Considering Heroic Paths

[Plane Sailing]

I'm wondering about the possibility of creating some 'Heroic Paths', which are like unto 'Paragon Paths' but can be taken at Heroic levels rather than Paragon levels.

Understanding that this will provide a higher level baseline, my thinking at the moment goes as follows:

Create one 'Heroic Path' per race.
Create one or more 'Heroic Path' per class.

Classes can take the 'Heroic Path' for their own class (in order to become focussed fighters, for instance), or the 'Heroic Path' for a different class (in order to become a genuine multiclass).

This is going to replace the various multiclass feats, and may replace or overlap with some of the racial feats.

The idea was kicked off by the Cormyr article in Dragon which had a paragon path for a bunch of resistance fighters - and I'm thinking "I wouldn't want Paragon resistance fighters! I want my Paragon encounters to be getting into the planes and doing really weird and wild stuff! These guys should be heroic tier options, surely!"

I'll post more details as I get them worked out.

Cheers

 

[Narkaious]

Sounds cool bring 'em on.

 

[Nivenus]

The idea's not necessarily a bad one. Somebody else is trying something similar that's race-specific I believe.

However, keep in mind that Wizards purposefully makes paragon paths not what you're looking for. They're goal with the tiers was to make plane-changing events the venue of the epic tier. If you want to change, that cool, fine and that may be appropriate for settings other than Points of Light or FR (like Eberron or a 4e homebrew of Planescape).

 

[Plane Sailing]

However, keep in mind that Wizards purposefully makes paragon paths not what you're looking for. They're goal with the tiers was to make plane-changing events the venue of the epic tier. If you want to change, that cool, fine and that may be appropriate for settings other than Points of Light or FR (like Eberron or a 4e homebrew of Planescape).

I was thinking about Paragon levels being planes-visiting rather than planes-changing.

It would make my point better if I quote from the DMG here

"The fate of a nation or even the world might depend upon momentous quests that such characters undertake. Paragon level adventurers explore uncharted regions and delve long-forgotten dungeons... " etc.

Now that description makes having a paragon path for "marauders from a little known sub-district of Cormyr" seem out-of-kilter to me!

Cheers

 

[keterys]

Sounds good to me!

Hmm 1st, 4th, 8th, 10th would match the multiclass feats and give you a solid baseline for balance. Ie

Cleric (whether multiclass or not)
1st: Gain skill training in a cleric class skill and healing word 1/day. -OR-
1st: Gain a 1st level at-will attack power.
4th: Gain an additional 3rd level encounter power "slot". You may retrain the power within this slot, but it may not be replaced with a higher level power. (Insert appropriate language from Novice Power multiclass feat)
8th: Gain an additional 6th level utility power that may be retrained as usual. (Multiclass info from feat)
10th: Gain an additional 9th level daily power that may be retrained, but not replaced. (Multiclass info)

Then your 'Freedom Fighter' or whatever can pretty easily match the balance there.

 

[Crashy75]

This is an exceptionally good idea. I have to keep an eye on this one.

 

[keterys]

For the racial ones, would it include the normal racial benefits from feats or leave those still as feats on their own? *curious*

... I think it'd be better not to, on thinking about it a little.

For the class focus suggestion I had above, I think it might make sense to revise it to always get an at-will, and then give either the multiclass package or... something else cool... for if you specialize in your own class. Another skill trained isn't good, so maybe something more solid on the power angle even if nothing explicitly leaps out at me.

 

[keterys]

As a name, how about Heroic Calling?

 

[Plane Sailing]

As a name, how about Heroic Calling?

Nice, I'll use that!

 

[Kirnon_Bhale]

I think that the way that they deal with spellscars should be your guide - It sounds as though it will be perfect for what you are trying.