New rules

This page is dedicated to small homebrews and other minor rule changes not significant enough to receive their own page, such as weapons, spells, and house rules.

## Weapons

### Battlestaff

This five- to nine-foot long quarterstaff has been fitted with a blade at one end.
The battlestaff can be used with Weapon Finesse as if it were a light weapon.

* (Exotic) Two-Handed Melee
* **Cost** 36 gp
* **Dmg** (S) 1d6/1d4, Dmg (M) 1d8/1d6
* **Critical** x2
* **Range** N/A
* **Weight** 4 lbs.
* **Type** P/B
* **Special** double, trip

### Bladed cestus

This fingerless gauntlet has been fitted with one to two curved, jagged blades that jut out in front of the wielder’s hand. A bladed cestus cannot be disarmed. A wielder can carry items in the hand to which the cestus is attached, but takes a –2 penalty on all precision-based tasks involving that hand (such as opening locks).

* (Martial) Light Melee
* **Cost** 5 gp
* **Dmg** (S) 1d4, (M) 1d6
* **Critical** 19-20/x2
* **Range** N/A
* **Weight** 2 lbs.
* **Type** P or S
* **Special** performance, fragile

### Fishing crook

This six- to eight-foot long wooden crook has been carved into a hook-like question mark shape at one end. It is extremely difficult to master, but effective in trapping and maneuvering opponents. The pointed tip of the crook is often used to grapple opponents around the neck. When not used in combat, it can be utilized for a modified version of spearfishing. It can be wielded as a one-handed or two-handed melee weapon.

* (Exotic) One-Handed Melee
* **Cost** 153 gp
* **Dmg** (S) 1d6, (M) 2d4
* **Critical** 19-20/x2
* **Range** N/A
* **Weight** 6 lbs.
* **Type** B or P
* **Special** monk, grapple

### Spell chakram

Spell chakrams or spell plates, often simply called chakrams, are a new kind of magic weapon recently introduced in Musea. They are shaped like a disc about the size of a dinner plate and usually have one solid outer ring with an inner circular piece. A fine glass tubing piped with djezet lines the outer ring, which gives the chakrams their magically-conductive qualities.

Chakrams are unique for being weapons that allow spellcasters to channel some of their arcane energy into without having to cast a spell. In
essence, they grant casters with a typed “base attack” that functions magically like their spells.

A chakram is always at least +1 spell-storing. The only exception to this is brown chakrams (described below).

Chakrams are simple weapons, but the wielder must have the Arcane Strike feat in order to use one. The chakram only functions while Arcane Strike is in use.

If a target has spell resistance, the wielder must make a caster level check against their SR or fail to deal damage. If the target is vulnerable to the damage type in question, SR does not apply. If a spell is being used through spell storing, the spell is resolved as normal.

Chakrams are coded by colors, which describe its associated element and abilities. The color has no effect on its actual appearance. A brown chakram is a basic, un-typed chakram that simply deals magic damage. The following are the stats for a brown chakram.

* (Simple) Ranged Weapon
* **Cost** 56 gp
* **Dmg** (S) 1d6, (M) 1d8
* **Critical** x3
* **Range** 30 ft.
* **Weight** 2 lbs.
* **Type** magic
* **Special** requires Arcane Strike

 The following are all chakram colors, the type of damage they deal, and their associated element. A colored chakram’s spell-storing ability only functions with spells that deal that damage type.

### Threaded cane

This three- to four-foot cane has a spiked metal ferrule. Its shaft is built up of hundreds of interlocking metal joints that, with a gesture from the wielder, snap apart to form a fearsome metal whip.

It is a move action to switch between either form. Unlike other reach weapons, a threaded cane can be used on adjacent enemies. Note: Wielding a whip in two hands does not add 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier to damage rolls as with other weapons.

* (Exotic) One-Handed Melee
* **Cost** 51 gp
* **Dmg** (S) 1d4 (cane) 1d3 (whip), (M) 1d6 (cane) 1d4 (whip)
* **Critical** x2
* **Range** N/A
* **Weight** 2 lbs.
* **Type** P (cane) or S (whip)
* **Special** reach, disarm, trip (all only in whip form)

## Fighter weapon groups

### Rope and chain

Aklys, battle poi, bladed scarf, bola, boarding gaff, flask thrower, flindbar, flying blade, flying talon, grappling hook, halfling rope-shot, harpoon, nunchaku, spiked chain, chain spear, double-chained kama, kusarigama, kyoketsu shoge, meteor hammer, rope dart, and sansetsukon.

