Exactly what it says on the tin. I'm building a new setting. Partially out of creative boredom, and partially out of a desire to create a setting that suits my personal tastes. However, the main reason is a general displeasure with the directions the game has gone recently.
Now, you can imagine all you want, but you won't get much further than that unless you bounce ideas off of other people. So, in the spirit of that, I've created this thread where I can lay my ideas out, make them coherent, and hopefully get some feedback or a dialogue going about them.
And just to put it out there, the mission statements for this setting are as follows: Encourage and reward role playing and being a part of both the story and the group. Give the Class and Race system some additional flexibility and elbow-room to allow the PCs to play the kinds of characters they want to play, even if they aren't within the standard mold. Create a balanced, high-powered setting that involves somewhat more powerful classes and frequent multiclassing. Make multiclassing more user-friendly and less crippling, while also maintaining the long-term integrity of single-classing. Make the core character classes more flexible by offering different ways to customize and progress them (i.e. give several classes the same kind of setup as the Rogue, where they can choose from a pool of class abilities instead of being locked in with X, Y, and Z abilities). Modify the mechanics of death to make both individual character deaths and party wipeouts both less common and less damaging, with the goal of minimizing the need to reroll new characters as much as possible (you have interplanar travel. If someone died, then by the hairy backs of the gods, go save them. And if you're all dead, prepare to fight your way back).
Now, since this is going to be a long explanation, I'm going to break it up into more easily digestible chunks. First on my List of Things. . .
Base Class Changes
High on my list of things to change are the Fighter, the Monk, the Paladin, and the Druid.
First up, the Fighter.
Fighter
The Fighter has been in need of a buff of some sort for a long time. Though formidable in the beginning, over the long haul, their series of Bonus Feats just doesn't cut it. As all the other classes gain progressively more powerful special abilities, spells, and powers, the Fighter is limited to the Feat chains available to him, many of which, even at their maximum level, still don't match up to the powers and abilities of other Classes of an equivalent level.
To rectify this, I have several potential fixes.
1.) Give the Fighter one or two special abilities in addition to their Bonus Feats. Logically, these abilities would have to fit with theme of 'general warrior.' They couldn't be overtly specialized, because that would shoehorn Fighters into being a specific kind of build (i.e. giving them a buff for longswords or for Strength is unfair and unbalancing to someone who wants to play an agile Fighter who uses axes and longbows).
As such, having thought it over and having looked at other settings (including 4.0), I decided that the best sort of ability would be a kind of adrenaline boost that gives the Fighter greater endurance, additional staying power, and the ability to shrug off a limited degree of damage. Though I don't have the precise mechanics or execution for it down yet, I feel that an adrenaline boost is general enough to fit with essentially every kind of Fighter build out there, and does not favor any one particular theme or build.
The one thing that always ultimately holds PCs back is the need to rest and restore themselves for the next challenges. The idea of giving Fighters a unique ability that increases their staying power seems to fit in perfectly with their general theme. After the Wizard has exhausted her spells and the Clerc has used up his turning, it will be the Fighter who continues on, hacking a path to safety or taking up the rear of a fighting retreat to cover his companions.
Fighters have been and always will be the backbone of the standard party. I feel that an adrenal-based ability that gives them greater staying power would help them greatly in this role.
2.) At certain points in their level progression, a Fighter will gain boosts to either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, at their discretion. Since these are the three core physical stats (with Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma being the mental stats), it keeps in line with the Fighter's theme. Furthermore, the ability to choose which stat gets boosted will prevent this feature from favoring any one specific build, and give the PC the ability to further customize the direction their Fighter takes. If you're playing an Elf Fighter with a bow and longsword, you'll likely want to invest in Dexterity. If you're a Dwarf Fighter with a brace of axes, you'll likely spring for the Strength or Constitution.
I feel this is justifiable in-context as representing peaks and pinnacles in a Fighter's training. Regardless of where they hail from, their background, or their race, all Fighters are physically fit and obviously train their technique, even if said training isn't directly seen or RP'd during the course of the game. As such, these scattered +1 boosts (I'm thinking one every five levels, for a total of four +1s in a normal 20 level progression) represent the fruits of their personal labors and training. The Elf swordsman who practices daily with his blade katas, the steadfast Dwarf Fighter who hones the ability to get the most out of his blows, or the Human warrior who masters himself and pushes his endurance and toughness to new heights.
