Wiki Note: Martial Packages are not official Spheres content. Instead, these have been created by the community to make it easier to adapt existing creatures to the Spheres of Might system.
What is a Martial Package?
A Martial Package is a collection of martial talents, including a Martial Tradition, that can be quickly applied to NPCs or monsters to convert them into a Practitioner. Martial Packages are templates and should be applied the same way, but cannot be taken by player characters. A creature cannot have both a Martial Package and any regular martial progression (though they may gain talents through other methods, such as the Extra Combat Talent feat, without impacting their ability to gain a Martial Package) - that said, Martial Packages may be taken in place of a creature's existing martial talents and martial tradition to quickly swap their combat style (and in this case, creatures only gain the maximum number of talents they would have had from their regular progression, not the normal number a Martial Package provides). Players can use Martial Packages as inspiration for builds.
If a Martial Package grants proficiency in any weapon(s), armor(s), or shield(s), a creature that gains the Martial Package may also obtain any or all of the equipment it gains proficiency in, with masterwork quality, special materials, or permanent enhancements as considered appropriate by the GM.
A Martial Package increases a creature's CR by +1, or +2 if the creature has 10 or more HD. At the GM's discretion, the CR increase may be reduced by 1 if a creature trades out existing martial talents, some feats, or some other abilities they possess. Martial Packages are meant to provide a unique fighting style to the exclusion of a creature's regular techniques and strategies, so it is appropriate to replace an existing set of abilities a creature possesses when applying Martial Packages.
Building A Martial Package
A Martial Package consists of a Martial Tradition and 20 martial talents numbered and ordered. Unlike most templates, Martial Packages do not provide ability score increases, but they can be applied to any creature regardless of type, level, alignment, or other considerations as long as the creature is capable of moving and using martial talents.
Martial Packages work with a single, simple mechanism: When a creature gains a Martial Package, it gets the Martial Tradition and the talents up to its Base Attack Bonus. Creatures may gain a feat (usually a combat feat or another feat that affects their ability as a Practitioner) in place of a talent. For example, a creature with a BAB of +7 gets the first seven talents in the martial package. If its BAB increases (usually from leveling up or gaining additional hit dice), it gains new talents up to its BAB. Similarly, any loss of BAB reduces the talents from the Martial Package that a creature knows.
Martial Packages can use drawbacks. If a drawback grants a combat talent, the character gains that benefit at the level they gain the drawback. This does not count against the normal number of talents provided at any given BAB. The 20 talents in a Martial Package are divided into four levels of five talents each: Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master. These ranks do not necessarily exist in a campaign setting - they're just a way to help organize the talents into compact lists instead of long ones.
Each Martial Package should be thematic and designed to create a particular style. Combat styles are the most common, but Martial Packages can also be used for item-based powers or other supporting roles that are possible with Spheres of Might. We particularly encourage basing talent progression on the basic Martial Tradition used to start it. For example, a Martial Package based on the Drunken Brawler tradition should probably focus on the Barroom and Wrestling spheres. Martial Packages can dip into spheres outside those it starts with, and when to do so is ultimately a matter of design judgement. Remember, Martial Packages are meant for enemies and monsters, not players - as a design principle, they should be fairly straightforward and have limited choices for any given effect. We don't want to slow things down by adding too many moving parts!
Martial Packages also provide a general description of the package and how it's intended to be used in play at different levels. These should always be written for GMs and explain things like an attack routine and what effects are meant to stack with each other.
Some Martial Packages are marked [Support]. These Packages increase the creature's CR by 1 less than usual (minimum 0) because instead of directly augmenting damage in a combat style, they focus on providing support for the rest of a group. Support packages are intended for friendly NPCs, enemy commanders who don't fight, and supportive enemies that heal and protect other enemies. For example, an NPC with the Item Master package can produce a variety of curatives and enemy-debuffing items to help the party during and after battles.
