Eidolons | Merit system

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Merit system

Merit system basics:

  1. Characters begin with an initial pool of 70 merit points (mp) to spend.
  2. Ability scores are purchased from the initial pool of mp (see below).
  3. For each level gained, including 1st, characters gain an additional 5mp to spend.

ABILITY SCORES

Cost to purchase ability scores:

  • 10: 0mp
  • 11: 1mp
  • 12: 2mp
  • 13: 3mp
  • 14: 4mp
  • 15: 5mp
  • 16: 7mp
  • 17: 9mp
  • 18: 12mp

Example typical character (rogue):
  • Str 12 = 2mp
  • Dex 18 = 12mp
  • Con 14 = 4mp
  • Int 16 = 7mp
  • Wis 10 = 0mp
  • Cha 14 = 4mp
  • Total cost: 4+12+4+7+0+2=29mp

Example well-rounded character:
  • Str 15 = 5mp
  • Dex 15 = 5mp
  • Con 15 = 5mp
  • Int 15 = 5mp
  • Wis 15 = 5mp
  • Cha 15 = 5mp
  • Total cost: 5+5+5+5+5+5=30mp

Maximum possible ability scores:
  • Str 18 = 12mp
  • Dex 18 = 12mp
  • Con 18 = 12mp
  • Int 18 = 12mp
  • Wis 18 = 12mp
  • Cha 17 = 9mp
  • Total cost: 12+12+12+12+12+9=69mp

Guidelines:
  • Racial modifiers are applied after the initial ability score purchase.
  • No raw ability score may start above 18, though racial modifiers may allow higher scores.
  • You may only buy ability scores from the initial pool of 70mp.
  • You will receive an ability score increase every 4th level, as per normal Pathfinder rules.
  • We estimate most characters will spend ~30mp on ability scores, leaving ~40mp to spend on other benefits.

MONSTER RACES

You may choose to play a race with a level adjustment. Using the merit system, you will not need to devote any levels to the race itself, but rather you will spend merit points.

To calculate, first check the monster's ECL: hit dice (HD) plus level adjustment (LA). For example, in the Monster Manual, doppelganger (p67) is a creature with 4 HD and an LA of +4. Thus, the doppelganger's ECL is 8.

The cost to play a race is 5mp*ECL from the initial mp pool, and another 5mp*ECL from your initial levels. Hence, for doppelganger, you pay 5mp*8=40mp from the initial pool, leaving 30mp. You then sacrifice your first 8 levels' worth of mp from your first 8 character levels, and gain the benefits of doppelganger over those 8 levels. Since we are beginning play at 7th level, you will have most of the doppelganger benefits, with the last couple of cookies coming online at 8th level.

Regarding monster hit dice, skills and saving throws, treat them as gestalt with your regular character class for the levels where you are paying off the monster. For example, in the case of a doppelganger sorcerer, for your first 8 character levels, you would get d8 hit dice (rather than d6s) and hence medium base attack progression, good reflex and will save progression (rather than only will), and the doppelganger class skills in addition to the normal sorcerer ones.

See Savage Species and the Monster Manual for a list of available races. Any non-standard race must be approved, so please ask before sinking too many hours into your character build.

GESTALT CHARACTERS

You may choose to play a gestalt character. You must choose one single base class as your gestalt class throughout your character's career. You cannot drop or change this class later (though you will still be able to rework your character due to the flow).

Playing a gestalt character costs 5mp per level; hence, you have no remaining free merit points every level to spend. But you still get the 70mp initial pool to play with.

If you are playing a monster race, you can still choose the gestalt option, but the gestalt class will not apply until you are finished paying off your monster levels. In the case of the doppelganger sorcerer discussed above, for example, your first 8 character levels would be "gestalt" doppelganger/sorcerer, and levels 9+ would be (e.g.) rogue/sorcerer.

See gestalt characters in Unearthed Arcana for more information.

MERITS

After buying ability scores, you will have some points left over. On what can you spend them? The short answer is: you spend them on characteristics you would not be able to obtain otherwise. In other words, you cannot buy extra feats or class features with merit points.

