1. My players mesh outstandingly well with tome classes. The feeling I get from looking is that in a tome game, monsters have bigger numbers while players have more interesting things to do. Playtesting has shown this to be the case. My players have long been famous for being people who take great pride in setting up favorable conditions and being disdainful of the "RAR! I'm going to kill you, now line up and we'll fight!" that is the most common tactic in the area. They seem to really be enjoying the classes and tome mechanics.
Re: One of the classes I hacked for the game (Credit goes to Koumei as this class is based heavily on her Overlord class)
Artificer
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: The Artificer’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int),
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int),
Knowledge: Architecture and Engineering (Int), Knowledge: The Planes (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device(Cha).
Skills/Level: 6 + Intelligence Bonus
BAB: Medium(As Cleric), Saves: Fort and Reflex: Poor; Will: Good
Level, Benefit
1 Golem Servitor, Crystal Rod, Least Infusions
2 Detect Magic
3 Hardware Upgrade
4 Large Golem
5 Superior Forge Lore
6 Lesser Infusions
7 Flying Servitor
8 Huge Golem
9 Enhanced Construct I
10
11 Greater Infusions
12 Gargantuan Golem
13 Enhanced Construct II
14 Construct Lore
15 Shadow Walk
16 Dark Infusions
17 Enhanced Construct III
18 Colossal Golem
19
20 Good Ending
All of the following are Class Features of the Artificer class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Artificers are proficient in all simple weapons, and with light and medium armor, as well as their Crystal Rods
Golem Servitor: An Artificer starts with a construct companion that serves to the best of its ability. The golem's stats are as follows:
Hit Dice: as many as the Artificer has
Hit Points: 10 per hit die, not affected by Con
BAB: +1 per two hit dice
Base Saving Throws: One-third hit dice (round down)
Size: Small or Medium
Type: Construct (Living)
Speed: 30' if Medium, 20' if Small
Feats: [Combat] feats only (1, plus 1 per 3 hit dice)
Skills: no skill points
Armour Class: Natural Armour equal to hit dice
Ability Scores: Strength is 16 + hit dice, Dexterity is 12 + half hit dice, Constitution is 12 + hit dice, Int is 4, Wis is 10 + half hit dice, Cha is 12 + hit dice
Natural Attacks: Slam: 1d6+ str modifier if medium, 1d4+str modifier damage if small. In addition, the Golem's natural attacks are considered magical weapons and get a +1 to hit and damage for every three hit dice it has.
The Golem automatically makes any fortitude save unless the attack also affects objects. Furthermore, the Golem's synthetic mind is unaffected by any enchantment effect, both positive or negative. However, the Golem's inner workings (whether it be complex wheels and pulleys, fluid-filled bladders, layers of etched runes on crystal, or other sensitive machinations) means that the golem is not immune to sneak attacks like most constructs. The Golem otherwise follows the rules for repairing constructs and damage. This golem does not count against the 8 magic item limit.
Crystal Rod (su): At first level an Artificer owns a highly-calibrated crystal rod. As a standard action, the Artificer may make a ranged touch attack that deals 1d6 fire damage, +1d6 more every odd- numbered level (2d6 at 3, 3d6 at 4, etc). This attack has a range of 30 feet. Any effect that modifies ranged attack (excepting those that increase rate of fire) applies to this attack. An artificers crystal rod does not count against the 8 magic item limit.
Least Infusions (SL): An artificer starts with knowledge of Infusions. Infusions are treated as spell- like abilities. They are not affect by Arcane Spell Failure for nonproficiency, are subject to Attacks of Opportunity (but can be used defensively with a concentration check DC 15+ spell level). Any infusion that allows a saving throw has a DC of 10+ spell level + charisma modifier. An artificer starts with knowledge of one least infusion, but gains more with experience, and eventually learns more advanced infusions as marked on the list.
Detect Magic (SL): An artificer can detect magic at will, as the spell.
