Danika Hicks' 3.X Core Class Rebalance

[Hicks]

THE CORE CLASS REBALANCE
So Tome exists. My current 0.7 revision 139 pdf is 437 pages long. To this we add Red Rob magic items, simplified tome armor, kaelik tome errata, kaelik skill groups, kaeliks item bonus progression, all published material on DnD Tools, and everything on the DnD Wiki (the good one, not the other one that is also a DnD Wiki) in addition to any bespoke class or ability written up by anyone in our group.

As of this post I've been married to my wife for 10 entire years. And I cannot get her to sit down to a game with my friends because you need a doctorate in theoretical DnD and 10,000 hours of reading an *uncountable* amount of extra material in addition to the thousand or so pages that make up the core Players Handbook , Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. But is that 3e or 3.X because the spells and overrun and and skills and monsters and...

I think I've made my point here. There is a lot of stuff in 3.x, and it can scare off newcomers and casual players.

So this is a basic rebalance of Dungeons and Dragons, Core Only, Final Destination that does not alter skills (except eliminating cross class bs), monsters, or spells (except wish, because of course) so I do not have to hand a person a 400+ page document of bespoke rules to get a game together just to make sure their characters can actually survive moderate level encounters. The Core Class Rebalance consists of 2 straight edits to how wish and full attacks work, excising the cross class skill tax, removing all the core classes and replacing them with the Crusader, Knave, Magician, and Monk, and a few feats tacked on at the end to emulate the barbarian's rage, the bard's bardic music, and the druid's animal companion.

Thank you for your time.

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THE WISH REBALANCE
This part of the wish spell:

[*]Create a magic item, or add to the powers of an existing magic item.

Becomes this:

[*]Create a magic item, or add to the powers of an existing magic item, to a maximum total item value of 15,000gp.

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THE FULL ATTACK REBALANCE
Full attacking for all of your attacks is a standard action. Iterative attacks gained by having a high base attack bonus are all made with a base attack bonus of 5 less than your full base attack bonus.

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THE SKILL POINT REBALANCE
1 skill point spent in a skill grants 1 rank in that skill. Your character's number of skill ranks in any one skill cannot exceed their total character level. If you have at least 1 skill point in your most recent class's class skill list, that skill receives a +3 bonus. This bonus goes away the next time you select a class that does not have that skill as a class skill.

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CRUSADER
"For God! For Country! But mostly, FOR ME!"
HD: 1d8
Class Skills: The crusader’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points: 4 + Intelligence Modifier per level.

• Table: The Crusader

  Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fortitude Save	Reflex Save	Willpower Save	Class Ability
  1	+0	+2	+0	+2	Aura, Detect Infidel, Lay on Hands
  2	+1	+3	+0	+3	Smite +1d6
  3	+2	+3	+1	+3	Summon Monster
  4	+3	+4	+1	+4	Smite +2d6
  5	+3	+4	+1	+4	Magic Circle
  6	+4	+5	+2	+5	Smite +3d6
  7	+5	+5	+2	+5	Divine Power
  8	+6/+1	+6	+2	+6	Smite +4d6
  9	+6/+1	+6	+3	+6	Planeshift
  10	+7/+2	+7	+3	+7	Smite +5d6
  11	+8/+3	+7	+3	+7	Banishment
  12	+9/+4	+8	+4	+8	Smite +6d6
  13	+9/+4	+8	+4	+8	Pronouncement
  14	+10/+5	+9	+4	+9	Smite +7d6
  15	+11/+6/+6	+9	+5	+9	Greater Spell Immunity
  16	+12/+7/+7	+10	+5	+10	Smite +8d6
  17	+12//+7/+7	+10	+5	+10	Gate
  18	+13/+8/+8	+11	+6	+11	Smite +9d6
  19	+14/+9/+9	+11	+6	+11	Miracle
  20	+15/+10/+10	+12	+6	+12	Smite +10d6

  
  

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Crusader.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Crusaders are proficient with all simple weapons, with all types of armor (light, medium, and heavy), with shields (except tower shields), and any one other martial or exotic weapon the crusader chooses at first level.

Supernatural and Spell Like Abilities (Ex)
The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a crusader's supernatural or spell like abilities is the (crusader's character level)/2 + the crusader's Charisma Modifier; round up any fractions. The caster level for her supernatural or spell like abilities is equal to her character level.

