3.P Mythic House Rules
Players who have earned mythic status in the World of the Ledge are significantly more powerful and versatile than they were before. We represent this both flavorfully (by making them Legends, Immortals, and/or Avatars) and mechanically (by using Pathfinder's Mythic rules). This change in power and flexibility can be problematic and potentially disrupt gameplay, so these house rules are an attempt to reign in the worst offending options, while keeping an eye on the fun.
The Three Aspects
Legends, Immortals, and Avatars are mythic characters. These are usually referred to as the Three Aspects. Not all mythic characters belong to these Three Aspects, but all characters with at least one are mythic characters. Dragons, for example, have their own mythic nature not inherently connected to the Three Aspects. It is generally believed that deities possess all Three Aspects and that a mortal who attains all three will become a god. Aspects are not the same as mythic paths; formally there is no relationship between a character's aspect and whatever mythic path they choose.
Legends
Legends possess a legendary style that inspires tales for the ages. These characters naturally attract followers, gaining the Leadership feat for free and the ability to recruit cohorts and followers without spending additional character points (CP). In addition, they may select mythic abilities from any mythic path that boosts their allies or matches their style. When a legend dies, a designated cohort may take their place (gaining any levels or mythic tiers necessary to catch up to the rest of the party). This designated cohort always has full WBL, while other cohorts and followers use the NPC wealth track. Each Legend's style should reflect a tight narrative theme. Legends that adhere to this theme will be rewarded with boons to compensate. Typically, this is done by allowing a Legend to flex abilities that are on-theme for off-theme abilities at the start of each day. As long as the majority of their abilities are on-theme, they're considered to still be on-theme. If a Legend ever loses their style (by being off-theme or due to dramatic character changes) or all of their followers (by death, desertion, etc.), then they are no longer a Legend (though they might regain the aspect in the future).
For example, if your theme is "King", and you have 10 abilities that are on-theme for a King (say they have the word "King" in the name or description, or they otherwise refer to someone of regal status), then as part of preparing your spells for the day, you may spend a mythic power point to change 4 of those abilities (be they feats, class features, spells, etc.) to any other options that a character of your level (and mythic tier) would have access to. These can be from other classes or mythic paths, from feats, or other options. As long as you meet the prerequisites of their source. But if you were to lose one of your on-theme abilities (say by being level-drained), you would also lose your Legendary style temporarily and the benefits that come with it (possibly including mythic tiers). So it's wise to remain on-theme and protective of your followers. Be prepared to give the GM a list of on-theme abilities, and the GM always has final say.
Immortals
Immortals possess an immortal secret that prevents them from dying by any known method. As soon as their immortal secret is discovered, they are vulnerable, and so most immortals go to great lengths to keep the secrets of their immortality hidden. In practice, this means that immortal characters can never be permanently slain or removed from play (at most they would need to wait 24 hours in-game, as the base mythic ability). In addition, they may select mythic abilities from any mythic path that protects them or prevents their death. Mortal mythic characters don't have access to the Immortal base mythic ability unless they become immortal. Generally, once an immortal's secret is discovered, they are no longer considered to have the Aspect of Immortality. There are lesser forms of immortality, like agelessness, invulnerability, etc., but only the only true immortals are the ones that possess this aspect - which strictly limits the means by which they can be truly defeated. Generally, when choosing an immortal secret, the players should choose one that is known by 3 individuals or less (probably only themselves), and the secret should be one that once discovered, makes them immediately and obviously vulnerable (if it doesn't outright kill them). One benchmark we use is: if a commoner knew the secret, and spent their whole life dedicated to destroying the immortal, they could do so (assuming that no other abilities of the immortal came into play).
For example, an alchemist might invent a potion of true immortality (similar to the grand discovery for Eternal Youth, but more potent). By drinking this potion each day, the alchemist does not age, nor need to eat, breathe, or sleep, and cannot be killed (any such attack would simply render him unconscious). Slight modifications to the formula would even allow him to escape impossible prisons (such as a wizard's demiplane), although this takes considerable time (at least 24 hours, and the expenditure of a mythic power point). While most components of the formula are relatively common and easy to find, there is one ingredient that is exceptionally rare - a flower that grows in a single secluded grove. The alchemist must exercise extreme caution in harvesting the flowers, for there are relatively few of them and anyone who learns of this secret ingredient could easily destroy the grove, rendering him mortal. Immortal secrets don't have to be physical. Other examples include speaking an immortal's truename backward, dealing a lethal blow at a particular time of day or night, or slaying their one true love.
