well sense we are picking our classes im going to go with fighter or maybe cleric

Alright, one player from my current Sunday game is considering this game as an alternative, since it may be a better timeslot for him. So with the few others who've expressed interest so far, I think we have enough to run with, though I'd like to have 5 or 6 players if we get enough recruits (7 might be okay, but I've found groups of 7 or more on OpenRPG tend to be kinda difficult to handle in one game).

That said, it shouldn't be a problem if we have more than one PC belonging to the same class or general role. Unless enough folks would rather have the game on a particular weekday or on Saturdays (if so, speak up!), I think we'll stick with Sundays for this game. Right now, it looks like the possible players for a Sunday game are Rellen, Lokey, The_Shaman, and Rayneth, plus Viktor from my other game, and NapalmMoose if Sundays are okay for you? If not, then are Saturdays okay with everybody else?

I have no problem with some folks needing to leave an hour or two early, or arrive an hour late, if they need to, as long as they're here for at least 2 hours of the game on those days (and I'm fine with some folks needing to miss an occasional session due to other arrangements). I just wanna be sure we always have at least 4 active players for each session.

Note that since I'm going to be running mostly published adventures, the party will probably need each of the basic D&roles filled (arcane caster, divine caster, trapfinder/scout, and warrior). And since psionics will be involved in the campaign, a psionic manifester will also be fairly helpful. It looks like Rellen will play a Psion, Lokey will play a Warblade, Rayneth another Warblade or a Cleric, The_Shaman possibly a Barbarian or something else, and NapalmMoose possibly a Fighter or Cleric..... Not sure what Viktor will play if he joins this campaign, possibly a Cleric like the one he runs in my Sunday-night game, but maybe something else.

A socially-focused PC like a Bard or something could be rather helpful at certain points in the campaign, but that really depends on how the group's playstyle develops during the campaign. In any case, Warblades and Clerics and such get Diplomacy as a class skill, so it's not like Bards are necessary for social situations.

Now, on the question of houserules, I've been considering how to balance the core classes with the noncore classes a little better...... In other games I've tended to debuff the martial adepts and druids a bit while slightly buffing up fighters and such, but I don't think I wanna bother with that much fiddling this time around, or that much up-and-down modification. So, I'll leave the martial adepts and druids and clerics and such as-is, but I'll buff up the less-advantageous classes somewhat to restore a semblance of balance.

Note that you cannot ready a maneuver in more than one slot; martial maneuvers are not spells, and they do not use spell slots. Each maneuver can only be readied once at a time. This is just a clarification, and one that the Sage addressed in one of the last few issues of Dragon Magazine's print run. I've noticed that many folks just assume that maneuvers are prepared like spells, but they're not, and the language in the book does not support any such assumption.

Barbarians will get twice as many Rages per day and twice as much Damage Reduction as normal (though the levels at which they gain them will not change), for more parity with crusaders and warblades. Furthermore, Barbarians will get 6 skill points per level instead of 4. In addition, Barbarians will gain the new extraordinary ability of Pain Mastery at 1st-level. Pain Mastery automatically heals the Barbarian of 1 damage per level in that class (both lethal and nonlethal, but not ability damage) at the end of his or her Rage, but only if the Barbarian chooses to expend an extra use of Rage at that time to activate Pain Mastery (this does not trigger another Rage). Using Pain Mastery is a free action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. You cannot activate Pain Mastery more than once at the end of a single Rage.