Aura (Ex)
At 1st level, a crusader selects one axis of her alignment (evil, chaos, good, or law) and thereafter radiates a powerful aura corresponding to their alignment as if they were an outsider (see the detect evil spell for details). Should her alignment change (by the atonement spell or a helmet of opposition), the crusader must reselect her aura to one axis of her new alignment.

Detect Infidel (Sp)
At 1st level, a crusader may detect the alignment opposite of their aura as if they casted the appropriate detect [alignment] spell, at will. For example if a crusader radiates an aura of good she would be able to cast detect evil at will.

Lay on Hands (Su)
At 1st level, a crusader who does not have the [undead] type may cast heal with a casting time of 1 full round, at will. A crusaders with the [undead] type may cast harm with a casting time of 1 full round, at will.

Smite (Su)
At 2nd level, The crusader’s attack deals extra damage any time her target has an alignment opposite of her aura. This extra damage is 1d6 at 2nd level, and it increases by 1d6 every two crusader levels thereafter. Should the crusader score a critical hit, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Summon Monster (Sp)
At 3rd level, once per day a crusader can summon an outsider or elemental with a challenge rating of 2 less than the crusader's character level that has an alignment component that matches the aura of the crusader. The summoning has a casting time of 1 round and has a duration of 24 hours. A crusader may only have one summoned monster at a time. This ability is considered to be a Conjuration [summoning] effect with an effective spell level equal to 1/2 the CR of the summoned creature.

Magic Circle (Sp)
At 5th level, a cusader can cast magic circle against [alignment] at will, with a casting time of 1 round. The [alignment] must be the one her detect infidel class ability can detect. A crusader can only have one magic circle at a time.

Divine Power (Sp)
At 7th level, a crusader can cast divine power at will, with a casting time of 1 round.

Planeshift (Sp)
At 9th level, a crusader can cast planeshift at will, with a casting time of 1 round.

Banishment (Sp)
At 11th level, a crusader can cast banishment at will, with a casting time of 1 round.

Pronouncement (Sp)
At 13th level, a crusader can cast blasphemy if their aura radiates evil, word of chaos if their aura radiates chaos, holy word if their aura radiates good, or dictum if their aura radiates law. Any spell cast with pronouncement has casting time of 1 round and can be cast at will.

Greater Spell Immunity (Sp)
At 15th level, a crusader can cast greater spell immunity at will, with a casting time of 1 round.

Gate (Sp)
At 17th level, a crusader can cast gate at will, with a casting time of 1 round. A crusader can only have one gate at a time; should the spell end, any creature called is sent back to their home plane.

Miracle (Sp)
At 19th level, a crusader can cast miracle at will, with a casting time of 1 round.

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KNAVE
"Vanilla. Action. Hero."
HD: 1d10
Class Skills: The knave’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand(Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points: 8 + Intelegence Modifier per level.

• Table: The Knave

  Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fortitude Save	Reflex Save	Willpower Save	Class Ability
  1	+1	+2	+2	+0	Bonus Feat, Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding
  2	+2	+3	+3	+0	Bonus Feat, Evasion
  3	+3	+3	+3	+1	Sneak Attack +2d6, Trapsense +1
  4	+4	+4	+4	+1	Bonus Feat, Uncanny Dodge
  5	+5	+4	+4	+1	Sneak Attack +3d6
  6	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	Bonus Feat, Trapsense +2
  7	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +4d6
  8	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	Bonus Feat, Improved Uncanny Dodge
  9	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Sneak Attack +5d6, Trapsense +3
  10	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Bonus Feat, Special Ability
  11	+11/+6/+6	+7	+7	+3	Sneak Attack +6d6
  12	+12/+7/+7	+8	+8	+4	Bonus Feat, Trapsense +4
  13	+13/+8/+8	+8	+8	+4	Sneak Attack +7d6, Special Ability
  14	+14/+9/+9	+9	+9	+4	Bonus Feat
  15	+15/+10/+10	+9	+9	+5	Sneak Attack +8d6, Trapsense +5
  16	+16/+11/+11/+11	+10	+10	+5	Bonus Feat, Special Ability
  17	+17/+12/+12/+12	+10	+10	+5	Sneak Attack +9d6
  18	+18/+13/+13/+13	+11	+11	+6	Bonus Feat, Trapsense +6
  19	+19/+14/+14/+14	+11	+11	+6	Sneak Attack +10d6, Special Ability
  20	+20/+15/+15/+15	+12	+12	+6	Bonus Feat

  
  

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the knave.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A knave is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, medium, and light) and shields (including tower shields).

