Freeform Class Selection, Detailed Draft:

Quick Overview:

This is my attempt at a Free-Form class selection system. What this means is that a
number of points are assigned to each type of ability that are currently, for
simplicity, assigned into 3 groups: Defining, Secondary, and Tertiary that each have
their own specific point value. Any character may choose any ability they wish upon
level up, assuming they have the points to do so. If you wanted a character with Wild
Shape as well as Weapon Training it is possible.

Each character is given 25 points upon creation and 5 points for every level
thereafter (2, 3, 4, etc.), totaling to 120 points at level 20. Every feature must be
bought, including Hit Dice, Weapon Proficiencies, BaB, and Saves (though the
bottom tier of each are considered freebies) but there are no restrictions on what
you may buy and in what allotment. A d6 Hit Dice, Full BaB, poor saves Weapon
Master is possible, as is someone who has maxed out BaB/Hit Dice/Saves/ and
Martial Weapon/Heavy Armor proficiencies (though this eats up all but 2 of the
available points at 1st level). The possibilities are limited only by your imagination
and per level point allotment.

Points CAN be saved across levels (indeed, this is the only way to access Spellcasting
above 2nd level) to buy a more expensive class feature. Feats are still gained at every
odd level (starting at 1st) as a freebie. “Fighter only” Feats no longer exist.

Basic Features:

BaB: ½ BaB is free. ¾ BaB is 3 points. Full BaB is 6 points.

Saves: 1 Good Save is free (your choice). 2 Good Saves is 3 points (your choice). All
Good Saves is 6 points.

Hit Dice: D6 is free. D8 is 1 point. D10 is 3 points. D12 is 5 points.

Skills Per Level: 2+Int is free. 4+Int is 1 points. 6+Int is 3 points. 8+Int is 5 points.
--Choosing Class Skills: Each character gains Profession and Craft as class skills. In
addition, every character may choose up to 14 more skills as class skills.

Weapon Proficiency: Simple Weapon Proficiency is 1 point. Martial Weapon

Proficiency is 2 points. Proficiency with all weapons is 4 points.

Note: Each level of proficiency includes the previous level in its cost, the points are
not a cumulative cost. Martial Weapons gives Simple Weapons as well.
In addition, there is a “Custom Suite” option which allows the player to pick up to 15
weapons from the list of weapons to be proficient in. The cost varies according to
the percentage of each type of weapon.

--All Simple: Free

--Majority Simple (50% or more are Simple weapons): 1 point
--Majority Martial (50% or more are Martial weapons): 2 points
--Majority Exotic (50% or more are Exotic weapons): 3 points
Note: Martial takes precedence over Simple and Exotic takes precedence over
Martial AND Simple. For example, a Custom Suite of weapons with 10 weapons in it,
5 Simple and 5 Exotic would use the Majority Exotic pricing because it has 50% or
more Exotic weapons.

Armor Proficiency: Light Armor Proficiency is 1 point. Medium Armor Proficiency

is 2 points. Heavy Armor Proficiency is 3 points.
Note: Each level of proficiency includes the last, the points are not a cumulative cost.
Medium Armor gives Light Armor as well, and Heavy Armor is proficiency with ALL
armors.

Note 2: Medium Armor Proficiency gives Shield proficiency. Heavy Armor

Proficiency gives proficiency with Tower Shields.

Feats: Feats may be bought for 2 points at every level. You may never buy more
than one Feat at each level. You may still receive more than one Feat per level from
other sources (such as a human’s racial Bonus Feat, and the “freebie” Feats at every
odd level). It is perfectly possible to create a class whose only class feature is that
they have tons of Feats, gaining one Bonus Feat at every level in addition to the
Freebies. Note: This last option has not been playtested. While I doubt it will be so,
having a character with a potential of 30+ Feats at level 20 may be slightly
unbalanced.

Class Features:
These are what make every class unique and powerful. While base scores such as
BaB provide a good foundation for power, class features make up the meat of the
class for most classes not entirely focused on spellcasting. Note, while class abilities
may be taken at ANY level, they do NOT retroactively scale.

Class Features that scale normally, scale when you purchase them, but from WHEN
you purchase them. If you purchase an ability later than it becomes available, it
scales from that level. Effectively, purchasing an ability 3 levels later than its
appearance (or latest appearance, in the case of abilities from multiple classes)
makes it function at Level-3 for the purpose of determining its effectiveness.

