Archetypes where you can choose what abilities to replace?

prototype00 · May 29th, 2012, 02:44 AM

I was playing around with HeroLab yesterday, and I noticed that for the Qinggong monk, you are required to take all the archetype levels and replace them all with ki powers, however as I understand it that is not the intent from Paizo, and that you can choose which abilities to replace.

Having played around with the editor (made a rogue scout archetype for the ninja, which it actually qualifies for under the rules, yay!

), I was wondering how hard it would be to code for an archetype where you have a list of class abilities that you can replace and a list of ki powers that you can take at the appropriate levels?

Does anyone with experience with the editor know how hard this would be to do?

Cheers,

prototype00

chiefweasel · May 29th, 2012, 04:24 AM

In the editor there is an option to "Replace Item". So if you want a different skill for Jumps, lets say, you would create your version of Jump and replace the current version by checking the "Replace Item" field.

Your question might be more complcated though, do you have any more details?

prototype00 · May 29th, 2012, 06:10 AM

A qinggong monk is basically a core monk with all the usual monk abilities (though they've obviously lost the ones that other archetypes replace, if any other archetypes are taken).

If they want to, they can choose to drop an ability (say high jump at lvl 4, when they reach level 4) to choose from a list of ki powers instead.

These ki powers all have a certain level requirement, so if you're lvl 8, you can only pick the ki powers that are lvl 8 or lower.

But the thing that they aren't required to do is to drop all the listed replaceable abilities and replace them all with ki powers which is the way it currently works in Herolab.

So I was wondering if there was a way to make said pick and choose Qinggong archetype in the editor.

prototype00

Mathias · May 29th, 2012, 07:03 AM

The Qinggong Monk archetype is already available in HL You'll need to purchase the Ultimate Magic package.

prototype00 · May 29th, 2012, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mathias

The Qinggong Monk archetype is already available in HL You'll need to purchase the Ultimate Magic package.

I'm aware of this, and I have this package. But as I said in my first post, it replaces all the abilities that the archetype lists and doesn't allow you to pick which ones to replace.

prototype00

Aaron · May 29th, 2012, 07:26 AM

However, the original abilities are present as ki powers, so you can add them back as choices at the appropriate level or later if you wish.

Mathias · May 29th, 2012, 07:27 AM

I just added 4 levels of Monk and the Qinggong Monk archetype to a blank character, and on the Monk tab, it offers me one Ki Power selection, as it should, because the archetype gives its first option at 4th level.

prototype00 · May 29th, 2012, 07:34 AM

But can you say that you didn't want to give up slow fall for the ki power? I.e. can you as a Qinggong monk keep slow fall and not pick a ki power for that level? Because in the Qinggong monk description, it's optional whether you give up the ability for the ki power or not:

Quote:

A qinggong monk can select a ki power (see below) for which she qualifies in place of the following monk class abilities: slow fall (4th), high jump (5th), wholeness of body (7th), diamond body (11th), abundant step (12th), diamond soul (13th), quivering palm (15th), timeless body (17th), tongue of the sun and moon (17th), empty body (19th), and perfect self (20th). This replaces the monk class ability the qinggong monk gives up for this ki power.

emphasis mine, of course.

prototype00

Aaron · May 29th, 2012, 07:36 AM

I think mathias, that the user wants the ability to choose which monk abilities to swap out for ki powers on an individual basis rather than having all removed. My contention is that this is not necessary because even though an ability is replaced, you can add it back in as a ki power, resulting in no net change.

Edit: Ninja'd

prototype00 · May 29th, 2012, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron

I think mathias, that the user wants the ability to choose which monk abilities to swap out for ki powers on an individual basis rather than having all removed. My contention is that this is not necessary because even though an ability is replaced, you can add it back in as a ki power, resulting in no net change.

Edit: Ninja'd

Ah, sorry Aaron, hadn't seen your previous statement. If I might voice two objections to this?

1.) The original abilities given up are sometimes available only at the next level from when they are available, i.e. if you give up high jump at 5th level, you don't get it back until 6th level. Its fine in the long run, but sometimes you just don't want to give up a power at that level?

2.) It basically locks out all other monk archetypes (because the class doesn't have any of the listed abilities to start out with, it has a bunch of ki power selections) when it in reality is the archetype that blends with every other monk archetype.

Or am I missing a workaround here?

prototype00

Mathias Senior Member Lone Wolf Staff Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 13,213 May 29th, 2012, 07:03 AM	The Qinggong Monk archetype is already available in HL You'll need to purchase the Ultimate Magic package.
#4

Aaron Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 6,793 May 29th, 2012, 07:26 AM	However, the original abilities are present as ki powers, so you can add them back as choices at the appropriate level or later if you wish.
#6