AU meets FR

[The Madhatter]

Is there an AU class analogous to the Barbarian? It sounds as if the Warmain is a barbarian without special abilities. How about an AU ranger? I know Monte Cook had an alternate ranger that the 3.5 ranger really resembles. It sounds as if the AU classes don't completely replace PHB classes, am I correct? Is there room for oysters and clams?

 

[Storminator]

we playtested AU, so we dumped everything but the spell system into our FR game. It worked well, and I would have tossed in the spell system as well, but I wasn't the DM. The spells are mostly weaker, but not entirely, and the casting is really flexible and interesting. With the flexibility and the different approach to metamagic the classes look pretty equal, but I haven't played (as opposed to playtesting, which isn't quite the same) a high level magister against a high level wizard.

The AU classes do cover all the niches, but they do it in a different manner. You can't really swap out a cleric and expect to find an AU class to replace it, nor can you pull out the rogue. A well balanced AU party can cover all the bases a well balanced D&D party can, but there isn't really a one for one correspodence.

PS

 

[Storminator]

Is there an AU class analogous to the Barbarian? It sounds as if the Warmain is a barbarian without special abilities. How about an AU ranger? I know Monte Cook had an alternate ranger that the 3.5 ranger really resembles. It sounds as if the AU classes don't completely replace PHB classes, am I correct? Is there room for oysters and clams?

The barbarian and ranger are best covered by the Totem Warriors. There are a bunch of those, and you can find one that fits the bill.

The warmain isn't a barbarian. He's a fighter. He gets bonus feats at exactly the same rate as a fighter, it's just that half of them are chosen for you (Weapon Spec at 4th level, frex). And he has the d12 HD and a few more knowledge skills.

I'd have no fear of mixing the AU classes in, and I'll leave my players the option of using AU classes in any D&D campaign I run from now on.

PS

 

[The Madhatter]

I am playing a Magister in a FR campaign, its a fairly high powered campaign also.

I have found that the Magister's power level in comparison to a regular mage to be somewhat lacking. Now a huge power drop, but enough to have a noticable effect.

I think the best thing to do is either make all casters use the AU list or give the AU mage a way to utilize some of the phb spells. When the enemy casters have phb spells and you are left with AU one that aren't at the same powerlevel, it starts to create a very noticable level of power difference as you progress higher up.

We ended up creating some feats so I could get some (not all) of the regular phb spells and everything seems much more even now. The Magister spells definitely have some utility and flavor that phb spells don't have, but often lack some of the umph.

Anyway, thats just been my experience.

Does your group use both 3.5 spells and the AU spells depending on class? I think my DM wants to replace 3.5 spells.

 

[The Prince of Cats]

I played in a AU/3.5 campaign where we used both spell systems and I thought the balance was phenominal. My Wood Witch at one point got into an out-and-out duel with our party's Cleric, and while the Cleric won it was a very even and fun match. The strength of the AU spell system definitely lies in it's customability. Just because there's no overt correlative to a fireball doesn't mean it's underpowered, you just tend to have to be more thoughtful with how you build and play your character. If you want to play an evoker type you can - with the right feats and spell selection you can dish just as much damage, and have a lot more flavor IMHO. Sure, if you play a Magister like he's a Wizard than he's gonna seem weaker, but once you get the hang of the all of the options the system gives you you'll find that you have a satisfying and balanced character who is probably closer to your initial conceptualization anyway. /soapbox

 

[Acid_crash]

Because of the versatility in AU spellcasting compared to the limited slots of core, did those who played core spellcasters feel any slight at all when the AU spellcaster was casting more spells on a daily basis, or was everyone okay with that?

 

[Thanatos]

Our DM lets us use a mix. If its an AU spell, its in..if it is a 3.5 spell I want to use, he classifies it as simple, complex, exotic or not in. If it is a 3.5 spell and there is a duplicate AU spell, I have to use the AU version. There have only been a few spells I've really felt I needed from the PHB, so it seems to work out anyway.

While the spell selection does lack some power overall, it makes up for it in sheer versatility. And I can't stress enough, Sorcerous Blast (thats the equal of fireball, only you can substitute various elements) and Gird the Warrior (5th level, +10 AC, +4 to hit and damage on someone). Modify spells and later quicken.

I could get by without the PHB spells, now...but not at first I couldn't...takes a little while to get familiar how the system works.

We have a sorcerer in our group and he seems ok with the number of spells I can cast. Though he is a bit jealous over the fact I have a wider selection then he does.

Here's a cool level 6 spell: Shape Spike. 120 foot line of fire that I can shoot out in a line..and I can shape it so the line avoids allies and goes around corners. I can double it back on itself to force people to have to make 2 saves vs. damage (but they don't take damage more then 1 time). Maxs out at like 15d4 I believe...but if you have the Energy Mage (Fire) you can add +2d6 to that. Everyone in the group thought that was awesome.

My biggest complaint is there is not really any good prestige classes for the Magister and that they don't get the lesser and greater aspects of power earlier (our DM decided to let me take a few more early, since they are flavorful without being too unbalancing).

No spellbooks rock, but don't lose your staff hehe.

We have no witches, but I could see you using the druid list from the phb if there was something there the AU list didn't cover.

Overall I think you'll be fine...the power level isn't THAT much lower, unless you DM live really high powered campaigns, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Acid_crash]

Cool, sounds like a lot of fun. I like AU and I prefer the AU classes over core classes, but I like the core spells (except magic missle). Trying to convert the core spells over to how AU does them, though, is a pain in the butt, despite any guidelines MC or anybody has written so far. Just to many of them.

Tell your sorcerer friend to multiclass into mage blade or something from AU and get all those more useful spells