Basalt Tides - Classes

Classes have largely been tweaked to encourage multi-classing between base classes; most classes have a rather reduced set of special abilities after tenth level (bonus feats are sometimes included in patterns that match epic level progression). Basalt Tides does not have multi-classing experience penalties (and thus favored class is presented in the races section only for completeness).

Barbarian

Despite having a large number of higher-level abilities (and thus not being as multiclass-friendly), there are currently no changes to the barbarian class.

Bard

This class remains unchanged and should not experience any drastic changes given the low number of higher-level special abilites.

Cleric

Here is a class that has undergone a very significant facelift. The new version of the cleric is extremely versitile, ranging from a meager spellcaster much like a wizard to a more typical cleric just like in the Player's Handbook.

Skills: add Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all) (Int), and Speak Languages (n/a) to the list, increase the rate to 4 + Int modifier per level.

Hit Die: d6.

Blessed Weapon: In preparing spells for the day, a cleric may also bless his/her weapon with a +1 enhancement bonus to attacks (similar to the bonus from masterwork weapons, does not stack with anything). If the weapon is the cleric's diety's favored weapon, this bonus is +2.

Divine Focus: At third level and every four levels thereafter, a cleric gains his/her choice of the following powers:

• +1 Base Attack Bonus with a blessed weapon.
• Bonus item creation or metamagic feat.
• Favored Enemy (stacks as ranger ability).
• Spontaneous metamagic conversion.
• Spontaneous casting of cure or inflict spells.

Spells: as normal cleric.

Spontaneous Casting: Clerics may channel stored spell energy into a domain spell that was not prepared ahead of time, including the prepared domain spell slot (to cast from the other domain). One domain must be specified for this purpose when preparing spells; only that domain can have spells converted into. While spells can be converted to lower level domain spells, metamagic templates may not be applied unless the spontaneous metamagic conversion focus is taken (like with sorcerers, applying metamagics to a converted spell takes a full round action).

Druid

Druids are modified in this world (abilities with same names but altered meanings are asterisked), taking many of the ranger's traits as they do not exist here. They are more akin to divine bards tied to Survival instead of Perform, though they cast as full spellcasters. Before complaining about the lower attack bonus, notice that Nature's Eye (which is Favored Enemy but for a terrain and with the +2 damage split between attack and damage) compensates while in the druid's chosen terrain.

Wild shape takes a backseat as tracking comes into play, and most of the druid's typical high-level abilites were removed to encourage multi-classing. A shifter prestige class will be added, as will a class representing the ritualistic druids who so loathe the cities and gods.

Nature Stride: With a Survival check (DC 15, modified with the DM's discretion), a second level druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at normal speed without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. However, thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion cannot be bypassed with this ability.

Nature's Eye: Druids are more adept in their chosen environments, receiving a bonus to Base Attack Bonus, damage, and double the listed bonus for the following skill checks: Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival. A druid's nature's eye develops at third level and improves every four levels.

Trackless Step: A druid of third or higher level can attempt to prevent leaving a trail in natural surroundings. At the same speed as tracking, a druid may make a Survival check to use in lieu of the standard DC of tracking just that druid. To cover the trail of a party, equipment, and/or other tracks, movement must be cut in half and a quarter of a Survival check (rounded down) can be added to the DC of any tracking attempts (the druid would be supervising the entire party in covering the tracks, thus swift tracker does not help.

Speak with Animals (Sp): Once per day per point of wisdom modifier, a druid can speak with animals as per the spell.

Sun Sustenence: An nineth level druid's skin has taken a greenish hue, allowing the druid to absorb energy from the sun. No food is necessary for a druid who is exposed to sunlight for four hours in a day, though water is still needed.

Bonus Feats: At sixteenth and twentieth levels, druids can choose Eschew Materials or an item creation or metamagic feat as a bonus feat.

Fighter

This class remains unchanged.

Honorbound

This is a new class meant to replace paladin (see below for why that class was removed). It is largely constructed from adding the abilities of the Kensai prestige class to a paladin/fighter-type.

Alignment: Must be lawful (alignments are not used in Basalt Tides, but even here, honorbound are held to the same standards as a Lawful character would be).

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills: The honorbound's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill points at 1st level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill points per level: 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Honorbound are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Oath of honor: Each honorbound takes an oath of law and honor upon adopting the class. This essentially restricts the character to a Lawful alignment (even in Basalt Tides, where there are no required alignments or ways to detect them). Honorbound have a strong concept of honor, and will never choose to go against a promise. They also must swear an oath of service, choosing a task, concept, or master to serve. Completion of such an oath is possible, and the honorbound must make a new vow within a week per class level or lose all class abilities.

Honor radiance: Honorbounds add their Charisma bonus (if any) to all saving throws starting at second level.

