TOMAGOMB Modern Classes

 This is a system for TOMAGOMB Modern which allows players to build their own class. You get 16 class points to distribute in setting up your class abilities. Any leftover points are put into your level 1 statistics pool (though you still have the level 1 stat caps). Multiclassing is possible, though you may only spend as many points on your new class as you did on your previous class, with extra points going into stats. Some multiclassing options could be potentially abusive (such as trying to get as many special abilities as possible by multiclassing several times) and in such a case the GM is free to either ban multiclassing since you get to make your perfect class to start with, or only allow multiclassing after 10 or more levels have been taken in each class.



Choose a Class Name
This isn't necessary as a first step, though it helps to keep your goal in mind.

Proficiencies
All characters get 2 weapon and/or armor proficiencies +1 / 10 levels for free. For every 2 extra proficiencies at 1st level, it costs 1 class point. Another possibility is to increase the rate at which the character earns proficiencies by level. For 2 points, the character will gain a new proficiency every 5 levels instead of every 10. For 3 points, the character gains a new proficiency every 4 levels instead, and for 5 points the character gains a new proficiency every 3 levels. Be certain you actually want this many proficiencies before committing to this progression!

Skills
All characters get 80% worth of skill bonus +2% / level afterwards for free, with a 40% cap on skills at level 1. For each class point spent, you get +40% more skill bonus at level 1, and for every 2 points spent this way add +1% / level afterward increase. Also, for every point spent, add a +20% cap to a single chosen skill at 1st level, or a +10% bonus to two skills. This cannot bring a skill cap higher than 60% at 1st level.

Another way to increase skill is to buy up the increase by level after 1st level directly. For every 2 points spent, the character gains +3% skill / level after 1st. This is a long-term investment in the future that will eventually overtake the skills earned by the first method, but starting skills will suffer greatly. The upside is that the character can achieve very high skill amounts more quickly after 1st level than other classes can.

Special Abilities
Each special ability will get its own entry, and none of them are free: each must be bought if the character wants to have them. This section will foreseeably grow continuously as more abilities are added.


 * * The GM may allow characters in a more cinematic campaign to purchase the damage higher starting off

Block (Optional)
Overall Cost: 16 points. The d30 hit die just wasn't enough for you. No, you had to have more. Well here it is, you crazy SOB.

Blood Cultist (Optional)
Overall Cost: 16 points. These painful spells define the Blood Cultist, giving them their gruesome but effective repertoire of abilities. The GM should feel free to expand the spell selection up to 20 spells by inventing new ones for the player, or allowing the player to invent their own if they are responsible and creative enough. Most all Blood Cultists will pair the spell Minor Bloodpact (which unlike the rest of the line can trigger off of your own damage) with a critical damage Masochist's Strike to very painful effect!

Gunslinger
Overall cost of 16 points. The Gunslinger is generally seen as a person wielding a pistol in each hand, blazing out bullets, so why fight the image? While Gunslingers would benefit from the Sniper special ability, they would have to sacrifice something, such as their amazing dodge or their acceptable hit points. A d4 hit die Gunslinger is not likely to survive, while a lower-dodge Gunslinger may be doable... but less cool. A Gunslinger willing to sacrifice a lot might attempt to get the best number of attacks... good luck!

Hitman
Total cost 16 points. Most hitmen choose Stealth, but every hitman is going to have his own preferred method and therefore speciality. A more combat-oriented hitman might drop this ability for a bigger hit die and better number of attacks, while an even more skillful hitman might ignore his hit points and dodge to take another rank of skill specialist. A narrowly-focused hitman might drop his skills to add a second skill specialty - he wouldn't know as much, but what he did know he would be a master of!

Paranormal Investigator (Optional)
Overall Cost: 16 points. Schools may be expanded upon to reach 10 spells, and the GM may even remove existing spells that do not fit the campaign and design new spells to replace them. For schools that aren't flashy, consider Divination, Dream or Fate as options. For a more cinematic and gritty campaign, consider tailoring one of the following schools to the campaign's needs: Air, Blood, Cold, Death, Earth, Electricity, Fey, Fire, Force, Illusion, Light, Plant, Poison, Ritual, Shadow, Telekinesis, Teleportation, Time, or Water. Some of these colleges must be pruned down to fit into the spell limit. Optionally, the player may tweak the Paranormal Investigator's character build to accomodate a larger school of magic (Mental is a fun one). Pushing much beyond this point will create more of a pure casting class than a scrappy skill-based class with flavorful spells backing them up.

Protagonist (partially optional)
Overall Cost: 16 points. The protagonist is capable of practically anything once he grows out of being a newbie, although the player is free to alter the build depending on the campaign. If spells cannot be cast, the protagonist might have a much bigger hit die and better dodge and attacks, or she may be more skillful. If the GM allows, the protagonist might even pick up a latent Skill Focus (similar to the suggestion under Proficiencies: the character suddenly realizes their potential for a skill under a stressful situation). Though unfocused, the protagonist is a potent and useful character who can do a bit of everything.

Savant
Overall Cost: 16 points. The savant presented here is slightly effective at combat, which admittedly is not part of the stereotype, but it does make for a highly flexible party member. Part of the reason I made the decision is to make the proficiencies matter more. If your class has a d4 hit die and an extra attack every 30 levels, how much good are proficiencies going to do you? Obviously, this class could be pushed to extremes and focus entirely on skills, but that would put it in sharper contention with the specialist. The important difference with the savant is their focus on efficiency and long term investments. This class is all about sacrificing short-term power for eventual awesomeness. For a more combat-themed example of long-term investments, check out the vigilante.

SCA Nut
Overall Cost: 16 points. Not many people in the modern age engage in melee combat quite as frequently as SCA Nuts do. A focused melee combatant might drop Bow Hunter in favor of more attacks or Dual Wield, while a more agile type may lower HP or skills in favor of dodge.

Soldier
Overall Cost: 16 points. This is a simple, straightforward class that emphasizes survival and combat.

Specialist
Overall Cost: 16 points. The Specialist may be a person of many talents, but they are a master of 3. While not utterly infallible, they are nonetheless almost always correct in their areas of expertise. This reliability makes them essential in certain situations, such as hacking into restricted terminals, decoding mutated DNA or playing Chopin's "Tristesse" so beautifully that the Provost is moved to tears.

U.F.C. Fighter
Overall Cost: 16 points. This build makes use of a number of abilities that are great at low levels, but taper off into higher levels. A GM who is running a one-shot low level campaign might not allow this type of class. On the other hand, they aren't useless at higher levels either (it notably takes most other classes a LONG time to catch up on dodge) and they are heavy-hitters, able to hurt most people despite high AC scores.

Vigilante
Overall Cost: 16 points. The vigilante described here is a melee fighter, a bit weak starting off but growing into several efficient abilities that will make the vigilante extremely potent at higher levels. While they don't quite have the dodge and attacks of a classic TOMAGOMB monk, they hit harder, reduce more damage and can use any weapons and armor they like. A more gun-focused vigilante could drop Painful in Person and Unarmed Combat to pick up Never Saw It Coming, or Eagle Eye and Dual Wield. Picking dual wield might be a waste of resources though, since it can also be gained through 15 Martial Discipline. A pistol wielding vigilante might instead just get a d10 hit die to go with their Eagle Eye.