Edit History

Delegated to another post further down, per GM request.

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices. (Edit: And 😑 at someone now putting up a telekinetic specialist. Argh! Hahaha. Oh well, too late to change gears a second time.)

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have three quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Insightful Strike (formerly Smite Evil) can be used against any old opponent under your house rules? You know, as long as it doesn't violate his code, obviously. If so, does it continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead regardless of (a lack of) alignment?

2.) Does Focusing Grasp (same link as above) override the number of times he can use Insightful Strike per day, with the new limit being the number of Lay on Hands attempts he gets? The wording is a little confusing as it implies that Insightful Strike relies entirely on expending your martial focus now instead of having to rely on a resource counter.

3.) What should we do about his Aura of Good class feature? As far as I can tell it only comes into play when detecting alignments (which is null and void) for the most part, but there's a chance to stun "overwhelming evil" for 1 round when coming into contact with it, like with evil outsiders and junk, at least according to the Detect Evil spell. Vice versa applies as well, of course. Regardless, it's pretty damn niche anyway.

Just tinkering away over here.

I've created new traditions as the character's concept has changed completely. Are they still acceptable? I tried to describe them better, including the rationale behind each choice as that seemed to be what you were after the most. I made sure to underline them in the martial tradition as my writing got away from me, whereas the caster tradition is a bit more succinct and obvious. 😆

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Update:  I've refined the fluff a bit more (including the names) on his actual character sheet above in the Spheres & Talents section. The mechanics remain the same if you don't wanna scroll up though, and that's the part I was asking about.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with this?

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices. (Edit: And 😑 at someone now putting up a telekinetic specialist. Argh! Hahaha. Oh well, too late to change gears a second time.)

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have three quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Insightful Strike (formerly Smite Evil) can be used against any old opponent under your house rules? You know, as long as it doesn't violate his code, obviously. If so, does it continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead regardless of (a lack of) alignment?

2.) Does Focusing Grasp (same link as above) override the number of times he can use Insightful Strike per day, with the new limit being the number of Lay on Hands attempts he gets? The wording is a little confusing as it implies that Insightful Strike relies entirely on expending your martial focus now instead of having to rely on a resource counter.

3.) What should we do about his Aura of Good class feature? As far as I can tell it only comes into play when detecting alignments (which is null and void) for the most part, but there's a chance to stun "overwhelming evil" for 1 round when coming into contact with it, like with evil outsiders and junk, at least according to the Detect Evil spell. Vice versa applies as well, of course.

Just tinkering away over here.

I've created new traditions as the character's concept has changed completely. Are they still acceptable? I tried to describe them better, including the rationale behind each choice as that seemed to be what you were after the most. I made sure to underline them in the martial tradition as my writing got away from me, whereas the caster tradition is a bit more succinct and obvious. 😆

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Update:  I've refined the fluff a bit more (including the names) on his actual character sheet above in the Spheres & Talents section. The mechanics remain the same if you don't wanna scroll up though, and that's the part I was asking about.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with this?

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices. (Edit: And 😑 at someone now putting up a telekinetic specialist. Argh! Hahaha. Oh well, too late to change gears a second time.)

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have three quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Insightful Strike (formerly Smite Evil) can be used against any old opponent under your house rules? You know, as long as it doesn't violate his code, obviously. If so, does it continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead regardless of (a lack of) alignment?

2.) Does Focusing Grasp (same link as above) override the number of times he can use Insightful Strike per day, with the new limit being the number of Lay on Hands attempts he gets? The wording is a little confusing as it implies that Insightful Strike relies entirely on expending your martial focus now instead of having to rely on a resource counter.

3.) What should we do about his Aura of Good class feature?

Just tinkering away over here.

I've created new traditions as the character's concept has changed completely. Are they still acceptable? I tried to describe them better, including the rationale behind each choice as that seemed to be what you were after the most. I made sure to underline them in the martial tradition as my writing got away from me, whereas the caster tradition is a bit more succinct and obvious. 😆

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with any of these?

