In my local group, I like to run mini-campaigns or vignette's. Let someone else do the big, overarching plot line (and me play) ... I'll do the intellectual, short-duration, one-off campaigns.
I'm setting up another one to run in a few months. It'll be (basically) 3 marathon sessions and static level-bumps (D&D 3.5)
Session 1 - Power Level 1
Session 2 - Power Level 2
Session 3 - Power Level 3
Likely I'll make those bumps just one or two levels at most to keep consistency. What this means is that if Session 1 is ECL 7, at Session 2 you'll bump to ECL 9 ... and at session 3 you'll bump to ECL 11.
Generally I've just winged any house rules in the past ... the other players have not historically been as optimization, etc. focused. Now though, they've caught the bug. Either way, fine with me - I just want it to be fun. In general, really dirty tricks and NI events are out. The plot concept for this one will be somewhat "You play the monsters". I want to give folks an option to play funky things.
I've read the tiering threads and AfterCrescents thoughts and here's where I've ended up ... an amalgamation of each.
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PrefaceThis is meant to cover characters developed and started at advanced points, not to handle some sort of Savage-Progressions style advancement. If it seems I'm ignoring how a person could play a Nymph starting at level 1 ... it is because I am.
Basic ProcessAt each level, determine the tier to which the character's current class belongs. For each step away from Tier 1, the character receive some sort of adjustment. This adjustment applies at each individual level. Adjustments must be made level-by-level; you can not combine the adjustment from two separate levels into one larger adjustment. Unless specified, each adjustment can only be taken once per level.
1 Bonus Hit Point
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The character gains a bonus hit point for this level.
This bonus may be chosen multiple times at a single level.
1 Bonus Skill Point
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The character gains an additional skill point this level.
Skill points are still limited by class maximums and class skills for the current level.
This bonus may be chosen multiple times at a single level.
3 Save Bonus
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The character receives a +1 Tier Bonus (named bonus) to one save of their choice.
This bonus stacks with other bonuses including other Tier Bonuses.
3 Commoner Gestalt
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The player may gestalt commoner with this level taking the best BAB, saves, skills and hit points.
4 Expert, Aristocrat or Warrior gestalt
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The player may gestalt Expert, Aristocrat or Warrior at this level taking the best BAB, saves, skills and hit points.
5 Bonus Feat???
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The player may take a bonus feat for which the character qualifies at this level.
Level Adjustment & Racial Hit DiceSimilar to class levels, level adjustment (by type) and racial hit dice should be assigned to a tier.
My initial thoughts are to place most LA in Tier 4 (allowing for 3 points of adjustment per level which translates into a commoner gestalt and thus at least hit dice during that level). If a gestalt applies as an adjustment to level adjustment the following additional restrictions apply:
- The gestalt hit dice are NOT changed to racial hit dice under any circumstances (ie, commoner is not turned into a d12 undead level)
- These gestalt hit dice do not change the caster level, etc. for any other capability of the base creature
- These hit dice MAY change BAB, saves, skill points
I'm still torn on whether or not to differentiate LA by type.
Racial hit dice should be tiered as well. Initial thoughts are to place them as follows:
Tier 2
- Outsider & Dragon
Tier 3
- Monstrous Humanoid, Magical Beast, Animal
Tier 4
- All Others