Bonus Feats
At 1st level, a knave gets a bonus combat-oriented feat in addition to the feat that any 1st-level character gets and the bonus feat granted to a human character. The knave gains an additional bonus feat at 2nd level and every two knave levels thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th). These bonus feats must be drawn from the feats noted as fighter bonus feats. A knave must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including ability score and base attack bonus minimums; knave levels are equivalent to fighter levels for the purpose of feat prerequisites, class ability substitutions, and class level substitutions.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. A knave is not limited to the list of fighter bonus feats when choosing these feats.

Sneak Attack (Ex)
If a knave can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage.

The knave’s attack deals extra damage any time her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the knave flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and it increases by 1d6 every two knave levels thereafter. Should the knave score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied.

Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a knave can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual -4 penalty.

A knave can sneak attack only living creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, constructs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack vital areas to attack. Any creature that is immune to critical hits is not vulnerable to sneak attacks. The knave must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A knave cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment or striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals are beyond reach.

Trapfinding (Ex)
Knaves (and only creatures with the trapfinding class ability) can use the Search skill to locate traps when the task has a Difficulty Class higher than 20.

Finding a nonmagical trap has a DC of at least 20, or higher if it is well hidden. Finding a magic trap has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

Knaves (and only creatures with the Trapfinding class ability) can use the Disable Device skill to disarm magic traps. A magic trap generally has a DC of 25 + the level of the spell used to create it.

A knave who beats a trap’s DC by 10 or more with a Disable Device check can study a trap, figure out how it works, and bypass it (with her party) without disarming it.

Evasion (Ex)
At 2nd level and higher, a knave can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. A helpless knave does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Trap Sense (Ex)
At 3rd level, a knave gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the knave reaches 6th level, to +3 when she reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level.

Trap sense bonuses gained from multiple classes stack.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
Starting at 4th level, a knave can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She retains her Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, she still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.

If a knave already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
A knave of 8th level or higher can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies another creature the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more levels in a class that grants sneak attack than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level in class that grants sneak attack required to flank the character.

Special Abilities
On attaining 10th level, and at every three levels thereafter (13th, 16th, and 19th), a knave gains a special ability of her choice from among the following options: Crippling Strike, Defensive Roll, Improved Evasion, Opportunist, Imbue Item, Skill Mastery, Slippery Mind, or Feat.

• Crippling Strike (Ex)
  A knave with this ability can sneak attack opponents with such precision that her blows weaken and hamper them. An opponent damaged by one of her sneak attacks also takes 2 points of Strength damage. Ability points lost to damage return on their own at the rate of 1 point per day for each damaged ability.
  
  Defensive Roll (Ex)
  The knave can roll with a potentially lethal blow to take less damage from it than she otherwise would. Once per day, when she would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the knave can attempt to roll with the damage. To use this ability, the knave must attempt a Reflex saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, she takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, she takes full damage. She must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute her defensive roll—if she is denied her Dexterity bonus to AC, she can’t use this ability. Since this effect would not normally allow a character to make a Reflex save for half damage, the knave’s evasion ability does not apply to the defensive roll.
  
  Imbue Item (Ex)
  A knave can use her extrodinary power to create magic items, even if she does not know the spells required to make an item (although she must know the appropriate item creation feat). She can substitute a Use Magic Device check (DC 15 + spell level) in place of a required spell she doesn't know or can't cast.
  
  If the check succeeds, the knave can create the item as if she had cast the required spell. If it fails, she cannot complete the item. She does not expend the XP or gp costs for making the item; her progress is simply arrested. She cannot retry this Use Magic Device check for that spell until she gains a new level.
  
  Improved Evasion (Ex)
  This ability works like evasion, except that while the knave still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless knave does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
  
  Opportunist (Ex)
  Once per round, the knave can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent who has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as the knave’s attack of opportunity for that round. Even a knave with the Combat Reflexes feat can’t use the opportunist ability more than once per round.
  
  Skill Mastery
  The knave becomes so certain in the use of certain skills that she can use them reliably even under adverse conditions.
  
  Upon gaining this ability, she selects a number of skills equal to 3 + her Intelligence modifier. When making a skill check with one of these skills, she may take 10 even if stress and distractions would normally prevent her from doing so. A knave may gain this special ability multiple times, selecting additional skills for it to apply to each time.
  