Sample Martial Packages
Animal Tamer Package
Playing The Animal Tamer: Animal Tamers are specialists in the Beastmastery sphere, with a small dip into Athletics to make it easier to traverse terrain and reach the beasts they want to tame. While potentially quite dangerous in combat thanks to the sheer number of allies they can have, Animal Tamers work best in a supporting role (such as a guide in the wilderness who directs their monstrous allies in battle). At 1st, Animal Tamers gain a permanent animal companion they can have alongside other tamed animals. At 2nd, they get better at riding thanks to picking up the Ride package. At 3rd, Animal Tamers gain a Familiar to further augment their large team. At 4th, Steady Handler makes it easier to direct animals even while in danger. At 5th, Animal Empathy allows for improving the attitudes of animals. At 6th, 11th, and 16th, Animal Tamers learn how to control more animals at once. Wild Speaker at 7th makes it possible to actually talk with animals. At 8th-10th, Animal Tamers get rapidly better at forcing animals to obey them, and this is even stronger at 12th when they learn to rapidly summon their friends. At 13th, Bronco Buster allows for mounting more dangerous creatures, supported by Monster Breaker at 14th. Broad Skills at 15th is mostly a setup for Mindless Mastery at 17th. Scale Foe at 18th makes it easy to start controlling big targets. Finally, Wild Rider at 19th makes it easier to stay on the biggest pets. Finally, Mass Tame at 20th makes it possible to tame even larger groups of creatures.
Martial Tradition: Animal Tamer (Athletics sphere (Run package), Athletics: Expanded Training (Climb and Fly packages), Athletics: Expanded Training (Leap and Swim packages), Beastmastery sphere (Handle Animal package))
- Novice Talents: 1: Beastmastery: Animal Companion, 2: Beastmastery: Extra Beastmastery Package (Ride package), 3: Beastmastery: Pet, 4: Beastmastery: Steady Handler, 5: Beastmastery: Animal Empathy (handle animal)
- Apprentice Talents: 6. Beastmastery: Greater Trainer (handle animal), 7: Beastmastery: Wild Speaker (handle animal), 8: Beastmastery: Beast Tamer (handle animal), 9: Beastmastery: Enduring Control (handle animal), 10: Beastmastery: Permanent Control (handle animal)
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Beastmastery: Greater Trainer (handle animal (2), 12: Call Beast, 13: Beastmastery: Bronco Buster (ride), 14: Beastmastery: Monster Breaker (ride), 15: Beastmastery: Broad Skills
- Master Talents: 16: Beastmastery: Greater Trainer (handle animal) (3), 17: Beastmastery: Mindless Mastery (handle animal), , 18: Athletics: Scale Foe (climb, motion), 19: Beastmastery: Wild Rider (ride), 20: Beastmastery: Mass Tame (handle animal)
Giant Package
Playing The Giant: Giants specialize in hurling boulders at foes, and have an increased critical range when tossing them out. The name is not an exaggeration; this martial package is particularly effective when given to actual giants and makes their thrown rocks much more dangerous. Thanks to Muscular Surge and Brute's Giant talent (and Titan at 10th), Giants are also experts at carrying their own ammunition and can hurl it as part of making attacks. At 2nd, Greater Brute improves the Giant's favored combat maneuvers, which is supported for extra damage by Hammer and Hostile Movement. At 5th, Thunderous Clap gives a way to attack all enemies that get too close and encourage them to move back. Focused Might at 6th gives a way to regain martial focus by shoving foes around. At 7th, the Giant starts to get better at ranged attacks by gaining the Sniper sphere, and normal defenses like Wards can shatter under Unblockable at 8th. At 9th, Brute's Follow-Through makes it possible to Bull Rush enemies around with thrown rocks (the preferred method). At 11th through 13th, the Deadly Shot of sniping gets much more dangerous, culminating in full-round attacks that apply multiple snipe effects. At 14th, Vital Strike comes into play (rapidly improving from there), while at 16th, Focusing Reload makes it easier to do snipe attacks each turn from a distance. The last few talents make it easy to do hit opponents from enormous ranges - even if they're behind full cover, given the powers of Phasic Shot at 20th.
