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View Full Version : E6 What are the best races? Optimal races are different for E6.



Hallack
2011-01-14, 10:42 AM
I've been thinking about this one and E6 certainly changes the dynamic of which races are the best. For simplicity sake I will just stick to LA +0 races for now.

E6 changes the proportional benefit of various bonuses. A +2 skill or stat bonus(or penalty) is more significant than in a higher leveling game. +2 to a stat in a regular game can be nice but when over the course of the game you can get 5 boost even without magic it simply will not have the same ratio of benefit.

Considerations:

Stat modifiers become way more significant on the E6 Scale.
Skill Modifiers from race or even from feats like Skill Focus become more significant
Higher numbers of Feats open up a lot more feat options that normally would be avoided, Heritage, Racial, and Luck feats for example
In a game where magical methods of gaining alternative/improved senses (low Light Vision, Dark vision, etc...) or have a higher proportional overhead racial abilities become more of boon.
In a game where you gain many more feats than normal a Racial bonus feat becomes less significant. The Humans bonus skill points also become a degree less awesome when compared to other races skill bonuses.


Humans: Their Feat, and 9 bonus skill points over 6 levels is still very nice and roughly equivalent to a total of 3 Feats in E6 (Open Mind, 5 skill points).

Given more feats for everyone and a limited return on their +1 SP/level I think that their Racial abilities no longer far surpass even the normally crappy Elf.

The Normally crappy Elf: The elves racial traits become more significant proportionally. They basically get 6 skill points worth of Skill bonus but to set skills. These +2 Bonuses however become more significant in a game where Skills are capped to a much lower level. Even their immunity to Sleep is likely to stay more relevant throughout their life due to the existence of the Deep Slumber spell.

As for their stat modifiers, they too become more significant. Stats are going to generally be lower in an E6 game due to only getting the 4th level boost (ignoring the boosting feats which all will access). So suddenly we find that +2 Dex being more significant for higher bonus and Feat Prereqs. Yes, the Constitution penalty still sucks but regarding HP it can be overcome with just one feat, Improved Toughness. One feat for a +2 Dex (especially if doing Point Buy), yes please.

I'm not going to delve into all the races as I think what I've written so far fairly well brings forth the racial rebalancing inherent within E6.

So, what races move up the spectrum of optimization within E6 or do you disagree with this line of thought?

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2011-01-14, 11:41 AM
Water Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/elementalRacialVariants.htm#racesOfWater) with Dragonborn of Bahamut (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060105b&page=1): +0 LA, 30 ft. land speed, 30 ft. swim speed, Str +4, Dex -2, Con +4, Int -2, Wis -2, Cha -2, Dragonborn traits. You lose the Orc light sensitivity and darkvision, and the race of water traits other than the swim speed. The wings aspect of dragonborn gives you a 30 ft. fly speed at level 6, or the heart aspect gives you a breath attack which gets extremely useful if you take Entangling Exhalation. Great for a combat-focused character or a tank in general.

If you want to add a +1 LA onto that, Mineral Warrior (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) would make your total ability score adjustments Str +6, Dex -2, Con +8, Int -4, Wis -4, Cha -4, plus it gives +3 natural armor, DR 8/Adamantine, a 15 ft. burrow speed, and darkvision. That DR will make a character practically unkillable in E6, and if you get the wings aspect from dragonborn you'll still gain the fly speed when you hit 6th level. That means you'll have a land, swim, burrow, and fly speed all on the same character for only a +1 LA. I'd preferably go Crusader with this, and use the heart aspect with entangling exhalation for a super-tank.

Warlawk
2011-01-14, 01:03 PM
Water Orc (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/elementalRacialVariants.htm#racesOfWater) with Dragonborn of Bahamut (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20060105b&page=1): +0 LA, 30 ft. land speed, 30 ft. swim speed, Str +4, Dex -2, Con +4, Int -2, Wis -2, Cha -2, Dragonborn traits. You lose the Orc light sensitivity and darkvision, and the race of water traits other than the swim speed. The wings aspect of dragonborn gives you a 30 ft. fly speed at level 6, or the heart aspect gives you a breath attack which gets extremely useful if you take Entangling Exhalation. Great for a combat-focused character or a tank in general.

