I liked the concept of making customized "classes" as per the section in the DMG. However, I felt it lacked something: balance! Why should a player who wants to play an unusual class be penalized so heavily? I thought it was silly, so I came up with this system.
I used this system to create characters in my current campaign. This is quite advanced, and should probably on be used by experienced GM's and players. Because of this, people generally tend to create characters based upon a class.
Re-calculate powers after 10th level ("name level" for all classes).
As always, the GM has final say on the rules of this system. Any abuses
(such as selecting one ability multiple times creating an unbalanced
character) should be watched for and eliminated.
| Weapon Proficiencies: 4 | Non-Weapon Proficiency Points: 12 |
| Hit Point Bonus for High Con | 50 |
| Exceptional Str | 150 |
| Warrior Attacks (see notes) | 175 |
| Weapon Specialization (unlimited) | 175 |
| Style Specialization | 150 |
| Bonded Mount (see notes) | 50 |
| Bonus to-hit/damage vs. enemy type (see notes) | 25 per +1 |
| Bonus to-hit/damage with certain weapons | 50 per +1 |
| Magic Resistance | 75 per 1%/lvl |
| Sweeping Attacks (see notes) | 200 |
| Hardiness (see notes) | 50 |
| Breach Immunity (see notes) | 100 per +1 |
| NOTES: | |
|---|---|
| Warrior attacks | As described in the Warrior description. |
| Style Specialization | As described in the Complete Fighter's Handbook. |
| Bonded Mount | As described in the Paladin class description. |
| Bonuses vs. enemies | As in the ranger class. Note that a ranger as described in the PHB would purchase this 8 times for a +4/+4. |
| Sweepting Attacks | Do 1d8 per 5 levels to ALL creatures within 10' of character. |
| Hardiness | Delay debilitating effects for 1d4 rounds |
| Breach Immunity | Creature immunity to normal or less magical weapons ignored. Weapon hits creatures as if it had additional plusses. |
| Weapon Proficiencies: 1 | Non-Weapon Proficiency Points: 20 |
| Magic Item Creation | 200 |
| Wizard Spell Progression | 900 |
| Bard Spell Progression | 500 |
| Spell Research | 100 |
| Bonus Spell per Level (see notes) | 200 per school |
| Spell Learning Bonus | 10 per +5% per school |
| Spell casting Time Reduction | 50 per segment/school |
| Extended Spell Duration | 50 per round/school |
| Additional Spell Effects (see notes) | 50 |
| Write Wizard Spell Scrolls (see notes) | 50 |
| Use Wizard Spell Scrolls | 150 |
| Enhanced Spell Concentration(see notes) | 200 |
| Cast priest sphere as a school of magic | 5 * sphere cost |
| Spell schools: | |
|---|---|
| Enchantment/Charm | 125 |
| Abjuration | 75 |
| Alteration | 125 |
| Divination | 50 |
| Necromancy | 100 |
| Inovation/Evocation | 150 |
| Conjuration/Summoning | 75 |
| Illusion | 100 |
| Spellcasting Penalties: | |
| Opposition school (see notes) | -.5 * cost |
| NOTES: | |
|---|---|
| Bonus spell per level | As per specialist wizards in the PHB. |
| Additional Spell Effects | A role-playing addition where the Wizard can alter spell effects when he learns the spell. Examples: Variable colored fireball. Lightning Bolt with a variable range, etc. |
| Write Wizard Spell Scrolls | Does NOT include the use of the scrolls. IE, must purchas that abilitity separately. |
| Enhanced Spell Concentration | Caster gets saving throw vs. spells to maintain spell concentration if hit in combat. Can also move at 25% movement while casting unless greater movement is allowed. |
| Opposition School | An opposition school is one from which the mage can never learn a spell from or use an item with an effect from that school. |
All mages get the basic spells: Detect Magic, Read Magic, Wizard Mark. They do not count against the maximum spells for first level.
Casting Wizard spells automatically limits armor selection. Full Wizards may only wear up to leather. Partial wizards (those casting at Bard progression) may wear armour as heavy as chainmail.