Avatars
Avatars possess an avataric power passed down through their blood or stolen from others. These powers give absolute control over a specific domain, similar to the domains or portfolios of true deities. In practice, this allows avatars to overcome challenges normally impossible for all but the gods (such as the ability to cast spells in anti-magic fields, create new races of creatures, or even grant spells to true believers). In addition, they may select mythic abilities from any mythic path that match their domain. All non-divine avatars are mortal - when they die their powers pass to their next of kin. However, if a particularly strong-willed individual kills an avatar, there is a chance that these powers will pass to them instead. Because of the method by which avataric powers are passed, it is possible for avatars to have more mythic tiers than their level, but this can fluctuate for some time before they bring their powers under control.
For example, an avatar of fire would have absolute control over fire, able to create or douse flames at will. If they wanted access to a specific ability, such as dragon's fiery breath, then they could spend a mythic power point as a free action to gain that ability for the rest of the encounter. They would still be restricted to abilities that a character of their level and tier would have access to (so the breath weapon attack of a dragon of their HD), and they'd still have to obey any other limits on that ability (such as the breath's recharge mechanic). Additionally, an avatar can wield their powers in ways only normally available to deities. For example, by spending a mythic power point, the avatar could cast a fireball spell within an antimagic zone. In the case where multiple mythic powers are in play (such as when two avatars are dueling), contested rolls might come into play, such as caster level checks in the previous example, but generally these are not needed when interacting with non-mythic creatures and effects. Some avataric powers are less clear, and it's advised to prepare a list of abilities that you expect to flex into during an encounter. The GM always has final say on what is on-theme or within the domain of your avataric powers.
It's rare, but possible, that a single character has multiple legendary styles, immortal secrets, or avataric powers. A character only needs one of each aspect to be considered divine.
Mythic Solutions
There are a number of challenges with the mechanics of the mythic rules as originally presented. A number of people have tried to reign in these rules, and a small collection of suggested alternatives is presented in the Mythic Solutions book (online herehere). I've decided to follow their suggestions, at least until we collectively decide to change our house rules, and I've provided selections and notes below. In some cases, I've made my own additions / changes or left the rules as is. Those are noted too. For players who don't want to bother with all the mythic rules (or who feel overwhelmed), I'm working on a Mythic Character Creation tutorial that'll go over the process in a simplified form, with recommendations for the given options at each level. I'm also open to ignoring these mechanics and simply using the Three Aspects above, for the groups that would prefer that.
Base Mythic Abilities
Immortality
As noted above, we're ignoring this 9th-level base mythic ability. Only characters with an Aspect of Immortality / Immortal Secret would benefit from it, and we're already handling that with the rules above (though players may wish to take inspiration from the ability for their own immortality).
Mythic Traditions
Given all the other complexities involved in mythic, I'm going to say no to mythic traditions at this time. The Three Aspects capture a lot of the flavor here, but if they don't (or you need something for your character), we can work this out on a case-by-case basis. Feel free to take inspiration from these rules though. I'll also note that this decision is partly due to how mythic traditions slightly favor sphere characters, and I'd rather not give them more options to dunk on Vancian spellcasters with.
Problematic Rule: The amazing initiative basic mythic ability
Alternative Rule #2: Eliminate this ability entirely from mythic PCs. If you feel the need to replace it, grant an additional mythic feat slot. This ability can be reserved for villains and creatures expected to fight alone against a group of PCs, helping them to get a first shot at PCs and to be able to take extra actions when they will be most impactful. Some monsters might also have the dual initiative ability; these abilities stack.
Notes: We will replace it with a mythic feat slot. We reserve the right to give this to villains, but promise not to overdo it. This is mostly for simplicity and compatibility between different groups.
Problematic Rule: Swift action path features
Alternative Rule: Make all path features of this type standard actions when used at a cost of 1 use of mythic power, with the option to expend 2 uses of mythic power to use the ability as a move action or 3 uses of mythic power to use it as a swift action. If the ability involves making an attack, expending 1 use of mythic power allows it to be used in place of an attack, including as part of an attack action, charge, or as part of a full attack action.