Bards get d8 Hit Dice in this campaign, and gain the extraordinary ability of Bardic Prowess at 1st-level. This ability allows the Bard to expend one use of Bardic Music (as a free action on his or her turn, which does not provoke attacks of opportunity) for one of the following personal benefits, instead of the normal Bardic Music effects: either a +1 bonus on attack rolls, or a +1 bonus on weapon damage rolls (including unarmed strike, natural weapon, or grapple damage), or a +1 bonus on ability checks and grapple checks, or a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class, or a +1 bonus on all skill checks, or a +1 bonus on all Bard spell save DCs, or a +1 bonus on all Bardic Music save DCs. You may choose a different one of these benefits each time (if you change your benefit to be a bonus on spell or Bardic Music save DCs, or change it away from one of those, this affects any further saves made against such effects that you may have used earlier). The benefit lasts until the Bard activates Bardic Prowess again or recovers his or her daily allotment of Bardic Music uses, whichever comes first. When gaining a dodge bonus in this manner, that bonus is lost whenever you are immobilized, helpless, or denied a Dexterity bonus to AC. Edit: The bonus from Bardic Prowess improves to +2 at 10th-level onward in that class.

Beguilers add True Strike, Sure Strike, and Telekinesis, as per the Sorcerer spells, to their class spell list.

Crusaders must have a patron deity and follow that divine patron's dogma faithfully or suffer consequences similar to Clerics, losing their maneuvers and stances until receiving Atonement.

Dragon Shamans add Balance, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Religion), Listen, and Spot to their list of class skills. They get 4 skill points per level instead of 2.

Duskblades cannot affect each target more than once during any given use of Arcane Channeling, unless the touch spell normally allows multiple uses against the same target (such as Chill Touch). Yes, this is kind of a nerf, and kind of a clarification, it's ambiguous in the book.

Fighters will get a bonus feat at EVERY level, instead of their normal bonus feat progression. Skill Focus and Toughness are added to their list of bonus feat options. Fighters will get 4 skill points per level instead of 2, and will get d12 Hit Dice in this campaign instead of d10s. Furthermore, Balance, Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (Nobility & Royalty), Listen, and Spot are added to the list of Fighter class skills.

Knights get high base Fortitude saves in this campaign, as per Fighters, but they retain their high base Will saves as well. Add Appraise, Balance, Diplomacy, Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Local), Perform, and Sense Motive to their list of class skills. Knights get 4 skill points per level instead of 2. Shield Block functions only while using a shield, as a clarification. However, Shield Ally and Improved Shield Ally do not, as they simply interposes the Knight's body in front of an ally under attack (just to be clear).

Edit: Monks will get another bonus feat at 1st-level in this campaign, their choice of either Weapon Finesse or Weapon Focus, regardless of prerequisites. If choosing Weapon Focus, that copy of the feat applies to unarmed strikes and all special monk weapons (those that are useable with a Flurry of Blows), instead of the Monk choosing a single weapon for it. Furthermore, Monks get a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls with unarmed strikes and special monk weapons at 5th-level onward, which improves by +1 at 9th-level, 13th-level, and 17th-level, but no higher. As normal, this does not stack with other competence bonuses to the same rolls. The competence bonus comes from an extraordinary ability called Martial Artist. Furthermore, the level-based bonus to AC from the Monk's AC Bonus class feature is doubled in this campaign (not the Wisdom bonus to AC).

Paladins will get d12 Hit Dice in this campaign, and 4 skill points per level instead of 2.

Rangers will get d10 Hit Dice in this campaign, and their effective Druid level for purposes of Animal Companions is equal to their Ranger level -3, instead of equalling half their Ranger level.

Rogues will get d8 Hit Dice in this campaign, and gain the extraordinary ability of Roguish Finesse at 1st-level. This ability lets them re-roll a skill check, ability check, or attack roll, once per day per odd-numbered level in the Rogue class (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.), but no more than once per round (and it cannot be combined with other re-rolls). Declare the use of Roguish Finesse only before you learn the success or failure of your original roll. Use whichever of the two rolls is higher.

Sorcerers will get d6 Hit Dice in this campaign, and 4 skill points per level instead of 2. Add all Charisma-based skills to the list of Sorcerer class skills, except for Use Psionic Device. Furthermore, Familiars will have the same maximum hit points as their master, instead of half. Sorcerers gain Eschew Materials as a bonus feat at 1st-level in this campaign. Lastly, Sorcerers gain the extraordinary ability of Improvise Spell at 1st-level. Improvise Spell is useable once per day, and simply allows the Sorcerer to cast a spell he or she does not already know, using an appropriate spell slot (he or she must have a slot of the appropriate level available and unexpended, beforehand). In order to use Improvise Spell, the sorcerer must first succeed at a Spellcraft check against a DC of 15 + the spell's level, otherwise he or she wastes the spell's casting time without any effect (not even expending material or focus components, nor paying any Experience Point costs). A failed check does not expend that daily use of Improvise Spell, and you may retry later. The improvised spell must be chosen from the Sorcerer Spell List, and the sorcerer must provide any expensive material components or focus components as normal, and pay any Experience Point costs for the spell when applicable.

Soulknives may either use the version of that class from Dreamscarred Press' products (Untapped Potential: New Horizons In Psionics, and other DP products), or instead use the Expanded Psionics Handbook version as normal but with the added class feature of Mind Blade Potency. Mind Blade Potency is a supernatural psionic ability that triples the Soulknife's bonus from the Weapon Focus feat and Greater Weapon Focus feat (once that feat is obtained) with his or her Mind Blade, whenever the Soulknife is psionically focused and during any attack in which he or she expends psionic focus for a Psionic feat. Furthermore, Mind Blade Potency may quintuple the bonus from those feats in those circumstances (instead of tripling it), for 1 round, at the cost of 1 power point at the start of the Soulknife's turn (this is a free action, and if it uses your last power point to do so, then Mind Blade Potency still provides its benefits until the end of your turn). Soulknives may manifest their Mind Blade even when they have no power points remaining.

Swordsages multiply their skill points by 4 at 1st-level, as normal, not by 6 (that was just a typo in the book). Add Spot to their list of class skills. Their AC Bonus class feature applies when unarmorered, as well as when they are lightly armored. Swordsages recover up to two maneuvers when meditating to do so, instead of just one maneuver.

Wizards will get 4 skill points per level instead of 2. Their Familiars get the same benefit as those of Sorcerers, receiving the same maximum hit points as their master instead of half. Wizards get a +1 bonus on all Knowledge skill checks, +1 per 5 levels in the Wizard class.

Alright, well, this is more fiddling with the rules than I had intended, but it's either this or a vigorous beating with the nerf-bat on a small handful of classes that would otherwise totally outlcass everyone else......

Other houserules or clarifications will be posted later.

Hi Ark,

This is Viktor from Fall of the 14th Kingdom campaign. I am interested in this game since it would be a good time slot for me. Everything sounds interesting so far... in this case I would like to create an arcane caster, probably a sorcerer or something similar.

Viktor

...Whoa. That is a huge list of tweaking and...I must say, I love most of them, if only because they fix the balance a bit (or make some a bit crazy, 20 bonus feat fighter! Woo!). That said, I have one slight nitpick about the tweaking, which is mainly in regard to the monk's tweak and...some other buffs.

Rather than the lack of hit points, or skill points, the monk's main downfall is the fact that it's a primary attacker... without a full BAB progression. IMO, it'd probably be better to give a monk full BAB progression in terms of balancing, rather than giving them more skill points (which they really don't need), or hit points (which is mainly just gravy).

Also, asides from that, I feel that the buff to the sorcerer and wizard is...rather unnecessary. Mainly as for the most part, those classes are already notorious for game breakage near end game...especially when spells like polymorph are involved. Don't really believe that more buffing is needed there (although then again, more skills point doesn't really make them stronger. Just more of a monkey wrench)...

Other than that, I fully endorse the buffs to weaker classes, especially the ones to the Bard and Fighter. Mayhaps the fighter will finally be a better warrior than the minmaxed Cleric or Druid eh?

Yeah Sundays are good for me but i do have a Pathfinder game that day at 630pm Central time so as long as we are done before that its good and I am going to be playing a fighter

Well, the martial adepts and psionicists tend to make arcane casters weak by comparison, since martial adepts can use their special attacks in every battle and psionicists can 'nova' better than arcane casters, for the most part. So I gave the arcanists some minor boosts, though more for utility. Sorcerers tend to be a bit disadvantaged compared to wizards, lacking the bonus feats and all, so I gave them a little bit extra.

