stealth... this will need to change (+10?).
• Sniping penalty of -20 (-10?)
• moving while stealthed -10 (-5?)
• consider reducing armor check penalties for armor, in light of new ranges of skill bonuses.

Updated skill criticals -- grants a +5 bonus to result (generally enough to bump it up one category (e.g. easy to average, etc.))

• may want to add feat, race or class abilities that improve the crit chance for one or more skills to 19-20 (instead of 20).

Highest Priority Things To Do

• Vehicle combat
  • cost for base vehicle types (prior to class and size selection)
  • PC vehicle character sheet

• consider renaming Spycraft to Espionage

• When making magic item pass (and apply to mounts, magic weapons/armor, etc.), use a variable in place of cost, and refer to a table so we can centrally manage costs

• Review barbarian feats again

• New Senses
  • Write up telepathy as a sense
  • Cloudsense (see through clouds, fog and mist; akin to radar)
  • Improved Tremorsense - detect and see through solids even past gaps in solids (i.e. detect solids on other side of a wall) as long as within your max range for sense

• Monsters
  • Finish moving existing monsters to the new Monster template (done through CR 8)
  • Finish converting blueprints to new template (done through CR 13)
  • finish creating heroic-level monsters (CR's 17 to 20)

• character sheet
  • more automation
  • may need to wait until skill refactoring is complete

• Combat Maneuvers:
  • update feats (again!) for new status conditions, as needed
  • update weapon qualities for the new status conditions/combat maneuvers, as needed

• consider renaming Paladin's "Mercy/Correction/Scourge" to "Cleansing"

• add weights for all doors and such on the 'breaking objects' page, for purposes of the Might skill.
• Make traps more interesting/fun
• revisit Merchant DC numbers on Money and Merchant pages (make sure they line up with Hard DC's for the NPC level we want)

• May want to review the damage done by mounts (currently adds damage bonus equal to CR of mount, assuming it is combat-trained). See Ride for details.

• Redo analysis pass for all character classes
  • I'd like to revisit the Brawler's restriction on magic weapons (e.g. Amulet of Mighty Fists). Why? (I forgot)

• Vehicles & Siege Weapons
  • base costs of land/naval/burrowing/submerging/flying/aether vehicles (before vehicle class costs)
  • template for siege weapons?

• Finish Equipment descriptions

• Pre-Made Magic Items List : "Acculturate" magic items so that there is a courageous, heroic, epic, and mythic version on every item for every slot.

• Skills
  • Update the skills pages with the new Skills template
  • Need to review all skills to update Target DC's using new skill check DC's table, if appropriate.
    • Should also review epic skill uses for the same thing.
  • sleight of hand needs a new use: obscure a non-spell ability from observation (e.g. Paladin's detect ethos, barter's detect magic, etc.)
  • Combat Uses for Skills -- maybe we roll all combat maneuvers into the skills? Get rid of CMB? Could keep CMD as a resistance against skill-based dirty tricks...

• new feats needed:
  • Warlord - more formation dice
  • Ranger - more quarry dice
  • Ranger - better traps (better action economy, use against an occupied space)
  • Prowler - improve save DC for encroaching jolt?

• Feats:
  • Review mounted feats, in light of changes to Mounted Combat
  • Update any feats which apply to abstract encounters with the "Category:Abstract Encounters" category.

Lower Priority Things To Do

• templates:
  • update spell template to pass info to master list (components)
  • consider redoing rogue talents pages into a template
  • consider moving the weapon/armor/shield magic properties pages into templates
  • consider moving fighter tactics into templates/separate pages

• consider renaming Prowler to Skirmisher, Corsair, Drifter, Outlaw

• Add to the SR magic enchantment page to include a section which grants a +1 through +6? bonus to existing (class-feature) SR.

• Epic Bloodline (archaic bloodline) writeups

• Create dweomermetal properties for implements, and add dweomermetals as an option for Implement creation

• Partisan (was Cromlech) - primary tank class

• Sharp (was Gambler) - buff/controller class

• Pariah (was Warlock) - striker/caster

• Build/flesh-out basic rules pages
  • How to gaming page
  • Ability Scores page
  • Finish Character Advancement page
  • How to Combat page
  • Glossary of Terms page
  • Re-write "what is epic path" page. (Started)

• Sorcerer Bloodlines page
• Cleric Domains page
• Import spells to page - started!

• Auramancy
• True Dweomers

• If we ever allow multiclassing, we need to create feats for each character class akin to the Shaping Focus (Feat).

• Create master list of allowable spells for spell effects for magic item creations (optional?)

