When the chips are down and everything is on the line, the only way to succeed in the battle is to exceed everything you thought you were capable of. Though they gather strength from different sources, each warrior who stands on the field of battle must, eventually, come to realise the limits of their abilities.
And then shatter them.
Limit Breaks
A limit break is a special ability available to any character with class levels. Some monsters can also use limit breaks as noted in their description. At the start of each day, a character must choose which type of limit break mode they wish to use: Arcane, Battle, Daredevil, Medic or Stoic. A character’s class(es) determine which limit break gauge they may choose from.
Limit Break Gauge
At first level, a character’s limit break gauge has a maximum of 20. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, your limit break gauge increases by an additional 5.
For every 5 points in this gauge, a character is considered to have one limit break "stack". Limit breaks rely on how many stacks you have available to you.
How they fill this gauge differs based on their limit break mode:
Arcane:
A limit break mode for those who use their magical prowess to bring their enemies low.
Whenever a character using this limit break mode successfully casts a spell that deals damage, they add an amount to their LB gauge based on how much MP sent: 1-5 adds 1 to your gauge, 6-10 adds 2 to, 11-15 adds 3 and 16-20 adds 4. If you're spending less than half your caster level in MP, you add 1 less to your LB gauge, to a minimum of 1. If you're spending MP equal to (or greater than) your caster level, you gain an additional 1 to your LB gauge.
Some classes possess the pseudomagic ability, which allows them to spend MP to use abilites that are not actually spells. MP spent to activate those abilities adds to that character's limit break gauge as if they were casting spells, using their class level as their caster level for determining how much is added.
Additionally, whenever a character using this limit break mode makes a successful attack with a mage weapon, they add 1 to their LB gauge.
Battle:
A limit break mode for those who wade into battle using their skill at arms to defeat all before them.
The first time each round a character with this limit break mode makes an attack roll with a weapon (Including unarmed strikes or natural weapons) that deals physical or physElemental damage, they add 2 to their gauge. For each additional successful attack, they add 1 to their gauge. If the character scores a critical hit (Regardless of whether the target takes extra damage from crits), the battle user adds an additional amount to their gauge equal to the critical multiplier of the attack.
Daredevil:
A limit break mode for those who dart about the battlefield, dancing about their foes as they dodge their blows.
Whenever a character using this limit break mode is the subject of an unsuccessful attack (Either because the attack roll was a failure or because of miss chance. Attacks of opportunity are excluded.), or successfully makes a reflex saving throw they add 1 to their limit break gauge.
Additionally whenever the daredevil user is the target of an attack of opportunity, they add 2 to their limit break gauge. For each subsequent attack of opportunity provoked, they increase the gain by 1 (So, first AoO is 2 points, second is 3 and so forth), to a maximum of 5 points added per attack of opportunity provoked. This gain carries over across multiple turns, but if the daredevil user goes one full round without provoking an attack of opportunity, the increased gain is reset back to 2.
However, if the daredevil user provokes an attack of opportunity but it is not followed through (Such as against an opponent that has already made it), they add only 1 point to their gauge, but they do maintain the increased gain.
Medic:
A limit break mode for those who focus their efforts on soothing the wounds of their allies.
Whenever a character using this limit break mode successfully casts a spell or uses an ability that heals hit point damage*, they add an amount to their LB gauge based on how much HP the healed character had before being healed: 75% or more adds 1, 74%-50% adds 2, 49%-25% adds 3, while 24% and under adds 4. For effects that heal over time, such as regen or other sources of fast healing, they add to their gauge when they grant those effects. Additionally, whenever a character using this limit break mode grants themselves or an ally a positive status effect (Other than Regen) or heals themselves or an ally of a negative status effect, they add 1 to their gauge for each ally that gains or is healed of the status effect.
*If an ally is healed of both hit point damage and non-lethal damage, the character using this limit break mode adds the greater amount healed to their limit break gauge. If a healed character has a delayed damage pool and they choose to reduce the damage in their delayed damage pool, this is counted as healing lethal damage for the purposes of this limit break mode.
Stoic:
A limit break mode for those on the forefront of battle, who choose to place themselves between the unending tide of their enemies and the limited lives of their allies.
