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 equal to their max HP + 5 per level (Minimum of 10). As a character gains in levels, the amount their limit break gauge increases also goes up quite dramatically. For ease of use, every 10 points in a character’s limit break gauge a character gains one “LB Stack” (Or just a “Stack”. Activating a limit break “consumes” the stacks). So, a character with 20 points in his limit break gauge has two “LB stacks” for the purposes of limit break abilities. (This terminology simply makes it easier to scale the limit breaks without needing to use awkward or overwritten verbiage. It also serves a secondary purpose of allowing other effects to “hook into” the stack system in an elegant manner.)
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, or whenever they make a successful attack with a mage’s staff, they add the amount of damage rolled to their limit break gauge. With the exception of scoring a critical hit, effects that modify or multiply the amount of damage you deal outside of the spell itself (Such as casting a spell against a creature that is weak or resistant to an element or using metamagic. However a class feature that increases how much damage they deal with a spell would add to their limit break gauge) does not modify how much is added to their limit break gauge.
Battle:
A limit break mode for those who wade into battle using their skill at arms to defeat all before them.
Whenever a character using this limit break mode successfully makes an attack roll with a weapon that deals physical damage, add the amount of physical damage rolled to your limit break gauge (including physical elemental damage). The gains from this are not modified by any defensive abilities, weaknesses, or other abilities that would modify damage a foe takes, instead simply using the attacker's damage roll.
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.), successfully makes a reflex saving throw, moves through a threatened square or provokes an attack of opportunity, they fill their limit break gauge by 5 points or by 10%, whichever would be greater. Other than being the subject of an unsuccessful attack, a character using this limit break mode only increases their limit break gauge once per round. (So, moving through a threatened square would only give 5 points regardless of whether an attack of opportunity was provoked or not or how many squares he moves through.)
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 heals themselves or an ally of hit point damage, they add the amount they healed to their limit break gauge. 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 the amount they take to their limit break gauge, which is determined after any modifications to the damage they possess. (For example, if a character takes 10 points of damage, they add 10 points to their limit break gauge. If that character has DR 5/-, they instead only add 5 points. Likewise, being weak to an element will increase the amount you add to your limit break gauge.). 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.
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 an 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 full, 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 five stacks. 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 10 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, 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 10 stacks are consumed, the subject’s interaction with the spell is lowered by one step (Absorb > Immune > Strong > Normal > Weak)
If at least 20 stacks are consumed, the spell is maximised and empowered if it wasn’t already.
For every 4 stacks consumed, this state lasts for an additional round.
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, requiring that you are wielding a weapon of that type, but otherwise can be used interchangeably by a character using the Battle LB 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 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 three 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 10 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 (DC 10 + half your character level + your relevant ability modifier) or take your normal weapon damage + 1d6 points of non-elemental per 2 stacks of limit break gauge consumed. For every 10 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 spent( maximum of 4).
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 minute. If 3 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 1d6 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 2 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 half their relevant ability modifier(rounded down), the character gains the Strong trait(reduces damage of the relevant type by 50%) against either physical attacks or against two types of energy damage(character’s choice). If the character already has the Strong trait to one of the damage types, 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 (maximum of 5 rounds).
Stand With Me(Ex):
This limit break allows a character to grant cover to his allies in dire straits. Allied creatures within the character’s threatened area gain partial cover (+2 bonus to AC, +1 to Reflex saves) while the character gains damage reduction 1/- for 1 round. This limit break costs 1 stack of limit break gauge and is a swift action to perform. For each additional stack of limit break gauge spent, the damage reduction and duration increase by 1(up to a maximum of 10 rounds and DR 10/-). The damage reduction of this ability stacks with other sources of damage reduction from class features and class abilities but not spells or other limit breaks.
