New Game: Arcana Evolved!

[Varianor Abroad]

My experiences are entirely as a DM. The one time I played, I played a faen akashic. (Caveat. I'm in an AE game playing an Iron Heroes character. Long story. Good one.)

As a DM, I get a different perspective. All of the AE classes are highly viable. They fit well with a given player when the player's desires match the class abilities. They get more flavorful abilities than their D&D counterparts, and the abilities continue to build over time (as Robert Ranting and others observed).

Some observations on the PCs you mention

HTW (Hawk Totem Warrior) eventually get to change shape into hawk form themselves. This is very cool. PCs tend to forget their totem animal however.

Mageblades with sibeccai template rock. To the point where that template should be nerfed a little. Mageblades who buff with their spells work best. Don't try to be the magister lobbing big area effects.

If you like Champion of Knowledge and pounce, well, there's the litorian.

Greenbonds are like clerics with magic powers who don't have to worry all the time about their healing. They are very spiritual, and a lot of fun. (Buy Akashic Nodes for additional greenbond buff and attack spells. ) Verriks make very decent greenbonds, but actually a litorian or human greenbond can be very effective.

Almost everyone who's a caster takes Complex Spell feat (level 3 spells) except for the magister.

A dracha akashic sounds pretty damn interesting. I expect he'd be steepd in dragon lore. It combines decently with other classes, particularly warmain.

Good luck with the character and the game. Sounds like fun.

 

[Nightfall]

Nifft,

Funny I thought sebeccai is fine as well but never to the point that a) they have a sucky spell list. (I mean they get simple and complex spells man. what else do you need?) B, the ability to slice through spells struck me as a sweet power to have too.

 

[DarkKestral]

Runethanes at high levels (15+) can be incredibly potent, and if the DM's not careful about his game, can easily start doing damage in excess of 40d6 a round without expending much in the way of XP, gp, or spell slots. This makes runes incredibly deadly in the hands of someone looking for powergamer potential. Also, they also have 'free spells' in the form of runes... many of which emulate or are better than spells on the high end of the power curve for the spell level 'equivalents'. They also have decent skill access and tons of useful class skills, combined with Int-based spellcasting and 4+Int skill points a level means a Runethane can afford to max out a fairly high number of skills, since they're likely to have 16-18 Int as a starting Int score from level 1 on. (Concentration, Spellcraft, Spot, DD, and Search are recommended here. All of them are also class skills.) Loresongs also make excellent Runethanes, with bonuses to both Int and many useful class skills.

Furthermore, according to AE: Spell Treasury, they gain free access to the exotic spells Invest Rune and Heighten Spell, in addition to all of the other [Runic] spells, which is a descriptor initially found there with free spell access to all spells of the descriptor that is granted by the Runic Template feat. However, the Treasury erratas Runethane spell access to give similar access to runic spells starting at first level, so they get the full, expanded benefit of the feat anyway. Since the ability buffs (the standard +X to an ability score spells) are [Runic] spells, and Invest Rune (an exotic spell found in the main book) as a spell allows you to invest a rune starting at 4th level without runeslots being expended (and later, 2nd level spells are so far down the list a runethane is almost assuredly smart to always keep that one readied and in use if they want to use their higher power runes with any regularity.) their damage-add ability starts early and gets fierce late-game, beat out only by magisters concentrating on being blasty-mages and using a lot of [Force] spells and exotic energy/elemental spells that the runethane's not likely to have.

Personally, to slow down some of the runethane powercurve, I would probably switch Password Rune down a bit lower, and put Invest Rune where Password now is and bump up the equivalent spell a few spell levels if you're going to play a high level game. I'd also suggest limiting the number of 'freebie' rune slots oils and runic weapons give and raise Runic Weapon to be a +3 bonus or so, since at high levels, a rune can do 3d6-5d6 on a enemy's successful save, and far more on a enemy's failed one, making them at least roughly as powerful as a Bursting Energy or Raging Elemental weapon, even on a crit. (Yeah, it makes them a lot more costly, but as it is, the runic item quality is JUST TOO GOOD to have at high levels to make it worth a +1 bonus, maybe even +5, since they can act like nearly free 10th-equivalent level spells.)

 

[Dr Simon]

2/ I'd like him to be a primary fighter with some social skills.

Then I'd say go with Unfettered. 1st level Akashic definitely *isn't* primary fighter, and because you don't even get the opportunity for Sneak Attack until 3rd level, low-level akashics aren't as good back-up fighters as a rogue (although once you begin to access the akashic abilities you can build a good auxiliary with sneak attack, defensive focus, battle memory etc.

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Runethanes at high levels (15+) can be incredibly potent, and if the DM's not careful about his game, can easily start doing damage in excess of 40d6 a round without expending much in the way of XP, gp, or spell slots. This makes runes incredibly deadly in the hands of someone looking for powergamer potential.

Unfortunately, you're near useless before then. You have spellcasting on par with an adept and simple spells. Their runes take longer to lay out, and in some cases, almost allow them to equal a magister. I havent made a high level runethane, but the 10th level NPC in our last game was just weak.

 

[DarkKestral]

What runes were you using? If you know how, you can pretty well ensure massive damage or battlefield control. (Just wondering...)

 

[Jefe Bergenstein]

What runes were you using? If you know how, you can pretty well ensure massive damage or battlefield control. (Just wondering...)

Its been a few months since he got clobbered, I'll see if I can find the NPC sheet. Mainly the problem was that the runes serve to fix their pitiful spell progression (and lack of complex spells), but it turns you into a magister with a small spell list. I have the same problem with the witch, who I view as another sub-par magister. The tiny benefits arent worth giving up a ton of spell slots, and more importantly, high level spell access.

 

[Nightfall]

*likes Runethane but would prefer to be more about the magic rune power than anything* Sort of like Super Veggita.

Anyway, still favor seeing high level Mageblades and Ritual Warriors too.

Unfettered make good socialable fighter types, especially on the high seas.

 

[lukelightning]

I like runethanes...or rather I want to like runethanes; I wouldn't play one though. They are definitely weak as a PC class. Great for NPCs though.

If I were playing an AE game (I'm running one right now), I'd probably play a mind or iron witch, or perhaps a totem warrior.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

Though I have a few minor beefs with the class, for all its problems I think the mage blade gives you a really nice taste of a combat character. It's the most flavorful "gish" classes out there and still generic enough to fit any kind of setting. It also gives you great experience with AE spellcasting as well as a taste of good old fashioned melee combat. I'd really like to play a mojh mageblade with a halberd and Improved Trip.

I think some have underestimated the staying power of the akashic. Your hitpoints are the worst part, but with a definitive harness and the battle abilities you can be a pretty considerable fighter. Don't be afraid to multiclass and pick up a few levels of warmain, unfettered, or ritual warrior. They'll really go a long way to help you with that.

All the classes are really cool. Oathsworn is the one I have the most problems with, but even that one has lots of likeable qualities.