Whenever a character using this limit break mode takes damage from an attack or spell, they add an amount to their LB gauge based on how much HP they have* after the damage was taken: If they're at or above 75% or more, they add 1, 74%-50% they add 2, 49%-25% adds 3, while 24% and under adds 4. Additionally, whenever an ally within 50ft of a character using this limit break mode takes damage, the stoic user adds 1 to their gauge. If the character or ally takes additional damage from a critical hit (In other words, the critical hit cannot be negated), the stoic user adds an additional amount to their gauge equal to the critical multiplier of the attack. Damage from passive effects (Such as the poison status effect) or non-hostile sources (Such as traps) do not add to your limit break gauge. If a character using this limit break mode has a delayed damage pool, they add to their limit break gauge when the damage is added to their pool, not when the damage is actually taken.
*For characters that have both lethal and non-lethal damage, add the two amounts together to determine how much HP you have.
The limit break modes a character has available to them are noted in the class description. Some classes can also modify how these limit break modes function. For example, whenever the Knight takes damage in place of another ally, they add double that amount to their limit break gauge.
However, a limit break cannot be held onto forever. Every ten minutes outside of combat a character loses 10 points of their limit break gauge, to a minimum of half their limit break gauge, if it were higher. Resting for 8 hours completely empties the gauge.
Limit Break Abilities
When a character’s limit break gauge is at least half full (Rounded down to the nearest 5, so a character with an LB gauge of 25 would only need 10 points in their gauge), a character may activate a limit break, a powerful ability that scales to how large their limit break gauge is. There is no “limit” to the number of times a character can activate a limit break per day, provided they can pay for the ability. A character could theoretically activate a limit break multiple times per battle, should they fill their gauge multiple times.
Some limit breaks have an instantaneous effect, such as dealing damage or healing the party, while other limit breaks have a duration. In either case, the effects of a limit break does not cause the limit break gauge to fill up (For example dealing damage with the Starstorm, or taking damage while Defiant Stand is active.)
Whenever a limit break requires a saving throw it is calculated at 10 + ½ the character level of the user + a relevant ability modifier (User’s choice) + 1 per stack. Unless otherwise stated, all limit breaks are standard actions.
A character can only use the limit breaks of their current limit break mode (Generic LB) or the limit breaks available to them by virtue of their class (Class LB).
The Generic LB’s are as follows:
Arcane
Relevant Ability Modifier: Int, Wis or Cha.
Starstorm (Su):
This limit break consumes all your LB stacks to summon a barrage of meteorites. Starstorm deals 1d6 points of non-elemental damage per consumed stack to all enemies (Allies are immune to this damage) within 30ft of the caster (Reflex halves). For every 3 consumed stacks, the radius increases by 30ft.
Unstoppable Magic (Ex):
This limit break consumes all your LB stacks to empower your magic. For 1 round per consumed stack, the user gains the following benefits:
- Any caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance are treated as if the caster had rolled a 20.
- If the subject of a spell has any elemental resistances, those resistances are treated as 2 points lower per consumed stack, to a minimum of 0. If the spell deals physical damage, any DR the target has is treated as 1 point lower, instead.
- If at least 5 stacks are consumed, the subject’s interaction with the spell is lowered by one step (Absorb > Immune > Strong > Normal > Weak)
- If at least 10 stacks are consumed, the spell is maximised and empowered if it wasn’t already.
Battle
Relevant Ability Modifier: Str or Dex*
*Always if using a ranged weapon. If using a melee weapon, must be able to use dexterity in place of strength on damage rolls.
Battle limit breaks are divided between Melee and Ranged, which is determined when the character chooses to use this limit break mode.
Melee:
Braver (Ex): This limit break consumes all your LB stacks to make a single, overwhelming attack. Make a single melee attack, gaining a bonus on the attack roll equal to twice the number of stacks consumed. This attack roll does not automatically miss on a 1. If the attack hits, you deal normal damage + 1d6 points of damage per consumed stack. (Damage is of the same type as the weapon.). If the attack is a miss, the enemy still takes damage as if it were a normal attack. Special: A character must be wielding a melee weapon to use this limit break.
Omnislash (Ex): This limit break consumes all your LB stacks to make a large number of attacks. When you activate this limit break you may make a full attack as a standard action, gaining an additional attack at your highest base attack bonus. For every two stacks consumed, you may make an additional attack at your highest base attack bonus.