Note: Class features still must be taken no earlier than the level they would normally
become available. You can’t take Wild Shape at level 1, for instance, even though it is
a defining feature of the Druid. In the instance that two classes grant the same
ability at different levels, you may take the earliest (For example, a Ranger gets
Evasion at level 9, whereas a Rogue or Monk gets it at level 2.)

SUBJECT TO CHANGE PENDING PLAYTESTING: Class features based on an ability

score to determine their saving throw or uses per day (such as a Ki Pool, or Channel
Energy) can have their key ability score changed by the player at the time of
purchase. In essence, all this means is that instead of being keyed off of a specific
score, it can be any other mental score (A Ki Pool that runs on Int, for instance).

Defining Features:
Defining features are what makes each class unique, and are generally things that
are not swapped out by archetypes. All Defining features cost 5 points. For the
purposes of this draft, the Magus’ Spellstrike is the “scaling” of the basic Spell
Combat.
Bundles: Some class features, collectively being only very situationally useful, or
not worth their collective point values are bundled. This is in order to avoid normal
Pathfinder classes from being impossible to build due to point values over the
allotment (Ranger, Oracle, and Monk are good examples).

Core Classes:

Barbarian: Rage
Bard: Bardic Performance
Cleric: Domain
Druid: Wildshape
Fighter: Weapon Training
Monk: Monk Physical Package (Includes the class features Flurry of Blows,
Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, and AC Bonus)
Paladin: Smite Evil (includes Aura of Good)
Ranger: Favored Enemy
Rogue: Sneak Attack
Sorcerer: Bloodline
Wizard: Arcane School

Base Classes:

Alchemist: Bombs
Cavalier: Challenge
Gunslinger: Gun Training
Inquisitor: Judgement
Magus: Spell Combat (see note)
Oracle: Mystery AND Curse (See “Special Abilities” for Revelations details.) [UNDER
REVISION]
Summoner: Eidolon (See “Special Abilities” section)
Witch: Hexes
Alternate Classes:

Anti-Paladin: Smite Good (includes Aura of Evil)

Ninja: Sneak Attack
Samurai: Challenge

Hybrid Classes:

Arcanist: Arcane Reservoir (and Consume Spells)

Brawler: Brawler Physical Package (Flurry of Blows, AC Bonus, Martial Training,

and Unarmed Strike)

Bloodrager: Bloodrage

Hunter: Hunter Companion Synergy (Animal Companion, Nature Training, Precise

Companion, and Hunter Tactics)

Investigator: Studied Combat

Shaman: Spirit

Skald: Raging Song

Slayer: Favored Target

Swashbuckler: Swashbuckler Weapon Training

Warpriest: Blessings
Secondary Abilities:
Secondary abilities are those that are powerful and somewhat versatile but do not
define the class or give the same kind of punch that Defining features do. Each
secondary ability is worth 3 points.

Core Classes:

Barbarian: Uncanny Dodge (Improved after 3 levels), Damage Reduction (scales at

the same rate)

Bard: Bardic Knowledge (Adds “Knowledge: All” to your list of Class Skills as well),
Versatile Performance, Lore Master, Jack of All Trades

Cleric: Channel Energy

Druid: Nature Bond (Animal Companion or limited Domain option), Venom

Immunity, Druid Nature Affinity (Nature Sense, Wild Empathy, Trackless Step,
Resist Nature’s Lure)

Fighter: Armor Training

Monk: Evasion (Upgrades to Improved after 7 levels), Fast Movement (scales at a
rate of 10 feet per 3 levels), Purity of Body, Diamond Body, Diamond Soul, Empty
Body, Quivering Palm, Ki Pool, Wholeness of Body, Abundant Step, Perfect Self

Paladin: Divine Grace, Lay on Hands, Divine Bond, Divine Health, Mercy, Channel
Positive Energy, Aura of Faith, Aura of Justice, Aura of Righteousness, Holy
Champion

Ranger: Favored Terrain, Camouflage (Upgrades to Hide in Plain Sight after 5

levels), Evasion (Improved after 7 levels), Combat Style (Ignore prerequisites for
listed Feats, once chosen cannot be changed. Must still pay 2 points to buy Feats
after the 1st Feat.), Master Hunter

Rogue: Uncanny Dodge (Improved after 4 levels), Master Strike

Sorcerer: None

Wizard: Arcane Bond

Base Classes:

Alchemist: Mutagen (Persistent after 13 levels), Throw Anything (Bonus Feat + Int
mod to damage), Poison Resistance (Scales +2 per 3 levels, Immunity 2 levels after
+6), Swift Alchemy

