Core only, how big of a power drop?

[brehobit]

Say you were running a game where you were going to allow the following books:
* Core
* Complete series
* Spell compendium
* PHBII, Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle.
There would be a few nerfs (no wraithstrike).

What "bonus" if any would you need/wish to give to balance a PC built with these books vs. one built purely "core" to keep them balanced? Even if you believe there is no "power inflation" in these books, the flexibility must help in power to some degree I think...

 

[javcs]

Balanced vs what exactly?

 

[brehobit]

Balanced vs what exactly?

Core only character vs. character that can use all of the above books.

Mark

 

[SlagMortar]

What level characters? All levels? I imagine at 1st level there would not be much difference.

 

[brehobit]

What level characters? All levels? I imagine at 1st level there would not be much difference.

For a whole campaign.

And I'd disagree with the 1st level thing. A first level warblade or crusader is significantly better (IMO) than a 1st level fighter.

Mark

 

[Dross]

A couple of things.

I'd not change things like PB amounts etc, I'd be more inclined to have more RP bonus (knowing important people, membership in important guilds etc). Failing that a house ruled item that grows with the PC (which could also have RP hooks of needed).


But my preference is not to have the discrepency in sources in the first place, since potentially it can alienate BOTH sides (he's got all this extra stuff/she has all these spells/items i can't get).

 

[brehobit]

A couple of things.

I'd not change things like PB amounts etc, I'd be more inclined to have more RP bonus (knowing important people, membership in important guilds etc). Failing that a house ruled item that grows with the PC (which could also have RP hooks of needed).


But my preference is not to have the discrepency in sources in the first place, since potentially it can alienate BOTH sides (he's got all this extra stuff/she has all these spells/items i can't get).

Yeah,
The logic is that some people own a truck-load of books, others have core only (mostly). I don't want to turn things into a "go out and buy lots of WoTC books to be the best you can be" but neither do I want to remove what I think are good and reasonable options.

The only other proposal I've seen (and liked) is that each player gets one non-core book they get to use. But even that hoses some interesting options (like the PHBII warlock feats...)

Mark

 

[Drowbane]

Yeah,
The logic is that some people own a truck-load of books, others have core only (mostly). I don't want to turn things into a "go out and buy lots of WoTC books to be the best you can be" but neither do I want to remove what I think are good and reasonable options.

The only other proposal I've seen (and liked) is that each player gets one non-core book they get to use. But even that hoses some interesting options (like the PHBII warlock feats...)

Mark

One of our Powergamers owns two books. He manages to find all his info online.

 

[argo]

Yeah,
The logic is that some people own a truck-load of books, others have core only (mostly). I don't want to turn things into a "go out and buy lots of WoTC books to be the best you can be" but neither do I want to remove what I think are good and reasonable options.

The only other proposal I've seen (and liked) is that each player gets one non-core book they get to use. But even that hoses some interesting options (like the PHBII warlock feats...)

Mark

The players with the personal library wont lend out books? :\

 

[FireLance]

Yeah,
The logic is that some people own a truck-load of books, others have core only (mostly). I don't want to turn things into a "go out and buy lots of WoTC books to be the best you can be" but neither do I want to remove what I think are good and reasonable options.

Isn't sharing books an option? I mean, you just need to have access to a book in order to use the material in it, so if Joe in your group has Tome of Battle and you really want to play a warblade, you just borrow the book from Joe to create your character and return it to him after that (or pass it to Dave, who wants to pick a Shadow Hand maneuver for his rogue).