Martial Tradition: Giant (Equipment: Critical Genius (thrown rocks), Equipment: Rock Toss, Brute sphere, Brute: Muscular Surge)
- Novice Talents: 1: Brute: Giant, 2: Brute: Greater Brute, 3: Brute: Hammer, 4: Brute: Hostile Movement, 5: Brute: Thunderous Clap
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Brute: Focused Might, 7: Sniper sphere, 8: Sniper: Unblockable, 9: Brute: Follow-Through, 10: Brute: Titan
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Sniper: Head Shot (snipe), 12: Sniper: Piercing Shot (snipe), 13: Sniper: Sniper Shot, 14: Vital Strike (combat feat), 15: Improved Vital Strike (combat feat)
- Master Talents: 16: Sniper: Focusing Reload, 17: Greater Vital Strike (combat feat), 18: Sniper: Perfect Shot, 19: Sniper: Star Scraper (snipe), 20: Sniper: Phasic Shot
Item Master Package [Support]
Playing The Item Master: This build focuses almost entirely on support effects and helping allies with physical items, starting with Improved Acid Flasks for damage and Salves for healing at 1st. Item Masters often keep at least one opening to make new items on demand, making them ideal supports between battles. At 2nd through 5th, Item Masters gain additional choices for item crafting and often keep at least one of each item on hand when they can. At 6th, Item Masters gain the Alchemy sphere's Poison package and start getting better with these, which they often attach to Traps from their use of the Trap sphere. At 7th, they get better at applying their poisons to things, and spend the next few ranks gaining a variety of toxins to apply (and a better way to deliver them). At 12th, they can set traps faster in combat, and at 13th, Focusing Formulae gives an easy way to restore martial focus. This combos with Rapid Placement at 14th, which expends martial focus. At 15th, Temporal Snare can protect allies or pause foes for awhile. At 16th and 17th, Item Masters gain new ways to augment their traps (particularly with the antimagic power of Thaumic Sinks), while at 18th and 20th, they gain the ability to craft extremely potent formulaes when granted enough time by their party. At 19th, it's easier for allies to avoid the traps they set.
Martial Tradition: Item Mastery (Equipment: Fast Draw, Equipment: Unarmored Training, Alchemy sphere (Formulae package + Improved Acid Flask), Trap sphere)
- Novice Talents: 1: Alchemy: Salve (formulae), 2: Alchemy: Panacea (formulae), 3: Alchemy: Improved Tanglefoot Bag (formulae), 4: Alchemy: Improved Alchemist Fire (formulae), 5: Alchemy: Aligned Liquid (formulae)
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Alchemy: Master Chemist (Poison package), 7: Alchemy: Careful Poisoner, 8: Alchemy: Billowing Poison, 9: Alchemy: Mind Venom (toxin), 10: Alchemy: Necrotic Poison (toxin)
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Alchemy: Petrifying Poison (toxin), 12: Trap: Trap Wielder, 13: Alchemy: Focusing Formulae (formulae), 14: Trap: Rapid Placement, 15: Trap: Temporal Snare (snare)
- Master Talents: 16: Trap: Thaumic Sink (dart, snare), 17: Trap: Flash Trap (dart, snare), 18: Alchemy: Elixir of Immortality (formulae), 19: Trap: Warning, 20: Alchemy: Philosopher's Stone (formulae)
Knight Package
Playing The Knight: At early levels, the Knight focuses on using Redirecting Shield to counter attacks made by opponents - since they have Muscular Reflexes, Knights should be able to use the Shield sphere several times per round. At 3rd, Interposing Shield makes knights tougher against attacks that hit them. At 4th, Knights gain the Duelist sphere and begin improving their offense by adding bleed damage, which is supplemented at 5th with Debilitating Injuries. By 8th, Knights can use Redirecting Shield and Smashing Counter together to punish foes who attack them, with Shielded Focus allowing them to regain Martial Focus when creatures miss them with attacks. At 10th, Knights have Deflecting Shield, raising their AC against touch attacks. This is supplemented by Soul's Shield at 12th to improve their saving throws and Perfect Redirection at 13th, which allows them to reflect touch attacks back towards enemies. At 14th, Shield Expert increases their AC by one. At 15th, they gain the Berserker sphere and should always use this to gain temporary HP each round. This combos well with the Guardian sphere, which they get at 16th and offers an increasingly potent way to soak up damage through the delayed damage pool. Knights have the Challenge ability, but only use it when fighting with allies. At 19th, Knights acquire Endure Pain, which turns the damage they receive from their pool into nonlethal damage. This can be easily cured by allies (when present) who have the life sphere.
