Knights of the Chalice 2 - Class Upgrades

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Written by ValH on August 2nd, 2022

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The latest Kickstarter update for Knights of the Chalice 2 brings us an overview of a couple of recent patches that fixed a number of miscellaneous issues, improved the game's performance, and updated its Barbarian, Rogue, and Monk classes.

Here's more on the latter:

Hello everyone! The latest version of KotC 2 is version 1.43. It can be downloaded here for both Windows and macOS. It can also be downloaded on Steam and GOG. In the past month, I've been focusing mainly on the upgrade of three character classes: the Barbarian, Rogue and Monk. I've also spent time on the upgrade of the code in order to accelerate gameplay.

Here are the details of the upgrade of each class.

KotC 2 Barbarian Class Upgrade

The main change to the class is the addition of Spirit Animals, which are supernatural abilities that the Barbarian can activate a number of times per day equal to Strength Modifier + Dexterity Modifier + Constitution Modifier. You must select two Spirit Animals at level 1 and you'll add one more Spirit Animal at levels 5, 10, 15 and 20, eventually giving you access to six Spirit Animals.

Here's the list of available Spirit Animals, which can also be found on the Barbarian webpage:

• Spirit Animal, Bear: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Activating this spirit grants you 50% Energy Damage Reduction (all energy types) for 3 + Constitution Modifier rounds.
• Spirit Animal, Bull: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Activating this spirit allows you to take one extra Bull Rush, Slide, Pull or Swap combat manoeuvre as a free action each round for 3 + Constitution modifier rounds.
• Spirit Animal, Cobra: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Upon activation, you gain the Tumble ability for 3 + Dexterity Modifier rounds, allowing you to avoid enemy attacks of opportunity while moving. This version of Tumble does not prevent you from wearing Medium or Heavy Armour.
• Spirit Animal, Crocodile: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Upon activation, you gain the [Water] subtype for 3 + Dexterity Modifier rounds, allowing you to fight very well while Underwater or Swimming. You also receive a +2 bonus to Attack Rolls even if you're not underwater or swimming.
• Spirit Animal, Eagle: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Upon activation, you gain the [Flying] subtype for 3 + Dexterity Modifier rounds, allowing you to fly to areas of different altitude as well as ignore ground-based terrain effects.
• Spirit Animal, Elephant: This is a Standard Action supernatural ability. Activating this spirit allows you to deal sonic damage in a 20' cone as a Breath Weapon. The damage is equal to 1d4 points per level + half of your Strength Modifier. A Reflex Saving Throw reduces the damage by 50%. The Difficulty Class is based on your Constitution. Enemies who fail their save receive the condition Shaken for 1d4+1 rounds. After using this ability, you must wait for two rounds for the ability to recharge, allowing you to use it again.
• Spirit Animal, Jaguar: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Activating this spirit grants you the Pounce ability for the current turn, allowing you to perform a Full Attack at the end of a Charge.
• Spirit Animal, Porpoise: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Upon activation, you gain the Blindsight ability for 3 + Constitution Modifier rounds, allowing your attacks to ignore all Concealment, Invisibility and Mirror Images, and giving you immunity to the Blinded condition.
• Spirit Animal, Rhinoceros: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Activating this spirit grants you an increase in Damage Reduction equal to your Strength Modifier for 3 + Constitution Modifier rounds.
• Spirit Animal, Satyr: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Activating this spirit grants you a +10 bonus to your Willpower Saving Throws for 3 + Constitution Modifier rounds. You also get a +2 bonus to Armour Class.
• Spirit Animal, Scorpion: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. For the current turn, you gain an extra attack with your main (primary) weapon. If you are fighting with two manufactured weapons, you instead gain two extra attacks, one with each hand.
• Spirit Animal, Spider: This is a Free Action supernatural ability. Upon activation, you gain immunity to movement-hampering effects for 3 + Dexterity Modifier rounds. You also receive a +10 bonus to Speed and 20% Concealment.