3.) At higher levels, the Fighter gains the ability to temporarily imbue a weapon they wield with a standard property (such as keen). Depending on what the property is, this could be either because the skill and ability of the Fighter is great enough to mimic the effects of that property, because of an unconscious manifestation of ki (more on that later) allows them to do it, or some combination of the two (skill combined with unconscious ki manipulation).
If this was implemented as an ability, then there would have to be some obvious restrictions on it. For starters, there would have to be a pool of standard properties designated as 'mimicable' by this ability, and it would exclude any properties that are overtly magical in nature (regardless of how good you are as a swordsman, it's hard to justify a shocking burst effect with 'pure skill'). The pool would also have to be limited in some other way, likely by directly tying the + enhancement level necessary to 'normally' put the effect on a weapon into how long the effect lasts, and at what class level you have to be to use it (vorpal, for instance, would obviously be high level only, and would likely have a short duration).
On the other hand, this pool could likely be expanded considerably during Epic Fighter progression. After all, if anyone could manage a shocking burst with skill, it'd be an Epic Fighter. And that is what being Epic is all about, after all. Taking your skills and powers to obscenely impressive and probably impossible levels.
4.) Some combination of 1, 2, and 3. If I did all three, then I would likely have to cut out significant chunks of the Fighter's bonus feat progression, which is something I'd like to avoid. Currently, I'm leaning towards one of two options.
A.) Drop 3, and stick with a combination of 1, 2, and what the class already is (for a total of; Bonus Feat progression, Adrenal Boost (Ex), and a +1 boost to either Str, Dex, or Con, player's choice, every fifth level).
B.) Set 1 and 3 aside. Make 2 part of the universal progression of the Fighter, and allow the PC to choose between either Adrenal Boost or the ability to temporarily mimic a limited number of properties when they first create their character.
Potential Fighter Flavor: Though Monks train themselves rigorously to harness and manipulate the ki that dwells within them, theirs is not the only way. High level Fighters naturally tap into the ki that flows through them, indirectly learning to direct it's flow and force by instinct and sheer will. If Monks are the Wizards of ki, then Fighters are it's Sorcerers.
Fighters do not learn to do what they do with ki by thinking about it. They merely act, and train, and fight. They learn from their mistakes, and practice their art, and in response to this, their inner power grows stronger, and their instinctual control over it strengthens and sharpens. And those few that push themselves to their utmost only occasionally notice that they have crossed the blurry line of what should be physically possible, and have taken steps into the realm of legend.
Basically, part of the flavor I'm aiming for in this setting is that higher level Fighters unconsciously tap their own ki, which enables them to do the things they do. In the beginning, their capacity with Feats, their adrenal boost, and their limited stat boosts are handwaveable as being merely intensive training. However, once the character has reached level 16 or so, it becomes obvious that some other force must be at work besides muscle, skill, and mastering your second wind. And once a Fighter surpasses level 20, there can no longer be any doubt that their spirits are as much a weapon as their bodies and their blades.
Not, of course, that the Fighter cares all too much about the distinction. After all, a weapon is a weapon, and if your own fighting spirit can be one, sustaining you and pushing you onwards when you should have fallen long ago, then so much the better.
Thoughts? I'll post my ideas on the Paladin and the Druid next. Feel free to ask any questions about the setting, or let me know what you think about the proposed changes. If you think it's good, if there's something horrific or gamebreaking that I've overlooked, or if you have some suggestions of your own. It's all welcome.
[EDIT]
Also, though I'll be focusing mostly on mechanics changes, feel free to ask me anything you like about the flavor and style of the setting as a whole. After all, smooth mechanics make a game run nice, but good flavor and a memorable setting is what makes games memorable and worthwhile. So feel free to ask about that too. I'll be more than happy to answer questions.
[EDIT EDIT]
Also, if you haven't figured it out, I'm basing this off of 3.5 rules, not 4.0. I may end up incorporating some stuff from 4.0 into this (it's not all bad, after all, and they did do their homework in regards to streamlining combat), but it will still be running off the basic framework of 3.5.