Martial Tradition: Knightly Arts (Equipment: Armor Training, Equipment: Knightly Training, Equipment: Shield Training, Shield sphere)
- Novice Talents: 1: Muscular ReflexesSOM (combat feat), 2: Shield: Redirecting Shield (deflect), 3: Shield: Interposing Shield, 4: Duelist sphere, 5: Duelist: Debilitating Injuries (bleed)
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Shield: Smashing Counter (deflect), 7: Shield: Greater Deflect, 8: Shield: Shielded Focus, 9: Duelist: Long Cuts, 10: Shield: Deflecting Shield
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Duelist: Bleed Air (bleed), 12: Shield: Soul's Shield, 13: Shield: Perfect Redirection, 14: Equipment: Shield Expert, 15: Berserker sphere
- Master Talents: 16: Guardian sphere (Challenge package), 17: Guardian: Greater Delayed Damage, 18: Guardian: Greater Delayed Damage (2), 19: Guardian: Endure Pain, 20: Guardian: Swift Reflexes
Leader Package [Support]
Playing The Leader: Leaders are support characters that usually use enchanted shields to help ward off attacks while making boasts, demoralizing their foes, and calling out shouts and tactics. At 1st, Leaders can use Verbal Commands to aid allies at a distance, allowing them to hide behind cover while supporting allies. At 2nd, Frightful Roar helps to make enemies more afraid. At 3rd and 4th, Leaders gain new tactics to improve their allies as the situation demands. At 5th, Leaders gain Breath Support - this is mainly a setup for Explosive Ululation at 6th, which gives them a powerful sonic attack to open battles with (or use later, if need be). At 7th, Master of Fear makes it easier to use the Strike Fear ability of the Gladiator sphere, while Self Confidence at 8th allows Leaders to both make a boast and regain martial focus. Rousing Claxon at 9th gives all allies some temporary hit points - but it's mainly a setup for Recall Spirit at 10th, which Leaders can use to shout allies back to life so they can keep fighting. At 11th, Trash Talker makes it possible to make two boasts at once, which is aided by Exemplar and Menace to give boast options. Aura of Fear at 14th is an ongoing effect that works on all foes who get too close. Theatrical Boast at 15th increases the range of boasts to account for larger battlefields. Legion Unending at 16th is an intervention to help keep allies alive, while Unending Loyalty at 17th makes it even easier to call allies back to life. Derision at 18th adds to the opportunities to make boasts. Nightmare Fuel at 19th helps to make enemies permanently afraid, and finally, Fan Favorite at 20th gives even more opportunities to boast.
Martial Tradition: Leaders (Equipment: Armor Training, Equipment: Versatile Shield, Gladiator sphere, Warleader sphere)
- Novice Talents: 1: Warleader: Verbal Commands, 2: Warleader: Frightful Roar (shout), 3: Warleader: Coordinated Reflexes (tactic), 4: Warleader: Deadly Herdsman (tactic), 5: Warleader: Breath Support
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Warleader: Explosive Ululation (shout), 7: Gladiator: Master of Fear, 8: Gladiator: Self Confidence, 9: Warleader: Rousing Claxon (shout), 10: Warleader: Recall Spirit (shout)
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Gladiator: Trash Talker, 12: Gladiator: Exemplar (boast), 13: Gladiator: Menace (boast), 14: Gladiator: Aura of Fear (demoralize), 15: Gladiator: Theatrical Boast
- Master Talents: 16: Warleader: Legion Unending (tactic), 17: Warleader: Unending Loyalty (shout), 18: Gladiator: Derision, 19: Gladiator: Nightmare Fuel, 20: Gladiator: Fan Favorite
Pikeman Package
Playing The Pikeman: Pikemen specialize in the use of the Lancer sphere and often Challenge enemies with the Guardian sphere to help protect their allies. At early levels, Pikemen stab foes as a standard action, then rip their weapon out as a move action to activate Staggering Tear. The Duelist sphere and Open Vein help to start applying bleed damage, and Focusing Finale at 4th makes it easy to regain martial focus and repeat this basic combo. At 5th, Steel Hide makes it easy to endure an unlucky crit. At 6th, Pikemen add the Berserker sphere - while the main idea here is to gain temporary HP by berserking, keep in mind that Pikemen can use Brutal Strike at the same time they impale their foes. At 7th and 8th, the Pikemen's delayed damage pool significantly increases in size, making it easy to soak up damage that can be nullified by berserking - especially if they have any allies to heal them. At 9th, Leg Cutter makes it possible to knock enemies prone, which can be followed up at 11th with …And Stay Down! to punish foes who fall. At 10th, Soul Pierce gives value to keeping foes impaled. At 12th and 13th, additional impale talents give new options for harming impaled foes - and remember, these can trigger anytime their criteria are met. Unlike some other talent types, you aren't limited to one impale ability. At 14th, Reaper's Momentum adds some potency against additional foes, and at 15th, Bone-Breaker makes Brutal Strike even more useful. At 16th, Dimensional Pierce can stop canny foes from teleporting away, while at 17th, Long Cuts makes the bleed damage inconvenient to stop. At 18th, 19th, and 20th, the Pikeman's impale quickly becomes much deadlier.
