- Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder 2e
- Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder Used
- Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder Kingmaker
- Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder Sport
Character Creation
- Use 20 point buy for stats. You can lower up to 2 stats to 7 (before racials).
- Start at current level..
- Up to 2 traits are allowed. No more than one trait may be taken from each category (such as 1 combat trait and 1 faith trait). One drawback is also allowed, but if it pertains to a skill it must be one you have trained. No campaign traits, as they're specific to certain modules.
- If you submit a background within one week of playing the character you get a free bonus trait chosen by the DM.
- Any race up to 10 racial points is allowed (races without RP listed are 9 or 10 RP such as the default races). If you wish to use a race with particularly low RP, I may add some minor improvements to it. If you want to use a race from 3.5 or one with higher RP I may be able to adjust it to fit.
- New characters have 1/2 wealth by level gold. You may spend up to half of that on any one item.
- All characters gain automatic bonus progression based on their level.
- Please make a 10 minute background for your character:
- Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your vision of the character.
- List at least two goals for the character.
- List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet.
- Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
- Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has.
Character Advancement
- HP is max at first level, each level past that you get 3/4 of max. If this results in a fraction, you round up the first time, round down the second time, and continue in that fashion.
- Experience is awarded based on objectives completed. These objectives can be personal or based on the story, though the more significant the accomplishment the greater the rewards. Killing enemies does not give experience in itself, though doing so may be part of an objective. Roleplaying is also encouraged and has a small experience reward.
- All characters gain the same experience.
- Leveling occurs immediately upon reaching enough experience to level when out of combat.
- All characters gain 2 background skill points per level. In addition, Heal and Survival count as background skills.
- Each character gains six action points per level, the amount does not increase but each time you level if you have less than six you are reset to six.
- One flaw is allowed at level 2, but it must be Pathetic or Frail (-2 to a stat or -1 hp per level), the normal restriction on Pathetic don't apply. Taking a flaw grants you a bonus feat. You may gain a second flaw at level 10, it can be any flaw or a custom flaw, but it must add a meaningful downside to your character. (Vulnerable flaw applies -2 AC/CMD).
- When multiclassing, use fractional BAB and saves.
- Variant Multiclassing is allowed, and if you desire a VMC from a homebrew or other class not covered ask me.
- Any Pathfinder Prestige class is allowed, as are 3.5 ones with approval.
- Every level you are allowed to retrain one option for free.
Mar 21, 2012 My groups switched over to 5e about 2 years ago and recently decided to use Pathfinder for a game, so that's how that happened. I'll definitely say I enjoy both games, and both have their strengths. But there's really only one thing that I absolutely miss from 5e, dex to damage for finesse focused characters. Finesse let you use DEX instead of STR in CMB calculation for tripping, since it uses a weapon. Or Agile maneuver let you use DEX in the same way. Then you can't stack Fury's Fall on top of it, since it's the same source. It's completely against the rules. Have you tried reporting it? It does feel like its ignoring the same bonus type don't.
Classes
In order to maintain a fun and balanced party classes of tier 1 and 2 are not allowed. These classes are so versatile and powerful that they can very easily dominate any game, even unintentionally. It is highly recommended that you pick a class of tier 3, and any role in the game can be found in a tier 3 class. In order to provide the most options I have included a number of homebrew classes that fill certain roles that might otherwise be lacking choices in tier 3. If there's a certain role or style of class you feel is lacking, talk to me and I can find a class or work with you to create a fun and interesting character. To learn more about tier lists see here.
For classes, this includes both Pathfinder and 3.5 tier 3 classes, as well as some homebrew ones. If you're not playing one of the homebrew classes hosted on this website then be sure to check the list of class changes as there are certain minor adjustments in effect. For Pathfinder classes, there are also 3rd party classes that I do not know very well, if you wish to play one of them (and believe it's roughly tier 3) talk to me and I'll check it out. The other important factor is archetypes. Archetypes are like alternate class features that every Pathfinder class has, overall these are very interesting and I highly encourage you to check them out and pick one if you like, but sometimes they change the tier. If an archetype is so strong it bumps a class up to tier 2 or higher, I'm going to ban it, but this is extremely rare so don't worry much when picking your class.
Sources
- Any Paizo, Dreamscarred Press, or Drop Dead Studios material is allowed, and most of it can be found on the d20PFSRD or the Spheres of Power Wiki.
- 3rd party Pathfinder material on the SRD is allowed with approval.
- Homebrew material is allowed, subject to approval. As homebrew material varies significantly in quality and power, I will be a bit more restrictive on what I allow.
- See here for material from Pathfinder Unchained that is allowed.