  Slippery Mind (Ex)
  This ability represents the knave’s ability to wriggle free from magical effects that would otherwise control or compel her. If a knave with slippery mind is affected by an enchantment spell or effect and fails her saving throw, she can attempt it again 1 round later at the same DC. She gets only this one extra chance to succeed on her saving throw.
  
  Feat
  A knave may gain a bonus feat in place of a special ability.

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MAGICIAN
"Hocus azarath metrion ZA WARUDO!"
Hit Dice: 1d4
Class Skills: The magician’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
Skill Points: 2 + Intelligence Modifer per level.

• Table: The Magician

  Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fortitude Save	Reflex Save	Willpower Save	Class Ability	0th	1st[/b]	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
  1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Domains, Magician Spellcasting, Scribe Scroll	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
  2	+1	+0	+0	+3		4	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
  3	+1	+1	+1	+3		4	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
  4	+2	+1	+1	+4		4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
  5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Bonus Feat	4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
  6	+3	+2	+2	+5		4	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
  7	+3	+2	+2	+5		4	4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-	-
  8	+4	+2	+2	+6		4	4	4	3	2	-	-	-	-	-
  9	+4	+3	+3	+6		4	4	4	3	2	1	-	-	-	-
  10	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	4	3	2	-	-	-	-
  11	+5	+3	+3	+7		4	4	4	4	3	2	1	-	-	-
  12	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		4	4	4	4	4	3	2	-	-	-
  13	+6/+1	+4	+4	+8		4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	-	-
  14	+7/+2	+4	+4	+9		4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	-	-
  15	+7/+2	+5	+5	+9	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	1	-
  16	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	-
  17	+8/+3	+5	+5	+10		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	2	1
  18	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	2
  19	+9/+4	+6	+6	+11		4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3
  20	+10/+5	+6	+6	+12	Bonus Feat	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4

  
  

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the magician.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Magicians are proficient with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff, but not with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type the magician is not proficient in interferes with their movements, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail. Magicians do not suffer any arcane spell failure when wearing armor they are proficient in.

Magician Spellcasting
A magician casts arcane spells which are drawn from the cleric, druid, and sorcerer/wizard spell list at the lowest spell level the spell appears at. A magician must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time (see below).

To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the magician must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a magician's spell is the (magician's character level)/2 + the magician’s Intelligence Modifier; round up any fractions.

Like other spellcasters, a magician can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: The Magician. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Intelligence score; the magician does not recieve these bonus spells if her magician level is not high enough to otherwise have access to them based on Table: The Magician.

At 1st, 3ed, and every 2 character levels thereafter, a magician gets 1 extra spell slot who's spell level equals their (total character level)/2. Round all fractions up. These extra spell slots are independent of the magician's class level.

A magician may know any number of spells. She must choose and prepare her spells ahead of time by getting a good night’s sleep and spending 1 hour studying her spellbook. While studying, the magician decides which spells to prepare.

A magician's caster level is equal to their character level.

Spellbooks
A magician must study her spellbook each day to prepare her spells. She cannot prepare any spell not recorded in her spellbook, except for read magic, which all magicians can prepare from memory.

A magician begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells plus three 1st-level spells of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the magician has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your choice. At each new magician level, she gains two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new magician level) for her spellbook. At any time, a magician can also add spells found in other magicians’ spellbooks to her own.

Domain Spells
At 1st level, a magician selects two domains to represent her magical inclinations and abilities. Each domain gives the magician access to a domain spell at each spell level she can cast, from 1st on up, as well as a granted power. The magician gets the granted powers of both the domains selected. A magician that wants to change any of their domains for another may do so with an atonement spell.

Spontaneous Casting
A magican can channel stored spell energy into domain spells that the magician did not prepare ahead of time. The magician can "lose" any prepared spell in order to cast any domain spell of the same spell level or lower. Casting a spell spontaneously is a full round action.

Scribe Scroll
At 1st level, a magician gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat.

Bonus Feats
At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, a magician gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, she can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery. The magician must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The magician is not limited to the categories of item creation feats, metamagic feats, or Spell Mastery when choosing these feats.

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MONK
"The empty palm holds only pain."
Hit Dice: 1d8
Class Skills: The monk's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points: 4 + Intelligence Modifier per level.