Martial Tradition: Pikeman (Equipment: Pikeman Training, Equipment: Polearm Mastery, Lancer sphere, Guardian sphere (Challenge package))
- Novice Talents: 1: Staggering Tear (impale), 2: Duelist sphere, 3: Duelist: Open Vein (bleed), 4: Lancer: Focusing Finale, 5: Guardian: Steel Hide
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Berserker sphere, 7: Guardian: Greater Delayed Damage, 8: Guardian: Greater Delayed Damage (2), 9: Duelist: Leg Cutter (bleed), 10: Lancer: Soul Pierce
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Duelist: …And Stay Down!, 12: Lancer: Ragdoll Swing (impale), 13: Lancer: Bloody Rip (impale), 14: Berserker: Reaper's Momentum, 15: Berserker: Bone-Breaker (exertion)
- Master Talents: 16: Lancer: Dimensional Pierce, 17: Duelist: Long Cuts, 18: Duelist: Bleed Air (bleed), 19: Duelist: Jugular Cut (bleed), 20: Duelist: Sever (disarm, bleed)
Professional Wrestler Package
Playing The Professional Wrestler: Creatures with this package focus on Snagging creatures with the Wrestling sphere to make them battered, then grappling them and dealing damage while controlling their movements. When they have the chance, Professional Wrestlers throw in boasts from the Gladiator sphere. At the end of the Apprentice level, Professional Wrestlers often maintain their grapple as a move action (with Greater Grapple) and use Self Confidence as a standard action to get in more boasts, expending said martial focus with Heel Tactics to frequently make Dirty Tricks. At higher levels, Professional Wrestlers focus on the Earth-Shattering Slam, Magic Killing Grip (vs spellcasters), or pinning targets to use Limb Ripper while using Menace to try and keep foes away long enough to succeed.
Martial Tradition: Professional Wrestler (Equipment: Unarmored Training, Gladiator sphere, Wrestling sphere, Wrestling: Talented Tie-Up)
- Novice Talents: 1: Wrestling: Iron Grip, 2: Wrestling: Hammerlock, 3: Wrestling: Greater Grapple, 4: Wrestling: Clinch Strike (slam), 5: Wrestling: Piledriver
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Wrestling: Painful Flex, 7: Heel Tactics (slam), 8: Gladiator: Self Confidence, 9: Gladiator: Menace (boast), 10: Gladiator: Vengeful Boast
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Gladiator: Theatrical Boast, 12: Gladiator: Caper (boast), 13: Berserker sphere, 14: Berserker: Shatter Earth, 15: Wrestling: Earth-Shattering Slam
- Master Talents: 16: Wrestling: Tombstone Burial, 17: Gladiator: Fan Favorite, 18: Wrestling: Magic Killing Grip (slam), 19: Wrestling: Limb Ripper (slam), 20: Twin Tie-Up
Sniper Package
Playing The Sniper: Snipers excel at making single shots from range, usually from stealth or with allies who can prevent enemies from moving towards their position. Snipers expend martial focus as often as possible to improve the damage of their Deadly Shots, and use Focusing Reload to regain their focus. Unimpeded Positioning allows Snipers to reload their weapon while getting out of melee range. At 2nd, Hindering Projectiles helps to make foes increasingly vulnerable and distracted. Unblockable at 3rd helps them penetrate wards and other common barriers, while Perfect Shot at 4th stops unlucky misses. At 5th, Snipers start using the Scout sphere more (usually at the start of the fight) to make their shots increasingly accurate. At 6th, Vital Strike improves Deadly Shot's damage (and again at 11th and 16th with the better versions). At 7th, Deadly Strike improves the