Talk:Pariah

• rewards for aggression, gets fragile if not aggressive
• spell-casting scrappers (think COH's "blapper" hybrid)
• arcane-powered pact magic, movement and close attacks
• add defenses for aggression, must acquire each round (e.g. blur/fast-healing/AC from movement, etc.)

terminology

• pact - the source of power for the pariah, akin to a sorcerer's bloodline. Pariahs can only select abilities from their own pact.
• binding - a pact's affinity which has been bound to the pariah, granting some utility ability (senses, movement, buff/debuff, skill enhancement, etc.).
• chain - a pact affinity which can be employed offensively, like a combat spell.
• ward - a pact affinity which can be employed defensively (self only).

each level, the pariah will be directed to choose a new chain, ward, or binding, or upgrade an existing pact affinity they already know of the same type. They can only do one or the other. (Some levels may grant additional benefits)

All bindings, chains, and wards improve (somewhat) with level, even if not upgraded. This allows a generalist to remain somewhat competitive with a specialist, though a specialist will do much more with their smaller toolset.

Think of each binding, chain, and ward as a single spell. At top level, a pariah might have a maximum of 35 total (super-generalist), or could have as few as 4 (super-specialist). Each pact ability can be upgraded a maximum of 9 times (comparable to spell slot levels).

• Pact affinities are not memorized, but are instead granted by the pact's source.
• You can use each of your pact affinities no more than once per round, but there are no limits on how many times each can be cast per day. (like combat maneuvers).
• Pact affinities are much closer range; shocking grasp and burning hands are good templates.
• Using a pact affinity doesn't provoke from threatening enemies; no combat casting/concentration is necessary.

Probably grant 3 abilities at first level, but no upgrades possible (i.e. you can't take 1 and upgrade it twice; you have to take 3 different abilities).

In most cases, the upgrade trees for a given chain, ward, or binding, will be identical, or very similar, to other pact affinities of the same type. Every chain will have the ability to target more enemies (within a given radius of the first), inflict a status condition, bypass SR, be cast more quickly, etc.

chains

offensive abilities; comparable to fireball, disintegrate, etc. Need to be upgraded to be good (instead of using higher level spell slots, etc.).

• damage is based on caster level or character level, auto-scaling.
• ranged touch attack against a single enemy up to 10 feet away, but no saving throw

• some chains inflict a specific status condition, forced movement, or other debuff, but these grant a saving throw.

• If target saves, half damage and no debuff.

• chains can critically hit on a natural 20 (to threaten, must confirm). Deals double damage on confirmed crit.
• if the pariah possesses karma when casting the chain, it gains the following:

• affects one additional target, but that target cannot be more than 10 feet apart from any one other target.
• auto-confirms critical threats

upgrades for chains include:

• +2 to caster checks to bypass SR (bailiwick vs. maneuver defense)

• ignores SR

• cast as move action

• cast as swift action

• improved crit range (19-20)

• can target a second enemy, as long as that enemy is adjacent to the first target.

• second target can be up to 10 feet away from the first target.
• second target can be up to 30 feet away from your first target.

• castable against a target up to 20 feet away

• castable against a target up to 30 feet away

wards

upgrades for wards can include (wards are always self-only):

• more defense granted
• easier circumstances for activating (less movement, fewer threatening foes, fewer nearby allies, etc.)
• secondary effects - bonus movement, alternate movement types, improved senses, etc.
• improved action economy

• wards should really focus on single defenses, and not all pacts can improve all defenses (each pact leaves at least one hole in the pariah's defenses). If someone wants to shore up all defenses, they are a generalist, and cannot become as tough as someone who specializes in one or two defenses.

• wards might grant bonus to AC, DR, ER, AOO defense, saves, SR, forced movement, fast healing,

• at the highest specializations (epic), could do things like absorption (healing) from one energy type, taking half damage from physical attacks, a self heal as a swift action, etc.

