Does AU mix well will Core 3.5 Ed?

[Dreaddisease]

I just bought Arcana Unearthed about 6.4 hours ago, and now I'm wondering if the group I play in will enjoy it and want to move over. We are not hard core players but we do like to have some variety in the game, while I think some of us who don't latch on to new rules very well will want to play more standard classes they are familiar with.

As I read the last thread I began to wonder if purchasing the book was a good idea. So how do the classes fit in with standard classes? Is there rules conflicts or can you easily mesh with some house rules?

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

AU classes and races should balance with core classes and races, as long as the AU spellcasters stick to AU spells.

I am running a standard D&D game with an Unfettered character and there haven't been any issues. My next PC wil be a Magister, so I'll get to see how the spellcasters measure up then.

Cheers


Richard

 

[Selvarin]

I just bought Arcana Unearthed about 6.4 hours ago, and now I'm wondering if the group I play in will enjoy it and want to move over. We are not hard core players but we do like to have some variety in the game, while I think some of us who don't latch on to new rules very well will want to play more standard classes they are familiar with.

As I read the last thread I began to wonder if purchasing the book was a good idea. So how do the classes fit in with standard classes? Is there rules conflicts or can you easily mesh with some house rules?

I bought it last year, liked it, but after a while I realized I wouldn't use most of the classes, etc...The problem for me was that most of the core AU classes looked better as prestige classes. Not knocking the concept, just saying that there will be less utility for someone who plans on sticking mostly to core D&D.

With that being said, I did wind up using some of AU. The mage blade and the witch classes are the easiest to port into the game, as there's no particular class claiming their niche. (The champion class is also easy to include, althugh I have the same prob with 'em as with paladins starting out at 1st level.)
The feats & talents section have a lot to offer, as does Monte's take on handling spells with regard to metamagic and classing (although I think the inclusion of the 'exotic' type was too much of a stretch and should be tossed). As for the races, they're a good switch if you're sick of dwarves, elves, and gnomes.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

There's an Akashic in my group and he mixes with all the other characters without any problem.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I don't think they're mostly a problem... although I'm not the biggest fan of the names of things.

The non spellcasters are probably easier to port over. Think the Totem Warrior is a particularly nifty one (wonder if my GM would let me play a T-Rex version? ) The Unfettered and Warmain are arguably 'better' than a fighter, but if they are it's not overpoweringly so...

The only thing I'd definitely leave out is the fairy guys - tiny flying PCs are guaranteed to cause a headache!

 

[JoeGKushner]

I use both set of rules. If you're from AU, that's all you can use. Anything from AU or modified for AU. No feats or PrCs outside of that.

So far it's worked pretty well for me.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I use both set of rules. If you're from AU, that's all you can use. Anything from AU or modified for AU. No feats or PrCs outside of that.

This sounds like the best solution. It also makes things a little simpler in terms of looking up rules.

Just remember that AU classes use a slightly modified exp chart than core rules classes.

 

[Taelorn76]

I am starting a FR campaign soon and one of my player's is thinking of being a Mage Blade.My thoughts are to only let him use spells, feats and skills from AU. Do you guys foresee any problems that might arise from that? Everyone else in the campaign is from core rules Sorcerer, Rogue, and Barbarian.

Thanks

 

[Nine Hands]

I added all of the classes to my Forgotten Realms game with some minor changes for both fluff (Akashics must worship a god/goddess with access to the knowledge domain, Warmains are toned down a bit so that they do not overshadow the Fighter class, etc.) and to change the spellcasting to standard D&D. I took the Magister and made it a class that uses the Wizard spellcasting progresssion. The Greenbond uses Druid, while the Witch, Runethane and Mageblade use the Wizard list up to 7th level spells. It seems to be working well for now. Will I have balance problems in the future, who knows.

My next campaign, I will consider using spellcasting similar to Monte's but without the Simple, Complex, and Exotic spells, using instead the normal spell lists for classes since it is easier to manage with new sources as they become available. I like his prepare once cast many method, but my campaign was underway before we started playtesting the book and I didn't want to switch mid-stream with things. It also messes with the spontaneous casters a bit (Bard and Sorcerer), I have not figured out how I want to handle that yet.

 

[Michael Tree]

If you're from AU, that's all you can use. Anything from AU or modified for AU. No feats or PrCs outside of that.

That's what I would do too. Except I would add "No spells outside" too.

Some feat/PrC/spell crossover should be possible, if there's a good character reason for it, but be very careful, examine it thoroughly trying to think of all the hidden implications, and reserve the right to remove it or alter it later if it proves to be too unbalancing.