Starting Equipment:  Telekinesis Implement +2 (Sunsilver Holy Symbol) (free + 30gp), Sunsilver Buckler (Elven Bracers) (130gp), Singing Steel Chain Shirt +2 (Elfin Chain) (free + 600gp), Sleeves of Many Garments (refluffed as an elven shirt) (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy) (200gp + 50gp), Masterwork Eyes of the Eagles (Perception) (2,500gp + 50gp), Lesser Wizard's Gaming Cube (500gp), Masterwork Sunsilver Rapier (370gp), Noble's OutfitEven though it wasn't necessary due to his Sleeves of Many Garments, I went ahead and purchased this anyway (especially since he'd definitely have it in the first place, being an elven prince and all).

Most of the time he uses his Sleeves to dress down (usually opting for an elegant Traveler's Outfit), but it's always of high quality and clearly of elven make unless he intentionally chooses to disguise himself. (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy and Intimidate) (30gp + 50gp + 50gp), Masterwork Art Supplies (Artistry [Painting]) (50gp), Masterwork Elven Boots (Acrobatics, Dancing, and Stealth) (50gp +50gp + 50gp). Plus 140gp in coins and 100gp in assorted jewelry.

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices. (Edit: And 😑 at someone now putting up a telekinetic specialist. Argh! Hahaha. Oh well, too late to change gears a second time.)

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have three quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Insightful Strike (formerly Smite Evil) can be used against any old opponent under your house rules? You know, as long as it doesn't violate his code, obviously. If so, does it continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead regardless of (a lack of) alignment?

2.) Does Focusing Grasp (same link as above) override the number of times he can use Insightful Strike per day, with the new limit being the number of Lay on Hands attempts he gets? The wording is a little confusing as it implies that Insightful Strike relies entirely on expending your martial focus now instead of having to rely on a resource counter.

3.) What should we do about his Aura of Good class feature?

Just tinkering away over here.

I've created new traditions as the character's concept has changed completely. Are they still acceptable? I tried to describe them better, including the rationale behind each choice as that seemed to be what you were after the most. I made sure to underline them in the martial tradition as my writing got away from me, whereas the caster tradition is a bit more succinct and obvious. 😆

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with any of these?

Starting Equipment:  Telekinesis Implement +2 (Sunsilver Holy Symbol) (free + 30gp), Sunsilver Buckler (Elven Bracers) (130gp), Singing Steel Chain Shirt +2 (Elfin Chain) (free + 750gp), Sleeves of Many Garments (refluffed as an elven shirt) (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy) (200gp + 50gp), Masterwork Eyes of the Eagles (Perception) (2,500gp + 50gp), Lesser Wizard's Gaming Cube (500gp), Masterwork Sunsilver Rapier (370gp), Noble's OutfitEven though it wasn't necessary due to his Sleeves of Many Garments, I went ahead and purchased this anyway (especially since he'd definitely have it in the first place, being an elven prince and all).

Most of the time he uses his Sleeves to dress down (usually opting for an elegant Traveler's Outfit), but it's always of high quality and clearly of elven make unless he intentionally chooses to disguise himself. (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy and Intimidate) (30gp + 50gp + 50gp), Masterwork Art Supplies (Artistry [Painting]) (50gp), Masterwork Elven Boots (Acrobatics, Dancing, and Stealth) (50gp +50gp + 50gp). Plus 40gp in coins and 50gp in assorted jewelry.

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices.

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have two quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Insightful Strike (formerly Smite Evil) can be used against any old opponent under your house rules? You know, as long as it doesn't violate his code, obviously. If so, does it continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead regardless of (a lack of) alignment?

