Author Topic: System thoughts...  (Read 835 times)

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Amechra

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System thoughts...
« on: March 19, 2011, 12:19:32 AM »
Alright, everyone knows the level tiers or of them (lvls 1-5 don't play the same as lvls 6-10, and so on)

I blame the problem with the tiers (class tiers, not level tiers) on the fact that different classes are designed around effectiveness at different tiers, often without the designer noticing.

Example: Paladin: Nice for the first tier of levels, drops considerably after that.
Example: Healers: Effective for the First and Last tiers, iirc, and really bad on the in between.

So, how to remedy this? My theory is that you make the class to shoot for each tier.

How?

Separate the class into 4. Levels 1-6, 6-11, 11-16, and 16-21. Notice that the class sections are 6 levels long and overlap. Basically, build each section to that level span, and have alternate versions of levels 6, 11, and 16 for DMs that want those to be the points that you go epic. And then, if they change their minds, or the character is brought into a game with a higher "epic margin", they can simply swap that level and add levels accordingly.

How is this "needless" complication helpful?

It is easier to balance 6 levels against each-other than 20. you have less to look at, less to playtest, and so on and so forth.

Another point that I believe that brings difference between class tiers (and many people agree. Just look around at any Caster vs. Non Caster thread) is that casters simply have better options.

So I propose that everyone is a caster. Mundane abilities are actually expressions of the character's mojo; after all, you ARE a hero/villain/whatever, you should be practically legendary.

And by caster, I don't mean "everyone's class is the same"; that is my particular gripe with 4e. Nope, different base classes will get differences in their class' casting.

Example: Paladins may get casting based off of how close to their ideals they act; they get more powerful by offing evil, but they lose power if they chum it up with the bad guys.

Another thing that I feel like just adding to the game is the "mojo bonus to armor and weapons"

Basically, the mojo bonus (which you get in a variable amount from class to class, based off of whether or not said class needs it), is basically an enhancement bonus on armor/weapons. Half of it can be swapped out for nifty little powers, like the sword being on fire or such niceness. And then abolish magical items having bonuses of the sort themselves, instead having them modify the character's mojo.

Why do this?

Because your character should be the badass one, damn it! A barbarian should be able to beat the crap out of someone with a chair they picked up in a pub, even goddamn angels, because they are just that AWESOME, for example. If you lost your weapon for some reason (sundering, dropping it while fleeing, THE BBEG ATE IT, or the like), you should be able to make do without it. Or completely nekkid, for that matter.

Of course, potent magical weapons would still exist; they would, as said before, alter your mojo, thus giving you an option that wasn't available for you before.

A side part of this is that your weapons/armor is ALWAYS level appropriate, if done right.

Ladies and gentlemen, I do believe I will give this a serious try (should I have enough time or interest).

This will be my own little core rewrite, I do believe.
[spoiler]Fighter: "I can kill a guy in one turn."
Cleric: "I can kill a guy in half a turn."
Wizard: "I can kill a guy before my turn."
Bard: "I can get three idiots to kill guys for me."

On a strange note, would anyone be put out if we had a post about people or events we can spare a thought for, or if its within their creed, a prayer for? Just a random thought, but ... hells I wouldn't have known about either Archangels daughter or Saeomons niece if I didn't happen to be on these threads.
Sounds fine to me.
probably over on "Off-topic".
might want to put a little disclaimer in the first post.

This is the Min/Max board. We should be able to figure out a way to optimize the POWER OF PRAYER(TM) that doesn't involve "Pazuzu, Pazuzu, Pazuzu".
[/spoiler]

My final project for my film independent study course. It could do with a watching and critiquing