pawsplay
Hero
If you are the author, my apologies in advance for this public flogging. That said...
The cambion may be one of the worst writeups I've ever seen.
Excerpt here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070411a
Alternate form: So they have one alternate form, a specific humanoid. Yet the writeup mentions them "assuming" forms and identies. If they keep the same form throughout life, does that mean a cambion toddler has a six foot tall alternate form?
Assassins: First of all, the assassin is a Prestige Class, so how is it a favored class? They gain nothing. And even if it were meaningful, the assassin class requires membership in an organization. Why would they need to join the assassins to advance in their favored class? Also, it's worth nothing that an assassin without some rogue, fighter, or ranger levels is going to be a bit thin on abilities; just sneak attack, death attack, and a few spells is not going to cut it. Then there's the fact that cambions have a low Charisma. Very low. Like "slightly better than a zombie" low. Looking at the writeup, I see we have an assassin with no ranks in Bluff or Disguise. "Aren't you the same middle aged elf I saw earlier?" "Uh. No. Of course not."
Low Charisma: Ridiculously low. Why? Demons have a high Cha. Tieflings have a slightly low Cha (for questionable reasons). Therefore, cambions have ridiculouly low Charismas, unless they are marquis. What are some of the consequences? In addition to being pathetic at impersonating people to perform spying and assassinations (their main gig), it also means really low DCs for most spell like abilities. It also means they are unable to be sorcerers, and have distinct career limitations as warlocks. Why do cambions, which are slavering, devious creatures of demonic heritage, have less personal presence than many common animals?
Not a Template, and Yet: Just a nitpic, but why do they have a menu of spell-like abilities? And speaking of which ...
Fear: DC 13. Why? If it's a spell-like ability, it should be DC 10 + 4 (equivalent level of fear spell) plus Cha bonus, for a grand total of 11. That would be useless, of course. Using 10 +1/2 HD + cha generates the same number. So I guess it's just made up, and good luck figuring out what score a personalized cambion would have.
Someone Didn't Read Their Bible: In the cambions as characters section, they have +5 and two +3 modifiers to ability scores. Odd modifiers are generally considered a no-no (as they encourage race-maxing) and have been pretty much absent since before 3.5. Further, the cambion statblock presented does not have a stand ability array. Without modifers, it would have Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 16. What?
Silent Metal: Despite favoring the assassin class, they are apparently just as sneaky in plate armor as butt naked. Why couldn't they just have a move silently and hide bonus like everyone else?
Marquis: Apparently, a demon prince who mates with a half-fiend produces a noble cambion, with completely different modifiers. For about twenty points of ability score modifiers, the marquis nets a one higher LA, and is not described under Cambions as Characters. No indication is given what happens with a norman tana'ari mates with a half-fiend, or if a demon prince mates with a tiefling.
The cambion may be one of the worst writeups I've ever seen.
Excerpt here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070411a
Alternate form: So they have one alternate form, a specific humanoid. Yet the writeup mentions them "assuming" forms and identies. If they keep the same form throughout life, does that mean a cambion toddler has a six foot tall alternate form?
Assassins: First of all, the assassin is a Prestige Class, so how is it a favored class? They gain nothing. And even if it were meaningful, the assassin class requires membership in an organization. Why would they need to join the assassins to advance in their favored class? Also, it's worth nothing that an assassin without some rogue, fighter, or ranger levels is going to be a bit thin on abilities; just sneak attack, death attack, and a few spells is not going to cut it. Then there's the fact that cambions have a low Charisma. Very low. Like "slightly better than a zombie" low. Looking at the writeup, I see we have an assassin with no ranks in Bluff or Disguise. "Aren't you the same middle aged elf I saw earlier?" "Uh. No. Of course not."
Low Charisma: Ridiculously low. Why? Demons have a high Cha. Tieflings have a slightly low Cha (for questionable reasons). Therefore, cambions have ridiculouly low Charismas, unless they are marquis. What are some of the consequences? In addition to being pathetic at impersonating people to perform spying and assassinations (their main gig), it also means really low DCs for most spell like abilities. It also means they are unable to be sorcerers, and have distinct career limitations as warlocks. Why do cambions, which are slavering, devious creatures of demonic heritage, have less personal presence than many common animals?
Not a Template, and Yet: Just a nitpic, but why do they have a menu of spell-like abilities? And speaking of which ...
Fear: DC 13. Why? If it's a spell-like ability, it should be DC 10 + 4 (equivalent level of fear spell) plus Cha bonus, for a grand total of 11. That would be useless, of course. Using 10 +1/2 HD + cha generates the same number. So I guess it's just made up, and good luck figuring out what score a personalized cambion would have.
Someone Didn't Read Their Bible: In the cambions as characters section, they have +5 and two +3 modifiers to ability scores. Odd modifiers are generally considered a no-no (as they encourage race-maxing) and have been pretty much absent since before 3.5. Further, the cambion statblock presented does not have a stand ability array. Without modifers, it would have Str 13, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 16. What?
Silent Metal: Despite favoring the assassin class, they are apparently just as sneaky in plate armor as butt naked. Why couldn't they just have a move silently and hide bonus like everyone else?
Marquis: Apparently, a demon prince who mates with a half-fiend produces a noble cambion, with completely different modifiers. For about twenty points of ability score modifiers, the marquis nets a one higher LA, and is not described under Cambions as Characters. No indication is given what happens with a norman tana'ari mates with a half-fiend, or if a demon prince mates with a tiefling.