## Spells

### Bones to bananas

* **School** transmutation
* **Level** bard 1, cleric 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1
* **Casting Time** 1 round
* **Components** S, V, M (the skeletons/bones to be transmuted)
* **Range** touch
* **Target** one skeleton/level
* **Duration** instantaneous
* **Saving Throw** none (see text); **Spell Resistance** no

This spell lets you transform a small-, medium-, or large-sized collection of bones into fresh, ripe bananas. A small or medium skeleton’s worth of bones creates five bananas, while a large skeleton creates 10. Once transmuted, the bones become completely normal bananas, and can be eaten or sold as usual. This spell cannot be cast on a corpse that still has flesh.

This spell can be cast on an undead skeleton of CR 4 or lower. The skeleton receives a Fortitude save to resist the effect. If they fail, the spell takes place as normal.

### Bones to peaches

* **School** transmutation
* **Level** bard 2, cleric 3, sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 3

This spell functions as *bones to bananas*, except the transmuted bones are turned into peaches instead. In addition, this spell can be cast on different-sized skeletons. A huge skeleton creates 15 peaches, a gargantuan skeleton creates 20, and a colossal skeleton creates 30. A tiny skeleton creates two peaches, and a diminutive skeleton creates one. Fine skeletons are too small to be transmuted into peaches.

This spell can be cast on an undead skeleton of CR 10 or lower. The skeleton receives a Fortitude save to resist the effect. If they fail, the spell takes place as normal.

Bananas are rare in Musea, but peaches are even rarer. In addition to being a useful source of food, bananas and peaches will also sell for high prices in the right markets. However, some purist merchants will refuse to buy produce if they discover it was transmuted.

## Hexes

### Heaven's lettuce

The caster can conjure up a blunt. The caster takes a large puff, then exhales the smoke in a 15 ft cone. Any creature affected by this cone, including the caster, gains 2 temporary hit points for every level the caster has. This lasts for 1d8+1 rounds. After this duration, if the temporary hit points have not been used, they start to decay at a rate of 3 HP per round until the "high" is gone. Once a creature has benefited from heaven's lettuce, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.

## Psychic duels

These rules can be used in place of Pathfinder's official rules for psychic duels.

### The basics

A psychic duel happens whenever someone casts the spell *instigate psychic duel* on another person. This incurs a save, but it can also be a willing affair if it’s a mutual duel. Most psychic duels are between two combatants, but sometimes they can be against a thoughtform, nightmare, or dream creature living in a participant’s subconscious.

For the most part, all persons in a psychic duel are treated as they would be in the real world: same AC, same ability scores, same HP, same appearance, etc. However, combat is significantly changed. A manifester cannot perform any form of attack inside of a binary mindscape. Their weapons do not manifest with them. Save for a few exceptions, spells aren't possible either. When walking through a mindscape, one is defenseless: they must instead protect themselves through the force of their own creativity and ingenuity.

If the manifester is damaged or healed in real life, it also applies to their HP in the mindscape (and vice versa).

### Manifestations

While in a duel mindscape, a manifester (that’s you!) has a psychic pool equal to HD + Int, Wis, or Cha mod (whichever is highest). They can spend points from this pool to summon thoughtform creatures to defend themselves.

A manifester can spend any number of points at once. If they run out in an extreme situation, the manifester can expend violent mental effort in an attempt to manifest further. They can take mental ability score damage to gain more points (at a 1:1 ratio). The manifester can choose which mental ability scores this damage is applied to. As usual, reaching 0 in any of these ability scores will kill the manifester.

**Thoughtform creatures** are temporary mental creatures created inside of the binary mindscape. The manifester chooses what to create from the *summon monster* or *summon nature’s ally* lists (manifester’s choice). The amount of points the manifestation costs is equal to the spell level for that summoned creature.

