New Rule: What Breaks First?

New Rule: What Breaks First?

When two opposing forces meet (such as, say, a dragon smashing into a mast), both will take damage as though one fell onto the other until either:

1.       The damage dice of an equivalent fall have been rolled, or…

2.       One (or both) of the “forces” breaks (breaking meaning either the physical breaking of an object or the pulverization of a living/unliving being)

Both forces take the same amount of damage, adjusted for potential hardness or damage reduction (falling damage being considered bludgeoning damage).

Pathfinder: Current PCs

The PCs in the Pathfinder game I'm currently running.
From top-left to the right:

Barracus the Human Magus
Therian the Elven Cleric
Ikit the Ratfolk Winter Witch
Harar the Dream Dwarf Druid
Llewellyn the Human Fighter
Bård the Human Sorcerer
and Wolfie (Harar's animal companion).

Map: The Duchy of Markhaven

This is the Duchy of Markhaven, the region the party is currently in. When you (all except Seth, who may have come by other means) got here, you arrived via Westbrook by ship and made your way in-land to Eastbrook. Information about the region of Markhaven and the major communities will be gradually released on this blog.

Suggested Rule Change: Breaking Enemy Morale

Breaking Enemy Morale

With this change, players may use the Intimidation skill to not only bring about the Shaken condition on an enemy, but also bring that enemy to the Frightened condition (where the enemy attempts to flee, if possible).

As per the regular rules, players make an Intimidation check against the enemy's modified level check (1d20 + level/Hit dice + Wisdom modifier + any modifiers against fear), with bonuses or subtractions for size. If the player is successful, the enemy gains the Shaken condition. If a second Intimidation check against the enemy succeeds (with the enemy receiving the -2 on the level check due to already being Shaken), the enemy is frightened and must flee if possible.

The player character must threaten the enemy's square in order to make an intimidate check against it.

Some NPCs are immune to Intimidation checks (undead, mindless creatures, and certain villains).

Suggested Rule Change: Detailed Critical Hits

Detailed Critical Hits

With this change, successful critical hits may have effects beyond a simple damage increase. The effects depend on the type of damage the weapon deals and how much initial damage the attack does (including the effects of the critical multiplier, which is reduced by one if this system is implemented).

This suggestion is based off of the Detailed Critical Hits rule provided in Sword & Sorcery's Advanced Player's Guide, pg. 104.

Suggested Class Change: Craft Reserve for all Spellcasters

Craft Reserve for all Spellcasters

With this change, all spellcasters have a craft reserve similar to that of the Eberron Campaign Setting's Artificer. The amount of reserve points is found through the spellcaster's caster level, which compared with the equivalent Artificer level (meaning that Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, and Wizards use their class level while Bards use their class level -1 and Paladins use their class level -3). These points may be used in place of experience points for magic item creation.

For more information, check the Artificer description in the Eberron Campaign Setting, pg. 32.

PS: Because the Artificer is not among the available classes in the current game, there is no need to worry about its loss of niche.

Suggested spell: Bless Element

Bless Element
Transmutation [Good]
Level: Clr 1, Drd 1, Pal 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Touch
Target: Flask of element touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: Yes (object)

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of fresh water with positive energy, turning it into holy water (page 128). Alternatively, it can imbue a flask of specially prepared alchemist's fire, freshly gathered dirt, or sacred incense smoke with positive energy, turning them into holy fire, holy earth, or holy air.

Material Components: Depends on the element: 5 pounds of powdered silver (worth 25 gp) for holy water and holy earth; sacred candles (worth 25 gp) for holy air; a specially prepared flask of alchemist's fire (worth 45 gp). A flask for containing the element.

Holy alchemist's fire combines the potential fire damage with holy damage. A direct hit deals 1d6 points of fire damage and 2d4 damage to undead and evil outsider. Every creature within 5 feet of the point where the flask hits takes 1 point of fire damage from the splash; undead and evil outsiders receive 1 extra point of damage. On the round following a direct hit, the target takes an additional 1d6+1 points of damage until the flames are extinguished.