No comments, huh?

In retrospect, the dragonborn should be a feat based off a non-firebreathing lizardman (take away firebreath) template race.

Notice that no race starts with Darkvision so far, either, as scaling one's vision starts with the appropriate background.

So I've got at least three, maybe four catagories of 'backgrounds'.  

You have the 'half blooded' backgrounds, which indicates a unique ancestry. Not every 'half blood' background can be taken by every race. Maybe only dwarves have a history of 'giant blooded'. Humans, as noted, will have the most open selection.  Racial entries would indicate which half-race backgrounds are available without special permission, and include some notes on what that means socially.  So a orc blooded Dwarf is reviled and pitied by dwarves, but a dwarf blooded orc (or not...) is respected for his stubborn toughness.  For 'half bloods' from existing races its easiest to take an attribute boost in most cases.

The 'blooded' descriptor is a keyword. I'm thinking that 'blooded' characters suffer half the effects from racially targeted effects, rather than full effects, but do suffer from both.

You have 'social' backgrounds that haven't been touched upon (things like 'circus raised' or 'merchant family'... Normally I'd probably provide some skill bonuses for these feats, but I'm thinking instead of some sort of unique 'ability' instead.  So, a sneaky motherfucker may be able to 'walk like the wind', but only a 'ninja clan assassin', or someone raised by ninja clans, can 'disappear from sight', wether or not they can 'walk like the wind'.  Of course, that does mean having MORE abilities to design.

Any race could take any given background (again, subject to minor exceptions and GM approval. Orcish nobles might be rare, or they might represent cheiftan's sons...or even represent a civilized, cultured orcish culture that exchanges ambassadors with human nations)

The 'last' set of backgrounds are subspecies backgrounds. Some of these are totally generic, applicable to many races. "Deep" Elves and Deep Dwarves are two different races, but they both have the "Deep" background (giving them Darkvision).  This is where a Lizardman becomes a Dragonborn (gaining firebreath, or cold breath, or acid breath... whatever).  Humans probably have fewer options here.

Now Dragonbreath, the Ability: One possibility here is allowing a character to scale how 'hot' their breath is. By taking an equal amount (rolled seperately or simply taking the damage roll... maybe write it ambiguously to allow GMs to decide how they want to play it?) of non-lethal damage (rolling over into lethal damage) they can scale their breath to the campaign 'level'.  An old, powerful dragonborn could totally breath fire dozens of times a day without much worry, or could breath hard enough to melt steel if he needed too.  Overuse is prevented by the down side (damage), which weakens the character if they overuse it.  

Obviously, this implies a reasonably robust non-lethal damage rule.

While it is a little ahead of schedule, I'd like to point out that I'd like to see the Abilities written so that they interface with the rules as written, rather than seeing rules written to accomdate abilities. This goes back to 'Invisibility', where we actually see Invisibility written into the concealment rules to explain how concealment works. While mechanically nothing really changes, it should be more that Invisibility explains that it functions as total concealment.  This avoids too much exception based design.

So, for example with our 'Disappears from Sight', we would write that the ability provides full cover in the round it is used, allowing the player to make a stealth check to remain hidden.  This is preferable to saying 'Disappear from Sight' allows the character to make a stealth check to hide even when being directly observed (which would be a violation of normal stealth checks), even though in play they are, essentially, the same thing.

One idea here is that Spells will mimic many of the Abilities... that is, the caster tree provides a single thematic toolbox of abilities that can be accessed, rather than the fixed, but 'guaranteed' abilities of the various class trees/backgrounds. A ninja can always 'DfS', but a wizard can go invisible but still be seen by 'see invisible' or 'detect magic' effects.   DfS would scale naturally once purchased (By skill checks), while the Wizard would have to cast a scaled by spell version of Invisibility that would be more, or less powerful than a leveled ability (thus, Invisibility would provide a fixed difficulty to see through that could be less than an the ability to be sneaky at the same level... dunno... that may require work)

One of the things I'd like to do with this take on 3E is to make the game play a little looser.  The unified mechanics and all that jazz really brought me back to D&D, but eventually all the hard coding of the rules got wearisome.  I have been slow to realize that at times.  

