Balancing unique

[Dellis]

Our group usually lets the Game Master - me, in this case - create the characters which will be used throughout the campaign.

We've found this helps the GM in creating satisfying challenges based on character Backgrounds, challenges players who are sometimes required to play characters which are different from what they themselves would create, and is generally quite satisfying all around.

I, for one, like to give every single player a little quirk in their background, which they themselves may be not aware of, and build upon it a story which the player will get to play.

I.E., one of my players will be a Wild Mage: I've ported from 2e the class (not that it was much difficult), and what he knows is just his spells sometimes go awry and do strange things. He'll have quite the laugh - and so will I xD - when a group of mages will hunt him to seize him and use him for human experiments. He'll be the highlight of the evening, and this will get him much more involved when the same villains will show up in the main quests allying with the BBEG.

Alas, it is not always so easy to balance "uniqueness", since it requires - not always, but sometimes - to do things outside the scope of the rules.

You can't create a Wild Mage in 3e. There's not even the class. You can't create a royal heir PC, at least if you do it won't affect your starting money, which is quite strange. (Some of you might be of the stance that PCs at level 1 SHOULD be ordinary in all respects, but while you're quite welcome to comment even on this aspect, I'm not easily swayed: I like having players play heroes, destined to greatness one way or another, and these quirks are a good way to do that).

This last example, the royal heir, is the one I'm butting heads with more, I've been doing that for a month, in fact. I'd like to give him a "heirloom" to start out, maybe a +1 keen magical sword, or a ring of protection, things like that, but I'm afraid this would destroy the first levels' balance. Think goblins against a keen sword. Goblin paste.

Plus, it's, what, twenty times worth the starting money? Before amassing 2000 gp, it's usually level three. Is it ok to give that much to a level 1 character? What if he sells it and buys, I don't know, tons of healing potions? An Inn? A House? Hires an assassin?

Your thoughts on the matter would be very welcome. Suggestions for "quirks", insults, thoughts on balancing - everything which comes to mind.

[OldTrees1]

Wild Magic could easily take a Wilder and slap on a Wand/Staff/Rod of Wonder or other wild magic effect instead of the normal drawbacks of Wild Surge. Wilders even have a prestige class that increases their Wild Surge.

Royal Heir sounds like they should be richer to start with than the other PCs. But we want some balance so either we can balance a positive with a negative or balance the positive with other positives. I suggest the latter, give the Heir +2 levels with respect to WBL but give everyone else other personalized boons. Sure this mean the PCs are stronger than normal for their level, but the DM can either just flow with this or increase the difficulty of the encounters. My favorite campaign started with each player getting 1 Wish(expended before the game started) for their 6th level PCs.

[Dellis]

Wild Magic could easily take a Wilder and slap on a Wand/Staff/Rod of Wonder or other wild magic effect instead of the normal drawbacks of Wild Surge. Wilders even have a prestige class that increases their Wild Surge.

Royal Heir sounds like they should be richer to start with than the other PCs. But we want some balance so either we can balance a positive with a negative or balance the positive with other positives. I suggest the latter, give the Heir +2 levels with respect to WBL but give everyone else other personalized boons. Sure this mean the PCs are stronger than normal for their level, but the DM can either just flow with this or increase the difficulty of the encounters. My favorite campaign started with each player getting 1 Wish(expended before the game started) for their 6th level PCs.

Thank you, I wasn't even aware of the existence of the Wilder, I'll be sure to check it out. Even the Rod of Wonder's effects are a good suggestion.

For the Royal Heir, the Idea is just that: everyone's gonna have its roughly same powered Quirk, so as to maintain balance between players. So, what you're suggesting is powering up the first challenges accordingly so they do not roflstomp them. It may actually work, thanks. Maybe throw in somw monsters with one class level somewhere to balance out the additional power. Would, say, adding a Goblin/Wrr 1 here and there be enough to balance out five player's particularities on the same levels as the example ones?

[OldTrees1]

Thank you, I wasn't even aware of the existence of the Wilder, I'll be sure to check it out. Even the Rod of Wonder's effects are a good suggestion.

For the Royal Heir, the Idea is just that: everyone's gonna have its roughly same powered Quirk, so as to maintain balance between players. So, what you're suggesting is powering up the first challenges accordingly so they do not roflstomp them. It may actually work, thanks. Maybe throw in somw monsters with one class level somewhere to balance out the additional power. Would, say, adding a Goblin/Wrr 1 here and there be enough to balance out five player's particularities on the same levels as the example ones?

