Crake
2015-01-22, 11:04 AM
So I made a thread in the homebrew forum here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?394344-Optional-Gestalt-LA-gestalting&p=18696663#post18696663), but I've never really had much success in getting feedback from that forum, so I thought, I'd post here, linking to the original thread, either to direct users of this forum to the thread, or to just simply discuss it here. I've found that this forum has a much more keen eye for balancing anyway, so I'd likely get more constructive feedback.
Here's the OP from the homebrew thread for those who cant be bothered clicking the link:
Ok, so I've devised a rather nice (at least so far) system for optional gestalting, which also works nicely as a method for allowing higher levels of LA in higher powered games. It's only been playtested over the course of a single game so far, but I think it's been fairly well tested regarding most of it's use cases in said game.
To summarise, each player may, at their option, choose to gestalt either class levels, or any LA they happen to have (though I like to limit the LA to in game granted material, rather than allowing a player to begin play with exorbient LA that they will pay off on the side) by paying 500xp * gestalt level. So 500 xp for level 1, 1000xp for level 2 (for a total of 1500xp invested in gestalt overall) etc.
Their ECL is calculated by summing their xp on both sides and rounding it down to the nearest level threshold of a normal character. This results in a slowly increasing "LA" so to speak, starting out at 0 from 1//1, increasing to +1 at 3//3, +2 at 8//8, +3 at 13//13, +4 at 17//17 and finally, +5 at 21//21
As you can see, the numbers start to get a little high toward the end, with few campaigns likely to hit 17//17 (other players would be epic by the time you get dual 9s, though lets face it, most dual 9 normal builds cap out at 20 anyway, and you'll have twice the number of PrC goodies), though so far it has resulted is satisfaction from both my players, one who is using the gestalt to get +6LA, while the other is getting +4 LA, and gestalting the other 9 levels (he's currently 13//9+4LA, while the other is 16//6LA) and they both seem satisfied with eachother's power level compared to the other.
This system does allow for a much higher level of LA than the normal one does, though it has a natural "buy off" as gestalted LA, slowly, as you gain levels, has less of an impact on your total XP, until it finally stops mattering. For example, the player with +6 LA (10,500xp invested into LA) had +1 ECL until level 11, where the LA ceased to increase the character's XP to the next level threshold.
I haven't playtested this enough to be sure, but I've found that, while higher powered, this option opens up much more of the system to both players and DMs alike. As a litmus test, i've looked at this against a few creatures, their LAs and their CR. For example, a succubus, 6HD and 6LA, under this rule would be ECL 7, which just happens to be their CR. Hound Archons and Janni, similar popular (though likely hardly ever played) monstrous player races, while having 6HD and +5 LA, still result in ECL 7 (despite their CR4) and attain "LA"+0 once they hit level 8 (assuming they take no gestalt levels).
This system opens up many, previously crippling to play, monster races, for a much more fun and varied game, and I'd love to get more playtesting to occur to see if it's a viable houserule beyond just my game. If anyone has any questions or has any crippling flaws to point out, please do so, I'd be happy to reply.
Here's the OP from the homebrew thread for those who cant be bothered clicking the link:
Ok, so I've devised a rather nice (at least so far) system for optional gestalting, which also works nicely as a method for allowing higher levels of LA in higher powered games. It's only been playtested over the course of a single game so far, but I think it's been fairly well tested regarding most of it's use cases in said game.
To summarise, each player may, at their option, choose to gestalt either class levels, or any LA they happen to have (though I like to limit the LA to in game granted material, rather than allowing a player to begin play with exorbient LA that they will pay off on the side) by paying 500xp * gestalt level. So 500 xp for level 1, 1000xp for level 2 (for a total of 1500xp invested in gestalt overall) etc.
Their ECL is calculated by summing their xp on both sides and rounding it down to the nearest level threshold of a normal character. This results in a slowly increasing "LA" so to speak, starting out at 0 from 1//1, increasing to +1 at 3//3, +2 at 8//8, +3 at 13//13, +4 at 17//17 and finally, +5 at 21//21
As you can see, the numbers start to get a little high toward the end, with few campaigns likely to hit 17//17 (other players would be epic by the time you get dual 9s, though lets face it, most dual 9 normal builds cap out at 20 anyway, and you'll have twice the number of PrC goodies), though so far it has resulted is satisfaction from both my players, one who is using the gestalt to get +6LA, while the other is getting +4 LA, and gestalting the other 9 levels (he's currently 13//9+4LA, while the other is 16//6LA) and they both seem satisfied with eachother's power level compared to the other.
This system does allow for a much higher level of LA than the normal one does, though it has a natural "buy off" as gestalted LA, slowly, as you gain levels, has less of an impact on your total XP, until it finally stops mattering. For example, the player with +6 LA (10,500xp invested into LA) had +1 ECL until level 11, where the LA ceased to increase the character's XP to the next level threshold.
I haven't playtested this enough to be sure, but I've found that, while higher powered, this option opens up much more of the system to both players and DMs alike. As a litmus test, i've looked at this against a few creatures, their LAs and their CR. For example, a succubus, 6HD and 6LA, under this rule would be ECL 7, which just happens to be their CR. Hound Archons and Janni, similar popular (though likely hardly ever played) monstrous player races, while having 6HD and +5 LA, still result in ECL 7 (despite their CR4) and attain "LA"+0 once they hit level 8 (assuming they take no gestalt levels).
This system opens up many, previously crippling to play, monster races, for a much more fun and varied game, and I'd love to get more playtesting to occur to see if it's a viable houserule beyond just my game. If anyone has any questions or has any crippling flaws to point out, please do so, I'd be happy to reply.