• Table: The Monk

  Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fortitude Save	Reflex Save	Willpower Save	Class Ability
  1	+0	+2	+2	+2	Armored in Life, Insightful Attack, Slam
  2	+1	+3	+3	+3	Sainctuary Stance
  3	+2	+3	+3	+3	Invisibility Strike
  4	+3	+4	+4	+4	Silence Stance
  5	+3	+4	+4	+4	Displacement Strike
  6	+4	+5	+5	+5	Speak with Dead Stance
  7	+5	+5	+5	+5	Air Walk Strike
  8	+6/+1	+6	+6	+6	Death Ward Stance
  9	+6/+1	+6	+6	+6	Slay Living Strike
  10	+7/+2	+7	+7	+7	Righteous Might Stance
  11	+8/+3	+7	+7	+7	Heal Strike
  12	+9/+4	+8	+8	+8	Wind Walk Stance
  13	+9/+4	+8	+8	+8	Destruction Strike
  14	+10/+5	+9	+9	+9	Repulsion Stance
  15	+11/+6/+6	+9	+9	+9	Earthquake Strike
  16	+12/+7/+7	+10	+10	+10	Mindblank Stance
  17	+13/+8/+8	+10	+10	+10	Imprisionment Strike
  18	+13/+8/+8	+11	+11	+11	Freedom Stance
  19	+14/+9/+9	+11	+11	+11	Implosion Strike
  20	+15/+10/+10	+12	+12	+12	Shapechange Stance

  
  

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the monk.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Monks are proficient with club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, sling, unarmed strikes, and their slam natural attack.

Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields.

Armored in Life (Ex)
At first level, the monk adds her Wisdom Modifier (if positive) + her character level + 2 to her Armor Class.

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

Insightful Attack (Su)
At 1st level, any melee or ranged weapon, improvised weapon, natural attack, or unarmed strike made by a monk is considered to be a magic weapon with an enchantment bonus equal to their Wisdom modifier (if positive).

Slam (Ex)
At 1st level, a monk obtains a 1d8 slam natural attack. Her slam's damage increases to 2d8 at +6 base attack bonus, 3d8 at +11 base attack bonus, and at 4d8 at +16 base attack bonus. Any time a monk would otherwise be entitled to an additional attack as part of a full attack, such as from two weapon fighting or by being affected by the haste spell her slam damage increases by +1d8 for each additional attack she would have.

Strikes and Stances (Ex)
A monk has access to two different styles of abilities: strikes and stances.

After a monk successfully makes a to hit roll with her slam against a creature, she may use a swift action to activate any one strike she knows; strikes have an effect and duration as the spell they are based on.

At any time during a monk's turn she may activate a stance as a swift action; a stance stays active as if it had an unlimited duration as long as the monk is not helpless or unconscious, but a monk may only have one stance active at any time and must either change to a new stance as a swift action or abandon the stance and end its duration as a free action.

Strikes and Stances have a caster level equal to the total number of character levels the monk possesses, and the Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a monk's strike or stance is the (monk's character level)/2 + the monk’s Wisdom Modifier; round up any fractions.

Strikes and Stances that are touch attacks may have their charges held as per rules for holding a touch spell.

Sainctuary Stance (Su)
At 2nd level, a monk may cast sainctuary as a stance.

Invisibility Strike (Su)
At 3rd level, a monk may cast invisibility as a strike.

Silence Stance (Su)
At 4th level, a monk may cast silence as a stance

Displacement Strike (Su)
At 5th level, a monk may cast displacement as a strike.

Speak with Dead Stance (Su)
At 6th level, a monk may cast speak with dead as a stance.

Air Walk Strike (Su)
At 7th level, a monk may cast air walk as a strike.

Death Ward Stance (Su)
At 8th level, a monk may cast death ward as a stance.

Slay Living Strike (Su)
At 9th level, a monk may cast slay living as a strike.

Righteous Might Stance (Su)
At 10th level, a monk may cast righteous might as a stance.

Heal Strike (Su)
At 11th level, a monk may cast heal as a strike.

Wind Walk Stance (Su)
At 12th level, a monk may cast wind walk as a stance.

Destruction Strike (Su)
At 13th level, a monk may cast destruction as a strike.

Repulsion Stance (Su)
At 14th level, a monk may cast repulsion as a stance.

Earthquake Strike (Su)
At 15th level, a monk may cast earthquake as a strike.

Mindblank Stance (Su)
At 16th level, a monk may cast mindblank as a stance. This stance remains active even if the monk becomes helpless or unconsious; it is more of a mental stance than a physical one. It still counts as a stance though.

Imprisionment Strike (Su)
At 17th level, a monk may cast imprisionment as a strike.

