THE ARSENAL ADVENTURES

RULES MODIFICATIONS/CLARIFICATIONS

Standard D&D3.5 Ed, with the Arcana Unearthed Players Handbook.
AU skills and feats, equipment.
3.5 Combat rules (some other additions, DR, etc..)
Some minor modifications to make them work together.


 CHARACTER GENERATION
Organic Method (do this with me please)
Step 1. Roll 4d6 (drop low die) for each ability score, record them in order.
Step 2. Reroll any one score (if after this no score is above 15 raise the rerolled stat to 15)
Step 3. Switch any two scores
If total net bonuses do not equal +3 or greater repeat all steps.


 HITPOINTS - Max hps at 1st level, then may choose either high average (d6 =4, d8=5, d10=6, d12=7)
or roll for each.

DISABLE/DYING - New Rules for going beneath 0 hitpoints.

  • Hit Points > Subdual Points = Character is awake and able to perform full round actions.
  • Hit Points = 0 to Negative Constitution Bonus or Hit Points = Subdual Points = Character is Staggered (either a single Standard Action or Move Action)
  • Hit Points = Neg. Con Bonus to Negative Character Level = Character is Disabled/Fatigued (may perform a Move Action, or a standard Action (but character then takes 1 HP damage). Fatigue = -2Str, -2 Dex, No Run or Charge (Fatigue ends when no longer disabled)
  • Hit Points >Negative Character Level to Negative Constitution Score = Dying and Unconscious (may be revived with successful Heal check (see below) but then be Dying, Disabled and Exhausted = -6Str, -6Dex, half speed). (Exhaustion ends when no longer dying)
  • Hit Points > Negative Constitution Score or Negative Character Level whichever is greater = Dead.
  • Hit Points < Subdual Damage = Unconscious

Two Examples #1 - 5th level character with 16 con, and #2 - 20th level character with 12 con. Note at sufficient levels characters may continue to act right up until their death without falling unconscious or becoming exhausted.

Hit Points #1
Hit Points #2
Condition
Description
1 or more
1 or more
Uninjured
Act normally.
0 to -3 hps
0 to -1 hps
Staggered
Character may take a single standard or move action.
-3 to -5 hps
-1 to -20 hps
Disabled/Fatigued
Character may take a single standard or move action (but any strenuous act causes 1hp damage). -2Str -2Dex, No Run or Charge.
-5 to -16 hps
n/a
Dying/Unconscious or Exhausted
Helpless, Lose one hp per round (stabilize percentage chance equal con score). If revived by a heal check, character is exhausted (-6Str, -6Dex, half Speed, no Run, no Charge)..
-17 hps
-21 hps
Dead
No actions.

Note a Hero Point can be used for the following effects related to taking damage and or healing.

  1. If used after an attack that would kill the character outright, instead the character suffers a serious injury but lives.
  2. Can be used to raise the condition of a character (either oneself or another) from Dying to Disabled, or Disabled to Staggered. The Hitpoints remain the same, but for this injury the condition is raised. So for example a character at -8hps, who is dying could use a hero point to move to disabled. She would still be at -8 hps, but she is no longer dying and will not take more damage unless she acts strenuously. Any new damage she takes after that is applied normally.

 EXPERIENCE: Group will level together at specified goals are met (no specific xp awards for individual encounters). Item creation does not require XP cost (but see below).


 RACES
All AU races (including race levels) are permitted.
In addition to other benefits, racial levels grant a competance bonus to the following skills when used on/with members of the same race: bluff, diplomacy, intimidate, sense motive, and knowledge rituals (pertaining to racial rituals only).

  • +1 at 1st level
  • +3 at 2nd level
  • +5 at 3rd level.

 CLASSES
All AU Classes are permitted.
Spell Casting classes - Ability score minimums for spell levels indicate a 10% chance of spell failure per point lacking (not the complete inability to learn or cast the spells).

Chamption of Justice

The champion of justice is often feared or viewed askance by many as he is the embodiment of the dispassionate and harsh nature of justice. Yet, they are still respected and often sought after as they are wise and fair in all instances where justice need be meted out. He is detached and aloof to the point of almost being anti-social, as he never knows when he needs judge one around him, and judgment may be tainted by personal attachments. He tends to be grim in nature, and severe in dress, preferring dark colors. He is usually adorned with a symbol such as scales or a clenched fist grasping a gavel.

