Some men optimize single characters. Real men optimize entire worlds.
Inspired by this thread. http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=200754
After viewing this thread, I have come to realize that the entire E6 premise was conceived in an effort to optimize a campaign for a specific experience in D&D. rycanada is a perfect genius, and has inspired me to many nights of ceiling staring while I contemplate his creation. E6 has become immensely popular on these boards, as shown by the rates of posting.
With a little thought, I realized that all of this was just a DMs effort to tweak the parameters of his game to create a narrower set of PCs, while preserving certain plot devices, and creating a specific gaming atmosphere. These are all great things, and E6 does this brilliantly. There are different end results possible though, with slightly different parameters.
The basic goal of E6 is to cap power at the mid range, but preserve character growth/development, and enhance versatility of characters. Play testing has shown that E6 delivers. The majority of feedback has been very positive, with a fair number of respondents wanting slightly higher power levels than they think E6 can deliver.
I see two easy fixes for this.
The first is most obvious. With a higher-level cap, characters get more powerful. This solution is easy, straightforward, with only a few subtle consequences. Higher caps mean later feat acquisition, and hence less versatile characters. Character specialization can be enhanced with PrCs though, and specialization can be as fun as versatility. With higher Caps, class roles are strengthened, but balance issues are allowed to develop. E6 skillfully enhanced versatility, maintained balance, but still preserved class roles. One point E6, zero points alternate E6.
The second is by playing E6 gestalt. With most forum threads on gestalt reaching a relative consensus that gestalt characters are effectively 1.3 times as powerful as equal level non-gestalt, gestalt E6 would be about equal to E9. This makes a character more powerful, but still restricts the upper spell levels that wreak havoc on a campaign’s “realism” and continuity. Characters get to that “sweet spot” quickly, are more versatile than standard, but character roles are blurred. Most characters will be a caster/melee build, and with such low level caps, many characters will be able to fit in more than two character classes without loss of upper end power (max spell level, BAB, initiator/manifestor/spellcaster level). Two points E6, zero points alternate E6.
I think that a third option to consider would be to raise the cap slightly, and play gestalt. This would create more class definition than gestalt alone, preserve more balance than higher cap D&D, restrict most of the upper level spells, and do more to inherently discourage the grab bag of all classes at once approach that low level gestalt can degenerate into. Two points E6, but playtesting will determine if a slightly more complex format can deliver the goods like E6.
The next few post will be reserved for example builds for E6, E9, Gestalt E6, Gestalt E8, all followed by a discussion of odd verses even level caps.
Inspired by this thread. http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=200754
After viewing this thread, I have come to realize that the entire E6 premise was conceived in an effort to optimize a campaign for a specific experience in D&D. rycanada is a perfect genius, and has inspired me to many nights of ceiling staring while I contemplate his creation. E6 has become immensely popular on these boards, as shown by the rates of posting.
With a little thought, I realized that all of this was just a DMs effort to tweak the parameters of his game to create a narrower set of PCs, while preserving certain plot devices, and creating a specific gaming atmosphere. These are all great things, and E6 does this brilliantly. There are different end results possible though, with slightly different parameters.
The basic goal of E6 is to cap power at the mid range, but preserve character growth/development, and enhance versatility of characters. Play testing has shown that E6 delivers. The majority of feedback has been very positive, with a fair number of respondents wanting slightly higher power levels than they think E6 can deliver.
I see two easy fixes for this.
The first is most obvious. With a higher-level cap, characters get more powerful. This solution is easy, straightforward, with only a few subtle consequences. Higher caps mean later feat acquisition, and hence less versatile characters. Character specialization can be enhanced with PrCs though, and specialization can be as fun as versatility. With higher Caps, class roles are strengthened, but balance issues are allowed to develop. E6 skillfully enhanced versatility, maintained balance, but still preserved class roles. One point E6, zero points alternate E6.
The second is by playing E6 gestalt. With most forum threads on gestalt reaching a relative consensus that gestalt characters are effectively 1.3 times as powerful as equal level non-gestalt, gestalt E6 would be about equal to E9. This makes a character more powerful, but still restricts the upper spell levels that wreak havoc on a campaign’s “realism” and continuity. Characters get to that “sweet spot” quickly, are more versatile than standard, but character roles are blurred. Most characters will be a caster/melee build, and with such low level caps, many characters will be able to fit in more than two character classes without loss of upper end power (max spell level, BAB, initiator/manifestor/spellcaster level). Two points E6, zero points alternate E6.
I think that a third option to consider would be to raise the cap slightly, and play gestalt. This would create more class definition than gestalt alone, preserve more balance than higher cap D&D, restrict most of the upper level spells, and do more to inherently discourage the grab bag of all classes at once approach that low level gestalt can degenerate into. Two points E6, but playtesting will determine if a slightly more complex format can deliver the goods like E6.
The next few post will be reserved for example builds for E6, E9, Gestalt E6, Gestalt E8, all followed by a discussion of odd verses even level caps.
