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johnbragg
2018-02-09, 11:24 PM
I've been working on E6 classes for a homebrewed setting. And I've been re-thinking the orthodoxy on dead levels. (Dead levels are always bad, and good class design avoids dead levels.) I'm not sure this is 100% true in E6. Or more exactly, we're not looking at dead levels in the right way.

A level where the PC sees major changes is not a dead level, even if the PC doesn't gain any new class features. 2nd level is never a dead level--even if you're playing an Expert, you're looking at a 50% increase in HP on average, your BAB and good saves increase. Plus it's the first time you're leveling up this character. So

LEvels where you first get second- and third-level spells also cannot be dead levels. Those are milestones that change the way your PC lives. That means a lot more than another d6 to your Channel Energy or a bonus feat or Inspire Competence or +CHA to saves.

The way I see the demographics of 3X works like a radioactive half-life. Only 50% of a starting population will gain the next 1000 xp. (Noncombat encounters require a lot more grinding). So 50% are between 0-999, 25% between 1000-1999, 12.5% between 2000-2999, etc. That makes 50% of the people in the campaign world 1st level, 37.5% are 2nd level, which leaves 12.5% level 3 and up, and only 1.5% level 4 or more.

So level 3 is where heroes begin to really separate themselves. So this is where big flashy abilities should come online. 2nd level spells, maybe a 2nd Rage, lay on hands/ paladin's mount, ranger's animal companion.

As for capstone abilities, two of the three generic classes have them built in. Full-BAB classes get their iterative attack at 6th level. Spellcasters get 3rd level spells. But I'm not so set on how to handle Expert/Rogue types. Another +1 to Trap Sense is weak compared to a level in almost any other class.

So a rough outline for spellcasters is easy.
1. 1st level spells
2. Minor ability (+50% hp boost, +1 BAB)
3. Major ability
4. 2nd level spells
5. Major ability
6. 3rd level spells.

For full-BAB classes:
1. 1st level abilities
2. Minor ability (+50% hp boost, +1 BAB)
3. Major ability (Feat)
4. Major ability (Stat boost)
5. Major ability
6. Iterative Attack

For sneaky, clever skillmonkey types
1. 1st level abilities
2. Minor ability (+50% hp boost, +1 BAB)
3. Major ability (Feat)
4. Major ability (Stat boost)
5. Major ability
6. ???????

nonsi
2018-02-10, 06:33 AM
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I think you might wanna take a look at this project (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?250820-Gnorman-s-Complete-E6-Compendium).

johnbragg
2018-02-10, 09:49 AM
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I think you might wanna take a look at this project (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?250820-Gnorman-s-Complete-E6-Compendium).

I have tremendous respect for what Gnorman has done. I was using his implicit class templates as templates, and I was working through details of the E6 Bear Shaman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?550115-E6-Shamans-of-Thaum-Tier-4-5-NPC-maybe-playable-class-PEACH), and was fiddling with a problem.


For a guy who starts off conjuring a bear, then has a bear friend around almost all the time, then morph-gestalts with his bear friend into a bear gish, the obvious Capstone SLA is animal growth, or maybe righteous might. But there's no way that doesn't put the full-BAB mundanes in the shade.

Which led to some tinkering, and some thinking, and some back-of-envelope math, and some thinkering, and the realization that, for an E6 spellcaster, third level spells are your capstone ability. For full-BAB mundanes, getting an iterative attack is your capstone ability. Which led me to rethink the whole "well designed classes have interesting class abilities at every level" which has grown up, despite the example of the PHB Monk.

Which led me to think about what actually happens to a character (in my WIP world) at each level of experience. 1st level you get a bunch of stuff so that you can function. 2nd level, whoever you are, YOU GET MORE HIT POINTS. Which you were critically short of at 1st level. (With WIP houserules, full BAB classes get their second healing surge, everyone else hits +1 BAB which unlocks free Power Attack, Dodge and Combat Expertise. So I don't expect anyone to be underwhelmed at hitting 2nd level even without big new class abilities.)

Which leaves 3, 4 and 5 for Full BAB classes. (Third and fourth healing surges at levels 4 and 6 aren't as big a boost as the second one.) 3, 4, 5 and 6 for expert/rogue/skillmonkey types. And if I'm building spellcasters on a Wizard/Cleric base progression, 4th and 6th; or using a Sorcerer progression, 3 and 5.

2nd level may need a minor ability, a bonus feat or the equivalent. But I'm thinking don't pepper the class ability tables with things like Fast Movement and Resist Natures Lure and Trap Sense. Either give those abilities at 1st level, or just do without them. E6 doesn't "need" as much dip protection as straight 3X--when you have 6 levels instead of 20, it's less important to make sure a class isn't a one-level dip.

Especially if I can figure out something as a Skillmonkey capstone. Something that makes a Rogue hesitate to multiclass, because they'd miss out on X, like a spellcaster missing out on 3rd level spells or a warrior-type missing out on iterative attacks.

(Part of what I want to do is also be able to hand a new player a decision tree that lets them determine their class. Smashy hero, clever/sneaky hero, magic-user hero? From urban civilization, from the savage lands, or from the frontier borderlands between? Warrior--pick 2 fighting styles. Sneaky--pick one fighting style. Magic user--generalist or specialist? Specialist--here's a list.)