Now, you can imagine all you want, but you won't get much further than that unless you bounce ideas off of other people. So, in the spirit of that, I've created this thread where I can lay my ideas out, make them coherent, and hopefully get some feedback or a dialogue going about them.
And just to put it out there, the mission statements for this setting are as follows: Encourage and reward role playing and being a part of both the story and the group. Give the Class and Race system some additional flexibility and elbow-room to allow the PCs to play the kinds of characters they want to play, even if they aren't within the standard mold. Create a balanced, high-powered setting that involves somewhat more powerful classes and frequent multiclassing. Make multiclassing more user-friendly and less crippling, while also maintaining the long-term integrity of single-classing. Make the core character classes more flexible by offering different ways to customize and progress them (i.e. give several classes the same kind of setup as the Rogue, where they can choose from a pool of class abilities instead of being locked in with X, Y, and Z abilities). Modify the mechanics of death to make both individual character deaths and party wipeouts both less common and less damaging, with the goal of minimizing the need to reroll new characters as much as possible (you have interplanar travel. If someone died, then by the hairy backs of the gods, go save them. And if you're all dead, prepare to fight your way back).
Now, since this is going to be a long explanation, I'm going to break it up into more easily digestible chunks. First on my List of Things. . .
Base Class Changes
High on my list of things to change are the Fighter, the Monk, the Paladin, and the Druid.
First up, the Fighter.
Fighter
The Fighter has been in need of a buff of some sort for a long time. Though formidable in the beginning, over the long haul, their series of Bonus Feats just doesn't cut it. As all the other classes gain progressively more powerful special abilities, spells, and powers, the Fighter is limited to the Feat chains available to him, many of which, even at their maximum level, still don't match up to the powers and abilities of other Classes of an equivalent level.
To rectify this, I have several potential fixes.
1.) Give the Fighter one or two special abilities in addition to their Bonus Feats. Logically, these abilities would have to fit with theme of 'general warrior.' They couldn't be overtly specialized, because that would shoehorn Fighters into being a specific kind of build (i.e. giving them a buff for longswords or for Strength is unfair and unbalancing to someone who wants to play an agile Fighter who uses axes and longbows).
As such, having thought it over and having looked at other settings (including 4.0), I decided that the best sort of ability would be a kind of adrenaline boost that gives the Fighter greater endurance, additional staying power, and the ability to shrug off a limited degree of damage. Though I don't have the precise mechanics or execution for it down yet, I feel that an adrenaline boost is general enough to fit with essentially every kind of Fighter build out there, and does not favor any one particular theme or build.
The one thing that always ultimately holds PCs back is the need to rest and restore themselves for the next challenges. The idea of giving Fighters a unique ability that increases their staying power seems to fit in perfectly with their general theme. After the Wizard has exhausted her spells and the Clerc has used up his turning, it will be the Fighter who continues on, hacking a path to safety or taking up the rear of a fighting retreat to cover his companions.
Fighters have been and always will be the backbone of the standard party. I feel that an adrenal-based ability that gives them greater staying power would help them greatly in this role.
2.) At certain points in their level progression, a Fighter will gain boosts to either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution, at their discretion. Since these are the three core physical stats (with Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma being the mental stats), it keeps in line with the Fighter's theme. Furthermore, the ability to choose which stat gets boosted will prevent this feature from favoring any one specific build, and give the PC the ability to further customize the direction their Fighter takes. If you're playing an Elf Fighter with a bow and longsword, you'll likely want to invest in Dexterity. If you're a Dwarf Fighter with a brace of axes, you'll likely spring for the Strength or Constitution.
I feel this is justifiable in-context as representing peaks and pinnacles in a Fighter's training. Regardless of where they hail from, their background, or their race, all Fighters are physically fit and obviously train their technique, even if said training isn't directly seen or RP'd during the course of the game. As such, these scattered +1 boosts (I'm thinking one every five levels, for a total of four +1s in a normal 20 level progression) represent the fruits of their personal labors and training. The Elf swordsman who practices daily with his blade katas, the steadfast Dwarf Fighter who hones the ability to get the most out of his blows, or the Human warrior who masters himself and pushes his endurance and toughness to new heights.