2.) Does Focusing Grasp (same link as above) override the number of times he can use Insightful Strike per day, with the new limit being the number of Lay on Hands attempts he gets? The wording is a little confusing as it implies that Insightful Strike relies entirely on expending your martial focus now instead of having to rely on a resource counter.

3.) What should we do about his Aura of Good class feature?

Just tinkering away over here.

I've created new traditions as the character's concept has changed completely. Are they still acceptable? I tried to describe them better, including the rationale behind each choice as that seemed to be what you were after the most. I made sure to underline them in the martial tradition as my writing got away from me, whereas the caster tradition is a bit more succinct and obvious. 😆

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with any of these?

Starting Equipment:  Telekinesis Implement +2 (Sunsilver Holy Symbol) (free + 30gp), Sunsilver Buckler (Elven Bracers) (130gp), Singing Steel Chain Shirt +2 (Elfin Chain) (free + 750gp), Sleeves of Many Garments (refluffed as an elven shirt) (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy) (200gp + 50gp), Masterwork Eyes of the Eagles (Perception) (2,500gp + 50gp), Lesser Wizard's Gaming Cube (500gp), Masterwork Sunsilver Rapier (370gp), Noble's OutfitEven though it wasn't necessary due to his Sleeves of Many Garments, I went ahead and purchased this anyway (especially since he'd definitely have it in the first place, being an elven prince and all).

Most of the time he uses his Sleeves to dress down (usually opting for an elegant Traveler's Outfit), but it's always of high quality and clearly of elven make unless he intentionally chooses to disguise himself. (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy and Intimidate) (30gp + 50gp + 50gp), Masterwork Art Supplies (Artistry [Painting]) (50gp), Masterwork Elven Boots (Acrobatics, Dancing, and Stealth) (50gp +50gp + 50gp). Plus 40gp in coins and 50gp in assorted jewelry.

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices.

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have two quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Smite Evil can just be used against anyone under your house rules? If so, does it still continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead?

2.) Does Insightful Strike (formerlly Smite Evil) simply deal the smite damage to anyone without need for the Divine Alignment sphere effect, as outlined in the second half of the ability? If so, I'm assuming that Aura of Good is just lost instead of replaced, as it no longer serves a purpose. Would that be correct? Oh, also, does Insightful Strike mixed with Focusing Grasp (same link) override the number of times you can smite per day? The wording is a little confusing, as it implies that the limiter is now simply your martial focus.

Just tinkering away over here.

I've created new traditions as the character's concept has changed completely. Are they still acceptable? I tried to describe them better, including the rationale behind each choice as that seemed to be what you were after the most. I made sure to underline them in the martial tradition as my writing got away from me, whereas the caster tradition is a bit more succinct and obvious. 😆

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with any of these?

Starting Equipment:  Telekinesis Implement +2 (Sunsilver Holy Symbol) (free + 30gp), Sunsilver Buckler (Elven Bracers) (130gp), Singing Steel Chain Shirt +2 (Elfin Chain) (free + 750gp), Sleeves of Many Garments (refluffed as an elven shirt) (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy) (200gp + 50gp), Masterwork Eyes of the Eagles (Perception) (2,500gp + 50gp), Lesser Wizard's Gaming Cube (500gp), Masterwork Sunsilver Rapier (370gp), Noble's OutfitEven though it wasn't necessary due to his Sleeves of Many Garments, I went ahead and purchased this anyway (especially since he'd definitely have it in the first place, being an elven prince and all).

Most of the time he uses his Sleeves to dress down (usually opting for an elegant Traveler's Outfit), but it's always of high quality and clearly of elven make unless he intentionally chooses to disguise himself. (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy and Intimidate) (30gp + 50gp + 50gp), Masterwork Art Supplies (Artistry [Painting]) (50gp), Masterwork Elven Boots (Acrobatics, Dancing, and Stealth) (50gp +50gp + 50gp). Plus 40gp in coins and 50gp in assorted jewelry.

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices.

