3 Very Different Campaigns

[takasi]

So what you mean is that the expansion slot system can be a good thing, even in a home campaign, because it can eliminate DM favoritism from one player to the next?

As the DM I hope that's not the reason why.

I have some players that are brand new to the game and I would prefer that they play core only. No new classes, no new feats, no new spells. I want them to take home the player's handbook, study it and understand exactly what their character is capable of.

On the other hand, I have some players who are in their thirties and forties who have been playing for a very long time. They have lots of books and want to try new options.

I don't really think the point buy difference is so great that it breaks the balance; you will see a much higher deviation if you have players roll their stats. It's enough though to make the new player feel like he isn't missing out.

If you had your choice what you take? A core only character with 32 point buy or a lower point buy character with more options?

In the game I'm playing in I chose a 28 point buy human cleric with expansions for a new feat (Divine Ward from PHB 2) and the Planning Domain from Spell Compendium. As a DM I get to run enough wonky stuff and wanted to do something a little more traditional but I also wanted to leave some wiggle room in case something interesting comes out that I want to try.

Also, even though I don't have 10,000 players it sometimes feels that way with 10 or more at a D&D Meetup. Sometimes what's good for the gander is also good for the goose.

 

[smerwin29]

I have some players that are brand new to the game and I would prefer that they play core only. No new classes, no new feats, no new spells. I want them to take home the player's handbook, study it and understand exactly what their character is capable of.

On the other hand, I have some players who are in their thirties and forties who have been playing for a very long time. They have lots of books and want to try new options.

Also, even though I don't have 10,000 players it sometimes feels that way with 10 or more at a D&D Meetup. Sometimes what's good for the gander is also good for the goose.

I have no problem with a DM running their campaign any way they want. It's always interesting to hear how people work things. As a player, I could be happy playing a commoner with an 18-point-buy for stats, or I could be happy playing a uber-tweaked gestalt character. For me it's more about the story, the party interaction, and the character background than the character numbers and power. I certainly don't blame you for using expansion slots in a home campaign. I was just trying to explain what it was and why it was being used in a large OP campaign like Xen'drik Expeditions before people just switched over into if-it's-the-RPGA-it-must-suck mode. :-D

Regards,

Shawn

 

[wildstarsreach]

So what you mean is that the expansion slot system can be a good thing, even in a home campaign, because it can eliminate DM favoritism from one player to the next?

Why Yes! It leaves a much more open and fair game that is balanced for both new and experienced players. In the game Takasi and I play, he has a cleric, I have a duskblade, the other really experienced player is playing a core only specialist conjurer. We also have a player building towards a daggerspell mage. There is a 1/2 orc fighter, an elven ranger and a 1/2ling bard.