If you want to add a +1 LA onto that, Mineral Warrior (http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e) would make your total ability score adjustments Str +6, Dex -2, Con +8, Int -4, Wis -4, Cha -4, plus it gives +3 natural armor, DR 8/Adamantine, a 15 ft. burrow speed, and darkvision. That DR will make a character practically unkillable in E6, and if you get the wings aspect from dragonborn you'll still gain the fly speed when you hit 6th level. That means you'll have a land, swim, burrow, and fly speed all on the same character for only a +1 LA. I'd preferably go Crusader with this, and use the heart aspect with entangling exhalation for a super-tank.

The Internet would have us believe that Stoney Water Orc Dragonborn of Bahamut are more common than humans in most games. Sorry, just never seen anyone post this as anything other than a big sack of stats that pretty much doesn't make any kind of sense as a person.

I think Dwarves come out looking pretty nice in E6. Cha is an easy dump for many classes and con will always be at a premium. They get a nice suite of abilities/bonuses that remain more useful in the lower power setting as well.

true_shinken
2011-01-14, 01:19 PM
Shadar-kai spring to mind as an option to get Hide in Plain Sight. Unfortunatelly, racial hit dice are a big pain in E6, because it's harder to get class features.

Draz74
2011-01-14, 01:47 PM
If you use LA rules as-written (originally) in E6, then Pixies are simply stupid-powerful. Their racial modifications to ability scores almost make up for the lower point-buy they get (when they trade in their LA +4), and that's before you factor in their flight/invisibility/etc. abilities.

Hallack
2011-01-14, 02:13 PM
One of the things I find most interesting is how Con Penalties are less of a problem as they are fairly easy to overcome simply by using a feat or several.

gorfnab
2011-01-14, 02:25 PM
Whisper Gnomes, especially with the Magic in the Blood feat. If rogue levels (or some other source of sneak attack) is involved then Silencing Strike is definitely nice to add on.

mootoall
2011-01-14, 02:26 PM
Doesn't mineral warrior get rid of your flight speeds?

Godskook
2011-01-14, 02:46 PM
The Internet would have us believe that Stoney Water Orc Dragonborn of Bahamut are more common than humans in most games. Sorry, just never seen anyone post this as anything other than a big sack of stats that pretty much doesn't make any kind of sense as a person.

Actually, I think it is more of an among PCs type thing, rather than the general population of any game world. I.e., the internet tends to get "superhero syndrome" onto their D&D.

-------------------------------------

@OP, Human is work less than 2 feats. Specifically, Nymph's Kiss sets the cost of the bonus skill points, and from that context, Nymph's Kiss > Human stat bonus. And Human's #1 racial feat(IMHO) is almost worthless in E6(Able Learner).

Air Goblin is imho a better goblin than the regular variety, since its racial stats total +0 rather than -2. Also, with a +4 in Dex, which is great for swordsages, casters, and dragonborns that wanted a bonus to dex.

grimbold
2011-01-14, 02:50 PM
in e6 orcs work well, there strength will never be matched.

grarrrg
2011-01-14, 04:20 PM
Doesn't mineral warrior get rid of your flight speeds?

Link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e)
"Speed: The mineral warrior gains a burrow speed equal to one-half the base creature's highest speed. The base creature loses its fly ability, if any."

It says 'base creature', but doesn't rule out later gaining a fly speed.
The sticky part is that Mineral Warrior and Dragonborn are both templates and apply simultaneously.
I'd rule towards 'no flight', but, again, sticky area.

Gan The Grey
2011-01-14, 04:29 PM
In case you're interested, here are the modified races I use for my E6 setting:

Humans
Humans belong to the Kingdom of Ayrllia and are the newest residents of the islands.
Size: Medium
Movement: 30 feet
Humans gain a +1 bonus to two separate attributes of player’s choice.
4 extra skill points at first level + 1 additional per subsequent level.
Human receive 50% more starting wealth.
May take capstone feats as long as they have taken at least 4 levels in the same class, though they still must be at least 6th level.
Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic, and Undercommon).

