[E6] LA Buy Off

[Tetsubo 57]

I finally got around to reading E6. And quite frankly it isn't something that really interests me. I like all four tiers of the D&D game. I don't think that level 6 is the 'sweet spot'. But... I did like how it handles LA buy off. In a nutshell:

LA +0 32 point buy character.

LA +1 25 point buy character.

LA +2 18 point buy character.

LA +3 10 point buy character.

LA +4 00 point buy character.

I like this idea a lot. But I haven't ever used it in play. How does it strike others?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

I finally got around to reading E6. And quite frankly it isn't something that really interests me. I like all four tiers of the D&D game. I don't think that level 6 is the 'sweet spot'. But... I did like how it handles LA buy off. In a nutshell:

LA +0 32 point buy character.

LA +1 25 point buy character.

LA +2 18 point buy character.

LA +3 10 point buy character.

LA +4 00 point buy character.

I like this idea a lot. But I haven't ever used it in play. How does it strike others?Pixie Warlock.

[Milskidasith]

I finally got around to reading E6. And quite frankly it isn't something that really interests me. I like all four tiers of the D&D game. I don't think that level 6 is the 'sweet spot'. But... I did like how it handles LA buy off. In a nutshell:

LA +0 32 point buy character.

LA +1 25 point buy character.

LA +2 18 point buy character.

LA +3 10 point buy character.

LA +4 00 point buy character.

I like this idea a lot. But I haven't ever used it in play. How does it strike others?

It is very, very rare that an LA of 4 can make up for having an 8 in all stats, unless it gives you caster levels or something. Even a pixie, IIRC, doesn't give as much charisma as just buying an 18 in the stat.

[Tavar]

Pixe gives Flight, and more importantly, Greater Invisibility as an SU ability.

[Thatguyoverther]

I don't think it's harsh enough. At LA4 you might want to consider having them take something like -8 points.

[Quietus]

Pixe gives Flight, and more importantly, Greater Invisibility as an SU ability.

Along with a stat line of : Str 4, Dex 16, Con 8, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 14

Actually, that isn't that bad.

[Ent]

For E6, it works. It's a good limitation to the things you don't normally/easily have access to.

[valadil]

I don't think that level 6 is the 'sweet spot'.

The nice thing about E6 is that it turns into E8 or E15 very easily depending on what you want to call epic. I agree that 6 is too early. 8-12 is the sweet spot in my opinion.

I like this method of LA buyoff in theory. How did they arrive at the point buys values? I don't think I'd count +1 as 7 points lower than +0. And I'd probably give some incentive to play at +4.

[Tetsubo 57]

The nice thing about E6 is that it turns into E8 or E15 very easily depending on what you want to call epic. I agree that 6 is too early. 8-12 is the sweet spot in my opinion.

I like this method of LA buyoff in theory. How did they arrive at the point buys values? I don't think I'd count +1 as 7 points lower than +0. And I'd probably give some incentive to play at +4.

Like I said, I just prefer a straight 20 level 3.5 or PF game.

I don't know how those numbers were derived, sorry.

[imperialspectre]

They're probably devised with a mind to balancing the stat mods that usually come with a +1 LA. Tiefling, for example, gets +2 Dex/Int and -2 Cha. Raising a 16 and a 14 to an 18 and a 16, while dropping an 8 to a 6, is worth 8 points in a point buy scheme.

'Course, then you get screwed just as badly as normal for being a drow. An additional -7 on point buy for +2 on a bad stat and abilities that are uniformly worse than the ones you get for being a tiefling. Still, I'd play the hell out of a phrenic gray elf wizard (for example) on 18 PB.

[RagnaroksChosen]

Speaking from experience...

In E6 games only...

This method is extremely valid. and I can tell you that none of my players complaned about balance issues...
I offered the weaker LA -0 races +1d6 points to spend... but no one took it...
most of my players when presented with this ususaly play LA +1 races.

[PlzBreakMyCmpAn]

I don't think it's harsh enough. At LA4 you might want to consider having them take something like -8 points.I would do this even on top of not allowing LA :smallredface: no joke

[Stegyre]

Speaking from experience...

In E6 games only...

This method is extremely valid. and I can tell you that none of my players complaned about balance issues...
I offered the weaker LA -0 races +1d6 points to spend... but no one took it...
most of my players when presented with this usualy play LA +1 races.
Your experience would seem to indicate that it is not "valid" (at least, if you meant "balanced").

The purpose of the adjustment is to make each LA tier equally desirable. That is, the benefits giving rise to the LA adjustment are balanced by the benefits of 3 to 5 additional modifier points (the maximum effect of 7 to 10 extra points on the point-buy).

Your experience is that they are not equally desirable: the market favors LA +1 races over LA 0 races, so LA +1 races are underpriced. Whatever your players may say about balance issues, they are voting with their feet. :smallwink:

[SurlySeraph]

'Course, then you get screwed just as badly as normal for being a drow. An additional -7 on point buy for +2 on a bad stat and abilities that are uniformly worse than the ones you get for being a tiefling. Still, I'd play the hell out of a phrenic gray elf wizard (for example) on 18 PB.

Well, that's why you plead with your DM to lower the LA if you want to play a drow or hobgoblin or something.

[RagnaroksChosen]

Your experience would seem to indicate that it is not "valid" (at least, if you meant "balanced").

The purpose of the adjustment is to make each LA tier equally desirable. That is, the benefits giving rise to the LA adjustment are balanced by the benefits of 3 to 5 additional modifier points (the maximum effect of 7 to 10 extra points on the point-buy).

Your experience is that they are not equally desirable: the market favors LA +1 races over LA 0 races, so LA +1 races are underpriced. Whatever your players may say about balance issues, they are voting with their feet. :smallwink:

I guess...
but please note i did say weeker la 0 races.. not all LA zero races...
i can speak for 5-6 games i've run with this option
game 1: elf, human, tiefling, assamar
game 2: human, human, chaos gnome, dwarf
game 3: asamar, fire ganasi, water ganasi, modifed fayri
game 4: warforged x5, human
game 5: changling, halfling, human, human, hobgoblin
game 6(current one): human, human, half-elf, halfling

though to be honest its more about playing something they want the Optimisation I can just say from personal experiance that with these rules i see less of a problem with balance... That is even the fayri felt balanced. no one complained about imbalances... every one felt even(besides the ususal class imbalances) I know i can't speak for all the situations but i can say that most of the players i have played with its pritty on par power wise... though some races due need there LA adjusted... which is another batter. I see those as more exceptions to the rules then the rule it self. as alot of the LA's are decent. again not a hard fast rule just my experiances.

[Splendor]

I actually just liked the variant rule....
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/reducingleveladjustments.htm