Paragon Path Power Levels

[rowport]

I am planning to take the Student of Caiphon paragon path (Dragon 366) for my Warlock, but noticed that its Power Levels do not match the guidelines in the character advancement page of the PHB (p 29) or other paragon paths. Looking at all of them in FRPG, each paragon path has Attack Power 11, Utility Power 12, and Attack Power 20.

The Student of Caiphon path has Attack Power 11, Utility Power 12, and Utility Power 20.

At first I thought the latter was just a typo and should be an Attack Power, but the effect is spending Healing Surges with no damage whatsoever, so it really is a Utility Power.

So, two questions:
1. Do all paragon paths have the same Power Level structure?
2. If not, then how do you balance the number of Powers by type (e.g. extra Utility and one less Attack)?

Related question:
From the PHB advancement guidelines, it looks like taking the paragon path powers are automatic as part of selecting the path; is that correct, or are they optional along with other class powers?

 

[abyssaldeath]

Feytouched has a level 20 utility as well.


Your related question.
The PP powers are not optional. You have to take them and you can not swap them out when you reach high levels.

 

[rowport]

Feytouched has a level 20 utility as well....The PP powers are not optional. You have to take them and you can not swap them out when you reach high levels.

Thanks, Abyssal! If other Paths have similar changes it must be intentional, especially if those Path Powers are not optional.

So, would characters taking Feytouched or Student of Caiphon have one more Utility than normal, and one less Attack?

 

[abyssaldeath]

That sounds about right. Both of those Utilities are pretty powerful. Feytouched 20 utility is almost an attack and Student of Caiphon gives you and your allies healing and at least recovers an encounter power.

 

[James McMurray]

That sounds about right. Both of those Utilities are pretty powerful. Feytouched 20 utility is almost an attack and Student of Caiphon gives you and your allies healing and at least recovers an encounter power.

Caiphon's Hungry Mercy doesn't heal. You spend the healing surge to regain a used power, not and regain one.

 

[abyssaldeath]

Crap, I didn't read that right. Stupid dyslexia.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Feytouched has a level 20 utility as well.

That is a typo, and is addressed in the errata. It should be an attack.

My guess is that at some point, the level 20 power was a utility as well. The Dragon article was probably written before then. It probably should be an attack as well, though it probably works fine with a utility.

 

[James McMurray]

Caiphon's Hungry Mercy has done more damage to opponents than any single attack could ever do, because it's let people get back Closing Spell (8d10), Prophecy of Doom (guaranteed crit), and other nasties.

 

[Victim]

Note that there are Daily Attacks in Martial Power similar to the Caiphon power in effect.

 

[rowport]

That is a typo, and is addressed in the errata. It should be an attack...

Interesting. So, in that case, do all Paragon Paths have 11 Attack, 12 Utility, and 20 Attack?