Half-Elves
During their short stay with the elves, the humans made more than a few friends: they laid the grounds for an entirely new race to emerge. When the humans were expelled from their temporary settlements in the lands east of Val’Orith, many of the half-elves chose to go with them, but they never lost their connection to the elven homeland. After the War of Transgression, the half-elves moved back to their mostly empty homelands, claiming one of the cities as their new capitol and renaming it Tusas’Anuire.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Half-elves gain a +1 bonus to an attribute of player’s choice.
Immunity to sleep spells and similar magical effects, and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: A half-elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
+1 racial bonus on Perception and Search checks.
+2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks. This does not apply to dwarves.
Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf.
Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret anguages, such as Druidic, and Undercommon).
Cursed: Half-elves cannot cast any spell or use any magic item that has an element of necromancy or negative energy. Furthermore, all non-intelligent undead within 100ft of a half-elf have a 20% chance to immediately attack them to the exclusion of all else.



Elves
The Elves currently inhabiting the mainland are most likely those left behind during the mass Elven exodus over two hundred years ago, or descendants thereof. If any of the mainland Elves belong to the group of disappeared Elves, they aren’t talking. Regardless, the Elves have found that society has yet to forget about their ancestors’ atrocities during the War of Transgression, the dwarves especially.
+2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects.
Low-Light Vision: An elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longsword, rapier, longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats.
+2 racial bonus on Perception and Search checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it.
-2 racial penalty to Diplomacy, Bluff, Gather Information, and Intimidate when dealing with dwarves.
Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Gnoll, Gnome.
Cursed: Elves cannot cast any spell or use any magic item that has an element of necromancy or negative energy. Furthermore, all non-intelligent undead within 100ft of an elf have a 50% chance to immediately attack them to the exclusion of all else. Finally, any necromancy spell or effect that targets an elf is treated as empowered and has any connected saving throw increased by 2.

Dwarves
The islands have belonged to the dwarves since before history remembers. Rarely delving out from their home below Mt. Helgin, the dwarves control the tunnels and caverns of the underworld with an iron fist, the only thing standing between the hordes of aberrant creatures and the surface world. Due to the elves’ duplicitous actions during the War of Transgression, the dwarves hardly trust them at all anymore, and they flat-out refuse to allow anyone other than a dwarf into the gates of their world. However, they are curious about the new developments on the islands, and are regularly found mixed amongst the surface races, though they claim to hate the sunlight.
+2 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
Size: Medium
Speed: 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
Light Sensitivity (Ex): Dwarves are double-dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Dazzled: The creature is unable to see well because of overstimulation of the eyes. A dazzled creature takes a –1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks, and Perception checks.
Stonecunning: This ability grants a dwarf a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn’t stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a dwarf can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
Stability: A dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like effects.
+2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items.
+2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal.
+1 to attack and damage on underworld creatures.
Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Undercommon.

Half-Dwarves
A…strange breed, to be sure, the Half-Dwarf is the rarest of the civilized races, further proof that humans can and will breed with anything that walks.
+1 Constitution, -2 Charisma.
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet. However, half-dwarves can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations).
Low-Light Vision (Ex): A half-dwarf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Stability: A half-dwarf gains a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, riding, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
+2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison.
Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic, and Undercommon).


Gnomes, Tinker
Tinker Gnomes have changed little over the centuries, retaining their natural inquisitiveness and their love of light-hearted fare.
+1 Intelligence, +1 Constitution, -2 Strength.
Size: Small.
Movement: 20 feet
Low-Light Vision (Ex): A gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
+2 racial save vs Illusions.
+1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by gnomes. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
+2 to Perception and Craft(Alchemy).
Automatically gains Knowledge(Architecture and Engineering) as a class skill.
A gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + gnome’s Cha modifier + spell level.
Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Dwarven and Elven.