Ranged:
Big Shot (Su):
This limit break consumes all your LB stacks to make an attack that hits multiple enemies. The user can make a ranged attack with their equipped weapon in a 30ft line as if attacking with an automatic weapon. Each attack that hits deals normal damage + 1d6 points of additional weapon damage per consumed stack. If the attack is a miss, the enemy still takes damage as if it were a normal attack. For every 3 stacks consumed, the line increases by 30ft. A character must be wielding a ranged weapon to use this limit break.
Catastrophe (Su):
This limit break allows the character to fire a charged orb of energy with their weapon. The character fires an orb of unstable energy at a 5ft space within 50ft with their equipped ranged weapon. Once fired the orb explodes, blossoming out in a 30ft diameter circle. Hostile creatures caught in the area must make a Reflex save or take your normal weapon damage + 1d6 points of non-elemental per stack of limit break gauge consumed. For every 3 stacks consumed, the radius of the area and distance increases by 10ft. This limit break can also target and damage unattended objects and structures.
Daredevil
Relevant Ability Modifier: Dex or Cha
Opportunity Knocks (Ex):
This limit break allows a character to see opportunity at every moment. Any feat or class feature that allows a character to add precision damage to a damage roll (such as sneak attack) may ignore the conditions in which to inflict such damage outside of an action cost. This means, that for sneak attack or similar abilities, that you do not need to flank or have a target Denied their Dexterity modifier to AC to inflict sneak attack. This benefit lasts for 1 round + 1 additional rounds per stack of your limit break gauge consumed to maximum of 5 rounds. If your limit break gauge can hold more than 25 points, opportunity knocks only ever consumes 25 points and can be used if you have 25 points even if that is less than half your limit break gauge.
Pinnacle of Skill (Ex):
This limit break allows a character to reach into their potential to accomplish even the most impossible task. This limit break treats the first skill check a character performs each round, regardless of action cost, as if they had rolled a 20. Any subsequent skill checks performed afterwards by the character gain an inherent bonus equal to half their character level to all skill checks. This benefit lasts for 1 round per consumed stack. If 5 or more charges from their Limit break gauge is spent, the inherent bonus to skill checks is equal to their character level. This is a swift action to perform.
Medic
Relevant Ability Modifier: Int or Wis
Healing Wind (Su):
This limit break allows a character to conjure a swath of energy to heal their compatriots. Upon activating this Limit Break, all allied creatures within 50ft are healed for 2d6 points of damage per stack consumed + the character’s relevant ability modifier in hit points. This Limit Break is a standard action to perform.
Once More (Su):
This limit break allows a character to bestow life energy into a recently deceased ally. Choose a deceased ally within 30ft. If that ally has been dead for no more than a number of minutes equal to your relevant ability modifier, you may revive that ally. The ally regains 25% of their hit points(rounded down), regains consciousness, and is fatigued for 1 minute. This Limit break is a standard action to perform and costs a minimum of 3 stacks of limit break gauge to perform. For each additional stack of limit break gauge spent upon performing this ability, the character can choose an additional ally within range (up to their relevant ability modifier).
Stoic
Relevant Ability Modifier: Str or Con
Defiant Stand(Ex):
This limit break allows a character to harden their body and resolve against a perilous onslaught. For a number of rounds equal to their relevant ability modifier (rounded down), the character gains Strong: Damage (Which reduces all damage by 50%). If the character is already Strong against a type of damage, the reduction is increased from 50% to 75% against that damage type. For the duration of this limit break, the character cannot be reduced below 1 hit point, unless they are the subject of a critical hit, nor can they be knocked out due to nonlethal damage. For every 2 limit break stacks consumed, this ability lasts for an additional round, to a maximum of 5 rounds. If your limit break gauge can hold more than 50 points, defiant stance only ever consumes 50 points and can be used if you have 50 points even if that is less than half your limit break gauge.
Stand With Me (Ex):
This limit break allows a character to grant cover to his allies in dire straits. For a number of rounds equal to the number of stacks consumed, whenever an allied creature within your threatened area takes damage, half that damage is transferred to you. For the duration of this limit break, the character cannot be reduced below 1 hit point, nor can they be knocked out due to nonlethal damage, as a result of this transferred damage.