3.) At higher levels, the Fighter gains the ability to temporarily imbue a weapon they wield with a standard property (such as keen). Depending on what the property is, this could be either because the skill and ability of the Fighter is great enough to mimic the effects of that property, because of an unconscious manifestation of ki (more on that later) allows them to do it, or some combination of the two (skill combined with unconscious ki manipulation).
If this was implemented as an ability, then there would have to be some obvious restrictions on it. For starters, there would have to be a pool of standard properties designated as 'mimicable' by this ability, and it would exclude any properties that are overtly magical in nature (regardless of how good you are as a swordsman, it's hard to justify a shocking burst effect with 'pure skill'). The pool would also have to be limited in some other way, likely by directly tying the + enhancement level necessary to 'normally' put the effect on a weapon into how long the effect lasts, and at what class level you have to be to use it (vorpal, for instance, would obviously be high level only, and would likely have a short duration).
On the other hand, this pool could likely be expanded considerably during Epic Fighter progression. After all, if anyone could manage a shocking burst with skill, it'd be an Epic Fighter. And that is what being Epic is all about, after all. Taking your skills and powers to obscenely impressive and probably impossible levels.
4.) Some combination of 1, 2, and 3. If I did all three, then I would likely have to cut out significant chunks of the Fighter's bonus feat progression, which is something I'd like to avoid. Currently, I'm leaning towards one of two options.
A.) Drop 3, and stick with a combination of 1, 2, and what the class already is (for a total of; Bonus Feat progression, Adrenal Boost (Ex), and a +1 boost to either Str, Dex, or Con, player's choice, every fifth level).
B.) Set 1 and 3 aside. Make 2 part of the universal progression of the Fighter, and allow the PC to choose between either Adrenal Boost or the ability to temporarily mimic a limited number of properties when they first create their character.
Potential Fighter Flavor: Though Monks train themselves rigorously to harness and manipulate the ki that dwells within them, theirs is not the only way. High level Fighters naturally tap into the ki that flows through them, indirectly learning to direct it's flow and force by instinct and sheer will. If Monks are the Wizards of ki, then Fighters are it's Sorcerers.
Fighters do not learn to do what they do with ki by thinking about it. They merely act, and train, and fight. They learn from their mistakes, and practice their art, and in response to this, their inner power grows stronger, and their instinctual control over it strengthens and sharpens. And those few that push themselves to their utmost only occasionally notice that they have crossed the blurry line of what should be physically possible, and have taken steps into the realm of legend.
Basically, part of the flavor I'm aiming for in this setting is that higher level Fighters unconsciously tap their own ki, which enables them to do the things they do. In the beginning, their capacity with Feats, their adrenal boost, and their limited stat boosts are handwaveable as being merely intensive training. However, once the character has reached level 16 or so, it becomes obvious that some other force must be at work besides muscle, skill, and mastering your second wind. And once a Fighter surpasses level 20, there can no longer be any doubt that their spirits are as much a weapon as their bodies and their blades.
Not, of course, that the Fighter cares all too much about the distinction. After all, a weapon is a weapon, and if your own fighting spirit can be one, sustaining you and pushing you onwards when you should have fallen long ago, then so much the better.
Thoughts? I'll post my ideas on the Paladin and the Druid next. Feel free to ask any questions about the setting, or let me know what you think about the proposed changes. If you think it's good, if there's something horrific or gamebreaking that I've overlooked, or if you have some suggestions of your own. It's all welcome.
[EDIT]
Also, though I'll be focusing mostly on mechanics changes, feel free to ask me anything you like about the flavor and style of the setting as a whole. After all, smooth mechanics make a game run nice, but good flavor and a memorable setting is what makes games memorable and worthwhile. So feel free to ask about that too. I'll be more than happy to answer questions.
[EDIT EDIT]
Also, if you haven't figured it out, I'm basing this off of 3.5 rules, not 4.0. I may end up incorporating some stuff from 4.0 into this (it's not all bad, after all, and they did do their homework in regards to streamlining combat), but it will still be running off the basic framework of 3.5.