Re-defined Opposition Schools:
Enchantment/Charm
|
Illusion \ | / Abjuration
\|/
Conj/Summon ---X--- Alteration
/|\
Invoc/Evoc / | \ Divination
|
Necromancy
| Weapon Proficiencies: 3 | Non-Weapon Proficiency Points: 14 |
| Priest Spell Progression | 700 |
| Paladin Spell Progression | 400 |
| Ranger Spell Progression | 200 |
| Spell Bonus for Wisdom | 75 |
| Magic Ctem Creation | 100 |
| Spell Casting Time Reduction | 50 per segment |
| Bonus Spells (see notes) | 25 per spell level |
| Spell Duration Increase | 50 per round |
| Spell Range Increase | 50 per +25% |
| Max Spell Effect | 50 per sphere |
| Bonus Casting Level | 100 per level |
| Enhanced Spell Concentration (see notes) | 200 |
| Additional Spell Effects (see notes) | 50 |
| Turn (Control) Undead (see notes) | 150/250 |
| Laying on Hands | 75 per hp/level |
| Write Priest Scrolls (see notes) | 50 |
| Use Priest Scrolls | 100 |
| Cast Mage School as Preist Sphere | 2 * school cost |
| Spheres: | |
|---|---|
| All (see notes) | 0 (25) |
| Animal | 50 |
| Astral | 25 |
| Charm | 75 |
| Combat | 50 |
| Creation | 50 |
| Divination | 50 |
| Elemental | 25 per element |
| Guardian | 50 |
| Healing | 75 |
| Necromantic | 50 |
| Plant | 50 |
| Protection | 75 |
| Summoning | 50 |
| Sun | 25 |
| Weather | 25 |
| War | 25 |
| Traveller | 50 |
| NOTES: | |
|---|---|
| Bonus Spells | These are additional spells that must be memorized in the usual manner |
| Enhanced Spell Concentration | Caster gets saving throw vs. spells to maintain spell concentration if hit in combat. Can also move at 25% movement while casting unless greater movement is allowed. | Additional Spell Effects | A role-playing addition where the Wizard can alter spell effects when he learns the spell. Examples: Variable colored flamestrike. Cause Light Wounds with variable range, etc. |
| Turn (Control) Undead | Only Evil priests may control Undead. The two values listed are fore the ability to turn once per encounter (150 xps) or multiple times per encounter (250 xps). | Write Cleric Scrolls | Does NOT include the use of the scrolls. IE, must purchas that abilitity separately. |
| Sphere: All | The sphere of all is free for anyone casting priestly magic, but has a cost of 25 for other considerations, such as purchasing it as a mage school. |
Any person casting priestly magic must have a partial aligment restriction, or a code of conduct. Violation of alignment or code will result in loss of spellcasting or other status.
Notice that I only use War and Travellers spheres from the Tome of
Magic. I use a listing similar to the one presented in the supplement
Spells and Magic.
| Weapon Proficiencies: 2 | Non-Weapon Proficiency Points: 18 |
| Backstab | 250 |
| Called Shot Bonus (see notes) | 150 |
| Legend Lore ability (see notes) | 100 |
| Bonus Reaction Adjustment (see notes) | 50 per +1 |
| Thief Skills: | |
|---|---|
| Pick Pockets | 75 |
| Open Locks | 50 |
| Find/Remove Traps | 75 |
| Move Silently | 75 |
| Hide in Shadows | 75 |
| Detect Noise | 50 |
| Climb Walls | 75 |
| Read Languages | 50 |
| Thief Skill Points (see notes) | 50 per +1/lvl |
| NOTES: | |
|---|---|
| Called Shot Bonus | Called shots are -2 to hit and +1 to initiative instead of the standard -4 to hit and +2 to initiative |
| Legend Lore Ability | As per Bard abilitity described in PHB |
| Reaction Adjustment | Bonus to initiative, like the common Dex bonus house rule. Beware, don't let this get overused. |
| Thief Skill Points | My rogue skills are based on d20 instead of d100 (IE, divide old numbers by 5). Base skill points per level to add to thief skills is 1 point per every 2 skills per level. (IE, 4 skills means +2 points per level). If you prefer the old system, then multiply the points by 5. |
| Weapon Prof. Advancment (see notes) | 75 per level faster |
| NWP Point Advancment (see notes) | 50 per +1/level |
| Hit Die: (select only one) | |
|---|---|
| 1d12 | 200 |
| 1d10 | 125 |
| 1d8 | 75 |
| 1d6 | 50 |
| 1d4 (default) | 0 |
| Thac0: (select only one) | |
| Warrior | 175 |
| Priest | 100 |
| Rogue | 50 |
| Wizard (default) | 0 |
| Weapon Non-prof penalty adjustment (see notes) | 50 per +1 |
| Weapon Selection (see notes) | 25 per tight group |
| Armor Selection (see notes) | 50 * (8 - Max AC) |
