Shikai type: Barrier

[blackestofmages]

so, hey y'all, this should probably be in the team section but I fugured this part of the board must look rather dead, so I decided to put it here

just a suggested revision of the barrier type, based on adding SEP costs to the types. main change is adding things for barrier to actually do, rather than having the whole type be passive also, there was a lot of repeated stuff which is now gone. funnilty enough, the armour from this section was less customisable than the one from the weapon type that is no longer the case

Special: Unlike normal armour, the Armour of the gods ability is not limited by the normal +10 maximum of magical armour. The static bonus is still capped at +5

Armour of the Gods
Prerequisites: None
Activation cost: None
When released, your Zanpakuto encases you in a suit of armour of your choice, selected at the time when this ability is taken. This suit is masterwork, but has no other enhancements or special materials. You can also chose to manifest a shield with your armour (or in place of it), with all of the normal penalties. This too is masterwork. Both the shield and armour are spiked (or equivalent).
At Level 4, when you activate your armour, you may choose one material. Your armour functions as if it was made of that armour. You may choose a different material each time you release this ability.
At level 8, and every 4 levels thereafter, the AC bonus of your armour is increased by +1

Improved Armour of the Gods
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods
Activation Cost: None
It lets you designate either your armour or a shield (if present) from armour of the gods and increase its enhancement bonus by +1 for every time this ability is taken. Alternately, you may give your armour or shield one enchantment (such as fortification) with an effective bonus of +1 or +2. this ability can be taken multiple times. You must have a minimum enhancement bonus of +1 to take this second ability.
This ability may be taken multiple times. It's effects stack.

Greater Armour of the Gods
Prerequisites: armour of the gods, improved armour of the gods +1, two other barrier abilities.
Activation Cost: None
Your Armour of the Gods gains an ability with an effective enhancement bonus of +3 or +4.
This ability may be taken multiple times, but each time after the first requires an additional +1 Armour of the Gods (so the second time requires +2, et cetera).

Superior Armor of the Gods
Perquisites: Armour of the gods, +5 enhancement bonus (not including abilities)
Activation cost: None
You gain a single armor ability rated at +5 enhancement bonus.

Defensive Surge
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods
Activation cost: 3 sep
As an immediate action in response to a single attack, you may gain +4 to your AC against that attack. This ability may be taken multiple times, each time adds +4 to your AC bonus.

Greater Defensive Surge
Prerequisites: Defensive Surge
Activation Cost: 5 sep
Instead of lasting for one attack, Defensive Surge lasts until the start of your next turn. The maximum lasting bonus is +8, any more applys only to the first attack.

Iron Body
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods
Activation Cost: 2 sep when the sword is released
The User gains DR 2/-, which stacks with any other DR.
This ability may be taken multiple times. It's effects also stack

True Defense:
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods, two other Barrier abilities
Activation Cost: none
It allows you to take an extra swift or immediate action each turn, but only if the immediate action is used for a barrier ability.

Spell Resistance
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods, three other armour abilities
Activation Cost: 2 sep when the sword is released
It gives you an SR of your character level +5. This can be taken multiple times, each time gives you an additional +5 to your SR.

Protective
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods
Activation Cost: none. Only functions whilst Armour of the gods is active.
This ability gives you +2 to any one saving throw.
This ability may be taken multiple times. It's effects stack

Shielding
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods
Activation Cost: none. Only functions whilst Armour of the gods is active.
This ability gives you a +2 deflection bonus to AC. It may be taken multiple times, its effects stack.

Divine Guard
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods, two other barrier abilities
Activation Cost: 5 sep. Only functions whilst Armour of the gods is active.
Will, Reflex, or Fortitude. As an immediate action in response to an attack, you can gain +4 untyped bonus to the chosen trait against that attack. This ability may be taken multiple times; each time you can choose a new trait or upgrade an existing trait's bonus by +2. Each trait must be activated individually
each trait counts as a seperate ability for the purpose of determining the maximum number of ranks in this power

Improved Divine Guard
Prerequisites: Divine Guard
Activation Cost: 7 sep. Only functions whilst Armour of the gods is active
When using Divine Guard, you can instead gain your untyped bonus against all attacks made by that opponent in a round.