- Alternate rules, such as spell point systems, are not allowed. Note that this doesn't apply to archetypes or other alternate class/racial features.
- Custom magic items are allowed, in instances where you can combine two existing items of the same slot, and using the rules for combining these found in the Magic Item Compendium. As are variable caster level of spell completion and spell trigger items.
- 3.5 material is allowed in the following forms:
- Spells are not generally allowed unless they're on a fixed spell list for your class. The Pathfinder version of a spell supersedes any 3.5 spell, including spells that are very similar but not identical. Any spell that has an experience cost instead costs gold equal to five times the exp cost.
- Feats are allowed, but any Pathfinder version supersedes a 3.5 one. For example, Power Attack uses the Pathfinder version, but Leap Attack from 3.5 is ok, but still requires (and uses) the Pathfinder PA.
- Items are generally allowed, but Pathfinder versions take precedence.
- Skill tricks are allowed, and use the appropriate Pathfinder skill if it's different.
- Races, prestige classes, and other material may be allowed with appropriate updates to Pathfinder rules.
- In addition to the above, 3.5 material needs to be converted to Pathfinder in terms of skills, combat maneuvers, and some other effects. If you're uncertain just ask me.
Major Houserules
- Acrobatics now covers only Balance and Tumble, while a new skill called Athletics (Str) functions as a combined Jump, Climb, and Swim skill. If your class has Climb, Swim, Fly, or Acrobatics as a class skill it has Athletics as a class skill. Armor check penalty applies. Tiny or smaller creatures use Dex instead of Str for Athletics.
- Character's saves are based on the higher of their Wis or Cha for Will save, and the higher of Int or Dex for Reflex save. Fort save still uses Con, but you add half your Str modifier (rounded down) to your Fort save. If you add the same modifier twice to a save, such as from Divine Grace, you only gain half the benefit (rounded down) the second time, and no benefit for three or subsequent times.
- You gain a special pool of healing surges equal to 1+1/2 your hit dice per day. Once per encounter you can use one as a move action, and each use acts as if rolling your hit die plus any relevant bonuses. Every three levels, starting at third, you roll an additional hit die. For example, a level 5 character with 14 Con whose class has a d8 hit die can heal 2d8+2 up to three times per day. If the example character had Toughness, they would heal 2d8+3 instead. You can also trigger the once per encounter surge on an adjacent character with a DC 15 Heal check as a standard action.
- Healing surges can be used to heal 1d4+1 ability damage as a full round action for the cost of two surges, or 1 temporary negative level as a full round action at the cost of four surges. These uses are also once per encounter, but each are separate limits from the normal use.
- When you drop to negative hit points you die at negative Con score or negative 1/2 your HP, whichever is greater. You still go unconscious at -1 though. Diehard allows you to fight until negative 1/4 your hp or negative Con score, whichever is better. Effects that add to Fortitude saves to resist dying instead add to the amount of negative hit points you can have before dying.
- You can draw one item as part of a move action taken to move at least 10 feet, such as a potion or wand. Especially large items may not qualify (such as a body or suit of full plate).
- The DC to cast defensively is now 13+(spell level)*3, or 13+(CL/2)*3 for Spherecasters. When you fail the check, it now provokes an attack of opportunity, but does not cause the spell to automatically fail unless the attack hits you.
- Feats that have a certain number of fighter levels as a prerequisite instead require a BAB equal to the number of levels.
- Combat maneuvers, such as trip or grapple, no longer provoke opportunity attacks if you do not have the required feat. The combat maneuver feats (such as Improved Trip) are now one feat merged with their Greater versions. So Improved Trip and Greater Trip are one feat, but you don't gain the Greater Trip benefits until you meet the prerequisites.
- Path of War errata.
- Diagonal movement costs the same as other movement, rather than alternating 5ft and 10ft.
- Spells and effects that ignore spell resistance instead grant a +2 bonus on checks to defeat spell resistance. Supernatural abilities are not affected. Dispelling effects and spells that create effects like walls, darkness, fog, and similar indirect effects are still not subject to SR.
Minor Houserules
- Diplomacy has a scaling effect based on success rather than flat DC based attitude changes. No bargaining rules.
- Feats that require Point Blank Shot as a prerequisite instead require Precise Shot, and Precise Shot has no prerequisite itself.
- You can retrain weapon specific feats (such as weapon focus) by training with a weapon for 24 hours.
- Teleport works differently, you use it to mark one location and can teleport back there with the spell. Greater Teleport allows a number of marks equal to your caster level. You must be able to cast teleport as a spell or spell completion to mark a location. You can teleport to an unmarked location within line of sight, to a maximum range of 1 mile.
