Hey everyone!
We're just over three days into the Kickstarter and we just passed 50% funding! We still have quite a bit of a way to go, so let your friends and local gaming groups know!
In the mean time, how about an update on the book's progress? I'm still moving onward with the book material, namely the material for the playtest at the end of the Kickstarter (and if it's completed fast enough, it'll be out before then!). Today I'm going to show off a few of the vanguard augmentations and resonance abilities that I've recently written.
If you don't know about augmentation and resonance, check out the blog post on the vanguard. The playtest version will include twenty-one augmentations, each with a corresponding resonance ability. The Mending Touch augment is granted for free, so that leaves twenty for you to choose from as you level. The main focus of the vanguard's resonance abilities is group support, so you'll see that reflected in the abilities. These aren't necessarily all of the augmentations that will be in the end product nor are they finalized; changed will be made in response to player feedback and new ones will be added based on suggestions (or by those who back the Artisan or Master Artisan reward tier, should they choose).
Here's just a few of the augmentations you can grant your construct companion:
ABLATIVE SHIELDING (SU)
Prerequisites: Level 10
Effect: A magical barrier of force surrounds the construct companion, mitigating incoming damage. The barrier grants the construct companion temporary hit points equal to 3 times its total Hit Dice. As long as the barrier has at least 1 temporary hit point remaining, the barrier restores 5 temporary hit points each round, back up to the its normal maximum. If the barrier is ever reduce to 0 hit points, it breaks and does not regain hit points for 1 hour, after which it is restored to 1 hit point.
Resonance: The barrier supercharges and can affect multiple allies. The temporary hit points of the barrier are restored to double its normal maximum. The barrier protects nearby allies; if an attack would harm an ally within 30 feet of the companion, half of the damage is redirected to the construct’s barrier instead. The resonance lasts for either 1 minute or until the barrier runs out of hit points. This resonance cannot be used if the ablative barrier is already at 0 hit points. Once the resonance ends, any temporary hit points in the barrier over its normal maximum are lost.
DISRUPTION FIELD (SU)
Prerequisites: Level 10
Effect: The construct emits a short-range field that disrupts magical energy. Creatures attempting to cast a spell while threatened by the companion take a -4 penalty to their Concentration checks to cast defensively.
Resonance: The disruption field grows larger and more potent, but only briefly. Any creature within 30 feet that attempts to cast a spell (including the vanguard or the companion) must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + the vanguard’s level + his Charisma modifier) or lose the spell. The field lasts for only 1 round.
ELDRITCH CASTER (SP)
Prerequisites: Charisma 11, Level 4
Effect: The companion gains the ability to cast a small number of spells. Choose any spell from the following list: break, burning hands, corrosive touch, feather fall, grease, magic missile, obscuring mist, shocking grasp, stunning barrier, or thunderstomp. The construct companion can cast this spell once per day. For every three vanguard levels past 4th, the construct can choose an additional spell to cast once each day. It can also choose a spell it already knows to gain an additional casting of that spell each day. The caster level for these spells is equal to the companion’s Hit Dice, and the save DC for these spells is equal to 11 + the companion’s Charisma modifier.
Resonance: The companion’s magical expertise resonates to allies, making them more knowledgeable on how to defend against spells. All allies within 30 feet of the companion gain a +1 bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities. This bonus increases by +1 at 10th and 16th levels. The resonance lasts for 1 minute.
EXTRADIMENSIONAL ARSENAL (SU)
Prerequisites: Level 4
Effect: The companion gains an extradimensional storage space within its body. This functions as a bag of holding type I. The companion can draw items from the space as a move action. It can allow others to reach into the space to retrieve an item, though doing so is a full-round action for the other creature. At 11th level, it is instead treated a bag of holding type II. If the vanguard is shut down or broken, the items within the arsenal are not destroyed but cannot be retrieved until the construct is functional again; if the companion is ever annihilated or replaced, items left in the arsenal are lost forever.
Resonance: The vanguard can retrieve or store any item within the extradimensional arsenal. By using this resonance, the vanguard can teleport a single item to or from the arsenal weighing no more than 10 lbs. per vanguard level, as if by means of a teleport object spell (he only has to touch an object to teleport it into the arsenal, not out of it). An object teleported out of the arsenal appears in the vanguard’s hands or in the nearest open space (vanguard’s choice). The vanguard must have line of effect to his companion to use this resonance. The resonance ends once the item is teleported.
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE (EX)
Prerequisites: Intelligence 10
Effect: The companion gains additional knowledge. The vanguard selects any three skills that are not already class skills for the companion: those skills become class skills for the companion. In addition, the companion gains 3 skill points per Hit Dice it has and an additional 3 skill points every time it gains a Hit Dice. This augmentation can be gained multiple times. Each time it is gained, the companion gains three new skills as class skills and gains three more skill points per Hit Dice.
Resonance: The companion shares its knowledge with nearby allies. All allies within 30 feet of the companion gain a +2 bonus on checks made with a particular skill. This bonus increases to +3 at 7th level, +4 at 13th level, and +5 at 19th level. The skill must be one that the companion is trained in.