Cavalier: Mount, Order (Choose one), Tactician (Greater after 8 levels Master after
another 8), Banner (Greater after 9 levels), Mighty Charge, Supreme Charge

Gunslinger: Nimble, Grit, Deeds (Each Bundle must be bought separately at 1st level,
3rd level, 7th level, 11th level, 15th level, and 19th level)
Inquisitor: Cunning Initiative, Bane, Stalwart, Exploit Weakness, Slayer, True
Judgement, Solo Tactics, Domain/Inquisition

Magus: Arcane Pool, Spell Recall, Knowledge Pool, Counterstrike, Greater Spell
Access, True Magus

Oracle: None

Summoner: Merge Forms, Aspect (Greater after 8 levels), Summon Monster Spell-
Like Ability, Twin Eidolon

Witch: Witch’s Familiar, Patron

Alternate Classes:

Anti-Paladin: Aura of Evil, Unholy Resilience, Touch of Corruption, Fiendish Boon,

Plague Bringer, Mercy, Channel Negative Energy, , Aura of Vengeance, Aura of Sin,
Aura of Depravity, Unholy Champion
Ninja: Ki Pool, Light Steps, Uncanny Dodge (Improved after 4 levels), Hidden Master

Samurai: Mount, Order (Choose one), Resolve (Greater after 8 levels, True after
another 8), Banner (Greater after 9 levels), Honorable Stand, Last Stand

Hybrid Classes:

Arcanist: Consume Spells, Magical Supremacy

Brawler: Martial Flexibility, Knockout, Brawler’s Strike, Maneuver Training,

Improved Awesome Blow
Bloodrager: Bloodline (Cost paid separately for abilities at 1/4/8 and 12/16/20),
Blood Casting, Damage Reduction, Uncanny Dodge (Improved after 3 levels)

Hunter: Animal Focus, Improved Empathic Link (Greater after 7 levels), Raise
Animal Companion, Master Hunter

Tertiary Abilities:
Tertiary abilities are abilities that are either weak or only situationally useful. Flat,
non-scaling bonuses to certain skills, bonuses to saving throws against certain kinds
of attacks (+2 to saving throws versus enchantments for example), and resistances
that don’t scale to immunities are all things found in this category. Tertiary abilities
are worth 1 point.
Core Classes:

Barbarian: Trap Sense, Fast Movement (10 feet), Evasion (doesn’t scale)

Bard: Well Versed

Cleric: Spontaneous Casting (“lose” prepared spells to cast Cure or Inflict spells
depending on your alignment, if those spells are on your spell list).

Druid: Timeless Body, One Thousand Faces, Spontaneous Casting (can sacrifice any
prepared spell to cast Summon Nature’s Ally, if that spell is on your spell list)

Fighter: Bravery

Monk: High Jump, Slow Fall, Tongue of the Sun and Moon, Timeless Body, Still
Mind, Maneuver Training

Paladin: Aura of Courage, Aura of Resolve, Detect Evil

Ranger: Woodsman Skills (Track, Wild Empathy, Woodland Stride), Quarry
(Improved after 7 levels)

Rogue: Trapfinding, Trap Sense, Evasion (Doesn’t scale)

Sorcerer: None

Wizard: None

Base Classes:

Alchemist: Poison Use, Swift Poisoning

Cavalier: Cavalier’s Charge, Expert Trainer

Gunslinger: None

Inquisitor: Skill Package (Monster Lore, Stern Gaze, Track), Interrogation Package
(Detect Alignment, Discern Lies)

Magus: Medium Armor Upgrade, Heavy Armor Upgrade (requires Medium Armor)

Oracle: None

Summoner: Bond Senses, Shield Ally (Greater after 8 levels), Maker’s Call,
Transposition, Life Bond

Witch: None

Alternate Classes:

Anti-Paladin: Aura of Cowardice, Aura of Despair, Detect Good

Ninja: Poison Use, No Trace

Samurai: Weapon Expertise, Mounted Archer

Hybrid Classes:

Arcanist: N/A

Bloodrager: Blood Sanctuary, Indomitable Will, Fast Movement

Brawler: Brawler’s Cunning

Hunter: Woodland Stride, Bonus Tricks, Track, Swift Tracker, One With The Wild,
Wild Empathy

Special (Abnormal Cost) Abilities:

Spellcasting:

Spellcasting requires a hefty investment of class points, 4 points at the start, and
additional costs as it upgrades. Upon choosing spellcasting you may choose 4 things:
Type of Spellcasting (Spontaneous or Prepared), Source of Spellcasting (Arcane or
Divine), Casting stat (Int, Wis, or Cha) and Spell List (Any of the extant spell lists,
Sorcerer/Wizard, Cleric, Druid, Bard as examples). You are not necessarily bound
by Type and Spell list. You may, for example, have a Spontaneous Casting Witch or a
Prepared Casting Bard.

Each level of spellcasting costs double the cost of the spell level (i.e. 1 st level spells
are 2 points, 2nd level 4 points, 3rd level 6 points, etc.). You MUST use the
advancement and spells known/per day tables of the spell list you chose at 1 st level.
This means if you choose a limited level spell list (Like Bard or Paladin) you may no
longer advance in spellcasting once you hit that limit.
0 level spells (Cantrips/Orisons) are included in spellcasting once you pay the buy-
in. Effectively, they follow the same rules as other spells, but their doubled level is
still 0, so you get them free with every purchase of spellcasting.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Full spellcasting at normal progression requires a player to set

aside a number of points from their first level allotment to assure that their final
spell level (9th) is achieved on time. This number comes out to 8 points for a
prepared caster with fast spell level progression (Ex. A Wizard or Cleric, who
receives a new spell level at every odd level up to 17th.) and 3 points for
spontaneous casters with slower progressions (Ex. A Sorcerer or Oracle). If this is
not done, casting will be delayed (by two levels for Prepared casters, or one for
Spontaneous).

Experimental new rules:

Full casting: 5 point buy-in at 1st level, 4 points every level thereafter.
6-level casting: 5 points buy-in at 1st level, 3 points per level thereafter.
4-level casting: 3 points buy-in at 1st level, 1 point per level thereafter.

Note: Your spell list determines your progression (in the case of two spell lists being
shared by two classes, such as Sorcerer/Wizard or Cleric/Oracle, your choice of
Spontaneous or Prepared casting determines your progression, as well as your spell
list). While you can start any spell list you wish and can choose to halt progression
in that spell list at any time, you still use that class’ progression. If you choose to
stop a spell list early, you continue to gain spells per day and free spells known up
until the point that a new spell level becomes available.
So if you stop at level 6 Wizard casting, you keep gaining new spells per day and free
spells known up until level 15 (when 7th level casting becomes available). If you do
not purchase 7th level casting, you receive no more spells per day and receive no
more free spells known to add to your spellbook (though you can continue to add
new level 1-6 spells through the normal means). You can resume at any time, at
which point you will continue progressing up to the time the next level of
spellcasting becomes available.

Likewise, if you pick up spellcasting late, your advancement is delayed by that

amount. For example, if a 3rd level character takes Wizard casting at that level, he
still casts as a 1st level Wizard, and advances 2 levels behind from there on.

In the event of progressing in two spellcasting groups at once, for example

Magus and Alchemist:

You take Magus and Alchemist casting at 1st, for a total of 4 points. You now have
1st level spells for both, at 1st level proportions.
Progress to 4th level, where both get 2nd level casting. If you saved your points, you
can progress both, for 4 points each, and it continues progressing as normal until
level 7, where 3rd level casting becomes available.

If not, you've effectively cut off your Alchemist casting until you pay for the next
level. So let's say you grab the Magus casting at 4th, but can't afford Alchemist until
5th.

In that case, now your Alchemy progresses a level behind. At 6th level, you have an
effective Alchemist caster level of 5th, and don't get access to 3rd level extracts until
8th instead of 7th.

Quick point guide:

Full Spellcasting: 94 points
Half (6 levels) Spellcasting: 46 points
Limited (4 levels) Spellcasting: 24 points

Note: Paladin and Ranger spell lists may be picked up at first level if it is so desired,
but must still use the normal progression from the normal point at 4 th level it would
be acquired. I.e. at first level a Ranger or Paladin would still have the usual “0 spells”
(besides bonuses from stats) gained at 4th level, but at 2nd level he would gain the 1
spell per day normally gained at 5th, and so on from there.

