Sunday, July 29, 2012

Using BESM d20 to Build Pathfinder/3.x Classes

Okay, so I've noted earlier that in Pathfinder/3.x, the creation of new character classes is as much art as science.  The existing rules out there don't really provide a proper toolkit for building new classes from scratch.  Given the wide variety of class level abilities which could be included, that is not too surprising.  However, Big Eyes, Small Mouth d20 (BESM d20) had a lot of basic class elements broken down by point values, to which the class abilities could be added with the usual BESM point-buy rules.  With a bit of tinkering, I came up with this Listing of Points for Building Classes by Point Value

Per each +1 to Base Attack Bonus (BAB): +3 CP
    Fighter-type progression (+1 to +20/15/10/5) = 150 CP
    Cleric-type progression (+0 to +15/10/5) = 60 CP
    Wizard-type progression (+0 to +10/5) = 45 CP

Per each +1 to Fort, Ref, or Wil save: +1 CP
    - for a 0 to +6 save progression = 6 CP
    - for a +2 to +12 save progression = 12 CP

Skill gain of:
    2 + Int/level            0.5 per level              = 10 CP
    3 + Int/level            0.75 per level            = 15 CP
    4 + Int/level            1 per level                 = 20 CP
    5 + Int/level            1.25 per level            = 25 CP
    6 + Int/level            1.50 per level            = 30 CP
    7 + Int/level            1.75 per level            = 35 CP
    8 + Int/level            2 per level                 = 40 CP

d4 Hit or Mana die per level             1 per level            = 20 CP
d6 Hit or Mana die per level          1.5 per level            = 30 CP
d8 Hit or Mana die per level             2 per level            = 40 CP
d10 Hit or Mana die per level        2.5 per level            = 50 CP
d12 Hit or Mana die per level           3 per level            = 60 CP

Per +1 of attribute score = 2 CP

Per Feat gained = 3 CP

     My BESM d20 (and later BESM 3rd Edition) campaign used mainly classes and races drawn from Final Fantasy, particularly Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.  So I used these two editions of BESM to build a big set of classes.  The BESM d20 classes were:
Black Mage
Blue Mage
Clockwork Knight
Covener (prestige class)
Dancer
Dark Mage
Dragoon
Hunter
Paladin
Red Mage
Scarlet Paladin
Shadow Knight
Shaman
Valkyrie
White Mage
White Monk

Later on I'll post a couple to show what these classes look like.

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