Initiator Balance Rule

INITIATOR BALANCE RULE

All PCs earn the ability to use martial abilities according to their BAB, granted through the Martial Training and Discipline Style feats, as an extra bonus. This rule balances caster and martial classes, while making combat much more fun.

1) Once selected you may not change your discipline.

2) You must still meet the prerequisites to receive the benefits of the feat.

3) If you already have the feat, you may instead take the next untaken feat on the table.

4) The feats otherwise work as described.


ADJUSTED BAB

The adjusted BAB (aBAB) is determined by taking your BAB and subtracting the highest level of spells you are able to cast.

Note: Do not include classes that count as full initiator levels (such as Stalker, Warder, Warlord, Bladecaster, etc). These classes never count towards your aBAB. 𝒂𝑩𝑨𝑩 = 𝐵𝐴𝐵 − 𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝐿𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙

aBAB Feat

4 Martial Training I

6 Martial Training II

8 Discipline Style I

10 Martial Training III

12 Martial Training IV

14 Discipline Style II

16 Martial Training V

18 Martial Training VI

20 Discipline Style III


ARCANE INITIATORS

Certain classes, such as the Bladecaster, give existing spellcasting levels as well as full initiator levels. These spellcasting levels never count towards the highest spell level you are able to cast, because aBAB is never affected by initiator classes. Ignore any spellcasting increases granted by initiator classes.

Put simply: when calculating aBAB, ignore initiator classes.

EXAMPLES

An 8th level Magus has a BAB of +6 and can cast 3rd level spells.

𝑎𝐵𝐴𝐵 = 6 − 3 = 3

Because his aBAB is below 4, he does not receive a bonus feat yet.

A 6th level Ranger has a BAB of +6 and can cast 1st level spells.

𝑎𝐵𝐴𝐵 = 6 − 1 = 5

Because his aBAB is at least 4, he receives Martial Training I as a bonus feat.

A 6th level Bard has a BAB of +4 and can cast 2nd level spells.

𝑎𝐵𝐴𝐵 = 4 − 2 = 2

If that same 6th level Bard takes his next 2 levels in Bladecaster, it allows him to cast 3rd level Bard spells. However, this extra spell level comes from Bladecaster, which is an initiator class (its levels count as full initiator levels). As initiator classes are ignored when calculating aBAB, the Bard's aBAB will not change regardless of how many Bladecaster levels he takes. If he later takes another level in Bard, his aBAB will be the same as a normal 7th level Bard.