Crack-addled stuff (unique abilities)

  • Talk to the GMs; we will work something out

Alternate movement modes
  • fly
    • 20mp: clumsy flight equal to half base speed
    • 5mp: increase maneuverability one category
  • climb
    • 5mp: climb speed equal to half base speed
    • 10mp: enable free climbing of perfectly smooth, flat, vertical or horizontal surfaces -- i.e., "gecko crawl"
  • swim
    • 5mp: swim speed equal to half base speed
    • 10mp: breathe water
  • burrow
    • 10mp: 5ft burrow speed through substances with hardness up to 1 (ground is no more than 1)
    • 1mp: +1 maximum hardness, up to 8, 2mp for +1 above 8
    • 10mp: "phase" through walls and ground instead of leaving destructive tunnels
    • when burrowing, must move every round or be buried (or die in the case of phasing)
    • penalty to move silently equal to double the hardness
  • levitate
    • 3mp: 5ft levitate speed
    • 3mp: "perfect stability" (no penalties for attacking)
    • 10mp: enable momentary "hard air" allowing lateral standing jump checks
  • teleport (full-round action)
    • 20mp: 5ft teleport
    • 10mp: improve speed to a standard action
    • 5mp: activate levitation as an immediate interrupt (e.g., prevent falling)
    • teleporting into a solid object kills you, watch out
  • 3mp: increase +5 feet for any one movement mode
  • cannot increase any movement mode beyond base speed

Spells as supernatural powers 1/day:
  • pay mp equal to the level of spell plus minimum class level necessary to cast (regardless of your actual character level)
  • do not need to have levels in the class to buy one of its spells as a supernatural ability
  • limited to 5th level spells and below
  • can increase number of times per day for the same cost minus spell level each time (so a 5th level wizard spell costs 5+17=22mp for 1/day, 22-5=17mp for 2/day, 12mp for 3/day, etc., to a minimum of 1mp per extra use)
  • these powers do not qualify you for prestige classes (they are not "spells", etc.)
  • supernatural abilities do not provoke attacks of opportunity, nor can they be identified with spellcraft as they are being activated
  • supernatural abilities have the same casting time as the base spell, but have no component cost—this means that there are no verbal, somatic, material, focus, or XP costs associated with the use of these abilities
  • supernatural abilities have an effective caster level matching what was paid—e.g., a 4th level cleric spell costs 4+13=17mp and functions at 7th caster level (though abilities can be purchased at a higher effective caster level if desired)
  • you cannot use the "Spell-Like Ability" feats to augment a supernatural power
  • you must choose an appropriate/stylish sensory indicator that your character is activating the power; e.g., your eyes briefly flash golden when you activate detect magic, or your lightly tap on the door when you cast knock
  • 5mp: eliminate sensory signs that you were the one who caused the effect (i.e., the power is a purely mental action)
  • For wizard/sorcerer/cleric/druid spells:
    • 2mp: 1st level spell
    • 7mp: 2nd level spell
    • 12mp: 3rd level spell
    • 17mp: 4th level spell
    • 22mp: 5th level spell
  • For paladin/ranger spells:
    • 5mp: 1st level spell
    • 9mp: 2nd level spell
    • 13mp: 3rd level spell
    • 17mp: 4th level spell
  • For bard spells:
    • 2mp: 1st level spell
    • 6mp: 2nd level spell
    • 10mp: 3rd level spell
    • 14mp: 4th level spell
    • 18mp: 5th level spell
    • 22mp: 6th level spell


Permanently warded supernatural abilities:

  • You can purchase a permanent supernatural enchantment for yourself for any spell that has a duration of minutes per level or longer. You pay the cost of the ability a second time (i.e., double it), and it is active all the time. If dispelled, it is merely suppressed for 5 minutes. If the spell is discharged or ends due to its own limitations (e.g., stoneskin, mirror image), it refreshes the next morning. Note that abilities converted in this fashion cannot be cast on anyone else unless you buy the ability separately again. Example: bull's strength costs 2*(2+5)=14mp to have a constant +4 enhancement bonus to strength.
  • We reserve the right to veto any supernatural enchantments that we deem too unbalancing.


Contingency:

  • 10mp: can designate one power/ability that is triggered 1/day based on some criteria, requiring GM approval
  • must be within 100ft, within line of effect
  • e.g.: when I am silenced, dispel magic
  • e.g.: when I go below 10 vitality or 0 wounds, heal

Skill savant:
  • 1mp: +1 cumulative destiny bonus to a skill, maximum +1 per character level per skill


Action points:


Resistance:
  • 2mp: resist 5 to a single element

Ally or contact:
  • 1-5mp - write up an ally or contact, GMs will assign point value

CHARACTER FLAWS

We are using the character flaws system from Unearthed Arcana.

When you take a flaw, you may choose between the bonus feat, or an extra 1mp to your initial pool. You may take more than two flaws, but no more than two may grant a bonus feat.

In addition to the flaws outlined in UA, the following flaws are available:

Damage vulnerability

  • 1mp: vulnerability 5 to a single element

Reduced ability score
  • 1mp: decrease a stat by 2

Enemy
  • 1-5mp: write up an enemy, GMs will assign point value

Crack-addled flaws
  • talk to GMs

CHARACTER TRAITS

We are using the character traits system from Unearthed Arcana.

These traits have no impact on merit points. You are limited to two traits.