Sniper's damage from stealth, while Great Senses at 8th improves the likelihood of the Scout ability succeeding. At 9th, Scout's Hidden Focus offers an alternative way to regain martial focus while stealthing, and at 10th, Star Scraper allows for long-range bombardments. Most Snipers get close enough to scout their foes before pulling back to use this. At 12th, Sniper Shot allows the Sniper to use both Hindering Projectiles and Star Scraper to penalize foes from a long way away. (Most Snipers have allies who can call out targets at this point.) At 13th, Reflexive Stealth makes it easier to get back into stealth when foes fight back, while at 14th, Sudden Acuity makes the Scout ability more accurate. This is aided at 15th by Inimical Gaze, which drastically improves the success of Scout while closer to enemies. Lurker helps to stop unusual senses at 17th, while at 18th, Vanish further augments the ability to shoot and hide. At 19th, the Duelist sphere adds bleeding damage to the Sniper's shots, and at 20th, Bleed Air can have deadly effects.
Martial Tradition: Canny Hunter (Equipment: Huntsman Training, Scout sphere, Sniper sphere, Scout: Unimpeded Positioning)
- Novice Talents: 1: Sniper: Focusing Reload, 2: Sniper: Hindering Projectiles (snipe), 3: Sniper: Unblockable, 4: Sniper: Perfect Shot, 5: Scout: Find Gap
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Vital Strike (combat feat), 7: Scout: Deadly Strike, 8: Scout: Great Senses, 9: Scout: Hidden Focus, 10: Sniper: Star Scraper (snipe)
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Improved Vital Strike (combat feat), 12: Sniper: Sniper Shot, 13: Scout: Reflexive Stealth, 14: Scout: Sudden Acuity, 15: Scout: Inimical Gaze,
- Master Talents: 16: Greater Vital Strike (combat feat), 17: Scout: Lurker, 18: Scout: Vanish, 19: Duelist sphere, 20: Duelist: Bleed Air (bleed)
Thief Package
Playing The Thief: The Thief starts by focusing on the Fencing sphere, aiming to use Fast Feint as a move action before darting in to stab their foes with a Fatal Thrust. At early levels, this is followed up with the Arm Strike exploit as a rider effect. At 4th, Feint Strike helps to improve the Thief's damage (aided further by Skewer at 5th). At 7th, Focusing Feint allows the Thief to regain the martial focus they spend on Skewer. At higher levels, the addition of Scoundrel talents gives the Thief more ability to get away from their enemies (Cut and Run) or apply a variety of negative effects to the target (the various trick talents), usually chosen to disrupt their foe as much as possible. At 14th, Fencing's Master of Deception gives the possibility of confusing targets.
Martial Tradition: Thief (Equipment: Finesse Fighting, Equipment: Rogue Weapon Training, Fencing sphere, Scoundrel sphere)
- Novice Talents: 1: Equipment: Finesse Fighting (2), 2: Fencing: Fast Feint, 3: Fencing: Arm Strike (exploit), 4: Fencing: Feint Strike, 5: Fencing: Skewer
- Apprentice Talents: 6: Fencing: Wide Open (exploit), 7: Fencing: Focusing Feint, 8: Scoundrel: Cut and Run, 9: Scoundrel: Focusing Thievery, 10: Scoundrel: Fancy Footwork (trick)
- Journeyman Talents: 11: Scoundrel: Counter Theft, 12: Scoundrel: Improved Grifting, 13: Fencing: Expert Feint, 14: Fencing: Master of Deception, 15: Scoundrel: Steal Talent (trick)
- Master Talents: 16: Scoundrel: Steal Spells (trick), 17: Scoundrel: Dirty Curse (trick), 18: Fencing: Parry and Riposte, 19: Fencing: Open Guard, 20: Fencing: Parry Anything