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I'm working on a homebrew race and contemplating letting them take Eldritch Blast regardless of their class. Does anyone think this would be overpowered or on par with the extra at-will that humans get?
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Sorry, overpowered
This adds a free basic attack so unless some penalty went with it I think it would be overpowered.
Good idea though
-Sporemine
I'm confused. The Human At-Will is often, but not always, useful. Even if the racial Eldritch Blast has the option of a favored stat (like Str.), it's going to benefit melee oriented classes the most. These classes can already use a heavy thrown weapon, and Eldritch Blast 1d10 + Stat, right? Versus 1d6 + Stat. 2 extra damage on a ranged attack which will see minimal use is fine. Even if they get all the Human Racial perks, I would almost always pick another race.
I think it may be UNDER powered, actually. You're restricting the choice to a single power.
How would this work for Warlocks of this race? Perhaps change it to "Choose one level one warlock at-will power. You gain that power"; Same utility for 'locks as the Human ability, and slightly better, though restricted, than the half-elf ability for non-'locks.
I would agree that granting Eldritch Blast or something like it as a racial power would be fine, and probably underpowered. The class at-wills are still going to be the PC's bread and butter, because (a) they use the class's primary attack stat, and (b) they generally help the class fulfill its role. Giving a race what basically amounts to a longbow attack isn't really anything to worry about.
I wouldn't worry about overpowered vs. underpowered, though it is something that always must be considered when adding a new house rule. I'd worry about if it is attractive to players.
I think it is a mistake to make any racial power an at-will; it only works for humans because it fits with the entire 'excelling at what you already do best'. Making something an at-will could be either next to useless for regular characters or extremely powerful for that player that sees a possibility for abuse.
Most races abilities are not specifically good depending on the class. They help each class by doing something general (eladrin; teleportation is useful movement, elves; better chance to hit, halflings; chance of not being hit, warforged; temporary hitpoints, tieflings; extra general damage). If they fit a certain role (say, and elf striker) it is nice, but it can also support a weakness (say, a warforged controller with few HP). No matter what, the racial benefit is useful.
With eldritch blast as a racial power, what happens when that person chooses a wizard? Their strength and constitution could be quite low (meaning the attack isn't very powerful), and they could choose something strictly better (magic missile, since their int will be high). Some might say "then they would choose a race better suited, or more useful". True, unless that particular person really loved the fluff you had about that race (I currently have a character that wants to be a Kalashtar Swordmage...). Even if something can be strictly better (say, a Dragonborn wizard/sorcerer who has a close blast 3 power), it is still useful (the dragonborn's racial power is a minor action, so it actually enhances the damage the player can put out on that one turn in the close blast 3 area).
Sorry for the long tangent. I'll say this one last time though: make a cool encounter power (perhaps with a similar feel as eldritch blast), not just rip a boring at-will power!
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