Pathfinder Materials Allowed
Paizo Publishing
-- Pathfinder Core Rules
-- Pathfinder Bestiaries 1, 2, 3, and 4 (5 is pending my actually getting my hands on it)
-- Advanced Player's Guide
-- Advanced Class Guide
-- Advanced Race Guide
-- Ultimate Magic
-- Ultimate Combat
-- Ultimate Equipment
-- Ultimate Campaign
-- Mythic Adventures
Third Party Sources
-- Dreamscarred Press
--- Ultimate Psionics
-- Rogue Genius Games
--- The Genius Guide to the Magister
This list will be constantly updated as newer books become available and reviewed. Check back when you receive new books for their dis/approval.
As always, I reserve the right to refuse a particular piece of content. I usually allow whatever you like, but have an uncanny ability to sniff out min/maxing and forgiveness of such a transgression is not easily forgiven. Be warned.
If you want a hand in fleshing out your character - things like history, philosophy and goals - check out this little document to see if it can help:
Beyond the Character Sheet
This section might grow to be a bit large so I’m trying to split it up in a way that makes sense. If it’s confusing, please let me know and I’ll try to figure a better way out.
House Rules
General
- Ability Score
- -- Use 20 point buy. (Remember, everything starts off at 10 and it's NOT a 1-for-1 scale.)
- --- Do not subtract points from your starting 10 ability scores to gain more points to spend elsewhere
- Alignment
- -- This campaign is going to be a battle of good vs. evil. This means evil characters are out for players and I will be holding you accountable for playing your alignment.
- Hit points
- -- Max first HD, roll every HD after that. Reroll 1's ONE TIME. If you get a one a second time, it was meant to be.
- Experience Points (XP)
- -- XP Track: We will be on the medium XP track
- -- XP will be awarded ad hoc, meaning as you gain it.
- --- (list of things XP will be given for)
- Starting Level
- -- Starting level is 5th, 19,000XP.
- -- New Characters: Once the game is underway, any new characters will start a level lower than the Average Party Level (with the appropriate character wealth level) at midway between that level and the next level.
- Starting Wealth
- -- Starting wealth is 15,000gp.
- -- Classes that build spellbooks can use starting wealth to increase the size of their spell books.
- -- Commissioned/Gifted Magic Items: My games do not use a system of walking into a magic shop to buy an expensive magic item. When creating a character, you are allowed up to TWO magic items for half price, but the following requirements do apply:
- -- -- 1) How did your character come by this item?
- -- -- 2) Who gave it to them or made it on their behalf/request?
- -- -- 3) What special meaning, if any, does this item have for your character.
Game Systems (Systems in effect for When Hell's Gates Open)
- Retraining: Ultimate Campaign pg 188
Character Creation
Races
- You are free to pick and choose races from any source listed above, with my approval of course. We do have custom races we are playtesting for our campaign world so if you want to know more about them then let us know. We're going to try and use this game's wiki to let you know about them but bear with us.
Classes
- General
- -- Any core, base, alternate or hybrid class from the books above are automatically approved (save the Gunslinger, see the entry below in this list). Any third-party base, alternate, or hybrid class NOT listed above needs DM approval.
- -- Archetypes: I have not approved all archetypes from the above books for use with my campaign world (just haven't had the time to read and "study" them). Just let me know and I'll be able to look at what you want.
- --- Mixing Archetypes: I allow the mixing of archetype class abilities with a few caveats. As always, a good story-related reason is required and you don't try to outsmart me (yes, it can be done) to make your character nigh invincible.
- --- I will allow the mixing of up to THREE archetypes. Should two or more abilities replace the same core ability of the class you've chosen and you can pick the single ability that you like and lose the others.
- -- Prestige Classes: Prestige classes are just that, prestigious. Should you wish to join a prestige class (which will normally be tied to an organization in the game world) please work with the DM towards this goal as just taking a level in that prestige class will not be allowed.</orange>
- Clerics
- -- Spontaneous Domain Casting: In my games clerics receive the option to spontaneously cast their domain spells just as if they cast a cure spell. Those of you who chose the Healing domain will have the dice bumped from d8s to d12.
- Druids
- -- Spontaneous Domain Casting: Just like clerics, druids receive the option to spontaneously cast their domain spells just as if they cast a summon spell.
- Gunslingers
- -- Gunslingers are not allowed. However, the Swashbuckler class is allowed and gets all benefits of the class.
Skills
- Knowledge (planes)
- -- General: Most of Ersadia’s history has been devoid of much contact or study of the planes surrounding the Prime Material. The magical project - called The Wandering – alleviated this issue and opened up knowledge of the planes to many people in the world. By taking ranks in this skill, your character has studied at one of the very few places in the world to have such knowledge. The cit of Sallineth is the home of The Wandering and all its subsequent Unveilings have given Ersadians volumes of knowledge on the subject. When taking ranks in this skill, get with me and we’ll devise a way for you to know this.
- --- Outsiders and Religion: As a function of religion, outsiders and knowledge (planes) are a special piece that must be tackled. Each religion has its own words for creatures aligned and opposed to its mythology/theology and the words “demon”, “devil” and “fiend” are interchangeable in many religions. Some religions around Ersadia claim to have known about certain types of outsiders for centuries, citing their deities as the source. Checks by those who learn this knowledge through religion (read: a divine class) might be increased or decreased depending on the information sought. My goal here is to give this knowledge skill a sense of prestige and mystery heretofore unseen. This is just a heads up.
- -- Ranks in this skill WILL have a maximum value below the normal 1 rank per level. I'm still trying to decide what that number is, but it will be less than 5 for sure.
- Spellcraft
- -- Psionic Power Checks: The DC of any Spellcraft check made by a creature without the psionic subtype to determine a psionic power will be equal to the following formula: DC = (+10, double check formula for magic spells)
- Use Magic Device:
- -- Psionic Device Checks: The DC of any Use Magic Device check made by a creature without the psionic subtype to determine the function of a psionic device will be equal to the following formula: DC = (+10, double check formula for magic items)