Celestial Classes and Feats

[Avoraciopoctules]

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure that a "Good" or "Virtue" sphere is necessarily a good idea. It might be better just to have a bunch of sphere focused on various aspects of "good".

2 new spheres, one old, one sphere template.

sphere template:

--------- Sphere

Special: ____________

Level, Benefits
1 _________
3 _________
5 _________
7 _________
9 _________
11 _________
13 _________
15 _________
17 _________
19 _________

--------------------------------

New Sphere: Aegis

Special: You radiate an aura of protection out to 10 feet. All allies in this aura receive a resistance bonus to saves OR a deflection bonus to AC equal to character level / 3, rounding up.
Special Bonus: If you upgrade this Sphere to Advanced access, your aura of protection grants a resistance bonus to saves AND a deflection bonus to AC.
Special Bonus: If you upgrade this Sphere to Expert access, your aura of protection goes out to Short range instead of 10 feet.

1 Mage Armor
3 Resist Energy
5 Protection From Energy
7 Stoneskin
9 Extended Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser
11 Energy Immunity (As Resist Energy, but grants Immunity instead of resistance)
13 Spell Turning
15 Protection from Spells
17 Foresight
19 Double Extended (lasts for 3 times as long as normal) Mind Blank

-------------------------------

Valor Sphere

Special: You are immune to Fear effects

Level, Benefits
1 Remove Fear
3 Heroism
5 Haste
7 Holy Sword
9 Righteous Might
11 Extended Spell Resistance, Mass*
13 Bear's Endurance, Mass
15 Protection from Spells
17 Mass Polymorph**
19 Astral Projection

* As Spell Resistance, but affects one creature per level, all of whom must be within Short range.
** As Warmage spell ( http://tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=50032 )
-------------------------------

Peace Sphere

Special: You may elect to deal nonlethal damage whenever you would inflict damage of any kind.

Level, Benefits
1 Charm Person
3 Calm Emotions
5 Wind Wall
7 Sanctuary, Mass*
9 Forbiddance
11 Word of Recall
13 Refuge
15 Charm Monster, Mass
17 Dominate Monster
19 Foresight

* As Sanctuary, but affects one creature per level, all of whom must be within Short range.

[Maxus]

I could have sworn there was an Evil sphere.

Turns out, there's one that's Evil (TM) in everything but name.

http://dungeons.wikia.com/wiki/Heresy_%283.5e_Sphere%29

[Avoraciopoctules]

Yargle. Okay, once I don't have a test and/or the need for sleep staring me in the face, I'll look into writing a new sphere. But what to use as the special power...

[Avoraciopoctules]

2 spheres, one mostly Heresy multiplied by -1.

Virtue Sphere

Special: You may Detect Evil in a 50 foot radius sphere anywhere within your line of sight at will, starting with the second round's worth of information. This takes a Swift action to initiate.

Level, Benefits
1 Consecrate
3 Extended Align Weapon (Good only)
5 Magic Circle against Evil
7 Holy Sword
9 Lesser Planar Ally
11 Dispel Evil
13 Hallow
15 Holy Word
17 Miracle
19 True Resurrection


Purification Sphere

Special: You are immune to poison and nonmagical disease, and may also Purify Food and Drink twice per day per character level.

Level, Benefits
1 Greater Dispel Magic
3 Flame Strike
5 Remove Disease
7 Disintegrate
9 Break Enchantment
11 Antilife Shell
13 Destruction
15 Antimagic Field
17 Empowered Flame Strike, Mass (As Flame Strike, but you place one per level anywhere within Long Range. They don't stack.)
19 Implosion

[For Valor]

Crusader Sphere
Special: A user of the Crusader Sphere radiates an Aura of Good with a level equal to her HD. She gains the Divine Grace ability of an SRD Paladin--adding her Charisma modifier (if positive) to her saving throws.

1. Divine Sacrifice (CoDi)
3. Zeal (CoDi)
5. Invisibility Purge/Rage/Vigor?
7. Divine Power
9. Righteous Might
11. Bull's Strength, Mass
13. Righteous Wrath of the Faithful (CoDi)
15. Holy Aura
17. Visage of the Diety, Greater (CoDi)
19. Regenerate (can be used as a move-equivalent action)

Tell me what I've screwed up. I wanted to make a charge-and-smash sphere... I'm also working on a light/lightning sphere (Stormrage, Nimbus of Light, Searing Light, Lightning Bolt, etc. Just a combination of Light damage and electricity damage.).