Honor binding: A third level honorbound is able to use his/her honor and station to influence others. Add one half an honorbound's level (round down) to any Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Intimidate checks s/he makes. At tenth level, add the honorbound's full level for such checks.

A target that realizes it has been fooled by an honorbound's successful Bluff check (excluding use for combat feinting) gains a +10 bonus on any check or saving throw involving the honorbound's use of Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, or Intimidate against that target in the future. The honorbound can regain the creature's trust by changing its attitude from unfriendly to friendly (see Influencing NPC Attitudes, page 72 of the Player's Handbook).

Signature weapon: As the kensai ability (Complete Warrior), too lenthy to type right now. An honorbound's signature weapon is more powerful in the hands of the owning honorbound. Families of honorbound often hand these down from generation to generation. At fourth level, signature weapons have an effective enchantment of +1. This bonus increases every other level up to +9 at 20th level (and capping at +10 at 22nd level in epic campaigns).

Special mount: As the paladin ability, too lengthy to type right now.

Lay on hands: Beginning at sixth level, an honorbound with a Charisma score of 12 or higher can heal wounds (his/her own or those of others) by touch. Each day s/he can heal a total number of hit points of damage equal to the product of his/her honorbound level and his/her Charisma bonus. For example, a 7th level honorbound with a 16 charisma (+3 bonus) can heal 21 points of damage per day. An honorbound may choose to divide his/her healing among multiple recipients, and s/he doesn't have to use it all at once. Using lay on hands is a standard action.

Alternatively, an honorbound can use any or all of this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity. The honorbound decides how many of his/her daily allotment of points to use as damage after successfully touching an undead creature.

Withstand: An honorbound of nineth level and higher has a choice of making a Concentration check in place of any Reflex save to avoid damage from an area effect spell. If the honorbound also has evasion or improved evasion, these benefits apply to the Concentration checks as well.

Armor Specialization: A twelfth level honorbound is able to better manipulate a worn suit of armor to better take blows, adding two to the maximum Dexterity bonus afforded by armor, and getting a +1 dodge bonus while in medium or heavy armor.

Instill honor: Once per day, an honorbound may take a full-round action to make a Concentration check (DC 10 + target's HD or character level) to impart some of his own ability into a willing ally s/he can touch. The honorbound then subtracts up to one point per class level from his/her base attack bonus and/or any or all base save bonuses and transfers the same amount to the recipient (this counts as a morale bonus). Instill honor lasts for one hour, after which the morale bonus goes away and the honorbound regains all spent ability points. If the recipient dies before the instilled power is transferred back, the honorbound must make a Fortitude save (DC 5 + target's HD or character level) or die as well. Success returns the instilled powers.

Spells: An honorbound casts prepared divine spells from the paladin's spell list.

Monk

Monks undergo some hefty changes, largely influenced by the Oathsworn class in Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed alternate Player's Handbook. A prestige class will be introduced to grant the more magical abilites.

Fighting style: Each monk has a fighting style representing special training. Styles have lists of feats awarded at levels one, two, and six, plus a skill boost at first level and a special ability at sixth level.

• Cobra Strike:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Escape Artist.
  • 1st Level Feat: Dodge.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Mobility.
  • 6th Level Feat: Spring Attack.
  • 6th level Special Ability: Dodge bonus from the Dodge feat increases to +2. Prerequisites: Balance 4 ranks, Escape Artist 9 ranks.
• Denying Stance:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Tumble.
  • 1st Level Feat: Improved Grapple.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Combat Reflexes.
  • 6th Level Feat: Improved Disarm.
  • 6th level Special Ability: When fighting defensively or using the Combat Expertise feat, you gain a +2 bonus on grapple checks and disarm attempts. Prerequisites: Tumble 9 ranks, Combat Expertise.
• Hand and Foot:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Balance.
  • 1st Level Feat: Stunning Fist.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Deflect Arrows.
  • 6th Level Feat: Improved Trip.
  • 6th level Special Ability: You gain a +2 bonus on attacks of opportunity made against an opponent attempting to bull rush or trip you, and a +4 bnus on Dexterity or Strength checks to avoid being tripped or bull rushed. Prerequisites: Balance 9 ranks, Tumble 4 ranks.
• Invisible Eye:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Listen.
  • 1st Level Feat: Combat Reflexes.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Lightning Reflexes.
  • 6th Level Feat: Blind-Fight.
  • 6th level Special Ability: When unarmed and fighting defensively, using Combat Expertise or using the total defense action, increase the dodge bonus to Armor class that you gain from using that tactic by 1. Prerequisites: Listen 9 ranks, Agile.
• Overwhelming Attack:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Intimidate (this is still not a class skill).
  • 1st Level Feat: Power Attack.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Bull Rush.
  • 6th Level Feat: Improved Overrun.
  • 6th level Special Ability: If you have used Intimidate to demoralize your opponent at any time within the previous 10 rounds, you gain a +4 bonus on Strength checks made to bull rush or overrun that opponent. Prerequisites: Intimidate 4 ranks, Perform (dance) 4 ranks.
• Passive Way:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Bluff (this is still not a class skill).
  • 1st Level Feat: Combat Expertise.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Improved Trip.
  • 6th Level Feat: Improved Feint.
  • 6th level Special Ability: You gain a +4 bonus on Strength checks made to trip an opponent who is denied his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. Prerequisites: Bluff 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks, Skill Focus (Bluff).
• Sleeping Tiger:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Hide.
  • 1st Level Feat: Weapon Finesse.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Improved Initiative.
  • 6th Level Feat: Improved Sunder.
  • 6th level Special Ability: Once per round, when an opponent would be denied his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, the monk deals an extra 1d6 ponts of damage with a melee attack made with a light weapon. Any creature immune to sneak attack is immune to this ability. Prerequisites: Hide 9 ranks, Power Attack.
• Undying Way:
  • Skill Bonus: +2 bonus to Concentration
  • 1st Level Feat: Toughness.
  • 2nd Level Feat: Endurance.
  • 6th Level Feat: Diehard.
  • 6th level Special Ability: When fighting defensively, using Combat Expertise, or using the total defense action, the monk gains damage reduction 2/-. Prerequisites: Concentration 9 ranks.

