all races +1 ECL?

[Herobizkit]

Ok, so i had this thought today on the can *lol*.

I really dislike the concept of ECL and "balance", but I know that most D&D players run things "right out of the box". So, I'd like some of the more crunch-savy posters to discuss this idea.

Assume that the ECL +1 races are THE NORM for a campaign world.

a) How would you "up" the standard races to be ECL +1?
b) If you didn't up these races, how would they live in a world where ECL +1 races are the dominant races?

Please discuss; there's no way I'd ever figure this out on my own.

 

[Ry]

The Dragon Magazine's Dark Sun redux did up the standard races as ecl+1's.

 

[Goddess FallenAngel]

a) How would you "up" the standard races to be ECL +1?

Simple - you don't. (See below)

b) If you didn't up these races, how would they live in a world where ECL +1 races are the dominant races?

By having an extra class level instead of racial abilities. The ECL +0 races just learn faster.


The basis of the ECL system is that the ECL of any given race is balanced by losing that many class levels. Thus, and ECL +1 character is on the same power level as an ECL +0 character with 1 class level. In effect, that ECL +0 character becomes ECL +1 because of that class level.

 

[Lackhand]

For elves, dwarves, and half-orcs, you have your work already, essentially, done for you:
consider the drow, duergar, and bugbear (respectively). Sure, it's not *quite* +1 ECL.
Meh. : )
I suggest removing the light blindness effects from them, though; I don't think it results in any specific ECL change.

For gnomes and halflings... well, halflings are supposed to be Just Like Us, so you might not want to give them ECL anyway. And gnomes are a figment of your imagination?

 

[smootrk]

I would just tweak the stat adjustments a bit to achieve the +1LA.

Human get a +2 on choice of ability? (to represent the adaptability)
Dwarves +2 STR & maybe remove the -2 CHA adjustment.
Elves +2 CHA & maybe +2 INT (more tolkeineske anyhow)
Halflings +2 CON & maybe WIS
Gnome +2 INT & maybe add something else.
Half-Orc, not sure. Maybe remove INT penalty.

Other little appropriate tweaks may be put in like Gnomes getting an auto +2 DC on Illusion spells, Elves getting the same on enchantment spells. Half-Orcs get bonus to Rage ability (duration, effect, or minimizing the fatigue afterwords?). Dwarves get bonus feat like humans (but only Stone related or Fighter feats).

Anyhoo, lots of ways to tweak your races to suit your desires.

 

[D'karr]

Ok, so i had this thought today on the can *lol*.

I really dislike the concept of ECL and "balance", but I know that most D&D players run things "right out of the box". So, I'd like some of the more crunch-savy posters to discuss this idea.

Dawnforge (campaign setting) has an interesting way of dealing with ECL races, including humans. All the races have certain advantages that they develop at certain levels. So every race advances in some unique way.

I thought that was a good way to do it.

I dislike ECL because most of the advantages that you usually have at low level are completely irrelevant or worthless at higher level.

 

[Klaus]

Give each LA+0 character a free level in their respective racial paragon class.

 

[Crothian]

Give each LA+0 character a free level in their respective racial paragon class.

That is my suggestion. This allows you to do upto ecl+3 since there are three levels of each paragon class.

 

[gribble]

How would you "up" the standard races to be ECL +1?

Check out the racial paragon classes from Unearthed Arcana (the D&D suppliment, not the Monte Cook campaign setting - I know I always get confused between the two). Give each of the standard races the benefits of one level in the class (possibly minus the hitpoints and skillpoints, if you want to give the illusion that they haven't actually taken a level in the class).

I.e.:
Dwarves: +1 BAB, +2 Fort save, Craft expertise, improved stonecunning
Elves: +2 Ref save, Elfsight, resist enchantments
Gnomes: +2 Fort save, +2 Will save, Illusion aptitude, keen senses
Half-elf: +2 Ref save, Bonus feat, elven vision
Half-orcs: +1 BAB, +2 Fort save, Monstrous mien
Halflings: +2 Ref save, Athletic prowess, save bonus
Humans: +2 Will save, Adaptive learning

It's OGL, so the rules (and details of the special abilities) are available in the SRD: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm

 

[gribble]

Give each LA+0 character a free level in their respective racial paragon class.

Gah! Beaten to the punch by the briefest of heartbeats. If only I hadn't spent so much time cutting and pasting all the bonues and abilities...