War Hulk PrC a bit strong?

johnsemlak · Nov 12, 2003

Just wondering about the War Hulk prestige class from teh Miniatures Handbook and also a free preview. It gets a +2 Strength score increase per level. Is this, eh, balanced? Is the class only meant for use in mass combat or something?

Olgar Shiverstone · Nov 12, 2003

It's not particularly balanced, but it's not designed for PCs, either. It may work fine in the minis game.

johnsemlak · Nov 12, 2003

Surprises me. I thought the idea of the MH was to provide a balanced crossover product that people could use with standard D&D

MarauderX · Nov 12, 2003

yeah, that's only for the miniatures game. no way I'm letting that in my campaign.

diaglo · Nov 12, 2003

johnsemlak said:
Surprises me. I thought the idea of the MH was to provide a balanced crossover product that people could use with standard D&D

no it was so they could compete with HeroClix

Olgar Shiverstone · Nov 12, 2003

They mostly succeeded. I wouldn't call the War Hulk one of the successes, though, unless you're just looking for a really tough opponent for your players. It makes a little more sense when you consider that PrCs were originally intended more for NPCs anyway, and have suffered a little mission creep since the 3E release.

Material quality in the MH is really hit or miss for the RPer. There are a few great elements, balanced by some dreck. There's a thread around here with more detailed reviews.

RingXero · Nov 12, 2003

but it trades that str bonus for no BAB progression(+0 each level), so it hits less, also it is available only to creatures of at least large in size, severly limiting the type of campaign that a pc could take it in. also, only three class skills.
It makes for a great behemoth to set against PCs. As a PC the campaing has to allow for higher complication through using large creatures to begin with, and has to really focus on large battles to make it really worth while.

RX

Ashrem Bayle · Nov 12, 2003

RingXero said:
but it trades that str bonus for no BAB progression(+0 each level), so it hits less, ....

And this is why I say it's balanced.

It gets NO improvement to BAB and therefore gets no extra attacks in a round. Granted, some of it's special abilities make up for it, but that is the very definition of balance no?

And besides, how many Large sized PCs do you have in your game?

Bagpuss · Nov 12, 2003

No BAB does make +2 Str per level not that unbalancing.

Compare it with 6 levels of fighter

War Hulk gets +6 to hit in melee only and +6 melee damage, +6 bonus to a very limited number of skills.

Fighter gets +6 to hit ranged and melee but an additional attack which means he has a chance of doing all twice as much damage in either ranged or melee combat.

Rugger · Nov 12, 2003

I don't know that I'd call it overpowered...its just a NPC PrC.

I plan to use it after I get sick of adding Barbarian or Fighter levels to Trolls, Ogres and Giants. A fun way to keep my players on their toes.

The lack of BAB progression is the real equalizer...

-Rugger
"I Hulk!"