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have two quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Smite Evil can just be used against anyone under your house rules? If so, does it still continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead?

2.) Does Insightful Strike (formerlly Smite Evil) simply deal the smite damage to anyone without need for the Divine Alignment sphere effect, as outlined in the second half of the ability? If so, I'm assuming that Aura of Good is just lost instead of replaced, as it no longer serves a purpose. Would that be correct? Oh, also, does Insightful Strike mixed with Focusing Grasp (same link) override the number of times you can smite per day? The wording is a little confusing, as it implies that the limiter is now simply your martial focus.

Just tinkering away over here.

I've created new traditions as the character's concept has changed completely. Are they still acceptable? I tried to describe them better, including the rationale behind each choice as that seemed to be what you were after the most.

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with any of these?

Starting Equipment:  Telekinesis Implement +2 (Sunsilver Holy Symbol) (free + 30gp), Sunsilver Buckler (Elven Bracers) (130gp), Singing Steel Chain Shirt +2 (Elfin Chain) (free + 750gp), Sleeves of Many Garments (refluffed as an elven shirt) (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy) (200gp + 50gp), Masterwork Eyes of the Eagles (Perception) (2,500gp + 50gp), Lesser Wizard's Gaming Cube (500gp), Masterwork Sunsilver Rapier (370gp), Noble's OutfitEven though it wasn't necessary due to his Sleeves of Many Garments, I went ahead and purchased this anyway (especially since he'd definitely have it in the first place, being an elven prince and all).

Most of the time he uses his Sleeves to dress down (usually opting for an elegant Traveler's Outfit), but it's always of high quality and clearly of elven make unless he intentionally chooses to disguise himself. (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy and Intimidate) (30gp + 50gp + 50gp), Masterwork Art Supplies (Artistry [Painting]) (50gp), Masterwork Elven Boots (Acrobatics, Dancing, and Stealth) (50gp +50gp + 50gp). Plus 40gp in coins and 50gp in assorted jewelry.

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices.

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have two quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Smite Evil can just be used against anyone under your house rules? If so, does it still continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead?

2.) Does Insightful Strike (formerlly Smite Evil) simply deal the smite damage to anyone without need for the Divine Alignment sphere effect, as outlined in the second half of the ability? If so, I'm assuming that Aura of Good is just lost instead of replaced, as it no longer serves a purpose. Would that be correct? Oh, also, does Insightful Strike mixed with Focusing Grasp (same link) override the number of times you can smite per day? The wording is a little confusing, as it implies that the limiter is now simply your martial focus.

Just tinkering away over here.

I know I need to work on the descriptions a little more, especially for the all-but-non-existent one I've given his casting tradition, but I was curious if these both meet your expectations mechanically. I think the only thing that might be questionable is the Madness Mantra drawback as I'm sure some GMs don't care for that sort of thing. If so, I'd just swap it out for the second level of Somatic Casting, but it seemed appropriate to the character concept.

Martial Tradition: The Dance of the WinterlightEquipment: Custom Training (Longsword, Rapier, Scimitar), Magic Armor, Weaponmaster
Variable: You gain the Duelist or Lancer sphere, plus one exotic weapon proficiency of choice. The chosen weapon must be a bladed melee weapon.

Description: Killian is a student of the legendary bladesinger Ren of the Cloak, a fellow half-elf so named because of the magical cloak he wears that is made of an eldritch alloy of shadowstuff and elfin chain. While Ren—who had ever taken one other apprentice in his 600 years of life—only agreed to take on a second sabu'sun as a personal favor to Queen Alumarain, Ren eventually formed a strong bond with the gloomkin as the years rolled by, seeing much of himself in the hybrid orc. So it was little surprise when Ren decided to teach Killian the Valista'Sinthe, or the Dance of the Winterlight. The dance is an ancient art that focuses on finding the harmony within one's own body and mind, something Ren felt his student would benefit from due to the brutal instincts passed on to him by his father's blood.

