Armor Penetration, Class Abilities, and Magical Effects

Although the Armor Penetration^APT rules covered equipment in a fair amount of detail, no rules covered unique class-based or spell-based weaponry (such as the alchemist’s bombs, the sorcerer’s bloodline abilities, and touch spells such as enervation) in the original release. The intention was that such unique abilities would still target touch AC in an environment where firearms didn’t, but some players may feel that such a distinction breaks verisimilitude.

If one wishes to us the armor penetration rules with class and magical abilities, the armor penetration value of such abilities is equal to the class level of the user (for example, the elemental ray ability of a 12thlevel elemental sorcerer would have an AP value of 12, while the bombs of a 6th-level alchemist^APG would have an AP value of 6). Monsters with such abilities use their CR as their effective class level to determine their AP. Magical, psionic, or sphere effects that rely upon touch attacks have an armor penetration value equal to their caster or manifester level (for example, a scorching ray cast by a 10th-level wizard would have an AP value of 10 while a ghost strike^USoP used by a 4th-level mageknight^USoP would have an AP value of 2 unless other modifiers to caster level were applied).

Enhanced Talent Progression

Some GMs and players may feel that certain talent progressions make certain classes unviable compared to others, with classes such as the armorist and mageknight being doubly penalized by their low caster level progression and lack of talent options. This variant rule is intended to alleviate this issue with classes or archetypes that may fall behind others.

Under the enhanced talent progression rules, every class which would gain a magic talent with every caster level they gain in a class instead gains a magic talent with every class level that they gain in the class. If the class possesses the blended training class feature, they may select a combat talent in place of a magic talent.

Certain classes may not be appropriate for this enhanced talent progression if their low progression is balanced against full caster level progression (such as the thaumaturge, stellar echo, or imperator), the ability to alternate talents daily (such as the sphere arcanist or the monadic sage solarian), or a class ability which grants which effectively enhances sphere progression (such as a sage’s style talents or an antiquarian armiger’s mystic bond).

Psionic Options in Spheres of Power

While psionic feats and equipment have a distinct set of mechanics attached to them, most of these mechanics can be converted with relative ease to characters and games that utilize Spheres of Power. Feats, equipment, and other abilities which use psionics-specific subsystems should be converted based on the following parameters.

Psionic Feats

Any character that possess a casting tradition is capable of selecting psionic feats^UP. The character uses their magic skill bonus as their manifester level and total levels in a psionic class for the purpose of meeting prerequisites. Feats which would grant a character power points instead grant them an equal number of spell points.

If a class would grant the ability to select psionic feats as bonus feats, a character can also select an extra magic talent, champion feats, or any feat which has casting as a prerequisite (Item Creation feats, Metamagic Feats, Sphere Focus^USoP, Circle Casting^USoP, etc.).

Power Points

For any purpose save for manifesting powers, a character may spend spell points in place of power points. A spell point is worth a number of power points equal to 1 + the caster’s MSB/4 (rounded down). (for example, a level 5 elan^UP dread^UP could spend a spell point to reduce damage taken by 4 with their resilience racial trait, spend 2 spell points to increase the damage from their horrible strike terror by 2d6, or spend a single spell point to empower their deep crystal weapon to deal additional damage, as 1 spell point is worth 2 power points. If the dread were level 13, these values would change to 8 and 4d6 respectively, as 1 spell point would be worth 4 power points). When converting spell points into power points, you cannot spend a number of effective power points greater than your caster level.

Psionic Focus

If a character possess the mental focus^USoP drawback, they may expend mental focus as if it were psionic focus for any purpose. For the purpose of meeting prerequisites, the Fast Focus^SACT2 feat counts as the Psionic Meditation^UP feat. Any feat or ability that would affect psionic focus (such as the Deep Focus feat) instead affects mental focus. Alternatively, a character may spend a spell point in place of psionic focus to achieve an effect which would require it.

Psibertech (APT)

Characters can select psibertech in place of combat talents, magic talents, feats, or bonus feats if they possess a spell point pool.

Collectives

If a character possesses the collective class feature, they may target willing creatures within their collective with any sphere effect that has a range greater than personal. All other nonrange restrictions still apply.

Psionic Prestige Classes

A character with spherecasting abilities counts as having a pool of power points for the purpose of meeting prerequisites and can use their caster level in place of a manifester for the purpose of meeting prerequisites. They are considered capable of manifesting powers with a level equal to half their caster level and may substitute magic talents for similar psionic powers. At every level that a psionic prestige class would grant an increase to powers known and manifester level, a character can instead choose to increase their caster level by 1 and learn a magic talent. Every level in a prestige class which could grant power points, increased manifester level, or powers known can increase a character’s spell pool by 1 spell point for every level they possess.

Effects of these prestige classes which apply to power points instead apply to spell points, converting the amounts as normal (see the Power Points rules above). Effects that apply to psionic powers may instead apply to talents.