Hardware Upgrade: At third level, an artificer learns how to tweak a golem into great performance. The Golem gets a +4 bonus to all grapple checks, plus gains the improved grab ability with its slam attack. In addition, the artificer may pick one of the following abilities to customize the golem further:
Constrict: When the Golem successfully pins another in a grapple, the golem deals 2d6 + Str bonus in addition to the normal effects of a pin.
Enhanced AC: The Golem's natural armor increases by +4
Durable: The golem gets damage reduction x/-, where x is equal to 2+1/3 the Golem's hit dice.
Lucky: The golem gets +2 untyped bonus to all saves.
If desired, the Artificer may take 1 day worth of tweaking to change any hardware upgrade to another hardware upgrade.
Large Golem: If desired, the artificer may take 1 day of tweaking to improve the golem's size to Large. This give the golem +4 strength, -2 dex, +2 Constitution, +10 bonus hit points, and +2 natural armor in addition to other benefits and drawbacks of the Large type (-1 to hit and AC, improved natural weapon damage, etc.)
Superior Forge Lore: The Artificer may craft magic weapons as well as wondrous items and armor as if he was a spellcaster with a caster level equal to the Artificer's level.
Flying servitor: The artificer takes his golem to the workshop again for a day, after which the golem has a fly speed. The artificer picks between the following speeds and maneuverability ratings:
½ land speed at Good maneuverability
Land speed at Average maneuverability
Twice land speed at clumsy maneuverability
Huge Golem: If desired, at 8th level the Artificer may take 24 hours to enlarge their golem to Huge. This gives the following bonuses (not cumulative with the bonuses for being large):
+8 strength, -4 dexterity, +4 constitution, +25 maximum hit points and +4 natural armor.
Enhanced Construct I: The Artificer can tweak the golem even further and give even greater ability to his servitor. With 24 hours of work, the Artificer can add one of the following abilties:
Enhanced Slam: Pick one lesser weapon enhancement. The Golem's natural attacks now have that ability.
Spell Resistance: SR 10 + hit dice
Aura of Fear: within 50', DC 10 + ½ Hit Dice + Charisma modifier
Spell-like Abilities: Scorching Ray, Web, or Solid fog at will. Caster level = hit dice.
The ability chosen can be changed with 24 hours work.
Gargantuan Golem: If desired, an artificer's golem becomes truly prodigious of size and strength at level 12. The golem gets the following bonuses (Not cumulative with being large or huge): +12 Strength, -4 Dexterity, +6 Constitution, +50 max HP and +10 natural armor.
Enhanced Construct II: As Enhanced Construct I, but with the following abilities:
Superior Slam: The Golem may have one medium weapon ability applied to slam attacks.
Spell-like Abilities: Prismatic Spray, Acid Fog, or Hold Monster, at will. Save is 10+ cha modifier + spell level
Breath Weapon: Breath weapon: 50' cone at will that bestows one of the following effects: Nausea 1d4 rounds on a failed Fort save, Paralysis 1d4 rounds on a failed Ref save, Stunning 1d4 rounds on a failed Will save. The DC is 10 + half HD + Con.
Construct Lore: At this level, an artificer can make any construct as if he had the Craft Construct feat. Furthermore, he may ignore any requirements for making constructs other than caster level.
Shadow Walk (SL): As the spell, usable at will. Caster level = Artificer level.
Enhanced Construct III: As Enhanced Construct II, but with the following abilities:
Exceptional Slam: the golem can apply one greater weapon enhancement to its slame attack
Energy Drain: Each successful slam attack deals 1d4 str, dex, or con damage.
Spell-like: Wail of the Banshee, Storm of Vengeance, or Total Repair, once per day.
Colossal Golem: As before, but the Golem becomes titanic in stature. The following noncumulative bonuses apply: +16 Strength, -6 Dexterity, +10 Constitution, +100 HP and +12 Natural Armour.
(Note on infusions: I have misplaced the file... Most infusions are similar to Warlock invocations, except they involve making 24 hour duration magical items. I have a hard copy but not a digital copy, will copy later)
Will post other notes as they come.