Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)
Background explanation: I was reading yesterday that Turbine, the company making
"Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach", are instituting a 10-level cap at
launch (along with other limits, like cutting out half-orcs, gnomes, monks, and
artificers). However, so as to provide more than nine points of advancement at
launch, they're adding four "ranks" to each level.
I was thinking that, for those people who dislike the all-at-once jump in
character ability at each level, you could do the same, and give players some
choices at the same time.
First of all, as many people already do, you would have to rule that players
must nominate what class their next level will be in.
Second, you then institute three "ranks" of advancement between each level.
One-quarter of the way to the next level, half-way, three-quarters of the way.
The fourth "rank" comes at the new level itself.
At each "rank", players get to choose which of four benefits of a level they
gain:
* Base attack bonus
* Skill points
* Saving throw advancement
* Class features, bonus feats, spells, et cetera.
For class-independent character features, such as character feats and ability
score advancement, you have two choices: Require them to be taken only at a new
level, or allow them to be taken at any "rank". The latter course of action lets
players take new character feats as soon as they gain the BAB, or skill points,
or class features which require them, which can be fun for them.
Balance problems:
You could potentially gain new spells at the first "rank" of a new level. This
is less of a problem than it appears, and applies to other useful benefits like
skill points and other class features: you still have a full level's worth of
advancement (actually more, considering that it's three-quarters of one level
and then a quarter of the next, which latter will be more than a third of the
three quarters before) to go before your next set of spells any time you pull
that trick, *and* you can rule that players don't gain a caster level (for
damage dice, spell DCs, and such) until they actually gain a full level.
(Now, I wouldn't necessarily use this method except as a novelty, because I
don't find the level bumps irritating. I just wanted to get it out of my head.)
--
Christopher Adams - Sydney, Australia
The geek with roots in Hell!
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/mhacdebhandia/prestigeclasslist.html
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/mhacdebhandia/templatelist.html
Who do you blame when your kid is a - brat?
Pampered and spoiled like a Siamese - cat?
Blaming the kids is a lie and a - shame!
You know exactly who's - to - blame:
The mother and the father!
Background explanation: I was reading yesterday that Turbine, the company making
"Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach", are instituting a 10-level cap at
launch (along with other limits, like cutting out half-orcs, gnomes, monks, and
artificers). However, so as to provide more than nine points of advancement at
launch, they're adding four "ranks" to each level.
I was thinking that, for those people who dislike the all-at-once jump in
character ability at each level, you could do the same, and give players some
choices at the same time.
First of all, as many people already do, you would have to rule that players
must nominate what class their next level will be in.
Second, you then institute three "ranks" of advancement between each level.
One-quarter of the way to the next level, half-way, three-quarters of the way.
The fourth "rank" comes at the new level itself.
At each "rank", players get to choose which of four benefits of a level they
gain:
* Base attack bonus
* Skill points
* Saving throw advancement
* Class features, bonus feats, spells, et cetera.
For class-independent character features, such as character feats and ability
score advancement, you have two choices: Require them to be taken only at a new
level, or allow them to be taken at any "rank". The latter course of action lets
players take new character feats as soon as they gain the BAB, or skill points,
or class features which require them, which can be fun for them.
Balance problems:
You could potentially gain new spells at the first "rank" of a new level. This
is less of a problem than it appears, and applies to other useful benefits like
skill points and other class features: you still have a full level's worth of
advancement (actually more, considering that it's three-quarters of one level
and then a quarter of the next, which latter will be more than a third of the
three quarters before) to go before your next set of spells any time you pull
that trick, *and* you can rule that players don't gain a caster level (for
damage dice, spell DCs, and such) until they actually gain a full level.
(Now, I wouldn't necessarily use this method except as a novelty, because I
don't find the level bumps irritating. I just wanted to get it out of my head.)
--
Christopher Adams - Sydney, Australia
The geek with roots in Hell!
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/mhacdebhandia/prestigeclasslist.html
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/mhacdebhandia/templatelist.html
Who do you blame when your kid is a - brat?
Pampered and spoiled like a Siamese - cat?
Blaming the kids is a lie and a - shame!
You know exactly who's - to - blame:
The mother and the father!
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