In AD&D 2e you could choose your weapon and nonweapon proficiencies (optional rule), thieves could choose how to distribute their skill points, and (in the Complete Priests Handbook) speciality priests could have different ‘spheres’ that controlled what spells they had access to and influenced the powers they received. D&D 3e started making …
GreyKnight is starting a campaign set in the world implied by Nethack, using Pathfinder RPG as his base rule set. Among other things, this requires him to build some new character classes. He has taken a run at the Valkyrie class and asked for some comments and suggestions. This post …
Converting RSRD abilities to Echelon talents is usually pretty straightforward. Many abilities in D&D 3.x are built up of smaller abilities, usually along a path of some sort. Feat paths are pretty obvious (weapon focus and weapon specialization are an example, as is the Mobility feat path leading to Whirlwind …
I think arcane spellcasters are fairly well handled with the Eldritch Weaving rules I’m adapting. Bards aren’t specifically addressed, but the adaptations needed are fairly straightforward. The Eldritch Weaving rules I’m adapting don’t really address divine spellcasters. Divine spellcasters also have other powers (domain powers, druidic abilities, and so on). …
While reviewing Thieves’ World: Player’s Manual from Green Ronin, I found an expanded list of combat styles for rangers. I posted it to rec.games.frp.dnd, where people proposed additional ranger styles. This article collects them. ‘Ranged’ and ‘Two-Weapon’ styles below are as per RSRD, but the others are new. Unless otherwise …
In an Alternative epic level system thread in rec.games.frp.dnd, I had cause to examine the spell slots available to the various classes. I was able to come up with a reasonably close approximation to the spell slots available to all of the base classes. Examination of the various spell lists …
All clerics in a RAW game can either Turn Undead or Rebuke Undead. This doesn’t seem right to me because it seems to me that not all settings or religions would put enough emphasis on undead to make it relevant. Also, I don’t really like the way turning works — …
I’ve been writing up about the Arcane Academy of Ter Liatri. This is a big wizard guild in my campaign — Ter Liatri used to be the capital of the Empire before it collapsed, and the guild survived it. More or less. I have in mind a couple of prestige …
Saving for half damage is nice, but avoiding all the damage is nicer yet.
These feats allow you to do additional damage to opponents who are unable to defend themselves effectively, by striking a vital spot. Your character does additional damage any time your opponent is denied Dexterity bonus to AC. Only creatures susceptible to critical hits (living creatures with discernible anatomies) are subject …