[Maxus]

Crusader Sphere
1. Divine Sacrifice (CoDi)
3. Zeal (CoDi)
5. Invisibility Purge/Rage/Vigor?
7. Divine Power
9. Righteous Might
11. Bull's Strength, Mass
13. Righteous Wrath of the Faithful (CoDi)
15. Holy Aura
17. Visage of the Diety, Greater (CoDi)
19. Regenerate (can be used as a move-equivalent action)

Tell me what I've screwed up. I wanted to make a charge-and-smash sphere... I'm also working on a light/lightning sphere (Stormrage, Nimbus of Light, Searing Light, Lightning Bolt, etc. Just a combination of Light damage and electricity damage.).

I've got this:


STORM SPHERE
Special: Gain immunity to Electricity and Sonic Resistance 10. Special Bonus: If you upgrade this Sphere to Advanced access, the damage cap on Electric and Sonic spells and spell-like abilities is removed for you.
1 Lightning Bolt
3 Shatter
5 Call Lightning
7 Sound Burst
9 Greater Call Lightning
11 Chain Lightning
13 quickened Lightning Bolt
15 Greater Shout
17 quickened Chain Lightning
19 Storm of Vengeance (All electrical damage)

[Kaelik]

WTF is Quickened Lightning, and why don't you replace it with something that's isn't ass you could have had at level 9 if you actually wanted to waste your time with it?

Try to fit something into the Sphere that isn't "I do electricity damage but better." This has to be up to 1/3rd of the spellcasting potential of an entire class or has to add something that anyone cares about to a class with full BAB and Summoning.

Lightning damage is not the sum total of Storms.

[Maxus]

WTF is Quickened Lightning, and why don't you replace it with something that's isn't ass you could have had at level 9 if you actually wanted to waste your time with it?

I meant 'quickened lightning bolt'.

And because this is an evocation/direct-damage based sphere which looks cool, but evocation and direct damage suck normally. And there's not much that fits for the electricity/sonic damage theme. I took a cue from one of the fire-based spheres in Tome of Fiends and put in one decent spell-like ability so they can use two in one round.

[Kaelik]

WTF is Quickened Lightning, and why don't you replace it with something that's isn't ass you could have had at level 9 if you actually wanted to waste your time with it?

I meant 'quickened lightning bolt'.

And because this is an evocation/direct-damage based sphere which looks cool, but evocation and direct damage suck normally. And there's not much that fits for the electricity/sonic damage theme. I took a cue from one of the fire-based spheres in Tome of Fiends and put in one decent spell-like ability so they can use two in one round.

My point being to add something that isn't an evocation direct damage of one type.

You can replace some other shitty identical one with a Quickened one, and you can give them something that is worthwhile outside combat.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Here's a weather sphere that borrows liberally from the Spell Compendium. Too much wind?

Tempest Sphere

Special: You suffer no penalties from weather effects you create and do not need to make Concentration checks due to the weather. If a wind effect would move you, you may determine the direction it pushes you and suffer no damage for this forced movement.

Level, Benefits
1 Cloudburst
3 Binding Winds
5 Capricious Zephyr
7 Call Lightning Storm
9 Extended Telekinesis (telekinesis is performed with wind, making it loud and obvious)
11 Extended Cloud-Walkers
13 Control Weather
15 Quickened Storm of Elemental Fury
17 Storm of Vengeance
19 Whirlwind, Greater

[For Valor]

Storm would be nice if it were changed to "Thunder and Lightning", so it's not ambiguously inaccurate. And I kinda like "Tempest", as it fits more w/the idea of a storm.

OK, so we DEFINITELY have Celestial Spheres.

So now we need a load of scaling Supernatural/SLA feats, correct? Plus some [Fiend] feats could travel over (probably Large Size and some other stuff... though not Huge Size or Venom thing or any of that)

[Avoraciopoctules]

No! We need more! More so that I can put off updating DatD for as long as I can personally justify! Here:

Freedom Sphere

Special: You gain the Slippery Mind ability of a Rogue.

Level, Benefits
1 Longstrider
3 Avoid Planar Effects
5 Fly
7 Freedom of Movement
9 Plane Shift
11 Find the Path
13 Quickened Teleport
15 Mind Blank
17 Gate
19 Freedom (Can be used with an immediate action)

----------------------------------------

More seriously, yes, I'll try writing something else tomorrow.

[Maxus]

Storm would be nice if it were changed to "Thunder and Lightning", so it's not ambiguously inaccurate. And I kinda like "Tempest", as it fits more w/the idea of a storm.

OK, so we DEFINITELY have Celestial Spheres.

So now we need a load of scaling Supernatural/SLA feats, correct? Plus some [Fiend] feats could travel over (probably Large Size and some other stuff... though not Huge Size or Venom thing or any of that)

Well, kudos for independently arriving at the conclusion that some Fiend feats could move over to Celestial feats.

Yeah, there's several. The latest take on the Tome PDF has that.

SLA feats should scale on a theme like protecting, healing, and smiting with white-hot fire of holy vengeance (although possibly not on a Basic/1/6/11/16 basis like the Combat and Skill feats) and Supernatural Abilities are trickier to pillage because they're so...out there.