Ideally the rules provide a framework for action, not the action itself. Sometimes I think that the rules become the action... what can I do to squeeze out another modifier?   I've already identified endlessly stacking modifiers to be anathema for this rule set, anything that overwhelms the dice god is to be shunned.  That does, however, put some onus upon me, the erstwhile redesigner, to actually fucking think of things to do to make stuff like the backgrounds VIABLE.  I can't just slap some cool modifier on there and call it good.

Anyway, enough whinging, here are some Backgrounds to get things rolling:

Half Blooded Backgrounds:
Half Dwarf (available to Orcs, Gnomes and Humans): +2 Con. Blooded
Half Elf (available to Humans and Orcs and Halflings) +2 Dex Blooded
Half Orc (Available to Humans and Dwarves): +2 Str Blooded
Dragon Blooded: (Available to Humans, lizardmen and Elves) Resist element of Choice 5, blooded, scales.
Celestial Blood 1: +2 Wis, blooded, low light, Move 1 step along Good Path regardless of players choice
Celestial Blood 2: Feathered wings provide flight 30
Celestial Blood 3: Darkvision, Move 1 step along Good Path, Aura
Infernal Blood 1: +2 Int, Blooded, move 1 step along Evil Path regardless of choice, Low light vision
Infernal Blood 2: Feathered wings provide flight 30
Infernal Blood 3: Darkvision, Move 1 step along Evil Path, Aura
Half Beast: +2 Con, -2 Cha, Scent, claws 1d4.  Available to Humans, orcs, halflings and Ogres
Half Elemental: Gain resistance to Chosen Element. Available to humans and Dwarves (Dwarves may only take Fire or Earth elements).  
Snake Blooded: Character has Yaun-Ti blood. +1 Initiative and +2 saves vs Poison (or something...)
Half Ogre/giant: (orcs dwarves and humans?) +2 Str, Powerful Build?  

Race Specific:
Dragonborn: Only Lizardmen: Breath Element (1d6 dmg per 1d6 nonlethal suffered)
Minotaur: Only Ogres: Gain +2 Wis, horns (1d8 gore attack), Pathfinder
Armored: Warforged Only: Gain DR5 innate, can not wear armor.
Armed: Warforged Only: Replace 1 hand with weapon of choice, may be enchanted later
Deep: Elves, dwarves, gnomes and Orcs:  Come from Underdark, gain Darkvision (replaces lowlight)
Dark: Elves, Dwarves and Halflings: Capricious and cruel subrace, Automatically move one step down Evil Path, Paranoia provides +2 Initiative

*yes, you can have a dragon blooded dragonborn lizardman...

Origin Backgrounds (freely available to all races)
Ninja Clan Upbringing: Gain Ability "Disappear from Sight": As an action the character gains full concealment until next action, may make a stealth check to remain hidden as that action.
Militia Trained: Character fought in local forces: Gain Armored Ability pick (from the 'generic' armor tree) Alternate: Character starts multiclassed to fighter with X tree (weapon tree?)
Merchant family: Gain Art of the Deal ability:  um... character can purchase items at a discount (10%)?
Circus Trained: Character starts multi-classed to Expert with the 'Acrobatics Tree'.
Noble Born: Gain Peer Ability (er... something to do with being treated as an equal by high-born NPCs...)
Pet: Character starts with a well trained animal and may access the Companion Tree (multiclass? Generic?).

Obviously the Militia trained and Circus trained are not useful to fighters and Experts natively. It could be assumed that fighters have training from the Militia already and many experts (rogues) may have come from circus backgrounds... potentially.  The thing to stress here is that you didn't NOT have militia training if you didn't pick that background, its just that you learned less (or went on to more exacting training as an actual fighter!)

This is a started sample, I'll add more as I think of them.

Aha back on the air. I'm a little pressed for time so sorry if this makes no sense...

I like +2/-2 pattern for stats (at least you have negs). Floating +2 interacts weirdly with point buy (you may as well say '+2 to highest stat', though its value will fluctuate) though it works with rolling.

Always liked -2 Dex/+2 Con for dwarves (these are both abilities useful to any class, whereas Cha is just a dump)...and I don't imagine dwarves as particularly nimble. Base movement off DEX somehow and dwarves might not need a different base move, though that doesn't work for halflings.

Ogres/Minotaurs could always have 'powerful build' (anyone else notice that half-ogres are bigger than half-giants in 3.5?), though if you do away with AoOs they'd lose their reach advantage so Large may be OK. Currently I believe its automatically valued at +1 LA, with some justification.

I like the dragonborn as an add-on feat for standard lizardmen, BTW....but what's the rationale for removing darkvision from races?

PS for merchant background ideas there's a 'Mercentile Background' feat in Player's Guide to Faerun, I think...lets you buy sell magical items at full cost.

More thoughts when I get time...

I may move the Dwarven stat around, both because I agree that dwarves shouldn't be 'nimble' and, for all my efforts, CHA will probably STILL wind up a dump stat for some people.  Also: One extra background pick MAY be pretty potent for humans... it may be a play test thing.

Now I have two more Racial Backgrounds that are similar in theme
Wild (Humans, Elves, Halflings and Orcs (maybe Lizards and ogres):  Gain Ability: Like the Wind: Character may move at full speed while Stealthy in untamed wilderness areas
Savage: (humans, Orcs, Ogres (halflings?)): Savage Vigor: Character may make a fortitude save to shrug off a status effect (poison, fatigue, stun) as an Action.

Ok, let me get back to BSJ a bit more while I percolate more backgrounds in my brainpan:

I think I can leave movements speeds as is, rules wise.  But, as I said, I agree with the Dwarf thing (must remember to go back and edit it in...)

I think Large has enough negatives to offset the bonuses that it doesn't NEED to be a level adjustment, but I was planning to keep ogres to one background pick because they are very powerful.  I was thinking about using size to adjust carry capacity to better reflect their strength without 'breaking' the numbers, but I may do a little more tweaking on those same numbers (up the strength and Con, lower the Dex and Int to make up for it...). Its tricky: I'm sure they should be at least an OPTION, but I'm not entirely certain they should be balanced.

I do think I want to throw in a few more 'monsterous' races. Hobgoblins (no stat boost, like humans?, but instead of an extra background they might have a racial ability standard... something.  

I can't steal the merchant background from Faerun (though that was the inspiration to have it...), because I'm not planning to make the 'ye olde magic shoppe' a standard feature of the game.

For Darkvision: My observation is that Darkvision is a major breaking point in the games. Races that have it tend to have a powerful advantage over races that don't in games where it is a feature... items and spells that provide it are only used by races that don't... it comes across as a 'must be this tall to ride' sort of feature.  

I don't recall it being nearly as important in older editions, personally.  Note that its STILL available as a racial feature, you just have to chose to have it...

Cool, well glad to be of service. Lots of work here now. Interesting note on the darkvision. In older editions IIRC everyone had infravision except humans (and halflings who rolled badly).

On the half-ogres- I suppose the biggest perks for Large size is the stat bonuses, so if they're toned down it may help balance them. Size bonuses on disarm/trip/grapple are pretty obscene in d20 as well and might need scaling down. If you adopt armour as DR it may also be feasible to default to DEX for melee attack rolls, which immediately drops the awesomeness of Large size.
On stat modifiers is you may want each race to be somewhat unique as far as modifiers goes to maximize player choices e.g. not too much crossover between half-orcs and half-ogres (e.g. one Cha penalty, the other Int?)

On the mercantile thing- in my games I'd normally (try to) run with the idea that rather than visiting the magic item shop the PCs go gathering information to see if someone is out there in the city willing to buy/sell something specific. But yep reducing the 'magic item Xmas tree' is a pretty good goal.

On the building of abilities into larger rules (invisibility into concealment) - sounds good.

Regarding the gaming den, I enjoy reading the site, but their philosophy of gaming doesn't mesh well with mine in some ways. I'd enjoy their input on underlying math, but in this case I think I'd have to wait until I went over both Abilities and Spells to make it work... so... maybe

I'm planning to tear apart grappling rules. Grappling comes up a lot in my games for some reason, and no one is ever satisfied with the outcome.  One obvious failure is the 'monkey on the back' senario, where a little scrappy guy clambers all over a bigger, stronger opponent.  D&D simple does not allow that, and it actually gets harder the more size difference there is, which is backwards for this case.

I don't exactly want to add more rules, but something has to be done about grappling, that much is certain..

Yes fair enough...
Errata to my previous post on Large size...I completely forgot that you're already removing STR bonus to hit.

On grappling, part of the problem IMHO is that monsters are basically double-counting their bonuses. A larger monster gets more HD (=more base attack), more Str, and then gets a huge Size bonus on top of that. Monster HD alone can be [2xCR] and so may increases twice as fast as a PC with full BAB.

Years ago I tried the approach of making grappling a skill which I may as well include for interests sake, though nowadays I think perhaps just making it use Str checks (without adding BAB) might be fairer.

QuoteWrestling (Str)
Use this skill to wrestle, pin, hold down or strangle an opponent. To use this skill you need to first make an attack roll to touch your opponent (no armour bonuses to AC apply). If this succeeds both you and your opponent make Wrestling checks: if you win your target takes unarmed damage and is considered to be held (entangled). They take a –4 penalty to Dexterity and cannot move: to break free requires a successful Wrestling check or Escape Artist check (against a new Wrestling check you make). You can move at only half speed, and lose your Dexterity bonus to Armour Class: however if you want, you may release your opponent as a free action. As long as they remain held, they automatically take unarmed damage on your turn each round.
The GM may disallow some actions as being impossible while held.

Yes. There is a problem with the math in D&D where the bigger and stronger you are the more accurate you are. A dragon the size of a small country can easily grab the halfling... because he's big?

I've already made a step in removing the 'strong=accurate' process, I think another valid step will be to make a process difference between grabbing someone and actually forcing them to do something.  Right now the two are conflated... but again, I"m a couple of chapters ahead of where I'm trying to be...

So... I typed this up Saturday while I was away from the Intartubez...

It does seem as if I've outlined the form of Races enough for discussion, though there is little enough of that going on.   ☹    I'm going to have to add more racial and universal backgrounds, of course... though I think that Half-blood backgrounds are pretty complete. I may add more races (Goblin races, Gnolls (I Lurve me some gnolls...) and so forth).  Again: Open to suggestions and critiques.

That being said it time to move on. Technically I should be on classes, but I think I'll go with Alignments first, since it'll be a bit faster.  

Obviously, since I'm not leaving it 'blank' I'm making some changes. Like everything else I'm doing a fundamental change in how alignments work .

Change one: Alignments are not mandatory for anyone (exception: The celestial and infernal blooded backgrounds, but they are 'doubly exceptional').  

Alignment is less an allegiance to a side and more adherence to a code of behavior. This being a fantasy setting, with fantastic elements, such dedication to a code of behavior is rewarded by the fundamental elements of the universe.  

Alignment is thus organized into 'Paths', and progress down a path is marked by increasing rewards and increasing obligations.  Thus one is not Lawful Good, but one may chose to progress down the Path of Law and the Path of Good, and can be at different stages on each path.

There are far more than four Paths (Law, Chaos, Good, Evil), with more available to creative players/GMs. Some are diametrically opposed, meaning that one can not progress down both paths. Again, there is an exception for those with Celestial or Infernal Blood, their inner natures driving them to acts they may not approve of.  An Infernal who wishes to pursue the Path of Good can do so, but will never be rid of that first step down the Path of Evil... which makes their efforts at redemption more difficult.

Paths: Are organized into 5 stages (ten? However I do it, the guideline for GMs is to allow characters to progress along at least one path as a ratio against their level).  The first step on a path is easy to achieve, progress grows increasingly harder.  

Guideline for progressing (assuming a 5 step path)

Step 1:  Swear aligieance to a higher authority representing the path (read also: Swear to abide tenants of path/code of conduct).  Failure to abide by these oaths, ever, result in loss of Path until the character re-affirms dedication to Path.
Step 2: Peform duties above and beyond in the name of the Path (quest, essentially)
Step 3: More involved quest?
Step 4:  Significant dedication to Path (GM may need to set up a moral delimma where the character must make a choice between betraying another path's tenants to adhere to the main path)
Step 5: Perform a major sacrifice in the name of the Path (self sacrifice for Good, sacrificing others for power for Evil).


Powers from the paths are staged. So an example of a possible Path Power is

Good I:  Healing touch: After a five minute prayer the character may heal another for 1d8 points per level of Good Path.

That's a pretty rough look there, but that's the concept.  Pinning down the concept is part of the point here, obviously.

So, a notional list of Paths:

Good ---- Evil
Law   ---- Chaos
Knowledge
Freedom
Bushido
Chivalry
Fire----Water
Air----- Earth

An Addendum to the Alignment post:

Thinking on it, unless I want Gods as killable monster End Bosses (D&D's default assumption it seems...), Gods don't really need alignments, like most Stats, actually.  

Gods have 'things they do' and, perhaps, an alignment 'tendency'.  

So, Kaye, the Crusader (from my current campaign) is all about Glory and Valor (which could work as an Alignment) and has a strong tendency towards Good and a weaker tendancy towards Law.   Swearing oath's to Kaye could count for Law, Good, Glory or War (say, I meant to point out most clerical Domains could translate to Alignments in this system), but a Cleric of Kaye could just as easily be an Evil crusader bent on the genocide of the Hobgoblins... swearing to Kaye would not work for an Evil alignment in this case, but neither he is at risk of pissing his God off if he does go evil, as long as he obeys the tenants of his oaths...

Now, as I hoped I made it clear in the prior post, gaining high 'levels' of an alignment should get difficult, and even wind up being somewhat exclusionary.  At some point, the 'evil' cleric of Kaye would be forced to chose between Glory or War (or whatever tenants of Kaye he upheld) and Evil (in the indiscriminate slaughter of hobgoblin babies, etc...).  The universe (The GM) is not (should not) be inclined to give do overs.

So our example 'alignment conundrum' is this:  Having earned a name slaughtering Hobgoblins the Cleric of Kaye has an opportunity to wipe out an un-defended village full of hobgoblin babies, seriously denting the future generations of hobgoblin kinds.  However, a small force of Hobgoblin warriors have taken to the field of battle to challenge him. If he fights them, the villagers will escape (being evacuated).  The warriors are few, but they are well prepared and strong with veterans and the fight will not be easy, but they can be avoided.  

If he avoids the fight and slaughters the village before they escape, he rejects Kaye's tenants in favor of Evil (for a cleric this could be a loss of favor/spell casting), if he allows the villagers to escape and fights the warriors he has chosen Glory.  If he gets clever and and sends his soldiers to fight the warriors while he sneaks into the village he winds up doing neither properly... (one guy can't wipe out a village properly, and he didn't fight in the battle...)

Is genocide more important than glory?

Evil Gods, as a general rule, are just silly.  Gods who are in charge of 'evil' things are workable.  I think the 'portfolio' concept is the strongest part of D&D's god system, and having overlapping portfolios and radically different churches of those portfolios is cool too (another of my Campaign gods right now is Hoge (Ho-gay), the Strategian, one of the Nine Divines of the old Empire. The Orcs, however, also worship Hoge as the Bloody God, who replaces fear with madness (battle lust/rage).  

The point, of course, is that if a church was truly villainous, worshipping an objectively evil God, no sane society would allow them to grow and prosper.  Nations that allowed objectively evil churches to flourish would be an intolerable threat to their neighbors.  Gone is the moral squishiness of the real world, and with it any complexity of politics.

Better to have Gods that are more concerned with their personal domains than wearing team jerseys all the time. Gods as Hooligans, no thanks.

I don't think alignment has alot of 'crunchiness' from which to pass objective judgments on whether your system is an improvement on regular d20. I suppose its a little more codified than standard and if that's good depends on how much a given playing group think Alignment is necessary, which does seem to get much debate. It can be useful for NPCs.