Greater Divine Guard
prerequisites: improved divine guard, three other Barrier abilities
activation cost: 9 sep. Only functions when armour of the gods is active
As a move action, you can gain your trait bonuses against all attacks for one round. If you choose to execute a total defence action, you can activate this ability as a swift action instead

Expanded Divine Guard
prerequisites: divine guard,
activation cost: none
Requires Divine Guard and one other Barrier ability. You can gain multiple trait bonuses in a round against a single opponent as part of the same immediate action.

Divine Form
prerequisites: Improved Armour of the gods, Protective applied to all 3 saves, Deflecting, Spell resistance and Iron Body
activation cost: 5 sep
As a swift action, you may gain +2 ac, +2 dr/-, +5 spell resistance and +2 to all saving throws. This lasts until your zanpakuto is sealed. All bonuses are untyped, and stack with all others.
This ability may be taken multiple times. Each time increases the ac, dr and save bonuses by 1, and the spell resistance by 5

Greater Divine Form
prerequisites: Divine form, Greater armour of the Gods
activation cost: 3 sep. Can only be used during Divine Form
As an immediate action, whilst Divine Form is active, you can increase your DR, AC and save bonuses by +2, and your spell resistance by +5. this lasts until the start of your next turn. You can choose to activate this ability multiple times. Each time, the cost is increased by +1 (so twice is +7, 3 times is +12 etc)

Lofty Challenge
prerequisites: Armour of the Gods
Actviation cost: 3 sep
Select one enemy within hearing range. That enemy must make a will save with a dc equal to 10 + ½ character level + reistu stat modifier. If they fail, then they must target you with their abilities. The enemy is entitled to a new will save each round
This ability can be taken multiple times. Each time, the save dc is increased by 2

Thicket of Blades
prerequisites: Lofty Challenge. Two other barrier abilities
Activation cost: 3 sep
As a swift action, you can gain the benefits of the Thicket of Blades stance. This is in addition to any other martial stance you where otherwise using. This does not fill any prerequisites for any other stance or manoeuvre.

Defensive Rebuke
prerequisites: Lofty Challenge. Two other barrier abilities
activation cost: 3 sep
You gain use of the Defensive Rebuke manoeuvre. This does not need to be readied – the boost is activated when you use this ability. This does not fill any prerequisites for any other stance or manoeuvre.

Eternal Bastion
Prerequisites: Armour of the gods, two other barrier abilities
Activation cost: None. Only functions whilst Armour of the Gods is active
you gain fast healing 3. This ability can be taken multiple times. It's effects stack

Ardent Defender
Prerequisites: Armour of the gods, two other barrier abilities
Activation Cost: 5 sep
Whenever an adjacent ally suffers damage, you can use this ability as an immediate action. You take half the damage they suffer. This damage ignores your own damage reduction and always causes lethal damage.

Steely Resolve
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods, two other barrier abilities
Activation Cost: none
You gain steely resolve 5, as the Crusader class feature. This ability can be taken multiple times. Each time increases your Delayed Damage pool by 5

Furious Counterstroke
Prerequisites: Armour of the Gods, Steely Resolve, two other barrier abilities
Activation Cost: none
You gain furious counterstroke, as the Crusader class feature

Wall
prerequisites: Two barrier abilites
activation cost:
This allows the Zanpakuto to create a 40-foot long, 10-foot high, 5-foot thick wall which can be placed anywhere within 100 feet of the wielder as a standard action, dealing its normal damage to all in range or who attempt to pass through it. The wall does not hamper movement. Everyone in range may make a reflex save (DC 10+1/2 wielder's HD+Con) for half damage. The wall last for a number of minutes equal to your shinigami level, or until it is destroyed.
You can only have one wall active at any one time. you can dismiss your wall as a free action.
the wall does not need to be made in a strait line
This ability can be taken multiple times. Each time increases the hieght by 10 ft, the wifht by 5 ft and the length by 10 ft

