What negative level adjustment (or other compensation) would you give a character that has a curse of -6 penalty to all attack rolls, dexterity based rolls (including pure dexterity checks, skill checks, reflex saves or any other checks that include dexterity as a modifier) and armour class (and everything else modified by dexterity)? Assume that the curse cannot be lifted by any standard means at all.
Curse - how would you compensate?
- Thread starter Roman
- Start date
Tric
First Post
Holy cow! That is some awesome curse you've got there! I would rather dump my character if I got that curse, than try to survive anyway. I don't think it would be possible (AT ALL) to enjoy your game when your character is so weakened when compared to the other characters. Just who came up with that curse...? (Or is it Greater Bestow Curse or something? But I guess not since it apparently can't be lifted)
I've seen curses in action before, but not as you may expect. One gal I knew had her character start with a curse that gave her -4 to charisma (bestowed by a god, so it took a while before she got the limited wish required to lift it), and in return she was allowed to start with a special item (we started with 6000 gp and she also sacrificed ~4500 gp for the staff)... A staff that launched bolts of magical force. Mind you, the staff still dealt damage as a sling (bludgeoning, 1d4), since it would be too powerful otherwise. The staff had some other abilities, like switching shape between wand and staff. That's one way to do it.
I've seen curses in action before, but not as you may expect. One gal I knew had her character start with a curse that gave her -4 to charisma (bestowed by a god, so it took a while before she got the limited wish required to lift it), and in return she was allowed to start with a special item (we started with 6000 gp and she also sacrificed ~4500 gp for the staff)... A staff that launched bolts of magical force. Mind you, the staff still dealt damage as a sling (bludgeoning, 1d4), since it would be too powerful otherwise. The staff had some other abilities, like switching shape between wand and staff. That's one way to do it.
Rystil Arden
First Post
Yikes! Are you sure it isn't a CR calculation method? Someone else on the boards has used a CR calculation method that also gave .2 CR for 1 point of Fast Healing. CR calculators aren't a good basis for ECL because unfortunately some things are more powerful (or more crippling) when found on an ongoing PC than on a one-time baddy.Roman said:
Rystil Arden said:
I think it is the same calculation method as can be found in Grim Tales (which I do not have), but it was originally devised by Upper_Krust (he posts on these boards) and is available for free as a PDF. If you want a copy I can send it to you by e-mail. The calculation method presented there treats ECL and CR as one and the same (I am not sure what the logic is behind that - it is not justified in the PDF). I simply think that Regeneration 1 (and that's with no vulnerabilities to bypass it - with vulnerabilities it is stated as even less than that) is worth significantly more than 0.2 ECL that is stated in the calculation method - it allows the PC to completely recover after every battle! Fast healing is stated in the same calculation method to be worth even less - only 0.075 ECL!
This seems to be the most widely used ECL calculation method found on these boards, but I don't trust it fully. I am not good at balancing (I keep on saying this...), but some of the numbers presented therein simply sound way off to me.
Rystil Arden
First Post
You are correct. Treating CR and ECL as one in the same is foolish in the extreme, as is obvious when comparing the ECL to the CR of just about everything that has an ECL (the ECL is always higher).Roman said:
Rystil Arden
First Post
Hmmm...so this guy basically has -12 Dex. If he was actually trying to use Dex (ike an archer or something), this would be a significant setback, but methinks anyone willing to accept this penalty would be trying to minimise their use of Dex. So like a noncombatant or a big bruiser who only has to worry about the Reflex and AC hit. I wouldn't give -LA, but I might allow it to cancel out some LA if they picked a monster race.Roman said:
Rystil Arden
First Post
I would say its situational. For someone who could minimise the effect of the penalty, I'd probably give -2 or -3 LA, ya. -2 means they play a drow with no ECL and this curse. Seems about right, maybe a tiny bit weak.Roman said:
