Holy Days/Holidays (d100)

1-5 High Holy Day (Clerics of a particular deity are denied spell casting)
6-10 Low Holy Day (Clerics of a particular deity are prohibited from casting spells with verbal components)
11-20 Regional Holiday (Spellcasting of all types are prohibited during this holiday)
21-30 Kingdom Holiday (During celebrations, weapons are prohibited)
31-70 Regular Day
71-80 Kingdom Holiday (Taxes are lifted during this holiday)
81-90 Regional Holiday (Work is prohibited during this holiday, including adventuring)
91-95 Low Holy Day (Clerics of a particular deity are prohibited from casting spells with somatic components)
96-100 High Holy Day (Clerics of a particular deity are denied either positive or negative energy)

Option 1

The first option is adding a fourth saving throw called Toughness (or something else) that uses Strength as its primary stat. This would be the saving throw used against combat maneuvers and other types of physical attacks that have traditionally been opposed rolls. In Pathfinder they use Combat Maneuver Bonus/Defense to handle maneuvers like Trip, Grapple, and Bull Rush. I propose to have a set DC based on attacker’s ability score + Base Attack Bonus vs the new Toughness score. And with any new addition, there will be feats, spells, abilities, etc that can improve this change. Some classes will get advantages, such as the Monk.

Wait you say, what about size modifiers? Gone are fixed sized modifiers for combat maneuvers. You can only use most combat maneuvers against a creature 1 size category larger or smaller than yourself. This removes the need for size modifiers in the roll. Some creatures will have bonuses to combat maneuvers, this will take into account creatures that have traditionally be grapplers and those that swallow whole.

Example 1st level fighter (str 16) vs 1st level fighter (str 16)

Attacker rolls a touch attack to initiate the maneuver. Assuming the touch attack is successful, the defender then rolls his Toughness save to avoid the effect (DC = 14 vs Toughness roll of d20+6).  The effects of a combat maneuver will be a condition (similar to existing conditions like sickened or dazed).  For example: When you are tripped you will have the “prone” condition. When you are grappled, you will have the “grappled condition” and your grappler will have the “grappler condition.”

Option 2

The second option is replacing saving throws with ability score rolls and creating a system similar to current saving throws. This would only happen if there are enough effects that require Intelligence and Charisma saving throws.  I’m not entire sure this is necessary or required. I believe that 2nd edition and earlier had 5 saving throws, so 6 wouldn’t be that unreasonable. I’m just not sure that there would be enough spells and effects that would require a Charisma or Intelligence saving throws. I’m also not entirely convinced that Wisdom is a better stat to use with Will than Intelligence, but I’m not will to change it or allow a saving throw stat choice (like 4th edition).

Leanings

I am leaning strongly toward option 1. Having a saving throw for combat maneuvers just makes sense to me. Since Dexterity is used to defend against the initial Touch Attack, Strength can be used to resist the effect, without feeling like it should be one or the other. Both are used.

The Challenge

Lately I’ve noticed that my gaming table seems to be overwhelmed with snacks. The snacks are piled high which makes it difficult to draw out the maps of the various encounters. I need a workable solution that allows snacks to be at arms reach and yet out of the way.  I will build the best suggestion and post a picture when it is complete.

Here is a walk-through of my gaming space

• Barbarian – Never had spells, gains Rages
• Bard – Loses spells, gains Auras
• Cleric – Keeps spells
• Druid – Keeps spells
• Fighter – Never had spells, gains Weapon Styles
• Monk – Never had spells, gains Martial Styles
• Paladin – Loses spells, gains Devotions (replaced Auras from my original thinking)
• Ranger – Loses spells, gains Terrain Essences
• Rogue – Never had spells, gains Sneaks and Tricks
• Sorcerer – Loses spells, gains Invocations
• Wizard – Keeps spells

When I think about all the games I have run that have been cut short due to a variety of factors, I get a little sad. The game I have had to most recently cancel was my Call of Cthulhu game. I had been running the game, off and on, for over a year. Recently a player moved, creating a gap in the story, which caused the game to grind to a holt. Story based games often require a fixed cast of characters and any change in line up, just as with a television show, threatens to ruin the integrity of the game. Rather than attempt to carry on with the game, I cancelled it and removed it from the line up.

I like to think that the game is more like Firefly than Studio 60. I have been toying with the idea on how to wrap up the game with a long, one day game. This will require a visit from the missing player, but I’m hopeful. As with a show like Firefly, I won’t be able to tie up all the loose ends, but hopefully I’ll be able to end the story in such as way that when I look back on the game, I’ll feel a satisfied sense of closure, with that vague feeling of longing for a game that ended before its time.

It’s hard to imagine having both classes without having duplicate spells. Here’s my thinking. I’m combining the wizard and sorcerer into one class, the wizard. The wizard will select a certain number of spells from their spell book each day, and then be able to cast those spells as a spontaneous caster. Example:

A 1st level wizard can memorize 2 spells per a day and cast 1 spell per a day. The wizard has 4 spells in their spellbook and decides to memorize mage armor and magic missile. During the course of the day, the wizard can cast either mage armor or magic missile once, but not both. Wizards can also spend 10 minutes replacing an existing memorized spell with another one from their spellbook. This does not allow them to cast additional spells per a day, but does allow them to adjust to new situations with a little prep time.

So where does that leave the Sorcerer?

Well the sorcerer will now gain abilities similar to the Warlock from Complete Arcane. There will be several types of Sorcerer can player can choose, based off their class templates (more on that later). A sorcerer can have access to Draconic, Fey, Demonic, Angelic, etc power. They tap into the magic energies associate with each type of creature.

How is this different than the Pathfinder Sorcerer?

My sorcerer functions like a Warlock. They do not memorize spells, they gain a certain number of powers which they can use unlimitedly throughout the day. They will also gain a “blast” associate with their particular type of power. Each type of power will be different in its effect. A draconic sorcerer’s blast will mimic a dragon’s breath weapon. A demonic sorcerer will deal unholy damage. A fey sorcerer will deal confusion and bewilder targets.

Sorcerers will continue to use Charisma as a primary stat.

By separating these two classes, each one will now be unique. They will play differently, feel differently, and appeal to two different types of players. The wizard will continue to be the parties primary utility caster and the only class with access to magic missile, fire ball, and other iconic spells that they have traditionally be associated with.

Let’s go a little further in my thinking about healing spells. Assuming I keep the Druid as a class, I want them to have different types of spells than the cleric. The Druid should have healing spells based off of the “natural” healing of a creature, while the cleric should have spells that are drawn from the divine.

Here’s an example based on existing spells.

Cleric: Cure light wounds (positive energy)

Druid: Lesser Vigor (natural energy over time)

The Cleric’s spell can also damage undead since it’s positive energy, while the Druid’s cannot. The Druid taps into the “natural” healing of the target and speeds it up, while the Cleric taps into the energy of the gods. Both accomplish the same thing in different ways.

The paladin and the bard present different design issues. If I continue with the same line of thinking, I either need to develop new spells or change the ability of the classes. I lean toward the second option. I don’t like paladins, rangers and bards having spells, so I’ll give them special abilities that accomplish the same thing without duplicating another class. Since I’m still working on the Bard and ranger, I’ll concentrate on the Paladin.

Paladin’s get “Auras.” Auras function similarly to the Crusader’s stances in Tome of Battle. Here’s a example.

Healing Aura
Each time you successfully strike an opponent in combat, one ally within 30′ heals 4 hp.
10th Level: Increase healing to 8
15th Level: Increase healing to 12

Paladin’s will get multiple Auras over time and can switch between them as a swift action. These auras always have a radius and always heal, protect, inspire, etc, another character, but never themselves, since the nature of a Paladin is to lead others.

So now we have the Paladin not duplicating the cleric or druid, but still serving its roll as a back up healer for the party. Obviously they aren’t going to replace them as the primary party healer, but they are going to provide secondary healing support. Another Aura might help with other types of healing. For example:

Aura of Mending
Each time you successfully strike an opponent in combat, one ally within 30′ heals 1 point of ability score damage to one ability score.
10th Level: Increase healing to 2 points
15th Level: Increase healing to 4 points

The conversion of Paladin spells to Auras is a relatively simple process. It is only a matter of identifying those essential spells and re-creating them as Auras.  By the time a Paladin reaches 20th level they will have 5 auras they can switch off and on to provide secondary support to other characters.