- Wind Walk and Shadow Walk last 1 minute per level. Similar spells are also affected.
- Spellcraft is used to identify auras, spell effects in place, or identify a spell that just targeted you.
- Glibness gives +15 bluff.
- Cleaving Finish and related feats do not require Cleave and related feats.
- The Amulet of Mighty Fists costs as much as a normal weapon of the same bonus would, but no longer stacks with any item that adds enhancement bonus or weapon special abilities to unarmed or natural attacks.
- The spell Keep Watch now prevents you from moving more than 30 feet from where you cast it, and prevents taking activity other than being observant or small amounts of conversation. The effect breaks on casting spells, crafting, leaving the area, taking damage, and the like.
- When using an action point to apply a metamagic effect or similar effect for free, it instead lowers the spell adjustment of the metamagic feat by a maximum of 4 (or power point cost of 6).
- Mind Blank, Barred Mind, and similar effects now grant a +4 untyped bonus to Will saves versus mind-affecting effects and divination spells, and if the effect would normally not allow a save then you are allowed one at the normal DC with the +4 bonus. They no longer provide immunity to divination effects.
- Flight works as 3.5, based on maneuverability. There is no Fly skill, but certain effects that require Fly checks (like weather effects) use Athletics instead. Flying creatures can be tripped.
- Pearls of Power function for spontaneous casters, allowing them to recover an expended spell slot.
- Feats, items, and potentially other effects that can apply to bows (such as Manyshot or Bracers of Archery) can be applied to crossbows and thrown weapons as well.
- You can use the skill Spellcraft to identify Spell-Like Abilities, suppresed Psionics, Psychic Magic and other magic without obvious components though you take a -5 penalty to your Spellcraft check and must be aware of the caster or the effect.
- Using an Action Point to gain a feat can be done at any time, even if it's not your turn, but it still only lasts until the start of your next turn. You may also use an Action Point to add a d6 to a roll after knowing the result of the roll.
- Non-magical clothing you're wearing does not count against carrying capacity within reason.
- Psychic Reformation can no longer retrain crafting feats, AP feats, or feats that have permanent effects.
- Pagent of the Peacock bardic masterpiece only applies to Knowledge checks.
- Belt of Battle can only grant move actions.
Ban List
- Disjunction, Blood Money, Heroic Fortune and Mass Heroic Fortune, the Splitting property.
- Icantrix, Ur-Priest, Shadowcraft Mage, and Psiologist prestige classes.
- Leadership and related feats, Craft Contingent Spell, Initiate of Mystra, Sacred Geometry, Arithmancy, Craven. Dazing Power/Spell, Practiced Initiator, Clustered Shots, Second Chance, Lessons of Faith.
Sunday - Encroaching Shadows
Andy's Monthly Friday Night Campaign
- Expedition to Undermountain.
Wednesday - Dark Souls
Pathfinder - A Tale of Flipped Scripts
Drake Companion
Modified for class feature:
Starting stats
Size: Small
HD: D12
Alignment: any
Speed: 20 ft.
Attack: bite (1d4)
![Pathfinder Pathfinder](/uploads/1/2/4/8/124808075/746938671.png)
Ability Scores: Str 12, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 7
Natural Armor: +4
Languages: Draconic.
Darkvision: Drakes have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Drakes see twice as far as humans in dim light.
Immunities: Drakes are immune to sleep and paralysis.
Subtype: Each drake has an energy or elemental subtype, either aether, air, cold, earth, fire, or water, and gains a free drake power based on its subtype. When their charges reach 1st level, aether drakes gain magic attacks, air drakes gain flight, cold drakes gain breath weapon (cold), earth drakes gain burrow, fire drakes gain breath weapon (fire), and water drakes gain swim.
Glide: All drakes start with glide as a bonus power
Lesser Breath Weapon: Choose acid, cold, electricity, or fire. The drake gains a breath weapon that fires a tiny glob of energy, inflicting 1d6 points of the chosen energy type on a single target within 30 feet after making a successful touch attack. This power may be used at will, but must wait 1d4 rounds between uses. At fourth level, and every three levels thereafter, the lesser breath weapon increases its damage by +1.
Natural Armor: The drake’s natural armor bonus to its AC increases by 2 when the charge reaches 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter.
Size Increase: The drake matures further and advances a size category when the charge reaches 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter. Each time this occurs, the drake’s natural armor bonus to its AC increases by 2, its natural attacks increase in damage based on the new size category, and it gains the following ability scores adjustments: Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2. When the drake reaches Medium size, its speed increases from 20 feet to 30 feet. Alternatively, the drake may forgo the size increase for a +10 increase to its base speed, and stat adjustment of +2 Str and +2 Dex.