Not to be confused with the fabled Bladesong, the dance does share some similarities. While bladesingers impose their song upon their opponent, practitioners of the dance follow the rhythm of battle, as if dancing to music that only they can hear. Further, the Valista'Sinthe focuses as much on defense as it does offense in a purely martial way, further deviating from their more offensively-aligned blade-magic of its famous counterpart. That said, watching a practitioner of both arts fighting side by side is truly a sight to behold!

On a simillar note, practitioners of the art share their cousin's predilection for blades, which they use in their whirling dance to keep themselves in constant motion so as to find an opening to inflict a multitude of bleeding injuries that wear their opponent's down rather than going straight for the kill, almost as if they were a cat playing with their prey. As a result, opponents find it difficult to draw a line of attack of their own, and even when they do they quickly discover that the dancer's seemingly innocuous gyrations have positioned themselves so that their armor deflects the brunt of the blow as if by magic.

That said, each practitioner of the Dance of the Winterlight also chooses a single exotic bladed weapon associated with their people with which to train, such as the curve blade or thornblade. In Killian's unique case, both he and Ren chose the so-called butchering axe favored by the orcs, not only for the aforementioned reason, but also to indulge the young gloomkin's desire to learn more about the other half of his heritage. It was particularly settled upon when, while it was clear the young boy was far too weak to wield the weapon—which he was immediately drawn to despite it being mounted on the wall as a mere trophy—he nevertheless was able to heft it up and spin it around as if it weighed next to nothing. Ren took it as a sign that the gods themselves intended for him to learn the intricacies of its use, not realizing at the time that it was simply the first real manifestation of his telekinetic powers.

Caster Tradition: The Will and the WayType: Psionic.
Casting Ability Modifier: Charisma (force of will).
Boons: +1 spell point, +1 per 1½ levels in a casting class.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Oath of Loyalty).
Unique Drawbacks: Somatic Casting 1. This replaces the Emotional Casting that most practitioners of the Way possess.

Description: Walkers of the Way is the loose translation of the archaic elven term Kaliesh'erai, or the "pilgrims of the most resplendent path of a thousand voices" to be even more precise. While few elves have ever manifested psychic powers, those who have tended to view them as less of a science and more of a religious calling, mistakenly believing their initial manifestations of telepathy as the voices of the gods themselves.

Walkers of the Way spend a great deal of time in serene meditation and quiet contemplation of their powers. And even as their understanding of their abilities grow as they come to realize the truth of their powers, they nevertheless continue to believe that they were blessed by their gods, often going so far as to take an oath to use their powers to serve them loyaly. Killian is no exception, though he has chosen to leave the sanctity of his temple to go out into the world after interpreting a number of omens (and choice words by the wicked high priest of his church who simply wanted to dispose of his relative ugliness, as he considered it a distraction from the many works of art at the temple) that lead him to believe it was his purpose in the pursuit of Findeladlara's grand design for the world.

As a unique curiosity, and despite most psychics—Walkers or otherwise—not needing to rely on their physical bodies in the practice of their art, Killian has always had to use his hands to mimic his metaphysical actions, particularly in the use of his telekinetic gifts. The more passionate the situation, the more flamboyant and extreme his movements become. In exchange, he's found that he does not require the tempered passions his fellow walkers require to manifest their powers; somehow, the psychosomatic gestures seem to compensate for the lack of emotional discipline. While he has rationalized this as simply some weird psychological crutch, he is completely unaware of the fact that most orogs—the orcs of the Darklands whose blood he shares, many of whom possess at least one wild talent if not a full expression of psionic ability—share this deviant trait; a truth further exemplified by his psychic discipline as an Ascendant Mind.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with any of these?