I suppose it may be a good idea to reward Good alignment with powers - perhaps the alignment system could tie into how your paladin class works ?
(Though I'm torn: I'd rather someone play a good alignment because they think its a roleplaying challenge, than because it gives them stuff).

Other than that, should Elemental blooded characters get a free 'step' on the Element paths, like the celestial/infernal blooded? (And how is 'Fire' a code of conduct, anyway ??)

I don't much feel like waiting for lots of feedback... sad that my fans aren't coming out in force... now I know what it feels like to wait for a close-up...

So, I'll start with the rough outline of the class structure and start adding more details as I work through this part (The BIG part... oh, ugh...)

Okay, so we start with 9 default classes, with multiclassing as an option (using feats/backgrounds?)... based on ability 'trees', everyone reading this far should know that already. Likewise, you know that three classes are Primary Classes, and the remaining six are Hybrid Classes.  This is expected to remain Opaque to readers of the finished product (seriously thinking of a POD run...which makes my work on Alignments a bit more challenging because the framework of the idea is lifted straight from FantasyCraft... I actually can not look at the book for inspiration without risking out and out theft...).

Anyway: The Primary Classes are Fighter, Caster and Expert (Rogue, essentially) This is a given, though the names might change, I doubt it.

Classes are defined by their fixed class benefits and the theme of their default ability trees.  I won't focus on the Ability Trees in this post, many will be shared between the primary and the hybrids.

Hit Points are fixed at a d8 for each class, subject to adjustment by Ability or Feat selection.  Skills are likewise not notably altered by class choice. Caveat: The Expert is expected to have skill focused Abilities, thus may be able to 'boost' known things. Expert is where Indiana Jones falls conceptually.

Fighters: Full 1-20 Base Attack Bonus and Base Defense Bonus,  Default Save progression is Fort, Ref, Will, though this will vary according to 'build'. (a Fast fighter (Dex Primary Stat) would have a Ref, Fort, Will default. Three 'tables' of saves (strong, average, weak)

Experts: 0-15 Base Attack and Base Defense, Default Save progression is Ref, Will, Fort but Ref/Will are swapable in build stage

Casters: 0-10 Base Attack and Defense, Saves may go Will, Ref, Fort, but again, by build (Sorcerers would default to Ref, Will, Fort. Clerics might go Fort, Will, Ref (hardly a penalty since they have a strong will...)

Saves are sort of... neglected in planning stage here.  

You will note that Attack and Defense are equal here.  This is planned.

Hybrid classes will have split Attack and Defense stats.  An 'Assassin', a Fighter-Expert Hybrid would have a 1-20 Attack, but only a 0-15 Defense (he generally doesn't expect people to fight back), while the... Adventurer?... Expert-Fighter would flip that, with a 0-15 BAB and a 1-20 BDB.  

If I really feel like expanding classes (sourcebooks!!!!), they'd all be hybrid classes, and would swap one of the default Hybrids, but the exact numbers on the attack/defense line would vary. I can also attempt to 'average' them, so you may see a 1-18 line or a 0-17 line.  Ideally Fighter-Expert would have better averages than Expert-Fighters, but really that all side show for Abilities, so I can't be assed to worry overly much.

Note: Defense is normally not rolled. AC numbers tend to be low since against an equally skilled opponent you are rolling a flat die. Thinking about converting 'extra' on the attack roll to bonus damage, but that's straight up Combat chapter stuff... just a heads up!  However: full defense (skipping attack) is totally an opposed roll.

Note on builds. Right now the most developed idea is with casters so lets look at the framework in terms of this one class (before I get into hybrids or even abilities I will want to lock this down!!!!):

Casters:

A caster has two primary choices he has to make: Casting Stat and Power Source.  The Casting Stats are

Int
Wis
Cha

An Int based Caster defaults to a high will save and casts by memorizing an preparing spells in advance. They have the advantage of an expandable spell list and the ability to prepare spells according to need. Int casters may perform research to learn new spells or may acquire them from other spell books. All Int Casters require some form of Spellbook.  