Eschew Food: A monk of third or higher level no longer needs to eat food, though water is still required.

Slow Fall: Tumble checks to reduce effective falling distance get a +15 bonus at fourth level and for every other level afterwards. The standard difficulty to reduce a fall by 20 feet is DC 30, and this DC increases by 15 for each ten feet. No wall is needed.

Refuse Fear: At fifth level, a monk is immune to fear, magical or otherwise.

Refuse Wounds: A seventh level monk is able to heal his/her own wounds (aka Wholeness of Body). S/he can heal a number of hit points equal to twice his/her monk level per day, and this can be spread out over several uses.

Eschew Water: Nineth level monks no longer require water to drink.

Refuse Disease and Poison: Monks of eleventh level are immune to all diseases (except for supernatural and magical) and all poisons (aka Purity of Body and Diamond Body).

Bonus Feat: Fifteenth and twentieth level monks receive bonus feats that may be chosen from the list of fighters' bonus feats.

Paladin

Paladins represent pure law and good and are defined by their alignment. Basalt Tides does not have alignments, nor does it have extremes of this nature. Paladins do not exist (there is no definitave "evil" for them to detect or smite). Instead, a new base class, Honorbound, has been created (see above).

Ranger

Rangers have been collapsed into the druid class. To construct a ranger, make a druid, fighter/druid, fighter/rogue, or druid/rogue. As shown on my Class Equivalences page, rangers are essentially rogue/fighter/druids.

Sorcerer

Spell Swap: At fourth level and every two levels thereafter, when gaining new spells, a sorcerer may swap one known spell for a new spell of the same level. The swapped spell must be two levels lower than the highest level sorcerer spell available. It is removed from the sorcerer's list and can no longer be cast.

Wizard

Unchanged, but note the Arcane Magic Barrier requires a Concentration check with DC 25 + spell level in order to cast a spell of third level or higher.

New Feat: Ignore Barrier

Prerequisites: Ability to cast third level arcane spells.
Ignore the Arcane Magic Barrier for one sect (Life, Change, Action, Fiction, or Truth). This may be added in addition to a Mage of the Stone's primary and secondary sects. This feat may not be taken twice.

Mage of the Stone (prestige class)

Magic requires specialization in this world. Without becoming a Mage of the Stone, the most accomplished arcane caster is limited to one sect of magic. This class focuses on overcoming the Barrier that blocks arcane magic from operating freely.

Requirements: Can cast 3rd level arcane spells after first level of Mage of the Stone, 6 ranks in Spellcraft.

Hit Die: d4.

Class Skills:
The Mage of the Stone's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Knowledge (Arcana), Spellcraft, plus more by chosen sects: Life: Handle Animal, Knowledge (Nature). Change: Craft (Int), Profession (Wis). Action: Profession (Wis). Truth: Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Scry (Int), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis). Fiction: Bluff (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Intimidate (Cha).
Skill points per level: 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: No new proficiencies gained.

Spells: Each level of Mage of the Stone adds one level of another arcane spellcasting class for the purposes of caster level and spell progression.

