Arcana Unearthed: Pro's and Con's

[Psiblade]

I tend to see the AU classes as being slightly more powerful for thier levels than PHB classes. A spell list I think can be made for the mageblade to bring him back in line with PHB characters. I am going to have to think awhile about the champion.


-Psiblade

 

[Negative Zero]

I tend to see the AU classes as being slightly more powerful for thier levels than PHB classes. ...

just as a curiosity, is this based on a feeling, or playtesting?

~NegZ

 

[Nightfall]

If someone wanted my opinion the debate between D&D core classes and AU...they have to give me money first!

No serious, while in some respects the AU classes have some powers that the Core Classes don't have, compare what a green bond can do with a cleric. While one is more verstile in spell selection, the other is by far better as using positive and negative energy for undead purposes AND also in various feats that are clerical in nature. Now in regards to the non-spellcasting classes, certainly they have a measure of versitiy...but I still feel a barbarian is no where nearly bad off compared to a Warmain...or going on step further, while a paladin doesn't get a lot of special abilities like Champion, champions can't have a lot of the stuff (such as spells) that a paladin can.

 

[DMScott]

Hmm...which way do you think the power level is different? I've heard "AU classes are way more powerful than PHB classes" and I've heard "they look a little underpowered" (which is usually an indication that they're relatively balanced...)

You can easily make a case for either, because neither quite captures the relationship. The answer Monte was shooting for (and I think he hit) is that the AU classes have a smoother power curve than D&D classes, they're a bit stronger through the middle levels but don't gain as much power at high levels. So at some points they're better and at others they're worse - the relationship varies by level and by which particular classes you compare. It seems to me the closest matches are to the non- and partial-spellcasters from D&D. The Cleric, Wizard, and Sorcerer all pull away at the upper end. Factor prestige classes and multiclasses in, and things get a lot murkier.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

I have a problem integrating AU with my 3.5 campaign because of the different power levels.

What's the specific issue please? AU/3.5 crossovers require some work. (That's been discussed to death, but it's true.) However, there's plenty of places to get help, and diamondthrone.com has been posting material to help folks out here and there.

By the way, did you see Black Moria's article on running an AU/FR game? The principles that he discussed work well for anyone trying to design a combo.

Though, you may want to start a separate thread on this issue.

 

[Nightfall]

Yeah I liked Moria's assessment of an AU/FR setting.

 

[ES2]

I like the fact he listed things step by step on how he did it.

 

[Nightfall]

That is pretty neat I'll grant you ES2. What I liked more is the fact he did a slight comparision for those that might feel "Gee AU is powergaming!" Even though I feel it is more than balanced in some respects.

 

[Macbeth]

I just finally bought AU, and I have to say that after a cursory overview, I would have to say that it is, in fact, a d20 product. The classes, are, at the core, just the same type of thing found in any other d20 product. They are just as powerful as any other class. Don't take this to mean I don't like AU, it is by far the best d20 suplement I have seen in a long time, perhaps the best one I've ever seen, but this debate seems a little pointless.

 

[ES2]

This debate is pointless, but it sure is fun to pick at.