Barbarians can also select the following new feats:

• Extended Spirit Animals: The duration of your Bear, Bull, Crocodile, Cobra, Eagle, Porpoise, Rhinoceros, Satyr and Spider Spirit Animals increases by two rounds.
• Fast Spirit Animal Elephant: You activate your Spirit Animal Elephant with a Move Action rather than a Standard Action.
• Improved Spirit Animal Elephant: The radius of the Breath Weapon produced by your Spirit Animal Elephant increases by 50%, from 20' to 30'.
• Breath Weapon Shaping: Your Breath Weapon no longer affects allies in the area of effect.
• Stilled Spirit Animals: You can activate your Spirit Animals silently and without moving. Consequently, you can activate a spirit animal even when you are subject to the effect of spells like Silence and Hold Person (Wizard). You can also activate a Spirit Animal even when you are using a Heavy or Tower Shield.

KotC 2 Rogue Class Upgrade

During character creations, Rogues must now select a Rogue Specialisation option. You can choose between Assassin, Fencer, Ninja and Swashbuckler.

• Rogue Specialisation, Assassin: As the focus of your extensive training, you have learnt secret killing techniques that work even against seemingly invulnerable opponents. You receive a +1 bonus to all Damage Rolls. Your Sneak Attack ability works even against targets that are immune to Critical Hits. The Sneak Attack damage against them is reduced to four-sided dice.
• Rogue Specialisation, Fencer: As the focus of your extensive training, you have mastered the art of using thin swords like the Rapier and light weapons like the Short Sword to inflict a maximum amount of damage to your opponents. You receive the feat Weapon Finesse for free at level 1. In addition, you gain the Greater Weapon Finesse ability: whenever you're attacking with a Finesse or light weapon, and you're not Grappling, you apply your Dexterity Modifier to Damage Rolls instead of your Strength Modifier if your Dexterity Modifier is higher than your Strength Modifier.
• Rogue Specialisation, Ninja: You are a Shinobi, a dreaded master of espionage, stealth, deception and assassination. Your exacting training grants you benefits related to your magical abilities. You receive a +2 bonus to Willpower Saving Throws. You get the feat Fast Spells for free at level 1. In addition, you gain one extra spell slot of each available spell level.

KotC 2 Rogue Specialisation, Swashbuckler

Rogue Specialisation, Swashbuckler: The Swashbuckler is also known by many other names: Cavalier, Musketeer, Buccaneer, Marauder, Privateer, Freebooter, Treasure Hunter, Scoundrel, Rascal or Blackguard, to name but a few. The Swashbuckler is a jack-of-all-trades, a flamboyant fighter with enough guile to charm the unsuspecting and sufficient adroitness to pick locks and evade dangerous traps. This Rogue specialisation option is quite different from the others, as you will not gain any spell slots. However, you can still activate Wizard spell scrolls and wands containing a Wizard spell.

The following abilities are restricted to the Swashbuckler:

• Insightful Strike: You gain the feat Weapon Finesse and you receive a bonus to Damage Rolls equal to your Intelligence Modifier on all Finesse attacks against targets not immune to Critical Hits, when you're not grappling.
• Panache: If your Charisma Modifier is at least one, you gain a bonus on all Saving Throws and Initiative Rolls. This bonus is equal to your Charisma Modifier (after modifications).
• Precise Swing: Your melee attacks, including attacks with a Reach weapon, ignore both Cover and Light Concealment.
• Death Blow: You can perform a Coup De Grace as a Standard Action rather than a Full Round Action, and you do not provoke attacks of opportunity when doing so.