A Wis based Caster (defaults to Fort, Will, Ref save) is a Ritualist. They have a fixed body of spells they may access and cast according to rote. Like Int casters, they generally prepare some spells in advance to speed casting, essentially doing the bulk of the ritual in advance, and may 'finish' the ritual to access a spell 'instantly'.  They may not learn new rituals, nor devise new ones under normal circumstances, but they automatically have access to all the rituals of their tradition. In emergencies a Ritualist may perform a ritual that they have not prepared in advance, but this process is very slow, as Rituals may take up to several hours to complete, not counting any purification rites that must be performed first.  (Note from spell casting chapter: Ritualists are limited to how many ritual 'talismans' they can carry 'active' at time, but they don't 're-memorize' spells daily (depending on tradition), they must take the time to re-prepare the rituals in a proper ritual space.  'Talismans' are some token left over from the Ritual process, the 'use' of a talisman is essentially 'completing the ritual', be it consuming a ritual herb, crushing a ritual mouse skull or burning a taper...

Cha based casters are 'Talents' or 'Naturals'. They have not studied, have no body of lore, they simply know how to do 'magic', and they do. They generally have only a few 'spells' they actually know, but they can access them at any time and never need to study or prepare.  This can be a miracle worker, channeling the power of the Gods directly or the Sorcerer with magic in his blood. Cha casters generally have a strong Ref save, may chose their weak save from will or Fort.


The Three Power Sources are Arcane, Divine and Nature.

Arcane casters are Wizards, Conjurers and Sorcerers (Depending on casting stat above). They all pull their spells from Arcane list.  Wizards require a wand, stave, rod or orb as well as a spell book and a research laboratory.  (Note: wizards should have an ability to have a familiar, which can be replaced by imbuing their casting implement... rules to come eventually...)
Conjurers tend to prefer scrolls, crystals and alchemical satchet and the like for spell casting.  Conjurers may have a familiar (generally a homonculous or elemental spirit). Conjurers generally have more spells per 'day' than other ritual casters, and are the only Arcanists who have healing magic
Sorcerers: Do not require any implements and don't have familiars but may have a companion.Sorcerers must select a 'bloodline' to explain the source of their power (dragon blood, celestial and infernal blood or fey blood). Fey blooded sorcerers tend to have fey companions (Fairie dragons, actualy fairies, etc) while Infernal blooded sorcerers have Imp companions, etc. Sorcerers cast fastest of all the Arcanists (reduce casting times by 1... Spellcasting chapter preview!)

Divine casters must have an alignment, swearing themselves to the God(s). Failure to abide by their Alignment results in a loss of spell casting unless they atone somehow.
Hierophants:  The least common form of Divine caster, Hierophants are experts at taking the divine energies and shaping them to their needs. Hierophants tend to be politically motivated within church structures, and popular with the congregation when they do preach.  Many Hierophants exist outside the church structures, developing their own 'miracles' and prayers to their needs and the needs of their followers.   Hierophants create their own prayer books and liturgicals and spend hours in quiet contemplation developing new prayers and invocations. (Alternate name for this type of caster: Invoker?).  Hierophants generally must cast by means of loud prayers and invoking the names of the Gods and their servants, and if they can not do so, they are unable to cast.
Clerics are divine ritualist, and the most common sort of divine caster.  They tend to be deeply involved with the church structure, and have the most forgiving alignment strictures, as they draw their power through the powerful rituals they have mastered... the unfaithful can never draw that power, but the fallen still may based on the divine covenant that power such rituals.  Many divine rituals require members of the flock to perform properly, and all require at least a shrine and ritual implements that have been properly concecrated (bells, incense, holy water sprinklers, prayers in dead languages...).  Depending on the tradition, a Cleric's pre-paired rituals may come in the form of prayer strips, vials of blessed water that must be broken, crackers that must be eaten with a holy blessing announced.  Even still, many divine rituals are still slow to cast, even from the talismans of the faith.  Clerics MUST be part of an organization, a church or temple structure.
Miracle Workers are naturals, chosen by the Gods for their piety and faith. Miracle workers rarely arise within an organization but instead come by their calling where the church is corrupt or utterly absent.  Miracle workers are faster at casting divine power, but still not quick, and may not have full control over their powers (The GM may chose to re-assign the Miracle Worker's chosen powers... this is not to be done casually, and never with more than one or two spells. Typically this would be a 'sign' that the Gods want the MW to do something specific (quest! specific power). I may codify this better (The GM picks half the spells? Some fraction...).  Miracle workers have it pretty easy and generally pick up followers easily (leadership 'ability'?), but are held to the strictest standards of alignment.

