Xuincherguixe
2007-06-22, 07:18 AM
In the end, I'm much more likely to just build a system from scratch for a number of reasons, but...
How's this for alternate rules. Come up with a fairly sizeable list of stuff, such as Hit Points per Level (ala, 1d4), Base Attack Bonus, Partial or Full spell casting, Fighter bonus feats, Wild Shape, and all the rest.
From this list, each player could grab a certain amount of 'stuff', depending on what the GM/DM/ST/Squirrel Raiser (Not every game is in a dungeon!) decides. So, if they're feeling absolutely crazy you might end up with a Sneak attacking Barbarian that can cast Wizard Spells, and also has a Dragon as a special mount. Or for less overpowered games, things are more or less everything is on level with a Druid. Or if one is feeling cruel Monk. (I love me the Kung Fu, but that is a class with some problems dagnabbit!)
I see a lot of threads about balancing issues, and I can't help but think maybe character creation should be more open. That and limit the more outrageous spells, or at the very least certain combinations.
Maybe you like the idea of classes. Okay. The classes themselves could be built like this. You could pump up the Fighters and Monks a bit.
It would be a fairly sizable ordeal certainly, but I think it may well be the best way to deal with balance. How to fit in the hordes of savage beasts that stand against the party is harder to say. Maybe challenge ratings can adjust based on the 'pool' that you set things at. Using intentionally arbitrary classes so I don't bother to have to figure this out, maybe the Squirrel Raiser has a total of '2.5' For it's medium BaB and d8 hit dice, legion of squirrels attack, and it's ability to baffle favored victims. The Xloge Rider might count as '3.0' because of it's full BaB, d12 hit dice, special mount (the Xloge), and ability to cast partial Calculus magic (It's an Arcane magic spell list, using intelligence)
In a setting with the Squirrel Raiser, CR might remain the same. In one where Xloge Riders are the standard level, maybe the math works out that it's worth making everything -1 less.
So, in the end, it would be bit like Gestalt classes, with much more complexity.
How's this for alternate rules. Come up with a fairly sizeable list of stuff, such as Hit Points per Level (ala, 1d4), Base Attack Bonus, Partial or Full spell casting, Fighter bonus feats, Wild Shape, and all the rest.
From this list, each player could grab a certain amount of 'stuff', depending on what the GM/DM/ST/Squirrel Raiser (Not every game is in a dungeon!) decides. So, if they're feeling absolutely crazy you might end up with a Sneak attacking Barbarian that can cast Wizard Spells, and also has a Dragon as a special mount. Or for less overpowered games, things are more or less everything is on level with a Druid. Or if one is feeling cruel Monk. (I love me the Kung Fu, but that is a class with some problems dagnabbit!)
I see a lot of threads about balancing issues, and I can't help but think maybe character creation should be more open. That and limit the more outrageous spells, or at the very least certain combinations.
Maybe you like the idea of classes. Okay. The classes themselves could be built like this. You could pump up the Fighters and Monks a bit.
It would be a fairly sizable ordeal certainly, but I think it may well be the best way to deal with balance. How to fit in the hordes of savage beasts that stand against the party is harder to say. Maybe challenge ratings can adjust based on the 'pool' that you set things at. Using intentionally arbitrary classes so I don't bother to have to figure this out, maybe the Squirrel Raiser has a total of '2.5' For it's medium BaB and d8 hit dice, legion of squirrels attack, and it's ability to baffle favored victims. The Xloge Rider might count as '3.0' because of it's full BaB, d12 hit dice, special mount (the Xloge), and ability to cast partial Calculus magic (It's an Arcane magic spell list, using intelligence)
In a setting with the Squirrel Raiser, CR might remain the same. In one where Xloge Riders are the standard level, maybe the math works out that it's worth making everything -1 less.
So, in the end, it would be bit like Gestalt classes, with much more complexity.