Starting Equipment:  Telekinesis Implement +2 (Sunsilver Holy Symbol) (free + 30gp), Sunsilver Buckler (Elven Bracers) (130gp), Singing Steel Chain Shirt +2 (Elfin Chain) (free + 750gp), Sleeves of Many Garments (refluffed as an elven shirt) (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy) (200gp + 50gp), Masterwork Eyes of the Eagles (Perception) (2,500gp + 50gp), Lesser Wizard's Gaming Cube (500gp), Masterwork Sunsilver Rapier (370gp), Noble's OutfitEven though it wasn't necessary due to his Sleeves of Many Garments, I went ahead and purchased this anyway (especially since he'd definitely have it in the first place, being an elven prince and all).

Most of the time he uses his Sleeves to dress down (usually opting for an elegant Traveler's Outfit), but it's always of high quality and clearly of elven make unless he intentionally chooses to disguise himself. (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy and Intimidate) (30gp + 50gp + 50gp), Masterwork Art Supplies (Artistry [Painting]) (50gp), Masterwork Elven Boots (Acrobatics, Dancing, and Stealth) (50gp +50gp + 50gp). Plus 40gp in coins and 50gp in assorted jewelry.

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?

I appreciate the words of comfort, but it just feels kind of meh when everyone is doing the same thing. I mean, I've enjoyed playing in all Fighter campaigns in the past, but even then you could still specialize in different forms of combat so everyone still felt like they were contributing something unique. In this case, Warp effects combined with sneak attack has so little variance that it would feel so very samey even despite personality differences or weapon choices.

Besides, my new concept is already starting to grow on me: A half-orc raised amongst elven nobles, who is now a paladin on a holy quest from his goddess (the elven goddess of art and the preservation thereof) to go out into the world and recover lost elven artifacts. Granted psychic powers either as a result of his abominable heritage or a gift from his deity (he knows not which, but has faith), he's out exploring the world for the first time on his own, having previously lived a sheltered life in his mother's palace due to the prejudices of the common folk.

Basically, a sheltered pretty-boy orc who sees the world and its peoples as a work of art, but possesses the brutal savagry of his father's people just beneath the surface that really comes out in the heat of battle. His traditions, especially the martial one, is really going to play along those lines, too.

That said, and after reading through the questions and answers thread, I do have two quick questions.

1.) I'm assuming Smite Evil can just be used against anyone under your house rules? If so, does it still continue to deal double damage to outsiders, dragons, and undead?

2.) Does Insightful Strike (formerlly Smite Evil) simply deal the smite damage to anyone without need for the Divine Alignment sphere effect, as outlined in the second half of the ability? If so, I'm assuming that Aura of Good is just lost instead of replaced, as it no longer serves a purpose. Would that be correct? Oh, also, does Insightful Strike mixed with Focusing Grasp (same link) override the number of times you can smite per day? The wording is a little confusing, as it implies that the limiter is now simply your martial focus.

Just tinkering away over here.

I know I need to work on the descriptions a little more, especially for the all-but-non-existent one I've given his casting tradition, but I was curious if these both meet your expectations mechanically. I think the only thing that might be questionable is the Madness Mantra drawback as I'm sure some GMs don't care for that sort of thing. If so, I'd just swap it out for the second level of Somatic Casting, but it seemed appropriate to the character concept.

MARTIAL TRADITION
Name: TBD. The Graceful Art of Savagery or some variation of that possibly.
Description: TBD. For consideration, it is a unique style developed by Killian and his teacher Ren of the Cloak, mixing the fierce brutality of his father's people that burns deep within his heart with the grace and training of his mother's that rules his mind. Ren, an elven bladesinger/rogue famous for his magical cloak made of elfin chain, taught him not only the beauty of the elven way of life, but humored his interest in his orcish heritage as well. He knew that trying to contain the beast was folly, and it was far more healthy to instead embrace his darker side so that he could channel it in pursuit of the greater good.
Equipment: Custom Training (Battleaxe, Elven Thornblade, Heavy Flail, Rapier), Magic Armor.
Variable:  You gain the Duelist sphere, the Fencing sphere, or the Weaponmaster talent from the Equipment sphere.
Variable: You gain the Brute sphere or the Lancer sphere.