Freedom Stance (Su)
At 18th level, a monk may cast freedom as a stance. The target of this stance is under the constant effect of the freedom spell, and is essentially immune to any effect freedom removes for as long as the stance is active. Because freedom is instantaneous, creatures freed from imprisionment remain freed once the stance is no longer active on them.

Implosion Strike (Su)
At 19th level, a monk may cast implosion as a strike. The spell's duration changes from concentration (up to 4 rounds) to 4 rounds.

Shapechange Stance (Su)
At 20th level, a monk may cast shapechange as a stance. They are truly one with everything.

---

FEATS
Rage [General]
Prerequisites: +1 base attack bonus (1st time), +6 base attack bonus (2nd time), +12 base attack bonus (3rd time), +18 base attack bonus (4th time).

Benefit: once per day as a swift action, you may fly into a rage. While enraged you recieve a +4 bonus to strength, 2 temporary hit points per character level, a +2 bonus to all Constitution saves, skills, and ability checks, a +2 morale bonus to willpower and fortitude saves, your movement speed increases by 10 feet per round, and your armor class decreases by -2. While Rage is active, you cannot use any Charisma, Dexterity, or Intelligence based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can you cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. You can use any feat you have except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A fit of rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the character Constitution modifier. You may prematurely end your rage. At the end of the rage, you lose the rage modifiers and restrictions and become fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter

Special: you can gain this feat up to four times. Each additional time this feat is selected you may use Rage 1 additional time per day and the benifits provided increase by +2 strength, +1 temporary hit points per character level, +1 bonus to Constitution skills and ability checks, +1 morale bonus to Willpower and Fortitude saves, and +2 rounds duration. A fighter may select Rage as one of their fighter bonus feats.

Bardic Music [General]
Prerequisites: 1 rank in Perform.

Benefit: you gain the ability perform bardic music a number of times per day equal to your ranks in perform. To expend a use of bardic music you must have been performing the previous round. keeping up a performance is a free action.
As a standard action you may expend one bardic music to cast the spell greater dispel magic as a supernatural ability; the difficulty class of the saving throw is set by you rolling a perform check. This is a [sonic] effect.
As a Standard action you may expend one bardic music to inspire courage in all allies who can hear you perform as a supernatural ability. You and your allies recieve a +1 morale bonus to saving throws, dodge AC, attack and damage rolls, as well as temporary HP equal to your ranks in perform. This effect lasts as long as you perform and 5 rounds thereafter.

Convincing Song [General]
Prerequisites: 6 ranks in Perform, Bardic Music.

Benefit: as a standard action you may expend one bardic music to cast the spell suggestion as a supernatural ability; the difficulty class of the saving throw is set by you rolling a perform check. This is a [sonic] effect.
The morale bonus provided when you expend a use of bardic music to inspire courage increases to +2.

Liberating Song [General]
Prerequisites: 12 ranks in Perform, Convincing Song.

Benefit: after at least 1 minute of performance, as a standard action you may expend one bardic music to cast the spell break enchantment as a supernatural ability. This is a [sonic] effect.
The morale bonus provided when you expend a use of bardic music to inspire courage increases to +3.

Subliminal Song [General]
Prerequisites: 18 ranks in Perform, Liberating Song.

Benefit: as a standard action you may expend one bardic music to cast the spell mass suggestion as a supernatural ability; the difficulty class of the saving throw is set by you rolling a perform check. This is a [sonic] effect.
The morale bonus provided when you expend a use of bardic music to inspire courage increases to +4.

Animal Companion [General]
Prerequisite: 6 ranks in Handle Animal

Benefit: you get an animal companion. It is a creature with the [animal] type who has a challenge rating of your character level -2. You may apply the Titanac or Paragon template to boost the CR of your animal companion into something more appropriate for a higher level character. If a you release your companion from service, you may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

At first, third, and every three character levels after that your animal companion automatically knows a bonus trick; this trick requires no training, and does not count against the maximum number of tricks the animal can learn with the handle animal skill.

You can handle your animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action. You gain a +4 circumstance bonus on all Handle Animal checks made regarding your animal companion.

Edit 01/09/2021: the Crusader's Summon Monster class ability is now once per day.

Edit 12/03/2021: fixed a formatting error in the top row of Table: The Crusader and Table: The Monk

Edit 02/05/2022: fixed some spelling errors

[VladtheLad]

This is interesting, I have my own rules for an only core 3.5 game, so I can appreciate this. Hopefully you will have fun with this.