Nature casters are Druids and the like. Their powers are almost exclusively tied to the wilderness and wild things.

Int-Nature casters are Shapers.  They frequently act as masters of the wild places.  Shapers learn the languages of the plants and the animals, make deals with nature spirits that will talk to them and subjugate the spirits that won't.  Their implements are totems, masks and fetish pouches, their spell books are contracts with various spirits and deep secrets of the wild places. They frequently have pets or companions (animal spirits or elementals), and thus have a companion tree available to them by default.
Wis Nature casters are the Druids, they learn to appease the natural world, become one with it. Their rituals allow them to mimic the trees or the animals, allowing them to convince the natural world to act on their wishes. Druids have access to a shapeshifting tree (note, must go back and ensure every caster has access to their own tree).  
Wild Children (Name??) are one with the wilds, essentially savages, raised by the woods and wilds, they develop gifts appropriate to their natural homes and have animal companions (companion tree), but are frequently viewed as odd or insane by more civilized people. Some people are just drawn to the wild places

Sorry if the focus tended to drift between various caster types as I was being side tracked the entire time.    All Int casters should have implements, all Wis casters need both ritual tools and talismans and all Cha casters are faster... which doesn't really lend itself to different thematic... bits.

Anyway, its something to chew on while I work on Fighter and Expert 'class building'. Fighters are up next because I've already got their primary division down.  A lot of stuff goes back to chapters that aren't written yet... gotta start somewhere!

The difference between casting stats is interesting - I quite like the concept here. For the type of magic itself, arcane and divine work though I don't know if Nature is exciting enough to have 3 separate sub-classes....I don't know what I'd put in instead, though.


On the attack/defense progression: note BAB progression is less important if removing iterative attacks. You probably do need some sort of 'power attack' type mechanic to help prevent fighters hitting too often.

With defense...with Dex helping defence but no stat increasing attack, and defense scaling with level, you might be headed for a problem where some characters become unhittable? (Though you could have abilities where characters trade in defense for more damage too).

Quote from: Bloody Stupid Johnson;436582I don't think alignment has alot of 'crunchiness' from which to pass objective judgments on whether your system is an improvement on regular d20. I suppose its a little more codified than standard and if that's good depends on how much a given playing group think Alignment is necessary, which does seem to get much debate. It can be useful for NPCs.

I suppose it may be a good idea to reward Good alignment with powers - perhaps the alignment system could tie into how your paladin class works ?
(Though I'm torn: I'd rather someone play a good alignment because they think its a roleplaying challenge, than because it gives them stuff).

Other than that, should Elemental blooded characters get a free 'step' on the Element paths, like the celestial/infernal blooded? (And how is 'Fire' a code of conduct, anyway ??)

You posted while i was typing...

I can see how a more codified alignment system would hinder some players, I view the current alignment system as worth less than nothing... leaving it out of the game is an improvement (and honestly, if you would miss the team jerseys then how hard is it to add in a non-system?).  You are right that I cheated on crunch... how can I ask for advice if all I do is provide the framework? Sigh... back to work for me then...

You are right, elemental bloods DO need that automatic step, I forgot about it.

One aspect of alignments I should cover is that they totally need massive amounts of work from the players and the GMs, and thus are largely optional beyond the first 'rank'. (Clerics and certain bloods, possibly other classes... I could see a 'Samurai' class that needed to follow Bushido as a Path...)

I am against elements of a game that do nothing.