Prestidigitalis
First Post
Does DDI have any material about Themes? If not, could someone give me a quick overview / nutshell example of one?
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Themes
- Thread starter Mummolus
- Start date
You pick a theme. It automatically grants you an encounter power.
Thereafter, whenever you gain a new power (encounter attack, daily attack, utility) through level progression, you add the theme's power of that same level to your list of available powers to choose from (i.e. you can take a theme power instead of your encounter power from your class list -- sort of like multiclassing, but you aren't multiclassed into a different class and you don't need powerswap feats for it)
Themes have their own powersource and role (exactly the same as normal power sources and roles) and it does not need to match your existing source and role, so it's a good way to dip into something else. and the themes also act as prereqs. to some paragon paths if you wanted to pick one of them instead of a class paragon path.
example themes from dark sun (speaking from memory so i might be missing a few or getting the names slightly off) are stuff like minstrel, caravan trader, gladiator, noble, templar, nomad, veiled alliance member, etc.
off the top of my head, the caravan trader (a martial leader theme) is a little warlord-y in terms of it's abilities (lots of shifting benefits), while templar (arcane leader theme) is a little bit like an arcane healing-paladin, and the minstrel (martial striker theme) tossed around a lot of poison stuff, noble (psionic, controller i think) is for the noble who has a little latent psionic ability.
if they do make non-dark sun themes, it could fit with some organizational affiliations (like Dark Sun has Veiled Alliance theme) or some background training to pepper in to your class advancement, etc.
the preview for Dark Sun themes is at Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Themes)
The information is pretty much what i just typed above. the excerpt pdf on that page isn't a theme itself but a paragon path that you can access by virtue of having a specific theme.
The information is pretty much what i just typed above. the excerpt pdf on that page isn't a theme itself but a paragon path that you can access by virtue of having a specific theme.
AntlerDruid
Explorer
One question I have about themes.
If I am a warlock and I take one of the DS martial themes, does that then allow me to choose general martial feats like Practiced Studies?
If I am a warlock and I take one of the DS martial themes, does that then allow me to choose general martial feats like Practiced Studies?
It doesn't actually make you a martial character, it just gives you a few martial-based power options.
Prestidigitalis
First Post
You want unbalanced?
Dungeoneer
First Post
The thing is that their unbalance is variable. If you're a Psion there's almost no way you'd take anything other than Noble Adept. If you're not psionic, Noble Adept is next to useless.
I guess that's good insofar as it keeps everyone from picking the same theme.
ArcaneSpringboard
First Post
But it's appropriate for a Battlemind or Ardent too right?
Vael
Legend
The bonus Power point on the Noble Adept is a very strong for the power-point using classes, yes, but I don't really find it that broken.
The main issue I have with Themes, is that with only a few exceptions, the bonus power is a weak encounter attack. I kinda want something a bit more flavourful and varied if Themes become core.
The main issue I have with Themes, is that with only a few exceptions, the bonus power is a weak encounter attack. I kinda want something a bit more flavourful and varied if Themes become core.