Notes: This applies to Archmage arcana, champion’s strike, guardian’s call, divine surge, marshal’s order, and trickster attack abilities that are usable as swift actions, as well as any similar ability at the GM's discretion.
Problematic Rule: Haste and extra attacks
Alternative Rule #2: Characters using the full attack action can benefit from extra attacks; however, each bonus attack after the first takes a cumulative ─5 penalty, similar to an iterative attack; however, this penalty cannot be reduced by abilities that reduce or eliminate iterative attack penalties, such as the precision champion path ability.
Notes: This is an issue with the base game as much as mythic, but I think applying a -5 penalty is reasonable and somewhat intuitive. The other alternative might slow down combat too much.
Problematic Rule: Titan’s bane champion path ability
Alternative Rule: If you enter the space of a mythic creature with this ability, it is considered flat-footed only against the first attack you make against it.
Notes: This seems like a reasonable rule to discourage an optimal option / auto-include.
The Nova Problem
Notes: Nova turns are still an issue, but I'm not sure if specific mechanics are the right solution here or if this is more of a metagame issue. At least for me, I plan to encourage saving resources for more encounters per day, and limiting the number of rests to prevent 5-minute adventuring days, which is a related problem.
Problematic Rule: Unlimited expenditure of mythic power
Alternative Rule: Player characters (and their allies) can use only one ability that requires the expenditure of mythic power per round. This may be a mythic feat, mythic spell, mythic path ability, a power used by a legendary item, or anything else; if it involves expending mythic power, a character can use only one per round. Characters can use abilities that require spending more than one use of mythic power.
For characters with a legendary item, you may choose whether to consider legendary power separate from or equivalent to mythic power for this use. Our recommendation is that legendary power be considered separately, but that it also follow the same rule. That is, that no more than one ability using legendary power can be used per round. Thus, a character with a legendary item could use one ability using her own mythic power, and could trigger one ability from the item using its legendary power.
Notes: I think this helps limit mythic nova abilities specifically, so I'm willing to try it this way. But again, I'm considering whether a mechanic change is the right approach here, so I'm willing to change things depending on how things play out.
Problematic Rule: Retroactive and scaling mythic surges
Notes: This will be handled by the adjustments to the Fate Points House Rules (rewrite pending).
Stacking Multipliers
Problematic Rule: Foe-biting legendary item ability
Alternative Rule: Banned. If you wish to retain the foe-biting name, replace the effect with the ability to expend one use of the item’s legendary power after striking an opponent with the weapon to add the bane property against that specific creature (regardless of its type and subtype) for 1 minute. If the item is already a bane weapon against that creature’s type (and subtype, if applicable), using the foe-biting property increases the effect of bane to a +3 enhancement bonus and +3d6 damage, or to +4 and +4d6 if the wielder is a mythic character and expends one use of mythic power as a swift action when expending the item’s legendary power to increase its bane effect. An ability like this retains the spirit of the foe-biting ability while flattening out the damage curve to something that is useful over time against a foe and eliminating the massive damage spikes that can occur with the standard foe-biting ability.
Problematic Rule: Mythic Power Attack feat
Alternative Rule: Delete the following text from the Mythic Power Attack feat: In addition, the bonus damage from this feat is doubled on a critical hit, before it’s multiplied by the weapon’s critical multiplier.
Problematic Rule: Mythic Vital Strike feat
Alternative Rule: Replace the rules text for the Mythic Vital Strike feat with the following: Whenever you use Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, or Greater Vital Strike, multiply the Strength bonus, magic bonus, and other bonuses that would normally be multiplied on a critical hit by 2 if you are using Vital Strike, by 3 if you are using Improved Vital Strike, or by 4 if you are using Greater Vital Strike.
Problematic Rule: Unlimited buffing
Single Ability Focus
Rapid Recovery
Problematic Rules: Daily uses of mythic power
Problematic Rules: Recuperation base mythic ability
Alternative Rule: Using this ability costs one-half of each character’s remaining daily uses of mythic power (minimum 1). If you prefer a flatter scaling curve, increase the cost to one use of mythic power, plus one additional use per 4 character levels.
Problematic Rules: Unstoppable base mythic ability
Alternative Rule: Use the following rules text for the ability:
At 8th tier, you can expend one use of mythic power as a free action to immediately end any one of the following conditions currently affecting you: bleed, dazzled, deafened, entangled, fascinated, fatigued, frightened, shaken, sickened, or staggered.