[Avoraciopoctules]

So now we need a load of scaling Supernatural/SLA feats, correct? Plus some [Fiend] feats could travel over (probably Large Size and some other stuff... though not Huge Size or Venom thing or any of that)

There's a relevant post earlier in this thread.

Those "armor" things need to be "in addition to the armor you are wearing". Seriously, people are going to play as these and they need equipment too.

Also, in this way you can have something like
Weapon of Righteous Destruction [BAB]
0 - Whatever weapon you are wielding is considered Magical (+1/3 bonus/level) in addition to any other properties that it has. Your unarmed attacks, even if not proficient, count for this effect.
1 - The above, Flaming weapon.
6 - The above, Holy instead of Flaming.
11 - The above, Sun weapon, Fort save. (BoG)
16 - The above, Vorpal weapon (BoG).

You are giving these bonuses because you DIDN'T give them things like "2 extra attacks".

The following things also gain the "Celestial" tag wholesale:
Breath Weapon
Elemental Aura
Extra Arms
Extra Summons
Greater Teleport
Harmless form
Large Size
Huge Size
Heighten Spell Like Ability

The following get converted:
Product of Celestial Dalliance
One of your recent ancestors was an angel or from a good-aligned plane. Maybe your parents play it off as a virgin birth, maybe your dad became a Saint.
You may take any [Celestial] feat, Resistance 5 to Acid, Cold, Electricity, one of the Celestial subtypes (I don't care enough to look them up), and a Smite Evil attack usable at will that does bonus damage equal to 1/2 of your strength modifier.
*** quasi-balanced against an extra bite attack

Wings of Good
You gain wings and a fly speed equal to double your base land speed with good maneuverability that requires special armor to stay aloft. These must be feathery or energy-based.

If I feel like it I'll make up some more, because I like to concept. Remember, we can't just multiple by -1 to get the good feat (most of the time).

There are Huge angels, so that should stay available.

The Smite Evil as Bite attack equivalent intrigues me. I'm going to put a draft of the Celestial Hero on my to-do list.

Note to self about celestial spheres:
Akula suggests replacing Holy Sword with something less broken at low and high level
Also swapping disintegrate and break enchantment for Purification

[Utterfail]

Personally, I feel like some of the fiend feats could be generalized to [Outsider, Fiend, Celestial] feats. Like wings, theres no reason any outsider shouldn't be able to get wings.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Remembered this: http://www.tgdmb.com/viewtopic.php?t=50658

There's a fair amount of precedent for celestials powering their weapons with inherent awesomeness. Should I try writing some more feats like this and Weapon of Righteous Destruction?

---------
For Celestial Hero, I'm thinking 3/4 BAB, Good Fort, Will, Bad Reflex. No claw attack, the combat advantage from BAB is nice already. Maybe add half CHA mod to damage.

Also wondering if "Celestial Hero" is suitable as a class representing the horrific-looking angels who have giant blades for arms and wings of fire, or who are a bunch of monstrous heads attached to wings. Celestial Monstrosity?

Might need two fightan angel classes. Of course, it could be argued that the dedicated weapon users would be True Celestials.

[Kaelik]

I refer you to my claim "Celestial Heroes shoot bows."

[Avoraciopoctules]

SLA feats should scale on a theme like protecting, healing, and smiting with white-hot fire of holy vengeance (although possibly not on a Basic/1/6/11/16 basis like the Combat and Skill feats) and Supernatural Abilities are trickier to pillage because they're so...out there.

SLA feats?

Curative acolyte
Someone has to carry the first-aid kit. Not you.

Benefit: You gain Spellcraft as a Class Skill if it wasn't already, and you can use Cure Minor Wounds as an at-will SLA that takes an attack action. The rest of the benefits depend on your ranks in Spellcraft.

4: you can also cast Cure Light Wounds, Delay Poison, and Purify Food and Drink once per hour each.

9: you can also cast Lesser Restoration, Remove Blindness/Deafness, and Remove Paralysis once per hour each. The previous tier of SLAs can now be used 3 times per hour. Cure Light Wounds upgrades to Cure Moderate Wounds

14: you can also cast Raise Dead, Restoration, and Remove Curse once per hour each. The previous tier of SLAs can now be used 3 times per hour. Cure Moderate Wounds upgrades to Cure Critical Wounds.

19: you can also cast Mass Cure Critical Wounds, Resurrection, and Greater Restoration 3 times per hour each. The previous tier of SLAs can now be used 3 times per hour. Cure Critical Wounds upgrades to Heal

Special: The damage/healing dice/mods for the SLAs granted by this feat are uncapped (For example, Cure Light Wounds is not capped at +5 to the hit points healed). All save DCs for the abilities granted by this feat are (DC 10 + highest mental ability modifier + 1/2 your level). All save DCs for the abilities granted by this feat are (DC 10 + highest mental ability modifier + 1/2 your level). Your caster level is equal to your character level.