The following feats are restricted to the Swashbuckler:

• Enhanced Sneak Attack: Your Sneak Attack damage increases by 1d6 points. Requires: Level 12.
• Shake It Off I: Each round, the character gets a free saving throw to remove the following effects: blind, sleeping, fascinated, reduced, shaken, agony, bane, prayer, fatigued, sickened. The saving throw type and DC is the same as the original saving throw against the effect. If the effect resulted from a spell without a saving throw, the character gets a Fortitude save versus the normal spell DC. Effects that did not originate from a spell or SLA cannot be removed using Shake it Off. Effects in the list that were supposed to persist after the end of combat are automatically removed when combat ends. The Fighter character class also has access to this line of feats.
• Shake It Off II: Same as Shake It Off I, but the character also gets saving throws against the following effects: dazed, held, slowed, confusion, berserk, hideous laughter, command, cowering, exhausted, baleful polymorph. Requires: Shake It Off I.
• Shake It Off III: Same as Shake It Off II, but the character also gets saving throws against the following effects: stunned, dancing, controlled, dominated, cursed, malison, crushing despair, frailty, enfeeblement, nauseated. Requires: Shake It Off II.
• Resistance I: The character gains Damage Reduction 1 / -. Requires: Level 6.
• Resistance II: The character gains Damage Reduction 2 / -. Requires: Level 12, Resistance I.
• Resistance III: The character gains Damage Reduction 3 / -. Requires: Level 18, Resistance II.

KotC 2 Monk Class Upgrade

During character creation, Monks must now select a Monk Specialisation option. You can choose between the following options.

• Monk Specialisation, Way Of The Candle: Your focus on pious meditation in a candlelit monastery has granted you profound insights into energy manipulation through mystical means. You receive a +1 bonus on all Damage Rolls. You also gain an Energy Shield personal-range Free Action supernatural ability, as the spell Energy Shield (Wizard). You can use this ability once per day from level 1 to 3, twice per day from level 4 to 6, three times per day from level 7 to 9, four times per day from level 10 to 12, five times per day from level 13 to 15, six times per day from level 16 to 18, and seven times per day from level 19.
• Monk Specialisation, Way Of The Heavens: Your long and exacting training as an ascetic Whirling Dervish has granted you an extraordinary sense of balance, precision and speed. You receive the feat Weapon Finesse for free at level 1. In addition, you gain the Greater Weapon Finesse ability: whenever you're attacking with a Finesse or light weapon, and you're not grappling, you apply your Dexterity Modifier to Damage Rolls instead of your Strength Modifier if your Dexterity modifier is higher than your Strength modifier.
• Monk Specialisation, Way Of The Oasis: Your past life as an ascetic Desert Monk has granted you deep insights into Fata Morganas and other mirages. You get a Mirror Image personal-range Free Action supernatural ability, as the Wizard spell Mirror Image. You can use this ability once per day from level 1 to 6, twice per day from level 7 to 12, three times per day from level 13 to 18, and four times per day from level 19.
• Monk Specialisation, Way Of The Pillar: You have spent long periods of time living ascetically atop a stone pillar, like an ancient Stylite. As a result of this harsh lifestyle, your body has become extraordinarily robust. You receive the feat Toughness for free at level 1. Your Stunning Fist attack works even against targets that are immune to Critical Hits. In addition, your Stunning Fist attack benefits from a damage bonus equal to your level.
• Monk Specialisation, Way Of The Seer: Like the Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi, you are a practitioner of the art of divination through dreamlike trances. Consequently, no enemy creature can hide from your sight. You receive a +1 bonus on all Attack Rolls. You also gain a True Seeing personal-range Free Action supernatural ability, as the spell True Seeing (Wizard). You can use this ability once per day from level 1 to 6, twice per day from level 7 to 12, three times per day from level 13 to 18, and four times per day from level 19.

KotC 2 Mage Knight Upgrade

I'm planning to upgrade the Mage Knight character class, too. However, I don't think that it will have a specialisation option. I'm just planning to create a bunch of new feats for the class. I've got ideas for around 15 to 20 new Mage Knight feats.

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