Side Note:  Man, Custom Training is awful. I don't understand the extra cost for exotic weapons when all the other similar talents give them out like candy, and with half of them throwing in a rider effect to boot, but c'est la vie. Regardless, Killian will most likely opt for Weaponmaster and Lancer for his variables.

CASTING TRADITION
Name: TBD. I haven't yet thought up a clever or succinct title.
Description: Killian's psychic powers are able to manifest due to a combination of his own mind (Consciousness Linked and Mental Focus) and his faith (Focus Casting and Oathbound Casting). As a specialist in telekinesis, he's also developed a psychological crutch where he relies on various hand and body gestures that mimic the actions he's performing with his powers (Somatic Casting 1), incorporating his sweet, sweet dance moves into the mix on ocassion (but not enough to warrant Skilled Casting as it doesn't affect his other spheres at all). The latter plus Charisma's relationship to the power of one's will reflect his CAM.
Type: Psionic.
Casting Ability: Charisma.
Drawbacks: Consciousness Linked, Focus Casting (Holy Symbol), Mental Focus, Oathbound Casting (Loyalty), Somatic Casting 1.
Boons: +1 spell point per level.
Sphere-Specific Drawbacks: Illusion: Disappearance, Obscura Mage, Personal Illusion. Warp: Inanimate Teleport, Short Teleport. Mind: Lost in Translation, Tactile Charm. Illusion is used to "cloud one's mind," or to turn invisible, while Warp is generally only used to collect and store the various works of art he collects. Mind is mostly used for comprehend languages, but he can do charms the Spock way with physical contact; it's not exactly his strong suit.

Last but not least, do you have any problems with any of these?

Starting Equipment:  Telekinesis Implement +2 (Sunsilver Holy Symbol) (free + 30gp), Sunsilver Buckler (Elven Bracers) (130gp), Singing Steel Chain Shirt +2 (Elfin Chain) (free + 750gp), Sleeves of Many Garments (refluffed as an elven shirt) (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy) (200gp + 50gp), Masterwork Eyes of the Eagles (Perception) (2,500gp + 50gp), Lesser Wizard's Gaming Cube (500gp), Masterwork Sunsilver Rapier (370gp), Noble's OutfitEven though it wasn't necessary due to his Sleeves of Many Garments, I went ahead and purchased this anyway (especially since he'd definitely have it in the first place, being an elven prince and all).

Most of the time he uses his Sleeves to dress down (usually opting for an elegant Traveler's Outfit), but it's always of high quality and clearly of elven make unless he intentionally chooses to disguise himself. (Masterwork Tool: Diplomacy and Intimidate) (30gp + 50gp + 50gp), Masterwork Art Supplies (Artistry [Painting]) (50gp), Masterwork Elven Boots (Acrobatics, Dancing, and Stealth) (50gp +50gp + 50gp). Plus 40gp in coins and 50gp in assorted jewelry.

Code of Conduct: For Killian's code, I was planning on basing it on his deity rather than on the traditional paladin values, but still of a moral high ground (mostly). Examples of what I'm thinking include "stealing is acceptable as long as it is not for personal gain," "vandals of art or architecture shall not be abided," "protect art and artists at any cost," "defend the elven way of life," "inspire others," "protect the homes of those who cannot protect them themselves," and things along those lines. Given that she herself has befriended a succubus-turned-goddess, things like "working with evil shall not be tolerated" and whatnot doesn't seem important to her, so including something like "tolerate those who do evil, but only as long as they do not violate your code" or something like that would fit well (and make him much less "Awful Good" which can often by all but unplayable, especially given some of the other applications I've glanced at). Would that be an acceptable route to take, or would you prefer more traditional paladiny-ness in it?