The thoughtform can have any appearance of the manifester’s choosing; the “summoned monster” is simply a representation of the thoughtform’s sheet, not its actual appearance.

The manifester can also spend additional points to augment the thoughtform (see the table below). This choice must be made when the thoughtform is created; a thoughtform cannot be augmented after it has been created.

The manifester must spend a full round action each round to control their thoughtform(s) and keep it alive. The manifester has total control over their thoughtform(s). A manifester can have a number of thoughtforms at once equal to 1/3 their total HD (rounded down, minimum 1).

### Concluding

A psychic duel is considered over once one manifester's thoughtform creature has slain the other (and the loser has no points left to summon a new thoughtform). In Casian culture, it is considered poor sportsmanship to attack a manifester directly with your thoughtform. But some people still do it anyway, seeing as it's a really easy way to commit murder.

## House rules

### Olivia's house rules

These rules apply in Olivia's campaigns.

1. Quick Draw is a bit of a silly feat and doesn’t serve much practical purpose beyond flavor. All characters and players are assumed to have this feat automatically.
2. You’re allowed to use MOST third-party content, within reason. Always check with me ahead of time, but it’s very likely that I’ll approve it. Generally speaking, the only third-party content I won’t allow is content that very glaringly clashes with the campaign world. (i.e., I’m not gonna let you play as a my little pony. Aaron would flay me alive. Jesus Christ.)
3. Vital Strike applies only to the first attack you make that round. You can still make the rest of your attacks that round, but the bonus from Vital Strike only applies to the first one. (This is a Paizo official rule (you can see it on the Weapon Trick page under two-handed) but I include it here because the errata can get a little confusing.)
4. The bonus damage from sneak attack is a little situational. The blanket rule is that if your target is denied their Dexterity bonus to AC, then you get the extra damage—but roleplay-wise, there are situations where a sneak attack would no longer be very sneaky because the target can see you and/or is facing you. So how I treat sneak attack will differ from situation to situation. You’ll get the extra damage most of the time, though.
5. You don’t need to be a half-orc to take the Feasting Bite or Bloody Bite rage powers. However, you do need to be a race that could reasonably be expected to have a powerful bite (i.e., a minotaur because cow teeth, a tiefling because demonic heritage, a savage elf/certain strix because they’ve had to survive out in the wild, etc.). I’m willing to be flexible about this one.
6. If your character inherited or found a magic item in their backstory, they still have to “buy” it at character creation. This is just to keep things balanced.
7. Talking during combat is considered a free action and therefore doesn’t take up any of your turn. I’m not gonna let you go on forever, though—I’ll generally let you get up to about four or five exchanges before I penalize it.
8. If you acquire an ability that gives you a natural attack you already have, you instead increase that natural attack’s damage by one step. For example, if you have a natural 1d4 claw attack and take Claws of the Beast from the Aspect of the Beast feat, your damage would increase to 1d6 instead of the normal effect.
9. Potion Glutton has been removed from the game’s RAW. You are still allowed to take it in my campaigns. Note that Potion Glutton applies to all consumables except extracts. Meaning it applies to mutagens, purchased potions, and any other drinkables—but not formulae/extracts. This is because formulae/extracts are spells, and you can never “cast” more than one spell per round, period.
10. If you are playing as some sort of animal or creature who otherwise cannot make an unarmed strike, then you may substitute Improved Natural Attack in any place where Improved Unarmed Strike is a feat requirement.
11. A magus can use Pool Strike OR Pool Ray as prerequisite for the other “Pool” arcanas. (Pool Ray is basically completely useless otherwise.) Essentially, they can either build into a ranged “Pool” or a melee “Pool.” If the magus has both Pool Strike and Pool Ray, then they can use the appropriate arcanas with both.
12. You can ignore the +1 BAB prerequisite when taking the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat.
13. For death saving throws, we are using 5e’s rules (at least for Scherzo). Your negative HP amount is not relevant to your death saves. Instead, you roll a flat d20. If it’s under 10, you fail, and if it’s above 10, you succeed. You stabilize after 3 successes or die after 3 failures. A critical fail counts as two failures, and a critical success counts as two successes. As usual, if the damage you take brings your negative lower than your Constitution total, you die instantly.