| Shield Use (see notes) | 25 per shield level |
| Savings Throw Bonus | 25 per +1/category |
| Bonus NWPs (see notes) | 50 |
| Spell Immunity (w/ GM's approval) | 50 per spell level |
| Spell-like effects (see notes) | 25 per spell level/daily use |
| Use best S.T. for all classes (see notes) | 50 per class |
| Choose skills from additional classes (see notes) | 1st: 50 2nd: 100 3rd: 500 |
| Ability penalties | |
| Ability Delay (see notes) | -(lvl/10)*ability cost |
| NOTES: | |
|---|---|
| Weapon Prof Advancment | Characters gain one weapon proficiency every 6 levels. Each time this option is purchased, the character gains a weapon proficiency one level earlier, to a maximum of 1 weapon proficiency gained every level. |
| NWP Point Advancement | Characters gain one NWPP per level gained. Each time this option is purchased, the character gains an additional point per level. |
| Weapon Non-prof Penalty | Characters start with a -6 to-hit penalty with weapons they are not proficient in. Each time this option is purchased, this penalty is reduced by one, to a minimum penalty of -1 when purchased 5 times. | Weapon Selection | Tight groups are described in the Complete Fighter's Handbooks, and in the Skills & Powers book. Single weapons my be purchased for 10 xp each. |
| Armor Selection | All characters may wear leather or worse armour without spending any points. Otherwise, figure cost of wearing heavier armour by using the non-magical AC of the most protective armor the character wishes to wear with the formula given. |
| Shield use | Shield levels: Buckler: AC bonus 1, Small: AC bonus 2, Medium: AC bonus 3, Large: AC bonus 4. |
| Bonus NWPs | Extra proficiency, bonus +1 for every 2 levels gained. |
| Spell-like effects | For 3x the normal daily cost, the character can have a continous spell effect that is not interruptable. Example: Paladin's protection from Evil, 10' Radius. |
| Use best S.T. from all classes | You must select the class and pick a skill from it before you can select this option. |
| Choose skills from additional classes | This allows you to pick powers from a non-primary class and choose from that the NWPs of that class. Note that the cost is cumulative, so choosing powers from 2 additional classes costs 150 xps. |
| Ability Delay | lvl is the level that the power is gained. For example, a power gained at 5th level (with first level power) costs 1/2 the normal cost. |
Other penalties can be taken to reduce the total, at GM's approval.
| Level | Exp | Level | Exp | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 6 | 15x | ||
| 2 | 1x | 7 | 30x | ||
| 3 | 2x | 8 | 50x | ||
| 4 | 4x | 9 | 100x | ||
| 5 | 8x | 10 | 200x |
Primarily a warrior: gains 4 WP, 12 NWPP, warrior Savings Throws, Warrior Followers, and can choose Warrior NWPs.
| Exceptional Strength | 150 |
| Warrior Attacks | 175 |
| Weapon Specialization | 175 |
| Bonded Mount | 50 |
| Chose skills from Priest class | 50 |
| Paladin Spell progression | 400 |
| (delayed until 5th level) | -200 |
| Enhanced spell concentration | 200 |
| Turn undead (single attempt) | 150 |
| (delayed until 3rd level) | - 50 |
| Laying on hands (2 hp per level) | 150 |
| Use priest scrolls | 100 |
| Priest Spheres: | 275 |
|---|---|
| All | 0 |
| Healing | 75 |
| Necromantic | 50 |
| Charm | 75 |
| Combat | 50 |
| Protection | 75 |
| Divination | 50 |
| Weapon Prof. Advancment (1 prof/3 lvls) | 225 |
| 1d10 Hit Die | 125 |
| Warrior Thac0 | 175 |
| Weapon Non-prof penalty adjustment (-4) | 100 |
| Weapon Selection (8 tight groups) | 200 |
| Armor Selection (up to plate mail, AC 2) | 300 |
| Shield Use (up to Large shields) | 100 |
| Savings Throw Bonus (+2 to all saves) | 250 |
| Spell Immunity (Cause Disease) | 150 |
| Spell-like effects (Prot from Evil, 10', continous) | 225 |
| TOTAL: | 3475 |
Experience Table:
| Level | Exp | Level | Exp | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 6 | 52,125 | ||
| 2 | 3,475 | 7 | 104,250 | ||
| 3 | 6,950 | 8 | 173,750 | ||
| 4 | 13,900 | 9 | 347,500 | ||
| 5 | 27,800 | 10 | 695,000 |
More expensive than the PHB paladin, but this is before negotiating any of the "disadvantages" with the DM.
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