Class skills: The following skills are class skills for a drake: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Equipment and Magic Items: Drakes are not proficient with armor but can take armor proficiency feats. Drakes have the following magic item slots: Armor, belt (saddle), chest, eyes, headband, neck, ring, wrist.
Personality: Drake companions often have strong personalities, and may need to be influenced with a successful diplomacy or intimidate check in order to coax them into taking actions that do not meet their approval.
Replacing Drake Companions: Drake companions are replaced following the normal rules for the animal companion/familiar that would normally be granted by the charge’s class.
New or Modified Drake Powers
Breath Weapon Powers All drakes start with the lesser breath weapon power. The other breath weapon powers use the same energy type as the lesser breath weapon (with the exception of fire and cold drakes, which must use their subtype element). Breath Weapon and it’s subsequent powers do 1d6 damage for every 2 levels (minimum 1), have a range of 60 ft and have a reflex save to halve damage (DC = 10 + 1/2 the drake’s Hit Dice + the drake’s Constitution modifier). The Drake must wait 1d4 rounds between uses of it’s Breath Weapon (this cooldown is separate from the lesser breath weapon cooldown). Breath weapon and it’s subsequent powers do not replace lesser breath weapon.
- Breath Weapon has a 10 ft radius spread and is now usable twice a day.
- Improved Breath Weapon has a 15 ft radius spread and is usable 5 times per day (requires 8th level)
- Greater Breath Weapon has a 20 ft radius spread and is usable 9 times per day (requires 14th level)
Claws: The drake gains a pair of secondary claw attacks that do 1d3 damage at small size.
Flight Powers: All drakes gain the glide power at level 1. Air drakes receive Flight as a bonus power.
- Glide: The drake is able to take ranks in Fly. It can slow its fall to 60 feet per round, and it takes no falling damage as long as it can take actions and succeeds at a DC 15 Fly check each round. As it falls, it can take a move action to move up to 30 feet horizontally in any direction, or two move actions to move up to 60 feet horizontally in any direction. The drake can’t gain height from gliding alone, it merely coasts in other directions as it falls. If subjected to a strong wind or any other effect that causes a gliding creature to rise, it can take advantage of the updraft to increase the distance it can glide.
- Flight grants a fly speed of 40 ft (clumsy) and no longer has a level requirement
- Improved Flight grants a fly speed of 60 ft (average) and requires level 8
- Greater Flight grants a fly speed of 80 ft (good) and requires level 11 and the air subtype
Grab: The drake’s claw attacks gain the grab quality. The drake’s charge must be at least 11th level to select this power.
Swim: The drake gains a 30-foot swim speed.
Swim, Improved: The drake’s swim speed improves to 60 feet, and it gains the amphibious quality. To select improved swim, a drake must have swim and the water subtype and its charge must be at least 5th level.
Tail: The drake gains a secondary tail attack that does 1d4 damage at small size.
Trip: The drake’s tail attack gains the trip quality. The drake’s charge must be at least 8th level to select this power
Mostly Unmodified Drake Powers
Aether Bite: The drake’s bite applies 1-1/2 × its Strength modifier to the damage dealt by its bite attack, and its bite attack deals full damage to incorporeal creatures. To select aether bite, a drake must have the aether subtype and the drake’s charge must be at least 5th level.
Blindsense: The drake gains blindsense out to a range of 10 feet. To select blindsense, a drake must have scent and the drake’s charge must be at least 11th level.
Burrow: The drake gains a burrow speed of 10 feet.
Burrow, Improved: The drake’s burrow speed improves to 30 feet. To select improved burrow, a drake must have burrow and the earth subtype and its charge must be at least 8th level.
Energy Bite: The drake’s bite deals 1d6 extra points of damage of the same energy type as its subtype. To select energy bite, a drake must have breath weapon and the cold or fire subtype and its charge must be at least 8th level.
Keen Mind: The drake’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores each increase by 2.
Magic Attacks: The drake’s attacks count as magic.
Mount: The drake allows its charge to ride it, as long as she is at least one size category smaller than the drake. While carrying a rider, the drake can’t burrow and it loses the benefits of the highest-level drake power it has from the following list (ordered from highest-level to lowest-level): greater flight, improved flight, flight, or glide. To select mount, a drake’s charge must be at least 5th level.
Mount, Improved: The drake accepts any rider of the charge’s choice who is at least one size category smaller than the drake (provided the rider remains in the drake’s good graces), and it no longer loses a flight-based drake power when carrying a rider. To select this power, a drake’s charge must be at least 11th level.