Gnomes, Trekker
These gnomes are barbarian tribes that live on the Thrush Plains. They stayed behind after the war with the elves to insure those pointy-eared bastards didn’t try anything funny again. In over two hundreds, their bodies have undergone a rapid evolution leading them to their current state.
+1 Strength, +1 Constitution, -2 Intelligence.
Size: Small.
Movement: 20 feet
Powerful Build (Ex): The physical stature of Trekker Gnomes lets them function in many ways as if they were one size category larger. Whenever a Trekker Gnome is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the Trekker Gnome is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A Trekker Gnome is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A Trekker Gnome can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.
Low-Light Vision (Ex): A gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
+2 racial save vs Illusions.
+2 to Perception checks.
Run as a bonus feat.
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—Speak with Animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute).
Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Elven and Gnoll.

true_shinken
2011-01-14, 05:57 PM
The sticky part is that Mineral Warrior and Dragonborn are both templates and apply simultaneously.
Dragonborn is not a template. Also, you lose all your racial abilities when you become a dragonborn (excepet stat modifiers). You'd lose mineral warrior's DR, but you'd keep dragonborn's flight speed.

BG
2011-01-14, 05:57 PM
I think I'll gank those for the e6 game I'm running.

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-14, 06:01 PM
Dragonborn is not a template. Also, you lose all your racial abilities when you become a dragonborn (excepet stat modifiers). You'd lose mineral warrior's DR, but you'd keep dragonborn's flight speed.

Can anyone remind me, is a wing aspect dragonborn considered to have a flight speed at level 1? because if no, you could in theory become a dragonborn at level 1 choosing the wing aspects, then at level 3 (to buy off the LA right off the bat) become a mineral warrior, since by this point you don't have flight you don't loose it; then at level 6 you grow your wings and enjoy your flight and burrowing speed (throw the amphibious template and now you have all the movement types :smalltongue:)

Greenish
2011-01-14, 06:03 PM
Can anyone remind me, is a wing aspect dragonborn considered to have a flight speed at level 1?No, just glide and jump bonus.

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-14, 06:07 PM
Does that means my assumptions were right?

:smallcool: Nice

Greenish
2011-01-14, 06:22 PM
Does that means my assumptions were right?Aside from the claim that you grow the wings at 6th level (what would you glide with, then?), and the statement that normal, flying, burrowing and swimming are all the movement modes there are (you forgot climbing), yeah.

Yora
2011-01-14, 06:38 PM
in e6 orcs work well, there strength will never be matched.

Crate Wondrous Item and Bull's Strength are both CL 3rd, so belts of giant strength +6 are possible. But really expensive compared to a racial feature.

Psyren
2011-01-14, 08:24 PM
How about Karsites?

- +2 Con, +2 Cha
- Human subrace
- DR 5/magic
- SR 10+level
- Magic draining attacks
- Spell Healing
- Medium Armor Proficiency, MWP (regardless of class)
- +2 LA

Several of those look like they'd be handy in E6 to me

VeisuItaTyhjyys
2011-01-14, 08:33 PM
How is LA dealt with in E6?

Greenish
2011-01-14, 08:44 PM
How is LA dealt with in E6?Reduced pointbuy, if my memory serves.

Roc Ness
2011-01-14, 09:15 PM
The Lesser Planetouched are good, aren't they? Their spell-likes are suddenly a lot more useful, and they all have bonuses to more than one stat.

Thrice Dead Cat
2011-01-14, 11:00 PM
Link (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003e)
"Speed: The mineral warrior gains a burrow speed equal to one-half the base creature's highest speed. The base creature loses its fly ability, if any."

It says 'base creature', but doesn't rule out later gaining a fly speed.
The sticky part is that Mineral Warrior and Dragonborn are both templates and apply simultaneously.
I'd rule towards 'no flight', but, again, sticky area.

Actually, this is just an order of operations as both Dragonborn and Mineral Warrior are acquired post character creation, so as long as you go Dragonborn after Mineral Warrior, you can gain the flight speed if you so choose.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2011-01-14, 11:32 PM
Regarding Dragonborn + Mineral Warrior, both are acquired templates, i.e. nobody is born with either of them. Anyone who has one has gained it at some point in their lifetime.

Dragonborn makes you lose your current racial traits upon gaining it, anything later gained is not retroactively lost. Mineral Warrior makes you lose any current fly speed upon gaining it, any fly speed later gained is not retroactively lost.