  • Sense Motive and Gather Information are class skills
  • First Level: Righteous Might (Ex) +1 Morale Bonus for Attack and Damage Rolls versus Opponents declared guilty of injustice. Declaring a person guilty of injustice requires a move equivalent action.  The Champion should not judge to hastily, if he does (do to lack of testimony, false information, etc..), the bonus is lost, and instead he faces a -1 Morale penalty to Attacks and Damage until the judgment is reversed and the champion
  • 5th Level: Justice's Penatrating Eye (Sp) Once per day the Champion can cast a Lesser Compelling Question (or Greater Compelling Question after 10th level). Use the Champions Charisma as key spell casting ability.
  • 10th Level: Taking into Custody (Sp) Once per day, the Champion can use Chains of Vengeance, modified with the Subdual Template. Use the Champion's Charisma as key spell casting ability.
  • 15th Level - Clarity of Purpose (Su): The champion is immune to any spell with the Mind Affecting descriptor, so his judgment is impervious to manipulation.
  • 20th Level - All are Equal before the Law (Sp): The champion can cast Null Magic Zone once per day using Charisma as his key spellcasting attribute.

Rune Thane

  • Erase Rune
    If you exceed DC of the rune with a caster power check (level + int bonus), then you erase the rune.
    If you fail by 4 or less, then you know that you failed and can try again.
    If you fail by 5 or more, then you think that you succeeded and can't try again unless you discover the rune is still active, with a detect magic or new sense rune (at a penalty of -2 per failed attempt).
    You need line of sight to erase another person's runes, though you can erase your own so long as you know where they are (so you can't erase an applied rune on a person, unless you know where they are or can see them).

Totem Warriors

  • Do not get animal companions, instead...
  • Starting at 3rd level get access to Totem Points (these are similar to Hero Points but must be invoked as a Standard Action with the use of a Totem Focus, and verbal components (asking the Totem spirit for aid). The more appropriate the intervention is to the 'genre' of the Totem Spirit the better the results. The Totem Warrior gets one Totem Point for every two levels, per day.
  • At 3rd level, once per day for 1 round per class level the Totem Warrior can summon a 'real' animal of the same type as their totem spirit. The animal understands the totem warrior's command and will carry them out to the best of its ability. This ability uses up one of the Totem Warrior's Totem Points (but still can only be invoked once per day).

Raccoon Totem Warrior


 SKILLS
Remove - Innuendo [Now part of sense motive and bluff] (if innuendo is a class skill, replace with both sense motive and bluff)
Remove - Intuit Direction [Now part of Survival] (if intuit direction is a class skill replace with survival)
Change - Wilderness Survival to Survival (add Intuit Direction)

Alchemy
Additional Items
Fortifying Drink DC 25 (cost 5gp) [Fort DC: 10 -> 1d6 subdual healing/or half]
Salve of Wound Closure DC25 (20gp) [1d8 temp hp (only up to normal max, fort dc=hps damage to lose temp hp]
Liquid Courage DC 25 (5gp) [+4 to Fear Saves, -4 all other will saves, Int, lasts 1hour]
Ogre's Blood DC 30 (50pg) [+1d6 Str (10 min), -1d6 int, -1d6wis, -1d6 cha (10x1d6min)
Oracle Oil DC 30 (100gp) [+10 Insight bonus to Knowledge roll, 2d6 Temp Str damage]
Healer
Additional Skill Uses
Bind Wounds - DC20+2 per use per creature per day. Applies a Diminished Transfer Wounds (2hp damage transformed into 1pt subdual damage). This may be done multiple times, but each additional attempt adds 2 to the DC check (DC22 for second attempt, DC24 for 3rd, DC26 for 4th, etc..).
Rouse to Consciousness - DC15+1/neg hitpoint. Unconscious characters due to dying or taking more subdual damage than they have hitpoints can be roused to consciousness. In the former case, the DC is 15+1/neg hitpoint. Success means the character is both dying (still losing hitpoints) and disabled. In the latter case, success means the character is staggered.