Playtests

Class	Sub-Class	Char Name	Lvls	Campaign
Alchemist		Zanril	1 - 5	Fane
Alchemist		Hydrazine	1 - 8	Windward Marches
Barbarian		Gant	1 - 5	Fane
Barbarian		Keladin	1 - 6	Windward Marches
Barbarian	Urban	Wrathia	1 - 6	Fractured World
Bard		Fennec	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Brawler		Punch	1 - 5	Fane
Brawler		Culotta	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Cleric		Scoria	1 - 5	Fane
Cleric		Tedrick	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Druid
Fighter		Corvus	1 - 8	Windward Marches
Fighter		Sojourn	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Monk
Paladin		Edric	1 - 8	Windward Marches
Prowler		Sigel	1 - 5	Fane
Prowler		Gabriel	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Prowler		Draught	1 - 6	Fractured World
Ranger		Nerium	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Ranger		Coldre	1 - 6	Fractured World
Rogue	Clever	Vellum	1 - 8	Windward Marches
Rogue	Clever	Ashe	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Rogue	Ruthless	Senka	1 - 6	Fractured World
Sorcerer		Ruin	1 - 12	Golden Portal
Warlord		Skipia	1 - 8	Windward Marches
Warlord		Brin	1 - 6	Fractured World
Wizard		Atticus	1 - 5	Fane

Character Classes

• Physical Adept class (Fleshcrafter?) - arcane-powered melee, re-tool eidolon-style abilities as self-buffs
• Mentat Warsage Storm Knight class - intelligence-based melee and thrown weapons user.
• Fanatic class - divine melee/unarmed, low heals, light armor, no spells. Lay on Hands that does damage; touch attacks.
• Toxotes - high damage ranged attacks, trick shots (possibly just create via new rogue talents?)
• Galvanist
• Seeker
• Templar

Character Class Mini-Games

The goal of the minigame is to keep each class feeling distinct from any other class (drive home the theme of the class), and also prevent the "I hit him again" same-ness that can happen with combat. Give people something that requires planning or tactical awareness or resource management every round, to keep them engaged. The prowler's mini-game is simple, but it's great, in my opinion. You have to look at the board, you have to remember where you last attacked, you have to think about how you're going to set up your next attack.

Ideally, the mini-game is largely optional. You can play any character as "I hit him again", if you want, and you'll do okay. But if you play the mini-game, it gives you opportunities to optimize your play and improve your outcomes by 10 to 25% or so. Enough of a reward to give the min/maxers something to feel rewarded by, but not so much that it unbalances the class.

Already Addressed

• Barbarian - generate fury by getting attacked, decide how to spend fury
• Druid - wild shape; animal companion; spells -- probably busy enough each round
• Partisan - establish zone of control; govern it
• Prowler - displace 10 feet between each attack
• Ranger - determine how to spend quarry dice; keep quarry active
• Sharp - fate deck

Need Work

• Alchemist - throw bombs or hulk out; fetish;
• Bard - "compose a stanza"? arrange a sequence of power words to determine your actions for the round?
• Brawler - jab and counterstrike are interesting options; the status attacks seem to get short shrift vs haymaker; class is very "I hit him" oriented
• Cleric - stay adjacent to injured ally; could use more, IMO. Maybe a bonus once/encounter spell (based on domain) that is triggered by something thematically relevant?
• Fighter - wall of steel fighter is fine, IMO; other fighters may feel a lot more "I hit the guy" than I would want.
• Monk -
• Paladin -
• Pariah -
• Rogue - seek flanks, maybe some better stealth tricks?
• Sorcerer -
• Warlord - keep temp hp's up, probably need a little more (maybe a variable way to improve their hold the line stance each round as an action?)
• Wizard -

New Systems

• Prestige-class replacement system (feat trees?) Alternatively, examine 'good builds' in existing sources and recreate similar functionality in a 'package' of class abilities, call it the 'Epic Path' 'Divergent Path'; 'Dilettante Path', 'Dabbler Path' ?
• Off-class specializations (prestige classes):
  • tank - divergent way
  • striker - motley calling
  • leader - specialized training
  • controller - eclectic pursuit

• Balance thoughts for multi-classing; 5 levels minimum dip, multi-class characters may not use action points, multi-class characters may not use feat trees/epic paths, etc.
• Abstract Action mechanic worked out, needs playtesting/balance/integration into all game mechanics

Dice Roller

• All electronica baby!

http://www.anydice.com/

• it hurts me, but I am unable to stop poking at it:

http://www.cut-the-knot.org/recurrence/word_primes.shtml

hexatrigesimal prime numbers as words. (whimper)

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