• wards will always require some activating condition. e.g.:

• displace at least 15 feet
• be at least 15 feet from any of your allies
• be threatened by 3 or more enemies
• attack an enemy who isn't threatened by any ally
• attack at least two enemies this round
• etc.; once active, the ward lasts until the start of the pariah's next turn.

bindings

this is the 'everything else' category, and allows us to put some flavor into each pact. This would be comparable to utility spells, either in-combat or out, but all themed to match the pact they are attributed to.

upgrades for bindings can include:

• additional targets
• better effects
• improved action economy

Pacts

Each pariah gets his magic from a deal made with a more powerful entity or source of power. It should remain unclear what the entity or source gets out of the deal, but it should be clear that they get something.

The most important thing to achieve with pact sources is to provide some class diversity among pariahs. The second most important thing is to create a sense of wondrous weirdness in the class and its magic.

Mechanically, pact sources differentiate themselves with the following:

• a specific class ability or two at various class levels, depending on the pact chosen.
• critical spell effects are different for each pact.
• one different way to generate karma, in addition to the normal methods.

We want to minimize how much work is involved in creating the class, but without just phoning it in. We'll have to design around 50 spells or so, though we can borrow heavily from existing spell lists, if we want. In my opinion, this is an opportunity to create a champions-like spell system that is interesting and flexible.

• Pact of the Ancestral Relic

• drawing power from a poorly-understood artifact, an heirloom passed down in secret among your family.
• on crit: clear a condition on self or ignore next condition
• karma: gain the bruised, bleed, or ruptured condition.

• Pact of the Aura Eater

• tapping into the fundaments that permeate the world (elemental)
• on crit: inflict burned condition
• karma: suffer environmental damage during combat

• Pact of the Invisible Sun

• you draw power from the Unterwelt, the shadowy recesses below the world, and some hidden power therein.
• on crit: gain blur until end of encounter
• karma: attack an enemy that is not aware of you (typically from stealth)

• Pact of the Masquerade

• power from the heart of the First World (illusion, charm, and enchantment focused)
• on crit: gain mirror image until dispelled
• karma: deal damage to an enemy creature with the fey subtype

• Pact of the Prince

• the classic faustian pact with a devil. Maybe on purpose, maybe by accident.
• on crit: target is rattled for one round
• karma: deal damage to an enemy creature with the demon subtype

• Pact of the Unfathomed Well

• drawing primal magic from the source of all magic (sipping from a firehose) (mana, magic, power)
• on crit: damage becomes primal / irresistible
• karma: take damage from an enemy's spell-like ability

• Pact of the Whispering Void

• that tentacled god seemed nice enough, and hey, free magic! (corruption, diversity)
• on crit: inflict cloistered on target
• karma: be the target of any combat maneuver, including grabs, swallowed, etc., by an enemy creature

• Pact of the Willing Host

• you open your body to be a vessel for one or more dangerous spirits, in exchange for power
• on crit: gain a bonus action
• karma: be forced to move (by forced movement) by an enemy creature

• Pact of the Worldseed

• drawing life magic from the Nascent Seed (life, nature, health)
• on crit: self heal, or temp hit points
• karma: be quelled, knocked prone, or become splayed by an enemy creature. (Voluntary doesn't count.)

Karma

• Pariahs can earn a point of karma from:

• rolling a natural 1 on an attack roll or saving throw
• delivering the killing blow to a non-minion enemy
• one additional way, based on their pact

• Pariahs can only earn karma during combat, and can only ever have 1 point of karma at any time.

• They either have karma, or they do not.
• It is not spent; instead, possessing karma empowers their chains, wards, and bindings to greater heights.
• Karma is reset to zero at the end of the encounter.

• possible benefits of karma: passive effects that occur when the pariah has karma

• auto-confirm critical threats
• all chains (offensive spells) affect one additional enemy target
• all bindings (defensive self-buffs) are easier to trigger

ideas

• power which lets them push an enemy (non-role) out of a fight for 1 round, and when it returns, it takes xx psychic damage (from going somewhere horrible)