Bo9S

[DungeonMaester]

Having played a 6th level Sword Sage and a 6th level fighter I can safely say that the Bo9S character are not over powered as compared to core characters, but do over shadow them because they look cooler. No one bats a eye when the fighter power attacks, but when you use insightful strike, the players have mixed reactions of awe and envy.

---Rusty

 

[theredrobedwizard]

Because, really, what sounds cooler?

"I Power-attack for 3."

or

"I initiate Sapphire Nightmare Blade."

-TRRW

 

[DungeonMaester]

Because, really, what sounds cooler?

"I Power-attack for 3."

or

"I initiate Sapphire Nightmare Blade."

-TRRW

Ha ha. I got the scoop.

---Rusty

 

[Nifft]

Yay!

Okay, here's your quote:

Jeph is more of a man than I am (or at least better organized). -- N

If these classes are truely balanced then there should be no issue of the game described in the question being fair and balanced should there. Yet already fairness and balance has been called into question.

A lot of people call a lot of different things into question, particularly things outside of Core.

Some folks hate Psionics, while others think of it as a paragon of balance.

I love ToB:Bo9S as both a DM and a player. Honestly, I think it's too much work for a DM to use some of the classes (*ahemCrusaderahem*), but I feel the same way about Wizards -- and that's why I love Sorcerer NPCs.

If only NPCs were allowed to use maneuvers, it would annoy me, but mostly because maneuvers are cool -- I want to be the one shouting, "EAT DIAMOND NIGHTMARE BLADE, PUNK!" -- not because I'd feel behind the power curve.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Irda Ranger]

Well my purpose for asking this "dumb question" as you so kindly describe it as follows. If these classes are truely balanced then there should be no issue of the game described in the question being fair and balanced should there. Yet already fairness and balance has been called into question.

It's only dumb in the sense that you've set up the question such that is can't be answered. It's not dumb from a "wouldn't it be neat if we knew the answer" point of view, or many other points of view. But since it can't be answered as asked ...

I would also like to add that I find it intersting how many of you react as if I have put down the material in question which I have not. In fact I have been teetering on the edge of buying this product for a while now. Therefore I am always interested in as many opinions on the product as I can get, and as many different perspectives as possible.

I see no evidence of this in the thread.

 

[Shadeydm]

Yes, wonderful Irda, now that you have manged to pooh in the thread twice perhpas you could at least bury your pooh so I don't have to smell it, thanks.

 

[Particle_Man]

I would imagine the reaction of players might be "That looked cool! I want to learn how to do that!" and then you might start a long quest so they could learn from a cult of swordsages or something and get either a level or the martial study feat.

I guess it depends if you meant "only NPCs have them right now" or "some mystic barrier somehow prevents PCs from ever learning these maneuvers, despite the fact that a barbarian can easily multiclass into Wizard".

It is not so much a balance issue as players wanting as many options as possible, and the desire to try out new toys.

I remember seeing a friend's home video game that had an NPC assassin just throw a character off the roof of a house and my first thought was "Cool! I wanna be that guy" but then my friend told me that wasn't an option.

 

[Arkhandus]

Yes, wonderful Irda, now that you have manged to pooh in the thread twice perhpas you could at least bury your pooh so I don't have to smell it, thanks.

The way you word it all does kind of imply that everyone is unfairly biased towards the Bo9S and that their opinions on the matter aren't especially accurate. Your wording was poor and gave a negative impression. *shrug*

 

[blargney the second]

Just bear in mind that monsters get a hell of a lot more mileage out of Bo9S material than PCs can because of the interaction between HD and CR. Stack a single level of initiator onto a CR 10 monster with 24 HD and they'll be popping off 7th level maneuvers.

 

[Shadeydm]

The way you word it all does kind of imply that everyone is unfairly biased towards the Bo9S and that their opinions on the matter aren't especially accurate. Your wording was poor and gave a negative impression. *shrug*

Did you actually read the first post?