Improved Wall
prerequisites: Wall, three other barrier abilities
Activation cost: 5 sep
This requires Wall and at least one other Barrier ability. Instead of being passable, you can choose to create a wall of iron inscribed with magic runes that deal your Zanpakuto damage to anyone who touches the wall. This wall can be destroyed as normal for an iron wall.
You can choose not to deal this damage. If someone you know touches the wall, you know who they are as though you're looking at them even if you're not.

Greater Wall
Prerequisite: Improved Wall, four other barrier abilities
Activation cost: 5 sep
You can choose to create a wall of invulnerable force that does not deal damage when using Wall.

Superior Wall
Prerequisites: Greater wall, six other barrier abilities
Activation cost: 7 sep
Your Force Wall now deals Zanpakuto damage.

[TheMageKing]

I approve. Especcially since you seem to have taken my previous proofreading to heart. I'll be going over this again next week- the weekend is going to be quite full for me, as you can no doubt guess...

[Major]

What barrier needs is a way to create a tank/cage as well as a wall. I also dislike the SEP cost, but whatever...

I at least accept that the immediate action ones can use SEP, I don't think other ones do since they cost actions. Especially wall...why does wall need a cost?

[blackestofmages]

I at least accept that the immediate action ones can use SEP, I don't think other ones do since they cost actions. Especially wall...why does wall need a cost?

so, by that reckoning it's fine that they have access to a wall-of-force that deals damage for free, because it uses an action? I'm sure people must love playing spellcasters with you as a dm, unlimited spells since they use actions

wall has a cost because being able to block off a rather large portion of the battlefield is a pretty powerful ability. moreso that those walls deal damage

and if you notice, the normal cost for a wall of force would be 9 sep, your sword does it for 5, which is nearly half the cost.

you have two choices on sword abilities: we drop the ones that have any form of an effect, or they have an SEP cost. these abilities are far more potent and varied than a warlock's invocations, giving them an unlimited amout to shinigami means that every other class needs to be identical to be fair, or be nowhere near them in power to retain some flavour.

and really, if you manage to run out of SEP with those numbers, there's something seriously wrong with what your doing

[blackestofmages]

Oct 21, 2011 12:36:30 GMT -5 TheMageKing said:

I approve. Especcially since you seem to have taken my previous proofreading to heart. I'll be going over this again next week- the weekend is going to be quite full for me, as you can no doubt guess...

no I haven't I've used this format from the begining. you just like to take credit you creditstealing credit thief.

[Dionon]

Not bad, I like the new abilities though I had to look up Thicket of Blades and Furious Counterstrike lol. Don't think the SEP costs are that high, they seem perfectly manageable and not high at all. This definitely wasn't what I was railing against before, so good on ya for that.

[blackestofmages]

changed wall because it was the old, sucky version, not the edited version (which is why I was confused as to major's nonunderstanding of it deserving a cost)

now lasts for a decent ammount of time, can be used to make said cage/tank, and lets you keep your sword

@ dio: thank you kindly. I felt ToB seemed more appropriate for something like armour than spamming spellz. also, this lets you build a shinigami crusader

[Major]

Oct 21, 2011 13:18:28 GMT -5 blackestofmages said:

I at least accept that the immediate action ones can use SEP, I don't think other ones do since they cost actions. Especially wall...why does wall need a cost?

so, by that reckoning it's fine that they have access to a wall-of-force that deals damage for free, because it uses an action? I'm sure people must love playing spellcasters with you as a dm, unlimited spells since they use actions

wall has a cost because being able to block off a rather large portion of the battlefield is a pretty powerful ability. moreso that those walls deal damage

and if you notice, the normal cost for a wall of force would be 9 sep, your sword does it for 5, which is nearly half the cost.