You start with the base creature, who is born with whatever racial traits he currently has. He first gains Dragonborn, which causes him to lose those traits he already has. He later gains Mineral Warrior, he gets its racial traits as normal. If he has the Wings aspect of Dragonborn, and he gained Mineral Warrior prior to reaching 6th level, he would still gain a fly speed as normal.

Both of these templates can be acquired prior to the start of play, but they can be gained at any time and you can arrange for them to be gained in the most beneficial order.

A disproportionately high number of Stony Dragonborn Water Orc adventurers doesn't mean that this race is more common than Humans, Elves, or any other standard race. How many Human commoners are there, and how many Stony Dragonborn Water Orc commoners are there? Every one of them that exists is probably an adventurer of some sort, hence the disproportionately high number of adventurers of that race.


Every magical item in the game could still exist in the hands of the PCs in an E6 game:

The Midgard Dwarves detailed in Frostburn have a racial ability which allows them to craft any magical ring, arms/armor, and wondrous item as though they met all the prerequisites to do so. That means one could craft intelligent items, epic items, and even artifacts. They have eight Outsider hit dice, but that doesn't mean they can't exist in E6. E6 puts a limit on the number of class levels someone can gain, but there are still creatures with racial hit dice in excess of this limit. There are still giants, but a typical adult giant has far more than six hit dice, they're just considerably more powerful relative to the typical adventurer. A midgard dwarf would probably be a highly reputable craftsman, but live in a remote place so that only those worthy of his goods could even reach him....

Any character can have an Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) and upgrade it into any item they can afford as though they met all the prerequisites to do so. That means Mr. Fighter McEsix could have a +5 Vorpal Sword, regardless of its out-of-reach prerequisites, and he doesn't even need to have any caster level or item creation feats to do it.

Incantations (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/incantations.htm) can be used to cast any spell that would normally be inaccessible to an E6 character. Powerful creatures with innate spellcasting abilities surpass the E6 limits, such as dragons (Steel (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20040328a) in particular), Lammasus, Nagas, and dozens of non-core monsters. No spell is completely out of reach in an E6 game, and caster levels can go just as high as in a typical non-E6 game, just not those of the PCs. Finding or developing the proper incantation to cast a spell, or convincing a powerful monster to assist with spellcasting, could lead to an entire adventure and shouldn't be disregarded. Powerful magical items can exist in these games, they just wouldn't be as readily available as they are in higher level play.

Cadian 9th
2011-01-18, 03:38 AM
Lesser Wispling generally is awesome.

+4 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Strength.
Small size. 20ft speed.
+2 Jump, climb, listen and move silently.
+1 on all saving throws.
+2 morale bonus on saves against fear.
+1 racial bonus on attack rolls with Slings/thrown weapons.
Disguise self 1/day
Planetouched, humanoid.

Also, a template such as dark becomes stupidly good, giving you hide in plain sight in a world where you simply don't have all the detect hiding you can get.

Lesser Feyri get a bunch of spell like abilities and decent stat modifiers. Including some high level stuff, IIRC.

EDIT: Lesser Fey'ri get +2 dex, +2 int, -2 con. Fly 40ft in winged form (poor).
Alter self, AT WILL. +2 racial on will vs ench, +2 bluff, hide, listen, search and spot. Magical sleep immune, Elf blood, 4 SLAs/Abilities. (Clairaudeince/Clairvoyance, DR 10/magic, Charm Person, Fire resist, Enervation, detect thoughts, dimension door, Darkness, Suggestion, +2 o saves vs an energy or poison). If you pick DR 10/Magic, Suggestion, Enervation, Dimension door, you have +1 LA above the normal +1 for Lesser planetouched.

Ecalsneerg
2011-01-18, 03:47 AM
The Lesser Planetouched are good, aren't they? Their spell-likes are suddenly a lot more useful, and they all have bonuses to more than one stat.

They're kind of good in normal D&D too, anyway. Net +4 to stats? For no LA? Yes please!

AslanCross
2011-01-18, 03:47 AM
Warforged? They get a whole bunch of immunities that are far more useful for low-level characters.