Some thoughts:

- If we are using core feats, aren't your own feats no brainers? Everyone would want an animal companion and the Knave will be pushed toward the rage route. Hell considering core feats the Knave may go and pick all the bard feats too.
- The knave might as well have d12 hd, it doesn't really change anything so why not?
- I like the fact that the wizard and the knave have symetric saves, maybe give the crusader and monk all good saves so then then you will have perfect class save symetry. No?
- You may want to say summoned monster and companions can't use magic items, since the they are all CR-2 they propably will be fine. Maybe limit the buffs they can have on too.

[Hicks]

Some responses:

• probably, but honestly I'm fine with that.
• the Knave is literally Fighter/Rogue gestalt, verbatim. Every ability they have *except* the creation of any magic item as an (Ex) special ability is copied straight out of the SRD. They're fine.
• save symmetry really has nothing to do with it; Crusaders are literally a cleric reskin with a non-aligned paladin thrown in. But Monks having all good saves is a proper criticism and I'll try to edit that in.
• hard no on limiting buffs and magic items on summoned monsters. There is already a "hidden" limitation in the SRD where summoned creatures will not use SLAs of spells that have an XP component or teleport... and that is already chapping my ass.
  
  Bonus!
• Ideally there'd be *six* classes instead of just four, but I couldn't really come up with 2 distinct others that did not in some way step upon the shticks of the previous four after collapsing the core classes so hard. Like I was thinking of a Psion and something else? Eh...

[VladtheLad]

Hmm pushing someone towards the rage route means pushing them towards the strength based melee route and I think there is an easy way to make being dex focused worth it, while barely increasing the wordcount.
First just by the virtue of having sneak attack you push them towards dex, so maybe it should be enough to provide the option to replace the max +10 rage strength bonus with half of your level to damage in melee attacks. If you wish to split it in 4 feats, each feat adds +4/+2/+2/+2 damage when using weapon finesse.
The fluff reason is that instead of rage you enter a trance / blissful state/ dance of death/whatever.

[OgreBattle]

The stances and strikes are cool, really elegant use of existing spells and easy to track.

For two more classes how about...


Sorcerer: Bloodline based so like building a monster, takes Druid wildshape role

Mastermind: 3e white raven, 4e warlord, maybe does bardic lore stuff or something with inspiration points

[Orca]

The skill point change is Pathfinders' with an unnecessary layer of complexity added. Just make having a class skill ever give a +3 bonus if you get a rank in that skill, don't make it go away if you multiclass and you have a simpler solution that's just as good.

Summon Anything is dependent on your players knowing the monster list inside out for effectiveness. Isn't that against your simplifying principles?

[Hicks]

The skill rebalance is like pathfinder's... but I wanted the class you are currently in to mean more *and* that is how I thought it worked in pathfinder. The +3 bonus floats to apply to different things because classes are supposed to *do* different things. At least that is how I see it.

Summon Monster is literally a thematic cohort based on alignment that is specifically unrestricted from a defined list because players want thematic cohorts that they think are cool, and a static menu like with the summon monster spells would be unfairly limiting to the cool shit I want players to have access to. The summon monster ability uses less actual text to give more options then a curated menu could provide. The goal is not *just* simplification... the knave is literally 2x as complex a core fighter or rogue; the goal was to consolidate the options availible into thematic, rebalanced, and easy to understand classes.

And rebalance is really the word here. The magician and knave are nakedly better then the core wizard and fighter, but merely incrementally so; a fair rebalance to smooth out some of the more awkward parts of 3.x, to have a set of house rules where the number of pages required does not exceed number of pages in the players handbook.

That is not actually knocking the Tomes. They're and insightful resource that changed how I look at game design. So if I'm not knocking them then what? I thought I could do a rebalance in such a way as to make some usable house rules that are more accessible and digestible without being as long. And I think My 3.X Core Class Rebalance does just that.

[Lord Charlemagne]

On the topic of the Crusader,

You could get two birds with one stone by just adding a sample list of suggested monsters at various levels & have a short list with 2-3 suggestions for specific levels (level 3, 7, 10, 13, 18, or whatever).

This way, you leave the ability as is so people can go book diving for just the right thing while those who have never touched d&d before can look at a short list and go, "that one looks cool", and go with that.

[Simulated Knave]

I find these to be genius, FYI. It makes me want to play 3.5 in a way I haven't for years. And they look very viable for all levels of play, too.