Scent: The drake gains the scent ability.
New Feats
Boon Drake: The abilities of your drake companion are calculated as though your drake granting class were 4 levels higher, to a maximum effective class level equal to your character level. Prerequisite: Drake companion class feature
Extra Drake Powers: Your drake gains an extra power. This feat can be taken multiple times. Prerequisite: Drake companion class feature, level 3
Potent Breath Weapon: The drake’s lesser breath weapon and breath weapon powers deal an additional 1d6 damage. Prerequisites: Drake, Breath Weapon Drake Power, BAB+5
And now the archetype revisions:
Silver Champion Paladin
Drake Mount: At 5th level, a silver champion gains a drake companion. The drake companion gains the mount drake power as a bonus power. At level 11, the drake gains smite evil 1/day (as though it had the simple celestial template), and resistance 10 to the energy type used by its lesser breath weapon. However, a silver champion doesn’t gain mercies at 6th, 12th, and 18th levels.
This ability replaces divine bond, channel energy and aura of righteousness, and alters mercy.
Dragon Magic: The silver champion adds the following spells to her spell list: animate rope, command, expeditious retreat, floating disk, longstrider, magic fang, align Weapon (good/law), animal trance, castigate, locate object, wood shape, draconic reservoir, fly, magic fang (greater), rebuke, stone shape, dimension door, dragon’s breath, holy smite, locate creature, minor creation, order’s wrath, and poison. A silver champion casts one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to less than 0, she can’t cast spells of that level.
This ability modifies the paladin’s spellcasting.
Draconic Druid
Drake Companion: A draconic druid gains a drake companion instead of an animal companion.
This ability replaces nature bond, wild empathy, and thousand faces.
Dragon Sense: A draconic druid studies dragons and their history. She gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (arcana) and Knowledge (history) checks.
This ability replaces nature sense.
Resist Dragon’s Might: A draconic druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities of dragons.
This ability replaces resist nature’s lure.
Dragon Shape: A draconic druid can’t use wild shape to change into any of the usual forms available to a druid.
Instead, at 4th level, she can use wild shape to change into a dragon-scaled version of herself with long fangs, gaining a natural armor bonus to her AC equal to 1 + 1/4 her druid level, and her choice of a bite attack appropriate for her size (1d6 points of damage for a Medium druid) or 2 claw attacks appropriate for her size (1d4 for a medium druid) but otherwise retaining her usual form.
At 8th level, she can spend two uses of wild shape to transform into a Medium dragon as per form of the dragon I, and at 12th level, she can spend two uses to change into a Large dragon as per form of the dragon II. Each time that a draconic druid uses wild shape counts as a separate casting of the spell for the purpose of refreshing her uses of her breath weapon.
Drake Rider Cavalier
Drake Mount: A drakerider gains a drake companion instead of a mount. The drake companion gains the mount drake power as a bonus power. She gains cavalier’s charge at 9th level instead of 3rd.
This ability replaces mount, tactician, greater tactician, and master tactician and expert trainer, and alters cavalier’s charge.
Approved Order: A drakerider can join only an order approved by its mount.
Drake Warden Ranger
Drake Companion: At 4th level, a drake warden gains a drake companion instead of an animal companion, but his effective charge’s level is equal to his ranger level – 3.
This ability replaces hunter’s bond, 2nd favored enemy, 2nd favored terrain, the 6th and 14th level combat style feats, and swift tracker.
Elemental Magic: At 5th level, and every two levels thereafter, a drake warden may add one spell from the sorcerer/wizard spell list to his ranger spell list. This spell must be of a level he can cast, and must have the descriptor matching his drake’s subtype (force for aether drakes) or lesser breath weapon element. A drake warden casts one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to less than 0, he can’t cast spells of that level.
This ability modifies the ranger’s spellcasting.
Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder 2e
Draconic Shaman
Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder Used
Drake Companion: A draconic shaman gains a drake companion instead of a spirit animal, and she communes with the drake to prepare her spells just as other shamans commune with their spirit animals. Any ability granted by a spirit or wandering spirit that would normally affect a spirit animal (such as nature’s true spirit ability) has no effect for a draconic shaman.
Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder Kingmaker
This ability replaces spirit animal, and the hexes gained at 4th and 10th level.
Use Dex Instead Of Str Pathfinder Sport
Diminished Casting: Draconic shamans gain one less spell slot of each spell level they can cast. If this reduces the number of slots for a level to 0, they can only cast spells of that level using spirit magic or bonus slots granted by a relevant ability score.