[Kaelik]

No feats that don't suck and that let you do things with SLAs you already have. Like if you are a Sphere User.

[Maxus]

Celestial Hero, I imagined as the full BAB class. Favored Soul would be the caster.

True Celestial should be the one to go all angelic monstrosity which is incomprehensible to mortals. Or, rather, it should have the option to do this, as well as turn into Solars or Planetars.

The other two are...well, celestial-touched, who show it in different ways.

[Maxus]

No feats that don't suck and that let you do things with SLAs you already have. Like if you are a Sphere User.

Not totally.

There's a need for getting some scaling feats which give Supernatural and Spell-like abilities, to help flesh out the sphere casting and let the celestial warrior-types use some casting, too.

Looking around the monster manuals, even the bruiser-type celestials have some spells and speshul powarz as well as a greatsword and high AC.

So, yes, giving them the option to use feats to grab some of that seems to be the way to go.

[Avoraciopoctules]

Celestial Hero, I imagined as the full BAB class. Favored Soul would be the caster.

True Celestial should be the one to go all angelic monstrosity which is incomprehensible to mortals. Or, rather, it should have the option to do this, as well as turn into Solars or Planetars.

The other two are...well, celestial-touched, who show it in different ways.

Alright, I can work with that. How much angelic metamorphosis do we want to come from feats and how much from class features?

True Celestials should all get an aura at some point, and I could see that as a point where you pick off a list. Some powerful angels inspire their friends, some drive their enemies mad, and some cause everyone below a certain CR to go blind if they are seen.

Also, I like the fact that we aren't just inverting the Tome of Fiends stuff. This project is looking pretty interesting. I think I will approach my first draft of the Celestial Hero as making a Kratos (Tales of Symphonia, not the other Kratos) base class, then finding where I could offer a choice, give an ability through a feat, or stick in new thematically appropriate abilities.

No feats that don't suck and that let you do things with SLAs you already have. Like if you are a Sphere User.

[Maxus]

Mostly class features, I think. Or, alternative class features, for those who want to be a 9-foot-tall winged sword-wielding avenger, and those who want to be a conglomeration of wings and bodies which shoots energy rays which make trenches in the planet visible from space.

A few feats might help, but I'm not familiar with monstrous angels beyond, I dunno, the final boss form of Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7.

There needs to be a feat to let you augment your melee attacks with elemental damage that scales based on spell and character level. So if you have Lightning Bolt, you can use LIGHTNIN' BLADE. If you have Call Lightning or Chain Lightning, you can use SUPAH LIGHTNIN' BLADE for more damage per character level. Possibly, pumping up the DCs of anything like the Combat School Daze.

That would make taking a few direct-damage energy spell-likes worth it, I think.

[For Valor]

Energy Strike [Celestial (Outsider?)]
Pretty quote here.

Prerequisites: Can cast evocation magicks

Benefit: You can opt to lose a prepared damaging [Evocation] spell right after your spell preparation period (or at any time if you're a spontaneous caster/you have SLAs) to have one attack of your choosing deal an extra + damage (the type of damage is the same as the damage of the dropped spell) equal to the level of the spell you gave up (x2?). This lasts until you regain your spells again. You cannot augment the same attack twice, but you can choose multiple different attacks by dropping multiple spells.

----------
Thus, you could prep a Lightning Bolt at its standard spell level slot, then drop it for +3 (or +6? I don't know...) damage on attacks with a specific weapon of your choosing (your sword or something). If you've got minor casts, you could also drop a Chain Lightning at a higher level, or just as easily prepare a higher-level Lightning Bolt with the same benefit.

So... too strong? Too complicated? Not viable enough?

[Red_Rob]

Do people still use non-scaling feats in games with scaling feats? As far as i was aware Tome of Fiends feats would have been scaling had it come out after RoW.

Perhaps the Tome of Fiends Feats should be re-written as scaling Feats?

Something like:

Hulking Monstrosity[Combat][Fiend]
The fiendish blood that flows in your veins causes you to grow at an extraordinary rate.
Special: This is a [Fiend] Feat, and can only be taken by Evil Outsiders or those eligible to take [Fiend] Feats.

Benefit: You may count as one size larger for the purposes of Combat Maneuvers.

+1: When charging, your great mass allows you to make a free bullrush attempt on anyone you hit with a melee attack.

+6: Your size increases to Large. This has no effect if you are already Large.

+11: Your hulking form becomes resistant to damage, giving you DR5/piercing and making you immune to Daze and Stun effects.

+16: Your size increases to Huge. This has no effect if you are already Huge.

There are several other "chains" that could be easily folded into one feat (the grappling one, the soul-eater chain etc.) to bring them in line with the later feats.