 FEATS
Affinity with Skill - Talent - Skill is max'd out for every level. So a 3rd level Warmain with Ride Affinity gets 6 ranks of Ride without spending any skill points.
Blood as Power - Prereq = spell casting attribute 15+, damage = 1d8hps/spell level
Brandish Magical Might - No ability requirements
Chi-Julud - Usable once per day
Conjure Mastery - Prereq = 14+ Cha
Crippling Strike - Prereq = 15+ Int
Defensive Stance - Can be taken multiple times
Defensive Maneuver (NEW) - General
Prereq: Defensive Stance.
Benefit: With a move equivalent action character gets +2 dodge bonus that lasts until their next action.
Exotic Spell- General - Add caster knows one exotic spell for every level of spell they know at the time they take the Feat. So if you know only 1st level spells, you know only 1 exotic spell, if you know 2nd level spells, then you know 2, etc.. This can be taken multiple times simply multiply the number of exotic spells known.
Item Creation feats - All are gone. Items are now created using special rituals.
Invoke Name (NEW) - Ceremonial
Prereq - Power of the Name
Benefit - By adding the target's true name to a spell's verbal component, target must make two saves versus the spell and take the worse one.
Mighty Hurl - In addition, character can (like power attack) increase damage by +1 for every -1 to Attack (up to BAB).
Modify Combat Style - Or, character may at a +2 Dodge bonus for that combat.
Natural Archer, Natural Swordsman - In addition, as a full action can attack with a +1 Attack bonus as well as the damage bonus.
Power of the Name - Can be used 1 time/person at each level (after using ability character must gain a level to use it again)
Priest - Also gives the Divine Template to caster.
Reactive Counterspell - (NEW) - General
Prereq - Brandish Magical Might Spell
Benefit - As a free action, aspell caster may counterspell any spell cast within range of the spell being countered or close range whichever is greater, without needing to ready an action. However, the character must expend spell slots equal to the level of the spell countered. The character may weave spell slots to do this. The spell slots are expended whether or not the spell is successfully countered.
Signature Spell -Talent- Add the following effects for that one spell: caster need not ready the spell (it is always readied), in addition, the caster gains the virtual feats: modify spell, spell artist, and quicken spell for this spell only.
Skill Application - Adds +2 bonus to Three related skills, not two.
Skill Focus - Adds +4 bonus (can be taken multiple times, even to the same skill)
Sturdy = Adds 4hps or +1/current character level (whichever is greater). In effect it grants the character +2 Consitution for the purpose of determining bonus hitpoints only.
Unique Spell- No longer exists. Spellcasters make create new spells using special rituals.

 EQUIPMENT

Weapons
All weapons and armor from Arcana Unearthed are permitted with the following exceptions.

Battle Claws, Manglers, Spike Stick, Swordaxe

Armors
Medium armors now grant the following movement rates.

30ft     20ft
25**   20** (** running in Medium Armor only triples the move rather than quadruples)


 COMBAT

Damage Reduction (DR)

Damage Reduction works as follows. A creature with damage reduction has a designation x/y. X represents the hitpoints subtracted from any weapon attack that hits them, Y represents a weapon type (blundgeon, piercing, or slashing), material (cold-iron, wood, silver, devanian, adamantine, nickel, athecite), or a magical enhancement bonus that ignores the bonus. However, magical enhancements also act to counter damage reduction of lesser forms of DR and help overcome DR of higher enchantment. The next lowest enchantment bonus is affected by 5hps of DR, the next lowest 10hps etc.. (Ex. 20/+5 would give 5 to +4, 10 to +3, 15 to +2, 20 to +1)

Bonus
Equivalent Material Equivalent Weapon Type Special Type
+1
    Blessed, Giant
+2
Crystal Laced   Holy, Raw, Faen, Dramojh
+3
Silver, Iron, Wood, Nickel Bludgeon, Piercing, Slashing Aligned, Bane
+4
Adamantine, Devanian   Ancestral
+5
Apothic    

Material, weapon type, and special types do not confer magical bonus.


 MAGIC

Divine Template: Spells are divine in nature and get their power from the worship and strength of a god or gods. Beneficial spells grant the maximum random effect to members (or worshippers) of the same religion. Thus a (divine) lesser transfer wounds from a 5th level greenbond (1d10+5) would heal 10+5=15 hps.
Cost: Adds a focus (holy symbol) and verbal components (prayers and invocations) to spells.

 SPELLS

Protection from Elements
As written, except as follows.
Caster designates an element that the spell does not protect against. The spell then grants 12pts of protection per level against any element except that one. Ex. A 6th level magister casts protection from elements:fire on himself. He is struck by a stoneblast for 23 points of damage (6x12=72hps-23=49). He ignores this damage, then a minute later he is struck by a cold energy beam for 32 points of damage, is unscathed (49-32=17) later he is struck with a fureburst, which does damage normally.
Some creatures may have this form of protection instead of the normal resistances listed, a knowledge dangerous beasts check DC=10+CR of creature may reveal that information.
Protection from Energy
As written, except as with Protection from Elements, caster designates an energy form the protected person is vulnerable to. Thus the protected person applies the damage from any energy attack except the one deisgnated form to the 20hps/level first.