For quirks in the +2 levels of WBL range? I would suggesting increasing the encounter level of all encounters by 1 (possibly excepting if that increases the encounter level to above the maximum they would otherwise expect). So instead of EL 1, 2, 3, or 4, use EL 2, 3, 4, or 4-5. You could do that by adding class levels, but I would suggest using better version or more of what is already there. Goblin Warrior 1s(goblins start with 1 level) would increase to Warrior 2s or you might replace 3 Goblins(EL 1) with a Bugbear(CR 2).

[Gildedragon]

There is a Wild Mage in 3.5: a prestige class in Complete Mage.
As to the royal heir thing: noble is traveling incognito or has been cast out for a quest of sorts (make their own fortune, talk with the common folk sorta thing) you could go the Ancestral Relic route and unlock the weapon's powers as you go on
Quirks: the Phantom Sparks flaw and some luck feats

[MisterKaws]

Why don't you use another system, then? Why don't you go for a more customizable world like Mutants&Masterminds? It's based around superheroes for the fluff, but there's no real difference when you get to the crunch. Grod made this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?279503-D-amp-D-in-M-amp-M-a-new-approach-to-rebalancing-3-5-PF) adaptation to have D&D classes there, but you could do basically anything you want with it, even more so since you're the DM, and the game is literally based around having everything be under DM fiat.

Here (http://www.d20herosrd.com/)'s the link to the SRD, you don't need any more than this to play it, honestly.

[Dellis]

There is a Wild Mage in 3.5: a prestige class in Complete Mage.
As to the royal heir thing: noble is traveling incognito or has been cast out for a quest of sorts (make their own fortune, talk with the common folk sorta thing) you could go the Ancestral Relic route and unlock the weapon's powers as you go on
Quirks: the Phantom Sparks flaw and some luck feats

I believe that was a prestige class as opposed to a base class, which I'd rather avoid if at all possible. As for the Ancestral Relic, I was thinking I might check it out, but it seems like the kind of thing that the player must be really ok with to function correctly (it did require spending talents, if I'm not mistaken?)


Why don't you use another system, then? Why don't you go for a more customizable world like Mutants&Masterminds? It's based around superheroes for the fluff, but there's no real difference when you get to the crunch. Grod made this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?279503-D-amp-D-in-M-amp-M-a-new-approach-to-rebalancing-3-5-PF) adaptation to have D&D classes there, but you could do basically anything you want with it, even more so since you're the DM, and the game is literally based around having everything be under DM fiat.

Here (http://www.d20herosrd.com/)'s the link to the SRD, you don't need any more than this to play it, honestly.

I'll check it out, but I was hoping to take advantage of the player's familiarity with D&D to ease them into the big module I'm preparing, plus, I'm always a little fearful of fiddling too much with a system or its given setting, hence this post itself: I don't know, it might quite sound an irrational fear but some systems don't work well with different settings. Let's say, for instance, Whitewolf's WoD for a classic D&D setting: I think it wouldn't adapt as well. Still, if the system's as flexible as you say, and there's already a conversion out there, it's worth checking it out. Thanks!

[Gildedragon]

I believe that was a prestige class as opposed to a base class, which I'd rather avoid if at all possible. As for the Ancestral Relic, I was thinking I might check it out, but it seems like the kind of thing that the player must be really ok with to function correctly (it did require spending talents, if I'm not mistaken?)
Ancestral Relic is a feat, yfeat you can give it to the character regardless. Or you can give them a Legacy Weapon (and build it along with them) remove the costs for the item (they're not generally worth it... In the book there is an example of an amulet of resistance +1 that as a cost lowers the owner's saves by 1). Make the omen ability flavorful and related to the noble lineage. (For example The Sword of Mercy would deal subdual damage without the -4 penalty) and make the weapon Ornate (+2 diplomacy) or made of something odd but not horribly powerful (Aurorum is a good example, or glassteel)

[MisterKaws]

I'll check it out, but I was hoping to take advantage of the player's familiarity with D&D to ease them into the big module I'm preparing, plus, I'm always a little fearful of fiddling too much with a system or its given setting, hence this post itself: I don't know, it might quite sound an irrational fear but some systems don't work well with different settings. Let's say, for instance, Whitewolf's WoD for a classic D&D setting: I think it wouldn't adapt as well. Still, if the system's as flexible as you say, and there's already a conversion out there, it's worth checking it out. Thanks!

You just need to take out the hero stuff from it, and throw fantasy to make it work. Also, instead of directly giving points as reward to the players, give them new abilities and items(which are just powers with the Removable flaw).