you have two choices on sword abilities: we drop the ones that have any form of an effect, or they have an SEP cost. these abilities are far more potent and varied than a warlock's invocations, giving them an unlimited amout to shinigami means that every other class needs to be identical to be fair, or be nowhere near them in power to retain some flavour.

and really, if you manage to run out of SEP with those numbers, there's something seriously wrong with what your doing

Except that its a wall... It's super easy to jump over when you are a shinigami due to the ease of jumping (hell or just walking on air)

Following that the damage isn't as big as most damage dealers so damage is rather irrelevant.

As such in normal D&D sure, it's a good idea to put on SEP...however it kinda sucks in Bleach.

changed wall because it was the old, sucky version, not the edited version (which is why I was confused as to major's nonunderstanding of it deserving a cost)

*goes to reread wall*

[blackestofmages]

Except that its a wall... It's super easy to jump over when you are a shinigami due to the ease of jumping (hell or just walking on air)

that's why you make it in midair also, a 20 ft vertical jump still isn't all that easy even for a shinigami, let alone boosting it further (and walking on air currently has a dc of 40, so ). by that same logic, your beloved water ilusionist is just as useless because the will save is pretty easy to make as standard

[Major]

It still sucks...

Either the wall is indestructible but REALLY small (5ft high, 20 foot long without extensions). A DC 5 jump and the wall is useless. Big deal.

It does Zanpakuto damage. Big deal. You know what else deals Zanpakuto damage? Every other ability and they do it better.

So for a shit ton of abilities and 7SP you have successfully created an indestructible wall that get laughed at and ignored.

Seriously, 7 abilities and 7 SEP to do Zanpakuto damage and make a 5ft high wall.

[Major]

Oct 21, 2011 14:10:19 GMT -5 blackestofmages said:

Except that its a wall... It's super easy to jump over when you are a shinigami due to the ease of jumping (hell or just walking on air)

that's why you make it in midair also, a 20 ft vertical jump still isn't all that easy even for a shinigami, let alone boosting it further (and walking on air currently has a dc of 40, so ). by that same logic, your beloved water ilusionist is just as useless because the will save is pretty easy to make as standard

Actually its not...Shinigami tend to fight hollows. Hollows have bad will saves most the time and its super easy to bump the will save higher. As a water specialist I never had anyone make the save and didn't care the few times they did. Plus even if they make the will save it just means they take less damage, they still take the damage and you are still invisible.

Plus a 5ft high wall even in midair isn't a big deal. Either they wall under or jump over. It might not be easy to make, but you are forgeting that making it a wall of force halves the size.

[blackestofmages]

suggested ability:

shape wall
prerequisites: wall, x other barrier abilities
activation cost: none
as a full round action, you can reshape your wall, so long as the total area does not change. this can be used to make the wall any shape, such as a cube, or a unicorn, so long as it does not have a greater total area

[Major]

Interesting...so you could make a force cage with that? I like it. Now I want to make a Barrier/Water type. Despite still thinking it sucks...

[blackestofmages]

Plus a 5ft high wall even in midair isn't a big deal. Either they wall under or jump over. It might not be easy to make, but you are forgeting that making it a wall of force halves the size.

it does? *goes to edit that*

also, how do you figure hollows have a bad will save? sheer bigheadedness if you ask me

also, consider the walls damage if you go fire (potential +8d6) or weapon (vorpal vampiric dancing wall!). slightly less pathetic

[Major]

Eh, it's still not that great. Most likely people will avoid the wall so you only get one hit and they get a save. Still, it's not horrible if the size is better.

I dislike the height though. 10ft isn't great, but its much better than 5ft. Plus without the half it means taking abilities to increase height is actually worth it.

Edit: Now that you fixed it its much better. Not great, but much better. It MIGHT be possible to build something with it now.