However, I'm considering a slight change to the sorcerer and wizard houserules. I'll mull it over a while longer. As for the monk, yeah, they do suffer from an accuracy problem....... I'll consider changing their houseruled mods. And I'll post whatever few feat, spell, and power houserules I'll be using, when I decide on that stuff over the next day or two.

And hi Viktor, would've e-mailed you earlier today but I was too busy.

NapalmMoose, that's fine, I don't expect the sessions to run more than 3 or 4 hours on average, so finishing around 4 pm Central time probably.

So it looks like we'll have an arcane caster of some kind, a psion, a fighter, one or two warblades, possibly a barbarian, and possibly a cleric. You still have time to figure out what exactly you wanna play.

http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/The_Wish_a ... r_Build%29

These two classes where entered into a contest to see who can make the most broken class possible and where bot Disqualified for being the most broken pair of classes the judges had ever seen and for breaking the spirit of the contest.

On a another note Im wondering if youve ever seen how Pathfinder redid the core classes

Well, Ur-Priest has long been on my personal list of banned classes, alongside the Frenzied Berserker and the Forsaker and the Radiant Servant of Pelor (though the latter might be tweakable for balance). Things like this are why I have a general policy of "If it's not in the core rules, you need specific permission from me for it." Loosened with regards to books that I allow wholesale in any given campaign, but even with those I retain the right of Rule 0 to veto or houserule anything that I find questionable or broken. Also, custom magic items, like custom spells, are entirely under the DM's purview; the books only provide rough guidelines.

Mind you, I'm not saying "don't use anything non-core," I'm just saying "check with me before you use anything outside the core, if I haven't already given it the OK."

For the most part, material from the 3.5 SRD (I use the Hypertext d20 SRD as my main reference for 3.5) is acceptable, except for some of the Variant Rules. If you wanna use a racial or class variant or whatever from the Variant Rules/Unearthed Arcana section, just ask about it first.

The only official 3.5 books I own are the Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords and the Player's Handbook II, presently. I'll pick up a few others when I have some spare cash and find 'em in a used bookstore or something, but for now, these are the only ones I have. On the other hand, I bought copies of nearly all 3.0 books from Wizards of the Coast many years ago, so I can convert various 3.0 material to 3.5. I'll still allow most 3.5 material from WotC, as long as you provide a brief description of it on your character sheets (for instance, if you use a feat from a book I don't have, a little synopsis of the feat will be necessary). However, I've flipped through a few books before at face-to-face games, and I've read some articles from the WotC website, so I am familiar with various 3.5 material at least by memory. I also know several folks on OpenRPG who can verify info on most 3.5 WotC material if I ask 'em about a particular book or whatever. I also have a large number of 3.0 and 3.5 issues of Dragon Magazine as well, and a small handful of 3rd-party books and PDFs.



And yes, I've seen the Pathfinder rules, via the PRD on the Paizo website. I'm not going to copy Pathfinder, though, and I don't agree with all of their design decisions anyway. It's okay for a change of pace, but it's even less the game I grew attached to when 3.0 came out, compared to the arbitrary 3.5 Revision. I play a little bit of Pathfinder online, but would be happier if those campaigns were 3.0 D&D instead, honsetly. I only run 3.5 these days for lack of enough players around who still have 3.0 rulebooks. In face-to-face games I usually run 3.0 D&D, or try other RPGs (I still like 2E AD&D, as well).

Im kinda new to the DnD scene, ive only played one campaign with a few of my friends at school but id like to start to play more and if u guys are okay with a noob id love to play. i was thinking of playing as a monk but if you guys think its too complicated a class for me or if we need more ranged classes id be ok with switching.

Well, I wound up too busy today to finish going over the houserules, but I'll revise the list of houserules over the course of Wednesday and Thursday as I find the time.

RaynMidori, I suppose it's alright. You know enough about character creation and such already, right? Do you know how point-buy for ability scores works?