Sects of Magic

• Major
  • Life (Brown): Conjuration and Necromancy
  • Change (Red): Transmutation
  • Action (Blue): Evocation
• Minor
  • Fiction (Dark): Illusion and Enchantment
  • Truth (Light): Abjuration and Divination

Special Note: For Wizards and other classes that must study written magic, the spell Read Magic should be considered in the Universal school, not Divination.

Sect Access: Choose either a primary or a secondary sect to cast from without penalty. The primary sect acts as a specialization for casters whose spells are based on research and study (Intelligence). The two sects musts be a major sect and a minor sect (one each from {Life, Change, Action} and {Fiction, Truth}.

Barrier Stone: A Mage of the Stone may make a Barrier Stone with the Craft Wonderous Item feat. Cost of materials is 500 gp.

New Magic Item: Barrier Stone

A cubic ioun-like stone whose corners jutt out to rounded tips. When circling around the head of a Mage of the Stone of matching sects, a barrier stone gives a +1 enhancement bonus to the base ability tied with arcane spellcasting and gives a +2 circumstance modifier to Diplomacy checks. Additional stones provide a +1 enhancement bonus to the wearer's choice of intelligence or charisma and stack +1 circumstance modifiers to Diplomacy checks. Close examination (Spot check DC 10 + distance in feet) of a barrier stone will show that it matches the coloring of the Mage of the Stone it was created for, drawing color and shade from the sects of the mage, favoring the primary sect (so a Mage of the Stone with Life primary and Truth secondary would have a light brown stone while another mage with Truth primary and Life secondary would have a white-brown stone).

Attune Barrier stone: A 5th level Mage of the Stone may perform a week-long ritual on a barrier stone of matching sects at the cost of some heafty amount of experience that I have yet to determine. Lost levels are taken from Mage of the Stone. This further enchants the stone such that when the Mage of the Stone who attuned it is using it, his or her Dragon Score is reduced by 20. The stone must be initially worn for one month before this reduction takes effect, but the one month is not needed after it has been completed once. A stone may only be attuned to an individual once. A subsequent attunement overrides the current one (allows a change in the individual it is attuned to).

Dragon Score is explained elsewhere (currently not online), but essentially counts usage of higher-level spells and slowly progresses to half-dragon form, with a large number of drawbacks that most wish to avoid. Once in half-dragon form, an arcane spellcaster cannot cast spells beyond the barrier (level three and higher) unless he or she takes up the Dragonmorph prestige class

Dragonmorph (prestige class)

This class allows a half-dragon who has cast too many powerful spells to slowly re-gain the ability to cast them. Dragons of ths type are prone to rage and are easily agitated. Much of the Dragonmorph's advancement is dedicated to reducing the rage.

A note about dragons in Basalt Tides

Dragons are a bit different here. The most important change is that they are not tied to alignment any more, since nothing in this world is bound by it (thus the removal of such things as Detect Evil and Protection from Evil). I plan to tweak them to closely resemble the sects they represent. Until then, assume they are all akin to Brass Dragons in all but alignment.

One particular thing to note for potential takers of this class is that there are a number of dragon slayers out there, especially the ancient Deone Dragonslayer, who is older than all but three of the gods and rumored to be of nearly equal power. Their uncontrollable rage makes relations difficult and most cities will try to hunt dragons rather than welcome them.

Requirements: Half-dragon template, ability to cast 7th level arcane spells (disregarding half-dragon restriction).

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills:
The Dragonmorph's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (dragons), Speak Language (Draconic).
Skill points per level: 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: No new proficiencies gained.

Dragonform: At first level, a Dragonmorph's draconic progression cannot be slowed by barrier stones; they serve only to prevent loss of wisdom. I will think of some steps here later, but the 5th level step should be that of full dragon form. The dragon's color will be determined by the accessible sects to the dragon.

Dragonmorph Colors

There are 24 base combinations of colors as indicated by the table below. The overall color is a background on top of which there are markings indicating primary and secondary sects, such that a Life/Truth/Change (Primary/Secondary/Feat) dragon would be golden with minor lighter spots and covered in intricate brown shapes and symbols, while a Change/Truth/Life dragon would have intricate red markings and lighter spots. Gray-toned dragons are dull colored; an Action/Fiction/Truth dragon would be bluegray with a complex blue foreground and dark splotches, and a Truth/Action/Fiction would be bluegray with complex white markings over blue spots. Dragons with no secondary sect do not have simple splashes of a color, dragons with no primary sect have no complex markings, and dragons with no feat-granted sect have brighter (but not lighter) background colors; a Fiction// dragon has (barely visible) intricate black markings over a black body, a //Change dragon is plain red, and an Action//Life dragon is green with intricate blue decoration.

xth level spells: The Dragonmorph regains ability to cast spells of increasing levels as he or she progresses.

Ignore Barrier: If not already possessed, this feat is gained for free.