You can expend two uses of mythic power to immediately end one of the following conditions: blind, confused, cowering, dazed, exhausted, nauseated, panicked, paralyzed, or stunned.
You must spend one additional use of mythic power to end the effect if the effect you wish to end was caused by a mythic effect. If the effect is permanent, you must spend twice as many uses of mythic power as normal to end the effect. All other conditions and effects remain, even those resulting from the same spell or effect that caused the selected condition. You can use this ability at the start of your turn even if a condition would prevent you from acting.
Bypassing Immunity And Resistance
Problematic Rules: Any effect that bypasses immunity and resistance
Problematic Rules: Attacks that ignore damage reduction
Problematic Rules: Effects that ignore spell resistance
Alternative Rule: An effect that allows you to ignore spell resistance (when it would normally apply) allows you add your mythic tier on caster level checks to ignore spell resistance. You apply an additional +2 circumstnace bonus if the target is a non-mythic creature or if you are casting a mythic spell; these circumstance bonuses stack.
Problematic Rules: Effects that inflict harmful conditions on a successful save
Alternative Rule: Harmful conditions that occur even on a successful save are halved in duration (minimum 0 rounds) if the mythic rank or tier of an affected creature equals or exceeds that of the creature that created the effect. They are also halved (minimum 0 rounds) for a non-mythic creature whose CR equals or exceeds the caster level (or Hit Dice, for supernatural effects) of the creature that created the effect. This does not apply to effects with an instantaneous or permanent duration.
Unlimited Caster Versatility
Problematic Rules: The wild arcana archmage path feature and inspired spell hierophant path feature
Alternative Rule: If you prepare spells, you may use this ability to cast any spell you know by expending one use of mythic power, plus one additional use for every 2 levels of the spell. If you are a spontaneous caster, you can use this ability to cast any spell on your class list that is of a level that you can cast by expending mythic power as a prepared caster; however, you must have personally observed the spell being cast (including spell-like abilities and spell effects created by magic items) and identified it with a Spellcraft check in order to cast it in this fashion.
Problematic Rules: The arcane surge path feature and recalled blessing hierophant path feature
Alternative Rule: Using this ability requires expending one use of mythic power, plus one additional use for every 2 levels of the spell. The spell requires its normal casting time (rather than being a swift action, as written for the arcane surge ability); however, if the spell’s casting time is normally “1 standard action” or less, you can use this ability and cast the spell as a swift action by expending two additional uses of mythic power.
Rocket Tag, Or There Is No Kill Like Overkill
Defensive Surge (Su): A mythic creature can expend a mythic surge as a swift action to add a sacred (if good), profane (if evil), or luck (if neutral) bonus to its AC equal to the result of its surge die. If the creature has damage reduction or hardness, it also adds the result of its surge die to its damage reduction or hardness (as well as the hardness of any items it carries). If the creature has energy resistance, it adds twice the result of its surge die to each type of energy resistance it possesses. This bonus lasts until the beginning of the character’s next turn; if you expend two uses of mythic power, it lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-half your mythic rank or tier (minimum 1 round).
I Will Survive (Ex): When the actions taken by a creature during its turn would reduce you below 0 hit points, you can expend one or more uses of mythic power to survive with 10% of your current hit points (before that creature began its turn) for each use of mythic power you spend. All damage dealt as part of a full attack action is considered a single effect for this.
Too Few Mythic Feat Slots?
Alternative Rule #1: Increase the number of mythic feats characters gain to one at every tier.
Excessively High Caster Level/Base Attack Bonus
Perfectly Hidden Characters
Alternative Rule #2: Replace the effects of Undetectable with the following: Creatures using unusual forms of sensory perception such as blindsight, greensight, or tremorsense cannot automatically foil your use of Stealth; such creatures must make a Perception check as normal to detect you when you make use of the Stealth skill. Against divination spells and Divination sphere sense abilities, including those from spell, sphere, spell-like, or supernatural abilities specifically used to uncover information about you rather than enhancing the user’s perception (such as when scrying or using the Divination sphere‘s divine abilities), creatures must succeed on a caster level check against a DC of 6 + your levels in casting classes + your tier.