Note 2: Spellcasting is purposefully a point intensive feature. Full 9 level

Spellcasting takes up a total of 90 of your allotted 120 points by level 20, leaving
very little room for other class features or beefier Hit Dice, Saves, or BaB, much like
a full Caster class in the base game, who generally have Poor Saves, Hit Dice and BaB
along with a single Defining class feature and some Bonus Feats. There is slightly
more leeway in this system (a ¾ BaB or d8 Hit Dice Wizard is completely possible)
but full Spellcasting will still eat up 75% of your resources.
Eidolon:

While not quite on par with spellcasting in terms of power, the Eidolon’s value as a
“Force multiplier” by allowing a Summoner to double his action economy or
increase his martial prowess cannot be ignored. The Eidolon requires an initial
investment of 8 points. The character gains a number of evolution points every level
as normal, and the Eidolon scales as normal (gaining extra max attacks, hit points,
Str/Dex bonuses and such as normal). However, the character who owns this
Eidolon must pay for the “Special” increases at each level, such as Darkvision,
Evasion, Multiattack, and other such abilities. These purchases are non-optional.

These abilities are priced as such and must be purchased at the level listed:

1.) Darkvision: 1 point

1.) Link: 1 point
1.) Share Spells: 1 point

2.) Evasion (Improved after 13 levels): 3 points

5.) Ability Score Increase: 3 points

15.) Ability Score Increase: 3 points

Final Eidolon Cost Across All Levels: 22

Feat-like Non-Feats (EXTREMELY TENTATIVE):

Note: Rogue Talents, Ninja Tricks, and Discoveries may all be bought by any
character. However, they may not be purchased if they rely on a specific class
feature to be active unless the character in question has that feature. For example,
any Discovery that changes the ways Bombs work may not be purchased without
the Bomb class feature, just as any Rogue Talents that change Sneak Attack may not
be purchased without the Sneak Attack class feature.
Rage Powers: May be bought for 2 points every even level if you have the Rage
class feature.

Note: No, you cannot replace the Bloodrager’s Bloodline (two 3 point abilities) with
10 Rage Powers via the Primalist archetype. Thanks Paizo, for making this note
necessary. =)

Rogue Talents and Ninja Tricks: May be bought for 2 points every even level..
Advanced/Master version may be bought at 10th level and above. Note: Talents and
Tricks that give an extra Feat do NOT count against the “Purchased Bonus Feats”
rule. What this means is that Talents and Tricks such as Combat Trick and Unarmed
Combat Training can circumvent the usual limit of one Bonus Feat per level, much
like the Human Bonus Feat.

Discoveries: May be bought for 2 points every even level. At 20th level a Grand
Discovery may be purchased.

Revelations: The first Revelation is free on the purchase of the Curse/Mystery class
feature. An additional expenditure of 5 points at any time is required to grant the
other Revelations at levels 3, 7, 11, 15, and 19.

Magus Arcana: May be bought for 2 points every 3 levels if you have the Spell
Combat/Spellstrike class feature.

Other:

Masterpieces: Anyone with the Bardic Performance class feature may purchase
Masterpieces for 2 points apiece (no more than 1 per level) given that the character
meets the prerequisites for the Masterpiece (if any).

Archetypes:
Archetype abilities, just like any other class abilities, may be taken when they are
available and are not part of a package deal any more (you may pick and choose
among archetype abilities just like regular class abilities). The only caveat is this: If
an archetype ability replaces another ability, you may never take that class ability
unless it is available from multiple sources. If an archetype replaces a Fighter’s
Weapon Training (like the Brawler archetype’s Close Combatant), you may not take
the base Fighter’s Weapon Training. If a scaling ability is replaced by more than one
ability those multiple abilities are considered a single scaling ability and the abilities
are gained at the level designated or at the same level gap in-between the next
progression (for example, the aforementioned archetype replaces Weapon Training
1&2 with Close Combatant, 3&4 with No Escape, and locks Weapon Mastery into the
weapon group designated by Close Combatant).

In general, if an archetype replaces a single ability, it is the same type of (and as such
costs the exact same amount as) the ability replaced would have cost. For example,
the Sword Saint Samurai archetype replaces Mount (a Secondary Ability) with
Iajutsu Strike, making that also classified as a Secondary Ability, locking it in at 3
points to buy.

If an archetype replaces more than one ability it then costs the average of the
abilities replaced (rounding up). For example, the Martial Artist Monk archetype
replaces Purity of Body, Diamond Body, and Perfect Self with Extreme Endurance.
All three of the abilities replaced are Secondary Abilities (3 points) so Extreme
Endurance is a 3 point ability as well.

That same archetype replaces Wholeness of Body, Timeless Body, and Tongue of the
Sun and Moon with Physical Resistance. The abilities replaced are a Secondary
Ability (3 points) and two Tertiary Abilities (1 point each), which total up to 5
points. The average of this ability comes up to approximately 2 points, so that’s what
the ability costs.