[erik]

The skill rebalance is like pathfinder's... but I wanted the class you are currently in to mean more *and* that is how I thought it worked in pathfinder. The +3 bonus floats to apply to different things because classes are supposed to *do* different things. At least that is how I see it.

Taking away a bonus because you went up a level seems like bad design. It's not a huge deal and as such really doesn't make something mean more, but it's certainly an unforced error.

if you want to make skills more simplified you can just give a number of skill points from your class/race/int and you get that many skills with a bonus equal to your character level+3. If you get more skill points then you can add a skill from whatever combined lists you have available from your classes (so a wizard picking up a rogue level would add 6 new skills).

[OgreBattle]

Most of that 322 page count is spells yeah? Replacing the spells list with something shorter, more universal like Shadowrun 4e building magic would cut it down a lot.

[VladtheLad]

Ok certain things I am seeing, because I propably haven't delved into and liked the Tomes enough. Or my style of play is much lower power than the board's.

-Heal at will from first level for the Crusader is bold, but I guess it cuts the bullshit needed to deal with the game.

-The AC on the monk on level 20 could be +32 from armored in life+5 deflection+5 natural armor+8 bracers+5 dexterity+1 luckstone=56. Maybe a bit excessive, considering no other buffs, but I am not 100% sure. Actually now that I am thinking about it, is it supposed to stack with armor bonuses? Because Tome monks armored in life didn't.

- Every person in the party at level 6 will propably pick the animal companion feat. I can imagine the "typical" party of 4 having 4 extra animals around, all with mage armor, actually reminds me of my party in Pathinder:Kingmaker videogame.

Most important of all have you managed to get your wife to play?

[Hicks]

[*] yes. I agree

[*] from the monk's text:

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

[*] that seems like a net reduction in power from everyone having a cohort from leadership that has thumbs and is probably also a spellcaster

[*] yes?

[VladtheLad]

from the monk's text:
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

So yes it is supposed to stack with armor bonuses. I wanted to clarify it doesn't function like tome monks armored in life.

that seems like a net reduction in power from everyone having a cohort from leadership that has thumbs and is probably also a spellcaster

Meh leadership is kinda bullshit. On one hand its a whole new character, on the other the dm determines the details of the cohort. The cohort will also eventually require magic items. Ofcourse if you can get away with making the cohort you can fill it up with magic item creation feats and what not. The animal companion seems stronger to me at least if you compare them in a straightforward way. Again leadership is kinda bullshit.
Also your arguement doesn't stop the party that gets leadership and also has animal companions.

yes?

Why the questionmark? Either you got her to play or didn't.

Another question does the full attack as a standard action apply to everyone? Monsters included?

[JigokuBosatsu]

Ooof, looks like the tables shit the bed.

[Hicks]

Oh awesome. It looks like my don't do anything and hope it works out approach has mostly worked out, and most of the tables are unfucked.

Cool.

Thank you Zherog and/or anyone else who worked tye site code to unfuck the tables ~♡.

[JonSetanta]

Quick question about the Heal spell (L1), I independently thought up a similar concept without reading your thread, and I believe Kaelik told me to check it out, so here I am.

Can't find anywhere exactly what your version or fix of the spell does. Could you link me to a list of your redone spells or write out a brief description of how much HP it recovers, whether or not status effects are removed, etc?

[Omegonthesane]

Quick question about the Heal spell (L1), I independently thought up a similar concept without reading your thread, and I believe Kaelik told me to check it out, so here I am.

Can't find anywhere exactly what your version or fix of the spell does. Could you link me to a list of your redone spells or write out a brief description of how much HP it recovers, whether or not status effects are removed, etc?

I don't see anything here about rules changes to the Heal spell itself, just that Crusaders can cast it at-will as a full round action with a caster level equal to their character level.

[JonSetanta]

So if the caster is Crusader 1 it heals 10 HP?

[Omegonthesane]

So if the caster is Crusader 1 it heals 10 HP?

That is what the Heal spell would do if you cast it at caster level 1, yes.

[JonSetanta]

Thanks. Just checking.

[JonSetanta]

Update:

I found a class I made years ago to be like a Baator-specific Blackguard but in 20 levels, but this Crusader does a better job.
Thematically different, Smite instead of just Bonus Combat Feats, lacks dipping into Soul Economy and Teleport like fiends, but in a 1v1 I guarantee the Crusader with win.

Didn't see the Knave at first.
Upon this third reading I dropped my jaw because it's the same as my analysis of a Fighter/Rogue gestalt concept, but you beat me to it by years.